《A Life Debt Repaid》


 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 1

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 1


    Chapter 1


    The former top heiress of North City was getting married, despite her reputation that was left in tatters


    for her alleged debauchery.Naturally, high society was left in an uproar once word got out.¡­Cordy


    Sachs, who was dressed in a Franconia designer wedding dress, was looking at the reflection of her


    dazzling, beautiful face in the mirror.After dating Kyle Wickham for three years, they were finally tying


    the knot¡ªhe still loved her even though everyone was trying to put her down.Smiling expectantly with


    tears welling in her eyes, she reared her chin slightly as she lifted her skirt and started toward the


    door¡­ only for rolling wisps of smoke to seep through the slit around the door, creeping into the


    washroom impatiently as if looking for an outlet.A fire?!Cordy¡¯s face fell. Pinching her nose as she


    stepped outside, she found the banquet hall that had been exceedingly lively a second ago now


    empty.There was only the thick smoke and fire that seemed bent on consuming everything.She did not


    hesitate to head toward the location of the exit in her memory, but she would be lying if she said she


    was not afraid of the rolling smoke and the blinding mes.That was when a man suddenly charged


    inside the hall.It was Cordy¡¯s fiance, Kyle Jessop. Seemingly seeing salvation, she cried out as she


    coughed and spluttered, ¡°Kyle, I¡¯m here¡­¡±Kyle, however, ignored her as he looked around


    anxiously.Then, pausing for a moment as if finding his target, he did not hesitate to run in the opposite


    direction from Cordy, even though every second counted.Then, as Cordy looked on, he picked up


    another woman who had been caught within the hall like Cordy and hurried outside.¡°I knew you would


    come for me, Kyle¡­¡± Cordy could clearly hear the woman¡¯s enfeebled voice, at once tender and


    aggrieved. ¡°I was so afraid¡­¡±Cordy abruptly felt as if she was bludgeoned, her vision cking out as


    she felt a dull pain over her chest.The voice belonged to her stepsister, Noel Sachs.And Kyle would put


    everything on the line to save Noel, but not her!Her heart was in pieces as if sliced through by a razor


    de, and it was a suffocation more lethal than the smoke around her!Even as she was rendered


    speechless, the ss chandelier overhead suddenly came crashing down!ng!Itnded in front of


    Cordy, cutting off her escape even as she dropped to the floor, her soul seemingly disced.Kyle


    turned around just then and saw Cordy falling behind him¡ªbut he never stopped.When Cordy looked


    up again, he had already dashed out of the hall without a care with the other woman in his arms.She


    was on the verge of death, but she could still clearly hear him tenderly assuring Noel, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m


    here now.¡±¡®I¡¯m here now¡­¡¯Cordy blinked even as violent heat surrounded her but she felt utterly cold


    inside.She could only watch as that familiar figure slowly disappeared from sight.¡­Cordy managed to


    survive¡ªamid her despair, the firefighters arrived just in time and rescued her.However, she had


    inhaled too much smoke and suffered blunt trauma on her right leg¡ªshe was unconscious when they


    got her out, and they rushed her to the hospital right after.It was not until the next morning that she


    woke up.There was a gentle breeze in the air¡ªit was a beautiful early summer day in North City and a


    ray of sunshinended on her pale, frail cheeks and her long, thick eyshes.She was looking coolly


    out at the blue sky and the clouds above. Her calm visage showed no emotion, and she was so still she


    could well still be unconscious.She did not realize that someone had suddenly opened the door to her


    ward, and she turned to find her father, stepmother, and Noel in the room already.¡°Are you alright,


    Cordy?¡± Noel asked tearfully.All Cordy could think about right then was the sight of Kyle saving Noel.


    She averted her eyes from them.¡°You¡¯re always so rude! Don¡¯t you see that your sister cares about


    you?¡± her father, Simon Sachs, snapped right then. On the other hand, Cordy¡¯s stepmother, Sue


    Yorkman, could see that Cordy did not want to talk. Sue quickly told him, ¡°Simon, Cordy is just a child.


    We have more important matters anyway.¡±Simon did not want to waste his breath with Cordy either,


    and said right away, ¡°You probably know by now, but Noel¡¯s the one Kyle actually loves, and it¡¯s a lucky


    coincidence that the wedding was disrupted. So give them your blessing and announce the annulment


    of your engagement with Kyle.¡±Cordyughed despite her fury and she asked Simon, ¡°Why?¡±¡°Because


    they love each other,¡± Simon said with utter conviction. ¡°You¡¯d already dragged our family¡¯s name


    through the mud when you had a child out of wedlock! All of North City knows that, and did you really


    think the Jessops would ept someone with such a questionable past? They are giving you a way


    out, so take it!¡±Cordy¡¯s questionable past went as far as she was eighteen.Noel had tricked Cordy to


    show up at a bar, where she was drugged and ended up waking up in the bed of a man she did not


    recognize.She was so distraught she did not even look at the man before running away, and she was


    too young to understand contraceptives. In fact, she was already five months pregnant before sheContent held by N?velDrama.Org.


    realized what was happening, and Noel had sent the paparazzi after her when she tried to get to the


    abortion despite her pain.That was how Cordy ended up being the biggestughing stock of North


    City.Things went from bad to worse when the doctor told her that she could not get an abortion for


    health reasons, and she therefore kept the child. She eventually came to ept it, only for it toe


    out stillborn¡­ but in her anguish, when she neededfort the most, Simon ruthlessly sent her


    abroad, leaving her to her own devices and without a word of concern for seven years.In fact, he never


    asked after her although she just escaped death, but he was already telling her to give up on Kyle


    because of his precious Noel?!How cold could a father be that he could tell her something so cruel, to


    rip open her old scars and draw blood?¡°I guess being a mistress runs in the family,¡± Cordy said with a


    sneer. ¡°Drag the family¡¯s name through the mud? You already did when you married your mistress


    while my mother¡¯s body was still warm, and the child you had with her is somehow just half a year


    younger than me. No one else would dare im the throne of infamy in this city when you¡¯re


    around!¡±¡°Cordy¡­¡± Simon growled, infuriated.On the other hand, Noel and Sue were humiliated by her


    contempt.Not in the mood to continue arguing with her so-called family, Cordy snapped, ¡°If the Jessops


    really refuse to have me, have Kyle himself tell me himself! You have no reason to be here, so leave


    before I call the cops! What more do I have to get embarrassed about, right?¡± Simon knew very well


    that Cordy was just delicate on the surface like her mother. Her stubbornness and unreasonable nature


    was ingrained in her very bones, and if they really upset her, no one was going to stop her!¡°Don¡¯t make


    me send you abroad again, Cordy Sachs!¡± he barked before turning to leave, with Noel and Sue


    naturally hurrying off after him.However, Cordy scoffed at Simon¡¯s threat¡ªdid he think she was still her


    old self from seven years ago, allowing him to do anything he wanted with her?She would not allow


    anyone to walk over her and her life from now on!¡°Mommy?¡± A small, crisp voice brought Cordy to her


    senses just then¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 2

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 2


    Chapter 2


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Cordy turned toward the voice to find a boy who looked around five years old standing at the door of


    her ward. He was dressed in a patient¡¯s garb like her, and his little face was so beautiful one could not


    take their eyes off him. At the same time, Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She felt as if she was tugged


    somewhere in her body, but she could not quite describe it. The boy then ran up to her bed and


    climbed up to it on his little feet without a pause, snuggling up to her and hugging her with his soft, little


    body. ¡°Were you bullied, Mommy?¡± He then released her and carefully wiped her tears with his stubby


    hands. Cordy realized then that her tears were leaking from sheer frustration, and her heart almost


    melted from the boy¡¯sfort. Even so, she was still positive that she did not know him. Smiling and


    tousling the boy¡¯s smooth curly hair, she spoke with unexpected mildness. ¡°You have the wrong person,


    kid.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re my mommy. Daddy and I will protect you from now on.¡± The boy spoke with confidence


    and excitement. ¡°Daddy has a bad temper, always pulls a long face, doesn¡¯t like to talk,es home


    late, gets stomach aches because he doesn¡¯t eat on time, and smokes¡­ but he¡¯s rich and handsome.


    Please don¡¯t leave us ever again, Mommy.¡± Cordy was left speechless and smiling helplessly. ¡°You¡¯re


    adorable¡ªbut I¡¯m not your mommy.¡± ¡°Dicky.¡± A cold yet alluring voice spoke from the door just


    then. The boy flinched and turned his little head in that direction, with Cordy following suit. A man stood


    at the doorway, his white shirt unbuttoned at the cor, and he carried the air of indescribable


    abstinence. His facial features seemed sculpted to perfection and his visage projected wit and


    composure. He stood towering and upright with a noble but nonchnt air. None of the rich and


    important men she met held a candle to those bewitching looks! ¡°Daddy!¡± Timmy greeted him primly


    and properly. Even as Cordy turned toward Timmy again, she realized the reason why the boy was so


    good looking. Nheless, the man said sternly, ¡°Back to your room, now.¡± Timmy pouted, but nodded


    tamely despite his reluctance¡ªhe must have been properly disciplined back home. Still, Timmy turned


    toward Cordy and said, ¡°I have to go, Mommy. But I¡¯m just next door, so could you visit me


    later?¡± Cordy could not refuse him once she saw his yearning look, and she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± She could


    also exin to him properly that she was not his mommy when she did. ¡°Oh! My name is Richard


    Levine, but everyone calls me Dicky. You should too, Mommy.¡± After introducing himself, little Richard


    reluctantly walked over to the man, who must be over six feet tall from a single nce at his tall


    frame. The height difference made Richard appear cuter, even perfect, as the child stood beside


    him. As the man took Richard¡¯s little hand and left, he did not nce his way. However, despite that stiff


    and aloof demeanor, Cordy somehow did not find him rude¡­ perhaps that was the privilege of good-


    looking men. For Cordy¡¯s part, she did not enjoy talking much, and she actually feltfortable with


    the man¡¯s distant reaction toward a stranger. She got out of bed then. Although walking was


    inconvenient since her right foot was stered, she stubbornly leaned on her crutches to reach the


    floor. It seemed to have grown into a habit, but she was used to being alone¡ªeven if she had been


    dating Kyle for three years, she would never trouble or rely on Kyle too much. She suddenly felt lucky


    that she was like this, allowing her to persevere despite the prospect of facing troubled times ahead.


    However, after it took her considerable effort to leave the washroom, Cordy stepped out and found that


    Richard¡¯s daddy had returned. She was startled, and the man watched as her face turned pale. ¡°Do I


    look that scary?¡± he asked with his deep, maic voice. ¡°No.¡± Cordy shook her head. ¡°I just didn¡¯t


    expect someone else here.¡± She was just feeling fortunate that he was aloof¡ªhis abrupt visit left her


    slightly repulsed. Seeing the change of attitude in her eyes, the man pursed his lips ever so slightly.


    ¡°The name¡¯s John Levine. The venue where you held your wedding happened to be mine, Ms.


    Sachs.¡± Cordy realized with a start as John cut to the chase¡ªas the owner of the venue, he certainly


    had a responsibility for the fire. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you were caught in the fire and suffered a fracture in my


    premises,¡± John continued then, his tone as businesslike as it was solemn. ¡°I hence offer to cover for


    all your expenditure while you¡¯re staying here in this hospital, and that includes the fees for treatment,


    hospitality, rehabilitation, and the like. You may also seek damages forbor injury, emotional distress,


    as well as the cancetion of your wedding.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cordy said tly. ¡°Just covering my medical fees


    would be enough.¡± John looked at her a little weirdly just then, whereas Cordy¡¯s feet were getting numb


    from standing too long. Still, he obviously sensed that she had trouble moving around. He asked,


    ¡°Would you like my help?¡± ¡°No¡­ Oh!¡± Cordy had barely finished when her crutches suddenly


    twitched. However, just as she was about to fall, John darted forward and caught her squarely in his


    arms. Despite her shock, Cordy smelled a clean minty scent and seemed to hear his heart pounding


    from his chest, loudly and a little too quickly. She quickly tried to get away from him because she was


    really ufortable with such intimacy. In the three years she spent together with Kyle, they at best


    held hands since Kyle learned that she was averse to intimacy with men due to past trauma. He used


    to care for and respect her¡­ and yet. Truly, the heart is fickle. Still, as Cordy straightened herself with


    John¡¯s help, her crutches were still on the floor. Without any support, she tried to stand on one


    foot. However, it proved unsteady¡ªshe started to teeter as she could not lean on anything. Startled,


    she quickly wrapped her arms around John¡¯s neck¡­ but as soon as she did so, she realized that she


    was being overly intimate and she quickly released him. Her cheeks, drained of color at first, were now


    blushing red. John could naturally tell everything Cordy was doing, but he remained silent as he saw


    the stubbornness in her eyes. She probably did not want anything further to do with him. After all, the


    ward was just that wide and it was just a few paces to her bed¡ªall she had to do was bear with it for


    seconds. Pursing his lips, John eventually moved and carried her to her bed. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± As


    the familiar voice of a man suddenly resounded in the ward, sounding obviously angry, Cordy felt her


    heart skip a beat and she bit her lip. John, however, was unmoved¡ªeven deaf to the other man¡¯s


    outburst. He seemed to have his eyes fixed on Cordy even as he walked steadily and unhurriedly to


    put Cordy in her bed.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 3

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 3


    Chapter 3Cordy was ring coldly at Kyle. She was certainly disenchanted with him after he


    abandoned her to save Noel. However, forgiveness notwithstanding, she could afford to listen to an


    exnation because they had been together for three years. And yet, she felt that asking for one would


    only demean herself. On the other hand, Kyle turned to look at the other man and paused because he


    was too good-looking. Kyle soon recognized him as one of the firefighters who had rushed into the


    hotelst night and saved Cordy. Still, he did not see his face clearly at the time and merely found his


    stature towering. That was when Cordy said, ¡°Let¡¯s break up, Kyle.¡± Kyle actually felt an aching over his


    chest as she dered the end of their three-year rtionship, and he wheeled on her with a look of


    disbelief. Overwhelmed with rage, he bellowed as he pointed at the other man, ¡°Do you even know who


    he is, Cordy Sachs?! He¡¯s just a firefighter! You¡¯re dumping me for the likes of him?!¡± John¡¯s eyes


    twitched ever so slightly¡ªthere was contempt and coldness in his gaze. However, he chose to remain


    there in silence, appearing to have no inclination to leave. ¡°You know very well why we¡¯re breaking up!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s cool tone was now showing a tinge of anger. ¡°Everything was clear when you chose to save


    Noelst night, so don¡¯t treat me like I¡¯m an idiot!¡± Kyle¡¯s indignant expression stiffened right then, and


    he had noeback against that. He stayed silent for a while, myriad emotions tangling in his eyes,


    though he soon found sce. ¡°Maybe we never should have been together,¡± he said, looking at her


    with regret and misery. ¡°You¡¯re so strong and independent, Cordy¡­ I felt inconsequential. I feel


    stressed when I¡¯m with you. You never needed me.¡± Cordy watched him in return, and she suddenly


    smiled despite the numbing pain she felt inside. She met Kyle while they were abroad¡ªshe was


    working as a street musician. He had been young and innocent at the time, his smile was as warm as


    summer. Cultured and refined, he dropped a generous donation for her performance, and he would


    come by often to support her afterward. As time went by, these strangers became lovers in another


    country. She told him that she had a troubled past but he dismissed it, saying that he wanted a future


    with her. Later, as his family business faced a crisis, his family recalled him to the country as soon as


    he graduated from university. Cordy returned with him as her career started to take off and both of


    them promptly joined Jessop Corp, working long nights together, going to various social events or to


    cajole any willing investors. They eventually brought Jessop Corp back on track and he used to be


    grateful, even vowing never to leave her¡­ And now, he was saying that being with her was stressful,


    and that her strong and independent nature was a mistake? Despite Kyle seeming guilty, he also


    appeared relieved. ¡°Take care. You cane to me if you¡¯re ever in need, since we¡¯re still


    friends¡­¡± ¡°Save your pity and goodwill! I¡¯m no loser who needs your alms, nor would I ever trust a man


    who would abandon me when it matters!¡± Cordy snapped, her tone icy and taunting. ¡°Remember this,


    Kyle Jessop¡ªI was the one who dumped you! I earnestly wish you would live happily with Noel for the


    rest of your life and not regret ever choosing her!¡± Her scolding left Kyle humiliated. It was his fault for


    abandoning herst night, and there was nothing he could say. And she was now clearly unreasonable,


    with no way to talk things out with her. Giving her a long look, he then quietly said, ¡°You should rest.¡±


    He started to leave when he paused and turned toward John, who returned his gaze with apathy. ¡°I¡¯ve


    seen too many men like him who have the looks but are penniless,¡± he growled, indignant from the


    injustice. ¡°They¡¯re all losers, oily bastards who trick women out of money and pleasure. Don¡¯t fall for his


    ¡ª¡± Cordy did not want another word from him. ¡°Do I look like a loose woman, Kyle Jessop?!¡± John


    tactfully straightened his hair just then. The gesture made his stance obvious. ¡°If you want to end up in


    the dumps, suit yourself,¡± Kyle retorted and stormed off, leaving the ward in abrupt silence. ¡°Thank you


    for helping me to my bed and with Kyle,¡± Cordy eventually said. ¡°But may I ask you to leave, Mr.


    Levine?¡± John nodded. ¡°Sure. Please get some rest, Ms. Sachs.¡± Still, just as that towering figure was


    about to leave, he returned to put a stack of tissues near her bed while saying, ¡°If a man feels stressed


    being with you, it is he who¡¯scking¡ªit¡¯s not your fault.¡± Cordy did a double take as she suddenly


    found John different from other men. ¡­ John¡¯s pace slowed down after he left Cordy¡¯s ward and he


    whipped out his phone to make a call. ¡°Winston.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine?¡± The response was


    respectful. ¡°From now on, always prepare another portion of food for the patient staying next to


    Dicky.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, Mr. Levine.¡± As soon as John hung up, he got a call. ncing at the caller ID, he


    greeted, ¡°Bob.¡± ¡°I heard there¡¯s a fire in your hotel as soon as you return to the country?¡± Bob Davis


    teased. ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied. ¡°The damage must be in the eight figures, right? How are you feeling?¡±


    Bob kept going. ¡°It¡¯s good that the fire happened when it did.¡± ¡°¡­Hey, you¡¯re not losing it, are you? WhyProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    don¡¯t you hang out with us boys for a bit, get some drinks to douse your sorrows?¡± ¡°Nope, but I don¡¯t


    mind joining if you¡¯re celebrating for me instead,¡± John replied. ¡°That said, I¡¯m not actually free.¡± Bob


    was left dumbfounded right then. It had not been that long since theyst met, but John had suddenly


    managed to brush up on his humor?! Bob needed a while toe to his senses. He then asked,


    ¡°Anyway, isn¡¯t Dicky getting discharged today?¡± In fact, John only returned because of Richard¡¯s


    appendicitis, and the party to celebrate John¡¯s return had to be postponed. ¡°Not yet,¡± James said. ¡°I¡¯m


    having him stay for another half a month.¡± ¡°Wait, is Dicky alright?¡± Bob asked nervously. ¡°Yeah,¡± John


    replied tly. ¡°We¡¯re just staying for fun.¡± Bob was dumbfounded again¡ªwas the hospital some sort of


    hotel to John?! ¡°Talk to youter.¡± ¡°Wait, Johnny.¡± Bob quickly stopped him. ¡°I could bring a psychiatrist


    to you, take a look¡­¡± ¡°Do that for yourself!¡± John snapped and hung up. He turned to look at the next


    ward as he did so, pursing his lips before entering his son¡¯s ward.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 4

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 4


    Chapter 4


    Kyle headed to Sachs Mansion after leaving the hospital, with Simon Sachs asking him urgently, ¡°Did


    Cordy agree to annulling your engagement with her?¡± Kyle shook his head, his eyes fixed on the


    adorable yet docile Noel Sachs as he said mildly, ¡°We¡¯ve broken up. The annulment would just be a


    matter of time. Sorry to keep you waiting again, Noel.¡±¡°No, it¡¯s alright.¡± Noel shook her head, her eyes


    twinkling with tenderness. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy as long as I¡¯m with you, Kyle.¡±Kyle¡¯s heart certainly turned into


    mush from her tameness¡ªhe was right to choose her!Still, he restrained himself and said, ¡°I was just


    going to visit Cordy, but she was with another man¡ªthat firefighter fromst night.¡±¡°Old habits die hard,


    huh? You should have dumped her from the start! She doesn¡¯t deserve you!¡± Simon snapped


    shortly.Kyle nodded¡ªCordy was certainly too filthy!¡°Honestly, let¡¯s not bother with her already. She can


    do whatever she likes¡ªI¡¯ll just pretend I never had such a shameless daughter!¡± Simon scoffed


    ruthlessly at the mention of Cordy before changing the topic of conversation. ¡°I heard a while ago that


    John Levine, the scion of Levine Ventures, has just returned to the country. You should meet as


    Starstream Group¡¯s CEO when you have the chance, Noel.¡±¡°Are you letting me take over thepany,


    Dad?¡± Noel asked a little excitedly.After all, Cordy¡¯s mother was the one who founded Starstream, and


    this meant that she would be taking what Cordy desired most.¡°Thank you, Daddy! I won¡¯t let you down!¡±


    She hurried and showed her determination.¡°Of course I trust you,¡± Simon said affectionately.¡°By the


    way, the Levines are the richest family in the city, aren¡¯t they? John was also said to have a child


    abroad, but there¡¯s nothing known about the mother?¡± Noel asked in curiosity.Simon nodded. ¡°Word is


    that his grandfather n Levine was taken ill, and n has asked John to return and take over the


    family business. John¡¯s been bringing the Levines¡¯ business in the foreign market to new heights, and


    his acumen for business was said to match even n¡¯s. You¡¯re around the same age, Kyle, so try to


    make his acquaintance¡ªthe Levines basically own North City, after all.¡±¡°I¡¯ve spoken to my father about


    it myself¡ªI will visit the Levines once John formally takes over,¡± Kyle said humbly.¡°He¡¯s only twenty-


    seven, right?! But he¡¯s already so young and sessful¡­ I wonder what he looks like?¡± Noel


    murmured to herself just then.¡°It¡¯s n Levine¡¯s seventieth birthday next month. We¡¯ll be able to meet


    him then,¡± Kyle said as he watched her. ¡°What, are you interested in him?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Noel denied it,


    purring, ¡°I¡¯m only interested in you, Kyle¡­ I think he must be ugly, which was why he got dumped! He


    probably looks like those middle-aged men with those giant bellies. In North City, only you have it all,


    Kyle: looks, sess, and family connections.¡±Kyle could not help smiling at that, as they seemingly


    nonchntly changed the subject.¡­The bleak ward where Cordy was staying was a stark contrast to


    the cheerful atmosphere in Sachs Mansion.Cordy was a little hungry, though she did not expect herself


    to cry over an hour over Kyle, who was absolutely not worth it.Still, before she could order her food, a


    man in his fifties entered the ward, followed by twodies who looked to be in their twenties.¡°Good day,


    Ms. Sachs,¡± the old man greeted her respectfully. ¡°I am John Levine¡¯s valet, but you can call me


    Winston.¡±As Cordy blinked in confusion, Winston introduced, ¡°This is Flora, and this is Scarlet. They


    are professionally trained maids that Mr. Levine has brought to assist you, and you may order them


    around as you require while you¡¯re staying here.¡±Then, he instructed, ¡°Girls, present Ms. Sachs¡¯ lunch,


    please.¡±Flora and Scarlet swiftly brought over the lunchboxes,ying out an assortment of dishes that


    would serve as Cordy¡¯s overly scrumptious lunch on her overbed table, even holding out her knife and


    fork with both hands, respectfully. ¡°Please enjoy your meal, Ms. Sachs.¡± Cordy actually thought then


    that John was overdoing it¡ªhe did not have to go so far for her, especially since the fire at his hotel


    must have inflicted serious damages.Still, she took the knife and fork while saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±Though


    the food tasted far beyond expectations, Winston suddenly put on a pair of reading sses and


    whipped out a little notebook, recording everything while observing Cordy closely. ¡°Apologies if the food


    isn¡¯t to your taste. May I ask if you have any sort of preferences, or ingredients you don¡¯t like?¡±Cordy


    was stumped for a moment, but she then slowly said, ¡°No.¡±Wintson did not press her further, but simply


    observed her quietly nearby, while writing down in his notebook: Ms. Sachs prefers fish, but is averse


    to carrots and onions¡­As he wrote, he looked up again at the dishes Cordy ate, and summed things


    up: Refer to Mr. Richard¡¯s preferences.After Cordy finished her lunch, Winston presented her with a


    box.It contained a mobile phone equipped with a SIM card.Cordy thanked Winston, and he left without


    lingering since his job was done.On the other hand, Flora and Scarlet stayed since they were supposed


    to attend to her.¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Cordy said as she got into a wheelchair and wheeled herself out of


    the ward.She had agreed to visit Richard and it was a principle of hers to keep promises, not to


    mention that there were matters she felt she should discuss directly with John.As she knocked on the


    door to the next ward, it opened.John¡¯s towering form appeared before her.His shoulders were broad,


    his waist muscr, and his legs long¡ªthe sleeves of his white shirt were rolled up, revealing his


    chiseled hands.Still, Cordy noticed just then that he was bandaged around the wrist¡­And he had


    carried her in his arms!Averting her eyes, she asked, ¡°Is Dicky in?¡±¡°Yes, but he¡¯s having a nap.¡± John


    replied.Cordy wondered to herself if he was trying to keep her away from his son, and she pursed her


    lips. ¡°I¡¯lle byter¡­¡±However, Richard seemed to hear her from inside. He suddenly asked out


    loud, ¡°Are you there, Mommy? Can you sleep with me?¡±¡°I need to step out for the moment. Please


    keep himpany if you¡¯re not too busy, Ms. Sachs,¡± John said right away before Cordy could say


    anything. ¡°Dicky just had an appendix surgery and his doctors have insisted on bed rest. Help me coax


    him to sleep if you can.¡±With that, John left without waiting for her to agree.On the other hand, Cordy


    was mystified by his behavior. Was he not afraid that his adorable son would be affected?!¡°Mommy?¡±


    Richard called out sweetly to her just then.Cordy inhaled deeply and refrained from correcting him.


    ¡°Alright, just take a nap. I¡¯ll be here with you.¡±¡°Thanks, Mommy,¡± Richard said, wrapping his little hands


    firmly around her arm and holding it against his chest.Then, he closed his eyes and yawned, falling


    asleep at the very next instant.She was certainly envious of the child¡¯s ability to doze off with such ease


    ¡ªshe had been taking mtonin pills for years.Still, seeing that he was asleep, she drew her hand out


    of his grasp. No sooner had she done that when Richard¡¯s little pudgy hands tightened around her,


    even as he murmured, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±Cordy decided that she could not help it¡ªeven as


    she looked at Richard¡¯s tiny, adorable cheeks, she wondered how heartless his mother could be to


    bear to abandon him.She could not help leaning in and giving him a kiss.As she looked up, she


    suddenly saw that John had returned to the ward, his dark gaze watching her every move, but his


    thoughts impassive.Cordy felt caught in the awkwardness right then, because she had been caught


    red-handed kissing another person¡¯s child¡­Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 5

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 5


    Chapter 5


    John spoke up just then, alleviating the awkwardness. ¡°Dicky waited for you for over an hour. He


    usually naps earlier.¡±Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she pursed her lips and said, ¡°Actually, Mr.


    Levine, you could¡¯ve just exined that I¡¯m not his mommy.¡±John simply watched her with his ck


    eyes quietly then, and the sudden silence left Cordy wondering if she had misspoken.Still, she did not


    dwell on it and continued, ¡°The fire was just an ident anyway. You didn¡¯t have to bring me lunch or


    have those maids take care of me. And how much for the phone? I¡¯ll wire the money to you.¡±¡°I thought


    you were smart, Ms. Sachs.¡±Cordy was at a loss. Was there anything about her that made her look


    stupid?!¡°Dicky needs a mommy,¡± John continued in his alluring voice, as if it was only natural.¡°So?¡±


    Cordy raised a brow.John simply kept his dark eyes fixed on her for a long while.After the pause, his


    pitch seemed to deepen. ¡°And he likes you. So you might be able to tell that I¡¯m wooing you, Ms.


    Sachs.¡±Cordy was speechless.She could never have told. All she felt was that everything he did was


    imposing!¡°You don¡¯t need to respond immediately, Ms. Sachs. After all¡­¡± John then trailed off, as if


    musing on the right words, ¡°We¡¯re not acquainted yet.¡±Obviously, they were just strangers who crossed


    paths by chance.Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Cordy said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a little


    childish about a rtionship, Mr. Levine?¡±John raised a brow¡ªshe was already a difficult person, and


    she appeared even more distant now.¡°Wooing me just because your son likes me? Am I just a tool to


    you? What if your son stops liking me and chooses another woman to be his mommy one day? Are you


    going to woo her too, Mr. Levine?¡±Cordy paused to calm herself just then, as she noticed that she was


    getting a little harsh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Levine, but I don¡¯t share your perspective.¡±¡°Wooing has nothing to


    do with my son. He just happens to like you too, just as I do,¡± John said inly then.Cordy actually


    thought she misheard.A sudden deration of love¡­ It must be a joke, right?!They had just met hours


    ago!¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my son falling for another woman either, Ms. Sachs,¡± John said,


    enunciating every word. ¡°Devotion runs in our family.¡±Cordy was left speechless again.Did that man just


    endorse himself and his son at the same time?Even offering her¡­ a promise?!Still, she was not about


    to be caught in his pace, not to mention that she absolutely could not respond to the feelings of people


    she just met. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re aiming to do, Mr. Levine, I¡¯m serious when I tell you that I¡¯m rejecting


    you.¡±John simply stared at her with his jet-ck eyes.¡°Please don¡¯t disturb me ever again, Mr. Levine.


    All you have to do is offer me duepensation¡ª¡±¡°I reject your rejection,¡± John said, cutting her short


    with an assertive tone.Anger shed in Cordy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you even know my past? I¡¯m not as ideal as


    you¡¯d like to think.¡±¡°I never doubt my judgment, nor do I take issue with a person¡¯s past.¡±¡°Someone told


    me that before too, and you saw how that ended up.¡±Therefore, how would she ever trust a stranger


    she just met?¡°Don¡¯tpare me to scum.¡±The ward suddenly turned silent.John¡¯s thin lips twitched


    ever so slightly, his expression so icy it left Cordy¡¯s heart skipping a beat.His reaction made her feel as


    if she genuinely insulted him. Still, she suddenlyughed without knowing the reason herself.Probably


    because there was still someone in this world who would side with her.In everyone else¡¯s perspective,


    Kyle was too good for her¡ªa notion shared even by her own biological father.There was a change in


    John¡¯s gaze as she watched herugh, and he said, ¡°In the days toe, I will demonstrate the


    difference between myself and scum, Ms. Sachs.¡±In other words, he would go all out to woo her!With


    those words, he turned to leave, seemingly reluctant to waste more time on this matter.After all, no one


    could change his mind after he made a decision.¡°Mr. Levine.¡± Cordy quickly stopped him when she


    came to her senses.John stopped, but he did not turn around.¡°I suggest that you find out about my past


    first.¡±¡°I don¡¯t have to.¡±With those short and direct words, he left without stopping this time.¡­Cordy


    returned to her ward and got into bed.When she nced at the phone, she remembered that she had


    yet to wire the money for it to John.Still, she soon decided against it¡ªhe did not look like he would


    miss the money, and she could just consider itpensation for her emotional distress.She hence


    dialed an unfamiliar number that she engraved in her memory. ¡°Mr. Jacobs? It¡¯s me, Cordy


    Sachs.¡±¡°Good afternoon, Ms. Sachs.¡±¡°I wish to inherit Starstream Group¡ªthepany that my mother


    left me. Would there be any issues?¡±¡°Of course not,¡± thewyer replied right away. ¡°Your mother made


    it clear in her will that thepany belongs to you. You can im it anytime you want.¡±Ever since her


    mother¡¯s death, Starstream Group, whose main business was in fashion, had been taken over by


    Simon as custodian, even after Cordy was sent abroad. Cordy had wanted to take over and manage it


    when she returned to the country with Kyle, but she had poured her time and strength into savingBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Jessop Corp from its crisis instead. Unable to divert her attention, she had set the idea aside until


    now.¡°Please do apany me to thepany¡¯s office when the timees.¡±¡°I will be ready


    whenever.¡± Andrew Jacobs agreed to it right away.¡­Cordy stayed at the hospital for a week, and


    Richard would visit frequently. While she did not hate it even though it took up most of her time, that


    meant seeing John from time to time.That being said, she did not find him repulsive¡ªafter he


    ¡®dered¡¯ his love to her the other day, he did not actually do anything.In fact, there were times he was


    so quiet he might as well have not existed. She hence began to wonder if he had actually just said that


    out of the heat of the moment, or if he perhaps did not have any idea what ¡®wooing¡¯ entailed.The only


    thing that qualified as effort was his insistence that Winston delivered her meals every day, which also


    happened to fit her pte better with each passing day.As Cordy packed her things, she took away


    nothing other than the phone John gave to her.¡°Mommy, will I ever see you again?¡± Richard gave her a


    miserable look, wistfulness showing all over her face.The boy was certainly a stark contrast against the


    seemingly nonexistent man who stood nearby.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 6

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 6


    Chapter 6


    ¡°Of course!¡± Cordy certainly came to like Richard a lot after spending a week with the boy. ¡°I¡¯ve left you


    my number, so call me anytime you miss me. I¡¯ll evene to meet you when I¡¯m free.¡±¡°Liar, liar, pants


    on fire¡­¡±Cordy dropped to a crouch then, which took her considerable exertion.Nearby, the


    nonexistent man was left frowning as she tenderly tousled Richard¡¯s hair from the same height as the


    latter. ¡°Yes, pants on fire.¡±Richard beamed adorably then and gave her a peck on the cheek.The


    nonexistent man frowned even harder then.¡°I have to go now,¡± Cordy told Richard with a tender


    look.¡°Okay, Mommy. Don¡¯t run or you might fall,¡± Richard called after her sweetly¡ªthe boy simply


    refused to stop calling her that even after a week.When Cordy tried to, Richard would be rmed,


    thinking that she was abandoning her, his little eyes turning red and welling with tears from misery.It


    certainly stopped Cordy from being stubborn¡ªthe boy would get it when he was older anyway.As she


    limped out alone from her ward on her crutch, John kept following her.She wanted to stop him more


    than once, but she held her tongue.It was not until they reached the main entrance that she spoke. ¡°Mr.


    Levine¡­¡±However, he simply walked past her, opening the door of the ck Maybach parked in front


    of her like a gentleman.As Cordy frowned, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride home.¡±¡°I shouldn¡¯t trouble you. I


    can get home by myself.¡±¡°I have a car,¡± he insisted simply.Cordy stared at him. Was he bragging?¡°It¡¯s


    no trouble,¡± he added.Cordy genuinely found it difficult to talk to him, but shepromised


    regardless.He seemed to have this mystical ability to stop her from refusing, though refusing was just


    going to be a waste of time¡ªit would never work.As she got into the luxurious sedan, John asked,


    ¡°Where do you live, Ms. Sachs?¡±¡°North Garden,¡± she replied.She never returned to Sachs Mansion


    ever since she returned to the country, and her so-called family never cared.¡°Yeah,¡± John said, giving


    the chauffeur a look.The chauffeur quickly nodded and slowly drove out of the hospital.That was when


    John suddenly leaned toward Cordy.She was startled even though she was clearly wary¡ªJohn had


    always kept his distance.Still, she looked on as he helped her put on her seatbelt, and she was left


    pursing her lips.After he was done, he said evenly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to clench your fists, Ms.


    Sachs.¡±Cordy promptly looked down.She did not notice that she was doing that.As the awkwardness ofR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    the situation unfurled, John added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Sachs. I¡¯m not the type to sleep around.¡±Cordy


    was speechless.How narcissistic could he get?!Unable to hold back just then, she blurted, ¡°How did


    you get a kid if you really were?¡±She regretted it almost as soon as she said it¡ªshe was not close


    enough to John that they could joke like that.Indeed, John turned to look at her and held her gaze for a


    long while.However, just as she thought about changing the subject, John said, ¡°It was against my


    will.¡±Cordy was dumbfounded¡ªsomething like that could happen to a burly man who measured up to


    six feet tall?!¡°I guess she¡¯s quite assertive.¡± Cordy tried to y along.¡°She was on that day.¡± John


    nodded, ncing at her again with his dark gaze.Somehow, Cordy felt like their conversation was not


    that dull.¡°And? How did you two end up separated?¡± Cordy asked, trying to change the subject¡ªshe


    was also curious as to why Richard¡¯s mother would leave them.¡°She doesn¡¯t like me.¡±Cordy was


    dumbfounded again¡ªsomeone dumped a man as gorgeous as him?!¡°If she doesn¡¯t, why would she


    bear your child?¡± It just did not make sense.¡°She never wanted Dicky,¡± John said coolly. ¡°She was


    actually going to abandon him after delivering him.¡± Cordy¡¯s heart actually felt as if it was cut by a de


    right then. She did not even want to imagine the scene where a newly born Dicky, so young and


    defenseless, was almost dumped without an ounce of sentiment.¡°It¡¯s right to separate yourself from a


    woman like her,¡± she said earnestly.John pursed his lips and stared fixedly at her, as if there was


    something on her face.Cordy touched her own cheeks self-consciously. ¡°Mr. Levine?¡±John turned away


    and kept the back of his head to her for the rest of the journey.Cordy frowned¡ªhe was certainly


    vtile.Still, considering that she mentioned his unpleasant rtionship, it would make sense that he


    would be in a bad mood.The car was silent until it stopped outside Cordy¡¯s apartment.¡°Thank you,¡±


    Cordy said as she maintained her distance from him.John nodded. ¡°Take care, Ms. Sachs.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡±


    Cordy replied, while feeling relieved inside.She had to admit that she was slightly worried that John


    would insist on walking her to her apartment unit. Her tolerance toward strangers was already at its


    limit after he brought her to her apartment block.He was certainly considerate, and she actually felt less


    wary toward him¡ªeven though she should be very wary against him.¡­Meanwhile, in the car, the


    chauffeur called out to John. ¡°Sir?¡±Cordy was already gone from sight, but John was still staring at the


    direction from which she left, while his phone had been ringing for a while.John eventually turned away,


    remaining impassive as he answered the call. ¡°Grandpa.¡±¡°Isn¡¯t Dicky getting discharged today? Why


    isn¡¯t he here?¡± n Levine asked.¡°We will arrive soon,¡± John replied. ¡°But I must be clear¡ªwe won¡¯t be


    staying at the manor.¡±¡°Why?¡± n sounded clearly upset.¡°Dicky¡¯s introverted¡ªhe doesn¡¯t like having


    too many people around. I¡¯ll bring him over to meet you, and then leave with him,¡± John said


    staunchly.¡°At least have dinner before you leave.¡±It was n¡¯s finalpromise.¡°¡­Sure,¡± John


    agreed.He rarely returned to North City following his parents¡¯ death, and he would not have returned at


    all if his grandfather did not coerce him with his own mortality.And if he did not, he probably would not


    have met her again.¡­Monday was a clear day.Cordy put on a business suit and light makeup, while


    letting her silky hair loose nonchntly over her shoulders. Even though she was still on crutches, it did


    not hamper her weathered yet beautiful appearance.Herwyer, Andrew Jacobs, apanied her to


    Starstream Group.A man quickly approached them, greeting Cordy. ¡°Ms. Sachs.¡±¡°Mr. Lang.¡± She


    nodded.Stephen Lang, the deputy general manager of Starstream Group, was one of Cordy¡¯s mother¡¯s


    most trusted employees. When Simon took over, he went on a major reformation, swapping out much


    of the old guard¡ªonly Stephen remained.His position and influence in Starstream certainly went


    without saying from that fact alone.¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said without dy. ¡°Actually, Ms. Sachs, today


    is¡­¡±Cordy frowned at Stephen¡¯s hesitation to speak.¡°I just got the news when I came in today. The


    board chairman¡­ I mean, your father is going to appoint Noel Sachs as CEO of Starstream Group,


    giving her full authority over allpany affairs. They¡¯re actually holding a session ceremony


    now.¡±Simon Sachs and his daughter were as despicable as they were shameless!Even so, Cordy said


    coolly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 7

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 7


    Chapter 7


    The vast meeting was filled with Starstream Group key executives, and Noel was standing on the


    podium. She was about to speak as she assumed the post of CEO when she suddenly noticed Cordy


    standing at the door, and she froze.Simon, who was seated in the middle of the front row, turned


    around to look when he saw the weird look in Noel¡¯s eyes.He glowered the instant he saw Cordy and


    sprang to his feet, storming toward Cordy with a look of disgust and contempt as everyone else looked


    on. ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±¡°This is my mother¡¯spany. Is there a problem?¡± Cordy asked in


    return.She was calm but no less imposing, and she was certainly not cowed by Simon.¡°I don¡¯t want to


    argue right now,¡± Simon snapped impatiently. ¡°Get out of here right now¡ªI don¡¯t have time to waste on


    you today. Whatever it is, you can tell meter!¡±However, Cordy shared the same sentiment and simply


    walked straight into the conference room.Noel watched as she did so, her eyes shing dangerously


    for an instant.Still, an angelic smile appeared on her face the next second. ¡°Hey, sis! Did youe to


    see my appointment as CEO? I¡¯m so d!¡±Cordy actually thought that it was a waste that Noel was not


    an actress. Simply ignoring her, Cordy whipped out a document in front of everyone and made an


    announcement.¡°Greetings, I¡¯m Cordy Sachs. I havee to Starstream to assume ownership over the


    company as per myter mother¡¯s wishes. I¡¯m grateful to my father for taking care of thepany


    before my return.¡±The conference room was left in an uproar right after she spoke.What?! Starstream


    actually belonged to Cordy?! Then what did Simon and Noel amount to in thepany?!Cordy


    appeared unconcerned about their shock. ¡°Starting today, I have full control over Starstream. I hope I


    have your support.¡±She then bowed, although it was a gesture to assert her dominance.Noel was left


    standing awkwardly on the podium, still holding the speech she prepared especially for this


    asion.Cordy¡¯s announcement left everyone staring at Noel¡ªthis was the first time she was left


    looking like a fool, and Cordy was the one who did this to her!She was supposed to take over


    Startstream Group today, only for Cordy to give her a p across the face!She certainly had never


    been humiliated like this. She always got anything she wanted even as a child, with Cordy ending up


    battered and looking like an idiot.Her eyes suddenly welled with innocent tears as she asked gingerly,


    ¡°Do you need money¡­ sis?¡±Cordy was glowering but said nothing, so Noel quickly pressed, ¡°Calm


    down, sis. I just don¡¯t understand¡­ You never cared about Starstream, so why would you suddenly


    want to take over? I even heard from Kyle that you fell for a firefighter the other day, and that you might


    be in trouble?¡±Noel¡¯s seemingly offhandment left the executives in an uproar again.So Cordy was


    so horrific that she caused trouble just to get money for her lover?! Did she not feel embarrassed?!At


    the same time, Simon¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you a million dors right, so get out! Don¡¯t ever


    show up here¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t be here!¡±Simon¡¯s outburst only solidified the impression that Cordy was


    short on money, but sheughed despite her rage.On the other hand, Noel was upset to hear that


    Cordy would be given money. From her perspective, Cordy deserved nothing!Still, considering that she


    would get the entirepany in return, she said, ¡°I can wire you the money today if you need it


    urgently¡ªI just hope you won¡¯t hook up with that man anymore¡­¡± ¡°Hook up? You mean like how you


    hooked up with my fiance?¡±Noel¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Kyle and I never did anything like that¡­¡±Her affair


    with Kyle Jessop certainly must not be exposed, since both their families¡¯ reputation would be


    tarnished!¡°That¡¯s enough! Stop trying to distort the facts!¡± Simon barked. He then whipped out his


    checkbook to quickly write a check. ¡°Here, it¡¯s 500 grand. I¡¯ll wire you the rest once you sign over the


    company!¡±With that, he tore out the check and threw it at Cordy¡¯s feet.Check looked down at it and


    slowly arched her back to pick it up.Nearby, Noel was sneering, thinking to herself that Cordy was a


    gold-digger like any other person, and certainly never that noble!However, Cordy merely leveled a cool


    re at Simon after she picked up the check. Then, she tore it into pieces as everyone looked on and


    threw the pieces back at Simon.¡°Starstream Group¡¯s profits reach dozens of millions per annum,


    and its worth is well over hundreds of millions! And you¡¯re brazenly telling me to give it up for a


    million?!¡±Cordy¡¯s sharp words were a p to Simon¡¯s face, putting him down and leaving him utterly


    awkward in front of everyone!Noel¡¯s face fell, surprised that Cordy would know such intricate


    details.¡°You have one day to settle any outstanding tasks and to pack your things,¡± Cordy snapped. ¡°Or


    suffer the consequences!¡±¡­Noel¡¯s session ceremony hence ended with utter disgrace, and she


    was crying in her office.In fact, she was doing that ever since they left the conference room.¡°Dad, how


    is this different from robbery?! We¡¯ve worked so hard to bring Starstream to where it is, and she¡¯s just


    going to take it from us?! I can¡¯t take it¡­¡±Simon was incensed too, and he snarled through his teeth,


    ¡°I¡¯m old, but not senile! A kid like her doesn¡¯t hold a candle to me! If she wants Starstream so badly, I¡¯ll


    teach her why people should be careful about what they wish for!¡±Noel finally stopped crying at that


    and smiled evilly.After all, she would take everything from Cordy¡ªher family, her reputation, her love


    interest, and her money.And Cordy had never won against her, not once!¡­The CEO¡¯s office on top of


    Levine Ventures¡¯ headquarters had a perfect view of North City, with its ss wall taking up three sides


    of the room.The interior was monochrome, but the solemness did not lose in extravagance.Randy


    Martin was listing the day¡¯s routine before adding, ¡°The board chairman insisted on your presence at


    the executive meeting in half an hour.¡±¡°I see,¡± John Levine replied.This was his first day working here.


    He brought in Randy as an assistant from abroad, and he had instructed Randy to learn thepany¡¯s


    operation structure a month ahead of time. ¡°Have youpiled the dossiers on the executives?¡± he


    asked Randy just then.¡°I have,¡± Randy said, handing him the papers respectfully.While John read


    through it, Randy stood behind him.After some thinking, he said, ¡°I heard that Ms. Cordy Sachs will


    take over Starstream Group today.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 8

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 8


    Chapter 8


    As John¡¯s eyes twitched, Randy continued, ¡°Noel Sachs was supposed to be appointed as CEO, but


    was left downtrodden after Ms. Sachs crashed her party. I wonder if things would go smoothly for Ms.


    Sachs after she took over, however, since Simon Sachs and Noel were in charge all this while.¡± Randy


    then noticed his boss tapping his long fingers on his desk intermittently.Cordy must be special to him,


    or he would not have risked his life to save her from the fire.However, John had always been distant


    toward women, but that somehow changed right after he returned to North City.Still, Randy would


    never dare to pry in his boss¡¯s private affairs, and he simply stuck with the man¡¯s preferences. ¡°Should I


    try to smooth things out for her quietly, sir?¡±John was quiet for a movement. ¡°She went in alone and


    managed to im ownership over the entirepany. That means she knows what she¡¯s doing¡ªthat


    means we should trust her.¡±¡°Of course, sir,¡± Randy replied respectfully.He thought then that the woman


    his boss had his eyes on would certainly be no pushover.¡­Cordy had just gotten home from


    Starstream Group when her phone abruptly rang.She nced at the caller ID but answered it


    anyway.¡°Why did you do that to Noel?¡± Kyle startedining the instant she did. ¡°What happened


    between us has nothing to do with her. If you have an issue, take it up with me. Don¡¯t bother her.¡±In


    short, Noel alreadyined to Kyle.Still, Cordy was used to it¡ªNoel had always been a specialist


    in ying the victim and causing rifts between everyone and Cordy.¡°You give yourself too much credit,


    Kyle Jessop. I¡¯m just taking back what¡¯s mine.¡±¡°Look, Cordy¡ªyou just have to tell me if you need


    money,¡± Kyle continued earnestly, ignoring her. ¡°We may have broken up, but that doesn¡¯t mean you


    can¡¯t work at Jessop Corp. I never said anything about dismissing you. You don¡¯t have to hurt yourself


    like this! Juste to work as usual, and we¡¯ll pay you what you¡¯re due.¡±Cordy inhaled sharply in turn,


    knowing that there was no reasoning with him. ¡°This is thest time I tell you this, Kyle! My mother left


    Starstream Group to me, and Noel has no stake in it at all. Even if I don¡¯t want it, I¡¯d rather liquidate it


    and donate the shares to charity than allow a mistress¡¯ daughter to touch it! Also, I¡¯ll no longer work at


    Jessop Corp. I¡¯ll pack my things at the time, but you can have it thrown out if you don¡¯t like it¡ªthere¡¯s


    nothing worth keeping. Last but not least, don¡¯t try to humiliate me with money. You¡¯d just make a fool


    of yourself!¡±With that, she hung up on him without giving him a chance to retort.Kyle was left sitting and


    scowling in his car.Cordy had actually cut off his call and spat in his face despite his goodwill!What


    makes her so confident that she could treat him like this?!Indignant, he called her again, only to have


    Cordy hang up on him mercilessly!Eventually, he was left shaking with rage, his fingers clenching over


    his phone!¡­As the calls from Kyle kepting in, Cordy eventually lost it and answered her phone


    without looking at the screen the next time it rang, yelling, ¡°Stop calling me if you don¡¯t want to


    embarrass yourself any further!¡±There was only silence from the other end, and Cordy soon noticed


    that something was different.She quickly nced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat when she


    saw the unfamiliar number.Before she could speak, a deep, alluring voice spoke from the other end.


    ¡°Does that mean I should keep calling you if I want to be embarrassed?¡±Cordy felt her heart racing a


    little just then and she pursed her lips.She had never expected John Levine himself to call. She said in


    apology, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know it was you¡­ and what I said wasn¡¯t meant for you.¡± ¡°So who was it


    for?¡± John raised a brow.Cordy was silent for moments before slowly saying, ¡°I think you know, Mr.


    Levine.¡±John¡¯s eyes narrowed, his fingers tapping his desk twice as his lips twitched. ¡°Do you need


    help?¡±¡°No.¡± Cordy refused right then, intent on being distant. ¡°Anyway, why did you call me, Mr.


    Levine?¡±¡°No reason in particr,¡± John replied.As Cordy frowned, he added, ¡°I was just testing if the


    number Dicky gave me works.¡±¡°¡­I would never trick a kid,¡± Cordy said a little angrily.Moreover, he was


    the one who bought her this number. How would he not know?!¡°Are you free tonight?¡± John asked


    suddenly.The sudden change in subject left Cordy stunned.¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together,¡± John said. ¡°I¡¯ll


    come to get you.¡±¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­¡±¡°It¡¯s to celebrate my first day at my new job.¡±Cordy decided then that


    she and John existed on different wavelengths, and that their conversation was utterly non-sequitur.¡°I¡¯ll


    see you at six,¡± John finished and hung up.Cordy breathed a lengthy sigh then¡ªthere were times when


    John¡¯s domineering nature could not be stopped at all.Musing to herself for a while, she eventually


    texted him.[I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Levine, but I¡¯m busy tonight and won¡¯t be able to make it. That said,


    congrattions on your new job.]After she sent it, Cordy used to herself for a while and sent him an


    Amazon gift card as a way to congratte him.She felt that this was a polite refusal to strangers that


    would not be insulting to them.On the other end, John was staring at the gift card for a while beforeR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    bursting out inughter.Beside him, Randy¡¯s jaw dropped.Did he just live long enough to see his boss


    laugh?! And so eerily at that!¡°Randy,¡± John suddenly said.¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°Why do you think a woman


    would give a man money?¡±Randy¡¯s eyes widened.Then, as John looked at him, his mind worked


    rapidly and he said uncertainly, ¡°To be the man¡¯s¡­ sugar mommy?¡±John¡¯s lips curled up even more


    visibly, while Randy¡¯s cheeks were twitching.He was suddenly very curious¡ªhow much did Ms. Sachs


    give him that he would look so content?!That was when they heard a polite knock on the office door,


    with Debbie the secretary entering and asking respectfully, ¡°Mr. Levine, Kyle Jessop¡ªCEO of Jessop


    Corp¡ªis asking to meet you. Would you like to see him?¡±Kyle Jessop?Randy flinched abruptly¡ªKyle


    was John¡¯s rival for Cordy¡¯s heart!¡°No.¡± John refused right away.¡°Well, when would you like to


    ¡ª¡±¡°Never,¡± John said icily.Debbie¡¯s heart was sent pounding right then. ¡°Alright, I will send him


    away.¡±John said nothing, but Debbie took it as a silent approval and left panickily.It was her first day


    being acquainted with her new superior and she simply could not get a read on his personality.¡°Wait,¡±


    John suddenly said.Debbie quickly turned around. ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine?¡±¡°I¡¯ll be attending a board meeting


    soon, but I may be free afterwards.¡±The secretary understood. ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine. I¡¯ll pass the message


    to Mr. Jessop.¡±Randy watched as Debbie left before turning around and studying his boss.Did Kyle just


    come to their doorstep to get abused¡­?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 9

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 9


    Chapter 9


    After a while, Randy told John it was the time for the meeting, and John left his office. Kyle¡ªwho had


    been waiting in the guest room¡ªwatched as all the executives walked past from behind the ss


    wall.¡°Is that Mr. Levine?¡± Kyle asked.Debbie the secretary nced at the people outside, and quickly


    said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine is on his way to a board meeting.¡±Kyle lowered his teacup and studied the


    people outside, and Randy just happened to turn around.Kyle quickly smiled and nodded in greeting at


    Randy.Although Randy was frowning, he nodded politely and followed John into the elevator.Randy


    certainly did not know that Kyle could not see John from his perspective, only that everyone else was


    walking behind Randy.Kyle returned to his seat in turn to wait for ¡®John¡¯.Levine Ventures would soon be


    establishing the biggestmerce guild in the world in North City, with a building to bepleted


    soon. Since Jessop Corp¡¯s main business was high fashion and they were looking to get involved in


    electronicmerce, they would get a good spot soon if they built a partnership with Levine Ventures


    early on.However, John spent the entire morning at the board meeting.When Kyle asked at noon, he


    was told that John had left for lunch with a partner and would return in the afternoon.When he asked in


    the afternoon, he was told that John was at an on-site survey, but he probably would return.When he


    asked in the evening, most employees in the building, including John, had already left work for the


    day!Kyle¡¯s face was left ashen.He was the scion and the CEO of one of North City¡¯s top corporations,


    and yet he ended up being stood up by John for an entire day. Even if Debbie kept apologizing, he felt


    that John was deliberately messing with him!And he had no grudge with him!Furious, he stormed out of


    Levine Ventures headquarters and got into his car, and that was when he received a call. ¡°Noel.¡±¡°Hey,


    Kyle! I heard you spent the whole day at Levine Ventures. You must¡¯ve had a pleasant meeting with


    John Levine, right?¡± Noel asked fawningly.Kyle¡¯s expression darkened as Noel continued. ¡°I¡¯m going to


    have dinner with Mandy. Would you like to join us, or are you eating with Mr. Levine?¡±¡°I¡¯m fine. You girls


    enjoy yourself.¡±He certainly was not going to tell Noel he was not even allowed to meet John, and that


    he was not in the mood to hang out with them.Still, Noel was sharp enough to notice. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    Are you in a bad mood?¡±¡°No, I¡¯m just a little tired. I¡¯m thinking about going home soon to sleep.¡±¡°Alright,Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    have a good night.¡± Noel appeared to care enough. ¡°By the way, what does Mr. Levine look like? Is he


    like one of those middle-aged men with dad bods?¡±¡°No, but his looks are average,¡± Kyle critiqued.¡°I


    guess.¡± Noel giggled. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t keep you, Kyle. I¡¯m arriving at the restaurant soon.¡±Kyle, however,


    was left glowering after hanging up.Cordy had already left him infuriated in the morning, and now John


    humiliated him.He was shaking even as he tried to restrain his temper!¡­Over at North Garden, Cordy


    was nning to order takeout for the night when her phone started to ring.It was the number from this


    morning¡ªit was not hard to remember it when the number 8 was all over the screen.Taking a deep


    breath, Cordy refreshed his memory, having nned how to reject the man¡¯s


    invitation.¡°Mommy!¡±However, when Richard¡¯s chipper voice eximed from the other end, Cordy¡¯s


    words were left stuck in his throat.At the same time, Richard continued excitedly, ¡°I missed you so


    much, Mommy. Daddy and I areing to pick you up for dinner. We¡¯ll be there in ten!¡±Cordy was


    speechless.John was certainly cunning!¡­Eventually, Cordy limped out to the entrance of the


    apartment block on her crutches, where John was leaning against his all-too-conspicuous Maybach,


    somehow more eye-catching than the car.She could already see a crowd around him. Men, women,


    young, and old¡ªthey were all staring at him, but he ignored them. In fact, his gaze finally showed focus


    when he saw her, and he strode toward her and took away her crutches.While Cordy frowned, he


    scooped her up in his arms the next instant and headed toward the car.It drew even more stares, but


    Cordy took a deep breath and decided to give her silent assent.When they got in the car, Richard


    called out to her adorably, ¡°Mommy!¡±The boy was smiling sweetly at Cordy, and her heart always


    softened every time she saw him.It was just three days since they were apart, but Richard promptly


    gave her a big hug while eximing excitedly, ¡°I missed you so much, Mommy! Daddy said that we will


    be having a big dinner today. Are you hungry, Mommy?¡±¡°Yes, I am.¡± Cordy smiled.¡°Me, too! We should


    eat more soon.¡±¡°Of course.¡±As the car took them to the restaurant, Richard and Cordy were making


    merry.John simply sat near them without butting in, but the smile on his face was obvious.When they


    arrived at the restaurant, a waiter led them to a window seat.However, Cordy blinked just as they sat


    down.It was a minute gesture, but John sharply noticed it although he was holding the menu.He turned


    around and saw Noel, who was having a happy conversation with Mandy Jessop at the next table.As


    Kyle¡¯s sister, Mandy¡¯s contribution was indisputable in Noel¡¯s sess in seducing Kyle and stealing


    him away from Cordy.Mandy was herself an actress¡ªnot first-rate, but she had a fanbase


    regardless.¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be on a ne? I heard you have another projecting up.¡±¡°Yeah, but they


    are shooting it in North City. I¡¯d never leave if they shot elsewhere,¡± Mandy replied loftily.¡°I¡¯lle visit


    you when you¡¯re free,¡± Noel said, and added as she suddenly remembered, ¡°By the way, Levine


    Ventures are investing in the production too, yes?¡±¡°Oh, don¡¯t even mention them.¡± Mandy¡¯s eyes


    shed with disgust.¡°What? Why?¡±¡°Their heir, John Levine, has just returned to the country, but they¡¯re


    saying he has his eyes on me and wants to arrange a marriage interview.¡±¡°Really?¡± Noel gasped in


    surprise, while John remained impassive nearby.He continued to order more food, while asking Cordy


    what she liked from time to time.¡°Oh, this is killing me.¡± Mandy was stillining indignantly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d choose him! Not only is he ugly, but he also has a kid! Who would want to be a


    baby mama?¡±¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re so gorgeous and it¡¯d be a waste to marry him,¡± Noel said, ttering


    her.¡°I¡¯m so worried now that he¡¯s so obsessed he might get aggressive. You know how important his


    family is in North City¡ªmy dad would¡¯ve yed along,¡± Mandy said unhappily.¡°Well, it¡¯s your fault for


    being too beautiful,¡± Noel joked.Mandy looked smug right then¡ªNoel really knew how to tter a


    person, and Mandy certainly relished it.¡°Oh, let¡¯s forget about him. By the way, how are things going


    with Kyle? Why isn¡¯t there an announcement to annul his engagement yet?¡±¡°He¡¯s been with my sis for


    years. He has to be considerate for her sake,¡± Noel said understandingly.¡°Considerate? To Cordy


    Sachs?!¡± Mandy was almost speechless. ¡°What is there to be considerate about when she slept around


    at eighteen and had a child out of wedlock? I¡¯d just jump off a building if I were her instead of showing


    my face anywhere!¡±Cordypletely ignored her, while letting Richard pick the desserts he


    wanted.John suddenly rose to his feet. ¡°I need the washroom for a moment.¡±¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied.He


    returned soon enough, while the waiter from before approached Noel and Mandy.¡°Apologies,dies,


    but this restaurant has been reserved for the night.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 10

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 10


    Chapter 10


    ¡°Reserved?¡± Noel eximed in shock. ¡°It¡¯s only 6 PM! Has there been a mistake there?¡±¡°There isn¡¯t.


    I¡¯m afraid I would have to ask you to leave.¡±¡°Why? We haven¡¯t finished our food!¡± Mandy snapped¡ª


    ever self-important, this naturally left her furious.¡°There¡¯s no reason in particr. You¡¯re just not


    wee in this premises.¡±¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am?!¡±¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± the waiter replied inly.¡°You don¡¯t


    know who Mandy is? She¡¯s a top star and the heiress to Jessop Ventures.¡± Noel name-dropped beside


    them.¡°Oh,¡± the waiter said, but he remained cold as ever. ¡°This way please, Ms. Jessop.¡±Mandy and


    Noel were both left gritting their teeth in rage, but just as they got to their feet to leave, they suddenly


    saw Cordy sitting at the next table.What was she doing there?!They soon noticed the man and child


    with Cordy as well.Despite her pride, Mandy was instantly bewitched by John¡¯s sheer beauty.She was


    left wondering when someone that handsome existed in North City¡ªnot even the top stars in showbiz


    could match him!Noel came to her senses then and called out, ¡°Sis?¡±Cordy simply ignored her.Noel


    turned to John then. She was likewise bewitched, but also jealous that Cordy could get himself such a


    beautiful man.Not even Kyle was anywhere near that good-looking!Aggrieved, she then remembered


    something at the next second and quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s the firefighter you fell for, right?!¡±Beside her,


    Mandy was immediately disappointed.It was not surprising that she had never met him before¡ªhe was


    completely beneath them.Turning toward Richard then, Noel continued, ¡°That¡¯s his son, right? You just


    broke up with Kyle and you¡¯re already got yourself a man on the rebound¡­ Or could it be that you want


    to get back at Kyle? Please, you shouldn¡¯t be mean to yourself, getting a man with a kid!¡±Richard


    furrowed his little brows hostilely at Noel, who was pretending to be kind as she continued to mock


    Cordy.She was intent on driving a wedge between John and Cordy by telling him that he was just the


    backup lover. ¡°Also, you actually brought him here? It costs several grand to eat here at any time, you


    know!¡±Cordy suddenly sprang to her feet.She leveled an icy re at Noel, but she did not actually want


    to retort.She did not want to throw a fit¡ªat least not in front of Richard¡ªbut she could not stand Noel¡¯s


    escting behavior.Gently putting her hands over Richard¡¯s ears, she snapped coolly, ¡°Word of advice:


    you should cease that despicable behavior of yours. Do you really think that everyone is like you,


    preferring second-hand goods like Kyle Jessop? He can¡¯t even keep it in his pants, so why would I get


    sad or want payback for someone like him?! The instant I dumped him, he¡¯s nothing to me!¡±¡°You b¡­¡±


    Noel¡¯s face turned pale from Cordy¡¯s retort.That was when Mandy coolly butted in, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re just


    being sour grapes!¡±Cordy turned to Mandy and thetter met her gaze without flinching. ¡°That¡¯s what


    you are. Everyone in North City knows what you¡¯re really like! I guess it is what it is¡­ My brother


    dumped you and you deserve to be with a man like him!¡±She nced at John as she spoke¡ªeven if he


    was not from the dregs of society, he had a child too!Mandy had certainly given up on him. She would


    never sink so low to be the sugar mommy of a man like him!Nheless, John¡¯s eyes narrowed


    and he barked, ¡°A man like me?!¡±His deep voice sent chills down the spine¡ªboth Noel and Mandy


    gasped, their hearts skipping a beat right then.Mandy was left biting her lip, afraid to say what was on


    her mind.Noel was cowed too.¡°Whatever I am, it isn¡¯t up to you to criticize!¡± John continued darkly. ¡°You


    want to know what¡¯s between me and Cordy? Fine! I like her and I¡¯m wooing her, so if there¡¯s anyone


    affecting our rtionship, I shall make them suffer. This is not a statement¡ªit¡¯s a threat!¡± When he was


    finished, he gave the waiter a look, who hurried toward them and told Mandy and Noel icily, ¡°This way,


    please.¡±Noel and Mandy were still left petrified by John¡¯s outburst and it took them a long while to


    recover.Once they did, Mandy snapped, ¡°Why aren¡¯t they leaving?!¡±Why were they the only ones who


    had to leave?¡°Because it¡¯s just the two of you who need to leave.¡±Incensed, Mandy bellowed, ¡°I am the


    fiance of John Levine, CEO of Levine Ventures! How dare you chase me out?!¡±The waiter was actually


    left stunned for an instant, but he was soon staring at her as if she was an idiot.¡°Now buzz off!¡± Mandy


    demanded.However, the waiter simply replied coolly, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to call security if you insist on


    staying.¡±¡°You little¡­!¡± Mandy¡¯s face was flushed with rage.¡°It¡¯s alright, Mandy. Let¡¯s go,¡± Noel pulled her


    along then¡ªshe did not want to make a scene, but she threw a jibe regardless. ¡°We won¡¯t being


    again next time. ¡±¡°There won¡¯t be a next time, I¡¯m afraid. Both of you have been cklisted.¡±Mandy was


    left bristling.Seeing that Mandy was going to lose control, Noel quickly stopped her. ¡°There might be


    paparazzi nearby. Just bear with it¡ªwe¡¯ll get back at them soon enough.¡±Mandy was worried that


    someone watching would try to make a story out of this, which would in turn hurt her reputation.As


    such, she had to leave with Noel, albeit furiously. Quietness returned to the restaurant once they wereR¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    gone, and things were back to normal at the table.Seeing that Richard was not good with a knife, Cordy


    cut her steak into tiny pieces and traded it for his steak.¡°Thanks, Mommy.¡± Richard happily got to his


    little feet and gave her a peck on the cheek.As John looked up, he saw the adoring smile on Cordy¡¯s


    face.She lowered her eyes again to cut her steak¡­ only for a big hand to take her entire te


    away.Cordy did a double take until she saw John swapping his steak with hers¡ªhe had already cut it


    up too.Pursing her lips, Cordy slowly said, ¡°Thank you.¡±¡°You could convey your gratitude with action,¡±


    John said, his gaze lowered as he slowly cut his steak with elegance.Cordy actually was confused right


    then. How poor were Kyle and Noel¡¯s judgment that they would believe that John was a mere


    firefighter?¡°Like Dicky did,¡± John added just then.Cordy certainly knew what he was getting at. She


    said, ¡°I know. I cut Dicky¡¯s steak for him, and you did it for me. But it¡¯s just good manners.¡±John smiled


    vaguely and quietly said, ¡°I guess.¡±After the main course, Richard happily proceeded to dessert,


    vehemently introducing, ¡°You have to try this parfait, Mommy. It¡¯s great!¡±Unable to refuse him, Cordy


    leaned in to take a bite.¡°Isn¡¯t it sweet?¡±¡°Yeah.¡±¡°Really?¡± John suddenly asked. He had been poring


    over his phone as if busy with something, and he chimed in when he heard them, ¡°Let me try it


    too.¡±Richard frowned¡ªhis daddy never usually ate anything sweet, but he tamely scooped a spoonful


    and fed it to him.Cordy would have liked to tell Richard to use another spoon, but she decided against


    it.After that, it would mean she and John shared an indirect kiss.While she pretended not to notice,


    Richard asked John after feeding him, ¡°Isn¡¯t it sweet, Daddy?¡±¡°It is.¡± John pursed his lips, suddenly


    looking up at Cordy as he added, ¡°It really is.¡±Cordy felt her cheeks turning warm for some reason,


    having the feeling that John meant something else entirely.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 11

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 11


    Chapter 11


    They did not hang around after dinner¡ªJohn sent Richard home to his babysitter first before returning


    to the car and sending Cordy home. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to go through so much trouble, Mr. Levine. I can


    actually take a taxi home,¡± Cordy said politely.¡°It¡¯s no trouble,¡± John said tly. ¡°I¡¯m not driving


    anyway.¡±Despite what he said, the chauffeur felt a little awkward and thought that he should just


    disappear just then.Cordy could not say anything against it either.The journey back to North Garden


    was quiet.As Cordy opened the door, she remained sluggish since walking with crutches was really


    inconvenient. Naturally, John could walk around the car and help her up in gentlemanly fashion just as


    she got out.Cordy held her tongue and she said gratefully, ¡°Thank you.¡±¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± John said as


    he helped her out.Cordy started to limp away until she suddenly paused, looking him in the eye and


    saying, ¡°Mr. Levine.¡±¡°Yes?¡±¡°What they said were true,¡± she said, her voice too quiet to read how she


    was feeling.¡°Yes?¡±¡°I got pregnant at eighteen and had a child out of wedlock¡ªumph!¡±Cordy¡¯s eyes


    widened as John suddenly wrapped his arms around his waist and leaned in to kiss her lips.She was


    so surprised she forgot to resist!All she felt was that unfamiliar sensation over her lips and it seemed to


    be getting hotter¡­Cordy abruptly pushed John away, finally realizing what he was doing!Her cheeks


    were hot, but she could not tell if she was embarrassed or angry.¡°I thought you said you¡¯re not that type


    of person!¡± she eximed.¡°I had to demonstrate that I don¡¯t mind, Ms. Sachs,¡± he replied, looking


    utterlyposed and not embarrassed at all.¡°You didn¡¯t have to! You can use your mouth instead!¡±


    Cordy cried indignantly.Still, she noticed her poor wording, she quickly corrected herself, ¡°I mean, you


    can use words instead!¡±On the other hand, John seemed to be smiling under the nightlights.It was a


    bewitching sight that could leave the world spellbound.Then, he said, ¡°I was worried that you¡¯d doubt


    me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you¡­¡±¡°Good.¡± John cut her short.Cordy was left ring, feeling as if John had duped her


    somehow.¡°Since you believe me now, Ms. Sachs, you don¡¯t have to reject me with those


    excuses.¡±Cordy stared at John¡ªhow could he call those things excuses?!Any man would mind, even


    Kyle!Still, John gave her a gentlemanly nod and said, ¡°It¡¯ste now, Ms. Sachs. Good night.¡±With that,


    he turned and returned to his ostentatious Maybach, and the car quickly drove off.Cordy bit her lip, the


    sensation of his lips seemingly lingering over it.No matter how she thought about it, it felt like John was


    bragging that he had won this round!Taking a deep breath, she thought that she should just pretend


    she got bitten by a dog.¡­Back in the car, John¡¯s phone was ringing.Once he answered it, Bob Davis


    started toin from the other end. ¡°Damn it, John! You¡¯d eat alone at my family¡¯s restaurant alone


    and stand me up repeatedly? I also heard you had my people chase our guests away! Don¡¯t you feel


    sorry for me?¡±¡°Thanks,¡± John said tly.¡°Oh, save it. I heard from a manager that you were dining with


    a chick?¡±¡°Yeah.¡±¡°Is the sun rising from the west?!¡± Bob cried in shock. ¡°And here I thought Dicky was


    manufactured.¡± John said nothing to that, so Bob said, ¡°When are you going to introduce me? I¡¯m really


    curious about the character who could melt your cold heart.¡±¡°She hasn¡¯t agreed to date me


    yet.¡±¡°What?!¡± Bob eximed even louder just then. ¡°I¡¯m even more curious now!¡±¡°I¡¯m hanging up. Call


    from work.¡±¡°Shi¡ª¡±John hung up before Bob could finish that expletive and he answered the other


    call.¡°Mr. Levine? We really are sponsoring a tv series where Mandy Jessop will be the female lead,¡±


    Randy Martin reported. ¡°The project belongs to a subsidiary of ours called Windmill Pictures and they


    will start shooting next week.¡±¡°Change the female lead,¡± John told him.¡°I-Is that really fine?¡± Randy


    asked awkwardly.¡°What was that?!¡±¡°Yes, sir, right away sir,¡± Randy said, afraid to breathe another


    word.The Jessops only had themselves to me for getting on the wrong side of his boss!¡­Over at


    Jessop Vi, Mandy was throwing a hissy fit the instant she reached home.She only got more upset the


    more she thought about it¡ªshe was the daughter of an important family and a star celebrity! If anyone


    heard that she was chased out of a restaurant halfway through her dinner, she would be


    humiliated!Kyle was on the couch, staring at his phone. ncing sideways at her, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong?¡±Their parents¡ªDandy Jessop and Allie Larson¡ªturned toward Mandy too.Mandy hence told


    them everything, naturally sexing up the part where Cordy brought a man to the restaurant.Kyle¡¯s


    expression darkened the more she spoke.¡°I¡¯ve said before that Cordy Sachs is nothing good. To think


    you were almost ruined because of her¡­¡± Allie scoffed in disdain, not at all grateful that Cordy brought


    their family business back to life.¡°Wait, did you just say you went to Davis¡¯ Kitchen?¡± Dandy askedText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Mandy.¡°Yeah. It¡¯s expensive and the paparazzis can¡¯t get inside. That¡¯s why I met Noel there.¡±¡°Isn¡¯t it


    owned by the Davis family?¡± Dandy sounded puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any dispute between us,


    though¡­¡±¡°The Davis family? You mean Bob Davis¡¯ family?!¡± Mandy eximed as she came to a


    realization. ¡°He must be trying to humiliate me after I rejected him back at high school! He¡¯s still so


    childish!¡±With that, Dandy simply treated the incident as young people being young people and did not


    take it to heart.Mandy¡¯s mood improved afterward, too.


    She simply presumed that Bob did it because he was still not over her, and that he was trying to get her


    to meet him.While his moves certainly improved, Mandy was adamant¡ªif she did not like him before,


    she would still not like him now!That was when her phone began to ring.Seeing that it was her


    manager, she snapped impatiently, ¡°Don¡¯t call me day after day! I know the script backwards!¡±In reality,


    she had yet to even read a page of the script, and it had been half a month since she had


    it.Nheless, her manager ignored her and asked directly, ¡°Mandy, what did you do?! The production


    office just called, saying that they¡¯re taking away your role!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 12

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 12


    Chapter 12


    Mandy almost jumped. ¡°What?!¡± The other Jessops were starting to get annoyed with her antics, but


    Mandy¡¯s eyes went red right after her call with her manager ended.She had been drifting along the


    lines of bing a B-list actress and that TV series was supposed to solidify her status as one!¡°What


    now?¡± Kyle asked impatiently.¡°My manager called me, saying that the investors want another actress


    for my role.¡±Kyle frowned. ¡°If I remember correctly, it¡¯s Windmill Pictures, which is owned by Levine


    Ventures, isn¡¯t it? Did you upset anyone from their family?¡±¡°No way! I don¡¯t even know them!¡± Mandy


    quickly denied it, and cried in agitation, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it takes, Kyle¡ªget that role for me! It¡¯s


    important for my career!¡±Kyle was puzzled too¡ªcasting choices would not be changed once


    decided.Still, he suddenly remembered a little detail.¡°I heard that Bob Davis and John Levine were


    childhood friends, and that they remained very good friends although John usually stays abroad.


    Maybe Bob asked for John¡¯s help to harass you¡­¡±¡°Bob is so despicable!¡± Mandy snarled viciously, not


    doubting Kyle¡¯s words at all.¡°If you want the role, I suggest you talk to Bob¡­ or go straight to John,¡±


    Kyle suggested then.¡°What are you talking about?¡±¡°Dad just said a few days ago, didn¡¯t he, that John


    was interested in meeting you? Wouldn¡¯t it be easy for you to get that role once you marry him?¡± Kyle


    exined.¡°No way! I don¡¯t want to be a baby mommy! Not in this lifetime!¡± Mandy promptly refused. ¡°I¡¯d


    rather talk to Bob than John!¡±Kyle said nothing to that¡ªhis sister had been pampered since a child and


    no one could ever force her to do anything she did not like!¡­¡°Achoo!¡±Bob suddenly sneezed in his


    luxury private room at the extravagant Regent Club.Who could be missing him thiste at night?¡°What


    are you spacing out for?¡± Sam Saunders hurried him then. ¡°It¡¯s a rare asion for the great John


    Levine to join us. Drink!¡±¡°Amen. No one is leaving without getting drunk,¡± Bob quickly chimed in.In the


    room with them were John Levine and Jay Parker¡ªall friends who grew up together, but rarely


    gathered together since John spent most of his time abroad.In fact, thest time all four of them


    gathered was when they weed John¡¯s return eight years ago.He drank a lot that night, and then


    disappeared.¡°And with that, he was gone eight years,¡± Bob murmured, feeling sentimental for


    once.However, just as he was about to clink sses with John, his phone suddenly started to ring.A


    little upset then, Bob answered it since he did not recognize the number. ¡°Who is it?!¡±¡­Earlier, Mandy


    had returned to her room and decided to bear with all the misgivings she had about Bob and called


    him.However, her face fell when she heard Bob being so nonchnt.She never changed her number¡ª


    how could he not know?!Was he not doing this on purpose?Men were always so disgusting!¡°It¡¯s Mandy


    Jessop.¡±Bob was left spacing out for a while until he remembered her existence. ¡°What is it?¡±¡°I know


    you¡¯re harassing me because you can¡¯t get over me, but don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being childish? I¡¯m


    telling you¡ªI¡¯ll never be interested in you. The more you harass me, the more I¡¯ll hate you¡ª¡±Bob hung


    up right then. He was not about to let some crazy woman bother him while he was having fun.On the


    other end, Mandy was left staring in disbelief at her phone screen.[Call disconnected.]Bob hung up on


    her?!She was so incensed she almost threw her phone across the room!Still, she gritted her teeth and


    sent him a furious text.[I¡¯ming to meet you tomorrow. Don¡¯t you run away!]Bob nced at the text


    then, and decided Mandy suffered from delusions and a princessplex just then. ¡°Who is it?¡± Sam


    asked offhandedly, noticing Bob¡¯s reaction just then.¡°Mandy Jessop,¡± Bob said with a scoff.¡°¡­I thought


    you liked her back in high school? What, are you over her already?¡±¡°Like, you say?¡± Bob snorted


    nonchntly. ¡°Didn¡¯t we all fall for every pretty face back then? If anything, I prefer Cordy since she¡¯s


    the fairest of them all!¡±John¡¯s fingers clenched over his ss then.Jay nced at him, a vague smile


    appearing on his lips.Meanwhile, Sam started gossiping. ¡°Now that you¡¯re mentioning Cordy, her


    wedding with Kyle Jessop really turned south, huh? I heard the man¡¯s family are using that as an


    excuse to annul it.¡±¡°They¡¯re probably unhappy with her past,¡± Bob said as he took a sip of his drink. ¡°I


    mean, it¡¯s normal for men to take issue with it, but if Kyle does, he shouldn¡¯t have taken a pass at


    Cordy at all! She sacrificed everything for Jessop Corp¡ªhell, I saw her getting drunk socializing with


    their partners with my own eyes, vomiting her guts out and even bearing with men copping a feel. I


    thought then that Kyle would be subhuman if he doesn¡¯t marry her¡­ and he has turned out to be


    one!¡±John¡¯s fingers clenched even tighter over his ss then.Still, Bob was quick to smooth things


    over. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s stop mentioning the Jessops at all. Jinxes, all of them! Drink up, drink up!¡±He never


    spoke much about anything that affected everyone¡¯s mood anyway.Even so, John seemed to be


    quieter as they continued to drink, and eventually, Jay put down his ss and beckoned, ¡°Let¡¯s go out


    for a smoke.¡±They both stepped out of the private room and headed to the balcony garden for a


    breather.As they each smoked a cigarette, Jay spoke first. ¡°I¡¯ve run into Cordy a few times myself. She


    actually suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding on one asion and I had to rush her to the


    hospital.¡±John slowly breathed out arge puff of smoke, letting it swirl before him, hiding his face.¡°Still,


    I could tell that she¡¯s tough,¡± Jay added calmly. ¡°Most people won¡¯t even take her down.¡±John finished


    his cigarette surprisingly quickly, snuffing out the butt and changing the subject. ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on a


    tidbit: Zoe York will rece Mandy Jessop as the lead actress in a TV series project under Windmill


    Pictures.¡±Jay blinked and replied right away, ¡°She¡¯d never work with Windmill.¡±¡°That¡¯s not up to her.


    Just get ready.¡± In fact, Zoe had tried to resist but failed.¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied.¡°I¡¯m going now. Tell the


    others for me,¡± John said, and left.In his car, all he could think about was what Bob and Jay said about


    Cordy¡­Suddenly, he said, ¡°Change of ns. Head to North Garden.¡±¡°Yes, Mr. Levine,¡± the chauffeur


    replied as he turned the car around.Once they arrived, John headed straight inside the apartment block


    and stopped outside Cordy¡¯s house before ringing the doorbell.After a while, Cordy opened the


    door.The sight of his flushed cheeks and the alcoholic scent swirling around him told her that he was


    drunk.Did this mean that he went drinking after they had dinner together?!Cordy¡¯s rationality told her


    that John was dangerous right then. It was veryte, and there was no one else with them¡­However,


    when she tried to close her door, she suddenly found herself falling squarely over a firm, warm chest as


    he gathered her tightly in his arms.R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 13

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 13


    Chapter 13


    *John¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I waste,¡± John said.


    Cordy frowned, wondering if she was imagining it.


    Somehow, this John was different from the usual John, who was more aloof.


    Now, he seemed to feel emotions like humans do


    Still, she wiggled against his hold, not sure what he was talking about.


    ¡°Did you get the wrong door? Let me go¡­¡±


    Seemingly not feeling her resistance, John whispered into Cordy¡¯s ear, ¡°Now, I¡¯ll always be here for


    you.


    It sounded just like a promise.


    ¡°Look, just¡­ ah!¡±


    Cordy suddenly yelped as John abruptly scooped her up in his arms


    Does he have some sort of fetish for carrying people?!


    ¡°You¡¯d hurt your leg,¡± John said quietly into her ear just then.


    Cordy was left speechless.


    She actually thought that he was really drunk, but she somehow noticed her foot injury¡­


    So, he was actually not drunk?!


    Once that clicked, Cordy did not wait another moment and she started to struggle violently!


    While John was not drunk, his body still felt a little floaty. Carrying her was no issue, but it was


    strenuous carrying her while she iled around.


    ¡°Stop,¡± he said with restraint, but threateningly nheless.


    ¡°Let me down. I can walk on my own,¡± Cordy protested nheless.


    She disliked being this intimate-and did he not assure before that he was not the type who messed


    around?!


    Liar!


    Naturally, she could not care less about what he said and she continued to struggle against his hold.


    It certainly took John considerable difficulty to carry Cordy into her room, but just as he glimpsed her


    bed, she shoved him so firmly that he stumbled.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cordy yelled again, left feeling dizzy as they fell on her bed.


    The man before her was like concrete-she could not make him budge or get away from her at all.


    John growled threateningly then, ¡°Please don¡¯t test my patience, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    He was trying to catch his breath, and there was an indescribable stress in his voice.


    Cordy finally settled down


    In the end, adults could always get the hint


    ¡°Finally stopping, huh?¡± John said, watching her as she stayed quiet in his arms.


    There was an almost imperceptible blush on her fair cheeks, and he wondered if he should be happy


    about that.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Still, he could not evene up with an excuse to tease her now.


    ¡°Let me go.¡± Cordy protested again.


    ¡°Just let me have a breather,¡± John said quietly.


    Catching the hint, Cordy bit her lip and stopped moving.


    John took a few deep breaths before getting off Cordy.


    The room seemed to be rife with hormones by then, and the temperature looked like it would only rise


    instead of fall.


    Cordy flipped around, and reached for the remote for her air conditioning from her bedside drawer.


    ¡°Achoo!¡± John sneezed-it was just early spring, and the nights were still cold.


    And with the burst of cold air from the air conditioner, he felt his stomach churning after drinking so


    much.


    Clutching his mouth, he asked Cordy, ¡°Where¡¯s the washroom?¡±


    Cordy pointed to the right and John promptly rushed toward it, and she soon heard unrestrained puking


    Cordy was left stumped. Did she make him vomit?!


    However, the washroom soon turned quiet, but John never emerged.


    Cordy quickly got out of bed-it was in the news just days ago that someone drank themselves to death,


    and she did not need a dead body in her house!


    And yet, she had just reached the doorway when she heard the toilet flushing, while John turned


    toward her when he heard the door open¡­.


    He was just taking a leak.


    As their eyes met, Cordy blinked and quietly shut the door.


    John looked down, measuring himself just then.


    Was it really that insignificant?!


    Still, he stepped out after a while and exined, ¡°I needed to go urgently.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy said, before adding sternly, ¡°See you, Mr. Levein.¡±


    John wanted to speak further, but eventually decided to stay silent and leave, closing her front door


    behind himself.


    Cordy did not watch him leave.


    Her hands were clenched into fists for a long while before she eased up.


    She needed eye bleach. And it would take up to a month to clean it off!


    Cordy woke up the next morning with dark circles under her eyes.


    She had always been vulnerable to insomnia, and it was worsest night after John woke her up in the


    middle of the night.


    Still, she did a double take just as she opened the door-John was working in her kitchen, her pink


    apron tied around his waist.


    Noticing that she was awake, he calmly greeted her. ¡°Mornin¡¯.¡±


    Cordy wondered if she was still asleep just then!


    She was left staring even as Johny a scrumptious breakfast on the table, asking. ¡°Try it. See if it¡¯s to


    your taste


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± she asked as she came to her senses, her tone unhappy


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going right now,¡± John replied as if it was only natural before taking off the apron to put on his


    wrinkled suit.


    At the door, he stopped and said, ¡°Please enjoy your breakfast. It¡¯s to make up forst night.¡±


    With that, he was gone, leaving Cordy feeling more than slightly annoyed.


    It had been a while since she lost it at anyone but John was really being so casual around her!


    Nheless, she ate it anyway since she did not want to waste anything.


    After breakfast, Cordy left her house-she was going to Jessop Corp, since there were things to be


    settled. However, she just got outside her apartment block when a man approached her, greeting her


    respectfully ¡°Good morning, Ms. Sachs. I¡¯m Walter-Mr Levine sent me to be your chauffeur¡±


    Cordy could not say anything, and she got into the car with him.


    When they arrived and she alighted, Walter handed her a business card. ¡°My number is on it, Ms.


    Sachs. You can call me anytime you need a ride-Mr Levine told me that I¡¯ll be your full-time chauffeur


    starting today


    Cordy was speechless again. Would she even get to refuse?


    Still, she took the business card and entered the building, her appearance drawing everyone stares


    instantly


    She remained uninterested as she limped on her crutches to the elevator, and everyone above floor


    was staring at her too.


    She simply headed straight to her office and opened the door to find Noel in her seat, kissing Kyle as


    he sat at her desk


    She did a double take then, and finally understood why everyone was looking at her funny.


    Although her wedding with Kyle had been called off because of that fire, they never announced their


    break up¡­ because Noel had already taken her ce!


    Naturally, Cordy interrupted them when she opened the door, and Kyle glowered right then. ¡°Why didn¡¯t


    you knock-


    Before he could finish, his face fell when he saw Cordy.


    At the same time, Noel panicky hid behind Kyle, looking just like a victim as if fearful Cordy would run


    at her and hit her.


    She was certainly quite pretentious .

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 14

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 14


    Chapter 14


    Kyle shielded Noel behind himself, looking utterly protective as he asked, ¡°What are you


    doing here. Cordy?¡±


    ¡°To get my things,¡± Cordy said coolly¨C


    she really was numb to this pair, since they were not worth getting upset over.


    Hence, she simply ignored their presence and walked straight to her desk, while asking Noel, ¡°You


    really like hand¨Cme¨Cdowns, huh? Why don¡¯t you get a new one instead?¡±


    The ambiguity of her words left Noel flushing, while Kyle tried to


    exin, ¡°Noel is here to check out our fashion products for the new season. I only brought her here to v


    isit your office¨C


    don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the right idea? To see you and her in bed?¡± Cordy sneered.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about work, not my rtionship with Noel. Don¡¯t get weird about this.¡± Kyle pursed his lips,


    even adding generously, ¡°Like I said yesterday¨Cyou can return


    anytime you want. I will keep your position here, as a way ofpensation.¡±


    Cordy actuallyughed.


    Did he not understand that the only reason Jessop Corp was standing now was because of her?


    Did he actually believe that she was reliant on them, and that she should be slobbering over his genero


    sity?!


    ¡°Save it,¡± Cordy growled even as she held his gaze. I¡¯ve already submitted my resignation to HR, and fr


    om now on, both you and Jessop Corp and me will have nothing to do with each other!¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you can do well without us? Kyle threatened her in return.


    ¡°Calm down, sis¨C


    don¡¯t be so harsh to Kyle. There aren¡¯t many people like him who care about their exes after breaking u


    p.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Noel¡¯s sake too. I don¡¯t want things to get awkward because we¡¯ll be inws.¡±


    The pair¡¯s ability to harmonize left Cordyughing despite her frustration.


    ¡°So this is what people mean by a bitch in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Kyle snapped.


    ¡°Sis¡­¡± Noel murmured.


    Even so, Cordy kept ring at Kyle icily. ¡°The only eptable behavior from an ex is if they y dead-


    and I don¡¯t need anypensation from you.¡±


    Turning to Noel then, she continued, ¡°As for you, don¡¯t think what you¡¯re up to. You would like me to


    stay here so that you can steal Starstream Group, don¡¯t you? Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    These two were certainly delusional, trying to make her work for Kyle while trying to take away her inhe


    ritance?!


    That was not going to happen!


    ¡°How could you think of us like that, sis? We¡¯re earnestly doing this for your own good. You don¡¯t want


    our goodwill because of that firefighter, right?¡± Noel said then, while Kyle chuckled.


    Such was Noel¡¯s true strength¨C


    with her naive, innocent demeanor, she could say anything she liked while appearing to show goodwill.


    And she was doing just that now.


    ¡°Sis, no matter how bad it goes, you shouldn¡¯t sink so low. I mean, he even has a kid¡­¡±


    Cordy smirked. ¡°At least I can be with him openly. Could you say the same about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Whoes first doesn¡¯t matter in love¨C


    what matters is whether there¡¯s love in the first ce,¡± Noel retorted righteously.


    ¡°And Kyle and I really love each other.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but I¡¯m sure morals y a part as well. What can I say when neither of you feels shame?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Kyle certainly could not stand it any longer


    ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t need this stuff anyway,¡± Cordy said, and she suddenly stopped packing altogether ¡°It¡¯s all f


    ilth now.¡±


    With those cool words, she left.


    Noel¡¯s eyes were welling with tears.


    Cordy was supposed to be down and out! What gave her the confidence to still strut?!


    She really wanted to tear Cordy¡¯s face apart just then, because she could not bear to see that lofty face


    of hers, as if she would never bring her down!


    ¡°Noel.¡± Kyle pulled her lovingly into his arms just then. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her She¡¯s just


    upset that we¡¯re happy together


    Cordy heaved a loud sigh of relief after leaving Jessop Corp¡¯s headquarters.


    There really was nothing for her to get sentiment about or take home with her


    She returned to Startream Group¡¯s headquarters then and headed straight into the board chairman¡¯s off


    ice.


    Somehow, it was clean and tidy.


    Cordy had no idea if Simon Sachs had given in to her threats or had something else nned, but she c


    almly took her seat and called in the secretary. ¡°Come to my office.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Soon, the secretary¨CFiona Lamb¨Centered.


    Cordy noted her mboyant dressing, and thought to herself that Simon really never changed his poor


    tastes in women.


    Without another look, she told her, ¡°Inform all department heads that we will have a meeting at 2 PM. H


    ave them prepare summaries of each departments¡® current tasks and¡­¡±


    After borating the specifics on the reports, Cordy asked, ¡°Did you note everything down?¡±


    Fiona¡¯s handwriting was as flustered as it was scrawly¨C


    she took a long while before replying, ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°After you send the word out, make me a cup of coffee. I take mine ck.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    With that, Fiona turned to leave.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Fiona Lamb.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You may go now¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Fiona was scowling the instant she got out of Cordy¡¯s office, and she quickly returned to her seat, typin


    g furiously with her bedazzled nails.


    [She¡¯s so annoying!]


    [What?]


    [Your daughter She gave me a buttload of work and even pulled rank with me!]


    [What is she nning?]


    Simon was smirking even as Fiona sent him a list of tasks Cordy had her do.


    He thought that Cordy was actually smarter than she thought since she knew enough to find out about t


    hepany before getting to work.


    It was just a pity everyone in that building worked for him and Cordy would never stay long enough to o


    rder them around.


    That was when Fiona pouted. [Aren¡¯t you going tofort me?]


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    [I¡¯ll wire you three grand. Get yourself a nice handbag]


    Fiona was beaming right then and she started to fawn over Simon instantly


    Still, she did not forget to add: [You said you¡¯d be back in three months at most. I¡¯ll entertain


    your daughter in the meantime¨Cnot one day more. You know you¡¯re the only one I want to entertain.]


    [Oh, you minx.]


    At 2 PM, as everyone gathered at Starstream Group¡¯s conference room, Cordy went


    right down to business.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first day here, so there¡¯s a lot I wouldn¡¯t know. Please give a summary on your respective depart


    starting with HR.¡±


    However, Hank Rogers¨Cthe Head of Human Resources¨C


    said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sachs, but my department couldn¡¯t prepare a summary in such a short time. Howev


    As Cordy looked at Hank, the man remained calm andposed as he returned her gaze


    Still, she stayed calm and called up the next department. ¡°Corporate.¡±


    ¡°We actually have too many projects. My people are still sorting out the mess.¡±


    ¡°Marketing?¡±


    ¡°The head of the department hasn¡¯t returned. I¡¯d rather not supersede his authority,¡± the man¡¯s deputy sa


    ¡°Finance isn¡¯t prepared either, I presume?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The man could not even be bothered to be polite.


    Cordy turned toward Noel then¨Cafter she was denied the position of CEO, she remained the head


    of the


    fashion design department, even though it left the position of CEO vacant.


    Noel stood up then, saying tamely, ¡°I¡¯m ready, sis¨CI mean, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy nodded, but she was not about to get emotional.


    After all, Noel was used to ying up her seemingly harmless nature to everyone else.


    And after Cordy¡¯s nod, Noel spent the next hour borating at length about her new designs.


    ¡°Will production start next month?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Everything¡¯s ready aside from marketing.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush things. I see room for improvement.¡±


    There was a subtle sh of displeasure in Noel¡¯s eye then¨Cshe knew Cordy would harass her.


    ¡°What needs improvement?!¡± Hank snapped right then. ¡°Noel¡¯s design has always started trends in the m


    ¡°This season¡¯s design draws inspiration from present trends, too. It will sell!¡±


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t meddle with the design department, Ms. Sachs. Noel won the fifth prize at an intern


    Noel was Lc?!


    Cordy had certainly heard of Lc before, since she had worked in the circles for


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t be the best in Asia,¡± Noel said humbly then.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the best in Asia the best in the world too? Cordy asked directly then.


    years.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 15

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 15


    Chapter 15


    Noel was left feeling awkward right then.


    In reality, the mysterious


    Lovely who ranked first globally had retained her crown for three consecutive years. Noel was far from r


    eaching her level, and it was by sheer luck that she won fifth cest year.


    However, that was enough for her to be a miraculous being at Starstream, with every employee w


    orshiping her blindly.


    Even so, Hank Rogers concluded among the murmurs of disapproval toward Cordy. ¡°Why don¡¯t you jus


    t be a macro manager instead? It¡¯s easier for everyone.¡±


    Noel wasughing to herself as he mocked ¡®Cordy openly.


    After all, she knew Cordy would not have it easy even after she reimed Starstream Group. Aside fro


    m Stephen Lang, everyone here werepdogs to her and her father¨C


    they did not mind affording Cordy three months until she gave up.


    ¡°When I worked at Jessop Corp¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure, they


    are designers of high fashion here in North City, but you only worked in PR back then.¡± Hank continued


    to throw shade at Cordy, not even allowing her to finish. ¡°You had nothing to do with designing. so it¡¯s t


    wo different issues altogether. Please don¡¯t bother to push yourself¡±


    Cordy rose from her seat then, but while everyone thought that she would storm off after having enoug


    h, she remained perfectly calm..


    Whipping out a USB sh drive, she plugged


    it into the conference roomptop and presented several slides.


    ¡°These are all Starstream fashion lines over the past two years. It¡¯s very obvious that nothing much has


    changed over each passing season in thest two years, and the design Ms. Noel Sachs


    presented is now at the point of being identical. I¡¯d think she was showing mest year¡¯s draft if not for t


    he change of dye.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been the trend for thest two years.


    Noel wanted to argue, but Cordy scoffed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get any


    inspiration while you were visiting Jessop Corp today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a professional. I won¡¯t giarize anotherpany¡¯s work,¡± Noel said righteously.


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that since this spring, the trends have been changing drastically. Here¨C


    take a look at the brochures of nned releases from several major international brands. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s n


    ot that difficult to tell that your designs bear zero resemnce to those trends.¡±


    Cordy was ruthless, but that was because she could not bear with what Noel was doing.


    Sticking to a single draft and milking it for two years? It was no surprise that Starstream¡¯s performance i


    n the market kept failing.


    Noel¡¯s expression darkened even as Cordy shut her down, but it was true that shecked inspiration an


    d had not been putting an effort in her designs over thest two years.


    Naturally, once Cordy exposed her in front of everyone, she had no retort.


    In fact, even though the other heads of department were all loyal to Noel, they could not lie through thei


    r teeth with such solid evidence thrown in their faces.


    Silent, they all felt as if Cordy pped them in the face.


    With that, Cordy told Noel, ¡°From now on, all drafts from your department would only go into production


    . after my assessment. Also, you have one week to prepare a new draft. Submit it personally to me by n


    ext Tuesday.¡±


    Then, turning to the rest, she announced, ¡°Since none of you prepared the summaries I asked, I want t


    hem on my desk by nine in the morning tomorrow. If it isn¡¯t submitted by that deadline, your respective


    departments¡± performance will be marked as null.¡±


    And with those imposing words, she left.


    While Stephen hurried after her, everyone else was left gaping at Cordy¡¯s departing figure, surprised by


    her charisma and gravitas.


    Did she just boss them around? But she was only twenty¨Cfive, and a woman at that!


    After returning to her office, Cordy told Stephen, ¡°Every department manager


    is Simon¡¯spdog. How I would like to shake up the entirepany and bring in new blood.¡±


    ¡°A shake¨Cup would actually make it difficult


    to win loyalty, and organizations need its members to work as one,¡± Stephen pointed out worriedly


    ¡°So we just fire a handful as a demonstration to the rest. That said, the priority is to get rid of Fiona Lam


    b, or Simon would have eyes and ears on my every move.¡±


    Stephen actually did a double take, though that was because Cordy far exceeded his expectations.


    His loyalty


    stemmed from an obligation to repay his debt to Cordy¡¯s mother, but Cordy¡¯s performance left his jaw d


    ropping.


    It was almost like seeing Cordy¡¯s mother at the helm again.


    Meanwhile, over at the CEO¡¯s office in Levine Ventures HQ, Randy Martin was standing behind John.


    Randy had this nagging feeling that his boss was distracted, but did not dare to ask.


    After all, he was very much aware that his boss did not like to be interrupted while he was working.


    ¡°Randy,¡± John said, suddenly putting down the document he was holding.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine?¡±


    ¡°How are things over there?¡± John asked right away.


    Over there?


    Over where?!


    The north? The east? The south? Or the west?!


    Randy¡¯s mind seemed to travel around the globe for a split second before inspiration struck him. Mrs. L


    evine!


    But did John not say to trust her? That was why he did not keep tabs.


    Still, Randy was quick on his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ask,¡± he said and left.


    He returned soon after, and reported, ¡°Mrs. Levine called for a meeting of the executives, but things


    probably


    did not go smoothly. That said, it was not a defeat, since the executives were fuming after the meeting,


    and one of our people was saying that Noel left the conference room with puffy eyes.¡±


    John¡¯s lips, which were pursed for most of the day, finally rxed.


    Picking up the coffee beside his hand and taking a small sip, he then asked, ¡°Mrs. Levine?¡±


    ¡°¡­Right?¡± Randy asked with a slight quiver in his voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡±


    Randy almost wanted toin because John was grinning ear¨Cto¨Cear


    To no one¡¯s surprise, men in love all saw the world through rose¨Ctinted sses.


    ¡°By the way, Mr. Davis called you while you were at that meeting earlier, Randy said, suddenly remembe


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°That Mandy Jessop charged into his office like a rabid dog, wreaking havoc and almost giving him a str


    ¡°Just tell him that I¡¯m helping him discipline Mandy¡­ for the contempt she showed him all those years a


    Randy was speechless¨CBob was not about to buy that!


    At 10 PM, Cordy was stretching her arms when she realized that she had worked veryte


    Still, she was used to this back when she worked at Jessop Corp.


    Putting the past behind her, Cordy picked up her cup of coffee and stood before the ss window to enj


    All she wanted right now was to set her


    mother¡¯spany on the right track and to keep it from falling into the Sachs¡® hands.


    But although she thought to herself that she had already forgotten about love¡­ a certain man¡¯s face. su


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He was tall, aloof and domineering, but had this hidden tenderness at the same time¡­.


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she eventually chose apathy¨C


    she held no expectations toward anyone these. days.


    Putting down her coffee, she left her office and returned home, only to find a delivery boy waiting outside


    her door


    ¡°Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy was surprised¨Cshe did not order any delivery.


    ¡°One portion of heart¨C


    healthy chicken soup. Please sign here!¡± the delivery boy chirped and held out a pen.


    Cordy was about to turn him down when she saw ¡®Dicky¡® on the order.


    Coming to a realization, she signed it and brought it into her house.


    As she drank the delicious broth, she mused to herself if she should thank John¡­ but she eventually pu


    Once bitten, twice shy.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 16

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 16


    Chapter 16


    It was now Cordy¡¯s fourth day at work.


    Things did not go smoothly like she thought, but it was not so bad that she could not manage.


    While the department heads did submit their respective department summaries after the meeting, it


    was perfunctory at best-Simon Sachs must have put them up to it.


    Fortunately, she had always stayed in touch with Stephen Lang, who constantly updated her on details


    about Starstream Group. She merely called the meeting to get a read on the department heads-that


    would make dealing with them easier down the road.


    Nheless, Cordy was scowling at the moment because she received a call from a number she


    abhorred.


    She waited until the veryst moment before answering, and she was immediately scolded from the


    other end. ¡°Not answering my calls?! Your mother never taught you manners, did she?!¡±


    ¡°Your cal!? Sounds more like a dog barking to me,¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°Did you just call me a dog?! You insolent little wretch! You¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you!¡± Plum Lang¡¯s


    voice became shriller by the minute.


    ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t I stay away from you? Don¡¯t need coteral now, do we?¡±


    ¡°You little¡­¡± Plum was left speechless from utter aggravation just then.


    That was when Simon took over and barked furiously. ¡°That¡¯s enough from you, Cordy! Watch your


    attitude -that¡¯s your own grandmother you¡¯re talking to!¡±


    ¡°Then what attitude should I have?¡± Cordy asked in return.


    Was she supposed to be smiling and fawning a woman who abused her and her mother?!


    Simon did not waste his breath arguing, and cut to the chase. ¡°It¡¯s her birthday this Saturday and she¡¯s


    inviting you home to celebrate. Be there or be square.¡±


    Cordy actually smiled.


    Plum did not invite her to her seventieth birthday, but the olddy had somehow ended up making her


    theughing stock of all North City.


    And now, Plum was kind enough to extend an invitation?!


    Still, Cordy just happened to have a bone to pick with the Sachs, so she quickly agreed to it.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said.


    Though Simon was puzzled that she was suddenly so agreeable, he hung up right then without another


    word.


    Cordy simply put away her phone, already ustomed to the Sachs¡¯ abusive behavior toward her.


    Unfazed, she continued working all the way until 8 PM.


    She put down the papers she was holding and got out of her office.


    Fiona Lamb¡¯s seat was already empty.


    It did not matter how busy Cordy was-Fiona would never stay a second overtime, leaving work on the


    hour.


    That in turn allowed Cordy to quietly sit in her chair and turn on herputer


    She remained impassive even as she keyed in Fiona¡¯s password and unlocked it, and started to look


    for anything useful.


    Half an hourter, she unplugged the USB thumb drive from herputer and left.


    The next day, Cordy was woken by yet another call.


    She checked the caller ID before deciding to ignore it and return to sleep.


    The calls kepting, however, and eventually Cordy answered it out of sheer frustration.


    ¡°Where have you been, Cordy Sachs?! Why aren¡¯t you here?!¡± Plum yelled.


    Cordy checked the time and saw that it was just 7 AM.


    ¡°What, are you mute?!¡± Plum continued.


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Am Ite for your funeral?¡± Cordy asked icily.


    ¡°W-What did you just say?!¡±


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t, I¡¯ll go over when it¡¯s time.¡±


    With that, she ignored Plum although she might be having a stroke, and hung up.


    However, she was left stretching and tossing around in bed, unable to fall asleep again after being


    yelled


    at.


    She got up, abruptly noticing the only photo she took with her mother


    Even as she gazed upon her mother¡¯s beauty back in her youth, she wondered how blind Simon was


    that he would be seduced by the likes of Sue Yorkman.


    Taking a moment topose herself, she took her sweet time getting out of bed to wash up and put on


    makeup.


    It was 10 AM when she arrived at Sachs Mansion, and there were already a handful of guests, all


    rtives of the Sachs. It seems that they decided to keep it private since they were not holding a full-


    fledged banquet.


    Naturally, no one came to greet Cordy even when they saw her, and some were even looking at her


    with disdain.


    She was given those exact same looks growing up.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Some would bully her for not having her mother and others would mock her for her loose morals, while


    there were also those who mocked her for being so much less than Noel¡­.


    But even if they had more insults, Cordy was used to it.


    She strode into the hall withposure, where Plum was seated on the couch dead center, with


    sycophantic rtives hovering around her.


    Simon was greeting guests with Noel and Sue at his side, though everyone turned toward Cordy once


    she arrived.


    Though it has been a couple years since she saw Cordy, Plum merely spared her a brief nce without


    really looking at her, and started throwing shade at Cordy. ¡°You¡¯rete even though it¡¯s my birthday,


    huh? Those who didn¡¯t know would think that you¡¯re not a Sach.¡±


    ¡°Sonny isn¡¯t here either, is he?¡± Cordy retorted.


    Sonny Sachs was the son Sue had with Simon, and two years Cordy¡¯s junior


    He was the reason Sue easily made it into the Sachs family.


    And once Cordy mentioned Sonny, Plum snapped at her righteously, ¡°How dare you mention Sonny!


    He¡¯s just a child, and he worked overtimest night with your father! He just needed to catch up on


    sleep!¡±


    Cordy snorted.


    Sonny, going to work? More like locking himself in his room with his video games.


    But at the end of the day, the Sachs were quite simply your typical patriarchal family.


    Noel was therefore smart in a sense-knowing that she would never inherit the Sachs¡¯ estate, she set


    her crosshairs on Starstream Group instead..


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, sis. Sonny¡¯s always been a sleepyhead, so leave him be. Come on, sit here,¡± Noel said,


    ying nice and appearing kind and understanding.


    Naturally, it was just a performance for their rtives¡¯ sake.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 17

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 17


    Chapter 17


    Cordy did not humiliate Noel with their rtives watching.


    Still, she made sure to sit on the very edge of the couch, looking just like an outsider.


    That was when Molly Sachs asked her pointedly. ¡°Cordy? You didn¡¯t bring your grandmother a present,


    huh?¡±


    Molly was Simon Sachs¡¯ younger sister, and her family worked for Simon when he ruled Starstream.


    She was very close to Sue Yorkman as well, and was instrumental in Sue¡¯s sess in seducing Simon


    back then.


    Cordy wasughing inwardly, as she suddenly remembered that Mandy Jessop was also instrumental


    in Noel¡¯s sess in seducing Kyle Jessop


    The girl really took after her mother!


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who would want anything from her?¡± Plum scoffed with a look of pure disdain. ¡°Just look at her. She


    literally screams poverty-she¡¯d never afford anything!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Granny. She just inherited Starstream Group, and thepany has been developing in


    recent years. Also, I ran into her at Davis¡¯ Kitchen. Any dining session there would cost at least four


    figures, and I wouldn¡¯t have gone if Molly did not insist on buying me dinner¡­¡±


    Noel only stopped after bbing all that, as if realizing she had misspoken.


    ¡°You really know how to enjoy yourself, don¡¯t you?!¡± Plum snorted.


    At the same time, Molly suddenly looked like a proper elder ¡°That¡¯s really terrible of you, Cordy. You¡¯d


    rather dine like a king than buy your grandmother a present¡­ Honestly, even I can¡¯t take your side now


    ¡°Yeah! Do you even have a conscience, Cordy?! It¡¯s only once a year¡­


    ¡°Just look at Noel. She bought a set of clothes for Grandma she personally designed-I mean, how good


    it looks on her!¡±


    Everyone in the hall mored to throw shade at Cordy.


    However, while she would bear with it in silence in the past, she was now long past the age of being.


    pushed around.


    ¡°But if I remember correctly, those clothes are Jessop Corp¡¯s SW-series for the spring season¡­ Last


    spring, to be precise.¡±


    Noel¡¯s face turned pale.


    But even before she could retort, Cordy added, ¡°To be fair, that seasonal line didn¡¯t really sell well for


    old folks, so not many were aware. Hell, back when I was working at Jessop Corp, I remember


    thousands of those exact same clothes kept in their warehouse¡­ Wait, did Kyle give these to you?!¡±


    Noel was left glowering.


    Exposed by Cordy, she was utterly humiliated.


    She just wanted to get it over with, only for Cordy to expose her in such fashion¡­!


    Still, she quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Grandma! I just gave these to you because I


    know it¡¯d suit you. Moreover, trending doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the best, and you have this special air as a


    person that sets you apart from the rest. Ask Aunt Molly if you don¡¯t believe me-it looks good on


    Grandma, right?


    Molly was naturally on Noel¡¯s side, and she quickly echoed, ¡°I¡¯ve been saying since i came that it fits


    you, Mom. You always appear noble, and no one else would bring out the breathtaking aspect of those


    clothes.


    ¡°Yeah! Noel has such good taste! Aunt Plum looks so good in those clothes.¡±


    I¡¯ve never seen anything that gorgeous either¡­


    However, even though the flock of sycophants began to fawn over Plum without end once more, she


    was certainly discontent.


    How could she be pleased, when she was given clothes that could not sell?


    While she did not show it since she would just be embarrassing herself, she was now decidedly


    unhappy with Noel.


    Meanwhile, Molly was not about to give up on a chance to embarrass Cordy.


    ¡°So? Where¡¯s your present for your Grandma, Cordy? She asked.


    Before Cordy could say a word, however, Plum snapped in disdain, ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡±


    If Noel knowingly gave her such rubbish, she could imagine how worse Cordy¡¯s gift would be.


    She would rather not take another p on her wrinkled face!


    Still, Cordy looked at Plum and sighed regrettably. I actually brought you something.¡±


    Plum was unconcerned¡­ until Cordy drew a gift box out of her handbag.


    The box itself was unremarkable, but when Cordy opened it, everyone was left awestruck,


    A ruby ney within, and anyone could tell instantly that it was worth a fortune


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a noble¡¯s relic that was put on auction?! Molly could not help eximing in shock right then. It


    was sold for five million dors, too¡­ How did you get it?!


    She was at that auction herself, and she had her eyes on the very same ne too.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a counterfeit, isn¡¯t it?¡± someone suddenly said.


    ¡°Aunt Molly, you know your antiques. Why don¡¯t you verify it?¡± Cordy asked Molly just then.


    Molly certainly did not want to admit that it was real, but lying would only tarnish her reputation if word


    of it gets out.


    As such, she braced her cheek and said, ¡°It¡¯s real.¡±


    The hall was left in an uproar at her words, with many rtives suddenly getting up close and personal


    with Cordy to get a good look.


    In fact, even Plum was left captivated by the ne.


    Only Noel was left with a look of utter suspicion. ¡°Where did you get it?¡±


    Why would she have a treasure of such worth? She even heard her own mother and Molly talking


    about it countless times!


    Cordy raised a brow. ¡°Would you be kicking yourself if I told you that Kyle gave it to me?¡±


    Noel¡¯s pupils dted-her eyes were red with jealousy.


    Kyle actually gave Cordy a treasure of such worth?!


    Cordy, however, did not seem to notice Noel¡¯s reaction as she slowly put away the ne. ¡°Well,


    Grandmother since you don¡¯t need it, I won¡¯t force you to take it ¡±


    Plum¡¯s mouth opened just then, but she stopped herself


    She had already said loudly and vehemently that she did not want it.


    Asking for it would be no different from pping herself in the face!


    While her face contorted with rage, Cordy pretended not to see it and put the box back into her bag,


    since she was not giving it anyway.


    Even Molly was now tactful enough to shut her mouth,


    was nothing short of an absolute disaster Not only did they fail to humiliate Cordy, but she had also


    humiliated Noel instead while making Plum watch as indisputable treasure slipped through her fingers!


    Fortunately, more of their rtives arrived, and they took to greeting them, once again leaving Cordy


    out.


    Later, the celebratory feast began.


    Simon had a makeshift podium made at the vast backyard of Sachs Mansion for the purpose.


    He and Plum were a dynamic duo, a symbol of mother-son affection in front of their rtives.


    While everyone was busy, Cordy got up from her seat and made her way backstage.


    ¡°Here. It¡¯s a surprise Simon prepared for Plum Lang,¡± she told the technician in charge. ¡°y this


    before you y the one you were given earlier ¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the technician quickly replied.


    Cordy quietly returned to her seat after that, and waited for the drama that was toe.


    Simon appeared exhrated as he stood at the podium, and eventually announced thunderously, ¡°And


    now, if everyone would turn to the big screen, here is my birthday blessing for my mother this year.


    Everyone was at once focused and curious.


    Soon enough, a grainy video began to y on the screen.


    While everyone present might not necessarily recognize the female lead, there was no question that


    the male lead was Simon himself.


    As the entire crowd fell into stunned silence, Simon was still looking smug!


    After all, everyone knew that he was the best son in all of North City, having earned that title for the


    boundless affection he showered upon his mother after his father¡¯s death.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 18

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 18


    Chapter 18


    Simon was still under the impression that his rtives were all impressed by the video he put together


    and he was relishing the thought until he noticed Plum glowering.


    Noel quickled dashed up the podium just then, anxiously pointing at the screen. ¡°Dad, Dad¡­¡±


    Simon turned around and almost got a stroke when he saw what was ying on screen.


    It was all records of his affair with Fiona Lamb!


    There were not just photos and videos either, but also records of their cringeworthy text conversations.


    It was such a thorough expose that Simon had zero dignity left!


    He eventually came to his senses after a long while and barked at the technician, ¡°Shut it down! Shut it


    down!¡±


    Stunned, the technician quickly did as he was told, but everyone had already seen what they needed to


    see


    ¡°Who did this?! Who?!¡± Simon was bellowing in rage up at the podium.


    Below, Plum was turning pale from fury:


    It was her birthday party, but she somehow ended up thoroughly humiliated in front of all their rtives!


    Sue Yorkman, who was sitting beside Plum, certainly could not vent her feelings despite the ignominy


    All she could do was shed endless tears of grief..


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Noel tugged at Simon¡¯s shirt just then in an effort to have him calm down.


    Simon was gritting his teeth, but seeing that all his rtives were there, he simply snarled, ¡°Everyone,


    dinner will now be served. It¡¯s obvious I was framed, and it¡¯s all just some high-quality photoshop! Don¡¯t


    let this nonsense affect my mom¡¯s birthday!¡±


    And with that, he made a beeline to his seat, huffing and glowering.


    Plum was growling through her teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do out there, Simon, as long as I don¡¯t find


    out. But this? In front of everyone?! I don¡¯t want you to see that woman ever again!¡±


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s just-


    ¡°No excuses!¡± Plum snapped. ¡°Sue, you¡¯ll deal with that woman. Make sure that you root her out!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sue murmured through tears and grief.


    ¡°Now, eat!¡± Plum snapped again.


    Today was supposed to be her birthday¡¯s celebration, only for every one of them to end up as a


    laughing.


    stock.


    What a disaster!


    Simon kept scowling, but he had to bear with it with so many of their rtives watching.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was seated at another table with Noel.


    It was the Sachs¡¯ family rule that the most senior members of the family sat at the main table, followed


    by sons and grandsons, which meant the likes of Simon and Sonny.


    However, Cordy was taking her time as she ate-the Sachs always were extravagant, and that meant


    really good food


    She was in a chipper mood as well, so she ate quite a lot.


    A man took the empty seat next to her just then, but she spared him just one brief nce.


    After all, she did not know him, he was not good looking, and the Sachs had nothing to do with her


    She simply remained in her own little world, enjoying her food and wiping her lips with a napkin when


    she was done.


    She politely excused herself from the others who shared the table and started to leave-there was no


    reason to stay another second with her objective achieved.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    But while she headed towards the front gates, Noel suddenly appeared behind her, asking. ¡°Where are


    your going?¡±


    Cordy turned to look at Noel in her white dress, appearing mild and demure.


    Kyle was at Noel¡¯s side-having arrivedte, but sticking with her ever since.


    The Sachs considered their rtionship official already anyway.


    ¡°What is it to you?¡± Cordy asked icily.


    ¡°It¡¯s Grandma¡¯s birthday. She¡¯ll scold you if you leave early, so I¡¯m just worried-¡± ¡°Do you think she


    wouldn¡¯t if I stayed?¡± Cordy raised a brow

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 19

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 19


    Chapter 19


    While Noel could not manage aeback, Kyle stepped up


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, why are you being so hostile and cold? Noel just cares about you, and even if you¡¯re un


    comfortable after our break up, we would still be inws eventually


    ¡°Kyle Jessop, how many times do I have to tell you that you give yourself too much credit? You hold no


    sway on me at all now, and my spite for Noel has nothing to do with you.


    Cordy paused for a moment just then, and said, ¡°Actually, it does¨C


    it stacks, so I hate you even more now. ¡°Sis, you can say anything you like about me, but not Kyle-¡±


    Cordy simply turned to leave again before Noel could finish, and it certainly stung!


    Noel almost wanted to just let loose and scream as she red at Cordy from behind.


    Kyle was not doing any better, as he seemed even more insignificant to her!


    ¡°Cordy Sachs Simon suddenly showed up and barked at her as well.


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she turned around despite her impatience.


    She knew all too well she would not get a clean escape from the Sachs if she did not deal with them rig


    ht


    away


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Simon said and strode off


    Cordy restrained her ire and followed.


    She actually had a hunch that the Sachs did not just invite her here to mock her


    They must be up to something else.


    After they arrived at the balcony garden on the second floor of Sachs Mansion, Simon stopped and ask


    ed coolly. ¡°Did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± Cordy asked innocently.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Simon restrained his temper as he growled, ¡°That video!¡±


    ¡°You give me too much credit, Father. I just started working at Starstream¨C


    there¡¯s no way I would¡¯ve found out about your affair with Fiona Lamb.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Simon bellowed, too ashamed to hear the rest.


    He certainly did suspect Cordy earlier, but he and Fiona had always kept their affair tightly under wraps


    . Like Cordy herself put it, she would not know a thing since she just started working at Startsteram, an


    d Simon also refused to believe that Cordy would suddenly be thatpetent.


    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you to someone now, so properly make his acquaintance, Simon said, cutting to the chas


    e. ¡°You know very well that you can¡¯t afford to mess around, especially with your¡­ history.


    A man in a suit and tie appeared then.


    It was the same man who sat beside her just now


    ¡°This is Bryson Zimmer, a cousin twice removed, Simon said. ¡°He¡¯s thirty¨C


    five, so he suits you just fine. Cordy nced at Bryson but said nothing.


    Bryson offered a handshake anyway, ¡°Hello, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Ms. Sachs to you.¡± Cordy did not take his handshake and appeared distant.


    ¡°Bryson¡¯s family background is modest, but his future is bright because he works at Levine Ventures. He


    year old son. I¡¯ve met the boy before, he¡¯s a nice, obedient kid-


    ¡°If you think so highly of him, why don¡¯t you introduce him to your precious Noel?¡± Cordy snapped. ¡°Are


    ¡°Know your ce, Cordy Sachs!¡± Simon bellowed, turning furious right then.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m busy. I have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Simon, why don¡¯t you let me speak with Cordy in private?¡± Bryson suddenly said


    With that, Simon leveled Cordy a warning re before storming off.


    Cordy stayed¨Cbut not out of respect for Simon.


    She just felt it necessary to exin herself and avoid further trouble.


    However, before she could even begin, Bryson was bellowing at her, ¡°Cordy Sachs! Everyone in North C

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 20

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 20


    Chapter 20


    Cordy paused and studied Bryson for a moment.


    He was on the pudgy side, and his face so in there was nothing worth noting.


    ¡°Do you even know who I am?! I am a top executive working at Levine Ventures and I draw a six-figure


    sry each year!¡±


    While Bryson continued his angry rant sh brag, Cordy clicked her tongue at him and left without a


    care.


    Bryson watched in confusion as she walked away-he was convinced that Cordy should be throwing


    herself into his arms given who he was.


    But she did not seem to care!


    In reality, Bryson was not that interested in her at first, but he could not turn down the Sachs since they


    carried influence in North City. However, when he saw Cordy in person, he was stunned to find her so


    much more beautiful than her photo!


    With that pretty face, he would be fine with just a tryst even if he did not marry her!


    While he grinned sinisterly, Cordy was still heading toward the front gates, intent on leaving and


    certainly not in the mood to find out what Bryson thought.


    Sis.¡±


    Hearing Noel call out from behind again, Cordy paused with a scowl on her face.


    What was she doing, stalking her instead of her precious Kyle?!Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Even so, Noel looked as if she was doing Cordy a favor as she told her, ¡°Bryson doesn¡¯t have the


    looks, but he¡¯s dependable and has a stable wage. He¡¯s far better than your firefighter! And if you had


    to be a baby mommy, why don¡¯t you pick one who offers more security?¡±


    ¡°What, is ugliness a guarantee of being down-to-earth?¡±


    Cordy suddenly turned around and studied Noel from head to toe, and her stare gave Noel the creeps.


    ¡°I mean, just look at you. You¡¯re just vile.¡± Cordyughed coolly and left with those words.


    In fact, it was a long while after she left that Noel realized Cordy was calling her vile and ugly!


    But even as she flushed, Cordy waspletely gone from sight.


    Noel was left gritting her teeth!


    After all, they had invited Cordy here tonight to fix her up with Bryson.


    Even though she and Kyle were now together, with their close friends and family being aware of the


    fact, they had yet to officially announce it. And Cordy was not about to publicly announce that her


    engagement with Kyle was annulled!


    Noel certainly could not stand the fact that she was still the other woman, and her only option was to


    get Cordy to hook up with someone else. That way, she would no longer be the other woman, and she


    could even use Cordy of cheating on Kyle first!


    Naturally, she thought about bribing that firefighter and having him get frisky with Cordy, but she did not


    know him enough to manipte him. And to tell the truth, he was so handsome that Noel was still in


    denial!


    How did Cordy manage to get herself a man better looking than Kyle? And even if she did expose their


    affair, everyone would just be impressed by Cordy and the firefighter, a perfect match of heavenly


    beauty! People these days had no principles anyway. They put all their faith in their senses, so there


    was no assurance if sentiment would swing in Noel¡¯s favor ultimately!


    Her eyes narrowed at the thought.


    Over the years, she had never failed to get what she wanted when it came to Cordy


    And this would be no exception!


    After the weekend, Fiona Lamb came to Cordy with puffy eyes and a resignation letter.


    Since Sue Yorkman got her hands on Fiona, it went without saying how horrific a weekend Fiona would


    have


    Cordy could even see the fresh scratch marks on Fiona¡¯s neck.


    Naturally, she did not feel guilty at all.


    Fiona made her bed.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 21

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 21


    Chapter 21


    With Fiona gone, Cordy had help from Stephen Lang to select a new secretary, Vince Cartman. He wa


    s young and academically qualified, and had not joined either faction in Starstream Group since he was


    only recently hired.


    And as instructed, Noel arrived to present her drafts for the season in the vast conference room. But ev


    en as she borated on the details, she lost confidence by the minute under Cordy¡¯s watchful gaze


    She certainly had to admit that she did not have the inspiration to create a design out from scratch¨C


    even if she was given another week. Her design was fundamentally stuck to her old


    ideas, and the minute adjustments she made by borrowing inspiration from others left her designs less


    than outstanding. ¡°Do you think this is going to fly, Ms. Sachs?¡± Cordy asked as she took a sip of tea.


    It was only natural that Noel came up with an excuse


    beforehand. ¡°Personally, I think trends matter, but that does not mean we should lose our brand¡¯s indivi


    duality. What¡¯s wrong in keeping our uniqueness?¡± ¡°Individuality? Uniqueness? I don¡¯t see what¡¯s uniqu


    e aside from the logo of ourpany. From where I¡¯m standing, this is just a mashup of various trend t


    emtes, and it¡¯s only moreughable that it somehow still failed to clear the passing mark.¡±


    While Cordy¡¯s words embarrassed Noel, her subordinates¨Cfrom her deputy and supervisors¨C


    were certainly on Noel¡¯s side.


    Faye Lang, the deputy director of design, promptly snapped, ¡°Our director did all she could. She just co


    uldn¡¯t meet your ridiculous demands! Why don¡¯t you personally instruct us if you¡¯re so dissatisfied?¡±


    The differences in specialties were never easily surmounted¨C


    even if Cordy had an eye for designs, that did not mean she could make anything herself


    And Faye certainly doubted that Cordy would push them around after her remark.


    Even so, Cordy did not hesitate in her response. ¡°Alright.¡±


    While Faye¡¯s face fell, Noel was left gaping at Cordy.


    ¡°Since Design is requesting it, I will now take direct control starting today.¡± Cordy continued, before turn


    ing toward Noel. ¡°As for the former director¡­¡±


    Noel¡¯s heart raced.


    She would not take it lying down if Cordy fired her, even if it meant destroying Starstream Group!


    If she could not have it, Cordy would never have it either!


    That was when Cordy told her, ¡°I finally understand why our father was eager to promote you. Design is


    n¡¯t your forte¨Cyou¡¯re appointed as CEO of Starstream Group starting today.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Noel could not believe her ears¨Cnor could everyone else in the conference room.


    Cordy was supposed to be harassing Noel


    every chance she had! Why would she promote her instead?


    Even if the reasoning was exceedingly ironic¡­


    In fact, after Cordy finished, she rose from her seat and walked up to Noel, pping her on the shoulder


    Noel was mystified even as she stared at Cordy, feeling as if Cordy was someone else.


    Why would Cordy be so nice to her?!


    Cordy certainly was not being nice¨C


    she had a cunning n in mind, since Noel would never be grateful and she only ever demanded more.


    She was just giving her an eye for an eye¨Cso that Noel had a taste of her own medicine!


    Still, as she left the conference room and returned to her office, she received a call from Simon.


    ¡°What are you ying at?!¡± he demanded the instant she answered.


    ¡°You and Noel have managed Starstream together for years. Aren¡¯t I allowed to appoint her as CEO to a

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 22

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 22


    Chapter 22


    Simon was certainly skeptical


    Still, considering that Cordy must have had a hard time getting anything going or trying to manage


    Starstream Group with various head of departments reneging, did she smarten up and decided to appo


    int Noel, so that Noel would keep them in line?


    Simon thought then that it was all Cordy amounted to¡­ To think that he believed she could achieve an


    ything for a moment!


    Smugness showed on his face as he barked, ¡°Appointing Noel is certainly the best move you can make


    to rein in Starstream! She¡¯s worked there for years, and she¡¯s naturally no greenhorn like you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± Cordy yed along, though she found it ironic herself¨C


    appointing Noel was really just a bait for them toe at her!


    ¡°Oh, and do you remember Bryson Zimmer-¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about my private life.¡±


    She hung up, but soon her phone rang again.


    Cordy did not answer it, and she then received a text from Kyle. ¡°Noel just called me saying that you ap


    pointed her as CEO. I¡¯m d you can put the past behind, since you¡¯re Noel¡¯s sister I¡¯d really feel guilty


    . if I caused a rift between sisters.¡±


    Cordy deleted the text immediately.


    Some people were really ridiculously thick¨Cskinned!


    Over at Levine Ventures, John Levine had just finished a meeting with his executives and returned to hi


    s


    office.


    Randy Martin served him ck coffee while informing him of his schedule for the day.


    After Randy finished, he added, ¡°Also, we just received word from Starstream Group¨C


    Mrs. Levine has just appointed Noel Sachs as CEO.¡±


    John was typing on his keyboard and paused at that.


    ¡°Should I look into it? Maybe the Sachs threatened her.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± John blinked, and then seemed to realize something. ¡°Just wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    Turning back to hisputer, he slowly said, ¡°My grandfather¡¯s birthday is on the 17th next month.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s already sent out all his invitations too,¡± Randy replied respectfully. ¡°Do you have any


    special instructions, sir?¡±


    ¡°Not particrly.¡± John shook his head.


    Randy said nothing and watched as his boss hesitated before drafting a text and sending it as if it took.


    him great courage.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was frowning¨C


    believing that it was Kyle again, she was going to put her phone on silent when she saw the sender.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    [Will you be free on the 17th next month?]


    Cordy pursed her lips as she stared quietly at the text.


    She replied: [Yeah.]


    John had been sending her a highly nutritious dinner every night, and she could not refuse.


    She was under the impression that it would just be dinner¨Cshe could take the check too.


    ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Her lips curled into a smile, as she could almost see John celebrating on the other end.


    She sighed.


    After all, was there a reason she could not believe in him once more?


    Noel was at


    first convinced that Cordy would not be kind enough to appoint her as CEO out of the goodness of her h


    Still, in contrast to her time as head of design, she was idling even more now as CEO¨C


    there were not that many tasks she needed to deal with.


    The most pressing task for Starstream at the moment was this season¡¯s design, which Cordy just took fu


    Noel naturally already did her homework¨C


    she certainly doubted Cordy could produce a satisfying draft within the month by herself.


    And once she failed, Noel would make sure she did not keep her job!


    Her phone suddenly started ringing.


    ¡°Mandy?¡± Noel answered.


    ¡°Are you leaving work yet?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 23

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 23


    Chapter 23


    Noel checked the time, but it was only 3 PM. ¡°In another couple hours.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you leave early?¡± Mandy Jessop was clearly upset. ¡°I¡¯d like you to go shopping with me.¡±


    Noel appeared slightly hesitant.


    In the past, she could just leave work without a word since her father would not say a thing.


    But now, Cordy had taken control, and Noel was worried she would notice and use it as an excuse to


    harass her.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Even so, she had even less reason to upset Mandy. If she wanted to marry Kyle without issue, she cert


    ainly needed his sister¡¯s favor


    After weighing her options, Noel agreed to it anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Radiant Global.¡±


    ¡°Be there in twenty minutes.¡±


    Hanging up, Noel drove to the mall.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was drafting a design in her office when her phone rang too.


    She gave it a casual nce but eventually put away the draft and answered it. ¡°Mr. Levine.¡±


    ¡°When will you call me something else?¡± That familiar voice was ever deep and maic.


    ¡°Why would you like me to call you? Levine? John? Or do you have some nickname I don¡¯t know about


    ?¡±


    John did not expect her to be so agreeable. He


    spaced out for a moment before he chuckled. ¡°The way you say all that almost makes no difference, ex


    cept¡­¡±


    ¡°Except what?¡±


    ¡°Darling.¡±


    His tone was calm and mesmerizing.


    While Cordy was speechless, he said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Take your time.¡±


    As if he did not mind.


    Cordy was pursing her lips¨Che was certainly thick¨Cskinned.


    Ignoring his flirting, she asked directly, ¡°How can I help you today?¡±


    ¡°Are you free right now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Dicky is looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Look, Mr Levine¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten about the 17th?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the 15th,¡± Cordy said, even checking the calendar as she replied.


    ¡°The 17th is an important event, and everyone attending should dress grandly for the asion. If it¡¯s


    convenient for you, please help me get Dicky a tuxedo and try it out to see if it fits. I can¡¯t make it becau


    se I have an international teleconference¡±


    He took a pause after saying all that, and added, ¡°Walter would be driving Dicky over to you. They¡¯ll be


    arriving soon if there are no dys. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    Having sent Dicky over without giving her a chance to say no, he hung up after telling her everything.


    Cordy took a deep breath and maintained herposure.


    She saved her draft, turned off herputer, and picked up her handbag to leave her office.


    She had just arrived downstairs when she saw Walter¡¯s car waiting at the front entrance.


    Richard Levine¡¯s little face was basically pasted against the car window, his round eyes lighting up with


    excitement when she saw her arrive.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The crisp, tender voice was genuinely a remedy for the soul.


    Cordy could not resist hurrying to the car


    Fine!


    While she disliked John¡¯s overbearing nature, she missed Richard since it had been half a month since


    saw the boy.


    They soon arrived at Radiant Globe, the premier mall in North City.


    Cordy held Dicky¡¯s little hand and made a beeline for the boutique.


    However, they immediately ran into Noel and Mandy the instant they arrived, who were chatting and pic


    assistant¡¯s introductions


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like John Levine. Why would you dress so grandly for his grandfather¡¯s birthday?¡± N


    ¡°Why would I dress up for him? I¡¯m just dressing up for myself!¡± Mandy said smugly. ¡°And turn every hea


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, and your figure is stunning. Everyone would definitely be watching¡­


    Before Noel could finish ttering Mandy, she turned and noticed Cordy holding a little boy¡¯s hand and s

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 24

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 24


    Chapter 24


    Mandy saw Cordy too. She called out rather loudly, ¡°Cordy?!¡±


    Cordy naturally heard her, but she ignored her


    ¡°Who do you think you are, Cordy Sachs?!¡± Mandy promptly strode toward her.


    Noel quickly followed, even as Mandy red scornfully at Richard and mocked,


    ¡°You really are eager to be a stepmom, aren¡¯t you? You really are an embarrassment to womenki


    nd, sucking up to a man like this and paying for everything! Every item here would cost at least five figu


    res¨Cyou really spared no expenses!¡±


    Richard¡¯s little brows were furrowed.


    Why did they have to run into those two witches again? They were really ruining his and his mommy¡¯s


    happy shopping time.


    Beside him, Cordy shot Mandy a look and calmly pressed a button on her phone, reying all of Mand


    y¡¯s rambling.


    Mandy¡¯s face flushed, surprised that Cordy would record everything so quickly.


    ¡°I wonder if your reputation would be affected if this recording goes online, Ms. Jessop? Cordy asked w


    ithout a care. ¡°Weren¡¯t you just taken off a TV series?¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs¡­¡± Mandy was fuming.


    ¡°Shut your stinking mouth if you don¡¯t want this to go viral,¡± Cordy said sternly.


    Mandy had certainly not been embarrassed by Cordy like this.


    When Cordy was still in a rtionship with her brother Kyle, she would cater to Mandy¡¯s every whim¡­


    But now, Cordy was walking all over her!


    ¡°Calm down, Mandy. She¡¯s really capable of anything.¡± Noel quickly stopped Mandy before she could fli


    p. out again, ying the part of a mediator.


    ¡°She certainly is, getting knocked up at eighteen!¡± Mandy snapped.


    ¡°Stop it, Mandy,¡± Noel kept saying.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not bothered to waste my breath with her,¡± Mandy said loftily and turned to leave.


    Noel kept ying an angel regardless. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her, sis. You know Mandy doesn¡¯t mean it,


    she¡¯s just worried you¡¯d be tricked-¡±


    ¡°If memory serves, Noel Sachs, this is still work hours.¡± Cordy cut her short right then.


    While Noel was left looking awkward and stumped, Cordy shed an icy smile.


    Not wanting to waste time on


    trivial people, she led Richard away just as the store assistant arrived with his clothes.


    It was a mini tailcoat tuxedo, and it was tailored with immacte workmanship.


    Cordy certainly must admit that John has good taste.


    ¡°Try it on, Dicky¡±


    ¡°Okay¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    The boy looked just like a fairytale prince after he put it on, and every store assistant was earnestly adm


    Mandy and Noel nced their way just then, and the former snapped in jealousy after seeing the boy¡¯s e


    Noel said nothing, but certainly thought so too, as if it granted her sce.


    She kept telling herself that she had no reason to get jealous of Cordy¨C


    not when thetter had fallen for some poor bum.


    Meanwhile, Cordy had her phone out again, taking several photos of Dicky and sending it to John with t


    [What do you think?]


    The response was instantaneous.


    Wait, what about the international teleconference?


    [He¡¯s handsome.]


    [Good.]


    Cordy frowned.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 25

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 25


    Chapter 25


    Did ¡®good¡® mean that it was eptable, or did it mean something else?


    Still, Cordy was going to ask a store assistant to pack it up when another store assistant arrived with a


    breathtaking gown.


    Mandy¡¯s eyes lit up, and she promptly intercepted the store assistant as she eximed, ¡°I¡¯ll try that one


    !¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Jessop, but this one is reserved for Ms. Sachs.¡± The store assistant apologized.


    ¡°Why? I saw it first, and that makes it mine! I¡¯ll try it right now!¡± Mandy snapped bossily, snatching it off t


    he store assistant¡¯s hand before she could agree to it.


    Mandy held it over herself, measuring it¨C


    they had been shopping for a while, but this was the only gown that suited her taste.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Noel fawned over it, feeling jealous because she had her eyes on it too.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Ms. Jessop, but this is tailored made for Ms. Cordy Sachs-¡±


    ¡°How much is it?! Mandy refused to hear a word of it. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it right now!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about the money-


    ¡°I¡¯ll make aint, believe it!¡± Mandy threatened her viciously


    Put on an awkward spot, the store assistant turned toward Cordy.


    In reality, Cordy was a little surprised since she did not order anything.


    Still, she soon realized with a start and felt an indescribable feeling just then.


    John was making a habit of surprising her


    ¡°Here¡¯s my card!¡± Mandy snapped, shing her VIP card loftily at the store assistant.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s tailor made ording to Ms. Cordy¡¯s measurements The store assistant tried to reason with her ag


    ain. ¡°It¡¯s especially narrow on the waist. It doesn¡¯t fit you-¡±


    ¡°Are you doubting me?!¡± Mandy was fuming. ¡°I¡¯ll try it right now!¡±


    As she spoke, she carried the gown to the fitting room.


    That was when Cordy recovered from her shock and snapped,


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being unreasonable here, Mandy?! How many times does she have to tell you that it¡¯s mine


    ?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in this boutique, and whoever sees it first gets it!¡± Mandy retorted, stubborn and bent on taking the


    gown for herself.


    ¡°Ms. Jessop-¡±


    Cordy stopped the store assistant then, and she told Mandy. ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet?¡±


    ¡°What bet?¡±


    ¡°If you can put it on, Ms. Jessop, you can have it for free.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Mandy snorted in disdain. ¡°You give yourself too much credit, Cordy Sachs!¡±


    Cordy simply continued to provoke her ¡°If you can¡¯t put it on, you¡¯ll have to pay for it. How about that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see Mandy certainly thought nothing of Cordy. She would never believe that her waist was not as


    thin as Cordy¡¯s¨Cnot after all those diets and physical regiments she put herself through!


    ¡°Then try it, Ms. Jessop.¡±


    Mandy smugly strode to the fitting room with the gown, and then tried to put it on with a store assistant¡¯s


    Her face fell, and she snapped at the store assistant, ¡°Pull harder!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the best I can do. It will snap if I keep pulling!¡±


    Mandy shot the store assistant a re, convinced that the store assistant was sabotaging her.


    She called outside, ¡°Noel! Come in for a moment!¡±


    Noel quickly entered, and she saw Mandy¡¯s face flushed even as she tried to squeeze herself into that


    gown!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 26

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 26


    Chapter 26


    Noel took the zipper and pulled as hard as she could


    Mandy inhaled as much as she could in turn, but the zipper just would not go up whatever they did.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to work, Mandy,¡± Noel said helplessly and tiredly.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°No way! My waist is so thin!¡± It was just too much for Mandy.


    She could not even imagine the contempt Cordy would show her if she could not put on the gown! She


    was not about to suffer such ignominy!


    ¡°It won¡¯t work. It will break if I keep pulling it.¡±


    ¡°Then break it! Just pull!¡±


    ¡°Cordy will know if it does break! She¡¯ll definitely ask you to pay for it!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll make me pay even if I don¡¯t!¡± Mandy growled through her teeth.


    Still, Noel was shrewd enough to think of a way around it. ¡°Hold on just a minute. If you can¡¯t put it on


    when you¡¯re this slim, Cordy wouldn¡¯t be able to do it either. If neither of you can put it on, she has no


    right to ask you to pay for it.¡±


    Mandy paused for a moment, but soon realized that Noel was right. ¡°Help me take it off.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Having hatched the n, both of them left the fitting room.


    Cordy was sitting on a couch at the VIP corner and having a snack with Richard.


    As she looked up, there was clearly a smile of contempt.


    Mandy repressed her anger and challenged her, saying, ¡°I can¡¯t put it on, Cordy Sachs, but that doesn¡¯t


    mean you can either! Put it on-if it fits, I¡¯ll buy it for you!¡±


    Cordy said nothing but continued to munch on her chips. She then picked up her coffee, taking arge


    sip.


    Mandy was scowling


    She had tried to inhale as much as she could but still could not wear it. And yet Cordy was still eating


    carefreely?!


    Cordy wiped her lips then, and told Richard to be a good boy and wait outside while she entered the


    fitting room.


    Meanwhile, Kyle arrived at the boutique.


    ¡°Kyle.¡± Noel quickly walked up to him.


    Mandy was surprised. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I texted him,¡± Noel quickly said. ¡°You were arguing with my sis, and I was worried you¡¯d be tricked


    since she was being so unreasonable-that¡¯s why I called him.¡±


    Mandy did not care for Cordy, but she had no reason to refuse Noel¡¯s concern for herself.


    Naturally, Noel did not actually worry about Mandy-she just wanted Kyle to see Cordy fighting with


    Mandy, so that he would have even less reason to miss her.


    That was when the curtains to the fitting room opened.


    As everyone turned toward it, they were all left stunned.


    Cordy had put on the white diamond-encrusted gown in its entirety. It fitted her perfectly that not an


    inch. was loose or too tight, entuating her voluptuous figure with such grace no one could take their


    eyes.


    off her.


    No! Impossible!


    Mandy could not believe her eyes-or that Cordy looked so perfect and natural in it.


    Noel could not believe it too.


    Cordy was usually dressed in business attire. It made her appear serious and professional, but it hid


    her figure too. Noel certainly did not expect her to have those devilish curves!


    Kyle was entranced by Cordy too. Having never been intimate with her, he certainly did not know that


    she was so perfect that no man could possibly resist her.


    Noel had to tug on his arm to bring him to his senses, and he did his best to avert his eyes. ¡°Mommy!


    You¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Richard eximed just then, saying what everyone was thinking.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 27

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 27


    Chapter 27


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Regardless, none of them would admit it.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy shed a tender smile at Richard before turning to Mandy. ¡°Pay up.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s cheeks were alternating in color


    Cordy had actually put it on! How?!


    ¡°A bet¡¯s a bet. What, going to renege on it already?¡± Cordy sneered


    Mandy¡¯s teeth were gnashing¨Cshe just had to make the bet in front of so many people.


    She could not afford to humiliate herself by reneging!


    ¡°How much for the gown?¡± she growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s 1.3 million dors, Ms. Jessop,¡± a store assistant replied.


    ¡°What?!¡± Mandy thought she was hearing things.


    Most designer brands would cost a few hundred grand at most, but that gown cost 1.3 million?!


    ¡°The dress waspletely handmade in Franconia, and every part of the design was made to specific


    ations. The 500 diamonds encrusted on


    it were in turn sewn by hand by our best tailor,¡± the store assistant exined, while showing her the inv


    oice. ¡°The pricing was also charged ording to official rates. Please take a look, Ms. Jessop.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face was green¨Cshe would never have bought herself a dress so expensive, let


    alone buy it for Cordy for free!


    Wheeling on Cordy, she demanded, ¡°Where did you get the money for such an expensive gown?!¡±


    Cordy had expected the gown to be expensive, but not cost over a million dors!


    Still, she remainedposed as she said. ¡°That¡¯s my business. You just have to keep your promise to


    pay for it, and I¡¯ll pack it up and leave.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s eyes turned red¨Cnot even her bank ount had that much money!


    Even if she did earn a lot from showbiz and her family would always give her more, she never develope


    d the habit of saving up. In fact, she had a little over a hundred grand at best!


    But she would rather die than admit that she could not afford something Cordy could.


    ¡°Take my card, Kyle suddenly said.


    Mandy was left stunned, while Noel was clearly agitated. ¡°Kyle, that¡¯s not a small sum¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll just consider it damages for our breakup. Cordy, I hope you won¡¯t harass Noel and my sister ever a


    gain,¡± Kyle said righteously.


    Cordy simply sneered. ¡°Mandy lost that bet, but if you want to call it damages, why don¡¯t you pay for Di


    cky¡¯s tailcoat as well?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± Mandy snapped.


    ¡°I¡¯m just learning from your ilk,¡± Cordy retorted.


    ¡°What?¡± Mandy was dumbstruck, unable toe up with anything.


    Naturally, both Kyle and Noel were glowering as well.


    Cordy simply ignored them, and turned to Richard with a gentle smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get changed now, Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Richard nodded tamely


    Kyle had paid for everything by the time they changed out of their clothes, since he could not bring


    shame to his family!


    ¡°Thank


    you¡­¡± Cordy said as she carried her bag of astronomically expensive clothes, while deliberately adding


    Mandy was shaking with rage, ring at Cordy as if she could murder her right then!


    Not only did she not get any dress that she liked, but she was also body¨C


    shamed and lost over a million dors for nothing!


    But she would not take this ignominy lying down!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 28

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 28


    Chapter 28


    Cordy was holding Richard¡¯s hand as they arrived at the main entrance when a figure abruptly intercept


    ed them, stopping them from leaving.


    ¡°What, regret paying up now?¡± Cordy narrowed her eyes at Kyle, who was panting.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that petty,¡± he heaved. ¡°I paid, and that¡¯s that. My family won¡¯t miss it that much.¡±


    Cordy smiled¨Cit was ironic since she was the reason his


    family had that money, and she had worked for it with her life!


    Still, Kyle suddenly ignored her jibe and directly said, ¡°You never answered my calls or texts.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget your ce-


    ¡°We can be friends even if we¡¯ve broken up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you believe,¡± Cordy said as she looked at him coolly. ¡°You¡¯re


    already gone from my world. because I¡¯d never befriend anyone as corrupt as you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be like that-¡±


    ¡°What do you want?!¡± Cordy snapped, cutting him short impatiently.


    Kyle took a deep breath, not wanting to fight her. ¡°I just asked the store assistant. She said the boy¡¯s tai


    lcoat costs six figures.¡±


    Naturally, he was talking about Richard, who was furrowing his little brow at Kyle in turn.


    ¡°And?¡± Cordy raised a brow.


    you


    for


    ¡°Even if you¡¯ve taken control of Starstream


    Group and thepany is worth a lot, you¡¯ll eventually be drained dry if you keep wasting your money!


    I told you many times¨C


    that firefighter is only after your money. Once all your money is gone, you¡¯ll be nothing to him!¡±


    Kyle was getting more agitated the more he spoke, but Cordy could not care less


    ¡°I told you, money can¡¯t buy my love!¡± she snapped icily.


    ¡°And shove those crocodile tears. I won¡¯t ever be tricked!¡±


    With those words, Cordy turned to leave, still holding Richard¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Kyle suddenly grabbed her wrist, leaving her frowning.


    However, Kyle could hardly describe how frustrated he was¨Cshe certainly had strutted in his face too


    much!


    He had limits to his patience too!


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Cordy snapped.


    Kyle simply tightened his grip. ¡°We used to love each other, and I¡¯m still being nice. How could you not-


    argh!¡±


    He suddenly yelped, his face falling.


    Even Cordy was gaping as Richard suddenly bit Kyle on his hand, and he quickly flinched from the pain


    , though there were already clear, gruesome teeth marks left on it.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Kyle snapped at the boy.


    Richard¡¯s face was contorting in babyish anger as he snapped back, ¡°Bully my mommy again, and I¡¯ll r


    oll around on the floor saying you hit me. I¡¯m a kid, I¡¯m not afraid of losing face!¡±


    Kyle red at Dicky, but he was undoubtedly being threatened by a brat in public.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He was almost foaming in the mouth, but he had no way to vent!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Mommy!¡± Richard held on tightly to Cordy¡¯s hand, looking just like an adult as he shielded her.


    Cordy felt warmth in her chest and she said mildly, ¡°Okay, we have to hurry home now. You¡¯re washing y


    Kyle¡¯s knuckles were coleching from Cordy¡¯s


    contempt. He yelled viciously at her from behind her, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, Cordy Sachs! And don¡¯te lo


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cordy retorted without looking back. ¡°It¡¯d never happen.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s re was utterly sinister¨Che would see for himself how long her stubborn streak wouldst!


    As they returned to their car, Cordy texted John because she was unsure if he was still in a meeting.


    [We just left Radiant Globe. Where do I drop off Dicky?]


    Once again, the reply was instantaneous.


    [I¡¯m working overtime. Babysit him for me.]


    Honestly¡­ How busy was he really?!


    For the entire night?!]


    [I¡¯lle byter to pick him up.] [Later? When?]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 29

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 29


    Chapter 29


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    There was no reply this time.


    Cordy pursed her lips and turned toward Richard.


    ¡°Your daddy is working overtime tonight. Would you like toe home with me?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Richard actually appeared excited. ¡°I would like to visit your home, Mommy


    Cordy smiled and patted his little head adoringly.


    Arriving home, she put on a cartoon for him while wondering what to cook for dinner


    Although she had lived abroad for years, she was too busy trying to earn


    a living to cook for herself. It was beef jerky when she did not have money, and takeout when she did.


    And after thinking about it, she decided on takeout¨C


    she would not have to worry about the food either when it was from an expensive restaurant


    She sat beside Richard, making her orders solemnly


    ¡°Can I change the channel, Mommy?¡± Richard asked just then.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said, and pointed at the remote lying just ahead.


    Richard picked it up and started switching the channels, while Cordy continued to swipe through takeou


    t


    menus


    It took a while before she finally put away her phone and saw that Richard had tuned in to a science ch


    annel, which was broadcasting a program on astronautics.


    ¡°Do you understand that, Dicky?¡± she could not resist asking.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Richard replied, as if it was only natural.


    And that was that.


    They had dinner together at 7 PM.


    Richard had certainly been taught well at home, being well¨C


    behaved throughout the meal and even helping Cordy clean up the table afterwards. He then asked Co


    rdy to watch TV with him, picking a variety show channel this time.


    It was a homely picture as they nestled on the couch together


    ¡°That is Zoe York!¡± Richard suddenly eximed, pointing at the star actress making an appearance on t


    he show


    Cordy smiled and asked offhandedly. ¡°Do you like her?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You have a good eye,¡± Cordy said¨C


    Zoe was certainly beautiful, and one of the few natural beauties in showbiz


    ¡°Daddy likes her too,¡± Richard suddenly added.


    Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded confidently.


    With that, they kept watching TV until nine.


    As Richard started to yawn, Cordy could not help texting John


    [When are you getting off work?]


    [He usually sleeps before 9.30 PM. Help him take a bath, and I¡¯ll be there soon to take him home.]


    [Okay.]


    As Cordy put down her phone, she had this feeling as if she had been ordered around by John without


    any qualms.


    Still, as she took Richard to the bathroom, she noticed his little flushed cheeks and teased, ¡°Are you bei


    ¡°I¡¯ve never bathed with girls around,¡± he said.


    Such a simple line, but it left Cordy feeling hurt.


    The child had never seen his mother


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be shy, kiddo. Also, you won¡¯t have girls bathing you when you¡¯re older


    ¡°Yeah, Richard was still blushing, just as she remembered something. ¡°Mommy, am I going


    to get bigger everywhere?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Here.¡± Richard pointed at himself, between his legs.


    Cordy could not help chuckling, ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I stay like this?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Cordy said, at once stern and amused.


    ¡°Then am I going to be as big as daddy?¡± Richard asked, even using his tiny hands to gesture his


    Cordy was speechless.


    Was she supposed to put that into words?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 30

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 30


    Chapter 30After Richard made the gesture, he noticed Cordy blushing and he looked at her in adorable


    confusion.¡± Mommy? Why is your face red?¡±Cordy only blushed harder from his stare, finally


    understanding that children had no filterShe quickly said, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get my clothes-you can wear


    them for now.¡±¡°Okay Richard nodded tamely. Cordy picked up a T-shirt that just reached his knees,


    dispensing the need for pants.She carried him to her soft bed and blow-dried his hair, just as he


    became even sleepier and started nodding off.By the time Cordy was done, Richardy sprawled on


    her bed, asleep.Cordy¡¯s heart was gushing with warmth at the sight of his adorable face.She


    straightened his tiny frame and pulled a nket over him, and leaned in to kiss him on the


    forehead.After dimming the lights, she picked up her phone and texted John. ¡°Dicky¡¯s sleeping. Why


    don¡¯t youe get him tomorrow instead?¡±There was no instantaneous reply this time, and Cordy took


    no mind after waiting for a while.She picked up her own bathrobe and went for a shower, and the


    doorbell abruptly rang just as she was finished.Cordy hurried to the front door and saw via the monitors


    that John was outside.Did he miss her text? She opened the door and directly said, ¡°Dicky is


    asleep.¡±John¡¯s eyes, however, darted straight to her attire.Cordy looked down as well and flushed-she


    was still in her bathrobe, which dangled loosely from her body.And she did not even wear a bra¡­


    Bang!John pursed his lips as the door abruptly mmed shut in his face, while Cordy raced to her


    room and changed into conservative casual wear Drying her hair a little and then tying it up


    haphazardly, she quickly rushed to the door again and opened it. ¡°Sorry. Please,e in.¡±She handed


    him a pair of male loafers, though John nced at them before asking. ¡°Do you have shoecovers?¡±¡°I


    think so,¡± Cordy looked around, and found a pairJohn put them on before entering.¡°Dicky is asleep. Do


    you want me to wake him, or you¡¯re just going to carry him-¡±¡°I¡¯m hungry¡± John cut her short right


    then.Cordy stared at him, and then at therge clock on the wall.It was already ten.


    Chapter 30


    After Richard made the gesture, he noticed Cordy blushing and he looked at her in adorable


    confusion.¡± Mommy? Why is your face red?¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Cordy only blushed harder from his stare, finally understanding that children had no filter


    She quickly said, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll get my clothes-you can wear them for now.¡±


    ¡°Okay Richard nodded tamely.


    Cordy picked up a T-shirt that just reached his knees, dispensing the need for pants.


    She carried him to her soft bed and blow-dried his hair, just as he became even sleepier and started


    nodding off.


    By the time Cordy was done, Richardy sprawled on her bed, asleep.


    Cordy¡¯s heart was gushing with warmth at the sight of his adorable face.


    She straightened his tiny frame and pulled a nket over him, and leaned in to kiss him on the


    forehead.


    After dimming the lights, she picked up her phone and texted John. ¡°Dicky¡¯s sleeping. Why don¡¯t you


    come get him tomorrow instead?¡±


    There was no instantaneous reply this time, and Cordy took no mind after waiting for a while.


    She picked up her own bathrobe and went for a shower, and the doorbell abruptly rang just as she was


    finished.


    Cordy hurried to the front door and saw via the monitors that John was outside.


    Did he miss her text?


    She opened the door and directly said, ¡°Dicky is asleep.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes, however, darted straight to her attire.


    Cordy looked down as well and flushed-she was still in her bathrobe, which dangled loosely from her


    body.


    And she did not even wear a bra¡­


    Bang!


    John pursed his lips as the door abruptly mmed shut in his face, while Cordy raced to her room and


    changed into conservative casual wear Drying her hair a little and then tying it up haphazardly, she


    quickly rushed to the door again and opened it. ¡°Sorry. Please,e in.¡±


    She handed him a pair of male loafers, though John nced at them before asking. ¡°Do you have shoe


    covers?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Cordy looked around, and found a pair


    John put them on before entering.


    ¡°Dicky is asleep. Do you want me to wake him, or you¡¯re just going to carry him-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡± John cut her short right then.


    Cordy stared at him, and then at therge clock on the wall.


    It was already ten.


    They were very close, and suddenly, there was only the sound of the hairdryer and a pounding


    heart.Cordy thought that John must be elite when ites to rtionships. So how did he fail to keep


    Richard¡¯s mother?!Still, they were both silent until John turned off the hairdryer and said,


    ¡°Done.¡±¡°Thank you.¡±¡°I¡¯lle by at eight tomorrow to pick up Dicky.¡±¡°Okay.¡±Cordy walked John out the


    door, when John reached down to pick up the pair of male loafers. ¡°I¡¯ll help you throw these away.¡±


    They were very close, and suddenly, there was only the sound of the hairdryer and a pounding heart.


    Cordy thought that John must be elite when ites to rtionships. So how did he fail to keep


    Richard¡¯s mother?!


    Still, they were both silent until John turned off the hairdryer and said, ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle by at eight tomorrow to pick up Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy walked John out the door, when John reached down to pick up the pair of male loafers. ¡°I¡¯ll help


    you throw these away.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-she had bought those for Kyle, but he barely visited her here, only using those


    loafers once or twiceIt was her money anyway, and she was not was not wasteful.¡°Mr. Levine,¡± she


    said, suddenly stopping him.¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you a member of the Levines, who are a very famous family in


    this city?¡± she asked, staring at him.


    Cordy pursed her lips-she had bought those for Kyle, but he barely visited her here, only using those


    loafers once or twice


    It was her money anyway, and she was not was not wasteful.


    ¡°Mr. Levine,¡± she said, suddenly stopping him.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you a member of the Levines, who are a very famous family in this city?¡± she asked, staring at


    him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 31

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 31


    Chapter 31


    Cordy was speechless-she was under the impression that John had missed her message ¡°Then what


    are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Dinner


    Cordy somehow had noeback against that.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± John asked.


    ¡°My room,¡± Cordy replied-she was living alone and did not need a shared bathroom, so she just had it


    cleared for a study instead.


    John entered, ncing at Richard, who was sleeping soundly in bed, before heading inside the


    bathroom.


    Cordy was going to turn and leave when she remembered something, and she dashed toward the


    bathroom just as John was about to close the door


    John raised a brow ¡°Ms. Sachs ¡°¡±


    Cordy flushed again-she had left her clothes and undergarments in the bathroom after showering


    She grabbed everything at once, looking flustered as she held them behind herself


    John was looking with a smile


    As Cordy was about to turn and leave again, he called out, ¡°Ms Sachs?¡±


    She turned again and flushed once more-he was holding her bra, even pping them between his well-


    built fingers!


    She dropped it? And he picked it up?!


    Did he not understand that there were things that must not be simply picked up from the floor? Or that


    seeing no evil was a thing?


    Cordy promptly snatched her bra off his hands and left as if fleeing, her ears crimson!


    When John stepped out of the bathroom, Cordy was on the couch, having calmed herself down.


    They were adults and it was nothing to be ashamed about.


    Still, just as she got up and was about to send John away, she noticed in surprise that he was carrying


    her


    hairdryer


    He found the nearest power socket and plugged it in before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll help you dry your hair¡±


    While she was left speechless, he continued, ¡°As thanks for taking care of Dicky, and for personally


    making a homemade dinner.¡±


    ¡°The gown is way more than enough,¡± Cordy replied bluntly.


    ¡°I already received a notice from the boutique about the payment,¡± John replied. ¡°Even if I¡¯d rather you


    didn¡¯t wear a gown bought with someone else¡¯s money, I¡¯m good enough a businessman to not reject


    value.¡±


    Cordy was actually impressed that he could act so natural even when there¡¯s so much money involved


    At the same time, John said nothing else and untied her hair to dry it.


    They were very close, and suddenly, there was only the sound of the hairdryer and a pounding heart.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy thought that John must be elite when ites to rtionships¡­ So how did he fail to keep.


    Richard¡¯s mother?!


    Still, they were both silent until John turned off the hairdryer and said, ¡°Done.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.


    ¡°I¡¯lle by at eight tomorrow to pick up Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy walked John out the door, when John reached down to pick up the pair of male loafers. ¡°I¡¯ll help


    you throw these away.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-she had bought those for Kyle, but he barely visited her here, only using those.


    loafers once or twice.


    It was her money anyway, and she was not was not wasteful.


    ¡°Mr. Levine,¡± she said, suddenly stopping him.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you a member of the Levines, who are a very famous family in this city?¡± she asked, staring at


    him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 32

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 32


    Chapter 32


    Ever since they met, John had never told Cordy about his family-only his name


    ¡°I am,¡± he admitted regardless, and he asked, ¡°When did you notice?¡±


    ¡°Just now,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that hard to notice. Yourst name is Levine, you¡¯re a single dad,


    and there¡¯s your extravagance. The only thing that doesn¡¯t fit is¡­¡±


    As John raised a brow, she finished, ¡°You¡¯re better looking than the rumors say.


    ¡°You tter me.¡±


    Cordy said nothing to that, but she was just spitting facts.


    ¡°I did not want to hide it for you,¡± John said earnestly.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy, however, did not mind-they were not close enough to have to tell each other everything.


    In fact, she was just asking because n Levine¡¯s birthday was on the 17th, and she had been eager


    to find out why John had asked her to make time on that day.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s this guy who keeps insisting that I¡¯m a firefighter, and you might think that I¡¯m deceiving


    you. That¡¯s why I nned to formally introduce myself on the 17th.¡±


    He spoke with a neutral tone, but the jibe in his words was unmistakable.


    It was not hard for Cordy to figure out who he meant. ¡°He¡¯s blind-always has been.¡±


    John chuckled, seemingly content with her opinion of Kyle.


    ¡°It¡¯ste, Ms. Sachs. Please retire soon, though I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to leave Dicky with you tonight.¡±


    Cordy nodded. ¡°Bye, Mr. Levine.¡±


    After seeing him off, Cordy returned to her bed.


    This was the first time there was someone else in her bed after so many years-it felt curious, and not


    repulsive at all.


    Amidst the dim light, the sight of Richard¡¯s little face as hey fast asleep left her feeling warmth over


    her


    chest.


    As the next morning arrived, Cordy made two portions of a very simple breakfast: toast, fried eggs, and


    milk.


    Richard happily ate, praising it even if she obviously burnt the eggs slightly, which left her beaming


    cheerfully


    They had just finished breakfast when the doorbell rang.


    Cordy opened the door to find Winston standing outside, a respectful expression on his face. ¡°Good


    morning, Ms. Sachs. Master John has asked me to pick up Master Richard because he will be busy


    with a client today¡±


    ¡°Is he not attending kindergarten?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Not since he¡¯s just returned to the country,¡± Winston replied. ¡°However, he will be attending grade


    school around July-Master John has already found a private school for his son.¡±


    Cordy said nothing.


    She was just asking offhandedly-Winston did not have to tell her everything.


    ¡°By the way, these are Master Richard¡¯s clothes,¡± Winston then said, presenting a huge box.


    Cordy frowned. ¡°He just needs one set, doesn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Master John insisted on having more for the sake of convenience, in case Master Richard stays here.


    again. And aside from clothes, there are also other items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, and


    towels.¡±


    Cordy wondered if she could actually refuse.


    ¡°May Ie in to tidy up Master Richard¡¯s personal effects?¡±


    *¡­Please,¡± Cordy said gratefully.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Wintson then remembered. ¡°Here¡¯s a pair of loafers Master John had me prepare. Should I put it


    in the shoe cupboard?¡±


    He showed her the pair of loafers, and Cordy pursed her lips but silently nodded.


    When that was done, Winston entered with the box, helped Richard get changed, and then put his


    clothes. neatly into an empty spot in Cordy¡¯s wardrobe.


    With that done, he said, ¡°I shall be leaving with Master Richard now, since you have to go to work.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Richard appeared reluctant to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Cordy assured him, though she was reluctant to let the boy leave too.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 33

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 33


    Chapter 33


    ¡°Really?¡± Richard asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cordy replied-it was n¡¯s seventieth birthday tomorrow, after all.


    And with that assurance, Richard happily left with Winston, while Cordy quickly got changed, put on


    makeup, and went to work.


    She had just entered her office when Vince Cartman approached her and presented an invitation. ¡°Ms.


    Sachs? Mr. n Levine from Levine Ventures is celebrating his birthday tomorrow, and he has sent


    you an invitation.¡±


    Cordy opened it casually, and saw her name written on the card with outrageously artistic calligraphy


    For some reason, she was sure it was John who wrote it.


    The door suddenly opened, and Cordy looked up to see Noel entering. I need to talk to you, sis.¡±


    Cordy sent Vince out of the room while handily hiding her invitation.


    Noel snapped right then, ¡°I had something to do and left work early! You didn¡¯t have to put on notice


    that I skipped work on thepany¡¯s administration portal, did you?¡±


    She flew into a rage the instant she saw the notification on thepany¡¯s official portal-she was the


    CEO! Being reported for skipping work? Everyone would beughing at her!


    ¡°Thispany has regtions, and everyone is treated equally under it


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you skipping work too?!¡±


    ¡°I own thispany,¡± Cordy replied, leveling a cool look at Noel. ¡°In other words, I don¡¯t answer to its


    rules.¡±


    Noel¡¯s face turned green, but she had noeback.


    ¡°If you find this uneptable, you are free to leave thepany.¡± Cordy added tly


    ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Noel thought to herself right then.


    Cordy would seize any chance to chase her out of Starstream Group!


    But she was not about to fall for it!


    Forced to give in, Noel said, ¡°I was at fault for skipping work. I won¡¯t do it ever again.¡±


    Cordy simply sneered. ¡°You may go.¡±


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Noel turned to leave, her teeth clenching and her eyes shing viciously.


    She would return all the indignation and humiliation she suffered in Cordy¡¯s hands by a hundredfold!


    Nheless, she was fuming even as she returned to her office.


    As her phone started to ring, she took a long while to calm down before answering it. ¡°Hey, Mandy.¡±


    ¡°Is Cordy going to attend n Levine¡¯s birthday party tomorrow?¡±


    Noel thought about it. ¡°Dad never told me that she¡¯s bringing her-he¡¯s always cared more about saving


    face.¡±


    In other words, she was saying that bringing that Cordy would embarrass their family.


    ¡°Moreover, any event the Levines put together would be of the highest order,¡± Noel added. ¡°Any


    company or person who falls a little short would not make the list. Starstream Group certainly doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± Mandy heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°I was worried that she would attend it in that gown.¡±


    Mandy certainly had to admit that should Cordy make an appearance in that gown, she definitely would


    steal Mandy¡¯s thunder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-she has no right to show up. She probably bought that gown to satisfy her vanity, so don¡¯t


    bother with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mandy said, but she was obviously much more cheerful. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Noel smiled evilly as soon as she put down her phone.


    When tomorrow came, all Cordy got to do was to envy them!


    On the 17th, n Levine¡¯s seventieth birthday topped trending searches in North City and seemed


    stuck there since the morning.


    By nightfall, the most luxurious nightclub in North City was shining so brightly the skies were


    illuminated.


    Countless luxury cars were queuing to get in, and journalists were fighting over themselves to get a


    photo or interview with every person who alighted.


    It was a scene grander than the annual awards in showbiz-far more dazzling and elegant too.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 34

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 34


    Chapter 34


    The regal banquet hall was already crowded, as almost everyone in North City¡¯s high society showed


    up.


    Noel appeared utterly excited as she entered with Simon Sachs, Sue Yorkman, and Sonny Sachs.


    When it came to an event organized by the Levines, the average enterprise would never make it in, just


    as bigwigs would refuse to bring a child they did not like. As such, being able to show up here was a


    status of one s status and importance.


    It was the greatest honor!


    ¡°Noel!¡± Mandy was calling to her from a distance.


    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m joining my friend now.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Simon told her, not forgetting to remind her, ¡°Be careful. It¡¯s not your usual banquet tonight-watch


    your manners.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sue assured him proudly. ¡°Noel has been a good girl ever since she was a child.¡±


    Simon nodded in pride as well, while Noel made her way toward Mandy.


    Kyle was with Mandy, and he was surrounded by young, rich kids.


    ¡°Kyle,¡± Noel greeted him.


    Kyle smiled at her in return, but he did not dare to get too intimate.


    As long as he and Cordy did not formally announce their breakup, he and Noel must keep things quiet-


    and their distance.


    ¡°Kyle, I¡¯ve heard you met John Levine himself!¡± one of the rich kids suddenly said.


    ¡°I have,¡± Kyle replied.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re still the best among us.¡± The rich kid sighed. ¡°I was refused immediately when I asked


    to see him.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± another rich kid echoed. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what he looks like.¡±


    ¡°Can we everpare to Kyle?¡± Yet another rich kid chimed in. ¡°He brought Jessop Corp back to life,


    all by himself. He¡¯s an important man in North City, unlike us-we¡¯d just roll over and die if our family


    businesses go kaput.¡±


    Everyoneughed-but the joke certainly ttered Kyle to kingdome.


    ¡°Please introduce us when you see himter, Kyle. My dad insisted that I make his acquaintance,


    saying that I should learn from you as a fellow youth.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. We¡¯re bros, aren¡¯t we? Kyle would definitely introduce us.¡±


    Kyle was left a little awkward then.


    Thest time he visited John, all he had was a distant sight of the man, let alone make his


    acquaintance.


    However, having been ttered this much, he simply braced himself and agreed to it. ¡°Alright. There


    won¡¯t be a problem if Mr. Levine is free.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a promise!¡±


    Things were lively as everyone tried to get a word in.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Noel was listening in glee as everyone tried to curry Kyle¡¯s favor.


    Even among all those rich kids, Kyle was the most handsome, charismatic, andpetent.


    It was worth spending all those years trying to steal him from Cordy!


    However, just as she relished in her inward tion, the entire hall suddenly turned silent and everyone.


    was looking toward the entrance.


    Noel turned too, and her smile stiffened the instant she saw who it was.


    What was Cordy doing there?!


    And she was wearing that diamond-encrusted gown, stealing the limelight with beauty and elegance


    with her appearance at the banquet hall.


    Mandy was certainly agitated, and there was grievance in her tone. ¡°Noel! You said she wouldn¡¯t show


    up!¡±


    After all, everyone was staring at Cordy-she clearly stole all attention!


    ¡°I¡± Noel tried toe up with an excuse. ¡°But my dad didn¡¯t bring her here, and Starstream Group is


    too lowly to warrant an invitation from the Levines!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 35

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 35


    Chapter 35


    Mandy suddenly had an idea. ¡°Maybe she slipped in?¡±


    Noel realized with a start-it was certainly a possibility.


    Before the two of them could react, they saw Kyle heading straight toward Cordy


    As for Cordy, she felt countless stares at her as she entered the banquet hall, but she remained calm


    andposed until she saw Kyle


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have a right to ask that,¡± Cordy asked. ¡°This event is organized by the Levines, not


    your family¡±


    ¡°The Sachs didn¡¯t bring you here, and Starstream Group would never receive an invitation. How did


    you get in?¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re doubting me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing if you¡¯re caught sneaking into a private banquet, Cordy!¡± Kyle snapped viciously.


    Cordy was scowling from his harsh words, when he suddenly gave in and made a kind look.


    ¡°Whatever- just stay with me, and I¡¯ll tell anyone who asked that I brought you in. To the public, we¡¯re


    still in a rtionship, after all.¡±


    As he spoke, he reached out to take her hand¡­


    But she avoided him entirely.


    Kyle¡¯s face fell. ¡°This is for your own good. I¡¯m helping you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± Cordy said, refusing him icily. ¡°Let¡¯s keep to ourselves.¡±


    With that, she strode off as he looked on, his face contorting in rage in her wake.


    Even so, his gaze lingered on her dazzling gown that entuated her perfect figure and left her


    beautiful beyond description.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stand it,¡± Mandy growled as she saw the exchange between her brother and Cordy ¡°He still


    cares


    about her!¡±


    Noel was certainly indignant too-they had already broken up, but Kyle still could not let go of Cordy?!


    But she was not about to let Cordy take him back!


    ¡°Mandy,¡± Noel whispered into the other woman¡¯s ear then. ¡°Cordy sneaked in, so we can¡­¡±


    Mandy listened to Noel¡¯s n and she smiled cunningly as well.


    The pair hence headed to the entrance of the banquet hall.


    Cordy stood at a corner of the banquet hall, taking sips from a ss of champagne she took.


    She was also observing the highly civilized banquet with a gaze of aloofness.


    They were all rich and powerful, and she had seen many of them in articles from financial magazines.


    Naturally, she had met some when she courted backers to save Jessop Corp during its crisis, meeting


    many of them in social calls despite the embarrassment.


    She was quiet¡­ until a uniformed attendant walked up to her.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Only her eyes turned toward him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sachs, but we have been informed that you were not actually invited to this banquet. If


    possible, please present your invitation for verification.¡±


    While the attendant was more or less respectful, his move drew everyone¡¯s attention.


    Everyone around Cordy was suddenly less than friendly.


    ¡°Someone actually sneaked in?! That¡¯s despicable!¡± A woman scoffed.


    ¡°To think I lived long enough to see it,¡± someone added.


    ¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s Cordy Sachs! She¡¯s capable of anything-I mean, haven¡¯t you heard


    what she did when she was eighteen?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s used to it¡­¡±


    Noel and Mandy were standing nearby, watching Cordy and wondering and enjoying every moment of


    it. They shall see how miserable she ended up today!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 36

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 36


    Chapter 36


    One of the rich kids nearby suddenly said, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Kyle¡¯s girlfriend?¡±


    He was acquainted with Kyle and had therefore met Cordy a few times. While he knew that she was


    beautiful, Cordy was so dazzling tonight that he almost did not recognize her


    ¡°Did youe with Kyle? I¡¯ll go get him.¡±


    He was certainly kind enough-anyone would have a heart when ites to beauty, and he felt a hint of


    sympathy for her.


    Even so, another woman nearby scoffed. ¡°I wonder what Kyle was thinking, falling for her!¡±


    ¡°Their wedding was canceled because of a fire, wasn¡¯t it? Someone up there didn¡¯t want Kyle to ruin.


    himself over her¡­¡±


    Cordy listened to the mockery with apathy and no reaction.


    Having gotten used to it, she genuinely thought nothing of it.


    However, just as she was about to reach into her bag and take out her invitation, Kyle arrived with the


    rich kid.


    ¡°Mr Jessop,¡± the attendant greeted him respectfully ¡°We received a tip that Ms. Sachs came in without


    an invitation. May I ask if you brought her in?¡±


    Kyle looked at Cordy, and there was a sh of savagery in his eyes as he remembered how she cold-


    shouldered him.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Cordy?¡± he eximed, looking utterly surprised ¡°I thought you said you were


    sick?¡±


    Cordy sneered he was clearly denying that he brought her here


    Nearby, Noel had been a little nervous at first, since she had a hard time epting that Kyle tried to


    help Cordy.


    Naturally, his reaction now brightened her day!


    It was confirmation for everyone that Cordy sneaked in, and she would be humiliated if word got out!


    ¡°Hrious! So she really sneaked in!¡± The woman nearby scoffed even more obviously now


    ¡°She really is the joke of polite society..


    ¡°She isn¡¯t one of us. The Sachs disowned her years ago-no one would remember her if she wasn¡¯t


    dating Kyle Jessop¡­¡±


    ¡°Just get her out of here already. What an embarrassment.¡±


    Having heard Kyle, the attendant in turn told Cordy bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sachs, but you can¡¯t attend


    this banquet without an invitation. This way, please-¡±


    Before he could finish, Cordy had already taken out her golden invitation and held it in front of the


    attendant.


    Everyone watching was stunned-they could not believe that Cordy had one!


    In fact, most of them only came along with their parents or husbands, and did not receive one


    personally!


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you verify it?¡± Cordy snapped coolly at the attendant.


    The attendant took it respectfully and opened it for a look.


    Everyone nearby shuffled closer for a look, and they all saw the neat calligraphy that read Cordy


    Sachs.


    She really received a personal invitation from Levine Ventures.


    But what gave her the right?!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sachs. It¡¯s our mistake.¡± The attendant apologized right then, even giving her a 90-


    degree. bow. ¡°I hope this didn¡¯t ruin your mood for the evening. Apologies.¡±


    Cordy simply ignored him and nced at Kyle, who appeared stunned and a little embarrassed.


    All it took was a simple line from him, and he would have spared Cordy the trouble.


    Even so, he chose to ignore her situation so that she would be humiliated.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    And worst of all, his attempt failed!


    Cordy turned to leave the mob then, and paused as she walked past Noel and Mandy.


    Both of them were certainly infuriated.


    They wanted to see her embarrassed, only for Cordy to turn the tables once more, in full view of the


    public


    And none of them would have been able to present an invitation from Levine Ventures!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 37

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 37


    Chapter 37


    Pm


    Cordy smiled in disdain and strode off as Noel and Mandy looked on.


    Mandy almost screamed at the sight of her smugness.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Kyle snapped right then, his expression sinister as he ced all the me on Mandy


    Hadn¡¯t you embarrassed yourself enough, messing around as much as you like? Don¡¯t pick up her bad


    manners, Noel.¡±


    With that, he strode off angrily.


    Mandy¡¯s eyes were red.


    Her own brother scolded her when it was Noel who suggested that they report Cordy!


    She snapped viciously at Noel, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you defend me?!¡±


    ¡°1, I¡­¡± Noel looked utterly wounded. ¡°Kyle left before I could say anything.¡±


    As such, Mandy could only bear with the grievance and storm off


    The interlude involving Cordy did not affect the banquet at all.


    The rich and the powerful were all still busy socializing while waiting for the Levines to show up.


    Just then, a group of men in ck strode inside from the entrance.


    Everyone turned toward the imposing new arrivals and the hall quickly turned silent.Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    After all, most who were present had never met John Levine in person. Even if they suspected that he


    had


    arrived, none were sure that he was.


    Only Kyle alone walked up to the group of men in ck.


    ¡°Mr. Levine,¡± he greeted Randy Martin as everyone looked on, offering a handshake as if it was only


    natural.


    Randy¡¯s eyes widened slightly in turn, wondering what was wrong with Kyle.


    He then turned toward his boss.


    Kyle turned too, and his face fell right then..


    The firefighter somehow sneaked in as a bodyguard, standing right beside John Levine himself?!


    Still, John gave Randy a look.


    Catching his cue, Randy shook Kyle¡¯s hand.


    Then, without a word, the men in ck all left the crowd, heading straight into the VIP lounge behind


    the banquet hall.


    Once they were gone, the banquet hall was lively again.


    At the same time, countless people were shooting envious gazes at Kyle, and some of the rich kids he


    was close with quickly fawned over him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to give us a personal introduction to Mr. Lever, Kyle¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re the only one in this entire hall who knows the man!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your bros when you get in John¡¯s good graces.¡±


    Kyle appeared humble, but he could hardly hide the smugness he felt inside


    Being the top businessman in North City, the Levines owned astonishing troves of wealth and were so


    well-connected, and all of North City could not wait to ride his coattails.


    To be the first to greet John Levine tonight was unquestionably an honor.


    Once word of that got out, his worth would skyrocket!


    All that delight certainly mostly eased all the grief Cordy gave him.


    Unable to resist ncing at Cordy just then, he made a way to her


    As Cordy frowned, Kyle scoffed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that a firefighter would manage to sneak up to John


    Levine¡¯s side.¡±


    Cordy looked at Kyle like he was an idiot.


    So he still did not get it? That the ¡®firefighter¡¯ was John Levine?


    Even a dog could tell how imposing his presence was-though the metaphor was a little demeaning.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 38

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 38


    Chapter 38


    So what if he did?¡± Kyle was still mocking Cordy ¡°He¡¯s still a dog!¡±


    Cordy looked coolly at him but said nothing.


    John suddenly stepped out of the lounge, and Cordy turned toward him.


    Kyle saw him too, and his smirk was even broader as he watched the other man.


    Kyle¡¯s rich kids friends joined them just then, and they noticed the man beside ¡®John Levine¡¯ making his


    way toward Kyle. Under the impression that he was passing a message to Kyle, they want to be a part


    of it, while trying to make John¡¯s acquaintance.


    ¡°Who is he, Kyle?¡± one of the rich kids asked-there was no question that the man carried a presence,


    making them uncertain of his identity.


    Kyle spared him a nce and said in disdain, ¡°One of John¡¯s bodyguards. He used to be a firefighter


    ¡°Really?¡± one of the rich kids eximed in surprise, evenmenting. ¡°They really make them too


    handsome these days.¡±


    ¡°And what good is that?¡± Kyle snorted nonchntly.


    John simply shot Kyle a look before walking up to Cordy and telling her softly, ¡°Dicky will soon be here


    with my grandfather He had me pass a message that you must wait for him.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little busy, so I have to go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy naturally understood-being the host, he would naturally have to meet and greet many


    guests.


    The rich kids could not help being impressed even as they watched him leave. ¡°Is he really just a


    bodyguard?¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Even if he was, he probably was not as simple as he looked.


    Just then, the banquet hall turned quiet again, as the main event finally arrived.


    Everyone turned at once towards the entrance-the source of themotion.


    There, they saw n Levine in his wheelchair, surrounded by arge group of people even as he was


    being wheeled in.


    Every guest in the hall promptly approached him to greet him the instant they saw him, and Cordy did


    so


    as well


    ¡°Cordy Sachs Kyle stopped her, catching her wrist.


    She frowned and shook him off as hard as she could.


    ¡°Know your ce! Don¡¯t embarrass yourself¡± Kyle snapped, clearly noticing that she was trying to


    approach n as well. Only our elders or our elders¡¯ elders get to greet him. When did you be so


    unruly?!¡±


    ¡°Even if I am unruly, it¡¯s not up to you to straighten me out¡±


    With that, Cordy left him behind, clenching his knuckles.


    She was getting more conceited by the day!


    However, Cordy clearly was not going to greet n.


    She had spotted Richard, who was being surrounded by men in ck and was clearly ufortable.


    However, his eyes lit up the instant he saw his mommy and he quickly told n, ¡°Great-Grandpa, I¡¯m


    hungry. I would like some cakes over there.¡±


    n nodded, while shooting a look at his bodyguard to keep an eye on Richard.


    Soon, Richard had squeezed his way through the crowd and promptly threw himself into Cordy¡¯s arms.


    Mommy!¡±


    As Cordy gently patted his little head, the bodyguard behind was surprised to see such a scene unfold,


    but he did not dare to stop them.


    ¡°Mommy, can we have some cake?¡± ¡°Okay!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 39

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 39


    Chapter 39


    Cordy led Richard to aer of the banquet hall, with his bodyguard in tow but keeping a distance


    Ri, hard did not like him getting too close, after all


    You brought hem here, sis? Noel eximed just then.


    She was there with Mandy to get some desserts.


    Though the debacle earlier left them infuriated, they calmed down after considerable effort only to run


    into Cordy again.


    Still, Cordy promptly growled a warning. ¡°Noel Sachs, your father should have told you that you


    shouldn¡¯t embarrass yourself at this banquet. If you keep messing with me, I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll keep


    holding back from doing something outrageous!¡±


    Noel¡¯s face fell-she was definitely afraid to upset Cordy.


    Mandy was not, but she left them, having seen Jay Parker arrive at the banquet hall just then.


    He was the reason she came here tonight.


    He was a famous director who worked under Windmill Pictures, a subsidiary of Levine Ventures, and


    he was also directing the TV series which she was removed from. Naturally, a mere director would not


    be allowed in this banquet as well, but Jay was an orphan whom n took under his wing, raising him


    since


    he was a child.


    n naturally held him in high regard.


    ¡°Mr Parker,¡± Mandy greeted him.


    Jay stared at her for a moment-they were naturally acquainted since they were both in showbiz.


    ¡°Ms. Jessop,¡± he replied politely.


    ¡°May I ask why my role was suddenly taken away?¡± Mandy went straight to the point.


    ¡°That¡¯s an executive decision. I don¡¯t know the details.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a shareholder of Windmill Pictures?¡±


    ¡°What I mean to say is that Levine Ventures made the call,¡± Jay exined.


    ¡°Levine Ventures? Mandy¡¯s expression darkened, and she muttered, ¡°So it really was Bob Davis¡¯ fault?¡±


    After all, Windmill Pictures had always been managed separately!


    And thest time she interrogated Bob, the man kept denying it.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask the man himself?¡± Jay pointed behind her, where Bob and Sam Saunders had just


    entered the banquet hall


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Jay certainly did not want to deal with Mandy, just as the rest of their gang did not like such an


    outrageously serious party However, they attended this party because it was an important day for John,


    their tardiness notwithstanding.


    ¡°Mr Parker¡±


    Even so, Mandy stopped him from leaving


    There was impatience in Jay¡¯s eyes, although it was not too obvious.


    ¡°I know your connection with Levine Ventures. I¡¯m sure you can help me out even if it was Bob,¡± Mandy


    said, suddenly stuffing a note in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s my number. I hope I can speak alone with youter.¡±


    She was smiling at him with seductive charm, but Jay simply returned the note. ¡°The TV series is


    shooting tomorrow, Ms. Jessop. It¡¯s all been decided, and I can¡¯t do a thing.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face fell.


    She had been in showbiz for years, but she never had to rely on the casting couch thanks to her family


    connections-although she was no saint when it came to her personal life either.


    However, there was no question that she loved this role, and her ego could not take the fact that it was


    stolen from her.


    But even after she went this far, she only ended up rejected again?!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jay said as he tried to walk past her, but she caught his wrist.


    As Jay frowned, Mandy pushed the note at him again. ¡°Keep it. What if you happen upon some role


    that fits me?¡±


    That was when a slender figure appeared near them, clearly giggling with contempt.


    Both of them turned to see Zoe York striding past them with a strut!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 40

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 40


    Chapter 40


    Mandy¡¯s face turned green even as she red at Zoe¡¯s haughty figure.


    What right did she have to attend the banquet tonight? Was she brought here to sing and dance for


    n just because she took the role of that Windmill Pictures TV series?


    Even if Mandy did not actually have any status in showbiz, she got to belittle others-even A-list stars


    like Zoe-because of her family connections.


    And Zoe must have taken the casting couch countless times over her long career. What right did she


    have to mock Mandy?!


    ¡°Please show some dignity, Ms. Jessop,¡± Jay said, leaving without taking her note.


    Mandy was shaking with rage-the banquet tonight certainly left her with a belly full of grievances!


    Even Noel did not want to stand by Mandy¡¯s side now. She was keeping her distance-not because she


    was worried that she would upset Mandy, but because Mandy might embarrass her as well.


    Thankfully, the emcee began to speak at that moment, signaling themencement of the main event


    Everyone seemed to gather towards the stage by instinct, just as a man in ck arrived to escort


    Richard away after he had a couple of cakes.


    Meanwhile, the emcee made the opening speech in his sonorous, passionate voice


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Good evening, everyone. I¡¯m James, your emcee for the night. Thank you for taking the time to attend.


    this banquet, held in honor of our host n Levine¡¯s seventieth birthday¡­ Without further ado, let¡¯s


    offer a thunderous apuse as he makes his grand entrance!¡±


    The entire banquet hall apuded, with John wheeling n to center stage, while Richard stood


    nearby. primly and properly.


    All eyes were on them.


    And no matter howcking he had been, even Kyle¡¯s face fell as he realized something was wrong.


    ¡°Seventy already? It¡¯s just in the blink of an eye!¡± n spoke then.


    His voice certainly reflected his age, but he was still brimming with vigor. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s my birthday,


    it¡¯s the perfect asion to introduce everyone to my grandson, John. He will be staying in North City


    from now on, so please offer him your support!¡±


    In other words, he was saying that John would be taking charge of Levine Ventures from now on.


    The emcee then passed the mic to John, who gazed upon everyone.


    Hisposed charisma and his devastating good looks certainly made him appear lofty.


    ¡°Good evening. I¡¯m John Levine.¡± His deep voice was certainly maic.


    Kyle almost dropped to his knees right then.


    He really was John Levine, the firefighter he had always belittled!


    ¡°Kyle? Didn¡¯t you say that he¡¯s a firefighter?¡± one of the rich kids asked, agitated.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± another rich kid quickly chimed in. ¡°A bodyguard wouldn¡¯t strut like that!¡± ¡°Shit, I didn¡¯t say


    anything rude, did I?!¡±


    There was a terrible look on Kyle¡¯s face even as he remembered how he greeted that other man as


    ¡®John Levine¡¯ while everyone watched, and told so many of his friends that the real John was a


    firefighter¡­


    It felt like a vicious p across his face, at once hurting and humiliating!


    Every iota of dignity he carried in his life was lost in its entirety!


    Naturally, Mandy and Noel were left in disbelief too, with both of them gaping at the firefighter who


    suddenly became John Levine, head of Levine Ventures!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 41

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 41


    Chapter 41


    Impossible!


    How could John Levine be so handsome?!


    And yet, Mandy and Noel had to believe it with the scene before them¨Cthe man who had constantly


    shown up around Cordy was John Leveine!


    It was not surprising now that she could behave with such conceit, and that she had an invitation


    to the Levines¡® banquet here. John must have personally sent her invitation, too!


    Even so, they could not ept it¨Cthat Cordy had anything to do with the king of North City!


    Beside them, someone could not help eximing, ¡°Wow! He¡¯s not some middle¨Caged man with a


    belly?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so gorgeous!¡±


    ¡°North City¡¯s sexiest man alive. Has to be.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more than what I could¡¯ve imagined.¡±


    ¡°His son is so handsome too¡­ He¡¯s just like a fairytale princeling!¡±


    The entire banquet hall erupted in a chorus of gasps and exmations. They were all stunned and


    bewitched by John, who was far too different from what they expected.


    Cordy stood in the crowd, simply watching that towering,posed and noble man with chiseled. facial


    features give his speech. His voice was resonant, deliberate yet restrained, but anyone. could feel that


    indescribable weight being projected upon them from his words.


    After all, no one could ignore such innate regality.


    And once his short speech concluded, the hall once again erupted in thunderous apuse.


    Even n Levine, who was usually stoic, was beaming amid the apuse.


    John wheeled n off the stage after that and left him with his valet.


    Then, as everyone watched, he made a beeline for Kyle, who was flushing up to his ears.


    He almost copsed when he saw John striding toward him, and he took a step back unwittingly.


    At the same time, the entire hall was watching John¡¯s every move¨Cafter ascertaining his identity, all


    eyes were on his every move and word.


    Soon, John was standing before Kyle, standing almost head and shoulders before the other man.


    He held out a hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Jessop. I¡¯m John Levine.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s face seemed to turn red and pale at the same time.


    John greeting him would have been the greatest moment of his life¨Cif he had not mistaken that other


    man for John.


    However, because he had deliberately showed off just now, this only left him in a soul¨Ccrushingly


    awkward situation.


    In fact, everyone around them was already looking at him with glee and disdain, which further


    humiliated him.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Obviously, John did this on purpose.


    John wanted to humiliate him.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Even so, Kyle eventually reached out, but John withdrew his hand before Kyle reached his fingers,


    leaving Kyle¡¯s hand hanging in the air.


    John merely smiled coolly as he said, ¡°I might look in, but I hope you wouldn¡¯t make the same


    mistake next time.¡±


    And with that, he left elegantly as Kyle watched, taking no notice that he was putting Kyle to shame.


    He returned to n¡¯s side¨Che had more guests to greet for the night.


    But even after John left, Kyle still felt the looks of contempt leveled at him!


    Stopping himself from breaking down inwardly, he turned and was about to leave the hall when he saw


    Cordy smirking dazzlingly nearby.


    He promptly stormed toward her, his fury almost spurring him to strangle her right then!


    ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you?!¡± he growled through his teeth. ¡°You knew who he was, and you just wanted me


    to embarrass myself!¡±


    ¡°You embarrassed yourself because you¡¯re vain.¡± Cordy kept smirking. ¡°None of that would happen if


    you didn¡¯t try to show off. Pride goes before a fall!¡±


    And tonight, Kyle did not just fall¨Che was thoroughly humiliated!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 42

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 42


    Chapter 42


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Kyle almost lost his temper from Cordy¡¯s contempt.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs¡­!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s many people watching right now,¡± Cordy warned him nonchntly. ¡°Do what


    you think you haven¡¯t been humiliated enough, that is.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Kyle growled through his teeth.


    you will-if


    However, he could not resist looking around just then, and he found some of them whispering while


    gesturing at him.


    Having no dignity left to speak of, he stormed out of the banquet hall.


    Cordy watched as he left, her smirk turning icy.


    She turned to nce at John, who was being encircled and fawned over constantly, and decided to


    leave as well.


    She only answered John¡¯s invitation to witness an important moment in his life, while meeting up with


    Richard.


    And since she had done all that, she had no reason to stay. If anything, she did not like socializing


    unless it was absolutely necessary!


    ¡°Ms. Sachs.¡± Randy Martin suddenly appeared before her, stopping her. ¡°My name is Randy Martin -I¡¯m


    Mr. Levine¡¯s personal assistant. His message for you is to stay and wait for him.¡±


    Cordy frowned.


    How did he know she was leaving?!


    He was right there-being mobbed and would never have been able to split his attention!


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now, too. Do enjoy the party, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Randy quickly left after those words-he was worried that she would refuse to stay, since she clearly


    looked like she did not want to wait.


    Still, Cordy stayed.


    Then, she noticed Richard happily running toward her. ¡°Mommy! I knew you wouldn¡¯t leave. You want


    to hang out with me, right?¡±


    ¡­Yeah,¡± Cordy said, feeling guilty since she otherwise would have been gone.


    ¡°Daddy said you don¡¯t like being here, so we can go to the backyard,¡± Richard suggested eagerly.¡±


    There are swings there. Can we go y together?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Cordy took Richard by the hand and headed there, they did not even walk two paces when a waiter


    suddenly tripped over something in front of her. His tray of wine and champagne sses all started


    crashing toward them.


    Cordy reacted quickly, pulling Richard out of harm¡¯s way while she ducked to a corner.


    Even so, some of the wine still sprinkled over her gown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡± The waiter turned pale right then, while Cordy looked


    Seeing Mandy and Noel standing so close to the waiter, it went without saying who the real culprits


    were.


    Mandy even scoffed loudly. ¡°Oh, my¡­ A million-dor gown, ruined just like that! What a shame!¡±


    The waiter¡¯s face turned paler at the mention of the million-dor gown, and he was left petrified even


    as Mandy continued, ¡°By the way, you¡¯re not going to harass a little waiter, are you? I mean, you knew


    this could happen when you wear a dress that white, no?¡±


    Mandy certainly could not bear seeing Cordy strutting while she suffered endless humiliation.


    To make things worse, Cordy had somehow hooked up with John after breaking up with her brother,


    and her brother was thoroughly humiliated too!


    She would not rest unless she put Cordy to shame!


    Cordy, however, was smiling and speaking calmly. ¡°You bought this dress, so I won¡¯t harass him if you


    say so. And since it¡¯s dirty, I¡¯ll just have to throw it away when I get home.¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face fell-Cordy had to mention that bet!


    ¡°Like you said, it¡¯s dirty now, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯d stay at such an important event-you¡¯d be


    disrespecting the host.¡±


    In other words, she was telling Cordy to leave!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 43

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 43


    Chapter 43


    While Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed, Mandy started to leave with a strut, certain that Cordy would not linger


    now!


    However¡­


    Rip!


    The tear of fabric abruptly echoed through the banquet hall.


    Mandy was left staring nkly for a couple heartbeats-her chest gown had suddenly torn open,


    revealing her skin-color breast padding in front of everyone!


    The sheer ignominy¡­!


    Nearby, Noel was stunned for a moment, but decided to shift a couple paces to the side. She was


    clearly just going to watch as Mandy made a fool of herself, while distancing herself.


    And when Mandy came to her senses, she promptly wrapped her arms around her own chest and


    turned to re viciously at Richard.


    His squeaky clean leather shoes were standing firmly on the hem of her skirt, and he said with


    innocence showing all over his little face, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t harass a little boy like me, right? I¡¯m only six-it


    was an ident.¡±


    Mandy flushed all the way down to her neck.


    How dare that brat use her own words against her!


    If he was not John¡¯s son, she would have wrung his neck!Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Richard was blinking hisrge ck eyes, looking pure and naive. ¡°Your gown is torn,


    ma¡¯am. You wouldn¡¯t stay at an important event like this, right? That¡¯s disrespectful to my great-


    grandfather and my father.¡±


    Cordy could not help bursting intoughter then.


    Richard had certainly inherited his father¡¯s wit-and she would not have believed it if she had not


    witnessed herself.


    To think a six-year-old child could react so quickly¡­ And if she were to be honest, she herself would


    never have thought to retaliate like that!


    How cathartic!


    ¡°Argh!!!¡± Mandy eventually broke down and screamed in madness.


    Never could she have known that she would be bullied by a child so utterly!


    Dandy Jessop and Allie Larson rushed to the scene, but they were soon glowering when they saw their


    daughter in that tragic state.


    Dandy quickly took off his suit jacket and draped it over Mandy¡¯s shoulders to protect her modesty.


    ¡°Dad! He stepped on my gown!¡± Mandy burst into tears when he saw Dandy.


    However, as Dandy turned toward Richard, the child met his gaze fearlessly with a look of childish


    innocence.


    Dandy certainly would not dare to offend the boy, and snapped at his own daughter instead, ¡°Go home


    with your mother already. Do you want to embarrass us further?!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Mandy certainly was not going to leave in such a sorry state!


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± A deep, maic voice spoke just then.


    Cordy turned to see John¡¯s towering frame striding toward them.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Richard hurried to his side when he saw him,ining, ¡°I identally stepped on her


    gown, but she insisted I did it on purpose!¡±


    John nces briefly at Mandy before turning to Cordy.


    Seeing her white gown dyed in red wine, he asked quietly, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Even as he spoke, he took off his suit jacket and gently draped it over Cordy¡¯s shoulders.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat in surprise.


    Almost everyone in the entire hall was looking at them as he did it!


    And they were all astounded!


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The waiter just tripped.¡± Cordy said, ignoring the stares.


    ¡°No, that woman tripped the waiter, and he identally sshed wine on Mommy¡¯s gown. I saw


    everything,¡± Richard said with righteous conviction.


    ¡°Really?¡± John¡¯s gaze turned cool.


    Mandy gasped.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 44

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 44


    Chapter 44


    Mandy froze, well and truly stunned by John¡¯s intimidating demeanor.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    However, she threw all caution in the wind and started screaming the next instant.


    ¡°John Levine, do you think Cordy Sachs is some sort of treasure? You¡¯ve just returned to the country,


    so you wouldn¡¯t know of her debauchery-but she already started sleeping around at eighteen, and even


    had a child! She even refused to break up with my brother, and shamelesslytched her fingers on you!


    Don¡¯t fall for her trap!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Cordy Sachs? Amazing. She actually managed to hook up with Mr. Levine so quickly!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t someone say her gown was worth a billion dors? She really spared no expense to seduce a


    man.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t his son call her mommy? Did she bewitch the boy too?¡±


    ¡°She really is a subus¡­¡±


    Mandy smiled smugly even as everyone mocked Cordy-she was bent on humiliating Cordy, so that


    John would understand what Cordy was really like!


    She would never believe that John could ept Cordy after knowing all that, just as she would never


    allow Cordy to have him!


    However, John said coldly and with a threatening tone, ¡°She was set up when she was eighteen, and


    circumstances forced her to deliver that child. It¡¯s her misfortune-not her fault. And she deserves


    sympathy andfort for her tragic past, not malicious nder and contempt!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Mandy cried out in agitation. ¡°Don¡¯t be tricked! She¡¯s a loose woman-¡±


    John cut her short right then, and dered every word sonorously, ¡°From this day forth, anyone. who


    speaks against Cordy Sachs will be my enemy! And I can assure everyone that I, John Levine,


    never ever show mercy!¡±


    All the gossipers around them gasped and turned silent, genuinely afraid that John would go


    them.


    after


    ¡°As for what¡¯s between Cordy and Kyle Jessop¡­¡± John said, raising a brow at the Jessops. ¡°Do I have


    to spell it out for you?!¡±


    Startled for a moment, Dandy promptly gathered himself and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I failed to discipline my


    daughter and she¡¯s caused you offense! I¡¯ll take her home right now. Please forgive us, we¡¯ll go


    now!¡±


    With that, he gruffly dragged Mandy out of the hall-they really had no dignity to speak of now!


    ¡°Wait,¡± John called out.


    Dandy promptly stopped fearfully and turned toward John.


    ¡°My son just said that she ruined Cordy¡¯s clothes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course. I¡¯ll pay for it. How much is it? I¡¯ll pay¡­¡± Dandy quickly said.


    ¡°Dad! Kyle was the one who bought it for her!¡± Mandy cried out, once again agitated-they did not owe


    Cordy! Why did they have to pay her again and again?!


    Nheless, Dandy barked furiously at her, ¡°Shut up!¡±


    He felt like he could kill her right then.


    ¡°The money is just a part of it.¡±


    ¡°May I ask what you mean, sir¡­?¡± Dandy asked, unsure what John was getting at.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she apologize for her mistake?¡± John said frankly.


    Dandy promptly growled at Mandy, ¡°Apologize to Cordy right now!¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡± Mandy cried.


    How prideful was she?


    Having always behaved like she was above the rest, she would rather die than bow her head to Cordy


    now!


    ¡°Are you refusing to listen now, Mandy?!¡± Dandy snarled threateningly.


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that John liked me?!¡± Mandy blurted.


    She regretted it so much now¡­ if she knew that John was that gorgeous, she would have said yes!


    Before Dandy could speak, however, John rified, ¡°I am not interested in Ms. Jessop.


    And once he spoke, whispers of contempt could immediately be heard around them.


    It was only natural that Mandy had been boasting in high society about John admiring her as much as


    she could.


    But now that she was given a p in the face by the man himself, all that she was left with was


    unending shame!


    Meanwhile, John was clearly running out of patience. ¡°Still not going to apologize?!¡±


    Mandy pursed her lips as she turned toward Cordy, who retained her elegant civility.


    However, there was a faint smile on Cordy¡¯s face even as she watched Mandy. She was obviously


    mocking her!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 45

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 45


    Chapter 45


    Mandy eventually lowered her head-even though the ignominy almost left her suffering a breakdown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Cordy¡¯s smile became even more obvious, but she was still being magnanimous.


    After all, this alone was more than enough suffering for Mandy.


    And seeing that her daughter apologized, Dandy quickly turned to John. ¡°Mr. Levine, do you think I can


    leave with my daughter now?¡±


    ¡°This must never happen again.¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course-I¡¯ll definitely straighten her out when I get home.¡±


    And with that, Dandy firmly dragged Mandy along as their family fled, cutting a miserable figure.


    Once they were gone, things returned to normal at the banquet hall.


    Naturally, many still had their eyes on John and Cordy, studying them and wondering how the hell two


    people from two different worlds managed to hook up!


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    And yet, it was happening right in front of their eyes!


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a little busy tonight,¡± John told Cordy then. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll take you hometer.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can leave on my own¡­¡±


    ¡°Be nice,¡± John said mildly, but there was something in his voice that did not allow refusal.


    Cordy was left fuming at the tender, overbearing man.


    John then turned to Richard. ¡°Take good care of Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Richard promptly responded, having received his orders.


    With that, John turned to leave, and Cordy watched as he hurried away.


    He was so busy, but he would still throw everything aside to help her?!


    She would be lying if she said that she was not touched, though not at the point where she felt it in her


    soul.


    ¡°Mommy, shall we go to the backyard?¡± Richard asked.


    Cordy turned away from John and nodded, unable to resist and patting his little head. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Mommy. Daddy told me that I¡¯m a man, and that I should protect Mommy,¡± the boy


    said in his tender voice, as if it only made sense.


    Cordy felt her heart turning to mush.


    She held on tightly to Richard¡¯s little hand and left the hall.


    Nearby, Noel was watching nearby as Cordy left, the savagery in her eyes hardly concealed.


    She then turned towards John, whose every move and little gesture seemed to project a kingly air. No


    man present even held a candle to him.


    She had at first been misled by Kyle to think that John was a firefighter, but her feelings toward him


    naturally took a 180-degree turn after finding out who he really was!


    And there was also that moment, when John came below stage to talk to Kyle-how insignificant Kyle


    had appeared then!


    Her chest hence quivered with anticipation, and she knew very well why!


    What she wanted, she got!


    ¡®Just you wait, Cordy Sachs!


    Wintson arrived at the banquet hall at 9 PM and took Richard home.


    After all, he was still a child-sleeping punctually was a must, and he hence left obediently.


    Cordy returned to the banquet hall after they left.


    Things were still exceedingly lively, as if the people had no intention to leave.


    As such, she picked her corner and looked at John from the distance, as he was still being mobbed by


    guests.


    She nonchntly picked up a ss of wine and took a slow sip.


    Bored, she finished one ss, and then took another¡­


    ¡°You can really hold your liquor, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy turned and found Jay Parker had been standing nearby without her notice.


    While they were not close, they were certainly no strangers.


    For one, he was a director, and she had watched more than a few of his works.


    They had also met a few times at nightclubs, and on one such asion, it was he who drove her


    to the hospital.


    Come to think of it, she more or less owed him!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 46

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 46


    Chapter 46


    Cordy raised her ss, offering Jay a toast. ¡°Long time no see, Mr. Parker.¡±


    ¡°You should not drink too much when you already have a bad stomach, Ms. Sachs,¡± Jay told her,


    though he took a sip from his ss in turn to acknowledge her toast.


    Cordy took a sip too, but said nothing else-they were still not that close, and did not have much to talk


    about.


    ¡°Johnny¡­¡± Jay suddenly said, watching as John Levine continued to mingle with his guest. ¡°Is a good


    man.¡±


    ¡­Johnny?


    It took Cordy a while to realize that he was talking about John.


    Jay was n Levine¡¯s adopted child, and everyone knew that he and John were close.


    Even so, Cordy was silent and did notment about John.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. I should get going,¡± Jay said then, and elegantly put away his ss.


    n himself had long since left-only John was left to handle the guests.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡± Cordy smiled politely.


    Jay returned her smile with a nod.


    He was certainly no different from his public image-well-mannered, soft-spoken, and affable.


    After he left the hall, Bob Davis and Sam Saunders soon left as well, though they both seemed to be


    sneaking nces at Cordy.


    She simply ignored them, wondering how much longer would she have to wait for John-or if she would


    get drunk first.


    That was when she saw John suddenly heading toward the backyard.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes tracked him, but did not follow.


    At the backyard, John abruptly reached out and caught the woman¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Zoe York.¡±


    She appeared a little annoyed. ¡°Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Where have you been the entire night?¡±


    ¡°What is that to you?¡± Zoe snapped as she shook his hand off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have someone take you home,¡± John said bluntly.


    Zoe was annoyed right then. ¡°I¡¯m not going home that early. I¡¯m meeting up with friends for supper.¡±


    ¡°At this hour?¡±


    ¡°What are you, a boomer? It¡¯s only eleven.¡±


    ¡°That TV series starts shooting tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make it in time-¡±


    ¡°Randy,¡± John called out sternly then.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Randy said, and approached Zoe politely. ¡°I¡¯ll be giving you a ride home, Ms. York.¡±


    Zoe was ring at John, but knowing that she could not win-just like how he shoved a role to her on a


    whim, all she could do was storm off angrily.


    While John returned to the banquet hall in turn, Kyle emerged from a dark corner.


    He was certainly not content with leaving right away after being humiliated so thoroughly.


    But since he could not bear the criticism and contempt from everyone around him if he did not leave,


    he sneaked to the backyard to smoke a cigarette¡­ only to find that exchange between John and Zoe!


    So that was what was going on between them, and why Zoe would steal his sister¡¯s role!


    With that in consideration, what was Cordy to John?!


    Kyle was smiling cunningly even as he stared at the photo in his phone, capturing John and Zoe clearly


    in a scuffle.


    Back at the banquet hall, John made his way toward Cordy, who was holding yet another ss of wine.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    But before she could drink it, John took it out of her hands and chugged the rest.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± he said as he put away the ss carelessly.


    Cordy did a double take, before slowly saying, ¡°Are you finished with your business, Mr. Levine?¡±


    ¡°I am. Let¡¯s get you home.¡±


    Cordy rose to her feet, but her head suddenly seemed to turn light as she did, and she felt dazed.


    John caught it right then, and moved to catch her. ¡°Watch out.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy said, and pushed his hand away.


    She was obviously keeping her distance from him. John pursed his lips, but he eventually released her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 47

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 47


    Chapter 47


    As Cordy walked ahead, John walked up to her side.


    They looked perfect for each other even from behind, and everyone in the banquet hall was


    inadvertently drawn to it.


    So they really were in a rtionship?!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    In John¡¯s car, Cordy was feeling muddled-she had too much to drink.


    Moreover, she had not been drinking for a while, stopping since she ditched Kyle and stopped working


    at Jessop Corp.


    And tonight¡­


    In the end, she was still a little aggrieved.


    She thought she knew everything about herself, but she was ultimately not as impervious as she


    thought she was.


    As the car arrived, John turned to find Cordy asleep, leaning against the car window.


    Her cheeks were flushed, her breath regr and rhythmic.


    He alighted and carried her-she frowned, clearly feeling a little ufortable, but she was feeling too


    dizzy and too limp to resist.


    ¡°What¡¯s the passcode?¡± he asked in his deep, alluring voice as he reached her apartment door.


    Cordy had no idea if she had been bewitched or just drunk.


    ¡°It¡¯s my birthday¡­¡±


    Before she could say a number, the door lock¡¯s mechanical feminine voice spoke: [Door unlocked.]


    John carried her inside and opened the shoe cupboard to see the two pairs of footwear ced neatly


    together.


    His lips curled up in a smile, and he reached out to take the male loafers. Then, he strode into her


    bedroom, with her still in his arms.


    Once she was ced on her soft bed, Cordy shifted her body.


    She was still wearing John¡¯s suit jacket and that body-hugging gown-she was clearly ufortable.


    John took off her high heels first, and immediately saw her fair ankles red and with lesions.


    Pursing his lips, he took his suit off her, and stared at her gown.


    He hesitated for a while before eventually giving up.


    Then, he headed to the bathroom, took a towel, and soaked in warm water to help her remove her


    makeup.


    His touch was gentle, but she ultimately opened her eyes.


    She stared nkly at the man before her, who was just inches away.


    His pine fresh body scent swirled around her nostrils and did not seem to fade.


    Even if her vision was blurred, she realized immediately who it was.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± John rasped, feeling that something was different-but not sure what it was.


    ¡°How did you know I was set up?¡± Cordy asked him.


    It was a question out of the blue, and it left John a little stunned.


    ¡°When I was eighteen,¡± Cordy murmured.


    John realized then what she was referring to, but before he could speak, she continued on her own. ¡°I


    really was swindled, but no one believed me. My own father even tried to kill me because I brought


    shame to the family.¡±


    When she was finished, she started tough at the irony.


    And yet, her tears were trickling out of the corner of her eye too.


    It turned out that she had not let it go, but having been wounded so thoroughly, she only had


    stubbornness to keep her together.


    But once that seemingly sturdy shell was broken through, the bleeding scars beneath still stung her to


    the core.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± John suddenly apologized.


    ¡°It had nothing to do with you.¡± Cordy smiled faintly and closed her eyes.


    Somehow, her tears started to gush when she did so.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one on my side¡­ in this whole wide world.¡±


    Even when she was dating Kyle, he only told her that he did not care-that the past was the past.


    Despite all that, he never once thought that she was innocent back then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 48

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 48


    Chapter 48


    John¡¯s deep, melodious voice was apologetic.


    ¡°I was toote.¡±


    Cordy shook her head. ¡°You were right on time.¡±


    And everything was just fine.


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his gaze tender as he watched Cordy¡¯s tears roll over her cheeks.


    He stroked her cheek then and gently wiped her tears.


    She flinched slightly and opened her eyes.


    Their eyes met, and an attraction seemed to be nourished right then.


    She was still looking him straight in the eye even as he leaned closer.


    A small spark between adults could certainly burst into mes¡­


    However, as John leveled his lips against Cordy¡¯s soft, moist lips, she turned just as he was about to


    kiss her, so that he kissed her cheek instead.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    John opened his eyes, and he stared at Cordy from up close.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Cordy said.


    A refusal.


    John¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple was bobbing, but he slowly straightened and said, ¡°No. I was getting ahead of


    myself.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced once again.


    They clearly had not progressed that far, and John was not upset¡­


    Even so, she felt guilty for some reason-as if she had let him down.


    John got up, ready to leave, when Cordy suddenly exined, ¡°I detest intimacy.¡±


    Stunned, John quietly turned to look at her as she continued, ¡°I was drugged-that time when I was


    eighteen-and I had sex with a man I didn¡¯t know. My memories were a blur, and my mind was nk


    when I woke up¡­ save for this feeling of disgust.¡±


    John pursed his lips as she continued to hold his gaze. ¡°Ever since then, I would feel both mental and


    physical difort from any man¡¯s touch, as if it¡¯s an instinctive aversion. It¡¯s not just against you.


    When she was finished, she suddenly sat up on her bed, and then dashed into her bathroom.


    She had only managed to pull the door since she was in too much of a hurry, and she did not really


    shut it.


    Then, John heard her vomiting loudly.


    It was a gut-wrenching sound, and it only kepting.


    John¡¯s expression was inscrutable even as he stared in the direction of the bathroom.


    There was no telling how long had passed when things started to quiet down.


    John entered to find her on her knees beside the toilet-she had vomited a lot, even her own bile, but


    her stomach felt better now.


    However, the violent puking left her body limp, and she was unable to muster her strength.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± John asked, and there was an edge in his tone.


    Cordy nodded tamely.


    John simply scooped her up in his arms andid her carefully in her bed.


    The look on his face and his action were a stark contrast.


    ¡°John,¡± Cordy called out to him then-as if it was the first time she said his name.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Then, sleep.¡±


    ¡°You should go,¡± Cordy urged.


    ¡­I won¡¯t take advantage of people when they¡¯re vulnerable.¡±


    Whether his words had an effect, Cordy turned to her side to get morefortable, and soon fell


    asleep thanks to the alcohol.


    And her sleep was somehow peaceful.


    John studied her face as shey sound asleep, and the stain her tears left on her cheeks.


    He reached out to wipe it, but he withdrew his hand just as he was about to reach her fair skin.


    His lips then curled up in a bitter smile.


    ¡°How disgusted are you with me, Cordy?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 49

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 49


    Chapter 49


    Under the same moon, Zoe York was sent home to Levine Manor, looking utterly discontent.


    She made a call even as she walked inside. ¡°Quinn! Why didn¡¯t you attend my maternal grandfather¡¯s


    party with your darling Sam Poodle?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy-I was working overtime.¡±


    ¡°Why do you ve for the Saunders, really? Do you think Sam would be grateful? He has so many


    women on the side!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for Sam. It¡¯s for myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stubborn.¡±


    Zoe strode up to the second floor and nonchntly opened a door, holding her phone between her


    cheek and shoulder while she reached behind to unzip her gown.


    She had to take off the ufortable gown, but just as her zipper reached her waist, the bathroom


    door swung open.


    Jay Parker stood frozen at the doorway.


    Zoe panicked for just a split second, but she soon pretended she saw nothing and continued to


    undress calmly while continuing to speak into the phone. ¡°Either way, Sam doesn¡¯t deserve your


    sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I also called to tell you that I¡¯m shooting a TV series in North City. Let¡¯s meet up when you¡¯re free.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m already home. Quit working overtime already and go to bed soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Bye.¡±


    Once she hung up, Zoe turned and found Jay with his back to her, his ears already red.


    She sneered and said nonchntly, ¡°You¡¯ve been with every kind of woman there is, Mr. Parker. Why


    are you acting like a virgin?!¡±


    Jay pursed his lips and exined why he was there. ¡°There¡¯s a leak in my bathroom. I didn¡¯t know you


    wereing back.¡±


    ¡°My dear brother forced me toe home.¡± Zoe snorted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with Mandy Jessop for the


    night? Didn¡¯t know you were that quick.¡±


    Jay¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple was bobbing, but Zoe simply said that as an offhand remark-she did not


    expect an answer from Jay. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m drowsy. It¡¯s time for my bath and beauty sleep, so please


    leave if you¡¯re done with the bathroom, Uncle Jay.¡±


    ¡°Get changed first-


    ¡°Already did.¡±


    Jay turned and saw that Zoe had put on a loose bathrobe, with a cigarette between her fingers.


    Though his lips were twitching, Jay did not say what he had in mind and he simply left.


    As the door closed, Zoe¡¯s feignedposure turned to a scowl.


    That was exactly why she never wanted to return after all these years.


    The night was still young.


    There stood a slender figure before a ss wall, from which the entirety of the bustling city could be


    seen.


    She was holding a tablet, and with her fair fingers which were polished red, she nonchntly swiped


    through a dozen high-definition photos.


    Each of them showed John gently draping his suit jacket over a woman¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Find out her family background. I want everything avable on her-the more detailed, the better.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± her bodyguard, who had been standing behind her, replied respectfully.


    As morning arrived, Cordy opened her eyes and found herself having a throbbing headache.


    How much did she drinkst night? She even forgot how she made it back!


    All she remembered was leaving the banquet hall, and everything after was a blur, including John..


    She sat up on her bed right then, and she saw that she was still in the same gown.


    Her heart racing, she pulled off her nket to get out of bed.


    When she did so, she saw the band-aids applied on her ankles.


    Her heart raced further right then.


    Her heels had been cutting into her skin, but she never let it show.


    She was surprised that John would notice and help her with it.


    She bit her lip.


    She had to admit¡­ that he was dangerous.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 50

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 50


    Chapter 50


    Cordy got out of bed and turned to find a ss of yellow liquid on her nightstand.


    It had a note on its bottom, which read:


    [Honey helps with hangovers. Remember to have breakfast after you wake up-your belly is empty after


    vomiting, and it¡¯s bad for your help. P.S.: I will be leaving on a business trip and shall return to North


    City in a week.]


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    The sharp handwriting was just like the handwriting on the invitation tost night¡¯s banquet.


    Cordy picked up the honey and took a sip.


    There was a sweetness in its chill, which seemed to seep into the chest.


    She felt a mysterious sensation inside at the same time, and she suddenly wondered why John insisted


    on making her waitst night, just so that he could give her a ride home.


    Was it because he had to leave on that business trip and they would not be meeting for a while?


    Cordy put down her ss and headed to the bathroom, where she took off the dirty gown and took a


    bath.


    Once she did that, she threw the gown into the trash can.


    She got it for free anyway, and it was no skin off her back.


    She returned to the living room, intending on lying down for a while on the couch since hangovers


    really left a person lethargic.


    Then, she remembered John¡¯s note saying an empty stomach was bad¡­


    She got up and went to her kitchen, but just as she was going to make a simple breakfast, her phone


    suddenly rang.


    She nced at the caller, and simply declined the call, ignoring it.


    After making breakfast, she brought everything to the table and scrolled through the news, when she


    saw Kyle sending her multiple messages on WhatsApp.


    She pursed her lips but ultimately tapped on the notification and immediately saw the photos on the


    chat box.


    Each of them showed John grabbing on to Zoe York, who was not resisting despite the annoyance on


    her face.


    Things were clearlyplicated between them.


    Another text message arrived just then.


    [Quit being delusional, Cordy. John Levine would never be faithful to you-he¡¯s just ying with you,


    thinking you¡¯re pretty. I promise you, a man like him would have countless women on the side, while


    you¡¯re just one of them.]


    Cordy suddenly remembered Richard saying that his daddy liked Zoe.


    Even so, she continued munching on her toast and nonchntly typed a reply:


    [We¡¯re adults. Who really knows who¡¯s ying with who?]


    And with that, she blocked Kyle.


    Over at Jessop Vi, Kyle woke up very early and started scrolling through the news immediately.


    Fortunately, there was nothing about n Levine¡¯s seventieth birthday, Kyle¡¯s own humiliation, or


    anything exclusive about John and Cordy.


    The Levines must have enforced a media gag beforehand.


    But although he heaved a sigh of relief, he was left fuming again when he remembered what happened


    to him at the party!


    Having always been fawned over, envied and worshiped¡­ How was he supposed to show his face in


    public again when he was humiliated so thoroughly?!


    Gritting his teeth, he texted Cordy those photos-if he had to suffer, Cordy must suffer too!


    However, his face fell when he read Cordy¡¯s reply, and he furiously typed an even longer text filled with


    mockery and abuse.


    But this time, he received a notification as soon as he sent it.


    [Failed to send message. The receiving user has blocked you.]


    Kyle almost threw his phone across the room in rage!


    Cordy blocked him?!


    ¡°Kyle,¡± Dandy Jessop called out to him as he headed downstairs.


    As Kyle quickly gathered himself, his father told him, ¡°Our family was thoroughly humiliated at that


    banquetst night. Your sister has been bawling the whole night since she came home.¡±


    In fact, Kyle¡¯s family returned earlier than he did.


    And since Kyle was hiding in the backyard of the banquet hall, he never saw John standing up for


    Cordy and harassing Mandy in retaliation!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 51

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 51


    Chapter 51


    Meanwhile, Dandy continued.


    ¡°But since Cordy is clearly having a thing with John Levine, it¡¯s high time you go public about your


    rtionship with Noel. You¡¯ve kept it under wraps in fear that Cordy would cause trouble, which was


    why you had to wait for her to demand an annulment of your engagement¡­. But now, that doesn¡¯t


    matter at all, and we¡¯d just beughed at if we allow things to drag on.¡±


    Kyle nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Noel, and then we¡¯ll make the announcement.¡±


    ¡°Just put together a respectable, morous wedding. Recoup the dignity we lost yesterday,¡± Dandy


    told him¡­ though he was barely hiding his fury at the mention of yesterday.


    Dandy left with that, while Kyle quickly called Noel.


    Noel was lying in bed, googling and skimming through the news after she woke up.


    She was impressed, seeing that there was no coverage on anything about the Levines banquet


    yesterday. They were simply above the rest-the public would know anything they did not want them to


    know.


    That was when Kyle¡¯s call arrived, though she frowned before answering it. ¡°Kyle.¡±


    ¡°Did I wake you up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, deliberately faking a yawn. ¡°What time did you leavest night? I never saw you even


    as I left with my parents.¡±


    ¡°A littlete,¡± Kyle said offhandedly, clearly not wanting to mentionst night. ¡°My dad just said we


    should announce our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Noel eximed, clearly agitated.


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯? Don¡¯t you want to go public?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Noel quickly denied it. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I telling you that I¡¯m worried Cordy would cause trouble? Neither of


    our families would be able to clean up the mess if she does.¡±


    ¡°Cordy has already hooked up with John Levine!¡± Kyle snapped. ¡°Do you really think she would still


    cause trouble?!¡±


    Noel bit her lip because she did not want to publicly announce her rtionship with Kyle now.


    In fact, she did not want said rtionship at all-he was suddenly so unappealing, since even Cordy did


    not want anything to do with him.


    Moreover, Noel had a new target.


    ¡°I¡¯m still worried, Kyle,¡± Noel said, having alreadye up with an excuse.


    ¡°What about?¡± Kyle already seemed annoyed.


    ¡°You know how stubborn my sister gets-I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any assurance that she would


    nder us after we announced our rtionship. I¡¯m fine with that, but I¡¯m worried about your reputation,


    since you¡¯re the CEO of Jessop Corp.¡±


    As Noel persuaded him with such kind words as if she was thinking on his behalf, Kyle also became


    hesitant as she remembered how domineering Cordy had been recently.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s been less than two months since your nned wedding with Cordy, and people would talk if we


    announce our rtionship too soon. It¡¯s always betterte than never, and what everyone else thinks


    doesn¡¯t affect our rtionship, right?¡±


    Kyle thought about it and decided that her logic was sound. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to keep you waiting for


    now.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as I can be with you,¡± Noel purred.


    They started flirting for a while before hanging up.


    However, once she hung up, Noel¡¯s face fell and there was a sh of coldness in her eyes.


    Right now, she just had to leave Kyle hanging, and she would have something to fall back on i case


    she failed.


    After all, Kyle was not too bad himself¡­ although Noel was not going to fail that easily.


    That perfect man could only belong to her!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 52

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 52


    Chapter 52


    Soon, a week had passed, and Cordy had worked overtime twice.


    At present, she was in her office, seriously arranging the designs she finished.


    She only knew too well that she could not count on anyone from the design department since they


    were all Noel¡¯s cronies.


    Picking up her phone, she told Vince Cartman, ¡°Have all heads of department and the design


    department supervisors gather for a meeting in half an hour. We¡¯re discussing the temtes for the


    uing season¡¯s fashion line-no one is allowed to be absent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Every executive arrived punctually at the conference room in half an hour at the conference room of


    Starstream Group headquarters. Naturally, theirpliance was skin-deep because they did not want


    Cordy to fault them.


    That was all there was to it too-they naturally would not actually do any actual work. They were just


    waiting for Starstream to fall and for Cordy to leave.


    Still, Cordy went straight to the point as usual. ¡°Design has workedte nights and long overtime, and


    we¡¯ve finally finished the temtes for next season¡¯s products. I¡¯m very satisfied, but I believe everyone


    should take a look too.¡±


    Every head of department started to murmur among themselves, while Noel was perplexed too.


    The design department had note up with anything over thest week, but Cordy was now telling


    them that the temte was already finished. They would never be able to catch up to the deadline for


    the next season¡¯s sales if they did not, and Noel was just waiting for Cordy to make a fool of herself.


    She quietly watched as Cordy started to present the first temte¡­ but it already left her and the other


    heads of department stunned to the core.


    Itpletely overturned Starstream¡¯s outdated designs, boldly using vibrant colors and traditional floral


    prints for a perfect blend. It certainly hit the sweet spot of matching international trends, and anyone¡¯s


    eyes would be twinkling at the very sight.


    All the department heads who had been ready to nitpick were left silenced, just as the supervisors from


    design were gaping.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    They have been working at Starstream for years, but they had never seen such quality designs!


    Who on earth had made those temtes?!


    Still, Cordy calmly borated on the concepts of the season¡¯s designs and said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the


    contribution of everyone from the design department, along with Ms. Sachs¡¯ tireless work. Finance,


    please remember to give everyone in Design a $500 dor bonus this month, and a $ 3,000 dor


    bonus for Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Everyone from the design department and Noel werepletely confused by the sudden bonus.


    When did they ever help with those designs?!


    However, the other heads of department were obviously disgruntled-they had all agreed to refuse


    Cordy any help beforehand, did they not?!


    And yet, it turned out that they were working with Cordy and had put together such high quality


    temtes!


    ¡°Since there¡¯s no protests, we shall put these temtes into production while sticking to our old


    production quotas,¡± Cordy said, before adding, ¡°Noel, see me in my office. Everyone else may leave.¡±


    With that, Cordy left with Vince, while Noel headed to Cordy¡¯s office as the other heads looked on


    unhappily.


    ¡°You wanted to see me, sis?¡± She appeared respectful, because she had no idea what Cordy was up


    to.


    ¡°I wanted to discuss a change in our brand ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Are you changing Tessa Quayle?¡± Noel eximed in surprise. ¡°She has been doing fine all this while,


    hasn¡¯t she? She¡¯s been our brand ambassador for three years.¡±


    ¡°Her contract also happens to be expiring.¡±


    ¡°But her fee is cheap, while Tessa herself is cooperative and affable. There¡¯s no need to change, is


    there?¡±


    ¡°Shecks personality, and she hardly stands out in the fashion industry.¡±


    Noel frowned. ¡°Well, do you have anyone in mind?¡±


    ¡°Zoe York.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 53

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 53


    Chapter 53


    Noel was clearly excited. ¡°Zoe York?! She¡¯s in high demand in both showbiz and endorsements, and


    especially so in the case of the former. However, ourpany might not be able to lure her- her


    endorsement would cost at least seven figures. We¡¯d never afford her.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry if we can afford her. I just want to know what you think of her.¡±


    One must certainly admit that Zoe was the best endorser one could ask for, with some even


    calling her the queen of brand ambassadors. If she could endorse Starstream Group, their fashion


    business would definitely rise to the next level.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good judge of people.¡± Though Noel agreed to the idea, she was convinced that Cordy would


    never be able to bring Zoe in as brand ambassador.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Cordy nodded. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. You can get back to work.¡±


    Noel studied Cordy just then, finding everything she did today exceedingly weird.


    She wanted to ask about it, but ultimately decided against it.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    After all, the designs today were far beyond Starstream¡¯s usual standard, and Cordy was going to gain


    considerable prestige if it was known that she had designed those temtes.


    As such, Noel was worried that all of that would go up in smoke if she asked, and it was better to y


    dumb.


    As Noel left her office, Cordy suddenly chased after her and called out to her at the doorway.


    ¡°Noel, wait.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep what I told you a secret. Don¡¯t say anything before we have anything definitive.¡±


    Noel did a double take, but she soon came to a realization. ¡°I know, sis. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Cordy smiled and watched as Noel left.


    When Noel waspletely out of sight, she watched from the corner of her eye as a certain employee


    made a query at the secretaries¡¯ workspace.


    In fact, they were the eyes and ears of certain rogue elements.


    After all, the exchange between Cordy and Noel had definitely drawn the attention of the other heads of


    department-which was precisely the effect she wanted.


    As she returned to her office, Cordy began to consider certain ns.


    She was not lying when she told Noel that she would like a change in brand ambassadors.


    Right now, Starstream Fashion was mediocre in many ways and they would have to carve a bloody


    path to really challenge theirpetitors. Hence, aside from strong internalposition, they should


    have a solid brand image as well-she had always had ns to change brand ambassadors, and she


    definitely had her eyes on Zoe early on as the right woman for the job.


    She had also done her homework and found out that Zoe had yet to endorse any fashion brands.


    However, there had been more than a fewpanies approaching her and they might beat Cordy


    to it.


    As for her personal feelings, Cordy had always been rational enough to set it aside for the sake of


    business.


    She picked up her phone and dialed an unfamiliar name just then.


    A clear, lively masculine voice answered from the other end. ¡°Hello, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to impose, Mr. Parker, but I have a favor to ask.¡±


    She had Jay Parker¡¯s number since that time he sent her to the hospital and paid for her medical fees,


    so that she could pay him back.


    It had been a year.


    ¡°Of course. You can tell me,¡± Jay said mildly.


    Even if they were not particrly close, she always found Jay affable.


    ¡°I heard that Zoe York has a role in one of your current projects, and I was nning to bring her to the


    negotiation table for an endorsement. However, I¡¯ve never met her and I¡¯m afraid that I mighte on


    a little too sudden, so could you help me with a referral?¡±


    Jay was silent and Cordy appeared taken aback.


    She thought he just needed to ask¡­ or was it too much?


    ¡°It¡¯s alright if it¡¯s inconvenient for you¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not an issue at all,¡± Jay said. ¡°However, are you sure you want my referral instead of a certain


    someone else¡¯s?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 54

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 54


    Chapter 54


    After all, if that certain someone made a call, Cordy would have Zoe¡¯s endorsement without the need of


    a referral.


    ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, you¡¯re the best person for the job, Mr. Parker,¡± Cordy said with


    assurance.


    Jay naturally did not turn her down. ¡°I¡¯ll check her schedule and text youter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.


    On the other end, Jay was sitting before a video camera, taking a break in between shooting


    sessions.


    Turning to his assistant, he said, ¡°Bring me Zoe York¡¯s schedule for the next week or so.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker.¡±


    Soon, Jay had it in his hands. However, after taking a close look, he got up and headed to a corner to


    make a call.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± he said once the other person picked up.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs just called me.¡± Jay went straight to the point.


    Silence ensued from the other end, and Jay smiled faintly. ¡°She¡¯s asking me to help her arrange a


    meeting with Zoe, to discuss the prospect of an endorsement.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I said yes. If there are no surprises, they can meet this evening.¡±


    Their filming schedule was still rxed since shooting had just started.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite close with her.¡± John¡¯s cool voice was clearly being breathed through his teeth.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re just strangers meeting by chance,¡± Jay said with a chuckle. ¡°Anyway, I was just giving you a


    head¡¯s up. I¡¯m going back to work now.¡±


    John abruptly hung on him, and Jay chuckled again.


    The man was predictably petty.


    Jay then slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned to find Zoe.


    She saw the smile on his face, but she remained impassive as she strode past him.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Jay called out to her, and she paused.


    ¡°You only have two scenes in the afternoon, so you can leave work before 4 PM.¡±


    ¡°And¡­?¡± Zoe asked tly.


    ¡°I have a friend who wants to talk to you about an endorsement. You can have dinner with her if you¡¯re


    free-


    ¡°I¡¯m dining with Quinn.¡± Zoe refused him right away. ¡°Just talk to my manager if you want an


    endorsement. You have her number, don¡¯t you? Or do I need to give it to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your brother¡¯s friend, Cordy Sachs,¡± Jay said bluntly.


    At n Levine¡¯s birthday banquet, she had been hiding in a corner while her maternal grandfather,


    parents, and brother met and greeted their guests. Naturally, she also noticed the drama involving her


    brother and Cordy.


    Although her brother had been abroad for years, she knew about his personal life like the back of her


    hand. He never had any women, aside from a certain woman¡­ But since they never got together after


    so long, it was unlikely for them to do so now.


    And yet, Cordy somehow got him to break his streak of celibacy?!


    Fine.


    Zoe could at least admit to herself that she was just a little interested in Cordy.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll arrange the time and ce if there¡¯s no issue,¡± Jay continued.


    ¡°Are youing with me?¡± Zoe asked. ¡°To the dinner, I mean.¡±


    Jay held her gaze and quietly said, ¡°I can stay out.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me after you make the arrangements.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    As Jay watched her leave, his gaze darkened.


    He texted Cordy the details, arranging the time and ce.


    Cordy was rather surprised by his efficiency. He had helped her settle the matter so quickly! Still, she


    had a feeling that he was dependable ever since that time he sent her to the hospital. After thanking


    him, Cordy sent another text: [Would it be alright if I visit?]


    She wanted to show more sincerity as a prospective partner.


    [Sure. Zoe¡¯s scenes would be done by 4 PM.]


    Jay sent her the location as well.


    Cordy checked the time and called Vince. ¡°Order a batch of expensive confectionery from Pheasant


    Court and have them delivered to the address I sent you by three. They are filming Pomp and


    Circumstance over there right now, and just say that it¡¯s Zoe York¡¯s treat.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°Also, you¡¯re going there with me at two.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Once he hung up, Cordy returned to work, so that she would have everything done before leaving.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 55

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 55


    Chapter 55


    At 2 PM, Cordy arrived with Vince at a location in the suburbs, where Jay and Zoe were filming the


    series.


    Since it was a period drama, they built a castle town as a prop.


    One of the film crew members led her to Jay, who was sitting behind arge video camera and


    directing the shooting.


    He turned to Cordy and politely nodded for a moment before returning his attention to work.


    Cordy did not disturb him and she simply sat nearby to watch them work-at the moment, Zoe and the


    male lead, Hal Abbott, were in position in preparation for the next scene.


    ¡°Scene 3, sequence 1, take 1. Action!¡±


    Zoe was abruptly cornered by Hal against the wall, their eyes fixed upon each other.


    It was Cordy¡¯s first time watching professionals film a scene and she was impressed-especially by the


    expressiveness in Zoe¡¯s eyes.


    At the next instant, Hal¡¯s lips started to close in on Zoe¡¯s.


    There was a struggling look in Zoe¡¯s eyes before she quietly closed her eyes, giving in.


    A tear trickled down the corner of her eyes, but just as their lips met, Zoe suddenly turned in avoidance,


    and both actors went out of character.


    ¡°Cut!¡± Jay barked.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Zoe wiped her tears and apologized to the crew-there was supposed to be a kiss, but she


    ruined the scene.


    ¡°Everyone from this scene can take five,¡± Jay announced nheless. ¡°We will start with the next


    scene first.


    With that, Zoe left the set, and an assistant promptly came up with a ss of water, asking worriedly,


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zoe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just a little out of sorts,¡± Zoe replied.


    ¡°Well, kissing scenes can be ufortable when it¡¯s with someone you didn¡¯t know. Should I ask Ms.


    Darling to talk to the director to postpone the kiss scene?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe said.


    Most film projects would arrange so that the lead characters would shoot their kiss scenes first, so that


    they would get in character sooner.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe certainly knew that none of it had anything to do with her familiarity toward Hal-it was a


    psychological reaction.


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get you back to your trailer for a break.¡±


    Zoe nodded, but just as she was about to turn and leave, she spotted a familiar face and blinked.


    Cordy Sachs?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ms. York,¡± Cordy greeted her, approaching her with a handshake. ¡°You¡¯re more beautiful than


    you look on screen.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a shame you¡¯re not an actress either,¡± Zoe said earnestly.


    After all, she genuinely finds Cordy exceedingly ravishing-even Cordy¡¯s facial features were a perfect


    match of her own aesthetic values!


    Her brother certainly had taste.


    ¡°My acting is terrible,¡± Cordy replied humbly.


    Zoe smiled. ¡°Jay told me you¡¯re interested in my endorsement?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I won¡¯t impose. Let¡¯s discuss it over dinner after you¡¯re done for the day.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°Actually, I have a friend joining me for dinner. Would you mind her joining us?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and you ordered the confectionery, yes?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    And with the polite exchange, Zoe left.


    Cordy watched as she went.


    She was under the impression that things might get rocky with Zoe, but she was more easy-going than


    Cordy thought.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 56

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 56


    Chapter 56


    Cordy took a deep breath.


    She had always kept business and pleasure separate.


    Looking down at the message notification popping on her phone, she decided to ignore it.


    John was sitting in the executive office of the Levine Ventures branch over at Los Loco.


    He scowled at his phone, which was not jingling at all.


    Randy Martin was standing beside him, too afraid to even say a word.


    It was not as if things were bad-in fact, the sudden inspection to the branch here revealed that every


    operation and project was showing more than satisfactory performance.


    Even so, his boss was glowering with bloodlust.


    ¡°Randy.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Book the earliest flight tomorrow. We¡¯re going back to North City.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we have an appointment with that key figure in this city?¡± Randy pointed out-since they were


    here for the inspection, they had set up meetings with any clients or potential partners as well.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave in the evening,¡± John said, correcting himself.


    But he was going back tomorrow one way or the other!


    ¡°¡­Yes, Mr. Levine,¡± Randy replied respectfully, but it would be midnight before they were finished. It


    must be Cordy, huh?


    After all, John had been constantly ncing at his phone ever since he arrived in Los Loco, and he was


    asionally caught staring nkly at the dark screen on his phone.


    Truly, a man in love must not be observed from an average Joe¡¯s perspective.


    Back at the film set at North City, they were reshooting the kiss scene.


    After Zoeposed herself, she and Hal had a chat and quickly got to know each other to ease the


    awkwardness.


    Then, the camera assistant announced, ¡°Scene 3, sequence 1, take 2. Action!¡±


    Zoe and Hal quickly went into character.


    Since the movement sequence in the first take was usable, they just had to re-do the kiss.


    Once again, Hal was pinning Zoe against the wall and leaning in for a kiss.


    But as their lips were about to touch, Zoe evaded him once more.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Even Hal was left hanging awkwardly this time.


    ¡°Cut!¡±


    Jay rose from the camera zone and strode straight toward Zoe and Hal, saying, ¡°A moment please,


    Zoe.¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips and left, following him to a quiet corner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut off the kiss scene. Prepare for the next scene instead,¡± Jay told her.


    Zoe was stunned.


    She was under the impression that Jay was going to berate her for affecting the shooting progress.


    She had never worked with Jay before, and she would not have done so if not forced into it by her


    brother.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, the showbiz was only that big, and she more or less heard rumors about how Jay was the most


    good-looking of directors, but also the demanding among them.


    If he was unhappy with something, he would have the actor or actress retake the scene over a hundred


    times until he was. Some even took to calling him the ¡®Demon Director¡±.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Zoe refused regardless.


    While Jay raised a brow, she continued, ¡°The kiss would¡¯ve been cut from the script beforehand if it


    wasn¡¯t necessary. I don¡¯t want to take the fall for changing it.¡±


    And with those words, she strode past Jay.


    His Adams¡¯ apple was bobbing.


    The script was not written with Zoe in mind, and it was finished before the sudden change in lead


    actress, with the investors¡¯ approval. It was not easily changed before shooting, but after that, they


    could certainly adapt it ording to present circumstances.


    He returned to the camera, while Zoe and Hal prepared themselves again once more.


    ¡°Scene 3, sequence 1, take 3. Action!¡±


    Hal once again approached Zoe, and she closed her eyes, keeping her hands, which balled into fists,


    at her sides.


    She had over ten film and drama series under her belt in her five-year career. As such, would anyone


    believe that this was her first kiss on the silver screen?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 57

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 57


    Chapter 57


    Hal and Zoe finally kissed, and the camera zoomed down from wide-angle to a close-up¡­ which


    clearly captured Hal pushing his tongue into Zoe¡¯s mouth.


    Zoe did a double take, and her fists were clenching harder.


    However, she stayed still until Jay barked, ¡°Cut!¡±


    And with that, Zoe immediately pushed Hal away.


    The actor certainly knew why Zoe was upset, but he could not help it-she was beautiful, and her lips


    were irresistibly soft!


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He might even have kept going if the director had not yelled cut and if Zoe did not push him


    Nheless, Zoe turned and started to stride off without caring if the take was good.


    Hal quickly chased after her. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Zoe wheeled on him, her expression icy.


    away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just¡­¡± Hal apologized, and growled through his teeth, ¡°The director told me to get into


    it so that it¡¯s more believable, so that we¡¯d get further into character¡­¡±


    Still, Zoe smirked and asked, ¡°Jay Parker told you to use your tongue?¡±


    Hal realized right then that Zoe was in a terrible mood.


    She was angry just now, but she was spiteful now, with her eyes suddenly turning red!


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s to make it more believable,¡± Hal quietly said.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Zoe smirked again.


    That man just said he could cut the kiss for her, and now he had the actor take advantage of her.


    She should have been used to his deceit by now.


    As she led her assistant back to their trailer to have her makeup removed, Cordy was already waiting


    for her outside in her car.


    She certainly saw the scene just now, as well as what Hal was doing.


    She also thought she was imagining things, but Jay seemed to be glowering as he sat beside the


    camera.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± Zoe said as she got in her car, having put on a cap, a face mask, and


    aviator sunsses.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m free for the day anyway,¡± Cordy said politely.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cordy had Walter drive them to a restaurant.


    Zoe only took off her disguise after they entered the VIP room Cordy booked.


    Just as they were about to sit down, the door opened again.


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Zoe beckoned.


    Quinn Summer entered and leveled a curious look at Cordy.


    ¡°This is Cordy Sachs, my bro-¡±


    Zoe paused for a moment before correcting herself. ¡°She¡¯s looking for an endorsement from me.¡±


    ¡°When did you be so hardworking?¡± Quinn teased her, naturally not minding that someone else


    was joining them.


    ¡°Do take a seat, Ms. Summer,¡± Cordy said, offering her a handshake. ¡°I¡¯m Cordy from Starstream


    Group.¡±


    ¡°I know you,¡± Quinn shed her a friendly smile. ¡°You¡¯re Kyle Jessop¡¯s fiancee.¡±


    ¡°Ex-fiancee,¡± Cordy corrected her.


    Quinn appeared taken aback and quickly said, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ancient history now,¡± Cordy said nonchntly, quickly changing the subject. ¡°Pleased to meet you,¡±


    ¡°Likewise.¡±


    The three women sat down-Cordy had sent Vince home early since they were alldies here. While a


    waiter started to bring in their food, Cordy said solemnly, ¡°Ms. York, if you don¡¯t mind, I would like to


    discuss a potential endorsement deal for Starstream Fashion¡­¡±


    However, Zoe bluntly said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen yourpany¡¯s brochures, but the designs of Starstream


    Fashion were too nd. There¡¯s not much that sets them apart from otherpanies¡¯ designs.¡± Since


    she had not spoken to Zoe before, Cordy did not expect her to be so candid.


    From her perspective, people who achieved any sess in showbiz would usually be slick. Naturally,


    she preferred Zoe¡¯s forthrightness.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 58

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 58


    Chapter 58


    As such, Cordy did not drag her feet and went straight to the point. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been honest, Ms.


    York, I shall do the same-you may not be aware that Starstream Group was under my father¡¯s charge


    before this, but I¡¯ve recently taken over¡­ So, what I¡¯m saying is that while the Starstream Fashion


    designs were nd before, that won¡¯t be the case now or in the future. Here are the temtes for our


    designs next season, please take a look.¡±


    Zoe studied Cordy then..


    While she did not know much about Cordy, she had heard the rumors about her, and all the drama


    revolving around her. She hade to believe that Cordy was reliant on men, since she and Kyle were


    an item when she returned to North City.


    But Cordy¡¯s words were certainly enough to change Zoe¡¯s opinion of her-she waspetent, direct,


    and knew how to stand her ground.


    In the end, the rumors were just¡­ rumors.


    Zoe took the tablet that Cordy held out to her then, her eyes immediately lighting up when she saw the


    temtes.


    Having agreed to have dinner with Cordy, she had looked through Starstream Fashion¡¯s online


    catalogs in her trailer out of boredom. Naturally, nothing in there caught her eye, but she also knew that


    she could not refuse this endorsement deal-not with her own brother poised to push her into it.


    And yet, her opinion of Starstream Fashion took a 180-degree turn when she saw the new designs.


    As such, Cordy¡¯s line just now- ¡®that won¡¯t be the case now or in the future¡¯, was certainly no


    exaggeration.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± she nodded in acknowledgement.


    Cordy quickly pressed her advantage. ¡°Since our products appeal to you and you¡¯re willing to endorse


    us, we can discuss your fee.¡±


    ¡°How much can you pay me for my endorsement?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°To my knowledge, your standard endorsement rate is priced at 3 million dors, sharp,¡± Cordy said,


    holding Zoe¡¯s gaze. ¡°We are willing to pay you the said amount.¡±


    ¡°You can have a rebate,¡± Zoe said bluntly.


    Cordy was stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried I¡¯d break a leg-literally,¡± Zoe joked.


    Cordy was even more stunned.


    ¡°Anyway, you can just pay me half that, or my managementpany would protest.1.5 million- pay me


    that much and I¡¯m a brand ambassador for Starstream Fashion,¡± Zoe said, before adding, ¡±


    Exclusively.¡±


    In other words, Zoe was saying that she would not endorse other brands while endorsing


    Starstream.


    Cordy was as delighted as she was uneasy.


    Zoe was clearly doing her an immense favor-far more than what she had expected.


    She thought the best she could do was a quick refusal from Zoe, since she had attended n Levine¡¯s


    birthday banquet as well.


    Zoe must have seen John defending her, and that alone should have soured negotiations!


    ¡°You can meet my manager Linda tomorrow with your contract. I¡¯ll give you a head¡¯s up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. York. Here¡¯s to a rewarding partnership for both of us,¡± Cordy said, offering a


    handshake.


    Zoe took it, and said warmly, ¡°We¡¯ll be friends from now on. Just call me Zoe.¡±


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Cordy quickly said. ¡°And you can call me Cordy too.¡±


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Zoe nodded, then asked, ¡°Do you drink?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°But can you hold your liquor?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a rare asion, so let¡¯s get drunk before we get home,¡± Zoe proposed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have another shooting tomorrow?¡± Quinn reminded her.


    ¡°That¡¯s in the afternoon. I have nothing to do in the morning,¡± Zoe scoffed a little unhappily. ¡°I called you


    out here to drink, y¡¯know?¡±


    Quinn knew Zoe too well-no one in the room was going home sober.


    With that, they started to drink themselves silly.


    At first, Cordy showed restraint since she did not know the other twodies that well, but after several


    sses and Zoe being exceedingly easy-going unlike her onscreen persona, things were soon cheerful


    and lively.


    Friendship betweendies was certainly easy to build, especially around liquor.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 59

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 59


    Chapter 59


    It was past 11 PM when the threedies were done drinking and started to leave.


    ¡°Let me take you home,¡± Cordy¡¯s vision was blurred as well, but she thought that she should give them


    a ride home considering that she brought them out here.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Burp¡­¡± Zoe belched and she was seeing stars as well. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Quinn can take me home since


    we¡¯re going the same way.¡±


    With that, Zoe dragged Quinn along and left the room.


    Cordy quickly followed them.


    Although they were all drunk, they were not at the level they would lose control-Quinn seemed


    especially sober as well.


    Cordy always had self-control, but considering that today was her first meeting with Zoe, she naturally


    had to y along since Zoe was a real alcoholic. She could not seem to stop after the first ss, but


    Quinn somehow remained controlled despite Zoe¡¯s crazy streak.


    Cordy walked with them until they entered a ck sedan before returning to Walter¡¯s sedan. She


    reclined over her seat, her stomach a misery.


    She stared nkly out at the night view of North City and the myriad lights that seemed to illuminate it


    over the horizon.


    Her phone then jingled.


    She whipped it out for a look and saw the text that read: [Drink some honey when you get home.]


    Cordy did not send a reply as she quietly lowered it.


    John would always text her a couple times everyday since he left, but she chose to ignore every text.


    As the ck sedan drove into Levine Manor, Zoe had fallen asleep at the backseat.


    Just a second ago, she was calling John and bragging how she got Cordy drunk, but she was now


    sleeping like a log.


    Quinn was naturally impressed that she could fall asleep instantly after getting drunk and then wake up


    with the vigor of a tiger. She certainly had to admit that Zoe was a savant when it came to getting


    drunk.


    She alighted and tried to carry Zoe out of the car and back to a room, just as another sedan stopped


    outside the front door.


    Quinn turned to find Jay alighting from the driver¡¯s seat.


    Seeing them, he strode toward them and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Zoe got drunk,¡± Quinn told him.


    As Jay frowned, Quinn said feebly, ¡°Could you carry her inside if you don¡¯t mind? I really can¡¯t move


    her¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± Jay nodded and headed toward the sedan, arching his back as he scooped up Zoe in


    his arms.


    Quinn wanted to help, but she soon saw that although Jay always appeared too refined and soft-


    spoken, he was more thanpetent as a boyfriend-no, as an uncle!


    ¡°Please watch out on your way home, Ms. Summer,¡± he said mildly just then.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded.


    As Jay carried Zoe into the manor, Quinn watched as they left, and she suddenly remembered a past


    memory.


    She and Zoe were high school ssmates, and in their second year, Zoe had called her in the middle


    of the night to tell her that she had fallen in love.


    In her adolescence, a maiden¡¯s feelings were exceedingly pure and overt-Quinn could feel the bliss


    Zoe was projecting from the other end of the phone.


    But after that night, Zoe had never mentioned her love life again.


    And it had been eight years since.


    Even so, Quinn clearly remembered Zoe telling her that the boy was Jay Parker.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 60

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 60


    Chapter 60


    After Jay put Zoe to bed, he did not leave immediately.


    He lowered his gaze, staring at her cheeks that were flushed from excess alcohol, and her red, moist


    lips.


    He suddenly remembered the scene of her filming that kiss¡­


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed and he ced his long fingers on her lips, gently rubbing it as if wiping filth


    off it.


    He did so solemnly for a long while, until her lips were almost swollen red.


    When he lifted his finger, he leaned downward ever so slightly, but straightened himself at the very next


    instant and left.


    He shut the door behind himself, and therefore could not see a trail of tears quietly trickling down the


    sleeping beauty¡¯s face.


    Cordy was feeling a slight headache.


    Going to work with a hangover was utter misery.


    Zoe was too good a drinker, whereas she had thrown up the entire night, the world almost turning


    upside down for her.


    As she drank some ck coffee to clear her head, Vince Cartman was politely reporting, ¡°Ms. Sachs?


    The contract is ready. Zoe York¡¯s manager has also called, saying that they¡¯re ready to sign it.¡±


    Cordy took a deep breath, rising from her chair despite her splitting headache. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Although she did not believe that Zoe was someone who would renege on anything after getting to


    know her yesterday, she still found Zoe¡¯s agreement to the endorsement deal a little too smooth. It just


    felt unreal, especially with John being a factor between them.


    All those worries would be relieved once the deal was signed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone before the official announcement,¡± Cordy told Vince, having said as much to Zoe and


    her manager as well.


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡± Vince quickly nodded.


    She was certainly thankful that she had changed her secretary, or there would be leaks anywhere¡­


    and every sort of mess would ur right after!


    Her eyes narrowed even as she remembered that most of Starstream Group was still in Simon Sachs¡¯


    pocket, and it genuinely left her feeling helpless.


    Still feeling ill, Cordy left work early.


    Once she returned home and ate her takeout, she took a bath andy in bed.


    She checked her phone before sleeping out of habit, and spaced out a little when she picked up her


    phone.


    She tapped on WhatsApp, but she did not receive any messages from John.


    Well, that was fine.


    An end was unnecessary since they never started, and could go their own separate ways without


    anything holding them back.


    Cordy put down her phone and fell asleep.


    She slept soundly, but even as she dreamt, she was jolted awake by repetitive bell chimes.


    Cordy opened her eyes and saw that it was pitch-ck outside, and the city seemed unusually quiet as


    well.


    What time was it?


    Still feeling muddled, she nced at her phone and saw that it was 3 AM.


    Just as she thought that she was muddleheaded because she was sleeping too early, she heard the


    doorbell ringing again outside the door.


    So someone was really there?!


    Cordy quickly got up and headed towards the door, and saw through the door monitor that John, was


    standing outside.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    He said he would be gone for a week, did he not?


    But it had just been four days¡­


    Most importantly, she thought that it was over between them with nary a murmur since he did not text


    her for an entire day.


    Even if she did not know him that well, she could tell that he had his ego.


    After hesitating for a while, she eventually opened the door.


    His cheeks were flushed and there was a scent of alcohol wafting from him, but he was standing


    upright.


    It was as if he would not loseposure at any time, constantly retaining his regal and elegant


    demeanor.


    Nheless, Cordy asked him, ¡°Did you get the wrong door?¡±


    John simply smiled. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Cordy Sachs.¡±


    His unfocused gaze, and that bewitching smile¡­ So men could use their beauty as a weapon too!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 61

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 61


    Chapter 61


    Cordyined, ¡°I was asleep.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for waking you.¡± John apologized.


    Even so, she never did feel any sincerity from any of his apologies-as if he said it just for the sake of


    saying it.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Just wanted to tell you that I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Cordy said coolly, adding when she noticed his exhausted appearance, ¡°You could¡¯ve texted


    me. You didn¡¯t have toe all the way here.¡±


    ¡°I thought your phone was dead,¡± he replied, clearly using her of not replying to his texts.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy.¡± Cordy simply came up with an excuse.


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ste, go home,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short right then. ¡°I have work tomorrow.¡±


    As John swallowed his words, she finished, ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    With that, she shut the door in his face, and he was left staring at the closed door.


    He was right-he was not imagining it.


    Cordy was deliberately avoiding him.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    But he never did anything out of line that other night¡­ In fact, his intuition told him that Cordy was


    starting to ept him.


    So what on earth happened? Why was Cordy keeping him at arm¡¯s length again?!


    John left Cordy¡¯s apartment block just then, and he saw that the car which brought him here was gone.


    Glowering, he dialed a number.


    Randy quickly answered when his phone started ringing. ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine?¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± John growled icily.


    Weren¡¯t you visiting the missus?¡±


    ¡°Get back here!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Randy promptly directed the chauffeur to turn the car around.


    Even as they headed back, Randy wondered if Cordy had chased John out.


    Holy smoke¡­ She really was different!


    Every other woman would kill to have John spend a night at their home and jump into his bed naked!


    They quickly returned to John¡¯s car and Randy alighted, opening the door for him respectfully.


    John looked at Randy just then and he flinched-he feared sudden silences the most.


    To no surprise, John told him, ¡°Your phone and wallet.¡±


    Randy¡¯s hands were trembling as he handed everything over.


    John then got into the car and barked, ¡°Drive!¡±


    The sedan drove away, leaving Randy alone in the middle of the road at 3 AM, watching as the sedan


    left¡­


    He would be crying if he had any tears left.


    Over the next month or so, Cordy put all her attention into the productunch for their autumn fashion


    line, from major strategizing down to minute details.


    However, most of Starstream Group was still under Simon Sachs¡¯ control. Others


    notwithstanding, even production was getting dyed extensively.


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Cordy glowered as she interrogated Fabian Locke, the production manager, in the


    conference room.


    There was no question that Fabian was under Simon¡¯s payroll too!


    ¡°It¡¯s not us who¡¯s stalling, Ms. Sachs-we can¡¯t do a thing when the workers are on strike,¡± Fabian said


    with a shrug.


    ¡°On strike? What is the reason? And why wasn¡¯t there a notice beforehand? You know that we are on a


    tight schedule!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the board chairman and always busy. How could we bother you with every little thing happening


    in thepany?¡± Fabian said with an odd tone.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you can handle this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, but I can¡¯t offer any assurances.¡±


    ¡°Understand that everyone has a role to y, Mr. Locke,¡± Cordy snapped imposingly. ¡°If the


    Fabian was left flushing at her threat!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 62

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 62


    Chapter 62


    And with those words, Cordy strode out of the conference room without looking back, imposing


    as ever.


    Fabian did not expect that he, a man in his forties, would be threatened by a twentyish brat!


    He quickly called Simon to report the situation.


    ¡°Ignore her. Just do what I tell you,¡± Simon said, still thinking nothing of Cordy at all. ¡°I¡¯ll cover for you if


    anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Sachs.¡±


    Fabian smiled evilly then.


    He did not mind waiting and seeing how long Cordy wouldst!


    Cordy brought Vince with her to Starstreams¡¯ production nt, even as she wondered why the workers


    would go on strike out of the blue.


    The nt was in the outskirts of North City and the journey was long-they only arrived in the afternoon.


    However, Cordy did not stop for lunch and went inside right away to meet Dean Longman, the factory


    chief.


    Like Fabian, Dean had no respect toward Cordy at all. It went without saying they were both in league


    with Simon.


    ¡°I heard that our new board chairman is young, but not this young!¡± he eximed, his words more ironic


    than praiseful. ¡°You¡¯re no older than my daughter, who¡¯s always throwing herself into my arms and


    purring. Comparing yourself with others really hurts, huh?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Cordy simply pretended that she never heard a word of it, and cut to the chase, ¡°I heard from Fabian


    Locke that the workers are on strike. What on earth is going on?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, what? Of course it¡¯s because they¡¯re underpaid!¡±


    ¡°To my knowledge, all wages are given at a reasonable rate on par with the job market, and the welfare


    we offer is more than what otherpanies offer¡­¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who hurried production along, and that means overtime. But since they¡¯re not being


    paid for that, no one¡¯s going to be happy, are they?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    No one reported to her about how things were going at this nt at all. Naturally, she could have


    offered a special increment given the special circumstances.


    Even she must admit now that Simon was really taking her for a ride all this while.


    ¡°Do you have any other questions, Ms. Sachs? I have work to do if you don¡¯t,¡± Dean said before he left.


    Cordy pursed her lips and started to leave with Vince, but they were mobbed by a group of angry


    workers before they made it out the front door.


    ¡°You¡¯re the new board chairman, aren¡¯t you?! Forcing us tobor overtime without pay-where is your


    conscience?!¡± the one in the lead demanded with a savage look on his face. ¡°You¡¯d better give us


    something now, or don¡¯t think about leaving!¡±


    ¡°You thought you could make us leave with this?! No way! I¡¯ve worked here for seven years! Don¡¯t even


    think you can make us resign!¡±


    ¡°Pay us! Pay us!¡±


    They were all shouting and yelling as they encircled Cordy and Vince.


    Vince was shielding Cordy behind himself, worried that they would attack her.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± Cordy shouted. ¡°Once I get to the bottom of this, everyone will be appropriately paid and


    reimbursed. No one working for Starstream would be allowed to suffer!¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± The worker in the lead snapped. ¡°She¡¯ll just ignore us once she leaves! Don¡¯t let her leave!¡± ¡°Pay


    us, or you¡¯re not leaving this ce!


    Cordy was shocked that the workers would go this far, and it was obvious that the strike had been a


    long timeing.


    Even so, she would never have known that things were this serious if she had not asked about this


    nt¡¯s production issues.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 63

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 63


    Chapter 63


    Meanwhile, Dean was smiling sinisterly as he stood before the second floor office window, watching as


    Cordy was being mobbed by those disgruntled workers.


    He quickly whipped out his phone to report the situation. ¡°Mr. Sachs? The workers are mobbing Cordy


    Sachs as we speak. She¡¯s not getting away soon.¡±


    On the other end, Simon Sachs was sitting at his giant office in Sachs Enterprises with a cigarette in


    his mouth.


    ¡°Give her a lesson to remember,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, sir. Don¡¯t worry, I know exactly what to do.¡±


    Simon was grinning smugly as he put down his phone.


    In the end, age and experience came up on top.


    Cordy wanted to beat him? It was no different from trying to break a rock with an egg!


    Sitting opposite him, Noel asked in surprise, ¡°Dad, did Cordy really go to the production nt?¡± She did


    not expect Cordy to have the guts to visit that ce of lowlifes. Those people were uncouth,


    uneducated, and barbaric, which was why they deserved to be stuck in poverty.


    ¡°Ignore her,¡± Simon said, unable to care less about Cordy. ¡°I called you here to talk about something


    else.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Noel said, ever the good girl around Simon.


    ¡°The Jessops called, saying that they want to go public about your rtionship with Kyle Jessops, even


    tie the knot quickly¡­ but they¡¯re saying that you¡¯re hesitant.¡±


    Noel bit her lip, looking a little awkward just then.


    ¡°Do you have something to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Dad, I really don¡¯t want to do it right now.¡±


    ¡°Why? You¡¯ve always loved him, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I do, but¡­ I¡¯m just more worried about our family¡¯s situation,¡± Noel said, deliberately taking a deep


    breath as he exined, ¡°Cordy hooked up with John Levine, didn¡¯t she? I¡¯m sure you saw it at n


    Levine¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the man isn¡¯t really interested in her,¡± Simon said, showing no concern at all. ¡°John Levine


    notwithstanding, his family would never ept a woman beset with scandals like Cordy.¡±


    ¡°But I can see that John really likes her.¡±


    ¡°She must have done something to bewitch him. So what? Men can never resist a pretty face, and it


    takes one to know one¡­¡±


    Simon paused then, realizing that he should not be saying that in front of his daughter. He then said,


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s just an infatuation. Once he gets over it, he¡¯ll just dump her.¡±


    ¡°Even so, she did hook up with him. And you know how much she hates us-what if she sends John


    after us?!¡±


    Simon¡¯s heart was shaken at Noel¡¯s words.


    Cordy was exceedingly stubborn, and if she really worked with John in a campaign against their family,


    they would be crushed in an instant.


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°I was thinking I could woo John Levine,¡± Noel answered honestly.


    Simon was surprised that his daughter, who always seemed so delicate, would be so bold.


    ¡°If he falls for me, our family would have nothing to worry about. I¡¯m willing to be a viin to protect our


    family, and let go of the man I love to be with another,¡± Noel continued, making herself sound as heroic


    and self-sacrificing as possible.


    Simon would certainly like Noel to do exactly that. If they could ride on the Levines¡¯ coattails, no one in


    North City would ever give him a hard time!


    ¡°Well, what would you do about the Jessops?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not upset them for the time being, but I need you toe up with something to keep them in line,


    Dad. We don¡¯t have to give a damn about the Jessops if I can get together with John, but if I fail, they


    can still be our shield.¡±


    Simon thought about it, and he was soon grinning in delight. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll handle the Jessops. Do


    everything you can to chase after John. Just tell me if you need anything.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad.¡± Noel shed him her good girl smile.


    She certainly would not believe that she would nevernd someone Cordy could seduce!Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 64

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 64


    Chapter 64


    Over at the Starstream Group production nt, the angry workers were not listening to whatever


    Cordy had to say.


    She knew very well that someone had incited them, and that this was all Simon¡¯s n.


    In fact, she could shout herself hoarse, but she would never calm them down.


    Cordy quickly made up her mind.


    Not wanting to waste time here, she told Vince quietly, ¡°You need to get out of here somehow and call


    the cops.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯d be alone, Ms. Sachs-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Not arguing, Vince slowly released Cordy while distancing himself.


    Cordy was the mob¡¯s target, and they naturally did not pay much attention to Vince, who squeezed his


    way through the crowd and called the cops.


    He was certainly impressed that Cordy could stay calm despite the danger, even though he did not


    expect them to leave without any problems-if anything, he felt like they were not making it home


    tonight.


    After he made the call, the cops soon arrived.


    However, the workers were even more furious when they heard the sirens.


    ¡°It¡¯s the cops!¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs must have told someone to call them! She¡¯s actually calling the cops!¡±


    ¡°She never wanted to settle this issue¡­¡±


    As the workers became restless, the police quickly rushed into the nt, barking at the workers to stop.


    The scene was aplete chaos, and Cordy tried to squeeze her way through the crowd to escape


    while they were busy.


    Vince kept his eyes on Cordy, worried that she would get hurt¡­ and he suddenly cried out in panic,


    ¡°Ms. Sachs! Watch out!¡±


    One of the workers was swinging his steel pipe at Cordy, aiming it squarely on her back!


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she sensed the danger-she could be seriously hurt once she was


    struck!


    However, she clearly had nowhere to run, and the police were too far away to defend her!


    She even closed her eyes, surrendering herself to fate!


    Dong!


    There was a loud sound, and the entire scene turnedpletely silent.


    Even the worker who swung the pipe was stunned, probably not expecting his hit to strike true! The


    police charged inside right then and knocked him to the floor, subduing him instantly.


    Cordy, still trying to calm the terror she felt inside, opened her eyes.


    She did not actually feel any pain, only that someone had taken her firmly into his arms, shielding


    her from harm.


    As she turned to look who it was, she was left in confusion as she was staring at John, who somehow


    was there and shielded her in the direness of the situation.


    ¡°Mr. Levine!¡±


    Nearby, Randy was left dumbstruck.


    When John heard that Cordy was heading to the factory, he seemed to predict that something bad


    would happen. He promptly dropped everything, including a key meeting in the afternoon, and headed


    straight to this nt out in North City¡¯s suburbs.


    There, they immediately saw the workers rioting in the nt, and the cops were there too.


    Randy himself had been staying beside John, and he certainly had no idea how John had managed to


    find Cordy instantly in the chaos and gather her in his arms to protect her at lightspeed despite how


    quickly that worker swung his bat.


    ¡°John¡­¡± Cordy was stunned too.


    John withstood the agony on his back, coughing twice before saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    But how could he be fine after being struck by that huge steel pipe?!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Not stopping to argue with John, she turned and yelled at Randy, ¡°Get him to the hospital, right


    now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±


    Randy quickly ran to them to help carry John.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 65

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 65


    Chapter 65


    Cordy hesitated for a moment, but she quickly followed John into his car too.


    ¡°Miss!¡± One of the police stopped them. ¡°We need you toe with us to the precinct for testimony.¡±


    ¡°Vince, go with the police. Walter will drive you back.¡±


    ¡°Alright. You should go, Ms. Sachs,¡± Vince quickly said.


    Meanwhile, Cordy and Randy helped him into his Maybach.


    The car drove straight to the best private hospital in North City, with Randy riding shotgun and calling


    the Levines¡¯ family doctor.


    Cordy was ncing at John from time to time, who was reclining against his seat, his eyes closed and


    his face turning ever paler.


    Where did the steel pipe hit?


    Did it break bones?


    Rupture organs¡­?


    Cordy did not dare to go any further. She kept her eyes on the car¡¯s GPS, wanting to reach the hospital


    right then.


    Even so, it took them two hours to arrive.


    Still, there was a row of doctors in white coats waiting, and nurses quickly helped John out of the


    car.


    When someone touched John, Cordy clearly heard John grunt in pain.


    Did it hurt?!


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched, and she followed the doctors as they wheeled John to the emergency


    room.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± John was still assuring her just before he was wheeled inside.


    Cordy bit her lip, feeling a mess of emotions towards him.


    It had been over a month since he returned from that business trip, and she had been persistently


    neutral toward him.


    She would join him for dinner if Richard was there, but she only talked to Richard throughout while


    giving him the silent treatment and barely nced his way.


    John was trying at first, but eventually seemed to be ustomed to her cold shoulder, and he


    became less talkative as well.


    Even so, John woulde to visit her every other day with Richard, and she presumed it was just to


    satisfy Richard¡¯s reliance toward her.


    That was why his sudden appearance today caught herpletely off guard.


    Cordy stared nervously at the locked doors of the emergency room, her knuckles clenching.


    It was three hourster when the doors opened again and John was wheeled out, escorted by doctors


    and nurses.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Randy rushed toward them immediately, asking worriedly, ¡°Doctors, how is he?¡±


    Cordy simply stood nearby, her heart racing.


    ¡°He¡¯s not in danger, but the muscles over his back are extensively damaged, and there¡¯s a light fracture


    on a rib on the right. There is light numbness to his kidneys as well, and we¡¯re


    rmending up to four weeks of bed rest. We will monitor his recovery closely before deciding


    further.¡±


    Randy heaved a loud sigh of relief. Thank goodness his boss was fine!


    Cordyposed herself as well.


    ¡°We will take him to his ward now,¡± one of the doctors said.


    ¡°Okay, okay, okay¡­¡± Randy said repeatedly, and everyone headed to the VVIP ward arranged for


    John.


    As hey in bed, he had his eyes closed and he stayed silent.


    There was no telling if he was in pain.


    Randy and Cordy listened seriously to all the reminders that the doctors issued, and it was a while


    before they finally left.


    However, many nurses and rehabilitation staff remained in the ward.


    Eventually, Cordy could not help walking up to John¡¯s bed, looking at his handsome face and his tightly


    pursed lips.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± she asked.


    John¡¯s eyshes twitched.


    Then, he slowly opened his eyes to meet her gaze.


    ¡°It does,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Then why did you do it, risking yourself like this? What if you were hit in the head instead?¡± Cordy¡¯s


    heart was still gripped in fear as she scarcely dared to think about the consequences.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± John slowly rasped, ¡°It would hurt me more if you were hit.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 66

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 66


    Chapter 66


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She would be lying if she said she was not emotional.


    Even so, sheposed herself and asked quietly, ¡°But you¡¯d do that for anyone, won¡¯t you?¡±


    As in, he would sacrifice himself readily for all his women!


    ¡°Just you,¡± John dered solemnly.


    ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m special?¡± Cordy asked.


    John raised a brow, clearly sensing that it was a loaded question.


    Before he could answer, however, she changed the subject since it was his private life.


    And she was in no position to ask.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly show up at the production nt?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Walter told me that you were going. I was worried you¡¯d get hurt, so I went for a look.¡± John replied.


    ¡°And I made it just in time.¡±


    Otherwise¡­


    John did not want to imagine how terrible he would feel if it was Cordyying in this bed instead. His


    gaze turned cool right then.


    ¡°My father put them up to this,¡± Cordy admitted. ¡°He never wanted me in charge of Starstream Group,


    and he gave me as much trouble as he could to oust me.¡±


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡±


    ¡°I told you because I don¡¯t want you to interfere,¡± Cordy said earnestly.


    As John narrowed his eyes, Cordy sharply picked up on his intentions and her gaze turned cold as


    well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get payback for you! Those who must be punished will not be spared!


    She had had it with the Sachs-even if they had wounded her so grievously in the past, she had never


    thought to seek vengeance because she was a Sachs too.


    They would have been fine if they stayed within each other¡¯s boundaries and not meddled with each


    other¡¯s business.


    But herpromise clearly did not make them restrain themselves.


    Instead, they were getting worse.


    And she had no reason to be kind toward people who did not know what was good for them. ¡°Fine,¡±


    John said.


    He certainly respected her decision and would tolerate her as long as it was all within his control.


    Cordy¡¯s phone suddenly started to ring just then.


    She checked the caller ID, then headed to the balcony to answer it. ¡°Vince.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs? I¡¯ve already given a statement. The rioting workers and Gene Larkin-the one who tried to


    hit you-were all detained. The police are asking if you¡¯ll be settling this out of court.¡±


    ¡°No, and make it very clear to them,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°We¡¯re taking this to court.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Once Cordy hung up, she could not help clutching at her stomach, which was inevitably hurting


    because she had not eaten for a day.


    She took a deep breath before entering the ward again and sat beside John¡¯s bed.


    ¡°You should sleep,¡± Cordy told him.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Are you going to leave when I do?¡± he asked.


    Cordy pursed her lips-she was certainly nning to.


    She needed to eat, and there was a mess at the nt to resolve.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with you.¡± She ultimately relented.


    At the very least, she should be staying with him for the day.


    The answer seemed to satisfy John, and he closed his eyes, sleepingfortably.


    Cordy¡¯s phone rang again just then-she quickly turned on her silent mode, worried that she would wake


    John.


    Still, she hung up the instant she saw that it was from Simon Sachs.


    She naturally knew that Simon must have received word that she would not be settling out of court, and


    he must want to resolve the matter with her in private.


    However, she turned off her phone right then-she was not about to let him have what he wanted!


    ¡°Ms. Sachs.¡± Randy suddenly approached her, greeting her softly and respectfully.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Please,e eat,¡± he said.


    Cordy did a double take, so Randy exined, ¡°Mr. Levine had me prepare it for you.¡±


    Cordy could not help turning toward John right then, but he was still fast asleep.


    He noticed that her stomach was hurting? But how?


    She did not even let it show¡­


    Once again, she was hit with an unusual feeling.


    But in the end, they were very different people, and she could not hold blind faith in anyone ever again.


    Even if she felt moved, even sentimental, she could hardly reciprocate his feelings.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 67

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 67


    Chapter 67


    And then there was the fact that John was so perfect, Cordy almost found him unreal.


    Nheless, she went to the other table and had a warm bowl of cereal, which relieved her


    stomach considerably.


    Moreover, she had been too busytely to sleep probably, and drowsiness overcame her after she


    finished her food.


    Reclining against the couch in the ward, she soon fell asleep.


    She only woke up after night arrived, and someone had put a nket over her without her knowing.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± John¡¯s deep, alluring voice spoke just then, startling Cordy-she almost forgot where


    she was.


    John¡¯s lips curled into a smile in turn, finding her reaction adorable.


    Cordy blushed awkwardly and got off the couch, working hard to look calm andposed. She


    nced at the clock in the ward to find that she had been sleeping for over three hours. She was


    supposed to be caring for the patient, but she slept more soundly than said patient. ¡°Do you need the


    washroom?¡± she asked offhandedly to try to smooth over the awkwardness¡­ only to make things even


    more awkward.


    ¡°I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± John replied right then.


    Cordy stared at him even as leveled an innocent look at her. ¡°So? You can¡¯t help me?¡±


    ¡°N-No, I mean¡­¡± Cordy shook her head, and asked, ¡°How are you going to do it? With a bucket?¡±


    ¡°Not while I¡¯m lying down.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°I can get up,¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a nurse¡­¡±


    ¡°You can help me stand. I¡¯m not that heavy,¡± John said cheerfully.


    Cordy was speechless-weight was not the issue here!


    Still, she gritted her teeth and gingerly helped him out of the bed while asking worriedly. ¡°The doctors


    insisted on bed rest. Are you really supposed to leave it?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Cordy could not care less just then-not when nature called.


    As she helped him stand, he gave a dull grunt of pain.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± she asked nervously.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    He really is stubborn,¡¯ Cordy thought in silence.


    Nheless, it took her great effort to help him to the washroom.


    She tried to leave after getting him inside, but he said, ¡°I can¡¯t stand alone.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    In other words, he was saying that he would fall if she left.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be quick,¡± he added.


    Cordy was speechless-that was not the issue here!


    Still, she turned and kept her back to him while letting him lean on her.


    Not heavy?! He must be as heavy as a truck!


    She almost crumbled under his weight, and she wondered for a moment what men¡¯s bodies were made


    up of, especially since he was not fat


    That was when she heard sshing and she blushed, turning redder by the second.


    To make things worse, the sshing seemed to go on forever-what happened to being quick?


    Or did he perhaps not understand the definition of quick?!


    It was quite a while until the sshing stopped. Cordy then asked, ¡°Are


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± John said in apology


    ¡°So, you knew you were being slow?!¡±


    ¡°Well, I was told that this is a sign of healthy kidneys.¡±


    Cordy was speechless once more.


    you done?¡±


    That was because he had been given stacks of IV drip for the entire day!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 68

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 68


    Chapter 68


    It took Cordy considerable effort to help John back to his bed.


    He was staying in a VVIP ward, though it was more apt to call it a suite. Nurses and rehab staff were all


    out waiting for orders at the living area, while Cordy was alone with John in the bedroom. Randy-his


    assistant-was nowhere to be seen.


    And things suddenly got awkward as they were alone together.


    ¡°Would you like some fruit?¡± Cordy asked, just to say something. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    She nced at the fruits in the room and asked, ¡°Apple?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy picked up an apple, washed it, and started to peel it.


    She was no fan of fruits and basically kept none at home. Moreover, she had been busy during her


    time abroad, at Jessop Corp, and now at Starstream Group. She never had time to peel fruits for


    herself, and the apple certainly left a mess.


    She awkwardly looked up at John and saw the obvious smile in his eyes as he asked, ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± she said, and gave it to him.


    John stared at it beforementing. ¡°It has personality.¡±


    Cordy had no idea if it was a praise or an insult.


    ¡°Are you going to eat it?¡±


    ¡°Feed me, please.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too weak.¡±


    But he had just managed to walk to the washroom!


    Still, Cordy held a slice of apple beside his lips.


    As he took a bite, his lips brushed gently against her fingers.


    Her fingers twitched as he felt that warm, moist sensation.


    As she stared at him as he chewed, he asked, ¡°It¡¯s sweet. Want to try it?¡±


    ¡°No, I hate fruits.¡± Cordy refused a little quickly.


    John chuckled, but he continued to chew on the apple.


    When he eventually finished it, Cordy quickly rushed to the washroom to wash her hands.


    John changed the subject when she returned, not wanting things to be too awkward between them.


    ¡°Do you have gastric problems? I heard from my uncle that you suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding


    before.¡±


    ¡°I drank too much at the time,¡± Cordy said nonchntly.


    ¡°So it only happened once?¡± John pressed.


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Cordy admitted. ¡°Women get the short end of the stick when ites to social drinking,


    and I drink as much as possible so I won¡¯t get taken advantage of.¡±


    John¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed just then. ¡°Kyle Jessop wasn¡¯t worth it.¡±


    ¡°No, he wasn¡¯t.¡± Cordy nodded.


    Back then, she really did everything to bring in investors for Jessop Corp-stopping short of sleeping


    with them.


    And she did all that only to be told that she was too strong and too independent, and that being with her


    made him feel pressured.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Now that she thought about the words Kyle told her when they broke up, it was certainly ironic.


    ¡°Everything I do from now on will be for my own sake,¡± Cordy said with determination, as if reminding


    herself.


    John was about to speak when Randy knocked on the door politely. ¡°Mr. Levine?¡±


    John pursed his lips and turned toward Randy, who appeared utterly respectful and fearful that he had


    upset John. ¡°Your dinner¡¯s here.¡±


    Thest time John dumped him in the middle of the road, he had to walk three hours before finally


    reaching home.


    It was traumatizing even as he thought about it now.


    He only brought the lunchboxes in when he saw the nod from John, putting it on the overtable before


    he started to leave.


    That was when Cordy suddenly called out, ¡°Mr. Martin?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs?¡± Randy asked humbly.


    ¡°Your boss is feeling weak. Please feed him.¡±


    Randy was gaping.


    But John ate a meal on his own after he woke up, did he not?!


    Randy could not help turning to John, and seeing the look in his eyes, he promptly said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Naturally, the air in the room turned weird soon enough.


    While Cordy ate her lunch box nonchntly, Randy fed John even as the other man red at him¡­..

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 69

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 69


    Chapter 69


    It took Randy a long while to finish feeding John, and he basically fled the room.


    Still, he did not forget to kindly lock the door behind him.


    Cordy nced at the clock and saw that it was already 10 PM-she should be heading home.


    But just as she was about to speak, John suddenly said, ¡°Please wipe my body.¡±


    As she turned toward him, he continued, ¡°The doctors told me that I should not bathe.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She certainly knew that-but was it appropriate for her to do it?!


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to being touched by other men,¡± John exined then, and Cordy quickly remembered


    that all the rehab staff were men too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can sleep feeling dirty,¡± John said. ¡°Please.¡±


    Cordy took a deep breath right then.


    It was always good manners to repay a favor, and she owed John more than a favor this time.


    Thus, she headed to the bathroom, filled a bucket with warm water, and soaked a towel before


    returning to him.


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± Cordy said. ¡°I¡¯ll start with your face.¡±


    John did as he was told, and all he felt was the warm, soft touch of the towel gently brushing over his


    face.


    Squeezing the towel, Cordy then moved to his neck and corbone. ¡°Should I keep going?¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    Cordy put down the towel, and braced herself as she unbuttoned John¡¯s patient garb, baring his


    muscr chest.


    It was not as if she was unfamiliar with men-or shirtless men.


    In fact, she was used to it since she asionally supervised photoshoot sessions of part-time male


    models, which naturally involved shirtlessness.


    And yet, she was blushing as she observed the perfect, alluring muscr curves on John¡¯s chest and


    abdomen.


    Even from behind the towel, she could feel that they were firm yet bouncy.


    Still, she carefully wiped him down, even moving on to her limbs.


    She was hyperventting when she was done, unsure if she was tired or¡­ feeling something else.


    However, just as she carried the bucket and was about to leave, John told her, ¡°You missed a spot.


    Cordy flinched a little, her fingers starting to clench unwittingly.


    Give him an inch, and he would demand a mile!


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± John added then, but Cordy was gritting her teeth.


    No matter how she thought about it, he was doing it on purpose!


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you clean water,¡± she said before heading to the washroom to fill the bucket with clean water


    and taking another towel.


    John naturally noticed, and he appeared cheerful as he took the towel from her.


    Cordy averted her eyes, and after a long while, he said, ¡°Done.¡±


    Cordy turned to him, but she told him to put the towel in the bucket instead of taking it off his hands.


    With that, she returned to the washroom and dumped the towel into the bin.


    When it was all done, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    ¡°Are youing tomorrow?¡± John asked.


    Cordy was silent-there was a lot of work to do at Starstream Group.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t have toe if you¡¯re busy. I just have to stay here alone, feeling lonely and


    isted. No one would be here to distract me, and it just hurts a little where I was hit¡­ it¡¯s nothing.


    Cordy was speechless.


    How much more cunning could he be?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 70

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 70


    Chapter 70


    As such, Cordy promised him, ¡°I¡¯lle tomorrow when I¡¯m finished with work.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± John replied, grinning without going through the motions of being polite.


    He was just¡­ sly!


    After Cordy left the hospital, Randy entered the room, groveling. Mr. Levine.


    ¡°Help me to the washroom,¡± John told him.


    ¡°But you had the perfect chance¡­. Why didn¡¯t you ask the missus to help?¡±


    John shot him a look.


    Cowed, Randy quickly corrected himself. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re always straighced, sir. You¡¯d never mess


    around.¡±


    John scowled even harder-he just did not want Cordy to think that his kidneys were weak if he went to


    the washroom one too many times.


    As Randy helped him to the washroom, John paused.


    Randy quickly offered, ¡°Should I help you with your pants, sir?¡±


    He had certainly lost John¡¯s ¡®affection¡¯ ever since John became lovesick.


    However, he was still a bootlicker when it was necessary, and he would always do so when the


    opportunity presented itself.


    ¡°Get out!¡± John snapped.


    Randy cringed and left with a look of utter grievance-how did he upset the man this time?


    It was like all his efforts were in vain¡­


    Meanwhile, John was staring at the towel in the bin.


    How much did Cordy hate him, really?!


    The next morning, Noel was waiting outside Cordy¡¯s office when she arrived at work, and she followed


    Cordy into her office.


    ¡°Dad¡¯s been calling you the whole day yesterday. Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡± she demanded angrily.


    ¡°I was at the hospital. My phone was out of juice,¡± Cordy said coolly.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call him back? Don¡¯t you know how worried he was?¡±


    Cordy sat down on her chair then and leveled Noel an icy re. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s worried?!¡±


    Noel¡¯s heart skipped a beat, knowing then that she could not get anything past Cordy..


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I still have a lot of work to do,¡± Cordy said then. ¡°You can leave if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    Noel gritted her teeth, but since she could not force Cordy, she had to leave, calling Simon as she did.


    At the next instant, Cordy¡¯s phone began to ring.


    It was about time, since she left him hanging for a day.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you, Cordy Sachs! Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cordy snorted. ¡°Why should I? Are you some sort of king?¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m hanging up if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Simon promptly stopped her. ¡°What is this I heard about taking things to court over that riot?


    What are you thinking?! Don¡¯t you know that the public would find out if you do that?! Are you trying to


    destroy Starstream Group?!¡±


    ¡°Even if I do, that¡¯s my business and none of yours!¡± Cordy retorted staunchly. ¡°And the riot inflicted


    PTSD on me, so I¡¯ll see this through to the end.¡±


    ¡°You little¡­!¡± Simon¡¯s teeth were gnashing in rage, but Cordy was not having any of it.


    After all, he was the mastermind behind the riot at the nt.


    Once inquiries were made, he would be inevitably used, and he would be in a whole lot of trouble!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 71

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 71


    Chapter 71


    Keeping his temper in check, Simon asked, ¡°What do I have to do for you to ept a private


    settlement?¡±


    Cordy sneered. ¡°Why are you so eager to settle it privately? I¡¯d be half-dead if John Levine didn¡¯t take


    that blow for me.¡±


    ¡°I know you suffered, but I¡¯m doing this for Starstream Group,¡± Simon said, his tone turning soft


    gradually. ¡°It¡¯s going to affect thepany negatively if this gets out, and we¡¯re still family, right? I


    naturally feel sentiment for Starstream after working there for so many years-I don¡¯t want our scores of


    employees to get hurt over this.¡±


    Cordy sneered again-despite Simon¡¯s pretty words, he was just afraid that they would connect the


    incident to him.


    Still, she relented. ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve put it that way, it¡¯s not as if I can¡¯t settle it privately.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Simon was clearly thrilled.


    ¡°But I have several conditions.¡±


    ¡°What conditions?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, the culprit must cover for all of John¡¯s medical expenses, including the fee for his medication,


    his hospital stay, his rehabilitation, along with damages for mental trauma. They left him hospitalized,


    after all.¡±


    Simon¡¯s face turned ashen right then.


    The scion of the Levines would naturally stay at the best hospital and be given the absolute best care.


    That was going to cost a lot, and since the culprit was not going to afford it, it meant Simon himself was


    paying for it.


    Even so, he agreed to it through gritted teeth. ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, the culprit must apologize personally to me and John, and offer assurances that they would


    not cause trouble for Starstream Group.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Simon repeated.


    He did not hesitate this time-it was no skin off his back.


    ¡°Thirdly, Fabian Locke and Dean Longman must both resign as head of production and manager of the


    production nt respectively.¡±


    Simon refused right then. ¡°No! How could you ask for that?!¡±


    After all, if those two men were forced to resign from Starstream, they were not going to help him


    maniptepany affairs from the inside. Moreover, how would his other loyal spies see him now?!


    He would definitely lose their loyalty!


    Even so, Cordy asked in return, ¡°Their management is definitely the reason for the riot in the first


    ce. It¡¯s only reasonable to demand their resignations, no?¡±


    Simon had to keep his temper in check again. ¡°I mean, who would be in charge of production if they


    resigned?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Cordy replied, putting weight on every word.


    ¡°How could you?!¡± Simon eximed in agitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible,¡± Cordy said. Not wanting to waste her breath with him, she continued, ¡°Agree to


    those three conditions, and I will ept a private settlement-otherwise, I¡¯ll see you in court.


    With that, she prepared to hang up.


    ¡°Fine! It¡¯s a deal!¡± Simon growled through his teeth.


    How did Cordy manage to push him this far?


    They were all leading her by the nose before¡­ only to end up threatened by her!


    Even as Simon¡¯s blood pressure skyrocketed from sheer frustration, Cordy reminded him, ¡°Fulfill all


    three conditions, and I¡¯ll go to the precinct personally to settle¡­ but you have to hurry. The police aren¡¯t


    going to wait.¡±


    With those words, Cordy hung up¡­ and several text messages promptly popped up on her screen.


    [Back hurts even more when I wake up. The painkillers must have worn off.]


    But he was never given any yesterday!


    [I think they changed the brand of apples. These aren¡¯t sweet at all.]


    Those apples were the same apples from yesterday!


    [Am I bothering you at work? Just trying to distract myself. You don¡¯t have to answer if you¡¯re busy.]


    Cordy was speechless-the snake was doing his thing again.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, she remembered that most of her work would be stalled before Fabian and Dean resigned, and


    she had some time to spare.


    As such, she did not hesitate to get to her feet, pick up herptop, and head to John¡¯s VVIP ward.


    Be that as it may, she stopped in her tracks as she entered-Noel was shing her shy, charming


    smile inside.


    ¡°Hey, sis!¡± Noel called out to Cordy innocently, appearing enthusiastic, lively, and not awkward at all.


    Cordy smiled despite herself-Noel really loved her ¡®stuff¡¯!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 72

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 72


    Chapter 72


    Noel had called Simon immediately after she left Cordy¡¯s office before driving straight to the hospital


    where John was staying.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She had certainly been waiting for this day.


    Without any chance to get close to John and worried that she might repulse him, she now had the


    perfect excuse to approach him after he was hospitalized.


    And when it came to men, she had always bewitched them with rtive ease.


    She knocked on the bedroom door and entered, a bouquet of flowers in her hand and a bright smile on


    her face.


    Seeing the man who was ridiculously handsome even as hey in bed, she greeted him. ¡°Hello, Mr.


    Levine.¡±


    John, however, was looking at her coolly, so she quickly introduced herself. ¡°I¡¯m Noel Sachs, Cordy¡¯s


    sister.¡±


    ¡°Same father, different mother,¡± John added.


    It left Noel feeling a little awkward, but she soon regained herposure. ¡°You see, my sister is busy,


    so she sent me here to visit you. Also, allow me to apologize on behalf of Starstream Group after one


    of the workers wounded you. What happened was really regrettable¡­¡±


    John, however, was staring at her judgmentally. ¡°Cordy sent you, you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but please don¡¯t get upset at her, Mr. Levine. She only recently took over Starstream and there¡¯s


    a lot of work to do. She can¡¯t step away for the moment,¡± Noel quickly said in defense of Cordy.


    However, she was still confident-she could steal Kyle from Cordy before, and she would do the same


    with John now!


    ¡°Really?¡± John eximed then with an obviously sarcastic tone, and mercilessly exposed her. ¡°But


    my memory serves, you stole her fiance. Are you sure she¡¯d send you here after that?¡±


    if


    It was a clear p in the face, but Noel quickly exined, ¡°That¡¯s not it, Mr. Levine. I think you¡¯ve


    misunderstood what¡¯s going on between me, my sister, and Kyle=¡±


    ¡°I have no interest in you or Kyle Jessop,¡± John said, cutting her short. ¡°I would like to recover in peace,


    and since you¡¯re of no concern, please don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    He was clearly telling Noel to leave, which left her looking awkward.


    She even went out of her way to make herself look especially pretty, but John was showing her the


    door even before looking her way.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Levine-I won¡¯t impose. I wish you a quick recovery,¡± she said, repressing her indignation.


    She knew that she must not get pushy when John was still interested in Cordy, and that she should


    keep things looking natural.


    After all, the same thing worked on Kyle before-and Noel was suddenly pleased that she had used Kyle


    for her experiment.


    ¡°Oh, here are some flowers for you. I hope you like them.¡± She kept smiling coquettishly as she put the


    huge bouquet on John¡¯s bedside table. ¡°Also, I should apologize for mistaking you for someone else


    when we first met. Please don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    The door suddenly opened before John could say a word, and Cordy stood at the doorway as she saw


    everything.


    ¡°Hey, sis!¡± Noel appeared utterlyposed, but she was surprised at how Cordy arrived so quickly.


    Cordy should have a lot of work today, and the marketing of the autumn collection should have kept her


    preupied.


    Did she receive a tip and run straight here?


    She was getting smart!


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re here, I shall be going now.¡± Noel smiled as if understanding.


    She appeared nonchnt as she walked past Cordy, when John suddenly called out, ¡°Wait.


    Cordy blinked in response, her lips pursing just then-Noel was no ravishing beauty, but she was


    immacte when it came to bewitching men.


    Even Noel herself was surprised, though she was delighted too.


    Noel initially thought that John disliked her, but he was now calling out to her.


    Noel could not resist shooting Cordy a very brief nce of provocation right then before turning around.


    Her eyes blinking with innocence once more, Noel¡¯s tone appeared even more flirty as she asked,


    Were you calling for me, Mr. Levine?¡±


    ¡°Take your flowers away. I¡¯m allergic!¡± John snapped bluntly. Even the very air in the room seemed to


    turn silent right then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 73

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 73


    Chapter 73


    Noel was left frozen stiff for a moment, but she quickly changed her expression, looking miserable and


    teary-eyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were allergic to lilies-I¡¯ll be careful next time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not allergic to lilies-I¡¯m allergic to you,¡± John said icily, every word a threat. ¡°Just be careful not to


    show your face around me.¡±


    Noel¡¯s face abruptly turned pale.


    She could not believe what she was hearing!


    No man had insulted her like that ever since she was a child, because they all loved her shy, delicate


    nature..


    It must be Cordy¡¯s fault!


    John must have said that for her benefit!


    Still, Noel withstood her distress and picked up the bouquet of lilies before running out of the ward.


    Cordy watched as Noel left, and she must admit that she felt a little cathartic.


    Boys would hover around Noel ever since they started attending school, and Cordy had no idea why


    they all liked Noel so much.


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Did the scent of hypocrisy not stink enough?


    In fact, Cordy felt even more stressed when Noel ended up stealing Kyle from her.


    Cordy would not have been that upset if Kyle had gone for anyone else except Noel, and she even


    wondered if there were no men in the world who could not resist Noel¡¯s charms¡­ Until John did it


    today.


    No matter what happened from here, Cordy at least felt a thrill from this moment.


    ¡°Hey,¡± John called out to her just then.


    Coming to her senses, Cordy entered the room, sat down beside his bed, and got right down to


    business. ¡°I told you yesterday that I¡¯ll get your payback after you got hurt yesterday, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Right now, my father¡¯s cronies are everywhere in Starstream Group. I need to draw them to our cause


    and drive them apart from my father. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let the culprit be punished right now, just as I


    don¡¯t have solid evidence to build a case. Moreover, I am reluctant for Starstream Group to face a crisis


    when we¡¯re already at risk, so the only option is to pay damages for injury.¡±


    your


    ¡°Damages?¡± John raised a brow.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯tck money, but that¡¯s the only thing I can give you.¡±


    ¡°No, but you can do so much more¡­¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-she was not ignorant enough to not know what John meant.


    ¡°For example, care for me until I¡¯m discharged,¡± John finished.


    Cordy was slightly surprised, and was left staring fixedly at John.


    But he clearly meant something else just now¡­


    ¡°What, were you perhaps disappointed, Ms. Sachs?¡± John joked, his lips curling upward in a heart-


    stealing smile.


    Cordy¡¯s heart definitely skipped a beat.


    She understood that John was giving her a more eptable alternative, so that things were less.


    awkward for her..


    If not for her past, she might have been bold enough to give him a chance-even if John had a messy


    private life and it would not possibly end well.


    But now, she could not afford to gamble.


    After all, she knew very well that she would never get back up if she lost again!


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said, agreeing to take care of him right then.


    Being the reason John was hurt, she had no reason to refuse.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 74

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 74


    Chapter 74


    Cordy stayed in John¡¯s ward, keeping himpany while working on herptop-there was still a lot of


    work to do.


    She was so engrossed on asion that she did not hear what John was saying.


    Still, he did not disturb her, even picking up an apple nearby and starting to peel it.


    Randy Martin was just passing by when he happened upon the scene, his jaw dropping right then! Who


    was the patient there?! To think that his boss was quite the domestic goddess!


    Still, he quickly fled, afraid to disturb them just then.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was still reviewing several letters asking for instructions. Then, she suddenly spotted


    the te of peeled apple slices beside herptop, and each had a toothpick as a skewer. She picked


    one up and ate it offhandedly.


    It had been a while since she had apples, and she almost forgot that they could be so sweet.


    And after the first slice, she took a second, her eyes fixed on the screen¡­ until she realized something


    unusual while eating.


    There was just her and John in the room.


    And if she did not peel them, it would be¡­


    Abruptly looking up, she saw John sitting in his bed and smiling at her.


    ¡°You peeled these?¡± she asked.


    John shrugged. ¡°Who else would¡¯ve?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the patient here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not missing any limbs.¡±


    Did they not just agree that she would take care of him? And was he not just saying yesterday that he


    had no strength in his hands?!


    She then remembered that she basically put chunks of apple yesterday into his mouth, instead of


    cutting the apple into slices like these to make it easier to eat.


    No matter how she thought about it, she was being perfunctory rtive to him.


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t like fruits,¡± she told him, switching gears just then to exin herck of attention to


    detail.


    ¡°I can tell.¡± John nodded, his eyes still fixed on the te of apples in front of Cordy, where just the two


    smallest slices were left now.


    ¡°That apple tastes special.¡± She tried toe up with another exnation for eating so much


    nheless.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an honor that you love¡­¡± John grinned before finishing, ¡°my apples.¡±


    That was not what she meant! She absolutely did not find the apple special just because he peeled it!


    Still, she took a deep breath, suddenly realizing that she was not going to exin herself.


    Pursing her lips, she simply turned back toward herputer screen, focusing on her work once


    more.


    ¡°Could I ask a question?¡± John said just then.


    Cordy happened to be more or less done with the tasks she had on hand, and she just had to wait for


    Simon to hold up his end of their deal.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, turning toward him.


    ¡°Why were you suddenly being distant after I left on that business trip?¡± John asked, his tone suddenly


    serious.


    Cordy was once again surprised.


    He had never asked about that until now, as if he did not care.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    And it had been so long ago-why would he suddenly mention it?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 75

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 75


    Chapter 75


    Before Cordy could speak, John added sharply, ¡°And don¡¯t tell me you weren¡¯t being distant. I have a


    heart; I can feel it.¡±


    In other words, he was telling her not to lie to him.


    Cordy stared at him in silence for a while before asking, ¡°I thought you knew?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± he replied, not bothered to y around.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in love, and I¡¯ve rejected you before already,¡± Cordy said, lowering her gaze in fear of


    meeting him. ¡°It¡¯s just your stubbornness talking.¡±


    She did not want to admit that it was because of Zoe York.


    There would be no ¡®other woman¡¯ if he never wanted to be with her.


    ¡°So you mean to say that my effort was bearing fruit, which was why you¡¯re deliberately distancing


    yourself?¡± John asked, as if to confirm it.


    Cordy was taken aback, but she admitted it with her silence.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    What other reason was there?!


    John was too dangerous-she must not get too involved with him.


    ¡°So, I failed to offer you a sense of security,¡± John said. ¡°I will restrain myself as best as I can from now


    on.¡±


    ¡°Or you could just give up,¡± Cordy told him solemnly. ¡°We can still be friends. Dicky loves me, and I


    won¡¯t lie to you-I love the boy too. From that connection alone, you can appoint me as his godmother if


    you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Dream on, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy did not expect such a definitive rejection from him-it was utterly merciless, and offered no


    grounds for discussion.


    ¡°You¡¯re either Dicky¡¯s mommy, or¡­


    While John blinked, Cordy was left wondering if he wanted to say ¡®nothing¡¯.


    ¡°Or my wife.¡±


    Cordy was speechless-that was the same thing!


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John said, clearly reading her mind and therefore telling her assuredly, ¡°You don¡¯t get to


    choose.¡±


    ¡°You will regret it, Mr. Levine,¡± Cordy said, refraining from arguing stubbornly because it was pointless


    to go any further.


    ¡°I already did,¡± John replied quietly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need the washroom,¡± John suddenly said.


    Cordy was speechless again. Nature really called out of the blue, huh?


    Cordy kept Johnpany until he fell asleep before leaving the hospital.


    It was veryte into the night when Simon finally called her, saying that Fabian Locke and Dean


    Longman would hand in their resignations tomorrow. He would also bring the culprit to the hospital to


    visit John, as well as to offerpensation and an apology.


    The resignation letters arrived the next morning just as John texted her, saying that Simon was at the


    hospital, and that Simon had paid him a huge sum inpensation.


    Still sitting behind her desk, Cordy called her secretary from the internal phone line. ¡°Vince? Ask the


    CEO toe to my office-there will be a heads of departments meeting in half an hour. Warn them not


    to bete!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Soon, Noel entered Cordy¡¯s office.


    After being humiliated when she tried to visit John yesterday, Noel¡¯s frustration only grew after she


    returned home.


    Fortunately, she always had a stout mindset as a child. Though others might call it being thick- skinned,


    the Sachs tended to side with her all the time because of that.


    That was why she couldpose herself even if she faced worse situations, and as today arrived, her


    mood was not at all affected by what happened yesterday.


    In fact, she was already prepared for her next strike.


    And yet, she was still apprehensive when Cordy summoned her to her office.


    Cordy had always been petty. Did she call Noel alone to her office to insult or warn Noel for yesterday?


    Preparing herself mentally, Noel sat opposite Cordy and asked, ¡°You asked for me, sis?¡±


    ¡°I just received Fabian Locke and Dean Longman¡¯s resignations, and I approved them,¡± Cordy said


    right away.


    Noel naturally knew that.


    Then, Cordy kept her eyes fixed on Noel as he continued, ¡°That also means that there isn¡¯t anyone


    managing ourpany¡¯s production for this season, and the deadline is upon us. You used to be in the


    design team, so you must have close ties with the production team-that is why I¡¯ve decided to grant you


    full authority over production for next season¡¯s fashion line. Would there be any problems?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 76

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 76


    Chapter 76


    Noel was left staring fixedly at Cordy,pletely unable to read thetter¡¯s mind.


    Noel had presumed that Cordy had asked for her to talk about her visit to John¡¯s ward. She doubted


    that Cordy would not know what she was up to, and she was not even hiding it.


    Naturally, Noel could not admit it¡­ but the issue was that Cordy had not mentioned it at all! And Cordy


    definitely took exception!


    Cordy of all people would know that men always hovered around Noel ever since they were children,


    but now, all she talked about was work.


    Most importantly, Cordy did everything she could so that both Fabian and Dean were ousted. That was


    just to ensure that Cordy herself could take charge of production, was it not? Cordy obviously knew that


    those men were loyal to Simon and would not really work for her.


    And yet, Cordy was delegating all authority on production to Noel, who would unquestionably side


    with Simon.


    That meant all of Cordy¡¯s efforts were wasted, no?


    Did her brain go haywire or something?


    While Noel stayed quiet, worried that this was Cordy¡¯s trap, she still could not understand this move-


    would it hurt her in any way?


    Or perhaps Cordy was just too busy to do it herself?


    After all, Cordy must be giving John all her attention, having kept himpany the whole day


    yesterday at the hospital. If Noel¡¯s hunch was right, Cordy would be at his side again after the meeting


    later.


    With that in mind, Noel said, ¡°No problem, sis. We¡¯re family, and I¡¯ve always worked here anyway. I


    certainly can¡¯t refuse sharing your workload and contributing to Starstream.¡±


    Cordy smiled, but otherwise remained impassive. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, sis.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the meetingter too. You may go now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Noel started to leave then, deliberately pausing for a moment..


    But Cordy was not mentioning yesterday at all.


    Did Cordy really not mind, or was she perhaps worried about upsetting Noel, since Noel could stop


    assisting her in retaliation?


    Noel believed that it was thetter.


    The conference room of Starstream Group had always been noisy whenever there was a meeting,


    Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    a deliberate disy of disrespect toward Cordy.


    Even so, Cordy did not waste time on restoring order-they would turn quiet once they heard something


    that interested them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just received Fabian Locke and Dean Longman¡¯s resignation,¡± she announced, getting right. down


    to business. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone would have known by know,¡±


    To no surprise, everyone turned silent right then-most of them did pay notice to resignations.


    ¡°I epted them, since I respect every employee¡¯s decision,¡± Cordy continued. ¡°However, they left too


    suddenly and there are no suitable candidates to rece them, so Noel would be taking charge of next


    season¡¯s production for the time being.¡±


    Everyone else was certainly stunned by that news.


    They all knew that ousting Fabian and Dean would smoothen production, since the dys were


    Simon¡¯s arrangement.


    Cordy had to be smart enough to know that, and yet, she was now appointing Simon¡¯s most trusted


    daughter to take charge of production.


    What was that, if not shooting herself in the foot? She was going through all that trouble for nothing!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 77

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 77


    Chapter 77


    Be that as it may, none of the heads of departments and executives believed that Cordy was stupid


    after working for her for a while.


    But before they could go on wild spections about Cordy¡¯s thought process, she proceeded to the


    next agenda. ¡°It has been over two months since I¡¯vee to Starstream, and thanks to everyone¡¯s


    help-especially my sister Noel-I¡¯m now familiar with thepany¡¯s operations and management. For


    that, I thank everyone here.¡±


    No one apuded her-not even Noel-even if Cordy was clearly being nice to her.


    Even so, Cordy continued nonchntly. ¡°Having grown to learn about thispany, I¡¯ve also noticed


    certain glitches, which naturally means that we need to fix it. As such, I¡¯m announcing aplete


    shuffle of positions-and that includes everyone here.¡±


    Her words sent the conference room in an uproar.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Shuffling positions was a huge deal, but Cordy said it as if it meant nothing!


    ¡°And now, I will present the list of personnel to be shuffled-of course, if anyone here has an opinion,


    you may discuss it in private with me or the CEO. For those who aren¡¯t on this list, I must ask you to


    offer your department¡¯s subordinates assurances, while liaising with shuffled personnel to take over any


    tasks they have on hand, so as to not affect thepany¡¯s operations.¡±


    With that, Cordy operated the projector as she read the list of shuffled personnel.


    ¡°Hank Rogers is hereby relinquished as director of human resources, while his deputy takes his ce.


    He will be working as the supervisor of transport logistics-¡±


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Hank snapped, ring at Cordy in disbelief just as she made the announcement.


    ¡°Are you telling me to wash cars? Did I miss something here?!¡±


    ¡°You missed nothing,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°You¡¯re the perfect man for the job, while Sid Watson, your deputy,


    is more suited to head HR.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked here for ten years. You can¡¯t relinquish me as you like-¡±


    ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned before, you may speak to me or the CEO in private on this matter. We won¡¯t argue


    about it in this meeting.¡± Cordy cut him short, her attitude staunch as she continued. Please don¡¯t


    cause further dy to this meeting.¡±


    Nheless, Hank sprang from his chair furiously, showing Cordy zero respect as he kicked the door


    and left.


    Cordy took no notice, and merely proceeded to announce the rest of the shuffled personnel.


    Still, there was no unrest since there were just two heads of departments being shuffled.


    And upon closing, Cordy said, ¡°Again, I must mention that anyone may speak to me or the CEO in


    private if you have problems with the reshuffle, as we may reinstate you to your original positions.


    Naturally, if you¡¯re reluctant to discuss it but are unable to understand the reason for the shuffle. you


    have my full support if you would like to leave for better work opportunities. I would never interfere with


    anyone¡¯s ns for progress.¡±


    Turning to Sid, she added, ¡°Please pass this message to Hank as well. The meeting is hereby


    concluded.¡±


    Then, Cordy rose to her feet, not forgetting to p Noel on the shoulder as she left. ¡°We¡¯re in for a


    challenging time now.¡±


    She did not wait for Noel to respond before leaving, however.


    All she needed was for everyone to see the cordial exchange between her and Noel.


    And with that, she returned to her office for a moment, before quickly leaving the building-and leaving a


    hideous mess for Noel to clean up.


    In fact, Noel¡¯s office was congested with angry employees in no time at all.


    Everyone was shouting and trying to get a world in, causing a pandemonium that left Noel stopping


    short of imploding.


    She had no idea why there was a shuffle because Cordy had never mentioned it to her, but everyone


    was convinced that it was a mutual decision between her and Cordy!


    None of them believed her no matter how she exined, and they refused to speak with Cordy no


    matter how she asked.


    It took a long while for Noel to leave her office and get to Cordy¡¯s office, only to find Cordy long


    gone.


    That was the moment that both she and her father had fallen for Cordy¡¯s trap!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 78

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 78


    Chapter 78


    Noel was in shambles.


    It took her great difficulty to finally send the disgruntled employees congesting her office away.


    However, just as she prepared to leave work, Hank intercepted her at the door!


    Flinging his cellphone straight at her desk, he bellowed, ¡°Noel Sachs! I¡¯ve beenpletely loyal and


    did everything your father and you asked of me! But now, I¡¯m losing my job just because Cordy Sachs


    said so?! You better exin yourself, or I¡¯m not letting you out this door!¡±


    Left utterly terrified by Hank¡¯s outburst, Noel scrambled to get her phone and ask for help.


    However, even though she could unlock her phone, Hank snatched it out of her hands.


    ¡°Calm down, Mr. Rogers!¡± Noel quickly tried to calm him down. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know you would be


    shuffled, and I have no idea why my sister did it. She never told me about it beforehand, and I would¡¯ve


    stopped her if I knew-¡±


    ¡°Quit lying to me! I finally got it now¡­ It¡¯s all a conspiracy by your family!¡± Hank snarled viciously,


    completely refusing to listen to Noel. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that your family were at odds with Cordy, and


    that you and Simon were going to topple her¡­ But I was too naive! You¡¯re family, and family naturally


    sides with family! You were all just working together to reform all of Starstream!¡± ¡°How could you


    believe that, Mr. Rogers? Cordy basically stole Starstream from us,¡± Noel reasoned. ¡°My father and I


    really wanted her out. We¡¯d never support her, because we want to take back everything that was


    ours-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Hank yelled, cutting her short. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you and Cordy for a long time now-l


    should have suspected that you were conspiring together! She had you go to her office alone, and she


    even asked you to keep it a secret after the meeting. It was about the shuffle, no?! And then there¡¯s


    Fabian Locke and Dean Longman-Simon himself forced them to leave, they did not resign on their


    own! They were his confidants, but he abandoned them just like that! I finally see your family¡¯s true


    colors now!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Rogers, you¡¯ve really misunderstood. It was all Cordy¡¯s trap. She deliberately caused this


    misunderstanding between everyone and me, my father¡­¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding?!¡± Hankughed coldly. ¡°If it is so, why would she appoint you as CEO and let you


    take control over production? She knows how important production is at this stage-do you think she¡¯d


    let you take charge if she doesn¡¯t really trust you?! And she¡¯s just 25 years old! Do you think she can


    come this far alone without Simon controlling her behind the scenes?!¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t expect those moves from her either!¡± Noel cried, absolutely frustrated when Hank mentioned


    it.


    Cordy had certainly caused misunderstandings that she and Noel were cordial when she appointed


    Noel as CEO, even lying that Noel was the one who came up with Starstream¡¯s fashion designs for the


    next season. And now, just after forcing Simon to dismiss Fabian and Dean, she gave Noel yet another


    important job!


    Every move had been strategically immacte!


    And yet, people still had yet to pick up on Cordy¡¯s true intentions: to drive a rift between Simon and the


    company¡¯s heads of departments and executives by making them feel that they could not depend on


    him!


    Then, after she made a demonstration of Hank by shuffling him out of his position, everyone would feel


    the pressure to follow Starstream Group¡¯s new direction!


    In fact, Noel could even predict now that no one would even listen to her or her father after this while


    Cordy took full control of Starstream Group, iming full authority over it!


    To make things worse, Noel and Simon would be the ones suffering all the consequences of Cordy¡¯s


    move¡­ while Cordy herself would get away with all of it scot-free!


    ¡°No more excuses, Noel! This is my final warning-reappoint me as head of HR, or I¡¯ll destroy your and


    Simon even if it kills me!¡±


    And with that, Hank kicked the door open on his way out, leaving Noel shaking with rage!


    She had always been the one to bully Cordy ever since they were children, not the other way round!


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She would repay every indignation she suffered today a hundredfold!


    The shuffle of personnel at Starstream Group caused a minor disturbance within their circle of


    influence. However, it did not draw the attention of the major enterprises since Starstream was not that


    important.


    Meanwhile, at North City Central Private Hospital¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 79

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 79


    Chapter 79


    Randy Martin was reporting on the recent situation at Starstream Group, and he could not help giving


    an earnest praise when he was done. ¡°Mrs. Levine¡¯s moves were perfect¡­ I was so worried that she¡¯d


    be ousted when she charged into Starstream all by herself, but she tookplete control of them in


    under four months instead!¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    John listened to him, his delight hardly hidden from his calm expression.


    ¡°We have insider information that Hank Rogers was running everywhere and bad-mouthing Simon


    Sachs, calling him an ingrate and a snake. Fabian Locke and Dean Longman are reconsidering their


    allegiances as well-in short, Simon¡¯s pedestal is crumbling, and hispany¡¯s stock prices are


    dropping slightly because of that. Most importantly, no one in Starstream trusts him now. All they want


    is to keep their jobs and stay in Starstream, so they have to be loyal to Mrs. Levine.¡± John took a slow


    sip of his tea, seemingly enjoying the worshipful tone in Randy¡¯s words.


    ¡°Mrs. Levine¡¯s only issue now is Noel Sachs, since thetter could still cause trouble for her within


    Starstream Group. However, there was no doubt that Noel would never win against Mrs. Levine, and if


    they ever get into a dispute, Mrs. Levine would not be the one losing.


    Randy was now quite confident in Cordy. ¡°Also, Mrs. Levine would be taking charge of production for


    next season¡¯s fashion line personally, so she has a tight schedule to follow and can¡¯t afford any


    mistakes. She mentioned not being able to make it for the next few days, but she promised toe


    when you¡¯re getting discharged.¡±


    John¡¯s smile faded immediately, while Randy had to hide his.


    After all, his boss was so clingy, and Randy suddenly thought that John had potential to be a sugar


    baby.


    ¡°When can I get discharged?¡± John asked.


    ¡°In three to five days if nothing else happens,¡± Randy replied.


    ¡°In three days,¡± John said bluntly. ¡°I must get discharged in three days.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine,¡± Randy replied reverently.


    After all, anyone who got in John¡¯s way of meeting Cordy must have a death wish!


    Cordy looked up at the clock in her office to see that it was long past 10 PM.


    She had only appointed Noel as the production manager for show-it was only natural that Cordy would


    personally take charge over something so important.


    Not only was Cordy inquiring on their progress every day, but she would also visit the production site


    whenever possible. After so much dy, there was no room for error.


    And with that, she had not visited John for three days despite her promise to take care of him every


    day.


    She had thought that things were mostly going well and she could leave work early today, only to


    be dyed until now.


    Still, what was John up to at the moment?


    After hesitating for a moment, she typed a text and sent it. [Sleeping?]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 80

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 80


    Chapter 80


    Cordy had just sent her text when a reply came almost instantly.


    [Nope.]


    Cordy could not help smiling.


    It was as if John had been waiting for her text, and she could almost imagine the look on his face.


    While her heart was not sent fluttering, her lips were still curling upward from habit.


    She replied: [It¡¯ste, and you¡¯re a patient. Sleep early, wake up early.]


    Once she was done, she called Walter to take her to the hospital.


    She had no idea when it started, but she was not that stiff toward him now.


    In the car, she was staring at the phone which never jingled.


    He could really be petty sometimes.


    After she arrived at the hospital, Cordy tried to be as quiet as she could as she entered John¡¯s ward.


    If he was obedient enough and fell asleep, she would rather not disturb him.


    However, there was no one in the hospital bed within that dark bedroom.


    Cordy was frowning when she suddenly heard movement from the bathroom, and she turned toward it


    just as the door suddenly swung open.


    She was left staring at the man who was dripping wet stepping outside.


    He was topless, his hair was drenched, and he only had a white towel around his waist that barely


    covered anything.


    Cordy¡¯s whole body stiffened.


    She never expected to see John like this¡­


    She could almost describe it as picturesque-she would not deny that he was easier on the eyes than


    the models she had worked with before.


    John was surprised by her sudden arrival too.


    He was under the impression that she was noting after receiving her text, so he did not wait for


    her, taking a bath and preparing to go to bed instead.


    As he watched her staring fixedly at his perfect figure, he smiled alluringly. ¡°See anything you like, Ms.


    Sachs?¡±


    Cordy came to her senses right then, her face flushing immediately.


    She was actually staring so much at his body!


    She quickly turned his back on him, though John¡¯s mood had visibly improved.


    Nonchnt, he stepped one foot out of the bathroom in his soaking wet slippers and immediately


    slipped.


    Cordy immediately noticed the awkward angle of his posture, but she did not hesitate to rush forward


    and help him.


    All she could think at that very moment was that she must stop him from falling because he was


    already injured.


    It never urred to her that John would be too heavy-that she could not help him regain his bnce at


    all.


    Hence, in the very next instant, both of them fell to the floor with a dull thud.


    Cordy had tried to cushion his fall by positioning herself beneath John, because she was really afraid


    that he would get hurt again, but she did not expect him to shield her head and back with his hands so


    she would fall on him instead.


    ¡°Mr. Levine?!¡±


    Both of them were startled as Randy suddenly opened the door with a loud bang.


    Then, he stood at the doorway for a couple seconds, stiffening, before fleeing on the third.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    My god¡­ The boss had actually jumped the missus!


    Still, he certainly must admit that after seeing both of them skirting around each other for so long, even


    an onlooker like him was getting impatient.


    Naturally, getting right down to business had always been effective since time immemorial.


    However, Randy was suddenly back in the room again, appearing ready to suffer the worst as he cried,


    ¡°Mr. Levine, the doctors said that your kidneys were injured, so you mustn¡¯t let loose too much!¡±


    ¡°Please continue!¡± he added, before fleeing again.


    John¡¯s face was dark-his kidneys were perfectly fine!


    Beneath him, Cordy could not help giggling softly-Randy could be really dense at times. Still, it was


    fortunate that Randy came when he did, since it effectively eased the awkwardness between her and


    John.


    ¡°Can you get up?¡± Cordy asked just then-John was as heavy as chunks of steel, and she almost could


    not breathe with him on top of her.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, slowly getting off her albeit with much difficulty.


    As they rose to their feet, the proximity between them more or less left them hyperventting and the


    very air around them stiffened as they got up.


    That was when she saw with perfect rity that his towel was on the floor, along with his¡­ John felt the


    breeziness as well, just as he saw Cordy sping her hand over her mouth.


    But just as he thought she would scream, she suddenly turned and dashed into the bathroom, after


    which retching could be heard within.


    The retching was not stopping, and it actually left John doubting his existence.


    It was after a long while until Cordy finally stepped outside.


    She did not want to do it, but she just could not control herself.


    On the other hand, John was already in bed, having put on his patient garb and buttoned up to his


    cor.


    Cordy actually felt how tight it was even as she looked at him.


    Slowly making her way to his bed, she decided to go with the n she came up with in the bathroom:


    she would just pretend that nothing happened.


    ¡°Did you hurt your arm?¡± she asked casually.


    ¡°No,¡± John replied. ¡°Just my pride.¡±


    Speechless for a moment, she said, ¡°It¡¯ste, I should go. I still have work tomorrow, and there¡¯s a lot of


    work to do at Starstreamtely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be discharged in three days,¡± John reminded her then.


    ¡°That¡¯s fast. It hasn¡¯t even been two weeks, right? Are your doctors allowing you to leave?¡± Cordy


    asked.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t that hurt anyway.¡±


    Cordy narrowed her eyes-who was the one who keptining that it hurt a lot on the first day?!


    ¡°You¡¯reing to visit when I leave, right?¡± John asked nheless.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve told Randy already. Did he not tell you?¡±


    ¡°Just checking,¡± John replied nonchntly. ¡°Your word isn¡¯t golden, after all.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she could not say anything against that.


    After all, she certainly did not take care of him every day.


    ¡°You should leave soon. Get some sleep,¡± John said, letting her leave for once.


    Still, it was certainly veryte, and he understood that Cordy had been very busytely.


    There were times when he thought he would die from overwork when he first started to work at Levine


    Ventures¡¯ foreign branch.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going now. Bye.¡±


    Cordy certainly did not hesitate to turn and leave, as if worried that she would waste another second.


    John watched from behind as she strode off and he sighed feebly.


    It was not like he could change his looks!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 81

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 81


    Chapter 81


    Today was the scheduled photoshoot for Zoe York for her endorsement of Starstream Group¡¯s fashion


    line for the next season.


    Cordy was at the studio early in the morning, personally helping Zoe with her wardrobe,


    hairdressing, and makeup.


    This was the first productunchmercial for Cordy since she took over Starstream-it was important


    to both her and herpany, so she would not drag her feet.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    She had personally designed Zoe¡¯s dress ording to thetter¡¯s measurements, and it was even


    more fitting than she imagined after Zoe put it on.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve seen your designs, but I¡¯m still astonished at how great this looks once I put it on. This has


    to be the best casualwear I¡¯ve ever put-the design is as perfect as it is unique.¡± Zoe praised generously


    as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. ¡°You have to give the designer a bonus.


    Cordy smiled. ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling it as it is, Zoe said bluntly. ¡°If Starstream Fashion still doesn¡¯t skyrocket in poprity with


    this level of design, I¡¯m the one who¡¯scking sway, not the designs.


    Cordy certainly must admit that Zoe¡¯s assurances gave her a peace of mind.


    While she never doubted her own designs, none of them were marketed and she did not have any idea


    how the market would react. Even so, Zoe granted her belief.


    If she had never been this close to Zoe, Cordy would never expect a beautiful A-list actress like her to


    carry such a steely determination in private. It was hard not to like Zoe.


    ¡°After today¡¯s photoshoot, we will officially announce that you will be the new official endorser of


    Starstream Group,¡± Cordy said. ¡°We will also be uploading short highlights from today on YouTube and


    other tforms to stir the hype. Naturally, any content and documents will be sent to your studio


    beforehand for approval.¡±


    Zoe nodded. ¡°Yourpany¡¯s arrangements will do. You¡¯ll find me perfectly cooperative.¡±


    Cordy once again found Zoe exceedingly affable just then.


    Did Zoe really not mind her past?


    Moreover, she and John were¡­ in a tit-for-tat rtionship.


    Nheless, the photoshoot went smoother than expected, and Zoe was so diligent and dedicated


    they ended the session two hours ahead of schedule, surprising Cordy yet again. She was actually


    ready for the photoshoot tost for days, since she had worked with artists before.


    And with some of them ¡®not feeling it¡¯, the photoshoots were dragged on for up to a month.


    ¡°Good work,¡± Cordy said as she handed Zoe a bottle of water. ¡°The finalized photos and highlight clips


    will be sent to your studio, as I mentioned.¡±


    Zoe nodded as she took a sip from the bottle. ¡°Are you free tonight?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°At this hour, once I clean off my makeup and have a break, it¡¯d be time for dinner,¡± Zoe exined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have other work?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Well, I took the day off since I didn¡¯t know how long today¡¯s photoshoot would take.¡±


    ¡°Okay. What would you like to eat? I¡¯ll book us a ce,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°Anything goes, but the priority is the alcohol.¡± Zoe beamed. ¡°It¡¯s quite fun to drink with you.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll


    make the arrangements.¡± Cordy agreed.


    At 6 PM and after ensuring that Zoe could take spicy food, Cordy brought her to an authentic Mariachi


    restaurant.


    The long list of Mariachi dishes in the restaurant was a perfect pairing for alcohol.


    In their private room, Zoe¡¯s eyes lit up after she took a bite of a spicy sausage. ¡°How did you find this


    restaurant?¡±


    ¡°I used to work in public rtions,¡± Cordy said as she poured Zoe a ss of beer. ¡°I basically visited


    every restaurant of every variety throughout North City to draw financiers, and would take them to a


    restaurant that fit their preferences the most.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really different from what I expected,¡± Zoe said even as she relentlessly stuffed food into her


    mouth.


    It was certainly the first time Cordy had seen an actress eating so carelessly, since most of them had


    an almost demonic obsession with strict regimes to maintain their figures.


    ¡°I used to think that you¡¯re just a pretty face-dependent on men andcking anypetence,¡± Zoe


    continued bluntly just then. ¡°Even though you¡¯re pretty.¡±


    It was not the first time Zoe praised Cordy¡¯s good looks.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 82

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 82


    Chapter 82


    Cordy spoke with much irony, ¡°Kyle Jessop is really good at iming others¡¯ achievements.¡±


    She had done so much for Jessop Corp, but all of it in the end was categorized as Kyle¡¯s work.


    She did not hold it against him because they were in a rtionship, but now, she found that it really


    was not worth it.


    ¡°How did you two end up breaking up? Don¡¯t tell me that fire burns away your feelings for each other¡­¡±


    ¡°He fell for my stepsister.¡±


    ¡°Noel Sachs?¡± Zoe smirked. ¡°That two-faced bitch.¡±


    ¡°You can tell?¡±


    ¡°Anyone with eyes can. Shame that four out of five men are blind.¡±


    Cordy smiled-Zoey was certainly speaking sense, and she could not help feeling a little touched. This


    was only their second meeting, but there was this indescribable connection between them. Even Cordy


    herself had to admit that they really get along well together.


    Since she always kept to herself even as a child, she never had many friends.


    While she did have a couple of close friends, everyone avoided her ever since that scandal eighteen


    years ago. It was as if being seen with her would tarnish their reputation as well, and as time went by,


    Cordy became ustomed to being alone.


    In fact, she wondered if she had been too lonely abroad and hence fell in love with Kyle easily, even


    havingplete faith that their rtionship was rock-solid.


    As the two continued their conversation, they were drinking as well.


    Though Cordy was not intending to get drunk, she drank a lot since she and Zoe were really hitting


    it off.


    That was when her phone rang, and she nced at the caller ID before answering. ¡°Yes, Vince?¡± ¡°Ms.


    Sachs, I¡¯ve sent the official documents, photos and video highlights of Ms. York¡¯s photoshoot to your


    phone. Please go through them, and if there¡¯s no issue, I¡¯ll forward it to PR and Ms. York¡¯s


    managementpany for confirmation. We¡¯re prepared to go public at 10:10 PM on all major


    tforms.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy hung up and checked through all the documents, photos, and video highlights on her


    phone before showing it to Zoe as well. ¡°Check this out. It¡¯s the highlights and our official


    announcements we¡¯ll be publishing soon.¡±


    Zoe spared it a few nces before saying, ¡°It¡¯s good-I look gorgeous in those. Most importantly, the


    design is great.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll approve it, then.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    With that, Cordy texted Vince Cartman back before continuing to feast with Zoe.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    By 9:30 PM, they must have finished two cartons of beer.


    Zoe was now obviously drunk, though Cordy did not fare any better.


    asionally, she came under the impression that Zoe was trying to drink away her sorrows, though it


    would also appear as if Zoe simply liked to drink.


    Moreover, Zoe did not look like a person with sorrows.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you home,¡± Cordy said as she helped Zoe to her feet.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe mumbled as she leaned her whole body against Cordy. ¡°I want to sleep with you.¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, Zoe continued, ¡°We¡¯re family soon anyway.¡±


    If Zoe was not involved with John, Cordy would have suspected that Zoe was putting the moves


    on her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 83

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 83


    Chapter 83


    Cordy took Zoe to her apartment.


    Zoe certainly was the type who fell asleep easily, and she dozed off the instant they got into the car.


    Unable to wake Zoe up, Cordy had no idea where to take Zoe since she did not know where Zoe lived.


    Arriving at the parking lot below her apartment, it took Cordy some strenuous effort to get Zoe out of


    the car, up the elevator, and into her house, where she finally put Zoe on her bed.


    Cordy had always lived alone, so there was only one bed despite there being two rooms.


    Zoefortably tossed around in Cordy¡¯s bed just then, sound asleep.


    Cordy thought that she could just call in human traffickers to take Zoe away, and Zoe would be none


    the wiser.


    Did Zoe just not care, or was she that trusting toward Cordy?


    Taking a deep breath, Cordy made Zoe a ss of honey and put it on the nightstand while she took a


    bath.


    Once she was done and stepped outside, she noticed that her phone screen was shing since it was


    kept on silent.


    She picked it up and answered it out on the balcony.


    ¡°You¡¯re really understanding, aren¡¯t you, Cordy?!¡± Kyle¡¯s scoffing came from the other end. ¡°Signing up


    Zoe York to endorse Starstream Fashion? What, does it feel that good, sharing a man with her?! You¡¯re


    really disgusting!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt luckier when our wedding was called off,¡± Cordy simply retorted. It¡¯d be a misfortune of a


    lifetime if I actually married you.¡±


    ¡°What gives you the right to criticize me?!¡± Kyle snapped in contempt. ¡°Know your ce! You got


    knocked up at eighteen without getting married, and you now share a man with another woman! You¡¯re


    as cheap as you are filthy!¡±


    ¡°And you think yourself noble?¡± Cordy replied, not about to hold back against him. ¡°Do you even


    consider how disgusting you were when you jumped into bed with Noel? You¡¯re literally nothing good,


    but still act so high and mighty. But honestly, you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°If you won¡¯t ept my kindness, it¡¯s pointless to talk to you further-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re being nice. You¡¯re just jealous.¡± Cordy exposed Kyle right then.


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous? Why would I be jealous of you?¡±


    ¡°Because all of Jessop Corp¡¯s efforts to sign Zoe York as an endorser failed. You¡¯re just hurting


    because you can¡¯t ept that old little Starstream Fashion could sign her instead.¡±


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re delusional!¡± Kyle shot back. ¡°Starstream isn¡¯t even on the level of Jessop Corp! There¡¯s nothing


    topare! And I don¡¯t care what you do over there, because you¡¯ll never reach our level no matter


    how much progress you have! So what if you get Zoe?! It¡¯s all just a publicity stunt!¡±


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll see,¡± Cordy replied and hung up on him-speaking further with Kyle was pointless and


    mostly a waste of time.


    On the other end, Kyle¡¯s face was ashen after Cordy hung up on him.


    He certainly must admit that he was frustrated when he saw the official announcement of Starstream


    and Zoe¡¯s partnership.


    On the other hand, Jessop Corp had tried to court Zoe for years, only for Cordy to sign Zoe up with


    rtive ease.


    Jessop Corp would be humiliated once word got out!


    Moreover, he had been feeling infuriated ever since he broke up with Cordy.


    But he believed the day would eventuallye when Cordy got her just deserts, and she would


    understand that leaving him was the worst mistake of her life!


    Returning to her bedroom after the call with Kyle, Cordy was surprised to find that Zoe had woken up.


    Zoe was sitting on Cordy¡¯s bed, though she appeared a little lethargic.


    ¡°Finished your call?¡± she asked Cordy.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°My head hurts.¡±


    ¡°Have some honey.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Then, take a bath¡­ or would you rather I send you home?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here.¡± Zoe was determined.


    As a matter of fact, she rarely stayed in North City since she was always filming on location. On the


    rare asion she returned, she would just stay at hotels since the Levines had many of those.


    This time, she only stayed at Levine Manor because her parents and n Levine threatened her,


    saying they would make her leave showbiz and work at Levine Ventures if she refused to stay home.


    As a free spirit who hated such a heavily regted lifestyle, she thought she would lose her


    mind.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 84

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 84


    Chapter 84


    Zoe then added, ¡°Your bed smells really nice.¡±


    Cordy smiled.


    After that, Zoe took a bath and put on a pair of Cordy¡¯s pajamas, walking around and surveying Cordy¡¯s


    home. ¡°There¡¯s only one room¡­¡±


    ¡°You can still change your mind,¡± Cordy said as she made coffee at the bar.


    As she usually slept veryte, she did not feel drowsy since it was not midnight yet.


    And Zoe no longer felt sleepy after waking up either.


    ¡°Change my mind for what?¡± Zoe giggled. ¡°It¡¯s no loss for me.¡±


    Cordy suddenly stared at Zoe fixedly, and Zoe quickly came to her senses to exin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m


    straight.¡±


    Smiling, Cordy handed her the coffee she brewed. ¡°I prefer my coffee ck. There are cubes over here


    if you don¡¯t like it bitter.¡±


    ¡°No, I usually take mine ck too-especially when I¡¯m tired.¡±


    They both sat on the couch as Cordy turned on the TV.


    sugar


    She happened to leave it on an entertainment channel, which was broadcasting a reality show with Zoe


    on it.


    ¡°You¡¯re really a fan of mine!¡± Zoe eximed rather proudly.


    In reality, this was not the case since Cordy would only watch such programs to kill time and rx.


    Naturally, she would not say that to Zoe¡¯s face.


    Hence, they both kept watching the show until it was ratherte, and Zoe¡¯s phone suddenly started


    ringing.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    She took a look but did not answer.


    After that, Cordy¡¯s phone rang instead, and she quickly answered when she saw who it was. ¡°Mr.


    Parker.¡±


    Zoe seemed to nce at her just then, but soon turned back to the TV.


    Meanwhile, Jay Parker was asking, ¡°I heard Zoe had a photoshoot at Starstream Fashion for her


    endorsement?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cordy nodded. ¡°Are you looking for her? She¡¯s with me right now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jay asked as if for confirmation.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°We got a little drunk, so she asked to stay at my ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Jay replied, almost sounding relieved.


    ¡°Were you looking for her? Should I pass her the phone?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine-it¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t answer my call just now. Just pass my message that tomorrow¡¯s


    scene is very important, and she mustn¡¯t bete.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied, but she was a little puzzled about how important it was that he called at midnight


    to remind Zoe.


    She even felt that Jay obviously sounded anxious when she first answered the call, but he sounded


    unconcerned now.


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s all from me. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Cordy hung up before turning to Zoe, ¡°Director Parker is asking you to not bete tomorrow, since it¡¯s


    an important scene tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Zoe clicked her tongue in disdain-she certainly knew that Jay was only calling her because she


    had yet to return to Levine Manor.


    He might be only five years older than her, but he really was a responsible elder!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 85

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 85


    Chapter 85


    Cordy asked, ¡°Do you have a problem with Director Parker?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe replied nonchntly.


    Even so, Cordy thought that things were weird between Zoe and Jay.


    For one, why would Zoe refuse to take his call?


    Reasonably speaking, one would feel bad if they did not answer a director¡¯s call, would they not?


    Or maybe Zoe was more important than the project?


    After all, she heard that the TV series was just slightly above B-list, but not actually A-list.


    And with Zoe¡¯s current status in showbiz, she could get S-list scripts whenever she wanted.


    But while Zoe could throw her weight around, she did not look like the type who would do that. ¡°I¡¯m


    sleepy.¡± Zoe yawned just then. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy certainly would not pry into the private affairs of others, not to mention that she and Zoe were not


    that close.


    But somehow, they were sharing a bed already.


    Early next morning, Cordy made a simple breakfast for herself and Zoe.


    When a drowsy Zoe emerged from the bedroom, she yawned after spotting the food on the table: ¡°I¡¯m


    fine-I¡¯m on a diet anyway.¡±


    She was certainly not shy about it at all, while Cordy wondered if she was like this to everyone.


    ¡°But you were eating a lotst night¡­¡± Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I have to go on a diet now,¡± Zoe said, as if it made perfect sense.


    ¡°Skipping breakfast is bad for the stomach.¡±


    ¡°I know. My assistant will bring me boiled eggs and low-fat milk. I¡¯ll have those in the car.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Director Parker did tell me not to bete yesterday. I¡¯d never dare to upset him.¡±


    Cordy frowned.


    But Zoe did not answer his callst night¡­


    ¡°Thanks forst night,¡± Zoe smiled at Cordy then, even shing her a wink. ¡°I¡¯ll send you something


    nice for your wedding.¡±


    Cordy was speechless. Who was she marrying again?


    News that Zoe signed an endorsement deal with Starstream Group had left both the showbiz and


    commerce worlds in shock.


    None of them would ever have imagined that Zoe would coborate with a mediocre enterprise like


    Starstream Group.


    It was precisely because it was so surprising that it topped trending searches, rapidly hyping up


    Starstream Fashion.


    Meanwhile, Kyle was left scowling in his office.


    Was this what Cordy intended-to use the unprecedented situation to increase click-through rates?!


    But so what if it was?


    Starstream Group¡¯s fashion line would never sell anyway, and the hype would only be momentary.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Once it passed, it would all prove to be a waste of time, effort, and money.


    Picking up his phone, Kyle made a call. ¡°Mandy? Why aren¡¯t you at the studio yet?¡±


    ¡°I have a short video to shoot today, Kyle,¡± Mandy Jessop replied. ¡°I¡¯lle in tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have mentioned that earlier?¡± Kyle huffed.


    ¡°I just got the call myself,¡± Mandy replied. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hanging up. They¡¯re starting soon.¡±


    And she did just that.


    Kyle was certainly disappointed in her.


    The family had spent a fortune on her over the years to help her develop in showbiz, only for her to end


    up a permanent B-list actress. She would have risen much further if she worked a little harder on her


    acting!


    However, the family had spoiled her ever since she was a child, and she only ever catered to her own


    whims


    Naturally, she was not informed out of the blue-she hadpletely forgotten about themercial


    shooting for her own family¡¯s business!


    As a matter of fact, the short film was being shot near the set of Pomp and Circumstance, and Mandy


    was fuming as she remembered Zoe poaching her role.


    Just then, an assistant director came and told her, ¡°Get ready, Mandy. Director Parker will be here soon


    to direct the shooting.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Jay Parker is directing?¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to be Director Cammy, but something came out and thepany had to get a


    recement. Don¡¯t worry, though-Director Parker¡¯s a professional, acknowledged by everyone in


    showbiz.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 86

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 86


    Chapter 86


    Mandy did not care who the director was, but she was more or less upset after Jay cold- shouldered


    her back at n Levine¡¯s birthday party.


    After a long while, Jay finally showed up on set and the shooting began after a short exchange.


    ¡°Action!¡±


    Jay sat in front of the camera, but a frown soon appeared on his face.


    ¡°Cut!¡± He snapped.


    Suddenly told to stop, Mandy scowled immediately.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Director?¡± the assistant director quickly asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s looking the wrong way and her position is awkward. She carries no presence in the camera


    either, and her appearance as well as her costume won¡¯t do,¡± Jay said. ¡°The final oue won¡¯t have


    any of its intended effect.¡±


    Mandy scowled even harder from his words-no one had ever dared talk to her like that because of her


    family background!


    ¡°Prop team, adjust her appearance. I don¡¯t want your run-of-the-mill web celebrity cheap aesthetic. As


    for the actors and actresses, study the script again to understand it further,¡± Jay finished bluntly. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    returning to the other set. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    As he started to leave, however, Mandy charged at him, screaming, ¡°Jay Parker!¡±


    She had never been criticized so much in her years in showbiz!


    As Jay stopped, she snapped, ¡°Since you have so much to say about my performance, why don¡¯t you


    demonstrate what you want personally?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a director, not an actor,¡± Jay said bluntly. ¡°And while I can certainly demonstrate it, I¡¯m busy.¡± With


    that, he turned to leave again, leaving Mandy indignant.


    With old scars and now new ones, she strode forward to grab Jay¡¯s shirt.


    Caught off guard, he wobbled and mmed into a scaffolding nearby.


    The structure hardly showed integrity since the shot was expected to end after just a day, and the steel


    pipes began to copse from the collision.


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    While everyone present was left stunned, Mandy was left petrified and watching as the steel pipes


    plummeted straight at her.


    But at the veryst moment, Jay suddenly lunged forward, knocking her to the floor and shielding her


    beneath himself while every steel pipe mmed onto his back¡­


    News that Zoe signed an endorsement deal with Starstream Group had left both the showbiz and


    commerce worlds in shock.


    None of them would ever have imagined that Zoe would coborate with a mediocre enterprise like


    Starstream Group.


    It was precisely because it was so surprising that it topped trending searches, rapidly hyping up


    Starstream Fashion.


    Meanwhile, Kyle was left scowling in his office.


    Was this what Cordy intended-to use the unprecedented situation to increase click-through rates?!


    But so what if it was?


    Starstream Group¡¯s fashion line would never sell anyway, and the hype would only be momentary.


    Once it passed, it would all prove to be a waste of time, effort, and money.


    Picking up his phone, Kyle made a call. ¡°Mandy? Why aren¡¯t you at the studio yet?¡±


    ¡°Thave a short video to shoot today, Kyle,¡± Mandy Jessop replied. ¡°I¡¯lle in tomorrow.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t you


    have mentioned that earlier?¡± Kyle huffed.


    ¡°I just got the call myself,¡± Mandy replied. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hanging up. They¡¯re starting soon.¡±


    And she did just that.


    Kyle was certainly disappointed in her.


    The family had spent a fortune on her over the years to help her develop in showbiz, only for her to end


    up a permanent B-list actress. She would have risen much further if she worked a little harder on her


    acting!


    However, the family had spoiled her ever since she was a child, and she only ever catered to her own


    whims.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Naturally, she was not informed out of the blue-she hadpletely forgotten about themercial


    shooting for her own family¡¯s business!


    As a matter of fact, the short film was being shot near the set of Pomp and Circumstance, and Mandy


    was fuming as she remembered Zoe poaching her role.


    Just then, an assistant director came and told her, ¡°Get ready, Mandy. Director Parker will be here soon


    to direct the shooting.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Jay Parker is directing?¡±


    ¡°It was supposed to be Director Cammy, but something came out and thepany had to get a


    recement. Don¡¯t worry, though-Director Parker¡¯s a professional, acknowledged by everyone in


    showbiz.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 87

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 87


    Chapter 87


    John had been constantly texting Cordy before he got discharged.


    While he did not ask her to visit him before he left the hospital, he was talking about everything else.


    That includes asking if she was busy, as well as offhandedly and casually mentioning that he could get


    discharged since the doctors told him that he was recovering well.


    He was really doing everything he could just to get her here to see him.


    Still, his efforts were not wasted on Cordy as she actually came to the hospital early in the morning.


    Randy Martin was busy with paperwork, packing up and everything else.


    On the other hand, John had changed out of his patient garb into a casual light blue shirt, with slim- cut


    outdoor pants beneath. It was less prim and formal than his usual suit and tie, but it painted him with a


    carefree elegance while retaining his usual good looks.


    But as he sat on the couch, still as a pond, he was glowering¡­.


    That was, until Cordy¡¯s arrival.


    Randy was certainly rejoicing over her graciousness-he absolutely had no idea what abuse was in


    store for him if she never came.


    And the instant she appeared, his boss¡¯ frosty expression was suddenly as warm as summer.


    ¡°Are you done packing?¡± Cordy asked Randy.


    ¡°More or less,¡± Randy quickly replied. ¡°Hendy¡¯s waiting in the parking lot too. Mr. Levine can get


    discharged now.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    John nodded slightly, but was otherwise not moving.


    Cordy frowned.


    Did John not just receive a clean bill of health? Why was he not getting to his feet?!


    Still, she waited for Randy to help John up, but Randy was tactful enough to flee as if he never noticed.


    Was she having augh? He would be dead if he did that!


    And with that, Cordy had no choice but to help John to his feet, who quickly pressed his full weight on


    her.


    He was as heavy as an elephant!


    Still, she gritted her teeth and helped him walk all the way to his Maybach, which drove them to


    Chateau Emporio.


    The journey was exceedingly quiet, and Randy was forced to clear the air when he caught that look


    from John as he rode shotgun.


    But that was John¡¯s own missus! Was he unable to woo her himself?!


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, it¡¯s on the news that you just signed on Zoe York as your brand ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Cordy nodded, though she seemed to be ncing at John as she spoke.


    He appeared perfectly calm, and when he turned toward her after noticing her look, she had already


    turned away.


    ¡°You have a good eye, Ms. Sachs. Zoe is as beautiful as she is fashionable. There¡¯s no better


    candidate for a brand ambassador,¡± Randy quickly added.


    Since he was at once praising Cordy¡¯s insight and Zoe¡¯s good looks, he certainly was killing two birds


    with one stoneplimenting the two most important women in John¡¯s life!


    He almost wanted to pat himself on the back!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, boss?¡± he asked just then, seizing the moment to fawn over John.


    John nced at Randy beforementing, ¡°Zoe York does have good genes.¡±


    Randy stared at his boss through the rearview mirror for a while, utterly speechless.


    The man should be acknowledging Cordy¡¯s business acumen before ttering her by saying that she


    was more beautiful than Zoe, let alone brag about his family¡¯s genes!


    Randy finally understood why John was having no progress with the missus after so long-in fact, it


    would be weird if he managed to woo her!


    Meanwhile, Cordy frowned at John¡¯s words. So¡­ he had already met Zoe¡¯s parents?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 88

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 88


    Chapter 88


    Cordy felt this emotion inside that she could not quite describe but she ignored it.


    Soon, they arrived at Chateau Emporio, but before she could speak, John told her, ¡°Dicky¡¯s waiting for


    you inside.¡±


    And with that, she stopped herself from saying what she would have, just as Winston arrived, greeting


    them respectfully, ¡°Wee home, Master John-and wee, Ms. Levine.¡±


    So aside from Richard, Winston was here too?!


    Did that mean John sent Winston away thest time she came over?


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    A little figure dashed out of the chateau and threw himself into Cordy¡¯s arms right then. ¡°Mommy,


    I missed you so much¡­ but Daddy wouldn¡¯t let me see you at the hospital!¡±


    It was obviously aint.


    Still, Cordy patiently dropped to a crouch before Richard, exining, ¡°He was hurt, so he had to stay at


    the hospital. He would¡¯ve had to take care of you if you went, and he wouldn¡¯t have recovered so


    quickly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± Richard said sharply just then. ¡°Daddy¡¯s just worried that I¡¯d have Mommy all to myself.


    He doesn¡¯t know how to share.¡±


    Cordy could not help smiling then-the term ¡®sharing¡¯ might have been misced there.


    Winston was smiling too, though he was on John¡¯s side on this one since a man simply did not share


    his wife.


    ¡°Dicky,¡± John growled, glowering just then.


    Naturally fearing his father, Richard quickly stoppedining at his threat and instead tamely took


    out a pair of pink slippers and ced them on the floor. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try them, mommy? Daddy and I


    spent a lot of time picking these from the mall.¡±


    Cordy felt her heart softening just then.


    She would not be visiting here that often, but they went out of their way to prepare those slippers for


    their anyway.


    She felt worse remembering that John had to buy his own slippers thest time he visited her home.


    Still, she put on the slippers, finding them soft andfortable and the size perfect. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d like them, Mommy. Now hurry-I¡¯ll take you on a tour around our ce. It¡¯s so big and


    beautiful,¡± Richard said enthusiastically.


    Cordy wondered just then if his little heart could take it if she told him that she had been here before.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, it¡¯s on the news that you just signed on Zoe York as your brand ambassador.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Cordy nodded, though she seemed to be ncing at John as she spoke.


    He appeared perfectly calm, and when he turned toward her after noticing her look, she had already


    turned away.


    ¡°You have a good eye, Ms. Sachs. Zoe is as beautiful as she is fashionable. There¡¯s no better


    candidate for a brand ambassador,¡± Randy quickly added.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Since he was at once praising Cordy¡¯s insight and Zoe¡¯s good looks, he certainly was killing two birds


    with one stoneplimenting the two most important women in John¡¯s life!


    He almost wanted to pat himself on the back!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, boss?¡± he asked just then, seizing the moment to fawn over John.


    John nced at Randy beforementing, ¡®Zoe York does have good genes.¡±


    Randy stared at his boss through the rearview mirror for a while, utterly speechless.


    The man should be acknowledging Cordy¡¯s business acumen before ttering her by saying that she


    was more beautiful than Zoe, let alone brag about his family¡¯s genes!


    Randy finally understood why John was having no progress with the missus after so long-in fact, it


    would be weird if he managed to woo her!


    Meanwhile, Cordy frowned at John¡¯s words. So¡­ he had already met Zoe¡¯s parents?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 89

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 89


    Chapter 89


    Cordy nced at John.


    She had much to say, but was reluctant to say it in front of Richard.


    As for Richard, he did not dare to ask more questions under John¡¯s watchful eye.


    Still, Cordy stayed there for lunch and coaxed Richard into taking a nap before leaving.


    John rode home with her at the backseat, with Hendy driving.


    The car was quiet until Cordy spoke. ¡°John.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He turned toward her.


    ¡°I may have a blemished past,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m not a loose woman either.¡±


    John said nothing, but he was obviously taken aback.


    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re sessful and women would love you, even throw themselves at you. I also


    wouldn¡¯t deny that anyone likes beautiful things, and neither you nor her might be at fault too -but it¡¯s


    against my principles. I¡¯ll be fine if we all stay as friends, but I won¡¯t try to go further for anything else.¡±


    The car just happened to stop below Cordy¡¯s apartment block just then and she opened the door,


    striding away right then and leaving John looking utterly bamboozled.


    He then turned toward Hendy. ¡°What was she talking about?¡±


    Hendy was quiet for a moment as he tensed up-he was too old to understand the young ¡®uns troubles


    in love.


    But judging from what Cordy was saying¡­.


    ¡°Perhaps she¡¯s suggesting that you¡¯re too fickle, sir?¡± Hendy said gingerly.


    ¡°Am I, now?¡± John asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°You do look that way, sir¡­ I mean, you¡¯re so handsome that thedies might feel insecure.¡±


    John was speechless.


    In other words, everything was his fault!


    Whether he kissed her¡­


    Exposed himself in front of her¡­


    And now, being good looking!


    Nheless, Cordy was busy after things ended on a ¡®sour note¡¯ with John, since they were busy with


    Starstream Fashion¡¯s autumn collection hitting the market.


    John never approached her ever since, and she had no idea if John understood what she was


    telling him the other way.


    Either way, things had cooled off between them.


    Be that as it may, she was still a little nervous as she sat in her office.


    They had done everything they could to advertise and build hype for their autumn collection, while Zoe


    was certainly enthusiastic too. Aside from the photoshoots, she would also wear Starstream- branded


    clothes as she casually strolled down the streets, even posing for the paparazzi so that they took more


    photos of her in those clothes, with the media dubbing her the ¡®most diligent. brand ambassador¡¯ on


    one asion.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 90

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 90


    Chapter 90


    Vince Cartman arrived with a document just then. ¡°Ms. Sachs? The sales report for the first wave is


    here.¡±


    ¡°Show it to me,¡± Cordy said calmly..


    Even as he passed it to her, Vince was reporting excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s far beyond what we predicted- sales


    began at 10 AM sharp today, and the more popr designs were sold out in seconds. Sales of the


    other designs also rose over thirty percent from our forecast, and counting. The numbers from physical


    stores are still pending, but the feedback nationwide is that they are selling like hotcakes, and they are


    too busy to count. Even the supplies are barely meeting the demand.¡± Cordy could not resist smiling at


    that, even as Vince took out an iPad and tapped on the photo gallery. ¡°Humphrey Wickers-our director


    of sales-has just arrived at the biggest mall in the city for an on-site survey, and here are the photos of


    our retail stores. Retail stores of other brands on the same floor are basically empty, though it¡¯s the


    same story for retail stores on other floors anyway.¡±


    One certainly had to admit now that Starstream Fashion made a bang!


    It was not just Starstream Group who were surprised but this level of sess-their rivals certainly did


    not expect it either.


    In his office, Kyle mmed the documents he was holding on his desk.


    Never did it cross his mind that Cordy would really propel Starstream Fashion to such immense


    poprity, while Jessop Corps¡¯ own products for their season barely reached a third of Starstream


    Fashion¡¯s sales figures! It was an uneptable humiliation for North City¡¯s top local fashionpany


    who had a monopoly over the business!


    Opening hisptop abruptly, Kyle restrained his rage as he studied the new Starstream designs.


    After all, he had been too focused on Zoe to notice the designs. It had been years since Starstream


    produced anything noteworthy, and there was no way Cordy could have moved heaven and earth so


    soon after she took over.


    And yet, when he reallyid eyes on the designs, he was left glowering.


    Even he had to admit that the standard of Strastream¡¯s autumn collection far eclipsed anything Jessop


    Corp¡¯s best designers coulde up with.


    And with that, Kyle promptly unleashed his wrath on his subordinates!


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me that Starstream Fashion has a new designer?! Don¡¯t you know that we must


    keep an eye on ourpetition even when we focus on our own business?! Or did none of you felt any


    danger when thepetition had risen to such standards?!¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ve already made queries, Mr. Jessop-there weren¡¯t any new recruits at Starstream!¡± the


    director of design quickly replied. ¡°Ms. Noel Sachs was the one who came up with the designs for the


    autumn collection as well. Our source is also verified since it¡¯s Hank Rogers, who was an important


    figure at thepany even though he left Starstream now. I mean, Cordy herself even rewarded Noel


    with a huge bonus for her work!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s expression darkened further at the feedback.


    Noel designed those? Did she even understand whose side she was on?!


    ¡°Out!¡± Kyle barked at his subordinates, and they promptly left.


    After they were gone, Kyle called Noel, shouting at her the instant she answered, ¡°What are you


    thinking, Noel?! Don¡¯t you understand how badly I¡¯ve been affected by the designs you made for


    Cordy?!¡±


    Noel was certainly aggrieved at the moment as well.


    She was stunned when Cordy produced the design temtes for the autumn collection, but she did not


    expect Cordy to be able to propel the entire season¡¯s designs to such wild poprity!


    In fact, she had never expected Cordy¡¯s promotional efforts to seed at all.


    Even Zoe was unexpectedly dedicated to her role as brand ambassador, promoting the designs. to the


    public and even on her private social media, where she often mentioned Starstream Fashion and


    showered them with endless praise.


    With the conspicuous product cements and the designs more than holding their own, Starstream


    was instantly a household name and seized all the attention they needed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that it would be that popr,¡± Noel said, making herself sound especially unhappy just


    then. ¡°I just put together some designs on a whim, but Cordy kept rejecting it so I had to respond in


    kind. I didn¡¯t think that the final product would be that popr.¡±


    ¡°You still should have told me,¡± Kyle growled, hardly hiding his rage. ¡°You never told me that Cordy was


    signing on Zoe York, or that she was reforming Starstream Fashion as a whole! Don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m


    your real family here! And did you think you could reim Starstream Group after helping Cordy so


    much? Are you stupid?!¡±


    Noel certainly was not stupid-Cordy was just too smart for her.


    Still, Noel¡¯s eyes shed viciously just then. ¡°Actually, Kyle, it¡¯s not entirely bad now that


    Starstream Fashion is popr.¡±


    ¡°What are you on about?!¡± Kyle did not hide his frustration at all.


    ¡°The higher they climb, the higher they fall!¡± Noel snapped, growling every word.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 91

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 91


    Chapter 91


    Kyle calmed down right then. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Even so, Noel still looked annoyed, as Kyle¡¯s mockery and outburst left her utterly disgruntled.


    She used to bear with his outbursts because she wanted him.


    Now that she had zero interest in him, all he said only filled her with spite.


    ¡°Sorry I got a little emotional, Noel,¡± Kyle said, naturally noticing that he had been too harsh, quickly


    turning mild-mannered as he could clearly tell that Noel had a n. ¡°Please understand-I¡¯m just worried


    that you¡¯re still helping your sister after she used you.¡±


    While Noel was not that understanding, she did not get petty since Kyle was still useful to her.¡± You


    see, since Starstream Fashion is now wildly popr, every article on them is positive, with the media


    andizens ttering them to no end. But if a scandal suddenly hits at this juncture, do you really think


    Starstream Fashion would retain their poprity? In fact, I expect a dramatic turn of the tide.¡±


    Though Kyle quickly understood the n, he asked, ¡°But is there a scandal involving Starstream


    Group? There was that shuffle of personnel, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯d gain traction.¡±


    ¡°Starstream Group may not be involved in any scandals¡­ but my sister sure is.


    ¡°What scandal?¡± Kyle was abruptly wary, and quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m not going to throw my reputation


    away here. It¡¯d be a pyrrhic victory!¡±


    v ownCopyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Obviously, he cared a lot about maintaining appearances, and he was worried that Noel would use his


    rtionship with Cordy as fuel for a scandal.


    No matter what happened, he did not want anyone to catch any dirt on him!


    ¡°Rx, Kyle. Of course I won¡¯t let your reputation be tarnished-anyway, do you remember the photos I


    sent you before?¡± Noel asked.


    Kyle thought about it, and soon realized what she was referring to. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°My sister¡¯s reputation would bepletely destroyed when those photos go public. Granted, it¡¯s never


    been good, but it¡¯d just give the photos more traction.¡±


    Kyle was still hesitant, because it was a little despicable if he sent those photos.


    ¡°Sleep on it, Kyle. Actually, I would never have suggested it at all¡­ if it wasn¡¯t for the sake of Jessop


    Corp, especially when you¡¯ve worked so hard to revive it,¡± Noel said good-naturedly. ¡± Anyway, I¡¯m


    hanging up now-


    ¡°It¡¯s all Cordy¡¯s own fault,¡± Kyle suddenly said.


    Noel was grinning vilely right then.


    When his personal gain was on the line, Kyle was absolutely unsentimental, even if he did feel guilty


    toward Cordy.


    Still, Noel told Kyle, ¡°There¡¯s no rush, Kyle. Let Starstream Fashion keep their hype for a few days¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Kyle asked-that would mean Jessop Corp¡¯s sales would be affected even more.


    ¡°Given the current situation, Cordy would definitely press production to increase their production rate,


    which adds to the costs. But if sales suddenly stop and they fail to cover the costs, Starstream Group


    finances would stagnate and my sister would have to sell her shares in exchange for capital. However,


    no otherpany would buy her shares or help once her reputation is utterly ruined, and when that


    happens, I can tell my father to buy all her shares, seizing the opportunity to reim Starstream.¡±


    Kyle¡¯s eyes twinkled following Noel¡¯s exnation.


    She had always seemed so delicate, so he was certainly surprised to find her capable of being so


    calctive and so thorough.


    And the thought that Cordy would soon lose everything left him even more excited, so he hastily said,


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with your n, Noel. I¡¯ll help you anyway I can.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Noel cooed.


    ¡°And once this is over, let¡¯s announce our engagement,¡± Kyle added earnestly..


    At the same time, he would praise Noel¡¯s show of wit on this asion publicly.


    ¡°That would have to wait. If we want to cause a scandal for Cordy, we can¡¯t mention our


    rtionship at all, or she¡¯d use it against us. When that happens, we would lose way more than what


    we gain.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Kyle agreed to it immediately.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 92

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 92


    Chapter 92


    Afterwards, Kyle and Noel flirted a little before Noel hung up, her eyes projecting savagery just


    then.


    She wanted to expose Cordy not only because of the reason she told Kyle, after all.


    She wanted to make John utterly disgusted toward Cordy, so that she would have a chance to steal


    him!


    After a week of unprecedentedly high sales figures, Starstream Fashion¡¯s autumn collection had


    shortages nationwide.


    Cordy promptly decided on anotherrge scale production instead of going the hunger marketing


    route.


    She certainly did not expect the autumn collection to sell so well they would go out of stock! Her ideals


    in fashion were just like her mother¡¯s, too-so that the clothing they designed personally could reach as


    many people as possible.


    However, just after the production waspleted and the second batch was about to hit the market, a


    certain scandalous expose made the headlines: The Deplorable Path to Sess of Cordy Sachs,


    Owner of Starstream Group!


    The details were borate, but the general gist of it was that Cordy had cheated on Kyle with multiple


    men while they were in a rtionship. It was her affair with those men that allowed her to sessfully


    take over Starstream Group and propel Starstream Fashion¡¯s poprity in one swift stroke, making


    millions!


    And everyizen was outraged once the scandal went public.


    (Cordy Sachs is disgusting, cheating on so many men at once! Poor, poor, Kyle Jessop.]


    [She doesn¡¯t even appreciate Kyle when he¡¯s willing to get engaged with her, considering her history.]


    [I was just thinking that Starstream Fashion is changing my opinion on local designs, only for such dirty


    secrets to hide beneath such beauty.]


    [Boycott Starstream Fashion. No more buying from them, sisters!]


    [I already called for a refund.]


    [It took me a lot to get this one dress, but I¡¯m not wearing it ever now!]


    At the same time, Kyle posted an announcement on his social media ount: [Cordy Sachs and I have


    already broken up amicably a while ago, but we did not announce it because we did not want to waste


    the public¡¯s time. I have noment about Cordy Sachs either, so please don¡¯t DM me


    It was a heel-face turn, acknowledging that Cordy was cheating on him, her reputation hitting rock-


    bottom.


    Starstream Group was naturally a busy ce, with the sudden crisis causing utter pandemonium from


    top to bottom.


    Cordy¡¯s scandal had led to vehement demand for refunds from online merchant sites and physical retail


    stores.


    The PR staff even suffered mental breakdowns and tearful episodes as outraged customers called in


    24/7.


    Even so, Vince stood respectfully in his corner within Cordy¡¯s office, staring at her almost eerily


    calm expression.


    No one could be thisposed if they were in her shoes, just as Vince had no idea if Cordy was just


    bearing with it or if her heart was just that stout.


    He simply watched as she swiped through her phone, looking at the photos that exposed her


    affairs.


    Each and every one of those photos showed sponsors whom Cordy had been trying to court for Jessop


    Corp, and molestations she could not get away from¡­.


    And now, Kyle was using that to use her of duplicity.


    It was as tragic as it wasughable!Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 93

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 93


    Chapter 93


    Gary Bryant, the head of the sales department, rushed into Cordy¡¯s office just then, clearly agitated.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs¡­¡±


    As Cordy lowered her phone to look at him, he cried, ¡°What should we do, Ms. Sachs? Every customer


    is now demanding a refund and the physical retail stores are crowded with them. All malls nationwide


    are alsoining to us, demanding that we produce a solution.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs!¡± Tim Hardy, the head of purchasing, soon rushed inside as well. ¡°We have multiple


    suppliers demanding payment, or they would sue!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, our customer service department is really falling apart. The lines are all busy, and none of


    the customers are listening to us¡­¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips as she looked at her anxious executives. ¡°I¡¯ll hold a meeting in ten minutes.


    Everyone must be there-I will be presenting aprehensive solution to this crisis. You all may go


    now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs,¡± they replied, and left despite their worry.


    If this situation continued and their autumn collection failed to sell at all, Starstream Group¡¯s finances


    would start to stall and they would face bankruptcy in the long run.


    Cordy continued to scroll through the news and noticed that Zoe was affected by the scandal, since


    she was the brand ambassador of Starstream Fashion.


    There were people ming her on Twitter for taking just any job-for being willing to do anything just for


    the money.


    All at once, she was caught in the eye of the storm, with people taking to boycotting any project she


    was involved in.


    Given the immense repercussions, she called Zoe, who soon answered. ¡°Hey, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t expect this to hurt you so much,¡± Cordy said earnestly. ¡°Anyway, you can announce


    through the official channels that you¡¯re severing your endorsement deal with us. You will have my full


    cooperation in getting you through this PR crisis.¡±


    ¡°Who do you take me for, Cordy Sachs? A turncoat who doesn¡¯t care about loyalty?¡± Zoe snapped, a


    little angry just then. ¡°I know you were set up, and don¡¯t worry-I can hold my own. I have so many fans,


    and I won¡¯t miss those bandwagoners. Just focus on getting through this PR crisis yourself, and call me


    if you need me. I¡¯m ready to help anytime.¡±


    Cordy was actually stunned.


    At the moment, everyone was only too eager to cut ties with her, while a public figure like Zoe would be


    affected worse than most!


    ¡°Also, my dear brother just called me-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your scene, Zoe!¡± someone called out from the other end.


    ¡°Sorry, I have to go, I still have some scenes to shoot. Anyway, just focus on your own end. Don¡¯t mind


    me.¡±


    With that, Zoe quickly hung up.


    Even so, Cordy was more or less emotional.


    When one was alone and helpless, a single voice of support offered great warmth.


    She rose to her feet then, but her phone rang again before she could head to the conference room.


    When she saw the caller ID showing John¡¯s name, she was left with a myriad of emotions.


    She had no idea why he would call her now, since they had not been in touch for a while.


    Still, she hesitated for a moment before answering it.


    Both of them were silent for seconds.


    ¡°I have a meeting,¡± Cordy eventually said, convinced that they had nothing to talk about.


    There were times when exnations would never trump hearsay, just as she was not actually obliged


    to offer one.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 94

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 94


    Chapter 94


    In the end, they were just strangers who made a passing acquaintance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll enforce a press gag as soon as possible. Send me your ount number-I¡¯ll wire any amount of


    capital you¡¯re short of,¡± John eventually said, but his neutral voice obscured any emotion he felt. ¡°I have


    a PR time specializing on crisis mitigation who¡¯s abroad at the moment, but I¡¯ll have them fly here by


    tomorrow morning. Just spare some time, and I¡¯ll¡¯arrange for a meeting.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip.


    She actually did not yearn for any help from anyone at this time-especially after all that she had been


    through.


    Back when she was just eighteen, she had been mocked and ridiculed.


    No one stood up for her, and her own biological father considered her such an embarrassment that he


    could not wait to send her abroad, so as to not have his reputation tarnished in turn.


    This was the exact same situation, and everyone could not wait to cut ties from her¡­


    That was, everyone except John and Zoe.


    Confusion showed in Cordy¡¯s eyes just then, as she almost could not make up her mind on her


    rtionship with John now.


    Even so, she said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can manage.¡±


    ¡°Am I not worthy of your trust?¡± John asked icily, putting pressure on every word.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a bit, but she bit her lip and said, ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±


    She believed that since nothing would evere out of a rtionship with him, she had no reason to


    give each other hope.


    On the other end, John¡¯s fingers were clenching.


    Randy Martin was right beside him, obviously sensing his ring temper which would soon erupt like a


    volcano and catch him in the fallout.


    ¡°I won¡¯t trust anyone beyond myself ever again,¡± Cordy added then with a determined tone. ¡°I


    appreciate your gesture, Mr. Levine, but I shall handle my own crisis-I don¡¯t want you to get caught in


    some unnecessary trouble for my sake.¡±


    As John glowered, she finished, ¡°I still have a meeting to attend. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    And with that, Cordy hung up on him.


    Even as John stared at the words ¡®call ended¡¯ on his phone screen, Randy thought that John¡¯s face


    was darker than said screen.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    He suddenly wanted to just disappear, but in the end, Cordy had undoubtedly spurned John¡¯s


    graciousness.


    The instant the scandalous expose on Cordy made headlines, John had promptly gone into crisis


    management mode. He immediately contacted every media outlet, offering favors if he did not


    have leverage just so that they would take down any articles on Cordy.


    When that was done, he did not pause and swiftly contacted that PR team he mentioned so that they


    would make the trip to North City by next morning, along with a n to resolve the crisis as they


    arrived.


    After that, he called Zoe, telling her and her managementpany that they were not to do anything


    that could make Cordy look bad, even siding with Cordy unconditionally. If Randy could be honest


    there, the man¡¯s demand was more cruel than human!


    Andstly, he contacted the bank, confirming the current amount of his personal movable capital before


    calling Cordy.


    He had clearly calmed himself down when he made the call too, perhaps out of worry that his tone


    might rub her wrong. Heaven knows how tense that he must have been-he was almost snapping that


    golden fountain pen in his right hand.


    And yet¡­ All he got was that cool rejection.


    His heart must have shattered into t, two-dimensional mosaic pieces.


    ¡°Actually, sir¡­ isn¡¯t it likely that Mrs. Levine was convinced that she can resolve this crisis herself, and


    therefore can afford to turn you down?¡± Randy asked gingerly just then.


    As John blinked, Randy exined, ¡°I think she had always been outstanding and rational. She¡¯d never


    y around with Starstream Group, the only inheritance she got from her mother. That¡¯s why you


    shouldn¡¯t feel let down, sir.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 95

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 95


    Chapter 95


    John¡¯s fingers eased around his golden fountain pen just then, as Randy¡¯s words seemed to offer him


    assurance.


    As for Randy, he was heaving a subtle sigh of relief¨Cthank goodness he was sharp enough, or the days


    ahead would be disastrous.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be constantly keeping an eye on things over there too, sir,¡± he quickly added. ¡°I won¡¯t ever let her be


    hurt by those loathsome dirtbags.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Good,¡± John replied, and finally turned his attention to hisputer, returning to his own work.


    The atmosphere at the conference room in Starstream Group was immeasurably grim.


    They had never been a major enterprise, but things had always been calm, and they had never faced


    such a terrible crisis.


    At wit¡¯s end, no one could hide their anxiety and panic at all.


    Suddenly, someone spoke.


    ¡°Sis, have you thought of a solution? If this goes on, I¡¯m worried that ourpany would¡­¡±


    Noel deliberately allowed her words to trail off, while appearing to look apprehensive as well. Cordy


    looked at her just then, knowing all too well who the mastermind really was.


    Her ploys never changed over the years¨CKyle was an aplice, at best.


    Turning to look at everyone else, she said, ¡°ept the customers¡® demands for refunds. Stick to the


    full process for any customers as long as they ask for it¨Cno questions asked, including goods that are


    worn or already damaged.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Gary Bryant cried anxiously. ¡°Ms. Sachs, the sales of our autumn collection had always


    reached at least 50,000 items nationwide. Thepany would never be able to withstand such


    monumental pressure if we refund everything!¡±


    ¡°Please let me finish,¡± Cordy replied calmly, though she had been calm all this while.


    Ever since she reformed Starstream to a certain extent, most important figures in thepany were


    now earnest about working for Cordy. While they had things to say since this responsibility for this crisis


    lay squarely on Cordy¡¯s shoulders, they were once again impressed by Cordy¡¯s unexpected calm.


    In fact, a 25¨Cyear old woman¡¯s self¨Ccontrol despite such a huge scandal certainly trumped the anxious


    crowd, and they could not help being sincerely willing to listen to her arrangements. ¡°ept the


    refunds is the first step to salvaging our good name. The second is for Finance to do some math: I want


    the numbers of the expected losses, presuming that fifty percent of all refunds go through and include


    all due payments to our suppliers. I just need a number on how much capital we would lose, but I need


    it today¡­ Sorry, but that probably means Finance is going to work overtime.¡±


    Iker Kinley, the head of finance, promptly replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make the arrangements soon.¡±


    ¡°Now, for the third step¨Cwe will be organizing a press conference tomorrow. Our PR department will be


    in charge of notifying the major media outlets of North City, but there¡¯s no need to bribe or sway them.


    However, the PR team must y nice so as to not cause negative preconceptions before we get


    started, and naturally that also means preparing everything for the press


    conference: the stage, snacks, beverages, and the like.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs,¡± Stacy Dawson¨Cthe head of PR¨Cquickly replied.


    ¡°Last but not least, every head must keep their respective departments in line, and stop any employees


    from messing up amid this crisis. Also, once we step out through those doors, everyone is prohibited


    from discussing this crisis with anyone out of thispany. If anyone is discovered to have vited


    that, it will be a summary dismissal and other due legal processes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs,¡± every head of the department quickly replied.


    ¡°As long as we have yet to reach the end, no one knows how things will end. I understand that


    everyone is concerned, just as I can¡¯t promise a perfect conclusion to this mess¨Ceven so, I hope


    everyone will believe in me, and that I¡¯ll never abandon Starstream.¡±


    As Cordy finished, she rose to her feet and bowed, leaving everyone taken aback.


    She had always been authoritative, and not as mild as she was now.


    ¡°I believe in you, Ms. Sachs!¡± Gary was the first to speak up. ¡°Everyone has a past, and I don¡¯t think


    you¡¯ve done anything wrong. I¡¯ll support you until the end as long as you won¡¯t chase me away!¡°

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 96

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 96


    Chapter 96


    ¡°I believe in you too, Ms. Sachs,¡± Stacy quickly chimed in. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for Starstream Group to turn


    over a new leaf, and it¡¯s not worth falling to this setback. I¡¯m with you as we do all we can to resolve


    this crisis.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re with you too, Ms. Sachs!¡±


    All at once, the atmosphere was charged by the sudden show of solidarity with Cordy.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Noel was naturally scowling slightly¨CCordy genuinely surpassed her expectations.


    Forget being calm despite the serious crisis and the prospect of bankruptcy¨Cshe had somehow


    managed to draw everyone to her cause even now!


    Still, Noel¡¯s eyes shed dangerously.


    So what if everyone was standing with Noel? It was just an appeal to emotion.


    She would never believe that Cordy could save Starstream Group on her own!


    And yet, Noel¡¯s face fell the instant she returned to the office.


    Every article of Cordy¡¯s scandal which topped search trends had been removed¨Call of them! There was


    nothing on Cordy, and while there were more than a few threads and web content discussing it, any


    YouTube video or Instagram clip discussing it had been set to private ess. In fact, just typing ¡®Cordy


    Sachs¡® as a search keyword would automatically redirect searchers to a page announcing a webpage


    takedown.


    Noel¡¯s eyes were red from rage.


    Cordy was actually that influential that she could control the inte?!


    No.


    Someone must be helping her, and it went without saying that it was John.


    Noel could not help fuming.


    She just could not understand. Was that man blind? Why would he help such a disgusting woman?!


    Her phone rang just then, and she answered, ¡°Yes, Kyle?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s the news on Cordy being taken down?!¡± Kyle snapped indignantly.


    ¡°I just saw it myself, but my guess is that it¡¯s John Levine. No one aside from him would have such


    influence to scrub the inte clean!¡±


    ¡°Cordy really is impressive when ites to seducing men,¡± Kyle growled through his teeth.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kyle. Even without the news, that wave before is more than enough to destroy Cordy. The


    antis who are ming Starstream Group would also keep going, denying them any chance from turning


    things around. That said¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Kyle asked, a little eager just then.


    ¡°My sister said she¡¯s organizing a press conference tomorrow, and they¡¯re now inviting the important


    media outlets of North City. I¡¯m sure none of them would refuse since she¡¯s a hot topic right now.¡±


    ¡°She really is thick¨Cskinned. Calling a press conference now? Hasn¡¯t she been med enough?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what gives her the confidence to do it, but I¡¯m sure she must have her reason. I¡¯m a little


    worried, so don¡¯t you think you should talk to some of the journalists attending the press conference?¡±


    Noel suggested.


    After she had seen theposure andpetence Cordy showed since the crisis began, she had


    certainly be very wary toward Cordy and she was not willing to risk anything at all.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¨Cjust leave it to me.¡± Kyle¡¯s eyes shed viciously.


    He never wanted to fight Cordy to such an extent, but it was Cordy¡¯s own fault for being unreasonable.


    No matter how humiliated she would end up, she deserved everything that wasing at her!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 97

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 97


    Chapter 97


    Cordy was sitting in her office as she looked through her phone, seeing that all the scandalous articles


    on her had been taken down.


    She naturally knew that it was John.


    Her heart fluttered ever so slightly, but she restrained herself.


    Soon, Zoe posted a tweet on her personal ount.


    [Each person has a past, but facts would only be spection until proven. However, I must still advise


    certain people to grow a conscience!]


    The tweet was clearly a show of support for Cordy, and was hinting that she had been framed.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    It caused yet another fervent debate among theizens.


    Some were naturally ming Zoe for not having a conscience herself, that she had abandoned morals


    for the sake of money.


    On the other hand, those who supported Zoe spoke up. They point out that the endorsement fee she


    earns from being brand ambassador to Starstream Fashion was spare changepared to her


    worth, even specting there was something fishy because she certainly did not have to go that far for


    so little.


    Then, amid the online controversy, word soon spread about Cordy¡¯s press conference tomorrow, and it


    immediately topped search keywords.


    Be that as it may, with the negative articles now taken down,izens were actually discussing and


    specting the truth behind the scandal. They were certainly a lot less hostile toward Cordy, and the


    official announcement from Starstream Group that they would unconditionally receive any customer¡¯s


    request for refund certainly earned them a wave of good PR.


    In just half a day, the vehement ming against Cordy eased. As events developed, theizens were


    actually looking forward to a twist.


    After all, no one could dislike the response Cordy had shown thus far.


    Kyle was naturally glowering as he observed the direction where online sentiment had been steering.


    Now that things hade to this, he would not allow Cordy any chance to turn things around.


    He quickly called several chief editors from major news outlets, hinting at them to embarrass Cordy at


    the press conference tomorrow, after which he would give them an exclusive.


    When that was done, he called Cordy.


    She was still browsing the news when his caller ID shed on her screen, though she chose to answer


    it. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re giving all your customers unconditional refunds,¡± Kyle said with a sneer.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Cordy, you¡¯re losing at least 5 million dors on this one, and with the 200,000 pieces of clothing, it¡¯s


    over 10 million.¡± Kyleughed coolly. ¡°And how much is Starstream Group¡¯s market value? You¡¯re just


    going to announce your bankruptcy soon too, since no investor would touch you.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Cordy asked nonchntly. ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°Being stubborn does you no good. You¡¯re not salvaging anything no matter how you apologize


    tomorrow at the press conference, and the best you can hope for is a slight decrease in losses, but it¡¯s


    pointless when ites to the big picture. Like I said before, since we were in a rtionship, I don¡¯t


    mind giving you some capital if you¡¯re willing to admit your mistakes. You¡¯d at least not end up such a


    poor joke.¡±


    ¡°Admit my mistake?!¡± Cordyughed coolly, finding it utterly amusing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you set this whole thing


    up, Kyle? How stupid would I have to be to let you humiliate me?!¡±


    Kyle promptly denied it. ¡°This has nothing to do with me. It¡¯s you who went messing around without


    control. Now someone¡¯s making you pay!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows that those Jessop Corp sponsors molested me while drunk! Or are you


    saying that if they had too much free time, they would expose themselves?!¡±


    ¡°You were the one who went alone with them! I was so busy with work, I never had time to go with you!


    Was I even in any of those photos?!¡± Kyle snarled viciously.


    ¡°Of course not. I was alone, working myself to death and bleeding my guts out to help Jessop Corp,


    while you couldn¡¯t bring yourself to leave all the tender sweetness Noel was offering you, Cordy


    mocked. ¡°Also, Noel was the one who gave you those photos, so you could deny any involvement!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s face fell, as he was actually surprised that Cordy could tell.


    ¡°Is this how Noel drove you away from me and bewitched you? You prefer heinous, scheming women,


    don¡¯t you?!¡± Cordy demanded just then.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Noel and I are innocent, while you broke up with me and killed


    any prospects you might have. Like I said before, nothing good woulde to women who are too


    independent and authoritative! It¡¯s all your own fault!¡± Kyle shot back with lies and sophistry. ¡°I was


    being nice and trying to help, but since you don¡¯t want it, by all means, keep going and die! I¡¯ll see what


    sort of magic you can conjure tomorrow!¡±


    With that, he hung up furiously.


    To think that Cordy would still be so stubborn even at this stage. But he was in no hurry¡­.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 98

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 98


    Chapter 98


    Since Cordy would eventually make a fool of herself, Kyle believed he just had to wait and see her


    losing everything.


    After that, he would see if she would still have the cheek to stay on her high horse!


    On the other end, Cordy could hardly bottle up her rage as she put down her phone.


    She did not hold Kyle¡¯s duplicity against him, because if there was no love involved, that was the end of


    the story¨Cno one can be coerced into loving another.


    But she never knew that he could be so despicable¡­ so ungrateful!


    She had never regretted all the things she did for him like she did now.


    Her eyes narrowed right then, her tolerance toward Kyle having reached its limit.


    Since she could bring Jessop Corp back from the brink of copse, she would return it to the state she


    found it in!


    That was when her phone chimed with several notifications, and she tapped on it to find several media


    files sent by John.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    She gulped.


    Suddenly, she was once again confused if she should trust anyone else.


    Her own biological father had dumped her abroad, leaving her to fend for herself for the sake of


    personal gain.


    The man who once lived with her also turned against her for the sake of personal gain, and wanted


    nothing less than to take everything she had and destroy her reputation.


    Cordy put her phone down.


    She did not send any reply to John¨Cnot even a ¡®thank you¡°.


    The press conference at Starstream Group the next day was crowded.


    Although they had only invited just over a dozen media outlets, hundreds came on their own


    volition, and one might even say that every journalist in North City hade.


    Fortunately, Cordy had expected that¨Cthe conference room was vast enough to fit everyone, just


    as the snacks and beverages prepared for them were enough.


    Vince Cartman knocked on her office door respectfully before entering. ¡°Ms. Sachs? The


    journalists have all arrived. You may head over now.¡±


    ¡°Have Noele to my office first,¡± Cordy instructed.


    Vince appeared surprised, but he quickly said, ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.


    Soon, Noel arrived at Cordy¡¯s office.


    Cordy spoke before Noel could. ¡°You¡¯reing with me to the press conference.¡±


    Noel was stunned.


    Cordy had never mentioned before that she wanted Noel to join her. If she did, Noel might havee


    up with some excuse and not show up.


    After all, Noel knew the press conference would be anything but peaceful, and she did not have to


    suffer alongside Cordy.


    However, Cordy did not give Noel a chance to refuse¨CCordy promptly rose to her feet and started


    heading toward the conference room.


    ¡°Sis,¡± Noel said, having no choice but to brace herself and follow Cordy.


    Even so, Noel was still ying the nice girl. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be at your side, supporting you. You have


    nothing to fear.¡±


    Cordy smiled¨Cshe was certainly not worried.


    After all, she was not the one getting hurt in the press conference today.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 99

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 99


    Chapter 99


    The conference room was bustling when they entered.


    Countless shutters started snapping once the journalist noticed Cordy¡¯s arrival, and the camera shes


    were endless.


    Dressed in ck business attire, Cordy appeared at once fashionable and professional, with her calm


    and collected appearance already giving a good impression.


    At the very least, she was not starting things off crying to appeal to sympathy.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    Naturally, Noel was a stark contrast to that as she stood at Cordy¡¯s side, her eyes already red as if she


    was already given grief.


    Still, not many journalists took notice of Noel¨Cthey were all bombarding Cordy relentlessly with


    questions the instant she entered.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, have you called this press conference to confess to having multiple affairs as the articles


    yesterday had proven?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed for having affairs with other men, Ms. Sachs? Was your two¨Ctiming the reason


    for your break¨Cup?¡±


    ¡°Zoe York tweeted in support of you. What favors are you offering her in return?¡±


    ¡°Do you think what you do is right, especially to a good man like Kyle Jessop?¡±


    ¡°Is this scandal going to lead to the bankruptcy of Starstream Group? You ruthlessly seized control


    from your own father¨Cdon¡¯t you think you¡¯ve done Starstream employees dirty?!¡±


    The scene was utter pandemonium, but Cordy quietly listened without arguing or demanding silence


    As countless shes illuminated her face, her fair cheeks seemed to turn paler.


    Meanwhile, Kyle was watching the livestream coolly from his phone.


    There were countlessments at thement section, just as viewership peaked for all livestreams


    for the day.


    The whole nation was watching, and Cordy was going to humiliate herself as they did.


    Mandy Jessop was in Kyle¡¯s office too. She was more or less involved with Jessop Corp since she was


    their brand ambassador, and she came to her brother¡¯s office since she was there anyway. and they


    started watching the livestream together.


    Naturally, her focus was not merely on Cordy¨Cshe wanted Cordy¡¯s scandal to affect Zoe as well, since


    Zoe showed unconditional support to Cordy. Should Cordy¡¯s reputation hit rock¨Cbottom, Zoe was not


    getting away scot¨Cfree.


    She was hostile toward Zoe not just because she was jealous that Zoe was a permanent A¨Clist actress


    and stole her role, but also because of Jay Parker.


    Call it a woman¡¯s intuition, but Mandy could tell that things wereplicated between Zoe and Jay.


    And Mandy herself was certainly infatuated with Jay now.


    It first began with that flutter in her heart after Jay risked himself to save her, and as they continued to


    work on the short film over the next few days, she was swayed by Jay¡¯s talent and professionalism.


    Most importantly, her abilities as an actress seemed to peak on that very asion for the first time in


    years thanks to his direction. Not even Mandy herself expected her to look that good on the silver


    screen!


    Jay certainly deserved his reputation for being the best director for women.


    In fact, Mandy had never been so in love ever since she was a child. All her rtionships hardly ever


    lasted, but she could not wait to marry Jay and to belong to him for the rest of her life!


    Meanwhile, back at the conference room, there were seconds of silence after the journalists shouted all


    their questions all at once.


    One of them snapped furiously right then, ¡°You called us all here today, Ms. Sachs. Why aren¡¯t you


    saying anything?!¡±


    ¡°Did I have a chance to speak?¡± Cordy simply asked in return.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 100

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 100


    Chapter 100


    The journalist was abruptly left embarrassed.


    It was certainly true¨Cthey were all asking questions endlessly, one after another from the start.


    Cordy had no chance to speak at all.


    ¡°If everyone is done, please stay quiet for a moment and listen to what I have to say,¡± she continued


    with a neutral tone. ¡°Once I¡¯m done, I will answer any questions you have, with everything I know¨Cif


    time permits.¡±


    The conference room turned silent right then.


    Everyone was watching Cordy expectantly.


    If there was an elegant reversal to be had here, it deserved nothing less than exclusive headlines.


    ¡°I will admit that the photos which surfaced yesterday are 100% genuine and not fabricated,¡± Cordy


    said then, her expression calm as ever.


    While there were audible snorts around the room, most of the journalists stayed silent and waited for


    Cordy to finish.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is aware that I used to work at Jessop Corp¡¯s PR departments. Back when I first


    joined thepany alongside Kyle Jessop, the organization was facing bankruptcy and would never


    have turned things around if not for their sponsors. And all those men in those photos are the said


    sponsors.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯ve prostituted yourself for Jessop Corp?¡± one journalist could not resist asking.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t absolve you of your guilt of duplicity. In fact, whatever the reason you may have, your


    behavior doesn¡¯t deserve pity or forgiveness,¡± another journalist chimed in.


    Even so, Cordy remained calm andposed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you all this to inform you of the reason I was


    in touch with these sessful men. It¡¯s the usual socializing, dinner, and entertainment business


    associates have together. With that mentioned, I have no intention to clear my name because I don¡¯t


    have to. I¡¯d never done Kyle Jessop any injustice while we were dating, because there was nothing


    between me and those men. Those seemingly incriminating photos are nothing more than inadvertent,


    perfectly reasonable physical contact especially under the influence of alcohol, and certainly nothing as


    impure as everyone seemed to believe. Moreover, the photos had been deliberately framed with


    malicious intent.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that someone was trying to frame you, Ms. Sachs?¡± a journalist promptly asked.


    ¡°I definitely have been framed,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°If that really was the case, why wouldn¡¯t Kyle Jessop stand up for you, and instead choose to stay


    silent?¡± another journalist asked.


    ¡°Everyone would soon know the answer to that.¡±


    Beside Cordy, Noel was starting to loseposure.


    She had this nagging feeling that Cordy waspletely confident now, and she was so nervous her


    palms were sweating.


    ¡°Anyway, has anyone considered who would find it worth the effort to take those photos all those years


    ago, and that I was worth the trouble?¡± Cordy suddenly asked.


    The journalists were stumped by the question, and all of them traded looks.


    It was true¨Cyears ago, none of them would have wasted any time on Cordy since she was no one


    important, and writing about her would not sell.


    ¡°Back then, I had nothing aside from Kyle Jessop.¡± Cordy sneered. ¡°In other words, it was an


    underhanded move by someone who wants Kyle, and they did so to cause a rift between me and Kyle.¡±


    The conference room became restless again at her words.


    Did this mean they were in for a bloodbath?!


    ¡°As for the person in question¡­¡± Cordy turned to Noel just then.


    Noel had already been utterly tense, and she immediately flinched when she sensed Cordy¡¯s icy gaze,


    her face turning pale instantly.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding, sis!¡± Noel cried right then. ¡°I would never do anything to hurt you! We¡¯re


    sisters¨Cyou can¡¯t make me your scapegoat just to uphold your reputation!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 101

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 101


    Chapter 101


    Noel¡¯s denial was suspiciously specific, and even she started to panic after she said it.


    The journalists were puzzled by her words as well.


    But since she was not the main character here, they did not pay her much attention, instead asking


    Cordy with anticipation, ¡°Do you know who this person is, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    ¡°Who would frame you in secret?¡±


    ¡°Why would she do it? Because she could not bear to see you doing well?¡±


    Cordy was almost scarily calm in contrast to their eagerness, and she replied, ¡°The person who is with


    Kyle now¡­ No, the person who already hooked up with Kyle, even while he and I were in a


    rtionship, is the person you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    The journalists were even more excited right then.


    In other words, Cordy was saying that Kyle had cheated on her, instead of it being the other way


    around!


    What a dramatic turn of events!


    ¡°Sis, you shouldn¡¯t lie in front of the press. I know you just want to distract them and get Starstream out


    of this crisis, but Kyle has always been good to you! Trying to drag him with you to your grave is unfair


    to Jessop Corp!¡± Noel eximed righteously.


    Noel¡¯s words gave the journalists a hunch right then.


    After all, it was very likely that Cordy was trying to scapegoat Noel just to clear her own name.


    ¡°I sympathize with your situation, Ms. Sachs, and I wish what you say is true. However, just your words


    alone aren¡¯t going to convince anyone,¡± one of the journalists shouted loudly just then.


    Noel smiled every so subtly.


    Cordy was dreaming if she thought she could turn the tables against them!


    ¡°Ms. Noel, you should know very well how the rtionship between Kyle Jessop and your sister has


    been. Who between them was at fault?¡± another journalist suddenly asked Noel, trying to get


    confirmation from her as well.


    Since she was called by name, Noel quickly answered, ¡°They¡¯ve been good together, and it¡¯s always


    been that way. My sister loved Kyle, and Kyle pampered her¡­ I don¡¯t know the specific reason why


    they break up, but I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s neither of their faults. Moreover, the person who took those photos


    must have deliberately framed it that way¨Cmy sister would never do anything unkind to Kyle.¡±


    While she appeared to be defending Cordy, she was just saying in another way that Cordy was lying


    because Kyle never cheated on her.


    But even though she was shoving Cordy to another disadvantageous position again, Cordy chuckled.


    Noel would never give up until she buried Cordy¨CCordy certainly understood after Noel hurt her so


    many times.


    Cordy gave Vince a look, and catching his cue, he lowered the projector screen and turned off the


    lights of the photo.


    Soon, multiple photos appeared on screen¡­


    Photos of Noel and Kyle being together!


    In the first photo, those two were celebrating Kyle¡¯s birthday, their cheeks glued to each others¡®


    affectionately, over a cake with the number ¡®26¡®.


    Cordy actually felt guilty about that night because she was once again out to court sponsors, only to go


    straight home since she got drunk. Though she had broken her promise to Kyle to celebrate his


    birthday together, he assured her that it was fine¡­ And she thought that it was him being


    understanding toward her.


    It wasughable now that she remembered it.


    ¡°N¨CNo! That¡¯s not it!¡± Noel screamed in the conference room.


    She was terrified with every fiber of her being when she saw the photo¨Chow did Cordy get her hands


    on something so private?!


    ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Noel pleaded. ¡°My sister wasn¡¯t there for Kyle¡¯s birthday. That¡¯s why I


    was there to celebrate with him in her stead¡­ It wasn¡¯t just the two of us. There were many


    others!¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Cordy sneered.


    It was certainly thanks to the ¡®many others¡® that she got her hands on that photo.


    To think she never once suspected Kyle of duplicity!


    Naturally, no one was swayed by Noel¡¯s agitation to speak up either.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn to the screen as the second photo appeared on screen.


    This time, Noel and Kyle were swimming at a famous private club in North City, with Noel in a risque


    bikini, pressing every inch of her skin against Kyle.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 102

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 102


    Chapter 102


    Noel was once again shouting to defend herself. ¡°K¨CKyle was just nice enough to teach me to swim!¡±


    And once again, no one cared.


    Then, the third photo was shown, where in a dimly lit karaoke lounge, a drunk Noel was leaning cozily


    against Kyle, whose hand was under her blouse for some reason.


    ¡°I was drunk. Kyle was such a gentleman, taking care of me¡­¡±


    At the same time, Noel¡¯s exnation grew feebler with every photo.


    Then, came thest photo.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    It was taken inside a luxurious dressing room on Cordy and Kyle¡¯s wedding day.


    Kyle was in his bridegroom tailcoat, pushing Noel up against his dressing table as they swapped spit.


    Noel¡¯s face turned pale right then¨Cher jaw hung ajar, but no words came out.


    Cordy nced sideways at Noel, watching Noel as she appeared on wit¡¯s end, as if she would break


    down right then.


    The conference room was in an uproar as the lights returned.


    What a dramatic turn of events!


    To think that Cordy, who had been med to no end, had been innocent and self¨Csacrificing.


    On the other hand, Kyle¨Cwhom everyone always praised as the paragon of a gentleman¨Cturned out to


    be a despicable, hateful little man!


    And after the initial shock, the reporters began to bombard Noel with questions.


    ¡°Noel Sachs! Was Kyle Jessop really having an affair with you?!¡±


    ¡°Noel Sachs, how could you steal your sister¡¯s husband? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s amoral? Don¡¯t you feel


    ashamed?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder that you¡¯re siding with Kyle Jessop all this while. You were an aplice!¡±


    One journalist was evenughing. ¡°You had a reason for the first three photos, why not thest one?


    Why don¡¯t you just say that both of you slipped, and your lips just happened to hit his?¡± Noel could not


    withstand the sudden barrage of questions at all!


    ¡°Argh!!!¡± She cried and started to bawl frantically, sobbing so hard she was choking and almost


    cking out.


    But the journalists were relentless.


    ¡°Please give a response, Noel Sachs. Crying won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    ¡°You really should learn from your sister, Noel Sachs. She was so calm andposed even in the


    middle of a crisis, instead of crying like a child.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just in the habit of using a mistress¡® tactics because you were a mistress¡®


    daughter? Emotional ckmail with tears and all that?!¡±


    As the reporters¡® attitude became even more dripped in contempt, Noel was given no quarter at


    all.


    As she got to her feet to leave, Cordy quickly caught her by the wrist. ¡°Noel, this is the perfect


    opportunity. You can tell the press yourself about all the stuff between us.¡±


    Noel red at Cordy savagely¨Cshe did not think that Cordy wanted her at this press conference just to


    humiliate her live on air!


    It was sheer ignominy, and Noel never suffered grief even as a child!


    But now, the entire nation knew that she was the other woman in a rtionship, that she and Kyle were


    aplices!


    She certainly could not stand beingbeled that way. To everyone else, she was always innocent and


    noble!


    In fact, she did not just lose face thoroughly¡­ How was she going to steal John from Cordy now?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 103

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 103


    Chapter 103


    Meanwhile, the journalists¡® questions were stilling, each more contemptible than thest as they


    trampled all over Noel¡¯s dignity.


    She was still crying, unable to ept everything that was happening¨Cthat she had been so thoroughly


    destroyed.


    Eventually, she bit her lip and worked hard to calm herself, understanding very well that she would not


    get away without an answer today.


    Naturally, she was no pushover after years of experience.


    Cordy was dreaming if she wanted Noel down and out!


    Though Noel¡¯s eyes were shing dangerously just then, there was a miserable puppy look on her


    face. ¡°Kyle and I are in love.¡±


    Cordy sneered in the end, Noel admitted it.


    Still, Noel continued, saying, ¡°We were hiding it from my sister because we didn¡¯t want her to be sad,


    and Kyle was even willing to sacrifice himself to marry her. If not for that fire, I would¡¯ve quietly stepped


    aside for the sake of their marriage¡­¡±


    ¡°Quietly stepped aside?¡± One of the journalists scoffed. ¡°More like you¡¯d keep cheating on your own


    sister with your brother¨Cinw!¡±


    Though that jibe stung, Noel vehemently protested. ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t have stayed in between them if they


    were married¨CI wasn¡¯t raised that way.¡±


    ¡°Noel, if memory serves me right, your mother was just a glorified mistress!¡± The same journalist


    scoffed again. ¡°I don¡¯t know you well enough to say anything about how you were raised, but I guess


    it¡¯s in the genes.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± The journalist¡¯s snide remarks left Noel in tears again¨Cshe did not expect them to be so


    contemptible!


    Did Kyle not bribe them beforehand? Why was no one defending her or trying to change the subject?!


    Noel¡¯s heart was ame with sheer spite¨Cwhat did she ever see in Kyle?! He was simply useless!


    Nearby, Cordy could not stop herself fromughing.


    Get too greedy, and anyone would lose even what they have before.


    It was certainly the case for Kyle and Noel now.


    Naturally, Cordy had called for the press conference to humiliate Noel.


    After all, professionals are professional in what they do¨Cand journalists are unparalleled when ites


    to their ability in fencing.


    ¡°Whether you would believe me, I would have stepped aside if Kyle and my sister got married,¡± Noel


    continued to argue feebly. ¡°I¡¯ve always been hurting when I¡¯m with Kyle, because I feel guilty


    toward my sister¡­ But there¡¯s just no stopping yourself at times, and right or wrong doesn¡¯t matter in


    love! Back then, Kyle only got together with my sister because they were just two lonely souls in a


    foreignnd, and there was no love at all¡­ But because my sister did so much for Kyle, he felt like he


    owed her, which is why he never asked to break up with her.¡±


    Sobbing, she continued miserably, ¡°I know the public won¡¯t sympathize with my rtionship with Kyle,


    and I don¡¯t ask for everyone¡¯s forgiveness. I¡¯d even take all the criticism without question- no, I¡¯m


    relieved that my sister exposed my affair with Kyle in public! I¡¯ve always felt guilty toward her, and I¡¯ve


    never really fully appreciated my time with Kyle. It¡¯s always been so gloomy¡­¡±


    Cordy was actually impressed that Noel could still weasel her way after all that.


    Noel¡¯s ability was certainly unquestionable.


    However, Cordy simply kept watching Noel¡¯s performance as if she was watching aedy.


    That was when Noel turned to Cordy with an earned look. ¡°Sis, I won¡¯t me you for humiliating me


    like this, and I actually thank you for giving me relief this way. I hope you could understand- Kyle and I


    just couldn¡¯t stop ourselves, and I just really don¡¯t want to hurt our sisterly bond. I hope you will forgive


    us¡­¡±


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy smiled faintly before speaking with a neutral voice. ¡°No.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 104

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 104


    Chapter 104


    Cordy had no intention of letting Noel weasel away out of her guilt¨Ccertainly not in front of the press.


    ¡°Cheaters and mistresses don¡¯t deserve forgiveness,¡± she dered sonorously, enunciating every


    word.


    And it was certainly true.


    There was a reason behind anything, but not cheating!


    Noel bit her lip right then.


    Naturally, she knew that her appeal was not going to fly with Cordy, so she let her eyes well with tears


    again and she sobbed. ¡°I know you¡¯re still upset, sis. But I believe blood is thicker than water, and time


    would heal all wounds.¡±


    ¡°Blood is thicker than water?!


    ¡°Hold on, that is kind of true. Blood could asionally be filthier than water!¡±


    ¡°Noel Sachs, how do you still have the cheek to talk like that?! Blood is thicker than water?! You don¡¯t


    want to hurt your sisterly bond?!¡± One of the journalists shouted right then, unable to stand the sheer


    hypocrisy. ¡°Granted, even if it was as you have said¨Cthat right and wrong doesn¡¯t matter in love¨Cyou¡¯re


    the one who deliberately leaked those photos of your own sister to nder her. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed


    at all?!¡±


    ¡°I never framed her!¡± Noel quickly denied it. ¡°I don¡¯t know about those photos of my sister at all. I¡¯ve


    always felt guilty toward her and wanted the best for her. Why would I try to hurt her? That¡¯s why I


    stayed at Starstream Group¨Cto help my sister lead thepany to new heights, to make up for what I


    owe her.¡±


    Noel certainly doubted Cordy could present evidence that she was the one who leaked the photos.


    Kyle was the one who did it, and he would never betray her.


    Forget that he was still in love with her¨Cthey were now on the same boat, and Kyle was not that


    stupid!


    Even so, the journalists were dead set that it was Noel.


    ¡°Who would it be, if not you?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re willing to do anything just to take Kyle Jessop for yourself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Simon Sachs, the former board chairman of Starstream Group, was nning to hand


    leadership over to you, Noel. You¡¯re just nning to use this crisis to oust Cordy, aren¡¯t you?!¡±


    Noel started to panic again as the journalists hit the bull¡¯s eye, and she promptly denied it. ¡°Why would


    I want to do that? I would never take Starstream for myself because I know my sister¡¯s mother left it for


    her. Everyone also knows that I was the one who designed the autumn collection. of Starstream


    Fashion¨Cwhy would I work so hard on those designs if I wanted Starstream for myself?¡±


    Then, turning with an earnest look at Cordy, she pleaded, ¡°You have to believe me, sis. It really


    wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    If Cordy did not know the extent of Noel¡¯s deceitful nature, she almost would have believed that Noel


    was innocent.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Naturally, she did not respond to Noel. Instead, she whipped out her phone and yed a recording.


    Her phone was already connected to the meeting¡¯s room Bluetooth speakers, and the conference room


    could hear the recording as it started ying.


    [Hello, I¡¯m Kyle Jessop¡­ Yes, I would like you to instruct your journalists to provide some ¡®extra


    service¡® at the press conference tomorrow.]


    [Are you saying that we shouldn¡¯t trouble Cordy Sachs too much, Mr. Jessop?]


    Cordy was naturally thoughtful enough to edit the other man¡¯s voice with autotune, so that the witness


    would note under criticism.


    And following the man¡¯s question, Kyle Jessop quickly told him: [No. In fact, I want you to do the exact


    opposite.]


    The other man was silent, clearly surprised, while Kyle continued: [You heard me right. Rest assured, I


    will send my tokens of gratitude after tomorrow.]


    There were plenty of other simr recordings, but Cordy stopped at just two.


    ¡°I won¡¯t y the rest, so as to not waste everyone¡¯s time,¡± she said.


    And once again, the conference room was in an uproar.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 105

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 105


    Chapter 105


    Naturally, John sent those recordings to Cordy without saying anything.


    He probably thought that he could let her take the initiative by giving her all the evidence he needed.


    She just had to show everything topletely destroy Kyle¡¯s reputation, and Kyle would just humiliate


    himself if he attempted to exin himself at all.


    And yet, despite all the respect John showed Cordy in this case, she still could not bring herself to trust


    anyone other than herself.


    Meanwhile, Noel¡¯s face turned deathly pale after listening to the recording.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    She used to think him handsome and incredible, only for him to turn out to be a bumbling fool, so


    careless in his work that even Cordy could catch him red¨Chanded!


    This time, there was no way to exin this


    If Kyle was not involved in the attempt to nder Cordy, why would he go out of his way to ask the


    media to harass Cordy?


    Whatever exnation they offered would be pointless.


    ¡°What do you have to say now, Noel Sachs?!¡± a journalist demanded resoundingly. ¡°You and Kyle


    Jessop were behind the malicious nder on Cordy Sachs! To think that you¡¯re that vile behind that


    harmless face!¡±


    ¡°Forget stealing your sister¡¯s man, Noel Sachs¨Cyou want her inheritance as well! It¡¯s just inches away


    from murdering from money, or don¡¯t you have a conscience at all?!¡±


    ¡°So Kyle Jessop was the one behind the scandal¡­ He did all that just to knock down Starstream


    Fashion¡¯s sales!¡±


    As the journalists put all the pieces together and unraveled the truth, Cordy did not even have to offer


    further exnation.


    Meanwhile, Noel was still stubbornly refusing to admit it. ¡°I¨CI really didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡±


    After all, they did not have definitive evidence against her, and she would rather die than admit


    anything even if everyone knew it was her.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs. The journalists ignored Noel just then, turning back to Cordy and asking. ¡°Do you have


    anything to say, after being so thoroughly victimized by the man you loved and your own


    sister?


    Cordy had remained calm and collected from the beginning, which truly earned everyone¡¯s


    appreciation.


    Like before, she spoke with a neutral tone. ¡°The reason I asked for everyone to be here was because


    I¡¯ve been pushed to desperation, and therefore had to stand up and maintain my innocence. To be


    honest, I have nothing to say to Kyle or Noel¨CI never wanted to reveal anything to the public, if they


    had not forced my hand.¡±


    Her words left Noel barely stopping herself from trembling.


    Noel would have lunged at Cordy and strangled her if those journalists were not there!


    Ever since she was a child, Noel hated Cordy for being so aloof, no matter how much trouble she was


    in.


    Even if she was thoroughly abused, Cordy would only look at others as if they were clowns, making


    fools of themselves!


    ¡°But in the end, I think I should say something.¡± Cordy suddenly turned toward Noel.


    Noel¡¯s heart skipped a beat right then¨Cshe had no idea what Cordy would say to humiliate her now!


    ¡°I wish Kyle Jessop and Noel Sachs will be together forever.¡±


    When Cordy was finished, the entire conference room was ever so slightly stunned, before erupting


    into apuse for her magnanimity.


    She smiled faintly and enigmatically then, and rose to her feet, saying shortly, ¡°Thank you everyone for


    coming today. This is it for this press conference.¡±


    And with those words, she left.


    The journalists wanted to ask more questions, but realized that there was nothing more to ask.


    The highlights today wouldst them for days!


    With that, everyone left the conference room, while the livestream officially ended.


    In John¡¯s office at Levine Ventures headquarters, the man himself lowered his phone, while Randy


    Martin was bursting with excitement beside him.


    ¡°See, Mr. Levine?! I told you the missus must have been very confident about this¨Cthat¡¯s why she


    turned down your help. Honestly, that press conference was simply cathartic. I really want to p


    for her too!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 106

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 106


    Chapter 106


    John¡¯s lips were slightly pursed.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was even tougher than he imagined.


    But what did she have to go through to gain such perseverance?


    As his long fingers tapped on his phone screen for a while and finished drafting the message, he


    hesitated to send it.


    He more or less understood now why Cordy would keep him at arm¡¯s reach.


    After experiencing the sheer cruelty of her reality, she would nevere to trust anyone easily.


    John¡¯s phone suddenly started ringing just then, and he answered it impatiently after ncing at the


    caller ID.


    ¡°Bob,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Did you see the livestream of Cordy Sachs¡® press conference?!¡± Bob Davis eximed excitedly.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Holy sh*t! That p in the face was as clean as it was devastating! I actually think I¡¯m in love now.


    John started to scowl right then, even as Bob continued happily. ¡°By the way, are you hitting it off with


    her yet? We saw you stand up for her during your grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet, but it¡¯s like nothing


    hase of that ever since. So? What¡¯s going on between you two? If you still can¡¯t seal the deal,


    you¡¯d find an eager volunteer in me-¡±


    ¡°I was just having dinner with your dad the other day,¡± John suddenly said. ¡°He told me about his ns


    to send you abroad for further studies, and was asking which university would be best for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, boss. I¡¯m just sayin¡®, y¡¯know?¡± Bob quickly said. ¡°I¡¯d never covet a brother¡¯s wife.¡±


    Bob hated studying the most¨Cgetting a local university degree nearly killed him, and he would die


    before having to get a doctorate from a foreign university!


    ¡°Anyway, I was just calling about your birthday,¡± Bob said, changing the subject right then. You¡¯ll be 28


    in a couple days, so why don¡¯t youe out and celebrate with your brothers?¡±


    John nced at the calendar on his desk.


    The day after tomorrow, huh?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me make the arrangements?¡± Bob pressed urgently. ¡°You¡¯re always busy, old man,


    so just leave the trivial stuff with idling young ¡®uns like me.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± John replied, giving his agreement just then.


    Bob was actually stunned.


    Since when had John be so agreeable?


    Maybe he was in a good mood because Cordy gave a good showing today?


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s decided. I won¡¯t disturb you at the office now,¡± Bob said.


    Bob promptly hung up at that, and texted the group chat of their gang of four that he will be organizing


    John¡¯s birthday, so that John could not renege on his word.


    John ignored it, while the other two texted back nomittal responses.


    Blinking, John turned back to his conversation with Cordy, deleting the text before typing a new one


    and sending it.


    [Free up your schedule for the day after tomorrow. It¡¯s my birthday¨Clet¡¯s have dinner together.]


    Cordy was in her office, staring at the text from John.


    She thought he would mention the press conference since he was the one who gave her the


    recordings.


    And now that she thought about it, he did mention his birthday before.


    Moreover, the subtext in John¡¯s message was that if she wanted to repay him, she should have


    that dinner with him and celebrate his birthday.


    Pursing her lips, she sent a single¨Cworded reply.


    [Okay.]


    John¡¯s lips curled upward immediately when he saw it.


    Randy was beside him, watching.


    Although he did not see the content of their conversation, the look on John¡¯s face said it all!


    The boss was clearly being spoiled by the missus again!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 107

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 107


    Chapter 107


    It was only natural that since there were winners, there would be losers too.


    While Cordy and John were full of the joys of spring, Kyle was absolutely livid.


    He smashed his phone on the floor, shattering it into pieces, startling Mandy Jessop.


    She was holding her breath in fear¨Cnever did she expect that the press conference would ultimately


    turn out like that!


    Now, Noel and her brother were utterly humiliated, their reputation dragged through the mud!


    Still, she was nervously ncing at the phone as articles were soon published about Cordy¡¯s press


    conference.


    [Cordy Sachs Reveals the Truth: Multiple Photos and Recordings Expose the Affair of Kyle Jessop and


    Noel Sachs, and Their Conspiracy!]


    Everyizen was talking about it the instant the article was published.


    [Holy crap. How disgusting can Kyle Jessop be? To think that I was on his side!]


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    [Kyle Jessop and Noel Sachs are utterly heinous! Burrs who cry thief! Shame!]


    [My mind is blown, my world changed forever because of those two!]


    [What¡¯s that line from Cordy Sachs¨C¡®cheaters and mistresses don¡¯t deserve forgiveness? Amazing.]


    [Nope. ¡®I wish Kyle Jessop and Noel Sachs will be together forever¡® was way more quotable. After all,


    sluts and scum belong together!]


    Thestment was an instant favorite.


    It was only when thatizen exined it that the others all understood what Cordy was really saying.


    She was truly as civilized as she was well¨Cmannered¡­ to the extent that Kyle and Noel were on the


    verge of choking!


    Even Mandy was left flushing as she read the news, but she did not dare to throw a fit because it might


    really break her brother.


    That was when the door abruptly swung open.


    Both Mandy and Kyle turned to find their father Dandy Jessop storming inside, seething.


    ¡°What the hell was that, Kyle?!¡± Dandy bellowed. ¡°It¡¯s all over the news! Do you want Jessop Corp to go


    bankrupt?! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    Kyle stayed silent as he bottled his own frustrations and clenched his fist so hard his veins were


    bulging.


    Never could he have known that this day woulde¡­ that Cordy would walk all over him!


    On the other hand, Dandy was not holding back at all. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Kyle, you¡¯d better sort out this


    mess or you¡¯re out of Jessop Corp. I¡¯ll also disown you!¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡±


    Mandy was just about to reason for his brother¡¯s sake when Dandy wheeled on her, snapping, ¡°You


    watch out too, Mandy. Embarrass me in public and I¡¯ll disown you too!¡±


    And with those words, he stormed out of the room, mming the door loudly in his wake.


    The entire office seemed to shake¨Cone could imagine how furious Dandy was.


    Kyle¡¯s eyes seemed to turn utterly red right then.


    Mandy did not dare to say a word in fear that he would really lose it¡­ She had never seen him. acting


    like this even when they were children!


    ¡°Give me your phone!¡± Kyle suddenly demanded.


    Mandy hesitated, but she passed it to him eventually.


    He then dialed a number hemitted to memory.


    Cordy was frowning when she saw the caller ID.


    Mandy Jessop?!


    Still, she quickly realized that it was just Kyle.


    She answered it, and to no surprise, he was growling through clenched teeth, ¡°You¡¯re ruthless, aren¡¯t


    you?!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 108

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 108


    Chapter 108


    Cordy sneered. ¡°You made me do it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you were investigating me in secret!¡± Kyle growled viciously. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever tell me


    again you trusted me unconditionally. We¡¯re the same¨Cget off your high horse!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to pull me down to your standards, Kyle. You¡¯re far beneath me,¡± Cordy retorted coolly.¡± And I


    never asked for those photos.¡±


    ¡°What, are you saying you didn¡¯t ask someone to get them for you?! Do you think I¡¯d believe-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think for a second everyone else is despicable just because you are!¡± Cordy cut him short right


    then. ¡°There are plenty of good people in this world¨Cpeople who stand up for justice and who are utterly


    repulsed by your behavior! That¡¯s why someone took photos of you cheating on me, because they


    could not stand watching you brazenly fool around with my sister while I worked myself to death for


    Jessop Corp!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s hand was shaking even as he held his phone.


    Who was it? Who could have betrayed him?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me who it is. The photos were sent to me anonymously just after the fire at our wedding.


    They were warning me because they could not stand your behavior.¡±


    Cordy used to be so foolish she never doubted Kyle before. Someone must have found her too naive


    and losing so much for his sake, that they would take those photos quietly for her use as evidence.


    She never tried to find out who it was, but it must be someone from Jessop Corp¨Csomeone who could


    not afford to offend Kyle. That was why they struggled for so long and finally sent her those photos


    when her wedding was ruined.


    Naturally, they could also be concerned that she was too in love to leave Kyle, and instead use


    them of duplicity.


    In that case, anonymity was the best protection for both parties.


    When Cordy received those photos, she had definitely wanted to show them to the world, decimating


    Kyle and Noel¡¯s reputation and subjecting them to scorn of everyone else.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    But in the end, she decided to spare them.


    Who knew if they might genuinely be in love, after all?


    And yet, a person¡¯s kindness would not be responded to in kind, just as there were those people who


    did not know how to be grateful.


    That was why they deserved the ignominy of falling from grace.


    ¡°Going too far only ever blows up in your face, Kyle!¡± Cordy finished.


    Kyle simply ignored her and demanded, ¡°How did you get the recording of me talking to those


    editors?!¡±


    He was certainly dissatisfied because he knew how much Cordy trusted him while they were still in a


    rtionship. She must have asked for those photos!


    And he certainly could not ept that Cordy had anticipated those calls he would make to the chief


    editors!


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d never believe you¡¯d be that rotten even with everything you did, or that you¡¯d want to


    take everything from me, especially after what you did to me!¡± Cordy snapped, her toneced with


    irony.


    Her opinion of him had already hit rock bottom before, only for it to sink further.


    And she was certainly impressed with John¡¯s powers of irvoyance¨Cif he did not give those chief


    editors a head¡¯s up beforehand, they would never have gotten that recording of Kyle.


    Without a recording, her retaliation against Kyle and Noel would only be half as effective! Nheless,


    Cordy came clean this time. ¡°John Levine gave me those.¡±


    In the end, no matter how high and mighty Kyle was, he could noty a finger on the scion of Levine


    Ventures.


    The gap between their respective wealths and statuses was just insurmountable, and telling Kyle would


    only leave him kicking himself!


    In reality, Kyle already had a hunch that it was John too, because Cordy would never be that influential.


    John, on the other hand, certainly was.


    Be that as it may, to really hear it from Cordy left him in disbelief.


    She was second¨Chand goods! How did she manage totch on to that man?


    Kyle had been convinced that Cordy was just a short¨Cterm amusement to John.


    He absolutely could not ept that she got a man better than himself¨Cand after breaking up with him!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 109

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 109


    Chapter 109


    ¡°Kyle Jessop, no wicked deeds ever go unpunished!¡±


    And with that, Cordy hung up, not wanting to waste her time with Kyle any further.


    Kyle¡¯s phone was shaking even as he held Mandy¡¯s phone.


    He was not about to stop after what Cordy did to him!


    And yet, the priority right now was to stop the media from publishing more damning content on him¡­


    and he certainly could tell how terrible they were going to be even without reading anything yet.


    Even so, there was no way he could try to defend himself in front of the media. The more he spoke, the


    worse the coverage would turn out to be.


    As such, his only option was to keep a low profile and let everything cool off.


    But if it did not¡­


    Kyle narrowed his eyes.


    It seemed that he would have used another headline to snuff out all the content condemning him.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Noel locked herself in her office after the press conference, crying a storm.


    She had never been that humiliated ever since she was a child¨Cand in front of the whole nation at that!


    She did not even dare to check out the news and see what they were saying about her. Even if she


    always had a stout mindset since she was a child, she probably would suffer a mental breakdown if she


    checked out the news now.


    The door suddenly opened, and she promptly snapped, ¡°I told you not to mess with me-¡±


    She looked up, thinking that it was her secretary, only to see that Sue Yorkman and Plum Lang had


    entered.


    Since Noel had always been the delicate type, her tear¨Cdrenched cheeks only make her appear even


    more vulnerable and sympathetic.


    And upon seeing her allies, she started bawling, getting off her office chair and diving into Plum¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Grandma¡­ It was my fault, I brought shame to our family. I didn¡¯t think sis would ignore


    our sisterhood to humiliate me, and our family¡­¡±


    Even as a child, Noel always had Plum¡¯s favor, and she knew how to manipte Plum.


    For Plum¡¯s part, she never cared about fairness, let alone principles. She would side with anyone who


    fawned over her, and everyone was absolutely forbidden from bringing shame down upon the family


    name, even if their cause was just.


    As such, Noel knew all too well that Plum was not here to scold her, but to scold Cordy instead.


    To no surprise, Plum patted Noel on the back,forting her before saying, ¡°Take me to Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Grandma,¡± Noel murmured. ¡°Sis doesn¡¯t mean to. She must be very sad that she and Kyle broke up,


    which is why she lost her cool and burnt all bridges. You shouldn¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business,¡± Plum said, cutting Noel short right then. ¡°Ju


    st take me to her!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Noel murmured meekly while sneaking Sue a look.


    Sue returned her gaze, and they both smiled evilly, understanding each other tacitly right then.


    As they arrived at Cordy¡¯s office, Vince Cartman quickly strode up to them when he noticed their


    arrival.


    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± he asked, even as he tried to stop them.


    Plum simply ignored him and opened the door directly.


    As Cordy looked up and saw Vince trying to stop them, she gave him a look.


    With that, Vince left and quietly closed the door behind himself.


    That was when Plum strode angrily toward Cordy, who was surprised Plum woulde knocking on


    her door.


    Naturally, she was not naive enough to believe that Plum would stand on the side of justice. Plum only


    ever sided with Noel!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 110

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 110


    Chapter 110


    Smack!


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed as Plum¡¯s pnded squarely on her face, leaving a distinctly red palm print


    on her fair cheek.


    ¡°You shameless b*tch! How could you do this to your own sister?!¡± Plum snapped at her right after that.


    ¡°How can she or our family show our faces in public now?! How did we ever raise a swine like you,


    Cordy?!¡±


    Cordy simply pursed her lips seven as she felt the burning sting on her cheek.


    Many unpleasant memories abruptly appeared in her mind at the same time.


    She had been alone and helpless since her mother died.


    On the other hand, Noel won Simon and Plum¡¯s favor in every way, and abused Cordy however she


    could.


    As a child, Cordy was not good at resisting, and she had to just bear with it most of the time. Even if


    Simon or Plum knew that Noel was the one at fault, Cordy would be punished anyway.


    There was even a time when Plum locked her up, denying her food or drink for two days.


    She had been pped before by Plum too¨Cjust like now, with every ounce of strength she had.


    She had been a kid back then, and the sheer force left her floored and deaf in one ear for a month.


    She was constantly made to stand or kneel outside the house¨Cit was her fault whenever Noel. started


    crying, because she was the older sister who did not let Noel have whatever she wanted.


    For the longest time, she never understood why.


    Eventually, she did.


    From the very beginning, Cordy and her mother had never been epted by the Sachs!


    That family would never do anything to her while Cordy¡¯s mother was alive, because the survival of


    Sachs Enterprises was in Cordy¡¯s mother¡¯s hands.


    Although Cordy¡¯s mother had personally brought prosperity to thatpany and elevated them to the


    status of elites in North City, none of them thanked her for her diligence. Instead, they found her too


    authoritative, denying their family any dignity in public!


    As such, when Cordy¡¯s mother died in an ident and Sachs Enterprises fell into the Sachs¡® hands,


    they finally revealed their ugly nature. They certainly did not wait to vent all the perceived grievances


    they suffered under Cordy¡¯s mother on Cordy herself.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Weren¡¯t you so eloquent in front of the press just now?!¡± Plum


    snapped, her voice shrill and loud like a fishwife.


    ¡°I don¡¯t talk to criminals.¡± Cordy¡¯s tone was neutral.


    She was so calm as if she was never yelled at or pped¨Cif not for that ridiculous palm print on her


    face.


    Plum began, ¡°What are you talking about-¡±


    Cordy, however, had already brought her phone out and made a call. ¡°Hello, is this the police? Yes, I¡¯m


    calling a report a physical assault on myself with malicious intent, and my safety is also being


    threatened. Please send someone over right away to the board chairman office of Starstream Group-


    Plum promptly snatched her phone away, cursing, ¡°You crazy b*tch! Calling the cops?! That¡¯s why


    you¡¯re no better than livestock! You don¡¯t deserve a mother, and that¡¯s why she died!¡±


    Cordy clenched her fist as she stared coolly at Plum¡¯s vile, savage face.


    The same face that left her with so much childhood trauma!


    ¡°For me, the worst thing in my life is that myst name is Sachs!¡± Cordy shot back.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs¡­!¡± Plum howled at her, livid.


    Nheless, Cordy continued. ¡°If I could speak to my mother, I¡¯d advise her so that your rotten family


    doesn¡¯t get to abuse her!¡±


    ¡°You think she¡¯s all that noble?! Your mother was lucky to marry into our family!¡± Plum spat heinously.


    ¡°Do you think she could¡¯ve done that if she didn¡¯t strip herself naked to seduce my son?! You¡¯re both


    laughable!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s knuckles were clenched pale white.


    was not as if she did not dare to hit Plum¨Cshe just did not want to let Plum off that easy!


    Chapter 111

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 111

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 111


    ue and Noel were watching Plum abuse Cordy with irrepressible delight.


    Noel¡¯s gloom was also slightly relieved in turn¨Cso what if Cordy won that press conference? Plum was


    now tearing her a new one!


    Nheless, Cordy spoke with calm apathy. ¡°Everyone knows how the Sachs gained their


    sess. Naturally, I won¡¯t argue with you, because I¡¯d be preaching to deaf ears, discussing such


    advanced stuff to a housewife who knows nothing about the world. I¡¯d just be wasting my breath.¡±


    The contempt in her tone left Plum¡¯s eyes turning red and she raised her hand again, intending on


    pping Cordy again.


    This time, however, Cordy caught her hand.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    In the end, no one was obliged to keep being beaten up.


    One p was enough for Cordy to give Plum a lesson to remember.


    ¡°Let me go, Cordy Sachs! You b*tch!¡± Plum spat angrily. ¡°You¡¯re not setting foot in my house ever


    again¨Cthere¡¯s no ce for a b*tch like you! You are a disgrace to our family¡¯s good name!¡±


    Cordy firmly flung Plum¡¯s hand away in response and told her icily, ¡°I¡¯d never put a single foot in your


    house, but I¡¯ll take everything you have that rightfully belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°You, take from me?! What gives you the right?! Your insolence really knows no bounds!¡± Plum


    screamed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t argue with you here about what gives me the right. You¡¯ll never get it¡­¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs¡­!


    ¡°But I¡¯ll just teach you the price of pping me.¡±


    ¡°How dare you threaten me, Cordy Sachs! Do you think I will be cowed! I¡¯ll have you know, you¡¯re


    nothing to me¡­¡±


    That was when they all heard a knock on the door, and several uniformed police officers entered. ¡°Who


    here reported the physical assault?¡± one of them asked.


    ¡°I did,¡± Cordy replied.


    Even as Plum red viciously at Cordy, the officer asked, ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°This woman hit me. I¡¯m deaf in the right ear now¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, officer, it¡¯s all just a misunderstanding. It¡¯s just a family dispute, sorry you made the trip for nothing,


    Plum quickly said while taking a stack of dor bills from her handbag and trying to stuff it into the


    officer¡¯s hands.


    The officer rejected her right then. ¡°Save it! We are here to enforce thew!¡±


    Cowed, Plum smiled awkwardly. ¡°O¨COf course. I understand that your job is hard¡­¡±


    The officer simply ignored her and turned to Cordy. ¡°Do you have evidence to back up your


    usation?¡±


    ¡°There are cameras here in my office,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have the security team send the footage right


    away. Also, should I get a medical report of my injury?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Please head over to the hospital for an examination, and my colleagues would take it


    from there,¡± the officer said, and turned back to Plum. ¡°You¡¯reing with us to the station.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Plum eximed in disbelief that she was really being arrested. ¡°I told you, it¡¯s a family


    dispute-¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a family dispute! You broke thew, and we¡¯re enforcing it!¡± the officer barked,


    his expression turning sterner. ¡°Save your breath ande with us right now!¡±


    Plum¡¯s face was ashen.


    Being taken to the police station at her age?! Even if she was not charged in the end, she would not


    have any dignity left!


    ¡°I want to call my son!¡±


    ¡°Do it at the station!¡± The officer was not giving her an inch at all.


    Seeing that the officers were adamant, Plum had no choice but to leave with the officers.


    Both Sue and Noel were left dumbstruck in turn.


    They certainly did not expect the police to really take Plum away!


    And they were supposed to be the ones bullying Cordy!


    Still, they did not dare to drag their feet and quickly left with Plum while calling Simon Sachs.


    Cordy watched coolly as they did before giving Vince some instructions on what to do in her absence


    before going to the hospital alone.


    On the way there, Simon called her over a dozen times, and Cordy kept hanging up on him until


    deciding to just turn off her phone.


    After arriving at the hospital, her face and ear were examined, after which the doctor identified


    temporary deafness in her right ear, categorizing it as a minor injury.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 112

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 112


    Chapter 112


    With the evidence of bodily harm, Cordy had proof of deliberate physical assault.


    That meant she could pursue a legal course of action should she decide to press charges.


    Cordy finally turned on her phone then and sent the report from her medical examination to the police


    before getting herself admitted to the hospital.


    As she reclined in her hospital bed, she stared at t


    he countless missed calls on her phone, but she ignored them anyway.


    She swiped through news articles and saw that all of the inte was condemning Kyle and Noel,


    using the foulest of words on them.


    With the drama having escted to such an extent, the damage was not just on Kyle and Noel¡¯s


    reputations¨Cboth Jessop Corp and Sachs Enterprises would suffer more direct losses as well, including


    boycotts of their products and their stock prices plummeting.


    Naturally, Cordy was unmoved.


    She tapped on Twitter to check out the tweet Kyle posted yesterday¨Cthe number of supportive replies


    to that tweet before was now the number of damning replies that same tweet had.


    And the reply with the most likes was inevitably: [Sluts and scum belong together].


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    However, the most retweeted reply was a textless tweet with a single thumbs up emoji.


    And the one who sent that tweet was an officially verified ount, going by the name of ¡®John Levine,


    Levine Ventures¡®.


    There were a ton of replies beneath.


    [Is that really John Levine? He¡¯s on Twitter too?]


    [I just checked¨Cit¡¯s him, but that¡¯s the only tweet from him.]


    [My god¡­ John Levine has graced me with his presence! My grandpa would be smiling in his grave!]


    [Even John Levine cannot stand Kyle Jessop¡¯s behavior. The man is an epitome of justice!]


    There was a huge bunch of bootlicking messages beneath.


    Suddenly, Cordy smiled for no particr reason at all.


    She just somehow imagined John sending that tweet, looking utterly nonchnt but definitely with a


    small smile.


    Still, Cordy soon pursed her lips, her smile fading just then.


    She had no idea when it started, but John seemed to be constantly in her mind, and she would always


    remember her out of the blue, as if it was only natural¡­


    Putting down her phone, she forced herself not to think about it.


    However, she had justid down for a while when she turned, and thought for a second that she was


    imagining John himself standing at the doorway to her ward.


    Her heart skipped a few beats, just as she had no idea why she was reacting so much to John¡¯s


    sudden appearance.


    Maybe¡­ Just maybe¡­


    He was always the one who reached her first whenever anything happened to her, to stand at her side.


    It left her cold heart gradually feeling warmth.


    And now, their eyes met in silence.


    For a single instant, Cordy honestly did not know what she should tell him.


    Thank you, perhaps?


    However, she knew all too well that what John wanted was not her gratitude.


    Her phone started to ring deafeningly then, shattering the silence between them.


    Cordy came to senses, and seeing that Simon was calling her again, she finally answered it.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs! When are you going to stop?!¡± Simon bellowed viciously from the other end. To the


    Sachs, Cordy was always at fault!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 113

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 113


    Chapter 113


    Simon¡¯s voice was shaking even as he roared furiously, ¡°Cordy Sachs! You¡¯re actually suing your own


    grandmother for assaulting you?! The cops just told me that you¡¯re taking a legal course of action


    instead of selling it privately! Forget the production nt riot¨Cthis is your grandmother! What do you


    think others would say?!¡±


    She had really gone too far this time!


    ¡°Grandmother?¡± Cordyughed coldly. ¡°Didn¡¯t she tell you? She just said that I¡¯m not a member of her


    family, that I¡¯m not allowed in her house ever again.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just upset¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m upset too.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s your grandmother! Your elder! How could you hold anything against her?!¡±


    ¡°So she gets to hit me without consequences?¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!!! You¡¯re not listening to reason!¡± Simon shrieked.


    Cordyughed again.


    Listening to reason? What part of anything he said was reason?


    Did he ever admit that Plum was at fault?


    Did he ask what actually happened or listened to her exnation, for that matter?


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Whatever.


    Cordy never held much hope toward the Sachs.


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up,¡± she said coolly.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Simon was stamping his feet in frustration. ¡°Are you trying to humiliate us?! Do you


    really think that charges on your grandmother would stick?! Don¡¯t think for a second you can do


    whatever you like just because you put on a show for press and caught some hype with Starstream


    Group! I strutted in North City for years, and our family has a reputation! If you think I¡¯m really afraid of


    you, I¡¯ll make you suffer more than-¡±


    ¡°But what if I get involved?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers stiffened while her heart pounded, watching as John took her phone and spoke. I¡¯m


    John Levine. If I get involved, do you think the charades on your mother would stick?¡± @


    Simon clearly froze¨Che never thought that John would be at Cordy¡¯s side!


    And though John¡¯s voice was tly, it sent chills up the spine.


    In fact, Simon¡¯s heart was thumping when he realized what John was talking about.


    If John really got involved, the Sachs would be crushed in an instant.


    That naturally left Simon livid¨CCordy had certainly been walking all over him for a while now!


    Even so, he had to bear with it, and even his tone was much calmer when he spoke again. ¡°Oh, Mr.


    Levine¡­ It¡¯s an honor. Also, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding. We¡¯re just having the usual father-


    daughter argument, nothing more. You have nothing to worry about¡­¡±


    ¡°What I worry about doesn¡¯t matter,¡± John replied, taking no notice of Simon¡¯s fawning. ¡°I¡¯ll only ever


    stand with Cordy¨Cwhatever she wants, I¡¯ll give.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Cordy¡¯s eternal fortune to have you as his boyfriend,¡± Simon said, forced to be sickly sweet


    now that he was threatened. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re with Cordy, I shan¡¯t impose. Doe by for dinner


    when you have time too, sir¡­¡±


    John did not say yes, and Simon was tactful enough to shut up and hang up, after which he was


    glowering.


    So Cordy was now strutting because John had her back. Was that it?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 114

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 114


    Chapter 114


    Noel was sobbing at Simon¡¯s sigh. ¡°How did it go, Daddy? Does she still want to press charges?¡±


    ¡°Of course she does!¡± Simon snapped, seething just then. ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying that you¡¯re going to woo


    John Levine? It¡¯s already ages, and he¡¯s still with Cordy!¡±


    Noel appeared even more upset at that, and her eyes were welling with tears. ¡°I wanted to do it to help


    our family, but Cordy istching on to him so tightly, I can¡¯t even get close¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Simon, you shouldn¡¯t me her,¡± Sue chimed in, ever quick to her daughter¡¯s rescue. ¡°You can¡¯t


    rush a rtionship, and did you know that Noel almost passed out from crying? We should think about


    how we can convince Cordy to drop the charges or it¡¯ll be a scandal for the family if the case was made


    against Plum and she gets sentenced to jail. Everyone will beughing at us!¡± Simon naturally took that


    into consideration and a vein bulged over his temples in his fury.


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Grandma wouldn¡¯t have pped Cordy if not for her.¡± Noel started to y the victim


    again. ¡°I should apologize to her¡­ I¡¯m willing to get down on my knees and beg if she demands it, as


    long as Grandma doesn¡¯t get hurt¡­.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault!¡± Sue eximed. ¡°It¡¯s your sister¡¯s¨Cshe doesn¡¯t care about the family¡¯s reputation at


    all, and insists on humiliating you. Even Sachs Enterprises was affected, and it¡¯s only natural your


    grandma couldn¡¯t bear it and went looking for Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Moreover,¡± she added, ¡°Kyle Jessop is so petty, trying to scandalize Cordy because he¡¯s jealous of


    Starstream Group¡¯s sess¨Conly for Cordy to turn the tables on him! And here I thought he was a fine


    young man after he brought Jessop Corp back from the brink of sess¡­. But he provedcking so


    muchtely, Jessop Corp would end up destroyed by his hands.¡±


    Though it seemed like a fair assessment from Sue, she was naturally just shifting the me away from


    Noel while pinning it on Cordy and Kyle.


    To no surprise, Simon listened to her and growled viciously, ¡°Cordy really treats us as if we¡¯re not


    family, never thinking for our sake at all! I¡¯d have had a word with her myself if my mom didn¡¯t!¡±


    Sue was smiling vilely¨Ceven if Simon had been cheating on her for years, he always listened to her.


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re right. Kyle isn¡¯t an ideal partner we thought him to be, Noel,¡± Simon said, as if


    remembering that just then, and he became a little agitated.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Noel replied tamely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother at all with Kyle now¨Cfocus on winning over John Levine,¡± Simon growled between his


    teeth. ¡°The Levines are the kings of the city and our family will rise to new heights if he falls in love with


    you! Most importantly, Cordy won¡¯t ever get to strut again!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Noel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Daddy. But I¡¯m still worried about Grandma¡­¡±


    ¡°Cody¡¯s not going to drop the charges even if you beg,¡± Simon said with certainty. ¡°She¡¯d just humiliate


    you.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Noel¡¯s eyes were tearful and red, and she looked as if she med


    herself.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Simon huffed. ¡°She just has to own up to it and apologize.¡±


    ¡°Would she really do it?¡± Noel asked.


    ¡°She must do it,¡± Simon growled through his teeth. ¡°Or she¡¯s going to jail!¡±


    Back at Cordy¡¯s ward at the hospital, John returned her phone.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy quietly said after taking it.


    He watched her, before walking up to her bed and picking up the patient file next to it.


    ¡°Deafness in the right ear?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Temporarily,¡± Cordy replied.


    John raised a brow. ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s like before, a month.¡±


    ¡°Like before¡°?¡± John seemed to be an expert at catching keywords.


    ¡°Same thing happened when I was a child,¡± Cordy said tly. ¡°Itsted just a month.¡± John clenched his


    fingers and his hand shook even as he held the patient file.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 115

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 115


    Chapter 115


    Cordy continued then, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect myself when I was a child, but that¡¯s not the case now


    that I¡¯m older.¡±


    She was assuring John that she could protect herself even though she had no idea why she had to.


    Still, she probably thought that he was genuinely worried about her, and there were just a handful of


    people in this world who were.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± John suddenly asked, studying her cheek that was still slightly swollen.


    How much strength did Plum put behind that p to cause so much swelling?


    Cordy appeared taken aback, but she soon shook her head.


    It really did not hurt¡­ because this amounted to nothingpared to the things she experienced as a


    child.


    And while her heart used to hurt because of that, she now understood that the Sachs did not deserve


    her tears¨Cnot a single drop.


    John pursed his lips, and the air around him suddenly seemed to turn chilly.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    He was a frightening sight, but Cordy was not afraid because she knew why he was angry.


    ¡°I want an apple,¡± she suddenly said, trying to divert his attention just then.


    While John blinked at her, she added, ¡°The apple you peeled before was sweet.¡±


    The chill in the air seemed to fade a little, and he turned toward the te of fruits on the coffee table.


    Picking up the apple and fruit knife that was there as well, he quietly peeled it.


    His fingers were long and lean, while his hands seemed so clean¡­


    Cordy quickly turned away.


    She was not shy to admit that she was not brave enough at present¨Cafter going through so much, she


    did not dare to take the risk.


    She would rather miss outpletely, no matter who it was.


    Still, John soon finished peeling and slicing the apple, and he put it in front of her.


    Thanks,¡± she said as she took it, and started to eat slowly.


    She never liked fruits before, but now genuinely found that apples tasted good¨Ccrisp, sweet, and


    pleasant to bite.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let me have a taste,¡± he said.


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± she nodded, and picked up her fork, which was ready with another slice she was going to eat


    herself.


    Simon huffed. ¡°She just has to own up to it and apologize.¡±


    ¡°Would she really do it?¡± Noel asked.


    ¡°She must do it,¡± Simon growled through his teeth. ¡°Or she¡¯s going to jail!¡±


    Back at Cordy¡¯s ward at the hospital, John returned her phone.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy quietly said after taking it.


    He watched her, before walking up to her bed and picking up the patient file next to it.


    ¡°Deafness in the right ear?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Temporarily,¡± Cordy replied.


    John raised a brow. ¡°For how long?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s like before, a month.¡±


    ¡°Like before¡°?¡± John seemed to be an expert at catching keywords.


    ¡°Same thing happened when I was a child,¡± Cordy said tly. ¡°Itsted just a month.¡± John clenched his


    fingers and his hand shook even as he held the patient file.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 116

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 116


    Chapter 116


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll stay here with you,¡± John replied, as if it was only natural. ¡°Sleep.¡±


    As Cordy stared at him, he said, ¡°You often came by to visit and take care of me when I was staying in


    the hospital before.¡±


    ¡°You were hurt because of me,¡± Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°I always repay a favor a hundredfold. You don¡¯t have to be so formal with me, Ms. Sachs,¡± John said


    with a determined tone.


    Cordy pursed her lips¨Cshe had this nagging feeling that she would hurt the little child in John if she


    turned him down.


    As such, she simply turned around, keeping her back to him and closed her eyes to sleep.


    And with that, John sat by her hospital bed, staring at her delicately small figure.


    She really was small¡­ So, so small.


    And yet, she was so tough it hurt.


    John¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed just then.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    If he stopped her all those years ago, when she was fleeing without a care¡­.


    Would she have been more trusting?


    Cordy did not expect that she would really fall asleep.


    She came up with a reasonable excuse to make John leave, but did not think that as she closed her


    eyes and keptying there in her bed, she actually fell asleep.


    She rarely slept near strangers because she felt too insecure to do it.


    She turned slightly and found John also asleep on the couch.


    It was a small couch, so it looked like he was mostly cramping his huge frame on it.


    She then remembered the time when he was staying at the hospital¨Ctheir roles from that time were


    now reversed.


    Getting to her feet, she picked up her nket and tried toy it over him as gently as possible.


    However, the instant he was close to her, John opened his eyes, leaving her in shock and disbelief.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡­ Oh!¡±


    Cordy yelped as suddenly caught her wrist, and firmly pulled.


    Her entire body fell into his arms, while she felt like the world spun around her.


    Before she could react, John flipped around and pinned her beneath himself.


    They hence stared into each other¡¯s eyes in thatpromising position.


    Then, Cordy watched as John suddenly leaned in and inched closer to her¡­


    Cordy¡¯s heart was racing.


    Her instincts were rejecting what wasing, and she shifted her body in refusal.


    Even so, she hesitated for a moment when she met his bright gaze.


    She bit her lip, watching as John leaned closer¡­


    And closer.


    At the veryst instant, she suddenly closed her eyes and clenched her knuckles, as if to make her


    ept a certain something.


    But even as her nerves all over tightened, she suddenly rxed and opened her eyes.


    That was when she found herself staring at his jet¨Cck hair.


    He was simplyying on top of her, almost suffocating her.


    She wondered then if he never woke up, and everything was just him sleepwalking!


    Even as hey on top of her, his breathing was regr and rhythmic, while she felt his warm breath


    escaping his lips beside her right ear.


    His lips were moving, but she did not know if he was actually talking because she was deaf in that


    ear.


    All she knew was that she had trouble breathing from him pressing on her.


    After a while¡­ Perhaps after ten or maybe twenty minutes, Cordy thought that she was at her limit and


    shoved him. ¡°Wake up.¡±


    Her body stiffened as he moved¨Cshe could not tear her eyes away from his gorgeous face even as he


    stirred!


    As John looked up with sleepy eyes at Cordy, he slowly realized that she was beneath him and his


    eyes briefly shed in surprise.


    ¡°What did I do?¡± he asked.


    Good.


    At least he was asking what he did, and not what she did, or she would never have been able to


    exin herself!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 117

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 117


    Chapter 117


    ¡°Let go of me.¡±


    Cordy shifted her body again to make John move, only for him to suddenly grunt rather sensually.


    Cordy promptly stopped moving¨Ceven if she was inexperienced, she was more or less educated as an


    adult.


    ¡°Just get off me,¡± she said, making herself sound as cold as possible.


    John swallowed.


    There was a sh of emotion in his eyes, but he soon regainedposure as he got off her and


    immediately went to the washroom.


    Cordy did her best to pull herself together, and John soon returned.


    However, as she turned toward him, she could not help ncing downward, and she was suddenly


    blushing.


    She did not want to look.


    But she seemed unable to help it!


    She quickly lowered her eyes to the floor¨Cit already took her considerable effort to calm down, but even


    her ears were now red!


    John, however, was smiling. ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t want it to happen, but there are times when it¡¯s just¡­


    out of my control. I hope I didn¡¯t give you too bad an experience, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    Experience?


    She experienced nothing!


    And yet, John¡¯s ambiguous wording was clearly intended to lead her thoughts astray!


    Naturally, she understood that John was exining himself.


    There were certainly asions where she was alone with another man, but she got physically sick of


    anything too intimate. In fact, she had this feeling that John headed to the washroom


    immediately because he did not want her to start puking again.


    Still, John changed the subject just then. ¡°So? What did I do just now?¡±


    He probably had no idea why he would find her beneath him when he woke up.


    ¡°I saw that you were asleep and I tried to cover you with a nket since you might get a cold. But I


    think you suddenly sleepwalked and pinned me beneath yourself,¡± Cordy summarized while avoiding


    any ambiguous terms.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± John apologized, but Cordy genuinely felt that he was not apologetic as well.


    Who on earth smiled so smugly while apologizing?!


    It was as if he did something worth being proud of while sleeping!


    ¡°Must be a dream,¡± he exined.


    Now that he searched his memory, it was a fragmented dream.


    As he pieced everything together, it was the night when he was raped.


    So that was why his body reacted.


    He heaved a deep sigh just then while Cordy frowned, having sensed that he was not quite innocent


    now.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Do you often do that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What?¡± John blurted as he came back to reality.


    Then realizing what Cordy asked, he replied, ¡°Not often.¡±


    Cordy was skeptical.


    His moves were so smooth he wondered how many women he had done it to before.


    ¡°Just you, Ms. Sachs,¡± John replied.


    Cordy, however, was skeptical¨Che was a Casanova as far as she was concerned, and he could pull so


    many moves that she would never win.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only ever been intimate with you, Ms. Sachs,¡± John suddenly added.


    Cordy raised a brow, her heart skipping a beat.


    Still, she soon calmed down.


    Did he forget that he had a son?


    Though he was not that good at sweet talking on asion too¡­


    That was when they heard a knock on the door, and a reluctant Randy Martin entered, bringing dinner.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 118

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 118


    Chapter 118


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Winston was certainly a sly old fox, bringing in dinner and immediately leaving after, using the excuse


    that Richard was waiting for him at home!


    He had to leave Randy with the task of disturbing John with Cordy!


    ¡°Winston sent dinner. I was worried that it would get cold,¡± Randy gingerly exined.


    When John nodded, Randy quickly put the dinner on the overtable and turned to leave right after.


    Cordy, however, stopped Randy. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together, Randy. There¡¯s too much for John and I.¡± Randy


    certainly was afraid to say yes, and he turned towards his boss.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste it,¡± Cordy added.


    John reluctantly nodded then.


    Randy, who was already hungry, could not help being grateful that Cordy was as kind as she was


    beautiful.


    After dinner, Cordy insisted that John head home, with the excuse of being worried that Richard was


    alone.


    He reluctantly left under her insistence, and she breathed a sigh of relief after he was gone.


    She was certainly uneasy with him around.


    Lying down in bed again, she began to call the respective heads of departments.


    After clearing her name with the press conference and gaining theizens¡® support, Starstream


    Fashion¡¯s autumn collection sold like hotcakes once more. Even so, Cordy wanted solid data.


    Still, each head of department was beaming as they gave her theirtest update, since everything was


    going far better than they thought.


    As expected, after the press conference, Starstream Fashion¡¯s autumn collection was selling by the


    dozen once more. The suppliers who were trying to push them to pay their due payments early also


    ceased, even iming that it was no hurry and they could actually wait much longer.


    Business folk were certainly pragmatic, but at the very least, this meant that Starstream Group was


    once again on the right track.


    After herst call, Cordy viewed Zoe York¡¯s Twitter ount.


    The tweet where Zoe stated her support for Cordy suddenly gained a ton of likes and replies.


    Her die¨Chard fans were naturally mocking the otherizens who doubted Zoe¡¯s character before -the


    power of fandom was not to be underestimated.


    Either way, she did not have to worry about Zoe¡¯s reputation being affected by herself.


    Nheless, before Cordy was about to swipe out of Twitter, Zoe suddenly posted a new tweet


    [Need birthday gift ideas for a man in histe twenties. And rmendations,dies?]


    Cordy stiffened.


    Late twenties, man, birthday.


    There was no doubt that Zoe meant John.


    She gulped even as she quietly put down her phone.


    Cordy was discharged the next day.


    Walter was driving her as she stared outside at the passing scenes of North City¡¯s skyline and gigantic


    malls.


    There were times when she wanted to tell Walter to stop so that she could buy a gift as a token of


    courtesy, but she decided against it.


    She made up her mind instead to clear the air with John tonight.


    No matter how she felt about him, her principles could not ept him two¨Ctiming.


    Even if she was not doing it for her own sake, she genuinely found Zoe was worth an earnest,


    dedicated heart.


    And having decided that, she was no longer at a loss.


    As evening arrived, she put on simple makeup anyway and wore a simple white dress, and spread her


    soft hair over her shoulders¨Cnothing grand, but certainly natural and affable. Anyone would find her


    easygoing and mild.


    Walter was driving her once more, although John never told her location, only the time.


    Still, he must have informed Walter.


    Soon, they arrived at the destination, where John was waiting at the entrance.


    He was in a tuxedo, his towering frame noble and elegant.


    For an instant, Cordy did not want to get out of the car at all.


    She felt a little awkward because she felt underdressed¨Cshe did not expect John to be dressed so


    formally!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 119

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 119


    Chapter 119


    In the end, Cordy braced herself and alighted¨Cher dress was not formal, but it was not that casual


    either.


    Still, she did look a little underdressed beside John.


    On the other hand, he did not seem to care about what she was wearing, and he simply led her inside


    the skyscraper.


    The restaurant was on the twentieth floor, and it was only natural John would pick a spot frequented by


    the rich and powerful of North City.


    After Cordy followed him into the grandly designed ss elevator, he suddenly took off his dinner


    jacket and his bow tie, unfastening his top two buttons.


    His forbidding presence suddenly turned to a simpler elegance, he suddenly held out his dinner jacket


    and bow tie at her, saying, ¡°Hold these for me.¡±


    Cordy did so, and watched as John slowly rolled up his sleeves, baring his firm, muscr hands. He


    looked considerably casual in an instant, just as Cordy quickly realized what he was doing.


    He wanted to match her outfit and she seemed to feel a little guilty about that.


    After all, he must have thought she would regard his birthday with importance and dress up for the


    asion, but she did not.


    In the end, he had to work with her, despite her clear negligence.


    Still, she worked hard to ignore her feelings because she was here for a reason.


    Once they reached their floor, John took back his dinner jacket and bowtie, while a steward greeted


    them and led them to a VVIP room.


    As they approached the room, the two stewards standing outside each opened one of the double


    doors, revealing the extravagant stateliness within.


    Cordy followed John inside and realized that they were not alone.


    She recognized Jay Parker, Bob Davis, and Sam Saunders.


    Aside from Jay being an adopted child of the Levines, the other two were both run¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmill rich


    kids, born into super¨Crich dynasties.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± Bob greeted him. ¡°Ah, I see you brought thedy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John nodded, and turned to Cordy, ¡°Let me introduce you to my friends. You know Jay Parker,


    my uncle?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Parker.¡± Cordy smiled politely.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay did the same in return.


    ¡°Bob Davis.¡± John then pointed at the rather pudgy man.


    Cordy looked at Bob then¨Cone would not peg him as handsome, but his facial features were certainly


    easy on the eyes upon a closer look. Still, he did lose points considering hispany.


    ¡°We were from the same school, remember?¡± Bob said enthusiastically then, ever the eagerly friendly


    extrovert. ¡°I was your senior in high school.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Davis.¡± Cordy smiled in greeting, appearing very polite.


    ¡°Hiya back.¡± Bob held out his hand for a handshake, but tactfully withdrew his hand when he noticed a


    look from John.


    How petty!


    ¡°That¡¯s Sam Saunders.¡±


    Cordy turned towards the man standing near the edge, who was the tallest among them at around six


    foot two. His blonde buzzcut certainly showed personality, just as he was as fashionable as he was


    naturally attractive.


    In fact, the first thought Cordy had of him was that it was a waste he was not a fashion model.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 120

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 120


    Chapter 120


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Sachs. Your reputation precedes you, though you¡¯re even more beautiful than when you


    appeared at the press conference.¡± Sam praised her earnestly.


    ¡°You tter me.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°You¡¯re quite handsome too.¡±


    Sam smiled smugly and shot John a provoking look, but John ignored it.


    Pulling out a chair for Cordy, John said, ¡°I knew them since I was a boy since our families were close.


    That said, I spent more time abroad and rarely came back. This is the first time I¡¯m celebrating my


    birthday in North City, so they wanted to join me.¡±


    In other words, he wanted to celebrate it with her alone, but they insisted on tagging alone.


    ¡°Anyway, just be at ease. Don¡¯t mind them,¡± John then added quietly, clearly taking her feelings into


    consideration.


    Cordy nodded.


    It was his birthday, and naturally what he said went.


    However, she wondered if she would have a chance to say the things she was prepared to say tonight.


    That was when the door suddenly opened, and a familiar female voice could be heard.


    ¡°Starting without me? You¡¯re all evil!¡±


    Cordy turned to find Zoe carrying a bouquet of flowers as she entered eagerly.


    ¡°Oh, no one here would dare start without the queen of showbiz, right?¡± Bob eximed with


    exaggerated humility.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Zoe grinned and walked straight to John, giving him a warm hug around the neck. Happy


    birthday, darling.¡±


    John, however, was looking at the bouquet with disdain. ¡°That¡¯s what you got me after asking everyone


    on Twitter?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I gave my heart here,¡± Zoe argued defensively. ¡°I picked each flower and wrapped it myself. It¡¯s a


    bouquet like no other, just the way I feel about you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting that we¡¯re not at a film set, kiddo,¡± Bob teased.


    Zoe shot him a re. ¡°This is between me and him. You shut your filthy trap!¡±


    Bob shrugged nonchntly, already perfectly ustomed to the sibling rivalry.


    That was when John snorted. ¡°I bought you that Hermes Himyan Birkin for your birthday and I only


    get flowers from you. Your love for me is really bottomless, huh?¡±


    ¡°But you never told me what you wanted!¡± Zoe eximed, giving him a wounded look. ¡°And you have


    the money to get anything you want anyway. How could you swindle a little actress like me who lives


    paycheck to paycheck?¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever. Sit down,¡± John growled, not wanting to waste his breath. ¡°And don¡¯t put on such


    strong perfume next time. It stinks.¡±


    ¡°Buzz off!¡± Zoe snapped, sniffing herself even as she left John¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s an expensive antique. I


    wouldn¡¯t have used it for myself even if I wanted to, and I was almost crying when I did it for your


    birthday. Do you even have standards?!¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Then, she sat beside Cordy as if it was natural.


    Cordy pursed her lips in turn, calmly watched as John and Zoe flirted.


    Even if John said that he hated flowers, he obviously spared a few more nces at the bouquet when


    Zoe told him that she wrapped it herself.


    That was when Zoe leaned toward Cordy, asking, ¡°Cordy. Don¡¯t you think this smells good?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°Royal Chamber¡¯s premium rose perfume. It¡¯s the Hermes of perfumes, but


    most importantly, it has been out of production for a long time. It only shows up asionally at


    auctions, so it¡¯s a rare treasure.¡±


    ¡°You know your stuff. Men really don¡¯t know a thing,¡± Zoe praised her earnestly.


    Cordy was far more cultured and a greater person than she imagined, and Zoe loved Cordy to bits.


    In fact, Zoe had been so thrilled as she watched Cordy destroy Noel and Kyle during the conference


    that she was pping and eximing in excitement. She would even have invited Cordy out for drinks


    to celebrate if she were not busy!


    press


    Fortunately, it was her brother¡¯s birthday today, and Zoe could keep drinking until she got drunk.


    And if she were to be honest, she would not be here drinking with those geezers if Cordy was not


    coming.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 121

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 121


    Chapter 121


    ¡°Sam, why don¡¯t I see Quinn anywhere?¡± Zoe asked Sam just then.


    Bob spoke beside Sam before Sam could. ¡°Have you ever seen her around a dinner where he¡¯s


    present?¡±


    ¡°Then why would he marry Quinn?¡± Zoe huffed.


    Bob shrugged since he had no idea either. ¡°Ask the man himself.¡±


    Sam grinned nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s a political marriage, get it?¡±


    ¡°All men are pigs.¡± Zoe snorted in disdain.


    Even though she was friends with these men because of her cousin, she was firmly on Quinn


    Summer¡¯s side when it came to Quinn¡¯s marriage with Sam.


    ¡°Now, now, that¡¯s not quite right,¡± Bob corrected Zoe with righteous indignation. ¡°We three are not like


    him. Johnny may have a son, but he¡¯s always been keeping his hands clean instead of messing


    around. Jay doesn¡¯t even have a girlfriend¨Cthe man could not be more innocent. As for me, it may look


    like thedies flock around me constantly¡­ I¡¯ve actually always refrained from debauchery


    too.¡±


    ¡°Tch!¡± Zoe clicked her tongue with contempt.


    ¡°You¡¯re really getting disrespectful toward us, y¡¯know?!¡± Bob snapped.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you can beat me and drink.¡± Zoe grinned provokingly.


    ¡°You bart!¡± Bob was immediately motivated. ¡°Don¡¯t me me for being a bully if you get drunk.¡±


    ¡°You worry too much. You never beat me, and now, I have Cordy helping me. Just surrender already!¡±


    ¡°Cordy¡¯s not drinking,¡± John suddenly said.


    Zoe frowned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Drink all you want. No means no,¡± John growled.


    Zoe was clearly upset by that.


    Cordy felt something she could not quite describe as she sat with John, too. She could tell that Zoe


    was close with these men, and John must often bring Zoe along when he hung out with his friends.


    Naturally, Zoe was going to be unhappy if John sided with Cordy.


    As such, Cordy quickly exined, ¡°My ear was hurt. The doctor told me not to drink.¡±


    ¡°Your ear?¡± Zoe sounded worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s not serious. I¡¯ll recover in a few days, though I shouldn¡¯t drink.¡± Cordy sounded sorry. ¡°I can¡¯t thank


    you for backing back then.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Zoe smiled nonchntly, magnanimous as ever.


    It was obvious that Zoe was not up to no good¡­ but could that be why she never suspected John?


    Cordy could hardly describe how she felt just then,


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Nheless, the table soon became lively as Zoe started drinking with Bob and the others¨Cshe


    certainly was chugging it down.


    Cordy thought then that even if Zoe managed to oust Bob, she would not fare any better.


    However, just as she was going to tell Zoe to cut herself some ck, Jay caught Bob¡¯s wrist just as he


    and Zoe were going for the next ss. ¡°Stop drinking already.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not drunk yet,¡± Bob eximed in annoyance, even adding excitedly, ¡°I¡¯ll beat her tonight, or


    else¡­!¡±


    ¡°Or else what? You¡¯d put on a dress and tapdance?¡± Zoe smiled smugly.


    ¡°You little¡­¡± Bob was incensed by the provocation, and picked up his ss. ¡°Bottom¡¯s up!¡±


    ¡°Bottom¡¯s up!¡± Zoe echoed as she chugged her ss.


    Jay pursed his lips and told Bob, ¡°If you¡¯re that good a drinker, why don¡¯t you drink with me instead?¡±


    ¡°What, with your level of tolerance? Are you sure about this?¡± Bob leveled Jay a skeptical look.


    ¡°It¡¯s my nephew¡¯s birthday. Why shouldn¡¯t I unwind?¡± Jay raised a brow.


    And with that, they both started to drink eagerly.


    After all, while Bob was a frequent drinker, Jay rarely did, taking just a few sips even if Bob tried his


    best to push him. It was rare for Jay to be so enthusiastic, so Bob started to drink with him


    enthusiastically.


    Zoe burped just then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 122

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 122


    Chapter 122


    Zoe had drunk too much with Bob just now, and she was clearly getting sick.


    If she had continued, she would be floored soon enough.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Cordy asked Zoe, passing Zoe a ss of water. ¡°Don¡¯t chug too much¨Cit¡¯s bad for the


    stomach.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zoe replied as she took the ss, saying emotionally and earnestly, ¡°I love you, Cordy.


    As Cordy felt her heart skip a beat, Zoe continued, ¡°You remember Quinn, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We all had dinner together,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°That my bestie, bar none,¡± Zoe told Cordy. ¡°Though I must announce now that I have another bestie.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, feeling a little helpless just then.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    She genuinely felt that Zoe liked her, and she was left once again in a dilemma by Zoe¡¯s sincerity.


    Cordy turned to look at John, who was drinking with the others, and decided that she would say what


    she had to say tonight.


    Things were rowdy around the table after they finished dinner, and Bob insisted that they go to a


    karaoke bar.


    They headed downstairs to the sixteenth floor¨Cthe entertainment floor¨Ctaking a VIP room for


    themselves.


    The borately decorated room was notrge, and it felt crowded with just the six of them.


    Bob, ever the heart of the party, became even more thrilled after drinking.


    Once he picked up the microphone, he started to sing and dance without a care.


    Zoe, who was buoyed from alcohol as well, tried to snatch the microphone from Bob.


    All at once, they were wrestling and ying excitedly like children.


    ¡°I can send you home if you¡¯re bored,¡± John suddenly told Cordy, though he smelled like alcohol


    already.


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy shook her head.


    Everyone was having fun and John was the main event. How would they enjoy themselves if he left


    with her?


    ¡°Then tell me if you want to leave,¡± John said, before murmuring, ¡°I¡¯d like you to know more about my


    life.¡±


    While Cordy was left taken aback, she watched as James got to his feet and walked over to Jay.


    As they started drinking again, it was obvious that Jay was past his limit.


    Even as Cordy watched him go to the washroom, he would be pale whenever he returned.


    As someone who often went drinking with clients, Cordy certainly knew how a person would keep


    vomiting and turning pale after they got drunk.


    ¡°Cordy, why don¡¯t you sing us a song since you¡¯re not drinking?¡± Zoe asked, having stolen the


    microphone from Bob and nting herself in the seat next to Cordy¡¯s.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be bored since you¡¯re not drinking either.¡± Zoe was really worried.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pick a song. You go drink.¡± Cordy had topromise, adding, ¡°Don¡¯t drink too much. You¡¯d


    feel sick.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay¡­¡± Zoe replied.


    But her body was honest¨Cshe was already moving to John¡¯s side.


    As Cordy headed over to the karaoke machine, Zoe was leaning against John¡¯s shoulder.


    He helped Zoe straighten herself, but he did not push her away despite his slight look of annoyance.


    Pursing her lips, Cordy turned to pick the song titled ¡®Third Wheel¡®.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 123

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 123


    Chapter 123


    As the song started to y, Cordy sang it with her gracefully melodious voice.


    Everyone was still pouring each other drinks, but they all stopped when they heard Cordy¡¯s


    singing, left in shock by her voice.


    Even Zoe was rubbing her ears. ¡°Such a shame she¡¯s not taking part in The Voice. She sings so much


    better than me.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you an actress?¡± Bob pointed out.


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t I develop into other areas?¡± Zoe retorted.


    ¡°Well, she sings well, but I wonder¡­¡± Bob turned to John just then. ¡°Is she hinting at something. with


    those lyrics?¡±


    As John narrowed his eyes, Zoe appeared speechless.


    ¡°What are you thinking?!¡± Zoe snapped. ¡°It¡¯s just a song, or are you saying John is cheating on


    Cordy?!¡±


    ¡°I said nothing,¡± Bob quickly said in defense.


    Soon, Cordy was done singing, and everyone apuded her.


    She was too engrossed with singing to notice that everyone was listening to her attentively and the


    apuse left her blushing.


    She quickly put down the microphone and left for the washroom¨Cshe still felt a little shy, singing. in front


    of rtive strangers.


    Moreover, this might be thest time, because she would no longer cross paths with them once. she


    cleared the air with John.


    After taking a while to calm herself, Cordy opened the washroom door to find John standing outside,


    waiting for her.


    Seeing here out, he said, ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.


    He probably noticed that she was ufortable.


    Nheless, Cordy mustered her courage and said, ¡°John, I need to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± John raised a brow¨Chis cheeks were flushed from alcohol, and his eyes were slightly unfocused.


    But if anything, he felt more approachable than usual.


    Even so, Cordy enunciated every word as steadily as possible. ¡°Let¡¯s end things here,


    John¡¯s fingers seemed to tremble for an instant at his sides.


    Even if it was not too obvious and he was not reacting obviously in appearance, Cordy could feel


    the coldness projecting from his body for a single second.


    Be that as it may, he was not flipping out or appeared despondent.


    Instead, he asked with exceedingly calmposure, ¡°Did I make a mistake?¡±


    It certainly came out of the blue.


    What was his mistake?


    Did Cordy dislike his friends? His lifestyle?


    He was sure she was not trusting and therefore stopped at meeting his close friends, agreeing to let


    Bob celebrate his birthday. He was convinced that this was the way for her to slowly learn about him


    and get familiar with him, so that she would not resist him¡­..


    Did he go too far and made her upset, even though he was always so afraid of scaring her?


    A million different feelings were crushing John¡¯s heart all at once!


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said just then. ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I won¡¯t fall in love again, and I¡¯ve rejected you many times


    ¡°Cordy Sachs. Give me an actual reason so that I can give up, or I won¡¯t,¡± John said, cutting her short.


    Cordy actually could not recall if he had ever used her full name before.


    And yet, she felt a stabbing pain in her chest just then, as if she had really hurt him.


    But it was his own fault for getting ahead of himself.


    Biting her lip and taking a moment topose herself, she eventually said, ¡°I can¡¯t ept how you


    treat rtionships. I understand that I have a troubled reputation, and men would think that I have


    loose morals since I¡¯m no virgin¡­ But I¡¯m not. Even when I dated Kyle Jessop, we at most held hands


    and hugged, nothing more. I dislike intimate men because I draw the line at premarital intercourse.¡±


    With that, she changed her tone and held John¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve said a lot, but the point is that is how I treat


    rtionships.¡±


    John returned her gaze and asked, ¡°So? How did the way I treat rtionships disappoint you?¡± He


    could change, could he not?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 124

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 124


    Chapter 124


    Even so, John simply had no idea what his mistake was!


    Nheless, Cordy said inly, ¡°You¡¯re dating Zoe, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    It was obvious John would keep bothering her if she was not direct.


    And she refused to be direct before because adults did not have to go that far to embarrass each other,


    and they were not enemies either.


    But after all her rejections failed, she decided to just be direct.


    John was left blinking, and there was a sh of surprise in his


    eyes.


    Since he was silent from shock, Cordy continued, ¡°I¡¯ve known Zoe long enough to tell that she¡¯s a good


    person¨Ca little bold at times, but she¡¯s kind and naive. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re dating her, and it could


    well be a tit for tat and not meant tost, but I really feel that Zoe deserves better treatment. If you


    really want a family and a mother for Dicky, she¡¯s not a bad choice.¡±


    ¡°She certainly isn¡¯t,¡± John said in agreement.


    Cordy felt that pain in her chest again but she ignored it, as she epted that John was spoken for


    with grace.


    After going through so much, the pain from rtionships seemed to be limited now.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to stand aside for her?¡± John asked just then.


    ¡°No, not her. I just think you two deserve each other, and I earnestly wish you both the best,¡± Cordy


    said sincerely. ¡°We¡¯ll all be friends from now on.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I need another friend?¡± John asked in return.


    ¡°Then we won¡¯t see each other ever again,¡± Cordy told him, turning to leave.


    John gulped and told her icily, ¡°You really are cold, Cordy Sachs.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips and paused.


    In reality, there was much she could not let go of¨Csuch as Richard.


    But if she had to name one regret she had in rejecting John, it was Richard.


    ¡°How terrible do you think I am?¡± John suddenly cried, and caught her by her wrist.


    Caught by surprise, she felt her entire body mming into John¡¯s firm chest.


    He pulled a little too strongly, as if in retaliation.


    She hit her nose, and she could not stop the tears from the pain.


    But even as she tried to resist, John held her dainty figure in ce, and all she could smell was the


    scent of pine freshness from his body along with the stench of alcohol.


    She then felt a cutting pain on her ear¨CJohn was biting her on the earlobe!


    Withstanding the pain, Cordy dug her nails into his arms, pressing them into his flesh in an attempt to


    make him free her.


    It only made him hold her tighter¨Cpartly as payback, partly from fear of losing her¡­


    Or perhaps the apprehension of regaining what he once thought was lost.


    And then¡­


    ¡°Zoe!¡±


    John snapped as he released Cordy¡¯s dainty ear, which was flushed from his biting.


    It turned out that Zoe had been standing in front of them.


    Zoe just had too much to drink, and was just going to relieve herself¨Cit was not as if she came out on


    purpose to disturb them!


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who am I to you?!¡± John barked.


    The question left Zoe speechless.


    Did he lose his mind a little from excessive bliss?!


    ¡°Say it!¡± John barked again, even more severely now.


    ¡°My cousin¡­?¡± Zoe said uncertainly, suddenly feeling as if John had lost himself in the bliss of the


    moment.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 125

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 125


    Chapter 125


    Cousin?!


    Cordy flinched while she was still in John¡¯s arms, and he clearly felt her move!


    ¡°Come here,¡± John then told Zoe.


    Zoe did so tentatively with an unsteady gait. Though her cheeks were flushed from alcohol, she looked


    utterly afraid, like a child about to ask their parents for forgiveness.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt you making out,¡± she said with a wounded tone. ¡°I just needed to pee.¡±


    On the other hand, although Cordy had been resistant toward being intimate with John, she was left so


    utterly awkward she buried her head within John¡¯s embrace, too ashamed to show her face. John


    certainly knew that Cordy was embarrassed, but he was not letting her off the hook either. He pressed,


    ¡°And what do you call my grandfather?¡±


    ¡°John, you¡¯re scaring me.¡± Zoe¡¯s pupils were dting¨Cdid he somehow lose every bit of intelligence


    from making out?!


    Still, seeing the serious look from her cousin, she had to answer honestly. ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    John lowered his gaze then and asked Cordy, who was still hiding her face, ¡°So? Do you understand


    the connection between me and Zoe now, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s ears were blushing harder than when he bit her. Still, she nodded without looking up, keeping


    her head against his chest.


    ¡°Would you like to see my birth certificate as well, Ms. Sachs?¡± John asked just then.


    Cordy quickly shook her head, even as Zoe was left even more puzzled by them.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you two?¡± Zoe could not help asking.


    ¡°Nothing. Though someone misunderstood that I was two¨Ctiming-¡±


    John blinked as he suddenly felt a dainty hand on his lips.


    Cordy also looked up from his chest, her eyes pleading him to stop.


    It was just so embarrassing, it was more than enough for John alone to be aware!


    Naturally, John¡¯s lips were curling up and she could clearly feel it on her palm along with his warmth¨Cas


    if she was being kissed.


    While Cordy quickly withdrew her hand from his lips, Zoe was perplexed by their curious interaction.


    ¡°What on earth are you up to?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. You can go now,¡± John told Zoe.


    Zoe was clearly upset at that¨Cwas she supposed to stay or leave?!


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± John said then, his tone a little sterner.


    It went without saying that Zoe was scared of him, even as a child.


    Even though she lived at Levine Manor since she was a child, her parents never disciplined her much¨C


    nor did n Levine, her maternal grandfather and the head of the family. It was only her elusive cousin


    who carried an unusually intimidating presence, stopping her from messing around


    when around him.


    ¡°I need the washroom,¡± Zoe protested softly nheless.


    ¡°Go somewhere else!¡±


    Zoe could not say a word, and she had to run away right then.


    Cordy tried to leave too, but John caught her by the wrist just as she moved.


    He felt like he could snap her thin hand with just a little exertion!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should be saying something, Ms. Sachs?¡± he asked pointedly with his deep,


    maic voice.


    Cordy tugged at her own dress so badly it was starting to get wrinkled.


    After she messed up so badly, the snake before her would never show mercy!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 126

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 126


    Chapter 126


    Even as Cordy looked utterly guilty, John was studying her seriously as he asked, ¡°I¡¯m curious. What


    made you think that I was dating Zoe, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Still, his brow was rxed, showing his good mood.


    Cordy bit her lip, but she knew that John was going to be ruthless if she told him that Kyle Jessop


    misled her.


    ¡°Supposing that I were dating Zoe, it¡¯s even more curious that you¡¯d find it logical that I would have you


    two appear in the same ce,¡± John continued, putting weight behind every word. ¡°How irresponsible


    do you think I am toward a rtionship that I could do something like that?!¡±


    Cordy could not say anything against that.


    She definitely should have suspected something, especially with her calmness and wit. But for some


    reason, she presumed that John and Zoe were really dating without questioning it.


    Now that she understood that, she realized that she was definitely being foolish¨Ccould she have been


    infected by Kyle¡¯s stupidity?


    Or perhaps.


    Even as that thought crossed her mind, Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    But she refused to admit that her judgment was affected because she cared a little too much!


    And since he was not getting an answer, John was still watching her and pressing on. ¡°So that¡¯s why


    you were being distant for so long, Ms. Sachs? That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been rejecting me so constantly,This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    even refusing to bring me a birthday present?¡±


    Cordy could not help looking up at that.


    He never mentioned herck of a birthday present until now, and she thought he did not care.


    She was surprised to realize that he merely kept it bottled up.


    Nheless, she was definitely left awkward by his interrogation.


    She took a deep breath just then, but while she was going to apologize, John suddenly stopped


    osting her and said, ¡°Whatever. Forget it.


    Then, while Cordy blinked at him, he said, ¡°As long as we got that straight.


    He even heaved a sigh of relief.


    Having made things clear, he did not need her apology¨Che was not upset either.


    Cordy could not tell how he could be so tolerant or indeed pampering toward her.


    It was as if he did not have reservations!


    And she certainly doubted that he could be this crazy about her so soon after they just met.


    But if that was not the case, why did he fall for her?


    ¡°After all, I just found out something I could be pleased about today,¡± he suddenly added, grinning.


    Cordy was puzzled.


    What was he pleased about?


    Because they cleared up the misunderstanding? Because he did not have to find out why she was


    being distant?


    But she had to admit that he was always careful about her.


    ¡°I mean, you and Kyle never did it.¡±


    Right after he said that, it felt like there was a different meaning to his smile now¡­and he was now


    projecting the satisfaction and sense of aplishment of a man!


    Cordy had still been feeling guilty, but her embarrassment turned into indignation at his words.


    ¡®All men really are pigs!¡±


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get you home,¡± he eventually said, taking her hand as if it was only natural.


    Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched¨Cshe wanted to knock his hand away by instinct, but she decided to bear with it


    because of the major misunderstanding she had about him.


    At that very moment, she suddenly realized that he made her owe him by not demanding her apology!


    Whatever he did now, she must not reject him, and instead bear with it.


    There was no question that all sessful businessmen were cunning!


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay a little longer,¡± Cordy said, taking a deep breath. ¡°The others haven¡¯t yed enough, and


    I¡¯m not working tomorrow, so I¡¯m in no hurry to leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John agreed to it, but even that seemingly t reply seemed to reveal his glee.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 127

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 127


    Chapter 127


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    Cordy and John returned to the private room, though Bob and the rest promptly pulled John along to


    drink after they returned.


    Not wanting John to worry about her being ufortable, she picked some songs to sing.


    And with that, thedies were singing while the men got drunk in that private room.


    Soon, it was gettingte.


    After getting a little buoyed from all the singing, Zoe leaned against Cordy and asked drunkenly, So?


    What did my dear John do to you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Cordy quickly shook her head.


    ¡°Nothing?¡± Zoe studied Cordy just then, clearly skeptical. ¡°I could clearly sense him being in such a


    better mood after you two returned. Also, you¡¯re drinking freely now, even though we had a hard time


    asking you before¡­ Did you really do nothing to him?¡±


    Cordy started to look a little guilty under Zoe¡¯s stare, and Zoe was suddenly smiling pointedly with an


    understanding look on her face. ¡°I get it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± Cordy quickly said¨Cshe did not need imagination to know what Zoe meant!


    ¡°It¡¯s not? I even saw the scratch marks on his hand¡­ Be honest, was he good? I¡¯ve always been


    saying that eye candies usually are¡­¡±


    Cordy was blushing as Zoe kept going without a care, but just as she was about to exin what


    happened, John suddenly barked, ¡°Zoe!¡±


    Zoe actually gasped¨Cwas he not busy being drinking with Bob and the others?!


    But his eyes were actually on Cordy the whole time!


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom,¡± Zoe said, and quickly fled.


    Cordy could not help smiling at how afraid Zoe was of John¡­ bute to think of it, he was


    definitely unapproachable when he was being quiet and solemn.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± John told Cordy just then, suddenly mild¨Cmannered again.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°They can keep at it,¡± he replied tly¨Cit was already past midnight, and veryte.


    ¡°But if you leave¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s past twelve. My birthday is over, so I¡¯m no longer the protagonist,¡± John said as if it was only


    natural.


    Cordy actually agreed, and she left with him without another word.


    Zoe headed to another washroom since Bob was hogging the one in the private room.


    In the end, she beat him soundly at their drinking game.


    Still, she suddenly paused at the walkway because the two persons before her were indisputable


    eyesores.


    Even so, she kept staring at them without so much as a blink until those two became self- conscious


    enough to separate.


    ¡°You¡¯re a real pig, Sam,¡± Zoe then growled through her teeth.


    Sam chuckled, taking no offense to Zoe¡¯s tant insult.


    ¡°Move. I¡¯m going to the washroom,¡± she snapped.


    Sam made way, just as the woman with him did.


    Just as Zoe walked past them, she suddenly whipped out her phone, made a call, and bellowed at top


    of her voice, ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough of Sam, Quinn?! He¡¯s always cheating on you! Should I get you


    a gigolo? The expensive type¨Csatisfaction guaranteed!¡±


    Sam¡¯s expression darkened immediately, and the woman beside him certainly noticed.


    She quickly tried to coax him. ¡°Oh, Mr. Saunders¡­


    ¡°Get out!¡± he bellowed nheless.


    The woman was certainly startled¨Che was obviously happy with her just a moment ago, and he did not


    refuse her advances.


    And now, he was suddenly dumping her!


    Everyone in the club certainly knew that Sam was as handsome as he was generous. Not only would


    anydy be satisfied in body and soul after a night with him, but they would be rewarded handsomely


    for it too!


    Nheless, the woman could only watch as Sam coolly left, and she stamped her feet in rage.


    And after the call, Zoe returned from the washroom to the private room¡­ which was now empty.


    It went without saying that John would have taken Cordy home, while Sam would be messing around


    with other women.


    Bob would also have made his escape after Zoe beat him at their drinking game.


    And as for Jay¡­ he drank a lot tonight as well.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 128

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 128


    Chapter 128


    Presuming that Jay had left as well, Zoe picked up the handbag she left on the couch and prepared to


    leave.


    ¡°rgh!¡±


    That was when she heard retching from the washroom of the private room.


    Zoe hesitated for a moment, but she eventually entered to find Jay crouching in front of the toilet,


    puking his guts in it.


    Zoe pursed her lips¨CJay had always been a light drinker, but he was surprisingly enthusiastic today.


    Did he not have to work tomorrow?


    She was just smart enough to apply for leave tomorrow, since she knew she was definitely going to be


    drinking tonight.


    Meanwhile, Jay was actually starting to vomit bile even as he questioned why people love alcohol.


    He would never touch the juice unless absolutely necessary!


    Even as he pushed himself off the floor, his legs must have gotten numb from crouching too long, and


    he started to teeter over to the side¡­.


    But just before he fell, a familiar figure suddenly caught him.


    And that dainty figure seemed to be exerting every bit of strength she had.


    Jay blinked and suddenly picked up the thick scent of a perfume¡­


    ¡°Achool¡±


    Sensitive to such scents, he abruptly sneezed.


    Zoe naturally knew he was, and she had done it on purpose because she did not want to get too


    close to him.


    Whenever she made her way to the men to drink with them, he would avoid her.


    Still, even as she released him now, she distanced herself as Jay sneezed a few more times.


    ¡°Why are you still here?¡± he asked coolly as he washed his face with cold water.


    Then, his frame was suddenly upright, as if he was not the man who was puking his guts a


    moment ago.


    ¡°I was going to leave,¡± Zoe said.


    Jay frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t Bob say that he would take you home?¡±


    It was why he was here in the washroom, since Bob had promised him.


    ¡°He¡¯s as drunk as a skunk. It¡¯s a blessing I don¡¯t have to take him home.¡±


    Jay in turn pulled out some tissues to wipe his cheek and his wet fingers before saying, ¡°Come on.


    Let¡¯s go home together.¡±


    Zoe was already going to turn and leave, since she saw that Jay was doing mostly fine.


    Some people were fine once they vomited after all.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied.


    Zoe wanted to say no, but she decided to agree for some reason.


    She was not the one who was going to get hurt, after all.


    But even as they took the same car home, Jay was sneezing repeatedly on their way home, to the


    point that the chauffeur almost suffered a breakdown.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.


    ¡°Should I take you to the hospital, sir?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Jay said nasally, pinching his own nose.


    ¡°Drive faster,¡± Zoe told the chauffeur nheless.


    ¡°Safety first,¡± Jay suddenly added.


    Speechless, Zoe leveled a sideways nce at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he exined.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand your sneezing,¡± Zoe snapped.


    Jay pursed lips, staying silent as he worked hard to stop himself from sneezing.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 129

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 129


    Chapter 129


    Their car eventually arrived at Levine Manor, and Jay was running as soon as he got out of the car,


    vomiting endlessly.


    Zoe stood behind him, watching as his head sank between his knees.


    He was just fine in the car just now, but he somehow looked like he was going to puke his guts out


    again.


    She began, ¡°Should I get the family doctor-¡±


    ¡°Achool¡± Jay sneezed again before she got close, and then continued to vomit.


    It was an utterly horrendous scene!


    Zoe took a step back and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor.¡±


    With that, she headed into the manor.


    Rudy Johnson¨Cthe family doctor¨Chelped Jay into the manor eventually, since Zoe really did not have


    the strength to do it.


    As she stepped outside of her room after taking a shower, she saw that the door to Jay¡¯s room was still


    open and that the lights within were lit.


    She hesitated for a moment, but she eventually entered.


    Rudy actually had to hook Jay to an IV bag, and the man¡¯s face was pale white as hey in bed.


    He looked less like a drunk man than someone really sick.


    Still, his eyes were closed, so he must be asleep.


    ¡°Ms. York.¡± Rudy greeted her respectfully when he saw her.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Alcohol overdose. Let¡¯s see if he improves after I hook him to an IV, but we have to send him to the


    hospital for a gastroscopy tomorrow if he does not. We have to observe if other gastric conditions are


    triggered.¡±


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Parker has always had minor gastritis, and he doesn¡¯t usually drink too much,¡± Rudy said. ¡°His


    body naturally couldn¡¯t take all the alcohol he shoved into his body tonight. Tell him to ease up on his


    drinking next time.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°How will the dripst him?¡±


    ¡°Around two hours.¡±


    But it was already 1 AM, and Jay still had work tomorrow¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. York. I¡¯ll be staying with Mr. Parker.¡±


    Zoe nodded and left, but she could not fall asleep even as shey in bed.


    All she could think about was Jay as he kept drinking with Bob, and that on each asion, it would


    always be when Bob was going to drink with her¡­


    She kept herself wrapped up tightly in her nket.


    He should not have given her hope!


    Under the same moon, John gave Cordy a ride home, although he fell asleep halfway.


    Seeing that he was not awake even when they arrived below her apartment, Cordy gestured at the


    chauffeur before gingerly opening the door.


    Just as she was about to get out of the car, John suddenly grabbed her by the wrist and she was firmly


    pulled into his embrace the next instant!


    He stank of alcohol, but it did not sting the nose that much because of his usual pine scent.


    Nheless, Cordy wiggled¨Che should be asleep!


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she protested. ¡°I¡¯m already home. You should head home soon too.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    John looked outside with an unfocused gaze just then, and it took a while for him to realize that they


    had really arrived outside her apartment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you upstairs,¡± he said.


    She refused. ¡°It¡¯s already veryte.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m going with you. It¡¯ste,¡± he insisted. ¡°It¡¯s unsafe.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    He was exactly the reason why it was unsafe!


    Nheless, she alighted with him and watched as he walked ahead steadily.


    Did she actually imagine that he was drunk?


    Soon, they arrived outside her door, and Cordy said, ¡°This is it. You can go now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 130

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 130


    Chapter 130


    Cordy turned and keyed in her door passcode, then entered after the door opened.


    Even so, the man who agreed to leave just now remained standing outside.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You should go,¡± she urged him again.


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied¨Cyet another quick answer.


    But his body was honest and remained still.


    Cordy gritted her teeth and turned to shut the door before turning on the door monitor. John was still


    standing there.


    Speechless, she opened the door again right then and asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to leave?¡± ¡°I just


    remembered something¡­¡± he said. ¡°You haven¡¯t given me anything for my birthday.¡± Cordy pursed her


    lips¨Cshe thought that they were parting ways tonight! Giving him anything would only have given him


    hope, and her more hassle.


    ¡°Anything would do,¡± John said with a serious look, obviously hinting at something.


    Cordy sighed, having this feeling that she would not get him to leave if she did not satisfy him. Heaving


    a deep sigh, she resigned herself and walked up to him, stood on her toes, and wrapped her hands


    around his neck before giving him a peck on the cheek.


    John actually froze. As he stared at Cordy again, she was left fidgeting ufortably and blushing.


    ¡°Just go already,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d prefer¡­ physical rewards.¡± He smiled a little too smugly. ¡°I actually thought a


    ¡®happy birthday¡® would suffice.¡±


    Even his eyes that were unfocused from alcohol a moment ago were now twinkling¨Che clearly got more


    than what he bargained for, and he was now acting like he did not want it?!


    She really wanted to break his face just then!


    ¡°That said, I prefer your way of doing things,¡± he said, his voice getting deeper as the air between them


    got flirtier.


    Cordy¡¯s cheeks were so red they could bleed.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± he said, finally leaving with satisfaction.


    Cordy promptly mmed the door shut and could not help leaning on the door, clutching her burning


    cheeks.


    She could not help remembering what Zoe asked¨Con whether John was good.


    Yes, he certainly was!


    She could not help wondering how many otherdies he could have tap¨Cdancing to his tune too!


    Cordy woke up veryte because she could not quite fall asleep, and only because she was awakened


    by her phone¡¯s ringtone.


    She reacted every so slightly when she saw the caller, but was unusually calm when she answered.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Simon was screaming from the other end. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the hospital?!¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to stay there permanently?¡± Cordy asked coolly in return.


    Simon naturally had to bear with it.


    It was so difficult for him that it took two days to convince his mother to apologize to Cordy, so that


    Cordy would settle out of court.


    However, they arrived at the hospital, only to be informed that Cordy had been discharged.


    She just wanted to make things hard for her, did she not?!


    Plum Lang was already scowling on the way to the hospital and her face was now basically contorted


    with rage. ¡°She wants me to visit her personally to apologize?! Who does she think she is?! Tell her to


    come to our family mansion right now!¡±


    However, Plum was so loud that Cordy heard her..


    Simon had obviously brought Plum along to the hospital to apologize, but it looked like Plum wanted to


    threaten Cordy instead.


    As such, Cordy simply hung up, not bothered to waste her breath with them.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Naturally, Simon was incensed that she had cut him off.


    Wheeling on Plum right then, he bellowed, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what¡¯s going on?! Cordy wants you in


    prison! The only reason you weren¡¯t kept in police custody for too long is because you¡¯re seventy, but


    that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re innocent, or that you can do anything you like because you¡¯re old! Also, John


    Levine is backing Cordy¨Cshe just has to say the word, and you¡¯ll be behind. bars!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 131

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 131


    Chapter 131


    Plum was left staring nkly at Simon¨Cher own son had never yelled at her like that before!


    And usually, what she said went, but now, he was scolding her while pointing at her face in front of so


    many doctors and nurses!


    It was absolutely humiliating, especially at her age!


    She certainly could not suffer the ignominy, and her eyes were red as she pointed back at him. How


    dare you raise your voice at me¡­¡±


    Simon, however, was too furious to care what she thought.


    He was absolutely afraid that Cordy would blow things out of proportion and destroy Sachs Enterprises¡®


    reputation, as well as his personal reputation for being the No.1 Son of North City.


    Otherwise, he would not care if Plum was behind bars, let alone to suffer Cordy¡¯s tantrums!


    ¡°Do whatever you want!¡± he snapped before storming off.


    Plum¡¯s blood pressure skyrocketed then, watching as her own son strode off as she watched, leaving


    her in the hospital!


    Sue Yorkman, who came to the hospital with them and saw them argue, quickly reasoned, ¡°Plum, you


    should be more understanding toward Simon on this one. Things are not peaceful at Sachs Enterprises


    at the moment, but he still bailed you out at the precinct and sought legal advice for your case when he


    already had his hands full. Cordy has all the evidence she needs against you and if she doesn¡¯t settle it


    out of court, you¡¯ll be sentenced to three years in prison for causing deliberate harm. And at your age,


    you won¡¯t evenst a month!¡±


    ¡°Is it really that serious?¡± Plum eximed in disbelief.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    After all, she thought nothing of Cordy. Having abused Cordy for most of her life, she did not expect the


    day woulde when Cordy could fight back!


    ¡°It really is that serious!¡± Sue insisted. ¡°Just listen to Simon¨Capologize to Cordy. She¡¯s your


    granddaughter, so she won¡¯t ignore youpletely.¡±


    Plum was still huffing nheless¨Cthe thought of yielding to Cordy was sickening.


    ¡°Think about it this way¡­ Once this is over, we just have to watch out so that she does not get


    leverage against us. She¡¯s just a brat¨Cshe¡¯ll never win against you, and you¡¯ll eventually get to even the


    score.¡±


    Plum was more or lessforted by Sue¡¯s words, and she refused to believe that she could not punish


    Cordy!


    Meanwhile, Cordy could not fall asleep again after she was woken, and got out of bed by habit to read


    the news.


    The whole inte was still ming Kyle and Noel, and it seemed to only be getting worse¨Cit showed


    no sign of stopping either.


    Cordy then checked how Jessop Corp and Sachs Enterprises were doing, and saw that both


    companies¡® stock market value started dropping ever since the market opened.


    And given their market value, it meant they were losing hundreds of thousands each day. Cordy¡¯s


    mood improved right then, and she put away her phone, got out of bed, and washed up.


    There was no question that John contributed to her total triumph.


    She then remembered that he took the initiative to help her, only for her to dismiss him as a womanizer


    who was irresponsible with rtionships. It was his birthday yesterday, and she showed no inclination


    to wish him well either¡­


    Save for that kiss.


    Cordy¡¯s cheeks turned hot again.


    She was not even dating John, but he had already gained a lot of boyfriend privileges!


    And what was more? She did not feel upset about that!


    Inparison, she and Kyle basically never did a thing.


    It was likely because they were both young at the time, and he would not do anything if she said


    §á§à.


    But when they were old enough, he was already cheating on her with Noel.


    In that case, why would he want to suffer Cordy¡¯s whims when someone was catering to his carnal


    needs?


    Even now, thinking about that man left Cordy more or less affected inwardly.


    Still, she heaved a deep sigh and picked up her phone to text John.


    [Are you free tonight?]


    [Yes.]


    Yet another instant reply.


    Cordy could not help smiling as she seemed able to imagine what was going on at the other end


    despite the single¨Cword text.


    [Dinner tonight. My ce.]


    [Okay.]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 132

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 132


    Chapter 132


    As John agreed to Cordy¡¯s invitation without any questions, she started to type again.


    [Bring Dicky¡­]


    However, she suddenly paused before deleting the draft.


    She left her bathroom and changed into fresh clothes before going out to buy food ingredients.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She was thinking about cooking dinner¨Cafter all, how hard could it be?


    After getting the ingredients, she downloaded a cooking app and went to work ording to the recipes


    provided¡­


    In the evening, Cordy still had her apron on her when the doorbell rang.


    She quickly went to answer the door.


    John was standing outside with a bouquet in his hands. He appeared formal and handsome as ever


    with his ck suit and silver necktie.


    ¡°I came here once I was done with work,¡± he said, exining his getup.


    Cordy smiled¨Cshe certainly knew that was not the case.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said, taking the flowers and giving him his slippers.


    John put them on before entering and immediately picked up a scent he could not quite describe.


    It could be the scent of food, but it was not entirely that either¡­


    He then nced at the dining table to find several homemade dishes already waiting¨Cnamely grilled


    mackerel, vinegar ribs, omelets, mashed potato, and chicken soup.


    There was still something cooking in the pan, too.


    Cordy had already returned to the kitchen, looking flustered.


    John made his way to her, asking, ¡°Do you need my help-¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cordy suddenly yelped as the oil in the pan erupted with pop, startling her and sending her


    retreating.


    John could not help smiling.


    She had always looked so calm and cool, and he rarely saw her being so¡­ real!


    Still, she quickly said, ¡°No, it¡¯s alright Just wait at the couch for a moment¨CI¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    John nced at the mess in the kitchen and the beef that she had filletted. Along with the condiments


    nearby, it was obvious she wanted to make beef tenderloin.


    She was willing to challenge herself with a dish that takes precise control of ming? She certainly was


    brave.


    Worried that he would be bothering her, he turned and left the kitchen, since it was notrge enough for


    her to hide from him.


    And though Cordy almost had a heart attack from the oil popping just now, she eventually finished the


    dish after much difficulty.


    Though she somehow felt that there was something wrong with the cooking app¡¯s instructions, she


    could not quite put her finger on what it was.


    Still, she swiftly served the food on the te and brought it to the table, along with a fork, spoon, and


    knife.


    After that, she took off her apron and left to get changed¨Cshe should not be too casual when John was


    being so formal.


    Nheless, as they sat together at the dining table, the atmosphere was just right despite the modest


    size of the table.


    She even brought him wine, though she stuck with a fizzy drink herself.


    ¡°So, is this to celebrate my birthday?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied, before adding softly, ¡°And to apologize.


    ¡±


    The smile John was trying to hide could very much be seen.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 133

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 133


    Chapter 133


    Cordy then gestured. ¡°Try it.¡±


    There was a slight expectation in her eyes, which seemed to twinkle dazzlingly.


    John picked up his knife and cut through a slice of the grilled mackerel, politely and elegantly putting it


    in his mouth and chewed.


    He did not react much or give anyment, so Cordy could not tell at all if it was good.


    Still, after he had the mackerel, he had one of the vinegar ribs..


    And then the rest of the dishes.


    When he was done, he picked up his red wine and took a small sip.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± Cordy could not resist asking eventually


    Nheless, John slowly wiped the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Cordy quickly picked up her fork and knife, ready to eat.


    That was when John¡¯s long fingers suddenly caught her wrist, leaving her frowning.


    ¡°It¡¯s enough for one of us to have food poisoning,¡± he said calmly, then took another sip of his red


    wine.


    Cordy naturally could tell what he was getting at, but smacked his hand off.


    In the end, she insisted on trying the oue of her first attempt at cooking!


    But the look on her face certainly changed the instant she put some of the vinegar ribs into her mouth


    and she spat it out right then!


    It was supposed to be vinegar ribs! Why was it bitter?!


    John chuckled at her reaction and handed her her drink.


    She quickly took it and drank a mouthful before turning to John. ¡°How did you stomach that?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to refuse such sincerity,¡± he said with a smile.


    Property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    While Cordy was speechless, he suggested, ¡°Your omelets are actually good, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    She bit her lip.


    Her intent was to learn from Zoe and do this on her own, but it turned out that she was justcking.


    Retrieving all the dishes spread out over the table, Cordy returned to the kitchen and made two tes


    of pasta.


    She watched as John ate the pasta while taking the asional sips of red wine, thinking to herself just


    then that the good¨Clooking ones seemed to look good no matter what they did.


    ¡°Sorry, I gave myself too much credit,¡± she said awkwardly, keeping her head down as she ate.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright¨Chaving one person who can cook around the house is plenty enough,¡± he said bluntly.


    Cordy could not say a word against that, and she was left biting her lip.


    Still, she slowly looked up at him, mustered her courage, and asked, ¡°Do you really¡­ like me?¡±


    ¡°I thought I had been plenty obvious,¡± John replied.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like you that much,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°That much was obvious, too,¡± John answered withposure, as if he had already epted that fact.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you about my past¡­¡± she told him hesitantly. ¡°But if you can ept that there won¡¯t be much


    intimacy between us for a long while, and that I¡¯ll be very busy to the point that I can¡¯t meet you much,


    along with the fact that I need a lot time to really trust and fall for a person without announcing our


    rtionship to the public¡­¡±


    John listened, his fingers clenching on his fork.


    ¡°If you can do that, we can try dating,¡± Cordy finished, then quickly lowered her head.


    She pretended to eat her pasta without taking a single bite, and she was flushed despite her feigned


    nonchnce.


    She was a twenty¨Cfive¨Cyear¨Cold adult, and this was not her first time getting into a rtionship.


    Even so, she just felt so helpless.


    However, she was not the only person being helpless either.


    John was gulping, his alluring Adam¡¯s apple bobbing endlessly.


    Eventually, he said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was even a quiver in his voice!


    But for him, time was not of any concern.


    That was when Cordy looked up sneakily at John, and she found his gaze lingering ever so casually on


    her face.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 134

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 134


    Chapter 134


    Even as their eyes met, certain feelings were undoubtedly growing.


    Cordy genuinely did not think that after all the dark times she survived¨Cand more recently Kyle- that


    she would suddenly begin another rtionship.


    She was not actually sure about this, but she took the first step regardless.


    Was it John who was good at flirting, or was he not as cold as she thought¨Cnot as disenchanted with


    the world as she believed?


    And after confirming their rtionship, they were suddenly both silent, making things rather awkward.


    ¡°Do you hate that man who slept with you?¡± John suddenly asked.


    There was a hint of nervousness in his impassive expression, while Cordy was just confused why he


    would ask about that.


    Maybe because she disliked men after that incident?


    ¡°I do,¡± she said.


    John blinked subtly even as Cordy continued, ¡°He was clearly conscious at the time. I remembered it


    so clearly, begging him to stop and not to touch me¡­ but he never did.


    The past memory still left her with a pain she could not remove from her mind.


    ¡°But could it be possible that your body reacted differently from how you described it?¡± John suddenly


    said.


    However, his voice was too quiet for Cordy to hear, and she asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Her right ear was deaf at the moment, and she could not pick up such a quiet voice with just her left


    ear.


    ¡°What if one day, you run into that man again? What would you do?¡± John asked, changing his


    question.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Cordy said determinedly. ¡°Because I never saw his face through it all. I don¡¯t know who he is,


    but I¡¯ll just pretend he never existed¨Ceven if I¡¯m only lying to myself!¡±


    John pursed his lips and reached out to take her hand.


    Her fingers twitched and he quickly released her, sensing her distaste.


    Even so, she suddenly caught his hand just as he withdrew his, leaving him in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get used to you,¡± she said.


    John¡¯s lips curled upward.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± he said. ¡°I can wait.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced slightly¨Cshe would be lying if she said that she was unemotional.


    If she had not gone through so much tragedy, she was sure that she would not give a damn about


    anything else, and she would love John with all that she was.


    But despite her impulse to do so, she unwittingly remembered all the pain and indignation from being


    deceived and betrayed.


    She knew that she should not project the mistake of others on John, but humans are creatures of


    emotions, and certainly a lot less rational than they give themselves credit for.


    Perhaps time could change it all!


    Soon, it waste, and Cordy walked John to the door.


    Having confirmed their rtionship, they became a little reluctant in parting.


    ¡°Get some rest soon,¡± John told her eventually.


    ¡°You too,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°Now close the door.¡±


    Cordy was suddenly speechless and felt as if they were going to keep the routine going at the doorway.


    Well, there had to be a viin¡­


    However, just as she was going to close the door, John suddenly reached out and stopped her.


    While Cordy was left stunned, he arched his back, leaning downward to kiss her on the forehead at the


    very next instant.


    Cordy stiffened.


    ¡°Boyfriend privileges.¡± He smiled, then shut the door for her.


    Cordy felt her cheeks burn.


    Who was it who said that he could wait again?!


    Honestly, all men really were pigs!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 135

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 135


    Chapter 135


    The next day, Cordy woke up to find a text from John.


    (Good morning, dear.]


    She pursed her lips, not even noticing herself that her lips were curling upward in a smile as she


    read the text.


    Still, she got changed, put on her makeup, and went to work as usual¡­ But when she arrived outside


    her office, she found Simon, Plum, and Sue there, waiting for her.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, Cordy.¡± Sue even greeted her warmly.


    Cordy simply nced at them sideways, obviously aware of what they wanted to do.


    She simply strode into her own office and took a seat at the desk, while they entered.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Simon began, his attitude passable. ¡°Your grandmother came to apologize to you.¡±


    When he finished, he quickly shot a look at Plum¨Cwho was still upset she had to humble herself and


    apologize to Cordy.


    However, she had to bear with it as she knew that it meant prison otherwise, not to mention that she


    had all she needed to torment Cordy!


    She just had to resolve the issue at hand for now¡­


    Taking a moment to calm herself, Plum walked up to Cordy, appearing kindly as she reached out to


    take Cordy¡¯s hand¨Conly to be rejected by Cordy right away.


    Left hanging, Plum quickly regainedposure nheless and said, ¡°Cordy, I made a mistake the


    other day. I was just so upset, I lost control and hit you¡­ I heard your ear was hurt, so I brought you


    some fruits and supplements to help with your recovery,¡±


    As she spoke, she hurriedly put the boxes of gifts on Cordy¡¯s desk, but Cordy only spared it a nce


    and did not seem to care much in particr.


    Plum started to show signs of indignation, but she restrained herself again as her son shot her a


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    look.


    ¡°Cordy, I understand that I was at fault, so please don¡¯t make things harder for me. You wouldn¡¯t want


    to go down on my knees to beg, right?¡± She said, ¡°We¡¯re family. You can¡¯t really bear to see me going


    to prison when I¡¯m so old, right?¡±


    Cordy, however, knew all too well what the Sachs wanted¨Call they were afraid of was causing too huge


    a mess, affecting their own reputation.


    And after Plum apologized, they woulde at Cordy with their worst yet.


    However, Cordypromised. ¡°Of course I can¡¯t bear to see that¡­¡±


    After all, the Sachs were not worth her ruining her own reputation¨Cno matter what happened, she


    would cause controversy for the public if she brought Plum to court.


    ¡°But do you really think an apology would do?¡± Cordy then finished.


    312


    Plum certainly knew that Cordy would not be that agreeable, but she restrained herself once more.


    Anything could wait until after they swindled Cordy.


    ¡°Well, what do I have to do for you to forgive me? Would you like to p me instead?¡±


    Plum actually appeared sincere about that.


    Cordy simply smiled¨Cif she dared to hit Plum, herwsuit against Plum would be moot, while the Sachs


    could use that as an excuse to destroy her!


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Beside them, Sue was actually disappointed¨Cshe had brought a hidden camera, and if Cordy


    really did hit Plum, she would destroy Cordy¡¯s reputation with that evidence!


    ¡°Well, what would you like me to do?¡± Plum asked with a mild look.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 136

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 136


    Chapter 136


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can really do against you¡­¡± Cordy said, sounding as if she could not help it.


    Plum was delighted inwardly, convinced that Cordy was already giving up.


    Age before beauty, indeed! Cordy never stood a chance against her!


    ¡°Well, we are family, so we shouldn¡¯t hold grievances against each other,¡± Plum said cheerfully. ¡°In that


    case, you should go to the police station and rescind your charges-¡±


    ¡°I want ten percent of Sachs Enterprises¡® shares.¡± Cordy cut Plum short right then.


    Both Simon and Sue¡¯s faces fell, with Sue eximing in agitation, ¡°Don¡¯t be so greedy, Cordy! You¡¯re


    demanding a mile when we just gave you an inch!¡±


    ¡°An outsider like you doesn¡¯t get to decide what happens to Sachs Enterprises!¡± Cordy snapped at Sue


    right then, leveling her an icy look. ¡°Who do you think you are, criticizing me?!¡±


    Sue was left flushing, but she did not have aeback against Cordy.


    That was when Simon spoke. ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡±


    Short and blunt, he meant that he would not even entertain the thought.


    ¡°See you in court, then,¡± Cordy replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Simon screamed right then, his temper ring as he proceeded to insult Cordy, You


    really should know your ce! Do you really think I¡¯d give you ten percent of mypany¡¯s shares?!


    What right do you have to take from me?! Dream on!¡±


    It was only natural for Plum to not agree to Cordy¡¯s demand, but her son¡¯s determined stance more or


    less upsetted her.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    And she was only further provoked by the look of contempt in Cordy¡¯s eyes!


    ¡°Those shares are my rightful inheritance,¡± Cordy said icily.


    ¡°Your rightful inheritance?!¡± Simon bellowed. ¡°What gives you the right-¡±


    ¡°My mother held twenty percent of Sachs Enterprises¡® shares while she was alive,¡± Cordy cut him short,


    enunciating every word. ¡°In her will, she only made it clear that Starstream Group is mine, and nothing


    else. However, I¡¯ve consulted awyer, and thew dictates that any inheritance is to be divided equally


    between the deceased¡¯s partner and their children. In other words, I have a right to ten percent of


    Sachs Enterprises¡® shares.¡±


    With those words, she swiftly took a copy of the share certificate dering that her mother possessed


    twenty percent of Sachs Enterprises¡® shares.


    It was clearly prepared beforehand, since she had expected Simon to bring Plum here.


    Simon promptly snatched the paper from her, his expression darkening as he read it.


    ¡°If you refuse to concede those shares, we can take it to court too,¡± Cordy continued neutrally. ¡°I don¡¯t


    mind handling twowsuits at the same time, since I already have no reputation to speak of in North


    City. Our entire family will be the whole city¡¯sughing stock, at worst.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Simon bellowed, his face dark as his body shook with rage.


    He should not have sent her abroad¨Che should have her killed on the surgical table back then!


    ¡°Well, take your time to make up your mind,¡± Cordy replied, fearless against Simon¡¯s threat. You have


    only one day. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll be putting together a legal team to discuss bothwsuits-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± Simon agreed to the deal through clenched teeth.


    ¡°You can¡¯t, Simon!¡± Sue cried right then. ¡°You only own half of thepany¡¯s shares, but you¡¯re now


    giving ten percent?!¡±


    She certainly could not ept it¨Cshe could give up anything else, but all of the Sachs¡® family assets


    were all rightfully her son¡¯s!


    No one else had the right to even take a cent!


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Simon barked at her nheless. ¡°Are you going to watch my mother being sent to prison?!¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s a lot of shares-¡±


    Smack!


    Plum suddenly pped Sue across the face, leaving Sue dumbstruck while Plum shrieked in rage, You


    mongrel! To think I was usually so nice to you¨Cyou don¡¯t even care what happens to me!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 137

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 137


    Chapter 137


    Sue¡¯s eyes were welling with tears, but she finally understood how much it hurt to take the full force of


    Plum¡¯s p in the face!


    She thought that Cordy was faking her deafness, but now, all she could hear was her ears ringing


    endlessly.


    However, she did not have the confidence to sue Plum like Cordy would, so she just had to bear


    with it.


    But she could not believe that ten percent of Sachs Enterprises¡® shares would end up in Cordy¡¯s hands!


    Keeping her savagery in check just then, she kept ying up her delicate persona in front of Simon


    and Plum. ¡°You misunderstand, Plum. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t care, I just think Cordy is really forgets her


    ce-¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Plum snapped at Sue, refusing to listen to thetter¡¯s exnation.


    After all, Plum knew better than anyone that Cordy was really forgetting her ce.


    It only hurt Plum more that she could not do a thing against Cordy!


    On the other hand, Cordy appeared aloof as she watched them with a smile on her lips.


    Simon and Noel had done the same whenever Plum abused her in the past, even asionally spurring


    Plum on.


    Oh, how the tables had turned!


    Sue saw the look on Cordy¡¯s face then, and the indignation inside only left her face contorting.


    Cordy was¡­ mocking her?!


    That was not all either. It was clearly payback!


    Could Cordy have known that Sue was the one who goaded Plum to storm into Cordy¡¯s office and p


    her?!


    And that same p was returned squarely in her face already?!


    Nheless, Simon restrained himself and said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask mywyer to send you the share transfer


    agreement tomorrow¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I have the agreement right here. You just have to sign it,¡± Cordy said, taking out the agreement he


    had agreed to beforehand.


    Simon was left shaking with rage again at the paper.


    Cordy had nned this every step of the way!


    All he did was send himself to her doorstep and get humiliated!


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    He took the agreement, scanning through it and said, ¡°Rescind your charges against your grandmother


    now.¡±


    ¡°Sign that first,¡± Cordy said staunchly.


    Simon clearly had more to say, so Cordy beat him to it.


    ¡°You have no ce to negotiate. Those shares are mine whether I rescind my charges, but if you give


    up those shares willingly, I can afford to be tactful and not hold anything against Plum.¡±


    Gritting his teeth, Simon signed the agreement right then.


    ¡°Your fingerprint, please,¡± Cordy reminded him.


    Simon gritted his teeth and did as he was told.


    With the share transfer agreement signed, Cordy looked at it and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡±


    she said. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the policeter.¡±


    Having humiliated himself utterly in front of Cordy, Simon did not pause for a moment as he turned to


    leave.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Cordy called out to Simon just then, ¡°Noel is too embarrassed to stay in Starstream now. I


    mean, what CEO manufactures a scandal against their ownpany? Even if I tolerate her, the other


    employees won¡¯t. If you don¡¯t want further embarrassment, inform her toe to HR to finish up her


    paperwork for her resignation.¡±


    Simon¡¯s expression darkened further.


    Within months, Cordy somehow had his family and their associates chased out of Starstream Group,


    taking full control of thepany¡¯s management¡­ and now, even plundering ten percent of Sachs


    Enterprises¡® shares!


    Increasingly infuriated by the thought, he kicked the door open on his way out.


    Neither Plum nor Sue could do anything, and they quickly made themselves scarce as well.


    Cordy watched as they left, her gaze turning cool right then.


    She would take back everything her mother gave to the Sachs.


    They did not deserve anything from her!


    A weekter, Noel and Kyle were still being med by the entire inte.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 138

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 138


    Chapter 138


    There was no stopping the press coverage at all, as if someone was encouraging every media outlet to


    keep pumping out more scandalous articles on Noel and Kyle.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    No other news seemed to make headlines either, and their scandal remained stuck at first ce on


    every search engine, the hate only seeming to grow worse by the day!


    Naturally, their families¡® respective businesses were at a constant decline as well.


    If this continued, both Jessop Corp and Sachs Enterprises would be bankrupted by a single scandal¡­


    which would certainly be an unprecedented case!


    At a board meeting in Jessop Corp, Dandy Jessop was bellowing at Kyle in front of the other board


    members and executives. ¡°You couldn¡¯t buy the media¡¯s silence on a single scandal?! How long has it


    been, or do you want to drag thepany down with you?!¡±


    Kyle was absolutely indignant, too¨Che was convinced at first that the scandal would eventually cool off,


    but he seemed stuck at top searches after so long!


    Someone must be behind it, and one did not need to imagine to know who it was¡­


    To think that Cordy really bewitched John


    The same woman Kyle could not eveny a finger on had thrown herself into that man¡¯s arms!


    Kyle was only getting increasingly furious the more he thought about it.


    Nheless, he growled through his teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll get it done by today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not disappoint me!¡± Dandy snapped, and stormed off.


    Everyone else quickly left too, leaving Kyle alone in the conference room.


    He promptly whipped out his phone and dialed a number. ¡°Mandy.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Kyle?¡± She sounded a little impatient. ¡°I¡¯m having my makeup done right now. There¡¯s a


    fashion g tonight.¡±


    Jessop Corp was never a concern for Mandy Jessop anyway¨Call she cared about was that she was


    happy and living carefree.


    ¡°Will Zoe York be attending the g too?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking about here?¡± Mandy¡¯s expression cooled right then.


    From Mandy¡¯s perspective, Zoe was her archnemesis, even though they were not on the same level at


    all.


    Even so, Mandy was dead sure that Zoe was an A¨Clister only because she slept her way to the top! In


    fact, Mandy believed that if she had been willing to do the same, she would be miles ahead of Zoe!


    ¡°Is she going or not?¡± Kyle scowled, not wanting to waste his breath.


    ¡°Yes! She¡¯s even supposed to be the main event!¡± Mandy snapped in annoyance. ¡°Just stick with


    Noel, Kyle. Zoe is filth!¡±


    ¡°Just worry about yourself,¡± Kyle retorted and hung up right then.


    He tapped on his phone¡¯s photo album to check the photos he had of Zoe and John.


    The star actress¡® scandal would definitely top search trends for a while¡­


    At the g, Mandy was checking her reflection in the mirror, having prettied up herself as much as


    possible.


    She did not want to attend this g at all, since everyone would only be focusing on Zoe even if she


    did, and she did not want to embarrass herself.


    She only came because she heard that Jay Parker would be attending as well, and so, she decided to


    bear with it.


    Suddenly, she sprang to her feet, and her manager Jenny quickly reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s still a while before


    you enter, Mandy.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Mandy snapped impatiently. ¡°I just want to take a stroll outside¨Cdon¡¯t mind me.¡±


    Jenny had more to say, but considering Mandy¡¯s bad temper, she chose silence rather than abuse.


    On the other hand, Mandy left the dressing room and searched the walkways¡­ until she found Jay¡¯s


    breakroom.


    She entered immediately without knocking, and she ran into Jay changing.


    He was shirtless, and the outlines of his chiseled chest was everything she loved!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 139

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 139


    Chapter 139


    Jay¡¯s expression darkened as someone barged into his room just as he took off his shirt.


    It was Mandy, dressed in an excessively mboyant gown and her face full of makeup as she showed


    up in his room.


    ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry. I got the wrong room¡­¡± Mandy eximed with her cheap, exaggerated acting skills, and


    she then pretended to turn to leave.


    At the same time, she deliberately stepped on the hem of her own skirt and threw herself squarely into


    his arms.


    Jay strode forward, catching her in reflex while Mandy seized the moment to press her cheek against


    his chest.


    It felt firm, even bouncy!


    Jay frowned, noticing her intention.


    But just as he was about to push her away, he suddenly saw Zoe standing at the doorway, watching


    coolly as Jay and Mandy tangled.


    There was a sneer of disdain on her lips.


    They were that impatient, weren¡¯t they? Or maybe hotels were too boring for them?!


    Nheless, she told Jay calmly, ¡°You left your bowtie in my car.¡±


    They both came together from the set of Pomp and Circumstance, with Zoe¡¯s manager only too eager


    to invite Jay into their MPV.


    Jay quickly pushed Zoe away right then, which left Mandy infuriated.


    She knew it! Things were not as they seemed between these two¨Cwhy else would Jay¡¯s bowtie be in


    Zoe¡¯s car?


    She was even suspicious of Zoe stealing her role¡­ because Zoe seduced Jay!


    It was more upsetting the more she thought about it!


    Still, as Jay walked up to Zoe to get his bowtie, he inadvertently touched her fingers and she promptly


    shook him off¨Cas if she touched something filthy.


    Jay¡¯s hand was left hanging, while Zoe said, ¡°You two can continue.¡±


    With that, she strode off.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Jay watched as she left, blinking¡­ before noticing that Mandy was at his side again with the corner of


    his eye.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Zoe, Mr. Parker? Why would your bowtie be in her car?¡± Mandy asked


    coquettishly, even affectionately.


    ¡°Did you have business with me, Ms. Parker?¡± Jay asked as he took a step back, clearly keeping his


    distance from her.


    Mandy was annoyed, but she bore with it. ¡°Just a social call, and to thank you for your direction during


    thatmercial-¡±


    ¡°I still have to get changed, so please leave if it¡¯s nothing important!¡± Jay suddenly snapped.


    He was utterly cold to her, a far cry from his reaction to Zoe just now!


    ¡°I can take the casting couch too, Mr. Parker,¡± Mandy said with a serious look. ¡°I won¡¯t ask for anything


    else-¡±


    ¡°Leave right now if you don¡¯t want to humiliate yourself further,¡± Jay growled icily. ¡°Or I can¡¯t promise


    you that the public wouldn¡¯t find out how willing you are to take the casting couch!¡± Mandy turned pale,


    stunned that Jay would do this to her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 140

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 140


    Chapter 140


    Mandy had no choice but to leave, gritting her teeth even as Jay looked on.


    Even so, she always got everything she wanted!


    The fashion g began with the celebrities taking to the red carpet ording to an arranged


    sequence.


    Mandy would usually be arranged to take the stage early in such events, but thanks to her family¡¯s


    influence, most event organizers would let her ceter. Moreover, since Jessop Corp was one of the


    partners in this event, she was ced secondst.


    But when it was her turn to walk the red carpet, she refused, citing health reasons.


    The red carpet was vacant for ten minutes, but the organizers could not force Mandy to do anything¨Cno


    one would dare to provoke her given her family¡¯s influence.


    Having no choice, the organizers had to ask Zoe to save the day.


    Zoe was no diva, and she agreed to it despite the obvious displeasure from Linda, her manager.


    But just as she prepared to take the red carpet, she heard one of the crew members mention Mandy


    inadvertently.


    So Mandy was nning toest?!


    Zoe promptly stopped and told the crew, ¡°I can walk the red carpet, but the event must end once I¡¯m


    done¨Cno one is toe after me. That was what the organizers promised when I came!¡±


    The crew did not dare to say yes, since they all knew that Mandy was faking difort toest.


    ¡°This is not up for negotiation.¡± Zoe was determined.


    Even Linda was surprised by Zoe¡¯s determination, and she was actually pleased¨Cshe had to speak up


    for Zoe so many times, since Zoe had every right to throw her weight around.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Her kid was all grown up now.


    As such, the crew had to leave and report Zoe¡¯s words to their higher¨Cups.


    After a long while, Linda¡¯s phone rang with a call from her boss.


    ¡°What?!¡± she eximed shrilly. ¡°Why should we let Mandy Jessop take the stage after Zoe?! Does her


    name even hold weight in showbiz?!¡±


    ¡°The organizers called, saying that Jessop Corp was pressuring them. It¡¯s a shame, but Mandy was


    born important and we can¡¯t afford to provoke her,¡± her boss replied. ¡°Just try to calm Zoe down¨Ctell her


    that I¡¯ll treat her to a nice dinner after this, that I owe her one!¡±


    Linda certainly could not ask for anything else since her boss had said that, and she grumpily put down


    her phone to tell Zoe, ¡°The boss says we do it anyway.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face fell, but Linda could only sigh ironically and feebly. ¡°Mandy has a good father, I guess, and


    rumor has it she¡¯s hooking up with Jay Parker too. Even if he isn¡¯t getting a cut from the Levines¡®


    estate, he¡¯s a member of the family and everyone in showbiz must give him leeway. And now that


    Mandy is with him, she really gets to strut,¡±


    Linda was only getting further annoyed the more she spoke, because she could not stand Mandy¡¯s


    conceit.


    ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t Jay working with you? How did you let a slut like Mandy beat you to him?!¡± Linda


    seethed with disappointment. ¡°If only you¡¯d take the casting couch too, Zoe¡­ Mandy has nothing on


    you!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Zoe did not want to hear a word of it.


    She was the one who had been obstinate about getting into showbiz, even promising not to depend on


    the Levines.


    The only person in the business who knew who she really was was Jay.


    As such, she had no choice but to bear with this.


    After she did a round on the red carpet, Mandy soon appeared at the entrance, smiling smugly. Once


    she entered, she slid beside Zoe, pausing beside her and saying spitefully. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Zoe. I didn¡¯t


    want to take your spot, but I was feeling a little sick. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Zoe smiled faintly. ¡°I mean, am I supposed to bite a b*tch after it bites me?¡± Mandy¡¯s face fell.


    Did Zoe just call her a b*tch?!


    At the same time, Zoe scoffed. ¡°Also, you¡¯re in my way. Please move¨Cgood doggies always do,


    y¡¯know?¡±


    Mandy¡¯s eyes shed viciously right then and she suddenly fell to the floor, right in front of Zoe! As


    everyone looked on, Mandy looked at Zoe with a tearful, unhappy look. ¡°You tripped me¡­ But I never


    wanted to take your ce¡­¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 141

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 141


    Chapter 141


    While everyone was left gaping at Mandy and Zoe, the crew hurried to Mandy¡¯s side, helping her to her


    feet when they saw her doleful look.


    Mandy appeared to have taken a serious fall and could not move her feet, yelping loudly with each step


    she took.


    ¡°Do


    you need the hospital, Ms. Jessop?¡± one of the crew members asked.


    ¡°The event is starting¨Cthere¡¯s no time,¡± Mandy moaned through the pain. ¡°I have to return to my seat,


    but I can¡¯t walk..


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you up¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t!¡±


    The crew did their best to be careful, but Mandy seemed to be in too much pain, leaving them at a loss.


    That was when Mandy pointed at a certain seat nearby. ¡°I think I¡¯ll sit there.¡±


    Naturally, it was Zoe¡¯s seat.


    The crew were certainly dumbfounded.


    Even among the A¨Clist stars, Zoe ranked at least among the top three.


    On the other hand, Mandy could barely make the B¨Clist. What right did she have to take the central


    seat of an A¨Clister?!This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    One of the crew members said, ¡°Ms. Jessop, that¡¯s Ms. York¡¯s seat. You can¡¯t-


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem here. She tripped me, and it¡¯s only natural I take her seat,¡± Mandy said, as if it


    made perfect sense.


    The audience seats were lined with other stars, and they were trained well enough to notment so


    easily.


    On the other hand, Mandy¡¯s actress friends¨Cunder her payroll, naturally¨Cpromptly understood. Mandy¡¯s


    n.


    One of them promptly snapped, ¡°Wasn¡¯t everyone in showbiz saying that a certain A¨Clister never


    throws her weight and treats neers fairly? She¡¯s now getting upset and retaliating just because


    she lost her ce at the red carpet. How uncouth!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± another echoed. ¡°And now, Mandy has hurt her foot, but she won¡¯t even let Mandy have


    her seat. It¡¯s sickening.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just lucky she got a role in some feature films and managed to win herself some awards.


    Anyone who has her luck would be far more sessful¡­ I wonder how she even gets those roles!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, lucky? Don¡¯t you know that she takes the casting couch¡­¡± The actress allowed


    her voice to trail off before adding, ¡°Oh, she¡¯s certainly no Mandy, who never throws her weight around


    even though she¡¯s from such an important family, and always does her best at


    work instead of stealing roles with her status!¡±


    ¡°That reminds me¡­ there¡¯s this actress who stole Mandy¡¯s role with the casting couch, but Mandy


    never said a word! And now, Mandy has to take her spot because she¡¯s sick, but she can¡¯t stand it!¡±


    Zoe was glowering.


    Those actresses spoke just loud enough for those around them to hear.


    Mandy naturally heard it too, and she smiled vilely at that.


    Thank goodness she was smart enough to bribe those B¨Clisters and C¨Clisters beforehand, and


    humiliate Zoe!


    That was when Zoe slowly rose from her seat.


    Mandy was smiling smugly at that¨CZoe would never dare to challenge her! She would be giving herself


    too much credit if she did!


    ¡°You want my seat?¡± Zoe asked Mandy coolly.


    ¡°My leg hurts. I have no choice,¡± Mandy said innocently.


    ¡°Really?¡± Zoe simply sneered, the fire in her eyes only too obvious.


    She had never been a pushover¨Conce she got really upset, she would hit anyone!


    She even left Bob Davis crying once before!


    ¡°Since you¡¯re really breaking a leg here, I guess I must grant your wish,¡± Zoe breathed, eliciting every


    word. ¡°I¡¯ll never be a scapegoat!¡±


    With that, she raised her foot, aiming the sharp heel of her stiletto on Mandy¡¯s foot.


    There was no one Zoe would not hit in this world!


    And with that, she kicked her foot forward as hard as she could!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 142

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 142


    Chapter 142


    Mandy could certainly tell that Zoe was going to hit her, but she did not expect Zoe to do it in public!


    However, even as Mandy panicked, someone suddenly pulled her away, while Zoe¡¯s stiletto heel


    abruptlynded on Jay¡¯s leg instead.


    Zoe certainly knew her strength, and given how sharp her stiletto heel was, she could imagine how


    much pain Mandy would be in, only to hit Jay instead.


    Jay flinched slightly from the pain, but he otherwise bore with it.


    Zoe was left staring at him in disbelief.


    Mandy was stunned that he came to her rescue too, and her heart began to race as Jay left her dazed


    and bewitched.


    Zoe in turn clenched her fist and watched Jay icily, as he arched his back and scooped Mandy up his


    arms and left as she watched.


    In the end, he fell for Mandy!


    Even though Zoe did not see the look on his face, her tears were welling with tears.


    She lowered her gaze and worked hard to fight her tears.


    No. She must not shed tears for Jay¨Cher tears were not that cheap!


    And she had cried enough for him!


    She slowly returned to her seat, as if nothing ever happened.


    Meanwhile, Jay put Mandy on her seat and started to leave without a pause.


    ¡°Mr. Parker¡­¡± Mandy caught his wrist, stopping him.


    ¡°Let go if you don¡¯t want me to turn on you,¡± he growled threateningly.


    Mandy could actually sense his fury, and she was confused as to why he would save her a second ago,


    but now hate her to the bone for some reason.


    Gritting her teeth, she released him, and he returned to his seat without even looking back.


    Hence, everyone was discussing among themselves what just happened even before the g started.


    ¡°I thought it was just rumors, but Jay Parker is really dating Mandy Jessop!¡±


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s not that serious¡­ and he¡¯s also so kind to Mandy! I mean, that princess carry? He¡¯s the


    man!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so cool! I actually mistook him for a neer when I worked with him for the first time. That¡¯s


    how good looking he is!¡±


    ¡°Mandy really hit the jackpot, didn¡¯t she? Her family is wealthy and influential, her career in


    showbiz has taken off, and she doesn¡¯tck money. And now, she has an ideal boyfriend like Jay¡­ Oh,


    this is killing me!¡±


    Zoe listened as they talked, and she suddenly smiled as she remembered her past with Jay.


    Her maternal grandfather adopted Jay into the Levine family when he was ten.


    ++This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    She was five at the time and did not know any better¨Call she thought was that Jay was handsome.


    She was the only child in the entire manor before, since John was usually abroad, and he would only


    hang out with Bob and the rest whenever he returned, rarely ying with her. As such, her only


    companion was Jay, and she would always tag along with her ¡®uncle¡® wherever he went for the longest


    time.


    And yet, Jay had always been neutral to her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 143

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 143


    Chapter 143


    Zoe was attending Jay¡¯s university graduation ceremony when she realized that she was in love with


    him.


    She was so jealous when every ssmate of his seemed to profess their love to Jay.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Hence, on a dark, windy night, she stood at the main entrance of Levine Manor, waiting for Jay, who


    was out having dinner with Bob and the rest.


    The instant she saw his towering figure alighting from his car, she threw all caution to the wind and


    leaped into his arms.


    Jay stank of alcohol and only that¨Che never used deodorant or perfume.


    But even if he sweated all over after ying basketball, she would find him carrying a sense of


    freshness from head to toe.


    ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s a nightmare. You¡¯re an adult now¨CUmph.¡± Jay asked her very softly, and


    his eyes suddenly widened.


    Even Zoe could not remember what gave her such courage, but she had wrapped her arms around his


    neck and stood on her toes to nt a kiss squarely on his lips.


    There was even tongue involved¨Cthe scent of alcohol in his mouth was strong and it left her dazed.


    Even so, she knew very well what she was doing and why.


    And it was when she really kissed Jay that she realized how deeply in love with him she was. It had


    been going on for so long that she did not even know when it began!


    He was not the most sessful man she had ever met, but she lost her sense of self loving him.


    The kisssted for so long, but she was inexperienced since it was her first kiss¨Cif anything, it was a


    physical reaction.


    She left his lips swollen when she let go of him, and things got awkward soon after.


    As Zoe¡¯s heart pounded like a drum over her chest, she tried to speak, to dere her love.


    She did not want to wait, or Jay would soon be someone else¡¯s.


    He had a degree in film, and he would meet many actresses¡­ Showbiz had always been a mess.


    ¡°I¡­ Umph.¡± Zoe was just about to speak when Jay leaned in and kissed her.


    Though there was tongue involved again, his kiss was much more tender than hers¨Cto the point she


    felt like she was the happiest woman in the world, bar none.


    Her knees went weak from the kiss, and she could not tell him that she loved him.


    She was long since too embarrassed to speak.


    Moreover, they both made their moves¨Cwords were unnecessary.


    In the end, Jay even had to carry her back to her room.


    Even then, she was under the impression that things between them were basically confirmed, and she


    shared that sweetness with her best friend, Quinn Summer.


    And yet, however blissful she felt that night, the next night was that terrible.


    She was once again waiting at the door for Jay toe home.


    After graduating university, Jay immediately took up an internship at Windmill Pictures, which was


    affiliated with Levine Ventures.


    And interns always workedte, so she had to wait for a while until Jay¡¯s car returned.


    She hid in a dark corner, intending to surprise him¡­ only to find that he had another woman in his car.


    The woman looked familiar¨CZoe recognized her as an actress, but not a famous one.


    While Zoe was left perplexed, she watched as Jay pinned that woman beneath himself in the car and


    kissed her ferociously.


    The yellowed streetlights made it hard for Zoe to see how much they were glued to each other, but she


    could hear the sound of her own heart breaking into pieces.


    There was no telling how long had passed when Jay finally let go of the actress and she drove


    away in his car.


    On the other hand, he strode through the front door and found Zoe bawling.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 144

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 144


    Chapter 144


    Jay did not appear worried at all when he saw Zoe, but instead, he asked tly, ¡°It¡¯ste. Why aren¡¯t


    you sleeping? Don¡¯t you have sses tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°What am I to you, Jay?¡± she asked him then.


    She was just seventeen at the time, and she did not understand why she was losingposure like


    that.


    She was very calm, unlike her usual pampered self¨Cshe was even willing to believe that Jay just had


    an ident with that actress.


    When she thought about itter on, she decided that she did not throw a tantrum because she did not


    want Jay to hate her.


    But at the time, Jay¡¯s answer was nonchnt and carried no hesitation. ¡°My niece.¡±


    ¡°But,st night¡­ Zoe murmured.


    ¡°Last night?¡± Jay chuckled, his eyes showing no concern at all. ¡°I was just drunk.¡±


    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t!¡± Zoe cried¨Cshe knew Jay could not hold his liquor, which was why he always avoided


    getting drunk!


    ¡°Fine, I wasn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t want to take advantage of you, but I¡¯m 22 and an adult¨CI have a hard time


    refusing any woman throwing themselves in my arms.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Even as Jay spoke, he was watching as she bawled like an idiot without feeling any sympathy, and he


    finished tly, ¡°Just forget it.¡±


    Forget it?!


    He could not refuse any woman?!


    Zoe¡¯s heart was crushed, and she groaned in misery, ¡°That was my first kiss¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jay said, as if he was not responsible for it.


    Even so, she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you love me?¡±


    She held so much hope even as she breathed those words, her eyes were filled with yearning.


    She genuinely mustered all her courage just to ask that.


    And yet, Jay¡¯s response was cold and without hesitation.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Not even when I was a child. I¡¯m living under someone else¡¯s charity¨Call I can do is pretend


    to smile.¡±


    Not even when he was a child? He was living under someone else¡¯s charity?!


    So she had been lying to herself ever since she was a child.


    He never loved her, and all his kindness toward her was a pretense.


    Zoeughed through her tears, finding herself a joke right then¡­.


    Just as she did now.


    How could she ever expect anything from Jay?


    Hence, she listened coolly as everyone around her talked about Jay and Mandy, and she nonchntly


    sat through the fashion g. When the hosts asked her to go onstage, she joked around and shed


    her dazzling smile as she usually did.


    It was midnight when the g ended, and there was an interview session as always.


    Everyone started to leave consecutively.


    However, the journalists were all observing order until Zoe showed up, erupting in uproar and quickly


    mobbing her.


    Every other star seemed to be ignored just then, including Mandy, who was feeling utterly disgusted


    that the press loved Zoe.


    Mandy knew that the press would not care about anyone else if Zoe was there, anding here would


    just be courting a rebuff.


    And yet, Mandy found attending the g worth it after what Jay did for her, and in full view of the


    public.


    Nheless, as she slowly walked past the journalists, she heard them excitedly bombarding Zoe with


    certain suspicious questions.


    ¡°Zoe York! Is the man in those photos your boyfriend? He was clearly being physical with you!¡±


    ¡°Who is it? Is he in showbiz? Are you two dating?¡±


    ¡°When did you start dating? How long has it been? Weren¡¯t you saying in that interview that your were


    single and unavable?¡±


    ¡°The forums are positing that he¡¯s your financial backer, Zoe. Is he the reason why your career in


    showbiz went so smoothly?!¡±


    Zoe was actually left perplexed by the journalists¡® questions, and she had a vague idea right then.


    Someone must have taken photos of her!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 145

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 145


    Chapter 145


    However, Zoe had no idea what the photos showed.


    Moreover, she had not been that close with any men recently, and there was nothing the


    paparazzi could use for fuel.


    To make things worse, she did not have her phone, just as her manager and assistant was not with her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Zoe said very coolly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hide anything if I were in a


    rtionship.¡±


    With those words, she tried to push her way through the mob of journalists, only for them to keep her


    tightly encircled.


    Zoe clearly scowled¨Cthey were refusing to let her go.


    But being the showbiz star that she was, there was a need to maintain appearances when she was in


    front of the camera.


    ¡°The photos of you are definitely genuine, Ms. York. Are you trying to hide something?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just admit it? Tell us who it is and what¡¯s the rtionship involved!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t keep us in suspense, Ms. York!¡±


    Zoe was almost crumbling from their relentless questioning because she had not the faintest idea what


    they were on about.


    But just as she was about to lose control, her manager, her assistant, and a squad of bodyguards


    swiftly forced their way through the crowd. In no time at all, they forced their way through and escorted


    Zoe into her MPV, and the journalists were forced to give up.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Zoe quickly asked, and Linda promptly handed her phone.


    Zoe frowned as she tapped into it, but she suddenly startedughing at the scandal about her and the


    photos shown.


    She was actually speechless, while Linda and her assistant Penny were left dumbfounded.


    Zoe could stillugh when they had already proven that she had a sugar daddy?!


    She still had so many TV series, movies, variety show appearances, and endorsements, along with


    countless requests they had no time to schedule!


    Was she really not afraid that her career might be affected?!


    However, Zoe was naturallyughing because someone actually tried to make a scandal of her


    and her dear cousin.


    It was obvious that whoever it was, they were afraid of John enough to censor his face. But while most


    could not tell who it was, Zoe remembered that ce¨Cthe backyard of the banquet hall, where n


    Levine celebrated his birthday.


    She certainly recognized it because John had snapped at her, telling her to head home.


    And somehow, someone got dirt on both of them with that.


    ¡°Who is that, Zoe? Is he really your boyfriend?¡± Linda asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Zoe denied it immediately.


    ¡°So? Who is it?¡± Linda pressed.


    Zoe actually hesitated for a moment just then, but she eventually said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    If she did, her connection to the Levines would be exposed.


    That also meant her retirement from showbiz and a desk job at Levine Ventures.


    That was the agreement she signed with her parents and maternal grandfather before her venture into


    showbiz, and her word was golden.


    ¡°Zoe!¡± Linda snapped, really upset just then.


    She was the one who helped Zoe with her career, all the way until the present.


    But to think Zoe was hiding things from her¡­


    Nheless, Zoe said solemnly, ¡°Just leave this up to PR, Linda. Trust me when I say that it would be


    far more advantageous if we handle it ourselves instead of exposing that man.¡±


    Linda was ufortable about that, but seeing that Zoe was being very clear, she did not make things


    harder for her. ¡°I will talk to PR.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Zoe replied.


    With that, the MPV brought Linda and Penny back to the management office. That scandalous expose


    meant overtime work.


    ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± Linda stopped just as she aligned, remembering something just then. ¡°It was Jay


    Parker who informed me to bring the bodyguards and escort you out of the g. That¡¯s how we


    managed to reach you in time and save you from those journalists¨Cbe sure to thank himter.¡±


    Pursing her lips, Zoe soon replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Linda and Penny left the MPV.


    Still, Penny was staring at the vehicle as it left, and she could not help pointing out, ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice it,


    Linda? Zoe¡¯s been refusing to let us take her home ever since she returned to North City. The MPV and


    the chauffeur are both her own.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Linda sounded thoughtful as well.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Then where does she live?¡± Penny eximed in sheer curiosity. ¡°Is there a reason we can¡¯t find out?


    Or is she trying to hide her roots because she¡¯s actually someone important?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! Would she work herself to death in showbiz if she were born rich or powerful?!¡± Linda


    rejected the idea immediately. ¡°But I just don¡¯t get it. Why aren¡¯t we allowed to find out about her


    family¡¯s circumstances? Or does she really have a backer, like the rumors say?!¡± Both of them


    appeared utterly befuddled just then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 146

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 146


    Chapter 146


    Still in her MPV, Zoe was scrolling through the news on her phone distractedly.


    More articles were appearing online, almost snuffing out the scandal between Kyle and Noel.


    She eventually reached Levine Manor, and she alighted to find Jay standing by the front door,


    seemingly waiting for her.


    Zoe simply strode past him, pretending not to see him.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± he called out, but she ignored that too.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± he called out again, reaching out to grab her wrist.


    She promptly raised her hand, avoiding his touch while wheeling on him with a cool look. ¡°Don¡¯t touch


    me. You¡¯ll get your filth on me.¡±


    Jay¡¯s fingers clenched as he lowered his hand, asking, ¡°Have you considered what you¡¯re going to do


    about the scandal?¡±


    ¡°My managementpany is on it. Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t affect the TV series.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Johnny in that photo, right? At my father¡¯s seventieth birthday.¡±


    Jay sounded positive, but Zoe did not respond even as he continued, ¡°I can talk to him on your behalf,


    see if he could enforce a media ckout.¡±


    Although John did not agree with Zoe¡¯s involvement in showbiz and would never help her whatever


    happened, he was very close with Jay. And since Jay was also John¡¯s uncle, John would usually have


    to listen to him to some extent.


    But Zoe did not need that.


    ¡°Could you just stay away from me, Jay Parker?¡± she snapped.


    He gulped, but he otherwise stayed silent.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing what I can to avoid you and wouldn¡¯t be staying here if John didn¡¯t force me, let alone


    take a role in your project. Can¡¯t you just spare me when I¡¯m totally incapable of fighting back?!¡± Zoe


    continued, snarling every word.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her eyes were welling with tears despite her calm expression!


    She had kept trying to forget and restrain herself for eight years.


    But to be honest, it was grilling and agonizing!


    And yet, here he was, unting his sympathy and causing more misunderstandings.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he apologized.


    Yet another apology.


    It was the only thing that she ever got from him.


    ¡°I thought we-¡±


    ¡°You thought I don¡¯t love you any more?¡±Zoe suggested directly.


    Jay pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯m not worth it.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. Even I find myself foolish.¡± Zoe smiled. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter-I¡¯m used to it now, after so


    many years have passed. Just don¡¯t bother me, and I can pretend I never loved you.¡±


    As Jay remained silent, she strode past him. ¡°Go to bed soon, Uncle Jay.¡±


    She left so nonchntly, without grief or misery-as if she was not the one who had been rejected.


    She never noticed that Jay was doing all he could to restrain himself, even clenching his knuckles until


    they were white.


    At the same time, the paparazzi lurking in the darkness quietly left after taking some satisfactory


    photos.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 147

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 147


    Chapter 147


    Zoe¡¯s scandal continued to top search trends the next day.


    After all, her managementpany could not enforce a full media ckout-especially not with Kyle


    pressuring the press in secret.


    Kyle was in a good mood as he watched the news, and after some thought, he decided to call Cordy.


    Cordy had seen what was going on in the news as well, and she naturally could tell that it was Kyle.


    He was actually smart enough to use another scandal to snuff out his, just to shield Jessop Corp from


    further harm by his own scandal.


    ¡°Oh, Cordy¡­ Do you think John Levine woulde forward to help Zoe York?¡± Kyle asked with


    contempt when she answered.


    Cordy honestly did not want to waste her breath with Kyle, not to mention that he would have an


    aneurysm if she told him that Zoe was actually a member of the Levine family.


    ¡°Do you think John would go public with his rtionship with Zoe or try to snuff out the scandal in


    secret?¡± Kyle continued to scoff at her. ¡°See? You¡¯re just one of his women.¡±


    While Cordy was not bothered to say anything, he only became more contemptible. ¡°I¡¯m really


    curious¡­ How did you manage to seduce John? Like, did you drop your panties and jump him? You


    used to knock my hand away back then when I tried to take it off, only for you to turn out to be this


    cheap!¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Oh, I jumped him and then some,¡± Cordy replied, not bothered to exin anything. ¡°As for why I


    wouldn¡¯t let you touch me before? It¡¯s just because you¡¯re way beneath me.¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Kyle huffed right then.


    ¡°What do you think you have on John Levine, honestly?¡± Cordy continued with maximum scorning.¡± I


    mean are you better looking? Richer? Or more influential? Clearly, you are none of that, so have no


    right to mock my rtionship with him! Oh, and don¡¯t me me for not warning you, but Noel has


    always loved my stuff-it¡¯s like she can¡¯t bear seeing me possessing anything better than she does. I


    mean, were you really never worried that Noel would suddenly fall in love with John?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not like you!¡± Kyle screamed, incensed and unable to ept the disdain he was suffering from


    Cordy.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s up to you if you actually listen,¡± Cordy said, and she hung up on him.


    Kyle¡¯s face darkened as he stared at his phone screen, which read: call disconnected.


    He wanted to mock Cordy, only for her to point out how useless he was!


    He then remembered Noel¡¯s vtile attitude toward him recently¡­


    Aggravated, Kyle¡¯s veins were bulging over his forehead!


    After hanging up on Kyle, Cordy could not resist texting John.


    [Did you see the news about Zoe?]


    [I did.]


    The reply was quick, but also clearly unconcerned.


    [Aren¡¯t you going to help Zoe clear her name? There are many who take it as confirmation she has a


    sugar daddy.]


    [She didn¡¯t ask me for help.]


    Cordy could not quite respond to that, though John soon added: [I don¡¯t support her career in showbiz


    either. It would actually be good if she retired because of this.]


    [Are you blood rted?!]


    Cordy could not stop herself from snapping at John.


    Even if she had only just met Zoe recently, she could feel Zoe¡¯s passion for acting-most importantly,


    Zoe had natural talent for it, as she really brought to life any role she yed.


    Nheless, John replied: [We¡¯re just cousins.]


    Cordy rolled her eyes, understanding why Zoe feared John just then-the man was impervious to


    everything!


    [Zoe could always return to Levine Ventures to help me out even without her career in showbiz. There


    aren¡¯t many Levines around to take care of our burgeoning business.]


    It seemed to be an exnation from John, but Cordy wondered if he was just bragging.


    Who on earth would say their family business was burgeoning out loud?!


    Still, something puzzled Cordy.


    [Why not Jay Parker?]


    [You really pay him extra attention, huh?)


    Cordy could feel the jealous leaking from the other end, and she smiled as she sent a reply.


    [He¡¯s helped me on more than one asion.]


    She genuinely considered Jay a person who could be relied on.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 148

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 148


    Chapter 148


    At the very least, Cordy considered Jay to be more reliable at a white-cor job than Zoe.


    John¡¯s reply to that was: [My grandfather forbids it.]


    While Cordy was left puzzled again, he added:


    [Since Jay is adopted, my grandfather doesn¡¯t want him getting involved in Levine Ventures to avoid a


    power struggle that would affect the family.]


    Cordy actually understood the reasoning, but she also found it very obviously unfair toward Jay.


    Did none of them put Jay¡¯s feelings into consideration?


    Still, she quickly realized that John was misdirecting her-something he seemed to have a ir for.


    [So, aren¡¯t you going to help Zoe?]


    [She¡¯ll handle it on her own, or she¡¯lle to me if she can¡¯t do it.]


    Fine.


    Cordy thought then that since Zoe was a member of the Levine family, the Levines would not just sit by


    and watch while she got harassed.


    However, just as she tapped out of the chat box with John and got prepared to work, another text


    popped up.


    [That¡¯s it?]


    Cordy frowned-what else were they supposed to talk about?


    It was still work hours and she still had a lot of work to do.


    Most importantly, North City Channel (NCC) was about to broadcast a reality fashion show where


    celebrities wore dresses from different designers. Cordy herself was thinking about taking part as a


    publicity event to expand Starstream Fashion¡¯s clientele.


    Nheless, John asked: [How long has it been since west met?]


    How long?


    Hold on, it had been over a week!


    [We haven¡¯t seen each other since we confirmed our rtionship.]


    John seemed to be sighing with every word, while Cordy pursed her lips-that certainly was the


    case.


    He teased: [Is this what you meant when you said you¡¯d date me, Ms. Sachs? Online dating, to be


    specific?]


    A little wounded since John had agreed to that, she retorted: [I told you I¡¯d be busy.]


    He then texted back, unreasonable as ever: [There¡¯s always time for love.]


    [Doesn¡¯t put food on the table.]


    [It¡¯s food for the spirit.]


    [Have I been starving you?]


    [Yes. I¡¯m very needy.]


    No matter how she looked at that text, Cordy felt that things were getting too flirty.


    As such, she quickly typed: [Been a while since I saw Dicky. Let¡¯s have dinner together-I¡¯ll try my best


    to leave work on time.]


    [¡­]


    [That¡¯s decided then, See you after work.]


    [¡­Fine.]


    The man agreed to it despite his reluctance, while Cordy beamed.


    She returned her attention to preparing for the reality fashion show, and she did not hesitate much as


    she registered.


    There would be a pre-selection, and only candidates who cleared it would be allowed to design a dress


    for the assigned celebrity before they present it on a catwalk at the recording.


    NCC¡¯s TV shows had always been popr, and not many fashion brands would reject such free


    publicity.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Unsurprisingly, all the famous designers representing the majorbels across the nation were taking


    part, andpetition was fierce.


    Even Noel took notice of thepetition after a friend gave her a head¡¯s up.


    She had been staying at home, unemployed since Cordy dismissed her.


    She did not want to work at Sachs Enterprises either, because she would just be working for her


    younger brother Sonny as thepany would never be hers. She would even have to suffer his


    temper, just like her aunt.


    She would never suffer such grief willingly, and she was therefore delighted to see the opportunity in


    this publicity event.


    After all, was this not a chance for her to clear her name and shine?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 149

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 149


    Chapter 149


    At 6 PM, John brought Richard as agreed to give Cordy a ride from work.


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    Richard¡¯s crisp, innocent voice melted Cordy¡¯s heart every time.


    She gave the boy a hug, and she sat with him as they had a jovial chat.


    John was scowling from being ignored.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy to see Mommy?¡± Richard asked seriously, frowning just then.


    ¡°I am,¡± John replied rather coolly.


    ¡°But you¡¯re frowning like this,¡± Richard said, imitating John by furrowing his little brow.


    He had always been a diminutive version of John, and he looked especially identical as he


    frowned.


    Cordy could not helpughing out loud, and even the chauffeur was quite amused.


    Although John was scowling harder, Richard was further buoyed to see Cordyughing. ¡°Mommy,


    don¡¯t mind Daddy. I think he¡¯s having PMS.¡±


    Cordyughed harder at that-John might have educated him too well!


    Fortunately, the restaurant they were going to was close, and they soon arrived.


    John might get a stroke otherwise!


    They took a window seat at the luxurious restaurant, and Cordy was still joking around with Richard


    while John ordered.


    Why did he feel like the third wheel here?


    ¡°John?¡± A woman called out to him just then, and all three of them looked up.


    ¡°Oh, it really is you!¡± the woman then eximed in delight, before quickly introducing herself. ¡°Do you


    remember me? I¡¯m Kara Lynd, Jessica Stuart¡¯s cousin. We met when you were studying abroad with


    her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, more or less having an idea just then.


    Kara did not seem deterred by his aloofness and she actually became more enthusiastic instead.¡± It¡¯s


    such a coincidence!¡± she eximed. ¡°I just came from Rocktown to meet my boyfriend, so I didn¡¯t see


    you here. By the way, did you hear? My aunt was just saying that Jess would be returning to the


    country soon.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± John replied tly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Jess tell you?¡± Kara appeared surprised. ¡°You two aren¡¯t fighting, are you? When I saw the


    news that you returned to North City alone, I was thinking-¡±


    ¡°Ms. Lynd,¡± John growled, cutting her short from droning on. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re going to start eating


    soon.¡±


    He was telling Kara to leave, and she could tell as much.


    ¡°Alright, then I won¡¯t impose,¡± she said, chagrined.


    As she left, she slid a peek at Cordy, since Cordy was sitting beside John.


    Cordy noticed Kara¡¯s gaze too, but when she looked at the other woman, Kara quickly averted her eyes


    and left.


    Returning to her table, Kara quickly texted Jessica.


    [Jess, I just ran into John at a restaurant. He brought his son and a woman, whom I think is Cordy


    Sachs.]


    Since Cordy had been topping search keywords a while ago, Kara more or less recognized her face


    from what little gossip she gathered.


    But why was Cordy here with John?!


    And why would John, who always kept his private life squeaky clean, be interested in someone with a


    past like Cordy?


    Abroad, Jessica¡¯s eyes narrowed as she read the text.


    She knew she should not have let John return to Zidonia alone, and it was her fault for underestimating


    Cordy!


    Back at the restaurant, John, Richard, and Cordy started to eat.


    Still, most of Cordy¡¯s attention was on Richard, and she kept helping him with his food.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    John eventually could not resist asking, ¡°Am I invisible to you, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    He was an adult, but he still got jealous of his own son?


    Could he be more childish?!


    Still, seeing that Richard was fine on his own, she finally turned her attention back to John, asking.


    Jessica Stuart¡­ as in the Stuarts who basically own Rocktown?¡±


    John was left blinking at Cordy.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 150

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 150


    Chapter 150


    John thought to himself that Cordy should be sweet-talking him instead of asking about Jessica!


    Still, he nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship there?¡± Cordy asked bluntly-after she had that misunderstanding with John and


    Zoe, she had decided to ask about everything since.


    ¡°Our grandfathers wererades in the war and close friends, often keeping in touch event though we


    lived in different cities. My grandfather especially loved to visit them, so he brought me to Stuart Hall in


    Rocktown on many asions. As for Jessica Stuart, she¡¯s¡­¡±


    John trailed off as he searched for the right word, and Cordy raised a brow. ¡°Your childhood friend?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± John denied it. ¡°More like the girl next door.¡±


    The girl next door?!


    That felt way more ambiguous than necessary!


    John then continued, ¡°Anyway, when my grandfather sent me abroad for studies, William Stuart- her


    grandfather-sent her abroad as well. After we graduated from university, I worked on expanding Levine


    Ventures in foreign markets, while she stayed abroad as well to manage Stuart Holdings. We do take


    care of each other because of our families¡¯ ties.¡±


    Take care? How?!


    John smiled faintly when he saw Cordy¡¯s judgmental look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡±


    ¡°Your past is your business, and I¡¯m not concerned,¡± Cordy replied nonchntly, but she was clearly


    smiling.


    That set John in a good mood, and hemented, ¡°You¡¯re improving, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cordy was confused.


    ¡°Now you understand that you ask questions with your mouth,¡± he said. ¡°Unlike before, sentencing me


    to death ever so subtly.¡±


    Cordy blushed, but she was not ever going to live down suspecting John for having a rtionship with


    Zoe.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After dinner, they headed to Cordy¡¯s apartment in John¡¯s Maybach.


    Since it was just Cordy and Richard having fun in the car, John once again felt like the third wheel.


    Be that as it may, Cordy¡¯s fingers suddenly twitched and her heart skipped a beat.


    John had sneakily taken her hand in the darkness of the car, holding it firmly in his.


    She pursed her lips ever so slightly, while John turned to stare outside the window after taking her


    hand.


    She could see his stubbornness from the back of his head-he was not letting go.


    But she did not reject him either, because she did not feel as disgusted as she expected.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Richard called out to her just then.


    Cordy finally came to her senses and continued to chat with the boy.


    As the Maybach continued onward, John refused to let go even though Cordy was sweating a over her


    palm despite being an adult, long past her first awakening toward love!


    It was not until they arrived at Cordy¡¯s apartment that Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched and John release her


    reluctantly.


    Opening the door, she told Richard mildly, ¡°Bye bye, Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Bye bye, Mommy,¡± he replied reluctantly.


    Cordy patted his little cheeks before alighting, and the Maybach only left after Cordy got into the


    elevator.


    The Maybach was suddenly silent, with Richard sitting tamely on the backseat, far less lively than when


    he was around Cordy.


    ¡°Dicky,¡± John suddenly said.


    ¡°Yes, Daddy?¡± Richard replied primly.


    ¡°Would you like to join a summer camp?¡± John asked.


    While Richard tilted his head in confusion at his father, John added, ¡°The type thatsts a month.


    Richard pursed his little lips right then. ¡°Just leave me at an orphanage instead, Daddy.¡± John said


    nothing to that.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 151

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 151


    Chapter 151


    As Cordy rode the elevator upstairs to her apartment, the doors eventually opened to reveal Zoe


    leaning against Cordy¡¯s door, her face scarlet.


    She was clearly drunk.


    Cordy quickly strode up to her. ¡°Zoe?¡±


    Zoe was clearly muddled even as she opened her eyes, on the verge of tears when she saw Cordy.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cordy asked. ¡°You¡¯re really drunk, too.¡±


    ¡°Shooting ended early today, so I went drinking with some friends,¡± Zoe replied, her breath stinking of


    alcohol.


    How much did she drink, really?!


    ¡°With Quinn?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s too busy and went on a business trip anyway. I went with other friends¡­ Burp! Drinking


    buddies,¡± Zoe said, and belched.


    Zoe certainly knew that Quinn was not that unreliable.


    Still, she quickly opened the door and helped Zoe inside, asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me if you¡¯re out


    here?¡±


    ¡°Dear John would murder me if I disturbed your date,¡± Zoe said, and she began to retch.


    Cordy quickly helped her to the bathroom, and Zoe started to vomit while clutching at the toilet.


    She did so for a long while, clutching her sick belly while Cordy kept rubbing her back. ¡°Do you feel


    better? I can bring you water.¡±


    ¡°I need a bath,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    ¡°Can you do it on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cordy quickly filled her bathtub and brought Zoe fresh clothes.


    Then, as Zoe was done bathing, Cordy passed Zoe the honey drink she made.


    Zoey in Cordy¡¯s bed and drank the honey drink, beaming, ¡°I knew you¡¯d take care of me once I get


    here.¡±


    Cordy smiled begrudgingly-Zoe¡¯s face was pale from all that vomiting, but she was still beaming


    somehow. ¡°Don¡¯t you have plenty of servants to take care of you?¡±


    ¡°There are people I don¡¯t want to see at Levine Manor.¡±


    ¡°Having a fight with your parents? Or n Levine?¡± Cordy asked in concern.


    ¡°No.¡± Zoe denied it, but she was not borating either, and she simply pulled her nket over


    herself. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    Cordy never liked prying into others¡¯ privacy either, but just as she rose to her feet to leave, Zoe¡¯s


    phone began to ring.


    Cordy helped Zoe take it out of her bag and handed it to her. ¡°Your manager.¡±


    Though clearly upset, Zoe answered, ¡°Linda¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you with Jay Parker right now?¡± Linda asked right then.


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Funny how her heart raced anytime anyone mentioned that man around her.


    Still, she calmly asked, ¡°Who¡¯s feeding you new rubbish this time?¡±


    ¡°Someone took a photo of you with him!¡± Linda eximed grimly.


    Zoe abruptly sat up on bed, startling Cordy beside her.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy watched as Zoe tapped her phone screen in panic and browsed through thetest news.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 152

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 152


    Chapter 152


    The eye-catching title was writtenrge and bold: [Meet Jay Parker, Zoe York¡¯s Rumored Lover!]


    Cordy watched as Zoe¡¯s fingers shook, and she quickly took out her phone as well to read the


    article.


    The article gave a simple recap of the scandal on Zoe before, and now confirmed the rtionship


    between Zoe and Jay. They even went out of their way to mention that Mandy Jessop was originally


    the female lead for Pomp and Circumstance, but the role was ultimately given to Zoe.


    Fueled by spection, the rtionship was no different from confirmed.


    Cordy tapped on the photos attached to the article, where Zoe and Jay were keeping their distance


    from each other. Even though the photos were taken quite far away, one could tell that they were


    arguing.


    The article simply posited it as them getting upset from getting photographed, causing the scandal


    before.


    Still, it was not surprising that the media would be convinced that Jay was the one from the photos


    censored with mosaic before. Anyoneparing those photos and thetest one could certainly see


    the resemnce in their respective silhouettes.


    In fact, they would definitely misunderstand if they had not seen the uncensored photos.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± Zoe could not help cursing, fuming after reading through the news.


    She had yet to hang up too, and Linda was snapping from the other end, ¡°Zoe, you don¡¯t have to keep


    secrets now that things havee to this. Talk to Mr. Parker-decide if you want to go public or exin


    yourselves¡­ although thetter won¡¯t fly, not after you were photographed at the mansion together. I¡¯m


    sure fans won¡¯t get upset with celebrities dating these days, not to mention. that you and Mr. Parker are


    quite the couple. I¡¯ll discuss with management about going official, especially since we happen to have


    a romanticmercial on hand at the moment¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and Jay Parker!¡± Zoe growled, breathing every word through gritted


    teeth.


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call youter!¡± Zoe hung up right then, took a deep breath and called Jay.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The instant Jay answered, she went straight to the point. ¡°Please announce that there¡¯s nothing


    between us right now. I¡¯ll also dere that we only have a working rtionship-I don¡¯t want to retire my


    showbiz career early because of you.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Jay agreed to it immediately, remaining rational as ever. ¡°But we still have to corroborate our


    stories Why would you show up at my doorstep, after all?¡±


    Zoe turned silent, because she could note up with anything.


    She could not say that it was to discuss the script, could she? It would make things worse, doing that at


    his house and in the middle of the night!


    ¡°Let me think about it. I¡¯ll call about itter,¡± Jay hung up, probably having no n just then.


    Zoe¡¯s hand was shaking even as she held her phone.


    Nothing ever went ording to n ever since she returned to North City.


    Beside her, Cordy could sense Zoe¡¯s aggravation.


    She wondered if she was imagining it, but Zoe was definitely being weird around Jay.


    They were rtives-why would she be so hostile to him?


    ¡°Zoe? Is the person you didn¡¯t want to see¡­ Jay Parker?¡± Cordy asked, but she was basically sure


    about it.


    Zoe looked up at Cordy then and nodded-not wanting to keep it from her.


    ¡°But, why? I thought that he¡¯s quite nice¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s hypocritical, two-faced, a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing.¡± Zoe fired a string of insults immediately.


    ¡°Really?¡± Cordy did not expect Zoe to think so badly of Jay.


    ¡°Appearances can be deceiving,¡± Zoe said solemnly. ¡°That goes for John too. He may have a son, but


    he¡¯s quite the virgin. After all these years, you¡¯re the only woman he¡¯s ever allowed to stay around him.¡±


    Cordy was taken aback-how did they somehow end up talking about her?


    She bit her lip for a moment, but she could not resist asking, ¡°Have you met Dicky¡¯s mother before?


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe said shortly. ¡°None of the family has ever met her, and John never talks about her. Hell, if


    Dicky didn¡¯t resemble John so much, we¡¯d have thought that he picked up Dicky from the streets,


    especially since the man is pretty much celibate.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 153

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 153


    Chapter 153


    Looking up at Cordy just then, Zoe asked, ¡°You must be curious as to how John ended up bringing


    Dicky home, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Cordy nodded, and Zoe gave her an ¡®I-knew-it¡¯ look. ¡°Of course he doesn¡¯t tell you a thing.¡±


    In reality, Cordy simply did not ask.


    At the same time, Zoe searched her memory and said, ¡°John was twenty-one when Dicky was brought


    home¡­ and by our grandfather, at that. Actually, John did not even know that he had a kid, but as for


    how our grandfather knows? Let¡¯s just say he¡¯s omnipotent and leave it at that. Anyway, I remembered


    that John was still abroad when our grandfather came home with Dicky, and I overheard him speaking


    over the phone that the mother abandoned Dicky at the hospital after delivering him, so our grandfather


    brought him back.¡±


    Cordy felt a pain in her chest.


    Although John had told her that Richard¡¯s mother had abandoned him, she was still stunned to find out


    that Richard was abandoned at birth.


    The very thought left her suffocating, just as she remembered her own child.


    She wanted to keep it so badly, only for it to end up stillborn¡­


    Cordy could not stop her tears just then, while Zoe almost jumped in shock at Cordy¡¯s reaction. ¡°W-


    What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Cordy murmured as her tears guashed. ¡°My chest just hurts.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I felt sad when I saw Dicky at the time too. How cruel could that woman be to abandon her


    own son? I¡¯d never forgive her if I were John!¡± Zoe huffed, before adding after some thought,¡± Though I


    think John doesn¡¯t forgive her either.¡±


    Cordy nodded quietly, while Zoe continued to rant with righteous indignation, ¡°I¡¯m actually curious too.


    What woman could be so crazy that she¡¯d abandon John and Dicky? Is he not handsome enough for


    her? Or is he not rich enough, or not powerful enough? She¡¯s definitely blind.¡±


    Cordy was curious who that woman was too, to leave John without a care after sleeping with him.


    At the same time, Zoe sighed and continued, ¡°There was this one time when Bob Davis and I got drunk


    and discussed that woman, and we both agreed that she must be a stranger who met John by chance.


    She probably doesn¡¯t know about John¡¯s power and wealth, and probably thinks him a gigolo, what with


    his good looks.¡±


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Gordy cleared her throat, taken by surprise by Zoe¡¯s vulgar words.


    ¡°I mean, be honest. What other reason would any woman have to dump my brother?!¡± Zoe asked.


    She was certainly proud of John, a far cry from her attitude toward Jay.


    And when Cordy thought of Jay, she quickly came to her senses. ¡°Zoe, shouldn¡¯t you be deciding how


    to resolve your scandal with Jay?!¡±


    She was actually impressed that Zoe could stay unaffected and gossip about John with her.


    Zoe remainedposed anyway. ¡°You get used to it after working in showbiz for so long-it¡¯ll be


    resolved eventually. There were rumors before that I¡¯ve risen through the ranks thanks to my


    connection with some bigwig, and in this case, if not for Jay Parker¡­¡±


    Zoe suddenly trailed off, appearing aggravated.


    ¡°I mean, you could just reveal your identity,¡± Cordy pointed out. ¡°The scandal would resolve itself


    naturally.¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t John told you? Every member in the Levine family doesn¡¯t want me in showbiz,¡± Zoe replied.


    ¡°They¡¯re all eager to have me help John with the family business-just like what my parents are doing.


    Either way, I¡¯m just not interested in management, just acting. That¡¯s why my parents and my


    grandfather made an agreement that I must not rely on the family¡¯s influence in my showbiz career, or


    I¡¯m to return and help with the family business.¡±


    Zoe sighed feebly right then. ¡°If I announce my identity, it counts as relying on my family and my


    grandfather is going to drag me home for that!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely troublesome,¡± Cordy said inly. ¡°You and Jay were photographed outside Levine


    Manor, so there¡¯s no exining it¡­¡±


    ¡°He said that he¡¯lle up with something, so I¡¯ll just leave it to him,¡± Zoe said, giving up on thinking


    just then.


    She was never cut out for brain work anyway, and her grades were so bad Jay had to give her remedial


    sses for the longest time¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. My head hurts,¡± Zoe suddenly said, not wanting to say more. ¡°Alright, you do that.


    I¡¯m going to take a shower-I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Cordy told her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 154

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 154


    Chapter 154


    Zoe nodded and said earnestly, ¡°Cordy, you¡¯re so nice. John¡¯s lucky to have met you.¡±


    Cordy became a little embarrassed from Zoe¡¯s words-in reality, she was lucky to have met John


    too.


    ¡°Thank goodness Dicky¡¯s mother was blind, or I¡¯d never have such a nice cousin-inw,¡± Zoe said,


    continuing her ttery.


    ¡°Just sleep,¡± Cordy urged Zoe with a smile, and then hurried off to the bathroom.


    Zoey watched as Cordy left, her smile slowly fading.


    She wondered just then if women had to meet scumbags before meeting their prince-even Cordy had


    to run into one like Kyle Jessop.


    As for herself, Jay was more than enough.


    Zoe was woken by her phone¡¯s ringtone early next morning, and seeing who it was, she answered. with


    a groan. ¡°Linda, didn¡¯t I tell you that Jay Parker would handle it? We just have to wait, so don¡¯t. bother


    me already¡­¡±


    ¡°He just made an announcement,¡± Linda said bluntly.


    Zoe promptly sat up on bed, wide awake right then.


    Cordy was woken by Zoe too, and she rose to find Zoe clearly agitated-she had tapped on her news


    app and found Jay denying any personal connection with Zoe, insisting that they only had a working


    rtionship. He added that he was now in a rtionship with Mandy Jessop, and as he did not want to


    waste the public¡¯s time, he warned the media against making baseless conjectures.


    Cordy was stunned when she read the news too¡­ Jay was actually dating Mandy?


    It was not as if she was prejudiced against the Jessops, but Mandy was definitely nothing good.


    ¡°Zoe!¡± Linda snapped at Zoe from the other end just then.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Zoe came to her senses soon enough, and turned very calm.


    ¡°Is there really nothing between you and Jay Parker?¡± Linda asked, clearly skeptical towards Jay¡¯s


    announcement.


    After all, would Zoe have been photographed at Levine Manor if there was nothing between them? It


    was not as if just anyone could go there freely as they liked!


    ¡°Jay was pretty clear, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Zoe simplyughed faintly.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Linda was furning. ¡°Honestly, what¡¯s wrong with his eyes, picking Mandy instead of you?¡±


    In fact, Linda was convinced that Zoe was dating Jay, even getting thepany to agree to show Zoe


    full support if they went public with their rtionship.


    She was certainly stunned to find out that Jay was a pig who would consume just about anything!


    If that was the case, why would Zoe hate him so much?


    A person would not hate another without reason, unless¡­


    Cordy nced at Zoe to find that thetter had already put away her phone and gone back to sleep.


    Cordy resisted saying what was on her mind-she certainly could feign ignorance if Zoe really did not


    want others to know.


    ¡°I need to get to work. Can you stay here by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe murmured. ¡°The issue is resolved and I can rx in bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay. There¡¯s not much to eat around here, so you¡¯d have to order takeout.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Cordy got out of bed and headed out to work.


    On the way there, she thought about it before calling John. ¡°Zoe¡¯s at my house.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Keep herpany for the next couple days.¡±


    ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked, but it was definitely the case given his tone.


    ¡°What wouldn¡¯t I know when we all live under the same roof? Only Zoe thought she hid it well, but I


    didn¡¯t realize that she¡¯d never let go even after so many years.¡± John replied, though he still admitted


    that he did not think that far. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have forced her to return to Levine Manor.¡±


    Still, Cordy could not hide her curiosity. ¡°Does Jay not like Zoe?¡±


    She certainly could tell that Zoe loved Jay.


    But was Jay¡¯s dislike toward Zoe the reason they could not be together?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 155

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 155


    Chapter 155


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe murmured. ¡°The issue is resolved and I can rx in bed.¡±


    ¡°Okay. There¡¯s not much to eat around here, so you¡¯d have to order takeout.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Cordy got out of bed and headed out to work.


    On the way there, she thought about it before calling John. ¡°Zoe¡¯s at my house.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Keep herpany for the next couple days.¡±


    ¡°You knew, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked, but it was definitely the case given his tone.


    ¡°What wouldn¡¯t I know when we all live under the same roof? Only Zoe thought she hid it well, but I


    didn¡¯t realize that she¡¯d never let go even after so many years.¡± John replied, though he still admitted


    that he did not think that far. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have forced her to return to Levine Manor.¡±


    Still, Cordy could not hide her curiosity. ¡°Does Jay not like Zoe?¡±


    She certainly could tell that Zoe loved Jay.


    But was Jay¡¯s dislike toward Zoe the reason they could not be together?


    But if Jay did not like Zoe, why would he scapegoat himself for Zoe¡¯s sake?


    ¡°Things areplicated between them,¡± John exined. ¡°I¡¯m keeping the specifics confidential for Jay


    since Jay is my friend and elder, but the bottomline is that they can¡¯t be together.¡±


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Cordy was actually irked that John was openly keeping something from her.


    Still, John suddenly relented. ¡°It¡¯s not as if I can¡¯t tell you..


    Cordy, however, did not believe that John was that agreeable-especially considering his cunning


    nature!


    ¡°But since this concerns my family¡¯s privacy, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t reveal it to someone outside the family.


    That said, you¡¯ll have the right to know everything if you marry me.¡±


    John said it as if it was only natural, leaving Cordy speechless.


    She already wanted toment on n Levine being as devious as a snake, but it seemed now that


    the Levines were all a nest of vipers.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± John continued. ¡°Zoe can sleep over at your ce for a few days. I¡¯ll tell her to move out


    once I find a ce for her.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 156

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 156


    Chapter 156


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied, though she would not actually mind Zoe staying longer.


    Changing the subject, John asked, ¡°Ms. Sachs, wouldn¡¯t you like to go on a trip?¡±


    Cordy was at a loss for words-he was really getting energetic, was he not?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll be busy in the immediate future,¡± she said, rejecting him right then since she had to


    prepare for the reality show.


    John was clearly upset at that, and asked, ¡°How long for?¡±


    ¡°Probably three months.¡±


    If theysted until the finals, naturally.


    ¡°Remember, you can¡¯t turn me down after three months!¡± he said, his tone demanding but his


    words tender.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she ultimately agreed to it.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    A weekter, the news about Jay was starting to cool off-probably because the Levines intervened.


    Jay was certainly smart. Even if the Levines had no reason to help Zoe¡¯s showbiz career, they had


    reason to help Jay, and they naturally had to enforce a media gag on any news that reflected badly on


    Jay.


    In reality, it did not affect anything that badly either. Since Jay was the one working behind the scenes,


    the damage to Zoe¡¯s reputation was limited-she was even considered to be the victim of


    the incident, winning her waves of sympathy.


    One might even call it a blessing in disguise.


    It was certainly a smart move on Kyle Jessop¡¯s part, as the news of Jay quickly cooled off Kyle and


    Noel Sach¡¯s scandal, the heinous nature of said move notwithstanding.


    Meanwhile, Cordy received a notice that she was proceeding to the round of 32 for Solo Show, the


    reality fashion show she intended to take part in. She was also informed that she should proceed


    immediately to the studio where the recording would take ce.


    From there, the designers would engage in an elimination format until there was only one left standing.


    The winner¡¯s brand would then receive free sponsorship from one of the major sponsors of the


    program based in North City.


    Naturally, it was not the most important aspect of thepetition-once thepetition heated up, the


    standard of the designers left standing would be higher.


    In fact, Cordy ran into Noel as soon as she arrived at the studio, though she was not surprised to see


    Noel there.


    Her stepsister had always been a show-off, and Noel would never spare a chance to unt herself.


    Naturally, Noel also wanted something to clear her name after the scandal before. It was therefore no


    surprise that both Jessop Corp and Sachs Enterprises were backing her in secret.


    On the other hand, Noel was left in disbelief when she saw Cordy.


    Did Cordy think owning a fashionpany gave her the right to take part in apetition for fashion


    designers?!


    How hrious!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 157

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 157


    Chapter 157


    Even before Noel spoke to Cordy, Mandy arrived, escorted by a handful of assistants, and she


    immediately scoffed at Cordy. ¡°Oh, the world is so small¡­ To think that we¡¯d run into you here.¡±


    Cordy was actually surprised that Mandy was a part of this.


    Still, she soon remembered that Solo Show could never get current A-listers. All they had were either


    former stars whose poprities were fading, or actresses who were at best B-listers. And since the


    designers were neers or even amateurs, there was no poprity to be gained for


    real stars here.


    Naturally, Cordy simply ignored Noel and Mandy, since there was nothing to be said to them.


    But just as she was about to leave, Mandyughed with utter disdain. ¡°Cordy Sachs! Anyone can take


    pride in themselves, but always beware that it doesn¡¯t be conceit. Aren¡¯t you afraid of humiliating


    yourself in front of one billion people across the country?!¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more concerned about yourself, Ms. Jessop?¡± Cordy retorted. ¡°I know Jay Parker


    well enough to tell that he doesn¡¯t like troublemakers.¡±


    Mandy scowled right then-how dare Cordy threaten her with Jay?!


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Even so, Cordy continued as if she just remembered, ¡°By the way, I had a few drinks with Mr. Parker


    himself during John¡¯s birthday. Maybe he¡¯ll bring you along for dinner¡­ if there ever is an opportunity.¡±


    And with those words, Cordy turned to leave, leaving Mandy ashen-faced as she watched Cordy.


    Was Cordy mocking her? Despite the official announcement, she and Jay were not really lovers!


    In reality, the night when everyone was wildly specting a rtionship between Jay and Zoe, Jay had


    called Mandy at 3 AM, asking if she would date him. If she was willing, he would announce it publicly at


    daybreak, even admitting that her reputation would drop rock bottom afterwards, more or less affecting


    her career.


    Even so, Mandy agreed to it without hesitation-the damage to her reputation was temporary, but Jay


    was the one she wanted for the rest of her life!


    Hence, once she agreed, Jay arrived at Jessop Vi by 4 AM that same night, taking several intimate


    photos of them together and then telling her to tweet the official announcement after he


    did.


    Be that as it may, Mandy never did find out the connection between Jay and Zoe!


    She had the feeling there was something going on between them-and very early on at that. And yet,


    once it was revealed that they might be in a rtionship, Jay was willing to dismiss any ties with Zoe,


    even if it meant ruining his own reputation.


    Mandy did not pry, however, since dating Jay was enough for her.


    She was certainly confident that as long as she was with him, Jay would fall for her!


    And yet, even a week after announcing their rtionship, the week passed without Jay contacting


    her at all. Whenever she texted him or called him, he would excuse himself by saying that he was busy,


    basically ignoring her.


    She was already ufortable about that, and Cordy¡¯s mention of it definitely struck a nerve.


    She would be strangling Cordy if they were not in public!


    Cordy even mentioned John too¡­ Was she using him to intimidate her, especially since John and Jay


    were close?!


    Beside her, Noel could feel Mandy¡¯s wrath.


    It had been a while since Cordy had walked all over her, but she was less tempestuous than Mandy -


    she could bear with it. ¡°Calm down, Mandy,¡± she said. ¡°This is still apetition, and my sister would


    soon be eliminated since she¡¯s no professional.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s such a jinx!¡± Mandy huffed in disdain and told Noel seriously, ¡°You have to do your best, Noel.


    My family has already paid the media for your publicity, even more than they did for me. You¡¯re


    basically endorsing Jessop Corp now.¡±


    Noel certainly knew that the Jessops had paid through the nose for her to win.


    She had arranged for it, after all.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 158

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 158


    Chapter 158


    Noel certainly could not depend on her own family since they were strictly patriarchal. They could


    ept paying the media for publicity, but they would refuse immediately if it was more than what they


    were willing to pay.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    But with the Jessops joining in, she could easily reach over her original budget.


    That was why she went to Kyle andpeted as the chief fashion designer of Sachs Enterprises.


    Even if she felt nothing toward Kyle now, she still had uses for him before she achieved the sess


    she wanted.


    Moreover, Kyle would only be too eager to ept her proposals, not to mention that the money spent


    would basically clear both their names!


    And if she could win the grand prize as Jessop Corp¡¯s representative, she would strengthen their


    reputation as well.


    Noel¡¯s eyes narrowed right then.


    She never did unleash her true potential when she worked at Starstream Fashion-not even when Cordy


    was pushing her to design a temte for their autumn collection. After all, she refused to work for


    Cordy¡¯s sake.


    And once Noel got serious, she would definitely leave everyone in awe!


    After the contestants entered the studio, they took their respective seats as the director asked.


    As they were recording the pilot episode and the opening sequence, their agenda for the day was to


    introduce themselves to the audience before the celebrities picked the contestants they would partner


    with.


    Still, there were some looks of contempt shot at Cordy when it was her turn even though she was


    contesting as Starstream Fashion¡¯s chief designer. Everyone was sure that she had taken the spot. for


    herself out of the blue, not to mention that she must have cleared the pre-audition by using the public¡¯s


    recent interest in her. After all, how entertaining would it be for the Sachs sisters to have a rematch?


    Be that as it may, none of the celebrities picked Cordy after she introduced herself.


    Interest was one thing, and this was business-they were certainly worried that they would be


    disqualified alongside Cordy. After all, it was the rule at Solo Show that the celebrity partner be


    eliminated with the designer they partnered with, which made the partner selection a more


    delicate matter.


    On the other hand, Noel had more than a handful of titles she could use, such as fifth ce in an


    international designpetition, second ce in the continent, the former chief designer of Starstream


    Fashion, and now, the chief designer for Sachs Enterprises¡¯ fashion division.


    And after she introduced herself, half of the thirty-two celebrities picked her. The rest only refrained


    because they were self-conscious enough to understand they had nothing going for


    themselves and were not bothered to get humiliated.


    After that, Noel got up and humbly thanked everyone for their faith before picking Mandy


    There was no doubt that they would go the distance.


    Obviously the Jessops wanted to push Mandy and Noel up the pedestal with Solo Show.


    After all, who would not want free publicity?


    In the end, Cordy was partnered with a starlet named Ste Murray, the only celebrity who was not


    picked


    Theirbination certainlycked a bite, and they were therefore barely given any time on the camera


    in the pilot episode.


    But to the shock of one and all, Cordy was ced fifth when the live audience were asked to cast their


    votes, turning the tables Ste certainly had no fandom of her own like every other celebrity. present,


    which was why they were depending solely on Cordy¡¯s abilities.


    Even so, the judges all agreed that Cordy¡¯s design would definitely make it to the top three.


    It was only naturally that Noel could not ept that, even if she was ced first!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 159

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 159


    Chapter 159


    The pilot episode of this season¡¯s Solo Show was received with widespread acim, gaining plenty of


    public reaction and viewership.


    It was only then that John realized what Cordy meant when she said she would be busy for three


    months.


    He kept looping the scenes where Cordy was featured, watching it for over half an hour even though it


    was supposed tost minutes.


    Randy Martin was actually left speechless as he looked on.


    He understood that Cordy was beautiful and she would eclipse even star celebrities if she stood beside


    them¡­ but John could get cross-eyed if he kept watching the same video over and again!


    Randy could not help chuckling as he imagined the sight!


    Still, he quickly turned silent at the next instant as a murderous, terrifying re was shot his way.


    ¡°Do you find this funny?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Randy replied, and added. ¡°Mrs. Levine is beautiful.¡±


    That only made John scowl harder, leaving Randy on the verge of tears.


    What was wrong with praising Cordy?! She was beautiful!


    ¡°Out!¡± John barked


    Randy did so immediately, relieved in a way.


    After he was gone, John picked up his phone and called Cordy.


    However, she was at a meeting, and when she saw who the caller was, she used the quick response to


    text him before hanging up: [I¡¯m busy. Call you backter.]


    John was left glowering, though notifications of WhatsApp messages soon popped up.


    He tapped on the four-men chat group to find Bob Davis uploading the same video John had been


    watching for a while now, even tagging John on it.


    Bob¡¯s excitement was palpable even from the other end.


    [Did you see this, Johnny? The missus is taking part in a variety show, and she¡¯s quite popr.


    Everyone is saying how pretty she is, but most importantly, she got fifth ce despite the elimination


    round! Oh, how the tables have turned!]


    While John did not reply, Bob tagged Jay Parker as well.


    [Your wife is taking part too. She ced first, partnering with Noel Sachs!]


    And since the two ¡®husbands¡¯ were talking, Sam Saunders joined in the festivities as a bystander


    instead, typing: [Cordy Sachs, Noel Sachs, and Mandy Jessop? This is going to be a bloodbath!]


    Bob certainly did not mind continuing to goad either. [If Zoe York was there too, things would get


    physical on live TV. Now that¡¯s what I call fun¡­]


    Neither John nor Jay replied at all, just as John¡¯s phone began to ring.


    He nced at the caller and answered.


    ¡°I was in a meeting. Why did you call me?¡± Cordy asked, calling him back after leaving the conference


    room.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    John tended to stick to texting-a call might mean something important.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t check the news, I wouldn¡¯t have known that my girlfriend was exposing herself to the public,¡±


    he said very quietly.


    Cordy was speechless.


    Exposing herself? That sounds downright dirty!


    ¡°It¡¯s just apetition,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°It¡¯ll be over in three months, at most.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± John asked.


    Cordy was quiet-she did not think that they were at the level where they needed to tell each other


    everything.


    They were just trying out a rtionship!


    ¡°Or maybe you think your boyfriend doesn¡¯t have that reach?¡± John asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy was left confused.


    ¡°If Kyle Jessop can afford to buy off the press, do you think I can¡¯t?¡±


    Cordy realized then that he was actually upset that Noel was outshining her.


    And yet, she wasining that he was overstepping boundaries.


    Cordy felt at once guilty andforted.


    Smiling, she said, ¡°Your girlfriend has ability. She doesn¡¯t need her boyfriend to waste his money.¡±


    ¡°Money talks,¡± John warned her nheless.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 160

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 160


    Chapter 160


    Still, Cordy retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate your girlfriend¡¯s abilities now.¡±


    ¡°Even so,¡± John said, ¡°you should remember that your boyfriend owns a mountain of gold bars. It¡¯s


    hard, reliable, and dazzling.¡±


    Cordy could not helpughing at how vividly John was describing himself.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Changing the subject just then, John asked, ¡°Are you free tonight?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± She had been neglecting him for almost two weeks, and decided she should see him even if


    she was not done with work tonight.


    John made the arrangements. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up after work. We¡¯ll eat at your ce.¡±


    Cordy did a double take, and asked to confirm since she believed that she misheard. ¡°There¡¯s nothing


    to eat at my ce.¡±


    ¡°You can make pasta, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied happily.


    Cordy did not say no.


    Vince Cartman came in to give her a report just then, and she said, ¡°I¡¯m going back to work now. See


    you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Cordy put away oher phone and focused on her work.


    It was not until half past seven that Cordy remembered she had a date with John, and she quickly


    called him.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d forgotten about me, Ms. Sachs,¡± the melodiously maic voice from the other end


    comined.


    ¡°Where are you?¡¯


    ¡°Look downstairs,¡± John replied.


    Cordy walked up to the ss wall and peered downward to find that exceedingly conspicuous ck


    Maybach and the man standing next to it, waving to her.


    it was a nonchnt gesture, but he looked cool doing it anyway.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right downstairs,¡± Cordy said, quickly sliding her phone into her bag and leaving work, all while


    wondering how long John had been waiting.


    At the front entrance, John was still leaning against his Maybach as Cordy hurried to him. ¡°Sorry. You


    could have called me, though-I¡¯d forget things after meetings.¡±


    ¡°As long as you can remember it after,¡± John shrugged.


    She was not that unreliable-she was just busy.


    Opening the door for her, he said, ¡°Get in.¡±


    Cordy did so, and they both headed to her house.


    She did not pause for a moment after heading inside, and she promptly put on an apron to start


    cooking.


    While she was preupied, she suddenly felt someone wrapping his arms around her from


    behind.


    That towering figure easily pulled her to him into his arms, and her heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°That¡¯s to make up for it,¡± John murmured as he nuzzled her neck, his lips brushing against her ear.


    He seemed to have this tendency to bite it-the pain from when she did sost time had hurt for a long


    while.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t move,¡± Cordy said, restraining herself.


    There was a split second when she wanted to push him away by reflex, but she cooled down for some


    reason after smelling that unique pine freshness of his body.


    ¡°Okay,¡± John said in agreement, though his hot, steaming breath was burning her ears.


    ¡°That goes for your lips too,¡± Cordy demanded.


    John said nothing.


    She could really get bossy!


    With that, silence ensued¡­ though it was not absolute, as their heartbeats seemed audible.


    Ba-dump.


    Cordy could feel John¡¯s heart pumping loudly and powerfully over her back, and it seemed to resonate


    with hers, and both seemed tock rhythm.


    Nheless, she was finally done cooking the pasta, she identally sshed some of the boiling


    water on herself as she drained the water.


    ¡°Ah!¡± she yelped inadvertently.


    John promptly scooped her up in his arms as if she were a child, putting her on the bar nearby and


    taking her hand.


    ¡°Were you burned? Where?¡± he asked seriously, in that utterly bewitching voice of his.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 161

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 161


    Chapter 161


    Cordy shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    She was just scalded a little by the boiling water, and it only hurt for a split second-she could bear with


    it.


    However, she felt genuine danger as John got even closer.


    He was already tall, while she was dainty even though he put her on the bar-she did not even reach his


    height even though she was sitting so high up!


    He did not seem to hear her either, and he was studying her fair, delicate fingers for injury. After


    ensuring there were no red burns on her hand, he eventually said, ¡°Ms. Sachs, you¡¯re always bumbling


    around, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    He was being critical, but somehow, he sounded ever so tender.


    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Cordy retorted, though she suddenly lost confidence after that.


    She just realized that she messed up as many times as she cooked for John at her ce.


    Meeting John¡¯s meaningful gaze just then, she admitted, ¡°It¡¯s just around you.¡±


    She never messed up around others, after all.


    ¡°Really?¡± John asked, his lips curling upward-clearly satisfied by the answer. ¡°I¡¯m honored that you feel


    natural around me, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy huffed. Why did he always jump to conclusions?!


    She wiggled, pointing out, ¡°The pasta will get mushy.¡±


    She was ready to get off the bar, but John stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    ¡°It will taste horrible if it gets mushy,¡± she argued.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± John said. ¡°You just stay put, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, feeling as if she was being treated like a child again, just like Richard, though Richard


    could probably swear his daddy had never pampered him so much.


    Still, Cordy sat tamely on the bar, watching as John slowly took the pasta out of the pot and served


    them on tworge tes, cing them on the table nearby.


    When they were done, he picked up Cordy from the bar and they started to eat.


    It was a simplebination of pasta, broli, eggs, and some ham, but somehow there was a taste of


    bliss to it.


    After dinner, John did not leave immediately-he loafed on the living room couch, perfectlyfortable


    as he picked up the remote and clicked through different channels.


    Cordy felt a little helpless, since she was nning toe up with some designs tonight.


    She was already busy with work at Starstream Group by day, and she did not have time toe


    up with any designs aside from nighttime.


    But with John refusing to leave now¡­


    ¡°Be at ease, Ms. Sachs. No need to get ufortable on my ount,¡± John said, as if he had another


    eye to see through her mind while watching TV.


    And the way he put it¡­ Whose house was this anyway?!


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, Cordy¡¯s heart soon skipped a beat.


    Did he choose to eat at her house because he knew she would be busy and he was helping her save


    time?


    More or less touched, she turned and headed inside her study.


    The walls were all ss, and since it was behind the couch, she could see everything in the living


    room-though the reverse applied as well.


    Cordy turned on herptop and went to work-while she was not trained professionally as a fashion


    designer, her mother had personally groomed her as one since she was a child. In fact, her mother had


    always kept her identity as a world famous fashion designer a secret, and no one aside from Cordy


    herself knew.


    Just like Cordy was now.


    Once she was engrossed and started on a design, she would suddenly be oblivious to everything


    around her.


    The theme for the next round was summer and havinge up with a style, she wondered what color


    she should use.


    And should she go with passion or a maiden¡¯s purity?


    Cordy recalled Ste Murray¡¯s appearance, since a design should be tailored to the model¡¯s


    appearance as well.


    Clicking out of the design software, she was about to go online to search for photos of Ste, but she


    inadvertently clicked on an unfamiliar video on her desktop instead.


    She was left stunned, unable to react for a long while when she saw it.


    When did she ever put porn on her ownputer?!


    She then remembered Zoe borrowing herptop the other day¡­ could it be hers?!


    Still, Cordy quickly tried to turn it off in her embarrassment¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 162

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 162


    Chapter 162


    But at that split second, a deep man¡¯s voice spoke from behind. ¡°So you¡¯re into that, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    She quickly turned, and realized that John had appeared behind her without her knowing!


    She did not see hime in at all, though she might have been too engrossed to notice his arrival


    Still, that was not the point, as the woman in the video was still moaning endlessly.


    Cordy quickly turned around to turn off the video, but she was fumbling so much she could not seem to


    click out of it at all, and was so flustered she started to sweat all over her brow


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    That was when arge hand suddenly grabbed her hand, steering the mouse in turn to close the video.


    And with that, the study fell silent, while Cordy wanted somewhere to hide.


    She had repeatedly insisted that she disliked intimacy with men and would actually react adversely to


    it¡­ only to hide such videos on herptop?


    There was no exining this!


    But as she hung her head, flushing up to her neck, John called out, ¡°Please look up, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    She would be an ostrich if she lowered her head any further.


    Cordy bit her lip, knowing then that she had to exin herself or the misunderstanding wouldst for a


    while.


    She sighed lengthily and looked up, but as soon as she did it, John leaned toward her.


    Their lips met right then, and their bodies seemed to flinch.


    It was so unexpected, catching both of them off guard¡­ but it also sent the heart racing.


    Even the air suddenly seemed to turn thin as everything else turned still.


    They looked ever deeper into each other¡¯s eyes, and Cordy could not help tugging at her own sleeves.


    She knew too well that John would go for more if she did not pull away.


    And if she did pull away¡­ he would, too.


    She pursed her lips as if in reflex, but that small twitch of a movement was just like offering a kiss.


    John¡¯s alluring Adam¡¯s apple bobbed just then, while both his eyes and lips seemed to be burning up,


    as if on fire.


    He put hisrge hand on the back of her head, and even being inexperienced as she was, Cordy knew


    what he was going to do¡­


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced without control, while her breathing turned ragged.


    She closed her eyes just as his tongue started to reach between her lips, and¡­


    Bang!


    There was a sudden loud sound as the front door mmed shut in the house.


    It was a little forceful, and therefore quite loud-and Zoe regretted it as soon as she shut it.


    After all, she already felt the murderous re as soon as she turned.


    She was so scared she wanted to flee right then!


    It did not take much to guess what John and Cordy were doing in those positions¡­ and she certainly


    did not mean to return at that moment and disturb them!


    Hell, if she knew John wasing tonight, she would not havee even if it killed her!


    Hence, she watched as her cousin released Cordy and strode toward her.


    Did she have time to dig six feet under and bury herself?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 163

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 163


    Chapter 163


    John¡¯s presence was menacing as he demanded, ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±


    Zoe did not dare to speak at all, since she never moved out of Cordy¡¯s house even after John prepared


    another for her.


    At the same time, Cordy took a moment to gather herself before stepping out of her study-she could


    not stand seeing Zoe trembling in fright like a small animal.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You should go,¡± Cordy told John.


    John pursed his lips-he still seemed to feel Cordy on his lips.


    But he did not have a taste!


    Still, scowling, he growled, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    It was likely that he would remain upset if he did not get to vent his frustrations.


    ¡°¡­¡± Not knowing how to answer at all, Zoe turned to Cordy for help.


    ¡°I told her toe,¡± Cordy said. ¡°I was worried because she would be alone, so I let her stay with me.¡±


    ¡°Why would she have problems living alone? She ran away from home at eighteen!¡± John growled


    through his teeth.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you move in with Cordy? If you can, I¡¯ll move out!¡± Zoe suddenly snapped, having


    mustered her courage and making a look of utter provocation!


    While John¡¯s face turned green, Cordy was left in an awkward situation.


    If these two really got in a fight, should she really mediate?


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m tired-I¡¯ve been shooting all day, so I need a bath. You two can keep going. I promise


    I won¡¯te out,¡± Zoe said then, quickly making her escape.


    If she stayed, John might really beat her up.


    But even as she left, he bellowed after her, ¡°You¡¯d better delete that crap you put on Cordy¡¯sptop!¡±


    Zoe did a double take beforeing to a realization.


    Linda-her


    manager-had sent those to her, and she had simply left it on Cordy¡¯sputer.


    After all, Linda was worried that Zoe was too much of a virgin for the bed scene that would be shot in a


    couple days. She was just giving Zoe some materials to work with, worried that Zoe could not find


    inspiration.


    Zoe was certainly impressed by her manager¡¯s dedication, but was there a reason that stuff could not


    be self-taught?!


    At the same time, Cordy was left stumped by John¡¯s words, and she could not help ncing at him


    sideways.


    Why was he so sure that it was Zoe¡¯s and not hers?!


    She actually felt unusually touched, having the feeling that he genuinely and unconditionally trusted


    her.


    But did she really feel the same?!Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    She had no idea¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s not crap! It¡¯s art!¡± Zoe retorted then as if it was only natural-they were all adults and could afford to


    take another look. Still, she gave in the next instant, unable to stand John¡¯s murderous re. ¡°Fine,


    whatever. I¡¯ll delete it.


    However, she could not helpining inside.


    Would he have ever reached Cordy¡¯s lips if not for her crap?


    Where was the gratitude?


    Striding into the study then, she deleted the videos while Cordy continued to urge John to leave at the


    door. ¡°You still have to work tomorrow, and Dicky is home alone. You should go.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John ultimately agreed to it, but he shot another look at Zoe in the study, the look of indignation


    clear in his eyes.


    Cordy could not help giggling-she would have known him to be petty if she did not learn so much about


    him.


    ¡°Bye,¡± she said, opening the door for him.


    But as John stepped out, his eyes darted toward her lips, and her cheeks were left burning.


    She quickly shut the door, almost hitting John in the face.


    He could not help heaving a huge sigh just then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 164

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 164


    Chapter 164


    Even so, John could still feel his heart racing.


    Back in Cordy¡¯s house, Zoe stepped out of Cordy¡¯s study once she deleted the videos, asking, ¡°Is he


    gone?¡±


    Cordy quickly came to her senses,posed herself, and returned inside her study. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Was I imposing?¡± Zoe asked, actually a little guilty just then.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Cordy denied it.


    Still, Zoe watched her face for a moment before teasing, ¡°That¡¯s not your first kiss with him, is it?¡±


    Cordy was taken aback, but she shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Thest time, John basically caught her off guard.


    She only felt shock and rage at the time.


    This time, she gave her silent approval.


    Which was why it felt different-very much so.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good kisser, isn¡¯t he?¡± Zoe could not help teasing Cordy again when she saw Cordy¡¯s


    reaction.


    Cordy was left staring at Zoe, actually unsure how to answer just then.


    Both kisses were barely a brush, after all¡­ technique was not involved.


    ¡°Oh, that stud.¡± Zoe simply acknowledged John¡¯s prowess since she was not getting an answer from


    Cordy.


    Others aside, that face of his would have left anyone mesmerized.


    ¡°By the way, I was surprised you actually took part in a reality show-I wouldn¡¯t have known if Penny


    didn¡¯t mention it to me,¡± Zoe said, changing the subject. ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been busytely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just using it as a tform to promote Starstream Fashion,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°We¡¯re getting


    widespread coverage thanks to your work as a brand ambassador, but overall speaking, thepany


    isn¡¯t quite reaching the standard I was hoping for.¡±


    ¡°You must surpass Jessop Corp,¡± Zoe said supportively. ¡°Seeing Kyle Jessop being smug and all


    disgusts me.¡±


    Cordy actually was not doing it just to surpass Jessop Corp-though if Starstream rose to the heights


    she wanted, crushing Jessop Corp would be no issue.


    All Cordy wanted was to fulfill herte mother¡¯s wish to bring Starstream to new heights, but her mother


    had met with an ident that took her life soon after she founded thepany. Otherwise, her mother


    would have been able to bring Starstream to the pinnacle in the fashion


    industry, given her ability.


    ¡°Oh, and you should keep an eye out for Noel Sachs and Mandy Jessop,¡± Zoe added in concern. ¡°A


    two-faced witch and a schemer? They¡¯re definitely up to no good-be careful not to fall for their


    deception.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Cordy nodded.


    She knew this would not just be apetition after she saw that they were taking part in Solo


    Show as well.


    However, it would not be difficult to beat them-she just had to make sure they did not find her a


    threat.


    In fact, in the first round, she had already gone overboard although she tried to hold back because she


    had no idea what the standards of the other designers were.


    Now that she knew, she knew what to do in the remaining rounds.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    Still, Zoe became relieved after some thought. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t really have to worry about being


    bullied with John around.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but there was no question that John offered her a sense of security.


    Nheless, Cordy was clearly being harassed in the second round.


    Forget theck of screen time-the script she was given was clearly unfavorable.


    Naturally, she knew that Noel and Mandy were behind that, since neither of them could ept her


    being ranked fifth in the first round.


    In their heads, she should have been eliminated right then and there.


    John was right-money talks.


    But this was exactly what she wanted too, because preparation was the key to sess!


    As such, she only took twelfth ce during the second round.


    It was a hard fallpared to before, and it was a close shave from elimination.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 165

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 165


    Chapter 165


    Noel and Mandy were certainly in a good mood after Cordy dropped in rank.


    In their heads, that-and elimination-was the true extent of Cordy¡¯s abilities.


    Thest round was a fluke, and she once again lucked out this time.


    And the next round, she would be gone!


    Cordy, however, seemed to stay immune to her drop in ranking or any criticism the public threw her


    way.


    After she was done with the second round, she ced all her focus on her work.


    Then, when she had free time, she would prepare the design for the next round.


    She was in her office when her phone suddenly rang.


    However, she was too busy to check who it was before answering it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this, Cordy.¡± Kyle was scoffing immediately.


    Cordy sighed honestly, men with inferiorityplexes got smug about the simplest things.


    At the same time, Kyle wasughing coolly. ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t tell. You had to work with Starstream


    Fashion¡¯s designers for that dress in the first round. But they¡¯re nothing without Noel, and they¡¯ll only


    get you past the first round. I heard your rank already dropped in the second¡­ If I were you, I would


    have forfeited instead of embarrassing myself further.¡±


    ¡°And what does that have to do with you?¡± Cordy said coolly. ¡°You really should be keeping a close eye


    on your darling Noel instead. I mean, now that she¡¯s getting really popr, she might dump you in an


    instant!¡±


    ¡°Noel isn¡¯t like that!¡± Kyle exploded, incensed by just a few words from Cordy. ¡°Don¡¯t try to drive us


    apart! We¡¯re getting along perfectly and we¡¯ll get married once Noel wins this. You won¡¯t ever have me


    in this life, Cordy!¡±


    ¡°Where did you get the confidence that I want you?¡± Cordyughed, actually amused.


    She might have been sad before, since she had genuinely loved him before.


    Now, however, everything he did only left her creeped out, and anything she felt toward him before had


    vaporized.


    In fact, she now regretted falling for him in the first ce, allowing him to wound her so deeply and


    making it so hard for her to fall in love again.


    Even so, Kyle remained gleeful as he gloated. ¡°It¡¯s best if you¡¯re more self aware, Cordy. Don¡¯t think


    you can strut just because you hooked up with John Levine. I don¡¯t mind telling you that he already has


    a fiancee, but it was never announced.¡±


    He had gone to Rocktown for a business trip a couple days ago and inadvertently caught wind of a lot


    of gossip.


    ¡°And that fiancee? You aren¡¯t even fit to wipe her shoes,¡± Kyle continued viciously. ¡°Don¡¯t be naive.


    You¡¯re just making a fool of yourself-¡±


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy hung up on him right then.


    She had already messed up terribly because of him once.


    She would not believe a word he said now.


    Over the next few rounds, Cordy somehow survived despite constantly rankingst.


    It felt as if she would be disqualified on each episode, only for her to proceed again.


    Kyle, Noel, and Mandy were therefore left with an indescribable sense of futility.


    It was as if every punch they threw hit something too soft to vent their frustrations, and they had to


    watch as Cordy proceeded to the final round.


    This time, it was a live broadcast.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 166

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 166


    Chapter 166


    The theme of the design was not announced this time either.


    The contestants would be given the theme on the spot, and they had toe up with a design with the


    fabrics provided by the studio.


    Moreover, they would also be changing partners for said round.


    Since contestants were allowed to choose partners freely, everyone had been sticking to the partners


    they had from the first round. After all, they would have developed a sense of teamwork, and the


    designer would have a better understanding of what fit their partners.


    The sudden change was obviously to increase the difficulty of thepetition.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Over at the CEO¡¯s office of Jessop Corp, Mandy was throwing a fit. ¡°What are they thinking?! Why


    would they set the rule of changing partners for thest round?!¡±


    The rule change had caught Kyle and Noel by surprise too.


    Mandy keptining, saying, ¡°Kyle, you know Noel must win this time, but I won¡¯t be winning with


    her if we¡¯re not in the same group! That¡¯s uneptable! Aren¡¯t you close with the production team?


    Can¡¯t they annul the rule?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve called them and told them what I think, but they¡¯re saying that the script has been stolen and can¡¯t


    be changed.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Mandy huffed, not having any of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you now that it¡¯s been confirmed. Moreover, you¡¯re not the key in thispetition- Noel


    is,¡± Kyle snapped, ignoring Mandy as he turned to Noel. ¡°I¡¯m actually worried about you. Won¡¯t there be


    any surprises in the final round?¡±


    Noel was actually worried too, with her chief concern being Cordy, who seemed to survive each round


    by luck.


    However, that also meant she won enough votes from the live audience to proceed.


    She was actually getting suspicious now-was Cordy doing this on purpose?


    She should not have the money to pay off the production team for such an borate script, making


    everyone let down their guard while she proceeded to the final round.


    But if that really was the case¡­ Cordy would have been hiding the true extent of her abilities.


    Noel suddenly remembered the wildly popr design temtes Starstream Fashion came up with. She


    knew very well it was not her, and the rest of the design department were not that good.


    Could it really be Cordy?


    The more she thought about it, the more nervous Noel was.


    But she could not afford to let Cordy crush her in the final round!


    Now, she really regretted not getting Cordy eliminated in the earlier rounds because she was made to


    believe that Cordy would definitely be eliminated in the next round.


    It certainly was no issue for the Sachs and the Jessops to pressure the production team to smear


    Cordy before, but now that they were thest round and with it being in a live broadcast, schemes and


    such would not fly.


    Still, she continued to pretend that she was doing everything for Kyle, saying, ¡°Kyle, we can¡¯t let Cordy


    win. If she did, it would be a p in your face and Jessop Corp¡¯s. We¡¯ve invested too much in this


    competition-we can¡¯t let everything go to waste at the very end.¡±


    ¡°Wait, shouldn¡¯t you be feeling confident?¡± Mandy asked Noel, since she thought nothing of Cordy at


    all.


    ¡°I¡¯m confident in my design, but you know my sister¡¯s rtionship with John Levine. A little help from


    him, and we¡¯d have a hard time winning,¡± Noel said, having alreadye up with the perfect


    excuse.


    Kyle and Mandy were both glowering immediately at her words, with Mandy snapping, ¡°How did that


    slut manage to hook up with John?¡±


    ¡°John is just toying with her. He has a fiancee.¡± Kyle snorted with contempt.


    ¡°Really? Who is it?!¡± Mandy asked, clearly thrilled by the thought.


    Beside her, Noel became restless too.


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s true, but it¡¯s someone we can¡¯t afford to offend, so I won¡¯t tell you,¡± Kyle told them.


    ¡°That¡¯s just in case you can¡¯t keep your mouth shut and bring trouble down on our family¡¯s doorstep.


    That said, Noel¡¯s concern isn¡¯t excessive-John is still with Cordy at the moment, and he barely needs to


    lift a finger to help her.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 167

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 167


    Chapter 167


    That was when Noel said hesitantly, ¡°Actually, I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Both Kyle and Mandy were immediately interested.


    Still, Noel pretended as if she had a hard time saying it. ¡°But it¡¯s unfair to my sister if we go through with


    it¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still worried about her now?! Has she ever worried about you?!¡± Mandy cried indignantly.¡± She


    doesn¡¯t even consider you family-remember how she humiliated you and Kyle at that press


    conference? You can¡¯t be soft now, Noel!¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Noel said begrudgingly. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything for Kyle.¡±


    But when she told them about her idea, both Kyle and Mandy were actually stunned by it.


    They could actually do that?!


    Noel continued to look burdened. ¡°D-Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°How is that too much?¡± Mandy quickly said. ¡°We have to do this because Cordy messed around first. If


    she¡¯s cheating, then we¡¯re just returning the favor! Fair¡¯s fair!¡±


    Noel then turned toward Kyle, who immediately agreed to it as well. ¡°She only has herself to me. We


    won¡¯t have to go that far if not for her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Noel nodded somberly, looking naive as ever even though she clearly came up with this


    n.


    Her heart was certainly dark.


    If Cordy wanted to y with her, she would only ever get humiliated.


    And yet¡­


    Did John really have a fiancee?


    Even if the thought of Cordy being toyed with by John left her feeling cathartic, it also meant that Noel


    herself stood no chance!


    Noel bit her lip, deciding to watch while the situation developed.


    Thest round of Solo Show was finally underway, and the atmosphere at the studio was tense since it


    was a live broadcast.


    In the final round, only three pairs would get toe out victorious.


    The contestants were Cordy, Noel, and another fashion designer of mixed ancestry named Andal Scott,


    while the celebrity partners were Mandy, Ste Murray, and Kathy Barnes.


    Of those three celebrities, Ste was the least popr and Mandy the most.


    Moreover, Jessop Corp spared no expense buying poprity for Noel and Mandy. Once the


    program started, searches and discussion of their names were skyrocketing all over the inte-


    Mandy, especially, had used her down-to-earth, straightforward maiden impression in front of the


    camera to push herself up amongst B-listers.


    The final round of Solo Show began at 8 PM, the golden hour for reality shows.


    As the host officially announced themencement of the event, the thousand strong audience and


    three judges were apuding. There was another additional judge-Maron, an internationally renowned


    fashion designer whose name carried great influence in the fashion industry, and who had also been a


    judge for Sheeny Cup, the most important designpetition globally-who was specially invited as


    well.


    At the CEO office of Levine Ventures headquarters, John¡¯s phone was ringing endlessly even as he


    kept his eyes glued on the livestream.


    Naturally, it was from his chat group of four, and it had to be Bob Davis pinging him endlessly.


    [It¡¯s starting! Herees the bloodbath! @jayparker @johnlevine]


    [Cordy¡¯s really beautiful tonight! @johnlevine]


    [Mandy and Cordy in the same group?! This will be interesting! @jayparker @johnlevine]


    [Do you think Mandy will walk out of the stage?! @jayparker]


    John quickly tapped out of WhatsApp since it was disturbing him, but that meant watching the


    livestream¡¯sments screen, which was being bombarded endlessly.


    [Cordy is a real jinx, staying at the edge of elimination all the way until the finals.]


    [Why are we watching? Noel Sachs has this in the bag. She was the one who designed Starstream


    Fashion¡¯s wildly popr autumn collection, which was exactly to my taste.]


    [I call hax if Noel doesn¡¯t win!]


    [I¡¯m backing Noel too.]


    [#Noelwin]


    John was scowling worse by every passing second. ¡°How do I turn off the livements?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more interesting that way¡­¡± Randy Martin quickly said, but he promptly turned it off when his boss


    shot him a look.


    But it really was only half as interesting without thements.


    ¡°That said, I¡¯m really impressed with Mrs. Levine,¡± Randy could not help saying just then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 168

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 168


    Chapter 168


    John murmured, ¡°Hmm?¡±


    At the same time, his eyes were glued to Cordy on the screen.


    Standing under the stage lights, she was astonishingly beautiful.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Getting to the finals is nothing.¡± Randy said just then. ¡°Being able to stay inst ce with such


    precision is so much more divine!¡±


    Having worked for John over the years and eventually being promoted to be his special assistant,


    Randy was certainlypetent.


    He was almost positive that Cordy had deliberately maintained her rank so that she was just short of


    elimination, while avoiding any attack by those who had financial backers.


    One might even say that she rose to the pinnacle with almost no cost at all, and it was no different from


    mming the Jessops¡¯ faces on the floor and wiping it.


    John¡¯s lips curled up into a smile as well-Cordy was definitely far smarter than he thought.


    At the studio, the three designers had exchanged partners.


    Since Cordy was the least popr, she was paired with Mandy, who was the most popr celebrity.


    Andal Scott was still partnered with Kathy Barnes, whereas Noel was paired with Ste Murray.


    There were two phases for this round as well.


    The first decided the third-cer, and the winner would only be decided in the second.


    As the first phase began, the designers were to use the fabrics they had on the studio to design a dress


    in thirty minutes.


    And it turned out that there was no theme-the judges and audiences¡¯ response alone determined their


    score.


    Cordy scanned through the fabrics avable, and she did not hesitate as she went to work.


    Noel shot her a look before starting on her own dress.


    Thanks to Mandy¡¯s connection to the production team, they had already found out what they would be


    doing today, evening up with a design beforehand.


    Naturally, Noel was the quickest to finish, and she told Ste to change into it.


    Once Ste stepped out, the crowd was roaring with approval, clearly astounded by Noel¡¯s design.


    Still, Noel stayed humble. After all, she must not let on that not only had she found out about what they


    would bepeting for, but she even subtly contacted an internationally renowned designer toe


    up with such breathtaking work.


    And it was certainly perfect, and she realized that she did not have to worry about Cordy beating


    her.


    In fact, she had been giving Cordy too much credit!


    And yet, that was when the crowd roared again, and they were somehow far louder than before.


    Noel turned to find Cordy stepping out from the backstage dressing room with Mandy.


    Mandy was dressed in a pure-white gown that was obviously just fastened with nappy pins, but it


    perfectly entuated Mandy¡¯s figures.


    However, the sparkling dust that covered the white fabric really set it apart from the rest. As the stage


    lights overhead shone on it, it glistened with a faint, dreamlike radiance. It was as if there was an ocean


    of stars, manifesting and twinkling over Mandy¡¯s body, shining vividly amid the darkness.


    It was a feast for the eyes, and everyone at the studio was absolutely astonished by the sight before


    them.


    Noel¡¯s design seemed dull inparison right then!


    ¡®No!!!¡¯


    Noel¡¯s panic was obvious.


    Cordy was not supposed to reach that level. Something must be up.


    It must be John helping her from behind the scenes!


    This could not be Cordy¡¯s own design!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 169

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 169


    Chapter 169


    There was no question that Cordy had won this phase with overwhelming approval, hence proceeding


    to the next round.


    The crowd was roaring with approval.


    And yet, the judges did not rate Cordy¡¯s design highly, dismissing it as having nothing unique, only that


    its overall presence wasmendable. It was therefore fortunate that their rating was only twenty


    percent of the total score, and Kyle¡¯s sabotage beforehand changed nothing.


    Meanwhile, panic was showing all over Noel¡¯s face.


    At that rate, even if she had a sh of inspiration in the final phase, she was not going to win against


    Cordy.


    She turned to look at Mandy, who was absolutely satisfied with Cordy¡¯s design.


    In fact, it was the first time she felt so beautiful!


    If it had been anyone else, she would have appointed them as her personal tailor.


    But it had to be Cordy¡­ and she could not even hate this design!


    Naturally, she noticed Noel¡¯s look.


    Preferences notwithstanding, Mandy would never allow Cordy to rise above them either.


    She nodded at Noel with tacit understanding, and Noel gained some confidence in turn.


    Meanwhile, at the Levine Ventures headquarters, John told Randy to turn on the livements again


    and he calmly tapped on his WhatsApp icon as well.


    Messages started to gush in, all of which were from Bob Davis.


    [Cordy¡¯s amazing, kicking things off with a bang! @johnlevine]


    [What is wrong with those judges?! How is Cordy¡¯s design simple?! Don¡¯t they know that less is more?!


    They have even less of an understanding of art than me! @johnlevine]


    [Even if Mandy is a little pretty, and I may have seen that years ago, I have to admit that she actually


    looks way better tonight. It¡¯s all thanks to Cordy¡¯s design. @johnlevine @jayparker]


    Bob was still rambling on, but no one was replying.


    John had turned to the livements as well.


    [Don¡¯t you think Cordy Sachs¡¯ design was simply amazing? How is that luck?]


    [I¡¯ve always thought her designs had something to them¡­ Now that wepare hers to Noel¡¯s, it¡¯s


    clear who is superior.]


    [Are the judges blind?! That dress has so much going for it, but they dismissed it entirely!]


    (I think I¡¯m still backing Noel. She must be holding back her true potential, just so that others


    would not lose that badly.]


    Thements started to argue over Cordy and Noel, but the approval for Cordy was clearly growing!


    Meanwhile, the final round proceeded to the second phase, and it was thest bout between Cordy and


    Noel.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    And the theme was ¡®pinnacle¡¯.


    In reality, the theme was just for dramatic effect-and any design would fly as long as the script was


    nned well.


    And after the theme was announced, Cordy and Noel went to work.


    The atmosphere was tense.


    Once again, Noel was the first to finish, and she made way for Ste to walk up to the stage with the


    dress she designed.


    It was a bolder dress, with mboyant colors andplex details, presenting both poise and a vibrant


    air.


    One might describe it as a fusion of women¡¯s regality and coquettishness.


    It certainly caught the eye, and the crowd once again apuded her.


    Noel had always loved approval.


    Her troubled roots meant she had always been belittled as a child, but with age and experience, she


    learned how to please others and use ttery strategically. But although she began to get what she


    wanted, everyone always seemed to insist on mentioning her roots regardless.


    That was why she was constantlyparing herself to Cordy and harassing Cordy endlessly. And


    anything that Cordy had, she would take away-or get something even better.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 170

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 170


    Chapter 170


    Hence, Noel confidently waited for Cordy to present her designs.


    In fact, Noel was convinced that she might not have to scheme against Cordy to beat Cordy this.


    time.


    Just then, the crowd was apuding, and Noel turned to find Cordy stepping onstage.


    Mandy was still in the backstage changing room, so the crowd was rtively calm.


    After a few minutes, the curtains opened, and the crowd was once again roaring in approval as Mandy


    arrived on stage, once again stealing the limelight.


    It was a red gown, covered from top to bottom with bright red roses, and yet showing no vulgarity. Not


    only was it fresh and novel, but it was also stunningly attractive.


    Noel¡¯s design only had amplified aesthetics, and any audience would only admire its elegance from


    afar. On the other hand, they would have a pressing need to possess the gown Cordy designed, so that


    they could put it on and wow the crowd.


    Naturally, Cordy¡¯s design was far more breathtaking, and Noel had already expected that.


    To be precise, she had arranged for it.


    As she turned to nce at Mandy, Mandy returned her gaze.


    From others¡¯ perspective, it would just be a normal eye contact between close friends.


    Only they themselves knew that their cunning n had just seeded.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was pursing his lips as he stared at the perfect gown Mandy was wearing, just as


    she could feel the audience¡¯s delight upon seeing it.


    If there were no other surprises, she would be the winner.


    But in reality, the gown Mandy was wearing¡­ was not the one she designed.


    She had been helping Mandy put on the gown she designed in the dressing room, and once that was


    done, she left and headed to the stage first, as it was in the script.


    However, Cordy immediately sensed trouble after Mandy still noting out despite her waiting for


    minutes.


    But she could not return inside aftering out.


    What she predicted was Mandy sabotaging the gown, and anticipating that, she would sew it back up


    while saying Mandy identally ruined it. It would just be a few marks deducted at worst, with nothing


    affecting the oue at all.


    She just did not expect Mandy to change into another dress entirely right in the open.


    This had to be nned beforehand too, and not something they put together hastily-the gown Mandy


    was wearing now must have been secretly brought backstage. Then, after Cordy left, one


    of the assistants would help Mandy get changed.


    It was a bold theory, but the switcheroo was very likely since there were no cameras in the dressing


    room!


    Even so, Cordy kept a stiff upper lip.


    Remaining calm as ever, she realized that the dress she designed would have been taken away by the


    backstage crew set in ce by now.


    She would have no evidence even if she wanted to expose the plot against her, not to mention that the


    designers had done their work in an enclosed room from the very start!


    There may have been adjudicators in the room with her, but it went without saying that Kyle had


    already bribed them.


    She had been so wary of Noel and Kyle for so many rounds¡­ only to fall for their trap at the end!


    very


    How hard was it for them to ept her sess that they could go to such despicable lengths?!


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Nheless, thepetition proceeded to voting, and Cordy once again won overwhelmingly to im


    the final victory.


    As crackers popped and confetti rained, Noel walked up to Cordy and gave her a warm hug. appearing


    delighted for her, even offering her sincere congrattions.


    There was no doubt that the gesture won a massive tide of goodwill, from both the live audience and


    those watching it on TV!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 171

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 171


    Chapter 171


    Aside from the vocal praise for Cordy living up to her reputation, everyone was saluting Noel for


    showing grace in defeat.


    After all, Noel had been indisputably leading in both points and poprity, and there were many who


    could not ept her defeat.


    And yet, Noel seemed to be earnestly congratting Cordy.


    [I thought they were on bad terms, but I guess I was wrong. Sisters would never turn against each


    other over a man!]


    [I didn¡¯t think that Noel was so understanding. She¡¯s even happier than Cordy, who just won.]


    [I just looked through the previous episodes. Noel looked so nervous just before they announced Cordy


    results. She was even more nervous than Cordy.]


    [Maybe we misunderstood her. Maybe she is truly in love with Kyle Jessop.]


    Meanwhile, John was frowning over the fact that Noel was getting all the praise when it was Cordy who


    won.


    New messages were arriving from Bob in the WhatsApp chat group at the same time.


    [Did Noel have a change of heart or something? Or did she bribe the production team to clear her


    name? @johnlevine]


    [But to be honest, Cordy¡¯s prowess as a fashion designer is astounding. Should I ask her to design


    something for me? @johnlevine]


    Sam retorted: [You¡¯re so fat no one can design anything for you. Don¡¯t make things hard for Mrs.


    Levine now.]


    With that, Bob and Sam started to argue while John ignored them.


    John¡¯s eyes were glued to the screen since the show would soon be over.


    However, just as Cordy was about to give her winner¡¯s speech, a member of the audience suddenly


    yelled, ¡°Cordy¡¯s winning design was giarized!¡±


    The voice resonated over the studio that went silent for Cordy¡¯s speech, and everyone could hear


    ¡°I noticed it too! That design was giarized from Lovely¡¯s work! Lovely is an internationally renowned


    fashion designer, and that design was published in a fashion magazinest year!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! I knew it looked familiar too, so it really was giarized! I¡¯ve been following Lovely¡¯s activities


    after she won first prize in that internationalpetition!¡±


    The audience was only getting louder, even restless.


    The host¡¯s many attempts to calm things down failed too!


    ¡°This is not fair! Cordy should be disqualified!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! We can¡¯t ept this! Do over, do over!¡±


    The studio erupted into chaos, with audience members throwing bottles at Cordy, and security had to


    step up immediately to stop them from getting violent.


    Even so, this was certainly unprecedented.


    This had not happened at the very end of the reality show program for years, though the viewership


    was skyrocketing with the incident.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    [The production team must give us something. They can¡¯t cut the feed now.]


    [Yes! They can¡¯t go off air or we would have to boycott North City Channel¡¯s variety shows from now


    on!]


    [Give us something right now! We won¡¯t ept any maniption behind the scenes!]


    After the production crew members asked their executives for instructions, they decided to keep the


    program on air.


    The host returned then, attempting damage control. ¡°To everyone here at the studio and behind your


    TV, our management has unanimously agreed on several matters in the past few minutes. First and


    foremost, everyone can rest assured that we will be staying on air and continuing the show, with


    everyone as our witness. Secondly, we must ask the studio audience to stay calm and observe order.


    There is no need to cause an unnecessary stampede that endangers yourself or others. Last but not


    least, it is with our reputation that we promise a fair selection of the winner in thispetition to offer


    our wonderful audience a perfect ending.¡±


    The audience did quiet down from the host¡¯s words, and soon, the judges returned to their seats.


    The presiding judge then spoke, ¡°We have appraised Cordy Sachs¡¯ design again, this time by


    comparing it to Lovely¡¯s ¡®Eternity¡¯ fromst year. It is virtually identical, and we therefore deem it


    giarism.¡±


    There was a cathartic roar from the crowd at those words.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 172

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 172


    Chapter 172


    Noel appeared utterly surprised, since she must not look happy at all-not with countless cameras


    aimed at her.


    Naturally, her devious heart could not have felt more cathartic to see Cordy suffering!


    After tonight, Cordy¡¯s reputation would hit rock bottom, and she would cause Starstream Group¡¯s


    business to go to ruin as well!


    It was delightful the more Noel thought about it, and she was trying her best to resistughing out loud.


    Naturally, the audience were convinced that her contorted expression was just her being sad.


    ¡°Forfeit Cordy! Reorganize the ranking!¡± someone in the audience yelled.


    The rest soon followed, showing solidarity!


    Livestream viewers were also ming Cordy in thement section.


    [This is disgusting. It¡¯s unforgivable! Cordy giarized!]


    [To think I supported her. It¡¯s like I identally swallowed a fly.]


    [Now that we really see it, Noel is much better than Cordy. I guess Noel and Kyle are really in love.]


    [I guess Kyle was right to have a change of heart.]


    Meanwhile, John was tapping his fingers rhythmically on his desk.


    Having followed him around for years, Randy could basically tell that his boss was serious.


    And things got scary when he got serious-the Jessops really should not have challenged him.


    Meanwhile, the WhatsApp group was silent too.


    Even Bob did not know what to say, and one slip of the tongue meant John¡¯s wrath.


    And the man could really carry a grudge!


    John dialed a number and instructed coolly, ¡°Acquire Jessop Corp.¡±


    ¡°¡­Jessop Corp, sir?¡± The voice on the other end was perplexed. ¡°But I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any value,


    since they are hanging by a thread¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an eyesore.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine,¡± the voice on the other end replied respectfully.


    Hanging up, John then rose to his feet, and Randy knew that John was going to Cordy¡¯s rescue!


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    And yet, the tides at the studio were changing¡­


    Maron, the specially invited designer, suddenly spoke up. ¡°Actually, Cordy¡¯s design was not entirely


    giarized.¡±


    His words left the entire studio stunned, while the livements section also stalled for a couple


    seconds.


    There was no way a designer of such international authority would spout nonsense.


    Wait, could he be sleeping with Cordy?!


    When the livements returned, they were immediately ming again.


    Likewise, another judge was snapping at Maron, ¡°How could you say that, Mr. Maron? Cordy¡¯s design


    is identical to Lovely¡¯s¡­ One can¡¯t even call it taking inspiration. It¡¯s in giarism!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not denying that their designs are identical. I mean to say that Cordy is Lovely in the first ce,


    ¡°Maron said unhurriedly. ¡°Is it giarism if it¡¯s your own work?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 173

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 173


    Chapter 173


    Maron¡¯s words left the entire studio in stunned disbelief.


    Cordy was actually Lovely, the best international designer of the new age?!


    Her design hadpletely eclipsed every other fashion designer¡¯s at the Sheeny Cup and earned her


    an international following.


    However, because thepetition was conducted online, no one had really seen Lovely, and she


    refused any interview and requests.


    And once she gained fame, all her works were constantly published in international fashion. magazines


    at astronomical prices. They all dubbed her the most prodigious fashion designer there was, and her


    des made her the pride of the continent as well.


    Naturally, given her stardom in the fashion industry and refusal to reveal herself to the public, there was


    spection that Lovely was a cripple or too hideous. Some even imed that Lovely was actually a


    group and therefore could not present themselves in public.


    But despite all those rumors, Lovely never came forward to speak up for herself, so people got used to


    the mystery shrouding her.


    On the other hand, Noel milked her fame to kingdome just because she won second ce in the


    continent and fifth ce worldwide in the Sheeny Cup.


    She believed Lovely to be insignificant and bought into the rumors-that Lovely could either be ugly or


    was actually a group of different people.


    In short, Noel was adamant that a fashion designer superior in skill would never be better looking than


    her. And if they were better-looking, they would be inferior in skill.


    She maintained that sense of superiority for years, only for Maron to tell the whole nation on this day


    that Lovely was Cordy!


    Impossible! How could it be Cordy?!


    Cordy would have been bragging to everyone if it really were her! Would she really have been so


    discreet?!


    Mandy was stunned by the revtion too-everyone in the fashion business knew Lovely. Even if Lovely


    did not produce much, anything made by her hand would be a masterpiece.


    Every star and celebrity was bent on getting her personal designs, but none of them had that honor yet.


    And now, Maron was saying that Cordy was Lovely?!


    It was ridiculous!


    That was when one of the audience members sitting up front asked loudly, ¡°Why would you say that


    Cordy is Lovely, Maron?! What proof do you have?!¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    And once he had spoken, others started to be vocal with their doubts then, once again getting agitated


    ¡°Lovely has never shown her face!¡±


    ¡°Anyone can call themselves Lovely!¡±


    ¡°Why should we trust you?!¡±


    ¡°I was the one in charge of publishing Lovely¡¯s designs,¡± Maron exined. ¡°She only agreed to meet


    me just before she was returning to Zidonia, and it was only then that I found out what a beautiful


    foreigner she was.¡±


    Even Maron must admit that he suspected Lovely for being unpresentable before!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 174

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 174


    Chapter 174


    Maron could not help looking at Cordy, who remainedposed from the very start, just then.


    He had definitely been surprised to run into her at the studio today, especially when he had done his


    best to ask Cordy to stay in Astonia all those years ago. He could have helped her push her way to the


    pinnacle of the international market, not to mention that the nation¡¯s royalty had contacted him, asking


    for Lovely¡¯s personal designs.


    She refused, however, saying she was choosing something more important than fame.


    She only agreed to meet Maron before returning to Zidonia to thank him for years of support, saying


    that she might retire from the fashion industry and focus on business instead. He naturally did his best


    to persuade her not to leave, insisting that he would never demand a yearly quota of designs from her.


    All he wanted was for her to not give up on her own dreams because he could feel her passion for


    fashion design.


    Thankfully, she listened, and it was why her breathtaking designs asionally appeared in the market


    over thest few years.


    Even so, the audience remained skeptical.


    ¡°It¡¯s just words!¡±


    Maron scowled-a public figure with such international renown should not be suffering such repeated


    questionings by others!


    Hence, with a solemn expression and resonant voice, he dered, ¡°Cordy is Lovely! I guarantee


    I


    you that, with my authority and reputation as an editor of the world¡¯s most famous fashion magazine


    and as a chief fashion designer!¡±


    In reality, a public figure willing to speak up for another person, even putting their reputation on the line


    for them, was proof enough.


    There was no need to question his integrity, but the audience members bribed by Kyle would do what


    they must to swing the sentiment against Cordy.


    ¡°I can prove my own identity,¡± Cordy said bluntly right then, not wanting further harassment on Maron.


    After all, that man had scouted her, mentored her, and befriended her.


    She had always been aloof-her abusive family left her paranoid and distrustful toward everyone, and


    she therefore refused to reveal her face as Lovely. It naturally got her on the wrong side of multiple


    nations and their media outlets, and they almost canceled her.


    That was when Maron approached her, took up the role as her referee, and promoted her designs so


    that they were epted by the world over.


    Her living conditions improved dramatically as a result, but just as her career as a fashion designer


    rose to its pinnacle, she gave up and returned to Zidonia for Kyle¡¯s sake.


    She was convinced that it was not easy for her to find someone who did not hate her for her past, even


    epting her. She told herself that she must cherish him and to learn to be grateful.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    That was why she gave up on her career, drinking socially and excessively so that she could attract


    sponsors and win contracts just to help Kyle bring Jessop Corp back from the brink. There was once


    when alcohol seemed to overwhelm her senses and left her fatigued toward design, finding no interest


    in it, let alone ideas. If Maron had not continuously encouraged her and helped her regain her original


    inspirations, she would not have returned to fashion design at all.


    And despite sacrificing so much for Kyle, she never told him because she was convinced he knew.


    The oue was certainly ironic-the man whom she had given her heart to was doing everything he


    could to discredit her and take everything she had.


    Withholding those emotions within herself, Cordy turned toward the host. ¡°May I ask a crew member to


    bring me my phone from the dressing room?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± The host nodded, and a crew member soon brought Cordy¡¯s phone.


    With that, she calmly tapped on her phone and spoke into the microphone. ¡°Now, I would like everyone


    to check Lovely¡¯s official Twitter and Facebook page for the most recent update.¡±


    Everyone promptly whipped out their phones while the livestream viewers also logged into their


    respective social media ounts to check.


    They all saw it right then, on both Lovely¡¯s socialwork pages: [Greetings. My name is Cordy Sachs!]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 175

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 175


    Chapter 175


    There was no doubting it now. With the testimony of an internationally renowned authority and Cordy¡¯s


    own socialwork profiles, she was Lovely!


    The studio audience, who were just grumbling about thepetition¡¯s oue moments ago, was


    instantly silent.


    Those watching the livestream were stunned into silence as well, with the livement section


    pausing for seconds.


    Still, in John¡¯s WhatsApp group, Bob could not help sending more messages.


    [Holy crap! Cordy is Lovely?! This is amazing! The pride of the continent! The prodigious fashion


    designer!!!]


    [She is as beautiful as she is talented! Who wouldn¡¯t fall for her?!]


    [What did you eat to be so sharp-eyed, Johnny?!]


    [Also, Kyle probably wants to hang himself right about now. Jay, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m being mean to your


    brother-inw, but this serves him right!]


    Meanwhile, Kyle was certainly glowering.


    He never knew that Cordy was Lovely even after being with her for years-she was just some street


    performer when he met her! If not for his alms, she would have starved to death abroad!


    He then remembered-after they got into a rtionship, Cordy had mentioned a good career prospect


    abroad.


    But that was also when Jessop Corp faced a crisis, and his parents urged him to return to Zidonia. He


    naturally ignored Cordy¡¯s so-called career prospect since whatever it was, it would only sustain her own


    living expenditure as best.


    He could feel her reluctance, but for him, Jessop Corp was more important.


    Still, he must admit that he had really been into her, and it was a selfish move to keep her with him.


    He did not expect her to go so far for him either, bing a public rtions officer for Jessop Corp


    and bringing thepany so many sponsors.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    At first he was emotional toward her sacrifice and intended to repay her¡­ that was, until Noel showed


    up.


    Noel was Cordy¡¯s pr opposite, and Noel only cared more about his feelings. She would always be


    quick to sense that he was getting upset and seemed to worship him unconditionally, boosting his ego


    as a man.


    On the other hand, Cordy would stand against Kyle¡¯s policies during executive meetings, and his own


    executives would even side with her. Even in his own family¡¯spany, he felt emascted and


    stressed!


    Naturally, he developed attachment toward Noel with the stark contrast, and he had a drunken fumble


    with her one night.


    In addition, he never got to touch Cordy¡¯s hand more than a few times even after their rtionship was


    confirmed for ages. On the other hand, Noel was willing to be with him even if it was in secret without


    anything official, and he naturally developed a soft spot for Noel.


    Be that as it may, he could never resolve himself to break up with Cordy, since there was no question


    that he used to have feelings for her and was reluctant to part ways with her. It was not until that fire on


    their wedding day, when he chose to save Noel and revealed their affair, that he had to break up with


    Cordy.


    But even after all that, there was still this little part of his heart that felt like he owed Cordy because she


    was undoubtedly the reason Jessop Corp survived. He thought to himself that he could take care of her


    even after their break up¡­ if she had not hooked up with another man in the blink of an eye!


    He always believed that Cordy only loved him and could never ept any other man, which was why


    he harassed her relentlessly, bent on making her regret her disloyalty! He was even less sentimental


    now that Cordy threatened to destroy his economic lifeblood, and he would retaliate by discrediting her


    and making her regret her entire existence!


    And yet, all he got was one p in the face after another!


    To make things worse, thistest attempt only served to reveal to every person in the nation that she


    went by another identity-one of unshakeable fame and integrity!


    He spent troves of money to bribe production crew members and prepared scripts that would win


    sympathy for Noel and Mandy¡¯s on-screen personas-including a script for when Noel imed first


    ce, since they nned to have Cordy forfeited as soon as the initial results were announced.


    And yet, even though they pushed Noel to the summit after so much, Cordy only turned around and


    launched a lethal blow that sent their ploy crumbling!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 176

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 176


    Chapter 176


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Anyone in the business who knew what went on behind the scenes would know-Kyle¡¯s plot was twice


    the pride, double the fall!


    All he ever did was get humiliated by Cordy again and again!


    The only thing he could do now was clench his fist as he red at Cordy from behind the screen.


    Meanwhile, the host spoke again. ¡°Now, we are all convinced that Cordy is Lovely and honored that


    she would take part in thispetition. However, the rules make it clear that contestants are to design


    something on the spot, and any sort of imitation is forbidden. The judges and the production team have


    thus unanimously agreed that even if Cordy has used an old design, it still counts as giarism. As


    such, we shall deem her forfeited as a contestant-¡±


    ¡°But I did design a dress,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short.


    While the host was left taken aback, Cordy repeated herself loudly and clearly, ¡°I designed a dress on


    the spot. Someone made a switch.¡±


    The scene was once again left in an uproar.


    This was supposed to be reality TV, not a movie! What was with these endless plot twists?!


    Still, the audience were whooping in excitement, while countlessments bulleted across the live


    comments section.


    [Oh, my heart can¡¯t take this!]


    [It¡¯s a bloodbath! I can smell the excitement¡­]


    [Holy crap, my heart is going to leap out of my chest. I just want to watch a variety show, not die!]


    [What do you mean? This is more ¡®reality¡¯ than it ever has been. I doubt this is scripted! Fight! Fight!


    Fight!]


    After being left stunned for a couple seconds, the host was quick to rein in the situation again. Ms.


    Sachs, do you mean to say that you designed and made a dress, but Mandy wore something else


    instead?¡±


    Mandy¡¯s face turned pale from suddenly being named.


    At first, Mandy was only furious and could not stand Cordy from revealing something else that made


    her superior! In fact, Mandy had always been jealous of women more beautiful than she was, and


    Cordy¡¯s outstanding work at Jessop Corp left Mandy looking like a piece of trash.


    As such, Mandy could not stand Cordy all this while, and when Noel suddenly mentioned that she was


    interested in Kyle, Mandy did not hesitate to help them hook up.


    Noel had been Mandy¡¯s friend for years, constantly fawning over her and doing her favors, and Mandy


    certainly loved being put on a pedestal like that.


    A stupid woman like Cordy? She was only ever neutral to Mandy and deserved to be dumped by


    John.


    And yet, at this very moment, Mandy was panicking as she was being used in public for trying to set


    up Cordy.


    She wanted to exin but did not know how-just as she could not just yell back in front of the cameras


    or she would have even less chance of turning things around!


    Be that as it may, Cordy spoke very bluntly just then.


    ¡°If my hunch is right, my backstage assistant Nana was the one who made the switch.¡±


    Nana was just standing near the backstage on standby, and every camera was aimed at her with


    Cordy¡¯s words!


    She threw up her hands to hide her face by instinct-an obvious sign of guilt!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 177

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 177


    Chapter 177


    As every pair of eyes turned toward Nana, she started to tremble in panic.


    As she was standing in front of the host, the studio audience, and the cameras, Nana had to admit that


    she took away the gown and returned to the studio.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Hence, the truth was revealed-Cordy was framed with malicious intent.


    However, everyone somehow knew Nana was certainly not the mastermind, since she had no


    argument against Cordy.


    With that, every crosshair was leveled on Mandy, who still stood on stage, her face now ashen and


    unable to defend herself.


    Even the host was snarling, ¡°Why did you switch out of the gown Cordy made? Why did you try to


    frame her?!¡±


    All Mandy could do was purse her lips and stay silent.


    No matter how much backing she had, the future of her showbiz career ended here as she stood under


    the spotlight, exposed in front of the entire nation.


    She kept shaking her head and turned by instinct to Noel, pleading with her eyes that Noel cover for


    her ore up with some exnation so she was not so isted and helpless on stage!


    Noel, however, was more furious than flustered.


    Still, her heart skipped a beat when she sensed Mandy¡¯s look, but she was not about to allow her


    character setting and integrity be affected because of this.


    In fact, she already nned a way out when she came up with this scheme-if the ever happened, she


    would use Mandy as her scapegoat!


    unexpected


    Hence, Noel¡¯s expression suddenly turned to misery and she eximed in disbelief, ¡°How can you do


    this, Mandy? I know you don¡¯t want my sister to win for Jessop Corp¡¯s sake but you shouldn¡¯t frame her


    like this! You were my best friend too! I really couldn¡¯t believe you would do this¡­¡±


    And with that, she started to cry, holding her head with both hands and appearing as if she had a hard


    time epting this.


    Through it all, Mandy was left staring at her in disbelief.


    How could Noel push everything onto her? Why did she have to take the fall for everything?!


    And it was clearly Noel who came up with the n to frame Cordy-and Noel was ming her?! Mandy


    certainly could not ept that but before she could argue, Noel denied Mandy the chance and turned


    toward the judges and audience, looking utterly miserable as she sobbed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that things


    would turn out like this, and I find it sincerely regrettable¡­ That¡¯s my sister on one side, while my best


    friend on the other. I have therefore decided to forfeit my ce, and the winner is my sister, Cordy. She


    deserves this win, and I¡¯m satisfied with this.¡±


    With that, Noel turned and started to walk off stage, quickly pulling Mandy along.


    Noel was certainly smart enough to end the drama right here, with her unscathed and looking like an


    angel.


    Cordy, however, was sneering when she saw how Mandy¡¯s face was contorting in grief.


    Mandy definitely never expected the day woulde that Noel betrayed her!


    Mandy certainly believed Noelpletely since Noel always listened to her, and she therefore


    generously helped Noel hook up with her own brother!


    She probably never saw iting¡­ that Noel would prove to be such an ingrate!


    As such, Cordy said shortly, ¡°Apetition is apetition. There¡¯s no ce for concessions-l


    don¡¯t want to win without a fight and end up being told that I won out of luck.¡±


    Cordy was clearly taking a jab at Noel for her ulterior motive-wanting everyone to think her a graceful


    loser even though she would clearly never win against Cordy!


    The livements went wild!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 178

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 178


    Chapter 178


    [Why does Noel suddenly smell so fake?!]


    [That¡¯s a mistress¡¯ child for you. What a sore loser.]


    [Noel is really giving me a poor taste in the mouth. You lost, so just ept it!]


    At the same time, Cordy spoke earnestly. ¡°Dear judges, it¡¯s my hope that this panel will provide a fair


    assessment to conclude thispetition while remaining unaffected by external factors. I¡¯m convinced


    that the audience in the studio and watching live would want a legitimate, reasonable.


    oue.¡±


    The studio audience were certainly curious about Cordy¡¯s design too, since every work by Lovely had


    been a masterpiece, and to see it would be a reward for the eyes!


    Some started to cheer loudly. ¡°We want to see Cordy¡¯s work!¡±


    ¡°Justice for Cordy!¡±


    ¡°Keep thepetition going! We need a legitimate oue!¡±


    As the cheers grew ever deafening, the livements were supportive toward Cordy in every way as


    well.


    Meanwhile, John had been silent for a while in his WhatsApp Group, seemingly stunned by the


    dramatic turn of events.


    Bob texted the group again just then: [Holy sh*t! This is outrageous! Mandy actually went that far?! Jay,


    my friend, your wifey really isn¡¯t the down-to-earth type, huh? Better keep your guard up. @jayparker]


    Sam thenmented: [I think it¡¯s probably Kyle who nned this, not Mandy. She was simply made


    the scapegoat.]


    [Huh, I guess so. Mandy has all the buxom but not the brains¡­ It¡¯s not like I¡¯m belittling her, but she


    really doesn¡¯t deserve you. @jayparker]


    Sam snapped at Bob right then. [That¡¯s out of line.]


    [Fine, me and my big mouth. Anyway, forget Mandy-Noel really makes me sick! No woman I ever met


    is a bigger b*tch than her! Are there actually men who like her type? Is Kyle actually stupid?!]


    While Bob appeared rather agitated, Sam joked: [Would Johnny even have a shot if Kyle wasn¡¯t


    stupid?]


    Thus, the pair continued to chat away in the group while the two so-called ¡®husbands¡¯ stayed quiet.


    Back at the studio, after further discussion on the spot, it was decided that thepetition shall


    continue.


    Noel was glowering ever so slightly-she could have said that she voluntarily forfeited if they did


    not continue thepetition.


    And yet, they wanted it to keep going, and she knew that she had even less of a chance to win now


    after the revtion that Cordy was Lovely.


    But since she could not go against everyone¡¯s sentiment, she shed an apologetic smile and said, ¡°I


    was just thinking that my sister would win first ce anyway even if I forfeited. I mean, she already beat


    me before in the Sheeny Cup, so I didn¡¯t want to waste everyone¡¯s time¡­ But now that everyone puts it


    that way, I look forward to seeing my sister¡¯s design too!¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She appeared as harmless as she was guileless-it was a waste that she was no actress, since she had


    the ir to be one.


    It was certainly a stark contrast to Mandy who stood beside her, scowling and unable to hide her


    reaction at all.


    Cordy then said, ¡°I wish to model for the gown myself.¡±


    The judges and production agreed to it at once.


    After what happened, no one would ever allow the person who just tried to frame them to model for


    them.


    ¡°Give me five minutes-I need to adjust the measurements,¡± Cordy added.


    ¡°Of course.¡± The judges were naturally supportive.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy replied. She then took the gown into the dark room again before changing into


    And soon enough, a woman of picturesque beauty appeared on stage, leaving all creation breathless in


    her wake.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 179

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 179


    Chapter 179


    Everyone in the entire studio seemed to stop breathing at that very moment, as if breathing too loudly


    would shatter the magnificence before them.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    After all, no godlier masterpiece embodied the grace of the woman standing on stage.


    Even without her marvelous beauty and bewitching figure, her blue diamond gown left the entire studio


    in awe.


    Did the noble elegance of the dressplement her beauty or was it the other way around?


    No one could tell!


    All they knew was that the woman and the gown were one, and together, it was indescribably beautiful.


    The livements went crazy once more.


    [It¡¯s so beautiful I can¡¯t breathe!]


    [Cordy¡¯s so gorgeous! Why isn¡¯t she in showbiz? I want her to star in films and drama series so that I


    can see her every day to ease my sore eyes!]


    [Weld that gown to her already!]


    The WhatsApp group John was in was getting excited too, with Bob sending over a dozen excited


    emojis.


    [I think I can¡¯t see it twice or I¡¯ll get funny ideas. @johnlevine]


    [Johnny, you really should keep her devilish beauty out of sight or there¡¯d be trouble. @johnlevine] [Just


    remembered Kyle again. It¡¯s hrious! Jay, remember to ask your brother-inw when you see him-


    how¡¯d he get so blind? @jayparker]


    Bob¡¯s contempt could be felt all the way behind a screen!


    Back at the studio, the audience eventually came to their senses following the initial shock, and they


    were soon cheering thunderously, in awe of Cordy and the gown she wore.


    Beside her, Noel¡¯s smile was warped-not only did she fail to destroy Cordy¡¯s reputation, but she had


    once again allowed Cordy to steal the limelight!


    She could even imagine how popr Cordy would soon be while she would be mocked endlessly.


    Ever since they were children, she could never ept that Cordy was better than her.


    Whenever Cordy outshone her in any way, she would definitely destroy it.


    They were eighteen when Cordy made it into a prestigious university, while Noel only ended up in


    some second-rate college. That was why Noel drugged Cordy and left thetter in the bed of some


    stranger to stage a scandal, but somehow that arrangement fell through-the stranger Noel


    arranged did not sleep with Cordy and Noel did not get the video she wanted.


    However, someone up there must be watching out for Noel as Cordy got pregnant, and Noel just had to


    leak news that Cordy visited the hospital to get an abortion to leave Cordy¡¯s reputation in pieces. The


    ensuing scandal was so terrible that the university exposed Cordy, after which Cordy¡¯s baby ended up


    a stillborn and she was sent abroad by their family.


    Noel could not begin to describe how great that felt, which was why she never imagined that Cordy


    would make such a grand return, even pushing her to such desperate straits!


    But there was no denying it now-Cordy¡¯s design was acknowledged by everyone and was the outright


    winner, soundly defeating Noel and then some and leaving her in the dirt.


    As Cordy took the winner¡¯s trophy once more, everyone eagerly awaited her eptance speech.


    She remained calm, as she had been from the start.


    Be it when she received her appraisal, when she was being framed, or epting everyone¡¯s praise like


    now, she was perfectly at ease-as if it was all a simple matter for her.


    ¡°First and foremost,¡± she said, ¡°I must thank everyone for their support, as well as the judges and the


    production crew who allowed me to clear my name, so that I can im this trophy righteously and


    legitimately. It is as much a pleasure and an honor for me, so thank you again!¡±


    With those words, she bowed-showing grace, earnestness, and clearly not making an attempt to incite


    the crowd.


    The studio apuded her deafeningly.


    ¡°Last but not least, I must also say to certain individuals,¡± Cordy added loudly and clearly, ¡°there is no


    wicked deed that would not go unpunished!¡±


    Beside her, Noel and Mandy could clearly feel that they were being mocked, yet they had no choice but


    to bear with the rage ring inside.


    Cathartic livements were posted rapidly on the livestream chat box as well.


    [Cordy is the best! I like her an-eye-for-an-eye attitude! Two-faced b*tches really are the worst!]


    [I really like her. I thought she was a shrinking violet before; I never thought that she¡¯s actually a


    queen!]


    [I love Cordy!]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 180

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 180


    Chapter 180


    [Cancel Mandy already. She has no right to be a celebrity.]


    [Don¡¯t you think she broke a dozenws there? The departments concerned should reallyunch an


    investigation and penalize her appropriately.]


    Still, thepetition was now over, and the two-hour program somehow extended to four, although the


    viewership also skyrocketed through the roof.


    And with the recording over, everyone filed out of the studio.


    Cordy headed backstage to thank Maron before leaving the studio under the crew¡¯s escort.


    However, there were a ton of journalists congesting the exit, mobbing Mandy and Noel and preventing


    them from leaving.


    ¡°Mandy, can you tell us why you would frame Cordy? Could it be because you were afraid Cordy would


    win and in turn affect Jessop Corp?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think such behavior is despicable?!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you expect to be penalized for your actions?!¡±


    ¡°Mandy, please say something!¡±


    The unfriendly questions left Mandy on the verge of falling apart, and she lost all control as she


    shrieked, ¡°Enough! That¡¯s enough from all of you!¡±


    Even so, the journalists were relentless, even taking photos of her madness.


    ¡°Make way! I¡¯m leaving! Move!¡± Mandy bellowed even as she sobbed.


    Beside her, Noel was still busy ying goody two shoes. ¡°Calm down, Mandy. They just have a job to


    do-you shouldn¡¯t make things difficult for them!¡±


    ¡°Noel Sachs!¡± Mandy finally had enough-she already wanted to turn on Noel just now while they were


    still onstage!


    She had to bear with it because she did not want to blow things out of proportion.


    And yet, Noel was still being two-faced and pretending to be the nice girl, which only served to make


    Mandy look even more uncouth and conceited!


    And with that thought, she pped Noel viciously across the face!


    Noel¡¯s eyes welled with tears right then, and she stared miserably at Mandy as if she was


    wounded inwardly. ¡°Mandy¡­¡±


    ¡°Mandy! How could you hit someone like that? How despicable!¡±


    ¡°My gosh¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone being so barbaric! Did your parents not teach you


    manners?!¡±


    ¡°Noel was just trying to calm you down but you¡¯d do that to her?! You¡¯re a monster¡­¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Once again verbally assaulted by the journalists, Mandy felt herself falling apart.


    Nothing he said meant a thing because no one would believe her!


    All she wanted was to leave-to flee-but she could not¡­ Not without her manager, assistant, and


    bodyguards!


    It was as if everyone was conspiring to humiliate her forever!


    That was when a man appeared, having squeezed his way through the crowd of journalists and


    walking up to Mandy¡¯s side, and he escorted her away.


    The journalists were all too stunned by the man to react, and when they came to their senses, Mandy


    was already inside a luxurious ck car that sped off.


    Nearby, Cordy certainly saw what happened and if she was not mistaken, it was Jay¡­


    In the end, it was he who ultimately let down Zoe¡¯s loyalty for him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 181

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 181


    Chapter 181


    Noel was surprised that Jay would help Mandy escape


    She knew that they were not particrly close and that they had never gone out on a date even after


    they announced that they were in a rtionship


    And yet, when Mandy was desperate, he came to her rescue without a care how he would look He was


    no different from Prince Charming, riding in on a white horse to his beloved¡¯s rescue!


    Any woman would be envious and hope for such a boyfriend


    Noel felt slightly jealous too, since Kyle had not shown up at all


    Thankfully, she only lost thispetition-her reputation did not suffer a blow


    And seeing that Mandy had left, she could win the journalists¡¯ sympathy However, just as she was


    about to speak, the journalists left her immediately Noel could only watch as they headed straight for


    Cordy like moths to me. She gritted her teeth and left reluctantly.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, do you have anything to say about being framed? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s uneptable?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel disappointed? Mandy is your ex boyfriend¡¯s younger sister and this is the way she treats


    you?!¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, why did you hide your identity as Lovely? Is there any special reason?¡±


    ¡°What do you think about Noel¡¯s design?!¡±


    Despite the journalists¡¯ agitated state, Cordy calmly replied, ¡°I think I¡¯m not the one hurting from this,


    since there¡¯s no skin off my back after the truth is revealed. As for disappointment? I think. there are


    those who are more disappointed than I am.¡±


    Naturally, she was referring to Mandy.


    After being betrayed by her ¡®sister, Mandy would probably want to murder Noell


    ¡°I have personal reasons to hide my identity as Lovely, so I can¡¯t tell you. Please understand,¡± Cordy


    said and started to leave.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not want to stay tangled with the journalists but they relentlessly cut off her escape.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, don¡¯t you think Kyle may be connected to Mandy¡¯s actions?¡±


    ¡°He repeatedly tried to sabotage you despite your past rtionship with him. Don¡¯t you have anything


    to tell him?¡±


    ¡°I heard you gave up on an opportunity to further your studies abroad back then: Do you think it¡¯s worth


    it now?¡±


    Fatigue showed on Cordy¡¯s face just then.


    It was alreadyte and she had been overworking herself for the sake of taking part in thispetition.


    All she wanted was for thepetition to end and to get some proper sleep.


    ¡°Kyle and I have broken up, and there¡¯s nothing between us at all. If he wants to lie and deceive, it


    would be his own fault and that has nothing to do with me.¡± Cordy mustered herself in reply, before


    saying, ¡°Please make way. It¡¯ste, and I would like to sleep soon.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs-¡±


    The journalists continued to badger her until a helicopter suddenly descended from overhead, kicking a


    fearsome gust while its rotors bellowed.


    Everyone turned toward it as it steadilynded, and the door opened.


    A man in a ck suit alighted, his upright figure noble and elegant.


    The presence he seemed to carry inspired fear and awe, though his face was concealed by a ck


    umbre that really looked expensive.


    However, his mere presence and towering frame made it clear that he would be exceedingly handsome


    and that he was someone special.


    Soon, he strode toward the crowd of journalists, his bodyguards following him closely.


    The six bodyguards with him were all towering and imposing as well, and their intimidating presence


    kept everyone present in line with fear, in case they might offend some big shot.


    And with his bodyguards clearing a path, the man easily walked up to Cordy and held out his hand


    before her


    His hand was long, his skin was fair, and his fingers were chiseled. With that expensive watch on his


    wrist that was worth a king s ransom, every inch and every move projected indescribable nobility.


    Cordy certainly knew who it was she just did not think that John would personallye to get.


    her.


    And he seemed to show up every time she was in trouble and needed help!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 182

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 182


    Chapter 182


    Cordy was at once caught off guard and flustered but she eventually reached out and put her hand in


    John¡¯s palm.


    His perfect lips curled upward into a smile, and he led her out from the crowd.


    Everyone could only watch as they left.


    Cordy was still dressed with that divine diamond blue gown. As she stood beside that man with a


    perfect figure, they looked like something straight out of a chick flick depicting a rich man¡¯s wife being


    caught by her husband and taken home after trying to run away, although the only difference was that


    this was reality.


    It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. The journalists¡¯ camera shes captured them endlessly, and


    they were still unsatisfied even as the helicopter flew off!


    In the helicopter, Cordy looked out of the window as the ground became ever distant.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She really wanted to tell John that he did not have to go through such lengths to take her away.


    He could just do it like Jay-with a car!


    Heaven knows how much press coverage thatmotion would get.


    Even so, she could not deny that she felt buoyed, her heart racing just then.


    ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Sachs,¡± John said, his maic voice ringing beside her ear just then.


    Cordy turned to look at his handsome face, which was honestly a little irresistible.


    As she blinked, she suddenly saw the bouquet of flowers before her.


    He really knew how to surprise her.


    Taking it, she smiled. Thank you.


    ¡°Mr. Levine himself wrapped it. It took him the whole morning,¡± Randy chimed in from behind.


    Cordy was actually startled that there was someone behind.


    She nced at the bright, beautiful red roses before her and then at John, who was even more


    attractive than the rose.


    Suddenly she leaned in and nted a kiss on his cheek.


    John¡¯s whole body stiffened while Cordy regretted it soon after¨Che stared straight at her, leaving her


    utterly ufortable.


    She then remembered Randy was behind John too¡­ But she just felt that mysterious impulse just


    then, and she could not help kissing him.


    As she bit her lip in silence, it took John considerable difficulty to speak too.


    He gulped and asked coolly, ¡°Randy, have you taken parachuting lessons?¡±


    Randy was speechless.


    If he could, he would grow a pair of wings and fly away right then!


    Thankfully, the helicopter soonnded on a private airport, and Cordy frowned as she stared


    outside.


    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± she asked, believing that John was going on a business trip again.


    ¡°Not me-we,¡± John answered sharply. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Ayro Inds.¡±


    Cordy was left at a loss for words.


    And here she was wondering why he would suddenly bring a helicopter.


    It turned out that he was just nning ahead.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, you told me that you would make time for me after three months. You¡¯re not reneging. are


    you?¡±


    But even if she wanted to break her promise, he would just tie her up and bring her aboard the


    ne


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my luggage,¡± she said, in ast ditch effort to escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ve packed it for you along with your passport,¡± he added.


    So, it did not matter what she said!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 183

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 183


    Chapter 183


    Zoe got into her MPV and left the film set.


    They had just recorded a rather emotional night scene, and she was still too engrossed in her


    character.


    She was starting toe to her senses, and she reclined against the chair and closed her eyes to


    rest.


    Linda, her manager, was beside her and chatting with her assistant, Penny.


    ¡°Did you catch Solo Show¡¯s final round, Linda? Penny asked.


    ¡°I did watch a little on my way to the film set,¡± Linda replied.


    ¡°Me too, but that showdown between Cordy and Noel was so dramatic!¡± Penny eximed earnestly.


    ¡°There are more plot twists than a drama series, and there¡¯s a ton of articles on the


    news now. It¡¯s even more exciting than a period drama!¡±


    Zoe blinked.


    She almost forgot that it was the final round of Cordy¡¯spetition today-she was too busy with filming


    that she did not have time to keep up.


    Opening her eyes, Zoe asked, ¡°Did Cordy win?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and it was magnificent. I worship her now!¡± Penny eximed excitedly, but she quickly. added,


    ¡°Although you¡¯ll always be my number one, Zoe!¡±


    What a sycophant.


    Still, Zoe was in a good mood since Cordy won.


    If Noel did, who knew what that b*tch would do to rub it in!


    Penny then continued excitedly. ¡°You probably don¡¯t have time to check the news, Zoe, but Mandy.


    Jessop tried to frame Cordy during thepetition tonight. Still, Cordy exposed her right then. and


    there, and you have no idea how pleasing it was to watch! That p in the face was magnificent!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Really?¡± Zoe naturally gossiped too, and she sat up in excitement at Penny¡¯s words.


    Zoe was exhausted but she could not resist picking up her phone to check the news, and she


    immediately found several articles narrating thepetition up in the trending section.


    It only got more delightful the more she read, and she certainly had to give it to Cordy.


    Nothing less could be expected from the woman her brother fell for. Even Zoe herself wanted to


    worship Cordy at her feet!


    That was when another new article popped up.


    [Knight in Shining Armor: Jay Parker rescues girlfriend Mandy Jessop amid scandal!]


    Zoe¡¯s fingers flinched for a split second but she eventually tapped on it.


    There was a ton of text, and Zoe skimmed through it without paying much attention


    Her attention was on the eye catching photos, where an imposing Jay was cutting a path through the


    crowd, shielding a bawling Mandy beneath him and leading her to his car


    Zoe scrolled down to read thements


    I don¡¯t like Mandy and don¡¯t think she deserves Jay, but the man is simply amazing Love him!]


    I envy her so much for having a boyfriend like Jay. When could I get a man so handsome and so


    chivalrous?)


    I don¡¯t think they make a good couple, but I do feel true love in the way Jay shielded Mandy True love


    is pure and innocent, and they have my blessing |


    Tm speechless Penny growled, probably having seen the article just now as well


    At the same time, Zoe blinked, and a tear trickled from the corner of her eye.


    She wiped it off ever so subtly, tapped out of the article, and reclined in her seat again, closing her eyes


    to rest


    Meanwhile, Penny was still ranting, ¡°How much does that man love Mandy? He¡¯s ruining his own


    reputation for her, but he has to know that anyone who sticks with her now is going to be affected!


    Linda nced at Zoe just then, and despite seeing her looking uninterested, she gave Penny a look to


    stop her


    Penny quickly understood Jay did have history with Zoe. Even if they never went public, no one was


    convinced that they werepletely unrted, since things got weird whenever they appeared


    together


    However, Jay had chosen Mandy, and the rest of them could only feign ignorance.


    And though Linda and Penny kept quiet, they were both indignant for Zoe¡¯s sake.


    Zoe was obviously a hundred times better than Mandy!


    Could it be family influence? Was that why Zoe lost?


    Men are so materialistic!


    Zoe returned to Cordy¡¯s home


    If there was one thing Zoe was upset about, it was making acquaintance with Cordy thiste.


    She really loved staying at Cordy¡¯s home, and she presumed that Cordy would have returned. home by


    now, only for the apartment to be empty.


    Where did Cordy go?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 184

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 184


    Chapter 184


    Zoe quickly called Cordy¡¯s number but thetter¡¯s phone was turned off!


    But Cordy never turned off her phone!


    As such, Zoe quickly called John, but his phone was turned off as well!


    Could they have both been abducted?! No way!


    Zoe became worried and called Bob after some thought. ¡°Do you know where John went? I can¡¯t reach


    him.¡±


    ¡°¡­No idea,¡± Bob replied. ¡°Probably off to celebrate with Cordy, perhaps? She was so beautiful tonight,


    and no man can hold back from a look. If I were John, I wouldn¡¯t wait to-¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s like you?!¡± Zoe snapped, overprotective toward John as ever.


    ¡°I mean, men aren¡¯t all that different¡­¡± Bob grumbled.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was just that some were better at hiding their libido than others.


    ¡°Whatever. I guess you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°Wait, Zoe.¡± Bob stopped her before she could hang up.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°Want toe out for a drink?¡± he asked, seemingly out of the blue.


    Zoe frowned. What was he up to this time? And it was already sote!


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a rain check Zoe refused. ¡°I still have scenes to film tomorrow, though once I¡¯m done. with this


    drama series, I¡¯ll have a few days¡¯ break. Let¡¯s get drunk after that.¡±


    Bob seemed to chuckle just then-he did not particrly care about getting drunk tonight, but he


    was concerned that Zoe was upset.


    Then go to bed soon, kiddo,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe replied and hung up


    nting herself on the couch, Zoe decided that it was likely that Cordy was with John at the


    moment


    She was slightly relieved, although her mood soon worsened again.


    ¡®How long would it take to forget a person?¡¯ she wondered.


    How long would it take for the pain to finally fade?¡±


    Cordy and John¡¯s ne arrived at Ayro Ind eight hourster. They then got into a car, and thereafter,


    a boat that eventually took them to the floating ind.


    It was past 2 PM local time by then, and Cordy gave in to her drowsiness.


    197


    John had to carry her out of the car and into the hotel.


    Even then, she was not waking up as she pressed her head against thefortable pillow, and she


    slept like a log.


    John smiled tenderly even as he watched her sleep.


    He was going to take a shower when Cordy¡¯s phone suddenly rang.


    John quickly muted it, and he answered when he saw that it was Zoe. ¡°Hello.¡±


    *John?¡± Zoe eximed, once again in her MPV on the way to the film set.


    She thought she should call Cordy again to confirm her safety, and her call was finally answered.


    ¡°What is it?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Uh, nothing¡­¡± Zoe murmured.


    However, just as John nned to hang up, she suddenly called out, ¡°Wait, John!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Zoe had to muster her courage before eximing, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare do anything bad to Cordy!¡±


    While John pursed his lips, Zoe quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°I mean, it would cheapen your ¡­


    Anyway, just don¡¯t force yourself on her!¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business. I¡¯m going to sleep,¡± John said impatiently.


    ¡°Sleep¡­¡±


    John hung up on Zoe just then, but her imagination was running wild.


    So, he was sleeping with Cordy?!


    Her little white rabbit Cordy was going to be devoured clean by John, the big bad wolf!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 185

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 185


    Chapter 185


    Cordy had no idea what time it was when she woke up, only that she felt limp and muddled.


    The room she was in was pitch-ck andpletely unfamiliar.


    She could not even remember how she got here or how she got into this bed¡­


    Bed?!


    Cordy promptly pulled off her nket to check her clothes and heaved a sigh of relief when she saw


    her clothes hugging her body neatly and tidily.


    However, she suddenly became nervous just as she was about to rx-she was not wearing this when


    she got here!


    Who helped her change? Could it be John?!


    Cordy also lifted her pajamas to check¡­ and her bra was gone!


    Her face went crimson right then-how could she sleep so soundly?!


    Did she not always jolt awake from the slightest movement?


    How could she let down her guard around John when he was such a dangerous man?


    ¡°Could you be imagining some dramatic events in your head, Ms. Sachs? An attractive man¡¯s voice


    spoke beside her ears just then.


    Startled, Cordy quickly turned and saw the man leaning nonchntly against the doorway, watching


    her with amusement.


    ¡°When did you get here?¡± she demanded, sounding clearly upset.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen everything I should and shouldn¡¯t anyway,¡± John answered vaguely.


    But that response almost killed Cordy.


    What was that supposed to mean? Was he the one who took off her clothes?! Where was the respect


    he promised to show?!


    In the end, all men are pigs!


    ¡°Since you¡¯re up, Ms. Sachs, it¡¯s time for dinner,¡± John added then, still rxed and carefree, and he


    said just before he left, ¡°Your luggage has been sorted into the closet, and remember to wear


    undergarments since there would be others around.¡±


    Cordy was speechless. She could really kill him right then!


    Still, she pulled off her nket and got out of bed, and she studied the unfamiliar room seriously.


    It was vast and so was the bed. There was an atrium overheard, where an endless sea of stars


    flickered as if in a dream.


    She walked toward the exceedinglyrge window up front and opened it to find the crystalline ocean


    sshing its waves just below, its breeze brushing against her face and bringing the scent


    of the ocean to her nostrils.


    It was an especially rxing scene under the night sky.


    Cordy admired the view for a while before closing the window and heading to the closet, which was


    huge like the rest as well.


    John¡¯s clothes were hung right next to hers, just as their underwear was folded and kept in a single


    drawer.


    It felt as if they were cohabiting already!


    Cordy quickly found her own underwear and did not dwell on it.


    She then put on a conservative set of casual clothes before leaving the bedroom.


    In the living room downstairs, John was sitting on the expensive leather couch, crossing his legs while


    he read the local paper.


    A gourmet chef was cooking in the open-air kitchen while five uniformed waitresses bowed when they


    saw Cordy.


    ¡°We will start eating now,¡± John said then, putting down the papers and rising to his feet.


    He walked up to Cordy, dressed in all white.


    Though he appeared milder in that hue, his ridiculously handsome face could not be hidden.


    And that towering figure of his left her feeling pressured ever so slightly.


    He was born with a kingly aura, and her heart skipped a beat the next instant as he reached out to take


    her hands, even locking fingers.


    She pursed her lips but slowly and quietly allowed it.


    John¡¯s lips curled into a smile, and he led her to the window seat of the dining room.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 186

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 186


    Chapter 186


    The ocean was right outside the window, and its waves were sshing over it.


    If Cordy¡¯s hunch was right, the building they were staying in was built right above the ocean.


    After she and John took their seats, gourmet dishes were served one after the other.


    They were also each given a ss of bright red wine, and the sight of all the expensive food definitely


    made Cordy hungry.


    ¡°Eat,¡± John said mildly.


    Cordy certainly did not hold back, and she picked up her fork to start eating.


    Perhaps famished, they both kept their heads down and ate for over half an hour until they felt a little


    full. Cordy then asked, ¡°How long will we be staying here?¡±


    ¦§


    John responded with another question. ¡°How many days would you like to spend here, Ms. Sachs?


    1


    ¡°Would anything I say mean a thing?¡± Cordy grumbled.


    John could not help chuckling andmented, ¡°You¡¯re getting smarter, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy was left speechless while he said, ¡°Probably a week.¡±


    Probably?


    Cordy frowned.


    ¡°What if you can¡¯t bear to leave?¡± John joked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t made any arrangements for my absence from work, and North City Channel will be


    commencing their partnership with Starstream Fashion after I won Solo Show. Who will handle the


    negotiations in my absence?¡± Cordy said, a little irritated as she spoke.


    ¡°Randy will handle it,¡± John said, as if it was only natural. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Cordy was left staring at him while he continued bluntly, ¡°All you have to do now is enjoy yourself for a


    week.¡±


    Cordy decided that she stood no chance of negotiating anything at that point.


    After dinner, she went over the couch and started fiddling with her phone.


    She was no longer drowsy after sleeping for a day.


    She then noticed several missed calls from Zoe, but just as she was about to call Zoe back, John


    suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Zoe-you can ignore her calls.¡±


    It was as if he could read her like a book and without looking at her phone screen either.


    Still, Cordy ignored him and called Zoe anyway.


    Zoe had just finished filming one scene and was preparing for another when she saw Cordy¡¯s call.


    She quickly answered, ¡°Hey, so you two are finally getting out of bed?¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, Zoe quickly corrected herself. ¡°Ahem. I mean, waking up.¡±Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It was a long flight, and there¡¯s a time difference,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°That¡¯s why I slept a little longer.¡±


    ¡°I get it.¡± Zoe giggled. ¡°We¡¯re all adults. I get it.¡±


    Cordy had this feeling that Zoe did not.


    Zoe then asked, ¡°When are youing back?¡±


    ¡°John said in a week.¡±


    ¡°A week? But that¡¯s Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary¡­¡± Zoe murmured.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Cordy missed what Zoe said.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Zoe was just musing that John was really using every second he had, just so he could spend


    some time alone with Cordy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just enjoy yourself-I¡¯ll keep an eye on your house in the


    meantime.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied before asking slowly, ¡°Are you fine staying by yourself, Zoe?¡±


    In fact, she did not just return Zoe¡¯s call for the sake of just doing it-what Jay did to protect Mandy was


    no different from a lethal blow to Zoe.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m fine,¡± Zoe replied nonchntly. ¡°John wasn¡¯t lying when he said I ran away from home at


    eighteen to kickstart a career in showbiz. You have nothing to worry about-just enjoy yourself, I can


    take care of myself.¡±


    Cordy had more to say but she decided against it.


    Sometimes, people were simply unwilling to mention the past, not because of embarrassment but


    because it hurt too much-tearing open old wounds, causing blood toe gushing out.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 187

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 187


    Chapter 187


    After finishing the call, Zoe quietly lowered her phone.


    She never told Cordy a thing, and she knew that John never gossiped¡­ or to be precise, John was too


    busy to gossip about Zoe¡¯s private life, not when he still had trouble winning Cordy¡¯s heart.


    In other words, Cordy was just that sharp and noticed a lot about Zoe.


    Cordy also decided against speaking up just now because Zoe did not mention it despite knowing full


    well what Cordy was concerned about. But since Zoe chose silence, Cordy did the same as well.


    Zoe was genuinely lucky that she had a friend as thoughtful as Cordy.


    On the other hand, Noel and Mandy had always advertised themselves as inseparable best friends and


    spent who knew how much on buying scripts to emphasize it on Solo Show. But despite bing the


    envy of countless people, it turned out that it was single-sided for Mandy, even getting a p in the


    face for it in the end!


    Zoe believed that she was a lucky person who had everything going for her, save for her love life.


    Maybe someone up there was jealous about her overly perfect life and wanted her to suffer a little. But


    once she got over it, she would be divine!


    Zoe smiled, impressed by her own strong mindset.


    Checking her watch just then, she asked Penny, ¡°Aren¡¯t we shooting for the next scene now? It¡¯s been


    a while, too-why aren¡¯t they calling me?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Zoe. I¡¯ll go ask right now,¡± Penny replied helpfully.


    Zoe nodded.


    The production crew had been putting off the next scene for a while now since it was a bed scene.


    In fact, she was done with all her other scenes, and she heard that they were finally scheduling it for


    today.


    However, when Penny ran back to her trailer a whileter, she was panting as she told Zoe, ¡°Z-Zoe


    the director just said you have no scenes today¡­ that you can go¡­¡±


    Zoe glowered right then.


    She had been steeling herself for the bed scene, thinking every day that it was that day the production


    crew would get to it-but they never did!


    And now? Were they messing with her?!


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She sprang up from her reclining chair right then.


    *Zoe? Where are you going?¡± Penny asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m having a word with Jay,¡± she replied-and to ask him what the heck he was up to!


    In Penny¡¯s mind, Zoe had always been a tough person, and yet, she just had an outburst.


    But there was no ming her on this.


    How blind could Jay be to fall for a woman like Mandy and abandon someone as perfect as Zoe?!


    At the film set, Jay was sitting behind the camera and issuing instructions when Zoe stormed up to him,


    not hiding her rage as she snapped, ¡°Jay Parker! When are we going to film my bed scene?!


    ¡°We can¡¯t find a suitable double yet. We¡¯ll inform you when we do,¡± Jay replied without looking at her,


    his eyes staying glued to the camera screen.


    ¡°And who said I needed a double?!¡± Zoe demanded.


    No one told her about that-not even her manager!


    ¡°I did,¡± Jay said bluntly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need one!¡± Zoe breathed loudly and clearly.


    ¡°It¡¯s the production studio¡¯s arrangement. Your opinion was not asked for-you just have to


    ept it.¡±


    Zoe inhaled sharply.


    After all, she knew all too well how Jay could get impervious to anything.


    He would not otherwise have been able to reject her for years.


    ¡°Well then, may I ask what makes mecking from filming that scene?¡± she asked nheless. Why


    don¡¯t you give me a chance to do it before deciding if I can do it instead of kicking me to the curb


    unceremoniously?!¡±


    Jay finally looked up at Zoe then, gulping as he watched her clearly restraining her anger. ¡°The


    investors had insisted that the bed scene be madepulsory, especially with multiple close- ups. I


    have no assurance that it will pass the regtions panel and be allowed to air, but I have to give the


    investors something.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 188

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 188


    Chapter 188


    Zoe still did not understand. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not suitable for said scene,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°How so?¡± Zoe scoffed. ¡°Is my figurecking, perhaps? So much so that I don¡¯t have your


    attention, director?¡±


    Jay glowered right then.


    He never got angered easily, but he just had a high standard when ites to filming. He would not


    keep a scene if he was unhappy about it, but he rarely threw a fit because of that unless he really could


    not take it.


    But the air around him at the moment was frighteningly chilling. No one on set dared to make a sound


    as the atmosphere suddenly seemed to be suffocating.


    ¡°Zoe¡­ Penny, Zoe¡¯s assistant, tugged at Zoe¡¯s sleeve ever so subtly just then.


    She was certainly concerned that they would reallye to blows,


    Whatever the case may be, they could not afford to provoke Jay since he was both a famous director


    and a member of the Levine family.


    And with that, Zoe gritted her teeth and kicked chair nearby, knocking it over very loudly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Everyone was left stunned and watched as Zoe turned to leave after that outburst..


    For Zoe¡¯s part, she only knew too well that she would not be able to change Jay¡¯s mind even if she


    threatened to kill herself in front of him.


    It was no different when she tried to jump him with liquid courage, believing that she could be content


    with having his body even if she could not have his heart. Jay ended up pushing her off so forcefully


    she hit her head on the wall and had multiple stitches, with scars still left on the back of


    her head.


    It was the scar that brought her back to reality and out of her crazed obsession to possess him.


    Nheless, the atmosphere at the film set remained stiff as Jay stared red-eyed at the chair Zoe


    knocked over


    Eventually, he turned and snapped coolly, ¡°Back to work!¡±


    It was only then that the production crew returned to their tasks, though the assistant director was


    sliding nces at Jay, who was already engrossed with filming once more.


    He sighed.


    Jay was the one who cut out the bed scene entirely, and there was no question he did it to protect


    Zoe.


    Actresses only ever got the short end of the stick when it came to kiss scenes and bed scenes, but the


    investors had insisted on something spicy for the sake of promotion.


    Jay therefore had no choice but to find a double, and they had screened through a ton of


    1/2


    candidates, just as they were concerned that the double was so bad they would affect Zoe¡¯s character


    in turn.


    That was why they kept dying the bed scene, and it was all obviously for Zoe¡¯s sake.


    But Zoe simply refused to understand.


    Sometimes, adults could get scarily good when it came to bottling up their sentiment!


    Meanwhile, after hanging up, Cordy was heaving a sigh in the seven-stars Ocean Vi at Ayro Ind.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The wicked always lead a very long life,¡± John said out of the blue as he checked his


    phone beside her.


    Cordy was speechless as she cast him a sideway nce.


    ¡°She really is your cousin, huh,¡± she said, scoffing at how unconcerned he was toward Zoe.


    John pursed his lips and started to defend himself. ¡°First and foremost, Zoe has loved Jay for years,


    and he¡¯s rejected her on more than a handful of asions-what¡¯s another rejection in that respect?


    Also, the blood of us Levines flows in her veins, granting her a stout heart so that she won¡¯t crumble


    over heartbreak-there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, when ites to a rtionship, it¡¯s always up to those involved to decide how things. go.


    Anyone else trying to meddle would only end up messing things up for them. Andst but not least?


    Jay did nothing wrong.¡±


    Cordy frowned.


    She could more or less agree with the first three reasons but not thest.


    ¡°Is Zoe really your rtive?¡± she snapped. ¡°Or is it Jay?¡±


    Even if Jay was John¡¯s uncle in name, he was adopted and carried no Levine blood.


    On the other hand, Zoe was John¡¯s own cousin. Who else sided with outsiders instead of family?!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 189

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 189


    Chapter 189


    John replied, ¡°They¡¯re both family.¡±


    Cordy frowned-how brotherly was he toward Jay, really?!


    She could not help feeling bad for Zoe just then, who clearly loved John to bits.


    Despite the asional bickering, Zoe would never allow anyone to badmouth John, and there was


    obvious blind worship whenever she spoke of John. And anything John asked, she would always do it


    obediently-no matter how much reluctant she was.


    And yet, considering how rocky Zoe¡¯s rtionship with Jay was¡­


    Both men really didn¡¯t deserve Zoe¡¯s affection! They were just not worth it!


    Still, Cordy stayed quiet despite her mood and checked the news on her phone instead.


    There would probably be a lot of articles about her in these couple of days, and it was reasonable. that


    she should check things out.


    While most of the headlines were showering her with praise, the media was sticking to their favorite


    habit of publishing one abusive article for each praiseful article.


    As such, aside from the articles praising Cordy, there were many mocking Kyle to no end. Countless


    people were calling him blind for dumping Cordy for Noel, just as Mandy was caught in the crossfire for


    her despicable behavior in Solo Show.


    Some were even suspecting Kyle of being the real mastermind since there was a precedent. And like


    all rumors on the inte, it became the truth the more it spread, and everyone was eventually positive


    that Mandy was just made a scapegoat.


    However, not only did Kyle fail to garner interest to support Jessop Corp despite spending a fortune to


    bribe the production crew and buy scripts but it also only ended up ruining their reputation utterly.


    They had certainly bitten off more than they could chew, and yet¡­


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed as she realized that Noel had not been affected at all even as Jessop Corp¡¯s


    reputation fell apart.


    In fact, there wereizens advising Noel to stay away from a scumbag like Kyle, that if he could. do


    this to Cordy, he would do the same to Noel herself.


    Cordy always knew that Noel had wit, but to think that thetter could wash her hands so cleanly while


    making herself look like the victim¡­ It was obvious that Noel¡¯s scheming and maniption. had


    reached the next level.


    Still, Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched as she noticed another article: [Cordy Sachs¡¯ ck knight mounts. daring


    rescue with a helicopter!]


    She pursed her lips as she tapped on it and looked through the photos attached.


    In it, John was holding her hand and leading her out of the crowd of journalists. There was no question


    it was her in that blue diamond gown-it was even easy to tell. Her fair skin was almost.


    glowing from the contrast to the gown, but after a few more looks, one would be drawn to John


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    too.


    Even with the grand umbre hiding his face, his towering figure, his noble presence, and his chiseled


    fingers and jawline were all sights that would leave thedies shrieking in delight.


    The mystery around him only leftizens all the more thrilled, with the hashtag [# cordysckknight)


    taking top ce in popr searches.


    Cordy looked up at John, who was loafing on a single-seater couch opposite her just then.


    He seemed to pick up the slight movement in her eyes and looked up just then, locking eyes with her.


    As her heart skipped a beat, he said¡­


    ¡°I understand that I¡¯m very good-looking, Ms. Sachs, but I must still ask you to not stare at me like that.¡±


    Cordy was speechless-was there anyone as narcissistic as him?


    He certainly had the right to be, but with humility came wisdom!


    ¡°Why?¡± she huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°Because I won¡¯t be able to stop myself from kissing you.¡±


    Those words were aloof and nonchnt, but the room suddenly seemed to be filled with hormones.


    Cordy quickly averted her eyes.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 190

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 190


    Chapter 190


    John grinned as Cordy turned away from him.


    She was really refusing him utterly!


    At the same time, Cordy continued to browse the news articles nonchntly as she asked, ¡°Why did


    you hide your face when you came?¡±


    ¡°I thought I had no right,¡± John replied.


    No right?


    As Cordy looked up at him, he exined, ¡°One of your conditions for dating me, Ms. Sachs, is that we


    do not go public about our rtionship.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-she definitely did not say that, just as she was reluctant now.


    In fact, she was not that confident about dating John, and yet¡­


    Perhaps she was starting to feel a spark, or she was just reluctant to reject John¡¯s kindness.


    Be that as it may, she genuinely had a hard time trusting everyone else after her rtionship with Kyle


    and having grown up abused by the Sachs.


    Going public with their rtionship would only add to her troubles-aside from worrying that things would


    end poorly between them, she had to worry about the inconveniences that John¡¯s. status would bring to


    her as well.


    Right now, what she hoped most for was to resolve her own issues by herself without binding anyone


    to her.


    The long and short of it was that she genuinely had trust issues.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied.


    Even so, she felt her own heart stirring because she could tell that John was really considerate


    toward her.


    ¡°Yeah? Is that all?¡± John raised a brow.


    Cordy narrowed her eyes in turn-what else should she say?


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Certainly nothing sappy-she would never manage that.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I have something like a probation period?¡± John asked. ¡°So that we can go public once I


    clear it?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She knew all too well that she was no longer disinterested in John. There were even certain feelings


    that were sprouting at the moment, and she was unable to resist his enthusiasm.


    However, she had no idea how long it would take her to put away her misgivings and ept John in


    earnest without any reservations. She definitely could not do it now, and to confirm that they were in a


    rtionship in public would be unfair to him.


    John naturally could tell that she was at a loss too, but despite feeling a little let down, he would never


    try to push her.


    He had long since gotten used to waiting when it came to her.


    And he did not mind how long it would take, even if it meant a decade!


    ¡°Very well, Ms. Sachs,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer my question before, but I would like to know


    something else: why hide your identity as Lovely? You know that the title alone would enable you to


    strut in North City¡¯s fashion industry.¡±


    Cordy looked up at him just then, and she could feel how much he amodated her and never tried


    to push her into anything-even if she still took exception to him changing her clothes. without her


    consent.


    ¡°I never wanted to hide anything,¡± she answered then. ¡°It¡¯s just that my mother told me not to reveal


    myself.¡±


    ¡°But if memory serves me right, she has passed away for years,¡± John pointed out. ¡°What was it? Did


    shee upon you in a dream or through an Ouija board?¡±


    Cordy could not help giggling-John¡¯sically serious expressions were really amusing at times. Her


    mother¡¯s death was something she always felt depressed about, but the way he spoke of it somehow


    afforded her relief.


    ¡°I guess my gift for fashion design is as much hereditary as it is learned, since my mother taught me


    everything she knew herself when I was a child,¡± she exined. ¡°She was actually an internationally


    renowned fashion designer herself, but she always kept a low-profile, staying anonymous and never


    taking part inpetitions. Even back then, she told me that if therees a day when my work is


    acknowledged, I must never reveal my identity to the public.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 191

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 191


    Chapter 191


    John was as surprised, though Cordy must admit that she was too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why she asked me to do that Maybe it¡¯s because she was worried I¡¯ll attract too much


    attention and draw problems to myself. However


    Cordy paused, working hard to remember her mother¡¯s appearance before she continued,¡± However,


    my mother wasn¡¯t the type who took things lying down That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know why she asked that of


    me, and it¡¯s a shame that she¡¯s no longer around and I¡¯ll never have answers. Even so, she was the


    only one in this world I trust and who genuinely cared about me. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll always keep her words


    in my heart.¡±


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    John was silent, and Cordy thought he was probably wondering why her mother would ask that of her


    Why hide when Cordy was one of the best fashion designers out there?


    ¡°If Mandy didn¡¯t try to frame me, I would have kept hiding my identity as Lovely,¡± Cordy then murmured,


    ultimately slightly disappointed that she could not fulfill herte mother¡¯s wish.


    John could naturally sense that she was feeling emotional, and he assured her, ¡°Actually, many of the


    regrets in life can somehow turn out to be the best arrangements one could ask for. It¡¯s possible that


    your mother was showing foresight and wanted to save you from bullying, or perhaps she had regrets


    and was trying to make new arrangements for your destiny. That¡¯s how it led to you revealing your


    identity under those circumstances.¡±


    Cordy stared at John just then.


    While she suspected him of being glib, she had to admit that his words did reassure her.


    ¡°Maybe ¡°Cordy smiled faintly, and she was actually relieved right then.


    After all, her mother had once told her that she must never struggle against adversity. If there was


    something she could not stop, she just had to ept it with open arms.


    ¡°Actually, there¡¯s also something you said that I don¡¯t agree with, Ms. Sachs,¡± John said, changing. the


    subject right then.


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy was at a loss-what did she say that could have upsetted him?


    ¡°That your mother is the only one who cares about you,¡± John said very seriously. ¡°I care too.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    He really could not stop conveying his affection every waking moment.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you should immediately inform me of whatever trouble you face in the future,¡± John


    continued, still looking serious. ¡°Your mother asked me in a dream to love you in her stead.¡±


    Cordy smiled, since it was both amusing and touching.


    She certainly knew that he was being ridiculous. How could he dream when he slept?


    And yet, she felt warmth from his words.


    After all, who would not yearn for a safe harbor, a shelter that shielded them from the storm?


    ¡°Give me time, John,¡± she said.


    She had gone through too much and became a coward who had no confidence.


    But she could change that with time and gradually regain her early self


    ¡°Of course.¡± John agreed to it immediately, standing up and walking to her right then, and he allowed


    her to rest her head against his abdomen, as if to give her something to lean on.


    It was a gesture that seemed to tell her that he would always stay at her side, and that he would never


    give up on her.


    The room was suddenly silent but also warm.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Shouldn¡¯t you be in bed, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy flinched at his words, her whole body stiffening.


    She was defenseless since she was reveling in the tenderness John offered, only for him tond a


    direct gut punch!


    John smiled at her reaction-she was just like a gentle kitten that suddenly started bristling.


    A little annoyed but amused, he said solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t get so paranoid, Ms Sachs. I understand. that my


    good looks make me vulnerable to the criminal element. I won¡¯t force anything to happen without


    proper status or consent.¡±


    Cordy looked up at him right then-it was as if he was the victim there!


    John then continued, ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re aware that I¡¯m harmless and powerless, if you insist on


    forcing yourself on me¡­¡±


    As he leveled her a meaningful look while she was still leaning on him, she quickly pulled away,


    blushing.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to resist.¡± John finished with a smile and turned to leave.


    He paused after a few paces, saying, ¡°For your information, Ms. Sachs, your room is on the second


    floor while mine¡¯s on the first. Also, it was the hotel attendants who changed your clothes earlier, so


    please excuse my innocence.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 192

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 192


    Chapter 192


    Innocence?! John?!


    What innocence did he have when his son was already five?!


    However, although Cordy was pouting, she could not help smiling just then.


    It honestly felt very good to be loved and respected.


    Cordy woke up naturally the next morning.


    Although she had gone missing for a whole day, no one aside from Zoe called her-not even from work.


    She washed up and opened the ss door in her room.


    The sun was bright and the ocean¡¯s breeze billowed.


    She stood on the wide open balcony and stared at the crystalline waters before her, so clear she could


    see the bottom.


    As she looked down, she also saw the muscr man swimming in the private pool beneath.


    He paused, seemingly sensing someone looking at him just then, and he stood in the middle of the


    pool. As water streamed down along his body, his alluring Adam¡¯s apple and chiseled chest were


    especially eye-catching.


    He was nonchntly running his hand through his hair as he looked up, revealing his exquisite facial


    features in full.


    The masculine charm that seemed to hit like a straight jab was irresistible, and Cordy could not help


    gulping even as she averted her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Ms. Sachs,¡± John greeted her with his maic voice just then.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Do you swim?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how to swim?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Cordy was speechless. She just said that she did not swim!


    But in the end, when it came to him, she had no strength to refuse anything-as long as it was not a


    vition against her principles.


    She could never beat the man¡¯s overwhelming wit


    Changing into swimwear while keeping the brand new bathrobe that the hotel provided, she headed


    down on the balcony stairs that were connected to the pool.


    Still only in his swimming trunks, John was sitting on one of the beach chairs beside the pool.


    He was topless and did not even have a towel around his neck.


    ¡°Enjoying the view?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that good,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying through your teeth.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten how I vomited in your hospital ward before, Mr. Levine?¡± Cordy asked, even


    replicating the gesture.


    John scowled right then and suddenly got up, pulling her to him.


    Before she could respond, her bathrobe was firmly pulled away from her, and they were both falling into


    the pool in the next instant.


    She almost choked-how petty could he get?!


    It was with considerable difficulty that she reached the surface, wheezing and panting for breath¡­ until


    she suddenly noticed the unsavory stare from a certain man.


    She quickly looked down, realizing that she was wearing a leopard print bikini¡­


    Cordy quickly shielded her cleavage with her hands while flushing as he smiled in amusement.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, I didn¡¯t think that you carried such¡­ fiery passion.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 193

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 193


    Chapter 193


    Fiery passion?!


    To think John had the cheek to say that!


    And who on earth packed that bikini in her luggage anyway?


    In fact, that was the only thing she found after she searched the whole closet!


    Cordy still clearly remembered that Zoe was the one who gave it to her, saying that it was a gift from a


    sponsor after some sort of event However, Zoe insisted that she could not wear something so risque as


    a public figure or the paparazzi would try to spice things up if they got a photo


    Still, Zoe insisted that it was beautiful and should not be left to gather dust, and she gave it to Cordy,


    saying that Cordy would definitely look good with her amazing figure.


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Cordy did not want to turn down Zoe¡¯s enthusiasm, but she had no ns to wear it even after epting


    it.


    And John had to put this in her luggage so that she only had it for swimwear!


    ¡°Did you tell Winston to pack my luggage?¡± she asked in annoyance


    ¡°Does Winston have such a keen eye for beauty?¡± John asked in return, clearly smug.


    He kept smiling even as she red at him, and he asked, ¡°You know how to swim, don¡¯t you? Shall we


    have a race?¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡± Cordy said bluntly-she was not foolish enough to y his game.


    ¡°I give you a halfp handicap,¡± John said. ¡°Whoever finishes first gets a wish from the other person.¡±


    Cordy studied the length of the pool right then.


    Half ap? John was really full of himself!


    Pretending as if she had no choice, she said, ¡°No takesies backsies?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Any wish?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± John said confidently.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Cordy answered, as if begrudgingly.


    With that, they both moved over to one end of the pool.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start first. You only get to start when you reach the halfway line,¡± Cordy said, just to


    confirm again.


    ¡°Sure,¡± John replied.


    And with those words, Cordy leaped into the pool and started with a simple breaststroke.


    She was quite slow, and John¡¯s smile was obvious.


    When Cordy swam halfway, he was still stretching his limbs before his long figure vaulted lightly,


    darting a considerable distance ahead before giving chase with freestyle.


    He was almost at the other end when he looked up to find her, but she was already standing there and


    waiting for him, appearing to be catching her breath as well.


    John was certainly surprised-she could not have arrived at the other end quicker than he would with


    that breaststroke. Unless¡­


    Quickly swimming up to her, he said, ¡°You¡¯re really full of surprises, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy shrugged. ¡°I just forgot to tell you that I¡¯d be a second-tier national athlete in swimming if my


    father hadn¡¯t sent me abroad.¡±


    While John pursed his lips, she beamed. ¡°All¡¯s fair in war!¡±


    And with that, she suddenly vaulted elegantly back into the pool, speeding off.


    ¡°Ingrate,¡± John muttered with a tender smile and gave chase.


    They yed around a little more in the pool before having breakfast together.


    Taking a bite of his toast, John said, ¡°You won, Ms. Sachs. As we agreed, I shall grant you your wish.¡±


    Cordy was taken aback-she actually had not thought about getting anything from John, since she was


    now ustomed to striving for everything on her own.


    Nheless, she suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t ever lie to me.¡±


    As John held her gaze, she spoke very clearly. ¡°You can give it to me straight-whatever it is, even if you


    fall out of love with me. Just don¡¯t lie to me, whenever, wherever.¡±


    If Kyle had told her immediately after he fell for Noel, things would not have turned out this bad


    between them.


    Likewise, she would not have been wounded so thoroughly, and she absolutely did not want a


    repeat of that!


    John gulped and said, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Not noticing that John was holding back his emotions just then, Cordy then asked, ¡°So? What other


    arrangements do we have for the day?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± John replied.


    Cordy frowned-was his n for this trip just sleeping and ying with their phones in another


    location?


    Quite the ¡®zoomer¡¯ trip this was¡­


    Still, John shed a sly smile right then. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry, Ms. Sachs. Just rest for another day. since


    I¡¯m worried your body would be overwhelmed by the fun that is toe.¡±


    Cordy remained skeptical.


    2/2

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 194

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 194


    Chapter 194


    Be that as it may, Cordy realized what the ¡®fun¡¯ John meant was all about on the third day of their trip.


    It was very early in the morning when he scooped her out of bed even before she woke up.


    He then carried her to a luxurious yacht and set sail further out to the ocean.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    When she was finally wide awake, they were already in the middle of nowhere, the yacht gently.


    floating against the swell of the waters.


    ¡°Here, put on some sunscreen,¡± John said as he got down from the deck.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cordy replied, still lying on a beach chair. ¡°I¡¯m staying here¡­ Oh!¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips as John held her firmly against her seat, his long fingers applying sunscreen over


    her back and spreading it evenly.


    He was covering every nook and cranny, and she would doubt anyone who told her he did not have


    OCD!


    She wanted to refuse him a couple times but since resistance was futile, she should just save her


    strength and lie down to enjoy it.


    ¡°Shall I do the front too?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Nope!¡± she snapped and snatched the tube of sunscreen to do it herself.


    John chuckled and took out another to apply over himself.


    Then, obviously noticing that Cordy was done, he asked, ¡°Ms. Sachs? Could you return the favor and


    help me with my sunscreen too?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips as she took the tube and started to apply it furiously all over him¡­


    Still, she suddenly slowed down as she noticed that his skin was a healthy wheat color, neither too pale


    nor too tanned.


    And like the front, the outline of his muscles were very pronounced, and Cordy could feel the firmness


    of his skin and the perkiness of his muscles.


    ¡°How does it feel to the touch?¡± John asked, as if sensing her thoughts.


    She had already been nervous and almost had a heart attack when he suddenly spoke.


    Still, she only grunted nomittally. ¡°Hmm.¡±


    But despite herck ofment, John said, ¡°You too.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    She did not ask how her skin felt, and no one asked for his opinion!


    Nheless, they eventually were done applying their sunscreen, and John asked, ¡°Do you know


    how to ride a jet ski?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Really?¡± John asked, clearly wary toward her after she tricked him about being an average


    swimmer.


    ¡°No, I really don¡¯t,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°It¡¯s my first timeing to sea since I¡¯ve be an adult.¡±


    John did a double take and gave her a sympathetic pat on the head. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you out more often from


    now on.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    She certainly did not want to have too much fun since it would leave her demotivated!


    Eventually, she rode a jet ski with John, whooping and enjoying the pure excitement as it streaked


    through the surface of the ocean.


    She had no idea how long it had been since she had genuinely let loose like this. Her life had certainly


    been a taxing one.


    Later¡­


    ¡°Want to try surfing?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I can teach you.¡±


    After that¡­


    ¡°Want to try scuba diving?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll be at your side, watching.¡±


    And when they were done scuba diving¡­


    ¡°Would you like-¡±


    ¡°Nope! Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°A drink?¡± John finished, holding a bottle of vitamin drink at her.


    Cordy pursed her lips, feeling guilty as she realized she misunderstood him.


    That was when he said, ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re skydiving from a helicopter tomorrow.¡± Cordy was speechless


    and wondered right then why she bothered feeling guilty at all.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 195

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 195


    Chapter 195


    It was night by the time they returned to the vi, and Cordy was so exhausted she did not want to


    move.


    And yet, as soon as morning arrived the next day, John dragged her out of bed again and took her to


    the helicopter.


    At first, things were calm and rxing since the helicopter was just taking them on a tour around the


    entire ind.


    That was until John brought out the parachute.


    Was she allowed to refuse?!


    ¡°We¡¯re jumping together. I¡¯ll be holding onto you,¡± John told her.


    That was not the point! She had a fear of heights!


    Nheless, John strapped her to himself with a harness and walked her to the helicopter door.


    ¡°John¡­¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Cordy closed her eyes as she gave in. ¡°If I die, I¡¯ll return as a vengeful spirit that haunts your dreams.¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I had in mind too.¡± John heaved into her ear with his maic voice, and they both


    jumped out of the helicopter.


    Cordy still kept her eyes closed, and all she felt was the wind billowing against her ear, the abrupt


    shock of weightlessness almost killing her right then.


    ¡°Open your eyes, Ms. Sachs!¡± John yelled.


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°Be a good girl now!¡±


    ¡°Nope!¡±


    ¡°Or I¡¯m going to kiss you!¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth-she really could not fight back every time John threatened her!


    Still, when she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the endless blue sky and cotton-like white


    clouds.


    ¡°Look down,¡± John prompted her.


    As she did so, she saw the boundless azure waters and the beautiful ind with its curious


    entricities.


    Greeted by the breathtaking beauty of mother nature, Cordy forgot all her fears right then, and it was


    somehow afort that left her spirit mending.


    John popped the parachute just then, slowing their descent while Cordy gradually rxed.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    She finally released her fingers that had been clenching on John¡¯s clothes and spread her arms,


    allowing her to float amid the vast skies, reveling in the exhration of being free.


    ¡°Extreme sports help alleviate stress considerably,¡± John told her. ¡°I used to do this a lot myself.¡±


    Cordy turned toward him. ¡°Are you under a lot of stress?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy being the sessor of Levine Ventures.¡± He smiled.


    6


    Cordy nodded and did not offer a retort while he continued, ¡°My grandfather got sick the year my


    parents died, overwhelmed by the grief of having to bury his children. Neither my aunt nor my uncle


    could rein in Levine Ventures, while Jay was forbidden from working.¡±


    ¡°That is why the pressure of maintaining our dynasty suddenly came crashing on me, a youth who had


    just turned twenty that year. Not only did I have to withstand the pain of losing my parents, but I also


    had to lead Levine Ventures and keep things together in thepany. And whenever the stress got too


    much, I¡¯d leave for a while for these extreme sports. I¡¯m a walking testimony to its effectiveness.¡±


    So that was why he brought her here for this-to let her forget about all those unpleasant matters and


    completely rx.


    It was not just because he was that yful.


    Cordy¡¯s heart was racing then-she really could not help feeling overwhelmed by how nice John had


    been to her.


    They went shopping on the fifth day of their trip.


    There were multiple malls selling luxury items, and one of the malls housed thergest outlet for all


    kinds of luxury brands.


    In contrast to extreme sports, Cordy was convinced that she had the advantage in shopping, only for


    her to realize she had underestimated John once again.


    She never thought that he could be extravagant beyond her imagination!


    In every outlet they entered, he would sh his credit card and ask the attendant to pack anything she


    gave a passing nce at without asking about the price or whether she actually liked it!


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said a word!¡± Cordy protested.


    ¡°I like it, and that¡¯s enough,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of going bankrupt?¡± she asked pointedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate your boyfriend¡¯s purchasing power,¡± John said solemnly. ¡°And this is just spare


    change. You have nothing to worry about, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°What isn¡¯t spare change then, by your definition?!¡± she huffed-buying the entire mall?


    ¡°Well¡­¡± John thought about it and said, ¡°When you sign our marriage certificate.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 196

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 196


    Chapter 196


    Cordy frowned as John continued solemnly, ¡°And when that happens, half my assets will be yours.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    They had just known each other for half a year, and it had only been four months since they confirmed


    their rtionship.


    And he was already thinking about marriage?


    No, he had probably thought of the name of their next child already!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said, taking her hand and heading nonchntly to the next store.


    Really worried that John would buy the entire mall, she said, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s sit down over there or get


    something cold.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said and led her to a cold beverage stall.


    Meanwhile, everything they bought would be sent back by hotel valets, and they had beening and


    going in batches.


    Cordy wanted ice-cream, but just as she pondered what vor to order, John told the attendant,¡± One


    of every vor, please.¡±


    The attendant was certainly experienced enough to not be shocked, since anyone who could afford to


    travel to Ayro Ind and shop in that mall was either rich or important.


    However, before the attendant could get to work, Cordy stopped him and said, ¡°Just one chocte


    sundae, please. I can¡¯t eat that many, and too much cold food is bad for health.¡±This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The attendant turned toward John right then and nodded.


    After the attendant nodded and went to work, Cordy then remembered something. ¡°You did not order


    anything.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying that too much cold food is bad for health?¡± John asked in return.


    Cordy frowned-when did he start to listen to her?


    Still, the attendant soon brought Cordy a sundae cone and she took a bite.


    The buttery texture melted in her mouth immediately, and it was sweet but not too greasy.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± Cordy replied.


    Just as she was about to take the next bite, John suddenly leaned in and took a bite from where she


    just did..


    Cordy could not help pursing her lips, and she watched as John took a bite and calmlymented, ¡°it¡¯s


    really good.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get another for yourself?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Too much cold food is bad for health,¡± he said.


    Cordy was speechless. If only he listened from now on too!


    Still, she stared at the spot where he took a bite and bit down as well, since she could not resist the


    temptation of good food.


    Before she could take another bite, John leaned toward her again and took another bite.


    ¡°John,¡± she growled, clearly a little upset.


    ¡°Too much cold food is bad for health,¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t eat mine!¡± Cordy snapped.


    ¡°No, I have to eat more so that you can eat less.¡±


    Cordy was speechless again.


    Could she take that back?!


    With that, both of them started to take a bite each off the ice-cream¡­


    Snap!


    They heard the sudden click of a shutter and turned to find a man with a camera standing right in front


    of them.


    As Cordy frowned, he clearly sensed her displeasure and quickly said, ¡°Hello! I¡¯m a street


    photographer, and I was just passing by when I saw you two sharing that sundae. It¡¯s such a nice


    scene that I couldn¡¯t help taking a photo of it, though I won¡¯t be saving it if you take exception. That


    said, I¡¯d really like to send it to you, since it¡¯s a really nice picture.¡±


    ¡°Send it to me,¡± John said, clearly not upset at all.


    Cordy was surprised-did John not detest having his photo taken without permission?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 197

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 197


    Chapter 197


    The street photographer sent the photo to John via Bluetooth, and John stared at his phone screen


    after receiving it, his eyes never blinking once.


    How good was it that he would be so engrossed?


    Cordy was not interested at first, but she was now getting eager.


    Eventually, she could not help asking, ¡°Let me have a look.¡±


    John turned away from his phone screen then and passed his phone to Cordy.


    She looked at the screen to see John taking a bite out of her sundae, his facial features perfect as ever


    when viewed from the side.


    What she did not expect was that she was photographed staring at John¡¯s face, when she was under


    the impression that she was just staring at her sundae-worried that John would finish it.


    But what really hammered the nail on the coffin was her eyes, for they simply looked so tender and


    sentimental as she stared at John.


    She suddenly realized she would have trouble exining this.


    ¡°Are you done looking?¡± John asked,


    ¡°I am,¡± Cordy replied, feigning nonchnce as she returned his phone to him.


    He chuckled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Bungee jumping.¡±


    Cordy was speechless-could they not just spend the day rxing?!


    The sixth day was the final day they would spend together on Ayro Ind, since they would be


    returning to North City early tomorrow.


    Cordy had been reluctant toe at first, and she was naturally surprised to find herself reluctant to


    leave as well.


    It had been a while since she found herself loving a ce so much.


    Be it her houses in Zidonia or rented rooms abroad, those were all just lodgings.


    On the other hand, she had genuinely beautiful memories of Ayro Ind, and she truly felt that this


    ce allowed her to forget many troubles.


    However, that was also the day John seemed to vanish.


    During the days before, he would always barge his way in before she woke up, scoop her up in his


    arms, and leave the vi.


    So where did he go today?


    1/5


    Eventually, she could not resist calling him.


    He answered that he had to deal with something, and he promised to return before dinner.


    So she was dumped for the sake of work.


    And yet¡­


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Fine, work was more important!


    Moreover, she enjoyed being idle since she did not have to worry about John dragging her off to some


    potentially fatal activity.


    Loafing around the vi, she ate and slept, even going for a swim.


    However, John did not return even when the skies had turned dark, and she wondered if he had


    forgotten about her and had dinner with his business partner instead.


    She hesitated for a bit but she ultimately did not call him since she was concerned she might disturb


    him during a business meeting. Instead, she stayed in the living room, watching TV and checking her


    phone from time to time, killing time as she waited for him. 1


    He called her at nine, and Cordy¡¯s immediate reaction was that he would tell her he was noting


    back for dinner.


    But though she was prepared for it, she heard his familiar voice say, ¡°Come to the window, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy frowned as she walked over to the window with her phone.


    As soon as she reached it, endless fireworks shot up into the air, bursting up in the skies and


    illuminating it.


    Every woman would be swept off their feet by such a romantic sight, and Cordy was no exception.


    She simply stared outside at the blinding, dazzling fireworks across the skies, and it definitely struck a


    chord in her heart.


    ¡°Would you pleasee out, Ms. Sachs?¡± John spoke over the phone again just then.


    Cordy did as she was told, and when she stepped outside, she saw that someone had already


    decorated the beach with exquisite detail. There were shing colored light bulbs everywhere, shining


    brightly amid the night sky.


    The vi they stayed in was connected tond by a long, wooden bridge. As she walked toward the


    bridge, the lights on both sides would light up as she went, producing a sense of grandness.


    Cordy eventually stopped at the beach and stared at the dining table before her.


    It was decorated with candles and roses, while sses of red wine and expensive steaks were already


    prepared.


    Beneath it were more colored light bulbs, arranged in the shape of a heart.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 198

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 198


    Chapter 198


    Behind her, John spoke with his deep, alluring voice. ¡°Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She had no idea when he came up behind her, and she was a little afraid to turn around.


    After all, she was very nervous, and her heart was pounding.


    She took a moment to let her breathing and heart rate return to its regr rhythm before turning


    around


    The man was in his tuxedo, carrying a huge bouquet of roses as he stood under the colors of the night


    like a scene from a dream.


    Her heart once again pumped wildly right after she had it under controll


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting. He shed a smile-one of unparalleled beauty.


    Cordy averted her eyes. ¡°So you left for an entire day to prepare this surprise for me and not actually


    for a business discussion.¡±


    ¡°Who said it wasn¡¯t a business discussion?¡± John chuckled. ¡°Have I not been working hard to


    acquire a small enterprise?¡±


    Cordy snorted. Did he really just call her a small enterprise?


    Nheless, John took her hand and led her to the table.


    Since Ayro Ind was in the tropics and the nights were cool, the sea breeze was pleasantly rxing


    as they sat at the dining table.


    As they ate their dinner, Cordy admitted to herself that she had never taken John for being such a


    hopeless romantic.


    In fact, she was under the impression that they would just simply pack their bags and go home. instead


    of having such a perfect ending to their trip.


    Even in years toe, she would always remember this night¡­ when her heart rate kept rising.


    A violin¡¯s melody was then heard from the beach.


    Cordy blinked, watching as John put down his knife and fork and walked around the table to her,


    arching his back and reaching out with his long hand. ¡°May I have this dance, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy held her breath but slowly put her palm on John¡¯s.


    They gently swayed to the tune of the violin, breathing very close to each other and very audibly.


    ¡°Are you satisfied with this trip, Ms. Sachs?¡± John eventually asked, clearing the exceedingly nervous


    and delicate atmosphere between them just then.


    ¡°I am,¡± Cordy murmured, nodding.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not,¡± John said bluntly.


    1/2


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    She frowned ¡°What? Is there something you still want to do?¡±


    They had done virtually everything, and she was putting her life on the line as she yed along!


    That was when he whispered into her ear, ¡°Well, there¡¯s you.¡±


    Cordy was speechless, and she suddenly did not want to make a sound because of that single word


    from him.


    They had also stopped swaying to the music as well, and her fingers clenched on John¡¯s tuxedo.


    In turn, his gaze lingered over her face, wless yet without the tiniest bit of makeup. Then, darting


    between her enthralling facial features, his eyes eventually lingered over her scarlet lips.


    He asked, ¡°May I, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    She was too nervous to tell if they could-she did not know if she would suddenly push him over.


    And yet¡­


    She suddenly stood on her toes and kissed him, her tender lips pressing against his.


    Their hearts simultaneously skipped a beat, and Cordy closed her eyes.


    Her little tongue started to reach between John¡¯s teeth, touching his¡­


    She wanted to try because there was a chance that John could help her forget the past she wanted to


    let go of¡­


    Or maybe he could help her ept her own messy past in stride.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 199

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 199


    Chapter 199


    It was a night of beauty,fort, and tenderness.


    Two silhouettes embraced each other in the night as they kissed


    Even James needed a long time to recover


    For a long while, he allowed Cordy to brush her lips and tongue against his, nervously and clearly


    without experience


    He gulped, slowly raising his long,rge hands to gather her dainty, warm body firmly into his embrace


    He then leaned downward and kissed her even more fiercely.


    At that very moment, everything else seemed to turn dull. In mind and body, there was only the two of


    them as they melted deeply into each other.


    Cordy¡¯s knees then started to cave, actually going weak from John¡¯s kiss


    His strong arms promptly picked her up and off the beach as if she were just a child, and while she was


    still startled, he put her whole body on the dining table


    He then leaned in for another kiss, denying her any chance to breathe, assaulting her lips persistently


    and tirelessly.


    The night seemed to turn darker just then, even as John swiped everything else off the table as he


    pressed her soft, petite body t on her back over her table. The breathtaking woman was the only


    thing on the broad table now, and everything from her devilish figure to her cheeks that were thoroughly


    blushing after kissing was elements of fatal attractionThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Desire red in John¡¯s eyes, bursting into a fearsome congration that threatened to consume her¡­


    All it takes is a spark to get things going between adults, and Cordy was definitely nervous and was in


    turn hyperventting while her chest was heaving.


    That moment only left John even more bewitched, and he thought to himself that she really had no idea


    the temptation she put a man under with that look!


    And how hard was it to repress that fatal impulse.


    John started to lean toward her gradually, inch by inch.


    Cordy pursed her lips because she could feel his raging desire.


    She could not help clenching her knuckles, and she suddenly remembered the nightmare she


    experienced when she was eighteen.


    There was a sh of panic in her eyes but just as John reached her, she chose to close her eyes.


    Her knuckles were clenched even tighter, but she showed no inclination to push him away.


    As if she epted him.


    Or was trying to¡­..


    Be that as it may, a long while passed


    What she expected somehow did not happen, and the pressure on top of her faded


    When she opened her eyes again, she saw that John had already jumped into the ocean.


    His tall figure showed no hesitation as he dove into the waters without hesitation, sshing and kicking


    up a violent wave


    Once in the water, he started to swim in circles as if crazed


    Naturally he was forcing himself to calm downpletely


    Watching him, Cordy could not help feeling a quiver in her chest


    She had no idea what would be of their rtionship if they really did it


    Maybe she would ept it-or force herself to ept it-and tell herself endlessly that John was the man


    she was meant to spend the rest of her life with


    Even so, when she saw John earnestly repress his desire for her sake, she heaved a great sigh of


    relief


    She actually was not as brave or as fearless as she thought because she had never really escaped her


    trauma, let alone open her heart to ept a rtionship She was therefore uncertain if she would not


    regret it if she did it with John, but she knew for sure that her mind would be burdened


    Be that as it may, John did not force her to ept it


    As for the days abroad she spent with Kyle, even if he did respect her they never did go this far or lost


    control like this. He was a young man who abstained and although there was genuine sentiment in their


    rtionship, it was constrained by strict mores. They were never intimate, and once they returned to


    Zidonia, it was no longer possible with Noel getting involved


    Getting off the dining table just then, Cordy walked to the ocean


    John has been in there for so long she was worried he would drown.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 200

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 200


    Chapter 200


    Standing ashore, Cordy called out, ¡°John!¡±


    John breached the surface then, having already taken off his tuxedo. The white shirt underneath was


    soaked through and glued to his body, clearly entuating his muscr form.


    ¡°Can youe ashore now?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Almost,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Come here,¡± she told him, offering a hand to pull him out.


    Nheless, he said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t touch me right now, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched, understanding what he was hinting at.


    ¡°I can get out myself,¡± he added, stepping out of the ocean.


    The water was a little cool in the night, and John¡¯s body clearly felt cold after he got to the beach.


    A breeze swirled over him and he sneezed, looking quite the mess just then.


    Cordy could not help giggling at the sight, and he growled grumpily, ¡°Whose fault is this, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go back inside,¡± she said, clearly in a good mood.


    With that, she followed him back to the ocean vi.


    He was nning to go straight to his room for a hot bath to warm himself when she called out, John.¡±


    He turned around to find her smiling. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She was really touched by everything he did for her tonight.


    John smiled in return, albeit clearly feebly. ¡°I¡¯d rather you scold me right now, Ms. Sachs¡­¡±


    Cordy frowned. Did he have masochist tendencies?


    ¡°For example, calling me names like a pig and such,¡± he finished and turned to leave, closing the door


    to his room behind him.


    Cordy smiled faintly.


    She certainly understood what John meant.


    Maybe, just maybe¡­ things would go better next time!


    Returning to her room, she took a shower before getting in bed.


    She had been so exhausted since she came on the trip that she usually fell asleep as soon as shey


    down over thest few days.


    But for some reason, she waspletely unable to fall asleep today and was left staring at the stars


    above.


    She could not help biting her lip, which was still swelling a little although some time had passed.


    1/2


    She really was too embarrassed to remember the fiery, passionate kiss she shared with John.


    But when she remembered it, she was not repulsed at all.


    Their two kisses before were no more than a tender brushing, and this time¡­


    Cordy hid herself underneath her nket-she should not dwell on it any further!


    The next day, Cordy got out of bed with dark circles under her eyes, clearly having lost sleep and


    fatigued from it.


    John sat opposite her during breakfast. Like her, he had dark circles under his eyes and appeared tired


    as well.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, could you have been¡­¡± he said, deliberately allowing his voice to trail off.


    ¡°No, I just napped too much yesterday and couldn¡¯t fall asleep,¡± she said, denying it.


    He grinned in turn. ¡°Did you know what I was going to say? Why are you in a hurry to deny it?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Cordy felt speechless and really wanted to spit an expletive right then.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be heading to the airport after breakfast,¡± John murmured nheless, his tone indicating his


    reluctance to leave.


    Cordy actually felt that way too.


    They were still them, but she also had this feeling that everything would change once they returned.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 201

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 201


    Chapter 201


    Cordy and John ultimately boarded their flight back to North City, arriving at 3 PM North City time.


    Since neither of them slept wellst night, they were slumbering on the private jet all the way home,


    and they were spirited once they disembarked.


    John¡¯s ck Maybach was already waiting by the ne after their flight touched down with Randy


    standing beside it, receiving them respectfully.


    Opening the door for them, he said, ¡°Wee back, Mr. and Mrs. Levine.¡±


    Mrs. Levine¡­


    Cordy¡¯s cheeks turned red but she followed John into the car anyway.


    Randy rode shotgun and began to list John¡¯s schedule for the day, ¡°Sir, since we¡¯ve postponed three


    dinners for your seven-day trip, I¡¯ve arranged them forter tomorrow night and on the two following


    nights respectively per your instructions.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± John replied.


    *Also, we¡¯ll be seeing many important guests during the Levine Ventures anniversary banquet tonight.


    Your grandfather specifically asked me to remind you to be there on time. A tailored suit is already


    waiting and you can get changed right now,¡± Randy continued, before adding, ¡°Mrs. Levine¡¯s gown has


    also been prepared per your request.¡±


    Cordy was taken aback. ¡°I¡¯m going too?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± John replied. ¡°As the future Mrs. Levine, it¡¯s natural for you to check things out.


    Cordy felt a little embarrassed just then-Randy was right there with them!


    ¡°Mrs. Levine,¡± Randy continued respectfully, ¡°I¡¯ve set up a meeting to discuss Starstream Fashion¡¯s


    partnership with North City Channel at 10 AM tomorrow. They have agreed upon most of the details,


    and here is a copy of the agreement. If there are no issues for you, you may meet them at their offices


    tomorrow to sign it.¡±


    Cordy was actually surprised as Randy actually pulled out the agreement and handed it to her.


    Even though she was gone for a week, progress at work was not dyed at all.


    As she read through the agreement, she could not help asking, ¡°How much does your boss pay you


    each month, Randy?¡±


    Before Randy said a word, John told her, ¡°You probably can¡¯t afford to poach him.¡±


    Cordy shot him a re-he was really conceited!


    ¡°The only way to get Randy to work for you is by marrying me,¡± John then added. ¡°That way, everything


    of mine is yours.¡±


    He really never passed up an opportunity to flirt, did he?!


    They headed to the luxury goods outlet at a mall.


    John had his hair styled before changing into his tailored suit, and he left right after-it was obvious how


    busy he was.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    And yet, he would make time to take Cordy on a trip abroad, and she naturally felt warmth in her heart


    at the thought.


    After that, she changed into the gown John ordered for her-as usual, he knew what suited her and


    every dress he picked for her was breathtaking.


    After over three hours of applying cosmetics, hairstyling, and the like, she got into Walter¡¯s car and


    headed to the banquet hall where Levine Ventures celebrated their 60th anniversary.


    n Levine¡¯s 70th birthday had been a stunning event for North City, and the 60th anniversary


    celebration was only naturally going to be even better.


    While they did invite their business partnersst time as well, it was just n¡¯s birthday and therefore


    considerably conservative. The anniversary celebration was in contrast held with all due pomp and


    circumstance, and Cordy felt a little uneasy as she set foot inside the imposing three- floored banquet


    hall.


    There were even more people this time, and she actually wondered for a moment if everyone involved


    in North City¡¯s trade andmerce were gathered there.


    As she entered the hall, everyone already had a ss in their hand and was holding pleasant


    conversation.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 202

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 202


    Chapter 202


    Minor disturbances in the banquet hall would never affect that many people, which was why Cordy¡¯s


    arrival did not affect anyone by much. Still, the crowd¡¯s eyes would be drawn to her golden silhouette,


    though they only allowed their eyes to linger for just a moment before turning


    away


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    At the moment, they would rather spend every second they had mingling with the rich and powerful


    individuals present.


    As for Cordy, she headed over to an inconspicuous corner and waited there. She recognized a couple


    of faces, though she wondered if everyone who came today were not from North City since there were


    plenty of people she did not recognize.


    Naturally, that was not her priority either-she was keeping an eye out for Richard.


    She certainly missed the boy after being apart for so long.


    But as she scanned the crowd that was constantly on the move, a man¡¯s voice she did not recognize


    spoke beside her ear. ¡°Cordy Sachs?¡±


    Cordy turned toward the man. She found him familiar, but could not quite put a finger on where they


    had met.


    The man was able to tell, and he glowered immediately as he introduced himself in annoyance. Bryson


    Zimmer.¡±


    He had not expected Cordy to forget about him!


    Still, he thought that might not really be the case-Cordy might just be pretending.


    After all, women love to y hard-to-get, don¡¯t they?


    However, Cordy was still taken aback.


    She still could not remember who Bryson was.


    A business partner?


    But she would always keep in mind every face whom she discussed business with, even if they had


    met just once-no, even if the deal eventually fell through. Moreover, she would always make sufficient


    preparations before meeting potential partners, so there was no way she wouldpletely forget about


    them.


    Bryson saw then that she really could not remember, and he could hardly hide his rage. ¡°Cordy Sachs!


    I would agree that most men love women who y hard-to-get, but overdoing it would just make it


    unsavory!¡±


    Cordy was going to properly greet him in return.


    She was thinking that since they were acquainted, she should at least be considerate since it was a


    gesture of respect to the host as well.


    But any rtionship goes both ways, with no one obliged to tolerate anyone.


    As such, she turned and started to leave.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡±


    Surprised that Cordy really thought nothing of him, Bryson promptly reached out and grabbed her


    arm.


    ¡°Let me go if you don¡¯t want to make a scene!¡± Cordy threatened him right then.


    He did not expect to actually be allowed to take part in Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary celebration as one


    of the employees, and he could not afford the responsibility of any mishaps here.


    Reluctantly releasing Cordy, he said, ¡°We met at the Sachs family mansion. Your father personally


    introduced us.¡±


    Cordy remembered right then-Bryson was the man Simon wanted her to marry.


    Her refusal back then had been thorough, and she thought nothing of him since, which exined why


    she forgot about him.


    ¡°Now you remember?¡± Bryson scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re really forgetful, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to remember pointless people,¡± Cordy retorted, not holding back at all.


    ¡°You¡¯re really pretentious, aren¡¯t you?!¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Even so, that¡¯s my own business. It has nothing to do with you, Mr. Zimmer,¡± she said and started to


    leave again.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs! Don¡¯t you know who I am?!¡± Bryson bellowed, not giving in and certainly not letting her


    leave.


    After meeting Cordy, he had told Simon several times that he liked her and would like to meet her


    again.


    But she never responded to his requests.


    However, he had also been very busy every day since John¡¯s return-John had really high


    standards when it came to work.


    As such, Bryson had to put things off until he finally saw her today.


    He certainly would not let her go that easily now!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 203

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 203


    Chapter 203


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Nheless, Cordy was ring coolly at Bryson.


    She considered him no more than a passing acquaintance and did not expect him to be such a creep.


    ¡°Anyone who can attend Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary celebration tonight is either rich or powerful!


    Bryson continued smugly.


    ¡°So?¡± Cordy asked in return.


    ¡°So I¡¯m above the rest!¡± Bryson snapped angrily, his voice getting ever louder.


    Cordy smiled sardonically-this was genuinely amusing.


    ¡°Am I not here?¡± she asked.


    Bryson was taken aback, but since he could tell that Cordy was mocking him, he quickly tried to puff


    himself up with a sense of aplishment. ¡°You¡¯re just benefiting from your connection to Sachs


    Enterprises. On the other hand, I was personally invited.¡±


    ¡°In that case, do you see a single member of the Sachs family around here?¡± Cordy asked.


    It was not only the Sachs either-the Jessops were nowhere to be seen, and they had reason to be


    invited given their status in North City.


    And if invited, they would be here very early, let alone be missing.


    every


    And yet, no member of either family was anywhere to be found in the banquet hall. They would


    definitely not be upstairs either, since the majority of guests were staying on the first floor, which was


    more suitable for socializing.


    Would those two families who loved socializing so much miss out on such an opportunity?


    If anything, not being invited was the only reason they were not here.


    As for why?


    Cordy was very much sure that it was John¡¯s personal intervention.


    The thought warmed her heart further.


    At the same time, Cordy¡¯s words reminded Bryson of the fact he had not seen the Sachs at all.


    Moreover, he had been here for a while, and there was no chance he missed them.


    However, he was not about to let up, and he kepting with excuses as he continued to debase


    Cordy. ¡°What are you getting so smug about?! You just happened to catch some hype after winning


    Solo Show. That¡¯s why Levine Ventures begrudgingly invited you-once your hype fades, you¡¯re nothing


    to us!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really a man of double standard, Mr. Zimmer.¡± Cordy sneered. ¡°You keep boasting as if it¡¯s


    natural, while scolding me for being smug while I never said a word. Have you never been


    acknowledged by others? Are you really that eager for others to fawn over you?!¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!!!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste on you. As you will, Mr. Zimmer,¡± Cordy finished coolly and sidestepped him.


    Bryson¡¯s face contorted with rage from Cordy¡¯s mockery, and he could not help intercepting her again.


    This time, Cordy scowled, clearly angered this time.


    Nheless, Bryson continued his grandstanding without a care. ¡°Let me put it this way, Cordy Sachs-


    I¡¯m an executive member of Levine Ventures, and my position holds weight in thispany. If you¡¯re


    not that stupid, you¡¯d know how many enterprises in North City desire a partnership with Levein


    Ventures, and that they must respect us even as they operate their business. A measlypany like


    your Starstream Group must show us due diligence if you want to establish yourself!¡±


    ¡°You mean, show you due diligence,¡± Cordyughed, actually feeling amused in Bryson just then.


    ¡°We happen to know each other and are distantly rted,¡± Bryson reasoned smugly. ¡°I¡¯m not that cold-


    be nice and show me respect, and I can let you operatefortably in North City.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think I should do?¡± Cordy asked, her smile getting wider since she just spotted a


    certain man standing behind Bryson.


    ¡°Well, you see, our blind date has been pleasant. I was just too busy to ask you out on another date,


    and that is my bad. However, it is destiny that we meet again today, which is why I¡¯d like us to start


    dating, and if you prove suitable, I can even marry you,¡± Bryson said, as if he was hard pressed.


    Cordy said nothing and merely kept smiling.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 204

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 204


    Chapter 204


    Bryson could see Cordy¡¯s contempt, and he scowled as he continued, ¡°You have to understand that


    your hype is only temporary, Cordy. Your past remains a mess, and people will continue to belittle you


    once your hype passes. You should be pleased that I don¡¯t hold it against you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Zimmer, do you mean to say that if I start dating you, you can use your position to ensure that my


    company develops unimpeded in North Cty?¡± Cordy asked.


    Bryson grinned. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re the one who gets the better end of the deal if we start dating-¡±


    The man standing behind him finally had enough. ¡°Mr. Zimmer.¡±


    Bryson promptly turned to find Randy standing behind him, and his expression promptly changed- high


    and mighty just a second before, he was now fawning and eager to please.


    ¡°Oh, Mr. Martin! Hello, hello!¡± Bryson eximed, extending a hand.


    Everyone in Levine Ventures certainly understood that Randy was John¡¯s personal assistant and


    basically his second-inmand.


    There was none who did not submit to him.


    And now, Randy cast a brief nce at Bryson¡¯s outstretched hand and ignored it.


    Embarrassed, Bryson awkwardly withdrew his hand.


    ¡°I wonder since when is it up to you to decide anything in Levine Ventures, Mr. Zimmer?¡± Randy asked


    evenly, but his question was clearly derisive.


    Bryson panicked right then and quickly tried to exin, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a misunderstanding, Mr. Martin. I-I


    was just¡­you see, this woman here was arranged to marry me, and she was trying to ask my help with


    her private business. Of course I wouldn¡¯t abuse my position for a woman, so I had to intimidate her a


    little¡­¡±


    Randy raised a brow. ¡°Are you sure she wants your help?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they all do. Women always try to cut corners with their pretty faces-¡±


    ¡°Bryson Zimmer-she isn¡¯t someone you get to insult,¡± Randy growled coolly, cutting Bryson short.


    Bryson was left in disbelief but quickly said, ¡°Oh, Mr. Martin. She¡¯s no angel, and you know how


    complicated the personal lives of certain people can get. You really shouldn¡¯t be bewitched by her looks


    alone¡­¡±


    ¡°I certainly wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Randy said bluntly.


    Bryson was left further confused.


    ¡°Check in with Finance tomorrow to receive any outstanding wages you¡¯re due,¡± Randy said, not


    interested in wasting his time on a trivial man like Bryson. ¡°You¡¯re hence dismissed from Levine


    Ventures.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Bryson thought he was hearing things and turned agitated in the next instant as he


    demanded, ¡°You¡¯re just John Levine¡¯s assistant! You have no right to fire anyone!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right-I don¡¯t,¡± Randy replied. ¡°But you¡¯re fired nheless.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Bryson screamed.


    ¡°You can figure that out on your own, Randy said coolly and beckoned to the security guards standing


    nearby. ¡°Get him out of here.¡±


    In a split second, the burly, imposing security guards were standing menacingly in front of Bryson,


    forcing him to leave while cutting a miserable figure


    It was only after he was walked out of the banquet hall that he came to a realization.


    Was Randy actually saying that John fired him?


    And that Cordy was John¡¯s woman?!


    His legs turned to jelly the instant he realized that!


    Back at the banquet hall, Randy was apologizing. ¡°Ms. Sachs, I hope your mood wasn¡¯t soured by such


    a trivial person from ourpany.¡±


    Trivial?


    Cordy smiled, more or less understanding why John always kept Randy around.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The way he used trivial was such a stark contrast from Bryson¡¯s smug attitude!


    It certainly won her over


    Her gaze then shifted to the second floor, where a familiar figure was smiling tenderly as he leaned


    against the handrail before turning to leave.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 205

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 205


    Chapter 205


    Naturally, Randy was under orders from John to help Cordy, since John was too busy to see to it


    himself.


    Even so, he was watching from above until the matter was resolved.


    But just as he left, Cordy blinked-the woman who had been standing next to John turned to look


    at her too.


    There was neither hostility nor friendliness in her gaze, and it looked like a brief, nonchnt nce.


    However, Cordy¡¯s woman¡¯s intuition was tingling spontaneously.


    The banquet hall was getting even more lively, and at 8 PM, the host of the celebration showed up.


    n was saved by a hair¡¯s breadth after the death of his son and daughter-inw, but he was


    paraplegic since and was wheelchair bound.


    Cordy suddenly remembered what John had told her on their trip to Ayro Ind. At the time, he was so


    nonchnt when he spoke of what befell his family back then and the pressure that was


    thrown on him afterward.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    It must have been hard on him at the time, and Cordy¡¯s heart ached for him.


    That was when she saw John in his tailored suit, appearing imposing as he wheeled n into the


    elevator on the second floor as they headed down to the central stage under the floodlights.


    With them was John¡¯s aunt and uncle, Nancy Levine and Ivan York.


    Richard was nowhere to be seen, though Cordy realized it might be inappropriate for children to attend


    this celebration.


    Zoe was not with John and the rest either.


    That was when Cordy looked up and saw Zoe standing by the handrail, a champagne ss in her hand


    and clearly offering a toast.


    It was as if she sensed Cordy looking for her.


    They had only been recently acquainted, but Cordy somehow found a mysterious bond with her.


    Cordy returned Zoe¡¯s gesture in turn and took a sip of her drink.


    Then, Zoe gestured at Cordy to look onstage, probably worried that she would miss her cousin¡¯s


    glorious moment.


    She had always worshiped her brother, after all.


    Onstage, John walked up to the podium while the rest of the Levines remained in a corner.


    As John spoke steadily in his alluring voice, the immense LED screen behind him disyed Levine


    Ventures¡¯ development over the past sixty years, starting from all their des and glorious


    achievements to the contributions they made to society. The hall waspletely silent for half an hour-


    it was clearly a PR gesture, but everyone was fully focused as if nothing shown was


    unnecessary.


    While they were left astounded and yearning for more, Cordy was quietly watching John on the


    podium.


    This was the first time she saw him at work.


    That towering form, upright gait, handsome face, and solemn expression¡­ Men really are the most


    good-looking when they are being serious.


    And once John was finished with his report, the hall apuded him thunderously.


    After that, he passed the microphone to n, who could barely stop himself from smiling.


    n always knew that his grandson was formidable, though John had spent much of his time abroad


    before so n only saw his grades and not his performance as a businessman. Since John had been


    with n for a while since his return to the country, n had now truly witnessed John¡¯s talent for


    business and was certainly happy about that.


    After a few words of gratitude, n said, ¡°It¡¯s Levine Ventures¡¯ 60th anniversary today¡­ I remember


    my father handing over thepany to me when I was forty, and thirty years has gone by in the blink


    of an eye. I¡¯m seventy now, and it¡¯s time for me to retire! I¡¯ve introduced John to everyone at my


    birthday, but this time, I formally announce that he will take over management of Levine Ventures!¡±


    Crackers popped overheard once he made the announcement, and it was certainly a grand sight as


    endless confetti rained down on the crowd.


    As the crowd apuded endlessly, n continued excitedly, ¡°Last but not least, I have one more


    important news to announce!¡±


    He was shaking with unspeakable excitement!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 206

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 206


    Chapter 206


    A man like n, who had weathered his fair share of trials and tribtions, would not usually be


    shaking with excitement like that.


    Everyone was certainly interested, just as he spoke determinedly with great vigor. ¡°My grandson will be


    formally engaged to Jessica Stuart, heiress of Stuart Holdings!¡±


    Every guest was left in shock-there was no question that it was a big deal.


    It already went without question that John would inherit Levine Ventures, even if no one had expected it


    to be this early.


    On the other hand, no one would have expected John to be engaged to Jessica Stuart, the heiress to


    Rocktown¡¯s most important family!


    Ever since John returned to the Zidonia, countless heiresses were getting restless, eager to get a shot


    at marrying him¡­ only for this to happen?!


    At the same time, Jessica was getting onstage at n¡¯s kindly beckoning.


    She was wearing a pink gown that was attractive instead of tacky and not too reserved either. The tiny


    diamonds refracted a myriad radiance off the ground, presenting her fair skin as glowing.


    Rarely was there a woman who could wear pink and still retain such a sense of superiority.


    She strode up confidently to stand beside John, who happened to have a pink shirt cor on his


    tailored suit. Initially, it gave the impression of being unique and tailored to his personality, an


    appropriate celebratory hue given the asion.


    When Jessica stood beside him, however, the hue made them appear no different from a couple.


    Everyone understood right then.


    Though all of them were rich and powerful as well, they could not help acknowledging and envying this


    engagement.


    The Levines and the Stuarts were a match in wealth and importance, while John and Jessica were a


    match made in heaven.


    It was a shame they missed out, but they could only offer their blessings since they had no way to


    compete, even if John was glowering just then.


    Those who were more observant would notice that n was grabbing tightly onto John¡¯s hand, and


    those who did not know would think that it was a gesture of n¡¯s unshakable attachment to his


    grandson.


    Only n knew what he was doing!


    Cordy stood amid the crowd and watched as the drama unfolded on stage.


    How should she describe how she felt? It was just so difficult.


    She suddenly remembered John telling her that there was nothing between him and Jessica.


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    In that case, why the sudden announcement of their engagement?


    Cordy turned to leave.


    There were people who had a higher tolerance for anything happening to them because they were


    used to it.


    And Cordy was used to abandonment, deceit, and being toyed with.


    That was why she couldugh in the face of it all, no matter how terrible things got.


    Her world had long since be invincible.


    However, John noticed that she was leaving and firmly shook off n¡¯s hand, sprinting down the stage.


    The guests were left restless-they could all clearly see John¡¯s rage.


    Could the engagement be one-sided?


    Everyone could not help turning toward Jessica right then.


    After all, the Stuarts were almost equal to the Levines in importance-in fact, the Stuarts had the backing


    of an even greater influence.


    If Jessica held any dissatisfaction toward the Levines, none of the Levines would breathe a word. Even


    so, she did not appear agitated toward John¡¯s sudden departure. Though there was disappointment


    and slight awkwardness in her eyes, she was disciplined well enough to keep her pleasant smile.


    She certainly showed grace and poise!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 207

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 207


    Chapter 207


    With a look from n from the stage, the ck-d bodyguards present around the hall closed in


    on John instantly.


    He did not even have the time to resist and was dragged away by force, watching as Cordy


    disappeared from sight.


    Even so, his eyes were red and his knuckles clenched!


    After Cordy left the banquet hall, she remained very calm. There was no fluster in her gait-she walked


    steadily as she lifted her skirt and was neither quick nor slow.


    She waved, and a ck luxury car stopped in front of her outside the banquet hall.


    She had already sent Walter home since she was under the impression that she would bete.


    The chauffeur stepped outside and opened the door for her.


    She entered without turning back-not that she wanted to.


    If she did not hope, she would not be disappointed.


    She reclined against the backseat as she stared outside the window, taking in the night view of North


    City.


    She suddenly smiled-so she was not imagining it.


    Things really did change when she returned to North City.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    However, she was soon blinking as she noticed something wrong.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to my apartment,¡± she told the chauffeur.


    ¡°No, Ms. Sachs, but Master n Levine has asked me to take you to Levine Manor,¡± the chauffeur


    replied loudly and clearly.


    He was respectful, but there was an edge in his voice that permitted no refusal.


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched, and she was about to reach for her phone to call the cops when the


    chauffeur continued, ¡°Master Levine won¡¯t hurt you, but that might not be the case if you resist.¡±


    He must have sensed her intention and growled a cool threat.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat but she ultimately did not resist.


    In North City, the Levines would have no issue making her disappear, and she was reluctant to take


    any chances when her life was on the line.


    The car eventually arrived at Levine Manor, and Cordy saw that the front yard was atrge as an entire


    farm.


    It was outrageous in a ce where every inch ofnd was worth gold, and it went without saying


    how wealthy the Levines were.


    After the car stopped outside, Cordy was led inside by another servant through their grand lobby and


    up to the second floor into a study.


    There was no one else, and the servant said, ¡°Please wait here for a moment, Ms. Sachs. Master


    Levine will return soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The servant left and returned with some tea and confectionery so that Cordy could have something to


    eat.


    Cordy did not hold back-modern banquets could be starving.


    She ate some and waited until 10 PM, when there was somemotion from the front door.


    She rose from her chair and watched as n¡¯s butler wheeled him in.


    The butler closed the door after himself, leaving just the three of them inside the study.


    After he helped n sit behind the desk, the butler stood behind n.


    And for a while, both of them stared at her-just like that.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    Some people were born with a menacing presence that people could rarely ignore.


    ¡°Please sit, Ms. Sachs,¡± n eventually said after a long while.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 208

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 208


    Chapter 208


    Cordy took her seat, neither cowed nor pompous as she spoke, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Levine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand why I¡¯ve invited you to my humble abode-we¡¯re all business people and time


    is money, so let me cut to the chase,¡± n said bluntly. ¡°I would like you to leave my grandson.¡±


    ¡°A rtionship only concerns the two individuals involved. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s appropriate for you to


    meddle with your grandson¡¯s affairs,¡± Cordy replied, equally bluntly.


    She was certainly not humbled or meek despite the pressure n was projecting.


    However, it was not as if she could not leave John-they were not so intimate that they could turn


    against family.


    And after n announced John¡¯s engagement to Jessica in front of so many people, said engagement


    was set in stone.


    Cordy¡¯s rtionship with John would in turn end unceremoniously.


    Even so, she would rather she could end things candidly with John instead of having others


    intervening.


    She had her own principles and dignity too.


    ¡°I like your attitude, Ms. Sachs,¡± n suddenly said.


    As Cordy blinked, hemented, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be more afraid, but you certainly changed my


    opinion with your show ofposure.¡±


    Pausing for a moment, he then said, ¡°I understand that you have a past, but I have also seen your


    more recent remarkable feats. After all, no in Jane would ever capture my grandson¡¯s heart.¡±


    He stared at Cordy then, but she was returning his gaze, not at all under the impression she was


    epted despite what he said.


    ¡°That being said, it¡¯s not up to just anyone to be the wife of the Levines¡¯ scion. More conditions


    must be met, such as an equally important family background,¡± n said directly. ¡°In fact, you can pick


    any member of my family to be your spouse, barring John.¡±


    Cordy raised a brow. ¡°Are there any such members in your family?¡±


    ¡°Jay Parker,¡± n replied.


    ¡°You don¡¯t roll a dice to decide who you marry,¡± Cordy said sinctly.


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that it¡¯s your birth-not your disposition-that makes you unfit to marry John,¡± n


    insisted. ¡°And any rtionship without the family¡¯s blessing would never be happy. I know you¡¯re


    understanding enough not to push for something with so little returns.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She finally knew who John took after-it was the old man before her, who was stubbornly domineering,


    allowing no resistance.


    ¡°I won¡¯t protest against breaking up with John,¡± she said then. ¡°My past experiences have enlightened


    me about what it means for others to refuse to acknowledge me, and I won¡¯t make the same mistake


    twice. However, you don¡¯t get to decide on your own what happens between myself and John. I would


    like him to give me some sort of exnation too, so that I can leave him without any regrets-if I can


    have that much of your understanding.¡±


    n studied Cordy, who appeared determined.


    But that was just how she broke up with Kyle -a clean cut, with nothing left connecting them.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    However¡­


    ¡°What if I refuse?¡± n said stubbornly.


    Cordy frowned.


    How much clearer did she have to put it for him?


    She was already saying that she would break up with John, but she just needed to clear the air


    with him.


    And even if it was just the first time they spoke, she did not consider n that unreasonable.


    Still, n told her loudly and clearly, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to break up amicably with him. I want you to


    leave him on your own ord.¡±


    Cordy scowled and said coolly, ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing more to discuss. We¡¯re noting to an


    agreement, and I wouldn¡¯t want to waste your time.¡±


    A sharp look shed in n¡¯s eyes, but he asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk terms?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips as she watched him continue. ¡°My first offer to you is this: you can have all the


    money you want. Just give me a number-as I understand it, you¡¯ve been gathering considerable wealth


    working as a famous fashion designer abroad but one would neverin about having too much


    money.¡±


    ¡°My second offer is Sachs Enterprises. Your mother was the one who founded it single-handedly, and


    the Sachs took it as if it belonged to them. I can give it to you immediately if you just say word.¡±


    the


    ¡°The third is Jessop Corp. It survived solely thanks to your blood and sweat, but Kyle and his family


    showed no gratitude and instead tried to hurt you in every way. Your revenge is justified, but I can make


    them lose everything in an instant.¡±


    ¡°Pick one.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 209

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 209


    Chapter 209


    Cordy was quiet, as if she was thinking.


    n did not hurry her-business people are never afraid of spending time to negotiate a deal.


    However, it did not take long for Cordy to answer. ¡°Your offers are certainly tempting, Mr. Levine. Even


    so, I can earn the money myself, and it just doesn¡¯t feel right to be given money for nothing. no matter


    how much it is. As for the Sachs and the Jessops, I really don¡¯t think they would win against me, and


    it¡¯s a matter of time before they fall.¡±


    n was taking a sip of his tea, keeping his head down and his expression inscrutable.


    As he slowly lowered his tea cup, he corrected himself. ¡°I can give you all three.¡±


    In other words, he was saying that she did not have to choose.


    ¡°I have been perfectly clear-I don¡¯t need any of those,¡± Cordy replied, determined.


    ¡°Did it cross your mind that I can keep what I offered eternally out of your reach and make you lose


    more in turn?¡± n growled threateningly, the air around him suddenly turning chilly


    ¡°You want me to leave John on my own ord because you¡¯re just worried I won¡¯t break up with him,¡±


    Cordy pointed out, exposing n¡¯s intentions. ¡°But would I really fear your threats when I have John as


    my trump card?¡±


    n glowered-he did not expect her to see through him.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to fight me?¡± he growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m too young and unimportant to fight you, Mr. Levine,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°All I want is a fair-


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you fair!¡± n bellowed, cutting Cordy short. ¡°And you will leave John, willingly or otherwise!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Cordy narrowed her gaze icily.


    Meanwhile, Zoe was hurrying back to Levine Manor as well.


    It took her a while toe to her senses after the surprise at the Levine Ventures¡¯ 60th anniversary


    celebration.


    In fact, she was already worried when she saw Jessica at the banquet.


    That woman was no angel, and Zoe would never believe that a woman who was that perfect existed!


    And the fact that Jessica could convince so many of that meant she was more than what she seerned.


    And to no surprise, she came to have her engagement with John announced!


    It was an utterly despicable move!


    Zoe¡¯s heart could break when she saw Cordy quietly turning to leave from the crowd downstairs.


    She understood all too well how it felt to be hurt by the one you loved most, and she was also positive


    that John had no idea that he would be engaged to Jessica.


    After Jessica hovered around John for so many years, abroad or otherwise, John would have fallen for


    her already if he had any feelings for her. There was no need for the sudden official announcement,


    and even Zoe could tell how furious John was when they pulled that crap with him!


    However, just as she was prepared to chase after Cordy, the Levines¡¯ bodyguards stopped her, saying


    that no one was to leave before the banquet was over.


    Zoe gritted her teeth but she did not want to make a mess for the Levines at such an important event-


    she had that much tact, at least.


    She called Cordy, but Cordy hung up, on her immediately-that was understandable too. If she were in


    Cordy shoes, she would be in no mood to pick up calls or talk.


    Even Zoe herself never told her best friend Quinn about her miserable rejection by Jay.


    When you are really hurting, you would not even manage a single word.


    Hence, Zoe stayed for the remainder of the banquet, totally distracted and only wanting to go home


    early and keep Cordypany. Even if Cordy did not want to talk, Zoe could offer her a shoulder to


    lean on and cry on.


    But it was still a long while until n finally left, and around half of the bodyguards left the banquet hall


    when Zoe could finally slip out.


    Still, just as she was about to get in her car, Jay called out from behind her, ¡°Zoe.¡±


    He sounded urgent and was obviously running after her.


    Zoe wheeled on him, pursing her lips.


    ¡°If my hunch is right, your grandfather has taken Cordy back to Levine Manor,¡± Jay said shortly. ¡°How¡¯d


    you know?¡± Zoe asked.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 210

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 210


    Chapter 210


    ¡®That crafty geezer! What is he doing to Cordy?!


    ¡®He could have sold her to human traffickers and none would have been the wiser!¡±


    It was scarier the more Zoe thought about it, and she quickly got into her car, intent on saving Cordy


    from Levine Manor.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Jay caught her wrist but she shook him off violently.


    She did it almost as soon as Jay touched her, and a moment of awkwardness ensued.


    Still, Jay spoke calmly in the next instant. ¡°When you see Cordy, tell her to doubt everything your


    grandfather says and not to make any hasty decisions. Tell her to wait for John until he exins


    everything to her.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Was John hiding something from her?¡± Zoe asked, sharp as ever.


    It was not as if she was not smart-she simply did not use her brains properly, such as in her


    studies.


    However, Jay did not borate either. ¡°Just keep Cordypany for a couple days-things like these


    hurt, so try to counsel her. I¡¯ll postpone your scenes to a further time so you won¡¯t have to worry about


    coming to the film set.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Zoe did not ask anything in turn, since it was pointless-Jay was never going to tell her anything he


    did not want to.


    It was far better to hurry along and save Cordy.


    Along the way, Zoe told her chauffeur to floor it, and once her car stopped outside the manor, she


    rushed up to her grandfather¡¯s study on the second floor.


    Whenever he had something to say, n always did it in his study.


    The instant Zoe opened the door, she immediately saw Cordy sitting inside, looking small and


    vulnerable.


    ¡°Where are your manners? You¡¯re an adult now!¡± n shot a look at Zoe after she barged in with a


    reprimanding tone.


    He was not at all upset, however-it was just a nonchnt rebuke from an elder to a youngling¡¯s


    brusque attitude.


    Nheless, Zoe walked straight to Cordy, shielding Cordy as she snapped, ¡°You¡¯re far older, Gramps,


    and you¡¯d still bully a littledy. People are going tough when they find out.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart stirred as she watched Zoe defend her.


    She was certainly surprised that Zoe woulde straight here for her, and she hung up on Zoe


    because she did not want to trouble her too.


    ¡°Like you said, I¡¯m far older-where would I find the strength to tussle against young people like


    you? I was just having a little business discussion with Ms. Sachs here. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± n said


    righteously.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Cordy murmured, not exactly cooperating with n.


    Still, he did not mind.


    However, Zoe was certainly not going to believe her grandfather-anything that a businessman said


    must always be scrutinized under a microscope.


    And whatever the truth might be, the priority was to get Cordy out of there.


    ¡°Are you done? I¡¯m taking Cordy home if you are,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°We are.¡± n nodded.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Zoe took Cordy¡¯s hand, intent on leaving right then.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± n suddenly called out.


    As Zoe turned, he told her, ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore, and you¡¯ve been messing around for years.


    It¡¯s time toe home and help with the family business.¡±


    ¡°We had a gentleman¡¯s agreement,¡± Zoe pointed out.


    ¡°Businessmen are never gentlemen.¡±


    Zoe said nothing.


    But that was exactly why she hated business people!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 211

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 211


    Chapter 211


    Zoe did not stop to argue with her grandfather.


    Having lived here for years, she knew all too well that he would just talk her to death.


    She pulled Cordy along and left Levine Manor, getting into their car that took them back to Cordy¡¯s


    apartment.


    Cordy did not say a word along the way and was so silent she might as well be air.


    Zoe was not good at figuring out people or she could have avoided being so thoroughly wounded in her


    own rtionship.


    That was why she had no idea how Cordy felt as Cordy remained impassive. Was Cordy really sad, or


    was she actually as eerily calm as she looked?


    But after they had returned home, Cordy went about her life as usually did, taking a shower and then


    going to bed.


    It was as if nothing happened earlier, as if she was not hurt, not traumatized, and did not meet Zoe¡¯s


    grandfather.


    Unable to take it, Zoe dropped to her knees on the edge of the bed and snapped at Cordy, ¡°Cry if you


    want, Cordy! You¡¯ll feel better if you do-I¡¯ve done it plenty of times myself or all that pent-up grief would


    hurt so much you¡¯ll die.¡±


    Cordy looked at Zoe¡¯s face then and saw how much and obviously worried Zoe was.


    She suddenly smiled.


    It was not as if she did not want to cry, but she simply believed that crying changed nothing and things


    would just stay the same.


    Moreover, she had be so jaded after so long that she could not cry, no matter how


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    tremendous the tribtion.


    And that was the case for today.


    On the other hand, Zoe became even more flustered-how could Cordy still smile when she was clearly


    hurting?


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that smile,¡± Zoe cried. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt even moreter!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Zoe,¡± Cordy replied calmly without hesitation or gulping.


    Her eyes were also serene and clearly not hiding anything as if she did not care.


    But Zoe thought that there was no way Cordy did not care-and even if Cordy did not love John, she


    would not have stayed unaffected by the deceit.


    What could Cordy have gone through that her heart became so indomitable?


    Even


    years after Jay first broke Zoe¡¯s heart, it still hurt so much she would break!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± Cordy added just then.


    An idea urred to Zoe just then and she quickly asked, ¡°Are you being wary toward me because I¡¯m


    a member of the Levine family?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy smiled-she really had no such thoughts, even if she would not think highly of the Levines


    after tonight.


    Zoe was an exception, even if Cordy did not know how she came to trust Zoe.


    But perhaps after meeting so many viins, not everyone Cordy came across would be another!


    She would never believe that fate could be that cruel.


    ¡°Gosh, Cordy-I don¡¯t even know why I like you so much,¡± Zoe said earnestly then. ¡°But I promise you


    this: even if you ultimately can¡¯t stay with John or be mortal enemies with him, you¡¯ll always be my


    best friend!¡±


    ¡°I believe you.¡± Cordy nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t hold anything against you just because you¡¯re a Levine either.


    Either way, I¡¯ve simply epted everything with grace. Nothing hurts if you genuinely ept it.¡±


    Zoe was left staring at Cordy in disbelief while thetter continued nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯ste, so you should


    go to bed soon. Don¡¯t you have to shoot more scenes tomorrow? Don¡¯t let me keep you up.


    Cordy was just so rational it hurt!


    ¡°Jay told me he¡¯s pushing my parts to ater date,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°He told me to keep youpany, and


    he had some messages for you.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 212

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 212


    Chapter 212


    Cordy was taken aback. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Zoe repeated Jay¡¯s message then. ¡°He said you should doubt everything my grandfather says not


    make hasty decisions. Also, you should wait for John until he exins everything to you.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    So, Jay actually knew everything-that was why he had been so helpful over the years.


    And she actually thought that he was just being a good Samaritan.


    Still, Zoe eventually could not help defending John.


    and


    ¡°Look, Cordy,¡± Zoe said. ¡°My brother would never fall in love with Jessica Stuart. The old folks must


    have decided on the engagement themselves, and not even John knows about it. If he did, he would


    never have brought you to the banquet hall-even if he doesn¡¯t love you, there¡¯s no need to humiliate


    himself and cause necessary trouble, don¡¯t you think?! You have to believe in John!¡±


    Nheless, Cordy calmly replied, ¡°Zoe, what did you think is going to happen in the end after your


    grandfather has announced John¡¯s engagement with Jessica in front of everyone, even if John is


    reluctant to y along?¡±


    Zoe was actually left stumped by Cordy¡¯s words-she had never thought that far ahead, since all she


    cared about was that John had been forced against his will.


    Cordy continued to reason with Zoe. ¡°The what-ifs hold no weight if there¡¯s no changing the


    oue.¡±


    Zoe was left perplexed at that-who was trying to be the reasonable one here again?


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, Zoe argued because she was just that blindly worshipful toward John. ¡°No, Cordy¡­ What I mean


    is that you should still have faith in John. I agree that my grandfather struck first to cut off John¡¯s


    escape, but John never takes anything lying down. He¡¯ll find a way to annul his. engagement with


    Jessica, so don¡¯t feel disappointed in him, please?¡±


    Cordy actually wanted to avoid knocking Zoe off her perch just then.


    The Stuarts were the rulers of Rocktown and ranked at least in the top five among the most important


    dynasties in Zidonia. That meant they had a reputation to uphold, and they would not annul the


    engagement so easily after publicly announcing it.


    In fact, one might say that the announcement had already set them on a point of no return.


    As such, Cordy said, ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    But even before Zoe could smile, Cordy added, ¡°All good things muste to an end.¡±


    Zoe was speechless.


    Was there really no chance of turning things around?


    Cordy clearly liked John, even if she hid it well. Why else would she tolerate John¡¯s advances,


    especially after being deceived by a scumbag like Kyle?!


    Did people in love really end things so simply?


    Zoe suddenly remembered what Jay said he had actually anticipated what Cordy would believe, even


    what she would ultimately decide.


    How the hell did that man know something Zoe did not?!


    ¡°Zoe, no matter how things turn out between John and myself, you and I will be the same,¡± Cordy said


    then, assuring Zoe.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    She was not afraid that things between them would be affected¡­ She just found it a great shame that


    Cordy and John were splitting up just like that!


    There was so much she wanted to say, but Zoe ultimately chose silence, thinking that she should wait


    for John to properly talk to Cordy.


    When Zoe woke up the next morning, Cordy was already gone.


    In Zoe¡¯s case, she could not sleep even when it was veryte.


    She had no idea if Cordy actually slept, though she was motionless the entire night.


    Still, she realized that it was no surprise that Cordy was gone when she looked at the clock, and saw


    that it was already 9 AM.


    A workaholic like Cordy would be working even if the world was ending.


    After washing up, Zoe headed to the living room and saw the breakfast prepared on the dining table,


    along with a note that read: [Everything is sugarless and low fat. You have nothing to worry about.]


    Zoe¡¯s eyes were welling with tears.


    Cordy actually had the spirit to make breakfast for her?!


    Zoe¡¯s heart certainly ached for Cordy, and she could not help wanting to dedicate her heart and soul to


    Cordy!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 213

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 213


    Chapter 213


    As Zoe sat at the dining table to eat her breakfast, she texted Cordy. [Back to work?]


    Cordy¡¯s reply quickly arrived. [Yeah. Had an appointment at North City Channel to discuss a


    partnership.]


    [Alright, won¡¯t bother you at the office now, honey. Breakfast was great, love you.]


    [Love you too.]


    With that, Zoe tapped out of WhatsApp and into a news app.


    It went without saying that John and Jessica¡¯s engagement made all the headlines. Various media


    outlets released photos of them standing together at the moment of the announcement, congratted


    by the crowd around them.


    Thements section was even more ridiculous.


    [A match made in heaven! Most importantly, a union between Levines and the Stuarts is simply


    perfect!]


    [I heard that they were childhood friends. Maybe Richard Levine¡¯s mother is actually Jessica?]


    [Now that I took a closer look, Richard does resemble Jessica.]


    [Good looking people would only have good looking children.]


    [Excuse me, but who are the Stuarts?]


    Thest one had plenty of replies.


    [Google William Stuart and you¡¯ll know.]


    [Let¡¯s put it this way-there are only a handful of people in this country who have received the Medalof


    Victoria, and William Stuart is one of them.]


    [Half of the Stuarts are politicians, while the other half are business people. Most importantly, they¡¯re all


    leading figures in their respective fields-don¡¯t you think that¡¯s frustrating?]


    Zoe got more frustrated the more she read, and she soon gave up entirely.


    He knew that the Stuarts would use their influence to poach John!


    After breakfast, Zoe called Linda to adjust her schedule so they could film all the scenes she had left


    sooner. Since Cordy had already left for work, Zoe did not have to stay with her.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Still, Zoe wondered if Cordy would feel upset when she read the news..


    In reality. Cordy was not feeling particrly upset since she had expected it.


    If anything, she felt a little disgusted when she saw thements specting that Richard might be


    Jessica¡¯s child.


    But when she thought about it, that was how the media framed their stories.


    They would write whatever drew attention and glorified the person in question!


    Putting away her phone, Cordy stared outside the window.


    The car taking her to the North City Channel office was apany car-she probably would not be


    having Walter drive her around from now on anyway.


    Her phone started ringing from a call, and Cordy nced at it for a moment before answering it.


    Kyle was immediately scoffing at her, ¡°See, Cordy? Did you think I was lying? I told you that John has a


    fiancee. How does it feel to get pped in the face?¡±


    ¡°You were engaged to me when you started hooking up with Noel, weren¡¯t you?¡± Cordy retorted. And


    Noel still managed toe up on top, no?¡±


    ¡°How could you be so shameless?!¡± Kyle snapped, immediately left infuriated by Cordy¡¯s retort.


    He never realized when it started, but Cordy was now so eloquent he could never get the better of


    her in a verbal spar!


    ¡°Just learning from Noel,¡± Cordy said tly.


    ¡°She and I really love each other.¡±


    ¡°And you think John and I don¡¯t?¡± Cordyughed icily. ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, why were neither your


    family nor the Sachs invited to Levine Ventures¡¯ 60th anniversary celebrationst night? You probably


    already know why, don¡¯t you?!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 214

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 214


    Chapter 214


    Kyle was left gritting his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t get so full of yourself, Cordy!¡±


    Be that as it may, he was already theughing stock of high society for being denied an invitation.


    to Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary celebration. The fact that Mandy had been exposed for trying to frame


    Cordy only left his family¡¯s reputation hitting rock bottom, and no one among the


    To make things worse, the sponsors Cordy brought in for Jessop Corp before were looking prepared to


    withdraw their capital.


    If this continued, Jessop Corp would soon face bankruptcy just like they did years ago.


    Even so, Kyle only became harsher toward Cordy. ¡°Jessica is a hundred times better than you. You


    know important families care about background, while she and John have feelings for each other. And


    what¡¯s more, John¡¯s son is hers! Do you really think there¡¯s anything about you that¡¯s better than


    Jessica?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have topare myself to her. All I need to know is that John would fight your family and the


    Sachs, and that¡¯s enough for me,¡± Cordy replied coolly.


    Kyle was left fuming and speechless, but even he had to admit it-even if John would not marry. Cordy,


    he could easily make the Sachs and the Jessops suffer if he cared at all about Cordy.


    ¡°Also, anyone has a limit to their patience, Kyle. Don¡¯t keeping back to humiliate yourself!¡±


    Cordy was going to hang up with those words, but Kyle shouted at her in agitation, ¡°Wait!¡±


    Though Cordy was pursing her lips, she did not hang up.


    ¡°Why did you hide that you were Lovely from me?¡± Kyle demanded.


    He could not hide.the quiver in his voice even when he asked the question.


    For one, he could not ept that Cordy could pull the wool over his eyes so utterly.


    And if he knew that Cordy was Lovely, he would never have broken up with her.


    And if he never broke up with her, Cordy would not have forced him to such desperate straits!


    He had to admit that he thought highly of Noel when she won fifth ce at that international fashion


    designpetition. After all, Jessop Corp operated a fashion brand, and they needed a famous


    designer.


    He was just being smart and calctive but that ended up blowing up in his face.


    He would be lying if he said he did not regret his actions but he would not admit it even if it killed him!


    And despite his demanding tone, Cordy asked in return, ¡°Does it really matter?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever been sincere to me, Cordy?!¡± Kyle growled through his teeth. ¡°Would you have hidden


    so much from me if you really were?!¡±


    ¡°Are you talking to me about sincerity after what you¡¯ve done to us?!¡± Cordy retorted loudly and


    clearly. ¡°I have no interest in exining anything to a man who cheated on me, and you have no right


    to question how I felt toward you before! Despite how I felt, it would never change the truth that you


    cheated on me, or your many heinous attempts to destroy my reputation!¡±


    Kyle¡¯s hand was shaking even as he held his phone.


    He had no right to retort against Cordy¡¯s usation.


    In fact, he already knew he would never win against her, but he just could not stop himself from calling


    her.


    He just wanted to vent all the grief he had suffered for a while now, and¡­


    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.


    Gritting his teeth again, he snarled viciously, ¡°Ast reminder, Cordy, but you should break up with John


    sooner if you know what¡¯s good for you. You shouldn¡¯t delude yourself that you¡¯ll have him, and Jessica


    isn¡¯t someone you can-¡±


    Cordy simply hung up right then.


    She certainly did not need Kyle¡¯s reminder-she had a better sense of propriety than he did.


    Zoe ended up visiting the film set of Pomp and Circumstance.


    It was boring staying home alone anyway, and she could not wait to finish her scenes.


    When she arrived, Penny told her that it was going to be the bed scene today.


    It seems that Jay had already found a double for Zoe, and she just had to film a few close-up


    shots.


    She sneered, since she was actually interested in how attractive the double Jay got for her would


    be!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 215

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 215


    Chapter 215


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The room and props for the bed scene were already in ce, and all they needed was the word from


    Jay to start filming.


    And the reason he had not started already?


    Mandy was visiting.


    She bought stacks of gourmet confectionery for the production crew, so everyone including Jay was


    busy eating. Naturally, Mandy was hovering around Jay and happily locking arms with him.


    Still, despite her usual pompous, conceited gait, Mandy was as sweet as amb around Jay.


    Once they were done eating, everyone quickly returned to their positions to continue filming.


    On the other hand, Mandy appeared surprised to see Zoe. ¡°When did you get here, Zoe? Sorry, I didn¡¯t


    see you there. I brought some food-would you like some?¡±


    Though she appeared cordial, she then groaned regretfully before Zoe could speak. ¡°Oh, I forgot- we


    just finished. I¡¯ll remember to bring more next time.¡±


    Zoe merely sneered and strode past Mandy.


    Jay was already sitting behind the monitors and preparing to shoot the bed scene, and Zoe walked


    right up to stand at his side.


    Jay nced at her but said nothing and continued to direct the filming.


    Zoe saw her double through the screen just then. Though only her back could be seen from the screen,


    her back was slim, her skin fair and unblemished. While it was not divine and Zoe would never give


    herself that much credit, she had seen Cordy¡¯s bare back, which far eclipsed the double¡¯s back.


    Even as Zoe kept staring sardonically at the screen, she thought to herself that Jay really had curious


    tastes.


    Still, it took them quite a while for them to finish the bed scene, and it was time for Zoe¡¯s close-


    ups.


    When she headed into the set and actually saw the double, however, Zoe did an obvious double take.


    Her double was looking at her in turn and smiled politely. ¡°Hello, Ms. York.¡±


    She actually bore a striking resemnce to Zoe!


    While Zoe had been feeling contempt towards Jay from just seeing her double¡¯s body proportions, she


    had to admit he was right after seeing the other woman in the face.


    In fact, she was even a little impressed and realized that they could even pass the double for her if they


    did not have to do close-ups.


    ¡°Good work,¡± Zoe replied, staying calm.


    Showbiz always needed doubles who closely resembled the actor and actress anyway. She just


    never had one who resembled her so much.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the double replied and quickly left under the urging of the production crew.


    The close-ups were quite simple, and Zoe quickly had everything done before leaving.


    She headed to the dressing room to remove her makeup.


    Her phone started to ring, and she nced at the caller ID before answering it with a smile, her voice


    bing clearer in turn. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. Why the sudden call? Finally missing your baby


    princess?¡±


    ¡°Cut the wisecrack and be honest! Did you snap at your grandpast night?!¡± The voice on the other


    end was distinctly stern.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not scolding me over that, are you?¡± Zoe sounded wounded. ¡°He was bullying a littledy! I


    was just standing up for what¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Standing up for what¡¯s right?! Don¡¯t you know who gets to dictate our family matters?!¡± Nancy Levine


    snapped. ¡°Or maybe you don¡¯t want to stay in showbiz and would rather help out the family business?!¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Mom. Grandpa already threatened me with that.¡±


    ¡°So you actually know how to be afraid, huh?¡± Nancy grumbled.


    Nancy had always spoiled Zoe since Zoe was her only daughter, and she always did her best to satisfy


    Zoe¡¯s demands.


    In fact, her contribution was quintessential to Zoe strutting in showbiz.


    Naturally, Zoe quickly gave in and started to ask for help. ¡°Look, just put in a good word for me. I love


    acting, and I don¡¯t want to go back so soon¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling you to watch yourself,¡± Nancy told Zoe. ¡°Your grandpa will be too busy dealing with dear


    John to y with you.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 216

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 216


    Chapter 216


    Zoe heaved a sigh of relief¡­ only to get nervous again soon enough. ¡°Wait, what is Grandpa going to


    do John? John clearly wasn¡¯t going to agree to the engagement.¡±


    ¡°I called you specifically to warn you about that,¡± Nancy snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t try to meddle with John¡¯s


    engagement with Jessica! I know you¡¯re buddies with Cordy, and I won¡¯t stop you from making friends,


    but you have no right to interfere with certain matters-not that you can!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Zoe groaned.


    ¡°And your grandpa is telling you to go home tonight for dinner,¡± Nancy added, giving Zoe no chance of


    refusal.


    ¡°But why?¡± Zoe asked.


    After all, n had grown to dislike hustle and bustle over thest few years. In fact, there were rarely


    any family dinners, and he only attended a couple of social events unless absolutely


    necessary.


    It was certainly no Christmas or Thanksgiving now, so why was she suddenly summoned home?!


    ¡°Jessica¡¯s grandfather ising for dinner and discussing John¡¯s engagement with her.¡±


    ¡°And what does that have to do with me?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Just shut up ande home for dinner!¡± Nancy snapped angrily.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Zoe gave in immediately, not daring to refuse at all-no one would help her stay in showbiz if she


    offended her mommy dearest!


    Still, Zoe soon remembered something and quickly asked, ¡°Wait, would John be at the dinner too?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Zoe could imagine her mother rolling her eyes at her even from the other end.


    ¡°I mean, I haven¡¯t been able to reach John sincest night. Grandpa is keeping him under house arrest,


    isn¡¯t he? And if Grandpa is worried about me causing trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He never does anything he isn¡¯t sure about,¡± Nancy said assuredly.


    Zoe certainly had more to say but Nancy cut her off. ¡°Be home on time or I¡¯ll break your legs. We shall


    see what roles you¡¯ll get after that!¡±


    Zoe said nothing and hung up before quickly texting Cordy.


    [I won¡¯t being home for dinner tonight. Don¡¯t wait for me.]


    [Okay.]


    The reply from Cordy was instantaneous. It suited her as well, since she would be working overtime.


    Zoe then sent: [I¡¯ll be having dinner at Levine Manor, and I should be able to meet John. Grandpa must


    have him confined, which is why I can¡¯t reach him. I can ry anything he says once I see


    him.]


    Cordy did not reply this time, and Zoe pursed her lips.


    Whatever happened, she must find out what John really thought tonight.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    After removing her makeup, Zoe quickly left the dressing room since she could not wait to see John.


    But when she opened the door, she found herself staring at Mandy¡¯s face.


    They held each other¡¯s gaze for a moment, and Zoe was about to leave when Mandy started bragging,


    ¡°Jay and I are really in love. He protected me even though I¡¯m riddled with scandals.¡±


    ¡°So what are you trying to say?¡± Zoe asked, wheeling on Mandy and scoffing. ¡°That you¡¯re both vipers


    sharing a nest? That you¡¯re both terrible people and deserve each other?¡±


    ¡°Quit being sour grapes, and there¡¯s no need to pretend. You like Jay, don¡¯t you?¡± Mandy said


    confidently. ¡°You stole my role because you slept with him, no?¡±


    Zoe shrugged. ¡°Why¡¯d you presume that everyone is as blind as you are, or that they all sleep around


    for roles?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mandy snapped angrily. ¡°I¡¯m warning you-stay away from Jay! I can remove b*tches like you


    who have no connections or influence in showbiz! And know this: I¡¯ll be visiting his parents at his home,


    and we¡¯ll be married soon enough!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 217

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 217


    Chapter 217


    Zoe was taken aback.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    She did not doubt Jay and Mandy¡¯s rtionship since Mandy was right-when Cordy exposed her on


    live TV, Jay did not seem to care that Mandy was clearly guilty. He even shielded Mandy and protected


    her from the journalists hounding her, and that was all one needed to know about their rtionship.


    However, she did not expect Jay to bring Mandy home to meet his parents so soon.


    Even if Jay was not actually n¡¯s biological son, he had always stayed with n despite how strict


    n was with him. As for Mandy, her reputation was so terrible she had zero prospects in


    showbiz now.


    And with the Jessops being caught in various other scandals, they were not even invited to the Levine


    Ventures¡¯ 60th anniversary celebration.


    Was Jay really not afraid that n would kick Mandy out the front door as soon as she arrived?


    As those many thoughts crossed Zoe¡¯s mind, Mandy presumed that Zoe was too jealous to speak.


    In reality, she was surprised that Jay had invited her to Levine Manor for dinner as well.


    He was distant toward her at best, and she never would have imagined that he would bring her


    home.


    However, Jay only protected her during her most vulnerable moment to repay her favor since he had


    used her to clear his name when he had that scandal with Zoe.


    He made it very clear that night.


    And no matter how much she pretended to be vulnerable and make him stay, he turned and left


    once she brought her home.


    Even after all this while, the only intimacy they had was when they took those photos to announce their


    rtionship. Since then, she did not even get to hold his hand.


    And yet, he called her today, saying that she wasing with him to Levine Mansion tonight.


    Even if he made it clear that she would be meeting his parents, she was happy anyway.


    That was why she came to visit as his girlfriend, bringing everyone food and deliberately neglecting to


    tell Zoe.


    And she was certainly feeling cathartic to see Zoe¡¯s reaction and kept scoffing. ¡°You should know your


    ce by now, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Zoe snorted in utter disdain and simply strode off as Mandy watched without another word.


    Zoe¡¯s appearance was already sublime, and everything from the straightness of her back and the sway


    in her hips only made her look more the part of a star actress.


    That sight alone left Mandy fuming.


    What was Zoe getting so smug about?!


    Once Mandy confirmed her rtionship with Jay and secured the influence of the Levines, the first


    thing she would do was cancel Zoe!


    Zoe and Penny headed straight to her MPV, not caring at all what Mandy thought.


    However, they had to overhear some gossipers when they walked past a lounge.


    Zoe had always liked gossip, and since she was the subject, she stopped to listen.


    There were two production crew members inside the lounge, and one of them was munching on the


    confectionery Mandy bought as he said, ¡°I always thought Zoe was better looking than Mandy, but


    Mandy is really generous. I mean, this stuff is straight from North City¡¯s most expensive tearoom, so


    she must¡¯ve spent several grand here. Must be nice being rich!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why the rich only marry rich,¡± the other crew membermented. ¡°Such a shame that Zoe lost


    out there.¡±


    ¡°Why would it be a shame? Don¡¯t you see how sweet and tender Mandy is around Jay? You can¡¯t hide


    the look in your eyes when you¡¯re in love. As for Zoe, have you even seen her look directly at Jay


    unless she has to? Prideful women are just too difficult to please. I¡¯m actually convinced that Jay and


    Mandy deserve each other.¡±


    The other crew member joked, ¡°That confectionery really tastes good, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been fair toward everyone¡­¡±


    Penny, who was beside Zoe, could not bear to listen to that anymore.


    However, when she sneaked a nce at Zoe, she saw no reaction from Zoe at all, as if the crew


    members were not talking about Zoe.


    Then, before Penny could storm inside the lounge to snap at the crew members, Zoe shot her a look,


    stopping her.


    With that, they both left, with Penny wondering how Zoe was managing to take it in stride.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 218

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 218


    Chapter 218


    Zoe sat calmly in her MPV even as Penny kept rambling on beside her. ¡°Those ingrates, turning coats


    as soon as Mandy bought them some snacks! Don¡¯t they remember that you¡¯ve been treating them to


    tea every other day? Put together, that¡¯s way more than what it cost Mandy! And why won¡¯t you let me


    scold them, Zoe? Badmouthing us behind our backs¡­ it¡¯s outrageous!¡±


    ¡°Their mouths are theirs. They can say whatever they like,¡± Zoe told Penny.


    Penny pouted. ¡°But they¡¯re also questioning your rtionship with Jay..


    ¡°And they¡¯re right,¡± Zoe said tly-she never looked at Jay directly unless she had to.


    Penny had more to say but Zoe cut her short. ¡°I need to leave early today, so I¡¯ll be putting you down at


    the junction ahead. Take a faxi home-you can im the fare from Linda.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Penny nodded, earnestly finding Zoe a kind soul right then.


    After all, was there any other celebrity who gave their assistant a ride home?!


    In fact, Zoe would always make sure to send Penny to her doorstep if she had the time. And in special


    cases like today, she would let Penny im the taxi fare.


    Honestly, how was Zoe prideful?!


    Zoe returned to Levine Manor early, so there was no one else aside from her grandfather and parents


    in the living room.


    She wanted to ask about what would happen during dinner on multiple asions but she had to stay


    quiet since her mother kept shooting her warning looks.


    However, sitting idly like that was as boring as it was awkward.


    After some thought, Zoe rose to her feet and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I wait for John at the front door? It¡¯s more


    solemn that way.¡±


    Before Nancy could speak, n nodded, giving his approval for once. ¡°Go.¡±


    Zoe happily left the living room, though in reality she just wanted to check her phone away from her


    grandfather¡¯s sight.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    It was a family rule not to use their phones in front of elders.


    As such, she headed to the front door, took out her phone, and fiddled with it while she waited for


    John.


    After waiting for a while, a familiar ck car stopped outside.


    Jay alighted first and walked around the car to open the door for Zoe like a true gentleman.


    After she got out, Jay told her to wait outside for her while he drove the car to the garage.


    However, Mandy¡¯s face fell as soon as she spotted Zoe using her phone at the door as if it was only


    natural


    Mandy thought she was seeing things¡­ but it really was Zoe!


    What right did Zoe have to be there?!


    Was Zoe so upset at Mandy telling her she wasing that she decided toe here and mess with


    her?!


    Was Zoe trying to blow things out of proportion?!


    How shameless could she get?!


    !


    However, Mandy was not about to let Zoe ruin her meeting with Jay¡¯s parents.


    With that in mind, she strode up to Zoe and pped her across the face with a loud smack!


    She caught Zoe by surprise, leaving her dumbstruck!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 219

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 219


    Chapter 219


    All Zoe felt was her cheek burning.


    She thought that Mandy would be surprised to find her here, even finding it uneptable that someone


    was better than her since she was so used to feeling superior.


    She really did not expect Mandy to p her right away, and it left her dumbstruck for seconds.


    Even the security guards at the door were left stunned, unable to react.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know any shame, Zoe?!¡± Mandy bellowed at her right then, her teeth gnashing with fury.


    ¡°How dare you show up here?! You¡¯re reallying this far to stop me from meeting Jay¡¯s parents?!


    Have you not heard a word of my warning this afternoon?!¡±


    Zoe came to her senses then and touched her swollen cheek.


    To be honest, she had never lost much in life, save for when it came to Jay.


    And she would not begrudge Jay that.


    As for anyone else¡­


    Zoe¡¯s eyes narrowed right then and she raised her hand, ready to return the favor!


    However, someone caught her wrist as soon as she raised her hand, and Zoe turned to find Jay


    appearing out of the blue.


    Mandy saw him too and promptly hid behind Jay, pretending to be afraid and crying, ¡°Jay, she¡¯s trying


    to hit me¡­¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± Zoe bellowed, leveling a frightening, icy re at Jay right then!


    One could easily imagine how furious Zoe was at the moment!


    ¡°Don¡¯t make a ruckus. This is Levine Manor,¡± Jay reminded Zoe.


    ¡°So I have to suffer you two in my own house?!¡± Zoe snarled loudly and clearly.


    While Jay pursed his lips, Mandy appeared to mellow out after he showed up-a far cry from her


    conceited self when she pped Zoe


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean, your house?¡± Mandy asked innocently. ¡°Look, Zoe, I know you like Jay, but he¡¯s


    with me now, and we¡¯re even discussing the prospect of marriage. You really shouldn¡¯t bother him or


    things will end badly for all of us if things get out of hand¡­ It would be a shame if your career in


    showbiz ended because of that!¡±


    ¡°Let¡­ go!¡± Zoe¡¯s eyes were still fixed on Jay, totally ignoring Mandy.


    ¡°I owe you one p,¡± Jay told Zoe.


    Zoe raised a brow. ¡°You mean, that I should p you instead?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°How loving.¡± Zoe smiled despite her seething rage.


    Jay said nothing, and she wrestled against his hold-which hurt a lot. ¡°How am I going to hit you if I don¡¯t


    let go?


    Jay pursed his lips, and he slowly released her.


    But the instant she was free-


    Smack!


    Zoe¡¯s p hit Mandy squarely on her cheek, and she certainly put her back into it-this one hurt far more


    than the p Mandy gave her!


    And with that, Mandy¡¯s face was redder and more swollen than Zoe¡¯s cheek, and her tears were


    streaming from the pain!


    She absolutely would not have expected Zoe to hit her, though she would not have been able to ept


    Zoe hitting Jay either.


    Zoe simply moved so fast she did not even get to speak!


    ¡°Zoe York¡­¡± she growled, livid!


    Having been spoiled since a child, she was not about to suffer such indignation!


    She raised her hand, intent on pping Zoe again.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 220

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 220


    Chapter 220


    Jay suddenly pulled Mandy into his arms to stop her from hitting Zoe again. ¡°Enough!¡±


    But Mandy was not having any of it-she struggled against his hold, all while snarling savagely. She has


    no right to hover around you! She¡¯s so shameless she woulde here to Levine Manor! Who does


    she think she is?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just anyone. I¡¯m just the granddaughter of the average Joe named n Levine!¡± Zoe retorted


    right then.


    While Mandy was left taken aback and unable to respond, Zoe asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell? Well, it¡¯s not


    that widely known in North City¡­ But what if I told you he¡¯s the board chairman of Levine


    Ventures?¡±


    Mandy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she abruptly came to a realization.


    But she simply could not believe it. It was simply impossible!


    There was no way Zoe could be n¡¯s granddaughter!


    If she were, would she have to work so hard for her showbiz career? With Levine Ventures owning half


    the studios out there, Zoe would have been able to strut anywhere she went! But Mandy herself saw a


    particrly upset director screaming at Zoe while she was still a starlet because she messed up a


    scene!


    Mandy was certainly aware that n had a granddaughter, but the granddaughter had never shown


    her face in public. Rumor has it that the Levines kept her sheltered, reluctant to expose her to the


    public because they did not want her life to be affected. There were even ims that n spoiled her


    to bits and raised her personally.


    Mandy turned toward Jay, asking with a look if it was true.


    Jay nodded, and Mandy was mind blown.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Her entire body started to tremble uncontrobly¡­ the person she had been constantly harassing was


    a Levine family member!


    So Jay was just being nice to Zoe because she was his niece and not what Mandy came to


    believe?!


    And Zoe was here at Levine Manor because it was her own house, and not to hound Jay?!


    Mandy¡¯s face turned pale when all those realizations hit her.


    She had never been this afraid, not even when Cordy exposed her on live TV, since she was not afraid


    of Cordy¡¯s retaliation.


    On the other hand, Zoe was n¡¯s granddaughter, and revenge could not be easier for Zoe.


    She could evenin to n and forbid Jay from dating her¡­


    Suddenly petrified, Mandy could not speak at all.


    However, Zoe ignored Mandy¡¯s bewilderment entirely and turned toward the man beside her even


    though she really hated looking at him.


    But there were asions when it was unavoidable.


    *Jay Parker, you really should know your ce,¡± Zoe said. ¡°You¡¯re just my grandfather¡¯s adopted son,


    and our family¡¯s blood doesn¡¯t flow in your veins, just as you have no right to inherit the family


    business. To true Levines like us, you¡¯re no more than an outsider, an inconsequential existence. That


    is why you have no right to demand anything from me, and that includes who I want to p!¡±


    They really knew each other, which was why they knew exactly what to say to really make it hurt.


    ¡°Yes, I will be more careful next time,¡± Jay replied, calmly and dispassionately epting Zoe¡¯s abuse.


    She did not feel much emotion toward him just then, for even loathing seemed an excess.


    Jay in turn knew how to behave around her or wound her profoundly.


    And since Zoe was used to it, she cared a lot less now.


    At that very moment, several Bentleys drove in through the front gates.


    Zoe paused and turned toward the convoy.


    At the same time, n was being wheeled out by his butler, with Nancy and Ivan following him.


    Naturally, it went without saying that anyone who warranted such a reception from the Levines would


    not be trivial!

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221


    Chapter 221


    Three Bentleys were parked right outside the main entrance of Levine Manor, and the security guard


    rushed forward to open the doors.


    The first one to walk out was John, who was dressed in a ck suit that emphasized his towering


    figure and imposing aura.


    After getting out of the car, he ceremoniously bent forward to help Jessica out of the car.


    Jessica smiled coyly.


    "Thank you."


    "Don''t mention it."


    John nodded, politely yet distantly.


    Jessica kept the smile on her face, as if she did not care about John''s attitude toward her.


    The two of them walked one after another to the car next to them and waited respectfully.


    Old Mr.William Stuart came out of the car with the help of his personal butler.


    Although he was over 70 years of age and his hair had gonepletely white, he looked hale and


    hearty as he stood tall and straight.


    Jessica''s parents, Andy Stuart and Wendy Stone, together with her brother, James Stuart, came out of


    thest Bentley.


    The Stuart family, helmed by William, began walking toward the house.


    At the same time, n was being pushed in William''s direction.


    The two men were long-time friends, but the frequency at which they met each other declined along


    with their respective health conditions.


    Now that they finally met each other, both of them were feeling emotional.


    William bent forward and hugged n.


    "n, it''s been a while."


    "It has, indeed."


    They began engaging in small talk, catching up on all the lost years.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Everyone else stood respectfully next to them, not daring to act out of line in any way.


    Mandy was taken aback by the aura she could sense from the scene and dared not make a peep.


    When news of John and Jessica''s engagement broke, she was ted.


    It was clear proof that Cordy was nothing more than John''s secret lover.


    Now that she thought about it, they did not dere their rtionship to the public even after so long.


    Wasn''t that because John did not want Cordy''s existence to be known to the world?! She would like


    no.velebook to see how smug Cordy could be now! What a joke! She even took the effort to look into


    Jessica''s background, after which she despised Cordy even more so.


    What gave a scandalous woman like her the right to fight with Jessica over a man?! Jessica''s life was


    almost perfect, so much so that even someone like herself who would never admit that another woman


    was better had to concede defeat before Jessica.


    Mandy could not help but sneak a peek at Jessica.


    Jessica seemed to sense someone looking at her and turned around to look.


    Mandy immediately shifted her gaze away, not daring to look into Jessica''s eyes.She suddenly felt like


    a frog in the well, unexposed and knowing nothing of the world, and she was at aplete loss as to


    how to act.She had never gotten cold feet like this.She sneaked another peek at the people around her


    and Zoe who was not far away.


    The sight of Zoe looking all rxed and calm made her upset.


    Jay, who was standing at the side, was equallyposed as well.


    It was as if they were very used to witnessing this scene.She seemed to be the only one out of ce in


    this circle of the wealthy and powerful.


    Mandy felt indignant from the bottom of her heart.


    Firstly, it was because she truly felt the hit from the sense of inferiority that arose from the depths of her


    heart.


    She had never felt like this from a young age, yet now, a mere family banquet was enough to make her


    feel utterly ashamed of herself.

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222


    Chapter 222


    Secondly, she had thought that she was the star of tonight''s banquet.She was the oneing to meet


    the parents, yet no one from the Levine family bothered to even look at her.She found it uneptable


    being disregarded by others this way.


    Yet, she dared not express her displeasure.


    For the very first time in her life, she felt like a nobody in front of these people.


    After n and William exchanged pleasantries, they entered the hall of Levine Manor and walked


    straight toward the luxurious dining hall.


    Everyone took their seats in order of hierarchy around the massive banquet table.


    Servants stood ready at the side to serve and help with dinner proceedings.


    Conversations at the table werergelyposed of n and William catching up with each other,


    reminiscing over past memories and chatting up a storm.


    "I wanted to join Levine Ventures¡¯ 60th anniversary celebration, but I had to make ast minute trip to


    the capital city.My apologies, n," William said sincerely.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    "You''re being a stranger by apologizing.But I hope you don''t mind that I went ahead to announce John


    and Jessica''s engagement in your absence."


    "What are you talking about? We agreed on the engagement a long time ago.To have the engagement


    announced at such a momentous asion of the Levines is Jessica''s honor,"


    William hurriedly responded.


    "Just listen to you.It''s John''s honor to be able to marry Jessica, as much as it is the honor of the Levine


    household."


    n added without missing a beat.


    The two of them continued singing praises about each other and their families.


    Zoe shot her brother a nce.She had no chance to talk to John privately given that the elders were


    around.She was unable to tell from the expressionless look on his face whether he truly epted the


    engagement no.velebook with the Stuarts, and it made her anxious.


    "Oh yes, you and your family hardlye by North City.Stay for a couple more days.I''ll have John


    bring all of you around.North City has developed quite fast over the years and much has changed,"


    n warmly invited them.


    "Coincidentally, I''m free this week.I only need to make a trip to the capital city next week."


    William agreed with n''s suggestion and added, "But my body isn''t in great condition, so sightseeing


    around the ce is out of the question.I just want to y chess with you over some tea."


    "That''s true.You can see for yourself the state of my health too.I''m wheelchair-bound and it''s not


    convenient for me to head out.Though us old folks can''t head out, the youngsters can go out and have


    fun by themselves.They''ve spent much time abroad, but John has returned for half a year and they


    might feel a little distant."


    n turned to look at John, "John, from tomorrow on, spend more time with Jessica.I''ll have Randy


    settle work matters in the office."


    "Sure." John acquiesced.He did not look enthusiastic about it, but neither did he look particrly


    resistant against the idea.


    "Jessica," n called.


    "Grandpa," Jessica addressed him cordially as she put her spoon down, exuding perfect upper-ss


    manners.


    "Go out and have some fun with John tomorrow.Just let him know where you''d like to go, anywhere is


    fine.Should John dare to bully you, just tell me," n said benevolently to Jessica.


    "Thank you Grandpa, though John wouldn''t bully me," Jessica replied with a chuckle.


    "He''s always taken good care of me while we were both living abroad."


    "That''s good."


    n nodded,forted by Jessica''s words.


    "Oh yes, why don''t I see Dicky around today?"


    Jessica suddenly piped up, "I used to see him every day.Now that Dicky and John have returned home,


    I haven''t seen him for so long that I miss him terribly."


    "Dicky''s in grade school now and has sses at night," John replied to her.


    "Does Dicky still need additional sses? He''s such a brilliant child! " Jessica was surprised.


    "He''s not too great at spelling," John exined.


    Jessica could not hold back a chuckle.


    Richard had been living abroad since young.It was good enough that he knew how to speak English.


    "I was about to nominate myself as a tutor for Dicky if you''re too busy.But my writtennguage isn''t


    exactly fantastic.I spent a lot of my time abroad when I was young, just like you," Jessica said rather


    helplessly.


    "It''s fine.We hired a home tutor for him," John said tly.


    His tone matched his overall attitude toward Jessica¡ªneither proactive nor resistant.Anger boiled in


    Zoe as she watched on.


    D*mn that scumbag.

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223


    Chapter 223


    John and Jessica chatted in a desultory manner as the dinner went on.Both sets of parents felt d to


    see them getting along so well.


    Zoe was the only one who felt so frustrated she wanted to smash a spoon and leave the scene.


    The thought of Cordy...Zoe told herself to calm down.She had to remain calm.


    "How old is Zoe this year?" William suddenly singled her out.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Zoe was shocked.She was sure things did not bode well with such a question at such an asion.


    Out of courtesy, Zoe put down her spoon and smiled.


    "Grandpa Stuart, I''m turning 25 this year."


    "It''s been so long since Ist saw you, and you''ve grown up to be such a charming youngdy.I heard


    that you''re carving out a career for yourself in the entertainment industry?"


    "My academic results were poor so I was left with no choice but to be an entertainer," Zoe said self-


    deprecatingly.


    William was tickled by Zoe''s remarks.


    "There are truckloads of people who can study, but not many people can act."


    "Then please help me persuade my grandfather.He keeps telling me to quit the entertainment circle."


    Zoe seized the opportunity to turn the tide in her favor.


    "Sure, I''ll find a chance to persuade that old fogey of your grandfather," William joked.


    The atmosphere at the table was very pleasant.


    Mandy bit her lip.


    Mandy had always looked down on Zoe, thinking that she got to where she was on the basis of


    unspoken rules.


    Yet now, Zoe was evidently able to engage in a conversation with the patriarch of Rocktown''s


    no.velebook wealthiest and most powerful family with such ease, and she could even make him


    chuckle so merrily.


    Mandy felt extremely jealous inside! "Oh yes, do you have a boyfriend?"


    William asked Zoe.


    "How would I have the chance to?"


    Zoe replied with a smile, ''No man would want a woman like me."


    Jay''s grip over his spoon tightened.


    "There you go, teasing me again," William said kindly.


    "It''s true, no one likes me,"


    Zoe said with utmost seriousness.


    "Why don''t I introduce someone to you?" Zoe was shocked.


    "My grandson, James Stuart."


    William went on, saying, "He''s 30, slightly older than you are and with a great personality.Would he be


    your cup of tea?"


    His eyes darted toward James seated next to him.He was wearing a pair of rimmed sses and looked


    urbane and genteel.


    "Please, no, no." Zoe rejected hurriedly.


    "Zoe," n warned.


    "It''s not that I don''t fancy James, but James practically watched me grow up.He feels just like my older


    brother.It would feel like incest if I were to think of him in the romantic sense!" Zoe exined in a rush.


    "What''s more, I''m sure James wouldn''t like someone as loud as I am.Right, James?"


    James pushed his sses up his nose and said smilingly, "Not exactly."


    Zoe''s eyes widened.


    Jessica chimed in from the side, "I like how loud you are.I always feel so joyful when I''m with you.My


    brother often mentions you in front of me, and he watches every single drama and movie you''re in."


    Zoe looked at James and said in a trembling voice, "Do you seriously fancy me?"


    James smiled at her warmly.He was seated right next to Zoe, although it was unclear whether it was a


    deliberate arrangement.He reached out and caressed her head, just like an older brother would do to


    his sister as he said, "I do appreciate your personality.I never said that I fancy you.


    But since we''re both currently single, if you are interested, I don''t mind giving it a try between us..."


    "I''m not interested." Zoe tly rejected him.


    "The entertainment industry doesn''t allow its celebrities to enter a rtionship so casually.What''s more,


    my brother and your sister are engaged right now.Let''s not make things tooplicated."


    "It''s notplicated at all.We''ll only be closer," William added with a smile.


    "Grandpa, don''t scare Zoe," James said in Zoe''s defense.


    "Zoe is right.John and Jessica''s weddinges first."


    "Their wedding is already written in stone, all they need to do is to find a date," William said in a light


    and carefree tone.


    "You''re no longer young now, I''m just worried you''ll end up all alone. Seize the chance when ites."


    "I will."


    James nodded as the topic on him and Zoe finally drew to a close.


    After dinner, the two families sat around the hall, some enjoying a conversation over tea while some


    engaged in a game of chess.


    No one appeared to have the intention to leave at all.


    Seeing that the time was now, Zoe finally grabbed at the opportunity to speak to John privately.

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224


    Chapter 224


    She pulled her brother all the way to a dark corner in the backyard of the house.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    "John, what''s with your engagement to Jessica?!"


    Zoe was in a rage but she had to suppress her volume.Her eyes darted warily toward the house, for


    fear that someone woulde by.


    "How is she?"


    John counter-questioned in his low voice.He was, of course, referring to Cordy.


    "You have the cheek to ask about her?!"


    Zoe said in a huff, "You vanished into thin air over these two days just like that, not picking up your


    phone andpletely missing in action.How do you think she''s doing? She''s probably putting up a


    strong front, what else? Do you want her to drown in her tears?"


    "My phone was confiscated by Grandpa,"


    John exined, "He''s keeping a very close watch on me."


    "I knew Grandpa, that old fox, was sly and cunning.What are you going to do now? Will you really


    marry Jessica?"


    Zoe asked, "Or were you really fooling around with Cordy..."


    John red at her.


    Zoe shut her mouth.Her brother had lived a chaste life for so many years.He could not possibly do


    something like that! "why don''t I lend you my phone so you can no.velebook give Cordy a call?"


    Zoe started pulling her phone out from her pocket as she spoke.


    Before she could hand the phone over to John, a voice sounded from the darkness.


    "Young Master." Zoe nearly screamed with fright.She turned around to look in disbelief at the


    bodyguard in ck right before her.


    When did this man appear right next to them? He did it so discreetly.


    "Old Master has instructed for you to not have any private contact with anyone before Ms.Stuart leaves


    North City," the bodyguard said respectfully.


    "I''ll be d*mned!" Zoe could not hold back a curse.


    How inhumane could this get?! Her grandfather had always ruled with an iron first, and everything he


    says went in the Levine family.But did he have to go to such an extreme extent? Her brother was a


    man, not a dog.


    Did he not deserve even an ounce of freedom?!


    "I am merely acting ording to Old Master''s orders.Young Master, Miss, please understand," the


    bodyguard bowed.


    Zoe nced at John.


    What now? The look in her eyes conveyed the question in her mind.She wondered if her brother would


    just lose his freedom entirely if Jessica were to decide to stay in North City forever.


    John said, "Tell her to wait for me."


    "For how long?" Zoe asked.


    "Young Master."


    The bodyguard stood, ready to make a move.He was probably going to pin John down if they were to


    speak any further.


    John simply walked away without another word.


    Zoe just stood stock-still as she watched him leave.


    ''¡®D*mn it! ''Is John just going to resign himself to circumstance?!'' Even she could not bear it, not to


    mention Cordy.Zoe returned to the house, muttering curses under her breath as she waited for the


    torturous banquet toe to an end.At 10 PM, the two old men finally returned to their rooms.That was


    when everyone else could finally leave.Zoe initially didn''t intend to stay over at Levine Manor, but she


    could not resist her mother''s nagging and had no choice but to stay.


    On her way back to her room, she walked past Jay''s room and saw Mandy inside...


    If Zoe were to be honest, she had never seen Mandy keeping such a low profile, as if she were


    invisible like air.


    Zoe almost forgot that Mandy was joining them for dinner at Levine Manor tonight.

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225


    Chapter 225


    Mandy saw Zoe standing at the door at the same time.


    n had called for Jay, who in turn told Mandy to wait for him in the room so that he could send her


    backter.She had no idea why even came here tonight in the first ce.


    From the beginning to the end, no one in the Levine household paid any attention to her, not to mention


    the Stuart family.


    She felt extremely awkward bumping into Zoe at this point.


    The thought of how she used to mock and despise Zoe and talk so arrogantly to her made her utterly


    ashamed of herself.She could not bear to imagine how much the outside world would attack and mock


    her should they find out about Zoe''s true identity.


    Zoe could of course sense Mandy''s embarrassment.She sneered.


    A woman like Mandy did not deserve even an ounce of sympathy from her.


    Zoe strode past with a slight air of haughtiness.


    Mandy felt indignant.


    In the past, she had been the one behaving this way toward Zoe.


    Yet now, not only did she have to be on the receiving end of Zoe''s arrogance, but she also had to


    swallow it silently.


    Worst of all, she would have to swallow it in silence from now on! Just when Zoe reached the door of


    her own room, she saw Jay walking down the corridor from the other end.


    Both of their gazes locked.


    Zoe turned into her room.


    "Zoe," Jay called out.


    Zoe stopped in her tracks.


    "Not going to Cordy''s tonight?" he asked "I''ll shut my door and windows tight so that I won''t hear


    anythinging from you and Mandy''s room next door," Zoe said sarcastically.


    Jay remained silent.


    Zoe felt that there was nothing left between them.


    Even being rtives was going to be a challenge.She made a move to enter her room again.


    "James isn''t bad," Jay remarked behind her.


    Zoeughed.


    Did he call her just to rush her into a rtionship so that she would no.velebook stop fantasizing about


    him?!


    "I know," Zoe turned back to say.


    "But in matters of the heart, I make my own decisions.I wouldn''t dare make you worry about me.And


    don''t worry, I have absolutely zero expectations of you and won''t bother you in your rtionship.As for


    my conflict with Mandy, that''s between us and has nothing to do with you.Whether she is your girlfriend


    or not doesn''t change the fact that I hate her.Of course, I won''t show that before the Levines, and as far


    as I can help it, I won''t affect your marriage ns with her."


    "That''s not what I meant..."


    "I don''t want to know what you mean.I''ve told you what I think in hopes that you won''t bother me in the


    future,"


    Zoe interrupted Jay mid-sentence.


    "Good night, Mr.Parker."


    Zoe mmed the door shut.


    Whether she still loved him or not, Jay was a person of the past.


    Jay stared at the tightly shut door.


    Zoe did not bother hiding her disdain and even disgust toward him.


    Perhaps that was for the better.He turned around and returned to his own room.


    Mandy immediately put on a smile.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    "Jay."


    "My dad wants to see you," he said in response.


    Mandy was shocked.


    The next moment, her shock gave way to feeling ttered.


    It was natural that they were wrapped up with entertaining the Stuarts and the Levines, given how


    important they were, and inevitable that they neglected her in the process.


    Now that they had settled the Stuarts in properly, they finally had the time to meet her properly.


    Joy erupted in her heart but she kept herself looking reserved on the surface.


    "Jay, is your dad easygoing? Will he make things difficult for me? I feel so nervous."


    "He won''t pick on you," Jay said mildly.


    "Let''s go." Mandy wrapped her arms around Jay''s, making herself look weak and vulnerable.


    Jay did not reject her advances.

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226


    Chapter 226


    When they arrived outside the door of n''s study, Jay stopped in his tracks and said, ''My dad''s


    waiting for you inside."


    "Aren''t you going in with me?"


    "He only wants to see you."


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    "Jay..."


    Mandy was getting really nervous.


    "Just speak your mind," Jay assured her.


    "It''s not like he will gobble you up."


    Mandy took a deep breath.


    Although it was her first time visiting Levine Manor, she knew that there were house rules that she


    could not object to.She had no choice but to bite the bullet and knock on the door.


    When she walked into the study, she saw n seated before his study table, sipping on tea.


    The door closed behind Mandy.She looked cautiously at n and greeted reverentially, "Mr.Levine."


    "Sit," n said as he nced at Mandy.


    Mandy immediately obeyed.


    Perhaps because she was too nervous, her foot identally kicked the redwood chair no.velebook


    while she was taking a seat, and the legs of the chair scratched against the floor, making an ear-


    piercing screech.


    "I-I''m sorry..."


    Mandy hurriedly apologized.


    She looked panic-stricken and at a loss.


    n took note of every expression that crossed Mandy''s face.


    Thest person who sat there talking to him was Cordy.


    Uponparison, both women were worlds apart.


    As the most sessful businessman in North City, n was naturally adept at keeping his emotions in


    check.


    He said, "Ms.Jessop, you visited our family today and, I believe, saw for yourself our family situation."


    "I did," Mandy immediately replied, clearly trying her best to leave a good impression.


    "In that case, Ms. Jessop, you should have some self-awareness and know that the Levine family is


    clearly out of your league." n was blunt and straightforward with his words, not bothering at all to


    preserve Mandy''s dignity.


    Mandy''s face fell in an instant.She could not believe her ears.She had thought thating here to see


    Jay''s parents was implicitly an acknowledgement of her as his partner.She never expected to be told to


    give up!


    "The Jessop Corp of the past might have the right to talk about a marriage alliance with us Levines, but


    ever since Cordy Sachs left, I don''t see any future in Jessop Corp.


    What''s more, countless scandals that have broken out recently have caused Jessop Corp''s shares to


    decline sharply in value.


    Coupled with your own fair share of scandals, my household will never be able to ept you.


    Topensate you for your loss, I can fulfill one request of yours.


    "n cut to the chase and went straight to the point.He did not want to waste time on this.


    "Jay and I truly love..."


    "Not so,"


    n immediately cut Mandy off.


    "It has been one-sided on your part all along.It''s just that Jay is softhearted and couldn''t bear to reject


    you because of how you''ve helped him.I, as his father, will just have to be the bad guy."


    Mandy was rendered speechless by what n said.


    Firstly, his domineering aura was so overpowering that she could not go against it at all.


    Secondly, it was true that Jay''s affections for her were not deep.


    "Ms.Jessop, you have three options.One is to leave Jay.Break up on good terms and you two might


    remain as friends.Secondly is to take what I''m willing to give you and leave Jay.Of course, I won''t tell


    Jay what happened and won''t influence his impression of you.Third is for me to seek out your father


    and have him intercept you and Jay''s rtionship."


    Mandy bit her lip.


    It was the first time someone forced her so tightly into a corner, and it was a terrible feeling.


    "It''s gettingte.Ms.Jessop, you''d better make a decision quickly, "


    n urged, his patience running thin with her.


    "I want to be a female lead in a top movie,"


    Mandy said through gritted teeth and red-rimmed eyes.


    "Okay,"


    n said in agreement.


    He did not exactly despise Mandy for choosing to gain something out of this; as a businessman


    himself, he had long gotten used to quid pro quo terms.


    It was just that Mandy had her sights set too low.


    Earlier, he had made himself clear about Jessop Corp''s impending crisis, yet she ended up concerned


    only about her own career.


    Such a narrow-minded woman had no right to enter the Levine family.

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227


    Chapter 227


    They arrived at a consensus.


    Mandy walked out of n''s study.


    n sipped on his tea and sighed.


    "I separated two couples in a span of two days."


    "It was necessary with Ms.Sachs, but not with Ms.Jessop."


    Having been with n for many years, Butler Lawrence could naturally understand what was going on


    in his mind.


    "Sir, you called Ms.Jessop over just to test her and not to break them up.She was the one who failed to


    meet your standards, sir."


    In fact, it had nothing to do with Jessop Corp and her previous scandals.


    n chuckled.


    Indeed, Lawrence was right.


    Had Cordy and Mandy exchanged positions, things would have turned out different.


    When Mandy walked out of the study, she burst right into tears the moment she saw Jay.


    Of course, Jay knew what his father had done.


    His father had made himself clear that whoever yearned to enter the gates of the Levine household had


    to first go through him.


    Mandy clearly did not make the mark.


    In fact, he knew what the oue would be even before she went into the study.


    He did not object to it because that way...things between him and Mandy could finally end.


    They started out as a faux couple in the first ce anyway, but Mandy was the one who kept asking for


    more.


    "Come on.I''ll send you back,"


    Jay pulled Mandy away and led her to the gates of the house.


    Mandy stopped in her tracks.


    Jay turned around to look at her.


    "Jay Parker, did you already know that your father won''t ept me? And you deliberately made me


    come here today to embarrass me, right?"


    Mandy flung his arm away and questioned him.As dumb as she was, she finally figured things out.


    Jay stood silent.His silence was enough to answer her question.


    Smack! Mandy gave Jay a tight p across his face.


    Overwhelming embarrassment gave way to uncontroble emotions and the indignance she felt


    throughout the day came gushing forth.


    Meanwhile, Zoe was smoking a cigarette on the balcony of her own room.


    She was not an avid smoker, but she had never been able to resist a couple whenever no.velebook


    she felt frustrated and troubled.She was just thinking about giving Cordy a call once her mood lifted


    when she saw the explosive scene.She looked on at the two of them fighting, as if she were enjoying a


    joke.


    Of course, she could not make out what they were saying.


    Zoe wondered if it was because Mandy could not swallow the p that she gave her and decided to


    return the p to Jay.


    See, how smart of her.


    If she were to p Jay, it might not necessarily teach Mandy a lesson.


    But pping Mandy meant that Jay would be implicated as well, and she would be killing two birds with


    one stone.She had the upper hand this time.


    Back at the door, Mandy''s tears flowed.


    "You could''ve just told me directly if you wanted a break up.Why must you embarrass me like this?"


    "I have told you before.Did you listen?" Jay refuted.


    Mandy bit her lip.


    Jay had told her many times before that they were just pretending to be acouple.


    After their poprity faded, their rtionship would be non-existent.She was the one who insisted


    on taking things further, finding ways to cling onto him and not let go.


    "It''s gettingte."


    Jay did not want to talk any further.


    Rather than saying that he did not want to pursue the matter, it was more urate to say that his


    patience toward her was running thin.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Mandy eventually sat in Jay''s car, and it was eerily quiet inside.


    "Can we still be friends in the future?"


    Mandy suddenly asked.


    Jay''s eyes trembled slightly, but he remained silent.


    "Your dad said if we break up amicably, we can still be friends," Mandy looked at Jay and went on.


    "Whatever it is, I was always there for you when you needed help.Can''t we be friends just on that


    basis?"


    "Yes, we can." Jay nodded.


    "Feel free toe to me if you need help in the future."


    "I''ll take your word for it."


    "Of course." Jay promised.


    That made Mandy feel a bit better.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228


    Chapter 228


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ''No worries" she assured herself.


    ¡®There''s ample time"


    Just because they had broken up now did not mean that they could not get back together again in the


    future.Her agreement to a break up and gaining from it by the way was merely a dying tactic on her


    end.She had never thought of giving up Jay just like this! The car arrived outside Jessop Vi.


    The moment Mandy stepped out of the car, Jay spoke up.


    "I need your help with one thing." Mandy was taken aback.


    Jay needed help from her? "Please keep Zoe''s identity a secret."


    Mandy was upset.She harbored an innate sense of animosity against Zoe, and the mere mention of


    Zoe''s name was enough to annoy her.


    "Exposing her identity doesn''t benefit you." Jay went straight to the point.


    "Do you fancy Zoe?"


    Mandy looked right into Jay''s eyes.Women were umpteen times sharper when it came to their rivals in


    love.


    "I don''t."


    "Then why are you treating her so well?"


    "We''re all from the Levine household."


    "Zoe doesn''t treat you as family.


    Did you forget how she mocked you just now?!"


    "She''s been like that since young, straightforward in manner and speech." Jay defended Zoe.


    "Jay, are you just denying your feelings for Zoe because n doesn''t approve of your rtionship with


    her?"


    Mandy''s voice was filled with certainty.She might have initially thought that the subtle nuances in Jay


    and Zoe''s rtionship were because they were rted.


    Yet now that she was calm and thinking straight, she realized that there were many tell-tale signs.


    What''s more, having personally faced n and witnessed his domineering aura, she knew that no one


    no.velebook was capable of going against whatever he had decided upon.


    Jay could not possibly go against n! "No.Stop guessing."


    Jay had no intention of speaking further.


    "Just remember what I said earlier."


    With that, he drove away with nary a goodbye.Mandy bit her lip hard.


    Whatever it was, whether she really liked him or not, she would never let Jay be with anyone else! In


    the courtyard of Levine Manor, Zoe watched the ck car drive off as she puffed on a cigarette.She


    pulled out her phone and made acall.


    "Cordy."


    Her tone was bright and easy, a stark contrast from how silent and brooding she was when she was


    smoking away just a moment ago.


    "Zoe."


    Cordy sounded equally calm and ordinary.


    Although if one paid attention, a trace of fatigue could be heard from her voice.


    "I''m noting back tonight.My mother refuses to let me go," Zoe grumbled.


    "Sure."


    "What are you doing?"


    "Still working?"


    "Are you that busy?" Zoe said as her brows furrowed. It was already past 11 PM.


    "I did take a week-long break," Cordy said lightly.


    It did not sound like she had any intention of avoiding what happened between her and John.


    Such an attitude was only possible provided she had truly let go of things.


    "I saw my brother today."


    Zoe decided to say that after a moment''s hesitation.


    Cordy''s fingers that were tapping away at her keyboard finally paused.She held her phone in her hands


    and picked up the cup of Americano on her table as she stood up and walked toward the full - length


    windows.


    After an entire day of sitting down, she should get up and stretch out her stiff joints.


    "The Stuarts joined us for dinner today,"


    Zoe went on, "My brother is under my grandpa''s surveince and has no way of calling or meeting


    you.He wants you to wait for him."


    "Okay," Cordy responded.


    Zoe thought she had misheard Cordy.She repeated what Cordy said in disbelief.


    "You''re willing to wait?"

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229


    Chapter 229


    Cordy sipped ona cup of coffee as she looked out at North City engulfed in the night.


    Once again, she decided not to leave North City.


    How big could the city get? There was always a chance they would see each other, and she had


    nowhere to hide anyway.


    It was as easy as pie for John to see her if he wanted to.


    What point was there for her to force things?


    "I''ll tell my brother."


    Zoe immediately broke into a huge smile.


    Cordy really appreciated Zoe''s personality.


    Zoe was carefree, lively, and cheerful, and hanging out with Zoe always made Cordy feel that bit more


    optimistic.


    "It''s gettingte.Rest early," Cordy reminded Zoe.


    "Same goes for you too.You''re always working so hard, your health will take a hit.Have you had


    dinner?"


    "Yes, Ihave."


    "Take care of yourself.I''lle back tomorrow and keep youpany."


    "Sure."


    Zoe happily hung up and headed straight for John''s room.


    There were many bodyguards standing right outside, and they all looked ready to make a move


    no.velebook the moment they saw her.


    Zoe pretended not to see them and reached out for the door handle.


    "Miss."


    One of the bodyguards suddenly stopped her.


    "I want to see my brother."


    "Young Master is asleep."


    "I''ll just wake him up."


    "Old Master said that no one is to see Young Master alone."


    "I''d say..."


    Zoe''s blood was beginning to boil.


    "Especially you, Miss," the bodyguard added.


    "Damn it!"


    Zoe cursed.


    "Miss, please don''t make things difficult for us," the bodyguard said with respect.


    Her grandfather was truly being serious about John''s engagement with Jessica. She was beginning to


    be worried.


    Would John still have any space for resistance?! Zoe gritted her teeth. She had no choice but to leave.


    By the time it was past midnight, Zoe thought that Jay might not return.


    Since Mandy was not staying overnight here, they could stay overnight elsewhere.


    Since they just had a fight, wasn''t sleeping with each other the best way to make up? Zoe turned away


    from the door of Jay''s room.


    The moment she took a step, she saw Jaying up the stairs.


    "Looking for me?" Jay asked.


    He was calm and cool.


    "My brother made me send word to Cordy to ask her to wait for him.I called Cordy just now and she


    said she was willing to wait.I was worried that my brother might overthink things so I wanted to tell him,


    but the bodyguards refused to let me enter his room.It''s probably because Grandpa knows that I''m


    close to Cordy and so, he specially instructed the guards not to let me see John alone.Could you help


    me send a message?" Zoe asked politely.


    "Sure," Jay nodded.


    "Thank you."


    Zoe thanked him before taking her leave.


    Jay simply looked at Zoe''s retreating figure.He saw her shut her door once again, as if it were a chasm


    that he could never ever cross.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Over the past few days, headlines of all major news outlets in North City were filled with news about


    John and Jessica.


    There were new updates on them every day.


    The first day, John brought Jessica to famous sightseeing spots in North City, and things like


    #levineexcursionwithwife and #sosweet &lovinghandinhand" began trending online.


    Cordy did not exactly see them hand in hand in the pictures on the news report, but the two of them


    clearly looked like they were whispering into each other''s ears,ughing and chatting away merrily.


    The second day, John brought Jessica to North City''s most luxurious shopping mall, and #


    levhrowingbigbuckstopleasewife began trending online.


    From pictures in the reports, John could be seen carrying many bags while apanying Jessica


    shopping.


    The third day, John brought Jessica to Levine Ventures¡¯ office, and


    #msstuartloveydoveyatworkwithhubby began trending online.


    From pictures in the reports, John could be seen opening the car door and reaching out to help Jessica


    down the car at the main entrance of Levine Ventures'' office building.


    On the fourth day, and on the fifth day...

 Chapter 230

    Chapter 230


    Chapter 230


    Cordy was getting really bored.She gave Winston a call.


    "Hi Winston, Cordy here."


    "How do you do, Ms.Sachs? I have your number saved in my phone. How can I help you?"


    Winston was very courteous.


    "It''s the weekend.Is Dicky at home?"


    "He is."


    "Can I bring him over to my ce and stay the night?" Cordy asked.


    Zoe was away over the weekend to attend an event in another city.


    "Ms.Sachs, please hang on while I ask," Winston said respectfully.


    "Are you asking John? He wouldn''t be able to pick up your call,"


    Cordy said straightforwardly.


    "No.Young Master previously instructed that if you want to take Little Young Master, you can do so


    anytime.I''m just asking Little Young Master for his opinion.He''s ying with his toys and doesn''t like


    being interrupted when he''s focused on something."


    "Sure.Thank you, then," Cordy said politely.She selectively ignored some things that Winston said.


    After a while, Winston came back to the phone.


    "Little Young Master looks forward to youing to pick him up, Ms.Sachs."


    "I''ll be there in around half an hour."


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Okay."


    After Cordy hung up, she drove to Chateau Emporio where Richard stayed.


    The elevator reached directly to the door of his apartment, and her eyes widened in surprise.


    Through the open door, she saw a familiar figure standing right in the middle of the living room.She did


    not expect to bump into Jessica here.


    Jessica heard the elevator ding and saw Cordy when she turned around.


    Their gazes met in mid-air.


    There did not seem to be any animosity between them, but neither took the initiative to say anything.


    Cordy had no idea whether John was there too.She was in the hallway and only a corner of the living


    room was visible to her.


    "Mommy."


    Richard was clearly excited to see Cordy.He ran out from the living room right into Cordy''s arms.


    Cordy crouched down low to catch Richard in her embrace, giving him a tight hug.


    Emotions were growing in her, which she tried her best to hide.


    "Mommy, why haven''t youe to see me for so long? Daddy disappeared a couple days back and


    no.velebook I can''t even reach him on his phone.Did Daddy hide you somewhere so that I can''t see


    you? Daddy is so petty for not being willing to share Mommy," Richard said with a pout.


    Children really say the darndest things.She wondered what Jessica felt when she heard what Richard


    said.


    Cordy focused all her attention on Richard and did not manage to see the look in Jessica''s eyes.


    Sheforted Richard, saying, "I won''t let this happen again from now on, okay?"


    ''From now on, we will be going our separate ways"


    "Ms.Sachs."


    Jessica''s voice sounded in her ear.It was a gentle and courteous tone.


    Cordy let go of Richard and stood up, then looked straight into Jessica''s eyes.


    The two women were of simr height, with Jessica slightly taller by acouple of inches.


    "I didn''t expect to see you here."


    Jessica took the initiative to stretch her hand out.


    "I am Jessica Stuart."


    "Hello, Ms.Stuart."


    Cordy stuck her hand out too.


    There was no need at all to be surprised that Jessica knew her.It was, however, difficult to imagine how


    peaceful things were when the ''rivals in love'' met.


    The two of them shook hands and Jessica went on, "It''s the weekend.


    John and I wanted to bring Dicky to Levine Manor, but we just heard Winston say that you want to bring


    Dicky to your ce."


    "I want to be with Mommy." Richard made a swift decision.


    "Okay."


    Jessica crouched down till she was level with Richard.She said in a friendly manner, "You can go


    anywhere you like.Ever since you were little, when have I ever failed to give you what you wanted?"


    She caressed Richard''s head lovingly.


    "But Daddy..."


    Richard whined.


    At that moment, Cordy saw John walk out of the living room and into the hallway.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 231

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 231


    Chapter 231


    Cordy had thought that she would see John again sooner orter, but she did not expect it to be under


    such circumstances.


    She also thought that John and Jessica would not have the time to bring Richard out, given how busy


    they had been over the past few days, which was why she ch9ose to take Richard during this period.


    Had she known she probably would not havee, as much as she wanted to.


    She looked casually at John, being careful not to gaze at him for too long while not being overly


    evasive. She wanted to treat him just as she would any other stranger-neutral and normal.


    ¡°Daddy, may I go to Mommy¡¯s ce?¡± Richard looked pleasingly at John and asked.


    John swallowed, and he shifted his eyes away from Cordy.


    He said to Richard, ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Daddy.¡± Richard could not hold back his joy.


    He shook Cordy¡¯s arm excitedly. ¡°Mommy, Daddy has agreed for me to follow you to your ce!¡±


    Cordy shot Richard a bright smile and turned back to look at John. ¡°Thank you.¡¯


    John clenched his fist ever so subtly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cordy did not stay longer and held Richard¡¯s hand, all ready to leave.


    ¡°Dicky.¡± Jessica suddenly called out.


    Richard turned around to look at her.


    Jessica crouched down again and leaned in toward him, ¡°Dicky, I¡¯m returning to Rocktown in a few


    days. Can I have a meal with you before I go back?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Richard was clearly hesitant.


    ¡°Ms. Stuart, set a date and time and I¡¯ll send Dicky over,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°You will?¡± Jessica said in surprise.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The two women were extremely courteous toward each other.


    ¡°Dicky, I¡¯ll be at home waiting for you.¡± Jessica pecked Richard¡¯s little cheeks.


    Disdain overwhelmed Richard¡¯s face, and he hurriedly wiped his cheeks.


    Jessica did not seem to mind. In fact, she smiled even brighter and said, ¡°You¡¯re still the same as you


    were when you were younger, hating being kissed. What are you going to do when you have a


    girlfriend in the future?¡±


    It was as if she was deliberately teasing him.


    Richard held his face in his hands and remained silent.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be off then.¡± Cordy held Richard by the hand and left.


    It was obvious that Richard did not enjoy having Jessica within such close proximity.


    ¡°Take care,¡± Jessica said warmly.


    From start to end, John was the one who felt as cold and distant as an outsider.


    Cordy drove Richard back to her ce with her car that she had just purchased a few days back.


    She was not very familiar with it yet and thus drove more cautiously. What¡¯s more, Richard was in the


    car with her.


    Just then, she saw a familiar-looking Maybach drive past her car.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    They were probably driving back since they did not manage to fetch Richard.


    ¡°Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Dicky sat in the child car seat and responded obediently.


    ¡°Want to go to the amusement park?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Richard eximed excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll go anywhere Mommy brings me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The corner of Cordy¡¯s lips lifted in a smile.


    Her eyes started to turn red and well up with tears.


    She tried hard to calm herself down as she focused on driving to North City¡¯s biggest amusement park.


    Cordy led Richard by the hand toward the ticketing counter.


    It was the weekend, and it was bustling and teeming with people in the amusement park.


    ¡°Mommy, this is actually my first time at the amusement park. I really want to ride on this and that and


    that one¡­¡± Richard pointed excitedly at the facilities in the park, his face filled with joy.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t your daddy ever brought you to one before?¡± Cordy¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Daddy used to be really busy and didn¡¯t have the time to bring me out for fun.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart ached.


    She held Richard¡¯s little hand a little tighter. ¡°Today, Mommy will bring you to ride on everything you


    want to your heart¡¯s content, as long as you meet the height requirement.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Richard leaped for joy.


    Hand in hand, the two of them hurried into the amusement park.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 232

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 232


    Chapter 232


    They did not notice John, Jessica, and the hoards of bodyguards in ck behind them.


    They had originally nned toe to the amusement park today.


    The n was to bring Richard along, but Cordy took him away at thest minute, so the two of them


    went along with the original n and came here. To their surprise, they saw Cordy and Richard.


    Jessica¡¯s eyes shifted.


    Richard never liked getting close to others since he was young, and he had never been a lively kid.


    Instead, he had a maturity that was beyond his years.


    Yet, he waspletely different in front of Cordy.


    Jessica turned to look at John and saw how he kept his eyes on the two of them right in front until they


    were engulfed by the crowds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± John retracted his gaze and looked inly at Jessica.


    A faint smile remained on Jessica¡¯s lips as she walked by John¡¯s side.


    Aside from the bodyguards surrounding them, there were also reporters deliberately nted around


    them.


    They were there to provide real-time updates and reports on their whereabouts.


    ¡°What would you like to ride on?¡± John asked Jessica.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±


    ¡°Something thrilling or would you rather not?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps something thrilling,¡± Jessica said. ¡°It¡¯s so rare to have a chance like this to let my hair down. I


    want to let off some steam.¡±.


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied.


    He brought Jessica to the Thrilling Adventure Zone, and they went on many rides-roller coasters, 360


    mega swing, drop tower, pirate ship¡­.


    Richard was unable to ride on all of these rides, which eliminated any chance of them bumping into


    each other.


    Cordy apanied Richard in the kids zone, and they were seated on a small boat, quietly sailing on


    theke.


    Her phone suddenly rang.


    Cordy saw Richard immersed in the boat ride and nced at her phone to see a friend request on her


    socials.


    She clicked on it and saw that it was from Jessica.


    Cordy¡¯s finger trembled


    She decided to ept the friend request.


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Richard called out to her excitedly.


    Cordy immediately put her phone down.


    ¡°There are tiny fishes inside,¡± Richard eximed in surprise, ¡°Look over there! There are so many of


    them.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s drive the boat over there,¡± Cordy suggested.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The mother and son pair were having a lot of fun.


    After the little boat ride, they went on many other rides.


    Because of the crowd and the uber long queues, night fell soon after.


    ¡°Mommy, I still want to ride on that!¡± Richard pointed at therge Ferris wheel.


    Cordy was thinking of bringing Richard back home.


    Aside from really being tired, they had only eaten a simple lunch in the afternoon, so she was worried


    that Richard would be hungry.


    But the sight of how energetic Richard was made her loathe to spoil his fun, so she took Richard¡¯s


    hand and walked toward the Ferris wheel.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    The crowd at the Ferris wheel grew at night, and there was a snaking queue extending from it.


    They had just joined the queue when someone called Cordy.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy turned around.


    To her surprise, she saw Jessica and John.


    Clearly, the both of them were queueing up to ride on the Ferris wheel too.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    What luck, really.


    ¡°Dicky, what a coincidence,¡± Jessica said with a smile.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Richard said coldly.


    Jessica scrunched up her nose in a feignedint. ¡°Cold and distant just like your daddy. No girls


    will like you if you remain like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need girls to like me. It¡¯s enough with Mommy liking me.¡± With that, Richard held Cordy¡¯s arm


    tightly.


    ¡°You ungrateful brat! I took care of you since you were young and now that you have Mommy, you don¡¯t


    want to be close to me anymore?! Did you forget how I fed you and changed your diapers?!


    You even said that you would take care of me when I grow old!¡±


    Jessica appeared upset.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 233

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 233


    Chapter 233


    Richard pouted.


    He had never said that he wanted to take care of Jessica, his ¡®godmother¡¯, when she grew old.


    Even her status as his godmother was something she had forced upon him.


    Cordy simply listened on to the conversation between Richard and Jessica.


    She remained silent, and so did John.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Only Jessica and Richard could be heard in the queue, mostly with Jessica taking the initiative to tease


    Richard and him going along with it.


    After half an hour, it was finally their turn.


    ¡°Shall we ride together?¡± Jessica enthused.


    The Ferris wheel carriage was veryrge, enough to amodate eight passengers.


    ¡°No need,¡± Cordy rejected immediately. ¡°We shan¡¯t interrupt your date.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Jessica said generously.


    ¡°There are so many reporters around. It¡¯s not good if they film us together.¡± Cordy was straightforward


    with her words.


    Clearly, she had noticed the hoard of people around them.


    Jessica turned to look at John, as if to seek his opinion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit separately,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Jessica looked disappointed but she did not oppose him. She said regretfully, ¡°I just wanted to sit


    in the same carriage as Dicky.¡±


    ¡°You guys go ahead. I can ride on this by myself,¡± Cordy suggested.


    ¡°I want to ride with Mommy,¡± Richard said firmly.


    ¡°You ingrate. To think that I dote on you so much,¡± Jessica said lovingly yet helplessly to Richard.¡± Fine,


    fine. You can sit with anyone you want. Since when have I made things difficult for you?¡±


    Richard was extremely displeased.


    He was no ingrate. He would never behave this way to someone he found important.


    Cordy held Richard¡¯s hand as they entered a carriage, while John and Jessica sat in the carriage that


    came behind theirs.


    The carriages slowly ascended.


    The beautiful night scenery of North City came into view.


    ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s beautiful,¡± Richard leaned against the window and said in amazement.


    Cordy nodded with a smile.


    She hade to the amusement park with her own mother when she was young, but the park facilities


    were in no way as developed as they were now, and the cityndscape was not as


    beautiful.


    ¡°Mommy, are you¡­¡± Richard suddenly turned around with a solemn look on his face. ¡°Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cordy was taken aback.


    ¡°With Jessica¡¯s presence,¡± Richard said in a small voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Cordy chuckled.


    ¡°I heard that Jessica is getting married to Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you


    feel sad about that, Mommy?¡± Richard looked up at her with worry-filled eyes.


    The gleaming lights of the city shone in Richard¡¯s bright eyes, the sight so bright and pure that it tore at


    Cordy¡¯s heart.


    She could not help but pull Richard into her embrace.


    She hugged him ever so tightly.


    Richard was slightly shocked.


    For some reason, he had the feeling that Mommy was behaving slightly differently todaypared to


    other days.


    Was Mommy getting emotional because Daddy was about to get married with another woman?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 234

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 234


    Chapter 234


    But he also kept sensing a mixture of guilt in his Mommy¡¯s eyes whenever she looked at him.


    It was clearly Daddy who let Mommy down.


    Richardid quietly in Cordy¡¯s arms without any resistance at all. He simply allowed her to hold him


    tight, as if she had lost him once and did not want him away from her side for even a second.


    The Ferris wheel carriage climbed higher and higher in the sky until they reached the peak.


    Cordy finally calmed herself down and replied to Richard¡¯s earlier question. ¡°I don¡¯t feel sad at all with


    you around.¡±


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Richard stretched his hand out and wiped the tears away from her face.


    That was when Cordy realized that she was tearing up.


    It was probably from emotions that she had kept to herself for too long.


    It was only now that she allowed herself to release a little bit of it.


    Cordy said affectionately, ¡°Dicky, I¡¯m really lucky to have you around.¡±


    ¡°No matter who Daddy marries, I¡¯ll always be by Mommy¡¯s side,¡± Richard promised.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy caressed Richard¡¯s head lovingly as she smiled.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Richard looked up at Cordy, ¡°Daddy doesn¡¯t like Jessica.¡±


    Cordy shook her head.


    It was not that she didn¡¯t believe Richard¡¯s words, but she did not care.


    ¡°He really doesn¡¯t. When I was younger, although Jessica frequently came looking for Daddy when we


    were abroad, Daddy would always be very cold and distant toward Jessica. Mommy is the one whom


    Daddy likes. It¡¯s Great-Grandpa who insists on Daddy and Jessica being together,¡± Richard went on


    agitatedly, ¡°Daddy won¡¯t really end up marrying Jessica. Daddy once told me when we were overseas


    that he¡¯ll only marry¡­¡±


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Cordy cut him off.


    Richard looked at her through his big, dark eyes.


    ¡°Little children shouldn¡¯t be worried about adults¡¯ affairs.¡± Cordy did not wish for Richard to be involved


    in such troubles, which he should not even be burdened with in the first ce. ¡°You just need to


    remember that whatever happens between Daddy, Mommy, and even Jessica, we all love you. No one


    or nothing can ever change that.¡±


    ¡°Okay ¡°Richard nodded in all seriousness.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take some photos.¡± Cordy pulled out her phone and snapped some selfies with Richard.


    She did not want to think about those unhappy thoughts right now.


    In the other Ferris wheel carriage, Jessica looked at the scenery outside the window, her face


    filled with happiness


    ¡°John, North City is developing so quickly. When I visited your house with my grandfather when was


    young, I never found North City so luxurious. The city¡¯s development over these few years has


    probably surpassed that of Rocktown.¡± Jessica was full of praise for the city.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± John hummed.


    North City has indeed developed at a breakneck pace over the years and had be the country¡¯s


    most important economic city. From a purelymercial and economic standpoint, North City


    surpassed both the capital city and Rocktown, another key city of the country. The capital city and


    Rocktown were more political in nature, with many government officials of high and powerful status


    congregating in both cities.


    Jessica turned back and saw the cold look on John¡¯s face.


    Whenever the cameras were not focused on them, he would maintain his distance from her, and he did


    so even more obviously than when they were abroad.


    She really regretted noting back with John back then.


    The Stuarts had businesses in North City as well. She would very well have returned directly to North


    City and continued being together with John.


    That way, it would never have given her the chance to intervene.


    She had thought that John had no other woman by his side aside from herself. Although she had never


    expressed her romantic affections toward him, she always thought that John would either stay a


    bachelor his whole life or end up marrying no one else but her.


    She never took the initiative over the years because she had been pampered as the center of


    everyone¡¯s attention since young. She had her pride and she would never allow herself to throw her


    dignity to the wind and pursue others. She would rather wait her entire life than cheapen. herself that


    way.


    But now, John had another woman in his life.This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Now that she was faced with a threat, she hadpletely changed.


    She knew very well that if she did not take the initiative now, John would be another woman¡¯s


    man. She can ept John being a bachelor for life, but never that John would fall in love with another


    woman.


    So she flew back home and made her grandfather bring forward their engagement ns.


    In fact, since they were young, the elders of the family had joked about the two of them getting married


    when they grew up. Although both families had never publicly announced their betrothal, it was tacitly


    agreed upon. As long as her grandfather raised the issue, the Levines had no reason to reject him,


    given how close both families were and themercial value that their marriage would generate.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 235

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 235


    Chapter 235


    Of course, she would never let John know about these.


    The only thing she would let John know was that she was absolutely clueless about the sudden official


    announcement of their engagement.


    She was also forced to ept it, and she would even be willing to cooperate with John to break the


    engagement


    Being in a rtionship was simr to business negotiations. Blindly charging forward was never the


    way to go-she had to strategize and make ns.


    ¡°John, I added Cordy on her socials just now.¡±


    John turned to look at her.


    It was as if she had to mention Cordy¡¯s name for John to pay attention to her.


    ¡°Should I exin to her about things between us?¡± Jessica said, well-intentioned.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to.¡± John rejected.


    ¡°She seems to have misunderstood us greatly.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°All the more you need to avoid it.¡± John was straightforward.


    Jessica pursed her lips.


    His words did notnd sofortably in her heart.


    She did not expect John to be so distant from her in just half a year!


    What exactly was so good about Cordy?!


    When she saw her for the first time at Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary celebration, she admitted that


    Cordy looked even better in person than on screen.


    She even managed to notice Cordy without much effort in searching.


    That was also when she realized how lovingly John looked at Cordy.


    Today, she had the chance to see Cordy up close.


    Cordy did not look as grandly made up as she did that day. In fact, she was not even wearing any


    foundation. Her face was clean and bare, yet still so ethereally beautiful.


    But Jessica did not think that John would be so superficial.


    Otherwise, he could not have possibly stayed single for so many years when he had hoards of good-


    looking women throwing themselves at him, although she loathed admitting that Cordy surpassed them


    all.


    Jessicaposed herself and smiled apologetically. ¡°All right. I didn¡¯t think it through.¡±


    Silence ensued between the both of them as the conversation died down.


    The Ferris wheel carriagended.


    Cordy had already left hand in hand with Richard.


    Under the lights, their retreating figures made for a heartwarming and joyful picture.


    By the time Cordy brought Richard back home, it was already 9.30 PM.


    They ordered takeout on the way home and immediately had dinner the moment they reached home.


    They rested for a while after their meal before Cordy showered Richard and tucked him in bed for the


    night.


    After an entire day of excitement, Richard fell right asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.


    Cordy was very tired as well, but somehow, she could not fall asleep.


    She just kept staring at Richard lying down next to her. The fair skin on his face was tinged with red


    and his little lips poured adorably.


    Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.


    She looked away and was suddenly alerted to the buzzing of her phone, which she had switched to


    silent mode.


    She hesitated for a few seconds before picking up her phone and heading to the balcony to answer the


    call.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, you finally dared to pick up my call!¡± her grandmother¡¯s voice boomed from the other


    end. Plum sounded agitated.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Cordy said inly.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and John?! Did you know that he¡¯s marrying Jessica Stuart now?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to get at?¡± She would not be foolish enough to think that Plum was showing


    concern for her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 236

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 236


    Chapter 236


    1 warned


    you long ago that John Levine would never fancy you, and you still went ahead to throw yourself at


    him. Look, you¡¯ve gone andpletely embarrassed yourself¡­¡±


    Cordy hung up without any hesitation.


    She had no expectations whatsoever for the Sachs.


    Her phone rang again.


    Cordy refused to answer it until finally, Simon called.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, what kind of attitude was that toward your grandmother?¡± Simon was furious.


    Cordy could imagine how mad Plum was when she had hung up on Cordy just now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the obligation to ept her humiliation and scolding, nor am I duty-bound to listen to your


    criticisms.¡± With that, Cordy made a move to end the call.


    Plum¡¯s voice rang out urgently from the phone. ¡°Bryson said that you made him lose his job!¡±


    Plum probably figured that there was nothing she could do about Cordy and finally blurred out the


    objective of her call.


    ¡°That¡¯s his own business. It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Nothing to do with you? Bryson said that it¡¯s because of you that he was fired by Levine Ventures! Do


    you know his rank at work? He¡¯s part of the senior management team and has a six-figure annual


    sry. Yet, they simply fired him just like that! How am I going to exin things to your third


    grandaunt?!¡± Anger grew in Plum the more she spoke.


    Cordy refused to pick up her many calls a few days ago. Had Cordy not picked up her call tonight, she


    would have looked Cordy up at her office.


    ¡°You said it yourself that he¡¯s in the senior management team. How could I possibly cause him to be


    fired?!¡± Cordy said sarcastically.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you in a rtionship with John Levine?¡± Plum said viciously.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you also say that he would never fancy me?¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, I¡¯m trying to talk properly with you right now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that,¡± Cordy said emphatically and unflinchingly.


    Plum shook with anger.


    Since when did this brat make her feel so helpless?


    ¡°Cordy, I admit that my tone was rather harsh just now, but that¡¯s only because I was too anxious. You


    know that your third grandaunt¡¯s family isn¡¯t well-to-do and Bryson has been helping out a lot. How is


    the family going to survive now that Bryson lost his job? You can¡¯t let me embarrass myself in front of


    all our rtives, can you?¡± Plum had no choice but to hunker down.


    That family had been bugging her to no end and even gossiping about her to other rtives


    behind her back, making Plum look bad.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you once more. It is Bryson¡¯s own fault that he lost his job. It has nothing to do with me.


    Also, I have nothing to do with John Levine, and I have no right whatsoever to interfere with LevineThis is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ventures¡¯ affairs. I remain helpless no matter what you say.¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± The fire rose in Plum¡¯s chest once more. ¡°I hardlye to you for anything. Is it so hard


    for you to help me with this one thing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made myself very clear,¡± Cordy said coldly as she went on. ¡°But you¡¯re right. For someone who hit


    me, scolded me, and ill-treated me since I was young, and only remembers me when she needs help, I


    am not kind-hearted enough to help such a person with anything at all.¡±


    ¡°What an ingrate you are to the Sachs family who raised you!¡±


    ¡°Did the Sachs family raise me?¡± Cordy refuted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t because I had my skills to fall back on, I


    would have starved to death abroad.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Plum clearly could not outtalk Cordy.


    Cordy could not be bothered to waste time on Plum. ¡°There are no affections whatsoever between us,


    so don¡¯t be pretentious ande iming moral high ground with me. I won¡¯t buy it.¡±


    With that, she hung up once again without any hesitation.


    She stood on the balcony and took a deep breath.


    She could not help but feel agitated.


    The hurt caused by one¡¯s family always ran deeper!


    For some of the deepest trauma caused by her family, she had no idea how long it was ever going to


    take her to ept ande to peace with everything-just like the pain she felt that year when she


    turned eighteen.


    Cordy scrolled through her socials as she tried hard topose herself.


    Just then, her finger trembled.


    She looked at an update that Jessica posted. [North City is so beautiful. I like everything here.]


    The photo below the words were taken from the Ferris wheel. Most of the picture was of the night


    scenery, except for a little corner on the bottom right where two hands, one belonging to a man and


    another a woman, held on tightly to each other.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 237

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 237


    Chapter 237


    Back at the Sachs¡¯ residence, Plum was hopping with anger.


    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be so angry,¡± Noel said,forting Plum. ¡°She¡¯s probably not feeling too good after


    John¡¯s engagement news, that¡¯s why she lost control and said those harsh words to you.


    ¡°She had iting!¡± Plum yelled. ¡°She didn¡¯t know her ce and seduced John, having a pipe dream


    of getting married into a wealthy family!¡±


    ¡°Cordy did think a little too highly of herself. How could we ever be worthy of a family like the Levines?¡±


    Noel said with a helpless look on her face, ¡°But we live and learn. Let¡¯s hope that Cordy has learned


    her lesson this time.¡±


    Despite what she said on the outside, Noel was not in fact happy with how things turned out.


    She thought that she would be capable of seducing whoever Cordy managed to get her hands on and


    was fantasizing about finding the golden opportunity to snatch John away from Cordy. It turned out that


    John was already engaged, and it was someone with such an intimidating background that she did not


    dare to even think of provoking.


    But on the bright side, she could not get it and neither could Cordy, and that thought made her feel


    better.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cordy¡¯s own business what she wants to do. She was no longer my daughter the moment she


    turned eighteen!¡± Simon said ruthlessly. ¡°What I¡¯m worried about now is the Jessops.¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡± Plum asked hurriedly. ¡°Will Kyle dare to look down upon our Noel?¡±


    She was worried that all the attention that Cordy was suddenly getting would make Kyle regret it.


    ¡°Not that.¡± Simon shook his head. ¡°Dandy called me today to ask me for a capital injection. He said that


    Jessop Corp is about tounch a high-end brand and is short on funds. He offered me dividends once


    they breakeven.¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Plum asked.


    ¡°Of course, there is. Jessop Corp¡¯s shares have been on the decline and Starstream Group is currently


    dominating the market. ording to insider information, many sponsors whom Kyle pulled back are


    now secretly withdrawing this investment. The so-called high-end brand that Jessop Corp isunching


    is nothing but a ruse just so they can make up for theirck of funds. I¡¯d be a fool if I were to invest any


    of my money in them right now!¡± Simon became more agitated the more he spoke. ¡°But because of that


    layer of rtionship our family has with theirs, I can¡¯t possibly just reject them outright.¡±


    ¡°Do we need to invest in them if we no longer share that rtionship with them?¡± Noel asked.


    Simon looked at his own daughter.


    ¡°I¡¯d never forgive myself for burdening the family,¡± Noel said with a look of guilt on her face, ¡°I¡¯m willing


    to do anything for the good of our family.¡±


    ¡°See? Cordy is a heartless beastpared to Noel.¡± Plum did not forget about scolding Cordy while


    praising Noel.


    ¡°But if you were to break up with Kyle at this point, it would look bad on us,¡± Simon said with worry.


    ¡°What if he broke up with me instead?¡± Noel counter-questioned.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Break up with you? How could Kyle possibly want to break up with you at a time like this? Putting


    aside the state of your rtionship with him, his family is in a crisis right now. They would lose theirst


    sponsor if he were to break up with you.¡± Simon did not think that Kyle would be that foolish.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dad. I know what to do, and I won¡¯t implicate the family one bit,¡± Noel said confidently.


    Simon¡¯s mood lifted tremendously at the sight of how confident Noel looked. He said dly,¡± Noel,


    you¡¯re such an awesome daughter. Don¡¯t you worry. Even if I¡¯m not able to give you Starstream Group,


    you¡¯ll definitely have a part of Sachs Enterprise. If you¡¯re able to settle this problem we have with


    Jessop Corp, join us at Sachs Enterprise and I¡¯ll give you its shares.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Noel was ted as a ruthless thought shed past her mind.


    They could not me her for being heartless. Kyle deserved it for being such a useless and incapable


    bum!


    Sonny was seated at the side minding his own business when he heard Simon promising Noel Sachs


    Enterprise shares. His face darkened with displeasure.


    Sachs Enterprise was his; no one else had the right to im it. He was already upset with Cordy for


    taking away 10% of the shares, and now Noel wanted a piece of the pie too?!


    Dream on!


    Richard stayed with Cordy for two days and Cordy received Jessica¡¯s message on Sunday afternoon.


    [Ms. Sachs, I am headed for the capital city with my grandfather tomorrow and will return to Rocktown


    directly after we¡¯re done with our business there. The next time we¡¯ll be back at North City will be in half


    a month. Could you please bring Dicky back tonight if possible?]


    Cordy looked indifferently at Jessica¡¯s text.


    There were some words that Jessica had deliberately made clear in her message to emphasize her


    status, such as her returning half a monthter, that she wanted Richard to be brought back and not


    away.


    She replied: [Do you want me to send him to your ce, or would you rather pick him up from mine?]


    Jessica offered courteously: [I¡¯ll go over to your ce. I¡¯d hate to waste your time when I have nothing


    much to do in North City anyway.]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 238

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 238


    Chapter 238


    [Sure, I¡¯ll send you my address.] Cordy did so and sent Jessica her location.


    [Thank you. I¡¯ll be there in half an hour.]


    Cordy put down her phone and looked at Richard, who was immersed in a TV show on space


    exploration. She could not bear to leave him.


    However, she had ample time and did not need to be anxious right now.


    She walked over and said, ¡°Dicky, your godmother wants to send you back.¡±


    Richard was originally in high spirits watching the TV show, but his face fell immediately upon hearing


    that he had to leave.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She¡¯s leaving North City tomorrow, so apany her for one night. After she leaves, I¡¯ll bring you


    over here every weekend from now on if I can.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded obediently.


    As much as he was unwilling, he would not make things difficult for Cordy.


    His obedience in turn made her heart ache even more.


    Jessica reached in less than half an hour, and Cordy walked Richard to the entrance of the district.


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Jessica said enthusiastically upon seeing Richard.


    She folded him in a huge embrace.


    Richard bit his lip hard but did not resist.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Jessica said after giving Richard a passionate hug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Dicky back, then.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    Jessica held Richard by the hand and left. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and turned back to say,


    ¡°John and I aren¡¯t what you think we are. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Cordy smiled and said nothing further in response.


    Jessica knew better than anyone else whether it was true or not.


    She just simply wanted to look like a good person, and Cordy would never fall for it, though she had no


    obligation to give them her blessings either.


    Upon seeing no response from Cordy, Jessica did not say anything more and brought Richard into the


    luxury car.


    Jessica¡¯s smile faded the moment she entered the car.


    Cordy was a scheming and deep woman, and Jessica always failed to understand Cordy each


    time she met Cordy: She could not even tell what mood Cordy was in.


    How simple could a woman capable of seducing John be?!


    Jessica sneered.


    Over the years, she had never encountered a worthy opponent. She wanted to see just how impressive


    Cordy was!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 239

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 239


    Chapter 239


    Jessica left North City on Monday, and news outlets were filled with images of John sending her off and


    the two of them parting reluctantly at the airport.


    Cordy wondered if there really were no other news worthy of reporting in North City. Were there no


    other delicious scandals in the entertainment circle? News of John and Jessica had been circling


    around for an entire week and pictures of them could be seen no matter which news outlet one


    browsed.


    She put down her phone and walked into the senior management meeting room. A meeting on


    Starstream Fashionunching a high-end brand was ongoing.


    Because her identity as lovely was exposed, many merchants have been knocking on their doors,


    wanting to cooperate with Starstream. It presented Starstream Group with a business opportunity,


    given their limited resources, in which they could achieve a win-win situation by expanding their


    marketing efforts through increased financing.


    The key now was to choose the best merchant.


    Cordy attended meetings upon meetings throughout the entire afternoon and discussed with the senior


    management for a long time.


    Her phone had been switched to the silent mode throughout, and she only saw that she had a few


    missed calls when she finally returned to her office.


    Some of them were from John, while others were from Kyle.


    She chose to ignore them and went straight back to work.


    The next time she took a breather, it was already past 9 PM.


    They finally shortlisted three partners that looked more promising, and they agreed to arrive at a


    decision through a tender.


    Cordy stretched her arms out and reached for her bag and car keys, finally ready to knock off for the


    day.


    She entered the parking lot.


    By now, most people in the office had left and the parking lot was empty and quiet.


    Cordy pressed the button on her car key and stepped into the car.


    A figure suddenly rushed out from the shadows and a hand covered Cordy¡¯s mouth before she could


    even scream. She tried to fight against the man, but he was so strong that he would not budge no


    matter how hard she resisted.


    She squirmed, and her yells were muffled by the hand over her mouth.


    The man dragged her to the side and tried to haul her into a van by brute force.


    Just then, another man charged forward and kicked the man who was trying to abduct Cordy.


    The sudden pain made the man release Cordy.


    Cordy was so shaken to her core that she could not think of anything else except to flee.


    The two men began fighting wildly with each other at the next moment.


    After Cordy calmed herself down, she finally took a good look at the two men who were fighting with


    each other.


    The man who wanted to abduct her was Bryson, and the one who saved her¡­was Kyle.


    Cordy hurriedly called the police.


    By the time the police rushed over, both men were bruised ck and blue with Kyle suffering more


    injuries.


    Everyone was sent to the police station for their statements to be taken.


    4


    Bryson was detained by the police, while Cordy and Kyle managed to make it out of the police


    station.


    By then, it was already 1 AM.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    There was almost no one on the cold and empty streets.


    The autumn wind in October was chilly, and Cordy sneezed.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡± Kyle shook off his jacket and handed it to Cordy.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Cordy rejected him immediately.


    Sensing Cordy¡¯s resistance, Kyle did not force it on her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 240

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 240


    Chapter 240


    ¡°Let me send you to the hospital,¡± Cordy offered.


    She had driven her car to the police station while Kyle was brought there in the police car.


    No matter from which perspective she looked in, she should give him a ride.


    ¡°No need for that. It¡¯s just superficial wounds and they¡¯ll be fine in a couple of days.¡± Kyle shook


    his head. ¡°It¡¯s veryte now. You should head back soon.¡±


    ¡°You should get them checked and have a peace of mind,¡± Cordy insisted.


    She just did not want anything bad to happen.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Kyle hesitated for a moment before agreeing to it.


    Both of them sat in the car.


    Cordy drove while Kyle sat in the front passenger seat.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know how to drive,¡± Kylemented, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you drive a car before.


    ¡°I used to be too busy to drive,¡± Cordy said frankly.


    Kyle looked downcast with a tinge of guilt in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Cordy, I used to¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to talk about the past.¡± Cordy cut him off mid-sentence.


    She did not think that Kyle would suddenly change in character, and she had no energy to watch him


    go on acting.


    ¡°Why were you looking for me today?¡± Cordy went straight to the point.


    Kyle pursed his lips.


    If he were to look at Cordy calmly and without prejudice, he had to admit that Cordy was a very smart


    woman whom he would not be able to lie to.


    He sighed and said, ¡°You probably know about Jessop Corp¡¯s plight right now.¡±


    Of course she did, given that they were in the same industry.


    Previously, Jessop Corp had been trying to hype up its brand poprity by leveraging the power of the


    media. They spent truckloads of funds on advertisement space, which not only ended up ineffective,


    but also drew tons of k. Their stock prices went on a sharp decline which, coupled with the multiple


    sponsors who previously began sessively withdrawing their investment, was bound to send Jessop


    Corp on the verge of bankruptcy.


    ¡°I was looking for you not to ask you for funds-I know that it isn¡¯t easy for you to single-handedly run


    Starstream Group and that you have limited funds too. I just heard that Starstream intends tounch


    brand coborations with other brands. Jessop Corp is considered an old-time brand in the fashion


    industry, and as someone who has worked in Jessop Corp for so long, you should know clearly that


    putting all things aside, Jessop Corp has very mature operations and management systems in ce¡­¡±


    Kyle rambled on and turned to see a cold look on Cordy¡¯s face. ¡°I


    wish to cooperate with you.


    ¡°I won¡¯t consider working with Jessop Corp.¡± Cordy rejected him tly.


    ¡°I can give you the best price¡­.¡±


    ¡°It is precisely because I have worked at Jessop Corp that I know that Jessop Corp¡¯s management


    system isn¡¯t mature, but outdated and conservative instead. It can no longer keep up with modern


    marketing strategies. What¡¯s more, Jessop Corp¡¯s current brand design doesn¡¯t meet my requirements.


    Brand coborations are done for mutual benefit. Coborating with you. will only be a burden to me.¡±


    Cordy Said mercilessly.


    ¡°I can change,¡± Kyle said agitatedly, ¡°When you were previously at Jessop Corp, didn¡¯t you suggest for


    me to reform myself? I thought too highly of myself back then and was recalcitrant. Now, I finally know


    that I was going in the wrong direction. I can change right away. In terms of design, we are indeed


    weaker in that, but we can build on our support and I¡¯ll do all I can to fulfill all your


    needs.¡±


    ¡°Kyle, if you truly understood me, you should know very well that I¡¯ll never choose to work with you.


    Things between us ended the moment we broke up, and we¡¯d never have any further interactions from


    then on.¡± Cordy stopped the car right outside the hospital entrance and turned to look at Kyle. ¡°We¡¯re


    here.¡±


    Kyle clenched his fists.


    Cordy was so cold-blooded it was scary.


    He knew that Cordy was not easy to talk to but he did not expect her to not budge at all.


    He was almost groveling at her feet, yet Cordy did not give in at all.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    He gritted his teeth, knowing that he had no ability to stand against Cordy and had no choice but to


    open the car door and get out.


    Just then, he suddenly flinched in pain.


    He had clearly tugged on his wound.


    Cordy pretended not to see it.


    She turned around and walked into the emergency department, staying by Kyle¡¯s side as he did a full-


    body check-up. She also paid his medical fees, stayed with him until his wounds were all treated, and


    made sure that he did not have any internal injuries before leaving the hospital with


    him.


    When they walked out of the hospital, they saw John standing under the moonlight.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 241

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 241


    Chapter 241


    Cordy looked at John, who stood before her.


    John had indeed called her many times today, and even sent her messages on


    WhatsApp. She hadn¡¯t meant to ignore them, but had been extremely busy. In


    the evening after work, she also had to deal with Bryson when he came to


    retaliate against her. She didn¡¯t even have time to breathe.


    Cordy thought that John wouldn¡¯t look for her today and would wait till tomorrow.


    Yet here he was, appearing out of the blue at three in the morning.


    She didn¡¯t even know how John knew where she was. With how skilful John was,


    though, he would still know where she was even if she went to hide underground.


    Enter title¡­


    Naturally, Kyle saw John as well. Surprise shed in his eyes.


    Hadn¡¯t John already announced his rtionship with Jessica? Jessica had just


    left, yet John came looking for Cordy immediately after?!


    At this hour, much less?


    Cordy hadn¡¯t denied that she had been in an illicit affair with John thest time


    they were on the phone, but based on her personality, Kyle knew there was no


    way she would ever allow herself to be John¡¯s secret mistress.


    Kyle gritted his teeth, and decided to wait to see what would unfold.


    John strode upto them. He ignored Kyle and looked into Cordy¡¯s eyes, and


    asked, ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± John reached out and pulled Cordy toward him.


    There was a harmonious atmosphere between the two. Cordy showed no signs


    of refusing John, even though he had a fiancee. There were also no signs of


    anger from John, even though Cordy and Kyle were together.


    It was as if they trusted each other so much that they didn¡¯t let anything outside


    their rtionship affect the feelings they had for each other.


    Kyle watched as the two walked away before him,pletely ignoring him as if


    he was just air.


    He couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist tightly.


    Cordy was a noble and dignified woman! Was she really going to be John¡¯s


    mistress?


    The anger bubbled in his chest, and there was no outlet for him to release it. Just


    then, his phone rang.


    ¡°Noel,¡± Kyle greeted as soon as he picked up.


    ¡°How¡¯s it going, Kyle? I was waiting the entire night for you to call. I was worried.¡±


    Noel¡¯s anxious voice drifted from the other end of the line.


    Noel¡¯s concern made Kyle¡¯s anger dissipate, and his heart felt a little more at


    peace.


    When he thought about how well Noel treated him, Kyle couldn¡¯t help but feel


    She kept going on about how useless she was as she couldn¡¯t help him.


    It took him a long time to ask questions before he discovered that Simon didn¡¯t


    want to invest any capital into their family. Noel had tried to change the former¡¯s


    mind, but it had been futile. Because of that, she fought with her father. She was


    also worried that Jessop Corp would have problems; the stress soon


    overwhelmed her, and she broke down.


    Kyle had already been in a bad mood, and hearing about Jessop Corp every day


    didn¡¯t help improve it. Listening to Noel crying nonstop annoyed him even more;


    he lost control for a bit and yelled at her. Noel didn¡¯t get angry; she med


    herself for everything and finally told him that Cordy could restore Jessop Corp to


    its former glory.


    Only then did Kyle learn that Starstream Group intended to coborate with other


    brands. With Cordy¡¯s current poprity, any business that worked with them


    would make money. If he managed to get the project, Jessop Corp would be


    saved.


    However, Kyle was well aware of Cordy¡¯s character. She was unlikely to help


    Jessop Cop willingly, but Noel kept encouraging him to cate Cordy into


    cooperating.


    At this point, Kyle was desperate and willing to try anything. Kyle heard that there


    was a feud between Bryson and Cordy; with how Bryson was, he was likely to


    exact revenge on thetter. As long as Kyle yed the role of a knight in shining


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    armoring to rescue the damsel in distress, perhaps Cordy would be grateful


    to him and soften her heart toward him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 242

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 242


    Chapter 242


    Noel had also mentioned that John had abandoned Cordy, so she would be


    emotionally vulnerable right now. If Kyle took the initiative, it was possible that


    Cordy would let go of their past prejudices. Noel also said to ignore her feelings,


    as it was more important to get Jessop Corp to pass these difficult times first and


    foremost.


    Noel truly believed that their rtionship was rock solid and stable.


    Her determination moved Kyle deeply, and he was d he had such a loving


    woman by his side.


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy to handle Cordy,¡± Kyle replied, then proceeded to tell Noel


    exactly what had happened.


    Noel sneered after hearing the whole story. She knew Cordy all too well. Even if


    Kyle knelt on the ground or died before her, Cordy would remain unmoved.


    The woman wanted Kyle to bring about his own destruction.


    ¡°It should just be a matter of time. You hurt my sister so much before this, so it¡¯s


    only natural that she had her guard up,¡± Noel assured him.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t wait that long. I heard Cordy¡¯s supposed to start her bids this week,


    and Jessop Corp can only hold on for a short time. The stock market¡¯s falling


    much too fast. If we don¡¯t raise money quickly, we¡¯ll have to dere bankruptcy


    soon,¡± Kyle said.


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Noel said anxiously, tears filling her eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t there


    some way we can force her to work with Jessop Corp?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any power to threaten her right now¡­¡± Kyle trailed off suddenly,


    pausing for a moment.


    A way to force Cordy to work with Jessop Corp?


    Kyle jerked up, a malicious glint shing across his eyes.


    ¡°Noel, do you trust in our rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to go after my sister even


    though I know there¡¯s something between you two. I just want things to be okay


    for you and Jessop Corp. For that to happen, I can ept anything right now,¡±


    Noel replied firmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I need to hear from you,¡± Kyle replied. ¡°I¡¯m also going to promise you


    now that no matter what happens, the only one I¡¯ll ever want as my wife will be


    you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I got it. I¡¯ll always be waiting for you,¡± Noel said obediently.


    The two exchanged a few more corny promises before finally hanging up.


    After hanging up, Noel¡¯s smile turned sinister. If Kyle wasn¡¯t an idiot, he would


    know what he needed to do to Cordy. As long as he made a move, Noel would


    have the opportunity to stab Kyle in the back. Not only would she be able to cut


    off ties with Kyle and y the victim, but she would also be able to discredit both


    Kyle and Cordy.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    It was killing two birds with one stone!


    After all, she would never make a transaction where she would suffer.


    It was night. John and Cordy were at the entrance of the hospital, and John took


    the car keys from Cordy. Looking at the low-key Lexus before him, he asked,


    ¡°Your car?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    John opened the driver¡¯s door and got it. Cordy pursed her lips, but obediently


    got into the passenger side.


    It was a quiet ride to Cordy¡¯s residence at three-ten in the morning.


    At half past eight the following morning, there was a bidding meeting she needed


    to attend to discuss matters with the senior management. Once she reached


    home, showered, and got into bed, it would already be at least four in the


    morning. She needed to be up by half past seven to attend the meeting on time,


    which meant she would only get three and a half hours of sleep.


    Cordy nced out the car window at the night view, then said calmly,¡± John, if


    you have something to say, now would be a good time.¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to dy her already scarce sleeping time.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 243

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 243


    Chapter 243


    Even after Cordy said that, silence remained in the car. John acted as if he hadn¡¯t


    heard any of Cordy¡¯s words. He kept his eyes firmly on the road, not looking


    away.


    Cordy shoved down the turbulent emotions swirling angrily inside her. As calmly


    as she could, she continued, ¡°I have an important meeting early tomorrow


    morning, and it¡¯s already veryte right now.¡¯


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied.


    Cordy waited a long time after he replied, but John didn¡¯t speak again.


    She bit her lip, frustrated.


    Enter title¡­


    Since he wasn¡¯t going to say anything else, she leaned back in her seat and


    stared out the car window at the night scenery once more.


    Soon, they arrived at North Garden¡¯s underground car park.


    Cordy unbuckled her seat belt but remained seated. She turned to John and


    said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Perhaps John couldn¡¯t multitask while driving and needed to focus on the road.


    That was fine, because Cordy had no intentions of being careless with her life.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote now. Go back home and get some rest. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡¯ John


    said bluntly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to be so vague with words. Why don¡¯t you juste out


    and say it and get it over and done with? I don¡¯t have much time to deal with you.


    I¡¯m very busy,¡± Cordy told him tly.


    She didn¡¯t want to continue dwelling on this matter. She had always been rather


    straightforward, and had done the same to Kyle back then.


    John tightened his grip on the steering wheel, then turned to look at Cordy.


    Even though she was acting very submissive tonight, John could feel how distant


    she was.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know about my engagement with Jessica. My grandfather suddenly


    announced it without my knowledge,¡± John finally blurted out.


    He had been waiting outside her house for a long time. When she hadn¡¯t returned


    in the early morning, he had mobilized everyone he had to look for her all over


    the city. When he heard she was at the hospital, he didn¡¯t waste a second and


    sped to see her.


    Seeing her leave the hospitalpletely fine put him only slightly at ease.


    At that point, he didn¡¯t want to disturb her rest and had simply wanted to send her


    home and leave.


    However, Cordy obviously didn¡¯t have that much patience with him; he


    understood that.


    Anyone else in her position would also be the same.


    He continued, ¡°My grandfather¡¯s been keeping an eye on me recently, and my


    phone was confiscated. I couldn¡¯te to you-¡±


    ¡°I know. Zoe gave me the heads up about that,¡± Cordy said, interrupting John.


    There was no need for so many unnecessary exnations. The only thing they


    needed between them was a proper conclusion.


    John pursed his lips. He kept his gaze fixed on Cordy as he said, ¡°I¡¯m not going


    to marry Jessica. Give me some time.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Six months.¡±


    ¡°What if you still need to get married after six months?¡¯


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°How can you guarantee that?¡¯ Cordy asked with a bitter smile. She continued


    coldly, ¡°Your grandfather can snatch away your freedom and block all your


    contact with the outside world. How can you convince me that you¡¯ll be able to go


    against him in just six months?¡±


    ¡°It was something that happened so suddenly, and I had nothing to prepare


    myself for it. Besides, my grandfather promised to return my freedom after


    Jessica left. She¡¯ll only be in the city for a week. I didn¡¯t want to make any moves


    that would raise his suspicions.¡±


    And so, John chose to simply endure for now.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Cordy said slowly.


    John swallowed harshly, his throat bobbing from the action as if he was trying his


    best to hold back the emotions in him.


    He had been well prepared beforeing, but to be really rejected so bluntly by


    the woman before him still left a dull ache in his heart.


    ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t want to be involved in a love-hate rtionship between your


    family and the Stuarts. I don¡¯t have that much patience to deal with both families,¡±


    Cordy went on, her gaze steely and unwavering. She was terrifyingly firm in her


    stance. ¡°It was difficult to gain my days of peace. If I had to choose, I wouldn¡¯t


    hesitate to leave you.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 244

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 244


    Chapter 244


    ¡°Are the feelings between us¡­so fragile?¡± John asked.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t any feelings to talk about between us right now,¡¯ Cordy shot back


    coldly. ¡°Have you forgotten, Mr. Levine? Back then, I promised to try out this


    rtionship and see if it would work. Clearly, this isn¡¯t going too well.¡±


    ¡°If I said I wouldn¡¯t involve you in my engagement with Jessica, would you be


    willing to wait for me?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy refused without hesitation.


    ¡°Am I that unworthy of your trust?¡± John said, clenching his fist tightly as his eyes


    tinged scarlet.


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°Yes/ Cordy said, nodding.


    Johnughed hoarsely, a hint of self-depreciationced in his voice.


    The atmosphere plunged into a sudden silence, and the air was heavy.


    The two sat in silence for a long time.


    It seemed like their conversation had ended.


    Cordy opened the car door to leave, but John suddenly reached out to grasp her


    wrist with such force that it felt like he was going to crush her bones.


    However, she didn¡¯t cry out in pain.


    She simply epted John¡¯sshing out at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t have any feelings for me,¡± John hissed, looking


    straight into her eyes, various emotions swimming in his own. ¡°The feelings


    between us are mutual. I can feel it.¡¯


    Cordy didn¡¯t reply to him.


    John continued with a low voice, ¡°I also don¡¯t believe that you¡¯re someone who¡¯d


    ept such things lying down. You wouldn¡¯t let go of things so easily, just


    because the Levines and Stuarts forced you to.¡±


    ¡°John, I¡¯m only human. I¡¯m not a god. I too get frightened when faced with


    powerful forces like them.¡±


    ¡°Yet, you can take on both families with your own power! I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯d


    Cordy bit her lips. Before John, it would seem like she could hide nothing. He


    could see through everything about her.


    ¡°What did my grandfather say to you?¡± John asked calmly, shoving his emotions


    down ruthlessly.


    So, John knew that n had met her in private and was even smart enough to


    guess that her unwavering determination had something to do with the older


    man.


    ¡°He requested me to leave you by my own volition,¡± Cordy replied honestly, not


    wanting to hide anything.


    Well, there was no need to hide it either.


    Since they were going to break it off cleanly, everything should beid out inly


    in the open.


    ¡­So they could avoid longing for each other even though they were apart.


    ¡°Did you agree to it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did he threaten you?¡¯ John demanded, his gaze hardening.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Cordy replied truthfully.


    John narrowed his eyes at her answer, but Cordy continued, ¡°He simply said a lot


    of things that enlightened me, and I finally came to a realization.¡±


    John¡¯s hands seemed to be trembling, and he probably knew what n had said


    to her. Cordy looked at John¡¯s expression and murmured, ¡°And it all seems true, I


    see.¡±


    John pursed his lips and stayed silent.


    ¡°Remember when you said you¡¯d grant me a wish back at Ayro Ind?¡± Cordy


    asked calmly.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she was indifferent about the entire thing. Rather, she was simply


    epting reality.


    She was used to keeping calm and putting on an invincible facade when facing


    major problems.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°I said to you, don¡¯t lie to me. Even if you don¡¯t like me, don¡¯t lie to me. Ever. ¡±


    Cordy looked at John, the corners of her lips tilted up slightly. She wasn¡¯t sure if it


    was mocking him or herself, but she continued, ¡°It turns out everything from start


    to end was just a big lie, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°If I said no, would you believe me?¡± John¡¯s voice contrasted his usual, and he


    now sounded so small and timid.


    As if he had spent the entire night praying for her trust.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 245

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 245


    Chapter 245


    Cordy didn¡¯t reply.


    Sometimes, silence really could rece everything.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide the fact that I was the man who slept with you when you


    were eighteen,¡± John admitted. ¡°I asked you before if you hated him, and you


    said yes. I thought I¡¯d tell you when our rtionship was more stable, when you


    no longer rejected physical contact with me. Maybe¡­


    Just maybe, you¡¯d be able to ept my presence.¡±


    Cordy listened quietly, not interrupting him at all. And so, John went on.


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°At that time, I had just returned from abroad and was drinking with Bob and a


    few other friends. At the bar, I saw you while you were delirious. A man


    approached you, and you tried to refuse him. I went up to you two and pushed


    him away, and then you leaned against me. You felt hot to touch. I admit that I


    took you to a hotel, but where else was I going to take you? I didn¡¯t know, and


    you were burning up. I asked you, but you didn¡¯t say anything. After that, when


    we reached the hotel, you pushed me onto the bed, and¡­¡± John trailed off,


    looking back at Cordy.


    Cordy pursed her lips. So many years had passed since the incident, and the


    blurred images in her mind seemed to clear up gradually.


    ¡°You said you begged me not to touch you, but you had no idea how desperate


    you were that night. If you hadn¡¯t left the morning before I woke up, you could¡¯ve


    seen that I was bruised all over from that night.¡±


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help but clench her fist tightly. John was bringing up the past that


    she wanted to forget so badly with such ease, it made her blood boil.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t want to look for you before. But I had my pride; I was young


    and wild, and after you forced me to sleep with you and abandoned me, I was


    upset. I returned abroad, but it onlysted a month before I came back looking


    for you. But then, my parents got into an ident and passed away.¡±


    John paused for a moment, then cleared his throat and continued slowly,¡± My


    whole family was in mourning, and my grandfather fell ill from the overwhelming


    sorrow. I took on all the pressure and burden of the family, and devoted myself to


    work. I had to travel between home and abroad frequently, and I simply couldn¡¯t


    find the time to look for you. Later, my grandfather brought Richard back, stating


    that¡­you abandoned him.¡±


    Cordy felt her heart clench painfully.


    How could she have abandoned Richard?


    She clearly remembered the doctor and nurse telling her that her baby had been


    stillborn when she was on the operation table. She had been so distraught that


    she didn¡¯t even dare to look at the ¡°corpse¡±.


    She simply epted the fact that her baby was gone.


    ¡°So, is this your way of getting revenge on me?¡± Cordy asked, instead of


    exining anything. It was futile to say anything, especially if the whole thing was


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that when I first saw Richard, I was angry and even thought of getting


    revenge on you. But after calming down, I chose to understand you. You weren¡¯t


    even neen, and you were still a child. What¡¯s more, how much scorn would


    you have received if people knew you had given birth out of wedlock?¡±


    That was true.


    So, that¡¯s why John believed that she would abandon Richard. He never had


    cause to suspect anything else; that there might have been a misunderstanding.


    It was the same for Cordy.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t believe that John had genuine feelings for her. She thought he


    was simply getting revenge for her being irresponsible.


    ¡°After that, I actually went looking for you again,¡± John said. ¡°At Astonia¡­ But you


    were already together with Kyle. I saw you walking together in the sunset, and I


    didn¡¯t dare to meet you.¡±


    Cordy remained silent. She didn¡¯t know whether she should believe John¡¯s


    words.


    ¡°At first, I wanted to forget about you. When I returned to the country to inherit


    Levine Ventures, however, I saw you again. You were beautiful in your white


    wedding dress. I was standing near you, but you didn¡¯t spare me a nce.¡±


    On the day of Cordy¡¯s engagement party with Kyle, her mind was only filled with


    thetter. At that time, it was impossible for her to have anyone else in her


    thoughts.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 246

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 246


    Chapter 246


    ¡°After that, the fire broke out and you were trapped in it. I saw Kyle saving Noel


    and leaving you behind,¡± John said with pursed lips. ¡°I rushed in and got you


    out.¡±


    Cordy was surprised at that revtion. She had always assumed a fireman had


    saved her, as she vaguely remembered her savior was dressed in a fireman¡¯s


    uniform.


    ¡°I grabbed a helmet from a fireman near me. I was afraid I¡¯d choke on the smoke


    and die before I could get to you,¡± John exined as if he could read her mind.


    Enter title¡­


    Cordy looked down. She suddenly remembered the first time she had seen John


    in the hospital, and how his wrists were heavily bandaged.


    ¡°You¡¯ve exined a lot¡­¡± Cordy turned to look at John, her eyes reverting back


    to their usual coldness. ¡®Why did you treat me so kindly? We were just strangers


    who met by chance, and I¡¯ve done many things to hurt you. Why would you like


    me?¡±


    Cordy couldn¡¯t believe him.


    It was hard for her to trust anyone.


    Sheughed softly and continued, ¡°Don¡¯t say something like it was love at first


    sight. You¡¯ve seen so many beautiful and outstanding women, Mr.


    Levine. How could you have fallen in love with me at first sight¡­ Or rather, first


    night, I guess. Why would you be so hell-bent on me?¡±


    ¡°That night was fantastic,¡± John replied bluntly.


    Cordy bit her lip.


    ¡°And yes, that was my first time,¡± John added.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would be such a conservative person,¡± Cordy shot back.


    ¡°It just so happened that I am,¡± John replied, looking straight at her.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Maybe it was years ago-¡± John started, but Cordy cut him off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more of your so-called exnations. What you said may


    or may not be true. To me, the day your grandfather announced your


    engagement was the end between us. It¡¯s pointless to say anything else.¡±


    ¡°Is it really useless?¡± John¡¯s eyes seemed to have reddened.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Listening to his exnations would only prologue this farce, instead of settling it


    all at once.


    Anyway, it wouldn¡¯t change the final oue between them.


    ¡°Maybe it feels like I¡¯m being selfish, but logic and rationale tell me that you and


    Jessica grew up together. It¡¯s natural for both of you to get engaged and


    eventually marry. I only happened to be the woman who forced you to sleep with


    me, then abandoned your son and left, and now you¡¯re only getting your revenge


    on me for being irresponsible,¡± Cordy told him bluntly.


    ¡°I said I¡¯d break off my engagement with Jessica,¡± John said, a hint of tremble in


    his voice. ¡°It¡¯ll only take six months. Is it so hard?¡±


    He was probably starting to get angry. After all, Cordy was being extremely


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    stubborn.


    But after going through what she had experienced, it was hard for her to trust


    anyone with her heart.


    She would rather miss the chance than trust him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not, but I¡¯m not obligated to wait for you. Maybe you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not someone


    who epts things lying down, and I can go against powerful forces with my own


    power whenever they try to push me down. However, the feelings between us


    aren¡¯t deep enough that I¡¯d be willing to be


    fearless for your sake. Also, you¡¯ve done nothing to prove that I can trust you


    unconditionally.¡±


    Cordy shook off John¡¯s hand and took out her phone. Casually flipping through


    the news articles, she saw that they were all about the affectionate disys


    between John and Jessica.


    ¡°Look at this! All of it is enough to make my trust in you disappear!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 247

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 247


    Chapter 247


    ¡°I did it to cope with the current situation!¡± John argued, somewhat agitatedly. ¡¯


    My resistance only worsens things, especially when I don¡¯t have the power to go


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    against my grandfather!¡±


    ¡°Then what makes you think you can convince me that it¡¯ll change in just six


    months?¡±


    Her retort dumbfounded John. There was nothing he could say that could


    convince her, all the more so when his actions couldn¡¯t prove otherwise.


    ¡°Perhaps my doubts aren¡¯t because you¡¯re not capable of it,¡± Cordy said,¡± but


    because I don¡¯t love you enough. So, it¡¯s best for us to separate now while our


    Enter title¡­


    rtionship hasn¡¯t gotten deep enough.¡±


    Cordy pushed open the car door again.


    Seriously, enough was enough.


    She didn¡¯t want to be involved with him any longer.


    ¡°You can take the car. Just have Walter drive it back to me when he has time.¡±


    Cordy got out of the car and left with confident steps. As far as she was


    concerned, she and John would forget about each other, and that was the end of


    it.


    But as she walked into the elevator, John suddenly forced the door open. Before


    Cordy could react, he rushed in and pressed her up against the elevator walls,


    pressing a hard kiss against her lips.


    Cordy was shocked; the next moment, she began to resist frantically. She shoved


    against his chest with both hands, but he didn¡¯t budge.


    Rather, it made him lose more control. He kept pressing his lips against her in an


    overbearing manner, as if he was trying to prove something. It felt like he was


    trying to mold both their bodies together, not wanting to let even a wisp of air


    Cordy narrowed her eyes, then bit down hard on John¡¯s lips.


    John winced from the pain and paused his frenzied kisses for a moment, but then


    she tasted the metallic taste of blood on her lips at the next moment as he


    pressed his lips against hers bruisingly again.


    Cordy¡¯s tightly clenched fist eventually loosened as she chose topromise.


    Since she couldn¡¯t resist him, the only option was to ept and suffer in


    numbness.


    After an unknown amount of time had passed, John finally stopped.


    Maybe it was because he had tasted the salty tears.


    He tensed before slowly retreating, leaving her red and swollen lips as if he


    suddenly realized what he had done. There was a hint of panic in his eyes as he


    reached up with his long, slender fingers to wipe her tears away. He said


    clumsily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cordy replied tly.


    John¡¯s eyes twitched. He studied her cold expression while tears continued to


    flow down from her eyes. Suddenly, she started to unbutton her suit.


    Cordy was wearing a professional-looking slim-fit suit. After she finished


    unbuttoning it, it fell to the ground in a heap. Then, she started to undo the


    buttons of her inner white shirt until her blue bra was exposed.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± John yelled, grabbing her hand to stop her from undressing further.


    ¡°Your first time was fantastic, right?¡± Cordy said. ¡°And now you have regrets


    because you couldn¡¯t sleep with me again, right?¡±


    Anger burned in John¡¯s eyes immediately, and his eyes seemed to turn red from


    the fury he felt.


    ¡°How many times do you want to sleep with me?¡± Cordy said calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll


    apany you. Once that¡¯s done, can we break it off cleanly?¡±


    Bang!


    A loud, violent sound suddenly rang out beside Cordy¡¯s ear.


    With bloodshot eyes and rage in his veins, John mmed his fist viciously at the


    elevator wall to vent. Cordy distantly assumed the blow wouldnd on her


    instead as she calmly took in the scene.


    After all, she was humiliating him.


    Just then, the elevator door suddenly opened.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 248

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 248


    Chapter 248


    Cordy hadn¡¯t pressed any of the buttons on the elevator either, so it was still


    stuck on the underground car park floor.


    Zoe, who was standing there, was shocked when the doors opened.


    Coming back in the early hours of the morning was scary enough, and the


    sudden loud noise from the elevator was almost enough to send her running


    back from where she came from.


    She stared at the couple in the elevator, petrified.


    It was only when the elevator let out a beep that Zoe returned to her senses. She


    hurriedly retreated and said, ¡°C-Carry on! I didn¡¯t see anything!¡±


    Enter title¡­


    And then the doors slid close.


    That was scary as hell!


    John and Cordy were actually inside the elevator, and¡­


    After calming down, Zoe suddenly realized that Cordy had been crying. John


    wouldn¡¯t have¡­ forced himself on her, right?!


    With that thought in mind, she hurriedly pressed the elevator button again,


    watching anxiously as the numbers came down.


    Inside the elevator, John roughly shoved Cordy back into her clothes. Cordy was


    hurt by the barbaric treatment, but she endured it in silence.


    When the elevator arrived on the floor, John pulled Cordy to her unit door and


    punched in the security code hurriedly. Once the door opened, he pushed her in.


    Cordy stood in her house, staring at John as he remained at the entrance without


    indicating he wasing in.


    So¡­ His eagerness to bring her in was not to sleep with her¡­?


    Cordy had just been thinking she would need to change her security code after


    tonight.


    ¡°Cordy/ John called out in a tight voice. ¡°Dont let go. I really, really want to have a


    future with you. Very badly.¡±


    After he finished speaking, John closed the door.


    Just before the door closedpletely, Cordy thought she saw a tear slide down


    his face.


    Or perhaps it had just been a trick of the light, because her vision waspletely


    blurred from her own tears.


    She had always been thankful that the feelings in their rtionship had yet to


    reach a deep level, and that it wasn¡¯t enough to shatter her heart if they ended it.


    She was so sure she could walk away from the rtionship in one piece.


    So why¡­ Why did this moment hurt so much?


    Why was it so painful to see John¡¯s bloodshot eyes before the door closed?


    Zoe rushed into the elevator, watching anxiously as it climbed upwards. When it


    opened, she ran out to save Cordy when she abruptly stopped and tensed up.


    John was leaning against the doorway.


    Alone.


    His head was hung low, and it was impossible to see his face clearly.


    Was that a tear?


    Zoe must have seen it wrongly.


    It was impossible for John to cry!


    He hadn¡¯t shed a tear when his parents died, but she was sure he had.


    Otherwise, his eyes wouldn¡¯t have been so swollen on the day of their burial.


    Zoe had once thought John couldn¡¯t shed tears unless it was in a life-and- death


    situation, but was he actually crying because of Cordy?


    When she thought about it again, she was able to understand. John and Cordy


    must¡¯ve fought hard because of their conflicting views. The engagement between


    John and Jessica had been publicized in pomp and splendor; it was impossible


    for Cordy to bepletely unaffected, regardless of how rational and indifferent


    she was.


    If Zoe guessed right, Cordy must have mentioned breaking off their rtionship.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    John must be heartbroken.


    Although the two had only been dating briefly, she knew John truly loved Cordy.


    Why else would a stubborn bachelor like him fall into the river of love so easily?


    After getting together with Cordy, John became such an amiable person.


    Zoe had a soft spot for her cousin, and her heart melted when she saw him


    suffering. She also forgot her intention of questioning him on why he had forced


    himself on Cordy.


    With a concerned look on her face, she approached him and asked cautiously,


    ¡°John, do you want to get a drink with me and vent a little?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 249

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 249


    Chapter 249


    John kept his head hung low and didn¡¯t respond to Zoe for a long time. For a


    moment, Zoe thought he had fallen asleep. After all, it was four in the morning.


    She had just returned from an outstation announcement, and was also very


    sleepy.


    Just as she thought that, John slowly raised his head and replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Wait, really? She had only offered to be nice. More than anything, she wanted to


    burrow under the warm covers of her bed right now.


    Regardless, Zoe followed John out for ate-night snack.


    Enter title¡­


    They chose a small street store. The good thing was that there wasn¡¯t anyone


    else around at such ate hour, and she was so heavily armed that no one


    recognized her.


    ¡°John, shouldn¡¯t you drink less?¡¯ Zoe said, trying to discourage him from drinking


    too much.


    She couldn¡¯t sit idly and watch as her cousin drowned himself in alcohol ever


    since he sat down.


    So many dishes were before him, but he hadn¡¯t even touched his utensils. It


    wouldn¡¯t be strange if he got alcohol poisoning from the way he was downing the


    drinks without eating a bite.


    John ignored her and continued to drink as if he hadn¡¯t heard her.


    ¡°Did you have a fight with Cordy?¡± Zoe was exasperated and could only try to


    find the reason for his behavior by asking him.


    John paused in his drinking spree but remained silent.


    Cordy wouldn¡¯t argue with him. She would only stay calm and rational and work


    things out.


    John even wished that she would get angry andsh out sometimes. At least, it


    would prove that she cared.


    ¡°What the hell is happening between you, Cordy, and Jessica?¡± Zoe said


    somewhat impatiently when John didn¡¯t reply.


    In recent days, John had been under surveince, and she hadn¡¯t been able to


    get an exnation from him at all. Now that they could finally sit down and talk


    properly, her cousin decided to stay silent.


    ¡°I wont marry Jessica,¡± John said, his eyes shing defiantly.


    ¡°But the whole country thinks you will,¡± Zoe said, her voice heavy. ¡°The Levines


    and the Stuarts have released a joint announcement, so how can there be a


    mistake? If you do that, wouldn¡¯t that be like giving them a p in the face?¡±


    John pursed his lips tightly.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Indeed, it would be difficult.


    When their engagement was announced, he actually froze on the spot for a long


    time. He hadn¡¯t expected his grandfather to agree to it. The older man had


    respected him in all the years, after all.


    However, no one could stop John from doing what he didn¡¯t want.


    He wouldn¡¯t marry Jessica. Never!


    He simply needed some time and a way to refuse it.


    ¡°Never mind how Cordy is the victim in this, and she won¡¯t forgive. Even I, your


    cousin, who admires you blindly, don¡¯t think you can get out of this marriage. It¡¯s


    only natural for Cordy to reject you right now,¡± Zoey said seriously. ¡°She has no


    reason to trust you, even if you go to her now. No matter what you say or how


    sincere you are, there¡¯s just no way. Besides, Cordy¡¯s been hurt a lot. Her family


    had made it hard for her to open up because of how they treated her when she


    was young. And after that, she met that scum Kyle!¡±


    The more Zoe talked, the more angry she felt.


    She also poured herself a ss and downed it. The thought of what Cordy had


    gone through in life made her furious and heartbroken.


    Compared to that, Zoe¡¯s life was smooth sailing. She was born into a wealthy


    family that spoiled her, and had a sessful career. The only thing that wasn¡¯t


    going well was her rtionship. She felt it was so because everything else in her


    life was good, so God had to give her a little setback to even it out.


    ¡°How do you expect her to trust a person unconditionally after getting hurt like


    that?¡± Zoe asked John. ¡°Personally, I think that if you want to stay together with


    her, the most important thing you need to do now is to


    cancel that engagement as soon as you can. If you don¡¯t, Cordy will end up being


    the mistress if you insist on staying with her. Do you think she would ept that


    title? Can you bear to let millions scorn her? Can you ept that Cordy would


    lose her dignity in front of Jessica? Seriously, that wouldn¡¯t be fair at all!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 250

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 250


    Chapter 250


    John tightened his grip on the wine ss after listening to Zoe¡¯s words.


    ¡°To be honest, even though you¡¯re my cousin, I really think you don¡¯t deserve


    Cordy. She¡¯s had such tragic experiences in her past, and when she finally


    managed to gain her confidence and fall in love again, this person dealt a fatal


    blow to her. I can¡¯t even imagine how much she¡¯s hurting right now! I¡¯m worried


    she wont ever dare to love anyone again,¡± Zoe said, obviously troubled.


    Cordy was clearly a great woman, so why was God so cruel to her?


    She suffered terrible blows one after another.


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°I was only¡­¡± John trailed off and put down his ss, hanging his head low.


    ¡°Afraid that she would leave.¡±


    How could he not be afraid? After she had experienced so much, what would


    happen if she did close off her heart, then turned around and left? Of course he


    was afraid of those things happening!


    He also knew that the solution to this problem between him and Cordy was to


    break off his engagement with Jessica.


    However¡­


    He needed time.


    He couldn¡¯t break it off so easily without any regard for his family¡¯s safety, and he


    couldn¡¯t sever his ties entirely with his grandfather, regardless of what the older


    man had done. In fact, if he did any of that, it would harm Cordy instead.


    If John gave up his reputation, wealth, and power, how could he protect Cordy


    from the forces that came after her?


    So, breaking off the engagement required some time to carry out the process,


    one that was deliberate and calcted.


    His only fear was that Cordy would drift too far away from him before he could


    fully achieve his goal. He wasn¡¯t even confident that he would be able to get her


    back.


    Once Cordy gave up on them, she would never give him another chance.


    Just like what she did with Kyle.


    Even though Kyle had been with Cordy tonight, John hadn¡¯t needed to check


    whether the two had rekindled. Cordy¡¯s personality was such that she would


    never look back and regret her decisions or do anything to change it.


    Thus, he had to go to her now and hope that he could convince her to wait for


    him and not feel disappointed in him.


    Zoe listened to John, and felt her heart ache for him.


    John was a strong but introverted man. When he spoke, she could practically


    hear how brokenhearted he was.


    One would only be afraid of losing love if it was deep, wasn¡¯t it? That was when


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    one knew that pride would do nothing here and had to be set aside.


    Zoe was at a loss at how tofort the two of them.


    Between them, it didn¡¯t seem like either one was at fault. It was only unfortunate


    that fate was toying with them.


    She downed several sses of wine before she solemnly suggested, ¡°How about


    this? Since I live with Cordy, I¡¯ll help you watch over her. I¡¯ll talk you up more in


    her presence, and if I get any clues from her, I¡¯ll let you know immediately. You


    focus on breaking the engagement and leave Cordy to me for now.¡±


    John looked up at Zoe with an unreadable expression.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you d you have a cousin like me?¡± Zoe smiled smugly, praising herself.


    ¡°¡­Yeah,¡± John admitted in a rare moment of gentleness.


    Zoe was overwhelmed by the confession. Since she was a child, her cousin had


    never praised her. When he had checked over her homework once, he even


    doubted whether she was truly a child of the Levine family!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 251

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 251


    Chapter 251


    ¡°Do you still want to drink?¡± Zoe asked, looking at the bottles all over the floor.


    She knew John could hold his alcohol well, but she didn¡¯t agree at how desperate


    he was drinking right now.


    Besides, her head hurt a lot.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she hadn¡¯t rested well, but she knew if she kept


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    going, she was going to get drunk soon.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting¡­¡± John replied.


    ¡°For who?*


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°The driver.¡±


    It took Zoe a moment to remember that they had both been drinking, and that


    they had driven here in Cordy¡¯s car.


    Seriously. Even when he was pissed drunk, John remained somewhat sober. Zoe


    wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing or not.


    The good thing was that rational people generally didn¡¯t make mistakes.


    The bad thing was that it was tough for people like this to vent and rx.


    Without being able to do anything else, Zoe sat by John¡¯s side as he continued to


    drink.


    And drink.


    And drink.


    Suddenly, John said, ¡°Do you still like Jay?¡±


    Zoe spat out a mouthful of wine at the unexpected question.


    Seeing the disgust on John¡¯s face, Zoe hurriedly grabbed some tissues to wipe


    up the wine she had spat out all over the table. Then, she wiped her mouth and


    eximed, ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡±


    She wouldn¡¯t admit it. Not even if someone tried to beat her to death!


    John stared at Zoe, and it made her fidget at how his eyes bored into her. John


    had such piercing eyes, so how could he not know her thoughts?


    She was like a little white bunny standing before a big bad wolf.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t like him anymore,¡± Zoe denied.


    But it also implied that she used to like him.


    ¡°I¡¯d advise you to give up on that thought,¡± John said with a serious expression.


    Seriously? Was he really her cousin? Why did he treat her so differently


    Zoe drank with him, helped him with his fears, and even advised him on how to


    go after his girlfriend.


    Yet, how did he treat her when it was her turn?


    He didn¡¯t care what she felt and told her to give up in her face!


    It looked like she was the one on the losing end.


    Well. That was somewhat true, anyway.


    But couldn¡¯t John justfort her or something?


    It was eight years of unrequited love! If Zoe hadn¡¯t been in a good state of mind,


    how would she have endured it?


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible between you and Jay,¡± John said, unknowingly stabbing a knife


    through Zoe¡¯s heart again.


    ¡°Yeah, sure. I got it,¡± Zoe said a little emotionally. ¡°Just like how it¡¯s possible


    between you and Cordy. Anyway, I don¡¯t deserve love!¡¯


    John pursed his lips after seeing the redness around Zoe¡¯s eyes. He knew Zoe


    had loved Jay for many years, but he hardly ever saw her cry because of how


    cheerful she always acted. He even thought that she was flippant with her


    feelings, and hadn¡¯t let go of this love because she hadn¡¯t met anyone better.


    He suddenly felt like he didn¡¯t know Zoe as well as he thought he did.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find someone better in the future,¡± John said, his voice noticeably softer.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave it up to fate,¡± Zoe said calmly, blinking away the redness of her eyes.


    Perhaps because they had been drinking, her emotions were a little delicate. She


    couldn¡¯t stop the emotions from crashing down on her when Jay was mentioned.


    After that, John didn¡¯t continue speaking about it. His gaze went past her and to


    something behind her. Zoe figured the driver had arrived, and she got up to help


    her cousin. Perhaps she had gotten up too quickly, but her head spun and she


    almost fell straight down to the ground when a strong arm shot out to steady her.


    ¡°Tha-¡± Zoe looked up to see Jay¡¯s face.


    Didn¡¯t John say he was waiting for the driver?


    Why was Jay here instead?


    Zoe wiggled her arm, and Jay released her before saying softly, ¡¯Be careful.


    Zoe couldn¡¯t help but clench her fist tightly.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 252

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 252


    Chapter 252


    After Jay released Zoe, he didn¡¯t linger any longer and went directly to John.


    ¡°Can you walk on your own?¡±


    It was clear to him John had been drinking a lot.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jay said.


    John stood, then swayed a little. Jay eventually had to assist him and help him to


    the passenger side of the car as Zoe followed behind. While she was considering


    if she should also get into the car, Jay said, ¡°Johnny mentioned that this car is


    Cordy¡¯s. I¡¯ll send you back since I have to return the car.¡±


    Enter title¡­


    So, Zoe got into the back seat.


    The car ride was smooth. Even though it waste at night and there were


    scarcely any cars on the road, Jay drove slowly.


    He had always been a gentle person.


    Perhaps because he was living by relying on someone else¡¯s charity, she hardly


    ever saw him lose his temper. Zoe was also unsure which part of him attracted


    her. She couldn¡¯t even remember the reason she fell in love with Jay.


    After all, among her friends, some men were more good-looking, outstanding,


    and even richer than him.


    Zoe epted the fact that this was something God had probably arranged for


    her as her destiny, and it was something unavoidable.


    Suddenly, the car pulled over to the side of the road.


    Zoe frowned and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Johnny asked me to buy some medicine,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Please wait here for a


    moment.¡±


    Zor was surprised. Who was injured? Was it so serious that he needed to get


    medicine right in this instance?


    She hadn¡¯t seen any injuries on John just now.


    Oh, wait¡­ It looked like the back of his hand was especially red and swollen.


    However, the lights from the roadside were a little dim, so she couldn¡¯t see too


    well.


    Once Jay got the medicine, he sent John to Chateau Emporio first.


    ¡°Give me a bit. I¡¯ll take Johnny home first.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Zoe was already very sleepy, and she yawned repeatedly. When Jay returned


    from sending John home, he saw that Zoe had fallen asleep in the car. The


    subtle snoringing from her indicated that she was very tired.


    Jay didn¡¯t disturb her, and simply drove slowly and steadily so as not to jostle her.


    After arriving at the underground car park, Jay parked the car and walked to the


    back seat.


    He saw that Zoe had already shifted to lie down, and her mouth was slightly open


    with some drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.


    Well, it seemed she was quite deeply asleep.


    The corners of Jay¡¯s lips lifted, suddenly recalling the image of her sleeping on


    him when they were young. Back then, everything was great.


    Jay bent down and picked up Zoe in his arms. Zoe was the kind of person who


    slept a lot. She had been the same since she was a child. Back then, Jay would


    always wake up if there were thunderstorms and worry if Zoe was afraid due to


    the sounds. He would end up quietly going into her room, only to find her in a


    deep sleep and sprawled across the bed. She didn¡¯t seem the least affected by


    the crashing sounds outside.


    She was still the same now. She didn¡¯t even stir after he picked her up and


    continued to snore softly.


    It was a good thing there were no reporters around to take pictures of her in this


    state.


    Jay carried Zoe into the elevator and went to Cordy¡¯s floor before ringing the


    doorbell.


    Cordy answered the door almost instantly, and it didn¡¯t look like she had been


    asleep. It seemed she wasn¡¯t as unaffected by the situation after meeting John


    as Jay had thought.


    ¡°Mr. Parker?¡± Cordy was surprised to find Jay at her door with Zoe in his arms.


    She assumed that Zoe had again forgotten the security code and rang the


    doorbell. It was a regr urrence, after all. Every once in a while, Zoe would


    ask her for the security code again.


    Besides, Zoe¡¯s hands were usually dry and her skin easily peeled off, so they


    couldn¡¯t set up the fingerprint recognition for her.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 253

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 253


    Chapter 253


    ¡°Sorry to disturb you,¡± Jay said apologetically. ¡°Zoe fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, since¡­¡± Cordy trailed off, then continued, ¡°Could you bring her in?¡± 1


    Jay didn¡¯t ask anything further and simply followed Cordy through the house,


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    then ced Zoe in Cordy¡¯s bed. From the start to the end, Zoe hadn¡¯t moved a


    muscle.


    After releasing her, Jay left Cordy¡¯s room with thetter following him.


    When they reached the living room, Jay handed her the medicine John had


    asked him to buy just now.


    Enter title¡­


    Cordy was stunned.


    Jay exined, ¡°Johnny asked me to give you this.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips but said nothing. There was a dark bruise on her neck from


    when Bryson held her tonight. She hadn¡¯t thought that John had noticed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy said, epting it.


    She epted simply because she didn¡¯t want to make things difficult for Jay and


    didn¡¯t want to make a big fuss out of something small.


    Jay actually knew what was going through Cordy¡¯s mind. The more calm she


    acted, the more she didn¡¯t care. He really couldn¡¯t guarantee that John would be


    able to regain her in the future.


    ¡°By the way,¡¯ Jay added. ¡°There¡¯s a box of hangover pills in there. If Zoe gets up


    tomorrow with a hangover, please give her some.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy promised. Then, she said slowly, ¡°If you can¡¯t promise a future with


    her, please stay away from her.¡±


    Jay¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be a disappointment if there¡¯s no hope in the first ce,¡± Cordy


    said bluntly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied, nodding.


    He clearly knew what Cordy was talking about, and said politely, ¡°Please excuse


    my intrusion.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cordy replied, giving him a courteous smile.


    The two really didn¡¯t know each other well, and they had only crossed paths a


    few times. This time, however, it was clearly more awkward than ever.


    Perhaps it was because of Zoe.


    Or maybe it was because of John.


    Either way, Jay left quickly after that. Cordy returned to her room to find Zoe still


    sleeping deeply.


    In fact, she was snoring louder now.


    Cordy was a little envious of Zoe¡¯s personality. Even with a broken heart, she


    could still sleep so deeply without a care for anything.


    The following day, Zoe woke up with a pounding headache. She already knew


    that today would be unbearable as she hadn¡¯t had enough sleep, and had also


    drunk a lot of alcoholst night.


    She picked up her phone to check the time, and saw that it was already three in


    the afternoon.


    She initially thought she woulde back to talk to Cordy andfort thetter


    a little, maybe slipping in a few good words about John. However, she didn¡¯t even


    know how she got back.


    Zoe struggled to get out of bed, walking to the living room with puffy eyes. While


    scrolling through the messages on her phone, she walked to the kitchen to get


    some cold water to drink. When she reached the fridge, she saw a note on it: I


    didn¡¯t know what time you¡¯d get up, so I didn¡¯t prepare any breakfast for you.


    Remember to order delivery once you¡¯re up and eat something. If you have a


    headache, take the hangover pills on the table. Also, your period¡¯sing soon,


    so try not to drink anything cold.


    Cordy always did things that touched Zoe.


    Zoe mused that if Cordy were a man, or if Zoe were one, Zoe definitely would¡¯ve


    married Cordy in a heartbeat.


    Turning around, she grabbed a ss, got warm water from the faucet instead,


    and took one of the pills on the table. Then, she texted Cordy. [ What time did


    you leave today?] 1


    [Seven in the morning.]


    [Doesn¡¯t that mean that you didn¡¯t sleepst night?] Zoe was concerned.


    Cordy replied, [I did get some sleep. Make sure you eat something, okay? I have


    a meeting soon.]


    [Your health is important.] Zoe admonished.


    [I know.]

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 254

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 254


    Chapter 254


    Zoe wasn¡¯t with Cordy in person, but she could practically feel how packed and


    busy Cordy was.


    Zoe let out a long sigh.


    Perhaps work was able to make Cordy forget about the upsetting things that


    were going on. She had been this way since back then. She hardly ever stopped


    to breathe since the start of her career.


    Cordy put away her phone and headed to the conference room. The meeting


    today was to discuss the bidding, and the afternoon was to be spent looking at


    the creation of a new brand.


    Enter title¡­


    For a business to continue to grow, it must be continuously innovative.


    When the meeting ended, it was time to get off work. However, Cordy stayed in


    the office and continued to process the many internal requests she had in hand.


    As she continued her work silently, her phone started ringing.


    She nced at it, then pressed the button to reject the call. After a while, her


    phone rang again. This time, it was an unfamiliar number calling.


    She hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Miss Sachs? This is the South Park police. We need you to rify some


    things regarding the assault incident between Bryson Zimmer and Kyle Jessop


    ¡°Alright,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you coulde by immediately.¡±


    ¡®TH be right there,¡± Cordy said before hanging up. Then, she picked up her work


    and walked out of her office.


    When Vince saw Cordy leaving the office, he was surprised as she usually didn¡¯t


    leave work early.


    ¡°Miss Sachs.¡±


    ¡°I left myputer on. There are a lot of internal requests still outstanding, and I


    need you to help me deal with them. Call me or message me if there¡¯s any you¡¯re


    unsure about.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Vince replied hurriedly.


    Cordy took a cab to the police station. She wasn¡¯t a very good driver and hadn¡¯t


    slept muchst night, so she decided that taking a cab to work was the better


    option as she was afraid to drive while tired.


    When she arrived at the police station, Kyle was also there.


    She hadn¡¯t answered Kyle¡¯s call as she hadn¡¯t wanted to deal with him. She had


    been so busy that she almost forgot about what happened with Brysonst night.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Sachs, Mr. Jessop. Pleasee with me to the office. There are some


    things we need you both to rify.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Cordy replied with ease, having no problem cooperating.


    She was definitely going to sue Bryson. There was no room for negotiation on


    this matter. That was why she ignored Plum¡¯s calls from the time Bryson had


    been detained.


    An eye for an eye. Cordy had always been this way.


    She spent more than an hour at the police station, and when she and Kyle left,


    Kyle said, ¡°I¡¯ll send you back. I drove today.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Getting a cab at this hour won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have dinner together?¡± Kyle suggested.


    Before Cordy could reply, Kyle continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything else by that.


    After Jessop Corp got into trouble this time, I realized you had done a lot for me


    back then. I regret what I did to you, and I know it¡¯s toote to say anything like


    that now. I only hope you¡¯ll give me one chance to apologize sincerely. After this,


    I won¡¯t ever bother you again.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need forthat,¡¯ Cordy refused again. There was not the slightest


    hesitation in her tone.


    Kyle ground his teeth together. He hadn¡¯t expected Cordy to treat him so coldly.


    He even began to doubt if this woman¡¯s feelings for him in the past were genuine.


    He had already humbled himself to this point, yet she was still so heartless and


    uncaring.


    ¡°Kyle, if you really feel any regret and guilt toward me, you wouldn¡¯t be pestering


    me right now. To suddenly treat me so kindly can only mean you have some


    ulterior motives.¡±


    Kyle flushed in anger as Cordy exposed him ruthlessly.


    ¡°I know exactly what¡¯s running through your mind right now, and I won¡¯t give you


    any chance to take advantage of me,¡± Cordy said before turning around to walk


    away.


    Kyle¡¯s eyes were filled with anger, and he trembled with the effort he exerted to


    suppress the rage.


    Just as he thought he was about to explode in rage, Cordy suddenly copsed


    before his eyes.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 255

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 255


    Chapter 255


    Cordy didn¡¯t think she would actually pass out. Even though she had been up


    almost the entire night and had overworked herself, she still thought she could


    endure it.


    However, she fainted in front of Kyle, of all people.


    The moment she copsed, a bad feeling washed over her.


    Zoe was waiting at home for Cordy to return from work. She had rescheduled all


    her work today and ordered a very nutritious meal from the best private chef in


    North City to give Cordy some well-needed supplements. Cordy seemed to have


    Enter title¡­


    lost weight recently, and her wrists were so thin that it looked like they could


    easily break!


    Zoe didn¡¯t know why her heart ached so much when she saw Cordy in this state.


    Cordy was clearly a strong woman, tougher and more beautiful than Zoe. Yet,


    she was ill-fated. As the saying goes, the more beautiful you are, the more


    miserable your life is.


    She waited until half past seven and started to get anxious as there was still no


    sign of the other woman. Cordy hadn¡¯t rested enoughst night; surely she


    wasn¡¯t nning on working through the night, right?


    Did Cordy think she was made of steel?


    Zoe was furious at the thought and called Cordy, only to find that thetter had


    turned off her phone.


    That was impossible!


    Cordy¡¯s phone was always on; twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.


    The possibility of it running out of battery was also off the table, as she was


    extremely cautious.


    Zoe was impatient, and she wasn¡¯t one to sit around idly when she set her mind


    on something. Without thinking about it, she grabbed Cordy¡¯s car keys and drove


    straight to Starstream Group.


    She rushed straight into Cordy¡¯s office once she arrived and threw open the door.


    Vince was startled at the sudden intrusion. He had been helping Cordy sort


    through the internal requests on herputer, and was stuck on one he couldn¡¯t


    decide on. He had sent her a message, but didn¡¯t receive a reply and was about


    to call her when the door burst open.


    When he saw who it was, he was even more shocked.


    W-W-Wasn¡¯t that his favorite idol, Zoe York?! Was this real? Did he actually have


    the pleasure to see her up close and personal with his own eyes?


    Just then, his idol rushed up to him and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Cordy?¡±


    Vince took a moment to calm his frantic nerves and replied, ¡¯Miss Sachs left the


    office a while ago.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart beat wildly in her chest at his reply, and asked hurriedly, ¡°Did she


    have any business engagements tonight?¡±


    ¡°No. There was a dinner, but she said she wasn¡¯t feeling well today, and didn¡¯t


    attend,¡¯ Vince hastily replied.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Then, where is she?!¡± Zoe¡¯s voice took on a higher pitch due to her


    nervousness.


    She suddenly had a very bad feeling. She knew Cordy didn¡¯t have any other


    friends apart from her, so Cordy had no other personal life that she wasn¡¯t aware


    of. Cordy was also very sensible and wouldn¡¯t y around with her health. Since


    she was overworked today, she definitely would havee home early to rest.


    Most importantly, Cordy would never turn off her phone for no reason.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Vince asked worriedly after seeing how his idol¡¯s face turned red


    with anxiety.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Zoe returned to her senses and mentally scolded herself not to panic. She turned


    around without another word and left quickly.


    Vince didn¡¯t manage to say anything before she left. He had wanted an


    autograph¡­


    Zoe got back into the car and called John as she drove out.


    ¡°John, Cordy¡¯s missing!¡±


    John¡¯s slender fingers paused in his task. He asked harshly, ¡¯What?¡±


    ¡°Cordy¡¯s missing! I was waiting for her at home for dinner, and she didn¡¯te


    home! I called her, but her phone was turned off. I rushed to her office, and her


    secretary said she had already left work a while back and also said there were no


    business engagements tonight. Cordy doesn¡¯t have any other friends, John. She


    wouldn¡¯t have gone anywhere else-¡±


    The call was cut off abruptly.


    Zoe almost burst into tears when that happened, and she clutched her phone


    tightly.


    Why did it feel like Cordy was always in danger?


    God, please don¡¯t be too cruel to her!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 256

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 256


    Chapter 256


    At Levine Ventures¡¯ General Manager office, John had hung up the call with Zoe


    and immediately dialed another number. ¡°Jay, could you ask Mandy if Kyle is at


    home?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Once you know, just text me. I only want to know the answer to that question,¡¯


    John said urgently before hanging up the phone.


    Then, he dialed another number. ¡°Search through all the cameras in the city


    quickly and find out where Cordy went after she left work. Also, arrange for a


    Enter title¡­


    search through the city for any information about her. Send word to me


    immediately if there¡¯s anything. Don¡¯t do anything without my authorization. H


    ¡°Understood/ the person on the other end said respectfully.


    Just as John was about to hang up, he suddenly thought of something, and his


    eyes narrowed. ¡°Wait. Find out whost called Cordy on her phone.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    After that call, John saw Jay¡¯s message.


    [Kyle isn¡¯t at home.]


    John¡¯s eyes turned hard, and he clenched his fist; his knuckles turned white from


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    the force.


    Kyle had better not have done anything! Otherwise, he just signed his death


    warrant.


    John hadn¡¯t bought over Jessop Corp because he was being considerate of Jay.


    After all, Mandy was dating him, so John had to show him some respect.


    Yet, this time¡­


    John¡¯s face twisted into an extremely unsightly expression.


    It was a terrifying look.


    Even Randy, who was by his side, didn¡¯t dare ask what had happened after


    seeing the frightening look on John¡¯s face. Based on John¡¯s expression, however,


    he could tell that it was probably something huge.


    If it was enough to have John looking like that, then it must concern Mrs. Levine.


    Randy couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh inwardly. John was a powerful and perfect


    boss, so why was he so unlucky when it came to matters regarding love?


    When Cordy woke up, she felt extremely dizzy. Perhaps it was because her


    blood sugar was too low, which exined why she fainted. She suddenly recalled


    that she hadn¡¯t eaten much today. She had been exhausted, and that made her


    lose her appetite.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± a familiar male voice rang in her ears.


    Cordy turned and blinked, her vision clearing and seeing Kyle before her.


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    An instinctive nervousness and fear surged up in her in the face of danger,


    despite how calm she looked on the surface.


    She tried to move, but realized btedly that she was tied to a bed. Her


    surroundings were unfamiliar. It didn¡¯t look like she was in a hotel or Jessop Vi.


    Cordy forced herself to calm down. ¡°Kyle, do you know you¡¯re breaking thew?¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡¯ Kyle snorted as he sat down in front of Cordy and studied her pretty face.


    Looking at how indifferent she remained regardless of what happened to her, he


    couldn¡¯t help but feel a little crazy.


    He had suppressed his anger for this woman in his heart for far too long.


    It wasn¡¯t only because she had coldly refused to help him save Jessop Corp, but


    the fact that she could stop loving him just because she said she would¡­ That


    was something he couldn¡¯t ept.


    He wouldn¡¯t allow Cordy to fall in love with anyone else.


    ¡°If I do this, I¡¯ll still have a way out. I¡¯m not that stupid to leave evidence for you to


    sue me after this, Cordy. Between us, this is simply¡­mutual affection,¡± Kyle said


    with a triumphant smile.


    He caressed Gordy¡¯s face lightly, causing her to feel sick to her stomach. Cordy


    didn¡¯t know why she had been so blind in the past to fall in love with this man.


    She had given him everything, only for him to bite the hand that fed him without


    remorse!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 257

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 257


    Chapter 257


    Kyle¡¯s ugly face was right in front of Cordy, and she could only look at him coldly


    as endless humiliation made her stomach churn in disgust.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Kyle was enjoying himself so much. He smiled wickedly and said, ¡°Do you regret


    how you treated me? I begged you. I even bowed and groveled for a chance to


    work with you, but you showed me no mercy! Do you regret it now?¡±


    ¡°The only regret I have is loving you!¡± Cordy hissed as she met Kyle¡¯s eyes with


    her icy ones. ¡°It makes me sick to think about that. I feel like throwing up!¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡±


    Enter title¡­


    Kyle¡¯s fist tightened, clearly angered by her words. With a firm grip, he grabbed


    Cordy¡¯s neck.


    Pain burst from her throat, and she felt a choking sensation as Kyle tightened his


    hold.


    If she died in Kyle¡¯s hands, she really wouldn¡¯t be able to rest in peace!


    However, she refused to beg for mercy and simply red at Kyle with reddened


    eyes. If she died, she would remember his ugly mug of a face! If there was an


    afterlife, she would make sure he paid his debt in blood!


    Kyle suddenly released Cordy. No matter how furious he felt from looking at


    Cordy¡¯s eyes filled with unyielding hate, he didn¡¯t have the guts to kill somebody.


    He wouldn¡¯t destroy himself for her.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t stop coughing frantically after she was abruptly released. For a


    moment, she thought she was really going to die, despite logic telling her that


    Kyle would never be so daring.


    He simply wanted to taste the thrill of revenge right now, and she wouldn¡¯t give


    him the satisfaction!


    ¡°Cordy, don¡¯t make me kill you,¡± Kyle threatened.


    Cordy ignored him. She didn¡¯t want to speak another word to the man.


    Kyle got up and walked away from her, then took out a pill and ced it in front of


    her.


    Cordy narrowed her eyes at the innocent-looking pill, but a flicker of panic


    shed through her eyes, betraying the calm she disyed.


    ¡°Are you scared now?¡± Kyle asked mockingly.


    ¡°What do you n to do?¡±


    ¡°Do? Well¡­ Happy things, of course,¡± Kyleughed, his tone tinged with dark


    lust. ¡°Cordy, we dated for three years, but I never touched a single hair on your


    head. And yet, you so easily jumped into John¡¯s bed! Don¡¯t you think you deserve


    some payback for trampling over my respect for you?¡±


    Cordy was enraged by his words. ¡°You didn¡¯t touch me because Noel kept you


    extremely satisfied! Did you even think about me when you acted like a cheating


    scumbag?!¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t pushed me away, could Noel seduce me? Our breakup was all your


    fault! You¡¯re the one who wouldn¡¯t let me in, and you were so horribly stubborn


    about it. You¡¯re the one who gradually pushed me toward Noel! Hah! But I guess


    I should thank you, since your coldness allowed me to meet a woman who loved


    me a thousand times more than you,¡± Kyle finished in a loud and agitated


    manner.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 258

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 258


    Chapter 258


    Kyle said those words as if he had something to prove.


    ¡°What? Noel loves you?¡¯ Cordy scoffed. ¡°Noel only loves what I have, and she


    has to steal everything I want.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to drive a wedge between me and Noel-¡±


    ¡°Well then, why are the Sachs standing idly by while Jessop Corp is in crisis? If


    Noel loves you so much, why doesn¡¯t she get them to give you the capital


    injection you need?¡¯ Cordy shot back.


    ¡°Your father Simon¡¯s the one who¡¯s being too materialistic. Noel even argued with


    him to try and help me/ Kyle retorted.


    Enter title¡­


    ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Cordy asked. ¡°And has the oue changed at all?¡±


    ¡°How could Noel possibly have the power to change Simon¡¯s mind?¡±


    ¡°Kyle, I have to say¡­ You wouldn¡¯t have fallen into such ruin if you hadn¡¯t met


    Noel in this lifetime.¡±


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Kyle was humiliated by her sarcasm.


    ¡°Simon is a man who loves his reputation. While you¡¯re engaged to Noel, it¡¯d be


    impossible for him to reject a request for help from you. Once it gets out that he


    did, it¡¯d only humiliate him. Those in the business industry pay attention to


    reputation too, you know? Once trust and credibility have been lost, how do you


    think one would gain a foothold in the market?¡± Cordy argued fiercely. ¡°If Noel


    was sincere in helping you, Simin definitely would¡¯ve given you the financial help


    you needed. But obviously, Noel doesn¡¯t want to help you. She¡¯s even going to


    use this affair to sever her ties with you.¡±


    ¡°Did you think I¡¯d believe your bullsh*t?!¡¯ Kyle spat with a contemptuousugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re just trying to drive us apart to get back at us for being so in love! I¡¯m not


    afraid to tell you this, Cordy. After knowing my family was in trouble and knowing


    that her father wouldn¡¯t help, Noel told me to go for you. She also told me that


    you have what I need, and that I need to think of a way to ensure you have no


    choice but to work with me! She knew we once had feelings for each other, but


    endured it to help me. There will never be another woman in this world who¡¯d


    love me with all her heart like Noel!¡±


    ¡°With all her heart?¡± Cordyughed. The man¡¯s idiotic words honestly amused


    her. ¡®Kyle, have you ever thought about it? Would someone who loves you so


    much let you sell your body and soul to someone else? Think about it from


    another perspective. If the Sachs were in trouble, and Noel used her body to get


    financial help, can you ept it?¡±


    Kyle was dumbfounded and speechless at Cordy¡¯s words. It took a long time


    before he could finally say, ¡°¡­Noel would never betray me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you inly the reason she¡¯s doing this. She¡¯s going to y the victim and


    use this whole farce to get rid of you,¡± Cordy said slowly, as if she was talking to


    a child. ¡®Once something happens between us, Noel will use it as an excuse and


    im you cheated on her first. She¡¯ll stab you in the back and break up with you.


    The Sachs will be able to decline you any financial help while acting righteous


    about it. It¡¯s such a simple and easy n. How could you not see it?!¡±


    Kyle was suddenly silent.


    Cordy said everything rationally and logically, and there were no words he could


    find to refute, as there wasn¡¯t any loophole in her logic.


    No.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    He didn¡¯t believe that Noel would hurt him.


    Noel¡¯s feelings for him were deep, wasn¡¯t it?


    She had endured so much when he was still with Cordy, and she was also


    obedient to him in recent years. He shouldn¡¯t believe Cordy¡¯s nonsense!


    Cordy was just saying all that to get him to let her go.


    No one could save her now, and she was trying to save herself.


    Cordy was a smart woman, and he knew that. He would never fall for her


    schemes!


    After pondering for a while, Kyle finally snarled coldly, ¡°It¡¯s useless for you to say


    anymore, Cordy. Noel loves me to the point that she¡¯s lost herself. It¡¯s a belief


    that won¡¯t be shaken. Do you really think I would fall for your petty lies?¡±


    Cordy clenched her fist, feeling powerless and despair running through her.


    Kyle had really lost his mind to Noel.


    ¡°I know you said all those so I¡¯d let you go. Unluckily for you, Cordy, I¡¯m not that


    stupid!¡± Kyle mocked.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re an idiot to the core!¡± Cordy snarled.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kyle didn¡¯t want to hear Cordy insulting him anymore, and shoved the


    pill into Cordy¡¯s mouth.


    Swallow it!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 259

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 259


    Chapter 259


    Cordy felt the pill enter her mouth, but she refused to swallow. It was something


    Kyle gave her, so it couldn¡¯t be anything good.


    The two of them were in a stalemate for a while.


    Kyle covered Cordy¡¯s nose, and the sudden choking sensation that washed over


    her forced her to open her mouth. At the same time, Kyle grabbed the mineral


    water next to her and poured it forcefully into her mouth.


    Since her nose was covered, she was unable to stop her body¡¯s instincts and


    swallowed the white pill that washed down her throat with the water.


    Enter title¡­


    The most wicked smile broke out on Kyle¡¯s face. ¡°Do you want to know what you


    just took?¡±


    Cordy red at him with cold, hard eyes.


    Only hate remained in them.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see any other emotions in your eyes even if you died, you


    know? Do you know how much I love that look on your face? I was really sick of


    how indifferent you looked all the time!¡± Kyle hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°I


    gave you an aphrodisiac. Soon, you¡¯ll feel like dying from overwhelming desire


    and lust!¡±


    Cordy had already guessed what it was earlier once she knew what Kyle nned


    to do. He was going to make indecent videos in such a way to force her to work


    with him.


    ¡°Did Noel teach you that?¡± Cordy asked as she tried to calm her beating heart.


    ¡°No!¡± Kyle denied it immediately. ¡®She wouldn¡¯t do such despicable things!¡±


    ¡°So you admit you¡¯re despicable?¡±


    ¡°You forced my hand! If you had worked with Jessop Corp and me, I wouldn¡¯t


    have needed to go to this extent! You¡¯re the one to me here!


    You!¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Have you ever thought about the consequences of doing this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have no choice but to work with me, of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what will happen! Even if I die in your hands, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll work


    with Jessop Corp! I¡¯ll never help your family, either! Do you really think you can


    threaten me with this, Kyle?¡¯


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll post a video of the two of us making love online?


    Everyone will see your naked body. What if John sees it? You won¡¯t have the


    right to be even his mistress once that happens! The inte is a more terrifying


    ce than you can ever imagine, Cordy!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve never experienced it? What the hell did I experience when I


    was eighteen? It¡¯s just a repeat of the past, and it won¡¯t have any effect on me!


    What you¡¯ll get is your own ruin and Jessop Corp¡¯s!¡± Cordy said with conviction.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you don¡¯t care at all!¡± At this point, Kyle couldn¡¯t be reasoned


    with anymore. ¡°Do you think I can back out now that I¡¯vee this far? If I let you


    go, you¡¯ll immediately call the police to arrest me. I know very well the kind of


    person you are, Cordy!¡±


    ¡°If you release me, I promise I won¡¯t call the police.¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Kyle said with a disdainful smile.


    He wasn¡¯t convinced at all.


    ¡°If you really do this today, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life,¡± Cordy


    threatened. ¡°John will kill you!¡±


    ¡°How dare you use John¡¯s name to threaten me! John has a wife, and you¡¯re just


    his mistress! Do you think he¡¯ll kill someone for you?¡± Kyle mocked. ¡°You really


    think the world revolves around you, huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll really die a miserable death!¡±


    ¡°So what if I die?¡± Kyle didn¡¯t care anymore at this point. There was no reason to


    turn around now. ¡® Wouldn¡¯t it be romantic to die in the midst of making love?¡±


    Cordy red fiercely at Kyle with bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°You should be honored that I don¡¯t find you disgusting. You slept with a man at


    eighteen and gave birth to a stillborn child, and now you¡¯ve even slept with John.


    What right do you have to act so pure and righteous? You should be grateful that


    I¡¯m still interested in your body,¡± Kyle said, dragging his fingers on the curves of


    her body. ¡°Well, you can¡¯t be that bad, right? Since John¡¯s so obsessed with you.¡¯


    Kyle¡¯s disgusting words kept ringing in Cordy¡¯s ears.


    ¡°By the way, I might as well tell you. This ce is where I cheated on you with


    Noel. It¡¯s covered with traces of my lovemaking with her. Don¡¯t you think what


    we¡¯re about to do here is so exciting?¡±


    His voice was sickening, but it was the only thing that kept echoing in her ears.


    She bit her lip as she felt her body tremble.


    She knew very well that it was useless to say anything to Kyle now. He hade


    this far, and there was no room to back out for him.


    An unnatural feeling started to ovee her, and she felt her body react


    strangely.


    It was the same feeling she had when she was eighteen, and her face was


    <ppletely flushed.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 260

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 260


    Chapter 260


    Gradually, Cord/s face started to feel hotter, and sweat broke out on her


    forehead.


    The drug was kicking in.


    Kyle kept his eyes on Cordy and watched as her body reacted with satisfaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s really kicking in fast, huh?¡± Kyle said. ¡°You have such a sensitive body.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s vision began to blur no matter how hard she tried to resist the feeling.


    Her struggles were to no avail.


    Enter title¡­


    Such a depressing thought could wear out a person¡¯s mind, and she couldn¡¯t help


    but recall back to when she was eighteen years old. At that time, she repeatedly


    begged to be let go but was refused again and again, which drove her crazy.


    However, there was no need to recall what she felt back then.


    After all, she was going to experience it once again.


    ¡°Let me go¡­¡± Cordy said, clearly using up all the strength she could muster as


    she tried to catch her breath. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll work with Jessop Corp.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe you?¡±


    ¡°I always keep my word.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think I care about that right now. Compared to that contract, I¡¯m more


    interested in your body. Cordy, you might not be aware of how¡­ attractive you


    really are, you know? No man could resist you, unless they aren¡¯t one!¡± Kyle¡¯s


    voice had dropped lower and turned raspy as he spoke.


    Kyle had always thought that Cordy was a rigid woman, so he didn¡¯t have any


    interest in her once he had experienced Noel¡¯s enchanting ways in bed.


    However, he never expected Cordy to have such a charming and seductive look


    that would turn him on.


    Not to mention, she really did have a beautiful body.


    Such a pity.


    Why hadn¡¯t he slept with her all those years ago? He had let John get ahead of


    him!


    Kyle couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and frantically pawed at Cordy while trying to


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    get her out of her clothes. Once he unbuttoned her clothes, Cordy suddenly


    jerked off the bed and quickly ran in the direction of the door.


    Just as she was about to open it, it mmed shut with a loud noise.


    Kyle had forcefully shut it from behind her.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Cordy to be able to maintain her consciousness and run


    away even under such circumstances. She should be feeling so overwhelmed


    with lust now, and would go after any man before her.


    Cordy pressed her legs close tightly, not wanting to give in.


    She didn¡¯t want to be tainted again.


    But¡­


    She had no power to resist.


    With how strong Kyle¡¯s brute strength was, there was no way she could get away.


    Plus, no one woulde to her rescue in this enclosed space.


    She felt herself being roughly dragged across the floor; Kyle¡¯s hands and body


    pressed against her.


    She couldn¡¯t move the slightest.


    Cordy closed her eyes in despair, and tears slid down the corners of her eyes.

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    Chapter 261


    Perhaps some people were destined for misfortune.


    When Cordy was young, she lost her mother, and her father remarried.


    The stepdaughter he gained from the new marriage was always working against her, and everyone in


    the house also helped with said stepdaughter¡¯s schemes.


    When Cordy grew up, she had excellent grades and outstanding capabilities.


    But the stepdaughter framed her, making Cordy give birth out of wedlock which caused a lot of trouble


    and led her into novel.e.book gaining a notorious reputation in the city.


    Due to that, Cordy was dropped out of a prestigious university and kicked out of her home by her


    father.


    She was forced to wander the streets of a foreign country and struggled to survive with the skin of her


    teeth.


    Cordy once thought she had met a man who truly loved her, and she gave him everything she had;


    only for him to cheat on her behind her back with her stepsister.


    Later, she thought she had finally found true love and mustered up the courage to give life another


    chance...


    Only to find that everything was just a scam once more.


    Despite everything that had happened, she still tried her best to live on.


    It hadn''t been an easy journey to be born in this cruel world, so she wanted to live well.


    She didn''t want to disappoint herte mother''s wish, who had told her, "Even if I leave, you''ll have to


    carry my love for you and live.Be happy."


    Every time she felt overwhelmed by life, Cordy would always remember herte mother''s words.She


    would then grit her teeth and pull through whatever situation she was in.


    Cordy''s tears slid down her eyes continuously, without stopping.She would get through this too.


    It was just another experience, the same tragedy back when she had been eighteen.


    This was just...another time that fate would trample on her.


    Perhaps it had happened so many times, so she was numb to it.


    Bang! The door suddenly burst open.


    Kyle, who had been eagerly exploring Cordy''s body, was startled.


    Before he could react, someone pulled him off Cordy and shoved him to the ground before kicking him


    hard.


    The blow was so harsh that Kyle almost couldn''t breathe from the pain, but countless blowsnded on


    him before he could do anything else.He couldn''t even beg for mercy with how ruthless the blows


    rained down on him.He was going to die! He could feel his blood seeping out of the wounds and


    drenching him in the red liquid, and his vision blurred after a few moments.He couldn''t even tell if it was


    tears or blood, but he felt like an inch away from death.


    "Mr.Levine," Randy called out, pulling John back a little.


    "Stop beating him.He''ll die at this rate."


    John''s face was filled with rage, and it looked as if he wouldn''t calm down until someone was dead by


    his hands.


    "He''s not worth staining your hands with blood," Randy said insistently as he tried to move his frenzied


    boss with all his might.


    He understood the man''s anger.He really did.


    John had mobilized all the forces he had in his hand to find Cordy.


    After discovering that thest call to Cordy''s phone had been from the police, he immediately retrieved


    the surveince videos in that area. novel.e.book He found that Cordy had passed out shortly after


    exiting the station and that Kyle had whisked her away right after.


    Following the surveince videos on Kyle''s journey, they finally found this vi in the suburbs.


    Without hesitation, John sped to the vi as fast as possible.


    As Randy sat in the vehicle''s passenger seat, he was already drafting his will in his mind.


    After going through the thrilling danger of the roads and arriving at the vi, John brutally kicked down


    the door and rushed into the bedroom, only to find Kyle on top of Cordy...


    Randy had never seen his boss in such a terrible state.His eyes had an indescribable fury that was


    impossible to suppress at that moment.


    Randy truly, genuinely felt that someone would really die.


    Sure enough, John went crazy and started beating Kyle until thetter couldn''t move andy in the


    puddle of his own blood on the ground.


    If John continued, Kyle really would die.


    Despite understanding John''s anger, their country was still a society with rules andws.


    If John killed someone, he would pay with his own life.


    Randy couldn''t allow his boss to apany that sad excuse of a man down the gallows.


    Kyle wasn''t worth it.


    Besides, Kyle was now in their hands.


    Randy was sure he would have a miserable life after this.


    There was no need to rush.


    However, John refused to listen to Randy''s advice and shoved him away roughly.


    The former was unable to hold back his rage, and would only calm down once he murdered Kyle.


    Randy was shocked.


    John had always been a sensible man who had never lost control, not in such a frightening manner.


    "Mr.Levine, Mrs.Levine seems like she won''t hold out any longer! "


    Randy tried, the ideaing to him almost instantly.He needed the right solution to the right problem.


    At this moment, only Cordy could bring John back to his senses; only she could be his salvation.


    As expected, John''s frenzied revenge on Kyle was put on hold instantly at the mention of Cordy.


    He turned around to look at her.


    Cordy was nestled inside the nket, her face flushed red and looking extremely ufortable as her


    body writhed wildly.She looked exactly how she did when she was eighteen.


    The anger swirling through John''s veins increased.


    He knew all too well the damage he had left in Cordy back then.


    This woman, who he had treated so carefully that he hadn''t even touched her finger till now, had been


    tortured to this extent by Kyle!


    "Take that man to the police station,"John instructed, snarling.


    "Collect all the evidence and bring up charges against him for attempted rape and intentional assault."


    If Kyle wasn''t sentenced to death, he should at least serve a long prison time.


    "Rest assured, Mr.Levine, I''ll handle this properly.Please take Mrs.Levine away.I know what to do."


    Randy had served John for many years, and John didn''t need to question the man''s capabilities to


    carry out tasks.He strode on long legs to the bedside and bent to take Cordy into his arms.


    Cordy was in a mess.


    Several of her buttons were torn, and her shirt hung in tatters on her body.


    If John had been a littleter...


    John forced back his inner rage, but could do nothing about the fierce expression.


    However, his actions were extremely gentle and careful when he got close to Cordy.


    Taking off the jacket he was wearing, he wrapped it around her tightly before picking her up and leaving


    quickly.He ced her in the car''s back seat before getting into the driver''s seat and driving.


    As he drove, he called his personal doctor and said, Drugged and fed aphrodisiac.Is there any other


    way to get rid of it?"


    "Mr.Levine, the best solution is to satisfy her," the man said bluntly.


    "This kind of drug goes straight to the nerves, and any drug or medicine with such effects has to be


    handled carefully.If we''re careless, it could cause an unwanted long-term side effect, and also-"


    John suddenly let out a muffled grunt because Cordy suddenly leaned over in the back seat.Heat


    crashed through her in waves, and she felt extremely restless as she squirmed.


    "Mr.Levine?" the man on the other end of the line called out cautiously.


    John swallowed harshly and took a deep breath before replying, "Continue.I''m listening."


    "Alright," the doctor said.


    "If you really want to use medicine to counter the effects, we''ll need to do aprehensive


    examination of her body to find a suitable counter for her.We''ll need to do that so it won''t affect her


    internal organs, but this process would take several hours.Basically, the drug would have run its course


    by then, so we wouldn''t rmend going to the hospital after doing that.The fastest and most effective


    way without giving rise to any side effects is to simply satisfy her."N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    Chapter 262


    After the doctor finished speaking, he didn''t get a reply from John for a long while.


    After a while, he couldn''t help but call out cautiously again, "Mr.Levine?"


    "So, there''s no other way?"


    John''s voice was tight, and it held a slight tremble.


    "Yes," the doctor replied.


    "Okay.I got it."


    John hung up the phone abruptly.He was going to lose his mind.


    John kept taking deep breaths to keep his sanity so he could focus on driving.He finally arrived at North


    Garden''s underground car park; after parking, he took off his seatbelt and left the car.The moment he


    left, Cordy became visibly upset.


    Outside, John took a few seconds to forcefully calm himself before opening the passenger side door to


    bring Cordy out.He quickly brought her to the elevator and pressed the button for her floor.


    During this time, Cordy shifted around restlessly in his arms.Her dainty hands had already ripped a few


    buttons on his white shirt, revealing firm muscles.


    When the elevator arrived on the floor, John rushed out and rang the doorbell.He couldn''t punch in the


    security code with Cordy in his arms.


    Zoe yanked the door open almost immediately in a rough manner, the worry on her face obvious.Her


    eyes were red when she saw Cordy in her cousin''s arms. novel.e.book She had been in the house


    waiting, frightened out of her mind as time passed.She kept calling John, who didn''t answer, and she


    knew the man must have gone out to save Cordy.She also knew she could trust him with his abilities,


    but that didn''t stop her from fretting when she didn''t receive news or any updates.


    The suffocating feeling in her heart finally loosened when she saw Cordy with her own eyes and in


    John''s arms.


    However, when Zoe took a closer look at Cordy, she panicked once more.


    Zoe had never seen Cordy in this state.Her impression of Cordy was that the woman was always


    majestic and noble.


    Cordy was above themon people, and she looked like a goddess in any formal dress.


    On top of that, she always had a pure and beautiful face.


    Zoe never thought Cordy could look so seductive and alluring...to the point she could feel a nosebleed


    coming.


    Plus, looking at how John was all sweaty and breathing heavily...


    Well, John wasn¡¯t in that state because he was hugging Cordy, right? It was obvious he had been


    teased to the point he was about to reach his breaking point.


    In conclusion...


    Cordy really had been set up and drugged tonight.


    Just who the hell was so sinister and despicable tomit such a repulsive act?! Before Zoe could say


    anything, John hurriedly pushed past her and into Cordy''s bedroom, and ced Cordy down.


    As soon as she was released, Zoe saw that John was going to leave, but Cordy reached out to hook


    her arms around his neck She pressed hot, wet kisses on John''s lips...


    Oh my god! Zoe was stunned speechless at the scene before her.


    Was this something she could watch? Could she really watch this happen before her for free? Oh god,


    this was too much.


    More importantly, it was so beautiful! Zoe suddenly felt that it was a pity the two before her wouldn¡¯t


    make an R-rated film.


    "Get out!"


    John hissed, his expression grave.


    His tone jerked Zoe out of her daze.


    See no evil! Zoe immediately turned around to leave, but she suddenly remembered something and


    hurriedly said, "Don''t forget to be gentle when you...umm, yeah.You look like you''re about to lose your


    mind, so you better not hurt Cordy..."


    Zoe was frightened by John''s blood-shot eyes.


    How long had he been holding back? It looked like his eyes were filled with blood! novel.e.book Those


    who didn''t know probably would think that John was the one who had been drugged instead! Well, Zoe


    didn''t me John for how he looked.


    Who could resist Cordy when she was in that state? Closing the door behind her, Zoe gave the matter


    a quick ponder before deciding to exit the unitpletely.


    She needed to give them enough space to do what they needed to do, right? Obviously, she could read


    the room.


    Back in the room, John scooped Cordy into his arms again and carried her to the bathroom, where he


    quickly turned on the shower and drenched Cordy under the cold water.


    The sudden temperature change made Cordy shiver violently.


    It was October now, and the nights were cooler than usual.


    Cordy shot John a pitiful look, and it looked like she had regained consciousness for a second.


    John''s heart ached at the look in her eyes.


    "I''m afraid you''ll kill me when you get up tomorrow morning," John confessed.


    Cordy blinked herrge doe eyes, looking just like an abandoned puppy.


    Thest time they were in this situation, she had given him the same look when he refused her.It had


    been impossible for him to reject such a look, and so he let go and indulged, losing control of himself.


    He almost died in her bed that night.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, the entire me didn''t rest on Cordy''s shoulders.


    John himself had lost control that night.


    This time...he wouldn''t let his heart soften.He dared not imagine how disgusted Cordy would be


    tomorrow when she returned to her senses if he did.


    Thest time he indulged in it, Cordy had hated his guts for so many years.


    This time, it was possible that she would hate him for the rest of her life.


    He couldn''t be deceived by the look before him now.


    Despite everything, she could easily be hostile at the drop of a hat.


    However, John tensed up at the next moment.


    Cordy wasn''t the only one under the cold shower.He was standing under it too.He was not in any better


    state than her.


    The difference was, he still retained his rational mind; hers was all but gone.


    Cordy pressed her wet body closer to him.


    Her clothes had soaked through now, and almost everything beneath them was visible.


    Though she was under cold water, her hands were scarily hot to the touch, and she pressed him down


    on the ground.


    Water was everywhere on the floor, and the cold water continued to beat down on them.


    It didn''t help the heated atmosphere at all.


    Cordy bent down and sank her teeth down into his neck harshly, as if retaliating against him for pushing


    her away.


    John squeezed his eyes shut.


    Seriously, Cordy was going to be the death of him.


    The following day at dawn, the curtains fluttered gently in the morning breeze.


    Sunlight shone through the cracks and spilled onto the floor.


    Cordy opened her eyes to the warmth on her face, but immediately winced when the painful aches in


    her body made themselves known.She felt like her body was falling apart.


    For a moment, she couldn''t react or tell where she was.


    It was as if she had short-term amnesia and could not remember anything fromst night.She blinked


    and looked around, her eyesnding on the man lying beside her.


    His head was buried under the covers, and his back was toward her.He was sleeping soundly, and his


    breathing was even.He didn''t show any signs of waking.


    She suddenly recalled the same scene when she had opened her eyes in the morning back when she


    was eighteen years old.


    At that time, she had been so shocked that she scrambled out of bed and fell to the ground.


    In a flurry of motions, she grabbed her clothes and fled as quickly as she could.


    Wait.


    Had she...


    Transmigrated back to the past?!

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    Chapter 263


    Of course not! Those only happened to people who were chosen and lucky.How could the same


    happen to Cordy? Her luck had always been dreadfully abysmal.She moved slightly, but the man


    beside her stayed asleep.


    He was in a deep sleep, the same as he had been back then.


    Cordy finally couldn''t resist and lifted the covers to see who the man buried under the covers was.


    Thest time it happened, she had been young; fleeing had been the only thought on her mind.


    Now, there was almost nothing that could happen that she couldn''t ept.


    She had a dim recollection of what happenedst night.


    Kyle had taken her to the vi where he cheated on her with Noel.


    He forced her to swallow an aphrodisiac pill, and her body reacted to the drug.


    In her despair, she recalled hearing a loud bang before the pressure above her disappeared.


    Amid her hazy state, she heard the brutal sounds of someone getting beaten up. novel.e.book


    However, her body had felt too hot and ufortable for her to get up and see what had


    happened.Immediately after, someone picked her up; everything else was a blur.She even wondered if


    it had all just been a bad dream.


    If she wasn''t in her own bed, she would¡¯ve brushed the entire episode as a nightmare and felt relief.


    After all, she never expected anyone to rescue her at that moment.


    Cordy got a good look at the man under the pillow.


    It was John.


    Indescribable emotions washed through her, and she didn''t know what they were.


    She felt as if someone had trampled all over her.


    It didn''t feel like this situation was any better.


    In fact, she felt like it was like jumping from one fire to another.


    She moved to get out of the bed, and just as her feet touched the ground, a hand shot out to pull her


    back.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    The man had clearly been soundly asleep just a moment ago! Thest time she left, he hadn''t woken


    up.


    "Cordy..."


    John''s voice was hoarse as he blinked sleepily.It looked like he was still in a sleepy daze, but was


    forcing himself to wake up.


    "You''ve woken up..."


    John struggled to sit up on the bed.He looked powerless and mentally exhausted.


    "Let go of me," Cordy snapped coldly.


    John''s fingers twitched slightly.He thought about thest time they had been in this situation, where he


    had overslept and let Cordy slip between his fingers.


    If he had woken up and taken responsibility, they wouldn''t have missed so many chances to be


    together as had happened.


    However, the entire me didn''t fall on his shoulders.


    That night, after Cordy fell asleep and was finally satisfied, he dragged his tired body up and carried


    her to the bathroom, where he washed her carefully.


    From the start to the end, Cordy didn¡¯t stir at all.


    After cleaning her up, John took a bath and returned to bed.


    For some reason, he couldn''t fall asleep.


    Was it because it was the first time he had a taste of being intimate with a woman? He wasn''t sure.


    novel.e.book Although his body was covered in scratches and bite marks, the satisfaction far


    outweighed the physical pain he felt.


    John didn''t sleep for a long time as he watched the petite woman burrow under the covers.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He felt the happiness and excitement bubble in his chest; for a moment, he doubted that the past


    twenty years of his life had been a waste.


    Then, he fell asleep.

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    Chapter 264


    Once John dozed off, he slept deeply through the night.He didn''t realize when Cordy woke up and


    slipped away.


    In fact, history had repeated itself.


    Last night, he helped Cordy wash her body after she fell asleep.He was afraid she would catch a cold.


    Once he was done and had taken a shower, he suddenly felt wide awake.His mind was filled with


    thoughts on exining the state they were ine morning. novel.e.book By the time he fell asleep,


    the sun had already started to rise.


    However, he silently told himself he would not oversleep as he had back then.He couldn''t let Cordy slip


    through his fingers again, and he would exin everything clearly.


    Luckily, he did manage to wake up just as she was about to leave.


    Though she was looking at him in a disdainful manner.


    "I..."


    John started to exin.


    Cordy shook his hand off and said, "Just forget aboutst night.What happened, happened.I''m already


    used to it.Once you wake up, you should leave."


    "Last night, we-"


    "I don''t want to hate you more than I do now,"


    Cordy interrupted again, turning back to look at John.The moment her eyesnded on the man, she


    paused.


    After John sat up, the covers fell off his body, and his naked torso was on disy.


    The lingering scratches and bloodied marks on his body were hideous to look at...Especially his neck.It


    was horrifying.


    There were teeth marks, deep and red.


    Cordy swallowed harshly and suddenly remembered what John had said before; that if she had stayed


    back then, she would have seen the wounds and bruises he had been covered in.


    As it turned out, he hadn''t been lying.


    Cordy turned away and said coldly, "If I me you for what happenedst night, it would be ungrateful


    of me since what could¡¯ve happened instead would have been worse.I was an idiot when dealing with


    Kyle, and it was his fault thatst night happened.Compared to what could¡¯ve happened...Well, I rather


    it not have been Kyle.You saved me, and I should be thankful to you. novel.e.book However, my


    feelings are a different matter altogether.There are also things I can''t ept, even if I fall apart.The


    trauma and shadows in my heart from when I was eighteen haven''t receded.Repeating the same


    mistake now has just...left me reluctant to face it."


    John stared at Cordy, looking at how she struggled to suppress her emotions.She clearly held a lot of


    hatred for him, but she was doing her best to ept the situation.


    "Consider it my selfish desire.I don''t want to talk about anything that happenedst night, nor do I want


    to remember anything about it.I''ll fool myself and pretend that nothing happened," Cordy continued.


    "So...You should leave."


    "I won''t," John suddenly said firmly with no hesitation.His eyes were determined, and there was a hint


    of anger in them.


    Cordy bit her lips hard.Her eyes also filled with rage.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "What right do you have to dislike me so much?"


    John shot back.Cordy clenched her fist and pushed down the emotions that threatened to surface.


    "It was both our first times, yet somehow, mine isn''t worth anything?" John eximed, looking at her


    fiercely.


    Cordy felt her heart waver slightly.She was speechless.


    "Besides, you forced yourself on me!" John said bluntly.


    "Shouldn''t you take responsibility for me?!"


    Cordy was irritated by his words.She seldom got angry, especially when it came to her feelings.She


    always thought she could face them openly, but at this moment, she couldn''t stop herself.


    Feeling like a dam had broken in her, she yelled, "What do you want from me, then? To marry you?! Do


    you have what it takes to marry me? Don''t forget that you have a fiancee, John! What right do you have


    to ask me to take responsibility for you?! As an engaged man, you still couldn''t resist the temptation!


    Forget aboutst time.You were still young and impulsive! Now that you''re older and more mature, you


    should know your limits.Yet, you were still pulled into bed by a woman so easily.Don''t you feel ashamed


    of yourself?!"


    "Did I f*cking touch youst night?! I knew you''d react like this and turn it on me, which was why I didn''t


    touch a single hair on you even though I felt like I was about to explode!" John roared back angrily.


    He had never lost control like this before, and didn''t even hold back from swearing.


    "It wasn''t because of that bullsh*t about me being an engaged man, but because I was afraid you¡¯d


    hate me!"

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Chapter 265


    Only God knew what John had to go throughst night.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Cordy had teased him mercilessly, but he couldn''t do anything.


    Never mind that he couldn''t do anything, he couldn''t even leave until the drug effects wore off.


    The entire night, he was worried she would hurt him or vite him, so he did his best to protect himself.


    If a person hadn¡¯t experienced it for themselves, he or she couldn''t imagine the experience John had


    gone through.


    After getting through such a tough night, he woke up in the morning just for her to use him and


    wrong him so badly.


    Even a saint would get angry from this.


    Cordy was stunned by John''s words.She couldn''t believe him.Her entire body ached, and it felt exactly


    the same as she had experienced back then.


    How could she believe that he hadn''t touched her? Plus, the marks on his body...It only added


    evidence to the fact that they must have slept together.


    "If you don''t trust me, you can go to the hospital and get a checkup.You don''t have any condoms in


    your house, novel.e.book and you were in such a rushst night, so I wouldn''t have any time to get any


    either," John said, clearly seeing the disbelief in Cordy''s eyes.


    Well, he didn''t me her.


    Anyone who looked at the scene before them would say they looked like they had gone through a


    wretched love-making night.


    John knew early on that exining this would be challenging.


    Cordy bit her lip.


    John...


    Even though he had lied to her and didn¡¯t tell her that he had been the man who slept with her when


    she was eighteen, she could still tell what kind of person he was after so long of knowing him.He had


    self-respect and a noble upbringing, and it was impossible for him to lie.


    Even if he had hidden the truth from her, he had not denied it either.He simply had not told her the


    truth.


    For John to say all he had with such conviction, there was no reason for Cordy to doubt him.She simply


    couldn''t describe her emotions right now.


    Perhaps it was because she didn''t want to ept John anymore, so she closed herself off and thought


    of him in the worst possible way.She hadn''t really calmed down to remember what exactly had


    transpiredst night.


    One was because she didn''t want to hurt herself deeper, and two...She didn''t want to see John in a


    good light.She would rather keep her heart closed.


    "As for why you''re sore and bruised all over, it''s because you didn''t get any satisfactionst night and


    fought back like crazy," John exined.


    "My wounds were because I didn''t satisfy you, and you did this in retaliation." Cordy pursed her lips.


    It was difficult to listen to his words, and she didn''t want to know anymore.


    Even though she didn''t want to think too deeply about it, she vaguely knew what she had done.


    "Do you believe me now?" John asked, seeing how Cordy had turned silent.His voice was softer and


    much gentler now.He couldn''t stand to see her suffering or going through any difficulties.


    "You should leave now that you''re awake," Cordy said instead, not answering his question.


    However, she also no longer sounded angry.His words finally got through to her.


    John smiled exasperatedly.He had suffered so much for her sakest night, yet she didn''t even offer


    him a word offort.This ungrateful woman was seriously emotionless.


    Of course, John wasn''t about to give Cordy a hard time over this.


    Not to mention, Cordy''s words weren¡¯t without merit.


    As an engaged man, he wasn¡¯t in a position to demand anything from her.He lifted the covers, and


    Cordy''s eyes widened before she quickly turned away. novel.e.book It was then John remembered that


    he was stark naked.It wasn''t like he had slept naked to take advantage of Cordy.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have ensured she was appropriately dressed before they fell asleep.


    His clothes weren¡¯t only wet, but also inplete tatters.


    There was no way he''d be able to wear them again.


    He had tried looking through Cordy''s clothes to see if he could wear any; forget about her underwear,


    he couldn''t even fit any of her shorts.


    Even her shirts were too tight on him, despite not buttoning any of them, and they practically strangled


    him when he tried.


    Finally, he simply wrapped a towel around his waist andy on Cordy''s bed.


    Obviously, the towel got loose during the night, and he wasn''t aware when it fell off.


    John hurriedly exined, "Didn''t you rip my clothes apart?"

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    Chapter 266


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Cordy wasn''t angry at John''s words.


    Looking at the disaster on John''s body, she could also tell how out of control she had beenst


    night.Her face felt like it was on fire, and even her ears were hot.


    "Wait a bit.I''ll head out and buy some clothes for you," Cordy said as she got up from the bed.


    "Consider it payback forst night." John felt like he had gone through life and deathst night.


    Yet, this woman was telling him she''d just buy a set of clothes aspensation? Well, that was fine.He


    was content that Cordy didn''t hate him.He was even getting some clothes out of it; that meant he had


    hit the jackpot.


    Cordy went to another room to change, but Zoe tumbled in as soon as she opened the door.


    The former was startled, and John hastily wrapped the covers tighter around his body to avoid


    exposing anything.


    "Zoe?"


    Cordy eximed while holding onto Zoe, who was about to fall t on her face.Zoe had a hard time


    steadying herself.She tried to exin, novel.e.book "I-I wasn''t eavesdropping! I was just gonna knock


    on the door to call you guys up.It''s already four in the evening, you know? You guys did some extreme


    workoutst night, huh? Aren''t you guys hungry?"


    Cordy blushed at Zoe''sment.Her world had felt like it was about to crumple when she had woken


    up, and she hadn''t cared about hunger at all.


    "You''re finally awake, yeah? Thene on out and eat.I ordered some herbal soup.I promise, it¡¯ll help


    rejuvenate you both!" Zoe said with an energetic grin.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    "I''m heading out for a bit."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "I need to buy some clothes for John."


    Zoe''s eyes went as wide as saucers; she looked as if she was asking Cordy just what in the world


    Cordy had done to Johnst night.


    Well, Cordy had done something alright.


    Just...


    Not what Zoe was thinking.


    Cordy didn''t want to exin, either.How could she ask others to believe something that she herself


    found it hard to believe? Thus, Cordy said nothing and simply walked out of the room.


    Zoe watched Cordy''s retreating back.


    Somehow, it felt like Cordy was giving off a somewhat...enchanting aura today.


    Women who were satisfied through the night usually looked like peerless beauties the next day, right?


    Zoe quickly rushed into the room and walked up to her cousin with a leer on her face.


    "John...You made up with her, didn''t you?"


    She looked even more excited than the ones who had supposedly been intimatest night.


    "No," John said, wrapping the covers around himself tighter.


    "No?"


    Zoe parroted in disbelief.


    "No way! Didn''t you satisfy herst night?!"


    Zoe couldn''t help but look John from head to toe with contempt in her eyes, despite the fact he was


    bundled up in the covers.


    "What kind of nonsense is going through your head, Zoe?!" John chided, annoyed.


    "You and Cordy were alone the entire night, and she was drugged.What was I supposed to think?" Zoe


    eximed, obviously speechless at her cousin''s antics.


    John didn''t exin much and said impatiently, "It''s really not what you think."


    Zoe bit back the words on the tip of her tongue.


    John had no patience for anyone who wasn''t Cordy.


    If she wasn''t his cousin, she would¡¯ve fallen out with him a long time ago.


    "So, how was it? Was it passionate and-"


    Zoe started to fantasize.


    "Zoe York! What are you thinking? You''re too young for this!"


    "Who''s too young for what?! I''m less than six months younger than Cordy! You can make your move on


    Cordy, novel.e.book but I can''t fantasize about it?"


    Zoe shot back, clearly upset.


    After that, she said deliberately, "If I wanted to, I''d have a kid who''s old enough to be doing chores by


    now!"


    "Don''t you dare! I''ll break your legs!"

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Chapter 267


    "Do as I say, but not as I do, huh?"


    Zoeined, but she had toned down now after John''s outburst.


    Seriously? John had been a father since he was twenty-one!


    "Get out," John ordered, not wanting to talk to her anymore.


    Zoey reluctantly obeyed his words, as was her habit.She got up to leave, but suddenly stopped to say,


    "Aren''t you afraid you''ll suffocate to death with how tightly you wrapped yourself in that?"


    John ignored her and pulled the covers even more tightly around him.


    Zoe then remembered that Cordy had mentioned going out to buy John some clothes.


    Could it be...


    Was he wearing nothing underneath the covers? Wow! How intense hadst night been? So he was


    trying to indicate that no one could take a peek at his body apart from Cordy? Not even his cousin?


    ''Oh, this virtuous man! May all the malepatriots in this world put up with you!'' Zoe thought as she


    walked out of the bedroom in a huff, and closed the door behind her.


    With her cousin''s personality, he might kill her if she identally saw anything.She opted to wait in the


    living room.


    Thirty minutester, Cordy came home with a set of men''s clothes and went straight to the bedroom.


    "Try it on and see if it fits," Cordy said, handing the clothes to John.


    John saw a ck windbreaker, a white shirt, khaki pants, and ck underwear; she even bought a pair


    of ck socks for him.


    He lifted the covers, and Cordy turned around hurriedly before eximing angrily, "Are you an


    exhibitionist?"Had this man no shame?! "Only with Miss Sachs," John said.


    Seriously? He said it as if it was an honor of some sort!


    "Which part of me haven¡¯t you seen before, Miss Sachs?" John said with a smile.


    Cordy clenched her fist.


    Biting her lips, she moved to leave, but John called out to stop her.


    "Don''t open the door, Miss Sachs.I''m not done changing.Zoe''s outside.It¡¯d be bad if she saw anything."


    He knew it was bad, but he still chose to change here instead of going to the cloakroom? Cordy


    relented and calmed herself.


    After a while, John finally said, "I''m done."


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy turned around slowly, afraid to see something inappropriate.Her eyelid twitched slightly when


    she took in the man before her.She had simply bought some clothes randomly when she went to the


    mall.She hadn''t bothered thinking too much about it, and had let a store clerk match some clothes for


    her.She hadn''t expected that even when dressed in a simple set of casual clothes, John would still look


    so good.


    Did God spend a little more time when he made John?!


    "Does it look bad?" John asked.


    Was it because of the look on her face?


    "No, it''s nothing,"


    Cordy said, her usual indifferent expression sliding back on her face.


    "Does it fit?"


    "Yeah," John replied.


    Without mincing his praise, he continued, "


    You have such a precise grasp on my measurement, especially my pants-"


    Cordy didn''t bother listening any further.She turned around and walked out the door.


    Give him an inch, and he asks for a mile! Zoe was tired of waiting, and she thought she was about to


    die from boredom when she finally saw that the two of them were out.She was worried for a moment


    that they were going to start their morning...


    No, afternoon activities again...


    Thank goodness they came out.She had been starving the whole day, since she was waiting to eat


    together with them.

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    Chapter 268


    "Finally! Time for food!"


    Zoe said excitedly as she walked up to them.


    Cordy felt a little guilty.She knew Zoe had been waiting for them, and hadn''t eaten all day because of


    that.


    "Aren''t you going to eat, John?" Zoe asked the man who was standing there without moving.


    "You worked so hardst night, so you must be hungry.Look, you''re even losing muscle mass because


    of hunger! Come on.I''ve ordered some soup for you."


    Zoe was enthusiastic about it, but John simply stared at Cordy.Just then, his stomach let out aloud


    rumble.


    "Zoe ordered it for you.You should eat before you leave," Cordy finally said.


    John had been fighting down a smile, and the corner of his lips quirked up at her reply.


    Zoe also had a cunning smile on her face at Cordy''s words.


    Somehow, Cordy felt like she had been set up by the two of them.The three sat down at the dining


    table and started to eat.


    Zoe was livelier than the two, and started pointing out the dishes on the table.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "This is an herbal chicken soup I ordered for you, Cordy.It replenishes your energy and strengthens


    your kidneys.It also helps with dark circles under your eyes from staying upte at night.You''ll be as


    good as new once you drink it, okay? And this is a special blend of herbal soup for you, John.It''s


    for...Well, I don''t need to tell you what it''s for, right?"


    Zoe finished with a wink at John.


    John was speechless.


    Seriously? Hadn''t he suffered enoughst night?!


    "Hurry up and drink your soup," Zoe said as she served them a bowl each.


    "Have some yourself," Cordy said as she ignored John.


    "I''m not that lucky," Zoe groaned.


    "My food¡¯s different from yours.I ordered a low-fat meal.I''m an actress, you know? Can''t be indulging in


    food like this."


    "I told you to stop with that acting career of yours ande work at Levine Ventures," John said.


    "No way!" Zoe refused t out.


    "I''d rather starve to death on the streets than have a boring routine job!"


    John red at her words, but Zoe pretended not to see it.Cordy tried to diffuse the atmosphere by


    changing the topic.


    "Where did you gost night?"


    "I was afraid I''d be in the way, so I went and stayed at a hotel.I took thest few days off since there''s


    only onest scene I need to be at the set for anyway, so there''s no rush.I''ve asked my agent to put off


    any work for now. I''m a little tired from all the traveling."


    "Your health is important," Cordy admonished.


    "Right back at you! You didn''t sleep much the night before and worked all day yesterday.It''s already so


    late today, so you better not go to work! I suggest you take the day off tomorrow too, and give yourself


    a break.Look at how thin you''ve be! Even your boobs have shrunk!" Zoe nagged.


    "It''s not small.It''s just the right size," John threw in.


    Cordy pursed her lips at hisment, blushing to the tip of her ears.


    Zoe couldn''t help butugh.


    ''''Even if Cordy were a man, you''d still love her, huh?" John choked on the mouthful of soup he was


    drinking at Zoe''s words. He cleared his throat and pondered about her words seriously for a moment.


    Then, he nodded and said, "Well, that''s not impossible."


    This sudden obvious disy of affection had Zoe thinking that perhaps she had just lost her appetite


    for her low-fat meal.


    "you should leave once you''re done eating," Cordy told him.She didn''t look up from her bowl when she


    said that.


    John had only drunk a few spoonfuls, but he admitted he was already quite full after having some rice


    with it.


    Besides, Cordy had urged him to leave a few times.


    Staying on any longer would only cause her to dislike him even more, so it was better if he left.


    More importantly, there were some things he needed to take care of; like Kyle, for example.


    John set down his utensils quietly.


    Before he left, he said, "Make sure you eat more.It''s not important if your chest is small or not.The main


    thing is you shouldn''t lose any more weight."


    Cordy was speechless at his words, and Zoe was stillughing after he left.


    "Oh my...John''s a really good guy, isn''t he?" Zoe said proudly.


    Cordy didn''t deny it, but she didn''t agree either.She wouldn''t give anyment on a man who was


    engaged.


    The fact that she ate a lot during that meal also had nothing to do with John''s advice.She was simply


    hungry, and she had learned from her mistakes.


    Kyle had managed to get the drop on her because she had been too tired and hadn¡¯t paid attention to


    her health.


    She wouldn''t let the same thing repeat.


    When she thought about Kyle, her eyes grew hard and cold.


    { There were some people in this world who didn''t deserve any mercy!

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    Chapter 269


    After dinner, Cordy and Zoe sat on the couch in the living room, eating fruit and drinking coffee as they


    watched TV.


    As Zoe was in the entertainment industry, it was easy to make herugh.


    Simply watching a variety show was enough to get her rolling around inughter.


    Life seemed much happier when you were with someone who loved tough.


    Cordy pulled out her phone to check her messages, as was her habit.


    Even if she didn''t go to work, she still had to deal with work.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    While replying to her messages, she listened to Zoe''s exaggeratedughter beside her.


    Cordy didn''t think it was noisy.


    Rather, she found the soundforting.


    Once she was done dealing with work, Cordy browsed through the news.


    Her breath stuttered when she saw what was on it, and her expression changed.


    Zoe had finishedughing after thest joke on TV, and was about to get another cup of coffee when


    she saw Cordy''s face.


    "What''s wrong?" Zoe asked.


    She was afraid now to see a frown on Cordy''s face, because that meant something bad was going to


    happen.


    "There''s news about how Kyle almost raped mest night," Cordy said in an unusually calm manner.


    Zoe was not as restrained as her and immediately jumped to her feet.


    "What? Kyle set you upst night?!"


    Zoe''s focus had always been differentpared to others.


    "Yeah," Cordy replied.


    "That scumbag! I thought he was just a pretentious *sshole, but he turned out to be such a lowlife!"


    Zoe cursed.


    Cordy didn''t reply to that, and focused on the news article.It didn''t have many details, except that Kyle


    was now in police custody for forcibly trying to defile her.


    There were several photos of her and Kyle on a bed.


    It was clear from the photos that she was fighting back, while Kyle was trying to force himself on her.


    When the news article came out, it immediately became viral.


    Cordy''s first assumption was that John was behind this.


    Kyle would only get the maximum punishment if the public were enraged.


    However, after calming down, she felt something was amiss.


    John wouldn''t have hidden in the shadows and shown up at thest minute.


    Hence, this could only mean...


    Cordy narrowed her eyes, instantly guessing who had done it.


    She couldn''t help but bite her lip in anger.


    Noel was truly ruthless.


    She only cared about herself and didn¡¯t give a damn about Cordy, even though they were family.


    No matter how bad Kyle was as a person, at the very least, he had still been sincere toward Noel.


    Yet, she had so easily stabbed the man in the back without any regard for him.


    Zoe had also pulled out her phone and was cursing while looking through the news.


    Thement section in the article was filled with insults to Kyle.


    {You think you know who a person really is, but you don''t, huh? I didn''t expect Kyle to be such a


    disgusting person!) (Putting aside how he cheated, he actually tried to rape his ex- girlfriend? Wow, he


    just refreshed my perspective of the world.] (Noel, open your eyes wide and look! Is this man seriously


    worthy of your love? You should break up right now!)


    (This kind of person should be given severe punishment.His actions shouldn''t be condoned or


    tolerated! He''s rotten to the core!


    ({Everyone! Let''s boycott Jessop Corp! It''s shameful to wear clothing from that brand!) Kyle¡¯s reputation


    had taken a plunge, and he had be notorious overnight.

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    Chapter 270


    Just then, someone sent a message to Cordy''s WhatsApp.She opened her app to find that it was John.


    [Do you want to cover up the news?] The news and public opinion was clearly in their favor, but John


    was worried Cordy wouldn''t be able to endure it.


    [No need, ] Cordy replied bluntly.


    She didn''t agree with Noel''s cruel methods, but Cordy wasn''t kind enough to pity the man who had


    wanted to hurt her.She would simply sit back and enjoy the show.


    [Got it.] With that, Cordy exited the app.


    She got up from the couch and stretched her still sore body before saying to Zoe, "I''m going to lie down


    for a while."Zoe was still reading the news on her phone, clearly worked up, but she nodded in


    response.


    "I''m sure you''re exhausted fromst night.Go ahead and get some rest."


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The younger woman didn''t even look up at Cordy and her full attention was on her phone.


    Cordy guessed that she was probably cursing out Kyle with the other people in the thread while also


    enjoying the drama.


    Rather than an actress, Cordy thought Zoe would¡¯ve been more suited to be a gossip reporter.


    At the Sachs family residence, Simon was so happy when he read the news that he roared with


    laughter.


    "Kyle was arrested because of this scandal, and Noel has be a victim.With this, I can justify not


    giving any financial help to Jessop Corp.I can even hold my head up proudly to condemn his family!


    Oh, this is a great move!"


    Noel was naturally also in a good mood, even though not everything had gone ording to her n.


    After all, she had really wanted Kyle to defile Cordy; they would¡¯ ve beenbeled cheaters if they had


    slept together behind her back.


    Kyle''s reputation would¡¯ve taken a hit, which would be a good reason for Noel to break up with him.


    Cordy would also suffer.It would¡¯ve been hitting two birds with one stone, but she hadn''t expected John


    to interfere halfway through.


    When Noel saw what happened through the miniature camera she had installed secretly, she turned


    green with envy.She didn''t understand.


    Didn''t John already have a fiancee? Why would he still go out of his way to rescue Cordy? When Noel


    saw John rush in, she genuinely thought John would actually kill Kyle with how brutally he beat the


    latter up.


    Noel refused to admit it, but with the facts right before her; it was evident John still held strong feelings


    for Cordy.


    Since that was the case, Noel didn''t dare do much to Cordy.It would be easy for John to get revenge on


    Noel if he wanted to, so she only let the fact that Cordy had been the victim if this matter was leaked.


    The main reason to get the public fired up about this was not so that Kyle would get a heavy


    punishment, but rather as a reasonable excuse for Noel to break up with him.


    "All that''s left is for me to appear in the media and announce my breakup with Kyle.Then we''ll have no


    connections to the Jessop family anymore," Noel said sweetly.


    Wearing such a harmless and obedient look, she made it seem like such a cruel conspiracy had


    nothing to do with her.


    "Noel, you''re making me look at you in a different light," Simon said, clearly satisfied with what he


    heard.


    There was evident affection for his daughter in his eyes, and he continued, "I should''ve brought a


    talented child like you to work in Sachs Enterprise a long time ago.Tomorrow, you''ll follow me to the


    office, and I''ll ensure you have a good position.Also, I said I''d give you some shares before, so-"


    "Simon," Sue suddenly called out from beside him, causing Simon to shoot her an unhappy look.


    "Noel¡¯s still young, and the same could be said about you.Handing out your shares so early in the years


    is inappropriate.We''re family, so what''s yours will eventually be hers, no?" Sue said.


    "I''m sure Noel cares more about our family bond than the shares.Isn¡¯t that right, Noel?"


    Of course Noel cared about the shares! Who wanted to work for nothing? Her aunt had no real power


    in Sachs Enterprise.


    The older woman had no ce to raise her head proudly or have any say in anything, and Noel wasn¡¯t


    about to follow in her footsteps!


    "I think Sue has a point," Plum said before Noel could respond.


    "We''re all family.Giving outpany shares like this makes it seem like you''re an outsider, don''t you


    think, Noel?"


    That wasn¡¯t it! The Sachs family valued males more than females, so Plum and Sue obviously wanted


    to leave everything to Sonny.


    Noel hadn''t thought about fighting for it before, but that was also because she assumed she couldn¡¯t


    get it even if she did.However, Cordy had taken Starstream Group.Now, Noel was left with only Sachs


    Enterprise.She was extremely upset at the turn of events, but she still managed to smile gently on the


    outside.Yes.We''re family, and I don''t really care about that."


    Sonny was beside himself with glee.


    Cordy and Noel were unprofitable goods as they were daughters of the family, yet they wanted to fight


    with him to inherit their family''s assets.


    Well, there was no way in hell they''d have the chance!

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    Chapter 271 West Point Detention Center.


    Cordy went through the standard paperwork to visit Kyle Jessop.She didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of


    sympathy for him, but she was convinced he should understand a great many things by now.


    Especially the fact that while Cordy would never hurt others, she wouldn''t allow herself to be taken


    advantage of.


    If she was harmed, then she would take an eye for an eye.


    It was just after 24 hours in custody, but Kyle looked far more haggard than Cordy expected.He had


    always been attentive towards his personal appearance.


    In fact, the reason she was drawn to him in the first ce while they were abroad was because he


    would always wear clean, white cored shirts or t-shirts.


    Together with his innocent, youthful smile, he would always project the image of a fresh and easygoing


    person.


    Yet now, all that remains of that charming youth was gloom and filth.


    But with all sentiment she once held towards him gone up in smoke, Cordy would remain apathetic no


    matter how pitiful he had be.


    "What are you doing here?!"


    Kyle snarled, the anger in his voice barely repressed.


    Thest twenty-four hours have been terrible.His vanity now carried a hint of stubbornness, as if he


    refused to look so humiliating before Cordy, let alone be mocked.


    "To see how pathetic you are," Cordy said bluntly ¡ªshe was not about to be soft just because he


    ended up in such a sorry state.


    "Shut up!" he bellowed furiously, springing out of his chair immediately; as if someone had lit his fuse.


    "I''ve had enough of you! Meeting you was my misfortune!"


    "sit down!"


    The warden behind him barked, brandishing his baton before Cordy could speak any further.


    Fear shed across Kyle''s face the instant he saw the baton; it went without saying that he had gone


    through much in thest twenty- four hours.


    John definitely wouldn''t allow Kyle¡¯s stay to befortable.


    Once the warden snapped at him, Kyle promptly turned silent andpliant.


    Having subdued him with just an order, the warden turned towards Cordy, asking with her eyes if she


    would like to continue.He was certainly being nice, and Cordy could tell that John had something to do


    with this; just as he had always predicted everything she would do.


    She nodded at the warden, who respectfully retreated to a corner.


    Then, she turned back towards Kyle.


    Though he was sitting quietly again, the spite in his bloodshot eyes was ame.


    When coupled with the cuts and bruises over his face and body, it was a gruesome sight.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "You still don''t get it, do you?" Cordy asked coolly.


    "The one who really did this to you?" Kyle red viciously at her, but dared not re up again.

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    Chapter 272


    Cordy whipped out her phone, tapped on the news headlines, and showed it to Kyle.You were framed


    by Noel from the very start.Since you¡¯ve been here since yesterday, you probably wouldn''t know what''s


    in the news.Here, enjoy!"


    Kyle had an idea of what she wanted to show him; he couldn¡¯t be bothered to even nce at it and


    instead growled through his teeth, "Are you done mocking me?"


    "It''s not mocking..." Cordy paused.


    "Actually, I guess it counts."


    While Kyle was seething, Cordy tapped on the photos on the article to show him.


    "That said, I''d prefer it if you can recognize the truth.Why don''t you look at those photos?"


    Finally, Kyle couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and looked at them.


    When he did, his eyes turned bloodshot in disbelief.


    "I''m sure you''re not stupid enough to think John or myself published these photos, are you?"


    Cordy continued.


    "This happened even before John came."


    "What are you trying to say?!" Kyle growled through clenched teeth.


    "You still don''t get it, do you? Noel nned everything," Cordy replied.


    "It was by her design that you were discredited and lost everything.She did all this just so she could


    break up with you and let you suffer the contempt of the masses."


    "How would she get those photos if she weren''t there?!"


    Kyle retorted nheless, still adamant on defending himself and Noel.


    "Why don''t you use your head and think about it?" Cordy said, and patiently pointed out the logic


    behind everything.


    "The ce you brought me was where you and Noel used to have your little trysts; a ce only she


    would know, and no one else.Don''t you think it''s possible that after Noel found out what you''re going to


    do, she prepared a hidden camera ahead of time to capture everything?"


    "No! That''s impossible!" Kyle cried in denial.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that the Noel who loved him so deeply would actually deceive him ¡ªto set him up


    like this! After all, Noel was so hopelessly in love with him! In fact, she cared for him so much that she


    couldn¡¯t bear to let him get hurt at all! I Cordy watched coolly as Kyle reacted to the information.


    It was clear that deep down, he understood the truth.He was I simply refusing to admit that he had


    acted so stupidly all for Noel¡¯s sake; that she had yed him like a fiddle.


    "That''s not even the first time Noel did that.Who do you think nned it so that I slept with a stranger,


    and caused a scandal because I got pregnant?"


    The events had transpired a long time ago, but Cordy still had to withhold her rage even as she


    recalled it now.Her life had turned upside down, all because Noel was rotten and self-centered.


    Kyle stared quietly at Cordy in turn, but stayed silent because he knew the answer.However, Cordy


    wasn¡¯t that kind¡ªshe wanted to tell him everything anyway, just so that she knew how much of a


    moron he was to fall for Noel''s seduction.


    "It''s Noel.Ever since we were kids, she could never ept it whenever I have something that''s better


    than hers."


    "Because I made it into a famous university while she only managed to get into a second-rate college,


    she lured me to a bar, drugged me, and arranged for someone to sleep with me.She never expected


    that her n would suffer a setback, since I didn''t leave with the man she arranged.It¡¯s also why she


    didn''t get to record the incriminating video she wanted."


    Kyle barely could stop himself from shaking, his self-control slipping the more he listened.


    Even so, Cordy went on.


    "However, I got pregnant, and she used that as leverage to incite an expose so that everyone would


    hate me, just like they hate you now.The Sachs in turn dumped me abroad.


    With that, she didn¡¯t have topete with anyone for the family''s wealth.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was for me to meet you and return to the country with you.


    To everyone else, we were the perfect couple.


    That red her jealousy again, so she did everything she could to steal everything I had."


    "That''s enough, Cordy.I don''t want to hear it anymore..."


    Kyle''s eyes were red, and his voice was shaking.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Even so, his tragic state was all his own making; and so Cordy continued, unmoved.


    "When our wedding was called off, you two got together as if it was perfectly natural.But Noel wasn¡¯t


    satisfied, because I started a rtionship with John Levine at that time.You probably didn''t know she


    was trying to seduce him while you were still dating her, did you?"


    Kyle''s whole body was trembling, and he was crumbling inside.


    "But this time, she hit a snag,"


    Cordy went on coolly.


    "John refused to let her near him, and she didn''t even have the chance to bat her eyshes at him.She


    only realized she waspletely out of her league when Jessica Stuart showed up, and she finally


    gave up on John.Or maybe she¡¯s already satisfied since she believes I won''t get John, either."

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    Chapter 273


    Once Cordy was done talking, she simply sat and stared at Kyle silently, even as he crumbled from


    disbelief.He was working so hard to restrain himself.


    Otherwise, he would suffer even more, especially when detained in a ce like this.


    The past twenty-four hours had been more than enough for a life lesson.


    "Take care,¡± Cordy said, and began to leave.She had no other words of parting for Kyle, either¡ªhe was


    plenty pathetic now, even if she wanted to call him that.


    He faced prison time, and given the public''s outrage towards his actions, his family, which was already


    going through a crisis, could very well go bankrupt soon.


    When that happened, he would truly lose everything and suffer no end of contempt.He would also be


    the pariah of the Jessops.


    Such karmic retribution was plenty enough; Cordy didn''t need to say more.


    Just as she rose to her feet, Kyle suddenly asked her, "Have you ever loved me, Cordy?"


    She pursed her lips, actually surprised he would ask this on their veryst meeting.


    He seemed to have asked that before too, but she didn¡¯t answer him then, as his question was fueled


    by anger at the time.But now, he seemed earnest about wanting an answer.


    "Isn''t that obvious?" Cordy said coolly.


    "I''m not so nice to work tirelessly day and night for someone I don''t care about." Kyle clenched his


    knuckles till they turned white.


    Yes.


    There was no way he had been ignorant of Cordy''s devotion.However, John¡¯s sudden appearance left


    him humbled and doubtful towards himself.


    He also kepting up with excuses for Cordy''s sudden rise to fame, insisting on believing that she


    had always fooled around with other men and that she had never loved him.


    It was his way to cope, to tell himself that he didn¡¯t make a mistake in breaking up with her¡ªthat he


    didn¡¯t regret it.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    '' Yet it was him who let her down, all for Noel.He hung his head; for along time, he couldn¡¯t look


    up.Then, tears suddenly trickled out of the corner of his eyes.However, none of that mattered to Cordy.


    There were no regrets to be had, and what Kyle would suffer henceforth would have nothing to do with


    Cordy.


    With that, she left, truly getting over him and everything else about him.I There was now a breeziness


    in her step, as her connection with Kyle had ended there and then.


    , That was when she suddenly paused, as she just spotted an oing Noel.Noel was surprised to


    find Cordy visiting Kyle, especially after the lengths he went to hurt Cordy.


    But soon, Noel realized that Cordy must¡¯vee here tough at the joke that was Kyle.And a joke he


    certainly was!

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    Chapter 274


    Noel quickly shed a sweet smile and greeted Cordy affectionately, "Hello, sister."


    Cordy, for her part, was actually curious as to why Noel would still care about Kyle.


    Wait...


    Was Noel nning to tell Kyle how evil she really was, all on her own volition?! Still, Cordy ignored


    Noel; unlike Noel, Cordy was incapable of being a two-faced snake.


    However, Cordy came to a sudden realization when she stepped out of the detention center and saw


    the journalists camping outside the gates.


    Of course! Noel wouldn¡¯t get her perfect ending without a superbst act.


    As such, Cordy quickly made her way to her car and left before the journalists could realize what had


    just happened.


    In the visitor''s room, Noel sat opposite Kyle.She didn¡¯t seem at all guilty to see Kyle''s tragic state.She


    believed he deserved it¡ªthat he had fallen for her schemes because of his own moronic


    ipetence.


    And now, everything that had happened was caused by his own folly.


    It had nothing to do with her, really.


    "Noel,"


    Kyle called out to her ever so softly, even reaching out to hold her hand.He knows that every word


    Cordy said was the gospel truth.


    Even so, he refused to ept it; at the very least, he could feel better about himself even if he was


    lying to himself.


    And yet, Noel evaded him before he could stretch out his hand.She snapped with clear contempt,


    "Don''t touch me with your dirty paws!"


    Kyle stared fixedly at her, his eyes bloodshot.


    Noel couldn¡¯t be bothered to hide her disdain, even when she used to appear so attached and deeply


    in love with him.


    Kyle was in turn forced to withdraw his hands, clenching them into knuckles instead.


    With that, Noel cut to the chase.


    "I came to see you to tell you very clearly that we¡¯re breaking up.From now on, you and your family


    have nothing to do with me."


    In fact, she had no intention of wasting her time on him at all.


    For the sake of maintaining her act, however, she had to force herself.


    "You said you''d forgive me for whatever I did," Kyle snorted.


    "And now, you''re already cutting ties?"


    "What else would I do?"


    Noel asked, her expression the definition of scorn.


    "I know you''re not getting back up, and that it''s all over for your family.Am I supposed to follow you to


    your death? Why don''t you take a look in a mirror to see how ugly you look right now? Think if you


    actually still deserve me."


    "Haha!"


    Kyle suddenlyughed, and keptughing until he started to shed tears.She used to lean on him,


    calling him ''dear'' and ''darling'' while always insisting that he was the man she loved most in the whole


    world.


    Yet, it all turned out to be fake.


    When he looked up at Noel again, his eyes were filled with murderous hatred for her.He asked, "Cordy


    said you¡¯ve never loved me, and you only seduced me because I was her boyfriend.Is that true?"


    Noel appeared unconcerned about his fury, however.


    After all, he waspletely insignificant to her right now.


    "I¡¯d rather you didn''t know so you can have some dignity left," Noel said, shrugging nonchntly.


    "But since Cordy told you, I guess I have to just say it straight. Yes, I¡¯ve never loved you. I seduced you


    only because you were her boyfriend, and I¡¯ll take anything that''s hers. Now, she has abandoned you


    and fell out of love for you. You have no value to me anymore."


    Noel''s unrestrained confession provoked Kyle greatly. He knew he shouldn¡¯t react at all, but he


    suddenly sprang to his feet and reached out, intent on strangling her.


    Startled, Noel quickly backed away in fear.


    The warden in the room with them immediately barked at Kyle, "Keep it down!"


    Still, the warden only restrained Kyle''s hand instead of mming his head on the table and pin him


    down¡ªlike he did before, when Cordy was here.


    "Are you crazy?!" Noel cried, infuriated.


    "You almost killed me! It''s your own fault you fell for me! It¡¯s all because you were that stupid! Did you


    think you''d fall for my tricks if you were a bit smarter? Why don''t you think for a moment that Cordy


    could see through what you couldn''t? You deserve everything that has happened to you!"


    "I''ll kill you, Noel Sachs!"


    Kyle shrieked,pletely losing his mind.He wanted nothing more than to take her down with him at


    that very moment.


    Nheless, Noel simply scorned him until the end.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    "You? Kill me? Ha! Do you really think you can? You''re nothing but a sore loser, barking like a dirty


    mongrel! I don''t mind telling you the truth.The only reason I came to visit is to stage an act for the press


    so I could get off scot-free, not out of lingering sentiment for you! And once my family pulls out our


    financial backing for Jessop Corp, yours will have no choice but to announce bankruptcy!"

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    Chapter 275


    "Noel Sachs!!!"


    Kyle was shaking with hate as he roared in fury.He deeply regretted spurning Cordy just to be with a


    woman as heinous as Noe!! Never had he regretted anything so much before in his life! Had he stayed


    with Cordy, he wouldn¡¯t have met such a tragic end.


    Instead, they might even be married with children by now...


    Even as Kyle''s eyes turned redder and redder, Noel remained unaffected.She spat icily, "Well, I''m more


    than done with a mad dog like you.Keep barking from your cage, Kyle! You''re going to be here for a


    long time¡ªJohn Levine would make sure of that!"


    She turned to leave without the slightest hesitation,pletely unconcerned of how hysterical Kyle had


    be.


    All she felt from seeing him was disgust...though to be more precise, she had felt that way ever since


    Cordy stopped liking him.Finally, Noel had rid herself of that revolting pest.


    Be that as it may, she changed her expression the instant she stepped outside the detention center.


    She forced herself to shed tears, looking utterly heartbroken.


    The moment she stepped out, every waiting journalist rushed towards her.


    "Miss Sachs! Are you still visiting Kyle Jessop after what he¡¯s done? Is he really a man worthy of your


    tears?"


    "How is Mr.Jessop doing inside, Miss Sachs? Is he repentant?"


    "Miss Sachs, what¡¯s your opinion on his betrayal and attempted assault on Miss Cordy Sachs?"


    As they bombarded her with questions, Noel appeared to be at aplete loss.It was only after a long


    while until she finally calmed down and replied tearfully, "I-I really never imagined that would


    happen...Kyle and my sister...I''d never have known if I didn''t read the news..."


    Her tears were rolling gently down her cheeks as she spoke, making her look all the more pitiful.


    The journalist quicklyforted her; she kept pretending she was working hard to calm herself while


    apologizing profusely, "I''m sorry.What Kyle did to my sister was really too much for me...I''m so sorry.I


    can''t hold myself together."


    The journalistsforted her again, and she continued, "I wouldn''t have hated Kyle if he did it to


    someone other than my sister...Even if he didn''t love me anymore, I could¡¯ve forgiven him for cheating


    if it wasn''t my sister.I can''t force him to stay with me if he doesn''t feel anything for me.And yet...He did


    something so terrible to my dearest sister! I won''t forgive that for the rest of my life!"


    "That''s the right attitude, Miss Sachs," one of the journalists praised.


    "He really doesn''t deserve forgiveness!"


    Naturally, they were too eager to please.


    "How¡¯s Mr.Jessop doing behind bars? Does he regret his actions? Has he promised to make amends?"


    Another journalist asked eagerly.


    "I don''t think he''s doing well...He looks haggard, and he must regret his actions.As for making


    amends..."


    Noel deliberately paused and trailed off, so that people would make of that what they would.


    ''He was hoping I would plead his case and help him win a reduced sentence.I refused, because it''s a


    crime.He should be punished as thews dictate.I respect thew."


    "He''s not making amends and has the gall to demand a reduced sentence? Outrageous!"


    The journalists were all indignant, but Noel stayed silent.


    A whileter, and finally said, "I¡¯m sorry everyone had toe.Please excuse me¡ªI haven''t slept for a


    day, and I''m already feeling dizzy.I''d rather not scare everyone if I suddenly faint..."


    She looked like a candle in the wind, and the journalists stopped pestering her since they already have


    what they wanted.


    But as Noel returned to her car and left, she didn¡¯t notice a ck sedan parked in the distance.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    A woman with ck shades had wound down the window and was watching Noel keenly from afar.


    After Noel left, the unknown woman slowly wound up the window and drove away.


    As for Noel, her expression changed the instant she returned to her car.She took out the mascara in


    her handbag, intending to redo her makeup when her chauffeur suddenly jammed his foot on the


    brakes.

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    Chapter 276


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Noel¡¯s expression turned icy and she barked, "Where did you learn how to drive?!"


    "I''m sorry, Miss Sachs," the chauffeur apologized immediately.


    "That car up front suddenly switchednes.I had to stop."


    "Eyes on the road," Noel said with a displeased scowl.


    However, that was when a burly, menacing man d fully in ck and wearing shades strode over to


    them.He knocked on Noel''s side of the door.Startled, her first thought was that he wanted to kidnap


    her.


    "Drive!" she shrieked in agitation.


    "But we''re stuck, Miss!" the chauffeur cried helplessly.


    "They''ve cut us off from the back, too!"


    Noel was certainly terrified out of her wits, but just as she took out her phone to call the cops, a call


    reached her instead.


    In her panic, she answered it.


    "Hello, Miss Sachs.I''m Jessica Stuart," the voice on the other end said.


    Noel was stunned; for a second, she wondered if she was hearing things.


    "If you could please alight from the car, my bodyguards will escort you to my tea garden.I have


    something I would like to discuss with you, face-to-face," Jessica continued calmly.


    "Don''t worry.My family is involved in legitimate businesses, and we pose no threat to you."


    When Noel remained hesitant, so Jesscia added, "I''m sure you''re smart enough to understand the


    saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend?"


    With that, Jessica hung up.


    As Noel had always been a schemer, she soon came to a realization.She quickly opened the door and


    followed the ck-d man into another car, which took her to a tea garden in the outskirts of North


    City.


    The instant she entered, she felt as if she had traveled back in time.


    None of the marble sculptures and decorations were from the present age.


    Once she arrived, a servant led her to a tea room, where she saw Jessica taking a leisurely sip of tea.


    "Miss Sachs," Jessica greeted Noel, appearing cordial.


    "Miss Stuart," Noel greeted her in turn, showing her good manners.


    "Please, sit." Jessica gestured at the seat opposite her.


    "Thank you."


    Jessica waited until a servant poured tea for Noel, and made her point immediately.


    "I''m sure you had a hunch of why I asked for you here, Miss Sachs.I want you to help me with Cordy


    Sachs."


    Noel didn¡¯t expect Jessica to be so direct, since they didn¡¯t know each other at all and this was the first


    time they had met.


    Did Jessica really trust Noel that much? Was she not worried that Noel would stab her in the back once


    she turned around?


    "I''ve looked into you," Jessica said, cing a document folder in front of her.


    "You might even say I know you very well now.As such, a person as smart as you would understand


    what works in your favor.I¡¯m very much convinced that a partnership between us will be perfect."


    "Why should I help you?" Noel asked nheless.


    She certainly couldn¡¯t agree to it immediately, even if it was with someone who could work with her to


    trample Cordy beneath their feet and make sure she never got back up.


    Even so, Jessica simply took a sip of her tea and said nonchntly, "I won''t borate on how jealous


    you are of Cordy Sachs and everything she has going for her.It doesn''t mean anything.What matters to


    me is that our goals are aligned.If you do help me, once the deed is done, I shall give you Sachs


    Enterprises."


    Noel''s eyes immediately sparkled with delight.

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    Chapter 277


    Jessica could read Noel''s mind clearly.


    Nheless, she still asked, "What do you say, Miss Sachs?"


    Noel was beside herself with joy, but restrained herself from letting it show.She had been feeling utterly


    indignant ever since Plum and Sue stopped Simon from trying to give her his shares.


    Sonny had nothing going for him at all! What gave him the right to inherit the family''s estate? Was


    everyone else obliged to work for him just because he was Simon''s son?! Dream on! No one could


    stop Noel from getting what she wanted.


    Family? She would kill anyone who got in her way, no questions asked.


    Anyone!


    "Alright," Noel replied, suddenly agreeing to it.


    "What do you need me to do?" Jessica shed an icy smile.


    "I like direct people like you.As for what..."


    Noel was left stunned after Jessica borated her n in detail.


    To think that Jessica would go that far just to bury Cordy Sachs six feet under! Noel had to admit, the


    thought of Cordy losing everything filled her with irrepressible excitement.


    Being the calctive woman she was, she said, "What if you won¡¯t give me Sachs Enterprises even


    after you seed? You¡¯re so high up the pecking order, I''d never dare use you of anything.In the


    first ce, the n is cloak-and-dagger stuff, and I''d have to suffer in silence.Of course, I¡¯m not


    doubting your character.But in a partnership, mutual trust works best."


    Jessica handed Noel another document¡ªa signed stock transfer certificate.


    "That''s ten percent of Sachs Enterprises shares," she said.


    Noel was thrilled at the mere sight of it.


    "Your father had half thepany''s shares, but had to split ten to Cordy,"


    Jessica continued nonchntly.


    "As for this ten percent, it had been purchased from other shareholders of thepany.Naturally, I¡¯ve


    already bought their silence, so you don''t have to worry about your father noticing.Once you¡¯ve done


    what I asked, Pll buy another thirty-one percent.That makes you the majority shareholder of Sachs


    Enterprises.With that, everything you say in thepany goes."


    Delight was written all over Noel''s face.She was beaming all over from sheer excitement.


    Jessica had done her homework with Sachs Enterprises even before their partnership ¡ª Noel didn¡¯t


    have to doubt the former¡¯s abilities or sincerity.


    "Alright.Give me time, and I¡¯ll definitely satisfy you," Noel said confidently.


    "I''ll be waiting," Jessica replied with a wicked smile.


    Still, Noel added, "I shall be going if there''s nothing else."


    "No one must know about our deal, Miss Sachs," Jessica reminded Noel.


    "I''ve never met you, remember?" Noel said very clearly.


    Jessica shed the same wicked smile again¡ªNoel certainly had brains.


    "See you around."


    Noel picked up the stock certificate and left, her eyes shing darkly as she did.Cordy couldn¡¯t me


    her for being ruthless.


    After all, it was Cordy¡¯s own fault for messing with someone she shouldn¡¯t have messed with.


    Of course, the only oue of that was Cordy¡¯s destruction! The widespread condemnation of Kyle


    reached new heights.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Jessop Corps¡¯ stocks dropped to rock bottom.


    Theirpany was already facing a major crisis, and Kyle¡¯s scandal only worsened things, especially


    with no one standing up to help them.


    Their fate was sealed when Simon Sachs announced in public that he would cut all ties with the


    Jessops after what Kyle had done to his daughters.


    Just as Jessop Corp was forced to announce their bankruptcy, news came from the West Point


    Detention Center stating that Kyle was found dead aftermiting suicide.

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    Chapter 278


    Cordy was shocked to discover the news regarding Kyle¡¯s suicide.


    ¡®The worst for him" she thought, ¡®was just ten or twenty years in jail"


    She never expected him to actually end his own life.


    When she thought about it again, him staying alive would only be more tragic.


    There was no way he could ept being deceived so thoroughly by a woman he once loved, and that


    his own family had fallen to ruin by his own design.


    His pride wouldn¡¯t be able to handle such disgrace, either.


    Death might be only the release for him.


    Even so, Cordy didn¡¯t feel much about his death.


    She had no guilt, especially since she wasn¡¯t the one who caused his death.


    She had zero sympathy, too¡ªKyle was no angel.


    If anything, the only emotion she felt was her respect for the sanctity of life.


    Nheless, the condemnation towards Kyle dwindled following his suicide, since most people


    observed the rule to not speak ill of the dead.


    Hence, all the ming and scorn for him ended after little over two weeks.


    Cordy was done with the day and was about to leave work when she received a call from John.


    She hesitated, wondering if she should answer.


    Then again, he really hadn¡¯t bothered her for almost two weeks.


    The only exception was when Kyle''s suicide made the news, and he texted her: [Are you alright?] She


    didn¡¯t reply, and he didn¡¯t bug her any further.


    As such, today''s call was quite sudden.


    Still, Cordy answered it.


    "Mr.Levine."


    A polite, but distant greeting.


    "Dicky''s in detention," John said without beating around the bush.


    Cordy frowned¡ªshe always would get nervous at the mention of Dicky.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    In fact, she would bring Dicky to her apartment every weekend.


    John never stopped her, and it was one thing she always was grateful towards him for.


    "What?!" she eximed, shocked.


    "They''re saying he was so bad, he wasn''t picking up on anything," John exined.


    "I''ve been to the school myself, but the teacher there told me that he was slowing the ss'' progress."


    "But he''s just a first-year!" Cordy was obviously upset.


    "Aren''t they pushing him too much? And he¡¯s attending an elite private school! Don''t they focus on a


    moreprehensive development? What''s the hurry?"


    "They still have to prioritize academic progress and push their students further to ensure that there


    would be more enrolling.Plus, it''s not entirely their problem ¡ªDicky has trouble keeping up.The other


    kids have already learned the grade school''s sybus before they attended grade school, but I went


    with your mindset and didn''t ask that much from Dicky.I arranged his education ording to his


    preferences."


    "Well, what do we do now? Hire a private tutor to give Dicky remedial lessons?" Cordy asked.


    "They all gave up."


    "What! "Dicky''s teacher called me about this several times.I had three different private tutors who gave


    him remedial lessons...They were all on the verge of tears, saying that they couldn¡¯t teach him.They''re


    basically saying he''s too stupid."


    "They''re stupid! They''re all stupid!" Cordy was incensed.She was unable to ept a single word


    putting down Dicky.John seemed to chuckle for a moment, but then replied feebly, "Either way, private


    tutors won''t work.I wanted to do it myself, but I''ve been abroad more than I''m around here.I''m not that


    familiar with the sybus here."


    "I''ll teach him!"


    Cordy snapped right away.Her SAT score was 1600.People would beughing if she actually failed to


    teach Dicky!

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    Chapter 279


    After Cordy left work, she headed straight to John¡¯s apartment.


    It was only after she arrived and saw the food ced on the table that she remembered that she hadn¡¯t


    eaten.


    In fact, she had forgotten that it was now dinnertime.


    Winston invited her to join them eagerly, while Dicky was also hugging her leg and saying, "Mommy! I


    missed you so much! Let''s eat together¡ª Winston made us a lot of good food."


    Unable to resist Dicky''s enthusiasm, and because she afforded Kyle an opening to attack her because


    she wasn¡¯t eating well that one time, Cordy wouldn¡¯t allow herself to repeat the same amateur mistake.


    Even if Kyle was dead, John lives¡ªand he was far more dangerous than Kyle.


    As she sat at the dining table, John never once spoke to her and maintained his noble aloofness.


    Cordy finally looked at the food on the table to see that almost every dish was her favorite.She then


    remembered that Dicky''s tastes were just like hers; therefore this wasn¡¯t the least bit surprising.


    Picking up her knife and fork, she started eating.


    As they ate, Dicky''s chipper voice made it obvious how happy he was to have Cordy there.


    He kept putting food on her te, asking repeatedly if the food was good.


    When she looked like she was about to put down her knife and fork, he told her seriously that she


    should take care of her body so that she could give her a sister.


    Cordy almost choked from the child''s unrestrained words.


    She had no ns to marry, and even less so now that she had a son; let alone have another child.


    "Mommy has you, and that''s enough," she said, patting Dicky''s little head.


    Dicky clearly had more to say, so she quickly added, "I''m full now.I''d be sick if I ate more.You''re still


    growing, so you should eat."


    "Okay," Dicky nodded obediently.


    Then, he added seriously, "Ill grow up to be as big as daddy and protect you from bullies, mommy."


    "That''s good,"


    Cordy smiled tenderly.She genuinely felt that no matter how bad things got, all was right with the world


    as long as she had Dicky.She just didn¡¯t expect the thought to shatter soon after; and it was because


    she had to help a grade-schooler with his studies.


    As Cordy sat with Dicky in his room in front of his little desk, she spent an hour teaching him the proper


    pronunciation; to the point she began to wonder the meaning of life.


    She was actually skeptical if her 1600 SAT score was just an illusion.She simply couldn''t understand.


    Her baby¡ªher own flesh and blood¡ªwas simply unable to absorb the most basic knowledge! She


    clenched her knuckles to restrain herself, finally realizing that peace in the family was possible except


    when homework came in the equation.


    Even if she was usually the best of mothers, she would turn into the stereotypical wicked stepmother


    when her son''s education was at stake.


    At the moment, she was almost shaking as she kept restraining herself.


    She repeatedly told herself that she wasn¡¯t upset and that Dicky was her biological son, as if it was a


    mantra.


    "Am I stupid, Mommy?"


    Dicky leveled a sad puppy look at her, perhaps having sensed her repressed feelings.


    The tutors he had before had tried countless times.


    Since they dared not be harsh with him, they left in tears from sheer helplessness.


    One of them bawled so hard, Dicky almost had a heart attack.


    Nheless, Cordy''s heart softened almost instantly.


    She assured him, "No, you''re not stupid.No one¡¯s able to catch up so quickly without preschooling, but


    it gets very simple once you learn the basics.All we have to do is get through it."


    "Okay!"


    Dicky nodded, quickly bing confident.


    "Now, let''s go again.Cool, whip."


    "Cool, whip."


    "Correct! Now repeat it."


    "Cool ."


    Cordy closed her eyes, feeling unending despair¡ªher chest actually hurt! She had tried teaching him


    dozens of times.


    Dicky would always get it right when he repeated after her, but would always get it wrong when he did it


    himself.


    As she worked hard to rein in her emotions, Dicky asked dolefully, "Mommy? Did I get it wrong again?"


    "It''s alright.Just take it slow,"


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Cordy murmured, her voice shaking from restraint.


    "I''m a little thirsty.I need a drink"


    "I''ll get it for you, Mommy."


    Dicky was very eager, but Cordy quickly stopped him.


    "It''s alright."

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    Chapter 280


    Cordy needed peace and quiet.She was convinced she loved Dicky to the point he could do no wrong


    in her eyes.


    Now, however, she realized btedly that she had overestimated herself.


    Once Cordy left Dicky''s room, the first thing she did was take deep breaths¡ªas hard as she could.It


    took a while for her to finally calm down.


    After that, she found herself really thirsty.Her throat was dry after a night of teaching


    pronunciations.She looked up to find John sitting at the living room bar, aptop in front of him.


    He was wearing a pair of silver-framed sses¡ªit was the first time she saw him wearing those, and


    he certainly looked like a cultured douchebag.He was still typing, but his eyes were on her, so he must


    have seen what she was doing.


    Cordy didn¡¯t expect to find him in the living room as well.


    Didn¡¯t he do work in the study?!


    "So? Are things going well?" John asked.


    She could somehow sense his glee.


    How could he remain so nonchnt when his own son was called out by his teachers?!


    "No," she admitted nheless.


    "Do you need help?" John asked again.


    "Did you ever manage to teach him anything?"


    "No."


    Why did she even bother? Staring at him sideways, she asked, "Where can I get a drink?"


    "I''ll get some for you." Cordy refused.


    "No, I can get it myself¡ª"


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Before she could finish, John had already gone to the kitchen and poured her a ss of warm


    water.She would rather have cold water to cool herself off.


    "Warm water is better during your period," John exined, seemingly reading her mind.


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªhe really knew everything.


    "I noticed," he exined.


    He really could read minds, couldn¡¯t he? Cordy, however, ignored him and drank her water before


    returning the ss to him.


    "Thanks."


    "Need a break?" John asked.


    "No," Cordy said bluntly.


    "It''s no hurry, actually," he said then.


    "Dicky¡ª"


    "No hurry?!" she snapped in agitation.


    "He''s the only student in the entire ss who can''t even read! He''d be mocked by all his ssmates!


    Do you know how that would feel for him? He¡¯d be traumatized for life!" John said nothing to that.


    Rule number one: the missus is always right. And there is no rule number two.


    "Don''t think everyone''s like you just because you live in your ivory tower."


    With those words, she returned inside Dicky''s room.


    John watched from behind as she stormed off in a huff, his lips curling up into a smile.He rarely saw


    her getting so agitated, so he actually cherished the moment.


    Returning to his bar stool, he checked Dicky''s IQ test results sent to him on hisptop.He actually


    worried for a moment that Dicky really wascking in the cognitive department, despite not usually


    showing it.


    However, the IQ test results put his mind at ease.


    165.


    The boy was a prodigy.

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    Chapter 281


    Be that as it may, Cordy still failed to teach Dicky pronunciation that night.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t bear pushing him anymore, and so let him sleep early.She woulde back tomorrow


    to continue teaching him.


    Once Dicky got in bed, however, he refused to let her go.She couldn¡¯t turn him down, not with that sad


    puppy face.


    Hence, she slept with him.


    After Dicky fell asleep, his babyish appearance softened her heart.She couldn¡¯t resist leaning in to kiss


    him on the forehead.She would always be reluctant to part with him.


    Just as she was about to leave, Dicky suddenly spoke in his sleep.


    "Cool whip...Cool whip..."


    Cordy''s heart stung; she wondered if she had been too harsh.She just didn¡¯t want Dicky to be ridiculed


    by his ssmates and teachers, so she never realized that she had put him under so much pressure.


    Remembering what John had said, she gave Dicky another kiss, feeling slightly guilty about what she


    had done.She swore to herself she would be more patient tomorrow, and tucked him under his nket


    before leaving his room reluctantly.


    John was still working at the bar.


    Seeing her step out, he asked, "Dicky''s asleep?"


    "Yeah." Cordy nodded.


    "I need to talk to you."


    "Shoot."


    "Can you let Dicky sleep at my ce for the next few days?" she asked.


    "I''ll send him to school and pick him up after work, and I''ll give him remedial lessons every night. Once


    he gets the basics, I''ll send him home."


    "Are you able to do that every day, Miss Sachs?" John asked bluntly.


    "ording to my knowledge, you go to work at half past eight, but Dicky only goes to school at


    nine.Will you be leaving work early to pick him up when he gets off around four? Barring you, I¡¯ll only


    trust Dicky with Winston."


    Cordy was hesitant; she had been busy with her invitation to tendertely.


    There were as many meetings to attend as there were tasks to finish each day.


    In fact, her work schedule tomorrow was arranged all the way to six o''clock.


    "If that''s inconvenient for you, I can have Dicky sent to your home everyday and take him home after,"


    John suggested.


    "There''s no need," Cordy refused, as that would affect Dicky''s bed time.


    In the end, she decided topromise.


    "I''lle here instead, but I¡¯l] do my best to arrange it so that my work follows a set schedule. Once


    that¡¯s done, I¡¯d like you to agree to my suggestion."


    "Of course," John nodded.


    "I''m going now," she said.


    "It''s veryte, Miss Sachs. You need a drink,"


    John suddenly offered.


    Cordy frowned.


    "Winston prepared some soup for you," John said, getting out of his chair to bring a bowl from the


    kitchen.


    "It''s still warm, so it''s best to drink it now."


    Cordy was going to refuse when John added, "Please don''t reject Winston''s goodwill.It''s difficult for an


    old man like him to get out of bed."


    The man was just fifty¡ªby modern standards, he was still young! However, Cordy didn¡¯t refuse.


    As expected, John was as cunning as ever.She took a sip; she had to admit, it was really good.


    Her throat had grown ufortable from speaking too much tonight, and the soup eased her


    difort.


    When she finished the soup and was about to leave, John was already waiting at the doorway, having


    put his shoes on.


    "Please allow me to escort you home, Miss Sachs."


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "I brought my own car."


    "It''s no trouble." Cordy said nothing.


    Soon, she was driving ahead, while John¡¯s Maybach followed her all the way back to her apartment.

 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    Chapter 282


    Once Cordy got out of her car, she headed straight to the elevator without looking back once.


    John smiled faintly at her indifference.She was so hot-and-cold! Not to mention, she didn¡¯t even thank


    him for escorting her.


    Over the next few days, Cordy would visit John''s apartment.


    Even though she ate dinner before going, Dicky had her eat with him nheless.


    When she refused, he shed his sad puppy face at her and asked if she didn¡¯t like eating with him.


    Unable to withstand that wounded look, Cordy simply gave up and ate dinner over at John¡¯s for the


    next few days.


    It certainly didn¡¯t hurt once she got used to it.


    One day, while they were having a break during their lessons, Dicky suddenly said, "Mommy, my


    teacher told us that the school''s sports meet is this Friday.


    All the kids¡¯ parents will be there, and I''ve already registered for sprinting, swimming, high jump, and


    ry race."


    Friday? That was three more days.


    She would probably be free.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The instant she saw Dicky¡¯s hopeful gaze, she agreed without hesitation.


    "Okay."


    "I love you, Mommy!"


    Dicky eximed happily, though his little cheeks were soon dropping again.


    "The teacher also said that our scores will be announced, and I won''t get an A if I still can''t get my


    pronunciations right."


    "It''s alright.We still have two days, don''t we? Let''s do our best!"


    "Okay!"


    Dicky nodded enthusiastically.


    And yet, Cordy remained teetering on the edge of sanity as she kept teaching Dicky.


    After coaxing him to sleep, she left the room feeling mncholic.


    John was at the bar as usual, and she was actually confused.


    Why would he avoid thefort of his study and sit on that rigid bar stool instead? Was that even


    comfortable?


    "How did it go?" he asked.


    "Nowhere."


    John chuckled, finding her adorable whenever she stepped outsider, looking despondent.


    "How are you still able to smile?" Cordy demanded.


    "Because I look ugly crying."


    As usual, John brought him somete-night snacks, though tonight''s was different.It was rum baba


    tonight, and it looked so soft and appetizing...


    Nheless, Cordy shot him a re.


    Wasn¡¯t he worried that he would make her fat by feeding her such high sugar foods every night?


    "Sweet food improves the mood," he said.


    "Winston was worried your health might be affected because of Dicky, and..."


    Cordy refused to listen, and picked up the fork to start eating.It did taste good.She had gone through a


    good portion when a thought urred to her, though she hesitated to ask.


    "Hey...Have you ever thought about Dicky''s IQ?"


    John burst out inughter right after she said that.


    Cordy scowled.


    "Is it really that funny?"


    "No," he replied.


    "I''m being serious."


    John turned serious right as well, and told her solemnly, "Miss Sachs, do you really think our child


    would do that poorly?"


    "Well, what''s your SAT score?" Cordy asked.


    "I skipped that, though I have the honor of a double degree at Hanford University and graduated


    summa cumude at my alma mater.


    And in Hanford''s century worth of history, less than fifty individuals earned that distinction, one of whom


    is the current secretary general of the League of Countries¡ª"


    "Stop," Cordy snapped, cutting him short¡ªshe only asked him a question, not to hear him brag.


    "Maybe positive, and positive gets negative."


    "Are you really Dicky''s mom?"


    John couldn¡¯t resist asking.


    "But we have to face reality," she argued.


    "I was ignorant and naive while I was pregnant, and I didn¡¯t care for anything.There were even


    asions when I considered an abortion.I¡¯ve heard that babies are aware of that even when they¡¯re


    still in the womb.Maybe that qualifies as spiritual abandonment, which in turn affected his growth¡ª"


    "His IQ.is 165," John said, cutting her short.


    He had the feeling she would suffer a nervous breakdown if he didn¡¯t tell her that.

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    Chapter 283


    Cordy was left stunned for several seconds.


    After that, she collected herself and snapped angrily, "You could¡¯ve said that earlier!"


    She honestly scared herself, since it almost seemed to be the inevitable conclusion.Did he enjoy


    teasing her that much?


    "You never gave me a chance to speak," John said bluntly.


    Cordy was livid¡ªhe had literally made a speech, rambling on and on about his academic


    achievements! For once, she didn¡¯t get upset with him and left after finishing the rum baba.


    As usual, John drove his Maybach and followed her all the way back to her apartment.


    Another two days passed; Cordy was in Dicky''s room, once again teaching the boy pronunciation by


    separating the sybles.She seemed to hear something outside, but the wall was soundproofed so well


    that she thought she was simply hearing things.


    "Lee-id.Lid."


    Cordy continued to teach Dicky patiently, having be much calmer after finding out about Dicky''s


    IQ score.She had done some reading, and found out that prodigies tend to be more single-minded on


    things.


    In short, while they could score 120 out of a test with a full score of 100 points, they could also get a big


    fat zero in certain areas.


    Unfortunately, there was no chance of them improving on thetter.


    Dicky''s greatest weakness was perhapsnguage.


    "Lee-id, lid," Dicky repeated after her, and suddenly pronounced another word,"''Ree-id.Rid."


    Cordy flinched, wondering if she was hearing things again.She quickly asked, "What was that? Could


    you repeat that for me, Dicky?"


    "Rid," Dicky replied right away.


    She pressed urgently, "What about this one?"


    "Tiger."


    "This one?"


    "Water."


    "and this?"


    "Bread."


    Cordy was thrilled¡ªshe picked the simpler words, and he got everything correct! It was no fluke.He


    had really learned it! She promptly held his little face and nted arge kiss on his little cheek.She felt


    even more aplished than signing a billion -dor contract!


    "Mommy, did I say it right?"


    Dicky perked up as well when he saw how delighted Cordy was.


    "Yes! My baby boy is the best!'' Cordy praised him generously.


    "I''ll talk to your daddy.Keep practicing for now."


    "Okay! "


    Cordy opened the door, feeling jubnt.It was as if arge bag of gold had dropped on her from the


    skies; she had the urge to share her joy with everyone.


    However, she froze at the very next instant; the sensation was akin to having a bucket of ice water


    sshed in her face.


    Two people stood in the living room; she stared fixedly at them, stunned.


    John was sitting on his usual bar stool while he worked, while Jessica was leaning on the bar and


    having a lively chat with him.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    When Cordy stepped out, she saw Jessica picking up the coffee next to John''s hand and taking a quick


    sip from it.


    Cordy knew very well that the cup was John''s, since she saw him use it every night.

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    Chapter 284


    When Jessica heard the door open and turned to see Cordy, her expression betrayed neither anger nor


    displeasure.


    In fact, she actually appeared calm.


    "Oh! You''re here too, Miss Sachs? What a coincidence."


    Cordy was actually left at a loss by Jessica''s unexpectedly cordial greeting.


    Given her family''s connections, Jessica probably knew all about Cordy''s rtionship with John.


    In fact, Cordy was positive Jessica also knew that Dicky was Cordy¡¯s son.


    Cordy had no idea if Jessica truly liked John and therefore didn¡¯t mind her presence, or if she was


    confident that no woman could steal John from her...


    Or perhaps, herposure was a front for John''s sake.


    Whatever the reason maybe, Cordy''s presence was inappropriate given John and Jessica''s


    engagement.


    And unlike Jessica, Cordy wasn¡¯t that carefree enough to y it off.


    "Dicky''s pronunciation is bad, so I''m giving him remedial lessons, " she exined tly.


    "John told me he¡¯s hiring a private tutor for Dicky for that. So, it''s you?"


    Jessica eximed in surprise.


    There was no hostility in her voice at all.


    "No, they all broke and gave up on Dicky.I had no choice but to do it myself."


    "Oh, Dicky broke them? My boy is really understanding," Jessica praised, appearing cheerful about it.


    One wouldn¡¯t peg Jessica for the calctive type, and the harmless persona she projected was


    completely different from the fake innocence Noel had always feigned.


    Jessica appeared confident, cheerful and down to earth; whereas Noel always appeared very


    vulnerable and reluctantly selfless.


    Jessica would seem more personable to women, though the opinion of men might differ.


    "Thank you, Miss Sachs.It must be difficult for you toe every night to teach Dicky," Jessica said.


    However, her gratitude was simply her unting to Cordy that she had the upper hand; Cordy certainly


    could tell that much.However, she didn¡¯t argue as she had no right to do so.


    "It''s nothing," Cordy replied tly, before turning to John.


    "Dicky has no issues with his pronunciation now, so I''m leaving." With those words, she strode straight


    to the door.


    As she put on her shoes, John walked up to her and said, "I''ll go with you."


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "No.It''s still early," she refused right away.


    She didn¡¯t want to be an eyesore to Jessica...


    Although it seemed Jessica was already after her head.


    "Tell Dicky that I''m leaving now. The instant she put on her shoes, she stepped out the front door.But


    John was still following her, and she had to stop him before he entered the elevator with her.As John


    stared at him, she demanded, "Are you really still going to escort me? If so, under what pretext? And


    are you really apanying another woman when your own fiancee is in your apartment? Have you


    considered her feelings? There''s a limit to how low you can sink, John!"


    "Jessica and I¡ª"


    "Whatever it is, it''s your business and not mine,"


    Cordy snapped, cutting him short.


    "I don''t need to know, just as I''m not interested in finding out.Dicky''s pronunciation is fine now, so I


    don''t have toe here anymore."


    John stayed silent, and Cordy said nothing more.She entered the elevator, and promptly pressed the


    door button to close it.She knew she shouldn¡¯t feel too emotional around him; after all, the past was the


    past.


    Outside the elevator, Jessica stood silently behind John.She could feel his mood souring even if she


    couldn¡¯t see his face.She had never witnessed him feeling so strongly about any woman over the


    years, and she had remained the only woman who could hover around him.


    Yet, everything about him changed because of Cordy Sachs.She wouldn¡¯t bear with the humiliation, nor


    could she ept John being stolen by anyone.Still, she quietlyposed herself before saying


    apologetically, "Did Ie at a bad time, John?"

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    Chapter 285


    John pursed his lips, but he didn¡¯t turn around to reply.


    Even so, Jessica remained standing behind him.


    "Your grandfather requested me to visit," she exined.


    He said it''s been a while since I''vee to North City, and that he missed me.I went straight to Levine


    Manor, but he insisted that Ie to you.I came because I couldn''t refuse¡ªI would''ve called ahead if I


    had known.I''m sorry I made things so awkward."


    John swallowed as he turned around to look at her, but he wasn¡¯t angry and didn¡¯t me her for


    anything.


    Despite his guilt, he didn''t have any kind words for her, and merely said bluntly, "Come on, I''ll take you


    back to your hotel."


    Cold disappointment seized Jessica''s heart.So, he still refused to let her stay here.


    Even when they were abroad, he would send her home in the same manner¡ªno matter howte it


    was, or how many vacant rooms there were at his ce.


    Even after returning to Zidonia, he remained as distant as ever.


    At first, Jessica used to think that it was because he was simply distant towards others.


    Now, however, she understood all too well that he was simply uninterested in her, even though she had


    stupidly waited for him to make the first move for years.


    It was certainly toote for her to regret anything now.


    Had she known this would happen, she would''ve given up on keeping up appearances and tried to woo


    him straight on.


    Had she done that, Cordy Sachs wouldn¡¯t have a chance to sneak in between them! Even as she got in


    John''s car and left his apartment, he still spoke very little.


    She could feel his distaste and anger towards their engagement, but he never took it out on her or


    demanded a reason.


    In fact, he didn¡¯t react at all when she told him that she didn¡¯t know and was forced into it.


    He remained as cold as he always was towards her.


    "Johnny," she called out.


    "Yeah," he replied, though he didn¡¯t bother to turn and look at her.His eyes stayed glued outside the


    window.


    "I heard there''s a sports meet in Dicky''s school tomorrow."


    "Yeah."


    "Your grandfather asked me to go with you.I was going to say no, but he said¡ª"


    "You cane along,"


    John agreed immediately.


    Jessica couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling just then.


    Even if John was exceedingly distant towards her, he wouldn¡¯t turn her down for anything.She really


    was differentpared to other women.


    The next day, Cordy woke up to a call from Dicky.


    "Mommy?"


    "Hello, Dicky," she replied tenderly.


    "Did you forget there''s a sports meet at my school today?" he reminded her.


    "No, but..."


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Are you breaking our promise, Mommy?"


    Dicky''s voice was instantly filled with sorrow.


    "No, I''ll definitely be there."


    Cordy couldn¡¯t say no to him.


    Dicky definitely inherited John''s slyness, even if their methods were different.


    They obviously know what to do to achieve their objectives.


    "It starts at one o¡¯clock.I''ll be waiting for you, Mommy,"


    Dicky reminded her again.


    "Okay."


    After hanging up, Cordy headed to her office, attended meetings, and made arrangements for work.


    Then, she had a quick lunch before leaving in a hurry.


    When she did, she changed into casualwear, which was more appropriate for the sports meet.


    Upon arriving at Dicky''s school outside the gates, it turned out that security was registering all arrivals.


    Cordy was uncertain if she could enter, but the security guard said to her, "Richard Levine''s mother,


    yes? You may enter."


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn¡¯t help asking, "How did you know?"


    "Every student would register the name and number of their parents," the security guard exined.


    Warmth blossomed in Cordy¡¯s heart.


    "Alright, thank you."


    "You''re wee."


    With that, she entered the school and headed to the main hall.

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Chapter 286


    At that moment, the school principal was giving a summary of the semester''s teaching sybus.


    When Cordy arrived, the hall was already filled with other parents.She had to sit further to the back,


    and listened to the speech about the school''s education doctrine on helping students develop.


    After that, there was an award ceremony for the students.


    Cordy watched as Dicky and arge group of other children walked up to the stage.


    His little head was turning left and right, seemingly looking for her.


    Cordy waved at him, and he immediately looked delighted to see her.


    Sitting at the front row, Jessica was grinning.


    "I''ve never seen Dicky smile like that! He really does stand out when he¡¯s onstage."


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    John didn¡¯t respond, as he knew very well why Dicky was suddenly so excited.


    After the awards ceremony, the teachers led the students to the gym in an orderly manner while the


    parents filed in after them.


    Although the gym was huge, Cordy stayed on the edge once more.


    That was when she saw John and Jessica sitting up front.


    Jessica was smiling as she chatted with John.


    So, she came all the way here to attend Dicky''s sports meet? What a dutiful stepmother! The sports


    meet soon began.


    Every event was carried out in an orderly manner, and Dicky was doing well in the high-jump and sprint


    events.


    While Cordy was calm andposed, Jessica was overly enthusiastic and kept shouting wildly to


    cheer on Dicky whenever he was up.


    Cordy actually noticed Dicky flushing ufortably in response.


    When some of the parents started to move to the swimming pool for the next event, Jessica spotted


    Cordy, and once again appeared surprised.


    "You were here too, Miss Sachs? Where have you been? I really didn''t see you there!"


    "I waste, so I had to sit far behind," no.vel.e.book Cordy replied.


    "You should sit up front for a better view.


    By the way, did you just see Dicky? He''s amazing, isn¡¯t he?"


    Jessica appeared proud, as if she was talking about her own child.


    Cordy simply yed along until John took Jessica away.


    The swimmingpetition soon began, and Cordy watched as Dicky walked up to the edge of the


    swimming pool in his swimming trunks.


    Jessica was cheering loudly again, leaving Dicky looking awkward once more.


    As he turned towards Cordy, she gave him both thumbs-up in encouragement; he grinned confidently


    in return.


    Right there and then, a cold chill shed across Jessica''s smiling face.


    She had always been kind to Dicky.


    Even if she admitted to herself that her kindness was for John¡¯s sake, she was actually sincere about


    being nice to Dicky.


    Yet, she returned to Zidonia only to discover that Dicky was obviously more affectionate towards Cordy.


    What heinous spell did Cordy use to bewitch John and Dicky to the point they were so obsessed with


    her? The whistle blew, and Dicky vaulted into the swimming pool immediately.


    Heunched forward in one swift stroke; he was very quick, taking first ce by a mile.


    Cordy was assuredly proud¡ªhe reminded her of her older days.


    After the swimming event, Dicky went to the changing room.


    Whether it had been on purpose or otherwise, John left with Jessica, allowing Cordy to stay and wait


    for Dicky.

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    Chapter 287


    In the changing room, Dicky had just put on his clothes when a boy suddenly ran up to him and pushed


    him to the floor.


    Dicky red coolly at the boy in return.


    He recognized him¡ªthe boy was Jerry from the next ss, who just came second in the swimming


    event.


    Two tall and pudgy boys were with Jerry, staring Dicky down.


    "You brat! You took first ce from me! You''re really asking for it! "


    Jerry threatened Dicky viciously.


    "It''s a fairpetition.No one¡¯s taking from anyone,"


    Dicky said righteously, but just as he was about to get off the floor, Jerry mmed his foot down his


    little hand.


    "Did I tell you to get up?!"


    Jerry snapped.


    Angered by Jerry''s unreasonable outburst, Dicky pushed Jerry off firmly with his other hand.


    Jerry stumbled several steps backwards, unable to believe that Dicky was actually resisting.


    "How dare you push me? Do you know who I am? Do you know who my father is? He built this school!


    I just have to tell on you the teachers, and you''ll be expelled!" no.vel.e.book Dicky, however, refused to


    listen.


    Once he got off the floor, he started to leave.


    "Stop right there!"


    Jerry barked, but Dicky ignored him.


    "Get him!"


    Jerry promptly shouted at the two pudgy boys, who ran forward at his order; each grabbed one of


    Dicky''s arms.


    They were clearlyrger and pudgier than their peers, and kept Dicky firmly restrained while Jerry


    walked up to Dicky.


    "You ignored me, huh? Let me show you what it means to be rude!'' At those words, he gave Dicky a


    hard kick to the leg.Dicky clenched his teeth, but didn¡¯t make a sound.


    "Oh! You have balls, don''t you?"


    Jerry snorted.


    He turned to pick up the trash can nearby and shoved it down Dicky''s head.


    Dicky had always been a clean freak, and the revolting odors inside the trash can almost left him


    vomiting.


    Jerry became even more smug at that, andughed out loud when he saw Dicky''s fair face now


    absolutely filthy after taking off the trash can.


    "Call me daddy! Promise you won''t beat me in any other event, and I¡¯ll let you go!"


    "Dream on!"


    Dicky was unrelenting.


    "What did you say? Beat him up!"


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Jerry barked at the two pudgy boys.But just as they raised their fist to punch Dicky...


    "Stop!"


    Cordy yelled, incensed by the scene before her.It had been so long since she had felt so furious, and


    she always was rational enough to ept even the worst thrown at her.


    However, she lost all rationality and actually felt murderous when she saw Dicky being bullied! She had


    been getting worried since she was waiting for quite a while outside the changing room.


    The worst, she thought, would be Dicky falling down.


    It never crossed her mind that Dicky would be bullied! The instant she got in, she was greeted by the


    shocking sight of those ill-mannered boys about to beat up Dicky.


    She strode up to them, pushing the boys away and taking Dicky into the safety of her arms.


    With the loudest voice she ever used in her entire life, she shouted, "What on earth do you think you''re


    doing?!"

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    Chapter 288


    The boys were stunned by Cordy¡¯s sudden appearance, but Jerry soon gathered himself and yelled,


    He upset me! I''m just straightening him out! What''s wrong with that?"


    He was a little tyrant, and Cordy already had enough of him.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    If she had never met this boy, she would¡¯ve never known that a six- year old could be so vile.


    Still, she stayed calm since violence should never be used on children.She needed to find out


    everything that happened first.


    Crouching, she studied Dicky''s filthy face, and her heart ached.She pushed down the pain and said


    gently, "Talk to Mommy.What happened?"


    Dicky told her everything calmly, which only infuriated Cordy even further.Her eyes were aze, and


    she snapped at Jerry, "Thepetition was fair! Don''t your parents teach you that?"


    "They told me that money talks!"


    Jerry retorted fearlessly.He even threatened her, saying haughtily, "Don''t you dare talk to me like that!


    Don''t you know what my family does for a living? My daddy will bankrupt you!"


    Cordy snapped right then; she reached out to grab Jerry by the cor, intent on finding his parents.


    Jerry seemed to think Cordy was going to hit him, and promptly cried out in fear, "Help! Help!


    Someone¡¯s beating up a kid! Help!"


    His parents, Adam and Eva, promptly ran inside upon hearing his crazed yelling, and quickly shielded


    him in his arms.


    Then, Eva turned to Cordy and bellowed, ''''What do you think you''re doing?! You made my son cry!"


    She was using Cordy without caring about what happened, but Cordy restrained her anger to


    exin, "Your son bullied my son."


    "My son never bullies anyone!" no.vel.e.book Eva retorted, refusing to listen.


    Still, Cordy held it in, and said, "Your son beat up my son because he lost in the swimming event.Don''t


    you see what happened to him?"


    "Jerry? Is that true?"


    Eva turned to ask him.


    Jerry promptly denied it.


    ''No!He yelled at me, so I pushed him around a little."


    "See? Your son started it," Eva said, not seeing reason at all.


    "Moreover, children squabble all the time.What are you getting so upset about? They''d make up in a


    couple days."


    With that, she started to leave with Jerry, but Cordy stood in her way.


    Shooting Cordy an impatient re, Eva snapped, "What else do you want? My son¡¯s taking part in


    another event.Don''t think you can stop him from winning!"


    "Not going to discipline your son, are you?"


    Cordy demanded.


    "Like I said, it''s just a children''s squabble¡ªyour son started it, so it wasn''t my son''s fault."


    Her words were already filled with disdain, but as she looked Cordy from head to toe, her tone became


    even more sarcastic.


    "Wait! You''re Cordy Sachs, aren''t you? You''ve been making the news a lottely, but I''m surprised you


    have a son.So? Who''s the father? Is that man the reason you''ve been doing so well recently? Still, now


    that I¡¯ve seen you, I have to admit you have what it takes to bewitch men."


    The parents of Jerry''s pudgy buddies were with them as well, and started to mock Cordy after hearing


    what Eva had said.


    "Like mother, like son!"


    "The mother¡¯s terrible, so it''s not surprising that her son is so uncivilized."


    "The boy does look handsome.I wonder if he¡¯d work as a gigolo when he gets older, since his mom is a


    ¡ª"


    The vile gossip was endless.


    Suddenly, Cordy pped Eva across the face, hard.Eva''s smug look vanished immediately, leaving


    only a bewildered expression.

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    Chapter 289


    Cordy¡¯s p left everyone on the scene dumbstruck.


    Everyone was surprised at how vicious she could be.


    All Eva could feel was the burning pain on her cheek.She could not quite react, even as Cordy snapped


    icily, "A child''s discipline is their parents¡¯ responsibility.Since you insist on not disciplining your son, I¡¯ll


    have to discipline you instead!"


    "Cordy Sachs!"


    Eva shrieked shrilly, unable to believe that Cordy had just pped her in front of so many people.


    If word gets out, she would have no dignity left! Nheless, Cordy took Dicky with her and started to


    leave, refusing to waste her breath with them.


    Just as she turned, Adam intercepted her, looking utterly savage.He had no intention of fighting Cordy


    with that pretty face of hers.


    However, since he was Eva''s husband, a p to her face was no different from a p to his face¡ªhe


    would never live it down.no.vel.e.book Dicky sensed danger, and promptly moved his little frame to


    stand before Cordy, protecting her.


    Cordy''s heart softened right then, and she felt emotional from Dicky''s gesture.He was willing to defend


    her, even with that tiny body of his! She tightened her hold on Dicky.


    There was no way she would let him get hurt protecting her! "Don''t think I won''t hit a woman!"


    Adam bellowed threateningly, his bby cheeks pping as he spoke.


    "Get down on your knees and apologize to my wife, or you''re not going anywhere!"


    "No!"


    Eva cried.


    "I must pay her back for her p!"


    "You heard the woman," Adam growled.


    "Do it, or you and your son will be very sorry!"


    Cordy watched coolly as Adam and Eva osted her, and Jerry, their son, who was grinning


    smugly.She whipped out her phone, intending to call John since there was no reason to take this lying


    down.


    The best idea right now was for John to sort out the mess.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The instant she took out her phone, Adam strode up and snatched it out of her hands.


    While Cordy red icily at her, he snorted, "What, trying to call the cops? Don''t you know that I''m


    buddies with themissioner? We go out drinking every weekend! It''s pointless!"


    "In that case, what are you worried about?" Cordy challenged.


    "He''s always busy.I won''t trouble a brother with something as trifling as this."


    "Whatever.Return my phone now," Cordy snapped frostily.


    "Down on your knees and apologize, and let my wife p you.Then you can have your phone back,"


    the man said with vile smugness.


    "What if I refuse?"


    Cordy growled.


    "Do you think you can do anything you like just because you''re pretty?!" Adam shrieked.


    "Do you think every man will fall for your wiles? I''m sorry, but you''re not my type at all! There''s no


    telling how many other men had been down there¡ªit''s filthy!"


    "Don''t you talk to my mommy like that!"


    Dicky suddenly shouted, his little cheeks contorted with rage.


    "You little b£¤st*rd! Do you even know who your father is? The adults are talking!" Adam scoffed.


    "My daddy¡¯s John Levine!"


    Dicky yelled, just as loudly.


    Everyone was left taken aback for a moment, but were soon roaring withughter since they thought it


    was a ridiculous joke.


    "You little brat!"


    Adam raised a hand, ready to p Dicky in the face.

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    Chapter 290


    Cordy promptly pulled Dicky out of harm''s way, refusing to let her son get hurt.


    Adamughed coldly before snapping viciously at the boy, "Your mom''s a liar! Do you really think that


    John Levine, the heir to the richest family in North City, is your father? Why don''t you look yourself in


    the mirror or see how slutty your mom looks! You really think John Levine would tap that and have


    you? Dream on!"


    "John Levine is my¡ª"


    "That''s enough! Don''t waste your time with them," Eva said, losing patience.


    "Jerry''s next event ising up."


    Adam agreed, and started to threaten Cordy again.


    "Last chance! Are you going to do it or not?"


    "No!" Cordy refused, not budging an inch.


    "So we''re doing this the hard way, huh?"


    The man''s face contorted with horrific intent, and he raised his pudgy hand, aiming it squarely on


    Cordy''s face.


    Cordy gritted her teeth¡ªshe had already bought as much time as she could.


    There was no way she and Dicky could get out with so many people encircling them.


    Even if she could wrestle against them, she might end up hurting Dicky in the process.


    Hence, she simply watched as Adam''s palm swung towards her.


    At the very moment Adam¡¯s palm almost reached her face, Cordy saw arge hand catch Adam''s wrist


    abruptly, holding his hand in ce and stopping him.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Adam glowered at the hand that held him with a vice-grip and turned angrily, looking savage as he saw


    the other man.


    After a brief moment of surprise, however, panic immediately colored his face.


    Before he could say a word, John pushed him off, sending him stumbling backwards by several paces.


    However, John didn¡¯t even look at him as he turned towards Cordy, asking softly, "Was he bullying


    you?"


    Cordy nodded.


    "His son was bullying Dicky."


    There was a cold sh in John''s eyes, and he crouched to look at Dicky, whose face was covered with


    filth.


    "Daddy," Dicky greeted him, loudly and clearly.


    And that left Adam with a creeping chill in his heart.


    He certainly knew who John was; even if they never met before, he had worked with subsidiaries of


    Levine Ventures on one of his construction projects.


    In fact, he was rtively famous as a principal contractor in North City, having worked on various


    megaprojects; he was a typical parvenu who had done better than most of his peers.


    Getting rich meant he also grew conceited, and he grew to believe that any problem that can be


    resolved with money was no problem at all.


    Naturally, when he realized he had stepped on John''s toes, his brain fried right there and then.


    On the other hand, Eva didn¡¯t recognize John immediately.


    Still, she could tell that Adam looked like his soul just left him, and quickly asked, "What''s gotten into


    you, dear?"


    Adam still couldn¡¯t say a word, even as Dicklyined loudly and angrily, "Daddy, they were


    bullying mommy and were going to hit her.


    They also called me a b*st*rd and said that you''d never like mommy, and that you wouldn¡¯t have a kid


    with mommy."


    "His son beat me up because I won the swimming event, and he also threatened me to let him win in


    other events.no.vel.e.book I said no, so he put a trash can over my head and told me his father would


    bankrupt us!"


    John''s re turned horrific right then.


    Jessica had never seen him so furious, even though she spent years hovering around him.


    They had left earlier, and Jessica knew that was because John wanted to let Cordy spend time with


    Dicky.


    After waiting for a long while and seeing that neither of them wereing out, John promptly made a


    dash to the dressing room; he was so quick Jessica almost couldn¡¯t keep up.


    He looked deathly worried that something would happen to Dicky and Cordy, and his concern was


    there for all to see.

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    Chapter 291


    Even as Jessica followed John, she could feel his fury from the back when they reached the dressing


    room and saw that Adam was about to hit Cordy.


    As John''s rage reached its peak, Jessica watched as he rose to his feet and strode up to Adam, whose


    face had already turned pale.


    On the other hand, Eva was still fearlessly snapping at John, "So you''re Cordy''s manwhore, huh? You


    look well-dressed, so why would you sink so low for a slut like Cordy¡ª"


    Smack! John pped Eva across the face, and the resulting smack was sonorous.


    Eva was sent tumbling to the floor, unable to get up at all.


    Everyone else was frightened by John''s bloodcurdling demeanor¡ª his forbidding presence left them


    shuddering to the point they were too afraid to even breathe too loudly.


    "You hit my mom? I''ll kill you! My daddy will make you go bankrupt!"


    Jerry threatened John viciously after seeing John hit his mother.


    John merely approached Jerry; the boy was immediately frightened by the scary man before him, and


    quickly ran to his daddy.However, Adam was already too scared to protect his own son.


    "Dicky,e," John called out, and Dicky quickly ran up to him.


    "What did he do to you?"


    John''s eyes were shing with savagery, but his voice was mild as he spoke to Dicky.


    After Dicky obediently repeated what happened to him, he said, "Bring the trash can here."


    "Okay."


    Dicky did so obediently.


    Then, John told him, "Put it over his head."


    Dicky was hesitant ¡ªhaving been disciplined since he was a toddler, he had never done something like


    that.


    Nheless, John encouraged him, "When ites to bullies, it has to be an eye for an eye.If not,


    you''d always be bullied in the future.Understand?"


    Dicky gritted his teeth, and promptly shoved the trash can over Jerry''s head.


    Jerry immediately started bawling.


    Having been spoiled since he was a baby, he had never been given grief.He relentlessly tried to spur


    his daddy on, but Adam didn¡¯t bother to help.


    Eva, still on the floor, promptly scrambled to her feet when she saw her son being bullied, and tried to


    push Dicky away.


    However, John shielded Dicky.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Adam promptly grabbed Eva and pulled her to his side.


    "Don''t."


    "Are you crazy?!" Eva screamed at him.


    "You''re doing nothing while your son''s being bullied! And you call yourself a man? You''re even stopping


    your own wife¡ª"


    "That''s John Levine," Adam said with perfect rity.


    Eva almost froze when she heard the name.


    Even if she was never involved in business, she had heard about the illustrious Levines, and how much


    John Levine stood above the rest.


    Now that she looked closer, she recognized that it was the same man she saw on the news.


    She flinched inwardly; she began to remember all the things she said about Cordy, and her calling


    John''s son a b*st*rd...


    As it turned out, Cordy''s son was really John Levine''s! Everyone in the country knows that John had a


    son, but the mother''s identity is unknown.


    Most spection always points towards Jessica Stuart...


    To think that it was actually Cordy Sachs! Seized by terror, Eva dared not utter a single word.


    Everyone else around them were all shaking in their boots after learning Dicky''s identity, worried that


    they were caught in the crossfire.


    They were sure their sons were bullying Dicky too...


    The consequences were unthinkable! As Jerry continued to squawk in the changing room, Dicky


    breathed a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    Chapter 292


    Now, Dicky was shaking with inconsble rage.He had been bullied, and his beloved mother was


    mocked for protecting him; she almost got hit for it, too! Hence, he took the trash can off Jerry''s head,


    his little cheeks looking stern as he demanded, "Apologize to my mommy and me!"


    John¡¯s lips curled up in a smile.


    Dicky had always been quiet, withdrawn, and poor at expressing himself.He would never behave like a


    spoiled child around him either; that honor belonged to only Cordy.Yet, he was now able to strut and


    demand an apology¡ªall children can definitely be taught! Nheless, Jerry kept bawling and refused


    to apologize.


    Adam suddenly pulled Jerry aside and pped him.


    Even as Jerry bawled harder, Adam barked at him, "Apologize, now! That certainly scared Jerry¡ªhe


    had always been the little tyrant at home, and his father had neverid a finger on him.


    Now, however, he had no choice but to apologize tamely, with an almost inaudible voice, "I''m sorry."


    "Louder!" Dicky snapped, dead serious.


    "I''m sorry," Jerry repeated, louder this time.


    "Now apologize to my mommy too."


    Jerry walked up to Cordy and said, "Sorry."


    Cordy couldn¡¯ help grinning¡ªshe would never mess with people, but when in trouble, she wasn¡¯t so


    weak that she would roll over.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Are you going to bully others ever again?" Dicky asked.


    "No..." Jerry replied meekly.


    "You better not," Dicky growled threateningly.


    "If I see you do it, I won''t hold back."


    As his tiny frame seemed to project a scary presence, Jerry quickly replied, "No, I won''t ever do it


    again."


    Having straightened out the other boy, Dicky returned to Cordy''s side, who patted Dicky''s little head in


    praise.


    John walked to Cordy''s side as well, and told Adam and Eva, "I don''t want to see you or your son in


    this school ever again¡ª"


    "Wait," Cordy suddenly cut John off.


    John turned towards her.


    Although he assumed she was going to be lenient with them, he stayed quiet because he respected all


    her decisions.


    As Cordy turned towards Adam, however, she asked, "What was that you said? Get down on my knees


    and apologize to your wife, and let her p me?"


    Adam''s entire body was shaking from fear, and he promptly exined, "I''m sorry! I was just too blind to


    recognize that you''re with Mr.Levine, and your boy is his son...It''s all my fault, it''s all my fault..."


    As he apologized profusely, Eva followed suit.


    "Since you understand, get down on your knees and apologize to me," Cordy said, loudly and clearly.


    Adam and Eva looked at her in shock, stunned that she wanted an eye for an eye¡ªto think that they


    would suffer her retribution so quickly! "Wasn''t that what you said? Kneel, and apologize," Cordy


    continued, her eyes fixed on Adam.


    Even if Adam was just a startup, he had developed a reputation that needed to be upheld over the


    years.


    Having made friends with the rich and powerful thanks to his newfound fortune, he thought himself


    above the rest.


    How could his pride suffer being told to get down on his knees? However, in the face of the frightening


    man before him, Adam eventually gritted his teeth and went down on his knees.


    Cordy watched as he did so, before turning towards Eva beside him.Her intent couldn''t be clearer, and


    Adam quickly pulled Eva so that she knelt too.


    All their arrogance was suddenly gone, and they were thoroughly humiliated.


    Adam then forced himself to speak the most undignified words he ever spoke in his life.


    "I''m sorry my son bullied you.I was too stupid to recognize you, and caused you insult.Mr.Levine, Miss


    Sachs, I hope you''ll show magnanimity and forgive our ignorance."

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293


    Chapter 293


    Cordy stared coldly at Adam and Eva.


    Even if they looked pitiable now, there was a reason for it.She took Dicky''s hand, and told John, "I''ll get


    Dicky cleaned up since he has other events soon.As for the rest...do what you will."


    John nodded¡ªhe really shouldn¡¯t have worried that Cordy would be lenient.


    Even if she never went out of her way to hurt others, she wasn¡¯t the type to suffer an insult lying down.It


    was what made her free-spirited yet domineering.


    After Cordy left with Dicky, John turned back towards Adam and Eva, his gaze suddenly cold.


    He wasn¡¯t as soft as Cordy, who was satisfied with an eye for an eye.


    Rather, he wanted ten eyes for one.


    They were going to bankrupt him, was it? Well, he would show them what the term truly meant! As


    Cordy gently wiped away the filth on Dicky''s face, she asked sympathetically, "Are you upset you were


    bullied, Dicky?"


    "No, Mommy," Dicky grinned.


    "You protected me, and daddy taught them a lesson.I also did to Jerry what he did to me, so I''m not


    upset."


    Still, his little face soon turned concerned.


    "Are you sad, Mommy? They were saying bad things about you." Cordy smiled.


    "Don''t you know that mothers are strong?"


    "What does that mean?"


    Dicky didn¡¯t quite understand her.


    "That means I''ve be strong and invincible after I be a mother.No one can hurt me when I


    have you.And didn''t you try to protect me? I''m touched, so I''m not sad at all."


    "I¡¯ll always protect you," Dicky promised.


    "Thank you, but you''re still very young," Cordy said, her voice now stern.


    You can''t protect me when things get really dangerous, and you have to wait until you grow up.So,


    even if I''m in danger, you have to listen to me when I tell you not to help me, alright?"


    Dicky was reluctant¡ªhe would never abandon his mommy.


    "You have to promise me," Cordy said very seriously, worried that if the day came and Dicky would


    throw all caution into the air.He was just a child, after all.


    "Okay," Dicky agreed to it immediately, seeing that his mommy was a little angry now.


    "Good boy," Cordy said, patting his little head affectionately.


    "Now, let''s go.You have more events to take part in."


    "Okay! "


    Cordy brought Dicky to the running track, and he was just in time for the ry race.


    Ry races had always been an event of excitement, and Cordy certainly felt emotional at the sight of


    the children pushing themselves to the limit.


    Dicky was the anchor leg, and he shot forward after getting the baton.He was behind at first, but soon


    beat every kid at the veryst moment and took first ce.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    As the crowd apuded, Jessica sprang to her feet in excitement too, having returned to her seat with


    John.


    However, Dicky''s eyes were always glued to Cordy, and he was beaming dazzlingly under the sun.


    With the ry races over, the sports meet basically ended.


    They just needed to wait until the awards ceremony.


    Things went smoothly and therefore ended ahead of schedule, so the school decided to hold a parent-


    child ry race within the ss.


    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t an actualpetition.


    The ss teachers quickly grouped the parents; since there were twenty people in each of the four


    groups, that meant five children would be grouped with both parents of each child.


    Jessica joined them eagerly, while John hesitated a little before following her to the running track.


    Everyone queued up before the race, and Dicky appeared upset that it was Jessica standing behind


    him instead of Cordy.


    Jessica read his mind; she dropped to a crouch to rub his cheeks, and pretended to threaten him, "I''m


    your godmother, and that means I''m your mommy too.


    Give me attitude, and I''ll kiss you."


    Dicky shot John a wounded look, but John nodded at him; and so, he had to y along however


    reluctantly.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t resist turning to Cordy who was on the stands, and giving her an apologetic look.

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    Chapter 294


    Cordy smiled slightly and gave Dicky both thumbs-up in encouragement, showing that she didn¡¯t mind,


    let alone care about keeping up appearances.


    As the teachers arranged the groups, they noticed that one of the children didn¡¯t have both parents with


    her¡ªeven though elite private schools like this usually insisted on having both parents attending school


    activities.


    Before things could get awkward, Dicky suddenly asked one of the teachers, "Can my mommy join


    us?"


    "But your mommy''s already here..."


    "That''s my mommy," Dicky pointed at Cordy on the stands.


    The teacher simply presumed it to be a child''s innocent banter, and didn¡¯t dwell on it as she said, "Of


    course."


    She went off to invite Cordy, who agreed to it since Dicky was so eager, and yed mommy for the


    little girl.


    As the ry was about to begin, Cordy and Dicky were close enough to speak to each other although


    they were in different groups.


    "Are you good at running, Mommy?"


    "Of course," Cordy said proudly.


    Where do you think you got your athletic genes from?"


    "So I got it from you, Mommy!"


    Dicky eximed excitedly.


    "That''s why I won''t let you win, okay? We''re rivals, after all."


    "I''ll do my best!" Dicky said confidently.


    The whistle soon blew, and the ry began.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The scene turned lively right then, and Cordy was fully focused, ready to take the baton.


    And once it was her turn, she took it quickly and dashed forward, chasing down the next person with


    absolute advantage.


    Dicky had already ran his leg, and was cheering loudly as Cordy started nothing pletely oblivious


    that Jessica was already running ahead of Cordy.


    Jessica wasn¡¯t athletic, and Cordy was quickly catching up to her even though she had been leading.


    Just as Cordy was about to dash past her, Jessica suddenly slid up to Cordy¡ªwho was running at top


    speed.


    Caught unawares as Jessica suddenly moved to her trail and unable to stop in time, they collided


    violently, and Jessica fell beneath her.


    The crowd was stunned, and Dicky was left horrified.He quickly ran towards Cordy, but saw that his


    daddy had already beat him.


    While the teachers and other parents shambled towards the two women, John had already helped


    Cordy to her feet, studying her from head to toe and asking worriedly, "Are you hurt?"


    Cordy shook her head and pushed him away, since she really wasn¡¯t hurt.


    But that might not be the case for Jessica, who moaned in pain.


    "Ow "


    John finally turned towards Jessica, to find the skin scraped off both her knees.It was a gruesome,


    bloody sight.


    One of the teachers quickly eximed, "Quick, Mr.Levine! You have to take her to the infirmary!"


    John finally reached out to help Jessica, but her knees buckled just as she got up.


    When John tried to help ehr up again, Jessica groaned, "Ow..."


    The teacher promptly urged, ''Mr.Levine, you have to carry her."

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295


    Chapter 295


    Jessica looked like she was in absolute pain, and John dropped to a crouch with his back to her.


    "Come.I''ll give you a piggyback."


    Jessica felt a little upset at that ¡ªJohn always went to the gym, and he was definitely capable of


    scooping her up in his arms.


    And yet, he was only giving her a piggyback.


    Since there was no way she could reject it, she forced herself to lean on his broad back.


    John didn¡¯t even hold on to her thighs, only allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck.


    To make things even worse, he barely walked a few feet and quickly put her down on one of the


    spectator seats, saying, "I''m calling in a chopper to take you to the hospital."


    "you don''t have to," Jessica said quickly.


    "That''s unnecessary.It''s not that serious."


    "I''d rest easy if you go," John said firmly, so Jessica kept mum.


    Even now, she had no idea if John was actually worried about her.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    In fact, his unnecessary gesture only made them seem distant¡ªas if he was just resolving some


    annoying issue at work.


    After the teachers and parents all voiced their concern and were told that Jessica would be taken to the


    hospital, they didn¡¯t ask anything else.


    Naturally, the parent -child ry had to be called - off.


    As they waited for the helicopter, Jessica suddenly said, "Johnny, you shouldn''t me Cordy."


    John''s eyes, however, were glued at the awards ceremony some distance away, which was continuing


    after the brief interruption of Jessica¡¯s mishap.


    Cordy was there with Dicky.He turned when he heard Jessica, who continued, "She didn¡¯t mean any


    harm."


    "I saw everything," he said tly.


    "You crossed into her trail and knocked her down."


    Jessica blushed in embarrassment, surprised that John would speak so bluntly.


    Even if she felt no emotion from his voice, she could more or less sense that using tone.


    What was worse, he didn¡¯t show the slightest bit of concern after she got hurt.


    Hence, she had to bear with her frustration.


    For appearance''s sake, she forced herself to say, "I was careless.That''s why I wanted to tell you, so


    you won''t misunderstand."


    "Yeah," John replied, still aloof as ever.


    Their helicopter arrived and started to descend just then, and the school was more than enough to


    amodate it.


    Being an elite school, the students and parents were used to seeing such sights.


    The appearance of the helicopter only caused a briefmotion before everything went back to


    normal.


    The first responders alighted, and quickly put Jessica on a stretcher before transporting her away.


    John went with them, and texted Cordy just as he left.


    [I''ll leave Dicky with you.] Cordy just went on stage with Dicky to receive his medal, and nced at the


    text before replying: [Okay.] She looked up briefly at the direction from which the helicopter was


    departing, showing not much emotion.


    After the sports meet was formally over, Cordy drove home with Dicky.


    While doing so, she called Zoe and asked, "Are you free tonight? How does dinner together sound?"


    "Sorry, I forgot to tell you that I have an ad to shoot tonight ¡ªI''ll only be back tomorrow."


    Zoe had been flying frequently as ofte.


    "Oh, okay," Cordy replied.


    "Is something the matter?" Zoe asked.


    "No, but Dicky¡¯s staying with me tonight. You were alwaysining about being too busy to see


    him, weren''t you?"


    "Have him stay a couple more days with you. I''ll hang out with him once Ie home tomorrow," Zoe


    said quickly.


    "Okay. Now get back to work¡ªI''m driving anyway."


    "Drive safe!"


    As Cordy hung up, she shifted her hip and felt a sharp pang of pain. Still, she didn¡¯t show it.Once she


    got home, she ordered takeout while letting Dicky watch some television.

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    Chapter 296


    After dinner, Cordy helped Dicky take a bath as usual.She then handed him a storybook to read by


    himself while she took a bath.


    When she undressed, she looked at the mirror to see arge bruise on her rear nk.


    It hurt from the slightest movement, but she gritted her teeth and finished her bath.She changed into


    her pajamas, then took a tube of ointment from the first-aid kit.


    She stood before the full-length mirror in the living room, pulling up her shirt and lowering her trousers


    slightly, baring her hip so that it was easier to apply the ointment.


    However, she blinked just as she was about to do it¡ªshe saw John in the mirror''s reflection.He was


    suddenly approaching her from the living room, as if he had been there for a while without her noticing.


    Cordy promptly lowered her shirt and pulled up her trousers, scowling as she snapped, "What are you


    doing here?"


    She clearly recalled changing her door password to stop him, and therefore never expected him to


    enter anyway without her knowing.


    "Dicky opened the door for me," he admitted.


    Cordy pursed her lips.She was prepared for everything, but not her own son''s betrayal! Still, she forced


    herself to calm down.


    "What are you doing here? To take Dicky home? He''s going to bed soon, and it''s the weekend


    tomorrow¡ªI''d suggest letting him stare."


    John, however, had moved to stand just inches away from her, and was staring at her from above.


    The lights in Cordy''s house weren¡¯t too bright, with only the spot where she ced the tall mirror was


    illuminated brightly.


    As John stood with the light on his back, he looked rather dangerous.


    Cordy asked warily, What do you want?"


    However, John lifted her pajama shirt right then, and she snapped, "John! "


    "I thought you weren''t hurt,"


    John growled, his eyes fixed at the swollen bruise on her rear nk.It was simply gruesome.


    "It''s not as serious as Jessica''s¡ª"


    "You really don''t know how to say that it hurts, do you?"


    "It''s just a knock.It''s less terrible than it looks¡ªOw!"


    Cordy suddenly yelped because John poked the bruise with his fingers; she couldn¡¯t withstand the


    abrupt pain.


    Even as she gritted her teeth and red viciously at John, he told her, "If it hurts, say it.Don''t lie."


    Cordy was silent.


    "Now lift your shirt," he continued.


    "John."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "Don''t worry.I can restrain myself from touching you even when you''re drugged.Do you really think I


    can''t control myself when you''re looking like this?"


    Cordy let it slide¡ªnot because she was upset with John''s apparent disinterest in her, but because he


    got to ogle at her body so naturally.


    Jessica was supposed to be his fiancee, while they were just strangers.


    As usual, John read her mind with pinpoint precision.


    Shrugging, he said, "I''ve already seen every nook and cranny, anyway."


    Cordy refused to continue the banter¡ªor to be precise, she never could fight back when it was


    him.She simply turned her back towards John, and watched from the mirror as John applied the


    ointment to her bruise with great concentration.He did so exceedingly gently, worried that he would hurt


    her.She couldn¡¯t feel his touch at all.


    The room turned silent, as both of them didn¡¯t say a word.


    Cordy continued to restrain herself as best as she could, while John focused on applying the ointment


    on her.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    Chapter 297


    Cordy had no idea how long had passed, or how much progress John made¡ªor if he was done with


    applying the ointment.She had basically lost all patience when she suddenly felt the touch of his cool


    lips on her waist, away from the bruise.


    She wheeled on him right then, stumbling backwards and shoving herself against the mirror, bristling as


    she snapped at John, "What do you think you''re doing? You said you weren''t interested!"


    "Can''t help it."


    "Did you forget you''re married?"


    Cordy exploded ¡ªcould he be even a worse scumbag at this point? Nheless, John replied loudly


    and clearly, "No.I''m not married yet."


    "Even if you aren''t, you''re engaged.The wedding¡¯s but a matter of time," she retorted.


    "Or maybe you think you can mess around all you like before your wedding, even when you have a


    fiancee? Are contractual agreements the only thing capable of making you restrain yourself?"


    John was actually left stumped by her rant.


    In the end, he was simply bewitched and failed to stop himself from kissing her.He could never resist


    her body, and he had overestimated himself.


    "It''ste, Mr.Levine.Go home," Cordy said, unceremoniously telling him to leave.


    John stepped outside the front door, but stopped and said, "You can''t apply that ointment on your


    own.I''ve spoken to Zoe, and she¡¯ll be back early tomorrow¡ªshe¡¯ll help you."Got it."


    "Goodnight¡ª"


    Bang! The door was shut in John''s face; he was left staring at it for moments, his face just inches shy


    of hitting it.


    He actually thought about staying away, but each time he saw Cordy, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop


    himself from yearning for her.


    Six months.He promised to himself that everything would be resolved by then.


    However, he could never expect what was toe in under a week.


    After all, surprises always came before ns could bear fruit.


    At thest round of Starstream Group''s invitation to tender, the executives were voting to confirm three


    partners when three prosecutors suddenly entered from the front door.


    Everyone turned towards the three men, who were dressed in suit and tie and shing their ID badges


    at Cordy.


    The leader stated solemnly, We''re prosecutors of the North City jurisdiction.


    My name is Monty Jefferson.Here is my ID."


    Cordy had a bad premonition as she looked at Monty, but she remained calm.


    Since the representatives there to make the tender were all people in charge of major enterprises,


    everyone was left staring at Cordy as the scene erupted in an uproar.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "There has been an anonymous tip that you were bribing Henry Lane, deputymissioner of the tax


    bureau, with a sum of over a million dors, with the intent of interfering with the tax bureau''s reviews,


    siphoning 7 million dors worth of unounted ie.We are therefore taking you into custody


    under the charges of bribery and tax evasion.Pleasee with us and cooperate with the


    investigation."


    As he spoke, another prosecutor produced a warrant for arrest.


    Cordy blinked, dumbfounded.


    Bribery and tax evasion? She had clearly been framed.


    At the very moment, she was positive as to who had instigated this.


    Only Jessica had the power to bribe so many people at once to do this, and that included political


    figures.


    In the end, she came for Cordy anyway.


    "Now?" Cordy asked.


    "Yes," Monty replied coolly.


    "Alright," Cordy replied, staying calm as ever.


    "Can I speak to my secretary for a moment on what to do in my absence?"


    "Of course."

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    Chapter 298


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Cordy quickly turned towards Vince and said quietly, "I''ll be going with the prosecutors, so you''re taking


    over the rest.The invitation to tender is definitely going to be called off, but keep dragging it out until I


    can return and clean up this mess."


    "Yes, ma''am," Vinc replied quickly, but he could hardly hide his apprehension.He was genuinely


    impressed that she could remainposed even at a time like this.


    With those simple instructions, Cordy left with the prosecutors.


    Nheless, news of Cordy''s arrest soon spread all over North City, leaving everyone in shock.She


    certainly had been making a lot of headlinestely; whenever one headline was cooling off, she would


    get another headline which was somehow more sensational.


    It was as if she existed on trending searches in a loop! John was having a meeting abroad when Cordy


    was arrested.Zoe called him to inform him of her arrest, but he hung up the first time.


    When she called him again, he already sensed something was wrong.


    Zoe had always feared him, and would never insist on bothering him when she knew he was busy.


    Unless, of course, something happened to Cordy.


    John left the conference room immediately after receiving the call, leaving the executives present


    trading bewildered nces.


    Their CEO never left a meeting halfway, and scowled that hard at that.


    Randy naturally picked up on his boss''s mood, and quickly followed.


    "What is it?" John asked immediately the moment the call got through.


    "John..." Zoe sounded tearful.


    "Cordy¡¯s in trouble..."


    John''s chest tightened, and he asked coolly, "What is it?"


    "I just saw it on the news today¡ªthe prosecutors had Cordy arrested for bribery and tax evasion!" Zoe


    said urgently.


    "I''m filming a variety show on location, and I could only make it back the day after tomorrow.I don''t


    know what''s going on, but there''s no way Cordy wouldmit a crime.You have toe back right


    now ¡ªI have a feeling this is not as simple as it looks!"


    John promptly hung up, and he told Randy who was behind him, "Ready the car.We''re heading to the


    airport."


    "But, sir, the meeting..."


    Randy pointed out.


    "Video conference.Once we get back to North City."


    "Yes, sir," Randy could tell from the boss''s face that the missus was in trouble.


    Honestly, why were there just so many vile people out there so eager to hurt her? As Randy thought


    about it, he thought it was probably because of his boss¡ªsess would always draw jealousy.


    While Randy made calls to handle various work matters, he got in John''s car, following thetter to the


    airport.He dared not ask a question when he saw the way John was glowering, and watched as John


    whipped out his phone to dial a number.


    "Sam," he addressed the other man once thetter answered.


    "Well, hello there! Your call honors me, Mr.Very Busy," Sam Saunders joked from the other end.


    John ignored the banter and asked curtly, "Isn''t your wife awyer?


    "That she is."


    "Cordy¡¯s in trouble right now.Ask your wife to post her bail, and anything else can wait until Ie


    back.I''m on my way to the airport¡ªI''ll probably be back around 2 a.m.North City time."


    "Sure," Sam agreed to help immediately.


    There was no doubt John would step up when something so serious happened to Cordy.


    Still, Sam wondered if the Levines would actually allow John to interfere.He sat up on that hotel bed,


    but just as he did, the woman beside him wrapped his arms around his waist, purring coquettishly, "Oh,


    Mr.Saunders.Where are you going¡ª"


    Sam suddenly turned, giving her a look.She quickly released him.


    Everyone in the nightclub business knew that Sam Saunders was as handsome as he was generous.


    Any woman who got in bed with him would not only enjoy breathtaking physical delights, but also make


    a killing as they do.He was definitely the most popr person to those working nightclubs.


    However, there was one catch: his terrible temper.


    They must never upset him, or else!

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Chapter 299


    Sam nonchntly picked up a towel, wrapped it around his waist, and made a call in front of the hotel


    room''s ss window.


    On the other end, Quinn Summer answered the call when she saw that it was him.


    "How much do you need?"


    Their parents were the ones who arranged their marriage, so they basically felt nothing for each


    other.However, Sam''s parents liked Quinn so much that they tried to stop Sam from messing around


    with other women even after they two got married.


    Thus, Quinn was given full control of both their bank ounts, and Sam wouldn¡¯t contact her unless he


    ran out of money.


    In reality, Quinn wouldn¡¯t set a limit to his finances.She would always give him a fixed allowance every


    month, and more if he runs out.


    After all, every cent she had was still the Saunders'' property; Sam would ask for cash every time to


    ensure that his family never finds out.


    After three years of marriage, they were certainly used to it.


    "Actually, just send a set of respectable clothes and ask yourwyers to file the paperwork for bailing


    Cordy Sachs.Johnny''s asking," Sam told her.


    Quinn did a double take, but soon remembered the headlines that afternoon.


    Cordy has been arrested with solid evidence against her.


    "Are you in a hurry?" she asked.


    "Are you busy?" Sam asked.


    "No, but I''d like to examine Cordy''s case first."


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    "There''s no rush on my end," Sam assured her.


    "But I think Johnny might not share the sentiment. You best hurry."


    "I''ll do my best."


    With that, Sam hung up and picked up a cigarette.


    Even as he started smoking, the woman on the bed kept her distance, and simply waited until Sam


    would pay her and chase her off.


    Around an hourter, Quinn arrived, carrying a full business attire for men as she strode into Sam''s


    hotel room.


    The woman on the bed, who had just been feeling sore on the back from lying down, was about to get


    out of bed when Quinn arrived.


    Naturally, she jumped in shock once she got up to find another woman striding inside.


    Quinn, however, seemedpletely used to it.


    Seeing the other woman, she asked casually, "How much?"


    "What?" the woman asked, very much taken aback.


    "For keeping Sampany.I''m paying you."


    The woman was trembling.She thought Quinn was here to catch them in the act...


    Yet, it turned out that Quinn was just there to pay her? She turned towards Sam, who was actually


    grinning with a cigarette between his teeth.


    "30 grand."


    30 grand...for spending the night with him?! That was way more than what she expected! The woman


    couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    "Your QR code, please," Quinn said.


    The woman promptly whipped out her phone and gave it to Quinn, who swiftly put on her clothes.


    "Now, get your clothes on.Away with you."


    "Yes, ma''am.Right away, ma''am!"


    The woman promptly got out of bed while still naked.She quickly picked up her clothes from the floor


    and got dressed, and left with a smile of irrepressible happiness.


    After sending her away, Quinn handed Sam his clothes.


    "Put these on.We''re going to the detention center together."


    Sam slowly snuffed out his cigarette and chuckled.


    "Mrs.Saunders, you really are a dutiful wife for paying for your husband''s phndering expenditures."


    Quinn didn¡¯t respond to that, but Sam was already used to her aloofness.The woman was so stoic, she


    wouldn¡¯t blink even if the skies would fall.He suddenly pulled off the towel around his waist, and Quinn


    promptly turned away.


    Sam chuckled again, but got dressed without dy.Duty calls.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    Chapter 300


    Quinn Summer and Sam Saunders left the hotel together, with the former driving and thetter riding


    shotgun.


    Along the way, Quinn said, "I asked a friend for a brief on Cordy Sachs'' case, but it doesn''t look good.


    They have material witnesses and physical evidence, and the charges are clear cut.


    Bribery and tax evasion¡ªand with such huge amounts of capital involved? That''s basically ten years."


    "Let''s bail Cordy out for now," Sam replied.


    "Johnny will find a way."


    "Yeah," Quinn replied.


    Suddenly, Sam reached out and grabbed the steering wheel¡ªa car zipped past theirs right then! If


    Sam hadn¡¯t shifted the steering wheel, their car would¡¯ve crashed into the car beside them.


    The driver even wound down his window and yelled angrily at them, "Where''d you learn to drive?! Just


    stay home instead!"


    Sam glowered as he yelled back viciously, "That''s your own damn fault! You should be looking behind


    before you switchnes!"


    Quinn pursed her lips in silence, since it was actually her driving skills that were at fault.She fidgeted


    with her fingers just then, gesturing for Sam to move his hand off hers.He did so, but said, "You really


    shouldn''t be driving when you''re so bad."


    "I''ll just drive slower," she said, refraining from arguing¡ªit was always pointless to argue with this man.


    "Don''t we have chauffeurs? Just ask the old man to assign one for you.He''d love to, since you''re


    basically his biological daughter to him," Sam said sarcastically.


    Once again, Quinn stayed silent.


    Snorting, Sam barked, "Stop the car!"


    Quinn drove to the side of the road and stopped there, thinking that Sam was going to take a


    taxi.Instead, he walked around the car to the driver''s seat.


    "Out."


    Quinn undid her seatbelt and alighted, while Sam told her, "Ride shotgun."


    She did so.He took the wheel andined, "What''s wrong with this seat? Can''t even fit my butt


    in..."


    Quinn didn¡¯t understand why Sam was constantly grumpy, or on the verge of getting grumpy.She


    certainly wanted to point out that she was five foot three, while he was almost six foot three.


    That''s a whole foot between them; she would never fit in a seat adjusted for his side.


    Nheless, Sam managed to eventually adjust the seat to fit himfortably, and drove Quinn¡¯s car


    to the detention center.


    Quinn went through the standard procedure to bail out Cordy, only to be informed that the case against


    her was solid and the trial was arranged earlier.


    In other words, no dice.


    They were incredibly stubborn about it, not budging no matter what legal actions Quinn threatened


    them with or how much Sam tried to mention his family''s influence.


    They had no choice, and Quinn had to say bluntly, "I''m Cordy Sachs''swyer.I have the right to meet


    my client, even if there''s no bail."


    They finally agreed to it, and Quinn finally told Sam, "Wait outside for me.I''ll go in and talk to


    Cordy.Also, it''s best if you speak with John Levine¡ª from my experience, this won''t be just your run-of-


    the-mill criminal case.Someone¡¯s pulling strings behind the scenes, and unless John Levine himself


    steps up, we might have no chance of turning things around."


    Sam nodded and left the detention center to call John Levine, but John¡¯s phone was off.


    Maybe he boarded a flight? It has been two hours since their call, after all.


    And yet, Sam had a gnawing feeling that something was out of ce.


    Reasonably speaking, John should¡¯ve called him before he boarded his flight, and would at least ask


    how Cordy was doing.


    And yet, there wasn¡¯t a single sign from him...


    Sam promptly decided to call Jay Parker.


    "Jay, I can''t reach Johnny at the moment.Is he on a flight?"


    "I think my father¡¯s holding him abroad," Jay replied.? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    Chapter 301


    Sam''s expression turned somber and he muttered, "Well, that doesn''t look good."


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It was obvious the entire case against Cordy was so rock solid that it had to be set in motion by


    someone with powerful influence.


    If they did not have John''s connections now, it would take a miracle for Cordy to escape a prison


    sentence.


    "I''ll try to contact Johnny.He would probably want Quinn on Cordy''s case anyway, so give her the


    details.Once he''s back, we''ll get right down to business and find the solution," Jay told Sam right then.


    "Okay."


    Within the detention center, Cordy was a little surprised to see Quinn, but she soon came to a


    realization¡ªJohn must have arranged her to be Cordy''s legal advisor.She did not know much about


    Quinn, aside from the fact that she was Sam''s wife and working at Saunderia.She only inadvertently


    found outter that Quinn was actually their legal advisor.


    "Ms.Sachs."


    Quinn greeted her politely and respectfully.


    "John Levine has tasked me to help you with your case."


    "Yeah," Cordy replied, but it was not her being enthusiastic.


    She just knew all too well who the mastermind was, and she had a hard time epting John''s


    goodwill.


    Moreover, she was not convinced that John could help her in any way.


    Quinn could sense Cordy''s mood too, and she said, "I first need to make sure something so that we


    can put together a better defense for you at court¡ªhave you been involved in bribery or tax evasion? u


    "No,"


    Cordy replied¡ªeven if she had no hope, she had not fallen so far that she would just give up


    altogether.


    Quinn did not doubt her, too.She could see from one nce that this case was odd, and then there was


    also Zoe.


    If Zoe felt this strongly for Cordy, her character would not be that bad.


    "However, I have evidence of your crimes," Quinn said and pushed a stack of papers toward Cordy.


    Cordy had actually read them before after being brought here, but Quinn borated on them


    regardless.


    "Here are the details: exhibit one¡ªbank records.Although it was not a direct transfer from any of your


    ounts, there have been six consecutive wire transfers from the ounts of Helen Zalenski''s


    rtives to one ount belonging to Henry Lane, the tax bureau deputymissioner.Ms.Zalenski is


    one of Starstream Group''s ountants, and the money wired to her rtives was from your ount,


    totaling to a sum of over one million dors."


    "And here is Starstream Group''s revenue report for thest fiscal year.There is over 7 million dors


    worth of unreported taxable ie, and every sheet has your personal signature and stamp."


    "Last but not least, an anonymous source has provided multiple photos of you socializing with Henry


    Lane, which would further fuel the court case against you." Quinn then summarized, "It seems that they


    have all the evidence they need."


    "I never wired any money to Henry Lane," Cordy replied definitively.


    "I''ve socialized with Henry Lane under perfectly legal circumstances, and that was before I took over


    Starstream Group.It''s an unspoken rule in business to make as many connections as possible."


    Quinn naturally believed Cordy and asked, "Have you received any notification regarding changes in


    your bank bnce?"


    "None."


    Cordy narrowed her eyes, wondering just then how many strings that woman had to pull to do this.


    "Also, I did not open this ount," Cordy then added.


    "In other words, it''s a dummy ount set up to incriminate you." Quincy nodded.


    "However, opening an ount requires you to be at the bank personally.In short, if we secure evidence


    that you did not open this bank ount, there''s a chance to set up your defense.Cordy, however, was


    not at all optimistic.


    "Do you think she would make a mistake like that?"

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    Chapter 302


    "It might be difficult with our current strength," Quinn admitted.


    "But we might stand a chance with Mr.Levine." Cordy pursed her lips.


    "Ms.Summer, who do you think is the mastermind?"


    Quinn was quiet for a moment.


    "That means you probably have an idea." Cordy nodded.


    "And given my connection to John, and his and hers, who do you think he''ll help?"


    "I''m no savant when ites to rtionships," Quinn confessed.


    "But my opinion is that since Mr.Levine was willing to ask Sam Saunders to entrust me with your case,


    he definitely cares."


    "But rtionships mean nothing when money is at stake."


    Quinn paused right then, since she had noeback against that.She had only previously met Cordy


    once alongside Zoe during a dinner.


    Since Zoe was busy drinking and Quinn had to be her chaperone, Quinn did not have the time to get


    better acquainted with Cordy.


    And now, she was assuredly seeing Cordy in a new light, and she felt for an instant that Cordy was just


    like her.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    As such, she told Cordy, "Even so, we have to try.


    Going down kicking and screaming is much better than nothing, not to mention that there is a chance to


    turn everything around.


    Moreover, I can assure you that even if you weren''t connected to Sam Saunders or Mr.Levine, I''d go all


    out to help you anyway just because you are Zoe''s friend."


    Cordy''s heart skipped a beat.


    Even if Quinn appeared aloof¡ªprobably because she was awyer ¡ªher words and expressions were


    prim and proper, and she always kept a stiff upper lip.


    As such, she certainly gave people the impression that she was dependable.


    Though they had only met once, Quinn was definitely sharp and smart enough to tell who she faced


    now.


    And yet, they did not pause to get sentimental, while Quinn continued to discuss the case solemnly.


    "Now, please talk me through these revenue reports and why your signatures are on it.I don''t think


    you''d be negligent enough to let your finance department mess with thepany''s money."


    "Those reports are certified via the OA system.There are certain documents which I''ve delegated to my


    secretary, especially since I''ve been busy with an invitation to tender recently."


    "In other words, it''s your secretary''s issue," Quinn concluded.


    Cordy frowned.Her very first suspect was Vince too, but she was the one who personally selected him


    and groomed him.


    That made it virtually impossible¡­ but if it was not him, then who could it be? And even if she trusted


    Vince''s character, there would be times when temptations and threats get¡­ overwhelming.


    Hence, Quinn once again said, ''''So our key investigation points are the source of the bank ount,


    your ountant Helen Zalenski, your assistant Vince Cartman, the tax bureau''s deputymissioner


    Henry Lane, and the anonymous tip...with supposition that they have been bribed."


    Cordy nodded.


    "Alright, I understand the general situation now," Quinn said, not dragging her feet at all.


    "I''ve tried to post bail, but they''re refusing to let you leave for the time being.However, I''ll contact you


    immediately in case of new clues regarding your case."


    "But if my defense fails...How many years are we looking at?" Cordy asked.


    Quinn looked at Cordy just then and thought to herself that Cordy was honestly too rational.


    Still, she admitted, "I''ll try to plead your case, reducing it to ten years."


    Ten years...


    And there goes her youth.

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303


    Chapter 303


    Sam was waiting outside the detention center when Quinn stepped out.


    Returning to her car with him behind the wheel, he asked, "How''s Cordy?"


    "Calm andposed," Quinn replied.


    "I asked for the specifics, and it turns out that there are plenty of aspects about her case to be used for


    a rebuttal.We just need to investigate it and she''ll be safe ...By the way, have you told Mr.Levine that


    we can''t bail Cordy?"


    "Can''t reach him."


    "In flight?"


    "No.n Levine is holding him abroad."


    Quinn actually turned toward Sam just then.


    "It''s pointless even if you stare at me like that." Sam shrugged.


    "The old man still has thest say in his family.No matter how much influence John has, he''d never win


    against his own grandfather."


    "But we''d have no chance of investigating Cordy''s case without him," Quinn said.


    "Jay will try to find him.Let''s just hope that works." Sam sighed.


    "Yeah,"Quinn replied.


    Remembering something just then, she whipped out her phone and made a call.


    "Quinn?"


    "Zoe.Where are you right now?"


    "I was just going to board a flight back.Cordy''s case is killing me,"


    Zoe groaned.


    Quinn could actually feel Zoe worrying from the other end.


    "I was just going to talk to you about this," Quinn said.


    "I''m now her legal advisor, and we just met to discuss the case¡ª"


    "How is she doing?!" Zoe asked in agitation even before Quinn could finish.


    "She''s fine, but I can''t post bail," Quinn replied.


    "Sh*t! Why not?!"


    "Let me get to the point."


    "Oh, right,"


    Zoe paused then, realizing she had been rather impulsive.


    "There are multiple ws in the case, but right now, we don''t have the reach to investigate them.John


    Levine is our only hope."


    "I''ve called him. He''s probablying back soon."


    "Actually, Sam was saying that your grandfather had him confined abroad."


    "What?!" Zoe eximed furiously.


    "Once you get back, find out what''s happening back home and try to reach out to him.I have a handle


    on the case now, and all we can do is wait for his return and arrange the next steps."


    "Yes, understood," Zoe quickly said.


    "I''m boarding my flight now, and I''ll head straight to Levine Manor once I reach North City.Wait for my


    word."


    After Zoe hung up, Quinn lowered her phone and stared outside the window in silence.


    "I''m actually surprised that you''re so enthusiastic about Cordy''s case," Sam joked just then.


    "Everywyer has an obligation toward their client," Quinn replied.


    "But I have this feeling that you have a very good impression of her."


    "She would make a good friend."


    Quinn did not deny that.


    "What is her deal, honestly?" Sam chuckled.


    "Bewitching men and women, left and right.Even Johnny¡ªwho doesn''t give a damn about women ¡ª is


    basically her ve now."


    "Don''t get any funny ideas," Quinn warned him.


    "What do you take me for?!"


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sam snapped, incensed right then.


    "Do I look like I''dy a finger on my brother''s wife?"


    Quinn was going to retort ¡®you''dy a finger on any woman¡¯, but ultimately decided against it.


    Soon, they arrived outside Saunderia''s office building.

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304


    Chapter 304


    Before Quinn alighted, she said, "I can drive the car to the basement parking lot."


    "I need to borrow it," Sam said bluntly.


    Quinn pursed her lips.


    "Where are you going? I can take you there."


    "Get out," Sam urged her.


    Quinn gritted her teeth and got out, forced to watch as Sam drove away. She had only one car, and


    since she always worked veryte, she felt unsafe if she had to get a taxi at that hour.


    But Sam was never considerate toward others.


    Zoe reached Levine Manor in the afternoon. She was storming towards n''s study when arge, firm


    hand held her.


    "Zoe."


    The sight of Jay only left her face contorted with rage.


    "Let me go!"


    "Calm down. I know you want to talk to him about Cordy, but rushing inside won''t solve anything¡ª"


    "She''s not your friend! You''ve never considered trying to solve this ¡ªthat''s why you think there''s no


    resolving this! You''re just worried that I''d upset my grandfather and in turn the family, and get you


    dragged into it! I know you feel unsafe here as an adopted child, and I understand why you always


    prioritize keeping my grandfather happy, so that you have a ce in this family.But please don''t be so


    selfish that you''d build your happiness on the pain of others!"


    Zoe was bellowing every word so loudly that the many servants in the manor heard him, and they were


    startled into silence by Zoe.


    Even before Jay could exin, an ancient voice spoke from the direction of the study.


    "Jay, let her in."


    Zoe promptly pped Jay''s hand off, and just before she entered, she growled icily, "And don''t touch


    me ever again."


    With those words, Zoe headed inside the study, and mmed the door shut behind her while she went


    straight to the point.


    "Grandfather! What did you do to John?"


    "He''s my grandson.Whatever can I do to him?"


    n smiled¡ª dealing with a bart could not be simpler.


    "Why are you keeping him abroad? Why aren''t you letting hime back?!"


    "He''s engaged.He shouldn''t get involved in other people''s problems."


    "You forced him into that engagement.You know he doesn''t love Jessica."


    "Feelings develop over time¡ª"


    "I won''t discuss the intricacies of a rtionship with you because you businessmen think money


    applies to everything¡ªI''d be wasting my breath.I''m asking you, as an upstanding citizen who has a


    status and responsibilities in society, why you aren''t helping another citizen when you can? Or perhaps


    you''d rather side with the wicked?"


    n''s eyes narrowed dangerously, but Zoe continued her agitated rant nheless.


    "Even I can tell that Cordy is being framed, and I''m sure someone with your knowledge and experience


    can tell that this all smells fishy.You know very well that something sinister is afoot, and not only are


    you ignoring it, but you''re also stopping my own brother from doing the right thing.Doesn''t your


    conscience hurt?! Levine Ventures has a reputation to maintain, and no matter how calctive you get,


    you shouldn''t ignore your own conscience!"


    "This has nothing to do with me.Cordy Sachs has nothing to do with me.Why should I help her? You


    only live that long, so just minding your own business is perfectly fine.Or perhaps you think I have the


    ability to correct every injustice in this world?"


    "I''m not asking for that.You just have to let John help Cordy¡ª"


    "Save it," n said, cutting her short.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ''Cordy''s troubles are her own, and she wouldn''t have to suffer if she knew what was good for


    her.Everyone needs to pay the price for their actions!"


    "In that case, John should be the one paying the price!" Zoe snapped bluntly.


    "He was the one who kept hounding Cordy, and he was the one who did this to her! He''s at fault, and


    he should be the one resolving this instead of letting a vulnerable woman get bullied!"

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305


    Chapter 305


    Zoe''s words were filled with righteous indignation, and n was left glowering.


    And once he got serious, he was frightening.


    Hence, before Zoe could continue, he snapped, "Don''t breathe another word if you don''t want to suffer


    like John did.This discussion is over, and I''d advise you not to meddle with other people''s business."


    Zoe wanted to say more, but Lawrence told her cordially, "You really should stop, Ms.York."


    Zoe bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears right then.


    She knew all too well that there was no reasoning with her grandfather if it went against her


    principles.She turned and stormed off angrily.


    But even if the world would go against her, she would save Cordy! As she shoved the door open, Jay


    remained standing outside.He could see her face, puffy and red and covered in tears.It went without


    saying that things had gone badly.


    Still, Zoe worked hard to hold back her tears when she saw Jay because she refused to let herself


    appear even slightly vulnerable around him.


    Even so, Jay wanted her to feel better.He began, "There were many strings pulled to pull this off.Your


    grandfather was not being cold "Take your crocodile tears and shove it, Jay," Zoe snapped, ring icily


    at him.


    "Be a goodp dog and shut up!"


    And with those words, she stormed off.Jay gulped, but he waited for a long while before knocking on


    the doors of the study.


    In reality, he would be reasoning with n for John''s sake if Zoe never came.


    There was no way anyone could find a needle in the haystack, now that they had lost contact with John


    completely.


    They needed to deal with this issue at its core.


    When n saw Jay enter, he asked coolly, Come to plead Cordy Sachs'' case too, have you?"


    "Yes," Jay replied.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "You''re not Zoe," n growled.


    "She''s too young to understand, and she only ever follows her whims.You should be more tactful."


    Even so, Jay said earnestly, "I''ll just state my perspective on this matter, Father.Put it into consideration


    if you wish, and I won''t breathe another word if you tell me to stop."


    n hesitated for a moment, but he said, "Tell me."


    "Cordy''s case is clear cut¡ªthe Stuarts fabricated her crime, but I''m sure you knew.That said, I don''t


    think this was a good move on the Stuarts'' part."


    n did not argue, seemingly acknowledging his silence.


    "Johnny hasn''t tried to protest against his engagement with Jessica because he doesn''t have the ability


    yet.Moreover, he has to consider our family''s interests while protecting Cordy.That being said, the limits


    to his tolerance haven''t really been challenged yet.But should Cordy really go to prison because of the


    Stuarts, do you think Johnny would let it rest? In fact, I''m a hundred percent certain that he''d go all out


    if anything happens to Cordy.Whatever tragedy that might happen then, I''m sure you won''t want to see


    it.That is why you shouldn''t interfere for our family''s sake and for Johnny''s."


    n''s fingers clenched around his teacup but he did not stop Jay, instead allowing Jay to continue.


    "That''s my first point.As for the second, it''s Dicky,"


    Jay continued sinctly.n turned toward Jay then.

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306


    Chapter 306


    "You know better than anyone who Dicky''s mother is," Jay said.


    "And what I''m trying to say is that our nation''s policy dictates that the children or grandchildren of any


    individual with a criminal record are forbidden from holding public office.Of course, it doesn''t seem


    likely that Dicky would be a politician at the moment, but what if things change and our family


    needs a direct connection? You know very well why members of the Stuart family are holding public


    office in that sense."


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Of course, most people are unaware that Cordy is Dicky''s mom at the moment, but you know how


    cutthroat the political scene gets.Anyone with a blemish in their resume would never keep it under


    wraps because their opponents would inevitably ensure that ites to light."


    "Andstly, the most important question of all..."


    Jay paused for a moment, before continuing, "Do you really think Johnny would ultimately marry


    Jessica? Father, were you notpelled by circumstances when you agreed to the Stuarts¡¯ proposal?


    Johnny did not say no right then and there because he understands your plight, so why don''t you


    understand his? Don''t let his respect and sentiment toward you burn off for nothing."


    n''s study was silent after that.Jay waited for a while, but since he was not getting any response, he


    said politely, "I''ll be leaving now.I won''t impose any further."


    "Jay."


    n suddenly stopped him..


    "Yeah."


    "You never were ipetent," n said, acknowledging him right then.


    "I only stopped you from working at Levine Ventures because of who you were.It''s something the family


    and I can''t abide with."


    "And I would neverin about that.I would''ve starved to death in the streets if you never brought


    me here," Jay said, before adding, "And Johnny is special.He''s plenty enough to take the weight of our


    family.It was a wise decision you entrusted him with Levine Ventures."


    n looked up at him then and nodded.


    Much had already been decided, and there was no need for lies or deceit.


    The phone on n''s desk suddenly rang, and Lawrence quickly answered it.He started scowling as the


    person on the end continued, and he eventually lowered it to tell n, "Sir, they''re reporting that Master


    John is gone."


    n''s eyes narrowed, while Jay appeared a little nervous.


    "Shall we instruct them to bring in more people to find him?" Lawrence asked.


    n hesitated for a moment but eventually said, "Forget it.Let him be."


    "Yes, Master Levine."'' Lawrence replied.


    Jay quietly heaved a sigh of relief, and n told him, "Go now.I''m tired."


    He did not exin himself, but ''let him be'' already makes clear his stance.Jay left the study then and


    took out his phone.


    However, he lowered it just before he made the call.


    To Zoe, he was better off dead.


    Zoe was certainly throwing a major tantrum in Quinn''s office, and she had been ranting about Jessica


    the entire afternoon.


    "I''m dying here! I mean, how could she be this heinous? How?! She always looks so cheerful, lively,


    and not calctive at all, but it turns out that she''s rotten from the inside! I know there''s no one perfect


    in this world¡ªhell, the more wless they seem, the more hypocritical they are!"


    Quinn was actually impressed by Zoe''s spirit then.Did she not tire?! She heard that the reality TV


    program Zoe had been filmingsted until 2 AM.


    Then, Zoe woke up at 7 AM and went to another studio.


    That sessionsted until 12 PM and she had lunch in the car, rushing to catch her flight back home.


    It was very much possible that she did not sleep on the ne, and it was now two hours since she


    arrived at Quinn''s office, ranting and rambling endlessly without stopping to breathe.


    But just as Quinn was about to turn and tel] her to take a break, she saw that Zoe was already on the


    couch, asleep with her mouth hanging wide open.


    Quinn could even hear faint snoring, and she smiled.


    Zoe would have been such a carefree, cheerful child if she never met Jay.


    She brought Zoe a nket and was about to tuck her in when the door suddenly opened.


    Quinn turned to find Sam and Jay entering together.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307


    Chapter 307


    Both Jay and Sam spotted Zoe on the couch just then, but Quinn put a finger on her lips, warning them


    to keep it down.She tucked Zoe under the nket and put a pillow beneath her head, helping her lie


    downfortably.


    Even as she did, Zoe was still mumbling something horrible about Jessica.


    It was certainly hrious.


    Once they tucked in Zoe, Quinn returned to her desk while Jay and Sam sat opposite her.


    Knowing why they hade, she took out the file she had on Cordy''s case and said quietly, "Here are


    all the details I got from her after meeting her.I''vebed out all the key points."


    As she spoke, she slid it toward them.


    As Jay studied the contents solemnly, Quinn asked casually, "Have you found Mr.Levine, Mr.Parker?"


    "If there aren''t any other surprises, tomorrow."


    "That''s good," Quinn said.


    "There are a lot of points for investigation in there, and we would need Mr.Levine to help us in cases


    where we can''t reach." Jay nodded.


    With that, the trio started to analyze Cordy''s case seriously and chatted until it was dark outside.


    On the couch, Zoe suddenly wiggled.


    And the instant she moved, she fell off the couch andnded with a bang! The trio who were still


    engaged in their discussion turned toward her at once while all Zoe felt was the pain on her butt.She


    actually could not remember just then how she ended up on the floor or when she fell asleep.She was


    just talking to Quinn about Cordy, wasn''t she?! At the same time, she felt several pairs of eyes on her,


    and looked up to find Quinn, Jay, and Sam all staring at her.


    Zoe felt a little embarrassed despite being thick-skinned.


    There were so many pairs of eyes watching as she stayed on the floor, leaving her feeling utterly


    sheepish! Most importantly, none of them wereing to help her up! Still, Quinn seemed to realize


    that right then and hurried over to give Zoe a hand while asking in concern, "Are you alright? Did you


    hurt yourself?"


    "My butt hurts,"Zoeined.


    "Here.Let me give you a rub," Quinn said, massaging Zoe''s rump as she spoke.


    Zoe did not stop her¡ªthey had been friends for years, and they were that close.Sam and Jay looked


    on, with Sam staring at them especially hard.


    "Don''t tell me...you two swing that way?'' Both Zoe and Quinn scowled at him in return, with Zoe


    snapping, "You really need a trip to the doctor''s."


    Sam was annoyed right then¡ªZoe always shot him dirty looks whenever they met.


    "John and I grew up together, and since we''re basically brothers, I can be considered your brother


    too.Shouldn''t you show some respect?" Zoe shrugged.


    "That''s how I treat poochies."


    "Zoe..."


    Sam was provoked right then.Jay put a hand on his shoulder.


    "That''s enough.Let''s get back to business.With that, Sam shot Zoe a look and growled, "Guess I won''t


    argue for your uncle''s sake."


    Zoe clearly had more to say, but Quinn stopped her.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308


    Chapter 308


    Quinn understood that Zoe thought poorly of Sam because of her, but she did not want Zoe to get


    upset for her sake either.We''re more or less done discussing the case, and I''m hungry," Sam said.


    "Let''s go eat."


    "Okay." Jay agreed.


    "What do you like to eat? I''ll book a ce," Sam asked, turning toward Zoe just then.


    He usually never held a grudge, since he considered her a headstrong younger sister.


    "You boys go on your own¡ªI''m eating with Quinn alone."


    Zoe refused immediately, before adding, "It''s hard to eat around people you don''t like."


    Sam sighed.


    "Can''t you be a little less petty, Zoe?"


    "Wasn''t talking about you," Zoe replied and started pulling Quinn along.


    "Come on, let''s go."


    Sam watched as they left, and it was only after a long while that he realized what Zoe meant.Wheeling


    on Jay right then, he eximed, Did she actually mean...your!"


    "Yeah," Jay replied.


    "Well, I don''t get it.You''ve always been nice and never been harsh to Zoe...Why would she hate you so


    much?"


    Sam mused in curiosity.


    "Johnny''s personality is even worse, and he''s always so strict with her, but she loves him to bits.Is it


    simply in her nature to be an ingrate? Or maybe blood really runs thicker than water?!"


    But since Jay did not exin anything, Sam did not ask, presuming that Jay did not know why


    either.Cordy was kept in custody for an entire night.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The environment was poor and the bed very hard, and she was suddenly reminded of Kyle who was


    staying in a ce like this just recently.She did not expect her to suffer the same fate so quickly.


    But after plenty of soul-searching and calming downst night, she was able to consider the case


    against her seriously.


    That was when she realized that it was not just Jessica who did it.


    She had influence over many individuals and matters outside Starstream Group, but there was barely


    any chance she could gain control of the internal structure of thepany.


    That was, unless she had help from a mole.


    After all, even though Noel already left Starstream, she had worked there for years and would know the


    employees like the back of her hand.


    In other words, she knew the people who could be bought and what with, and given how calctive


    Noel had been, it was not an issue at all.


    In other words, Jessica was working with Noel.


    As the saying goes, ''The enemy of my enemy is my friend"


    Still, she must admit that Jessica really understood how to win people over.


    Suddenly, a warden arrived outside and barked, ''"Cordy Sachs, there''s someone here to visit


    you.Follow me!"


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªwho woulde to see her right now? Quinn? Did they already make progress


    on her case? But as she quietly followed the warden outside, her knuckles clenched when she saw


    Noel.


    Even the most rational would feel an impulsive rage when facing people out to hurt them.


    Noel immediately noticed Cordy''s reaction too.


    To be honest, Noel had had enough of letting Cordy lord over her and wanted nothing less than to


    crush Cordy to bits under her foot.


    It certainly felt cathartic to see Cordy ending up so haggard, but Noel worked hard not to show it.


    Naturally, Noel could not wait to see Cordy like this¡ªthat was why she was here.


    "Oh, how could you make such a blunder? I mean, tax evasion?" Noel eximed, looking like she


    meant well.


    "Our father had always paid every cent in tax while he was board chairman, but even if sales increased


    by leaps and bounds under your leadership, you shouldn''t do anything illegal..."


    Cordyughed coolly and exposed Noel right then.


    "It''s your doing, no? Why bother shedding crocodile tears?"


    "What are you talking about? Why would I do something like this? I''d never be capable of going this


    far," Noel said.


    She naturally denied it, but she also had to admit that Cordy was smart...To think that Cordy suspected


    her already!

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309


    Chapter 309


    Cordy scoffed.


    "Well, you don''t.All you can do is be two-faced so the one with actual power has to pull your


    strings."Noel''s face fell.So, Cordy guessed everything.


    "Word of advice, Noel¡ªyou shouldn''t upset people way above your league.You''ll only hurt yourself."


    "Hmph."


    Noel snorted, not bothered with pretenses just then.She came tough at Cordy anyway, and she had


    suffered Cordy''s strut for far too long! "Don''t get so conceited, Cordy.You''re just jealous that I managed


    to get someone so powerful to support me while you fall to such disgrace!"


    Noelughed with eyes filled with disdain.


    "It''s your own fault for not knowing your ce, upsetting people you shouldn''t.And here I thought how


    tough you''d be and that John Levine was really hopelessly in love with you.So what? You''ve been here


    for 24 hours, but did hee to bail you out? How much do you think you''re worth in the face of


    personal gain?"


    Cordy stared coolly at Noel, who looked more smug and more excited the more she spoke.


    "Thank goodness I''m smart¡ªI almost made the same mistake you did with seducing John.If I really


    were in a rtionship with him now, I''d be the one getting hurt.In that sense, I have to thank you."


    "You''re not in a rtionship because you don''t have what it takes.It has nothing to do with you being


    smart," Cordy said bluntly.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    The simple retort left Noel flushing, but it was true¡ªshe did not even have a chance to get close to


    John.No, he never even looked at her! "So what?"


    Noel scoffed.


    "Should women live for men''s sake? I think nothing of them, and they''re all springboards for me to rise


    above.If anything, you deserved this, being stupid as you are, always suffering because of men!"


    Cordy actually could not say anything to that.


    Every plight she suffered was definitely because of men.But suddenly, Noel seemed to be an angel


    again and said, "Cordy, we''re sisters, so you can''t fault me for not warning you.There''s no point in


    pinning your hopes on John now, and since you''re so smart, you''d know the person who did this to


    you.My advice is to give up on futile resistance, properly admit to your mistake, and ept that this is


    your reality now.Who knows? She might be nice enough to reward you with a reduced sentence, but


    otherwise...Well, you''ll know what''s going to happen."


    Although Noel came tough at Cordy, her real purpose was to convince Cordy to face reality,


    Naturally, Jessica told Noel toe, since she wanted to make things fast and avoid further


    trouble.However, Cordy never responded, and Noel scowled in turn.


    "I''m being nice right now, Cordy.You''re going to suffer the consequences if you don''t y nice¡ªI mean,


    who could you put your hopes on now? Did you think you could get yourself out of this? It''s a dog-eat-


    dog world, and the further you resist, the worse you''ll¡ª"


    Suddenly, the steel door swung open, cutting off Noel.She then turned, and panicked the instant she


    saw John entering the room.


    What was he doing here?! Jessica insisted that he would be stuck abroad, unable to return! What was


    going on right now?! Was John really fighting the Stuarts for Cordy''s sake?! Noel certainly could not


    ept it.


    She had nothing to her name, while Cordy had everything she did not! And she had been mocking


    Cordy so badly just now¡ªbut it now only amounted to a p to Noel''s own face! That was when she


    saw Jessica behind John, entering the room as well.


    It left Noel more than a little dumbstruck!

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310


    Chapter 310


    Why was Jessica visiting Cordy with John? What was going on here?! And yet, no one bothered


    looking Noel''s way, ignoring her as if she were thin air.


    That was when John walked right up to Cordy and said, "You can go now.The paperwork for your bail


    has been filed."


    Noel could not help clenching her knuckles.


    What on earth did Cordy do to John that he would go so far for her? And what the hell was Jessica


    doing?! Why was she not stopping this?! Still, Noel did not dare to let her feelings show, and she


    suddenly eximed happily, "This is great, sis! You finally can leave now.This ce is terrible, you''d


    never eat or sleep well..."


    Cordy was honestly impressed by how two-faced Noel was, but she was used to it.She did not even


    bother shooting a disgusted look at Noel before walking up to John.She would never allow herself to


    suffer.


    Even if John was the reason for all this mess, she would not turn down something that worked in her


    favor.


    And right now, she was really eager to leave and work with Quinn in building her defense for the case


    against her.As they left the detention center, they saw Zoe.She had been waiting for Cordy outside, and


    seeing Cordye out with John, she promptly ran up to Cordy and gave her a hug, her eyes welling


    with tears even as she cried, "Cordy! You''re finally out.You look so much skinnier already..."


    Cordy actually had tofort Zoe instead.


    "It''s fine.It''s not that bad there."


    Cordy was actuallyughing a little, but that only made Zoe sadder.Did Cordy really never shed tears?


    Did she not know that children who cried got candies? "Zoe, I''ll be leaving with John now.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It''s fine if you send Cordy home, right? My grandfather just came to North City, so Johnny and I can''t


    leave at the moment,"Jessica said then.Zoe nced at Jessica but ignored her.


    No matter how harmless Jessica pretended to be, Zoe was positive that Cordy''s criminal charges were


    Jessica''s fault.


    Jessica did not mind, however, and turned to John.


    "Let''s go.Both our grandfathers are waiting.If we''rete, I''m afraid he might..."


    John, however, had his eyes on Cordy.He had been watching as she remained calm andposed,


    and never really looked her way from the start.


    She epted his arrival without feeling affected at all, neitherining nor getting agitated ¡ª


    distant, even, as if he were a stranger.Still, he turned and left with Jessica.


    Once they were gone, Zoe and Cordy got into her car, and Zoe wasining endlessly.


    "It''s that vile woman, Jessica Stuart! She must have done it, and now she''s suddenly the nice girl again


    when John''s around." Cordy said nothing.


    She was getting worn out after being in custody for 24 hours.


    "My grandfather actually tried to keep John abroad, and I was told Jessica came to ask my grandfather


    so he would let hime home and then came to bail you with her own status."


    Zoe seemed irritated even as she mentioned Jessica.


    "She''s obviously the b*tch trying to y saint.I have no words to even describe how vile she is!"

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311


    Chapter 311


    Zoe was ranting endlessly along the way home, and Cordy listened to everything calmly.It was not as if


    she did not feel angry, but the priority now was to find a way to clear the charges against her.


    Noel was right¡ªthis was a dog -eat -dog world, and her ability to resist was insignificant.


    As they returned to Cordy''s apartment, Zoe told her, "Go take a shower¡ªI''ll order takeout.You need to


    get your strength back."


    "Yeah," Cordy replied and returned to her room.


    She looked at her own reflection in the mirror and found herself considerably haggard even though she


    had only been in there for 24 hours.She took a deep breath and told herself that she must not lose to


    herself.


    That she must not give up, not until thest moment.


    After she was finished with her shower, she stepped out to find the entire dining table stacked with


    scrumptious food.


    Zoe was beckoning warmly at Cordy and sliding te after te of food toward Cordy.


    "You look so skinny.Eat some more."


    Staring at the mountainous pile of food, Cordy joked, "Are you that worried I won''t eat normally if I get


    arrested again?"


    It was clearly a joke, but Zoe''s eyes went red after she heard it, probably because she really believed


    that Cordy was really going to prison.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    "Don''t say something like that.John will definitely save you no matter what it takes¡ª"


    "Stop.Don''t mention him again," Cordy said, cutting Zoe short.


    She did not give any exnation either.


    Zoe understood that Cordy would definitely be upset with John.


    In fact, Zoe was too¡ªwhy should Cordy have to suffer his issue with Jessica? If she were in Cordy''s


    shoes, she would definitely loathe him.


    For once, she did not try to defend her dearest cousin.


    After they were done eating, Cordy called Quinn.


    "I''m out of the detention center now.If it''s convenient, may I discuss my case with you?"


    "Of course.Where are you right now? I''lle to you."


    "I''m at home.I''ll send you my address."


    "Alright.I''ll be right there."


    Quinn arrived at Cordy''s apartment in half an hour.Zoe was at first surprised to see Quinn, though she


    soon realized why.


    "You came to discuss Cordy''s case?"


    "Yes," Quinn replied.


    "I''ve just received new information regarding your case.They have sufficient evidence¡ªand mainly


    because there''s someone influential pushing them¡ªyour case would be taken to court in two weeks."


    Zoe appeared a little agitated.


    "That soon? Would we have time to gather evidence?"


    "What can I say? When it rains, it pours."


    "What should we do? Is there no way to buy more time?"


    "Unless there is reasonable cause," Quinn admitted.


    "F*ck," Zoe swore.


    Cordy, however, was calm.


    "Can we file for an appeal?"


    "In theory, yes," Quinn said.


    "But do you think they''d allow you to do that? The judge would definitely deny that on the spot, and that


    means the next two weeks are all the time we have. As for the key points we listed yesterday, I''ve


    already investigated everything. First, that phony bank ount.I had asked the bank for security


    footage on the day that ount was made, but by sheer coincidence, the cameras were down that day,


    and we have nothing That means we have no evidence that you didn''t persona.ly open that ount."

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    Chapter 312


    Zoe was seething.


    "Someone was obviously trying to nt fake evidence to incriminate Cordy."


    "Even if we know that, the judge won''t buy it," Quinn told her.


    "Also, I met Helen Zalenski, who insisted she was just following your orders to the letter, and it''s the


    same response to every question I had.As for your secretary Vince Cartman, he said he only approved


    all the documents in question with office automation because they bore your written signature.I


    checked, and all the original copies did have your signature¡ªhere, I''ve made photocopies.Could you


    check if you did sign them?"


    Quinn passed the documents to Cordy as she spoke, and Cordy nced at the signatures.


    "The signature is mine," she said.


    "But I am positive that I did not sign them."


    "In other words, someone faked your signature and had Helen send it to your secretary.He approved it


    via online automation since you''d already signed them, stamping and sealing them into a revenue


    report," Quinn concluded.


    "They really covered all the bases¡ªthey might have nned this for a long while." Cordy was silent.


    There was nothing to go on that could steer the case to her favor.


    In fact, at this point, they had nothing to build a case for her defense.But as the room turned silent, the


    doorbell rang.


    Zoe quickly ran over to open the door before Cordy could speak, and she stayed silent even as John


    entered.


    "You''re finally here," Zoe was very excited.


    "Quinn was just talking about the case with us, but they''re simply heinous.You should take a look right


    now."


    "Yeah," John replied and walked over to Quinn and Cordy.


    Quinn was going to hand him a copy of the details on Cordy''s case, but Cordy promptly snatched it


    away from Quinn.John''s hand hung in the air as he stared at Cordy, but she said bluntly, "I''d rather not


    trouble you, Mr.Levine."


    The atmosphere turned awkward.


    Quinn and Cordy were not that close, so Quinn naturally should not speak out.


    On the other hand, Zoe quickly said, "Cordy, John''s very smart.He might be able to find something¡ª"


    "No."


    Cordy refused determinedly, giving no inch.


    Zoe certainly understood Cordy, and she might not want to ept John''s help if she were in Cordy''s


    shoes too.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Even so...She turned toward John then, who gave her a look.


    Catching the cue, she quickly pulled Quinn along, saying, "Quinn, let''s go shopping for a bit.I remember


    seeing this amazing dress that would definitely suit you."


    "Okay." Quinn nodded.


    It was a dumb excuse, but that was not the point.They should give John and Cordy some space.


    Cordy restrained herself from speaking out as she watched them leave.


    But she had no idea what she should tell John, since she had already been very clear with him.


    And was there a point? No.None at all.


    "I know you''re upset with me," John said determinedly then.


    "I won''t deny that you''re in trouble because of me either, but I can''t make it up to you right now.Even


    so, the most important thing to do right now is to resolve this issue.I promise I won''t let you get hurt."


    "Don''t you think you''ve done enough damage? Or maybe it only counts if I served a ten-year jail


    sentence?" Cordy demanded.


    John was left gulping even as she continued, ''''You know very well you won''t solve a thing,ing here


    with pretentious goodwill to gather evidence for my defense. The most simple and direct way is to


    marry Ms. Stuart and cut all ties with me!"

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313


    Chapter 313


    The room was once again silent, since Cordy''s words left John dumbstruck.


    They stared each other down for a while until John smiled wistfully.


    ''''Is it that hard to work with me, Cordy?"


    Cordy''s chest actually stung.


    John had always been despotic, but those words carried such heartbreak and helplessness.


    Even so, she said, "I''ve already made things very clear to you after the announcement of your


    engagement with Jessica Stuart.


    We aren''t that close that I have to suffer everything for your sake.


    In fact, the Stuarts want to take me down right now because of you, and I don''t have what it takes to


    fight back.


    Why should I suffer for whatever it is going on between you and Jessica? Do you think it''s fair?!"


    Cordy remained staunch as ever to the point that John actually felt like he would never have her.


    All his perseverance now had been futile, even incurring her disgust and bringing her more harm.


    In fact, he wondered if he shouldpromise himself as she suggested, stay jaded and ept


    everything arranged for him like a tool, and marry a woman he did not love ¡ªjust to give Cordy the


    peace she wanted.


    His knuckles clenched but soon eased as he said, "Can you give me a chance?"


    He was pleading, quietly and humbly.


    Cordy bit her lip as he promised her, "If I fail to save you from harm, I''ll marry Jessica and not bother


    you anymore."


    It carried thest shred of hopes he had.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Cordy was going to refuse, but she suddenly stopped herself and stayed quiet.


    She did not trust him at all, ever since he learned that John had hidden the fact that Richard was her


    son and was relentlessly courting her.


    She was skeptical that John was really interested in her, and was convinced that he wanted revenge


    for dumping him back then, as well as for abandoning Richard.She thought so even now.


    No matter what John would do, she would retain her rationality and refrain from taking risks.She did not


    want to suffer because of men again and again.


    Kyle was just gone, and now there was John.She was honestly tired.


    Men were no longer any point of consideration in her life, and the only hope she had was Richard.Even


    so, at that very moment...She agreed to it.


    "Fine."


    As a business person, there was no harm at all in her deal with him.She did not want to go to prison for


    no reason, and this would at least ensure her own safety.


    John heaved a small sigh of relief at her assured response.He had been so worried he sweated all over


    his palm.


    "Take a look at the details of the case," she said, handing him one of the copies.


    She said nothing else, while John studied the papers solemnly.He appeared solemn and simply sat


    there for along while...

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314


    Chapter 314


    John eventually asked, "Do you mind if I take a copy?"


    "No," Cordy replied.


    "Thank you."


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªhe was thanking her even though he was helping her with her case.


    "I''m going now.I''ll call you right away if there''s any development s on my end," he said and left without


    a dy.


    "I only have two weeks," Cordy reminded him.


    "I know."


    With that, she watched as he left.He had lookedposed and showed no nerves when he read the


    file, but he left in such a hurry.


    So, it was going to be difficult for him too? Zoe returned soon after John left, but she and Quinn


    probably did not leave, and Zoe returned once she saw John leave.


    "Quinn said that she has other stuff to do," Zoe told her.


    "She said that she''ll inform you immediately once she has something on the case and that you should


    contact her as well if you get something. Her phone is on 24/7."


    "Alright," Cordy replied.


    As she continued to read through her case files again, Zoe was staring at her for a long while. She


    asked without looking up, "What is it?"


    "It''s about John..." Zoe said tentatively.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    Though she remained silent, she did not tell Zoe to stop either. Hence, Zoe mustered her courage and


    said, "John definitely had no say in his engagement with Jessica.I have the feeling that he wasn''t doing


    well in sorting out things between him, you, and Jessica, but there was no way it would work now that


    he thought about it. He never anticipated the Stuarts'' intentions when he was wooing you, but if he had,


    he would''ve dealt with them first beforeing to you."


    "That said, since he had started a rtionship with you and the Stuarts now know about you, you were


    never going to escape unscathed. Of course, it''s also impossible for John to cut all ties with you right


    away to be with Jessica¡ªwhat''s more, he doesn''t love her, and he''d never marry her even if you


    weren''t involved."


    "In contrast, your existence has be leverage for the Stuarts against John, and they must know


    how important you are to him, which was why they incriminated you to force John to y to their tune.


    I''m not using you or ming you for anything, but I just want to say that things are very awkward for


    him right now."


    Zoe exined all that in case Cordy misunderstood something, and she did not want Cordy to hate


    John.


    In fact, he must now be under as much pressure as Cordy.


    "And I promise you, John would never allow you toe to harm even if it kills him," Zoe added


    determinedly.


    "So you shouldn''t give him such a hard time.I''m really worried his heart would break.


    "I''m not," Cordy said, her tone even like always.


    "We already came to an agreement."


    "What agreement?" Zoe asked in curiosity.


    "Maybeter," Cordy said.


    It was not important enough for her to hide from Zoe, but she did not want Zoe to worry about them.


    Still, Zoe could not help sighing¡ªshe could still feel that Cordy was apathetic about John.


    Only those in a rtionship knew how they felt about the other person, and those not involved had not


    much of a say.


    All she could do was say what came to mind.


    The rest was up to fate.That was when she remembered something else.


    "Hmm..."


    As Cordy looked up, she said, "Did you know that John wasn''t John at first?¡¯


    "Huh?"


    Cordy certainly didn''t.


    "He actually started life as Jasper, but he suddenly asked our grandfather to change his name to John


    when he was twelve. He never mentioned his reasons, but grandfather approved it anyway, " Zoe said


    seriously.


    "Why do you think he did that?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315


    Chapter 315


    Cordy bit her lip and refused to answer at all.


    "I wouldn''t know."


    "Well, I never could get him to tell me,"


    Zoe said nonchntly, before adding, "By the way, I have one final scene to film tonight, and it has


    been put off for a while since I had other projects.Once I''m done, I''ll ask my manager to clear my


    schedule for some time so I can keep youpany until after your case is over."


    "It''s fine, I don''t want to put off your work..." Cordy began.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "I''m doing it on my own will. Don''t turn me down now," Zoe told her, not giving her a chance to argue.


    "My assistant will take me to the studio soon, and I''ll be done around 2 or 3 AM.Just stay home and


    wait for me."


    Cordy did not want to blow off Zoe''s eagerness and remained on the couch after Zoe left, staring


    nkly into thin air.


    There was no way Cordy could calm down¡ªshe was not that dauntless with the criminal charges


    against her.Her fingers were twitching, but she eventually picked up her phone and called a number.


    "John."


    "Yeah?"


    The voice on the other end sounded restrained, or maybe just surprised.


    "The person you should investigate for my case is Noel," she told him.


    She decided to confer with him.


    "Yeah," John replied.


    "I had my people look into the links between Helen Zalenski and Noel to see if we have


    anything.Personally, [''m convinced that if Helen is willing to pull herself down with you, Noel must have


    a leverage against her that must nevere to light, or the offer Noel made was so good she could not


    refuse."


    "I believe it would be the former," Cordy voiced her opinion.


    "Yeah.I''ll try to gather further details on her."


    "But since the whole case was arranged, we might alert them if we make a move."


    "I''ll be discreet."


    "Thank you," Cordy said politely.


    John was silent for a while before saying, "It''s what I should do."


    The connection between them was just so curious.


    After hanging up, Cordy sighed heavily.


    Having gone through so much, there were times she really did not know what to choose or how to face


    a person! Meanwhile, at the film set for Pomp and Circumstance, Zoe was filming a stunt sequence


    involving wire- flying.


    She had filmed simr stunts before, as she always did her own stunts¡ªthis time, however, they were


    using a double.


    "What is going on here?" Zoe asked her assistant, Penny.


    "Mr.Parker arranged it," Penny said tentatively.


    She was naturally aware that things were hostile between Jay and Zoe.


    Worried that Zoe would storm into the set and argue again, she reasoned, "Actually, I think he''s doing


    this for your good.The stunt is a jump from that huge archway, which must be over thirty feet.The stunt


    double looked just like you anyway, and no one would be able to tell.You just need to film a couple


    close-upster."


    Zoe was certainly angry, but Jay had thest word since he was the director.


    And Penny was right ¡ª Zoe had a fear of heights, and even the wire stunts before were filmed from a


    height of five meters at best.She did not want the progress of the shoot to be affected by her either.


    "Let''s take a look," she said nheless.

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316


    Chapter 316


    As Zoe headed to the film set, Penny quickly followed.Her stunt double already had her wire harness


    on, while Jay stood beside her and exined his directions.


    The stunt double looked almost the same age as Zoe and was quite the docile creature.


    Zoe herself had heard more than a few others in the film crew praising her.


    With her good looks and willingness to suffer, she would be able to rise to stardom once she got lucky.


    As Zoe stood and watched her stunt double being raised into the air, she started to feel fear and her


    body trembled just from looking.


    Feeling a little guilty, she thought about treating her stunt double to a nice dinner and giving her a


    present.


    But even as the thought crossed her mind, there was a loud snapping sound overhead, and the stunt


    double hovering up in the air was suddenly wobbling before the wire severedpletely.


    Everyone screamed in shock, while Zoe was left petrified and watched as the stunt double fell dozens


    of feet down,nding squarely on top of her! She could not evade at all, colliding full-on with the other


    woman and toppling down on the ground with a dull thud in a heap! The rest were all stunned for a long


    while until a figure dashed away from the cameras and picked Zoe off the floor, shouting on top of his


    lungs, "Get them to the ambnce right now!"


    The rest finally reacted then, and several men dashed up to carry Zoe and the stunt double away.


    Zoe was quickly put into her own MPV, while the stunt double was put into a small car and rushed to


    the emergency room of the hospital.


    There was blood all over Jay, but there was no telling if it was Zoe''s or both women''s.


    He sat in the corridor, his whole body shaking.


    Suddenly, urgent footsteps could be heard as Nancy Levine and Ivan York rushed to the scene, visibly


    worried.


    When they saw Jay, they quickly went up to ask, "What happened to Zoe, Jay? How could there be an


    ident at the firm set? What is going on?!"


    Jay did his best to stay calm and exin, "A wire snapped, and the stunt double hanging on it fell on


    Zoe."


    Nancy''s eyes were red from worry and her whole body was trembling.


    "Is it serious? Is Zoe going to be alright?"


    "I don''t know," Jay replied.


    "They''re operating on her right now."


    Nancy almost fainted from the word ¡®operating¡¯, and Ivan quickly caught her.


    "It''s alright.Zoe''s always been lucky.She''s going to be fine."


    "What if she isn''t?"


    Nancy cried, choking with tears right then.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "I knew I shouldn''t have let her work in showbiz.I would have refused if I knew it''d be so dangerous..."


    Their words left Jay''s own emotions all over their ce, but he restrained himself as always.


    That was when the doors of the operation room opened and a nurse ran outside.


    "Are any of Zoe York''s family members present? wr "Here!"


    Nancy quickly approached the nurse.But at that moment, Jay was suddenly afraid to get close.

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317


    Chapter 317


    The nurse said urgently, "The patient''s liver is ruptured and she needs type AB blood right now, but we


    just received word from the blood bank that they don''t have the amount she needs.Her family members


    would be a viable donor or you can try contacting anyone with type AB blood toe forward as a


    donor.We''ve already contacted our superiors to liaise with various major hospitals for logistics."


    Still, she added, "However, the patient is currently in critical condition, so the faster, the better."


    Nancy was almost left senseless from shock.


    If the worst happened to Zoe...


    "Let''s call for donors right now," Ivan said, working hard to stay calm while whipping out his phone with


    a shaking hand.


    "I''ll call Johnny.He can send everyone in thepany with type AB blood over.Jay stood nearby, his


    whole body stiff and shaking from restraint.His blood type was AB, but he could not donate to Zoe.On


    the other hand, after Ivan called John, he turned to Nancy."


    John made the arrangements right away.The donors will be here soon..."


    However, that was when Nancy appeared puzzled.


    She stared at Ivan for a moment before asking in uncertainty, "Darling, what''s your blood type?"


    "A," Ivan answered with no hesitation.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    So Nancy did not misremember¡ªher husband''s blood type was A.But so was hers.


    So how could they have a child with type AB blood together? Ivan realized right then too! They both


    traded nces and Nancy soon hurried to the nurse''s station.


    "Nurse, could you talk to the doctors? They might have Zoe''s blood type wrong¡ªboth my husband and


    I have type A blood.There''s no way our daughter can have type AB blood."


    "Okay," the nurse quickly replied and called the people inside.


    However, the response was the same and definitive: Zoe had type AB blood.It was a bolt from the blue,


    leaving everyone stupefied.


    Though it was unimaginable, if Zoe was not their daughter...


    No! She had to be! She clearly took after Ivan too! The silence in the room was deafening, but soon,


    more urgent footsteps could be heard.


    Everyone turned to find a middle-aged woman asking in agitation, "Is Cora here? What happened to


    her?"


    It was the mother of the stunt double¡ªthe patients'' families were informed once the ident


    happened.


    Still, she soon froze despite her initial shock, as both Ivan and Nancy were staring at her.She was


    looking at them in turn, and her gaze turned evasive.


    "ra Gooding?" Nancy said her name tentatively just then¡ªit was only natural since they had not


    seen each other for twenty years.


    It was only then that ra seemed to recognize them and greeted them in turn, "Mr.York.Ms.Levine."


    "What are you doing there?" Nancy asked.


    "M-My daughter was hurt while she was filming. I came to see her, " ra said nervously.


    "So your daughter fell on top of mine? There''s no telling what would happen to her now," Nancy


    snapped angrily.


    "Wait, what happened to Ms.York? Is it serious?"


    ra appeared utterly agitated right then,pletely losing control right then. It was too suspicious,


    and Nancy stared fixedly at her! As if realizing that, ra quickly turned back to the nurse''s station as if


    to cover up something.


    "How''s my daughter, nurse?" But even as she asked...

 Chapter 318

    Chapter 318


    Chapter 318


    The doors to the operation room opened just then, and a pale- faced woman was wheeled out, looking


    utterly enfeebled.


    Still, her injury was not at all serious.


    However, as everyone including Nancy turned toward Cora Gooding, she felt as if she was punched in


    the gut, her breath leaving her lungs right then.


    ra had been a maid in Levine Manor when both Nancy and ra got pregnant around the same


    time.


    After ra delivered her baby, she insisted on returning to her hometown with her daughter and left the


    Levines'' service...


    ¡®No! That''s impossible!'' Nancy''s face turned pale.


    She could not believe something so ridiculous would happen to her! She could not believe that the


    daughter she raised over twenty years was not actually hers! And yet, Zoe''s blood type...


    Nancy rushed to a doctor nearby and asked, "What is this patient''s blood type?"


    "A," he replied.


    Nancy felt another punch in the gut right then.


    And that face which looked almost just like Zoe''s...


    Nancy could not think, and was shuddering even as she stared at Cora, her vision blurring...


    ra quickly walked up to wheel Cora off, but Nancy caught her.


    "Don''t you dare leave."


    "Please, Ms.Levine.My daughter needs to go to her ward¡ª"


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "Are you sure that''s your daughter?!" Nancy bellowed loudly and clearly.


    ra quickly averted her eyes, and her fear only further affirmed Nancy''s hunch.


    Nancy then wheeled on Ivan, who was frozen stiff.


    "What is going on here, Ivan?! Speak up!" she yelled, as if crazed."


    What''s your rtionship with ra?! Who is Zoe''s actual mother?! w As Nancy''s hysterical voice


    reverberated over the corridor, Jay more or less understood.


    Still, more people started to file into the corridor¡ªLevine Ventures ¡®employees with type AB blood.


    John had rushed to the scene as well, saying urgently, "We have ten donors ready, so this should be


    enough.How''s Zoe doing?"


    Nancy''s eyes were ready, and her tears started to roll when she saw John.


    "Aunt Nancy."


    John''s voice actually turned hoarse¡ªNancy''s reaction was really scaring him! The doors to the


    emergency room swung open again, with the nurse asking urgently, "Are the Type AB blood donors


    here? The patient needs a transfusion right now!"


    John quickly gestured for his employees to go when Nancy suddenly moved to stop them!


    "No!" She shrieked.


    "No one will be saving Zoe York until I have answers! ''"


    "Aunt Nancy? What...?"


    John was smart, but his aunt was actually leaving him confused at the moment! "Ivan York!"


    Nancy glowered as she turned toward Ivan again, but he was still silent as he had been for a while


    now.


    Still, ra finally broke down and rushed up to Nancy, crying, "Yes ...Cora is your daughter, not Zoe.I


    was the one who switched them all those years ago!"


    A deathly silence ensued.


    Nancy almost cked out from sheer shock when she had her answer.


    "Aunt Nancy!" John quickly caught her.


    Ivan was still standing nearby, petrified.


    He did not think the mistake he made all those years ago would lead to this! Back then, he paid ra a


    lot of money so that she would leave with their child.


    And after so many years had passed, he thought that the past was dead and buried.To think that this


    would happen out of the blue!

 Chapter 319

    Chapter 319


    Chapter 319


    The nurse called out again, "Are the type AB blood donors here? The patient is in critical condition..."


    There was a crowd right outside the operation room, but none of them wereing for some reason.


    "Aunt Nancy, this can wait.Let''s help Zoe for now," John urged.


    "Don''t you dare help her!" Nancy bellowed bluntly.


    Never had she been deceived so thoroughly in her entire life! It turned out that she had raised


    someone else''s daughter for over twenty years, and to add insult to injury, it was her own husband''s


    mistress! All while her own daughter had to live somewhere out there, suffering! The thought that Zoe


    enjoyed all the nice things in life and how Nancy herself cared for her every need...She felt disgusted


    as if she had just swallowed a cockroach.


    "Please, Ms.Levine."


    ra suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Nancy, sobbing.


    "Please, you have to save Zoe.It''s all my fault¡ª take it out on me if you want! I was just bewitched


    back then, and my stubbornness led to this...Zoe is innocent.She has nothing to do with this! Please,


    you have to save her..."


    "Innocent?!"


    Nancy kicked ra right then, knocking her to the floor as she spat, "She''s innocent?! Then what about


    my daughter?! Why should she have to suffer with you?! She was working as someone else''s stunt


    double! If she was actually killed, that means I''d only get to meet her again when she''s dead!"


    The more Nancy ranted, the more agitated became.


    Her whole face was now a frightening scarlet as she wanted nothing less to strangle the woman before


    her and cut the woman into pieces! How dare rz do this to her?! To deceive her to such an extent?!


    Still, seeing that Nancy was being stubborn, ra quickly got off the floor and started pleading with


    Ivan instead.


    "Please, you have to help Zoe.Whatever happens, she''s your daughter.You have to save her..."


    Ivan only surveyed her with loathing.


    Since Nancy was born to the Levines, she was ustomed to being superior, whereas Ivan had been


    born to an average family and lucked out by marrying Nancy.


    If they ever argued, she would simply threaten him with her family''s influence.


    It had gotten too much for him during one such argument, and he was also drunk That in turn led to a


    fumble with one of the younger servants in the house¡ªra.He was certainly remorseful the next day


    ¡ªin spite of everything, he and Nancy really loved each other.


    But the damage was already done, and his only choice was to pay off ra.


    Even so, she refused to take a cent, insisting that she could not find a better job than the one she had.


    She also promised not to trouble him, and though she had been earnest, Ivan was still worried that she


    would talk in her desperation.


    When that happened, he would lose a lot more.


    As such, it was a shock that both Nancy and ra were found pregnant almost at the same time.


    Worried that ra''s child was his, he continued to reason with her to leave, but she told him that it was


    not, iming that she had a husband in her hometown.


    And yet, when Ivan saw the resemnce between ra''s baby and himself, he knew he could not


    trust her at that point.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Quietly gathering a huge amount of money, he forced ra to leave...


    but never did he think that ra would do something so bold! The babies were born just a few days


    apart from each other, but Nancy and ra delivered in different hospitals.


    Only Ivan himself knew how much the children resembled him, that they could be swapped and no one


    would know! Moreover, ractated well whereas Nancy''s supply tanked.


    ra therefore worked as Cora''s wet nurse for a while...


    Why could he not be a little more careful back then?! Back in the present, Nancy wasughing coldly


    and scoffing.


    "You''re begging him? What do you think he amounts to in my house?! A dog¡ªthat''s what! Everything


    he has is given to him by me! If I refuse, he''d have nothing!"


    Ivan was certainly humiliated by Nancy''s derision.


    Even John could tell that his aunt hadpletely lost control, but it was understandable.


    Was there anyone who could ept that they raised another person''s child for some bizarre reason?


    And it had to be the child of their husband''s mistress at that! All while her own child was out there


    suffering! Even so...

 Chapter 320

    Chapter 320


    Chapter 320


    They had to save Zoe.


    John turned right then and saw Jay quickly and quietly approaching the nurse.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Come to think of it, he was of type AB blood.


    Meanwhile, ra was crying hysterically on the floor.


    "Please, Ms.Levine, I''m begging you...Please save Zoe! Whatever it is, just take it out on me, okay?


    Please..."


    She never thought that one moment of impulse would hurt her daughter to such an extent.


    And if Zoe really died...


    No, she refused to think about that! But even as she cried and begged, Nancy simply ignored her and


    walked up to Cora, who was still too feeble to speak.


    "Send her to the best ward you have," she told the medical staff present icily.


    "No one is allowed to visit her without my permission."


    They knew who she was and therefore agreed to it immediately.


    Nancy then turned to tell John, "I''m your real family, Johnny¡ªwe have ties that bind.I''m sure you


    wouldn''t betray me or do anything that would hurt me."


    John certainly knew what she was insinuating: he must not save Zoe.


    "Blood runs thicker than water, Johnny.As for anything else..."


    Nancy nced at Ivan, wanting nothing less to murder him in her inconsble rage and humiliation.


    "They are inconsequential."


    With that, Nancy wheeled Cora away and left the corridor.


    Once she was gone, the corridor was left in silence.


    "Mr.Levine..."


    ra started begging John instead, but he ignored her too and stared coolly at Ivan.


    Ivan gulped.


    He wanted to exin, but what was there to exin? All he had left was a tragic mess, and he did not


    have the ability to save Zoe.


    "Uncle Ivan, this is your just deserts.Whatever happens to Zoe is your fault, so do what you will," John


    told him and turned to leave, taking the employees he brought with him.


    That was when ra lunged at John and grabbed his leg, begging, "Please, Mr.Levine! You have to


    save Zoe! I''m begging you..."


    He was her only hope, but John mercilessly kicked her away.


    "If you''re going to regret it now, you shouldn''t have done that in the first ce," he said and left without


    looking back.


    "No, please..."


    Left on the floor, ra was crying in despair and muttering, "It''s all my fault.It''s all my fault...Zoe doesn''t


    have to suffer this..."

 Chapter 321

    Chapter 321


    Chapter 321


    It was not until the next day when Zoe opened her eyes with a head -splitting headache.She quickly


    remembered having another personnding on top of her and the unbearable agony afterward before


    cking out.She wondered how hurt she was and how her stunt double was doing.


    At the same time, all she felt was a sense of feebleness.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    "You''re awake," a familiar man''s voice spoke beside her just then.


    As Zoe turned to find Jay, she frowned¡ªthe one she never wanted to see always seemed to show up!


    Still, this was a huge deal.So where were her parents? They would be heart -stricken with worry to


    know that she was hurt.


    Could they have gone home exhausted after keeping herpany the entire night? She looked around


    to see that her ward was rather crude, and she wondered why she was arranged to stay at a ce like


    this just then.


    "Didn''t you tell my parents that I was hurt?" she asked Jay, her feeble and upset.


    Did he hide this because she did not want the family to scold him? Could he get even more selfish?


    What if she actually died?! Jay did not respond and simply asked, "Does it hurt anywhere?"


    "I don''t need your feigned sincerity, Jay.Let me give it to you straight ¡ªyou can''t hide this ident


    even if you had control over the film set.I won''t hide this from my parents, let alone my grandfather!"


    Zoe was determined¡ªshe would never lie for Jay''s sake.


    Jay, however, simply changed the subject.


    "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat?"


    Zoe did not respond and tried to get up, intent on calling her parents instead of wasting her breath with


    Jay.Jay quickly stopped her.


    "Don''t move.Your liver ruptured from the collision, and the doctor was suggesting bed rest for a week."


    "Don''t touch me!"


    Zoe spat as hard as she could.


    Jay''s hands slowly released her then, and Zoe stopped struggling¡ª it was obvious she was not getting


    out of bed after her attempt just now.


    "I''ll adjust your bed so that you can sit up," he told her.


    Jay did not seem to mind her bad temper, but Zoe was not surprised.


    He always had been calm and unfettered even as a child, not to mention that he had a responsibility for


    this incident.It only made sense that he felt guilty.


    He then said, "The doctor said that you should eat something with less vor once you wake up¡ª""


    The door to the ward suddenly opened, and they watched as Nancy entered.


    Curiously, however, John was with her, not Ivan.Still, Zoe cheered up as soon as she saw them.


    "Mom," she called out to Nancy sweetly.


    Nancy, however, was glowering and not responding at all.Zoe thought she was just worried about her


    after what happened and quickly tried to cheer her up.


    "I''m fine now, Mom.I just can''t walk at the moment, but I''m never better.Just calm down¡ªI''ll be more


    careful next time."

 Chapter 322

    Chapter 322


    Chapter 322


    Nancy was still not reacting at all.She stood before Zoe, looming over her as she said icily, "Don''t call


    me that ever again. You''re not my daughter."


    Zoe was taken aback.


    Even as a kid, no matter what mischief or shenanigans she was up to¡ªno matter how disobedient or


    what mistakes she made¡ªher mother had never been this harsh to her.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Could she really have upsetted Nancy this time? She reached out to Nancy like a spoiled child, trying


    to be cute¡­ only for Nancy to shift her hand away, evading her.


    There was also undisguised contempt in Nancy''s eyes.


    Zoe''s heart skipped a bed, feeling that something was out of ce right then.


    No matter what happened, her mother would never be this cold to her.


    Even if Nancy was really upset that Zoe had been in danger, Nancy should be weeping happy tears


    and hugging Zoe because she cheated death.


    But this cold reaction...


    Zoe somehow felt like she was not Nancy''s daughter.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?" Zoe asked gingerly.


    "I''ll say it again, Zoe York,"


    Nancy snapped coldly.


    "You''re not my daughter.Don''t call me mom!"


    Zoe forced herself to smile despite her fear¡ªher mother was really scaring her now! ¡®What are you


    talking about, Mom? There''s no way I''m not your daughter.I mean, I look just like Dad.No one would


    believe that I''m adopted¡ª"


    "You are Ivan York''s daughter, but not mine.My daughter is Cora Gooding¡ªyour stunt double," Nancy


    said loudly and clearly.


    "That''s impossible, Mom.You''re just¡ª"


    "Here''s the paternity test result,"


    Nancy said and threw the papers at her.


    Zoe quickly picked them up, without caring that she still had an IV drip attached to her.


    As she pulled at it, the needle attached to her clearly wobbled.But she seemed unable to feel it as she


    quickly read through the paternity test results.


    The first set confirmed that she and Nancy''s DNA did not match, while the second confirmed that Cora


    was Nancy''s daughter.


    No...


    Zoe stared at the text, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.


    She could not believe that this was real, that she was not Nancy''s biological daughter!


    "I was like you¡ªI couldn''t believe it when I found out that the daughter I loved so dearly was not my


    daughter at all, but a child my husband had with a mistress! And I raised her for 25 years while my


    daughter suffered in every way out there!"


    It had taken Nancy over a night to calm down, but the dam of emotions burst apart once more.


    Zoe had always been the apple of Nancy''s eye¡ªZoe never thought that her own mother would yell at


    her like this and use such harsh words on her! Ever since she was a child, she envied families with


    multiple children and always tried to ask her mother to give her a sibling.


    Nancy simply smiled and gave Zoe a loving hug, insisting that she was fine with just Zoe and did not


    want more siblings who wouldpete for her affection.


    That same mother who loved Zoe so much was now so cold! Nheless, Nancy was now growling


    through her teeth.


    "Zoe York, I hate you now as much as I''ve loved you before.Let me make it very clear to you¡ªI don''t


    ever want to see you again and my family is no longer yours! I''ll have you taken out of every project


    you had, and every asset under your name will be frozen.And don''t ask your so-called friends for help


    ¡ªanyone on your side is my enemy!"


    "I''ll take everything my family has given you with interest because you have no right!"

 Chapter 323

    Chapter 323


    Chapter 323


    Zoe had always believed herself to be fortunate.


    Aside from a small plight in her love life, everything else was smooth sailing for her.


    Never could she have expected her world to fall apart like this.How did a legitimate heiress like her turn


    into a mistress'' daughter?! "We have nothing to do with each other now, Zoe York."


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Nancy was being frighteningly cold.


    Seeing Zoe being so miserable did make her feel just a tinge of remorse, but the thought that her own


    daughter had suffered so much because of Zoe only made her feel even more disgusted.She hated


    Zoe to the bone now for taking everything that was her biological daughter''s! "Mom..." Zoe called out to


    her nheless.


    "Don''t call me that!"* Nancy shrieked with visible disgust.


    "I''m sorry," Zoe apologized¡ªbecause she had stolen someone else''s happiness.


    "I don''t need your apologies," Nancy said icily.


    "Just stay out of my sight forever, and that would be the best repayment for all the kindness I''ve wasted


    on you!""


    And with those words, Nancy stormed off.She did not want to stay in that room a second longer or look


    at Zoe for another moment.She felt no sentiment at all, and she was frighteningly determined.


    Zoe''s eyes were welling with tears, but she turned toward the other blurred silhouette before her.


    Unable to stop herself, she called out, "John..."


    John had hesitated for a while after Nancy left before turing to leave.


    After hearing Zoe call out to him, however, he stopped.


    "Or is it Mr.Levine now?" Zoe asked self-deprecatingly, her tears falling endlessly.


    She had always loved and cherished her family.But it turned out that they were not even her family.


    "What is it?"


    John turned around, his response cold.


    Zoe did not mind it before, since he had always been cold to her since she was a child.


    But now, it hurt.So this is what abandonment felt like¡ªit was like the world was ending for


    her.Nheless, she did her best to stay calm and speak clearly, "Please tell Cordy that I can''t help


    her with her trial."


    John gulped, and slowly said, "I''ve already told her."


    "Thank you," she replied.


    John held her gaze for a moment, but he ultimately turned to leave without speaking further.


    Only Zoe herself and Jay were left in her ward.


    She kept shedding tears while Jay sat beside her bed, keeping herpany, silent as the grave.


    Eventually, Zoe spoke tly even as she continued to weep, "I used to mock you that you weren''t a


    Levine, that you were a selfishpdog¡­ I guess I''m getting my just deserts."


    Her tears could not stop and only seemed to gush further as she continued, "So I''m not a Levine...No,


    I''m just a b*st*rd that they disowned."


    As she continued to rant, she suddenlyughed.Honestly, who could have known that life could get this


    bad?!

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324


    Chapter 324


    So this was what it felt like to fall from heaven to hell...


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    And Zoe thought that this stuff only happened in TV dramas.But for some bizarre reason, it happened


    to her.


    "Zoe..." Jay said.


    "Leave," she said, finally turning toward him then and finding him looking so worried.


    "The Levines would be upset if you stayed here. My mom..."


    Zoe paused for a moment then to correct herself, "I mean, Ms.Levine is an individual who makes her


    feelings very clear.If she hates someone, she couldn''t care less about anything and would destroy


    anything and everyone around them.Stay with me and you''ll be an eyesore."


    "Even if John will inherit the family estate, their favoritism isn''t that obvious.You should also know that


    since n Levine spoiled her ever since she was a child, he would never allow her to be given grief."


    Zoe was already changing the way she addressed the same people as she worked hard to stay strong


    and ept everything in the present.


    Jay watched her silent.She was just 25, but after a lifetime of being spoiled, she seemed to mature in


    an instant.


    But it hurt to see such sudden growth.


    The door then opened again, and Zoe turned to find a woman whom she could not recognize.


    She rushed to Zoe''s side, throwing herself on Zoe''sp as she cried, "I''m sorry, Zoe...I''m so sorry!"


    Zoe blinked, understanding right then who she was.


    At the same time, she became agitated.


    She really did not want to see that woman.


    Why? Why was her life switched with such malice? She would rather not have anything or be hated by


    the ones she loved so early.


    "I-I was too upset to think straight...Both of you are Ivan''s children, so why does Nancy Levine''s child


    get to enjoy a better life?!"


    ra sobbed, falling apart as she did.


    "That was why I switched you with Cora in a moment of impulse, since you two look so alike and both


    of you were just babies..."


    It was toote to regret ¡ªin fact, she had regretted sometime after she made the switch and tried to


    switch Zoe back.She just did not have the chance.


    Even so...


    "I don''t need your exnation, and I don''t want to see you!"


    Zoe bellowed with every bit of strength she had at the woman."Whatever your reasons were, you were


    nothing to me the day you abandoned me.Get out!"


    "Zoe..."


    "Get out! I don''t want to see you at all! You abandoned me back then¡ªyou shouldn''t havee back


    to me, ever! I won''t ever forgive you!"


    Zoe shrieked, all her emotions bursting forth right then.


    It was all because of this woman! If not for her, she would not have suffered such a tragedy! Even so,


    ra tried to continue.


    ¡®Zoe, I''m actually ¡ª"


    Suddenly Jay walked up to her and said quietly, "Zoe cannot ept the truth right now.It''s best if you


    don''t show up around her."


    ra dropped to the floor and kept sobbing, but Jay helped her to her feet and persuaded her to leave.


    Knowing that Zoe would never ept her, ra had to bear with the pain and leave...Once he saw


    that she was gone, Jay returned to Zoe''s ward.


    "Why did youe back?" Zoe asked, having calmed down and was staring at him.


    "You always gave me the cold shoulder when I was still an heiress of the Levines.But now, I''m not...So


    what reason have you to stay? Tough at me? Don''t worry, I won''t sue for that ident.I have nothing


    now, so I won''t have what it takes."


    "Zoe, I rejected you because¡ª"


    Thud! An ashtraynded squarely on Jay''s forehead with a dull thud, and a trail of blood flowed freely


    down from a small gash, dyeing red the corner of his eyes.


    "That''s a debt repaid.There''s nothing between us now," Zoe said loudly and clearly.

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325


    Chapter 325


    The atmosphere in the silent ward was suffocating.


    Jay and Zoe simply stared at each other, with Zoe''s gaze cold to the bone.Her loathing and distaste for


    him was just too obvious.


    She really loathed him¡ªit was as if he could cause every type of tragedy! If he did not get her a stunt


    double and did not allow that ident to happen on his film set, she would never have been exposed


    and she would still be a Levine! Jay must be her jinx! She never had it easy ever since she met him!


    "Rest well,"


    Jay said calmly then, trying to offer herfort as if the gash on her forehead did not hurt.


    Even so, Zoe really did not need his sudden goodwill.


    No, she could ept anyone''s goodwill, but not his.


    After Jay left Zoe''s ward, he started to teeteer backward soon, and John quickly caught him.


    "Are you alright?"


    Jay''s head was spinning, and it took a long while for him to recover.


    "I''m fine."


    "How much blood did you give?" John asked.


    "Not much," Jay replied.


    John did not press him.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Let''s get that cut sorted out."


    "Yeah."


    They headed to the clinic, and as the doctor bandaged it, John said beside him.


    "Even after everything that has happened to Zoe, my only option is to side with my aunt."


    Jay stayed silent, but he was hardly approving it ¡ªhe just had no reason to argue.


    "Even if this is a feud among the elders and Zoe is innocent, she''s the key to this whole mess," John


    said, breaking things down just then.


    "She''s involved despite her innocence, and my aunt can''t be faulted for being cruel either.Anyone in


    her shoes would never be able to ept their own daughter suffering out there while someone else''s


    child enjoyed all the riches and pleasures in life.And it had to be the daughter of her father''s mistress¡ª


    a child born out of his adultery."


    Jay nodded.He understood Nancy''s thirst for revenge.


    No one would be able to ept such a blow so quickly.


    "But I''m not here to tell you to stay away from Zoe.I''m just telling you that you have to be prepared for


    the choice you make ¡ªeither way, I have to side with my aunt," John said, making his stance very


    clear.


    "Yeah," Jay replied.


    From John''s perspective, it was only reasonable that he considered the bigger picture¡ªthe Levine


    family. If he sided with Zoe, there would be internal strife.


    And family harmony should always be prioritized above all, and if there was any form of strife, their


    hearts would shatter.


    In fact, the Levines were strong because they showed solidarity.


    Mutual respect, mutual concern, making sacrifices for one another and depending on each other.


    That was the most vital reason why the fortunes of the Levines had never declined across decades.

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326


    Chapter 326


    Seeing that Jay''s cut on the forehead had been bandaged then, John said, "I''m going now.There''s still


    plenty to do for Cordy''s trial, so I can''t divide that much attention here.Either way, I''ll respect whatever


    your decision may be."


    "Johnny," Jay said somberly, "Thank you."


    John pped him on the shoulder.


    "We''re family, no?"


    Jay felt touched¡ªJohn never said much, but he knew everything and would even offerfort.


    Those who did not know him well would never be able to tell that he offered warmth despite his might.


    As John left the hospital in his car, he stared outside the window and heaved a heavy sigh.He suddenly


    remembered how Zoe would always follow him around when they were children, calling his name.


    And that same brat grew to be an adult...His phone suddenly started to ring, and he answered it.


    "Mr.Levine? We''ve found multiple outbound transfers from the personal ount of Helen Zalenski."


    "Send it to me."


    "Yes, sir."


    John''s eyes narrowed.


    In the end, his priority now was to deal with Cordy''s trial.


    One he read through the bank records, he called Cordy.


    "I''ve found something."


    "What is it?" Cordy asked¡ªshe had been staying home to research her own trial,bing for any


    things her opponent missed.


    "I''lle over to discuss it." John said just then.


    "Okay."


    Cordy agreed to it immediately before remembering something else.


    "Zoe''s phone is turned off.what event Is it that she had to turn it off?"


    For some reason, the house felt much emptier without Zoe around.


    ¡°I''ll tell youter." John said nheless.


    Cordy had this feeling that he was hiding something from her.


    Zoe never answered her callsst night, and John called herter saying that Zoe would not make it


    back because of an event.


    She did not dwell on it since things got busy in showbiz and wire stunts weremonce.


    But when Zoe turned her phone off directly today, she suddenly felt uneasy.


    In under half an hour, John entered her apartment and showed her the ledgers of Helen Zalenski''s


    bank records that he obtained.


    "She transferred to this ount multiple times, and each sum was considerable," he exined.


    "I had my people investigate it, and it turns out to belong to an illegal gambling ring¡ªit was likely that


    Helen Lad been gambling and owed a huge debt.I''m sure you also know how cutthroat those people


    get, what with debtors often losing limbs for it, or even their lives. That''s why there''s a good chance she


    made that phenyl ount to incriminate you to pay for her debts."


    Cordy nodded in agreement.


    "We have her motive, but the key point now is where the money''sing from.Have you found the


    source?"


    "It was wired in from different ounts, none of which can be traced back to Noel," John admitted.


    "But I''ll look into each ount holder. There would definitely be some sort of clue."


    "But we don''t have much time," Cordy said, because time was a serious issue despite her faith in


    John''s abilities.


    "I''ll do my best," John promised.


    Cordy did not press him at that point and returned to structuring her defense.


    "I just remembered today that Quinn mentioned that on the day that phony ount was made, the


    cameras at the bank broke down.But although it doesn''t prove that I wasn''t there personally, I could


    actually just prove that I was not at the bank that day." John blinked, his gaze obviously praiseful.


    Cordy was really smart.


    John himself had nned to revolve his entire investigation around Helen and actually ignored that


    part.


    "I did my best to remember,"


    Cordy continued, "but I had been working the whole day at Startstream Group at the time and headed


    straight home after leaving work.I''ve asked Vince to discreetly extract the footage and save it for me.It


    would probably work as court evidence."N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327


    Chapter 327


    John was not stingy with his praise.


    "That''s very smart."


    Cordy blushed for some reason, feeling as if John was treating her like a kid just then, and she was not


    used to talking to him like this.


    Changing the subject, she said, "You told me over the phone you''d tell me about Zoe.So?"


    John scowled slightly, but said, "I didn''t want to tell you because you can''t even protect yourself right


    now, but I''d never dare hide it from you."


    Cordy bit her lip, a little speechless from the way he used ''never dare¡¯.He really was petty.


    "Anyway, Zoe had an ident at the film setst night, and she''s at the hospital right now..."


    "What?!"


    "Don''t worry.She''s safe although it was a little serious, just a little liver rupture causing massive


    bleeding.She has since regained consciousness, and she''ll be discharged in a week."


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" Cordy eximed a little angrily just then.


    "I could keep herpany at the hospital."


    She certainly remembered that Zoe had always been an earnest friend, showering her with all the


    kindness and affection she could give.How could she do nothing now that Zoe was in trouble?! One he


    read through the bank records, he called Cordy.


    "I''ve found something."


    "What is it?" Cordy asked¡ªshe had been staying home to research her own trial,bing for any


    things her opponent missed.


    "I''lle over to discuss it." John said just then.


    "Okay." Cordy agreed to it immediately before remembering something else.


    "Zoe''s phone is turned off. What event is it that she had to turn it off?"


    For some reason, the house felt much emptier without Zoe around.


    "I''ll tell youter." John said nheless.


    Cordy had this feeling that he was hiding something from her.


    Zoe never answered her callsst night, and John called herter saying that Zoe would not make it


    back because of an event.She did not dwell on it since things got busy in showbiz and wire stunts were


    commonce.


    But when Zoe turned her phone off directly today, she suddenly felt uneasy.


    In under half an hour, John entered her apartment and showed her the ledgers of Helen Zalenski''s


    bank records that he obtained.


    "She transferred to this ount multiple times, and each sum was considerable," he exined.


    "I had my people investigate it, and it turns out to belong to an illegal gambling ring ¡ªit was likely that


    Helen had been gambling and owed a huge debt.I''m sure you also know how cutthroat those people


    get, what with debtors often losing limbs for it, or even their lives.That''s why there''s a good chance she


    made that phony ount to incriminate you to pay for her debts." Cordy nodded in agreement.


    "We have her motive, but the key point now is where the money''sing from.Have you found the


    source?"


    "It was wired in from different ounts, none of which can be traced back to Noel," John admitted.


    "But I''ll look into each ount holder.There would definitely be some sort of clue."


    "But we don''t have much time," Cordy said, because time was a serious issue despite her faith in


    John''s abilities.


    "I''ll do my best," John promised.


    Cordy did not press him at that point and returned to structuring her defense.


    "I just remembered today that Quinn mentioned that on the day that phony ount was made, the


    cameras at the bank broke down.But although it doesn''t prove that I wasn''t there personally, I could


    actually just prove that I was not at the bank that day."


    John blinked, his gaze obviously praiseful.


    Cordy was really smart.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    John himself had nned to revolve his entire investigation around Helen and actually ignored that


    part.


    "I did my best to remember,"


    Cordy continued, "but I had been working the whole day at Startstream Group at the time and headed


    straight home after leaving work.I''ve asked Vince to discreetly extract the footage and save it for me. It


    would probably work as court evidence."

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328


    Chapter 328


    Cordy was stubborn.


    "That''s my own business."


    "Yes, but Zoe might not want to see you right now either," John told her.


    "She just turned from a swan to an ugly duckling¡ªdo you think she''d be able to stayposed and


    face you or anyone else? She might want some quiet time to herself, so let''s just give her some


    space..." Cordy scowled.


    "John¡ª"


    "The point is, Jay will be taking care of her," John said, cutting her short.


    Cordy was taken aback and was soon snapping, "Are we really pinning our hopes on Jay now?! He


    didn''t care about her at all when she was still Levine! Do you think he''d take the bullet after what


    happened to her?! Moreover, your aunt is denying Zoe help.


    What can Jay do when he''s just adopted? Get chased out of the family like Zoe? Would he really go


    that far for her?!"


    "Like I said before," John said.


    "Jay was right in rejecting Zoe."


    Cordy did not respond to that, refusing to listen to any of his exnations although she did not know


    what he was going to say. But once he made everything crystal clear to her, she was so stunned that


    she actually stopped to listen and understand the two bombshells the Levines were keeping.


    "And that is why you should trust Jay," John eventually summarized, but Cordy was hesitant.


    As such, John repeated himself, "I understand how you feel about Zoe and would never interfere with


    your friendship ¡ªshe''s a good girl who deserves friendship even if she''s not a Levine.You''ve also


    called Zoe yourself.


    Given her phone''s been turned off all this while, I know you understand that this means she does not


    want to be bothered."


    Cordy bit her lip, but she agreed with John''s opinion.


    Right now, Zoe would really prefer to be alone.


    A weekter, the impending trial for Cordy''s charges was still widely discussed online.


    On the other hand, there was nothing on Zoe being exposed to be not a member of the Levines.


    It was understandable since Zoe always kept a low profile in public and never revealed that she was an


    heiress of the Levine family.


    It would therefore not stir any waves, and the Levines would never have a scandal like this toe to


    light either.


    Nheless, Zoe was getting discharged.


    She had not turned on her phone while she was still in the hospital, as she wanted to keep herself cut


    off from all information.


    She wanted to stay in her own world without seeing or talking to anyone.


    And yet, the woman calling herself her mother woulde every day with bowls of soup.


    No matter how many times she rejected ra, even swiping at the bowl and knocking it to the floor as


    she watched, the woman would just quietly clean up the mess and leave without a word.


    Zoe actually felt guilty once, watching her lonely, weary figure.


    But she did not need ra''s kindness or penance.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She would rather they not see each other for the rest of their lives, because she would not sympathize


    or forgive.


    She was certainly even less inclined to see ra looking so humble! She could not bear such


    emotional ckmail, which was why she left the hospital half a day earlier before ra coulde.


    It was the middle of November, and the climate was colder.


    However, Zoe was dressed thinly as she left the hospital and had nothing aside from her phone.


    She stood amid the crowded streets, watching the cars traveling back and forth.


    For the first time, she had no idea where she should be going¡ªas if there was suddenly no ce for


    her in the whole wide world!

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329


    Chapter 329


    Suddenly it started to drizzle, with tiny droplets quickly pelting Zoe''s body.


    When she was discharged, the doctor told her that she was still physically weak¡ªshe must take care


    of her body and not expose herself to the cold or get involved with any strenuous activities.


    In fact, the best option was to stay home for a month before resuming work.She ignored all that, feeling


    right then that her life was pointless, let alone anything else.She trudged along the streets, and for


    some miraculous reason, no one recognized a top star like her even as she walked along the streets


    without a disguise.


    In fact, any eyes that lingered on her would think she was some sort of nutjob.


    Who else would walk so slowly under the rain, not running for cover and not caring at all that she was


    getting drenched to the bone? She eventually stopped before a billboard, where workers were taking


    down her poster.


    It was raining, but they were working as if they could not afford to wait.


    She watched as the billboard taken off was thrown unceremoniously into a truck, as if the workers did


    not care that it was broken as they got in as well and drove off.


    There were no more photos of her in the entire city, as if she suddenly disappeared and was nowhere


    to be found.


    The skies gradually turned dark.


    Zoe had arrived outside the gates of Levine Manor, staring at that familiar building andughing dryly.


    What was she doing here? She was supposed to be strolling aimlessly without a destination, since she


    had no ce to go.


    But for some reason, she returned to this ce.


    Even so, she still would not dare to enter.So that was what others meant with the phrase ''so close yet


    so far''.But she was really tired¡ªspent, even.She simply crouched over the damp ground, watching the


    skies as the drizzle continued to pour cheerfully over the streetlights.


    She had no idea how long had passed, and the skies were bing even darker¡­ until she saw an


    umbre being held above her, and she saw Lawrence White. He said evenly, "Master Levine was


    looking for you. Come in."


    Zoe did not dare to hold any expectations.


    All she did was gingerly follow the butler.


    The manor remained grand, huge and elegant as always, but she no longer belonged there.


    As she entered n''s study, her whole body was shaking from the cold since she was drenched from


    head to toe.


    "Bring Ms. York a towel," n told Lawrence.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It seemed to be a show of concern, but Zoe''s heart broke.It felt so strange to be addressed as ''Ms.


    York'' now.


    Nheless, Lawrence handed Zoe a towel and said kindly, "Please wrap it around yourself, Ms. York.


    Don''t catch a cold so soon after you''ve just recovered."


    Zoe ultimately took it and wrapped it tightly around herself ¡ªshe seemed to feel warmth for a split


    second, but it also felt like she imagined it.


    "I''m sure you understand your situation very well now¡ªyou''re not one of us."


    n went straight to the point, his tone a little cool.


    "Therefore, you have no right toe here ever again."


    Zoe''s tears welled in her eyes.She thought that she had epted the fact after taking a week to let that


    sink in.

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330


    Chapter 330


    Zoe did not expect that it would still hurt in every way possible.


    "We let you in not out of sympathy but to make sure you understand your status now.Don''t appear here


    ever again for your own sake, because our family will never ept you," n said, watching her


    dispassionately just then.


    "We wouldn''t have been this cold if you weren''t Ivan''s illegitimate child."


    Yes.


    Her fault was being an illegitimate child¡ªher birth was impermissible in the first ce.


    "But is this my fault? Did I get to choose my own birth?" Zoe asked with neither rage nor grief¡ªonly


    confusion.


    ''Why am I supposed to suffer everything?"


    There was a sh of emotion in n''s eyes, and he said, "You''re not at fault, but it happened to you


    anyway.And that is why you must endure it."


    Zoe''s years trickled out along the corner of her eye¡ªso this world was really that unfair.She never hurt


    anyone, but she had to suffer this anyway.


    "Is there a reason for our family to ept you? That would be a p to our faces and letting Ivan lord


    over us and humiliate us."


    n spoke every word with perfect rity.


    "And we can''t afford such humiliation."


    There was no way the richest family in North City would suffer such disgrace.


    "Now go," n said, chasing her out right then.


    "Don''t ever show up.The further you go, the better."


    "Okay." Zoe nodded quietly.


    After all, what else could she do other than ept this? She was not a Levine now¡ªin fact, she was a


    disgrace to them.


    Standing before n, she bowed and said, "Please take care of yourself, sir."


    n''s fingers twitched over his desk.


    There was no way he felt nothing for the girl he started spoiling since she was a child.If only she were


    not Ivan''s illegitimate daughter...


    Zoe folded the thick towel, put it neatly on the chair nearby, and left n''s study.


    She slowly headed toward the stairs when she paused, noticing her stunt double just then.


    No¡ªCora was not even that now.


    It was Zoe who had been the double, taking Cora''s ce for over twenty years.


    And now, Zoe was suffering her just deserts.


    Cora saw her too, and their eyes met.


    That was not quite right¡ªshe was now Cora Levine, as she was the real heiress of the Levine family


    and should therefore bear theirst name.


    Zoe studied her then.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    In that white gown and white wool slippers, she looked just like a blossoming flower kept in a


    greenhouse, nurtured and pampered to bits.


    Zoe, on the other hand, was soaked to the bone, her shoes damp and covered in mud.


    She would actually tread carefully, worried that she would dirty the carpet in the manor.


    "What are you doing here?!" a furious woman''s voice suddenly shrieked behind her.


    In the next instant, she felt herself being pushed violently.


    The stairs were in front of her, and she had to grab the handrail firmly to not fall down the stairs.


    "To think that you have the cheek to show up here! I''ve already been merciful by allowing you to be


    treated, so don''t you challenge the limits to my tolerance!"


    Nancy bellowed as she kept Cora firmly shielded beside her.


    She was ring furiously at Zoe, uninterested that she was about to fall down the stairs while she


    continued to scoff, "Don''t try to pretend you''re weak and vulnerable, as if I would tolerate you


    unconditionally just because you did.


    Do you think you''re still my daughter?! I''m telling you¡ªI won''t even look at you twice if you died right in


    front of me!"


    Zoe''s fingers clenched over the handrail.


    She was really afraid that she would fall just like that.


    Still, she was not worried about dying¡ªshe was worried that her blood would dirty the expensive


    carpet.

 Chapter 331

    Chapter 331


    Chapter 331


    Zoe silently and somberly walked down the stairs.


    So that was how it felt to be scorned by a loved one.She was actually worried that she would break


    down for a moment.


    But halfway down the stairs, a figure suddenly appeared at her side.She did not turn to find out who it


    was, but she could hear Jay''s deep voice.


    "Let me see you out." His voice was quiet, as if afraid he would scare her.


    "No," she said tly¡ªhe was the person she needed the least now.


    "Zoe..." he murmured nheless.


    "Jay."


    Nancy called out to him icily from the top of the stairs, and the hand Jay extended to Zoe stiffened.


    Seeing that, Zoeughed coldly.


    Fortunately, she never held out any expectations for him, just like how he left without returning while


    she was at the hospital since the day she chased her out. He would never disappoint her¡ªnot when


    she expected nothing from him.


    "Don''t forget the reason you''re allowed to stay here," Nancy continued to warn Jay just then.


    Zoe did not even turn to look at Jay''s reaction and tly said, "Worry about yourself, Jay Parker.Don''t


    overestimate yourself when you''re not that capable."


    Jay''s fingers clenched.Zoe slowly left.She felt so weary she might depart from the world just then.She


    smiled as she left Levine Manor, finding herself somewhat formidable just then.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    To think that she could leave so steadily under those circumstances without fainting.


    But eventually, her body could no longer take it, and she fell over the wet pavement.


    ¡®Still" she thought, ''I must be far enough from Levine Manor now"

 Chapter 332

    Chapter 332


    Chapter 332


    There were three days left until Cordy''s trial.


    Meanwhile, Sachs Enterprises was celebrating their anniversary.


    They were not exactly keeping things quiet ¡ªthe major media outlets were reporting it, at the very


    least.


    Naturally, the articles online were peppered with titles such as '' Sachs Enterprise celebrates


    anniversary while disregarding Cordy Sachs'' trial¡¯.


    Those titles drew controversy as it went online.


    Someizens maintained that the Sachs were too cold, since Cordy was their eldest daughter but


    none of them showed concern.


    Others imed that since she was on bad terms with the Sachs, and since Cordy had already left them


    anyway, she should be taking responsibility for her own actions no matter how terrible it was.


    There was considerable controversy as both sides held their ground.


    On the night of the Sachs Enterprises'' anniversary g, the family was being interviewed by the media,


    with Plum dering with righteous indignation before the cameras, "Cordy has nothing to do with us


    since she was neen.


    I may be bitterly disappointed in her after she was charged, but I feel no sympathy.


    It was her own choice, insisting on running astray instead of taking a righteous path, and she''s just


    getting her just deserts."


    Still, one of the journalists asked, "Madam Sachs, why did your family disown Cordy when she was


    neen? Was it because she was pregnant without marriage, and affected your family''s reputation?


    But she''s a member of your family, and don''t you think kicking her out after one mistake is very cold?''


    "That''s not all she did.Cordy has always misbehaved, disrespecting her elders and bullying her siblings


    ever since a child.She also didn''t change after getting pregnant out of wedlock, and has in fact be


    worse¡ªit''s obvious that her nature was vile from what she was caught doing.We''re not that kind that


    we''d keep defending some ingrate like her.Everyone has a limit."


    Another journalist pressed, "ording to our information, Cordy is exceedingly talented in business


    and a prodigy in fashion design.Just half a year after she assumed leadership of Starstream


    Enterprises, thepany''s performance improved by leaps and bounds¡ªthey almost seemed


    unstoppable, and they wereuded as North City''s finest dark horse.Given the way you just put her


    down and distanced your family from her without any remorse, aren''t you afraid that the family would


    suddenly need her help?"


    "Our family, hoping for help from Cordy in the current state she''s in?! We''d never ask a misfit like her


    for anything! I''m already grateful she did not try to take our family''s fortune from us!"


    Plum continued to scoff.


    Since it was a live interview, Cordy sat in front of the TV, watching coolly as Plum mocked her to no


    end.She was always too used to it, and whatever the Sachs would say did not affect her much these


    days.She simply treated it as tabloid news.


    At the g, the journalists turned toward Noel after they were done interviewing Plum.


    Noel had been catching a lot of spotlight these days, making her a media favorite regardless if the


    news was positive or otherwise.


    "Ms.Sachs, do you have anything to say about your grandmother''s opinion of Cordy? You always


    seemed to get involved with her affairs, after all."


    "All I can say is that I respect my grandmother''s opinion," Noel replied.


    "All elders treat their children fairly, and my grandmother wouldn''t go that far unless she was pushed


    over the edge."


    In other words, she was saying that Cordy was heinous, and it was her fault the Sachs were so cold


    towards her.Still, the journalists quickly moved on to gossip.


    "Can you tell us how you feel about Kyle Jessop¡¯s death?" Noel sighed miserably and helplessly then.


    "It''s heartbreaking and shocking, but maybe this is better for him, because living would mean more


    pain.However, please respect the dead and don''t speak ill of them.Whatever he had done before in life,


    it''s all in the past now."


    We were told that you''re still working at Sachs Enterprises now, after holding positions at Jessop Corp


    and Starstream Group.How do you think Sachs Enterprisespares?"


    "Well, it''s very different since I feel like I belong here.It''s a family business, and there''s no ce like


    home..."


    The journalists seemed reluctant to leave Noel be and continued to bombard her with endless


    questions.


    While Simon would also asionally respond to a couple questions regarding thepany''s business,


    it was basically Noel''s show, and left Sonny very much ufortable.


    It was as if he never existed once they had arrived, and no journalist seemed interested in talking to


    him.


    But he was supposed to be the heir to the Sachs family estate while Noel was nothing! As the press


    session concluded, the Sachs moved into the banquet hall, where Noel confidently and effortlessly


    mingled with the guests.


    Nearby, Sonny waspletely ignored, and was left scowling from the very start.


    As the Sachs moved on stage to give a speech at the main event, Noel was naturally about to follow,


    but Sue and Plum stopped her right then.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    They reasoned with her, "You''re a woman.You shouldn''t unt yourself too much¡ªjust let your brother


    do it."


    Noel could only watch as Simon and Sonny took the stage and even saw just then that Sonny was


    smiling smugly at her.

 Chapter 333

    Chapter 333


    Chapter 333


    Noel was clenching her knuckles and restraining her rage inside.


    Whatever she did for the Sachs, they would never acknowledge her ¡ªin the end, she amounted to


    nothing more than an ordinary employee for Sonny.


    Still, she sneered¡ªshe never took anything lying down.


    Once she took majority shares of Sachs Enterprises, she would make all of them suffer in every way


    they can! And it was just three more days now.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Three days until Cordy''s trial.


    And once she was given her sentence...


    The mere thought left Noel delighted! The night before Cordy''s trial, she and Quinn sorted out all their


    documents and evidence prepared for her defense.


    But just as Quinn packed up and was about to leave, Cordy suddenly stopped her.


    "Quinn..."


    After working together for a while now, they had gotten close.


    "Yeah?" Quinn replied, looking at Cordy then.


    "Do you know about Zoe?"


    Cordy could not resist asking¡ªit has been two weeks, but she still could not reach Zoe at all.It was


    obvious how much this hurt her, and she could not help worrying.


    "What is it?"


    Quinn was puzzled, though she soon came to a realization.


    "Right, she''s been very busy, even though she promised to stay with you all the way until your trial. And


    yet, she''s nowhere to be seen."


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªshe thought Zoe would perhaps contact Quinn given that they had been best


    friends for years.


    Even so, Quinn became a little worried seeing Cordy''s serious reaction.


    "Wait, did something happen to her?"


    "Zoe isn''t Nancy Levine''s child," Cordy said very clearly then.


    "What?! No way!" Quinn eximed, naturally skeptical.


    "She takes after Ivan York so much that she''s just Ivan in a skirt!"


    There was no way something so ridiculous would happen to Zoe! She always thought that someone so


    bright, cheerful, and kind as Zoe would have luck on her side.


    Was this not a little unfair?! Nheless, Cordy quickly told Quinn about everything that had happened


    and added, "It''s been half a month now, but I still can''t contact her. I have no idea what she''s doing


    now, let alone where she went!"


    "I''ll call her." Quinn promptly whipped out her phone.


    Cordy was going to remind her that Zoe turned it off, but what if she turned it on now? Nheless,


    there was actually a dialing tone this time.No one answered, but Zoe''s phone was definitely turned on.


    Both Cordy and Quinn were on their toes, and Zoe answered at the veryst beep.


    "Quinn."


    Upon hearing that familiar voice, both Cordy and Quinn''s eyes welled with tears.


    "Where are you?" Quinn asked immediately, without another word.


    "I''m..."


    Zoe murmured, pausing a moment before finishing, "where I should be."


    "What are you talking about? Whatever, just get back here.Cordy and I have just finished discussing


    her case, and we''re heading to court tomorrow.If you can''t get here, I''ll go there to get you."


    "How''s it going? Does she have a chance of winning tomorrow?" Zoe asked.


    She avoided Quinn''s demands directly, but Quinn gave her a condition for that.


    "Come back and I''ll tell you."

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334


    Chapter 334


    Zoe''s voice was very quiet.


    "But I can''te back."


    "Who told you that?!" Quinn snapped.


    "You''ve lost the Levines, but you never lost us¡ªor are we dead to you?! You''re not a Levine now, but


    so what? Is the world ending because of that?!"


    Zoe''s eyes welled with tears.She did not want to turn on her phone, let alone contact Cordy or Quinn,


    as she did not want to trouble them.


    Cordy had a trialing up, and things wereplicated between her and John.


    There were people who were after her as well, and if she had to fight the Levines for Zoe''s sake, she


    would only get ufortable.


    Zoe did not want to deny Cordy happiness any further too.She actually could see very clearly that John


    and Cordy were really in love with each other.


    There was just so much between them that they could not tell each other that, and the path ahead was


    exceedingly trying so that Cordy could scarcely get distracted for Zoe''s sake.


    As for Quinn, her family ties were quiteplicated too.


    Moreover, the Saunders and Levines were longtime friends, and Sam''s mother was Nancy Levine''s


    best friend, meeting every other day each week.


    Though the Saunders really loved Quinn, even showing her favoritism despite being just a daughter-in-


    law, Zoe''s status as a pariah would still make things difficult for Quinn.


    And she did not want them to go through such trouble for them.It was already enough that she alone


    had to suffer this misfortune ¡ªshe did not want them to suffer with her.


    At the moment, Zoe was staying with her so-called mother ina rundown apartment in North City.


    She woke up here after she fainted.


    The dpidated house only had one room and one living room, and it was as small as it was filthy.


    ra Gooding changed new, bleached sheets for Zoe''s bed so that she could sleepfortably,


    whereas ra herself slept in the living room.


    Though Zoe did not reject it, she did not feel grateful either and simply epted it numbly.


    Things were rtively peaceful¡­ untilst night.


    There was loud banging on the door in the middle of the night.


    Though something like that would have given Zoe a heart attack before, she was unusually calm.


    She was unmoved by anything these days.


    Nheless, she seemed to hear the door open following the violent knocking.


    Soon, she heard objects being thrown across the room and ra pleading meekly, "Could you please


    keep it down, Denzel? I really don''t have any money now. Please just go..."


    "Don''t you have a daughter? She''s a real babe too, so have her spread her legs and make me some


    money or I''ll kill you!"


    Denzel was growling viciously at ra in return.


    "I really don''t have any money now.Please..."


    ra kept repeating.


    "Don''t give me that crap! If you don''t, I''ll make your daughter a prostitute!"


    Denzel bellowed and strode towards the bedroom.


    "Stop! Don''t do anything to her! I''m begging you," ra pleaded.


    "How much do you want? I''ll give it to you..."


    "Forty grand!"


    "Forty grand? I''d never get that much money even if I worked my entire life..."


    "Then tell your daughter to prostitute herself!" Denzel snarled viciously.


    "No, stop! Don''t go in there¡ª"


    Nheless, the man kicked open the bedroom door, and Zoe saw a bald, middle-aged man who was


    on the pudgy side, his expression contorted with savagery.


    Denzel could not see Zoe''s face clearly under the faint lighting, so he did not realize that she was not


    Cora.


    "You''reing with me!"


    Denzel strode forward to drag Zoe out of bed.She was very weak, having caught a persistent fever


    since fainting outside the Levine Manor.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It took a while for it to subside, and she had since lost all appetite, eating no more than a few spoonfuls


    each day.She just basically ensured that her body''s basic needs were met so that she did not die.

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335


    Chapter 335


    ra shrieked in agitation, "Don''t touch her!"


    She picked up the stool nearby and smashed it over Denzel! Denzel was taken aback, surprised that


    ra would go that far.


    Nheless, he recovered and pped ra brutally across the face, and Zoe thought for an instant


    that he had killed her.


    ra dropped to the ground, unable to get up for a long while.


    And after knocking her down, Denzel strode toward Zoe again, who said bluntly, "I''ll give you the


    money you want."


    "Hah!" heughed.


    "Trying to trick me, you little b*tch?! You''re a sl*t just like your mom! She got pregnant by riding some


    dude and had you! Just shut up ande with me, spread your legs a couple nights and I won''t ever


    bother you once I have my money¡ª"


    "I said, I can give it to you!"


    Zoe bellowed, her voice furious and almost frightening, as if she was venting all the grief she had kept


    inside at that instant.


    Denzel was actually a little shocked by her sudden ferocity.


    After all, Cora had never dared speak up in his presence before, and she would be hiding in a corner


    and crying whenever he came demanding money.


    And now, she was fighting back? He noticed upon a closer look that she looked a little different, but his


    memory of her was fuzzy anyway since she never lived together with them.


    "I''ll give it to you tomorrow!"


    Zoe snapped loudly and clearly at Denzel then.


    "Did you really think I''d believe you? What if you run away tomorrow?!" Denzel snarled.


    "Then you can kill me! I''d never follow you anyway!" Zoe retorted, looking utterly fearless.


    "And if I''m dead, you''d be a murderer and you''d never get a cent!" Her sudden strength actually


    stunned Denzel again.


    But seeing that she was so determined, Denzel growled through his teeth, "You''d better give me the


    money tomorrow, or you and your mother are dead! Don''t try to run¡ªyour mother tried so many times,


    but did that ever work? I''ll kill you if you do!"


    And with that threat, Denzel kicked the door on his way out while Zoe dropped to a crouch, feeling


    exhausted right then.


    She might really have cked out if he stayed.


    "I''m sorry.I''m so sorry..."


    At the same time, ra ignored her pain and kept apologizing to Zoe repeatedly.


    Zoe did not even look ra''s way and quietly returned to her bed.


    Zoe had never slept well ever since she came here.


    ra had cleaned up the room the next day, and Zoe would have thought thatst night was just a


    nightmare if not for the gruesome scarlet swelling on ra''s face.


    She was getting out of bed as ra came to her with a bowl of shrimp soup, offering it to her


    eagerly.She looked at ra then.


    Her clothing was in, and it was obvious that she never had much upkeep since her face was


    covered with wrinkles in her early fifties, as if she was already sixty.


    It was a far cry from Nancy''s appearance.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Nheless, Zoe lowered her eyes and quietly took a sip of the soup.


    ra was smiling, but her eyes were welling with tears too.


    Zoe had eaten ra''s cooking over the past week but never in front of her, only taking small bites after


    she was gone.

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336


    Chapter 336


    As Zoe drank the shrimp soup, she asked coolly, "Who is that man from yesterday?"


    She did not care, but still needed information anyway¡ªshe certainly did not want to face something like


    that every night.


    ra worked hard to hold back her tears before saying, "He''s my husband."


    As Zoe nced at her, she continued, "After I left the Levines'' service, I could not be picky since I


    already have a child, so I had to marry a good man."


    Zoe raised an eyebrow¡ªa good man? "He used to be a good man¡ªa farmer.


    I thought that he had been good to me and Cora, and he did not seem to mind that I was a single


    mother..."


    ra then paused for a moment before continuing.


    "So, I told him about the money I had.He seemed to change immediately after that and kept coaxing


    me to give it to him so he could start a business in the city.He appeared determined, so I didn''t stop


    him, but it turns out that he wasn''t built for it.Soon, all our money was gone, our house taken as


    coteral, and to top it off, he became a drug addict."


    Even as Cordy spoke, her tears could not stop running.


    "His temper became worse after the drugs and would abuse me when he ran out of money.I worked as


    a maid again after his business went bankrupt, but he would take all the money I had.I lost my job


    because he went looking for me at my employer''s home, and I could only work at construction sites..."


    "Why didn''t you divorce him?" Zoe asked.


    "I tried, but he always refused.


    He''d beat me up and threatened to kill me and Cora if I went through with it, so I didn''t test him.1 tried


    to run away with Cora, but he would always find us and beat us up worse than before.I really don''t dare


    to challenge him."


    "Can''t you call the cops?"


    "We did.He was arrested before too, but he''d just be worse when he''s released.What good is


    that? It''d just give us a couple years of respite."


    "Haven''t you thought of leaving North City and going somewhere he''d never find you?"


    "I''ve never left North City my entire life¡ªI wouldn''t know what to do if I did.I''m not that well educated,


    and Cora wants to stay in North City for her career..."


    ra appeared more miserable the more she spoke, and her tears were ceaseless.


    Zoe bit her lip but said nothing.


    "I''m sorry, Zoe, but you have to go.He''de for you if he doesn''t get his money tonight,"


    ra cried worriedly and passed Zoe a wrinkled hundred-dor note.


    "This is what I have¡ªtake it, go to your friends, or¡ª"


    "I don''t have friends."


    Zoe stared at the wrinkled note.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "I have nothing ever since you changed my life because of your own selfishness."


    "Zoe..."


    "I''ll think of something to get the money,"


    Zoe said and put down the bowl.


    She really could not eat much since she did not have the appetite.She returned to her bedroom and


    finally turned off her phone, logging into all her bank apps, credit card apps, and any other payment


    apps.


    She thought Nancy was just going to freeze her assets, but her bank ount would still have some


    money.


    It certainly was not the case¡ª Nancy had taken away everyst cent she had, even from her digital


    wallet! Nancy really wanted Zoe dead! Zoe felt hurt, not because she was broke, but because it turned


    out that emotional bonds could be severed in a split second.


    Did Nancy really feel nothing towards her at all?! Tears welled in Zoe''s eyes even as she held her


    phone.


    Forty grand used to mean nothing to her, but it was now thest straw that would break her back¡ª


    literally!

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337


    Chapter 337


    Nheless, Zoe pulled herself together.She thought about many people who could help her, but as


    she scrolled through her contacts, she suddenly found herself unable to call them.


    There was John, Cordy, Quinn...even Bob and the rest of his gang.


    Forty grand was pocket change to them.


    But she refused to call them¡ªto let them know her tragic, impoverished state¡ªand certainly did not


    want to add to their troubles.


    Her fingers hovered over her manager''s number for a moment, but she eventually called her manager,


    throwing aside all her dignity to ask for forty grand.


    Linda, however, refused¡ªit was not as if she was reluctant to help, but she had been threatened and


    forbidden from aiding Zoe.


    To make things worse, Linda told Zoe that all her endorsement deals and advertisements she was


    scheduled to shoot had all been called off.


    Even the TV series and movies that were already filmed and were in post-production would now be


    altered, either with a new actress taking her ce or having her face altered with AI tech.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    At the same time, everything else that had already been aired or airing would be taken off the shelves.


    She was being canceled to thest.


    Linda actually sounded a little sorry too ¡ªshe was the one who groomed Zoe and made her career, but


    she was not exactly emotional either.


    In the end, this was showbiz.


    It was unforgivably pragmatic, and anyone could be knocked off their perch in an instant, while the


    audience would simply forget about them soon enough.


    Either way, Zoe''s showbiz career was dead as a doornail¡ªLinda had no way of helping her, nor did


    she have the disposition to negotiate with any productionpany.


    Zoe hesitated for a while and called another number.


    It was answered too.


    "Zoe?"


    "James," Zoe greeted the man¡ªhe had no idea why she would call him when they were clearly not that


    closer.


    However, thest time the Stuarts visited the Levines and mingled, they had kept in contact afterward,


    even sharing phone numbers.


    Still, they never spoke much about anything too personal, and it was just some friendly chat at best ¡ª


    like a distant acquaintance.


    All Zoe could think just then was that since the Stuarts were above the Levines, James Stuart could


    help her without being affected at all.


    Nancy was not that unreasonable that she would go to war against the Stuarts, and she would give


    them leeway, bearing with it even if she was upset about it.


    Nheless, James'' tone was neutral.


    "What is it?"


    Zoe gritted her teeth and went straight to the point, "Could you lend me forty grand?"


    "Well, it''s not much." James mused.


    "But I have no reason to lend it to you."


    Cold disappointment seized Zoe''s heart right then.


    James had always given her the impression of a mild elder brother, but it turned out that he could be


    this cold.


    "My sister told me that you''re not a Levine now," James added bluntly.


    "No, I''m not," Zoe answered very softly.


    "I won''t deny that I had a good impression of you before, and I never protested when my grandfather


    had tried to get us together since I''ve been putting off marriage for my career''s sake.


    But the prerequisite for that is for our family backgrounds to be equal, and since you''re no Levine now,


    there''s a difference in hierarchy separating us now."


    "For me, the foundation of a rtionship is built upon profits, so that means we can never be


    together.In addition, if I help you when the Levines clearly want you dead, I''d be making life difficult for


    my sister.I actually thought you were a kind person who was considerate toward others, but this alone


    made me very disappointed in you."


    Zoe''s fingers clenched over her phone, but she could not say a word.


    It seemed to her that everyone believed that everything she did now was for selfish reasons¡ªin fact,


    James never once asked her why she needed the money.


    Maybe he presumed that she was asking for alms after running out? Zoe did not bother exining


    herself either.


    "Sorry for disturbing," she tly said and hung up.


    To no surprise, she was now a pariah to everyone else.


    As she lowered her phone, she stared at the dpidated ceiling above, thinking she should just give up


    and let herself be killed by Denzel.


    He would just kill her, at worst.She really had no qualms about dying now.So why...

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338


    Chapter 338


    Why was Zoe suddenly thinking about ra? The way she aged unnaturally quickly under stress, her


    hands that were filled with calluses, and how she always cooked her good food when she was already


    penniless...Her tears began to trickle out the corner of her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.She


    thought she would never forgive ra for the rest of her life or be soft on her, let alone acknowledge


    her.


    But in just two weeks, she was already worried about ra.


    She had no idea how long she had been crying, but her tears could not stop flowing.


    Zoe received a text from Linda in the afternoon.


    Before she received it, she actually did not know if she would force herself and ask others for help, or


    really wait to die.


    Nheless, the text arrived, and Zoe stayed silent for a long while after that.


    [Your showbiz career is being smothered in every aspect, save for one option.You can take it if you''re


    willing, and I understand that you can''t survive after losing everything since you used to lead avish


    life.Likewise, I understand too many A-listers getting caught in various scandals, and were forced to


    sell themselves, body and soul.But just think about it¡ªI''ll give this director''s number to you.You can


    even negotiate to not show your face.] Zoe stared at the number sent to her by Linda.


    Zoe doubted that Linda was trying to humiliate by sending her to film pornography.


    Linda was just used to theings and goings of stars and artists who would do anything for money.


    In that sense, she was doing all she could, out of kindness, to help Zoe.


    Zoe''s hands were shaking even as she dialed the number.


    Everyone in showbiz naturally knew how tragic her situation was, and therefore she was squeezed


    down to only fifty grand for one film.


    She agreed to it, with the only condition being for her face to be censored out.


    The director agreed to it and arranged for an 8 PM audition.


    She got up and went to clean herself at a public bath, already used to having everything around her


    being dpidated.


    For example, the water from the faucet would be hot and cold, there was hair and garbage all around


    the floor, and all she could use was the cheapest hygiene products.


    Once she stepped out, she dried her hair while ra watched her.


    "Are you leaving?" ra asked.


    Zoe nodded, and ra handed Zoe the hundred -dor bill again.


    "Take this."


    Zoe stared at it for a while, and took it¡ªshe had no money at the moment, let alone anything for the


    taxi fare.As she left with the money, however, ra told her, "Don''te back."


    Zoe ignored ra, but she could imagine the beating ra was in for if she did not.


    She was walking down the dimly lit stairs when she received that call from Quinn.She hesitated for a


    long while before finally answering.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    It was then that she remembered promising Cordy that she would stay with Cordy until her trial, only to


    end up breaking that promise.


    Zoe could not stop her tears welling in her eyes at Quinn''s words, but she knew very well that Quinn


    and Cordy would ept her unconditionally.


    Even so, she was utterly reluctant to trouble them.

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339


    Chapter 339


    Zoe said over the phone, "I want to try making it on my own, Quinn."


    Quinn swallowed the words she was about to say, tears welling in her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Zoe continued, "I know you two care about me, but no one can get me out of this situation


    except myself.


    We''ve been friends for years and you know how much I loved the Levines and how happy I was to be


    born into their family, but that''s all in pieces now...


    And I don''t mean the money, it¡¯s my heart.


    Even if you choose to help me and shelter me, things will stay the same if I can''t do this myself."


    "No, it''s different," Quinn argued.


    "I''d at least feel safer seeing you, and I understand your need to grow up as a person, but you can''t do


    the same alongside us, and it would be the same.We won''t ask questions if you''re worried we dote on


    you too much¡ªyou can do what you want!"


    "I have my pride. I can''t ept your alms without qualms¡ª"


    "You think our bond is alms?!"


    Quinn was actually angry and using.


    "It''s exactly because I treasure it that I refuse to ruin it."


    "Zoo¡ª"


    "I received your call to tell you that I''m doing my best to live.If the dayes when I''m overwhelmed,


    or if I''m denied all pride and expectation in life, I''lle to you on my own."


    "Zoe!¡±


    "You two are my back up n, after all."


    And with those words, Zoe hung up.


    Quinn tried to call her again, but Zoe had turned off her phone.


    As such, Quinn could only stare at Cordy tearfully¡ªhow were they supposed to find Zoe when she


    refused to tell them?!


    "What should we do, Cordy?" Quinn asked.


    Cordy shook her head¡ªshe had no idea either.


    Should they follow Zoe''s wish, or drag her back, kicking and screaming? "Zoe hasn''t suffered much in


    life ever since she was a child," Quinn muttered.


    "I''m really worried she won''t survive out there...How could she fend for herself, alone?"


    "She doesn''t simply want to grow or face this by herself ¡ªshe doesn''t want to trouble us too," Cordy


    said, pointing out Zoe''s true motives just then.


    The pain in Quinn''s eyes became even more obvious at that.


    "She''s too kind for her own good.She must''ve known that we would both upset the Levines if we helped


    her, and she doesn''t want us to incur the Levines'' wrath."


    "How could she be so stupid?!"


    Quinn snapped angrily, her tears on the verge of falling.


    "She''s a mess now and she''s still worried about us?! I''d never give up on her, even if it meant I would


    fall out with my inws!"


    "That''s exactly what she''s worried about," Cordy sighed.


    "That''s why she refused our help."


    Quinn was at a loss for words then and was left growling in disappointment. "Even if she refused our


    help because she was trying to be noble and was worried that we would suffer because of that, why


    can''t she consider that seeing her suffering hurts us just the same?!"


    "I think we should just respect her decision," Cordy suddenly said. As Quinn turned toward her, Cordy


    made herself very clear. "Since it''s her choice, we should support her. There are times when


    desperation truly grants you a new lease of life."


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She remembered her own past as she spoke¡ªthe Sachs had abandoned her, but she managed to get


    to her feet, and rise beyond them.


    It forged her stalwart attitude, and she was positive Zoe can do the same.


    Zoe was not as weak as she looked, and once she managed to surmount this obstacle, she would


    be stronger. Her tribtion right now was merely a process.


    "Let''s give her space, but quietly observe her situation," Cordy added¡ªultimately because she was


    worried and Zoe might really get involved in something terrible.


    They could give her time to grow, but they must not actually let society crush her.


    "I''ll try to help her." Quinn nodded, agreeing to Cordy''s suggestion.


    ¡°I''ll try to find a way to keep tabs on here as well," Cordy said. "If you do find her, don''t make your


    presence known. Just keep an eye on her quietly."


    "Yeah."


    Having agreed on that, Quinn left without a pause since she still had paperwork to do for the trial


    tomorrow.


    Cordy narrowed her eyes as she was reminded of that.

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340


    Chapter 340


    The evening traffic in North City was heavy.


    Zoe only turned on her phone again when she arrived at the studio, since she was unable to find the


    director and had to call the man.


    Nheless, his excitement was irrepressible when he saw Zoe...


    Her showing up on his film set was just like having a pot of gold drop on hisp.


    What was more, she was doing it for a bargain price! If she could make her show her face, he would


    make a killing.


    Still, he understood that he must not rush her¡ªhe could just wait until she got used to it before slowly


    coaxing her into showing her face.


    In a good mood just then, he was naturally very cordial to her.


    "Alright, you should get changed now.You don''t need to wear anything underneath your towel when you


    come back¡ªdon''t worry, there''s just going to be two cameramen and myself here.The rest of the crew


    will be outside.Noticing her puffy eyes, he assured her, "It''s natural to feel embarrassed and


    ufortable the first time, so just go with my suggestions.Rx¡ªyou don''t even need to do anything


    with that body of yours.Lie down, and men would get excited like a pack of chimps."


    "Alright," Zoe nodded stiffly.


    She was not crying because she had to do this, however, but because of that call with Quinn.


    Quinn''s genuine concern almost left her in shambles, and she almost told Quinn about her


    desperation.She almost did note at all...


    Soon, the director had a female assistant lead Zoe to the changing room, who was in awe even as she


    stared at Zoe.


    Zoe was an A-lister! Why was she doing this just like that?! Most importantly, it had just been days


    since Zoe was canceled! Perhaps that was actresses for you¡ªthey could not go without money.


    She helped Zoe out of her clothes and draped only a single towel around her chest.


    Still, it took Zoe a long while to finally leave the changing room.


    Never did she imagine that she would fall to such disgrace.


    In fact, it was almost customary for many stars to take the casting couch before their rise to stardom.


    Even A-lsisters would still do it under the temptation of more support.


    She bit her lip, thinking that she was probably the only actress who was still a virgin as she did this.


    The irony...


    Nheless, she eventually opened the door and stepped outside.


    The towel around her clung fast to her body, hiding everything except her feet.


    Even so, it felt unnecessary when she was going to take off everything soon enough.


    She walked toward the spotlights surrounding arge,fortable bed.


    The director gestured for her to lie down and take off the towel.


    However, her whole body was shaking.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    The director had to coax her patiently thrice, until Zoe was really going to do it, when¡ª "Don''t you


    f*cking dare, Zoe York!"

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341


    Chapter 341


    The raging bellow that boomed in the film set out of the blue left everyone stunned.


    Zoe then turned to find Bob storming toward them, flushed to the neck! She was shocked¡ªshe did not


    expect to see any familiar faces here! She watched as Bob furiously kicked down the camera in front of


    him and scooped her up in his arms the next instant while ensuring that she was tightly wrapped under


    her towel.


    It was as if he was worried that the towel would fall off in front of everyone!


    "W-Who the hell are you?!"


    The director was stunned by Bob''s sudden intrusion, and it took a while for him to snap at Bob.


    "This is a film set, and you''re intruding! I can call the police, y''know!"


    "Call them right now!" Bob barked.


    "Let''s see if they''ll arrest you or me when they see what you''re up to here!"


    The director was left speechless by Bob''s retort, while Bob turned toward Zoe without dy.Where are


    your clothes?"


    "In the changing room."


    "Put them on right now."


    "Bob¡ª ww "It''s just money, isn''t it?! I''ll give you a million if you want!"


    Bob snapped, clearly on the limits of his patience.


    Zoe even felt like he would spontaneouslybust! She thought he would be even more furious if she


    told him she just needed forty grand, though there was no way they could continue filming now.


    "Just wait a moment for me," she told him calmly.


    It took Bob a while to finally let her down, but he followed her into the changing room, as if worried she


    would give him the slip.


    Zoe got changed and stepped out, and he pulled her along, leaving the studio without a word.


    They got in his car, but he did not drive away as if he were too frustrated to do so.


    ¡®What are you doing here?!" Zoe asked.


    It would have been better if she did not ask¡ªBob was incensed at the very mention of that! "You were


    really going to do it if I never came, huh?!" he barked, though it was almost obvious she would still do it


    in the future even if he stopped her this time.


    "Iran into some showbiz investors gossiping that you agreed to do a porno, and I thought I misheard! I


    called your darling John, only to find out what really happened! I mean, have you really never suffered


    before?! Do you really have to push yourself to this state?! w Bob was getting increasingly agitated the


    more he spoke, and while his tone was harsh, he was more disappointed than taunting.He probably did


    not expect her to suffer like this over money.


    "You never suffered before.How''d you know how I feel?"


    Zoe, however, was insistent on burning bridges.


    "I¡ª!"


    Bob was actually stumped.


    "I know you''re doing this for my sake, even if it means you stopped me from making money.That''s why


    I won''t hold it against you.But let''s pretend we don''t know each other from now on.I''ll be going now¡ª"


    "How much?" Bob asked her right then.


    As she turned toward her, he admitted, "My parents have always been strict with me, and I can only


    withdraw three hundred grand at once.Is that enough? If it isn''t, I''ll get more."


    "No." Zoe refused.


    "I''ll make it on my own."


    She had no intention of letting anyone help and therefore did not want a cent.


    Nheless, Bob snapped, "Why don''t you sell yourself to me?! It''s prostitution all the same! And isn''t


    it better to do business with someone you know?!"


    Zoe did a double take and stared fixedly at him.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "Give me your bank ount number. I''ll wire it to you," he said then, very much determined.


    You don''t have to go this far for me, Bob.


    I know you''re being a brother, but I''m a mortal enemy to the Levines now, and you''d make yourself their


    enemy too.I don''t want you to¡ªumph!"


    Zoe''s eyes widened as Bob suddenly kissed her, shoving his lips on hers.


    Her mind went nk right then.


    She had known Bob for years and considered him ¡®one of the boys¡¯.


    And yet, this moment¡­ this kiss...


    She could not quite describe how she felt!

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342


    Chapter 342


    Neither Bob nor Zoe noticed a familiar figure just ahead of their car watching them kiss.


    Jay stood beneath a street light as he watched the pair press their lips together, unable to see their


    faces but understanding right then.He quietly turned to leave, limping as he did.


    Walking was difficult for him at the moment, but it hurt more that he always missed out on her.


    He sat on the end of the back alley, away from their sight, somehow not feeling any pain from his body,


    which was battered and bruised.


    After all, his heart was in pieces and that hurt far more than anything else...


    Suddenly, another figure appeared before him, and Jay looked up to see John, who said, "Come on."


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He clearly saw Bob with Zoe too.


    He was having dinner at Levine Manor when he received an angry call from Bob and found out what


    Zoe was about to do for money.


    He said nothing and started to leave with Jay, intent on stopping it, only for Nancy to intercept them,


    stubbornly refusing to let them go at any cost.


    Still, John soon cooled down because he knew that Bob was definitely going to stop it.


    On the other hand, Jay seemed to lose his mind.


    Disregarding all else, he rushed out of Levine Manor, but was once again stopped by the servants.


    Even n was threatening him.


    "You step out that front door, Jay Parker, and you''re no longer family!"


    "You knew what I was going to choose anyway,"


    Jay growled, his face contorted savagely.


    In fact, the instant Jay returned to Levine Manor after Zoe was revealed to be an illegitimate child, he


    had a heart-to-heart with his adopted father.


    n had already threatened Jay as much as he could, but Jay remained unmoved.


    In the end, they made an agreement ¡ªif Jay was still adamant on leaving the family for Zoe''s sake,


    n would not stop Jay.


    Jay agreed, as a final gesture of respect to n.He just did not expect that Zoe would push him over


    the edge in less than a month.


    "Jay Parker!" Nancy bellowed at him furiously.


    "My father was noble when he took you in all those years ago! And now, you''re turning against the


    family over some mongrel?! How ungrateful can you be?!"


    "I''m a mongrel too, aren''t I?"


    Jay scoffed in retort.


    Bang! n mmed his palm on the table, clearly incensed! Richard''s little frame flinched¡ªhe had


    never seen his great - grandfather being that furious, and he sat frozen stiff at the dining table! "watch


    your words, Jay!""


    n growled threateningly.


    Jay pursed his lips.He did not retort anymore, but his attitude remained resolute.


    "Jay Parker! Don''t you know that father can take everything from you, just as he had given you


    everything?!"


    Nancy snapped with perfect timing then.


    "Do you want to end up the same as Zoe?!"


    "Yes.I''d rather be with her."


    Nancy''s blood pressure must have skyrocketed from that.


    "Fine.I won''t stop you," n said icily.


    "Lawrence."


    Yes, Master Levine," his butler responded respectfully.


    "Family rules will be enforced," n instructed.


    "And announce to the world that Jay is not a member of our family from now on!"


    Lawrence was clearly hesitant even as he looked at n, but seeing the cold sh in n''s eyes, he


    could only follow n''s orders.


    "Yes, Master Levine."

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343


    Chapter 343


    Jay was covered in gashes from Lawrence''s whip, but he did not make a sound as he took it.


    And once it was over, he got up quietly and left.


    John followed him.


    Nancy once again tried to stop him, but n raised a hand, and she did not dare to breathe a word at


    that.


    John drove, taking Jay to the studio where Zoe would be filming, and Jay was out of the car even


    before John stopped the car...only to suddenly pause under a streetlight, turn around, and walk down


    that alley.


    John was aware of what happened in Bob''s car too.


    Perhaps when one misses out on a chance for a rtionship, they would miss out on it forever.


    John held out a hand to help Jay to his feet, but Jay waved him off and pushed himself slowly off the


    ground.


    However, he had not walked more than a couple steps when he suddenly wobbled, and John had to


    quickly catch him.


    Even as John took Jay away, he had no idea if it was the physical wounds that overwhelmed Jay, or


    the heartbreak was more than what he could take.


    Meanwhile, Zoe and Bob were still sitting awkwardly in thetter''s car, neither noticing what just


    transpired outside.


    They were both open and cheerful people, but suddenly turned from extroverts to introverts from just a


    kiss.


    Neither of them spoke, and simply remained in their seats, looking flustered and overly self-conscious.


    "I...Uh..."


    Bob tried to speak multiple times, but still failed to say a word, Zoe, too, was biting her lip, unsure how


    to face this at all.


    He was a brother to her...and then this happened! Taking a deep breath, Bob eventually said, "Anyway,


    just give me your bank ount number."


    "My mother...I mean, Ms.Levine froze my ounts.I won''t get a dime even if you wired money to it,"


    Zoe replied.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Then...what about cash?" Bob suggested.


    Zoe bit her lip, at a loss of whether to say yes or to reject him.


    "Let''s go to the nearest bank,"


    Bob quickly started the car and drove out.


    Zoe stayed silent, approving that just then.But after they stopped in front of an ATM, Bob was huffing


    as he returned.


    "Piece of sh*t! I can only take three grand on one withdrawal!"


    Zoe did not know that ATMs had that limit either, since they never used cash and always had enough


    credit in their cards.


    "I''m calling the bank," Bob quickly said.


    Zoe quickly caught his wrist, but she suddenly found the touch awkward even though they used to


    wrestle a lot and this amount of body contact had been normal to them! Withdrawing her hand, she


    exined, "You''d alert Ms.Levine if you speak to the bank."


    "Are you really that afraid of her?" Bob growled, though he had always been fearless and thought


    nothing of anyone else.


    "I just don''t want to get you into trouble."


    "It''s not."


    "Let''s try to avoid it, at least."

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344


    Chapter 344


    Bob whipped out the stack of cash he had, appearing a little grumpy.


    "Well, I only have three grand.That''s it."


    "I need forty," Zoe said, ultimately giving in.


    "Just hold on.I''ll gather the money."


    Bob did not say another word, let alone ask her what the money was for as he promptly called all his


    friends to get the cash, even if it was a rarity in this day and age.


    In fact, Bob had to make over ten calls and drive around the city to take the cash from his friends.


    Eventually, they gathered the forty grand Zoe needed and had to keep the cash in arge sack.


    "Is that really all you need?" Bob asked her just then, as if worried it was not enough.


    "Yes," Zoe replied.


    "I''ll make a direct withdrawal tomorrow once my bank opens tomorrow," Bob quickly said.


    "You don''t have to¡ª"


    "I''m a very generous financier," Bob said regally.He was on the plump side, but he was still somewhat


    good looking.His casual wear only made him appear even more of a manchild and naturally affable and


    way less regal then he made himself out to be.


    Zoe smiled in amusement.


    "Thank you, your grace.Look, I know you''re just being nice, but I don''t know when I can ever pay you


    back.I promise I''ll pay back when I can¡ª"


    "Did you think I was kidding?" Bob asked, suddenly seriously just then.


    Zoe stared at him.


    He wasn''t?! But if he was serious...


    What respectable girl would ever get kinky with a buddy?! Even that kiss just now...


    Itsted a while, but there was no tongue involved! "I''m f*cking serious here,"


    Bob growled grumpily right then.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Really? You can reallyy a finger on a buddy?" Zoe joked.


    "That''s what you think of me. I''ve never thought of you that way!"


    Zoe was actually stunned.


    "Fine, let me put it to you this way¡ªI''ve had feelings for you since I was a kid, but I only took you up as


    a bro because you were never interested in me.Hell, there was this time I had flowers and gifts and all,


    ready to confess my love, only to catch you and Jay swapping spit outside Levine Manor."


    Bob seemed to be hurting as he mentioned that.


    The scene back then seemed just like yesterday, and felt like a splinter that would stay stuck in his


    mind forever.


    Zoe was left gaping at Bob¡ªshe never felt that Bob was interested in her, let alone notice her there


    that night! "Look, I kept my feelings buried deep so that you won''t get caught in an awkward spot, and


    always kept up appearances by being buddies with you.


    Honestly, you don''t know how much it hurts me to see you being depressed over Jay ¡ªthere were so


    many times I wanted toe clean, but I was worried that we''d be less than friends after.


    Do you know how difficult it has been for me over the years?"


    Bob appeared more agitated as he rambled on.


    "You did say money brings all the girls to the yard," Zoe pointed out.


    "I-I never forgot about you!"


    Bob was clearly fumbling for words and deted just then.


    "I mean, I go drinking at nightclubs all the time, but I never messed around.I have principles, too!"


    "I never said anything." Zoe smiled.


    It was very good to talk to Bob again, just as she always felt rxed around him.


    She had been down in the dumps and under too much stress she could die, but just a few exchanges


    with him made here around considerably.


    Life suddenly did not seem so tragic.


    Bob stared at her nervously then.


    "W-Well...Is that a deal?"


    "I''ve already been paid, haven''t I?"


    Zoe pointed out.


    Bob beamed right then.


    His appearance had always been youthful, and now he looked like an overgrown boy who just had his


    first encounter in love.It gave Zoe a warm and fuzzy feeling for some reason.


    Still, she remembered something just then and checked the time before quickly saying, "I need to go


    home now."


    "Oh, right."


    Bob appeared wistful and crestfallen right then.


    "Look, we can move in together tomorrow," Zoe said bluntly.


    "I just have other stuff to do right now."


    "A-Ahem!"


    Bob actually choked from the straight ball! Even if Zoe never had been involved in a rtionship, she


    had been working in showbiz for years and had gotten ustomed to all the convoluted affairs it


    involved.


    That was why she could always stay open-minded about it.

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345


    Chapter 345


    Even as Zoe stared at Bob flushing down his neck, she became convinced at that instant that there


    was a chance he really never messed around with other women.


    "That''s a little too fast.I have trouble...keeping up," he stammered.


    Zoe was a little speechless¡ªwho was the sugar baby here again? "Just take me home for now," she


    said, not fussing about it just then.


    She was worried that Denzel would have returned by now.


    "Okay."


    Bob quickly drove her to the projects where she was staying.


    But when he actually arrived, he was scowling and could not help asking, "This is where you''ve been


    staying?"


    "Yeah." Zoe nodded.


    "Sorry.I didn''t know that it was bad for you,"


    Bob appeared remorseful and heartbroken.


    "I shouldn''t have criticized you just now...I would''ve died a hundred times over if I had to live there."


    Zoe smiled¡ªthat was the best part about Bob.


    What you see is what you get.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Unlike that other man...


    Zoe thought then that she could probably forget about him forever now.


    As she alighted, she said, "Drive safe.I''m going now."


    "Should I walk you upstairs? Even the stairs is pitch-ck I''m worried you''d fall."


    "No," Zoe told him.


    "You should go."


    "Call me when you get back," Bob said, obviously still worried.


    Zoe headed up the dark building with the bag carrying forty grand worth of cash.


    She was not used to this path, but eptance helps a person in getting used to everything


    immediately.


    However, she had yet to reach the front door of ra''s unit when she heard objects shattering.


    There were all sorts of unsavory characters in the projects, so physical assault wasmonce, let


    alone things being thrown around.


    People were so used to it that no one would ask a thing.


    Zoe hurried inside the house and found Denzel holding a stool in the air, ready to swing it at ra''s


    head! "Stop!"


    Zoe snapped loudly right then.


    Denzel turned around and appeared taken aback to see Zoe.


    Still, he was soon smiling vilely.


    "I thought you ran, you little sl*t! I was just going to kill your mom!"


    Zoe saw ra lying on the floor just then, battered and bruised, and her rage red right then.


    ra looked like she could not get up at all, but when she saw Zoe, she scrambled to her feet and


    cried out, "Why did youe back? I told you to run! Just go!"


    She tried to push Zoe outside as firmly as she could, but Denzel was not holding back his foul mouth at


    all.


    "Go?! You''re going nowhere! I need her to work as a prostitute!"


    "Just go!"


    ra kept pushing at Zoe regardless, urgency showing on her face.


    Even so, she would rather let Denzel kill her than trouble Zoe.


    Zoe''s eyes were puffy, but before she could speak, Denzel pushed ra out of the way, mming her


    into the wall nearby with a loud thud.


    But even as she fell to the floor and did not move for a while, she was still murmuring, "Run...You have


    to run..."


    Zoe wheeled on Denzel with an angry re! There was no way he would fear her or ra, however,


    and he promptly grabbed her by the wrist.


    "Come here! You''re making me money, whether you''re willing or not!"


    "Let me go!"


    Zoe snapped.


    "I''ve brought the money¡ª"


    "Let her go!"


    Bob''s furious voice suddenly thundered from behind them.


    Zoe turned, stunned that Bob would suddenly show up there¡ªshe thought he already left! "Who do


    you think you are?!"


    Denzel yelled at him.


    "Don''t meddle with my family affairs¡ª"


    Pow! Bob kicked the man square on the stomach, sending him stumbling several steps backward! At


    the same time, he pulled Zoe into his arms, shielding her while his eyes were zing!

 Chapter 346

    Chapter 346


    Chapter 346


    Bob was livid.He was worried about letting Zoe trudge up those dimly lit stairs alone, and so, he went


    after her...only to stumble on the scene that almost gave him an aneurysm! How dare Denzel treat Zoe


    like that...


    forcing her to prostitute herself?! ¡®Motherf*cker!'' Seeing red right then, Bob rushed forward at Denzel


    and punched him viciously on the head! He was a drug addict and actually physically frail¡ªonly having


    the strength to abuse women.


    Against men? He was helpless! Bob soon had him floored, clutching his head and begging for mercy


    repeatedly.


    "Please! Please! Please! Stop! I''m begging you¡ª w Zoe really wanted Bob to just kill Denzel right then


    too.However, that was murder, and they would lose a lot more if that really happened.


    Putting a hand on Bob''s arm, she said, "Stop."


    Bob was huffing, but he did stop despite really wanting to kill Denzel just then! Still, Denzely on the


    floor, groaning and moaning for a long while before forcing himself up and leaning against the wall as


    he rose to his feet.


    Zoe flung the sack of cash at him then.


    "There''s your forty grand.Trouble us again, and I''m calling the cops!"


    Denzel did a double take, actually surprised that he got money out of this.


    ra turned agitated then and quickly got up too.


    "Where did you get all that money?! Don''t give it to him¡ªjust keep it for yourself.How could you be so


    silly..."


    She suddenly burst into tears even as she rambled on.


    On the other hand, when Denzel opened the sack and saw the cash inside, he could not care less


    about his injury and started limping outside, saying as he did, "No, no no, won''te back anymore..."


    It was as if he was worried Zoe would change her mind.


    The entire room turned silent after Denzel was gone, while Zoe turned to Bob, "You should go."


    However, Bob was still indignant.


    "You wanted the money for that man? Who is he to you?"


    She almost lost her virginity because of that despicable man! The thought only left him increasingly


    infuriated! Zoe did not hide it from Bob and told him everything.


    "I should have just killed him right then.Get rid of him once and for all,"


    Bob growled angrily.


    "Do you think you''d be fine after that?" Zoe retorted.


    Bob pursed his lips but said solemnly, "But men like him would juste back once they run


    out.Junkies have no end to their greed.And if I wasn''t around..."


    The thought scared Bob, and he said, "Let me handle this.I''ll get you a house by tomorrow, and you


    can move there soon enough."


    Zoe stared at him just then, and he felt a little creeped out.


    "I mean, not for us! For you two.I mean, look around.Does this ce look hospitable to you? At all?


    Wait, scratch that.Pack your things right now¡ª we''re leaving tonight.I''ll check out if I have a ce that


    would suit you."


    "Bob..."


    "Don''t turn me down now,"


    Bob said with a determined look.


    "I just want to be nice to you, that''s all." Zoe snorted.


    "I just wanted to tell you to make sure it''s a in and quiet spot.Nothing too conspicuous."


    "Okay." Bob grinned and hurried away.


    Zoe turned toward ra, staring at her battered body, and asked, "Do you need the hospital?"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "No. It''s just flesh wounds."


    ra quickly refused.


    Zoe did not push ra either ¡ªshe was not fully epting toward ra just yet.That was when ra


    asked, "Zoe, that man just now..."


    "He''s a friend."


    Zoe threw a hasty reply, obviously intent on not giving an answer.Now pack your things," she added


    tly.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347


    Chapter 347


    The next day, Cordy''s trial officially began.


    The media was already making a huge fuss, and it naturally blew out of proportion on the actual day of


    the trial.


    Five of the top ten trending searches were about Cordy! When Quinn and Cordy arrived at the


    courthouse at 8 AM, the stairs towards the main entrance were lined with journalists.


    "Do you need me to handle them?" Quinn asked Cordy just then.


    "No," Cordy replied.


    Quinn did not say anything else at that, and alighted with Cordy.


    The journalists charged towards them as soon as they got out, encircling them even as Quinn did her


    best to shield Cordy.


    "Ms.Sachs! Do you think you stand a chance in winning your trial? ¡°


    "How many years do you think your sentence would be?"


    "Don''t you regret your actions? You just ruined a promising career for yourself!"


    "Why weren''t you present at the Sachs Enterprises anniversary g days ago? Plum Lang was saying


    you''ve cut all ties with the family. Is that really true?"


    "Don''t you feel disillusioned with how your own family treats you? Don''t you have anything to tell


    them?"


    They were asking everything all at once, and it was too noisy for Cordy to hear anything clearly.


    Even so, the journalists were relentless.


    "Please give us a response, Ms.Sachs!"


    Cordy took a deep breath and spoke loudly and clearly, "Regarding the trial, we will all know the


    oue by the end of the day, so! won''t offer pointless hunches.


    The court will decide what they will, and I believe that the legal system is just."


    "Ms.Sachs¡ª"


    "As for my rtionship with the Sachs," Cordy continued loudly, cutting off the journalists who wanted


    to pester her.


    "Whatever they say goes.I ept whatever they believe to be fitting."


    "Don''t you have anyints¡ª"


    "I have answered all the questions I should, now please make way.You''re impeding public service if you


    dy us from reaching our courtroom in time.Please obey thew!"


    With those words, Cordy and Quinn made their way past the journalists.


    They tried to stop them, but the bailiffs arrived and kept them at bay, allowing them to leave freely.But


    once they were gone, the journalists turned and found new victims, and they promptly charged toward


    them! "Ms.Sachs!"


    This time, they did not mean Cordy.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Cordy turned to find Noel in a little ck dress, surrounded by journalists.


    "Didn''t Plum Lang say at the anniversary g that Cordy is no longer a part of your family? What are


    you doing here?"


    "Did youe tough at Cordy?"


    Noel appeared utterly miserable even as she exined, "Of course not.To me, blood runs thicker than


    water, and I can''t stay apathetic to my sister''s plight.I can only hope that this trial ends well."


    "Are you really that kind?"


    "The dispute between you, Cordy and Kyle Jessop was well publicized.Don''t you think you''re being


    two-faced?"


    The journalists were certainly aggressive, but Noel appeared tearful as if she were a victim.


    "I don''t know why you''d say that, but my conscience is clear.Please, make way..."


    She tried to leave, but the journalists refused to let her go.


    However, the grapplingsted just a while until one of the journalists cried, "It''s John Levine and


    Jessica Stuart!"


    As soon as he said that, every journalist around Noel scrambled to leave.


    Noel watched as their attitude toward her changed in a snap, jealousy ring in her eyes as she


    watched the pair who were being fawned upon!

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348


    Chapter 348


    ¡®One day"


    Nuel thought to herself.


    One day, she would rise to the top, and trample everyone beneath their teet! "Mr.Levine! What''s the


    reason you''vee personally to witness Cordy Sachs'' trial?"


    "You''re a really busy man, and you''ve only mct Ms.Sachs on asion.What brings you here?"


    "I was the one who asked Johnny toe with me," Jessica said, butting in amid the journalists''


    endless questions.


    "Ah, so Mr.Levine is just apanying his fiancee. Well, Ms.Stuart, what brings you here lo Ms.


    Sachs! Trial?" the journalists asked eagerly.


    "I admire Cordy, and my family have been eager to work with Cordy since our business already has a


    foothold here. It''s therefore a pity that this would happen to her, and I''vee today to see what


    bes of this trial."


    Jessica''s response was very formal, but it did not impede her public persona as a decent,


    understanding person¡ªwhich won a lot of points in her favor.


    ¡°Are you saying that your family would expand the family business into North City?"


    ¡°Of course. We will be spending more time here too."


    "Ah, of course, since you will be residing here permanently once you tie the knot. By the way, when will


    that be? Is the date decided


    "Of course. We will be spending more time here too."


    "We have yet to, but don''t worry¡ªonce we decide on it, we will make the announcement right away,"


    Jessica answered, appearing perfectly cordial.


    "Congrattions!" All the journalists wished them well right then.


    "Sorry, but the trial will be starting soon," Jessica said politely.


    "If everyone can make way for us¡­ and thank you for your good work! W The journalists did not


    harass them at all, since they could not afford to upset neither the Levines nor the Stuarts.


    As John and Jessica made their way into the courtroom, there were already many people seated


    inside.It was a public trial, and since Cordy was quite famous in North City, many individuals with status


    were there.


    John and Jessica just took their seats at the front row when Jay suddenly arrived and sat beside John.


    John gave him a look, since he was the one who sent Jay to the hospitalst night.


    He therefore knew very well that Jay was hurt all over his body and not just the face.


    The doctor even told him to stay in the hospital and take a week to recover! "What are you doing


    here?"


    John asked, clearly a little upset.


    "Just taking a look."


    Just if, Zoe asked...


    John pursed his lips, giving his silent approval eventually.


    Sam and Bob arrived just before the trial started, with Sam being half -awake¡ªit had been a while


    since he woke up before 12 PM.


    Bob appeared fatigued too as they both sat with John.


    Sam could not resist teasing Bob anyway, saying, "Where have you beenst night? You''ve been


    nodding off as soon as I picked you up.


    The chickst night really toiled you the entire night, huh?"


    "Why do you care?"


    Bob snapped, not in the mood to respond just then.


    As a matter of fact, he had been spending all ofst night helping Zoe move, working until 5 AM before


    going home for a brief nap.It was a miracle he could get up at all.


    "I got it right, huh?"


    Sam scoffed.


    "Honestly, which chick could get so enthusiastic with you? Look, I''m not body shaming, but you won''t


    have the stamina with that body.Want to hit the gym together when you''re free?"


    Sam was certainly robust in contrast to Bob''s pudgy form¡ªall over his body were chiseled muscles


    with a perfectly streamlined body! Bob lowered his gaze at his own tummy and suddenly asked


    seriously, "Chicks don''t like this?"


    "You think?! Who would want to hug a pig to sleep¡ª"


    "You shut your mouth!"N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Bob could not help snapping at Sam right then, which earned them a stern warning from a bailiff.


    As such, the two men had to keep their voices down as they continued to bicker.


    John turned toward Jay then.


    He appeared calm as ever, but his knuckles were clenched so hard they were turning white...

 Chapter 349

    Chapter 349


    Chapter 349


    A whileter, the entire courtroom turned silent as the defendant''s party and the prosecutors filed


    inside.


    Cordy and Quinn both moved to their designated seats in court.


    John clearly gulped when she saw Cordy.


    Jessica was right beside him, and her eyes shed coldly when she saw his reaction.


    She was aware that John had been helping Cordy prepare her defense, but the news she received was


    that he did not make much progress.


    In fact, Jessica herself doubted he was that good he could turn things around in under two weeks.


    And once Cordy was sentenced, the Levines would do all they could to prevent a rtionship between


    John and Cordy¡ªeven if it killed them.


    Moreover, once Cordy was thrown into prison, Jessica had a million different ''idents'' prepared for


    Cordy''s inevitable demise.


    While Jessica hatched her little schemes in her head, the court Teporter announced the rules and


    regtions in the courtroom.


    "All rise."


    The judicial assistant announced, as Judge Faden¡ªthe judge presiding over the trial¡ªentered.


    Everyone present rose up, and sat down as Judge Faden took his seat and announced the


    commencement of the trial.


    Victor Henderson, the prosecutor in charge of the case, stated the details of the case.


    "Your Honor.On the 3rd of November, the district attorney''s office received an anonymous tip that the


    defendant ¡ªCordy Sachs, owner of Starstream Group¡ªhas been involved in bribery amounting over


    1.1 million dors and tax evasion for an unreported revenue amounting over 70 million dors.


    Said tip has provided clear evidence, including photos of the bribed individual with the defendant, along


    with unfiled revenue reports from Starstream Group.


    On the 4th of November, prosecutors remanded the defendant at the district attorney''s office, per


    standard operating procedures, before transferring her to a detention center at noon of the same day,


    giving definitive evidence against the defendant.


    The prosecution hereby requests the approval of prosecutorial proceedings."


    Judge Faden nodded.


    "Granted.The prosecution may hence submit any testifying witnesses or evidence against the


    defendant."Yes, Your Honor,"


    Victor responded, and respectfully passed a document envelope to the judicial assistant, who in turn


    handed it to the judge.


    Then, Victor announced, "Your Honor, the prosecution requests permission to call on Xander Lannings,


    our aforementioned anonymous tip."


    "Permission granted."


    Xander was brought into the witness stand at that.


    No one knew that it was him who tipped the prosecution before the trial, as they kept him hidden to


    deny Cordy any chance to study him.


    He appeared to be near his forties and had a bulging belly, and he appeared to resemble a public


    servant in his suit and tie.


    "There is no need to get nervous, Mr.Lannings.You just need to answer my questions truthfully," Victor


    said, seemingly sensing Xander''s nerves.


    "Thank you." Xander nodded.


    With that, Victor turned serious and said, "Please state your name and upation for the record."


    "My name is Xander Lannings, I''m a clerk at the tax bureau."


    "What made you decide to report on Mr.Henry Lane''s involvement in bribery?"


    "I did so because I find it uneptable in the name of justice.Henry Lane had a moral duty as deputy


    commissioner of the tax bureau, but he showed dereliction of duty when he involved himself in bribery."


    "What made you notice his involvement in bribery? How did you obtain evidence of his involvement?"


    "I have been noting Mr.Lane''s frequent dinners with Cordy Sachs, and I was present during one such


    asion.I did not quite believe the details I overheard while they were having a private conversation,


    until I personally audited Starstream Group''s revenue reports and noticed major


    discrepancies.Afterwards, I discreetly audited Mr.Lane ounts, and found a deposit of over 700,000


    dors from an unknown source."


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "Thank you," Victor nodded, and quickly said.


    "Your Honor, permission to bring Henry Lane to the witness stand."


    "Permission granted."


    Once Henry took to the witness stand and Victor asked him to identify himself like he did with Xander,


    Victor asked, "Mr.Lane, did you ept a bribe of 700,000 dors from Cordy Sachs to help her evade


    tax for unreported revenue amounting up to 70 million dors?"


    "Yes."


    Henry admitted to it immediately.


    "Thank you," Victor said, nodding.

 Chapter 350

    Chapter 350


    Chapter 350


    After that, Helen Zalenski, the ountant working in Starstream Group under Cordy, was brought to


    the witness stand.


    "Did the defendant order you to wire 700,000 through multiple transactions to this ount?" Victor


    asked.


    "Yes," Helen replied, keeping her head lowered, afraid to even look Cordy''s way.


    "And did the defendant order you to withhold the untampered tax revenue report?"


    "Yes,"


    "This is redundant, but do you swear you''re telling the truth and nothing but the truth?"


    "Yes," Helen said determinedly.


    "Thank you."


    Having gotten all the responses he needed, Victor turned back toward Judge Faden.


    "Your Honor, this concludes the prosecution''s witness statements."


    "Very well. You may return to your seat."


    "Thank you, Your Honor."


    Judge Faden then turned toward Quinn.


    "What does the defendant plead?" Quinn looked up at him then.


    She had kept her eyes glued to the materials she had, seemingly unaffected despite the solid evidence


    against Cordy while the prosecution presented their evidence.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    For everyone else, her apathy made her appear as if she had given up already.


    It was no until Judge Faden called her that she put down the material she was holding and picked up


    her sses.


    She actually appeared sharper as she put them on, and that ck form-fitting suit was the signature


    fashion of anywyer! She stepped around her table and said unhurriedly, "Your Honor, my client


    pleads not guilty."


    The courtroom was left in an uproar by her deration.


    It was a clear cut case with definitive evidence, but the defendant was pleading not guilty?! Everyone


    could not help reevaluating Quinn right then.


    In reality, she never spent much time in a courtroom and was mostly a legal representative for the


    Saunders whenever they had some legal dispute.


    That was why she was not particrly famous among legal circles, and somewyers who came to


    attend the trial were stifling theirughter.


    Some of them were already saying that Cordy was doomed when they found out that herwyer was


    Quinn.


    It was not just thewyers either¡ªeveryone else attending the trial was snickering.


    Naturally, Noel could not helpughing too.


    Fortunately, cameras were not allowed for this particr trial, and one would actually fear being caught


    in the act.


    But they could be forgiven, as Quinn somehow had the guts to plead not guilty when the prosecution


    had both material witness and physical evidence.


    It was simply unthinkable! Was she not afraid of getting pped in the face?! And yet, Jessica


    remained prim and proper throughout.


    She was not affected by Quinn''s statement at all¡ªin fact, there was just a tinge of worry in her eyes.


    On the other hand, Bob, who had been nodding off for a while, was suddenly energetic and spirited


    after hearing Quinn''s statement.


    He even nudged Sam with his elbow.


    "Didn''t know that your wife looks that charismatic when she gets serious."


    Sam''s lips were curling up in a smile, though his tone was cool.


    "It''s just for show."


    Bob shot him a sideways nce of disapproval¡ªthe man was incapable of honesty.


    Still, as the court became rowdy, Judge Faden glowered, banged his gavel, and barked, "Order in the


    court!"Everyone turned silent immediately.You may continue, Ms.Summer," Judge Faden told Quinn.


    "Thank you, Your Honor," Quinn said, nodding solemnly before straightening herself, and spoke with


    perfect rity, "I have a few questions after listening to the prosecutor''s presentation and their witness''


    statements."

 Chapter 351

    Chapter 351


    Chapter 351


    "Firstly, Xander Lannings is just an employee in the tax bureau.I agree it might be possible that he


    could tell that there was something wrong with Starstream Group''s tax return submission.But how did


    he manage to find out the deputymissioner''s personal ount?"


    "Secondly, Helen Zalenski imed that my client made her transfer funds to Henry Lane through the


    ount.The evidence presented showed a movement in the bnce of 700,000 in one of my client''s


    bank ounts.Yet, the bank was unable to provide video evidence of the opening of the bank ount.I


    do not think it is a more coincidence that the camera suddenly stopped working."


    "Thirdly, Helen Zalenski said that my client was the one who instructed her to submit the tax return


    ordingly. But from what I know, the secretary is the one who assists with Starstream Group''s


    electronic stamp, and signatures documented on paper do not suffice as evidence. After all, talented


    people abound in this vast universe. Copying another person''s handwriting is not umon."


    "To sum up, I have reasons to plead not guilty on behalf of my client!"


    The three doubts that Quinn clearly stated hit the nail on the head and silenced the entire court.


    Bob could not help muttering in Sam''s ears, "Seriously, your wife doesn''t seem so impressive but the


    moment she opens her mouth¡­ bam! It''s like getting hit by a train!"


    Sam ignored Bob''sments, but his eyes remained fixed on Quinn, as if mesmerized.


    Back in court, Xander responded in a hurry, "I know about the deputymissioner''s ount status


    because he once asked for my help to deposit money into his ount. Because I had my suspicions, I


    checked his bnce and found a huge sum of money in his ount."


    Quinn chuckled.


    It wasced with thinly-veiled cynicism.


    She said, "If Henry really did take a bribe of a few hundreds of thousands, him giving you his ount


    details and asking for your help to deposit money is akin to saying to you: ¡®Quick, check out my


    ount, I''ve been taking bribes, call the police and catch me!''"


    Everyone seated in courtughed out loud at Quinn''s words.


    "Order!" Judge Faden reprimanded.


    Everyone quietened down.


    "It is unfathomable for someone able to rise to a position as high and as powerful as the chief of a


    bureau to make such a low-level mistake," Quinn surmised.


    "That was because I was too upied with work and grabbed the wrong bank card in my hastiness,


    which is why Xander found out," Henry immediately jumped in to exin.


    ¡®In all my years of experience as awyer, having gone through so many trials, this is my first time


    seeing the defendant exining things for the intiff. People who are clueless might think the two of


    them are in cahoots."


    Quinn seemed to say it sarcastically but was in fact alluding to something.


    "Objection!"


    Victor stood up from his seat, "Your Honor, I object to the defense attorney falsifying facts and using


    invalid assumptions to mislead the witness."


    ¡°Objection sustained. Defense Attorney, please watch yournguage."N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Yes, Judge." Quinn was naturally respectful to Judge Faden. "Your Honor, may I ask my client a few


    questions?"


    ¡°Approved.¡±


    Quinn turned to look at Cordy.


    Cordy looked calm andposed right from the start, which made her look more like the intiff than


    the defendant.


    "Cordy Sachs, Xander Lannings has used you of bribery. Do you plead guilty?"


    "I do not," Cordy said firmly.


    ¡®But we have witnesses and evidence to prove that you transferred funds from your personal ount to


    other people''s ount and then into the ount specified by Henry Lane. You then made the finance


    department falsify the tax return submission to evade over 7 million worth of taxes. You personally


    signed off all the tax reports. What evidence do you have to prove that you are not guilty?"


    "The personal ount in the evidence is not mine. 1 did not open that ount," Cordy said directly.


    "How do you prove that you are not the one who opened it? Based on what I know, ording to our


    country''s bank ount management policies, the ount owner must be present for such


    transactions. The bank also does not have surveince camera footage to prove that you were not


    there that day."


    ¡°But I can provide evidence to prove that I did not go to the bank that day."


    Signs of amotion began arising in the court.

 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352


    Chapter 352


    It suddenly felt like the tables had turned in this case.


    Noel, who originally looked smug about how things were progressing, became slightly nervous.


    Jessica looked unmoved, but her fingers subconsciously clenched into a fist.


    Cordy was indeed smarter than Jessica thought she was.


    When Jessica nned this out, she never expected Cordy to be able to provide evidence that she did


    not go to the bank that day.


    "Your Honor, please allow me to show the evidence of my client not being at the bank on that day,"


    Quinn requested.


    "Approved." Quinn retrieved a USB sh drive, connected it to aputer, and yed a video.


    She exined, "The ount was opened at City West Bank on 15 September at ten in the


    morning.During that time, my client was at Starstream Group''s office building, attending meetings


    throughout the morning.This is a video recording of what my client did that morning.I sped it up four


    times to avoid wasting everyone''s time."


    Everyone watched the video in all seriousness.


    With this video, Cordy was basically cleared of all suspicion that the bank card belonged to her.


    "In summary," Quinn said as she closed the video, "I have reason to suspect that my client was


    framed."


    "Objection." Victor stood up again.


    "Even if the ount owner was not at the bank in person, there is a possibility that the bank staff might


    have been bribed to do a private transaction.If Cordy Sachs can bribe Henry Lane, why can''t she do


    the same to a bank employee? This video is not sufficient to prove that the card does not belong to


    Cordy Sachs."


    Victor''s theory brought Cordy back to where she was once again.


    Quinn did not panic, as if she had expected such an objection to be Taised.She said to Judge Faden,


    "May I ask Helen Zalenski a few questions?"


    Approved."


    Quinn turned to look at Helen and asked, "You im that my client was the one who instructed you to


    submit the tax return and bribe Henry Lane, is that right?"


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "What did she give you in return for doing something that is outrightly against thew?"


    "She is my leader.I had to follow her orders in order to continue working in my post," Helen said rather


    agitatedly.


    "So my client did not give you any benefit?" Quinn verified once more.


    "No, she did not."


    "So where did all the batches of unknown funds that you received in your ount over the past month


    come from?"


    Quinn retrieved a statement and ced it in front of Helen.


    Helen looked at the transactions in her ount and panic shed past her eyes.She hemmed and


    hawed but was unable to arrive at a clear response.


    "Not only does your ount have many iing records, but there are also many outgoing fund


    transfers.The recipient whom you have been transferring to is North City''srgest casino ount.You


    probably lost a lot of money from gambling, didn''t you?!"


    "T...that''s my own problem, it has nothing to do with this case.I can choose not to answer the question."


    Helen was pretty adaptive.


    "Of course it has everything to do with this case! Because you owed money from gambling and were


    unable to return the money, you were worried that it might threaten you and your family''s lives.So you


    were instigated to frame my client for ill-gotten gains to pay off your debts!"


    Quinn concluded firmly.She looked utterly domineering and aggressive!

 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353


    Chapter 353


    "No, no..."


    Helen shook her head profusely.


    "Then tell me, where did all the money in your ount appear from?" Quinn asked aggressively.


    "I, ..""


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Helen was unable to give an exnation.


    Quinn did not waste too much time on her.She turned around and said to Judge Faden, "Your Honor, I


    have a witness who wants toe to court."


    "Approved." A man of about 60 years of age came to court.He looked slightly overwhelmed by the


    commanding aura of the court and had a look of unease on his face.


    Helen lost her cool the moment she saw the man, and her entire face paled.


    Quinn walked to the man and said, "We are in court, there''s no need to fear.All you need to do is to


    answer my questions honestly.


    "Okay." The man nodded profusely.


    "What is your name?"


    "Timothy Chancy."


    "What do you do for a living?"


    "I am a reproduction artist."


    "What do you mainly reproduce?"


    "Ancient paintings, famous artwork, and so on."


    Timothy added, " I reproduce handwriting too."


    "Could you do a demonstration for us right now, please?"


    Before Timothy could reply, Victor stood up once more.


    "Your Honor, I object to the defense attorney dying the progress of the case in court."


    "I am not dying the progress.This is critical to this case,""Quinn said firmly.


    Judge Faden hesitated for a moment before warning, ''''Defense Attorney, please be efficient in your


    questioning."


    "Yes, Your Honor," Quinn nodded before asking a staff member for a piece of paper and a pen which


    she passed to Cordy.


    "Please sign on this." Cordy signed on the paper.


    After which, Quinn passed the paper to Timothy.


    "Can you reproduce this right now?"


    Timothy picked up the pen and signed Cordy¡¯s name. Both signatures looked identical.


    Everyone was baffled.


    Helen was shaking all over.


    "I believe everyone can tell how talented Timothy Chancy is at reproducing works."


    "I object," Victor spoke up.


    "I have reason to suspect that Timothy Chancy is bearing false testimony in favor of the


    defendant.Everything we see here is a result of a previous rehearsal."


    "Attorney Henderson, you''re just a prosecuting attorney.Your job is to seek justice and not cover up for


    others for the sake of somewyer fees," Quinn mocked.


    Victor''s face turned bright red at Quinn''s words.


    Quinn was a junior in thew industry, whereas he was an experienced senior in the field.Yet, she had


    embarrassed him in front of everyone.We know right away whether he is bearing false


    testimony.Attorney Henderson, please remain calm.Don''t slow down the progress of the trial."


    She was clearly making a jibe at his earlier usation of her dying the trial''s progress.


    Victor was rendered speechless, unable to refute her words at all.


    Quinn turned around to look at Timothy.


    "Do you know anyone here seated in court right now?"


    "Yes, I do," Timothy looked straight at Helen.


    "I know her."


    "How did you get to know her?"


    "I got to know her online. She added me on my socials and said she had business for me."


    ¡®What business was it?"

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354


    Chapter 354


    "She asked me to duplicate Cordy Sachs'' signature on a huge pile of documents."


    "When was that?"


    "Around a month ago."


    "Do you have evidence that it happened?"


    "Yes.I have records of our conversation."


    Timothy pulled out his phone.


    Quinn took it and projected it in the court, disying to everyone the conversation between Timothy


    and Helen.


    It was written clearly that Helen had made Timothy help her sign on documents, and there were even


    pictures of the signed documents and records of the funds transfer.


    It was clearly a significant piece of evidence.


    Commotion arose in court, and Noel''s face was ashen with horror.


    She did not expect Helen to be so foolish as to leave behind so much evidence for others to pick up on!


    She even left behind conversation history, fund transfer screenshots, and pictures of signed


    documents! Noel had reminded Helen umpteen times to be careful in all things and not to leave any


    trace behind.


    Did all her words fall on deaf ears?! Jessica''s entire body stiffened up.


    Now that things had progressed to this point, it was looking less likely for Cordy to be convicted of the


    crime.


    She took a deep breath inwardly, forcing herself to keep calm.


    Meanwhile, Quinn said solemnly to Helen, "Evidently, the so- called hard copy tax report was not


    personally signed by Cordy.You know very well yourpany''s approval process and that myclient''s


    secretary only epts hand written signatures on hard copy before approving it on the system. You


    made use of this loophole to frame my client!"


    "I, I didn''t..." Helen shook with fear.


    ¡°If you didn''t, how do you exin your chat history with Timothy, and why were you unable to exin


    the sudden appearance of so much funds in your ount?" Quinn pushed aggressively. Helen was


    completely speechless. Noel did not tell her how she could respond in such a situation. She just


    instructed her to insist no matter what that it was Cordy who instigated her to do everything, and that


    she would give her a sum of money after the deed was done.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Your Honor." Quinn turned around. "Based on the witness and evidence provided, it clearly shows that


    my client is innocent and has been framed. I beseech the chief judge and the bench to make a fair and


    just judgment. I have made my case. Thank you, Your Honor."


    With that, Quinn returned to her seat.


    "Do you have anything to say, Prosecuting Attorney?" Judge Faden asked.


    Victor nced at the court spectator stand. Someone from the stands shot him a nce back. likely for


    Cordy to be convicted of the crime.


    She took a deep breath inwardly, forcing herself to keep calm. Meanwhile, Quinn said solemnly to


    Helen, "Evidently, the so- called hard copy tax report was not personally signed by Cordy. You know


    very well yourpany''s approval process and that my client''s secretary only epts handwritten


    signatures on hard copy before approving it on the system. You made use of this loophole to frame my


    client!"


    "I, I didn''t..." Helen shook with fear.


    ¡°If you didn''t, how do you exin your chat history with Timothy, and why were you unable to exin


    the sudden appearance of so much funds in your ount?" Quinn pushed aggressively.


    Helen waspletely speechless.


    Noel did not tell her how she could respond in such a situation. She just instructed her to insist no


    matter what that it was Cordy who instigated her to do everything, and that she would give her a sum of


    money after the deed was done.


    ¡°Your Honor." Quinn turned around. "Based on the witness and evidence provided, it clearly shows that


    my client is innocent and has been framed. I beseech the chief judge and the bench to make a fair and


    just judgment. I have made my case. Thank you, Your Honor."


    With that, Quinn returned to her seat.


    "Do you have anything to say, Prosecuting Attorney?" Judge Faden asked.


    Victor nced at the court spectator stand.


    Someone from the stands shot him a nce back.


    "Your Honor, ording to the evidence I have at hand, I am unable to arrive at the circumstances


    concerning Uhis case aud do want to inflict unnecessary harm on anyone. I suggest for this case to


    be handed over to the procurator''s office once again for further investigation."


    She naturally could not allow Cordy to be affected by this case any more than she already was.


    Judge Faden seemed to nce over at the spectator stand before saying, "We''ll adjourn for half an


    hour.The bench and I will discuss and make the final verdict on Cordy Sach''s charges of bribery and


    tax evasion."


    Half an hourter, Judge Faden returned to his seat and announced, "Regarding Cordy Sachs'' tax


    evasion case, the official verdict from the People''s Supreme Court is hereby announced.Please rise."


    Everyone stood up, the air crackling with excitement despite the fact that the oue was already


    known!

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355


    Chapter 355


    In the solemn and stately court, Judge Faden announced, "In ordance with the decision of the


    collegial panel and through courtroom investigations and debate, there is insufficient evidence to


    convict Cordy Sachs of bribery of 1 million dors and tax evasion of over 7 million.She is to be


    immediately released."


    The moment the announcement was made, cheers sounded across the court.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Not everyone wanted to see Cordy captured.


    Most wanted the court to seek justice.


    What''s more, the case was filled with twists and turns which exined the enthusiastic response


    toward the announcement.


    Noel was horror-stricken.She looked at the joyful faces around her and almost yelled out loud.She had


    thought that it was a foregone conclusion that Cordy would be thrown into jail.


    Yet...yet...everything was screwed up! Why in the world was Cordy so capable that she could escape


    unscathed time and time again? Was even Jessica and the Stuarts no match for her? Noel gritted her


    teeth with anger.


    Jessica was not much better, but because John was seated next to her, she did not dare to express


    what she was feeling inside.


    Conversely, she had to pretend to be very happy.


    That psychological distortion almost drove her mad! She had done so much to put everything in ce;


    all that was left was the missing piece in the puzzle.


    Yet she had to lose this missing piece! She had thought that she could rest assured with Noel


    overseeing things, but clearly, she had been careless.


    Noel might be quick-witted, but she was no match for Cordy at all.


    If she were a match for Cordy, Cordy would not have managed to make it out of the courtroom in one


    piece.


    Jessica tried to hide her emotions as best as she could.


    She nced at John seated next to her.


    From the start to the end, the moment Cordy appeared in court, his gaze never once left her.


    When it was announced that Cordy was to be immediately released, she was unable to tell what he


    was feeling.


    Was he unwilling to divulge his true feelings in front of anyone with the sole exception of Cordy?! After


    the verdict was announced, everyone started leaving the courtroom.


    Bob teased Sam, "It''s hard to tell how capable your wife is.


    I''ve never really interacted with her and only know that you don''t have a very good rtionship with her.


    But now that your wife performed so well in court, she''ll probably draw a lot of attention to herself.


    Watch out that someone as flirtatious as you doesn''t end up getting dumped!"


    Sam looked at him in disdain.


    "You''ll only lose out if you don''t listen to my words of wisdom."


    Bob shrugged but did not say more.


    Everyone walked to the entrance of the courtroom.


    Cordy and Quinn were already outside of the courtroom and surrounded by reporters.


    Sam locked at the rest and suggested, "Shall we have a meal together? It''s been a while since we''ve


    done that."


    "Not me.I have something else on."


    John was the first to reject.


    Sam locked at Jay.


    "I''m not free either,"


    Jay replied in a seemingly weak and wavering tone.


    Tf one were to look closely, it would be easy to see how terrifying pale his face had turned.


    "Are you going to reject me too?"


    Sam turned to Bob.


    The two of them frequently had drinks together since they had the most free time their hands.


    "Yes," Bob said without any hesitation, ''''Don''t call me out for drinks or bar hopping in the future.I won''t


    come.Firstly, my girlfriend wouldn''t like that.Secondly, I really should start getting fit and losing weight."


    "Are you really dating for real? Who in the world is your girl and how did she make you fall so madly in


    love with her?!"


    Sam said agitatedly, "Bring her out and let me be your gatekeeper.Many girls nowadays are vain gold


    diggers.Sume are even outright scammers, if not just seeking self-benefit.I''m afraid a pure- hearted


    man like you might get cheated of your feelings and get hurt big time."


    "There''s no need for you to be the gatekeeper.She''s great ¡ªthe best in the world," Bob said


    defensively.


    "Just listen to yourself.You''re already blinded by love.What if she cheats you of your feelings..."


    Sam and Bob had always liked to fool around and tease each other.


    Everyone else had long gotten used to it.

 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356


    Chapter 356


    At that moment, Jay had already walked off.


    John turned to look at them onest time before leaving as well.


    Jessica naturally followed by his side.


    Sam furrowed his brows as he said to Bob, "Don''t you find Jay rather strange today? Even the way he


    walks looks off."


    Bob appeared unmoved and he did not offer a response to Sam''s remark.


    Instead, he said, "I''m going off.Don''t bother about things between me and my girlfriend.You should be


    watching your own wife instead.Now that so many people are moring after her, given the attention


    she''s drawn to herself, you''ll regret it if you lose her."


    With that, Bob strode off.


    Sam looked at all of their retreating figures.


    Somehow, he felt like something was wrong with this bunch of people.He looked toward Quinn and


    involuntarily sneered.


    People moring after her? So what? Cordy and Quinn finally dealt with all the reporters and barely


    made their way back to the car.


    Quinn was driving it very slowly.


    "You don''t drive often?" Cordy asked.


    She could sense that Quinn was driving very cautiously.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Quinn was slightly stunned but recovered in time and said, ''''No, I''ve been driving for many years, but


    I''m not too good a driver so I tend to drive slower.I hope you don''t mind?"


    "I''m not in a rush for time."


    Cordy smiled before suggesting, "I personally feel that if you''re not confident with your driving skills, it''s


    best to hire a driver.Such matters of life and death shouldn''t be taken lightly."


    Quinn tightened her grip over the steering wheel.


    The words that Sam yelled in frustration at her that day was about having the Saunders family assign


    her a driver.He wanted her to request it from the Saunders, which of course she did not do.


    Yet, the Saunders had inexplicably assigned her a driver.


    She hated additional troubles and would never want someone else following her if she could help it.


    So she rejected the Saunders'' offer.


    Now that Cordy mentioned it, she suddenly felt like she should have just epted it.


    Was this really how different people saw things? "Quinn, watch out!"


    Cordy called out to her.


    Quinn snapped back to attention and stepped hard on the brake.


    If not for the seat belt strapped around her, Cordy thought she might have flown out of the car.


    Both of them were slightly shaken.


    The car behind them was evidently shocked as well, as the driver continuously red his horn to


    express his anger.


    "Let me drive instead," Cordy suggested.


    Quinn did not reject her.


    Both of them changed seats.


    "I''m sorry.I..." Quinn apologized, feeling rather awkward.


    "It''s all right. But it''s my sincere suggestion that you hire a driver for yourself."


    "Okay." Quinn agreed.


    "I''ll send you back first. I''ll have someone elsee and pick me upter," Cordy said.


    She did not find it safe for Quinn to drive herself back.


    "Thank you."


    "Do you think there will be any follow-ups to my court case?"


    Cordy changed the subject.


    When it came to her profession, all awkwardness left Quinn as she responded fluently, "Not likely. Back


    when we were looking for evidence, we couldn''t find any traces leading to Noel and Jessica. In other


    words, even if there are any follow-ups, the oue wouldn''t be what we want anyway. It''ll probably


    end up with some unimportant person as the scapegoat and the case will be concluded hastily."

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357


    Chapter 357


    Cordy nodded.


    But how could she simply let Noel continue being so cocky?! It had been so long, and instead of toning


    things down, Noel had been pushing her luck.


    She even started being in cahoots with Jessica...


    Acold look shed past her eyes.


    Some people insisted on courting their own death! Noel left the courtroom in a rage.


    Recalling the scene of Cordy being immediately released made Noel wish she could hack Cordy into


    pieces.


    Why did that b*tch always end up so lucky? Yes.It was all sheer luck.


    Cordy had everything she had today because of pure luck.


    The driver seated in front didn''t dare to make a sound.


    He could sense the terrifying aura emanating from Noel and was afraid of provoking her.


    Noel''s phone suddenly rang.


    She looked grumpily at her phone and saw that it was Jessica calling her.


    That was when her anger died down and fear began creeping up her heart.


    After all, she was the reason for their failure this time.


    She did not manage ta make sure that Helen was careful enough, which allowed Cordy to find the


    evidence and make a case Noel tightened her grip over her phone.


    She had just gotten her hands on Stuart Holdings'' shares.


    Was Jessica yuing tuke them back? She gritted her teeth and answered the call.


    "Ms.Stuart."


    "I''ll wait for you at our usual ce."


    She hung up immediately.


    Noel could sense Jessica''s wrath However, when she arrived she saw Jessica seated on a lounge


    chair, gracefully sipping on some tea.


    Jessica did not look as frustrated as Noel had imagined her to be, but Noel was not that foolish to not


    know that Jessica was just adept al concealing ber Lrue feelings.


    "Ms.Stuart."


    Noel immediately took to exining herself, saying, "I was at fault for not doing my best.I didn''t expect


    Helen to make such a low-level mistake, given how experienced she is in the finance department..."


    "Let the past be the past.I don''t want to talk about it anymore."


    Jessica cut her off.


    Noel looked at her, feeling a little lost.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Jessica said forthrightly, "I''m someone who never regrets or bemoans what has already happened.


    Doing well in the present and nning for the future is what I choose to focus on."


    "So Ms.Stuart, you called me here today..."


    Noel ventured cautiously.


    "This is 31% of Sachs Enterprises¡¯ shares."


    Jessica pulled out a contract and ced it in front of Noel.


    Noel was utterly shocked.


    What in the world was Jessica nning to do?! She had screwed up this time, yet Jessica was offering


    her even more shares...


    "With this, you''ll be Sachs Enterprises¡¯rgest shareholder," Jessica said inly.


    Noel dared not raise any questions.She did not even dare to say a single word.She truly could not


    figure this woman out.


    Her behavior waspletely unexpected.


    "It''s for you, take it,"


    Jessica urged Noel.


    Noel reached out, wanting to rake it, hut she didn''t dare to She could not help herself from asking, "Ms.


    Stuart, you previously promised me 31% slides after the deed is dune. Bul things didn''t go through


    sessfully, so I don''t really understand what you mean by this..."


    "It''s meaningless for me to hold on to Sachs Enterprises'' shares.I''ve never held it in high regard


    anyway.Keeping so much if its shares is useless to me.Since you like it so much, you may have it,"


    Jessica said casually.


    Noel did not have a good feeling about this.


    ¡®There is no free lunch in this world, after all.

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358


    Chapter 358


    "What do you want me to do, Ms. Stuart?"


    Noel cut straight to the chase. Jessica said with a smile, "Although you were the reason for our failure


    this time, Noel, you aren''t too stupid a person, so I''m still willing to work with you.Just keep the shares


    that I''m giving you.I''ll tell you when I figure out what I need you to do for me."


    "What if you make memit murder or arson?" Noel counter- questioned.


    "Do you think that what we''ve done is better than murder and arson?" Jessica was forting.


    They were all against thew.


    Did Noel still not understand that?! Noel gritted her teeth.She knew clearly what Jessica would make


    her do and what she had to do from the moment she took these shares, but greed is part and parcel of


    human nature.


    Looking at the contract in front of her, Noel knew that taking these shares would mean that from now


    on, whatever she said goes with Sachs Enterprises.


    Her grandmother and mother treated her nicely on the surface, but they only wanted to use her when


    they actually were biased toward Sonny.He was a useless bum; what right did he have to take for


    granted that he would inherit all of the Sachs'' family assets? Just because he was the son?! She


    detested that! Noel snatched the contract over, and Jessica''s lips curled in a sneer.


    There was no chance in the world that Noel would reject her offer.


    "Right now, I truly don''t have an idea of how to deal with Cordy at this point.She''s smarter than I


    thought she was and I underestimated how important she is to John."


    Jessica was certain that Cordy was able to escape jail time because of John''s help.


    "Cordy isn''t simple indeed." Noel agreed with her.


    "I''ll contact you once I have an idea," Jessica said coldly.


    It was also her tant cue for Noel to leave.


    "Okay.I''ll definitely do my best, having learned my lesson this time," Noel said with determination.


    Noel left Jessica''s cafe.


    There was a tinge of uneasiness in her heart, but it was buried under all her excitement.


    She was now thergest shareholder of Sachs Enterprises.


    It was something she did not even dare to dream of, yet it became a reality for her so easily.


    From now on, she no longer needed to resign herself to her fate in the family! After Cordy fetched


    Quinn home, she went home on her own.She was previously not used to having Zoe in her house


    since she had always lived alone.


    Yet, now that there was one less person in the house, she found that even harder to get used to.She


    wondered how Zoe was doing now.She picked up her phone, pondered for a moment before finally


    deciding to call Zoe.


    Zoe had always been concerned about her.


    The call went through, and Cordy''s heart started beating faster.She had never felt like this even with a


    man.


    John''s face shed past her mind right that moment...


    "Cordy."


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    A voice sounded from the other end.


    Cordy snapped back to reality and said, "Zoe, I won the case."


    "I know, I saw the news about it.Congrattions!" Zoe said with joy.


    Yet, there was something different about her tone.


    She was notughing and gushing about it thoughtlessly.


    Instead, she felt more mature and measured in her response.


    Cordy''s heart ached.


    She said, "You''re now..."


    "I''m doing very well now, really," Zoe said enthusiastically.


    "I''ve thought it through.Many things are just fated to be.Since some things can''t be changed, I''ll justy


    back and ept it.For all I know...there''s a silver lining in this."


    "Are you together with Jay now?" Cordy could not hold herself back and asked directly.

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359


    Chapter 359


    There were a couple of reasons why Cordy suspected so.


    Firstly, there was warmth in Zoe''s voice when she talked about the silver lining.


    Zoe was not one to lie and cover up her emotions.She was probably trying to convey that an exciting


    chapter was about to begin in her life.


    Secondly, John said that Jay would take care of Zoe.


    If they could be honest with each other and resolve the misunderstanding between them, she believed


    it would only be a matter of time till they got together.


    "Why do you say so?" Zoe counter- questioned.


    Despite the changes that Cordy sensed, traces of Zoe''s exaggerated character were still preserved.


    Cordy furrowed her brow.


    "How could it be possible between me and Jay?! It''s good enough if he manages to take care of


    himself.How would he dare toe close to me? Jay and I..."


    Zoe paused for a moment before going on, "I admit that I felt upset, having remained single for so


    many years and waiting for Jay.I cheapened myself so much that I thought it was fine even if he didn''t


    like me and had rtionships with other women.I even fantasized that he woulde back to me after


    having his fun outside."


    Cordy tightened her grip over her phone, hesitating about saying certain things in her mind.


    Zoe went on.


    "I refused to admit previously that I still had feelings for Jay.I wasn''t just lying to you guys, I was lying to


    myself.I wanted to make myself look carefree and that nothing that Jay did could affect me.But in fact, I


    was very miserable because of him.Many times, I would pour myself into my work or drown myself with


    alcohol just so I could forget about him and the pain in my heart..."


    "Zoe, actually..."


    "But things are good now.I''ve really let go of things."


    Zoe cut Cordy off mid-sentence.


    "I''ve fallen for someone else."


    "What?" Cordy was shocked.


    "I couldn''t believe it myself either¡ªit turns out that affections can shift in an instant, just like that," Zoe


    chuckled.


    "Back then, when I confessed to Jay, everything was good between us that night.Yet, the next day, he


    went hugging another woman, being all intimate and clingy.I thought he was deliberately provoking me


    and perhaps trying to reject me for some reason.But I now realize that I was thinking too


    much.Affection really can just change in a blink of an eye."


    "Are...you bluffing me?"


    Cordy really hated doubting Zoe, but this was all too sudden.


    How could Zoe possibly suddenly fancy another person in such terrible circumstances and at such


    speed? She was even starting to get worried that Zoe might fall prey to a scam.


    "I didn''t want to tell you about this since it is rather fast and I was worried you might find me easy," Zoe


    said in slight embarrassment.


    Easy? Zoe? She was pure to a fault, given the fact that she was immersed in the entertainment circle


    that was in itself a terrible influence.


    Zoe had liked a person for eight whole years, for goodness'' sake.


    "But I was also scared that you guys were truly concerned for me, so I figured telling the truth was the


    best."


    Zoe took a deep breath, as if gathering up her courage, and she said, "It''s Bob."


    Cordy was so shocked she almost dropped her phone.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Did she hear Zoe wrongly?! Zoe and Bob? Although she seldom saw them together, she somehow


    instinctively felt that they were two people from different worlds! "You find it unbelievable too, don''t you?


    I really treated Bob as a brother, but who knew that he had a crush on me for many years? Think about


    it - someone so cheerful and outgoing having a secret crush on someone for so long...I really didn''t


    sense a thing and was so moved by Bob when I found out."


    "Being moved doesn''t equate to love..."


    Cordy reminded her.


    "I knew you''d say that.Sometimes, being moved can turn into love.


    Think about it¡ªaside from love at first sight, aren''t all rtionships nurtured through time? And how do


    affectionse by and rtionships grow? Isn''t it because the other party does something to move


    you? I didn''t expect myself to fancy someone like Bob either, but after epting him, I now find myself


    unable to reject him at all."


    Cordy could clearly sense the happiness in Zoe''s voice.


    This was a huge contrast to the phone conversation with Quinn and Zoest night.


    Last night, no matter what Zoe said, she could not feel any hope or aspiration Zoe had in her life.


    But now, she could feel it.So, were things over just like that between Zoe and Jay? The thought of


    Jay...

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360


    Chapter 360


    Cordy held herself back and decided not to say anything.Since Zoe had let things go, she should not let


    Zoe do so with any regrets.You and Quinn don''t need to worry about me.I''ll be well.Until the day when I


    face aplete dead-end, I won''t stand on ceremony in seeking you guys out," Zoe said brightly.


    "Okay," Cordy replied.


    "Gotta go, I need to learn how to cook."


    "Huh?"


    "Currently, when I have no idea what to do, I''ll start with learning basic life skills," Zoe said in all


    seriousness.


    She really looked like she was trying her best to live well.


    If Bob really could shine a light in Zoe''s world, Cordy would choose to give them her blessings.


    "I shan''t interrupt your skill learning then," Cordy said teasingly.


    "I''ll invite you and Quinn to my house for a meal next time."


    "Sure."


    They hung up.


    Cordy heaved a sigh of relief, and it was then that she felt fatigue setting in.


    Ever since she was involved in the court case and when things happened to Zoe subsequently, she


    had not had a good night''s sleep.


    She yawned and slept until she awoke naturally.


    Cordy stretched out and was about to order delivery when she recalled that Zoe was learning how to


    cook...


    She was not interested in cooking, but the thought of Richarding over frequently made her


    reconsider.


    She could not always let him eat takeout She hesitated for a moment before getting changed and


    heading vut to the grocery slur nearby [ur groceries.


    The moment she opened the door, she saw a tall man and a short boy standing right outside.


    Cordy furrowed her brows.


    It was the weekend today.


    Why did John bring Richard over? And he did so without even informing her beforehand.


    "I''m going overseas and will be leaving tomorrow," John exined.


    "I brought Dicky over to stay for a week. Coincidentally, Winston will be returning to his hometown this


    week too."


    Cordy suddenly recalled that John seemed to be overseas when the incident happened to her.


    He came back and now he was probably going overseas again to settle his unfinished business.


    Inexplicable feelings roiled in her heart, but she simply said, "Okay.


    "Mommy, are you heading out?" Richard asked upon seeing what Cordy was wearing.


    "Yes, Iam."


    "Where to? Can Ie too?" Richard enthused.


    "I''m going...to buy groceries," Cordy went on, "To cook."


    "Mommy, are you going to cook?"


    Richard was excited about the prospect.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    John shot her a nce.He was probably thinking about the wreckage she caused thest time.

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361


    Chapter 361


    "Is Mommy going to cook for me?" Richard sounded very agitated.


    "I want to buy groceries with Mommy, and I want to be with Mommy!" Cordy smiled and nodded.


    Of course, she would not leave Richard alone at home.She held his hand and said to John, "Head back


    first if you''re busy. I''ll take good care of Dicky."


    John did not respond.


    Cordy did not say anything further.


    Instead, she went ahead and brought Richard to a nearby grocery store, and John followed right


    behind them.


    Many times, Cordy wanted to tell him to leave, but she eventually chose to remain silent.


    The three of them walked around and shopped in the grocery store.


    "Mommy, what are we buying?"


    Richard was bubbling with excitement.He had never been to a grocery store like this, since his house


    had everything and Winston always made sure that the house was well- stocked.He never had the


    chance to visit a grocery store and see how it looked.


    "I''ll buy whatever you want to eat."


    "I want to eat fish, lobster, and crab..."


    Richard mentioned many seafood options.


    The corner of Cordy''s lips lifted in a smile.


    Richard''s pte was simr to hers.


    Cordy made a beeline to the seafood section and picked out many types of seafood.


    She thought about it and decided that seafood alone was not enough, so she picked out some


    vegetables, steak, and some snacks.


    After she was done, she said to John, "Help me watch Dicky for a while.I need some time to buy some


    personal items.Wait for me at the cashier."


    "Okay."


    With that, Cordy left.She was holding onto a couple of packets of sanitary pads as she headed to the


    cashier.


    John and Richard were already scanning the items at the self- checkout counter.


    When John saw her walking over, he reached out and said, "Give me your things.I''ll check them out


    together with everything else."


    Cordy hesitated, and John furrowed his brow.


    There were a few more people behind them in the queue.


    Feeling like some people were muttering under their breaths for them to hurry up, Cordy bit the bullet


    and passed all the packets of sanitary pads to John.


    John looked at them as he held them in his hands.


    Cordy felt so awkward she could not help but turn and look away.


    "Sir, we have an ongoing promotion for sanitary pads right now, where you can get a free box of


    condoms with every purchase.There are three types, so please select one."


    The cashier held out a few boxes as he exined.


    "No, thanks." John rejected him.


    "It''s free," the cashier hurriedly added.


    "It''s a promotion that the manufacturer is running.If you find it good, you can buy from this manufacturer


    again to support them.Just let me know which type you prefer.Oh yes, do take note of the different


    sizes!"


    It was the first time Cordy saw John look so awkward.He was so awkward that even his ears turned


    red, and she felt inexplicably gleeful about his plight.


    Who asked him to tag along shamelessly to their grocery store run? Just when Cordy''s lips lifted in a


    smirk, John turned to ask her, " Which one do you prefer?"


    The cashier turned to look at Cordy, and her face blushed bright red.


    Meanwhile, there was a young couple standing behind them, and the woman said, "Wow, not only is


    that man handsome, but he''s also thoughtful and caring enough to ask his girlfriend what she prefers.


    Unlike you, who only bothers to buy whatever you like without asking whether I''mfortable with it or


    not..."


    "Don''t you like it too?"


    The man was clearly upset at beingpared to someone else.


    "Hmph." Thedy refused to buy his argument.


    "At most, I''ll let you chooseter on, and we''ll buy whatever you like, okay?"


    The man decided to give in.


    Cordy wanted to dig a hole and bury herself in it as she listened to their conversation.


    "Miss, please help your husband choose a type," the cashier urged without forgetting toment,


    "Your husband is so nice. I seldom see husbands caring about their wives¡¯ opinions."


    Cordy nced at John, who had a smug smile hanging on his lips.


    Cordy was speechless.


    The thought of her gloating at his plight earlier made herment that retribution hade too soon.


    Cordy shut her eyes and randomly picked a box.


    "This one, then."


    "Okay."


    The cashier immediately packed it into a bag.


    After they made payment, the three of them walked out of the grocery store.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy seldom visited the grocery store and suddenly felt that she might have bought too much as she


    saw John carrying tworge bags filled to the brim.


    "Let me."


    Cordy stopped in front of John and said, "I''d hate to take up your time."


    "Are you sure?" John asked Cordy.

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362


    Chapter 362


    Cordy furrowed her brow.


    What was there to be unsure about? John did not resist and handed the two bags to Cordy.


    When she took them over, she immediately ced them on the ground.She did not expect them to be


    so heavy! She waspletely unable to lift them without any prior mental preparation.She saw John


    lifting them so easily...


    "Ms. Sachs, do you still want to act tough?" John asked.


    Cordy pursed her lips.She did not think that she bought a lot of things as she shopped, but yet, she


    unknowingly did.


    John did not make things too difficult for Cordy.


    He simply took over the two bags from her again and walked ahead.


    Cordy hesitated for a moment before holding Richard''s hand and following behind him.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    When they reached home, Cordy began packing the things she bought, and that was when she found


    the box of condoms.


    She nced at John who was seated on the couch with Richard watching television and wondered


    how she could hand the condoms over to him.


    "Do you need help?" John turned to look at her.


    It was as if he could sense what she was thinking, no matter where or when.


    Cordy nodded.


    John stood up and walked over to Cordy.


    Cordy immediately handed the box over to him.


    John nced at it.


    "Don''t you like this?" Cordy looked away.


    "I don''t need it."


    "Me neither."


    John was forthright in his response.


    Cordy looked at him and immediately understood.


    John and Jessica probably did not need this too.


    The two of them were not getting any younger, and their marriage most likely had children as part of


    the n.


    "I''ll chuck it, then," Cordy said as she made a move to throw it into the trash can.


    "Leave it, just in case there''s a need for it." John suddenly grabbed it.


    Cordy furrowed her brow.


    John took it and left, and Cordy did not say anything further.It was free, anyway.He could do anything


    he pleased with it.


    After Cordy was done packing, she began preparing dinner.


    When she finally decided on what to cook, John came in again.


    "I can do it myself..."


    "It''s almost 8 PM.Dicky is hungry," John said directly.


    That was when Cordy noticed the time.


    "It''ll be faster for me to cook instead," John suggested.


    "You can learn from the side, and you''ll improve faster, too."


    Cordy took a deep breath and nodded in approval.


    In her open kitchen, Cordy served as John''s kitchen assistant.


    John patiently exined to Cordy every step of the way as he cooked.


    The two of them had pretty good chemistry.


    In awhile, three dishes and a bowl of soup were ready on the table.


    John sat at the table and began eating with no qualms whatsoever.


    "Mommy, the dishes you cooked are delicious."


    Richard was eager to butter up his mother.


    Before Cordy could respond, John said, "Eat more, then.Don''t let your mommy''s effort go to waste."


    "I''ll have two huge bowls of food,"


    Richard dered out loud.


    Warmth seeped through Cordy''s heart.


    No matter how cold or distant the world felt, every day was a bright and warm spring day with Richard


    in her life.

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363


    Chapter 363


    "Mommy, I really love seeing our family like this,"


    Richard suddenly remarked.


    Cordy was slightly taken aback.


    "Like what?"


    "The three of us together, going to the grocery store, cooking dinner and enjoying it," Richard said


    naturally.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    At that moment, she had no idea what to say in response to Richard.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Mommy, don''t you like it too?" Richard blinked innocently as he asked her.


    "Of course." Cordy smiled in agreement.


    "Mommy likes whatever Dicky likes."


    "Mommy, you''re the best to me in this whole wide world! I love Mommy!" Richard said sweetly.


    Cordy did not know how someone as sullen and reserved as John could raise such a sweet -talking


    child as Richard.


    After dinner, Cordy was busy washing the dishes.


    John had wanted to help, but Cordy rejected him outright because she clearly did not want him close to


    her.


    The father and son pair were seated together on the couch, and Richard suddenly asked solemnly,


    "Daddy, how long more are you going to take to pursue Mommy?"


    John was staring at the open kitchen when he heard his son''s question.


    He turned to look at Richard.


    "I can''t put on this act for much longer."


    John could not hold back a chuckle.


    Richard was behavingpletely differently in front of Cordypared to his usual state at home.


    "If you can''t win Mommy over anytime soon, I won''t be able to help you very soon," Richard grumbled.


    "I''ll do my best."


    John had no words to refute his own son''s criticisms.


    "Is it so hard to pursue girls? Why is it that there are so many girls in my school who like me? I don''t


    even need to pursue them at all," Richard said sullenly.


    He had always held his father in high regard.


    But why did his father turn slow and dull in this sole matter? "IT used to think so too, until I met your


    mommy,"


    John exined, "Every person has his weakness.Do you understand?"


    "I don''t." You will when you meet the one next time."


    "Please, that won''t happen to me."


    Richard was certain.


    "There are so many girls who fancy me.When the timees for me to get married, I''ll just choose one


    of them and be done with it."


    John did not bother refuting Richard.


    After all, what would kids know about love? What''s more, Richard might really have such good luck to


    find the girl of his dreams among the hordes of girls who like him, unlike John, whose fate was fraught


    with difficulties.


    After Cordy was done with the dishes, she headed back to the living room and saw Richard having a


    very serious conversation with John.


    John did not seem to have any intention to leave at all. She nced at her watch andmented, "It''s


    gettingte, and you should head home. I''m going to bed with Dicky soon."


    "Okay."


    John nodded.


    It was rare to see him so forting.


    Cordy walked him to the door.


    "Thank you," she suddenly said to him.


    John was slightly taken aback.

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364


    Chapter 364


    "Thank you for your help in thewsuit," Cordy rified.


    John was the one who found all the critical evidence, especially evidence of the finance department


    finding someone to reproduce her signature on the documents.


    "I was the reason for everything to happen.You have no need to apologize."


    Cordy did not say anything further.She truly hoped from the bottom of her heart that John and Jessica


    could get married as soon as possible, thereby breaking all ties between her and John.


    But because John was the reason that everything was fine for her now, she had no right to request that


    of him.


    "Oh yes." Cordy changed the subject.


    "Did you know that Zoe and Bob are together now?"


    "I do," John replied.


    Cordy was not surprised.She never needed to doubt his ability and speed at hearing of such news.


    "From what I hear from Zoe, she shares a pretty good rtionship with Bob.I don''t want toment


    about whether their rtionship is more tonic or romantic in nature, but I can sense Zoe''s


    happiness, so I hope that you won''t interfere in their rtionship.If I were to be blunt about this, I don''t


    want you telling Zoe about everything that Jay hid from her in the past, and I don''t want him to be


    disturbing her peace and happiness."


    "Don''t worry, he won''t," John assured her.


    "Although Jay is family, I''ve always viewed my friends as equally important.If Bob truly loves Zoe and if


    she truly epts Bob, I give them my blessings and wish them happiness.Not just me, but so will Jay."


    Cordy looked at him.She felt that John trusted Jay unconditionally.


    "Jay and I witnessed it when Bob and Zoe confirmed their feelings for each otherst night.Jay turned


    around and left after that."


    John saw the disbelief in Cordy''s eyes and made himself clearer, saying, "If he had wanted to destroy


    things between them or try to fight for Zoe''s affections, he wouldn''t have left.Jay is a kind man."


    Cordy nodded in agreement.She remembered how Jay had sent her to the hospital when she was


    drunk previously.


    As much as he knew that there was something between her and John, she was still pretty much a


    stranger to him whom he could simply turn a blind eye to.


    Yet, he sent her to the hospital out of the kindness of his heart and made sure that she was settled in


    and fine before he left.


    "It''s hard to control matters of the heart." John could tell that Cordy''s heart ached for Jay.


    "So, I dare not let go. The moment I do, I know that it''ll only drift further from me."


    With that, John left.


    Cordy looked at his retreating figure.


    Of course, she knew clearly what hisst sentence meant.


    Cordy took a deep breath.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    John''s persistence was beginning to move her ever so slightly, but she did not want to admit that.


    On Monday, Noel at Sachs Enterprises'' weekly board of directors'' meeting earlier than the stipted


    time and sat in the chairman''s seat.


    All the other: directors exchanged nces.


    Noel was always sensible and knew her ce.


    Why was she seated there today? Even if Simon was busy and unable to attend the meeting and


    delegated her to host the meeting, she should have enough self-awareness to sit in the next seat


    instead.


    Of course, since she was a member of the Sachs family, the other directors did not make any


    comments.


    At thest moment, Simon brought Sonny into the meeting room.


    His face fell the moment he came in and saw Noel seated in his chair.


    Although Simon liked Noel and even felt slightly guilty toward her at -imes because of his bias toward


    his son, he was clearly upset when he saw her rudely seated at his chair.


    Sonny had always been rash and hotheaded.


    When he walked in behind his father and saw Noel seated in the chairman''s seat, his blood boiled as


    he yelled, "Noel, are you mad? How dare you sit at Dad''s seat! Hurry, ge: up! You''re embarrassing


    yourself!"


    Noel nced at Sonny and turned a blind eye to his shouts.


    Sonny was horrified at Noel''s attitude toward him.


    He was used to being the king in the Sachs household, and he was the heir of Sachs Enterprises, after


    all.


    Who would dare provoke him? He stormed up toward Noel, fully intending to pull her off the chair, when


    Noel pulled out the document indicating that she was thergest shareholder of Sachs Enterprises.


    She dered aloud, "I now own 41% of Sachs Enterprises'' shares and I''m itsrgest shareholder.


    ording to the organization''s rules, whoever owns the most shares is the chairman of Sachs


    Enterprises! In other words, from today on, I officially take over the position of chairman of Sachs


    Enterprises."

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365


    Chapter 365


    Everyone was shocked to silence at her words.


    Even Simon and Sonny were shocked speechless.


    Noel handed the document over to her assistant standing behind her.


    "Give it to my father, my beloved brother, and every senior director in the room."


    "Yes, Chairman." The assistant hurriedly handed out the documents to Simon and everyone else.


    The document stated everything in ck and white, leaving everyone with no choice but to believe that


    Noel had indeed be thergest shareholder of Sachs Enterprises.


    Noel looked at the looks of disbelief on Simon and Sonny''s face and sneered.


    She had wanted to show her trump card only when the Sachs really provoked her to herst straw, but


    she could not hold herself back and desperately ached for the chance to stand tall and proud before


    them.


    So she sat in the chairman''s seat during Sachs Enterprises'' board of directors'' meeting without giving it


    much thought.


    The feeling of looking down on all of them from her ce of power was great! "If there are no further


    questions, Father, Sonny, please sit here."


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Noel pointed at the seats next to her.


    Simon had always taken the highest position over the years at Sachs Enterprises.


    How could he swallow such humiliation especially at the look on Noel''s face? Although he did not throw


    a fit in front of the other senior directors, he found it impossible to stay on for the meeting.


    Instead, he turned around and left the meeting, mming the door on his way out.


    Sonny followed closely behind him.


    Noel smiled smugly, showing neither worry nor fear at Simon''s anger.


    She said proudly, "Let''s carry on with the meeting."


    She hosted the meeting as if nothing happened.


    After the meeting, Noel returned to her office.


    The moment she sat down, her door was kicked open by Sonny.


    Noel looked up nonchntly.


    "What do you mean by this? You secretly bought over so much of Sachs Enterprises'' shares? Where


    did you get the money from? How did you manage this?! Noel, how dare you fight with me for the


    family assets? Since when did you be this shameless?! The Sachs household is filled with


    shameless women¡ªyou and Cordy are both the same!"


    Sonny yelled furiously.


    His words were nasty to the ears.


    "Sonny, who do you think you are? Just look at what a useless bum you are and you dare dream about


    inheriting Sachs Enterprises? If Sachs Enterprises really ends up in your hands, it''ll be doomed to


    bankruptcy in no time!"


    "Shut up, Noel!"


    Sonny was in such a rage that he made a move to hit Noel.


    Just then, the security guards standing outside the room charged in and held Sonny down till he was


    unable to move.


    "Let me go, do you know who I am? Believe it or not, I can get you fired in no time!"


    "Who are you, indeed? You''re just a barking mad dog!" Noel said viciously.


    "You''re a mad dog who only knows how to blindly bite others.I''m telling you, Sonny, if you dare to


    cause any further trouble, I''ll throw you out of Sachs Enterprises with my own two hands!"


    "I dare you to!"


    "Throw him out right now!" Noel instructed.


    The security guards hauled Sonny away.


    "Let me go! I''ll beat you guys to death!"


    Sonny cursed all the way as he was thrown out.

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366


    Chapter 366


    "Let him go!"


    Simon suddenly walked in, and the security guards looked at Noel.


    Noel decided to leave her father some dignity and instructed them to let Sonny go.


    The moment Sonny shook himself free, he charged toward Noel, intending to beat her up, but Simon


    held him back.


    "That''s enough, you useless bum!"


    Sonny had no fear for anything in this world with the sole exception of his father.He quietened down


    immediately upon Simon''s scolding.


    Noel looked at Sonny and sneered.It made Sonny''s blood boil so much that he desperately wanted to


    kill Noel.


    "Noel, give me your shares.We''re still family and I promise not to pursue matters regarding what


    happened today."


    Simon tried his best to remain calm and even spoke in a kind manner.


    Noel burst outughing.


    "Dad, I finally know now why Cordy hates the Sachs family so much.That''s because everyone in our


    family is so disgusting!"


    Simon''s face darkened with displeasure.


    "I have no idea what gives you the right to ask me to give you the shares and even speak so


    magnanimously about not pursuing the matter.Do I need your magnanimity? Since I have the ability to


    sit in the chairman''s seat, I don''t intend to be pretentious in front of all of you!" Noel sneered.


    "Don''t me me for being nasty.You were the one who forced me into doing what I did.Sonny is


    useless and yet all of you defend him in all things.I''ve done so much for the family and none of you


    even care about me, and you even want me to work for Sonny my whole life.What justice is there in


    this world?! Do you really think the Sachs family is immortal and worthy of such worship?"


    "Enough of your nonsense, Noel! I''m only talking to you nicely because of our father-daughter


    rtionship..."


    "Don''t give me that.Ever since I saw how you treated Cordy, I knew that you care nothing for family


    ties.You only care about your own benefit.As long as it threatens your own benefit, you can be


    ruthless.If you can be ruthless to Cordy, you can to me as well.I really must thank Cordy for helping me


    see the true colors of the Sachs household and driving me to climb to this position!" Noel said brazenly.


    "You only have 1% more shares than I do, Noel.I can buy shares anytime I wish.Do you really think you


    can stay proud for long?"


    "Cordy has 10% and the other directors own a total of 9%.Let''s put it this way: Cordy would never sell


    you her shares, and you only have the Sachs family to thank.Back then, it was Grandma who


    announced to the whole world that she would never ask Cordy for help.Who else can you me for


    cutting off yourst hope?!"


    Noel cackled gleefully, "As for the 9% held by outsiders, if these shares could be bought over, would


    you even stand a chance? I would''ve already bought them over."


    "You!"


    Veins popped out on Simon''s forehead.He had never imagined that the daughter whom he had trusted


    so much would be so calctive.


    "This is entirely your own doing.Had you that bit more of a conscience, you wouldn''t have cornered


    yourself like this." Noel sneered.


    "Dad, if there''s nothing else, please take your beloved son away and don''t bother me working."


    "Are you sure you want to be this vicious, Noel?!"


    Simon threatened once again.


    Noel could not be bothered about Simon''s threats.


    Simon gritted his teeth and turned around to leave.


    "Oh yes,"


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Noel suddenly thought of something.


    "Dad, since you''re no longer the chairman, I''ll ask someone to clear out your office. I''ll use it in the


    future.As for which other room you want as your own office, please go ahead and select one."


    Simon''s face was dark with anger as he left in a huff.


    Sonny followed right behind him and both of them left Sachs Enterprises.


    They were mobbed by reporters the moment they arrived downstairs.


    News of Noel taking over Sachs Enterprises had spread!

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367


    Chapter 367


    News of Noel taking over Sachs Enterprises was trending online.


    No one expected meek and gentle Noel to transform into the chairman of Sachs Enterprises, taking


    over Simon when he was still in the prime of his life.


    Public reception toward Noel was mixed.


    The most poprment was about how outstanding the daughters of the Sachs family were,


    regardless of what happened.


    Noel was so, and so was Cordy.


    Simon, on the other hand, no longer had true authority over the Sachs household and became the butt


    of everyone''s jokes in themercial circle.


    Simon was unable to swallow the humiliation.


    Of course, it was not just Simon alone who was mad, for Plum and Sue were equally in a rage.


    At the Sachs¡¯ residence, Plum''s blood boiled as she yelled in anger, "To think I treated Noel so well!


    I''ve raised an ingrate, that''s what I''ve done! She''s done us so much harm behind our backs, I really


    wish I could p her to death!"


    She turned to Sue and said angrily, "It''s all your fault for giving birth to that wretch! How in the world did


    you teach her, to the point of her scheming against us?"


    "Mom, I have no idea why Noel became like this either.You know how obedient she usually is..."


    Sue said indignantly; she had always been adept at acting pitiful and innocent.


    ¡®You''re always crying all day, it''s frustrating just looking at you.


    Did Noel learn that from you? Appearing so innocent and harmless on the surface, but wicked and


    scheming on the inside,"


    Plum scolded.


    "I''m not, I''m truly doing everything I can for the family.I tried so hard to give the Sachs family a son and


    almost died during childbirth.Did you forget all that, Mom?"


    Tears welled up in Sue''s eyes.


    Plum was about to say something when...


    "Enough!"


    Simon roared, "Are you trying to frustrate me even more? You women are always fighting day in, day


    out, the family is being torn to shreds precisely because of all your fighting!"


    No one dared to say a word more the moment Simon opened his mouth.


    After a long while, Plum could not hold back her question.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "Simon, what do you think we should do now? Do we just let Noel go on being proud? I won''t be able to


    swallow that."


    Simon''s face was icy.He himself was unable to swallow the fact that he had been plotted against by his


    own daughter.


    "Can''t we just spend more money to buy some shares so that we can have more than Noel?" Plum


    asked again.


    "I''ve asked all the other senior directors holding onto 9% of the shares, and they refuse to sell it,"Simon


    said with a trace of viciousness in his voice, "They own original shares that were passed down over two


    or three generations, and it''s impossible that they would let up the shares.They don''t need the money,


    and they are keeping it for sentimental reasons."


    Plum''s face darkened with displeasure, but she suddenly recalled something.


    "Didn''t you give Cordy 10% of the shares previously?!"


    "You have the cheek to mention that!"


    Simon could no longer hold his temper back as he charged at Plum without any respect for her.


    "Back then, had you not hit Cordy of your own ord, would I have allowed Cordy to take that 10% of


    shares so quickly?!"


    "I..."


    Plum tried to exin herself.


    She had never expected to see her son pointing fingers and yelling so madly at her.

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368


    Chapter 368


    She always had her say in the Sachs household! "What exactly were you thinking when you put Cordy


    down in front of the media, saying that the Sachs family will never beg her for help for anything? Now


    you''ve cut off our only hope! You have no sense at all, despite being so advanced in years!"


    Simon scolded.


    He shifted all me and responsibility to Plum.


    "You...how dare you say that of me?! I''m your mother, Simon.Aren''t you afraid of being struck by


    lightning?!"


    Plum''s face paled as she yelled back.


    "If you weren''t my mother, I would have chased you out of the house long ago! You''re so ungrateful


    even after enjoying good times at our house for so many years!"


    Anger rose in Simon''s chest as he spoke.


    The thought of him being the butt of everyone else''s jokes made him furious with nowhere to vent his


    anger.


    After he was done yelling at Plum, he suddenly stood up from the couch and kicked the coffee table.


    The cups on the table smashed on the floor, making a hugemotion.


    After that, he left upstairs in a huff.


    Plum''s eyes turned red with anger.She had never been treated so poorly, having lived to such an


    advanced age.She never expected the day toe when her son whom she had raised since young


    would scold her like this.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    "Grandma, don''t me Dad for scolding you like this.You were being unreasonable."


    Sonny threw her a remark and turned to leave as well.


    Plum was hopping mad.


    The grandson whom she doted dearly on and gave everything she had was turning around and


    teaching her a lesson?! "Ingrates, all of you are ingrates!"


    Plum said, her entire body shaking with anger.


    Sue felt inexplicably gleeful.


    Having lived under Plum''s oppression over the years, Sue never had a chance to be herself.


    In fact, upon knowing that Noel had taken over Sachs Enterprises, she could understand why she did


    so.


    She had given birth to Noel and knew exactly what Noel was thinking¡ªshe wanted to be somebody


    great whom everyone would bow down to and obey.


    On the surface, however, Sue continued to put on an act andforted Plum with feigned care and


    concern.


    "Actually, Mom, it''s not that there isn''t a way out with Cordy..." Plum looked at Sue.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Cordy is still part of the family.She doesn''t actually have any use for the 10% of shares.Isn''t it better for


    her to sell it for money?!"


    Sue suggested.


    "She just needs a reason to do so.Back then, you were the one who cut off all ties with Cordy in front of


    the media.As long as you retract that statement and exin to the media that you said what you said


    previously out of anger, you can go back to Cordy, treat her nicely, and ask her to sell her shares back


    to us."


    "Sue Yorkman, are you trying to force me to my death? Iam Plum Lang, for goodness'' sake.Won''t it be


    akin to pping my own face if I were to retract my own statement?!"


    Plum was furious.


    "But we have no other way.You saw for yourself how determined Noel is, and none of us can convince


    Noel otherwise.I, as her mother, want to teach her a lesson too, but I''m not capable enough.The only


    way now is for you to put your dignity aside and beg Cordy for help."


    Sue instigated her.


    "I won''t go.I''ll beg Cordy over my dead body!"


    Plum would never do something so beneath her.


    "Then we''ll just have to see Sachs Enterprises end up in Noel''s hands." Sue sighed helplessly.She


    stood up, getting ready to leave.


    "Wait."


    Plum gritted her teeth, knowing that she was a major reason for these things that had happened to


    them thus far.


    "I''ll give Cordy a call."


    "Cordy certainly wouldn''t pick up the phone.If you''re really sincere about it, I suggest that you see


    Cordy face-to-face, which would appear more sincere," Sue said kind-heartedly.

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369


    Chapter 369


    Plum decided toe to apromise eventually.


    How could she allow Noel to climb all over their heads?! She was beingpletely unruly! As long as


    she could get the shares back from Cordy, she would make hell for that wretched Noel.


    Plum brought Sue along to Starstream Group''s office building, where Cordy was in a meeting.


    Because of some issues that cropped up at thest bid invitation, they had to regroup and ren things


    again.


    The threepanies that ced their bids gave up on them eventually.


    They needed to call for bids again or alternatively, invest in their own manufacturing nt.


    Due to the many factors they had to consider, the meeting took very long.


    After the meeting ended and everyone filed out of the room, Vince whispered in Cordy''s ears,


    ''Ms.Sachs, your grandmother is waiting for you in your office."


    Cordy tensed up.


    Vince immediately exined, "She kicked up a fuss at the reception and I couldn''t interrupt you during


    the meeting.To keep things in order in the office, I had no choice but to bring her to your office.You can


    see..."


    "All right, I got it." Cordy nodded.


    She did not say anything further.


    Vince had be more cautiouspared to the past.


    Even since thewsuit which Vince felt partially responsible for, he swore to work even harder.


    It waspletely understandable that Vince was unable to make a firm decision where she did not


    give clear instructions on, and it was pertaining to her family disputes.


    Cordy walked into her office.


    Plum, whose face had darkened with displeasure from waiting for Cordy for so long, immediately


    stered a smile on her face at the sight of Cordy''s return.


    "Cordy, you''re finally done with your meeting.I didn''t expect things to be so busy for you in a day..."


    Plum walked up warmly, reaching out to hold Cordy''s hand.


    Cordy lifted her hand and walked directly to her desk, keeping her distance from them.She knew clearly


    why Plum was here.She was surprised that Noel was able to take over Sachs Enterprises in such a


    short time.She could figure it out after a moment''s thought, however.


    This was Jessica''s reward to Noel.


    Although she did not seed this time, Noel was still valuable to her.


    Thus, Jessica was willing to invest in her once more.


    With that, Noel would be a puppetpletely at Jessica''s bidding.


    Of course, that was Noel''s own choice.


    It was not her ce toment on her choices.


    That was all there was to things.


    She had originally wanted to teach Noel a lesson, but she suddenly felt that leaving things to blow up


    internally in the Sachs household was a good oue too.


    It was time for the Sachs family to reap what they sowed.


    "Cordy."


    Plum saw how nonchnt Cordy looked, but it did not stop her from sitting down before Cordy and


    going on, "I was wrong to treat you in the way I did in the past.I feel so much regret right now,


    especially upon seeing how ungrateful Noel has been.I had wronged you in the past and I was blinded


    by the act that Noel had been putting up.Now that I''ve finally seen her true colors, I''m here to apologize


    to you.I''m in the wrong, so please forgive me."


    Cordy smiled and remained unmoved. She said inly, "Okay."And then, nothing.Plum waited for a


    long while, but she did not hear Cordy say anything further.


    "Cordy," Plum called out once more.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cordy ignored Plum, keeping her attention fixed on herputer screen.


    ¡®l have a request to ask of you this time." Plum finally made her objective clear.

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370


    Chapter 370


    Cordy smiled faintly.


    "You know that Noel has control over Sachs Enterprises right now, with only 1% more shares than your


    father.You have 10% of Sachs Enterprises'' shares, don''t you? As long as you sell 2% of your shares to


    your father, Noel wouldn''t dare be so proud in Sachs Enterprises."


    Anger rose in Plum''s chest as she spoke, but she tried her best to suppress it as she said ingratiatingly


    to Cordy, "Don''t worry, I''ll be fair to you this time.As long as you''re willing to sell the shares to us, I can


    buy it over from you at double the market price."


    "No, thanks."


    Cordy turned to look at Plum and said without any hesitation, "I won''t sell it no matter how high the


    price."


    "Cordy, it''s not like you have any use for it keeping it around.If Sachs Enterprises really ends up in


    Noel''s hands, it might be doomed to decline.What''s more, you''re so busy with Starstream, how would


    you have the time and energy to manage things in Sachs Enterprises..."


    "It''s my own problem whether I have the time or not.The shares were passed on to me from my mother


    when she died.Even if Sachs Enterprises were to go bankrupt, I''ll never sell it."


    Cordy went on mercilessly, "As for whether Noel has the capability or not, honestly speaking, she''ll


    probably be better than Dad."


    "Cordy Sachs!"


    Plum could no longer hold back her temper and yelled out loud.


    Cordy didn''t even flinch, having long gotten used to being yelled at by her grandmother.


    "Would you rather I go hard on you instead?!" Plum threatened.


    "Whatever,"


    Cordy could not be bothered.


    "Believe it or not, I''ll go out right this moment and tell reporters that you don''t respect me and that you


    abuse me? I''ll tear your reputation to shreds!" Plum said through gritted teeth.


    "Madam Lang." Cordy didn''t even want to call her Grandmother. She was not fit for the address.


    "Did you forget what you said to the reporters previously? You said that I no longer had anything to do


    with the Sachs family, that the Sachs family will nevere to me for help, and that you''ll be thankful


    as long as I don''t hanker after the Sachs family''s assets." Cordy mocked, "Don''t worry, 1 am capable of


    doing everything you said."


    "You!"


    Plum knew she could do nothing to Cordy. In fact, she had expected Cordy to be difficult to talk to.


    "I''m very busy."


    Cordy didn''t want to waste any more time talking to Plum.


    "Vince."


    "At your service."


    Vince immediately walked in.


    "Please send our guests out,"


    Cordy instructed without any warmth in her voice.


    "In the future, don''t let any outsiderse in.If they cause trouble for you, just call the police."


    "Yes."


    Vince walked toward Plum and Sue.


    "This way, please."


    Plum looked viciously at Cordy and said, "Cordy, the tables will turn and one day you''ll see how


    powerful I can be!"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    "Your words are better said to yourself, given your plight right now."


    The moment she walked to the lobby of the building, she saw reporters waiting there.


    Plum was taken aback.She had not called any reporters.


    Sue sneered inwardly.She was the one who did it.


    Plnm canid not bring herself to apologize ta Cordy in front of the media, as that would be akin to


    indirectly pping herself, but that was exactly what Sue wanted to force Plum to do.


    She refused to believe that Cordy would still refuse to help even with that.


    "Madam Sachs, what are you doing here at Starstream Group''s office building?"


    "Didn''t you say thal Cordy Sachs nu longer has any ties with the Saclis family?"


    "Didn''t you say that the Sachs family will never seek Cordy''s help? Are you here to beg her to help your


    son to snatch back control of Sachs Enterprises?"


    Plum''s face was ashen with shock, and Sue whispered something in her ear. Plum hesitated for a


    moment before falling backward.


    Sue immediately held onto her, and all the reporters were shocked to see what had happened.


    "Yes, today, my mother is indeed here to ask Cordy for help.She did say some harsh words to Cordy


    previously, but Cordy is her granddaughter, after all, and that''s no way to treat an elder.Not only did she


    reject my mother''s kind intentions, but she even...even .."


    Sue''s eyes welled up with tears, looking ever so sorrowful and helpless.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 371

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 371


    Chapter 371


    The journalists were pestering them endlessly, and Sue answered reluctantly, ¡°Cordy


    Sachs was verbally abusive towards my mother-inw. She even pushed her a couple


    times and almost knocked her down. My mother¡¯s already seventy, and certainly


    couldn¡¯t take it if I didn¡¯t catch her¡­ She¡¯s very distraught, and it took her a long while


    to calm down and leave. Please don¡¯t disturb her-she just wanted the best for the


    children, and for peace in the family.¡±


    With that, she helped Plum leave.


    The journalists didn¡¯t dare to give chase, since Plum was indeed very old- no one


    could afford the responsibility if she fainted again, or if something even worse


    happened.


    Cordy stood before the ss wall in her office, staring coolly as the journalists


    downstairs dispersed.


    To Vince, who was standing behind her, she said, ¡°Go to security. Request for footage


    of Plum Lang in my office, and send it to the media immediately.¡±


    After all, Cordy would never hold back against the Sachs.


    ¡°Yes, Miss Sachs,¡± Vince replied respectfully.


    In the afternoon, various media outlets were publishing articles of Cordy being


    abusive towards her grandmother Plum Lang. The topic soon became trending.


    Yet no sooner had it made it there, new articles refuting that appeared and promptly


    shot to first ce on hot searches.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    The huge p in the face reduced Plum to a joke. Almost immediately, everyone was


    ming her.


    Things like ¡®senile¡¯, ¡®wisdom doesn¡¯te with age¡¯ and ¡®just deserts¡¯ were all amongst


    the criticisms shot her way; they almost gave her a heart attack.


    Angered, she pped Sue across the first with the back of her palm, leaving a huge


    crimson swell on thetter¡¯s cheek.


    Despite that, Plum remained absolutely livid; she was bent on venting all her


    frustrations on Sue.


    ¡°You b*tch! You knew Cordy wouldn¡¯t let me off easy, yet you still suggested


    something so dumb! How will I show my face in public now?!¡±


    Sue was just as livid.


    Even after all these years, she would always be struck and scolded by Plum.


    She was a person, not some dog!


    She raised her hand and pped Plum back, leaving the old woman dumbstruck.


    Plum was once more livid; how dare Suey a finger on her!


    Where did Sue get the guts?!


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, Sue Yorkman!¡± Plum snarled, her expression vicious.


    Before she coulde good on her threat. Sue suddenly dropped on the floor beside


    the tea table; appearing to be in great pain.


    Plum didn¡¯t even have time to realize what was happening when Simon started


    bellowing out of nowhere, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve troubled the family enough?!¡±


    Plum turned towards him and quickly said, ¡°Simon! She hit me!¡±


    ¡°Did she ever?!¡± Simon snapped, havingpletely lost his patience with Plum.


    ¡°She just did-¡±


    ¡°Simon, it¡¯s alright. She¡¯s just in a bad mood and wanted to vent. Please don¡¯t me


    her,¡¯ Sue said tearfully as she pushed herself off the floor, looking utterly feeble. ¡°I¡¯ve


    told her not to go to Cordy, but she refused to listen and insisted Cordy would


    definitely hear her out. The media had to report what happened, but she couldn¡¯t take


    it and¡­¡±


    ¡°Sue! You put me up to it! How dare you-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Simon barked, not wanting any exnations from Plum. ¡°What can you do


    now aside from embarrassing everyone?! I wish it was you who died back then


    instead of Dad! All you amount to is causing more trouble for me!¡±


    ¡°W-What?!¡± Plum never expected Simon to get so abusive.


    Simon ignored her and barked, ¡°Someone get in her! Lock her in her room, and make


    sure she stays inside!¡¯

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 372

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 372


    Chapter 372


    Plum was livid. ¡°How dare you?!¡±


    Simon didn¡¯t even look her way, however, and turned to leave.


    ¡°You will pay for this, Simon!¡¯ Plum shrieked, but she couldn¡¯t stop the servants from


    dragging her upstairs and shutting her in her own room.


    No matter how she fought or screamed, no one cared.


    Sue certainly felt cathartic upon seeing what befell Plum.


    She was uneasy when Noel took control over Sachs Enterprises; to Sue, it was


    rightfully Sonny Sachs¡¯s. However, using that to trample all over Plum wasn¡¯t so bad


    either.


    After all, Noel was her own daughter. She doubted that Noel had no attachment


    towards her mother.


    Cordy was working in her office at Starstream Group when Vince knocked on the


    door, saying, ¡°Miss Sachs? There¡¯s a Mr. Patrick Stuart here to see you.¡±


    Patrick who?!


    ¡°He said he wanted to discuss investing in Starstream High Fashion,¡± Vince


    exined.


    Cordy remained silent.


    With the invitation to tender before falling through, she hade to an initial


    agreement with the board at the meeting in the morning that they would keep


    investing in theirpany. While the risk was huge and capital management would be


    precarious, it also meant their sales and operations were independent without


    involving third parties. With management rights in their own hands, operations would


    go more than smoothly.


    Even so¡­


    ¡°Show him in.¡± Cordy said. She was convinced that people in business should not


    reject any opportunities.


    Soon, a man in a ck suit entered.


    He had an erect gait and projected an impressive presence. While he was not exactly


    handsome, one would still notice him in a crowd.


    ¡°Miss Sachs,¡± Patrick greeted her politely, offering a handshake.


    Cordy rose to her feet in turn. ¡°Mr. Stuart.¡±


    They had a polite exchange as they took their seats, and Cordy asked, ¡°I heard from


    my secretary that you¡¯re interested in Starstreams High Fashion?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Patrick replied.


    ¡°Why me? You ought to know that I¡¯m constantly hounded with scandals, which was


    why my previous partners decided to pull out,¡± she said bluntly.


    A man who came knocking on her door would know everything beforeing, and it


    was unnecessary for her to hide it.


    Honesty was a prerequisite to a partnership, after all.


    ¡°Opportunities onlye in business if you ride the storm, Miss Sachs. Moreover, I¡¯ve


    seen your designs myself¡ªI¡¯m convinced you have what it takes to seed.¡± Patrick


    smiled, but his tone was determined.


    ¡°In that case, may I ask for an introduction to yourpany, Mr. Stuart?¡± Cordy


    asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Patrick said as he took out a dossier from his briefcase.¡±


    That¡¯s thepany I own-it¡¯s nothing impressive, but we don¡¯tck money. N


    Cordy stared at him.


    Rarely could anyone speak of money so lightly!


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Cordy replied, her eyes still on the dossier as she asked nonchntly,


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the Stuarts of Rocktown?¡±


    Patrick¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ I guess Jessica Stuart


    could be considered my cousin.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed as he continued, ¡¯Her grandfather is my grandfather¡¯s brother.


    You should be aware that half of the Stuarts are in business, while the rest are in


    politics, yes? I¡¯m one of thetter.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 373

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 373


    Chapter 373


    Cordy closed thepany dossier Patrick gave her, her expression determined after


    getting the answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of my connection to your family, Mr. Stuart,¡± she said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Patrick replied cheerfully. ¡°That¡¯s why I came to you, seeking a


    partnership.¡±


    As Cordy raised a brow, he shed a refined smile in return. ¡°The enemy of my enemy


    is my friend¡ªisn¡¯t that what Jessica and Noel Sachs¡¯ partnership was based on?¡±


    Cordy studied him-to think that he knows so much about Jessica and Noel¡¯s


    partnership.


    Still, it was precisely his ability to find out everything about her and those around her


    that made her feel incapable of partnering with him.


    Before Cordy could speak, however, Patrick added bluntly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to reject


    me in a hurry, Miss Sachs. Why don¡¯t you hear me out and understand what I hope to


    achieve with our partnership, and why I have a bone to pick against Jessica?¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Cordy stopped herself right then.


    With that, Patrick began to exin. ¡°Decades ago-during my great greatgrandfather¡¯s


    time, the family made an arrangement: Monty Stuart, my grandfather, would work in


    politics, whereas William Stuart, Jessica¡¯s grandfather, would work in businesses.


    Decades went by with the arrangement being implemented without a hitch, and both


    branches of the family would always help each other.¡±


    ¡°In thest ten years, however, William has set his sights on politics and started to get


    involved in various political events in the capital, with James Stuart at his side.


    Though he¡¯s the heir to the Stuart Holdings, Jessica is in fact the one in charge of


    everything.¡±


    ¡°Their objective in doing so was to set up their own separate dynasty, while usurping


    our influence in politics. It certainly was ambitious of them, but William¡¯s strength


    alone wouldn¡¯t be enough for that push. He needs support from multiple factions, and


    William¡¯s first target is the Levines¡ªthe richest family of North City, which led to the


    sudden announcement of Jessica and John Levine¡¯s engagement.¡±


    Watching Cordy, Patrick asked, ¡°You might be wondering-the Levines are only


    involved in business, so how would that affect politics, yes?¡±


    Cordy stayed silent, so he continued on his own. ¡°First and foremost, politics isn¡¯t all


    about influence. Huge capital is always needed. Even if William¡¯s side of the family


    had plenty of money, no one everins about having too much money. Likewise,


    the path for them to establish themselves in politics is still rocky. Not only do they


    need someone they could fall back on, but they also need to ensure that Stuart


    Holdings would never fall. The Levines are therefore to be a strategic ally in that


    cause. So don¡¯t me John Levine for turning from you-and it¡¯s not just him either.


    Even n Levine has no say in the matter.¡±


    Cordy looked up at him, surprised that he would defend John.


    ¡°And that brings us to the second point-the man named John Levine,¡± Patrick


    continued. ¡°I¡¯ve done my research on him, and it turned out that his father was a


    prodigy like him. It was terrible to lose that man so early, but there was also that time


    when everyone was presuming that Levine


    Ventures would fall when things looked so bleak forthem. However, John himself


    brought them back from the brink at twenty. It was a legend inmerce, hence why


    William had his eyes on John and was eager to bring John into his fold. In short, there


    are times when being too capable is bad.¡±


    ¡°And that brings us to the present.¡±


    Despite having said so much, Patrick didn¡¯t seem interested in Cordy¡¯s response and


    simply continued, ¡°My side of the family has stopped William¡¯s march into gaining a


    political foothold. You should understand. Miss Sachs, that things work differently in


    politics than in business. There are only so many political seats, especially on top of


    the hierarchy. If I¡¯m to make it even more blunt¡ªmy grandfather would fall if William


    rose to the top. I¡¯m sure you know how that works.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 374

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 374


    Chapter 374


    Patrick hence concluded, ¡®This is why I came seeking a partnership with you, Miss


    Sachs-so that my family can retain our influence.¡±


    ¡°You tter me, Mr. Stuart,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°I¡¯m far less wealthier than every other


    bigwig in North City, let alone the Levines. I¡¯ve never gotten involved in politics to


    know my way around it either, so a partnership with me doesn¡¯t help you at all.¡±


    ¡°You should give yourself more credit, Miss Sachs,¡± Patrick grinned. ¡°It¡¯s already clear


    that you¡¯re special, given how John Levine was smitten-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not necessarily a connection between sentiment andpetence, ¡± Cordy


    retorted, cutting him off swiftly.


    ¡°Of course, but that¡¯s just one point,¡± Patrick replied, ignoring her and showing no


    doubt in what he had set his mind on. ¡°Secondly, if William Stuart intends to venture


    into politics, our side of the family has cause to get involved in business. Right now,


    you don¡¯t have the ability topete, but it is my opinion that a dark horse like you


    would soon surpass most- and I am willing to trust you.¡±


    ¡°Lastly,¡± he added, ¡°we have one shared objective: to prevent the matrimony between


    John Levine and Jessica Stuart.¡±


    ¡°But I would like that to happen,¡± Cordy told him without uncertainty.


    She didn¡¯t say that out of spite, nor was she lying to herself-she genuinely would give


    John and Jessica her blessings of happiness from the bottom of her heart. Meanwhile,


    she could remove herself from the equation without further issue.


    Patrick sighed. ¡°Whatever you may believe, Miss Sachs, I know for a fact that John


    would never marry Jessica.¡±


    ¡°Then why would youe to me?¡¯ Cordy asked, raising a brow. ¡°You should talk to


    the man himself.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯d be obvious what I¡¯m doing if I did. Right now, there¡¯s still a delicate peace


    between my side of the family and William¡¯s, and neither are burning bridges just yet,¡±


    Patrick exined. ¡°I need you to help me with Jessica.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed, but Patrick simply continued, ¡°Everyone¡¯s convinced that the


    progress of their side of the family depends on James Stuart, but that is not the case.


    That responsibility has actually been ced squarely on Jessica¡¯s shoulders. James


    is no more than the chess piece for the next move, whereas Jessica ys the


    important role of managing Stuart Holdings. Anything happens to her, their business


    falls apart and their arranged marriage to the Levines would be annulled. And once


    William loses the pir of support from his empire ofmerce, his attempted venture


    into politics would just be a pipe dream.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really overestimating me, Mr. Stuart. Right now, I want nothing more than to


    run away from Jessica Stuart,¡± Cordy repeated, ¡°nor do I believe I have what it takes


    to stand against her.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but you don¡¯t get to choose now,¡± Patrick shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re now an eyesore


    to her, and she won¡¯t rest until you¡¯re eliminated. Thest failed attempt would only


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    spur her to double her efforts, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re


    smart enough to understand. You really shouldn¡¯t believe you could be free just


    because she married John Levine. She¡¯s never the type who lets any potential threat


    stay alive.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, but she couldn¡¯t argue against that.


    With that, Patrick continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not one who takes things lying down, or


    you¡¯d never have enjoyed all the sesses you had this far.


    You¡¯re tough as nails, and I¡¯ve always admired that. I¡¯m convinced you won¡¯t refuse.¡¯


    ¡°But I do. I refuse,¡± Cordy said, holding her gaze and showing zero hesitation.


    There was a brief sh of surprise in Patrick¡¯s sharp gaze.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 375

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 375


    Chapter 375


    Patrick went silent for a while.


    Cordy would rather not exin herself, but seeing that Patrick had traveled all the way


    here, she should at least give him a reason to leave. ¡°I understand your reasoning,


    and there¡¯s definitely a lot in it for me.


    However, I refuse to take part in this grudge match, just as Ick the capacity for it.¡±


    ¡°Your families stand at a level far above my reach or recognition, and I don¡¯t have that


    much ambition because all I want is a peaceful life.


    Naturally, you can argue that there¡¯s no peace to be had in my life right now, and I¡¯ll


    admit as much-but at the very least, I wouldn¡¯t go out of my way to allow that peace to


    slip through my grasp by my own doing.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple rolled, and he suddenly asked, ¡°Because of your son?¡±


    The change in Cordy¡¯s expression was all too obvious.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard to find out,¡± Patrick added bluntly.


    Cordy red at him. ¡°If that¡¯s the type of person you really are, Mr. Stuart, I don¡¯t


    believe there¡¯s a need to continue this discussion¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not despicable enough to threaten you with your child,¡± Patrick quickly exined.


    ¡°I certainly know about the saying that mothers are strong. But don¡¯t you think you


    owe your own son the same peace you crave?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business,¡± Cordy replied coolly. ¡°If you really aren¡¯t going to threaten me as


    you say, don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Patrick nodded, his tone suddenly changing. ¡°But can I just ask¡­ Do you


    really not want to take your own destiny upon your own hands? Are you going to keep


    bearing the humiliation of everything Jessica Staurt


    threw at you? Or perhaps, you were pinning your hopes on John Levine? He¡¯s a


    businessman. Even if I won¡¯t deny that he has feelings for you, there¡¯s rarely anyone


    who has such resolve and would stand with one choice to the end, especially when


    they lose more than what they gain.¡¯


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re a businessman too, Mr. Stuart,¡± Cordy scoffed. ¡°Moreover, we¡¯ve just


    met. What makes you think I¡¯d trust you enough to work with you? Common goals?


    What if one day we share nothing inmon?


    Policies change, and you are a Stuart at the end of the day. In the case where your


    family kisses and makes up, won¡¯t I just be disposed of as an expendable asset?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯ve brought you a gift, Miss Sachs.¡± Patrick suddenly took out another


    document envelope from his briefcase.


    Cordy stared at him, presuming immediately that he was bribing her.


    Before she could say no, Patrick said earnestly, ¡°Please, take a look first.¡±


    Cordy ultimately opened it, and her face dropped the instant she saw what was inside.


    She certainly didn¡¯t expect him to go that far to win her partnership!


    She promptly turned back to Patrick, who smiled and said, ¡°If you ever think that I¡¯ve


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    betrayed you, you may use that to destroy my reputation. But I must emphasize one


    thing-no matter how things end between John Levine and Jessica, I¡¯m the only one


    who can protect you for the time being. At the very least, if you work with me, she¡¯d


    never dare to call upon her influence to bring you harm.¡±


    Even so, Cordy stayed silent.


    Patrick in turn rose to his feet. ¡°Please take your time to consider, Miss Sachs.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You forgot this.¡± Cordy held out the envelope.


    ¡°Keep it,¡± Patrick told her. ¡®As a token of my sincerity of a future partnership. I¡¯m


    convinced I still stand a chance before you reject me entirely.¡±


    ¡°Alright, you have a deal,¡± Cordy suddenly said.


    Patrick¡¯s lips curled into a smile, but he promptly hid his delight.


    The Stuarts really were stoic, weren¡¯t they?


    Still, it wasn¡¯t his sincerity that convinced her; it was his words.


    Mothers are strong.


    And Cordy definitely should try, for Dicky¡¯s sake.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 376

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 376


    Chapter 376


    Cordy stared at Patrick, and then admitted, *1 have no guarantee that I can be helpful


    in your campaign against Jessica Stuart. The best thing I can do at the moment is to


    improve the value of our partnership.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s enough,¡± Patrick replied. ¡°If you¡¯re going for something big, rushing things


    would only ruin everything, even your previous achievements.¡±


    ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t I at least report our business strategy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just an investor. You have full authority on the rest.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cordy did not press him, since he was mostly involved in politics and


    wasn¡¯t exactly learned in business.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I buy you dinner to celebrate our partnership?¡± Patrick offered.


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯ll be busy for the next couple days,¡± Cordy refused. ¡°I¡¯m picking up my


    son from school.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I shan¡¯t impose,¡± Patrick said politely, his fine upbringing and considerate


    nature obvious. ¡°Here¡¯s my number. Do keep in touch.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Patrick left after they exchanged contact methods, and William¡¯s side of the family


    received word as soon as he left.


    Jessica was scowling terribly, just like her brother James. ¡°What¡¯s the point of


    securing a partnership with Cordy Sachs?¡±


    James growled, ¡°He obviously wants a venture into business. He probably thinks he


    could walk over us if he does!¡±


    He smiled in contempt; Monty Stuart¡¯s health was declining, after all.


    It was certainly a stark contrast to William Stuart¡¯s activeness in capital politics, which


    was slowly pulling the family¡¯s support to their side. There was no way Patrick could


    turn the tables¡ªand certainly not now!


    ¡°Still, Cordy Sachs? He could¡¯ve asked anyone else! Does he really think she could


    help him secure a foothold in business? He gives her too much credit!¡± Jessica was


    certainly prejudiced against Cordy.


    ¡°She¡¯s not to be underestimated,¡± William suddenly spoke, and both siblings were


    immediately respectful.


    Turning towards them, he added, ¡®Otherwise, she would¡¯ve been behind bars by now.¡±


    Jessica hung her head in embarrassment, but James quickly defended her. ¡°That¡¯s


    mainly because John Levine was helping her in secret!¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why that man is the key,¡± William growled coolly. ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t


    marry Jessica, our foothold will remain shaky. The way I see it, Patrick approached


    Cordy because he intends to draw John to his cause. It is a fine move on his part!¡±


    ¡°But John isn¡¯t giving in, and we really shouldn¡¯t push him¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time I speak with n again. This knot must be tied.¡± William¡¯s eyes narrowed


    viciously, his gaze so sharp anyone who saw it would feel a child down their spine.


    A weekter, John headed straight to Cordy¡¯s home the instant he returned to North


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    City.


    It was already ten in the evening, and Cordy had just coaxed Dicky to sleep.


    She was surprised to see John standing at the doorway and obviously looking tired,


    but quickly exined, ¡°Dicky¡¯s asleep. You or Winston can pick him up after school


    tomorrow.¡± ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said, staring sharply at her despite his tired


    appearance.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 377

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 377


    Chapter 377


    Cordy had a hunch about what John was going to say.


    Even if her partnership with Patrick Stuart hadn¡¯t been publicized, all insiders were


    aware since news of it had spread through alternative outlets. In fact, it actually drew


    some controversy amongst the business folk.


    Of all things, the great house of Stuart actually chose to partner with Cordy¡¯s small


    enterprise!


    If anything, they should be choosing an enterprise like Levine Ventures, whose riches


    seemed to have no limit.


    But the deed was already done, and now everyone just had to wait and see what


    ¡°Come in,¡± Cordy said, opening the door.


    John followed her inside; he took a seat on the couch and went straight to the point,


    ¡°Why would you choose to partner with Patrick Stuart?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a perfect coincidence of opportunity and merit,¡± Cordy said, as formal as she was


    honest.


    John snorted. ¡® Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s happening amongst the Stuarst at the


    moment?¡±


    Cordy shrugged. ¡°All I know is that I only stand to gain this partnership.¡±


    John had to restrain his emotions. ¡°Cordy, are you really unable to tell what he¡¯s going


    for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just tit-for-tat, which is how all partnerships work.¡±


    ¡°Patrick only told you that William Stuart wants to usurp his family¡¯s political influence,


    but he¡¯d never tell you that his own grandfather is terminally ill,¡± John said loudly and


    clearly.


    Cordy blinked.


    Seeing her remaining quiet, he demanded, ¡°William Stuart is able to vite his own


    family¡¯s rules without any qualms because the timing is right. Do you think it¡¯s good for


    you to get involved right now?¡±


    ¡°Patrick can help me fend off Jessica Stuart,¡± Cordy said coolly.


    ¡°But what if he¡¯s toppled?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that far.¡±


    ¡°You were never impulsive before, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°So you think I should pin all my hopes on you?¡± Cordy snapped, suddenly a little


    loud.


    John¡¯s knuckles clenched in return. ¡°Am I that unworthy of your trust?¡±


    ¡°You just said that the time is right for William Stuart¡¯s rise to power. If Patrick Stuart-a


    Stuart, no less-can¡¯t beat him, do you think I¡¯d believe you can?¡±


    John stared fixedly at Cordy as she spoke, her eyes red and moist.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t involved in this fight in the first ce, but you dragged me in anyway! I have


    no way of fighting back, and all I could do was pick a way to protect myself! To put it


    bluntly, Jessica Stuart wants me dead. I have to tiptoe around everyday, worrying


    about her next strike as long as her family doesn¡¯t fall. My only hope now is Patrick


    Stuart. With him, I at least have a shot at winning, or it would mean death! How would


    you choose if you were in my shoes, John Levine?!¡±


    John kept calm. ¡°But you have to know¡­ It¡¯s not just Jessica now. After you partnered


    with Patrick, every member of her side of the family will be after you!¡±


    ¡°Let theme,¡± Cordy said tly. ¡°One wolf or a pack makes no difference.¡±


    John gulped, clearly holding back his feelings.


    Cordy said nothing in turn, and silence befell them once more.


    ¡°It¡¯ste,¡± she eventually said. ¡°You should go-*


    ¡°Can I have a bowl of pasta?¡¯ John asked.


    Cordy blinked-she was just under the impression that things were so hostile between


    them that they couldn¡¯t be under the same roof.


    ¡°I was too busy hurrying back,¡± John continued. ¡°Airne food is inedible, so I never


    ate.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, but ultimately gave in. ¡°Just wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he replied.


    Cordy got up and went to the kitchen to start cooking.


    She had been learning over the past couple days, but had to admit that shecked the


    gift. The result was less than satisfactory.


    It was a while until she finally dried the pasta. Still, she was about to call John over


    when she found her asleep on the couch.


    The fatigue on his face was clearly visible. Likewise, she knew very well how busy he


    was, and how much it was for her sake.


    She sighed, and took a nket from the room to drape over him.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He wiggled, as if struggling against her touch, but remained asleep otherwise.


    She turned and headed to her study, where she worked while waiting for John to wake


    up.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 378

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 378


    Chapter 378


    However, John slept for a while.


    When Cordy turned to look at the clock on the wall, she saw that it was already past


    midnight-if he kept sleeping, she wouldn¡¯t be getting up in time for work.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Saving her documents, she shut herptop and walked towards him, calling out,


    ¡°Wake up, John.¡±


    His brow furrowed, and he appeared a little agitated.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte. You need to go to bed right now-oh!¡±


    Cordy yelped as she ended up beneath John in a split second, and was pressed into


    the couch.


    Before she could react, his warm lips were pressing firmly against hers¡­


    ¡°Umph!


    Cordy fought back, but he was too strong for her; he held her so firmly, she couldn¡¯t


    breathe.


    She had the feeling if he kept this up, he would smother herpletely.


    Narrowing her eyes right then, she bit John on the lip; the taste of blood immediately


    swirled between their jaws.


    John seemed toe to his senses, and finally saw Cordy¡¯s dainty figure beneath


    him; her face was flushed in anger as she red at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. Now get off¡ªumph!¡±


    He kissed her again, but his savagery turned into tenderness in almost a split second.


    Cordy felt as if it was apletely different man¡­and almost spaced out.


    The next second, she wiggled as hard as she could to free herself from him.


    He eventually released her, and was left staring at her look of disdain as she growled


    his name through clenched teeth!


    ¡°John!¡±


    She was clearly furious; yet for some reason, John wasughing. He was even


    looking at the blood on his lips.


    Cordy simply turned away-that pretty face wouldn¡¯t work on her ever again.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± John apologized. Whenever he did, however, Cordy knew it was just lip


    service.


    ¡°Get off me,¡± she growled coolly.


    He got off her soft body.


    While he was asleep just now, he had a nightmare-Cordy was getting further and


    further away¡­


    The despair left him losing control the instant he woke up, and he still felt lingering


    fear as he remembered it.


    Still, he quietly hid his feelings while Cordy urged him, ¡°It¡¯s time you leave.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s my pasta?¡¯ he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s paste now. Or would you eat it anyway?¡± Cordy shot at him.


    Unable toe up with anything, he was forced to leave.


    Cordy followed, and mmed the door shut in his face before he could say a single


    word.


    She really, really didn¡¯t want to see him at all.


    John¡¯s eyes narrowed-it seemed he must hurry things along!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 379

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 379


    Chapter 379


    It was now December, and full-blown winter in North City.


    Sam Saunders¡¯s birthday was on the twelfth, and it was a grand asionaside from


    his usual friends, every important figure in North City was there.


    Cordy was invited too¡ªshe had been working hard on taking Starstream High


    Fashion to the market, so she used the asion to take a breather.


    She strode through the banquet hall in a subtle but elegant gown, and saw Quinn in


    the distance. Quinn had her hand around Sam¡¯s arm, and was mingling with their


    guests.


    Cordy never saw Quinn wear red before, since she usually dressed conservatively as


    awyer. Thus, Quinn¡¯s red gown was especially striking.


    And for some reason, she certainly looked like she belonged at Sam¡¯s side ¡ªshe was


    almost the epitome of a trophy wife.


    ¡°Cordy,1 the familiar voice of a man called out just then, and Cordy turned to find Jay


    standing beside her.


    He seemed to have lost a lot of weight, and his fair face actually appeared pale now.


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± she greeted him.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jay smiled politely.


    Cordy felt a pain in her chest-Jay actually fared much better than Zoe did, but there


    was just this feeling that he was in pieces.


    ¡°Johnny¡¯s here,¡± Jay told her, his eyes on the doorway.


    Cordy turned as well, to find John and Jessica appearing together at the banquet hall.


    The next second, Jay saw Cordy walking off into the distance.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Stepping out into the garden at the back, Cordy was having a breather on the swing


    while musing to herself that socializing with business partners was really dull.


    However, she had to take part.


    Cordy turned and saw Quinn stepping out as well. ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Cordy smiled. ¡®Tired already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Feels like my leg could fall off,¡± Quinn said bluntly as she sat on the swing next


    to Gordy¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m really not used to high-heels.¡±


    ¡°Take them off, let your feet breathe. I used to do that too,¡± Cordy told her.


    Quinn looked around before she did, and she couldn¡¯t have felt better with her shoes


    off.


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s been doing welltely,¡± Quinn told her just then.


    ¡°She¡¯s stronger than we give her credit for.¡± Cordy grinned, nodding.


    ¡°Yeah,¡¯ Quinn agreed, breathing a sigh of relief.


    Still, their small talk was soon interrupted as a man Cordy didn¡¯t recognize showed up.


    She had the feeling she had seen him before, but was somehow positive she did not.


    ¡°So you were hiding here,¡± the man said to Quinn with a tender tone.


    Cordy seemed to feel Quinn stiffening right then.


    So, him and her¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s getting cold out here, Quinn. I¡¯m going back inside,¡¯ Cordy said tactfully.


    Quinn nodded.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 380

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 380


    Chapter 380


    As Cordy got up and left, Quinn shot her a grateful look.


    But as Cordy turned around as she left, she seemed to catch a glimpse of the tears in


    Quinn¡¯s eyes under the dim light of the back garden.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years. You¡¯re ady now,¡± the man chuckled, his voice still tender.


    Quinn bit her lip; it was a while until she greeted him. ¡¯ Ryan.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d forgotten about me,¡± Ryan Saunders grinned. ¡°It¡¯s cold out here-let¡¯s


    go in.¡±


    Quinn arched her back to pick up her shoes, but he stopped her. ¡°No.¡±


    He dropped to a crouch and picked them up for her, his long fingers holding up her


    feet as she put them on.


    Amidst the silence between them, a neutral voice that carried a hint of sarcasm rang.


    ¡°That might be inappropriate contact with your younger brother¡¯s wife, y¡¯know.¡±


    Both of them turned to find Sam nearby, staring down at them with his advantage in


    height.


    ¡°I always thought of Quinn as a younger sister, even now,¡± Ryan argued.


    ¡°But she¡¯s my wife and your sister inw,¡± Sam retorted sternly, a stark contrast to his


    usual half-baked bearing. ¡°I should do that instead.


    As he spoke, he walked up to them.


    Ryan¡¯s fingers twitched, but he put the shoes down on the ground, got up and left.


    ¡°By the way, your girlfriend¡¯s looking for you in the banquet hall,¡¯ Sam added with


    disdain. ¡°It¡¯s the first time she visited us, and she doesn¡¯t know anyone here. You


    should really be sticking with her.¡±


    Ricky said nothing as he strode off.


    Sam turned towards Quinn, smiling with contempt as he saw her clear surprise.


    ¡°What, is it that hard to believe that my brother has a girlfriend?¡±


    Quinn came to her senses right then, and quickly hid all her feelings.


    She had always acted like a tool to Sam, after all.


    He chuckled coolly and started to turn to leave, but soon paused and wheeled on her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing? What, did you really think I¡¯d help you with your shoes?!¡¯


    Quinn certainly never expected that.


    Not only did they feel nothing for each other, but Sam also hated her since she was a


    child.


    She knew that, but she had to marry him because of her family¡¯s troubles.


    As such, she quickly put on her shoes, but winced as she got up, gasping audibly.


    She rarely wore high-heels, which was scraping off skin on her heels.


    Sam turned towards her again, sliding one hand elegantly into his trousers pocket


    while frowning coolly at Quinn.


    No one could see his fingers clenching in his pocket.


    Quinn was no delicate flower either, and was soon withstanding the pain to keep up


    with Sam and returned to the hall.


    Things were still lively inside.


    Quinn usually wouldn¡¯t attend social events together with Sam unless it was a family


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    asion, let alone stay so close.


    They made their way towards the rest of the Saunders, where Lindsay Pond -Sam¡¯s


    mother, was overjoyed that her eldest son returned.


    There was a woman beside Ryan too, smiling sweetly as she stood with him.


    Lindsay promptly beckoned at them. ¡¯Sam, Quinn, over here! Ryan came back to


    celebrate your birthday, Sam!¡±


    Sam led Quinn towards them nonchntly, and said rather ambiguously,¡¯ To think an


    important man like my brother who serves the country would spare time for my


    birthday¡­ I¡¯m certainly shocked.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 381

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 381


    Chapter 381


    Marvin Saunders, Sam¡¯s father, promptly snapped at him. His tone was severe as he


    said, ¡°Watch yournguage! You¡¯re talking to your own brother here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Ryan said nonchntly. ¡°Sam¡¯s always been like that. Even after all these


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    years, he never changed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the pride of our parents. No matter how I change, I¡¯d always be less than you,¡±


    Sam retorted self-deprecatingly. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s rare for the family to gather, so take your


    time to catch up. My friends are over there, so I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°Sam!¡± Marvin huffed despite his rage. Still, he wasn¡¯t really going tosh out in front


    of so many guests.


    There was no question they shared the same parents, but the brothers were


    anyone a reason to worry. The only time he rebelled was when he left Saunderia to


    pursue a career in scientific research. Lindsay and Marvin had been reluctant, but


    they were reluctant to stop him from fulfilling his ambitions especially when it was in


    service to the nation. Ultimately, Ryan gained their support.


    On the other hand, Sam never bothered studying and often got into fights as a child.


    Often, Lindsay and Marvin would be summoned to school. He didn¡¯t bother working


    when he got older either, and cared only about drinking or chasing skirts. There was


    no telling how horrible things would get if they entrusted Saunderia to him!


    They could only count on Quinn, who hopefully could help Sam manage Saunderia.


    ¡°Are youing or not?¡± Sam asked Quinn, but she wasn¡¯t as willful as he was-she


    certainly would not leave when the family was together.


    ¡°Guess not,¡± Sam scoffed, and left on his own.


    He made his way to John, who was with Jessica, Bob, and Jay.


    Cordy seemed to have left.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t the birthday boy!¡± Bob teased.


    Sam shot him a look. ¡°And here I thought you won¡¯t being. Where¡¯s your


    girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s shy.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± Sam snorted.


    ¡°By the way, is that your brother? The prodigy who left in service to the country,


    making his return?¡± Bob asked as he slid a peek at Ryan.


    Sampletely ignored that, and Bob grinned. ¡°Still jealous of him all these years?¡±


    ¡°My foot,¡¯ Sam growled grumpily.


    ¡°Ah, so I touched a nerve,¡± Bob chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough from you!¡± Sam snapped, lifting a fist andunching a punch at Bob,


    Though it was a light-hearted jab between friends, Bob winced when he stopped it.


    ¡®Owie.¡¯


    Sam was at a loss of words¡ªthat was too kinky for a yelp, and it was just skin contact


    at best! ¡°You¡¯re really bing a b*tch after you got yourself a girlfriend, huh?¡±


    ¡°My hand¡¯s hurt,¡± Bob exined, and showed everyone the cuts on his fingers.


    ¡°Just a flesh wound,¡± Sam scoffed. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Cooking with my girlfriend.¡±


    Sam was left ring at him, but Bob was grinning in bliss. ¡°What? It¡¯s called setting


    the mood, get it? Neither of us can cook, so we¡¯re learning to do it together. People


    like you who live their lives between their legs would never get it.¡±


    John nced at Jay, who remained silent to the end.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t-but neither does anyone else,¡± Sam snorted. ¡°Do you get it? John? Jay?¡±


    ¡°I do, actually,¡± Jessica spoke, since neither John nor Jay were answering.¡± It¡¯s nice to


    cook with someone you¡¯re fond of.¡±


    Bob naturally felt cathartic hearing that, but didn¡¯t respond since it was Jessica.


    It left her a little awkward, but knowing that John¡¯s friends clearly didn¡¯t think highly of


    her, she said mildly, ¡°It¡¯ste, Jonny. Let¡¯s go home-you¡¯reing to Rocktown with


    me tomorrow, after all.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 382

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 382


    Chapter 382


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Yeah/ John replied, and turned towards Sam. ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    Sam nodded, knowing that John had been under a lot of stresstely.


    However, Bob was in a hurry to leave after John, leaving Sam speechless. Sam


    stared at him and asked, ¡¯Why would you want to leave so early?


    Come with me for some drinks after this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I need to go home soon to keep my girlfriendpany. I¡¯m worried she¡¯d get


    lonely.¡±


    ¡°Could you stop being such a sucker in love? It¡¯s disgusting.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s called sour grapes, Sammy boy/ Bob retorted nonchntly.


    Sam was at a loss for words. ¡°Fine, f*ck off.¡±


    Bob couldn¡¯t care less, since he was genuinely happy.


    Still, just as Bob was about to go, Sam stopped him. ¡¯Wait.¡±


    Bob rolled his eyes. ¡°Look. I¡¯m not going clubbing¡ª¡¯


    ¡°Here,¡± Sam said, suddenly whipping out two band-aids.


    Bob¡¯s eyes widened so much his eyeballs could have fallen out. ¡°Why¡¯d you carry


    these around? Are you gay, Sam? Please dont tell me you like me¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Sam snapped. ¡°Now go home to the missus.¡±


    Bob took the band-aids, but somehow felt a child running down his spine.


    After he was gone, Sam turned towards Jay. ¡°Are you going to be busy too? N


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s go for drinks once you¡¯re done here.¡¯


    Sam actually thought he was hearing things-the least outgoing of them just said yes to


    hanging out with him?!


    Jay most certainly had been behaving unusuallytely.


    Still, Sam did not say no, and left with Jay before the banquet was over.


    Marvin was incensed-he may have two sons, but one left him hanging his head even if


    he could brag about the other to no end.


    After seeing off the guests, Quinn returned to Saunders Mansion with the rest of the


    Saunders.


    On the way home, Lindsay was telling her earnestly, ¡°Quinn, it¡¯s been three years


    since you married Sam. Haven¡¯t you considered having a child?¡±


    Quinn froze.


    A child? They never even shared a room!


    Lindsay sighed, sounding even less confident as she continued. ¡°I know it¡¯s unfair that


    you have to marry Sam¡­but he really shouldn¡¯t keep fooling around. But people often


    said that men would gain a sense of responsibility once they have a child, so he just


    might shape up after that.¡±


    ¡°As for Ryan¡­ He has his heart and soul in his research, and I don¡¯t expect a child


    from him even if he did bring his girlfriend to the banquet just now. Saunderia¡¯s too big


    apany to go heirless, but you know I can¡¯t pin my hopes on Sam¡ªno, I¡¯d rather


    entrust it to the next generation.¡¯


    Quinn understood their reasoning, and they had been very nice to her


    Nodding, Quinn said, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll talk to Sam¡­ If he has no issues, we¡¯ll try to have a


    child soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Quinn,¡± Lindsay said, though she sounded feeble and unhappy.


    The Saunders had long since considered Sam a lost cause and had absolutely no


    hope in him.


    In fact, it wasn¡¯t just them¡ªQuinn wholly agreed with that assessment too.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 383

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 383


    Chapter 383


    It was veryte in the night when Sam finally returned home, the stench of alcohol


    swirling around him.


    However, he opened his room to find Quinn sitting there, waiting for him.


    He checked the time-twice, but it was definitely 2:30am, and he even had to send a


    drunken Jay home beforeing back.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    So what was Quinn doing here, instead of sleeping in her own room?!


    She was an early riser just like his parents, which was why they slept in different


    rooms.


    Their parents forbade it at first, but he returned sote that Quinn¡¯s sleep cycle was


    severely affected, so they had to give in.


    In their parents¡¯ eyes, he was a lost cause; they could never hope for him to change.


    ¡°Did you have the wrong room?¡± Sam scoffed, raising a brow and sneering.¡± My


    brother¡¯s room is next door.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s face dropped, but she quickly hid it.


    His mouth had always been that foul, so there was nothing to get upset about.


    She remained there, and Sam frowned in turn. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to move?¡±


    Snorting, he started to take off his clothes right in front of her.


    Quinn blinked, and quickly averted her eyes.


    Sam chuckled and headed into the bathroom.


    When he came out in a loose bathrobe, he found that Quinn was still sitting in his


    room.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He demanded, a little angry. ¡°Trying to haunt me thiste at


    night? Get out. I¡¯m going to bed.¡±


    ¡°Your parents want us to have a child,¡¯ Quinn suddenly said.


    Sam was taken aback, but soon flipped out. ¡°Do I look like a tool to you?! Absolutely


    not!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re 29. Any older, and you won¡¯t be producing as much.¡±


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡± Sam¡¯s temper red, almost giving him a stroke.


    Quinn got up and walked over to him¡ªshe was in a white bathrobe too, with nothing


    underneath.


    However, her sash was tight and herpels kept straightened, so she looked quite


    serious.


    Sam watched as she approached him, feeling nervous for some reason.


    However, he soon bellowed furiously, ¡°Stop! Are you this upset over my brother


    getting a girlfriend? Don¡¯t you remember how you pushed me away on our wedding


    night?!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip-it was certainly too much for her at the time, but as time went by, she


    slowly became more epting.


    And yet, she didn¡¯t remember Sam to be one who held a grudge for that.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with Ryan,¡± Quinn exined. ¡°I just think we really should have a


    child by now.¡±


    ¡°I said no-¡±


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Quinn suddenly stand on her toes and kiss him,


    but she was not tall enough and only reached his Adam¡¯s Apple.


    Such was the pain of almost a foot¡¯s difference in height.


    Sam gulped, his body obviously stiffening.


    That was when Quinn said, ¡°Can I turn off the lights?¡± ¡°Guess you¡¯re aware that your


    figure iscking,¡± Sam snorted. Quinn didn¡¯t argue.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 384

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 384


    Chapter 384


    Quinn pulled her dainty hand out from beneath Sam¡¯s bathrobe, but when she turned


    to get the lights, Sam suddenly scooped her up in his arms.


    Quinn was startled-he was over six foot tall and a behemoth to her, and it felt like he


    could crush her when he was on top of her.


    As he started leaning towards her lips, she suddenly turned away, avoiding his touch,


    leaving him frowning.


    ¡°What¡¯s this? Trying to be slut and saint at the same time?¡± Sam scoffed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t kiss to make children,¡¯ Quinn retorted.


    ¡°So we¡¯re just mating?¡±


    ¡°Procreating,¡± Quinn said, trying to make it sound nicer.


    ¡°F*ck that!¡± Sam bellowed, shaking with rage as he got off her. ¡°You love Ryan, don¡¯t


    you? Go have his kid instead! It¡¯d be a child of the Saunders family anyway, so it


    doesn¡¯t matter!¡±


    ¡°Sam-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Quinn,¡± he snarled. ¡®I¡¯m not that desperate. I¡¯m not interested in a


    piece of wood like you, so get out.¡±


    Quinn sighed, exhausted-she was used to Sam throwing a fit from time to time.


    But even if he was clearly more upset than usual, she didn¡¯t get up.


    As such, he grabbed her like he was grabbing some animal and threw her out of his


    room, before mming the door shut with a loud bang.


    The whole mansion seemed to shake from the impact. Quinn simply rubbed her


    aching rump and straightened her clothes.


    She had a hunch that things wouldn¡¯t go smoothly tonight, since Sam never was


    agreeable.


    As she got up, however, arge fair hand was held out before her.


    She looked up at Ryan, and slowly reached for it.


    After he helped her up, she apologized, ¡°Sorry if I woke you.¡¯


    He replied, ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t asleep. Time difference, remember?¡±


    He had been working overseas before being informed that he could work locally.


    Still, he suddenly asked, ¡°Are things like this with Sam after so many years?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m used to it,¡± Quinn replied¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to lie to Ryan, but she was reluctant to


    have him think that things were bad for her.


    ¡°Sorry. Back then, if I hadn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the past,¡± Quinn smiled. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯ste. I should go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Let me walk you there.¡± Ryan offered.


    As they strode along the walkway, however, Sam saw them the instant he opened the


    door.


    Bang!


    He shut his door as forcefully as he could once more, startling Quinn and leaving her


    flinching; Ryan quickly put a hand over Quinn¡¯s shoulder.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Quinn¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she slowly pushed him away.


    Left a little awkward, he stammered, ¡°I just¡­¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Quinn replied, and headed for her door.


    Before she could go in, Ryan suddenly exined, ¡°The woman who came with me


    wasn¡¯t my girlfriend. She¡¯s just the daughter of my colleague, and I was asked to take


    care of her before he returns next month.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 385

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 385


    Chapter 385


    Quinn was left staring at Ryan, unable to react.


    He continued to exin, ¡°My superiors also arranged it so that I could stay at North


    City indefinitely, so I won¡¯t be going abroad. I might be traveling to the headquarters in


    the capital asionally, though.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You¡¯d be working close from home,¡± Quinn replied with a small smile.


    ¡°It¡¯ste, Ryan. Get some rest,¡± she said softly.


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Ryan murmured, refraining from saying what he intended to say.


    Quinn returned to her bed, but she couldn¡¯t sleep despite her fatigue.


    All sorts of messy thoughts would appear in her mind even if she closed her eyes,


    leaving her annoyed.


    She hence stared at the ceiling until daybreak, and washed up to go to work like she


    usually did.


    The rest of the family were at the dining table and having breakfast.


    Syd Collins-the girl Ryan brought along-was there with them, but Sam wasn¡¯t since he


    usually woke up past noon.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the misunderstanding. I thought you¡¯re Ryan¡¯s girlfriend.¡¯ Lindsay was


    smiling.


    Still, she would much rather that to be the case-she may support Ryan¡¯s career, but


    she would like to see him start a family soon too.


    ¡°I¡¯d like that, but Ryan really isn¡¯t biting. But you have nothing to worry about, ma¡¯amril do my best to


    win his heart,¡± Syd smiled in turn.


    Having spent more time abroad than locally, she was much more open- minded and


    forthright in nature.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Really?* Lindsay smiled.


    ¡°Stop it,* Ryan suddenly said rather sternly. ¡°You¡¯re just twenty-l¡¯m too old for you.¡±


    ¡°But I like older men,¡± Syd said stubbornly, and Ryan gave up since he had no


    Quinn was there with them, quietly eating her breakfast.


    Afterwards, Lindsay pulled Quinn aside and asked, ¡°What did Sam sayst night?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s resistant against the idea,¡¯ Quinn admitted.


    ¡°That useless boy,¡± Lindsay muttered under her breath. ¡®They¡¯re both my son, but he¡¯s


    such a far cry from his brother.


    Quinn remained silent, while Lindsay told her, ¡°Sorry for the trouble, Quinn.


    I¡¯ll have a heart-to-heart with Sam about this.¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll go to work now.¡±


    However, just as Quinn stopped outside and was ready to get in her car, Ryan


    suddenly showed up and asked, ¡°Can I hitch a ride?¡±


    Quinn spotted Syd behind Ryan, who smiled in turn, looking just like a child.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to take a stroll around North City with Ryan,¡¯ she said. ¡°I heard the city¡¯s been


    developing well, even better than some metropolises abroad.¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn nodded, and rode shotgun while a chauffeur took the wheel, having


    taken Cordy¡¯s advice.


    Along the journey, Syd was chattering incessantly, although it wasn¡¯t at all noisy for


    Quinn.


    She was justmenting a little that she was getting further from that age where she


    could do anything she liked.


    The chauffeur took them to a luxury mall in the city first, before sending Quinn to


    Saunderia.


    Quinn worked like she usually did, but she could not resist texting Zoe when she had


    the time.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 386

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 386


    Chapter 386


    [What?!]


    Quinn could feel Zoe¡¯s surprise even from the other end.


    There was a long pause, before Zoe added: [You¡¯re not really sucking up to that


    dirtbag, are you?]


    [Not entirely.]


    [That¡¯s better.]


    [His parents want us to have a child.]


    [¡­That¡¯s why you¡¯re trying to suit his tastes?]


    [The Saunders have always been nice to me.]


    [Really?!]


    Zoe was speechless, but Quinn did not bother to exin-she was just convinced that


    if she could ept it, resistance was unnecessary.


    Still, Zoe suddenly changed the subject. [I heard from Bob that Ryan¡¯s back.]


    Quinn replied, [Yeah. He just touched down yesterday, and attended Sam¡¯s birthday.]


    [And you¡­]


    [I¡¯m over him. I¡¯m not lying-sure, I¡¯d feel the asional emotion, but time really seems


    to mend everything. There¡¯s times when I feel stressed, but I¡¯m somehow very calm


    when I face him directly.]


    [Does time really change everything?]


    Zoe¡¯s question was posed to Quinn as much as to herself.


    Quinn replied earnestly: [Well, that¡¯s how it is for me.]


    Still, she suddenlyremembered something and quickly sent another text: [ We¡¯re


    straying from topic. You hadn¡¯t answered my question.]


    Zoe replied: [You could learn it, in theory¡­]


    [¡­Okay.]


    [But is that really worth it?]


    From Zoe¡¯s perspective, Quinn would eventually be divorcing Sam.


    If they really had a child, Quinn would be giving up her whole life.


    [Nope, it isn¡¯t.]


    Quinn would never hide anything from Zoe, but this was reality.


    Zoe was certainly fuming. [Honestly, why¡¯d you let this happen?]


    [Maybe because there isn¡¯t anyone better.]


    At that point, Zoe had no reason to push her. [Fair enough. I¡¯ll pick one, and send it to


    you on Whatsappter.]


    [Okay.]


    There was suddenly a knock on Quinn¡¯s door, and she said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Another woman entered and told her, ¡°The board chairman wants to see you, Miss


    Summer.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Quinn replied, and hurried out of the office with her, without turning off her


    chatbox with Zoe.


    On the other end, Zoe had a look through everything that fit Quinn, and was so


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    concentrated that she never noticed Bob showing up behind her.


    It almost gave her a heart attack.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to scare you,¡± Bob exined. ¡°You were so focused, you never saw


    me when I walked past you.¡±


    Zoe said nothing, and merely red at him.


    Itsted for a while, but things soon got awkward when they heard faint moaning.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 387

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 387


    Chapter 387


    In the four-man chat group, Bob suddenly sent a text that read: [Why did my girlfriend


    do this¡­]


    He went into borate detail, but deleted it in less than text seconds-he was going to


    send it to Sam, but his fingers slipped!


    Sam saw it anyway, and promptly replied in the chat group: (What¡¯s the point of


    deleting it. Bob? I already saw it.]


    Bob didn¡¯t reply, and instead added: [And what else could the point be? To scorn you.]


    He even pinged Bob multiple times, leaving Bob speechless.


    Bob in turn texted Sam privately: [It¡¯s just a mistake! Could you stop spamming the


    chat group?!]


    [Oh, so you just wanted to save face?]


    Speechless, Bob decided to admit: [It¡¯s just¡­things hadn¡¯t gone that far with me and


    my girlfriend.]


    [For real?! No way! What are you, a virgin? You¡¯re an adult-not a high- schooler!]


    [You don¡¯t understand our love. Do you think everyone thinks with their balls like you?]


    [The point is she¡¯s hinting at you to get to it, you monster.]


    [You told me that chicks hate love handles! I tried to slim down because I wanted to


    leave a good impression, but my abs just aren¡¯t that obvious.]


    [You¡¯re still worrying about your figure at this stage? Whatever, man. I¡¯ll even stop


    making fun of you-just get her in bed right now. Don¡¯t worry about anything else.]


    Even though Sam was being encouraging, Bob was still hesitant. [Is this really going


    to work?]


    [Absolutely, one hundred percent, yes.]


    Meanwhile, Sam was on the verge of flipping out.


    He was in Quinn¡¯s office too, after almost going the whole night without sleep.


    When he woke up at nine o¡¯ clock that morning, he was unable to sleep at all, and


    slowly crawled out of bed.


    He headed to Saunderia-he had his own office there, but he just wanted to talk to


    Quinn.


    He remembered the wounded look on her face after he threw her out of his room, only


    for her to get all clingy with Ryan so soon after¡­ The memory certainly infuriated him.


    He hence nted himself on Quinn¡¯s office chair, staring at the chat box between her


    and Zoe York¡­until Zoe sent several videos over.


    Feeling a little overeager, Sam tapped on it just as Quinn returned.


    Both of them immediately heard the moans of pleasure, resounding in her office.


    Her secretary told her that Sam hade, and Quinn¡¯s first thought was that Sam


    was doing it in her office with some other woman. She was even prepared for that,


    only to find Sam in her chair and staring at herputer screen with a vague smile.


    Noticing her, he said, ¡°You really are full of surprises, Mrs. Saunders.¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Quinn blushed ever so slightly when she realized that Sam was watching the videos


    Zoe sent her, but kept herselfposed as she turned off the videos.


    She inadvertently yelped as Sam pulled her into his arms, making her sit on hisp in


    an exceedingly intimate position.


    ¡°So procreating was a cover¡­ You just want to bed me, don¡¯t you?¡± Sam grinned.


    Quinn wasn¡¯t too eager to exin, and decided to let Sam think whatever he wanted.


    After all, her goal was just to have a child with him.


    ¡°Could¡¯ve told me earlier, and I wouldn¡¯t have thrown you out. You really should learn


    how to be honest, Mrs. Saunders¡­¡±


    Once he was finished, he bit on her ear.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 388

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 388


    Chapter 388


    It hurts, but it somehow seemed more than that.


    ¡°You can sleep with me all you want. Like, right now,¡± Sam said, deliberately


    harassing Quinn.


    After all, he was sick of how she was always so stiff around him.


    Quinn was naturally scowling, upset with his revolting tendencies. She wanted nothing


    more than to p him across the face.


    The man certainly deserved every insult Zoe ever threw at him.


    Quinn took a deep breath and told herself to calm down¡­and that was when the door


    suddenly opened, wide.


    ¡°Quinn¡­oh!¡°


    Syd yelped when she saw Quinn on Sam¡¯sp, and Ryan was standing right behind


    her.


    Quinn quickly sprang to her feet, surprised by the sudden intrusion.


    Sam¡¯s fingers were twitching, but he was otherwise much calmer than Quinn.


    Looking up at the pair standing at the doorway, he said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing surprising


    about a married couple getting frisky.¡±


    However, Quinn felt thoroughly embarrassed even as she stood beside Sam. She was


    supposed to be awyer, and her heart couldn¡¯t ept such ¡­uncouth behavior!


    ¡°Apologies for the intrusion,¡± Ryan suddenly said, and took Syd¡¯s hand as they left.


    Quinn watched as they left, her lips clenching.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Go on. Chase after them-l¡¯m used to it anyway,¡± Sam said nonchntly.¡± You¡¯ve


    always been following Ryan around before anyway, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Quinn nced at him, and started towards the door.


    Sam¡¯s knuckles clenched, but then Quinn suddenly locked the door.


    There was a sh of surprise in his eyes as she returned to him, and said,¡± Let¡¯s


    continue.¡±


    Simon¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    He had just been harassing Quinn-he had no intention of doing anything with her.


    Yet, just as he was about to y along, he saw the tears welling in her eyes.


    His mood seemed to turn upside down right there and then, and he bellowed, ¡°I was


    just messing with you, Quinn! I wouldn¡¯t be interested even if you got naked in front of


    me!¡±


    And with those words, he stormed off, kicking the door on his way out.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 389

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 389


    Chapter 389


    Quinn¡¯s tears trickled down her cheeks andnded gently on the floor.


    She didn¡¯t remember how long it had been since she cried¡ªshe had be


    epting of many things as she aged.


    That was certainly the case when she remained nonchnt, despite Sam throwing


    her out of his room.


    But at that very moment, the sense of humiliation cut her to the quick; she was


    overwhelmed endlessly by the disgrace and denial of dignity.


    She really, really hated Sam¡­ She hated him ever since they were children!


    Jay was woken up by a call, asking to confirm a filming sessionter that day.


    His career hadn¡¯t been affected much despite his departure from the Levine familythey were certainly


    much nicer to him than Zoe ever was.


    Still, he couldn¡¯t fall asleep after being woken, and he felt a throbbing headache that


    hurt terribly.


    Alcohol was terrible. Period.


    It couldn¡¯t even help you forget your pain. In fact, it exacerbated the agony!


    Hey in bed and checked the group chat, and saw Bob and Sam¡¯s conversation.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Tears started to roll off her cheeks as he read it, though he didn¡¯t realize it.


    Soon, it was afternoon. Jay headed for the filming session within an apartment block.


    It was an outdoor set. The weather was a little cold and misty, and it looked like it


    would rain at any moment.


    Jay had the actors and actresses rehearse while he walked around to find the ideal


    backdrop.


    That was when he spotted a familiar figure, carrying shopping bags full of what looks


    like cooking ingredients.


    She was dressed inyers from head to toe, so anyone would have trouble


    recognizing her.


    But as she turned towards him, he quickly lowered his head, pretending as if he was


    having a discussion with his film crew.


    Zoe was buying some food ingredients from the mall when she noticed a film crew at


    her apartment block; she saw Jay almost instantly.


    He wasn¡¯t wearingyers-just a brown cardigan, and was therefore a little


    conspicuous in the crowd.


    She didn¡¯t linger either and simply left right in front of Jay, thinking that he wouldn¡¯t


    recognize her because of her appearance.


    Naturally, she didn¡¯t think they were close enough to warrant a greeting either.


    After she was gone, Jay looked up and stared at her, clearly out of it.


    ¡°Mr. Parker?¡¯ A film crew called out.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jay replied, quicklying back to his senses. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready for


    filming.¡±


    The sessionsted untilte at night. As the film crew wrapped up, a crew approached


    Jay and asked, ¡°Would you like a ride, Mr. Parker?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m driving-1 still have something to do here, so I¡¯ll leaveter.¡±


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    Soon, the entire film crew had left, leaving Jay alone on a bench in the apartment


    block.


    North City was cold in December, and even more so in the evening.


    Jay, however, did not seem to feel it.


    Upstairs, Zoe sat by the window, watching until the film crew packed up. Then, she


    put onyers, dressing exactly like before but also disguising her face before heading


    outside.


    Bob was busy and had to go home in the afternoon, while she was craving the apple


    pie from the stall opposite the apartment. It wasn¡¯t thatte into the night yet, so


    traveling alone wasn¡¯t at all dangerous.


    She headed downstairs; since it was really cold, she kept her head lowered as she


    walked.


    She didn¡¯t notice the man sitting at the bench at all, whereas Jay appeared a little


    flustered when he saw here out.


    His eyes started to dart everywhere, but he had nowhere to look.


    He was so nervous his hands were clenching into knuckles. However, Zoe simply


    walked past him without noticing him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 390

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 390


    Chapter 390


    Jay watched as Zoe headed to the distance, and smiled wistfully.


    It seemed he was the only one who couldn¡¯t get over the past.


    As he rose to his feet, his whole body seemed frozen stiff.


    He thought about leaving, but for some reason, he was following Zoe instead, keeping


    a distance between them as he did.


    It was very cold and veryte, so there weren¡¯t many others on the streets.


    Zoe was alone¡­so it was dangerous to be alone.


    Zoe didn¡¯t notice she was being followed, since her only thought was to have her


    apple pie and head back.


    Soon, she arrived at the stall and made an order. The owner asked her,¡± Your


    boyfriend¡¯s not with you today?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s busy,¡± she replied, keeping her head lowered.


    Even if she was canceled, she was still a public figure. Thus, she didn¡¯t want to be


    recognized.


    ¡°You know, your boyfriend¡¯s really nice,¡± the owner chuckled. ¡°He came by this one


    time, and was worried it¡¯d get cold before he got home, so he kept it under his clothes.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Surely you know how hot a newly baked apple pie could be.¡±


    Zoe felt warmth blossom in her chest.


    There were times when she wanted to stay home, and Bob woulde out here to


    buy her apple pie¡­


    If only she knew how good of a man he was! She would be dating him ages ago.


    What could¡¯ve gotten into her, that she was so eager to humiliate herself?


    ¡°Take it slow. You¡¯d burn yourself if you eat too fast,¡± the owner said as he handed her


    an apple pie.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, and called Bob while she ate.


    On the other hand, Jay had been close enough to hear everything-Zoe flirting with


    Bob over the phone, and what the owner told Zoe about Bob.


    She never noticed Jay, even as she put her disguise back on and started to leave, all


    the while still talking to Bob.


    Out of the blue, it started to snow-the first snow in North City for the year.


    Zoe was a little thrilled; she looked up at the skies, crossing the road as she shared


    her joy with Bob¡­


    Screech!


    The scream of a car¡¯s brakes echoed just as Zoe felt her whole body being knocked to


    the ground, her phone dropping near the curb.


    She had yet to gather herself when she saw the driver getting out, dropping to a


    crouch to ask another man lying nearby, ¡°Sir! Are you alright?!¡±


    There was no question about it-Zoe had been pushed out of harms¡¯ way, and the car


    missed her.


    And the one strucky just in front of the car, motionless.


    She was a little far from him, and she couldn¡¯t recognize that it was Jay from only his


    clothes.


    ¡°Zoe? Zoe?! What just happened?! Zoe!¡±


    Zoe¡¯s phone was nearby, and she could hear Bob calling out in panic.


    Zoe quickly picked it up and told Bob, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Someone was just hit by a car.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to check on the victim now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right over-¡¯


    Zoe had already hung up, and started towards Jay to see that he was bleeding from


    cuts over his face; there was blood on his body too, dyeing his white cardigan red.


    His eyes were tightly shut, seemingly to withstand the pain in silence.


    ¡°Just hold on, sir. I¡¯m calling the ambnce to take you to the hospital right now!¡± The


    driver eximed nervously, startled that he had hit someone.


    Many onlookers were flocking around the scene, and everyone was pointing and


    gesturing.


    It took a while for the ambnce to arrive, and Zoe hesitated for a moment before


    getting in.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 391

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 391


    Chapter 391


    Fortunately, Jay only had flesh wounds¡ªthe car was stopped in time, and the collision


    was slight.


    He had bled a lot on the ground, but his vitals were fine. However, his doctor insisted


    he stay the night at the hospital for observation.


    Having issued his instructions, the doctor left, leaving just Jay and Zoe alone.


    Zoe ced all the bills, papers and medication on top of his bedside drawer, saying,


    ¡®These are your receipts for admittance, and some of the medicine you need to take


    and apply. Also, your phone¡¯s broken.¡±


    Jay stared at her then, with a distant and estranged gaze.


    ¡°Do you want to borrow my phone to call the Levines?¡± Zoe asked, holding out her


    phone to him.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    Zoe didn¡¯t push him either, since he never liked to bother the Levines. After all, he had


    to keep up his appearance to not cause them trouble.


    ¡°Do you need a care worker?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay refused. ¡®No. It¡¯s not that serious.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe nodded. ¡°I¡¯m leaving if there¡¯s nothing else.¡±


    But as she turned to leave, Jay called out, ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Zoe turned towards him, and he told her, ¡°You should get your palm checked.¡±


    When he pushed her away, she had dropped to the floor on her hands, leaving it


    reddish from contact on the ground.


    ¡°I know,* she replied.


    ¡°Right now, you-¡¯


    Zoe¡¯s phone suddenly started to ring, and Jay quickly stopped himself.


    Answering the call, Zoe then asked, ¡°You¡¯re here already?¡±


    Her lips curled up in a smile, and it was a stark contrast to how she behaved around


    Jay.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    He averted his eyes, even as he listened to her talk over the phone.


    After she hung up and put her phone away, she asked him, ¡°What were you trying to


    say just now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Jay replied, shaking his head.


    Zoe frowned slightly, so Jay said, ¡°It¡¯s a littlete. You should be careful on your way


    home.¡±


    ¡°My boyfriend¡¯sing to get me,¡± Zoe said bluntly.


    Though Jay was obviously aware that she was with Bob now, there was still this burst


    of pain that erupted on his chest when she mentioned ¡¯ boyfriend¡¯. It caught him off


    guard, and it hurt so much he could not breathe.


    Nheless, Jay smiled, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Staring at his faint smile, Zoe asked, ¡°It pleases you to know that I have a boyfriend


    huh?¡±


    Still, she smiled too. ¡°You finally rid yourself of a major headache.¡¯


    ¡°Actually, I-¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m doing better than you or I would imagine. Come to think of it now, all


    my stubbornness before was not with it.¡±


    Zoe spoke ever so calmly, even though she was spilling her guts.


    Jay listened in silence, but could still hear the contempt she had for him despite her


    calm tone.


    And after she had her say, she left without looking back.


    He watched as she went, his vision blurring in turn.


    It was soon a month after Sam¡¯s birthday.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 392

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 392


    Chapter 392


    Throughout the entire month, Cordy never met John, or received his call or text.


    Naturally, she was expecting none of that either.


    She had actually been busy as the Startstream High Fashion made a rtively easy


    venture into the market and drew plenty of attention. Their sales were rising by the


    day, and Starstream Group¡¯s stock market value was in turn increasing like clockwork,


    catching up and even surpassing many other elite enterprises of North City. Naturally,


    they still had a long way from the top since those were legacies forged over multiple


    generations.


    But one way or another, her rise was meteoric, and most amongst business circles


    touted her as the finest dark horse over thest decade.


    However, she also knew all too well that the widespread acim was nothing good.


    She always understood the principle that too much attention was never good, and


    even had a suspicion of a certain someone deliberately dragging her to the spotlight.


    Naturally, she had to y along since she had no control over the situation ¡ªshe had


    an obligation towards herself and her partners now.


    In the month since she partnered with Patrick Stuart, they had often kept in touch


    online since he was rarely in North City. She would often submit business


    management ns and revenue reports to him punctually, and they became familiar


    with each other thanks to their contact.


    After Cordy submitted her weekly revenue report for the week, Patrick called her,


    asking straight to the point, ¡°Would youe to Rocktown?¡± It was after they made


    contact that she found out he was a swift and decisive man despite his polite


    appearance. He valued time more than most, and never dragged his feet when it


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy asked nheless.


    ¡°My grandfather¡¯s interested in seeing you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cordy was taken aback.


    ¡°He¡¯s just interested in you.¡± Patrick chuckled.


    Cordy was not amused. ¡°Our partnership is built around creating value in the market,


    and toppling amon foe in Jessica Stuart. I wasn¡¯t told that you¡¯d be involving


    others.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My grandfather doesn¡¯t bite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to refuse,¡± Cordy insisted.


    ¡°Actually, Jessica¡¯s side of the family would be holding a charity ball in the city,¡±


    Patrick suddenly said. ¡°If my hunch is right, she¡¯ll invite you too.¡±


    Cordy raised a brow. ¡°And I must be there?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing stopping them until then, her family would formally announce her


    wedding date with John Levine.¡±


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s now set in stone, I guess you should give up on separating them,¡±


    Cordy said calmly. ¡°Why not focus on our partnership instead? We might be able to


    turn the tables with our rising market value.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that-you¡¯re far more formidable than I gave you credit for, and we¡¯d


    definitely establish a foothold in business if our partnership remained solid,¡± Patrick


    said in praise, though his tone soon changed sharply. ¡°That said, it ain¡¯t over till the fat


    give up just yet.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you should do what you like,¡± Cordy replied, not interested in saying


    more.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Patrick wasn¡¯t either, and they both hung up.


    There was a knock on Cordy¡¯s door just then, and Vince entered, greeting her


    respectfully. ¡°We just received an invitation from the Stuarts to a charity ball in


    Rocktown. It will be held next Saturday, at 7 p.m.¡±


    Cordy read the invitation, to find it was signed by William Stuart himself.


    Since it was a personal invitation from that old man, she would bebeled tactless if


    she refused.


    That was probably why Patrick was convinced she would be there anyway.


    Her phone rang, and she frowned when she saw the caller ID: John Levine.


    He was gone for a month¡­or maybe not? There had been traces of him in various


    news, mostly of him in thepany of Jessica.


    It was why Cordy knew that he had been in Rocktown over the past month, at


    Jessica¡¯s side.


    Nheless, she answered his call.


    ¡°Did you receive the Stuarts¡¯ invitation?¡± John asked immediately.


    ¡°I did,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯te,¡± John said, loudly and clearly

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 393

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 393


    Chapter 393


    ¡°Why?¡± Cordy asked, working hard to keep herself calm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin when I get back,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Are you going to announce your wedding date?¡± Cordy asked bluntly.


    John was left silent for heartbeats, while Cordy made herself very clear.¡± It¡¯s already


    expected. It doesn¡¯t affect me at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scarily selfish, John,¡± she said, putting weight behind every word.


    John felt his breath leave his lungs right then.


    At the same time, Cordy continued, ¡°Whether this marriage is by your will or


    otherwise, Jessica Stuart considers you her partner now. It¡¯s a legitimate rtionship,


    so why would you keep clinging to me? Is this fair to her? Sure, I¡¯m not that much of a


    saint to sympathize with someone who wants me dead, but it still disgusts me how


    irresponsible you can be-to her and to me.¡±


    ¡°I will never marry Jessica Stuart,¡± John repeated, his tone somber and obviously


    repressing his rage.


    ¡°That¡¯s your business,¡± Cordy snapped, losing control as well. ¡°You can do whatever


    you choose. I¡¯m just doing my best to live my life, so could you please stop harassing


    me?!¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯te to Rocktown. I promise that from now on, I won¡¯t bother you until I¡¯ve


    resolved my personal affairs,¡¯ John promised.


    ¡°Do you even know who sent me the invitation?!¡± Cordy demanded in turn.¡± It¡¯s


    William Stuart himself!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I would still get to operate a business if I said no to him?¡±


    ¡°The most important thing for you to do is avoid the spotlight. You¡¯re drawing too much


    attention.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I won¡¯t draw attention even if I did? I¡¯m an eyesore no matter what


    I do now, John, and it¡¯s all because of you!¡±


    ¡°I will make it up to you.¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that!¡± Cordy snapped, refusing him.¡±I¡¯m definitely going to that charity


    ball in Rocktown. Whatever¡¯s going on between you and Jessica -whether it¡¯s the


    announcement of your wedding date or a shotgun wedding, it is no skin off my back!¡±


    ¡°Cordy, please just listen to me. Don¡¯t get impulsive about this¡­¡¯


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going just to upset you? Do you think I want to go at all?! I have to go,


    and that¡¯s a fact! If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d be disrespecting the Stuarts, and William Stuart can use


    that to coerce Patrick Stuart into cutting me off!¡±


    ¡°You never should have worked with him.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cordy snorted coldly-so John knew, but did not care about her situation.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s saying that I¡¯m getting too much attention. How much longer do


    you think I¡¯d survive without him shielding me?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t depend on him,¡¯ John told her.


    ¡°And I have even less reason to depend on you,¡± Cordy retorted curtly.


    ¡°Either way, I¡¯m not letting you attend the ball next week. HI give you a reasonable


    exnation when I can,¡± John simply said, and hung up right then.


    He was as stubborn as he was cold.


    Cordy put her phone down a little heavily in turn.


    She was rarely angry, but John was really driving her out of control.


    Still, she ultimately decided to ignore him, and thought nothing of what he said.


    That is, until Saturday-when she was ready to leave for Rocktown.


    She realized that John¡¯s threat was not merely verbal as she opened the door to find


    Jay standing there, with two burly men in ck standing beside him, their visages


    intimidating.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Cordy asked with a frown, although she had an idea already.


    ¡°Johnny sent me,¡± Jay replied. ¡®Don¡¯t me him-he¡¯s just doing this for your own


    good.¡±


    ¡°For my own good?!¡± Cordy snorted, the rage in her voice uncontroble while she


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    clenched her knuckles, ready to swing it! ¡°If he cared, he should respect me instead of


    coercing me like this!¡±


    Jay stared at her in silence for a while, before slowly saying, ¡°He¡¯ll exin why.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that,¡± Cordy growled, working hard to calm herself. ¡°Please let me leave.


    Jay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jay replied, his reaction staunch.


    His demeanor was different than usual, too.


    In the end, a Levine is a Levine-their blood flows with apathy!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 394

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 394


    Chapter 394


    Jay said, ¡°Johnny would never hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s really testing the limits of my patience!¡± Cordy snapped, and shut the door


    violently in his face.


    Jay pursed his lips; he could see Cordy¡¯s rage.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if John would ever earn Cordy¡¯s forgiveness from this.


    Behind the door, Cordy¡¯s heart was aze even as she repeatedly told herself to calm


    down and think of a way to leave.


    She wasn¡¯t about to let anyone do whatever they wanted to her, let alone someone


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    like John!


    Her eyes narrowing, she called Patrick.


    ¡°What time are you arriving? I¡¯ll be there to receive you,¡¯ he said, as forthright as ever.


    ¡°I can¡¯t make it. There¡¯s people stopping me.¡±


    Patrick paused for a moment, but soon asked, ¡°John Levine?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And you need my help.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± Patrick said without hesitation.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy hung up, pinning all her hopes on Patrick.


    When Cordy opened her door in the afternoon, Jay was still standing outside along


    with the bodyguards, keeping a respectful distance.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she told Jay.


    He simply stared at her, so she said, ¡°For lunch.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jay did not reject her, and entered her house.


    ¡°I can only make pasta, and nothing else. Is that okay with you?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cordy made two bowls¡¯ worth, and they both sat on the same table, observing proper


    manners as they ate.


    ¡°You left the Levines?¡± Cordy asked nonchntly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have. It¡¯s certainly not happening now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all water under the bridge,¡± Jay said tly.


    He appeared so pessimistic, as if life didn¡¯t matter even if it went badly; it only made


    him appear more tragic than dying.


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s doing well right now. She learnt how to cook,¡± Cordy said. ¡°She even invited


    me and Quinn over to her ce whenever we¡¯re free to try her cooking.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°Things are going well between her and Bob, too,¡± Cordy added.


    ¡°I won¡¯t bother them,¡± Jay promised.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that if she can let go, you can too.¡±


    Jay looked up at Cordy as she finished, ¡°Don¡¯t drive yourself into desperation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡¯ Jay eximed in surprise. ¡°For keeping you here.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied determinedly. ¡¯I only hate John.¡±


    ¡°He-¡± ¡°He had no choice,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that over a million


    times.¡±


    Jay smiled faintly, since he couldn¡¯t say anything about that.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 395

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 395


    Chapter 395


    Cordy didn¡¯t chase Jay away after lunch, nor did he volunteer to leave.


    He stayed on the couch, watching the television while Cordy worked in her study.


    It was an amicable sight, though Jay had been yawning many times as he sat on the


    couch.


    He would never admit to himself that he had been losing sleep, even going sleepless


    on asion.


    Still, he shouldn¡¯t be this sleepy¡­


    Deciding that television might be too boring, he whipped out his phone to browse


    through videos and news articles, which were all obsessing over the Stuarts¡¯ charity


    ball tonight.


    Even as he browsed through everything, Jay¡¯s eyelid was drooping; he soon fell


    asleep with his phone still in his hand.


    Cordy stepped out of her study and watched as Jayy on the couch, his breathing


    turning rhythmic.


    She had spiked his pasta with sleeping pills-she had some ready in her house, since


    she lost sleep on asion too.


    Still, the pills worked faster than she expected. She had been under the impression


    that it would take at least thirty minutes to even an hour to knock out Jay.


    He probably hadn¡¯t been sleeping well, and the pills do work quicker when the person


    was tired.


    ¡°Jay?¡± Cordy called out tentatively.


    He frowned, but didn¡¯t respond.


    His head felt so heavy, he couldn¡¯t open his eyes at all.


    After confirming that he was out, Cordy made her way to the front door and took a


    deep breath before opening it out of the blue, looking panicked as she cried


    desperately, ¡°Get in here! Jay suddenly fainted!¡±


    The two bodyguards outside traded nces, but otherwise didn¡¯t react.


    As such, Cordy put more urgency in her tone. ¡°Get in here, right now! We need to take


    him to the hospital! Who¡¯s going to take responsibility if anything happens to him?!¡±


    Before they could consider that, Cordy had already reached out to pull them in. They


    followed her inside to see Jay lying motionlessly on the couch.


    ¡°Mr. Parker?¡± one of the bodyguards called out to him.


    Jay frowned-he seemed to hear someone calling him, but his eyelids were just too


    heavy even if he was doing his best to try and get up.


    At the same time, Cordy kept urging them. ¡°What are you spacing out for? Take him to


    the hospital already! If it¡¯s a stroke, he could die if he can¡¯t get help in time!¡±


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Seeing that there was really no waking Jay, a bodyguard quickly picked him up.


    Cordy started to follow when they were about to leave, but the other bodyguard


    stopped her. ¡°You can¡¯t leave, Miss Sachs.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ming with-where do you think I¡¯d go? I¡¯d be worried if only one of you sent


    Jay to the hospital, since anything could happen. Let¡¯s go together. I won¡¯t be able to


    run!¡± Cordy snapped, not bothered to say more at that. She promptly followed the


    other bodyguard out of her apartment.


    The other bodyguard was taken aback, hesitating for a moment before following them.


    They headed to the car park, with one bodyguard driving while the other stayed with


    Cordy and Jay in the backseat.


    Jay¡¯s brow had been constantly furrowed; obviously, he was trying to wake himself.


    Since the sleeping pills would work little over a couple hours at best, Cordy¡¯s fingers


    were clenching over her phone in apprehension.


    The car was moving rather quickly as they rushed to the hospital, until it suddenly


    screeched to a halt.


    Cordy quickly shielded Jay-it was enough that she had drugged him, so she didn¡¯t


    want him to get hurt.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The bodyguard in the backseat asked.


    ¡°A car ran the red light. We almost crashed.¡±


    ¡°Ignore them. Just keep going.¡±


    However, just as the bodyguard tried to restart the car ignition¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 396

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 396


    Chapter 396


    Two men emerged from the ck car ahead, stopping their car.


    The bodyguard in the backseat noticed, too. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡±


    He got out of the car, intent on making things quick and leaving.


    At the same time, Cordy¡¯s palm was sweating as she put it on the door handle.


    She watched as the bodyguard alighted and walked several paces away, before


    opening the door and rushing out.


    The other bodyguard in the driver¡¯s seat noticed immediately and got out to try to stop


    her, only to watch her run into the ck car that had been tailing them for a while.


    It sped away even as he tried to reach it; there was no way for him to chase the car


    down, especially since his car¡¯s way was blocked.


    Scowling, he had no choice but to dial a number to report. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Levine, but


    Miss Sachs escaped.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s heart was racing even after she made it into Patrick¡¯s car.


    She took a deep breath to calm herself. Patrick sat beside her with a faint smile.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Cordy frowned as she turned towards him, a little annoyed to see him watching her


    with such amusement.


    ¡°I¡¯m once again impressed by your abilities, Miss Sachs,¡± he said. ¡°You managed to


    escape so easily despite John keeping such a tight leash on you.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t respond, but it hadn¡¯t been easy.


    She seeded simply because Jay wasn¡¯t wary of her, and she deceived a person


    who trusted her.


    She saw a call on her phone soon enough, but declined it right away.


    Cordy followed Patrick and took his private jet to Rocktown, where they headed to the


    best private hospital in the city.


    ¡°Come,¡± Patrick said.


    ¡°Do you think I should trust you?¡± Cordy asked, folding her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but you decided to trust me anyway. That much is obvious when you


    chose toe here with me,¡± Patrick smiled faintly, appearing a little proud of himself.


    Cordy bit her lip but followed Patrick in the hospital regardless, knowing that she


    would be visiting his grandfather Monty Stuart.


    She had never met him, and there were no photos of him in any media.


    However, she supposed that an old man who was terminally ill couldn¡¯t possibly be


    dangerous.


    Moreover, people be kinder as death approaches.


    And yet, as Cordy followed Patrick into Monty¡¯s ward, she found a spirited elderly man


    inside, looking sixty at best; certainly not a year past seventy.


    At that instant, many thoughts crossed her mind.


    Was John misinformed? Or perhaps¡­


    Nheless, Monty seemed to read her mind. He smiled and said cheerfully, ¡°You


    must think that I¡¯m on my deathbed, Miss Sachs.¡±


    ¡°The rumors¡­¡±


    ¡°That I leaked on purpose,¡± Monty admitted. ¡°Bait I¡¯ve set, to lure a big fish.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ But why would you let me find out about such a bold move? Aren¡¯t you


    worried I would betray you?¡± Cordy asked.


    After all, being coy was the worst thing that can be done in a discussion amongst


    intellectuals.


    ¡°I trust Patrick¡¯s judgment,¡± Monty said, obviously thinking highly of his own grandson.


    ¡°In that case, what do you want me to do since you¡¯ve asked for my presence here


    today?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Calm down, Miss Sachs-I¡¯m not asking you to do anything,¡± Monty said.¡± I¡¯ve simply


    asked you here to offer you assurances. Once we¡¯ve aplished what we want,


    we¡¯ll give you your just reward.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Stuart,¡± Cordy said gratefully, though she wasn¡¯t celebrating at all.


    In the end, the assurance would only be half that; the other half was pure threat!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 397

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 397


    Chapter 397


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Scores of people were gathered outside the Stuarts¡¯ charity ball even before the main


    event; there were countless scores of journalists, fans, spectators, and security


    personnel.


    It was a grand sight that could beat any celebrity g.


    Soon, a ck Rolls Roys stopped at the edge of the red carpet. Inside, Patrick was


    watching Cordy, who sat beside him.


    He was with her as she got changed after they left the hospital, and she was


    breathtaking in that emerald gown-no man could resist staring.


    And yet, Patrick wasn¡¯t any man-he showed focus, and remained respectfully distant


    with Cordy.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked.


    Cordy pursed her lips, a little emotional.


    She came, pulling every trick in her book in doing so, even though John did all he


    could to stop her.


    She had no idea how he would react when he saw her¡­but she was not obliged to


    care, either.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said confidently, looking up at Patrick.


    A faint light shone over her ck eyes; they dazzled like the stars, leaving Patrick


    mesmerized.


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy asked, her brow raised.


    Patrick came to his senses, and shed a rather vague smile.


    With a look, the bodyguard riding shotgun alighted and walked over to his door,


    opening it for him.


    He got out, and stood in his upright gait as he drew countless journalists.


    Cameras were shing endlessly on him while he walked around to the other side,


    opening the door and offering a hand like a true gentleman.


    A fair, dainty hand was gently ced upon his; everyone present held their breaths in


    anticipation of who the woman would be.


    Who could Patrick Stuart have brought to the g, and dote on, even?!


    After all, Patrick had never been seen with any woman in public. He was never caught


    in scandals, and there were even spections of his preferences. Even if James


    Stuart-Patrick¡¯s counterpart in the other Stuart family branch-never married,


    paparazzis had managed to take photos of James¡¯s private rendezvous with several


    On the other hand, Patrick steered clear of such things.


    Therefore, everyone was eagerly anticipating who thedy could be.


    Amidst the spotlight, a woman so beautiful it was unreal alighted elegantly.


    Cordy Sachs!


    Everyone recognized her almost immediately, for her beauty was undoubtedly unique


    to herself. There was no confirmation needed either, because no celebrity in showbiz


    could trump her grace.


    Though her gown for the night was subtle, it entuated her stunning charm to the


    Whenever she took the stage, she never disappointed.


    She was already a top fashion designer, and even in private, thousands of patrons of


    luxury fashion werepeting to offer her a free sponsorship just to get a gown of her


    design.


    And now here she was, putting her hand around Patrick¡¯s arm as they strode up the


    red carpet.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 398

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 398


    Chapter 398


    Patrick kept smiling faintly, giving an impression of politeness and refined elegance.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m really on the red carpet for the first time/ he whispered into Cordy¡¯s ear


    as he did. ¡°And it¡¯s all thanks to you. I¡¯m sure John wants me dead now.¡±


    ¡°Eyes on the road,¡± Cordy snapped, though she was smiling too.


    Patrick¡¯s smile broadened, while journalists captured every moment of their


    interaction, bombarding them with questions as they approached.


    ¡°Mr. Stuart! Why are you attending the charity ball with Miss Sachs? Is there a special


    connection here?¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Stuart! Rumor has it that your grandfather, Monty Stuart, was taken ill. Will he be


    attending the ball?¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Stuart! It was alleged that your family has a special surprise announcement in


    store for us, aside from the charity drive. Would you care to tell us what it is?¡±


    ¡°Miss Sachs! What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Stuart? Are you attending this charity


    ball as Mr. Stuart¡¯spanion, or did the Stuarts extend a special invitation?¡±


    ¡°Miss Sachs! Did you design that dress yourself, or is it haute couture?¡±


    ¡°Miss Sachs! Starstream High Fashion had been leading sales numbers far beyond


    other simr brands in the country. Have you considered making a push for the


    international market? Could you give a summary of your uing marketing


    stratagems?¡±


    The journalists¡¯ questions were endless, and Patrick spoke first, ¡®We are just attending


    the ball together as partners. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    One of the journalists asked, ¡°So, are rumors of a joint venture between you and Miss


    Sachs¡¯s Starstream High Fashion true?¡¯


    ¡°Half,¡± Patrick replied.


    The journalists were confused. ¡°Half?¡±


    ¡°We are partners, but there is no joint management. I¡¯m just an investor, while Cordy


    herself is in charge of everything from brand marketing to strategic nning.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s words were an undisguised acknowledgment of Cordy¡¯s business acumen,


    and in front of all those journalists at that.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Do you trust Miss Sachs that much, Mr. Stuart?¡± One of the journalists asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. I¡¯m mostly worried I¡¯d mess things up if I tried to help too much/


    Patrick said jokingly, his words making it clear of his confidence in Cordy.


    The journalistsguehd in amusement, and the mood was certainly good.


    Still, they peppered him with more questions about the Stuarts, and so he answered,


    ¡°My grandfather is mostly fine. He just had a little cold a while ago, so he won¡¯t be


    about, since I¡¯ll make donations in his stead. As for the surprise announcement, I


    shouldn¡¯t say more since it¡¯s a surprise. Everyone will find out during the ball,


    anyway.¡±


    Once he was done, Cordy was being questioned in turn, and she patiently replied, ¡°I


    won¡¯t borate on my partnership with Patrick since he¡¯s already mentioned


    everything that needs to be said. I did not design this gown, since the one I prepared


    couldn¡¯t be sent here because of a little incident in transit-Patrick prepared this for me,


    and an educated guess would be Gigi haute couture.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful in it, Miss Sachs! Mr. Stuart has fine tastes,¡± some of the journalists


    ttered.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy replied, and added, ¡°I¡¯m actually attending this ball after receiving


    an invitation from William Stuart, and I came with Patrick here since he didn¡¯t have a


    Starstream High Fashion, I cannot speak much on it since that¡¯s a trade secret.¡±


    The journalists wanted to ask more questions, but Patrick quickly came to her rescue.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re on a schedule, so we¡¯re entering the hall now.¡±


    The journalists naturally had to give in as he left with Cordy. ¡°Thank you! Miss Sachs,


    Mr. Stuart!¡±


    When Cordy turned, she inadvertently sprained her foot, but Patrick was quick enough


    to catch her.


    Behind them, John had just arrived on the red carpet with Jessica.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 399

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 399


    Chapter 399


    Noel was attending the charity ball too, but as board chairwoman of Sachs


    Enterprises.


    Sachs Enterprises would never make the list of the Stuarts¡¯ grandest annual charity


    ball, and it was Jessica who personally extended an invitation to Noel. Jessica said


    that since they were partners, she should give Noel more opportunities if it was within


    her abilities.


    Noel was beside herself with joy, and went out of her way to brag in front of her family.


    After all, she was no longer staying at the family¡¯s mansion, having bought herself


    another that was much grander than theirs.


    Still, Sue met her in private. She appeared to be happy for Noel, saying that she and


    Noel could finally hold their own in the Sachs family. She also added that Plum had


    been kept miserably in house arrest at the mansion by Simon himself.


    Despite all her fawning, it was clear Sue wanted to win Noel over and take a cut of the


    Sachs¡¯s family estate. However, Noel was no pushover. She grew up watching Sue,


    and knew very well what Sue was scheming-once Sue earned Noel¡¯s favor, she would


    slowly siphon off the shares on Sachs Enterprises that Noel owned until everything


    was returned to Sonny Sachs.


    Noel naturally didn¡¯t humor Sue, and had thetter thrown out even as she promptly


    dropped all disguises, screaming and cursing Noel.


    No one would take even a single percentage of her shares!


    Naturally, Noel had worked hard on her dress and makeup as she strutted along the


    red carpet of the Stuarts¡¯ charity ball, intent on stealing the spotlight and unting


    herself in that prestigious event.


    What she didn¡¯t expect, however, was that none of the journalists were calling out to


    her despite her deliberately slow pace-or looking at her, for that matter. She definitely


    made headlines and caused an uproar in business when she took control over Sachs


    Enterprises, but since then, she hadn¡¯t received not even one interview.


    Though she had already thought about what to say when she made the public


    appearance she looked forward to, no one even looked her way.


    She walked very slowly, even posing a little to draw attention-even so, everyone was


    summarily refusing to interview her.


    Just as she wondered if Rocktown¡¯s journalists were harder to please, the journalists


    flocking at the other end were suddenly bursting with excitement.


    Noel turned to find Patrick and Cordy alighting from a ck Rolls Royce, instantly


    bing the focus of the red carpet as everyone turned towards them. In fact, the


    journalists were all so eager that Noel thought she was imagining it.


    It frustrated Noel considerably, but she assured herself that the journalists were just


    being enthusiastic about Patrick¡¯s arrival.


    After all, the Stuarts¡¯ statuses were simply different-and since they were the hosts,


    Noel owed them deference.


    And yet, that was when she heard countless journalists bombarding Cordy Sachs with


    so many questions, none of which had anything to do with the Stuarts.


    What gave Cordy the right to unt in front of Noel?! Cordy was basically trampling all


    over Noel, just from the difference in treatment that the journalists were giving them!


    But what was even less eptable? Cordy hooking up with Patrick!


    She had changed her sights to a different man, just because John was with Jessica


    now!


    What gave COrdy the right to change men so easily?!


    First, it was Kyle Jessop.


    Then, John Levine.


    And now, Patrick Stuart!


    Each time Cordy switched, the new partner would be richer and more influential than


    the one before!


    Noel suppressed her rage, but with no one giving a damn about her, she had to leave


    the hall gloomily.


    Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    Meanwhile, Patrick caught Cordy firmly in his hands when she almost tripped, and the


    journalists captured the moment of their exceedingly intimate moment.


    That is, until one of the journalists to the back eximed, ¡°It¡¯s John Levine and


    Jessica Stuart!¡±


    They were done interviewing Patrick and Cordy, anyway.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 400

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 400


    Chapter 400


    While every journalist swarmed towards John and Jessica, Patrick asked Cordy softly,


    ¡°Are you alright? Can you walk?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cordy said, pivoting her ankles a little¡ªit hurt a little, but it wouldn¡¯t affect


    her that much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Patrick told her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Cordy replied, determined.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Patrick shrugged, and said nothing else.


    Cordy straightened herself in turn, and put her hand around Patrick¡¯s arm again and


    entered the hall.


    Behind them, John and Jessica naturally saw them and the rather intimate exchange.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised my cousin¡¯s already so close with Cordy,¡± Jessica said, seemingly


    nonchnt.


    John didn¡¯t react at all, as if he didn¡¯t care.


    Or perhaps he just didn¡¯t want to show it in front of Jessica.


    Jessica controlled herself in turn-she was going to announce the date of their wedding


    tonight, anyway.


    Over the past month, her grandfather William Stuart had been determined to push the


    issue. John himself had stayed at Rocktown the entire time, to help with the Stuarts¡¯


    business.


    To anyone else, their wedding was as good as decided.


    John did not resist either-not that he would have the ability to do so.


    Naturally, he didn¡¯t reject the announcement of their wedding day either, mostly


    because Jessica gave John her assurance that even if it was just a wedding in name


    only, she wouldn¡¯t ask for more.


    As things were getting a little heated between Jessica¡¯s side of the family and


    Patrick¡¯s, she promised John that she would ask William for a secret divorce once


    John seeded in helping them win-and that she wouldn¡¯t bother him again. 1


    Jessica had no idea how much John believed that, but he didn¡¯t protest and quietly


    epted everything.


    As for her, it didn¡¯t matter if he believed it or not. Her point was to make him marry her.


    After all, they weren¡¯t actually going to get a divorce, since they had their respective


    positions and statuses to consider.


    Inch by inch, Jessica was pushing John into the pit she dug, where she would


    ultimately bury him.


    Meanwhile, the journalists were peppering them with endless questions.


    ¡°Mr. Levine, rumor has it that you¡¯ve been staying with Miss Stuart throughout your


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    stay in Rocktown. Could we consider that a sign that the wedding is soon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alleged that Mr. Levine is already helping Miss Stuart with management of Stuart


    Holdings. Would you be giving up on Levine Ventures for her sake after you marry,


    and ce your focus on Stuart Holdings instead?¡±


    ¡°Miss Stuart, word has it that Richard Levine is your biological son. Is that true? We


    understand that you were childhood friends with Mr. Levine- when did romance


    blossom between you two?¡±


    John didn¡¯t respond at all, keeping mum the whole time.


    On the other hand, Jessica was much friendlier and replied mildly, ¡°It just so happens


    that Stuart Holdings had a particrly troublesome issue to deal with during John¡¯s


    stay at Rocktown, and we needed his help. That said, we¡¯ll be focusing on our


    respective careers after our wedding. We¡¯ve yet to consider whether we would be


    staying in Rocktown or North City afterwards.¡±


    ¡°As for Dicky¡ªwho¡¯s Richard Levine to you, he¡¯d always been my son, and I raised


    him abroad. He¡¯s still young, and the most important thing right now is his growth and


    studies. I must earnestly ask everyone not to bother a child or write anything about


    him. Thank you very much.¡±


    Jessica picked her words deliberately, making Dicky¡¯s roots sound ambiguous so that


    everyone else would misunderstand that the boy was her biological son.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 401

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 401


    Chapter 401


    After John and Jessica left the crowd of reports and entered the hall, Jessica asked


    him, ¡°You¡¯re not angry, are you? That I didn¡¯t tell the journalists that Dicky wasn¡¯t my


    son.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± John replied, and there was no emotion in his tone.


    It was as if John did not care whatever she did, even if she did it right in front of him.


    There were times when Jessica felt like a clown, entertaining no one but herself.


    Her eyes shed icily, and she told herself that he would be hers eventually-that was


    the only way.


    Thus, right now, she could bear with anything he threw her way.


    Composing herself, she shed a good-natured smile and exined, ¡°I just didn¡¯t


    want people talking badly about Dicky, especially since his mother was never


    revealed. I¡¯m worried there¡¯d be a psychological effect. I¡¯ve already considered him my


    own son, even when he was a baby.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied, but his voice made it clear he wasn¡¯t interested in her words at


    all.


    When they entered the hall, there weren¡¯t many others- there were hardly that many


    individuals who had the disposition to attend a charity ball organized by people of


    such prestige as the Stuarts.


    Those present were either top business persons or individuals of notable prestige and


    political influence. In short, for the average Joe, they only get to meet such people on


    television or other screens.


    Even so, John and Jessica¡¯s appearance did draw attention since they were the


    protagonists for the night.


    From the outset, William had insisted that this charity ball was held in the name of her


    granddaughter, Jessica. It was the first time the event was held in honor of a


    grandchild in the Stuart family, and one could see how highly William thought of


    Jessica-not even James had the honor before!


    Once Jessica arrived with John, the hall erupted with thunderous apuse.


    Everyone watched as John led Jessica into the ballroom, and began to mingle with


    every guest present, weaving in and out of the crowd seamlessly.


    John was in a tailcoat tuxedo and wore a bowtie for once, instead of the usual necktie.


    His handsome facial features in turn appeared even more pronounced and chiseled,This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    and he was a sight anyone would be inevitably drawn to in the ballroom.


    On the other hand, Jessica wore a striking red gown.


    In contrast to the pink gown which entuated her trait as an open, confident person,


    the red magnified her noble passion-it was an absolute deration that she was the


    main star tonight.


    As she stood beside John, who projected a handsome, lofty but stoic nature, Jessica¡¯s


    beauty, passion and affable natureplemented him perfectly.


    ¡°Jealous?¡± Patrick asked Cordy as he watched John and Jessica with guests nearby.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Cordy replied, staring at them as well. ¡°I earnestly hope that they get their


    happily ever after.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather that not happen at all,¡± Patrick chuckled.


    He took a ss of water from a waiter walking past them and switched it with Cordy¡¯s


    ss of wine, leaving her frowning.


    ¡°Water¡¯s better when you¡¯re having your period,¡± Patrick told her.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Cordy asked, staring closely at his face.


    ¡°You were carrying sanitary pads when you went to the washroom this afternoon,


    while we¡¯re flying.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s very attentive of you,¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°You tter me.¡±


    They continued their small talk until a familiar figure appeared before them.


    Cordy looked up to see John standing before them, with Jessica beside him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 402

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 402


    Chapter 402


    Cordy and John¡¯s eyes met.


    There seemed to be unspoken emotions in their gazes, yet at the same time, there


    seemed to be nothing.


    Silence ensued between them until Jessica spoke up,¡± Patrick, my dear cousin-a


    shame that you beat me to a partnership with Cordy!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Patrick replied, cordial as ever with Jesscia.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that I¡¯d like to partner with her, but never did have the chance,¡±


    Jessica said, appearing genuinely disappointed. ¡°On the other hand, you seemed to


    really hit it off with her! It¡¯s left me really upset for a while.¡±


    ¡°Now, now¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t overreach, Jessica. Mr. Levine there leads a lot of people


    and multiple elite businesses. I¡¯m just a startup, so don¡¯t snuff me out so soon now,¡±


    Patrick said, seemingly jokingly as he jibed Jessica¡¯s family for their greed.


    ¡°Come on. We¡¯re family, aren¡¯t we? What¡¯s mine is yours. You have my best wishes in


    your partnership with Cordy- Johnny, here. Let¡¯s drink to their sess,¡± Jessica said.


    She had her hand intimately wrapped around John¡¯s arm, and tugged on John


    deliberately when she was offering a toast, as if to endear herself to him.


    Cordy watched coolly, as John didn¡¯t raise his ss or refuse.


    He didn¡¯t raise his ss to drink when Jessica told him to either, which left things


    looking a little awkward.


    Patrick quickly smoothed things over. ¡°You might not be aware, Mr. Levine, but Miss


    Sachs won¡¯t be able to drink for the next couple days¡­for health reasons.¡±


    John looked sharply at him then, but Patrick pretended not to notice as he continued,


    ¡°So, in this case, we can skip the toast-we¡¯re family anyway, so there¡¯s no need to get


    so formal. You¡¯re the main event as well, and there¡¯s more guests to mingle with. Don¡¯t


    worry about us. We¡¯re family, after all. We can handle ourselves from here.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we shall oblige,¡± Jessica smiled. ¡°Please, enjoy the ball. John and I shall


    be going now.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Scoot.¡±


    And with that, Jessica tugged on John¡¯s arm, gesturing for him to leave.


    Even so, John¡¯s eyes were glued to Cordy, who looked so naturally beautiful standing


    at Patrick¡¯s side.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± Jessica reminded him softly, ¡°your grandfather and mine are right over


    there.¡±


    John gulped, but ultimately left with her without saying a word.


    Once they were gone, Patrick sighed. ¡°Shame.¡±


    Cordy took a sip of her ss of water, and asked nonchntly, ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°John not eloping with you right there and then.¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes at him, while Patrick shrugged. ¡°I wanted to provoke him a little,


    push him over the edge so that he storms out of the ball with you. He¡¯d be burning


    bridges with William¡¯s side of the family while I sit back enjoying the spoils.¡±


    ¡°You underestimate him too much,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s certainly moreposed than I gave him credit for.¡± Patrick chuckled.


    ¡°Just like how you give me too much credit,¡± Cordy added tly.


    It was an objective statement to rify that Patrick had overestimated her importance


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    to John.


    ¡°Actually, you underestimate your importance to him, Miss Sachs,¡± Patrick chuckled.


    ¡°If you were watching John¡¯s hands, you¡¯d see that he¡¯d be crushing his own bones if


    he was clenching them any harder.¡±


    Cordy blinked, but quickly averted her eyes after a brief nce.


    They had both chosen their own paths, and such was lifesympathizing with another


    was simply unnecessary.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little stuffy here. I need a breather,¡± Cordy said, putting down her ss and


    ready to leave.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± Patrick stopped her. ¡°The good part is just getting underway.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 403

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 403


    Chapter 403


    Cordy frowned at Patrick, who was grinning nonchntly.


    Ultimately, she didn¡¯t leave and stood at his side to watch the rich and important


    people filing into the ballroom.


    Naturally, she saw Noel-who certainly rode a coattail well to be able to attend such a


    prestigious charity ball.


    In that sense, the same applied to Cordy, though it was more because of her personal


    grudge with the host than other reasons.


    That would be more or less the asame in Noel¡¯s case, since Jessica was really


    bringing out her checkbook to buy Noel¡¯splete allegiance.


    Suddenly, the lights in the ballroom dimmed while a spotlight illuminated the center of


    the stage; everyone turned towards it.


    The emcee walked up above stage and spoke with sinct intonation, ¡°Good


    evening, everyone. Wee to Stuart Holdings¡¯ annual charity ball! Thank you


    everyone for making time to attend this honorable asion despite your busy


    schedules.¡±


    The ballroom erupted with raucous pping. Anyone who could host such a


    prestigious event naturally stood amongst the best in showbiz, boasting poprity as


    well influence.


    ¡°And now, let¡¯s invite our host for the night-Miss Jesscia Stuart, for her opening


    speech! Please give her a round of apuse, everyone!¡±


    Jessica strode up the stage in her red gown amidst the thunderous apuse, walking


    up to the emcee who passed the mic to her.


    Jessica¡¯s smile was tactful, and every move was as confident as it was elegant.


    ¡°This is my first time hosting this annual charity ball, and I do apologize beforehand if


    our hospitality proved insufficient. I would also like to thank my grandfather here for


    giving me the chance to learn and grow independent, and I¡¯m grateful to have his


    trust.¡±


    With that, she nodded and beamed at William below stage before turning towards her


    parents and James. ¡°I also would like to thank my immediate family for their support


    and care. They¡¯ve helped me gain the strength I need to make something for myself.¡±


    ¡°Last but not least, I must thank the most important person in my life. If not for him


    staying by my side at all times, I would never have the courage to host this charity ballThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    independently. In fact, he was willing to leave work for an entire month just to keep my


    Jessica never said a name, but everyone present knew exactly whom she was


    referring to too.


    Patrick turned towards Cordy.


    She appeared uninterested; noticing Patrick¡¯s gaze, she asked tly without turning to


    him, ¡°That¡¯s the good part?¡±


    ¡°What, not good enough for you?¡± Patrick asked.


    Cordy waspletely apathetic while Patrick smiled a little gingerly, watching as


    Jessica turned towards John and said, ¡°Thank you, Johnny. Thank you for your care


    and understanding.¡±


    Jessica was clearly smitten, and everyone could see the love she bore for John in her


    eyes.


    However, John was below stage, and the lights were too dim for anyone to see his


    reaction.


    Jessica turned towards the crowd again. ¡°As usual, all proceeds for this charity ball


    will be invested into the nonprofit charity organizations under Stuart Holdings, with


    referees personally officiating the procedures of your donations. Once again, thank


    you everyone foring.¡±


    Jessica leaned forward slightly in a small bow, appearing elegant and affable as ever.


    The entire ballroom erupted into yet another round of apuse.


    ¡°And now, Stuart Holdings¡¯ annual charity ball officially begins!¡±


    Crackers and poppers resounded overhead at those words, raining endless confetti


    down the hall.


    A thrilling tune boomed from the speakers, spiking the excitement in the ballroom to


    new heights.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 404

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 404


    Chapter 404


    Jessica then added, ¡°Now, before the charity auction, I have prepared a little social


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    session for everyone.¡±


    She certainly gained everyone¡¯s attention upon that announcement. Every pair of


    eyes were on her as she continued, ¡°We¡¯ll be pickingdies present at random and


    auctioning her first dance for the night. As with other proceeds, proceeds of this dance


    auction would be donated to the charity organization under Stuart Holdings.¡±


    The ballroom grew a little restless-it was the first time they heard about auctioning a


    dance!


    Bute to think of it, this was a charity ball,1he more the proceeds, the better it was.


    Inparison, how said proceeds were obtained was certainly secondary in


    importance.


    Moreover, those who were taking part weren¡¯t here for the auctioned items-they were


    just donating for the sake of glorifying themselves and their businesses.


    ¡°Is there anydy who would like to volunteer?¡± Jessica asked onstage.


    Thedies below stage were whispering amongst each other. Some were raring to go,


    but they wouldn¡¯t dare to step up for the sake of propriety.


    At the same time, Patrick whispered into Cordy¡¯s ears, ¡°Are you going? I¡¯ll bid without


    a limit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mental.¡± Cordy rolled her eyes at him, but he simply shrugged.


    Two minutes passed, but nody was going onstage, perhaps having been waiting for


    each other to do it first.


    ¡°Since there are no volunteers, I¡¯ll pick by random,¡± Jessica said, not letting things


    cool off. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll pick two so that thedies won¡¯t feel awkward being singled out. And


    since everyone present has their own auction number for the night, I¡¯ll call out two


    numbers at random. If your number is called, I would like you toe forward. Your


    first dance would hence be auctioned.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± Someone from the crowd eximed in approval, and most agreed with the


    idea.


    Jessica then said, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go with¡­Number 36?¡±


    Everydy in the ballroom looked down to check their number; soon, a small voice


    could be heard saying, ¡°Here.¡±


    Everyone and the spotlight turned towards the direction of the voice where Noel


    stood, looking shy.


    However, her chest gown was baring every part of her that could be bared, a rather


    calctive getup that was a stark mismatch for her naive, innocent demeanor.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Noel!¡± Jessica eximed chipperly, and beckoned at Noel. ¡°She¡¯s a friend


    who traveled today all the way from North City. Please, give her a warm round of


    apuse to encourage her!¡±


    Noel was blushing as she went on stage and stood at Jessica¡¯s side.


    In reality, Noel was already raring to go when Jessica announced the dance auction,


    since she knew that going onstage was the only way she would make an impressionespecially after


    she waspletely ignored so far in the ballroom.


    But in the end, she wasn¡¯t that thick-skinned and worried that she would cheapen


    herself if she appeared overeager. Therefore, she could only bear it.


    She certainly didn¡¯t expect herself to get so lucky to be chosen, and worked hard to


    repress her excitement so that she appeared very bashful.


    The harsh truth, however, was that no one noticed her until she went onstage.


    Some of the guests had merely heard about her, but others had no idea at all.


    However, her shy, alluring look actually stirred the juices of some of the men present.


    Noel, in turn, noticed their gazes. She understood that even if she was no


    breathtaking beauty, the maidenly presence she projected would draw the eyes of


    men towards her regardless.


    She was naturally gleeful on the inside, thinking that she must¡¯ve captivated a good


    number of men. In fact, she nned to seduce one tonight¡­


    They were all rich or powerful anyway, so she would be


    pleased with any who came.


    Beside her, Jessica announced the second number.¡± Number 62!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched over her auction paddle.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 405

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 405


    Chapter 405


    Jessica stood above the stage, asking everyone below, ¡°Is Number 62 present in this


    hall?¡±


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    In reality, the paddle numbers were arranged before the auction-odd numbers were


    assigned to men, while even numbers were assigned to women.


    Cordy Sachs had no idea why that was the case when she received her auction


    paddle, and simply presumed there would be a lottery or something else. After all,


    entertainment was necessary to keep things lively at a charity auction, and she


    realized now that the arrangement was for this mini-event.


    Patrick obviously knew Cordy¡¯s number and teased, ¡°Oh, this truly is destiny!¡±


    Cordy shot him a sideways re.


    Destiny? She would already disagree when Jessica picked Noel with pinpoint


    precision for the first number, and had even more reason to after Jessica picked her


    as well.


    There were only that many coincidences in the world- Jessica meant to do this, and


    as the host, she had a million ways to find out the numbers of every person in this


    ballroom.


    ¡°Number 62¡­¡± Jessica repeated.


    ¡°Over here!¡± Patrick suddenly eximed, pointing at Cordy. Jessica feigned surprise


    as she gasped in turn, ¡°It¡¯s Cordy?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cordy replied calmly.


    ¡°Oh, what a coincidence! You and Noel¡­ Oh, this is wonderful!¡± Jessica eximed


    with a look of utter joy.¡± Please,e forward.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, earnestly repulsed.


    At her side, Patrick noticed her hesitation. ¡°Just say no if you don¡¯t want to go¡­¡±


    Cordy, however, didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary trouble.


    If Patrick had to challenge Jessica for her sake, he wouldn¡¯t fare well, especially since


    his side of the family was having a ndestine power struggle against Jessica¡¯s.


    Moreover, Cordy refused to owe him favors.


    She started towards the stage, and as she walked past John, he suddenly reached


    out to grab her wrist.


    However, she simply raised her hand and avoided him-but their skin brushed against


    each other¡¯s, the sensation delicate yet profound.


    John clenched his knuckles, and was forced to watch as Cordy lifted her skirt and


    calmed walked upstage.


    At first, Noel more or less had the men¡¯s attention with her shrinking violet demeanor


    and stunning figure.


    But no matter how impactful it had been to the eyes of the men present, she dimmed


    inparison when Cordy


    walked onstage.


    If one were to describe her beauty, one could simply say that no one would be able to


    take their eyes off her wherever she went.


    Likewise, no one who stood at her side would match her beauty.


    It wasn¡¯t just Noel who dulled inparison either¡ªeven Jessica, in her elegant


    gown, seemed a little less stunning.


    Cordy certainly could take the wind out of every woman¡¯s sails.


    At the same time, Noel¡¯s smile faded as soon as Cordy went on stage.


    Why did Cordy have to be everywhere?!


    Why does Cordy have to steal Noel¡¯s thunder all the time?!


    Noel could clearly see the stares focused on herself before had turned towards Cordy


    at once, who instantly became the focus of the entire ballroom.


    Even as Noel repressed her rage, Jessica said, ¡°It seems tonight is really going to be


    a great night. I called out two numbers at random, and I got two of my best friends.


    Most importantly, they¡¯re sisters! I surprised myself too!¡± She was certainly smooth,


    alright.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 406

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 406


    Chapter 406


    But no matter how impactful it had been to the eyes of the men present, she dimmed


    inparison when Cordy


    walked onstage.


    If one were to describe her beauty, one could simply say that no one would be able to


    take their eyes off her wherever she went.


    Likewise, no one who stood at her side would match her beauty.


    It wasn¡¯t just Noel who dulled inparison either¡ªeven Jessica, in her elegant


    gown, seemed a little less stunning.


    Cordy certainly could take the wind out of every woman¡¯s sails.


    At the same time, Noel¡¯s smile faded as soon as Cordy went on stage.


    Why did Cordy have to be everywhere?!


    Why does Cordy have to steal Noel¡¯s thunder all the time?!


    Noel could clearly see the stares focused on herself before had turned towards Cordy


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    at once, who instantly became the focus of the entire ballroom.


    Even as Noel repressed her rage, Jessica said, ¡°It seems tonight is really going to be


    a great night. I called out two numbers at random, and I got two of my best friends.


    Most importantly, they¡¯re sisters! I surprised myself too!¡± She was certainly smooth,


    alright.


    The ballroom was rather silent after Jessica had spoken, with no one raising their


    paddle.


    Noel had at first been upset since Cordy¡¯s speech left her humiliated, but seeing this


    felt cathartic.


    It was Cordy¡¯s own fault for ying up her virtue-it would be far more humiliating as a


    woman if no one made a bid for you!


    Naturally, as Noel was sneering inwardly, Jessica also felt delighted.


    After all, she sent instructions beforehand that no one was to bid for Cordy, just to


    humiliate Cordy.


    Thus, Jessica was actually surprised that Cordy seemed to have read her mind and


    gave such a grandiose speech beforehand, so that Cordy wouldn¡¯t look so bad even if


    no one auctioned for her in the end.


    Be that as it may, Cordy would still be humiliated regardless ¡ªand even more so once


    word of this gets out.


    ¡°Is no one bidding?¡± Jessica eximed in surprise, appearing caught in disbelief.


    On the other hand, Cordy remainedposed-as she had been from the start.


    It was as if even the world would end, she would still take it in stride.


    ¡°Well, since there¡¯s no bidders, let¡¯s not affect the uing auctions¡­¡± Jessica said,


    turning towards Cordy with an apologetic, awkward look. ¡°Sorry, Cordy. Could you


    please leave the stage?¡±


    Cordy nodded, as calm as she had been as she came onstage.


    But just as she lifted her skirt to leave¡­


    ¡°500 grand!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 407

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 407


    Chapter 407


    A deep, maic voice suddenly resounded in the ballroom, and everyone turned in


    that direction to see that John had raised his auction paddle.


    He even started the bid at five times the price for Noel!


    Noel, who was just reveling in glee, was left dumbstruck as she stared at John in


    disbelief.


    He was already with Jessica, yet he was still bidding for Cordy, and in front of so


    many people? Did he even consider Jessica¡¯s feelings?!


    In fact, Jessisca actually reacted to John¡¯s bid, despite her immacte ability in


    keeping up appearances.


    John had always been tactful, never once resisting Jessica¡¯s family ever since the


    announcement of their engagement.


    Thus, she never expected him to humiliate her in front of so many others.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned towards John with a look of confusion, but he returned her gaze without a


    hint of emotion, let alone any ounce of guilt.


    As if everything he was doing was only natural.


    ¡°600 grand!¡±


    Another man¡¯s voice resounded in the ballroom.


    Everyone turned in that direction, and found Patrick raising his auction paddle as well.


    Patrick had actually been waiting for John¡¯s bid, knowing thetter would never allow


    Cordy leave in such humiliating fashion.


    In fact, John finally did it just as Patrick himself thought he should make a bid.


    ¡°700,¡± John continued the bid, even though it started at just 100-the price in which Tim


    Zimmer bid for Noel¡¯s first dance.


    Talk about rubbing it in.


    Still, Patrick wasn¡¯t backing down just yet. ¡°800.¡±


    ¡°900.¡±


    ¡°1 million.¡±


    ¡°1.2 million,¡±


    John kept bidding¡­and Patrick kept raising.


    ¡°1.5 million,¡± he said.


    ¡°2-¡± John said, only to be cut off.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± Jessica suddenly called out to him, retaining her affable smile while


    appearing formal as she tried to reason with him. ¡°Cordy made it very clear that this


    was just the appetizer. Participation is the most important part, not to mention that the


    best is yet toe. I know you¡¯d like to donate more since this is my first solo hosting


    of my family¡¯s annual charity ball, but there¡¯s no need to rush things along.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 408

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 408


    Chapter 408


    Jessica was extending an olive branch to John, but he didn¡¯t ept it.


    There was nary a flutter in his apathetic gaze, and his auction paddle was still in the


    air.


    Jessica scowled-she had already prostrated herself this far! Was John really not going


    to spare her any dignity at all?!


    Even as she was crumbling inside, Cordy suddenly eximed loudly and clearly, ¡°Two


    million.¡±


    John¡¯s bid was left stuck in his throat, while everyone turned towards Cordy, not sure


    why she would bid for herself. ¡¯


    Maybe she thought herself worth that much?! Wasn¡¯t she giving herself too much


    credit?


    Nheless, Cordy continued loudly and clearly, ¡°I¡¯m bidding two million for my first


    dance.¡±


    The crowd was left rowdy, stunned by her sudden charisma.


    She ignored their stares, however, and asked Jessica, ¡°It¡¯s not against the rules to bid


    for myself, right?¡±


    Jessica came to her senses right then, since she was also stunned by Cordy¡¯s sudden


    self-bid.


    She really never yed to anyone¡¯s tune, did she?


    Jessica certainly didn¡¯t have the faintest idea what Cordy was upto, either!


    ¡°I¡¯ve always looked up to Stuarts Holdings for contributing so much to charity, and I¡¯d


    like to do whatever I can to put in a contribution, even if it might not be much. I hope


    everyone would agree with my sentiment,¡± Cordy was making it very clear that she


    was rejecting both John and Patrick¡¯s bids.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jessica said quickly.


    Money wasn¡¯t a concern; Jessica was simply worried that John would keep bidding,


    which in turn would leave her further thoroughly humiliated.


    Walking up and offering a handshake, Jessica said, ¡°I have no reason to reject such


    sincere charity, and your first dance tonight shall be your own. Thank you for


    supporting Stuart Holdings¡¯ charity efforts, Cordy.¡±


    Cordy epted Jessica¡¯s handshake out of politeness, and strode away from the


    stage with an elegant gait.


    The ballroom erupted in thunderous apuse; everyone was earnestly impressed by


    Cordy¡¯s feat, and they were left staring at her wherever she was.


    Rumors often imed that she was as beautiful as she was smart, but witnessing her


    disy of wit first hand only goes to show that the rumors gave her less credit than


    she deserved.


    That ability to adapt was almost educational-helping Jessica save face with that two


    million dor bid, while maintaining her reputation unscathed.


    While the crowd had no idea why John was bidding for


    Cordy, they could well be sure that there was a bone to pick between these people.


    They just couldn¡¯t tell if Cordy caused it, or if she was merely coteral caught in an


    internal struggle amongst the Stuarts.


    Cordy stepped down from the stage, coolly walking past John without an interaction at


    all.


    The silence seemed to be everything they had now.


    When she returned to Patirck¡¯s side, he teased, ¡°You¡¯re constantly full of surprises,


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Miss Sachs.¡±


    Cordy ignored Patrick too, knowing that he was nning on bidding to provoke John


    and Jessica and basically paint a bulls-eye on Cordy.


    She turned and left the ballroom, leaving Patrick rubbing his nose.


    What he did was petty, and he knew that he had definitely angered Cordy.


    However, he already made it very clear when they first agreed on a partnership¡ªhis


    goal was to separate John from Jessica, and destroy thetter!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 409

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 409


    Chapter 409


    Cordy headed outside to the back garden for a breather.


    She was in a bad mood, and was reluctant to stay in the ballroom.


    Worst of all, her ankle hurts.


    She didn¡¯t feel that much pain when she sprained it on the red carpet before, but


    standing for so long and walking on stage, and then getting off pushed her past her


    limit of tolerance.


    She sat on the bench in the back garden, taking off her high heels and hunching over


    to rub her ankles¡­when a towering shadow suddenly appeared before her.


    She blinked, but ultimately looked up to see John, looking down from above.


    She couldn¡¯t quite see his face against the lights to his rear, but his dark eyes were


    inly visible.


    Cordy turned away, and kept rubbing her ankles.


    As she did so, a pair of clean, long hands gently raised her foot.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± she said with a t tone, clearly hostile.


    John simply ignored her and started rubbing her ankles.


    Cordy frowned as she withstood the pain, but couldn¡¯t stop herself from snapping,


    ¡°John Levine!¡±


    It already hurt so much-was he so intent on payback?


    She didn¡¯t even upset him tonight, aside from going against his wish and attending


    this charity ball.


    In her defense, she had no reason to obey him or allow him to force her to stay in her


    own house.


    She wasn¡¯t a pet canary, and that thought only left her anger ring.


    ¡°Bear with it,¡± John suddenly warned her, having found the right spot.


    Before she could respond, John firmly twisted her ankle.


    ¡°Ah!¡± She yelped inadvertently-it hurt so much she almost kicked him in the face!


    ¡°What more do you want, John?!¡± she bellowed furiously, her patience for his antics


    having reached its limit.


    ¡°Try standing up. See if you¡¯re better,¡± John said, helping her put her shoes back on


    and rising to his feet, as if he did not see her snapping at him.


    Cordy only red at him icily, so he repeated, ¡°Try standing up. See if your ankle is


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    better now.¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth, but eventually rose from the bench.


    She was still worried about the pain in her ankles, and was therefore very careful as


    she stood up.


    However, she was putting too much weight on one foot, and the shoes she wore had


    a really high heel, so she wobbled.


    John quickly caught her, and her body brushed against his chest.


    It was the slightest of touches, but Cordy quickly tried to get away¡­only for John to


    pull her firmly into his arms.


    He held on to her hard, as if worried he would lose her.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Whether it was John¡¯s strength or her fluttering emotions, she suddenly couldn¡¯t


    breathe.


    She tried to free herself from him as much as she could, smacking him on the back


    with both hands as she yelled furiously, ¡°Let me go! Let me go!¡±


    John, however, nestled his head against the bottom of her neck, with his arms


    wrapped around her back.


    For a split second, Cordy thought he would draw her into his own body.


    Still, she continued to struggle, afraid that she would actually die in his arms. She


    groaned defiantly, ¡°Let go¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡±


    John seemed to not hear her at all. His hold on her never eased, and was in fact


    tightening further¡­


    Cordy¡¯s face was flushed soon enough as shey on the verge of being smothered.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 410

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 410


    Chapter 410


    ¡°She might really die if you don¡¯t let go, you know.¡¯


    Patrick¡¯s voice could suddenly be heard.


    He sounded neutral, with a hint of glee at Cordy¡¯s misfortunate.


    So he was just here to enjoy the show, was he?


    Nheless, John released Cordy just as she thought she would ck out.


    She coughed repeatedly as soon as he let go, and started to inhale deeply.


    She almost died!


    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Come on,¡± Patrick said after watching Cordypose herself,


    offering her a hand and ready to take her back inside.


    Just as he did, John quickly took her hand in his.


    Patrick was left staring at John, but he didn¡¯t appear the slightest bit upset.


    Cordy, however, shook John off viciously.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    John¡¯s knuckles clenched, and he reached out to grab her again at the next instant.


    That was just how much he hated her being with another man.


    Heaven knew how furious he was to see Patrick sticking to Cordy the entire day, and


    how much restraint it took him to not lose his mind.


    When he hugged her just now, he had a feeling like never before that Cordy was


    going to leave him, slipping further and further away¡­ That was why he could not bear


    to let go, and wanted nothing less than to pull herself into him.


    Yet once again, Cordy avoided his touch.


    He narrowed his eyes, staring fixedly at her with an almost tearful gaze.


    ¡°Watch yourself, Mr. Levine,¡± Cordy snapped icily.


    Those words seemed to stab him in the heart like a sharp knife.


    Even so, he clenched his knuckles until they turned white, while growling coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t


    go with him.¡±


    ¡°What right do you have to demand that? Know your ce, John-you¡¯re Jessica


    Stuart¡¯s fiance tonight, while I¡¯m just an invited guest to this charity ball and Patrick¡¯s


    Cordy¡¯s words were simple and clear, and it only distanced herself further from him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you wait for me?¡± John begged.


    ¡°Waiting for you doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t hang out with another man in the meantime,¡±


    Cordy replied while looking him straight in the eye. ¡°Just like how you¡¯re constantly


    unting your affection with Jessica right now, even going so far as to announce your


    wedding day.¡±


    John watched icily as she started to put her hands around Patrick¡¯s arm, whose lips


    curled up in amusement; he was clearly enjoying the proximity with Cordy.


    At the same time, Cordy was still lecturing John. ¡°No one gets to be selfish. All


    rtionships go both ways.¡±


    Without another word, she started to leave with Patrick.


    But she barely raised her foot when John firmly pulled her back into his arms, catching


    her by surprise as she fell squarely on his chest once more.


    He held her fast even as she tried to leave again, just as she heard him breathing


    coldly beside her ear, ¡°I¡¯m getting you out of here.¡±


    In other words, he was telling her to leave the charity ball.


    Cordy was glowering, and repeatedly tried to shake her hand off, only for him to


    tighten his hold.


    At that moment, John didn¡¯t care that she wore high-heels, and strode forward swiftly


    to take her away, while she almost stumbled and fell.


    ¡°Mr. Levine.¡± Suddenly, Patrick stepped swiftly in front of them.


    ¡°Move!¡± John¡¯s eyes narrowed, his eyes ring murderously.


    That was when Patrick suddenly snapped.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what your rtionship with Cordy is, be it in the past or in the future. But I


    brought her here tonight, and I am


    therefore obligated to keep her safe. No one gets to coerce her into anything, if she so


    refuses!¡±


    His unexpected outburst was certainly more than a little menacing.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 411

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 411


    Chapter 411


    Both men were ring furiously at each other, neither backing down just then.


    At the same time, John¡¯s grip on Cordy¡¯s hand was visibly tightening.


    He would never hand her over to anyone else!


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re protecting her?¡± he asked Patrick through his teeth just then,


    sounding clearly sarcastic. ¡°If you were, she wouldn¡¯t be here.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with him-l decided toe myself.¡± Cordy defended Patrick right


    then.


    John closed his eyes. ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re partners, and we just have to work together to achieve our own endssentiment be damned.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m here tonight, to do what benefits us the most, so


    please let me go. I still have ces to be,¡± Cordy continued and shook her hand to


    free herself from John¡¯s grip.


    But John was not letting go, nor was he listening to anything she said. ¡°I¡¯m taking you


    to the airport right now.¡±


    Turning back towards Patrick, he bellowed, ¡°Move!¡±


    Patrick did not. He simply stood in John¡¯s way without a word.


    But he just might be convinced for a moment.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you!¡± Cordy shrieked at John at the same time. ¡°I will leave when I want!¡±


    John was unmoved and simply pushed Patrick out of a way.


    Patrick in turn hesitated, but he ultimately did not stop them.


    Incensed, Cordy arched her back and suddenly bit down on the back of John¡¯s hand.


    He frowned in pain, but still refused to release her even as she put her back into it,


    venting all her anger.


    She never let go even when she tasted blood, until¡­


    ¡°Johnny¡­¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice spoke from ahead.


    It was mild and conveyed sadness.


    Cordy stopped biting John then, blood seeping right out of his hand where she had


    been biting, but he did not seem to feel it at all.


    Cordy then straightened herself to find Jessica standing in front of them.


    There was sadness in her eyes that seemed feigned, even as she smiled faintly, ¡°I


    didn¡¯t expect to see you here¡­ your grandfather was looking for you.¡±


    John gulped but did not exin.


    ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll let him know on your behalf,¡± Jessica continued tearfully as she


    chose to be magnanimous. ¡°But


    could youe back when you¡¯re done? There are other things to do¡­¡±


    That humble plea actually left even Cordy sympathizing with Jessica.


    And yet, John remained cold-blooded, as if he did not feel her suffering, as he said


    coolly, ¡°I know.¡±


    With those words, he continued to drag Cordy along.


    But just as he was about to stride past Jessica, a stern voice resounded from the


    entrance to the back garden.¡± Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡±


    John clearly hesitated for a split second, but he continued to hold onto Cordy firmly as


    he quickly recovered.


    At the same time, Lawrence wheeled n into the back garden with several ckd bodyguards in


    tow.


    He was ring solemnly at John and the hand with which John was holding Cordy, his


    expression obviously darkening in turn.aaThis belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 412

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 412


    Chapter 412


    n demanded, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your antics for one night, John! Let go of her


    right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll return once I¡¯ve sent her home!¡± John shot back.


    ¡°You, sending Cordy home? In front of everyone attending the Stuarts¡¯ charity ball?!¡±


    n barked. ¡°Do you even


    understand that you¡¯re humiliating them?! If Cordy hadn¡¯t been smart enough, you


    would¡¯ve already ruined your own reputation! I have never been this disappointed in


    you!¡±


    ¡°For once,¡± John replied bluntly.


    n was left bristling by John¡¯s reply right then, and his face suddenly flushed, as if


    he could not breathe just then.


    ¡°Please calm down, sir,¡± Lawrence said, immediately noticing n¡¯s condition after


    serving n for years. ¡°The doctors already mentioned that you shouldn¡¯t get agitated


    because of your high blood pressure. You¡¯ve already had a stroke before, and the


    consequences would be devastating if it recurs¡­¡±


    John calmed down slightly as well when he saw n¡¯s condition.


    However, he was not letting go of Cordy either.


    Seeing that grandfather and grandson were still very much on edge, Lawrence quickly


    tried to reason with John. ¡°Sir, you know Master Levine¡¯s health has always been


    poor.


    Please don¡¯t aggravate him any further, or else¡­¡±


    Even so, John was not ying along at all, and he simply told n, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°John!¡± n bellowed in rage. ¡°Do you really want to see me die in front of you that


    badly?! Just like how you had to watch your own most beloved parents die all those


    years ago?!¡±


    n flushed even harder after all that yelling, and he appeared to be in such bad


    shape he could ck out the next instant.


    ¡°Master John¡­¡± Lawrence was staring at John nervously at the same time.


    John¡¯s fingers twitched in turn.


    No matter how determined he was, he could not leave without a care.


    That was when Cordy shook his hand off-sessfully this time.


    Naturally, she had noints since families came first.


    If her mother were still alive or if her father was devoted to her, she would do anything


    for them in turn.


    As such, she told John coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t make me bear the weight of a man¡¯s death. It¡¯d


    crush me.¡±


    In other words, it would overwhelm her if n died because of her.


    John¡¯s fingers clenched, his knuckles cracking even as he restrained himself.


    ¡°Patrick,¡± Cordy said, turning toward Patrick without sparing John another nce. ¡°Do


    you mind giving me a ride home?¡±


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Patrick blinked, just as John looked up at Cordy.


    There was no question about it-she was giving in.


    She had no idea why he wanted her gone, though it was likely he did not want her to


    see him announce his wedding date with Jessicater.


    Whatever it was, she decided that she could not be that unreasonable.


    John was almost crazy about chasing her away, and he must have his reason-there


    was no reason for her to get emotional about it either.


    She had certainly shown William enough respect by being here and made a donation


    like she should-it was pointless if she had to stay any longer.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Patrick agreed. He walked over to take her hand and left together with her.


    Once they were out of sight, n barked at John, ¡°Why are you just standing there?!


    Go in with Jessica! The whole ballroom is waiting for you!¡±


    John strode past him coolly,pletely ignoring Jessica.


    Still, she simply jogged up to her and wrapped her hands around his arm.


    Behind them, Lawrence slowly wheeled n back into the


    ballroom but suddenly eximed, ¡°To be honest, Ms. Sachs is a really great person.¡±


    n sighed in turn, sounding at once feeble and remorseful.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 413

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 413


    Chapter 413


    After returning to the ballroom, Cordy and Patrick headed straight for the main


    entrance.


    Somehow, Cordy had to admit that after a couple seemingly nonchnt rubs by John,


    her ankle felt much better in contrast to the pain from the sprain earlier.


    As such, she could walk much better now.


    That was when Patrick made a joke. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were thatpliant, Ms.


    Sachs.¡±


    Naturally, he was referring to her giving in to John¡¯s insistence.


    However, she was not beingpliant or anything-she simply decided to leave and


    therefore had no reason to drag her feet.


    But before they could really leave, a man suddenly appeared out of nowhere, greeting


    Patrick respectfully. ¡°Mr. Stuart, Mr. William Stuart would like to see you now. Could


    you pleasee with me?¡±


    Patrick narrowed his eyes at the thought of meeting the brother of his grandfather and


    turned toward Cordy.


    ¡°I can leave on my own,¡± she said shortly. ¡°Please arrange a chauffeur to send me to


    the airport.¡±


    Patrick hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Okay.¡±


    He would not try to stall when he did not stand to gain anything, and Cordy


    understood that.


    They were just ordinary partners in the first ce and not that close where emotions


    were involved.


    ¡®Til have the chauffeur receive you at the entrance,¡± Patrick told her. ¡°Travel safe.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied.


    With that, Patrick made a phone call while he left with the man.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy headed straight to the entrance in turn, but just as she stopped out, the guards


    at the door intercepted her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but no one is to leave before the ball is over.¡±


    Cord/s eyes narrowed. She had never heard about that!


    Was there any social event where such a rule was imposed at all? Even if they were


    abusing their authority, the Stuarts were too much!


    ¡°Please return to the ballroom. You will be allowed to leave when it is time.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cordy could not help asking.


    ¡°There¡¯s substantial information revealed at the ball that mustn¡¯t be leaked ahead of


    time. That¡¯s why guests are not allowed to leave early.¡±


    The security guard¡¯s response was formal, and even if Cordy had no idea if that was


    true, she just knew that she was not able to leave until Patrick was done on his end.


    She returned to the ballroom to stand in a quiet corner, where the charity ball had


    moved on to the auction.


    She texted Patrick: [The guards aren¡¯t letting me leave.]


    Patrick¡¯s reply only came ten minutester. [Just wait. I¡¯ll be there soon.]


    Cordy hence remained in her corner and waited nonchntly for Patrick.


    Bored, she watched the auction, which has moved on to a ruby ring.


    The emcee gave an borate description, saying that it was a relic from a medieval


    noble-and one of its kind, making it a rare collectible.


    And once the bidding started, everyone was eagerly bidding.


    ¡°Four hundred grand,¡± someone eximed, raising their auction paddle.


    ¡°Five hundred.¡±


    ¡°Fifty-five.¡±


    ¡°Six hundred.¡±


    ¡°Seven hundred.¡±


    ¡°Eight hundred.¡±


    The bidding was relentless and rather fierce for the ruby ring, but Cordy was simply


    uninterested.


    She had managed to bid sessfully for a diamond


    ne in the past, but it was because her mother mentioned that she liked it, and


    she had the opportunity to secure it by chance.


    In fact, she had kept it in her closet ever since she bought it and never wore it.


    ¡°A million!¡±


    A familiar voice resounded among the crowd just then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 414

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 414


    Chapter 414


    Cordy did not turn to look, since John was basically one of the hosts for tonight¡¯s


    charity ball¡ªit would be uneptable if he did not contribute.


    ¡°1.1 million.¡± Someone continued the bid.


    ¡°1.2 million.¡±


    ¡°1.3 million.¡±


    ¡°One and a half million,¡± John said, raising his auction paddle again.


    Everyone could tell right then that John was going to get that ring, one way or another.


    The crowd started to whisper among themselves, knowing then that they would never


    beat John.


    Since they were not winning anyway, they would make more enemies if they made


    more bids.


    Moreover, they were all shrewd people and had no reason to keep bidding at this


    stage.


    ¡°One and a half million! Calling once, twice, three times! Sold!¡± The auctioneer


    eximed excitedly. ¡°Mr. Levine, pleasee on stage to ept delivery of your


    charity auction item.¡±


    John walked up and took it from the auctioneer, but just as he was about to turn and


    leave, the auctioneer stopped him.


    ¡°A moment please, Mr. Levine. I heard that you had a surprise in store for Ms. Stuart?¡±


    John nced at Jessica below stage, who was staring at him expectantly.


    In her corner, Cordy smiled. They were going to announce their wedding, weren¡¯t


    they?!


    ¡°Everyone, please give Ms. Stuart a round of apuse as shees on stage.¡± The


    auctioneer quickly invited Jessica since John was not responding, knowing that John


    would not y along easily even if he had never met John before.


    Moreover, Jessica had already instructed him in private beforehand, and it was natural


    he had to work ording to the situation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to this, Johnny.¡± Jessica was beaming as she walked up to


    John¡¯s side, denying him any chance of reneging.


    There were so many people watching and this was her family¡¯s turf-she was therefore


    confident that John would y along.


    Even so, John did not move for a long while, leaving the ballroom in an awkward


    situation.


    As everyone stared at them, pointing, gesturing and whispering, Jessica¡¯s patience


    was dwindling and her eyes turned teary.


    ¡°Johnny?¡±


    It was a reminder that they were standing in front of many people, and that he must do


    it even if it was only for appearance¡¯s sake.


    John came to his senses then and turned toward Jessica, taking out the ruby ring.


    Everyone stared fixedly at them.


    A proposal, right then and there?


    ¡°Jessica¡­¡± John said her name, quietly with his maic voice.


    Jessica¡¯s eyes welled with tears, as if overwhelmed with emotion.


    ¡°I¡­¡± John murmured, but he was suddenly silent again.


    ¡°I do!¡± Jessica eximed, andunched herself into his arms, tightly wrapping her


    hands around his neck with unbound affection. ¡°We¡¯ve been together since we were


    children, but it hasn¡¯t been easy as everyone would think. We¡¯ve gone through so


    much, but thankfully stayed by each other¡¯s side. You don¡¯t have to say a thing-just as


    you don¡¯t owe me anything. Nothing matters as long as I¡¯m with you.¡±


    She always had a way out, didn¡¯t she?


    John could not propose for the longest time, but she easily made it happen. In fact,


    she framed it as if hecked the courage because he thought he owed her and


    therefore was not brave enough to say it. That was why she told him on her own


    volition that she did not care about their past and only desired their future.


    The whole ballroom erupted into thunderous apuse, and pink petals started to rain


    down from overhead.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    They certainly went all out with theatrics and romance.


    After that loving embrace, John put the ruby ring on Jessica¡¯s finger before


    announcing their wedding day.


    ¡°I will marry Jessica on Valentine¡¯s Day next year. Everyone present is weed to


    our wedding reception.¡±


    Cheers resound across the ballroom¡ªit was certainly a harmonious scene.


    ¡°I guess you saw the proposal.¡±


    Patrick was suddenly in front of Cordy, blocking her view of the stage.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 415

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 415


    Chapter 415


    Cordy blinked and a tear inadvertently trickled out of the corner of her eye.


    But even as it fell to the floor, her lips were curled upward- she was at once relieved


    and heartbroken.


    Patrick took her hand right then and left without hesitation.


    John watched as the two figures went further and further away¡­


    With Patrick with her, the security guard at the entrance did not dare to stop them.


    In the end, the so-called rule was only enforced depending on the person.


    With that, Cordy got into Patrick¡¯s car, and they headed to the airport.


    They were silent along the journey.


    Patrick nced at Cordy¡¯s cool, beautiful face just then.


    If she had been emotionally affected at the ballroom before, she was calm and


    unfettered now.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious what William summoned me for?¡± he suddenly asked, breaking the


    silence just then.


    He was not sure what she was thinking, but was also


    suddenly reluctant to see her being so aloof-as if she could not get interested in


    anything.


    She should be aglow with dazzling radiance instead of folding and keeping her ample


    wings in a cupboard.


    ¡°Nope. Because it¡¯s that predictable,¡± Cordy said,ing to her senses and turning


    away from the window to look at Patrick.


    ¡°Really?¡± Patrick sounded skeptical, but he was already convinced she knew.


    Cordy was that smart anyway.


    ¡°Firstly, he would ask you about your grandfather and try to lure you into revealing


    information about him.¡±


    Patrick smiled in silent admission.


    ¡°Secondly, he would ask you about us. He¡¯s probably eager to have us hook up and


    cut off John¡¯s way out.¡±


    Patrick nodded, impressed.


    ¡°Last but not least, to stall us so that I could witness John and Jessica¡¯s love.¡±


    She only thought of thest one after the fact.


    After all, the Stuarts had to go all out just so that she would attend this charity ball.


    How could they let her leave before the climax?


    ¡°I just realized that being too smart is sometimes nothing good.¡± Patrick sighed. ¡°It¡¯s


    just so stressful. I wondered how


    it¡¯d have gone instead if you were a little irrational and emotional and eloped with John


    right under the Stuarts¡¯ noses. I¡¯m sure the man wouldn¡¯t be able to say no when


    you¡¯re the one initiating.¡±


    Cordy smiled, but in spite of what Patrick said, she knew that adults were never


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    allowed to be capricious.


    Being smart and rational was the only way out.


    After all, she could not take the risk, just as John would never be able to protect her.


    And now, they would live out their own separate lives and bloom beautifully.


    There was certainly nothing wrong with that.


    The car turned silent again¡­ until it suddenly bumped violently as it sped forward.


    It shook so hard for an instant that both Cordy and Patrick became anxious.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Patrick asked the chauffeur.


    ¡°I think someone¡¯s chasing us, sir!¡± The chauffeur¡¯s expression was grim.


    Patrick and Cordy promptly turned to see several cars streaking wildly toward them,


    their high-beams shing.


    ¡°Drive faster!¡± Patrick quickly snapped.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the chauffeur replied and floored the gas pedal.


    Both Patrick and Cordy were shoved against their seats by inertia, held in ce by


    their seatbelts.


    There were not many cars at night in Rocktown and the city was quiet.


    The revving of engines out of the blue seemed like it would wake the entire city.


    Patrick whipped out his phone right then to make a call.


    He tried repeatedly but failed to dial the number he wanted.


    ¡°Help me,¡± he quickly said to Cordy, who obviously sensed something wrong with him!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 416

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 416


    Chapter 416


    Was Patrick¡­ afraid?! Even though he was a seasoned veteran who had seen action


    countless times?!


    The car continued to shake even as it sped forward, and both of them seemed to float


    in their seats for a split second whenever it did.


    Still, Cordy did not ask further questions and quickly took the phone off Patrick¡¯s


    hands.


    When her fingers brushed against the back of his hand, Cord/s heart skipped a beat


    when she felt that it was almost scalding.


    However, she did not have time to think-she took the phone off his hands and asked


    urgently, ¡°Who should I call?¡±


    ¡°Ben Wick,¡± Patrick replied urgently.


    Cordy quickly found the name Ben Wick on his contact list and pressed the dial.


    As soon as she did, their car suddenly steered into a powerslide before screeching to


    a stop.


    Patrick¡¯s phone slipped from Cordy¡¯s fingers andnded on the floor beneath their


    seat with a tter.


    At the same time, the chauffeur was crying out nervously,¡± Hold on, sir!¡±


    There had been a semi driving straight for them from the opposite direction of the


    junction. It was obvious the driver was rushing toward them and almost crashed


    directly into them.


    They would be mincemeat if it did.


    Not daring to get distracted at all, the chauffeur avoided the semi before steering the


    car in another direction and floored the gas pedal again.


    Cordy undid her seatbelt and reached down to get Patrick¡¯s phone.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    However, the car was moving too quickly and she kept bumping everywhere, but with


    some great effort, she eventually managed to dig the phone out from beneath their


    seats. The instant she got it, however, the chauffeur suddenly mmed his foot on the


    brakes, and she mmed directly into the car center console.


    ¡°Cordy!¡¯


    Patrick reached out to pull her back, though Cordy could only feel the world spinning


    around her, and she was starting to ckout.


    Though she could faint at any moment, she clenched her teeth and maintained her


    consciousness, and she quickly returned to her seat.


    She did not have time to care about her head splitting headache, and looked at the


    phone-Ben had already answered the call, and she pressed the speakerphone button.


    Patrick nced at Cordy for a moment, before yelling into the phone, ¡°Someone¡¯s


    trying to kill me! Bring all the men you can spare-l¡¯m sending you my location! Make it


    quick!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Stuart!¡± the man on the other end promptly answered once he received


    Patrick¡¯s orders.


    With that, Patrick panted as he told Cordy, ¡°Send Ben our location right now. Just hold


    on a little longer¡ªhe¡¯lI think of a way to reach us.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy worked on the phone, while her body kept mming left and right as


    the car sped ahead.


    Patrick suddenly reached out to her and helped her put her seatbelt back on with


    every bit of strength he had.


    Cordy did not have the time to thank him at all¡ªshe was busy keeping her bnce,


    and she sent Ben their location.


    ¡°Done!¡± she soon told Patrick.


    Patrick nodded and asked the chauffeur, ¡°How many cars are after us?¡±


    ¡°Three, sir!¡±


    ¡°Where are we right now?¡± Patrick pressed.


    ¡°The city outskirts, sir. They¡¯ve cut off our routes elsewhere¡­ ¡± the chauffeur replied,


    still fully focused on driving and not daring to get distracted.


    Patrick did not ask further questions after getting an answer either and turned toward


    Cordy. He suddenly ripped a strip from his shirt, saying, ¡°Put some pressure on your


    forehead.¡±


    It was only then that Cordy realized she had a cut on her forehead when she hit the


    console.


    It was not surprising that she almost cked out.


    She took the strip of cloth from Patrick and pressed it firmly over her bleeding


    forehead. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°I should be apologizing, y¡¯know,¡± Patrick said guiltily. ¡°These people are after me, and


    I had to drag you into this.¡±


    Cordy shook her head. ¡°Maybe they are, but they might be interested in getting me


    too.¡±


    In other words, she was being targeted to, even if she was not the primary target.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 417

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 417


    Chapter 417


    The car continued to bump around rapidly.


    Inside, Cordy and Patrick were fully focused and unable to make small talk at all.


    Cordy stared through the window at the pitch ckness outside, unsure where they


    were heading.


    They seemed to be heading somewhere isted, and they could not even recognize if


    they were on a mountain road or some route near a small town.


    There was simply nothing on both ends of the road, but the chauffeur continued to


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    sped the car ahead, unable to stop at all.


    Their pursuers were giving chase relentlessly and would m into them if the


    chauffeur slowed down, leaving everyone in the car in pieces.


    As such, the interior of the car was deathly silent, almost suffocatingly so.


    They could only hope that help would reach them in time.


    Otherwise¡­


    Suddenly, Cordy¡¯s face fell.


    Patrick and the chauffeur had the same look too.


    A semi suddenly sped out of nowhere in front of them, its ring high beam shing


    at their eyes directly.


    The chauffeur had to close his eyes as the exceedingly bright beam blinded him.


    He turned the car right then, mming it into the guard rail nearby.


    The semi brushed past them, inches away from a collision.


    However, they were not out of the woods just yet-the cars pursuing them were closing


    in rapidly.


    The chauffeur quickly started the car again, reversing it and trying to get away from


    the guard rail, only for the car behind to m into them with a loud bang!


    Cordy¡¯s hand was firmly on the grab handle.


    She was almost suffocating from the constriction of the seatbelt, but the car behind


    kept crashing into them.


    The three other cars behind were taking their turns to run into them, already wrecking


    the rear of the car.


    If this continued, they would be mincemeat.


    ¡°Floor it!¡± Patrick yelled at the chauffeur resolutely right then.


    The chauffeur was stunned and could not help eximing,¡± But it¡¯s a slope that goes


    straight down, sir! We don¡¯t know how far it goes, and the fall might kill us-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d die anyway if they keep crashing into us!¡±


    The chauffeur gritted his teeth-he had his orders!


    Starting the car again, he floored the gas pedal, and Cordy watched as the needle on


    the speedometer shot up!


    And as their car broke through the guard rail and tumbled down the slope, Patrick


    spoke into her ear gravely, ¡°It¡¯s in fate¡¯s hands, whether we survive this now.¡±


    Fate?


    Well, that certainly was the case!


    Meanwhile, their car was tumbling down the sharp slope, and Cordy felt her body


    shake so hard her body might fall apart.


    ss shards were everywhere, and the car kept falling as if it would never stop.


    The three cars that were chasing them had stopped on the road, with the people


    inside alighting to see the ck Rolls- Royce sliding down the mountain slope.


    They did not expect them to drive their car down the slope, and given the elevation,


    their deaths were very much assured.


    One of the men whipped out his phone to report the situation.


    James was still at the lively ballroom where the charity g continued, the smile on


    his face obvious when he received the call.


    He gently arched his back to inform William.


    The elderly man had been maintaining a kindly smile throughout the charity ball, and


    his smile broadened ever so slightly at the news.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 418

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 418


    Chapter 418


    William nodded subtly, and James tacitly understood.


    Holding up his phone, he said, ¡°Good. Pull out.¡±


    It was over.


    As he put away his phone, he turned and noticed Jessica watching him, and he gave


    her a nod.


    Jessica¡¯s smile could hardly be hidden.


    She then looked around, looking for John.


    After getting off the stage following the announcement of their wedding day, John


    excused himself to the washroom.


    Someone came along to offer her a toast, so she did not go along with John.


    It had been a while, too¡­ Why was he noting back yet?


    Jessica felt a foreboding sensation right then and rushed to the washroom to find


    John. She did not care at all about propriety and dashed into the men¡¯s room directly


    without a pause, searching fervently for any trace of John.


    But no, he was nowhere to be seen.


    Flustered, she rushed back to the ballroom, and everyone who saw that look on her


    face was left perplexed.


    As the host of such an asion, her bearing certainly left her looking undignified.


    James promptly rushed up to her and swiftly dragged her to one of the break rooms


    nearby, and he coldly snapped, ¡°Why are you acting all flustered for? Don¡¯t you know


    how undignified you looked?!¡±


    ¡°James¡­ It¡¯s John. He¡¯s gone!¡± Jessica¡¯s voice was quivering.


    Despite being calmer, James was left glowering. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°He told me he¡¯s going to the washroom, but I already looked -he¡¯s not there!¡± Jessica


    cried.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just elsewhere. That ballroom isn¡¯t exactly small rv


    ¡°James!¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± James said, assuring her while whipping out his phone. ¡°Find John


    Levine as soon as possible. Try not to draw too much attention-the charity ball must


    not be affected.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Stuart.¡±


    James hung up and quickly made another call. ¡°Check the cameras. Find where John


    Levine is!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Stuart.¡±


    James hung up again and put away his phone and scowled just like Jessica right


    then.


    Soon enough, his phone rang, and a voice reported on the other end, saying, ¡°Mr.


    Stuart, we can¡¯t find Mr. Levine in the


    ballroom or anywhere around the building.¡±


    Jessica¡¯s face fell at the report, but soon the other report came. ¡°Mr. Stuart? We just


    checked the cameras, but Mr. Levine already left the ballroom through a side


    entrance.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± James asked.


    ¡°Around twenty minutes ago.¡±


    Twenty minutes?!


    That means John left the building as soon as he left Jessica!


    Where did he go?


    Did he leave to find Cordy?!


    No.


    He could not allow John to find her, let alone save her!


    Cordy must die!


    ¡°James, are you sure that Patrick and Cordy are dead?!¡± Jessica asked, working hard


    to keep herself calm.


    ¡°Their car rolled off a slope. There¡¯s almost no chance they¡¯d survive this,¡± James


    replied.


    ¡°No!¡± Jessica cried, agitated to the point of almost having a nervous breakdown. ¡°We


    have to see the bodies! Send your people to find them. I don¡¯t want any surprises!¡±


    ¡°Patrick¡¯s people must have reached the wreck by now. This is all we can do for now,


    even if they survived. If they caught us there, they¡¯d have leverage against us and we


    won¡¯t be able to deny responsibility.¡±


    Jessica, however, could not care any less. ¡°I cant let Cordy stay alive! I won¡¯t be able


    to take it!¡±


    ¡°John won¡¯t be able to change anything by himself. Calm down,¡± James assured


    Jessica. ¡°He¡¯s not going to save Cordy.¡±


    ¡°But what if he did?!¡±


    ¡°Even if he did, you¡¯ve already announced your wedding date with him in public!¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    James snapped, loudly and clearly.¡± Given his current position, he¡¯d never annul it no


    matter how daring he gets. He¡¯s already under our family¡¯s control, and he¡¯s not


    getting away anytime soon!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 419

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 419


    Chapter 419


    James then reminded Jesssica, ¡°We already have a backup n, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Unable to argue, Jessica had to ept the situation as it was.


    The only thing she could do was pray that Cordy was dead and that John would only


    find a cold-dead corpse when he arrived.


    The thought calmed Jessica a little!


    John drove away from the building as soon as got out, and he kept calling Cordy


    repeatedly, but she never answered.


    He started to rush for the airport when he heard a violent collision along the road -he


    promptly threw his phone away and rushed in that direction, and he saw Patrick¡¯s car


    being pursued by several other cars from a distance.


    He floored the gas pedal and gave chase, but despite pushing the car to its top speed,


    he could not catch up and had to follow Patrick¡¯s car along the winding mountain road.


    Then, he heard another deafening collision that seemed to resound over the horizon.


    There were three cars up front, so he could not see what was happening up front.


    His hands were shaking even as he held onto the steering wheel, and he soon heard


    a more violent collision.


    He floored the gas pedal again, but only arrived to see Patrick¡¯s car lurching out of the


    guard rail and tumbling down the slope.


    No! From that height¡­


    John¡¯s face turned pale. He jammed his foot on the brake, stopping his car in the


    middle of the road before he ran out and jumped over the guard rail.


    He missed his footing, and caught off guard, he started to roll down the slope.


    The three cars up front promptly left after seeing Patrick¡¯s car crashing down, and


    everything beneath the dark sky seemed to turn silent.


    There were no sounds of any vehicles, let alone cries or collisions.


    Meanwhile, John rolled down the slope for a long while and mmed into a boulder,


    which finally stopped him.


    However, he did not drag his feet and started to push himself off the ground, but when


    he did, his vision started to turn dark. His feet in turn wobbled, and he dropped to one


    knee.


    Even so, he pushed himself up again at the shortest possible, using that brief moment


    to let his body recover.


    Once he did, he started to rush in the direction of the ck


    Rolls-Royce again, stumbling countless times on his way there through the bumpy


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    slope.


    Eventually, he found the wreckage, and the car was in pieces.


    Not daring to tarry, he rushed forward, intent on finding the people inside.


    However, the skies were too dark, and the car was even darker for him to see.


    Unable to find anything, he whipped out his phone and turned on the shlight.


    Somehow, he did not dare to shine it into the car.


    He was very afraid of seeing a bloody puddle!


    His eyes were red, but he eventually raised his phone to illuminate the interior of the


    car, and immediately found Patrick and Cordy.


    The car frame was dented badly and almost squeezed them, but the airbags had


    deployed and almostpletely covered them.


    Even so, there was no telling if they were okay behind the airbags¡­


    ¡°Cordy,¡± John called out to her ever so tentatively then, as if afraid to wake her if he


    was too loud.


    However, God knew how much he wanted Cordy to open her eyes and answer him,


    even if she would re at him with loathing!


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡± he called out again, repeatedly.


    ¡®Please.


    ¡®Answer me.¡¯

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 420

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 420


    Chapter 420


    ¡®Please, give me something!¡¯


    Beside them, Patrick frowned and opened his eyes with considerable difficulty to see


    the light.


    The person carrying it was behind the light, and he therefore could not see who it was.


    Those shaking hands, however, seemed to give him an answer immediately.


    ¡°John?¡± he called out feebly.


    John gulped, but he could not say a word.


    Patrick in turn tried to move, but he could not muster his strength at all.


    At the same time, he was being squeezed against the car¡¯s wreckage and could not


    move at all.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± he called out loudly at the person beside him.


    Cordy actually felt light, as if she was floating in the clouds, and she wondered if she


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    was already dead.


    Surely one would only feel this light in the afterlife.


    But at the next instant, she felt a cumbersome weight and slowly regained


    consciousness.


    Her head and the rest of the body hurt a lot, but she opened her eyes, looking nk


    when she saw the light.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Patrick asked her nervously.


    Cordy wanted to speak, but her throat hurt like hell.


    She gulped, and it took her a while to squeeze a few words out. ¡°I¡¯m fine. What about


    you?¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Patrick replied and gestured at the light with his head. ¡°John is here, by the


    way.¡±


    Cordy looked nkly over, but she could not see anything because it was too dark in


    that direction.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting you out,¡± John said, his voice quiet and without emotion.


    Cordy did not ask why he showed up there, because she was more concerned about


    staying alive.


    John then put down his phone and started pulling wildly at the door, which was dented


    beyond recognition.


    Unable to open it no matter what he did, he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Keep your


    heads down. I¡¯m going to break the ss.¡±


    Most of the car¡¯s windows were shattered, but there were still sharp shards that could


    inflict serious damage still stuck on the door, preventing anyone from crawling out.


    Cordy and Patrick lowered their heads as much as they could, and John quickly used


    his elbow to shatter therge shards and swiped off the smaller shards from the car


    window.


    Cordy seemed to see the cuts on his hand, but it was too dark to make it out.


    John, however, was not saying a word, let alone wincing in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m pulling you out now,¡± John told Cordy after he cleared the window and extended a


    hand to her.


    She struggled to reach out from behind the airbag, and John soon got a firm hold on


    her hand.


    The instant their hands touched, their palms were soaked in blood-there was no telling


    whose blood it was either.


    John firmly pulled, but Cordy was not budging at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck. My seat belt is still on,¡± she told him.


    John crawled in immediately and crouched beside her to pry off the airbag. He found


    the seat belt button after much difficulty-only to find it locked tight.


    As John firmly pulled at it, Patrick suddenly asked, Does anyone smell that?¡±


    Cordy sniffed, and they were soon trading nces with each other before looking at


    John, who was still working furiously to unlock the seat belt.


    ¡°It¡¯s gasoline!¡± they cried out at the same time.


    There must be a leakage from the car¡¯s gas tanks!


    And after it dropped from so high, the persistent friction would make the gas


    John heard them and clenched his teeth.


    Putting his back into it, he finally unlocked Cordy¡¯s seat belt.


    Because he had been pulling too hard on the belt as well, the sudden release sent


    him off his feet.


    The wreckage of the car creaked loudly, but John was back at Cordy¡¯s side at the next


    instant, holding her tightly and pulling her out from behind the airbag¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 421

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 421


    Chapter 421


    John wrapped his arms tightly around Cordy and carried her out of the car, but she


    was clenching her teeth while her whole body shook in pain.


    There was something keeping her foot in ce, and it hurt whenever John tried to pull


    her out.


    He actually was afraid of using his full strength too, in fear that she had suffered some


    internal damage and that too much pressure would make it worse.


    ¡°Are you stuck?¡± he asked her very softly.


    They were huddled together, so Cordy could hear his heavy breathing as well as his


    racing heart.


    There was no hiding his worry.


    ¡°My right leg¡­¡± she murmured.


    John dropped to a crouch again to check and saw that it was stuck underneath the


    front seat where the unconscious chauffeur remained.


    He quickly smacked the man in the face-a far cry from how he was treating Cordy.


    ¡°Wake up,¡± he snapped at the same time.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    The chauffeur had been out unconscious, but the external stimulus jolted him painfully


    awake, i


    The instant he came to, he quickly called out, ¡°Mr. Stuart?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Patrick replied.


    Still, the chauffeur was not rxing just yet.


    He pulled at his seat belt by instinct, but it was stuck.


    John did not have the time to care about the chauffeur¡¯s survival, and he snapped at


    the chauffeur anxiously, ¡°Find a way to get up. Cordy¡¯s foot is stuck under your seat.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the chauffeur replied respectfully.


    He actually was not your ordinary chauffeur-it would take more than average Joe to


    get the job from a family like the Stuarts.


    They also doubled as bodyguards, which was why the selection process was more


    demanding than for a standard bodyguard. That was why a Staurt would always have


    a chauffeur following whenever they left the house.


    And at the moment, Patrick¡¯s chauffeur calmly adjusted his posture before pushing


    himself to his feet with every bit of strength he had.


    As he did, John returned to Cordy¡¯s side and pushed the seat upward with both


    hands, using every bit of strength he had.


    The instant it was lifted, he grunted almost unintelligibly from the exertion, ¡°Get your


    foot out¡­¡±


    Cordy wanted to do it, but she could not feel her leg!


    In fact, she was suddenly wondering if her leg was still there!


    The thought left her sweating bullets, and it stung when it reached her exposed


    wounds.


    ¡°Hurry¡­¡± John urged at the same time.


    He had been working as hard as he could tonight, and his strength was limited!


    There was no way the chauffeur could hold on much longer after such a terrible car


    crash either-if he could not hold on and dropped on the seat again, Cordy¡¯s foot would


    be stuck under the driver¡¯s seat again!


    Most importantly, the car was leaking gas, and it would blow up at any moment.


    They could not afford to waste a single second!


    Cordy knew that they were in danger too and tried to lift her leg with her hands, but


    she was still stuck behind the airbag and could not even reach her leg!


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Patrick said just then.


    He was actually being pushed to his limit too, but he kept himself conscious-because


    he must.


    Cordy took a deep breath then and closed her eyes.


    She could hear John¡¯s grunts of exertion and his panting while she worked hard to


    calm herself.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 422

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 422


    Chapter 422


    As Cordy calmed down, she tried to move her leg and managed to do it so slightly.


    Then, she clenched his teeth, and the car groaned as John abruptly released the


    driver¡¯s seat, allowing it to fall heavily.


    At the same time, the chauffeur was panting.


    Cordy¡¯s heart was still racing¡ªif she had been any slower, her leg would have been


    crushed beneath the seat again.


    She did not even want to imagine what would happen once the weight of the chair and


    the chauffeur m down on her foot!


    However, the instant she heaved a sigh of relief, he saw that John¡¯s hands were


    caught beneath the driver¡¯s seat.


    It was too dark to see his face, but Cordy¡¯s heart was racing as she cried out in shock,


    ¡°John!¡±


    She had no idea if he did not have the strength to get his hands out in time, or if John


    wanted to use his hands as a buffer for her leg in case she had not gotten her legs


    out.


    All she knew was that her vision was blurring, and she could not even see in front of


    her.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Nheless, John withstood the pain that cut into his bone without a sound and


    rested for a couple seconds pushing the driver¡¯s seat upwards again-with the


    chauffeur still on it.


    Adt the next instant, he managed to get his hands out, but he did not even stop to


    check his injury, let alone the back of his hands that were now a bleeding mess.


    Instead, he turned and carried Cordy in his arms again, and as she leaned against his


    chest, all she could smell was the scent of sweat and the pungent smell of blood.


    Pushing against the airbag, he managed to pull Cordy out from behind it and started


    to crawl out through the car window frame. Then, he turned and carefully carried her


    out as well, making sure that she was not getting cuts from the ss shards.


    She had her arms around his neck, and after he managed to pull her out from the car,


    he carried her a good distance away before gently putting her on the ground.


    Dropping to a couch beside her, he started to check if she was injured and for


    anything that needed treatment right away¡­


    However, Cordy told him, ¡°Patrick¡­ He¡¯s still in there.¡±


    In other words, she was telling him to save Patrick too.


    John¡¯s fingers stiffened, but Cordy repeated herself determinedly, ¡°Go help him.¡±


    John gulped, but he ultimately turned around and headed back to the wreckage.


    However, when he arrived, he clearly picked up a faint scent of something burning.


    He dropped to a crouch and shed his phone¡¯s shlight in that direction, and he


    saw tiny wisps of smoke swirling


    under the car already.


    He did not hesitate to turn and leave.


    Cordy saw him and quickly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Patrick?¡±


    ¡°The car¡¯s going to burn,¡± he said, scooping her off the ground right then and heading


    further away. ¡°We¡¯ll all get killed if we stay.¡±


    ¡°John!¡± She cried in disbelief, as he was going to let a person die just like that¡­


    No, it was two people! There was that chauffeur too!


    ¡°I¡¯m not that noble. To me, both of us staying alive are enough-anyone else isn¡¯t within


    my consideration,¡± John replied coolly as he carried her away as fast as he could.


    ¡°Let me down!¡± she snapped right then, but he simply tightened his hold around her.


    ¡°Let me down right now, John Levine! I¡¯ll save him if you wont!¡± she snarled¡ªthere


    was no way she could behave as coldly as he did!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 423

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 423


    Chapter 423


    Cordy bellowed furiously, ¡°Let me go!


    ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to get stubborn-argh!¡± John suddenly cried out in pain, as Cordy


    had bitten down on his neck so strongly he flinched.


    He did not release her, but she started to il around violently in his arms.


    The slope was already hard to stand on, and as she relentlessly thrashed about, both


    of them ended up falling, though John quickly cushioned her fall and spared her from


    getting hurt.


    Regaining her freedom, she started to run toward the car wreck-it was all the more


    reason forthem to save Patrick the more dire the situation was or he would be dead!


    Cordy ran quickly, even though her right leg was seriously hurt and she had just


    regained some of her feeling.


    Even if the pain seemed to cut her into the heart, she did not stop at all.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± John dashed forward and caught her, holding her firmly in ce and stopping


    her from reaching the wreckage.


    Smack!


    She suddenly wheeled on him and pped him across the face!


    Covered in blood, they were both battered and bruised, and there was no sign of her


    hitting him even after she did it.


    The crisp smack was deafening, however, and John was ring at Cordy with bloodred eyes, his


    Adam¡¯s apple bobbing repeatedly as he repressed his rage.


    Even so, she met his gaze and told him with no uncertainty,¡± I¡¯d never just sit by and


    watch someone die!¡±


    ¡°Even if you die?¡± he shot back.


    ¡°Yes! Or I¡¯ll feel guilty for the rest of my life!¡± she snapped and shook his hand off.


    She was very determined, and no one could stop her.


    She started running again, but John caught her arm just as she was about to move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me hate you any further, John!¡± she shrieked.


    However, he said, ¡®TH go.¡±


    Cord/s heart skipped a beat as he said quietly, ¡°I¡¯ll help Patrick-you stay here. Don¡¯t


    With those words, John dashed toward the car in the darkness.


    Cordy could not see anything, but she somehow also sensed his silhouette heading


    into the distance.


    It was blurred, yet grand¡­ and she clenched her teeth.


    This was not the time to feel sad or guilty-they had to save


    Patrick, and that came before anything else.


    She ultimately ignored John¡¯smand and went to the wreckage anyway.


    The scent of gasoline was thicker when John returned to the wreckage.


    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Inside, Patrick and his chauffeur were still doing their best to free themselves.


    Patrick was actually surprised when he saw John return, but John did not even look


    Patrick in the eye as he said tly,¡± Cordy told me to save you.¡±


    So¡­ it was Cordy?


    In reality, Patrick did not hold out hope that John would help, since the car would blow


    up at any moment.


    When it did, that would mean everyone would die.


    If he were in John¡¯s shoes, he would leave with no hesitation ¡ªhe would never y


    around when his own life was in the bnce.


    But Cordy was ultimately too kind for her own good.


    Patrick actually felt his heart flutter, but he could not care less in the face of impending


    death.


    He stayed calm and told John, ¡°My seat belt is not budging, and my right side is stuck


    behind the door. I can¡¯t even move.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 424

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 424


    Chapter 424


    Not many words were needed between both strong men.


    John swiftly climbed into the car and pressed the seat belt button to unfasten it as


    hard as he could, freeing Patrick.


    Then, without dy, he promptly pushed against the car door, which had pinned


    Patrick firmly in ce.


    However, the car frame was dented so much that Patrick¡¯s body was virtually


    embedded into the door, and he would have been minced if the airbags did not shield


    his body.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Cordy was suddenly outside, asking John anxiously. ¡°Can you get him


    out?!¡±


    ¡°Why did youe back?!¡± John bellowed, glowering.


    But he never stopped shoving against the door.


    He could not open it in case there was something sharp that had pierced Patrick¡¯s


    body. If he removed it, it might leave Patrick bleeding to death.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Cordy cried urgently then.


    ¡°No! Get out of here!¡± John snarled viciously at her.


    ¡°John!¡± she cried.


    ¡°No, you really should go,¡± Patrick urged her too. ¡°I¡¯m worried the man won¡¯t help if


    you don¡¯t.¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth, but she quietly retreated without going too far.


    She had this nagging worry that the car would suddenly catch fire.


    She flinched from the thought, the sudden fear almost leaving her suffering a mental


    breakdown.


    No.


    That was not going to happen.


    She stared fixedly at the spark beneath the car, which threatened to ignite.


    No! She had to stop it!


    Cordy did not even pause to think and took off her shoes, intent on snuffing out the


    spark¡­


    Poof.


    At that same instant, the spark ignited, and a fire broke out instantly!


    The mes were blinding, while John, Patrick, and even the chauffeur could feel the


    searing heat!


    In the next instant, they saw the fire igniting around the car!


    ¡°Cordy!¡±


    John was gradually prying the car door off Patrick, moving it very slowly since he was


    afraid of using brute strength.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to put out the fire!¡± Cordy cried out urgently.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work! Just go!¡±


    ¡°No! I can do it!¡± she insisted stubbornly-what would happen to the people in the car if


    she actually left?!


    ¡°Just go!¡± John yelled. ¡°I won¡¯t save him if you don¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go! Just hurry!¡± Cordy agreed to it immediately, but she was lying to John,


    still having every intention to put out the mes.


    Once the fire started, everyone was going to die.


    Unable to care less just then, she took off her gown just as John suddenly climbed out


    of the car.


    He promptly dashed toward her, dragging her off and stopping her from putting out theCopyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    fire.


    ¡°Let go! We can save him¡­ John!¡±


    She did not want to give up and to see a person being burned alive right in front of


    her.


    John did not seem to hear her at all, however, and he kept dragging her until she was


    at a safe distance.


    Then, looking into her tearful eyes over her battered cheeks, he told her, ¡°I¡¯ll get him


    out. Just wait for me!¡±


    And with those words, Cordy watched as he turned and rushed back to the burning


    wreckage.


    As she watched his determined silhouette against the fiery light, she seemed to see


    the same silhouette that was rushing toward her so determinedly during the night of


    her wedding with Kyle.


    It was John¡­


    It had always been him.


    But this time, he was going in the opposite direction and into the fire.


    She raised her hand stiffly into the air, but only reached the hem of his sleeve.


    She wanted to tell him to stop, but those words never came

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 425

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 425


    Chapter 425


    Cordy stood and stared nkly at the burning wreckage.


    They were not getting out.


    Why were they not getting out?!


    In the wreckage, Patrick was astonished to find John returning a second time.


    They could all get killed in an instant, but he came back anyway.


    They were not that close enough to be that selfless-in short, John was doing this for


    Cordy.


    John really loved that woman¡ªmore than Patrick would give him credit for.


    Meanwhile, the fire was growing, and the scalding heat could already be felt within the


    car.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you fear death?¡± Patrick could not resist asking John just then.


    John did not answer.


    Patrick nodded knowingly in turn. ¡°I guess it makes sense, since she would remember


    you forever if you died for her sake.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need her to remember-l just don¡¯t want her to be sad,¡± John snapped coolly


    even as he panted. ¡°There¡¯s no time to check if there¡¯s anything lodged in your body. I


    have to open the door right now or we would all be dead.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Patrick nodded¡ªthere were no other options anyway.


    At the same time, the chauffeur who was up front managed to free himself from his


    seat.


    Like the others, he was battered and bleeding all over too.


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± he cried-he did not run away despite the clear danger and instead asked


    how he could help.


    ¡°Go outside and pull the door open!¡± John told him.


    ¡°Okay!¡± the chauffeur replied and mmed against his door, opening it before


    scrambling outside to Patrick¡¯s door.


    The fire continued to spread and the chauffeur was singed, though he only put it out


    when it actually hurt.


    ¡°The fire¡¯s getting worse!¡± he cried anxiously. ¡°We have to get out now!¡±


    ¡°Put both hands on the door and pull when I count to three. Get it?!¡± John told him


    then.


    ¡°Okay,¡± the chauffeur replied and quickly did so.


    Inside, John aimed his foot squarely on the door and shouted, ¡°Three, two, one!¡±


    The chauffeur pulled as hard as he could while John kicked the door with every bit of


    strength he had!


    The whole car shook, but the door was not budging, keeping


    Patrick firmly in ce.


    ¡°Again!¡± John called out to the chauffeur. ¡°Keep pulling unless I tell you to stop!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± The chauffeur replied, and pulled as hard as he could again while John kept


    kicking at the door.


    Soon, the fire spread into the car¡­


    All Cordy could see was a blur, and the fire before her was blending.


    She watched as the car shook violently amid the growing mes, but no one was


    getting out.


    Why?


    Why were they still in there?!


    She almost suffered a nervous breakdown just then.


    It was she who told John to save Patrick and to do it while disregarding his own


    safety.


    If he was dead¡­ she must go with him too.


    But just as she put one foot out¡­


    Boom!


    The car suddenly blew up, and Cordy was close enough to be struck by the


    shockwave from the explosion, as well as the heat hitting her directly in the face,


    knocking her off her feet!


    ¡°No!!!¡± she screamed, and she stared as the burning car was consumed by an inferno!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 426

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 426


    Chapter 426


    The inferno raged in the night, and Cordy¡¯s whole body was shaking.


    No¡­ he was not dead! Not like that!


    She rose to her feet but fell just as she did, her feet too weak to carry her.


    She only wanted to go to John¡­


    As such, she crawled over to the wreckage even as she felt as if she was crumbling


    with despair inside, her heart aching so much she was unable to breathe¡­


    That was when she seemed to see silhouettes suddenly appearing amid the mes,


    dashing wildly in her direction.


    They were all on fire and looked like they were going to be burned, but they were also


    unquestionably alive.


    John was still alive!


    Still, after running and getting some distance between them and the burning


    wreckage, they dropped to the ground and started rolling around, intent on putting out


    the mes.


    Cordy did not hesitate to throw herself on John, using her own body to put out every


    me over his body.


    Eventually, they all managed to put out the fires, and only the wreckage was burning.


    Still, they stayed on the ground for a breather and inhaled deeply, having just survived


    a close shave with death.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    John soon pushed himself off the ground. He wobbled a little but he did not fall, and


    he merely paused for a moment before taking his charred jacket and threw it over


    Cordy¡¯s body, wrapping it around her.


    She had taken off her gown in an attempt to put out the mes earlier, and she only


    had her pinkish peach bra on with a tiny pair of shorts.


    Cordy did not refuse and simply stared at him-for some reason, he seemed more hurt


    than the rest of them even if he was not caught in the car crash.


    ¡°I think this is it,¡± Patrick suddenly groaned miserably in the darkness.


    There was great anguish in his voice, as if he was at his limit.


    John turned toward him. ¡°Were you hurt in the organs?¡±


    They were pressed for time just now, and John had basically broken the door since he


    could not care any less at that point.


    If they got out a momentter, they would all have been killed in the fire.


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Patrick was heaving, his voice exceedingly hoarse.


    John frowned, realizing something funny was going on with the man just then.


    He walked over to look.


    Aside from being battered and bruised, he saw that Patrick¡¯s breathing was rushed


    and his skin surprisingly flushed.


    He then put a palm on Patrick¡¯s forehead.


    He had been too focused on saving Patrick to notice anything else. Regardless, he


    immediately realized what was happening right after he touched the man.


    Beside him, Cordy suddenly said, ¡°It started kicking in when they started chasing us.¡±


    It only confirmed John¡¯s hunch, but he was also impressed Patrick had survived now


    ¡ªonce that stuff kicked in, it wouldst for a while, and the victim would gradually lose


    control.


    She was on the receiving end once, and could therefore empathize.


    Cordy withstood her injury and walked closer to Patrick just then, intending on finding


    out how long he wouldst, or if they could afford to wait.


    However, she had barely moved when John suddenly pulled her back into his arms,


    staring icily at Patrick, who was clenching his fist while his whole body stiffened in


    pain.


    ¡°John¡­¡± She struggled against his hold.


    ¡°You can do anything you want, but not this!¡± he growled very clearly into her ear. ¡°Kill


    me if you want or hate me for it, but I¡¯m not letting you tend to Patrick¡¯s carnal needs!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 427

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 427


    Chapter 427


    But even as Cordy kept shoving John off, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that doesn¡¯t apply to


    me.¡±


    John kept holding on tightly to her, so she made herself very clear. ¡°You just might be


    able to do it, though.¡±


    John paused then, as something seemed to hit him right then.


    He eased his hold on Cordy and stared at her for a while.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think,¡± she told him and slithered out of his arms, swiftly walking


    up to Patrick.


    The man was writhing in utter agony, though she almost saw him bleeding out of


    every orifice.


    Cordy thought she was imagining it since it had not been that long, but as she put her


    hand on Patrick¡¯s nostrils, she felt the vicious sensation of blood.


    And from up close, she saw his eyes staring nkly into thin air while he bled out from


    his ears too¡­


    How heavily did the Stuarts drug him? Were they trying to kill him?!


    However, it made sense that the Stuarts had a backup measure in case they failed to


    kill them in the car crash. If they could at least made sure that she and Patrick had


    sexual rtions, they would deny John anything to fall back on.


    They were certainly as savage as they were cunning!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mr. Stuart?¡± The chauffeur was horrified by Patrick¡¯s condition too.


    He thought they had just managed to cheat death, only for Patrick to end up worse


    than that!


    Did the crash rupture internal organs?


    While the chauffeur was at a loss, John confirmed Partrick¡¯s condition and said tly,


    ¡°He¡¯s going to die here if he isn¡¯t satiated.¡±


    ¡°Where are his people? What¡¯s taking so long?¡± Cordy asked just then.


    However, help might not even know where they were at the moment, since Patrick¡¯s


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    phone must have been crushed in the car crash.


    Turning toward John then, she asked, ¡°Well, what should we do now?¡±


    There was no way they could let Patrick die here after they went through so much to


    save him!


    John suddenly frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡±


    He would rather die than do it with Patrick!


    Cordy pursed her lips in turn, but she was definitely thinking that for a split second.


    Fortunately¡­


    She turned toward the chauffeur, who appeared flustered and helpless.


    ¡°You would do anything for Patrick, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course. I would willinglyy down my life for him,¡± the chauffeur said bluntly.


    Patrick certainly kept only loyal people around himself.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need you to do that, but sacrifices must be made,¡± Cordy said and


    leaned in to whisper into the chauffeur¡¯s ear.


    His eyes widened in disbelief at Cordy, but she shrugged and added very clearly, ¡°It¡¯s


    either that, or Patrick probably won¡¯t survive the night. I don¡¯t even have any idea


    when help would arrive.¡±


    The chauffeur remained hesitant, but Cordy did not wait for him to say yes. ¡°We¡¯re


    going now. The rest is up to you.¡±


    When it came to such cases, one had to take it while the other dished it out.


    At the same time, Cordy rose to her feet, prepared to leave.


    However, just as she got up, she wobbled and started to fall.


    She was spent, having pushed herself way past her limit.


    If she had not shownposure and kept panicking throughout the chaos earlier, she


    would have long since cked out.


    John reacted quick enough to catch her in his arms, and she did not struggle this time.


    As she leaned over his chest, she felt as if he was covered in blood, but it might also


    just be his warmth.


    John in turn scooped her up in his arms, carrying her as he strode away and left,


    leaving Patrick with his chauffeur.


    Cordy did not pass out, however, but she was simply exhausted and very sleepy.


    She would have rather walked on her own¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 428

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 428


    Chapter 428


    The elevation of the slope made it difficult to traverse and even more so for John, who


    had to carry Cordy.


    However, she was really spent and could not even open her eyes as she leaned in his


    arms.


    She vaguely heard cars screeching to a stop and the whirring rotors of a helicopter¡­


    Patrick¡¯s people had probably arrived.


    What perfect timing-not a moment too soon and not a moment toote.


    With that, Cordy finally dozed off.


    When she woke up again, she found herself in a ce she did not recognize.


    It was not the hospital, her apartment in North City, or John¡¯s apartment.


    She blinked, her eyelids still feeling very heavy just like her head.


    She felt like she had slept for a long while to the point that she could not wake up.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± John¡¯s deep voice spoke beside her just then, quietly and tenderly.


    Cordy turned toward that familiar face of his and saw that his fair, handsome cheeks


    were covered in cuts and bruises of every size.


    Blinking, she asked, ¡°Where am I?¡¯


    Her voice was terribly raspy and her throat hurt a lot too.


    ¡°Rocktown,¡± John replied, but he quickly added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re safe here.¡±


    However, Cordy did not believe that ¡®safe¡¯ applied when she was on the Stuarts¡¯ turf.


    She certainly did not have the strength to resist since she could not even get up.


    ¡°Let me help you up,¡± John told her and arched his back to gently pick her up, and he


    ced several soft pillows behind her so that she could leanfortably.


    It was then that she saw she had her wrist attached to an IV drip and the room was


    actually a makeshift medical ward.


    After she sat up with John¡¯s help, he asked, ¡°Water?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded-her throat was so dry it hurt.


    John got up and poured her a ss of water. ¡°Wait a moment. I¡¯ll help you drink.¡±


    ¡°I can do it myself,¡± Cordy insisted, mustering all her strength just to raise her hand.


    It felt limp and tired, and she suddenly realized that breathing was actually taxing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± John told her, holding the ss beside her lips. ¡°You¡¯ve been


    asleep for three days, and you haven¡¯t eaten anything. The IV was the only thing


    sustaining you, so it makes sense if you¡¯ve lost your strength.¡±


    Cordy stared at him then-she was asleep for three days?


    ¡°Fortunately, you woke up,¡± he said, his lips curling up into a smile.


    Cordy was not fatally injured, but she simply refused to wake up.


    Even though the doctor insisted that she was just sleeping and recuperating from


    fatigue, John was still worried and stayed beside her constantly, never leaving her


    side.


    In fact, there were monitors that observed her vitals constantly, but he would still lean


    in to check if she was breathing.


    And thankfully, she was constantly breathing, and now, she had woken up.


    ¡°Just rest,¡± he told her mildly. ¡°You¡¯d be dizzy after lying down for so long. I¡¯ll make


    you some oatmeal after you drink. If


    He was so tender, as if fearful he would break her.


    Holding the ss by her lips, he carefully helped her drink.


    When she finished the ss, he was about to get up and leave when she stopped


    him. ¡°John.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Am I missing any limbs?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 429

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 429


    Chapter 429


    In the end, Cordy had to ask him.


    John had been unbelievably nice, and that left her suspecting if she was somehow


    crippled.


    Nheless, John chuckled so she could feel panic too.


    Cordy had to avert her eyes in turn-somehow, that man¡¯s smile was simply beautiful,


    even if it was filled with cuts and bruises.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not missing any limbs, though there¡¯s a minor fracture on your


    right foot,¡± John answered seriously then. ¡°There are also plenty of cuts and bruises


    all over your body, and you lost quite a lot of blood. The doctor assured me that you¡¯ll


    soon make a full recovery, regardless.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Cordy asked, staring at him just then.


    Sure, she was fine, but what about him? Was he hurt?


    Even if he was not in the car when it crashed, he was definitely hurt when he rescued


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    them.


    She noticed that both his hands were bandaged, but he still took care of her, even


    helping her drink.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said tly.


    Cordy gulped.


    There was so much she wanted to say, but she simply could not manage a word.


    Moreover, she was too tired, and she did not have an ounce of strength to spare.


    ¡°Just lie down. I¡¯ll get the oatmeal,¡± John said and left the room.


    Cordy hence leaned against her pillow and studied therge room.


    This was supposedly Rocktown, but where in Rocktown?


    John¡¯s private residence? Would Jessica show up, since she lived here?


    Cordy pursed her lips and suddenly remembered Patrick.


    What happened to him?


    She certainly did not want him to die, not because life was precious, but also because


    he was her stalwart shield, protecting her from Jessica.


    So many things crossed her mind, and she reached out for her phone out of habit.


    She then remembered it would be a pile of ashes inside the wreckage of Patrick¡¯s car.


    She sighed, and the door suddenly opened.


    John entered with a bowl of oatmeal.


    That was quick! He probably had it prepared beforehand and was just waiting for her


    to wake up.


    She felt a flutter over her chest, but she hid it well.


    ¡°The doctor has advised you to eat in food after you wake up, along with some


    minerals that would help you regain your strength. This exins the oatmeal¡ªjust


    bear with it for now,¡± John said as he sat beside her.


    He carefully scooped a spoonful and blew on it gently before holding it out at her lips.


    She stared at the oatmeal for a moment before opening her mouth and eating it.


    It was almost tasteless, but there was somehow a sweetness that unfurled in her


    mouth.


    She had no appetite at first, but her taste buds somehow felt unfurled, and she kept


    eating spoonful by spoonful as John kept feeding her.


    Soon, she finished the entire bowl and actually craved more.


    ¡°Seconds?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied a little awkwardly.


    John, however, shook his head. ¡°But the doctor said that you shouldn¡¯t eat too muchnot until you¡¯re


    better.¡±


    Cordy red at him-so he was messing with her?!


    John smiled ever so faintly and patted her head with hisrge hand. ¡°Be nice now. I¡¯ll


    make more for youter.¡±


    Cordy ignored him, while he left with the bowl and spoon before returning.


    Cordy then realized she had no idea how big this ce was


    and how many people were around.


    She only saw John after she woke up.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 430

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 430


    Chapter 430


    Cordy also never saw the so-called doctor John spoke of.


    ¡°Would you rather have Dicky keep youpany?¡± John asked. ¡°The doctor said that


    you should stay in bed and rest for up to five days given your condition, and it¡¯d be


    two weeks before you can move around freely. To be precise, two weeks is how long it


    would take for you to recover your physical abilities, but that fractured leg would need


    at least three months to heal.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± She rejected John just then-she would not want Richard to be sad seeing her in


    this miserable state.


    ¡°Alright.¡± John respected her decision.


    But with that, silence ensued between them until Cordy suddenly said, ¡°I need the


    washroom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry you,¡± John said, and scooped her up in his arms before she could say


    another word¡­


    That was when he realized that the IV drip was still attached to her wrist.


    Staring at it for a moment, he put her back in bed. ¡°It¡¯s a nutrient drip, so you won¡¯t


    need it after you eat. I¡¯m going to pull it out of you, so bear with it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John was somehow proficient with pulling out the needle, and Cordy did not feel much


    pain.


    However, he held onto the vein over her wrist for a long while.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± Cordy told him.


    ¡°The needle¡¯s been there for a while. I have to press on it for a while longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaking already,¡± Cordy huffed, on the verge of losing it.


    John came to a realization right then and quickly had her press on the vein herself


    while he carried her to the washroom, carefully cing her next to the toilet.


    Then, before she said a word, he took off her pants.


    Her clothes had been changed, and she was now wearing a loose set of clothes,


    which was probably John¡¯s.


    That would exin how effortlessly he stripped her, and she never even realized that.


    ¡°Make it fast,¡± John said, looking calm and not awkward at all despite what they were


    doing.


    Cordy gritted her teeth but slowly sat down, and lowered her eyes at her pants just


    then.


    She remembered that she was on her period, and though she did not have any


    sanitary pads on, she was squeaky clean between the legs anyway.


    John seemed to read her mind. ¡°It was over yesterday.¡±


    Cordy looked up at him, speechless.


    Did that mean he changed it for her?!


    No matter how calm she was under all circumstances, her cheeks flushed.


    After all, something like this¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do it, so I used adult diapers instead,¡± John exined. ¡°There


    wasn¡¯t much of it either-¡±


    ¡°Can you wait outside?¡± Cordy asked.


    She certainly could not take anymore of this and stopped him from going into detail!


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied, staring at her blushing cheeks just then. ¡°Just call me when


    you¡¯re done. The doctors said you¡¯re very weak and shouldn¡¯t take another fall or it¡¯d


    be very bad.¡±


    ¡°Out!¡± Cordy snapped-she had been holding it in for a while now.


    John quickly did so, and once she was finished, he carried her back to bed.


    ¡°Can I wash my face and hands?¡± she asked just then.


    ¡°You can do it in bed,¡± John told her, putting her back in bed and returning to the


    washroom.


    He then brought her a bucket of water and used a clean towel to wipe her cheeks.


    ¡°I can do it myself,¡± Cordy said, holding out her hand-she was not as weak now after


    eating the oatmeal.


    John did not refuse and wrung the towel while she wiped her face, hands, and neck¡­


    ¡°How about your body?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Can I take a shower instead?¡± Cordy asked in return, having the urge to do it after


    wiping herself down.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡±


    Cordy was surprised that he was being so easy, until¡­


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°But only if I¡¯m helping you,¡± John finished, looking dead serious.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 431

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 431


    Chapter 431


    Cordy stared at John, speechless.


    He remained calm and collected as he added, ¡°I¡¯ve been taking care of you over the


    So?


    ¡°I¡¯ve wiped your face, your body, and changed your diapers¡­¡±


    As John went into detail about how he had been helping her over thest few days,


    she finally had enough. ¡°Could you please stop?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John grinned.


    There¡¯s that bewitching smile again.


    ¡°So? Do you still want to take a shower?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Cordy refused-ignorance was bliss, but knowledge certainly changed


    everything.


    ¡°Where are we, specifically?¡± she then asked, just to distract herself from her urge to


    shower.


    ¡°My private residence in Rocktown,¡± John replied. ¡°We¡¯re two hours away from Stuart


    Hall. Aside from myself, there are two servants, five bodyguards, and one doctor.¡±


    ¡°Has Jessica been here?¡± Cordy asked.


    She would not take offense, since anything could happen between John and Jessica


    after how far their rtionship had progressed.


    What she cared about, however, was whether she was in danger¡ªshe would have a


    hard time believing that John could protect her if Jessica were to see her again.


    Just like the other night.


    John obviously knew there was danger, but he could not stop it anyway.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know about this ce. To be precise, the Stuarts don¡¯t know I own this


    private residence,¡± John exined.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Cordy simply stared at him until he said, ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Pursing her lips, she then asked bluntly, ¡°Did you know what would happen that


    night?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± John replied.


    Cordy frowned, so he borated, ¡°I¡¯ve been in Rocktown for a month, but all I¡¯ve done


    is help out with Stuart Holdings¡¯ business and assist Jessica in preparing for the


    arranged-they¡¯re still very wary of me.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you stop me froming to Rocktown?¡± Cordy asked, skeptical.


    ¡°I just had a hunch,¡± John exined. ¡°The two priorities on William¡¯s side of the family


    are to neutralize his brother¡¯s side of the family as a threat and to strengthen Stuart


    Holdings¡¯ position as a business giant. The former concerns


    whether they can transition into politics, while thetter ensures that the legacy they


    spent decades building is unshakeable. And the two key individuals to that


    undertaking are Patrick and myself.¡±


    Cordy listened quietly as he continued to break it down for her. ¡°Monty¡¯s sessors


    are Patrick¡¯s father and Patrick himself. However, Patrick¡¯s abilities eclipses his


    father¡¯s, not to mention that the man had no interest in politics and is the type of


    person one would best describe as half-baked. One might even argue that Monty was


    too strict with him, or perhaps he just couldn¡¯t escape the shadow of Monty¡¯s grand


    legacy, which was why the man turned out to be the exact opposite of what Monty


    desired. Still, that¡¯s a family issue, and we can stop there.¡±


    Sighing, John continued, ¡¯ As such, if William wants to take Monty out of the picture,


    his first target would be Patrick. The subtle power struggles between both branches of


    the family are reaching a boiling point, and both sides know that either of them is


    going to make a move. However, they would never do anything reckless, so it¡¯s mostly


    been stalemate and reconnaissance thus far.¡±


    ¡°However, William decided to make the first move because of Monty¡¯s health and his


    continued absence from public view. And since there¡¯s no solid evidence of Monty


    being terminally ill, William intends to drive Monty out of the open by hurting Patrick.


    Naturally, he could¡¯ve also been nning to eliminate Patrick altogether, saving


    himself plenty of hassle with a single stroke.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 432

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 432


    Chapter 432


    Cordy nodded, agreeing with John¡¯s take.


    He was still watching her and solemnly giving her his analysis. ¡°In summary, William


    has two key individuals he needs to deal with before his rise to power: Patrick and


    myself. However, he hasbeled Patrick as a hostile that needs to be eliminated,


    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    while using every method at his disposal to attempt luring me to his cause. And for


    them, the only issue with that is you, which is why there¡¯s no doubt that they would


    Cordy blinked but did not respond.


    John then continued. ¡°When you showed up at that charity ball with Patrick, it meant


    that they could make one move while gaining twice the rewards. They were never


    going to let that chance slip.¡±


    ¡°In reality, I¡¯m not that formidable that I can fully read their mind, and everything I¡¯ve


    mentioned is my supposition along with some after-action observation. I¡¯m not


    irvoyant-1 can¡¯t protect you even before something happens, and it¡¯s not until the


    eliminate you and Patrick at once.¡±


    John gulped even as he remembered the horrors of that other night.


    A little mishap, and Cordy would be in pieces now.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I tried to stop you froming to Rocktown. If you never came, the


    Stuarts might¡¯ve only contemted making a move against Patrick, but it¡¯s a certainty


    when you¡¯re there. No one ever denies themselves the pleasure of killing two birds


    with one stone-especially not the Stuarts, who are shrewd to the very end.¡±


    Cordy was silent.


    She actually had a hunch that things would get dangerous if she came to Rocktown,


    which was why she had insisted on leaving the charity ball early with Patrick.


    Like John had said, none of them were irvoyant, and they could never predict what


    the Stuarts would do to hurt them.


    The only option was to keep going forward.


    After all, she was not being petty against John when she chose toe despite


    knowing the dangers. She had certainly made it clear that she had no choice-William¡¯s


    side of the family wanted her gone, and she had no way to go except forward.


    For that, she needed a shield in Patrick. She therefore had to prioritize their


    partnership, and if her business failed, she would be of worthless to Patrick.


    And she knew all too well that their partnership would go up in smoke once one side


    became worthless.


    Be that as it may, she did not exin that to John.


    At the moment, she did not know what their rtionship was because sentiment was


    not everything-there were pros and cons to consider, along with certain questions.


    Were they friends or foes?


    What did John think of William¡¯s side of the family?


    Maybe he was just fiddling while Rome burned-he would wait until one between


    William and Monty emerged victorious before making his choice.


    That was not the case for Cordy, who had already taken Monty¡¯s side, betting every


    chip she had in the process.


    As such, she was left feeling a mess of emotions.


    She suffered much misfortune before-her mother¡¯s early passing, his father and her


    family¡¯s apathy and abuse toward her, and her boyfriend¡¯s duplicity.


    Those were painful experiences, but that was all-she weathered through them by


    herself, either enduring it or fighting back.


    But now, for the first time, she was at a loss. She simply had no idea what was going


    to happen.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 433

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 433


    Chapter 433


    Cordy suddenly asked, ¡°How¡¯s Patrick?¡±


    There were many things she did not understand, so she was not going to rack her


    brains for nothing.


    The only thing she knew for a fact was that right now, she and Patrick were on the


    same side.


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± John replied without further boration.


    ¡°Could I borrow your phone to give him a call?¡± she asked him politely then.


    John did not agree to it-it was clear that he was still hostile toward the man.


    That only begged the question further: what on earth was the rtionship and


    standpoint between her and him?!


    Cordy did not get pushy, however, and calmly said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯m just going to lie down


    here.¡±


    ¡°You knew about his¡­ taste?¡± John suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy said, not bothered to hide it.


    In fact, Patrick gave herpromising photos of himself with other men back when he


    first visited her in her office.


    That was why she trusted him more than most and even had absolute faith in him.


    The ensuing controversy those photos could cause would be too much for any public


    figure, and if she decided to expose Patrick, everything would be over for


    him.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    His absolute sincerity granted her a thorough sense of security.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take too long,¡± John suddenly told her.


    Cordy was surprised as he held out his phone to her-he looked positively upset with


    the idea a moment ago, but he was now so easygoing about it.


    The man¡¯s thought process was truly an enigma, though she chose to not care most


    of the time.


    As a gesture of respect, John left the room after handing her his phone. 1


    Havingmitted Patrick¡¯s number to memory, Cordy called him.


    ¡°Cordy?¡±


    The tone on the end was casual, and Patrick somehow knew it was her even though


    this was not her number.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d call me once you wake up,¡± Patrick said, chuckling. ¡°How are you


    doing? Is John taking care of you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Not missing any limbs.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± he replied. ¡°Though I¡¯m bedridden for the next couple weeks.¡±


    ¡°Same, to be honest.¡±


    After exchanging details about their respective physical conditions, Patrick¡¯s tone


    changed. ¡°Is your line secure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you still trust John,¡± he said, teasing her for being able to say that while


    in John¡¯s turf.


    Cordy pursed her lips, but if she was to be honest, she blurted that since she did not


    expect John to spy on her.


    ¡°To be fair, I don¡¯t consider him that sort of person either,¡± Patrick said nonchntly.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 434

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 434


    Chapter 434


    Cordy snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business.¡¯ ¡°Alright,¡± Patrick replied cheerfully, and


    histone quickly changed. ¡°After we managed to escape by chance the other night,


    William¡¯s side of the family must be fuming- especially Jessica. She must be losing it


    too, knowing that you are now with John. That¡¯s why you¡¯d better watch out. I¡¯m really


    worried she¡¯ll do something drastic.¡±


    ¡°What, wasn¡¯t that night drastic enough?¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°Their whole family was in on it. In this case, Jessica would be doing it on her own


    volition, and it¡¯s going to be something insane.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied, having anticipated that.


    After all, John left Jessica alone at the charity ball, went straight to Cordy¡¯s rescue,


    and stayed with Cordy ever since.


    It was far more than what any woman could take.


    ¡°Also, my grandfather is making his move against William following that night,¡± Patrick


    added bluntly. ¡°William had burned his bridges when he tried to hurt us, and I


    apologize that you almost lost your life too. I would admit that I¡¯d expected a move


    from William, but I couldn¡¯t say no when you asked toe to Rocktown, considering


    our partnership. I won¡¯t lie to you either¡­ My family has been waiting for William¡¯s


    eagerness to get the better of him.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Cordy replied.


    She did have certain feelings about that, but her rationality trumped her sentiments.


    When it came to her partnership with Patrick, she just had to keep things simple


    without involving anything else.


    Nheless, Patrick suddenly said somberly, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cordy blurted.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°You did your damndest to save me that night, even if it¡¯s John who actually did it in


    the end.¡±


    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing,¡± Cordy said bluntly.''¡± Anyone in that situation


    would feel the same. Moreover, our fates are bound right now-if something happens to


    you, things would get more hairy for me.¡±


    ¡°Even so, I¡¯m the one who benefited from your altruism,¡± Patrick told her. ¡°And for that,


    I owe you one.¡±


    Cordy did not actually need Patrick owing her a favor, but she had no reason to reject


    something that worked in her favor.


    ¡°By the way¡­ do you trust me more now?¡± Patrick asked.¡± And aren¡¯t you going to


    open up to John after he rescued you?¡±


    ¡°Are you testing me right now?¡± Cordy asked in return, raising an eyebrow.


    Obviously he was testing her to see if she was still intent on maintaining their alliance,


    and whether John was friend or foe now.


    In the case of thetter, neither Cordy nor Patrick could tell.


    Such was John¡¯s wit-he kept himself positioned ambiguously between both sides so


    neither had reason to attack him.


    Nheless, Patrick said bluntly, ¡°No. In my opinion, you¡¯re most worthy of trust, not


    to mention I owe you my life. I may prioritize profits above all else, but I also bear the


    virtue of repaying a favor.¡±


    Cordy smiled faintly-the man knew how to tter himself.


    ¡°Yeah, I trust you more,¡± Cordy admitted.


    ¡°Still so rational.¡± Patrick chuckled. ¡°Any other woman would have fallen heads over


    heels for John by now. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s going to be suicidal if you told him he¡¯s


    failed to earn your trust even after putting his life on the line to save you?¡±


    ¡°Are you bragging?¡± Cordy asked, raising a brow.


    ¡°To be honest,¡± Patrick said sinctly, ¡°I am.¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, he added, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve told you this, but John


    and I shared the same alma mater abroad. We were suddenly average Joes since we


    were studying away from home, but even when we were supposed to be equals, he


    managed to outdo me by a country mile.¡±


    Patrick was most generous with his praise for John, but Cordy was frowning, unaware


    that such a connection


    existed between Patrick and John.


    ¡°At the time, he was a student. Good grades, good looks, good everything. All the girls


    loved him¡ª¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re not interested in girls,¡± Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t stop me from getting jealous,¡± Patrick replied, sounding dead serious.


    Cordy giggled in amusement.


    ¡°Well, now that you even the score, it does feel cathartic,¡± Patrick concluded.


    Cordy honestly could not say anything to that.


    So, men could get petty too.


    ¡°Anyway. Would you like me to take you away?¡± Patrick suddenly asked seriously.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 435

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 435


    Chapter 435


    The sudden change in subject left Cordy taken aback.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to leave?¡± Patrick teased her.


    ¡°I mean, I would like to, but I¡¯d rather not trouble you,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°I can¡¯t even


    get out of bed right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± Patrick said. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to take you with me even if I came, not


    to mention that I have no idea where you are. I¡¯m sure John would do all he can to


    hide you from me, but that¡¯s the point-he¡¯s keeping you very well hidden, so be at


    ease and take your time to rest for a while at his ce.¡±


    Cordy could not quite describe how she felt after hearing what Patrick said.


    That was when another call came in, and she said, ¡°I¡¯m hanging up. Jessica is calling


    John¡¯s phone.¡±


    ¡°Ask the man to buy you a phone, okay? Just stick to your old number so that we can


    keep in touch,¡± Patrick did not forget to tell her.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Once she hung up, she called out at the direction of the door, ¡°John!¡±


    John opened the door and entered, having been waiting for her all this while.


    Still, he did not eavesdrop on her conversation with Patrick.


    ¡°Jessica is calling you,¡± Cordy said, holding out his phone to her.


    John gave her a look, took it, and left again with his phone before returning minutes


    Cordy did not ask her why Jessica called, nor did he volunteer that information.


    They had both certainly chosen to avoid talking about Jessica at all.


    ¡°Could I trouble you to buy me a phone with my old number? ¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Someone will be bringing it over soon,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Thank you,¡±


    ¡°Want to sleep a while longer?¡±


    Yeah.¡±


    With that, Cordyy down again, while John left.


    The room turned silent, but Cordy could not sleep-she certainly could not do it after


    three days, but she wanted to be silent.


    After all, she must think about what she is going to do now.


    Cordy stayed another three days in John¡¯s private residence in Rocktown, after which


    she could get out of bed.


    Still, she had to lean on a crutch and could only walk a limited distance.


    It was only after she left the room John arranged for her when she realized how huge


    the residence was.


    In reality, it was a five-story mansion with a garden spanning 18,000 square feet, and


    was equipped with an outdoor swimming pool.


    Still, she did not leave the mansion and therefore did not know what the outside


    looked like or where it was from Rocktown¡¯s city center.


    All she knew was that it was peaceful and quiet there.


    Cordy was sitting on a bench in the back garden, basking in the winter sun as she


    checked her phone.


    Even after a week, the Stuarts¡¯ charity ball was still making headlines.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    It had always been a hot topic every year. Moreover, there was the announcement of


    John and Jessica¡¯s wedding date, along with Cordy¡¯s alleged affair with Patrick, which


    kept the charity ball trending consistently this year.


    Bored, Cordy scrolled through the articles where the media fawned over John and


    Jessica, whileizens spected the connection between her and Patrick.


    It seemed that they had already considered her and Patrick a couple, just without the


    official announcement.


    Cordy even scrolled through some of thements beneath.


    [So Cordy Sachs and Patrick Stuart are a thing? Guess the elites all stick together.]


    [A star politician, with a famous fashion designer cum dark horse in business? That¡¯s a


    real power couple.]


    [But I wonder¡­ Is Cordy-Patrick really better than John- Jessica?]


    [Now that you mention it, unlike Cordy, things are getting tough for Noel Sachs. She


    was photographed with the old man after that charity ball, too¡­ Are the rumors true?]


    Cordy frowned a little when she read thatment.


    Noel¡­ With an old man?


    She tapped out of the article about herself and searched for that instead. She


    eventually found an article about that which was not trending at all, and it had a photo


    of Noel wrapping her hands around the arm of a man and leaving the charity ball with


    him.


    He looked like the same man who bidded for her first dance, too.


    Had she truly fallen from grace now?!


    Naturally, Cordy was not feeling particrly emotional about that.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 436

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 436


    Chapter 436


    In fact, one might even describe it as water under the bridge.


    After all, Jessica had invested a fortune on Noel, so there was no way she would just


    let Noel enjoy all the perks for free.


    In fact, the moment Noel epted Jessica¡¯s grace was the moment her nightmare


    began!


    Nheless, Cordy felt no sympathy as she lowered her phone.


    Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared over my head.


    She recognized who it was coupled with that scent-John had been staying with her for


    days, staying just next door.


    Despite the announcement of his wedding date, the man was staying away from his


    fiancee.


    Cordy could scarcely imagine how crazy Jessica was right about now.


    ¡°It¡¯s lunch time,¡± John told her mildly.


    Surprisingly, they had been getting along well over thest few days-no


    confrontations, but no flirting either.


    They were just friends, with neither crossing the line.


    Cordy followed John through the living room and had lunch with him.


    Through it all, his phone was ringing repeatedly.


    ¡°You should answer that,¡± Cordy told him.


    It was all too obvious that it had been Jessica calling him, as she had done every day


    since Cordy was brought here.


    Jessica was even smart about it, as she would only call John during mealtimes. She


    knew very well that if Cordy was with John, they would definitely be eating together,


    and she did it just so that Cordy would know.


    On Cordy¡¯s part, she really wanted to tell Jessica that she did not have to go that far¡ª


    whatever it was between her and John did not actually affect Cordy that much.


    Still, John got up to answer the call.


    He was not that far away, but his voice was quiet.


    Still, Cordy was not actually interested in eavesdropping on their conversation, since it


    would definitely just be a couple¡¯s customary greeting.


    John eventually returned after hanging up, staying silent for a long while before


    saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be leavingter. I won¡¯t being home for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare dinner beforehand.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Your cooking isn¡¯t that good anyway,¡± she told him bluntly,


    especially since he had been cooking for her for days, and all three meals at that.


    He certainly was enthusiastic if nothing else.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    As John stared at her, she added tly, ¡°I¡¯d like to eat something else for once. Aren¡¯t


    there other chefs in this mansion?¡±


    ¡°There are,¡± John replied.


    Then, he added, ¡°I understand.¡±


    With that, silence ensued between them, and Cordy could actually feel John¡¯s


    disappointment.


    She actually felt grateful, even emotional toward John for saving her life.


    However, things were just too awkward given their respective statuses at the moment.


    Nheless, John left in the afternoon, and he was dressed rather formally.


    Cordy supposed that it was some formal dinner.


    She ate alone since he was not around for dinner.


    Finally, she was not eating John¡¯s cooking.


    Although the food was not bad, it somehow felt as if¡­ something wascking.


    That was why a person must never get used to routines, or they would grow


    dependent on it.


    As she took her time to eat, her phone screen suddenly shed, and she saw a


    WhatsApp message sent from


    Jessica.


    There was no text, just a photo of Jessica leaning on John¡¯s shoulder, looking utterly


    sweet.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 437

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 437


    Chapter 437


    Cordy only spared it a single nce before putting down her phone, along with her


    fork.


    ¡°Do you not like the dish, Ms. Sachs?¡± the chef asked nervously just then.


    ¡°No, I just feel a little sick,¡± Cordy smiled faintly¡ªthe food was not bad at all, but the


    psychosomatic effect had already kicked in.


    ¡°Should I ask the doctor to give you another checkup?¡± the chef suggested.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    The doctor had left days ago, since she was healthy aside from her broken leg.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Just go about your usual work. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Cordy said, rising to her feet and


    heading out of the mansion on her crutches.


    In the end, she was feeling annoyed.


    There were times when one could lie to everyone, but not themselves.


    Her phone suddenly started to ring just then, and upon seeing who it was, she took a


    deep breath and forced a smile as she greeted, ¡°Zoe.¡±


    ¡°Are you still in Rocktown?¡± Zoe asked.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Yeah. Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°No, I was just thinking about inviting you and Quinn over to try my cooking, since I¡¯m


    quite sure that my cooking is getting better now. You two would give me some proper


    reviews, too, whereas Bob would say it¡¯s good no matter how I did. It¡¯s obvious he¡¯s


    making light of me, and I would really like to know the true extent of my abilities.¡±


    Despite Zoe¡¯sints about Bob, it was not hard to hear the bliss in her tone.


    Cordy smiled faintly in turn. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ming back


    anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Wait, are you really dating Patrick? Are you at his home right now? Cohabiting,


    even?¡±


    Zoe was thrilled, clearly having read the news as well, even texting Cordy earlier to


    ask about it.


    Cordy did not answer, since things were tooplicated to be exined in a couple


    words, and this situation was unavoidable anyway.


    ¡°Are you really giving up on my cousin-1 mean, John?¡± Zoe then asked.


    ¡°The man abandoned you and you¡¯re still speaking up for him?¡± Cordy could not help


    teasing.


    ¡°Honestly, that doesn¡¯t really count given his situation. He had to choose his aunt,¡±


    Zoe said, kind as ever and


    constantly being considerate toward others. ¡°The Levines value family above all else,


    so there¡¯s no stopping family influence.¡±


    She certainly had insight.


    Still, she was soon asking agitatedly, ¡°Hold on-we weren¡¯t talking about me! Come on,


    are you seriously dating Patrick? Or are youpelled to, so that Jessica can¡¯t


    harass you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and Patrick. It¡¯s just the usual rumor and spectionneither of us can


    exin ourselves either, since it¡¯d be inconvenient for us right now.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. There¡¯s no way you¡¯d rebound so quickly.¡± Zoe giggled.


    ¡°Hey. Patrick doesn¡¯t count as a rebound even if I were really dating him,¡± Cordy


    corrected her.


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s dear John¡¯s fault for turning away from you. That said, Cordy, I have this


    feeling that you really shouldn¡¯t give up until John really marries Jessica. It doesn¡¯t


    matter what borate tricks she would y-he¡¯d never really marry her.¡±


    In the end, Zoe was still defending John.


    There were times when Cordy had to wonder what virtue John had that a cold man


    like him would have Zoe¡¯s eternal loyalty.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯d stop talking since I know it upsets you-hell, it upsets me seeing Jessica


    clinging to John every day in the news,¡± Zoe rambled on, but she suddenly turned


    serious.¡± Cordy. Do you think Bob and I can¡­¡±


    She suddenly paused, and Cordy was actually curious what Zoe was too


    embarrassed to say.


    Still, she waited silently until Zoe inhaled sharply, and asked, ¡°Do you think Bob and I


    should do the deed?¡±


    ¡°What, you haven¡¯t yet?¡± Cordy asked in return, though she soon realized that


    something was awkward about that question once she asked it.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 438

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 438


    Chapter 438


    Cordy was actually supportive of Zoe¡¯s rtionship with Bob, though she also held out


    a little hope on Jay in a corner of her heart.


    Maybe, just maybe¡­


    Even then, Cordy found that part of her conflicting.


    ¡°You mean we should be doing it already?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°I actually thought that you two were hitting it off,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°I¡¯m actually


    surprised that you¡¯re that conservative.¡±


    ¡°Not really, it¡¯s just that things hadn¡¯t really gotten that far¡­ but he caught me watching


    an adult video a while ago,¡± Zoe confessed awkwardly.


    ¡°You were watching what?¡± Cordyughed.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start. I was just checking it out since Quinn asked for help, but Bob somehow


    stumbled upon me browsing! To be honest, we almost did it right then¡­ if Bob didn¡¯t


    suddenly have to leave for some thingamajig.¡±


    ¡°And then? Was there no other opportunities?¡± Cordy asked.¡± I never knew you were


    that shy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a girl too, woman,¡± Zoe snapped. ¡°I can¡¯t exactly just take the lead! Also, Bob may


    look like a yboy, but he¡¯s actually extremely conservative about that stuff¡­ That¡¯s


    why I¡¯m wondering if I should be a bit more proactive? It feels like we¡¯recking


    something if we don¡¯t do it.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re sure about Bob and really have feelings for him, it doesn¡¯t matter who


    initiates it¡­ Though I do


    encourage you to do so,¡± Cordy gave her support right then.


    At this stage, it would be ridiculous if Zoe continued to save herself for Jay.


    Zoe actually seemed a little chipper after Cordy offered her encouragement too. ¡°So¡­


    Should I get prepared?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Cordy smiled.


    ¡°By the way, when are youing back?¡± Zoe could not help asking then. ¡°I mean,


    Rocktown is where Jessica grew up. Don¡¯t you think the air there is dirtier because of


    that?¡±


    Cordy chuckled, earnestly appreciative of Zoe¡¯s earnestness just then.


    Her life would certainly have been beautiful if not for her domestic troubles.


    ¡°I¡¯ming back once I¡¯m done with things here,¡± Cordy replied-as in, when she


    recovered.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll personally cook for you once you¡¯re back,¡± Zoey eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not keep me waiting. My children might be able to spell ABC before you


    They chatted for a while longer before hanging up.


    Cordy had to admit she envied Zoe for having that personality of hers-candid and


    carefree no matter the situation and always full of hope in life.


    Cordy lowered her phone to look up at the scant few stars up in the dark skies,


    pensive.


    It was veryte into the night, but Cordy did not fall asleep.


    She did not nap that much, but she lost sleep anyway.


    She checked the time and saw that it was already 11 PM.


    Was Johning back?


    Maybe not.


    She got up, leaning on her crotch to leave her room to get herself a ss of water.


    She just opened the door, when she found John striding inside from the living room,


    his cheeks flushed as if he had been drinking.


    He clearly saw her too and smiled as she stood at the doorway of her room. ¡°Waiting


    for me?¡±


    Cordy snorted and promptly turned, intent on returning inside.


    Those words disgusted her so much she did not want her drink!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 439

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 439


    Chapter 439


    As Cordy turned around, John wrapped his arms around her from behind.


    A pungent alcoholic sent filled her nostrils right then-he had definitely been drinking


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    too much.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± he whispered, holding her fast while his lips inched closer to her nape,


    greedily inhaling her distinctly fresh scent.


    It really made him lose his mind.


    His arms tightened around her, and his lips pressed flirtatiously against her nape.


    ¡°Two-timing feels really good, huh?¡± Cordy suddenly asked, unusually cold toward his


    affection.


    John tensed up, while Cordy continued to scoff, ¡°Between Jessica and I, which of us


    feels better to hug?¡±


    John clearly stiffened right then.


    Cordy then added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really hate jasmine- scented perfume.¡±


    She clearly picked up the scent of Jessica¡¯s perfume on his body, after all.


    John¡¯s arms clearly eased around her, and she just had to shrug a little to free herself.


    She shut the door tightly behind herself, as if shutting her heart from him as well.


    With that, Cordy returned to her bed.


    She was not that thirsty, but not getting a drink left her whole body ufortable now.


    She tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep.


    Through it all, the scent of jasmine seemed to swirl around her nostrils.


    Feeling like she was starting to lose it, she got out of bed and went to take a shower,


    which she had been able to do ever since she could get out of bed.


    The doctor told her that she just had to make sure she was not infected or fall, and


    there would be no issues after.


    She had been careful each time as well, avoiding her wounded right leg along with the


    cuts and bruises all over her body.


    Still, it took her a long time to finish her shower, mostly because moving was


    inconvenient for her.


    After that, she changed into a clean set of casual clothes.


    When she stepped out, she saw that it was already 1 AM.


    She returned to her bed and found a ss of water on her nightstand.


    It was kept in a thermos cup as well, maintaining it at her favorite temperature of 104


    degrees.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She did not have the habit of getting out of bed during midnight to get a drink, but


    John always seemed to know what she wanted with just one look.


    Cordy woke upte the next day, since she slept veryte.


    Fortunately, she had a lot of free time, and when she woke up did not matter since


    she had issued instructions at work via telephone.


    She left her bedroom to find John sitting on the living room couch and on his phone.


    He headed straight to the open kitchen when he saw that she woke up. By the time


    she made it to the dining room, he had already put her breakfast before her.


    They had not been living together for that long, but they developed this tacit


    understanding anyway.


    To be precise, John understood her, while she passively epted his grace.


    They had breakfast together-it was past ten, but he had waited for her all this while.


    ¡°Does it suit your tastes?¡± John asked her.


    As Cordy looked up at him, John said bluntly, ¡°I heard that you weren¡¯t eating wellst


    night, so I changed chefs. Tell me if you don¡¯t like something¡ªdon¡¯t push yourself to


    ept it.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She did not expect her loss of appetitest night to cost someone his job.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± she said.


    There were times when she had the feeling that John did everything on purpose, just


    as he was deliberately using her kindness to get what he wanted.


    Now, she would not skip meals even if she was in a bad mood.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 440

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 440


    Chapter 440


    As they ate, one of the servants walked up to John and asked respectfully, ¡°Mr.


    Levine, you were saying to throw away that set of formal wearst night?¡±


    He was probably uncertain since John¡¯s clothing was worth a fortune, and they would


    never afford to pay thepensation if they were to throw it away by mistake.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John nodded.


    The servant certainly had more to say, but considering that they did not know what it


    was like to be rich, he replied politely, ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    With that, he left.


    Cordy watched as he left before ncing at John.


    ¡°Actually, you could just send me back to North City,¡± Cordy suddenly said, since she


    did not believe that he was happier with her around.


    Being sandwiched between two women would only make one infuriated.


    Nheless, John refused her immediately. ¡°I¡¯d be more at ease with you beside me.¡±


    ¡°And how long do you intend to keep me here?¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well see.¡± John refused to give a definitive answer.


    Cordy bit her lip but ultimately refrained from asking.


    She was convinced that he would at least release her when the date of his wedding


    day with Jessica arrived in the next month.


    Meanwhile, in North City, Zoe was dressed in a ck babydoll.


    She went out of her way to buy it, picking the skimpiest nightgown after choosing a


    long while.


    Still, she was clearly shuddering as she checked her reflection in the mirror-not from


    the cold, but from nerves.


    She had no idea what she was nervous about either, since she had gone through


    pretty much everything as an actress.


    This time, she was just going to celebrate Bob¡¯s birthday, and then present herself as


    his gift.


    Nothing could be easier, just as there was nothing to be embarrassed about.


    She was convinced that Bob would probably be unable to hold back if he saw her


    dressing up in such fashion!


    That was when her phone rang, and Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Seeing that it was Bob, her smile grew wider and she asked,¡± Are youing now?¡±


    It was 5 PM, and he previously agreed toe at 6 PM.


    Even if it was his birthday, he still had to mingle with his extended family earlier that


    day, since he insisted on not holding a formal celebration. There would be a small


    gathering of rtives and friends, and he would hurry over after.


    Or that was what he said.


    Still, Bob had always been enthusiastic as far as she was concerned, so she expected


    he woulde early, and therefore prepared everything ahead of time.


    Nheless, Bob was apologizing over the phone. ¡°Sorry, Zoe, but I think I¡¯m going to


    bete tonight. Sam is refusing to let me go and insists on spending the night drinking


    with me. I¡¯ve tried to turn him down, but he¡¯s just being stubborn, saying that he¡¯d


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe was slightly disappointed since she had prepared borately for the


    night. Still, she understood Sam and the others would want to keep Bob with themthey were very close


    since they grew up together, and it was rare for such friendship


    tost this long. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Juste byter. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle over as soon as I can.¡±


    Zoeughed. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. The night is still young.¡±


    Bob obviously caught the hint, and he actually had some ns for the night anyway.


    ¡°Could you wipe that dirty smile off your face?¡± Sam snapped at him, suddenly


    appearing before him.


    Bob rolled his eyes and told Zoe, ¡°See youter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The smile never left Bob¡¯s face even after he hung up-it was difficult to keep a straight


    face when he was in such a pleasant mood.


    ¡°Talked to your girl already?¡± Sam asked. ¡°We¡¯re having dinner at your ce and then


    having more drinkster.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bob replied.


    ¡°Wait, she doesn¡¯t mind?¡± Sam was a little surprised.


    ¡°I told you. She¡¯s the best,¡± Bob grinned smugly.


    ¡°I doubt it. Do you believe this guy, Jay?¡± Sam turned toward Jay then while trying to


    goad Bob. ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t unless you bring her along to meet us.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 441

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 441


    Chapter 441


    Bob was about to argue with Sam when Jay suddenly said, ¡°I do. I believe Bob.¡±


    Bob naturally knew that Sam wanted to goad him into bringing Zoe along to meet


    them.


    They had been dating for months, but he never brought her along to meet his best


    friends.


    There were times when Sam pressured him so much he would give in, but Zoe would


    say no whenever he asked.


    He knew Zoe did not feel safe after the trouble between her and the Levines, and no


    one was aware that they were dating, save for Zoe¡¯s best friends Cordy and Quinn.


    Moreover, Zoe was worried that the Levines would harass Bob if too many people


    knew, and she definitely did not want that, insisting that she knew Nancy Levine too


    well.


    It would take some time for Nancy¡¯s rage to ease, until she would not go out of her


    way to harass Zoe-only then could they be together without any issues.


    Naturally, Bob respected Zoe¡¯s decision, though it was more apt to say that Zoe


    mattered more to him than his friends.


    That was why he would never breathe a word no matter how Sam threatened him.


    Nheless, Sam was shocked by Jay¡¯s reaction. ¡°Hold on. You know Bob¡¯s


    girlfriend?¡±


    He was not the only one who had not met thedy, was he?!


    He hung out with Bob the most¡­ only for Bob to tell everyone except him?!


    What, was Bob so worried that he wouldy a finger on a brothers¡¯ wife too?!


    Still, just as Sam was getting incensed, Jay answered, ¡°I don¡¯t know her, but I have a


    good feeling about her.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Sam snorted in disdain-a good feeling when they had not even met yet?!


    A servant approached them respectfully then. ¡°Mr. Davis? Your parents are saying


    that dinner will start soon, and you should greet the guests at the lobby.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Bob said, since he had been hanging out with Sam and Jay in the third-floor


    arcade. ¡°You two wait here. I¡¯m going to greet my guests.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go together. This ce is no fun anyway.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The trio headed downstairs-there were not that many guests today, aside from close


    family and friends.


    Things were a lot less formal¡­ up to a point.


    When Bob and the others reached the lobby, they found Nancy there with a shylooking girl who


    resembled Zoe a lot.


    They presumed that it was Cora Levine, Nancy¡¯s long-lost biological daughter.


    The trio was surpassed by their arrival now, instead of noon.


    But there was nothing that surprising either, since Nancy was very close friends with


    Yulia Young, Bob¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Bobby, over here,¡± Yulia called out just then.


    Bob hurried over to her, with Sam and Jay in tow.


    ¡°Your Aunt Nancy is here. Aren¡¯t you going to greet her?¡± Yulia gestured.


    ¡°Hello, Aunt Nancy,¡± Bob greeted her politely, despite his misgivings about the woman,


    especially how cruel she was toward Zoe.


    However, he owed her some respect for his mother¡¯s sake.


    When it came to people of their birthright, they had to show their parents all due


    respect-even if they behaved poorly or did not bother to work in private.


    It was not coercion either, but the influence of family indoctrinated discipline.


    ¡°This is Cora, Nancy¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s two years younger than you,¡± Yulia introduced


    her eagerly just then.


    Bob nced at the woman, who looked just like Zoe.


    And yet, there were so many things that set them apart. ¡°Hello,¡± Bob greeted her


    politely.All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 442

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 442


    Chapter 442


    Cora appeared a little shy. ¡°Hello.¡±


    It had been months since she was brought to the Levine family, but she still could not


    get used to life in high society. She was always apprehensive about everything, which


    made her appear confident.


    Like right now-after greeting Bob, she said nothing else, leaving an awkwardness in


    the air.


    ¡°Oh, you.¡± Yulia smartly tried to smooth things over. ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually talkative?


    You¡¯re mute as soon as you see a pretty face, huh?¡±


    Bob was going to argue, but Nancy already spoke. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been overprotective of


    Cora and haven¡¯t brought her out of the house much. I guess that made her a little


    shy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, just bring her along whenever. Bob¡¯s never busy, so he can hang out with her.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m never busy? I¡¯m always busy, y¡¯know, ¡± Bob argued.


    ¡°Busy with what? Drinking yourself silly?¡± Yulia snapped, denying him even dignity.


    Since there was no chance of Bob arguing in front of so many people, Nancy quickly


    said, ¡°Well, Bobby, I¡¯m counting on you to take care of Cora now.¡±


    Bob did not say yes, and that earned him a smack from his mom.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he growled reluctantly.


    Sam and Jay were watching nearby, and they traded nces just then.


    They could clearly tell that an arranged marriage was in the works!


    ¡°By the way, Nancy-1 heard Cora is starting her career in showbiz?¡± Yulia said then,


    switching to yet another topic.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nancy replied. ¡°I just went with her for her audition today, or we wouldn¡¯t have


    ¡°Did things go well?¡±


    ¡°Quite. There won¡¯t be many issues,¡± Nancy said.


    ¡°Well, of course. They¡¯d have to be more considerate with you around,¡± Yulia joked,


    though Nancy did not argue.


    Suddenly, she turned toward Jay and asked, ¡°Jay, you¡¯ve been in showbiz for a while.


    What do you think of Kermit Wadle?¡±


    ¡°As a director, he¡¯s one of the rare few who keeps a low profile but shows consistent


    excellence. Anyone working on his films would easily make a breakthrough,¡± Jay said,


    giving an earnest appraisal.


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Nancy said, sounding genuinely concerned. ¡°I was worried he isn¡¯t


    famous, and Cora wouldn¡¯t be able to develop her career well.¡±


    Jay pursed his lips¡ªwhen Zoe was still Nancy¡¯s daughter,


    Nancy never showed any concern about Zoe¡¯s showbiz career.


    She had to carve a path to sess for herself, building her career with her own blood


    and sweat.


    And now, it was all taken away from her.


    Nancy was certainly unfamiliar with showbiz and continued to ask Jay, ¡°Kermit


    actually mentioned that Cora should take a supporting role to start her career instead.


    He was saying that taking a lead role immediately would be adverse to her reputation


    and development since she might not be able to seed in such an important role. Is


    that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be ideal for her career¡¯s development.¡± Jay nodded.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Despite all the exchanges, he was distant.


    ¡°Do you have any projects on hand? Try to save Cora a role if you find anything that


    suits her,¡± Nancy then said, as if it was only natural.


    Jay did not agree to it and simply gave the usual nonresponse by not saying no.


    Even so, he would never show Cora favoritism.


    ¡°Jay, you really shouldn¡¯t keep arguing with your dad. It¡¯s been a while, and he has


    since cooled down-he just can¡¯t bring himself to ask you back out of pride. Juste


    back anytime you want. We¡¯ve saved your room for you.¡±


    Suddenly, Nancy seemed interested in mediating, but Jay coolly replied, ¡°It¡¯s my own


    issue. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡±


    Nancy naturally did not speak further-it was hardly ideal to speak of one¡¯s own family¡¯s


    affairs at someone else¡¯s birthday celebration.


    With that, the group had awesome small talk before taking their seats at the dining


    table.


    Cora was arranged to sit next to Bob.


    Even if Bob never looked right at her, both Jay and Sam could already tell that Cora


    was interested in him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 443

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 443


    Chapter 443


    After dinner, Bob hurriedly left with Sam and Jay.


    He had always celebrated his birthday that way-he would apany his parents and


    elders at home and eat with them in the morning, while it was his time after dinner.


    They were about to leave Davis Vi when Yulia suddenly stopped him.


    ¡°Bob,¡± Yulia said. ¡°Bring Cora along.¡±


    ¡°How can I enjoy myself if I bring her along?¡± Bob became quite displeased.


    ¡°You can have a great time just the same. She can join you.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re all men¡­¡±


    ¡°So, I asked Cora to keep an eye on you,¡± Yulia said overbearingly. ¡°In short, I¡¯ll leave


    her in your care.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± Bob was infuriated. ¡°Jay is the closest to her among the three of us. He¡¯s


    her uncle. You should leave her in Jay¡¯s care instead.¡±


    Jay nced at Bob-thetter was good at shirking his responsibility.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who¡¯s in charge. In short, you guys have to take care of her. Nancy and I


    want to y poker at home, so you¡¯ve got to keep an eye on her. If anything happens,


    I¡¯ll


    beat you to death when you¡¯re back,¡± Yulia said, threatening them.


    After that, she did not give Bob any chance to refuse before she ced Cora in their


    care and left.


    The three of them and Cora were the only ones left after Yulia had left.


    Appearing very timid, Cora lowered her head in slight anxiety and did not dare to


    voice out.


    Bob was rendered speechless.


    When he was about topromise, Jay suddenly suggested, ¡°Bob, Sam, you guys


    can go first. I¡¯ll give Cora a ride.¡±


    Bob looked at Jay with his eyes widened.


    They were buddies for so many years, so they had some kind of tacit understanding.


    He naturally knew that Jay wanted to see Cora off.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Bob punched Jay jokingly and soon broke into a joyful smile.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bob and Sam left first.


    Jay then said to Cora, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    She followed him into his car, and it was very quiet in the car. Cora had wanted to


    speak up several times, but she did not know what to say.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride home,¡± Jay spoke out of his initiative.¡± The games we enjoy won¡¯t


    be suitable for you.¡±


    Cora soon appeared slightly disappointed, and she bit her lip tightly. She questioned


    after a long while, ¡°Uncle Jay, do you hate me very much?¡±


    Jay tightened his grip around the steering wheel.


    ¡°I saw you badly injured for Zoe¡¯s sake that day, and you even left the Levine family


    because of her¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t hate you.¡± Jay interrupted her coldly.


    ¡°Do you think that I shouldn¡¯t return to the Levine family?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Nancy¡¯s daughter as well as a member of the Levine family. So, there¡¯s no


    such thing as that.¡±


    ¡°But you make me feel as if I¡¯m back to snatch Zoe¡¯s things,¡± Cora said in slight


    sadness. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be substituted by others if I had a choice. I would like to stay


    in the Levine family forever, and not experience the kind of pain my original family


    caused me which frightens me every time I recall it¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin it to me.¡± Jay tightened his grasp around the steering wheel


    even more.


    Cora was afraid of that family even in her remembrance, but it was now Zoe who had


    to suffer through that.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a member of the Levine family, and I don¡¯t have any influence over them. So,


    you don¡¯t have to care about my


    thoughts, and you don¡¯t have to please me deliberately.¡± Jay made himself clear.


    Cora bit her lips hard. Naturally, she could discern his resistance toward her.


    They fell silent again before Cora summoned her courage and said, ¡°Could you stop


    by the road for a while?¡±


    Jay knitted his brow.


    However, he still stopped the car by the road.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to get an apple pie,¡± Cora said. ¡°My family was poor when I was young. The


    only thing I looked forward to was my foster mother bringing home an apple pie every


    night after work.¡±


    Jay instinctively wanted to wait for her in the car.


    He suddenly looked out of the car window. This was the ce where Zoe had had a


    meal before.


    She came out at midnight in the cold winter for an apple pie, and he yearned to know


    what it tasted like.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and get a takeout¡­¡± Cora was afraid of dying him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat with you,¡± Jay added out of the blue. Cora was overwhelmed by his favor.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 444

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 444


    Chapter 444


    Cora then saw that Jay had gotten out of the car.


    She followed him and sat in front of the food stall.


    Those who got into the upper ss of the society would realize that everyone around


    them were very exceptional, with Jay being an example.


    He just sat in front of the food stall to wait for his apple pie, but many passers-by could


    not help but look at him.


    Even though he was not considered very outstanding in their circle, he was


    exceptional in the world of ordinary people.


    Each of them ordered an apple pie respectively.


    Jay took a bite, but he found it too sweet-he did not like desserts very much.


    ¡°Is it nice?¡± Cora asked.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± he answered.


    He was still quite indifferent toward her, and she acted sensibly and did not say much.


    They lowered their heads to eat their apple pies quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯d like two apple pies, please. One to go, and one for here.¡±


    Suddenly, he heard a familiar female voice.


    Jay¡¯s hand stiffened with the spoon in his hand before he then lowered his head and


    ate his apple pie quietly.


    A person sat on the stool beside him.


    The food stall was small, and there were quite a lot of people having apple pies now.


    Most of them shared their tables with others, and Zoe was now used to sitting with


    others at the food stall to eat.


    She naturally sat on a vacant seat, not knowing when Bob woulde.


    She took off her dress and put on a thick down jacket to go there and have an apple


    pie.


    She was a little hungry. Knowing that Bob was going for a drink with Sam and that he


    would want to eat something sweet when he came, she hence bought an apple pie for


    him.


    She had just taken her seat when she then realized that there was something amiss.


    No matter how long it had been¡­ the feeling some people gave others would be


    deeply ingrained in one¡¯s heart and would not disappear.


    She did not even look at the person beside her, but she knew at that moment, and she


    looked in another direction to look for another seat.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Zoe?¡± Cora called after her in uncertainty.


    Zoe tightly wrapped herself in thick clothes. It was very cold in the middle of winter


    and only her two eyes were visible, but she was recognized nheless.


    She felt that Jay did not recognize her.


    She looked over and thought that it was her loyal fan.


    Unexpectedly, it was Cora.


    Cora and Jay¡­


    Jay never ate dessert, but he appeared at that ce.


    So, it was because he wanted to apany Cora.


    Jay was good at fawning over the members of the Levine family.


    Cora should now be the treasure of the Levine family, and the thing one regained after


    losing was naturally more precious.


    Besides, the Levine family would be nicer to him if he had a good rtionship with


    Cora.


    Hmph! He was both smart and realistic. ¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re having an apple pie here too?¡±


    After they met each other¡¯s gaze, Cora affirmed that she was Zoe.


    ¡°Hmm, what a coincidence.¡± Zoe made a light reply.


    Cora¡­ was not considered her enemy.


    After admitting to her identity and realizing the truth, she did not find it too difficult to


    ept it.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 445

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 445


    Chapter 445


    ¡°Do you live around here?¡± Cora asked her.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°This neighborhood seems pretty good,¡± Cora said lightly.


    ¡°So, you think I should stay in the slums, don¡¯t you?¡± Zoe sounded rather blunt.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I also feel quite guilty to see Mom treat you that way¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t have to tell me about your good rtionship with your


    mother.¡± Zoe interrupted her.


    Cora then stopped talking.


    Though she did not treat Zoe badly, Zoe did not like her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jay said to Cora as he put down his spoon.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished eating.¡± Cora liked to eat apple pies very much. Besides, the apple


    pies here were very nice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the leftovers packed up for you,¡± Jay said. ¡°Get into the car first.¡±


    Jay handed the car key to Cora.


    She nodded obediently. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Uncle Jay.¡±


    After that, she grabbed the key and left first.


    Zoe sneered.


    Jay was nice to everyone. It was in the middle of winter, and he would rather suffer in


    the cold to pack the food for Cora than let her get cold.


    However, Zoe was still confused.


    Why did he treat her so badly?


    What did she do to make him hate her?


    Was she any worse than Cora?


    Oh, no.


    He started to hate her after she fell in love with him. He then revealed his true colors.


    Jay had been very nice to her too in the past. Did he treat Cora the same way too?


    Jay grabbed the apple pie that had been packed and was about to leave.


    ¡°Jay, aren¡¯t you afraid that Cora will fall in love with you?¡± Zoe suddenly asked him.


    Jay¡¯s hand stiffened as he held the apple pie.


    ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you. You should have a sense of propriety even if you want to be


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    nice to people.¡±


    Jay kept quiet and brushed past her.


    Zoe chuckled, and she inexplicably shed a tear.


    It was not regret or grief, however-she just felt sorry for her past self.


    Jay did not deserve her at all.


    Luckily, her apple pie was ready at that moment. The sweet taste made her think of


    her rtionship with Bob, and the past soon disappeared.


    Cora carefully ate her apple pie in the car.


    She was slightly happy, and she felt that Jay was not that aloof toward her.


    He would eat the apple pie with her. Besides, he would even pack it up for her for fear


    that she might get cold.


    Currently, she yearned to gain approval from the Levine family.


    ¡°Do you like Bob?¡± Jay suddenly asked.


    She was stupefied because of the sudden question, and after that, she blushed


    slightly.


    She whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve got a pretty good impression of him.¡±


    ¡°Your mother brought you here today to let you get to know Bob and date him, isn¡¯t


    it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded honestly.


    ¡°He¡¯s not suitable for you,¡± Jay said straightforwardly.


    Cora looked at him and asked slowly and sadly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not worthy of Bob?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that he won¡¯t like a girl like you.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 446

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 446


    Chapter 446


    ¡°Well, what kind of girl does he like then?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. In short, he won¡¯t ept you. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt or get


    into such a great mess that you feel too humiliated, you¡¯d better go home and tell your


    mother that you feel nothing for him. You should ask your mother to give up on that


    idea.¡± Jay sounded aloof.


    Cora¡¯s eyes turned slightly red.


    She had just joined this circle, and she finally summoned up her courage to take a


    step forward.


    Making friends was the first step she took.


    However, Jay stopped her that way.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to make my mother sad. She did this for my sake,¡± Cora answered


    uneasily.


    ¡°You love life shouldn¡¯t be controlled by others.¡±


    ¡°But I want her to be happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to get famous?¡± Jay asked her.


    Cora looked at him with surprise. She could feel his indifference toward her.


    He sounded so cold when he raised that question.


    ¡°Give Bob up, and I¡¯ll make you famous.¡± Jay gave a condition.


    Cora was moved.


    She had returned to the Levine family because she wanted to gain their approval, and


    hence, she tried her best to please everyone. However, she yearned more to have a


    career on her own. Being a part of the entertainment circle and acting in films was


    something she had always dreamed of, and she had always been jealous of Zoe¡¯s


    great fame and glory. With a chance to shoot a movie under Jay¡¯s supervision, she


    knew that he was a good director even though she was only a substitute.


    If Jay was willing to support her, she would be famous very fast.


    ¡°Think about it.¡± Jay did not force her.


    Soon they arrived at Levine Manor.


    When she got out of the car, she braced herself and asked,¡± Uncle Jay, you¡¯re not


    lying, are you?¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°No.¡± He sounded firm.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go and tell Mom that I don¡¯t feel anything for Bob.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jay nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll contact youter. You¡¯ll be an A-list celebrity in half a


    year at the shortest or a year at thetest.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Uncle Jay.¡±


    ¡®Okay, goodbye.¡±


    ¡°See you, Uncle Jay.¡±


    Jay drove and left.


    While driving, he made calls to find resources for Cora by using his connections.


    After making several calls, he received a call from Bob. ¡°Did you give her a ride


    home?¡±


    ¡°I just gave her a ride home.¡±


    ¡°Did she say anything?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡¯Til be there right away. Let¡¯s speak then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jay drove the car to their usual spot. When he walked into the private room, he saw


    them both. Bob was singing, and his singing was terrible.


    When he saw Jay, he quickly put down the microphone. ¡± Here you are.¡±


    ¡°I just chatted with her. Her mother does want to put you guys together,¡± Jay said


    directly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a girlfriend. Who wants that girl?¡± Bob became frustrated.


    ¡°I know, so I asked her to go back and tell her mother that she doesn¡¯t admire you.¡±


    Bob was stunned before he asked with agitation, ¡°Did she agree to it?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Jay nodded.


    He did not mention other stuff.


    ¡°Why did she agree so fast? I felt like she does admire me.¡± Bob muttered to himself


    before starting doubting his charms. ¡°Am I not attractive to women? I¡¯ve lost 22


    pounds, and I even gained abs.¡±


    While talking, he lifted his shirt to show them.


    Sam teased him at the side. ¡°You¡¯re not lucky with women since childhood. Just admit


    to it.¡±


    ¡°Stop acting so smug! Do you think all women around you like you? They¡¯re just


    fooling around with you given your money,¡± Bob retorted.


    They started arguing.


    Jay did not join in their fight. He was used to their arguments since childhood.


    After all, they would make it up with each other after their fights.


    The same thing happened now. At the end of their argument, they started drinking.


    They behaved like they would not give up if the other party was not drunk.


    Jay did not have a drink that night because his stomach felt funny, and he was not


    good at drinking either. So, they would generally not force him.


    He just sat beside them quietly to keep thempany.


    ¡°When will Johnny be back?¡± After drinking several sses of wine with Sam, Bob


    suddenly said with displeasure, ¡°I looked forward to seeing him back, but after he got


    back, we couldn¡¯t get together. Is he serious with Jessica?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 447

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 447


    Chapter 447


    After all. Bob knew that Jay was John¡¯s rtive. So, he must have known a lot.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but it¡¯s hard to say,¡± Jay answered after ruminating over it for a while.


    He was framed by Cordy a few days ago because he failed to fulfill the task that John


    gave him, so he felt slightly guilty.


    He wondered how Cordy was in Rocktown now.


    He did not see here back after she went there, and John also did note back


    all that while.


    Although he was unclear about the current situation of the Stuart family, he


    instinctively knew that it was very tense.


    ¡°Johnny is the smartest among us. He¡¯s the most handsome, and he¡¯s had the best


    academic results since childhood. However, he can¡¯t lead the kind of life he wants


    freely.¡± Bob sighed helplessly. ¡°Is the greater the power, the greater the


    responsibility?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to meddle in that.¡± Sam said to Bob, ¡°People like you and I who sit


    around and do nothing won¡¯t understand Johnny¡¯s ambition. Just drink your wine.¡±


    Bob could not stand Sam¡¯s provocation.


    They then continued drinking desperately, and they were drunk before nine o¡¯clock at


    night.


    Samy on the sofa motionlessly. On the other hand, Bob vomited vigorously in the


    washroom.


    Jay walked to him and whispered, ¡°Are you alright? Do you need me to give you a


    ride to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ Belch¡­ I¡¯m fine.Js Sam drunk?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s drunk. He¡¯s lying on the sofa without moving.¡±


    ¡°Motherf*cker! He thought I was weak if I didn¡¯t show him something,¡± Bob said


    fiercely.


    However, he was still vomiting.


    After a long while, he crawled back up from the toilet bowl and turned on the faucet to


    wash his face.


    ¡°Are you going home? Let me give you a ride.¡± Jay could tell that Bob was drunk.


    He rarely did a live broadcast.


    No, I¡¯m not going home. I¡¯m going to my girlfriend¡¯s ce. I promised her,¡± Bob replied


    in a daze. ¡°F*cking Sam! He got drunk at such ate hour¡­¡±


    So, he drank with Sam desperately that night just to get him drunk so he could go to


    Zoe¡¯s ce.


    ¡°Should I get a taxi for you?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jay helped him leave.


    When he saw that Sam was lying on the sofa motionlessly, he ignored Sam.


    After all, they had booked that private room, and Sam would leave after he woke up.


    After they walked out of the bar, Jay helped Bob into a taxi. However, Bob seemed to


    have lost consciousness and dozed off.


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Jay said to Bob.


    He was worried that Bob might doze off in the taxi.


    Bob did not turn Jay down, and Jay helped Bob into the taxi before they headed


    toward Zoe¡¯s neighborhood.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Bob was sleeping and snoring.


    When they arrived at the neighborhood. Jay tried to wake Bob up. ¡°Should I call Zoe¡­


    Should I call your girlfriend toe and pick you up, or can you go upstairs on your


    own?¡±


    Bob opened his eyes in a daze.


    He was not fully awake and he leaned against the car to vomit again.


    How much did he drink?


    He most probably wanted to see Zoe earlier, so he acted so rashly.


    After vomiting for a while, he tried to calm himself down. ¡°I can go upstairs on my own.


    I¡¯m not drunk¡­ Burp.¡±


    While talking, he swayed as he walked into the neighborhood.


    Jay noticed that Bob would fall at any minute, so he followed Bob.


    After that, he supported Bob and followed in his steps before they walked into a


    building and entered the elevator.


    ¡°Which floor is it?¡±


    After entering the elevator for a while, Bob did not press the button for the floor.


    Jay turned around and found that Bob had closed his eyes and dozed off again.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d better get you home. You can¡¯t do anything if you go to your girlfriend¡¯s


    house like this, but she¡¯ll have to take care of you for one night,¡± Jay suggested.


    ¡°No¡­¡± The moment Bob heard that Jay wanted to get him home, he immediately


    regained his wits. ¡°No, I promised her. I can¡¯t break my promise and disappoint her¡­


    Burp¡­¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 448

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 448


    Chapter 448


    ¡°Which floor is it?¡± Jay asked.


    He knew that a couple would be happy to have each other¡¯spany even if they did


    nothing.


    ¡°The twenty-third.¡±


    Jay pressed the button.


    When they arrived at the floor, Jay helped Bob over and walked to arge door.


    Jay wanted to leave after helping Bob to the door, but Bob could not even stand


    steadily and would copse on the floor if Jay let him go.


    So, Jay gritted his teeth and pressed the doorbell.


    The door opened very soon.


    He then saw a charming face, and she was even wearing a¡­ seductive slim-fitting


    dress.


    One could see her body vaguely, and it was a vague scenery.


    Zoe¡¯s joyful face stiffened when she saw Jay.


    She had seen him twice that day, and she did not know if that was an ill-fated


    rtionship or not.


    Jay averted his gaze and exined, ¡°Bob got drunk after getting Sam drunk just so he


    coulde and see you earlier. So, I helped to get him here.¡±


    Zoe remained quiet.


    ¡°TH help him in. He¡¯s too drunk to walk on his own,¡± Jay added calmly.


    He sounded steady and calm.


    Zoe opened the door. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She sounded very distant.


    When Jay walked to the vestibule, he wanted to take off his shoes. However, his


    hands were tied because he was supporting Bob, so he could only use his legs.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can juste in.¡± Zoe noticed Jay¡¯s action.


    She squatted down and changed Bob¡¯s shoes for him.


    It was a pair of couple fluffy slippers that were the same as Zoe¡¯s, which looked very


    warm.


    ¡°After all, you¡¯ll leaveter,¡± Zoe added.


    Hence, Jay stopped trying to take off his shoes.


    He also stopped looking at her.


    The sling dress that she was wearing would reveal her body with any movement she


    made.


    It was already quite obvious when she squatted just now.


    Jay helped Bob into the house before he asked, ¡°Which room does he sleep in?¡±


    ¡°My room.¡± Zoe pointed in a direction. ¡°Here.¡±


    Jay seemed to have swallowed slightly. However, he appearedposed.


    He tried his best to help Bob into Zoe¡¯s bed. He had just put Bob in bed when¡­


    ¡°Belch!¡±


    Bob could not hold himself back and vomited on Jay.


    After vomiting for a while, Jay¡¯s body was full of his vomit.


    He then turned around and dozed off as if nothing had happened.


    He even muttered before he dozed off, ¡°I want to go to my girlfriend¡¯s house. I want to


    celebrate my birthday with her¡­¡±


    The room was quiet for a second.


    Jay watched as Zoe crawled into bed to take care of Bob. He then turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll


    go now. Please take good care of Bob.¡±


    However¡­


    ¡°Do you want to take a bath?¡± Zoe asked behind him.


    Jay clenched his fists tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got Bob¡¯s clothes here. Take a bath, and you can put on his clothes.¡±


    She knew that Jay had mysophobia, and he would go crazy if he left like that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. It¡¯s just because Bob soiled your clothes¡­ Of course, it¡¯s fine if


    you don¡¯t want to. Close the door for me when you leave¡­¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take a bath then. Thank you.¡±


    Jay turned to face her. He was very polite too.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 449

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 449


    Chapter 449


    Zoe did not react for a while after Jay spoke.


    It was because Zoe just raised a polite suggestion casually. However, he took it


    seriously.


    Jay lowered his eyes and was about to speak.


    TH go and run the bath for you.¡± Zoe got out of bed.


    She brushed past him and went to the bathroom outside to run him a bath.


    After that, she returned to her bedroom to find men¡¯s pajamas and shorts for him.


    Bob had not left his clothes there, because he had never spent the night there.


    She felt that he might want to stay the night there that night, so she bought him


    matching pajamas when she bought the sling dress, as well as two pairs of shorts for


    him.


    Zoe came out and said to Jay, ¡°Just put on the pajamas for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After she gave him the clothes, she brushed past him and then entered her bedroom.


    Jay watched as she squatted and cleaned up Bob¡¯s vomit.


    She grew up in Levine Manor and led a spoiled life. She never did any household


    chores, let alone cooking¡­


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    He wondered if it was the environment that produced such a vast change in her or if it


    was Bob who changed her¡­


    Jay turned around and walked away.


    When Zoe looked over because she felt that he was looking at her, she saw his cold


    back.


    She sneered.


    Jay should have never imagined that she would be that kind of person one day,


    with her being quite willful when she was still at Levine Manor.


    After Zoe cleaned up the mess, she went and grabbed a hot towel to wipe Bob¡¯s face


    and hands. She even helped him take off his shoes and coat so he would feel more


    After that, she returned to the bathroom and identally saw her reflection in the


    mirror. She found that she was still wearing that seductive sling dress.


    She was slightly shocked, but she soon rxed.


    How would Jay think that she was attractive?


    He felt nothing for her even when she took off all her clothes and so, she did not have


    to care about that. However, she decided to change her clothes because nothing


    would happen between her and Bob that night.


    He was so drunk, and she was indeed slightly angry.


    After all, it was such rain on her parade.


    However, it seemed that she could endure anything because it was Bob. The good in


    him made her unable to hate him no matter what she did for him.


    After she changed into her pajamas, she went out of the room to make some tea for


    Bob. She also reheated the apple pie she packed for him so he could have some.


    She had just finished what she wanted to do in the open kitchen when she found that


    the door to the bathroom was open.


    Jay put on Bob¡¯s pajamas and came out with wet hair.


    Bob was slightly plumper than Jay, but he slimmed down very fast during that period,


    and it was an obvious change. She bought that suit of pajamas for Bob based on his


    current size. However, she inexplicably felt that they were quite loose on Jay.


    Jay was indeed taller than Bob.


    Was it an illusion? She felt that Jay had be so much slimmer¡­


    ¡°Umm¡­ May I know if you have a hairdryer here?¡± Jay asked Zoe politely.


    Zoe regained her wits.


    She felt like she was overthinking.


    Jay knew how to take good care of himself as well as how to curry favor. He would


    never ruin his body.


    If there was such a possibility, it would be in the interest of work.


    He would use his body in exchange for the kind of wealth and fame he wanted. It was


    fine as long as he felt that his effort was worthwhile.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take it for you.¡±


    Zoe stopped what she was doing and emerged from behind the countertop.


    She walked into the bathroom in her room and found the hairdryer before she handed


    it to Jay.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 450

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 450


    Chapter 450


    When she handed it to him, their arms appeared in the same picture.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes shed with a different light as she looked down at her pajamas.


    Only then did she realize that they were wearing matching pajamas.


    She thought that she would wear them with Bob after that night, so she ced them in


    the bathroom first. She did not think so much when she put them on just now¡­


    She did dream of wearing matching clothes with Jay in the house they shared. After


    she had given up all hope, the thing she wished for but could never get was finally


    achieved. It was easily fulfilled now.


    God did indeed like to tease her.


    She handed the hairdryer to him silently, and she did not exin it.


    After all, Jay would not care about that.


    He would not care what she wore since he felt nothing for her.


    Besides, she had been very clear with him just now. It was Bob¡¯s pajamas, and it was


    reasonable for her and Bob to wear matching pajamas.


    She then returned to the countertop to get the dessert for Bob.


    Jay seemed to have nced at Zoe and looked at her clothes that matched his¡­


    He lowered his eyes, and there seemed to be a tinge of redness in his eyes.


    Jay returned to the bathroom again to blow dry his hair.


    Zoe put the tea and apple pie on the nightstand. She did not immediately call out to


    Bob when she found that he was sleeping so soundly. After dwelling on it for a while,


    she walked to the bathroom outside and knocked on the door.¡± Jay, give me the


    clothes you took off.¡±


    Jay opened the door.


    His hair was still half-dry. ¡°What?¡±


    Zoe did not say much to him but she walked into the bathroom.


    The clothes he had taken off just now were ced before the sink in the bathroom,


    and they were covered in Bob¡¯s vomit.


    Zoe walked over and grabbed them, but Jay immediately stopped her. ¡°What are you


    doing?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s face was slightly hideous. ¡°I¡¯m going to wash them for you. Do you want to go


    home in Bob¡¯s pajamas?¡±


    It was such a cold day, and he would probably freeze to death on the road.


    ¡°Umm¡­ I can wash them myself. You don¡¯t have to do that¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll use the washing machine and dryer,¡± Zoe borated.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay felt slightly awkward.


    He thought that Zoe wanted to hand wash them. He saw how skillfully she wiped the


    floor just now, and he just did not want her to be so tired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste time.¡± She sounded slightly impatient, so Jay let go.


    Nevertheless, he regretted it slightly when he let go because he saw her take out his


    boxers.


    He blushed slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not very good to wash the underwear together. Do you know how to wash it? If


    not, I¡¯ll throw it away,¡± she added lightly.


    She sounded as normal as if she was talking about how cold the weather was that


    day.


    Was it because she felt nothing for him now? Was that why she sounded so calm


    when she was talking about such a sensitive topic?


    ¡°I¡¯d better throw it away. You need to leave it here to dry after you wash it. It¡¯s too


    meddlesome for you toe to my ce and take it just for boxers.¡±


    After that, she threw it into the trash can beside her without waiting for his consent.


    Jay pursed his lips slightly, though he kept quiet all that while, and Zoe carried his


    clothes and left.


    The bathroom was not spacious, and when she brushed past him, he could smell the


    faint perfume on her body.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 451

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 451


    Chapter 451


    This scent felt rather familiar to him¡­


    It was the scent he smelled that time when Zoe took off her clothes to seduce him, as


    much as it triggered his rhinitis.


    But it was as mesmerizing as it was before, and it almost made him throw all caution


    to the wind and just go ahead with her¡­


    The final line of defense in his heart eventually made him push her away.


    He was already trying his hardest to forget her tears, sorrow, and misery from that


    time, but her scent alone was still fresh in his memory no matter how much time had


    passed.


    It never failed to send his heart racing.


    And right now, she was wearing her favorite perfume for another man.


    Had she really let things go, and was that why she was using the perfume?


    At least, he had not smelled that scent on her for a very long time.


    Jay¡¯s lips lifted in a smile, but tears blurred his vision.


    He blew his hair dry before leaving the bathroom.


    There was no one in the living room, for Zoe was probably keeping Bobpany in


    the bedroom.


    Bob was drunk, and he was also her boyfriend.


    She had every reason to be there and take care of him.


    Jay stood in the middle of the reasonably-sized living room, feeling slightly lost, and


    he had no idea if he could take a seat.


    How long was he going to stay here for?


    He did not even dare to ask Zoe, and he simply stood in the middle of the living room


    without moving an inch.


    Zoe barely managed to feed Bob a few sips of tea. He waspletely disoriented


    from the alcohol and puked so much. She wanted to feed him some food to reduce


    the difort in his stomach, but she did not seed in that.


    She had been drunk before.


    In fact, she was frequently drunk previously, in order to forget someone and


    something.


    She also knew that after getting drunk, she would feel better after a good night¡¯s


    sleep. However, if she were to sleep with an empty stomach, she was bound to feel


    terrible the next day.


    Zoe walked out of the bedroom and considered preparing Bob some foodter on.


    When she walked out, she saw Jay standing right there looking lost and confused.


    He was probably not used to being in her house, and was much less used to her as a


    person.


    She brought the cup filled with the tea that Bob drank from to the kitchen to wash.


    After which, she saw Jay still standing there and said, ¡°The dryer is in that room. Your


    clothes should be ready in around an hour¡¯s time. Just leave after you grab the


    clothes. I¡¯m heading to bed.¡±


    She felt that perhaps Jay did not like having her hovering around him.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Jay immediately nodded.


    He truly did not know what he could do.


    Now that Zoe had ryed to him some instructions, he could finally heave a sigh of


    relief.


    Yet, to Zoe, Jay responded so eagerly because he wanted to leave as soon as he


    could.


    Unfortunately, she did not have Bob¡¯s warm clothes, and Jay certainly would not be


    able to fit into her clothes, nor did she want to lend it to him.


    Although now Bob would asionally give her cash and she was not tight on money


    right now, she did not dare to be rash about spending the money she had, perhaps


    because she had experienced poverty. If she were to give Jay her clothes, she would


    have to buy another one and it would be a loss for her.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Zoe went back to her bedroom-the one she shared with Bob.


    Jay saw the door shut. No matter how much he mentally prepared himself and told


    himself that he epted the fact that Zoe was with another man, his heart would


    break into many tiny pieces each time he saw her being close with another man.


    He walked toward theundry room that Zoe mentioned.


    As if trying to escape from something, he stared stonily at the clothes tumbling in the


    dryer as he told himself not to overthink things.


    In the bedroom, Zoe found it impossible to fall asleep.


    It was not thatte, in fact-it was only slightly past ten at night, and she did not usually


    sleep so early.


    What¡¯s more, she had to tend to Bob, who was feeling terrible and puking from


    drinking too much.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 452

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 452


    Chapter 452


    Looking at Bob¡¯s flushed face and furrowed brows and thinking back on Sam¡¯s dog,


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    which was the reason why Bob got himself so drunk, Zoe became rather frustrated.


    Sam had better avoid her the next time he saw her if he knew what was good for


    himself.


    Otherwise, she would not hesitate to make him down gallons of alcohol!


    ¡°Drink¡­¡± Bob squirmed in difort.


    ¡°Do you need water?¡± Zoe leaned in closer to him.


    ¡°Drink water¡­¡± Bob repeated himself.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Zoe did not expect Bob to still be thirsty, which was why she did not


    prepare more tea for him.


    She immediately left the bedroom.


    When she walked out, she saw that the living room was empty and that Jay was not


    around.


    Had he left?


    Zoe looked around her but did not pay any further attention upon remembering that


    Bob needed water.


    She swiftly made another cup of tea and helped Bob up on the bed as he sipped on it.


    Bob looked blearily at Zoe before finally recognising her


    after a while. ¡°Zoe, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    He knew that he had a drop too much tonight.


    He had wanted to celebrate his birthday with her properly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll settle the score with you after you wake up from your drunken stupor!¡± Zoe


    threatened.


    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll surely make it up to you¡­¡± Bob said with guilt in his voice.


    ¡°I won¡¯t rest till you do. But now, rest well and drink this soup.¡±


    ¡°I have no appetite¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you drink it or not?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Bob said obediently.


    Zoe smiled.


    Bob looked ever so boyish and obedient, and the indignant look on his face only made


    Zoe want to bully him even more.


    She pinched his slightly chubby cheeks.


    Bob had great skin. No matter how much weight he lost, he probably would not lose


    the baby fat on his face.


    ¡°It hurts,¡± Bob said miserably.


    ¡°Don¡¯t drink so much if you know it hurts,¡± Zoe released his cheeks and lifted the bowl


    of soup, preparing to feed him.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Sam¡¯s dog¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright now, have some soup.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Bob opened his mouth obediently.


    Zoe carefully fed him spoonfuls of soup.


    Spoon by spoon, Bob eventually finished the entire bowl before Zoe finally let him lie


    back down on the bed.


    After settling Bob down, Zoe left to wash the bowl clean.


    She still did not see Jay anywhere.


    Did he really leave?


    By right, the clothes would not have dried so fast.


    Zoe walked to theundry room and saw Jay leaning against the counter in the room,


    staring at the clothes tumbling in the dryer.


    He must be dying to leave this ce, that¡¯s why his eyes were so fixed on the clothes,


    as if he were wishing they would dry faster.


    Just when Zoe was about to turn and leave, Jay turned around and saw her.


    Both of them looked into each other¡¯s eyes.


    In fact, Jay had seen what went on between Zoe and Bob just now.


    Because he finally got bored staying in theundry room, he went back to the living


    room upon hearing some movement outside. That was when he witnessed the


    heartwarming scene of Zoe feeding Bob a bowl of soup.


    He felt that it was better for him to just stay in theundry room after all.


    ¡°I just came to see if you¡¯ve left. It¡¯s probably going to be done soon, continue waiting


    patiently,¡± Zoe exined.


    With that, she left without any hesitation.


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡± Jay called out.


    His voice was low.


    Very, very low¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 453

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 453


    Chapter 453


    Jay thought that his voice was so soft that it was almost indiscernible.


    Yet, Zoe heard it.


    She looked at him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Things look very good between you and Bob,¡± Jay said with a smile.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you very d about that?¡± Zoe said as she looked straight at him.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you,¡± Zoe said forthrightly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your rejection, I wouldn¡¯t


    have known how good Bob is. I didn¡¯t even know I could like someone so much.¡±


    Jay swallowed past his constricted throat.


    He dared not reveal his inner emotions, for he was afraid that he might lose control


    over himself.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably very surprised that Bob and I even got together in the first ce, I


    suppose?¡± Zoe looked at Jay as she went on, ¡°Bob has been carrying a torch for me


    for many years, but because he knew that I liked you, he kept his feelings to himself,


    for fear that he might lose the friendship should he confess. It was only until I faced


    difficulties and he helped me ovee them without question that he finally


    confessed to me that he liked me.¡±


    Jay listened on as Zoe recounted her love story with Bob.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Bob, I wouldn¡¯t have remained who I am now.¡±


    If it were not for Bob who saved her in the nick of time back then, she feared to


    imagine what terrible plight she would be in right now.


    She knew the ugly nature of people especially in the entertainment circle.


    There would be many people following after the first time.


    Very few were capable of resisting the temptation and pulling back from the brink.


    She was truly thankful for Bob and thankful that he appeared when she most needed


    help.


    ¡°I¡¯m really thankful that I was able to meet the right person after going through so


    much,¡± the corner of Zoe¡¯s lips lifted subconsciously in a smile. ¡°Jay, I used to really


    hate you in the past. I hated you for being indifferent toward me, for not having


    feelings for me. I even hated the fact that you eventually chose to leave when I faced


    difficulties.¡±


    She had to admit that she hated Jay for leaving her at the hospital after her ident


    when she suggested him to.


    He did not turn back and extend a helping hand at all.


    Of course, despite the hatred in her heart, she eventually came to ept it.


    When it came to Jay, she could truly ept almost anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m d that you were cold to me. Otherwise, I might not have been able to let you go


    and might just miss out on Bob.


    IV


    She knew that even if Jay did not want to be with her, as long as he helped her, her


    heart would remain fixed on him.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    She might even die in her singleness.


    Her greatest w was in being unable to let things go in a rtionship. She was


    seriously too stubborn and obstinate.


    But now, everything was well.


    Someone had appeared at the most difficult and hopeless time for her.


    His appearance made all her silly obstinacy and hatred vanish without a trace.


    She really did not hate Jay at all right now-she could not bring herself to hate him.


    The moment she stopped loving and stopped caring, he was no longer important to


    her.


    ¡°Just continue waiting.¡± With that, Zoe left


    Jay did not call her again.


    For them, such an ending was for the best.


    There was no love and no hatred.


    Everything would be peaceful and between them, almost like they were strangers.


    Jay looked at Zoe¡¯s retreating figure and smiled faintly.


    All was well as long as she was.


    How he was was not important.


    After a long while, the dryer finally stopped.


    Jay retrieved his clothes as if in a trance. He took off Bob¡¯s pajamas that he was


    wearing, the pajamas that belonged to Bob and Zoe.


    He folded it nearly and ced it in theundry basket.


    After he got changed, he walked out of theundry room, past the living room and


    straight to the entrance of the house.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A loud sound came from the bedroom.


    It was rather shocking.


    Jay rushed back to the bedroom and opened the door without hesitation.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 454

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 454


    Chapter 454


    The door was unlocked and it opened the moment Jay pulled on the handle.


    He saw Bob lying on top of Zoe on the floor in the room.


    Their posture was¡­very suggestive.


    Jay turned around in his shock.


    He had thought


    in fact, he had no idea what he thought had happened. He simply thought that


    something bad might have urred, which was why he rushed in without further


    thought.


    He really did not think that he might stumble upon such a scene.


    ¡°Jay!¡± Zoe suddenly called out.


    She called out to him when he was about to stride off in a hurry.


    Jay stopped in his tracks. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to interrupt both of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Pleasee and help me out. Bob needs the washroom.¡± Zoe panted.


    She was helping Bob to the washroom and just when she helped him up, he stumbled


    in his stupor and fell on her.


    She waspletely unable to withstand his weight and both of them copsed on the


    floor.


    She could almost see her life sh past her when he fell on her.


    She could not even get up with Bob lying on top of her.


    Jay walked toward them and tried his best to haul Bob off the ground.


    Bob stood up shakily, mumbling under his breath, ¡°Zoe, did I fall on you? Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no you didn¡¯t¡­¡± Zoe panted in reply.


    But in fact, her bottom was probably covered in bruises from the fall.


    How much did Bob drink tonight?!


    ¡°To the washroom?¡± Jay asked Zoe.


    Bob was clearly disoriented.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jay helped Bob to the washroom.


    Bob fumbled with his pants in a daze in front of the toilet bowl.


    He did so for a long time yet still failed to pull his pants down.


    Zoe walked into the washroom. ¡°Is he done?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te in yet.¡± Jay immediately moved to block Zoe¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I pull my pants down¡­¡± Bob¡¯s voice wasced with urgency.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± Zoe said without much thought.


    She could feel that Bob was on the verge of peeing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help him instead,¡± Jay immediately quipped. ¡°Just wait a while outside the


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    washroom¡­¡±


    With that, he held onto Bob with one hand and helped him with his pants with the


    other.


    There was clearly a sense of urgency in his movements.


    ¡°Done!¡± Jay dered aloud.


    He did not know if he said it for Bob or Zoe.


    In a while, the sound of trickling water could be heard from inside the washroom.


    Zoe stood outside the door feeling somewhat awkward, and she turned to leave.


    Suddenly, the words that she uttered just now came flooding back to mind¡­


    She really did not think so much.


    If Jay were not around, she would have helped Bob anyway.


    After a while, Bob was done using the washroom.


    Jay brought Bob to the sink to wash his face and hands, and he even wiped Bob¡¯s


    torso once through and rinsed his feet. He pondered for a moment before suggesting,


    ¡°Zoe, bring Bob¡¯s pajamas in. I¡¯ll change him into it.¡±


    A whileter, Zoe passed to Jay the set of pajamas that he wore earlier.


    It was the only pajamas she had in her house.


    Jay did not ask any questions and swiftly got Bob changed into it.


    After Jay was done, he helped Bob back into bed.


    By then, Jay was covered in sweat and panting heavily¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 455

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 455


    Chapter 455


    Zoe handed Jay a ss of water. ¡°Have a drink.¡±


    Jay looked up at Zoe and took it over. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Whenever the both of them were alone with each other, things always felt somewhat


    unnatural.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Go back earlier. I¡¯ll take care of Bob. Thank you for tonight,¡± Zoe said


    with sincerity.


    She was truly thankful that Jay sent Bob back and helped him to the washroom, wiped


    him clean, and got him changed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Bob is my friend too.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s really gettingte.¡± Zoe did not want to exchange any more pleasantries


    with Jay.


    She was clearly chasing him away.


    Jay walked out of Zoe¡¯s bedroom toward the living room, and Zoe walked alongside


    him to the door out of courtesy.


    When Jay stepped out of the door, he turned around, wanting to tell her to rest early


    and show some concern.


    But before he could utter a word, the door shut in his face.


    She really did not want to see him anymore.


    Jay simply stared at the door before finally snapping back to reality. He slowly walked


    into the elevator.


    He walked aimlessly around the district. It was snowing again in North City.


    Tiny snowkes drifted in the cold air, so tiny they were almost imperceptible by the


    human eye.


    Just like the cracks in his heart that he did not dare to reveal to anyone.


    The next day, Bob woke up with a throbbing headache.


    He looked around him before finally realizing that he was in Zoe¡¯s apartment.


    He immediately pulled open the sheets and got out of bed. He walked out and saw


    Zoe preparing breakfast in her openconcept kitchen. She smiled upon seeing him


    awake.


    Her eyes shone like crescents in the night sky, melting his heart.


    ¡°Finally awake?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Last night, I¡­¡±


    ¡°You were as drunk as a dead horse.¡± Zoe didn¡¯t mince her words.


    ¡°I, L.lt¡¯s all because of Sam¡¯s dog.¡± Bob vented his anger on Sam.


    Zoe ced two portions of breakfast on the table. ¡°Alright, we scolded him through


    the whole ofst night, his ears are probably ringing from our nagging. Don¡¯t drink so


    much in


    the future.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Bob nodded obediently.


    He sat down to enjoy the breakfast that Zoe prepared.


    He was full of praise for the food the moment he had a bite of it. ¡°Delicious, so


    delicious. It¡¯s the best in this world¡­¡±


    Zoe was speechless.


    It was pointless letting Bob critique her cooking skills.


    ¡°How did Ie herest night?¡± Bob suddenly asked as he continued with his food.


    Zoe¡¯s grip tightened over her utensils, but she said calmly,¡± Jay sent you back.¡±


    Bob¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°He¡¯ll know about it sooner orter anyway,¡± Zoe said frankly. She suddenly


    remembered something. ¡°Oh no, I forgot to remind Jay not to tell others. If Ms. Levine


    were to find out¡­¡±


    ¡°Jay knows his boundaries and what to say and what not to say,¡± Bob trusted him


    The only thing he was worried about was whether Zoe still had feelings for Jay¡­


    Suddenly, the phone rang.


    It was Bob¡¯s.


    He immediately went to the bedroom to retrieve his phone and answer the call.


    ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯te homest night!¡± she yelled from the other end.


    Over the years, Bob would always go home for the night, no matter howte he


    stayed out.


    ¡°I was drunk and stayed with Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Cora?¡± Yulia yelled once more, refusing to hear Bob out.


    Bob nced at Zoe.


    Zoe was enjoying her breakfast at a leisurely pace.


    Bob gestured to Zoe and headed to the balcony to continue the call.


    ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have feelings for Cora. Can you stop trying to matchmake us?¡± Bob said


    irritably.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Although Cora didn¡¯t grow up in the Levine household,


    she¡¯s still Nancy Levine¡¯s biological daughter. The Levines are powerful and rich.


    What¡¯s more, aren¡¯t you good friends with John Levine? Isn¡¯t it perfect if you married


    his cousin?!¡±


    ¡°The fact that we¡¯re friends has nothing to do with matters of the heart, they are two


    separate issues.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 456

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 456


    Chapter 456


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you say. I¡¯ve already agreed with Mrs. Levine on your engagement.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making a huge mistake.¡±


    ¡°So what if I am? You don¡¯t even have a girlfriend at this age N


    ¡°But I do!¡± Bob dered aloud.


    ¡°What?¡± Yulia was shocked to hear that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth. I spent the night at my girlfriend¡¯s house.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°Things aren¡¯t stable between us yet. I¡¯ll bring her back home to see you once things


    are more settled,¡± Bob knew clearly that now was not a good time.


    If his mom were to find out that he rejected Cora because of Zoe, she would probably


    burst out in anger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare pull my leg on this.¡±


    ¡°I can handle my personal affairs. Leave me alone,¡± Bob said with a tinge of


    frustration in his voice.


    ¡°You can handle your own affairs? Ever since you were young M


    ¡°What¡¯s more, Cora isn¡¯t interested in me either. Feel free to call Mrs. Levine to verify


    if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Bob did not want to say any further. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up.¡±


    With that, he ended the call.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Bob took a moment topose himself before he returned to the dining table.


    ¡°Your mom?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°She was asking why I didn¡¯t go homest night.¡±


    ¡°What did you tell her?¡±


    ¡°I told her I spent the night at my girlfriend¡¯s house.¡±


    Zoe was so shocked her face turned bright red, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell your mom it¡¯s me, did


    you?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I¡¯ll wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait for a while more before telling her.¡± Zoepleted Bob¡¯s unfinished sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good time now.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t make things difficult for you,¡± Bob promised her.


    ¡°I trust you,¡± Zoe said with a smile.


    After breakfast, Bob took the initiative to wash the dishes.


    Just when the two of them were preparing to hang out on the couch and watch some


    TV to make up for lost timest night, Bob¡¯s phone rang again.


    ¡°Mom, what do you want now?¡±


    ¡°Come back home right now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle backter.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll kill myself!¡±


    Bob had no choice but to tell Zoe, ¡°My mom wants me back home.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zoe said thoughtfully,


    ¡°I¡¯lle back after I¡¯m done entertaining my mom.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Last night¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Zoe smiled.


    It was a smile mixed with many emotions behind it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± Bob¡¯s heart started pounding.


    He could not hide the bright smile on his face.


    He swiftly put on a jacket and wore his shoes as he said to Zoe, ¡°I¡¯ll crawl here tonight


    if I have to. You must wait for me at home, you must!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Zoe, I love you so much.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Zoe said with a smile.


    Bob left wistfully.


    Zoe could not bear to see Bob leave too, as she looked at his retreating figure.


    She thought that he would be able to keep herpany the entire day today¡­but it


    was fine.


    She would wait for tonight.


    Bob woulde again at night.


    Zoe waited for Bob at home expectantly.


    In the afternoon, her doorbell rang.


    Zoe opened the door excitedly but her smile froze upon seeing the visitor at the door.


    It was Yulia Young, Bob¡¯s mother.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 457

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 457


    Chapter 457


    The two of them stared at each other for a while.


    Yulia was the first to open her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s you, Zoe York.¡±


    She surveyed Zoe from head to toe.


    It felt as if she noticed a difference from when shest saw her.


    ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Zoe remained calm and asked her.


    ¡°Who else, if not you? Or should I be looking for Bob?¡± Yulia said sarcastically.


    The fact that Yulia appeared here meant that she knew about her rtionship with


    Bob.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Zoe said, inviting Yulia in. ¡°No need to take off your shoes. I don¡¯t have


    extra slippers.¡±


    Yulia entered her apartment and looked around. It was neither huge nor luxurious, but


    it was very warm and inviting.


    She sat on the couch as Zoe poured her a ss of water.


    She did not expect Zoe to be in an even better shape after what happened to her


    family.


    Was it because of Bob?!


    Yulia said imperturbably, ¡°Did Bob buy this apartment?¡±


    She was d that Bob was the one who bought it. Otherwise, she would not have


    known that he had a girlfriend hidden away.


    When she heard from Bob today that he had a girlfriend, she immediately went on


    high alert. Even if Bob refused to tell her who she was, she had to find out for herself


    and see if she was fit for Bob!


    Marriages in wealthy and plutocrat families were never just about the couple. It could


    even affect the entiremercial circle.


    She never expected that it would be Zoe.


    She was disappointed yet relieved at the same time.


    She knew that Bob had feelings for Zoe when he was younger. There was once he


    even cried on her shoulders,menting that Zoe did not love him back. She took it as


    campus romance and did not think much of it, though she did consider matchmaking


    the both of them since they were a good match in terms of family backgrounds.


    But as fate would have it¡­


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zoe replied honestly.


    It was not like she could hide the truth from Yulia anyway.


    It was easy as pie for Yulia to find out who owned this apartment.


    ¡°How long have you been together with Bob?¡±


    ¡°For three to four months.¡±


    ¡°In other words¡­he got together with you right after that incident happened to you.¡±


    Yulia traced back.


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°Bob really knows how to seize the opportunity,¡± Yulia said sarcastically.


    Zoe pursed her lips as she remained silent.


    ¡°I won¡¯t approve of your rtionship.¡± Yulia did not want to waste anymore time and


    went straight to the point.


    Zoe expected Yulia to say that.


    Now that she had nothing to her name, not even with her rtionship with Nancy, she


    did not expect Yulia to approve of her being with Bob.


    ¡°Although this isn¡¯t going to sound convincing, Bob and I truly love each other. He¡¯ll


    hate you if you insist on breaking us apart.¡±


    Yulia looked at Zoe. Even without the aura of the Levines, the look in her eyes was


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    determined, calm, andposed.


    She had more poise and elegancepared to Cora indeed.


    Such demeanor required time to be built up and was not something that could just


    ¡°You grew up in the circle of wealth yourself. Between his hatred toward me and his


    future prospects, what do you think I¡¯ll choose?¡± Instead of getting mad, Yulia


    counterquestioned Zoe calmly.


    Zoe bit her lip.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 458

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 458


    Chapter 458


    She knew very clearly how obsessed people of high society were about appropriate


    marriages.


    ¡°If the incident didn¡¯t happen to you, I would have been d to approve of you and


    Bob together. I used to like you from the bottom of my heart, not just because of your


    family background back then, but because of your personality which I really


    appreciated. I¡¯ll be honest with you-Nancy Levine has been trying to matchmake Cora


    with my son. I¡¯ve seen Cora before and truly, she¡¯s no match for you in every sense of


    the word.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s eyes flickered.


    She was shocked to know that Nancy would bother matchmaking Cora and Bob.


    In fact, Bob was not too bad himself.


    He might seem like he usually goofed around too much, but his family background


    was impressive.


    Nancy probably thought that since Cora had juste, it would be better for Cora to


    have someone else aside from her own mother watching over and protecting her.


    Nancy was indeed thoughtful and considerate in all things for Cora¡¯s sake.


    Zoe pursed her lips, trying hard to make herself look nonchnt.


    ¡°But the disparity in your family backgrounds is so wide that I cannot choose you over


    Cora,¡± Yulia said as she fished out a bank card from her wallet.


    Even before she came, Yulia knew better than to expect her status to be as


    impressive as it was before. Otherwise, Zoe would not even be staying in an


    apartment financed by Bob.


    Zoe looked at the card and chuckled very sarcastically.


    She did not expect for something so dramatic to happen to her.


    She did not expect that one day, someone would even think of using money to


    dismiss her.


    Yulia said, ¡°There¡¯s $700,000 inside. It¡¯s probably not a small amount to you.¡±


    Yes, it was probably enough tost ordinary people their entire lifetime.


    She could do so given her current expenditure.


    ¡°I¡¯m not humiliating you, but I¡¯m just giving youpensation. I consider myself to


    have seen you grown up, and I even used to wish that you were my daughter since I


    didn¡¯t have my own.¡± Yulia recounted the past fondly.


    There was a tinge of regret in her voice.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take your money, nor will I leave Bob.¡± Zoe made her intention clear.


    Even if the Levines were to hold a knife against her neck, she would never give Bob


    up.


    She was determined to be with Bob and trusted that Bob would treat her the same.


    Yulia looked at the determination in Zoe¡¯s eyes and asked,¡± Aren¡¯t you afraid that Bob


    will end up with nothing to his name like you?¡±


    ¡°Money has nothing to do with me and Bob being together. Money is just the cherry


    on top that we can do without,¡± Zoe said emphatically.


    ¡°You¡¯ve experienced what it¡¯s like to have nothing, haven¡¯t you?¡± Yulia asked.


    Zoe bit her lip as she recalled how she almost sold her body for the sake of money.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    The hopelessness she felt back then was enough to drive a person mad.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to frighten you, and neither am I making up lies to scare you, but Bob


    isn¡¯t the only son in the Davis household. Bob¡¯s father has an illegitimate son with


    another woman outside, and he¡¯s only ten years old this year,¡± Yulia said frankly with


    seemingly no intention of hiding the truth from Zoe.


    Zoe was slightly stunned.


    Weren¡¯t Charles David and Yulia Young childhood sweethearts who shared a loving


    rtionship since the beginning?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe the rumors you hear through the grapevine.¡± Yulia saw through Zoe¡¯s


    thoughts. ¡°This is why I want Bob and Cora to be together. Their rtionship can


    enhance Bob¡¯s value and that¡¯s the only way the Davis family¡¯s assets can return to


    Bob¡¯s hands. If Bob were to choose to be with you, Charles would certainly kick Bob


    out of the house, given his temperament.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe that the two of you are capable of oveing difficulties


    and leading a tough life together, or that you two love each other. But for the sake of


    Bob¡¯s future, I have to break the two of you apart. Don¡¯t me me for being cruel.


    After all, I am somebody in high society. If I lose everything I have because of Bob,


    including my reputation, and end up being the butt of everyone¡¯s jokes, I¡¯ll sacrifice


    myself by my death to make Bob regret what he did.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m just threatening or frightening you-l¡¯ve always been someone who


    stays true to her word!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 459

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 459


    Chapter 459


    Zoe looked at Yulia.


    She had heard from Nancy that Yulia was a strong-headed woman.


    Yulia looked gentle and magnanimous, but when she was forced to a corner, she was


    the kind that would hack people into pieces in retaliation.


    ¡°Zoe, I don¡¯t know how receptive you are to the many things I¡¯ve said, but I hope you


    can think about it. Is it worth it for Bob to lose everything, even at my expense, for the


    sake of your so-called love?¡±


    ¡°Why, why must you force my hand like this?¡± Zoe¡¯s eyes turned red. She looked at


    Yulia and questioned her, ¡°Have you ever loved anyone in your life?¡±


    ¡°I have, but so what?¡± Yulia smiled but tears glimmered in her eyes as she said, ¡°He


    could always betray me and be with another woman. Tell me, how long can a


    romance stay fresh and exciting for? When I first started dating Charles back then, he


    could stay up for three days and three nights straight just to prepare a surprise for me.


    Even such fervent love was unable to withstand the test of time. Of course, I¡¯m not


    doubting the love between you and Bob. I just want to remind you that if your romance


    is eventually doomed to fizzle, do you really think Bob wouldn¡¯t regret choosing you?


    Choosing you and giving up everything he has?¡¯¡±


    Zoe bit her lip.


    She had no idea-all she knew was that she did not want to leave Bob right now, and


    she was also sure that Bob would not leave her.


    Otherwise, Yulia would not havee looking for her directly and instead gone to Bob


    to deliver her ultimatum.


    But Yulia was right.


    Many yearster, would Bob really have no regrets giving up everything just to be with


    her? Or would Zoe regret being the cause of Bob having nothing to his name and


    even having all his family and friends leaving him?


    She knew very clearly how it felt like to be betrayed by family and friends.


    She would never forget how it felt to be abandoned by her very own kin.


    ¡°I¡¯lle here to see you again tomorrow. Before you think things through, I hope you


    won¡¯t tell Bob about our meeting.¡±


    With that, Yulia stood up to leave.


    She was a woman of the world, familiar with the circle of wealth.


    There was no need for her to drag her feet out in doing things.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave Bob,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    The moment she did, tears fell from her eyes.


    Yulia turned to look at her.


    She hated to admit it, but her heart broke upon seeing the sorrow on Zoe¡¯s face.


    Nevertheless, this was the reality that no one had the power to change.


    Yulia sat back down on the couch and handed the cold, hard credit card to Zoe. ¡°Take


    this.¡±


    Zoe nced at it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean that you don¡¯t love Bob just because you took the money.


    Conversely, the fact that you gave Bob up today proves how much you love him.


    Taking my money just helps to make me feel better about this.¡±


    Yulia stuffed the card into Zoe¡¯s palm, but Zoe rejected it.


    ¡°But, how are you going to tell Bob that you really want to break up with him?¡± Yulia


    countered.


    Zoe clenched her fist.


    ¡°Take it as an excuse for Bob topletely give up on you. Otherwise, having anBelonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    empty shell of a son in the Davis household isn¡¯t meaningful to me either.¡± In other


    words, Yulia wanted Bob topletely lose hope in Zoe and have no lingering


    feelings for Zoe.


    ¡°I have a better way to destroy all feelings he has for me.¡±


    ¡°So, take this money as a token of gratitude from me,¡± Yulia exined. ¡°I know your


    situation right now, and it¡¯s only beneficial for you to take the money. Or you can take


    it as a loan which you can repay me once you have the ability to.¡±


    Zoe looked at Yulia.


    Yulia went on, saying, ¡°I¡¯m not kind, but neither am I wicked to the core. Zoe, if only


    you were still Nancy Levine¡¯s daughter, that would have been great.¡±


    Zoeughed.


    Sheughed till tears fell again.


    Indeed, she had prayed many times that everything was just a bad dream that she


    had yet to wake up from. When she woke up from it, she would still be Nancy¡¯s


    daughter and a member of the Levine family.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing, you cane look for me for help if you encounter any


    difficulties. I can still help you out on minor things without Nancy being in my way.¡±


    Yulia was telling Zoe that even at the risk of offending Nancy, she would not stand idly


    by as long as it did not vite her principles.


    Yulia was a good person.


    It was her circumstances in life that forced her to put up a cold, hard front that seemed


    indestructible.


    Yulia left.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 460

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 460


    Chapter 460


    Tears fell uncontrobly from Zoe¡¯s eyes as she stared at the credit card.


    She recalled how expectantly Bob looked this morning when he left her ce.


    Who would have thought that the hasty goodbye they bade to each other would be for


    forever?


    Her phone screen lit up.


    Zoe nced at it and saw a message from Bob. [I¡¯ll reach thetest by 8 PM tonight.


    I¡¯ll wash my chubby self squeaky clean and make sure I smell nice before going over.]


    Tears blurred her vision so badly that she could hardly make out what Bob texted her.


    She could only think about how excited and expectant Bob was when typing out this


    message¡­ and how hurt he would be when he knew what she was about to do!


    Zoe wiped her tears away, picked up her phone, and ignored all of Bob¡¯s messages.


    Her fingers moved across the screen.


    She found the contact she was looking for and typed her message with trembling


    fingers.


    She typed out a long, long message.


    Even after a long while, she found herself unable to tap on the send button.


    She knew that once she did so, things would be officially over between her and Bob


    and that Bob would also hate her for life.


    Eventually, she tapped on it.


    She shut her eyes and tears tumbled down her cheeks.


    At that moment, she realized that it never rained but poured.


    The happiness that she had was nothing but a fleeting mirage.


    She would probably never have happiness in her entire life¡­


    No one else would ever love her like this again.


    Half an hourter, her doorbell rang.


    By then, Zoe had calmed down.


    She tried her best to calm herself down.


    She wiped her tears away, washed her face, changed out into a fresh set of clothes,


    and even put on some make up and sprayed some perfume out of habit.


    She opened her door and saw Jay standing outside.


    He was panting slightly.


    She did not send anything too out of line, in fact.


    It was just one line. [I have something to tell you. Come to my house as soon as you


    can and reply to me when you see this message.]


    Jay replied to her immediately. [I¡¯ll be there right now.]


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    And there he was.


    For some reason unknown even to herself, Zoe knew that Jay would definitelye,


    perhaps because he felt guilty toward her.


    She did not want to think about it any further.


    ¡°Come on in,¡± Zoe said to Jay.


    Jay was slightly taken aback when he saw Zoe. ¡°What happened? Were you crying


    just now?¡±


    She thought she hid it well.


    ¡°Did you have a fight with Bob?¡± Jay asked with concern.¡± Should I call Bob? He¡¯s


    quite rash at times but he doesn¡¯t mean it. Don¡¯t take it to heart¡­¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t fight.¡± Zoe looked at Jay.


    He was anxiously pulling out his phone, fully intending to call Bob.


    She went on. ¡°But I want to break up with Bob.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 461

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 461


    Chapter 461


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Jay was stunned.


    He looked at Zoe, wondering if he had heard her wrongly.


    Things were going so well forthem. Why did she suddenly want a break up?


    ¡°Did¡­something happen?¡± Jay forced himself to remain calm as he asked her.


    But in fact, his voice was trembling ever so slightly.


    Zoe was not able to pick up on it, though.


    She was not even paying him much attention.


    ¡°Bob¡¯s mom came looking for me.¡± Zoe never thought of hiding the truth from Jay.


    Since she decided to ask him for help, she had to be honest.


    Realization dawned upon Jay.


    He knew it. It was impossible for their rtionship to have soured over such a short


    period.


    He could sense that they loved each other very much.


    But the moment it involved the elders of the family, things were bound to be


    tricky.


    Given the situation right now with the Davis household bent on having a marriage


    alliance with the Levines, Zoe was nothing but a stumbling block that the Davis would


    never tolerate.


    ¡°Did you tell Bob?¡± Jay asked solemnly.


    ¡°Would I have asked you toe if I told him?¡± Zoe looked back at him.


    She did not seem very receptive to his show of concern.


    ¡°I think you should have a good talk with Bob regarding this.¡± Jay could sense Zoe¡¯s


    irritation with him, but he remained genuine in his concern and suggestion for her.


    ¡°So what if we talked things through? Should I make Bob give up everything for my


    sake and end up abandoned by his family just like what happened to me?¡±


    ¡°Things are different for Bob. Bob is part of the Davis household. They would never


    really abandon and disregard him.¡±


    ¡°Do you know that Bob has a half-brother outside?¡± Zoe asked Jay.


    Jay¡¯s heart leapt.


    That was something new to him.


    ¡°If the Davis family has a back-up n, Bob could very well be abandoned by them.¡±


    ¡°But I really don¡¯t think Bob will break up with you for the sake of his family¡¯s


    business¡­¡±


    ¡°Yulia will threaten him with her death.¡± Zoeposed herself and went on, saying,


    ¡°Yulia has been bitter about the fact that Bob has a half-brother and would never allow


    an illegitimate son to take over the Davis family¡¯s assets. If Bob were to turn against


    his family for my sake, it would mean utter defeat for Yulia and that might really force


    her to kill herself before Bob.¡±


    Jay stood silent, stunned speechless by what he was hearing from Zoe.


    ¡°How could a rtionship burdened by the death of a person possibly still have a


    happy ending?¡± Zoe questioned Jay.


    She was resigned to fate.


    She had used up all her luck and blessings before she turned twenty-five.


    She did not know what she had left for the rest of her life.


    ¡°So you called me over to make use of me to break up with Bob?¡± Jay immediately


    understood why Zoe called him here.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zoe nodded, ¡°Since I¡¯ve decided to leave him, I want to do it cleanly. I don¡¯t


    want to give Bob or myself any hope left. Bob knows that I used to like you, and as


    long as you put up an act with me, Bob will certainly believe that I no longer love him.¡±


    Jay did not immediately agree to Zoe¡¯s suggestion.


    He was wondering if there was a better way that was not so extreme.


    If Yulia¡¯s goal was just the assets of the Davis family, would she ept Zoe as long as


    Bob was able to secure that for her?


    Read A Life Debt Repaid Chap

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 462

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 462


    Chapter 462


    Jay was lost in his thoughts.


    ¡°Are you unwilling to help me?¡± Zoe asked in a slight mocking tone.


    She had expected that he might not be willing to.


    After all, if he were to agree to help her, it would certainly cause a dent in his


    friendship with Bob.


    To Jay, his self-benefit has always been his priority.


    ¡°I just feel like things need not be brought to such an extreme. Yulia doesn¡¯t want you


    to be with Bob simply because she¡¯s worried that Bob will anger Charles, and Charles


    would cut off Bob¡¯s inheritance of the family business. But if Bob starts taking the


    business seriously and works hard, thus gaining Charles¡¯ recognition of his abilities,


    there¡¯s no need for Charles to force Bob into a marriage alliance.¡±


    ¡°Having been with the Levines for so many years, do you really think this is about


    inheriting the family business? A proper match in family backgrounds is the foundation


    of every high society marriage. What right do I have to marry into the Davis household


    given my status now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any problem with your status. Bob loves you and that gives you the right


    to be with him. Proper matches in marriage is nothing but an excuse. True love


    conquers all things, not to mention social status¡­¡±


    ¡°But I am also someone whom Nancy hates to the core. Would Nancy allow me to be


    with Bob, especially now when she¡¯s bent on matchmaking Cora with Bob? If she


    were to know that I¡¯m currently in a rtionship with Bob, I can¡¯t even imagine what


    she¡¯d do to me!¡± Zoe could not hold back her agitation.


    ¡°Whatever it is, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to make such a hasty decision. You can¡¯t rush


    matters of the heart. I suggest that you talk things through with Bob and have a good


    chat with him. There will definitely be a way out of this¡­¡±


    ¡°Jay, are you very worried that no one else will ever love me and I¡¯ll stay single and


    lonely?¡± Zoe cut him off and asked.


    Jay felt a sharp pain in his heart.


    In front of Zoe¡­no, just the thought of Zoe would often send sharp pain shooting


    through his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re just worried that with no one else loving me, I¡¯ll cling onto you,¡± Zoe said


    inly.


    A corner of her lips curled in a sneer.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re so worried that I¡¯ll break up with Bob.¡± Zoe¡¯s eyes turned slightly


    red, as if she was holding back tears.


    Yet, it clearly looked like she wasughing.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was impossible to tell what she wasughing about.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just think that since you and Bob love each other, it¡¯s not worth it to break up


    over external reasons. You really shouldn¡¯t be so hasty in matters of the heart. You¡¯ll


    regret it for sure.¡±


    He could attest to that.


    ¡°That¡¯s my own business. I did not call you here today to persuade me otherwise or to


    give me your opinion from your high horse, telling me that love transcends all things. I


    called you here to put on an act with me to make Bob


    believe that I¡¯ve always loved you and that my feelings for him had only been


    gratitude, nothing more.¡±


    Zoe did not want to talk further with Jay.


    The moment she agreed with Yulia, she had made up her mind.


    She mighte to regret it, but she knew she had no choice in this matter.


    Jay swallowed past his constricted throat, not knowing if he should agree to Zoe¡¯s


    request.


    He was worried that if he did, he would simply be condoning her wrong choice.


    He wanted her to live a happier life, and he wanted to see her tell him with a smile that


    she was happy, just as she didst night.


    ¡°Zoe, let¡¯s sit down and talk things through with Bob¡­¡±


    ¡°Jay, why is it so hard for you to help me with one thing?¡± Zoe asked.


    Her voice was soft but trembling with emotions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so helpless with anyone else before. You¡¯re the only person who


    always seems to be opposing me no matter what I do or what I ask you to do. How


    much do you hate me, really? What have I done to make you hate me so much?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 463

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 463


    Chapter 463


    Jay¡¯s throat felt parched and dry, and he clenched his trembling fists.


    He saw the hopelessness reflected in Zoe¡¯s eyes, the hopelessness she felt toward


    him.


    He felt as if thousands of swords were piercing right through his heart at that moment,


    making him unable to say a word.


    ¡°If I could find someone else to help me, I wouldn¡¯t even consider troubling you,¡± Zoe


    said softly. ¡°But right now, you¡¯re the only one who can make Bob believe that I don¡¯t


    love him. I find it miserable indeed, to have only loved two men in all the twenty-five


    years I¡¯ve lived. How good it would be if I had another option to go to.¡±


    Jay tried so hard topose himself that his whole body shook.


    He said through gritted teeth, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Zoe looked at him, unmoved.


    What was there for her to be moved by?


    He simply had no choice after hearing what she said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered brokenly.


    She still had to thank him.


    Thank him for agreeing to it, despite being put in a difficult spot.


    At night, before 8 PM, the doorbell rang.


    Bob had the passcode to ess her apartment, but because he insisted on showing


    her respect, he would always knock on the door out of habit.


    He also said that he loved the feeling of her opening her door to him.


    The smile on her face was enough to make his days from here on happy.


    He never expected that the only time he used the passcode to open the door would


    result in him witnessing an earth- shattering scene.


    He punched in the numbers one by one.


    Meanwhile, Zoe looked at Jay inside the apartment.


    Ever since Jay agreed to Zoe¡¯s request, the two of them had been sitting on the


    couch, awaiting Bob¡¯s arrival.


    Zoe said that she would take the initiative to do something physically intimate with


    him.


    She asked for him to bear with her.


    No matter how disgusted he might be, she asked him to bear with it.


    At that moment, Zoe leaned in close to Jay. She wrapped her arms around Jay¡¯s neck


    and pulled him closer, making them look like they were behaving very intimately.


    Zoe could feel Jay¡¯s body stiffening up. He probably hated having her up close, which


    was why he remained stiff as a block, but she went ahead without retreating.


    She could not care so much as to whether Jay felt disgusted or not. She was that


    selfish, indeed.


    In front of the person she liked, she cared more about what that person felt. She cared


    more about how she could make Bob lose all hope in her.


    The door was unlocked, and Zoe nted her lips on Jay¡¯s.


    Jay¡¯s heart almost leaped out his throat.


    His arms were by his side, his fists clenching subconsciously, and his mind went


    nk.


    Hepletely forgot that Zoe was doing this for another man, and his senses were


    He could feel sparks between their lips which sent his body into overdrive¡­


    He had dreamed about this countless times, yet each time he opened his eyes, he


    could only feel the tears from his eyes.


    He dared not move, not even an inch.


    He did not know what Zoe ultimately wanted.


    He was afraid that if he were to show an ounce of response, she would not be able to


    take it.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He could only resist his instincts and leave Zoe to take the initiative¡­


    The door was opened.


    Bob stood at the door with a huge smile on his face, which froze the moment he


    looked into the apartment.


    His smile was frozen stiff.


    Was¡­


    Was there something wrong with his vision?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 464

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 464


    Chapter 464


    Or did he enter the wrong apartment?


    That could not be.


    Zoe could not possibly¡­


    But that man was Jay. He knew what Zoe used to feel for Jay and the sorrow she felt


    from unrequited love.


    She liked Jay for so many years, so, so many years¡­


    He was nothingpared to Jay!


    His vision blurred, but he did not leave. He did not question them loudly, nor did he


    even interrupt them.


    He simply looked on as Zoe took the initiative to kiss Jay, and he just stood there,


    feeling his heart break into many tiny pieces.


    From the corner of her eye, Zoe saw Bob standing stockstill at the door.


    She could imagine how broken he felt at that moment, and she desperately wished


    that he would push them apart and p her, but he did not do a single thing.


    He simply stood there in his pain.


    Zoe¡¯s eyelids trembled. She shut her eyes as tears fell uncontrobly from her eyes,


    and she then deepened her kiss on Jay¡¯s lips.


    The kiss that felt like a mere peck became hotter and more fervent, and Jay¡¯s


    heartbeat thundered in his chest.


    A simple peck on the lips was enough to drive him mad, not to talk about something


    so passionate¡­


    He dared not move.


    He should not respond at all, he warned himself.


    That was until he was shoved away by someone.


    The touch on his lips disappeared¡­


    That was when reality hit.


    ¡°Bam!¡±


    Bobnded a punch on Jay¡¯s face.


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Jay did not retaliate, despite his face turning red from the impact.


    He merely stared at Bob.


    He looked at his eyes reddened with unshed tears, the unspoken rage all over his


    face, and the look of hatred that spelled out his desire to kill him.


    Bob could not tolerate it any longer.


    His clenched fists trembled by his side, and he looked at Jay with unbridled fury.


    ¡°Jay Parker, Zoe is my girlfriend!¡± he yelled, venting his anger on Jay.


    Jay pursed his lips and remained silent-Zoe told him not to say anything, and she


    would be the one to speak.


    He heard Zoe speak up. ¡°Bob, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Bob turned to look at Zoe.


    He saw the tears in her eyes and the guilt and apology written on it.


    ¡°I realized that I couldn¡¯t forget about Jay,¡± Zoe said as she looked at him.


    She looked straight into his eyes, at the pain etched in them. His heart was broken


    because of her.


    ¡°Yesterday, when Jay sent you back¡­l couldn¡¯t control myself any longer. I called Jay


    over today because I want to start things anew with him,¡± Zoe said calmly, almost


    coldly.


    Her voice was cold and distant, yet tears fell uncontrobly down her cheeks.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Bob chuckled as he heard Zoe¡¯s exnation.


    He chuckled with such aching sorrow.


    ¡°Zoe York, am I that inferior? Am I really no match for him? What exactly am I inferior


    to him in, I can change! I¡¯ll change myself to make you like me, okay?¡±


    He was agitated, humbling himself in his sorrow.


    Zoe had never seen Bob like this.


    He was always so bright and chirpy, proud and fun-loving.


    She did not want to see him like this.


    Zoe suppressed the pain in her heart and said, ¡°Bob, no matter how much you


    change, you¡¯ll never be Jay. You already know that I¡¯ve loved him for so, so many


    years. I thought I could use you to forget about it, but I overestimated myself. I¡¯ll never


    be able to forget Jay my entire life¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind that.¡± Bob looked lovingly at Zoe. ¡°It¡¯s fine that you can¡¯t forget about


    him-l don¡¯t even need you to do that.


    I just want to be with you, to be by your side after he chose to abandon you.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 465

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 465


    Chapter 465


    ¡°But I can¡¯t lie to myself and to you,¡± Zoe said firmly.


    ¡°Lie to yourself and me¡­¡± Bobughed out loud.


    It was aughter tinged with self-derision.


    ¡°So, all along, you¡¯ve been lying to yourself and me by being with me? All the smiles


    on your face were feigned? Did you lie to me each time you said you loved me?¡± Bob


    asked.


    Tears fell with each question he posed, and his heart ached so badly.


    The pain felt worsepared to when he witnessed Zoe leaning close to Jay.


    It turned out that the pain of losing something after having it was enough to break a


    person.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Zoe did not answer him.


    Bobughed.


    Heughed so hard that he could not stop his tears from flowing.


    He had thought that the heavens finally showed pity on him.


    He even felt thankful that the incident happened to Zoe such that he had a chance to


    be with her.


    He was too wicked indeed, and that was probably why the heavens could no longer


    tolerate them being together.


    ¡°Has Jay agreed to be with you?¡± Bob asked Zoe.


    Zoe pursed her lips, not knowing how she should respond to his question, because


    she would not be with Jay.


    Neither would Jay want to be with her.


    If she were to say yes, Bob would find out very quickly that this was all a lie.


    She did not think that Jay would be willing to put on an act with her for so long, and


    his involvement today was already a stretch for him.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re together now,¡± Jay said.


    He decided to take over at the moment when Zoe was at a loss.


    Bob turned to look at Jay.


    ¡°Jay Parker, I¡¯ve taken you as my best friend all along. I¡¯ve always thought that


    between the four of us-you, me, John, and Sam-nothing coulde in between us


    and our friendship, no matter how major. Turns out that¡¯s not true¡­ turns out that I am


    capable of feeling such hatred toward you,¡± Bob said brokenly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jay could only apologize. ¡¯


    He did not know what else he could say aside from that.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯re no longer friends. I¡¯ll take it as though I¡¯ve never known you.¡±


    Right after Bob said that, he swung his arm andnded


    another punch on Jay¡¯s face.


    It was a powerful hit, and Jay almost lost his bnce.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He stepped back, still not retaliating.


    Zoe stood at the side and watched. She stretched her arms out wanting to stop them,


    but they dropped back down to her side.


    ¡°Our friendship of more than twenty years is over!¡± Bob said emphatically.


    Jay stood silent, in eptance of Bob¡¯s decision.


    Bob left, right in front of Jay and Zoe.


    He was so tall and fit, yet he could hardly walk himself out of the door.


    He walked to the entrance and held onto the door frame, where he stopped in his


    tracks.


    ¡°Jay Parker,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t ever make Zoe sad. If you love her, please, take care of


    her.¡±


    He was unable to let go of Zoe even until the final moment.


    He still wanted her to have happiness.


    Zoe¡¯s vision blurred and she could barely see Bob¡¯s features.


    If only she were still a daughter of the Levine family¡­ but she was not.


    There was no way she could engineer a happy ending between her and Bob.


    Bob finally left the apartment, mming the door shut heavily behind him.


    Zoe felt as though her heart had closed shut at that moment, just like the door.


    She loved him, she truly did.


    If she did not, her heart would not ache so badly.


    It was deadly quiet in the apartment. Between Jay and Zoe, both did not utter a single


    word, and even her tears were shed in silence.


    The tears flowed endlessly for a long time.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 466

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 466


    Chapter 466


    Zoe didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. When she looked up at the living room


    clock, she found it was already past noon.


    It was already the next day.


    She turned to look at Jay, watching as he sat beside her without a word.


    He was simply there.


    The bruise on his face from the two punches Bob had thrown at him had be


    darker and had started to swell. It looked hideous.


    ¡°Do you want to go to the hospital?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay froze momentarily. It took him a while to understand that Zoe was referring to the


    wound on his face.


    ¡°No need. It¡¯ll go away in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zoe then said.


    She was expressing her gratitude again.


    Jay pursed his lips and was about to speak when Zoe continued quietly, ¡°I don¡¯t know


    what I can do to repay you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°But your friendship with Bob has been affected because of me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    Everything that happened had been due to anger.


    Jay¡¯s friendship with Bob wasn¡¯t that fragile.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Zoe muttered to herself. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anything I can give to repay


    you. I don¡¯t have money or power, so I can¡¯t give you anything.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want my body?¡± Zoe suddenly asked.


    Jay¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same as the unspoken rules in the entertainment industry? Using one¡¯s


    body to exchange for favors and fame. You¡¯re famous, aren¡¯t you? So you should be


    used to deals like this, right? Speaking of which, there are quite a few famous female


    celebrities that you churned out,¡± Zoe said casually.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never done any of those,¡± Jay admitted.


    Zoeughed.


    This was rted to indecent matters, so who would admit they were involved?


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Jay would ever be interested in her.


    She had taken the initiative to kiss him just now, but she didn¡¯t feel any reaction from


    him. Not a single bit.


    He had always been so indifferent to her, and that was why he was using this excuse


    to refuse her, wasn¡¯t he?


    ¡°I was joking,¡± Zoe said, looking at Jay. ¡°You hate me so much, so if you sleep with


    me, it¡¯ll be my debt to you once again. I suppose you¡¯d be more worried that I¡¯d use


    that to ckmail you¡­¡±


    Zoe trailed off and looked at Jay again, suddenly noticing how near his face was to


    hers. Before she could react, he suddenly pushed his lips up against hers.


    Zoe tensed up immediately.


    For a second, she thought she was hallucinating.


    How was that possible? Jay Parker kissing her on his own ord?!


    How could-


    ¡°Mmph!¡±


    Zoe couldn¡¯t help but clench her fist tightly. It didn¡¯t seem like Jay was going to stop at


    just kissing her. His actions seemed to imply that he wanted more¡­


    Was she misreading him?


    She was in a daze and could vaguely feel that there was even some urgency in his


    movements.


    In fact, Jay had been pushed to the brink of his limits.


    Only God knows how much self-control he had forced himself to exercise so he would


    not do those things to her.


    Only God knew how much he really wanted to take her into his arms and embrace


    her.


    Only God knew how much he loved her¡­


    Jay didn¡¯t even have time to confess his love before he was lost in the warmth of her


    body.


    Zoey below him, her hands outstretched to push him away, but then she retracted


    them silently.


    Was this part of the deal?!


    Or was it¡­ regret?


    Or perhaps¡­ he had given inpletely?


    If she let this happen, she would cut off all possibilities with Bob!


    That night, it started to snow. It was the first time Jay found the snow to be so


    beautiful and not the slightest bit cold.


    He thought that he would never forget that person on that snowy night.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 467

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 467


    Chapter 467


    The next day, Zoe stirred from her sleep slowly. She turned around groggily and rolled


    over to find no one beside her.


    Opening her eyes, she felt the spot beside her to find it cold.


    Smiling bitterly, Zoe thought about how she had already anticipated this happening.


    She forced herself to get up, and the covers slipped off her body. Looking down at


    herself, she saw that her skin was littered with bruises and marks.


    Without these, she would have thought that everythingst night had been a dream.


    She would have thought that Jay, who had acted entirely differentlyst night


    She lifted the covers to pick up the discarded clothes around the ce and ced


    them neatly to one side before heading straight for the shower.


    Her whole body was sore. Zoe thought feeling sore after such activity was just an


    exaggeration of fiction and movies.


    After she showered, she dried her hair and changed into a pair of clean pajamas.


    When she tidied her bed, she saw spots of blood stains on the sheets.


    It¡­ was gone.


    Perhaps it was for the better.


    It would save her from overthinking it.


    She quickly changed the sheets and turned around the leave when she suddenly


    noticed a note on the nightstand.


    It was the note.


    Zoe picked it up to read the note that said, ¡°Wait for me, Jay. It


    She couldn¡¯t describe the feeling in her heart and wondered why Jay had left so early


    in the morning.


    Was it to give her space to cool off before telling her his final decision?


    Zoe tossed the note in the trash and calmly went about her own business.


    When Jay left, it was seven in the morning. His assistant hade to pick him up to


    take him to the set.


    Yesterday, he left work and came straight here, which seriously affected the progress


    of the filming. He had to go to a remote location in the mountains for today¡¯s shoot, so


    he had to leave early in the morning.


    He was supposed to leave before six in the morning, but he had found it extremely


    difficult to let go of Zoe.


    Seeing her sleeping so peacefully in his arms, he really didn¡¯t want to let go of her.


    He lowered his head to kiss her forehead.


    She was sleeping so soundly.


    He got bolder when she didn¡¯t stir and kissed her on the lips¡­


    Just likest night.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that he would indulge to this extent. It was to the point that Zoe


    had asked him, ¡°Was this a little¡­ too much forpensation?¡±


    Thinking about how Zoe had lookedst night, Jay couldn¡¯t resist another kiss as his


    lips curled involuntarily.


    Reluctantly, he pulled back from stealing kisses from the woman in his arms as his


    phone rang insistently again.


    After leaving the warmth of the covers, he left a note while taking another small piece


    of rope from her side as he left.


    When he left the neighborhood, he saw his assistant shifting anxiously beside the car.


    When he saw Jay, the man immediately rushed forward and said, ¡°Sir, all the crew


    members have already gone over. The male and female leads are also on the way


    now.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Jay replied.


    He didn¡¯t look anxious and even looked to be in a good mood.


    All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org.


    Was something wrong with him?


    His assistant was baffled. Usually, Jay¡¯s sense of time was better than anyone else¡¯s.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 468

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 468


    Chapter 468


    Yet now, Jay was being deliberately slow?!


    Also, where was this ce?


    Jay¡¯s assistant knew that Jay¡¯s new house was not in this area!


    His assistant didn¡¯t dare ask more questions and hurriedly followed Jay as he got into


    the car. Then, he gave Jay a report on the filming tasks during their journey, as well as


    the scenes scheduled to be shot for today.


    ¡±You don¡¯t have to follow me to the set today. When we get out of town in a bit, you


    can get off,¡± Jay said suddenly, cutting his assistant off midspeech. ¡°Just give me the


    schedule.¡±


    His assistant looked at him in a daze.


    Was he¡­ getting fired?!


    Jay pulled out a piece of string. ¡°Pick out a ring in this size. Send me pictures of the


    ring styles there when you get to the mall.¡±


    His assistant¡¯s eyes widened.


    Wait¡­ What?!


    ¡°Also, get me a bouquet of nine hundred and ny-nine roses. Make sure they¡¯re the


    freshest ones.¡±


    Was Jay preparing for a marriage proposal?!


    Wasn¡¯t this too soon?!


    It wasn¡¯t like Jay had a girlfriend, right? So why was he nning like he was getting


    married soon?!


    Jay¡¯s assistant thought that with Jay¡¯s attitude, the man would end up being alone for


    the rest of his life.


    He had never seen his boss fall for any woman except Zoe, but she obviously didn¡¯t


    love him!


    Had Jay suddenly reached enlightenment in life and decided to bat for the other


    team?


    ¡°Looking at today¡¯s shooting schedule, I should be a littlete when I get back. I¡¯ll call


    you when I do,¡± Jay continued.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Okay,¡± his assistant said with a hurried nod.


    Jay left his assistant on the side of the road and rushed to the set. After arriving at the


    location, the intense shooting began.


    They were filming this movie intending to submit it for a foreign award, so time was


    seriously tight, and they couldn¡¯t afford any dys.


    Jay poured all his focus on work, and it was already ten at night by the time they


    stopped for the day.


    The rest of the crew and some of the actors and actresses were having some soup


    they had cooked on the set. As the day was cold, having hot soup was a way to ward


    off the chills.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want some, sir?¡± one of the workers asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back for a bit.¡±


    ¡°Are you going back now? Aren¡¯t we starting work again at seven tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to snow tonight, so you¡¯ll probably have to drive about two hours


    before you reach home,¡± the worker said. ¡°Why not stay the night here? There¡¯s a


    famous lodging nearby, and we already called ahead. They have specially prepared


    rooms for us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll drive myself backter. You guys should stay. I¡¯ll be here on time


    tomorrow.¡±


    The worker tried to persuade Jay again, but considering the man might have


    something important to attend to, the worker didn¡¯t try again.


    Jay took some medication for his stomach and drove back.


    He had hardly eaten anything in order to catch up with work, and there hadn¡¯t been


    any time after work either. He


    suddenly had a craving for the apple pie nearby Zoe¡¯s ce, even though he never


    had much fondness for sweets.


    He drove down the narrow mountain path. On the way down, he called his assistant,


    ¡°Have you prepared everything?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°In half an hour, bring the things and wait for me at the neighborhood entrance where


    you picked me up this morning.¡±


    ¡°Sir, are youing back thiste? It¡¯s going to snow soon. Please be careful.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Jay said, then hung up.


    Just as he put down his phone, a piercing light shone on his face, and everything


    suddenly turned ck.


    He only heard the frantic honking echoing in his ears and the harsh screech of brakes.


    The next moment, he felt his stomach lurch as his car flipped over the rail and


    tumbled down the steep mountainside.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 469

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 469


    Chapter 469


    It was midnight, and there were still no signs of Jay. Zoe didn¡¯t bother waiting for him


    any longer.


    In fact, his non-appearance spoke for itself.


    Despite that, she still sent a message to him to ask, [Are youing back?]


    There was no reply to it.


    The following morning, Zoe called ra. After moving into the house Bob had given


    them, ra no longer resided there but went on to work.


    Perhaps she knew that Zoe didn¡¯t like seeing her and left.


    The two had not kept in touch after she left either.


    Zoe hadn¡¯t wanted to get too involved with ra, and ra was probably too


    embarrassed to meet her.


    This was the first time Zoe had initiated a phone call to ra. She could hear the


    tremble in ra¡¯s voice as she answered, ¡¯¡­Zoe?¡±


    The uncertainty in ra¡¯s voice was as clear as day.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m just letting you know that I¡¯m leaving North City,¡± Zoe said calmly.


    Zoe didn¡¯t know exactly why she was letting ra know about her decision. Maybe


    because she was the only family Zoe had left in the world.


    ra was a little surprised, but she anxiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Has something


    happened? Did something happen between you and Bob?¡±


    ¡°Bob and I have broken up.¡±


    ¡°What? What happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern,¡± Zoe said coldly.


    Silence suddenly fell on the other end, and Zoe pursed her lips. She could feel that


    ra was hurt but couldn¡¯t bring herself to be genuinely nice to the woman on the


    other end. Zoe couldn¡¯t even muster the energy to be courteous with her.


    ¡°Jeffrey is now in mandatory drug rehabilitation. If nothing goes wrong, he¡¯ll be out in


    three years,¡± Zoe added coldly.


    Jeffrey Crawford was ra¡¯s husband. After Bob had Zoe move out, he also sent


    people to arrest Jeffrey, eliminating any trouble forthem. But drug rehab was usually


    three to five years. With good behavior, it was still possible that one would be released


    early.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have any objections if you want to continue staying in North City, but if you


    want to leave, give me your ID information, and I¡¯ll buy a ticket for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± ra hastily said without hesitation.


    She hadn¡¯t even asked where Zoe was going.


    Zoe pressed her lips together. It was hard to describe what she felt at this moment. It


    also wasn¡¯t clear whether Zoe had wanted ra toe with her or not.


    But since the words had already been said, Zoe said, ¡°After you send me your


    information, pack your things. I¡¯ll probably get tickets for the train at three. Time is


    tight.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t have many things, so I¡¯ll get packing right away.¡¯


    Zoe hung up after that.


    She could feel various emotions washing over her.


    Not only her feelings toward ra, but also the city.


    After all, she had lived in this city for twenty-five years.


    She pulled back the curtains and stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows as she


    looked out into the bright scenery.


    It was extraordinarily cold in North City this year.


    It had snowed heavilyst night. Even though the road cleaners had cleared most of it


    away today, there was still snow on the trees, and everything was white.


    Zoe took a deep breath. Looking down at her phone, she prepared to send a message


    to Cordy and Quinn.


    Her fingers hovered over the buttons, but then she gave up. She would wait until she


    had settled down somewhere before she messaged them.


    Right now, she was determined to leave North City and didn¡¯t want to falter.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    There really was nothing left in this ce that was worth her time,


    The only thing that was probably the fact that she still owed Bob. But leaving was the


    best thing she could do for him.


    Time would heal everything.


    At Rocktown, John and Cordy were having breakfast together.


    These days, John would also go out. It wasn¡¯t often, and he wouldn¡¯t stay out for long.


    Also, every time he returned, the first thing he would do was changed clothes so that


    the smell from outside would not linger on him.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 470

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 470


    Chapter 470


    In the middle of the quiet meal, John¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He nced at the caller,


    and his expression twisted slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s Grandpa.¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Gordy¡¯s eyes twitched slightly, but she continued looking down and eating her


    breakfast. John would take it outside and away from her hearing range if it were a


    private call.


    After all, that¡¯s what happened every time Jessica called.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    After a moment, a hint of panic shed across John¡¯s face.


    Cordy wondered what had happened that could cause John¡¯s mood to change so


    drastically. She could see his hand holding the phone had also started to shake.


    His eyes also seemed to have reddened.


    ¡°Okay. I got it.¡±


    John put his phone down and sat silently for a long time, his eyes staring at nothing in


    particr.


    ¡°What happened?¡¯ Cordy finally asked.


    What had overwhelmed John to this state?


    ¡°Jay, he¡­ there¡¯s been an ident,¡¯ John said, clearly trying his best to control the


    emotions in his voice.


    Cordy felt her heart get stuck in her throat.


    Judging by the look on John¡¯s face, it was not a minor ident.


    ¡°Last night, his car rolled off the mountainside at eleven. It was apletely different


    slope than the one your ident was at. They only managed to rescue him at five this


    morning. He¡¯s still in critical condition at the hospital right now. They¡¯re not sure if he¡¯ll


    make it.¡±


    John sounded choked up, and he was clearly struggling to keep calm.


    Cordy was anxious then, and she didn¡¯t know what to say, much less how tofort


    him.


    ¡°I have to go back,¡± John said bluntly.


    Cordy nodded. ¡¯I¡¯ll go with you-¡±


    ¡°No, stay here for now. It¡¯s safer than North City,¡± John said firmly.


    Cordy moved to argue but ultimately decided to ept his words. She didn¡¯t want to


    start a fight at this time with John.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as possible.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m alone here, so I have plenty of freedom,¡± Cordy said honestly.


    She also didn¡¯t want Jay to miss out on seeing Jay because of her. What if¡­


    Cordy felt her stomach lurch at the thought and didn¡¯t want to think any further than


    that.


    Jay still had a fighting chance as long as the hospital tried to save him.


    Besides, medical technology had advanced a lot in modern days, so it was highly


    likely that Jay would live.


    John didn¡¯t say anything more. He didn¡¯t bother eating another bite of breakfast and


    left directly.


    Cordy didn¡¯t have much appetite left after the news either, so she picked up her phone


    and crutches before heading to the back garden to sit.


    News of Jay¡¯s ident weighed heavily on her mind.


    She had set Jay up before but still hadn¡¯t apologized for it!


    Opening a browser, she looked through the news to find nothing on Jay¡¯s ident.


    Perhaps his family had kept the information under a tight lid and didn¡¯t want to deal


    with the media.


    In that case¡­


    Did Zoe know about it?


    After hesitating for a few moments, Cordy decided to let it be.


    Zoe had already gotten together with Bob, so Cordy didn¡¯t want to disrupt their


    happiness. Besides, Bob had a close friendship with Jay, so he would know soon. If


    his heart were in the right ce, he would tell Zoe. If not, Cordy should respect his


    decision since it was not her ce to interfere in the couple¡¯s rtionship.


    It was best to leave that decision to them.


    Cordy took a deep breath and thought about Jay¡¯s life and current situation¡­


    Wasn¡¯t God a little too cruel to him?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 471

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 471


    Chapter 471


    A day had passed, but there was still no coverage of Jay¡¯s ident in the news.


    Curious, Cordy couldn¡¯t resist texting John.


    [How¡¯s Jay doing?]


    There were no replies for several minutes, until Jessica called her on Whatsapp.


    They never traded contact information, so Cordy hesitated before answering.


    ¡°Cordy, John¡¯s busy and couldn¡¯t reply to your text. He told me to call you,¡¯ Jessica


    said, sounding rather tired.


    So Jessica went home with John and even spent the night with him?


    ¡°How is Jay doing?¡± Cordy asked calmly, since Jay¡¯s condition mattered to her more.


    ¡°He¡¯s been in aa since he left surgery,¡¯ Jessica replied. ¡°The doctors are saying


    that he might stay a vegetable, but there¡¯s hope. John brought in a team of experts


    from abroad who just went to examine Jay. He¡¯s staying with them to discuss Jay¡¯s


    treatment in more detail.¡±


    ¡°Is the situation that bad?¡± Cordy asked worriedly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jessica admitted. ¡°His heart stopped twice during surgery, but they managed


    to save him. His blood pressure is low, and I don¡¯t have the specifics¡­ I don¡¯t think I


    can tell how he¡¯d do, and the final oue is up to the experts. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll


    contact you if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    And with that cordial exchange, Cordy hung up.


    She didn¡¯t expect Jay to be in such bad shape.


    Over the next couple days, Jessica really did send updates on Jay to Cordy via text


    message from time to time. Cordy was n¡¯t sure if Jessica was doing it out of the


    goodness of her heart or because she simply didn¡¯t want Cordy to bother John.


    However, Cordy didn¡¯t ask for more since being updated was enough for her.


    When she was going to sleep in the evening, John called her.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He actually never contacted her over thest three days, perhaps actually aware that


    Jessica had been updating Cordy on Jay¡¯s condition.


    ¡°I¡¯m going abroad with Jay,¡¯ he told her. ¡°North City¡¯s medical equipment and


    technology is limited, but he¡¯s stable enough to be moved. We¡¯ll be boarding our ne


    for better treatment elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, stable?¡¯ Cordy asked, catching on to the point.


    ¡°He¡¯s not in danger, but he¡¯s fullyatose. There¡¯s a clot in his head that¡¯s pressing


    against an artery, which is preventing him from waking up. It poses a possible danger


    to his life. There¡¯s no doctor in the world who would operate on him under such


    conditions, so the only option is to move him abroad and keep his vitals stable with


    advanced medical technology before performing a craniotomy ording to the


    situation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Cordy nodded.


    In other words, Jay¡¯s vitals were stable, but dangers could strike at any moment and


    kill him.


    ¡°Would Jessica go with you?¡± Cordy suddenly asked before hanging up.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she cared, but she could just ask Jessica for updates on Jay instead of


    bothering John.


    ¡°No,¡± John said shortly.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wait until I return.¡±


    Cordy hung up immediately without answering.


    The next night, John texted her on Whatsapp to inform her that they touched down


    safely.


    The next morning afterwards, she was left staring at a photo of Jessica taking Dicky to


    Rocktown in her chat with Jessica.


    Jessica looked utterly tender while she hugged Dicky in her private jet as she took the


    photo, even though the boy appeared utterly reluctant. His little face was almost


    snobbish, but it didn¡¯t distort his exceedingly good looking facial features.


    The caption on the photo read: [The first winter break for a grade-schooler! Daddy is


    away busy, so the mother and child are on their own.] Cordy¡¯s fingers tightened


    around her phone.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 472

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 472


    Chapter 472


    So when the Levines all traveled abroad, John left Dicky in Jessica¡¯s care? Without


    asking Cordy¡¯s permission, or whether Dicky wanted to stay with Jessica?


    Still, Cordy clenched her teeth and epted reality. She was reluctant to bother John


    given present circumstances.


    His texts over the next few days were scarce since there was nothing to say, what


    with Jay not recovering anytime soon.


    However, Jessica was still constantly sharing updates of her time with Dicky even


    though it was definitely a mess, be it eating or bathing Dicky, leaving his little face


    covered in bubbles.


    She also brought Dicky outdoors to hiking and amusement parks, where they would


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    y with all sorts of exciting rides.


    Cordy stayed silent, watching as Jessica expressed her motherly nature.


    That is, until she sent a photo of Dicky hurting his leg.


    In the photo, the boy was keeping his head lowered and staring at his leg, covered in


    white bandages, his expression impassive.


    Jessica¡¯s caption was: [I¡¯m so sorry, baby! I was careless.]


    It was also lined with crying emojis, but it pushed Cordy over the edge. She texted


    Jessica: [What happened to Dicky?]


    Jessica replied: [It¡¯s nothing. He had a little sprain when we went hiking. The doctor


    said he just needed to take it easy, and he¡¯d be fine.]


    Cordy, however, was skeptical. [Where is he? I¡¯lle get him.]


    [John left him in my care. I wont hand him over to anyone without his permission.


    Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll take good care of him.]


    Cordy¡¯s fingers were left clenching even as Jessica added: [As long as he is still my


    son, I will hold myself responsible for him to the end.]


    It almost seemed like a normal message-but it was basically a threat from Jessica.


    That if pushes to shove, she could hurt Dicky.


    Cordy felt as if her breath had left her lungs, and wondered if Jessica had deliberately


    hurt Dicky. In fact, she was almost sure Jessica had been updating her usually


    inactive chat group just to give Cordy a deliberate reminder of that.


    Naturally, Cordy was unable to stay calm wherever Dicky was concerned, and called


    John instantly.


    Although John sounded tired from the other end, Cordy couldn¡¯t call less about the


    time difference and said bluntly, ¡±1 want to bring Dicky to me.¡±


    She was beside herself with worry upon letting him stay alone with Jessica. That


    vicious woman could do anything just to achieve his own ends!


    ¡®Til be back the day after tomorrow,¡± John said. ¡°I¡¯ll take him back when the time


    ¡°I want Dicky back now!¡± Cordy snapped, her tone determined and severe.


    ¡°Just wait-¡±


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s safe while Jessica has her?!¡± Cordy demanded in agitation.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 473

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 473


    Chapter 473


    ¡°Just calm down for now,¡± John said, trying to assure Cordy. ¡°Jessica won¡¯t do


    anything to Dicky.¡±


    ¡°You trust her so much, huh?!¡± Cordy shot back, angry.


    ¡°Not at the moment, no,¡± John said, his every word determined.


    ¡°She let Dicky get hurt!¡±


    ¡°Children get themselves hurt all the time. It¡¯s normal.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched on his phone, her rage hardly repressible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere without me around,¡¯ John said calmly. ¡¯Jessica won¡¯t hurt Dicky,


    but she will hurt you.¡¯


    Cordy hung up right there and then-she never could calm down when Dicky was


    concerned.


    Even so, she had no way to fight back against John.


    John returned in two days, just as he promised.


    Cordy was a light sleeper. She heard the noise outside, but didn¡¯t get out of bed. In


    fact, she simply tossed around and kept sleeping despite hearing the door being


    sneakily opened.


    She pretended to stay asleep, reluctant to entertain the interloper.


    That was when she felt a weight pressing on the bed beside her, and she became


    irritated right then.


    Already annoyed, she turned around rather abruptly, but paused immediately when


    she saw the beaming little face.


    ¡°Mommy!¡¯ Dicky greeted her with his sweet tiny voice, and promptly threw his little


    body up to her, his hands around her neck.


    Feeling his tender little body, Cordy¡¯s heart turned soft.


    ¡°Did you miss me, Mommy? I missed you so much!¡± Dickyined as he wrapped


    his little arms around her neck. ¡°Jessica insisted that Ie to Rocktown, but I didn¡¯t


    want to¡­ But I couldn¡¯t wait to see you when daddy told me you¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Your daddy brought you here? At this hour?¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Dicky eximed as he released Cordy¡¯s neck and looked her in the eye. ¡°I


    was sleeping soundly, but Daddy suddenly told me that we¡¯re


    Mommy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy smiled faintly, and caressed her son¡¯s fair little cheeks.


    Remembering something else, she asked, ¡°How¡¯s your leg?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Dicky said quickly. ¡°It¡¯s just a little sprain, and it didn¡¯t hurt the next day after


    I went to the hospital.¡±


    So it really was a minor injury. Jessica had exaggerated it just to upset Cordy.


    ¡°Mommy,¡¯ Dicky yawned just then. ¡°Can I sleep with you? I¡¯m very sleepy.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said quickly. ¡¯I¡¯ll help you out of your jacket.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mommy. I love you so much!¡±


    That was slick!


    Nheless, they soon nestled together in the nket, with Dicky leaning into her


    arms. ¡°I like sleeping with you, Mommy. You smell so sweet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ste now.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°Close your eyes and sleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Goodnight, Mommy.¡¯


    ¡°Goodnight, Dicky.¡±


    As the room turned quiet, Dicky yawned repeatedly and fell asleep in less than a


    minute.


    Cordy certainly felt envy towards children¡¯s ability to fall asleep, and tucked him in


    since she couldn¡¯t fall asleep now.


    It had been exceedingly boring staying here, so she asionally got some work done


    on herptop. Even so, that still left her with too much free time. That meant she


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    would be napping a lot during the day, and in turn lose sleep by night.


    Naturally, a lot of different things would cross her mind as she idled, including the


    argument she had with John two days ago.


    When Cordy calmed down, she realized Jessica really wouldn¡¯t do anything to Dickyin fact, Jessica had


    every reason to curry the boy¡¯s favor given present


    circumstances.


    In other words, Cordy had lost her cool that day, but that was exactly why Jessica did


    it. Jessica knew it would upset Cordy, hence she deliberately caused a rift between


    Cordy and John.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 474

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 474


    Chapter 474


    Cordy had to admit, she had fallen straight into Jessica¡¯s trick.


    Despite that, she wouldn¡¯t dismiss the fact that Jessica was definitely using Dicky to


    threaten her.


    Turning around in bed towards Dicky, Cordy watched his little face, sound asleep


    amidst the dim light.


    It was a habit she had everytime she was sleeping with Dicky-turning on a soft light so


    that she could see him in the darkness and tuck him in.


    Only a real mother would feel that indescribable bliss when you see a child sleeping


    peacefully beside her.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help caressing his little cheeks once more. She vowed to herself that


    she would protect her boy, no matter the cost!


    Cordy had gotten used to waking past ten o¡¯clock these days, and that was the case


    the next morning.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Dicky was still asleep since he may have slept tootest night, though he was


    adorable as ever.


    Cordy didn¡¯t wake him and carefully got out of bed, limping on her crutch to the


    washroom to wash up before leaving her bedroom and closing the door behind her.


    Still, she only saw the servants were in the living room. It made her a little distracted,


    and she wondered if John actually came home.


    Maybe he was still sleeping?


    One of the servants approached her, asking, ¡°Would you like to have your breakfast


    now, Miss Sachs?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a moment,¡¯ Cordy replied. ¡°I¡¯ll eat with Dicky and John since I¡¯m not that


    hungry yet.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Mr. Levine is already awake,¡± the servant quickly told her.


    Cordy was surprised, since the man was nowhere to be seen.


    The servant in turn exined, ¡°He returned to his room since neither you nor Master


    Richard were still asleep, and told me to get him when you woke up. I¡¯ll be going right


    now.¡±


    Cordy nodded, but soon reconsidered and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, Miss Sachs.¡±


    In the end, Cordy still felt a little guilty about arguing with John because of Dicky


    before. Anyway, she also wanted to ask about Jay¡¯s condition.


    When she reached John¡¯s room and was about to knock, the door turned out to be


    open.


    Cordy didn¡¯t hesitate to go in, and found John standing in the middle of the room, his


    hair wet as if he just showered.


    He turned, sensing someone entering, and immediately saw Cordy¡¯s stiffened


    expression.


    She saw John¡¯s gaze, and flushed right then.


    As she turned to leave, however, John suddenly stopped her. ¡°Cordy.¡±


    She bit her lip and kept her back to him.


    He said, ¡°Wait a moment. I need a favor.¡¯


    ¡°Please get dressed first,¡¯ Cordy reminded him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not losing anything here.¡±


    But she was!


    Nheless, a while had passed and he said, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Cordy slowly turned to find John in a white bathrobe, draped loosely over his body.


    It felt a little flirty, but he wasn¡¯t really exposing himself either¡­


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Some of the injuries on my thigh were not fully healed. Help me rub some ointment,


    since it¡¯s quite difficult for me to do it myself.¡¯


    Cordy frowned. ¡°When did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°During the car crash before.¡±


    ¡°And you still haven¡¯t recovered yet?¡± Those were supposed to be flesh wounds, too!


    ¡°Which is why it needs extra care,¡± John replied, as if it was only natural. ¡°I think I


    wasn¡¯t paying much attention, and it got infected.¡¯

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 475

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 475


    Chapter 475


    John sat down on the couch in his room.


    As it turned out, he already got his first-aid kit out.


    Cordy wondered if he would¡¯ve done it himself if she never came in.


    However, she was the reason he got injured, which was why she ultimately didn¡¯t


    refuse.


    She took out an iodine and a tube of anti-inmmatory cream, dropping to a crouch to


    apply everything on the injured area-which definitely was infected.


    ¡°You should be more careful,¡¯ she told him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a spot you can always keep your eye on,¡± John replied feebly.


    Cordy didn¡¯t argue, and went to work solemnly to disinfect the affected area.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± John suddenly grunted.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± John said stubbornly-but it certainly did, because it was his inner thigh.


    Cordy didn¡¯t say anything, but she did ease the pressure.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The room was silent, but Cordy was working too seriously to notice anything else.


    After she disinfected the wound, applied the cream and bandaged it, she looked up to


    see the strange gaze in John¡¯s eyes.


    Her heart skipped a beat, as she finally realized that their positions were a little


    too.Jntimate.


    Cordy flushed as she quickly rose to her feet, feigningposure as she said


    casually, ¡¯It¡¯s done. Just be careful not to get it wet, or rub on it too much when you


    walk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, obviously restraining himself considerably.


    Cordy turned to pack everything into the first-aid kit and pretended not to notice.


    Deciding that talking about something serious would clear the air, she arranged the


    bottles in the box and asked, ¡°How¡¯s Jay doing?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing surprising, he¡¯ll be safe under expert care while he¡¯s abroad,¡± John


    replied. ¡°However, he¡¯s stitose, and the experts decided that the clot in his


    head should be treated carefully for now. They¡¯ll observe it and see if it shrinks on its


    own, since craniotomy extraction poses a huge risk. They won¡¯t do it lightly.¡¯


    ¡°Does that mean Jay won¡¯t wake up if the clot can¡¯t be extracted, or if it doesn¡¯t


    shrink?¡± Cordy asked.


    John nodded. ¡°In theory.¡¯


    ¡°And you¡¯re leaving him abroad, alone?¡¯ Cordy asked worriedly.


    ¡°There are no other further arrangements at the moment, and he¡¯s more or less


    stable, so there¡¯s no point in me staying abroad,¡± John replied. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m back¡ª


    my grandfather¡¯s still there keeping himpany, since he¡¯s retired and has nothing


    else to do.¡¯


    Cordy nodded. Putting more people wouldn¡¯t help Jay, anyway.


    They could only pray that his kind soul was blessed with good luck to weather through


    this tribtion.


    After packing the first-aid kit, Cordy limped to the washroom on her crutches to wash


    her hands, since it was unavoidable to get cream on her hand.


    She had just entered when she found a pair of ck boxers beside the tap, and was


    left feeling a little awkward.


    John suddenly entered, grabbed the boxers, and threw it into a waste bin nearby in


    one swift stroke

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 476

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 476


    Chapter 476


    Cordy looked up to see that John was panting a little, and that he was flushing


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    somewhat.


    Pursing her lips, she lowered her gaze and washed her hands, pretending as if she


    saw nothing while John left.


    However, she was quite distracted as she washed her fingers, as many images


    crossed her mind¡­


    Still, she soon turned off the tap, dried her hands and left the washroom.


    John wasn¡¯t in, and she vaguely saw a silhouette at the walk-in closet.


    Cordy headed over, entering it unhurriedly to find John changing.


    He was wearing yet another pair of ck boxers, almost the same size as the one he


    just threw away.


    He spotted Cordy from the full-length mirror in front of him, a brief look of surprise


    shing in his eyes before he soon said, ¡°I¡¯lle out once I¡¯m done changing.¡±


    ¡°Can you get dressed without problems?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Wont you be touching your scars?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch out¡­ Eh?¡± John suddenly murmured, and gulped unwittingly as he felt


    Cordy¡¯s warm, dainty hands on his back.


    Cordy probably had no idea how dangerous she was at the moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, John,¡± she suddenly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m quite sensitive when ites to


    Dicky. I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you the other day.¡±


    All John could feel was the parchness in his throat, and his voice was already hoarse.


    ¡°So? Are you going to make up for my little wounded soul with your body?¡±


    He was asking with a smile, as if it was a joke.


    He certainly didn¡¯t hold out much hope, because he was all too aware that Cordy


    would rather die than touch him before he cut all ties with Jessica.


    That was why there were times when he was bursting with restraint, but still had to


    bear with it anyway.


    ¡°If I may,¡± Cordy murmured ever so softly as she leaned her cheek on his back.


    Her voice was very quiet, but John heard it anyway.


    And very clearly at that.


    His body stiffened, and he even suspected that Cordy was joking like him¡­ but this


    joke could easily spiral out of control!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 477

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 477


    Chapter 477


    Even if Cordy already made herself very clear, John was still afraid of moving.


    He touched her once, and that left her traumatized with men for years, and for her to


    loathe him just as long.


    If he did it again now, he feared he wouldn¡¯t see her for the rest of her life, and that


    she would directly vanish from his world.


    Therefore, he would rather bear it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡± Cordy asked, since he wasn¡¯t responding.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid,¡± John admitted earnestly.


    Cordy did a double take, unable to describe how she felt.


    It was amusing, but it also hurt a little.


    Nheless, her hands started to dance rampantly over his stiffened bod while she


    whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t hate you this time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, Cordy?¡¯¡¯ John asked as he caught her dainty hand.


    However, when he turned around and looked at her blushing face, he realized she


    wasn¡¯t thatposed-he could actually feel her hands shaking.


    As such, he told her seriously, ¡®I don¡¯t need you to apologize or repay me this way for


    saving your life-not when you¡¯re so reluctant. In fact, I don¡¯t need you to repay me for


    anything I do for you, just as you don¡¯t have to feel guilty at all towards anything you


    did to me. I do it all willingly, understand?¡±


    He would never force her if she didn¡¯t want to do it, even if it meant staying celibate for


    the rest of his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing,¡± Cordy said, looking into his eyes earnestly, as if that indescribable wall


    between them had gone. 1


    At that very moment, she was sincere and true.


    ¡°Cordy¡­mmph.¡¯


    John¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Cordy suddenly throw her arms around his neck.


    She stood on her toes as much as she could to kiss his lips, stopping him from saying


    everything he wanted to say.


    John was left in disbelief, but he was afraid to move and allowed her to kiss him for a


    while.


    At the same time, he was restraining himself, watching as the Cordy kisssted for a


    while before pulling away.


    ¡°Say nothing,¡± she told him, ¡°or I¡¯d regret this.¡±


    ¡®Til never make you regret anything-¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short. ¡¯I won¡¯t if I do it now.¡±


    ¡°Cordy-¡±


    John tried to speak, but her lips were on his again.


    To be honest, John wouldn¡¯t do this with Cordy if he had that bit of rationality left.


    Likewise, he didn¡¯t want to give her grief given his current status.


    But he lost all rationality, and it crumbled under Cordy¡¯s seduction.


    A small corner of his mind thought the door opened just then, and closed ever so


    quietly soon after¡­


    Outside, the servants were surprised by Dicky turning back already. ¡°Master Richard,


    Weren¡¯t you going to get your parents for breakfast? Why did you turn around?¡±


    ¡°Shush.¡± Dicky put a finger on his lips as he gestured at the servant.¡± They¡¯re busy


    right now. I¡¯ll go eat myself.¡±


    While the servant was left confused, Dicky was beaming. ¡°Don¡¯t bother them. I might


    have a brother soon¡­or maybe a sister?¡±


    He knew it-his daddy was amazing in every way, and Daddy definitely would get


    Mommy swooning.


    It was already night when Cordy opened her eyes.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 478

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 478


    Chapter 478


    It was a slight motion, but Cordy woke the man beside her.


    To be precise, John was already up and was waiting for her to wake up.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± John asked her, his attractive voice clearly buoyed.


    Right now, he was feeling very energetic and refreshed.


    On the other hand, Gordy¡¯s whole body felt limp and she thought she could die at that


    very moment.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Ten o¡¯clock,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Thatte?¡± she gasped.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± John chuckled, his glee barely hidden from his voice.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s old enough to go to bed on his own, and he just did, like the good boy


    he is,¡± John replied, before adding, ¡°He also maintains that he¡¯d be an exemry


    brother.¡±


    Cordy shot him a look, before struggling to get up.


    As John moved to help her up, the nket slipped off, revealing all the hickeys and


    signs of fearsome lovemaking.


    Cordy turned towards him again, who asked a little awkwardly, ¡°Getting out of bed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get your clothes.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    John lifted the nket and got out of bed, but he was naked even though he had


    already woken up for some time.


    As such, Cordy had to avert his eyes.


    In response, he grinned bewitchingly at her. ¡°You¡¯ve already seen it all, Miss Sachs.¡±


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy ignored him, so he continued, ¡±1 mean, doing it in broad daylight-¡±


    ¡°Could you stop?¡± She couldn¡¯t help telling him off.


    John left, still grinning.


    Cordy watched him-he seemed to project bliss even from the back, and she in turn


    scowled.


    After they both got dressed and stepped outside the room, the servants had already


    prepared dinner for them.


    They ate in silence until Cordy suddenly said, ¡®I want to go back to North City.¡¯


    John¡¯s hand paused.


    So she had offered her body just so she could leave?!


    ¡°It¡¯s not that dangerous,¡± Cordy said seriously, putting down her fork and knife. ¡®I¡¯d be


    safe as long as you stay with Jessica.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t stay with her.¡±


    ¡°You should marry her,¡± Cordy said very clearly.


    John¡¯s fingers clenched on his knife and fork, and he asked icily, ¡®So that¡¯s what you


    wanted to say after all that?¡±


    ¡°You can call that settling a debt.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± John chuckled at her cruelty, despite himself.


    He thought they loved each other after today, but it turned out to be singlesided.


    He knew he shouldn¡¯t have sumbed to her seduction, or things would end badly!


    ¡°Just think of it as ending the way it started,¡± Cordy said, staring at him solemnly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself, Cordy!¡± John snapped, repressing his rage. ¡°You¡¯re not that


    apathetic towards me, or you wouldn¡¯t have been able to indulge yourself¡­ You


    wouldn¡¯t be able to relish it like you did today!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 479

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 479


    Chapter 479


    However, Cordy simply regarded John with overwhelming apathy. ¡°I¡¯m an adult-1 have


    needs too. Also, I¡¯d like to get over my trauma.¡±


    John kept his icy smile, while she continued to look at him solemnly.


    ¡°We should¡¯ve never been together¡ªeven our first meeting was a mistake. I¡¯ve


    already told you before that the best thing we can do for each other is for you to return


    to Jessica¡¯s side, while I do whatever I like.*


    She spoke as if she bore no sentiment, only the resolve in parting.


    Even so, John asked her, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel a thing after so long?¡±


    After holding out until now, had she no intention to change?


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied with absolute certainty. ¡°All I feel is fear, because I won¡¯t even


    know when I¡¯ll upset Jessica, or when she¡¯ll try to kill me again. Death, incrimination,


    and now threatening me with Dicky? I had enough.¡±


    ¡°It will soon be over,* John said with certainty.


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t,¡± Cordy said icily. ¡°Even if things did calm down, it¡¯ll just be the calm


    before the storm. I don¡¯t know if I can survive the horrors that will ensue before the


    end. I¡¯m only human-l¡¯m flesh and blood, and I can¡¯t endure my lifespan being shaved


    off repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Cordy-¡±


    ¡°If I was ever willing to be with you, I wouldn¡¯t have tried to leave you repeatedly. I


    thought things through before I made my decision, and there¡¯s another thing I should


    be honest with you about¡­¡±


    Cordy paused, while John continued to stare into her gaze of apathy.


    ¡°When your grandfather took me to Levine Manor after Levine Ventures¡¯ anniversary


    celebration, he spoke at length to me. He told me that Dicky¡¯s my child, and that


    you¡¯re the one who slept with me all those years ago- before he forced me to leave


    you.¡±


    ¡°My grandfather¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me finish,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short.


    John pursed his lips in silence.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not a person who takes things lying down, nor would I agree topromise


    easily. However, he made an offer that I agreed with.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°If you and Jessica got married without issue, I can take Dicky with me.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes narrowed while Cordy looked coolly at him, constantly keeping his


    emotions in check. ¡°I was reluctant and upset that I was being coerced, but I agreed


    to it regardless. Dicky is far more important to me than anyone else¡ªI¡¯d let myself die


    to make sure he¡¯s safe, let alone losing you.¡±


    Nheless, her tone suddenly turned from apathy to misery. ¡°So, this is not a


    discussion. I¡¯m begging you, just go to Jessica¡¯s side and stay with her, please? We¡¯re


    both Dicky¡¯s parents. I¡¯m willing to sacrifice everything for him, and I hope you can be


    a little selfless too. Please?¡¯


    John gulped, his expression gradually turning from restraint to calmness.


    ¡°Is that what you want?¡± He asked.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Cordy replied bluntly without any hesitation.


    ¡°Fine,¡± John agreed.


    That came out of the blue, and Cordy seemed to feel her chest aching from his


    response.


    It was too much for her to ignore, but this was the best option for them. ¡°When are you


    leaving?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll book you a flight.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Patrick will make the arrangements,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    As John stared at her, she exined, ¡°Since we¡¯re cutting ties anyway, let¡¯s not try to


    get involved with each other¡¯s lives for no reason.


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy said earnestly, and picked up her knife and fork again.


    She ate very slowly, almost as if she couldn¡¯t taste the food.


    She then watched as John got up and left, while she herself hadn¡¯t eaten much

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 480

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 480


    Chapter 480


    Although she didn¡¯t have much of an appetite now, Cordy ultimately finished her


    steak.


    She was a mother and had an obligation to take care of herself, so that she could take


    care of Dicky.


    When she was done, she returned to her bedroom, where she found him deep asleep.


    Watching as he slept, looking ever so innocent, she decided she would not regret her


    choice.


    Early next morning, Cordy said her goodbyes with Dicky for the time being.


    Dicky was still under John¡¯s custody before John married Jessica, and Cordy wasn¡¯t


    cruel enough to insist upon taking Dicky away right now.


    Moreover, she was convinced that it was safer for Dicky to stay with John.


    ¡°The car¡¯s waiting outside,¡± John told her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said, and patted Dicky¡¯s little cheeks while assuring him,¡± You¡¯ll see me


    again in North City, when school starts again in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Dicky nodded obediently.


    He was under the impression that his daddy and mommy would be together after


    yesterday.


    He had always been thoughtful and understanding as a child, asking nothing and


    listening to everything.


    He was such a good boy that it hurts.


    ¡°Here,¡± John said, passing Cordy a pill; she saw that it was a morning-after pill.


    She actually remembered that, but was nning to get some from a pharmacyter


    today since it would work as long as she took one pill in three days.


    Still, she had no reason to refuse since he was giving it to her.


    ¡®Til wait for you in the car,¡¯ John said, turning to leave then.


    Last night¡¯s intimacy was today¡¯s apathy-such were the pragmatic rtionships


    between adults.


    Cordy took the pill and said goodbye to Dicky again before leaving, while the boy


    watched dolefully as they got in his daddy¡¯s car.


    On the other hand, Cordy was still watching his little frame. She couldn¡¯t begin to


    describe her reluctance to leave him.


    She turned around and calmed herself, while assuring herself that she would definitely


    bring him back to her side.


    Beside her, John remained silent throughout.


    It was after they left the mansion that Cordy realized that the mansion was built


    halfway up a mountain, surrounded by a dense forest so that most people wouldn¡¯t


    find it. At the same time, the car was driving towards the summit instead of down the


    mountain.


    She asked no questions despite her surprise and merely took in the sights with


    apathy, staring at the whiteness of the winter forest.


    The car eventually stopped in front of a t clearing, where two helicopters were


    waiting.


    As Cordy alighted with John, he told her, ¡¯The chopper will take you off the mountain.


    Patrick will be waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    John looked at her then, and nodded slightly.


    There were no goodbyes, because it was a silent farewell.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As Cordy got into the helicopter, John didn¡¯t follow, silently watching as she got in. The


    rotors of the helicopter whirled, kicking dust off the ground before it took to the skies.


    Their vision of each other hence grew in distance, until they were gonepletely


    from sight¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 481

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 481


    Chapter 481


    Cordy¡¯s eyes were red and moist, even though she tried not to look outside at John¡¯s


    slowly departing figure.


    She could not even describe how she felt¡­ It was as if half her heart went missing,


    and she couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Nheless, the helicopter arrived on a clearing in the suburbs in half an hour, where


    Patrick¡¯s ck sedan was waiting.


    Naturally, he brought more than one car-his security detail went full defcon after that


    ident.


    Cordy alighted awkwardly from the helicopter, since it was hard walking with crutches.


    Just as she did so, she found arge, fair hand extended before her.


    She looked up to find Patrick on his wheelchair, offering her a hand.


    He had been maimed considerably in that ident, but she didn¡¯t shy from leaning on


    his arm to get out of the helicopter, and followed him into his car.


    The helicopter whirled off after they left, just as Cordy realized why John insisted that


    his mansion was safe.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    It was hard to find, and chasing a helicopter wasn¡¯t that easy.


    Even if they do find it, nning a raid on such elevated heights offered no advantage.


    Nheless, as Cordy stared at the direction where the helicopter left, spacing out,


    Patrick asked her, ¡°You really didn¡¯t want to leave, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Cordy denied, lowering her gaze.


    Patrick studied her calm expression-even if she hid it well, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell that


    she had been crying.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay with John? There¡¯s no question that he can protect you, ¡± he said


    inly.


    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but I told him to marry Jessica,¡± Cordy said, returning his


    gaze.


    Patrick appeared taken aback, but soon shrugged nonchntly. ¡°If you think that¡¯s the


    right choice. We¡¯re just partners, and you¡¯re allowed to make your own decisions.


    Moreover, you made it very clear before, and I actually didn¡¯t hold out too much hope.


    Still, I do wonder what made you so determined to cut all ties with the man.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my privacy,¡¯ Cordy refused to answer.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Patrick didn¡¯t ask.


    At the same time, the car drove into the bustling metropolitan center of Rocktown, and


    stopped outside a luxurious cafe.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going in?¡± Patrick asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to bring me here otherwise.¡±


    ¡°And are you really sure you don¡¯t want me toe with you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ll pass, since you¡¯re not exactly fully fit,¡± Cordy said jokingly, while looking at


    Patrick¡¯s leg pointedly.


    Patrick smiled quietly. ¡°Pot calling the kettle ck.¡±


    With that Cordy started to alight, when Patrick suddenly caught her wrist.¡± Wait.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched-she was still not ustomed to skin contact, even if said


    person was a homosexual.


    Patrick didn¡¯t feel at all ufortable, however, and simply took out something the


    size of a USB drive, putting it in her hand. ¡°Press this button if you sense danger, and


    I¡¯ll send my people in to help.¡±


    Cordy stared at Patrick, but he had a determined look. ¡°I always pay my debts. You


    saved me, and I will therefore keep you safe until the end.¡±


    Cordy did not refuse, and slipped the button into her purse.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, and headed into the cafe alone.


    ¡°See you around,¡± Patrick watched as she left, looking distracted for some reason.


    Two men in ck stood outside the private WIP room in the cafe.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 482

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 482


    Chapter 482


    Anyone who got too close would feel intimidated by the men in ck¡¯s presence, but


    Cordy walked up to them nheless.


    One of them spoke into the microphone attached to hispels, and waited until the


    person inside gave her approval before opening the door for Cordy.


    The interior of the WIP room was naturally different from the other rooms, and the


    extravagance of the decorations inside would leave everyone¡¯s eyes lighting up.


    Naturally, Cordy was in no mood to admire the elegance. She limped with difficulty up


    to the coffee table¡­where Jessica sat, elegantly taking a sip of tea.


    There were four bodyguards in the room with her, and two were standing right behind


    her.


    It was obvious that she was wary of Cordy.


    Nheless, there was a sh of surprise in her eyes when she saw that Cordy was


    alone, though she hid it well by habit.


    ¡°Sit,¡± she beckoned.


    Cordy didn¡¯t refuse, and sat opposite her.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°What would you like to drink, Miss Sachs?¡±


    ¡°Blue Mountain.¡¯


    After Cordy gave her order, Jessica put down her ss and said evenly,¡± I¡¯m surprised


    you¡¯de to me alone. I¡¯m quite surprised.¡±


    It was certainly the truth¡ªshe was stunned when she received Cordy¡¯s message,


    asking to meet.


    After all, Cordy was smart and would know Jessica had been up to behind the scenes.


    And yet, after Jessica¡¯s multiple attempts to get Cordy killed, why was Cordy so bold


    to request a private meeting?


    Jessica wondered if it was some ploy, but she couldn¡¯t resist seeing what Cordy was


    up to. So, she agreed to it.


    That said, she seemed to have overprepared with all the bodyguards. She wondered


    if she was making a mountain out of an anthill.


    Naturally, she had gone through a lot as a child of the Stuarts and would never let that


    show.


    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure?¡± she asked curtly, not one to drag her feet.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to make things clear about myself and John.¡¯


    Jessica scowled ever so slightly-so Cordy came to brag.


    After all, those who were aware certainly knew that John loved Cordy and felt nothing


    towards Jessica.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± she asked nheless.


    ¡°I¡¯ve cut all ties with John,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Jessica¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she dared not celebrate just yet.


    Not only was she worried that Cordy would trick her, but her many attempts to


    eliminate Cordy never worked.


    ¡°So please don¡¯t waste your time on me,¡± Cordy said inly.


    Jessica merely sneered.


    So all Cordy wanted was for her life to be spared?


    Howughable-was Jessica so easily deceived? That she would believe


    Cordy¡¯s words alone?


    It was as if Cordy thought Jessica lived her life frivolously until now!


    Cordy could see the contempt in Jessica¡¯s contempt, however, and merely whipped


    out her phone and passed it to Jessica.


    Jessica frowned, annoyed that Cordy was too calm andposed.


    It always felt like Cordy would never be affected, no matter the situation she was in.


    Before meeting Cordy, Jessica was convinced that there a woman more beautiful than


    her wouldn¡¯t be smart, and a woman smarter than her couldn¡¯t possibly be beautiful.


    Even so, she started doubting that belief for the first time after meeting Cordy.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 483

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 483


    Chapter 483


    Jessica¡¯s face dropped immediately after she took the phone and saw the photos on


    it.


    No matter how good she was at covering up her feelings, there was no question that


    she was incensed.


    ¡°What is this?!¡± she demanded.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy just said she had cut all ties with John Levine, yet now, she was showing


    Jessica a photo of herself in bed with him?!


    Was it to brag?


    Or to rub it in Jessica¡¯s face?!


    Those thoughts only infuriated Jessica further.


    After all,her engagement and wedding date had been announced for a while, but there


    was still no spark between her and John at all¡ªthey didn¡¯t even hold hands!


    ¡°Did you really think I won¡¯t kill you, Cordy?!¡± Jessica growled through her teeth.


    Cordy ignored her and said, ¡°I¡¯m showing this not to prove how intimate John and I


    were, or to brag about it. This is just to tell you that I can make this public if you push


    me too far.¡±


    Jessica¡¯s gaze turned cool as she studied Cordy.


    ¡°To put it bluntly, if youy a finger on the one who matters most to me, I¡¯ll take you


    down with me even if I die trying,¡± Cordy continued. ¡°Everyone will find out about my


    and John¡¯s illicit rtionship. I¡¯m convinced your family will never be able to bear the


    shame.¡±


    Jessica¡¯s eyes red with rage.


    So Cordy came to threaten her-to return the favor when she threatened Cordy with


    Dicky.


    ¡°I¡¯m alone, anyway. Even if my career developed this far, it¡¯s nothing to the Levines or


    your family. It¡¯s nothing if I lose a little, since this won¡¯t be my first time. On the other


    hand, if you lose John¡­the loss would be immeasurable, no?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re much smarter than I gave you credit for, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jessica red at Cordy


    in contempt. ¡°But I wonder, what would John think if he finds out that you¡¯ve deceived


    him even after he willinglyid down his life just to save you? Would he still believe


    that it¡¯s worth it?¡±


    ¡°Certainly not, which is why I made it very clear that I¡¯ve cut ties with him,¡± Cordy


    replied, looking Jessica straight in the eye. ¡°I used him like a tool exactly because I


    have no intention of making up with him.¡±


    Yes.


    Everything Cordy said yesterday¡­about coincidence, adult impulses, and repaying


    debts; those were all tant lies.


    It was all part of an borate n-ever since Jessica threatened Cordy with Dicky,


    she was already nning how to make Jessicapletely give up on trying to harass


    her.


    Cordy had no way of controlling Jessica, given her family¡¯s unparalleled wealth and


    influence. She needed leverage; however, finding one was virtually impossible in such


    a short time.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 484

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 484


    Chapter 484


    The only thing that could really threaten Jessica right now was John. If John was hit


    with a scandal and caused severe controversy, the Stuarts would annul Jessica¡¯s


    engagement with him to protect their reputation.


    However, said annulment would be a terrible loss to both the Stuarts and Jessica. The


    former would have their ambitions thwarted, while for Jessica, anyone could tell how


    crazily in love she was with John.


    Therefore, if the Stuarts wouldn¡¯t hurt Cordy for that reason, Jessica would not do it


    either.


    Even so, Jessica wasn¡¯t so easily threatened. ¡°Did you really think my family and the


    Levines can¡¯t enforce a media ckout even if you publicize this? No one even knows


    Jay was almost killed in a car ident. You know very well that our families¡¯


    influences are far beyond what you can ever imagine!¡±


    ¡°But what if it¡¯s Patrick who publicizes these photos?¡± Cordy asked in return.


    Jessica scowled, as the threat obviously registered.


    Cordy regarded Jessica coolly as she continued, ¡°I know I¡¯m nothingpared to


    your families¡¯ power, but what do you think Patrick would do once he has these? He


    won¡¯t hesitate to move immediately and get your engagement with John annulled.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed you could immediatelye up with an idea that would maximize your


    advantage, but you¡¯re being conceited!¡± Jessica glowered, her eyes shing


    murderously. ¡¯You know why those ¡®idents¡¯ happened before, don¡¯t you?¡±


    As Cordy stared at Jessica warily, Jessica smiled sinisterly. ¡°If I dared to go that far


    before, do you think I¡¯d let this chance go when you came looking for me? I never


    intended to let you leave alive the instant you asked to meet!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not worried that I have backup?¡± Cordy asked fearlessly. ¡°If I¡¯m in danger, the


    public will see everything I just showed you.¡±


    ¡°But I have your phone,¡± Jessica shot back smugly. ¡°How are you going to message


    Patrick? And I have the resource to get the backup before Patrick reaches it, since he


    doesn¡¯t even know you have this. If he did, we wouldn¡¯t be talking peacefully here.¡±


    In other words, Jessica was saying that Patrick would¡¯ve exposed those photos if he


    knew they existed.


    Even so, Cordy remained unaffected. ¡°So it never crossed your mind that I was


    prepared before I came? Maybe I have set another n in motion so Patrick could


    reach it immediately, and have your engagement annulled in case anything happens


    to me. In that case, I don¡¯t think you¡¯d beat him to it.


    Jessica scowled further-she had never been pushed this far her entire life!


    Even if John didn¡¯t love her, heplied with her whims.


    Cordy, on the other hand¡­ Jessica wanted nothing less than to murder Cordy right


    here and now!


    Her eyes shed viciously as she red at Cordy, but Cordy calmly picked up her


    purse, nonchntly whipping out a tissue to wipe her fingers.


    It appeared to be a provocation to Jessica, but only Cordy knew that she was actually


    trying to keep her own heart rate in check while discreetly alerting Patrick.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit you made a smart move today, Cordy. You did pose a threat, and I¡¯d have to


    tiptoe around you¡­ If you hadn¡¯t neglected to remember one thing: you never tried to


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    study me! If you did, you¡¯d know I¡¯d rather take risks than to leave a threat alive! Even


    if my chances are less than a hundred percent, you¡¯d find that I am very willing to take


    the risk!¡±


    And with those words, Jessica made a gesture; one of the ck-d bodyguards


    behind her promptly whipped out a gun, aiming the barrel squarely on Cord/s head.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 485

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 485


    Chapter 485


    Cordy regarded Jessica coolly while her body stiffened ever so slightly, a chill


    unwittingly running down her spine.


    Even so, she repressed the terror seizing her chest and remained incredibly calm.


    But even if Cordy didn¡¯t show it, Jessica knew for sure that Cordy was afraid¡ªno one


    would feel nothing in this situation.


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Never crossed your mind that I¡¯d go this far, have you?¡¯ Sheughed savagely. ¡°Don¡¯t


    you regret dying by my hand in this fashion? I wont mind admitting trying and failing to


    take your life so many times, only for you to be so kind as to send yourself to my


    doorstep. You really shouldn¡¯t get full of yourself, y¡¯know?¡±


    ¡°Do you think John would forgive you if you killed me?¡¯ Cordy asked her.


    ¡°Would he forgive me even if I don¡¯t?¡± Jessica asked in return. ¡°He¡¯d treat me the


    same, and it¡¯s just better for me if I eliminated a potential threat. And who knows?


    With you dead, maybe he¡¯dpletely give up when there¡¯s nothing left for him.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, her eyes growing colder.


    However, Jessica¡¯s patience had already worn out. She stood up opposite Cordy to


    look down on Cordy, the delight in her eyes hardly disguised.


    ¡°Make it clean,¡¯ she told the bodyguards as she walked past them.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± they replied respectfully.


    With that, Jessica gestured for another bodyguard to open the door for her while


    gloating, ¡°Sorry, Cordy, but I¡¯m not staying for the mess. You¡¯ve been allowed to live


    for far too long, so there¡¯s no need to regret anything-you should¡¯ve been dead a long


    time ago!¡±


    But the instant the door opened, Jessica was left staring at a ck barrel trained on


    her very own forehead.


    As she narrowed her eyes, the two bodyguards behind her promptly whipped out their


    guns to aim at the man¡­only to find over a dozen men in ck outside, all having


    their guns out and aiming it at the doorway.


    They even left a gap between their formation, so that Patrick, who was on a


    wheelchair behind them, could peer through them.


    There was no emotion in his eyes at all, and he was frighteningly cold.


    The two bodyguards Jessica posted outside the door were long since left unconscious


    on the floor.


    As Jessica scowled visibly, she growled through clenched teeth, ¡¯What do you think


    you are doing, dear cousin?¡¯


    ¡°Exactly what you¡¯re doing,¡± Patrick replied evenly.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to turn against me over this woman?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s the reason we¡¯re at each other¡¯s necks?¡± Patrick scoffed.


    ¡°There may be a misunderstanding here, but whatever it is, our grandfathers can talk


    it out.¡±


    Despite Jessica¡¯s deliberate mention of Monty Stuart and William Stuart, Patrick


    simply rolled his eyes. ¡¯You¡¯re great at sophistry, but I¡¯m too tired to y along this


    time. Why don¡¯t you release Cordy now?¡±


    ¡°What if I refuse?¡¯ Jessica asked bluntly.


    ¡°Then you will die with her.¡±


    ¡°How dare you?!¡± Jessica shrieked, her fury hardly concealed. ¡°You, killing me out in


    the open? Do you think my grandfather would let you live?¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let me live even if you survived!¡± Patrick barked directly.


    His icy voice stunned Jessica. He continued, ¡°We know who was responsible for my


    ident, and I¡¯d be dead if Cordy didn¡¯t insist that John save me as well. I¡¯ve been


    wondering if I could have a little payback with this, too.¡±


    ¡°What proof do you have that I did it?¡¯ Jessica retorted.


    ¡°None,¡± Patrick replied. ¡¯But I don¡¯t need any.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 486

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 486


    Chapter 486


    Nheless, Jessica didn¡¯t give up. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d still be a Stuart if you did


    this? That your grandfather could defend you for this? Forget your grandfather-you¡¯d


    be arrested! And that would be the end of your family!¡±


    ¡°If you put it that way¡­¡± Patrick muttered, clearly hesitant.


    Jessica¡¯s eyes shed with smugness, pleased by her own cunningness.


    When ites to the Stuarts, they never did care who they hurt and would bury their


    conscience when they stood to gain from something.


    Cordy saved Patrick¡¯s life, but so what? They would abandon family at the drop of a


    hat!


    However, that was the same reasoning that foiled Jessica¡¯s ploy, as Patrick suddenly


    said, ¡¯Actually, it just urred to me¡­ If this stalemate continued, your grandfather or


    brother would order you to kill Cordy anyway. I¡¯d kill you in retaliation, which gives


    them the excuse to have me arrested immediately, since that would leave my family


    leaderless and powerless against yours. They¡¯d kill so many birds with one stone, so


    it¡¯s natural they¡¯d love to see that happen, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Jessica¡¯s expression darkened. A shiver crept down her spine.


    After all, Patrick¡¯s scenario was very logical-it was very likely to happen, even if it was


    not 100% assured.


    If this stalemate continued long enough that William Stuart or James Stuart found out,


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    they would send the order.


    The bodyguards she had were ultimately loyal to William, and would carry out his


    orders without fail.


    ¡°Dear cousin, you don¡¯t have that much time to consider,¡± Patrick soon reminded her.


    Jessica gritted her teeth, reluctant to suffer yet another defeat.


    Even so, she refused to give her life just to have Cordy killed. That b*tch¡¯s existence


    was far less than hers in importance!


    Even if she had already made up her mind, she was too frustrated to relent. ¡°What is it


    about Cordy that you¡¯d go that far for her?! You¡¯re giving up on your own life! You¡­and


    John!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what John thinks,¡± Patrick admitted. ¡°But Cordy saved me. I actually


    have your family to thank for this, since you¡¯ve all been so relentless in trying to take


    me out¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have built a fire-forged friendship with her otherwise.¡±


    With that, he hurried Jessica. ¡°So? Do you still need more time to consider? H


    It was an obvious reminder to her that time was limited, or it would soon be toote for


    regrets.


    Jessica clenched her teeth.


    Try as she might, she was unable to say the words at the tip of her tongue.


    Eventually, she clenched her fists as she withheld her inconsble rage and snapped


    at the men behind her, ¡°Let Cordy Sachs go!¡±


    With that, Cordy limped out of the room on her crutches, and headed straight towards


    Patrick.


    Jessica watched as Cordy went, her face contorted with frustration and fury.


    Nheless, she was forced to look on as Cordy left with Patrick, with Patrick¡¯s


    bodyguards filing out soon after.Jeaving Jessica by herself.


    She turned to find her bodyguard on her phone, answering several questions before


    hanging up.


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Jessica asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s your brother, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He was asking if Patrick left with Cordy Sachs¡­¡±


    Jessica scowled. ¡¯And?¡± ¡°I told them he did, and your brother hung up.¡¯


    Jessica bit her lip, her heart still pounding from surviving that close shave.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 487

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 487


    Chapter 487


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help breathing a sigh of relief after following Patrick back to his car.


    She was a lot less calm as she appeared-but no one would really be fearless when


    facing down a barrel.


    All she could do was endure, and tell herself that Patrick was worthy of her trust.


    If said trust was misced¡­so be it.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t afraid,¡± Patrick teased, though his tone soon turned stern. ¡°Did


    you really think yourself invincible, going in to face Jessica alone?!¡¯


    Cordy turned to look at him. ¡°You came, didn¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯d be dead if I didn¡¯t give you that transmitter,¡± Patrick told her somberly.


    It was only fortunate that he had been thoughtful, and knew that Jessica was the type


    who wouldn¡¯t let anything stop her from getting what she wanted.


    ¡°Actually, I had you escort me so that you¡¯d protect me. But I won¡¯t minding alone


    either,¡± Cordy admitted.


    Patrick did a double take, and his tone changed. ¡°Does that mean you knew I¡¯d


    protect you from the start? That I¡¯d protect you in that meeting? You really are smart,N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    woman, saying nothing while already anticipating my every move. Did it cross your


    mind that you might not be as important to me as you¡¯d think?¡±


    ¡°You always pay your debts. That¡¯s what you said,¡± Cordy said solemnly.


    ¡°I could be lying.¡±


    ¡°Either way, my gambit paid off.¡¯


    Patrick was left speechless-so everything he said was pointless, but he was


    astonished regardless. ¡°You know I prefer men, Cordy. Why¡¯d you trust me so much?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I find you worthy of my trust. After all, rtionships between men


    and women are the most fragile thing there is,¡± Cordy said ever so quietly.


    Patrick had more to say, because he was certainly upset with the impulsive behavior


    Cordy exhibited today. After all, if Jessica had hesitated for a moment longer just now,


    she wouldn¡¯t be able to spare Cordy even if she wanted to.


    Even so, he couldn¡¯t bear to scold Cordy at the sight of her calm indifference, and


    decided to let it go.


    After all, she had been pushed over the edge too. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have


    risked her life to meet Jessica or give up on John.


    Patrick¡¯s car stopped at a private airport soon enough, but he wasn¡¯t going with her


    this time-he was injured, for one, and Rocktown was his base anyway.


    Since his family was caught in such a tense situation with Jessica¡¯s side of the family,


    it was only natural he stayed to deal with the situation.


    Sending her to her ne was already the extent of his kindness.


    After a few simple words in parting, Cordy boarded Patirck¡¯s private jet and was back


    in North City hourster.


    Four men-in-ck were waiting, moving to stand before her after she disembarked.


    One of them greeted her respectfully and said, ¡°We have orders from Mr. Stuart to


    escort you home.¡±


    Cordy frowned and called Patrick, but his tone was staunch. ¡®Don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe


    just because you made it back to North City. In fact, let me put it to you this way:


    there¡¯s no ce that¡¯s safe for you given how things stand right now. That¡¯s why I¡¯m


    having those four gentlemen keeping an eye on you 24/7. Don¡¯t refuse me now-you


    know I¡¯m too busy to arrange your funeral.¡±


    She never wanted to refuse, however.


    In fact, all she wanted to say was, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Patrick did a double take, but soon said, ¡°Don¡¯t die on me now. Make your business


    big. That¡¯d be the best way you can repay me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    Hanging up, Cordy followed Patrick¡¯s bodyguards into her car.


    As she looked outside at the familiar streets of North City, she realized she was


    somehow dragged into the midst of so much conflict¡­while having no idea when it


    would be over.


    Be that as it may, Cordy¡¯s life more or less returned to the right track after she went


    back to North City.


    She had no idea how chaotic things were in Rocktown since she wouldn¡¯t be reading


    about it on the news, and she didn¡¯t ask Patrick either

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 488

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 488


    Chapter 488


    The days went by without anything out of the ordinary urring¡­ Until one day, when


    every article and news piece was reporting about John Levine and Jessica Stuart¡¯s


    grand wedding.


    Just three more days? That was quick.


    Nheless, Cordy put away her phone and rose to her feet, leaving her office for


    another meeting just then.


    The four bodyguards Patrick arranged for her followed her as if it was natural. They


    really did stick with her ever since Patrick sent them-save for when she went to the


    Neither she nor her employees were used to it at first, but she eventually got used to


    it.


    During the meeting, Noel kept calling her, but Cordy simply rejected every call and


    muted her phone.


    After all, she knew all too well the only reason Noel would call her now was to gloat


    since in the end, Jessica Stuart was the one who would be with John Levine.


    And since Noel was now Jessica¡¯spdog¡­


    But if Cordy were to be honest, she had no idea how long Noel would survive on that


    path. After all, Noel would die horribly once she had served her purpose.


    Over at Sachs Enterprises, Noel was fuming as she stared at her phone.


    How dare Cordy refuse her calls!


    But there was no doubt about it-she wanted to gloat!


    After all, it was Cordy who kept strutting, only to end up losing so thoroughly!


    Noel lowered her phone; she was actually still in a good mood, even if she couldn¡¯t


    gloat at Cordy.


    She was there, sitting in her grand, spacious office without having to suffer anyone


    else.


    She never felt as amazing as she did now. The feeling only got more cathartic


    whenever she saw the terrible look on her own family¡¯s face.


    They probably never expected the day woulde when she would give them such a


    resounding p in the face. Still, they deserved it for favoring their son over her for no


    reason!


    Her phone suddenly rang, and she answered it with a fawning tone, ¡°Miss Stuart.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a private dinner tomorrow night. Come to Rocktown.¡±


    ¡°But I have an appointment today-¡±


    ¡°You better know your ce, Noel Sachs. You have no ce to argue.¡±


    Noel was left clenching on her phone, while Jessica continued, ¡°Remember to make


    yourself look pretty. Don¡¯t force me to teach you what to do.¡±


    And once she had her say, Jesisca hung up. Noel clenched her teeth.


    Every month, Jessica would always call Noel to Rocktown for a couple days, where


    she would be forced to entertain stinking old men who boasted wealth or influence.


    She would be sacrificing her own body to draw them to the Stuarts¡¯ cause, or they


    would have her filmpromising videos of herself with certain individuals they


    wanted leverage against.


    Either way, Noel was doing everything that was vile and unsavory, even though she


    would be left sickened and retching every single time¡­ But for the sake of keeping up


    appearances, she couldn¡¯t refuse.


    Fury red in her eyes again. Noel convinced herself that Cordy was the reason all of


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    this happened.


    If not for Cordy, she wouldn¡¯t have been desperate for instant sess, and she


    certainly wouldn¡¯t have fallen so far!


    However, Jessica would never abide by Cordy¡¯s existence, just as Noel refused to


    believe that Cordy could continue to shine.


    Noel just had to wait for Cordy¡¯seuppance.


    Three dayster, John and Jessica¡¯s wedding was being covered by every media


    outlet and topped every search trend in the nation, with every video sharing site


    Since there was a full public live stream avable, everyizen had tapped into it


    early on from their phones.


    Cordy was no exception, though she was just doing it out of boredom since it was the


    weekend

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 489

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 489


    Chapter 489


    Cordy stared at her phone, watching as John appeared on screen in his white


    swallowtail tuxedo and a bow tie, looking sharp and imposing.


    The instant he showed up, the livement section was immediately spammed,


    though the content was more or less the same.


    [He¡¯s so handsome!]


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    [I¡¯m in love!]


    [Why isn¡¯t he an actor?]


    Cordy was just about to close the livements section when her phone started


    ringing.


    She hesitated a little when she saw that it was a call from Patrick, but answered it


    eventually.


    ¡°Are you checking out the news?¡± He asked immediately.


    ¡°Which one?¡± Cordy asked in return, despite knowing exactly what he meant.


    ¡°Since you can still make a joke, I guess you¡¯re not in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only expected. Why be moody about it?¡± Cordy asked in return.


    ¡°I like that attitude of yours, y¡¯know. Staying stoic even if the world falls apart.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t want to waste her breath, and so asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be there right


    now?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Patrick replied.


    ¡°Then why did you call me?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡±


    You don¡¯t have to be.¡±


    ¡°But I have this feeling that it wont go smoothly. What do you think?¡± Patrick asked


    enigmatically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Cordy argued. ¡°Is there anyone who would ever dare sabotage a


    wedding ceremony between the Levines and the Stuarts?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just wait and see.¡±


    Cordy, however, did not take Patrick¡¯s words to heart and continued watching the


    wedding livestream.


    John stood at the altar, waiting for Jessica.


    It turned out that because it was a union between dynasties, the ceremony was far


    more borate than the average wedding.


    Nheless, after quite a while of hustle and bustle, Jessica finally stepped out of the


    front porch of the hotel where she had been, appearing bright and dazzling in her


    white wedding dress as she got in the waiting limousine.


    The livements were once again spammed.


    [She¡¯s so beautiful!]


    [That¡¯s crazy!]


    [A match made in heaven!]


    The scene cut to John¡¯s face.


    There was no hint of a smile on his face at all, and he appeared so solemn it didn¡¯t


    look like he was getting married.


    Although the scene quickly cut off to something else, the eagle-eyedizens


    immediately noticed.


    [Does anyone have this feeling that John Levine doesn¡¯t look too happy?]


    [I thought I saw a smile, but it feels like he¡¯s an outsider¡­as if he¡¯s not the person


    who¡¯s getting married today.]


    [He probably doesn¡¯t like Jessica. Maybe he was pressured into this by his family?]


    [To think someone born with a golden spoon would have his own troubles too.


    Suddenly, my failed grades don¡¯t seem that bad¡­]


    However, the livementshad been lively throughout, and excessively so. The


    heartwarming and beautiful scenes to behold.


    As Jessica¡¯s limousine headed to thergest cathedral in Rocktown, the livestream


    feed cut to the interior of the cathedral, where people inside were finishing up with the


    final preparations. Though the pews were already full, the lenses of the cameras


    inside weren¡¯t focusing on most of the faces since they were all WIP. Viewers were


    unable to see who actually were the people in attendance, only that it was a very


    grand ceremony.


    It took half an hour for Jessica¡¯s limousine to arrive. The wedding bells rang


    resoundingly overhead, signaling the auspicious hour.


    As Jessica arrived and alighted, Felix Mendelssohn¡¯s ¡°Wedding March¡± thundered


    over the speakers while the guests all rose to their feet.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Jessica, who had her hand around her father¡¯s arm as


    they advanced on the petal-filled carpet towards John.


    John¡¯s white swallowtail tuxedo seemed to add to the sanctity of the solemn


    sanctuary, and he looked no different from a prince on a white horse.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 490

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 490


    Chapter 490


    As Jessica walked up to John, their eyes met; hers were clearly welling with tears.


    Andy Stuart, Jessica¡¯s father, patted her on the hand, before passing her hand over to


    John and giving him a p on the shoulder.


    It was a gesture that he was entrusting Jessica to her.


    John nodded politely at him in turn. He and Jessica then turned towards the priest.


    After performing the opening rites with great passion, the priest proceeded to the


    cliched but exciting part: wedding vows.


    ¡°John Levine, do you take Jessica Stuart as your wife, in ordance with His Will¡­


    To be eternally loyal to her, ¡¯till death do you part?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were glued to John, and the cameras were focused on his face as


    well.


    [Wow, he¡¯s too handsome! Please don¡¯t get too close, or I won¡¯t be able to resist


    licking the screen.]


    [What good have I done in life, that I deserve to feast my eyes upon such


    magnificence?]


    [Jessica Stuart¡¯s the most blessed woman in the world. No buts.]


    The cathedral remained silent, however.


    It had been a long while, but John wasn¡¯t saying the words he should.


    Jesscia clearly couldn¡¯t hold it in, and extended her pinky to tug at John¡¯s own, which


    he kept at his side.


    The gesture was quickly captured, but Jessica¡¯s prompt was interpreted by the


    [That pinky swear is just adorable!]


    [Oh, my poor heart¡­]


    [I swear she even tugged at my heartstrings there.]


    At the same time, Cordy couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore-she was a lot lessposed


    than she gave herself credit for.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    Meanwhile, the cameras turned from their fingers back to John¡¯s face.


    John looked up at Jessica, and then at the priest.


    He then said somberly, ¡°I-¡±


    Cordy tapped out of the live stream right then.


    She was lying to herself a little, but there was no reason for people to torment


    themselves in life.


    She turned on the television, picking a movie at random to kill time while she


    considered how long it would be until she could take Dicky away.


    And after that, she and John would be strangers again¡­


    Halfway through her movie, however, Patrick called again. The first thing he asked


    was, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that exciting?¡±


    Cordy frowned, having no idea what he meant and therefore answering nonchntly,


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you really have a stout heart, don¡¯t you?¡± Patrick said, genuinely impressed. ¡°If


    John knew you were that disinterested, he¡¯d be crying himself to death on his way to


    the detention center.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gordy¡¯s expression stiffened, as realization dawned upon her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?!¡± Patrick eximed in surprise. ¡°Hold on, did you avoid watching


    the wedding livestream because you couldn¡¯t face reality?¡±


    Cordy did not reply, but instead returned to the livestream feed¡­which had long since


    been cut off.


    Since that failed, she started to Google about the wedding¡­only to find nothing.


    Every article that covered John and Jessica¡¯s so-called wedding of the century had


    vanished!


    In no time at all, everything was erased so cleanly.


    ¡°Are you done searching over there?¡± Patrick asked unhurriedly, probably already


    having an idea of what she had been doing.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked calmly.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 491

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 491


    Chapter 491


    Patrick chuckled and teased her, ¡°So you actually can get nervous?¡± ¡°I just want to


    know the truth,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°Jessica¡¯s wedding with John concerns my safety and


    personal gain.¡±


    Yes, she was just being selfish. The only thing she cared about was whether she


    could get Dicky even though the wedding fell through!


    Patrick shrugged and stopped leaving her hanging. ¡°Before John could say1 I do¡¯,


    Rocktown¡¯s policemissioner himself stormed in with a warrant for his arrest.


    Turns out John¡¯s a suspect in a corporate criminal conspiracy.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched. Patrick asked her, ¡°Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡°The wedding¡¯s off,¡± Cordy replied.


    Patrickughed at that. ¡°Even I can¡¯t bear to watch this, Cordy. The man would go this


    far for you, not holding back from destroying his own reputation and his own future


    just to stop this wedding. And you¡¯re being this calm?¡±


    ¡°How else would I react? Can I change anything?¡± Cordy asked in return. ¡°I don¡¯t get


    it-how is this different from just rejecting the engagement? He¡¯d be ruining his


    reputation, anyway!¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re usually smarter than this,¡¯ Patrick said skeptically.


    Cordy stayed silent despite her anger, so Patrick simply pointed out, ¡°Did you really


    think it¡¯d go smoothly even if he said no to the engagement? Or that Jessica¡¯s family


    wouldn¡¯t threaten his family in retaliation? Citizens should never pick fights with


    government officials-or did you miss that lesson?¡¯


    ¡°But he lost everything now,¡¯ Cordy argued.


    ¡°In return, he protected certain individuals,¡± Patrick replied with no uncertain terms.


    As Cordy bit her lip, he continued, ¡°Either way, Jessica¡¯s family would refuse to touch


    John with a ten-foot pole now that he¡¯s been charged. Now it¡¯s them who¡¯s rejecting


    him and not the other way around, since John provided the perfect excuse for them to


    annul the engagement, and without them losing any face.¡¯


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he worried they¡¯d plot against him?¡± Cordy asked, skeptical about the logic in the


    decision. ¡°Also, Jessica would definitely retaliate for not getting John. You know she¡¯s


    capable of anything.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but Jessica¡¯s family would have nothing to do with it,¡± Patrick said inly.


    ¡°Our family has a reputation to uphold, and William wouldn¡¯t try to kick John when he¡¯s


    down¡ªat least, not out in the open. In fact, he


    wouldn¡¯t waste time on the Levines or anyone involved with them now that the


    Levines are worthless as an ally, since they should be looking for their next target to


    rece John.¡±


    ¡°As such, no matter how frustrated or vengeful Jessica would be, she would be


    alone¡­ So there¡¯s nothing to fear, really.


    Cordy was left stumped at that.


    She had no idea whether John really sabotaged his own future just for this, or if he


    was really arrested for breaking thew.


    They agreed that he would marry Jessica, didn¡¯t they?


    How could he let it be called off halfway through?


    ¡°Anyway, I just asked around,¡± Patrick told her. ¡°He¡¯s being held at Rocktown


    Detention Center at the moment, but since the crimes he¡¯s charged with were


    you want to see him right now, or wait until he is taken to North City?¡±


    ¡°Right now, I need to calm down,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t impose,¡± Patrick said, and hung up immediately.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Cordy in turn reclined over her couch, staring quietly and nkly at the ceiling.


    There were so many things to consider, and it was such a huge mess that she


    suddenly couldn¡¯t differentiate anything.


    The next day, news that John Levine had been arrested during his own wedding was


    being published nationwide.


    The initial media ckout, only to be followed by the sudden widespread coverage,


    was a clear sign that the Stuarts abandoned him.


    In fact, just half an hour after the first headlines were published, the Stuarts issued the


    annulment of John and Jesscia¡¯s engagement. In their official announcement, they


    maintained that their family had served the country for over a century with honesty


    and diligence, free from any criminal wrongdoing. Therefore, any involvement with


    individuals charged with criminal offenses would be an insult to their legacy.


    With the annulment now official, news of it quickly spread¡­

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 492

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 492


    Chapter 492


    As with everything else in the world, everyizen had an opinion.


    Some believed the Stuarts were selfish, bailing at the first sign of trouble and acting


    utterly heartless.


    Others believed the Stuarts¡¯ actions to be just, because crime was no tribtion to be


    weathered-the only thing it deserved was swift and decisive punishment.


    Naturally, most sided with Stuarts since they had power, whereas the Levines didn¡¯t


    even have a say now¡­


    Five dayster, Patrick texted Cordy, informing her that John was transported back to


    North City while also sending her the ce where he was being held.


    She hesitated for a while, but eventually went anyway.


    Patrick must¡¯ve pulled some strings ahead of time, since she was allowed to meet


    John without any issue.


    And yet, they were both sitting face-to-face in a suffocating silence as Cordy suddenly


    had no idea what she was supposed to talk to John about.


    His haggard look also involved a slight pain in her.


    In the end, she couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Are the charges against you real?¡±


    She wanted the truth.


    ¡°No,¡± John replied.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You did it just to have the wedding annulled? It


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡¯


    ¡°So that everyone can step aside without getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°But what about you?¡± Cordy asked, hardly repressing emotions.


    ¡°Do you care?¡± John suddenly smiled.


    Though life seemed to hit him hard, with his lips now surrounded with stubble, his


    smile remained handsome despite his bleak situation.


    Cordy didn¡¯t answer, however, since it was pointless to talk about things like that now.


    She had learned from Patrick that the charges involved embezzlement of up to 3


    billion dors, and John¡¯s fate was certainly sealed.


    Even so, she couldn¡¯t help snapping angrily, ¡°How is this different from whether you


    married Jessica? To me, it¡¯s all the same!¡±


    ¡°Were you worried I¡¯d get killed?¡± John asked again, thinking nothing of her rage.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Cordy said calmly. ¡¯I just find this unfair for Dicky because he had to


    suffer an irresponsible father. But that¡¯s not an issue¡ªI¡¯ll be more careful next time,


    and find him a better daddy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, and you¡¯re already nning ahead without me?¡¯ John scoffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± John said, inly and clearly. ¡°The criminal charges won¡¯t


    hold, and that means I¡¯d eventually be free. This is the only way to make the Stuarts


    annul the engagement.¡±


    ¡°And then, what? Once they found out that you tricked them, what do you think they¡¯d


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    do?¡± Cordy asked in return.


    ¡°By then, they wouldn¡¯t have the ability to do a thing.¡±


    Cordy frowned, sensing something was afoot.


    Still, John told her, ¡°Just being aware of that is enough. As long as I breathe, Cordy, I


    won¡¯t let Dicky have another daddy.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 493

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 493


    Chapter 493


    Cordy snapped in annoyance, ¡¯Just worry about yourself for now.¡¯


    However, John¡¯s confidence afforded her slight relief.


    After all, John wouldn¡¯t go so far as to really destroy himself just to get his


    engagement annulled.


    No person could be that stupid, and John was always above the rest.


    She simply took it as him keeping his trump card for the time being.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡± she said, rising to her feet-she had the answer she wanted, and that


    was enough for her.


    ¡°Cordy,¡¯ he suddenly stopped her, his voice a little quiet, as if he was sentimental.


    Cordy paused, and turned around to look at him. ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Take good care of Dicky for the time being.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°And yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been very good at that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall for other men either,¡¯ John reminded her.


    Cordy was speechless.


    At this juncture?!


    John then finished, ¡°I¡¯ll woo you again when I¡¯m out.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be waiting for long,¡± she replied.


    John blinked, and Cordy clearly saw the dazzling flicker in his eyes.


    She quickly turned her back on him, blushing ever so slightly.


    Just as she left, she could hear John say, ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Cordy breathed a deep sigh of relief as she stepped out of the detention center.


    Even though John¡¯s words were assuring, she wasn¡¯t entirely relieved- there was


    something that seemed to remain stuck to her chest, and she could not get it out.


    She headed towards her car when she suddenly noticed a familiar figure.


    Jessica Stuart.


    She had not shown her face in public ever since John was arrested. The official


    statement from the Stuarts was that she took the news very badly, and was left


    bedridden with illness.


    While she was not ill, she definitely took the news badly-even now, her face was pale.


    Naturally, Cordy didn¡¯t care about her at all, but was still perplexed as to why Jessica


    woulde to North City to visit John.


    Why did she leave Rocktown? Did her family even allow that?


    Despite those questions, Cordy didn¡¯t talk to Jessica and simply strode past her.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs,¡± Jessica called out to her, her tone hostile.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Were you visiting John?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°What gives you the right?!¡± Jessica suddenly cried out in agitation.


    ¡°Your engagement with him was annulled, and he¡¯s now single. Is there an issue with


    me seeing him?¡±


    ¡°You did this to him! And you¡¯d still show your face?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, suddenly stumped by Jessica¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°Johnmitted those crimes for your sake, didn¡¯t he? It¡¯s all so that my family would


    annul my engagement on their own volition! Just so he could leave me! How could he


    reject me, even if it would cost him his life?¡¯


    Jessica became more hysterical the more he spoke, her rage barely controble.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy shrugged. ¡¯That¡¯s your business with him. So ask him.¡±


    ¡°I will make you suffer, Cordy Sachs! I¡¯ll bury you if anything happens to John!¡¯


    With those words, Jessica strode off, and Cordy simply watched as she went.


    There was no question that Jessica loved John, but the Stuarts only cared about


    gaining something out of any rtionship.


    Therefore, once John became worthless, Jessica¡¯s one-sided affection would


    inevitably end tragically!

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 494

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 494


    Chapter 494


    In the visitor¡¯s room, Jessica was staring tearfully at John, but he remained indifferent.


    ¡°Was it worth it? Doing this for Cordy?¡± she eventually asked.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with her,¡± John replied. ¡°The situation simply calls for it.¡±


    ¡°I know you did it for her,¡± Jessica said staunchly.


    ¡°I wont joke around when my life is on the line.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d die for her!¡±


    John became silent at that, whereas Jessicaughed even as tears flowed down her


    cheeks, making her appear lunatic.


    ¡°Did you know, John?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m getting engaged again.¡±


    John blinked.


    It appeared he still had some feelings left in him.


    On the other hand, Jessica¡¯s tears flowed freely as she continued, but she seemed to


    feel nothing. ¡°That¡¯s my family for you-everyone is a tool the moment they¡¯re born. My


    parents, myself and my brother are no


    exceptions. I¡¯ve always thought I¡¯ve been blessed with a family like this, that even


    though I had no freedom in life and I don¡¯t get to choose who I marry, it was someone


    I loved anyway.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter even if you didn¡¯t love me-l¡¯d be content with just having you with


    me after we¡¯re married¡­so how could you do this to me?! How am I less than Cordy


    Sachs?! I met you before she did, I¡¯ve been with you far longer than she had been,


    and I love you more than she ever would! Why cant you love me? Why do you refuse


    to even look at me?¡±


    John¡¯s gaze remained aloof and he never reacted, while Jessica was talking herself


    into a nervous breakdown.


    The instant John was taken away, she wanted to interrogate him immediately after.


    Even so, the family kept her under a tight leash and forbade her from leaving. Her


    grandfather only let her leave after she agreed to marry another man, allowing her to


    see John.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± John finally said.


    Jessica gasped-he only said two cool words after she had said so much?!


    Sheughed as she red at him. ¡°You¡¯d rather die than marry me now, don¡¯t you?! I

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 495

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 495


    Chapter 495


    shall repay you the favor!¡±


    ¡°You better don¡¯t,¡± John¡¯s expressions turned cold.


    ¡°You forced me into this!¡± Jessica shrieked.


    ¡°You¡¯d better watch yourself if you want your family to survive,¡± John threatened.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jessicaughed. ¡°What if I say no?¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯d suffer more than you did now.¡±


    ¡°And who would make me suffer? You?!¡± Jessica scoffed. ¡°Your worst choice ever was


    not marrying me, John Levine! You¡¯re nothing without my family¡¯s protection, and the


    ones you want to protect would suffer too!¡±


    ¡°You better think about what you¡¯re going to do!¡± John glowered.


    Jessica stared at him.


    He had only been indifferent towards her, yet he would turn against her over Cordy


    Sachs?!


    ¡°You will regret this!¡± Jessicaughed savagely, wiped her tears, and stormed outside.


    John watched coldly as she left, his knuckles clenching.


    Cordy received a call from n on the way back to her apartment.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs,¡± his stern voice spoke from the other end.


    ¡°Mr. Levine,¡± Cordy replied politely.


    ¡°Pleasee to my manor. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched on her steering wheel-the memory of n whisking her off to


    Levine Manor before was still fresh in her memory.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed to it nheless.


    The only reason she did was to get Dicky and take him away.


    Moreover, after John had done so much for his sake, n would at least show John


    some due respect and refrain from hurting her.


    It was all now water under the bridge, and they just had to go along as things


    developed.Cordy had trouble asking to take Dicky away, even if John already arranged for it.


    Deciding toe to apromise, she asked, ¡°Can I visit him often, like I did


    before?¡±


    n didn¡¯t have anyone else around him now.


    His son and daughter-inw died years ago, Jay¡¯s fate was still unknown after his


    ident, while John was now arrested pending trial. Only his daughter Nancy and


    Nancy¡¯s daughter Cora were still at his side after Nancy secretly divorced Ivan York,


    who had long since left Levine Manor.


    To think a big family like the Levines, who once embodied splendor and nobility, would


    suddenly be in pieces¡­


    n had heard Cordy, but he didn¡¯t answer for a long while, leaving Cordy a little


    bitter and crestfallen.


    She certainly didn¡¯t have the ability to take Dicky away, just as her conscience and


    morals stopped her from doing so.


    That being said, Dicky was her son, and she couldn¡¯t pretend that he didn¡¯t exist or


    stay away from him for too long.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 496

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 496


    Chapter 496


    Suddenly, n said, ¡°Take him with you.¡±


    Cordy did a double take, thinking she had misheard.


    She looked up at n, and saw a glimmer in his eyes-the glimmer ofpromising


    with what life brought.


    Even if he was already seventy and confined to a wheelchair, he remained healthy


    and spirited, just as he was elegant and imposing. She didn¡¯t think that the day would


    down, his spirit would always remain staunch.


    ¡°Dicky will live with you from now on,¡± n repeated.


    ¡°What about you?¡¯ Cordy did not say no-because she could not.


    Moreover, if n made that choice, he must have given it due consideration.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived long enough, and it¡¯s time I let go,¡¯ he said somberly. ¡°I once desired and


    demanded too much, and my family had flourished as I foresaw it would¡­but nothing


    good came out of years of autocratic leadership. Maybe I was mistaken from the


    start.¡±


    There was no doubt about it.


    For a great man to say something like that, he had well and truly sumbed to fate.


    Even as n continued, his eyes seemed to well with tears. ¡°I was the one who sent


    John¡¯s parents abroad for a business discussion, and they¡¯d neve have died in that


    ident if not for me. I was the one who stubbornly denied Jay a rtionship with


    Zoe, which was why he had that ident. If only I could set aside pride and prejudice


    to let Zoe stay with us, Jay would¡¯ve been content with staying in the manor. So much


    tragedy could have been avoided.¡¯ i


    ¡°Jay¡¯s situation had nothing to do with you¡­¡± Cordy tried to assure him.


    n simply shook his head, iming responsibility for all sins.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°And now, there¡¯s John. If I didn¡¯t stubbornly force him to marry Jessica Stuart and


    supported him instead, he wouldn¡¯t have to resort to such radical efforts to have his


    engagement annulled.¡¯


    Cordy didn¡¯t know what to say, because n was well and truly being crushed under


    the pressure of life. He aged decades in a split second.


    ¡°I¡¯ll travel abroad and stay with Jay while he¡¯s being treated. That leaves


    Nancy and Cora, so I¡¯d be leaving most of Levine Ventures¡¯ affairs in Nancy¡¯s hands.


    She might not be able to manage, however, since her focus had never been in


    business¡­¡±


    n sounded indifferent, as if he suddenly did not care about an enterprise as grand


    as Levine Ventures, while appearing more open- minded now. ¡®And if Nancy could not


    keep things going, I¡¯ll liquidate Levine Ventures. No more fame or glory¡ªwe¡¯ll be


    mortals once again, and there just might be less tragedy.¡±


    When onecked ambition, wealth, fame and influence were a lot less important.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 497

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 497


    Chapter 497


    n repeated, ¡°Go. Take Dicky with you.¡¯


    Cordy stared at him for a while, and then said, ¡°If you miss him, call me anytime. I¡¯d


    bring him to you, whether you¡¯re in North City or abroad.¡±


    n nodded slightly.


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Cordy said, rising to her feet and giving him a small bow


    before leaving his study.


    As she headed downstairs to the lobby, Dicky was already sitting obediently on the


    couch, waiting for her.


    Once she appeared, he promptly ran up to greet her. ¡°Mommy!¡±


    The clear, little voice warmed Cordy¡¯s heart-her son was truly the greatest fort she had


    in life.


    Crouching in front of the boy, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re going to live with me now, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Daddy told me I¡¯d be staying with you after he married Jessica¡­but he didn¡¯t,


    did he?¡± Dicky asked in confusion. ¡°Did Daddy do something wrong? Why was he


    arrested?¡±


    Cordy felt a little bitter.


    The boy had just started to attend grade school¡ªtoo young to worry about adult¡¯s


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    affairs when he should be enjoying a carefree childhood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your daddy is going to be fine,¡± she assured him.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he told me,¡± Dicky said confidently. ¡°He said he¡¯d definitely be fine no


    matter what happens to him, and told me to take care of you while he¡¯s away.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes welled with tears, feeling like she owed Dicky a lot since he was so


    understanding.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Mommy. I¡¯m a man now! I¡¯ll take good care of you,¡± Dicky said seriously,


    putting his little hands on her cheeks just then. ¡°You have me no matter what


    happens. I¡¯ll never ever leave you.¡±


    Okay,¡± Cordy said, calming herself down.


    She rose to her feet and left with Dicky, turning back just as she stepped out the front


    door.


    Dicky did so too, and they saw n on his wheelchair, watching them from the


    second-floor balcony.


    Cordy told Dicky softly, ¡°Go on. Say goodbye to your great-grandpa.¡±


    Dicky obediently waved at n, but Cordy was too far to see if there were tears in


    n¡¯s eyes.


    John¡¯s arrest was unquestionably a big deal, so various media outlets reported on


    Levine Ventures for a long while, rooting out every affair the Levines ever had.


    That included Levine Ventures¡¯ management, which was deteriorating by the day, and


    the mysterious disappearance of Jay Parker. In fact, there were rumors spreading


    online that Jay ran away since he knew the Levines were in huge trouble, and that he


    was adopted anyway.


    Despite all sorts of rumors spreading like wildfire, the Levines never came forward to


    dismiss them.


    Instead, they finally went public to announce that they were liquidating Levine


    Ventures.


    No one could¡¯ve expected that all the crazy rumors would turn out to be true, just as


    countlessizens were left in disbelief by the official announcement.


    It had just been two months since John¡¯s arrest, but were they really not going to fight


    for their own survival? It was as if they were in pieces right after John was gone¡ªwas


    there really no one who could keep things together?


    Even so, that was just how it was.


    Once Levine Ventures announced its liquidation, every other major enterprise was


    getting in on the action.


    After all, Levine Ventures was a corporate giant that stood at the top of various fields


    and industries in North City. Anyone who acquired it would rise to the top immediately.


    Naturally, no single corporation was big enough to acquire the entirety of Levine


    Ventures on their own.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 498

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 498


    Chapter 498


    Cordy was amongst the many who submitted tenders to acquire Levine Ventures.


    She wasn¡¯t interested in the Levines¡¯ estate, but she was convinced that she needed


    to save something for Dicky.


    Who knows? A spark might be all it takes to keep a fire going.


    Moreover, she was still partners with Patrick, who was eager to acquire Levine


    Ventures too. He certainly offered her as much financial backing as she needed, and


    they often discussed which subsidiary or shares to acquire for a sessful


    acquisition.


    It was also customary for Patrick to provide her with certain insider information after


    business discussions. Though he appeared to do it out of the goodness of his heart,


    Cordy had the feeling that he simply liked to gossip like some housewives would.


    ¡°Jessica will be announcing her new engagement in a few days just then,¡± Patrick


    said.


    Cordy frowned.


    She heard before from Patrick that Jessica was quickly brought to heel by her own


    family, but this development was still way too fast!


    John still hadn¡¯t been put on trial, yet Jessica was already getting married again?


    ¡°Which family is it this time?¡± Cordy asked.


    She had asked Patrick before, and his reply before had been he didn¡¯t know until now.


    He would never keep anything from Cordy either, since it was pointless. Plus, she


    didn¡¯t have that much influence.


    ¡°The Cranstons from the capital,¡± Patrick breathed solemnly.


    Cordy¡¯s brow furrowed.


    The Cranstons were the richest family in the country, while the Stuarts were only the


    fourth even with all their wealth and influence.


    And now, they managed to catch on to the Cranstons¡¯ coattails?!


    However, that was just the Stuarts¡¯ style-with John not being an option now, they had


    to find someone better or it would be a p in their faces.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find that threatening?¡± Cordy asked Patrick.


    After all, William Stuart had been ying by the rules before, building rtions with


    politicians using his own methods while maintaining a monopoly in business. Now, he


    was directly leapfrogging by riding the coattails of another powerful family; once he


    seeded, he would easily knock money off his perch.


    ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t you notice that I¡¯ve been checking in on you less these days?¡±


    Patrick admitted.


    In fact, his side of the family had gotten flustered when they found out that Jessica


    would be marrying the third son of the Cranstons.


    ¡°Well, do you have a n?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s all cloak and dagger stuff,¡± Patrick replied, ¡®so I won¡¯t say anything for now.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t ask either, since ignorance was bliss and she didn¡¯t want to burden


    Patrick.


    ¡°By the way, John¡¯s trial is in half a month. Has he gathered evidence for his case? If


    he doesn¡¯t have anything to prove his innocence, the huge capital involved means it¡¯d


    either be 25-to-life or a life sentence.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip.


    She actually didn¡¯t visit John much, but each time she did, the feeling she got from


    him was that he would be fine.


    She did wonder before where he got such confidence, but now, her only option was toAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    believe in him.


    ¡°Well, we had two months of peace, and the nagging feeling of an impending


    bloodbath returns,¡± Patrick sighed. ¡°Fortunately, the Stuarts are keeping Jessica on a


    tight leash, or she¡¯d have harassed you by now. Her family, however, would definitely


    be worried she¡¯d lose it and in turn affect her wedding with Fred Cranston.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 499

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 499


    Chapter 499


    In fact, Cordy herself had been wary of Jessica.


    She had been rather uneasy after the two months of peace, worried that Jessica


    would strike at her out of the blue.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Patrick¡¯s take naturally afforded her some relief-she was at least safe before Jessica


    got married.


    With that, Cordy didn¡¯t drag on her conversation with Patrick. They soon hung up,


    since he was a busy man.


    Cordy hesitated for a moment in her office. Then, she headed to the detention center


    with the four bodyguards Patrick arranged for her.


    John was visibly skinnier in his prison uniform and bald haircut.


    In fact, he had been losing weight every day since he was arrested.


    Even if he was smiling every time she came to visit, it wasn¡¯t that hard to tell that he


    wasn¡¯t doing well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± he said feebly. ¡®I know I look hideous right now.¡±


    He was certainly a lot less bright and morous than when he was the scion of the


    Levines.


    Cordy averted her eyes-he wasn¡¯t hideous to her, but it hurt to see how skinny he


    was.


    She remembered that he had gastric issues, and it wasn¡¯t rpsing because he had


    been keeping himself healthy.


    He would suffer agonizing pain if he didn¡¯t.


    Didn¡¯t he regret it, knowing that he would suffer like this?


    ¡°Your grandfather¡¯s liquidating the family¡¯s estates,¡± Cordy told him.


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to my grandfather before I was arrested -sess


    draws too much attention, and liquidating the family estates is the best way to


    maintain our family¡¯s legacy. When we have nothing, nobody will care about us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a shame?¡± Cordy asked.


    Despite what he said, that was a lot of assets and a remarkable legacy. Yet, they were


    going to lose it just like that?


    ¡°Having money is enough, and we¡¯ve relished our time in the limelight.¡± John seemed


    indifferent.


    Even n wasn¡¯t this relieved that he was finally letting go.


    Perhaps since John wasn¡¯t the one who built this legacy, he wasn¡¯t hurt by the


    liquidation.


    ¡°How¡¯s your trialing along?¡± Cordy couldn¡¯t resist asking.


    ¡°It¡¯s going well,¡¯ John said. ¡°Just received the court summons on the 27th, which


    means I have twelve days.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, John,¡± Cordy said.


    Her heart skipped a beat, as she was suddenly afraid to face the oue of the trial


    because shecked confidence.


    She had no idea how confident John was, either. What if it was game over for


    everyone?


    ¡°I¡¯d never dare,¡± John said humbly.


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± John assured her. ¡°If I¡¯m really locked up for the rest of my life, I¡¯ll let


    you marry someone else.¡±


    When Cordy said nothing, he said, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. You¡¯re not married to me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll marry you if you can get out unharmed,¡± Cordy suddenly said.


    John stared numbly at her, stunned.


    His happiness came out of the blue, leaving him not quite able to react in time.


    ¡°I always keep my promises,¡± Cordy said clearly.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    There was a quiver in John¡¯s voice, perhaps out of excitement.


    ¡°By the way¡­¡± Cordy quickly changed the subject, since flirting was a little


    inappropriate given their surroundings.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Jessica¡¯s marrying Fred Cranston, the third son of the richest family in the nation.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± John raised a brow, but was otherwise uninterested.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡¯ John replied. ¡°The Stuarts need power and money to support their cause,


    and there aren¡¯t that many dynasties in the country they¡¯d be interested in. There¡¯s


    someone who would arrange to marry Jessica off, one way or another.¡±


    Cordy asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like you owe her at all?¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 500

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 500


    Chapter 500


    From the outset, it was only Jessica who was in love with John-in fact, all those


    terrible things she had done was for his sake.


    Yet, did John not feel guilty towards her current predicament at all?


    ¡°I do, but not as much as you¡¯d think,¡± John admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t pretend to ignore her


    repeated attempts to have you killed.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s serious about you-¡¯


    ¡°You matter more than I do,¡± John said determinedly.


    In other words, he was willing to take anything Jessica threw at him, not Cordy.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she got a little emotional from John¡¯s


    protectiveness.


    John in turn raised a brow and asked, ¡°What, you¡¯d rather I be nicer to her?¡±


    He was obviously scrawny now, but he still had the visage of a self- important CEO.


    Did he think he still was one? His family¡¯s estate was almostpletely sold off!


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied nheless.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Cordy shrugged. ¡°I was just checking.¡±


    John¡¯s lips curled upwards. ¡°Did you know, Cordy? You make me happy when you get


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    so petty.¡±


    Cordy thought to herself that there was something really wrong with him. Nheless,


    she didn¡¯t stay with him for that long and soon left the detention center.


    She turned moody as soon as she was out, since John only had twelve days left.


    What would happen? Would he go free, cleared of all charges?


    Cordy wasden with considerable stress and unease as the next twelve days


    passed. It wasn¡¯t the weekend either, so she had to take Dicky to school before going


    to the courthouse.


    ¡°Mommy? Is something on your mind?¡± he asked, looking up at her with his little eyes.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cordy forced a smile.


    ¡°You brought me fresh milk when I asked for yogurt, and gave me my winter uniform


    when I told you we need our spring uniform since we have an event today. You usually


    talk and smile when you drive me to school, but you look so serious today. What


    happened?¡±


    Dicky listed everything sinctly, so Cordy had to hastilye up with a reason.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I slept wellst night.¡±


    It was the truth-she hardly sleptst night, and was quite tired today.


    Naturally, she was also unusually nervous because John¡¯s trial was today.


    However, she didn¡¯t tell Dicky about that, since children shouldn¡¯t have to worry about


    the affairs of adults.


    He just had to be the carefree child he was¡­


    Nheless, Dicky suddenly asked, ¡°Is Daddy¡¯s trial today, Mommy?¡±


    Cordy did a double take-so trying to hide it from Dicky was a p to her own face?


    But how did he find out?


    Dicky seemed to read her mind, and said nonchntly, ¡°I read the news too, Mommy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just didn¡¯t want you to worry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried, Mommy. Daddy¡¯s awesome-he will be fine. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    His son was assuring her instead.


    Cordy patted his little head in turn. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t worry.¡±


    They alighted when they arrived at Dicky¡¯s school. She walked with him to the front


    gates, before he waved him goodbye.


    Cordy¡¯s vision blurred as she watched him go, and she wondered if they would be


    reunited with John after today.


    Never had she looked forward to being reunited like this.


    However, after she had Dicky, her desire for her happiness grew stronger.


    ¡®Don¡¯t disappoint me today, John Levine¡­¡¯

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 501

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 501


    Chapter 501


    After sending off Dicky, Cordy headed to the courthouse.


    Although she was used to the presence of her four bodyguards who shadowed her


    everywhere, by now, the journalists camped outside were shocked by it and were a


    little afraid to get close.


    After looking around, they quickly decided that they couldn¡¯t resist a headline, and


    started to flock around Cordy.


    The bodyguards quickly moved to shield her, so the journalists had to ask their


    questions from three feet away by shouting very loudly.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Miss Sachs? Do you have some sort of rtionship with


    John Levine? There were photos circting of you being very close to his son!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Patrick Stuart? Are you dating?¡¯


    ¡°What is your opinion of the Stuarts¡¯ direct annulment of Jessica Stuart and John


    Levine¡¯s engagement?¡±


    Cordy was already in a bad mood and had no patience for the journalists even as they


    peppered her with questions, and thus responded halfheartedly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t waste the


    public¡¯s time with my own personal affairs, so I won¡¯t borate. As for Jessica Stuart


    and John Levine¡¯s engagement, that¡¯s their business, and you shouldn¡¯t be asking


    me.¡±


    ¡°As for what I¡¯m doing here¡­¡± she paused. ¡®I¡¯m just reciprocating Mr. Levine¡¯s


    courtesy when he attended my trial before.¡±


    And with those words, she gestured for the bodyguards to escort her into the


    courthouse.


    ¡°Miss Sachs¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Sachs!¡±


    The journalists kept calling Cordy, but she ignored them; her focus was entirely on


    John¡¯s trial.


    Once she entered the courtroom, she spotted Sam and Bob from afar¡­and frowned.


    Was that Cora Levine sitting beside Bob?


    Cordy naturally recognized Cora since she had been making public appearances from


    time to time and was just starting to make her mark in showbiz, although she wasn¡¯t


    that well known.


    Still, Bob and Sam both spotted her. Sam waved at Cordy, gesturing for her to


    jointhem.


    Cordy hesitated for a while, but went anyway.


    For one, she had no reason to reject John¡¯s friends. She was positive they both knew


    that John took on those criminal charges for her sake, and that she had no reason to


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    hide.


    Moreover, they were sitting directly opposite the defendant¡¯s seat.


    As Cordy sat down, everyone including Cora greeted her. Cora appeared a little shy


    as she watched Cordy and introduced herself, ¡°Hello, Miss Sachs. I¡¯m Cora Levine.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± Cordy nodded slightly, her response a little distant.


    After all, Cordy didn¡¯t know Cora and what thetter was like. After what happened to


    Zoe, Cordy couldn¡¯t think highly of Cora.


    Cora could sense that Cordy was keeping her at arm¡¯s length too, and tactfully did not


    try to keep talking to her.


    Cordy naturally did not ce her attention on Cora, and directly asked Bob, ¡°Where¡¯s


    Zoe?¡±


    Bob¡¯s face dropped, and Cordy frowned as she obviously could tell his emotional


    turmoil.


    Was there an issue between them?


    With her woman¡¯s intuition, she could tell that things wereplicated between Bob


    and Cora despite the distance between them.


    ¡°Zoe? Why?¡± Sam butted in. ¡°She¡¯s been gone a while, hasn¡¯t she? Wait, I forgot. You


    were quite close with her, just like Quinn. Honestly, I don¡¯t get what it is about Zoe that


    draws you both to her, especially with that potty mouth of hers.¡±


    Cordy had more to say, but quickly stopped herself-it was obvious Sam wasn¡¯t aware


    that Bob and Zoe had been dating, and Bob wasn¡¯t going public about it.


    ¡°By the way, Cora here is Bob¡¯s girlfriend. Surprised?¡± Sam added.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 502

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 502


    Chapter 502


    There was a hint of teasing in Sam¡¯s tone, while Cordy¡¯s pupils dted.


    Surprised?! Aghast was more like it!


    Bob was dating Zoe, wasn¡¯t he? Why was he suddenly dating Cora?


    What was going on here?


    ¡°There¡¯s still time before the trial starts,¡± Bob told Cordy. ¡°Let¡¯s step out for a moment.


    I¡¯ll tell you in private.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy agreed to it immediately.


    Sam, however, was less thanposed at that. ¡°Hey! Why act all hush- hush? Why


    can¡¯t you talk with me around? Aren¡¯t we bros? Bob!¡±


    Bob simply ignored him and left with Cordy.


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± Sam could not help cursing and barking at Bob. ¡°Remember, Bob! Don¡¯t lust


    after your brother¡¯s wife!¡¯


    Cordy was at a loss for words-it wasn¡¯t surprising that Zoe was always so mean


    towards Sam.


    Even if parents could name their child poorly, there was some truth to name-calling!


    At the same time, Cordy and Bob stepped outside the courtroom to one of the


    walkways, where Bob cut straight to the point. ¡°Zoe and I broke up.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cordy had a hunch, but she didn¡¯t get it.


    Bob smiled faintly. ¡°She never liked me. It was always Jay for her, and she was just


    being grateful to me¡­ I had to let her go and give them my blessings.¡±


    Even though Bob seemed thoroughly wounded in contrast to his usual cheerful


    demeanor, Cordy was still doubtful. ¡°You¡¯re saying Zoe¡¯s still into Jay?¡±


    From what Cordy knew, Zoe wasn¡¯t the type who would toy with her partner in a


    rtionship-she decided to be with Bob, and would therefore have given up on all her


    hopes in Jay.


    And Jay was stitose after that ident, wasn¡¯t he?


    Did Zoe even know? Did she go to him?


    ¡°As long as she¡¯s happy,¡± Bob said dolefully. ¡°As for me¡­ Well, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re dating Cora now?¡± Cordy asked, putting aside her doubts-only


    Zoe knew the truth, and Bob might not even be privy to it.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bob nodded. ¡°My parents are really eager to have us get together, and I


    agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°Bob, rtionships aren¡¯t a game,¡± Cordy told him. ¡°Even if you¡¯ve broken up with


    Zoe, you should calm yourself first instead of starting another rtionship so hastily¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Bob said,pletely nonchnt. ¡°I¡¯m fine with anyone, now that it¡¯s


    obvious it¡¯s never going to be Zoe.¡±


    Cordy had more to say, but Bob continued somberly, ¡°That¡¯s all about Zoe and myself.


    We never went public anyway, so I hope you can keep this secret for me¡­ Just


    pretend we¡¯ve never dated.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy nodded, since there was no way she would tell anyone about that


    anyway.


    ¡°If you see Quinn, please tell her what happened on my behalf too.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯m going back inside now,¡± Bob said, turning to leave.


    Cordy watched as he left, suddenly having this feeling that Bob was incapable of


    smiling or being happy ever again.


    Turning away, she whipped out her phone to call Zoe¡¯s number.


    It had been a long time since they contacted each other. Cordy was afraid she would


    b about Jay and affect Zoe¡¯s rtionship with Bob.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    But at this very moment, she had no such concerns.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 503

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 503


    Chapter 503


    When Cordy dialed Zoe¡¯s number, her call was immediately answered by a machine


    voice.


    [The number you have dialed is not recognized. Please check if you have the correct


    number and try again.]


    Had Zoe changed her number? Did she have her old number deleted?!


    What could have been going on between her, Jay, and Bob?


    However, there was no doubt that what Bob said was true.


    Even if Cordy hadn¡¯t spoken with the man much, it was obvious that he was no liar.


    Does that mean there was some sort of misunderstanding between Zoe and Bob?


    And what was the deal with Zoe and Jay?


    Jay wasatose, while Zoe suddenly went missing¡­


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Cordy came to her senses when Quinn called out to her, suddenly having no idea


    what was going on with Zoe.


    ¡°Have you been in touch with Zoetely?¡± Cordy suddenly asked Quinn.


    Quinn paused for a moment.


    She was about to ask Cordy why she was standing in the walkway alone, and clearly


    looking flustered at that.


    Quinn did wonder if it was about John, and was surprised that Cordy would ask about


    Zoe instead.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been busytely. I asionally texted her on Whatsapp, but


    she wouldn¡¯t reply¡­ I was thinking about calling her when I¡¯m free, but work always


    came up, and I¡¯d forget all about it. What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen to her?¡±


    Quinn sounded a little nervous towards the end.


    Cordy simply told her, ¡°She broke up with Bob.¡±


    ¡°What?! She never told me!¡¯ Quinn couldn¡¯t hide her agitation. ¡°But why? I thought


    things were going great between them! Wait, was Bob messing around with other


    women? I knew it-l should¡¯ve warned Zoe to stop Bob from hanging out with Sam-¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s not Bob,* Cordy said, cutting Quinn short. ¡¯Zoe told him she was still into Jay.¡±


    Cordy certainly didn¡¯t want Quinn to me herself, especially since she considered


    Sam irredeemable.


    ¡°No way!¡¯ Quinn was even more stunned, probably because she would agree that Zoe


    wasn¡¯t someone who would do that.


    ¡°Exactly. I¡¯m convinced there¡¯s a misunderstanding between those three. But Zoe¡¯s


    gone missing, and Jay¡¯satose¡­ We have no way of getting answers now.¡¯ Cordy


    sighed. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m worried about where Zoe went.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you reach her by phone?¡±


    ¡°She deleted her number.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­she really wants to leave everything behind her,¡± Quinn concluded.


    As Cordy looked up at her, Quinn exined, ¡®She¡¯s refusing to stay connected with


    her past-even with us.¡¯


    ¡°What on earth could have happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡¯* Quinn murmured, shaking her head silently.


    ¡°Would she hurt herself?¡± Cordy eximed in fear.


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn assured her. ¡°She¡¯d never do that.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ Quinn replied. ¡¯We knew each other since children, and I remembered watching


    the news with her about a suicide incident. Back then, she told me she¡¯d never do it


    even if the world falls apart, and she¡¯d tell me if something changed. Otherwise, her


    death would be murder and that I needed to avenge her at all cost.¡±


    Quinn still remembered the childish innocence Zoe had back when she said that. The


    girl had shone brilliantly like a small sun, and waspletely devoid of darkness.


    Still, Cordy remained worried. ¡°Does she even remember something like that from her


    childhood?¡±


    ¡°She knows I¡¯d remember, so she wouldn¡¯t have forgotten,¡± Quinn said confidently.


    ¡°And did you forget? She told us that we¡¯re herst resort. She never came to us,


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    which means she could still hold her own.¡¯


    Cordy nodded-Quinn would definitely know Zoe better. Cordy hadn¡¯t known Zoe as


    long as Quinn had.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to contact Zoe anyway,¡± Quinn said. ¡¯I¡¯ll inform you if I reach her.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 504

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 504


    Chapter 504


    Quinn then said, ¡°The trial¡¯s starting soon. Let¡¯s go in.¡± ¡°Oh, right. What brings you


    here?¡± Cordy asked casually, since Quinn wasn¡¯t that close with John.


    ¡°I¡¯m just auditing, I guess.¡±


    With a start, Cordy realized she almost forgot that Quinn was awyer, and how sharp


    Quinn looked when defending Cordy in her own trial.


    They both entered the courtroom, recovering theirposure once they entered.


    After all, they were both used to staying stoic when others were around.


    As they sat down together beside Bob, Sam seemed to turn to look at Quinn for a


    moment, but ultimately said nothing.


    She didn¡¯t look his way either, staring straight ahead at the judge¡¯s bench even though


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    the judiciary panel hadn¡¯t shown up yet.


    Soon, people started to file inside. Cordy blinked when she saw John.


    He seemed to have lost even more weight since shest saw him, and now, he was


    all bones.


    Adding to his height, it looked like a strong gust would be enough to knock him off his


    feet.


    Cordy restrained herself, even though Bob and Sam were twitching in their stands,


    unable to stand how skinny John was now.


    Sam even grumbled out loud, ¡°What did they put him through? Can¡¯t the other Levines


    at least help him out?¡±


    Bob said nothing, but he was obviously feeling terrible too.


    ¡°Not with the Stuarts watching,¡± Cordy said.


    Sam nced at Cordy, but ultimately said nothing-he couldn¡¯t, when John made his


    bed.


    At the same time, John walked towards the dock.


    He looked up then, and happened to meet Gordy¡¯s eyes.


    Tears started to well in her eyes, but John simply curled his lips up in a grin, offering


    assurance.


    ¡°He can still smile in this situation, huh?¡± Sam shook his head disapprovingly.


    Probably feeling that he was talking too much, Quinn turned to tell him and


    admonished, ¡°Be quiet. You¡¯re in a courtroom.¡±


    Sam rolled his eyes, but he actually kept quiet as the trial began.


    Everyone rose to their feet as the presiding judge. Judge Rackham, entered the


    courtroom, while a bailiff read the court proceedings.


    With that, the trial began with the prosecutor describing the circumstances of the


    case.


    Everyone was soon surprised to find that the leading prosecutor was Sean Cranstonthe eldest son of


    the richest family in the nation and also the brother of Fred Cranston,


    Jessica Stuart¡¯s fiance.


    He was also the nation¡¯s best legal counsel¡ªbar none, having gone undefeated in


    any of the cases he took on.


    And yet, this was the first time in his career he appeared in court as a prosecutor,


    leaving the crowd gasping and restless.


    Cordy was naturally nervous, since Sean taking the case personally waspletely


    unfair to John.


    Moreover, it was likely that the Cranstons were out to hurt John for Jessica¡¯s sake!


    Does the connection not cause suspicion at all?

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 505

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 505


    Chapter 505


    Beside her, Quinn seemed to notice Cordy getting nervous, and said, ¡°Calm down.


    The prosecutors only present the evidence and witness statements in the case, and


    they couldn¡¯t personally affect the verdict. That¡¯s why they¡¯re fundamentally different


    from counsels, who¡¯d do their best to get an advantageous oue for their clients.


    Prosecutors have to stick to facts.¡±


    But what if the prosecutor went against that rule?


    ¡°We¡¯d have to wait and see,¡± Quinn whispered quietly into Gordy¡¯s ear. ¡°We can ask


    for a change if there¡¯s proof of prejudice involved in the trial. It¡¯s easy to stir


    controversy since the public is really interested in this case, too. II


    Cordy nodded.


    Right now, they had to watch quietly as everything unfolded.


    Still, Cordy couldn¡¯t resist ncing at John.


    John had to know who Sean was, since Sean often made the front page in various


    media. If Cordy recognized Sean, John would too¡ªin fact, they might have even


    rubbed shoulders.


    Even so, John wasn¡¯t reacting at all and showed not a hint of nervousness.


    Cordy took a deep breath to calm herself.


    Sean rose to his feet.


    With this towering figure and handsome looks, he had the appearance of someone


    sharp yet polite.


    Walking to the center, he began with a summary of the case. ¡°On the thirteenth of


    February, the prosecution received a tip of the defendant¡¯s criminal conspiracy with


    suspects Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson. The defendant is used of using


    Levine Ventures as a tform from 2018 to 2021 to consolidate superiority in capital


    and information flow, after which he worked with the suspects in securities and futures


    trading.¡±


    ¡°By trading thosemodities amongst themselves, they manipted trade volume


    and market pricing, thus generating a false picture of the market. 83 investors were


    hence unknowingly deceived into purchasing their securities and futures, generating


    an illegal profit of over 1.9 billion dors. At the same time, they had been assisting


    Kersen¡ªan international criminal organization¡ªwith their moneyundering efforts,


    which generated over 1.1 billion dors in illegal revenue. That brings the defendant¡¯s


    criminal revenue to a total of over three billion dors.¡±


    ¡°On the fourteenth of February, the policemissioner of Rocktown received the


    warrant for the defendant¡¯s arrest from the federal court, and thus detained the


    defendant while adhering to the legal procedures. With the evidence of criminal


    wrongdoing clear, the prosecution hereby requests the approval of prosecutorial


    proceedings.¡±


    Judge Rackham nodded. ¡°Granted. The prosecution may hence submit any testifying


    witnesses or evidence against the defendant.¡±


    Sean passed a document folder to a bailiff. While the bailiff passed it respectfully to


    Judge Rackham, Sean said, ¡®Permission to bring in the victims and the material


    witness to testify.¡±


    ¡°Permission granted.¡±


    A middle-aged man was escorted into the courtroom. The instant he saw John, he


    snapped, ¡°John Levine! I¡¯ll kill you! You¡¯re the reason I lost my family, my everything-¡¯


    ¡°Order in the court!¡± Judge Rackham barked, banging his gravel resoundingly. ¡°Watch


    your behavior, witness, or you will be removed for contempt!¡±


    The man gritted his teeth, but forced himself to calm down.


    Sean calmly asked the man in turn, ¡°Would you please state your name for the


    record?¡±


    ¡°Fabian Locke,¡± he replied grumpily.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the defendant?¡±


    ¡°We were partners, but we¡¯re now enemies!¡± Fabian Locke snarled viciously. ¡¯He


    conned me into staking all my wealth into making some risky investments, and I lost


    over 300 million dors because of him!¡±


    ¡°Are you certain he asked you to make the investment? Do you have any evidence to


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    that effect?¡±


    ¡°Our chat records,¡± Fabian said, whipping out his phone.


    Sean submitted copies of the conversation records to the judges, and didn¡¯t waste


    another word as he quickly said, ¡°Thank you for your testimony, Mr. Locke. Your


    honor, the prosecution requests permission to bring suspects Wade Jonas and Hunter


    Stevenson to the witness stand.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 506

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 506


    Chapter 506


    Judge Rackham replied, ¡°Permission granted.¡±


    After both suspects were brought in and seated at the witness¡¯ stand, Sean


    immediately asked, ¡°Mr. Jonas. What was your rtionship with the defendant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve worked directly under the defendant in Levine Ventures¡¯ foreign branch, in the


    capacity of sales manager.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Mr. Stevenson?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the head of PR for Levine Ventures¡¯ foreign branch, working directly under the


    defendant as well.¡±


    Sean then asked, ¡°While you were both still working in said posts, has the defendant


    coerced either of you into illegal activities, such as manipting futures and


    securities, or aiding criminal organizations with moneyundering efforts?¡±


    ¡°Objection!¡± Toby Yorkman, the defense counsel, sprang to his feet, sounding


    agitated. ¡°The prosecutor is leading the witness to make a questionable assertion.¡±


    ¡°Objection sustained. Please watch your phrasing, Mr. Cranston,¡± Judge Rackham


    snapped sternly.


    ¡°Yes, Your Honor,¡± Sean replied respectfully.


    While he wasn¡¯t behaving like he was above the rest in court, he simply changed his


    question¡¯s wording. ¡°Has either of you been involved in moneyundering or market


    maniption while working for Levine Ventures¡¯ foreign branch?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± both of them confessed to it consecutively, holding nothing back.


    ¡°How much was the total sum of illegal revenue obtained?¡±


    ¡°3 billion dors,¡± both men replied, one after another.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Sean told them, and turned towards Judge Rackham. ¡°This concludes


    the prosecution¡¯s presentation of evidence.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cranston. You may return to your seat,¡± Judge Rackham told Sean.


    ¡°What does the defendant plead?¡±


    Toby rose to his feet, and spoke with righteous conviction, ¡°Your Honor, my defendant


    pleads not guilty.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The courtroom became restless at Toby¡¯s assertion.


    Someone could be heard eximing, ¡°Is he crazy? Pleading not-guilty for a clear-cut


    case like this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s weirdness every year, but more so this year.¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that John Levine wants to repeat Cordy Sachs¡¯ feat? That does beg the


    question-is he really innocent?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d just make his sentencing worse if his defense doesn¡¯t hold sway.¡±


    Judge Rackham glowered at the restless crowd. ¡°Order!¡±


    Meanwhile, Cordy was still on the edge of her seat, unable to say a word despite


    hearing the crowd¡¯s endless discussion about the trial.


    Just then, Toby dered sinctly, ¡°My witness maintains that he hasn¡¯t been


    involved in market maniption or moneyundering. He is also making the case that


    Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson had been using his authority to conduct said


    illegal activities without his knowledge.¡±


    ¡°The judge panel acknowledges the defendant¡¯s plea. You may now present the


    evidence supporting your im,¡± Judge Rackham said.


    ¡°First and foremost, the 3 billion dors¡¯ worth of illegal revenue hasn¡¯t been found in


    any of my client¡¯s ounts,¡± Toby said. ¡°He would definitely be given a cut if he was a


    part of this, but following auditing and investigation efforts thus far, every cent in all my


    clients¡¯ personal ountants were legal revenue, despite the amount surpassing the


    pertained 3 billion dors. I can also provide ledgers to prove my client¡¯s revenue for


    the fiscal year of 2018 to 2021 is as stipted.¡±


    ¡°In addition, I have ledgers of Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson¡¯s respective


    ounts. It is not difficult to uncover that they have multiple undetermined sources of


    ie from the fiscal year of 2018 to 2021, amounting up to 100 million dors.¡±


    ¡°Last but not least, I have a voice recording that may prove vital in maintaining my


    client¡¯s innocence. If I have your permission, Your Honor, I shall y it for the record.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 507

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 507


    Chapter 507


    The voice recording was yed, and the entire courtroom listeend.


    A middle-aged man¡¯s deep voice rang first. ¡°Using John Levine¡¯s authority for market


    maniption? He¡¯ll kill me if he finds out!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-he¡¯ll never find out,¡¯ another man¡¯s voice replied, clearly younger and


    moreposed.


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to get paid?¡± the younger man asked threateningly.


    ¡°Mr. Levine pays us plenty. And I¡¯m not that ambitious,¡± the middle-aged man refused


    again.


    ¡°Really? What if someone finds this?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The younger man appeared to be showing the middle-aged man another recordingeveryone in the


    courtroom could hear erotic moaning, and it was obvious what it was.


    The middle-aged man sounded flustered. ¡°W-Where did you get that?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡¯ the younger man told him, ¡°but I do wonder if you could stay in


    Levine Ventures if you¡¯re found messing around with women. I¡¯ve also heard about


    your mother¡¯s cancer, and being treated aboard was costing you several grand each


    month-¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± the middle-aged man gave in immediately. ¡°What do I do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. We¡¯ve already made a dummy ount under John¡¯s name, and you just


    have to make contact with some investors who¡¯ve been working closely with him and


    im that you¡¯re working as his


    representative. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d know who amongst these partners are worth your time


    or not.¡±


    ¡°But once they realize they¡¯re swindled, they¡¯ll definitely take it up with Mr. Levine,¡± the


    middle-aged man said in concern.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Once they pay up, I have all the ways I need to


    silence them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same case with you,¡¯ the younger man added confidently.¡± I mean,


    would you dare to reject me now?¡¯


    ¡°¡­Fair enough,¡¯ the middle-aged man agreed to the conspiracy.


    The recording ended there.


    Once again, the courtroom became rowdy as everyone started to discuss the veracity


    of the recording. There was no telling who the people in the recording were.


    It was obvious that both men were prudent, avoiding mentioning each other¡¯s name


    throughout their conversation.


    Standing before the judges, Toby said, ¡°It¡¯s evident from the recording that my client is


    a victim of identity fraud, to which he had knowledge of.


    Moreover, I¡¯m sure Your Honor could identify that one of the men in that recording is


    Wade Jonas, who¡¯s right here in this courtroom.¡±


    In fact, Wade¡¯s face had dropped the instant that recording started ying. His face


    paled when Toby mentioned him by name.


    His lips were shuddering, and he kept stammering without saying anything coherent,


    clearly terrified.


    Still, he worked hard to keep himself calm and cry out, ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not me! I never


    had my voice recorded! I don¡¯t know where it came from! I¡¯m being framed!¡±


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Sean said, rising in his seat. ¡°After examining the evidence that the


    defendant produced, I found several inconsistencies. Firstly, while John Levine¡¯s


    ounts and revenue are clean, we cannot dismiss the possibility that he wired the


    illegal revenue to other individuals, such as his family or a third-party¡¯s ount. We


    cannot determine if he did not profit illegally from his personal ounts alone.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson¡¯s testimonies already confessed their


    involvement. Their usations are effective as evidence against the defendant.¡±


    ¡°Thirdly, while I have listened to the recording the defense counsel had provided,


    there is no definitive evidence that one of the voices is Wade Jonas. Moreover, it is


    conveniently easy to fabricate a recording with any man¡¯s voice. Even if it wasn¡¯t,


    Wade Jonas may have been under duress when the recording was made.¡±


    ¡°In summary, I assert that the evidence the defendant provided is inconsistent as


    evidence in a court ofw.¡±


    Sean certainly voiced his argument with logic and reason.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 508

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 508


    Chapter 508


    The courtroom was once again restless, while Cordy was clenching her knuckles.


    She knew Sean didn¡¯t take this case as a run-of-the mill prosecutor.


    He came without caring if he would arouse suspicion, and there was no doubt that the


    Stuarts put him up to it.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Quinn whispered into Cordy¡¯s ear, sensing her nervousness.¡± The


    evidence John provided so far isn¡¯t enough to maintain his innocence, anyway. Sean


    was just telling it as he is, and if I were in his shoes, I¡¯d make the same rebuttals as


    well. He¡¯s not being biased yet.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip in restraint while Quinn continued, ¡°Moreover, if John is really


    innocent, the best solution is to clear himself of all charges, to avoid any unnecessary


    issues in the future.¡±


    Cordy nodded in silence.


    She understood that Quinn was right, but she was losing her cool because John was


    really at a disadvantage at the moment.


    She had no idea if she could ept an unfavorable verdict either, as the dam she


    kept over her emotions was slowly crumbling.


    To be precise, her wariness against John had been fading since she learned that he


    was arrested. Any resolve, calmness andposure since were all feigned.


    She wanted him to be freed, so, so much¡­ They could begin again when he returned,


    and she would make up for everything she owed him.


    For everytime she pushed him away for her own sake, ignoring everything that had


    been so obvious from the start¡­


    At the same time, the courtroom was turning silent as Judge Rackham looked ready


    to speak, but Toby beat him to it.


    He was certainly left stumped by Sean¡¯s rebuttal, and more or less made a fool of


    himself.


    But at that very moment, he seemed to be reinvigorated as he spoke again.


    ¡°While my client¡¯s personal ounts are certainly not evidence enough that the illegal


    revenue has not been siphoned into ounts affiliated to him, I have a ledger giving a


    detailed picture of where that money went.¡±


    Everyone looked on in shock as Toby whipped out a stack of papers.


    Did that mean the defendant¡¯s side had solid evidence, that there definitely were


    people trying to incriminate John Levine, and they even knew who it was?!


    ¡°Aside from the revenue wired to Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson¡¯s personal


    ounts, the rest of the capital had been divided and wired into twenty separate


    ounts. Said ounts belong to different individuals andpanies, as listed in


    this ledger. Your Honor, you may verify it yourself.¡±


    As Toby respectfully handed it to Judge Rackham, thetter said sternly,¡± Evidence


    not submitted before the trial can be declined.¡±


    It was obvious that what Toby was holding was the real bombshell that would shed


    light on this case. However, it was also only appropriate to submit it ahead of the trial


    if it was decisive enough to reverse the course of the trial itself.


    ording to legal procedure, the presiding judge holds the right to decline any


    evidence submitted during the trial. If the defendant did not manage to submit the


    evidence in time for the trial, the judge may choose to adjourn the trial and reconvene


    <pter.N?velDrama.Org ? content.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 509

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 509


    Chapter 509


    Be that as it may, Judge Rackham¡¯s words left the courtroom in a stalemate.


    He had the highest authority here, and if he said he rejected the evidence, the


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    evidence would be rejected.


    And yet, everyone knew that at this very moment, the ledgers Toby wanted to submit


    carried the ultimate truth to the whole matter.


    In fact, everyone¡¯s hearts that were racing a moment ago screeched to a stop right


    then.


    After all, no one could take something like this.


    Someone snapped out loud, ¡°Why is reasonable evidence being rejected?! Does the


    judge have problems facing reality?¡±


    ¡°Order!¡± Judge Rackham bellowed, glowering. ¡°I will have order in this courtroom!¡±


    Right after he spoke, a bailiff approached the person who just spoke out and escorted


    him out of the court.


    Naturally, no one else would dare to make a sound at that point.


    However, just as Judge Rackham was ready to bang his gavel and give his verdict, a


    voice spoke resoundingly, ¡°Your Honor.¡±


    It was Sean, and he certainly caught everyone by surprise as he continued,¡± Please


    ept the evidence submitted by the defense counsel and continue the trial. The


    prosecution has a duty to uncover the truth.¡±


    His tone was respectful, but there was an edge in his voice that permitted no refusal.


    Sean¡¯s status already outranked most, since the Cranstons were a family of politicians


    who were famous in the capital. In fact, the most well-known politicians in the country


    would be more or less connected to them, and the likes of Judge Rackham would


    never dare to challenge him.


    Despite Sean¡¯s determined tone, however, Judge Rackham was still a little hesitant


    since the Stuarts paid him a little personal visit earlier, asking that he adjourn John


    Levine¡¯s trial and reconver if things looked bad.


    But if he had to choose between the Cranstons and the Stuarts, the only option was to


    offend the Stuarts. Moreover, those two families were very cordial these days, and


    Sean was the one who asked that the trial continue anyway. If the Stuarts had a bone


    to pick, they can take it up with Sean.


    With that in mind, Judge Rackham said, ¡°The court recognizes the new evidence


    submitted by the defense counsel.¡±


    Cordy breathed a sigh of relief in her seat.


    She was genuinely surprised Sean would make such a request, which undoubtedly


    helped John¡¯s case.


    Was the man such an embodiment of justice, or he did not care at all that he was


    hurting the Stuarts¡¯ cause?


    Cordy turned to nce at Quinn, who was awyer and had better insight of


    everything that was happening in the trial.


    Quinn gave Cordy a nod, telling her that Sean was really that just and unbiased.


    At the same time, the trial continued with Toby handing copies of the ledgers in


    question to Judge Rackham and the prosecution.


    Everyone studied the ledgers solemnly, checking the record and timing of every wire


    transfer¡ªlogically, there was no issue in applying it as evidence.


    Sean was soon done reading as well, and asked, ¡®I have a question, Mr. Yorkman.


    While you¡¯ve highlighted the existence of those ounts where the illegal revenue


    was wired, how can you prove that they¡¯re not connected to the defendant?¡±


    The man was certainly quick when it came to jumping straight into the heart of the


    matter.


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    Toby deliberately trailed off just then, as he whipped out yet another document-further


    evidence he prepared.


    Then, facing Sean straight-on, Toby said ever so sinctly, ¡°Because those ounts


    were affiliated to Stuart Holdings.¡±


    In contrast to the earlier uproar, the court was left in utter silence once Toby finished.


    John Levine was the defendant here. How did Stuart Holdings suddenly get dragged


    into this?


    It was assuredly a bombshell of a reversal!


    Sean, however, remained calm as ever. ¡°What¡¯s the evidence to support your im?¡±


    Once again, Toby handed the documents he was carrying to Judge Rackham and the


    prosecution.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 510

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 510


    Chapter 510


    As Judge Rackham and the prosecutor read the documents solemnly, the spectators


    all held their breaths nervously.


    Cordy¡¯s heart could leap out of her throat at this moment-even she was taken by


    surprise by the sudden reversal.


    All she knew was that John was innocent. She had no idea that the Stuarts were the


    ones whomitted the crime in the first ce!


    She suddenly remembered that time when she visited John at the detention centerhow he smiled


    confidently and told her that the Stuarts wouldn¡¯t have the strength to


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    retaliate.


    So, this was it.


    It turns out that he had been staying with the Stuarts all this time¡­because he was


    gathering evidence of their crimes.


    And she had misunderstood his intentions all this while!


    Cordy turned her eyes to Sean, unable to think about anything else.


    Right now, what she worried about was whether Sean would allow this trial to continue


    once it became clear the Stuarts were involved.


    Sean may have been unbiased before, but that was because the Stuarts were not


    involved.


    The situation is clearly different now, and Cordy even caught Judge Rackham sliding


    nces at Sean more than once, as if waiting for his decision.


    Would the trial continue?


    Nheless, the silence continued for over five minutes until Sean finally confirmed


    the veracity of the evidence, and turned towards Toby. ¡°The evidence that the defense


    counsel provided does indicate affiliations between those ounts and Stuart


    Holdings. However, the fact that Stuart Holdings would pin the crime on John Levine


    when they had not been implicated in any way makes the logic debatable.¡±


    While Sean didn¡¯t fully acknowledge the evidence produced by the defendant, it was


    obvious he had no intention of ending the trial.


    Judge Rackham understood that, and therefore did not call for an adjournment.


    ¡°There was another man speaking in the recording that was yed just now,¡± Toby


    reminded Sean.


    Sean immediately retorted, ¡°Unfortunately, the identity of the other man


    notwithstanding, I must reiterate that the recording is too controversial and does not


    hold sway as court evidence.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I would like permission to prove the veracity of the recording. Your


    Honor?¡±


    Though Toby was speaking to Judge Rackham, Judge Rackham was ncing at


    Sean instead.


    Seeing a nod from the man, Judge Rackham said, ¡°Permission granted.¡±


    Toby yed a video, projecting it at therge screen in the courtroom.


    It was short, but the video quality was high and it waspletely uncensored, baring


    the scandalous scene for all to see and leaving every spectator in the courtroom


    gasping.


    The voices in the video were identical with the voice recording just now as well, which


    was sufficient proof that the other man had leverage against Wade Jonas, and


    sumbed to his threats.


    However¡­


    ¡°That is still too questionable to be eptable as evidence,¡± Sean said, once again


    hitting the nail on the head. ¡°You could have gotten the video, and inserted the


    recording after the fact. It still does not verify the recording¡¯s veracity entirely.¡±


    Everyone in the courtroom was impressed by Sean¡¯s keen insight


    At this point, most people would be swept along by logical facies and jump straight


    to conclusions instead of resisting it and considering the issue with cool rationality.


    There was a reason the man was the best legal counsel, bar none.


    ¡°In that case, if I can prove that usingpromising videos for ckmail is the modus


    operandi of Stuart Holdings, would my recording hold sway?¡± Toby asked Sean in


    turn.


    Sean wasn¡¯t about to fall for Toby¡¯s ploy, however. ¡°That depends entirely on the


    evidence itself¡ªif it is solid.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cranston,¡± Toby said, and turned towards Judge Rakcham. ¡°Your


    Honor, with your permission, I would like to cross-examine one of the alleged victims,


    Fabian Locke.¡±


    ¡°Granted,¡± Judge Rackham agreed to it immediately-he certainly was no pushover,


    not after he climbed the hierarchy to reach where he was today.


    Since Sean was going this far, it was obvious he wouldn¡¯t stop until this trial ended


    here and today.


    And all Judge Rackham could do was y along.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 511

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 511


    Chapter 511


    After Fabian was brought back to the courtroom, Toby stood before him and asked,


    ¡°Mr. Locke, the ledgers I was provided suggest that you were bankrupted under my


    client¡¯s maniption by December 2020. Why would you onlye forward to testify


    against my client after so long?¡±


    Fabian scowled right then, as if there was something stopping him from talking.


    ¡°May I remind you that you are in a courtroom, Mr. Locke?¡± Toby said sternly. ¡°You are


    under oath to tell the truth.¡±


    Fabian inhaled, as if preparing to spill everything right then.


    ¡°I had no choice-John Levine threatened me with my son¡¯s future just after he passed


    the exams and earned a ce in a prestigious university in Astonia!¡± Fabian sounded


    more frustrated the more he spoke. ¡°He¡¯s my only son, and he¡¯s always been the pride


    of our family. John told me that if


    I sued, my son won¡¯t be able to graduate. He even gloated that I¡¯m never getting back


    my money, and that I should just learn to cope with my loss!¡±


    ¡°Then why did youe forward?¡± Toby asked.


    ¡°Because my son was expelled-yes, it has nothing to do with John Levine, but even if


    I am no longer threatened now, being swindled like that and not being able to tell


    anyone doesn¡¯t sit well with me! That¡¯s why when I heard they were looking for


    witnesses to testify against him, I decided to do it. I¡¯m telling you, John Levine is a


    cunning man, cheating us of our money while stopping us from resisting! So many


    people are afraid to speak up because he has leverage against them!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any evidence to prove John Levine¡¯s crime?¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Fabian whipped out his phone. ¡°You can listen to the voice recording he sent


    on WhatsApp.¡±


    Toby took the phone and yed the voice recording, and everything was just as


    Fabian had described it¡­ although there was a significant issue.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone noticed it, but the voice of the person speaking to Mr. Locke is


    different from my client¡ªit indicates the usage of a voice changer. It


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Of course he would change his voice! He¡¯s careful enough to not leave evidence!¡±


    Fabian huffed indignantly.


    While Fabian was sharp enough to notice that, he did not suspect that the voice was


    not John¡¯s-the culprit was smart enough to anticipate that too.


    Toby did not argue with Fabian either and provided his own evidence.


    ¡°Here¡¯s a software that can restore the original voice,¡± he said and yed the restored


    voice recording.


    The voice was identical to the voice of the man speaking to Wade before, leaving the


    courtroom restless.


    ¡°We can also provide official certification to prove the veracity of the software, that this


    was no mere fabrication,¡± Toby said as he submitted the certification. ¡°We had also


    used legal hacking technology to ess Wade Jonas¡¯ cellphone, which contains full


    logs of the dummy ount registered under my client¡¯s name, and here¡¯s the video


    evidence.¡±


    Toby then yed a video of the hacking process, and it clearly showed that the


    dummy ount with John¡¯s name had a fabricated IP that would trick others into


    believing it belonged to John. It had been bound to Wade¡¯s phone as well, and there


    were plenty of logs of his contact with many victims.


    The longer the trial went on, the more the truth was surfacing.


    Everyone was fully focused, worried about missing anything exciting just then.


    ¡°In summary, with the evidence of the restoration of the voice recording, Wade had


    made a deal where he conspired against my client, impersonating him as he


    who had coerced him into this is James Stuart, the heir to Stuart Holdings.¡±


    However, Sean once again presented a rebuttal. ¡°The defense counsel had certainly


    provided sufficient evidence that, logically speaking, is sufficient in building a case.


    However, there are still inconsistencies, and it still doesn¡¯t clear the defendant of any


    wrongdoing. In fact, this may entirely be staged by the defendant, nor is there enough


    evidence to implicate the Stuarts-one could even say that it is mere spection.¡±


    Toby merely nodded at him and said, ¡°Thank you for your input, Mr.


    Cranston, but I¡¯m now going to y two videos that would help my case. It might not


    have a direct connection to this trial, but it would definitely help as a spective


    evidence.¡±


    Judge Rackham once again gave his approval.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 512

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 512


    Chapter 512


    Toby yed two videos.


    The first showed a conversation between Jessica and Noel.


    ¡°Tonight¡¯s target is this man,¡± Jessica was saying. ¡°Here¡¯s a dossier on his


    preferences, so study it and satisfy him.¡±


    She appeared indifferent as she handed Noel a document sheet, as if it was only


    natural.


    Noel took it reluctantly, and her face fell after she read the contents.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jessica assured her just then. ¡°My people will be watching.


    They won¡¯t let you really be hurt-just y along until then.¡±


    ¡°Your people are watching?¡± Noel eximed, clearly finding that uneptable.


    ¡°How else would I get a video for ckmail?¡±


    It was clear that Jessica did not want to waste her breath with Noel-when Noel tried to


    speak further, Jessica told her, ¡°Don¡¯t forget who made you board chairman of Sachs


    Enterprises. You are in no position to negotiate.¡±


    Noel naturally had no choice but to ept the arrangement, and the video ended.


    Toby then yed the second video, which showed a conversation between Jessica


    and James.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the video you wanted,¡± Jessica told James.


    ¡°You really never make mistakes, don¡¯t you?¡± James praised her then and inserted the


    USB sh drive into hisptop,menting with contempt as he watched the video,


    ¡°Good. This leverage would be enough to keep him in line.¡±


    ¡°Vain women like her are the easiest to control,¡± Jessica said with disdain.¡± But can¡¯t


    you get more normal people for your business dealings next time? H


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can¡¯t ckmail a man without vices.¡± James shrugged nonchntly.


    Jessica said nothing to that, and the video ended with that.


    The court was once again left in an uproar.


    The Stuarts and Noel were public figures, but to think that they were such sinister


    characters who were up to such heinous acts in private!


    And Noel¡­ to think that she would cheapen herself like that!


    Toby spoke again then. ¡°Like I have mentioned, these videos may not be directly


    connected to this trial, it is proof that the real culprits had been using their victims¡¯ dirt


    against them, keeping them in line and preventing any resistance. It even appears


    that the Stuarts are so used to it they have be incredibly efficient with this


    method.¡±


    Sean did not argue that, while Toby continued with a slight thrill then, ¡°And now, I shall


    present thest piece of vital evidence that would clear my client¡¯s name!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 513

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 513


    Chapter 513


    Here came the real bombshell!


    Everyone in the courtroom held their breaths as Toby yed the third video, which


    showed James alone making a phone call.


    ¡°I heard through the grapevine that the authorities received an anonymous tip on John


    Levine¡¯s market maniption and moneyundering. I don¡¯t know who it was, but I¡¯m


    sure they¡¯ll reach you soon enough, so listen clearly to what I¡¯m about to say and ry


    it to Hunter as well.¡±


    ¡°You and Hunter are both to plead guilty right away and use John Levine of being


    the mastermind. The evidence we have would incriminate him, and he¡¯d never weasel


    his way out of this, not to mention I¡¯ll also pull some strings with the court. Just do


    what I tell you to, and do not expose yourself at all costs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªyour prison sentences would be ten years at best, and I have ways to


    lighten your sentence. You would also be rewarded handsomely, not to mention that


    I¡¯ll be taking good care of your families,¡± James added, though thest part was an


    obvious threat.


    ¡°Last but not least, I must remind you that you must never mention me or any member


    of my family. Plead the fifth if there are questions you¡¯re not sure about. Once the dust


    settles, your rewards will be waiting.¡¯


    The high-definition video was certainly solid evidence, as everyone could see that


    James was calling Wade¡¯s number on his phone screen.


    There was no name either-just the number.


    It was the strongest evidence the defense had, and Tobias did not ask for a verdict


    immediately after presenting it.


    He presented more evidence, including another hacking of Wade¡¯s phone to ess a


    recording of that conversation, proving that the conversation between James and


    Wade had indeed taken ce, proving that they conspired with each other.


    And with that done, Toby turned toward John just then.


    John had never said a word or reacted in any way, staying calm and silent whether his


    defense had the advantage or otherwise.


    Before Toby could speak, however, Sean beat him to it. ¡®Permission to cross-examine


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    the defendant, Your Honor.¡±


    ¡°Granted.¡± Judge Rackham agreed to it immediately.


    Sean left his table and strode up to John, while Toby tactfully took a step back.


    ¡°There are many issues in this trial that need clear-cut answers, Mr. Levine.¡± ¡°Of


    course,¡¯ John replied.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 514

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 514


    Chapter 514


    John¡¯s voice was a little quiet, but he showed no weakness as he stood upright.


    Sean¡¯s gaze was in turn sharp. ¡°I would like to question you regarding your


    involvement in this case. From any instance between 2018 to 2021, did you already


    notice Wade Jonas and Hunter Stevenson conspiring against you? Did you know and


    allowed it to happen without any response? You had close ties with the Stuarts, after


    all.¡±


    Cordy became tense at that.


    Sean was clearly leading John on to a trap, and John would be charged with


    misprision if he admitted to it!


    That line of questioning was simply inappropriate, but Toby did not raise an objection


    against Sean¡¯s leading.


    He simply stood at his corner, appearing calm.


    In reality, Toby simply trusted John-even if everyone else was worried that Sean would


    lure John into incriminating himself, Toby knew John would not fall for it.


    Moreover, John was able to provide him with so much concrete evidence and at a


    standard that Toby thought impossible in his twenty years working as awyer. John¡¯s


    mind was certainly sharp enough that no one would be able to pull the wool over his


    eyes.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I had no idea,¡± John said, before slowly sensing. ¡°To be precise, I had sensed


    something afoot a month before I returned to the country.


    Obviously, they were slowing down at the time, since there were fewer people they


    could con with the same tricks by then.¡±


    ¡°To my knowledge, you returned to the country earlier this year. Why did you not


    report this crime? Were you refraining from reporting it because of your connections to


    the Stuarts?¡± Sean was once again osting John.


    ¡°No. I did not know at the time that the Stuarts were connected, and I would not have


    any reason to hide their crimes since I would not benefit from it. In fact, I had reason


    to act as my career and reputation were on the line. However, I also understand Wade


    Jonas and Hunter Stevenson enough to know that they were not this bold, let alone so


    influential, to keep their victims in line even after swindling them. The only reason for


    that would be that they have powerful backing.¡±


    Sean nodded, acknowledging the logic and not using John of trying to shirk


    responsibility.


    ¡°That is why Iunched a ndestine investigation to avoid attention. I¡¯m sure you


    understand that when ites to people in power, they would swiftly move to cover


    up any connection and evidence against them once they are alerted of potential


    threats. At that point, uncovering the truth would be a pipe dream-1 therefore had to


    be discreet so that I would not be made a scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°That would be the appropriate decision.¡± Sean nodded, giving his acknowledgement


    yet again.


    ¡°As such, I started monitoring Wade and Hunter, observing their every move while


    making a list of victims, and I found the money trail, which eventually led me to the


    Stuarts. I was as skeptical as anyone, because I had a close rtionship with themaside from my


    engagement with Jessica Stuart, my own grandfather had been a


    Stuart¡¯s during the war. It almost seemed unreal that they were actually involved in


    such heinous crimes, and to make things worse, they were prepared to make me their


    scapegoat.¡±


    ¡°For a moment, I had believed that they regarded me with importance and


    appreciated me as a person, not to mention that our families shared a close


    friendship.


    John¡¯s words could not have held more contempt toward the Stuarts¡¯ behavior.


    They dressed their dynasty with such splendor and portrayed themselves as


    phnthropists, but were in secret such sinister characters.


    John then continued, ¡°After learning that the Stuarts were involved, I had to be even


    more careful with my investigation, in fear that I would arouse suspicion. It took me


    three months to earn theirplete trust, so that they allowed me to stay at Rocktown


    with them, even helping with management of Stuart Holdings. My post allowed me


    better ess to ledgers of ie from unknown sources, as well as to install


    equipment to monitor their every move. It seemed that they remained wary of me,


    however, and I only had ess to James and Jessica Stuart. I did not have the ability


    to reach William Stuart-the lynchpin of their family.¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 515

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 515


    Chapter 515


    Sean nodded in acknowledgment again. ¡°Doing whatever you could in that situation


    was indeed your best option.¡¯


    John nodded.


    ¡°Fortunately, just keeping an eye on Jessica and James alone was enough to cover


    the truth,¡± he said, and started to connect the dots. ¡°The first recording of Wade Jonas


    and James mywyer had shown was actually obtained by having a hacker essing


    Wade¡¯s phone, after which I singled out James as my target. There, I found the fake


    IP and dummy ount he had under my name, and extracted the list of victims, after


    which I found the money trail through their bank ount notifications on their phone


    and found the money. Lastly, I used my connection to the Stuarts to find the video


    evidence I needed.¡±


    After that, he admitted, ¡°When all of that was done, I anonymously reported the


    crime.¡±


    The courtroom was once again left in an uproar once he said that.


    This had to be a first case of its kind, and would definitely make the history books


    especially since it was a sessful case!


    ¡°Order!¡± Judge Rackham banged his gavel, demanding silence.


    Sean in turn asked John again, ¡°You were the anonymous tip?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± John replied. ¡°Once I had gathered all the evidence needed, I reported it to the


    prosecutor¡¯s office.¡±


    ¡°But why would you report the crime on yourself?¡¯ Sean pressed. ¡®When you have


    definitive proof that none of this has anything to do with yourself? N


    ¡°Because that¡¯s the only way to make them lower their guard before the truth can be


    revealed,¡± John exined. ¡®I was concerned that there would be a cover-up as soon


    as I submitted all the evidence that was presented earlier instead of showing it in a


    courtroom, to the public. This was the only way for me to protect myself while bringing


    the true culprits to justice.¡±


    At those words, the whole courtroom apuded John to no end, acknowledging his


    wit.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    One could imagine how much influence the Stuartsmand, given the boldness of


    their crimes. Not only would John fail to achieve anything if he submitted the evidence


    to court before his trial, but they might even silence him-the only way to deceive them


    was for John to scapegoat himself.


    His wisdom was certainly awe-inspiring.


    ¡°There is no question that what the defendant has done achieved the best oue


    imaginable. However, his private investigation had also vited multiplews, which is


    impermissible under thews of our nations.¡±


    Sean spoke loudly and clearly, once again causing the atmosphere to stiffen.


    As everyone turned toward him, he continued, ¡°Invasion of personal privacy and


    installing illegal security equipment¡­ you would have to face thew¡¯s judgment for all


    those vitions.¡±


    ¡°Objection!¡± Toby snapped right then. ¡°My client¡¯s actions serve as justified selfdefense, and it is not


    subject to punishment.¡±


    Sean did not press the issue. ¡°I¡¯m merely stating my perspective on this issue. As


    always, it¡¯s the judges who hold the final verdict. I have no more questions, Your


    Honor.¡¯


    ¡°You may return to your table,¡± Judge Rackham said. ¡°Do you have more to add,


    defense counsel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Honor,¡± Toby nodded.


    ¡°You may proceed.¡±


    Toby walked up to Wade and Hunter then.


    Despite all the concrete evidence against them, they had yet to confess.


    ¡°Mr. Jonas, Mr. Stevenson. I¡¯m sure you have seen all the evidence we have


    presented,¡± Toby said. ¡°There is no question of your criminal connection with James


    Stuart. Now, as you sit within this courtroom of the nation¡¯s Supreme Court, I hope


    you can be honest. The judge may in turn consider leniency should you be earnest in


    your admission of guilt.¡±


    Both Wade and Hunter had long since turned pale as a sheet, but they also knew that


    lies were unnecessary now

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 516

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 516


    Chapter 516


    There was a threatening edge in Toby¡¯s words, but the prosecution did not object.


    And with that, Toby asked Wade and Hunter solemnly, ¡®¡±Have you been involved in


    impersonating my client while carrying out illegal activities including market


    maniption and aiding criminal organizations inundering money?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± both men admitted.


    ¡°Was everything that you have done exactly as our evidence has proven?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Was James Stuart your co-conspirator and the mastermind behind all your actions?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Neither would dare to hide anything now.


    ¡°Thank you,¡¯ Tobias said and turned toward Judge Rackham. ¡°With the evidence that


    my side has provided and the confession of the suspects, I maintain that my client is


    innocent of any charges ced against him on this trial and thus request that he be


    released without charge. I have nothing more to add.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Please return to your table, defense counsel.¡±


    As Tobias returned to his seat, Judge Rackham announced, ¡°The court will be in


    recess for half an hour. The rest of my panel and myself will confer to make a final


    verdict.¡±


    With a bang of the gavel, Judge Rackham and his panel of fellow judges left, while the


    courtroom erupted raucously.


    At the same time, Cordy¡¯s heart was relieved considerably.


    Even if John had vited thew in the midst of his investigation, those were minor


    crimes and the sentences would not be serious.


    From her perspective, she could ept it as long as it was not a life sentence or


    anything worse.


    ¡°I knew it! Johnny wouldn¡¯tmit a crime¡­ Sh*t, I almost had a heart attack there!


    Still, it¡¯s quite the exciting show he put up for us¡­ I mean, I know my boy¡¯s good, but


    not that good! I really have to reevaluate my opinion of him!¡±


    Sam finally eximed right then, and he was not stingy with his praise at all.


    That incredible reversal and dramatic uncovering of the truth was simply heartstopping!


    ¡°He is good,¡± Bob agreed, while adding self-deprecatingly, ¡°My parents would be


    bragging about me all the time if I had a third of his ability.¡±


    ¡°Now, now, that might not be the case,¡± Sam joked. ¡°Would the man have so much


    trouble guing him if not for his ability? That¡¯s why people want him so badly,


    y¡¯know? That¡¯s why it¡¯s no good if you¡¯re too outstandingpeople like us who have


    already reached our peak at birth just have to keep calm and carry on. That¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Well said. 100 points.¡± Bob shed a thumb-up at him.


    Cora giggled as she listened, appearing adorable just then.


    ¡°So, just be open-minded and down-to-earth. Don¡¯t try to ask for too much and learn


    to let go,¡± Sam said nonchntly. ¡¯That¡¯s how you find happiness in life!¡¯


    ¡°Yeah. I should learn to let go,¡± Bob agreed a little quietly.


    ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s time for some beer and karaoke once Johnny¡¯s released. Let¡¯s properly


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    celebrate tonight,¡± Sam said, serious for less than a second.


    Before Bob could say yes, Cordy spoke. ¡°No. He¡¯s in bad shape-he should stay home


    and recover. No alcohol.¡±


    Both men turned toward Cordy at once then, leaving her blushing.


    She did not say anything wrong!


    ¡°Oh, we get it. Absence makes the heart fonder¡­ We¡¯re not going to bother you two!¡±


    Both Sam and Bob were grinning slyly then.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 517

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 517


    Chapter 517


    Cordy blushed even harder, but that was not what she meant!


    She was just worried about John¡¯s health. He looked so frail a gust could knock him


    off his feet, and he was definitely in no shape to drink!


    Fortunately, Sam did not keep harassing Cordy and changed the subject.¡± That said,


    Johnny still gave up Levine Ventures just to take down the Stuarts¡­ Don¡¯t you think


    it¡¯s a little too costly? It took several generations for Levines to establish its sess,


    but Johnny is abandoning it just like that? Doesn¡¯t he regret it?¡±


    ¡°His grandfather would probably be hurting.¡± Bob sighed.


    Cordy sat beside them in silence, since all of that more or less has something to do


    with her.


    Quinn was sharp enough to pick up on Cordy¡¯s feelings and turned towards Sam and


    Bob, snapping, ¡°That¡¯s enough. We¡¯re still in a courtroom-keep it down.¡±


    Sam shot her a look in turn and growled in displeasure, ¡°The court is in recess and


    you¡¯re not in charge here. Why do you care if I talk?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you show some tact?¡± Quinn shot back, barely holding back.


    ¡°How am I tactless? Was I being loud? Someone was even thrown out just now, but


    was I?¡± Sam snapped with righteous indignation, rude to Quinn as he had always


    been.


    Those who did not know would think that they were enemies, not spouses.


    Quinn was scowling in turn, whereas Bob tugged at Sam¡¯s sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s enough.


    Quinn is right-just be quiet. The courtroom is a serious ce.¡±


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Sam rose to his feet and started to leave right then.


    ¡°Where are you going? The trial isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Bob asked, watching Sam as he left.


    ¡°For a smoke,¡± Sam snapped. ¡°Or I¡¯m going to smoke someone.¡±


    Once he strode off, none of those remained spoke, leaving things a little awkward.


    Still, Cora could not help asking Bob, ¡°Aren¡¯t they married? Sam and Quinn, I mean?¡±


    She was basically whispering softly into Bob¡¯s ear, who did not hold back from


    exining, ¡°They¡¯re not friendly, to say the least. You know political marriages can be


    unsentimental, but you shouldn¡¯t take Sam¡¯s attitude toward Quinn at face value¡­


    He¡¯s just trying to make his presence known, y¡¯know?¡±


    Cora was surprised, and Bob quickly added, ¡°As long as you get it. Sam is a sucker


    for appearances, so don¡¯t expose him.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cora replied tamely.


    Cordy inadvertently noticed them being chummy and felt a little repulsed just then.


    However, when she remembered Zoe was the one who asked Bob for a break up,


    Bob had every right to start a new rtionship.


    Even so, where had Zoe gone? And what was happening to her?!


    Soon, Judge Rackham and the panel of judges returned.


    Everyone became silent as the bailiff announced, ¡°All rise.¡±


    Everyone stood up, and Judge Rackham started to announce the final verdict.


    Cordy knew that the oue would be ideal, but she became nervous just then.


    She held her breath, staring at John and not Judge Rackham, and saw that John was


    looking at him too.


    His gaze calmed her considerably.


    ¡°After conferring, the panel of judges have agreed on a verdict that there is no


    evidence of the defendant¡¯s involvement in market maniption, moneyundering,


    and ckmail. While he had resorted to radical measures to invade the privacy of


    others, that is not within the jurisdiction of this court to judge. In lieu of that, the


    defendant shall be released, cleared of all charges!¡±


    At those words, the courtroom once again erupted in raucous apuse.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 518

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 518


    Chapter 518


    It was an earnest blessing and the satisfaction of getting a cathartic oue.


    Cordy heaved a heavy sigh of relief.


    It turned out that she was not actually as indifferent toward John as she had thoughtshe was already


    deeply in love with him, and she was just trying to avoid confronting


    her feelings.


    But now, she would not push him away again, ever.


    ¡°The trial is here concluded!¡±


    With that, the judges left before everyone else filed out of the courtroom.


    Cordy and the others stepped out from another exit.


    There were many journalists outside, but they were kept outside the courthouse and


    unable to enter.


    Cordy waited at an entrance, but soon enough wondered why John was noting


    out.


    Reasonably speaking, he should be out already¡­


    Right now, even a second was grilling.


    As she kept peeking into the courtroom, Sam could not help teasing her,¡± You¡¯re really


    craning your neck there.¡±


    Cordy felt slightly embarrassed but did not look away.


    She wanted to see him sooner.


    More people stepped out after a while, and Cordy tensed up.


    She was despondent when she saw that it was Sean who strode past Cordy and the


    others.


    He seemed to slide a peek at Cordy as he left, but no one seemed to notice it.


    Moreover, Cordy was not thinking about anyone other than John.


    After Sean left, John finally arrived outside.


    Cordy would probably have rushed inside if he did not step out, as she began to


    wonder if John was too sick and fainted inside.


    Fortunately, he came out with Toby.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± Sam called out to him eagerly. ¡°Over here.¡±


    John remainedposed, as opposed to Sam¡¯s excitement.


    He walked up to them, and after greeting Sam and Bob, he turned towards Cordy.


    She had her eyes fixed on him, and when they really met, she was unable to say a


    word.


    ¡°Your eyes are going to pop out if you stare any longer,¡± Sam joked. ¡°Fine, we¡¯re not


    going to bother you two getting clingy. Let¡¯s go, Bob.¡±


    Bob was tactful too. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up next time, Johnny.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied.


    ¡°John.¡± Cora greeted him tentatively then. ¡°Grandfather is already abroad, so it¡¯s only


    me and my mom in the mansion. She misses you and she¡¯s worried, so bring Cordy


    along to visit when you¡¯re free. She couldn¡¯t make it today because she has to


    oversee the sales of some of Levine Ventures¡¯ assets.¡¯


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John nodded, clearly distant toward Cora too.


    Even if he seemed neutral toward Zoe, Cordy actually had the feeling that he cared


    about her.


    Cora, on the other hand, seemed inconsequential to him.


    Naturally, Cora did not linger and left with Bob.


    Quinn gave a simple nod in farewell before leaving, and Toby naturally was sharp


    enough to excuse himself as well.


    With that, John and Cordy were left alone.

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 519

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 519


    Chapter 519


    There were many journalists waiting outside the courthouse when Quinn left, probably


    waiting for Cordy and John.


    She took no notice, and strode past them calmly since she never drew much


    attention. Any attempts to interview her were met with a scowl and sharp retorts that


    left them dumbstruck.


    As time went by, the reporters no longer cared about her.


    But today, just as she was about to leave, one of the journalists stopped her. ¡°Ms.


    Summer.¡±


    With that, other journalists began to flock toward them-they must have been waiting


    for a while, but got restless since the key figures of the trial were not leaving. As such,


    they had to make do and ask her about the trial


    Quinn appeared solemn and gave the journalists a cool stare.


    One of them asked, ¡°Ms. Summer, were you watching the entire trial? As a legal


    advisor, could you give us a simple breakdown of the trial?¡±


    Quinn shot him a look and said forthrightly, ¡®The judges¡¯ verdict is the final answer of


    the trial. That¡¯s the verdict, and there is nothing that needs to be broken down.¡±


    ¡°There were alleged to be multiple dramatic reversals in that trial. What do you think


    about those, as a legal advisor?¡±


    ¡°Noment.¡± i


    ¡°Could you give us some legal insight as to what charges possibly await the Stuarts?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m unable to do so,¡± Quinn replied, aloof as ever. ¡°I am in no position to offer any


    Her retorts quickly killed the journalists¡¯ interest.


    While Quinn would answer any questions, she simply refused to give the answers


    they would want.


    But just as the journalists had no intention of wasting time on Quinn, one of the


    journalists suddenly asked, ¡°We just saw Sam Saunders leave with Bob Davis. Why


    aren¡¯t you with him?¡±


    Like most other journalists, he was tactless about the questions he should ask, even if


    it appeared vulgar and disreputable-as long as it would draw the public¡¯s attention.


    To make things worse, Quinn was more or less affected when she heard Sam¡¯s name,


    and it registered on her face.


    The journalist obviously noticed it too and quickly pressed, ¡®Ms. Summer, rumor has it


    that Sam Saunders is frequently photographed showing up at red-light districts and


    messing around with women. Is that eptable to you?¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips but replied, ¡°Everyone should lead their life the way they like. If


    that¡¯s how Sam likes it, he should be allowed to do as he pleases.¡±


    ¡°Do you really not care? You¡¯re married to him. Don¡¯t you find that behavior


    unscrupulous?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a matter concerning us as husband and wife, and I have no obligation to


    answer,¡¯ Quinn replied, but her expression was clearly darker.


    ¡°Areyou avoiding the issue, Ms. Summer? It¡¯s obvious from your reaction that you¡¯re


    unhappy with Mr. Saunders¡¯ behavior. Are you allowing him to indulge himself


    because you can¡¯t keep him in line? Have you not thought about divorce? Perhaps it¡¯s


    because you covet the Saunders¡¯ family fortune?¡±


    ¡°Please understand that what you¡¯re doing is nder, and it¡¯s within my legal rights to


    defend my honor,¡± Quinn retorted.


    ¡°Are you feeling angry, Ms. Summer? I¡¯m just trying to help you with the truth, and youBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    should get off your high horse here. Why don¡¯t you be honest that you¡¯re deferring to


    Mr. Saunders because you want the Saunders¡¯


    family fortune, even cheapening yourself since he never cared about you-¡±


    Pow!


    Sam suddenly appeared out of nowhere, punching the journalist who kept pressuring


    Quinn and knocking him off his feet!


    The scene immediately erupted into chaos as everyone including Quinn was stunned


    by Sam¡¯s sudden attack, and she watched as he bellowed furiously, ¡°How dare you


    mess with my wife?!¡±

 A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 520

    A Life Debt Repaid By Cheng Xiaocheng Chapter 520


    Chapter 520


    Those threatening words left the journalist turning pale, but he was not about to be


    cowed when so many others were watching.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m just telling the truth!¡± he stammered. ¡®Quinn Summer is being vain, and you have


    no feelings for her?!¡¯


    ¡°Then why would I punch you?¡± Sam demanded.


    While the journalist was left dumbstruck, Sam added threateningly, ¡°You have no say


    with whatever1 s between me and Quinn. nder her again, and I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    He suddenly turned, and took Quinn¡¯s hand.


    She was caught by surprise but did not push him away.


    Even as he left with her, he barked intimidatingly at the journalists who were obviously


    enjoying the drama, ¡°If you have any questions about me messing around with other


    women,e to me! But I will make sure anyone who harasses Quinn suffers for the


    rest of their lives!¡±


    And with those words, Sam furiously left with Quinn, leaving the journalists agape.


    If anyone were to tell them that Sam did not love Quinn, they would call them a liar.


    But if he did love her, why was he not showing any signs of stopping his phndering?


    Meanwhile, Sam was unceremoniously shoving Quinn into his car while she nced


    at her own car which was parked nearby.


    Her chauffeur was still standing beside it, staring in confusion as Sam took her away.


    ¡°I have my own car,¡± she told Sam calmly then, although she was confused about why


    he turned back when she obviously saw him leaving with Bob earlier.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Sam barked at her furiously.


    Quinn pursed her lips in turn, as Sam was obviously venting his grievance toward the


    journalist on her.


    Even so, she really wanted to ask what right did he have to get upset about when the


    journalist was clearly questioning his evidently disreputable behavior.


    And he even punched the journalist too.


    Did he understand that he just broke thew?!


    Nheless, Sam floored the gas pedal and his car lurched forward before shooting


    out like an arrow.


    The sudden inertia startled Quinn, who quickly caught the grab handles beside her


    and kept herself upright and still in her seat. She was really worried that Sam would


    crash his car at breakneck speed and kill both of them!


    She certainly did not want to die-she was the only surviving member of her family, and


    her parents would definitely be aggrieved if she had to join them.


    She promised them that she would live well, after all.


    However, despite her best efforts to stay calm, she eventually lost it when Sam spun


    the car through a junction so quickly it almost hit another caring the other way!


    ¡°Stop it, Sam!¡±


    She absolutely had no intentions of dying-and certainly not because of him, or she


    would be rolling around in her grave!


    ¡°Slow down! Can¡¯t you calm down for one second?!¡¯ she yelled at him. ¡°If you¡¯re upset


    about something or me, just tell me! Stop messing around like this-someone would


    get killed!¡±


    She honestly did not know why Sam could be this childish when he was already in her


    thirties.


    Why was he simply incapable of being rational like an adult?!Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 521

    Chapter 521


    Chapter 521


    The car continued to shoot forward at breakneck speed, and Quinn had resigned herself for a split


    second of dying with Sam right then.


    He had driven all the way to the coast, toward the very edge of an isted street.


    There was no more road ahead, and if Sam really refused to stop, they would shoot straight into the


    sea to a watery grave.


    Quinn was clenching her teeth, her whole body shaking¡­


    But at the veryst moment, Sam abruptly jammed his foot on the brakes, bringing the car to a


    screeching halt.


    There was just six feet between them and a tumble into the sea.


    All Quinn could feel just then was her seatbelt digging painfully into her body, while her heart was


    pumping uncontrobly.


    She really could not understand-why was Sam being this capricious? Was it fun for him, toying with his


    own life and hers?!


    Still, she said nothing as the car came to a stop, and she unbuckled her seat belt to leave.


    To her, staying alive was far more important.


    Sam could die all she wanted-she had no reason to join him.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But just as she unbuckled her seat belt, Sam quickly locked the car before she could reach for her


    door, refusing to let Quinn get out just then.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Quinn snapped, her voice raised in indescribable rage.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you fight back when that journalist was harassing you?! Why did you allow them to bully


    you?! Aren¡¯t you awyer?! Aren¡¯t you great at sophistry?!¡± Sam demanded angrily, ring at her


    furiously.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯d buy it? Anything I say would only encourage them and give them more materials to


    publish. Wasting time on the likes of them is unnecessary, not to mention that if they really vited my


    personal rights, I can defend myself legally!¡¯ Quinn was more frustrated the more she spoke. ¡°You, on


    the other hand, resorted to violence and denied me any chance of doing so, and now I¡¯d have to clean


    up the mess after you assaulted a person in the heat of the moment!¡±


    Sam¡¯s eyes were obviously scarlet even as he red at Quinn, but he suddenly smiled with obvious


    irony.


    ¡°So that was a mistake on my part?¡± he asked her, his voice suddenly calm.


    ¡°It is,¡± Quinn replied in no uncertain terms. ¡°I would¡¯ve had the moral high ground if you didn¡¯t punch


    that journalist and would¡¯ve had the right to sue. However, your impulsive behavior, inability to consider


    the consequences, and sheer childishness now leaves me at a disadvantage! Can¡¯t you grow up,


    Sam?! Act like an adult like your own brother?!¡¯


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Samughed maniacally then.


    He had actually left with Bob and Cora earlier, but not in the same car¡ªhe was tactful enough to


    impose on a couple.


    He had brought his own car, but he was about to get in when he spotted Quinn being mobbed by those


    journalists, her dainty figure quickly obscured as they swarmed around her.


    He was worried about her since she was alone against that pack of wolves and lost control when he


    heard the questions that one of the journalists was pestering her with.


    He did not love Quinn and did not care about her.


    But as long as she was his wife, he would never allow anyone to bully her like this!


    He punched the journalist for her sake, only for her to criticize him for being impulsive and childish and


    less than a manpared to his own brother.


    On the other hand, Quinn could tell that Sam was incensed from that exaggeratedugh of his.


    However, she was under no obligation to sympathize because he was at fault.

 Chapter 522

    Chapter 522


    Chapter 522


    Quinn was dead set that Sam should properly reflect on his behavior, and her voice calm as she spoke.


    ¡°Think about it.¡¯


    To be precise, she was indifferent toward Sam-as she always had been.


    She tried to open the door again, and when she could not, she snapped,¡± Could you please open the


    door? I¡¯m getting off-Ah!¡±


    She yelped as she felt a tremendous pressure on her arm¡ªSam had suddenly pulled her with brute


    strength towards himself, and shended squarely on his stiff chest.


    It hurt, but even before she could resist or free herself, Sam¡¯s face descended on hers, and he bit down


    viciously on her lips.


    The pain left her tears rolling right then, just as she could taste blood.


    But Sam was not letting her go and continued to vent all his fury on her body.


    After a long while-and Quinn had no way of telling how long-Sam finally pulled away, his haze still icy


    as he watched her lips dyed with a stark redness and the spot where he bit her smudged with


    bloodstains.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he asked her then.


    Quinn pursed her lips, but stayed silent.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sam asked, since he never expected a response from her. ¡°You


    wouldn¡¯t be able to know how I feel otherwise¡­¡±


    Quinnughed coolly.


    His feelings were hurt? Just from a couple words?!


    He just would not grow up, and the Saunders really should not pin their hopes on him.


    It would be a waste of their time and hers.


    She should never have convinced herself that he could change or given him time in hopes that he


    would grow up.


    At the same time, she did not resist him since she knew him all too well.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    If he set his mind on something, whatever she said or did was pointless, and she did not want to waste


    her strength.


    She was simply choosing to bear with him without giving in to his whims.


    She never thought about having a child again after mentioning it to him, only to be interrupted by Ryan


    Saunders.


    She had exined it to Sam¡¯s parents that she could not change Sam¡¯s mind, and they proved


    understanding. They started to pressure him instead of her, but he naturally ignored them like he


    always would.


    And after so long, and Quinn had alreadypletely forgotten about it, it was happening¡­


    As she felt her seat being lowered and Sam moving on top of her, he suddenly asked, ¡°Does it hurt,


    Quinn?¡±


    No, it did not.


    There was nothing painful about this-she was already ustomed to anything he would throw at her.


    If she bore any grievance toward him, there would be no end to it.


    The journalist was right-she was cheapening herself by surrendering herself to him.

 Chapter 523

    Chapter 523


    Chapter 523


    ¡°Are those tears I see?¡±


    Sam was watching as Quinn¡¯s tears trickled off the corner of her eyes.


    Quinn blinked.


    She believed herself jaded¡ªthat she would never shed tears in front of Sam.


    But she never felt her own tears welling out of her eyes.


    ¡°I thought you wanted to have a child with me? What are you crying for?¡¯ Sam asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just tears of joy,¡¯ Quinn retorted tly.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Sam chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting, Quinn.¡±


    She certainly felt the same way about him, but there was no helping it when fate had set their paths


    together.


    They were just two disgusting individuals, bound to disgust each other now.


    He asked her then, ¡® Who am I?¡±


    ¡°Sam Saunders,¡± she said, clearly restraining herself.


    ¡°Good,¡± Sam growled, and bit her viciously on the earlobe. ¡°So remember- you¡¯re mine and mine


    alone!¡±


    Quinn smiled coolly despite herself.


    Yes, he was the first man she had, but she was just one of countless women he had.


    She had no idea what it was about herself that seemed to wound Sam so thoroughly and make him


    despite her so much.


    Likewise, she did not know why he wanted to torment her like this!


    When it was all over, Quinn asked, ¡°Can I go now?¡±


    Sam¡¯s fingers clenched on the steering wheel.


    ¡°I value my life,¡± Quinn exined, still traumatized by his reckless driving just now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me, Quinn,¡± Sam growled. ¡°You know that I have so many women, but not one has ever


    dared to dere herself a favorite.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware,¡± Quinn replied, determined.


    They remained in a standoff for minutes until the door lock was suddenly released.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Sam gave in.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Quinn said and got out of the car.


    The instant she closed the door, the car sped away instantly without a second¡¯s dy.


    Watching as Sam drove off at such breakneck speed, Quinn was convinced that her decision was right.


    She certainly was not convinced that he would be lucky enough to avoid a car ident every time.


    What if she was in the car when his luck ran out?!


    She looked up at the skies and saw that it looked like it was going to rain.


    The gloominess overhead certainly reflected her mood.


    It turned out that she was not that indifferent about being deflowered.


    Sam left Quinn behind and drove away without a care or even looking back through the rearview mirror.


    He was worried to see relief in her eyes, that if he could not stop himself from turning back to get her,


    he would have to drop his tough guy act.


    As such, he kept driving ahead for a long while¡­

 Chapter 524

    Chapter 524


    Chapter 524


    Sam drove for so long he could no longer see Quinn¡¯s dainty silhouette, and he stopped his car beside


    the road.


    He was struggling against himself.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He left her in the middle of nowhere, miles far from the highway, and it would take her at least half a


    day to get out of there.


    What if she did not make it out?


    And Quinn was always so stubborn she would never give in, least of all to him.


    Sam punched the steering wheel at the thought, frustrated.


    He could not help turning to the passenger seat beside him, his heart suddenly stopping for a moment.


    That was her first time?


    But how was that possible?


    He restarted the car, feeling the need to ask.


    In truth, he was just giving himself an excuse to go back.


    No matter what Quinn¡¯s response was or how she would reject him, he would take her back even if he


    had to tie her up.


    It was not the first time he went against her own will¡ªwhy not do it again? He did not care if she had


    more reason to hate him again.


    Hence, despite his hesitation, he mustered his courage and turned the car around, ready to take Quinn


    back even though he never gave in to anyone.


    He supposed that she was simply a jinx to him.


    This time, he drove at a regr speed and eventually spotted Quinn from afar.


    He also noticed a car stopping beside her, and he recognized it.


    It was Ryan Saunders¡¯, and Sam recognized it because Ryan had asked Sam to pick something for


    him after he returned to the country. Even if Sam was a savant when ites to cars, others simply


    considered that to be a hedonistic hobby of his.


    Meanwhile, he watched as Ryan aligned and took off his jacket, draped it over Quinn¡¯s shoulders and


    gentlemanly opened the door for her.


    Sam in turn reversed his car and left.


    He was giving himself too much credit.


    Quinn was smart, and she knew how far it was to the highway-that she would never cover the distance.


    And since that was no option, she just had to call for help.


    But whomever she would ask, it would never be him.


    Moreover, Sam was always a step behind whenever Ryan was concerned.


    It was as if he was destined to never catch up ever since they were born, be it in grades,petence,


    or love.


    Samughed when he remembered a certain day as gloomy as today.


    He had watched Quinn leave Ryan¡¯s room, her clothes disheveled.


    And on that very same day, he lost his virginity at twenty years old.

 Chapter 525

    Chapter 525


    Chapter 525


    Meanwhile, Quinn entered Ryan¡¯s car.


    She did not actually ask him toe¡ªhe just happened to call her to consult her on a legal issue.


    She asked if it was urgent, to which he said yes.


    She in turn told him where he was and asked for a ride.


    Her face was pale, and she was shivering even as she got in his car.


    ¡°Still feeling cold?¡¯ Ryan asked-the weather was turning warm, but one would still find it chilly on


    asion.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    And when he helped her into his car, she felt icy to the touch.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Quinn forced a smile as she looked up at Ryan. ¡°Sorry for taking so much of your time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that. I was going to your office to consult you today anyway and called you before


    that since you might not be in,¡± Ryan said mildly, trying his best not to put Quinn on the spot. ¡®By the


    way, were you having a fight with Sam? Was he the one who left you in the middle of nowhere?¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Quinn replied indifferently.


    ¡°How could he behave like this?¡± Ryan grumbled, scowling just then. ¡°I have to talk to himter. Even if


    he¡¯s upset, he shouldn¡¯t have left you out there. What if something happened to you? He¡¯s always been


    so headstrong even as a child, never once thinking about others. The family really spoiled him too


    much, making his personality so terrible¡­¡¯


    Quinn listened as Ryanined in silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s really been hard on you after you married him/ Ryan said sympathetically. ¡°Back then, if I hadn¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Quinn said, cutting him short. ¡°I¡¯m actually grateful to him. I wouldn¡¯t be staying with your


    family and living in luxury if not for him.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s eyes darkened, but he shed a wistful smile and murmured, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    In the end, he was the one who let her down, and he had no right toin.


    Meanwhile, back at the courthouse, Cordy suddenly found herself alone with John, and they simply


    stood, staring into each other¡¯s eyes.


    Soon, Cordy found her own eyes welling with tears.


    Never did it cross her mind that her emotions would be so affected when she met him again with such


    freedom.


    It had also been a while since her heart raced out of control.


    She tried her damndest to y down all sentiments and rtionships after Kyle because she did not


    want to get hurt at all or believe in anyone.


    And yet, it was John-a man she met less than a year ago-who allowed her to let go of all her misgivings


    and fall in love so hard she could not control herself.


    And she was so, so in love!


    More tears were welling in her eyes even as she looked at him, blurring her vision until she could not


    stop herself, and she ran up to him, throwing herself in his arms.


    ¡°Oof,¡± he grunted softly.


    Wait, did that hurt him?


    But she had been careful! She tried to hold back, since she was afraid she would knock him down


    when she threw herself at him.


    But it hurt him anyway?


    What did they put him through at the detention center?!


    Cordy¡¯s heart ached even more at that.


    She regretted not trusting him and having to push him away.


    If she had stayed with him, he would at least have felt better.


    Even as she remembered everything she had done for him, she could not help tightening her embrace


    around him, giving in just then¡­

 Chapter 526

    Chapter 526


    Chapter 526


    Cordy gave in to John.


    She was willing to believe in love again for his sake.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John in turn gazed upon her in his arms, feeling her body¡¯s warmth and the strength with which she


    tightened her arms around his waist further with each second.


    There was a smile on his lips.


    Even if the price he paid was a little too costly, this made it worth it.


    Nothing else mattered other than her.


    He in turn gathered her tightly in his arms. Feeling her in his arms with such certainty left his heart


    racing uncontrobly too.


    They simply embarrassed each other like that, with neither letting go because they were not going to.


    There was no telling how long had passed when John had to stifle a cough, and Cordy finally realized


    with a start.


    She most certainly had been greedy about feeling him there with her, worried that he would vanish if


    she let him go again.


    Even if she was rejoicing, she was still caught with lingering fear from almost losing him in this trial.


    Nheless, she reluctantly pulled herself out from his arms, knowing that he should head home right


    now to recover¡ªhe probably was struggling to stay on his feet at the moment.


    But as she pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes again, she blushed again.


    Around John, she definitely had not been this¡­ enthusiastic.


    As such, her abrupt and impulsive action just now left her a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± she urged him-they would be staying the night here if they remained any longer.


    Moreover, the journalists would probably have presumed that John had given them the slip after not


    showing up for so long.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± John said, reaching out to hold her hand.


    Cordy¡¯s fingers twitched, obviously a little reluctant.


    ¡°What?¡¯¡¯ John asked, frowning.


    ¡°The journalists might still be waiting,¡± Cordy reminded him.


    ¡°I put my life on the line for you, but you still can¡¯t be serious about me?¡± John asked grumpily.


    She pouted anyway-she was just ufortable and did not expect to go public about their rtionship


    so quickly.


    After all, she still considered things between them to be opaque.


    ¡°Are you perhaps an ingrate, Cordy? My engagement is annulled, all my wealth is gone, and you just


    left my half-crippled with that bear hug. And you¡¯re dumping me just like that?¡± John demanded, huffing


    every word while looking dead serious.


    Cordy was left speechless by his ability to make a mountain out of a molehill.


    Moreover, he was the one who wanted his own engagement annulled.


    As for his wealth, even after all his assets were all sold off, he would still be filthy rich, with enough


    money tost him several lifetimes even if he freeloads.


    And as for his health¡­ he just had to take his time to recover, and he would once again be that drop-


    dead gorgeous hunk from before!


    How did he manage to sell himself short right then?!

 Chapter 527

    Chapter 527


    Chapter 527


    On the other hand, John was getting even grumpier as Cordy was not responding. ¡°You¡¯re actually still


    hesitating? Do you even have a conscience? How much further do I have to go for you to actually


    ept me and stand by my side in the open?¡±


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John became more agitated the more he ranted, ¡°What, do I have to gouge my heart out to show my


    sincerity-umph¡­¡±


    His eyes suddenly widened as Cordy stood on her toes, pressing her lips against his.


    The anger in his eyes turned to tenderness right then.


    Men are really easy, aren¡¯t they?


    John wrapped his arms around her, intending on going further¡­ but she pulled away.


    ¡°Skipping out on responsibility after flirting with me, huh?¡± he growled through his teeth.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy shook her head. ¡°But you were so noisy.¡±


    John¡¯s face fell, stunned that she would scorn him for that!


    But she was the only one he would talk so much around, spilling his guts and all that, not shying away


    from baring his heart!


    And she scorned her!


    But just as he was about to fly into a rage, she suddenly said, ¡°So, I was wondering when we should


    get married.¡±


    John¡¯s anger faded immediately once more, shock-no, delight¡ªfilling his gaze just then.


    He was so thrilled he almost could not believe what she heard.


    ¡°A-Are you serious?¡± His voice was quivering from sheer excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m just¡­¡¯ Cordy averted her eyes, his stare too much for her just then. ¡°I would like Dicky to have a


    complete family¡­¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± John suddenly answered solemnly.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You were proposing to me, weren¡¯t you?¡± John beamed. ¡°That¡¯s my response: I do.¡±


    Cordy was speechless. He really started wagging his tail when he got what he wanted.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he said then, holding her hand firmly. ¡°We¡¯re meeting the press now.¡±


    Cordy smiled despite herself¡ªhe really yearned for public exposure, didn¡¯t he?


    With that, they emerged from the courthouse, hand-in-hand.


    The journalists outside had been waiting impatiently and kept asking others to go in and see if John


    and Cordy already left.


    Reasonably speaking, they had been camping in front of the only way out.


    But maybe the courtroom opened their back door for him?


    They were getting antsy, but also reluctant to let such a headline slip from their hands, and hence kept


    waiting with considerable impatience.


    Suddenly, they saw John and Cordy stepping out, and the couple were holding hands!


    Heavens be praised!

 Chapter 528

    Chapter 528


    Chapter 528


    Thank goodness they had not left! The reporters would miss their exclusive headlines otherwise!


    There was no doubt that Cordy and John¡¯s appearance immediately sent the journalists into a frenzy,


    and they quickly surrounded the couple.


    Cordy¡¯s four bodyguards were actually all waiting outside the courthouse throughout, but they kept their


    distance since they were not that tactless they would interrupt her tender moment with John.


    When they hurried forward to help when they saw Cordy being mobbed by the journalists, Cordy gave


    them a look, stopping them.


    Today, she actually wanted to have a proper talk with the press.


    ¡°Mr. Levine, seeing that you¡¯re leaving the courthouse while holding hands with Ms. Sachs¡­ could this


    mean what we think it means?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Levine, it was a beautifully executed reversal at the trial. Could you give us a word on how you feel


    right now?¡¯


    ¡°Mr. Levine, are you in a rtionship with Ms. Sachs? What about Jessica Stuart?¡±


    They were so rowdy John and Cordy had trouble hearing their questions, though Cordy spoke before


    John could. ¡°Please, calm down for a moment. We¡¯ll answer any questions you have, so there¡¯s no


    rush. Also, please keep your distance-John¡¯s health has been deteriorating prior to this trial, so please


    step back and give him some space.¡±


    Even as she spoke, she moved to stand before him, shielding him.


    The journalists heard her and politely took a step back.


    After setting enough distance between them and the couple, one of the journalist joked, ¡°You¡¯re


    certainly protective of your better half, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Everyoneughed, and while Cordy blushed a little, she did not deny it either. ¡°I guess so.¡±


    The journalists were left in an uproar.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you two are dating, Ms. Sachs?¡± one of them asked loudly.


    ¡°We¡¯re engaged,¡± John corrected him sternly. ¡°She just proposed to me.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs proposed? Does that mean she took the initiative in this rtionship, Mr. Levine?¡± The


    journalist gasped in surprise.


    ¡°Certainly not!¡± John said seriously. ¡°I¡¯ve loved her for almost a decade. Are you doubting my feelings


    for her?!¡±


    ¡°A decade? But you and Ms. Sachs¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me put it to you this way-Cordy is the mother of my son Richard Levine,¡± John announced loudly


    and clearly then.


    It was a bombshell that stopped the journalists from asking questions for an instant.


    Cordy was the mother of John¡¯s son?


    Unbelievable! When did that happen? The child was just seven, at most!


    ¡°I won¡¯t borate on the entire story,¡± John added then. ¡°What everyone needs to know is that we have


    feelings for each other. As for my engagement with Jessica Stuart, it was just a political marriage I was


    unable to turn down.¡±


    In other words, the only person John ever loved was Cordy!


    Then, John said shortly, ¡°I¡¯m sure you also want details about the trial, but it was just a process I went


    through to maintain my personal rights legally and to bring certain criminal elements to justice. It was


    nothing all that impressive, and I only managed to gather so much evidence to clear my name because


    that crime I was almost scapegoated for had unquestionably beenmitted.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°But don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve been ungrateful, Mr. Levine?¡± another journalist asked. ¡°The Stuarts have


    been more than kind to you, even willingly having Jessica betrothed to you!¡±


    ¡°And you have no moral principles, do you?¡± John retorted bluntly, leaving the journalist blushing and


    embarrassed even as he continued to ask, ¡°Do you think I would side with someone who tried to make


    me a scapegoat? Or maybe I look like such a willing fool to you?¡±


    Pausing for a moment, John then repeated, ¡°The Stuarts only ever considered me a tool, and I simply


    used them in turn to achieve my own ends, which in turn saved my own life and possessions.¡±


    The same journalist braced himself right then to ask, ¡°What about Jessica? We understand that she


    was genuinely in love with you, but you¡¯d still willingly hurt her? Judging from what you said, you were


    just using her feelings for you!¡±

 Chapter 529

    Chapter 529


    Chapter 529


    ¡°So, you¡¯re convinced that Jessica wasn¡¯t aware that her family was prepared to make me their


    scapegoat?¡± John asked the journalist in return. ¡°Even when I was still abroad, she was the one in


    charge of every foreign ount Stuart Holdings owned.¡¯


    ¡°Are you saying that Jessica loved you but was not shying away from using you as a scapegoat too?¡±


    The journalist was certainly quick on his feet.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± John shrugged, refusing to give a direct answer. ¡°You should be asking Jessica that


    question.¡¯


    ¡°In any case, the truth is out-the Stuarts would soon have theireuppance, while your rtionship


    with Ms. Sachs can finally bloom!¡¯ the journalist eximed. ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Both Cordy and John appeared cordial just then.


    ¡°Can you offer some insights to your rtionship? Ms. Sachs, were you happy back when Mr. Levine


    got engaged with Jessica? Were you supportive of him doing this to defend himself?¡¯


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡¯ Cordy said loudly and clearly, not hiding her displeasure.¡± He never told me why he¡¯d


    allow himself to be engaged to Jessica.¡±


    ¡°I was worried you¡¯d never believe me, and it might even expose you to danger,¡± John exined.


    ¡°No, you treated me as if I weren¡¯t your ally-like I¡¯m going to rat you out.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such an ingrate, Cordy! Can¡¯t you see the state I¡¯m in right now?!¡±


    ¡°What, are you missing any limbs?¡¯


    ¡°I can¡¯t hold you if I were.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Cordy simply could not beat John at banter. He always had something!


    The journalists around them could only watch, unable to butt in at all.


    For the first time, they were silent as they watched them squabble flirtatiously, feeling really left out just


    then.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why I set it up so that I was arrested at the wedding?¡¯ John asked Cordy then, huffing.


    ¡°You just wanted the whole country to know that you¡¯ve been arrested, so that the trial against you


    could not be covered up and go on without a hitch. Don¡¯t bother telling me that you were doing it for my


    benefit when the entire nation was watching, you sly old fox.¡±


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± John snapped, actually cursing out loud just then. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have chosen such a smart


    wife!¡±


    The journalistsughed then-it turned out no matter how aloof or haughty a man could be, the love and


    tenderness in his eyes could never be concealed.


    It was a rare asion to have such a peaceful interview.


    Cordy then said, ¡°Alright,dies and gentlemen, we¡¯ve answered most of your questions. If you could


    please make way-John would now need to head home and recuperate since he¡¯s in poor shape.¡±


    The journalists traded nces and suddenly cleared a path.


    They had asked most of the questions they wanted anyway, and the news was such a bombshell they


    needed to have a draft ready soon-every second counted.


    John and Cordy returned to her car, with one of her bodyguards driving while the other riding shotgun.


    John and Cordy sat in the backseat, while the other two bodyguards were in the other car behind.


    ¡°Patrick Stuart arranged them for you?¡± John asked, looking upset as he nced between the four


    men.


    ¡°He¡¯s concerned about my safety,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°Who knows when Jessica would lose it and


    come after me again?¡±


    John decided to bear with it despite being discontented.

 Chapter 530

    Chapter 530


    Chapter 530


    Cordy was almost speechless. ¡°Why are you being jealous? Patrick would never be interested in me.¡±


    ¡°I was actually jealous of Zoe before,¡± John suddenly admitted.


    Cordy gaped at him. How petty could he get?!


    ¡°I mean, she was in bed with you,¡± John said, looking everywhere except at her.


    ¡°How are you still alive with all that jealousy inside?¡¯ Cordy asked, almost at a loss for words.


    ¡°You just have to make it up to me,¡¯ John replied as if it made perfect sense.


    Cordy rolled her eyes¡ªgive the man an inch, and he would take a mile.


    ¡°By the way, did you really only recently notice that the Stuarts had someone impersonate you for their


    crimes?¡± Cordy suddenly asked seriously.


    While a lot of facts were made clear at the trial, there were still many things she did not quite get.


    ¡°Nope,¡± John said, never hiding anything from her. ¡°I¡¯m a businessman. I prioritize my personal gain


    above all else.¡¯


    ¡°So¡­¡¯


    ¡°I found out early on. I just didn¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°And you would¡¯ve left them atrge if they didn¡¯t pose a threat to you?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Maybe.¡± John shrugged.


    Cordy pursed her lips in response.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not on the side of angels, but I¡¯m no viin either,¡± John exined. ¡®I¡¯m just not that noble


    that I¡¯d risk my wealth and personal safety for justice. If I risked it and I failed to take down the Stuarts,


    I¡¯d be dead, those around me would be hurt in turn. Moreover, when ites to business scams,


    victims mostly have themselves to me for their greed- it¡¯s the reason they fall for it at all. They just


    have to take it as an expensive life lesson.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not scorning you,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d even manage anything that impressive if I were in


    your shoes. Also, protecting the family before taking such a risk was undoubtedly a vital move.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, my darling wife.¡± John grinned.


    Cordy rolled her eyes.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Calling her ¡®my darling wife¡¯ so casually even before they were married¡­ and it somehow had to sound


    so fighting!


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who asked for Sean Cranston too?¡± Cordy asked.


    At first, she was convinced that it was the Stuarts who arranged for Sean to take the role of prosecutor.


    Now, she suddenly had the feeling it was yet another one of John¡¯s ploys.


    ¡°Yes.¡± John admitted.


    ¡°Why would he help you? Is he as straitced as the rumors say?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± John replied, shaking his head. ¡°I won¡¯tment on his personality since we haven¡¯t been


    acquainted forthat long. Moreover, when ites to partnership, sentiment is secondary to what we


    gained from it.¡±


    ¡°He benefits from the Stuarts being brought to justice?¡¯


    ¡°Of course,¡¯ John said. ¡°Even if things looked amicable between the four top families of the nation,


    there are plenty of disputes and conflicts behind the scenes. Everyone wants a piece of the other


    families¡¯ pie, but are also worried that another family would take them down. That is why whenever one


    among them faced a crisis, they would seize the opportunity to make things worse for them. In their


    perspective, one family ousted is a pie gained.¡±


    ¡°They are that ruthless, huh?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you think it¡¯s so hard to stay on top?¡± John chuckled.


    ¡°So you saw through that cloak-and-dagger stuff and decided to liquidate your family assets so that you


    would be free?¡± Cordy asked.


    After all, he did not have to go that far, especially when he knew his victory in the trial was assured.


    ¡°Not entirely¡­¡± John replied, his expression darkening a little.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    These days, the slightest sign of danger left her nervous.


    ¡°Sean told me to do it,¡± John said in no uncertain terms then.

 Chapter 531

    Chapter 531


    Chapter 531


    Cordy became nervous right then. ¡°Sean did? But why?¡±


    She was convinced that John liquidated the Levines¡¯ family estate to protect themselves and steer


    clear from more conflicts. She thought that John, like his grandfather, was done with the vicissitudes of


    life and would rather enjoy whatever they had left instead.


    She did not expect that the Cranstons were involved at all!


    ¡°You should be able to guess,¡± John reminded her despite seeing her reaction.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-that was the answer she least wanted.


    ¡°Yes,¡± John said slowly and clearly. ¡°He¡¯s asking me to work for him, but he needs me to have a more


    discreet capacity to assist him, and Levine Ventures draws too much attention.¡±


    ¡°Assist him?¡± Cordy asked. ¡°With what? What are his ambitions?¡±


    ¡°Well, the Cranstons have a family dispute just like the Stuarts,¡± John exined. ¡®The Stuarts¡¯ disputes


    are between different branches of the family, whereas the Cranston brothers are in the midst of a


    power struggle. Sean wants me to help him neutralize his brothers, so that he bes the undisputed


    heir to the family estate.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t he the heir already?¡± Cordy asked.


    All the rumors certainly imed that, since Sean was the eldest son and the family held him in high


    esteem.


    Most importantly, he disyed individual excellence and was the right choice as heir.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specific right now.¡± John shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d have to get involved to find out.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just stay out of it?¡± Cordy asked him worriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved at all while we enjoy life


    on our own?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get free as soon as I can,¡± John promised.


    He had no choice when he decided that he needed to take down the Stuarts, and his trial would not


    have gone so smoothly without the Cranstons. Sean had to be on hand topel Judge Rackham so


    that he kept the trial going, otherwise Judge Rakcham would have ignored all the vital evidence he


    provided while the Stuarts wouldter move in and erase everything.


    He needed an even greater influence to win, and he had to make a deal if he wanted Sean¡¯s backing.


    And since Sean was direct about his intention to help, John agreed to it.


    ¡°John¡­ Was that worth it?¡± Cordy suddenly asked him somberly, her eyes welling with tears.


    If John epted Jessica¡¯s proposal, things could stay amicable with the Stuarts even if they were


    using him like a tool. The arranged marriage would take their alliance to the next level, while William


    Stuart would topple Monty Stuart to gain a monopoly in both politics and business.


    Since their rival families would not attack them without reasonable cause, they had nothing to worry


    about from the outside¡ªeverything would be smooth sailing for the Stuarts once their internal power


    struggle ends.


    But John gave up on an easy path to sess for Cordy¡¯s sake and was now caught in yet another


    family dispute.


    Was it really worth it?


    ¡°Of course,¡± John said, returning Cordy¡¯s gaze.


    His long fingers were almost all bones now, even as he gently brushed her tears away. ¡°You¡¯re all the


    world to me. Why would I bother living without you?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced as she watched him then.


    No matter how things changed or how much time passed, she was convinced she would never forget


    the determined, earnest look in his eyes just then.


    Her phone suddenly rang.


    Cordy checked who the caller was and gave herself a moment to calm down before answering. ¡°Hello,


    Patrick.¡±


    John¡¯s face fell at the mention of the name-talk about a green-eyed monster!


    ¡°I take from your tone of voice that you¡¯re in a good mood?¡± the man on the other end teased.

 Chapter 532

    Chapter 532


    Chapter 532


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Cordy did not want to make her happiness obvious, as she was selfishly convinced that only John was


    allowed to see it.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m afraid I have to be a killjoy,¡± Patrick said, his tone clearly serious just then.


    Cordy frowned slightly, but it was enough for John to notice that reaction and stare fixedly at her.


    ¡°You see, I have news: Jessica is missing,¡± Patrick said very clearly then.


    ¡°Missing?¡± Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as if something horrible would happen.


    ¡°After John exposed Jessica¡¯s side of the family at his trial, they, along with my grandfather and myself


    were brought in to assist with the investigation. James was ced under arrest since there was enough


    evidence against him, but when William, my grandfather, and myself were released, the authorities


    informed us that Jessica went missing the instant they moved to arrest her, and was told that she was


    not in Rocktown.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she went to the capital?¡± Cordy asked-that was where Fred Cranston was, and Jessica might


    have gone to him.


    ¡°No. She left for North City, actually,¡± Patrick admitted. ¡°The authorities just found out that she arrived at


    North City yesterday, and I suspected that she was attending John¡¯s trial.¡±


    ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t there,¡± Cordy said confidently, since she never saw Jessica today.


    ¡°Just giving you a head¡¯s up. Also, William¡¯s side of the family is now down and out, in both business


    and politics. I must admit that John¡¯s move was absolutely breathtaking. You have to know that my


    grandfather had tried everything: tripling our efforts in business, baiting them, nting incriminating


    evidence¡­ But nothing seemed to work on William. John, on the other hand, just needed a couple


    months to utterly destroy the man.¡±


    Cordy could tell that Patrick was earnestly impressed by John.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you try asking if he¡¯d like to work for me, now that Levine Ventures is


    liquidated?¡± Patrick asked, and assured Cordy, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry. I¡¯d never treat my savior


    unfairly.¡±


    ¡°I thought I¡¯m your savior?¡± Cordy asked, raising a brow.


    Politicians were certainly pragmatic, weren¡¯t they?


    ¡°That said, you¡¯d have no hope. He¡¯s too busy,¡± Cordy added, rejecting the offer immediately.


    Patrick did not press the issue either.


    Generational talents like John were extremely rare. If Patrick was interested, others would be too.


    And the fact that Sean came in as a prosecutor for the trial, many things could be understood without


    much exnation.


    Cordy hung up then and told John. ¡°It was Patrick. He¡¯s saying that Jessica is here in North City.¡±


    John¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®She wasn¡¯t arrested?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Did you see her today?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Cordy replied.


    John¡¯s face fell and there was a sh of worry in his eyes as he quickly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡±


    The question left Cordy¡¯s face falling too.


    She answered with a quivering voice, ¡°H-He¡¯s in school¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go there right now.¡± John was decisive


    right then and told Cordy,¡± Call Dicky¡¯s teacher right now. Tell her not to let anyone take him away.¡±

 Chapter 533

    Chapter 533


    Chapter 533


    Cordy¡¯s fingers were trembling even as she held her phone.


    ¡®No¡­ Please let Dicky be alright!¡¯


    Cordy never expected Jessica to target Dicky, since she was still engaged to Fred. Reasonably


    speaking, the Stuarts¡¯ crimes were only exposed hours ago, and they should still be keeping Jessica on


    a leash instead of letting her go to North City.


    It was why Cordy never worried about it, but it was now clear that Jessica had been ready to bring


    everything down with her just to get back at her and John. In fact, Jessica probably did not expect her


    own family to be arrested!


    That woman was crazy!


    Cordy¡¯s hands were trembling even as she called Richard¡¯s teacher, but perhaps because her phone


    was on silent or she was in ss, the call went unanswered.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± John assured Cordy when he saw her reaction. ¡°It¡¯s going to be fine. I was just checking.¡±


    However, Cordy¡¯s female intuition was already positive that Jessica was seizing the opportunity to take


    Richard away when everyone was focused on John.


    And the thought that the crazy b*tch had her¡­ Cordy could not calm down at all!


    ¡°Lend me your phone,¡± John said calmly.


    His phone long since ran out of battery after he had been detained for so long.


    Cordy quickly did so, and after John dialed a number, he was soon barking orders. ¡°Randy, contact the


    principal at Dicky¡¯s school right now. Tell him that I¡¯ming to get Dicky myself soon, and that no one


    except me is allowed to leave with him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    John hung up, after of which the car became suffocatingly silent.


    Soon, Cordy¡¯s phone rang, and everyone in the car tensed up too.


    John answered it. ¡°Randy.¡±


    ¡°Sir, the principal just informed me that your son left school with Jessica Stuart at 10 AM. She was


    iming that she¡¯s his mother!¡±


    John¡¯s scowled trite then, and Cordy noticed.


    ¡°Alright, understood!¡± John said, and hung up.


    ¡°Jessica has him?¡± Cordy asked, seeing that murderous re in his eyes then.


    John gulped but nodded.


    It was a bolt from the blue, and Cordy felt like her world fell apart just then.


    She would rather Jessica came for her and could scarcely imagine what Jessica would do to her boy.


    And if she really did¡­


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± John said, trying to reassure Cordy even though his hand was shaking too. ¡°Jessica


    won¡¯t do anything to him. She¡¯s just using him to threaten us, and she hasn¡¯t called us yet, meaning


    that Dicky is safe.¡± ¡°But what if he isn¡¯t? Jessica is smart enough to know how to hurt us in the worst


    way possible!¡± Cordy cried. ¡°She knew that Dicky is my weakness, that he¡¯s most important to me!¡±

 Chapter 534

    Chapter 534


    Chapter 534


    Cordy could not calm down even as she imagined that oue.


    ¡°No, she won¡¯t,¡± John said confidently nheless. ¡°You¡¯re more important to Jessica and she knows


    that.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she stared at John fixedly.


    ¡°Look, just trust me on this, but Jessica wants you more than she wants Dicky,¡± John said. ¡°She¡¯s never


    been a parent and wouldn¡¯t know how much a child matters-especially since she grew up in a detached


    family like the Stuarts, where even family connections were weighted in personal gain. Sentiment


    doesn¡¯t exist there, and she¡¯d be convinced that we would just have more children even if we lose


    Dicky and the pain of losing him would just be temporary. On the other hand. I¡¯d be hurting for the rest


    of my life if I lost you! That¡¯s why she¡¯ll use you if he wants revenge, not Dicky.¡±


    John spoke quickly with considerable urgency, and there was no telling if he was trying to persuade


    Cordy or himself.


    Cordy bit her lip and forced herself to stay calm and work hard to believe John.


    Once she did, she asked John, ¡°What do we do now? Do we wait for her to contact us?¡±


    ¡°Now that she¡¯s a wanted person in this country, she¡¯s not going to show up or contact us for no


    reason. She¡¯s smart to know that we¡¯ll be more emotionally distressed the more she waits, and she¡¯ll


    achieve her intended effect that way. That¡¯s why we shouldn¡¯t just wait-we must try to locate her hiding


    ce and find her before she contacts us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    After John broke it down for her, he made more calls with Cordy¡¯s phone, barking instructions as he


    did. ¡°I need security footage, starting from 9 AM today¡­¡±


    ¡°Put a BOLO on this car license te,st seen in¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I need you to locate this phone number for me¡­¡±


    Soon, their car stopped at the parking lot beneath Cordy¡¯s apartment.


    On their way back, John had kept making phone calls, even reporting to the cops that Richard had


    been abducted, insisting that they be careful about it since she had a hostage.


    When everything was done, they headed to Cordy¡¯s apartment.


    They just stepped inside when the security footage was sent to them, and Cordy promptly brought out


    herptop to review it.


    Both her and John watched nervously, skipping to the point when the cameras at the school gates


    caught Richard.


    They saw Richard¡¯s teacher taking him out, and the boy was immediately resistant when he saw


    Jessica, clearly refusing to follow her. Jessica simply strode forward and scooped him up even though


    he was struggling and passed him to one of the ck-d bodyguards with her.


    The teacher noticed that something was wrong as she watched them, but Jessica told the teacher


    something thatpletely discouraged her.


    It was 9.30 AM at the time-even before John¡¯s trial began-and no one was aware of what was about to


    happen to the Stuarts. The teacher was therefore not suspicious, since Jessica was present at the


    school with


    John during the sports meet. Even if their engagement had been annulled, the teacher had heard the


    rumors that Jessica was Richard¡¯s biological mother and believed it.


    And there was absolutely nothing wrong with handing a child over to his mother.


    Most importantly, Jessica could throw her weight around to stop the teacher from having any ideas.


    Cordy hence watched as Richard was dragged into the car by Jessica¡¯s bodyguard, resisting with his


    little body but for it to amount to nothing¡­ she felt as if her heart clenched right then.


    ¡°She¡¯s driving her own car.¡± John was much calmer, observing the details in the video.


    Cordy blinked back her tears and worked hard to find clues as well.


    ¡°Aside from Dicky and Jessica, there are three other people in the car,¡± John said while he took


    screenshots of their faces.


    However, two of those faces were basically blurred. The one remaining- the bodyguard who carried


    Richard off-was much clearer.


    After saving the image of the face, John turned to Cordy. ¡°Contact Patrick. Have him screen the list of


    bodyguards of the Stuarts for high-definition images of these men. Jessica would definitely be using


    them to run errands for her.¡±Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 535

    Chapter 535


    Chapter 535


    After Cordy sent the photos to Patrick, he asked a few questions, to which she told him everything.


    Patrick quickly sent the photos without asking more questions.


    For one, he was not able to help much when he was so far away, but he promised to tell her


    immediately if he found any helpful clues.


    In addition, he would rather avoid stressing her unnecessarily since she was already on the verge of a


    nervous breakdown.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Once they had the high definition mugshots of the bodyguards, John sent copies to his people and


    started a search, reminding them to report in if they find those men without alerting them.


    Just then, a call arrived from Randy as well. ¡°Sir, we found Jessica¡¯s car. It¡¯s left in a parking lot in the


    industrial district. The footage we obtained showed that only the driver got out, and no one else was


    inside. The driver is definitely one among the three mugshots you sent, and he left the car without


    coming back so far.¡±


    ¡°Did you manage to track where he went?¡±


    ¡°No, sir. It¡¯s an isted location, and the next closest camera is some distance away. I had to search


    thoroughly until I found him boarding a bus, so I got the footage from the bus. Turns out that the driver


    got out at the south entrance, where thergest agricultural market of North City is. He soon


    disappeared among the crowd, and we couldn¡¯t find him since.¡±


    ¡°Are there cameras at the market?¡±


    ¡°There are, but there are blindspots in theyout and it¡¯s too crowded. I had over ten people assisting


    me in the zone, but we had nothing.¡±


    ¡°Send me the footage,¡± John said anyway.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Randy replied, before quickly adding, ¡°Also, we¡¯ve found thest known position of Jesscia¡¯s


    phone number, but it¡¯s at your son¡¯s school. That¡¯s where shest used it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John hung up and quickly opened the other security footage Randy sent.


    Cordy sat beside him and helped him search.


    The camera quality at the market was low, and the coverage was low with many blind spots. If the


    driver had stayed in those blind spots, no one would know where he went.


    Fortunately, all eight entrances and exits were covered. The cameras would definitely catch the driver if


    he had left.


    After checking the footage for a while, John made a call. ¡°Randy, get someone to search the interior of


    the market. See if he actually left.¡±


    They need to dismiss that possibility if he was not there as soon as possible.


    But if he was there, they just needed to keep following him.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    John then called Bob. ¡°Bob, bring threeputers over to Cordy¡¯s apartment, and call Sam over as


    well.¡±


    ¡°Are we having dinner there?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°Jessica abducted Dicky. I need to check some footage in my search.


    Come over and help.¡±


    With those simple instructions, John hung up.


    Then, the doorbell rang in less than fifteen minutes.


    Sam and Bob were carrying threeptops as they hurried inside.


    It was clear that they were worried, and they did not ask questions either.


    They set up everything in no time at all and proceeded to help John search for the driver as instructed.


    Half an hourter, Randy reported in. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve searched the whole market, but we can¡¯t find the


    driver. He might have made it out.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± John frowned, and quickly double checked.


    There was still no sign that the driver left.


    Sensing that John was skeptical, Randy quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the men keep searching, see if we


    missed anything. We¡¯ll check inter.¡±

 Chapter 536

    Chapter 536


    Chapter 536


    ¡°Good.¡±


    John put the phone away and turned back to the security footage, and his eyes suddenly narrowed as


    he eximed, ¡°Could he have disguised himself?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Sam agreed.


    However, if the driver had really put on a disguise, he would be harder to find.


    Still, John calmed down and said, ¡°Let¡¯s analyze what we know for now.¡±


    The way they were going, they were being half as effective and would never find Jessica and Richard


    at this rate.


    As Sam, Bob, and Cordy all turned to John, he said,¡± Stuart came all the way from Rocktown to North


    City to kidnap Dicky. She couldn¡¯t have been fully prepared since this city isn¡¯t her family¡¯s turf, and that


    means the driver sh bodyguard would not have prepared a change of clothes at the market. He


    wasn¡¯t bringing a bag of any sort in the footage, so he had to buy something at the market and got


    changed.¡±


    When he was finished, John picked up his phone without pausing a beat and called Randy again.


    ¡°Question every stall at the market that sells clothes. Ask if they saw that man, what clothes he bought,


    and the direction from which he left.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    John hung up and turned toward Cordy and the others. ¡°Keep a close eye on every clothing stall.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They started to check the footage again with a new objective, and in under half an hour, Bob suddenly


    called out, ¡°Johnny!¡±


    John promptly headed over to look at his footage, and Bob pointed at a certain figure. ¡°Is this him?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John said, identifying the driver immediately.


    He had photographic memory ever since he was a child and would remember anything clearly if he


    puts his mind to it.


    Right now, the faces of the three bodyguards who aided Jessica in abducting Richard were ingrained in


    his memory!


    ¡°He bought a dark gray jacket and a ck cap, dressing himself like an old man,¡± Bob said as he


    reyed the moment in slow motion.


    John studied the clothes in turn while he searched his memory.


    He then hurried back to hisputer and fast-forwarded the footage, and he soon found the man. ¡°Got


    him. He left from the third exit.¡±


    Cordy turned toward John.


    He found the man, while she was clueless and on the verge of a nervous breakdown.


    She hurried over to him, just as Bob and Sam joined them, looking over John¡¯s shoulder at the screen.


    There was just a third of the man in the grainy footage, but John identified him immediately.


    It was unbelievable!


    John was already calling Randy at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m sending you an image of the man¡¯s disguise


    now. He left through the third exit-tail him to find his hideout.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    After issuing those instructions to Randy, John then told the trio with him,¡± Let¡¯s leave finding the driver


    to Randy for now. We should instead check footage of Jessica¡¯s car after she left Dicky¡¯s school and


    see where they got out before the car stopped. Maybe we can get some clues from that.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Right now, the most important thing was to find where Jessica took Richard.


    They would not be that passive in the search and rescue effort once they found it.


    In fact, they might even catch her off guard¡­

 Chapter 537

    Chapter 537


    Chapter 537


    The apartment was so quiet everyone could heartheir own breathing.


    At the same time, they heard nothing amid the suffocating silence as they were thoroughly focused.


    The phone suddenly rang, jolting everyone.


    The slightestmotion seemed to make everyone nervous now!


    They watched as John answered the phone, saying calmly, ¡°Randy.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip-so it was not Jessica.


    She was now on the verge of falling apart.


    She would rather Jessica contact them, and she was willing to do everything Jessica asked.


    She had had enough of this endless searching and waiting. She needed to know that Dicky was fine!


    ¡°Found him?¡± John¡¯s voice turned quiet as he seeked confirmation.


    Cord/s heart raced right then, and she turned in anticipation toward John and saw that his hand was


    shaking even as he held her phone.


    ¡°Yes, we did-that¡¯s why I¡¯m reporting in,¡± Randy reported. ¡°We tracked him through security cameras


    using a photo of his disguised appearance. We calcted that he¡¯s now in an abandoned warehouse in


    the southern district, but we don¡¯t dare to stay for long, in fear he would catch on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ming right over,¡± John said right then and hung up.


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡¯ Cordy said, determined.


    John stared at her for a moment.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he eventually said, and he turned toward Bob and Sam. ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll call if anything


    comes up.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± they both answered at once, and John left with Cordy.


    The skies were already dark, and there were three ck cars and over ten bodyguards waiting outside


    Cordy¡¯s apartment entrance.


    Cordy did not know when John arranged for them to be there, nor did she care just then.


    All she wanted was to see Richard again.


    Both of them were silent after they went in one of the cars, which darted through the night.


    The silence was suffocating, until John could not help stifling a cough just then.


    Cordy turned toward him and saw that his face was pale, while his hand was pressed firmly over his


    chest.


    She felt horrible right then-John had just gotten out of jail and was frail.


    They thought their troubles were over-that they could face the Cranstons¡¯ issue together and weather


    whatever troubles that came at them, that everything was going to be better.


    But now, she realized that their rtionship would end as soon as it began.


    To make things worse, Cordy was unable to bring herself to show John any concern because Richard


    was all she could think about.


    Anything was worth it, as long as Richard could be safe.


    Eventually, their car arrived at the destination.


    The night made the unupied warehouse appear bleak, and there was no light aside from the faint


    glow of the crescent moon overhead.


    Randy arrived, panting a little from nerves. ¡¯He¡¯s been in there all this while, boss. I¡¯ve also had people


    covering every corner to ensure that he never left.¡±


    ¡°Has anyone else entered?¡± John asked.


    ¡°No, sir. We checked the traffic cameras nearby, but no one came in or out of the warehouse before


    him.¡±


    ¡°Did he bring anything in with him?* John pressed.


    ¡°No, sir. He did not make a move or sound after he went in. We didn¡¯t dare to make any false moves,


    since we had no idea what¡¯s inside,¡± Randy reported, before adding, ¡°There¡¯s not a single light in the


    warehouse either.¡±


    John frowned.


    With that many people in there, there was no way none of them would turn on a light.


    He had a bad feeling about it, but since they were there anyway, they should find out what was going


    on anyway.


    ¡°Pick your two best men to follow me inside,¡± John instructed.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Randy promptly beckoned at the two men he had in mind.

 Chapter 538

    Chapter 538


    Chapter 538


    John was ready to storm the storehouse with his men when Cordy caught his hand.


    ¡°John,¡± she murmured, even as he felt how skinny his fingers were.


    If she could, she really wanted to hold on tightly to that hand and to stop him from facing any danger.


    But now, she had to let him go and tell him, ¡°You have to keep Dicky safe.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± John agreed to it right away, able to read between her lines.


    He knew that she was telling him that he must keep Richard safe even at the cost of his life, but he


    agreed to it without hesitation.


    John had never once used her of failing to keep Richard safe and allowing Richard to be exposed


    to such danger although he entrusted Richard to her.


    Cordy released John¡¯s hand just then, and he gave her an assuring look before quickly heading inside


    the warehouse with his men.


    They were afraid of going loud and therefore moved carefully toward the warehouse entrance.


    John leaned against it when he reached it and gave his bodyguards a pointed look since he did not


    hear anything from there.


    Catching his cue, the bodyguard took out a pair of giant pliers, cutting the door lock inch by inch before


    opening it.


    There was no sound, and all they saw was darkness even after opening the door.


    In contrast to the outside where there was still a small glimmer of light, the interior of the warehouse


    was pitch-ck.


    One of the bodyguards scouted the way ahead, and John followed, with another bodyguard tasked with


    protecting him.


    As the three men entered and searched the huge warehouse warily, they were breathing in the musty


    smell of dust everywhere. Aside from arge pile of construction materials in the middle, it looked like


    there was no one there.


    However, as John and the two bodyguards headed inside, they heard something nearby.


    Noticing it immediately, they turned to find a dark silhouette walking past them.


    It was too dark to see, so one of John¡¯s bodyguards gave chase by fumbling his way forward.


    After he left, John suddenly sensed someone behind him, and he quickly jumped aside.


    The bodyguard who remained with him strode up, stopping the man who tried to attack John, and it


    turned into a brawl at the very next instant.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Soon, the bodyguard who just left returned and joined the fray, while John whipped out his phone to


    turn on the shlight.


    He recognized the man immediately-he was the bodyguard who was driving Jessica¡¯s car.


    John did not focus on the fight, however, but quickly looked around the warehouse to find signs of


    others.


    Even so, there was nothing even after he looked through the entire ce


    It was just as he had anticipated-Jessica was never here. Her bodyguard had simply lured him here as


    a diversion.


    John clenched his fists-Jessica had been following him around for years and naturally knew his way of


    doing things.


    ¡°Mr. Levine¡­¡±


    One of the bodyguards returned to his side then, panting as he reported,¡± We¡­ subdued him.¡±


    John stormed toward Jessica¡¯s bodyguard then and asked with icy bloodlust, ¡°Where¡¯s Jessica?¡±

 Chapter 539

    Chapter 539


    Chapter 539


    The man replied stubbornly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Pow!


    John punched the man squarely in the face right then, turning the already bruised face bloody.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where did Jessica take my son?! I¡¯ll kill you, believe it!¡± John threatened, his veins


    bulging viciously right then.


    ¡°In this line of work, you live or you die. Kill me if you want, I¡¯ll never betray my employer-Argh!¡±


    John punched him viciously in the face again, leaving him with teeth- gritting agony.


    ¡°Where is she?!¡¯ he bellowed, strangling him just then.


    Being taller than the average man, he had the height advantage even though he was skinny now.


    He looked down at the other man loftily, his sharp re bursting with bloodlust. ¡°Where¡¯s Jessica?! Tell


    me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather die than talk,¡± the man grunted with much difficulty as John started to strangle him!


    Breathing was bing increasingly difficult, and the man was starting to suffocate¡­


    But he was not giving in at all!


    ¡°John!¡±


    Cordy suddenly called out loudly, horrified to see John almost killing the man.


    She had been waiting outside, but there was just no way to still her heart.


    She soon heard the scuffle, but Randy stopped her before she could enter.


    He and his men went ahead, and Cordy could not stop herself from following them after they were


    gone from sight¡­ only to be greeted by such a shocking scene.


    If the shlight from the phone did not shine on John, she would never have known that he was


    attempting murder.


    It was against thew, and she did not want to lose him over something like that.


    Even so, her call did not bring him to his senses¡ªhis fingers were pressing even harder just then.


    The man¡¯s face in turn paled, clearly at his limit.


    ¡°John! Please let go of him!¡± Cordy cried, throwing her trembling form against his as she hugged him


    from behind. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to kill anyone!


    What would happen to me if you do?!¡¯


    John¡¯s body stiffened, a hint of rationality restored from Cordy¡¯s warmth and sobbing.


    His eyes seemed to regain focus, and he saw that he almost killed the man.


    It turned out that he was not that calm, and he had just vented all his rage on that man.


    His fingers rxed, and he finally released the man.


    He started to hack violently, his face turning flushed as he barely escaped death.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you again¡ªwhere¡¯s Jessica?¡¯ John asked viciously.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I won¡¯t talk!¡± The man refused to betray his employer even after his close shave with death.


    ¡°Randy,¡± John said then.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine?¡¯


    ¡°Make him talk,¡± John ordered coolly. ¡°But don¡¯t kill him.¡±


    In other words, anything goes as long as the man was not killed.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    With his orders issued, John turned around toward Cordy and saw that she was still sobbing, almost


    hysterical.


    He should never have shown her his savage side.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ He apologized to her for his impulsive behavior.


    Cordy shook her head.

 Chapter 540

    Chapter 540


    Chapter 540


    Cordy quietly shook her head and held on tightly to John¡¯s hand as she led him out of the dpidated


    warehouse.


    They returned to the car and sat together in silence.


    When he turned toward her, he saw that her whole body was still shaking, just as she had when she


    hugged him in the warehouse.


    He had no idea if she was shaking because his savagery scared her or if she was still worried about


    Richard.


    ¡°Jessica did this on purpose,¡± he said, attempting to break the deathly silence.


    Cordy looked up at him and nodded.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    When she could not find Richard in the warehouse, she knew Jessica had tricked them.


    Jessica was never stupid, and having followed John around for years, she would more or less know


    how he operated.


    Everything Jessica had done today was a purposeful retaliation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check the footage again when we get back, see if we find anything/ John added.


    Cordy nodded quietly.


    Eventually, they returned to Cordy¡¯s apartment.


    Sam and Bob hurried to them when they saw them return, but they did not ask questions since they


    could tell from their looks that it had been a fruitless journey.


    Cordy returned to herptop and watched the footage with every bit of attention she had, trying to


    pinpoint where Jessica got out of the car.


    However, traffic cameras had too many blind spots, and trying to judge where Jessica went with those


    was simply outrageous.


    Even so, Cordy kept telling herself not to give up-Jessica would not be familiar with North City¡¯s traffic


    layout, let alone pinpoint security blind spots. There was no way she could stay in those blind spots by


    sheer coincidence, and they might be able to find it if they looked carefully¡­


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John¡¯s quiet voice spoke beside her ear.


    Cordy turned and saw that his eyes were bloodshot-he definitely did not sleep well in the detention


    center.


    It was already midnight, but she could not bring herself to tell him to rest.


    ¡°Here. You should eat something,¡± John said, passing her a bowl of oatmeal that he ordered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling an appetite,¡¯ she said.


    She had not drunk a sip of water the entire day, let alone had anything to eat.


    ¡°Eat,¡± John coaxed her mildly nheless. ¡°There¡¯s no telling how long this would take, and your


    health takes priority.¡±


    Cordy blinked, understanding that John was right just then.


    There was no telling how long Jessica would harass them for, and she had this feeling that John really


    liked this sort of game-tormenting them with sickening cruelty.


    Cordy took the bowl of oatmeal from John, and she saw that the back of his hand was red and swollen.


    He must have hurt himself from punching that man too hard.


    With his hand being so skinny now, the gruesome swelling was especially conspicuous.


    ¡°You need to get that bandaged, John,¡± she rasped, as it hurt her throat to speak now.


    The day had been one filled with tribtions, and all the stress seemed to press down on her throat.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°You said health takes priority,¡± she said, staring fixedly at him


    Right now, they could only depend on each other, and neither of them must fall or the other would fall


    into pieces right then and there.

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541


    Chapter 541


    Cordy quietly ate her bowl of oatmeal without feeling its taste.


    At the same time, Bob helped John bandage that gruesome swelling on the back of his hand. It hurt


    Bob to look at it, but he had no words offort.


    He also remembered Richard, and the thought of something terrible happening to a little boy like


    Richard¡­


    No, he could not bear to let himself think that.


    And it would naturally be worse for his biological parents.


    Bob simply assured himself that the boy was born lucky and would be free from trouble.


    After bandaging John, Bob offered, ¡°Want to step out for a smoke?¡¯


    John shook his head, but Bob tried to reason with him. ¡®Keeping yourself tense like this won¡¯t work.


    Just rx-one cigarette won¡¯t cost you that much time.¡±


    Bob certainly could not bear John hurting himself like this.


    If there was a clue in the video, someone as outstanding as John would have found it already. It would


    not take him that long.


    Right now, Bob was just trying to get John preupied or his thoughts would go astray.


    ¡°Sam, smoke break,¡¯ Bob called out to Sam before John could give his approval.


    Sam hurried over while Cordy watched them in silence.


    As a matter of fact, they needed to unwind after sitting in front of theirptops for so long.


    She just did not dare to let herself rx, not even for a second.


    She was worried that once she did, she would remember Richard¡­ and she fell apart inside whenever


    she did.


    Bob and Sam quietly watched John. They tried to speak multiple times, but were not sure how to


    comfort John.


    So much had happened to the Levines, and they seemed to be denied peace ever since Zoe was


    found not to be Nancy¡¯s biological daughter.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    First Jay, then John¡­ and now, Richard.


    Did suffering necessarily follow a happy life?!


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You two should head home/ John suddenly said.


    ¡°Shut it/ Bob quickly said. ¡±We¡¯re definitely sticking with you/


    ¡°We can¡¯t help much, but we¡¯re helping.¡± Sam agreed.


    ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re brothers, Johnny. Don¡¯t keep everything bottled up,¡± Bob added.


    John nodded, finishing his cigarette just then and returning to the living room.


    Cordy was sprawled in front of herptop, having fallen asleep.


    She was not sleeping well-her brow was deeply furrowed, and her whole body was shuddering, as if


    she was enveloped in horror and shrouded by fear.


    John brought a fur nket and gently draped it over her shoulders.


    His movement was tentative because he knew that she awoke easily, but he had to do it in fear that


    she would catch a cold.


    However, he had just touched her when she suddenly opened her eyes!

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542


    Chapter 542


    There was sheer terror in Cordy¡¯s eyes as she shrieked, ¡°Dicky!¡± ¡°Cordy,¡± John said, quickly wrapping


    his arms around her and coaxing her,¡± Calm down. It¡¯s John. I¡¯m here. You were just having a bad


    dream.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Dicky¡­¡± Cordy¡¯s tears began to gush nheless.


    She just had a nightmare that Jessica pushed her boy off a cliff.


    She tried to protect him but was unable to reach them in time, and she could only watch as Richard¡¯s


    tiny frame fell off the cliff amid Jesscia¡¯s maniacalughter.


    ¡°Wake up, Cordy,¡± John said, cupping her tearful cheeks.


    He saw that the fear in her eyes was not fading, and there was no focus in her gaze.


    Still, she blinked when she finally heard his voice.


    ¡°John. I just saw Dicky¡­ but Jessica pushed him off a cliff¡­¡±


    ¡°That wont happen!¡± John told her determinedly. ¡°I¡¯ll save Dicky-1 wont let anything happen to her!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cordy murmured, though her eyes were finally starting to focus.


    She could see John from up close, but she could not control her hysteria.


    She could remember her nightmare, and it was just so vivid.


    ¡°Calm down, I¡¯m here,¡± John said, gathering her firmly into his arms again.¡± I¡¯ll protect you and Dicky.¡±


    Cordy leaned on his chest and listened to the powerful thump of his heartbeat, the regr rhythm


    calming her slightly just then.


    But at that very moment, John¡¯s phone started to ring.


    Cordy just started to calm down for a moment, but she was soon on her toes again, like a cat put


    through a desperate situation.


    John kept one arm around her tofort her while the other picked up the phone and saw the


    unregistered number.


    His heart¡¯s rhythm turned irregr just then.


    Cordy looked up at his phone too, and when she saw the number, she knew by instinct that it was


    Jessica.


    She watched as John worked hard to stay calm despite his shaking hands, and he answered the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he asked calmly, his tone no different from usual.


    Cordy would never have noticed that John was nervous if she was not leaning against his chest-his


    heart was threatening to jump out of his chest!


    ¡°You knew it¡¯s me? How smart of you.¡± Jessica¡¯s voice could be heard from the other end, and there


    was a hint of smugness.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡± he asked, not wasting his breath and cutting to the chase.


    ¡°He¡¯s asleep,¡± Jessica replied nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, and he¡¯s still too young to travel long


    distances. He fell asleep in no time at all.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What did you do to him?¡± John asked, his fingers unwittingly clenching on his phone.


    ¡°What would I do to him? I¡¯ve always treated him as my own son and given him best since he was a


    baby. What did you think I¡¯d do?¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± John asked bluntly, not interested in sparring words with her.


    He knew perfectly well that Jessica was relishing in the delight of tormenting him.


    However, she was suddenly agitated as she started to rant, ¡°What do you think I want?! I loved you so


    much, John, only for you to do my family dirty like this! Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just self-defense. I¡¯d never have toe this far if your family didn¡¯t scapegoat me.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You can trick judges with that, not me!¡± Jessica scoffed. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know you after


    hovering around you for years? Or maybe you haven¡¯t yed enough games after my bodyguard led


    you on a wild goose chase?!¡¯


    John was glowering.


    He really would have lost it and murdered Jessica if she were in front of him right now, even if he had to


    pay for it with his life!


    ¡°You only did it for Cordy¡¯s sake, so that you don¡¯t have to marry me! You knew that my family could


    never afford to have something like thate to light! So what if we used you as our scapegoat?!


    Would something you¡¯d never notice hurt you, let alone affect you?! I hate you, John!¡±


    ¡°Thene at me!¡± John snarled loudly and clearly. ¡°Where are you now?! I¡¯ll let you have your


    revenge!¡±

 Chapter 543

    Chapter 543


    Chapter 543


    ¡°John, it doesn¡¯t seem like your style. Why do you lose control of yourself so fast?¡¯ Jessica mocked


    him. ¡°I thought you would always keep a neutral expression in front of me, but you would seem agitated


    in front of me too.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± John gritted his teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I want either. What do you think I want since I¡¯ve lost everything now?¡± Jessica


    asked in answer before sheughed at herself.¡± Should I feel lucky that I beat you to it and came to


    North City with a n before you n to ruin my family? If not, my brother and I would have been


    locked up in prison by now. After all, all your evidence is directed against me.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, I was the one who brought this to you, and I harmed your family. Just deal with me. Tell me where


    you are now, and I¡¯ll go there right away. You can do whatever you want to me!¡± John could not hide his


    wrath at all.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to see you now. John, let¡¯s y a game,¡± Jessica suggested wickedly.


    John¡¯s expression changed drastically.


    He knew very well what kind of family the Stuart family was. He knew how they would torture a person


    until they died.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you very smart? Don¡¯t you always want to know where I am? I¡¯ll give you 24 hours. It¡¯s now 1.02


    AM, and if you can¡¯t find me at this hour tomorrow, I¡¯ll take a thing from Dicky and give it to you. I¡¯ll send


    you one thing every two hours. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Jessica Stuart!¡±


    ¡°Dicky is quite good now. He doesn¡¯t cry or make a scene. I wonder if he¡¯ll cry if I take a thing from his


    bodyter¡­¡¯


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t bear to hear that, can you?¡¯ Jessica¡¯sughter became wilder.¡± John, you¡¯re the one who


    forced me to this state. You should have a taste of how I¡¯ll torment you!¡¯


    Having said that, Jessica abruptly hung up the call.


    Veins were bulging on John¡¯s face, and his expression was extremely hideous.


    ¡°What did Jessica say?¡± Sam could not help but ask.


    He knew from John¡¯s look that the situation was very bad.


    ¡°Jessica asked me to find her in a day. If not¡­¡¯ John¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed vigorously. ¡¯She¡¯ll deal


    with Dicky.¡¯


    ¡°A day?¡± Sam widened his eyes.


    How could they find her in a day without any clues?


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Sam looked at John.


    ¡°Keep on watching the video to find out if you miss anything. I¡¯ll call the others.¡± John tried his best to


    calm himself down.


    He calmly held his phone, but his hand inevitably trembled.


    At that moment, Cordy had left John¡¯s arms. She had heard the whole conversation between John and


    Jessica just now.


    She did not dare to imagine the final result.


    She could only watch the surveince video ceaselessly and desperately tried to find where Jessica


    had gone.


    John made calls endlessly. ¡°Randy, I¡¯ll give you a contact number. Look into its base station address.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Keep on looking for Jessica. You must find her even if you turn North City over.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After he hung up the call, he returned to hisptop.


    He quickly watched all the videos again at eight times the normal speed.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He marked and envisioned all the blind spots geographically.


    He also asked people to look into all the possible hiding spots.


    Another twelve hours passed by.


    They did not rest for two days in a row.


    It was now 1 PM, and they still found nothing.


    That strange call came from a fake contact number, so they could not trace the exact spot she made


    the call from.


    ¡°Johnny.¡± Bob could not bear to see that anymore.

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544


    Chapter 544


    He saw John¡¯s bloodshot eyes.


    John¡¯s body was not in a very good condition since he had juste out of prison. Besides, he had


    been burning the midnight oil all that while, so he was greatly exhausted. If that continued, Bob was


    afraid that John would die a sudden death.


    ¡°Go and sleep for a while. It¡¯s useless even if you hold on like this. Why don¡¯t you take a brief rest?


    Maybe you¡¯ll have some ideas.¡± Bob tried to persuade John.


    John shook his head before he looked toward Cordy.


    He saw the weak and slim figure sitting before theputer motionlessly. She asionally drew


    something on the paper.


    After Jessica called her and said so many threatening words, Cordy seemed to have calmed down all


    of a sudden.


    People would generally copse under that kind of circumstance.


    However, she suddenly calmed herself down.


    She had been staring at the surveince video and jotting things down seriously and repeatedly for as


    long as twelve hours. After that, she spected and eliminated unlikely things again and again.


    She did not give up at all.


    Bob looked in John¡¯s direction.


    When he saw Cordy¡¯s behavior, he felt sorry for her.


    People would feel sorrier for her if she tried to act stronger.


    Sam yanked at Bob, wanting to stop thetter from disturbing them.


    Of course, he could tell that both John and Cordy were at their limits, but they could not sleep now.


    They would exhaust themselves vehemently instead of lying in bed with ease of mind.


    They might as well risk their lives.


    Even if the final result turned out to be bad¡­ At least, they would feel less regretful.


    The room became quiet again.


    It was now 8 PM, and there were three hours left before the time demanded by Jessica.


    Cordy finally moved her body slightly on her seat, and she got up.


    When she had gotten to her feet, she fell forward.


    She was dizzy as she sat there for too long but got up abruptly.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John hugged her.


    Cordy took less than two seconds before she immediately stood up.


    She said to John, ¡°I analyzed Jessica¡¯s route. Let me tell you my doubts, ideas, and spections.


    Maybe we can find where she¡¯s gone quicker.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John led Cordy to the tea table at the side, and both Bob and Sam followed suit.


    They huddled together.


    Cordy then took out the paper she used to jot things down and borated,¡± I believe that Jessica had


    nned beforehand since she wanted toe to North City. After all, the Stuart family watched her


    closely. So, it means that she didn¡¯t dare to make a fanfare. She had to take cover because the Stuart


    family wouldn¡¯t have let her do this. She¡¯ll destroy everything including herself if she does this. She


    doesn¡¯t want to live. If she gives everything up, it means that the Stuart and Cranston families can¡¯t


    unite with a marriage. I mean to say that she¡¯s not asplicated as we thought. She doesn¡¯t have so


    much time to prepare so thoroughly.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    John nodded, and both Bob and Sam agreed with it too.


    They admired her because she could be so calm in the final five hours.


    In the beginning, she was the most worried and perturbed one. Did it mean that being a mother made


    one strong?

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545


    Chapter 545


    ¡°We can put aside all the so-called blind spots in the video to look for the ce that Jessica might have


    gone to. We¡¯ve spent too much time here. What I mean to say is that she didn¡¯t dare to make a great


    fanfare, so it means that she didn¡¯t have enough time or a lot of power either. It means that she couldn¡¯t


    get the map of the so-called blind spots of the roads in North City.


    ¡°Since she couldn¡¯t get hold of such a thing, she couldn¡¯t be sure that she could avoid all the blind


    spots.¡± While pointing at her map, Cordy added,¡± This is what I found from the surveince video. This


    is the route from where Jessica¡¯s car wasst parked to Dicky¡¯s school. I marked all the blind spots. It


    doesn¡¯t look like there are a lot of blind spots, but I almost affirm that she wouldn¡¯t take a risk given her


    intelligence and scheme.¡±


    Cordy was trying to prove her point.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have taken a risk if it was me,¡± Sam echoed her words.


    ¡°It also means that we all had been fooled by Jessica. She might not even have gotten out of the car,¡±


    Cordy stated slowly.


    John narrowed his eyes.


    Both Bob and Sam were slightly shocked.


    ¡°We saw only a driver get out of the car in the video Randy sent us. There was no one else in the car.


    But in fact, was there no one else in the car? Could it be that the driver got out of the car to purposely


    divert our attention before they got out?¡± Cordy looked at John.


    John then immediately took out his phone to make a call. ¡°Randy, get me the surveince video where


    Jessica parked her car now as well as the video after the driver had left.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The atmosphere soon became tense.


    If that was the case, Jessica was in the industrial zone and did not leave at all.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Time passed by, and John¡¯s phone rang once.


    He quickly carried hisptop over and clicked on therge video sent by Randy. After that, they started


    to y it at eight times faster than the normal speed.


    After the driver left for an hour, there was some movement in the car.


    Hence, John quickly paused the video.


    If one was watching the video at such a fast speed, one could not have caught such a movement, but


    John did.


    If one yed it at the normal speed, one could see the car shake slightly.


    After that, a person sat up in the car and looked around. After the person was sure that there was no


    one else around, the person seemed to have turned around and said something to the others in the


    car. Jessica then emerged with the other bodyguard.


    The car door was opened.


    They got out of the car one after another before they opened the trunk and carried Richard out.


    Richard was sleeping soundly all that while. They seemed to have drugged him, and he did not even


    wake up when they were so rough and made such a loud noise.


    Cordy could not help bursting into tears the moment she saw Richard.


    She thought that she was strong enough, but she copsed the moment she saw his small body.


    However, she had to forcefully hold on to not vent her feelings.


    Finally, she found where they had gone.


    She had finally found them.


    ¡°Motherf*cker! They¡¯re so wicked!¡± Bob inevitably cursed.


    John did not stop but quickly asked Randy to send him the map of the industrial zone.


    He then asked Randy to investigate the direction in which they had left.


    Half an hourter, they were sure where Jessica was.


    She was in a shabby and old deserted factory in the industrial zone.


    ¡°Are we going there now?¡± Cordy asked John.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± John nodded.


    He did not want to dy even for a minute.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat something first.¡± Cordy tried to calm herself down.


    There were three hours left and they only needed an hour to get there. So, they could make it.


    However, she did not know what would happen in the end after they went there.

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546


    Chapter 546


    What would be the result?


    They should adjust their bodies to the best states in the face of the unknown.


    Facing Cordy¡¯s gaze, John nodded.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Bob quickly asked the restaurant under hispany to send them a sumptuous meal at the fastest


    speed.


    It was so splendid that it was stacked on Cordy¡¯s dining table in almost two rows because her dining


    table was notrge.


    Hence, Cordy made a joke. ¡®Bob, are you worried that this is thest meal for John and I?¡±


    When she made that joke, she could see Bob¡¯s eyes turn red. ¡¯Stop saying nonsense. You guys can


    live up to a hundred years old.¡±


    Cordy chuckled.


    Whileughing, she cried.


    John handed her a tissue paper.


    No one could guarantee whether they would face any danger or not.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat. You ate so little in these two days. Eating is very important.¡± Sam tried to ease the tense


    atmosphere.


    Everyone started eating in silence.


    However, they could not enjoy the meal at all and could only force themselves to eat a little.


    Suddenly, Bob said, ¡°I hated Jay very much in the past.¡±


    Everyone looked at him and his red eyes.


    He was a very sentimental and emotional person.


    ¡°Why did he give Zoe up just like that? And why did he snatch her away just because someone wanted


    her? But now, he¡¯s gotten into a serious car ident and is now in the hospital¡¯s ICU. We don¡¯t know


    whether he¡¯ll wake up again. I suddenly feel that all love and hatred seem so small and trivial in the


    face of life. I even feel that I can let him and Zoe be together as long as he can survive this.¡¯ While


    speaking, Bob cried.


    He might have felt slightly guilty toward Jay.


    If he had known that such a serious ident would happen to Jay, he would have long told Jay that he


    would retreat without any regrets as long as Zoe could be happy with Jay.


    ¡°Stop crying.¡± Sam handed him a tissue paper and consoled him, ¡°Jay isn¡¯t dead¡­ Bah! He won¡¯t die.


    He may wake up in a few days. Don¡¯t be so emotional.¡±


    Bob used the tissue to wipe his tears. He found himself too embarrassed now.


    As long as he thought of the unknown result that might befall John if he went there now¡­ What if¡­


    He could not control himself.


    The four of them grew up together, so he did not want to lose anyone out of the blue.


    After dinner, both Bob and Sam saw Cordy and John off at the door.


    ¡°Johnny, don¡¯t forget that you owe Sam and me a meal.¡± Looking at John, Bob spoke seriously.


    ¡°Yes, I remember.¡± John made a promise. ¡°I won¡¯t break my word.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡¯ Bob said loudly to their backs.


    However, John did not turn around, and he merely gave Bob an okay gesture.


    Bob left in an easy and carefree manner, and both Cordy and John got into the car again.


    It was now 10.32 PM.


    There were two and a half hours left before the time stipted by Jessica.


    The car was driven toward the destination.


    It was very quiet in the car.


    John whispered in Cordy¡¯s ear, ¡°Sleep for a while. We need an hour and twenty-five minutes to get


    there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± It was rare to see Cordy listen to him before she leaned against his chest.


    She did not know if she would have the chance to lean against his chest again.

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547


    Chapter 547


    Cordy leaned against John¡¯s chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.


    However, she could not fall asleep at all.


    Even though she was very weak and sleepy now, she could not doze off.


    When she closed her eyes, all she saw was a bloody scene.


    It was all about the scene where Richard was in Jessica¡¯s hand. He was so young and helpless.


    ¡°John,¡± Cordy spoke up.


    She wanted to break the silence.


    She would be lost in wild thoughts if it was quiet and think about a lot of bad things.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Do you hate me?¡± Cordy suddenly questioned him.


    John was stunned briefly before he slowly shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never hated you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever me me because I pushed you away again and again?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± John answered firmly. ¡°All I thought about was how to pull you back to me every time you


    pushed me away. I didn¡¯t have the time to hate you.¡±


    Bitterness overwhelmed her nose.


    How could he be so loyal?


    ¡°Cordy, have I never told you why I love you so much?¡± John lowered his head to look at her pale face.


    ¡°Yes, you did¡­¡± Cordy became quite helpless.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It was her first time. Of course, she was inexperienced in this kind of stuff.


    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s because I fell in love with you at first sight when we were young.¡± John admitted


    to it.


    ¡°Did we know each other when we were young?¡±


    Although they were in the same city and circle, the Levine family enjoyed a much higher status than the


    Sachs family. It was very hard for them to have fun together. Besides, John grew up abroad.


    ¡°Hmm. It was at your mother¡¯s funeral,¡± John exined.


    Consequently, Cordy suffered excruciating pain.


    She suddenly found that it had been a very long time since shest recalled her mother and that she


    almost forgot what her mother looked like.


    But she did not want to forget about her mother at all¡­


    ¡°I attended the funeral with my grandpa and parents,¡± John borated.¡± Your body was so small at that


    time. You kneeled in the hall without making a fuss. You were so quiet as if you didn¡¯t exist in this world.


    For the first time, a kind ofpassion swept over me. I even felt like taking you home.¡±


    Cordy was struck speechless.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t realize I liked you back then. I just felt that you were very pitiful at that time. You were so


    lonely as if you were broken on the inside.¡±


    She was in a state of despair at that time.


    She did not understand why her mother, who loved her so much, would suddenly leave her forever.


    She also could not understand why people would die.


    She knew that she had lost her mother forever.


    ¡°After that, I would hear Bob and Sam talk about you every time I came back from abroad. My heart


    would be moved inexplicably every time they brought you up. Then, I would recall how you looked


    when you kneeled there that day. I couldn¡¯t get rid of the scene, and I even did a strange thing and


    asked my grandpa to change my name. My name used to be Jack.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Cordy chimed in. ¡®Zoe told me about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I changed my nameter on because I identally saw a statement in a book. I¡¯d fallen in love


    with you at first sight, and I was graced by your presence. So, I changed my name. Only then did I


    realize that I might have fallen in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I was only twelve and you were nine. Who would believe me?¡± ¡°What aboutter on?¡±

 Chapter 548

    Chapter 548


    Chapter 548


    Why did he not tell her he loved herter on?


    ¡°I lived abroadter on and rarely came back. What¡¯s more, Jessica was always around me. I couldn¡¯t


    tell my feelings for a period of time.¡¯


    ¡°So, were you moved by Jessica?¡¯ When he brought Jessica up, her heart inevitably skipped a beat.


    She hated Jessica vehemently.


    ¡°No. When I returned from abroad and met you again at the bar when I was twenty, I knew that my


    feelings for you and Jessica were vastly different. She was just a person who shared my social status.


    The education I received since childhood influenced me secretly, so I forced myself to ept her.


    However, everything was ruined the moment I met you. My feelings for you are vastly different from my


    feelings toward her. I can¡¯t control them at all.¡±


    Cordy bit her lips gently.


    She did not imagine that John liked her for such a long time. He secretly liked her for so many years.


    He had always been in love with her.


    She did not even know of him before she met him.


    He was just a legend, and a person whom she would never have anything to do with.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ Cordy suddenly apologized to him.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I misunderstood so many things about you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± John pulled her into his arms. ¡°I¡¯m very satisfied. After you started dating Kyle, I thought we


    had missed each other. I feel that my life isplete now since I have the chance to be with you and


    confess my love for you. I can even let you feel my heart¡­ Hmm!¡±


    Cordy used her hands to stop him from speaking.


    She did not want to listen to that anymore.


    It sounded like hisst words, so she did not want to hear them.


    She thought that he just wanted to divert her attention now since he said so much to her about his


    feelings toward her. But now, she seemed to feel that he was afraid he would lose the chance to


    confess how many years he had loved her.


    And now he would be left with no regrets to have his love reciprocated by her.


    She did not want to see him save Richard with the idea that he would be killed even though she did not


    know what the result would be¡­


    John gently pulled her hands away and said, ¡°Cordy, we know very well what we¡¯ll faceter. The only


    thing we can do now is to try our best not to leave too many regrets for each other.¡±


    Cordy shook her head.


    It would be a regret no matter what they did or said.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The people who were left behind would be filled with more regrets.


    ¡°Jessica won¡¯t let Dicky off easily. I can¡¯t guarantee that I have such great power to retreat safe and


    sound after saving Dicky. The only thing that I can guarantee is that Dicky will be alive if I am. If I die¡­¡±


    John paused.


    Lying in his arms, Cordy¡¯s body trembled slightly.


    Sobbing, she could not control her body¡¯s instinctive reactions.


    ¡°If I die and Dicky is still lucky to be alive, live well with him.¡¯


    Cordy shook her head vigorously, not wanting to ept that kind of result.


    She wanted their family of three to be safe and sound without leaving anyone out.


    ¡°You can marry someone else.¡± John seemed to have chuckled. ¡°Just don¡¯t bring him to my tomb to


    annoy me.¡±


    Cordy tried her best to hold back her tears, but she lost control now when she heard his words at that


    moment.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Atst, she agreed to it.


    If¡­


    If only either Richard or John could survive¡­


    She chose Richard.

 Chapter 549

    Chapter 549


    Chapter 549


    The car reached its destination and stopped 600 feet from a deserted and old factory in the industrial


    zone.


    They did not dare to be so close for fear of alerting their enemies, but they were not too careful either.


    After all, Jessica wanted them toe, so she purposely lured them there.


    It was now midnight, with an hour left before the time stipted by Jessica.


    John got out of the car, and Cordy followed suit.


    He turned around and nced at her quietly. He then brought two bodyguards with him to walk toward


    that deserted factory.


    He had just taken a few steps when Cordy hugged him from behind out of the blue.


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Cordy?¡± His voice was low and slightly hoarse.


    ¡°John, I¡¯ve never told you that I love you, have I?¡± Cordy asked him. Burying her face on his back, she


    asked firmly.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    John swallowed slightly and answered lightly, ¡°I know.¡±


    He could feel it.


    ¡°I love you.¡± However, Cordy still confessed her love for him loudly.


    John smiled.


    He thought that it was more than enough since he knew. Unexpectedly, it filled him with such deep joy


    when she said it aloud.


    He turned around and met her gaze.


    Cordy looked at him with watery eyes and great reluctance.


    It seemed like she had cried more than enough in those two days.


    She was not that weak.


    When she was young, her mother taught her to be strong and brave. Others could never rece


    anyone, and one could only rely on oneself.


    Hence, she generally would not cry even if she faced serious issues.


    However, she could not hold herself back during these two days.


    For the first time, she was very scared of losing and that her beloved person would be gone in the blink


    of an eye.


    She did not know what else she could do except cry given the sense of helplessness that engulfed her.


    John lightly wiped away her tears, leaned down, and kissed her firmly on her lips.


    Her gaze moved slightly, and her tears burst forth the moment she closed her eyes.


    She took the initiative to hug his neck and deepened that light farewell kiss.


    John responded to her kiss.


    They kissed for a very long time, finding it hard to let go.


    They did not want to let go of each other at all, afraid that it would be thest time they would see each


    other.


    However¡­


    John pushed Cordy away.


    When he saw her red eyes, he said hoarsely, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Take good care of yourself. Don¡¯t make me


    worry.¡¯


    After that, he let go of her and gradually pulled her hands away from him.


    Without lingering, he turned around to leave.


    Cordy¡¯s fingers moved slightly. She wanted to grab him, but all that was left was the breeze he left


    when he walked away.


    She could not see anything in front of her and could not see his back when he turned away.

 Chapter 550

    Chapter 550


    Chapter 550


    John walked into the old, deserted factory.


    He was not being overly cautious.


    There was a faint light in the factory.


    Jessica was there.


    When he entered the ce, he found her sitting on an old chair. She seemed to be waiting for him.


    Besides, she was not at all surprised by his appearance.


    She felt that John would find her.


    However, she did not care even if he failed to find her.


    She had decided to cut one of Richard¡¯s fingers to gift to John and Cordy.


    However, Jessica narrowed her eyes slightly.


    She was slightly annoyed since she did not see Cordy.


    How could John suffer through that incident alone? Cordy was the culprit, so she should suffer


    retribution the most.


    At that moment, Jessica remained quiet. She stared straight at John and cracked a winner¡¯s smile.


    On the other hand, John remained quiet too, and he silently sized up everything in the ce.


    There were three bodyguards there other than Jessica. Two of them were standing beside her with


    weapons in their hands, and they were in charge of protecting her.


    There was another bodyguard behind her, and right behind her was


    Richard. He was sitting on the floor, being tied up, and his mouth was stuffed with a piece of cotton


    cloth.


    When Richard saw his father, his gaze became slightly agitated. However, he could not say a word


    because his mouth was stuffed with cloth. So, he could only move his body slightly. However, the


    bodyguard behind him pressed him down hard, so he could not move at all.


    John gradually tightened his fists and suppressed his anger before he gave Richard a look.


    John was the one who raised Richard, so when Richard saw his father¡¯s gaze, he kept quiet.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Of course, Jessica caught the emotion in John¡¯s gaze. She turned around and nced at Richard.


    When she saw how nice and obedient he was, sheughed wickedly. She then turned back around and


    said to John, ¡°Frankly, I can¡¯t bear to kill Dicky. He¡¯s such a cute kid. What a pity if he dies.¡±


    ¡°Jessica, you don¡¯t have to involve others in the grudges between us, let alone harm an innocent kid.


    Let go of him, and just deal with me,¡¯ John uttered straightforwardly.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s the grudges between us, but John, I¡¯m a narrow-minded person. I dislike a tooth for a


    tooth, and I like to double things up. You hurt me, so I want you to pay ten times the price! So, it¡¯s not


    enough to take revenge on you. I want to take revenge on the people you care about. Other than Dicky,


    Cordy is one of them too!¡±


    Jessica sounded very wild and reckless.


    John¡¯s face became extremely cold and gloomy. ¡°Do you think you can do that?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I seed now?¡± Jessica got to her feet andughed arrogantly with her chin high.


    ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t let go of Dicky?¡± John asked word by word.


    Jessica¡¯s face turned slightly gloomy before sheughed coldly. ¡°You won¡¯te if you can let go.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I came just to give myself a bit of hope without any regrets. It doesn¡¯t mean that I want a


    good ending just bying here.¡±


    ¡°John, do you n to give your son up?¡± Jessica seemed to be a little agitated.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t keep him, I¡¯ll give up.¡¯ John¡¯s face was dull. ¡®You should know very well that I dislike being


    threatened by others.


    ¡°Do you believe I¡¯ll kill Dicky now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± John looked at her coldly. ¡°But you can¡¯t survive if you kill him.¡±


    ¡°I never thought of surviving.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t ept it. You don¡¯t want to die before you make me pay ten times the price.¡± John


    brought up her sore spot.


    Jessica¡¯s expression became extremely gloomy.


    ¡°So, Jessica, here¡¯s myst chance for you. Let Dicky go. I¡¯ll die with you,¡± John stated word by word.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that you can give Dicky up? Now you im that you can die with me.¡±


    ¡°I just want to give Cordy an exnation.¡± John looked at Jessica steadily and calmly. He was


    extremely ruthless too.


    Consequently, Jessica could not tell what kind of feelings John held for Richard for a moment.


    How much could John tolerate for Richard¡¯s sake?


    ¡°So, do you value Cordy more than Dicky and yourself?¡± Jessica roared angrily and agitatedly.

 Chapter 551

    Chapter 551


    Chapter 551


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ John admitted, ¡°To me, Cordy is the most important.¡±


    ¡°What gives her the right to be so loved by you, yet I¡¯m nothing to you?! I¡¯ve been by your side for so


    many years, and I¡¯m willing to forsake even my dignity for you. Why can¡¯t Ipare to Cordy? Why am


    I inferior to her?!¡¯ Jessica yelled hysterically.


    She did not understand it at all.


    She did not understand why she lost.


    ¡°There need not be a reason for love. In fact, if I could state the reason why I love, that might not be


    love at all.¡± Compared to Jessica¡¯s agitation, John was terrifyingly calm. ¡°I¡¯ll just tell you one thing: I


    want no one else but Cordy in my entire life!¡±


    ¡°You want no one else but Cordy¡­¡± Jessica broke out intoughter.


    Unbridled, wildughter tinged with hopelessness.


    ¡°What if I told you that I¡¯ll never let you and Cordy be together your entire life?¡±


    ¡°Loving someone doesn¡¯t mean possessing someone. Jessica, I can only say that your love is too


    selfish,¡± John said coldly.


    ¡°Selfish? Yes, I am selfish! Since I was young, I must have whatever I like! You¡¯re no exception either!¡±


    ¡°So, let Dicky go and I¡¯ll die with you!¡± John cut to the chase.


    ¡°Hah.¡± Jessica chuckled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be fooled so easily? Do you really think I trust you enough to


    let you save Dicky right under my nose with a few casual words?¡±


    John clenched his fists and red at Jessica with his cold, dark eyes.


    Jessica stood unfazed. ¡°John, I¡¯ve been by your side for so many years. I know clearly what you care


    and don¡¯t care about. Don¡¯t think that you can fool me just like this. That¡¯s impossible!¡±


    John clenched his fists tighter. ¡°In that case, make your decision ording to your presumptions!¡±


    With that, John turned to leave.


    He stopped in his tracks after taking two steps and said, ¡°The moment I leave this ce, it means that


    I¡¯ve given up on Dicky. I don¡¯t care what choice you ultimately make, but I will choose to call the police.¡±


    ¡°John Levine!¡± Jessica could not believe that John would be so coldblooded as to not bother about his


    own son¡¯s life and death.


    ¡°If you dare to leave, Dicky will die right in front of you.¡±


    ¡°The oue will be the same whether I leave or not,¡± John said calmly without any sign of emotion.


    ¡°Just get it over with and don¡¯t prolong the agony. Dicky will just have to me it on his wretched fate.¡¯


    ¡°John Levine, are you seriously that cruel?!¡± Jessica was in utter disbelief.


    She was on the brink of copse at seeing John¡¯s determined steps as he walked away.


    ¡°Dicky is your biological son!¡±


    ¡°I can have many more biological sons with Cordy,¡± John said as he walked off. ¡¯I¡¯ll eventually forget


    Dicky one day.¡±


    ¡°John Levine!¡± Jessica screamed.


    She did not believe that John could remain unthreatened by her.


    She snatched the gun from the bodyguard¡¯s hands and aimed a shot at the sky.


    John paused for a moment.


    Jessica stared at his back, desperation written all over her face.


    Yet, John did not so much as turn back to look.


    He simply paused for a second before walking forward again.


    ¡°Fine!¡± Jessica finally gave in when she saw that John was leaving for real.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    She said, ¡°Come back, I¡¯ll let Dicky go.¡±


    John stopped in his tracks, as if hesitant on what he should do.


    ¡°John, your son is only 7 years old. Can you really bear to see him die in my hands?¡± Jessica asked.


    She saw the hesitation in his posture and finally believed him.


    She finally believed that if John wanted to, he could really give Richard up.


    For no reason whatsoever other than the fact that she simrly did not see family was important to her.


    Her parents, her grandfather, her brother¡­


    They were nothing to her.


    Nothing but strangers living under one roof.

 Chapter 552

    Chapter 552


    Chapter 552


    They came together only for the sake of personal gain.


    What affections did they have for each other?


    They only knew self-preservation in the face of troubles.


    For example, this time, since evidence pointed toward her and her brother, they were doomed to be


    scapegoats this time, while her grandparents and parents busied themselves with thinking about how


    to escape unscathed.


    That was reality-the reality of her family.


    Therefore, she truly believed that John could possibly abandon Richard when he was forced to a


    corner.


    As John himself said, he could also have many other sons with Cordy.


    Richard would one day be forgotten in their own world.


    And instead of gaining an advantage, she would only end up sacrificing herself in her attempt at


    revenge.


    John turned to look at Jessica, who red viciously back at him.


    ¡°Finally giving in?¡± she quipped sarcastically.


    How cold-blooded could John really be?


    He ultimately chose to sacrifice himself to save Richard, didn¡¯t he?


    John didn¡¯t respond to Jessica. Instead, he walked toward Jessica step by step.


    He said, ¡°Let Dicky go.¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Jessica nodded. ¡°Come over here first.¡¯


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll trust you?¡± John asked.


    Jessica¡¯s face darkened.


    She signaled one of the bodyguards, ¡¯Release the rope on his hands.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The bodyguard crouched forward and did ording to Jessica¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Richard yelled out loud with thinly-veiled fear in his voice upon being freed.


    ¡°Dicky,¡¯ John replied to him calmly, seemingly unperturbed.


    He turned to look at Jessica. ¡°Tell Dicky toe over. I¡¯ll take his ce.¡±


    Jessica smiled sinisterly.


    She said, ¡°Don¡¯t be in such a hurry.¡¯


    John¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°I suddenly really want to know who Cordy would choose between the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Jessica Stuart!¡±


    ¡°What, getting nervous just because I mentioned Cordy¡¯s name?¡± Jessica mocked him as hatred filled


    her eyes. ¡°I just remembered that all these happened because of Cordy. I can¡¯t spare her just like this.


    At the very least, I must let her witness you dying.¡¯


    ¡°Jessica, don¡¯t force me¡­¡± John said through gritted teeth.


    He heard the sound of footstepsing from behind him.


    John turned around and saw Cordy walking in.


    ¡°Cordy! Leave this ce immediately!¡± John yelled.


    ¡°If you leave right now. I¡¯ll kill Dicky right away!¡± Jessica threatened her.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡¯


    Cordy looked at John¡¯s face that had gone red with anger and back at Dicky, her beloved little Dicky.


    She opened her mouth to speak and then bit her lips to force herself to keep silent as her heart bled.


    She tried her best to swallow her tears as she said to John, ¡°I can¡¯t leave at this point.¡¯


    It took so much for John to hold himself back that veins popped along his temple.


    He asked out loud, ¡°Who told you toe in here?!¡±


    ¡°I did!¡± Jessica admitted, ¡°When you turned to leave, I texted her telling her that if she did note in,


    both you and Dicky would die. Seems like at the very least, she does have a heart for the two of you.¡±

 Chapter 553

    Chapter 553


    Chapter 553


    Indeed.


    Cordy had been waiting outside all along.


    She knew that she should not havee here and that she should have trusted John to save Richard,


    but she was not as calm andposed as she thought she could be. When it concerned the two most


    important people in her life, she found herself unable to stand idly by and do nothing.


    So she decided toe.


    She entered under Jessica¡¯s malicious threat.


    She saw the worry etched in the depths of John¡¯s eyes, the fear written all over Richard¡¯s face, and the


    smug look in Jessica¡¯s eyes.


    If she could take their ce and save them, she would be willing to do it.


    Step by step, she walked toward John.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Cordy apologized.


    John swallowed past his constricted throat.


    He was not angry at her ruining his pace, but rather, he was very scared of the choice that Cordy would


    make!


    Given how smart Cordy was, she probably knew the reason why Jessica let her in.


    ¡°This is great. Now we have everyone here,¡± Jessica dered with a smile.¡± This makes it easier for us


    to settle the scores between us.¡¯


    ¡°What goes on between us has nothing to do with Dicky,¡± Cordy looked straight into Jessica¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Let him go first.¡¯


    ¡°I can do that, but someone must take his ce.¡± It was rare for Jessica to be so willing to let go.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°I will,¡± John said immediately.


    Jessica chuckled. ¡°What if I want Cordy instead?¡±


    ¡°You have no choice,¡± John said firmly before Cordy had a chance to cut in.


    Jessica¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Jessica Stuart, there is a limit to my patience with you!* John didn¡¯t give her much time at all, ¡°At the


    count of three, if you don¡¯t agree to it, I¡¯ll bring Cordy away! Mark my words. One, two¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine!* Jessica agreed.


    She had never been able to force John to do anything.


    When John became ruthless, he could do anything without regard for the consequences.


    ¡°You, bring him over and take him instead,¡± Jessica instructed.


    A bodyguard held Richard down and walked toward John.


    The two bodyguards standing behind Jessica raised their guns at them.


    The bodyguard behind John did the same, poising himself for a stand-off.


    ¡°John Levine, if you dare to y any tricks, we¡¯ll see who dies first!¡± Jessica threatened.


    John looked coldly at Jessica.


    He then turned his attention to Richard who was slowly making his way toward him.


    Richard stared desperately at John, staying silent as he hit his lip.


    Finally, Richard was brought to John¡¯s side.


    The bodyguard who held Richard down looked at both Richard and John at the same time.


    At the next moment, he swiftly pointed his gun at John and let Richard go in quick session.


    Richard was finally freed.


    Cordy lunged forward and pulled Richard sharply into her arms.


    She had to hug Richard close to truly sense that he was still well and alive, but she did not hug him for


    too long.

 Chapter 554

    Chapter 554


    Chapter 554


    She could not bear to let go of Richard so quickly, but reason told her that now was the time for her to


    linger on.


    She whispered in Richard¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t bother about anything else and don¡¯t turn back. Leave this ce


    and find Randy.¡±


    Richard looked up at Cordy, who looked back at him with determination and assurance in her eyes.


    Richard ran to the main entrance, and Jessica¡¯s face turned dark.


    Just when she was about to speak, Cordy stood up. ¡°John and I haven¡¯t left. Isn¡¯t that enough for you?


    Jessica¡¯s eyes turned cold as she saw Richard walk out of the ce, but she knew that Cordy was


    right.


    She had abducted Richard with the aim of getting John and Cordy.


    To her, killing Richard was not important at all.


    Either way, she never expected herself to live for much longer.


    Therefore, she did not care whether Richard would grow up and take revenge on her for his parents¡¯


    sake, and she had no qualms letting Richard leave.


    Cordy finally felt relief when Richard disappeared from sight.


    At the very least, Richard was safe.


    She turned to look at Jessica once again and said directly, ¡°Should I be the one you take revenge on?¡±


    Jessica sneered.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    John¡¯s face changed. ¡°Cordy!¡±


    ¡°John, you¡¯re not the only one doing this without regrets,¡± Cordy said inly.


    She had mentally prepared herself before making her way here.


    She hade prepared to take Richard¡¯s ce, and had never even considered the possibility of John


    dying.


    Even if Jessica did not text her just now, she would have entered anyway and given herself in


    exchange for John.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak! Leave right now, right now!¡± John started to panic, with anxiety shing past his eyes.


    He knew what Cordy wanted to do the moment she barged in, but he would never allow that!


    ¡°For a very long time, I lived in oppression. My life wasn¡¯t smooth-sailing after my mom died and the


    Sachs didn¡¯t treat me well. Noel framed me and tarnished my reputation, and I had the misfortune of


    knowing that b*st* rd Kyle. But now, they all have their just desserts; Kyle is dead, and he died in the


    hands of Noel whom he thought loved him very much. The Sachs aren¡¯t doing very well either, with the


    family business going downhill under Noel¡¯s malicious control. Did I ever tell you that I¡¯ve secretly done


    something under the table such that I can bankrupt the Sachs anytime I wish?¡±


    ¡°Stop talking, Cordy! Leave right now and don¡¯t say a word further!¡± John said agitatedly.


    Cordy looked straight at him, a peaceful smile on her face. ¡°As for Noel, a woman I really hate to the


    core, I constantly think about how I can tarnish her reputation and make her wish she were dead. Now,


    I don¡¯t even need to do that because you helped me exact revenge. You¡¯ve taken so many indecent


    videos of Noel and she would be brought to justice under thew given the dirty business she collided


    with the Stuarts on. There¡¯s no future to speak of for her.¡±


    ¡°Since everyone that I want to take revenge on has received their just deserts, there¡¯s nothing more I


    pursue in this life. At most, I want to respect my mom¡¯s dying wish of living well. I never expected to


    meet you and have Dicky in my life in my life of misfortune, and that alone is enough to make me say


    that my life was worth it.¡± 1


    ¡°So, John, I¡¯m very content with my life and I don¡¯t want to leave any regrets behind. I don¡¯t want to go


    through the pain of losing you and having something missing from my life again.¡±


    Cordy looked deeply into John¡¯s eyes.


    She truly felt like she was very fortunate right now.


    She was worried that she expected more from her destiny and that the more she had, the more it would


    incur the jealousy of others.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes turned red and wet with tears as she tried hard to ignore the emotions roiling in John¡¯s


    eyes.


    She turned to look at Jessica and said emphatically, ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for someone to die with you?


    Don¡¯t you want to take revenge on John? I¡¯ll die with you. My death will be the greatest revenge you


    can take on John.¡±


    Jessica sneered as she mocked, ¡°Trying to act out a dramatic love story in front of me? How touching!¡±

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555


    Chapter 555


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll agree to your request?¡± Jessica asked Cordy.


    ¡°You have no reason not to,¡± Cordy was certain.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Jessica sneered, ¡°No wonder John loves you so much and is so mesmerized by you. If you


    hadn¡¯t appeared, how could things be like this between John and I, and how could my family end


    up in such a plight? Cordy, you are right. You are the culprit and I have no reason to reject you.¡±


    ¡°Then let John go and I¡¯ll die with you,¡± Cordy said with determination.


    ¡°But I refuse!¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s face darkened.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°The more you want something, the more I won¡¯t let you have it! I want you to see John die right in front


    of you and live with regret your entire life. Sometimes, living is more painful than dying. Don¡¯t you think


    so, Cordy?!¡¯ Jessica asked wickedly.


    ¡°No. Time heals all wounds. Right now, I love John and will be sad about his death. But what about one


    yearter, or even ten?! It took me less than a year to forget about Kyle. How faithful do you think I¡¯ll


    remain in this rtionship?!¡±


    ¡°How can youpare Kyle with John?!¡± Jessica eximed.


    Even at this point, John was still her one and only in her heart.


    Otherwise, Jessica would not have destroyed herself for the sake of John!


    ¡°If John dies, you¡¯ll surely remember him for life,¡± Jessica said with certainty. ¡°I called you here not to


    take John¡¯s ce in dying but to make you witness for yourself how you caused John¡¯s death. Your


    existence caused John¡¯s death and that will make you live with guilt for the rest of your life!¡±


    ¡°Jessica Stuart!¡± Cordy could not hold back her anger.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that I would reject you, did you?! Yes, you are the person I hate the most and the reason


    everything hase to this point. I really wish you¡¯d just go to h*ll. But right now, I can only kill one


    person. Had I known this would happen, I would¡¯ve filled this ce with explosives and all of us would


    be killed right here.¡¯


    Everyone started panicking at her words as they stared at her in fear.


    They were truly worried that this mad woman might have really done as she said!


    Even her bodyguards found that a possibility.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t do that.¡± Jessica chuckled once more, as if enjoying mentally torturing others. ¡°I


    didn¡¯t have enough time and was so closely watched that it was too difficult to prepare all that was


    necessary.


    Otherwise, how could it have been so easy to find me?! If I had enough time to realize my full potential,


    all of you might be no match for me!¡±


    No.


    If it had not been for her current circumstances, which made Cordy mistakenly think that Jessica would


    not do what she was doing, Cordy would never have given her the chance to kidnap Richard.


    But right now, Cordy could not be bothered to argue with Jessica on this.


    It waspletely pointless, and Cordy just wanted to exchange her life for John¡¯s.


    ¡°I am the culprit, the greatest punishment you can exact on John is to kill me! Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying


    with regrets?¡± Cordy deliberately provoked Jessica. ¡°I can tell you very clearly that my guilt toward John


    will only be for a short while and not my entire life!¡±


    ¡°Then why do you insist on taking John¡¯s ce?¡± Jessica sneered.


    ¡°Because I am truly the reason for everything that happened. I should bear the responsibility for the


    consequences. I have a conscience and a sense of responsibility after all, and I don¡¯t want anyone to


    be burdened by me. But if there¡¯s a conclusion to this entire incident, a conclusion that I have no power


    to change, I¡¯ll ept it,¡± Cordy said as she looked at John.


    John had been keeping his eyes fixed on her the entire time.


    Cordy decided to retreat. ¡°John, don¡¯t me me if I¡¯m eventually unable to change anything.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡¯ John said with certainty. ¡¯It¡¯s enough for me as long as you live on well.¡±


    Tears welled up in Cordy¡¯s eyes.


    It was so hard to keep her emotions under control.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Jessica yelled in her rage.


    She had enough of the loving look both of them were exchanging.


    What did they take her for?!


    What did John take her many years ofpanionship for?!

 Chapter 556

    Chapter 556


    Chapter 556


    Was she destined to just look at the two of them being there for each other through life and death?!


    ¡°Save your breath, Cordy. I know what you¡¯re thinking. You just want to provoke me into letting John go


    and choosing to die with you. I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯s impossible! No matter what, whether your death is


    the greatest punishment for John or if your death is the best oue for me. I¡¯ll never release John.


    Yes, I¡¯ll never let him go for the rest of my life! I must have him even if I die!¡±


    Jessica finally blurted out her goal.


    Her premise in exacting revenge was to get what she wanted.


    Since she was unable to get John while she was alive, she would be with him in her death.


    It was pointless no matter how much Cordy tried to convince her.


    Jessica¡¯s only choice had always been John, even if it meant that it spared Cordy from dying with her.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    That was the only way she could be with John without anybody intervening.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes were red with unshed tears-she knew very well that whatever she did right now would be


    in vain.


    It was useless no matter how much she tried to provoke Jessica.


    She looked at John and the peace in his eyes.


    He was worried that Jessica would be provoked by Cordy, but he could finally be at ease now.


    Since Jessica still wanted to be with him, everyone else would be safe.


    ¡°Cordy/ heforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. This is the best oue for all.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    No, it was not.


    Such an oue was utterly terrible.


    How could it be the best if John were dead?!


    The best oue would be if the three of them could start life anew as a family.


    ¡°Remember what I told you before I came here,¡± John said tenderly, ¡°Take good care of yourself and


    Dicky. Forget about me-find a man you love who loves you back and live on well.¡±


    Cordy shook her head profusely.


    How could she ever love and be with another man after personally witnessing John¡¯s death?


    ¡°Are you quite done?¡± Jessica asked John.


    Was he done with his final words?!


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done,¡± John said in a low voice.


    ¡°Thene with me/ Jessicamanded as she walked toward John.


    Her bodyguards continued pointing their guns at John¡¯s head.


    If he were to make any move whatsoever, they would blow his brains out.


    ¡°Have I told you before how much I love the ocean?¡± Jessica asked John.


    John kept silent.


    ¡°You probably don¡¯t remember even if I did,¡± Jessica said mockingly. ¡°You¡¯ll only bother remembering


    the promises you made to Cordy. Why would you remember the things I said to you?!¡±


    Not wanting to waste brain space in remembering unimportant details, John truly did not remember


    that.


    ¡°But it¡¯s fine. Anyway, the ocean is where we¡¯ll eventually end up together forever!¡±

 Chapter 557

    Chapter 557


    Chapter 557


    Jessica, along with all her bodyguards, brought John out through the back door of the old factory.


    Cordy instinctively wanted to follow, but Jessica yelled in fury, ¡°Don¡¯t follow us!¡±


    Jessica was clearly on the brink of copse, and Cordy stopped dead in her tracks.


    ¡°Don¡¯te and bother me and John! Cordy, you¡¯re not fit! Scram!¡±


    Cordy bit her lip and looked at John.


    Even the look in John¡¯s eyes warned her not to follow behind them.


    Cordy¡¯s vision blurred.


    Was this goodbye forever?!


    John left with Jessica, and the moment Cordy saw them disappear, she could not help but chase after


    them.


    The back door was locked from outside and she could not open it no matter how she tried.


    Cordy dared not stop, and she immediately turned around to leave.


    Randy was outside, as anxious as she was, and he lunged forward the moment he saw Cordy step out.


    ¡°Mrs. Levine.¡±


    Richard was with Randy who had been watching over him.


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    When Cordy heard Richard calling out to her, she tried her best to calm herself down and to stop


    herself from breaking down into tears.


    She crouched down low and said to Richard, ¡°Mommy¡¯s going to look for Daddy right now. Go back


    with Randy first.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, no¡­¡± Richard hugged Cordy.


    ¡°Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave me.¡± Richard tightened his hold around Cordy¡¯s neck, refusing to let go.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for Daddy and I¡¯lle back.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Richard hugged her even tighter.


    He refused to release his arms for fear that he would lose her, and Cordy exerted some force to push


    his arms away.


    She saw Richard¡¯s eyes turn red as fear filled his eyes.


    He was only seven years old after all.


    No matter how mature he was, it was inevitable that he felt lost under such dire circumstances.


    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t leave me, don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°Dicky.¡± Cordy held his face in her hands. ¡°Mommy wille back. Follow Randy first, all right?¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Huge drops of tears fell from his eyes down his cheeks.


    He even started choking up as his cries turned muffled.


    But when he saw the determination in his mommy¡¯s eyes, he forced himself not to make things difficult


    for her.


    His body trembled slightly as he held himself back.


    ¡°My good boy.¡± Cordy crouched down low and kissed Richard.


    She turned around without any hesitation, called for two bodyguards to follow her, and drove in the


    direction that John and Jessica left.


    ¡°Still don¡¯t see them yet?¡± Cordy asked the bodyguard in the car.


    The bodyguard was already driving the car at its maximum speed.


    He said, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen any cars yet.¡±


    ¡°Is this the only way to the sea?¡±


    ¡°Looks like it from the map,¡± the bodyguard seated at the front passenger seat answered her.


    ¡°Drive faster, please!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The bodyguard stepped harder on the elerator.


    In the distance, they saw a car.


    Cordy¡¯s heart leapt.


    She saw the car stop, but it was too dark to see the car ahead clearly and what its passengers were


    doing after they alighted.


    Cordy could only keep urging the bodyguard to drive faster and faster.


    The bodyguard stepped all the way down on the elerator, and he then brought the car to a stop at a


    dested pier.


    Cordy threw the car door open and rushed out even before the car stopped entirely.


    She almost lost her footing and copsed on the floor, but she could not be bothered by the pain on her


    body and ran to the ocean.


    She had just taken a few steps when she heard the sound of a yachting from the shore.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558


    Chapter 558


    Cordy ran forward wildly and when she reached the shore, she saw that the white yacht had sailed far


    away.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Cordy looked on helplessly at the yacht sailing further and further away from reach, under the


    moonlight and on the choppy sea.


    She knew that John and Jessica must be in the yacht.


    She hadpletely no idea how Jessica would choose to end her and John¡¯s life¡­


    Boom!


    A loud explosion sounded in the air, and the yacht suddenly exploded.


    A bright cloud lit up the night sky.


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Cordy looked on in disbelief at the yacht that exploded right before her eyes and started burning in the


    quiet night.


    Without any hesitation at all, she made a move to jump into the sea.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    For all she knew, John might still be alive.


    If John were to be flung out by the force of the explosion into the sea, she might be able to find him and


    save his life¡­ i


    Yet, the moment she tried to run into the waters, a bodyguard held tightly onto her.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Cordymanded.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, the waters are very choppy right now, and it¡¯s so dark. If you jump in, it¡¯ll be extremely


    dangerous for you. Please calm down/ a bodyguard persuaded her firmly.


    ¡°Let go!¡± Cordy cried out, on the brink of copse.


    ¡°Mr. Levine instructed us to protect you in the face of danger, as long as it threatens your life! Ms.


    Sachs, Mr. Levine sacrificed himself just to save you, in hopes that you will treasure your life!¡¯


    ¡°I want to save John right now. I must go!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Levine¡­¡± The bodyguard gritted his teeth and went on, ¡°It¡¯s not possible that Mr. Levine is still


    alive given the force of the explosion just now. Ms. Sachs, please don¡¯t be emotional.¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t die!¡± Cordy yelled heart-wrenchingly, but the bodyguard remained unmoved.


    They had been trained to be cold, distant, and unemotional even in matters of life and death.


    What was of utmost importance for them was to aplish the mission they were tasked.


    And this time, their mission was to protect Cordy well.


    Even if John was truly in danger, Cordy¡¯s safety remained their foremost priority.


    As such, no matter how devastated Cordy was, they would never allow her to jump into the sea to save


    John.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, Mr. Richard is still waiting for you,¡± the bodyguard reminded her in a loud and firm voice.


    Cordy immediately calmed down at the mention of Richard¡¯s name, as reason and logic came flooding


    back into her mind once more.


    She was suddenly able to force herself to calm down.


    She still had Richard.


    She could not just abandon Richard.


    Richard was still waiting for her¡­


    If Richard lost even her, what was he going to do?


    He had already lost his father¡­


    Her vision blurred with tears, and she could see nothing except for a shadow in the distance.


    All she could see was the burning yacht forming a bright, red cloud in the night sky.


    A long whileter, the fire died down on the surface of the sea.


    Everything had been burned down.


    Everything was gone.


    Cordy felt as if the fire had burned through everything in her heart as well.


    She felt so empty inside, with nothing left in her.


    Yet, when the ever-so-familiar figure shed past her mind, the pain that she felt was so suffocating.


    She really had no idea how she was going to live on without him.


    How was she going to live on well?


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, let¡¯s go back.¡± The bodyguard could not help but remind her again, saying, ¡°Richard is still


    waiting for you.¡±


    John knew.


    John knew that as long as Richard was alive and well, she would have to stay alive and well too!


    Cordy suppressed the raging emotions inside her.


    She wiped her tears and looked back at the deep, dark sea once more.


    ¡®Goodbye, John Levine.


    ¡®I will do my best and live well¡­¡¯

 Chapter 559

    Chapter 559


    Chapter 559


    Cordy left the seaside.


    She left the sea that killed her greatest love and went back to Richard, who had been waiting for her all


    along.


    His petite figure stood under the moonlight, quietly waiting for her without crying or fussing.


    At that moment, she suddenly wondered what Richard would do if she never came back.


    If, at that moment, she had chosen to die together with John, what would Richard do?


    The guilt that surfaced all of a sudden mixed up with the overwhelming sorrow in her heart, which


    almost made Cordy break down again.


    She felt like she almost cked out from the crushing emotions inside her.


    It was as if her whole body had fallen into a deep, dark abyss¡­


    She bit her lip hard, forcing herself to stay strong.


    She had not lost everything-she still had Richard.


    She crouched down low, down to Richard¡¯s height and looked right at Richard who was trying his best


    to hold back his tears.


    She saw the resilience on his face that resembled John¡¯s so much.


    She said, ¡¯Dicky, Daddy will not being back anymore.¡±


    Richard nodded.


    He knew.


    He knew that his godmother kidnapped him with the goal of dying together with Daddy.


    But he was too young.


    He was incapable of stopping everything from happening and resisting the flow.


    He could only stand idly by and watch Godmother use him to threaten Daddy.


    He could only stand idly by and watch Mommy shed silent tears because of Daddy¡¯s death.


    He caressed Cordy¡¯s cheeks with his small hands, gently wiping her tears away, but no matter how


    much he did so, the tears kepting. ¡°Mommy,¡¯ he said, ¡¯I¡¯ll take care of you on Daddy¡¯s behalf.¡±


    Richard¡¯s wordspletely shattered Cordy¡¯s heart.


    She pulled Richard into a tight embrace and hugged him.


    Truly, only Richard could give her the courage to live on¡­


    The next morning, when day broke, Cordy brought Richard back to her own house.


    When she opened the door to her apartment, she saw Bob and Sam still in the living room.


    After waiting through the night, both men had fallen asleep on the couch.


    They jumped awake the moment they heard the door open.


    Bob even yelled, ¡°John!¡±


    He turned and saw Cordy and Richard appear in the living room.


    Bob and Sam immediately rolled off the couch and ran toward them, and Sam folded Richard in a tight


    hug. ¡°Dicky, are you all right?!¡±


    Richard nodded silently, and Bob and Sam heaved a sigh of relief.


    They went on asking, ¡°Where¡¯s John?¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, while Richard lowered his head.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°John¡­didn¡¯te back with the both of you?¡± Bob asked Cordy.


    He tried to ask the question as gently as he could, so fearful of the cruel truth.


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± Cordy replied.


    Bob and Sam trembled.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t we¡­weren¡¯t we¡­supposed to share one more meal?¡± Bob said in a trembling voice, unwilling


    to believe that John was gone.


    Sam clenched his fists.


    ¡°Go back, the both of you,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Please go home.J¡¯m so tired¡­¡±


    Bob wanted to say something, but Sam stopped him.


    Cordy was feeling terrible enough.


    They should not add on to her pain at a time like this.


    But¡­


    But the thought of John truly being gone, the thought of someone so important in your life suddenly


    vanishing¡­


    Bob could not help but cry out loud in sorrow.


    Sam had always been a mild-tempered man with extreme self-control. He never appreciated


    sensationalism and sentimentalism, yet because of Bob¡¯s breaking down and the sudden realization


    that John had left them, he was unable to hold back the tears that fell uncontroble down his cheeks¡­


    This was probably the greatest pain he knew in his entire life!


    One monthter, John¡¯s corpse still could not be found.

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560


    Chapter 560


    Perhaps because both their corpses had been exploded to bits, Jessica¡¯s corpse could not be found


    either.


    The police and n Levine had given up.


    Even Cordy had given up.


    To them, perhaps not finding his corpse was a form offort to them for somehow, it made them feel


    like he might still be alive.


    Perhaps there might be a miracle.


    n was going abroad today as Jay was scheduled for his operation next week. Though the risk


    remained great, it was even greater if he did not undergo the operation. However, if the operation


    failed, Jay might very well die in the surgery.


    Cordy sent n off at the airport, and Nancy and Cora were there too.


    Richard was there too, of course.


    Events of the past few months left their mark on n¡¯s old and haggard face.


    He never expected to experience so many earth-shattering changes in his life over a few short months.


    Time and time again, he found himself bidding goodbye forever to people younger than himself.


    ¡°Dad, let me go overseas with you,¡± Nancy could not help but suggest. ¡°If you go alone to apany


    Jay, what if Jay¡­¡±


    Nancy¡¯s eyes turned red as she found herself unable to go on.


    She was probably thinking about John.


    She was in so much pain and sorrow-she never thought that John would one day die before she did.


    Even at thestwsuit, she kept feeling that given John¡¯s intelligence, nothing could ever happen to


    him.


    Yet, after thewsuit ended, he died so suddenly¡­


    ¡°No need. Stay in North City and keep Corapany.¡¯ n shook his head in refusal.


    ¡°Things are pretty smooth-sailing for Cora in the entertainment industry. It¡¯s fine for me to be away from


    her and keep youpany for a period of time


    ¡°Let me go alone and have my space.¡±


    ¡°Dad.¡±


    ¡°If anything is to happen to Jay, I¡¯ll inform you immediately,¡± n said firmly.


    Nancy had no further say in the matter.


    She knew that her father just did not want them toe face to face with death once again.


    ¡°Do you want Richard to go with you?¡± Cordy suddenly suggested.


    n turned to look at Cordy and then at Richard.


    He lifted his arm and Richard immediately walked toward him.


    n caressed Richard¡¯s head dotingly and forced a smile on his face.¡± Dicky, now that your daddy is


    no longer around, you must take good care of your mommy, do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I can take care of myself.¡¯


    ¡°Let Dicky be with you. When John was alive, he wanted you two to be reunited,¡± n said, ¡°I¡¯m so


    advanced in years, it might be better for me to have some peace and quiet.¡±


    Cordy did not say anything further, sensing that n hade to apromise with this world.


    He had let go of everything.


    She wondered if Jay really did not make it, then perhaps n might not make it too.


    That was probably his own choice.


    Therefore, he did not want anyone following him.


    He was preparing for the possibility of ending his life.


    ¡°Go back home,¡± n said softly as he instructed his men to lift him up into his personal ne.


    Everyone looked at the ne bringing him up and away, all the way until he vanished from sight.


    Nancy wiped the tears from her face and turned to look at Cordy.


    Cordy tried her best to swallow her tears.


    ¡°Are you willing to bring Dicky to Levine Manor and stay with us?¡± Nancy asked.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She asked the question genuinely.


    It was getting too cold and quiet in the Levine household, with only her and Cora being the only ones


    left.


    She could hear the echo even when they talked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Cordy shook her head.


    Nancy already knew Cordy¡¯s answer.


    She sighed andmented, ¡®The Levine household that used to be so glorious is now in pieces¡­¡±

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561


    Chapter 561


    After going separate ways with Nancy, Cordy brought Richard to the detention house.


    Noel was implicated by what happened to the Stuarts and was awaiting her sentence.


    Of course, Noel was not merely punished by thew. Her public reputation was in shreds and the


    malicious attacks and curses from the media were enough to make her wish she were dead.


    Noel had iting, and Cordy did not pity her one bit.


    She herself was not willing to go to the detention house.


    Rather, it was the detention house that called her multiple times, iming that Noel wanted to see her.


    The procurator¡¯s office called her as well, saying that Noel¡¯s sole condition for cooperating with them in


    their investigations was for Cordy to go and see her.


    Cordy had rejected them many times but this time round, she wanted to draw this entire episode to a


    close.


    She did not want anyone else bothering her and Richard¡¯s lives.


    Yes, she hade to ept that she had to start life anew with Richard and without John.


    She had epted that John had truly left this world, whereas her life went on as usual.


    When she arrived at the detention house, she bumped straight into Simon, Sue, and Sonny.


    The three of them were leaving the detention house, their faces ck with rage. Their faces darkened


    even further upon seeing Cordy.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Simon said viciously at Cordy, but she simply ignored him.


    ¡°What, are you here tough at Noel?¡± Simon mocked.


    Cordy simply could not understand why her father could remain so coldblooded and sarcastic even at


    this point, no matter what Noel did to them.


    ¡°Noel had iting! Back then, she was in cahoots with the Stuarts when she snatched Sachs


    Enterprises away from us. She deserves retribution!¡¯ Simon yelled out loud to vent his frustrations.


    ¡°Do you feel proud that Noel has be like this?* Cordy asked coldly.


    Simon stood stunned for a moment before saying smugly, ¡®I¡¯ve already cut ties with Noel and everyone


    knows that Noel and I no longer share a fatherdaughter rtionship. Noel¡¯s scandals have nothing on


    me.¡±


    Cordy sneered.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡¯ Simon¡¯s face changed. ¡°I really raised two ingrates, both of whom refuse to


    let me live a good life!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you only raised two ingrates? Why don¡¯t you consider the possibility that perhaps all your


    children are ingrates?¡± Cordy nced at Sonny.


    Sonny shot back furiously, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you and Noel? I am Dad¡¯s son, whereas you two are


    only daughters. How could we be the same?


    Daughters are cheap goods married off to other families. How could they ever side with their parents¡¯


    family? I¡¯m different, as I¡¯m the official heir of the family and my children take the family name. I¡¯m the


    pir of the Sachs family!¡¯


    Cordy almost could not hold back herughter at Sonny¡¯s self-righteous speech.


    Of course, she could not me everything on Sonny. That was how he had been taught by the Sachs


    household since young-that he was the pir of the Sachs family, that his status and identity was


    distinct from everyone else¡¯s, and that he deserved to be fawned over by everyone else.


    Otherwise, why would Noel and her hate the Sachs so much?


    ¡°All right.¡± Cordy had nothing further to say.


    Anyway, she had nothing to do with the Sachs family. Whatever happened to the Sachs family was


    their own business and none of hers.


    She walked past them nonchntly.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Simon suddenly called out.


    Cordy stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°Try to persuade Noel to give up her Sachs Enterprises shares,¡± Simon said almostmandingly.


    She truly had no idea why Simon had the cheek to ask her that.


    Putting aside the fact that she hadpletely no affections for Noel and therefore would not pity her,


    even from an ordinary person¡¯s point of view, what right did Simon have to take for granted that he


    should snatch Noel¡¯s shares that she exchanged with her dignity?!


    What right did he even have to ask her for help?!

 Chapter 562

    Chapter 562


    Chapter 562


    ¡°Mr. Sachs.¡± Cordy truly felt that he was not fit to be anyone¡¯s father.


    Simon¡¯s face darkened upon hearing how Cordy addressed him.


    ¡°You said earlier that you¡¯ve cut ties with Noel. What right do you have to ask her to hand over the


    Sachs Enterprises shares that she owns?!¡±


    ¡°The shares belong to me in the first ce!¡± Simon said self-righteously.


    ¡°If they did, they wouldn¡¯t have ended up in Noel¡¯s hands. You¡¯re already advanced in years. Don¡¯t be


    so shameless!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Simon raised his hand, wanting to p Cordy¡¯s face.


    Richard immediately pulled Cordy behind him, and fury was written all over his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare hit


    Mommy!¡±


    Warmth spread through Cordy¡¯s heart.


    Both were her kin, but some kin were truly not fit to be family.


    Cordy caressed Richard¡¯s face and chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. He won¡¯t dare to hit Mommy.¡±


    It was true; Simon would not dare to hit her.


    He was rather fearful of her, in fact.


    After all, he had suffered much loss because of her.


    Simon swung his arm down and said viciously, ¡°My greatest regret in life is to raise you and Noel, you


    two unfilial daughters!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have greater regretsing your way.¡±


    Cordy walked past Simon.


    ¡°Your just deserts are waiting to hit you in the face.¡±


    Cordy walked off with Richard in hand, and Simon looked furiously at Cordy¡¯s retreating figure.


    One day, Cordy would regret opposing him like this!


    In the visiting room, Cordy and Noel sat opposite each other.


    Noel¡¯s face was deathly pale and she looked like she had lost weight since thest time Cordy saw her.


    She looked weak and frail not just physically but mentally as well.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Cordy cut to the chase, with not an ounce of pity in her eyes.


    Noel looked at Cordy and suddenlyughed out loud.


    It was aughter loaded with self-derision.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs,¡± she said, ¡°Are you very happy to see me in this plight now?¡±


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can say so.¡± Cordy was frank.


    She did feel like Noel had received her just punishment.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I defeat you?!¡¯ Noel asked, suddenly agitated.


    ¡°I thought that sess was mine when I got into the Stuarts¡¯ good books. How did I eventually end up


    in such a terrible plight?! I just don¡¯t understand! I¡¯ve worked hard since young, trying my best to bring


    you down and make a name for myself. I put in my all, yet why did things end up so bad for me?


    Why?!¡±


    Noel yelled at Cordy.


    She vented all her frustrations over this period at Cordy.


    She looked at Cordy with rage-reddened eyes as she went on. ¡°How am I inferior to you? Why did you


    end up living so well and I have to contend with a tarnished reputation?! I just can¡¯t figure it out!¡±


    Since Noel was imprisoned, she probably did not know that John had died.

 Chapter 563

    Chapter 563


    Chapter 563


    ¡°Because what goes aroundes around for wicked people.¡± Cordy said each word clearly.


    ¡°For wicked people?! Aren¡¯t you wicked as well?!¡± Noel used Cordy wildly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not/ Cordy said firmly, ¡®I¡¯ve never thought of bringing anyone down.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never thought of¡­yet you indirectly caused the death of so many who want to bring you down!


    Kyle, me, even the Stuarts../ Noel eximed, almost breaking down.


    She probably felt that Cordy enjoyed a very good life.


    Cordy clearly had many enemies, yet ended up escaping unscathed time and time again, even being


    blessed through cmities.


    Conversely, it took so much for Noel to plot and scheme, and she ended up in such a terrible plight.


    ¡°Noel, if you called me here today just to vent your frustrations, pardon me for not being able to


    entertain you,¡± Cordy said as she stood to leave.


    She was not that kind-hearted as to help Noel relieve her pent-up frustrations inside.


    Noel¡¯s terrible plight right now was nothing but her own doing, and what she should do right now was to


    reflect on her mistakes.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs,¡± Noel called her.


    Cordy looked back at her.


    ¡°Help me fight awsuit.¡± Noel finally dered her intentions.


    Noel looked deeply at Cordy, as if she was the only person Noel could count on at this point.


    Cordy said expressionlessly, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s even possible?¡±


    She was no saint.


    She did not plot to bring anyone down, but she was not that kind-hearted or magnanimous to return evil


    withpassion for people who tried to harm her either.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my Sachs Enterprises shares if you help me with thewsuit. I¡¯m sure you know of good


    lawyers who can acquit me without charge.


    After all, everything I did was forced by the Stuarts. I am a victim myself/ Noel said agitatedly. ¡°I find


    Quinn Summer, the one who helped you with yourwsuit, excellent. Although she¡¯s not famous, her


    court defense skills are superb¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Cordy cut Noel off in a firm and cold voice.


    Noel stared at Cordy.


    ¡°I won¡¯t help you fight awsuit,¡± Cordy repeated herself clearly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you all of Sach Enterprises¡¯ shares.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for it.¡± Cordy looked at Noel. ¡°I don¡¯t care for anything that belongs to the Sachs family.¡±


    Noel continued staring at Cordy.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    She knew that Cordy would not help her, but she eventually came to realize that aside from Cordy,


    there was no one else she could turn to for help.


    ¡°Perhaps you can offer that to Simon Sachs, he¡¯s desperate for it,¡± Cordy reminded her.


    ¡°Simon Sachs?!¡± Noel sneered. ¡°It¡¯s a lost cause giving it to him. How could he possibly fight awsuit


    for me? He¡¯ll only try to make me imprisoned for a few more years. You know better than I do what kind


    of a man Simon is.¡±


    Noel was not foolish, but she was simply too wicked and eager for sess.


    ¡°He came here many times to ask me to give my shares to him, and each time, I rejected him. I¡¯d rather


    donate them all to a charity organization than give it to him!¡± Noel said agitatedly.


    She probably thought that the Sachs family was the root cause of her miserable life.


    If she were not from the Sachs family, she would not have allowed herself to end up like this.


    ¡°Cordy, do you really not want to take revenge on Simon? Are you going to just bear with everything


    that he did to you?!¡¯ Noel tried to provoke Cordy into action.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Now that Sachs Enterprises is in my hands, any slight move I make will bring down the entire


    company/ Cordy said. ¡°So, your shares arepletely meaningless to me.¡±


    Noel clenched her fists.


    She no longer had any means to convince Cordy.

 Chapter 564

    Chapter 564


    Chapter 564


    ¡°Noel, what you should be doing now is to cooperate with the police and admit your mistakes. For all


    you know, that might help you get fewer years in your sentence.¡± Cordy gave Noel her sincerest


    suggestion.


    Over the years, this was the greatest show ofpassion she extended to someone rted to her by


    blood.


    ¡°But what can I do after I get released? I¡¯ll be looked down upon by others in disdain, called names,


    and spat on like a rat on the streets!¡¯ Tears filled Noel¡¯s eyes at the prospect she spoke of.


    Sorrow rose from within her.


    Cordy, on the other hand, remained unmoved.


    ¡°Cordy, do you know what the greatest wish in my entire life is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±


    ¡°My greatest wish is to defeat you and make everyone in the Sachs family bow down to me.¡±


    ¡°At the very least, you achieved that for a short while.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I have never defeated you, never! Yes, I have been jealous of you ever since we were


    young. From the first time I saw you, I knew you were more beautiful than I am, you were born into high


    society, you were brilliant and talented¡­¡± Tears fell down Noel¡¯s cheeks, ¡°All I ever wanted was to win


    against you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always someone better than you in this world,¡± Cordy said apathetically.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand why that must be so! Even if I understand it now, what¡¯s the point?!¡± Noel asked


    Cordy, yet it seemed as though she was asking that of herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s never toote to get it,¡± Cordy said straightforwardly.


    Noel looked at Cordy, slightly taken aback.


    ¡°I¡¯m just sharing with you my perspective. It doesn¡¯t mean that I condone your actions. Noel, perhaps


    we were destined to be sisters only by blood and not in heart from the moment you saw me and


    became jealous of me.¡± Cordy stood up. ¡°Whatever you¡¯ll be facing from here on is your own business.


    I won¡¯te and see you again.¡±


    Noel opened her mouth to say something further but eventually decided to keep quiet.


    She silently looked at Cordy leaving with Richard.


    Noel¡¯s vision blurred as her lips curled in a sneer.


    She nearly¡­very nearly said ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± just now.


    How could she allow herself to say that?


    She was a wicked person who would stop at nothing for selfish gain, and she should not have any


    regrets even till death!


    After Cordy left the detention house, she still felt rather emotional.


    Whatever was happening to Noel was Noel¡¯s just deserts.


    She should not have been emotionally affected by Noel.


    It was also impossible that she would ever consider fighting awsuit for Noel.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Richard called out to her.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Was thatdy we met just now your younger sister?¡±


    ¡°You can say so,¡± Cordy replied to him and asked him back, ¡°Do you think Mommy went too far with


    her?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Richard said firmly. ¡°What goes aroundes around. Thatdy had iting by doing


    what she did. What¡¯s more, thew is just, and should be the one to decide her punishment given all


    that she¡¯s done. Mommy, don¡¯t feel burdened by this.¡±


    Warmth seeped through Cordy¡¯s heart.


    Did Richard sense what she was feeling and was that why he said those words tofort her?


    Cordy stopped the car at a red light and turned to caress Richard¡¯s head.¡± Dicky, you¡¯re the only one I


    have left on this earth from now on. You¡¯ll always stay by Mommy¡¯s side, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will,¡± Richard promised.


    No matter how tough the going got, she could find the willpower to live on as long as she had Richard.


    She would live on well.


    ¡®So, John, is this the life without regrets that you wanted?!¡¯Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 565

    Chapter 565


    Chapter 565


    Three yearster, North City was as prosperous and bustling as it had always been.


    In Sachs Enterprises¡¯ board meeting, Cordy was seated right at the center.


    Simon sat next to her, his face dark as thunder.


    Who could imagine that after Noel was sentenced to jail three years ago, she would unconditionally


    transfer all her shares of Sachs Enterprises to Cordy?


    Cordy did not help Noel fight thewsuit, and Noel was not served the death sentence. Instead, she


    was sentenced to seven years of jail time.


    Of course, Cordy did not reject Noel¡¯s offer.


    At the very least, it was better than letting Simon get his hands on the shares.


    When Simon found out that thepany¡¯s shares were all transferred to Cordy, he almost had a heart


    attack and died on the spot.


    He had thought that Noel might keep the shares to herself. He never imagined that she would give it all


    to Cordy.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Wasn¡¯t Cordy the person she hated the most in this whole world?!


    It was then that he realized how much that pair of sisters yed him out.


    Yet, there was nothing he could do about it.


    With Noel¡¯s shares, Cordy owned a total of 51 % of thepany and was Sach Enterprises¡¯ ultimate


    chairman.


    In order to cultivate Sonny and allow him to grow and thrive in Sachs Enterprises, he had been


    gradually transferring thepany¡¯s shares to


    Sonny, which had umted to 10%. That meant that Simon himself was left with only 30%.


    If there were no surprises, Sachs Enterprises would remain in Cordy¡¯s hands.


    Of course, Sachs Enterprises had never been Cordy¡¯s focus.


    Her focus remained on Starstream Group, which, under Cordy¡¯s leadership and the coboration with


    Patrick, had multiplied its assets and properties by ten times. Thepany had long since risen to the


    highest ranks in North City¡¯s society. Sachs Enterprises was like a drop in the bucket for Cordy.


    She would onlye to Sachs Enterprises¡¯ office building once a week just to listen to the weekly


    performance updates.


    The more she listened, the darker her face turned.


    She had never really worked in Sachs Enterprises before and only knew that thepany¡¯s annual


    profits were decreasing slightly by the year. In the economic downturn over the recent years, although it


    was normal to see a reduction in profits, she could not for the life of her understand why the board of


    directors and everyone in the senior management just epted it as an inevitable downward trend. No


    one bothered to work hard to turn the tables around.


    She listened on while flipping through the employee name list and wage system report that she


    requested the human resources department to prepare beforehand.


    After all the department directors had presented their respective weekly summaries and updates,


    Cordy said mildly, ¡°President Sachs.¡¯ She was, of course, calling for Simon.

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566


    Chapter 566


    Technically speaking, after Simon lost his position as the chairman, there was no other position left in


    Sachs Enterprises for him. But he pulled together other directors and confronted Cordy, forcing her to


    give him the position of general manager in Sachs Enterprises on the basis that he had been managing


    thepany all along, while Cordy seldom came to the office and it would not be ideal to hire a


    general manager externally.


    Cordy did not reject his suggestion, for there was no need for her to. As Simon had a significant portion


    of thepany¡¯s shares, he would certainly put in his best foot forward in managing Sachs


    Enterprises.


    Of course, that was what she had thought. Unfortunately, Simon was truly incapable.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Simon said in response.


    He had never shown Cordy much respect, be in small or big meetings.


    He continued to remain stuck up and prideful.


    ¡°Compared tost month, your KPI targets have dropped by 3%. How did you arrive at 3%?¡± Cordy


    asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know the current market situation very well. Chairman? The fact that our traditional


    businesses suffered a mere 3% drop in such terrible market conditions is already an astonishing feat.


    This is especially sopared to ourpetitors who saw an even greater drop in their performance.¡±


    ¡°But based on what I know, Davis Corporation which also operates traditional F&B outlets and hotels


    saw a 5% increase this monthpared to thest,¡± Cordy refuted.


    ¡°How can wepare to Davis Corporation? Are we even at the same level? We manage fairly-priced


    restaurants and chain hotels with four stars or less. Davis Corporation, on the other hand, operates


    higher-end establishments. Bothpanies are on different levels and we shouldn¡¯t beparing


    apples and oranges!¡± Simon countered.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, President Sachs, don¡¯t you have any ounce of desire to improve? Have you never thought of


    bing as impressive a conglomerate as Davis Corporation?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? Davis Corporation has been around for over a century. The foundation it has built


    up over the years is something we cannotpare with. If you want to measure us against other


    people¡¯s standards, you¡¯re just being idealistic and unrealistic. Chairman Sachs, you onlye to


    office once a week and have no clue about the internal situation and operations of thepany. Don¡¯t


    just shoot your mouth off and make yourself the butt of everyone¡¯s jokes.¡± Simon mocked Cordy in front


    of everyone, giving no regard to her pride and dignity.


    Cordy did not mind as much. She said leisurely, ¡°Nothing is impossible. Back then, Starstream Group


    was nothingpared to Sachs Enterprises, yet now, it is operating at a scale that Sachs Enterprises


    cannot even imagine. And do you even realize that it took Starstream Group a mere three years to


    achieve that?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s words embarrassed Simon to no end.


    Cordy was now someone renowned in North City, well-known as a powerful businesswoman, an


    entrepreneur¡­she had countless glorious titles to her name that she could barely keep track of..


    Simon was rendered speechless.


    He could only say through gritted teeth, ¡°Since you¡¯re so impressive, why don¡¯t you give it a go?¡±


    ¡°If I had to be involved in everything, what¡¯s the point of your existence, President Sachs?!¡± Cordy said


    sarcastically, ¡°Or are you saying that you¡¯ve reached retirement age¡­¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, stop trying to force me into a corner. I am the general manager appointed by the board


    of directors, not someone you can just fire as you wish.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the intention of firing you at all. I just hope that you can lift your standards a little and stop


    fixing your eyes onpanies that aren¡¯t doing so well. We have over a thousand employees in our


    company. As the leader of thepany, we should be thinking about how to increase their sries and


    make their lives better instead of constantly retrenching our people and reducing their sries in order


    to cut costs,¡± Cordy said aggressively as she flung the human resources report on the table.


    Simon¡¯s face darkened with displeasure.


    Yes, in order for thepany to breakeven, he reduced manpower costs by retrenching staff and


    cutting their sries.


    He did not expect Cordy, who only came to the office four times a month, to notice that.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not objecting to your approach, President Sachs. In times of losses, retrenchment and


    sry reduction at an appropriate degree can help with motivating staff and making them work harder.


    But if the leadership does not have good structures in ce and the employees end up all stressed and


    up to their necks in work, it would end up pointless as well. The key is,¡± Cordy said as her voice sank,


    ¡°our employees¡¯ sries have dropped by 5% on average, yet our senior management¡¯s sries have


    risen by 3% fromst year. To be honest, I truly don¡¯t understand what your objective in doing this is,


    President Sachs?!¡±

 Chapter 567

    Chapter 567


    Chapter 567


    ¡°Of course, to motivate the leaders to be more proactive, what else?¡± Simon said in a self-justified


    manner. After all, everyone seated at the table were at the management level and they would all side


    with him on this matter. He was clearly doing this to please the management so that they would remain


    loyal to him. ¡°Since everyone seated here is at the management level, I¡¯ll be frank. Everyone knows the


    20/80 rule, in which 20 % of the people own 80% of the wealth in this world! I was merely adhering to


    this principle.¡±


    Cordy chuckled.


    He made it sound so sanctimonious.


    She knew clearly that Simon was simply trying to weaken her power through the management. Even if


    all of Sachs Enterprises¡¯ shares ended up in her hands, he had thepany¡¯s management in his


    hands. To be blunt, he still had the final say in Sachs Enterprises.


    How naive.


    ¡°Chairman Sachs, please don¡¯t find anything wrong with this. Everyone who can climb to such a


    position is capable in their own right; they either contribute more than ordinary employees, or they are


    extraordinarily talented and deserve recognition.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I find it wrong. I do agree with you that everyone who can climb to such a position is likely


    more capable than ordinary employees and therefore deserving of their high pay,¡± Cordy agreed.


    Simon smiled smugly.


    He did not believe that Cordy would dare to say that the senior managers were not fit for their roles in


    their faces, unless she had lost her mind.


    ¡°So, in order to allow the senior management to shine in their own right and show how much better


    they are than ordinary employees, I¡¯ve decided to raise their sries by 5 to 10%,¡± Cordy announced.


    The moment she said so,motion broke out across the meeting room.


    Given the current economic downturn, otherpanies were cutting their employees¡¯ sries. Not


    only was Sachs Enterprises the onlypany that did not do so, but they even went further by raising


    sries, which made the senior management thank their lucky stars. Of course, if they were smart


    enough, they would know that Sachs Enterprises was affording them a good life because of personal


    grudges and reasons. And now, they never expected to receive yet another sry raise up to 10%.


    A look of confusion overcame Simon at Cordy¡¯s announcement.


    Was she trying to use his approach to buy over the senior management?


    He would never allow that to happen.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Simon nced at one of the directors seated at the table.


    Another director immediately spoke up. ¡°Chairman, that¡¯s not a very wise decision you¡¯re making. I¡¯m


    not against you raising everyone¡¯s sries, but you¡¯re doing so amid the current economic situation.


    How are we going to exin to our shareholders?! Are you just intending to make use of our


    shareholders¡¯ money to curry favor with your subordinates?!¡±


    Simon sneered.


    There was no way he could not beat Cordy at his game.


    ¡°What if I can cate the shareholders while raising the sries of the senior management at the same


    time?¡± Cordy counter-questioned him.


    ¡°Are you going to use your own money? Perhaps as the top businesswoman of North City who¡¯s risen


    to the position of third richest person, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not difficult for you to pull out some funds to do so,¡¯


    the director said sarcastically while not forgetting to blow Cordy¡¯s trumpet.


    He was clearly trying to put her in a spot.


    ¡°That¡¯s two separate matters. The internal matters of Sachs Enterprises should of course be borne by


    thepany itself. If I were to pull in other businesses, it would firstly be unfair to the otherpany.


    Secondly, that¡¯s an indirect insult to Sachs Enterprises, a hint that they have to depend on another


    company for money and that¡¯ll make it the butt of other people¡¯s jokes.¡±


    Her words effectively silenced the other director.

 Chapter 568

    Chapter 568


    Chapter 568


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Those directors who were going against Cordy were the ones who were not contributing much to the


    company.


    Their faces were dark with displeasure as well.


    ¡°Stop keeping us in suspense. What exactly are you proposing?¡± the director said coldly.


    ¡°Very simple. The additional 5 to 10% sry is based on performance. In other words, as long as the


    director achieves their targets, I¡¯ll reward him or her with an up to 10% increase in their sry. If the


    targets are not met, they will be penalized with a 5 to 10% cut in their sries,¡± Cordy said clearly.


    Naturally, everyone was reluctant to ept her suggestion.


    However, Cordy did not give them a chance to speak up. ¡¯I said that I am in full agreement with what


    President Sachs said earlier, but verbal recognition isn¡¯t that much meaningful. True recognition should


    be apanied by tangible benefits, and the best way I can think of to highlight the gap between the


    leadership board and our employees is a performancemission.¡±


    ¡°Chairman Sachs, we do have a performancemission, but you¡¯re adding another one on top of it.


    Wouldn¡¯t that make things confusing? We¡¯re up to our necks in work every day and you¡¯re still giving us


    so many tests. Have you thought of the pressure we¡¯re facing?¡± One of the directors could not help but


    speak up.


    ¡°Everyone faces pressure and evenpanies do too. Director Jones, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s pressurizing


    to see Sachs Enterprises¡¯ annual profits declining year by year? Since the stakeholders and I are


    bearing that pressure, as part of the pir of thepany, shouldn¡¯t the senior management bear the


    pressure and responsibility as well?!¡± Cordy said emphatically. ¡°Companies don¡¯t just function as a safe


    refuge. Sometimes, it also needs its people to brave the winds and waves with it!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Another director wanted to speak up.


    ¡°This is a necessary move I¡¯ll make. If any director finds it uneptable, you can raise it with me


    privately or resign. Sachs Enterprises keeps its doors open for everyone here and sincerely hopes that


    everyone will stay and fight on together for quality growth of thepany. But if you have a better


    pursuit elsewhere, Sachs Enterprises will respect your decision too,¡± Cordy said clearly.


    The directors exchanged nces with each other. Given what Cordy had said, no one else dared to


    say anything further at the meeting.


    What¡¯s more, the economy has been doing poorly in recent years.


    It would not be easy finding another opening at the same position with the same pay after they quit.


    Most importantly, they had to start all over again.


    ¡°Regarding the revised performance-based sries for the senior management, I request for the


    human resources department to draft the final proposal to me in one week¡¯s time. If there are no issues


    with the proposal, we¡¯ll implement the system starting this month. The meeting is adjourned!¡±


    She had no need to ask for anyone¡¯s approval.


    Cordy simply announced dictatorially.


    She stood up to leave.


    Before she left, she deliberately walked over to Simon and said with a smile, ¡¯Dad, we¡¯re counting on


    you from now on.¡±


    She deliberately emphasized her address of him as ¡°Dad¡±.


    She did it in front of everyone, clearly so that everyone would see.


    She wanted everyone to misunderstand that the performance-based sry system was something that


    she had discussed and nned with Simon and that their argument at the meeting today was nothing


    but the two of them ying along with each other.


    That way, Simon would not benefit in any way.


    That way, those who wanted to privately find Simon to oppose the new system would not dare do so.


    It was the best of both worlds!

 Chapter 569

    Chapter 569


    Chapter 569


    Cordy left Sachs Enterprises¡¯ office building in her car and drove toward Starstream Group¡¯s office


    building.


    Randy methodically reported to her the next appointment in her schedule.¡± Boss, there¡¯s a director¡¯s


    meeting at Starstream Group in half an hour which is scheduled to end at 11.30 AM. There¡¯s an


    interview by a finance magazine at 1.30 PM. The editor-in-chief will conduct the interview right in your


    office and I¡¯ve already requested for them to keep the interview within 40 minutes.


    ¡°At 3.08 PM, high-end brand SHE of Gxy Center, Lux City¡¯s international mall, requests your


    attendance at their ribbon-cutting ceremony for theirunch. The event will be live-streamed, and the


    make-up artist will arrive at your office half an hour before the event. There¡¯s a business dinner at 6 PM


    for which I¡¯ve already arranged for someone from the public rtions department to attend with you.¡±


    Cordy looked outside the window as she listened on.


    ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ve pushed away all work appointments for your trip to the capital,¡± Randy went on, ¡°At 3


    PM tomorrow, there is an international fashion show in the capital. Maron will be featured in the


    opening show as our country¡¯s top designer and he sent an invitation to you one month ago. Mr. Sean


    Cranston will also be attending the show tomorrow, and he asks for you to be his partner at the event.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Cordy responded to him.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll inform Mr. Cranston right away,¡± Randy acknowledged respectfully.


    He buried himself back in his work in all seriousness.


    ¡°Randy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss?¡±


    ¡°John Levine has been gone for three years.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Randy¡¯s fingers stopped moving across hisptop keyboard.


    Cordy¡¯s back was to him and he could not see the expression on her face.


    But he could sense, from her tone, that she was missing his ex-boss again.


    After his ex-boss passed on, he continued working for Cordy.


    In fact, that night when his ex-boss went to save Richard, he had instructed him to follow Cordy and


    work for her if anything untoward were to happen to him. John wanted him to help Cordy and share her


    burden at work.


    When his ex-boss took the initiative to ask him in hopes that he would stay by Cordy¡¯s side and help


    her, Randy agreed without any hesitation.


    In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.


    Three years was not exactly a long time, but neither was it a short time.


    It was still difficult to forget a person within three years.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Even he found himself unable to forget his ex-boss. Sorrow would still fill his heart whenever he


    thought about his ex-boss, not to mention his exboss¡¯ lover, Cordy.


    He could tell that Cordy was putting her best foot forward in work, in life, and even in making herself


    happy.


    But when things quietened down, it was hard for her to hide the sorrow and longing in her eyes that


    lingered on.


    He had no idea when she would truly let things go.


    It was perhaps never in her entire life.


    After an entire day¡¯s work, Cordy reached home at 10 PM.


    She tried her best to reach home as early as possible, but she still did not manage to make it in time at


    9 PM, which was the time she had agreed upon with Richard.


    At 9 PM, she could still bid Richard good night.


    10 PM was really toote for Richard who, at ten years old, was still physically developing. She


    requested for Lawrence to ensure that Richard was in bed before 9 PM even if his homework was not


    completed.


    Richard had always been an obedient boy.


    She quietly tip-toed around the mansion.


    Two years ago, she moved out with Richard from her apartment in North City.


    After Lawrence came, the apartment was clearly too small for the three of them. She decided to make


    the major decision of buying a top-tier mansion so that Richard had more space to livefortably.


    Dim lights were left on in the mansion. The entire house was quiet.


    Cordy returned to her room and washed up quickly. She went downstairs for a cup of cold water.


    Alcohol always made her feel thirstier than usual.


    She had just gotten herself a cup of iced water when she saw a note that Richard left on the bar


    counter for her.


    [Mommy, don¡¯t drink cold water. It¡¯s bad for your stomach.]


    Cordy smiled as she felt warmth seep through her heart.


    She flipped the note over and saw another paragraph. [Drink the cup of honey water after drinking


    alcohol. It¡¯s in the sk. Drink some warm milk before sleeping, it¡¯s in the other sk next to it. It¡¯ll help


    you fall asleep. Mommy, don¡¯t take too many sleeping pills, it¡¯s bad for your health.]

 Chapter 570

    Chapter 570


    Chapter 570


    Cordy drank the honey water while re-reading Richard¡¯s note, his show of love and concern for her.


    These three years, Richard was like a ball of warmth that never failed to love and take care of her.


    He was clearly still a child, yet he was trying to grow up overnight into a man.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy sipped on the cup of honey water and brought the warm milk upstairs. She hesitated for a


    moment at the stairwell before finally deciding to go into Richard¡¯s room.


    Richard was already asleep.


    He was sleeping very soundly.


    After all, his days at school were long and tiring.


    She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.


    If she did not have Richard, she was not sure if it was possible for her to survive over the past three


    years.


    She was not sure if she could hang on and live well for the next three, or even thirty, years.


    For some reason, as time went on, her longing for John became deeper and deeper with time.


    It had be so deep that she sometimes felt possessed.


    Wasn¡¯t it said that time heals all wounds?!


    Yet why was it that the more time passed, the more difficult she felt things got?


    She desperately missed John during this period.


    Whenever she closed her eyes as things around her quietened down, all she could see was John. It


    was so clear and so haunting.


    Cordy returned to her own room,y on her bed, and switched the lights off.


    Darkness befell.


    That deep longing in her heart almost swallowed her whole¡­


    The next day, Cordy woke up and got out of bed.


    Many times, she found herself looking forward to day break.


    It was only when the sun rose, lighting up the night sky, that she could stop her imagination from


    running wild.


    When she reached downstairs, she saw Richard seated properly at the dining table, eating his


    breakfast.


    He would always wake up earlier than her.


    To be urate, Cordy was making Richard think that she always woke upter than him.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Richard greeted her obediently.


    Richard had grown much taller over the past three years.


    He was already five feet three in height, almost as tall as Cordy was.


    She even felt an inexplicable sense of security with him around her.


    Her only regret was that Richard looked too much like John. In fact, he looked more and more like John


    as he grew older.


    How was she ever able to forget John, given how much Richard resembled him?


    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the capital today and will only be back either tomorrow or the day after,¡± Cordy sat next


    to Richard and ate her breakfast with him.¡± Stay at home with Lawrence, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded.


    He had always been an independent child.


    Not only was he independent, but he could even take good care of Cordy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best toe back tomorrow,¡¯ Cordy promised.


    ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t rush yourself too much, Mommy. Your health is most important,¡± Richard said


    thoughtfully.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. Grandaunt called me just now, asking when we can go back to Levine Manor for a meal. She


    said that she missed me and asked me to ask you for a day and time.¡¯ Richard suddenly recalled the


    call and asked,¡± Mommy, do you have time to go back to Levine Manor and visit Grandaunt with me?¡±

 Chapter 571

    Chapter 571


    Chapter 571


    Cordy told Dicky, ¡®Til confirm the time with Nancy once Ie home.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mommy. I¡¯m done eating-l¡¯m going to school now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive you,¡± Cordy said, putting down her knife and fork.


    Dicky frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get some rest? You drank a lotst night.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything since I¡¯ve had honey and warm milk,¡± Cordy smiled.¡± All thanks to my baby.¡±


    Dicky blushed a little-it had been years, but there was no changing that shyness.


    How was he going to date girls when he got older?


    Cordy sent him to school, and felt a little emotional as he watched Dicky enter the school with his


    towering frame.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    She thought it had been a while since she saw her shrink, and had her chauffeur take her to the private


    clinic.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Jim Brown, her personal shrink, greeted her warmly. ¡°You¡¯ve actually made time to visit.¡±


    Cordy smiled, but said tly, ¡°My insomnia¡¯s been getting worse.¡±


    ¡°Come on in.¡±


    Jim led Cordy into this office.


    It was a homely room, giving anyone a sense offort as soon as they entered since it was


    decorated specifically for patients like her.


    As Cordyy down on the soft cushion of the chaise lounge, Jim brought her a fur nket, and poured


    her the ck tea he brewed as he chatted with her nonchntly, ¡°Any pressure from worktely?¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s why I¡¯m losing sleep.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re missing John?¡±


    ¡°I went nights without sleep,¡± she said.


    She actually wanted to say that she missed John through the nights, to the point that she couldn¡¯t sleep


    the entire night.


    But John was all she could think about-especially the moment when he left her, telling her that he


    regretted nothing.


    Good for him.


    Cordy, on the other hand, was left with all the regrets she could possibly have.


    ¡°You know he¡¯s dead,¡± Jim said, passing her a ss of ck tea.


    Cordy took a sip. ¡°I know. I never believed that he was alive, and I¡¯d never dare think of it that way. I


    might suffer a breakdown if I did.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t forget him,¡± Jim said, lighting a scented candle that released a rxing aroma.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, no matter how much I try,¡± Cordy said, putting down her tea cup and closing her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s


    there whenever there¡¯s silence, and he¡¯s there when I close my eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t push yourself to forget. It might only make it worse the more you did,¡± Jim suggested.


    ¡°But my memory of him is seriously affecting my life. I can¡¯t eat, I can¡¯t sleep-l can¡¯t even be interested


    in anything.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember what I suggested before?¡±


    His voice was deep and maic, which offered a sense of security.


    Cordy often came here when her thoughts were getting to her, to talk to him and actually sleep.


    ¡°Which suggestion?¡±


    Jim chuckled. ¡°That you should start dating again.¡±


    Cordy felt an aching on her chest.


    Dating again?


    Fall in love again?


    But¡­ What about John?


    ¡°Perhaps you believe that you¡¯d be doing John an injustice?¡± Jim asked her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°You just hadn¡¯t epted the truth that he is gone, and he no longer exists in this world. That¡¯s why he


    would never know or care whatever you did-it has nothing to do with him, whether you¡¯re dating,


    marrying or just being happy with another man.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip tightly, while Jim continued to hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of forgetting about him¡­when you should, or your health would be seriously affected.¡±


    Cordy chose to evade the issue. ¡°I wanted to sleep for a while.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Jim smiled.


    Patients should never be rushed, but Cordy¡¯s condition was quite serious.


    Either way, she slept the entire afternoon, and opened her eyes to see that Jim was still beside her,


    keeping herpany.

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572


    Chapter 572


    ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±


    Jim only spoke to Cordy when he saw her woke up, and mildly at that.


    ¡°Quite,¡± Cordy stretched her back-she always came to unwind when she felt like copsing. ¡°I¡¯ll be


    going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jim walked her to the door, when he smiled and said, ¡¯You really should consider my


    suggestion.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied half-heartedly.


    Returning to her car, she whipped out her phone which she put on mute. She saw several missed-calls,


    but ignored them and called Randy instead.¡± I¡¯m going to the airport right now. Bring my luggage over.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Cordy lowered her phone and stared at the view outside.


    Start dating again?


    Easy for him to say!


    When Cordy disembarked from her private jet at the capital, Sean was already waiting at the airport.


    He led her to his car, and took her straight to the venue for the fashion show-they really were short on


    time.


    Still, he didn¡¯t say anything, and instead asked, ¡°When do you n to go back?¡±


    ¡°That depends on your arrangements,¡± Cordy replied tly. ¡°Would you let me leave after we¡¯re done


    touring the exhibit?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sean answered definitively.


    Cordy rolled her eyes-then why would he ask at all?


    ¡°Are you having dinner with Maron tonight, or me?¡± Sean asked again.


    ¡°Maron. It¡¯s been agreed.¡±


    ¡°Can I attend too?¡±


    ¡°That would be inconvenient.¡±


    While Sean stared at Cordy, she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t forget that your wife is still having her postpartum


    care. She might kill you if you don¡¯t head home to take care of her and your child.¡±


    Sean said nothing after that, and the journey to the exhibit hall was quiet.


    Every VIP in fashion was there, along with some important politicians.


    The fashion show was world famous, after all.


    Cordy hadn¡¯t remained in her seat for that long when she told Sean, ¡°I¡¯ll greet Maron at the backstage.¡±


    Sean nodded, and she headed backstage with a crew¡¯s guidance.


    Backstage preparations were at a tense juncture, and Cordy clearly sensed how nervous everyone


    was.


    However, she felt as if the rowdiness was apletely different world.


    She turned, and was about to head to Maron when she suddenly froze, and stayed motionless.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    A familiar figure appeared before her for just a split second, but her heart felt like it would stop.


    The crew, startled by her sudden reaction, asked tentatively, ¡°Miss Sachs?¡± It looked like her soul left


    her body.


    As Cordy turned, a teardrop trickled out of the corner of her eyes. The next instant, she gave chase,


    running erratically as if her very life depended on it.

 Chapter 573

    Chapter 573


    Chapter 573


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    A familiar voice suddenly called behind her. ¡°Cordy?¡±


    However, Cordy seemed not to hear him. All she could see was that familiar figure, almost


    disappearing into the crowd¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, Cordy?¡¯


    She suddenly felt someone gripping her arm firmly, and bellowed furiously,¡± Let me go!¡±


    Patrick was stunned by her outburst. As he released her, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Cordy turned to look, but that familiar figure was already gone.


    She looked around. The changing room was very spacious, but there was no finding that person with


    the countless fashion models all staying in the same ce.


    Were her eyes ying tricks on her?


    But that split second felt so real!


    ¡°What are you staring at? Were you looking for someone?¡± Patrick asked her.


    However, Cordy bit her lip and said nothing.


    ¡°Who was it you¡¯re looking for? You¡¯re acting strange, Cordy.¡± Patrick studied her, his eyes showing a


    hint of worry.


    It had been a while since she behaved like this, too-he was under the impression that Cordy would be


    devastated and just give up after John¡¯s death. He was therefore surprised that she was doing well


    alone, even keeping a rational mind as she developed her career to new heights.


    He often met her on business or social calls, and she had been so calm that he wondered if she didn¡¯t


    love John that much-which could exin her apathy towards his death.


    That was, until a certain asion when he inadvertently mentioned John in a professional situation.


    Just the name alone left Cordy¡¯s tears gushing out uncontrobly.


    She didn¡¯t actually react, but her tears fell as if she didn¡¯t realize it herself, and continued to discuss


    business nonchntly.


    It was only then that he found out Cordy had hid all her misery, and was holding it in.


    In reality, her agony might be beyond what anyone could imagine.


    Since then, Patrick never saw Cordy react the same.


    No matter whom she faced or how terrible things got, she always remained calm andposed.


    Patrick therefore had the nagging feeling that her disguise would soon crumble, and her emotions


    would implode when her body could no longer take the strain.


    He didn¡¯t want to imagine what she would be like when it does happen.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Cordy said.


    She was suddenly calm, reverting to the way she had been before¡ªas if that outburst never happened.


    In Cordy¡¯s mind, she may have mistook that person, or even hallucinated.


    She missed John too muchtely, after all.


    Coming to her senses, she looked at Patrick and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Maron invited me too,¡± Patrick replied. ¡°I¡¯m more or less involved in fashion.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy actually had no idea.


    Since when? And he was a born and bred politician, was he not?!


    Three years ago, William Stuart¡¯s side of the family copsedpletely.


    For their involvement in ckmailing and other crimes, James Stuart, Andy Stuart, and Wendy Stone


    were all sentenced to jail terms of thirty years, twenty years and eighteen years respectively.

 Chapter 574

    Chapter 574


    Chapter 574


    The authorities showed William Stuart onest gesture of respect by not punishing him. However, all


    Stuart Holdings assets were legally seized and liquidated to reimburse the victims, after which William


    was exiled abroad; to the masses, his departure was dressed up as retiring.


    And once William was gone, Monty Stuart¡¯s side of the family took over.


    They did not need Stuart Holdings, since their partnership with Cordy already provided them with plenty


    of financial freedom. As for politics, Monty always retained a ce in the hierarchy, which shielded him


    from William¡¯s scandal.


    After three years of augmenting, the Stuarts remained one of the four top families in the nation.


    However, with Patrick being the heir and constantly active in politics, how did he spare the time to get


    involved with fashion?


    ¡°I¡¯m your partner and your business is fashion. That makes me halfinvolved,¡± Patrick said, as if it made


    perfect sense.


    Cordy sighed. ¡°Fine. You win.¡±


    ¡°For you,¡¯ Patrick said, handing her the bouquet of fresh roses he had been holding.


    Cordy merely stared at it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t like it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t like you,¡± she said bluntly.


    ¡°Could you not break my heart?¡± Patrick retorted, sounding a little hurt.


    Cordy was in turn speechless, but she had no idea what the issue was here.


    Patrick was supposed to be gay, wasn¡¯t he? Why was he wooing her now? And so brazenly-even


    crazily!


    Be it in private or in public, he wasn¡¯t hiding his affection towards her.


    Cordy presumed that he was just giving in because of his political career, to get a woman to make


    himself look normal. That was why she made it very clear to him that she wouldn¡¯tpromise herself


    like that and ept such a sexless marriage.


    He in turn righteously refused to ept her rejection, iming that he was actually bisexual, and was


    only interested in men because of certain incidents.


    He even thanked her for ¡¯fixing¡¯ him!


    On the other hand, Cordy¡¯s opinion was that this version of him needed even more fixing, which was


    why she would clearly reject him every time he puts the move on her.


    ¡°Stop wasting your time on me if you don¡¯t want me to break your heart,¡± she said, striding past him


    and walking towards the staff member again.¡± Sorry about the interruption. Please take me to Maron.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the staff member replied. ¡°This way please, Miss Sachs.*


    However, when Cordy started to leave, Patrick started to follow her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me,¡± Cordy snapped at him. ¡°Maron doesn¡¯t like strangers.¡±


    With that, she stormed off with the staff member, while Patrick was left staring at the bouquet of roses


    in his hand, suffering yet another snubbing.


    The path to Cordy¡¯s heart was as long as it was difficult.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    After having some small talk with Maron at the breakroom, Cordy was worried about imposing, and so


    told Maron about dinner tonight before leaving.


    As she stepped out, she ran straight into Bob, who was surprised to see her.


    Still, he soon understood. ¡°Here to see Maron?¡±


    ¡°You too?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Bob smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just keeping Corapany.¡±


    Cordy nodded.


    Cora was doing very well for herself in showbiz, equalling Zoe-arguably surpassing her, in fact. Cora


    was actually not at all impressive herself, but there were many backing her. With the endless resources


    at her disposal, being able to take to the international scene would be no surprise.


    Cordy, however, didn¡¯t expect Bob to date Cora for just as long¡­

 Chapter 575

    Chapter 575


    Chapter 575


    Cora appeared from behind just then, having changed dresses and put on makeup.


    ¡°Cordy,¡¯ she greeted Cordy, always respectful and warm.


    However, Cordy remained distant towards her as she always had been, because of Zoe.


    Come to think of it, it had been three years since she had seen Zoe.


    Zoe never contacted Quinn or Cordy ever since she went missing, and they had no idea where she


    was.


    How was she doing nowadays?


    ¡°My mom was just saying you should bring Dicky over for dinner,¡± Cora continued, used to Cord/s


    distant attitude by now.


    ¡°I will, once I return to North City and have the time,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed Dicky myself. Did hee here with you?¡± Cora asked.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s still at school.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve almost forgotten.¡± Coraughed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me keep you. I¡¯m going back outside,¡± Cordy said, ending the awkward exchange.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cora nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together,¡± Bob told Cordy, before turning towards Cora. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching outside.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cora replied.


    As Bob left with Cordy, Cordy asked offhandedly, ¡°Do you have any news on Zoe?¡±


    Bob paused for a moment, but shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t. She never contacted me, and I¡¯m sure she


    wouldn¡¯t. You should ask Jay-he¡¯sing today, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s arrived. He just texted me to


    say his flight was slightly dyed.¡±


    Jay¡¯s brain surgery three years ago had been a sess, and he spent half a year recovering abroad


    before returning to the country.


    After what happened to John, Bob and Jay had since let go of any grievances-they already had lost a


    friend who was akin to a brother, so there was no need to lose more.


    ¡°I was just asking,¡± Cordy said. ¡°If Zoe really wanted to reach us, she would¡¯ve done so already.¡¯


    There was disappointment in her tone, but she understood Zoe¡¯s choice.


    They headed out to the exhibition hall and returned to their respective seats.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Cordy sat on the centermost spot nearest to the catwalk, thanks to Maron¡¯s eternal favor towards her.


    Since she came with Sean, the man naturally sat beside her.


    Patrick somehow got a seat on the same row, even sitting beside her.


    He was still holding the bouquet of roses, his fawning expression unchanging.


    ¡°Please ept the flowers, at least,¡± he said, almost pleading.


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy was determined.


    ¡°I¡¯m a man. It¡¯s so weird having me hold a bouquet of flowers.¡±


    ¡°You could throw them away.¡±


    ¡°I personally wrapped them up. It¡¯ll be a waste to throw them away.¡±


    ¡°Then hold on to it,¡± Cordy replied indifferently.


    ¡°Honestly, Cordy-¡°


    ¡°Let¡¯s switch seats,¡± Sean suddenly said.


    Cordy didn¡¯t hesitate and changed seats with him, so that Sean sat beside Patrick.


    Patrick¡¯s face turned green.


    The man always got in the way when he tried to woo Cordy.


    If he wasn¡¯t the eldest son of the Cranston family and wasn¡¯t recently married, Patrick would really


    throw him a gauntlet.


    In fact, they often met since their involvement in politics, but Sean had always been cold towards him,


    leaving Patrick wondering if he had somehow upset thetter.


    ¡°Watch the show and be quiet.¡± Sean¡¯s tone was a little chilly.

 Chapter 576

    Chapter 576


    Chapter 576


    The lights on the stage dimmed, while the lights on the catwalk shone dazzlingly.


    Fashion models started to file in on the catwalk; there were endless camera shes around,


    photographing them.


    Cordy was watching the fashion show with utmost seriousness, since Maron never disappointed as a


    world famous designer.


    The fashion models were world-famous as well, so much that even someone like Cora wouldn¡¯t shine if


    she took to the catwalk.


    However, she was still one of the nation¡¯s elites; thus, her appearance at the scene naturally drew


    much media attention.


    In fact, there was a slight unrest when she stepped out.


    Jay arrived just then and sat down next to Bob, who held his arm and asked, ¡°What kept you?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The flight was dyed.¡± Jay panted slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re just in time-Cora¡¯s up.¡± Bob gestured at the catwalk.


    Jay nodded in acknowledgement, and Bob asked, ¡°She said she¡¯ll be filming a movie with you next


    month?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Shooting¡¯s going to take a couple months, and it¡¯s due for release in spring. Most


    of the scenes will be taken in North City.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Bob said.


    Jay didn¡¯t borate, and turned his attention to the catwalk.


    Jay was attending the fashion show since he had helped Maron with one of hismercials in Zidonia,


    something Maron was very happy about. They had since made each other¡¯s acquaintance, which was


    whow he got invited to the fashion show.


    While Jay wasn¡¯t particrly extroverted, he wasn¡¯t one who said no easily. When faced with a friendly


    gesture, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to reject it. Thus, he attended the fashion show despite his busy


    schedule.


    Bob paused for a moment before saying, ¡°I just ran into Cordy backstage. She¡¯s sitting up front.¡±


    Jay turned towards her, and found Cordy sitting in the first row.


    In truth, he hadn¡¯t spoken much to Cordy over thest three years.


    After all, Johnny was gone now.


    The loss was a huge blow to Jay, even more so when everyone had been hiding it from him.


    It wasn¡¯t until he made a full recovery abroad that he learned about Johnny¡¯s death, after which he paid


    Cordy a visit.


    They didn¡¯t talk much, nor did he ask too many questions.


    ¡°Cordy actually asked me about Zoe,¡± Bob eventually said.


    They hadn¡¯t spoken about Cordy for a while, too.


    When Jay returned to the country two and a half years ago, Bob sought him out.


    There was nothing particrly sentimental in their words, but they tacitly agreed to let go of everything


    unpleasant between them before.


    ¡°Has Zoe asked for you?¡± Bob asked.


    It had been three years, and he had since gotten over Zoe.


    Right now, things were steady between him and Cora. While he didn¡¯t feel particrly strongly about


    their rtionship, he was at the age to settle down-since he had the right person, he simply went with it


    without much thought.


    ¡°No,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°Did you try looking for her?¡± Bob asked again.


    Jay pursed his thin lips. ¡°She probably lives her own life now.¡±


    ¡°Back then, because of you¡­¡±


    Ultimately, Bob grew slightly agitated.


    He never spoke of Zoe for three years as he feared he would lose control once he did so, and he didn¡¯t


    want to hurt their brotherhood.

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577


    Chapter 577


    ¡°Could you please keep it down?¡±


    Before Jay could reply, someone behind Bob reprimanded Bob; clearly, their conversation was affecting


    the person watching the fashion show.


    Bob bit his lip and restrained himself despite his frustration.


    Jay said nothing in turn, and kept his eyes on the fashion show as if the mention of Zoe didn¡¯t faze him


    the slightest.


    Up front, Cordy was still watching the fashion show seriously until a certain male model stepped up to


    the catwalk halfway through.


    All eyes in the room seemed to lit up as they focused on his towering, handsome frame and his sharp


    gaze.


    There were many international supermodels in attendance, yet that unfamiliar face stood out


    nevertheless.


    Cordy seemed to hear gasps from all thedies sitting around her, and the crowd seemed to have


    grown somewhat restless again.


    Countless shutters shed as everyone took photos of the male supermodel.


    ¡°He does look good-even from a man¡¯s perspective,¡± Patrickmented.


    He usually had a high standard when ites to men¡¯s looks, since men usually preferred to look at


    women.


    The male supermodel before them, however, was attractive enough to draw the gazes of both men and


    women. It was why there was a rule that most designers wouldn¡¯t get a model who was too attractive,


    since the crowd may ignore their designs in favor of the model¡¯s looks.


    Only an internationally renowned designer like Maron would have the guts to pick such an attractive


    model.


    Even Jay¡¯s gaze changed ever so slightly as he stared at the male supermodel.


    Casting was a force of habit as a film director, and Jay could tell that this male supermodel would enjoy


    a meteoric rise in showbiz.


    After all, all anyone cared about was looks these days.


    Even Bob, who needed some effort to calm down, couldn¡¯t help speaking out loud when he saw the


    man. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he looks a little familiar?¡±


    Jay frowned.


    He had been merely judging the man¡¯s market value, but after hearing that from Bob, the sense of


    familiarity hit him.


    The supermodel looked just like Johnny.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Jay couldn¡¯t quite see the resemnce in facial features, but both simply felt alike.


    The resemnce only became more obvious when the supermodel walked up to the edge of the


    catwalk and turned.


    Meanwhile, Cordy felt her breath escape her lungs.


    That had to be the person she saw on the backstage¡­and she had thought she imagined it!


    Though he lookedpletely different from John from the front, his side and back profile was identical


    to John¡¯s.


    Cordy¡¯s body trembled, and she almost rose to her feet at that instant.


    Sean promptly caught her before she could do so, and Patrick noticed his sharp intervention as well.


    Sean told Cordy, slowly and sharply, ¡°No, it¡¯s not him.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s vision was blurring, however-the more it did, the more she saw that the man walking further


    away resembled John from behind.


    She recalled the moment of their parting as he turned around to leave with Jessica¡­


    Cordy¡¯s whole body was shaking even as she tried to restrain herself.


    Maybe, just maybe¡­


    John was still alive?


    They never found his body, after all. No matter how deep the sea went and how easily a single tide


    could wash anything away, the fact that John was never found made everything possible.


    Maybe, just maybe¡­


    Maybe John was disfigured¡ªsince such a terrible explosion would definitely have hurt his face, he may


    have undergone reconstructive surgery


    More and more oundish thoughts crossed Cordy¡¯s mind, and her heart pounded violently the more


    she thought.


    She feared that John would disappear from her life once more.

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578


    Chapter 578


    At the same time, Sean whipped out his phone and barked orders into it.¡± Find out everything you can


    on the male model who just left the catwalk.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Cranston.¡¯


    ¡°And arrange for people to watch him. Don¡¯t let him out of your sight.¡¯


    ¡°Understood, sir.¡±


    Sean put away his phone, then told Cordy, ¡°We can talk after we looked into him.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip as she worked hard to control herself.


    She was worried that the higher her hopes, the greater the disappointment -she might even suffer a


    nervous breakdown because of this.


    Even as she remained in her seat, she was unable to watch the rest of the fashion show. All she could


    think about was that male supermodel. She was simply unable to forget that exceedingly familiar figure.


    After over half an hour, Sean told Cordy, ¡°I¡¯ve sent his dossier to your phone. Check it yourself.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat and started racing, but she was afraid of reading it.


    ¡°Check it out so you can give up,¡± Sean urged.


    Cordy bit her lip once more.


    She calmed down considerably, and already knew the answer in her heart.


    Miracles didn¡¯t alway happen in this world¡ªthis was just a survivor¡¯s wishful thinking.


    Cordy tapped on the dossier Sean sent and saw the name Lucas Lynch.


    He was 26, and had mixed ancestry-his father was from the capital, and his mother a Minervan, where


    he was raised.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Everything was there, including all details since he was a child. Apparently, Lucas wasn¡¯t a model by


    upation. He simply had agreed to take to the catwalk since he was on friendly terms with Maron.


    Moreover, his family was affluent, which was why he never took to showbiz despite being scouted by


    talent agencies so many times.


    He didn¡¯t inherit his family¡¯s business either, and instead founded an mercepany on his own


    that was developing rapidly in Minerva. He was interested in expanding into Zidonia, thus his reason for


    coming to Zidonia.


    Cordy read the dossier quietly, realizing that there was nothing that connected him to John at all.


    ¡°The world is vast, and there¡¯s all kinds of coincidences,¡± Sean said. ¡°There are so many


    doppelgangers. One day, it¡¯s Lucas Lynch. Tomorrow, it¡¯s someone else.¡±


    Cordy said nothing as she lowered her phone.


    Sean stayed silent, and they all quietly watched until the fashion show ended. By then, everyone in


    attendance gradually filed out of the room.


    Cordy didn¡¯t leave, and simply remained in her seat while Sean and Patrick stayed at her side even


    after everyone else left and the staff began to clean up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Sean finally said.


    Cordy came to her senses and rose from her seat. ¡°You two can go. I¡¯ll wait for Maron backstage.¡±


    ¡°Should I stay with you?¡± Patrick was clearly worried-Cordy was crying herself silly thest time he


    briefly mentioned John.


    Now that someone who resembled John so much showed up, could she really stay calm and


    indifferent?


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied as she strode towards the backstage.


    Patrick wanted to follow, but Sean caught him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I say, why do you keep stopping me from wooing her? Are you interested in me or something?¡± Patrick


    snapped, slightly agitated.


    Sean was speechless by the assumption, but then he replied coolly, ¡°You can have any woman you


    want, just not Cordy.¡±

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579


    Chapter 579


    Patrick got a little angry, and bellowed, ¡°Why not? Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re married with a child! You¡¯re the


    one who shouldn¡¯t be lusting after her!¡±


    He certainly had enough of Sean!


    However, Sean simply shot him a look as if he was an idiot, which incensed him further.


    Not wanting to keep wasting time with him, Sean told Patrick, ¡°You¡¯re in my turf right now. Watch


    yourself if you want to leave in one piece.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    Yes,¡± Sean replied, not hiding his intention at all.


    ¡°F*ck!¡± Patrick could not help swearing.


    However, there was nothing he could do in the capital, not when it was the Cranstons¡¯ turf.


    As such, he left the exhibition with Sean, huffing as he did.


    Meanwhile, Cordy had already reached backstage and was waiting for Maron in the lounge.


    She was sitting down on the couch, and picked up a newspaper to read when someone suddenly


    entered.


    Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that it was Lucas Lynch.


    With him being so close, the sense of familiarity overwhelmed her again.


    But if he truly was John, he wouldn¡¯t be looking at her like a stranger.


    In fact, his gaze didn¡¯t linger on her for more than three seconds before he turned to leave.


    ¡°Are you looking for Maron?¡± Cordy asked, taking the initiative.


    Her voice quivered slightly from nerves.


    Lucas heard her, and turned to look at her. ¡°Do you know where he is?¡±


    Even his voice was different from John¡¯s-his was crisper, while John¡¯s was deeper.


    It really wasn¡¯t John.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lucas murmured, his gaze judgemental and upset that she spoke to him first, only to suddenly


    turn silent.


    Coming to her senses then, Cordy quickly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know where he went, but his assistant said he¡¯d


    be right back. You could wait for her here if you have business with him.¡¯


    Lucas hesitated for a moment, but eventually entered the lounge and sat on the couch opposite Cordy.


    He picked up one of the newspapers and started reading.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Cordy could only see his forehead from that angle. Yet, with every glimpse of his facial features, she


    found so much resemnce between Lucas and John¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to be gawked at,¡± Lucas said as he suddenly lowered his newspaper, staring Cordy straight


    in the eye.


    Cordy became a little flustered.


    The resemnce between him and John left her unable to control herself, but she could already tell


    from his eyes that he was sick of her.


    It was something she would never see in John¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you bear a striking resemnce with a friend of mine,¡± Cordy exined nheless.


    ¡°That pickup line is so out of style,¡± Lucas scoffed disdainfully. ¡°I thought the women of the capital were


    more reserved, but that¡¯s not really the case, is it?¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, unsure how to argue.


    In truth, she was actually upset that Lucas was so full of himself.


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯m not waiting here,¡± Lucas said, rising to feet and putting down the newspaper.


    As Cordy frowned, he added, ¡°I really don¡¯t like staying with someone who wants a shot at me in the


    same room.¡±


    With those words, he left. Cordy was actually a little angry as she watched him leave.


    She wants a shot at him, he said?!


    She wouldn¡¯t have looked at him twice if he didn¡¯t bear such a strong resemnce with John!


    Did he think being good-looking made him all that impressive?


    And in the end, John was far more handsome than he could ever hope to be!


    The more Cordy thought about it, the more furious she became.

 Chapter 580

    Chapter 580


    Chapter 580


    Over thest three years, Cordy had never felt this way.


    But Lucas was already gone, and the frustration of not being able to vent made her even more


    miserable.


    Maron entered the lounge just then, and asked her, ¡± ¡®What¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯re in a bad


    mood.¡¯


    He sounded like she was in a very good mood-he certainly would be, since the fashion show was a


    total sess.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just feeling a little hungry,¡± Cordy smiled faintly¡ªshe would never vent her emotions on


    those unconcerned.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯ve kept you waiting. Come, let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    Maron picked up the bag and smartphone he left in the lounge without dy, and stepped out of the


    venue with Cordy.


    Suddenly, he remembered something. ¡°By the way, a friend will be joining us. You won¡¯t mind, will


    you?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡¯ Cordy smiled.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Maron liked making friends, having made many across the world. He was a little different from other


    sessful fashion designers who were more aloof, but this may also be a reason he was so


    sessful.


    As they headed to the entrance of the fashion show, however, a familiar figure stood there in wait.


    Cordy¡¯s heart seemed to race everytime she saw him, but she forced herself to look away.


    Maron then said, ¡°Over here, Lucas.¡¯


    Cordy watched as Lucas walked right up to them, and she could see the irritation in his eyes when he


    saw her.


    Cordy pursed her lips-she didn¡¯t expect that the friend Maron was referring to was Lucas; she would¡¯ve


    said no if she knew earlier.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, otherwise known as Lovely, an internationally renowned fashion designer and a


    business woman,¡± Maron introduced Cordy. Then, he introduced Lucas to Cordy. him, ¡°This is Lucas


    Lynch-a friend of mine and half Zidonian.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± Cordy offered a handshake out of respect for Maron.


    Lucas merely nced at it before replying tly, ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡¯


    It was obvious he had no intention to reciprocate Cordy¡¯s friendly gesture.


    Cordy lowered her hand in turn, trying her best not to let her feelings show.


    Maron chuckled to smooth things over. ¡°Lucas can be a little capricious. Don¡¯t take offense, Lovely.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Cordy smiled.


    With that, they got in the same sedan together, with Maron riding shotgun and Cordy rode in the


    backseat with Lucas.


    Since Maron was the one who invited them to dinner, he was the one who picked the restaurant and


    was therefore the host, thus why he rode shotgun.


    And yet, the arrangement left Cordy feeling a little awkward.


    She could clearly feel Lucas sitting as close to the car door as possible to keep his distance, which left


    her speechless.


    However, since she couldn¡¯t say anything when Maron was around, she stayed in her seat quietly,


    keeping her gaze fixed outside the window and the back of her head towards Lucas.


    Maron was talkative, however, and kept a conversation going on the journey, so the air between them


    wasn¡¯t that awkward¡­until the driver suddenly made a sharp swerve.


    Caught offguard, Cordy fell abruptly onto Lucas¡¯s body; she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist


    by instinct, shocked.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Maron asked, unnerved.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the chauffeur quickly apologized. ¡°That car suddenly cut us off, and I almost ran into it. I


    had to make a quick swerve.¡±


    ¡°Just drive slower.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll watch out next time.¡¯


    As the ride grew steady once more, Cordy sighed in relief. That was when an icy voice spoke from


    above, ¡¯Hadn¡¯t you had enough?!¡±

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581


    Chapter 581


    Cordy did a double take, realizing btedly that her entire body was still leaning on Lucas and her


    arms were wrapped firmly around his waist.


    She quickly let go of him and straightened herself, exining hastily as she did so, ¡°That was just an


    ident.¡±


    Lucas sneered, clearly skeptical.


    However, he didn¡¯t say much, perhaps out of respect for Maron.


    Nheless, Cordy was indignant with his reaction.


    How self-important could he get? Did he think every woman was eager to throw themselves at him?


    Cordy shifted her body as far away as possible from him, but Lucas reminded her anyway, ¡°You should


    put on your seatbelt for safety¡¯s sake.¡±


    Cordy took a deep breath, and told herself not to get upset.


    She naturally knew that Lucas wasn¡¯t that nice, and was just worried that she would have an excuse to


    throw herself on him.


    She gritted her teeth as she forcefully put on her seatbelt.


    Soon, the car arrived at the restaurant.


    Maron loved jpenos recipes, and his preference for spicy food was curious for a foreigner.


    Since they had called ahead, everything was ready as they headed inside their private room.


    They took their seats; Lucas deliberately picked a spot far from Cordy, clearly very wary and prejudiced


    against her.


    Cordy was never one who got nitpicky, but Lucas¡¯s deliberate avoidance still left her a little upset.


    However, she bore with it and focused all her attention on her conversation with Maron, wholeheartedly


    ignoring Lucas¡¯s presence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that Minerva¡¯s jpenos just don¡¯t taste the same as Zidonia¡¯s.¡± Maron was full of


    praise even as he ate. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Lucas?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas replied as he ate in silence, but he too was eating a lot.


    Cordy didn¡¯t want to observe how much food he was wolfing down, but he almost finished the te of


    jpeno poppers while she had only begun to eat.


    ¡°By the way, Lovely,¡± Maron said to her. ¡°Lucas is nning to expand his merce business here in


    the capital. He¡¯s half Zidonian, but his father migrated some twenty years ago. He doesn¡¯t know anyone


    here, so try to help him out in his business. We¡¯ve been friends for years, so I can vouch for him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help if there¡¯s any assistance you need, Mr. Lynch,¡± Cordy said politely-she certainly


    wouldn¡¯t reject Maron. Years of experience had taught her business conversation.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Nheless, Lucas rejected her without hesitation. ¡®No, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll manage my business on my own-l


    won¡¯t impose on Miss Sachs.¡±


    ¡°You might not be aware, but connections are vital in Zidonia. Without them, you won¡¯t even make it


    through the front door,¡± Maron exined.


    It wasmon knowledge that this was a ce governed by sentiment, and there were times that


    people would refuse making money just to spite a person.

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582


    Chapter 582


    Even so, Lucas was adamant. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I shouldn¡¯t trouble Miss Sachs, especially since I don¡¯t know


    her.¡±


    ¡°You do now, don¡¯t you?¡± Maron said, spreading his hands.


    Why else would he ask them to join him in dinner together?


    Lucas¡¯s phone rang before he could speak, and his expression changed ever so slightly when he saw


    it.


    ¡°Sorry, I need to take this,¡± he said. Then, he rose to his feet and left.


    Maron watched as Lucas left. He then turned to tell Cordy, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t get upset with him. He seems


    difficult, but he¡¯s actually a good man. He went through great lengths to help me with all the problems I


    had in Minerva.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we just got off on the wrong foot,¡± Cordy said, not intending to hide anything¡ªnor did she have


    the capacity to keep doing so.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not you he¡¯s upset with,¡± Maron sighed. ¡°He can¡¯t be med, either. I mean, you can see how


    good looking he is. All thedies always flock to him. In fact, there was one crazy broad who even went


    as far as kidnapping him-that¡¯s why he¡¯s traumatized by women.¡±


    Cordy was a little shocked by that. To think that another woman could be that crazy!


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Maron nodded.


    ¡°In that case, you shouldn¡¯t have introduced him to me,¡± Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Maron revealed his personal agenda. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I find you a perfect fit for him.¡±


    Cordy almost spat out her drink.


    Since when did Maron start ying cupid?!


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯ve been single for years,¡± Maron exined, ¡°and I was just thinking about introducing you


    to someone nice. Still, there weren¡¯t that many who¡¯d be a fitting match. That is, until I met Lucasst


    year. I mean, I immediately thought that you two are perfect together¡­¡±


    Cordy promptly rejected Maron right then and there. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t y matchmaker randomly,


    Maron. I understand your kindness, but we¡¯re quite simply a poor fit. And you could tell that he¡¯s really


    hostile to me.¡±


    She actually wondered how disgusted Lucas would be with her if he knew that Maron intended to set


    them up together.


    Naturally, she had no reason to care how a stranger perceived her. However, there was no reason to


    humiliate herself on purpose either.


    Maron had more to say when Lucas returned from his call.¡± Sorry, that¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°You have a girlfriend?¡± Maron eximed in agitation.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°I do,¡± Lucas replied calmly.


    ¡°You never told me!¡±


    ¡°You never asked,¡± Lucas countered.


    Feeling a little awkward, Maron turned towards Cordy, who simply shrugged.


    Lucas seemed to notice the exchange, and said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in most women. The ones


    who throw themselves at me especially sickens me.¡±


    Cordy had enough of his attitude. She snapped hotly at him,¡± Mr. Lynch. We don¡¯t know each other,


    and we shall stay strangers after tonight, even though we met thanks to Maron¡¯s introduction.


    Therefore, there¡¯s no need for you to exin anything. It¡¯s your conceited attitude tonight that gives me


    the sense that I should really make things very clear to you.¡±


    Lucas scowled, but Maron was oddly excited to watch the turn of events, even as Cordy red at


    Lucas.


    ¡°First and foremost, I¡¯ll make it very clear that I¡¯m not interested in you. I admit, I allowed my gaze to


    linger at first because you closely resemble a dear friend of mine.


    Secondly, I have a ten-year old son. I¡¯m even less interested in some young¡¯un the likes of you. Last


    but not least, I can get picky; I make a point to stay away from men of incorrigible arrogance and


    conceit.¡±


    Holding Lucas¡¯s gaze, Cordy concluded slowly and somberly, ¡°As such, Mr. Lynch¡­ You can rest easy


    in the knowledge that I¡¯ll never be interested in you, even if every other man in this world is gone.¡±


    With those words, she turned towards Maron without caring about Lucas¡¯s reaction. ¡°The food is good,


    but thepany is poor, and I¡¯ve lost my appetite. Sorry, but I have to excuse myself for now-let¡¯s meet


    alone tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583


    Chapter 583


    Cordy left the restaurant, having had enough.


    It had been years since she encountered someone with such a rotten personality!


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Once she was outside, she called Sean to give her a ride.


    The capital was a little cold in January, and Cordy waited out on the chilly streets.


    Her anger rose further the more she thought about Lucas ¡ª never had someone got on her nerves the


    way he did! Even Noel would take the trouble to maintain a polite demeanor just for appearances¡¯ sake!


    She took a deep breath when she saw a familiar car stop beside her.


    Sean alighted, and quickly put an arm around her shoulder when he saw her shivering in the cold. He


    opened the door for her to ride shotgun.


    Cordy was still rubbing her hands even after she got into the car-there was a heater in most event


    halls, so there was no need to wearyers.


    While she would never wear too much so she wouldn¡¯t look bloated, she still didn¡¯t expect to be left


    dying from the cold in the streets after the fashion show was over.


    ¡°Your dinner¡¯s over already? Where¡¯s Maron? Did he leave you alone to wait for your ride, out in the


    cold?¡± Sean asked,


    perplexed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Maron. I had the displeasure of a rotten acquaintance, leaving me with no appetite. So I left,¡±


    Cordy exined grumpily.


    ¡°Really?¡± Sean chuckled despite himself. ¡°There¡¯s someone in this day and age who could make you


    walk away? That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    Sean wasn¡¯t just teasing her. Cordy had such discipline and practiced impressive apathy that he never


    saw her get upset with practically anything.


    He was suddenly interested in the person in question.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never had someone as conceited as him,¡± Cordy growled, grumpy even as she mentioned it now.


    ¡°Anyway, stop mentioning him. Just doing it puts me in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I think he¡¯s good,¡± Seanmented.


    Cordy frowned at him, but he added bluntly, ¡°At least he makes you look alive.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, perfectly aware that she had been a walking corpse for years.


    However, that didn¡¯t mean she was interested in a man who had put her in such a foul mood!


    Whatever. They wouldn¡¯t be seeing each other from now on, anyway!


    ¡°Are you staying in a hotel?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you consider¡­¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Sean shrugged, but said nothing else.


    He drove her to the most luxurious six-star hotel in the capital; when he opened the door for her, he


    offered, ¡°Do you need me to walk you upstairs?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy refused.


    ¡°I¡¯lle get you tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    Sean left after taking her luggage out of the trunk for her, while Cordy quickly entered the lobby with it.


    It was really too cold outside. She checked in, and the staff gave her her room card before she went


    upstairs.


    As soon as she got into her room, she went to take a bath.


    Even if she turned the heater on full after being exposed to the cold for so long, there was still a chance


    she might catch a cold-a hot shower was needed to alleviate it.


    She stood in the shower for so long that she felt like her body was burning when she stepped out, her


    cheeks red and flushed.


    Just as she turned off the shower and was about to leave the bathroom, she realized that she had


    forgotten to bring in a bathrobe.


    So, she looked for a towel and wrapped it around herself, and used another to dry her wet hair.


    Upon stepping outside, she froze¡ªso did the man lying in her bed.


    As their eyes met, Cordy couldn¡¯t help shrieking. ¡°Aaaargh!!!¡±

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584


    Chapter 584


    Perhaps she panicked too much, or maybe she hadn¡¯t paid attention when she tied the towel around


    herself¡­ Suddenly, her towel loosened and fell off her body right in front of that man, leaving her


    completely naked.


    ¡°Argh!!!¡± she screamed even harder.


    She once had her reputation torn to shreds, but only because someone framed her-she had never felt


    this embarrassed in her entire life!


    Lucas could feel her eardrums splitting from the sound of her voice.


    He looked up again, and Cordy flushed deeply as she could sense his steely gaze. ¡°W-What are you


    looking at?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who took them off for me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lucas retorted in disdain.


    ¡°C-Close your eyes! Now!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lucas was unmoved, and started to stare at her even more.


    Cordy was on the verge of tears!


    The man was as conceited as he was unreasonable! She could die right there and then!


    Swiftly picking up her towel from the floor, she tried her best to cover herself.


    Lucas, however, wasying nonchntly on the bed, seemingly unable to see her hysteria.


    He was unperturbed by the sight of her naked body, as if it didn¡¯t interest him at all.


    Cordy picked up her towel and rushed back inside the bathroom, mming it shut loudly and violently.


    She leaned over the bathroom sink, therge mirror before reflecting her reddened eyes; her chest was


    heaving from agitation and anger.


    She had no idea how and why Lucas showed up at her room, and was sleeping on the bed so brazenly


    at that.


    She could imagine how dirty of a woman she was in his mind. The stress in her intensified, and she


    was certain she could die immediately from it.


    She had never hated a person so much; she didn¡¯t want to see him for the rest of his life!


    And to think she thought he resembled John!


    They werepletely different people¡ªJohn would never be this despicable!


    Suddenly, a teardrop trickled out of her eye.


    Cordy looked at her own reflection. Over the years, no one except John made her cry.


    And yet-Lucas Lynch, a man she had just met today, managed to do the same!


    She bit her lip as she forced herself to stay restrained-the man wasn¡¯t worthy of her tears at all!


    But the more she restrained herself, the more her tears fell.


    It was clearly no big deal, but for some reason, she was hysterical.


    She felt as if all the pain she had bottled inside her was released all at once, and she was beyond


    control¡­


    Nheless, she soon heard violent knocks on the bathroom door. ¡°How long are you staying inside?


    Get out here and exin yourself!¡±


    Cordy clenched her fists, feeling the urge to hit someone¡­


    She certainly would love to punch him on that annoying face of his!


    ¡°Open the door!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Cordy bellowed angrily.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Lucas snarled.


    ¡°Get out!¡± Cordy snarled back.


    ¡°This is my room! Why should I leave?¡±


    ¡°No, this is my room!¡± Cordy shrieked at the door-all her discipline gone at that split second.


    She didn¡¯t mind howling like a fishwife just to get back at Lucas!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585


    Chapter 585


    Outside the bathroom, Lucas hissed every word through gritted teeth, ¡°This is my room!¡±


    ¡°What are you-¡°


    ¡°I just called the front desk. She gave you the wrong key card!¡± he snapped rather grumpily, clearly out


    of patience.¡± My room is 999, yours is 666! She had a mix up and identally swapped our cards, get


    it?¡±


    Cordy did a double take-to think a luxury hotel like this would make such a cheap mistake!


    ¡°If you understand, get out,¡± Lucas urged, annoyed. ¡°Stop loitering in my room.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s loitering?¡± Cordy snapped, her temper unleashed right there and then.


    There was just no way she could stay patient with this unreasonable man!


    ¡°Then are youing out or not?!¡±


    ¡°I¡­l¡¯m f*cking naked!¡± Cordy swore; he was the first man who made her breathe an expletive!


    She wasn¡¯t paying attention before she entered the bathroom, and had thrown her clothes on the couch


    outside.


    She didn¡¯t bring in a clean set of clothes when she came in, either.


    She only had a towel on right now; she certainly didn¡¯t want to see Lucas like this.


    She well and truly had enough of that man, and would never allow him to see her in an unseemly state!


    ¡°Open the door!¡± Lucas started hammering on the door again.


    ¡°I said, I¡¯m naked-¡°


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you your clothes if you don¡¯t open the door!¡± Lucas bellowed.


    Cordy bit her lip-there was just no talking things out peacefully with this man.


    She tightened her towel around herself, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t loosen easily before opening the bathroom


    door by a tiny slit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother pretending. There¡¯s nothing to see anyway,¡± Lucas growled grumpily when he saw her


    caution.


    ¡°Even if there is, I refuse to let you look!¡±


    ¡°Let me look? I¡¯d just hurt my eyes!¡±


    ¡°Lucas Lynch!¡± Cordy screamed.


    ¡°Do you want your clothes or not?!¡± Lucas asked even louder, utterly impatient.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then open the door wider. I can¡¯t even f*cking put your panties through that slit!¡± Lucas snapped,


    speechless.


    Cordy really wanted to kill him at that very moment.


    She had no idea if foreigners¡ªa man with mixed-ancestry, to be precise, would be more open with


    their feelings. All she knew was that Lucas was utterly heinous.


    Her body was shaking even as she restrained herself; in fact, she was worried she wouldn¡¯t be able to


    stop herself from getting into fisticuffs with Lucas.


    Still, she worked hard to calm herself. Just as she gritted her teeth and opened the bathroom door,


    Lucas pushed as hard as he could inwards.


    The simultaneous push caused him to stumble and fall inside the bathroom.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t react in time, and Lucas knocked her down.


    They bothnded on the floor with a dull thud, with Lucas¡¯s full weight pressing over Cordy.


    At that very moment, Cordy felt the world spinning and almost lost consciousness.


    What on earth did she do wrong in this life, that she had to meet a man like him?!


    Lucas actually took quite a tumble; though he fell on top of her, his hands were around Cordy after he


    fell, and his arms were turning numb.


    She wasn¡¯t light, for sure; Lucas had to withstand the pain, not quite realizing that his face was nted


    beneath her neck.


    When he finally came to his senses, Cordy was shrieking and yelling at him. ¡°Argh!!! How long are you


    going to keep holding on to me, you pervert?!¡±

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586


    Chapter 586


    Cordy was aware that Lucas had no interest in her, since he never batted an eye when he saw her


    naked outside.


    In truth, she just wanted to retaliate at him for being so conceited and thinking that she wanted to


    seduce him.


    Lucas, fed up with her outburst, growled through his teeth,¡± Shut up!¡±


    Cordy refused to listen, however, and kept twisting and struggling beneath him as she tried to push him


    away.


    Even if he didn¡¯t look fat, he was as heavy as a steel bar; his weight could crush her!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare move!¡± he threatened.


    ¡°Just get off me already, you pervert!¡± Cordy screamed, wanting nothing less than to vent all the


    grievances she suffered because of him.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes narrowed as he threatened coolly, ¡°Pervert, was it?¡±


    There was a dangerous sh in his eyes, and Cordy¡¯s chest tightened in response.


    She tried to push him away again as she continued to snap, ¡± Get off me-mmph!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes widened as Lucas suddenly kissed her.


    How dare he!


    With zero hesitation, she opened her mouth and bit down his lips viciously with her teeth!


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Lucas released Cordy, and touched his lips in shock.


    She had drawn blood!


    He red at her viciously. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one! You hate women who throw themselves at you, don¡¯t you? Why did you kiss


    me?¡± Cordy snapped, wiping her lips hard. ¡°You¡¯re disgusting.¡±


    There was rage in Lucas¡¯s eyes; he was upset to see Cordy regarding him so disdainfully.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Cordy shrieked, her temper at its limit.


    ¡°Stop shouting!¡± he yelled back at her, but ultimately got off her.


    If he didn¡¯t, there was no telling what dangerous methods she¡¯d use to seduce him.


    She was actually smarter than other women¡­he almost had a reaction!


    After so many years having so many women trying to court him, all he felt was disgust; it was certainly


    nothing like that instinctive reaction from before.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    Breathing a deep sigh of relief to himself, he threw Cordy¡¯s clothes at her before she could get to her


    feet. ¡°Put those on and get out!¡±


    With that, he left without so much as a nce; as if he never considered helping her at all.


    The hostile attitude certainly almost left Cordy out of her mind with anger.


    How did a man as despicable as Lucas Lynch exist in this world?!


    She nced at her clothes which he had left all over the floor, including her bra and panties.


    She took a deep breath and told herself that right now, the best thing to do was put on her clothes and


    leave-after which she would never see him again.


    With that in mind, she promptly took off the towel which was still dangling on her body. She forgot to


    close the door, since she wanted to get dressed as soon as she could.


    But the instant she pulled the towel off, Lucas rushed back into the bathroom.


    Once again, he had a full view of her naked body.


    She flushed, but he snapped at her before she could.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you close the door when you get changed? Do you really like being seen naked by men that


    much?!¡±

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587


    Chapter 587


    At that moment, Cordy wanted nothing more than to rain her fists down on Lucas.


    He had just seen her naked, and now, he was shouting out at her?!


    What gave him the right?!


    ¡°You know I¡¯m getting changed, but you came in here anyway?¡± she bellowed back at him. ¡°What were


    you up to? Aren¡¯t you the one interested in my body? Stop pretending already!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nuts!¡± Lucas spat, and ignored her naked body once more as he strode up to her.


    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    He picked up the phone he had dropped earlier without knowing, and once again stalked off.


    F*ck!


    Cordy¡¯s body was shaking with rage.


    Why did she have to meet such a despicable man?!


    After angrily putting on her clothes and making sure that she showed no skin, she strode out of the


    bathroom.


    Lucas was lying in bed and fiddling with his phone; his eyes shifted to her briefly when she came out,


    but he said nothing.


    Cordy didn¡¯t say anything to him either. She picked up the room¡¯s phone and called the front desk. In


    an angry voice, she heaved, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Which number is my room?!¡±


    ¡°Miss Sachs, is it?¡± the voice on the other end asked tentatively.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Our manager is outside room 999. Would it be convenient if we came in and spoke with you?¡±


    Cordy put down the receiver and grumpily opened the door.


    There were five people outside, with the hotel manager in the lead; the rest were staff members.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Cordy said, and turned to head inside the room.


    The hotel staff entered. Lucas remained in the bed, looking like he owned the ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss Sachs, but Helen, who checked you in, is a new staff member at the front desk. She


    identally gave you the key card for 999 instead of the one for your room. I¡¯m really sorry,¡± the


    manager promptly apologized, just as the rest of the staff did.


    Helen-the front desk receptionist who made the mistake, was pulled forward by the manager to


    apologize as well.¡± I¡¯m sorry, Miss Sachs. I¡¯m really, really sorry¡­¡±


    At the same time, the staff member beside Helen apologized too. ¡°I was supposed to be instructing


    Helen today, but I left for the washroom because of a stomach ache. I didn¡¯t know it¡¯d cause you so


    much trouble, Miss Sachs. I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    As the apologies piled on, Cordy inhaled sharply.


    She really wanted to vent all the grievances she just suffered, since people must pay for their mistakes.


    However, the hotel staff were apologizing with utmost sincerity. Cordy watched Helen shaking in fear;


    she expected the girl to be punished by the management anyway.


    She bore with it and simply asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my room?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead you there if you would follow me, Miss Sachs,¡± Helen said quickly.


    Cordy said nothing else and promptly turned to clean up her belongings, shoving the dirty clothes


    hapdashedly into her open luggage case.


    Meanwhile, Lucas never said a word, as if he was not a part of it¡ªall he wanted was for those people


    to leave his room as soon as possible.


    Once Cordy was done packing, Helen promptly helped her carry her luggage and said eagerly, ¡°This


    way please, Miss Sachs.¡±


    After Cordy left with the hotel staff, the hotel manager apologized to Lucas. He was scowling, but didn¡¯t


    make things harder for the hotel manager.


    With that, the hotel manager left gingerly while the group escorted Cordy to her hotel room, apologizing


    profusely again before leaving.


    Finally in her room now, Cordy opened her luggage case again andy in bed.


    She felt exhausted for some reason, and there was that unpleasant encounter with Lucas too¡­


    Whatever. She refused to think.


    Changing into her pajamas right then, she was going to put on her face mask when she remembered


    she left it in the bathroom before.

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588


    Chapter 588


    In other words, Cordy¡¯s face mask was still in Lucas¡¯s room.


    She made it a habit to use one every night-she was 29, and had to do some upkeep.


    At the thought that Lucas was going to give her a telling off if she went to get it now, she simply gave


    up.


    Seeing that it was toote for deliveries, she simply got in bed to sleep.


    It had been a busy day, and exhaustion seized her as shey down.


    She probably wouldn¡¯t need sleeping pills either¡­


    But as she started to doze off, she was jolted awake by an abrupt knock on her door, which made her


    jump awake.


    It was so difficult for her to get some natural sleep!


    Who the hell was that?!


    Furious, she threw off her nket and got out of bed, her hair a mess as she opened the door violently.


    Lucas stood outside her door, his bathrobe loosely draped over his shoulders and baring his chest.


    His hair was dripping wet, and he was almost soaked through.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you doing, dressed like that in the middle of the


    night?¡± Cordy demanded, annoyed.


    ¡°Watch your attitude, Miss Sachs! I was kind enough to bring your face mask!¡± Lucas said as he held


    out the box of face masks to her.


    It actually did seem that he noticed her box of face masks after he showered, and had brought it all the


    way here for her.


    Was he really capable of being nice? She somehow doubted that, and even had the nagging feeling


    that he was up to no good.


    However, Lucas noticed the judgemental look in her eyes. His temper red right then. ¡°Well, do you


    want it? Or should I throw it instead?!¡±


    Cordy snatched it out of his hands immediately, and mmed her door shut with a loud bang.


    It was so abrupt that she almost hit Lucas¡¯s face, but he bore with it and turned around, heading back


    to his room.


    Meanwhile, Cordy returned to bed.


    What on earth did she do to deserve suffering the misfortune of meeting Lucas Lynch? Damn him!


    She was left tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep at all -and sleep had always been a rarity for


    her, too!


    She wanted nothing less than to stay away from Lucas for the rest of her life.


    Cordy basically went the whole night without sleep, and had to drag her exhausted body out of bed the


    next day.


    She didn¡¯t know if she imagined it, but her body felt floaty.


    It seemed she had caught a cold after being exposed to the icy breeze outdoorsst night.


    She didn¡¯t take notice, however, and simply washed up before answering Sean¡¯s call.


    ¡°I¡¯m outside your hotel right now. Should Ie upstairs to get you, or wait for you downstairs?¡± Sean


    asked.


    ¡°Just wait for me. I¡¯ll be right downstairs.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Take your time.¡±


    Cordy hung up, and dropped to her crouch before her suitcase to find some light clothes.


    Most were thin autumn clothes, but she didn¡¯t usually wearyers since the ce she went had


    heaters.


    It might have been her cold, but she was feeling a little chilly.

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589


    Chapter 589


    Although Cordy picked a thicker set of clothes, she still felt a little cold after putting them on.


    After musing on it for a while, she decided to go shopping for some thicker clothing with Sean.


    Just as she stepped out of her hotel room and entered the elevator, she saw a familiar figure inside,


    and was leftmenting that she had to run Lucas everywhere she went.


    Lucas was scowling when he saw her too, and muttered sarcastically under his breath, ¡°You really


    know your timing.¡±


    Cordy ignored him-there was nothing to say to despicable men like him.


    The elevator descended, stopping halfway as many guests swarmed inside, seemingly from a tour


    group of elderly women.


    Cordy was squeezed further inside the elevator, and one of the elderly women knocked into her.


    Cordy lost her bnce, and fell squarely over Lucas.


    She didn¡¯t need imagination to expect more sarcasm from the man, and even steeled herself for it ¡­


    but it never came.


    She frowned, and straightened herself away from him when she realized something.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    He actually cared about being respectful-when there¡¯s a lot of people around!


    And she thought he didn¡¯t give a damn how others saw him.


    Nheless, things were getting rowdy in the elevator with the elderly women, and they asionally


    squeezed Cordy as they moved.


    Although she did her best to keep her distance from Lucas, she couldn¡¯t stand the elderly women


    pressed against her either-in fact, she could barely stand the weight of the one who was currently


    squeezing against her.


    Just as she was about to tell the woman off, another voice spoke sharply from above her, ¡°Ma¡¯am,


    could you be more considerate and not move around when you¡¯re in an elevator? Stop shoving your


    way back here!¡±


    The voice was loud and impolite; once Lucas spoke, the rowdy elevator turned quiet immediately.


    The elderly woman whom Lucas criticized wheeled on him and shot him a dirty look. ¡°Young people


    these days really are uncouth and have no respect for the elders. That¡¯s why society is deteriorating!¡±


    ¡® Respect? Respect goes both ways, hag!¡± Lucas snapped, calling the woman hag instead of ma¡¯am.


    Even as the woman¡¯s expression darkened further, he continued, ¡°Why should I respect you when you


    don¡¯t respect me? Respecting elders may be good etiquette, but the younger deserve respect too! You


    don¡¯t even consider how fat you are-you upy space enough for two people,


    and the elevator is only so wide! Move some more, and the elevator will snap and drop straight down!¡±


    ¡°Y-You just called me fat!¡±


    ¡°I mean, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lucas wasn¡¯t holding back at all. ¡°You¡¯d crush me under that bod.¡±


    ¡°I-I-¡°


    ¡°What? Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re squeezing me?¡± Lucas cut her short, refusing to let her talk at all.


    ¡°Stand aside. You¡¯re fat, but you¡¯re not self-aware at all!¡±


    ¡°S-So what if I¡¯m fat?! You¡¯re miles away from me!¡± The woman was seething, stunned that someone


    as goodlooking as Lucas would be so merciless with his words.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re squeezing my girlfriend?¡± Lucas suddenly said as he gathered Cordy into his


    arms. ¡°If you squeeze her, you¡¯re squeezing me!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Not going to move, are you?!¡± Lucas¡¯ voice only grew louder.


    The woman huffed, but she moved two paces forward.


    There was actually plenty of space, but she was so furious with the conversation that she kept shifting


    backwards.

 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590


    Chapter 590


    The elderly woman was still fuming. After moving away, she growled, ¡°Youngsters these days¡­ They


    leave their manners at home!¡±


    Not one to back down, Lucas retorted, ¡°So you didn¡¯t turn senile with age. You¡¯re just rotten in the first


    ce.¡±


    Cordy watched as that elderly woman grew livid, and felt cathartic for a second-women of this type tend


    to throw the weight of their seniority around to disrespect everyone.


    Soon, the elevator reached the lobby, and the elderly woman left with the others in a huff.


    Cordy shifted, and Lucas quickly released her as if he touched something filthy. He didn¡¯t forget to


    mock her.¡± Don¡¯t give yourself too much credit. You¡¯d be pushed towards me if that woman kept


    pushing you-that¡¯s why I snapped at her. Also, I despise physical contact the most.¡±


    ¡°I never did,¡± Cordy replied as she strode out of the elevator.


    She wanted to thank him, but then thought that it was unnecessary.


    She strode straight towards the hotel entrance, and caught a chilling breeze in the face the instant the


    doors opened.


    She couldn¡¯t stop her body from shivering in the cold as she stepped out, where Sean was waiting.


    Seeing that she was dressed so thinly, he put a gentle arm around her and opened the door for her to


    ride shotgun.


    When a pair of women just entering the hotel saw them, one of them couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Wow,


    dressed so thinly in such cold weather? But to be fair, she¡¯s attractive as her figure is stunning.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need warmth when you have grace, though I¡¯d rather wrap myself when it¡¯s so cold.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I don¡¯t get it¡­ Why would she dress so thinly for?¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± The other woman giggled. ¡°I¡¯d go naked if I had someone drive me around in a Rolls.¡±


    ¡°Sour grapes,¡± her friendughed alongside her.


    Lucas walked past them, and saw Cordy getting in the Rolls- Royce with another man.


    He sneered-he too felt that Cordy was dressed too thinly, and at first wanted to tell her out of kindness.


    Still, considering that they basically had nothing to do with one another, he decided that meddling was


    wrong.


    Fortunately he never did say anything, since everyone lived the way they liked.


    However, he still felt that her body was unusually warm when he was holding her before.


    The woman really could push herself when she wanted something.


    In the car, Cordy felt cold even though Sean had raised the temperature of the car heater.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping,¡± she said. ¡°The capital¡¯s too cold.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re not afraid of the cold,¡± Sean teased.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    He was the type of man who would satisfy anyone¡¯s needs, but he wouldn¡¯t go out of his way to be


    nice.


    That was why he didn¡¯t offer to take her shopping, despite knowing full well that she was freezing.


    Talk about men with toxic masculinity tendencies¡­


    Still, they eventually arrived at the mall. There, Cordy made a beeline for the down jacket section.


    She had just entered when she ran into Lucas; immediately, she wondered if there was some bad mojo


    drawing them together.

 Chapter 591

    Chapter 591


    Chapter 591


    Cordy had no idea how many times they ran into each other by chance since yesterday.


    And judging from the look in Lucas¡¯s eyes, she knew that he must be thinking that she was following


    him.


    She promptly put a hand around Sean¡¯s arm, who appeared surprised by her action.


    Cordy had never taken the initiative in the years since he met her.


    The sudden gesture made him smile, and the smile turned gloating as he turned to see Lucas.


    At the same time, Cordy scowled a little-Lucas had never been nice to her, and he was even prejudiced


    against her just because she allowed her eyes to linger on him a little yesterday at Maron¡¯s backstage


    lounge.


    Still, leaving a good impression was unnecessary when it came to strangers. So, she simply kept her


    hands around Sean and strode past Lucas.


    A shop assistant promptly received them, but Cordy didn¡¯t have any style in mind since she just needed


    something warm. Thus, she told the shop assistant to pick a clothing article for her at random.


    The shop assistant naturally did so, and promptly whipped out three designer styles while saying, ¡°I


    think these three would fit you, ma¡¯am. Oh, and this onees in a couple¡¯s set. Would you like your


    partner to try it?¡±


    Cordy nced through them and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Just pack up thedy¡¯s one for me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. The payment desk is this way, ma¡¯am,¡± the shop assistant gestured respectfully.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay,¡± Sean said, following them.


    Cordy didn¡¯t refuse, since Sean was plenty rich and wouldn¡¯t miss the money.


    The international mall was for luxury items, and the heater was plenty warm.


    However, Cordy still felt cold even after she put on the coat.


    She was standing before the mirror as she checked her reflection absent-mindedly, while waiting for


    Sean to pay and rejoin her.


    Just then, she saw Lucas stepped out from the changing room as well. Seeing him, she almost spat an


    expletive.


    He was holding the male design for the couple¡¯s set that the shop assistant had just introduced, and


    she was wearing the female¡¯s design right now.


    Lucas saw that clearly when he stepped outside, and shed another smile of disdain-as if she


    deliberately picked it to match him.


    Cordy promptly took off her jacket, and Lucas followed suit.


    With that, both of them were left staring at each other, and


    Cordy suddenly realized something important.


    Why was she ying along to his whims? Why couldn¡¯t she buy the dress she liked? And this one was


    the one she liked!


    Sean just happened to return after paying for the coat.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Seeing that she was a little angry, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said, and pulled Sean along to leave.


    Since Lucas hates her that much, he would never wear anything matching her-he was going to have to


    change either way, and she wouldn¡¯tpromise her aesthetic values for him.


    Sean turned to look at Lucas as he left, obviously recognizing himself as the male model they saw


    yesterday, who bore a strong resemnce to John Levine.


    ¡°You seem hostile to him,¡± he smiled as he turned back to Cordy. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me-he¡¯s the one who made


    you so upsetst night?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied, exasperated.

 Chapter 592

    Chapter 592


    Chapter 592


    Sean continued, ¡°He really resembles John, and even carries his bearing. Are you really-¡°


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t,¡± Cordy snapped, cutting him short. ¡°You¡¯d know that he and John have nothing in


    common if you had the displeasure of his acquaintance.¡±


    Sean smiled faintly, actually surprised that the day woulde when someone could push Cordy


    buttons to this extent.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, they returned to his car; Sean took her straight to Cranston House.


    Cordy inhaled sharply.


    ¡°Nervous?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°No, just not used to it,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Juste back more often, and you¡¯d get used to it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother talking me into it,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°My mom left all those years ago, and that makes it


    very clear that this ce isn¡¯t all that nice.¡±


    Sean actually had nothing to say about that-his family was really nothing to brag about. Otherwise, his


    aunt-that is, Cordy¡¯s mother-wouldn¡¯t have cut all ties with Sean¡¯s grandfather just to run away from


    home.


    As they strode into the front hall, they found Jesse, Sean¡¯s grandfather, already waiting for them.


    The whole family was there with him.


    Sean¡¯s father Liam and his wife Lana Quayle, along with Sean¡¯s brother, sat next to Jesse. Liam¡¯s


    younger brother Paul was in turn seated with his wife Demi Larkin, and with them were their children


    Linus and Nicole.


    Their rtionship was certainly conflicted and rife with power struggles; had John survived, Sean would


    already have him here to help with his bid to be heir.


    It was just a couple years ago when Cordy rediscovered her connection to the Cranstons, when Jesse


    personally visited her in North City. At the time, he showed her the many photos he kept of her mother


    since her childhood, as well as photos of her mother in thepany of other Cranstons. He told her


    then that her mother was his youngest daughter, and she his granddaughter.


    She finally realized why her mother always told her not to show her face to the press-her mother didn¡¯t


    want the Cranstons to find out about her existence.


    Evelyn, Cordy¡¯s mother, inherited her ir for fashion design from Martha, Cordy¡¯s grandmother.


    However, Martha died very early, and though Evelyn¡¯s talent was discovered at a young age, the


    Cranstons forbade Evelyn from studying it further. That may be the reason Evelyn left the Cranstons,


    cutting all ties with them in the cleanest way possible.


    Cordy never understood that. Why would Evelyn hide herself and Cordy after leaving the Cranstons?


    She should be


    unting that she could do well on her own even after leaving.


    There were so many questions, but she couldn¡¯t ask her mother now.


    When Jesse came to Cordy, she wasn¡¯t cold enough to show him the door when she saw how old and


    sincere he was. However, she made it very clear that she would never return to Cranston House after


    her mother left.


    Even so, blood was thicker than water-even Jesse regretted his actions and admitted his mistakes.


    Cordy had no say about the grievances of her elders, so her stance was that she would acknowledge


    that she was a Cranston, but she would still stay away from Cranston House while requesting they not


    announce her identity to the public.


    Jesse agreed to everything, but that was also why Sean would always bring her here to see Jesse


    whenever she visited the capital.


    Since the entire Cranston extended family stayed together at Cranston House, Cordy had to deal with


    all of them whenever she returned.


    Although she didn¡¯t like it, she was mature enough to show some basic manners.


    She greeted everyone, and then Jesse kindly beckoned her to sit by his side.


    Cordy could feel that Jesse was very nice to her, and even heard that Jesse used to spoil Evelyn to bits


    since she was his only daughter.


    That further begs the question-what caused such a terrible argument between Evelyn and Jesse?


    Was there some sort of unspeakable secret involved?

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593


    Chapter 593


    The Cranstons all sat down together and enjoyed a calm, peaceful chat before having a meal together.


    Cordy¡¯s coat was much thicker now, but she still felt very cold and lethargic, which was why she kept


    yawning.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep wellst night?¡± Jesse asked in concern. ¡°I¡¯ve been saying that the hotel is bad, and you


    should stay here with us.¡±


    ¡°I worked a littletest night, so I didn¡¯t sleep at the usual hour,¡± Cordy lied.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Work never ends. Don¡¯t work yourself sick,¡± Jesse told her.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to sleep in your room? I¡¯ve had the servants prepare it for you, so you could stay here


    whenever youe back.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve agreed to have a business discussion with Maronter, so I¡¯ll be leaving soon,¡± Cordy


    excused herself.


    She actually didn¡¯t like being in thepany of such a big family, even if everyone was friendly.


    Naturally, that friendliness may be skin-deep-or perhaps because she posed no threat to them. It didn¡¯t


    hurt to be nice to her, either.


    Even so, the truth was that the family discord amongst the Cranstons was nothing to be trifled with. In


    fact, if Jesse wasn¡¯t alive to keep an eye on things, his sons Liam and Paul would have long since


    turned against each other.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Jesse asked, obviously reluctant to see her go.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to check out a fashion exhibition anyway, so there¡¯s still much to do at North City,¡± Cordy


    replied. ¡°I¡¯d take a leave to visit you next time.¡±


    ¡°When is that?¡± Jesse asked, seemingly tired of empty promises from her.


    Cordy smiled. ¡°Next month. It¡¯s my annual leave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡± Jesse smiled. ¡°And stay here instead of at a hotel.¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh, okay,¡± Cordy reluctantly agreed-she had refused Jesse so many times that she started to feel


    guilty about it.


    At half past two, Cordy received a call from Maron and started to leave.


    Jesse escorted her to Sean¡¯s car, who was once again in charge of driving her.


    And since Jesse did so, the entire family followed suit, leaving Cordy a little embarrassed.


    She bade everyone farewell before getting in Sean¡¯s car, breathing a soft sigh of relief as Sean¡¯s car


    slowly drove out of the front gate.


    She was slightly overwhelmed, and felt very pressured.


    ¡°Was it really that stressful?¡± Sean asked as he drove.


    ¡°Mostly because we¡¯re strangers,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Come by often to better know everyone, then.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a great idea,¡± Cordy said, reclining against her seat and leveling a look of aloofness


    outside the window. ¡°Keeping everyone at arm¡¯s reach might at least maintain the status quo.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°tinum Club.¡±


    ¡°You seem sick,¡± he told her, probably hearing the stuffiness in her exceedingly nasal voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll meet Maron, and go back to the hotel to take some sleeping pills.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve known that for a long time. I can¡¯t count on anyone else other than myself,¡± she said.


    ¡°Smart,¡± Sean praised her.


    He always had been pragmatic, and knew very well what he wanted.


    After all, he was almost forty and a member of a grand dynasty-he must never let his emotions get the


    better of himself.


    Even though Cordy was closest to him amongst the Cranstons, she was at times confused why he was


    being so nice-was it because Jesse asked, or because he had other ns in mind?


    Either way, Sean wouldn¡¯t hurt her as long as his interests were unaffected.


    They might even happily coexist, too.

 Chapter 594

    Chapter 594


    Chapter 594


    When they arrived outside tinum Club, Cordy alighted. Sean told her. ¡°Call me anytime you need


    me. I¡¯d be on standby 24/7 as long as you¡¯re in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being this nice?¡± Cordy blurted, unable to help herself.


    Most of the time, she could ept things as they were-or to put it bluntly, she didn¡¯t regard it with that


    much importance.


    In other words, she was fine with however Sean would treat her.


    And yet, her curiosity suddenly got the better of her.


    Sean was in turn silent for a couple seconds before replying nonchntly, ¡°It¡¯s my first impression of


    you, I guess. You looked affable when I firstid eyes on you.¡±


    Cordy was speechless, but she would give a perfect score to that answer which answers nothing.


    The Cranstons were certainly as sly as foxes.


    ¡°Drive safe,¡± she told him politely.


    Sean smiled, and drove away.


    He was being honest, but Cordy was obviously skeptical.


    However, her Aunt Evelyn may have yed a huge role in that impression too. She had been kind to


    him when he was a child.


    It was a pity they could never meet again.


    Cordy headed right inside tinum Club, where Maron was waiting.


    He was returning abroad tomorrow; after the unpleasant dinnerst night, he decided to make time for


    Cordy over tea.


    As Cordy strode into the WIP room, she paused.


    She had the impulse to turn and leave when she saw Lucas inside-she had assumed Maron wouldn¡¯t


    try to get them in the same room again after their disagreementst night.


    ¡°Lovely,¡± Maron greeted Cordy warmly when she arrived.¡± Things ended unpleasantly during dinnerst


    night with some misunderstanding, so I brought Lucas here to clear the air.¡±


    Cordy nced at Lucas, who stayed in his seat and took a sip of his coffee,pletely ignoring her.


    ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding,¡± Cordy said, and didn¡¯t leave like she did yesterday since it was


    impolite.


    Maron rarely visited the capital; she should do her best to y nice instead of dropping her manners


    because of a despicable man.


    It waspletely unnecessary.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that we don¡¯t sit well with each other,¡± she added.¡± But that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll bear with it since it¡¯s not


    often we need it.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s words were plenty clear-things would still remain hostile between her and Lucas, but she had


    enough respect for Maron to stay in the same room with him.


    Maron rubbed his nose, feeling slightly awkward.


    He knew Cordy wasn¡¯t a bad person, and she normally wouldn¡¯t go that far if she didn¡¯t hate a person.


    He was simply being kind; he had a nagging feeling that Lucas would ultimately regret his discord with


    Cordy since connections were vital for business.


    Judging from Cordy¡¯s reaction, however, Maron knew full well that he would be crossing a line if he


    spoke any further.


    As such, he did not, and simply invited her to sit down with them.


    Cordy ordered a cup of ck coffee, mostly to reinvigorate herself.


    She went through an entire night without sleep, so she felt mushy and utterly drained.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hot?¡± Maron suddenly asked, staring at her down coat.


    Before Cordy could answer, he realized with a start and eximed excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s a matching set


    with Lucas! Isn¡¯t that right, Lucas?¡¯


    Lucas kept his gaze lowered as he drank his coffee, remaining neutral towards Cordy since she


    entered the room.


    Without looking up, he muttered, ¡°Yeah.¡±

 Chapter 595

    Chapter 595


    Chapter 595


    Cordy was suddenly very angry.


    Strangely enough, she couldn¡¯t control her own temper when it came to Lucas.


    ¡°Why did you buy it?¡± she demanded.


    Lucas smirked as he looked up at her. ¡°You¡¯re such a funny person. I have my own freedom in deciding


    the clothes I would like to buy¡ªor maybe you¡¯re suggesting I should ask for your opinion first?¡¯


    ¡°You knew I bought the same design.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your business. What does that have to do with me?¡± Lucas¡¯s smirk widened. ¡°I liked it, so I


    bought it. As for your opinion, Miss Sachs, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re not that close that your feelings are


    within my consideration.¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, livid.


    However, she had noeback against Lucas¡¯ words.


    And did he really grow up abroad? Why was his Zidonian so fluent?!


    ¡°That just means you both share the same standards,¡± Maron said, quickly trying to calm things down.


    ¡°You two really are frontliners in fashion-1 agree that the design of that coat is good, and I was just


    talking to Lucas about it.¡±


    Cordy pursed his lips and calmed herself.


    She quietly took a sip of her coffee, repeatedly telling herself that she shouldn¡¯t damage her health over


    a man like Lucas.


    It wasn¡¯t worth it!


    ¡°By the way, Lovely, there will be another fashion show abroad in thetter half of the year,¡± Maron


    said. ¡°Every world famous designer will be taking part, but are you interested? It¡¯s been a while since


    you made something, and plenty of people are looking forward to it. How about it? Make some


    preparations ahead of the show?¡±


    ¡°When would that be?¡±


    ¡°Around June.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I have plenty of time to prepare.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that for a yes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Would you be going there yourself? I¡¯ll receive you when you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Sure, if nothing elsees up at the time.¡±


    ¡°You really should leave the house more often,¡± Maron told her. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to you in


    the past couple years, but I just had this feeling that you¡¯re not doing well. Of course, I¡¯m not doubting


    your abilities as a designer, but mainly because of your health¡­ How do I put it? Your spirit has been


    waning.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied tly, but didn¡¯t borate.


    She didn¡¯t tell Maron about John to spare herself from reliving the agony she didn¡¯t want to remember,


    and out in the open at that.


    The three of them stayed in that private room for over two hours.


    Maron turned down Cordy¡¯s invitation to dinner, since he still had an afterparty to attend. It was


    supposed to be right after the fashion show, but he allowed the staff to rest for the night in


    consideration that they were probably exhausted.


    He asked Cordy to join him at the afterparty, but she refused since she disliked crowded ces.


    Moreover, she was unquestionably under the weather.


    Maron insisted on escorting Cordy back to her hotel since it was still early. Asking Sean for a ride would


    be too much of a hassle, so Cordy went along with it.


    She and Lucas sat in the back in silence; they didn¡¯t even look at each other¡¯s way.


    Cordy alighted after arriving at the hotel.


    Lucas didn¡¯t do the same since he was attending the afterparty with Maron, so Cordy simply waved


    Maron goodbye before entering the hotel.


    Once inside, she dropped her strong front¡ªin reality, she was feeling a throbbing headache, while her


    body was burning and incredibly sensitive to the cold.


    She walked to the front desk receptionist and said, ¡°I think I¡¯m having a cold and a headache. Please


    deliver some medicine to my room.¡¯¡¯


    ¡°Of course. Miss Sachs, correct? From room 666?¡¯


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll have our in-house doctor prescribe you something for your symptoms before sending it to


    your room.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Cordy returned to her hotel room after that.


    Out of habit, she would usually take a shower after going out. However, she didn¡¯t have the strength


    and was worried she would faint in the washroom.


    She took off her down coat and pushed herself to change into casuals, before pulling her nket over


    herself in bed.


    Even with the nket, she still felt very cold.


    Plus, she was in a bad mood ¡ªshe really wanted to punch Lucas, since he was the reason she fell sick


    in the first ce.


    Then, she vaguely heard the doorbell rang; she pushed herself with considerable effort and went to


    open the door.

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596


    Chapter 596


    It was a hotel staff member, who brought Cordy her medicine. ¡°Miss Sachs, if your symptoms aren¡¯t


    easing even after taking the medicine, you may call our front desk. We¡¯ll provide transport to take you


    to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Cordy closed the door.


    She never had the habit of going to the hospital, and would usually recover from minor colds with just


    some medicine.


    She boiled some water and took her medicine before getting in bed again.


    She shivered as she curled into a ball under her nket. She already hadyers of those, and she was


    almost suffocating from the pressure.


    She finally touched her forehead-why was this one so awful? How bad was her fever?


    It had been two hours since she took the medicine, but she wasn¡¯t sweating at all; her body


    temperature wasn¡¯t decreasing either.


    What was more, it hurt like hell.


    Cordy eventually gave in-it was the first time she needed the hospital for a cold.


    Picking up the phone, she called the front desk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not feeling better. Please take me to


    the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Miss Sachs. Juste downstairs in ten minutes- your transport will be waiting.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cordy hung up, feeling light-headed as she changed out of her clothes. She wrapped that thick down


    coat around herself before leaving.


    Suddenly, her vision started cking out and her head spun.


    She quickly leaned against the nearest wall and did her best to rx herself, taking another deep


    breath before she started walking again.


    That was when she spotted a familiar figure walking towards her.


    Cordy bit her lip very tightly, and told herself that she mustn¡¯t lose herposure at all in front of


    Lucas-to not make herself aughing stock in front of him!


    Yet, even as she managed to force herself to walk past Lucas, he suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs.¡±


    She ignored him, and kept going towards the elevator.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Lucas¡¯s voice was louder since Cordy didn¡¯t answer, but her pace quickened. He frowned.


    Was she possessed?


    Her cheeks were as red as a baboon¡¯s bottom, and she was walking zig-zagged!


    Did she get too drunk and was trying to escape?


    Lucas stared at her from the back; suddenly, she wobbled and dropped to the floor.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That would probably really hurt if the carpet wasn¡¯t so thick.


    Still, Lucas was left wondering how a woman could allow herself to stay so undignified.


    That was when one of the hotel guests in the vicinity snapped furiously at Lucas, ¡°Hey! Your girlfriend


    fell! Can¡¯t you at least help her to her feet?!¡±


    Lucas frowned. ¡°She¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not? Then exin your matching outfits!¡± Lucas was speechless.

 Chapter 597

    Chapter 597


    Chapter 597


    The hotel guest continued to snap at Lucas. ¡°It¡¯s just a lover¡¯s quarrel-do you really have to go that far?


    Young people these days really have no sense of responsibility or tact!¡±


    Lucas took a deep breath, but there was no exining himself right now.


    Walking towards Cordy, he picked her unconscious body off the floor.


    The instant he did, he could feel that her body was aze.


    Was she trying to kill herself?


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Lucas quickened his pace as he carried her off.


    Cordy wasn¡¯t fully unconscious in his arms, but her thoughts were muddled.


    She felt as if she was in a car, which was moving rapidly.


    At the same time, she felt a source of warmth beside her- she had been feeling cold the whole day, and


    was shivering no matter how many nkets she put over herself.


    Suddenly, a familiar sensation red within her mind, and she wanted to get closer to it.


    Lucas frowned.


    Even as he carried Cordy into the car that the hotel arranged, he could feel her constantly pressing and


    rubbing


    herself against him.


    If her consciousness wasn¡¯t muddled due to her fever, he would¡¯ve suspected hering on to him.


    Still, if it actually was a tactic on her part, it was quite immacte, if not a little cruel to herself.


    In spite of his disgust, he spread his body so she could cling on to him easier.


    It was a feeling he couldn¡¯t quite describe.


    For some reason, the first time he saw Cordy, his emotions were in turmoil.


    He didn¡¯t like that feeling, which inevitably led to an instinctive rejection towards her.


    In reality, she never did anything to him. However, he kept thinking the worst of her.


    And now, neither of them could see eye-to-eye.


    Even so, he could not help asking the driver, ¡°How much longer to the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Ten more minutes or so.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you go any faster?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going as fast as I can,¡± the driver quickly replied. ¡°It¡¯s snowing a little right now-driving too quickly


    would be unsafe.¡±


    Lucas pursed his lips. ¡°Just do your best.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Lucas simply held on to Cordy, who continued to re like a furnace. He looked outside the window, at


    the scant snowkes floating down from above.


    He was surprised that the capital could be this cold¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t have gotten the down jacket if not for


    that.


    He lowered his gaze at it, a perfect match to the one Cordy wore¡­


    He rolled his eyes.


    No one would believe him even if he told them they did not know each other.


    It took a while for the car to reach the hospital, and Cordy¡¯s consciousness was still muddled by the


    time they arrived.


    Lucas wondered if she would have brain damage if the burning fever continued.


    He carried her again, this time into the hospital¡¯s emergency room. He barked at the nearest doctor,


    ¡°This patient needs emergency attention right now! She¡¯s really burning up- please take a look at her.¡±


    The doctor gestured for him to put her on the bed, and put a thermometer into Cordy¡¯s mouth.


    It shot straight up to red levels: 105.8 degrees.


    The doctor¡¯s face dropped, and he immediately wheeled on


    Lucas. ¡°How can you call yourself her boyfriend? She¡¯s almost 106 degrees! Are you trying to kill her?!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not¡­¡±


    Lucas wanted to defend himself, but ncing between her coat and his, he decided against it. Instead,


    he asked, ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°Finally understanding the urgency of the situation, are we?¡± The doctor scowled. ¡®Get a number. I¡¯m


    sending her for therapeutic hypothermia and giving her proper medication. Come back when you¡¯re


    done with the paperwork!¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lucas replied, a little annoyed that he had to be yelled at for no reason in the middle of the


    night.


    By the time he was done with the paperwork, Cordy already had ice pillows piled around her, while the


    nurse fed her fastacting fever medicine and attached her to an IV.

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598


    Chapter 598


    Lucas simply sat beside them as they worked, until the nurse turned towards him and instructed, ¡°If she


    isn¡¯t sweating or the fever isn¡¯t breaking in half-an-hour, press this button to call us.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± he replied.


    With that, the nurse left, leaving Lucas alone and watching Cordy, whose little face was furrowed.


    Upon a closer look, he decided that she was attractive.


    He usually never looked at others so closely, especially women.


    In fact, he was a little sick of them.


    And yet, as he looked closely at Cordy and acknowledged her good looks, he decided that it was not


    surprising that she carried such confidence in the way she spoke to him.


    Still, he suddenly remembered the man she was clinging to just this morning, and ultimately kept his


    distance.


    He took out his phone, fiddling with it to kill time as he sat beside Cordy¡¯s bed.


    Half an hourter, he reached out to put a palm on her forehead.


    Perhaps because she had been sleeping on an ice pillow, but he felt that her temperature had dropped


    a little.


    He looked around, but found no thermometer-the nurse must have taken it away with her.


    Hesitating for a moment, he eventually arched his back and leaned forward, and pressed his forehead


    on hers.


    He was so focused on trying to feel Cordy¡¯s temperature that he didn¡¯t notice her waking up. She


    red at him as she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Her voice was feeble, but her tone was startling-Lucas flinched from shock, and quickly pulled away


    from her forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to see if you still had a fever,¡± Lucas exined, his ears turning red for some reason.


    Cordy sneered. ¡°Are you really that nice?¡±


    ¡°I brought you here to the hospital!¡± Lucas snapped with righteous indignation.


    Cordy merely watched him judgmentally, even less convinced.


    When she tried to recall what had happened, she could only remember herself leaving her hotel room


    and preparing to head to the hospital with the hotel staff help.


    She seemed to remember running into Lucas, but she knew very well that she walked past him. In fact,


    she ignored him even though he had been calling out to her.


    She remembered nothing else.


    Had she really fainted, and Lucas brought her here to the hospital afterwards?


    Somehow, she was certain Lucas wouldn¡¯t be that nice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Yeah, I wasn¡¯t willing to help,¡± Lucas admitted. ¡°The fact is, because we


    wore the same down coat, people keep thinking that we¡¯re a couple. I had no choice but to take you


    here.¡±


    Cordy actually believed that exnation, and said in turn,¡± Thank you.¡±


    Although her opinion of him didn¡¯t actually change, she had every reason to thank him out of politeness


    since he had brought her here to the hospital.


    Lucas was taken aback.


    He didn¡¯t expect Cordy to actually thank him, even though she knew that he didn¡¯t do it voluntarily.


    ¡°I¡¯m awake now, and I¡¯m fine. You can go,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Lucas didn¡¯t want to linger either. Just as he got up to leave, the doctor and the nurse returned and


    asked, ¡°Did her fever break?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucas quickly answered-he had just touched her forehead, and it was clearly not burning.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t leave even if the fever has subsided,¡± the doctor said. ¡°She¡¯s still young, and she needs


    a thorough examination. You¡¯re a rtive, so get her admitted. Only consider getting her discharged


    tomorrow if there¡¯s no other problems.¡±

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599


    Chapter 599


    Lucas promptly argued, ¡°I¡¯m not a rtive.


    The doctor shot him a re and asked bluntly, ¡°Why are you dressed like a couple if she¡¯s not your


    girlfriend?¡±


    Lucas was so furious, he could take off his coat right there and then.


    ¡°Why did you bring her to the hospital if she¡¯s not your girlfriend?¡± the doctor pressed.


    Lucas was going to exin himself when the doctor added,¡± Weren¡¯t you kissing her just now?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t kissing her!¡± Lucas growled, agitated.


    Cordy knew that too, and she was awake when he leaned towards her.


    However, seeing Lucas getting annoyed made her feel cathartic. She even looked at him in disbelief on


    purpose.


    Lucas immediately sensed Cordy¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Did you really think I¡¯d


    kiss you?¡±


    Before Cordy could speak, the doctor said, ¡°It¡¯s normal for couples to fight, but you should learn to


    compromise. How much is one¡¯s ego worth, after all? You¡¯ll be regretting it so badly if she leaves you.¡±


    ¡°Look, I-¡®


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that,¡± the doctor said, cutting Lucas short.


    ¡°Hurry up and get her checked in. The patient can go with the nurse to the ward.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Cordy said, smiling faintly.


    She was beautiful in the first ce, and her smile always dazzled. Now that she was sick and her smile


    appeared fragile, one would feel sympathetic for her. The doctor himself was left stunned for a brief


    moment.


    Lucas smirked as he stood beside them-she was quite the natural seductress, wasn¡¯t she?


    Still, he left and got her admitted to the hospital.


    After a little bit of work, Cordy eventuallyy down on a luxurious hospital bed. By then, it was already


    the wee hours of the morning.


    She was actually satisfied with how Lucas handled the paperwork. She had initially expected him to be


    petty and get her the worst ward, one which she had to share with other patients.


    She couldn¡¯t help ncing at him as he handled the paperwork to get her admitted. Sensing her stare,


    he bristled and growled, ¡°What are you looking at?!¡±


    In truth, Cordy couldn¡¯t fathom why Lucas despised being stared at so much.


    Was it really because he was too handsome even as a child, and got sick of it? Was that why he was


    so psychologically averse to it?


    Turning away, Cordy asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I want to stay?!¡± Lucas snapped.


    Cordy frowned¡ªwhat was that supposed to mean? Was the hospital stopping him from leaving?


    ¡°There¡¯s a rule in this hospital that each patient must have someone keeping thempany. What on


    earth did I do to deserve this?¡± Lucas demanded.


    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s actually a rule like that?¡± Cordy actually found that unbelievable.


    ¡°Ask them if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± Lucas snorted.


    Cordy naturally had no such intention, since havingpany was naturally better.


    Lucas had a bad temper and was often annoyed with her; but after a night together, she realized that


    he was very efficient when it came to getting things done.


    Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    Plus, it was precisely his disinterest in her that she could be at ease about being alone with him.


    She was a business person, after all-she had no reason to refuse when she had something to gain


    without losing anything.


    ¡°I want to take a bath,¡± she said, wiggling under her nket.


    After sweating buckets when her fever subsided, she was now in much better spirits and was keen to


    clean herself up.


    ¡°Trying to seduce me?¡± Lucas¡¯s eyes narrowed coolly.


    ¡°Would that work on you, I wonder?¡± Cordy said, used to his sharp words by now.


    Perhaps because he had taken her here to the hospital tonight and kept herpany, but her


    impression of him now wasn¡¯t all that bad.

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600


    Chapter 600


    Naturally, it wasn¡¯t to say that Cordy¡¯s impression of Lucas improved.


    She simply didn¡¯t find it necessary to be confrontational with him.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Nheless, Lucas snorted with disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Cordy retorted, and shrugged off her nket to get to her feet.


    Although she was under the impression that she had gotten much better, she must¡¯ve sweated so


    much that her vision cked out abruptly the moment she got up; her body suddenly went limp.


    Lucas was close enough to react quickly, catching her just as she was about to fall.


    His hands were a little firm as he held her in his arms. Cordy felt the world spinning around her, but she


    soon recovered.


    The instant she did, she sensed her own body pressing against Lucas; she even felt his heart racing.


    In turn, her heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°You really are resourceful when ites to bewitching men,¡± he said, releasing her.


    All the warmth Cordy felt from his kindness was immediately doused by a bucket of ice water, and she


    pushed him away to stride inside the bathroom.


    ¡°If you dare to faint there on purpose, I¡¯ll definitely tell that middle-aged doctor to change your clothes!


    Cordy mmed the door firmly shut in his face.


    She really mustn¡¯t keep her hopes up when ites to this man.


    She took a shower; she must admit that despite Lucas¡¯s blunt words, she was reminded that she


    should make it fast.


    With her body as frail as it was now, she might really faint inside the bathroom.


    She just washed herself a little before putting on fresh patient garbs and stepping outside.


    She didn¡¯t wash her hair, but the shower left it a little wet and stuck to her clothes.


    The bath made her appear to be in better spirits; she stepped out, looking fresh and clean.


    Lucas had been clearing up the paperwork to get her checked into the hospital, and looked up just as


    she stepped out with her natural looks.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he hadn¡¯t seen her without makeup-he actually saw every part of herst night, after all.


    But at that very moment, her quiet beauty left him stunned for a moment.


    Still, he quickly turned away.


    Since when had he developed an interest in uniforms?


    Most importantly, her clothes were clearly toorge for her; her body¡¯s movements could be seen


    underneath.


    The thought of that left him gulping ever so slightly.


    Cordy paid no attention to his reaction, however, and looked away after a brief nce.


    She had not the slightest interest in him; it did not concern her at all, since people had different


    standards for beauty.


    Suddenly, she was curious about what his girlfriend looked like. She didn¡¯t like him at all, and wondered


    how anyone could stand him.


    Was his girlfriend the mild type? Spicy? Vivacious? Youthful? Natural?


    Still, Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Why was she getting so worked up about this? What Lucas¡¯s girlfriend looked like was of no concern to


    her. To think she actually regarded that question seriously!


    As such, she simply returned to bed and leaned against the headboard. She took out her phone; just


    as she was going to read the news, she suddenly felt a little hungry.


    She finally remembered that she hadn¡¯t eaten, but it was already long past midnight.


    Getting food at the moment was probably impossible! Cordy sighed softly, nning to ignore her


    hunger.

 Chapter 601

    Chapter 601


    Chapter 601


    Lucas¡¯s phone started ringing, and he answered it.


    After a simple exchange, he got to his feet and headed outside the ward.


    Cordy looked up at him, about to ask if he was going to leave -there was no way he¡¯d be that nice and


    stay with her in the ward for an entire night.


    However, she didn¡¯t ask her question since she saw that he really was in a rush.


    Whatever-they were ultimately strangers, and he could do anything he liked.


    Cordy shifted her posture as she read her phone.


    She basically slept after fainting and catching a high fever, and wasn¡¯t sleepy at all now-it could be yet


    another sleepless night.


    Nheless, she tapped on her news app. She scrolled through the business section and found


    nothing of note, and then turned to the entertainment section.


    It turned out that Lucas actually made headlines since a lot of people were mesmerized by his good


    looks, with many fangirlsmenting their infatuation on the article.


    Cordy wondered how many of them would give up if they knew how terrible the man was in private.


    Still, she was engrossed in reading when the door to her ward suddenly opened; she looked up to see


    Lucas carrying tworge bags into her ward.


    She was startled, since she thought he had long left.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she blurted.


    Lucas rolled his eyes at her, scowling; as if to say that he wouldn¡¯t be here if he could leave.


    Cordy smiled ever so subtly, actually surprised that he could be sopliant.


    It wasmon sense that hospitals couldn¡¯t force anyone to keep patientspany, and her life


    wasn¡¯t in danger.


    She had no intention of telling Lucas that, though.


    Just as Lucas put down the tworge bags on the tea-table nearby, Cordy spotted a pair of men¡¯s


    boxers.


    Hold on, how long is he going to stay here?!


    Lucas took out a set of undergarments, brandishing it at her as he asked, ¡°Do you want these?¡±


    ¡°D-Did you ask someone to buy those?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Might as well,¡± he said casually.


    Cordy was actually a little ufortable with the undergarments she was wearing, since she hadn¡¯t


    changed out of them after her shower just now.


    She didn¡¯t refuse to save face, though, since he was going


    to be unhappy with whatever she did anyway.


    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    ¡°I want it.¡±


    ¡°Then take it yourself. Or did you expect me to hand it to you?¡± Lucas snapped, his tone hostile.


    Cordy took a deep breath, and told herself not to get petty with him.


    After all, he was 26-three years younger than she was. And since women were often said to be three


    years older than men psychologically, there was no way she would get petty with a brat six years


    younger than her!


    She got up, took the undergarments, and headed straight to the bathroom to get changed.


    It actually fit, too-the man certainly had a good eye.


    As she looked at her reflection in the mirror, however, she started to blush-she remembered the


    identst night, where Lucas saw her buck naked.


    And that was why he knew her measurements.


    When Cordy left the bathroom, she saw that Lucas had taken out everything from the tworge bags


    and piled them into a little hill.


    This man really refused topromise with anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat?¡± he suddenly asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Here, chicken soup. That¡¯s the only thing they have at this hour¡ªtake it or leave it.¡±


    As he spoke, he put the bowl on the tea table nearby, then headed to the bathroom with his newly


    bought pajamas and boxers.


    Cordy watched as he left. Despite his sharp tongue, it seemed he wasn¡¯t that horrible as a person.

 Chapter 602

    Chapter 602


    Chapter 602


    Cordy walked towards the tea table and picked up the bowl of chicken soup, which was still warm.


    She just happened to desire something warm and filling like this, but she left half of it.


    She wasn¡¯t sure if Lucas had eaten, but she definitely wasn¡¯t finishing such a huge bowl on her own.


    She was still taking sips of the soup when Lucas stepped out of the bathroom, d in expensive dark-


    green silk pajamas.


    Cordy had to admit that he had the looks to scorn the world, and somehow understood his disdain for


    others.


    She smiled ever so subtly-it turned out that in this world, people were fundamentally skin-deep.


    ¡°I saved half the soup for you. Do you want it?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, and walked up to her side.


    There was still steam swirling around him; he must¡¯ve bought his own soap as well, since he smelled


    different.


    Cordy shifted aside since both of them didn¡¯t like to get too close with each other, though she must also


    acknowledge that he was a looker.


    However, her movements left him frowning, and he snorted in disdain-as if she was doing it deliberately


    to draw his attention.


    Cordy was speechless.


    She would admit that he was handsome, but that didn¡¯t mean she would throw herself at him like every


    other woman would! In fact, she was maintaining her distance from him entirely because she was not


    interested.


    The ward was quiet, and Cordy soon finished her portion since she had the soup first.


    Then, she threw the disposable spoon into the bin and returned to her bed.


    As shey down, she noticed that Lucas was still in his pajamas.


    The hospital was warm, but he was really dressed too thin. At this point, Cordy was traumatized after


    that terrible cold she had.


    She wanted to tell him several times, but he seemed to have an instinctive wariness towards her and


    would consider anything she said to be an attempt at seduction.


    Suddenly, without batting an eye, he snapped with a hostile tone, ¡°Just spit it already!¡±


    Does he have a third eye growing somewhere?!


    Nheless, her heart abruptly stopped. She felt a stabbing pain as she remembered John for a split


    second.


    John was always able to read her intentions in the same way.


    But this man wasn¡¯t John, even if he resembled John remarkably.


    Cordy calmed herself, and said bluntly, ¡°You should put on more clothes. It¡¯s cold.¡±


    As Lucas looked up at her, she added, ¡°Do whatever you want. I¡¯d just rather we didn¡¯t infect each


    other.¡±


    Lucas said nothing, but he suddenly picked up the down coat he ced beside him and put it on.


    For once, he wasn¡¯t mocking her or snapping at her for trying to seduce him.


    After supper, Lucas cleaned the room a little. Cordy realized that he was a clean freak with a tinge of


    OCD.


    He spent some time sorting her hospital admission documents, and even more time on the things he


    had bought.


    At around two in the morning, hey down on the bed prepared for him and turned the lights in the


    ward to the dimmest.


    Cordy put away her phone, knowing that she would have less chance of falling asleep if she kept


    looking at it.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t think you can do anything you like to me just because we¡¯re sleeping in the same


    room,¡± he warned amidst the darkness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in you,¡± she snapped in retort.


    ¡°You better not be.¡±Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603


    Chapter 603


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Lucas turned toy on his side, keeping his back to Cordy.


    Cordy followed suit; while she disliked his attitude, his words undoubtedly offered her slight relief.


    If anything happened between a man and a woman in the same room, she would be the one who stood


    to lose. As such, Lucas¡¯s words gave her a mysterious sense of security.


    The night was quiet, and Cordy seemed to hear Lucas¡¯s breathing assuming a steady, regr rhythm.


    He certainly fell asleep very quickly; when she thought about it, he really did put himself through the


    grinder tonight.


    Thinking about it that way, he wasn¡¯t all that evil-despite hisplete reluctance, he ultimately endured


    it, and somehow ended up as her guardian.


    Cordy turned around, since she really wasn¡¯t used to sleeping in that posture.


    When she did, she found that Lucas had already turned as well. In his case, he was sound asleep even


    as he faced her.


    It was too dark for her to see his facial features clearly, but that was also the reason why she found him


    bearing even more resemnce to John.


    Cordy bit her lip.


    She knew Lucas wasn¡¯t John, but couldn¡¯t help staring at him.


    Fortunately, he was asleep. She had no idea what inhuman obscenities he would sling at her, given his


    temper.


    As she quietly watched him for who knows how long, sleep eventually overcame her¡­and she


    dreamed of John.


    He was holding her, and that familiar scent of his filled her nostrils. It was so vivid that she couldn¡¯t help


    bursting into tears.


    There were times when she forced herself to sleep, so that she could meet him in her dreams.


    But she could never fall asleep, and thatck of sleep was the reason her health and spirit kept


    deteriorating.


    The sudden terrible cold she caught may well have had something to do with that.


    She clung on to John as tightly as she could, pleading to him repeatedly, ¡°Please, don¡¯t go¡­ I missed


    you so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡±


    She could hear that familiar voice right beside her ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    ¡°Wake up.¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯d leave if I did¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Did your fevere back?¡± The voice sounded impatient.


    Cordy frowned-John would never get impatient with her.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t get upset¡­ I don¡¯t want you to get upset¡­¡± she purred adorably.


    Lucas was staring nkly at Cordy as she wrapped herself tightly around him.


    She really had moves, didn¡¯t she?


    He was woken up by her sleeptalking, since he usually was a light sleeper who would get up at the


    slightest motion.


    Cordy was mumbling unintelligibly and repeatedly. When he got close to wake her¡ªto stop her from


    making a ruckus- she suddenly wrapped her arms around him when he got too near.


    He tried pulling her off him, but couldn¡¯t.


    Brute strength might work, but there was a gap in strength between men and women.


    Also¡­ He had this vague feeling that Cordy really was not pretending.


    She was really anxious about losing him.


    No, it probably wasn¡¯t him.

 Chapter 604

    Chapter 604


    Chapter 604


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, Lucas didn¡¯t know who that person was, but he gave Cordy the benefit of the doubt¡ªthat she


    really had someone she missed.


    That, or her ability at seduction was far above the rest.


    ¡°I won¡¯t get upset with you. Let me go,¡± he said, his tone now a bit milder.


    Cordy shook her head stubbornly, however, and kept holding onto him very tightly.


    ¡°You¡¯d be gone if I let you go¡­¡± she murmured.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± There was even a pout in her tone, and she was brushing her cheeks against his thigh.


    Lucas¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    This ursed woman¡­ Was she actually a subus?!


    Lucas finally had enough. He had every intention to push her away, when he looked down and saw the


    satisfied smile on her face.


    His hand paused.


    He suddenly had this feeling that she carried an air of mncholy.


    He couldn¡¯t quite describe it, but she was broken inside despite her tough exterior¡ªonce she was quiet


    or alone, she projected a sense of loneliness, as if she had been abandoned. The way she lowered her


    gaze had a faint, lingering sense of sorrow that others couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with.


    However, Lucas also had the feeling that it was feigned to attract men; especially since he caught her


    messing around with a middle-aged man earlier on.


    And yet, the look of bliss on her face at this very moment seemed to refute that assumption.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    She was relentless, always dishing out new ways to humiliate him.


    He should be indifferent towards her by all ounts, but he felt an inexpressible murmur in his heart


    when he first met her.


    And he hated that feeling-he certainly didn¡¯t want any special feelings for other women, especially


    when he already had a girlfriend.


    It was why he was a little more hostile than usual towards Cordy.


    Eventually, he pushed her away a little roughly; after all, keeping herpany for the night was already


    the most he can manage in making amends.


    Come to think of it, she caught a cold because he provoked her so much she stormed out of the


    restaurant, after which she had to wait for a ride over a long time on a winter night. He naturally didn¡¯t


    want to owe her, since he wasn¡¯t so inhumane.


    On the other hand, Cordy was panicking as the familiar embrace was gone.


    In her dream, John was going further and further away; she couldn¡¯t catch him no matter what she did.


    ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t go¡­¡± she sobbed.


    Lucas was unmoved, nor was he interested in continuing to deal with her.


    But the instant he turned, he could feel her arms wrapping around him from behind.


    Cordy was pressing her whole body on her back, and very firmly at that.


    There were just two thinyers of clothing between their bodies, and Lucas could feel every nook and


    cranny of her curves.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m begging you¡­ Please don¡¯t go¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me go, Cordy Sachs,¡± he said icily. ¡°You have the wrong person.¡±


    Anyone listening closely would be able to hear him panting slightly, but Lucas hid it well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me¡­ I don¡¯t want you to leave ever again¡­¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes were wet with tears as she nuzzled his back, and he could feel the warm dampness on


    his thin pajamas¡­ it was as stuffy as it tickled.


    He took a deep breath, and kept restraining himself from pushing her way.


    However, he wasn¡¯t about to let her do whatever with him either.


    He turned with considerable difficulty and tried to restrain her with both hands, distancing her from his


    own body while telling her slowly but sharply, ¡°Look closely, Cordy Sachs, and get your head straight.


    I¡¯m not the one you¡¯re looking for, and don¡¯t make a ruckus while someone else is sleeping -mmph!¡±


    Lucas¡¯s eyes widened as Cordy suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, holding his face in ce


    and pressing her lips on his.


    Hard.


    She moved so quickly, he couldn¡¯t react in time at all!

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605


    Chapter 605


    Lucas froze, caught byplete surprise.


    Cordy actually kissed him!


    His heart skipped a beat.


    What was he thinking?! He was letting a stranger do whatever she wanted with his body!


    His eyes narrowed, all the sentiment in his eyes vaporizing and leaving only coldness.


    He had no intentions of sparing Cordy, and so he opened his mouth and bit her heavily on the lips.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡±


    The woman who had been so intent on kissing him for one moment, had her eyes welling with tears the


    next.


    She looked at him, miserably and pitifully.


    She was at once tender yet seductive, innocent but passionate.


    ¡°Goddamn subus,¡± Lucas muttered under his breath.


    She could tug at a man¡¯s heartstrings, even though she was just withstanding the pain he gave her.


    Nheless, he pushed her away firmly, only to be given a clear view of her delicate expression; her


    crystalline lips that were now painted red with blood.


    It was such an alluring sight that no man could resist it. For some reason, Lucas was getting upset.


    He wasn¡¯t supposed to be subject to such temptation by a woman in this existence, and he simply


    couldn¡¯t ept that he was losing control over himself because of her.


    Even his own girlfriend never got his justices flowing like this!


    He pinched her lips; she didn¡¯t resist, instead looking at him with those misty, tantalizing eyes of hers.


    Because he was being rough, her little lips were puckered. It actually made her look all the more


    adorable.


    Lucas ignored all the things that made her look attractive; his fingers brushed viciously over her mouth,


    clearing all the blood that made her lips look so attractive.


    Cordy was frowning, her eyes glimmering with tears.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    She couldn¡¯t speak with Lucas restraining him, but it was clear from her reaction that it hurt, and her


    lips burned.


    Once Lucas was done venting her frustration, he realized that her lips had be even redder and


    was swelling because of him, which only made her look even more alluring.


    F*ck.


    He released her and shoved her a little roughly back to her bed, while he returned to his own. He was


    furious!


    He decided he would never go to her-not even if she cried herself to death!


    The night was silent once more; Cordyy in bed for a long time until she abruptly jolted awake.


    Her tears kept rolling down her cheeks.


    Was she dreaming?


    But it felt so real¡­especially when she embraced John and kissed him!


    She touched her lips.


    It hurt a little; the sensation made her doubt that everything had been a dream, even though she saw


    John in it.


    She turned around, and saw the man sleeping in the other bed.

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606


    Chapter 606


    John¡­


    The single nce of stupor left Cordy¡¯s tears running freely.


    However, she remembered in the next instant that the man was Lucas and not John.


    From the back, his resemnce to John was uncanny, hence why she mistook him for John-


    Even so, her tears quietly drenched her pillow.


    On the other hand, Lucas had a nagging feeling that someone was watching him from behind. No


    matter how much he tried to ignore it, he could still imagine her wounded look. All he could think about


    was that inconsble misery he saw in her eyes when he pushed her away just now.


    What on earth did she go through that made her look as if she had been abandoned by the whole


    world, when could she have anything she wanted?!


    And was it feigned? Was she pretending? If that was the case, she might even win an Oscar for it!


    With that in mind, it only made sense that she managed to fool him.


    He kept telling himself that; then, he sat up in his bed and turned to look at Cordy.


    Nothing was clear in the darkness, but he seemed to see everything somehow-that she was crying


    wounded tears very miserably.


    He shrugged off his nket and walked up to her.


    She blinked but said nothing, seemingly calming down right thenpletely different from the woman


    who broke down right in front of him a moment ago.


    Even so, he said grumpily, ¡°Move over a little.¡±


    Cordy stared at him, but didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret this,¡± he growled threateningly.


    Even so, she still didn¡¯t move.


    Lucas scowled-she really was calm under pressure.


    Nheless, he arched his back to scoop her up in his arms.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes shed in surprise, but she didn¡¯t push him away.


    In fact, she was as docile as an abandoned kitten.


    At this, Lucas felt a pang of tenderness in his heart.


    Even though he was quite rough when he picked her up and shifted her aside, his movements were


    frighteningly gentle.


    Once he put her aside, he lifted Cordy¡¯s nket andy down underneath it.


    Finally, there was a response in Cordy¡¯s eyes. However, she pressed both hands against his body,


    clearly rejecting him.


    Woman¡­!Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    She wanted nothing less than to melt into him when she embraced him and kissed him violently a


    moment ago; and now, she was rejecting him?!


    He was making a huge sacrifice by forcing himself to sleep beside her!


    ¡°Push me again, and I¡¯ll throw you off the bed. Believe it,¡± he growled viciously.


    Cordy withdrew her hands.


    ¡°This is all because of your acting. I¡¯ll give you points for that, ¡± he continued unreasonably. ¡°But this will


    happen just once, Cordy Sachs-for one night, you can pretend I¡¯m the man in your heart, so go to


    sleep. Don¡¯t let your condition get worse tomorrow and make things harder for me! Make a full recovery


    by tomorrow, and get discharged!¡±


    With those words, he seemed to give in and gathered her in his arms, even brusquely taking her arms


    and putting them around his waist. ¡°You¡¯re just lucky tonight. Now, sleep!¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, intent on rejecting him since there should be an appropriate distance between men


    and women.


    She certainly didn¡¯t want to have an ambiguous rtionship with this man, especially when she had no


    feelings for him.


    Be that as it may, she could pick up John¡¯s familiar scent from Lucas¡¯s body.


    She knew his personality waspletely different from


    John¡¯s and that he would never be John, but she was reluctant to let him go as she relished the way he


    held her.


    Cordy gave up her wariness, and leaned closer to Lucas.


    She would indulge herself for just one night and believe that John was still alive, and right beside her.

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607


    Chapter 607


    The night passed; Cordy opened her eyes, woken up by the motion in her ward.


    She blinked.


    It had been a while since she felt so terrible waking up, as she was usually wide awake after waking


    up.


    On the other hand, she felt like she wanted to sleep in today; she actually slept very wellst night.


    She could clearly tell that she slept soundly for a long while, too.


    As she opened her bleary eyes, still feeling muddled, she noticed many figures inb coats filing into


    her ward.


    They turned out to be doctors doing their rounds. She answered every question that the doctor leading


    the group asked her.


    He didn¡¯t say much and turned to leave, leading the rest out of her ward when he was done.


    A nurse entered after they left. She took Cordy¡¯s temperature and asked, ¡°Made up with your boyfriend,


    have we?¡±


    It was only then that Cordy realized Lucas was in her bed as well, and hiding himself beneath her


    nket.


    He must¡¯ve done so when the doctors came in, bothering him in his sleep.


    ¡°We knew you were a couple having an argument,¡± the nurse continued. ¡°That¡¯s why we tricked him,


    saying he needed to stay with you as a hospital rule. He was fuming, but he agreed to it anyway-l


    mean, it¡¯s obvious he¡¯s bad tempered, but he does treat you well. He kept asking us what was wrong


    with you while he filed the paperwork for your admission, and if you have any other illnesses¡­¡±


    Cordy could tell that Lucas was worried she would suddenly die, and he would be forced to take all the


    me.


    ¡°Well, your temperature¡¯s normal, but the doctor said it¡¯d be safer if we took a blood sample.¡±


    The nurse took out a syringe, and Cordy bit her lip.


    In truth, she was actually scared of needles even if it didn¡¯t really hurt that much.


    As the nurse did her work, Cordy couldn¡¯t help herself from grabbing something beside her.


    She couldn¡¯t tell what it was, but she held on to it very tightly.


    Fortunately, the nurse was skilled and was soon done.


    ¡°Put some pressure on it. Release it only after you stop bleeding,¡± the nurse told Cordy after she was


    done.


    ¡°Okay, thanks.¡±


    The nurse smiled and left.


    As the ward quieted down, an icy voice suddenly snapped at Cordy. ¡°How long are you going to keep


    pinching me?!¡±


    It was such a sinister voice that it startled Cordy. She turned to find that she was still pinching Lucas


    Lynch¡¯s arm violently, and quickly let go of him.


    He brusquely shrugged off the nket and got up, ring at Cordy with his beady-eyes, clearly having


    woken up on the wrong side of bed.


    Nheless, she seized the initiative and snapped, ¡°W-What are you doing on my bed?!¡±


    In reality, she remembered everything that had happenedst night the instant she woke up¡ªthat she


    was dreaming of Johnst night, and mistook Lucas for John.


    Her hysterical tears must have affected Lucas¡¯s sleep, so he had no choice but to sacrifice his own


    body to hug her so she could sleep. She even remembered him saying that she could pretend he was


    someone else for the night, and that she should get better soon and not involve him.


    But now, she refused to acknowledge that Instead, she took the initiative to frame him instead of


    suffering more of his contempt for it.


    Lucas stared at her, and thenughed coldly.


    ¡°You really are an ingrate, Cordy Sachs!¡± he growled through his teeth.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    John called her that before as well¡­


    Her eyes welled with tears again, but she quickly blinked them back.


    It was just a coincidence; she must never lose the initiative when it came to Lucas.


    She straightened her back and snapped, ¡°Get out of my bed, or I¡¯m calling the cops!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Lucas snorted in disdain, and got out of her bed with his bed hair.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 608

    Chapter 608


    Chapter 608


    Cordy couldn¡¯t helpmenting at how unfair the gods were- why did Lucas still look so attractive when


    he was clearly so disheveled?!


    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Cordy-don¡¯t make a sound while I¡¯m sleeping,¡± he snapped tempestuously, before


    cursing. ¡°F*ck!¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t know why he was being grouchy-what was so upsetting about being woken up?


    She went through the same thing, but she wasn¡¯t at all upset.


    Unbeknownst to her, Lucas had almost gone the entire night without sleep.


    Cordy had no idea what mischief her hands were up to after she fell asleep, with her fingers crawling all


    over his body¡­


    Any man would be in shambles!


    Even so, Lucas bore with it the entire night; it was morning when he sumbed to his drowsiness and


    fell asleep.


    However, the doctors doing their rounds entered just as he closed his eyes.


    He had to work so hard to restrain himself from flipping out!


    Next time, he would never allow his conscience to get the better of him. He certainly asked for it!


    As he pulled his nket over himself and went to sleep, Cordy stayed silent despite her annoyance at


    his outburst.


    She quietly picked up her phone to check the time.


    She must admit that she had slept very wellst night; even though she was woken abruptly, she felt


    reinvigorated- something she never felt for a long time.


    It even felt better than sleeping at her shrink¡¯s office.


    Her heart skipped a beat; she couldn¡¯t help but sneak a nce at Lucas.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    To think that she slept so well, hugging him at that¡­


    ¡°Keep staring at me, and I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out!¡± he suddenly barked.


    F*ck!


    Cordy really wanted to spit an expletive.


    Did he have eyes growing over his back? How could he tell that she was watching him?!


    Worst of all, his temper was terrible¡ªshe had a better impression of him for a moment, but it now all


    went up in smoke!


    Cordy turned and kept her back to him, and fiddled with her phone to vent out her frustration.


    Her phone rang, but Cordy hung up almost by instinct.


    Lucas appeared to shift a little from annoyance, but he didn¡¯t say anything as he was almost falling


    asleep.


    Cordy muted her phone and quickly texted Sean: [Is something the matter?]


    Sean replied: [Why didn¡¯t you answer my call?]


    [I¡¯d rather not talk. My throat hurts.]


    [Still having a cold?]


    [Feeling better now.]


    Cordy refrained from telling him that she was admitted to a hospital, since she could imagine every


    Cranstoning to visit her if she did.


    She wasn¡¯t bothered to exin why she was with Lucas if they saw her with him. Most importantly, she


    didn¡¯t want to have to deal with each and everyone of them.


    [When are you leaving North City? I¡¯ll give you a ride.]


    [It¡¯s alright. I had my assistant book me some tickets-l can get home on my own.]


    [You really don¡¯t need me to take you home?]


    Sean almost sounded disappointed.


    [I promised Jesse I¡¯de again next month. You cane get me when the timees.]


    Sean didn¡¯t press the issue at that point. [Okay. Take care of yourself.]


    [Yeah.]


    Cordy tapped out of Whatsapp, but her phone started ringing again.


    Cordy hung up, and texted: [Text me instead. My throat hurts


    -I¡¯d rather not talk.]

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609


    Chapter 609


    Patrick¡¯s text popped up right then.


    [Where are you, Cordy?]


    [Why were you unconscious?!]


    [The staff at your hotel informed me that you were taken to the hospitalst night! What happened?]


    Cordy could sense Patrick¡¯s agitation from his rapid-fire questions.


    She texted back: [I¡¯m at the hospital right now because I had a serious fever yesterday. I¡¯m fine now.]


    [Which hospital? I¡¯ll be right there.]


    [I¡¯m getting discharged now.]


    [I¡¯ll give you a ride.]


    [I¡¯m going back to North City right after.]


    [I happen to be going there too. I¡¯lle with you.]


    Cordy was speechless-the man really stuck to her like a bubble gum. He sent her yet another clingy


    text: [Just let mee to you, Cordy. I¡¯m worried if you¡¯re going alone.]


    Cordy finally gave in. [Are you done with your business here?]


    She had no idea why Patrick came to the capital, and actually had the feeling that he might havee


    to meet her and watch the exhibition in passing. Still, she remembered that Patrick was yourContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    stereotypical politician; he would definitely try to socialize with some notable individuals in the city since


    he was here anyway.


    The capital was the font of political power in the country, so he definitely would not waste a trip like this.


    His reply was once again quick. [Yeah, I¡¯m done here.]


    [Wait for me at the hotel. I¡¯m heading over to pick up my stuff once I¡¯m discharged.]


    Patrick yed the sympathy card. [But I didn¡¯t get a room at your hotel since you asked me to wait at


    the lobby. I¡¯m also tipsy after a social callst night¡­]


    [My room is 666. Call me when you get there, and pick up my room card to wait there.]


    [Okay.]


    He agreed to it very quickly, though that was his n all along anyway.


    Cordy was used to his little schemes, since no pushover could keep their job in politics.


    In the afternoon, the nurse returned with Cordy¡¯s test results.


    Aside from the cold, Cordy also had suffered from amon viral infection, leading to her high fever.


    However, since she was an adult and had better immunity than children, she managed to recover


    quickly without much chance of a rpse.


    In other words, she could be discharged.


    Cordy thanked the nurse. Since she was mostly fine now, she could handle the paperwork for getting


    discharged.


    Meanwhile, Lucas was still sleeping like a log, even snoring faintly.


    Just as Cordy was done with the paperwork and was returning to her ward, she ran headlong into a


    man, mming her nose directly into his pectorals.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Her nose swelled immediately.


    Those muscles were much too hard! Why would he train himself to such an extent?! Did his girlfriend


    feelfortable leaning on those?


    Hold on, it did feel good¡­ At the very least, she slept well when she leaned on themst night.


    However, it still didn¡¯t stop her from despising him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cordy asked Lucas, her eyes and nose red-nothing good ever came whenever


    he was in the vicinity!


    Lucas was actually furious too, but he suddenly found Cordy¡¯s red nose quite cute, and his temper


    deted somewhat.


    Even his voice was quieter. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going.¡±


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking!¡± Cordy retorted. ¡°You suddenly rushed out, almost sending me flying!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not that weak,¡± Lucas said bluntly.


    ¡°How am I not? I¡¯m a frail, delicate girl!¡± Cordy snapped indignantly.


    She certainly couldn¡¯t understand it¡ªbe it Patrick or Sean, other men would consider her one who


    needed protection. They even described her as the type who¡¯d fall into pieces from a single touch.


    But somehow, Lucas considers her invincible!


    ¡°Frail?¡± Lucas chuckled, as if she was joking. ¡°You weren¡¯t that frail when you kissed mest night!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d deny it,¡± Lucas continued with a ¡¯thought-so¡¯ look on his face. ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll just pretend


    a dog bit me.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re the dog here!¡± Cordy snapped, incensed.

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610


    Chapter 610


    Lucas had a smug look on his face. ¡°Aha! So you¡¯re admitting to it?¡±


    Stumped, Cordy turned pale; however, she quickly decided to change the subject.


    Since she couldn¡¯t beat him, she simply gave up, not wanting to suffer him any further.


    ¡°Where were you going? Why were you in such a rush?¡± she demanded.


    Lucas, however, was suddenly dumbstruck.


    Cordy frowned-wasn¡¯t he supposed to be immacte in verbal fencing? How did such a simple


    question stump him?


    He eventually sighed and muttered, ¡°I¡­I needed to pee.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you heading in the wrong direction?¡±


    ¡°I was still dazed from sleep, okay?¡± he snapped, his voice a little loud just.


    ¡°Why are you getting so upset?¡± Cordy was angry too-it seemed they just had to argue with every other


    exchange.


    n | n


    Lucas was stumped again while Cordy pressed him, ¡°Are you kidneys really that good? Go relieve


    yourself already!¡±


    Lucas flushed; as he left, he snapped in displeasure, ¡°My kidneys are perfectly fine!¡±


    With that, he turned around and ran into the bathroom in the ward, mming the door loudly shut.Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Cordy in turn took deep breaths, and told herself not to get petty with him.


    In theory, she was older than him by six years; she had no reason to get upset with a child.


    With that, she began to pack-Patrick had been hurrying her multiple times, and she was afraid he


    would rush to the hospital if she didn¡¯t make it back to the hotel soon.


    When Lucas stepped out of the bathroom and saw her packing her things, he asked, ¡°Are you getting


    discharged already?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The doctor just told me that I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied.


    Lucas said nothing else. He took his clothes to get changed in the bathroom, before packing up


    everything he bought as well.


    However, he was also throwing most of it into the trash can.


    He really was a wastrel.


    Naturally, Cordy didn¡¯t care since she had no reason to.


    She went to get changed as well. Once they were both done, they were once again wearing matching


    couple outfits.


    Cordy watched as Lucas scowled; this time, she wasn¡¯t about to stand for it. ¡°Why did you buy the


    same coat if you don¡¯t want to dress up like me?¡±


    ¡°How the f*ck would I know that I¡¯d keep running into you?¡± Lucas snapped in annoyance.


    Cordy pursed her lips, since she thought the same.


    They were supposed to encounter each other once by chance, and it should¡¯ve ended there.


    Somehow, they ended up stuck with each other.


    Still, Cordy said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m leaving the capital once I leave the hotel.¡±


    In other words, they wouldn¡¯t see each other ever again.


    ¡°See you never,¡± Lucas replied eagerly.


    Cordy ignored him.


    They headed out of the hospital after they had packed up their belongings, where a car waited outside


    the entrance.


    Lucas went right inside, while Cordy nned to get a cab. Lucas snapped impatiently at her, ¡°Well?


    Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Cordy was surprised, and he added, ¡°It¡¯s the hotel¡¯s car. I asked them to send


    one.¡±


    He really was quite smart.

 Chapter 611

    Chapter 611


    Chapter 611


    Cordy and Lucas rode the same car back to the hotel.


    Neither of them spoke along the way, staying silent as if they were two strangers sharing a cab.


    They kept their distance when they returned to the hotel as well, heading inside one after another.


    Even as they got in the elevator, they looked like they would rather die than talk to each other.


    Arriving on her floor, Cordy arrived at her room and was about to open the door when Patrick suddenly


    opened it, eximing, ¡®Surprise!¡±


    Cordy was left stunned even as fresh flower petals rained down on her.


    The man was supposed to be more mature than this!


    Why was a political elite behaving like a little boy around her?!


    Seeing that she was speechless, he asked tentatively, ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s tone turned wounded. ¡°I was thinking that it¡¯d be a waste to throw those flowers I bought the


    other day, so I plucked every petal to prepare a gift celebrating your discharge from the hospital.¡±


    Cordy actually imagined him crouching alone on the floor, carefully plucking the petals just then.


    There was no question that she was asionally cold toward him.


    ¡°Well, do you feel better now?¡± Patrick asked, changing the subject just then -he was never going to


    hold a grudge against her anyway, which only left Cordy feeling guilty every time.


    Still, she was not sure if it was not a tactic of his either, since politicians were as cunning as they were


    insightful.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    In fact, she was distant toward him over the years, but he somehow managed to appear around her


    constantly anyway.


    Cordy sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. By the way, my flight is at 4 PM-I have to get to the airport after lunch.¡±


    ¡°I asked your assistant to book me on the same flight,¡± Patrick said eagerly. ¡°So? Are we calling room


    service, or are we going to a restaurant?¡±


    ¡°Room service.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the orders.¡±


    With that, Patrick took Cordy¡¯s hand to lead her inside, but he suddenly paused and turned.


    Cordy turned as well and saw that Lucas was still standing nearby.


    She forgot that she was with him, and knowing him, he did not like to watch others getting rowdy¡ªhe


    was the type who hated to meddle in others¡¯ affairs.


    However, even as he watched her and Patrick, he suddenly sneered with considerable disdain.


    Cordy frowned in turn. No matter what the situation, that look of disdain alway infuriated her, even as


    he snorted and strode past them.


    ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± Patrick was a little upset too. ¡°It¡¯s like he¡¯s above everyone else!¡±


    So it was not just Cordy herself-no one could stand Lucas¡¯ conceited reaction.


    ¡°He must think being good looking is all there is to it!¡± Patrick kept rambling on. ¡°What is he getting


    smug about? There¡¯s a lot more goodlooking men out there! I used to like men, and I would¡¯ve looked a


    little if I still swung that way. But I¡¯m not interested in men now!¡±


    Cordy was speechless-she was watching as Patrick ogled Lucas for a long while, never once blinking


    even after he headed inside his room!


    Still, Patrick seemed to notice Cordy¡¯s judgmental look just then and promptly turned away. ¡°Look, I


    was looking because I just thought he resembles John Levine a little. Dont you agree?¡±

 Chapter 612

    Chapter 612


    Chapter 612


    Cordy denied it right then. ¡°Nope.¡¯


    John¡¯s personality was not as rotten as his.


    ¡°Yeah, I thought so too.¡± Patrick sighed in relief then. ¡°At least you won¡¯t hook up with him and dump


    me because of who he looks like.¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡¯ Cordy said bluntly¡ªthat was never going to happen.


    With that, Cordy and Patrick returned to her room and had lunch together before getting in the hotel¡¯s


    car to get to the airport.


    They both had first-ss tickets, but Cordy was not sitting with Patrick because their tickets were not


    booked together.


    Patrick waited for the one who would sit with Cordy so that he could ask to trade seats.


    However, both him and Cordy were stunned when they saw who it was.


    It had to be the mother of all coincidences!


    Naturally, it was none other than Lucas.


    Why on earth would he go to North City instead of staying at the capital?


    Cordy actually wondered if he was tailing her.


    On the other hand, Lucas¡¯s expression darkened when he saw Cordy as well, looking clearly upset.


    Cordy really wanted to snap at him vulgarly right then.


    Who should be getting upset here, when he was the one relentlessly stalking her?!


    ¡°I bought my ticket before you did,¡± she said bluntly before he could say a word. ¡°So what are you up to


    here, Mr. Lynch?!¡±


    Lucas rolled his eyes at her and whipped out his phone to show him his ticket receipt. ¡°See there? I


    bought mine ten days ago!¡¯


    Cordy was left blinking, staring speechlessly at the date of the receipt.


    ¡°Get it now?¡± He snorted and scoffed darkly, ¡°So, how many does this make ¡ªthree-timing?¡±


    Cordy was taken aback, not quite understanding what he meant¡­ but she soon did.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Lucas was now dead-sure that she was two-timing Sean with Patrick and that she was now trying to


    hook up with him too!


    Either way, she was rotten in his perspective!


    Cordy promptly whipped out her phone and showed him her chat conversation with Randy. ¡°See here?!


    My assistant booked my ticket. I never knew you¡¯re taking this flight to North City too!¡¯


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Lucas snorted, clearly skeptical.


    Cordy gritted her teeth, having no intent to keep arguing with Lucas since he was not going to believe


    anything she said anyway.


    Pointing at Patrick behind them, she said, ¡°Since it hurts you to sit with me, then you could trade seats


    with my friend.¡¯


    Patrick did not hear what they were saying, since they were keeping their voices lowered while on the


    ne, so that they would not disturb the other passengers.


    Still, Patrick grinned broadly when he saw Lucas turning toward him, shing hisrge white teeth and


    looking plenty affable.


    Lucas¡¯ nce was in turn scornful, and he nted himself on the seat beside Cordy, scoffing. ¡®Change


    your seat if you want. I¡¯m not changing mine!¡¯


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to see me?¡¯ Cordy was growling through her teeth, just stopping short of


    bellowing.


    ¡°Exactly. Which is why you should leave right now,¡± Lucas said, as if it was only natural.


    Cordy inhaled deeply and told herself not to get petty with him-let alone act uncivilized in front of so


    many people.


    She got up, walked over to Patrick¡¯s seat and asked the passenger sitting beside Patrick, ¡®Excuse me,


    but would you mind changing seats with me? He¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m not used to changing


    seats.¡± The man refused summarily and promptly closed his eyes, leaving no grounds for discussion.


    Patrick frowned. ¡°Did that scumbag refuse to change seats?¡±

 Chapter 613

    Chapter 613


    Chapter 613


    Cordy sighed grumpily. ¡°He refused to.¡±


    ¡°Then, how about I change seats with you?¡¯ Patrick suggested.


    Cordy blinked.


    Why did she not think of that?!


    Thank goodness Patrick was sharp!


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy agreed to it right then.


    Patrick eagerly got up and went straight to Cordy¡¯s seat.


    When Lucas turned to see Patrrick sitting down beside him, his expression clearly darkened.


    Patrick was suddenly in a good mood, since he had been quite annoyed by Lucas¡¯ conceited bearing,


    but he clearly won this round.


    Cordy was in a good mood as well. Still, she never did expect to have her mood so heavily affected by


    such a trivial man.


    The ne soon took flight toward North City.


    While Lucas was reading a local paper and appearing quite serious about it, Patrick asked, ¡°Can you


    read Zidonian?¡¯


    Lucas ignored him, but Patrick ignored his indifference and pressed, ¡°You might be able to understand


    and speak it, but it doesn¡¯t make you literate.¡±


    ¡°My father is from the capital,¡± Lucas growled impatiently.


    ¡°Oh, mixed ancestry.¡± Patrick nodded, muttering, ¡°Not surprising that you¡¯re better looking than the


    average person.¡±


    Lucas did not respond to Patrick¡¯s acknowledgement of his good looks, however, since he was used to


    bewitching both men and women with his good looks.


    ¡°Wait, is that why you act so proud, like you¡¯re above the rest?¡± Patrick asked then.


    Lucas pursed his lips, clearly at the limits of his patience.


    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t think your good looks are enough to leave everyone smitten, ¡± Patrick added. ¡°Cordy


    won¡¯t fall for you, so don¡¯t try to hit on her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Cordy,¡± Lucas replied icily, clearly grouchy.


    ¡°No? Then what¡¯s with that scowl when I came to sit here instead?¡± Patrick asked, exposing Lucas right


    then. ¡°We¡¯re both men, and I could at least see through your intentions-you¡¯re definitely aiming for her.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you?!¡± Lucas scoffed. ¡°Liking strays you pick up off the street?!¡±


    ¡°Did you just call Cordy a stray?! Are you that blind?! She¡¯s perfect!¡± Patrick retorted with righteous


    indignation.


    ¡°She¡¯s really not,¡± Lucas said indifferently, ncing sideways at Cordy to the back as he spoke.


    She was already reclined against her chair and asleep.


    Lucas then remembered how she nuzzled against his chestst night¡­This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°You¡¯re just being sour grapes!¡± Patrick snapped, very much skeptical that Lucas was uninterested in


    Cordy.


    Patrick was convinced that any man would develop feelings for Cordy- even he, a man who liked men,


    was eventually left on his knees before her magnificence, let alone a normal man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in skanks,¡± Lucas retorted sternly.


    ¡°Skanks? Did you just call Cordy a skank?! Are you really insulting her just because you can¡¯t have


    her?!¡± Lucas snapped sternly.


    ¡°Whatever, love-for-brains.¡±


    ¡°You insulted her and now me?! It hurts you to see others doing well, huh?!¡¯ Patrick demanded.


    Lucas was in turn fuming.


    He growled coolly, ¡°Shut up! Breathe another word, and I¡¯m suing you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried if it¡¯s your


    lawsuit.¡¯ ¡°What¡­!¡± Lucas red icily at Patrick.

 Chapter 614

    Chapter 614


    Chapter 614


    Patrick shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just telling you. Don¡¯t upset Cordy, or I won¡¯t be kind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nuts,¡± Lucas snapped, and put on his headset and eye mask for some shut-eye.


    Patrick smiled evilly in turn.


    Did Lucas think Patrick would not be able to mess with him?!


    That said, the man does look good. Even as he took a nap, huffing, he¡¯s a little¡­


    ¡®Alright, let¡¯s stop there.¡¯


    Patrick turned his eyes away right then.


    Right now, he loved Cordy more.


    Their flight arrived at the airport after two hours, and Cordy left with Patrick first.


    Lucas was behind them, but once Cordy and Patrick got out of the airport, they left right away.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was convinced that they would never see each other again, especially since North City was a big


    ce.


    In the capital, they had an intermediary in Maron and happened to stay at the same hotel. It was why


    they seemed inseparable.


    On the other hand, she would never stay at a hotel in North City, and since they did not have anything


    connecting them, they definitely would not see each other.


    And it certainly was how things turned out-a week after Cordy returned to North City, she never saw


    Lucas again and almost forgot all about him.


    That is, aside from when she had trouble sleeping.


    On such asions, when the night was dead silent, she would remember how soundly she slept in


    Lucas¡¯ arms.


    Despite feeling an impulse then, she certainly knew she should not go so far as to rush to Lucas and


    ask him to warm her bed.


    Even so, she yearned for that rare asion of deep sleep ever so slightly.


    A weekter, Cordy made time to bring Richard with her to Levine Manor.


    Nancy Levine had been friendly and eager to please toward her over the years.


    After all, Richard was in her care, and Nancy was in turn close with the boy, which was why she would


    y nice with Cordy. Moreover, Cordy was the only one John ever loved, and now that he was gone,


    Nancy would like to take care of Cordy in his ce. 1


    Even so, Cordy remained distant toward Nancy.


    Nancy was certainly no viin and was as cultured as she was refined.


    Cordy¡¯s gripe with Nancy was with how she treated Zoe York, and it was so horrifically radical that it


    was the reason Cordy could not warm up to her.


    But in the end, Richard was a Levine, and since Nancy was blood-rted to him, Cordy was not about


    to sever that connection.


    That was why she would usually respond to Nancy¡¯s invitations.


    Jay Parker was there when they arrived at Levine Manor-he was not staying there, but would return


    whenever the Levines gathered.


    Meanwhile, n Levine-Richard¡¯s great grandfather-had died justst year to cerebral hemorrhage.


    It was certainly sudden.


    Neither Nancy nor Jay could take the news. Even Cordy herself was left in disbelief at the time.


    Whatever the case might be, the Levines¡¯ fortunes in certain years had certainly been caught in a


    downward spiral.


    Nheless, Nancy was now the eldest member of the family, and she had really been eager and


    working hard to bring everyone together.


    ¡°Dicky,¡¯ Nancy eximed as she gave Richard a bear hug. ¡°I missed you so much! Did you miss me?¡¯


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ Richard replied politely. ¡°I missed you too.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, you¡¯ve sprouted again! How tall are you now?¡± Nancy was certainly warm toward


    Richard.


    ¡°Five feet two thest time I checked.¡±


    ¡°No way! You¡¯re taller than that,¡± Nancy said,paring himself to the boy then.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but Mommy¡¯s been saying that I had a growth spurt too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be taller than me the next time we meet.¡¯


    ¡°Of course Dicky would be taller than you, Mom. He¡¯s a boy,¡± Cora quickly added.


    With that, both women started having a lively chat as they nked Richard, creating a jovial


    atmosphere in the house.

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615


    Chapter 615


    Meanwhile, Cordy made her way toward Jay and sat with him, since she thought better of him in


    comparison to the others.


    Jay greeted her in turn, and they both made small talk.


    When his phone rang and he got to his feet, Cordy quickly moved to help him.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright, thanks.¡± Jay turned herdown politely, and limped on his crutch to another corner.


    Although his life was saved thanks to the treatment abroad, his right leg was still crippled after that


    ident.


    Though it was fortunate that no limbs needed to be amputated, he was still denied a normal life.


    He returned to Cordy after answering his call, and she did not ask who it was-they were not that close.


    Still, Jay asked casually, ¡°Do you usually watch variety shows?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡¯ Cordy asked in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just received a notice that North City Channel is nning to organize this variety show called


    Actors on Set. Actors and actresses would be invited, and I was invited as a judge too-their production


    team just called, but I¡¯m hesitant.¡±


    ¡°North City TV¡¯s variety shows are quality-assured,¡± Cordy said shortly.


    It was during one such variety show that saw her shooting to fame and opened a new chapter to her


    career.


    In fact, over thest few years, North City TV¡¯s variety shows were wildly popr and basically


    dominating the scene.


    ¡°If you have the time, I think you can take part as well¡ªif you¡¯re willing, of course. In the end, the


    variety show means plenty of programs, and you can check if the arrangements are eptable to you


    beforehand,¡± Cordy said what she thought then.


    ¡°I have only one film nned for release next spring, and it¡¯s still in pre- production at the moment.


    Production proper would just take a couple months, but I was wondering if I should free up my


    schedule for the rest of the year, and I don¡¯t think I want to get involved in film or drama series.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you cant use the variety show to select actors and actresses for your nned projects.¡¯


    Jay smiled. ¡¯You¡¯re really smart.¡±


    Cordy was always able to read his mind.


    She smiled in turn. ¡°Not really-you¡¯re just that terrible with hiding your thoughts. It¡¯s written all over your


    face.¡±


    Even so, she had no idea how he was able to hide his feelings for Zoe over all those years.


    ¡°Uncle Jay,¡± Cora suddenly joined them, asking, ¡°Did the production team ask you to be the judge for


    Actors on Set?¡±


    ¡°You were invited too?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°My manager just called me a couple days ago about it. I¡¯ll be a guest and would have a role in a live


    skit.¡±


    ¡°You said yes?¡±


    ¡°Well, my manager told me that it¡¯s North City TV¡¯s gship program and epted it since it¡¯d definitely


    sell. It would be great if you go¡ªI¡¯d be less tense,¡¯ Cora said earnestly. 1


    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it,¡± Jay said bluntly.


    ¡°I see.¡± Cora did not press the issue since she was just asking in passing.


    After that, she returned to Nancy¡¯s side to y with Richard.


    And when Cora was gone, Cordy said tly, ¡°You¡¯re quite nice to her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied without exining himself.


    One might even say that Jay was the one who assisted Cora in her rise to stardom-he was the director


    of the film where she had her breakout role and honed her acting ability from the ground up. Not only


    was that film a profoundmercial sess, but Cora was immediately nominated for best actress for


    her role too. Though she did not win, her poprity and rising stardom was far beyond the winning


    actress¡¯.


    And now, Cora is an A-lister with endless resources at her disposal.


    Cordy, however, would alwayspare Cora to Zoe, since Zoe never had the privilege of the family¡¯s


    influence in her showbiz career. Then, after she went through so much difficulty to build something for


    herself, the Levines ruthlessly destroyed it.


    And where had she been over thest three years?


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Was she really so intent on leaving withouting back? To sever ties with everyone here?!

 Chapter 616

    Chapter 616


    Chapter 616


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy could not help asking Jay just then, ¡°Have you thought about looking for Zoe?¡±


    Jay shook his head.


    After Zoe left all those years ago, Cordy actually asked Jay what on earth was happening between him,


    Zoe, and Bob Davis-and why Zoe would break up with Bob.


    Jay told her the truth then: Bob¡¯s mother had gone to Zoe, after which Zoe asked Jay to stage an act


    with her and break up with Bob. i


    That begged the question: why did Jay not stay with Zoe after she broke up with Bob?


    Jay stayed silent, but he did not answer that question even now or ever go to Zoe.


    Cordy actually had the feeling that Jay was still in love with Zoe. However, he also knew that he would


    never get Zoe back because she had really given up on him, and he therefore simply allowed her to


    leave.


    Or maybe he was just calling it quits because of his disability?!


    ¡°Zoe has found her own happiness,¡¯ Jay said evenly then, as if he utterly and genuinely got over her.


    Cordy nodded in silence-one could also tell if a rtionship had cooled off.


    Cordy left with Richard after dinner with the Levines.


    Richard was in the backseat while Cordy drove solemnly-she was always extra careful whenever


    Richard was in the car.


    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Richard suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Aunt Nancy is asking us to move back to Levine Manor again.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± He shook his head.


    ¡°Really?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to do it, and I would like to stay with you.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t.¡± Cordy did not hide it.


    ¡°So I told her no, but I promised to visit her often.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take you there when I¡¯m not too busy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mommy.¡±


    Cordy smiled-she probably would not have survived thest few years without him.


    Suddenly, her phone rang, and Cordy checked to see a number she could not recognize.


    She pressed the Bluetooth handsfree button to answer. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lucas Lynch.¡±


    Cordy frowned right then¡ªnothing good woulde out of this.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, her tone turning cool right then.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the precinct.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I need you to bail me out, or I won¡¯t be able to leave tonight.¡±


    ¡°Why?* Cordy asked, stopping short ofughing out loud.


    To think that that would happen to him!


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the only person I know in North City,¡± Lucas replied.


    He was as prideful and as rude as ever, asking for a favor but somehow not sounding like he was.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know who you are,¡± Cordy was smiling, feeling immensely cathartic.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Lucas snapped right then, but Cordy quickly hung up. She was not that kind, after all.

 Chapter 617

    Chapter 617


    Chapter 617


    Richard asked curiously from the backseat, ¡°Mommy? Who was that?¡¯ ¡°Nobody important,¡± Cordy


    replied tly.


    ¡°But he just said that you¡¯re the only person he knows in North City.¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Cordy was utterly skeptical.


    How was he able to stay in North City for a whole week if that was the case?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying,¡± Richard said seriously then.


    Cordy frowned slightly in turn-her son usually never pried into other people¡¯s affairs.


    In fact, over thest three years, she slowly noticed that Richard¡¯s personality was different from what


    she previously imagined. While he may be sweet, energetic, talkative, and adorable when around her,


    he was indifferent toward people who were not close to him.


    Whenever she sent Richard to school herself, she would notice many girls sliding peeks of infatuation


    at him, but they would never get close.


    Later on, she spoke to a ss teacher about it, and only then did she find out that Richard was dubbed


    the Ice Prince, since he basically never spoke to anyone else.


    Cordy thought that he was suffering psychologically because of John¡¯s death, and she spoke to


    Richard about it. Richard in turn confessed that this was how he always had been, and that he behaved


    a little differently when he helped John woo her. However, he insisted that it did not hurt him -that he


    had a bond with her that made him eager to express himself.


    Now, however, Richard was suddenly interested in a person other than her. ¡°Do you think I should help


    him?¡± Cordy asked Richard just then, since she would not want Richard to think her cold and


    indifferent.


    Richard shook his head and said earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just think that he¡¯s a little sympathetic.¡±


    Cordy hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡®Well, I guess I can bail him out for my son¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Would it be troublesome for you. Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Nope-it¡¯s no effort at all. We¡¯d be going homete, though. Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Cordy nodded and called the unfamiliar number again via the in-car Bluetooth.


    Lucas said nothing, probably furious at the moment.


    Cordy sincerely thought that Lucas should learn basic manners and timing -did he not understand that


    beggars could not be choosers?


    Still, Cordy did not get petty for his son¡¯s sake. ¡°Which precinct?¡±


    ¡°South Hill Street Precinct.¡±


    Cordy hung up right then and drove toward that street guided by the car¡¯s navigation system.


    It was a little far, and since she was extra careful because Richard was in the car, they only arrived an


    hourter.


    As Cordy entered, she found Lucas sitting inside, his face slightly bruised but it was otherwise nothing


    serious.


    Even if he looked a little haggard, there was an indescribable ruggedness to him.


    In terms of looks alone, he was outstanding.


    Naturally, Cordy would only be bewitched by his good looks for just a couple seconds.


    After all, whoever looking into Lucas¡¯ eyes would see the deeply entrenched pride within and that he


    rarely submitted to anyone.


    And he certainly was not reacting well to Cordy¡¯s presence, even looking like he owned the ce.


    Cordy did not drag her feet either. Richard was waiting for her in the car, and she would be worried if


    she had to make him wait for too long.


    Quickly making her way to Lucas, she asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Bar fight.¡±


    ¡°Are you his girlfriend?¡± a man sitting beside him asked in agitation, and it was only then that Cordy


    noticed him.

 Chapter 618

    Chapter 618


    Chapter 618


    The man¡¯s face was swollen like a pig¡¯s-it was quite the hrious sight.


    Cordy had to restrain herself fromughing out loud, and she turned back to Lucas.


    That minor bruising on his face was really nothing inparison.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Cordy denied it then.


    ¡°Whatever. He¡¯s either apologizing to me, or I¡¯m suing!¡±


    ¡°What I did was legal self-defense,¡± Lucas retorted slowly and sharpply.


    ¡°Self-defense?! When you left me like this?!¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The man became even more agitated, and the officer nearby had to bark,¡± Keep it down!¡±


    The man calmed down a little but still growled indignantly, ¡°How is it selfdefense if I ended up like this?¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s self-defense even if the other guy is dead,¡± Lucas said coolly.


    ¡°S-See?! Officer, he wants to kill me! Why should I settle?!¡± The man appeared relentless.


    ¡°Enough!¡± The officer barked at the man impatiently before turning toward Cordy. ¡°Your friend got drunk


    and got involved in a fistfight at the bar, and he refused to apologize or paypensation. If this


    continues, we¡¯ll have to hand this over to a court ofw and keep your friend in custody until then.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    The officer nodded, while Cordy turned toward Lucas.


    The man seemed to read her intention the instant he saw the look in her eye, and he promptly said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Get over here. We need to talk alone.¡±


    Cordy walked over to a corner.


    Lucas hesitated for a moment, but he eventually followed.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you apologize?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not my fault,¡± Lucas said seriously.


    Cordy simply frowned in silence, so Lucas took a deep breath as if it took him considerable effort to


    exin, ¡°I was just having a drink at the bar when he came over, and¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Teased me,¡± Lucas growled through his teeth.


    Cordy snickered and almostughed out loud.


    She was quite loud too, since it was the best joke she had ever heard all year!


    ¡°Shut up,¡¯ Lucas growled, fuming.


    However, Cordy really could not help herself and was even imagining the scene already.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Lucas snapped, a little too loudly just then.


    The room had been quiet since it waste at night, and everyone turned toward them right then.


    Cordy stopped smiling in turn and made a serious face. ¡°That¡¯s why you hit him?¡±


    ¡°What, are you saying you can stand that?!¡± Lucas asked in return.


    Cordy simply stayed calm and asked instead, ¡°Do you have evidence that he was teasing you?¡¯


    Lucas was quiet then-it was obvious he did not.


    As such, Cordy told him, ¡°Evidence is necessary when ites tow, and the situation right now is


    that the police have definitive proof that you were assaulting that man-what with that man¡¯s face now


    swelling like that. And generally speaking, thew would always be on the victim¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°I am not going to apologize!¡± Lucas drew the line right then.


    ¡°No. you don¡¯t have to. Just pay him off.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    Cordy made herself very clear then. ¡°So you¡¯re intending to fight him to the end? Have you considered


    that you¡¯d be losing more than money if you kept wasting time in this standoff? If I were you, I¡¯d choose


    to cate him, since you already beat him up after he teased you. The only thing you lose is money,


    but that money is to buy you precious time. All in all, you lose nothing at all.¡¯

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619


    Chapter 619


    Lucas was left staring at Cordy¡ªwas she some sort of demon of logic?


    ¡°You have five minutes to consider. Either do it my way-pay him off to settle the issue and I will post


    bail, or do it your way-file awsuit to maintain your innocence. In the case of thetter, I¡¯ll leave right


    now.¡±


    Cordy certainly did not want to waste time.


    Lucas was in turn left pursuing his lips, obviously reluctantly to go with Cordy¡¯s solution.


    However, he had the misfortune of spending enough time with Cordy to know that she walked the talk-


    and he did not want to stay the night at the precinct.


    With that, he did not hesitate further and growled through his teeth, ¡®TH pay. H


    Cordy was not at all surprised in turn, since the smart ones would always pick this option-for them, any


    amount of money was spare change, whereas time was far more precious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say a wordter. I¡¯ll handle it for you,¡± Cordy added as a condition.


    Lucas nodded, deciding to fully cooperate just then.


    As Cordy and Lucas returned, the man was still trying to win sympathy points with the police, looking


    like he needed more punching.


    Forget Lucas-even Cordy was starting to feel like the man was getting ahead of himself.


    In fact, once he saw them return, he started yelping again, ¡®It hurts everywhere¡­ I¡¯m going to need a


    full-body checkup at the hospital, I think I have an organ or two injured¡­¡±


    ¡°How much do you want?¡± Cordy asked, straight to the point and suddenly adopting an imposing


    presence.


    The man was left staring at Cordy, her suddenly menacing presence stunning him for a couple


    seconds.


    However, he was soon eximing in disbelief, ¡°Are you trying to humiliate me with money?! No, I don¡¯t


    need money¡ªI won¡¯t give in no matter how much you pay me! Get on your knees and apologize, or I¡¯m


    not letting this go!¡±


    Lucas was immediately furious when he heard the man.


    However, Cordy quickly caught his wrist to stop him from an outburst and did not seem to notice the


    skin contact between them.


    Then, she said, ¡°Fifteen grand.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes clearly lit up, but he soon hesitated and growled through his teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can


    humiliate me with your stinking money¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thirty grand.¡±


    ¡°What?! Do you think you can do what you want just because you¡¯re rich-¡°


    ¡°Seventy-five grand.¡±


    The man¡¯s mouth was still open, but he could not speak at all just then, clearly unable to say no.


    He was staring at Cordy, as if studying her if she was messing with him.


    In fact, despite the serious bruising he was given, it was all just flesh wounds. It was certainly not worth


    seventy-five grand!


    ¡°Seventy-five grand to settle the issue,¡± Cordy repeated determinedly right then.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the man agreed immediately. ¡°Pay me right now, and I won¡¯t press charges.¡±


    ¡°Your bank ount number.¡±


    The man promptly took out his bank card, and Cordy whipped out her phone to type in the bank


    ount number.


    The man was in turn staring at her as she worked, his eyes widened so much they were almost falling


    off.


    Nheless, Cordy just typed in the amount when her finger suddenly paused, hovering above the


    ¡®confirm¡¯ button.


    The man¡¯s heart seemed to leap up his throat, and even as he watched Cordy, he could not help


    urging, ¡°Confirm it already! There¡¯s no mistake with the ount number-l checked.¡±


    ¡°I can wire you the money, but you must apologize to my friend for what happened tonight.¡±


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was determined.


    Beside her, Lucas seemed to blink, and he nced at Cordy but said nothing.

 Chapter 620

    Chapter 620


    Chapter 620


    The man became agitated right then. ¡°Are you kidding me?! He hit me, but I should apologize?! You


    were just messing with me, weren¡¯t you?!


    Cordy threatened him in turn, ¡°I was very clear. I¡¯mpensating you for the injury my friend inflicted,


    but you were in the wrong because you provoked my friend first. I won¡¯t pay you if you don¡¯t apologize,


    and I¡¯m not afraid of awsuit either¡ªthere are plenty of others present to testify if you struck first or if


    my friend did. And I¡¯m sure there would be cameras there as well!¡±


    The man was left staring at her, stunned.


    He never expected that despite her beauty and delicate appearance, she was actually this tough!


    He nced at the police officers nearby, but they were not saying anything.


    Their objective was simple-to have the matter resolved, and that would be one less issue for them.


    ¡°I¡¯m counting to three. It¡¯s awsuit if you still refuse to apologize,¡± Cordy said, staring sharply at the


    man. ¡°One. Two¡­ 1


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll apologize,¡± the man relented then.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy smiled coolly then, while Lucas blinked¡ªshe really managed to settle the issue with money.


    The man turned toward Lucas then, and he stared back in turn.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t havee over to¡­ tease you,¡± the man said, and blushed immediately, the


    embarrassment finally getting to him.


    And once he apologized, he quickly turned to Cordy and asked, ¡°Is that good enough?¡±


    ¡°Sign the agreement to settle,¡± Cordy reminded him.


    The man did so, gritting his teeth.


    Lucas followed suit.


    Naturally, Cordy did not break her promise and wired the man the money¡ª she did not want more


    trouble in the future, just as it was not worth it if they wasted their time on pointless matters.


    When everything was done, they left the precinct.


    Cordy went to stand outside her car and said bluntly, ¡°I will send my ount numberter. Remember


    to pay me that seventy-five grand.¡±


    With that, she opened her door and got in without a pause, ready to leave immediately.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lucas suddenly stopped her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Just try not to make more trouble for me in the future.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to thank you?¡± Lucas snorted, speechless.


    Cordy was speechless too¡ªwas he incapable of being grateful?!


    ¡°I want to stay at your house tonight,¡± he then said.


    Cordy thought she misheard, and turned to stare at him, studying him for a long while.


    ¡°What are you thinking?!¡± Lucas snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you!¡±


    ¡°Then why are you asking to stay at my ce?¡± Cordy demanded.


    ¡°I-I lost my passport. I can¡¯t stay at a hotel without identification,¡± Lucas said, his eyes darting away just


    then.


    It was the first time she saw him being desperate, but she scoffed nheless. ¡°So you¡¯ve been


    sleeping on the streets for days?¡±


    ¡°No. I was nning to return to the capital after leaving the hotel today,¡± Lucas exined. ¡°But I lost my


    luggage, and my passport was inside.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so all your luggage went missing? Then why didn¡¯t you go missing too?¡±


    Lucas did not argue since he had no excuse.


    ¡°When did you lose your luggage?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°This afternoon.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯te to me then?¡± Cordy blurted.


    ¡°Would you havee?¡± Lucas asked in return, perfectly self-aware.


    He certainly did not want Cordy¡¯s help forthat, and he actually reported his missing luggage to the


    police and was waiting fortheir response.


    He headed to a bar to kill time while he waited, since it was going to be open until early morning


    anyway.


    But after sitting idly for a night and getting into a fight, he was too exhausted and just wanted a bed to


    sleep in.

 Chapter 621

    Chapter 621


    Chapter 621


    Cordy asked, ¡¯Didn¡¯t Ie anyway?¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯m surprised,¡± Lucas admitted¡ªhe really did not


    hold out much hope in Cordy, and she was just hisst resort.


    He was certainly surprised that she really came, and he knew her enough to expect herughing at him


    and not actually care what happened to him.


    Maybe she actually was interested in him?!


    She kept saying otherwise, but felt theplete opposite inside¡­


    Cordy frowned right then, noticing something weird about the look on his face. ¡® What are you thinking


    right now?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Lucas perished the thought. ¡°I¡¯ll just be lodging for the night and will leave tomorrow once my


    luggage has been found.¡±


    ¡°What if it isn¡¯t found?¡¯


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll head to the embassy to get my passport reced without bothering you!¡± Lucas¡¯ restraint


    lasted for just a couple seconds before he started losing it again.


    ¡°Just one night,¡± Cordy said reluctantly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-l won¡¯t stay even if you asked me to once I get my passport,¡¯ Lucas said. ¡®I¡¯m not


    interested in you at all.¡±


    ¡°That better bet the case,¡± Cordy said, scowling.


    She actually had trouble understanding why she would take him in, but she could pretend that she was


    just doing it for charity.


    ¡°Ride shotgun,¡± she then told him.


    Lucas got in at that, while Cordy headed to the driver¡¯s seat.


    However, just as she sat down and was about to turn on the ignition, Richard spoke from the back with


    a quiver of agitation. ¡°Daddy?!¡±


    He sounded uncertain yet hopeful, while Cordy¡¯s chest tightened.


    Richard had mistaken Lucas for John!


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    However, she would not fault the boy, since she asionally was left confused as well.


    And it was dark in the night, so he would have trouble getting a good look at Lucas¡¯ face.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Richard called again, since Lucas did not respond.


    Lucas was obviously startled when someone called out to him from behind, probably because he did


    not notice that someone was there .


    He turned to find a small head staring tearfully at him, his diminutive form somehow making his heart


    skip a beat.


    Lucas frowned. ¡°You have the wrong person. I won¡¯t have such a huge kid at my age.¡¯


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±


    ¡°Dicky.¡± Cordy stopped him then.


    She did not stop him immediately because she wasposing herself, fearful that her voice would


    crack with emotion if she spoke too soon.


    It was not as if she was so emotional she would mistake Lucas to be John -her heart was simply aching


    for Richard.


    She was certainly empathetic-she felt the exact same way Richard did when she first saw Lucas.


    ¡°He¡¯s not your daddy, Dicky,¡± she exined. ¡®His name is Lucas Lynch- he¡¯s just 26 and of mixed


    ancestry.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s Daddy-¡¯


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Cordy repeated, a little stern just then. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    Richard bit his lip, and stared tightly at Lucas then.


    How could Lucas not be his daddy?


    His appearance changed a little, but that was him!


    Lucas returned Richard¡¯s gaze and patted his head as if it was natural. ¡°Go back to your seat now,


    kiddo, and put on your seatbelt or you¡¯ll fall.¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes were even more tearful as he listened-that was exactly how his father spoke!


    Even if his voice was different, there was no mistaking the feeling!


    But somehow, he did not look like himself?!

 Chapter 622

    Chapter 622


    Chapter 622


    Even Cordy was really convinced that the man was not his daddy!


    Nheless, Richard bit his little lip, and tamely returned to his seat, intent on quietly observing how


    things turned out.


    Meanwhile, Cordy drove back to the mansion.


    It had been a long night, and it was past 11 PM when they reached home.


    She ignored Lucas even as he followed them, walking as she told Richard,¡± You should be sleeping


    early while you¡¯re still going through puberty, so do that right after you take a shower and remember to


    have a ss of warm milk before you do. I¡¯ll have Winston send it to your roomter.¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded while sneaking another peek at Lucas.


    What happened to his daddy¡¯s face? Was there some sort of ident?


    ¡°It¡¯s the weekend tomorrow, and the horse riding lesson is at 10 AM,¡¯


    Cordy continued. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wake up early for your homework either-sleep in since you¡¯re


    sleepingte tonight. I¡¯ll have Winston wake you when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything you want for breakfast tomorrow? I¡¯ll tell Winston too, since he said you haven¡¯t been


    eating well thest few days.¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Anything¡¯s fine,¡± Richard replied.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Cordy said, remembering something just as they reached his room. ¡°Remember to dry


    your hair before you sleep, or you¡¯ll have lingering pain if you sleep with wet hair.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded tamely before heading inside his room.


    The instant after he did so, he poked his head out, obviously staring at Lucas.


    Lucas noticed his gaze in turn but did not respond.


    Richard smiled at him, however, leaving him frowning.


    Cordy stepped between them in turn, blocking Richard¡¯s line of sight.


    Coming to his senses then, Richard turned toward Cordy, who said, ¡°Time for bed.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Mommy,¡± he eximed, his delight irrepressible. ¡°Good night, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not your daddy,¡± Cordy emphasized.


    ¡°Good night¡­¡± Richard corrected himself, staring at Cordy as if to ask how to properly address the


    man.


    ¡°Just call him by his name,¡± Cordy said grumpily. ¡°His name is Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Good night, Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Dicky, right? Good night.¡±


    Somehow, Lucas was not being sarcastic like he always was toward Cordy.


    As Richard closed his door, Cordy turned toward Lucas, who returned her gaze and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s


    my room?¡±


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Cordy led him to the second floor, where a room was kept vacant beside hers.


    After escorting him to the door, Cordy made herself very clear, saying, ¡°You only get to stay one night. I


    don¡¯t want you to leave anything in there, and don¡¯t touch anything.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I at least have a towel or a toothbrush?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some in there. Remember to throw them away after use.¡±


    While Lucas was left speechless, Cordy reminded him, ¡°You can leave without telling me after you


    wake up tomorrow morning. But don¡¯t wake me up if I¡¯m still asleep!¡±


    Her sleep was very precious and must never be interrupted at all times.


    ¡°I won¡¯t wake you,¡± Lucas retorted in disdain.


    Still, Cordy was used to it.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    When he turned to leave, she suddenly remembered something. ¡°Don¡¯t take to heart what my son


    said.¡±


    ¡°Which part?¡±


    ¡°Every part,¡± Cordy said seriously. ¡°Like I said, you closely resemble ate friend of mine, which is why


    my son mistook you for him. This isn¡¯t some ploy I¡¯m using to seduce you with, so don¡¯t be full of


    yourself.¡±


    Lucas was speechless since he never said a word about that.


    However, he had long since noticed that he strongly resembled a certain someone close to Cordy.


    ¡°Late friend?¡± he said then. ¡°You mean your husband, don¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623


    Chapter 623


    Cordy¡¯s chest hurt.


    She and John were never married, and he died when they confirmed their feelings for each other.


    Lucas was in turn frowning-he did not expect that a casualment would invoke so much emotion in


    her.


    Nheless, it was clear that the so-called te friend¡¯ was very important to her, and they might have


    been in love.


    His heart somehow started to hurt too, even though he could not quite describe why.


    Naturally, he was not actually jealous¡ªit was just his pride gnawing at him.


    After all, no woman could ever be indifferent toward him over the years, but Cordy genuinely seemed to


    be an exception to that rule.


    Naturally, he found that a little hard to ept.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed,¡± Lucas said, headed into the room.


    Cordy turned and headed inside her own room as well, even as the pain in her chest unfurled.


    She had so many regrets when it came to John that she could never get over them for the rest of her


    life.


    The night was dark and quiet, but Cordy was once again losing sleep, unable to doze off no matter how


    much she tossed and turned in bed.


    Honestly, she should not have held out too much hope-her condition eased that night at the hospital


    because she could lean into a familiar pair of arms.


    Now that it was gone, she could not sleep normally once more.


    Three years of insomnia had really been tormenting her, denying her a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Jim Brown, her psychiatrist, told her that if this went on, her health would be seriously affected-that she


    must beat this.


    However, even after consulting Jim for three years, she waspletely unable to fall asleep aside from


    sleeping at Jim¡¯s office.


    An impulse struck her just then-she felt the rush to head inside Lucas¡¯ room to try again, to see if she


    could sleep if she were in his arms.


    However, her rationality told her that she must never do that-there was no telling what the


    consequences would be if she opened his door now or what insults the sharp-tongued man had in


    store for her. Moreover, there was no chance of having him to hold her as she slept, and she would just


    be humiliating herself.


    She turned around and took out the sleeping pills in her drawer.


    She usually would not take them since Jim advised her not to get reliant on them. However, after Lucas


    just mentioned John and used certain sensitive terms, she did not feel sleepy at all.


    In fact, her head was filled with such strong emotions it could take them apart.


    She took two more pills than she usually did, but it still took two more hours before she finally fell into


    deep sleep.


    It was 3 AM.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Lucas was under the impression that he would not sleep well in someone else¡¯s home, and he was a


    clean freak too. However, perhaps because it had been a long day and he was too tired, he fell asleep


    soon after he finished her bath and got in bed.


    He slept very soundly too¡­ and was really startled when he realized that someone was in bed next to


    him.


    He usually would have been wary enough to wake up when she came to his bed, just as he was very


    sure at that instant that the woman who climbed into his bed was Cordy.


    Her scent was unusually familiar.


    He thought he would quickly forget everything he felt about her after theyy together while she was


    admitted. But somehow, those memories were etched so deeply in his mind that he could hardly


    believe it.


    Nheless, he growled indignantly, ¡¯Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t trying to seduce me, Cordy Sachs?!¡±


    His rage was mostly due to Cordy waking him from his sweet dream¡ªnot because she got into his


    bed.


    Lucas did not notice that.


    Nheless, Cordy was not responding, but kept pressing herself toward him.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs?!¡± Lucas called out a little louder then, but there was no confusion in his voice.


    He seemed to notice that Cordy was acting differently from earlier.

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624


    Chapter 624


    Even as Cordy meekly leaned into Lucas¡¯ arms, she was shuddering slightly as if afraid-as if she were


    abandoned.


    Lucas inhaled deeply in turn, feeling unusually grouchy.


    He had no idea why, but he just was.


    No other woman had put him through a roller coaster of emotions like this ¡ªwhen he wanted to push


    her away, he chose to bear with it as he held her shaking body.


    ¡°Consider this my reward, Cordy,¡± he told her then.


    Cordy never heard, even as he continued, ¡°For letting me stay.¡±


    There was no telling if he was just telling himself that either.


    But at the next instant, hey down again and gathered her in his arms.


    When he did, he could clearly sense that she was no longer shaking, and her breathing assumed a


    regr rhythm as she buried her head over his chest.


    Lucas gulped.


    Cordy might be slim, but she was perky where she needed to be.


    When daylight arrived the next morning, Lucas opened his eyes and immediately felt a sore back.


    He lowered his gaze to find that Cordy was still clinging to him with a bear¡¯s grip-she certainly slept


    well, while he did not sleep at all.


    After all, Cordy¡¯s hands were up to more mischief after she fell asleep- perhaps even worse than when


    she did the exact same thing at the hospital!


    He would have suspected that she was deliberately seducing him, but she did not really do anything


    out of line.


    When he pushed her away and tried to get out of bed, Cordy seemed to sense his departure and clung


    to him even harder, her lips just inches away from reaching his chest.


    ¡®Damn it.¡¯


    Lucas swore under his breath, worried that something would really happen if this went on.


    He gritted his teeth and steeled himself as he pried her hands off.


    She frowned in clear displeasure, but he seized the moment to get out of bed, panting as he strode into


    the bathroom and sshed his own face with cold water before taking a cold shower.


    After he was finished and stepped out, Cordy was still asleep, but this time burying her face into the


    pillow where he just slept on.


    Was she not afraid of suffocating?!


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Lucas was about to shift her, but he eventually chose indifference.


    In the end, there was no case before that an adult person was able to smother themselves, whereas


    scandalous affairs could ur at the drop of a hat.


    As such, he promptly strode outside of the room, sighing heavily once he did so.


    The instant he looked up, however, he found the boy who had been staring at him for a while now.


    Dicky, was it?


    And seeing the boy¡¯s judgmental gaze, Lucas felt as if he had done something that offended him.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that your mommy climbed into my bedst night?¡± he quickly asked.


    However, Richard¡¯s face lit up with delight instead.


    So Mommy and Daddy were in the same room¡­ to think that things developed so quickly between


    them!


    Lucas was in turn stunned by Richard¡¯s smile. ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    Normally, any child would be worried about their mommy being stolen away!

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625


    Chapter 625


    Richard nodded. ¡°I believe you.¡±


    He certainly knew how much his mommy loved his daddy, and how much she missed him over the


    years.


    Now that his daddy hade back, she definitely would not hold back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I just stole your mommy?¡¯ Lucas asked.


    He was able to tell immediately that Richard had a strong bond with his mother, not to mention that


    sons could get especially possessive toward their mothers in single-parent families.


    Did the boy really not mind?


    ¡°Daddy, there¡¯s absolutely nothing wrong with you being with Mommy,¡± Richard said seriously then. ¡°I¡¯ll


    leave Mommy when I¡¯m older anyway, and you¡¯ll be taking care of her for the rest of her life. I¡¯d never


    get jealous of you.¡±


    Lucas finally understood then¡ªthe boy still believed that he was her father.


    How much did he resemble the man?!


    ¡°I¡¯m not your daddy,¡± he said bluntly nheless. ¡°You have the wrong person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember us?¡¯ Richard asked him in return.


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know you at all.¡±


    ¡°Daddy-¡°


    ¡°Anyway, I have to go,¡¯ Lucas told Richard, cutting him short as he was reluctant to keep arguing with a


    child.


    However, when disappointment showed in Richard¡¯s eyes, Lucas felt a little remorseful.


    What the hell?!


    He was always indifferent toward strangers, but Cordy and her son somehow had him wrapped around


    their proverbial little fingers!


    Forcing himself to smile then, Richard asked, ¡°Well, when are youing back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m nevering back,¡± Lucas replied. ¡®Your mom and I¡­ it really had been a chance encounter. Of


    course, I¡¯m really grateful that she came to help mest night, but a rtionship is-¡®


    ¡°Well, could you have breakfast with me before you go?¡± Richard said, cutting him short, probably


    reluctant to hear another word.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Lucas somehow found the brat as sharp as he was determined, even though such words did not apply


    to children.


    However, the boy clearly knew how to buy time, even gathering useful information that he needed while


    directly abandoning what was inconsequential.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, Lucas sat down with Richard at the dining table to have breakfast together.


    Even as the elderly man who stood behind them watched him, his eyes seemed to glimmer with tears


    of emotion.


    Lucas suddenly felt an impulse to find out how much he really resembled that man!


    Cordy¡¯s restraint was why he never felt that before-at the very least, she kept him at arm¡¯s reach while


    she was rational. However, both the servant and the child were really making him wonder if there really


    were doppelgangers in this world!


    ¡°Daddy, here¡¯s some ck coffee. It¡¯s your favorite, so I asked Winston to brew it for you,¡± Richard said


    eagerly.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like ck coffee.¡± Lucas turned him down then.


    ¡°But you used to like it.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not your daddy,¡¯ Lucas said, a little speechless since he seemed unable to clear the air


    no matter how much he tried.


    Richard bit his lip but did not press the issue, instead asking quickly, ¡°Well, what coffee do you prefer,


    Daddy? I¡¯ll ask Winston to brew it for you right away.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t usually drink coffee. My stomach


    can¡¯t take it.¡±


    ¡°Your stomach has always been bad. I guess you¡¯ve not been eating well.¡±

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626


    Chapter 626


    Lucas was speechless. How could he exin to Richard that he was not his daddy?


    ¡°Have some warm milk, Daddy. It will warm your stomach,¡¯ the boy said then, eagerly passing his own


    ss of milk to Lucas.


    Lucas was unable to reject the child¡¯s kind gesture. ¡®Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Daddy,¡± Richard replied, shing a tame smile just then.


    It somehow left Lucas with a mental burden, as if it would traumatize the child if he turned out not to be


    his father.


    But he really was not.


    Taking a sip of warm milk, he ruthlessly reminded Richard, ¡°I¡¯ll be gone after breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded tamely.


    ¡°We probably won¡¯t see each other ever again,¡± Lucas said, making himself very clear to stop Richard


    from having any expectations.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not your daddy,¡± Lucas said, slowly and deliberately.


    As Richard¡¯s expression darkened, Lucas steeled himself to continue, ¡°I understand very well how you


    feel, and I understand that you miss your daddy-but I¡¯m not him, and I can¡¯t love you like he did.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to love me. I¡¯ll love you and that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°Dicky¡­¡±


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    ¡°Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Take care of your mommy,¡± Lucas advised in a heartfelt manner. ¡°Without your daddy, you and your


    mommy only have each other now. You¡¯re a young man, and you should take responsibility for caring


    for your mommy, so you should pay her more attention instead of some ungrounded fantasy. H


    ¡°Is there something you can¡¯t tell us? Is that why you can¡¯t acknowledge mommy and me?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not your daddy.¡±


    ¡°Did you¡­ lose your memories?¡± Richard pressed.


    In reality, he did not listen to Cordy and went to bed early as told. Instead, he went online to find out


    why a person would lie and had most hits on two results: the first was that something that weighed


    down the person, while the other was memory loss.


    ¡°How do I exin this to you?¡± Lucas sighed feebly then.


    ¡°Just get to the point,¡± Richard replied, looking utterly innocent.


    Lucas was not sure if he shouldugh or cry. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m leaving soon, and I won¡¯t ever being


    back.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to leave Mommy and me? She¡¯s missed you so much over the years,¡± Richard


    said, his eyes red with tears.


    Even though he was a small man at five feet two, he looked utterly miserable when his eyes turned red


    as he continued, ¡°Mommy never forgot about you. She always stayed strong in front of me, but I¡¯ve


    noticed that she has been crying alone when no one¡¯s around. She also suffered from severe stress


    and could never fall asleep naturally, losing sleep everyday and had to consult a shrink, but that never


    worked much. He even said that her health would continue to deteriorate if this keeps up.¡±


    Lucas quietly listened to Richard telling him everything while sniffling.


    Cordy actually suffered from insomnia?


    But she was sleeping well now, wasn¡¯t she?


    She especially slept like a log when she was sleeping with him!


    Could it be that Cordy was only able to sleep if she was hugging him in his sleep? Was that why she


    climbed into his bed?!


    When he realized that, Lucas did not know if he should be amused or annoyed-in the end, he was just


    a tool!


    ¡°Mommy never sleeps thiste. That¡¯s a fact, even with sleeping pills.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes welled with more


    tears as he continued. ¡°But her insomnia is better because you came back, Daddy. What¡¯s going to


    happen to Mommy if you leave now? Her shrink said that this has to stop.¡±


    He would never dare mention any of that in front of Cordy, because he knew that she insisted on


    staying strong in front of him.


    And he refused to let her know that he knew everything and make her ufortable because of that.

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627


    Chapter 627


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you here.¡±


    Lucas rejected Richard nheless-they were unrted, and he had no reason to sacrifice himself.


    Richard certainly had more to say. ¡°Daddy¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have a girlfriend, Dicky,¡± Lucas said slowly and deliberately, and in no uncertain terms.


    Richard¡¯s face clearly fell then.


    He refused to believe that his daddy would have a woman other than his mommy!


    He loved her so much-how could he love anyone else?!


    ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t go any further with your mommy,¡¯ Lucas finished then.


    ¡°But you do love Mommy and only love her!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I only love my girlfriend.¡¯


    ¡°You worked so hard to woo Mommy back then-¡°


    ¡°Dicky, I¡¯m not your daddy,¡± Lucas repeated patiently then.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No ¡®buts¡¯,¡± Lucas said, patting Richard¡¯s head just then. ¡°Since you know that your mommy is sick and


    stressed, you need to toughen up and take care of her. Counting on others is not as good as counting


    on yourself.¡±


    Richard bit his little lip¡ªthere was really no getting through to his daddy at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡¯ Lucas said, and rose to his feet.


    ¡°Daddy!¡± Richard cried out loudly right then.


    Lucas sighed-there really was no exining this, huh?


    Whatever.


    He would not being back after he left anyway, and the boy would understand in time.


    Still, Richard said, ¡¯I don¡¯t know why you won¡¯t acknowledge us, Daddy, but whatever reason you have,


    please don¡¯t fall for any other women or be with them. Otherwise, you¡¯ll really regret it one day¡­ that


    you hurt Mommy.¡±


    Lucas naturally did not say yes, and simply strode out of the front door of the mansion.


    It was not until he was out that he realized there were not many people living around a premium


    mansion district like this ce, and that he would never catch a taxi here.


    But even as he was left at a dilemma on how he was going to leave, a voice spoke behind him, ¡°Sir?¡±


    Lucas turned to find the servant who had been waiting on him and Richard while they had breakfast,


    panting a little since he had to chase after Lucas.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Please wait here for a moment, sir,¡± Winston said as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°I¡¯ve informed the


    chauffeur-he¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    He was just going to bring Lucas something, but he was already gone when he returned.


    There was no question that Lucas would already be gone if he had a car¡ª he was a man who seized


    every moment he had, and that has never changed.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lucas thanked Winston earnestly, having a better impression of the servant just then.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do, sir. Moreover, Ms. Sachs had given me specific instructions,¡± Winston exined.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs?¡¯ Lucas eximed in surprise that the woman could be that nice. ¡°She woke up?¡±


    He clearly remembered her sleeping like a log when he left the room.


    ¡°No, sir,¡± Winston replied. ¡°She already gave me instructionsst night to prepare a car for you when


    you leave today. It¡¯s difficult to get a taxi here, after all.¡±


    Lucas felt his emotions stirring inside him just then.


    He suddenly remembered Richard¡¯s words, that he would regret it if he did anything terrible against


    Cordy.


    What the hell?


    Why should he care about something someone else said? And a ten-year- old brat at that?!


    There was nothing between him and Cordy, and nothing he did would hurt her.

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628


    Chapter 628


    Winston mustered his courage then and said, ¡°Sir, Ms. Sachs really missed you. Pleasee back


    soon, once you¡¯ve done what you need to do.¡±


    Lucas was in turn speechless.


    He was never going to make Winston understand that he was not his employer, was he?


    Cordy woke up to realize it was already noon.


    She actually checked three times to see that it really was noon.


    And she was not in her bed either, but she was where Lucas was sleepingst night instead!


    What was she doing here?! She had no recollection at all!


    And if she was sleeping here, where was Lucas sleeping?!


    She quickly checked her clothes to find her pajamas neatly clinging to her body and that she was


    straddling a pillow.


    Lucas¡¯ scent seemed to linger on that pillow.


    No. To be precise, it was John¡¯s-it was by sheer coincidence that they almost shared the same scent.


    So, she was sleeping with himst night? But how did she even get here?!


    Cordy simply had no idea, but she hurried out of bed to her own room and washed up hastily before


    heading downstairs.


    Richard had just returned after his horse-riding ss, and he was surprised to see that his mommy had


    just woken up. ¡°Did you just wake up, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    She calmed down just then, but she soon lostposure again as she realized a harsh truth: she slept


    very well when she slept with Lucas.


    However, there was no way she could do it again, considering the propriety men and women should


    maintain in each other¡¯spany.


    Moreover, she remembered very well that Lucas had a girlfriend and she did not have the capacity to


    fall in love with another man.


    That was why it was pointless even though she found a solution for her medical condition.


    ¡°Daddy¡¯s gone,¡¯ Richard said a little sadly then.


    ¡°He¡¯s not your daddy, Dicky-he¡¯s just a stranger,¡± Cordy corrected her son patiently.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s Daddy.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t even look like John.¡±


    ¡°Looks change. Right now, I look nothing like myself when I was younger.¡±


    Cordy was actually left stumped by Richard¡¯s rebuttal, and it took her a while to exin, ¡°That¡¯s


    different, since you¡¯re in puberty. For adults, they won¡¯t change too much because puberty is long over


    for them. At most their looks would change a little as they age.¡±


    ¡°But stic surgery is really advanced these days, no?¡± Richard retorted, looking at her straight in the


    eye.


    Cordy pursed her lips. ¡°Even his personality is different from John¡¯s. Aside from his appearance and


    demeanor, there¡¯s nothing that connects them.¡±


    ¡°But I think his personality is the same,¡± Richard insisted, seemingly assured that Lucas was his daddy.


    ¡°He probably didn¡¯t show it around you, but he has a terrible personality and a sharp tongue. He really


    hates women too¡­¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But that¡¯s Daddy.¡± Richard was actually even more convinced after everything Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°Mommy, you probably don¡¯t know what Daddy¡¯s like when he¡¯s not around you, but he was always like


    that when we lived abroad-bad-tempered with an even worse personality. Also, he would always think


    that any woman who gets too close was lusting after him, so he would get very harsh with them so they


    would tactfully leave on their own.¡±


    Cordy was actually left frowning.


    Richard was dead sure that she was talking about John and not Lucas.


    However, she was not convinced because she saw that boat blow up with her own eyes.


    Even if there were miracles in this world, John would never have chosen to stray away from them if he


    survived that.


    Absolutely not!

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629


    Chapter 629


    Richard continued, ¡°Mommy, I think daddy might be-¡°


    Cordy cut him short right then. ¡°Dicky, I know you miss him. But the dead never return, and I¡¯ll always


    be here to take care of you.


    She did not want him to hold onto false hopes because it was simply impossible.


    And that applied to herself as well.


    Richard bit his lip and tried to exin, but sensing that his mommy would not believe him, he decided


    to investigate the matter on his own.


    When the truth was out, she would know that he did not make a mistake.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for the afternoon. Be a good boy and stay home, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, Cordy left to look for Jim, her psychiatrist.


    She was intent on telling him about the situation, so that he would break it down for her and maybe


    help her with her insomnia.


    Jim smiled after hearing her story. ¡°Cordy, I think you might have fallen for this gentleman!¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Cordy snapped bluntly. ¡°I¡¯ll never fall for him-l just found a sense of security because he


    smells like John. There¡¯s absolutely no sentiment between us, and I¡¯d absolutely never fall for anyone


    other than John!¡±


    Jim shrugged. ¡°Absolutes are never actually certain.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m absolutely 100% sure about this,¡± Cordy insisted.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Jim did not press the issue, and broke it down for her solemnly then. ¡°Even if what you said


    was really the truth, we¡¯ve found the cure to your insomnia anyway.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Sleeping with that gentleman.¡¯


    Cordy was speechless. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to consult you if I could do that every day.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already told him I¡¯m not into him, and he has a girlfriend too.¡±


    ¡°And you mind him having a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t warp my words. I¡¯m not falling for it.¡±


    Jim chuckled in turn-Cordy was simply too rational.


    However, if she was a little less so, her stress might not have been that terrible.


    Jim became serious again then. ¡°Cordy, you¡¯ve been suffering from insomnia for three years, and I¡¯m


    sure even other doctors have told you by now that your body will fall apart if this continues. Aside from


    my methods to induce sleep, your only option is medication, which will only get less and less effective


    until you develop a full immunity against it. But right now, you¡¯ve found a way to effectively make


    yourself sleep, and I believe you really shouldn¡¯t reject it.¡±


    As Cordy frowned, Jim continued, ¡°Remember what I said about dating again? I really wasn¡¯t kidding.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t, Jim.¡±


    ¡°Try to open your heart.¡±


    ¡°I tried before.¡±


    In fact, she had thought about it when Patrick Stuart wooed her relentlessly, but the very thought left


    her heart hurting so much she could not breathe. Andpared to her insomnia, she was even less


    inclined to take the indescribable heartbreak that would result from it-it brought her such despair


    against the world she considered ending it all for a split second.


    But she still had Richard, so she must not love again.


    Absolutely not.


    ¡°Is that really impossible?¡± Jim asked then.


    Being a psychiatrist, he could read a person¡¯s mind with just a look in the eye, let alone facial


    expressions.


    ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Jim mused quietly for a while, before asking, ¡°Were you able to sleep peacefully


    because that gentleman smelled like John Levine?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630


    Chapter 630


    Cordy nodded. ¡®Yeah.¡±


    Probably.


    As long as she could smell John¡¯s ¡®scent¡¯, her heart would find security.


    Then, all thoughts would be drained out of her mind, and she would unwittingly fall asleep.


    ¡°You could try retaining his scent,¡± Jim suggested.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°A person¡¯s scent doesn¡¯t fade that easily. It might linger on clothes he wore or on the bedsheets and


    nkets he slept on. If you¡¯re sure of a rtionship between you and him, I suggest you use his


    lingering scent to ease your insomnia.¡±


    ¡°Lingering scent¡­?¡± Cordy murmured.


    The more she thought about it, the more freakish it looked¡­ as if she was bing a deviant!


    Jim could read her thoughts, however, and said solemnly, ¡¯Dignity is no concern when your health


    hangs in the bnce. Even if men and women should observe propriety and keep their distance, don¡¯t


    male doctors seedies in their birthday suits during surgery?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Cordy could not help being impressed-psychiatrists really hit the nail on the head.


    Even as she left his office, she was increasingly convinced that he was right.


    As such, the instant she reached home, she hurried to the room where


    Lucas was stayingst night, ready to carry all his nkets and pillows to his room to put the theory to


    the test.


    However, she was left dumbstruck when she entered the room-there were no pillows or nkets left at


    all!


    She quickly went looking for Winston, who exined, ¡°Today¡¯s the monthlyundry day. Everything was


    taken away to be washed and dried, to clear any stains and germs.¡±


    Cordy actually felt as if she took a gut punch in that instant.


    Winston saw Cordy¡¯s clearly stunned reaction. ¡°Did I make a mistake, Ms. Sachs?¡¯


    ¡°N-No,¡± Cordy replied, shaking his head.


    She did not issue instructions to him anyway, and he made no mistake in sticking to the regrundry


    schedule.


    Even so, she was a little depressed that John¡¯s ¡®scent¡¯ was gone, just like that.


    Moreover, she had no idea what Lucas would think of her if she called him to sleep here again for


    another night and have his scent linger.


    But just as Cordy was thinking about giving up, her phone started to ring.


    It was Lucas himself.


    She did not save his number, but she was sharp enough toward numbers to remember after one look.


    She answered it to Lucas¡¯ impatient voice. ¡®Cordy Sachs, did you give me the wrong bank ount


    numberst night? My transfers just aren¡¯t getting through. Try checking to see if you made a mistake.¡¯


    He hung up immediately after.


    In fact, Cordy had been in such a hurry to get home that she typed a little too quickly. Now that she


    checked again, she realized the number she sent Lucas was wrong.


    However, she hesitated just as she was about to resend it, her fingers pausing as they hovered the


    keypad.


    She gritted her teeth and called him.


    ¡°So? Was there a mistake?¡± Lucas asked immediately in annoyance. ¡°Send me the right one already-


    l¡¯m boarding my flight soon, and I don¡¯t want to owe you money.¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re boarding a flight? You found your passport?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the police found my luggage in a taxi,¡± Lucas said. ¡¯Send me your bank ount number already.¡±


    Cordy hesitated for a while, but she ultimately asked anyway.


    ¡°If it¡¯s convenient, do you mind sleeping another night at my ce?¡±

 Chapter 631

    Chapter 631


    Chapter 631


    Lucas snapped right then, ¡°What the devil has gotten into you?!¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine, thanks for asking.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, why are you asking me toe to your ce? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve fallen for me now!


    Does that mean you climbed into my bed on purposest night?!¡¯


    Cordy knew it-asking Lucas for help was just asking for it.


    However, like Jim said, dignity was inconsequential when it came to her health.


    As such, she gritted her teeth and went for it. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me back-just stay with me for one


    night.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?! Are you trying to jump me?! What do you take me for, a gigolo?!¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s trying to jump you?!¡¯ Cordy felt like she could die. ¡®Also, I¡¯d be the one losing out if I slept with


    you! I¡¯m even paying you for it!¡±


    ¡°Really?! And what would you lose?! You already have a child, while I¡­¡±


    Lucas¡¯ voice suddenly trailed off for a moment, but he soon snapped,¡± Anyway, I¡¯m the one losing out


    here! And I¡¯m telling you, Cordy Sachs- you¡¯re not buying me with seventy-five grand! Don¡¯t even think


    about it, because I¡¯m priceless!¡¯


    Cordy took a deep breath to calm herself, since there would be no end to it if they kept arguing like this.


    ¡°Look, I have a condition,¡± she said calmly.


    ¡°Oh, I can certainly tell-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s chronic stress,¡± Cordy exined, cutting Lucas short. ¡°It¡¯s been three years, but I can¡¯t sleep


    naturally even for a single day-it¡¯s either induced sleep or pills. Even so, the doctors tell me that the


    medication will


    eventually hurt my body and that induced sleep doesn¡¯t treat the cause.¡±


    ¡°Whatever. You won¡¯t find sympathy from me,¡± Lucas said ruthlessly.


    ¡°But I can fall asleep quickly in your arms,¡± Cordy said, stating her motive right then.


    Lucas appeared taken aback at that, perhaps remembering that Cordy had been sleeping like a log the


    two nights they slept together.


    ¡°You have a scent that¡¯s familiar to me,¡± Cordy sined.


    ¡°So you¡¯re pretending that I¡¯m him?¡± Lucas scoffed.


    ¡°No, you two are nothing alike aside from your scents. My shrink told me that I may be reliant on the


    smell and suggested that I try to sleep using that-¡°


    ¡°Are you a deviant?!¡± Lucas¡¯ voice rose by a couple dozen decibels.


    Still, Cordy already expected that from him. ¡°You can talk to my shrink if you don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯ll give


    you his number-¡°


    ¡°I refuse.¡± Lucas did not even think about it.


    Cordy was left fuming in turn-if Richard could see how that man behaved now, he would never believe


    that the man was his daddy.


    ¡°Also, hadn¡¯t you slept with mest night? Just use the sheets I used¡­


    Bleurgh¡­¡±


    Lucas actually could not stop himself from retching, as if he really could not take the extent of disgust.


    Cordy took a deep breath to restrain her ring temper, while asking


    through gritted teeth, ¡°You don¡¯t like owing me, do you?¡±


    ¡°So send me the right bank ount number.¡± i


    ¡°I refuse. You¡¯d just have to owe me one.¡¯


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!!!¡±


    ¡°Safe travels.¡± Cordy hung up with seething rage.


    Truly, no one could leave her with such high blood pressure with just several exchanges.


    She did not hold out any hope after hanging up either and actually regretted telling Lucas about her


    condition.


    And yet, two hourster, he was at her mansion again, with his luggage this time.


    He was bristling from head to toe. ¡°I missed my flight because of you, Cordy Sachs!¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    That was his own choice, was it not?


    ¡°You¡¯d better not be lying!¡± he snapped, and carried his luggage upstairs, acting as if he owned the


    ce instead of her.


    No matter how Cordy looked, there was this sense as if Lucas was just returning home.


    Richard emerged from his room when he heard themotion outside, and he was greeted by the


    sight of his daddy suddenly returning.


    He could not bear to leave him and his mommy, huh?


    Still, even Richard was smiling at Lucas, Lucaspletely ignored the boy and strode past him!Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.

 Chapter 632

    Chapter 632


    Chapter 632


    Richard pouted.


    Lucas was so bad-tempered that it was no surprise his mommy did not want to believe that he was


    really daddy.


    However, he was overjoyed that his daddy had returned-after all, he had thought about so many ways


    to prove that Lucas was his daddy.


    In the end, the most effective and direct method was a paternity test.


    They just need to prove that they were father and son, and that would make evident Lucas was his


    daddy.


    He had been depressed as he wondered how he could get Lucas¡¯ hair, but here he was.


    As Lucas put his luggage in the room he stayedst night, he noticed that the bedsheets had really


    been changed¡­


    What was he thinking?!


    Even if Cordy really had a condition, what did it have to do with him?!


    He just did not want to owe her anything!


    Soon, it was evening, and Winston arrived to get him for dinner.


    As Lucas got out of bed, his back was sore since he had been lying around since the afternoon.


    When he was about to leave, he saw Winston preparing to change his bedsheets and was suddenly


    agitated. ¡°Don¡¯t touch those.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± 1


    ¡°Just Lucas is fine.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not¡­¡± Winston trailed off, and corrected himself since Lucas was glowering. ¡°Very well,


    Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Also, don¡¯t touch my bed or it will catch your scent.¡±


    Winston was speechless-John had been a clean freak but not to that extent!


    Lucas simply pursed his lips.


    He was not doing this for the sake of Cordy¡¯s sleep-he just wanted to leave sooner, so that Cordy


    would not be able toe up with some excuse to get close to him again.


    As he headed downstairs, Cordy and Richard were waiting for him on the couch.


    Cordy appeared indifferent to his arrival, while Richard eagerly walked up to greet him. ¡°Daddy!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your daddy.¡±


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Richard corrected himself.


    ¡°Time to eat.¡± Cordy walked over and took Richard¡¯s hand, leading him away.


    She looked like a stereotypical guardian preventing Lucas from bullying the boy.


    So she actually cared about her boy that much.


    As the three of them sat at the dining table, Richard was eximing happily, ¡°Daddy, tonight¡¯s dishes¡­¡±


    Lucas gave him a look, and he sounded wounded as he said, ¡°Lucas¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him,¡± Cordy said, putting some food on his te just then.¡± Just worry about yourself.¡±


    Still, Richard sounded upset. ¡¯I just wanted to say that I asked Winston to cook his favorites¡­¡±


    Lucas pursed his lips, reflecting that he might be too severe toward a child given Richard¡¯s reaction.


    He might be a big child and almost as tall as Cordy now, but he was ultimately just ten and still had


    babyish cheeks.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lucas said then, his ears flushing as he did and not quite sure why he was getting


    embarrassed.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Have as much as you like.¡± Richard was beaming happily right then.


    Not only did his daddy respond to him, he was pleased that his daddy agreed that the dishes were his


    favorites-even though his daddy did not tell him.


    He really was Daddy, after all!

 Chapter 633

    Chapter 633


    Chapter 633


    The dining table turned quiet.


    It was obvious that Cordy had raised Richard well, as the boy observed all dining etiquette.


    Naturally, Lucas was no slouch himself.


    Still, he was surprised that the food here fits his pte to such an extent.


    Was this really a coincidence? Most of the food here was really his favorite!


    However, it was possible that Cordy went out of her way to find out about his preferences, and she just


    had to ask Maron to know anything she wanted.


    After dinner, Lucas did not tarry and returned to his room right away, wrapping his nket in loops


    around himself.


    His scent would linger sufficiently like this, no?!


    And yet, unbelievably-despite the deed itself being absolutely revolting, he was responding to it.


    He promptly averted his eyes and whipped out his phone, intent on killing time.


    That was when he heard a knock on his door, and a little head soon poked inside. ¡® Are you asleep,


    Lucas?¡±


    Lucas stared at the boy in turn. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was worried you¡¯re sick,¡± Richard replied. ¡°Since you retired to your room very early.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Can Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lucas frowned.


    ¡°Can I sleep with you tonight?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lucas refused right then.


    Richard appeared wounded again, but Lucas said, ¡°Your mommy won¡¯t let you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Richard was utterly puzzled, before something came to mind.¡± Because mommy wants to sleep


    with you?¡±


    Lucas had no idea what to say and simply went with it.


    ¡°Well, can I sleep with you for now and leave when mommyes?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lucas refused again.


    Richard appeared even more wounded andined, ¡°Daddy, your love for me changed ever since


    you had Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just an agreement between me and your mommy,¡± Lucas exined, going with the flow


    just then.


    ¡°So you¡¯re admitting that you¡¯re my daddy?!¡± Richard eximed excitedly.


    While Lucas was left speechless, Richard started toward him with arms wide open. ¡¯ Daddy¡­¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯te closer!¡± Lucas sprang up on his bed right then-it took him considerable difficulty to nt


    his scent on these sheets.


    If Richard messed it up, he would have to do it all over again!


    While Richard was left staring dolefully at his bizarre reaction, Lucas told him, ¡°Don¡¯te near me.


    Also, don¡¯t call me Daddy. I¡¯m not your daddy.¡±


    ¡°Why do you refuse to admit it? You must be amnesiac,¡± Richard said.


    That had to be the only reason after thinking long and hard about it.


    Otherwise, was there any other reason he refused to acknowledge his love for mommy? If he


    remembered, he would be constantly hovering around mommy instead of keeping her at arm¡¯s length


    like this.


    ¡°Whatever you say. Now get out-l¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Lucas snorted.


    With that, Richard gave up on the indirect approach.


    ¡°Daddy, can I have a strand of your hair?¡± he asked bluntly.


    He was going to charm his way to sleep with Lucas and steal his hairter in the night.


    Clearly, that was not going to fly¡ªhis daddy was cunning, and his tricks were far from enough.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°A paternity test.¡± Richard was determined.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you give up?!¡±


    ¡°I will if you let me do the paternity test.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really trivial,¡± Lucas snorted, resistant to the idea for some reason.


    Was he afraid of disappointing a brat?


    But what did Richard¡¯s disappointment have to do with him?!


    They were just strangers meeting by chance, and they would be strangers again soon enough.

 Chapter 634

    Chapter 634


    Chapter 634


    Richard retorted, ¡¯What, are you afraid?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t bother provoking me.¡± Lucas snorted. ¡®That won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll pull it out myself,¡± Richard said and started to reach for Lucas¡¯ head.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    Seeing that, Lucas clenched his teeth and pulled out a strand of his hair.¡± Take it and go.¡±


    Richard smiled smugly in turn and happily left the room with the strand of hair.


    However, he was in such a good mood that he started running and crashed into Winston as he reached


    the walkway.


    He was so fast he almost knocked Winston down as he mmed into him but reacted quickly to catch


    him. ¡°Are you alright, Winston?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine,¡¯ Winston said, his heart racing. ¡°Are you alright, sir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Wait, where¡¯s my hair?!¡± Richard suddenly cried out in panic.


    ¡°What hair?¡± Winston asked worriedly.


    Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Nheless, Richard promptly dropped to a crouch to start looking. Since he used both hands to catch


    Winston just now, he had no idea where he dropped the hair!


    ¡°It¡¯s very important!¡± he cried as he did.


    Winston frowned¡ªwhat hair could be so important? Could it be for some research?


    ¡°Oh, there it is,¡± Richard said, suddenly noticing a strand of hair on Winston ¡­ So it had fallen on


    Winston.


    He carefully picked it up again before leaving excitedly.


    While Winston was left perplexed and scratching his head, more strands of hair fell from his head.


    He sighed unhappily.


    Losing hair seemed toe with age, and he would soon be balding.


    It was almost the wee hours in the morning, but Lucas was still tossing and turning in bed.


    Why was Cordy noting?!


    He was very sleepy since he did not sleep wellst night and did not have the habit of napping during


    daytime.


    Even though he was starting to doze off amid the quietness of the night, he did not actually sleep


    because he was waiting for Cordy.


    But he had been waiting for so long! Where was that woman?!


    Was she messing with him on purpose?!


    Furious, he sprang out of bed and stormed out toward the next room.


    Although he was told that Cordy already fell asleep in her own room, he hammered on it furiously.


    Cordy was actually just lying down in her bed but not falling asleep.


    She frowned when she heard the knocking and opened the door grumpily.¡± What?!¡±


    Lucas was utterly indignant to see the lights all out in her room-she was sleeping on her own!


    ¡°You wanted me to sleep with you, didn¡¯t you? But you¡¯re now leaving me hanging while you slept in


    your own room? What, you can¡¯t juste straight to my room to get treated? Instead, you must sneak


    into my room in the middle of the night¡­¡±


    Cordy really could flip out at him if she did not need his help.


    Staying calm, she said, ¡°When did I tell you to sleep with me?! I just told you to sleep here at my house


    and leave your scent in the sheets! When did


    I ever mention that we are sleeping together?!¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Lucas almost had a stroke-so he had been waiting all this while for nothing?!


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Go back to sleep,¡± Cordy said.


    But just as she was about to close the door, Lucas put a hand on it and firmly dragged her out.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Cordy cried even as she resisted.


    How could his temper be so vtile and terrible?!


    Nheless, Lucas continued to drag her to his room.


    ¡°Lucas Lynch!!!¡± she shrieked.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he growled threateningly. ¡¯I¡¯m letting you sleep with me, so just do it! Resist me, and I¡¯ll¡­¡±

 Chapter 635

    Chapter 635


    Chapter 635


    Cordy was left infuriated even as Lucas violently dragged her to his room.¡± Are you crazy, Lucas?¡¯¡¯


    What was he doing in the middle of the night?!


    Did he not hate her getting close to him?!


    ¡°You¡¯re the crazy one¡¯¡¯ Lucas growled viciously. ¡°You stood me up after I warmed the bed for you! You


    know, I really should¡­¡±


    Cordy red at him.


    What can he do to her, when she knew all too well that he was not interested in her body?!


    ¡°Should, what?!¡± Cordy challenged him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Lucas once again trailed off, unable to say anything for a long while.


    ¡°What can you do to me-ah!¡±


    Cordy yelped as her whole body was pinned against the wall, his towering form restraining her dainty


    figure in ce and denying her any chance of escape.


    Under the dim lights, she saw the fury in his eyes as if he could eat her.


    She was really confused¡ªhow did she upset him?!


    ¡°You¡¯re really not afraid of me, are you?¡¯ Lucas growled through his teeth, his face contorted with rage.


    Cordy had the feeling he was just venting at her and was getting grouchy in turn. ¡¯What? What are you


    going to do tonight?¡¯


    It was veryte-she did not want to wake anyone else, since they needed sleep even if she could not


    fall asleep.


    ¡°I¡­ I really want to kill you,¡± Lucas snarled, clenching his fist.


    Cordy was wary, but she realized she forgot about that.


    He was not interested in her body and would not stray out of line, but his temper was so bad that if he


    got physical, she would not even be able to survive a single punch.


    ¡°What, are you afraid now?¡± Lucas smiled savagely when he saw the fear in her eyes.


    No way!


    She was not convinced that he would actually hit her-a civilized man would never go that far.


    Deciding to calm down and talk things out, Cordy softened her voice in turn. ¡°You thought I was going


    to sleep with you when I asked you toe over, didn¡¯t you? I might have not expressed myself


    clearly, but my shrink only suggested that I retain items with your scent to ease my amnesia.


    That¡¯s why you just have to sleep here for one night and make sure your scent is in the pillows and


    sheets. We don¡¯t have to sleep together on the same bed.¡±


    Lucas raised a brow. ¡®Are you able to fall asleep on your own?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind losing sleep tonight,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m used to that before I met you, and a couple


    nights without sleep doesn¡¯t hurt me. You should go to bed-don¡¯t let me keep you up.¡±


    For some reason, all the frustration in Lucas¡¯ chest eased immediately.


    It was as if Cordy just had to be a little nice, and he would not get upset.


    It was almost like he was possessed.


    ¡°Go on,¡¯ she said, pushing him off gently.


    Lucas released her in turn, but just as Cordy turned and started toward her room, he suddenly stopped


    her.


    ¡°Cordy, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m the type who goes the extra mile,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m letting you sleep in my bed


    despite my reluctance, just don¡¯t get touchy-feely. I can get sensitive toward women¡¯¡¯


    Still, Cordy smiled. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯ll pass. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°F*cking¡­ stop pissing me off!¡± he snapped.


    Another outburst just because she rejected him, leaving her speechless.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That was some serious rebellious streak he had¡­ but he had to be past that age by now!


    Still, Cordy was reluctant to argue, and she eventually gave in.


    But as both of themy down on the same bed, things got weirdly awkward. In fact, there was physical


    space between them that could fit three people!

 Chapter 636

    Chapter 636


    Chapter 636


    It was not as if they had not slept together before.


    However, while Cordy slept as if it was natural on both previous asions, now that Lucas actually let


    her sleep in his bed, she felt a little psychologically resistant to the idea.


    As such, she did not fall asleep, just as she could sense that Lucas was not falling asleep either.


    Like she said, they did not have to do it.


    But just as she was about to leave, a pair ofrge hands pulled her back to bed-and his arm strength


    was certainly strong, holding her firmly as if she was a pet!


    In the next instant, she felt her entire person being pressed against his chest, while Lucas demanded


    above her head, ¡°Sleep!¡±


    She was speechless. Did he have no understanding of tenderness?!


    ¡°I never warmed anyone¡¯s bed before. Waste my sacrifice, and I¡¯ll give you a pounding!¡± he threatened


    savagely then.


    Cordy was at a loss for words¡ªhe was obviously being nice, but somehow could be violent about it.


    She wondered how his girlfriend dealt with that temper.


    Still, she did not bother resisting.


    Jim was right¡ªeverything they were doing right now was to treat her condition, and moral obligations


    were of no concern.


    Soon, she started to doze off and fell asleep.


    Lucas watched her do so in his arms and began to wonder if she had swindled him.


    She clearly had no issues sleeping!


    On the other hand, he was unable to sleep at all whenever he slept with her.


    This better had not been a lie. If he ever found out that his sacrifice was pointless, he would¡­


    Lucas clenched his fists then.


    Cordy was banking on him to not get violent, was she not?


    That was why she had the guts to do whatever she wanted!


    The next day, Cordy opened her eyes and immediately felt soreness on her back.


    She shifted her body and then noticed that Lucas had her pinned down beneath him.


    And he was as heavy as an elephant!


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Moreover, his legs were straddled around her hip. She had just moved a little, and his legs immediately


    tightened, almost snapping her hip right then!


    He did not sleep like this on both previous asions!


    Was this payback?


    It had to be.


    Gritting her teeth, Cordy tried to get away from Lucas again. However, she barely moved when he


    promptly pressed further down on him, pushing her deeper into the mattress as if in search of a more


    comfortable position.


    She seemed to be affecting his sleep every instant she made to leave.


    Still, she told her not to get upset-she would not have slept so well if not for him, and she should be


    grateful.


    Even so, it really hurt to stay stiffly in this position.


    Gritting her teeth, she tried to leave again.


    Suddenly, she noticed something rising.


    And being experienced enough, she snapped at him, ¡°Lucas Lynch!¡±

 Chapter 637

    Chapter 637


    Chapter 637


    Lucas was dreaming about something utterly soft and mild.


    He felt great in every inch of his body as if he had arrived in paradise, delighting his body and so.


    Naturally, the sudden shriek beside his ear startled him.


    He opened his groggy eyes and saw Cordy from up close, looking utterly unhappy and¡­ blushing?


    Lucas, however, did not care that much-being yanked out of his sweet dream left his temper ring.


    ¡°Is this how you treat your savior, Cordy Sachs?!¡± he growled angrily. ¡°I would have been careful not to


    wake you if I woke early myself, but you¡¯d actually treat me so harshly! Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt?!¡±


    Cordy was actually prepared, expecting grouchiness from him when he woke her.


    Biting her lip, she said, ¡®I was worried you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°What would I regret? Wait, I am already regretting warming your bed! I mean, insomnia? You¡¯re clearly


    sleeping like a log, even snoring so loudly I can¡¯t sleep at all! And the instant I closed my eyes and


    started to sleep, you had to wake me! You¡¯re really out to get me, aren¡¯t you, Cordy Sachs?!¡±


    His mrs were clenching even as he snarled her name, as if he could bite her right then.


    Cordy rolled her eyes, and merely gestured with her head without saying a word.


    Lucas was left bristling.


    ¡°You molested me, Cordy?!¡±


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He bellowed so loudly as if Cordy was the one who took advantage of him.


    Cordy swore her eardrums almost perforated right then. She quietly inhaled deeply before telling him


    slowly and deliberately, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a sense of what you were doing to me?!¡±


    Lucas did a double take but was soon blushing.


    ¡°Now that you understand, can you let me off?¡± Cordy prompted him.


    Coming to his senses right then, Lucas virtually bounced off her.


    He had no idea why, but he was always slow to catch up wherever this woman was concerned.


    It even felt like he was being led by the nose!


    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it,¡± Lucas said, not forgetting to defend himself as he quickly got out of bed


    and headed to the bathroom. ¡°I was just dreaming about my girlfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Cordy said nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m wide awake now, so I¡¯ll be going. You should sleep in.¡±


    With that, Lucas was left watching as Cordy calmly got out of bed, genuinely staying unaffected.


    Any normal woman would more or less take exception when ites to stuff like this. Even if she did


    not like it, she had to feel disgusted.


    Even so, Cordy really did not react at all, as if she did not care whatever happened to him.


    It left him mysteriously irked.


    Cordy breathed a heavy sigh of relief after he left Lucas¡¯ room and returned to her own bed.


    It was not as if she was really unaffected after going through that, but she was not at the level where


    she really cared either.


    All she felt was a tinge of annoyance, and she thought she should cut ties with Lucas sooner.


    As such, she got out of bed and left the mansion right away.


    Before she did, she told Winston not to touch Lucas¡¯ room at all and to ideally lock it after he was gone-


    no one except her was permitted inside. She naturally could tell that Winston misunderstood her


    intentions.

 Chapter 638

    Chapter 638


    Chapter 638


    Whatever.


    Cordy decided to leave the misunderstanding alone, since she did not want her efforts to go to waste,


    not after she had gone through such lengths to bring Lucas back to the mansion.


    Meanwhile, Lucas stayed in his bed until noon.


    He was unable to sleep after Cordy left.


    He was supposed to be absolutely sleepy since he went the whole night without sleep, but somehow


    could not.


    He realized then how horrible it was to lose sleep.


    But Cordy somehow went through the same thing for days and nights. How did she survive that?!


    Soon, he got out of bed and headed downstairs after washing up and getting changed.


    Richard was practicing the piano softly downstairs.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He leaped off the piano and stood when he saw that Lucas was up and walked up to him. ¡°You¡¯re up,


    Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Call me Lucas.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded tamely-he was going to verify their connection soon enough when he headed


    to the hospital.


    He would make sure that his mommy and daddy knew that he was right.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your mommy?¡± Lucas asked casually, but for some reason, his heart skipped a beat.


    What the hell?!


    ¡°She left. She went to her office since something came up,¡± Richard replied. ¡°She said she won¡¯t be


    staying for lunch since she¡¯ll be gone the whole day.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lucas replied tly.


    The more she made herself sound nonchnt, the more he seemed to care.


    That woman was the ssic type of woman who disposed of tools after using them, huh?!


    She knew he was leaving yesterday, but went out of her way to make him stay¡ªand she was not even


    seeing her off?!


    ¡°Are you missing Mommy, Daddy?¡± Richard asked seriously as he watched Lucas¡¯ reaction.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± Lucas snorted in disdain.


    ¡°I can call her if you miss her. She¡¯lle home no matter how important it is, as long as I call her


    home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Lucas simply changed the subject while acting like he did not care.


    But he was not saying no!


    Usually, his daddy was giving his silent approval as long as he did not say no.


    He really never changed over the years.


    Hence, Richard asked Winston to start bringing in the food while sneakily making a call. ¡°Mommy,


    aren¡¯t youing home for lunch?¡±


    ¡°No, why? Is something wrong, Dicky?¡±


    Cordy was endlessly tender when it came to Richard, as if she would save all the good temper she had


    in life for him.


    ¡°I miss you, Mommy,¡± Richard said a little miserably. ¡°You¡¯re always busy, but why do you have to work


    on the weekend too? Can¡¯t you spend more time with me?¡±


    Cordy felt a pain in her chest.


    She certainly was very busy and did not spend much time with Richard, though he was certainly


    understanding enough to neverin about it too.


    Today was the first time this ever happened.


    As such, Cordy immediately agreed to it. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back. ¡°Thanks, Mommy.¡¯ Richard was


    beaming right then.

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639


    Chapter 639


    Cordy was driving home when she realized why Richard was behaving unusually-he obviously wanted


    to set her up with Lucas.


    Her son had been convinced that Lucas was John and was therefore single -minded about getting


    them together.


    But despite knowing that, she did not want to rain on Richard¡¯s parade Richard was a major reason for


    her to live right now, after all.


    Therefore, she had no reason to refuse anything that made her son happy- as long as it did not vite


    her principles, naturally.


    When she returned to the mansion, Richard was already having lunch with Lucas.


    Noticing that she returned just then, Richard quickly called out to her,¡± Mommy! Lucas said he¡¯s hungry,


    so we started without you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± She smiled, putting down her bag and heading to the dining room.


    Lucas never once looked up, while Richard said with slight disappointment, ¡°He also told me that he¡¯s


    leaving for the capital after lunch.*


    ¡°Yeah, I know, Cordy replied and turned toward Lucas withposure. ¡°I will ask Winston to arrange a


    car for youter.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucas said evenly, but nothing else.


    Richard sighed as he watched their exchange.


    He was just ten, but he had this feeling that he would be a specialist in love because of his


    parents.


    After lunch, Lucas headed to his room to start packing up to leave.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy did not actually have anything pressing at work and had no intentions to return to her office


    considering that Lucas was leaving. She nned to lie down in her room a little and had just arrived


    upstairs when she saw Lucas stepping out of his room.


    Their eyes met for a moment, but there was no telling who averted their eyes first.


    The weird silence between them was just a little strange, though neither took notice.


    ¡°Safe travels,* Cordy said tly and nonchntly.


    Lucaspletely ignored her, but just as they passed each other, Cordy inadvertently sprained her leg.


    She was about to fall forward when Lucas quickly caught her¡­ and then loosened his grip.


    Cordy, who just heaved a sigh of relief,nded t on the ground with a loud thud.


    She would have expected a fall if Lucas did not catch her and be prepared for it, instead ofnding


    directly on the nose and starting to bleed from it.


    She thought she would not fall when Lucas caught her, and she certainly did not anticipate the ensuing


    surprise ofnding t on the floor.


    She really wanted to murder him right then-what on earth did she do to him that he seemed so bent on


    giving her a stroke?!


    As Cordy looked up, her nose was bleeding and her eyes were welling with uncontroble tears of


    pain.


    If looks could kill, Lucas would already be dead.


    Lucas held her gaze in turn, feeling a little guilty.


    He had on idea why he reached out for a moment, only to withdraw his hand the next.


    When he touched Gordy¡¯s body, his chest seemed to quiver, and he released her in the next instant.


    He really did not like that feeling, but he did not expect Cordy to take such a terrible tumble either.


    The blood from her nose was quickly gushing all over the floor.

 Chapter 640

    Chapter 640


    Chapter 640


    There was arge bruise over Corby¡¯s head too.


    While Lucas was hesitating if he should help her to her feet, Richard cried out worriedly from behind,


    ¡°Mommy!¡±


    He must have heard her fall and rushed up the stairs.


    Winston was following the boy and was stunned to find Cordy on the floor and bleeding profusely from


    her nose. ¡°What happened, Ms. Sachs?! I¡¯ll get the family doctor right this instant!¡±


    ¡°Mommy? Mommy? Does it hurt? You¡¯re bleeding¡­¡± Richard was crouching on the floor, heartbreak


    showing all over his little face.


    Lucas, however, knew that someone as young as Cordy would not suffer much from a fall like that.


    Hence, he turned to leave after a brief hesitation.


    Cordy hence watched as she went, thinking to herself that she honestly did not want to see that vile


    man ever again.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    She would never reach out to him even if he lived next door!


    To no surprise, Lucas never got in touch with Cordy ever since he left North City. They both seemed


    content to stay in their respective corners, and no degree of misfortune would make them meet again.


    And after he was gone, Cordy was hugging the pillows and nkets he slept on every night.


    It was freakish, but she really did fall asleep with that scent that was so identical to John¡¯s.


    Even if she did not sleep soundly, she could at least sleep for several hours each night-a profound


    blessing for someone who had been insomniac as long as she had been.


    However, she never thanked Lucas-any gratitude she felt toward him was nullified on the day he left,


    when he mercilessly let her fall.


    She could not help feeling the impulse to strangle when she remembered she had to go to work with a


    huge lump on her head as well.


    On another note, Cordy received a parcel at home the day after Lucas left, which was strangely


    addressed to Richard.


    She was perplexed, since Richard would always use her name for web purchases.


    Perhaps her boy was really growing up?


    Still, she took it to Richard¡¯s room since she did not have the habit of spying on his belongings.


    Who knew? It might be a love letter from a ssmate, even though Richard was a little young forthat.


    But the instant she put it down on his desk, she inadvertently noticed the words [DNA test].


    And the envelope was from one of the leading hospitals in North City.


    Curiosity spurred Cordy to open the envelope, even though she knew instantly what it was.


    Richard was smart-once he was sure that Lucas was his father, he would definitelye up with some


    method to prove it.


    She actually thought about it, but there was a voice in her heart that told her that Lucas was not John.


    Nheless, her heart was pounding at that very moment.


    She had no idea what she was expecting or nervous about.


    If it was not the case, so be it-there was nothing to be hopeful about.


    In fact, she actually felt that he waspletely unable to ept that Lucas was John.


    Even if there were certain aspects that were simr about them, they were quite simplypletely


    different people.


    Gritting her teeth, she took out the paternity test results and read through the monochrome contents.


    Cordy bit her lip, but she was ultimately unable to stop her tears from welling out of her eyes.


    It was just as expected¡ªit hurt, no matter how long it has been.


    She put the piece of paper back into the envelope and left it on Richard¡¯s desk.


    He was the one who did it, so he should confirm it himself and face the truth.

 Chapter 641

    Chapter 641


    Chapter 641


    Richard returned home happily in the afternoon, and the first thing he did was to ask Winston urgently,


    ¡°Was there a parcel for me, Winston?¡¯


    ¡°Parcel?¡± Winston was perplexed.


    ¡°It¡¯s on your desk. I happened to be here when it arrived, so I put it in your room,¡± Cordy said casually


    from the couch while watching TV.


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy!¡± Richard said politely before dashing upstairs.


    ¡°Be careful, you¡¯ll trip if you run too quickly! Even the lump on Ms. Sachs¡¯ head has yet to fade!¡±


    Winston warned him loudly from downstairs.


    Cordy could not help pursing her lips, since she did not go to work because of that huge lump on her


    head.


    She could not help remembering Lucas in turn¡­ along with that paternity test.


    She was feeling an emotional roller coaster right then.


    Richard excitedly found the parcel on his desk.


    He had always been sharp and meticulous, but he was somehowpletely oblivious to the fact that


    the parcel had been opened.


    He promptly picked up the envelope and took out the piece of paper inside, and he read the paternity


    test results excitedly.


    Then, he seemed to turn so still as if petrified and stayed that way for a long while.


    Cordy eventually gave in to concern and arrived at the doorway to his room.


    She stood there, quietly watching the look of disbelief in his face as he failed to react for a long while.


    Eventually, she could not help saying, ¡°Dicky, there are only that many miracles in this world.¡±


    Richard¡¯s eyes were red even as he looked at her.


    The paternity test results read: [No observable biological rtion between subjects.]


    But Lucas was his daddy! How could he be wrong?


    In reality, Cordy felt her chest hurt when she read it as well.


    She was not disappointed that Lucas was not John since she really never wished forthat.


    It just felt like John died again, and it made her remember the sight of his back as he slowly walked


    away.


    It had been three years, but it was still so fresh in her memory-she could not forget it at all.


    ¡°I know how you feel, Dicky,¡± she said. ¡°But we should ept reality.¡±


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But he really is Daddy!¡± Richard stubbornly insisted.


    ¡°Science doesn¡¯t lie,¡± Cordy replied, looking him in the eyes. ¡°And we should trust it.¡±


    Richard was left biting his lip, doubting science for the first time.


    How could this be?!


    He had imagined himself showing his mommy the paternity test results and then telling his daddy.


    After that, their family would be whole again.


    ¡°Take your time to calm down,¡± Cordy said and turned to leave.


    She had no idea if Richard would be overwhelmed, but the boy was already ten and should have his


    privacy. He did not have to show her his vulnerabilities, which was why she gave him time alone for


    reality to sink in.


    After Cordy was gone, however, Richard did not ept it at face value.


    Instead, he contacted the hospital with the number on the paper with his own phone, asking, ¡°Hello, my


    name is Richard Levine. I sent in hair samples yesterday for a parental test¡­ Yes, I just wanted to ask


    if the test result is a hundred percent urate?¡±


    ¡°All I can tell you is that with the current technological standard our organization provides, the results


    arepletely urate. If you have any doubts, however, you may try again with other organizations,¡±


    the voice on the other end replied formally.


    ¡°Have there been any cases of test inuracies?¡±


    ¡°Not thus far.¡±


    In fact, Richard himself had made sure to find the best organization for the job-there was hardly a


    chance for error.


    ¡°Perhaps my samples were the issue?¡± Richard pressed.


    ¡°There were no issues with the samples. The genes of the individual can be observed just fine.¡± The


    response was once again definitive.

 Chapter 642

    Chapter 642


    Chapter 642


    Richard was left biting his tiny lip.


    So, Lucas was really not his father?


    He should know that he should put his faith in science too.


    Nheless, the voice on the other end suddenly added, ¡®The only possible room for error is a mistake


    in samples. We¡¯ve actually had that issue before.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Richard was at once excited.


    ¡°As in, the samples you provided us were not the samples of the intended test subjects,¡± the voice


    exined. ¡°For example, you wanted a paternity test between yourself and subject A, but it turns out


    that you provided us with a DNA sample of yourself and subject B. We¡¯ve had that issue before, but


    otherwise we had not seen other errors.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee. Thank you for your inquiry.¡±


    Once he hung up, Richard started thinking about the hair sample he sent.


    He would rather believe that he sent the wrong strand of hair, than the fact that Lucas was not his


    daddy¡­


    Hold on!


    He realized with a start as he remembered that he knocked into Winston right after he got that strand of


    hair from Lucas. Then, he found it on Winston, but it might have been Winston¡¯s instead of Lucas¡¯ hair!


    That was the only possibility!


    And once he understood that, he hurried downstairs to Cordy.


    She was left staring at him in wonder-had he recovered already?


    Children¡¯s ability to heal physically and spiritually were certainly strong!


    She was actually worried for a moment there.


    Nheless, Richard asked her, ¡°Mommy? Is Lucas evering back?¡±


    Cordy frowned-he was never going to give up, was he?


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t,¡± she said with no uncertainty. ¡°We only met by chance, and there won¡¯t be any


    opportunities for us to meet ever again. I hoped as much as you do that your daddy is alive, Dicky, but-¡°


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you trust me, Mommy?¡± Richard eximed, a little agitated right then.


    ¡°Science has proven it.¡±


    ¡°There has to be a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Cordy said, looking a little stern just then.


    She had never been this strict with him, and even as Richard looked at her, his excitement slowly


    faded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything pointless again, please?¡± Cordy continued seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t want to feel hopeful,


    only to be let down again. Right now, I hope that having each other is enough and that we¡¯ll live well


    like your father hoped.¡±


    Richard nodded.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He saw that his mother was upset and therefore decided to just give up on everything he wanted to


    say.


    That included the possibility of sending the wrong samples and her contacting Lucas again for another


    DNA sample.


    But now, he did not dare to say anything else, with the knowledge of how much pain she felt because


    of his daddy.


    Even if he was dead sure that Lucas was his daddy, what if he was really not?!


    That would make her even sadder, and he would rather give up than hurt her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dicky.¡± Cordy suddenly apologized, sensing that she might have been a little too harsh,


    especially with a sensitive child like Richard.


    But he was a really great kid.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, Mommy-1 was just too excited. You¡¯re right¡­


    We can do very well even without Daddy.¡±

 Chapter 643

    Chapter 643


    Chapter 643


    Cordy¡¯s heart was filled with yet another sense of bitterness.


    She touched Richard¡¯s head slightly and made a promise. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll take good care of you too.¡± Richard smiled sweetly.


    After that, they seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and they never mentioned Lucas.


    Half a month passed by, and Sean called and asked her when she was going to the capital.


    She had promised his grandfather the other day that she would stay in the capital for a while that


    month.


    As expected, she could not make promises casually.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Though she did not feel like going, one should not break their promise. Besides, Richard was on a


    winter holiday now, and Sean had even specially asked her to bring Richard along.


    Hence, Cordy could only agree to it. Luckily, Richard had a winter camp these few days and he would


    be back a weekter, so she could dy their trip there until next week.


    She went to negotiate some business at North City TV.


    They were the ones who provided the costumes invested for Actors on Set. Now they were about to


    start shooting the show, so Cordy had to go there again to confirm the time and location for the


    advertisement. It was slightly different from what they had agreed upon previously, and thepany¡¯s


    superiors failed to resolve it. Hence, she had to go there on her own.


    She drove and arrived at the door.


    The people from the TV station were already there. When they saw her get out of the car, they quickly


    went to her and invited her to the TV station.


    When she stepped into the elevator, her eyes moved slightly. She seemed to have seen a familiar


    figure.


    Hence, she quickly pressed a button to open the door of the elevator.


    However, when she looked over, she found no one there.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, is there something wrong?¡± the superiors of the TV station immediately asked her.


    ¡°I saw a familiar person just now. I might have been mistaken,¡± Cordy answered lightly.


    So, the superiors did not ask her anything more about it.


    The door of the elevator was closed again.


    However, Cordy was still perturbed. She questioned, ¡°What ce is it if you go to the right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shooting room. They will start shooting Actors on Set today, so the whole TV station is lively. This


    TV station is rather far back, so the shooting room and the office aren¡¯t separated. We¡¯re still re-


    adjusting it. I¡¯m sorry about that, Ms. Sachs¡± the superior quickly exined.


    Cordy nodded slightly to show that she did not mind that.


    Was it an illusion?


    However, that figure looked so real.


    She rubbed her temples slightly.


    She had been mistaking people for others during this period.


    It was the same with Lucas and now Zoe too?

 Chapter 644

    Chapter 644


    Chapter 644


    In a public makeup room backstage of the shooting room of Actors on Set, the makeup artists chatted


    with each other as they worked. ¡°Hey, did you guys see him? Mr. Parker, the great director, is here. I


    didn¡¯t believe it when they announced that he would join this show. After all. I¡¯ve never seen him join


    any variety show. So, our TV station is quite awesome.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw him. I walked past from behind him just now. He¡¯s so handsome and tall. He¡¯ll be very


    outstanding among the stars. It¡¯s a pity that he became a director.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a pity at all. We won¡¯t see so many good films if he¡¯s not a director. Not only are his movies and


    dramas good, but the female stars in his shows are very beautiful too. The people in the field im that


    there won¡¯t be any ugly women in his shows. He¡¯s indeed a lucky star for female celebrities.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I saw an actress before, who is a famous star now. She generally looked ordinary, but the


    audience soon saw how beautiful she was in Mr. Parker¡¯s show. She also nearlypeted for the best


    actress because of his movie¡­¡¯Another makeup artist suddenly stopped talking.


    She knew that if she dwelled on that anymore, she would have mentioned that star¡¯s name.


    The walls had ears. If word got out about that, she would not be able to survive in that field.


    However, everyone knew whom she was referring to at such a point-it was Cora.


    She could be considered a female star who got famous very fast in recent years. It was said that she


    had an abundance of resources. Jay made her the heroine in manyrge films and dramas, and he


    was set on making her popr.


    Of course, it was reasonable that Jay helped her so much, and many people could only endure their


    jealousy. After all, Cora was born into such a good family.


    Cora was the youngdy of the Levine family. Although the Levine family readjusted their property


    because of John¡¯s death and they stopped involving themselves in business, they were still considered


    the richestpany in North City. No onepany couldpare with the Levine family in terms of


    their property. Someone made a calction and found that the Levine family wealth wouldst them for


    three generations even if they did nothing.


    So, the Levine family was notcking in resources. Besides, Jay was Cora¡¯s uncle nominally. Who


    dared to raise any opinion given that rtionship?


    ¡°s, some people are born to be superior. We cant be jealous of that.¡± ire Walker, an actress in the


    public makeup room, made a sentimental remark.


    She was a mere walk-on for nearly ten years, and she was never famous.


    Now she went to join that show to give herself more chances.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When she heard the makeup artists¡¯ chit-chat, she naturally knew that they were talking about Cora,


    the famous star.


    When Cora first joined the industry, many people did not think highly of her. After all, she was quite old,


    given her debut age as an actress. Besides, her appearance was not particrly striking in the


    entertainment industry, and her acting skills were ordinary too. So, it was Jay who brought her up.


    They did not know if it was because she had the aura of a famous star or not. She had be so


    beautiful, and her aura and other aspects had improved too. Her acting skills also improved by leaps


    and bounds. If they wanted to criticize her now, they would be making rumors and trouble.


    ¡°By the way, Zoe, where did you go these three years?¡± ire suddenly asked the person who was


    putting on makeup beside her.


    Zoe looked at herself in the mirror.


    She had gone to another city in these three years.


    She lived with Cora for three years.


    At first, she thought that she would lead such a dull life. Suddenly, she received an invitation from a


    director, asking her if she wanted to rejoin the entertainment industry. There was a TV show that would


    give the actresses who had passed their prime a stage to be famous again.


    She was slightly hesitant.


    She was forced to leave the industry back then. Nancy prohibited her from staying in the entertainment


    industry, but she had always liked acting.


    Three years had passed since, and Cora had gained everything she should have in the Levine family.


    Besides, the Levine family had retreated from the business field, and they no longer owned any filming


    companies. They had no absolute power in the entertainment industry now. So, it might be a chance if


    she wanted to rejoin the entertainment industry¡­


    After a brief hesitation, she agreed to it.


    She did not know that Jay would join the show too when she signed the contract. Even if she knew that


    he would join the show beforehand¡­ she might havee. After all, she did not have to hide anymore


    if she appeared before the public again.


    Besides, she felt that they did not hold any grudges against each other. They owed each other nothing,


    so he did not have to make things difficult for her.


    Today was the first show.


    She felt great pressure to be one of the actresses who joined thepetition in the first show.


    The key was that she had left the entertainment industry for three years. She did not practice her acting


    skills or have any contact with cameras, and she did not know if she would be nervous when she got


    on the stage. She had made a few mistakes during the rehearsal the day before.

 Chapter 645

    Chapter 645


    Chapter 645


    ¡°I took a brief rest.¡± Zoe did not say much about that.


    She also did not want to talk about her past experiences


    People in the entertainment circle were no fools. All her jobs were canceled and her work was


    removed. She was even banned. So, she must have offended someone powerful in the entertainment


    circle.


    ire did not ask any more about that before she changed the topic and said, ¡°s, this is the first


    time I¡¯ve been so nervous in ten years of filming. Zoe, are you nervous?¡±


    Zoe nodded and answered honestly, ¡°I made a few mistakes yesterday, and I couldn¡¯t fall asleepst


    night.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I made a lot of mistakes during the rehearsal yesterday. I¡¯m afraid the same thing will happen


    today.¡¯ ire echoed what Zoe had said. ¡°The rules of thispetition stipte that the judges will be


    the ones who will pick candidates in the first round. After the primary election, they¡¯ll then start the


    competition. It¡¯s where the audience will vote. I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t even pass through the first round.


    ¡°I heard that Mr. Parker came to pick the candidates for his next film. Well, I won¡¯t dream about the


    position of the heroine. He has an exclusive heroine, but there are so many interesting minor roles, and


    he¡¯ll pick them in this show. I want him to pick me so much,¡± ire added.


    ¡°By the way, I remember that you seemed to have acted in Mr. Parker¡¯s film before,¡± ire stated.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t count if it¡¯s not shown to the public,¡± Zoe replied lightly.


    ¡°That seems to be true.¡± ire smiled faintly before she added, ¡°But you have a bit of friendship with


    Mr. Parker, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡¯ Zoe quickly denied that. ¡°There are so many judges today. He¡¯s the only one who won¡¯t pick me.¡±


    ¡°Why? Why do you think so?¡±


    Zoe made no reply.


    ¡°Do you guys hold grudges against each other?¡± ire blurted out.


    However, Zoe remained silent, and ire felt that she had asked too many questions.


    However, she felt slightly lucky since Zoe imed that Jay would not pick her.


    ire had taken the initiative to chat with Zoe because she wanted to inquire about the situation and


    see the possibility of her advancing to the next round and getting picked by Jay.


    The actresses who joined that show were not famous, and the only mostpetitive one was Zoe. She


    was just too famous in the past, but she was bannedter. Now she made a debut again, so she could


    not be regarded lightly.


    Besides, the TV show was not that popr, so they invited Cora to be the honored guest in the first


    show to perform a special performance. It was to make the show more popr.


    After they had put on their makeup, they were waiting to get on the stage.


    Everything was prepared well on the stage.


    There were a thousand spectators at the scene, which made the wholepetition more nervous and


    exciting.


    The judges took their seats first.


    There were a total of four judges. Other than Jay, there was an actor and director, Cameron Moore.


    There was Hailey Zimmerman, who enjoyed high prestige and gained many big rewards of being the


    best actress. Another judge was the newly-arisen best actor, Harry Campbell, who enjoyed a lot of


    fame.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When they took their seats, the audience soon cheered enthusiastically.


    Consequently, the actresses backstage became more nervous. They cheered each other on.


    After all, they had to keep a harmonious state in front of the camera even though they were


    competitors.


    The host introduced the judges as well as thepetition before thepetition started officially.


    Thirty people came to join the first round of the show.


    Half of them would be eliminated from this round, while the remaining half wouldpete against each


    other in every episode of the show.


    Zoe was arranged to perform in the middle.


    She had been acting for so many years in the past, but she had never been so nervous.


    Now her palms were filled with sweat. She suddenly lost confidence in herself while watching others¡¯


    performances.


    She never felt that her acting was worse than anyone in the past.

 Chapter 646

    Chapter 646


    Chapter 646


    She felt that she seemed to be worse than others at the moment.


    As expected, people would have self-denial when theycked confidence.


    It was Cora¡¯s performance before Zoe¡¯s turn, and she made the scene quite exciting by singing and


    dancing.


    Cora had indeed improved a lot on stage during these years.


    Zoe watched TV too, and she always watched Cora¡¯s films on TV. Cora¡¯s acting was childish at the


    beginning but it had be mature now. She could now handle the stage skillfully and easily, and one


    could not deny her excellence.


    Zoe even thought of the possibility that her appearance in the next moment would ruin the excitement


    Cora had built up at the scene.


    The staff then reminded Zoe to get ready, so she got up from her seat in the waiting area, where the


    surrounding few people even encouraged her.


    They were not stupid. They knew that Zoe had offended someone, so she was banned. Thus, they


    would not easily be friendly with her now given that they were unaware of her current situation for fear


    that they might be burdened.


    Everyone was always so realistic in the entertainment industry, and Zoe had made full preparation


    before she rejoined the industry.


    Her return had more to do with the pursuit of her dream. Of course, it could not be denied that she


    wanted to make her life better.


    It was not that she was very poor now, but she could make her life better.


    She walked to the back of the stage and took a deep breath.


    When the host announced her show, she took another deep breath and got onto the stage.


    It was a primary election, so they were not asked to introduce themselves. They had to perform the


    moment they got onto the stage.


    Many people did not have the time to introduce themselves after their shows were over. Some had


    recorded it beforehand, but some did not.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    What was important in the entertainment circle was one¡¯s status and power.


    Zoe appeared in the middle of the stage and started a si performance thatsted for ten minutes.


    At that time, the audience was still restless and excited because of Cora¡¯s previous performance.


    The judges were still full of smiles since they were affected by the scene.


    However, Hailey suddenly asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Zoe York?¡±


    Zoe¡¯s performance was about a scene from a ssic movie where a mother finally found her child who


    had been separated from her for many years. So, she dressed up like a haggard middle-aged wife. For


    a moment, she did not look like herself. There was indeed a vast difference because the makeup had


    made her uglier.


    Jay, who had his head bow, was sorting out the record he did for the actresses who performed just


    now. But now, his body stiffened.


    The TV crew had given him a name list of the candidates for thatpetition, but he did not look at it.


    He did not want to get to know these actresses beforehand and make assumptions to influence his


    judgment. He came to pick actresses now without having to consider the actresses¡¯ other experiences,


    and he just had to watch the performance at the scene. The judges also did not have to join the


    rehearsal either.


    Thus, he did not know that Zoe was there too.


    Zoe, who had gone missing for three years, suddenly appeared before him that way.


    On the other hand, they met each other again through that method.


    He slowly raised his head and looked at Zoe, who was performing on the stage seriously. She was


    clearly nervous.


    Holding the pen. Jay¡¯s fingers trembled slightly.


    Watching the performance, Hailey whispered beside him, ¡°She hasn¡¯t been back to the entertainment


    industry for so many years, and her acting seems to have be rusty. Some of her expressions and


    actions aren¡¯t perfect. There¡¯s a difference from her previous level. What do you think, Mr. Parker?¡±

 Chapter 647

    Chapter 647


    Chapter 647


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Jay answered.


    ¡°What a pity! I thought so highly of her that year,¡± Hailey added.


    She was an experienced elder, and she was also considered an artist in performance. For her, her


    fame and honor in the entertainment industry were no longer important now. She sincerely hoped to


    see new power rise to support the entertainment industry instead of those famous young stars who had


    no acting skills at all.


    Jay then ignored her.


    He glued his gaze on Zoe, and he could not avert his gaze at all until Zoe¡¯s performance ended.


    She bowed to the audience and judges before she turned around to leave the stage.


    ¡°Please stay, Zoe.¡± The host suddenly went up the stage from backstage and stopped her.


    That session was not included in the previous rehearsal.


    The actresses who needed to answer questions were informed beforehand. She was sure that she did


    not receive such a notice.


    However, she still paused and faced the hostjudges, and audience.


    ¡°Everyone is very surprised to see you on this stage. What was the reason that you left the


    entertainment industry temporarily back then?¡± The host¡¯s first question was too sharp.


    It might be because they were afraid that she would not be willing to ept such an interview, so they


    did not inform her beforehand.


    Zoe had long lost her previous temper when she was in the entertainment industry in the past. Now she


    was very grateful to be back. Of course, she would not resist the only benefactor who could help her


    now. Besides, she could not show a long face in front of so many spectators.


    She smiled and answered, ¡°I was young and vigorous that I did some impulsive things back then. That


    was why I left.¡±


    ¡°What impulsive things?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my private affair, but I¡¯ve reflected on myself after calming down for three years and have now


    turned over a new leaf. If the entertainment circle gives me a chance, I¡¯ll cherish this stage well.¡± Zoe


    sounded sincere.


    The previous top star, who looked down on the world from the most dazzling spotlight, had now


    suddenly be slightly inferior. All her rough edges seemed to have been smoothed out by life.


    One could not help but sigh at the radical life changes.


    ¡°I believe that the stage won¡¯t let you down if you make the effort.¡± The host controlled the scene and


    said so before he turned to the judges.¡± Judges, do you need toment on Zoe¡¯s previous


    performance?¡±


    Hailey was the first to speak. ¡°Zoe, I¡¯m not very interested in the affair of you leaving the entertainment


    industry all of a sudden. After all, one has their own private life even though one is a public figure. So,


    others should give understanding and support.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Zimmerman.¡± Zoe put her palms together to thank Hailey.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me first,¡± Hailey said seriously. ¡°Of course, we care about your acting skills on this stage.


    Your acting skills weren¡¯t so rusty three years ago. You even looked quite pretentious in some parts of


    your acting. Didn¡¯t you study acting in these three years? You knew that you were going to join this


    show, but you didn¡¯t prepare well, did you?¡±


    She doubted Zoe.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Zoe thought of the possibility that she would not have advantages in thispetition. It might turn out


    to be only a one-day trip, but she never expected to be criticized by the judges on the spot.


    The main thing was nobody had told her about that session.


    She wore a smile. Even though the other party was unfriendly, she had to smile at them. She then


    exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t think ofing back when I left, so I didn¡¯t study acting at all these three years. But


    I did prepare seriously when I was invited by the crew. However, it had been such a long time since I


    had been away from the stage, and I got too nervous. I am in fact not as skilled as I was before, but I


    believe that I can revert to my usual self as long as you give me a few more chances, so much so that I


    can surpass¡­¡±


    ¡°Chances are given to people who are ready.¡± Hailey interrupted Zoe.


    So, Zoe could only force a smile and suffer in silence.


    ¡°Zoe, I agreed with Ms. Zimmerman¡¯s opinion after I watched your performance today,¡± Cameron


    chimed in. ¡°There¡¯s indeed some difference inparison with your past self. We think that you should


    be better.¡±


    That was not a form of encouragement at all.


    They were trying to manipte her psychologically.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zoe could only maintain her faint smile and nodded.


    ¡°But I think there¡¯s one thing about your performance that moved me. It was when you finally saw the


    child who was separated from you for so many years. Your gaze and emotion were just right. May I


    take the liberty and ask if you had a secret marriage and gave birth to a child in these three years?¡±

 Chapter 648

    Chapter 648


    Chapter 648


    ¡°No.¡± Zoe denied it and tried her best to make a joke. ¡°Well, I¡¯m still a lucky singledy.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think there¡¯s something worth expecting in your acting skills.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± Zoe bent and thanked him.


    ¡°I also felt a lot of things when I saw Zoe¡¯s performance just now,¡± Harry chimed in. ¡®Zoe, do you


    remember we once cooperated?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do.¡± Smiling, Zoe admitted to it.


    They debuted at the same time, but she got famous faster than him.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    However, times changed.


    He was now a judge while she became a candidate.


    ¡°I heard Ms. Zimmerman and Mr. Moore¡¯sments on your acting skills and I feel that they made the


    rightment. So, I won¡¯t say much. I just hope that you can continue on your journey at this stage.


    I¡¯m rooting for you.¡± Harry cheered her up.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Campbell.¡± Zoe made a polite bow again.


    When she got up, she looked at Jay.


    Since all the judges hadmented on her acting, Jay could not act differently.


    She looked over and then met Jay¡¯s gaze.


    They did not meet each other for three years. It seemed like they had be strangers who did not


    know each other.


    Even though Jay¡¯s appearance had not changed a bit¡­


    However, she had undergone drastic changes. Her current makeup did not resemble her very much.


    She still kept her smile, for there were cameras everywhere, and she did not want others to make a


    fuss about it if they caught any expression.


    Currently, she had to be careful.


    Jay did not speak for a long time.


    He just looked at Zoe like that, and his bony hands seemed to have tightened slightly.


    ¡°Mr. Parker?¡± The host could not help reminding him.


    Jay¡¯s gaze moved slightly.


    He then nced at Zoe before turning away.


    He bowed his head and slowly sorted out the score sheet in his hand before he uttered lightly, ¡°They


    gave a fullment, so I¡¯ve got nothing to say at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the host quickly said. ¡°Then Zoe, please return backstage to rest for a while and wait for the


    result of thepetition. Thank you for giving us such an amazing performance.¡±


    With a round of apuse, Zoe got off the stage.


    She finally heaved a sigh of relief.


    Although she did not perform well, she hadpleted her first step.


    Even though she failed at this step, she made others see that she was back in the entertainment circle.


    She would be able to take up jobs from now on.


    She returned to her seat when she returned backstage.


    ire whispered, ¡°I think your performance was very good. The judges were just too strict.¡±

 Chapter 649

    Chapter 649


    Chapter 649


    Smiling faintly, Zoe made no reply.


    She knew very well that everyone here was herpetitor.


    If one performed badly, one would be more popr.


    She had now started to n her uing arrangement.


    After the performance of the first show, all actresses were invited to the stage to have the first round of


    the election.


    A few people were chosen behind closed doors.


    Undeniably, there would be illegal affairs in all shows, though most people were still fair.


    Only fifteen people would stay out of the thirty people.


    Zoe stood in a rtive corner spot at the back. She had no expectations of herself.


    Thepetition rules of the first round of elimination were very simple and direct. Some judges


    discussed and made choices. The ones whose names were called could stay while the others were


    asked to leave.


    Zoe heard others¡¯ names one after another.


    It was now thest name.


    The host paused for a while.


    At that time, Zoe had turned to look in the direction in which she should leave.


    She was standing at the extreme edge of the stage, so she should leave first if she was eliminated


    later. If not, she would block the others behind her.


    ¡°Zoe York!¡± the host announced loudly.


    Zoe was stunned, and the others were shocked too.


    She did not perform well that day. Besides, the judges did not give her very goodments.


    They had thought of who would advance to the next round, but they did not expect it to be her.


    Zoe did not expect it either.


    When her name was read, she thought that the host had read it wrongly. She gave the host a look to


    affirm it. After the host gave her an affirmative answer, she was still filled with lingering fear as she


    walked toward the crowd who had advanced to the next round.


    At that moment, she was overwhelmed with ttery.


    Frankly, she felt that there were actresses who performed better than her from among the ones who


    had been eliminated.


    However, it was a variety show. It was also very important to have some topics of conversation about


    that show.


    She went missing three years ago and now she came back suddenly three yearster. She could


    be a hot topic, so they let her stay for observation.


    If she could be popr, then they still held some expectations of her. If she did not be a hot


    topic, she had to leave in the next round.


    ¡°Congrattions to the fifteen actresses who have sessfully advanced to the next round. Thank you


    to the other fifteen actresses for your amazing performances again. Please p for them.¡±


    The host had been trying to keep the atmosphere well.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here with us as well as the audience in front of the TV.


    Let¡¯s meet again next week.¡±


    The host announced that it had ended.


    The remaining fifteen actresses on the stage immediately walked toward the judges to shake hands


    with them and thank them, trying to act friendly with the judges.


    Zoe was one of them. She could not behave differently than others, and it was so hard for her to stay.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After all, she had to earn money by acting. It was not much different to act before the TV or in real life.


    She shook hands with all the judges from left to right.


    The first person was Cameron, who said, ¡°Zoe, you have to try hard.¡±


    It meant that she did not advance because of her acting skills.


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Zoe immediately nodded and acted humbly.


    She then took the initiative to shake hands with Hailey, who said to her strictly, ¡°Zoe, I have


    expectations of you. You have to adjust your emotions well and give me your best state.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Ms. Zimmerman. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Zoe acted submissively.


    She then walked toward Jay. They met each other¡¯s eyes again, and Zoe took the initiative to say, ¡°Mr.


    Parker, I¡¯ll look forward to your guidance and advice.¡±


    While talking, she bowed and took the initiative to shake hands with him.

 Chapter 650

    Chapter 650


    Chapter 650


    Jay looked at the hand before him.


    Was it because of her makeup? Her hand seemed slightly rougher.


    Zoe¡¯s hand stiffened in the air awkwardly because Jay did not respond for a longtime.


    She thought that he would pretend in public.


    After all, he shook hands with every actress before her.


    Unexpectedly, he still resisted her so much.


    Smiling, she retrieved her hand in a seemingly veryposed manner. She then walked past him to


    Harry. She was again inferior and humble.


    She did not notice that Jay had stretched his hand out after she left.


    He then slowly retrieved his hand.


    After the actresses greeted the judges, they returned backstage.


    Zoe sat in the public makeup room to remove her makeup, where ire was doing the same too.


    She had advanced to the next level and was one of the first few ones to do so.


    Although the host exined that the name list of the actresses who had advanced to the next level had


    no cing, they were arranged ording to cing.


    Zoe was thest one.


    ¡°Congrattions, Zoe. You advanced too.¡± ire seemed to be very happy for Zoe.


    ¡°I got lucky.¡±


    ¡°How so? You have the strength.¡± ire tried to tter Zoe.


    However, it sounded slightly sarcastic.


    Her performance that day could never help her advance at all.


    But she said nothing more about that and echoed ire¡¯s words briefly.


    Her attire was slightlyplicated, so she was thest few people to leave the makeup room.


    When she walked out, she heard some whispers in the corridor. ¡°I¡¯m sure Zoe used some connections.


    If not? We think that you should¡¯ve been the one who advanced. Your acting skills are better than hers.¡±


    Someone was filled with indignation, and Zoe did not want to get into trouble.


    Currently, she had kept away all her sharp edges for the sake of her life and dream, so she instinctively


    wanted to escape when she heard that voice now.


    She decided to leave from the other side of the TV station. However, she identally bumped into a


    trash can in the corridor and caused a loud noise.


    That noise soon attracted those actresses, who had not left since they were gossiping.


    Zoe looked at the trash can on the floor helplessly.


    Well, she was greatly humiliated.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Great awkwardness engulfed her. She decided to pretend that she heard nothing and left.


    ¡°Zoe, did you use some connections?¡± The actress who spoke just now suddenly interrogated Zoe.


    Would they believe her if she imed that she did not?


    She did not even believe that herself.


    However, she indeed did not take such a step.


    She knew nobody in the entertainment circle now. Whom could she go to?


    She did not even have the money to use connections either.


    ¡°You¡¯re so despicable!¡¯ When the actress did not hear Zoe¡¯s retort to her, she felt that Zoe had quietly


    and tacitly consented to it. So, the actress sounded much more righteous. ¡¯Do you think you can walk


    far after using a connection? At most, you¡¯ll get kicked out in the next round. Why are you so smug?¡±


    Zoe wanted to im that she was not smug about herself at all.


    She was not smug at all. She just wanted to leave now.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± That actress flew into a rage while talking alone.


    ¡°You guys won¡¯t believe me no matter what I say,¡± Zoe said atst.


    ¡°You don¡¯t respect us. We¡¯re your seniors no matter what.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re older than me, but you guys aren¡¯t necessarily my seniors given the time you enter the


    entertainment circle,¡± Zoe said seriously.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re still the past Zoe? You even imed to be our senior. How ridiculous!¡±


    Zoe was struck speechless.


    Finally, she knew how a normal statement could be twisted until it no longer carried her intended


    meaning.

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651


    Chapter 651


    She did not want to talk any further.


    The more she said, the more fault they would pick.


    She stood up intending to leave.


    ¡°Stay right there.¡± The actress ran toward her. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you apologize to Yvonne?¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Zoe found it preposterous.


    ¡°You snatched her spot. Don¡¯t you think she deserves an apology from you? n


    ¡°The judges were the ones who gave me that spot. If you find it unfair, you should look for the judges


    and not me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re great at passing the buck, aren¡¯t you, Zoe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you another piece of truth. If you don¡¯t formally apologize to Yvonne today, you can forget


    about leaving this ce.¡±


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see who wins this time.¡± The actress blocked Zoe¡¯s way to the exit with a smug look on her face.


    Zoe tried topose herself.


    If this had happened three years ago, she would have kicked the woman aside. What an eyesore!


    But now, she had to admit that she did not have the guts to.


    She did not have the guts to offend anyone.


    She could not afford to offend anyone.


    Things came to a deadlock.


    Just then, Zoe¡¯s phone rang. She nced at the screen and wanted to answer the call when the


    actress snatched her phone away. ¡°Apologize first. Otherwise, I won¡¯t let you answer any calls!¡±


    Zoe gritted her teeth.


    She walked to Yvonne and bowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡± the actress asked threateningly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for snatching thest spot.¡±


    ¡°Finally admitting your mistake? Admitting that you went through the back door?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say is right.¡±


    Zoe decided to go all the way in her apology.


    Anyway, there was no loss for her in saying a few more words.


    The rest of them did not expect Zoe to be so acquiescing,pletely unlike the pride and aura she had


    back then.


    ¡°Can you return my phone and let me go now?¡± Zoe asked the actress.


    The actress shot Yvonne a nce, and Yvonne nodded


    The actress returned Zoe her phone and threw her a threat before leaving.¡± Don¡¯t let me see you here


    again.¡±


    Zoe looked at them leaving before finally heaving a sigh of relief.


    She looked at the missed call on her phone and quickly called back.¡± What¡¯s up?¡±


    She still was not used to calling ra mom. In fact, she did not call ra by any other address.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    The two of them felt more like strangers to each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m just calling to ask if you¡¯re done with work? How did it go? What time will you be back for dinner? I


    made your favorite-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m done, I got a spot. I¡¯lle back in a while, in around half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Well wait for you for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zoe walked out of the broadcasting station as she spoke on the phone.


    She did not notice Jay standing at a spot not far from her.


    Or perhaps, she noticed him.


    The shadows of some people in I ife ¡­j ust linger on even after many years.


    But she no longer cared.


    She no longer had any affections whatsoever, and she was d about that.


    Otherwise, if she knew that Jay simply stood idly by and watched on as others bullied her, she would


    have been heartbroken if this happened a few years back.


    Now, everything was fine.


    After Zoe left, Jay slowly hobbled out of the shadows on a walking stick.


    What exactly did Zoe go through these few years for her to be like this?


    This humble, lowly, and acquiescing in anything that came her way?!

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652


    Chapter 652


    Earlier, he had been looking forward to Zoe¡¯s retaliation. Even if she were to bring trouble upon herself,


    he would help her secretly resolve the situation. But she eventually decided topromise.


    She clearly was not at fault, but she would rather be misunderstood than cause further trouble.


    Jay subconsciously pursed his lips.


    After Zoe left North City TV station, she went straight to the train station.


    She wore her mask and cap, ensuring that she was all wrapped up so that no one would recognize her.


    In reality, gone were her days of poprity that right now, no one would recognize her. But she wanted


    to avoid all unnecessary trouble if she could.


    She started to walk briskly.


    Just then, someone called her from behind. ¡¯Zoe.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart began thumping harder.


    She stopped in her tracks, but dared not turn back to look.


    She bit her lip as she saw Cordy walk toward her.


    Yes.


    Cordy did not think that she was hallucinating.


    Lucas was not a hallucination as well. He really looked like John.


    Whereas Zoe York remained Zoe York.


    After not seeing each other for three years, she looked slightly different.


    She was dressed so¡­ordinarily.


    She looked different from the woman of the past who was always so trendily and fashionably dressed.


    Cordy noticed that even the bag that Zoe was carrying was a counterfeit.


    It was not even a good-quality counterfeit, but one that could easily be identified at a second look.


    Did Zoe not care any more?


    Did she not care about her reputation any more?


    ¡°Cordy.¡± Zoe swallowed her tears and smiled. ¡±It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°You know that it¡¯s been a while?!¡± Cordy was clearly displeased, her eyes turning red with unshed


    tears. ¡¯Where have you been the past three years? Why didn¡¯t you contact Quinn and I?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear previously? You and Quinn are myst resort. Clearly, I haven¡¯t reached the


    point of needing to take thest resort.¡± Zoe chuckled.


    Cordy looked at Zoe chuckling.


    It was a brightughter, but the sound of it made Cord/s heart ache.


    If life had been smooth sailing for Zoe, she would not have onlye back now.


    She would not have participated in that so-calledpetition too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. Let¡¯s have a meal together.¡± Zoe could not stand the look on Cordy¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s call


    Quinn too.¡±


    Since Zoe had returned, if she did not take the initiative to call Quinn, Quinn would certainly want to


    murder if she knew that Zoe did not look for her the moment she returned.


    What¡¯s more, the moment Actors on Set started broadcasting, the news of her return would spread


    across the entire country.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Cordy tried topose herself as she nodded in agreement.


    Cordy made a reservation at a restaurant and called Quinn.


    Zoe called ra to tell her about the change of ns, that she would not be going home for dinner


    tonight.


    ra was always cautious around Zoe and dared not fault her for anything. ra merely reminded her


    to stay safe and go home early.


    When Cordy and Zoe arrived at the restaurant and settled down, Quinn arrived just in time.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The moment Quinn saw Zoe, the anger boiling in her heart quickly gave way to overflowing concern


    and heartache as she said, ¡°You still bothered toe back? You probably forgot that you¡¯re from


    North City.¡±


    Zoe knew that she should not have left without saying goodbye, even changing her phone number and


    not taking the initiative to contact them. She did feel slightly guilty about that.


    When she left back then, she truly felt the hopelessness of everything in this city.


    She seriously considered leaving and nevering back.


    Therefore, she decided to be ruthless and abandon all her friends.


    That was why she never contacted her over the past three years. She feared that she was unable to


    persevere in her decision.


    There were people living in this city whom she would feel hurt and sorrow each time she thought of


    them. She did not want to live with so much struggle and pain, so she decided that she would neither


    return nor contact anyone until she had truly let go of things.


    Three years was neither a very long nor very short period of time.


    It was enough for her to let everything go, and it allowed her to start anew in pursuing her dreams and


    her career.


    So she decided to make use of this tform to return to this city.

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653


    Chapter 653


    ¡°I¡¯m back now, aren¡¯t I?¡± Zoe smiled cheekily.


    ¡°I thought you were nevering back!¡± Quinnined.


    Of course, Zoe would never dare to admit that she had considered that possibility before.


    She had be a lot more tactful over the years.


    ¡°I just went elsewhere to get a breather. Now that I¡¯m in a better mood, I¡¯m back.¡¯ Zoe tried to exin


    herself.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reach out to us over the past three years?¡¯ Quinn could not get over herself.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just wallow in self-pity for a while? All of you ended up rich and famous, while I¡¯m down and


    out. Can¡¯t you give me some time to be jealous of you guys?¡±


    ¡°Zoe! Be serious!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I was just afraid that if I reached out to you, you would betray me. There are many people in


    North City I don¡¯t want to see, so I had to hide.¡±


    ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know?¡± Zoe tried to skirt the topic.


    ¡°Jay Parker?¡± Quinn cut straight to the chase.


    ¡°Not just him, really.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that back then, Jay¡­¡±


    ¡°Can we not talk about him, please?¡± Zoe cut her off. ¡°I just saw him at the broadcasting station earlier


    and his expression was so dark he looked as if I owed him millions. Make me feel better today, won¡¯t


    you?¡¯


    ¡°So it¡¯s to hide from Jay.¡±


    ¡°Really, it¡¯s not just him. There¡¯s also Bob Davis, Nancy Levine¡­you guys have some sort of


    connection with them too, so I decided to hide from you guys as well.¡±


    ¡°Since when were you so cowardly, Zoe?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re looking right at someone who¡¯s been tortured by harsh reality,¡± Zoe said honestly yet casually.


    One could sense that she was in a positive frame of mind, in which she had let go of things that


    previously haunted her.


    Quinn wanted to say something further, but Cordy stopped her. ¡°Zoe is back. Let the past stay in the


    past.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips.


    Zoe shot Cordy a look of gratitude.


    She almost could not take Quinn¡¯s questioning.


    ¡°Do you know? Many major things happened in North City while you were away.¡± Quinn decided to stop


    comining and began chatting about another topic.


    ¡°I¡¯ve watched everything that was reported on major news outlets.¡± 1


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°John Levine¡¯s death,¡± Zoe said.


    She nced at Cordy as she said that.


    Cordy remained calm andposed.


    When Zoe left back then, Cordy and John¡¯s rtionship was not going well, thus Zoe was also not


    aware how Cordy and John¡¯s rtionship progressed subsequently.


    ¡°The Levines sold off all their assets.¡±


    ¡°n Levine passed away.¡±


    ¡°Oh yes, and Richard Levine is Cordy¡¯s son.¡± Zoe listed them all.


    She did so before Quinn gave her a hard time about it.


    ¡°Bob Davis and Cora Levine are a couple now.¡±


    ¡°Cora Levine has be a top-notch celebrity.¡±


    ¡°And¡­Sam Poodle is in jail.*


    Quinn¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Back then, he was sentenced to three years¡¯jail time. He should be released soon, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Quinn said indifferently.


    ¡°Did you divorce Sam Poodle?¡±


    ¡°Why did you suddenly ask that?¡± Quinn looked at Zoe.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t him being jailed your best chance to ask for a divorce?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t divorce him.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡¯ Zoe furrowed her brows.


    She had always thought that Quinn and Sam were divorced, although the media did not report about


    that.


    However, given that Sam was in jail, the Saunders family could not possibly force Quinn to stay with


    him, could they?!


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°A divorce wasn¡¯t necessary.¡±


    ¡°How many times does he have to let you down for you to consider a divorce necessary?¡± Zoe said


    rather agitatedly.


    ¡°Whatever it is, he¡¯s not as bad as you think he is.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re speaking up for him! Quinn Summer, are you hiding something from me?¡¯


    ¡°You hid from me for three whole years. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to hide some things from you?¡± Quinn


    said, trying to justify herself.


    Zoe was rendered speechless.


    Cordy tried to hold back herughter as she listened to their conversation.

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654


    Chapter 654


    Despite having not met for three years, the three of them simply picked up from where they left off.


    Zoe was still as lively as she was.


    Did she really manage to let everything go over the past three years?


    Did she really manage to let go of Jay, Bob, and the Levine family?!


    The atmosphere remained excellent throughout their meal.


    After dinner, they settled the bill and left without lingering for too long.


    When they left the restaurant, the three of them stopped in their tracks.


    They saw Nancy.


    Next to her stood Bob and Cora, walking hand in hand.


    They were probably just done with their dinner and about to leave.


    Coincidentally, they bumped into them.


    More specifically, Zoe bumped into them and things were so tense one could cut the atmosphere with a


    knife.


    Nancy was clearly shocked at seeing Zoe.


    Ever since she threatened Zoe, Zoe disappeared for three whole years.


    Just when she had almost forgotten about Zoe¡¯s existence, Zoe appeared right before her eyes again.


    Their meeting this time¡­


    Was not as vtile and explosive.


    They had almost be strangers.


    ¡°You¡¯re back, Zoe?¡± Cora ended up being the first one to speak.


    She asked her question in a tone of surprise.


    After today¡¯s filming session of Actors on Set, she left right after things were wrapped up.


    Her dressing room was definitely not the same as Zoe¡¯s.


    Therefore, Cora did not bump into Zoe and was truly unaware about her return.


    ¡°Yes, I have,* Zoe replied to her.


    She nced casually at Bob, who had been staring at her all the while.


    He stared so hard at her that his eyes turned slightly red.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Zoe took the initiative to greet Bob.


    She did not hold back and shot him a bright smile.


    Bob swallowed past his constricted throat, and he almost could not suppress the emotions roiling in the


    depths of his chest.


    ¡°Bob.¡± Cora furrowed her brows.


    His grip over her hand had tightened so much that it was beginning to hurt.


    That was when Bob snapped back to attention.


    He released Cora¡¯s hand and said to Zoe, ¡°Hey, wee back.*


    ¡°Got to go, I have a beauty appointment at night.¡± Nancy rushed Bob and Cora.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cora acquiesced immediately. She had always been obedient to Nancy.


    Bob left with the twodies.


    When he left, he even turned around to nce at Zoe.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Zoe shot him a faint smile, which was rather stiff.


    From the bottom of her heart, she was happy for Bob that he had found his happiness.


    Even if she had animosity toward Cora, which was inevitable given theplicated rtionship


    between them, she was willing to give Bob and Cora her blessings.


    ¡°Jealous?¡± Quinn teased as she looked at Zoe.


    Zoe shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m quite d, actually.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°I felt bad toward Bob previously, but I feel much better now seeing how well he¡¯s living his life.¡±


    ¡°How exactly did you and Bob break up?¡± Quinn couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity and asked.


    ¡°We just¡­ weren¡¯t suited for each other.¡±


    ¡°Not suited for each other?¡±


    ¡°Disparity in our family backgrounds,¡± Zoe exined further.


    Quinn, the ever-smartwyer, got it immediately, ¡°His parents objected to him being with you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past.¡± Zoe did not give Quinn a direct response. ¡°We should be looking forward to the


    future right now.¡±


    Quinn thought that what Zoe said made sense.

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655


    Chapter 655


    The three of them left the restaurant.


    ¡®Til send you home,¡± Cordy and Quinn said to Zoe at the same time.


    Three of them exchanged nces and smiled.


    What chemistry.


    Zoe shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ll head home myself. This ce isn¡¯t far from my apartment and it¡¯s quite


    convenient to get home.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let us send you home?¡¯ Quinn¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you going to refuse to meet us


    again from tomorrow onward?¡±


    ¡°How could that be? I¡¯ve set my mind to taking root here,¡± Zoe said exaggeratedly, ¡°I forgot to tell you


    guys, I¡¯m participating in this variety show called Actors on Set and I just progressed to the next stage.¡±


    ¡°So why aren¡¯t you letting us send you home?¡± Quinn was adamant.


    ¡°My house is shoddy and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be a good host to you both.


    After I strike it rich and buy a huge mansion, I¡¯ll invite both of you to my house and extend amazing


    hospitality.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t live so long to see that daye.¡± Quinn joked with a roll of her eyes.


    ¡°Hey, how can you look down on me as my best friend?! I came back this time determined to take over


    the entertainment circle again. I¡¯m bound to climb the ranks and be an A-list celebrity again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Of course I believe in you.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± Zoe waved goodbye and left.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Quinn called out to her.


    Cordy shot Quinn a look.


    Quinn immediately understood what Cordy was thinking. ¡®Take care,¡¯ she said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll text you guys once I reach home.¡±


    After Zoe disappeared from sight, Quinn turned to Cordy and said with a tinge of worry in her voice,


    ¡°Do you really think Zoe has let go of the past?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Cordy shook her head.


    ¡°She looks like that heartless Zoe York once again,¡¯ Quinn mumbled to herself.


    Cordy truly did not know.


    And that was because she looked pretty normal in front of others, but she knew deep inside that she


    had never been able to let go of things.


    Zoe boarded a bus to get home.


    She had forgotten since when she had gotten used to taking public transportation.


    She looked at North City¡¯s skyline in the beautiful night through the window.


    This ce still felt like home even after three years.


    It was the right decision to return, after all.


    Just then, her phone rang.


    Zoe saw an unfamiliar number on the screen but answered it anyway.¡± Hello?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Bob.¡±


    She had never been sensitive to numbers.


    After she switched to a new phone and changed her number, she deleted all her previous contacts.


    ¡°You even deleted my number.¡± Bob chuckled self-derisively.


    ¡°Not just yours, I deleted everyone else¡¯s too. Not even Cordy and Quinn were spared,¡± Zoe exined.


    ¡°In that case, I should be happy then.¡±


    Zoe chuckled.


    Bob had a sense of humor, as always.


    ¡°What are you calling me for?¡± Zoe tried her best to make herself sound normal. A thought suddenly


    came to mind. ¡°How did you get my number after I changed it?¡¯


    ¡°I asked Cordy for it,¡± Bob answered. ¡°As for why I¡¯m calling you¡­perhaps it¡¯s just to confirm that


    you¡¯re really back.¡±


    Zoe could not help but bite her lip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things. Things are going well between Cora and I and we¡¯re even discussing marriage.


    That¡¯s what we were doing with Nancy just now over dinner. But because Cora is a public figure, we


    have to take things slow.¡±This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your blessings.¡±


    ¡°You sound sarcastic.¡±


    ¡°What happened between you and Jay?¡± Bob suddenly changed the topic.


    ¡®That¡¯s so sudden,¡¯ Zoe thought.


    But she should have expected it, given Bob¡¯s wacky character.

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656


    Chapter 656


    ¡°Can I not tell you?¡± ¡°It was so painful for me to see you two get together at my expense, and yet you


    two did not stay together? Shouldn¡¯t you feel bad about it?¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Since you are sorry about it, at least let me know the reason so that I know the reason why I lost you


    back then.¡± Bob pursued the matter.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­sigh, how do I put it? If I told you that I asked Jay to put up an act with me because I felt


    inferior and not worthy of you, would you believe me?¡± Zoe started babbling.


    ¡°Do you take me as a three year old?¡±


    ¡°No, but that¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Zoe York, you¡¯ve never been someone with an inferiorityplex.¡± 1


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. The moment I left the Levine family, I felt more and more inferior about myself.


    Each time I was with you, I felt so much pressure. I thought it was better to cut short the pain instead of


    prolonging the agony, so I asked Jay for help.¡±


    ¡°Just because of some so-called pressure?¡±


    ¡°And also because I realized that I truly didn¡¯t like you that much.¡±


    Bob once again felt daggers piercing through his heart.


    Even though three years had passed, the wound in his heart still felt tender and raw. i


    ¡°I was facing so much pressure and I didn¡¯t even like you that much¡­so I decided to just break up with


    you.¡±


    ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough.¡± Bob did not want to harp on the subject any longer.


    It had been three years since then.


    ¡®Til be hanging up, then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just disappear into thin air next time. No one will look down on your past.¡¯


    ¡°I won¡¯t do that in the future. After all, I want to depend on myself and carve out a path for myself! One


    day, I¡¯ll be on an equal footing with all of you.¡±


    Bob chuckled.


    Although Zoe had disappeared for three years, she did not change one bit.


    She was still as bubbly and lively as before.


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up. I¡¯ve reached home,¡± Zoe said hurriedly. ¡°I¡¯m going to get out of the car.¡¯


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Zoe hung up and could not help but heave a huge sigh of relief.


    She looked at her own reflection through the car window.


    Life was a drama, and what a drama it was turning out to be!


    The next day, Zoe left home first thing in the morning to take public transport to the TV station.


    Now that she had progressed to the next stage, she had to prepare for the next round ofpetition.


    Most of the actors were busy memorizing their scripts at the station. There were many scenes where


    they had to practice with their partners, and Zoe was assigned to a three-person team.


    The segment they had to perform turned out to be one of Jay¡¯s famous movies, which was the first


    movie which Cora debuted in, and Zoe yed Cora¡¯s character.


    Because they were assigned to an excerpt of the movie, the characters featured were all on par and


    there was no main actor or actress in particr.


    Zoe was the only one in the rehearsal room when she arrived.


    As for her other two partners, one was busy filming and only avable in the afternoon while the other


    was abroad and would only return three dayster. 1


    They were given one week to rehearse their scene.


    Rehearsing a scene required a partner, especially for live programs, which differed from studio filming.


    The director could call for a cut in studio filming, but not in this case.


    But of course, Zoe could not rush them over.


    That meant that she was left with too much time on her hands.


    She was the only one without work and without a partner to spar with.


    She sat quietly in the rehearsal room, pondering about her character and practicing her lines.


    In the afternoon, one of her partners, Candice Lowe, arrived.


    As they were going through their lines, Candice said, ¡°I heard that Wynn will only have time to join us


    three dayster. Wouldn¡¯t that be too rushed for us?!¡¯


    ¡°He said that he would practice his part of the performance when he has time and he¡¯ll practice with us


    after he¡¯s back.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that really happens.¡± Candice was clearly not optimistic.


    This caused Candice to ck off as well, and she even told Zoe that she would join her after Wynn¡¯s


    return.


    As such, Zoe ended up being the only one practicing to herself in front of the mirror in the rehearsal


    room.

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657


    Chapter 657


    Zoe¡¯s eyes shifted.


    All of a sudden, she saw Jay appear, and he was surrounded by many cameras too.


    They were probably filming behind-the-scenes of the rehearsal.


    There was not much footage to offer here, though, given that she was all alone.


    ¡°Where is Candice Lowe and Wynn Yaden?¡± the director asked.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t free.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one rehearsing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do anyway,¡¯ Zoe said with a smile.


    The director did not say anything further, and he led the camera crew away without a word.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jay suddenly called out.


    ¡°Mr. Parker, what¡¯s the matter?¡± the director asked politely.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s have a look at Zoe York¡¯s solo performance.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± The director agreed before turning to Zoe. ¡°Give your movie excerpt a shot.¡±


    If Zoe were honest, she would have said that she was not willing to do it.


    There were many scenes of conflict which made it hard for her to get into the mood all by herself.


    ¡°Zoe York, put your best foot forward. There¡¯s a chance we might include this footage,¡± the director


    reminded her.


    Zoe gritted her teeth and acquiesced.


    She began acting out her part in front of the crew.


    She did her best to get into the mood, but the overall scene did not look good.


    Zoe saw Jay¡¯s face change and knew that something was wrong.


    Did he feel like she was an insult to his work?!


    It was at that moment that Zoe noticed Jay leaning against his walking stick.


    Did he fall and break his bone a few days back?


    The thought of Jay sprawling on the floor made her almost gleeful about his misfortune.


    ¡°Not too good,¡± Jaymented.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll continue working on it.¡± Zoe admitted that her performance wasckluster.


    ¡°You must work on understanding the character, what she is thinking, what she has to bear under, and


    where her point of breakdown is at. You need to build up your skills to portray these angles and


    resonate with the audience.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ Zoe said respectfully.


    Jay probably thought that she had ruined his movie.


    After all, this movie was Jay¡¯s debut into the film and movie industry and meant a lot to him.


    After Jay was done giving hisments, he left together with the director and the crew.


    Zoe heaved a huge sigh of relief.


    In fact, she had considered and thought through all that Jay had pointed out earlier.


    Her greatest challenge right now was not having a partner to work on the scene with.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Outside the rehearsal room, everyone amodated Jay¡¯s walking pace given his condition.


    ¡°When the production team signed contracts with the actors, didn¡¯t you make itpulsory for them to


    come to the TV station for centralized rehearsals?¡¯


    ¡°We did.¡± The director rified, ¡°But some actors do have othermitments. With their managers


    calling in and exining things to us, we have no choice but to ept it.¡±


    ¡°I personally feel that since there¡¯s a contract signed, they should adhere to the contractual terms. If


    you give one or two actors the leeway, others will find all sorts of reasons to be absent from rehearsals


    and that will


    negatively impact the TV program. I suggest for you to be relentless on this for the sake of program


    quality.¡±


    Having watched a few groups¡¯ performances, especially that of Zoe, the director was indeed feeling


    anxious.


    If everyone were to start neglecting centralized rehearsals and rush at thest minute, the program


    quality would certainly be negatively affected.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make it clear to everyone that starting tomorrow, it will bepulsory toe to the TV


    station for rehearsals!¡±


    The next day, Zoe was surprised to see Candice and Wynn at the TV station for the rehearsal.


    Didn¡¯t Wynn say that he could onlye tomorrow afternoon?


    Candice, however, did say that she would be here when Wynn came.


    ¡°Done so fast with filming your other program?¡± Zoe asked in a friendly tone.


    Since they had to work together, it was imperative for Zoe to build a positive rtionship with her


    partners.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about it. The director previously agreed for me to take leave, but yesterday, I was informed


    that I¡¯m no longer allowed to take leave from this program. You have no idea how rushed things were


    for me, wrapping up work and flying back to North City through the night. I barely slept for two hours


    and they had to call me here for the rehearsal. I can literally fall asleep standing right now.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a nap? Candice and I can get started first.¡±

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658


    Chapter 658


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Conversely, Zoe was thankful for the director¡¯s sudden change in instructions.


    ¡°Okay, call me up in a while.¡¯ Wynn made a beeline for the couch in the corner of the room.


    Zoe began practicing her lines with Candice.


    ¡°No.¡± Candice acted out the scene once through and gave up. ¡¯Without everyone in, there¡¯s no way I


    can get into character. I keep feeling like something is missing. Let¡¯s take a break and start again when


    Wynn is awake.¡±


    Zoe was a lot more tactful now.


    She came back to the entertainment circle with a sole purpose: to not offend a single person.


    She nodded in agreement for Candice to lie down for a rest.


    Zoe crouched down low in another corner and began reading her script and memorizing her lines.


    Each time she went through her lines, she would record herself.


    It made it easier for her to decide on what the best way to deliver her lines was.


    Zoe waited like this all the way till the afternoon when Wynn finally stirred awake. After they were done


    with lunch delivered by the production team, the three of them finally began practicing their scene for


    the very first time.


    Clearly, Wynn and Candice did not practice on their own at all.


    Both of them could hardly remember their own lines.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Zoe. I didn¡¯t expect this scene to be so hard to act out. I thought it would be a piece of


    cake, but I underestimated it.¡± Wynn apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯ll be fine as long as we practice more.¡±


    However, the moment the clock struck half past five, her two partners made up various excuses to


    leave the rehearsal room.


    Zoe was once again left alone in the room.


    ¡®All right then.1


    Since she had the time, Zoe decided to continue practicing in front of the mirror. She was so focused


    that shepletely lost track of time.


    By the time Zoe snapped back to reality, she realized that it was already ten at night.


    She made a quick trip to the washroom before leaving.


    Suddenly, the lights in the washroom were switched off.


    In fact, all the lights in the entire building were switched off.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Zoe yelled in shock.


    The darkness in an unfamiliar washroom was truly frightening.


    What was more, the washroom was an essential scene in horror movies.


    The more she thought about it, the more frightening it was.


    Zoe hurriedly looked for her phone so that she could use her shlight and call for help.


    That was when she realized that she had left her phone in the rehearsal room.


    ¡®Great,¡¯ she thought. The rehearsal room was quite a distance away from the washroom.


    How was she going to get there in such darkness on such unfamiliar grounds?!


    Zoe was in a terrible state of mind.


    She felt her heart thumping so hard, it was almost going to leap out of her chest.


    She could only grope around in the darkness as she tried to find a way out of the washroom.


    She kept trying to keep her spirits up by telling herself that everything was fine and that ghosts did not


    exist in this world.


    Ghosts were simply things that people made up to scare others, that was all


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Zoe suddenly yelled out loud.


    She touched something¡­warm.


    Could it be a mouse or a cockroach¡­


    At that moment, she felt like she was on the verge of dying.


    She suddenly heard a crash, as if something had fallen on the ground¡­


    What could berge enough to make such a loud sound?


    Zoe screamed her head off.


    She was so scared that she almost lost her mind!

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659


    Chapter 659


    In the midst of screaming, Zoe heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Jay Parker,¡± the voice said in a low tone.


    ¡®Jay Parker?!¡¯


    Zoe was stunned for a moment.


    So that thing was Jay.


    No, no. Jay wasn¡¯t a ¡®thing¡¯.


    All right.


    Regardless of whether it was a ¡¯thing¡¯ or not, what was Jay doing here?!


    Did he need to rehearse his scenes in the middle of the night as well?


    ¡°I dropped my phone when you pushed me just now. Help me find it, it should be nearby,¡± Jay told her.


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    Could he not look for his own phone?!


    How could she find it in this darkness?


    But she agreed at that moment.


    How could she dare offend Jay?


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    That would immediately cut off all paths in the entertainment industry for her.


    She tried to walk around in search of his phone.


    The moment she stepped forward, she heard a suppressed grunt from Jay.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Zoe immediately apologized.


    She probably stepped on him.


    Zoe was bbergasted at how dark everything was. A power outage had cut off all sources of light and


    made everything so dark that she could not even see her fingers before her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Zoe veered off a little.


    She seemed to have figured out the spot that Jay had fallen on.


    She could not understand it. Why did he not just get up?


    Oh, right.


    He broke his leg.


    It was quite a terrible situation.


    Zoe tried her best to avoid Jay as much as she could in the darkness.


    However, she took two steps and identally tripped on something that felt like a walking stick.


    She lostplete control of herself and fell forward.


    But when shended, it did not feel as painful as she expected it to be.


    She felt something soft on her lips, as if she had touched a part of Jay¡¯s body¡­


    She truly did not mean to fall on him.


    It was apletely ridiculous situation.


    Her copse on him made Jay grunt even louder in pain.


    It truly hurt, after all.


    Zoe immediately got off Jay¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡±


    Jay did not respond to her for a long time.


    He was probably mad.


    If it were her, she would be mad, too.


    After she got on her feet, she continued searching for Jay¡¯s phone.


    She finally managed to find it, but unfortunately, the screen was smashed from the fall and the phone


    was unresponsive.


    What a lousy phone this was!


    It waspletely wrecked.


    ¡°Is it spoiled?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Take a look.¡¯


    Zoe stretched her hands out.


    Neither of them could see each other in the darkness.


    Neither of them could see where each other was, and where the other person¡¯s hand was.


    They groped around in the darkness for a while.


    Suddenly, Jay¡¯s hand touched Zoe¡¯s face.


    The moment that happened, Jay¡¯s hand immediately jerked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Zoe said, but she found it rather hrious.


    It was not a big deal, touching her face momentarily like that.


    Did Jay have to react so strongly?!


    ¡®Rx.¡¯


    She was not going to make him take responsibility for it.


    She did not do it three years ago, and she would not do it now, three yearster.


    Zoe finally passed Jay¡¯s phone back to him, and he held it in his hand and tapped on the screen


    several times.


    The phone remained unresponsive, refusing to provide them the light they desperately needed, and


    they remained enveloped in darkness.

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660


    Chapter 660


    Zoe was beginning to lose hope.


    Was she going to stay the night here?!


    It was probably impossible for her to try to find her phone in such darkness.


    She might fall to her death before she made it to the rehearsal room.


    It was eerily silent in the darkness, and neither of them spoke a word.


    They could only hear the subtle sounds of each other¡¯s breathing.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your phone?¡± Jay suddenly spoke up after a long while.


    Zoe almost thought that Jay had vanished into thin air.


    ¡°It¡¯s in my bag in the rehearsal room,¡± Zoe replied to his question.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Are you going to take it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to. It¡¯s too dark and scary.¡±


    ¡°You kicked my walking stick away just now.¡±


    ¡°Oh. It¡¯s next to your right arm,¡± Zoe said.


    Jay crouched down and groped around in the darkness.


    Zoe heard the sound of the walking stick against the floor and figured that Jay probably found it.


    She then sensed Jay standing up next to her.


    Was he nning to help her take her phone?!


    How kind-hearted of him.


    No, he was just trying to save himself.


    ¡°Wait here for me,¡± Jay said.


    ¡°Are you sure you can make it there yourself with your injury?¡± Zoe blurted.


    She did not mean it sarcastically, but she just felt like Jay was being a little conceited.


    ¡°WelL.my body is weak, but my will is strong.¡±


    Zoe almost burst outughing.


    Who would describe themselves that way?


    In that case, she decided to wait here obediently.


    She was d to be able to sit back and wait for help, rather than banging her head against walls.


    With the help of his walking stick, Jay hobbled out of the washroom.


    She was not sure if he bumped into anything. All she could hear was the asional strange sound that


    echoed in the night.


    Zoe sat and waited for a long while.


    She had no idea how long she waited.


    She only knew that it was deadly quiet around.


    She even suspected that Jay might have left without her.


    Anyway, it would not be the first time that happened.


    Just when Zoe was about to ept the fact that Jay had left without her, she heard the sound of the


    walking stick against the ground in the darkness.


    The sound became louder and louder.


    And then, she smelled a familiar scent.


    Jay was back.


    ¡°Did you get my phone?¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Jay said.


    ¡®In that case, why didn¡¯t you switch the shlight on?!¡¯ Zoe thought.


    The password was not required to switch on the shlight.


    ¡°Your phone¡¯s out of battery,¡± Jay said.


    Zoe felt her world crashing down on her.


    Her phone battery usuallysted through the day, and she never had the habit of bringing around a


    spare charger.


    But because she recorded many videos during today¡¯s rehearsal, she probably used up much of the


    battery.


    All of Jay¡¯s effort in hobbling to the rehearsal room in the dark and bumping against many things were


    in vain.


    If Jay were not so good-natured, he would probably strangle her to death!


    Zoe took her bag from Jay and hugged her bag close to her chest as guilt filled her heart.


    She kept silent in fear of provoking Jay further, and silence ensued between them once again.


    Both of them simply waited in silence.


    ¡°Atishoo!¡±


    Zoe suddenly sneezed.


    Nights in North City were a lot colderpared to the daytime.


    Zoe rubbed her shoulders for warmth.


    ¡°Feeling cold?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Not too bad.¡±


    ¡°Do you want my clothes?¡± Jay asked again.


    Zoe really wanted to roll her eyes.


    How would she dare to say that she wanted them?!


    She was sure that Jay was feeling as cold as she was on such a chilly night.


    How could she dare to take his clothes? She was not that inconsiderate and thoughtless.


    But if Jay were to insist, she would have to ept it reluctantly.


    As such, she knew that Jay was simply being polite on the outside.


    He had always been phony.

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661


    Chapter 661


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± Zoey rejected him politely.


    Jay did not ask her any further.


    See?


    He was being phony after all.


    The night stretched on, and Zoe did not even know what time it was.


    She pondered the terrible prospect of sitting here the entire night.


    Putting aside all else, she was worried she might catch a cold from the chilly night.


    If that happened, how would she be well enough to participate in the second round of thepetition?!


    Zoe was feeling anxious inside, but she did not dare to express her fears.


    After all, there was no point in feeling anxious.


    Right now, both of their phones could not be used to call others for help.


    What¡¯s more, it was so dark around them. There was nothing she could do.


    Zoe sighed.


    She managed topose herself after the surge of emotions.


    She rationalized with herself that having ovee things that were way more difficult to swallow, like


    acknowledging the wrong woman as her mother, such a small issue like being trapped in a building in


    pitch-ck darkness was nothing.


    Since she could not do anything about it, she decided to make the best out of the situation.


    ¡®Don¡¯t fear,¡¯ she told herself. ¡®The night will pass very soon.¡¯


    After Zoe thought things through, she decided to just stay put and wait.


    She leaned against the wall along the corridor, trying to find afortable position to snooze.


    Tomorrow was yet another full day of rehearsals with her partners. If shecked sleep, she wouldck


    energy and that would affect the quality of her performance.


    Yes.


    Right now, she was most afraid of offending others.


    Zoe shut her eyes and tried to fall asleep.


    She was a self-confessed snooze junkie.


    Three years ago, when she was deep in the entertainment circle, she would oftenin about the


    lack of sleep.


    She did not understand how people could survive on so little sleep.


    People like Jay would often sleep for less than six hours in a day.


    She, on the other hand, could sleep through the entire day if no one were to wake her up.


    After many earth-shatterings things happened to her, she felt rather thankful that she was naturally able


    to sleep well.


    When she was deep in sleep, all those unhappy things would temporarily vanish.


    She expected herself to fall asleep quite quickly after all the excitement tonight.


    Zoe finally found a position she wasfortable in, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying


    her face in it for warmth.


    She shifted herself around and forced herself to fall asleep.


    She had given her best during the rehearsals today, toggling between crying emotionally andughing


    hysterically. It was truly exhausting.


    So after Zoe quietened herself down and epted her fate for the night, she fell asleep in no time.


    Jay sat in a spot not far from her and thought that he was hearing things when he heard soft snoring


    soundsing from her.


    Zoe had been on the verge of copse just minutes ago. Yet now, she had fallen asleep?!


    He could not help but call out to her. ¡¯Zoe?¡±


    No response.


    The snores became louder, and Jay suddenly chuckled.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    It was very characteristic of Zoe indeed.


    She had always been a heavy sleeper since young.


    As a child, she would often stay in bed and refuse to go to school.


    As he listened to her steady breathing, he wondered if he should be envious of her.


    Jay took off his jacket, reached out in the darkness, and put it over her shoulders.


    She shifted around a little.


    Jay thought that he had woken her up.


    The next moment, he felt a warm body falling into his embrace.


    Jay did not dare to move an inch.


    His body went stiff and his heart pumped harder.


    Zoe found afortable position in his arms and fell back into deep sleep.


    Jay had no idea how long he sat frozen in position for.


    He almost did not dare to breathe, for fear of waking Zoe up.


    He knew how much effort she had put in for the next round of thepetition.


    He appeared at the TV station today, once again.


    In name, he wanted to check on the progress of all the actors, but he knew deep down that he was


    here for Zoe.


    She was working way too hard, and he was worried that she would not be able to physically take it.


    Indeed, he found her still rehearsing by herself at ten at night.


    Even the staff of the TV station had knocked off.


    He kept his eyes on her through the surveince camera in the rehearsal room and wanted to chase


    her away many times. But each time the urge arose, he chose to stay where he was.


    Who was he to Zoe right now?!


    And then, the ckout urred.


    He just saw Zoe leave the rehearsal room and assumed that she did not make it out of the building in


    time.


    Jay left the surveince room in search of her without any hesitation.

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662


    Chapter 662


    He knew that Zoe was afraid of the dark, but because of his leg condition, he wasn¡¯t able to move fast.


    He held his phone loosely in his hand.


    When he heard movement in front of him, he hastened forward.


    Before he could reach the source of the sound, he felt someone push him down on the floor.


    His phone fell from his hand as he lost bnce and copsed on the ground.


    Before he could make any sound, Zoe yelled in pain next to him.


    He bore the pain shooting up his leg and grunted.


    That was when Zoe calmed down.


    He was unable to get up because of his right foot and his walking stick which fell a distance away from


    him.


    He asked Zoe for help to search for his phone.


    In the process, Zoe stepped on him a couple of times.


    He even suspected that Zoe did it on purpose.


    When he heard her walking further away, he thought he was finally safe from her stomping.


    Who knew that the next moment, he felt her falling right on his chest.


    The impact of her falling on him nearly killed him.


    Most importantly, Zoe identally kissed him when shended.


    It was a tiny peck that was gone before he knew it.


    Yet, it didn¡¯t fail to set his heart thumping.


    Subsequently, Zoe found his phone which turned out to be wrecked from the fall.


    But Jay was rather d with the situation.


    He was d to be with Zoe.


    He found it even better that they were surrounded by darkness.


    But, he could sense Zoe¡¯s anxiety.


    Firstly, she was afraid of the dark.


    She also had an entire day of rehearsals scheduled the next day, and she needed lots of rest.


    Finally, she probably did not want to be around him at all.


    So, Jay offered to help Zoe find her phone.


    Yet, when he finally found it, he realized that it was out of battery.


    Jay was at his wit¡¯s end.


    It wasn¡¯t that he felt like his efforts had been in vain, but rather, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint Zoe.


    He went back to where Zoe was and sat along the corridor.


    She sneezed and he offered her his clothes.


    He tried to put aside the thought that she might despise everything he had.


    As he had expected, she cared none for his offer.


    It was only until now, when she was deep in sleep, that she was willing to lean into his embrace,


    completely unguarded.


    He hugged her tighter, greedy for her warmth.


    He knew that the moment the day broke and she woke up, she would be gone.


    ***


    Zoe felt sore all over.


    Did she fall asleep?


    What time was it now?


    It looked like the sun had risen.


    She moved her arms and legs around.


    Her joints were all stiff.


    She turned around and saw Jay still asleep next to her.


    When she stood up, she realized that Jay¡¯s jacket was over her shoulders.


    She clearly remembered rejecting his offerst night!


    Did Jay put his jacket over her after she fell asleep?


    Inexplicable feelings surged across her chest.


    She¡¯ll take it that he was simply being chivalrous.


    Zoe took off his jacket and put it back on Jay¡¯s shoulders.


    She did it very gently, for fear of waking him hard.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She didn¡¯t dare to offend anyone, and in fact, had to learn the art of bootlicking with anyone who could


    help her climb thedder of sess in her career.


    She didn¡¯t expect to wake Jay up.


    His eyes opened and stared right into hers.


    They looked into each other¡¯s eyes for a moment longer.


    Jay¡¯s eyes were still bleary with sleep and he was still in a daze as he stared sleepily at her.


    ¡°Zoe.¡±


    He called out as his eyes zed over.


    It was in a low, lingering tone.


    At that moment, his innocent call of her name sounded rather suggestive.

 Chapter 663

    Chapter 663


    Chapter 663


    Zoe was stunned for a moment.


    She immediately kept her distance and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you up.¡±


    After they reunited, Zoe seemed to be always apologizing to him.


    It felt as if she greatly feared provoking him.


    Jay swallowed past his dry, parched throat.


    He was a light sleeper and did not sleep much during the night. Moreover, it was not easy to fall asleep


    with Zoe in his arms.


    He finally felt sleepy at daybreak.


    He released Zoe from his embrace and leaned her gently against the wall. He was afraid that if she


    suddenly woke up, she would be appalled at how intimately they were leaning against each other.


    He sat in another corner, leaning against the wall, and fell asleep.


    ¡°The sky¡¯s turning bright. The staff should be reporting to work soon,¡± Zoe said as she stood up and


    stretched out her limbs.


    It was indeed ufortable sleeping on the floor the entire night.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take a look outside,¡± Zoe said as she headed out.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Jay called out.


    Zoe stopped in her tracks and looked at him.


    ¡°The buttons¡­ on your shirt,¡¯ Jay said, as friendly as he could.


    Zoe looked down and saw that the first two buttons on her shirt hade undone, effectively affording


    anyone with an easy view down her chest.


    ¡°Oh, thanks.¡±


    Zoe buttoned up her shirt, feeling unperturbed.


    ¡®There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about,¡¯ she thought.


    It was not as if Jay had not seen her body before.


    After Zoe was decent, she made a move to leave. She paused in her tracks, as if something came to


    mind, and turned around to say to Jay,¡± Perhaps it¡¯s better for you to address me as Ms. York. That


    might help us avoid public spection about us which might affect the program.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Jay felt his chest tighten but he said, ¡°Sure.¡¯


    With that, Zoe left without so much as saying goodbye.


    Soon after, staff started streaming into the building.


    Some of them spotted Jay and immediately helped him into the lounge, aware that his condition made


    moving inconvenient for him.


    That was also when Jay found out that the power outagest night was because of circuitry issues,


    which were tooplicated to resolve in the middle of the night. Therefore, repair works only began at


    dawn and were only justpleted.


    When the directors of the TV station heard about Jay being trapped in the office building the entire


    night, they apologized profusely to him.


    Nobody cared about Zoe and showed her any concern.


    That was the harsh reality for her.


    After Zoe left Jay, she found a lounge andy down for a nap.


    There was no point for her to head home.


    If she did so, she would not be able to make it back here in time.


    Since it was still early, she decided to find some cefortable and go back to sleep.


    She could sleep anywhere as long as she wanted to.


    Before she made herselffortable, she borrowed a spare charger from one of the staff members to


    charge her phone and set an rm.


    At nine in the morning, when the rm rang and she woke up, she finally felt more alive and energetic.


    She went to the washroom to clean herself up before heading to the rehearsal room.


    When she arrived, she saw Wynn already inside. He was earlier today.


    Clearly, he was aware that time was running out for them.


    He greeted Zoe enthusiastically the moment he saw her, ¡°Hi Zoe! Have you had your breakfast yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Coincidentally, she did feel rather hungry.


    ¡°Come on and join me!¡± Wynn said warmly.


    Zoe did not stand on ceremony with him.


    She was impressed with all of Wynn¡¯s breakfast options, which were wholesome yet low in calories.


    They were all great choices for female celebrities.


    Things were better for male celebrities who wereparatively less strict in their diet.


    ¡°Hah, I didn¡¯t buy these,¡± Wynn immediately rified when Zoe began showering him with praises.


    ¡°Did Candice buy them, then?¡±

 Chapter 664

    Chapter 664


    Chapter 664


    ¡°Candice? How could that be possible? I just called her and she only just got out of bed,¡± Wynn


    grumbled.


    Zoe could not bring herself to point out that Wynn did not even bothering for rehearsals in the


    beginning.


    After all, she was enjoying breakfast that Wynn invited her to.


    ¡°I heard that Director Parker was the one who treated everyone to breakfast. He said he was worried


    that we would go hungry, reporting so early for rehearsals. He asked his assistant to deliver loads of


    food to every single rehearsal room!¡± Wynn exined as he gobbled a mouthful of food. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect


    Director Jay to be so thoughtful.¡±


    Zoe was not surprised.


    Having been with the Levines for so many years, Jay was adept at amodating their needs. These


    skills that he honed over time helped him navigate and go far in high society.


    ¡°I say, have you heard from the staff members?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Director Parker was trapped in herest night.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t hear about it.¡± Zoe went on eating her breakfast unperturbed.


    She left hastily just now precisely because she did not want others seeing her with Jay.


    The entertainment industry was a ce of gossip. Regardless of what the truth really was, as long as it


    was headline-worthy, it was deemed as truth.


    ¡°I even heard that he wasn¡¯t alone. Do you think Director Parker has an underground lover? Perhaps


    from our batch of actors in this program?¡±


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Zoe spat out a mouthful of low-fat milk, which mostlynded on Wynn¡¯s face.


    Zoe hurriedly pulled out some napkins to wipe his face. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t, but did you have such a strong reaction?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t! I just took a huge gulp and choked on it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Wynn asked with narrowed eyes.


    Zoe immediately asked with feigned interest, ¡°So, do you know who it is?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re interested in such gossip too, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just women¡¯s nature, isn¡¯t it? You, on the other hand, are so gossipy despite being a man.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the interest of self-preservation. If it¡¯s really someone from among us, at least we¡¯ll know not


    to offend her. Don¡¯t you agree with me?¡±


    ¡°That makes sense.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that I have no idea who she is,¡± Wynn said with a shrug.


    ¡®That¡¯s good,¡¯ Zoe thought.


    ¡®It would be terrible if he knew.¡¯


    What happened between her and Jayst night was nothing but an ident. They clearly had nothing


    to do with each other, yet she was now at risk of being the subject of rumors.


    Given her status right now, any hint of a scandal would doom her.


    ¡°As long as we take it that anyone could turn out to be his underground lover, we¡¯ll just try not to offend


    anyone and we¡¯ll be fine,¡± Zoe said indifferently.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Wynn agreed with her, ¡°I used to think that you were very proud and haughty. After all,


    you used to be¡­¡±


    Wynn paused for a moment as he observed the look on Zoe¡¯s face.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine-speak your mind,¡± Zoe said graciously.


    ¡°You used to be a top A-list celebrity. Yet, having hung out with you over the past few days, I find you


    so approachable and friendly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to not be approachable and friendly. If I were still a top A-list celebrity, see if I¡¯m


    still this approachable and friendly?¡± Zoe joked.


    Wynn chuckled.


    He appreciated Zoe¡¯s frankness.


    The two of them chatted away happily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Wynn suddenly said to Zoe.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something on your brow.¡±


    Zoe blinked.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ahl-


    Zoe yelled when the foreign object fell into her eyes.


    ¡°You silly! I told you not to move and you moved!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me not to blink!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I didn¡¯t make myself clear,¡± Wynn was an easy-going fellow and did not count it against Zoe.


    He said magnanimously, ¡°I¡¯ll help you blow it out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Wynn leaned closer to Zoe.


    The two of them looked very intimate.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Zoe was almost tearing up from the sharp pain.


    It hurt a lot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I see it now.¡± Wynn leaned in closer and blew hard at Zoe¡¯s eyes.


    Meanwhile, there was a movement at the door of the rehearsal room.

 Chapter 665

    Chapter 665


    Chapter 665


    Zoe instinctively closed her eyes when Wynn blew hard at her eyes.


    ¡°Feel better?¡± Wynn asked, slightly anxious.


    Zoe blinked her eyes cautiously. She felt like the foreign object was gone.


    As the corners of her lips lifted in a bright smile, she suddenly looked in the direction of the door.


    Wynn followed the direction of Zoe¡¯s gaze and looked over as well.


    That was when both of them saw the director and judges standing at the door of the rehearsal room.


    Wynn and Zoe immediately widened the gap between them.


    There was nothing between them, but their sudden pulling apart made it look like they had a guilty


    conscience and prime for a misunderstanding to ur.


    The director joked, ¡°Zoe and Wynn are getting along really well, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just rehearsing the scene,¡± Wynn exined in a hurry.


    ¡°Candice isn¡¯t here?* Jay changed the topic.


    He directed the question at Wynn and ignored Zoe.


    Zoe thought that Jay would have gone home to sleep after being trapped the entire night in this


    building. What was more, he had treated everyone to breakfast and should be done with solidifying his


    caring and considerate persona. What was he doing still sticking around?


    Since when was Jay so proactive? In the past, aside from the movies he chose to focus on, he had no


    intentions of expanding into other aspects of the industry.


    Could it be that since the Levines were no longer in the business circle, Jay saw sense in being more


    on the ground?


    Just like her.


    Now that she had returned to the entertainment circle, she found herself very capable of sucking up to


    people too.


    ¡°Candice is on her way. There¡¯s a traffic jam,¡± Zoe exined.


    The director could tell that Jay was upset.


    Jay had always been easy-going, but for some reason, he seemed really miffed this time.


    He supposed it must be that Jay was more serious during filming, as a director himself.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    What was more, Jay was someone he had invited in-person many times before he agreed to join the


    program. His presence might not be able to pull in significant traffic, but it would definitely enhance the


    quality of the program. Naturally, he did not dare to offend Jay.


    He immediately said to his assistant, ¡°Give Candice¡¯s manager a call and ask where they are.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The assistant immediately went aside to make the call.


    The director tried to ease the tension in the atmosphere. ¡°Since Candice isn¡¯t here yet, let¡¯s go to other


    rehearsal rooms. You two, prepare to shoot some behind-the-scenester.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe and Wynn immediately agreed.


    Just as the crew was about to leave, Hailey said coldly, ¡°You have to depend on your skills to act out a


    character well, instead of using other means and being gimmicky which will never end well for you.¡±


    Her incisive words made everything even more awkward.


    Of course, Zoe and Wynn knew what Hailey meant. She was trying to remind them not to think about


    kicking up a scandal but to instead focus on their acting skills.


    Wynn¡¯s face darkened with displeasure.


    Just as he was about to refute, Zoe suddenly said, ¡°Ms. Zimmerman, you are right. Wynn and I have


    been busy discussing the script.¡±


    Hailey did not say anything further and simply left with a straight face, with the crew following behind


    her.


    After they left, Wynn turned around and said to Zoe in a huff, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me exin things


    when she used us of that?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of an exnation? That might instead offend the judges and leave a bad impression


    on them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such a coward!¡±


    ¡°What about you? Why didn¡¯t you speak up after I did then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ You already put it that way, what else could I say?¡± Wynn sulked.


    ¡°Hailey Zimmerman isn¡¯t wicked,¡± Zoe remarked.


    ¡°Not wicked? As part of the judging panel, she criticized us so harshly, leaving us no pride and dignity


    at all. I¡¯ve been upset with her for a long time.¡± ¡°At least she¡¯s honest and not two-faced. Those people


    who look nice on the outside but stoop to underhanded means are the troublesome ones.¡± ¡°Who are


    you referring to?¡±

 Chapter 666

    Chapter 666


    Chapter 666


    ¡°Don¡¯t set a trap for me to fall into, I¡¯m just hypothesizing.¡± Zoe would never say something that would


    put her at a disadvantage right now. ¡°But I truly feel that Ms. Zimmerman is just focused on acting skills.


    It¡¯spletely eptable for her to point out bad acting if she sees it.¡±


    ¡°Zoe York, you¡¯ve really changed!¡± Wynnmented as he shook his head.


    He had seen Zoe when she was an A-lister. She had been extremely proud and haughty back then.


    Yet, now¡­


    She was on the verge of having the title ¡®Bootlicker of the Entertainment Circle¡¯ bestowed upon her.


    One weekter, Cordy brought Richard to the capital.


    Before that, she called Zoe and Quinn out for another meal.


    Zoe kept yawning non-stop throughout the meal.


    It was clear that she was beyond fatigued.


    ¡°Are you that tired?¡± Quinn said, her heart aching for her friend. ¡°If it¡¯s really too tough, just quit.¡±


    ¡°No way. This is my only chance at aeback that finally came after so long.¡± Zoe rejected Quinn¡¯s


    suggestion rather anxiously. ¡°What¡¯s more, when I was a celebrity previously, it was the same when I


    was busy with filming. It¡¯s all the same for celebrities. It¡¯s tough earning money in this line, n


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Quinn was rendered speechless.


    The cheek for Zoe to say that! Being a celebrity was known to be a lucrative business.


    But it was true that there were many hidden miseries and difficulties before a celebrity became famous.


    ¡°Can¡¯t Jay Parker help you from behind?¡± Quinn was rather upset.


    Back then, she personally witnessed how Zoe adored and pursued Jay and since then, her impression


    of Jay had been terrible.


    He was worse than Bob, in her opinion.


    ¡°Even if he dared to help me, I wouldn¡¯t dare ept it. This is apetition, with live audiences and


    audiences in front of the television.


    I¡¯m afraid of being caught ying foul.¡±


    Quinn did not know what else to say.


    Cordy said with a faint smile, ¡¯That¡¯s pretty good, having a life goal and aspirations.¡±


    Such people would be driven to live better and without regrets, no matter the oue.


    She, on the other hand, found herself losing interest in many things in life.


    Even for design, she felt more and more tired of it.


    If this went on, she was worried she might suffer from depression.


    The doctor even reminded her that insomnia was sometimes an early sign of depression.


    Her insomnia was not regr insomnia either, which made her doctor warn her to take precaution in


    prevention of depression all the more.


    What could she do to prevent depression?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    She had no idea.


    She was not interested in any of James¡¯ suggestions either.


    ¡°Cordy knows me best,¡± Zoe winked at Cordy.


    ¡°Zoe York, are you saying that I don¡¯t know you? Are you pushing me aside after our decades-long


    rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°What a joke. Do I even get jealous?¡± Quinn refused to admit.


    ¡°Quinn, if I were a man, I¡¯d certainly marry you,¡± Zoe suddenly said very sincerely.


    ¡°Why?¡¯


    ¡°Because your rtionship is in a wreck and so is mine. We¡¯d make a good pair,¡± Zoe joked.


    ¡°Zoe York, are you asking for a beating?¡±


    The two of them teased each other relentlessly.


    Cordy looked on at the both of them.


    She did not know if she was overthinking things, but she felt like Zoe had been overly lively since her


    return, as if she had really let go of the past. Or was she just forcing herself to let go of the past?

 Chapter 667

    Chapter 667


    Chapter 667


    After the meal, Cordy set off for the capital.


    She had never told Zoe and Quinn about her true identity. She felt that her rtionship with them in the


    capital was not deep and she only went back to cate them. Zoe and Quinn did not need to know


    about her life in the capital.


    It was cold in the capital, but this time, Cordy went prepared with thicker and warmer clothes.


    Sean picked her and Richard from the airport.


    After they got into the car, he said ¡°Don¡¯t even think about bringing Dicky to stay in a hotel. We¡¯ve


    prepared a room for the two of you which we¡¯ve furnished and cleaned at least three times.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy did not think about going back on her word.


    She could not retract her words once she said it even though she detested the idea deep down in her


    heart.


    Sean did not pay further attention to Cordy. Instead, he looked at Richard through the rear view mirror


    and asked, ¡°Dicky, have you thought of where you¡¯d like me to bring you to y in your visit to the


    capital this time?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a new science museum that I¡¯d like to check out,¡± Richard replied frankly.


    ¡°The science museum? Sure thing.¡± Sean was a man who was quick to action. He immediately called


    his assistant to give some instructions. ¡¯ Book three tickets for the science museum for tomorrow


    morning.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Cranston.¡±


    Sean hung up and said to Richard, ¡°We¡¯ll go tomorrow morning. You just alighted from a flight, it¡¯s


    better to stay home and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded obediently.


    Richard was taught well by John. No matter where he went and which family he visited, he was well-


    liked by all.


    The three of them drove into the courtyard of Cranston House, then got out of the car and into the hall.


    Each time Cordy visited, the entire family would be waiting for her.


    If she were honest, she would admit that she did not like such a scene.


    But her grandfather liked doing so, probably to highlight her ce in the family.


    Or rather, he was trying to wee her mother, not her.


    She had no reason to reject his gesture.


    As usual, she greeted everyone in the room.


    Cordy brought Richard to the rooms that her grandfather prepared for them.


    Now that Richard was older, he could not sleep in the same room as her. However, the two of their


    rooms were connected.


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Cordy asked after unpacking his luggage, ¡°Do you like it here?¡±


    Richard shook his head in honesty.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go back in a week.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mommy,¡± Richard said thoughtfully, ¡°Although I don¡¯t like it here, I know this is your family.


    That makes them my family and I will do my best to adjust to them and not find it difficult.¡±


    Richard was truly a sensible kid.


    ¡°What¡¯s more, you often apany me to see Grandaunt. I know you don¡¯t like her much.¡±


    Cordy chuckled.


    She had never told Richard that she did not like Nancy, but Richard was as intelligent as his father.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°y in your room for a while. I¡¯m going back to my room to unpack.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded.


    Cordy returned to her own room and started unpacking her things from her suitcase.


    She suddenly thought of something as she was hanging her clothes.


    Oh no.


    She had forgotten to bring that pillow.


    That pillow helped her to sleep.


    Without it, it would be difficult for her to fall asleep.


    What was worse was that she had also forgotten to bring her sleeping pills.

 Chapter 668

    Chapter 668


    Chapter 668


    She clearly remembered it when she left her house, but it slipped her mind with so many other things


    she had to remember.


    Cordy sighed.


    ¡®Forget it,¡¯ she thought. Til head outter to buy some sleeping pills.¡¯


    Cordy did not feel too troubled by it.


    After tidying her room, one of the servants came to tell them to head downstairs for some food.


    Everyone in the family was seated together.


    Yet, it was eerily quiet at the table.


    ¡°Dicky, what do you like to eat? I¡¯ll get the servants to prepare your favorite food for you,¡± Jesse asked


    enthusiastically.


    He really liked Richard from the bottom of his heart.


    Whenever Richard came to visit, he would try to engage in small talk with him.


    Richard had a good rtionship with n and was adept at talking to older folks.


    ¡°Thank you. Great-grandfather. I like eating everything on the table. I share simr tastes with my


    mommy,¡± Richard replied to him immediately.


    ¡°She has simr tastes to your grandmother,¡± Jesse said with slight sorrow in his voice.


    Everyone knew that he missed Gordy¡¯s mom.


    Back then when she left the house, she had left for good¡­


    ¡°Great-grandfather, eat more,¡± Richard was quick-witted to realize that something was wrong with the


    air at the table, and he took the initiative to spoon some food into Jesse¡¯s te.


    Jesse smiled, touched by Richard¡¯s gesture, ¡°Thank you, Dicky. You should eat more too, you¡¯re a


    growing child.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Very soon, the tension in the air rxed, thanks to Richard.


    Everyone else at the table would asionally sneak a peek at Richard. They were impressed with his


    maturity in face of difficult situations even at such a young age. Feelings of surprise, admiration and


    even jealousy mingled in their hearts.


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    In the Cranston family, children of the same generation as Richard ranged from as young as three


    years old to older than Richard by one year. Sean was the eldest grandson but married thetest, and


    his child was just born a month ago. He was considered ate-bloomer in his family.


    By right, as the eldest grandson in a big family like the Cranstons, Sean should have married and have


    kids the moment he was of legal age. Instead, he dragged things out until he was close to forty years of


    age.


    Cordy did not ask why.


    She did not want to know much about the Cranstons. What she had with them right now was the best


    distance with rtives, she felt.


    After dinner, Cordy brought Richard to the night market for a stroll.


    Richard seldom came to the capital. Although he was only ten years old, he already had a lot of


    homework to do.


    It was not that Cordy forced him to do it, but Richard himself wanted to do so.


    She doubted that Richard was able to take in so much, so she specially went to check in with teachers


    who taught Richard his favorite subjects. To her surprise, their answers were all consistent: Richard


    was a fast learner and was talented.


    All right, then.


    She should not have doubted the learning abilities of a talent, but she would rather bring Richard out


    for some fun.


    Richard did not really enjoy sports.


    She did not know when it began, but Richard, who clearly had great talent in sports, suddenly stopped


    all his sports sses and said that he wanted to focus on his studies.


    Cordy found herself unable to reject Richard¡¯s request.


    As long as he was happy, she would be willing to agree to anything.


    Sometimes, she felt that one¡¯s happiness was the most important thing in life.


    Everything else was fleeting.


    Cordy and Richard walked through the night market with Sean tagging along throughout the trip.


    Richard was mesmerized by many little trinkets he found in the night market and had much fun looking


    around.


    ¡°I want some milk tea,¡± Cordy said as they stopped in front of a milk tea shop.


    Cordy saw a girl holding onto a cup of milk tea.


    She was wearing a furry jacket and looked sweet and adorable.


    Her eyes were filled with satisfaction as she sipped on the cup of milk tea in her hands. It made Cordy,


    who usually loved ck coffee and has no interest in milk tea whatsoever, suddenly find that cup of


    milk tea in her hands fragrant.


    It made Cordy want to try it too.

 Chapter 669

    Chapter 669


    Chapter 669


    Sean was taken aback too.


    Why would Cordy like something that only little girls fancied?


    But he did not reject their requests. He asked Richard, ¡°Do you want one too?¡¯


    ¡°I can give it a try.¡± Richard nodded.


    Richard did not like snacks. To be urate, he didn¡¯t like eating food from outside. But if Mommy liked


    it, he was willing to give it a go.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sean walked into the milk tea shop.


    Just then, a man walked out.


    Sean was stunned for a moment.


    Lucas was shocked too.


    The moment both men brushed past each other, Lucas saw Cordy and Richard standing along the


    street.


    Cordy and Richard spotted him too.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Richard had thought he would never see Lucas again. The sudden meeting made him lose control of


    his emotions as he yelled out, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Lucas¡¯ brows furrowed.


    He had told Richard before that he was not his daddy.


    But before Lucas could speak, that girl sipping on milk tea walked toward Lucas in all smiles, wrapping


    her arms naturally around Lucas¡¯ arm. Her eyes were like crescent moons when she smiled, making


    her look gentle, adorable, and innocent.


    Cordy¡¯s heart leaped.


    The girl asked, ¡°Got it?¡±


    Lucas looked back at the girl and said, ¡°I did, but no more after this.¡±


    With that, he handed a sweet ice cream to the girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to catch a cold eating ice cream during winter, and your health is weak to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­¡¯ The girl said coquettishly as went on through pursed lips, ¡° People who have no idea might


    think that you¡¯re my dad.¡±


    Lucas smiled fondly.


    Cordy and Richard looked on as both of them behaved intimately with each other, and Cordy remained


    calm andposed.


    Lucas had mentioned many times that he had a girlfriend.


    Richard, on the other hand, was staring wide-eyed at them.


    His daddy had really moved on and fallen in love with another woman.


    Was this why Mommy was unable to believe that Lucas was Daddy?!


    Richard¡¯s heart ached, and he reached out and held Mommy¡¯s hand.


    Now that Richard was older, he felt embarrassed at times when Mommy held his hand in public,


    although it was not that he didn¡¯t like having Cordy near him.


    Cordy did not make things difficult for Richard too.


    Now that Richard took the initiative to hold her hand, Cordy knew that Richard had probably


    misunderstood the situation.


    She was all right, really.


    Previously, she thought that she might behave aggressively the next time she saw Lucas. After all, they


    had parted on a bad note previously.


    But right now, she felt absolutely calm seeing him and his girlfriend together.


    Lucas behaved so gentlemanly and chivalrously in front of his girlfriend.


    It waspletely different from how he treated her, and it made her unable to find any reason to re


    up at him.


    Some sort of chemistry had formed between them.


    Lucas did not greet Cordy and Richard.


    Richard remained silent after yelling out ¡°Daddy¡± just now.


    Cordy was silent throughout.


    She silently looked on as Lucas wrapped his arms around the girl¡¯s waist and left right in front of them.


    When they left, something suddenly came to the girl¡¯s mind. ¡°Oh yes, to whom did that little boy call


    Daddy?¡±


    Lucas ignored her question.


    The girl did not take it to heart and simply mumbled, ¡°The little boy looks so handsome, he¡¯ll surely be a


    hunk when he grows up. Come to think of it, he kind of looks like you. Do all good-looking men


    somehow resemble each other?¡±


    Lucas chuckled and said in all seriousness to her, ¡°Of course, not. I¡¯m better looking than he is.¡±


    ¡°What a braggart you are.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking the truth¡­¡±


    The two of them walked farther and farther as their voices faded out in the night.

 Chapter 670

    Chapter 670


    hapter 670


    Richard kept his eyes fixed on Mommy and the calm look on her face, wondering if she was putting on


    a front.


    ¡°Mommy, are you angry?¡¯ Richard asked cautiously.


    ¡°I am.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°Daddy might have lost his memory¡­¡¯


    ¡°Dicky, he¡¯s not your daddy. Don¡¯t call him that next time. It¡¯s not good if other people misunderstand


    things,¡¯ Cordy reminded him.


    This time, the girl did not realize that Richard was calling Lucas.


    If she did, it would be hard for Cordy to exin things.


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡¯ Richard nodded.


    ¡°As for why I¡¯m angry, it¡¯s not because Lucas has a girlfriend. I already knew that. I am angry because


    how exactly is he better looking than you are?¡± Cordy became angrier the more she thought about it.


    Her son was clearly the most handsome person in this whole world.


    All right, she admitted that she was biased as his mother. But she could not ept Lucas saying that


    he was more handsome than her son.


    ¡°Er¡­l think that Daddy, no, I mean Lucas does look better than I do.¡± Richard¡¯s face blushed.


    ¡°How could you think so lowly of yourself?! How is he better looking than you are? He does look


    decent, but objectively speaking, he¡¯s not as good looking as your daddy.¡±


    ¡®But he is my daddy!¡¯ Richard thought.


    ¡®Fine.


    ¡®Daddy might have changed in how he looked.¡¯


    Fine.


    He did agree that his original Daddy was more handsome.


    Just then, Sean walked out of the shop with three cups of milk tea in his hands.


    He was originally not interested in milk tea as well, but because Cordy wanted some, he bought a cup


    for himself too.


    Each of them had a cup to themselves.


    Cordy drank a mouthful of the tea.


    It did not taste as good as she thought it would be.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t taste good at all!¡± Sean said exaggeratedly. ¡°It¡¯s too sweet.¡±


    Cordy chuckled. She agreed wholeheartedly with him.


    Indeed, enjoying milk tea probably had something to do with her mood.


    ¡°I find it not bad,¡± Richard said.


    Children naturally enjoyed sweet stuff more.


    Sean nced at his cup of milk tea in disdain after taking one sip and refused to take another sip of it.


    ¡°Oh yes, did you see that model just now?¡± Sean asked Cordy.


    ¡°I did.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see him in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps his girlfriend is in the capital,¡¯ Cordy replied to him.


    Sean looked at her, and Cordy did not say anything further.


    The three of them walked around the night market a little while longer before returning to Cranston


    House.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The next morning, they visited the science museum.


    Richard had been interested in space since he was young. He took in everything in the space section


    and waspletely mesmerized.


    Meanwhile, Cordy found it boring.


    Sean would asionally chat with Richard.


    ¡°Aww, I don¡¯t like these. It¡¯s not fun at all,¡¯ a coquettish voice sounded from nearby.


    Cordy looked up and saw that girl with the milk tea fromst night.


    Next to her was, of course, Lucas.


    Lucas saw Cordy, and his brows furrowed.


    Cordy was rendered speechless.


    Why did they have to bump into each other so many times?


    It was like this previously, too.


    She wondered if the capital was doomed to be a ce of nightmares for them.


    Why did they bump into each other so many times in such a big city?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the beautifuldy fromst night?¡¯ The girl recognized Cordy immediately and asked


    enthusiastically, ¡°Hello! Where is your handsome son?¡±


    Cordy wondered if she could pretend not to know the girl.

 Chapter 671

    Chapter 671


    Chapter 671


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Seeing that Cordy wasn¡¯t reacting for a long while, the girl asked awkwardly, ¡°You don¡¯t remember


    me?¡±


    Cordy wondered if she could say no.


    Nheless, the girl shed an innocent smile and introduced herself.¡± Well, it makes sense that you¡¯d


    forget since you¡¯re so beautiful, while I¡¯m so in. We met just yesterday outside that store. We were


    both waiting for someone.¡±


    Cordy smiled, feeling that it would be impolite if she still stayed distant.¡± Yeah, I remember.¡± 1


    ¡°Really?¡± The girl was beaming. ¡°I¡¯m so d that a beauty like you would remember me!¡¯


    Cordy smiled faintly in turn, and nced at Lucas, who stood by the girl and stared at her.


    Was he worried she misspoke?


    But he had nothing to worry about-she loathed him, but she wouldn¡¯t sink that low.


    ¡°You think my boyfriend looks just like your son, right?¡± the girl asked excitedly. 1


    Cordy blinked.


    She was just ncing at Lucas once, yet the girl noticed?


    Still, she had to admit that the girl was very tactful¡ªshe was obviously asserting dominance, but she


    was smart enough with her words to stave off any awkwardness.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying, but Lucas insists otherwise. By the way, where¡¯s your son? You must be


    here with him, right?¡±


    ¡°Over there,¡± Cordy pointed.


    Dicky was too engrossed to notice what was going on with Cordy, though Sean did turn to look even


    though he was keeping Dickypany.


    ¡°That¡¯s your husband, right?¡± the girl asked, seeing Sean. ¡°He¡¯s so handsome! You two look like a good


    match.


    ¡°You too,¡± Cordy replied, not inclined to exin herself. It was pointless to clear misunderstandings with


    strangers, after all.


    She could also sense the look of disdain from Lucas, and she certainly could tell what was in his mind.


    Naturally, he was mocking her for two-timing. What else could it be?


    However, she didn¡¯t care about leaving an impression.


    Suddenly, the girl blushed. ¡°Lucas, I need thedies¡¯ room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Go in to thearium-just make it quick, and join me at the amusement parkter,¡± the


    girl purred.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The girl left happily.


    Cordy was intending to leave as well, since she was really uninterested and was going to find another


    spot for herself to take a break-which ironically was why she was here in the first ce.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± Lucas suddenly stopped her.


    Cordy turned towards him as he continued, ¡°I would rather my girlfriend didn¡¯t misunderstand anything.¡±


    ¡°And did I do anything wrong?¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°Keep it up. Look¡­¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes-there really was no end with his shenanigans.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mother, so you should learn how to set an example instead of misbehaving so openly with


    your own son.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cordy snorted despite herself-what did that have to do with him?


    She would educate her son, and had no need for his advice!


    ¡°Just a word of advice,¡± Lucas said as he coolly strode past her.


    Cordy really had to restrain herself from flipping out in public. 1


    Who does he think he is?


    Sean, who was ncing backwards at her from time to time, noticed that she was being emotional.


    It was hard for her to get upset, however¡ªshe knew how to convey her dissatisfaction, but she would


    never lose control of herself.


    So, Sean told Dicky, ¡°Stay here, and don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯m checking on your mommy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dicky asked worriedly.

 Chapter 672

    Chapter 672


    Chapter 672


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Sean assured Dicky. ¡¯I¡¯m fine on my own. Just don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sean strode past Lucas as he headed towards Cordy, while Lucas headed towards Dicky.


    ¡°You like these?¡¯ Lucas asked Dicky.


    Dicky turned, and was startled when he saw Lucas.


    The next second, he was delighted and quickly asked, ¡®Dad-1 mean, Lucas, did youe to see us?¡±


    ¡°No. Sorry to disappoint you.¡± Lucas never allowed anyone to fantasize.


    ¡°What are you doing here, then?¡¯


    ¡°Just came to visit.¡¯


    ¡°You like this stuff?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡¯ Lucas said begrudgingly.


    More or less?


    Dicky doubted that-adults wouldn¡¯t just ¡®visit¡¯ a ce like this.


    But it was fine, since his daddy was such a coward. He should be considerate to his daddy¡¯s dignity


    and not expose him.


    ¡°By the way, did you do the parental test?¡± Lucas asked casually.


    It wasn¡¯t as if he cared, but he had the right to know since he was someone involved.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°There was an issue with the sample,¡± Dicky exined quickly.


    However, Lucas quickly understood. ¡°So, the answer is no?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re my daddy,¡± Dicky was still determined-even if his mommy refused to acknowledge daddy


    and hated him a little now, this man was daddy and that would never change.


    ¡°The parental test wouldn¡¯t be wrong, not with how advanced technology had progressed,¡± Lucas said


    feebly. ¡°Whatever. You take your time and enjoy yourself.¡±


    But just as he was about to leave, Dicky stopped him. ¡°Lucas.¡±


    Lucas stopped and turned to Dicky. The little boy blushed as he asked, ¡°Do you really have a girlfriend


    now?¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lucas bragged.


    ¡°Not at all!¡± Dicky retorted seriously.


    Lucas wasn¡¯t upset. Why waste his breath with a child? ¡®


    Moreover¡­ Though Cordy was more beautiful in appearance alone, liking a person didn¡¯t depend


    entirely on the face-it was the feelings between them.


    ¡°Whatever reason you have, be it amnesia or somepelling reason, you¡¯ll regret getting a girlfriend,¡±


    Dicky said determinedly.


    Lucas didn¡¯t want to argue.


    Even if the boy didn¡¯t take after Cordy visually, he was as stubborn as a mule-just like her.


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Sean called out to Dicky from behind. Dicky hurried over, dumping Lucas right then and


    showing considerable spite.


    Lucas watched as the boy left, feeling a disappointment he could not quite describe.


    ¡°Lucas!¡±


    His girlfriend called out to him from behind, and he turned to her as she asked, ¡°Were you speaking


    with that boy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. About nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be very handsome when he grows up,¡± his girlfriend said earnestly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas replied.


    ¡°Oh? Is someone as proud as you admitting that there might be someone who¡¯s better looking?¡±


    As the two flirted in thearium, Cordy watched their public disy of affection.

 Chapter 673

    Chapter 673


    Chapter 673


    Unable to stand the eyesore of a sight, Cordy strode out of thearium to wait.


    It was a huge science center, and each section had many stalls for snacks and merchandise.


    Cordy soon grew bored from waiting, and headed outside a stall to pick a cone ice-cream.


    But while she waited, she was left breathing a deep sigh as she realized there was no shaking off


    certain people.


    ¡°I want some ice-cream.¡±


    ¡°No, you just had itst night. Your stomach would suffer if you had more,¡± Lucas said sternly.


    ¡±1 hate you!¡±


    ¡°Be nice, and I¡¯ll take you to the amusement parkter.¡±


    Lucas was coaxing his girlfriend as if she was a child. One must admit that Lucas treated his girlfriend


    well, even if he was harsh towards everyone else.


    It was clear how protective Lucas was of her, too.


    Just as Cordy was about to leave with her ice-cream, the girl stopped her again. ¡°Excuse me, pretty


    lady!¡±


    Cordy wanted to tell her that they had only met by chance, which made them strangers; and strangers


    didn¡¯t have to go out of their way to greet the other.


    Just keeping quiet and walking past each other was just fine.


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Cordy forced a smile.


    ¡°See? She¡¯s having ice-cream too,¡± the girlined unhappily.


    ¡°She¡¯s her. You¡¯re you.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    ¡°We¡¯re both women!¡± The girl pouted.


    ¡°Be good,¡± Lucas said sternly.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± the girl nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°Come. I¡¯ll take you to the amusement park.¡±


    ¡°See you, prettydy.¡± the girl waved Cordy goodbye.


    Cordy smiled, then looked at her ice-cream. Suddenly, it didn¡¯t look as tasty as it did a moment ago.


    Cordy waited outside for a long time before Dicky finally came out reluctantly with Sean.


    ¡°We cane again tomorrow if you like it here,¡± Sean said to Dicky.


    ¡°Okay!¡± He agreed to it immediately. Cordy looked at him, wondering if she had raised an astronaut.


    Later, they returned to Cranston Hall.


    Not everyone in the extended family stayed there. It was usually just Sean¡¯s family with Jesse; others


    had their own mansions.


    However, they often visited, so things were rtively livelier here.


    ¡°Dicky, did you have fun today?¡± Jesse asked Dicky kindly.


    Dicky¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. While the adult Cranstons didn¡¯t consider Cordy or Dicky a threat and


    weren¡¯t hostile, the children might think that Jesse was ying favorites. It was why they were more or


    less jealous and hostile to Dicky.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Dicky quickly replied. ¡°Uncle Sean said he¡¯d bring me again tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Good, good! You can ask your uncle to bring you anywhere you want. You should stay a few more


    days in the capital too,¡± Jesse said happily.


    Dicky, however, knew his mommy didn¡¯t like it here. Thus, he couldn¡¯t help turning towards her.


    Cordy quickly leapt to his defense. ¡°Dicky still has sses to attend in a few days.¡± i


    ¡°Just call it off. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Jesse said nonchntly.


    ¡°No, the teachers will have a word about that.¡±


    ¡°Who is it? How dare they criticize Dicky? They don¡¯t want to keep their jobs, do they?¡± Jesse was


    incensed.


    Startled, Dicky quickly exined, ¡°They¡¯re just worried for my sake, Great grandfather.¡±

 Chapter 674

    Chapter 674


    Chapter 674


    ¡°Grandfather¡­¡±


    Cordy walked over to Jesse¡¯s side and sat down, and said affectionately,¡± He can be a little studious, so


    it¡¯d be difficult if you kept him away from school.¡±


    Next to her, Dicky nodded repeatedly.


    That was when Linus, Jesse¡¯s grandson, sighed feebly beside them. ¡°So Dicky¡¯s the neighbor¡¯s kid¡­as


    one would put it.¡±


    Linus was just a year younger than Sean, but his child Ss was already eleven and the eldest


    amongst his generation.


    He had been sitting primly with everyone in the living room, appearing very refined and disciplined.


    Of course, he could be doing that only to present himself as a prim and proper child.


    ¡°Ss is amazing too. I heard he won first ce at the national arithmeticpetition,¡± Cordy


    strategically praised in turn, eager to not make enemies for Dicky.


    The air in the room became amicable-Ss was still a child despite being so mature, and he naturally


    smiled at the ttery.


    ¨C i


    It was the fourth day Cordy and Dicky were spending at Cranston Hall, and Dicky still insisted on


    visiting the science center.


    Having been visiting it for days, Cordy felt like Sean was about to get a stroke.


    Fortunately for him, Jesse mentioned earlier that rtives were visiting in the afternoon, and asked the


    whole family to gather. Sean therefore had an excuse to not go, though he promised Dicky to go again


    tomorrow.


    Cordy had heard about them beforehand-they were the Lynds, another important family in the capital.


    Jean Cranston, the Lynd matriarch, was the eldest of the family following her husband¡¯s passing. She


    was also Jesse¡¯s younger sister.


    Thus, it was only natural that her eldest son Keh Lynd was the heir to the family estate.


    While the Lynds weren¡¯t particrly close with the Cranstons, they would always bring everyone to


    gather a couple times with each other.


    One reason was to actually bridge rtions, while the other was to show everyone else that they were


    quite close, in turn strengthening their respective positions, i


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Jean and her family arrived at Cranston Hall at three, in a convoy of luxury cars. Fortunately, Cranston


    Hall was big enough to not get congested.


    This was the first time Cordy met the Lynds¡ªnone of them ever came on previous asions they


    were here.


    Still, she just had to blend in the crowd since she was not the main character of the day. They would be


    leaving after dinner as well. For the time being, she just had to handle them.


    Yet, that was when Cordy saw Lucas and his girlfriend.


    To be precise, it was Lucas¡¯s girlfriend who spotted Cordy first. She called out to Cordy in delight. ¡®Hey,


    prettydy!¡±


    ¡°Do you two know each other?¡± Jean smiled at her granddaughter.


    ¡°We met a few times. She¡¯s so beautiful it¡¯s hard to forget her,¡± the girl said earnestly.


    ¡°You¡¯re no slouch yourself,¡± Cordy smiled.


    ¡°Is that Nana? My goodness, you¡¯ve grown! When did you return to the country?¡± Jesse asked mildly.


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Cranston. I¡¯ve just been back a few days, and I couldn¡¯t wait to join Granny to visit you,¡± Nana


    replied sweetly, clearly more than adept at handling old folks.


    ¡°Oh, of course. Doe by more often.¡± Jean smiled in return.


    ¡°And you must be Sean,¡± Nana eximed excitedly, turning towards Sean just as enthusiastically. ¡°I


    thought you looked familiar when I saw you with the prettydy over there¡­ I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re


    actually Sean!¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re Nana?¡± Sean eximed in surprise. ¡°You were just five when Ist saw you. You¡¯ve really


    sprouted!¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m 25 now.¡± Nana grinned.


    ¡°25? You look just 18.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I look so young people kept mistaking me for being underaged,¡± Nana grumbled. ¡°I had to show


    my ID card when I joined some friends at the club.¡±


    Everyoneughed at her words.

 Chapter 675

    Chapter 675


    Chapter 675


    Thanks to Nana, the mood between the two families was good.


    Jesse turned towards Lucas just then. ¡°Is this your boyfriend, Nana?¡±


    Lucas nodded respectfully. ¡¯Hello, Mr. Cranston. I¡¯m Lucas Lynch.¡±


    ¡°What a fine young man you are!¡± Jesse said as he studied Lucas. ¡°But why do you look so familiar?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think he resembles your great-grandson, sir?¡± Nana pointed out, turning towards Dicky.


    Jesse realized with a start, and eximed, ¡°Why yes, they do!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a strange coincidence,¡± Lucas said humbly.


    ¡°Sean, is that your granddaughter?¡± Jean asked when she saw Cordy.


    ¡°Oh, yes. She¡¯s been working at North City, so he doesn¡¯te by often. Cordy? This is my sister,¡±


    Jesse said. He beckoned Cordy to him and introduced them.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Lynd,¡± Cordy greeted her politely.


    ¡°Oh, of course I know Cordy. Your career is really taking flight, and I often see you in the news!¡± Jean


    started to heap praise on her. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯re family, even though I¡¯ve always been saying that


    everyone in our family is the best of the best.¡± 1


    ¡°You tter me, Mrs. Lynd. I¡¯m just lucky.¡±


    ¡°You should give yourself more credit. You have a ir for fashion design, just like your mother¡­¡±


    Jean sighed, while Cordy smiled faintly in silence.


    The atmosphere suddenly turned somber¡­until Nana suddenly gasped in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re not Sean¡¯s


    wife?¡±


    Sean quickly asked, ¡°Why would you say that, Nana?¡±


    ¡°Well, you were always together, and you really cared for the prettydy¡­l mean, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just taking her on trips around town since she rarely visits the capital,¡± Sean exined.


    ¡°Oh, dear me!¡± Nana shed an awkward smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Cordy said, otherwise keeping quiet.


    And here she thought they were strangers! They just had to be rtives.


    This was going to be a serious mess.


    ¡°Well, where¡¯s your husband, Cordy?¡± Nana asked naively.


    Cordy pursed her lips. ¡°He passed away.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Nana said, clearly flustered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. I thought-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s been years.¡± Cordy was calm somehow. 1


    ¡°Okay.¡± Nana nodded, and stopped right then.


    The two families headed indoorster, and Cordy stayed in the living room with them for a while.


    Seeing that the others each had their own business, she decided to take Dicky out to the rear garden


    for a breather-she was feeling a little overwhelmed, and Dicky was on edge too.


    It turns out Lucas and Nana were sitting at the gazebo there, with Nana unable to stop herself from


    saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t think Cordy¡¯s life was that unlucky. Her mother and husband are both gone, leaving her


    alone with Dicky to fend for themselves.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas grunted.


    ¡°She¡¯s so beautiful, yet so tragic!¡± Nana sighed.


    Lucas pursed his lips, a flicker of emotion showing on his face.


    He turned to see Cordy and Dicky having a stroll in the back garden.


    At the same time, Nana¡¯s eldest brother arrived. ¡°Grandma¡¯s calling for you, Nana. You should head


    inside.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Nana said, rising from her seat. ¡°Wait for me, Lucas. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just go.¡±


    After Nana left, Lucas hesitated for a moment before approaching Cordy and Dicky.


    Cordy frowned when she saw him approach. Where did Nana go? She was just there with him, wasn¡¯t


    she?


    Lucas seemed to have read her mind. ¡°Her grandmother was asking for her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Cordy replied, staring nkly at him.


    And? What was he doing here?

 Chapter 676

    Chapter 676


    Chapter 676


    To be an eyesore to me?


    ¡°So¡­* Lucas began, but was soon silent again.


    Cordy frowned even harder at that.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Dicky suddenly said. ¡°Can I go back to my room to y with my tablet?¡±


    Cordy was left speechless.


    Dicky¡¯s tact was wasted on them, in her opinion¡ªshe definitely didn¡¯t want to be alone with Lucas.


    But before she could say a word, Dicky slipped away, leaving Cordy gritting her teeth just then.


    Still, she said, ¡°Just spit it already, Lucas. Don¡¯t worry-no one would find out about our grievances,


    since we¡¯re more or less rtives now. I for one won¡¯t try to hurt our families¡¯ rtionship.¡¯


    Lucas was left staring at Cordy.


    Did she presume he was threatening her to keep her mouth shut again?!


    Even if she didn¡¯t actually speak much with her before, he knew her well enough to tell that she always


    keeps her promises, and he didn¡¯t have to repeat anything.


    He inhaled deeply and finally said, ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy was puzzled.


    ¡°When I implied you had loose morals,¡± Lucas said rather quietly, his ears turning red if one looked


    closer.


    Still, Cordy smiled-he had been convinced that she was two-timing and setting a bad example for


    Dicky. Now that he knew that Sean was a cousin, was he actually feeling guilty?


    To be honest, she didn¡¯t think Lucas had it in him.


    He only ever cared about his own feelings, didn¡¯t he?


    After he apologized, Lucas demanded grumpily, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you exin yourself?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point? Would you believe me?¡± she asked in return.


    Lucas was dumbstruck¡ªhe definitely was difficult to persuade, and was always dead set on what he


    believed to be true.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Cordy added tly¡ªbut not for his benefit.


    She was convinced exnations were wasted on pointless people, and she didn¡¯t have to care how


    others saw her.


    After going through so much, she had long since be immune to the opinions of others.


    Spotting Nana, she said, ¡°Your girlfriend¡¯sing out. There¡¯s no need to get involved with me and


    cause further misunderstandings.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    With that, she strode past him-earnest in cutting ties with him in fear of being misunderstood.


    Lucas pursed his lips ever so slightly.


    His heart felt ufortable for some reason, as if a boulder was pressing over his chest, leaving him


    with monumental pressure.


    The feeling only got worse because of Cordy¡¯s nonchnce, but he left Cordy striding away coolly.


    When Nana returned to Lucas¡¯s side, she noticed something different about him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Lucas came to his senses, and his heart seemed to skip a beat as he did.


    Cordy¡¯s influence on him was clearly a little over the line.


    He rarely went out of his way to care about others.


    Even his affection for Nana came out of sheer coincidence-because they were each at the lowest


    moment of their lives at the time.


    As they licked each others¡¯ wounds, they got into a rtionship, as if it was the logical conclusion.


    On the other hand, he only met Cordy a handful of times. Yet, he had this indescribable feeling when it


    came to her.


    Maybe he was just feeling guilty about misunderstanding Cordy.


    There was no need to dwell on it.

 Chapter 677

    Chapter 677


    Chapter 677


    Nheless, Lucasposed himself and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .


    Nana didn¡¯t ask any further. They continued their stroll in the back garden, flirting with each other as


    much as they could.


    Dicky was standing on the balcony of Cordy¡¯s room, watching with a tilted head as his daddy dated


    another woman.


    He turned to look at his mommy.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cordy asked, sensing his gaze.


    ¡°Nothing.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on it. I don¡¯t care at all since he¡¯s not your daddy,¡± Cordy said, reading her son¡¯s mind.


    ¡°What if he was? Would you try to get him back?¡± Lucas blurted.


    Cordy¡¯s heart could stop right then.


    What if he was¡­


    Still, she said bluntly, ¡°No, he¡¯s not.¡±


    There was no chance, so there was no need to waste any time thinking about it.


    Dicky bit his little lips, suddenly feeling an impulse to perform another parental test.


    Even if his mother was right-that they could live well without his daddy, he must find out the truth.


    That was his principle as a person. Thus, he made up his mind.


    During dinner, Dicky sat beside Lucas.


    No one stopped him, even joking that it was fate.


    Cordy naturally sat with Dicky, with Dicky between her and Lucas.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you don¡¯t like the food?¡¯ she asked Dicky, seeing that he didn¡¯t seem to be paying attention to his


    dinner.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t do anything about Dicky¡¯s obsession towards Lucas.


    It was fine in North City since they were apart, but Dicky couldn¡¯t control himself once they met.


    No matter how she tried to talk Dicky out of it, Dicky would always try to approach Lucas.


    ¡°No,¡± Dicky said, and quickly resumed eating again.


    Just then, Lucas put a piece of beef on Dicky¡¯s te. ¡°You need to eat more while you grow up. The


    girls wouldn¡¯t like you if you¡¯re tiny.¡±


    Dicky felt a little wounded, since he wasn¡¯t short at all. Rather, he was amongst the tallest children in


    his ss and just a head shorter than Lucas himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding. Just eat more.¡± Lucas smiled at Dicky when he saw thetter¡¯s reaction, even patting


    Dicky¡¯s little head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± Dicky suddenly said very sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t pat my head.¡±


    Lucas frowned-Dicky was never distant before, and was even very friendly.


    Tonight was no exception, as the boy sat beside him eagerly.


    ¡°Mommy said that a man¡¯s head and a woman¡¯s waist are never to be touched,¡¯ Dicky said solemnly


    and righteously.


    Beside him, Cordy pursed her lips. She actually didn¡¯t mind Dicky getting friendly with Lucas since it


    was their business, but that didn¡¯t mean she was willing to be dragged into it either.


    ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t touch you,¡± Lucas said, nonchnt for once. ¡°You¡¯re a little man now.¡±


    ¡°Promises don¡¯t count¡­ Unless I get to touch you back,¡± Dicky suddenly requested.


    Cordy frowned; Dicky had never been this radical before, and Lucas clearly apologized too. 1


    ¡°Dicky,¡± she began sternly-she wasn¡¯t siding with Lucas, but she didn¡¯t want her son to be so vengeful.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can do it.¡± Lucas reacted mildly, even arching his back and lowering his head so that


    Dicky could reach him easily, adding, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t touch you without your permission.¡±


    Dicky stared fixedly at Lucas¡¯s head, aiming for a hair that he could pull out as soon as he reached


    Lucas¡¯s head.


    It had to be done in one swift stroke, since this was a rare chance.


    Dicky was nervous, something Lucas found amusing. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Dicky inhaled sharply and reached out right then-as soon as he reached Lucas¡¯s hair, he singled out a


    strand and pulled.

 Chapter 678

    Chapter 678


    Chapter 678


    Lucas frowned, feeling a sharp sting ever so slightly.


    He looked up at Dicky, and saw the boy blushing. Dicky quickly got out of his seat with the excuse that


    he was full.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Cordy noted her son¡¯s odd behavior. Since she wasn¡¯t watching when Dicky touched Lucas¡¯s head, she


    didn¡¯t know what exactly he did.


    She watched as he suddenly left, thinking that he probably got embarrassed ¡ªhe never acted like that


    before.


    Still, they were fortunate that they weren¡¯t seated at the main table, where the elders were. Rules


    weren¡¯t that strictly enforced on the other tables.


    On the other hand, Nana watched as Dicky left. She turned to ask Lucas softly, ¡°You really like Dicky,


    don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you say that?¡± Lucas asked in return, putting a shrimp on her te.


    He had been doting on her like that since the food arrived. The others on the table had teased her a


    few times, leaving her blushing.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re really nice to him,¡± Nana said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I nice to you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± Nana shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m your girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a kid.¡±


    ¡°You like kids?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re alright.¡±


    ¡°I can give you one if you do¡­¡±


    ¡°Be good, and eat your greens. Get pregnant when you¡¯ve recovered.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Nana flushed right then.


    Cordy listened as they flirted, wanting really badly to tell them to keep it down-that she could hear


    them.


    But naturally, she wasn¡¯t about to meddle that much.


    Jean was not in a hurry to leave after dinner.


    Perhaps feeling that family was more important with age, she had small talk with Jesse over tea, and


    both families remained in Cranston Hall, 1


    Lucas was probably gone by then, but Cordy didn¡¯t go out of her way to find him-it was just that she


    found Nana alone, watching her phone in the living room.


    Nana was supposedly inseparable with Lucas, but he probably left because something came up, given


    his absence.


    Cordy took no notice, and nonchntly took a slice of cake from a servant, nning to bring it to Dicky.


    The boy still enjoyed sweet food, and she was thinking about bringing him dessert after dinner.


    However, just as she was about to head upstairs¡­


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Nana¡¯s sweet voice called out from behind.


    Cordy stopped in her tracks, since she couldn¡¯t stay indifferent towards Nana¡¯s friendliness.


    She turned to find that Nana¡¯s eyes were sparkling as thetter stared at the slice of cake in Cordy¡¯s


    hands. ¡®That cake looks so tasty¡­¡±


    Cordy actually envied Nana-a glutton who never gets fat, even a little too slim.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Lucas had been really worried about her health all this while.


    ¡°Do you want it?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Of course. There¡¯s plenty to go around¡ªI¡¯ll just get another,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°Thanks, Cordy!¡± Nana didn¡¯t shy away at all.


    She gave this impression that she was sweet and charming, yet it didn¡¯t leave people repulsed.


    Such was probably the difference between a natural and pretentious person.


    Cordy gave Nana the cake, and Nana took a bite; her eyes gleamed in satisfaction, as if she never had


    any in her life prior to this.


    But given the Lynds¡¯ background, they definitely could afford expensive cakes, even if they weren¡¯t as


    powerful as the Cranstons. 1


    Perhaps it was simply Cordy¡¯s preferences for gourmet food.


    Anyway, Cordy thought nothing of it.

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679


    Chapter 679


    Cordy went upstairs again after getting another slice of cake. Just as she reached the second floor,


    however, a ruckus took ce downstairs.


    Cordy hurried downstairs, presuming that the Lynds were leaving and that she should see them off as


    well as a gesture of respect. At least, until she heard, ¡°Help! Somebody! Nana¡¯s in trouble!¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-what happened to Nana?


    In that instant, she quickly strode downstairs. Just as she did so, Lucas entered from the living room,


    shoving his way through the crowd and cradling Nana¡¯s breathless frame in her arms.


    Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing rushed-she looked like she could catch something terrible


    and die at an instant!


    Cordy wondered if there really was something wrong with Nana¡¯s health, since even Jesse had been


    especially concerned about it; as was Lucas.


    She appeared very concerned,pletely oblivious that she had something to do with Nana¡¯s sudden


    condition.


    Lucas cried, ¡°Get an ambnce right now!¡±


    ¡°I already did¡ªa chopper will arrive soon,¡± Nana¡¯s brother said anxiously. ¡°I thought she recovered¡­


    How did this happen? What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Lucas did a simple checkup on Nana¡¯s body, his face dropping when he saw the red spots that had


    suddenly appeared on her neck.


    ¡°Did someone feed her mangoes?!¡± he asked furiously.


    Everyone was left trading nces. Sean said quickly, ¡°No, she didn¡¯t. We didn¡¯t buy any mangoes


    today, either-we told the kitchen specifically because we know about Nana¡¯s allergy.¡¯


    ¡°There was that mango cake, wasn¡¯t there?¡± one of the Lynds suddenly said.


    Sean didn¡¯t defend himself. Instead, he quickly called in the butler, who said confidently, ¡°There was a


    mango cake, but it was the children who specifically asked for it. However, you can be assured none of


    the servants brought it to Miss Lynd. I give you my word that nothing she ate contained mango. I was


    the only one who gave out the only slice of mango cake.¡±


    The butler was staunch about his statement. Plus, after his long years of service, Sean wasn¡¯t about to


    mistrust him.


    But with the Lynds with them, he didn¡¯t want to leave anything to chance.¡± Check the cameras.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    If it was the fault of someone from his family, they would punish the person ordingly.


    If not, they would clear their name of any wrongdoing.


    That was when Cordy announced, ¡°I gave it to her.¡¯


    She was the one who took the mango cake at the time, and the butler was the one who personally


    gave it to her.


    Knowing that she was giving it to Dicky, the butler had eagerly picked the slice for her.


    However, she ran into Nana, who took it off her hands.


    Cordy suddenly realized why Nana appeared so blissful and content as she tasted the cake.


    But if Nana knew that she was allergic, why would she eat it, and so much at that?!


    The cake had a very rich texture-she definitely would¡¯ve tasted the mango!


    Everyone turned towards Cordy after what she said, with Lucas screaming furiously, ¡®Why would you


    give it to her? Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s allergic to it?!¡¯

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680


    Chapter 680


    In turn, Cordy¡¯s fury rose and she shot back, ¡°How should I know?!¡¯


    Cordy knew she shouldn¡¯t be throwing a fit when Nana was this weak, but Nana kept eating the cake


    despite knowing her own allergy. That was Nana¡¯s own fault!


    ¡°Who told you to give it to her without asking? She¡¯s physically different, get it?!¡± Lucas kept yelling at


    her regardless, albeit over a different reason.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to her. She asked for it!¡± Cordy lost her cool for some reason, though she certainly didn¡¯t


    want to take it lying down when she was unjustly framed.


    ¡°She asked for it? When she knows that her allergy could stop her heart?!¡¯ Lucas kept screaming,


    uncaring for her words. ¡®Do you know about her congenital heart defect? That her allergy could trigger


    it? Are you saying that she wanted to die when she asked forthat cake?!¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, confused why Nana would y around when her own life was at stake.


    Was Nana that eager to fill her belly? Even if it meant dying?!


    Lucas was still dead set that Cordy was at fault, and wasn¡¯t giving her an inch at all despite so many


    people watching. ¡°You must have given it to her, and she felt ufortable refusing it! Isn¡¯t that right?!¡±


    Sean finally had enough of Lucas¡¯s actions. He spoke out sharply, ¡°Cordy only recently returned to our


    fold. She doesn¡¯t know about Nana¡¯s condition.¡±


    Jesse spoke up too, and was naturally siding with his own. ¡°I forgot to tell her about Nana.¡±


    Even Jean quickly tried to calm things down. ¡®Lucas is just worried. It¡¯s


    been a while since anything like this happened to Nana-Cordy can¡¯t be med for what she doesn¡¯t


    know. She¡¯ll just have to watch up next time.¡±


    Despite her words, it was easy to hear the using edge in Jean¡¯s voice.


    Cordy was going to defend herself, but Sean tugged at her sleeve and stopped her.


    With that, Cordy calmed herself. Knowing that Nana¡¯s life was in danger, she said nothing.


    The more she spoke, the more the Lynds and Lucas would be furious and assumed that she cared


    about herself after what happened.


    She gritted her teeth and decided to bear with it, while turning to look at Nana, who was still in anguish.


    If Nana really ate the cake because she was just that much of a glutton, then Cordy had no quarrel with


    Nana.


    But, if that wasn¡¯t the case¡­


    Cordy narrowed her eyes, but stayed silent otherwise.


    Still, the medivac arrived outside Cranston Hall front porch. Lucas scooped Nana up in his arms as he


    dashed towards it.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Nana¡¯s brother and Sean followed, thetter acting as a necessary representative and a basic gesture


    of taking responsibility.


    After Nana was taken away, the rest of the Lynds left as well, leaving just the Cranstons in their own


    home.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day,¡± Jesse told them. ¡°Let¡¯s all go back and get some rest. Also, don¡¯t breathe a word


    about what happened tonight.¡±


    He was staunchly on Cordy¡¯s side, refusing to let his family say anything remotely harsh on her.


    Once the other Cranstons were gone, Cordy went out of her way to exin to Jesse, ¡°Nana was the


    one who asked for the cake herself. I didn¡¯t force her to take it or offer it to her.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re like?¡± Jesse smiled wryly. ¡°Others aside, you¡¯d never meddle in


    anyone¡¯s affairs. In fact, you¡¯re acting like a guest even when you¡¯re with family. Why would you offer


    anything to anyone?¡±


    He sighed, a little bitter that Cordy never assimted with the family even after all these years.

 Chapter 681

    Chapter 681


    Chapter 681


    Cordy bit her lip, having no response to her grandfather¡¯s begrudging usation of her.


    It turned out that Jesse knew all along-he simply left it unsaid.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you. I know you, and if I hadn¡¯t¡­¡± 1


    Jesse¡¯s words trailed off as he sighed, and quickly changed the subject.¡± The Lynds were feeling hot-


    headed tonight. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t defend you- saying too much would upset them, and in turn, they¡¯d


    be even angrier with you. Let¡¯s wait until Nana recovers. I¡¯ll find a chance to clear the air with my


    sister.¡± 1


    ¡°Thank you, Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°You must be tired too. Get some rest.¡±


    ¡°You too.¡±


    With that, Cordy left Jesse¡¯s room.


    She could feel his care and love for her, but in reality, she had a hard time epting such an unfamiliar


    family.


    Dicky was waiting for her in her room. Cordy asked him calmly, ¡°Arent you going back to your room to


    sleep?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you upset? Lucas yelled at you,¡± Dicky asked her very bluntly.


    ¡°I am, but it¡¯s understandable,¡± she replied.


    She took offense since she was feeling heated as well. Now that she had calmed down, she was a lot


    less heated.


    Anyone would react like that when the person they loved was in danger. She actually regretted arguing


    with Lucas, since doing so was pointless.


    Noticing that Dicky was staring at her in confusion, she said, ¡®For example, if I got hurt and you think


    Lucas was responsible, would you get upset with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Dicky replied without hesitation.


    ¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°That¡¯s how anyone would react when it concerns someone they care


    about. Lucas loves Nana, and it¡¯s understandable he threw a fit at me because he thought I hurt Nana.


    I was in turn upset because I believed he was wrongly using me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather he didn¡¯t!¡± Dicky huffed indignantly. ¡°You could have exined, right?¡¯


    ¡°I will when I have the chance,¡± Cordy said, patting Dicky on the head. Suddenly, she paused with a


    smile. ¡°My bad. You¡¯re a big boy now. You know that a man¡¯s head shouldn¡¯t be touched lightly.¡±


    ¡°You can touch me, Mommy. No matter how old I get.¡±


    As he spoke, he brushed his head against her palm. Cordy felt warmth blossom in her.


    Even if Dicky was convinced that Lucas was her daddy, he was still more affectionate to her.


    She wondered if John would be jealous if he knew-he was the one who raised Dicky all the way to


    seven years old. Dicky only spent three years with her, but waspletely taken with her.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Patting Dicky¡¯s little head, Cordy said, ¡°You¡¯re just a kid. You don¡¯t have to worry about the affairs of


    adults. You should also trust me, since I¡¯m never the one who gets bullied. I¡¯m not holding it against


    them because it doesn¡¯t affect me that much, and I don¡¯t have to waste my precious time.¡±


    Dicky nodded, though there was no telling if he understood.


    ¡°Now go to bed. You need to sleep early to get taller.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worried I can¡¯t get taller, right?¡± Dicky


    appeared a little wounded, perhaps remembering Luacs telling him that girls wouldn¡¯t like him if he was


    small.

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682


    Chapter 682


    Cordy assured Dicky. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll definitely grow very tall.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Dicky nodded. ¡®Til definitely be taller than Lucas.¡±


    Cordy was left speechless, since that might be unnecessary.


    What if he got taller than six feet? That would make getting a girlfriend harder.


    Nheless, her feignedposure crumbled after Dicky left.


    It had been an unpleasant day, after all.


    Early next morning, someone knocked on Cordy¡¯s door.


    She opened it to find Sean standing at the doorway, looking a little tired.


    Had he just returned from the hospital? What about Nana?


    ¡°Sorry to wake you this early,¡± he apologized, unaware that he was insomniac.


    Come to think of it, Cordy had been forgetting to buy herself sleeping pills since she came to Cranson


    Hall. She basically hadn¡¯t slept for days;


    technically, Sean wasn¡¯t waking her up.


    ¡°How¡¯s Nana?¡± she asked bluntly.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not in any immediate danger,¡± Sean said, and breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°It¡¯s that serious? What on earth is her condition?¡± Cordy could not help asking.


    ¡°It¡¯s a congenital heart defect,¡± Sean exined. ¡°Medical technology wasn¡¯t as advanced as it was now,


    and it wasn¡¯t detected before she was born. There had been several medical alerts after she was born,


    but those were all close shaves. After that, she was sent abroad and treatment was going well, so she


    stayed there for years. I mean, yesterday was the first time I¡¯ve seen her since she was five.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    As Cordy listened quietly, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s only after I apanied her to the hospital yesterday that


    I learned that she had a heart transnt, but it¡¯s a good match and she could live normally if there were


    no issues¡­and by issues, I meant allergic reactions. It puts a terrible toll on her heart and could


    actually stop it entirely and kill her. That¡¯s why Lucas flipped out at you like that.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Cordy nodded.


    Like she saidst night, she understood and was rational enough to not keep her conduct from being


    affected by personal sentiment.


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about,¡± Sean said. ¡°Nana has been rescued, and the allergy had no


    adverse effects on her heart or health. Naturally, this must never happen again because there was no


    telling if she might be this lucky again.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°You should go to bed soon-you¡¯ve been working the whole night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. Working overnight is actuallymonce for following up with legal cases. Also, I have


    something else to tell you aside from Nana¡¯s recovery.¡±


    Cordy remainedposed despite Sean¡¯s pointed gaze. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Nana asked to see you after she woke up,¡± Sean said. ¡°I didn¡¯t decide it for you, though-you can go if


    you want, or say no if you like. Our grandfather will know what to tell the Lynds. He¡¯ll never let you


    suffer.¡±


    ¡°Also, I know you¡¯re innocent. I¡¯ve already seen the footage the butler just sent me, and it¡¯s all on Nana.


    I didn¡¯t present it as evidence for now, because getting too fussy with distant rtives would inevitably


    hurt the overall rtionship. I¡¯m sure you could tell how close our grandfather was with his sister.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go,¡± Cordy said.


    She certainly understood Sean¡¯s misgivings. To show the Lynds the video to assert her innocence was


    a p to their face.


    They were rtives and families with wealth and power, so such a thing would only embarrass both


    parties.

 Chapter 683

    Chapter 683


    Chapter 683


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡± Sean said, asserting his stance.


    Though he wanted Cordy to go, he would never allow her to suffer any grief.


    Still, Cordy told him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve been on your feet the whole night. You should get some proper


    rest for the day.¡¯


    ¡°No, I¡¯m perfectly fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Cordy hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn¡¯t turn him down.


    Sean only wanted to resolve the matter as soon as he could. As the eldest of his generation, he was


    obliged to help his father and grandfather in handling various family issues, and he certainly took that


    responsibility seriously. Moreover, he wanted Cordy to understand that he would always be at her side,


    protecting her no matter what.


    However, Cordy was unsure why he was so nice to her.


    Sure, she was as rich as she was famous. However, she couldn¡¯t see what Sean would get out of


    helping her so much.


    Well, perhaps she could just pretend it was due to their familial bond.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Dicky,¡± she said, since she was worried the boy might feel insecure in an unfamiliar environment


    without her. She should at least tell him where she went and when she would make it back, to give him


    a sense of security.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sean replied.


    For some reason, Dicky nodded quickly after Cordy told him she was heading to the hospital. Most


    importantly, he wasn¡¯t asking to go along either.


    Cordy didn¡¯t dwell on it, since all she wanted was to follow Sean to the hospital and return sooner.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Nana had been admitted to the WIP wards of the best hospital in the capital, which were actually


    separate mansions.


    Nana¡¯s personal care worker informed Sean and Cordy that she had just fallen asleep when they


    arrived, and that the rest took priority since she was recovering. Sleeping would especially be helpful


    since she was weak, considering her frail body.


    Sean was scowling, however-in the first ce, Nana was the one who asked to see Cordy. He made it


    clear that he would head home immediately to ask Cordy about it, and that he would bring her over


    right away if she agreed to it.


    He even texted Nana before he left Cranston Hall¡­ Yet, she slept anyway?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just wait. The patient¡¯s health takes priority,¡± Cordy assured Sean, who nodded despite


    his annoyance.


    With that, they wanted the entire morning waiting, with Sean falling asleep while he did.


    He went the entire night without sleep, and his grogginess was especially worse with the room being so


    quiet.


    Cordy noticed, and had a care worker bring a nket that she ced gently over Sean.


    Once that was done, she turned to find Lucas standing there.


    The care worker told them that he was asleep beside Nana¡­ So, he was already up? 1


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± he said.


    ¡°Is Nana awake?¡±


    ¡°Not yet-¡°


    ¡°Lucas.¡±


    Nana could be heard from in her room, while Lucas pursed his lips and stopped himself.


    ¡°You should go in. Ask her if I can see her now, and I¡¯d go in if she says yes.¡±


    Cordy spoke calmly, as if shecked any emotion.


    She didn¡¯t appear upset, nor did she care at all that Lucas had thrown a fit at her.


    For Cordy, doing so was pointless.


    Lucas stared at her quietly for a moment, before saying in a small voice,¡± Yeah.¡±

 Chapter 684

    Chapter 684


    Chapter 684


    As Lucas entered the room, Sean stirred-he was the type who got woken up easily.


    Staring at the nket over himself for a moment and then at Cordy, he asked, ¡°How long have I been


    asleep?¡±


    ¡°Less than ten minutes,¡± Cordy said feebly. As a chronic insomniac, she had a profound empathy for


    being woken up abruptly.


    Sean stretched his arms, and didn¡¯t appear to be upset from being woken up abruptly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t tired,


    but fell asleep for some reason. You brought me this nket?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡¯ Sean smiled faintly. Was she really so concerned to let on that she was actually that nice?


    She definitely got that from her mother, his aunt.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Lucas said, suddenly emerging from Nana¡¯s room. ¡® Nana¡¯s asking to see you.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s finally awake,¡± Sean said, though his tone was a little grumpy.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy said, and nothing else as they followed Lucas inside.


    Nana¡¯s face was still pale and she looked enfeebled, but she smiled when she saw theme in.


    Seeing her like that, anyone would be afraid to speak too loudly in fear of affecting her, let alone throw


    a fit.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I asked you toe all the way here to see me,¡± she spoke before they could. ¡°I¡¯ve actually


    been waiting, but I think I dozed off because of my meds. Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I had nothing to do anyway,¡± Cordy said tly.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked you toe to properly apologize, and exin to Lucas so that he won¡¯t misunderstand,¡±


    Nana said, seemingly ming herself severely for the whole mess. ¡°I asked Cordy to give me the cake


    yesterday. She didn¡¯t know I can¡¯t eat mangoes, while I insisted on eating despite knowing that,


    because¡­¡±


    Nana appeared a little afraid to admit the truth as she peeked at Lucas, but he was staring at her in


    turn, as if wanting her toe clean right there and then.


    Taking a deep breath, she mustered her courage and confessed, ¡°¡­It was just so delicious.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t care if it kills you?!¡± Lucas growled grumpily.


    ¡°Let me finish,¡± Nana purred adorably. No one could resist that soft charm.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising that Lucas was absolutely stern, yet obedient. Some people were naturally born to


    melt hearts.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sick for a while, haven¡¯t I? The doctors have been telling me I was recovering well, so I


    thought I could try some mango and see if my heart reacts against it. If I¡¯m okay, I¡¯d be able to eat the


    fruit I liked for so long, even if it meant getting rashes. Nothing¡¯s better than good food, /know? I didn¡¯t


    think it¡¯d be that bad.¡±


    Nana hung her head miserably. Cordy thought she could see Lucas stopped himself from saying


    something.


    Still, Nana was suddenly brimming with confidence as she dered,¡± That¡¯s why I¡¯ll take responsibility


    for everything that happened yesterday. It has nothing to do with Cordy. There was a


    misunderstanding, but I couldn¡¯t breathe, let alone talk. Even so, I heard you yelling at her, Lucas. You


    must apologize to her.¡±


    Lucas pursed his lips, but stayed silent even as he turned towards Cordy.


    Cordy felt his gaze, and turned towards him in turn.


    Men as proud as Lucas never gave in, especially towards people they find trivial.


    Cordy smiled. ¡°It¡¯s fine. He yelled at me because he¡¯s worried about you. I understand.¡±

 Chapter 685

    Chapter 685


    Chapter 685


    Lucas pursed his lips, but said nothing.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s too worried about me. Otherwise, he¡¯d never yell at people without knowing what happened.


    He usually doesn¡¯t behave like that,¡± Nana defended Lucas.


    It appeared as if she wanted them to settle their differences, but in reality, anyone could tell that she


    was bragging about her close rtionship with Lucas.


    However, she conveyed herself so naturally there would never be wounded feelings.


    ¡°That¡¯s how people behave when ites to people they care about,¡± Cordy said, agreeing to it.


    She was convinced it was fine as long as they cleared the air, and that she didn¡¯t need any apologies. It


    was unnecessary, and was no big deal in the first ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cordy. I¡¯ll head home soon and talk to my family to clear the misunderstanding,¡¯ Nana


    promised.


    ¡°Thank you,¡¯ Cordy replied, not rejecting the offer since it was naturally better to clear her name.


    Otherwise, things would be difficult for her grandfather Jesse.


    ¡°Of course. But¡­ Could you please not think badly of me and Lucas?¡¯ Nana asked tentatively. ¡±1 really


    like you. I mean, you and Dicky are the most beautiful people I¡¯ve ever met. I¡¯d really like to have a


    child as handsome as Dicky one day¡­¡±


    ¡°You definitely can,¡± Cordy replied, encouraging her out of courtesy. ¡°Lucas is handsome, and you¡¯re


    beautiful too. Your children will be no slouch.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ The doctors told me that my body probably can¡¯t handle a pregnancy. ¡± Nana¡¯s gaze darkened.


    Cordy was lost for words.


    In fact, what could she say?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like children,¡± Lucas spoke up just then, offering Nana some sce as a boyfriend with perfect


    timing.


    ¡°But I saw how much you liked Dicky,¡± Nana murmured, her gaze miserable as she knew she couldn¡¯t


    get pregnant.


    ¡°You like Dicky too, don¡¯t you?¡± Lucas said shrewdly. ¡®And since you like beautiful people, don¡¯t you like


    yourself?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Do you like Cordy too?¡±


    ¡°I just meant that you¡¯re pretty too, silly,¡± Lucas said dotingly.


    It was obviously cheesy and flirty, but it was simply sweet as those two said it.


    Cordy turned towards Sean, who caught her cue and said, ¡°Since we¡¯ve cleared the air and Nana¡¯s


    now stable, it¡¯s time we go. Get some rest, Nana. Medical technology is advanced, and that means you


    might have hope in the future. Plenty of opportunitiesy ahead since you¡¯re still young, n


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Nana nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you two around. I¡¯ll bring Lucas over to apologize when I¡¯m better.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to,¡± Cordy insisted. ¡°Your recovery is far more important.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Nana smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Well, get some rest. We¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you out,¡± Lucas suddenly said.


    Nana¡¯s smile seemed to stiffen for a split second, but she quickly said,¡± Yes, Lucas. You should go with


    them.¡±


    Neither Sean nor Cordy refused him.


    They headed out of the mansion.


    Sean¡¯s car was waiting. Just as he opened the door for Cordy and they were both ready to get in,


    however, Lucas suddenly stopped Cordy.


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Aboutst night-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Cordy refused to let him finish. ¡°Anyone would react like that given the situation. I can


    understand, because I won¡¯t be able to control myself if my beloved person was in danger too.¡±

 Chapter 686

    Chapter 686


    Chapter 686


    Lucas stared numbly at Cordy¡¯s nonchnt reaction.


    He had always believed Cordy wanted him, but now, it was very clear that she didn¡¯t have the slightest


    inclination towards him.


    In fact, she wanted very much to have nothing to do with him.


    Gulping, he murmured, ¡°Travel safe.¡±


    In the end, there was no doubt that Cordy and him were just strangers who met by chance. Any


    excessive attachments were unnecessary.


    Cordy nodded and got in the car with Sean, and left.


    On the way back to Cranston Hall, Sean asked, ¡®Why didn¡¯t you let Lucas apologize?¡¯


    ¡°Why should I? I know for a fact that his outburst wasn¡¯t deliberate,¡± Cordy replied as she reclined


    against her seat and took in the sights outside.¡± Moreover, getting confrontational with pointless people


    is a waste of my time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel any sentiment towards him¡­ Like, at all?¡± Sean asked quietly. ¡°I mean, the man really


    resembles John.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that doesn¡¯t make him John. And I¡¯ve always been rational.¡±


    Is that so?


    In fact, Sean sensed that Cordy¡¯s excessive rationality and indifference was a gesture of hiding her true


    feelings.


    Naturally, he wasn¡¯t that tactless¡ªif Cordy didn¡¯t want to say it, he wouldn¡¯t ask.


    Jesse had already woken up as they reached home, and asked about the situation when he saw them


    return.


    When they told him that the misunderstanding was cleared, he nodded and said, ¡°Last night was hard


    on you, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now that we¡¯ve cleared the air,¡± Cordy said, smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t really sleepst night, so


    I¡¯ll try to catch some winks.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Run along now.¡±


    As Cordy headed upstairs, she went straight to Dicky¡¯s room.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    When she opened the door to find no one inside, however, she promptly called Dicky.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Dicky quickly answered her call.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°The butler took me out to the city, Mommy. I know you and Uncle Sean would be busy, so I didn¡¯t want


    to impose. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re doing fine here -we¡¯re having fun!¡¯


    Dicky passed the phone to the butler, who said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve brought two bodyguards with


    us. We¡¯ll definitely keep your son safe.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do,¡± the butler said quickly.


    With that, Cordy put her phone away.


    Over thest three years, she had been overly cautious regarding Dicky¡¯s safety, especially after


    Jessica Stuart had abducted him before.


    In reality, she didn¡¯t have to worry about her son being kidnapped as a reprisal since she hadn¡¯t really


    been making enemies.


    Moreover, it was time she adopted a hands-off approach since Dicky was already ten years old. A little


    older, and he would have his own personal life.


    In the car, the butler put down the phone. He couldn¡¯t resist asking, ¡°Why would you ask to go to the


    DNA test center, Master Richard?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s important,¡± Dicky said solemnly. ¡°But please don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°Of course, but if you suspect that your mother actually isn¡¯t blood rted to Master Cranston, I must


    mention that test results with a generation gap might not be urate,¡± the butler kindly reminded him.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I have in mind. I¡¯ve seen my grandmother¡¯s photos when she was younger. She


    resembles my mommy so much there¡¯s no need for a parental test.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my secret,¡± Dicky said, and he refused to breathe a word afterwards.

 Chapter 687

    Chapter 687


    Chapter 687


    It was reallyte when Dicky finally returned to Cranston Hall. Cordy would¡¯ve started to worry that he


    might be abducted if they weren¡¯t keeping in touch on the phone.


    ¡°Where have you been for so long?¡± she asked, but there was no edge in her voice.


    She would never scold him, though she was curious. Her son always showed propriety, and he would


    expect her to worry if he left for too long.


    However, he still stayed out for a long time.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Dicky was staring at Cordy, but didn¡¯t answer her question.


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re back. Don¡¯t bete next time, or your mother might really call the cops,¡± Jesse


    joked.


    ¡°Yes, Great-grandfather.¡± Dicky nodded.


    ¡°You must be hungry, right? Come, let¡¯s eat,¡± Jesse said as he took Dicky warmly by the hand and led


    thetter to the dining table.


    Dicky turned to nce at Cordy. He looked as if he had something to say, but was hesitant to do it.


    As such, he remained distracted as he sat with everyone else at the dining table.


    Cordy naturally noticed that her son was behaving strangely, and asked softly, ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡±


    Dicky shook his head.


    ¡°Had too much fun?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Dicky nodded.


    ¡°Then get cleaned up and go to bed after you eat. Don¡¯t bother with your homework.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After dinner, Cordy didn¡¯t visit Dicky in his room since he was tired, and instead checked what was on


    the television.


    It was only then that she found that the first season of ¡®Actors on Set¡¯ was premiering.


    Zoe had so few scenes it was less than a fifth of Cora¡¯s, even though Cora was the guest.


    Showbiz was harsh, no? Though that might apply to society as a whole too


    Just then, Cordy¡¯s phone chimed with a Whatsapp notification.


    Quinn had just sent Cordy a photo of ¡®Actors on Set¡¯ to the chat group between her, Zoe and Cordy,


    with the caption: [You have too few scenes, Zoe. It¡¯s so hard to get a shot of you. I¡¯d miss you


    completely if my hands were unsteady. @Zoe]


    Zoe replied self-deprecatingly: [It¡¯s normal, no? That¡¯s how actresses past their prime are treated.]


    [Show some spine, Zoe.]


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    [That¡¯s why I¡¯m working very hard.]


    Quinn asked: [Do you need our help?]


    Cordy added beneath Quinn: [+1]


    [No, or I would¡¯vee to you girls already. I call it honing my art¡ªdon¡¯t spoil my style now.]


    [At a vulgar industry like showbiz? What art are you talking about?]


    [You girls won¡¯t get it.]


    Zoe threw an emoji at them before adding: [Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve seeded before, and I¡¯ll do it again even


    without the Levines.]


    Quinn couldn¡¯t argue. [You¡¯re really stubborn.]


    [It¡¯s called character.]


    [Haha! No.]


    With that, both women started ming each other over the chat group. Cordy smiled as she watched


    them go for each others¡¯ necks.


    Quinn was usually rational and serious, but that tended to go out of the window when Zoe was


    concerned.


    But that was just how it was-with the right people, you would show the truest side of yourself.


    And for Cordy, had she not met Zoe and by extension Quinn, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to


    experience the beauty of friendship.


    Still, Quinn suddenly asked: [Cordy, when are youing back? @Cordy]


    [Soon. Three to five days, give or take.]


    [Business at the capital?]


    Quinn was surprised that Cordy would actually leave on a business trip for so long.


    [Not quite. It¡¯s a pleasure trip with Dicky while he¡¯s on school break. He loves the science center here.]

 Chapter 688

    Chapter 688


    Chapter 688


    [Oh.]


    Quinn didn¡¯t ask further questions at that. She knew that Cordy¡¯s life was all about Dicky now, and


    Cordy would never say no to the boy.


    Zoe then added: [By the way, I miss him a little now that you¡¯ve mentioned him.]


    Cordy offered: [Want to see him? He¡¯s a little hunk now, and almost my height.]


    Zoe refused. [Forget it. That can wait until I¡¯m sessful¡­ I mean, I used to be, so I can¡¯t let Dicky feel


    that I¡¯m down and out. Or at least as sessful as Cora.]


    [You¡¯re still as sessful as her.] Quinn butted in.


    [Zip it. Do you think you¡¯d be that nonchnt if you¡¯re in my ce? I¡¯ve just been assigned a harder


    grind for now. Once I ovee this, I¡¯ll be a star again.]


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help smiling at that.


    Just then, someone knocked on her door.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    ¡°Come in,¡± she said.


    Dicky entered her room in dark-blue pajamas.


    Cordy checked the time to see that it was already past nine.


    What was he doing up? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be tired?


    Somehow, he appeared to have a lot weighing on his mind. What on earth was going on?


    Cordy quickly put down her phone. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dicky?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Dicky replied, quickly shaking his little head. ¡°I saw that your lights were still on, so I came


    over.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping? Can¡¯t sleep? Or are you not used to this ce?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­¡± Dicky was once again hesitant to speak.


    ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t you tell me?¡± Cordy asked, regarding him seriously but also teasing him. ¡°Is there a


    girl you like?¡±


    ¡°No.¡¯ Dicky¡¯s little cheeks flushed, though Cordy already knew that-she just wanted Dicky to rx.


    Then, he asked, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t you miss Daddy?¡±


    Cordy had a hunch that was the case.


    John was about the only person whom Dicky would get mncholy about.


    ¡°No. You can¡¯t raise the dead,¡± she replied.


    ¡°But what if he¡¯s alive?¡± Dicky said seriously.


    ¡°There¡¯s a real shortage of miracles in this world, Dicky¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, what if Lucas is Daddy?¡±


    Cordy sighed. 1


    She had no idea how to curb Dicky¡¯s enthusiasm and obsession with Lucas, since even the parental


    test before couldn¡¯t convince him.


    Nheless, she said, ¡°Dicky, I¡¯d rather your daddy stay dead, than find out that Lucas was actually


    him.¡±


    Dicky stiffened for a moment, and there was a brief sh of disappointment in his eyes.


    ¡°Why?¡¯ he asked softly.


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t ept a man who cheats on me, whatever the reason may be,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°What if he lost his memory?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse.¡±


    ¡°But what if he¡¯s really Daddy? What would you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d leave him,¡± Cordy said sternly. ¡®Even if I¡¯d be heartbroken.¡¯


    Dicky bit his little lip.


    For Cordy, she didn¡¯t really intend to curb his enthusiasm. At the same time, she wanted nothing more


    than for Dicky to stop his obsession with Lucas.


    Their family shouldn¡¯t be affected because of someone trivial.


    It then urred to her that they should return to North City soon¡ªDicky probably wouldn¡¯t get any


    funny ideas if he wasn¡¯t around Lucas.


    And so, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell your great-grandfather that we¡¯re going back to North City tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Dicky was obviously reluctant.


    And here he was thinking he could stay longer¡­

 Chapter 689

    Chapter 689


    Chapter 689


    Cordy raised a brow. ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to go home?¡± ¡°No, I just¡­¡± Dicky muttered, and trailed off.


    Still, Cordy knew that this was about Lucas.


    Was the boy convinced that Lucas was his father, and therefore wanted to spend more time with


    Lucas?


    She actually wondered if Dicky went looking for Lucas earlier today. The thought of that possibility


    strengthened her resolve to leave the capital.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Dicky finally gave in.


    In the end, his mommy didn¡¯t love his daddy anymore. Daddy was definitely out of line too, protecting


    another woman in front of Mommy, and scolding Mommy harshly to boot.


    Mommy had every reason to hate Daddy.


    ¡°Good night, Mommy. I¡¯m going to bed now.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, dear.¡±


    Dicky returned to his room, and stared at the parental test on the table.


    He waited the whole day for that, and he wanted to show it to his mommy.


    But now, it was pointless.


    He tore the papers into pieces, and threw the pieces into the bin.


    Since Mommy didn¡¯t care, letting her know would only stress her.


    He would be the only one who knew, and he would protect his mommy with everything he had.


    And that was enough.


    The next day, Cordy told Jesse that they were going back to North City after breakfast.


    She didn¡¯te up with any polite excuse, since Jesse would be skeptical about whatever she came


    up with, aside from her saying that she never wanted toe in the first ce.


    Nheless, Jesse pleaded for her to stay. ¡°Just wait until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I can bring Dicky next time.¡±


    ¡°The Lynds areing to visit today and apologize for using you wrongly. They can¡¯t do that if


    you¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all about saving face,¡± Jesse said. ¡°It¡¯s not much trouble for you to stay another day at your


    grandfather¡¯s ce, right?¡±


    Since Jesses put it that way, Cordy had no choice but to give in.


    She informed Dicky regretfully about that, only to see him celebrating a little over it.


    In fact, Dicky¡¯s eyes lit up when she mentioned that the Lynds wereing again.


    She wondered what it was about Lucas that drew Dicky to him, when science itself proved that Lucas


    wasn¡¯t John!


    The Lynds arrived in the afternoon, albeit with less pomp than before. It was just Jean, her eldest son


    and his wife, along with Lucas and Nana.


    Jesse didn¡¯t gather everyone in his family either, since the less people involved in an apology, the


    better. It was the right way to extend an olive branch.


    After a bit of small talk, Jean spoke first. ¡°Nana made it very clear she was just greedy and couldn¡¯t


    resist eating the mango cake, and that it had nothing to do with you, Cordy. My apologies for giving you


    grief.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing as long as we can clear the air. Nana already apologized to me yesterday, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really understanding, just like your mother was,¡± Jean said earnestly.


    Cordy simply smiled politely.


    ¡°Oh, here. Take this. It¡¯s a diamond bracelet, and I think it suits you a lot.¡±


    As Jean spoke, she took out the bracelet, intending to put it on Cordy¡¯s wrist. However, Cordy quickly


    refused. ¡°You¡¯re much too kind, Mrs. Lynd. But really, there¡¯s nothing between me and Nana. I can¡¯t


    ept such a precious gift.¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.

 Chapter 690

    Chapter 690


    Chapter 690


    Cordy could immediately tell that the bracelet was worth a fortune, even priceless.


    There was no way she could say it out loud, though.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with Nana,¡± Jean told Cordy. ¡°It¡¯s just a present to celebrate our first meeting


    since your return to the family. Don¡¯t be shy. I¡¯ll get upset if you keep refusing me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Cordy. You should just take it-don¡¯t get so cagey?¡± Nana said beside them. ¡°Grandma


    spent a long time picking it from her private collection. Both Lucas and I think it really suits you. Try it!¡±


    ¡°Cordy, you should ept it since it¡¯s a gift,¡± Jesse added.


    Even if Cordy really didn¡¯t want to owe anyone anything, she had no choice but to ept the diamond


    bracelet. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Lynd.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re family, don¡¯t be so formal. Come, I¡¯ll help you put it on.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± 1


    With the bracelet on her wrist, the emerald glint on her slender wrist made her look much prettier.


    ¡°See? I was just saying it suits you. It¡¯s simply gorgeous!¡± Nana ttered Cordy earnestly. She then


    nudged Lucas affectionately, saying, ¡® Don¡¯t you agree, Lucas?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas nodded slightly.


    ¡°It looks really good on you,¡± Jean echoed. ¡°I¡¯m surprised green diamonds suit you so much, Cordy. I


    actually have a collection. You can ask for it anytime you want.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Lynd,¡± Cordy said. Naturally, she had no such intention.


    In fact, she already made up her mind to return it as a gift, when Lucas and Nana had their first child.


    That said, she wasn¡¯t sure if Nana could get pregnant, considering thetter¡¯s frail health.


    There were fewer guests in Cranston Hall, but that also meant they wouldn¡¯t dare to leave lightly.


    They all sat on the couch and listened to their elders having small talk, asionally responding when


    there were questions posed to them, or chatting with their peers.


    Nanawas constantly bugging Cordy and fiddling with her bangle. ¡°It looks so good on your wrist,


    Cordy.¡±


    ¡°You can have it if you want,¡± Cordy said.


    However, just as Cordy was about to take it off, Nana eximed, ¡°I can¡¯t- Grandma gave it to you.


    She¡¯d kill me!¡±


    It was naturally an exaggeration. The Lynds worshiped and doted on her because of her condition, and


    would never bear to hurt her.


    ¡°Also, Lucas promised to buy me a bangle too. Right, Lucas?¡± Nana added sweetly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas said, nodding.


    Cordy remained impassive as she watched them flirt.


    Dicky was right beside her, and his gaze turned even more hostile towards Lucas.


    Lucas noticed that Dicky had been less than friendly as well, his little eyes almost murderous. Was it


    because Lucas had snapped at his mommy the other day?


    Stepping away from Nana, he made his way towards Dicky and said, ¡°Hey. Show me where the


    washroom is.¡±


    Dicky frowned harder at that-he loathed the man, but Lucas would still ask him for the washroom?


    Nheless, he left with Lucas since he couldn¡¯t say no.


    Nana¡¯s smile seemed to turn sinister upon watching them go, though Cordy told herself that she


    must¡¯ve have imagined it.


    To be honest, Cordy wasn¡¯t interested in what Nana was really like and had no reason to learn more


    about thetter.


    As long as she didn¡¯t push Nana¡¯s buttons, Nana would be a mere afterthought.


    She would be leaving the capital the next day, anyway. If there were no surprises, she would show up


    at the capital less from now on.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Lucas really likes Dicky,¡± Nana suddenly told Cordy.

 Chapter 691

    Chapter 691


    Chapter 691


    Cordy disagreed. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Lucas was just being nicer towards Dicky than the rest, but not in a way that qualified it as special


    treatment.


    Dicky was just a child; adults were naturally more tolerant and patient towards children.


    At the back garden, Dicky was fuming as he red fixedly at Lucas.


    Lucas had told him that he needed the washroom, only to bring him out here.


    His eyes showed utter discontent; Lucas seemed an eyesore no matter how Dicky looked at him today.


    Especially when he was getting all flirty with Nana.


    In fact, once Dicky understood why his mommy detested him, he decided that Lucas deserved it.


    Nheless, Lucas suddenly said, ¡°What happened the other night¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±


    He seemed to be exining his actions. Dicky looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t being nice because I yelled at your mommy without knowing, right?¡± Lucas asked.


    However, the mention of that only upset Dicky even further.


    ¡°You¡¯re still upset? You really are your mommy¡¯s good son. So protective,¡± Lucas joked.


    ¡°I have to, since my daddy won¡¯t protect mommy,¡± Dicky growled through his teeth, 1


    ¡°Well, he cant reach from beyond the grave. It¡¯s not like he can help it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alive. But he¡¯s rotten now,¡± Dicky snarled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You should be reflecting.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    And with that, Dicky didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Lucas smiled despite himself.


    Did a little boy just tell him to reflect?


    But Dicky was right-he shouldn¡¯t have treated Cordy like that.


    He simply saw red.


    In fact, Nana didn¡¯t have to tell him anything. He knew that Cordy was so cold, she would never be nice


    to anyone.


    There was every chance that it was Nana who couldn¡¯t keep her gluttony in check. He knew all too well


    how much she loved to eat. 1


    However, when she saw Nana looking like she could die at any moment, he couldn¡¯t restrain herself at


    all.


    In fact, he could admit to himself that he had long since regretted his actions. He really wanted to


    apologize to Cordy, even if he never bent himself over for anyone.


    His conscience simply gnawed at him so badly¡­and it had to be Cordy!


    That woman was a menace, acting like she didn¡¯t care and didn¡¯t need his apology.


    Despite her seeming magnanimity, she was actually giving him grief, leaving a splinter stuck in his


    head.


    She really knew how the human heart works.


    ¡°Yes, I was wrong,¡± he sighed.


    ¡°You actually know that?¡± Dicky huffed. ¡°If you did, you shouldn¡¯t have-¡°


    However, Lucas suddenly whipped out a gold bullion and put it in Dicky¡¯s hand. ¡°As a way of apology.¡±


    Dicky was stunned, and Lucas continued, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can give you, but this is probably the


    most practical. It¡¯s valuable, and could be melted down for jewelry. Better yet, it¡¯s an international


    currency that holds market worth anywhere.¡±


    Even so, Didcky was weirded out. ¡°But I¡¯m just a kid, you know? What would I use this for?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what I should give you. Just take it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it,¡± Dicky said, and tried to return it to Lucas.


    ¡°I gave it to you. I¡¯m not taking it back.¡±


    Dicky was speechless-the man was as unreasonable as ever.


    Mommy never liked that about him.


    Old habits die hard.


    Then again, not quite¡­ Because Daddy was far worse now.

 Chapter 692

    Chapter 692


    Chapter 692


    Lucas urged Dicky, ¡°Now go back inside. It¡¯s cold out here.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a stroll. Cabin fever.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join me?¡± Lucas offered.


    Dicky didn¡¯t refuse, and they started to stroll around the back garden.


    ¡°You really love Nana, don¡¯t you?¡± Dicky suddenly asked.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Lucas, however, was reluctant to answer. ¡°What does a kid know about love?¡±


    ¡°What don¡¯t I know? I was six when I started helping my daddy woo mommy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Lucas said.


    He almost couldn¡¯t resist patting Dicky¡¯s head again, but lowered his hand when he remembered how


    Dicky refused himst time.


    For some reason, he had a real but indescribable affinity for Dicky. Maybe it was an attraction towards


    the boy just because they shared the same face?


    He never felt any desire to have children, and was even willing to be abstinent because of Nana¡¯s


    health issues.


    However, his heart seemed to change because of Dicky. Still, Nana¡¯s health took priority.


    ¡°Do you really love Nana?¡± Dicky asked stubbornly.


    ¡°I do,¡± Lucas replied honestly.


    ¡°How could you fall for anyone other than Mommy?¡± Dicky was a little agitated.


    ¡°¡­I understand that your mommy is sessful, but that doesn¡¯t mean everyone in the world will fall in


    love with her. Precedence applies to everything.¡±


    ¡°But you loved Mommy first!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always been Nana for me.¡±


    ¡°What if you realized the one you loved from the start was my mommy? Would you return to her?¡±


    Dicky asked.


    ¡°Never.¡± Lucas didn¡¯t hesitate in his answer.


    After all, the first person he fell for was Nana; there was no denying that.


    Thus, he refused to entertain any other hypothetical situations. He would never budge on that.


    There was disappointment in Dicky¡¯s eyes. Lucas assured him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your mommy is loved by


    many, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯d have many people courting her if she¡¯s not obsessed about your daddy. You


    can actually hope for plenty of step-daddies.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you hope for?¡± Dicky asked him in turn.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That my mommy will get me many other daddies?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your mommy¡¯s business.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not surprising my mommy hates you. You¡¯re not worthy of her affection. N


    ¡°Well, she doesn¡¯t love me,¡± Lucas replied, since he certainly understood how Cordy felt towards him


    now.


    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t¡­ Not at all, and she hates the very sight of you!¡± Dicky was suddenly yelling. ¡°So stay


    away from her! I won¡¯t open the door for you


    even if you regret what you did now! Hmph!¡±


    The boy was suddenly losing control of himself, though it wasn¡¯t as if he was suddenly throwing a


    tantrum. It was just a far cry from his usual bearing as a mature child. Suddenly, he looked a little like


    an actual child.


    Lucas watched as Dicky left, looking clearly upset. His own emotions were stirring in him too.


    It was a feeling he couldn¡¯t describe, but it had been there for a while now.


    While it didn¡¯t actually hurt, there was just this stuffy feeling on his chest.


    Wait, could he be having a heart condition too?


    Lucas made a mental note to get himself checked as well the next time he apanied Nana for


    checkups.


    It was just so freaky.


    As he returned to the living room, Nana promptly took his hand and locked fingers with him. ¡°That¡¯s a


    long bathroom break.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t bear to separate from me at all, can you?¡± Lucas teased.


    It was normal flirting between loves, and it wasn¡¯t as if Cordy couldn¡¯t stand it.


    However, Dicky didn¡¯t return with Lucas. Thus, she decided she should check on her son.

 Chapter 693

    Chapter 693


    Chapter 693


    Cordy didn¡¯t ask Lucas, since she didn¡¯t want to ruin his flirting session with Nana.


    However, just as she was rising to her feet¡­


    ¡°By the way, Nana¡­¡±


    Jean suddenly spoke up, having turned towards them.


    Cordy wanted to leave, but felt too awkward to do so since it wouldn¡¯t be proper.


    As such, she stayed in her seat and waited for the right timing, i


    ¡°What is it. Grandma?¡± Nana replied sweetly.


    She seemed to be acting spoiled, but somehow, it felt natural when it was her.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Not many could resist that sweetness-Jean couldn¡¯t be faulted for ying favorites.


    ¡°You¡¯re nning on getting married to Lucas, right?¡± Jean asked.


    ¡°We are,¡± Nana admitted it openly, while smiling endearingly at Lucas.


    ¡°This year, was it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sometime during autumn. It¡¯s when the trees bear fruit¡ªit¡¯s an auspicious season.¡±


    ¡°Good. Try to set a date soon. Event halls are always in demand here in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. We¡¯ll go down to business once Lucas¡¯ parents return to the country, but I¡¯m


    sure they won¡¯t protest.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Jean replied.


    Jesse added, ¡°Remember to send me an early invitation, Nana. I¡¯ll prepare a great present for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cranston.¡± Nana did not refuse, and actually appeared excited.


    She turned towards Cordy, and asked, ¡°You¡¯ll be free when the timees, right?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d have to see,¡± Cordy replied.


    She wasn¡¯t being perfunctory, either.


    For one, they had yet to decide on the date. Autumn was an entire three months more, and who knew


    what date they would decide upon?


    Secondly, it wasn¡¯t a rarity for urgent engagements toe up for Cordy. There was always the


    chance she couldn¡¯t make it, and it would be terrible if she missed out on a promise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try to send you an invitation early. You have toe,¡± Nana said earnestly.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    With that, the two families started to discuss further about Nana and Lucas ¡® wedding. Cordy made her


    leave as they were engrossed in it.


    She headed to Dicky¡¯s room and found her boyying in bed, looking like something was weighing on


    his mind.


    He was just ten, and the look made him appear like a diminutive adult.


    Children of his age should be carefree, shouldn¡¯t they?


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    Dicky sat up in bed, greeting her when he saw her.


    His upbringing was truly impable, which in turn made him especially endearing.


    ¡°You look a little upset.¡± She smiled at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Dicky said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Is it because of Lucas?¡±


    Dicky bit his little lip. He knew there was no hiding that from his mommy.


    Nodding tamely, he admitted, ¡°I just¡­ I think he¡¯s a bad apple.¡±


    ¡°Just treat him like a stranger, and you won¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you believe?¡± Dicky asked, looking up.


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s not a stranger¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll eventually be one, Dicky.¡±


    Dicky felt a little miserable to hear her words.


    ¡°Be a good boy now,¡± Cordy said, patting his head. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let trivial people affect our lives.¡¯


    ¡°Do you really feel nothing towards Lucas, mommy?¡± i


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cordy replied confidently. It wasn¡¯t the first time she told him that, either.


    In fact, she was clear and to the point whenever Dicky asked, refusing to offer him any delusions.


    That would only make him even sadder.


    Dicky then remembered something else. ¡® Right, Mommy. Lucas gave me this.¡±

 Chapter 694

    Chapter 694


    Chapter 694


    Dicky took out the gold bullion, which left Cordy taken aback.


    It wasn¡¯t small, and obviously quite heavy.


    Handing it to her, Dicky said, ¡°Lucas gave it to me, saying he didn¡¯t know what to give. I cant use it


    anyway, so you can have it.¡±


    Cordy was left speechless. Who on earth gives a kid gold bullions?


    Fashioning it into jewelry would be more eptable!


    However, a thought urred to Cordy when she took it.


    Was this actually Lucas¡¯s gift to her? Was he using Dicky as an intermediary to make amends for losing


    his temper at her the other day?


    After all, it would be more convincing if he gave Dicky something that suited Dicky¡¯s age. An adult, on


    the other hand¡­


    Cordy decided she was toozy to figure it out, since it was pointless anyway.


    As a business person, she had no reason to refuse a huge gold bullion. In fact, she would be less


    interested if it was just jewelry.


    No one could refuse such a gift.


    After having dinner with the Lynds and seeing them off, Cordy left Cranston Hall with Dicky early the


    next morning. Sean gave them a ride to the airport.


    They left, and Jesse stared at them as they headed to the distance.


    He had obviously dyed his hair, but Cordy wondered if it was the trick of the light that his hair was


    getting really white.


    ¡°So you¡¯re actually sentimental,¡± Sean said, ncing at her through the rearview mirror.


    Cordy didn¡¯t say anything, so he continued, ¡®That¡¯s blood rtions for you. You can be nonchnt


    about it, but you feel it in your bones before you realize it.¡±


    Sean rarely said something that sentimental. He actually found it cringeworthy after that he became


    silent.


    Soon, Cordy and Dicky arrived at their seats on the ne when a familiar voice called out behind her.


    ¡°Cordy?¡±


    Cordy really wanted to get out of the ne right then. Some coincidences really were bizarre!


    Dicky saw Nana as well. Lucas was beside her, sitting right behind their seats.


    ¡°Are you going back to North City today?¡± Nana asked Cordy in surprise.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°We¡¯re going on a trip there, too. North City is the heart of the nation¡¯s economy, and I¡¯d like to check


    out how grand the ce is.¡±


    Cordy wondered if Nana had some sort ofpulsive socializing tendency.


    ¡°It¡¯s a decent ce,¡¯ she said nheless. ¡°You¡¯ve never been there?¡±


    ¡°I wont lie, but I¡¯ve only been in the capital or abroad. Mostly abroad, because of my health.¡±


    ¡°Your health is important. You can go anywhere now that you¡¯re better.¡±


    ¡°I think so too, and that¡¯s why I¡¯d like to have a child soon. There won¡¯t be time for me to travel in years


    after I have a baby too, right?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Cordy replied.


    After some simple small talk, Cordy took her seat.


    Dicky was pouting in his first-ss seat, clearly looking upset.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    That seemed to be the case whenever he saw Lucas with Nana.


    So, was he really being jealous?


    It would probably take a miracle for him to stop believing that Lucas was his father, and it would take


    him time to forget about Lucas.


    And yet¡­ Lucas showed up everywhere!


    Cordy was actually considerably stressed as well.


    Fortunately, everyone stayed at their respective corners along the flight. They shared a few polite


    words as they disembarked, before going their separate ways.


    Still, Cordy had just led Dicky out of the airport when she spotted Patrick from the distance, waiting


    forthem.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± he called.

 Chapter 695

    Chapter 695


    Chapter 695


    It was a little awkward, especially since Cordy hated anything conspicuous.


    Even so, Patrick was pulling every trick he could to dere his passion for her. He was almost stubborn


    about doing the exact opposite of what she preferred.


    Still, she held Dicky¡¯s hand and walked towards Patrick.


    ¡°Wee back,¡± he greeted them.


    ¡°And what are you doing in North City?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°To receive you, of course.¡±


    ¡°And how¡¯d you know what flight I was on?¡¯


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°For my beloved, I¡¯d brave hell and high water-¡°


    Noticing Cordy¡¯s re, he promptly admitted, ¡®I asked your assistant.¡±


    Cordy wondered if she should start questioning Randy¡¯s loyalties.


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll give you a ride home-¡®


    ¡°Cordy? Is that your boyfriend?¡± Nana suddenly asked.


    She and Lucas weren¡¯t far, just a few paces. She quickly approached Patrick the moment she saw him.


    ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Patrick asked, frowning at Nana.


    He didn¡¯t remember her among Cordy¡¯s list of family and friends.


    ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Nana Lynd, Cordy¡¯s cousin.¡±


    ¡°You have cousins?¡± Patrick gasped in surprise.


    ¡°I obviously fell out of the sky when I was born,¡± Cordy snorted in annoyance.


    Patrick blurted, ¡°But I thought you disowned all your family¡­¡±


    He gave in immediately when he saw another sharp look from Cordy, and apologized immediately.


    ¡°Yes, yes, I apologize for my shallow knowledge. I¡¯ll reflect upon my sins.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ Are you Cordy¡¯s boyfriend?¡± Nana pressed.


    Patrick began, ¡°It¡¯s actually a work in progress-¡°


    ¡°He is,¡± Cordy suddenly caught him short, wrapping her hands around Patrick¡¯s arm.


    Nana appeared surprised. Lucas seemed to blink beside her, though he remained impassive otherwise.


    Dicky was furrowing his little brows.


    He certainly wasn¡¯t against the idea of his mother getting a new daddy for him, but¡­


    He couldn¡¯t help ncing at Lucas just then, but found no reaction from thetter.


    In fact, Lucas noticed his gaze, and shed a smile at him.


    Dicky¡¯s face contorted in displeasure. How could Lucas still smile when Mommy was running away with


    another man?!


    However, Lucas was used to Dicky¡¯s hostility. The kid can really hold a grudge-more than his mommy.


    In fact, his mommy would only at least try to y along, but the kid wouldn¡¯t hide his feelings at all.


    Meanwhile, Nana quickly corrected herself. ¡°Hello, cousin-inw.¡±


    Her voice was as sweet as ever.


    ¡°Hi back,¡± Patrick smiled, clearly having a good impression of Nana.


    But who wouldn¡¯t? She was docile, always smiling, passionate, tactful¡­


    ¡°It¡¯ste, so we have to go now. Have fun in North City,¡± Cordy said, her hands still around Patrick¡¯s


    arm as she bade Nana and Lucas farewell.


    ¡°Okay. See you!¡¯


    As Cordy, Patrick and Dicky left, Dicky turned to nce at Lucas for a moment before turning around


    again furiously.


    There really was no saving his daddy!


    ¨C i


    In the car, Patrick suddenly sighed emotionally. ¡°If I had known, I would¡¯ve stopped the car a little


    further away so that you can cling on to me longer.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    She kept clinging to him before they left the airport, since she didn¡¯t know if they would run into Lucas


    and Nana again.


    Give this man an inch, and he would ask for a mile.


    ¡°By the way, why did you say that I¡¯m your boyfriend? Have you finally made up your mind to date me?


    Actually, I think that¡¯s unnecessary since we¡¯vee to know each other so well¡­ Why don¡¯t we just


    register our marriage instead? Let me decide on a date, and we can¡ª¡¯


    ¡°Wake up,¡± Cordy said, cutting his fantasy shorts. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that I just didn¡¯t want to deal with those


    two?¡±

 Chapter 696

    Chapter 696


    Chapter 696


    Patrick grinned. ¡¯I could tell. But what if it¡¯s actually a yes, too?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Cordy growled.


    ¡°I mean, who knows? You actually hated me when I touched you before, but you¡¯re touching me


    willingly now, aren¡¯t you?¡¯


    Cordy was left utterly speechless. Was she not making sense before?


    ¡°I mean, whatever your reason was, you touched me on your own ord,¡± Patrick added very


    flirtatiously, before studying her for a moment. ¡¯That said, you rarely gave another person so much


    attention. You really hate Nana, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to trick me.¡±


    ¡°Nana¡¯s really your ideal type, huh? You men are all the same.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my ideal type,¡¯ Patrick said solemnly.


    ¡°Save the ttery,¡± Cordy snorted,pletely skeptical.


    ¡°I mean, Nana is the type who¡­ Actually, I can¡¯t really describe her, but either way, she¡¯s not my type.¡±


    Patrick certainly didn¡¯t know how toment on Nana. He didn¡¯t feel that positive about her at first


    sight, but wasn¡¯t exactly repulsed either.


    Overall speaking, she just did not leave a strong impression.


    ¡°Well, you were pretty sweet on her,¡¯ Cordy pointed out.


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s your cousin. I wouldn¡¯t bother talking to her if she were someone else,¡± Patrick


    said as if it was only natural.


    Cordy smiled. Having Patrick around was nice at times.


    As a friend, that is.


    ¡°So? Why do you hate Nana so much?¡± Patrick pressed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate her.¡±


    ¡°Then it must be the man, what¡¯s his name¡­ Lucas Lynch, was it?¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Cordy snorted, suddenly too tired.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a no. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You fell for him because he resembles John Levine?!¡±


    Patrick asked, suddenly a little hysterical.


    Dicky, who had been staring outside the window throughout the journey, finally turned to look at them.


    However, he was used to Patrick trying to woo his mommy, since thetter had been doing that for a


    while now-he was just reacting to his daddy¡¯s name.


    ¡°No!¡± Cordy was at a loss for words. ¡°I¡¯m not like that.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you were acting strange,¡± Patrick pointed out.


    ¡°Fine. I was annoyed with Nana, okay?¡± Cordy admitted.


    Dicky was a little let down.


    He turned to stare outside the window.


    He was already disappointed in his daddy, but that man was still his daddy


    Whatever.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    If his mommy gave up on him, he would too.


    Meanwhile, Patrick was still rambling on.¡±You¡¯re just using Nana as an excuse for your feelings for


    Lucas.¡±


    Cordy thought then that there was no way she could talk to Patrick, since they were onpletely


    different wavelengths, i


    Patrick noticed Cordy¡¯s mood, however, and surrendered. ¡°So? Why do you hate her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she resembles Noel?¡¯ Cordy said bluntly.


    Patrick actually did a double take. ¡¯That¡¯s why I felt that sense of familiarity ¡­ She really does, now that


    you mentioned it.¡±


    So that was why Cordy didn¡¯t have a good impression of Nana.


    Whether her meekness was pretended or genuine, once a person decided that they disliked something


    before, they wouldn¡¯t be able to bring themselves to like it, even if they tried to like it again.


    ¡°So? Why are you here in North City?¡± Cordy asked, changing the subject.


    She certainly didn¡¯t think that he would travel all the way here for her.


    ¡°I really came to see you. Why can¡¯t you believe me? You know it¡¯s been a while. I was so worried


    you¡¯d forget about me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t,¡¯ Cordy said assuredly.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of money involved in our rtionship. And I¡¯m a gold-digger.¡± For once, Patrick was left


    speechless.

 Chapter 697

    Chapter 697


    Chapter 697


    Although Patrick brought Cordy home to her mansion, his request to go inside or for a drink was


    summarily refused.


    She really was ruthless.


    Fortunately, she received her roses, although that was because he threatened to go in the mansion if


    she did not.


    Cordy waspelled to take his roses, and that put Patrick in a good mood.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    She probably didn¡¯t notice, but her guard against his courting and his presence in general was easing.


    Before, Cordy would look at him as if he was an idiot no matter how hard he tried, and strode off into


    the distance.


    The path before had certainly been long and harsh, but now¡­ There was hope.


    Meanwhile, filming for the second stage of ¡¯Actors on Set¡¯ was under way at North City Channel¡¯s


    studios.


    Viewership on the first season crushed every other variety show, and shot straight to trending


    searches.


    Naturally, Zoe was mentioned to some extent as well, since many were curious about her sudden


    disappearance from the spotlight. However, she had too few scenes; it was clear who the production


    crew wanted to lead the show. They even went out as far as to advertise themselves on search


    engines while pushing Zoe out of the spotlight.


    However, Zoe still managed to make the first eight most searched actors and actresses.


    It was a rtively safe spot for her, which was why her performance was calmer in contrast to the first


    act.


    As long as she did as she had always done, she probably wouldn¡¯t be eliminated, given the current


    rankings.


    While everyone waited backstage, the host took the stage, gave the opening monologue, and


    announced the rules.


    This time, thest two would be eliminated.


    The first was a direct elimination for the contestant who cedst in audience votes.


    The second was the contestant whom the four mentors picked from the five contestants who ced in


    thest five ces.


    In other words, cing tenth to fifteenth was precarious. Every actor and actress who thought


    themselves safe became nervous. 1


    Zoe was one of them, since she had been ced eighth-smack dab in the middle.


    A little further down, and she would be tenth.


    And she was very sure that none amongst the judges¡¯ panel would pick her.


    Although her best hopes were in Hailey, she had a nagging feeling that Hailey had be biased


    against her during the rehearsals. In turn, this made her even less confident, i


    ¡®Forget it,¡¯ Zoe thought to herself as she inhaled deeply.


    Whatever will be, will be. There was no helping it if she really was going to be eliminated. She just had


    to rx and give a proper show.


    She was the fourth act, and she prepared to take the stage.


    Her partners Wynn and Candice were nervous as well, and they did a group cheer before going on


    stage.


    They were ying a part in Jay¡¯s movie, and Zoe was ying Cora¡¯s role. She had considered a great


    many things before she got in character¡­

 Chapter 698

    Chapter 698


    Chapter 698


    Zoe wanted to challenge herself-she would abandon Cora¡¯s interpretation of the character and make a


    completely new character instead. However, doing so had its risks; the audience might not be used to


    the new character since it went against what they remembered, which in turn would lead to her being


    ughtered.


    After thinking things through, Zoe decided to stick to Cora¡¯s interpretation.


    The audience began to vote after the contestants¡¯ performances before the program moved on to the


    judges¡¯ments.


    Hailey was the most experienced amongst the judges, and she had been watching solemnly.


    She was even more solemn after watching Zoe¡¯s team¡¯s performance.


    Zoe, Wynn, and Candice felt their hearts racing nervously.


    They more or less managed to recreate the performance as it was, but had no idea if the judges and


    audience would buy it. 1


    Hailey then spoke, ¡°First and foremost, it¡¯smendable that the performance overall was replicated


    without obvious mistakes. Naturally, there were some minor mishaps. For example, corpsing, aren¡¯t we,


    Wynn?¡±


    Wynn smiled in embarrassment and nodded. The studio audienceughed in amusement.


    ¡°Also, Candice made some mistakes in positioning. You were too quick with your lines,¡± Hailey added


    bluntly, pointing out all their mistakes. ¡°It may be normal to make mistakes while you¡¯re on stage, but


    even if you didn¡¯t have much time to prepare, mistakes should always be avoided.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Zimmerman.¡± Both Wynn and Candice were quick to respond humbly.


    One must admit that Hailey was as serious as she was meticulous; it was as if no one on stage could


    pull the wool over her eyes.


    She turned to Zoe then. ¡°But in contrast, even if she made zero mistakes, Zoe¡¯s performance is the


    worst among your trio.¡±


    The studio was left in an uproar by those words-the one who made zero mistakes, somehow gave the


    worst performance?!


    Zoe, however, kept smiling, afraid to react at all since the cameras might capture her murderous intent.


    ¡°Do you know why I said that?¡± Hailey asked.


    The host promptly passed the micto Zoe, who replied, ¡°Please enlighten me, Miss Zimmerman.¡±


    ¡°Your performance was immacte, but it had neither soul nor uniqueness. I could even put it this way:


    you were ying Cora Levine, not Zoe York,¡± Hailey said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.


    Zoe began, ¡°In my opinion, Cora¡¯s interpretation of the character was perfect, and-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an excuse. Take Hamlet for an example¡ªthe character had been yed by countless


    characters over centuries, but new interpretations always surface. Your behavior is undoubtedly


    giarism.¡±


    Hailey was merciless, and Zoe nodded, too fearful to defend himself.


    Moreover, it was true-she had simply copied Cora¡¯s interpretation.


    ¡°Anyone can put up such a brainless performance and do well. In contrast. Candice and Wynn were


    breathing new life to their characters despite their mistakes. On the other hand, you didn¡¯t, and I


    actually find your performance a waste of time.¡±


    Hailey¡¯s exceedingly sharp critique left Zoe embarrassed.


    She did not know how to exin that she wanted to stave elimination, and was therefore afraid to get


    creative.


    However, that would also invite the bacsh that she was prioritizing winning and disrespecting the


    stage.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    In fact, whatever she said now would be a mistake.


    ¡°I will do better next time,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s something I must point out as well. You show the right attitude in apologizing on each asion,


    but you let everyone down in each case. There is only one stage and one opportunity, Zoe-you won¡¯t


    get far if you don¡¯t get serious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your critique, Miss Zimmerman.¡± Zoe shed a smile of gratitude.


    Hailey stopped, while the other two judges each made their critique.


    They briefly touched on Zoe with formal encouragement, and it was soon Jay¡¯s turn.


    Before he could speak, Hailey seemed to remember something else, and added, ¡¯I had mentioned


    before rehearsals that you shouldn¡¯t cut corners and stay grounded. You didn¡¯t take my words to heart,


    did you?¡±


    Zoe was left bemused. 1


    She had no idea what she did this time-aside from rehearsals, she had been keeping her distance from


    Wynn.

 Chapter 699

    Chapter 699


    Chapter 699


    ¡°Did you replicate Cora¡¯s interpretation of the character without adjustments because it was Jay¡¯s


    production? It¡¯s a smart way to buy Jay¡¯s vote by ying the character to his tastes, isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    Hailey¡¯s aggressive rebuke wasn¡¯t sparing Zoe an ounce of dignity, and Zoe actually had no idea how


    to defend herself.


    In fact, with Hailey now prejudiced against her, anything she said would only be considered excuses.


    However, she never thought of ying the character in a way that struck Jay¡¯s fancy¡ªnot that she


    could.


    If anything, she wanted the audience¡¯s fancy.


    ¡°Your years in showbiz turns out to be a waste, Zoe,¡± Hailey said coldly, her spite for Zoe abundantly


    clear on her face, i


    Zoe was left wondering how on earth had she offended Hailey, especially when she found herself


    grounded.


    Even the host couldn¡¯t stand it, and tried to steer the stage in another direction away from the


    awkwardness. ¡°Do you have anything to say to Miss Zimmerman, Zoe?¡±


    As such, Zoe spoke with an exceedingly calm-even appeasing tone, ¡°I had no intention of buying Mr.


    Parker¡¯s vote. It¡¯s my opinion that Cora Levine yed that character perfectly, and even consider


    replicating it a form of sess on its own. Of course, I ept Miss Zimmerman¡¯s critique, and I


    understand she said all that for my sake. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see a different side to me next time.¡±


    Hailey refused to ept that exnation at all. ¡¯If you have the chance.¡±


    Zoe smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes, and I fully ept the appraisals of the judges and the audience. I¡¯m


    satisfied that I can rise to the stage of theater again. Even if my performance proved wanting, it


    encourages me to do better.¡¯


    She was basically saying her parting words, just as she was ready to leave at any moment. She had


    certainly memorized her farewell script to the letter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up so soon, Zoe,¡± the host consoled her. ¡°No one knows what the result will be until it¡¯s out.


    Thank you, judges.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jay suddenly spoke.


    N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    The host finally came to a realization and chuckled, ¡°Ah, apologies. Your thoughts, Mr. Parker?¡¯


    ¡°I won¡¯tment on Wynn and Candice¡¯s performances, since my opinion wasrgely the same as my


    fellow judges. Overall speaking, the stage show was great, though effort is needed in the details to


    avoid mishaps in the midst of your performance.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Parker.¡± Wynn and Candice promptly nodded.


    ¡°As for Zoe¡¯s performance, it was the most impable performance I had ever seen.¡±


    Zoe was left staring and blinking at Jay¡¯s unexpected acknowledgement.


    He should be avoiding her like the gue, since she was used of trying to buy his vote.


    And yet, he said all that¡­


    But to be fair, carrots and sticks were the way of adjudicators these days.

 Chapter 700

    Chapter 700


    Chapter 700


    Zoe was simply waiting for Jay¡¯s impending critique, since Hailey had mentioned almost everything that


    could be said.


    At this point, there was nothing she couldn¡¯t ept.


    She was actually retaining her usual smile, having weathered through the world shattering beneath her


    feet over the years but bearing with it anyway.


    She would always put on her best performance in front of the cameras. She just had to do her utmost,


    even if no one was buying it.


    After all, your effort was disproportional-even inconsequential-to your sess in this world.


    Nheless, Jay continued, ¡®I¡¯m sure anyone who was involved in a stage production would


    understand that a performance with zero mistakes is exceedingly difficult. It involves perfection in


    everything including your breathing, expressions, movements, dialog, and interaction with your fellow


    thespians. And yet, no one has achieved that today, save for Zoe.¡±


    Zoe simply kept smiling at Jay, but without gratitude in her eyes or the rejoicing of being acknowledged.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    After all, this couldn¡¯t be good.


    ¡°Moreover, every actor and actress only had a week since thest stage, and one could imagine how


    much effort they put in. I could even put it this way: Zoe is always the first to arrive at the studio, and


    thest to leave ¡ª she puts in double or more time to perfect her performance, and it is her effort that


    allows her to put up an impable showing.¡±


    Hailey was left scowling as she sat beside Jay.


    The man was dismantling her pedestal, after all!


    ¡°Of course, I cannot fully acknowledge Zoe cloning Cora Levine¡¯s performance, because everyone


    ought to have their own interpretation of each character, and in turn give a different soul for said


    character. While ying to the crowd¡¯s fancies will certainly lead to opinions that she hasn¡¯t been


    putting in effort, we can understand the reason behind that. Can¡¯t we, Zoe York?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural.¡¯ Hailey could not resist speaking up right then. ¡®To buy your vote.¡±


    ¡°Not quite. She¡¯s trying to buy the audience¡¯s vote, actually.*


    Zoe¡¯s perfect smile twitched ever so slightly.


    However, Hailey scoffed. ¡®The audience? In that case, she should be showing some sincerity instead of


    presenting some mindless imitation.¡±


    ¡°Actually, you need to understand the prudence of a washed-up actress onstage,¡± Jay told Hailey.


    While Hailey frowned, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve never experienced what it¡¯s like to feel down and


    out in showbiz. Miss Zimmerman. The audience doesn¡¯t remember you, and you seemed to disappear


    entirely for three years. Through it all, no one asked for you to take a role, let alone film amercial.¡±


    Hailey pursed her lips, but admitted, ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you won¡¯t understand that Zoe is overly cautious. Yes, it can¡¯t be denied that she¡¯s trying to


    cut corners, but this production had been wildly popr, and Cora presented her exciting performance


    in it. That is why Zoe was worried that the audience wouldn¡¯t ept her interpretation, and that Cora¡¯s


    fans would believe that she is denying the genius in Cora¡¯s interpretation.¡±


    ¡°In other words, aside from sticking to Cora Levine¡¯s interpretation, Zoe has no other choice if she


    wants to stay on this stage. And since she won¡¯t be gaining any breakthrough for her character when


    she does that, the only thing she can do is make no mistakes and use her impable ability as a


    performer to make up for thecking in her character¡¯s freshness.¡±


    ¡°And how did you manage to read that intention from her?¡± Hailey asked, staring fixedly at Jay.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been spending a lot of time here at the studio,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Everyone knows I¡¯m involved in this


    variety show to pick the best thespians. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve often showed up for rehearsals. And I had in


    turn seen an actress¡¯s love for the stage in all the hard work Zoe put in personally.¡±

 Chapter 701

    Chapter 701


    Chapter 701


    Hailey scoffed. ¡°So, I¡¯m right. Zoe was trying to buy your vote.¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely giving a thespian the fairest


    assessment from my own personal perspective,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Hailey said sternly. ¡°That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t matter what her objective was, or what dramatic


    events she experienced before that affected her life. I can¡¯t bring myself to appreciate cutting corners,


    because the stage demands a grounded performance. Either way, she won¡¯t earn any points with me.¡±


    Jay was about to argue when Zoe quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Zimmerman and Mr. Parker. I


    profoundly understand that I had beencking. I¡¯ll correct myself should I still have the opportunity to


    show my respect for the stage, the judges, and the audience.¡±


    She nodded solemnly, afraid of having the judges argue over her and in turn getting med online.


    She yearned badly for a resurgence, but the less she was involved in any scandals, the better; she


    wanted a clean pedestal.


    Still, she was surprised Jay would help her in such fashion, although she had no idea if it was doing her


    harm or good.


    In fact, she had no idea what was going to happen after today¡¯s stage. All she wanted was to get away


    and avoid the crossfire, and survive in showbiz without drawing trouble.


    Jay seemed to sense that feeling from her, and stopped himself right then.


    While the situation was left hanging awkwardly, the host promptly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Do the


    judges have anything to add?¡±


    No one said a word, so he said, ¡°Very well. Zoe, Wynn and Candice, you may now head backstage for


    a break. Good work.¡±


    Finally!


    After Zoe headed backstage, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.


    If she knew that returning was this difficult, perhaps she should not have put in so much hope for


    herself.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Wynn called out to her.


    As a partner, he actually felt sorry for her. As an actor, he found everything that Hailey put Zoe through


    uneptable; not to mention, Zoe was an actress like him. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t be able to say for sure


    he wouldn¡¯t snap at Hailey in retaliation right then and there.


    Zoe had been taking everything Hailey dished out; she would be thoroughly demolished had Jay not


    stand up for her.


    Having rehearsed on stage with her all the way, he knew all too well how much effort Zoe had put in.


    Even if Hailey didn¡¯t like the final oue, she really should not dismiss all of Zoe¡¯s hard work so


    tantly.


    Zoe forced a smile nheless. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    After all, there were still cameras around them. No, cameras were ever present in the studio.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do better next time,¡± Zoe continued, before adding, ¡°if there¡¯s a next time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so pessimistic,¡± Wynn told her. ¡°I think your performance is good. Even if the judges didn¡¯t


    appreciate it, that doesn¡¯t mean the audience doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do well in the audience vote.¡±


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe said, not pressing the issue. She just had to keep her pessimism to herself and not get


    capricious around others.


    Still, it took two hours before the other groups finished their acts. After that, every thespian was once


    again invited on stage.


    Everyone in the act that ranked first made it through to the next stage. The groups were announced


    first as well, but naturally, it wasn¡¯t Zoe¡¯s group. As for the rest, the judges and the studio audience


    would decide their fate.


    Then came the announcement for the thespian who cedst in the audience¡¯s votes.


    Zoe took a deep breath. It wasn¡¯t her, but she was in thest five nheless.


    The rest safely made it through, while Zoe and the other four selected stepped forward on stage,


    waiting for the judges¡¯ decision.


    Since the next round was apetition between each judges¡¯ respective group, they would be directly


    picking their teams from the remaining thespians right now.

 Chapter 702

    Chapter 702


    Chapter 702


    The one not picked would be eliminated automatically.


    Every judge hence wrote the name of the thespian they had in mind, while the host kept everyone in


    suspense before asking them to present it.


    In the end, Jay picked Zoe.


    Zoe bit her lip; it was at once surprising yet expected, but she had no idea if she should be pleased.


    As everyone filed down the stage, the eliminated thespian deliberately gave Zoe a knock on the


    shoulder, unable to hide her dissatisfaction despite attempting to hide it.


    She was convinced Zoe stole her spot-why was she the one being eliminated after Hailey gave Zoe


    that horrificshing?!


    However, Zoe didn¡¯t hold it against the thespian because she understood how thetter felt.


    Even she would feel discontent if she were eliminated.


    Moreover, she was still wondering now if she survived by going through the backdoor that Jay opened


    for her.


    How should she put it? She was really surprised!


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    But one way or another, she managed to survive, even making it into Jay¡¯s group.


    They probably were going to see a lot of each other soon.


    Zoe headed out of the building, where she found Quinn waiting. Thetter had been very eager


    recently, as if frightened that Zoe would go missing again.


    Quinn insisted on having dinner together with Zoe, with Cordy joining them since she had returned to


    North City as well.


    As Zoe left in Quinn¡¯s luxury car, the other thespians and the production crew all saw her.


    The eliminated thespian scoffed, ¡®There¡¯s always someone pulling strings behind the scenes. Word of


    advice, everyone! Watch your backs when it¡¯s someone you cant afford to provoke.¡¯


    None of the thespians said a word, however, since there were plenty of people with them. They might


    inadvertently step on someone else¡¯s toes. 1


    Even so, they started to develop a prejudice towards Zoe in turn.


    Jay heard it too. After he got in the car waiting for him, he calmly dialed a number and said, ¡®Eileen


    Lockhart is to be avoided in all my productions and any projects ourpany is involved with.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Mr. Parker.¡¯


    ¡°Why the long face?¡± Quinn asked while driving very slowly-she was still very bad with driving. ¡®Please


    don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re eliminated.¡±


    ¡°I almost was.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Jay saved my butt, though I¡¯m not sure if that counts as backdoor means.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Jay would do that for you?¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m surprised.¡±


    ¡°It just means that you¡¯re good,¡± Quinn said in acknowledgement.


    ¡°I never found showbiz this difficult¡­ Now, it¡¯s like each step could kill me,¡¯


    Zoe said, reclining against her seat and not hiding her feelings around Quinn. ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m


    starting to feel like I should give up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to return to the pinnacle stage that only belongs to you?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I be allowed to regret?¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯ll always support all your decisions as long as you think things through, even if it means


    you¡¯re giving up on your dreams. At worst, I¡¯d be your sugar mommy,¡± Quinn said seriously.


    Zoe giggled in amusement. ¡°Why cant you be a man, Quinn? If you were and we got together, no


    scumbag would get to hurt us!¡±

 Chapter 703

    Chapter 703


    Chapter 703


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Quinn said, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like straight is the only way these days¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold it right there,¡± Zoe promptly stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m straight. Super straight!¡±


    Don¡¯t put it as if she wasn¡¯t!


    When they arrived at the restaurant and strode into the lobby, Zoe paused for a brief moment.


    She felt like she had seen something she should not be seeing.


    Quinn followed her gaze to find a rather familiar figure. Zoe¡¯s eyes turned moist as she watched the


    man from the back, and murmured, ¡°John¡­?¡±


    She kept herself cut off from everything after leaving North City for a very long time, without checking


    the news or watching TV.


    She was hence oblivious to a great many things. When she thought that she had calmed down enough,


    she found out about John¡¯s death from the news.


    It had been six months since the time, and she had forgotten how she felt when she saw the headline.


    All she knew was that her tears were gushing, and she felt the impulse to call Cordy.


    But¡­ What was there to ask after so long?


    Yet now, seeing him again made her sad again.


    ¡°Probably a mistake,¡± Quinn pointed out. ¡°I mean, he didn¡¯t fake his death, right?¡¯


    Zoe turned away and blinked back her tears.


    There was certainly no chance of duplicity-that meant she must¡¯ve been mistaken.


    ¡°Come on. Cord/s waiting for us inside.¡¯


    They entered their private room, where Cordy was waiting.


    She would never hurry them because she knew that Quinn was a terrible driver, and so waited quietly.


    ¡°So? Did things go well at thepetition?¡± She asked Zoe.


    ¡°Nope.¡¯ Quinn beat Zoe to answer. ¡°She said Jay helped her through backdoor means.¡¯


    Cordy turned towards Zoe, who shrugged, disinclined to borate. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that counts, actually.


    Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about the stuff that gets you in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°So you already are in a bad mood,¡± Cordy concluded.


    ¡°Well, we can drink our sorrows away,¡± Quinn said. She turned to Cordy.¡± It¡¯s the weekend tomorrow.


    You¡¯re not working, are you?¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Cordy assured.


    ¡°Zoe, you can still hold your liquor after all these years, can¡¯t you?¡± Quinn asked, while gesturing for a


    waiter to bring in the alcohol.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± Zoe snorted. ¡°Call me washed, but never say that I can¡¯t drink!¡¯


    Cordy and Quinn could not help smiling. It seemed they would drown themselves in alcohol tonight.


    To no surprises, by the time they were done with dinner, they had finished over twenty expensive


    bottles of beer.


    Cordy felt her vision blurring from all the alcohol, since she wasn¡¯t that good at drinking.


    Quinn was in contrast average, and while Zoe was a good drinker, she still drank too much.


    Intoxicated, the trio were left staring dazedly at each other with flushed faces.


    ¡°Want to move on to the next joint?¡± Quinn suggested.


    She used to be the most rational amongst the trio, but she started to let loose at some point in time¡ª


    perhaps people do change with age.


    On the other hand, Zoe was much more disciplined. The girl who had once been carefree, self-


    indulgent and fearless became matured, restrained, tactful, andpromising.


    That was the case for Cordy as well, who grew less interested in so many things that she was


    bing quiet and withdrawn.


    ¡°Nope, it¡¯ste,¡± Zoe mumbled, burping.


    She had been the most yful, but she was now the most restrained.


    ¡°I have a rehearsal at the studio early tomorrow. People will be saying that I¡¯m using the backdoor if I¡¯m


    late. Burp¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a backdoor, and it¡¯s us. You just refused to take it,¡± Quinn said while burping.


    ¡°C-Cant I at least look noble?¡±


    ¡°Does that put food on the table?¡±


    ¡°¡­I can afford food,¡± Zoe replied.


    Quinn was speechless, but Cordy said rationally, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s past ten now.


    Let¡¯s go home. Zoe¡¯s going to be busy tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 704

    Chapter 704


    Chapter 704


    ¡°Fine/


    Quinn didn¡¯t push them at that point¡ªher best friend¡¯s health and career was more important than a


    brief moment of fun.


    With that, the trio shambled out of their private room.


    They had really drunk too much out of a moment of impulse.


    Cordy could barely keep her guts in, which was churning the instant she reached the walkway. ¡°I need


    thedies¡¯ room.¡±


    She rushed towards the shared washroom outside without a pause, but moved so quickly she didn¡¯t


    have time to see which one she ran inside.


    ¡°rgh¡­¡± She was vomiting her guts out in front of the sink in no time at all, feeling sick again as soon


    as she paused for a moment.


    It really had been a while since she drank.


    Back when her insomnia started, Jim suggested alcohol, but it proved useless and even left her with


    head-splitting headaches.


    She didn¡¯t drink much since then, but indulged herself this time since it was rare to hang out with Quinn


    and Zoe.


    ¡°rgh¡­¡±


    She started vomiting again after a couple seconds, and it took a long while for her stomach to finally


    feel better.


    As she rinsed her mouth and looked up at the huge mirror before her, she was left dumbstruck at the


    next instant.


    A man was standing right there, urinating.


    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Did she stumble into the men¡¯s room by mistake?!


    ¡°Are you done looking?¡± the man asked.


    His voice was a little familiar¡­ No, he looked familiar too!


    Isn¡¯t that Lucas?!


    However, Cordy was a little drunk and her head was a little muddled.


    Her eyes unwittingly slid downward, and Lucas was immediately glowering. ¡°You¡¯re still looking? Don¡¯t


    you feel shame, woman?!¡±


    Cordy promptly looked downwards, her stomach churning again once she did, and¡­


    ¡°rgh!!!¡±


    Lucas¡¯ face darkened.


    Forget looking-she actually puked?!


    She was doing this on purpose, wasn¡¯t she?!


    Cordy, however, kept vomiting until she was spitting bile when she finally calmed down.


    She wiped her face, and was ready to leave.


    She could just pretend nothing happened, since getting into the wrong washroom wasn¡¯t something to


    brag about.


    As she strode out, her heels clicking in her wake, Lucas also finished washing his hands and headed


    out as well.


    However, Cordy was still very dizzy, and the floor was a little slippery. She hadn¡¯t walked for more than


    a few steps when she slipped, and looked ready to fall.


    She promptly reached out to grab the nearest person by instinct, but missed his shirt, catching his


    trousers instead¡­and pulling it straight down!


    To make things worse, while she fell face down before his feet, the people outside heard the noise and


    rushed inside, ¡°Are you alright, Cordy?¡± Thus, an infamous scene came to be!

 Chapter 705

    Chapter 705


    Chapter 705


    Zoe and Quinn both rushed into the men¡¯s room.


    They had been feeling dazed, and so never realized that they should go into the washroom with Cordy


    to help her out. Still, they were startled when they heard the loud thud inside, and charged inside


    without noticing that it was the men¡¯s room¡­where they were left astonished.


    They both wondered if they were hallucinating from all that alcohol. Why else would they see Cordy in


    such an embarrassing position?


    One must understand that she was a goddess, perfect in manners and bearing, never once losing


    dignity in public.


    And yet, right now¡­


    Both Zoe and Quinn were blinking in disbelief, staring at Cordy after she pulled down a man¡¯s pants


    and before falling before his feet.


    It was a sight that burnt itself into one¡¯s memory; both Zoe and Quinn forgot to help Cordy, their eyes


    drifting simultaneously from Cordy up to the man¡¯s muscr long legs, and the ck boxers that were


    hugging his rounded posterior, i


    They were too drunk to bother hiding their stares, and kept ogling at the man¡¯s perfect figure.


    They really were best friends, no question about it! It was such a divine sight that Cordy must¡¯ve


    thought it a waste to enjoy it alone, and was therefore inviting them to admire it together.


    Zoe started drooling before she knew it, and she quickly wiped it off.


    She told herself to stay calm, but she wasn¡¯t calm at all.


    Naturally, she wasn¡¯t continuing to ogle at the man, but was thinking something else.


    Isn¡¯t he John?!


    Zoe rubbed her eyes-there was no doubting it.


    She was so drunk that she saw a ghost!


    And the instant she realized that, she shrieked, ¡®Oh, my god! A ghost!¡±


    On the other hand, Lucas was murderous. He clenched his shaking fist, and dropped to a crouch to pull


    his pants out of Cordy¡¯s hands, putting them back on.


    Then,pletely ignoring Cordy as she continued toy on the floor in a daze, he turned to leave.


    Zoe watched as ¡®John¡¯ strode towards her, her face turning pale as she clenched on Quinn. ¡°S-Stop


    right there!¡¯


    Quinn wasn¡¯t at all scared at first, but fear was infectious, and she started to panic as well because of


    Zoe.


    ¡°D-Do you want something? Just stay right there and tell us! I¡¯ll bring you human sacrifice if you want!¡¯


    Zoe stammered from fear.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Nutjobs,¡± Lucas muttered in annoyance, ncing briefly at Zoe as he strode past her.


    The cool brush of air against Zoe¡¯s face almost disembodied her soul, but John was long gone before


    she came to her senses.


    Meanwhile, Cordy pushed herself off the floor with much difficulty, and shot aining look at Zoe


    and Quinn.


    Weren¡¯t they supposed to be best friends?! Why were they ogling at Lucas while leaving her on the


    floor? Were pretty boys that much more important?!


    Quinn sensed Cordy¡¯s re, and quickly pushed Zoe away. ¡® Are you alright, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy was silent, which left Quinn feeling a little awkward.


    However, she really was out of it a moment ago.


    Zoe came to her senses after much difficulty as well, and quickly asked,¡± Cordy¡­ Did you just see


    that?¡¯


    Speechless, Cordy gulped and slowly nodded.

 Chapter 706

    Chapter 706


    Chapter 706


    Cordy had seen ¡®that¡¯ alright.


    It really hurt her eyes to see it; she needed to wash them when she got home.


    ¡°So I wasn¡¯t imagining it?¡± Zoe¡¯s face turned paler.


    While Cordy and Quinn were both left perplexed, Zoe panickily tugged on Cordy¡¯s sleeve. ¡°He must


    have some grudge that keeps him here to rise from the grave like that! That¡¯s why he¡¯s haunting us¡­


    Come on, we have to visit his grave right this instant!¡¯


    ¡°Visit whose grave?¡¯ Cordy was perplexed, suddenly realizing that Zoe was operating on apletely


    different wavelength from herself.


    Was Zoe really that drunk?


    ¡°His grave, of course!¡¯ Zoe said solemnly. ¡°He must be getting lonely.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ Oh?!¡¯


    Cordy yelped as Zoe started dragging her away. Her body was already aching from the fall just now,


    and her ankles were swollen.


    And now, she was getting dragged unceremoniously around by Zoe!


    Next time¡­


    No, there wouldn¡¯t be a next time. She was never drinking with them again, but if she had to, she


    wouldn¡¯t get drunk!


    Restraint seemed out of the question whenever they get drunk!


    On the other hand, Quinn was shocked by Zoe reacting as if she was possessed-how much did the girl


    drink that she was no longer making sense of?!


    ¡°Slow down, Zoe!¡±


    Disregarding her terrible headache, she promptly gave chase while feeling dizzy, despite retaining an


    iota of sobriety.


    At the same time, Zoe was moving so fast that Cordy felt like she was floating.


    Soon they were out of the restaurant, and Zoe managed to stop a taxi.


    Almost left behind, Quinn had to run until she was wheezing when she finally made it in.


    Before she could catch his breath, however, she heard Zoe telling the cabbie, ¡°The nearest florist,


    please.¡¯


    ¡°What? Flowers in the middle of the night? Why?¡±


    ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Zoe snapped, utterly tense. ¡®Or he might haunt you too!¡¯


    The cabbie was suddenly really spooked, and everyone felt the inertia shoving them against their seats


    as the taxi shot forward.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The trio were drunk, and Cordy herself just finished puking, but the jerking motion of the taxi left her on


    the verge of vomiting again.


    Even Quinn was barely holding it in despite being able to earlier.


    ¡°There¡¯s one right ahead,dies¡­¡±


    Eventually, the taxi stopped, and the trio promptly got out, running straight to the nearest trash can and


    puking their guts out.


    Never had any of them ended up looking this pathetic.


    Still, Zoe only had to vomit for a while to feel better, and quickly left.


    Cordy and Quinn were going to stop her, but they were still too sick and started vomiting again.


    Later, Zoe returned with several bags, and gave them each a bottle of water. ¡°To rinse your mouth.¡±


    They had barely finished doing so and caught their breath, when Zoe dragged them both back into the


    taxi.


    ¡°Take us to the graveyard,¡± Zoe told the cabbie.


    ¡°To the¡­what?¡± The cabbie asked for confirmation.


    Meanwhile, both Cordy and Quinn were suffering too much from their terrible headaches and


    stomachaches to care what Zoe was doing¡­until they actually stopped at the ce in the quiet


    outskirts of the city.


    There was only silence and darkness. Cordy and Quinn were suddenly both fully sober.


    ¡°Where did you take us, Zoe?!¡± Quinn couldn¡¯t help snapping out loud, but it only got creepier as her


    voice echoed in the empty, sinister surroundings.

 Chapter 707

    Chapter 707


    Chapter 707


    ¡°To light a candle and put some flowers at his grave, of course,¡± Zoe said, as if it made perfect sense.


    ¡°What, did you see a ghost?¡± Cordy frowned in bemusement.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Zoe nodded repeatedly. ¡°You saw him too, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°You just did¡­ Whatever, you were drunk,¡± Zoe snorted, not bothered to borate.


    Who was the one drunk here again?!


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Zoe said, and quickly dragged both of them towards the graveyard.


    ¡°Hold it.¡± Quinn stopped her. ¡¯Are you sure we¡¯re going in there? In the middle of the night?¡±


    ¡°I mean, I have to light a candle and put some flowers at his grave, right?¡±


    ¡°Zoe, are you-¡°


    ¡°Zip it! Let¡¯s move.¡±


    Zoe refused to let them speak and kept shoving them inside.


    The graveyard was dimly lit, though the rows of graves were clean and tidy.


    Only the rich and powerful of North City can be interred here. In fact, it cost so much to buy a lot here


    that the most expensive apartment units in the city were cheaper.


    For Zoe¡¯s part, she never saw the point of visiting graves and other simr rituals, because it was a


    waste of money.


    However, she didn¡¯t believe it to be the case now-even if the person died, their spirit lingered!


    Over thest few years, Zoe was unaware of how things went between Cordy and John.


    She had heard rumors, but Cordy never talked too much about herself.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that Cordywas insincere-any friend could always bank on Cordy to save


    them. However, Cordy preferred not to express her negative feelings to others-the way she lived was


    too self- conscious. 1


    Even Quinn herself only found out, albeit indirectly, that Cordy was deeply in love with John.


    And there was no doubt that Zoe was rubbing salt on Cordy¡¯s wounds at the moment.


    At thiste at night, people and their emotions could be more vulnerable- especially if they¡¯re drunk.


    And now, in Cordy¡¯s case, both conditions were met.


    Zoe was therefore perplexed when she noticed Cordy¡¯s sadness. When Zoe left the city before, Cordy


    didn¡¯t love John.


    To be precise, Cordy refused to admit that she loved him.


    Yet, the man was simply extraordinary.


    To be honest, if Zoe wasn¡¯t that chummy with John since a child to the point that she didn¡¯t think of him


    as a man, she herself might not be able to resist his magnificence. Moreover, John was the one who


    went all out to woo Cordy.


    Falling in love was a matter of time for them; Cordy obviously loved him deeply, too.


    Perhaps too deeply.


    For Cordy¡¯s part, it had been a long time since she came to this ce.


    In fact, she was afraid to-John¡¯s body wasn¡¯t here, anyway.


    They didn¡¯t even find a piece of him, let alone his body.


    They were simply putting him where he belonged, for he was a Levine and naturally should be returned


    to where he was.


    In fact, what the Levines buried here was a set of his clothes he wore before, and pretended as if he


    was home.

 Chapter 709

    Chapter 709


    Chapter 709


    Zoe cried, ¡°W-What should we do?¡±


    The shock left her helpless.


    ¡°What else can we do?! Put out the fire!¡± Quinn snapped.


    ¡°Oh, right!¡± Zoe eximed, and promptly took off her coat.


    Quinn followed suit, and Cordy had no choice but to follow.


    The trio did their best, but just as they put it out¡­


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± A voice barked in the darkness.


    Zoe thought that she would have died hundreds of times over if she had a bad heart.


    Nheless, the trio turned to find a security guard dressed in uniform, scowling as he barked at them,


    ¡°Got yourselves drunk and came to set the ce on fire, did we?¡±


    Zoe began, ¡°Look, gramps-¡¯


    ¡°Who are you calling gramps?!¡± The man was further incensed. ¡°I¡¯m just in my thirties!¡±


    Zoe was left speechless for a moment, wondering how white his hair was for a thirtyish man. Still, she


    said, ¡°Look, friend, we¡¯re not here to burn things or anything. We¡¯re just here to visit a grave, and the


    candle we brought somehow set the flowers on fire. But see? We already put it out-¡°


    ¡°Visiting a gravete at night? Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?¡± the man barked, and promptly whipped out


    his phone to call the cops.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    He did it so quickly that the trio were still gaping by the time he was done.


    ¡°Exin that to the cops!¡± the man told them, keeping his shlight leveled at them, as if afraid they


    would run away.


    The trio were speechless, but there was nothing they could do after the man called in the cops!


    Zoe couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Did I upset him when I called him gramps just now?¡±


    Quinn was rolling her eyes.


    She was supposed to be an elitewyer, but somehow ended up caught messing around with Zoe and


    broke thew when she had it down pat!


    The cops arrived in half an hour, and started to lead them to their car after the caretaker told them what


    happened.


    Still, before they left, Zoe pleaded to one of the officers,¡± Could you wait for a moment? I really came to


    visit a grave tonight¡­¡±


    As the officer studied her, she pressed, ¡°Two minutes. Just a prayer.¡¯


    The officer actually recognized her, but remained unbiased as he nodded.¡± Make it fast! Don¡¯t get any


    funny ideas!¡¯


    ¡°Thanks, gramps-l mean, officer.¡± Zoe quickly corrected herself, considering that ¡®gramps¡¯ might be why


    she was in trouble in the first ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to visit John¡¯s grave again?¡± Quinn asked Cordy as she watched Zoe hurry away.


    Cordy shook her head. She was really afraid of looking at the headstone again and seeing John¡¯s


    photo.


    It hurt more each time she did it.


    They stood nearby, watching as Zoe shuffled through the headstones.


    However, while they assumed that she was going to pray in front of John¡¯s headstone, they saw her


    stopping in front of another headstone instead.


    Quinn had no idea whose grave it was since she had never been here, but Cordy did.


    n Levine.


    In the end, Zoe still holds the Levines in her heart-even if they had thoroughly wounded her.


    Soon, Zoe was done, and returned to the officer with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m done now. Thank you.¡±


    The officer nodded, and brought them to the nearest precinct. 1


    By then, they were fully sober, and their heads were aching from the ensuing hangover.


    However, they would rather stay drunk considering all the ridiculous shenanigans they did that night.


    After they gave their legal statements and were admonished thoroughly in return, they were set on bail.


    ¡°A single person can bail all three of us out, right?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the officer told them sternly. ¡®Arson is a serious crime. Each of you must have someone post bail.¡±

 Chapter 710

    Chapter 710


    Chapter 710


    Zoe asked innocently, ¡°Then¡­ Can we bail each other?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Zoe sighed quietly, afraid from blurting the ¡°Yes¡± she had in mind.


    In fact, she had no intention of making things awkward for the cops. She really had no one who could


    post bail for her.


    She had no rtives and no other friends than the pair with her here.


    Cordy understood Zoe¡¯s misgivings, and was left wondering how things became of Zoe and her


    biological mother.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    But since Zoe didn¡¯t want to say, Cordy wouldn¡¯t ask.


    Cordy sent a text on Whatsapp, before calling Randy to post bail¡­until she gasped in surprise.


    ¡°What?! You¡¯re on your honeymoon?¡±


    ¡°You approved my leave immediately too, Miss Sachs!¡± Randy was on the verge of tears.


    The man had just left town with his new bride, but if he rushed back in the night now, he would end up


    marrying his job instead.


    ¡°Oh, right. Sorry, I forgot.¡± Cordy remembered then, along with the approval she gave.


    ¡°I delegated my tasks to Walter¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. Happy honeymoon, Randy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Sachs.¡± Randy was immensely relieved.


    Cordy hung up, but her phone went out of juice just as she was going to call Walter.


    She didn¡¯tmit Walter¡¯s number to memory like she did with Randy, but just as she was about to


    ask for a charger, a rather familiar looking officer approached her. ¡°Miss Sachs? I¡¯ve already notified


    your boyfriend toe bail you.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cordy stared at the officer in confusion.


    ¡°He was involved in a bar fight. We had his number noted down.¡¯


    Cordy remembered then that the officer was the one handling Lucas¡¯s case before.


    Wait, who asked you?!


    However, the man was an officer, and Cordy had to be respectful.


    Still, she tried to exin, ¡°Actually, he¡¯s not my boyfriend¡­¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯sing in ten minutes,¡± the officer said nheless. ¡°Also, my phone model is different


    from yours and you won¡¯t be able to use your charger. And it¡¯s not like you can get one thiste at


    night.¡±


    He was just worried about the hassle, wasn¡¯t he? He couldn¡¯t wait to send them away, since one less


    case was one less case.


    However, Cordy didn¡¯t expose him; her phone was out of juice, and whatever she said was pointless.


    Ten minutester, Lucas actually came.


    If Cordy were to be honest, she didn¡¯t expect him toe because he had no reason to.


    He might have been just here to get it over with since that officer might have been bugging him.


    If anything, the awkward encounter at the restaurant should have dissuaded him.


    However¡­ There was also the chance that he came tough at her.


    In fact, she could see the glee in his eyes.


    And yet, he stayed quiet as he handled the paperwork.


    Suddenly, Zoe was crying out in agitation again. ¡°Y-You again?! I already lit a candle at your grave!


    What more do you want? Women?!


    Lucas¡¯s forehead creased. He wondered if Cord/s friends were all nutjobs, each of them freaking out on


    each asion they saw him.


    Was he that handsome?


    Still, she didn¡¯t look lovesick.


    On the other hand, Cordy was finally sober enough to understand the reason behind Zoe¡¯s antics


    tonight.


    ¡°That¡¯s not John,¡± she exined.


    ¡°No way! We grew up together, and I¡¯d recognize him even if he¡¯s just bones! Or a ghost!¡± Zoe


    eximed assuredly.


    ¡°No, he really isn¡¯t. That man is Lucas Lynch, and he has mixed-ancestry.¡± Cordy introduced him briefly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you what I have on himter.¡±

 Chapter 711

    Chapter 711


    Chapter 711


    Zoe had more to say, but Cordy quickly left with Lucas, leaving Zoe rubbing her eyes.


    ¡°How much did you drink, honestly?¡± Quinn groaned beside her.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely John,¡± Zoe insisted.


    Cordy said he was not-they just looked alike.


    ¡°Likeness is not the point here.¡± Zoe snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? It¡¯s his presence-the way it hits you like


    a truck when he¡¯s just standing there. Hell, if I¡¯m wrong, you can take my head and use it as a chair.¡±


    Quinn was left speechless.¡±¡­ I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So, is that a human or a ghost?¡± Zoe mused then, seemingly obsessed with the question.


    Quinn was rolling her eyes, realizing right then that she could not properlymunicate with Zoe


    tonight now that she was all caught up in that mumbo jumbo.


    ¡°Maybe he actually survived?!¡± Zoe suddenly eximed excitedly when she imagined that possibility.


    ¡°Keep it down!¡± an officer barked.


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡± Zoe was promptly cowed.


    Even so, she had a hard time calming down at the thought that John might have survived¡­ But if that


    really was the case, why on earth did he have stic surgery?! His new face was hardly as handsome


    as his real face!


    But even as those thoughts crossed her mind, Zoe suddenly saw a familiar person entering the precinct


    and wondered again if her eyes were ying tricks with her.


    She probably jinxed herself too-why else would she be seeing Jay Parker standing there? What crime


    could he havemitted thiste at night?


    ¡°Quinn. Zoe.¡± Jay greeted them as he limped on his crutch toward them.


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Zoe smiled gingerly, wondering what strangeness brought them together at a


    ce like this.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Jay replied. ¡°I came to post your bail.¡±


    While Zoe was left speechless, Jay added, ¡°Cordy texted me.¡±


    Wait, Cordy sold her out?!


    Still, Zoe soon had to admit that Cordy was helping, since no one else would bail her around.


    But it had to be Jay of all people¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the paperwork,¡± Jay said without asking any questions, turning and limping toward the


    officer¡¯s desk.


    Zoe watched him leave before turning to Quinn, asking, ¡°Haven¡¯t you called anyone yet?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°He might not being, though.¡¯


    ¡°Wait¡­ You didn¡¯t ask Sam Saunders, did you?!¡± Zoe gasped in surprise.


    ¡°I did, actually.¡± Quinn nodded¡ªas a matter of fact, the man was just released from prison three days


    ago, and every paper in North City covered it.


    In the end, the second son of the Saunders family was still somewhat newsworthy.


    He had been serving a three year sentence for a hit-and-run and driving under influence.


    Quinn was his attorney at the time too.


    ¡°Is he really going toe get you?¡± Zoe snorted in slight disappointment.¡± Things were already


    strained between you two back then, and you¡¯re the reason he¡¯s in prison. I mean, he¡¯s probably


    plotting to murder you, but you¡¯re hoping that he¡¯ll bail you out?! I really don¡¯t get it-why didn¡¯t you


    divorce him at any point in time over thest three years? He¡¯s in prison, but you¡¯re still saving yourself


    for him?! How is Ryan Saunders not better¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    Jay suddenly cleared his throat beside them, leaving Zoe frowning.


    Did he get a cold or something? This ce was perfectly warm. He was a little frail for his own good! i


    As such, Zoe was about to ignore him and finish her rant when a voice spoke with disdain from behind.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years, and that mouth is still terrible.¡¯


    Zoe promptly turned around to find Sam himself standing there.


    The man was so tall that just being there anyone nearby would feel weirdly pressured, even if he was


    shing that usual goofy smile of his that did not seem to change before he served his sentence.

 Chapter 712

    Chapter 712


    Chapter 712


    Zoe noted that Sam still had that old, fashionable buzz cut of his as he walked up and stared down at


    her. ¡®Sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m here to post bail for Quinn.¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips-she would still feel awkward being caught red-handed for bad-mouthing someone


    behind their back.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Jay called out to the man just then.


    As Sam turned towards his friend. Jay gestured with his chin. ¡°Get registered over here.¡±


    Sam headed over right then, while Zoe turned toward Quinn, who was smiling faintly.


    Zoe simply could not understand-she always knew that Quinn had no love for Sam, so why did Quinn


    insist on sticking with him?


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    After the paperwork was done, all four of them left the precinct together.


    Sam and Jay had been talking for a while when, considering that Jay had trouble walking, Sam asked,


    ¡°Need a ride?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. My chauffeur¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going, then.¡±


    ¡°Come hang out when you¡¯re free,¡± Jay said then. ¡°Bob¡¯s beenining that you haven¡¯t been


    talking to us, and it¡¯s been days since you got out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡¯ Sam nonchntly replied and headed toward the two ck cars parked just ahead.


    His license had been suspended for life following the drunk-driving sh hit -and-run, and it was his


    family chauffeur who brought him out here.


    Seeing that he was getting into his car, Quinn quickly told Zoe in turn, ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡±


    Zoe was left staring at Sam¡¯s unchanging smug demeanor, feeling a little ufortable.


    However, she was not one to brag when her own love life was a mess¡­ Whatever. Quinn could do


    whatever she liked.


    As Zoe watched Quinn leave, Jay suddenly spoke quietly beside her, ¡¯Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Zoe turned toward him, and he exined, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can get a cab,¡± she said.


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte.¡±


    ¡°There are still cabs avable,¡± Zoe insisted. ¡°I can get one with my phone¡¯s app-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re alone. It¡¯s not safe.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not safe about this?¡± Zoe certainly did not mind-she had been handling things alone herself for


    years.


    However, she had just whipped out her phone and tapped on the app when a long hand snatched it out


    of her grasp. 1


    ¡°Jay Parker,¡¯ Zoe snapped with an angry edge in her voice, only to find him looking her straight in the


    eyes.


    Her sharp look in turn seemed to fade.


    She was quick to adapt to this world, withdrawing from her old character entirely.


    ¡°Mr. Parker,¡± she smiled pleasantly. ¡°We still have rehearsals tomorrow and


    I don¡¯t want to slow you down, so please return my phone so that I can get a cab and head home


    sooner. I often travel alone at night, and it¡¯s safe since security is good in the city-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s not safe,¡± Jay said staunchly nheless. ¡°Not with your good looks.¡±


    Zoe was speechless.


    Could she interpret that as praise for her beauty? Did he change that quickly in three years?


    Even so, she had the nagging feeling that Jay would never admire her beauty, not to mention that


    everyone¡¯s definition of beauty differed.


    Nor could anyone be forced to acknowledge another.


    ¡°Come one. I¡¯d rather not waste time either, when I still have a rehearsal with our group tomorrow,¡± Jay


    said and got into the car without returning her phone.


    Zoe took a deep breath-maybe he was just worried that she would slow him down tomorrow.


    No longer hesitating, she got in and sat beside Jay, feeling quite awkward.

 Chapter 713

    Chapter 713


    Chapter 713


    Jay then asked, ¡°Where are you staying?¡±


    ¡°Draxton Apartments,¡± Zoe quickly replied.


    ¡°You heard her,¡± Jay told the chauffeur.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker,¡± the man replied respectfully and started the car.


    The car sped along the broad, quiet streets in silence.


    Somehow, the interior of the car was even quieter-one could even hear breathing inside.


    It seemed that Zoe was really ufortable being alone with Jay in the same room, just like she had


    been with him at the studio before.


    This was aplete repeat of that experience now, and it felt like she was sitting on a carpet of


    needles.


    As such, Zoe kept staring outside the window without turning toward Jay once, therefore not noticing


    that he was ncing at her a few times.


    He watches as she basically pressed herself against the door, trying to keep her distance as much as


    possible.


    Jay tried to speak many times, but he ultimately chose silence.


    When they arrived outside her apartment, Zoe quickly opened the door and said, ¡°Thanks for the ride,


    Mr. Parker.¡±


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Jay stopped her, honestly feeling like she was trying to bolt just then.


    He really wanted to tell her that she did not have to¡ªthat he had a limp.


    He would never catch up to her if she went a little faster.


    ¡°Your phone,¡± he said then, holding it out to her.


    Zoe had actually forgotten about it entirely.


    Jay actually wanted to return it for a while now, but he stayed silent because she was clearly being


    distant.


    As such, he chose to stay silent all this while.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Zoe eximed and took it back. ¡®Thank you. See you.¡±


    With that, she quickly left without so much as a look behind-she was that eager to vanish from his sight.


    Jay watched as she made a break for it, hurrying further into the distance amid the night¡­


    Perhaps when you miss out on someone once, you miss out on them forever.


    Under the same night sky, the interior of another ck car was equally silent.


    Sam suddenly asked, ¡°Do you want a divorce?¡±


    Quinn was resting her eyes as she reclined against her seat.


    She certainly was no Zoe-that girl would only be drunk briefly and get sober soon enough.


    On the other hand, it would take a couple days for Quinn to recover from the hangover, and she was


    still suffering a head-splitting headache at present.


    All she wanted was to get home sooner and sleep-she might be getting sick by tomorrow too, after


    running around so much with Zoe out in the cold night.


    As such, she was still a little out of it when she heard Sam¡¯s sudden offer and was left wondering if she


    imagined it.


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s right. You don¡¯t have to save yourself for me, because I don¡¯t need it, ¡± Sam continued coolly


    then. ¡°You¡¯re thewyer, so draft the divorce agreement yourself and show it to me-l¡¯ll agree to anything


    within my means. I¡¯ll also talk to my parents myself.¡±


    Quinn finally turned toward him. ¡°Do you want to get divorced?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m fine either way.¡± Sam shrugged. ¡°No skin off my back.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pass for now,¡¯ Quinn said tly.


    While Sam narrowed his eyes at her, she turned away and added, ¡°I don¡¯t want the trouble.¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Maybe I should remind you that your rtionship with Ryan would be an extramarital affair as long as


    you don¡¯t divorce me?¡± Sam said. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t care if you cheat on me or anything-not when I did


    it to you umpteenth times. Your reputation will suffer regardless, and you might not be able to bear what


    others say about you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to suffer their criticism,¡± Quinn said slowly and clearly.


    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Sam replied and said nothing else.

 Chapter 714

    Chapter 714


    Chapter 714


    Their car soon arrived at Saunders Mansion and Quinn alighted.


    Sam stayed inside, looking like he had no intention of moving.


    ¡°Not getting out?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Not going in?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡¯


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why¡¯?¡± Sam asked in return.


    Quinn simply stood there, watching him.


    He rolled his eyes and growled impatiently, ¡°I was in prison for three years, Quinn Summer. That


    means three years without action-what do you think I want to do most after getting out?¡¯


    ¡°Aren¡¯t I enough?¡± Quinn asked.


    Sam glowered right then, but she simply continued, demanding, ¡°Are the women out there that much


    better? Do I sicken you that much? Are my breasts too small or my hips too wide?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone who¡¯s forcing themselves to do something they don¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°Did I ever say I was forcing myself?¡±


    ¡°Quinn Summer!¡± Sam flew into a rage right then.


    His poor temper never changed¡ªand it probably never would, no matter how much time had passed or


    whatever he went through.


    Even after serving his sentence, Sam was still goofing off and not trying to impress himself at all, and


    he still had that chip on his shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your sympathy,¡± he growled slowly and clearly. ¡°Also, for someone like me, having a


    record or being in prison doesn¡¯t matter!¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I didn¡¯t think that I¡¯d fall for you,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    Sam simply sneered¡ªhis feathers would never be ruffled when he expected that.


    Even so, Quinn continued, her eyes fixed on him, ¡®You never gave me a chance to do so either. You


    push me away whenever I try to get close, and that is never going to help us develop our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°And did I ever ask for that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re married.¡±


    ¡°I just offered a divorce.¡¯


    ¡°And I said no,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    ¡°What the hell do you want?!¡± Same barked right then. ¡®Get your hands off the car-l¡¯m leaving. You


    have no idea how restless someone gets after they are kept waiting for so long. Hell, I was ready to get


    some when you called me, and I¡¯ve already been as nice as I can be¡­ Umph!¡±


    Sam¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Quinn suddenly arch her back, wrapped her arms around his neck


    and pressed her lips against his.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    The faint scent of alcohol swirled between his nostrils, and it was slightly intoxicating.


    She was drunk?! Was that why she got the wrong person?


    Why else would she kiss him? She had always despised him for being filthy!


    But even as he abruptly shoved her off, he seemed to see the restrained emotions in her eyes¡­


    No, he must have imagined it¡ªit was too dark to see anything clearly anyway.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡¯ he bellowed in rage and wiped his lips.


    ¡®F*ck!¡¯


    Her scent was all over him now!


    ¡°Is it illegal to kiss my own husband?¡± Quinn asked in return.


    Sam paused right then and stared at her, realizing that she had beenpletely intoxicated tonight.


    He was already surprised when Quinn called him to post her bail at the precinct.


    Bute to think of it, she did that because she did not want his family- especially Ryan-to see her


    misbehaving.


    In contrast, she did not care about him or what he thought about her.

 Chapter 715

    Chapter 715


    Chapter 715


    So what the hell was Quinn up to now?!


    How could she bear to say the word ¡®husband¡¯, especially to him?!


    ¡°How much did you drink, woman?!¡± he bellowed. ¡°Don¡¯t do it if you can¡¯t hold your liquor, and I¡¯m never


    taking your crap-¡°


    ¡°Let¡¯s start over, Sam,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Her gaze, expression, and overall bearing was serious.


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and it felt like he was struck by something-it did not hurt, but it was a


    powerful feeling nheless and one that he could not begin to describe, i


    ¡°We¡¯re married, so why don¡¯t we give each other a chance?¡± Quinn continued. ¡°Let¡¯s move out of


    Saunders Mansion and stay somewhere else together and try to make this work, okay?¡±


    Sam had to tell himself that this was not real, that he must never believe her-that she was just talking


    out of her butt.


    How could she say something like making their marriage work when she could not wait to leave him?


    She must have been doing very well for herself over thest three years, since she never visited him in


    prison.


    Hold on, she actually did-he turned her down at the time.


    But even if he told himself that she was just drunk, and he would be the one picking up the pieces in


    the end¡­ he nodded.


    For some ursed reason or another, he did it.


    Quinn was drunk, right? She should not be able to see his reaction¡­


    But that was when he saw her tense expressions turn into a smile of relief.


    She was beaming beautifully like a flower.


    Damn it.


    Sam swore under his breath¡ªthat woman was going to kill him eventually!


    Although Cordy was the first to leave the precinct with Lucas, she did not drag her feet only because


    she was worried Zoe would do something ridiculous again.


    She must have been drunk and was therefore not seeing clearly, mistaking Lucas¡¯ likeness to John and


    believing him to be John himself.


    And yet, that confident tone of hers made Cordy remember Richard, who stubbornly believed that


    Lucas was John.


    Zoe was just like that.


    And if the two people who stayed with John the longest got it wrong¡­


    ¡°Are we going to your ce?¡± Lucas suddenly asked grumpily.


    Gordy¡¯s trail of thought was interrupted, which only served to reinforce her belief that Lucas was not


    John.


    There was just no way.


    ¡°Where else would I go?¡± Cordy asked in turn, equally grumpy.


    ¡°I came out to help you, Cordy Sachs. You¡¯d better be nice,¡± Lucas warned, clearly not about to suffer


    her.

 Chapter 716

    Chapter 716


    Chapter 716


    Cordy snapped, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for you!¡±


    ¡°What, did some jinx call me?!¡¯ Lucas shot back.


    ¡°That¡¯s an insult to an officer!¡± Cordy said sternly.


    Lucas pursed his lips, and said, ¡°What, are you saying you didn¡¯t ask the officer to call me?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s voice was getting louder as he demanded, ¡°Then, what?! Does he have my number or


    something?!¡¯


    ¡°Yes! He remembered you from that bar fight!¡±


    Lucas was left stumped for a moment before then continued loudly and assuredly, ¡°The cops wouldn¡¯t


    decide on that themselves. You put them up to it!¡± i


    ¡°No, I called my assistant and asked him to help,¡± Cordy exined while restraining herself. ¡°But it


    turns out that he¡¯s on his honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°What, he didn¡¯t delegate his tasks when he works at a bigpany like yours? Who do you think


    you¡¯re fooling?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, he had a stand-in, but my phone ran out of juice by coincidence! They don¡¯t have a charger for


    my phone¡¯s model either, and do you think they could just get one thiste at night? The cops just


    wanted it over with, so they called you!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Lucas snorted. ¡°You might sound like you¡¯re making sense, but there are plenty of holes in your


    logic! Can¡¯t you ask to borrow someone else¡¯s phone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know my new assistant¡¯s number. He¡¯s just standing in for two weeks-l have no reason to


    remember his number-¡¯


    ¡°But you do remember your assistant¡¯s number, don¡¯t you? Why didn¡¯t you call him and tell him to call


    the stand-in for you?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was stumped.


    To be honest, she did not think of that-drinking too much really dulled her intelligence.


    ¡°Pfft.¡± Lucas snorted in disdain and was clearly mocking her.


    Incensed, Cordy snapped, ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t have toe! Did I ever ask you toe?! You came


    anyway, and you¡¯re being all hurt about it. And where¡¯s your girlfriend? What are you doing here


    instead of flirting with her?! n


    ¡°Honestly, I just bailed you out. Is this how you treat your savior?¡±


    ¡°Calling yourself a savior just because you posted bail? What, should I spread my legs for you too?!¡±


    Cordy retorted.


    ¡°I knew you were lusting after me, Cordy Sachs! This was all set up on purpose, wasn¡¯t it?! First you


    took off my pants, then asked me to post your bail¡ªnow, you want to sleep with me!¡±


    Cordy was too frustrated to speak, and it took her a long while to growl through her teeth, ¡°If I ever had


    such thoughts, Lucas Lynch, lightning will strike me where I stand!


    Boom!


    A lightning bolt shed briefly up in the skies out of the blue, followed by a resounding crack of thunder.


    It just happened to illuminate Lucas¡¯ smug smile, leaving Cordy murderous.


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± she shrieked.


    The driver nced at Lucas, while Cordy repeated, ¡°I told you to stop the car!¡¯


    ¡°Trying to cover your embarrassment with anger, are we?¡± Lucas scoffed.


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    ¡°So you do want me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡¯ Cordy snapped, giving up on arguing right then.


    The man could think whatever he liked.


    ¡°So you actually were interested in me?¡± Lucas red at her.


    ¡°So stay away from me and deny me any chance,¡± Cordy growled at him viciously. ¡¯You know that I¡¯m


    amazing with seduction, and I¡¯d have any man I have my eyes on.¡±


    ¡°You give yourself too much credit,¡± Lucas retorted with disdain.


    ¡°Then why would you keep showing up around me? Are you saying you¡¯re no interested, Lucas


    Lynch?! You could¡¯ve just ignored me if you feel nothing, or are you saying you think nothing of me


    when you hover around me repeatedly?!¡±


    ¡°Me? Interested?!¡¯ Lucas certainly thought it was a joke.


    ¡°If you were, why did you kiss me at the capital? Why did you stay with me at the hospital? Or actually


    entertain my stupid proposal to warm my bed?! Is that what you do when you hate a person?! Stop


    pretending, you¡¯d be head over heels if not for your girlfriend-¡°


    ¡°Stop the car!¡± Lucas yelled at the driver right then, and he did so immediately.


    Then, Lucas turned to Cordy and barked, ¡°Get out!¡±


    Cordy did not hesitate to do so, though as soon as she got out, the car sped off, leaving Cordy alone


    on the isted street.

 Chapter 717

    Chapter 717


    Chapter 717


    Cordy stood on the bleak street, feeling no disappointment at all.


    Lucas had every reason to leave her out here, but it was just a little awkward for her since her phone


    was out of juice.


    She had no way to call for help or a taxi, and she was standing on a street in the quiet outskirts of


    North City in the wee hours of the morning.


    There was no car in sight, let alone people.


    She did not even know where she was or where she should be going.


    She shuddered as a cool breeze billowed¡ªit was really cold.


    She hugged herself, but just as she hesitated between leaving or waiting, a familiar car returned and


    stopped beside her.


    While Cordy frowned, the car window wound downward, revealing Lucas¡¯ smug face. ¡°Get in!¡±


    To be honest, she was surprised that he turned around.


    ¡°Get in!¡¯ he snapped impatiently then-anyone who did not know better would be convinced that they


    had a blood feud.


    Still, Cordy gritted her teeth and got in.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The night was dark and cold, and she had to prioritize personal safety over childish tantrums.


    Who knew what terror awaited on that quiet street.


    Even as she got in the car, Lucas threw a warm coat at her and snapped,¡± Putthat on!¡±


    While Cordy red at him, he snapped in annoyance, ¡°Don¡¯t me me when you get sick!¡±


    Cordy was speechless, but she put it on anyway.


    She could not help tightening her grasp over it as she picked up the familiar scent.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get any funny ideas,¡± Lucas said icily, keeping the back of her head to him. ¡°I only came back


    because I have a conscience.¡±


    Cordy did not reply.


    Right now, she just wanted to go home-anything else was not worth considering.


    However, herck of response prompted Lucas to suddenly turn at her and yell on top of his lungs,


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hear me?! I don¡¯t have feelings for you!¡±


    Up front, the driver flinched, just as a bike streaked toward the car from the opposite direction at


    breakneck speed.


    The driver jammed his foot on the brake and the car shook.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cordy eximed in surprise and fell toward Lucas.


    Lucas finally realized then that was holding Cordy tightly in his arms, and she realized that too.


    They promptly pulled away from each other, their confrontation a moment ago reduced to sheer


    awkwardness.


    Somehow, it was starting to get unbearably hot and stuffy in the car, and Lucas wound down the


    window.


    As a cool breeze gushed inside, Cordy¡¯s head cleared considerably.


    She was definitely drunk tonight, which was why her emotions were stirring so bizarrely.


    She would never feel this way toward anyone or anything, and an asional racing of the heart did not


    prove a thing.


    Lucas finally realized then that was holding Cordy tightly in his arms, and she realized that too.


    They promptly pulled away from each other, their confrontation a moment ago reduced to sheer


    awkwardness.


    Somehow, it was starting to get unbearably hot and stuffy in the car, and Lucas wound down the


    window.


    As a cool breeze gushed inside, Cordy¡¯s head cleared considerably.


    She was definitely drunk tonight, which was why her emotions were stirring so bizarrely.


    She would never feel this way toward anyone or anything, and an asional racing of the heart did not


    prove a thing.

 Chapter 718

    Chapter 718


    Chapter 718


    There was only suffocating silence on the journey until they arrived at Cordy¡¯s mansion.


    She had just alighted when the car sped off right then.


    She just wanted to offer a polite word of gratitude in return-even if it was a bumpy ride, there was no


    doubt that Lucas bailed her out and brought her home.


    She was just about to turn and leave when she realized Lucas¡¯ coat was still on her.


    It was fine, since she could sleep better with his scent.


    Patients could not be choosers.


    The next day, Zoe texted their chat group: [I wish I was dead. Anyone up yet?]


    Cordy, who was suffering from a head-splitting headache, replied: [Yeah.]


    She put a hand on her forehead and noticed that she was slightly feverish, so she made a mental note


    to take some cold medicine as she got out of bed.


    On the other hand, Zoe was already on the subway heading to the studio fortheir rehearsal early in the


    morning.


    She thought she could die just as she woke up.


    Still, she asked Quinn: [What about you? @Quinn]


    Quinn was not replying, however, and Zoe joked: [The one who keeps losing sleep is sleeping like a


    log, huh?]


    Then, she asked Cordy: [What are you doing waking this early? You¡¯re the boss, so sleep in. You¡¯re not


    a worker like me.]


    Cordy certainly did not need to go to work, but her insomnia and fever prevented her from catching any


    sleep. [Can¡¯t sleep. Head hurts.]


    [No binge drinking next time.]


    [I agree.]


    [By the way, I wasn¡¯t dreamingst night, was I? That had to be John¡­]


    [No, it isn¡¯t. I¡¯ll send you the dossier I have on him.]


    Cordy found the dossier in her phone and sent it into the chat group.


    Zoe promptly tapped on it and was left perplexed the more she read about Lucas.


    It was just so bizarre-so there really were doppelgangers in this world?!


    But from a certain angle and an asional facial expression, the man was no different from John even


    in his figure and presence.


    However, the reality was that a person¡¯s appearance could be altered, but not their height or presence!


    Just as Zoe wanted to ask more questions, Cordy expected Zoe to keep getting the wrong idea and


    decided to stop her by sending another text: [ The paternity test proves it.]


    [What?]


    [Dicky did a paternity test with him. But it¡¯s not him.]


    [Really?]


    [Yeah.]


    [Fine.]


    Zoe gave up then, since there was no doubting the science.


    Looking up at the electronic sign above, she texted: [I¡¯m getting off the subway now. Talkter.]


    [Bye.]


    Cordy put down her phone then but still felt really dizzy.


    She got out of bed to get some medicine.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs.¡± Winston was perplexed to see her like that. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Cold medicine. I¡¯m feeling feverish.¡±


    ¡°Feverish? Well, you shouldn¡¯t take any cold medicine within reach,¡± Winston quickly said. ¡°You really


    should get checked at the hospital. Also, I¡¯ll make an appointment and arrange a car for you right


    away.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Cordy was going to turn him down, but considering how she fainted from the fever back at the capital,


    she nodded since she was reluctant to let it get too serious.


    Soon, she arrived at the best private hospital in North City, and there were staff on hand to receive her.


    She had just followed them into the elevator when she paused because Lucas was in the elevator with


    Nana beside him.

 Chapter 719

    Chapter 719


    Chapter 719


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Nana appeared excited to see Cordy, perhaps surprised that she would run into her at the


    hospital.


    Cordy had wanted to get out of the elevator immediately and take the next one, but that n failed.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± she replied.


    ¡°It is!¡± Nana eximed chipperly. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Just a little cold.¡¯


    ¡°You too?¡± Nana was surprised. ¡°Lucas too-he had a fever and a cold, and his temperature was 103


    when I checked. He refused toe to the hospital despite that, and I had to force him toe here.


    See? His face is as red as a beetroot.¡±


    Cordy turned toward Lucas, who quickly turned away.


    He was as proud as he always was, though his cheeks were ridiculously red.


    Cordy snickered since it was really funny, but he saw her reaction.


    Narrowing his eyes and returning her gaze, he snapped, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re any better?! You¡¯re


    redder than me!¡±


    Cordy was left speechless¡ªthe man really could hold a grudge.


    ¡°Why are you being so rude to Cordy?¡± Nana demanded, slightly disgruntled.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s how I usually talk.¡± Lucas denied it right then.


    ¡°No, you were. She¡¯s our cousin, so you shouldn¡¯t talk to her like that or I¡¯m getting upset,¡± Nana said.


    Her voice was sickly sweet, and her words sounded more like flirting than a warning.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Lucas gave in reluctantly.


    The elevator soon arrived, and Cordy stepped out first, followed by Lucas and Nnaa.


    However, Cordy somehow managed to put some distance between herself and them even though she


    was not walking particrly quickly.


    Nana watched as she left and wheeled on Lucas, huffing. ¡°See? You upset Cordy and she¡¯s not


    ignoring me too.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just being petty,¡± Lucas replied nonchntly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so rude with her from now on. Get it?¡± Nana warned him again.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas agreed to it impatiently.


    ¡°Also, you¡¯re not usually like that with everyone else. Why are you always so rude to her?¡± Nana asked


    seriously, as if she really did not get it.


    Lucas¡¯ heart skipped a beat, and he was pursing his lips unwittingly.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Nana clearly sensed that something was weird right then.


    ¡°I treat everyone like that,¡± Lucas replied withposure as he came to his senses. ¡°Except for you!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Nana growned. ¡°I had this feeling you treat Cordy differently, like you¡¯re more interested¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡± Nana wrapped her hands affectionately around his arm. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get


    interested in girls other than me too, since you promised to take care of me for the rest of my life. Don¡¯t


    break that promise now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucas nodded, and he certainly never thought of letting Nana down.


    She was the only woman in his memories, and there was no one else.


    He just was not aware that his life was not as simple as he thought.


    Cordy was admitted to the VVIP ward and hooked on to an IV.


    She had already contracted a 102 degree fever by the time she arrived at the hospital, and it was not


    surprising that she felt lightheaded, 1


    Though she was lying on afortable hospital bed, she felt like she was falling apart.

 Chapter 720

    Chapter 720


    Chapter 720


    Cordy felt like she never had a good day ever since she met Lucas.


    She caught cold twice when she never fell sick before, and she kept tripping over when she never fell¡­


    He really was a jinx.


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Nana suddenly called out from the doorway.


    Cordy turned toward her and replied, ¡°Nana.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d be here. Lucas is having an IV infusion next door,¡± Nana said as she walked up to her


    bed. ¡°Are you okay alone? Should I keep youpany?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You should stay with Lucas.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°But your face looks so red,¡± Nana said worriedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal for a fever. I¡¯ll be fine when my fever breaks.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Nana nodded and said eagerly, ¡°I¡¯ll peel an apple for you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to¡­¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t push me away now¡ªwe¡¯re cousins, remember?¡± Nana said earnestly. ¡¯My grandma


    always mentions you, saying how hard it was to bring you back to the family. She said we should be


    nicer to you since you¡¯ve suffered a lot out on your own.¡±


    ¡°What about Lucas? Don¡¯t you have to stay with him?¡± Cordy really wanted her gone, but Nana was too


    kind for her to just chase her out


    unceremoniously. 1


    ¡°He¡¯s a big boy-he¡¯d be fine on his own. By the way, it¡¯s weird that he fell sick since he¡¯s usually very


    healthy,¡± Nana said, bemused. ¡®He left our hill resort in the middle of the night earlier, but he doesn¡¯t


    have friends in North City, does he?¡±


    She appeared intent on engaging Cordy with small talk while peeling the apple, but Cordy diverted the


    topic by saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know him that well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, why did I ask you?¡± Nana giggled, amused by her own question, i


    Cordy said nothing.


    It was really hard for her to not get prejudiced against Nana¡¯s niceness. Even if it all appeared natural


    as if she was born innocent, her behavior reminded Cordy of Noel.


    And that in turn left her repulsed.


    In fact, Cordy had the feeling that Nana was probing her.


    If that really were the case, Nana was not as simple-minded as she appeared, and she might even be a


    paranoid schemer.


    And one should always keep their distance from people like them.


    ¡°Here, apple,¡± Nana said then, having peeled an apple and cut it into little slices that she put in front of


    Cordy. ¡°Have some. You need your vitamins for your cold.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal,¡± Nana said cordially.


    Cordy smiled but said nothing.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your boyfriend?¡± Nana suddenly asked, seemingly intent on finding any topic to talk about.


    ¡°He returned to Rocktown.¡±


    Patrick was certainly a busy man, or he would be bugging her to no end.


    In fact, he would asionallye to visit in the afternoon and leave soon after. He really never had


    much time to spend on her except for brief visits.


    And she certainly could see how nice he had been to her¡­ but it was just toote.


    ¡°Have you¡­¡± Nana suddenly blushed, and she stammered for a while before she asked, ¡°Had sex with


    him?¡±


    Cordy choked on a slice of apple even as she flushed, and Nana quickly rubbed her back. ¡°Are you


    alright, Cordy? Was I being improper?¡±

 Chapter 721

    Chapter 721


    Chapter 721


    Cordy coughed for a long while before she caught her breath, while Nana quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,


    but I was just curious¡­ I don¡¯t have many friends because of my health, and I¡¯d like to know more


    about rtionships between men and women. It¡¯s just-l think my rtionship with Lucas is different


    from others.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just identally choked, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Cordy told her.


    ¡°Then¡­ Can I ask you about you and your boyfriend?¡± Nana asked.


    ¡°What do you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°Like¡­ Have you had sex before?¡± Nana was embarrassed yet stubborn.


    ¡°No¡­ Not yet.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Nana gasped in surprise. ¡°I thought that¡¯s only me and Lucas¡­ I googled about it, and it


    says that couples tend to do it after confirming


    their rtionship, but Lucas seemed to have no intention of doing it. That¡¯s why I thought we had


    rtionship issues, so I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I had some bad experiences before, and we just confirmed our rtionship, so it¡¯s not time for us


    yet.¡± Cordy came up with an excuse.


    ¡°But Lucas and I have been dating for two years. Don¡¯t you think we should have done it already?¡±


    Nana asked seriously.


    That should certainly be the case now that society was more open-minded. Once emotions ran high,


    going fourth base was only natural.


    That was especially the case for Lucas and Nana since they were raised in more liberal countries, and


    yet it seemed that they were both virgins.


    Maybe Lucas had¡­ issues?


    Cordy actually thought it was really possible, until she remembered a certain morning in her mansion¡­


    ¡°Are you blushing, Cordy?¡± Nana asked, studying her seriously just then.


    ¡°Eh? Oh!¡± Cordy felt her cheeks burning, and exined while feeling a little guilty, ¡°No, it¡¯s probably just


    the fever.¡±


    ¡°I think your condition is more serious than Lucas¡¯. His fever mostly subsided after getting IV


    transfusion,¡± Nana said, but she soon asked, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s some issue between me and


    Lucas?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s afraid of hurting you because of your health. That¡¯s why he¡¯s restraining himself.¡±


    Cordy believed that to be the most reasonable exnation, considering Nana¡¯s heart condition.


    Sexual intercourse-especially the first instance-might affect the heart, which was why Lucas stopped


    himself so that nothing bad happened to Nana.


    ¡°Really?¡± Nana was beaming right then. ¡°I thought Lucas didn¡¯t love me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Cordy assured her. ¡°If a man loves a woman, he would never want to hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m relieved now that you told me that,¡± Nana replied. ¡°We¡¯re getting married soon, so I¡¯m sure


    he¡¯ll do it afterward. The doctors said that my heart is now mostly normal, and there won¡¯t be any


    issues if we don¡¯t overdo it.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy nodded in agreement.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Cordy. Thanks for enlightening me, or I might be constantly overanalyzing it,¡± Nana


    said earnestly.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m just stating facts.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Nana nodded tamely. ¡°I won¡¯t impose now. I¡¯ll go check on


    Lucas, but just call me if you need anything. I¡¯lle over.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 722

    Chapter 722


    Chapter 722


    As Nana happily left, Cordy¡¯s gaze darkened as she watched her leave.


    If she was not sure before if Nana had been probing her, she was now.


    Nana was clearly testing her, to see if there was anything fishy going on between her and Lucas.


    In fact, Nana deliberately mentioned that she never had sex with Lucas just to test if Cordy would react


    happily to that information. That in turn wouldpel Cordy to suggest that Lucas was abstaining


    because of Nana¡¯s health problems, which was a reminder to Cordy of how much Lucas cared about


    Nana, so that Cordy would not get any funny ideas. 1


    It was just as Cordy thought-Nana was not as simple as she seemed.


    However, it did not matter that much since she was just a distant rtive. What Nana was really like


    was not something she had to worry about.


    Cordy just had to know that Nana was not as childishly naive as she appeared, and that was plenty


    enough.


    Cordy fidgeted in bed, actually feeling sleepy because of her fever.


    And as she closed her eyes, she really did fall asleep.


    She never could fall asleep before even if she closed her eyes or was really sleepy, and she thought it


    would be the same now.


    Before, her brain seemed to go into overdrive once she closed her eyelids, and she just could not calm


    herself down enough.


    That was why she did not need anyone around watching her, declining the immacte patient care


    reserved for those who got to stay at the VVIP ward-even if that meant she was going to be alone. It


    was especially dangerous since she had an IV attached to her, and there was no telling if there would


    be an allergic reaction or if the IV was finished and her blood would be drawn into the bag in turn.


    Either way, she did not think she would fall asleep, and she was therefore a little annoyed when


    someone woke her up.


    She struggled to open her eyes and saw Lucas¡¯s worried face. He was pressing the buzzer urgently


    and snapping, ¡¯Come quick! Cordy Sachs¡¯ IV has finished and her blood is being drained!¡¯


    Cordy took a couple seconds toe to her senses and realized what was happening when she saw


    the dark fluid streaming through the IV tube.


    Before Cordy could say a word, Lucas was snapping at her too. ¡¯Are you stupid?!¡±


    As Cordy frowned, he continued ranting, ¡°At least have a care worker watch you while you sleep! Are


    you trying to kill yourself?! You¡¯re an adult and can¡¯t even take care of yourself-don¡¯t you know that


    you¡¯re going to trouble others if you do this?!¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Lucas¡­ She didn¡¯t mean it¡­¡¯ Nana was trying to dissuade him.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Lucas seemed unable to hear it and continued yelling at Cordy, ¡°You¡¯re a mother! If you can¡¯t even take


    care of yourself, how would you take care of your son?! At least show some basic sense of


    responsibility as a mother!¡±


    Cordy was left furious from Lucas¡¯ grandstanding.


    It was very difficult for her to fall asleep as a chronic insomniac person. And forget waking her-he was


    still yelling at her?!


    Who did he think he was?! Who gave him the right?!

 Chapter 723

    Chapter 723


    Chapter 723


    Finally having had enough, Cordy yelled back at Lucas, ¡°Did I ask you for anything?! Who told you to


    come?! I was sleeping here just fine, and I didn¡¯t need you to wake me, let alone yell at me! Even if I¡¯m


    being negligent to my son, that¡¯s my own business. What right do you have to care?! You¡¯re not his


    father!¡± i


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡± Lucas snarled through his teeth.


    Nheless, Cordy continued, ¡°Don¡¯t stand there acting like you¡¯re being noble when you¡¯re just going


    to emotionally ckmail me! Who do you think you are?! Even if I die here, it has nothing to do with


    you! What you did was a vition of my personal privacy, and I can sue you for it!¡±


    Lucas was left absolutely livid, and ring at Cordy with scarlet eyes while feeling the impulse to


    strangle her for an instant.


    He had no idea why he would overreact to her. All he knew was that when he passed by, an unknown


    sense of terror struck him when he saw that her blood was being drained into the IV bag. He did not


    hesitate in that instant to rush inside and summon the nurses to pull the needle out, and he was left


    exceedingly furious to see Cordy slowly waking up as if nothing happened.


    Could she not at least take care of herself, when she¡¯s almost thirty and a mother at that?! Did she


    even have that sense of responsibility she should show as a mother?!


    His teeth were gnashing. ¡°You deserved it if you died right then!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my own business even if I die and none of yours at all!¡± Cordy retorted. ¡°Shove your moral


    grandstanding, because I couldn¡¯t care less!¡±


    Lucas was glowering, but he suddenly turned and stormed off without hiding his rage at all.


    Nana watched as he left, and she turned toward Cordy who appeared equally livid, ultimately staying in


    the ward.


    The medical staff had arrived just then and was detaching the IV from Cordy¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy.¡± Nana suddenly apologized. ¡°Lucas was being very rude.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Cordy replied, letting her temper cool right then.


    She was always distinct when ites to assigning me and would never me someone else for if


    they were innocent. 1


    Nheless, Nana was staring fixedly at Irene as she continued, ¡°Lucas has never behaved like that


    before¡­ for some reason, he just treats you differently.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we¡¯re just naturally ipatible.¡± Cordy chuckled coolly.


    In reality, she had noticed it too-Lucas may have behaved self-absorbed and arrogant toward


    everyone, but he never lost his temper toward them easily.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She was the exception.


    She honestly had no idea how she had managed to upset him that they were at each other¡¯s throat


    each time they met!

 Chapter 724

    Chapter 724


    Chapter 724


    At this point, Cordy had to me it on a grudge from a past life


    However, Nana¡¯s seemingly innocent gaze was still fixed on Cordy. ¡°But it feels to me that he cares a


    lot about you-he was so worried when he saw your blood being drained into the IV bottle. He only


    snapped at you because he thinks you¡¯re refusing to take care of yourself, and it¡¯s out of concern¡­


    What should I do? I think I¡¯m getting jealous.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡¯ Cordy said naturally. ¡¯Lucas is just overreacting like anyone would during a crisis. I


    would call for the medical staff if I were in the same situation as well, and as for his temper¡­ don¡¯t you


    think that he really doesn¡¯t like me at all, and he¡¯s always finding an excuse to vent at me?¡±


    ¡°But Lucas isn¡¯t like that. He wouldn¡¯t do that to the others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying. We rub each other the wrong way,¡± Cordy said in disdain¡ªshe was still


    feeling frustrated and stressed even as she recalled how Lucas flipped out at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you¡¯ve fallen for him?¡± Nana suddenly asked very nervously.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Cordy answered confidently.


    ¡°I¡¯m so scared that you will,¡± Nana murmured miserably. ¡®I really love him, and I¡¯m so afraid of losing


    him¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him,¡¯ Cordy snapped, cutting her short.


    Nana, however, stubbornly continued, ¡°But you¡¯re so beautiful. My grandmother told me so much about


    you, that you¡¯re talented and extraordinary¡­ I¡¯m so scared that Lucas would fall for you¡­¡¯


    ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But the way he treats you is special¡­¡¯


    ¡°Especially bad.¡±


    ¡°Cordy, can you promise me not to take Lucas from me?¡± Nana asked dolefully, her eyes welling with


    tears.


    Cordy pursed her lips-she had made herself very clear.


    As if realizing she was too insecure for her own good, Nana exined, ¡°I inadvertently saw a photo you


    took with John Levine, and he looked so much like Lucas. I¡¯m worried you¡¯d think that Lucas is him-¡°


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. No one can rece John.¡¯ Cordy breathed slowly and clearly.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hearthat,¡± Nana said apologetically, deliberately sighing in relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy, I


    didn¡¯t want to suspect you, but I love Lucas so much¡­ I won¡¯t be able to live without him.¡¯


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything about your rtionship,¡± Cordy replied, returning her gaze. ¡°If you¡¯re


    really worried that there¡¯s something between me and Lucas, you should take him with you and leave


    North City.¡±


    ¡°But he has a lot of work to do here,¡¯ Nana said awkwardly. ¡°Can I ask you again not to talk to him even


    if you see him?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s expression finally changed-Nana was reaching the point where she was meddling with Cordy¡¯s


    personal freedom.


    ¡°I know how you feel towards Lucas and I can try to understand your insecurities, but I can¡¯t say yes.


    Humans are social creatures and interpersonal rtionships areplicated, so even if you ask that of


    me now, I would fail in the case where Lucas and I build a business rtionship.¡± i


    ¡°Moreover, a rtionship is maintained between two people, not by the actions of a third person. You


    should be tolerating, understanding, and trusting each other more instead of believing that someone


    could ruin it for you easily. Suspicion would only cause a rift between you and hurt your rtionship.¡± 1


    Nana remained tearful nheless. ¡°I know what you¡¯re saying and that I shouldn¡¯t ask this of you¡­


    but you really intimidate me, and I¡¯m so afraid because Lucas has never behaved like that around


    anyone. So I¡¯m begging you, please-stay away from Lucas?¡¯Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 725

    Chapter 725


    Chapter 725


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Nana continued, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy, I really don¡¯t want to ask this of you, but I¡¯m so afraid of losing


    Lucas. Could you at least promise me to keep your distance as long as it¡¯s not about business?¡¯


    ¡°I already have. I¡¯ve never tried to get near him, and I¡¯m not interested in him¡­¡±


    Cordy trailed off as she stared at Nana¡¯s hopeful yet miserable look, and she said, ¡¯Alright, I promise.¡±


    Nana¡¯s tearful expression turned to a smile right then, and she eximed excitedly, ¡°Thank you, Cordy!


    I knew you were a good person!¡±


    Cordy thought she was far from it-she certainly did not think Nana¡¯s overly humble stance in her


    rtionship deserved pity.


    She just did not want to waste her time staying involved with them and then cause trouble for herself


    because of them.


    In fact, she would have done it whether she agreed to it-Lucas was just that ipatible with her.


    Nana just could not bring herself to buy that reality and simply wanted a definitive answer from Cordy.


    Cordy in turn decided to satisfy Nana.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡¯ Nana said happily then. ¡°Take care of yourself, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    After Nana left, Cordy whipped out her phone and blocked Lucas¡¯ number.


    Nana could have her wish-Cordy would have nothing to do with Lucas now.


    Lucas was waiting for Nana on the first floor of the hospital and working hard to calm himself as she


    arrived.


    ¡°Lucas,¡± she eximed happily as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.


    Lucas turned and pushed her away, leaving her frowning. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me hugging you?¡¯


    ¡°No,¡± Lucas replied. ¡°How am I going to walk like that? Let¡¯s hold hands.¡±


    He did so even as he said it, whereas Nana¡¯s eyes briefly shed in disappointment.


    They got into their car. On the way back, Nana said, ¡°Did you notice that you changed a lot ever since


    you came back, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas remained silent, and Nana appeared miserable even as she watched him. ¡°You never looked at


    any other woman when you¡¯re abroad, let alone getting involved in them¡­ but after you met Cordy,


    your eyes would always inadvertently linger on her.¡±


    Lucas swallowed-he could not argue against that.


    In fact, he had no idea why he cared so much about Cordy now or why he was so furious that she was


    not taking care of herself.


    Was it really anger, or did his heart ache for her?


    He turned away, staring outside the window with a gloomy look.


    ¡°Lucas, you don¡¯t love me anymore, do you?¡± Nana asked, her tears trickling out as soon as she spoke.


    ¡°I do,¡± he replied, turning to see her tearful face and remembering that she was with him in his darkest


    year.


    ¡°Can you stay in love with me?¡± Nana asked hysterically. ¡°I¡¯ll change if there¡¯s something about me you


    don¡¯t like. Just don¡¯t fall for anyone else, please?¡¯


    She could not stop sobbing.

 Chapter 726

    Chapter 726


    Chapter 726


    Lucas wiped away Nana¡¯s tears, saying, ¡°I¡¯m staying with you. Don¡¯t worry over nothing.¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, but you¡¯ve changed so much. You used to look at me only, but now, you¡¯re always


    finding Cordy¡­¡± She sobbed even as she grabbed his wrist. ¡°I¡¯m so scared!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re getting married soon,¡¯ Lucas assured her. ¡°We¡¯ll decide on a date once my parents return, so


    stop being paranoid.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I spoke a lot with Cordy just now¡­¡± Nana said, staring at him dolefully.


    Lucas did not ask any questions, so she continued, ¡°I told her to stay away from you and not to talk to


    you.¡±


    Lucas blinked.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Nana could always sense when his emotions stirred¡ª even a little.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Nana¡¯s hands clenched on his just then. ¡¯Cordy agreed that she won¡¯t reach out to you. I know what I


    did was despicable, but I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m really scared that you¡¯ll be drawn to her because she¡¯s so


    beautiful and attractive¡­¡±


    ¡°She agreed to it. That¡¯s enough,¡¯ Lucas said indifferently.


    ¡°Can you promise me that you won¡¯t go to her? Ever?¡± Nana asked, leveling a look of yearning at him.


    ¡°I wont,¡± Lucas said assuredly.


    ¡°Can you not talk to her even if you see her by chance?¡±


    ¡°Nana¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucas.¡¯ Nana sobbed. ¡¯I didn¡¯t want to dictate your life, and I know there¡¯s nothing between


    you and Cordy¡­ But you are both extraordinary people, and I¡¯m worried that you¡¯d be drawn to each


    other once you start to spend more time with each other. It¡¯s despicable, but it¡¯s the only way I have to


    stop anything from happening between you in the first ce. I¡¯m paranoid and petty, but I just don¡¯t


    want to risk it. I¡¯m too afraid of losing you.¡±


    Lucas was silent and Nana shed her sad puppy eyes at him. ¡°You won¡¯t me me, right?¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡± Lucas shook his head.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He was instinctively protective of Nana, not to mention that she was right.


    If they spent more time with each other and were drawn to each other¡­


    He never thought that the day woulde when he would cheat. Even if he did not want to admit it, he


    had to admit that Cordy did treat him differently.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be good to you, Lucas. We¡¯ll definitely be happy.¡± Nana threw herself into Lucas¡¯ arms then.


    Lucas embraced her in turn, but there was a distant look in his eyes.


    Meanwhile, at North City TV¡¯s studios¡­


    Zoe did not want to yawn, but she could not control herself.


    She actually felt like she could fall asleep standing.


    She pinched her thigh and worked hard to stay awake.


    ¡°I¡¯ve assigned everyone¡¯s roles. Check your scripts,¡± Jay said, and he had his assistant distribute each


    character¡¯s script to everyone. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s differing difficulty in everyone¡¯s role, and more


    dialogue isn¡¯t necessarily an advantage since you might be prone to more mistakes that way. And once


    there¡¯s a mistake, all the effort you paid backstage would go up in smoke.¡¯ 1


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker,¡± everyone in the group answered at once, and they were given their respective


    scripts.


    When Zoe was given hers, she skimmed through it and saw that it really was the one with least


    dialogue-the role which caught the eye the least.


    Still, she never held much hope in Jay since she was already very grateful that he saved her once, and


    she would never ask for more.


    Moreover, he had always been fair, and given her current ce in showbiz as well as her performance


    on that pilot stage, there was every reason for her to be given the worst role.

 Chapter 727

    Chapter 727


    Chapter 727


    Once everyone was given their respective scripts, they each sat in a corner to study their assigned


    roles, after which they would present their own interpretations to Jay.


    Zoe sat at the furthest corner, studying her script seriously, but she was also starting to nod off as she


    did.


    She swore not to binge on alcohol ever again even if it killed her.


    To think that she actually brought Cordy and Quinn to the graveyardst night¡­ Was there anything


    she was not capable of while drunk?!


    Even as she did her best to stay awake. Candice approached her. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    She would be in the same group for the next stage, and they had grown closer since they worked


    together on thest round.


    It was alsomon knowledge that every contestant should stay in cliques, even if it was just for


    appearances, despite thepetitive nature of his variety show.


    Zoe never did, however, because she had not met the rest for that long, and none of the others were


    willing to hang out with her. Some were even keeping their distance because she just returned after


    vanishing for three years-no one knew what she had been doing or if what she had been doing would


    affect them.


    For her part, she did not want to make life harder for them. But since it was necessary to keep up


    appearances in front of the camera, she was self- conscious enough to stay alone in a corner.


    That was why she was surprised that Candice would approach her voluntarily, even offering to study


    their roles together.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zoe replied.


    She had no reason to refuse-if she stayed a loner until the end, she would eventually be marginalized.


    Showbiz was truly a ce where your very breath could get distorted into scandals.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too good.¡± Candice noticed the look on Zoe¡¯s face.


    Zoe did not hide it. ¡°Had a bit too much to drink with some friendsst night. I regret everything now.¡±


    ¡°Celebrating?¡± Candice smiled.


    Zoe did a double take, but it really was not a celebration-it was up to fate whether she survived this


    variety show, and staving off elimination for one round was not worth celebrating.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a small gathering with old friends.¡±


    Candice did not press her further and returned to the topic at hand. ¡®Your character really doesn¡¯t have


    that many lines.¡¯


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°I count eight.¡±


    ¡°How nice. You¡¯ll memorize everything soon enough¡­ here, look at mine,¡± Candice sighed.


    It turned out that Candice¡¯s character was the deuteragonist and given her ability as an actress¡­


    If Zoe were to be honest, she had no idea why Jay would give Candice such an important role, but


    Candice probably was left in disbelief herself.


    In fact, getting said role would naturally draw the discontent and envy of others. In that respect, he had


    no choice but to ¡®befriend¡¯ Zoe since Zoe had to keep her head down while also being constantly


    painfully aware of her ce in the pecking order.


    However, Zoe did not offer any words offort for Candice¡¯sints either-what could a washed-


    up actress possibly say to a star?


    Right now, she just wanted to hide somewhere and take a nap. When she was being this tired, she had


    no idea what performance she could manage.


    But she had no ce to hide, just as it was toote for her to hide.


    She just had to grit her teeth and deal with this.


    Over an hourter, Jay gathered everyone for the first enactment.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    He did not ask the thespians to memorize their entire script, but just for them to present themselves in


    character and get the feeling of what it entailed.

 Chapter 728

    Chapter 728


    Chapter 728


    Everyone rehearsed their roles as Jay instructed, practicing their routes and dialogues before


    freestyling their respective performances.


    Zoe was exhausted and therefore constantly distracted, even missing her cues constantly-she did not


    have that many lines but made a mess of everything.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She clearly saw Jay¡¯s brow creasing deeply and wondered then if he regretted saving her during the


    last stage.


    Hailey arrived for an inspection just then.


    She had been rehearsing with her group at the next studio, but they could hear her scoldings despite


    the immacte soundproofing between studios.


    The diva was so strict that she would start snapping at anyone merciless if they failed to meet her


    demands.


    Many who were not chosen for her group were rejoicing in the fact-would they even survive otherwise?


    In fact, word had it that Hailey left one of her thespians breaking down in tears even before they got


    started.


    And now, Hailey herself was sitting beside Jay-they were arguing a little over Zoe yesterday, but it


    seemed that it was nothing personal. It was merely a difference in opinion between judges, and since


    there was nopetition between the judges, holding grudges waspletely unnecessary.


    As a matter of fact, Hailey came to check on Jay¡¯s progress because she was really frustrated with her


    own group and was keen to see if other groups were the same.


    Naturally, she could see that Zoe waspletely out of it and lost it immediately even though Jay was


    perfectly calm.


    ¡°Zoe York! Are you sleepwalking?!¡¯


    Hailey¡¯s sudden outburst halted the entire rehearsal, and some of the faint hearted ones flinched, their


    faces turning pale.


    Zoe, whose name was called, was naturally even more shocked and was wide-awake.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you for a while, but how many mistakes do you think you could make?!¡± Hailey


    continued, not withholding her criticism at all.¡± Did you even listen to anything I said about that


    performance of yoursst night, only to give this type of showing today?! If I were you, I would¡¯ve


    doubled my efforts after having my ws pointed out tantly, but you¡¯re just squandering the chance


    Mr. Parker gave you! You¡¯re absolutely humiliating the man, and you¡¯re never going to turn your career


    around with that attitude of yours!¡±


    Zoe-and the rest of the thespians in her group-truly experienced Hailey¡¯s ability in dishing out a


    scolding right then.


    No one dared to make a sound, stunned by Hailey¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°What do you have to say?!¡± Hailey bellowed at Zoe then.


    Zoe began, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little sick-¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s your excuse?!¡± Hailey shrieked, cutting her short.


    Zoe gave up on exining right then-it was pointless to exin, not to mention that she was in the


    wrong.


    If anything, she had iting since she knew she had a rehearsal today but indulged herselfst night


    nheless.


    That was how she assured herself as she withstode Hailey¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°What, are you mute now?¡± Hailey snapped tempestuously as Zoe stopped talking.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault and I will reflect on it,¡± Zoe said earnestly. ¡°Thank you for pointing this out, Ms.


    Zimmerman.¡±


    ¡°Your apologies are always perfect, but you never seemed to correct yourself-¡°


    ¡°Zoe, please leave the rehearsal for now,¡± Jay suddenly said, cutting Hailey short.


    Hailey turned toward Jay right then, but he added, ¡°Everyone else can continue the rehearsal while Zoe


    watches from a corner.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe stepped down from the stage.


    It left Hailey feeling a little awkward-Jay said nothing earlier, even allowed her to call Zoe out.


    However, he also cut Hailey short, clearly refusing to let her continue disciplining Zoe.


    It seemed that the man was not as calm as the rumors imed.

 Chapter 729

    Chapter 729


    Chapter 729


    Hailey also realized that she had been overreaching-this was Jay¡¯s group, and she had no cause to


    throw her weight around.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Hailey could not help snapping at Zoe given how she was behaving and was surprised that Jay took


    exception.


    As such, Hailey came up with an excuse to leave.


    On the other hand, it was still awkward for Zoe, since Jay did hang her out to dry.


    He never snapped at people, but his impassive expression could leave one feeling nonexistent.


    Soon, the first rehearsal was over.


    Jay did not say much and dismissed everyone for a break before turning toward Zoe. ¡¯Come with me.¡±


    Everyone was throwing Zoe looks of pity right then, and she certainly pitied herself as well.


    But there was no one out there to save her!


    She steeled herself as she followed Jay into his VIP lounge, hanging her head as she stood there


    respectfully like a kid caught doing something naughty.


    She did not mind appearing pitiful if that could buy her a little sympathy from Jay-when one lived long


    enough, they would realize that dignity was not that important.


    ¡°Not sober yet?¡± Jay asked her, straight to the point.


    ¡°I¡¯m sober but sleepy,¡± Zoe admitted.


    At this point, she would rather give up than lie ore up with excuses one lie would inevitably lead to


    another, and it was actually exhausting.


    ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡± Jay then asked.


    Zoe was left speechless-were they not straying out of topic?


    Jay suddenly whipped out his phone and made a call.


    To be precise, he was ordering breakfast delivery.


    ¡®Breakfast? It¡¯s almost noon, sir¡­¡¯


    However, Zoe did not argue since she still had no idea what Jay was up to.


    The silence between them was eerie, as Jay said nothing else after hanging up.


    It was like the calm before the storm, and Zoe simply stood woodenly before him, afraid to speak, until


    they heard a knock on the door.


    Jay leaned on his cane and rose to his feet.


    His movement was not clumsy, but the limp was obvious.


    What injury was it that he still has not healed?


    But to be fair, tendons and bones took a long time to heal.


    Zoe did not dwell on it, when Jay put the ordered breakfast on the table in front of himself, while telling


    her, ¡°Eat.¡±


    Zoe stared at him, uncertain-was he really talking to her?


    ¡°There¡¯s just us here.¡± Jay sighed. ¡°If you were that obedient when you were a child, your grades


    wouldn¡¯t have been that poor and your parents wouldn¡¯t have scolded you as much.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t my parents,¡± Zoe corrected him with a really calm tone¡ªshe was just stating a fact, after


    all.


    Still, after a pause, she added tly, ¡°Hold on, that¡¯s not quite right. The man is my father, but since he


    refuses to acknowledge me, let¡¯s just pretend he isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Eat,¡± Jay repeated, beckoning at her calmly while ignoring the subject.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Zoe did not hold back-she would rather die than go hungry.


    Her taste buds were tingling just after a few spoonfuls of chowder as well- it must have been centuries


    since she had anything from that restaurant.


    She remembered how she always sent Penny, her assistant, to buy it for her during better days¡­ but


    this was no time to mention the better days, and she would not waste anything for a meal that was so


    hard toe by.


    Naturally, she would not eat too much either-stars were supposed to maintain a perfect figure, and


    even if she was not the type who gained weight easily, she was not the type who never got fat. That


    was why she would not finish it like other stars would.


    When she was finished, she quietly put down her spoon.


    ¡°You done?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±

 Chapter 730

    Chapter 730


    Chapter 730


    ¡°There¡¯s a bed there in the inner room. Go take a nap,¡± Jay said.


    Zoe was left staring at him and sincerely wondering if she misheard.


    ¡°You heard me right,¡± Jay said, reading her mind just then. ¡°Go take a nap.¡±


    Zoe bit her lip-there had to be a catch.


    So what was Jay nning?


    However, just as all sorts of thoughts crossed her mind. Jay got up and left without any exnation,


    giving her the room.


    Zoe hesitated, poking her head in to see the interior of the inner room-it was not at all spacious, but it


    lookedfortable nheless.


    She felt like her soul was drifting over to lie down, and she thought she would fall asleep if she put her


    head on that pillow¡­ which she did.


    In fact, she had actually thrown herself on that moderate-sized but exceedingly soft, clean bed. There


    was a faint scent of high-grade softener and nothing else.


    She had reason to suspect Jay never slept here before, and it was fortunate ¡ªshe might not be able to


    sleep if she picked up his scent on the sheets.


    Feeling extrafortable, she turned around, ready to take off her shoes and jacket to sleep when she


    remembered something.


    As she quickly leaped out of bed and opened the door, she saw that Jay had returned after leaving a


    moment ago.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Most importantly, he was eating the chowder that she just ate from!


    Naturally, she had scooped her portion into a smaller bowl before eating, whereas he ate it directly. It


    just did not help matters that he was using the spoon she used because there was just one.


    Things certainly got awkward, and she really wanted to hide just then.


    What could have gotten into her that she had toe out? Even if it was reasonable she remembered


    it and wanted to clean it up, the production crew would do it, and Jay would never have to lift a finger.


    And now, Jay would obviously hold this against her, and she was going to get canceled again.


    Really, she must have used up all her good luck in the first half of her existence.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had breakfast either,¡± Jay said awkwardly, his ears flushing crimson right then.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zoe replied-what else could she say just then?


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to waste food,¡± Jay added.


    ¡°Me too,¡± she said. ¡°I was going to pack it up, take it home, and eat itter tonight¡­¡±


    Zoe trailed off, left speechless by her own words.


    She wanted to clear the awkward air between them, only to make things further awkward.


    And now, Jay could not finish the chowder even if he wanted to.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sleepy. I¡¯m going to take my nap now.¡± Zoe yawned exaggeratedly and promptly returned


    inside the inner room, gently closing the door behind her.


    As shey down again, it took her a while to calm down, and she could not help touching her cheeks.


    Was it not burning?


    Still, a lonely smile appeared briefly on her face.


    ¡®Don¡¯t give me hope now, Jay.¡¯


    She was really afraid of that.


    When Zoe opened her eyes again, she saw that the skies were already dark outside.


    She jumped out of bed right then.


    ¡®Sht*t!¡¯


    How long had she been sleeping?


    Why did Jay not wake her? Or did hepletely forget about her?!


    Her character was already inconsequential¡­ did they just remove it directly?


    Even if she would only appear in another episode, she would at least be paid for it!

 Chapter 731

    Chapter 731


    Chapter 731


    As Zoe abruptly opened the door to the inner room panickedly, she found Jay sitting calmly and


    elegantly on the luxurious couch in his lounge, taking a sip of coffee.


    His bearing was certainly a far cry from hers.


    Zoe worked hard to calm herself, before asking meekly, ¡¯How long have I been sleeping?¡±


    ¡°A day. It¡¯s now 10 PM.¡±


    A day-not just a couple hours and certainly not just the entire afternoon.


    In other words, she slept for twelve hours¡­ from 10 AM to 10 PM!


    What?!


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?!¡¯ Zoe asked in shock.


    She forgot to turn on her rm, and she was the type who always overslept if no one disturbed her. 1


    That was how soundly she slept.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°You used to be so foul-tempered if someone woke you,¡¯ Jay blurted.


    ¡°That¡¯s before! Would I even misbehave now? I¡¯d be marching out of bed if you called,¡± Zoe quickly


    retorted.


    Jay smiled then.


    His smile had always been refined, and she had never seen him smile in a way thatcked control.


    That was why one could not tell if he was just smiling out of politeness or if he was actually happy.


    Likewise, his heart always seemed to be sealed, preventing anyone from seeing his true feelings.


    That was how difficult he was to read, but that might also be how he treated her personally.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wake you up next time.¡±


    If there were a next time-there was no way she would sleep so pompously ever again!


    ¡°Put on your shoes,¡¯ Jay reminded her just then. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡±


    Zoe finally noticed that she had been walking barefooted since she woke up with a start.


    However¡­


    Staring at Jay, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re taking me home just like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already ten, or should I work overtime?¡±


    ¡°N-No, of course not.¡¯ Zoe quickly shook her head-she would never ask a bigwig to work overtime for


    her sake.


    Still, she just woke up-her brain felt like mush, and she had yet to realize that it was now 10 PM.


    She actually felt like the day was just starting.


    ¡°Get your shoes for now,¡± Jay repeated.


    Zoe returned inside the inner room and put on her shoes beforeing out, asking, ¡°What about the


    bed sheets? Should I wash them and bring them back?¡±


    Jay stared at her in silence.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a clean freak?¡± Zoe pressed.


    ¡°No. The staff will handle it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Zoe did not dwell on it, since the rich would always have people around to serve them.


    She was just saying that out of politeness anyway.


    As they stepped outside, Zoe saw that the whole ce was quiet and still wondered just then how she


    had managed to stay asleep for so long.


    She got into Jay¡¯s car, wanting to refuse the ride but afraid to.


    Nowadays, she was used to just ying along.


    Still, she was sitting gingerly in the car and once again pressing herself against the door, distancing


    herself from Jay as much as possible.


    Neither of them spoke throughout the journey either, leaving the interior of the car in suffocating


    silence.


    When they finally arrived at Draxton Apartments, Zoe opened the door, ready for a hundred-yard dash


    the instant she got out.


    Jay could read her intentions and wondered just then how much she hated him.

 Chapter 732

    Chapter 732


    Chapter 732


    Nheless, Jay stopped her. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Zoe turned and promptly nodded politely. ¡°Thanks for the ride, Mr. Parker.¡±


    ¡°You left this,¡± Jay reminded her then.


    ¡°Left what?¡± Zoe patted herself, but her bag and phone were there, and she had nothing else.


    ¡°This,¡± Jay said, holding out a box of food.


    While Zoe was left surprised, he said, ¡°It¡¯s your portion.¡±


    Zoe realized with a start then.


    Sure, she said she wanted to take the rest of it home, but she did not actually mean it¡­


    And he was the one who bought the chowder in the first ce. Why did he have to make up for it?


    Still, she did not want to argue and quickly said, Thank you, Mr. Parker. See you tomorrow.¡±


    Jay swallowed.


    Was this the only way Zoe would treat him now?


    Still, he raised the car window and told his chauffeur to drive away.


    Zoe watched as the car left before heaving a slight sigh of relief.


    Just now, she felt that Jay was a little angry for some reason.


    Well, whatever-the past they shared was far from ideal anyway.


    In fact, she would not argue if he wanted her dead.


    Nheless, she gingerly returned home with the chowder, worried that she would wake up everyone


    else in the house since she had been returning veryte recently.


    But just as she stepped through the front door¡­


    ¡°Wee home, Zoe.¡±


    Zoe was startled¡ªthere was only a single faint light in the living room, and Zoe did not notice the


    person on the couch.


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡± ra looked very apologetic.


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe replied absent-mindedly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep? It¡¯s already veryte, and I told you you


    didn¡¯t have to wait for me-l¡¯m going to be very busy for a while.


    ra usually slept early since she had to babysit Yelena and basically slept the same hours as the


    child.


    ¡°I just wanted to ask if you¡¯ll be free in a few days. Yelena will be three years old soon, and she¡¯s been


    telling me repeatedly that she wants to celebrate it with you. Should we eat here at home or at a


    restaurant?¡± ra asked.


    ¡°Oh. Yelean is almost three now¡­¡± Zoe could not help sighing.


    Time certainly flew by.


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s growing up so fast I almost can¡¯t catch up,¡± ra said lovingly.


    One might say that all those affection she could not give Zoe in the past were all being showered on


    Yelena now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try toe home early on that day. We¡¯ll eat out¡ªI¡¯ll book a ce,¡± Zoe said after some thought.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell her tomorrow-shell be overjoyed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°You should take a bath and go to sleep. I¡¯m going to sleep with Yelena.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Go on.¡±


    As ra got to her feet to leave, she remembered something else and said, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s some


    braised short ribs in the fridge. Yelena said that it¡¯s your favorite, so she saved some for you. You


    should eat it if you haven¡¯t had dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, ra headed to her room without bothering her again.


    Zoe watched as she left-the woman had been staying with her for three years but was always on her


    toes and never overreaching.


    Even so, Zoe could not say that she actually felt anything toward her, but whatever will be, will be.


    She then took out the boxed chowder, which was still warm since it was kept in a heat-retaining box.


    After that, she took out the braised short ribs from the fridge and heated it up.


    It was a crime to eat thiste at night, but she could not resist Yelena¡¯s affection.


    Come to think of it, she basically never spent time with Yelena ever since she returned to North City.


    Truly, you could either care for your career or your family but not both.


    After finishing everything and cleaning up, she could not resist opening the door to Yelena¡¯s room as


    she returned to her own.

 Chapter 733

    Chapter 733


    Chapter 733


    Yelena and ra shared the same room, and ra woke up with a start when Zoe opened the door.


    One was certainly prone to being woken up when they reached a certain age.


    ¡°Just checking on Yelena,¡¯ Zoe whispered.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ra tossed around in bed and fell asleep again.


    Zoe walked up to their bed and stared at Yelena¡¯s little cheeks, which were reddened from sleep.


    Who would have known that Zoe somehow ended up bing a mother?


    Yelena¡¯s arrival certainly surprised Zoe-she never expected that she could get pregnant in one shot.


    It was ra who suggested that she might be when she missed her period for three months and her


    belly started to swell.


    She was certainly shocked-she had previous cases of irregr periods before, when she slimmed


    down drastically or fattened up for certain roles. In fact, she was so used to it that being pregnant did


    not cross her mind.


    She struggled with herself for a long time, but she eventually decided to give birth.


    ra supported Zoe, saying that having a child in the house would be much livelier.


    Zoe did notck money at the time either and met the requirements for a child.


    And the ten-month pregnancy went more smoothly than she thought-she never had morning sickness


    early on nor lost sleep in theter trimesters. Even the delivery was quick, taking just three hours from


    start to finish.


    Even after Yelena was born, she would either be sleeping or eating all the time, never falling sick-


    almost as if she was one of those mythical healthy babies.


    Zoe could not resist giving Yelena a peck on the cheek.


    The sight of her baby girl would fill Zoe¡¯s heart with tenderness and the desire to give Yelena the best


    that the world had to offer.


    One of the reasons she returned to showbiz was because of Yelena, since she wanted a better life for


    her daughter, because her savings were dwindling.


    She had the privilege of a life of luxury with the Levines, but also experienced the soul-crushing


    desperation of being penniless. It in turn fueled her desire to give Yelena a better life.


    Eventually, Zoe reluctantly left Yelena¡¯s room and returned to her own, took a quick shower, andy


    down in bed.


    She was trying to sleep, but unfortunately, she had already slept for too long.


    Feeling zero hint of drowsiness, she decided to get out of bed and study her script-she had to make up


    for missing out today.


    ¡®Just do it.¡¯


    She picked up her phone to check the status of the day¡¯s rehearsal, which would usually be posted on


    their chat group.


    Still, when she unlocked her phone, she saw a message notification from Jay.


    She hesitated for a moment, but she added him in her contacts since he is her instructor¡ªadding him


    to her WhatsApp contact list was just adding another method to reach out to him.


    She never shared any details on her personal life for three years, and there was scarcely any details on


    her personal profile.


    The same applied for Jay. She peeked on his profile a little and saw that he was not at all that popr


    either.


    It did suit his loner personality.


    Still, just as she was going to check the group¡¯s messages, Jay sent her a file with the caption: [Check


    this out if you can¡¯t sleep.]


    He was up thiste?

 Chapter 734

    Chapter 734


    Chapter 734


    It was already part eleven. Jay usually should be asleep by now, right?


    Still, Zoe quickly replied, along with a bowing emoji: [Okay. Thank you, Mr. Parker.]


    Jay did not reply, while Zoe tapped on the file to see that it was an analysis on the character she would


    y.


    It dissected the character¡¯s personality with far more detail than the original script, and the contents


    painted a vivid image. Everything was listed borately, down to the instance of when the character


    should show which expression.


    She read it silently until thest sentence.


    [The character is minor, but she still carries weight. Do your best.]


    Zoe smiled for some reason¡ªit was really out of character for Jay to write something so cringeworthy.


    Maybe an assistant helped with this?


    Everyone in the group must have a thorough breakdown like this too, and it would be difficult if Jay¡¯s


    group did not win with such detailed script.


    Holding the script, Zoe stood before her mirror and yed her character several times.


    The character seemed to have a different soul now that she had read Jay¡¯s detailed analysis.


    Even if her role was minor, said role was still vital in the plot. If she yed it well, she would leave an


    impression in the audience¡¯s mind.


    The next day, having learned her lesson the day before, Zoe did not stay up that long even if she was


    not feeling sleepy and was therefore in a totally different state.


    As she entered the rehearsal studio, Candice called out to her softly, ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Zoe was surprised that Candice was that early.


    She arrived over half an hour early, but most of the other group members had arrived as well.


    It seems that they were all taking thepetition very seriously.


    Still, she and Candice headed to a corner, when Candice could not resist asking, ¡°Where were you the


    whole day yesterday, Zoe?¡¯


    Zoe wondered how she should answer that.


    She could imagine tomorrow¡¯s headlines if she said she had been sleeping the whole day in Jay¡¯s


    lounge: [Washed-up actress attempting resurgence by sleeping with famous director!]


    ¡°Did Director Parker send you home after a scolding?¡± Candice asked, seemingly having an idea


    seeing that Zoe had trouble answering.


    Zoe decided to stay silent and allow Candice to keep her misunderstanding.


    It was showbiz-the less problems she had, the better.


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s so unfair for you,¡¯ Candice huffed, feeling indignant for Zoe¡¯s sake. ¡°We were having our


    own group¡¯s rehearsal, but Ms. Zimmerman had to butt in. I mean, Mr. Parker was scowling throughout


    the rehearsal after he returned without you. Everyone was scared.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why everyone¡¯s early?¡¯ Zoe asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s part of it, I guess. The other is that there¡¯s really a lot to learn from


    Mr. Parker, especially when ites to making up for ourcking as thespians,¡± Candice said


    earnestly. ¡°He knows how everyone should act, and I feel like an initiate even though I¡¯ve been in


    showbiz for years.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zoe replied indifferently.


    ¡°So try not to make a repeat of yesterday. Learn properly from the man, and it¡¯s really going to help us


    in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve mostly got the performance down and we¡¯re worried you¡¯ll have a hard time ying


    to our flow. Anyway, just be more cautious- Mr. Parker is not as agreeable and mild-mannered as they


    say,¡± Candice told her then.


    ¡°True.¡± Zoe nodded-Jay was never mild-mannered in her mind.


    ¡°Anyway, you should familiarize yourself with your character for now,¡± Candice quickly said.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Zoe took out her script and practiced repeatedly then, just as everyone else in the studio did.


    There were those who said that thespians were nutjobs, and it certainly was the case in this room-


    everyone appeared to be loonies that were just released from the asylums.


    Half an hourter, Jay arrived at the studio, punctual as he always had been.


    No thespian was allowed to bete in his rehearsals.


    Actually, they were allowed to bete and there would not be any outbursts either¡­ but said thespian¡¯s


    scenes would be pushed to the veryst sessions of the day.


    Jay had always been ruthless that way.

 Chapter 735

    Chapter 735


    Chapter 735


    Once Jay arrived, everyone gathered around him, and he said, ¡°Continue the rehearsals as arranged


    yesterday. Let¡¯s go a few rounds before we dissect the details. Zoe, you missed out yesterday, so try to


    blend in or practice solo if you can¡¯t.¡± 1


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker.¡± Everyone dispersed and proceeded to start the rehearsals.


    Zoe blended in quickly, mostly because the script she was given yesterday proved very useful.


    She had rehearsed her role twice at home and quickly found the right mood to y her character.


    And with other characters to y off her role now, she got into character even quicker.


    By the time the first rehearsal was over, everyone was surprised by Zoe¡¯s performance.


    Her performance from yesterday was a stark contrast to the one she showed today-while she had been


    distracted and muddle-headed yesterday, she yed her character down to a tee today.


    They had thought her character insignificant and uninteresting, but her performance painted it with


    bright colors. Even if her role was minor, she had charisma and was very memorable, and theck of


    lines made it so that the audience would not get tired of her character, even begging for more.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    That was thement Jay gave for their rehearsal, and everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    He certainly was not that mild yesterday, even if he did not throw a fit.


    He just had this presence that made it clear that he was not to be messed with, and it was clear that he


    was in a much better mood.


    In fact, two actors in the group messed up in the rehearsal just now, but Jay acknowledged and


    encouraged them instead of snapping at them.


    Yes.


    He must have lucked out with a girl somehow, or why else was there a faint smile that seemed stuck


    stuck on his lips?


    After rehearsing for the day, everyone was wrapping up and preparing to leave when the director of the


    production said the chief producer was treating everyone to dinner. It seems that the first episode was


    very well received, and they wanted to thank everyone.


    As such, everyone headed straight to the restaurant straight after, and since the production crew was


    joining as well, they upied ten tables.


    The chief producer was very pleased, even preparing presents that would be given randomly by lottery.


    Zoe just did not have the luck to get anything at all and simply stuck to eating.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, she did not eat too much in fear of getting fat as well.


    Most of all, she was just waiting for everyone to start leaving and head home.


    If she was early, she could y a bit with Yelena, or Yelena would be asleep if she werete.


    Her heart was filled with warmth when she thought of her little girl, and she felt like she could hold on


    no matter how tired she got because she had hope.


    However, even as she kept waiting, they were all led to another venue instead of leaving.


    Some of the production crew left, but not the thespians.


    Though this variety show was a contest, those above them could manufacture scenarios against them,


    so the thespians would never dare to step on their toes.


    Still, Zoe was surprised that Jay joined them-he had every reason to leave.


    He did not drink, let alone frequent nightclubs.


    So what was he doing here?


    Was he beingpelled by circumstances to join as well?


    Zoe tamely sat in the luxury private room, keenly observing the timing to toast every executive member


    of the productionmittee with the others and then return to their seats¡­


    Just to wait for everyone to get it over with.


    She had been constantly keeping a low profile, whereas some of the more sociable thespians were


    getting chummy with the executives.


    It was a rare opportunity-once they built a good rtionship with them, they would be able to progress


    a little further than they originally could.


    Zoe was actually wondering if she should do the same, but at the thought that Jay was with them, she


    expected a sinister pair of eyes that would be constantly tracking her.


    She hence gave up on the idea-fate could decide how she would fare.

 Chapter 736

    Chapter 736


    Chapter 736


    Suddenly, the director appeared beside her. ¡¯Zoe.¡±


    Zoe promptly rose to her feet, appearing perfectly respectful. ¡°Mr. Rubio.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, sit.¡± Arthur Rubio quickly gestured. ¡°No need to be so formal.


    You¡¯ve not been speaking much or drinking¡­ Not used to showbiz now that it¡¯s been a while?¡¯


    In reality, she did not have to attend social dinners in the past, since she was busy filmingmercials-


    her manager could never arrange for her to attend any.


    ¡°Just a little out of practice.¡¯ Zoe smiled, quickly poured herself a ss full, and said, ¡°A toast to you,


    Mr. Rubio.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Arthur did not reject her offer, and they both chugged their drinks.


    ¡°You can really stomach your alcohol,¡± Arthur praised.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t usually drink,¡± Zoe was certainly aware that there were plenty others who would hide their


    ability to stomach alcohol, or they would be goaded into drinking more than they would like.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored. Here, let¡¯s have another drink,¡¯ Arthur said eagerly.


    Zoe had no choice but to keep drinking with the man, and when they were done, Arthur slowly asked,


    ¡¯Where have you been in the years after leaving showbiz, Zoe? What were you doing?¡±


    ¡°Just taking a long break in a small town. I didn¡¯t do anything in particr.¡±


    ¡°But why did you suddenly retire?¡± Arthur pressed.


    Zoe did not expect him to be so interested in gossip. ¡°Well, I just got into a little trouble.¡¯


    ¡°With who?¡±


    Zoe stayed silent, and Arthur immediately huffed in annoyance. ¡°Why are you hiding it from me? I had


    to stave off immense pressure to put you in our show, y¡¯know¡­¡¯


    Zoe hesitated for a moment, but she eventually said, ¡°The Levines.¡¯


    After all, the Levines were no longer a force to be reckoned with in showbiz, and she would not be


    harassed.


    ¡°The Levines?¡± Arthur eximed in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s a personal conflict, so I¡¯d prefer if you didn¡¯t ask more, Mr. Rubio.


    Either way, I¡¯m not burdened with anything right now, so you have nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m relieved since it¡¯s the Levines. It¡¯s not surprising that you made a return too, since their


    influence doesn¡¯t extend into showbiz even if they haven¡¯t fully fallen from grace,¡± Mr. Rubio said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Zoe nodded.


    ¡°Here, another toast.¡± The director raised his ss again, and Zoe had to follow suit.


    That made it three sses now.


    Zoe could hold her liquor, but chugging like this was still beyond her tolerance.


    And when she tried to excuse herself to get to the washroom, Arthur caught her arm.


    As she stopped in her tracks, his fingers danced over her skin as he asked,¡± It¡¯s still early, Zoe. Where


    are you going?¡±


    His intention was very clear, and it was not surprising that he had been asking about her private affairs


    ¡ªhe was afraid that she was caught by some negative influence, and he would get dragged into it.


    But now that he knew that there was no danger, he wanted her.


    And having been in showbiz as long as she had been, Zoe could actually instantly read Arthur¡¯s


    intention from his gaze.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    It was not to mention that his bodynguage was apparent.


    ¡°I need the washroom,¡± she said, gently pushing his hand away with a bright smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting,¡± Arthur said pompously.


    They both knew what was happening.


    It was a done deal if she returned and the end of the line if she did not.

 Chapter 737

    Chapter 737


    Chapter 737


    Zoe headed into the washroom, every fiber of her being aggravated.


    She looked at her reflection in the mirror, which had not much in the way of makeup or jewelry.


    She did not like putting on makeup personally since she spent so much time on stage with thick


    makeup, and she therefore preferred a clear face.


    To be honest, she had no idea why Arthur was interested in her¡ªshe was neither the prettiest nor the


    most talkative thespian present.


    Could it be because she had no influence?


    Zoe sshed her face with cold water then.


    She knew all too well that if she spurned Arthur¡¯s advances, she would be dismissed by the next stage


    and had no chance to hope otherwise.


    After all, showbiz was a web of influence-one misstep and her career would suffer indefinitely.


    But if she did not reject him¡­


    She had a hard time ignoring her conscience.


    She never thought she would have to assume this path since she started out in showbiz.


    In the past, she had support and she gained confidence from their support, regardless if they actually


    helped.


    But what confidence did she have now?


    Zoe was left in a dilemma, convinced that she would regret either choice.


    She must have stayed alone in the washroom for half an hour and might have taken up residence there


    if not for a knock on the door.


    Zoe took a deep breath and opened the door, pausing for a moment when she saw the person standing


    outside.


    However, she started to stride past him¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you home,¡± Jay called out to her with an edge in his voice that permitted no denial.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Zoe rejected him right away. ¡°You can leave now if you like.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget what happened the day after you got drunk?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what to do.¡¯


    She tried to leave again, but Jay grabbed her arm again.


    She frowned and wheeled on him. ¡°I said I¡¯m not going back!¡±


    She had made up her mind to y Arthur¡¯s game.


    Who knew? She just might be able to get him so drunk he could not do anything to her.


    One way or the other, she did not have the strength to fight fire with fire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± Jay said a little coolly.


    ¡°That¡¯s my business. It has nothing to do with you,¡± Zoe snapped and tried to shake him off, but she


    could not.


    When did he be so strong?


    ¡°I can help you with your concern. Just go home for now,* Jay said slowly and clearly then.


    Zoe did a double take-he knew Arthur was putting the moves on her?


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    She suddenlyughed with much irony. ¡°And how are you going to help?


    Are you going to tell Arthur that I won¡¯t y his game, while I end up doing nothing but watch my career


    be put on ice again?!¡±


    ¡°Trust me. I can help you keep your showbiz career-¡°


    ¡°Trust you?¡± Zoeughed.


    "I''ll be honest, Jay-I can trust everyone in the world but you.¡±


    Jay scowled, but she continued her icy rant. ¡¯I only find disappointment each time I pin my hopes on


    you-tell me, what can I trust you with? We kissed one day, and the next day you¡¯re swapping spit with


    another woman! Then, right after we did it, you could just disappear without a trace! Am I a toy to you,


    Jay Parker?¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±

 Chapter 738

    Chapter 738


    Chapter 738


    Zoe cut Jay short right then. ¡°Forget it¡ªnone of that actually matters now. It¡¯s the distant past and I


    couldn¡¯t care less. But understand this: I didn¡¯te back to make you feel guilty or win your sympathy.


    In fact, I would¡¯ve rather not shown up around you at all, because all I want is to properly live my life.


    So, please stay away from me.¡±


    Zoe shook his hand off as hard as she could.


    Jay had to stand while leaning on a cane, and her shove left him stumbling a couple steps backward.


    By the next second, she already stormed off without so much as looking back.


    Jay¡¯s fingers clenched, but he stayed silent.


    When Zoe returned to the couch, Arthur was clearly getting a little impatient.


    Other thespians were sitting next to him, havinge to toast him, so Zoe sat near the edge.


    After Arthur was done socializing with them, she finally returned to her seat.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Just ran into Mr. Parker, and we had a little chat.¡¯ Zoe casually came up with an excuse.


    ¡°Oh, youdies all love Jay Parker, don¡¯t you?¡± Arthur scoffed. ¡°Well, what¡¯s not to like? He¡¯s handsome


    and talented¡­ while men like me hardly catch anyone¡¯s eye.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, Mr. Rubio. Your reputation in showbiz is legendary countlessdies flock to you.¡¯


    ¡°Including you?¡¯ Arthur asked, leering at Zoe amorously as he dispensed with covers after getting too


    drunk.


    ¡°Of course,¡¯ Zoe replied, pouring him another drink.


    As Arthur took the ss for her, he deliberately held his hand.


    Zoe smiled, humoring him.


    Still, just as she was going to pull away and goad him to drink, she noticed a familiar figure striding


    toward them.


    Before she realized what was happening, Arthur promptly released her and greeted Jay. ¡°Please, sit


    with us, Mr. Parker.¡¯


    Jay sat between Arthur and Zoe, with Zoe shifting aside since Jay¡¯s leg was brushing against hers.


    ¡°Am I interrupting?¡¯ Jay asked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No, of course not! Come on, join us,¡± Arthur quickly said. ¡°Zoe? Do pour Mr. Parker a drink.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Zoe said, rising to her feet and pouring both Arthur and Jay a drink.


    Arthur then told her, ¡°Oh, drink with us too, Zoe. Aren¡¯t you going to toast Mr. Parker since he came all


    the way to join us?¡±


    Zoe poured herself a ss and said, ¡°Here¡¯s to your health, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Parker.¡±


    With those words, she chugged it whole.


    ¡°Oh, and she was saying she can¡¯t drink. She really is marvelous, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Arthur praised her as he


    chugged his ss as well.


    Jay naturally followed suit.


    Arthur then said, ¡°Zoe, you should offer Mr. Parker a personal toast. If he didn¡¯t go out of his way to


    keep you thatst round, you wouldn¡¯t be sitting here with us.¡±


    Zoe did not say no since there was no denying that Jay saved her.


    She just could not find an opportunity to repay him, and this was just the right timing to say thanks.


    She hence poured herself a full ss and then a mostly full ss for Jay.


    ¡°Thank you for your affirmation, Mr. Parker,¡± she said and chugged her ss.


    Jay stared at her for a moment and chugged his ss as well.


    ¡°Oh, one¡¯s definitely not enough,¡± Arthus said then. ¡®This grace is worth at least five sses¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Jay suddenly said, putting his hand on Zoe¡¯s as she reached for the bottle again.


    Zoe promptly pulled her hand out of his grasp, leaving his fingers twitching.


    Regardless, he said evenly, ¡°There¡¯s still rehearsals tomorrow. Don¡¯t get too drunk.¡±

 Chapter 739

    Chapter 739


    Chapter 739


    Zoe stayed silent, though she was already cursing Jay in her head.


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    She was nning to get Arthurpletely drunk, but what he said cut off his escape.


    Nheless, Jay suddenly said, ¡°Mr. Rubio, you don¡¯t mind me leaving with Zoe, right?¡¯


    Both Zoe and Arthur were left taken aback, while Jay exined, ¡°Our group still has rehearsals


    tomorrow, and Zoe¡¯s performance would be affected if she gets drunk. In fact, every member of my


    group would be leaving with me¡­ I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no issue with that?¡¯


    Zoe quietlyposed herself, since she was getting agitated.


    It was fortunate that Jay was taking everyone with him instead of her alone -there would be a lot of


    exining to do otherwise.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t this too early? It¡¯s not even ten,¡± Arthur quickly said. ¡¯Young people normally sleep at midnight


    these days.¡±


    ¡°They will be in bad shape when they wake up the next day. Unlike other professions, thespians easily


    get swollen faces, and that would affect their performance on stage.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rehearsal, not the actualpetition¡­¡±


    ¡°The stage deserves respect.¡± Jay was staunch.


    Unable to win the argument, Arthur tried topromise. ¡°Alright, you can leave with your group, and


    remember to give the executives a head¡¯s up before you do. As for Zoe, I can take her home alone.¡±


    ¡°Why Zoe alone?¡± Jay asked bluntly.


    Everyone in showbiz undoubtedly had a tacit understanding, and Jay¡¯s attitude naturally left Arthur


    annoyed. ¡°Mr. Parker, every person has their own personal affairs. Or should I report everything to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Not in the future, no-but I hold myself responsible for every thespian in my group,¡± Jay said firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll


    protect them from all injustices, and I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m getting at, Mr. Rubio.¡±


    The scowl on Arthur¡¯s face could almost be seen despite the dimly lit room, while Jay rose to his feet


    and threatened Zoe, ¡°Ms. Zimmerman had been cautioning you extensively about your attitude, but if


    you insist on going down that path, I have no choice but to give up as well. I¡¯ve always been fair, and I


    refuse to ept any group members who try to cut corners, n


    His words left Zoe embarrassed, but even as she bit her lip in turn, she was afraid to argue with so


    many others watching.


    Even Arthur could feel Jay¡¯s rage.


    The productionmittee had gone through great lengths to invite the man to their variety show, and


    Jay¡¯s poprity stood on top of all others in the first episode, far above all the thespians and even the


    pilot¡¯s guest Cora Levine. Furthermore, Arthur would never dare fight Jay directly considering the man¡¯s


    status in showbiz.


    ¡°Oh, you misunderstand, Mr. Parker,¡¯ he quickly said. ¡°I just asked Zoe to say because she¡¯s such a


    good drinker, and I wanted her with me to entertain the executives. Most of them are gone anyway, and


    since you value your group so much, I shan¡¯t keep them. Go on, Zoe-you should be leaving with Mr.


    Parker and the others.¡±


    Zoe actually looked at Arthur as if she was reluctant to leave just then.


    But she was an actress-it was necessary for her to feign any expression in an instant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disappoint Mr. Parker now,¡± Arthur added sarcastically.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Rubio.¡± She nodded tamely and left with Jay along with the rest of their group.


    Some were just starting to have fun and were disappointed to be dragged off out of the blue.


    Naturally, they would never rebel against Jay, and they all tamely left the nightclub.


    At the entrance, Jay said sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for transport for everyone, but don¡¯t think about staying or


    returning. I won¡¯t be lenient to anyone who doesn¡¯t go straight home to get some proper rest and ruins


    tomorrow¡¯s rehearsals for everyone instead.¡±


    Everyone quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Mr. Parker.¡±


    Zoe had the feeling that Jay¡¯s threat was somehow aimed at her.


    Soon, Jay had his assistant arranged for transport while he also gave three thespians a ride in his own


    car.


    Zoe was one of them.


    She wanted to follow another car with the other group members, but her apartment was not in a


    convenient location.


    As such, Jay first sent the other thespians home before sending her to her apartment.

 Chapter 740

    Chapter 740


    Chapter 740


    It was Zoe¡¯s own fault that her apartment was furthest from the city.


    And with the two other thespians gone, the car was exceedingly silent.


    ¡°Wipe it,¡± Jay suddenly said and handed her a wet towel.


    Zoe took it and wiped her lips by instinct, unsure if she had something on it.


    ¡°Your arm,¡¯ Jay prompted her then.


    Zoe paused, but soon remembered that Arthur had touched every inch of her arm.


    Jay was still a clean freak, huh?


    Still, she wiped her arm without a word, while Jay said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, but


    as long as I¡¯m involved in this variety show, I can protect you from the casting couch.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡¯ she replied.


    Even she had to admit that Arthur would not being on to her after tonight, since Jay had assumed


    all responsibility. Naturally, she also had an excuse against any attempts Arthur would make to harass


    her.


    Then, Jay began, ¡°What happened in the past-¡°


    ¡°Stays in the past, so leave it,* Zoe said, cutting him short. ¡°Just forget all that unpleasant stuff. I mean,


    I did.¡¯ i


    Jay swallowed.


    ¡®All that unpleasant stuff¡­ was that what she thought of it?


    Soon, the car arrived outside Draxton Apartments, and Zoe nodded politely before leaving.


    Jay watched as she left and then nced at his disabled foot.


    It was true-it was now unpleasant.


    Meanwhile, at Startstream Group, Cordy had recovered from her cold and was holding an executive


    meeting for a distribution of tasks.


    Suddenly, her phone started ringing.


    She nced at the caller, but put it on silent.


    A WhatsApp message soon popped up.


    [Urgent. Please answer.)


    Cordy frowned-Sean rarely contacted her with such urgency.


    After hesitating for a moment, she picked up her phone and said, ¡® Discuss the marketing ns for the


    uing season. I¡¯m taking this call.¡±


    Once outside the conference room, she called Sean back. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather has just suffered from a stroke. The doctors are trying to save him at the hospital,¡± Sean


    told her quickly and urgently. ¡°Come to the capital soon-l¡¯ve already chartered a private jet for you, so


    just head to the airport.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡¯Is it really serious?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good. Juste as soon as you can.¡±


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    And with that, Sean hung up.


    Cordy was left stunned for seconds, but she returned to the conference room by the next instant. ¡°An


    emergency came up and I needed to go to the capital. Draft the marketing n after you finish


    discussing it, and if I¡¯m not back by tomorrow, Randy can email me to remind me.¡± 1


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy left the office building immediately after and called Winston from her car. ¡°I¡¯ming back to


    take Dicky with me to the capital in half an hour. Help him pack his luggage, but keep it simple.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs. How long will you be staying in the capital?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.*


    ¡°Shall I pack your luggage too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cordy told him. ¡°Can¡¯t afford the dy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±

 Chapter 741

    Chapter 741


    Chapter 741


    As Cordy rushed to the airport with Richard, he asked nervously, ¡°Did something bad happen,


    Mommy?¡±


    She never looked this grim.


    ¡°Yeah. Your great-grandfather was taken ill.¡±


    ¡°Is it serious?¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Richard stopped asking at that point, understanding his mother¡¯s concerns immediately.


    Once they touched down at the capital, the car Sean arranged took her straight to an aristocratic


    private hospital, where the entire first floor was nowpletely reserved for Jesse Cranston¡¯s use.


    Sean was waiting just as she got out of the elevator, and she asked, ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°The doctors already operated on him. He¡¯s in the ICU now.¡±


    ¡°The danger has passed?¡±


    ¡°No. He never regained consciousness, and the doctors said it doesn¡¯t look good,¡± Sean said grimly.


    Cordy did not ask further questions and took Richard with her to the ICU.


    There were many people crowded outside, with every member of the Cranston family and even some


    of the Lynds present, including Jean Cranston, Nana, and Lucas.


    Cordy made a beeline to the ICU, however, without greeting anyone.


    She peered through the ss to see Jesse lying in bed, his whole body covered in needless and


    suddenly looking like he aged a century.


    He looked no different from an elderly man on his deathbed, leaving Cordy with an indescribable


    aching.


    She always thought herself distant from the Cranstons, but she felt like she could suffocate now that


    she was actually seeing Jesse in that state.


    ¡°How did it get so bad out of the blue?¡± Cordy could not help asking Sean.


    He was just fine when she left the capital barely two weeks ago.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sean replied. ¡°The butler was the one who told me that he suddenly stood up from the


    crouch and immediately dropped to the floor. They rushed him here without dy, but it¡¯s a serious


    condition in the first ce.¡±


    Cordy certainly knew how sudden strokes could ur, but she could scarcely ept that it would


    happen to a family member.


    ¡°Did the doctors say when he could wake up?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Nope.1¡ä Sean sighed. ¡°And they¡¯re saying that the chance would be far slimmer if he doesn¡¯t wake


    today.¡±


    ¡°Vegetative state?¡± Cordy asked worriedly.


    ¡°Or worse,¡± Sean replied.


    Cordy stared at him right then, and he nodded.


    Being told that her grandfather might die left her biting her lip, feeling a little helpless.


    Jean suddenly burst into tears beside them. ¡°He was just fine yesterday¡­ We were talking about the


    family and all that, but now¡­¡±


    ¡°Grandmother,¡± Nana consoled her. ¡¯Mr. Cranston will be alright. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°How could I not worry? He¡¯s my only brother¡­¡± Jean murmured, wiping her tears.


    Nana quickly brought her tissues. ¡¯ He will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sean. Did you ask the foreign experts to check on him?¡± Jean asked then.


    ¡°I did. They will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope things don¡¯t get any worse. You have to help him as best as you can.¡±


    ¡°I know, ma¡¯am. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sean replied respectfully.


    The foreign experts arrived on schedule, but Jesse¡¯s condition remained grave after they performed a


    series of examinations. 1


    Everyone stayed at the hospital until nightfall, when Sean started to ask some of them to head home


    for the time being-it would not do for everyone to leave work or whatever they were supposed to do and


    wait here.


    Cordy left as well, while members of the Cranstons and others took turns keeping watch. 1


    Cordy and Richard decided to stay at a hotel, while Sean did not ask them to stay at Cranston Hall


    since he had to travel back and forth to the hospital. 2


    However, Cordy noticed Lucas when she was about to check in.

 Chapter 742

    Chapter 742


    Chapter 742


    Lucas was alone, and Nana was not in sight.


    Richard saw him too, and excitement showed in his eyes.


    His enthusiasm never dampened whenever he saw Lucas-he did not talk to Lucas earlier at the


    hospital because the atmosphere there had been grim.


    However, he refrained from going up to Lucas, and the thought that his daddy had abandoned his


    mommy made him upset again.


    Lucas was actually surprised to see them there.


    Should they not be staying at Cranston Hall?


    Cordy was also surprised to see Lucas there, since he should be staying with the Lynds.


    It was as if they would inevitably run into each other if they were in the same city¡­


    ¡°Ms. Sachs?¡± the front desk receptionist called out to Cordy just then.¡± Your room card¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m checking out,¡± Cordy said determinedly right then.


    Lucas clearly blinked just then.


    ¡°Checking out, Ms. Sachs?¡± the receptionist asked, to confirm what she said.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not staying here,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°Oh, alright. One moment please,¡± the receptionist replied politely and professionally.


    ¡°Why?* Lucas ultimately could not resist asking.


    ¡°There are people I¡¯d rather not see around here,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Lucas was left scowling, while Cordy waited until the receptionist was done with the paperwork and


    started to leave with Richard without dy.


    ¡°Cordy,* Lucas called out from behind just then.


    Cordy pretended not to hear him, while Richard turned to nce at him.


    In the depths of Richard¡¯s heart, he still hoped that his daddy would repent ande back to his


    mommy.


    As long as they made up, their family could be together again¡­


    ¡°Cordy Sachs!¡±


    Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    Lucas was a little furious-why could she not be a little less stubborn?!


    Was it even safe, dragging a kid around in the middle of the night, looking for a hotel?!


    Nheless, seeing that she had no intention of stopping, he started to give chase.


    Cordy could feel him rushing at them and hurried along while holding on to Richard¡¯s hand¡­ but the


    instant she stepped outside the hotel, she was left staring at an oing motorcycle.


    It was speeding at them at breakneck speed and was obviouslypletely out of control.


    The security guards outside noticed and tried to stop it, but it was just too face.


    It was already toote when Cordy noticed it wasing at her, as it was already crashing toward her.


    She pulled Richard into her arms by instinct, holding him tightly to shield her boy.


    Richard did not realize what was happening because his eyes were fixed on Lucas, until he saw Lucas¡¯


    face fall in panic.


    He soon felt his mommy gathering him into her arms¡­ and at the next instant, he heard an immense


    crash reverberating right beside his ears, while feeling his mommy¡¯s body shaking endlessly.


    Richard had no idea what happened, just as Cordy¡¯s mind went nk.


    She did not know if the motorcycle actually struck them, and she could not even feel any pain.


    ¡°Mommy.¡±


    Richard was calling out to her because she was holding him so tightly he almost could not breathe¡­

 Chapter 743

    Chapter 743


    Chapter 743


    When Cordy heard Richard¡¯s voice, she immediately regained her wits.


    Her instinct made her exhaust all her strength, so she knew that she must have hurt Richard with her


    tight embrace.


    She let go of Richard.


    When Richard came out of Cordy¡¯s arms and turned around, his expression changed drastically.


    ¡°Lucas!¡±


    He screamed in fear.


    On the other hand, Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The sudden pain filled her with suffocation at that instant.


    She abruptly turned around and saw Lucas who had copsed on the ground.


    At that moment, the motorcycle that had lost control fell to the ground, and the driver fell to the side too.


    On the other hand, Lucas was crushed by the motorcycle.


    ¡°Mister, are you okay?¡±


    The security guard immediately went to him.


    Some people also gathered around.


    Someone said, ¡°It was so dangerous just now. If it wasn¡¯t for this man who stepped forward all of a


    sudden and turned the motorcycle around, countless people might be hit and hurt.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so frightening! Why did it lose control to this extent? It even crashed into the hotel.¡±


    ¡°The driver seems to be drunk¡­¡±


    Cordy had already rushed into the crowd and squatted beside Lucas.


    Richard also looked at him nervously beside them.


    Blood could be seen under Lucas¡¯ body, and he showed a painful expression.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Cordy called after him carefully.


    Her inward terror deepened infinitely.


    She did not know why she was so frightened.


    Fear was not the only emotion she had, for she was filled with grief too.


    It was a heart-wrenching pain.


    ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Lucas opened his eyes with difficulty.


    However, his voice was shaky.


    But he did not admit to his weakness.


    That character¡­ Cordy suddenly found it quite familiar.


    She did not dwell on it for long before she immediately turned toward the security guard. ¡°Did you call


    the ambnce?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did. It¡¯ll get here soon.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and move the motorcycle away from his body,¡± Cordy ordered.


    A group of security guards immediately stepped forward and moved the motorcycle weighing a few


    hundred pounds away from Lucas¡¯ body.


    ¡°How are you feeling? Can you move your legs? Can you feel them?¡± Cordy leaned toward Lucas.


    Consequently, Lucas gritted his teeth.


    He was in so much pain now, but she asked him to move.


    Did she want him to die?


    Luckily, the ambnce arrived at that time.


    The paramedics carried him into the ambnce, and Cordy also got into the ambnce with Richard


    without any hesitation.


    After pondering over it for a while in the ambnce, Cordy asked, ¡°Should I call Nana?¡±


    ¡°No, please don¡¯t.¡± Lucas stopped her.


    Cordy frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to worry. Her body is not strong enough,¡± Lucas exined.


    So, Cordy did not force him.


    After all, it was between him and his girlfriend.


    After they arrived at the hospital, Lucas was rushed to the emergency room.


    Both Cordy and Richard remained in the corridor with slight anxiety.


    ¡°Mommy.¡± After all, Richard was only ten years old, so he could not hide his feelings. He questioned,


    ¡°Mommy, Lucas will be fine, right? He won¡¯t be ame person just like Uncle, will he?¡±


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t,¡± Cordy hurriedly said.


    However, she was still worried since his legs were crushed by such a heavy motorcycle.


    So, she did not dare to imagine the consequences.


    She also did not know why he wanted to save her.


    Didn¡¯t he hate her?

 Chapter 744

    Chapter 744


    Chapter 744


    Lucas was only pushed out of the emergency room after two hours.


    Sitting in a wheelchair, his legs were stered, and his head was bandaged.


    It seemed like his injuries were too serious.


    ¡°How is he, doctor?¡± Cordy immediately asked.


    ¡°His right leg is broken, and we¡¯ve inserted a metal rod in it to stabilize it for two to three months. If


    there¡¯s no problem, he needs to rest for another three months after we take it out. He¡¯ll recover by


    then.¡¯


    ¡°Will he be ame person?¡± Cordy asked cautiously.


    Lucas then looked up at her.


    Did she want him to be ame person?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t.¡± The doctor sounded amiable before he continued,¡± But because there¡¯s a slight


    impact on his head, we suggest letting him stay for observation for a night. If he¡¯s fine tomorrow, he can


    be discharged from the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you, doctor.¡± Cordy thanked the doctor.


    She finally heaved a huge sigh of relief inwardly.


    His injuries had something to do with her no matter what.


    She and Richard then went to his ward with him. i


    After helping him to settle down, Cordy uttered, ¡°I¡¯ve hired an exceptional care worker for you. You can


    order her if you have any requests. I¡¯ll go


    home with Dicky first. I also paid for your medical fees. As for the medical fees in the future, I¡¯ll be


    responsible for them too.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡¯ Lucas gave a slight reply, but he did not refuse her arrangement.


    She was then about to leave with Richard.


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Richard suddenly stopped her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I stay with Lucas?¡± he asked.


    Consequently, she was struck mute. Richard¡¯s obsession with Lucas was indefinite.


    Richard lowered his head and said pitifully, ¡¯I¡¯m worried since he¡¯s all alone here. I want to be with him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very safe here with the doctors, nurses, and care workers.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re strangers.¡± Richard hit the nail on the head and said, ¡°Won¡¯t he feel lonely all alone?¡±


    Cordy found it hard to respond.


    ¡°Mommy, can you let me stay here and be with him if you don¡¯t want to stay?¡± Richard suggested.


    Of course, that was impossible.


    Cordy had always watched him closely since he got into danger three years ago.


    He might either be in her sight or someone she had full trust in was with him.


    How could she leave him there casually?


    ¡°I¡¯m an adult, so I won¡¯t feel lonely,¡± Lucas suddenly chimed in.


    He could tell that Cordy was reluctant to do so.


    ¡°Everyone will feel lonely, and it¡¯s no exception for adults unless¡­¡± Richard fixed his clear eyes on


    Lucas. ¡°You hate me.¡±


    When Lucas met Richard¡¯s gaze, he could not bring himself to im that he hated Richard.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Instead of hatred, he had an inexplicable good impression of Richard.


    Undeniably, Lucas felt strangely warm and eager when Richard suggested being with him on his


    initiative.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t hate me, please let me stay with you. Is that okay? Just think of it as me wanting to thank


    you for saving Mommy and me today.¡±


    Richard sounded very serious and sincere.


    It was very hard to turn him down in that way.


    Lucas raised his eyes and looked at Cordy. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with it, just let Richard stay here¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m worried,¡± Cordy replied straightforwardly.


    Consequently, Lucas pursed his lips slightly.


    She was always so straightforward with him.


    When Richard heard his mother¡¯s words, he became disappointed.


    However, he had always been a very obedient boy. He would not be wilful if his mother disliked that.


    When he was about topromise, Cordy beat him to it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with you.¡±


    She could not bear to see him sad, and she knew very well that Richard would leave with her


    obediently if she persisted.


    However, she did not wish to see him force himself for her sake.


    ¡°Really?¡± Richard beamed with delight.


    Of course, one could not bring oneself to ruin that naive and wonderful look of his.

 Chapter 745

    Chapter 745


    Chapter 745


    ¡°Thank you, Mommy.¡±


    Richard was never a person who was good at showing his emotion, but he did not hide it at that time.


    Did he see Lucas as his daddy or a substitute?


    Cordy did not want to have conflicting emotions about it.


    Facing Lucas, she said, ¡°If you¡¯re not fine with it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it.¡± Lucas cut her off.


    ¡°After all, there¡¯s another bed in this ward. Richard and I can sleep in that bed,¡± Cordy suggested.


    The hospital beds in the WIP ward were extraordinarilyrge.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°What do you need now?¡± Cordy questioned.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Since she decided to stay, she should take care of the patient.


    Regardless, she should be grateful to him given what happened that night.


    She turned around to leave just now because she had promised Nana back then.


    She decided to stay now because of Richard.


    Of course, Richard was more important than Nana.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lucas answered.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let Dicky have a bath first. He¡¯s still growing, so he needs to sleep early.¡¯


    ¡°Just do as you please,¡± Lucas said absent-mindedly.


    He looked at his phone and showed a cold expression.


    He did not at all look like he needed anyone to apany him.


    Forget it. He did not want to ruin Richard¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Cordy then ordered Richard, ¡°Dicky, go and take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded.


    He was in a good mood now, so he would be over the moon no matter what he did.


    He fished out his underwear and pajamas from his small suitcase before he went to the bathroom.


    After that, Cordy and Lucas were the only ones left in the ward.


    It was rather awkward for them to spend time alone with each other, especially after what Nana said to


    her the other day.


    It sowed a thorn in her heart now.


    As a result, she instinctively resisted Lucas.


    They were immersed in silence.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to inform Nana?¡± Cordy inquired.


    ¡°Not at the moment.¡± Lucas was very persistent.


    ¡°She¡¯ll learn about it sooner orter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote now.¡±


    ¡°If I were your girlfriend, I¡¯d want you to tell me right away after something happens instead of keeping


    it from me because of my poor health. I¡¯d feel that I wasn¡¯t that important.¡± Cordy reminded him.


    Lucas finally looked away from his phone screen and nced at Cordy.


    On the other hand, Cordy did not hide her unkind gaze toward him before she said straightforwardly,


    ¡°Nana gets annoyed easily if we spend time with each other.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Lucas said. ¡°So, do you want me to tell her now and arouse her suspicion?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll get more suspicious if you don¡¯t tell her and she learns about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the matter with her myself.¡± Lucas showed a very bad attitude.


    Cordy was soon rendered speechless because her good intentions were twisted.


    ¡°Whatever. Just don¡¯t let Nanae to me again.¡± Cordy did not beat around the bush. ¡°I¡¯m too busy to


    deal with this kind of irrelevant thing.¡±


    However, Lucas gave no response, his silence indicating his tacit consent. The ward fell into silence


    again until Richard came out of his bath.

 Chapter 746

    Chapter 746


    Chapter 746


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m done. Do you want to shower?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Cordy nodded and ordered, ¡°Go to bed early.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After that, Cordy walked into the bathroom.


    On the other hand, Richard behaved well and slept on the apanying bed beside Lucas.


    Covering himself with the nket, he turned to look at Lucas.


    At that time, Lucas had turned his attention back to his phone again.


    However, he had clicked on a website for half an hour, but he did not scroll to another page.


    Other than the fact that their arrivals had made him absent-minded, which he could not pinpoint, he


    could see many baffling things appearing in his head. Even being hospitalized felt like deja vu.


    However, he could recall nothing even after he dwelled on it carefully.


    He lost his memory three years ago.


    He remembered nothing after he woke up because of a car ident.


    Consequently, he found not a tinge of familiarity toward his so-called rtives and friends. They were


    just strangers to him.


    That kind of loneliness and helplessness almost drove him mad.


    During that period, he happened to bump into Nana, who was being hospitalized like him since she


    was having treatment for her heart. Her naivety and pureness as well as her enthusiasm toward life


    affected him. After a while, they logically became a couple.


    However, he felt that something wascking between them.


    He did not know what it was, but he felt that he had forgotten something. It had always been buried in


    his heart which made it hard for him to open his heart to her.


    ¡°Lucas.¡±


    Richard called after him out of the blue.


    Lucas was lost in a daze, so he was frightened by the voice.


    He turned around to look at Richard.


    Richard covered himself well under the nket, only exposing his small head. 1


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Richard stared at him with his ck eyes and asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Lucas immediately denied it.


    Richard grinned. ¡®Daddy¡¯s character hasn¡¯t changed at all after so many years. He always goes through


    hell to keep up appearances.¡¯


    ¡°Why did you call after me? Didn¡¯t your mommy ask you to go to bed early? You¡¯re growing. If you don¡¯t


    sleep early, she¡¯ll me me if she sees me chatting with you,¡± Lucas stated seriously.


    The way he lectured others was still the same as in the past.


    However, Richard was not angry. He asked Lucas, ¡°Do you care about my mommy¡¯s feelings very


    much?¡±


    ¡°Stop fancying wild thoughts.¡± Lucas appeared disdainful. ¡°I just dislike arguing with women. You know


    your mommy is pretty fierce sometimes, and gentlemen shouldn¡¯t fight women.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Richard sounded very certain. ¡°You always ignore women, but you treat my mommy differently.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you admit that you like my mommy?¡¯ Richard asked him in confusion.


    Wasn¡¯t Lucas very bold when he was trying to gain her heart back then though he failed to gain her


    heart for a long time?


    However, he did not behave like he was now in which he refused to admit to it.


    ¡°Why should I admit to it since I dislike her?¡± Lucas frowned deeply and looked at Richard. ¡°You¡¯re just


    a kid, so you don¡¯t know the love life of adults.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about others, but you¡¯re the one who raised me. Of course, I understand your feelings.¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to cotton up to me. I¡¯m not close with you.¡± Lucas dissociated himself. ¡°I told you many


    times that I¡¯m not your daddy.¡±


    ¡°Did you lose your memory?¡± Richard was not angry as he kept asking.


    A crease formed between Lucas¡¯ brows.


    ¡°You lost your memory, so you don¡¯t remember us.¡± Richard looked at Lucas¡¯ expression. He knew the


    answer without Lucas¡¯ reply.


    ¡°My life history shows no contact with you guys. Dicky, I did read up about John. I admit that I do look a


    little like him, but I¡¯m not him. There are so many people in thisrge world who look like others.


    There¡¯s nothing to be surprised about. Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid that if you¡¯re my daddy, you can¡¯t deal with your current love life? Is that why you avoid


    it all this while?¡± Richard asked him. 1


    Lucas felt like what he was talking went over Richard¡¯s head.


    Richard would not believe him no matter what he said.


    Besides, Richard insisted on making Lucas ept his imagination.

 Chapter 747

    Chapter 747


    Chapter 747


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should get to know your true self earlier.¡¯ Richard did not wait for Lucas¡¯ reply


    before he suggested again, ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯ll be filled with more regrets if you¡¯re more hesitant now.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it.¡¯ Lucas sounded firm.


    ¡°Why are you still so stubborn?¡± Richard behaved like an adult. ¡¯Aren¡¯t you worried that my mommy will


    give you up?¡±


    ¡°I originally had nothing to do with your mommy.¡¯


    ¡°But you can¡¯t forget about my mommy. If not, why did you risk your life to save her?¡±


    Lucas inevitably swallowed slightly and answered, ¡°Your mommy got into danger because of me. I was


    just returning the favor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just your excuse.¡± Richard sounded certain.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a ten-year-old kid. What do you know?¡± Lucas pretended to say at ease, ¡°Kids should study


    more and worry about less.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Richard became slightly angry because of Lucas¡¯ words. ¡°I won¡¯t help you if you regret it.¡¯


    However, Lucas did not take it to heart.


    Lying under the bed, Richard faced away from Lucas and slept.


    One could tell that he was furious from the back of his head.


    However, Lucas chuckled.


    He had an indescribable good impression of Richard.


    His eyes fluttered.


    He then saw Cordy walk out of the bathroom.


    She did not take along her suitcase, so she casually got a hospital gown and put it on.


    After the bath, her face was slightly rosy, and her body also exuded an indescribable crystal-clear


    tenderness.


    As a result, Lucas swallowed gently before he moved his gaze away.


    Cordy did not notice Lucas¡¯ action before she turned to nce at Richard. When she found that he was


    asleep, she behaved more carefully.


    She dimmed the light of the ward before she slept on Richard¡¯s bed.


    Of course, she could not doze off in the hospital since she had such poor sleep quality.


    Lying in bed, she closed her eyes to rest.


    After an unknown period, Lucasy in bed to sleep too.


    The night was very quiet.


    Lucas moved his body slightly.


    Cordy could feel that, but she ignored him.


    Lucas tried his best to get up.


    Well, people were only as strong as their dders, and he could not suppress it anymore.


    He wanted to call for the care worker¡¯s help, but he was afraid that he would wake Cordy and Richard


    up.


    If he did not call for help, he wondered if he could make it on his own since he was limping.


    After some conflicted feelings, he chose to rely on himself in the end.


    He exerted himself hard before he leaned over and pulled the wheelchair beside him to the edge of the


    bed, which he thought was the most convenient spot. After that, he raised his legs with both hands and


    slowly moved toward the edge of the bed. He was about to get out of bed to sit in the wheelchair and


    go to the washroom.


    He behaved very cautiously.


    Firstly, he was not used to it. Secondly, he was afraid of waking others up.


    Consequently, he heard a slight noise from the neighboring bed when he had just touched the


    wheelchair.


    Hence, he panicked, and his hand slipped.


    ng!


    Lucas fell off the bed.


    He even bumped into the wheelchair, so the wheelchair fell over and crushed him.


    ¡°Hmm!¡±


    Lucas whined in pain.


    However, he did not make a loud noise. It could be seen that he was quite oppressive.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Besides, he was in an extremely sorry state.


    Cordy looked on as hey on the ground for a long time motionlessly.


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡± she asked.


    He seemed to be keen on protecting his pride, so she wondered if she should do nothing about it.


    Cordy knew that from the moment he woke up.


    After that, she watched as he did a series of actions persistently even if his body failed him. He did not


    call for help either, so she chose to look on coldly.


    But she suddenly spoke up at that time because Lucas had been lying on the floor for quite a long time.


    She was worried that he might have hurt himself from the fall.


    However, she needed to ask for his opinion before assisting.


    What if¡­ he had always wanted to keep up a firm spirit even though he was limping now?


    Lucas looked up.


    Suppressing his physical pain, he looked at Cordy in bed, who was looking at him innocently.


    ¡®Motherf*cker!¡¯

 Chapter 748

    Chapter 748


    Chapter 748


    It if was not for the fact that she suddenly made a noise, he would not have slipped and fallen.


    He nearly thought that he might die the moment he slipped and fell.


    Now, she was even putting up such an innocent look. Whom was she trying to annoy?


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Cordy tried to reconfirm it with him.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Lucas gnashed his teeth.


    He was in such a sorry state now. Did she want him to give up his dignity and crawl back up?


    Cordy was struck speechless.


    He sounded so righteous when he had a favor to ask.


    She got up, and carefully, she tried her best not to wake Richard up.


    She then walked to Lucas and worked hard to help him straighten the wheelchair.


    After that, she tried her best to help him up.


    He was so heavy.


    Were all men like that?


    He appeared slim, but he was as heavy as lead when he leaned on her.


    John was like that too¡­


    When she thought of John, excruciating pain hit her.


    Suddenly, she recalled the scene when John was hospitalized because he was trying to protect her.


    It was hard to forget some people no matter how one tried. When she recalled him, her heart would still


    be filled with excruciating pain.


    ¡°Are you struck dumb?¡± Lucas suddenly whispered beside her ear.


    Consequently, she was shocked.


    She was lost in a trance because of her memory just now, and the sudden voice made her body sway.


    Lucas was unsteady with only one foot supporting him. Now that she swayed, his body swayed too.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cordy inevitably screamed.


    It was because Lucas was too heavy.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She finally failed to support him.


    With another ng, they fell to the floor.


    That noise finally woke Richard up.


    He opened his eyes in a daze. When he saw the two people lying on the ground, he widened his eyes.


    Er¡­ This¡­


    Waves of dizziness hit Cordy as her heartbeat quickened.


    She finally calmed herself down when she met Richard¡¯s shocked gaze.


    Before she could say anything, Richard abruptly turned away swiftly and hid under the nket.


    She seemed to be able to see his deeply flushed face through the nket.


    What was he thinking?


    ¡°How long are you going to crush me?¡± Lucas gnashed his teeth and spoke.


    After that, Cordy reacted and realized that she was crushing him.


    That posture¡­


    No wonder Richard misunderstood them.


    She just felt dizzy but had no pain just now.


    It turned out that she had used him as a human cushion.


    Hence, she quickly got up and exerted herself again to help Lucas up.


    Finally, she helped him into the wheelchair with much difficulty.


    Lucasined grumpily, ¡°Did I ask you to help me or kill me, huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just too heavy,¡± Cordy retorted.


    However, he did not keep on arguing with her before he said, ¡®I badly need to go to the washroom.¡±


    Cordy was at a loss for words.


    Should he behave that way if he had a favor to ask?


    She pushed his wheelchair into the washroom.


    However, he sat in the wheelchair motionlessly.


    ¡°Do you want me to help you to pee too?¡± Cordy was struck speechless.


    How insolent!

 Chapter 749

    Chapter 749


    Chapter 749


    ¡°It hurts so badly. I can¡¯t get up.¡± Lucas sounded quite rude.


    Cordy took a deep breath and advised herself inwardly and repeatedly that Lucas was hurt because of


    her. She was too weak just now that she made him fall again. Hence, she decided not to be angry at


    him.


    She squatted and helped him up again.


    With her help, he almost leaned all his weight on her.


    She seriously doubted if he was purposely trying to take revenge on him.


    She finally helped him stand beside the toilet bowl. ¡°Do you need me to take off your pants for you


    too?¡±


    ¡°Cordy, how shameful you are!¡± Lucas became agitated.


    ¡°Why are you so agitated all of a sudden?¡± Cordy was shocked by his sudden loudness. So, she red


    up in a rage. ¡¯Did I see through your thoughts?¡¯ 1


    ¡°Get out!¡± Lucas vented his anger out.


    Surprisingly, he did not retort to her.


    Of course, Cordy did not notice that much either.


    She would always argue with him.


    Besides, she had never met a person who rendered her so helpless and speechless.


    She then walked out of the washroom.


    She wanted to swing the door so badly to vent her fury, but she held herself back since Richard was


    still sleeping. She could only close the door lightly.


    ¡°Mommy.¡± Richard inevitably called after her softly when he saw her angry and flushed face.


    Cordy soon calmed herself down.


    She could not punish herself for others¡¯ faults.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I woke you up.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Richard chuckled.


    He did not like tough very much, but it felt like spring every time he did.


    As long as she saw his smile, she felt that all unhappy incidents would disappear.


    ¡°Did you argue with Lucas?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an argument,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°I¡¯ve nothing to argue about with an irrelevant person.¡¯


    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re stubborn,¡± Richard could not help but say.


    His tone was filled with a tinge of adoration.


    He was so young, but it made her have the illusion that he was flirting with a girl.


    She was even worried that it might be hard for him to get a girlfriend given that he was an introvert.


    He might adore his girlfriend greatly when the time came.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Hurry up and sleep.¡± Cordy did not want to exin anymore.


    In short, he would not believe her.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He immediately turned away. ¡°I wont disturb your fun with Daddy.¡±


    He was just ten years old.


    Did he know what he was talking about?


    ¡°Goodnight, Mommy.¡± Richard even sounded happy. ¡°I don¡¯t mind getting a brother or sister.¡±


    So, she was rendered speechless.


    He was just a ten-year-old kid. Why was he so precocious?


    He did not mind that, but she did.


    It was impossible between her and Lucas.


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Lucas¡¯ voice came from the washroom.


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy grumpily roared at the washroom.


    After that, she realized that she was disturbing Richard¡¯s sleep.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She turned around to look at Richard. She found that he was hiding under the nket andughing.


    He yearned to see them together.


    Wasn¡¯t he afraid that his father would crawl out of the grave angrily?


    ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Lucas sounded aloof in the washroom.


    He always appeared like it was righteous for him to behave so.


    Suppressing her fury, she walked to the door and asked, ¡°Did you put on your pants?¡±


    ¡°Cordy, do you care about nothing but my pants today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of seeing filthy things.¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re filthy. I¡¯m f*cking clean,¡± Lucas cursed.


    However, Cordy ignored him.

 Chapter 750

    Chapter 750


    Chapter 750


    After she confirmed that he had put on his pants, she opened the door and walked in.


    Lucas was standing motionlessly in front of the toilet bowl in the washroom.


    He might have learned his lesson from his fall just now, so he did not dare to move impulsively now.


    Cordy gave him a hand, and he then leaned onto her without a tinge of embarrassment.


    He made use of her righteously.


    She then helped him into the wheelchair and pushed him into the ward.


    After exhausting herself again, she managed to help him to bed, and she was about to return to her


    bed to rest.


    However, Lucas stopped her out of the blue and called out, ¡°Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°I suddenly feel like wiping my body.¡±


    Cordy was at a loss for words. She wanted to ensure that she had not heard him wrongly.


    ¡°You and Dicky smell so good from your bath, but I smell like nothing but sweat. I feel so


    ufortable, but I can¡¯t shower. Can¡¯t I wipe my body too?¡¯ Lucas became displeased by her stare,


    so he increased his voice.


    ¡°Can you lower your voice? Dicky needs to sleep,¡± Cordy said while holding her anger back.


    ¡°I want to wipe my body clean. I feel ill at ease.¡± Lucas lowered his voice, but he did not want to


    compromise at all.


    ¡°Let me call the care worker over for you.¡±


    There were two rooms in the WIP ward. There was still one room outside, and the care worker slept on


    the sofa.


    She did not call the care worker over just now because she felt that she could do it. It was sote now,


    so she did not disturb the care worker¡¯s rest.


    Now this kind of affair was not something she could do, and Lucas did not refuse either.


    So, Cordy walked out of the room but found that the care worker was not around.


    It was so strange. It was in the middle of the night. Where did the care worker go?


    She did not have the care worker¡¯s contact number either.


    After that, she gritted her teeth and returned to the ward.


    However, Lucas had started to take off his hospital gown.


    ¡°If I say the care worker isn¡¯t around, can you wipe your body clean on your own?¡± Cordy questioned.


    Consequently, Lucas knitted his brows.


    He had taken off his clothes, but she asked him not to wipe his body clean.


    Could he sleep if he did not wipe his body clean?


    He yearned to shower now.


    Hepromised by just wiping his body clean. Couldn¡¯t he have that too?


    ¡°The care worker isn¡¯t around,¡± Cordy said frankly as she met his gaze, while Lucas behaved as if he


    was looking at an idiot.


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask him to leave.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not there. Why don¡¯t you take a look yourself?¡± Cordy could not be bothered to exin.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it for me?¡± Lucas raised his brows.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Well, he was acting out of spite.


    Cordy epted her fate. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Lucas was stunned for a while because he never expected her to agree to it.


    It was considered kindness if she did not scold him given her character.


    But she agreed to it swiftly, and she was not joking.


    Lucas watched as she walked into the bathroom and came out with a pail of hot water before long.


    So, he put away what he wanted to say.


    It was hard to see her so nice¡­


    ¡®Motherf*cker!¡¯


    When did he find it hard to refuse her initiative?


    Meanwhile, Cordy did not care about his feelings at all.


    To her, it was just like attending to a patient.


    Besides, the patient saved her life.


    She wrung the hot towel dry before she started helping him to wipe his body.


    As a result, he pursed his lips tightly, and his heartbeat inexplicably quickened.


    He disliked being too close to anyone. He even found it repulsive.


    The first reason why he never slept with Nana was because of her physical condition. Her heart was


    not strong. Of course, the doctor said that it was possible as long as it was not too vigorous. But to him,


    it was the best respect for her to sleep with her after their marriage given her physical condition.


    On the other hand, he did not have any thoughts that were too impulsive.

 Chapter 751

    Chapter 751


    Chapter 751


    The air seemed to turn warmer, and they could almost hear each other¡¯s heartbeats in the silence.


    Cordy had no idea why her heart started beating faster.


    Wasn¡¯t she just taking care of a patient?


    Wasn¡¯t he just a patient with a slightly better physique?


    She tried her best not to let her bare handse into contact with Lucas¡¯ body.


    After wiping his torso, she went on to wipe his legs.


    After a long while, Cordy was finally done.


    She looked up and saw Lucas¡¯ face which was slightly flushed.


    Right from the start, she focused on her hand movements and put aside all distractions. She did not


    expect to see the embarrassed look on Lucas¡¯ face as heid down and let her wipe him down.


    Cordy was stunned for a moment.


    Was he pretending to be innocent or¡­


    Her eyes shifted awkwardly, and she looked everywhere except at him.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m done wiping you down. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need me to wipe certain areas, right?!¡±


    Lucas¡¯ face flushed a deeper red.


    He did not know why he suddenly felt so warm inside. He had never felt like this before. Although he


    had never let any woman draw so near to him, he would never react like this, with a quickened


    heartbeat and flushed face and ears.


    His world was turning topsy-turvy after meeting Cordy!


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Lucas bit out.


    Cordy tutted in disdain.


    She then handed the towel over to Lucas. ¡°Hurry up.*


    She turned around to give Lucas privacy.


    Lucas quickly wiped himself down. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy turned around slowly.


    She was truly afraid to see things that she should not.


    But she clearly would not even have a chance to.


    Lucas had already wrapped himself up tight, refusing to let her have another peek of his body, i


    He allowed her to wipe his body, yet he did not want her to see his body.


    She could not believe him.


    Cordy did not take the towel that Lucas wiped himself with. Instead, she told him to throw it into the


    warm water bucket, which she then brought to the washroom. She then picked it up gingerly with the


    tips of her fingers and threw it into the trash can.


    She was disgusted with it.


    She carefully cleaned her hands with soap and water before returning to the ward and sleeping next to


    Richard.


    Children could really sleep very well.


    Richard had fallen asleep again.


    The corners of his lips were lifted in a smile. He was clearly in a good mood.


    At night, things fell quiet again.


    Lucas had felt sleepy earlier, yet now, he was unable to fall asleep.


    His face felt warmer and his body felt even warmer.


    ¡®That d*mn Cordy.¡¯


    His idea of wiping himself down was supposed to make him feel morefortable, yet he was now in


    greater difort.


    Even his breathing became faster.


    Lucas took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself down.


    His repeated deep breathing attracted Cordy¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lucas denied hastily.


    It felt like he had a guilty conscience.


    ¡°What exactly is wrong?¡± The more he said it was nothing, the more it made Cordy suspicious.

 Chapter 752

    Chapter 752


    Chapter 752


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Go back to sleep,¡¯ Lucas said, slightly annoyed.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    But if one were to listen closely, he sounded rather breathless.


    Cordy did not want to care about him, but Lucas was injured after all. If anything was wrong with him


    physically¡­ What was more, he was stubborn and would refuse to admit it.


    Lucas did not notice what Cordy was doing, so when Cordy appeared by his bedside, he was so


    shocked he almost leaped from his bed. ¡°Cordy, are you pretending to be a ghost?! Why are you so


    silent when you walk?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡± Cordy was rendered speechless by how uptight Lucas was being.


    Richard was sleeping; of course she had to be silent.


    ¡°What are you doing here at my bedside? Go back to sleep on your own bed, ¡± Lucas instructed.


    Cordy ignored him.


    She stared at his flushed face and could hear his rapid, shallow breathing. There was clearly


    something wrong with him.


    ¡°Do you feel hot?¡± Cordy asked.


    Were his flushed cheeks and ears a result of a temperature?


    Otherwise, given how much Lucas detested her, how could he possibly be blushing?


    The more Cordy thought about it, the more she was convinced that she was right. She leaned over to


    touch his forehead.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Lucas eximed defensively as he shunned her touch. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling hot.


    You¡¯re the one feeling hot!¡±


    Did he just misunderstand her?!


    The fever was clearly getting to his head.


    ¡°Lucas Lynch.¡± Anger began rising in Cordy¡¯s chest as she said in a low voice, ¡¯Behave like a patient


    that you¡¯re supposed to be! Why are you acting tough? Is your wound infected, which might have made


    you feel hot?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel hot!¡± Lucas said agitatedly.


    ¡°Feel hot as in having a fever!¡± Cordy nearly stomped her foot in frustration.


    Why was Lucas being so difficult?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a fever either.¡± Lucas remained unconvinced.


    Cordy took a deep breath as she told herself not to count it against a patient, especially one who fell


    sick because of her.


    She pressed the call bell. ¡°We need some help here. The patient seems to be running a fever.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be there right away,¡± the nurse said.


    ¡°Cordy, I told you I don¡¯t have a fever!¡± Lucas yelled angrily at Cordy.


    Cordy simply ignored him.


    After a while, a doctor and a nurse arrived in the ward.


    ¡°In what way are you feeling unwell?¡± the doctor asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel unwell,¡± Lucas said huffily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him. He probably has a fever-his entire body feels warm and even his face is flushed,¡¯


    Cordy exined to the doctor.


    The doctor nodded in acknowledgement, while the nurse immediately pulled out a thermometer and


    measured Lucas¡¯ forehead temperature.


    ¡°99 degrees,¡± the nurse reported as she looked at the little window on the thermometer. ¡°It¡¯s not


    considered a fever.¡±


    ¡°I told you so!¡± Lucas spluttered in fury.


    ¡°But his face is abnormally flushed,¡± Cordy said, still ill at ease.


    ¡°He¡¯s wrapped up too warmly in the sheets and short of breath,¡± the doctor suggested as he observed


    Lucas¡¯ condition. ¡°Don¡¯t wrap yourself up so tightly, especially not over your wounds as it might cause


    infections. Open up the sheets a little.¡¯


    Lucas remained unmoved. In fact, he instinctively clung on tighter to the sheets around him. 1


    Cordy had never seen a man as unbelievable as Lucas.


    The more someone told him to do something, the stronger he opposed it.


    Did he think he was still a child?!


    He was only younger by three years. How immature could he get?!


    Cordy was so miffed she reached out and rudely pulled away Lucas¡¯ sheets.


    Lucas never expected Cordy to be so barbaric.


    It did not take him much strength to wrap the nket around himself, but Cordy¡¯s arm yanked the


    nket away from him in one tug.


    Just then¡­


    ¡®D*mn!¡¯

 Chapter 753

    Chapter 753


    Chapter 753


    The world turned quiet, with everyone staring agape at Lucas¡­


    And then¡­


    Utter embarrassment!


    Things became extremely awkward in the room.


    ¡°Return me my sheets!¡± Lucas said through gritted teeth.


    Cordy immediately did so.


    Lucas covered himself angrily, pulling the sheets over his head.


    ¡°That is¡­ very normal,¡± the doctor said, trying to ease the tension in the room.


    Cordy¡¯s face blushed.


    ¡°Why is everyone still standing around here?!¡¯ Lucas yelled through the sheets.


    The doctor immediately snapped back to reality. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Hurry up!¡¯ Lucas rushed them unceremoniously.


    ¡°Patient¡¯s next-of-kin, do try to talk to him,¡± the doctor reminded Cordy before leaving hastily with the


    nurse.


    ¡°I will. Thank you, doctor,¡± Cordy said with a tinge of awkwardness in her voice.


    The doctor and nurse left the ward.


    Cordy looked at Lucas wrapped up in his cocoon and said, ¡°Come on out.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°The doctor has already said that it¡¯s normal.¡±


    ¡°I know full well if it¡¯s normal or not. Don¡¯t talk anymore!¡¯ Lucas yelled harshly.


    Cordy could understand why Lucas was unable to ept what happened just now.


    What was more, he was such a proud man.


    Cordy said nothing more and left Lucas¡¯ bedside.


    Silence ensued in the room once more.


    When Lucas was finally unable to tolerate the silence, he crept out from below the sheets.


    After all that had happened, his body finally rxed.


    But the thought of what just happened¡­


    Was there a grudge between him and Cordy from their past lives? Why did bad things keep happening


    to him each time he met her?


    This time¡­ this time¡­ in front of so many people¡­


    He felt like burying himself alive!


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Cordy suddenly broke the silence.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Lucas jumped in fright, i


    This woman was doing it on purpose, deliberately scaring him when he was lost in his thoughts.


    He was certain that if he died of unnatural causes one day, Cordy would certainly be involved.


    ¡°Do you want me to inform Nana¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lucas cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t interfere in my affairs! Also, my bodily reaction today has nothing to


    do with you. It¡¯s simply because I¡¯m a young, hot-blooded man. Don¡¯t tter yourself!¡±


    At that moment, Cordy felt like her kind intentions toward Lucas had been trampled on.


    Such people deserve no pity even if they died!


    Cordy turned around, refusing to respond to him.


    The night went on, and silence fell upon them once more.


    Lucas was unable to fall asleep.


    He felt like dying each time he recalled that utterly embarrassing and awkward scene earlier!


    But¡­


    Lucas poked his head out of the sheets and stared at the ceiling. His mind was a chaos of familiar


    silhouettes and shadows floating around, but he could not make out who or what they were even upon


    deeper thought.


    They just felt familiar, as if he had experienced and known them before.


    Why in the world did he have such a feeling?


    Why did he feel differently about Cordy and Richard?


    Could it really be¡­


    Impossible.


    Richard had a paternity test done.


    He should trust science.

 Chapter 754

    Chapter 754


    Chapter 754


    Although he did lose his memory three years ago, his past life and his life as he knew it nowpletely


    corresponded to each other. There was no reason for him to doubt it.


    He turned to the other side.


    He flipped and flopped on the bed, unable to fall asleep.


    Richard¡¯s words suddenly surfaced in his mind again, asking him if he was afraid of not knowing how to


    deal with his emotions right now.


    Lucas buried himself under the sheets again.


    He realized that he was indeed struggling with it!


    He must stop thinking about this.


    He was sure he would be possessed at the rate he was overthinking.


    Meanwhile, Cordy could sense that the person next to her in the room was on the brink of copse.


    Wasn¡¯t it just an awkward moment?


    Did he have to be so affected?


    It was almost three in the morning, yet he was still awake.


    Although she admitted that it was rather embarrassing, she did not think that Lucas was so emotionally


    vulnerable that he could be affected to the point of losing sleep the entire night.


    Of course, Cordy was not so kind-hearted as to go over and offer him somefort.


    He would not care for it anyway.


    People like him would rather force himself up a dead end than reveal his vulnerabilities to others.


    With a sudden urge to go to the washroom, Cordy got out of bed very cautiously.


    She really should not have had such a huge cup of water before bed-she could not hold it in any longer.


    Of course, Lucas saw Cordy get out of bed.


    ¡®What is this woman doing awake in the middle of the night?!


    ¡®She was not the one caught in an awkward moment!¡¯


    He suddenly recalled that Cordy suffered from insomnia.


    Was she unable to fall asleep as well?


    Lucas pursed his lips.


    He should not be caring about this woman, yet he did not know why he just could not hold himself back


    from doing so.


    In fact, the more he forced himself to be indifferent about her, the more his efforts backfired on him and


    the more he noticed her every move. The fact that she was still awake made him feel anxious.


    What exactly was going on with Cordy?!


    Cordy then returned from the washroom, walking on tiptoes and keeping silent as much as she could.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs,¡± Lucas suddenly called out.


    Cordy jumped in fright.


    Did he not know that his sudden call in the middle of the quiet night was capable of frightening


    someone to death?!


    ¡°Why are you still awake?!¡± Cordy said irritably in hushed tones.


    Anger boiled in Lucas¡¯ chest.


    His kind intentions all went to waste on this woman.


    ¡°My clothes are on the couch,¡± he said through gritted teeth.


    Why could he not be more indifferent toward Cordy?


    Cordy was stunned for a moment.


    She had initially felt furious, but now, she no longer had any reason to be angry.


    She knew what Lucas was talking about.


    She had told Lucas before that smelling the scent on him helped her sleep, and Lucas was telling her


    that she could take his clothes.


    Cordy pursed her lips and her heart leapt.


    She had never thought of asking Lucas for help.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Perhaps because of Nana or because she never got along with Lucas, she did not want to beg him for


    help.


    But now, Lucas was taking the initiative to help her.


    It gave her mixed feelings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things, Cordy. I just don¡¯t want you walking around in the middle of the night and


    affecting my sleep quality,¡± Lucas said pridefully.¡± But let me remind you that this shirt is a limited-edited


    piece from a top- ss designer, and you can¡¯t buy it even if you have the money! Be careful when


    hugging it to sleep-don¡¯t crumple it, drool on it, or make disgusting expressions while lying on it. I¡¯m


    afraid it¡¯ll leave me traumatized when wearing the shirt.¡±


    Feelings of gratitude in her heart immediately dissipated.

 Chapter 755

    Chapter 755


    Chapter 755


    Not wanting to reject him at the expense of her own health, Cordy epted Lucas¡¯ shirt.


    To be honest, it had been a while since she had a good night¡¯s sleep.


    The smell on Lucas¡¯ clothes and pillow that was left in her house had gradually faded, and the quality of


    her sleep deteriorated along with it. 1


    Before Cordy settled herself down for bed, she took a closer look at Lucas¡¯ shirt.


    Perhaps due to her designer¡¯s instinct, she wanted to see what shirt could make Lucas care so much


    about it.


    However, just one look was enough for Cordy to recognise it.


    She was, of course, familiar with her own works.


    This shirt was from high-end luxury under Starstream Group, a limited- edited piece across the globe.


    Although this brand belonged to Starstream Group, it was not marketed under the name of the


    company and thus, its brand direction differed from other brands of thepany. That was why many


    people did not know that the brand belonged to Starstream Group.


    ¡°Are you shocked by the beauty of this piece?¡± Lucas saw Cordy checking out his shirt and said


    smugly.


    Cordy simply ignored him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. The clothes from this brand are designed way better than yours.¡±


    Cordyy on the bed silently.


    With the familiar smell on the shirt, she was beginning to feel sleepy.


    ¡°What, feeling inferior now?¡± Lucas said proudly.


    He wanted to see Cordy concede defeat.


    Cordy found Lucas immature to no end.


    She turned around with her back facing him, pretending like he did not exist.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to admit that there are people better than you, Cordy. Don¡¯t always think that you¡¯re


    superior¡­¡±


    ¡°Since when did I say that I was superior?!¡± Cordy could not believe what she was hearing from him.


    ¡°What¡¯s more, this piece is past its season. Why are you so smug about it?¡±


    ¡°ssics will never go out of style. Of course, you don¡¯t have any such ssics under your belt, so


    you¡¯re just being sour grapes.¡±


    Cordy did not want to respond to Lucas.


    All she wanted to do was to sleep.


    ¡°Stop talking. If you really like this designer¡¯s pieces, I¡¯ll send you her new pieces the moment they


    launch, whether they are limited-edition pieces or not,¡± Cordy said with a tinge of annoyance in her


    voice.


    She would take it aspensation for him giving her his shirt.


    As this shirt was sullied with streaks of blood because of the ident today, he might not be able to


    wear it after today.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so boastful. It¡¯s hard to even get your hands on this piece. For limited-edition pieces like this,


    I had to queue for two months before I could get it. This brand releases only one design per season,


    limited to only fifty pieces across the globe. Royalty and the bigwigs would¡¯ve


    reserved them long ago.¡± Lucas looked at her in disdain as he went on. ¡°Do you really think you can


    buy a piece just because you are slightly known in the fashion scene? I had to get Maron to help me


    buy it. Do you think you¡¯re more influential than he is?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I am.¡±


    Maron was undeniably the leading designer in the country and renowned even internationally. He was


    capable of rallying big shots in the industry at a single call.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not, don¡¯t be so boastful, lest you¡¯re unable to do it and things will get so awkward


    between us¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the designer,¡± Cordy said, no longer wanting to speak in riddles with him.


    She never intended to tell him that as she did not want to embarrass him, but he was seriously asking


    for it.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lucas waspletely stunned.


    ¡°I said that I was the one who designed this shirt, and the brand belongs to Starstream Group. If you


    don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Maron. I remember this shirt-he said that he had a super fan who wanted


    to buy it but was just unable to get his hands on it, and he asked me to reserve one piece for the fan no


    matter what, so I did. If I remember it correctly, this was a new design releasedst season, right?¡±


    Lucas was speechless.


    He had wanted to dent Cordy¡¯s ego and shave off her sharp corners, and he did not want her climbing


    all over him during this time.


    Yet, he did not expect to end up embarrassing himself!

 Chapter 756

    Chapter 756


    Chapter 756


    ¡°Shall I give Maron a call to prove to you what I said is true?¡± Cordy deliberately offered.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m tired!¡± Lucas struggled to turn around with his back facing Cordy.


    Cordy smiled.


    ¡®Weak.¡¯


    The night was finally silent, and everyone fell asleep until the sun rose.


    Cordy did not know if it was because she had not had a good sleep for too long or because of Lucas¡¯


    shirt, but she slept very soundly through the night.


    She did not even wake up when a medical staff member came for his rounds.


    Richard, on the other hand, woke up very early.


    He got out of bed quietly and even reminded the medical staff member to be quiet lest they woke his


    mommy up.


    The staff member was naturally more cautious around the patients in the VIP rooms, and he walked


    around very quietly and carefully.


    Lucas was fatigued as well.


    He slept tootest night.


    After the medical staff member was done with the routine checks, Lucas fell back asleep once more.


    Richard was the only one awake in the ward, and he quietly enjoyed the breakfast prepared by the


    hospital while busying himself with online coding on his phone.


    Amid the silence in the ward, the door was suddenly pushed open.


    Richard looked up to see who it was.


    He thought it was the care worker.


    He had secretly asked the care worker to leave yesterday.


    How could Daddy and Mommy grow closer with the care worker around?


    Just when he was about to open his mouth to ask the care worker to leave, the person charged toward


    Lucas with an anxious look on her face and redness in her eyes. ¡°Lucas! What happened to you?!¡±


    Lucas opened his eyes blearily and saw Nana right in front of him.


    Nana hugged him tight, refusing to let go.


    She was so afraid to lose him.


    She buried her face in his embrace and sobbed.


    Cordy furrowed her brows.


    To be honest, she really wanted to sleep a while longer, as she had not slept so well in ages.


    But the sobsing from Nana woke her up.


    She opened her eyes in a daze and saw Nana wrapped around Lucas like a ko bear.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lucas pushed Nana away gently and asked.


    The moment he pushed her away, huge drops of tears fell down Nana¡¯s cheek.


    Lucas¡¯ heart softened and he wiped her tears away as he exined, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. It was just a small


    ident and my right leg bone is slightly broken. The doctor said that it¡¯ll be fine after around three to


    five months of rest.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how worried I was? How could you be so careless?¡± Nana reproved him, ¡°How could I


    survive if something untoward happened to you?!¡±


    ¡°Nothing untoward happened to me,¡± Lucasforted her in a gentle voice.


    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me immediately when the ident happened?¡± Nana said huffily as she wiped the


    tears on her face.


    ¡°It happened quitetest night and I didn¡¯t want to interrupt your sleep, so I decided not to tell you.


    Your health is not exactly in good condition and I didn¡¯t want you running around in the middle of the


    night,¡± Lucas exined before asking, ¡°How did you find out that I was in the hospital?¡±


    ¡°One of my friends mentioned it, saying that you were hit by a motorcycle outside a hotel entrance. I


    called you on your phone but you didn¡¯t pick up the call, so I asked my grandmother to find out which


    hospital you were in,¡± Nana replied naturally.


    ¡°Your friend?¡± Lucas¡¯ brows furrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that you don¡¯t have friends in the capital?¡±

 Chapter 757

    Chapter 757


    Chapter 757


    Nana stood stunned for a moment before replying, ¡°He¡¯s a college ssmate whom I got to know from


    abroad. But because his family is also in the capital just like mine is, we exchanged contact details


    even though we weren¡¯t exactly close.¡±


    ¡°Does he know me?¡¯ Lucas asked another question.


    ¡°He often sees the photos I post on social media.¡± Nana got angrier as she exined. ¡°Lucas, why are


    you questioning me when I¡¯m supposed to be the one angry at you for not informing me about your


    ident? Why didn¡¯t you take the initiative to tell me about it? If my ssmate didn¡¯t tell me about it,


    would you have hidden it from me forever?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already exined things to you. I didn¡¯t want to cause you worry in the middle of the night. What¡¯s


    more, I won¡¯t be able to hide it from you. I need at least half a year for my leg to fully recover. I can¡¯t


    possibly hide from you for half a year, can I?¡±


    ¡°Were you even thinking of doing that?!¡± Nana¡¯s face turned red with fury.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Lucas said in a gentle voice. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, so I didn¡¯t want you going to all that trouble


    in the middle of the night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you this time, but don¡¯t do it again,¡± Nana said in all seriousness. ¡°Next time, no matter the


    time, you must inform me immediately if something happens.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Did the doctor tell you when you can be discharged?¡± Nana continued pestering Lucas.


    She did not seem to realize that there were other people in the ward, and Cordy did not interrupt their


    lovers¡¯ tiff either.


    It was only until Cordy¡¯s phone rang that Nana finally turned around to see where the sound came


    from.


    Shock shed past Nana¡¯s eyes when she saw Cordy.


    Seemingly¡­ just shock.


    Cordy quickly answered the call, seeming rather anxious. ¡°How is Grandpa? N


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic,¡± Sean assured her. ¡°Although we still don¡¯t see a stark improvement, his condition isn¡¯t


    getting worse. The doctor says that there¡¯s still hope for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Cordy heaved a sigh of relief.


    She was very afraid she would hear bad news.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡± Sean asked. ¡°You¡¯re not in the hotel?¡±


    ¡°Did you go there?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to go and visit you and Dicky,¡± Sean exined, ¡°But the receptionist said that you did not


    check in.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you when we meetter. You took care of Grandpa the whole ofst night, so


    you¡¯d better rest first.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sean didn¡¯t say much further.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    It was not difficult to sense the fatigue in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After hanging up, Cordy looked at Nana, who had been staring at her all this while.


    Cordy had no idea how she could exin to Nana about the ¡®fatal attraction ¡® she shared with Lucas.


    Nana would not believe that she saw it negatively, and it would only cause a deeper misunderstanding.


    Cordy would rather leave them to settle their own affairs between themselves.


    The more she spoke up, the worse it might make things.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a move first,¡± Cordy told Lucas. ¡°I¡¯ll settle your hospital bill.¡±


    Lucas nodded.


    Cordy stood up to head to the washroom to change out of the hospital gown.


    ¡°Cordy, what are you doing here?¡± Nana could not hold herself back and finally asked, ¡°Did you keep


    Lucaspany through the night?¡±


    ¡°Since your friend knows about the ident that Lucas was in, he should¡¯ve told you how the ident


    happened, right?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me. He only said that my boyfriend was hit by a motorcycle and was


    sent to the hospital,¡± Nana said frankly.

 Chapter 758

    Chapter 758


    Chapter 758


    A tinge of anger could be heard from her voice.


    It was understandable-any woman would get angry under such circumstances.


    Cordy nced at Lucas, who then said, ¡°Last night, I went to the hotel and bumped into Cordy.


    Coincidentally, a motorcycle went out of control at the hotel entrance and drove straight into the hotel. I


    stood in front of Cordy and Dicky and got injured. Cordy sent me to the hospital as a way of thanking


    me.¡±


    ¡°Why does she need to be with you in the ward?¡± Nana questioned. It¡¯s enough for her to send you to


    the hospital. Why does she need to stay with you the entire night?¡±


    ¡°I was the one who wanted to stay. It has nothing to do with my mommy,¡± Richard suddenly spoke up.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Nana turned to look at him.


    ¡°I just thought that Lucas might feel lonely being alone in the hospital with no one familiar, so I insisted


    on staying back. My mommy was worried about me staying in the hospital by myself, so she decided to


    stay along with me,¡± Richard exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as Dicky said.¡± Cordy echoed Richard¡¯s exnation. ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, Dicky and I can


    leave.¡±


    Nana bit her lips, the look on her face slightly hostile.


    Cordy did not bother exining herself further.


    Under such circumstances, it was more suitable for Lucas to be the one to do the exining.


    Outsiders butting in would only deepen the misunderstanding.


    Cordy then got changed and left the ward along with Richard.


    Richard clearly could not bear to leave, as he turned back to nce at Lucas.


    He looked on at Lucas and Nana together¡­


    ¡®One day, he would regret it.¡¯


    They left the ward.


    Along the corridor, Cordy heard someone calling out to her.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs.¡± It was Nana.


    Nana had previously addressed Cordy by her first name, but now, Nana called Cordy by her full name.


    Cordy stopped in her tracks.


    Richard looked defensively at Nana.


    ¡°You previously promised me that you would keep your distance from Lucas, butst night, you slept


    with him in the same room. That¡¯s something I¡¯ve never done with Lucas myself¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing happened between Lucas and I.¡± Cordy cut Nana¡¯s agitated exmation off. ¡°I¡¯ve already


    exined to you about what happenedst night. If you want something more, you should be looking


    for Lucas and not me.¡¯


    ¡°I just saw Lucas¡¯ jacket on the bed you were sleeping in.¡±


    Cordy suddenly found it difficult to clear her name.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, you fancy Lucas, don¡¯t you?¡± Nana did not want to speak in riddles anymore. She


    confronted Cordy in a firm and slightly pushy voice.


    It waspletely different from the usual innocent, vulnerable image she usually portrayed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. Who wouldn¡¯t fancy Lucas? He¡¯s so outstanding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think.¡±


    ¡°Many women fancy him, and I¡¯ve met many of such women. You¡¯re just one of them.¡± Nana refused to


    hear Cordy out.


    ¡°I repeat myself: I don¡¯t fancy him. The only reason why I stayed back to take care of him is only


    because he was injured because of me¡­¡±


    ¡°It was on purpose, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Nana sneered. ¡°A deliberate tactic to get close to Lucas! Cordy, I¡¯ve


    seen this game yed countless times, with all kinds of women doing all sorts of things to seduce


    Lucas. I have to admit that you¡¯re the most sessful of the lot of them. At the very least, Lucas pays


    attention to you.¡±


    If it were not because of the blood ties they share, Cordy almost could not be bothered to exin


    herself to Nana.


    She was sure that Nana was obsessed with Lucas!


    Cordy said with patience in her voice, ¡°The reason why the ident happened and why I was saved by


    Lucas is that when I realized we were going to stay in the same hotel, I wanted to leave the hotel with


    Richard with the aim of keeping my distance. Yet, when I walked out of the hotel entrance, a


    motorcycle lost control and came charging at us. That was when Lucas stepped forward.¡±

 Chapter 759

    Chapter 759


    Chapter 759


    ¡°To be even more direct, if you hadn¡¯t told me to keep my distance from Lucas, I wouldn¡¯t have leftst


    night and the identst night wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± Cordy said slightly harshly. On one hand,


    she was not very happy to be misunderstood that way, while on the other, she really did not want to


    deal with Nana anymore.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°How smart.¡± Nana¡¯s smile turned colder. ¡°You even managed to push all the me to me! Cordy


    Sachs, I can really see why you¡¯re like a fish in water in the business circle.¡¯


    ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Cordy did not want to exin any further.


    She had said everything she could.


    Cordy held Richard¡¯s hand and left.


    Nana ran ahead and blocked Cordy¡¯s way, and Cordy furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, I said earlier that there are many women who fancy Lucas. Out of so many women,


    none of them seeded in seducing Lucas. Do you really think Lucas is soposed and


    disinterested in other women? No, it¡¯s because of me,¡± Nana said coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested to know about both of your affairs.¡¯


    ¡°No one can snatch Lucas away from me!¡± Nana said emphatically, ¡°No matter how beautiful and adept


    you are at seducing men, you¡¯ll never beat me!¡¯


    Cordy stared at Nana.


    At that moment, she felt that Nana must have a screw loose.


    ¡°Nana Lynd, this is thest time I¡¯m saying this. I do not like Lucas, and I¡¯ve never even thought about


    snatching him away from you. But if you continue ndering me like this, I don¡¯t mind turning your


    delusion into reality,¡± Cordy said coldly.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Nana raised her brows.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Cordy said unabashedly. ¡°If you know me, you¡¯ll understand that I am a vindictive


    woman. Just check on my past and you¡¯ll see, if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    With that, Cordy held Richard by his hand and left.


    At that moment, Nana suddenly copsed on the floor.


    Before Cordy could react, she heard an anxious voice yelling, ¡°Nana!¡±


    She then saw Lucas rushing toward them in a wheelchair in a panic.


    Cordy looked on indifferently.


    It was such a low level tactic. She thought Nana would have something more sophisticated up her


    sleeve.


    ¡°Nana.¡± Lucas reached out to help Nana up.


    Nana¡¯s face went pale as she stood up shakily.


    The moment she stood up, she hurriedly said, ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t me Cordy. She didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    Cordyughed.


    ¡®Seriously.¡¯


    She found it hrious.


    She turned around to look at Lucas.


    By right, Lucas should have raged at her, but he did not.


    To her surprise, he did not.


    He simply nced at her and then back at Nana. He asked, ¡°Are you hurt? Do you feel any difort


    in your chest?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Nana shook her head and repeated herself, ¡°Lucas, please don¡¯t me Cordy. She didn¡¯t do it on


    purpose¡­¡±


    ¡°I did it on purpose.¡± Cordy cut Nana off.


    Nana¡¯s eyes shifted.


    She probably did not expect Cordy to say that.


    What she had expected was for Cordy to deny her ims, and she would then keep speaking up for


    Cordy. That would make Lucas detest Cordy but in turn show Nana more care.


    Lucas turned his attention back to Cordy once again.

 Chapter 760

    Chapter 760


    Chapter 760


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nana kept using me of seducing you¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I just, I just hope that the two of you can stay away from one another. Lucas, you also


    promised to keep your distance from her, butst night¡­l really find it difficult to ept, which is why I


    came looking for Cordy to thrash things out,¡± Nana said indignantly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way: I am seducing you. All those idental and nned meetings between us were


    all my doing. Last night¡¯s ident was also something I nned. Dicky asking to stay behind was also


    something I¡¯d deliberately told him to say.¡± Cordy decided to go all out and pretend to be the bad guy.


    Why would she bother trying to be the good guy?


    It was tough and never ended well for her.


    Perhaps being thoroughly wicked was the way to go.


    People would always tend to shun bad guys too.


    Cordy¡¯s words made Richard furrow his brows.


    He did not really like hearing her say that of herself, but he knew that it was rude for children to


    interrupt when adults were talking.


    He bit his lip and kept silent.


    ¡°Nana exposed me just now and I pushed her down in a fit of anger,¡± Cordy said frankly. ¡°Now, I no


    longer want to put on an act. I fancy Lucas, and all I want to do is to snatch him away from Nana¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Cordy.¡± Lucas cut her off.


    Cordy shrugged. She looked at Lucas and said in all seriousness, ¡°Now that everything¡¯s out in the


    open, I¡¯d like to ask you one question, Lucas. Are you going to break up with Nana and be with me, or


    are you going to turn me down?¡±


    Nana¡¯s body stiffened.


    She probably did not expect Cordy to be so aggressive.


    How could she be so bold as to show her cards?


    This woman¡­ was not to be trifled with.


    With eyes filled with tears, Nana looked deeply at Lucas, who did not respond for a long time.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Nana called out to him, unable to bear the silence any longer.


    Lucas swallowed past his constricted throat and said frankly, ¡°Stop spouting nonsense, Cordy. I know


    you have no feelings for me.¡±


    Although he often said that Cordy had feelings for him, he knew clearly that Cordy felt nothing for him.


    In fact, he might even say that she detested him.


    Therefore, he was very clear that Cordy did not do anything to Nana today.


    Cordy had no reason to push Nana.


    Nana heard Lucas¡¯ response and displeasure filled her heart.


    Even though his tone was firm and he did not look like he was lying, Nana could tell that Lucas did not


    directly answer Cordy¡¯s question.


    He merely stated that Cordy did not like him.


    What about him?


    Did he like Cordy?!


    Viciousness shed past the depths of Nana¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You know that, but Nana refuses to believe that,¡± Cordy said with a forced smile.


    Nana said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy. I just find you so beautiful, and no man would be able to resist your


    beauty. I was just¡­ I was just jealous of you¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know and I don¡¯t care about what you really think. But don¡¯t provoke me, Nana Lynd. If


    really provoked, I¡¯m certainly capable of things that you might regret for life.¡±


    With that, Cordy left with Richard by her side.


    This time round, Nana did not stop Cordy from leaving even though she was greatly displeased with


    what Cordy said.


    She turned around to look at Lucas, and she saw how Lucas¡¯ eyes were fixed on Cordy¡¯s retreating


    figure.


    A look of viciousness glinted in her eyes once more.

 Chapter 761

    Chapter 761


    Chapter 761


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Nana could not hold herself back and called out to him.


    Lucas turned around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the ward.¡±


    ¡°Do you me me?¡± Nana asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not happy,¡± Nana looked at him, ¡°Lucas, I love you too much. Just a twitch of your face and


    I know what you¡¯re feeling. Are you upset that I asked you to keep your distance from Cordy?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Lucas denied.


    ¡°Are the three years we spent together no match for Cordy, whom you just got to know?¡± Nana became


    increasingly agitated as tears tumbled down her cheeks.


    Lucas looked at Nana and said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to go against your conscience because of me.¡±


    Nana¡¯s eyes shifted, not trulyprehending what Lucas meant.


    ¡°Cordy didn¡¯t push you down, did she?¡± Lucas questioned her, but his tone was firm and filled with


    certainty.


    ¡°Do you really trust her so much?¡± Nana asked, on the brink of copse.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m clear of her character¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve only just gotten to know her. Why do you trust her so much? We¡¯ve known each other for so


    many years-why don¡¯t you believe me instead?¡± Nana questioned him. ¡°Am I so terrible in your eyes?¡±


    Nana became so agitated that her pale face flushed red.


    She even sounded short of breath.


    Lucas noticed her state and gentled his tone. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about what happened today. There really is


    nothing between Cordy and I. You¡¯re overthinking things.¡±


    ¡°Am I really overthinking things?¡± Nana refused to let go of things. ¡°You¡¯re cold and distant from


    everyone with the sole exception of Cordy, whom you treat so well! Is it just because she looks pretty?


    If you like her face, I can undergo stic surgery and look just like her¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite enough, Nana.¡± Lucas finally red up upon her words. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to fight with you. If


    you insist that there¡¯s something between me and Cordy and you refuse to believe my exnation,


    then let¡¯s break up.¡±


    Nana could not believe her ears.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    It was as if her entire body froze up, except for huge drops of tears that began falling from the corners


    of her eyes.


    She looked weak and vulnerable to begin with, always able to pique feelings of pity in others.


    The look of deep sorrow on her face emphasized her vulnerability to no end.


    Few were capable of resisting that look that would soften all hearts.


    But this time, Lucas did not back down.


    ¡°Are you breaking up with me because of Cordy? What do you take our three years of rtionship


    for?!¡± Nana snapped back to reality as she yelled wildly, ¡°No, I¡¯m not breaking up with you. I won¡¯t


    break up with you, Lucas, not over my dead body¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Lucas saw how overly-agitated Nana was getting and tried to calm her down in a low,


    soft voice.


    But Nana wouldn¡¯t take Lucas¡¯ persuasion. She became so ovee with emotions that she fainted.


    Lucas swiftly caught her mid-air and hurriedly yelled for a doctor.


    Thankfully, they were in a hospital, and the nurses swiftly sent Nana to the emergency room.


    They resuscitated Nana in time and she was hospitalized when she was out of danger.


    Because of that¡­

 Chapter 762

    Chapter 762


    Chapter 762


    Because of that¡­ the entire Lynd family turned up at the hospital.


    They were anxious about Nana¡¯s sudden attack.


    Because of Nana¡¯s condition, she has always been heavily doted upon in the Lynd family. Everyone


    indulged her every whim and fancy.


    ¡°What happened, Nana? You¡¯ve only returned to the capital for a few months, yet you¡¯ve been sent to


    the emergency room twice!¡± Jean said reprovingly, but her eyes were filled with genuine concern.


    ¡°I have no idea, either.¡± Nana shook her head, putting on her image of the obedient girl she had always


    been.


    ¡°Perhaps you really aren¡¯t suited for the capital after all. I was just thinking that you should settle down


    in the capital instead of migrating overseas after getting married to Lucas, since I might miss you too


    much,¡± Jean said helplessly. ¡°But now, it seems like sending you overseas might be a better idea?¡±


    Nana looked silently at Lucas, as if seeking his opinion.


    Lucas came back with the intention of expanding the business, although he was still under probation


    during this period.


    Jean followed Nana¡¯s line of sight and also turned to Lucas with a smile.¡± Lucas loves you so much, I¡¯m


    sure he¡¯ll go wherever you go. Isn¡¯t that right, Lucas?¡±


    Lucas did not immediately respond to her.


    Jean went on, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t returned to the capital, Lucas might not even havee back.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Nana pushed Lucas for a confirmation.


    Lucas pursed his lips. ¡®Yeah.¡±


    Back then, aside from Nana who was indeed a reason for his return to the capital, another reason was


    also that the market showed great growth potential.


    ¡°Then, if I want you to go abroad with me now, will you?¡± Nana looked ardently at Lucas.


    ¡°Your health is a priority right now. Focus on recuperating and we¡¯ll talk about this next time.¡± Lucas did


    not give her a direct answer.


    Disappointment flooded Nana¡¯s eyes.


    Jean could naturally sense how upset her granddaughter was, but to avoid making things more


    awkward, she decided to let things go and change the subject to lighten the atmosphere.


    It was only until when Jean was about to leave that she singled Lucas out for a chat outside the ward.


    ¡°Lucas, are there issues between you and Nana?¡± Jean cut to the chase.


    Old is indeed gold. At one nce, she could sense the difference in the air between the two of them.


    Lucas kept quiet, a silent admission to Jean¡¯s guess.


    But he did not want to exin too much.


    ¡°As an old woman, I really shouldn¡¯t interfere in the matters of the heart between you youngsters. But


    you know Nana¡¯s health isn¡¯t the best and she cant withstand any blows. Back then, when you decided


    to be with her, you should¡¯ve been prepared for this, that you cant afford to hurt her your entire life,¡±


    Jean said firmly. ¡°I don¡¯t care who¡¯s right or wrong in this case. Whatever it is, I don¡¯t want to see Nana


    upset.¡±


    ¡°What happens in our rtionship should remain between the two of us,¡¯ Lucas said curtly.


    He was showing respect to her as his elder by not ring up at her meddling in their affairs.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    But at the same time, he did not want topromise on his own principles just because of Jean¡¯s


    domineering aura.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about other people, perhaps even my other grandchildren, but not Nana. Her health


    condition means that she¡¯s fated to be under my protection. If you hurt her, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t be


    able to survive in the capital!¡¯ Jean said emphatically as she issued her threat.


    Lucas looked fearlessly at her.


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t ever wish to see things end up like that between us,¡± Jean didn¡¯t need Lucas¡¯


    agreement and simply left him with a final warning. ¡°Treat Nana well.¡±

 Chapter 763

    Chapter 763


    Chapter 763


    After Jean left, Lucas returned to the ward, where Nana was alone inside.


    She had chased away her entire dedicated medical team.


    A bright smile broke across her face the moment she saw Lucas return.


    She looked worlds apart from the woman who was wild with emotions earlier in the day.


    ¡°Lucas, you¡¯re back,¡± she enthused.


    Her voice sounded high-pitched, as if she was trying to be coquettish to him.


    She seemed as though she hadpletely forgotten about their fight.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Nana asked cautiously upon seeing the cold, hard look on his face.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Did my grandma tell you off?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lucas did not want to share more.


    Nana was unsure when it started, but she could sense that Lucas had changed.


    He had be contradictory in nature.


    ¡°My grandma isn¡¯t wicked.¡± Nana immediately tried to speak up for her grandmother. ¡°She¡¯s just too


    concerned about me. Don¡¯t take it to heart, for whatever she does is for our good. Lucas, don¡¯t be mad,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡¯


    He really was not.


    It was absolutely reasonable for Jean to think for her granddaughter, even if her tone was overly harsh.


    He could understand where she wasing from.


    He himself used to take these matters regarding Nana into consideration as well.


    He always felt that given her weak health, she needed more care and protection.


    But now¡­


    What was happening now?


    Was it really because of Cordy?


    Lucas¡¯ chest tightened.


    The sudden panic creeping up his heart made him fear facing up to his true feelings.


    ¡°Then are you still mad at me for maligning Cordy?¡± Nana asked again.


    This time, she directly admitted her mistake.


    Lucas looked at her.


    Nana¡¯s eyes turned red and she said with embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucas. I was too emotional today,


    so I did something that I can¡¯t believe I did. Cordy didn¡¯t push me, I fell on the floor with the aim of


    framing her. I was too scared of losing you and I was so blinded at that moment that I did something


    detestable. I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all over,¡± Lucas said mildly.


    He was sure that Cordy would not mind either.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She would not care about people who were not important to her anyway.


    ¡°I have no idea why I became like that just now. Now that I think about it, I feel so wicked and horrid.


    After I recover, I will surely pay Cordy a visit and apologize to her in person,¡± Nana said in a flurry, as if


    she truly found her behavior uneptable.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡¯ Lucas said to Nana. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t pick on her, she won¡¯t take


    something so minor to heart.¡±


    ¡°Cordy is truly magnanimous. You really appreciate her character, don¡¯t you?¡± Nana said rather sullenly.


    Lucas looked at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things. I¡¯m not ming you. I just think from the bottom of my heart that Cordy is really


    a good person. In order to make me believe that she really doesn¡¯t fancy you, she deliberately said so


    much to paint herself in such a bad light. I was the one who misunderstood her,¡¯ Nana cried in remorse.


    ¡°All right, it¡¯s all over. The doctor said that your condition has just stabilized and you need rest. You


    shouldn¡¯t be so emotional, so let¡¯s not keep harping on unhappy things.¡¯ Lucasforted her patiently.

 Chapter 764

    Chapter 764


    Chapter 764


    ¡°Will you¡­ break up with me, then?¡± Nana looked wistfully at Lucas.


    Lucas swallowed past his constricted throat.


    He suddenly realized that he was unable to give an immediate reply.


    ¡°I promise I¡¯ll never behave like that from now on.¡± Nana admitted to her mistake again. ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t


    abandon me, please?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡¯ Lucas said.


    He had promised her that he would take care of her for her entire life.


    He had never considered breaking his word.


    As for Cordy¡­


    Yes.


    The principle of firste, first served did not apply to matters of the heart.


    Conversely, the values of propriety and righteousness were key.


    He had been with Nana for three years and could not let her down.


    ¡°Thank you, Lucas.¡± Nana smiled through her tears.


    Lucas forced a smile on his face.


    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild next time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I wont do that again.¡± Nana nodded obediently.


    That marked the end of their fight.


    Cordy and Richard checked themselves into a top-ss seven-star hotel in the capital and settled in


    there.


    All the way there from the hospital, Richard had something on his mind, but he found himself unable to


    articte it.


    Cordy could not take it any longer and said, ¡°Dicky, what do you want to say? Don¡¯t hold back. I¡¯m


    afraid you might fall sick from suppressing yourself.¡±


    Richard looked at Cordy, mustered up the courage, and said, ¡®Mommy, I recorded the conversation just


    now.¡±


    Cordy was shocked.


    She did not expect Richard to do something like that despite his young age.


    Who did that resemble?


    John Levine.


    ¡°The recording can prove that you did not push Nana and expose her true colors to Lucas,¡¯ Richard


    said self-righteously.


    Cordy smiled.


    She caressed Richard¡¯s head.


    He was almost as tall as she was. No, he seemed to have grown taller this month and probably


    exceeded her height.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m d that you¡¯re quick-witted enough to do that, and that you recognize right from wrong.


    But Richard, in the grown-up world, things sometimes aren¡¯t as ck-and-white as they seem. It might


    be a little early for me to say these to you and it might even negatively affect your values, but if I don¡¯t


    exin certain things, I¡¯m afraid you might get obsessed thinking about it.¡¯


    Richard listened intently.


    Cordy said rather helplessly, ¡¯Lucas actually knows very well whether I pushed Nana and therefore,


    there¡¯s no need for evidence. The key lies in who Lucas chooses to side with. If he chooses to side with


    Nana, he wouldn¡¯t care about the evidence even if we show it to him. If he chooses to side with me,


    although that is just a hypothetical situation that is nearly impossible, he would determine that we¡¯re


    innocent even without evidence. As for exposing Nana¡¯s true colors¡­for all we know, Lucas might


    already be aware of her true colors!¡±


    ¡°You must be curious as to why Lucas is still with Nana despite seeing her true colors. I can only say


    that the matters of the heart cannot be exined with logic. Sometimes, you don¡¯t need a reason to like


    someone. It might even be blind love, so despite knowing her character ws, Lucas might still choose


    to be with her regardless.¡±


    Cordy summarized, ¡°In all, their rtionship is between the two of them, and outsiders like us shouldn¡¯t


    interfere. As for how they would see us, that is actually not important. Be it for them or for us, we are


    outsiders to each other.¡±


    ¡°But we aren¡¯t outsiders,¡± Richard said, clearly upset, ¡°We¡¯re obviously people closest to him.¡±


    Cordy was dumbfounded.


    Richard was bent on seeing Lucas as his father.


    ¡°Even so, he has a new lover now. We¡¯re no longer people closest to him.¡± Cordy decided to make


    things clear for Richard.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 765

    Chapter 765


    Chapter 765


    ¡°But I think that Lucas has feelings for you,¡± Richard said firmly. ¡°He likes you.¡±


    ¡°Then all the more we should keep our distance,¡¯ Cordy said with determination in her voice. ¡°The worst


    thing we can do is to break a couple apart. Dicky, you must always remember, never be a third party in


    someone else¡¯s rtionship!¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t the third party, Nana is the third party!¡± Richard said adamantly.


    Richard typically would not use that tone on her.


    He had always been obedient to her, but he was unusually stubborn and strong-headed today.


    Did Richard think that Cordy felt wronged by Nana today?


    She did not feel wronged.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Firstly, although Nana did malign her, she did not feel like she was disadvantaged at all during the


    incident today. Conversely, Nana¡¯s malicious actions created a rift between her and Lucas.


    Secondly, Nana was not an important figure at all to Cordy, and Cordy did not take Nana and what she


    did to heart.


    ¡°Dicky¡­¡±


    ¡°Lucas really is my daddy,¡¯ Richard said out loud, no longer able to hold himself back.


    Cordy had no words to persuade Richard.


    She said helplessly, ¡°Do you really want this daddy?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Richard denied, ¡® Although I really hate the current Lucas, he¡¯s my daddy after all and I cant bring


    myself to ignore him. I¡¯m really scared that after he regains his memory, he¡¯ll regret it his whole life.


    Mommy, can you please chase Daddy and get him back fast?¡±


    ¡°Dicky,¡± Cordy said earnestly and patiently, ¡°Even if he really is your daddy, it¡¯s impossible for Mommy


    to chase him back. Since he has already made his choice, we should respect his decision.¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t remember his past¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, this is his choice. He has a brand new life, and if you want him to lead it well, we


    shouldn¡¯t bother him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll definitely regret it in the future.¡± Richard¡¯s eyes turned red.


    Perhaps he finally realized the futileness of the entire situation.


    No matter what he said, Mommy was going to give up on Daddy.


    And Daddy had lost his memory. He had forgotten Mommy and he was unable to make Daddy regain


    his memory and make him pursue Mommy once more. 1


    ¡°He has to live with the choice he made. You shouldn¡¯t worry about him. What you should do right now


    is to take care of yourself and grow up


    strong and healthy. That would make me the happiest, now and forever.¡± Cordyforted him gently.


    Richard bit his lip as disappointment filled his eyes.


    Cordy could not go against her own principles just because of what Richard was feeling.


    The thing she hated the most in her entire life was being a third party in someone else¡¯s rtionship.


    She would never stoop to stealing another woman¡¯s man.


    ¡°Be good, stop thinking about it. I¡¯ll bring you out for a feastter in the afternoon.¡± Cordy tried to cheer


    Richard up.


    Richard saw the look on Cordy¡¯s face and decided not to be stubborn anymore.


    But in the depths of his heart, he was unable topletely ept reality.


    He did not want to stand idly by, seeing Mommy and Daddy going their separate ways.


    Daddy clearly loved Mommy so much, and Mommy obviously loved Daddy back.


    He did not want them to pass each other by.


    Cordy watched as Richard walked dejectedly to hisputer, switched it on, and began coding to pass


    time, 1


    She sighed inwardly.


    She wondered if Richard had reached the age of bing sensitive to his own feelings.

 Chapter 766

    Chapter 766


    Chapter 766


    He was beginning to pine for a family.


    Should she seriously consider finding Richard another daddy?


    But¡­


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Aside from John, could she find it in herself to ept another man?


    Patrick Stuart?


    Cordy found it difficult to imagine living with another person.


    In the afternoon, Sean came to the hotel and had a meal with Cordy and Richard.


    Richard was sluggish throughout the entire meal, and he looked listless and lethargic even as he


    walked to the buffet line for some desserts.


    Sean looked at Richard, who had his back facing him, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with Dicky? Is he not used to


    living in the capital? Since things are stabilizing with Grandpa, shall I send someone to bring Dicky out


    for a stroll?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Dicky has something on his mind.¡±


    ¡°Rtionship issues?¡± Sean¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    Cordy was dumbfounded. ¡°He¡¯s just ten!¡±


    ¡°That scared me for a moment.¡± Sean chuckled at his over-reaction.


    ¡°Little boys have their own troubles, too,¡± Cordy remarked helplessly.


    ¡°What troubles? Can¡¯t you counsel him about it?¡± Sean whispered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t bring him around it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s not something you can resolve.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t ask any further.¡± As a man with high emotional and intelligence quotients, Sean knew his


    boundaries and decided to let things go. He changed the subject and said, ¡®I came today to discuss


    with you about Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I also want to know why Grandpa suddenly had a cerebral hemorrhage. By right, he has his regr


    checks every two months and everything seems under control. How could such an ident happen so


    suddenly?¡± Cordy said, her tone turning solemn at once.


    ¡°Yes, my thoughts exactly. So I secretly retrieved footage from the surveince cameras in the mansion


    and confirmed that Grandpa did faint. No one pushed him and there was no ident.¡±


    Cordy did not interrupt him.


    If everything was normal, Sean would not have looked her up.


    Indeed, Sean went on. ¡°But I detected traces of a slow-acting drug in his tea leaves which can cause


    cerebral hemorrhage with long-term use.¡±


    ¡°In his tea leaves?¡± Cordy¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°After Grandpa was sent to the hospital, I left behind a spy in the house and sent my private assistant


    to the mansion on the excuse of taking something for me. Fact is, I made him go back to secretly


    gather remains of the food that Grandpa ate that day. I finally managed to detect traces of the drug in


    his tea leaves.¡±


    Sean was indeed a careful and thorough man.


    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s done with malicious intent,¡± Cordy mumbled to herself before asking, ¡°Do you know


    who¡¯s behind this?¡±


    ¡°The butler is the one overseeing everything that Grandpa eats, wears, and uses on a daily basis. He¡¯s


    the only one who can drug Grandpa without anyone knowing.¡±


    ¡°But the butler has nothing against Grandpa. In fact, since Grandpa trusts the butler so much, the butler


    would feel all the more thankful for him and respect him. It¡¯s impossible that he would harm Grandpa,


    unless¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone else is instigating him to do it.¡± Sean finished her sentence.


    ¡°And this someone else cannot possibly be an outsider. Having been with Grandpa and worked with


    the Cranston family for so long, I believe outsiders wouldn¡¯t be able to bribe him so easily. No one


    would dare take the risk too. Conversely, it¡¯s more likely to be someone close to us.¡± Cordy fixed her


    eyes on Sean and went on, ¡¯In other words, this person must be a Cranston and probably someone


    important in the family.¡±

 Chapter 767

    Chapter 767


    Chapter 767


    Cordy looked straight into Sean¡¯s eyes.


    Sean smiled helplessly. ¡°What, are you suspecting me?¡±


    ¡°How can I not?¡± Cordy said solemnly.


    Cordy went through all the possibilities in her head and found Sean to be the prime suspect.


    He was currently staying with the Cranstons in the room that was closest to Jesse¡¯s room. His word


    held power in the Cranston family and the servants in the family heeded hismand. It was easy for


    him to bribe a couple of them.


    ¡°Of course you can/ Sean said nonchntly.


    But on second thought, Cordy did not think that it was Sean.


    It was not that she was afraid that he was a thief posing as a judge, but rather, she realized he did not


    have a motive to harm Jesse.


    From what she heard, Jesse wrote his will long ago. It would not be a surprise for him to suddenly pass


    away given his power and status and that he was advanced in years. So he made preparations early


    such that everything was set in stone when he died.


    That left her with only one other possibility.


    ¡°You¡¯ve guessed it, haven¡¯t you?¡± Sean saw the look on Cordy¡¯s face and said with certainty.


    He knew how smart Cordy was.


    How bad could his aunt¡¯s daughter be?


    ¡°So, that will is key,¡± Cordy said frankly.


    ¡°Thewyer will never show us his will before Grandpa dies. The agreement back then was legally


    binding and it¡¯s illegal to breach it/ Sean rified.


    ¡°In that case, aside from Grandpa and thewyer, no one else should know the details of the will,


    right?¡± Cordy looked at Sean.


    ¡°By right, yes.¡¯


    ¡°In other words, thewyer leaked the details of the will long ago. Because details of the will were


    leaked, that person knows that he would benefit from the will. As long as something happens to


    Grandpa, he would get everything,¡± Cordy reasoned. 1


    ¡°Absolutely correct.¡±


    ¡°But since everything would sooner orter be his, why did he take such a risk? Was he so desperate


    for the money?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s because he sensed a threat,¡± Sean answered her doubts, ¡¯He was worried that the longer time


    passed, the more likely it was that Grandpa would amend his will. So he acted quickly before Grandpa


    had a chance to make any changes to his will.¡±


    Cordy nodded.


    She finally figured out the full story.


    Now, the key was in that will and thewyer.


    If thewyer leaked the details of the will, he surely had an under-the-table transaction with that person,


    and it most likely involved money.


    Money could move mountains; that had been so since ancient times.


    ¡°Check on thewyer¡¯s bank ounts. That might give you some clues,¡¯ Cordy reminded Sean.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Sean nodded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything more. You should go on investigating based on what you¡¯ve found. I need to


    think this through first,¡± Cordy felt her head throbbing.


    She knew that Sean looked her up today to discuss things further and get some useful information from


    her. He wanted to identify the culprit who wanted to harm Grandpa.


    ¡°If I think of anything, I¡¯ll update you at once.¡±


    After wrapping the discussion up, both of them instinctively looked toward Richard.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Richard looked listless the entire time.


    ¡°Are you sure he did not fall out of love?¡± Sean observed Richard carefully.


    Cordy thought it was a reasonable exnation.


    Just that Lucas was the object of Richard¡¯s affections, the daddy he was certain of.


    Zoe¡¯s team performance came to an end in the recording studio for the third season of the program on


    North City TV station.


    Apuse thundered enthusiastically across the studio.


    The audience was enraptured by the actors on stage.

 Chapter 768

    Chapter 768


    Chapter 768


    Many people in the audience were moved to tears.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The judges gave theirments after their performance ended.


    As usual, Hailey Zimmerman was the first one to speak, and she did so in her typical solemn manner.


    ¡°Under Director Parker¡¯s guidance, I see a marked improvement in everyone¡¯s performance. Your team


    was in a mess previously, but your teamwork shone through this performance and it moved me.¡±


    All the actors were so ted hearing Hailey¡¯sments that they bowed profusely in gratitude.


    Hailey went on, ¡®Amid the excellent condition that everyone was in, some of you really surprised me. Of


    course, it¡¯s not to say that the rest were not good, but it¡¯s just that these few stood out, such as Candice


    and Shanice who have improved by leaps and bounds. Continue to work hard.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Zimmerman,¡± Candice and Shanice expressed their gratitude for having their hard


    work recognized.


    ¡°Everyone else did great, too. Keep up the good work.¡± Hailey rounded off with some pleasantries.


    Zoe heaved a sigh of relief.


    Finally, she was not on the receiving end of Hailey¡¯s scolding, although Hailey did notmend her.


    Two other judges gave theirments, and they were equally impressed by this team.


    When it was Jay¡¯s turn, he unabashedly expressed his approval of everyone in the team, and ended off


    saying, ¡°Zoe York performed very well today. I hope to see something even better next time.¡±


    He stated it so matter-of-factly, as if it was just a casual remark.


    ¡°Yes, I will work hard.¡± Zoe bowed and thanked him.


    After all four teams were done with their performances, Jay¡¯s team ended up scoring the highest and


    everyone in the team progressed to the next stage.


    Thepetition drew to a close and the results of audience voting for the solo acts were announced.


    The moment the results were announced, everyone was shocked.


    Nobody expected to see Zoe rank third.


    She did not believe it herself when she saw the screen, as she did not have many scenes.


    She could not deny that she had done well in thispetition. Her role was minor but there were


    ample highlight points. But the audience did not have such incisive judgment as professionals in the


    field do and they would tend to be attracted by the plot. It would be difficult for them to judge acting


    skills in such a short drama.


    But thispetition helped her fame and poprity to skyrocket.


    The moment she realized that she did not need to worry about being thest in rank nor fear that


    people thought she used underhanded means to stay so long in thepetition, her eyes turned red.


    She did not know if she was happy or moved to tears.


    Moved to tears by her pure, hard work.


    She bowed to the audience.


    She used to love this stage, but she had never treasured it so deeply as she did at this moment, where


    she truly felt appreciated and recognized by the audience.


    Everything had been smooth-sailing for her in the past.


    Now that she had lost everything, she knew how beautiful it was to have anything at all.


    Her eyes shifted to the panel of judges.


    She merely wanted to see the look on Hailey¡¯s face.


    After all, Hailey had been making things difficult for her right from the start.


    Yet, the moment she nced over, the first person she saw was Jay.


    She did not used to think of Jay as very handsome. Perhaps because she had seen her fill of good-


    looking people in the industry, or perhaps because John Levine was too extraordinarily handsome, she


    had never seriously thought of Jay as good-looking.


    Until now.


    Despite being surrounded by celebrities and actors on stage, he still stood out to her.


    He never failed to capture her attention with just one look.


    At that moment, she seemed to notice the corner of Jay¡¯s lips lift.


    The look on his face mesmerized her.


    She did not know if that smile on his face was because he was happy for her, or that he was happy his


    team emerged first and all the members progressed to the next round.

 Chapter 769

    Chapter 769


    Chapter 769


    After she was done with work, Zoe swiftly removed her makeup.


    Today was Yelena¡¯s third birthday, and she had promised to celebrate it with Yelena.


    Thankfully, filming began in the afternoon and it ended at night.


    Although it was slightlyte, she would not miss the appointment.


    ¡°Congrattions, Zoe!¡± Candice said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d rank third in this round. I was still worried


    that the role was so minor that you might be forgotten. Indeed, there are no lousy roles, only lousy


    actors.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions to you too foring out second. You really deserve it.¡¯ Zoe congratted Candice


    perfunctorily.


    ¡°Are you in a rush?¡± Candice saw Zoe hurriedly packing her things and asked. ¡°I was talking about


    celebrating our winst night with Director Parker and thanking him with a meal.¡±


    ¡°Tonight? I can¡¯t make it tonight, I already have an appointment.¡¯ Zoe rejected Candice without a


    second thought.


    ¡°You really can¡¯t go?¡±


    ¡°I really can¡¯t.¡¯


    ¡°Who are you meeting that¡¯s so important?¡¯ Candice could not understand.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Why would Zoe give up on such a golden opportunity to get close to the judge?


    Of course, Candice was not insisting on Zoe going. In fact, if Zoe was not around, she would have one


    lesspetitor vying for Director Parker¡¯s attention.


    But women were always curious.


    ¡°The most important person to me in this whole world.¡± The corners of Zoe¡¯s lips lifted.


    Candice was stunned.


    Although Zoe was usually friendly and easy-going, she was not a very smiley person.


    At that moment, Candice could sense her joy so clearly.


    ¡°Your boyfriend?¡± Candice guessed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Husband?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t guess anymore, none of the above is right.¡± Zoe was finally done with removing her makeup,


    and she said, ¡°Have fun tonight.¡±


    She grabbed her bag and left.


    So-


    Was it a sugar daddy?!


    Zoe suddenly zoomed to third ce when she had been ranked quite poorly previously.


    It was hard to believe that she did not do anything underhanded.


    The fact that Zoe left without any regard for Jay made Candice think that her sugar daddy might be


    someone to be reckoned with in the industry.


    Zoe left the TV station in a hurry.


    Just when she walked out of the doors, she saw a familiar car waiting outside.


    She had sat in it a few times after returning to North City.


    She pretended not to see it.


    Suddenly, the car stopped right in front of her. The windows were lowered and she saw Jay¡¯s cold yet


    handsome face. 1


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Jay said.


    He probably thought that she would join them for the meal.


    ¡°I have something on tonight and can¡¯t join the gathering,¡± Zoe exined.


    Jay¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Director Parker. I really have something on. Have fun tonight,¡¯ Zoe apologized.


    She did not dare to offend him, after all.


    No matter what Jay truly thought, Zoe would still respect whoever she should show respect to.


    Jay did not say anything further. He simply raised the window and instructed the driver to drive off.


    She felt that Jay did not look very pleased.


    Forget it.


    No one was more important than Yelena.


    She had to do what she had to do.


    It was now the peak hour on the roads. Zoe finally managed to hail a taxi and headed straight to the


    high-ss restaurant she had reserved.


    From afar, she could see ra and Yelena seated at the table waiting for her.

 Chapter 770

    Chapter 770


    Chapter 770


    Yelena sported a bob and baby fat remained on her adorable face. Her eyes wererge and round and


    her skin was fair. She was bound to grow up as a beauty.


    She slumped over the table listlessly, her face st on the tablecloth.


    Of course, Zoe knew that Yelena was like that because she waste. Yelena was angry and


    disappointed.


    She hastened her footsteps and walked toward Yelena.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± The moment Yelena saw Zoe, her posture transformedpletely.


    Her entire demeanor brightened up, and even her eyes shone in the night.


    She reached out her stumpy little arms and hugged Zoe as best as she could. ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re finally


    here.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Yelena said forgivingly in her sweet voice. ¡°Granny said that although it is my birthday


    today, it was also a very difficult day for Mommy. Mommy gave birth to me on that day and suffered


    much pain. So we¡¯ll celebrate my birthday today, as well as what Mommy did.¡±


    Zoe felt warmth creep up her heart at Yelena¡¯s words.


    She could not help but kiss Yelena on her cheeks and hug her back tightly.


    She sat on Yelena¡¯s chair and picked up the menu on the table, asking casually, ¡°Have you ordered?¡±


    Her tone toward ra was significantly colder.


    ¡°Not yet. Yelena insisted on waiting for you before we ordered as she didn¡¯t want the food to go cold,¡±


    ra exined.


    ¡°Silly Yelena. You can order first and tell the restaurant to serve itter as you wait for Mommy,¡± Zoe


    said dotingly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not silly! I just want to wait for Mommy toe so that you can order what you like,¡± Yelena


    rebutted her very seriously.


    Once again, Zoe felt that warmth in her heart again.


    She kissed Yelena once more. ¡°You truly are my sweet darling.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am!¡± Yelena said proudly.


    The smile on ra¡¯s face deepened as she looked at them.


    Over the years, no matter how Zoe treated her, she felt content seeing how happy Zoe was now.


    ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Zoe asked ra after ordering her and Yelena¡¯s portions.


    ¡°I¡¯m good with anything,¡± ra said immediately. ¡°I seldome to ces like this and don¡¯t really


    know¡­¡¯


    Previously, after leaving North City, she seldom went to high-end restaurants although her finances


    were in good condition. Nevertheless, they never failed to celebrate important days such as Yelena¡¯s


    birthday or the new year by having a meal at such restaurants. It was just that each time she went,


    ra would be very reserved.


    Zoe did not ask any further. Instead, she ordered a dish that ra liked.


    Having lived together for three years, how could she possibly remain distant and not know what ra


    liked to eat?


    After ordering the dishes, Zoe handed the menu to the waiter and asked Yelena, ¡®Have you washed


    your hands?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you to wash your hands.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zoe brought Yelena to the washroom.


    After Zoe carried Yelena over and washed her hands, she said to Yelena,¡± Wait here for Mommy. Don¡¯t


    go anywhere. I need to use the toilet.¡¯


    In order to rush here to celebrate Yelena¡¯s birthday, she did not get a chance to use the washroom.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Be good and don¡¯t walk around,¡± Zoe reminded her again.


    It was not very risky in a high-end restaurant, but after being a mother, Zoe found herself being more


    naggy and worrisome.


    ¡°I will.¡± Yelena nodded once more.


    Zoe turned around and entered a stall while Yelena waited for her outside the door. 1


    She began to feel bored and started to walk to the door, watching people walking across the


    washroom.


    Her eyes suddenly lit up.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She yelled out loud, ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Jay looked left and right.


    There was no one else around aside from him.


    Was that little girl standing at the door calling him?!

 Chapter 771

    Chapter 771


    Chapter 771


    From a second nce, the girl appeared a little familiar. However, Jay couldn¡¯t quite remember where


    he had seen her.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She was wearing a little pink dress, and her face was exceedingly beautiful.


    He had met many child actors in showbiz, but this was the first time he was seeing one as beautiful as


    this girl. She was so lovely, a single nce was enough for him to tailor a role for her.


    ¡°Daddy?¡¯¡¯


    Yelena called out to him again since he wasn¡¯t responding. Jay smiled, dropping to a crouch before her.


    Even if it was inconvenient to do so with the cane, he did his best to maintain level height with the girl.


    He asked gently, ¡®Were you calling me, little girl?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yelena nodded tamely, and threw herself into his arms.


    Jay¡¯s entire body stiffened as he felt a sensation he couldn¡¯t quite describe ¡­and his chest somehow


    grew warm.


    He gently pushed her away nheless; at that, she leveled her round eyes at him with a wounded


    look. ¡°You don¡¯t like me, Daddy? Is that why you push me away?¡±


    ¡°No, you have the wrong person. I¡¯m not your daddy,¡± Jay quickly exined.


    It was as if he couldn¡¯t bear to see her hurt at all. If the girl was in showbiz, she would probably get


    wildly popr whichever film she starred in.


    ¡°How could you not be?¡± Yelena asked in return.


    Somehow, the question left Jaypletely stumped.


    How was he supposed to exin this to a three year-old child?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a daddy?¡± he asked mildly and patiently.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yelena said solemnly. ¡°You are my daddy.¡±


    Jay was a little helpless, not knowing what to say. Yelena nced at his cane and asked in the same


    solemn tone, ¡°Daddy, is your leg hurt? Is that why you couldn¡¯t find mommy and me?¡±


    ¡°No, kid. I¡¯m not your daddy-you have the wrong person,¡± Jay said feebly and patiently. ¡°Who did you


    come here with? Your mommy? Should I help you find her?¡¯


    In the end, he decided to give up on exining. All he had to do is leave her to her parents, who would


    in turn exin in his stead.


    ¡°Mommy and I came here to have dinner. She¡¯s in the washroom, and she told me not to run off,¡±


    Yelena replied.


    ¡°In that case, you should stay there,¡± Jay told her. ¡°Your mommy would worry if she couldn¡¯t find you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Yelena nodded tamely again, looking ready to turn and head inside the washroom again.


    But then, she turned around again and asked, ¡°Are you leaving Mommy and me, Daddy?¡±


    Jay would love to stay and have such a beautiful little girl for his daughter, but he would rather not


    break thew.


    ¡°Hurry on, go to your Mommy,¡± he urged nheless. ¡°She¡¯d be worried if she couldn¡¯t find you.¡±


    He could read how dependent the little girl was towards her mother, and it was the only way she could


    turn her down.


    To no surprise, Yelena turned to leave.


    Jay watched as her tiny figure left, feeling a little reluctant to see her go.


    He stood at the doorway to thedies¡¯ room and didn¡¯t leave for a while, until a woman arrived.


    Said woman checked the sign to make sure that it was thedies¡¯ room, then shot Jay a suspicious


    look. At that, Jay finally came to his senses and fled in embarrassment.


    Zoe just happened to step out of her cubicle at the same time, and wasn¡¯t shy with her praise seeing


    Yelena waiting there obediently. ¡°Good girl.¡±


    ¡°I just saw Daddy, Mommy,¡± Yelena suddenly told Zoe with a dead serious look.


    Zoe did a double take.


    When did she ever tell Yelena that the girl had a daddy? Or who it was, for that matter?


    ¡°The one on TV. Saw on TV¡­ You said Daddy¡­¡±


    Yelena became a little excited, so much that she started to fumble her words.

 Chapter 772

    Chapter 772


    Chapter 772


    Zoe frowned. When did she ever point out someone on television and tell Yelena exactly who her father


    was?


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you, Mommy.¡± Yelena gave up on exining, feeling the urgency to take her mommy to see


    her daddy.


    Zoe was being pulled along by the girl, almost taken into the men¡¯s room. Before things could escte,


    she hurriedly scooped Yelena up in her arms. ¡°Yelena, sweetie, girls don¡¯t go into the men¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°But Daddy¡¯s inside¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a daddy,* Zoe exined feebly as she carried Yelena away.


    ¡°Everyone in the kindergarten has a daddy. Why not me?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°¡­You had one. He just died early,¡± Zoe lied.


    ¡°But I just saw him!¡± Yelena furrowed her little brows, looking a little angry.


    Zoe said nothing, and brought Yelena back to her highchair. She simply considered it a sudden fantasy


    of Yelena¡¯s, since a three-year old would asionally have her head in the clouds.


    Even so, Yelena refused to let it go.


    Seeing that her mommy doubted her, she told her grandma loudly, ¡¯ Grandma, I just saw Daddy.¡±


    ra did a double take. ¡°You daddy?!¡±


    What daddy?!


    She herself had no idea who exactly Yelena¡¯s daddy was, yet Yelena did?!


    She turned towards Zoe, who remained nonchnt. ¡°Let her be. She¡¯s just spouting nonsense.¡±


    Yelena got a little upset at that. ¡¯No, I¡¯m not! I¡¯ll take you toDaddy if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    And with that, she climbed off her chair and pulled Zoe along to see her daddy.


    Zoe didn¡¯t want to do it, but she couldn¡¯t stop Yelena¡¯s resolve either.


    They only managed to walk two paces when Zoe spotted Jay. She immediately turned around.


    Wait, is this where the crew was gathering tonight?


    Why not a better restaurant? This ce was just a little toofortable for a gathering of business


    associates¡­


    ¡°Dad-¡°


    Zoe promptly sped her hand over Yelena¡¯s mouth before her daughter could finish, who in turn


    puffed her little cheeks in annoyance.


    She promptly steered Yelena away, so that they went back the way they came.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Jay noticed a familiar figure, but saw nothing when he actually turned in that direction.


    Was he losing concentration from ack of rest?


    Still, he shrugged and limped on his cane to one of the private rooms. Meanwhile, Zoe quickly carried


    Yelena back to their table, having survived a close heart attack.


    She couldn¡¯t begin to imagine the horrors that would ensue if Yelena actually called Jay ¡®Daddy out


    loud¡¯.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ra saw the terrible look on Zoe¡¯s face.


    Zoe came to her senses and quickly released Yelena, who had be more upset. ¡°Why did you stop


    me calling Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s not your daddy.¡±


    ¡°But he is!¡± Yelena said confidently. ¡°You said he is.¡±


    ¡°When did I ever?!* Zoe cried, deeply agitated. She would keep that secret to the grave, even if it killed


    her!


    ¡°You told me before!¡±


    ¡°When?!¡± Zoe demanded, honestly unable to remember anything.


    ¡°That, that day¡­¡± The three year-old had trouble being logical and was getting agitated by the second,


    which only made her even less coherent.¡± You pointed at the TV and said he¡¯s Daddy, and a


    scumbag¡­¡±


    Zoe was left speechless again.


    How could Yelena remember everything she shouldn¡¯t with such perfect rity?!

 Chapter 773

    Chapter 773


    Chapter 773


    Zoe racked her brains, but she simply couldn¡¯t remember when she had ever told Yelena that Jay was


    her father.


    Still, that wasn¡¯t important. She needed to leave with Yelena right now if she didn¡¯ want unnecessary


    trouble.


    A waitress arrived with their food, at which Zoe promptly made up her mind. ¡®Excuse me, but can you


    box that up for me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The waitress did a double take, but quickly replied, ¡°Oh, yes, we do, but we do charge an extra


    fee¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure,1 Zoe said. She immediately took a tissue off the waitress to write on. ¡°Here, this is our address.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± The waitress left with the te of food.


    ¡°Are we leaving, Mommy?¡± Yelena asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t want-1 want to enjoy my birthday! Bad Mommy!¡± Yelena immediately refused to leave,


    since it was a rarity to celebrate her birthday.


    ¡°Be a good girl, Yelena. We can celebrate at home too. I¡¯ll buy you a big cake, okay?¡±


    ¡°No, I want to celebrate with Daddy!¡± Yelena snapped. She quickly got off her chair, looking ready to


    look for Jay, which left Zoe¡¯s face turning pale from shock.


    She promptly scooped her daughter up in her arms, looking utterly upset and tearfully miserable.


    Yelene screamed, ¡°Bad Mommy!¡±


    ¡°Be a good girl. We¡¯ll celebrate at home, and I¡¯ll buy you any toy you want.¡±


    ¡°I want Daddy!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not your daddy!¡± Zoe snapped sternly.


    ¡°Waaaah!!!¡± Yelena started to bawl, leaving Zoe speechless. Yelena¡¯s ability to cry at a split second


    would be a waste if she didn¡¯t make it into showbiz.


    They were at a luxury restaurant as well, and a little ruckus would cause a hugemotion.


    Zoe didn¡¯t indulge Yelena, however-it was a matter of principle.


    She promptly turned towards ra and said, ¡°Pack Yelena¡¯s things. We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ra nodded; she promptly packed the bag beside her and picked it up, while Zoe carried Yelena out


    of the restaurant.


    Yelena was still crying on the taxi home, and refused to let Zoe carry her; instead throwing herself into


    ra¡¯s arms.


    Zoe sighed, feeling a little guilty since they were supposed to celebrate Yelena¡¯s birthday.


    She made a stop to get a cake before they reached home. The rest of their dinner arrived by delivery


    just as they arrived home.


    Nheless, Yelena was still huffing on the couch and refused to talk to Zoe. But with ra¡¯s


    persistent cajoling and coaxing, the little girl eventually gave in to hunger. Her eyes still welled with


    tears while she ate, however.


    She even asked grumpily, ¡¯Mommy, why did you stop me from meeting Daddy?¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I told you, he¡¯s not your daddy-¡°


    ¡°You lie!¡± Yelenained.


    Zoe didn¡¯t want to argue with a three-year old child, and so did her best to divert her attention to other


    things.


    However, after finishing dinner and moving on to the birthday cake, Yelena remembered it again as she


    made a wish, saying, ¡°I hope Daddy will celebrate my next birthday with me.¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes-what daddy was this girl talking about?!


    After blowing the candles and finishing the cake, Zoe took Yelena for a bubble bath together. It


    managed to cheer up the little girl considerably.


    Before Zoe returned to North City, she would always bathe with Yelena as she wasn¡¯t that busy then.

 Chapter 774

    Chapter 774


    Chapter 774


    Yelena¡¯s little face was covered in bubbies as she babbled excitedly,¡± Mommy!¡±


    As Zoe helped Yelena wipe the bubbles off, Yelena asked innocently, ¡°Let¡¯s take a bubble bath with


    Daddy next time, okay?¡¯


    Zoe felt her good mood killed right then¡ªYelena really couldn¡¯t get over the whole daddy thing, could


    she?


    Zoe scooped Yelena out of the bathtub, quickly rinsing the little girl before coaxing her to sleep.


    Zoe was going to read Yelena a fairy tale of a prince and a princess, but thetter yawned and instead


    asked, ¡°Can Daddy read to me next time? I want Daddy to read it to me¡­¡±


    How many times had Zoe told Yelena that she didn¡¯t have one?


    Fortunately, Yelena was too tired and quickly fell asleep. Even as she closed her eyes, she was still


    murmuring, ¡°Daddy¡­¡¯


    Zoe was genuinely speechless.


    She tucked Yelena in before going to the living room for a drink of water, where she found ra


    cleaning up the room after the little birthday party.


    The house was always a mess because they had a child around, and ra would clean up after


    everyone fell asleep.


    Zoe suggested getting a maid, but ra refused, insisting that she could manage everything alone.


    Still, Zoe knew that ra was simply unwilling to spend the money.


    While Zoe did have money to spare over thest three years, ra had basically been eating it away.


    She was also deathly afraid of investments, in fear that it would fail and they would end up losing


    money instead. She couldn¡¯t work either, since people might recognize her, which in turn would lead to


    more trouble. That, and Yelena did need babysitting, i


    ¡°You should go to bed soon,¡± Zoe said tly as she drank.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do itter,¡± ra quickly replied, careful as ever around Zoe.


    Zoe had a stuffy sensation over her chest, but stayed silent.


    Once ra was done cleaning, she looked at Zoe, struggling with herself for a while before she asked,


    ¡°Yelena saw her father today, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Cough!¡¯ Zoe choked on her drink, and ra hurried to rub her back.


    Zoe took a while to regain her senses, and realized ra¡¯s proximity¡­


    ra immediately withdrew her hand and stepped away, understanding that Zoe always refused to let


    her get too close.


    Nheless, Zoe admitted, ¡¯Yeah, we did.¡±


    She had no intention of hiding it from ra, anyway.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± ra remained curious¡ªcould it be Bob?


    The man was an overgrown boy, but after they broke up, Zoe spent a long time missing him.


    ra also firmly believed that Zoe found where she belonged in Bob.


    ¡°It¡¯s not Bob. Anyway, I¡¯ll just pretend he didn¡¯t exist since I don¡¯t n on telling him,¡± Zoe said bluntly.


    Zoe clearly had no intention of borating, so ra didn¡¯t press any further.


    ¡°By the way¡­¡± Zoe frowned. ¡°When did I tell Yelena who her father was?¡¯


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She really couldn¡¯t remember, and even ra didn¡¯t know. So how did a three-year-old child know so


    much?


    ra mused to herself for a while until she suddenly remembered, ¡°Do you recall drinking a little too


    much just before we returned to North City?¡±


    At that, Zoe realized with a start¡­ It had happened a couple nights ago, before she decided to return to


    North City; a decision that left her with mixed emotions.


    ra had made Zoe¡¯s favorite dishes, and since she hadn¡¯t been drinking for a while, she had a carton


    of beer delivered to their house. ra didn¡¯t drink, so Zoe took most of the beer herself and unwittingly


    drank a little too much¡­ It must¡¯ve at least seven bottles.


    Zoe more or less remembered that she had been on the couch at that time. ra was washing the


    dishes while Yelena was ying beside her, and there was an exclusive interview of Jay on TV¡­


    Could Zoe have blurted everything while drunk?!


    Sh*t! idents do happen under the influence of alcohol!

 Chapter 775

    Chapter 775


    Chapter 775


    ra actually regretted doing the dishes instead of staying with Zoe at the time.


    She missed the opportunity to find out who Yelena¡¯s father was!


    And now, they were never going to make Yelena understand, even if they wanted to.


    Moreover, judging from Zoe¡¯s attitude, she wasn¡¯t going to say anything to Yelena¡¯s father.


    Just then, Zoe¡¯s phone rang. She hesitated a while after seeing the caller, but ultimately answered.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where are you, Zoe?¡¯ Candice asked excitedly from the other end.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Are you done with whatever you need to do?¡± Candice pressed.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Zoe did not respond-experience told her that Candice was definitely asking her out for drinks.


    And to no surprise, Candice went on, ¡°Come to the karaoke bar! We¡¯re changing ces now.¡¯


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is that¡¯s important to you, you have toe!¡± Candice eximed. ¡¯Mr. Parker¡¯s still here. It


    won¡¯t do if you¡¯re the only one missing out. Hurry, everyone¡¯s waiting! I¡¯m sending you the address


    now.¡±


    Zoe was hesitant, as she really didn¡¯t want to go.


    However, she was the only one absent. It would certainly make her look like she was full of herself.


    She wasn¡¯t worried about upsetting Jay, since things were more or less settled between them.


    Even so, she didn¡¯t want to cause too unsociable and self-important.


    Interpersonal rtionships took priority in showbiz,


    As such, Zoe ultimately gave in.


    Yelena was asleep. Zoe had more or less celebrated her daughter¡¯s birthday although it was imperfect.


    Putting down her ss, Zoe started to head to her room, intending on getting changed before heading


    out.


    Seeing her actions, ra asked, ¡°Are you going out again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Some friends are calling me for karaoke-can¡¯t say no.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s veryte. Stay safe,¡± ra told her.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ra sighed feebly, feeling pained for Zoe. ¡°You¡¯ve been so busy ever since you came back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s showbiz for you,¡± Zoe replied tly, already prepared for the hardship.


    ¡°I know. It was the same when Cora¡­¡±


    ra trailed off-it was the first time ra actually mentioned Cora.


    It was ra¡¯s own selfishness that she caused such injustice to both of them.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess,¡± Zoe replied nonchntly, unconcerned about Cora being mentioned.


    ra watched silently as Zoe left¡ªZoe was truly kind at heart.


    No doubt, ra had made a terrible mistake all those years ago.


    There weren¡¯t that many people when Zoe arrived at the karaoke bar, but they were clearly tipsy.


    Once Zoe arrived, Candice promptly wrapped her arms around Zoe. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Zoe!¡±


    Candice¡¯s whole body reeked of alcohol, and her emotions appeared to be running high from drinking


    too much.


    She wasn¡¯t exactly close with Zoe, but alcohol did leave one less inhibited.


    ¡°I was a little busy.¡±


    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s greet Mr. Parker first.¡± Candice pulled Zoe towards Jay, who was seated on the couch.


    It was a little dark. While Jay was keeping his expression impressive, Zoe could more or less tell that


    he had drunk a lot and was probably enjoying himself.

 Chapter 776

    Chapter 776


    Chapter 776


    After all, their victory at thepetition was overwhelming.


    Zoe didn¡¯t hold back either, and poured herself a full ss while toasting Jay. ¡°Sorry for beingte, Mr.


    Parker. Bottom¡¯s up.¡±


    Zoe chugged her ss right after she spoke, while Jay nced at her before picking her ss and


    finishing it in one go.


    Zoe remembered that he couldn¡¯t hold his liquor.


    Had he improved so much after they were just years apart?


    Well, that had nothing to do with her anyway.


    ¡°I thought you were busy?¡± Jay asked nonchntly.


    ¡°I was just finished,¡± Zoe replied, not bothered to borate.


    ¡°Right.¡± Jay didn¡¯t ask anything further-it was just a polite exchange.


    After they drank, Candice pulled Zoe along to start drinking with the others.


    Though she waste, Zoe didn¡¯t try to push them away. However, they were so intoxicated that they


    promptly joined in once Zoe offered them a toast.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    And thus it was a massacre in under an hour, with some of them vomiting their stomachs out right then


    and there.


    Zoe was actually a little surprised that the social drinking session was called off right then and there.


    Since she wasn¡¯t drunk, she arranged rides for everyone.


    These people were celebrities, no matter how far they were from the peak. And with ¡®Actors on Set¡¯


    quickly gaining poprity, it was ultimately scandalous to let them be photographed in such a


    disgraceful state.


    Once everyone was sent away safely, Zoe remembered that her bag was still at the bar and hurried to


    get it.


    As she got in, she heard someone puking their guts out loudly in the washroom.


    Was there someone who hadn¡¯t left yet? She remembered clearly that everyone was settled in.


    Perplexed, she headed to the washroom to find Jay leaning against the toilet bowl and curling up as he


    vomited loudly.


    Zoe hadn¡¯t seen Jay around when the party was over. As such, she assumed he had already left. He


    was the instructor anyway, so he didn¡¯t need to tell everyone that he was leaving. His assistant could


    drive him home even if he was drunk, so Zoe didn¡¯t expect him to still be in the washroom. i


    How long had he been there? She remembered not seeing him for half an hour, at least.


    Zoe was hesitating between leaving and kindly asking if he needed hospital when she saw Jay pushing


    himself up with much difficulty.


    However, due to his limp, he fell as soon as he got up; he hit his head on the toilet bowl with such a


    loud thud that Zoe was startled. For a moment, she wondered if he had damaged his brain.


    Hurrying to help him by reflex, she asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Jay was actually stunned for a moment from hitting his head, though his mind soon cleared when he


    heard the familiar voice. He saw Zoe suddenly appear before him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you up. Be careful,¡± she said without looking him in the eye, and tried to help him up with all


    the strength she had.


    But he was just so heavy-men¡¯s appearances can really be deceiving, as their weight could easily


    crush another person beneath them. i


    Jay was wobbling without control after getting drunk. He only had one functioning foot, so Zoe¡¯s help


    didn¡¯t mean much.


    In fact, he almost fell right after he got up because he couldn¡¯t hold himself steady, if not for Zoe


    holding him very firmly.


    He was so close, he could pick up the scent of her faint yet addictive scent; he couldn¡¯t stop his heart


    from racing.


    Zoe, on the other hand, was just doing her best to not let Jay fall. She didn¡¯t think she was holding him


    too closely, nor did she notice that her face was pressing against his chest.


    She was going to leave after she managed to make him stand steady when she heard his heart


    pounding exceedingly quickly and loudly, as if it would leap out of his chest.


    Was he allergic to alcohol?

 Chapter 777

    Chapter 777


    Chapter 777


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Zoe quickly asked, ¡°A-Are you alright? Should I call an ambnce?¡±


    Jay¡¯s heart rate was frighteningly fast!


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± Jay stammered, working hard to make his voice sound calm. ¡°I just had a little too much to


    drink.¡±


    ¡°But your heart¡¯s racing,¡± Zoe said seriously. ¡°You might contract something in your veins, and a blood


    clot in your brain can lead to stroke.¡±


    Jay chuckled feebly at her words. ¡°You really want me dead, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Zoe was speechless-that wasn¡¯t what she meant, but whatever.


    She didn¡¯t want to waste time on him; they were all adults, and it was his own business to take care of


    himself.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your phone? I¡¯ll call your assistant to take you home,¡± she said.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s in my pants pocket,¡± Jay replied, but he was not reaching for it.


    Zoe was speechless-a drunk person was really difficult to deal with.


    She reached into his pockets, but there was nothing in either of them.


    Was he messing with her?


    ¡®There¡¯s nothing there,¡± she said, not noticing that the man before her was blushing¡­though it wasn¡¯t


    like she could, what with his face flushed from alcohol.


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± he asked in return, and mumbled, ¡°Where did it go N


    Zoe felt like they were existing on different wavelengths, and so gave up on asking as she patted him


    down.


    She searched everywhere including his jacket¡¯s pocket, but still found nothing.


    Maybe his phone was outside?


    She was going to let go of him to start searching, but he started to teeteer over the side just as he was


    about to leave.


    Zoe quickly caught him again, pressing herself fully against him.


    She didn¡¯t notice his stiffened lips obviously curling up right then.


    ¡°Can you walk without your cane?¡± she asked-it was left on the floor, so she should retrieve it for him.


    She would really have a hard time keeping him standing.


    ¡°Probably¡­¡± he nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you go there now.¡¯


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With that, Zoe helped Jay out of the washroom with considerable difficulty, and had him sit on the


    couch.


    She first brought the cane back for him before searching everywhere for his phone. She looked into


    every nook and cranny and even called it, but it was still nowhere to be found.


    Where did Jay leave it?!


    Was he so drunk he threw it away?


    ¡°Do you remember your assistant¡¯s number?¡± she asked.


    Jay shook his head.


    ¡°Is he waiting for you downstairs? Or maybe you have your chauffeur¡¯s number?¡± Zoe pressed.


    ¡°No. I sent my assistant home early,¡± Jay said with a muddle voice. ¡°He¡¯s usually the one who calls my


    chauffeur.¡±


    ¡°Then how are you going to go home?¡± Zoe stared at him- he was drunk, and had a limp¡­ How was he


    supposed to leave?


    Jay returned her gaze, his unfocused yet crystalline eyes seemingly asking her the same question too.


    She breathed a deep sigh-she wasn¡¯t happy about this, but he wasn¡¯t going to make it home if she left


    him alone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home,¡± she said, before adding, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    It was just returning a favor, since Jay had sent her home a few times before.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jay appeared apologetic.


    Zoe ignored that, and arched her back to help him up again.


    It was difficult for them to shamble out of the karaoke bar and finally hail a taxi.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your address?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay told her.


    Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t Levine Manor; if it was, she might have abandoned him halfway there.

 Chapter 778

    Chapter 778


    Chapter 778


    Jay was more or less keeping himself in line on the way home, saying nothing and not vomiting until


    they arrived at the destination.


    Zoe paid the cab fare and helped Jay out of the car, asking,¡± Can you go upstairs yourself?¡±


    Jay¡¯s figure wobbled, before he said slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    That was definitely a no-Zoe knew that much.


    Jay had always been cunning, always troubling others even though he looked like the type who


    wouldn¡¯t.


    Zoe clenched her teeth and helped him into his apartmentplex, and up to his unit.


    Naturally, the man was staying in an affluent district. Zoe opened the door to see a spacious apartment,


    with ss walls covering three of the four walls.


    It was an expensive property Zoe hadn¡¯t seen for a while, a little impressed and unable to resist giving


    it a few more looks.


    She used to scoff at grand apartments like these, but now, they were her dream house.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    As she helped Jay into his exceedingly luxurious bedroom, he suddenly said, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be


    sick.¡±


    Immediately, he vomited without control.


    Zoe could tell that he was doing his best not to vomit on her, but it just came too quickly and too


    violently that her clothes were hit.


    Jay became very silent after that, like a child who had just realized he messed up royally.


    But he was already thirtyish¡ªthis much wouldn¡¯t kill his reputation!


    Even so, Zoe was furious.


    He could¡¯ve told her earlier that he was going to vomit, so she could help him to the bathroom.


    And now, her clothes were all ruined-how was she supposed to leave? No cab would take her!


    Jay apologized, ¡°It was an ident¡­¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes-she would¡¯ve shouted at him if it wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Are you still going to vomit?¡± she asked, restraining her rage.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m borrowing your bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Do you need clothes?¡± Zoe was a little surprised-she would never get new clothes at this hour, but if


    Jay had women¡¯s clothes, she could just put them on and leave.


    ¡°No,¡± Jay said.


    Damn it. So she was celebrating over nothing.


    By the way, was he thirty-three now, or thirty-four? Had he never taken a woman home?


    Did none of them leave any clothes here?


    ¡°I mean, you can wear my clothes,¡± Jay said.


    That was certainly the only option for Zoe.


    She had Jay sit on his bed before heading into his huge closet room, rummaging around.


    She still held a tiny bit of hope to find somedies¡¯ clothes, but there really was none.


    As such, she had no choice but to take a set of his pajamas and head into the bathroom.


    She showered quickly, and came out to find him wiping the floor, looking just like a maid.


    Why is he doing that instead of sleeping, after getting drunk?


    He should have a maiding in everyday, no?


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I want to shower too,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°You do that. Your washing machine dries your clothes, right?¡±


    ¡®TH take you,¡± Jay said, pushing himself to his feet.


    Zoe quickly waved him off, worried that he would puke all over her again. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Go take your bath-I


    can go on my own.¡±

 Chapter 779

    Chapter 779


    Chapter 779


    Zoe quickly left Jay¡¯s bedroom, but she must¡¯ve walked around the apartment twice before finding the


    laundry room.


    She threw all her clothes inside and pressed the buttons¡­ only to find that it would take almost two


    hours for her clothes to dry.


    She suddenly remembered Jay taking Bob to his house three years ago, and how Bob vomited all over


    him.


    Jay waited for two hours at the time, too.


    The circle of life, indeed.


    As Zoe stayed in theundry room, Jay never came to check on her¡ªhe probably fell asleep right after


    taking his shower, since anyone would easily doze off with alcohol.


    It was especially true for her, since she was already feeling drowsy without getting drunk.


    Still, it was understandable since it was already past midnight.


    She yawned endlessly, and checked the time to see that it was already one in the morning.


    She hesitated for a while before heading to the vast living room, out of theundry room.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The view outside the ss wall was indescribably beautiful. Zoe stood there, taking in the night view of


    North City.


    It was certainly a feast of the eyes, but whatever.


    She shouldn¡¯t get greedy; everything depended on how things would turn out now.


    Walking away from the window, she took a seat on a massage chair.


    She nned to just sit there for a while, but the chair was just toofortable. Not to mention, she had


    been sore all over after going on rehearsals everyday over thest few weeks.


    She was just wondering if using the massage function would make her feelfortable. However, even


    before she made up her mind, her body proved more earnest and started pressing the buttons,


    adjusting the chair to the mostfortable position.


    As she nestled against the chair, she was overwhelmed with bliss and dozed off as the machine


    massaged her¡­


    Jay watched as Zoe fell asleep with a faint smile on his lips.


    In reality, he didn¡¯t sleep.


    He couldn¡¯t bear to do it considering that Zoe hadn¡¯t left, even though he was still drunk.


    It was obvious she was repulsed by him, so he was afraid of showing his face¡ªthat was, until she


    heard the faint sounds of the massage chair activating.


    He was under the impression she would hate everything in his house. Yet, she decided to use the


    massage chair on her own.


    He mustered his courage and wheeled himself out of his room, where he immediately found her falling


    asleep on the massage chair.


    It had already stopped massaging her, but she was still sound asleep and showed no signs of waking


    up.


    Jay reached out, unable to resist the urge to stroke her cheek¡­only to withdraw his hand at thest


    moment. She wouldn¡¯t like that.


    Still, he stood there, staring at her for a long while, fidgeting a little as if ufortable.


    The massage chair kept its user snugly fit between its leather cushions, but it was only sorge. If one


    fell asleep on it, there wasn¡¯t much room.


    Jay wanted to scoop her up in his arms, but couldn¡¯t exert his strength while on his wheelchair. He


    might even drop her, or worse, wake her.


    After hesitating for a while, he returned to his room to get a nket. He then set the massage chair to


    sleep mode so that the chair¡¯s heating stayed on.


    He was still reluctant to leave after doing all that, and had to stave off sleep for a while before finally


    returning to his bedroom, since he really couldn¡¯t keep his eyes open.


    And yet, his heart was still pumping at an irregr rhythm¡­


    It was long past daybreak when Zoe shifted her body, feeling the softness of the cushion around her.


    She looked around; it took her a long while to realize that she was still in Jay¡¯s house.


    What time was it? It looked quitete already¡­ Did she spend the whole night here?!


    She promptly looked for her phone to see that it was way past eight-how did she fall asleep here?!


    She quickly got up, and heard a familiar voice right then.¡± You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Zoe jumped in surprise, and turned to find Jay making what looked like breakfast in the kitchen.


    He was dead drunkst night, wasn¡¯t he?

 Chapter 780

    Chapter 780


    Chapter 780


    How did Jay get up so early?


    He really was operating like an elderly person would¡­


    ¡°Sorry, I fell asleep without noticing,¡± Zoe apologized. In a sense, she was also saying she didn¡¯t want


    to stay there.


    ¡°I know,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Your clothes have been cleaned, and I¡¯ve already taken them out. It¡¯s on the


    couch beside you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get changed right away,¡± Zoe said. She promptly picked up her clothes and headed into the main


    bathroom, where she found even her underwear stacked neatly on her clothes


    She decided to ignore it, and started to leave after changing.


    Their group was on break today¡ªthey all got drunkst night, and after a hellish week of rehearsals,


    they would all be sleeping in and resting to get themselves sorted on their break.


    Zoe was nning to go home and sleep the entire day too, but Jay called out to her just as she


    stepped out of the bathroom.


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there something else?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah. Have some breakfast before you go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s ready¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any appetite.¡±


    ¡°Not eating breakfast is bad for your stomach.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat when I get home.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ready anyway. Juste and have some,¡± Jay insisted.


    Zoe stared at him, not quite remembering when thest time he spoke at length like this.


    ¡°Thanks for your help yesterday,¡± he said.


    So it was just a gesture of gratitude for yesterday?


    But that was fine. This way, they wouldn¡¯t owe each other anything.


    She didn¡¯t reject him anymore, and walked towards the dining table to find a simple breakfast: toast,


    milk and eggs.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to cook¡­¡± Jay exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a picky eater,¡± Zoe replied.


    Jay simply smiled-he certainly knew, since they had grown up together.


    Zoe also realized that she had answered too quickly.


    There was no way she could trick him; she had a feeling that his smile was one of ridicule.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not picky these days,¡± she corrected herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Jay replied.


    They started eating quietly, and the doorbell rang halfway through.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably the cleaner,¡± Jay replied, reaching for his cane.


    ¡°I¡¯ll open the door,¡± Zoe offered. She put down her toast and walked straight for the door.


    She didn¡¯t check the door monitor since Jay said it was the maid, and opened the door right away. >


    ¡°Uncle Jay¡­¡±


    Cora¡¯s ted exmation faded away when she saw Zoe, who stared at her awkwardly in turn.


    To make things even worse, Bob was standing right beside Cora.


    It was an exceedingly embarrassing scene.


    Jay noticed something was strange, and limped over on his crutch to see Cora and Bob standing at the


    doorway.


    Heading over, he greeted them, ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡±


    Cora quickly came to her senses while Bob turned away, though the emotions in his eyes remained for


    a while.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been calling you for a while, but your phone was turned off, so we came to find you,¡± Cora


    exined. ¡°Why did you turn off your phone?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where I left it after getting drunkst night. Might have dropped it in the toilet,¡± Jay said.


    Then he asked,


    ¡°So? Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 781

    Chapter 781


    Chapter 781


    Cora said, ¡°Mom¡¯s asking everyone to eat at the manor. You didn¡¯t answer our calls, so she told me and


    Bob to swing by while we¡¯re heading over.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Will Cordy be bringing Dicky?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re at the capital. They won¡¯t make it.¡±


    Jay asked no further questions, and said, ¡°Come on in.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cora said, and headed inside with Bob.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go now,¡± Zoe said, prepared to put on her shoes and leave right there and then.


    ¡°You can leave after breakfast,¡± Jay said, stopping her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine-it¡¯s still early, and we¡¯re not going to Levine Manor straight away,¡± Bob suddenly said.


    Zoe nced at him, and nodded.


    Jay pursed his lips, staying impassive. Cora didn¡¯t know that Bob used to date Zoe, and didn¡¯t care


    much either since she believed that they were just good friends.


    Still, Zoe felt very much on edge, given theplicated rtionship between all four of them who were


    now sitting in the same room.


    It was Cora who broke the awkward silence. ¡°What¡¯s Zoe


    doing here?¡±


    ¡°I got drunk while our group was hanging outst night,¡± Jay answered in Zoe¡¯s stead. ¡°Zoe brough me


    home, but I identally vomited on her, and she had no clothes to wear. Her clothes were only dried


    today.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Cora smiled. ¡°Thanks for taking care of my uncle, Zoe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Zoe replied, but could sense the possessiveness just beneath Cora¡¯s seemingly


    affable exterior.


    Cora turned back to Jay. ¡°By the way, do you know why my mom suddenly asked us home?¡±


    ¡°Beats me.¡± Jay shook his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even informed.¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s about¡­¡±


    Cora trailed off, seemingly hesitant.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°She told me not to say, since she¡¯s worried you won¡¯t go back if I did.¡±


    Jay frowned right then. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    Cora was actually slightly scared of him. Not only was he her elder, but he often called to stop her on


    the set whenever she messed up while filming with him.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s arranging a marriage for you.¡±


    ¡°Cough!¡±


    Jay almost choked on his milk.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d get agitated,¡± Cora said, and quickly passed him some tissues. ¡°But in her defense,


    you¡¯re long past thirty. You have to get married, don¡¯t you? I¡¯m getting


    married myself, but you¡¯re still a bachelor¡­¡±


    ¡°I can handle my personal life,¡± Jay growled.


    ¡°Mom said she wouldn¡¯t have to worry if you did,¡± Cora went on feebly. ¡°She said that the woman is


    from a good family and background as well, and a loyal fan who won¡¯t mind your physical condition-¡°


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Jay snapped, cutting her short.


    Cora, however, asked tentatively, ¡°Maybe you prefer men?¡±


    She had been suspecting that for a while.


    Jay had been working in showbiz for years, but he never hooked up with any of thedies even though


    it was customary for stars to do so for casting couch.


    Maybe the issue was in his sexual preferences?


    And to be honest, most people involved in showbiz had plenty of issues. Artists were often abnormal,


    and Cora had steeled her mind for such an oue.


    ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± Jay cut her off sternly.


    Beside him, Zoe was slightly amused. She wondered if Cora was really that naive, or was just faking it.


    Jay Parker, gay simply because he didn¡¯t mess around with


    thedies?


    Whatever, it was their family problem¡ªshe was in no ce to talk.


    ¡°We¡¯re family, Uncle Jay.¡± Cora persisted nheless. ¡°Just admit it, and I¡¯ll work on Mom¡­¡±


    ¡°Cora,¡± Bob spoke up, stopping her. ¡°Your uncle is straight as an arrow.


    Cora remained skeptical. ¡°Really? But over all those years¡­¡±


    ¡°Probably just waiting for the right person,¡± Bob muttered, obviously staring at Zoe. i


    Zoe could sense his piercing stare, but didn¡¯t respond. After a while, she put down her knife and fork.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± she said, having finally finished her breakfast.

 Chapter 782

    Chapter 782


    Chapter 782


    Jay quickly offered, ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Zoe immediately declined. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can just take a cab.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be inconvenient. You¡¯re quite famous now.¡±


    ¡°I just need a disguise.¡±


    ¡°Just wait a moment. I¡¯ll get changed,¡± Jay insisted, not giving her a chance to refuse. ¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re a cripple and you can¡¯t drive. How are you going to take me anywhere?¡± Zoe said bluntly, and


    Cora was stunned by her insulting outburst.


    How could she say cripple on a whim? No one around Jay ever said it for years!


    ¡°I can go back on my own,¡± Zoe added determinedly, not caring about the looks others were giving her.


    ¡°I can give you a ride,¡± Bob suddenly said. ¡°I happened to bring my car.¡±


    Cora was slightly irked, since it was her boyfriend who would be getting in a car with another woman.


    However, Bob simply continued, ¡°Cora, wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back to take you and Jay once I¡¯ve sent


    Zoe home.¡±


    Then, turning towards Zoe without waiting for anyone¡¯s approval, he told her, ¡°Come on.¡±


    With that, Zoe quietly left with Bob.


    She could turn down anyone but him, since she owed him the most.


    Cora was staring as they left the apartment together, wondering if she noticed something unusual or if


    she was just imagining it.


    Bob had always treated her well over their three-year rtionship. Yet, she had a feeling that he didn¡¯t


    pay her that much attention.


    He would do anything for her and give her the world if she asked; yet, if she said nothing, he wouldn¡¯t


    lift a finger.


    And yet, here he was, offering to send Zoe home.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s nothing between them,¡± Jay suddenly said bluntly.


    He said that despite his jealousy towards Bob for having Zoe¡¯s tenderness.


    The ride home was awkward, even though Zoe and Bob had cleared the air once she returned to North


    City.


    Even so, it still felt ufortable being together alone with him in the same ce-it was really difficult


    to stay friends after breakups.


    It was why one should never cross the line so lightly.


    Nheless, as they stopped before a red light, Bob


    suddenly turned towards Zoe and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re getting back together with Jay?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe replied.


    ¡°No? You spent the night at his ce.¡±


    ¡°Were you doubting what he said?¡±


    ¡°Are you treating me like a kid, Zoe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just facts,¡± Zoe said bluntly.


    ¡°Well, I heard Jay¡¯s been protective of you in ¡®Actors on Set¡¯.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Zoeughed. ¡°Well, we are acquainted-can¡¯t exactly treat each other like strangers. Surely you were


    hoping I didn¡¯t do well after I cheated on you?¡±


    ¡°You and your horrible mouth¡­¡± Bob shook his head, and continued driving as the lights turned green.


    Zoe beamed prettily. ¡°Then let¡¯s just stop talking.¡±


    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Jay,¡± Bob said.


    Zoe was speechless.


    There were plenty of fish in the sea¡ªwhy did it have to be Jay?!


    If anyone wanted to get back together with a former me, they could do it all they want.


    As for Zoe, she would still refuse!

 Chapter 783

    Chapter 783


    Chapter 783


    Bob suddenly asked, ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re rejecting Jay because he¡¯s a cripple.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s actually a cripple?¡± Zoe eximed in surprise.


    ¡°What, you didn¡¯t know? You even called him a cripple just now!¡± Bob was left dumbfounded.


    ¡°I thought¡­it¡¯s just a fracture, and it¡¯d heal soon,¡± Zoe was even more dumbfounded than him.


    Bob shot her a look before stopping his car by the curb, which left Zoe perplexed. He had seemingly


    done it for no reason.


    Once he stopped the car, he asked solemnly, ¡°You really didn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That Jay was caught in a car crash,¡± Bob said, still surprised.


    Zoe gasped in shock. ¡°Was it serious?¡±


    Bob rolled his eyes. ¡°Are we doing aedy routine right now?¡±


    Zoe was speechless, but she definitely had no idea-she had kept herself isted from everything the


    year she left North City, pregnant.


    Bob actually seemed a little disappointed about that. ¡°Jay never announced it, but most of the people in


    the business


    knew¡ªeither immediately or eventually. How are you going to flourish in showbiz if you didn¡¯t know that


    much?¡±


    ¡°But no one told me.¡±


    Zoe was at a loss for words.


    She wouldn¡¯t forget something like that if she was told about it. After all, she was no irvoyant.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you don¡¯t mind him being a cripple?¡± Bob asked, returning to the topic at hand.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us!¡± Zoe replied. ¡°I¡¯ve exined to you back then that I was just trying to


    break you-it¡¯s not like some spark rekindled. Come to think of it, that doesn¡¯t count since he never loved


    me.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t love you?¡± Bobughed. ¡°Do you think I would¡¯ve given up so easily if he didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°No, he really doesn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you wake up already?¡± Bob asked, ring at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly awake!¡±


    Annoyed and confused, Bob snapped, ¡°What makes you think Jay wasn¡¯t into you?¡±


    Zoe retorted in confusion, ¡°Then why do you insist on having me hook up with him?¡±


    ¡°It frustrates me seeing the two of you like this!¡±


    ¡°Then just ignore us,¡± Zoe replied tly. ¡°I¡¯m only focused on showbiz right now. Anything else isn¡¯t


    worth considering.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t say a thing. But just onest piece of advice: if you really do have feelings for Jay, tell him


    right now and stop being so presumptuous. If you don¡¯t, pretend I never said a thing.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pretend you never said a thing.¡±


    Bob rolled his eyes and sighed in defeat.


    No other man would¡¯ve given up being together with the woman he loved, just so she could be


    someone else.


    And to make things worse, his attempt failed miserably.


    After sending Zoe home, Bob returned to Jay¡¯s apartment to pick up Jay and Cora.


    Jay had always been the quiet type, though Cora was a little chatty.


    ¡°Were you close to Zoe?¡± Cora asked Bob.


    ¡°We grew up together,¡± Bob replied, ncing at Jay from the rearview mirror while he did.


    Jay remained silent.


    ¡°Oh, I envy her,¡± Cora said, seemingly offhandedly.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to envy?¡± Bob snorted. ¡°We¡¯ve been fighting since we were children.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I like the way Zoe expresses her feelings so bluntly,¡± Cora exined. ¡°Unlike me, who¡¯s


    always so indecisive.¡±


    ¡°To each their own. Envy is unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Cora smiled. ¡°By the way, Mom was asking when our wedding would be¡­ Should we do it this


    year, or early next year?¡±

 Chapter 784

    Chapter 784


    Chapter 784


    Bob said, ¡°That depends on you. You¡¯re the public figure-we just have to find a date that¡¯s most


    convenient for you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that reluctant to marry me, huh?¡± Cora asked.


    Bob¡¯s fingers clenched on his steering wheel, but his tone remained exceedingly rxed. ¡°I mean, we


    could just get our marriage registered right now.¡±


    Coraughed in amusement. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just that¡­ You respect me too much every time. I know


    you¡¯re doing it for my sake, but I have this nagging feeling you¡¯re not proactive enough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about the hassle. Let me put it this way-1 can hold a grand wedding and make babies


    for you here and now, so what say you?¡±


    ¡°Bob!¡± Cora blushed from his teasing. ¡°My uncle¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°Just pretend I¡¯m not here,¡± Jay said. ¡°I¡¯ll get off if you want to start making babies right then.1¡ä


    ¡°You too?!¡± Cora pouted.


    The atmosphere in the car returned to normal soon enough, though Bob and Jay traded discreet


    nces.


    Words are not needed when it came to a great many things.


    Once they arrived at Levine Manor, Nancy promptly brought a girl whom she introduced to Jay.


    Said girl was pretty and carried herself like a disciplined rich daughter.


    Nancy had assumed she was Jay¡¯s type: quiet, sweet, and understanding.


    Bob, however, could tell immediately that Jay didn¡¯t like the girl. He preferred someone vivacious,


    beautiful yet alluring, and down-to-earth¡­ In other words, Zoe York.


    Even so, Jay was great at concealing his emotions. He willingly took the girl on a stroll in the back


    garden despite not liking her.


    Nancy watched as they went, sighing, ¡°That¡¯s one load off my shoulders if this works.¡±


    ¡°Well, I just can¡¯t feel any spark between them,¡± Cora said quietly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t jinx it,¡± Nancy snapped mildly at Cora.


    ¡°By the way, I just saw Zoe today,¡± Cora said, mentioning what was in her mind.


    Nancy¡¯s face dropped, and she didn¡¯t make an effort to hide it. ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Uncle Jay¡¯s house,¡± Cora admitted.


    ¡°What?!¡± Nancy¡¯s shock was obvious.


    ¡°Apparently he was drunk, so she brought him home and nursed him for the night,¡± Cora added.


    Nancy¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty normal, ma¡¯am. Nothing at all surprising,¡± Bob said beside them, seemingly indifferent.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years, though¡­ Or have you not let it go?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Nancy denied it immediately. ¡°Just surprised Zoe was in touch with Jay.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re both in showbiz-they¡¯d run into each other eventually,¡± Bob pointed out. ¡°Maybe Cora will meet


    her soon, too.¡±


    Little did he know that his words woulde trueter.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nancy said, though she didn¡¯t borate further.


    Cora, however, had the feeling that Bob was siding with Zoe ¡­or was she being paranoid?


    Soon, Jay returned with his blind date, who quickly came up with an excuse to leave.


    Obviously, it was a dud.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to meddle with my personal life from now on, Nancy. I can handle it myself,¡± Jay said


    mildly, but there was steely determination in his tone. ¡¯


    ¡°Cora just told me that Zoe spent the night at your ce,¡± Nancy said bluntly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As Jay nced at her, Cora quickly exined, ¡°I¡­I just mentioned it without thinking. I didn¡¯t mean


    to¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Zoe?!¡± Nancy cut Cora short, her tone suddenly dead serious.

 Chapter 785

    Chapter 785


    Chapter 785


    Cora was surprised by the question posed by her mother to her uncle.


    What rtionship was she talking about?


    It didn¡¯t sound like Nancy was referring to their past familial bond¡­


    Cora did a double take at the thought.


    No way! Was Jay in love with Zoe?!


    ¡°That¡¯s my personal life. You need not meddle,¡± Jay retorted coolly.


    ¡°I¡¯m your sister, Jay!¡± Nancy was livid. ¡°Everyone else in the family is gone, and there¡¯s just a few of us


    left. If we don¡¯t stick with each other, we¡¯ll scatter.¡±


    ¡°Sticking together isn¡¯t dependent on meddling with each other¡¯s lives. Caring is plenty enough.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m prying?¡± Nancy growled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d care about you if my father didn¡¯t


    tell me to take care of you before he died? You know how upstanding I am, and how hard it was to


    convince myself to ept you! It was hard for me to set aside a portion of the family fortune for you!¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t need a cent of the family fortune,¡± Jay replied determinedly. ¡°I won¡¯t show up ever again if


    you really find my status uneptable.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Jay Parker! Are you really giving up on your family because of Zoe York?!¡± Nancy snapped, attributing


    all of Jay¡¯s indifference to Zoe.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with her. I just didn¡¯t want you to put yourself through so much trouble.¡±


    ¡°I know very well what you¡¯re thinking, but I won¡¯t argue with you right now. But I¡¯ll make it very clear, I


    won¡¯t ept you marrying Zoe! You can have any other woman you want, even someone from modest


    roots-l¡¯d even sponsor your weddingvishly and make it grand, as long as it isn¡¯t her!¡±


    ¡°Then I shall repeat myself: I don¡¯t need anyone meddling in my personal life.¡± Jay¡¯s response was


    equally staunch.


    Beside them, Cora was dumbstruck-she had never seen Jay act this cold, even at the studio.


    Her mother was obviously being nice to Jay and was earnest about it, treating him like they were actual


    siblings as if Jay wasn¡¯t adopted.


    Shouldn¡¯t Jay be grateful?


    Was he that willing to make enemies of her mother, all for his infatuation with Zoe York?


    Unable to stand the confrontation just then, she said, ¡°Uncle Jay, you should try to understand my


    mother¡¯s perspective. Zoe¡¯s past is a little unusual¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, your mother was a victim, but did it ever cross her mind that Zoe was too?!¡± Jay retorted, starting


    to lose himself a little. ¡°Was she really at fault? Why should she


    suffer for it?!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re still ming me for being too harsh on her?!¡± Nancy bellowed at him. ¡°You thought I was


    wrong from the start! That I should forgive her; that selfish mom of hers and her despicable father!¡±


    ¡°No. You deserve to hate anyone, but not Zoe,¡± Jay argued, not backing down at all. ¡°You¡¯re the one


    who raised her, and she loved you as much as you had loved her. Did it cross your mind how miserable


    she was when you went all out to hurt her?!¡±


    Nancy was left dumbstruck by Jay, but after a while, she snapped, ¡°So you¡¯re saying she deserves to


    take everything from my own daughter?¡±


    ¡°Even if she did, she wasn¡¯t willing-you forced everything on her! Forget not giving her anything, you


    even took everything from her and with interest. Have you any idea how selfish your behavior was?!¡±


    Jay¡¯s words left Nancy furious and humiliated. Unable to refute him, she ended up screaming, ¡°Jay


    Parker!!!¡±


    ¡°U-Uncle Jay,¡± Cora quickly stopped him. ¡°Please stop fighting! Mom just had a checkup at the hospital


    a few days ago since her health has been deteriorating. The doctor insisted she mustn¡¯t stress herself-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Jay simply rose to his feet, walking very quickly on his cane.


    Cora wanted to stop him. ¡°Uncle Jay¡­¡±


    Nheless, a glowering Nancy snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t bother!¡±


    Cora was a little flustered-she never expected that her mother and uncle would argue this violently!

 Chapter 786

    Chapter 786


    Chapter 786


    Bob quickly rose from the couch and hurried after Jay. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±


    Cora tried to speak, but ultimately chose to stay silent.


    For some reason, she had this nagging feeling that Bob was more concerned about those around her


    than her.


    Bob gave Jay a ride home, and the journey was quiet until Bob broke the silence. ¡°Zoe said neither of


    you made up when I took her home.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°If that¡¯s so, why did you argue with Nancy like that?¡± Bob asked, finding Jay behavior unlike him since


    he never bares his emotions like this.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s been fair to Zoe?¡± Jay asked Bob.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve been holding back for a while.¡±


    ¡°But from Nancy¡¯s perspective¡­¡± Bob trailed off, and chuckled slyly. ¡°Fine, that felt cathartic. I¡¯ve been


    holding back for a while, too. Sure, she was a victim, but isn¡¯t Zoe a victim too? But she had to m all


    her pain on Zoe-I would¡¯ve turned against her if she wasn¡¯t an elder!¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied tly, staring outside the window with a gloomy expression.


    He obviously was in a bad mood.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re still in love with Zoe, aren¡¯t you?¡± Bob asked.


    Jay swallowed.


    ¡°Zoe actually told me. She felt stressed being with me, and she never did love me that much anyway,


    which was why she did that thing with you,¡± Bob said calmly as he drove.¡± And you¡¯re hopelessly in


    love with her, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Jay stayed silent; his reaction was basically admitting to it.


    ¡°So why did you push her away in the first ce? Please don¡¯t tell me you only realized your feelings


    for her after she started dating me. I mean, you loved her from the start, didn¡¯t you? I saw that time


    when you two swapped spit right outside Levine Manor.¡±


    As Jay turned towards him, Bob shrugged helplessly and exined, ¡°I wanted to dere my love for


    her that day, but you beat me to it¡­ It¡¯s been years, but no other woman ever really reached your


    heart. That rtionship with Mandy Jessop was all business too, no?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m curious-why reject Zoe? Because the Levines forbid it? I know for sure you¡¯re not one


    who takes things lying down, even if you never were quick to anger. Why else did you fight Nancy like


    that? So tell me, what on earth made you reject Zoe in the past?¡±


    Bob was genuinely confused; everyone could tell that Jay loved Zoe, and perhaps more than they


    could see.


    If that was the case, why did Jay reject Zoe? To what extent had the Levines coerced him?


    To be honest, Bob knew Jay wanted nothing from the Levines; that meant they didn¡¯t pose much of a


    threat.


    Moreover, Jay was a man of principles. He would neverpromise himself so easily.

 Chapter 787

    Chapter 787


    Chapter 787


    The interior of the car grew silent, as Jay didn¡¯t say a word.


    Bob couldn¡¯t make him confess, and since it might be something he could not say, he understood that


    he shouldn¡¯t push Jay too far since they were as close as brothers.


    Sighing, he finally said, ¡°Whatever it is, she¡¯s back. It¡¯s time you take control. Life is short¡ªmiss out


    once, and it might be forever.¡±


    Jay finally spoke. ¡°Do you think I still deserve her?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t think so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a cripple with one leg,¡± Jay said, sounding slightly emotional.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why you never went looking for her over the past three years¡­¡±


    Jay nodded in silence.


    ¡°Do you think Zoe¡¯s that shallow?¡± Bob eximed in slight agitation, but he soon added, ¡°Now that you


    mentioned it, she actually didn¡¯t know your leg was permanently crippled when we spoke today. She


    thought it¡¯s a temporary thing.¡±


    Jay¡¯s fingers clenched without realizing it, while Bob quickly exined, ¡°She wasn¡¯t actually repulsed-


    just surprised. I really don¡¯t think she¡¯s that shallow.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just it,¡± Jay said. ¡°The more you love a person, the more you¡¯re obsessed that you¡¯re not


    good enough to be at her side¡­¡±


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    It was the first time he was honest about his thoughts.


    So he did love her¡­and painfully humbly at that.


    Even so, Bob still felt let down. ¡°If you don¡¯t push yourself to try, how would you know if she won¡¯t


    ept you?¡±


    If you love her, go for it-the worst that could happen was failing¡­


    However, Bob conceded that he was actually a coward as well. He himself had been afraid to confess


    his feelings for Zoe after finding out that she loved him.


    He would have kept it in forever if not for what happened to Zoe, too.


    That being said, he was also concerned he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay friends with Zoe afterwards-that


    was certainly the case now: he and Zoe may bear no ill will towards each other, but they were no


    longer the friends they were before.


    As for Zoe and Jay, what more could they lose at this point?


    In the end, Jay never told Bob what his decision was.


    Moreover, when it came to rtionships, observers could speak too much but to no effect-only those


    involved would understand.


    After returning home, Jay sat on his couch for a long time. He whipped out his phone, having bought


    one on the way to Levine Manor.


    The screen was where he left it: a chat addressed to Zoe, but he ever typed a word.


    It wasn¡¯t as if Bob¡¯s words didn¡¯t have an effect on him.


    And yet¡­


    For three years, Zoe never came to him.


    He actually called her once before-when he was abroad, on the night the doctors told him he could


    return to Zidonia.


    He mustered great courage to contact her, but her number was changed.


    Did that mean she chose to end things with him?


    He was sure she changed her number because of him, and decided that he shouldn¡¯t bother her any


    further.


    And yet, she returned.


    After three long years, he was convinced he could control his feelings when he saw her again.


    Yet the more they met, the more he lost control of himself, and the more he began to yearn for her¡­

 Chapter 788

    Chapter 788


    Chapter 788


    Jay ultimately lowered his phone.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    He should wait a little longer-he didn¡¯t want to disturb her life out of the blue.


    Meanwhile, Jesse Cranston had yet to wake up at the capital.


    The foreign experts were saying that there was a chance he would end up in a vegetative state, but it


    wasn¡¯t the time to give up since there was still hope to save him.


    Cordy brought Dicky to visit, changing into scrubs before entering the cleanroom.


    Jesse slept so peacefully, Cordy would think he was napping if not for all the tubes stuck into him.


    ¡°The doctors told me to talk to you more, and you might just wake up,¡± Cordy said, choking back tears.


    She had always considered herself someone who can control her own emotions well, and had been


    calm on the way here.


    The instant she spoke, however, her tears were already flowing freely.


    After all, she had gone through too much death-too many of her loved ones had departed.


    Her mother, the love of her life¡­and now, her grandfather too?


    After a long silence, she regained her calm and slowly spoke, revealing all the thoughts she hid for


    years without restraint.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why mom ran away from home all those years ago¡­ My first reaction when you came to


    me, telling me that I¡¯m your granddaughter, was that you¡¯ve definitely wronged her. That¡¯s why I was


    distant towards you, even though I didn¡¯t refuse you acknowledging me as your granddaughter- I was


    convinced you had done something terrible to mom, and¡­l wanted revenge.¡±


    ¡°But I grew hesitant whenever I saw that tender smile you always showed me, wondering if I should


    open those gory wounds¡­ I suddenly realized that I was afraid of the truth, that I would be


    overwhelmed, and most of all, that I would hate you.¡±


    Even as her tears flowed uncontrobly, she continued,¡± Isn¡¯t it ironic? I wanted revenge, only to grow


    dependent on my target. I never bothered investigating since then. Even if I looked distant, I must admit


    that I¡¯ve epted you and my heritage as a Cranston.¡±


    When she was finished, Cordy stared at Jesse quietly, hoping he would stir.


    However, he didn¡¯t respond just like always¡ªeveryone from the family was there and everyone spoke


    to him, but no one actually woke him.


    Cordy was simply one of them.


    As she left Jesse¡¯s sickbed, she said, ¡°If you wake up, Grandfather, I hope you can tell me about my


    mother, and nothing else-without prejudice or emotions. I just want to know what she¡¯s like when she¡¯s


    young.¡±


    With that, she left ICU; she didn¡¯t notice that Jesse¡¯s fingers seemed to twitch ever so slightly.


    As she stepped outside, Dicky was there waiting for her, just as Sean was.


    Seeing the sorrowful look on her face, heforted her by saying, ¡°The doctors said a loved one¡¯s


    voice is just one of many alternatives. We¡¯re counting on professional medical science above


    everything, so don¡¯t let it get to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m taking you and Dicky back to the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    In the car on their way back to the hotel, Sean told her, ¡°So, about what we discussed the other day¡­


    The bank ount of my grandfather¡¯swyer showed no unusual transactions.¡±


    Cordy wasn¡¯t surprised.


    After all, Steven Stark could assume the role of Jesse¡¯s legal representative and win Jesse¡¯s trust. That


    meant he was definitely no pushover. In fact, it was even reasonable to assume that he had hidden any


    and all shady transactions perfectly.

 Chapter 789

    Chapter 789


    Chapter 789


    Sean said a little feebly, ¡°Either way, that means we can¡¯t work on Steven.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not set in stone,¡± Cordy argued. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t get anything on his ounts, we can keep


    tabs on his whereabouts. There¡¯s no doubt the mysterious person would contact Steven again.


    Personally, I don¡¯t think awyer would take up such a huge risk just for money. He must have a stake


    in terms of sentiment as well. It¡¯s generally how most people are blinded, especially with money being


    icing on the cake.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Sean agreed to the n without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for my people to keep an eye on him


    in secret, and I¡¯ll also look into his social circles to see if we can find any clues.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Cordy nodded. ¡°Well, I actually have a cruder and more violent idea.¡±


    ¡°I expect it to be violent, but not cruder.¡±


    Sean chuckled-Cordy was as calm as she was meticulous, and any ideas she had would have been


    thought through thoroughly.


    ¡°Get the cops involved,¡± Cordy revealed her n without any hesitation.


    Sean frowned, and asked, ¡°Won¡¯t that make them realize we¡¯re on to them?¡±


    ¡°When there¡¯s nothing much to work with, making them panic is the best option.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Or it might just make them more wary.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we should put on a show to lure them out of hiding.¡±


    Sean appeared solemn as he turned towards her, but she smiled faintly at him.


    They came to a tacit understanding right there and then.


    Soon, they arrived at the hotel. Cordy took Dicky¡¯s hand and led him to the elevator.


    Seeing that the doors were closing, she hurried forward and stopped the doors from closing; only to


    see Lucas inside, sitting on his wheelchair while she was going to enter.


    Cordy almostughed exasperatedly-she honestly had no idea what was tying them to each other at


    this point. Was it some sort of divine intervention?


    Lucas was surprised to see her too, since she looked like she would never stay at this hotel.


    However, Cordy¡¯s train of thought was that if Lucas was admitted to the hospital, there would be


    someone staying with him even after he gets discharged. It was very likely he was staying with the


    Lynds as well; even if he wasn¡¯t, he would find it traumatizing to stay at the hotel when he suffered such


    a serious ident while he was here.


    Yet, he actually stayed here¡­was he that masochistic?


    Cordy really wanted to get out of the elevator, but Dicky excitedly walked up to Lucas¡¯ side and asked,


    ¡°You¡¯re discharged?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes-Dicky was always eager to get chummy with Lucas whenever they met. She


    wondered if John would be rolling in his grave if he knew.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas replied, turning away from Cordy.


    ¡°What¡¯s your room number?¡± Dicky asked.


    ¡°808,¡± Lucas replied.


    ¡°We¡¯re staying at 888,¡± Dicky told him quickly.


    Cordy wanted to cut the conversation a few times, but decided to bear with it since she was afraid of


    disappointing Dicky.


    ¡°Can Ie to your room?¡± Dicky asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, though you should ask your mommy if she¡¯s willing to let youe.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not that petty,¡± Dicky dered smugly, his tone confident.


    Cordy felt like she could die on the spot, but decided against saying what was in her mind.


    Lucas smiled at her frustration. He added sarcastically,¡± Well then, I should thank your mommy who¡¯s


    not at all petty for allowing us to be friends.¡±


    Cordy clenched her knuckles, but Dicky¡¯s eyes were sparkling. He said ecstatically, ¡°Do you think we¡¯re


    friends?¡±

 Chapter 790

    Chapter 790


    Chapter 790


    Dicky was actually a little surprised-his daddy used to consider him nothing but a brat, but the man now


    treated him like an equal.


    He had wanted to win his father¡¯s acknowledgement for a while, but his daddy was just too formidable.


    Thus, he couldn¡¯t do much.


    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    However, the one thing he might be better than his daddy was in making his mommy happy.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Lucas replied, as if it was only natural.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯lle byter.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    And with that, they agreed to meet. Meanwhile, Cordy didn¡¯t even get a word in.


    In fact, Dicky couldn¡¯t wait to leave. ¡°Mommy, I want to go y with Lucas!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about leaving you alone with a stranger,¡± Cordy said, finally getting a reasonable excuse.


    ¡°Lucas isn¡¯t a stranger-he¡¯s Daddy,¡± Dicky said with conviction.


    Cordy kept staring at him in silence, and he gave in. ¡°Fine, he¡¯s not at the moment. But he¡¯s no


    stranger either¡ªwe¡¯ve met many times.¡±


    ¡°Do you know this is how human traffickers kidnap children?¡¯


    Dicky was a little speechless. ¡°Mommy, Lucas wouldn¡¯t sink that low no matter how bad it gets!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m worried about letting you go anywhere alone.¡±


    ¡°I brought my phone. I¡¯ll call you if I¡¯m in danger.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d get the chance if you were?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s a satellite tracker,¡± Dicky said, hiding it in his clothes as Cordy watched. ¡°I¡¯ve kept it hidden


    deep under my shirt so no one will notice, but you can instantly find out where I am.¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the distress buzzer. I¡¯m keeping it in my pocket so I can press it easily.¡±


    ¡°And here¡¯s the micro camera you¡¯ve tailor-made for me, attached to my cor. You can watch


    everything I do, and see who I¡¯m with.¡±


    Everything Dicky did left Cordy stumped.


    There was no question she had been overprotective of him and used everything safety measure she


    could. Dicky wouldn¡¯t use those devices whenever he was perfectly safe, since he was already ten;


    Cordy should care about his privacy and refrain from pushing him since he was reluctant to carry those


    around.


    Naturally, she was surprised he was so willing to put everything on himself. Stopping him now would


    make her personal prejudice obvious.


    ¡°Can I go now, Mommy?¡± Dicky asked her expectantly, since she had been silent for a while.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Cordy finally nodded, albeit reluctantly.


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy!¡± Dicky could hardly hide his joy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go for too long. Come back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Dicky agreed to it right away.


    ¡°No more than two hours-¡°


    Dicky left before Cordy could finish, and she felt like the son she had raised with great care was being


    stolen away right under her nose.


    Still, she wasn¡¯t idling after Dicky left. She had a lot of work on her hands since she rushed to the


    capital, and was soon engrossed in it.


    When she was done, she realized that the afternoon was almost over, and it was long past two hours.


    Was Dicky not intending toe back? It was almost time for dinner!


    She promptly whipped out her phone to call his phone, but he wasn¡¯t answering¡­


    Getting a little worried, Cordy didn¡¯t hesitate to turn on the micro camera app on her phone.


    That was when she saw it.

 Chapter 791

    Chapter 791


    Chapter 791


    When Cordy tapped into the camera, she never expected to see Dicky helping Lucas shower.


    Her eyes were burning from the not-quite family-friendly scene.


    And what does Lucas take her son for, ordering him around like that?!


    Cordy was reeling from rage, even as the scene of the screen left her flushing.


    How could that man be so shameless?


    Cordy promptly turned off the screen, but not before having a clear view of the scene before her.


    It therefore remained clear and stuck in her mind¡­


    Hold on.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed, and her cheeks which reddened from anger and embarrassment slowly turned


    pale.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    She remembered Lucas¡¯s appearance, and felt a pang familiarity.


    Her hands were shaking as she turned on the camera again, but Lucas had already changed into a


    bathrobe and Dicky was helping him out of the bathroom.


    Cordy¡¯s heart was racing, as she felt skeptical and was afraid of holding any expectations.


    She feared she couldn¡¯t suffer the pain of disappointment.


    And yet¡­ Was there really that many coincidences in this world?


    Face, demeanor, and figure¡­and most importantly, being identical beneath the waist!


    Cordy gritted her teeth, no longer hesitating as she rushed out of the room and to Lucas¡¯s.


    Dicky opened the door for her. Seeing that his mother looked unusually worried, he quickly said, I¡¯m


    fine, Mommy. I was just helping Lucas take a shower, so I didn¡¯te back sooner-¡¯


    However, his mother had already rushed into Lucas¡¯s room before he could finish, leaving him stunned


    as that was the first time his mother ever ignored him.


    Dicky quickly gave chase, believing that Cordy was going to unleash her wrath on Lucas when it really


    was not Lucas¡¯s fault.


    Lucas was going to shower on his own, and told Dicky to go back lest


    Cordy got worried. 1


    Dick refused-Lucas was limp on one leg. What if he fell in the bathroom? He was determined to stay


    and help Lucas take a shower, promising that he would leave as soon as they were done.


    In the end, Lucas was concerned that Cordy would worry about Dicky. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so


    quick with his shower.


    As Dicky ran in after his mommy, he saw her wing off Lucas¡¯s bathrobe.


    Lucas, who was in his wheelchair, was stunned by Cordy suddenly stripping him, not quite


    understanding what on earth was happening.


    For Cordy¡¯s part, her heart was racing as she studied Lucas¡¯s body in anticipation, her hands shaking


    again.


    When she took care of Lucas the other night and wiped his body for him, she never noticed anything


    since Lucas wiped his own crotch.


    And now¡­


    She stared fixedly at Lucas¡¯s boxers.


    Did the truthy underneath those boxers?


    She was at once thrilled and afraid that this sudden hope would be quickly followed by great


    disappointment.


    Despite her fears, she started to reach for the boxers.


    Her hands were a little cool, and Lucas¡¯s body stiffened when they brushed against his belly.


    She gritted her teeth and started to pull off Lucas¡¯s boxes with zero hesitation. However, he grabbed


    her wrists just as she did so.


    Cordy blinked, and found herself staring back at Lucas¡¯s dark expression¡­ Though upon closer


    inspection, she could see an almost imperceptible redness on his cheeks.

 Chapter 792

    Chapter 792


    Chapter 792


    Growling through his teeth, Lucas demanded, ¡°Are you that much of a pervert, Cordy?!¡±


    Forget stripping his bathrobe-she was trying to pull off his boxes, all while Dicky was watching!


    His cheeks were so hot one could cook an egg on it; though he knew he shouldn¡¯t see it, he couldn¡¯t


    pry his eyes away from curiosity¡­


    Stop.


    Lucas quickly realized his thoughts had strayed too far off, and this was far from the point-he was


    supposed to be stopping Cordy from taking off his boxers!


    Cordy in turn came to her senses, as if she finally realized what she was actually doing¡­but all she


    wanted was the truth!


    On the other hand, she meant nothing to Lucas, especially since she was molesting her while


    repeatedly iming that she despised him before.


    ¡°Are you possessed or something?!¡± he demanded, and firmly tried to push her away.


    But she held fast, because she wanted the truth-to find out if Lucas was John Levine.


    The thought filled her chest with agony and she remembered John, but the pain only solidified her


    determination even more.


    She gritted her teeth, and refused to let go.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Cordy!¡± Lucas bellowed, rage coloring his face. ¡°Your son is still here, but you¡¯re being


    so¡­brazen!¡±


    ¡°I volunteer to leave,¡± Dicky said quickly.


    He was in truth very curious and surprised by what his mommy was doing; but if leaving meant they


    would get back together, he would do so without hesitation!


    In fact, he quickly ran towards the door as he spoke, even tactfully closing the door forthem.


    Dicky would certainly enjoy having a sibling around the house, since he loved having a lively home.


    Nheless, Lucas and Cordy were still in a stalemate in the room; with the former doing all he could


    to keep his boxers on while thetter tried to pull it off as much as she could.


    ¡°Get ahold of yourself, Cordy!¡¯ Lucas roared. He had absolutely no idea why Cordy was behaving this


    bizarrely, since he knew her well enough that she would never behave in such an obscene way.


    ¡°I¡¯m perfectly fine,¡± Cordy retorted, her voice slow and clear.


    ¡°In that case, let go of me already-¡¯


    ¡°I want to see it,¡¯ Cordy snapped, cutting him short.


    Lucas almost choked at that very moment.


    Did he misheard?!


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Did Cordy just say that?


    She was disgusted with him, wasn¡¯t she?


    She may not know this, but he knew that she had thrown away the towel he used to wipe his groin. Yet


    now, she wants to see it?!


    He wondered if she had left her brains in her room before she came here.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Cordy said solemnly. ¡°I want to see it.¡±


    ¡°And you think I¡¯m just going to let you?!¡± Lucas screamed, incensed. ¡°I¡¯m not a gigolo! I have my


    modesty!¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed as she continued to stare daggers at him, leaving him utterly bemused.


    Why was she looking at him like he was the one at fault? Was she aware of how despicable she was


    behaving?


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?! This is legitimate self defense!¡¯


    ¡°Just one look.¡± Cordy restrained her emotions, her voice softer, though she remained ever determined.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even getting half!¡± Lucas wouldn¡¯tpromise when ites to protecting his modesty.


    Ultimately, Cordy couldn¡¯t restrain her temper. ¡°Would it kill you to let me look just once?!¡±


    Lucas was certain he could blow up right there and then. ¡°I¡¯m not that casual about-mmph?!¡±


    His eyes widened as Cordy suddenly pressed her lips on his forcefully.

 Chapter 793

    Chapter 793


    Chapter 793


    Lucas had never experienced such a move from Cordy.


    He was in his wheelchair, and with one of his hands keeping a tight grip on his boxers, he couldn¡¯t push


    her away with his free hand.


    All he could feel at that moment was her wild, searing kiss.


    It wasn¡¯t as if they had never kissed before. That one time, he couldn¡¯t resist doing it as Cordy was


    reeling from rage back then.


    What was more, that time felt totally different from this kiss¡­because right now, he had no desire to


    push her away.


    In fact, he was starting to get hot and bothered.


    Even if Cordy was awful at kissing, and one might describe it as rough and uncouth-his heart was


    beginning to beat endlessly with a sense of anticipation he couldn¡¯t describe.


    No! He must not fall for this woman¡¯s seduction!


    Lucas warned himself then that he had a girlfriend, and this behavior was cheating.


    His morals wouldn¡¯t allow it!


    Yet even as he was about to push her off for good, his body suddenly stiffened.


    Did she¡­ Did she just reach underneath his boxers with her hands?


    How much bolder could she get?!


    F*ck!


    He stopped her from pulling off his underpants, but was unable to prevent her from groping underneath


    it.


    Woman¡­!


    When she was cold, she was ice-keeping people at arms¡¯ length, with her bodynguage basically


    screaming distance.


    But when she was hot, she was an incarnation of fire that threatened to immte him.


    Despite his reluctance, Lucas¡¯s heart rate turned wild and irregr.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    So this was how it feels to get aroused¡­ The mind went fuzzy, and it felt like you were ready to give in


    at a moment¡¯s notice¡­


    No!


    He must not fall now.


    Even if he really wanted to, he must at least break up with Nana first- doing it right now would be unfair


    to anyone!


    He caught himself and came to a realization¡­that he didn¡¯t really want to hurt Cordy.


    Nheless, he extended hisrge hands and firmly pushed her off.


    He thought it would take all his strength to get her off, since she wrapped herself around him like a


    clingy octopus¡­only to find that he had pushed her abruptly to the floor.


    It was almost as if she was following his motions to pull away from him; she appeared so defenseless


    when he pushed her off. 1


    Lucas quickly moved to help her up, only to notice the look in her eyes.


    He lowered his eyes, following her gaze to finally realize what had just happened; all the while feeling a


    cool breeze from the groin.


    Sh*t¡­ What a cunning woman!


    Cordy tricked him!


    He was now confident that Cordy kissed him exactly because she knew he would push her away.


    Since that wouldn¡¯t work with one hand, he would have to use both hands.


    And once he had done that, the heavily defended boxers could be easily pulled off as he pushed her


    away.


    He promptly covered his groin with both hands, snapping in utter displeasure, ¡°You¡¯re creeping me out,


    Cordy! You filthy molester!*


    On the other hand, Cordy was sitting on the floor, motionless as if she had lost all senses.


    She was still staring at Lucas¡¯s groin, even if his hands were covering itpletely.


    She saw it very clearly just now-it was identical in every aspect.


    A man¡¯s appearance could be changed anywhere else¡­but not there!


    And yet, the man before her really didn¡¯t know her.


    There was no way it was feigned; she could feel as much.


    Still, she realized with a start¡­

 Chapter 794

    Chapter 794


    Chapter 794


    Dicky mentioned that Lucas was amnesiac¡­ So, that was true?


    Was he hit in the head and subsequently lost his memories when the bomb struck?


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He had reconstructive surgery on the face because it was necessary, since he was terribly wounded


    there.


    But Lucas¡¯s dossier that Sean gave her.Jt couldn¡¯t have been fake.


    What on earth had gone wrong? Was this man John Levine or not?!


    Nheless, Cordy¡¯s tears started streaming as if she had lost herself- she was feeling so conflicted,


    and she was unsure if she should be happy or agonized.


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t have to go that far!¡± Lucas was shocked by her suddenly bawling.


    In previous confrontations, neither of them really came up on top¡­ But now, Cordy was there in front of


    him, bawling!


    He didn¡¯t say anything out of line today, either!


    Usually, he would¡¯ve paid her back in full, especially since they used to be constantly at each other¡¯s


    necks. Yet now, he was speechless to see her suddenly crying. ¡°Look, you¡¯re the one who molested me


    and got to see me naked, so why are you crying? Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re the one suffering here, like I¡¯m in


    the wrong¡ª¡±


    ¡°John¡­¡± Cordy suddenly murmured.


    Lucas stopped dead, taken aback by a sudden aching in his chest.


    It was distinct, and could never be ignored.


    What the hell? Why did it hurt when Cordy called him that?


    Nheless, Cordy pressed, ¡®Is it really you?¡±


    There was hope in her tear-filled eyes, and Lucas felt the air leaving his lungs.


    Cordy¡¯s reaction left him breathless-how was she able to make him feel such overwhelming emotions?


    At that very moment, he was actually afraid of disappointing her.


    Even so¡­ He wasn¡¯t John Levine.


    Someone told Lucas who he was when he woke up, and even carried out an investigation about his


    identity.


    However, he found no issues at the time.


    And yet, his heart was now suddenly ring with jealousy.


    So, Cordy was ovee by her attachment to John Levine to the point she would do something this


    outrageous?


    Was he just a stand-in for John Levine?!


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡¯ he snapped, his words curt and sharp. His expression was frosty.


    His denial left Cordy¡¯s tears gushing again, and he gritted his teeth in frustration.


    Women really know how to use their tears to win sympathy, don¡¯t they?


    At first, he was still furious, but that fury seemed to subside once she started crying-as if he couldn¡¯t


    hold it against her even when she was using him as a recement for John Levine.


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said, his tone still unfriendly but obviouslypromising. ¡°It¡¯s a special day you had


    with him, isn¡¯t it? You can treat me like him for one day without charge, but I¡¯m telling you, this only


    applies for one day. Also, no more molesting¡­¡±


    However, Cordy¡¯s tears continued to flow freely. At that, he growled through his teeth, ¡°Just no sex,


    okay?¡±


    That was his finalpromise.


    And yet, Cordy¡¯s tears showed no sign of stopping. With rising indignation, he started ranting, his voice


    filled with irritation, ¡°That¡¯s enough from you, woman¡ªthis is already too much sacrifice for me! What


    more do you want? Do I owe you something? Why do I feel so helpless just because you started


    crying? Hell, why am I starting to feel sad too? F*ck! Am I really that into you?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t in control of his emotions; just like Cordy, who was hurting.


    Cordy was in pain not because of how Lucas was treating her, but instead the conflict and delight from


    a mixture of doubt and belief that she regained someone she thought lost.


    Nheless, Lucas¡¯s hysterical words left her silent, and her tears stopped.


    She looked at him with eyes blurred by tears as he bristled from head to toe.


    Lucas noticed her gaze, and snapped, ¡°Are you happy now? Getting smug, aren¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 795

    Chapter 795


    Chapter 795


    Lucas continued his rant, his ire rising steadily the entire time. ¡°I have a fiancee and we¡¯re supposed to


    get married soon, and we¡¯ve been together for three years! Somehow, that¡¯s no match for the three


    months I¡¯ve met you, and now, I¡¯m going to be scum! F*ck! What is it about you that draws me to you,


    that I¡¯d fall so hard for you?!¡±


    He was ming Cordy for everything, even though she was always so harsh to him and never tried to


    seduce him-ever.


    Yet he fell for her, anyway.


    Was he some sort of masochist?!


    ¡°Say something!¡± he snarled furiously, feeling a little creeped out as Cordy continued to gape at him.


    Cordy came to her senses, since her mind was still processing whether Lucas was John Levine.


    Everything he said never crossed her mind, and it was certainly not the fact that he was engaged.


    ¡°Say what?¡± she asked nkly.


    Lucas almost had a heart attack.


    She managed to bewitch him aftering over to seduce him, and now, she wasn¡¯t going to im


    responsibility?!


    ¡°Tell me that you love me!¡¯ he growled through his teeth, furious and seething with rage.


    Those who did not know better would think that he was saying ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    He was impossible.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Cordy pursed her lips, thinking to herself that she loved John Levine and not Lucas.


    It was just a coincidence that there was a chance Lucas might actually be John.


    ¡°So you were using me like a tool, weren¡¯t you?¡± Lucas growled, ring at her and actually considering


    murder as an option.


    It wasn¡¯t easy for her to admit his true feelings and to decide to be with her, even if he had to shoulder


    the moral responsibility.


    Yet she was already dumping him?!


    ¡°Use you for what?¡± Cordy was perplexed.


    ¡°As a recement for John Levine?¡± Lucas growled through his teeth.


    Cordy was speechless, but that wasn¡¯t it.


    She was actually perplexed because Lucas waspletely different from John-did his personality


    change so drastically just because he lost his memories?


    Fine.


    She could now admit it to herself that Lucas was John-there were far too many coincidences for her to


    keep lying to herself.


    But before she confirmed it, she wouldn¡¯t indulge herself.


    Lucas stared warily as Cordy suddenly rose from the floor.


    What was she up to this time?


    Forget not answering him-why was she getting so close to him again?


    His heart would race whenever she did!


    Nheless, he held his breath at that very moment, feeling her moving ever closer.


    When she leaned towards him, he promptly shut his eyes.


    Since he had admitted to having feelings for her, pointless resistance was unnecessary.


    Even if this wasn¡¯t right, he could just get around to sorting out his feelingster.


    Just a little bit before they got together wasn¡¯t that morally inappropriate, was it?


    In fact, he was already puckering his lips¡­only to feel a stinging sensation from his scalp, just as


    Cordy¡¯s breath pulled away from him.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± he snapped furiously, quickly putting a hand over his head.


    He had no idea if he was furious that Cordy pulled out his hair, or that she didn¡¯t kiss him.

 Chapter 796

    Chapter 796


    Chapter 796


    Lucas was absolutely livid. ¡°You better exin yourself, Cordy! Why the hell did you take my hair-¡°


    He looked up, only to find that Cordy was already gone.


    F*ck!


    Lucas could blow up from sheer rage-she left right after she was done flirting? Where was her sense of


    responsibility?!


    He rushed straight into the bathroom, dousing himself with cold water to cool off.


    On the other hand, Cordy wasn¡¯t actually as calm as she appeared as she left Lucas¡¯s room.


    In fact, she was worried she would lose control.


    Now, the priority was to confirm Lucas¡¯s identity with no uncertainty.


    Dicky¡¯s parental test failed before, but the boy imed that the sample was the issue.


    She didn¡¯t think much of it at the time, and was convinced that he was just being obsessed.


    But at this very moment, she believed Dickypletely.


    She returned to her hotel room to find Dicky on the couch, watching TV.


    He beamed when he saw her return. ¡® Wee back, Mommy.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy stared at him, her fingers clenching on the strand of hair and asked,¡± Dicky, do you really think


    that Lucas is your daddy?¡±


    ¡°Of course! You finally believed it now, Mommy?¡± Dicky asked, beaming with excitement.


    ¡°I have a strand of his hair here. I want yours too for a parental test.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it, I already¡­¡± Dicky suddenly trailed off.


    He knows his mommy might not actually believe him, but she would have to if she did it herself.


    As such, he promptly corrected himself. ¡°Okay.¡±


    While he spoke, he quickly pulled out a strand of his hair, worried that Cordy would change her mind.


    Cordy took his hair and inhaled deeply before calling Sean. ¡°Sorry, I know you¡¯re busy, but I need a


    favor.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I need a parental test.¡±


    ¡°A parental test?¡± Sean sounded very much surprised. ¡°You¡¯re not suspecting that Dicky isn¡¯t your son,


    are you? I mean, there¡¯s not much resemnce, but¡­¡±


    Still, Sean stopped himself when he noticed Cordy¡¯s mood. He quickly told her, ¡°I¡¯ming to your


    hotel in half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced as she hung up.


    In under half an hour, Sean arrived.


    Cordy wasn¡¯t nning to bring Dicky along, and brought him to Lucas¡¯s room.


    He was surprised, even looking reluctant. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯d babysit for you just because I¡¯m into you. I


    have my principles too¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go, Dicky,¡± Cordy said, and started to lead Dicky away without another word.


    ¡°Hold on, I wasn¡¯t finished!¡± Lucas said, quickly catching Dicky¡¯s wrist. ¡°I mean, you really shoulde


    back sooner. Children need to sleep early.¡±


    Cordy grinned at him, leaving him blushing.


    He had this feeling this was just the start¡ªthat Cordy had already sunk her ws into him.


    Dicky, who was next to them, was grinning too.


    His daddy really was as stubborn as he was weak-the man didn¡¯t evenst a second!


    Later, Cordy got into Sean¡¯s car with a somber look.


    Sensing her foul mood, Sean quickly said, ¡°Look, I was just kidding. Dicky does resemble you.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Cordy asked, keen on rxing her mood as well.


    ¡°When you get angry.¡±


    Cordy was speechless, and Sean chuckled. ¡°That said, why a parental test out of the blue? Could¡¯ve


    done it earlier-l mean, did you buy it just


    because John told you he¡¯s your son?¡±


    However, Cordy knew all too well whether Dicky was her son, and didn¡¯t need anything to prove it.


    What she needed to confirm was whether she had just found John again.

 Chapter 797

    Chapter 797


    Chapter 797


    It was past work hours at the DNA test center, but naturally, Sean could make the arrangements.


    They also worked fast, and the result came in under two hours.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean held out the document folder to Cordy, who looked visibly nervous.


    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± Sean asked in surprise, since Cordy always kept her emotions hidden.


    Even if Dicky didn¡¯t resemble Cordy, he really doubted if they weren¡¯t rted, considering the striking


    resemnce in their mannerisms.


    ¡°Should I read it to you?¡± Sean offered, considering her reaction.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said firmly, taking the folder and slowly opening it.


    Sean looked over her shoulder to read it out of curiosity, and they both saw it.


    [99.99% chance of biological connection between subjects.]


    In other words¡­


    Cordy¡¯s eyes immediately turned red, and utterly so.


    The immense emotional turmoil overwhelmed her.


    She had actually considered the possibility that Lucas was John Levine.


    Before, both Dicky and Zoe insisted that he was, just as she began to notice the little details.


    However, her tears ran wild when she finally confirmed it.


    So miracles do exist in this world!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean asked, noticing her tearful look. ¡°Isn¡¯t this great? That means Dicky¡¯s your son.


    Are those tears of joy?¡±


    Cordy bit her lip, not inclined to tell Sean too much and add to his troubles.


    ¡°Why are you being so docile today?¡¯ Sean asked, frowning. ¡°Wait, are the subjects really you and


    Dicky? Or could it be-¡°


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said, cutting Sean short-he would get it with his next guess.


    Sean wanted to press her, but decided to stay silent.


    If she didn¡¯t want him to know, he wouldn¡¯t force her.


    Returning to the car, Sean asked her, ¡°Have you had dinner?¡±


    ¡±1¡¯11 do it back at the hotel.¡±


    ¡°Bring Dicky along. Let¡¯s eat together,¡± Sean said.


    ¡°No. you don¡¯t have to. You¡¯re busy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just dinner.¡± Sean shrugged nonchntly.


    ¡°No, you really shouldn¡¯t join us.¡± Cordy¡¯s tone was staunch.


    Sean didn¡¯t press her once again, since he really was very busy-the investigation of their grandfather¡¯s


    illness couldn¡¯t wait.


    Dicky wasn¡¯t around when Cordy returned to their room.


    He must still be in Lucas¡¯s room.


    No, not Lucas-John. John Levine.


    And yet, she didn¡¯t have the courage to see him, just as she wasn¡¯t sure what their current rtionship


    was.


    He now had a fiancee, and he hadpletely forgotten about Cordy.


    What the hell happened back then?


    How did John survive that explosion?


    How did he lose his memories?


    How was he given such an impable identity?


    Was this whole thing a ploy to trick someone?


    Cordy was in a mess of emotions.


    It first started with the feeling of regaining someone she thought lost; once she calmed down, she


    realized that in reality, there were a lot of issues that she must face.

 Chapter 798

    Chapter 798


    Chapter 798


    The door creaked, and Dicky¡¯s voice could be heard as it opened.


    ¡°Come in, Lucas. Mommy¡¯s not around anyway¡­¡±


    Just as he finished, he found Cordy seated on the couch and looking utterly pessimistic.


    ¡°Mommy?¡± Dicky gasped in surprise. ¡°When did youe back?¡±


    Why didn¡¯t she call him after she did, or went looking for him?


    Lucas-no, John-was frowning at Cordy as well, and there was a slight displeasure in his tone. ¡°Why


    didn¡¯t you say anything after you came back?¡±


    Cordy turned towards John, and wondered what he went through that he would make his face into that


    state.


    Her eyes welled with tears, which started to gush quietly; as if a dam had broken.


    She wondered for a moment if she would end up using up all the tears she had for the rest of her life.


    John was shocked by her reaction-had she always been so vulnerable?


    She certainly wasn¡¯t whenever they got into fights.


    Dicky was shocked too. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mommy? Please, you¡¯re scaring me ¡­ Wait, was the test result


    a dud? That means it has to be an issue with the issue. I never told you, but thest time we¡¯re here at


    the capital, I already did another test, and the result was¡ªOof!¡¯


    Cordy sped a hand over Dicky¡¯s mouth, and was shaking her head ever so slightly.


    A gesture for the boy to keep quiet.


    Dicky¡¯s eyes widened-why?!


    If she knew Lucas was actually his daddy, they should tell him right now so he would return to them¡­


    Still, Dicky soon realized that she might want to tell Lucas alone. Naturally, he had to be tactful about


    this.


    He promptly nodded, indicating he understood, and Cordy released him.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    John stood beside them, watching in utter confusion.


    Those two were clearlymunicating something, and he had the feeling it had something to do with


    him.


    However, he couldn¡¯t guess what it was about¡­ Was this the tacit understanding between mother and


    son?


    His heart skipped a beat when he realized it, and actually got a little angry that he was being excluded-


    he even had this feeling that they should be together.


    Why did he feel this way? Why was he already so eager to be family with them?


    Cordy had definitely bewitched his heart and soul!


    ¡°I was a little harsh,¡± he suddenly said, looking her in the eye.


    Cordy and Dicky both turned towards him aftering to an agreement; he felt that her earnest gaze


    could pierce through his heart.


    She was still crying as she looked at him-anyone who didn¡¯t know better would be left wondering how


    much he had wounded her.


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re a littlete, and Dicky still hasn¡¯t eaten dinner,¡± John exined. ¡®I¡¯m just a little upset


    that you could¡¯vee to us if you returned early. Dicky¡¯s been waiting for you toe home and eat


    with you.


    He was nning to take Dicky to the restaurant to eat, since Cordy must¡¯ve left because of something


    important and probably wouldn¡¯t be back for dinner.


    Dicky, however, was convinced that his mommy would make it back in time. Thus, John had no choice


    but to starve and wait with the boy.


    He was a little bored with waiting when Dicky mentioned something about programming.


    Come to think of it, what did the boy know of programming?


    Either way, he didn¡¯t ask any questions and simply followed Dicky to their room, where they found


    Cordy sitting there and spacing out.


    He was a little ufortable at the thought that she would rather do that thane to them.


    He even dered his feelings for her! And yet, was she not going to spare him even an ounce of


    dignity?!

 Chapter 799

    Chapter 799


    Chapter 799


    Cordy wiped her tears subtly and worked hard to repress her emotions, and asked, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten


    yet?¡±


    ¡°Have you?¡± John asked in return.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°Then what are you spacing out for? I¡¯ve already booked a ce at the restaurant. Come on,¡± he said,


    and reached out to pull her up to her feet.


    Gordy¡¯s fingers twitched, her heart aflutter. John urging her to have dinner soon was just a nonchnt


    gesture on his part, and yet¡­


    The instant he touched her hand, she seemed to flinch, which left John with an indescribable emotion.


    He couldn¡¯t even describe what he was feeling.


    Damn it! He was never this sharp towards her before, but now, every move and every gaze she had left


    his heart pounding uncontrobly.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    However, he didn¡¯t let go of her, and actually held on tighter.


    Cordy didn¡¯t turn him down either, and the trio left the room.


    Dicky was so happy, he could hardly hide his delight from his little face- his parents were finally getting


    back together, and their family was now reunited!


    As the trio sat on the dining table, John made the orders before finally letting go of Gordy¡¯s hand.


    All she felt was her palm burning, as if the heat from John¡¯s entire body would incinerate her.


    One could tell upon a closer look that his ears were read, though he kept acting nonchnt about it.


    His personality had certainly changed drastically-perhaps because he had been living in a different


    environment for three years, or perhaps that was how he actually was when he wasn¡¯t around Cordy,


    as Dicky had mentioned.


    However, there were plenty of minute details that made it obvious that he was John.


    Cordy kept staring at him, just like that.


    She didn¡¯t even notice that she was, and was looking intently at him as if it was only natural.


    John was left blushing from her stare, growing restless from head to toe.


    Raising a brow, he said, ¡¯I know I¡¯m handsome, but you¡¯re staring at me so obviously, it¡¯s like you want


    to devour me.¡±


    He appeared nonchnt, but it was obviously to hide his panic.


    No one could resist Cordy when she had that innocent maiden look-even a man with a strong restraint


    like himself wanted to go wild right then and there.


    Cordy came to her senses right then, and blushed scarlet.


    Dicky was chuckling softly beside them-so his parents could get ufortable.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom,¡± Cordy said, and she quickly left her seat.


    John watched as she left, realizing he had truly been bewitched-he was reluctant to see her go, even if


    it was just for a few minutes.


    He had a feeling that he didn¡¯t want to part with her, not even for a single second.


    She was incredibly captivating.


    Still, he forced himself to calm down; if he didn¡¯t, he would need a cardiologist soon given how fast his


    heart was pumping, especially with the irregr rhythm of his heart rate.


    It took Cordy a while to return; she had left to calm herself, too.

 Chapter 800

    Chapter 800


    Chapter 800


    Cordy was afraid of imagining that John was still alive, but he really was¡­


    And yet, she was apprehensive all the same


    Was this what they meant with ¡®win some, lose some¡¯?!


    At the dining table, the waiters brought their respective steaks. Cordy had too much on her mind and


    ate very slowly, basically not tasting anything at all.


    That was when she saw John pick up her te, swapping his with hers.


    Surprised, Cordy stared nkly at the steak which had been cut into tiny slices.


    John was actually surprised he would do that for her-he never took the initiative with anyone else.


    And yet, he couldn¡¯t help it when Cordy was involved.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get any funny ideas,¡¯ he said, though it was clear he was eager to please.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help smiling as she watched his terrible acting.


    John naturally noticed, and gave up on pretenses. ¡°Fine, I just want to be nice to you and couldn¡¯t help


    it, because you¡¯ve bewitched me. Is that good enough?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s smile broadened.


    For some reason, she felt it was fine if John was like this.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t get it,¡± John muttered. ¡®The way I did it so smoothly, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve done it for you before¡­¡±


    Cordy¡¯s smile suddenly went stiff, and her eyes welled with tears again.


    Did he remember?


    ¡°Are you that touched?¡± John asked in surprise, looking her in the eye.


    Cordy lowered her gaze¡ªshe had clearly been getting ahead of herself.


    She slowly ate the steak John cut for him, and asked casually, ¡®You had amnesia, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    John did not deny it. ¡°How did you know? Were you looking into me?¡±


    ¡°Three years ago?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John nodded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything at all?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± John said feebly. ¡°I tried many methods, but nothing helped. I decided to just let it be after a year


    of trying. The doctor told me that a radical approach might not be effective, but I might recover when I


    least expect it.¡¯


    ¡°Did he tell you what caused your amnesia?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a blood clot pressing against my hippocampus. Extraction is risky given the location, so my


    doctor advised against it, though it might melt in time and I¡¯d regain my memories by then.¡¯


    Cordy nodded silently.


    ¡°Why did you suddenly ask about that?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Just curious.¡±


    ¡°You want to know about my past, don¡¯t you?¡± John asked, as if he understood her. ¡°Most of all, about


    my past with Nana?¡±


    Cordy was just taking a sip of wine, and almost choked on it at the mention of Nana.


    John simply passed her a tissue. ¡°There¡¯s no need to hide it. I told you I¡¯m into you, so I¡¯lle clean


    about my past. I¡¯m nning to tell you after I broke up with Nana, but I can tell you now since you¡¯re so


    impatient.¡±


    Cordy was speechless-how was she being impatient? He was the one who mentioned it in the first


    ce!


    In fact, she never spoke of Nana at all.


    Even so, she didn¡¯t say no¡­ She could even admit to herself that she would have a hard time refusing


    his offer.


    ¡°We met abroad. We happened to be staying in the same hospital-she was staying in cardiology, while I


    was in trauma. It was right after I lost my memory because of an ident.¡±


    No, you were on a ship when it blew up.


    ¡°It was a bad time for me, since I was in pieces and lost my memory at that. I couldn¡¯t recognize


    anything or anyone around me, including my parents.¡¯


    No, they were strangers in the first ce.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The face you see now was actually restored after multiple reconstructive surgeries.¡±


    No, you never recovered-your face had changed so much!

 Chapter 801

    Chapter 801


    Chapter 801


    John then began to recount how he started dating Nana. ¡°I happened to run into Nana at the time. She


    was just about to get a heart transnt surgery with not much chance of sess, around sixty to


    seventy.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched on her wine ss-she hated it, but she also wanted to know his past.


    ¡°One of the care workers had wheeled me out on a stroll in the garden of the hospital. I looked like a


    mummy, with my whole face bandaged. She must¡¯ve found my appearance amusing, so she


    approached me and asked what condition I had.¡±


    ¡°She spoke in Zidonian, and it gave me a sense of familiarity in contrast to my parents. Moreover, it¡¯s


    been a while since I just woke up from the ident. I basically never spoke to anyone¡­ And yet, I


    talked to her a lot that day, and we learned about our respective situations.¡± 1


    ¡°That was when she said she¡¯d date me if she survives the surgery. I said yes.¡¯


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    John nced at Cordy as he said that, and saw her calmly sipping her red wine, looking almost


    unaffected.


    It made sense¡ªit was the past, and she was rational enough to not get petty.


    Since it was of no concern, he continued, ¡°Actually, I never felt any sort of attraction towards her at the


    time. We were just mostly licking each other¡¯s wounds under desperate circumstances. I stayed with


    her until she was wheeled into surgery, and the surgery was a sess¡ªthe doctors said she could


    even live like a normal person.¡¯


    ¡°And with that, we started dating. She stayed at the hospital with me for another six months, even


    though she could¡¯ve been discharged much earlier.¡±


    ¡°When the bandages came off my face and revealed my hideousness, even I hated myself-but she


    didn¡¯t. I admit, she touched my heart at the time. And so, feelings began to bud right then.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, before I met you, I always thought I loved Nana. The reason we decided to date each


    other in the first ce was whimsical, sure, but I never felt repulsed towards her after years of being


    with her. In fact, I wanted to care for her. But after I met you¡­ I realized that attraction isn¡¯t soft and


    warm, nor was it a responsibility. You literally go crazy in love.¡¯


    Cordy kept sipping on her wind, though her heart rate was elerating.


    ¡°Let me put it to you this way: I was hostile to you because I couldn¡¯t ept how I was drawn to you.


    While I dated Nana, I met my fair share of women eager to have me. Some even went as far as going


    naked. I never felt a thing towards them, and I was actually disgusted by them. That¡¯s why I just don¡¯t


    get why I couldn¡¯t help falling for you. You¡¯re not the most beautiful¡ª¡±


    Cordy looked up at him, and he promptly corrected himself. ¡°Err, I mean, you¡¯re very beautiful, but


    you¡¯re the type with hidden depths and are devastatingly attractive.¡±


    At that, Cordy looked away and kept sipping her wine.


    With that, John continued, ¡®I never considered myself shallow, and I¡¯m used to beautiful people since I


    was constantly in contact with them. Even so, your appearance left me entranced. I was afraid to see


    you again, because things might escte to a point beyond no return. That¡¯s why I was so hostile


    around you, so that you¡¯d be keen to keep your distance.¡±


    ¡°And yet, it¡¯s as if you¡¯vetched onto me. You always showed up exactly when I didn¡¯t want to see you.


    And the more I see you, the more I fall for you¡­¡¯


    John trailed off for a moment, as if he was crumbling inside. ¡°I think I¡¯d really die by your hands in this


    life, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Never say die,¡± Cordy said sternly.


    John did a double take, before smiling broadly. ¡°You¡¯re worried that I¡¯d die?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be worried if anyone dies.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-l¡¯m born lucky, so I¡¯m not going to die. My parents told me how miraculous it was for me to


    survive that car crash¡­¡± John trailed off again-he was proud of that for a second, but cut himself short


    when he noticed the scowl on Cordy¡¯s face.


    He even promised tamely, ¡°I swear that I¡¯ll outlive you.¡±


    Cordy scowled even harder-was he insinuating that she would die earlier?


    John quickly came to a realization and corrected himself. ¡¯I mean, I¡¯ll definitely take good care of my


    body. I¡¯ll stay in top form and take care of you for the rest of our lives.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s lips curled up into an obvious smile.

 Chapter 802

    Chapter 802


    Chapter 802


    Even if Cordy did her best to hide her smile, John could tell immediately.¡± Did you fall for me early on,


    but was afraid to confront those feelings because I was being hostile?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that childish.¡±


    ¡°Then, are you rejecting me?¡± John asked, feeling a little uneasy.


    Instead of answering, Cordy asked, ¡°How are you going to handle your engagement with Nana?¡±


    ¡®Til make it clear to her. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    John was determined. Now, he knew very well that the feelings he had for Nana was based on


    sympathy; there was zero attraction whatsoever.


    Why else was he not eager to get it on with Nana? Was that really because he was careful with her?


    No.


    In reality, he felt zero impulse for that at all.


    As for Cordy¡­ He would have her, right here and now!


    Whoops, his thoughts strayed a little there.


    However, his expression had clearly changed; Cordy frowned at that strange look on his face.


    Nheless, heposed himself and asked solemnly, ¡°Well, I¡¯ve told you everything about me.


    Shouldn¡¯t you do the same?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy appeared nonchnt.


    However, she was hesitant to tell him that he was actually John Levine and Dicky¡¯s father. Would he


    suddenly ept it if he did?


    Moreover, there might be a conspiracy surrounding him; perhaps, one that was not yet to be carried


    out?


    She could even admit that it was her selfish hope to only tell John everything once he was single again.


    After all, she didn¡¯t want to use their past rtionship to coerce his present.


    If he considered her unreasonable for this, so be it.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You and whatshisname¡­Patrick Stuart.¡± John appeared utterly jealous even as he uttered the name.


    ¡°You said you¡¯re dating him.¡±


    ¡°So? Do you consider that cheating, like you?¡±


    ¡°How am I cheating? I just needed time to understand how I feel. And I¡¯m nning to break up with


    Nana too, you know?¡± John defended himself agitatedly.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Patrick and me.¡±


    ¡°But he likes you?¡± John¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Cordy sighed-the man remained sharp as ever, and there was just no hiding anything from him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t see him ever again,¡± John demanded bossily.


    Cordy stared at him¡ªhis true colors were showing even before they started dating.


    ¡°He means to have you, and I¡¯m not wrong in nning ahead,¡± John said, stubbornly and confidently.


    ¡°And you¡¯re three years older than me, woman. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s losing out.¡±

 Chapter 803

    Chapter 803


    Chapter 803


    Cordyughed dryly-John¡¯s brazen attitude never did change.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± John frowned, herughter upsetting him somewhat.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re younger.¡±


    ¡°You must be overjoyed.¡± John grinned smugly.


    Cordy smiled, but said nothing.


    ¡°And don¡¯t change the subject,¡¯ John said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t meet Patrick Stuart ever again from now on. It


    upsets me.¡±


    ¡°We have a business partnership,¡± she replied.


    She always kept business and personal affairs separate, and Patrick always had been a gentleman.


    ¡°If we ever were going to be together, we already would have. We certainly wouldn¡¯t wait until now,¡±


    Cordy added bluntly.


    ¡°Fine, then how about this?¡± John said, as if suddenlying to a realization. ¡°Call me whenever


    you¡¯re meeting him, even if it¡¯s for business. I¡¯ll sit in.¡±


    Cordy stared at him incredulously. How could he get so petty?


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Trade secrets are involved. Having a third-party would be inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°Then I can wait outside while you have your discussion.¡±


    ¡°Could you not behave like a child?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just protecting my interests.¡±


    ¡°What interests?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± John sounded so determined that Cordy couldn¡¯t argue.


    Though the atmosphere between them stiffened, they soon heard Dicky giggling beside them.


    As they turned towards him, he quickly stopped and blushed. ¡®I¡¯m just happy to see Mommy and Daddy


    getting along.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your daddy¡­¡±


    John¡¯s habitual retort trailed off, as he soon realized the situation and slowly smiled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s almost


    impossible I¡¯d have a child as old as you, but if you can call me Daddy really if you really want to.¡±


    How brazen!


    John escorted Cordy and Dicky back to their room after they finished dinner, and Dicky asked casually,


    ¡°Are you staying with us tonight, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s moving a little too fast, don¡¯t you think?¡± he asked in turn, though there was expectation in his


    eyes.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Cordy shot him a re before telling Dicky, ¡°Go back to our room.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Dickyplied, skipping as he did so.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to tell that he was very happy, despite his usual early maturity.


    Cordy felt a little emotional, finally understanding why Dicky would work so hard to get them together.


    After all, the man before them was unquestionably his daddy.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Cordy then asked, turning towards John.


    ¡°You sent him away because you wanted a moment of privacy with me, didn¡¯t you?¡± he said, as if he


    understood.


    In reality, Cordy was just afraid Dicky would spill the beans. She started to turn and make way to her


    room and said, ¡°You should go.¡¯


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John suddenly caught her.


    Before she realized what was happening, her whole body was being pinned against the wall beside


    them; his figure towered over her, with barely an inch between them.


    They could hear each other¡¯s breathing and the wild thumping of their hearts.


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    Cordy could clearly sense the danger that the man posed, as he was unquestionably aggressive at that


    very moment.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± John smiled wickedly.


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced even quicker.


    Everything felt different now that she knew for sure that he was John.


    ¡°I will take responsibility, Cordy,¡¯ he said, and he leaned towards her.


    Truly.


    He realized he waspletely vulnerable to the temptation she posed.


    He pulled her and restrained her just to tease her¡ªit was her fault for trying to chase him away.


    But now, at this very moment, there was just no controlling himself.


    Her flushed cheeks, her luscious pink lips¡­ They were all lethal to him!

 Chapter 804

    Chapter 804


    Chapter 804


    John went to kiss Cordy right then, but she turned away just as their lips touched.


    He felt as if something wed through his heart, but she reminded him,¡± You¡¯re not single yet.¡±


    John closed his eyes, restraining himself as much as he could.


    She really knew how to turn him away.


    With a retort like that, even if he wanted to flip out, there was no way he could do anything out of line


    towards her.


    Damn it!


    She had a leash over him, asserting full control even before they started dating.


    Nheless, he released her.


    The instant he did, his lips inadvertently brushed against her ear.


    It was a slight touch, but a jolt of electricity seemed to shoot through his body, and he felt himself


    turning into jelly¡­


    John swallowed, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling repeatedly.


    So this was hell.


    As he moved a few steps away from Cordy, he saw that her face was red, as if it was bleeding.


    Even so, he restrained himself and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Nana tomorrow and clear up everything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Cordy?¡± he suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Cordy flushed all the way to her ears, surprised that John would dere his love so formally.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She could feel the constant pounding in her chest as he gazed upon her eyes with unconcealed


    fondness.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied, working hard to keep her tone calm.


    ¡°Yeah? That¡¯s it?¡¯ John was clearly dissatisfied.


    Heaven knew how much courage he had to muster to say that, but she was still being so casual about


    it?!


    ¡°Anything can wait until you¡¯re single again.¡±


    ¡°Is that a promise?¡± John asked for confirmation.


    Cordy frowned¡ªdid they really need to do this?


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± She decided topromise, since she couldn¡¯t say no when he was giving her that look.


    He was at the young age of 26, but he was long past the time for his first awakening in love. But at this


    very moment, he felt bliss like never before- as if he had found something he had been looking forward


    to for ages, 1


    He simply couldn¡¯t get the picture of her off his mind, just as he couldn¡¯t wipe the silly grin off his face


    as he thought of her now.


    What was he supposed to do?


    In her room, Cordy didn¡¯t leave the door after heading inside.


    Once she closed the door, she stared at the security monitoring the door- that was a VVIP room for


    you, it came with everything.


    She could clearly see John standing outside her door, reluctant to leave for quite a while.


    As she stared, she felt tears welling in her eyes.


    Was someone up there taking pity on her? She had never felt this lucky, ever!


    Back at North City, Zoe was given a much more important character this time-but that was the harsh


    reality of showbiz.


    As Zoe read the new script, she couldn¡¯t helpining, ¡°Aren¡¯t they rushing this? This is a lot less


    detailed¡­¡±


    For thest script, there had been notes and borations on almost every scene, exining in detail


    how to y said role and what emotion to convey.


    However, this script was no different from what you would get from a typical stage production. While


    there were tips on movement and expressions, it was clearly soulless.

 Chapter 805

    Chapter 805


    Chapter 805


    Beside Zoe, Candice said, ¡°Looks the same to me.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Zoe said as she checked the script again. ¡°This one is so crude!¡±


    ¡°Well, howplex did you want it?¡± Candiceughed. ¡®They gave you a minor role before, and it¡¯s


    paragraphs for you now. What more do you want? II


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    It was just banter-she meant no harm despite the irony in her words.


    On the other hand, Zoe was frowning as she came to a realization.


    Could it be¡­?!


    She couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Could you show me yourst script?¡±


    ¡°Hold on, I think I kept it in my bag¡­¡± Candice quickly took it out and showed it to Zoe, while unable to


    hold back a huge sigh. ¡°See? I had at least two pages¡¯ worth of linesst time, but it¡¯s been halved! I¡¯m


    sure I won¡¯t even have this much in the next round.¡¯


    Zoe read Candice¡¯s script for thest round twice, and finally confirmed her earlier suspicions.


    Even her script for thest round was different from the rest of the cast; her heart skipped a beat, while


    she felt a flutter over her chest.


    Did Jay give her special attentionst round?


    At the very next instant, she shook her head, certain that she was just overthinking it.


    Jay had gone through a lot to keep her in the show, and he needed a ster performance for her to


    prove that he was right. Otherwise, his abilities would be called into question.


    Yes, that was probably it-she shouldn¡¯t hold any expectations for him.


    She had done it one too many times, and on every asion, she only suffered humiliation.


    Moreover, he never showed up even after she had rehearsals with the other thespians for the day.


    He had always been a role model in diligence, alwaysing in to join them for rehearsals. However,


    only his assistant showed up today for lunch delivery. Said assistant also passed instructions from him


    in his stead.


    As for Zoe, she received a call from Quinn after the rehearsal.


    ¡°Are you done for the night?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Zoe could immediately tell that Quinn was down in the dumps.


    ¡°Just wanted to ask you out for drinks,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°You changed a lot after three years, Quinn. You¡¯ve never liked drinking, so why are you such an


    alcoholic now?¡±


    ¡°I could say the same about you-why is an alcoholic like you suddenly falling out of love with alcohol?¡±


    Quinn retorted.


    ¡°Fine! I can never win against you in an argument, Judge Judy,¡± Zoe conceded feebly. ¡°But really, I


    can¡¯t drink-1 have another rehearsal tomorrow. Dinner¡¯s fine, and I might even watch you drink.¡±


    ¡°Twenty minutes. I¡¯ll be there to pick you up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zoe was waiting outside the studio as several cars passed by, and one of them actually stopped near


    her. A middle-aged man poked his head out.¡± You¡¯re Zoe York, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Zoe had put on a mask, but otherwise didn¡¯t disguise herself much since she did not have to.


    Nheless, she was immediately recognized by the man, who said to her, ¡°Yeah, I saw you in ¡®Actors


    on Set*. Your acting was so great! Do your best, I¡¯m supporting you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Zoe said, and wondered if her fans were all that age these days.


    Come to think of it, she was pushing thirty; she wouldn¡¯tpare to those young¡¯uns in their twenties.


    ¡°Zoe York, right?¡¯ Another car stopped nearby, and the driver eagerly hurried out to meet her. ¡°I¡¯m a big


    fan-can I take a picture with you?¡¯


    Zoe didn¡¯t refuse, and he said, ¡°Thanks! Do your best!¡±


    And with that, more cars either stopped or wound their windows just to take a look at her.


    She finally felt popr again, and was starting to enjoy it a little.


    ¡°Can I have a photo with you. Miss Star Celebrity?¡± Zoe replied happily, ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 806

    Chapter 806


    Chapter 806


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    That was when Zoe saw Quinn, leaning against her car door while looking at her with glee.


    ¡®¡±¡®When did youe back?¡± Zoe huffed, trying to make herself look angry.


    ¡°When you were pressing yourself against that geezer for a photo,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°He¡¯s just a fan,¡¯ Zoe snorted, but clearly proud.


    Let her have this moment¡ªit had been years since she felt like this.


    Quinn simply smiled and returned inside her car with Zoe.


    They headed to an expensive restaurant, running into Bob at the entrance.


    Cora was not with him, for once.


    Bob was surprised to see them. ¡°You two are eating here as well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Zoe nodded.


    ¡°Oh! Jay, Sam, and I are having dinner here too. We never did meet up after Sam got out,¡± Bob


    exined, and eagerly invited them. ¡°Care to join us? This is too good a coincidence to pass up.¡±


    Zoe presumed that Quinn would say no, so she kept quiet.


    After all, she couldn¡¯t reject Bob well; their short stint of a rtionship left her somehow dwarfed around


    him these days.


    Truly, one must never do anything that would hurt their own conscience, or they would never be able to


    rest easy for the rest of their lives.


    However¡­


    ¡°Sure,¡± Quinn agreed.


    Zoe stared at her inplete disbelief.


    Quin used to loath dinners like these, and would especially give it a wide berth if Sam was there.


    What on earth happened between them in these three years? Sam was in prison the whole time,


    wasn¡¯t he?


    Quinn wouldn¡¯t have a chance to mend their rtionship, even if she wanted to!


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Bob said eagerly, and Zoe had no choice but to follow him to a private room.


    Both Jay and Sam were already there, and having a chat-friends who had been apart for a while would


    always have much to talk about.


    Noticing the door opening just then, Sam turned and snorted, ¡°You¡¯re the one who arranged this dinner,


    Bob. And yet, you¡¯rete¡­¡±


    He trailed off, suddenly silent when he saw who came.


    Jay naturally saw Quinn and Zoe as well, and smiled ever so subtly.


    Bob simply strode in, saying, ¡°I met them when I arrived, and invited them in since they were going to


    be eating here too. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡±


    Sam stayed silent, while Jay said, ¡°Not at all.¡±


    That¡¯s a stereotypical mediator for you.


    ¡°Come, take a seat.¡¯ Bob gestured at both women. ¡®Quinn, you should sit with Sam.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied mildly, and actually sat beside Sam.


    Sam had been sitting sideways, but now, he seemed to straighten himself in his chair.


    Quinn, too, appeared a little too prim beside him.


    The five of them just happened to fit the small table, with Jay sitting between Sam and Bob.


    Bob had Zoe sit beside him, and he couldn¡¯t resist teasing, ¡®You two don¡¯t look married. Heck, Zoe and


    I look more married than you two.¡±


    That made Zoe a little embarrassed.


    Before, she wouldugh along if Bob joked like. But now¡­


    Damn this guilt!


    Still, was he really fine with this?


    Was he really joking so naturally because he felt nothing at this point? She turned just then, and


    inadvertently met Jay¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 807

    Chapter 807


    Chapter 807


    Though their eyes met for just a second, Zoe immediately turned away. Jay also quietly turned away.


    To make herself appear calm, Zoe told Bob, ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about it.


    You¡¯re engaged.¡± 1


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯d joke about it,¡± Bob grinned, though there seemed to be a slight bitterness in it.


    Even so, mentioning the engagement did make Zoe feel a little less awkward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink,¡¯ Sam suddenly said, raising his ss and clearly not keen on letting the mood be spoiled


    just like that. ¡°You¡¯ve been nagging us to drink, but you¡¯re not touching your ss when you arrive.¡±


    Bob was being nice when he brought Zoe and Quinn as well.


    Zoe picked up her ss of water, which Bob spotted immediately. He eximed in disbelief, ¡°You¡¯re


    drinking water, Zoe?!¡±


    The girl was an incorrigible alcoholic!


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass since I still have a rehearsal tomorrow.¡± Zoe smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll drink as much water as


    you would alcohol for the night. And pure water, at that.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little weird?¡± Bob remained relentless. ¡°Just drink a little, okay?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®a little¡¯ when you¡¯re involved,¡± she countered. ¡°You¡¯re not going to let me go unless I pass


    out.¡±


    Bob threw up his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not that good these days-l cant drink more than a few sses before I


    pass out. Honest!¡±


    Zoe sincerely doubted that-Bob was a serial alcoholic, and she couldn¡¯t begin to fathom how much his


    alcohol tolerance improved over the years.


    She regretted not refusing Bob¡¯s offer to join them. She could¡¯ve done it before, or even after Quinn


    agreed to it.


    How was she going to the rehearsal if she got drunk tonight?


    She had slept the entire day at Jay¡¯s lounge the day after she got drunk during a rehearsal, and


    refused to have a repeat of that.


    Quinn suddenly said, ¡¯I¡¯ll drink in Zoe¡¯s stead.¡±


    Everyone then turned towards her.


    She never drank much;e to think of it, she never drank with them before.


    So how was her alcoholic tolerance?


    Zoe knew, even if Sam didn¡¯t-Quinn could stand the alcohol for a while, but she would get drunk


    eventually.


    Her hangovers were terrible, especially since it took her a long time to get sober.


    On the other hand, once Zoe got drunk and went into slumber, she would have recovered by 80% once


    she woke up.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be that sporting, Quinn,¡± Bob said in surprise. ¡°You can stomach your alcohol, can¡¯t


    you?¡±


    At the same time, Sam¡¯s fingers clenched over his ss. However, he stayed quiet.


    ¡°She¡¯s not as good a drinker as you are,¡± Zoe snapped impatiently at Bob, finally giving in. ¡°You don¡¯t


    have to drink, Quinn. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°I was just bantering with Bob on purpose. That¡¯s what it¡¯s like for us drinkers-put on airs, and once


    everyone¡¯s more or less done, it¡¯s time to go for the kill!¡± Zoe said, cutting Quinn short.


    Zoe knew that Quinn felt guilty since she was the one who agreed to join the men.


    They had been friends for years, and Zoe could definitely tell that Quinn was reluctant.


    ¡°Dream on, Zoe. Alright, everyone-cheers!¡± Bob eximed excitedly, and everyone raised their


    sses.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jay?¡± Bob called out, seeing that Jay wasn¡¯t doing the same.


    Jay quickly put away his phone and joined the toast, just as the dinner finally got under way.


    Bob was really good at livening up the air, though there wasn¡¯t much thinking needed. Since everyone


    else would be sitting around awkwardly given their status and rtionships, he just had to approach


    them one after another, and goad them to drink one way or another.


    Three hours passed in no time at all.


    Zoe really couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore¡ªshe would mess up tomorrow¡¯s rehearsal if this went on!N?velDrama.Org (C) content.

 Chapter 808

    Chapter 808


    Chapter 808


    Remembering how Hailey had yelled at her thest time around, Zoe decided that she must stop


    drinking immediately.


    Deciding that she needed to stay sober, she excused herself to the washroom.


    Unfortunately, she was already tipsy and almost in a state where she wanted to drink more at the


    moment.


    Thus, she needed to wash her face and clear her head.


    It took her a while, but just as she opened the door to leave, she found Jay standing outside.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She nced at him, and then at his cane.


    So, that was a permanent disability and not a temporary fracture.


    Jay sensed her stare.


    So, she knew that he was now a cripple?


    He swallowed, but said, ¡®Tomorrow¡¯s rehearsal has been canceled.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Zoe was a little surprised.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you check the group chat?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Bob¡¯s been making me drink, so I didn¡¯t notice. When was it canceled, and why?¡± Zoe asked curiously


    as she whipped out her phone.


    Then, she found the notice that the rehearsal for tomorrow had been called off. Everyone was advised


    to get rest and prepare themselves, since the rehearsals in theter days would be more important.


    Though Jay wasn¡¯t the admin of the group, he was the only one who could make such an


    announcement.


    Putting away her phone, she asked again, ¡°Why cancel it? Aren¡¯t we on a schedule?¡±


    ¡°I was drinking tonight. I won¡¯t be able to wake up tomorrow.¡¯


    Zoe stared at him incredulously, actually shocked he would say something like that.


    He had always been a workaholic who could go days without food, water, sleep, or a toilet break¡­ And


    while that may be a hyperbole, he still wasn¡¯t the type who would dy work over personal affairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m too old now,¡± Jay exined, noticing her surprise. ¡°I¡¯m less durable now.¡± i


    That was true, yet he still insisted on drinking with them.


    Zoe didn¡¯t press the issue, and strode past him as he added, ¡® Don¡¯t drink too much even though


    there¡¯s no rehearsal tomorrow. You¡¯d get fat, and you¡¯d look bad on screen.¡¯


    With those words, he headed inside the washroom. Zoe stared at the door for a while and took a long


    time to finally realize he was insulting her for being fat.


    Was he blind? Or was showbiz so obsessed with being slim that everyone in it was losing their minds?


    Even if she wasn¡¯t those permanently slim types, she definitely wasn¡¯t fat! She didn¡¯t get bby at all


    even after delivering a baby!


    Nheless, she returned to the dinner table, where Quinn was already flushed from alcohol. ¡°What¡¯s


    up?¡±


    Since Quinn was being very epting today, Bob was focused on making herdrink.


    Fortunately, she was the type who would stay rational despite getting drunk, and she immediately


    sensed that Zoe was being angry.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Zoe growled grumpily.


    ¡°Nothing? When you¡¯re pouting that hard?¡± Bob said, tipsy and now behaving even more naturally


    around Zoe now. ¡°Who dared incur your wrath, mdy?¡±


    ¡°No one,¡± Zoe replied, picking up her ss and chugging it.


    Since the rehearsal for tomorrow was called off, she could go home drunk and sleep off the entire


    night.


    She would be fine the day after tomorrow, anyway.


    ¡°You¡¯re so upset, you¡¯re drinking again? What on earth happened?¡± Bob asked her.


    ¡°Nothing! Just a little annoyed that I¡¯m getting fat.¡¯


    Jay just happened to step out of the washroom when she said that.

 Chapter 809

    Chapter 809


    Chapter 809


    ¡°You call yourself fat?¡± Bob found it inconceivable, and grew exceedingly agitated. ¡°Do you even have


    fat on your body? It hurts to see you so skinny! Hell, I¡¯d like to cut off my b and give it to you.¡±


    As Jay slowly returned to his seat, Zoe looked disgusted. ¡°Please don¡¯t. I won¡¯t survive that.¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m telling you, Zoe,¡± Bob huffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how things work in showbiz, but I can¡¯t take it if


    you have to be skin and bones just to stay in it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take it,¡± Zoe retorted, speechless. ¡°As long as the audience likes it.¡±


    ¡°What, I¡¯m not a part of the audience?¡±


    ¡°An insignificant part of the audience.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your No.1 fan, believe it!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but you should stick to being Cora Levine¡¯s No.1 fan. I don¡¯t need the trouble,¡± Zoe said


    bluntly.


    Such was the influence of alcohol¡ªshe was much more candid now.


    At that, Bob¡¯s expression changed a little.


    Cora seemed to be a touchy subject around this table, and the mood around the table changed


    dramatically.


    ¡°Cut the chatter and let¡¯s drink,¡± Sam said, suddenly raising his ss to clear the awkwardness.


    Bob quickly raised his ss, and they immediately ended the conversation on Cora.


    However, Bob didn¡¯t forget about Zoe calling herself fat, and told her after a couple sses, ¡°You don¡¯t


    have to slim down, Zoe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not nning to.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were fat?¡±


    ¡°But I never mentioned slimming down, either.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±


    ¡°For real,¡± Zoe snorted, feeling that Bob was bing a little troublesome after getting drunk.


    ¡°Well, others aside, it wont feel good touching you if you slimmed down,¡± Bob said bluntly.


    Zoe was utterly speechless.


    Why was he spouting that nonsense? All men are pigs!


    To make things worse, Bob looked dead serious. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding. Your figure¡¯s just right.¡±


    Zoe wanted to hide in a hole at that instant.


    Just right? Could he not put it in a way that causes more misunderstanding? They never did it before,


    either!


    ¡°How would you know?¡± Sam asked.


    He had not idea what went on between Bob and Zoe, or why mentioning Cora made things so


    awkward. All he knew was that things wereplicated between Zoe and Cora, and it was within


    reason that Zoe was a little upset about Cora.


    But now, these two were talking in a way that left things so¡­ambiguous.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bob stammered for a while under Sam¡¯s judgmental gaze before answering, ¡°I guessed?¡±


    ¡°You guessed? How many women have youid your hands on?¡± Sam snorted. ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to


    guess, even after going through as many women as I did.¡±


    As many women as he did.


    Quinn bit her lip, but stayed silent.


    ¡°Jay, could you guess?¡± Sam seemed unconcerned with what he just said and nudged Jay, who had


    been sitting quietly beside him for a while.


    Jay looked at Zoe, and said slowly, ¡¯More or less.¡±


    ¡°Do you boys have X-ray vision or something?¡± Sam eximed, losingposure. Then, a scary


    thought soon urred to him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you two messed with her before?¡¯


    Zoe was drinking some hot soup to ease her stomach¡¯s difort, having drunk a little too much


    alcohol.


    Sam¡¯s words left her spitting it straight out; everyone turned towards Zoe, watching as she was


    rendered dumbstruck.


    The scene spiraled out of control; she never expected to mess up this badly.


    As the atmosphere turned a little stiff, Bob suddenly suggested, ¡°How about a change of venue?¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s prettyte. We should head home,¡± Zoe said, wiping her mouth.

 Chapter 810

    Chapter 810


    Chapter 810


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡¯ Bob said. ¡°Ending as soon as we got started? We¡¯re going elsewhere. That, or I¡¯m


    telling the waiters to bring us a second helping for everything we ordered. Either way, everyone¡¯s


    getting drunk before they leave.¡±


    ¡°Bob¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s non-negotiable.¡± Bob was determined, and promptly booked a private room at a nightclub


    without asking for anyone¡¯s opinion. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go¡ªPhantom Nights, room 008.¡±


    None of them had any choice but to follow him. Since they had been drinking, they split into two cars. 1


    Bob pulled Jay and Zoe along to his car, knowing that Zoe might give them the slip; no one other than


    him would be able to stop her.


    As for Sam and Quinn, Sam was most definitely staying since he was always that straightced¡ªhe


    agreed to join Bob and Jay in the first ce, and therefore would stick with them until the end.


    As for Quinn¡­ Well, they¡¯re married, and Sam was the one who decided if Quinn went or not.


    To no surprise, Zoe had asked repeatedly to leave along the way, and Bob refused her sternly on each


    asion.


    Sh*t!


    Zoe was a little indignant-did the man presume her to be nervous unless she beat him at drinking


    tonight?!


    Meanwhile, in the other car, both Quinn and Sean were in the back seat, keeping quite the distance


    between each other.


    Sam was keeping a cigarette between his lips,toying with it without lighting it.


    He reclined against his seat with both hands behind his head, staring out at the night view of the city


    when he suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you home first.¡±


    Quinn had been staring outside the window.


    There was still no progress between her and Sam, even after they moved out of Saunders Mansion.


    Sam wasn¡¯t giving her any chance to get close, and treated her advances with indifference. It was also


    why she couldn¡¯t say the many things that were on her mind.


    She heard him, and couldn¡¯t help turning to stare at the back of his head and his indifferent demeanor.


    ¡°Are you going home too?¡±


    ¡°Bob would kill me if I didn¡¯t.¡¯


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going too,¡± Quinn said, determined.


    Sam frowned slightly, but Quinn added, ¡°I don¡¯t have to work tomorrow. I¡¯m not in a hurry to go back


    tonight.


    Sam pursed his lips and growled impatiently, ¡°Suit yourself.¡±


    Soon, their cars arrived at Phantom Nights.


    Bob had just alighted when he saw Sam and Quinn getting out of their car too.


    He was greatly satisfied. ¡°Now that¡¯s a brother!¡±


    They entered the private room together. Since it was a nightclub, they were drinking even more-Zoe


    being the worst offender.


    She had been keeping it slow before since she was trying not to get drunk- it was bad for health, and


    she needed to stay in shape for the variety show.


    But since Bob was being so unscrupulous, she decided to send him home crawling on all fours.


    She started drinking with Bob, who was all too thrilled and chugged three mugs alongside Zoe.


    That seemed to be not enough, so he drank with the others, easily livening up the atmosphere.


    Towards the end, Zoe was almost losing it.


    Bob was already a worthy adversary, but Sam just had to join in on his side!

 Chapter 811

    Chapter 811


    Chapter 811


    Whenever Bob and Zoe had finished chugging, Sam would quickly follow up and goad Zoe into


    chugging another ss.


    Sam was clearly eager to mess with her, and those two were clearly conspiring together despicably¡­


    and against one woman at that!


    And to think that a fine woman like Quinn was married to one of them.


    Naturally, Quinn could tell that Sam was eager to mess with Zoe, and she knew the extent of Zoe¡¯s


    alcohol tolerance.


    While she could handle Bob alone just fine, it was virtually impossible to win against Sam.


    When it came to Sam¡¯s ability to stomach alcohol¡­ How should Quinn put this? She never saw him


    actually drunk.


    Bob, we never drink much together usually,¡± she said, picking up her ss as well. ¡°Let¡¯s drink more


    tonight to get to know each other better. If there¡¯s any legal advice you might need-¡°


    ¡°Hold it,¡± Bob stopped her right then. ¡°I¡¯m really hoping I never have to seek legal advice.¡±


    Quinn was left feeling awkward-she never took part in social dinners like this much, so she hardly knew


    what to say.


    ¡°Oh, cut the chatter and drink!¡± Zoe naturally could sense


    that Quinn was caught in an awkward position, and so beckoned Bob, ¡°Thedy already asked, and


    you¡¯re trying to drag your feet? You call yourself a man?¡±


    Bottom¡¯s up!¡± Bob certainly could not resist Zoe¡¯s challenge and chugged his ss, and Quinn drank


    hers quickly as well without hesitation.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    They drank for a couple hours like that, the four of them getting all enthusiastic with their drinking while


    Jay watched them ughter each other like some outsider.


    He simply stayed with them, showing no inclination to leave, but he did not try to talk them out of it


    either or show any sign of impatience.


    As Zoe headed to the washroom, she was swearing under her breath that she had no idea Sam was


    that good a drinker.


    She had wanted to focus down on Bob, but it was her who would end up drunk with Sam¡¯s protection.


    In fact, she was on the verge of vomiting.


    Appearances could certainly be deceiving when it came to Sam, just as Zoe wondered how Quinn was


    doing-she helped Zoe when those two kept challenging her and must have drunken far beyond her


    alcoholic tolerance tonight.


    Nheless, after vomiting and rinsing her mouth, Zoe was ready to step out again to fight Bob ¡®to the


    death¡¯.


    If she were to be honest, she could not control herself just then¡ªonce she started issuing challenges, it


    meant she was too far gone.


    Nheless, she suddenly felt someone catching her wrist and saying her name. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Zoe turned to find Jay standing there, having appeared out of nowhere.


    She must have been too drunk to notice him there.


    ¡°It¡¯ste,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡±


    ¡°Take me home for what?!¡± Zoe snapped, and shoved him.


    She was drunk, and like most others, did not have a measure on her strength.


    Jay almost fell from that shove, and promptly held himself steady with his cane so that he did not look


    too haggard in front of Zoe.


    Zoe watched him, her consciousness blurred yet somehow lucid.


    ¡°You¡¯re disabled?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded.


    ¡°Prosthetic?¡± She pressed, staring at his leg and not sparing him an ounce of dignity.


    ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°But I can¡¯t feel a thing there, let alone move it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t feel a thing at all?¡±


    ¡°More or less.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zoe suddenly got up close, the alcoholic scent that swirled around her streaming into Jay¡¯s


    nostrils, and his chest clenched in turn.


    At the next instant, he was pursing his lips as he watched Zoe reaching out to poke his right leg.


    After doing it repeatedly for a while, she looked up and asked, ¡°Felt that?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°What about here?¡± Zoe kept trying around his leg.


    Like most people who were drunk, delicate, precise movements were impossible.


    For example, Zoe ended up poking Jay¡¯s thigh when she intended to poke his kneecap and


    somewhere else when she actually reached for his thigh¡­

 Chapter 812

    Chapter 812


    Chapter 812


    Looking utterly curious, Zoe asked Jay, ¡°Still nothing?1


    Jay was blushing, though it was not obvious under the dim lights.


    ¡°I did feel that,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh, so you feel something here, but not elsewhere¡­¡±


    Jay stiffened as Zoe was starting to grope him and was left wondering if he should actually move.


    Zoe was clearly so drunk she had no idea what she was doing!


    ¡°Z-Zoe?!¡±


    Quinn just happened to arrive at the washroom as well-her stomach was churning and she was almost


    going to throw up-


    However, shepletely forgot about that when she saw the sight that greeted her.


    Was Zoe¡­ teasing Jay?


    Was she so drunk she could not see straight?


    She could see Jay flushing crimson, while Zoe was still enjoying herself.


    Hearing Quinn then, Zoe turned toward Quinn and eximed excitedly like a child finding a new toy,


    ¡°Quinn,e check this out!¡±


    Quinn was bewildered.


    How could Zoe say something like that?! And she could clearly see Jay¡¯s face turning green!


    Nheless, Zoe was still at it. ¡°See? He can¡¯t feel anything aside from this spot because he¡¯s


    disabled. Want to test it


    out-¡°


    Quinn was so scared she ran away right then-a drunk Zoe was simply scary!


    Thest time Zoe was that drunk, she dragged Quinn and Cordy to a graveyard and then almost ended


    up setting the entire hill on fire!


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    And now, she was molesting Jay?!


    Was there anything she could not do when she was drunk?!


    Quinn stared at her own reflection in the mirror and saw that she waspletely flushed, though she


    was not sure if it was the alcohol or from witnessing Zoe¡¯s¡­ savagery!


    She gained epiphany then-she must never do anything she wanted just because she was drunk!


    Outside the washroom, Zoe felt someone grasping her wrist, prying her hand off himself.


    Zoe frowned at Jay, who appeared a little angry.


    But she told herself that he had always been that petty, constantly refusing to share what was his-he


    was just disabled in one leg, was he not?


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Jay leaned forward, bringing his lips beside her ears¡­


    But just as he was about to speak¡­ 1


    ¡°rgh!¡±


    Zoe was retching again, and she could feel her stomach churning.


    She promptly pushed Jay aside and dashed inside the washroom too.


    Damn it! To think that she ended up vomiting from challenging Bob to a drinking game!


    And with that, she ended up vomiting repeatedly alongside Quinn as if they were harmonizing in a duet.


    They certainly looked haggard when they were done, though they wereughing as they traded


    nces.


    It was as if they were back to their younger days!


    While theyughed, they heard someone knocking on the door.


    ¡°Are you two alright? Come out. I¡¯ll send you home.¡±


    It was Jay, who probably was the one sober person around here.


    Still, after Zoe and Quinn had a breather, they both stormed outside the washroom, dering at once,


    ¡°We can keep going!¡±

 Chapter 813

    Chapter 813


    Chapter 813


    Zoe and Quinn knew that they must not lose in spirit against their opposition. Hence, despite being


    drunk, they returned to challenge Bob and Sam.


    Bob was actually drunk, and the more he was, the less he could stop himself from drinking.


    As for Sam, the man had always been loyal and always stood with his friends to the end of the line.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing that they were allpletely letting loose, Jay made a call to Cora.


    Bob was the heart of the party, and once he left, the rest would have to leave as well.


    Cora showed up in under half an hour and suddenly felt upset when she saw the people around the


    room.


    All of Bob¡¯s most important friends and even Zoe were there, but not her.


    Was this what they thought? That she would never rece Zoe? That Zoe was their friend, while she


    would never be?


    ¡°Cora?¡± Jay called out to her just then.


    Cora withheld the displeasure she felt, noticing right then that everyone else in the room was more or


    less drunk aside from Jay.


    Quickly walking up to Jay, she greeted him. ¡°Uncle Jay.¡±


    ¡°We just ran into thedies by chance,¡± Jay exined. ¡°Bob invited Sam and I to dinner, then we ran


    into Zoe and Quinn, so we had them join us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cora nodded.


    She had noticed long ago that Jay was meticulous and considerate toward the feelings of others.


    Did he anticipate that she would feel ufortable? And here she thought that she hid it well.


    She never showed hostility toward Zoe because she did not want others to find her petty, but Jay knew


    anyway.


    ¡°Bob definitely drank too much tonight,¡± Jay told her then.¡± You should get him to They are all not


    exactly young-their health will suffer if they keep drinking.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cora did not say anything else, but just as she got up to leave with Bob, something urred to


    her. ¡°You weren¡¯t drinking?¡±


    ¡°Not much.¡±


    He was always the one who never drank much whenever they gathered. Everyone knew that he was


    bad with alcohol, so they would not push him.


    ¡°Who are you going home with?¡± Cora asked then.


    Jay¡¯s eyes narrowed right then.


    ¡°I can take Zoe,¡± Cora said bluntly right then. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from anything, Uncle Jay, since you are


    an elder and I


    have no right to interfere. However, I¡¯d rather you be more considerate toward my mother-she¡¯s already


    lost too many loved ones in thest few years, and she doesn¡¯t want to fight you over someone¡­


    pointless.¡±


    ¡°Just take Bob with you.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Your mother has no right to meddle with my affairs, and you have even less right to do so,¡± Jay said


    staunchly.


    Cora gritted her teeth.


    In reality, she held great respect for Jay-he was her elder, and even if he was adopted to the Levine


    family, she understood that her mother was genuinely good to him, and she followed suit.


    There was also his ability-he could help her strut in showbiz given his talent and position.


    That was why she had no reason to argue with Jay, and at this very moment, she decided to bear with


    it.


    Her mother would not abide by this anyway, and she really doubted that Jay could be so callous and


    uninterested in the Levines¡¯ estate, i


    Cora walked toward Bob, who was singing while drinking and dancing-too busy to even notice she was


    there.


    In fact, the others did not notice her either.


    That might not be the case for Sam, since he was not that drunk.

 Chapter 814

    Chapter 814


    Chapter 814


    Finally noticing Cora, Bob eximed, ¡°What are you doing here, Cora? Burp-¡°


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    He suddenly breathed arge belch.


    Cora never liked alcohol.


    She used to take part in social dinners when she was an extra, but she did not have to once she


    became the heiress of the Levines, just as no one ever forced him to drink.


    She in turn developed a distaste for alcohol and was naturally a little annoyed now.


    ¡°You know I hate alcohol, Bob. Why would you drink so much?¡± she asked a little angrily.


    Bob was beaming nheless. ¡°It¡¯s a rare asion. I¡¯ll cut it down next time. Burp-¡°


    ¡°Come on.¡± Cora pulled his arm, intent on taking him away.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not done drinking.¡± Bob refused to leave, even determined to drink more. ¡°I¡¯m beating Zoe


    tonight, or I¡¯m staying forever!¡±


    Cora refused to waste her breath with him and kept trying to pull him along, but he was not budding at


    all.


    He was resolved to get drunk with Zoe, was he?!


    Cora wheeled on Zoe right then, whose gaze looked unfocused¡ªshe must have drank a lot too.


    ¡°Zoe York,¡± she said sternly. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t drink with Bob anymore. He always gets sick afterward.¡±


    ¡°You tell him that. It¡¯s his freedom who he wants to get drunk with-what¡¯s the point of telling me?¡± Zoe


    snorted.


    She really did not want to ruin things for Bob and Cora, and she sincerely hoped that Bob would be


    happy.


    And yet, she could not stand Cora¡¯s


    Even if she would regret this to no end tomorrow, that was something to worry for tomorrow!


    On the other hand, Cora was left stumped by Zoe¡¯s retort.


    She never spoke much with Zoe, let alone getting so confrontational against her.


    Moreover, she could see that Zoe had restrained her fiery temper Actors on Set and actually looked a


    little too submissive.


    But this was how Zoe talked to her?! So that was all just a pretense, was it? Pretending to be


    downtrodden, so that Jay and Bob would feel sympathetic toward her?!


    Cora knew that Zoe never got over being chased out of the Levine family¡ªhow could she? It was only


    natural that anyone would want a piece of the Levines¡¯ vast family fortune.


    So, Zoe was now seducing Jay just to make her return, was it?!


    What a cunning n! She really was not as simple as she looked!


    ¡°Pretend I never said anything,¡± Cora said then, having no intention to argue.


    After all, she considered Zoe beneath her now, and she had no reason to lose face because of Zoe. i


    Instead, she turned toward Bob and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bob, or I¡¯m going to get upset.¡±


    Bob stiffened when Zoe suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯ste. I should be going too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stopping?¡± Bob eximed in agitation.


    Beside Bob, Cora¡¯s face fell-was Bob that eager to please Zoe too?!


    ¡°I was puking my guts out, y¡¯know.¡± Zoe snorted grumpily.


    ¡°So you¡¯re admitting you lost tonight?¡± Bob said smugly.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a kid.¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes and tugged at Quinn.


    She had passed out from drinking, and sensing someone tugging at her, murmured, ¡°Is it over, Sam?¡±


    Sam?!


    Sam was smoking a cigarette nearby, and his fingers clearly twitched just then.

 Chapter 815

    Chapter 815


    Chapter 815


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Zoe was a little speechless. ¡°I¡¯m not your husband.¡±


    How drunk was Quinn, really?


    Zoe could admit to herself that she was drunk, but at least she was not this drunk!


    ¡°Time to go,¡± she told Quinn nheless.


    Quinn still felt muddled as she rose from the couch and was soon tumbling as her body felt limp.


    Zoe tried to pull Quinn up, but she could not!


    However, Sam suddenly held out a hand to hold Quinn, and before Zoe realized what was happening,


    he said, ¡°We¡¯re going home.¡±


    With that, Zoe could only watch as Quinn¡¯s limp form was being carried off by Sam, not quite wrapping


    her head around the fact for a long while!


    When she finally did and was about to rush outside to take Quinn back from Sam, she felt someone


    catching her wrist abruptly.


    Zoe turned to find Jay, who told her, ¡°I¡¯m taking you home.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going home with Quinn,¡± Zoe retorted determinedly.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Sam will take her home.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! What do you think he¡¯s going to do?!¡± Zoe became further agitated.


    ¡°They¡¯re married¡­¡±


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°And they just moved out of Saunders Mansion. They¡¯re living together now.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pointless for you to go with Quinn.¡±


    Zoe actually was left speechless, while Jay added, ¡°Can¡¯t you see that Quinn is learning to ept Sam


    too? Won¡¯t you be getting in their way?¡±


    Wait, was that really the case?


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m taking you home,¡± Jay said, holding her up by her arm then.


    Zoe¡¯s head was already spinning from all the alcohol, and Jay only left her even more dizzy.


    She allowed Jay to lead her out of their private room while Bob and Cora were still there.


    The man was stillining about not wanting to leave, having not drunk enough.


    This was the first time Cora saw him behave like this too- he was yful, but never this yful.


    She could not make him budge at all.


    ¡°Wake up, Bob. We should leave already-the others are all gone,¡± Cora told him.


    Bob blinked, his gazepletely unfocused.


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s gone?¡± he asked, his breath heavy with alcohol.


    Cora was annoyed-why did he have to keep mentioning her?


    Did he really not understand that she did not like Zoe that much?


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Did she leave with Jay?¡± Bob murmured, and there was something in his tone that sounded hurt.


    ¡°Why do you keep trying to help Zoe hook up with my uncle? You¡¯re my boyfriend, Bob-you should be


    siding with me.¡± Cora finally could not resist venting her displeasure.


    Moreover, Bob was drunk, and he might not remember what she said when he woke up.


    And she really could not keep everything in right now.


    Because they love each other.¡± Bobughed.


    Though he wasughing, his tears were falling from his eyes too.


    Yes, they loved each other.


    And what did he amount to?


    ¡°How would you know¡­ Wait, are you crying, Bob?¡± Cora asked, suddenly noticing those tears.


    Bob quickly wiped his eyes, and they really were wet.


    It¡¯s been years, but he was still crying for Zoe.


    That cruel woman¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does it hurt anywhere?¡± Cora asked worriedly-how much did he really drink that he


    was starting to cry?


    ¡°Here,¡± Bob replied, pointing at his chest.


    ¡°Your heart? Are you having a heart attack?!¡±


    Cora quickly fumbled for her phone to call an ambnce¡­

 Chapter 816

    Chapter 816


    Chapter 816


    That was when Cora heard Bob say, ¡°Zoe, my heart hurts so much¡­¡±


    She froze, thinking she misheard.


    Did Bob just call out to Zoe while drunk?


    Cora always thought that they were just friends and ymates since they were children¡­


    She smiled savagely then.


    So that was why Bob mentioned her so much?!


    Zoe fell asleep in Jay¡¯s car, though not immediately.


    She just did not want to talk to Jay, nor did she have any idea what they could talk about. She simply


    leaned in a corner and eventually dozed off.


    She always did fall asleep easily whenever she got drunk and could not stave off her drowsiness.


    She was actually sleeping more soundly by the time they reached her apartment, and Jay could not


    wake her at all.


    After hesitating for a moment, he told his chauffeur to get the electric wheelchair from the trunk, which


    he always kept there by habit.


    Jay alighted and sat on it, then headed over to Zoe¡¯s side of the car.


    The instant he opened the door, she started to fall out, though Jay managed to react in time and catch


    her right then.


    Somehow, Zoe never woke up despite the ruckus¡ªshe probably would not know if he left her at the


    curb.


    Nheless, he put her on hisp, positioned her head over his shoulder, and steered the wheelchair


    into the apartment.


    That was when he remembered that he did not know what unit she lived in, and he had to ask her.


    Zoe fidgeted ufortably over him, annoyed as usual that someone was disturbing her in her sleep.


    ¡°Zoe, what¡¯s your apartment unit?¡±


    Still dizzy, Zoe blurted the numbers and fell asleep again.


    Jay did not want to wake her, and gently patted her on the back after she told him, as if to coax her to


    sleep.


    Soon, they arrived outside Zoe¡¯s door, and Jay mused to himself a little before typing Zoe¡¯s birthday on


    the password panel.


    And the door opened.


    Jay chuckled-it had been years, but she never grew wary.


    As he steered the wheelchair into the apartment, he immediately spotted a figure.


    They were both startled, while Zoe also jolted awake.


    She opened her muddled eyes, muttering, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Then, her eyes widened when she saw ra, and she nced in shock between Jay and ra.


    ra had always been frugal and never turned on the main lights unless she had to, so Zoe almost


    had a heart attack when she saw the two silhouettes in the darkness.


    She yelped loudly in surprise!


    However, ra soon recognized the man. ¡°M-Mr. Parker, was it?¡±


    Jay calmed down as well when he recognized ra, and said, ¡°Yeah. I was just bringing Zoe home.¡±


    ¡® Why are you on a wheelchair-¡°


    ¡°How did I get back?!¡± Zoe suddenly came to a realization when she found herself in familiar


    surroundings.


    ¡°Mr. Parker brought you home,¡± ra told her.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Zoe turned to find her own face inches away from Jay¡¯s before realizing that she was sitting on hisp.


    She promptly leapt off, but did so a little too forcefully and ended up falling again.


    ra quickly caught her, just as one of the bedroom doors opened.


    Yelena was walking barefoot, rubbing her eyes and probably woken by themotion.


    Before she could call out to Zoe or ra, however, Zoe charged at her, scooping her up in her arms at


    top speed and taking her back inside her room while mming the door shut with a loud bang!

 Chapter 817

    Chapter 817


    Chapter 817


    Yelena had still been groggy from sleep, but Zoe made her wide awake.


    Blinking herrge innocent eyes at Zoe, she asked, ¡°Was that daddy?¡±


    Nope.¡±


    ¡¯¡¯But he¡¯s outside,¡± Yelena retorted, pointing at the door. ¡°I want to greet him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not your daddy.¡±


    Yelena simply ignored Zoe while eximing happily, ¡°He must havee to visit me.¡±


    ¡°How many times have I told you that he¡¯s not your daddy?!¡± Zoe yelled a little loudly just then.


    She was already in bad shape after getting drunk, but Yelena insisted on messing with her!


    ¡°Bad mommy!¡± Yelena scowled, her little face contorting with indignation.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the baddest person there is, so go back to bed and sleep or I¡¯m giving you a spanking,¡± Zoe


    snapped, making herself look as menacing as possible just then.


    Yelena pouted but tamely got in bed.


    Naturally, she was utterly upset even as shey down, thinking the worst of her mommy who stopped


    her daddy


    when he came to visit her.


    She decided that she must find a way to see daddy.


    Zoe sat beside her bed, not knowing what her baby girl was thinking. All she could hope for right then


    was for Jay to leave soon, while praying that he never saw Yelena.


    Jay was just so smart. He had been topping grades when they were children, and if, just if¡­


    No, Zoe told herself¡ªshe would not let him find out, nor did she need him to take responsibility.


    After a while, ra entered to find Zoe spacing out as she sat on bed.


    She was not sleeping even after getting drunk just because she did not want to deal with Jay?


    But the man was carrying her in his arms as he brought her home¡­


    Still, ra was not one to pry. She said, ¡® Mr. Parker has already left. He wanted me to remind you to


    drink honey, which would help with your hangover headaches.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe replied.


    She started to leave, but Zoe soon could not help but ask,¡± Did he ask anything else?¡±


    When ra appeared confused, Zoe asked, ¡°Did he ask about Yelena?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± ra shook her head. ¡°He probably didn¡¯t see her, since it was very dark.¡±


    Zoe was relieved at that, while ra urged her, ¡°You should get some sleep. You¡¯ll feel better


    tomorrow, and I¡¯ve already put a ss of honey in your room.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ra smiled-Zoe was distant to her even after all those years.


    Nheless, after taking a shower, Zoe was unable to sleep at all even as she tossed and turned in


    bed.


    She tended to quickly get sober right after napping, and was wondering to herself¡­ What if Jay


    actually saw Yelena, even if ra said he did not?


    She was utterly ufortable.


    How did he end up bringing her home? How did he find her apartment unit?


    Unable to take it anymore, she quickly called Quinn¡­ but Quinn had her phone turned off.


    Quinn never turned off her phone! But could it be¡­


    By the way, was she really getting along with Sam like normal spouses?!


    However, Zoe was too worried about herself to care about others and decided to call Cordy instead.


    Even if Cordy was away from North City, she could at least answer Zoe¡¯s call even in the capital, right?!


    On the other end, Cordy promptly answered Zoe¡¯s call when she saw it. ¡°Zoe?¡±


    ¡°I knew I could count on you, Cordy. Quinn abandoned me now that she has a man,¡± Zoe started


    comining right away.


    Cordy could tell that Zoe was drunk right then¡ªthat was not how she behaved these days.

 Chapter 818

    Chapter 818


    Chapter 818


    However, when Zoe was drunk, her personality would spiral out of control.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°What is it? Something upset you today?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Nope. I just wanted someone to talk to. I just napped a little after getting drunk, so I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    Cordy did not expose her right then and simply asked, ¡°Who were you drinking with?¡±


    ¡°Quinn.¡±


    ¡°Just her?¡± Cordy was obviously skeptical.


    ¡°¡­ I ran into Bob and the others, so we joined them.¡±


    Bob and the others¡­ So that includes Jay.¡± Cordy cut straight to the heart of the matter right then.


    Zoe really felt exposed whenever she chatted with Cordy- the woman really saw through everything,


    which exined how her career was progressing so smoothly.


    Regrettably, her love life was still a little bumpy.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between me and Jay.¡± Zoe denied it straightaway.


    ¡°I never said anything. I was just asking.¡± Cordy giggled, leaving Zoe feeling like she indirectly admitted


    to it anyway.


    By the way, I watched a variety show of yours.¡± Cordy changed the subject then.


    Really? How did I do?¡± Zoe quickly asked.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Cordy did not shy from praising her. ¡°Jay really has vision.¡±


    Zoe frowned-why did Cordy have to mention him again?


    ¡°From the first round to the most recent, don¡¯t you think he¡¯s been standing staunchly by your side? It¡¯s


    not surprising with that sharp insight that he could direct so many excellent films.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really making me wonder if you¡¯re praising me or him. ¡± Zoe pouted, suddenly realizing that


    they were suddenly back on Jay again.


    ¡°I¡¯m praising you both.¡± Cordyughed. ¡°By the way, aren¡¯t you raring to try again, since you¡¯ve been


    working so closely with him ever since you came back?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe replied staunchly.


    ¡°Actually, the reason he left you back then-¡°


    ¡¯Mommy!¡± Yelena¡¯s clear voice called out from the door just then.


    ¡°Did I just hear a child¡¯s voice?¡± Cordy asked.


    No, I had the TV on.¡± Zoe quickly came up with an excuse.¡± Anyway, I¡¯m off. I just remembered I should


    check the script in our chat group.¡±


    Cordy was left frowning as Zoe hung up on her right then.


    There was something funny about that girl these days.


    Meanwhile, back in her bedroom, Zoe was just recovering from the heart attack Yelena just gave her.


    Calming down, she asked, ¡°It¡¯ste. What are you doing here instead of staying in bed?!¡±


    ¡°I want to sleep with you,¡± Yelena said.


    ¡°I just drank so I won¡¯t wake up for a while. You¡¯ll catch a cold if I kick the nket away from you


    because I can¡¯t tuck you in.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Yelena was determined.


    ¡°I stink of alcohol.¡±


    ¡°It smells good.¡±


    Zoe was exasperated¡ªthere was no way she could refuse such a cutie spewing such adorable,


    charming words.


    Though Yelena managed to charm her way to Zoe¡¯s bed and Zoe urged her to sleep, she said,


    ¡°Mommy, can I use your phone?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s veryte. You¡¯ll hurt your eyes or turn blind at worst.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. My eyes are fine, and Grandma always lets me use hers.¡±


    ¡°Well, not now. You either listen or you¡¯re sleeping in your room,¡± Zoe coerced.


    Yelena bit her little lip andw down tamely.


    She would get her daddy¡¯s number from her mommy¡¯s phone one way or another.

 Chapter 819

    Chapter 819


    Chapter 819


    When Zoe finally coaxed Yelena to sleep, she could not help leaning in and giving her daughter a peck


    on her pudgy cheeks.


    Thank goodness she did not take after Jay, or she was never going to exin herself.


    Eventually, she dozed off¡­ Until she woke up with a start from her ringing phone.


    She still had her eyes closed as she reached for it, when she suddenly felt her phone being passed in


    her hand.


    She opened her eyes and saw that it was Yelena, and she felt warmth in her heart.


    Giving her a peck on the cheek, she then answered the call.¡± Why did you call me so early, Quinn?¡±


    ¡°Early?! It¡¯s 11 AM! Time for lunch.¡±


    What?!


    Zoe sprang up from bed in disbelief.


    She had been sleeping for that long?!


    Zoe then turned to look at Yelena and saw that her daughter had already changed into fresh clothes,


    clearly having gotten out of bed for a while and only returning to bed to pass her her phone.


    ¡°Why did you call me sotest night?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Did I?¡± Zoe asked, before remembering that she did without thinking much about it.


    ¡°How much did you drink, honestly?!¡± Quinn sighed.


    ¡°Pot, meet kettle. Did you know that you were calling for Sam in your sleep?¡± Zoe exposed her right


    then.


    ¡°Did I?¡± Quinn blushed from Zoe¡¯s words.


    Though she did not remember how she made it homest night, she more or less remembered being


    carried.


    Her initial thought was that they would do whatever they wanted while she was out like light.


    However, even though she could not tell since was really drunk, and even if she wanted to use


    them, she realized that she had not been touched at all.


    Still, she was a little unhappy about being teased and retorted, ¡°Forget about me for a second. Do you


    know what you were doingst night while you¡¯re drunk?¡±


    Zoe frowned-did Quinn know that Jay carried her home?


    ¡°Do you know what you did to Jay while you were drunk?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°What can I do to him?¡± Zoe thought nothing of it.


    ¡°You were touching him.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I¡¯d never do that.¡± Zoe snorted in disbelief.


    She always avoided Jay like the gue, let alone approach him on purpose.


    And yet¡­ Jay was the one who carried her home.


    Well, she was asleep and did not know what happened, so she was not the one who started it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Quinn asked tentatively then.


    Nope. Why would I?¡±


    ¡°You were saying that Jay felt nothing below the waist,¡± Quinn reminded her then. ¡°And you were


    inviting me to join in too.¡±


    Zoe frowned as the memory of that slowly grew vivid.


    She just wanted to find out what was wrong with Jay¡¯s leg, whether it was disabled or whatnot¡­.


    There was no way she would touch Jay anywhere else.


    ¡®Sh*t.¡¯


    She could remember it then, and worse still¡­ the sensation on his finger still lingered!


    Zoe almost dropped her phone.


    ¡°Zoe? Zoe?! Zoe!¡± Quinn kept calling out to her.


    ¡°Why did you have to remind me?! You could have let me forget about it! Jay is my instructor now, so I


    can¡¯t even hide from him-how am I supposed to face him?!¡±


    She really wanted to just end herself right then and there.


    ¡°You were the one who teased me first,¡± Quinn said a little softer then.


    Zoe really felt like crap and would cry if she had the tears.


    To make things worse, Jay was not drunkst night, only she was!This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Chapter 820

    Chapter 820


    Chapter 820


    Everything Zoe did, Jay would know all too well¡­


    Zoe froze just then.


    By the way, why did he not stop her?


    ¡°Actually, Jay has been good to you. If you¡¯re still into him, you should-¡°


    Hold it,¡± Zoe stopped Quinn right then. ¡°Absolutely impossible. Not on my life.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really petty,¡± Quinn said, speechless.


    ¡°Revenge is a dish best served hot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®revenge is a dish best served cold¡¯, girly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same,¡± Zoe replied nonchntly. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m hanging up. I need to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually fine. Who knows, Jay might be enjoying it¡­¡±


    Zoe hung up right then.


    Quinn was such a pervert-she had really changed after three years¡¯


    Zoe put away her phone, noticing then that Yelena was still beside her.


    Yelena always made a ruckus, but she was now so silent Zoepletely forgot about her.


    So¡­ she said a lot of child unfriendly stuff, did she not?


    ¡°Mommy, are you done with your call?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Can I use your phone?¡± Yelena¡¯s eyes were wide with expectation.


    Zoe frowned-she usually was not this addicted to watching YouTube.


    Still, Zoe tolerated that. ¡°Get Grandma¡¯s phone if you want. She doesn¡¯t usually use hers, and I have to


    take a lot of calls. It¡¯d be inconvenient.¡±


    But I want to use yours,¡± Zoe said stubbornly.


    ¡°Be a good girl, Yelena¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t you love me anymore?¡± Yelena¡¯s eyes were immediately red and wheeling with tears.


    And with her little pout, she looked utterly miserable.


    Zoe was melting right then¡ªshe knew that Yelena was just faking it, but her little girl was that good at


    acting.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She wondered if Yelena got that from her or Jay¡­ though it was definitely her, since Jay was no actor.


    1


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Zoe said and passed Yelena her phone.¡± Give it back to me in ten minutes. I¡¯m going


    to nap again.¡±


    She needed time to cool off.


    Yelena was beaming right then and happily took the phone away before running back, saying, ¡°You


    didn¡¯t unlock it,


    Mommy.¡±


    Zoe used her face to unlock it.


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy,¡± Yelena said and gave Zoe a peck on the cheek before running off again.


    Zoe felt warmth over her chest¡ªYelena was definitely her little angel, and thank goodness she was not


    emotional when she made her choice back then.


    Naturally, she just did not know what Yelena was up to.


    Meanwhile, Yelena was carrying the phone to the living room -she was still young and did not know


    what to do other


    than browse YouTube.


    However, she was much smarter than her peers, understanding more while they were still in the dark


    about everything.


    And she especially knew how to charm others.


    ¡°Grandma,¡± she called out to ra.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, darling?¡± ra smiled¡ªshe really reserved all her tenderness for her granddaughter.


    ¡°What was the name of the man who camest night?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°Oh you saw her too? He¡¯s Jay Parker, your mommy¡¯s colleague, I guess. What about it?¡±


    So her daddy¡¯s name was Jay Parker-Yelena remembered that.


    She then said, ¡°Grandma, could you help me look through mommy¡¯s phone and find Jay Parker¡¯s


    number? I want to save it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± 1


    ¡°I want to call him,¡± Yelena replied, still too young to know how to lie.

 Chapter 821

    Chapter 821


    Chapter 821


    ra was even more surprised just then. ¡°Why do you want to call Mr. Parker?¡±


    Did Yelena know Jay?


    ¡°I wanted to call him,¡± Yelena said, blinking her wide, innocent eyes at ra. ¡°Can¡¯t you help me,


    Grandma?¡±


    ra certainly could not refuse her adorable granddaughter and did not ask further since she


    presumed it to be a child¡¯s whim.


    She scrolled through Zoe¡¯s contacts and soon found it, then asked Yelena, ¡°Do you want to call him


    now?¡±


    ¡°Not now. I¡¯ll write down the number for now,¡± Yelena said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± ra simply thought that the little girl was having fun, as she always did-adults could never


    understand the games children yed anyway.


    ra wrote down the number for Yelena on a piece of paper. Yelena happily took it and said, ¡°Thank


    you, Grandma.¡±


    ra patted Yelena¡¯s little head, while Yelena slipped the number in her pocket and took Zoe¡¯s phone


    back to Zoe¡¯s room.


    Zoe was still in bed, unable to fall asleep. She saw Yelena gingerly entering, worried of waking her just


    then.


    Zoe simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep to see what her little girl was up to.


    Keeping her eyes narrowed, she watched as Yelena tiptoed inside and put her phone beside her before


    leaving quietly.


    Zoe felt more warmth spreading over her chest-Yelena was really the apple of her eye, and she would


    not feel cold with Yelena around.


    Early next morning, Zoe got out of bed early and prepared to head over to the studio for rehearsals.


    Mommy,¡± Yelena greeted Zoe-she always woke very early to see Zoe off.


    ¡°Have you eaten breakfast, Yelena?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, Mommy. Aren¡¯t you going to have breakfast?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m runningte. Stay home and listen to Grandma, okay?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to work, Mommy?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe replied, putting on her shoes.


    Yelean ran up to her and asked, ¡°Where do you work, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°North City TV Studios. Alright, I¡¯m going now. Be good.¡±


    Zoe hurriedly put on her shoes and left.


    Yelena stared as she closed the door, ensuring it was tightly shut.


    But where was the studio?


    ¡°Yelena?¡± ra asked as she worked from the kitchen. ¡°Did your mommy leave already?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°She could¡¯ve had breakfast before going.¡± ra sighed.¡± Yelena, we have to get you changed soon.


    We¡¯re going to kindergarten.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Yelena said in her adorable voice.


    ra was taking Yelena to the kindergarten when Yelena suddenly said, ¡°You can go now, Grandma. I


    can go on my own from here.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re still a child and should always stay where we can see you.¡± ra refused right then. ¡°What


    if you run into bad people?¡±


    ¡°But I wanted to go by myself.¡± Yelena appeared disappointed.


    ra never could bear seeing Yelena upset. She said,¡± Alright, you can go on your own.¡±


    She could just follow Yelena from a distance before she reached the kindergarten anyway.


    Yelena happily walked ahead right then.

 Chapter 822

    Chapter 822


    Chapter 822


    ra kept her distance from Yelena, watching as Yelena arrived at the gates of the kindergarten, only


    turning to leave after seeing Yelena greet the kindergarten teachers.


    She had left chicken soup simmering on the stove and was not worried since Yelena was with the


    teachers now.


    However, she did not stop to check if Yelena actually went inside the kindergarten before going.


    And Yelena was certainly sharp-once she saw that her grandmother was gone, she quickly told the


    teachers,¡± Teacher, I need to tell Grandma something.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Yelena. Make sure toe back once you¡¯re done,¡± the teacher told her mildly.


    There were many other children arriving just then as well, so she stopped paying attention to Yelena


    soon.


    Yelena used the opening to head straight to the main road, hailing a cab-that was what her mommy


    and grandma always did when they went shopping.


    One soon stopped beside her, and it took her all her strength to open the door and jump into the car


    with her little feet before she closed the door as hard as she could.


    ¡°Sir, please take me to North City TV Studios,¡± Yelena said.


    The cabbie stared at Yelena in surprise. ¡°Are you alone, kid?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Please take me to North City TV Studios,¡± Yelena repeated.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a kid. How could you go anywhere alone?¡± the cabbie asked sternly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see my daddy,¡± Yelena replied.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°North City TV Studios.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very far. How could he let you go alone?¡± The cabbie certainly had a sense of responsibility.


    ¡°Are you really alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Yelena nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the police station. They can contact your daddy.¡± The cabbie had no choice but to go to


    the police.


    Yelena was left terrified right then. ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to go there! Only bad people go there!¡±


    The cabbie patiently exined, ¡°It¡¯s not just the bad people. If we are in trouble, we go there to ask the


    police for help too.¡±


    No! I don¡¯t want to go there!¡± Yelena burst into tears of grief right then.


    Coupled with her bewitchingly adorable looks, no one could resist anything she asked.


    The cabbie sighed wearily. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry. Just listen¡ª you¡¯re too young to go anywhere alone.¡±


    ¡°Then take me to my daddy.¡±


    The girl was certainly relentless.


    The cabbie began, ¡°Kid-¡°


    Yelena quickly said, ¡°I have his number. Please call him.¡±


    Hearing that, the cabbie promptly took the piece of paper from her and called the number on it.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Soon, it was answered, and a deep voice said, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello. I have your daughter.¡±


    Silence ensued.


    ¡°Wait, no-l mean, your daughter is in my cab,¡± the cabbie quickly corrected himself. to take her to you.


    Here, I¡¯ll let her talk to you.¡±


    After the cabbie passed her the phone, Yelena was immediately crying out tearfully, ¡°Daddy! I want to


    come to you, but the cabbie wants to take me to the police station! But I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, I


    don¡¯t want to go there¡­ Boo- hoo¡­¡±


    The more she spoke, the more hurt and tearful she sounded.


    The cabbie was left speechless, feeling as if he had kidnapped her.


    Jay frowned.


    He thought it was a prank at first, until she heard the little girl¡¯s voice.


    If he remembered correctly, it must be the girl from the restaurant the other day who kept calling him


    daddy.


    It certainly left an impression.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Tell me, where are you?¡± Jay said, trying to calm her.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Yelena looked around, ¡°I¡¯m in a cab.¡±


    Jay was left speechless, though the cabbie quickly took back his phone and said, ¡°We¡¯re in Eastpass,


    and she¡¯s saying she wants toe to you at North City TV Studios. Should I bring her there, or are


    youing over to pick her up?¡±


    ¡°Daddy, I cane to you. I promise I won¡¯t disturb you,¡± Yelena quickly said loudly into the phone.


    Jay hesitated for a moment, but he soon said, ¡°Please bring her over. I¡¯ll be waiting outside.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right over.¡±

 Chapter 823

    Chapter 823


    Chapter 823


    After hanging up, Yelena¡¯s tearful face was quickly reced by a broad grin.


    The cabbie could not help smiling when he saw her reaction -children never could hide their delight.


    At the same time, he could not help wondering whose adorable daughter she was¡­ Any daddy would


    definitely love to have her.


    Meanwhile, at the studio, Jay was a little distracted after receiving the call in the middle of rehearsals.


    He used to be able to stay immune from everything while he directed various projects, but he was


    spacing out a few times.


    ¡°Mr. Parker?¡± His assistant prodded him just then.


    Jay quickly came to his senses and was left staring at Zoe.


    Zoe frowned-why was he looking at her? She was not messing up.


    Nheless, Jay said, ¡°Keep rehearsing. I¡¯m stepping away for a moment for a little errand-I¡¯ll review


    your performancester.¡±


    And with that, he left, his cane thudding in his wake.


    However, the thespians were in an uproar after he was gone.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into the director?¡± Candice could not resist asking. ¡°He¡¯s always so prim and serious,


    but he suddenly looks out of it! Maybe he¡¯s dating?!¡±


    She promptly sped a hand over her mouth once she said that, since scandals like that were


    dangerous.


    She threw her hands up defensively. ¡® Look, I was just specting. Don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    The others did not actually buy it, though an actor, Horace Cartman, said, ¡°I ran into him taking a call at


    the walkway, and I think it was a child¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, are you saying that Jay Parker has a child?!¡± someone eximed.


    Even if one must watch their tongue in showbiz, no one really could resist gossip.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    No way! I thought he was single all this while! Where would he get a kid?!¡±


    ¡°Could just be a rtive. Or a friend¡¯s kid,¡± someone reasoned.


    ¡°True.¡± The others found that exnation more usible.


    And after some wild spection, they did not waste that much time before returning to the rehearsal,


    remembering then that Jay would be reviewing their performancester.


    Zoe naturally joined them, though she felt unusually restless for the day.


    What devilry could be happening soon?


    Downstairs, Jay only waited for a while when the cab arrived.


    Yelena quickly reached for the door, but Jay had already opened it for her.


    ¡°Daddy.¡± Yelena promptly hugged his legs, her tiny form fitting just right in the gap between his feet.


    Jay patted her little head and paid the cabbie, who tried to get a good look at his face.


    However, he had himself disguised with a baseball cap and a face mask, and he was still preupied,


    wondering how the girl managed to reach him.


    Unable to see Jay¡¯s face, the cabbie left in disappointment¡­ though it was reasonable that the child of


    a top star would look that adorable.


    Jay led Yelena into his car after the cabbie left.


    In the end, showbiz was a harsh environment. Whoever the child was, anyone who happened to be


    shadowing him could take photos and blow the incident out of proportion.


    While Jay was not worried about himself, he would still protect the child¡¯s privacy.


    Once inside the car, Yelena asked excitedly, ¡°Where are we going, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you home,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like me? But I wanted to see you, and I skipped kindergarten. Can¡¯t we go y,


    Daddy? Can¡¯t you y with Yelena?¡±

 Chapter 824

    Chapter 824


    Chapter 824


    Yelena¡¯s wounded look tenderized Jay¡¯s heart, and he asked, ¡°Your name is Yelena?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Daddy.¡± Yelena quickly nodded.


    ¡°Are you Zoe York¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Jay¡¯s heart was pounding hard even as he asked it.


    He certainly saw Yelena the other night, recognizing that she was the same girl at that restaurant who


    kept calling him daddy.


    Though he appeared nonchnt to see her then, there may well be a maelstrom in his heart.


    Zoe had a daughter? If so, who was the father?!


    The thought that he might be left Jay almost overwhelmed, and there were times when he wanted to


    call Zoe and ask, but he did not know what to say.


    In fact, the issue had left him troubled the whole of yesterday, only for Yelena toe looking for him.


    In reality, he more or less had the answer in his mind, but was still nervous about it nheless.


    ¡°Yes, Zoe is my mommy.¡± Yelena nodded and noticed the terrible look on his face then. ¡°What¡¯s wrong,


    Daddy?¡±


    Jay¡¯s heart had started pounding without control, and he was left clutching his chest in an attempt to


    control it.


    If this continued, he could well die!


    ¡°Daddy?¡± Yelena called out to him tentatively, while Jay kept taking deep breaths.


    He was afraid to ask Yelena why she called him daddy, in fear that his heart would be overburdened.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take me home, okay?¡± she asked cutely then. ¡°I came to y with you. Can you y with


    me, Daddy?¡±


    Jay certainly could not resist her sweet charm, though he soon remembered that Zoe might have a


    heart attack if she realized that Yelena sneaked out. ¡°I¡¯ll tell your mommy first.¡±


    ¡°Please, no.¡± Yelena quickly stopped Jay.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because mommy keeps saying you¡¯re not my daddy. She won¡¯t let me y with you.¡± Yelena pouted


    indignantly.


    Jay¡¯s heart was suddenly racing again-Yelena really might give him a heart attack eventually.


    ¡°Your mommy said you¡¯re not my daughter?¡± he asked while trying to stay calm.


    ¡°No, Mommy only said you¡¯re not my daddy. She never said I¡¯m not your daughter,¡± Yelena replied


    seriously.


    Though speechless, Jay was smiling, amusing by the girl¡¯s naivete.


    It was fine anyway, since he was not in a hurry to get answers.


    Patting her little head, ¡°Do you have your grandma¡¯s number? I¡¯ll tell her you¡¯re with me, okay?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°No!¡± Yelena refused to tell anyone-she just wanted to be with her daddy.


    ¡°Be a good girl now, Yelena,¡± Jay said mildly.


    He had no experience with children.


    Richard spent most of his toddler days abroad, and Cordy was on hand to babysit when he returned to


    Zidonia.


    But for some reason, he seemed natural at coaxing Yelena, as if there was already a bond between


    them already that sealed his fatherhood¡­


    Jay¡¯s heart skipped a beat then, since this was not confirmed yet.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take you anywhere if I can¡¯t tell your mommy or your grandma. They¡¯re going to be very worried


    if they can¡¯t look for you,¡± Jay exined patiently.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Yelena finally agreed to it albeit reluctantly. ¡°I have Grandma¡¯s number in my bag. She told me


    to call her if I ever get lost.¡±

 Chapter 825

    Chapter 825


    Chapter 825


    Jay quickly took ra¡¯s number from Yelena¡¯s bag and called it.


    ¡°Hello? I¡¯m Jay Parker.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Parker?!¡± ra was obviously surprised, unsure why he would call her and most importantly, how


    he had her number.


    ¡°Yelena is with me¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± ra cried out in agitation before Jay could finish.


    ¡°Please calm down. She¡¯s safe with me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Grandma. I¡¯m with Daddy,¡± Yelena chimed in.


    ¡°Daddy? What daddy?¡± ra was even more perplexed.


    ¡°Anyway, Yelena came looking for me, and I agreed to y with her,¡± Jay said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll take


    good care of her.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay. Thank you,¡± ra did not ask further questions, since there would only be more confusion


    talking through the phone.


    She would just have to ask Yelena when she returned.


    ¡°By the way, please don¡¯t tell Zoe since she might be busy with rehearsals. I¡¯ll bring Yelena hometer,¡±


    Jay added.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°See you,¡± he said and hung up politely.


    ¡°Are you really spending the day with me, Daddy?¡± Yelena asked nervously, but her eyes were filled


    with hope.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded-he had never once skipped work over personal issues, but he had no choice but to


    break that rule today.


    ¡°Yippee!¡± Yelena cheered. ¡°I love you so much, Daddy!¡±


    She even climbed up to her with her tiny frame, wrapped her little arms around Jay¡¯s neck and gave


    him arge smooch on the cheek.


    Jay stiffened a little-there was just no describing that feeling he had just then, where warmth extended


    down to the bottom of his heart.


    After a while, he asked Yelena, ¡°Where should we go?¡±


    ¡°The amusement park?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s so many rides, and they have stage shows and ice cream¡­¡±


    Jay watched Yelena while she kept chattering away, her, the grin on his face never once fading.


    He also wondered why he did not recognize Yelena as Zoe¡¯s daughter before¡ªhe did find that face


    familiar before, but now that he had a closer look, her appearance and temperament was no different


    from Zoe¡¯s as a child.


    He told the chauffeur to the amusement park, and Yelena was beside herself with excitement when she


    arrived,


    pulling Jay along and starting to run straight inside.


    ¡°Yelena.¡± Jay told her, holding her back for a moment, ¡°Don¡¯t run or you might fall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t keep up with this leg,¡± Jay said patiently.


    Yelena finally nced at his leg then, and Jay smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t like it, do you?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Yelena said a little loudly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind what Daddy is like. I love Daddy!¡±


    Her warmth left Jay all fuzzy, and he said, ¡°Well, could you do Daddy a favor and walk a little slower?¡±


    He was blushing when he called himself ¡®daddy¡¯, but fortunately, the face mask hid that from view.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Yelena quickly answered. ¡°We can hold hands too, Daddy.¡± i


    ¡°Thanks, Yelena.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll take care of you when you get older too,¡± Yelena said affectionately.


    Jay smiled again¡ªthe girl certainly had foresight.


    And with that, they had a happy day at the amusement park, while the studio was left in shock when


    they received word that Jay had to leave for some personal issue.


    Before this, any schedule and arrangement the man made would never change once it had been


    made.

 Chapter 826

    Chapter 826


    Chapter 826


    Moreover, it had been several days since Jay had an actual rehearsal with his group of thespians, so


    time was short.


    And yet, he suddenly just upped and vanished, which left everyone bemused.


    It only caused further confusion when he asked everyone to rehearse until past 8 PM before leaving.


    What was this abuse of authority?! The man walked out on them but denied them the chance to ck


    off too?!


    Even Zoe, who knew Jay for years, could only say that he was just behaving very weirdly today.


    But it was not like she could tell what he was intending anyway.


    Eventually, it was 7 PM-Jay was ready to send Yelena home after ying with her for an entire day,


    though not before buying her a grand feast.


    Yelena was doleful when they returned to the car, however, and she asked Jay, ¡°Can we see each


    other again, Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Of course?¡±


    ¡°When will that be?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll be busy the next few days. Once I¡¯m done, I¡¯lle get you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for you, Daddy,¡± Yelena said seriously.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°When will you move in with us, Daddy?¡± Yelena then asked.


    Huh.¡¯


    That was not a question he could answer¡ªhe had no idea what Zoe had in mind, nor was he a


    hundred percent sure that Yelena was his.


    After all, Zoe used to date Bob too¡­


    However, Jay did not care.


    In fact, he could ept Yelena, no matter who her father was.


    Still, he was concerned that Zoe would not acknowledge him.


    He nced at Yelena¡¯s luscious hair.


    Finding the truth was easy, but he somehow did not want to confirm it either.


    They arrived at Yelena¡¯s home before 8 PM¡ªZoe would be still at the studio, and they would not run


    into her.


    When ra saw Jay bring Yelena home, she thanked him endlessly for babysitting the girl for an entire


    day, while Jay offered some polite exchanges in return.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell Zoe that we went out today. She might get upset,¡± Jay added.


    ¡°Okay, but¡­¡± ra nodded, hesitating for a moment before giving in and asking, ¡°Yelena has been


    saying that you¡¯re her daddy. But are you really?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, actually.¡± Jay smiled.


    ¡°But you and Zoe¡­¡± ra murmured, watching her just then.


    Jay simply kept smiling in silence, and ra was basically positive right then that he was Yelena¡¯s


    father.


    She was convinced that it was Bob before and was left wondering when Zoe and Jay did the deed¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure because Zoe did not tell me,¡± Jay exined then. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d also rather you didn¡¯t


    ask her. Moreover, I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want me seeing Yelena, so please don¡¯t tell her about that


    either, especially since I¡¯ve promised Yelena to y with her more after I get less busy.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± ra nodded, feeling that there was history between Jay and Zoe.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    And given Zoe¡¯s refusal to let anyone find out about Yelena, it probably meant that she refused to


    ept Jay as Yelena¡¯s father!


    My number was the one I called you with this morning, so please save it. I¡¯ll call you again when I meet


    Yelena next time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯ste, so I shan¡¯t impose.¡±


    ¡°Daddy, are you leaving already?¡± Yelena appeared utterly reluctant to see him go.


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯lle see you again when I¡¯m less busy.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Daddy.¡± Yelena did not forget to dere that again.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Jay replied with a gaze of utter tenderness.


    After Jay left, ra could not help asking Yelena, ¡°How did you manage to reach Mr. Parker, Yelena?


    Was that why you asked me to get his number yesterday? Are you sure he¡¯s your daddy?!¡±

 Chapter 827

    Chapter 827


    Chapter 827


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Yelena nodded tamely. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Mommy told me before.


    ra was left utterly bemused right then. What was going on between Jay and Zoe?


    Zoe must have gotten pregnant here in North City thest time they were here¡­


    Forget it.


    An old woman like her was only too aware that the young people could handle their own issues.


    All she had to do was raise Yelena well, so that Yelena was fair and pretty and happy every day, and


    she would be content to no end with that.


    Meanwhile, over at the capital, Cordy was having a discussion with Sean about Jesse.


    Their grandfather was still in ICU and had yet to regain consciousness, but the doctors were hopeful,


    telling them that they should not give up since he might wake up at the next instant.


    However, it was still demoralizing that they did not have solid numbers.


    Still, Sean suddenly asked Cordy, ¡°Why do I have this feeling that you¡¯re a little distracted?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-she certainly was.


    She must admit that she was thinking about John.


    Before they parted ways the other night, John said that he would tell Nana everything the next day.


    But he had since been gone for days.


    Richard had been asking multiple times where he went and why he was not showing up, and Richard


    even checked John¡¯s room to find it empty.


    The boy even asked the front desk, and it turned out that John never checked out, though he was not


    staying there either.


    She actually thought about calling John, but decided to stay quiet and leave it in John¡¯s own hands.


    He was the one who had to decide, after al I¡ªbe it to break up with Nana, or to return to her side


    ignoring her feelings while not exining a thing for Sean, she asked, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just asking me to


    go back to Cranston Hall?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re the one who suggested bringing the cops into this,¡± Sean replied. ¡°I¡¯ve made all the


    appropriate arrangements, and I¡¯d like you to stick with me as we make the announcement in front of


    everyone.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Cordy did not say no-with Jesse still unconscious and that new will unattainable, they could not


    suspect anyone.


    The only thing they could do was set the bait and draw them out of hiding.


    With that, Cordy started to head out of the hotel with Sean and Richard, and she had just stepped


    outside the entrance when they saw John returning.


    He looked weary, though Richard was still thrilled to see him nheless.


    However, he was feeling a little temper too, as he was genuinely disappointed that John did not do


    anything else now that his rtionship with his mommy was just improving.


    ¡°Where have you been, Lucas? Mommy and I have been waiting for you for days¡­¡±


    Blood rtions were a curious thing, was it not?


    Cordy was certainly used to it by now.


    John¡¯s weariness soon eased when he saw Richard too.

 Chapter 828

    Chapter 828


    Chapter 828


    John looked up at Cordy, and she returned his gaze with a look of apathy.


    Though they held each other¡¯s gaze for just a second, a man as sharp as Sean clearly noticed that


    something had changed between them.


    It was certainly a dramatic change in chemistry between those two, especiallypared to how they


    were just days before¡­


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± John asked Cordy just then.


    ¡°Cranston Hall,¡± Cordy replied, without asking where he went for days and why he was only returning


    now, or how things were going between him and Nana.


    ¡°I see. You should go,¡± John said.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She would have told Sean to wait if John had asked her to stay, since Sean¡¯s announcement about


    getting the cops involved could wait.


    Her presence there was also not necessary either.


    But he did not ask her to stay¡­


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said and left with Richard right then.


    John watched as she went, his gaze turning dark just then.


    In the car, Sean could not resist asking, ¡°So¡­ what¡¯s the story with you and Lucas?¡±


    When Cordy did not answer, he continued, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I can give you the talk, especially since


    you¡¯re an adult and you¡¯ve been single for a while¡­ All I want to say is that he¡¯s Nana Lynd¡¯s boyfriend,


    and they¡¯re even engaged.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m the third-wheeler there?¡± Cordy asked, looking up at Sean just then, though it was not far


    from the truth given the vague connection between her and John now.


    ¡°What?! No!¡± Sean snapped in displeasure. ¡°First off, they¡¯re not actually married. Secondly, when it


    comes to rtionships, it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re first or second-it¡¯s not wrong as long as you¡¯re not


    hurting anyone with malicious intent. Last but not least, Lucas does resemble John Levine. It¡¯s almost


    reasonable that you¡¯d fall for him.¡±


    Cordy really wanted to tell Sean right then that Lucas was John, but she quickly stopped herself.


    Even now, she had no idea what John¡¯s choice would be- she simply could not find any confidence


    from him.


    ¡°What I¡¯m concerned about is the fact that Nana is really dangerous,¡± Sean said solemnly then. ¡°Don¡¯t


    take her delicate appearance and poor health seriously-she¡¯s not as simple as she looks. Just think


    about it: the Lynds are such a huge family with tons of children and grandchildren, so why would Jean


    Cranston favor her so much? Because she wins sympathy because of her frail health? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s


    that simple.¡±


    Cordy turned toward Sean then even as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not even badmouthing her because she¡¯s


    your rival now. She used to live here in the capital with us before she went abroad, and we often visited


    each other¡¯s homes¡­ But there was this one time when I saw her knock a vase over and break it on


    purpose before using her cousin for it. Those stubborn, wounded look really tricked every adult in


    the room.¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you expose her?¡±


    ¡°She was so convincing that I was gaslighted into believing that I was mistaken,¡± Sean replied. ¡°But


    once I got home and did some proper thinking, I became sure that I was not mistaken-Nana broke the


    vase and framed her cousin for it. I guess the reason was because Jean had been praising that cousin,


    and Nana got jealous. However, we were both still young at the time, and bygones are bygones¡­ But I


    remembered it again now that you might get involved with her soon.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Cordy replied and did not say much else.


    They soon returned to Cranston Hall, and as they arrived at the lobby, they saw that everyone else had


    arrived.


    ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t Sean,¡± Paul Crantson-Jesse¡¯s second son and Sean¡¯s uncle-said sarcastically then. ¡°The


    same Sean who asked the whole family to wait for half an hour before he finally shows up. Aren¡¯t you


    throwing your weight around as head of the family a little early?¡±


    It was a jibe at Sean for lording over the rest while Jesse was still alive.


    In reality, Sean would never be appointed as the head of the family even if the Cranstons had to


    choose Jesse¡¯s heir right now. Sean simply held some degree of authority since Jesse had personally


    groomed him for years.

 Chapter 829

    Chapter 829


    Chapter 829


    However, as a famouswyer, Sean was far better at verbal sparring. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Uncle Paul-we


    happened to run into a traffic jam on the way here. My apology also extends to everyone here,


    including my family, my cousins and Aunt Demi as well.¡±


    Since Sean apologized to everyone, Paul could not nitpick even if he wanted to.


    In fact, if he spoke further now, he would leave the impression that he was petty despite holding


    seniority.


    Nheless, he asked impatiently, ¡°So what¡¯s so important you asked everyone here today? Don¡¯t you


    know that Grandfather needs people around to take care of him?¡±


    In reality, everyone in the room knew that Jesse did not need his family around him, when the VVIP¡¯s


    ICU ward had everything he would need. 1


    ¡°Well, it is quite important,¡± Sean replied just then.


    He took a seat on the couch, and Cordy followed suit after sending Richard to his room-most of the


    people involved in this issue were adults, and Richard had no reason to be a part of this.


    And it certainly was not up to him to worry about.


    ¡°Then make it fast,¡± Paul urged right then. ¡°There¡¯s all this stuff at Dad¡¯s hospital I need to seek out, so


    I¡¯m really busy.


    I¡¯m really stretching my time for you here.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make it short,¡± Sean said calmly¡ªhe was more than capable of handling the rest of the


    Cranstons.


    However, just as he was about to speak, Paul stopped him,¡± Wait.¡±


    While Sean stared at him, Paul was shooting nces at Cordy as he said, ¡°I would presume that this is


    a family matter since you mentioned that it¡¯s important. And since it¡¯s a family matter, I don¡¯t think


    outsiders should be involved.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy naturally knew Paul meant her, but Sean spoke before she could, ¡°There are no outsiders here,


    just Cranstons.¡±


    ¡°But there are people here who don¡¯t bear that name,¡± Paul growled icily.


    ¡°In that case, are you referring to my mom and Aunt Demi as well?¡±


    ¡°They both married into the family, so they are Cranstons. Cordy Sachs, however¡­¡±


    Paul finally stopped pretending and named Cordy right then.


    ¡°She¡¯s Jesse Cranston¡¯s maternal granddaughter and unquestionably connected to us by blood, not to


    mention that it was Grandfather himself who personally brought her back to the family. If you believe


    otherwise, Uncle Paul, you may confirm it with him when he wakes up. As long as he hasn¡¯t disowned


    Cordy, I¡¯d ask you not to detract from his assertions.¡±


    As Sean threw out Jesse¡¯s name, Paul would be disrespecting his own father if he insisted the Cordy


    was not family.


    Frustrated and thwarted for a while now, he snorted grumpily, ¡°Just get on with it!¡±


    Sean in turn went straight to the point. ¡°I¡¯veunched a private investigation into Grandfather¡¯s sudden


    stroke, since he had been healthy for years now, and periodic medical examinations never came up


    with anything-not even heightened blood pressure. There was no chance of sudden strokes since his


    veins and arteries never showed signs of blockage, which was why I had been suspecting foul y.¡±


    ¡°You mean that someone was trying to harm Grandfather?¡± Linus-Paul¡¯s son-snorted derisively then.


    ¡°We can¡¯t rule out the possibility,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    Everyone suddenly tensed up even as they looked at him.


    Paul suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re awyer, Sean-you of all people should know that evidence matters for any


    ims. It would only sound like you¡¯re trying to drive a wedge between us with wild spections, or is


    that what you want? For everyone in the family to suspect each other?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, Iunched a personal investigation. Of course I would have evidence.¡±

 Chapter 830

    Chapter 830


    Chapter 830


    Sean whipped out theb test results on the tea leaves, which clearly stated that the substance it


    contained could lead to a stroke.


    Everyone was shocked after they read it.


    ¡°Where did you get this, Sean?!¡± Even Sean¡¯s own father, Liam, was caught in disbelief.


    ¡°We gathered everything in his room and sent them for tests at theb. The results are trustworthy.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure Grandfather drank it?¡± Linus asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What, just because you said so?! Do you even have proof?!¡± Linus appeared a little unnerved right


    then.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-but I can bring this issue to the cops. They¡¯ll find out for sure if there was deliberate harm


    involved,¡± Sean said slowly and clearly.


    ¡°The cops?!¡± Paul cried out in agitation before Linus said anything else. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how that


    would affect the family¡¯s reputation? Do you want the whole family to find out that there¡¯s discord in the


    family, and that someone among us wants Dad dead?!¡±


    ¡°What are you getting agitated for?¡± Sean shot Paul a sharp, judgemental look right then. ¡°Is there


    something you¡¯re worried about?!¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth! I¡¯m not worried about anything-l¡¯m concerned about the family¡¯s reputation!¡±


    ¡¯¡¯Are you saying that we should let Grandfather die for the sake of keeping our reputation? Understand


    this-the first attempt on Grandfather¡¯s life failed, so there would


    definitely be a second. Or perhaps you would like everyone to keep living on the edge? Or are you


    implying that there won¡¯t be a second attempt while Grandfather is still unconscious?! We either


    expose the culprit, or we¡¯d all be responsible for neglecting his safety!¡±


    Sean¡¯s words were righteous and just, and Paul certainly had noeback at that point.


    Still, Linus quickly said, ¡°I think this is too important for us to decide. Why don¡¯t we wait until


    Grandfather wakes up? I mean, he also cares a lot about the family¡¯s reputation¡­ If you make this


    decision so soon and he proves unhappy about it, who will take the me?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    ¡°Sean,¡± Liam said sternly right then.


    He was never interested in taking over as head of the family and had every intention to let his brother


    Paul do so, since Paul had been yearning for it since forever.


    It was just unexpected that his son was that extraordinary and that interested in taking over, i


    However, Sean remained determined. ¡°I can only repeat what I said before-Grandfather¡¯s life is far


    more important


    than anything else.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Liam sighed at that.


    He never held a candle to his own son.


    Moreover, Liam¡¯s father, Jesse, always had Sean follow him around and obviously held Sean in high


    regard-one might even say that it was not up to Liam to educate his own son.


    And having said this much, no one could argue against Sean -if Sean did not get the cops involved, it


    meant they did not care about Jesse¡¯s safety.


    Who would even dare to go that far?!


    ¡°If there¡¯s no more questions, I will be contacting the cops right now.¡±


    And with those words, Sean whipped out his phone and called the cops, in full view of the rest of the


    family and exining every detail of their case.


    Soon, the cops arrived at Cranston Hall, cordoning specific areas and taking away anything that looked


    suspicious, as well as collecting testimonies from every family member before leaving.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Paul asked Sean after the cops left.

 Chapter 831

    Chapter 831


    Chapter 831


    Sean said evenly, ¡°No, Uncle Paul. You can go about your business now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Paul replied and stormed off angrily, his family quickly following.


    Calmness returned to Cranston Hall right then, while Sean turned to Cordy. ¡°You should stay here for


    the night. There are not that many outsiders right now, and I can myself testify that my own parents are


    nice-they never did like power struggles and the like. Fred is away enjoying life with his girlfriend, while


    my wife is visiting her parents with our kid. There are just a few of us in Cranston Hall, so it¡¯d be nice if


    you stayed with us instead of staying at the hotel.¡± i


    Cordy sighed-there were times when she just could not turn down Sean, and it was not as if she could


    not feel that Sean had been sincerely nice to her.


    Even so¡­


    Well, she had to admit that she wanted to go back to the hotel for John.


    Whatever it was that had happened, she would like to clear the air with John.


    ¡°¡­ Very well.¡±


    Seeing that Cordy was not responding, Sean knew it was pretty much a no.


    He would not try to push her, and he understood her reasoning.


    She was just reintroduced to the family three years ago-to ask her to ept them and assimte


    herself was asking too much.


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you and Dicky back to the hotel.¡±


    The chauffeur can take me.¡± Cordy did not want to trouble Sean so much.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Sean insisted on driving her.


    Even Cordy had to admit that she was closer to Sean than the rest of the Cranstons.


    After all, her grandfather held seniority and she would always tiptoe around him, whereas Sean was a


    lot more carefree, even unconditionally epting.


    Still, Sean did not escort Cordy back to her room.


    When she arrived on her floor, she found John approaching them on the walkway rather urgently.


    Seeing him, Richard became excited again. ¡°Were you waiting for us out here, Lucas?¡±


    Cordy raised a brow-Richard was giving himself too much credit, no?


    John would have no idea when they woulde back.


    That said, why was he leaving now and looking worried?


    What could have happened?


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving for a while,¡± John said very quickly.


    ¡°Again?¡± Richard appeared upset right then.


    ¡°Something came up,¡± John said, his eyes fixed on Cordy just then.


    ¡°Is it urgent?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± John nodded.


    ¡°Is it about Nana Lynd?¡±


    John gulped, but he soon said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cordy felt a stinging sensation over her chest right then, catching her offguard.


    ¡°Should I just pretend you never said what you did the other night?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Just give me a few days. I¡¯ll give you something definitive,¡± John told her.


    Not now?¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Not now.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Cordy said, her tone indifferent as she repressed the myriad emotions she felt.


    John nced at Cordy, but he eventually gritted his teeth and strode off.


    Richard looked obviously reluctant to see him go.

 Chapter 832

    Chapter 832


    Chapter 832


    Richard was stunned when he turned to look at his mother.


    Her eyes were so red¡­ Was she crying?


    Nheless, Cordy¡¯s phone started to ring just then, and Cordy blinked back her tears.


    Seeing the caller, she answered it. ¡°What is it, Patrick?¡±


    ¡°Are you in the capital at the moment? Could youe get me at the airport? I lost all my identification


    and luggage, and I have nowhere to go.¡±


    Patrick actually sounded hysterical.


    Still, Cordy frowned. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you? Wherever you go, I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    While Cordy was speechless, he quickly said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s save the banter. Juste to the airport-l¡¯m


    waiting.¡±


    Cordy sighed lengthily, but she ultimately took a cab and headed to the airport with Richard to get


    Patrick.


    Soon, when they were all in the cab, a speechless Cordy asked, ¡°How did you lose everything?¡±


    Even Patrick was speechless as he exined, ¡°I left my luggage at Rocktown Airport and forgot to


    check it in. As for my certifications, I remember heading to the washroom, and then not remembering


    where I put it. I couldn¡¯t find it anywhere I went, and told the airport staff about me. They cant find


    anything either, but assured me that they will keep looking and call me when they find it.¡±


    Cordy really wanted to curse out loud. She growled through her teeth, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you get lost, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not all my fault.¡± Patrick threw his hands up. ¡°I had to work overtime for three days, including


    working all the way to midnight yesterday just to take a week off ande visit you. My whole head is


    still muddled, and I¡¯m still in a blur right now. I¡¯d never notice it even if you sold me off.¡±


    ¡°How much would you be worth anyway?¡± Cordy snapped.


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m bi, so I¡¯d be worth more,¡± Patrick said a little smugly.


    ¡®Goddamned pervert.¡¯


    Cordy took Patrick to her hotel and helped him check-in with electronic certification-he would be


    sleeping on the street otherwise.


    Although she asked the receptionist to get Patrick a room close to hers, the receptionist apologized,


    saying all the rooms were booked.


    ¡°Really? There¡¯s no holiday and it¡¯s not the travel season now, is it?¡± Cordy was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Sorry, but we just received a foreign travel group and it¡¯s quite arge group. We¡¯re really sorry.¡± The


    receptionist kept apologizing.


    Having no choice, Cordy told Patrick, ¡°I guess you have to stay in another hotel.¡±


    Patrick refused. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m staying with you in the same hotel-1 traveled all the way here. I can¡¯t bear


    to stay away from you.¡±


    Cordy was irritated right then. ¡°Well, what can we do? There are no rooms.¡±


    ¡°I could stay in your room. It¡¯s a suite, right? I can¡¯t stay in the same room with Dicky.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like sleeping with others.¡± Richard refused right then.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Seeing Richard¡¯s wounded look, Patrick suddenly yawned.¡± Well, I can take the couch.¡±


    Cordy could tell that he was clearly sleepy, and remembering that he mentioned how he worked so


    hard, she felt a little guilty.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s stay elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°I know you love me, Cordy.¡± Patrick was grinning like a 200- pound idiot.


    ¡°Shove it.¡± Cordy rolled her eyes.


    She checked out, but just as she was about to head to another hotel with Patrick, she suddenly


    remembered something. ¡°Should we just stay at Cranston Hall? There¡¯s plenty of guest rooms there¡ª


    they won¡¯t miss one.¡±


    ¡°Are you doing this on purpose, Cordy?¡± Patrick pouted. ¡°You know Sean Cranston doesn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s either that or the street,¡± Cordy snapped in annoyance.


    Patrick leveled a wounded look at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying there tonight anyway,¡± she added, since she could go to the hospital with Sean tomorrow


    without having him make a detour for her.


    She had turned down Sean¡¯s offer to let her stay at Cranston Hall because of John earlier, but it was


    pointless now.

 Chapter 833

    Chapter 833


    Chapter 833


    Patrick ultimately gave in and followed Cordy to Cranston Hall.


    Sean just returned, and was surprised to find Cordy returning as well.


    Naturally, he was frowning when he saw Patrick, who was scowling in return.


    Patrick was now aware of the rtionship between Sean and Cordy, but he absolutely would not bother


    suffering


    Sean if he did not want to woo Cordy.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Sean asked grumpily nheless.


    Cordy told him about Patrick¡¯s situation and shrugged. ¡°We can let him stay a few days.¡±


    Sean shot Patrick a look and said before turning away, ¡°Why don¡¯t you get lost, too?¡±


    Patrick rolled his eyes.


    They really were blood rted-even their intonation was identical.


    Still, he restrained himself and followed Sean to his room. At least the man had manners and was


    polite enough a host to show Sean around.


    Along the way, Patrick asked, ¡°Where are Cordy and Dicky staying?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know.¡±


    ¡°I was just asking.¡±


    ¡°The answer is still no.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Look, man, don¡¯t think you¡¯re all that impressive just because you¡¯re Cordy¡¯s cousin. Don¡¯t you


    understand that you¡¯re impeding her happiness?¡± Patrick argued defiantly.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Sean snorted in disdain. ¡°I really don¡¯t see how she¡¯d find happiness with you.¡±


    Patrick snapped at him viciously right then, ¡°Do you even know me or what I¡¯m like? Are you blind to


    my family background or personal achievements? Why wouldn¡¯t Cordy be happy with me?!¡±


    ¡°Did you forget which way you swing before?!¡± Sean said bluntly, refusing to waste his breath.


    Patrick did a double take.


    ¡®Sh*t!¡¯


    Sean knew about his past?! Did Sean do a background check on him?!


    No one knew that aside from a couple of his confidants, and Cordy would not betray him either.


    He grew to have a hundred percent faith in her after the years spent with her¡­


    Seeing that Patrick was speechless then, Sean snorted and added, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d allow Cordy to


    waste the rest of her life with you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the past!¡± Patrick retorted. ¡°I¡¯m clean now.¡±


    Sean looked at Patrick from head to toe then.


    He had a clean appearance, and while he did not appear exceedingly masculine, he was definitely


    charming as a man with his mild, refined good looks.


    ¡°What are you looking at?!¡± Patrick felt vited-Sean¡¯s stare was a little intrusive just then.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your room.¡± Sean simply turned away. ¡°You can ask the servants if you need anything.¡±


    With that, he started to leave, reluctant to spend another second with the man.


    Patrick felt unusually angry at Sean, who was acting like he was worth his weight in gold.


    What was he so smug about anyway?! He would not even look at him twice if he was not Cordy¡¯s


    cousin!


    Sean headed to Cordy¡¯s room and asked, ¡°So? What made youe back?¡±


    He was happy, however, since he could feel that Cordy was growing to ept their family.


    ¡°I just came over with Patrick since it¡¯d be troublesome if you had toe over and take me to the


    hospital again. He seems a little self-important, but he doesn¡¯t really cause trouble,¡± Cordy told him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean knew that, but Patrick¡¯s mouth did need some correction.

 Chapter 834

    Chapter 834


    Chapter 834


    Cordy then said, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a littlete and Patrick lost his luggage, so ask the servants to get him


    some fresh clothes. He can buy the rest early tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sean replied. ¡°I don¡¯t like him trying to woo you, but I won¡¯t treat him too harshly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°That said, you really shouldn¡¯t stay with him. He used to be¡­ ¡± Sean trailed off, as if worried that


    Cordy would not be able to take it. ¡°Anyway, just keep your distance.¡± 1


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Cordy could see that he had something to say, but she did not ask.


    ¡°Just take it easy for now. Join us during dinnerter.¡±


    With that, Sean left, unable to help sighing emotionally at how tumultuous Cordy¡¯s love life had been.


    Everyone around her seemed to be fine and sessful, but none of them turned out to be normal.


    Sean returned to his room and picked two sets of clothes before heading straight to Patrick¡¯s room.


    Patrick had slight clean freak tendencies.


    After a long flight, he went straight to take a shower once he returned to his room¡­ only to remember


    he did not bring any clothes.


    He simply wrapped a towel around his waist, whistling as he prepared to call Cordy to bring him some


    clothes.


    He even stood before the tall mirror in front of the bathroom to check his reflection, while flexing his


    muscles.


    Satisfied with his figure, he stepped out, and almost jumped when he saw Sean, who was staring


    obviously at his body, in his room!


    Patrick quickly tried to reach for something-anything¡ªto cover himself.


    But there was nothing.


    Fuming, he snapped, ¡°Goddammit, Sean Cranston! Don¡¯t you respect boundaries?!¡±


    How could he keep a straight face and stare at his perfect figure with such aplomb?!


    Sean sneered in disdain, and Patrick found it absolutely humiliating!


    Still, Sean threw the clothes he brought Patrick by the bed. ¡¯ Cordy asked me to pass these to you.¡±


    With that, he started to leave.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Patrick snapped, and Sean paused at the doorway.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for? Were you mocking me?¡± Patrick demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a perfectly normal look. What, do you take exception?¡± Sean stared at him coolly. ¡°I thought you¡¯re


    straight? What¡¯s


    so embarrassing about being stared at by another man?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m embarrassed?!¡± 1


    ¡°My eyes told me as much,¡± Sean said evenly.


    He was a pr opposite from Patrick, who shook with rage and felt utter disdain from Sean.


    Suddenly, Patrick pulled off his towel, while Sean blinked and pursed his lips.


    ¡°Feeling embarrassed yet?!¡± Patrick growled through his teeth.


    Sean shot him a look, and said nonchntly, ¡°Childish.¡±


    ¡°Childish?! How am I childish?! You¡¯re blind!¡± Patrick was almost jumping with rage.


    ¡°I mean your behavior,¡± Sean retorted, a little speechless.¡± Now put some clothes on. Don¡¯t even think


    Cordy will take care of you if you catch a cold.¡±


    And this time, he left without a pause, mming the door heavily behind him after he was gone.


    Patrick was left bristling by Sean.


    The man was just so entric for a man in his forties who recently married and had a child!


    There would not be more than a handful of women who could stand him!

 Chapter 835

    Chapter 835


    Chapter 835


    The next day, Cordy prepared to go with Sean to the hospital to visit Jesse.


    ¡°Can I join you?¡± Patrick asked.


    ¡°Why?¡± Sean almost protested immediately.


    ¡¯My grandfather was an acquaintance of your grandfather, and he asked me to visit him. Or aren¡¯t I


    allowed?¡±


    Sean pursed his lips while Cordy tried to calm things down.¡± He¡¯s here anyway. Let him visit.¡±


    Cordy naturally knew that Sean and Patrick were at odds and mainly because of her.


    However, while Sean stopped arguing at that, only for Patrick to smugly raise his brow.


    Sean was at a loss for words. ¡°Childish.¡±


    ¡°Did you just call me childish again?!¡± Patrick was incensed again-the words were a direct humiliation


    to him!


    Sean was not bothered to retort. He simply turned to Cordy and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the car ready. You just


    head outside when you finish breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sean left.


    Cordy turned and shot Patrick a re, who felt a little guilty right then.


    ¡°Do you know that we¡¯re living in someone else¡¯s house right now?¡± she snapped, a little speechless.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you cool off a little? I know that the Cranstons aren¡¯t as vicious as the rumors say, but they are a


    grand dynasty. I mean, would you yap like that when you¡¯re at home?¡±


    ¡°I just can¡¯t stand him.¡±


    ¡°You have to stand him even if you can¡¯t. That, or you¡¯re looking for a hotel on your own.¡±


    Patrick said nothing else and left right away after breakfast.


    Richard naturally followed them, since Cordy was worried about leaving Richard alone at Cranston


    Hall, given how things were with the family.


    A time bomb was hidden among them, and who knew when it would explode?


    As they arrived at the hospital and the elevator doors opened, Cordy froze for a moment, while Sean


    and Patrick saw John as well.


    Richard was excited. ¡°What are you doing here, Lucas? To check on your leg?¡±


    John¡¯s leg was still stered, but he was using a crutch instead of a wheelchair for convenience.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Before John could answer, Nana spoke beside him. ¡°No, Dicky. Lucas came to apany me¡ªhe¡¯s


    worried about


    meing alone, so he came even though his leg was hurt.¡±


    Dicky wrinkled his nose, clearly upset.


    What was Lucas doing with this woman again?


    Should he not leave her and be together with Mommy again?


    What was he thinking?!


    He suddenly wanted to beat Lucas up, but was worried he would get punished¡­


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sean asked Nana just then.


    ¡°Well, my health¡¯s always been bad, so it¡¯s normal to get sick. Lucas always gets paranoid, so he


    insisted that I get checked here at the hospital,¡± Nanained, though there was a look of bliss on


    her face.


    Cordy nced at John just then.


    He returned her gaze but remained silent.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done, then make way,¡± Patrick growled impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s impolite, blocking our


    way into the elevator?¡±


    Patrick¡¯s sudden hostility left Nana a little embarrassed.

 Chapter 836

    Chapter 836


    Chapter 836


    Nana quickly pulled John along and walked away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re Cordy¡¯s boyfriend, right? Do you


    remember me? We met in North City before.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Patrick was not holding back. ¡°My heart only remembers Cordy.¡±


    Cordy could throw up right then-how much more cringeworthy could he get?!


    Nana was immediately praiseful. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re an amazing guy. Cordy must be happy to have a


    boyfriend like you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing well too. Didn¡¯t your boyfriend bring you here over something trivial?¡± Patrick scoffed.


    Nana pretended not to hear his derision. ¡°Yeah, he is. I don¡¯t want anyone but him.¡±


    ¡°Keep those cringe parts to yourselves,¡± Patrick said, unable to stand her right then and turning to


    Cordy. ¡°What are we doing here? Weren¡¯t we visiting your grandfather?¡±


    Sean came to his senses right then and quickly said, ¡°Take care, Nana. I¡¯m going to check on my


    grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Bye, everyone.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    While they filed into the elevator, Cordy saw John turn to look at her, but he stayed silent again while


    Nana wrapped


    her hands around his arm.


    Cordy lowered her gaze, hiding all the emotions she felt.


    Still, as the elevator moved, Patrick had no words other than, ¡°B*tch.¡±


    ¡°How could you tell?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious from first nce?¡±


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡® Well, guess it¡¯s true what they say: it takes one to know one, ¡± Sean said with subtle irony.


    Patrick could tell immediately anyway. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Let me tell you this: I¡¯m as


    straight as theye, so don¡¯t get all sarcastic-¡°


    ¡°We¡¯re there,¡± Cordy said, cutting the argument short.


    She just could not understand why Patrick had to be so hostile toward Sean-building a strong


    partnership would be beneficial to both families, right?!


    Outside the hospital, Nana was staring at the side of Lucas¡¯ face in a luxurious Rolls-Royce.


    He had been staring outside the window ever since he got in and never once looked at her.


    Nheless, Nana hid her rage and put on her usually innocent look, sounding humble as she said,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I upset you just now, Lucas?¡±


    John never responded, so she shifted herself to lean on him.


    ¡°I¡¯m so worried about losing you that I couldn¡¯t help saying too much. I can¡¯t live without you, Lucas.¡±


    John pursed his lips in silence when he felt her pressing against him, wrapping her hands around his


    arm.


    Just then, the white bandages wrapped over her wrists were right in front of his eyes.


    John gulped and averted his eyes.


    ¡°I know you, Lucas,¡± Nana said understandingly then. ¡°I know you¡¯re just distracted since Cordy is so


    beautiful-1 mean, even I would be, let alone you. But I also know that this is just temporary, and you¡¯ll


    forget it soon enough, while I would always be willing to stay with you.¡±


    Lucas still said nothing.


    ¡°You hate me for using suicide to coerce you, don¡¯t you?¡± Nana¡¯s eyes welled with tears as she stared


    at his stiff expression.


    That was right-when John asked to meet Nana the other day, he asked to break up with her.


    He told her how he really felt about Cordy, that he did not want to lie to her or himself.


    Nana refused to listen, insisting that he was just lost for a moment and that he did not really love Cordy.

 Chapter 837

    Chapter 837


    Chapter 837


    However, John knew very well how he felt about Cordy- never had he felt such overwhelming emotion,


    as if it had been pent-up within him for years and now unstoppable after it had been unleashed.


    His heart would race just from remembering Cordy, and he would feel a terrible yearning to see her and


    the impulse to keep her constantly by his side.


    He had never felt that way toward Nana before, and he understood that he was not infatuated.


    This was an obsession of a lifetime, which was why he was determined to break up with Nana-it was


    better to be hurt for a moment than forever, and he was certainly reluctant to be hesitant, which would


    only cause more damage in time.


    Still, he could admit that he felt like he owed Nana, and he decided he would not refuse her if she ever


    came to him for help-but he refused to be coerced into staying in this rtionship.


    That was why he was unmoved despite all of Nana¡¯s attempts to convince him otherwise¡­ But when


    he returned to the hotel afterwards and intended to tell Cordy he was single again, Nana¡¯s father called


    him, saying that Nana had slit her wrist when she got home.


    There was a moment when he decided against going to the hospital-he knew that if he gave in now, he


    would have an


    even harder time trying to break up with Nana, even if it meant feeling guilty.


    Moreover, he was sure that the Lynds would save Nana no matter what it took.


    That was why he refused, but before he could hang up, Keith Lynd threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re in


    the capital right now, Lucas, and who owns this city! Don¡¯t think the Cranstons can protect you just


    because you¡¯re with Cordy Sachs now- I can tell you that she can¡¯t, and you¡¯d be dragging her down


    with you! Before Jesse Cranston wakes up, no one would be there to protect Cordy Sachs, so you¡¯d


    better think if you areing to the hospital! Don¡¯t ruin a good thing for yourself and others!¡± 1


    With that, the man hung up, while Lucas¡¯ hand shook even as he grasped his phone.


    However, John soon found himself standing outside Cordy¡¯s hotel room for a long while, but he could


    not find the courage to knock and enter.


    Keith was right¡ªthings were uncertain among the Cranstons, and if Jesse never woke up, the family


    would start fighting among themselves.


    Once that happened, no one would be there to help Cordy, and if the Lynds went after her¡­ she was


    alone, and she would never win.


    But to give in like this? He could not do it either, because he was not a man who took anything lying


    down.


    Even if he had no idea what Cordy would give up for his sake, he knew for sure that he could give up


    everything for her¡ªhe would not care even if the Lynds took everything from him. i


    Who knew? Maybe Cordy could do it too.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    John¡¯s heart began to race-for some reason, that hunch seemed to feel so real.


    As such, he decided to tell Cordy everything right then.


    Whatever happened, this was between them and he could not decide on it alone. If Cordy was willing


    to stand with him against any external influence, he would no longer hesitate. But if Cordy refused¡­


    He would not drag her down with him anyway.


    However, just as John was about to knock on her door, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and fainted right


    then.


    He was too engrossed in his thoughts to notice the men who suddenly appeared at the hotel walkway.

 Chapter 838

    Chapter 838


    Chapter 838


    John woke up in the hospital with the Lynds surrounding him along with a feeble Nana.


    The bandages wrapped around her wrists was all too obvious.


    Keith had wanted to give John a beating after he woke up, furious that he broke up with Nana and


    made her try to kill herself, but it was Nana who stopped Keith, putting her body between them despite


    her vulnerable state.


    Even if John was spared a beating, Keith threatened him that if he hurt Nana again, neither him nor


    Cordy would ever leave the capital, telling him not to challenge the limits of his patience again and to


    stay at the hospital with Nana.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Nana had lost a lot of blood when she slit her wrists, and the doctors were suggesting that she stay for


    further observation.


    She kept apologizing throughout, iming that she did not expect such harshness from her father. She


    kept telling him how he loved her and could not live without him, and she did not want this but just


    could not control herself.


    John never responded, and Nana did not push him.


    After staying for over two days with her at the hospital, John said he needed a change of clothes.


    Nana did not stop him.


    John ran into Cordy when he returned to the hotel, but he could not quite bring himself to tell her


    anything.


    He kept hesitating, just as he did not know what to say.


    Indeed, he had a hard time deciding.


    Not only were the Lynds were coercing him with their influence, just as Nana threatened him with


    suicide, but Cordy might get hurt too.


    It was really too difficult for him to decide right then, so he decided to buy time.


    He was surprised to run into Cordy at the hospital today and even more surprised that Patrick was in


    the city.


    He could not help admitting that he was jealous seeing them together, and he felt so strongly about it


    he wondered if he loved Cordy more than he could think.


    ¡°Lucas, don¡¯t get angry, okay?¡± Nana pouted tentatively. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to anything you say, as long as you


    forget about


    Cordy. I can even get stic surgery to look like her if you like her face¡­¡±


    John¡¯s expression finally changed, left in disbelief that Nana would say something like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking since you kept ignoring me.¡± She smiled. ¡°I know you¡¯re not that shallow.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no love between us, Nana. It would just hurt us both if you make us stay together.¡±


    Not for me. I won¡¯t get hurt as long as I¡¯m with you-l know


    you¡¯re just infatuated with Cordy, and you¡¯ll eventually realize that you only ever loved me.¡±


    Even as she spoke, Nana appeared utterly innocent.


    No one could ever tell how cunningly devious she was at all.


    ¡°Stop thinking about Cordy, Lucas. She has a boyfriend, and you saw how close they were. She


    definitely feels nothing for you, and she might just want some temporary excitement. I¡¯ve already


    investigated them-Cordy and Patrick have been together for years. They¡¯re inseparable.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what she¡¯s like.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. I know you¡¯d be upset if I badmouth her, so I promised I won¡¯t do it ever again. Just don¡¯t


    give me that long face, okay?¡± Nana pouted again. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this before. You used to be so


    kind¡­¡±

 Chapter 839

    Chapter 839


    Chapter 839


    As Nana leaned her head gently over Lucas¡¯ shoulder, he continued to give her the silent treatment.


    Right now, he needed time toe up with a way so everyone could walk away without grievances.


    Likewise, Nana needed time to ept his departure.


    However, that was certainly not what Nana thought¡ªshe had no intention to let him leave at all.


    Everything she wanted since she was a child, she would possess them without fail.


    And men were no different.


    She got what she wanted, or she would destroy it-that was her principle in life.


    Just like how ¡®walking away¡¯ did not exist in her vocabry.


    At the hospital, Cordy and Sean took turns visiting Jesse.


    Their grandfather¡¯splexion had improved over thest few days thanks to therapy. Anyone who did


    not know that he was unconscious would easily buy that he was just asleep.


    The doctors also agreed that he was getting better and might wake up in a few days.


    They had been saying that for days, however, and it got a little frustrating to keep hearing it.


    However, they had no choice but to wait


    After they left the hospital, Patrick suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to visit the capital, so let¡¯s go have


    fun.¡±


    Cordy, Sean, and even Richard stared at him nkly.


    Was his eyes incapable of observing the gloomy mood of everyone around him?


    And yet, he still wanted to have fun¡­ did he evenpare to the ten-year old kid beside him?!


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± Patrick frowned.


    ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t know how to talk.¡± Sean glowered.


    ¡¯No, it¡¯s exactly because you¡¯re all in a bad mood that we all need a breather,¡± Patrick said as if it was


    only natural. ¡°Do you think your grandfather would get better if you stayed dead silent? It would make


    sense that he wants everyone to live well instead of worrying over him every day.¡±


    Sean had more to say, but Cordy beat him to it, reluctant for them to argue again. ¡®Til go with Patrick to


    take in the sights. You should head home if you¡¯re busy.¡±


    Sean nced sideways at Patrick just then.


    Pursing his lips, he said, ¡°I happen to be free today. I cane along with you today.¡±


    Cordy was a little surprised since Sean was not that sociable.


    Sure, he was not cold, but he was just a little uptight and would not smile orugh with just anyone. ¡¯


    There were times that Cordy found him more stoic than Jesse as he treated everyone indifferently-even


    his own wife.


    Cordy never met Sean¡¯s wife that many times either-their wedding was rushed, and it was seemingly a


    shotgun wedding for the sake of their child.


    And each time Cordy met Sean and his wife, they were more than polite toward each other, but


    affection was sorelycking.


    Cordy was not sure if she imagined, but that was probably how Sean treated everyone.


    Moreover, his wife neverined, even if Cordy had no words to describe the rtionship between


    them.


    That was why Cordy was surprised that he was tagging along with them.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you and Dicky,¡± Sean exined, seemingly seeing the question in her mind just


    then.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He was certainly candid, but he was also definitely concerned about Patrick being there with them.

 Chapter 840

    Chapter 840


    Chapter 840


    Patrick was glowering.


    Sean was unquestionably an obstacle on his path to love and was truly despicable.


    Nheless, Sean suddenly asked Patrick, ¡°Where to?¡±


    Patrick did a double take, stunned by the sudden question.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Why was he being so polite?


    Still, he growled grumpily, ¡±1 don¡¯t know my way around.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡±


    Patrick actually expected nothing from Sean¡¯s arrangements, and it would be perfunctory at best.


    He was therefore surprised when Sean arranged an itinerary for an entire day. It was not the one where


    they just idled to pass the time either, but a reasonably arranged trip.


    Their first stop was a famous ancient site in the capital. It was interesting when they first visited, but it


    could get stale if they just walked around, which was why Sean arranged for a good tour guide to tell


    them all about the ce.


    The next stop was to the restaurant with the capital¡¯s best local cuisine. Naturally, they might get


    drowsy after filling their stomachs, so Sean arranged for them to change into a luxurious MPV, allowing


    them to rest and recharge before they arrived at the third stop: a famous mountain an hour¡¯s drive


    away from the capital.


    They certainly could not climb it in such short notice, so Sean arranged for a cable car that took them


    halfway up the mountain. They then got off, walking on foot over the most scenic route, before


    returning to the cable cars when they reached a steeper section.


    Be that as it may, they were all exhausted by the time they reached the summit.


    Fortunately, the sun was just setting when they arrived, and the horizon glowed with the lingering glow


    of twilight.


    At that very moment, Cordy was impressed by Sean¡¯s pinpoint precision with time management.


    If they had been a littlete, they would havepletely missed the most beautiful view of the city.


    Soon, twilight was over and the skies turned dark.


    The temperature on the mountain quickly dropped in turn, though Sean soon brought them several


    trench coats out of nowhere.


    Moreover, each was brand new and definitely kept them warm, and they headed to the restaurant at


    the top of the mountain.


    Although he had not actually been here before, Patrick had heard that it would take up to ten days or


    even two weeks to book a table there, and there would definitely be no vacant spots.


    And yet here they were, sitting leisurely and admiring the scenery of the valley beneath from the best


    viewpoint.


    Naturally, Patrick was not all that impressed-getting a booking was easy for Sean¡¯s status, and he did


    not need to get too emotional.


    At most, he could just admit that Sean waspetent.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful here.¡± Cordy could not help eximing in awe as she gazed upon the starry skies


    above. >


    ¡°They do say that this is the most beautiful ce in the capital,¡± Sean said. ¡°Though it¡¯s my first time


    here.¡± ¡¯


    ¡°Wait, your first time?¡± Cordy was a little surprised.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sean replied.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been here with your wife?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Sean replied a little coolly-he never liked talking about his wife.


    Even if they wanted to call it an arranged marriage, his wife¡¯s family dulled inparison to the


    Cranstons¡¯ wealth and influence.


    But if that was not an arranged marriage, one would never find any affection from their rtionship.


    ¡°Bring her here next time,¡± Cordy said nonchntly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean nodded nomittally.


    After dinner, Patrick stretched his arms, ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been walking a lot, driving around and climbing up


    a mountain. My back¡¯s sore now¡­ It would be perfect if we had a spa


    around here.¡±


    Sean nced at Patrick then while he returned Sean¡¯s gaze.¡± That¡¯s called life and enjoyment. It¡¯s


    alright, you won¡¯t get it.¡±


    Sean ignored Patrick and whipped out his phone to make a call.


    After a while, Sean said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re getting off the mountain on a chopper.¡±

 Chapter 841

    Chapter 841


    Chapter 841


    Cordy and Patrick were surprised by what Sean said, since they presumed that they would be leaving


    by cable car.


    Naturally, there was a 60% chance there would not be cable cars avable, and they could not tell if the


    cable cars were still operating.


    The only options in that case would be hiking off the mountain or staying the night on the mountain.


    It never crossed their mind that Sean would directly arrange for a helicopter to take them home, and


    the arrangement was undoubtedly better.


    They came here on a while without bringing clothes or anything else to stay the night. Suddenly staying


    was naturally a little ufortable.


    Moreover, it was very cold at this hour even with cable cars, and frosting might ur on the cables.


    And if they walk on foot, their legs might give up before they do.


    On the other hand, a helicopter would afford them yet another admiration of the mountains¡¯ beauty and


    the infinite vastness of the horizon.


    Cordy actually wondered if she did not know Sean as well as she thought-he was definitely not as stiff


    as he usually looked.


    Who knew, there might be a spot of romance hidden in the depths of his heart, even if it felt weird to


    describe him with that word.


    But whatever.


    Cordy decided she could just enjoy Sean¡¯s arrangements for the time being, i


    The helicopternded at a spa resort at the foot of the mountain, and when the stewards led them to


    the private pool, Patrick realized that Sean really did bring him to a spa as suggested.


    Did Sean just change out of the blue? Was Sean not constantly at odds with him?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t give yourself too much credit,¡± Sean said icily then.¡± This is mainly for Cordy and Dicky. They


    need to rx after running around with you for an entire day.¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Patrick rolled his eyes at Sean¡ªhe was not emotional.


    The spa was cordoned by genres, so Richard was tagging along with Patrick and Sean.


    ¡°Do we have to go in naked?¡± Patrick asked one of the staff just then.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± the staff member replied respectfully. ¡°It helps your whole body rx. But don¡¯t worry-it is


    plenty safe here since you won¡¯t be disturbed. After you¡¯re done, we will also provide a full body


    massage.¡±


    Patrick was unustomed to getting naked in the presence of others, however. ¡°Are there other


    pools?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sir, but we don¡¯t.¡± The staff member apologized.¡± Every other private pool has been booked, and


    only public pools remain.¡±


    ¡°Well, do you have swimming trunks avable? I was thinking I could put it on as I bathe¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sir, but we don¡¯t.¡± The staff member apologized again. ¡°Also, any item of clothing is prohibited


    from the pools.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Sean said nothing else and turned toward Richard. ¡°Get undressed yourself, Dicky. Let¡¯s


    take a dip in the spa.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Richard was ten years old and could basically take care of himself, and he did not hesitate to strip


    down and enter the spa, floating on it and clearly enjoying it.


    Sean did not drag his feet either and took off his bathrobe before getting in the spa as well.


    Patrick stared at his body-he was so refined and cultured that it was surprising to see him muscr.


    ¡°Wait for us outside if you¡¯re not getting in,¡± Sean said bluntly just then.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not getting in?!¡± Patrick snapped angrily just then.


    He had the guts, but was just not used to it¡­


    But they were all men. Why did he need to get used to this?


    Without hesitation, he took off his bathrobe and jumped straight into the spa, kicking up arge wave


    and sshing Richard and Sean all over.


    ¡°How about we ssh each other, Dicky?¡± Patrick beckoned at Richard eagerly.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Richard refused-he was not a child.


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re only ten. Be livelier.¡± Patrick remained undeterred.


    Richard still shook his head-he disliked strenuous activities these days and preferred to stay still.


    Seeing that Richard was not budging, Patrick took the initiative and sshed Richard.


    Caught off guard, Richard got hit squarely in the face, and his little brow frowned right then.

 Chapter 842

    Chapter 842


    Chapter 842


    Patrick gestured at himself eager to liven things up. ¡°Come on. Do your worst.¡±


    Finding him childish, Richard simply ignored him.


    Sean could not stand it right then.


    How did Patrick even manage to survive in the political scene? With that personality of his, his rivals


    would eat him up and spit him out at any moment!


    Nheless, he suddenly kicked out a wave, sshing it at Patrick and hitting him in the face.


    ¡°Hey! Are you a kid? I wasn¡¯t ying with you!¡± Patrick snapped grumpily.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s talking, thirty-year-old who acts like a ten-year- old.¡±


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°F*ck!¡± Patrick shrieked even as he kept sshing Sean repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯ve had it with you! You stood in


    my way for love, and you¡¯re now interfering with me bonding with my future son?! You really have a lot


    of free time, don¡¯t you?!¡±


    Sean was naturally not to be trifled with, and he promptly retaliated with even more sshes at Patrick.


    All at once, the modest-sized pool was filled with sshes, with Richard being the victim and unable to


    avoid the sshes.


    He was certainly confused-both men¡¯s agesbined were over seventy, but they were somehow


    getting addicted to this childish game?!


    Still, he could clearly see Patrick¡¯s eyes turning red from rage since he kept losing, which made him a


    little happy.


    He certainly did not like Patrick, especially since Patrick kept asking to be his daddy.


    He had a daddy anyway, and his mommy would always be with him.


    Richard scowled a little just then as he remembered running into his daddy at the hospital in the


    morning.


    What was he doing with that woman? Did he not know that mommy would be sad? ¡¯


    He obviously felt how depressed his mommy was for the whole day, and it was definitely not just


    because of his greatgrandfather¡¯s illness¡ªhis daddy¡¯s hesitation must have had something to do with


    that too.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Richard was very engrossed in his thoughts when he suddenly heard Patrick shrieking, and he turned


    toward Patrick to find the man dropping limply in the spa.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    It was not that deep¡ªjust waist-length, even for Richard.


    No one could drown at that depth, right? And Patrick was an


    adult male at that.


    That was what Sean thought too¡ªeven if the man slipped and fell in the pool, he would never drown.


    However, ten seconds passed¡­


    Then twenty¡­


    Then thirty¡­


    Patrick never got up from the pool.


    Sean¡¯s face fell, and seeing the look on his face, Richard became worried too.


    Did something bad really happen?!


    He quickly followed Sean to Patrick¡¯s side, and he watched as his uncle quickly dived into the pool and


    dragged the unconscious Patrick out of the water while quickly heading fornd.


    Sean was visibly concerned, but just as he was about to reach the edge, he felt a huge pressure on his


    body as he was dragged backward and shoved firmly beneath the surface!

 Chapter 843

    Chapter 843


    Chapter 843


    Being caught off guard, Sean choked on several mouthfuls of water vigorously.


    He got up angrily and looked at Patrick, who had gotten away with his scheme. ¡°All¡¯s fair in fights.¡±


    Patrick failed in the water fight he had with Sean just now to the point he could not even open his eyes.


    Of course, he had to take revenge.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Patrick was only smug for less than two seconds, for Sean abruptly pressed Patrick¡¯s body into the


    water.


    It was beyond Patrick¡¯s imagination that Sean was so cunning, so he choked on several mouthfuls of


    water until his face was flushed.


    ¡°Pfft!¡± Seanughed coldly.


    He looked down at Patrick.


    Of course, Patrick could not stand being stimted by Sean.


    He stepped forward and was about to fight against Sean.


    Richard was near them at first, but now he hurriedly took a few steps back for fear that he would be


    harmed when they got into a fightter.


    He could not figure out why they were so childish to that extent given that they were grown-ups.


    Did they want to fight against each other?


    Why didn¡¯t anyone stop them?


    Richard noticed that the waiters at the side were dumbfounded because of what they had seen.


    They probably had never met such customers.


    However, both Sean and Patrick refused to step down.


    They would not admit defeat at all.


    They pressed each other into the water in turn, and they almost drank up all the water in the pool.


    Hence, Richard could not help but say weakly, ¡°Can we ask the waiters to give us a massage? My


    body is very sore.¡±


    Both Sean and Patrick stopped.


    They probably felt that they were not very mature to behave that way in front of children.


    However, Patrick slipped when they let go of each other.


    Slipping and staggering before he lurched toward Sean¡¯s arms, he also held Sean¡¯s body with both


    hands out of fear and instinct.


    When he was still in lingering fear, he heard Sean¡¯s cold words. ¡°Did you throw yourself into my arms?¡±


    ¡°Get lost!¡± Patrick quickly let go of Sean and took a few steps back. ¡°Let me tell you. I¡¯m a straight guy.¡±


    Sean still wore his mocking sneer before he turned around and looked at Richard. He appeared much


    gentler now.¡± Come with me. Let¡¯s go for a massage.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Richard left with Sean.


    Before he left, he whispered to Sean, ¡°I don¡¯t want him to be my daddy. He¡¯s too childish.¡±


    Consequently, Sean was rendered speechless. Was that the legendary way of ruining a man by


    torturing his heart?


    It was past eleven at night after taking a bath and spa.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    After such an activity, they were exhausted, and they slept in the SUV to return to Cranston Vi.


    It was very quiet in the car.


    Cordy¡¯s phone that she had put on silent mode suddenly lit up.


    She was very sleepy too, but she did not doze off.


    After learning that John was still alive, the quality of her sleep had be better.


    Of course, she was always worried and reckless.


    Sometimes, she would wake up suddenly while she was sleeping.


    She was afraid that everything was but a dream.


    She nced at her phone and noticed that it was a WhatsApp message from Nana.


    There was only a photograph in the message.


    It was Nana¡¯s intimate group photograph with John.


    However, Nana immediately deleted it the next moment, as if she had identally sent that message


    to Cordy.


    Cordy pretended that she did not see the photograph.


    She put her phone into her bag before she closed her eyes and rested.


    They then arrived at Cranston Vi.


    Everyone was sleeping soundly except Cordy, who was half awake.


    Even Sean dozed off.


    Cordy moved slightly before she patted Sean gently. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±

 Chapter 844

    Chapter 844


    Chapter 844


    Sean opened his eyes in a daze.


    He looked at Richard, who was sleeping beside him. ¡°Let me carry him home. Don¡¯t wake him up. Help


    me wake Patrick up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy tried to wake Patrick up.


    Patrick moved slightly, but he did not want to wake up.


    ¡°Go back to your room and sleep,¡± Cordy reminded him.¡± We¡¯ve arrived at Cranston Vi.¡±


    Patrick struggled slightly before he woke up.


    When he nced at the time, he found that it was now past midnight. It was no wonder he was so


    sleepy.


    He yawned and got out of the car with Cordy.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Sean?¡± Patrick was confused.


    ¡°He carried Richard back to the room.¡±


    ¡°D*mn! I missed another chance to perform well.¡± Patrick became displeased.


    Consequently, Cordy was rendered speechless. She wondered if Patrick became dumb after getting


    into a romantic rtionship.


    They walked into Cranston Vi, where Patrick insisted on seeing Cordy off to her room.


    Cordy did not want to waste time in the middle of the night, so she acquiesced.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± Patrick suddenly stopped her when


    Cordy¡¯s eyes moved slightly.


    ¡°I like you.¡±


    Consequently, Cordy was at a loss for words


    He suddenly seriously confessed his love for her.


    He did say that kind of thing in the past, so he never brought it up againter on.


    However, he behaved that way out of the blue at that instant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why but I have a feeling that you seem to be getting more distant from me.¡± Helplessness


    engulfed Patrick.


    He was afraid of losing her because of that feeling.


    ¡°Patrick, you know that I¡­¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Patrick nodded, but in the next don¡¯t you feel something for me?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She had never let go of her heart.


    Hence, she would not have such feelings.


    When Patrick saw Cordy¡¯s look, he atst felt slightly deste.


    He then smiled.


    His smile was filled with a tinge of bitterness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Patrick.¡± Cordy apologized to him. ¡°After so many hold you back¡­¡±


    ¡°Cordy, you¡¯re the only woman whom I want to build a family with and spend the rest of my life with. As


    for the other women, I¡¯m not interested at all,¡± Patrick exined straightforwardly.


    Cordy was aware of that because he once told her that, but¡­


    ¡°Is there a possibility that you never have any contact with the other women so you don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Other than you, I resist having any contact with any other women.¡± Patrick interrupted her.


    Cordy did not know what kind of response she could give.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Patrick suddenly gave up.


    Cordy looked at him.


    ¡°Sometimes, a love affair isn¡¯t about two people but one.¡± Patrick cracked a faint smile. ¡°Cordy, I¡¯ll leave


    and give you my blessing if you find a better man to be with, but you don¡¯t. So, I¡¯m willing to wait for you


    my whole life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not for your sake, but I¡¯m just unwilling to put up with the second best.¡± After that, he turned around


    to leave.


    When he turned around, he saw Sean, who was standing not far away.


    Sean pursed his lips slightly.


    He did not intend to eavesdrop on their conversation, but he had to walk past that ce, and their


    voices were not very soft.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Looking at Sean, Patrick¡¯s expression became worse.


    He could imagine how Sean would mock him for his failure to win Cordy¡¯s heart.


    Sean always tried to stop him from pursuing Cordy.


    Of course, Sean would feel very happy now that he learned about Cordy¡¯s attitude toward Patrick.


    Well, Patrick would let Seanugh at him if he wanted to. After all, he was indeed quite ridiculous.

 Chapter 845

    Chapter 845


    Chapter 845


    Patrick brushed past Sean.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Sean stopped him.


    Patrick ignored Sean, feeling that he did not have to seek humiliation.


    When he was leaving, a person grabbed his body fiercely with one hand.


    Patrick furrowed his brows, and before he could resist, Sean pulled him away.


    ¡°Hey! Are you out of your mind?¡± Patrick roared at Sean.


    While he was cursing, Patrick dragged him away.


    Cordy watched their backs.


    Sean would not grab the chance and beat up Patrick just because Patrick confessed his love for Cordy.


    Besides, she did not ept him.


    Of course, Cordy did not meddle in that either.


    Sean always had a sense of propriety.


    If Sean hit Patrick, then Patrick must have done something to deserve that.


    She returned to her room.


    Sitting on the sofa, she suddenly did not feel like moving.


    She was exhausted after such a long day, but she was still not sleepy.


    She recalled Patrick¡¯s confession just now. She would have had feelings regardless of the kind of


    attitude she had kept in front of Patrick all this while. She would find it hard and feel sorry for him just


    because she refused him.


    Cordy bit her lips gently.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The scene of John being with Nana today appeared in her mind that way.


    ¡®John, do you deserve it? Should I wait for you forever?¡¯


    In Patrick¡¯s room in Cranston Vi, the tea table was full of beer bottles.


    Patrick was confused. His confession was


    Did Sean want to drink beer to celebrate?


    His cousin finally could refrain from being tormented by Patrick.


    Motherf*cker!¡±


    Why was he so wicked?


    Patrick looked on coldly as Sean uncapped the beer bottles, opening at least ten bottles of beer.


    How happy was Sean? He yearned to get drunk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink?¡± Sean asked Patrick.


    At that moment, there were some dishes on the tea table to enjoy with the beer.


    ¡°Why should I drink?¡± Patrick turned him down.


    ¡®If you¡¯re happy, enjoy yourself. Don¡¯t ask me to join you!


    ¡®My heart is shattered to pieces.¡¯


    ¡°Let¡¯s drown in our sorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re celebrating.¡± Patrick raised a sarcastic remark.


    ¡°We¡¯re drinking. Why should we talk about the reasons?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want a drink?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Sean stopped persuading Patrick and started drinking on his own.


    Hence, Patrick became quite helpless.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to drink. Why don¡¯t you f*cking go back to your room to drink?


    ¡®It¡¯s the middle of the night! Of course I want to sleep.


    Motherf*cker! I can¡¯t even cry in bed.¡¯ 1


    Patrick watched as Sean drank tworge sses of beer.


    ¡®Fine.


    ¡®You won.¡¯


    Patrick walked toward the sofa, and Sean smiled secretly.


    ¡°Let me be frank with you. I don¡¯t want to drink with you. I¡¯m not going to drown in my sorrow either. I


    always advance bravely and go all the way down. Even if Cordy refused me today, I can continue


    confessing my love for her tomorrow. I¡¯m not sad,¡± Patrick borated.


    However, Sean smiled but said nothing.


    ¡°I just want to finish drinking all the beer and turn in early. You¡¯re stopping me from sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Sean replied.


    When Patrick found that Sean had no intention ofughing at him, he picked up the ss and started


    drinking, He did not really feel like drinking.

 Chapter 846

    Chapter 846


    Chapter 846


    However, Patrick could not stop drinking after he had started.


    Even though he was stubborn, he had to admit that he was slightly sad.


    After so many years, Cordy did not waver at all.


    John had turned into ashes. What was she still holding onto?


    Was she so cruel?


    Patrick became sadder as he dwelled on it, so he drank more.


    ¡°Hey, drink less.¡± Sean tried to stop Patrick from drinking so recklessly.


    ¡®¡±You¡¯re so odd. You asked me to drink just now, but now you stopped me from drinking. Sean, am I so


    detestable? Do you want to stand against me no matter what?¡±¡® Patrick¡¯s eyes became slightly blurry,


    and he almost could not see the person before him.


    ¡°I asked you to drink to ease your mood, but I didn¡¯t ask you to drink so recklessly.¡± Sean sounded


    aloof. ¡°Stop drinking. It¡¯s almost time. Just go to bed.¡±


    ¡°Sean, I¡­ Ah!¡±


    Patrick suddenly screamed as he felt his body being lifted all of a sudden.


    Sean had carried Patrick on his shoulders.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°This son of a b*tch¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m going to throw up, but he tortures me so.¡¯


    ¡°Just sleep.¡± Sean carried Patrick to bed before he forcefully put the nket on Patrick and threatened,


    ¡°Sleep now. If not, I¡¯ll drive you out of my home tomorrow, so you won¡¯t be able to see Cordy again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re f*cking cruel!¡± Patrick gnashed his teeth.


    He closed his eyes in annoyance.


    He was not at all sleepy, but when he closed his eyes, he became sleepy.


    He dozed off in less than ten minutes and even snored.


    Sean chuckled.


    ¡®I thought he was very stubborn, but he¡¯s just a kid.¡¯ ¡®


    Sean then got up to leave.


    Before leaving, he turned around to nce at Patrick again.


    After that, he left.


    In North City, Zoe¡¯s rehearsal during this period was rtively intense.


    She would always sleep right after she returned home from rehearsal.


    After she took a bath and came out, she found Yelena lying in her bed.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep at such ate hour?¡± Zoe yawned and asked her.


    ¡°I want to sleep with you tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very tired these days. After a few days¡­¡± Zoe could not bring herself to say anything anymore.


    She found it hard to refuse Yelena when she saw Yelena¡¯s aggrieved and sad face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together. Don¡¯t me me if you catch a cold.¡± Zoe made a stand first.


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll tuck myself in. I¡¯m all grown up.¡± Yelena made a guarantee seriously.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe smiled dotingly.


    They then got under the nket.


    Zoe had almost dozed off, when Yelena suddenly spoke up,¡± Mommy, can I look at your phone?¡±


    ¡°What time is it now? Why do you want to look at the phone? ¡± Zoe yawned and asked. ¡°You can use it


    after we wake up tomorrow. I find that you¡¯ve be quite obsessed with using phones.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll just look at it for a while.¡±


    ¡°Yelena, be good.¡±


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡± Yelena made a fuss beside Zoe¡¯s ear.


    Zoe was very sleepy, so she could not take it anymore. She picked up her phone and unlocked it. ¡°Just


    for a while.¡± i


    ¡°Thank you, Mommy. Sleep early. I will charge your pher.¡±


    Zoe could not hold on any longer.


    She turned around and dozed off.


    That smart kid, Yelena, clicked on WhatsApp quickly after she got the phone. She found her daddy¡¯s


    profile picture and clicked into the chat log. She then sent a voice message.¡± Good night, Daddy.¡±


    Her childish voice was sent over in a voice message.


    After that, she put the phone down with satisfaction.


    Her father did not have time to take her out for fun these days, but she missed him very much.


    She dozed off after she put the phone down, not knowing that Jay had replied to her message.


    She threw herself into Zoe¡¯s embrace softly and slept soundly.

 Chapter 847

    Chapter 847


    Chapter 847


    The next day, Zoe quickly jumped out of bed when her rm clock rang. She then turned it off for fear


    that she might wake Yelena up.


    She stretched her body before she got out of bed, and she did not dare to sleep a little longer for fear


    that she would doze off.


    After she woke up, she would habitually sit on the toilet bowl for a while with her phone to scroll through


    thetest news.


    When she clicked on her phone, she found an unread WhatsApp message.


    She often put the general group chats on silent mode. So, the messages that popped up were either


    people looking for her or it was a very important group message.


    She quickly clicked on it.


    When she opened it, she was stupefied.


    Jay had sent her a voice message in the middle of the night. Was he out of his mind?


    When she looked at it carefully, she found something amiss.


    It was because she was the one who sent him a message, so he replied with a voice message.


    However, she remembered that she did not send him a voice message the night before. She did not


    have wine either, so she would not have forgotten what she had done just because she was drunk.


    At that moment, she suddenly thought of Yelena, who had wanted to look at her phone before sleeping.


    D*mn!¡¯


    Zoe became nervous.


    ¡®What did this witty girl do?¡¯


    With trembling fingers, she clicked on the voice message Yelena sent to Jay. ¡°Good night, Daddy.¡±


    Zoe had prepared herself well, but she still felt like she had received a blow when she heard that. 1


    What else couldn¡¯t Yelena do?


    Why did she know that it was Jay¡¯s WhatsApp ount and that he was her daddy?


    Zoe forced herself to calm down before she clicked on Jay¡¯s voice message. ¡°Good night, baby.¡±


    Zoe suddenly felt as if she had been struck by lightning.


    It was not that Jay¡¯s voice was tender or corny.


    The problem was the two of them reached a tacit understanding.


    What did Jay know?


    Did he see Yelena that day?


    But after that day, Jay did not act differently. He did not even ask her anything, so she felt that Jay did


    not see Yelena, or he did not care.


    He was always such an aloof person. In short, he would not meddle in irrelevant things.


    However, she admitted that she was confused at this moment.


    She yearned to hit Yelena¡¯s hips now.


    Why did Yelena always create trouble for her?


    Zoe quickly washed up, put on her makeup, and left.


    However, Yelena was still sleeping soundly.


    Her ignorance of worldly affairs was just too annoying.


    Zoe arrived at the TV station, where many actors hade one after another.


    Jay arrived very soon.


    That day was the final private practice, and they had to rehearse on the spot that night. It was the


    competition the day after tomorrow.


    Everyone was very nervous, so they became very energetic and focused.


    Zoe was the only one who was a little absent-minded.


    Oh gosh! She would inevitably recall the conversation between Jay and Yelena whenever she saw his


    face.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Jay noticed that at a nce. ¡°Be serious.¡±


    Zoe nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    So, she did not dare to be absent-minded from now on.


    If she was absent-minded, she would affect others¡¯ progress and the background of their emotions.


    However, she became restless again when she took a rest.


    She stole nces at Jay from time to time. When she saw him sitting alone in the wheelchair with his


    head low to study the script, she yearned to go to him. However, she was hesitant all that while.


    ¡°Zoe.¡±


    Jay suddenly called her name.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 848

    Chapter 848


    Chapter 848


    Zoe was shocked.


    She wondered if he had eyes on his back. Why did he notice that she was stealing nces at him?


    ¡°Come here. Let me tell you something about your script,¡± Jay said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zoe hurriedly walked over.


    While watching the video rey of their rehearsal today, Jay wasparing their lines.


    He circled something on the script and paused at the ce of her part before he said, ¡°Your emotion


    here isn¡¯t enough, and your line wavers. You should study it well and be careful when you go onstage


    tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe nodded.


    Jay was a very attentive director. He could very urately find the smallest w in acting.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°No. Help me get Candice over,¡± Jay uttered.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Zoe answered, but she did not leave.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Jay fixed his gaze on the screen without looking at Zoe.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t send the voice messagest night,¡± Zoe exined.


    After that, she panicked even more.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    If she imed that she was not the one who sent the message, was she not admitting that she had a


    daughter called Yelena at home?


    She hurriedly exined, ¡°I mean to say that it wasn¡¯t meant for you.¡±


    Jay seemed to have tightened his grasp around the pen slightly.


    ¡°Who was it meant for?¡±


    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t for you. I just thought that the childish voice was very pleasant, so I downloaded it from


    the Inte. But I identally sent it to you, which was beyond my expectation.¡± Zoeughed with a


    shaky voice.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Jay answered lightly.


    After that, he remained quiet.


    So, was that it?


    Didn¡¯t he ask anything else?


    Was he not doubtful?


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jay looked at her and asked.


    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll get Candice for you.¡± Zoe immediately left.


    She was worried the whole morning, but it was pointless.


    Jay did not take that voice message seriously at all.


    She was making a big fuss out of nothing.


    After she thought it through, she was much more rxed.


    She did not notice that Jay¡¯s gaze changed after she left.


    Zoe made a strongeback during thepetition the next day.


    She was the greatest unexpected winner in thatpetition.


    Previously, many people thought lowly of her, but in the final twopetitions, she had won first ce


    among the audience in terms of poprity, and now she was ranked third in terms of off-set voting. Her


    poprity surged high.


    After thatpetition, she started to get jobs.


    Of course, she was not blinded by her current achievements. She still filtered the jobs very carefully.


    Besides, she stated that she would not let her jobs influence the shooting time of thepetition.


    During this period, she still went all out during thepetition.


    She knew very well that it was thepetition that helped her to gain poprity and fame, so she


    could not value unimportant stuff instead of the truly important ones.


    Undeniably, everything now was going in the best direction for her.


    If something did not happen out of the blue¡­


    It was beyond her expectation that she would be targeted by paparazzi when she had just gained a bit


    of fame.


    It had been a very long time since someone stalked her, so she did not realize that there were some


    people around when she went out with Yelena. After that, the news of her having a child before


    marriage was reported eagerly by various media.


    For a moment, she became the greatest hit in the entertainment circle, and she was the most popr


    search query.


    Zoe had yet to deal with the mass media when both Cordy and Quinn bombarded her even more


    vigorously.


    They took turns to call her, but she did not dare to answer their calls.


    So, they bombarded her with WhatsApp messages this time around.


    Atst, Quinn went to her house.

 Chapter 849

    Chapter 849


    Chapter 849


    Zoe did not know how Quinn found her house.


    She never told Quinn about her home address after such a long time because she did not want them to


    find out about Yelena.


    However, she did not intentionally hide it from them.


    She just knew very well that they would ask about who Yelena¡¯s father was when they learned about


    Yelena¡¯s existence. Even if she did not tell them who Yelena¡¯s father was, they would guess the truth.


    After that, it would be very troublesome. She just wanted to raise Yelena alone.


    Yet, she still opened the door.


    She was afraid that Quinn would consciously go against thew even though Quinn was thewyer


    and would break open her door if she refused to open the door.


    ¡°Zoe, why are you avoiding me?¡± Quinn¡¯s face was flushed because of anger.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Zoe averted Quinn¡¯s gaze.


    Zoe was not very good at lying, especially to the important people around her. She could not make up


    white lies.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls or read my WhatsApp messages if you¡¯re not avoiding me?¡±


    Consequently, Zoe remained silent.


    ¡°Where is your daughter?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°When did I have a daughter¡­¡±


    Zoe kept quiet under Quinn¡¯s gaze.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She then continued because of Quinn¡¯s gaze, saying, ¡°She¡¯s at home.¡±


    ¡°Let me go and see her.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me questions?¡± Zoe looked at Quinn.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you after I see your daughter.¡± Quinn walked into the house.


    At that time, Yelena was ying with toys in the living room.


    She did not know why her mother prohibited her from going to kindergarten today.


    That was fine, but her mother did not even let her go out.


    How boring!


    She looked up and saw a strange woman out of the blue.


    So, she blinked her round eyes.


    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Quinn looked at Yelena and asked Zoe.


    ¡°Yelena York.¡±


    ¡°Yelena.¡± Smiling, Quinn walked toward Yelena. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m your mommy¡¯s best friend. If


    you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯ll be your godmother.¡±


    Suddenly, Zoe¡¯s heart was warmed.


    It was hard not to be moved after gaining firm approval.


    She gave birth to a child before marriage, and she always thought that a calm and steady person like


    Quinn would find that very repulsive.


    At that time, Quinn¡¯s attitude toward Yelena was her attitude toward Zoe.


    ¡°Godmother.¡± Yelena smiled sweetly.


    Her soft and tender voice warmed Quinn¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Can I hug you?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Yelena nodded obediently.


    After that, she extended her hands and took the initiative to let Quinn hug her.


    Quinn then carried Yelena, who was a little heavy.


    After Quinn carried Yelena, she turned around to look at Zoe.


    She found that Zoe¡¯s eyes had turned red.


    When Zoe met Quinn¡¯s gaze, she immediately looked away.


    Quinn pursed her lips. ¡°Yelena, so we now know each other. Can Ie often to y with you from


    now on?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Yelena loved liveliness.


    She liked ces with a lot of people from a young age, and she was also into making friends.


    After Quinn put Yelena down, she turned around to look at Zoe. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go into the room and


    talk.¡±


    Zoe did not refuse either.

 Chapter 850

    Chapter 850


    Chapter 850


    The two of them walked into Zoe¡¯s bedroom.


    ¡°Just ask me whatever you want to ask.¡± Zoe did not want to keep it a secret any longer.


    She found it quite exhaustive to hide it from others.


    Coincidentally, the mass media exposed it, so she might as well let it all go to hell.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jay¡¯s, right?¡± Quinn went straight to the point.


    Zoe was still slightly surprised.


    Although she knew that both Quinn and Cordy would be able to guess it, they did not seem to doubt


    that Yelena was Bob¡¯s child.


    ¡°Did you hide because you gave birth to his child?¡± Quinn narrowed her eyes slightly.


    ¡°No.¡± Zoe immediately denied that. ¡°I thought of leaving before I confirmed that I was pregnant because


    I was very sad at that time. I felt that North City hurt me too much.¡±


    ¡°Is Jay that kind of irresponsible person?¡± Quinn asked.¡± Didn¡¯t he try to keep you?¡±


    ¡°Keep?¡± Zoe sneered.


    She waited for Jay for a day but atst, he did not even call her.


    Forget it.


    It was just an ident.


    If it were not for the fact that she had Yelena, she would have forgotten everything about that, i


    ¡°I think Jay isn¡¯t that kind of irresponsible person. Is there any misunderstanding between you two?¡±


    ¡°What misunderstanding can there be? Well, there might be. The biggest misunderstanding between


    us was that I always thought that he liked me.¡±


    ¡°Jay likes you.¡± Quinn sounded certain.


    All sensitive people could see that.


    ¡°He¡¯s good at pretending,¡± Zoe replied straightforwardly.


    ¡°Zoe, I think you may have some misunderstanding toward Jay.¡± Quinn was very serious.


    ¡°No.¡± Zoe was certain.


    ¡°I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Both you and Cordy could guess that Yelena is Jay¡¯s child. Do you think Jay couldn¡¯t figure it out,


    given how smart he is? However, he never gave me a call after this thing happened up until now. He


    didn¡¯t even message me to ask me about it.¡± Zoe smiled in a very cold manner. ¡°What do you think this


    means?¡±


    ¡°It means that he¡¯s trying to figure out a way to resolve it.¡±


    ¡°You guys think too highly of him. He¡¯s not such a good person as you see. He¡¯s a¡­ How should I put


    it? Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s an adopted son. His thoughts are darker and more meticulous than


    ordinary people¡¯s. You can¡¯t figure out what¡¯s on his mind.¡±


    ¡°I think you hold some prejudices against Jay.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to take his side?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s not how you made him out to be. Although I hated him very much because of you in


    the past, he¡¯s not a yboy after I got in touch with him. Let me put it this way. Other than Mandy, do


    you see him having any kind of entanglement with any woman after so many years?


    ¡°How do you know he doesn¡¯t have those in private? Quinn, you think the entertainment circle is very


    simple, but those shameless things in this circle are beyond your imagination¡­ It


    ¡°I believe that there are still noble and innocent people in the entertainment circle because of you,¡±


    Quinn exined before she added, ¡°You¡¯re not the only one.¡±


    Zoe looked at Quinn.


    She was quite touched because of Quinn¡¯s approval of her.


    But-


    Zoe said with certainty again, ¡°But Jay isn¡¯t one of those innocent people.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of believing him again?¡± Quinn suddenly raised a query.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid. Is that why you find him so repulsive?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Quinn, romantic affairs concern two people. I can deeply feel how he feels about me.¡±


    ¡°No. Sometimes, the concerned people are blinded to the fact.¡± Quinn denied that.


    Thus, Zoe was at a loss for words.


    It seemed that Quinn would affirm what she felt regardless of what Zoe said.


    So, Zoe changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about him and help me think of ways to deal with Yelena¡¯s


    exposure. I don¡¯t want her to get hurt because of me. If I¡¯m more selfish, I don¡¯t want my entertainment


    career to be ruined at this moment too, since I finally started my career after much difficulty.¡±


    ¡°I think you should discuss it with Jay.¡± Quinn gave a very sincere suooestion.

 Chapter 851

    Chapter 851


    Chapter 851


    Zoe was speechless.


    Jay¡¯s name just had to keep popping up.


    Was she unable to survive without him?


    If Jay really wanted to take responsibility, he would already have done so. He did not need to bury his


    head in the sand and pretend he did not know anything.


    ¡°He won¡¯t take responsibility for this. It¡¯s that simple.¡¯ Zoe did not want to exin any further.


    It would just be a waste of breath.


    Quinn wanted to say more but someone suddenly knocked on the door.


    ra opened the door and poked her head in. ¡°Zoe, Jay is here.¡±


    Zoe was stunned.


    The look on Quinn¡¯s eyes clearly said, ¡®I told you so. I know Jay Parker isn¡¯t like what you described


    him to be.¡¯


    ¡°What are you doing just standing there? Go out and discuss with Jay how to deal with the news,¡±


    Quinn urged.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    She eventually walked out of the room with Quinn.


    Jay was carrying Yelena in the living room.


    Yelena wrapped herself around Jay as she said, ¡°Daddy, are you here to bring me out to y? But


    Mommy is at home today. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯ll see you?¡±


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    What did Yelena say?!


    Quinn was shocked too, but she quickly figured out what was happening.


    Clearly, Yelena and Jay had been in contact since long ago, yet Zoe thought that Jay was still clueless.


    How could someone as smart as Jay be clueless about it?


    When news broke out today, Jay did not respond immediately, and it was probably because he already


    knew that Zoe had a daughter. Given his personality, he must have wanted to think through how to deal


    with the entire situation beforeing to find Zoe.


    Jay saw Zoee out of the room along with Quinn.


    He put Yelena down and said, ¡°Daddy has something to discuss with Mommy today. y by yourself


    for now, all right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Yelena tightened her arms around Jay¡¯s neck. ¡°I want Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Yelena, be good.¡±


    ¡°I want to y with Daddy.¡± Yelena turned to face Jay with thoserge, innocent eyes that one would


    find hard to reject.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe and Quinn saw the tender look on Jay¡¯s face, his eyes brimming with love, as he said, ¡°After


    Daddy and Mommy are done talking, Daddy will y with Yelena, okay?¡±


    ¡°Can Daddy sleep with Yelena? Daddy will sleep with Yelena tonight,¡± Yelena said innocently.


    Jay pursed his lips. Of course, he could not promise her.


    Just because he wanted to stay behind did not mean Zoe would let him.


    ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t you want to stay with me?¡± Yelena¡¯s eyes turned red as tears welled up in her eyes.


    Quinn witnessed for herself some serious acting chops right there.


    Yelena¡¯s expressions were so on point-did she get it from Zoe?


    No.


    If Zoe had Yelena¡¯s emotional intelligence, she would not have suffered so much in her love life.


    ¡°I promise to only leave after you fall asleep, okay?¡± Jay immediately gave in.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Yelena nodded.


    Her eyes twinkled, knowing that she seeded in getting her way.


    Quinn could not help but smile.

 Chapter 852

    Chapter 852


    Chapter 852


    A ssic doting father, no doubt.


    Jay finally managed to put Yelena down and then said to Zoe, ¡°I came here to discuss with you how we


    should deal with news about Yelena.¡±


    ¡°When did you find out about her?¡± Zoe went straight to the point.


    If she still could see how close Yelena and Jay were, she would truly be foolish.


    ¡°The night when you were drunk and I sent you home,¡± Jay said.


    ¡°Did you do a DNA test?¡± Zoe¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Zoe raised her brows.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to,¡± Jay added.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°You¡¯re so sure she¡¯s yours?¡± Zoe smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but¡­ I don¡¯t care even if she¡¯s not,¡± Jay said.


    Zoe stared at him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss the solution to the problem.¡± Jay suddenly changed the topic.


    Zoe agreed that they should just cut to the chase.


    They sat on the couch.


    ra carried Yelena to her room to y, giving them the space they needed.


    ¡°We have three possible solutions. One, deny that Yelena is your biological daughter. You can say that


    she is your rtive¡¯s or friend¡¯s child.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡± Zoe rejected his first suggestion.


    That would not be fair to Yelena. Though she might not know anything given how young she was, it


    could potentially harm her once she grew up and looked back on this news.


    Zoe could not bring herself to make Yelena call her Ms. York in public.


    ¡°Okay. Two, admit that Yelena is your biological daughter. However, you imed that you were not


    married and did not have children when you joined Actors On Set. Your admission would cause you to


    bebeled as fake and your reputation might suffer. Given that your career has just started, you know


    the consequences of having a scandal break out at this point.¡±


    Of course, she knew.


    ¡°Even if that is so, I¡¯ll still choose Yelena.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a third option.¡± Jay looked at Zoe and paused for a moment.


    A long whileter, Jay said, ¡°Admit that Yelena is our child.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Zoe rejected the third option without a second thought.


    ¡°Zoe, why don¡¯t you hear Jay out on why he even suggested it in the first ce? Don¡¯t be in a hurry to


    reject it.¡± Quinn tried to persuade Zoe.


    ¡°No matter what the reason is, I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Zoe clearly detested the idea. ¡°What¡¯s more, isn¡¯t


    iming that I married you the same as the second option? What¡¯s the difference? Just because it¡¯s


    you and people in the entertainment circle don¡¯t dare to offend you, and so in turn, they¡¯ll let me off the


    hook?¡±


    ¡°Undeniably, that is one of the reasons.¡± Jay did not be agitated upon seeing Zoe¡¯s reaction. He


    went on patiently,¡± Although the Levine family businesses are no longer around, its family assets


    remain unrivaled. Society is practical and money is everything. As a member of the Levine family, the


    entertainment industry will respect me because of that.


    What¡¯s more, I¡¯ve made many actors famous through my movies and I have a good standing in the


    industry. Most media outlets wouldn¡¯t dare to outrightly offend me.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, I¡¯ll tell everyone that I¡¯m the one who asked you to keep Yelena a secret, so that both of us


    can participate in this program and you can make aeback in the industry. With that, public opinion


    will sway against me and I¡¯ll announce my immediate withdrawal from the filming of Actors On Set


    while you remain in it. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you get affected by the media and public opinion.¡± i


    Zoe fell silent.


    Given the power that Jay could wield in the industry, of course he was able to help her stay out of


    trouble.


    After all, one person was sufficient to bear the consequences for this.


    Put simply, Jay was using his position to put pressure on entertainment media outlets. If he were


    involved, media outlets would not dare go on a reporting spree.


    Once news lost its virality, it would also lose all influence.

 Chapter 853

    Chapter 853


    Chapter 853


    ¡°Since you¡¯re willing to sacrifice yourself to suppress the news, why don¡¯t you expose another scandal


    of your own like thest time and help cover up my news?¡± Zoe said coldly.


    Quinn thought she must have heard Zoe wrongly.


    Wasn¡¯t that being too harsh on Jay?!


    How could Zoe be capable of something like that?


    This woman had nopassion whatsoever.


    Jay had alreadypromised so much, yet she was still not satisfied.


    Who did she think she was?!


    Quinn scolded Zoe in her heart countless times over, but on ount of Zoe being her good friend, she


    could not bring herself to scold Zoe outright.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She was that¡­ biased.


    She simply looked at Jay turning quiet.


    Quinn felt rather nervous as she chanted in her heart for Jay not to agree to Zoe¡¯s request.


    Otherwise, it would be harder for him to pursue Zoe.


    She saw this as the golden opportunity to tie the two of them together, never to be parted again.


    Everyone could see how much importance Zoe ced on her career in showbiz.


    ¡°No way,¡± Jay suddenly said.


    Zoe sneered, and Quinn heaved a sigh of relief.


    Jay was finally standing his ground for once.


    For some reason, although it seemed as if Zoe had always been the one taking the initiative on the


    surface, Quinn thought that Jay had always been the one being wronged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any scandals to be exposed. Even if I were to suddenly have one, the media has be


    more forgiving in recent times and me being in a rtionship at my age is absolutely reasonable and


    therefore is not newsworthy¡­¡±


    ¡°You can expose yourself for favoring a particr female celebrity,¡± Zoe blurted.


    Jay was rendered speechless, while Quinn continued holding herself back from speaking.


    If Zoe were not her best friend, Quinn really would have given Zoe a tight p to wake her up.


    ¡°Admitting that Yelena is our child is currently the best solution. I¡¯ve already tasked my PR team to


    handle this emergency situation.¡± Jay remained calm without a hint of anger.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve already made a decision, what¡¯s the


    Yes.


    Jay had already decided beforeing that he would try his best to persuade Zoe to choose the third


    solution.


    Naturally, he had made preparations to implement the third solution.


    Selfishly, he wanted to use this chance to be with Zoe.


    So, when the media exposed Yelena¡¯s existence, he was undeniably gleeful about it.


    ¡°Before that, we need to make some preparations.¡± Jay ignored Zoe¡¯s tone and said gently, ¡°We first


    need to get a marriage certificate. Otherwise, the media or keyboard warriors may think that Yelena is


    an illegitimate daughter and that we¡¯re having an underground rtionship. If that happens, not only


    will we not achieve our desired oue, but it might even cause both our reputations to be ruined.¡±


    Zoe tried her best to hold herself back. She really felt like killing someone right now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think getting a marriage certificate right now would make Yelena a legitimate child though¡­¡±


    Quinn raised an opinion.


    The next moment, she looked like she had an epiphany.


    Jay must have thought of the same thing she just did.


    It was just a matter of timing.


    It was not difficult for Jay at all.


    Since Jay saw that Quinn had figured it out, he did not further borate on it.


    There were some things that were best left unspoken. What was more, Quinn was awyer who


    worked to bring justice to people.


    ¡°I have a request,¡± Zoe said.


    Although her tone still betrayed how upset she was, she was clearlying to apromise.


    Jay did not dare to show how d he was, for fear that Zoe might detest his reaction. >


    She might misunderstand that he had schemed against her and the scheme had worked.


    He tried his best to remain calm andposed, while Quinn sighed inwardly with relief.

 Chapter 854

    Chapter 854


    Chapter 854


    Thankfully, Zoe did not remain stubborn.


    Sometimes, Zoe¡¯s stubbornness made her capable of doing anything.


    ¡±Sure.¡± Jay nodded.


    ¡°Firstly, the marriage is fake and just for the media. After the dust settles, we will get a divorce.¡±


    Jay pursed his lips and nodded.


    He did not dare to disagree with her request.


    If he did not, she would probably reject his solution.


    The only thing he could do was to seize the chance to spend more time with her during this period.


    ¡°Secondly, even after we get a marriage certificate, we will not stay together. You will stay at your ce


    and I¡¯ll


    continue staying¡­¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Jay rejected her outright.


    Zoe stared at him.


    ¡°After announcing that we secretly got married, the media will surely stalk us. If they realize that we


    aren¡¯t staying together, what would they make of it? That we divorced? Or that we¡¯re faking it?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything to you,¡± Jay said solemnly. ¡°Even though we¡¯ll be in the same house, we¡¯ll sleep


    separately.¡±


    ¡°Of course that goes without saying,¡± Zoe said agitatedly.


    Jay swallowed, i


    He had thought that that was what Zoe minded. He did not expect her to in fact detest the idea of


    staying in the same ce as him.


    She did not want to see him day in, day out.


    ¡°Thirdly, Nancy will surely oppose our marriage. I don¡¯t want to deal with her. Exin things to her and


    don¡¯t cause me trouble,¡± Zoe said coldly.


    But in fact, each time she mentioned Nancy, her eyes would go dim.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Jay immediately agreed.


    All of a sudden, all was quiet in the living room.


    Since everything was in ce, there was not anything more to say.


    Quinn took the initiative to lighten the mood, ¡°So¡­ shall we get the marriage certificate right now?¡±


    Jay looked at Zoe, as if asking her for her opinion.


    Zoe was clearly reluctant to do so.


    But she recalled that it was just a fake marriage, as she had made clear just now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get my identification documents.¡± Zoe got up from the couch.


    The moment she left, Jay and Quinn both heaved a huge sigh of relief.


    Both of them felt as if they had just aplished something great.


    Both of them exchanged nces, and Jay thanked her from the bottom of his heart.


    He could clearly sense that Quinn was on his side today.


    ¡®Be good to Zoe. Don¡¯t let her go again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Jay nodded.


    A whileter, Zoe came out of the room with her documents and asked, ¡°Do we head out together now,


    or do I wait for you to get your documents before I head out separately¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll head out together,¡± Jay replied. ¡°I have my identification documents.¡±


    Zoe refused to believe that he did not have it all nned out right from the start.


    But she¡­


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Forget it.


    As long as she didn¡¯t have any expectations, she would not end up disappointed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Quinn rushed them.


    She was afraid that Zoe might suddenly change her mind.


    ¡°Drive my car, just in case there¡¯s paparazzi hanging around. They won¡¯t recognize my car,¡± Quinn


    offered enthusiastically, even more so than the two of them who were about to get married.


    Jay and Zoe did not turn down her offer.


    The three of them walked into the civil registry office.


    At that moment, when Zoe took out her identification documents, she suddenly felt an inexplicable tinge


    of unwillingness!

 Chapter 855

    Chapter 855


    Chapter 855


    After they registered their marriage and received their marriage certificate, the three of them returned to


    Quinn¡¯s car.


    Quinn turned out to be the happiest of the three of them-at least on the surface.


    A smile hung on her lips as she asked, ¡°Where are you two newly-weds nning to go? Are you going


    back?¡±


    Zoe red at Quinn.


    She was not the one who got married. What was she so excited about?


    ¡°Let¡¯s return to Zoe¡¯s apartment since Yelena is still there. She can take the chance to pack her bag¡­¡±


    Jay¡¯s voice gradually faded away.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He was clearly scared that Zoe might get angry.


    And she was quite angry.


    Somehow, she could not shake the feeling that she had been taken for a fool.


    Yet, upon deeper thought, what could Jay get from fooling her?


    He was just trying to help her solve her problem.


    They drove back to Zoe¡¯s apartment.


    Yelena was slightly miffed.


    Because they did not tell her daddy had abandoned her, and she was sobbing miserably at home.


    She refused to talk to Zoe and Jay out of spite after they returned.


    ¡°Come here, Yelena.¡± Zoe that she must have thrown quite the temper at home.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna.¡± Yelena objected.


    Fire burned in Zoe¡¯s chest.


    Yelena had quite the temper as a child.


    She could also get very stubborn.


    ¡°Yelena,e to Daddy. I¡¯ll bring you


    Yelena¡¯s eyes lit up at his words.


    ¡°Really? Can I sleep with Daddy tonight?


    She was only three years old, yet she disyed such impable logic.


    ¡°Yes, you can.¡± Jay nodded by way of confirmation.


    Yelena pounced into Jay¡¯s open arms without any hesitation.


    Zoe looked at Yelena fawning over Jay.


    She felt like the flower she had been cultivatingpletely by a stranger.


    ¡°Pack your clothes,


    ¡°To Jay¡¯s house?¡± ra was taken aback.


    ¡°Yes. Now that Yelena¡¯s identity has been exposed, it has affected me quite badly and I need Jay¡¯s


    help. So we¡¯ll stay at his ce during this period until things blow over then we¡¯lle back.¡± Zoe did


    not talk about her and Jay getting married.


    ¡°Oh,¡± ra didn¡¯t really understand the inner workings of the entertainment industry, but since this was


    Zoe¡¯s arrangements, she would follow it.


    But when she turned around to pack her things, she suddenly crouched down again, looking as if she


    had something to say.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zoe thought that ra might not want to go to Jay¡¯s ce.


    After all, there would be a lot of getting used in apletely new ce.


    ¡°I live alone. There¡¯s no one else in my ce,¡± Jay suddenly added.


    Clearly, ra was worried about going to Levine Vi, where Nancy Levine stayed, as Nancy was very


    hostile toward them.


    ra heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing what Jay said, then she immediately went to pack her


    things.


    Zoe did the same as well with a tiny suitcase.


    Jay nced at Zoe¡¯s luggage, noticing that she had packed fewer things than what ra was packing


    for Yelena.


    Jay did not ask any further.

 Chapter 856

    Chapter 856


    Chapter 856


    Of course, he knew that Zoe was prepared to move back anytime, so she did not want to pack too


    many things which would be troublesome for her.


    After they were all done packing, Jay called for a van for the luggage before leaving with Zoe and the


    rest.


    Quinn knew how to take a hint.


    It was now their ¡®family¡¯ time and she should not be interrupting them, so she made up an excuse and


    left.


    The ¡®family¡¯ sat in a sedan, and things were not as awkward as expected in the car.


    Yelena was bright and lively as she chattered non-stop. The car was filled with her voice and Zoe even


    found it slightly noisy.


    They soon arrived at Jay¡¯s single-story bungalow.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Yelena was so excited as she walked into it. ¡°Daddy, your house is huge and I love it! Wow, the ss


    windows are so huge, I can see so far away. Daddy, I love your house. Can Ie here frequently?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll stay here from now on, Yelena.¡± Jay caressed her head dotingly.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Zoe doused a bucket of cold water on Yelena.¡±


    We¡¯ll return home after a while.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s so terrible.¡± Yelena scrunched her nose up.


    Jay caressed Yelena¡¯s head and said, ¡°Daddy¡¯s going to help Mommy pack her luggage. Stay here and


    be good. Don¡¯t trip and fall.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Jay stood up and said to Zoe. ¡°Go and see which room you like? You can choose any room, even


    mine¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Zoe looked straight at him. i


    ¡°I mean, if you like my room, I can move out and make way for you. I can stay in another room,¡± Jay


    hurriedly exined himself.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need forthat. I can stay in any room, since we¡¯re not staying here for long anyway.¡±


    Jay did not say anything further, and he brought Zoe and ra to check out the guest rooms.


    There were a total of five rooms, which was definitely sufficient even if Yelena had a room to herself.


    But Yelena was still young and had always been sleeping with ra. ra herself could not bear to


    sleep separately from Yelena either.


    Zoe and ra chose their own rooms, and by the time they were done packing their bags, lunch was


    ready in the kitchen.


    ¡°Come and have lunch,¡± Jay said, trying to be a good host.


    ¡°Did you cook?¡± ra was surprised.


    She did not expect Jay to know how to cook.


    ¡°No.¡± Jay immediately rified, ¡°I ordered takeout. I don¡¯t know what all of you like to eat, so I ordered a


    little bit of everything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not picky, I eat anything,¡± ra said in an easy-going fashion.


    The ¡®family¡¯ sat around the table, where Yelena insisted on sitting next to Jay.


    No matter how Zoe red at Yelena, she chose to ignore Zoe¡¯s hints, even asking Jay to feed her.


    She was truly asking for it.


    ¡°These dishes are Zoe¡¯s favorites,¡± ra suddenly remarked. ¡°Eat more, Zoe.¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    She looked at the dishes and knew they were all her favorites.


    But having lived with Jay for so many years, wasn¡¯t it normal for him to remember what she liked to


    eat?


    ¡°Oh yes, do you cook on a daily basis?¡± ra asked Jay.


    ¡°I¡¯m usually busy with work and seldom eat at home. If I have time at home, I¡¯ll call for housekeeping to


    prepare meals for me. Now that all of you are staying here, I¡¯ve contacted some chefs and will select a


    suitable one to


    prepare meals for us at home.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Since it¡¯s just the few of us, I can cook for everyone,¡± ra volunteered.


    Jay nced at Zoe, implicitly seeking her permission.


    Zoe remained silent.


    ra went on. ¡°I have nothing to do anyway. When Yelena attends kindergarten, I¡¯m left at home with


    nothing to do. It¡¯s better for me to move around and keep active. What¡¯s more, I know best what Zoe


    and Yelena like to eat.¡±


    ¡°In that case, thank you very much.¡± Jay saw no objection from Zoe and agreed to ra¡¯s suggestion.

 Chapter 857

    Chapter 857


    Chapter 857


    ¡°What do you usually like to eat?¡± ra asked Jay.


    Since she was nning to cook for everyone, she had to cater to everyone¡¯s taste buds.


    ¡°I¡¯m not picky, I eat almost anything. I¡¯ll eat whatever you guys eat. Sometimes I¡¯ll be quite busy and


    won¡¯t have many chances toe home for dinner,¡± Jay said.


    ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t like in particr, such as specific condiments or something? I¡¯ll take note


    when I cook.¡±


    ¡°None at all.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± ra nodded and could not help but tease, ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy cooking for you, then, unlike Zoe


    and Yelena who are so picky.¡±


    ¡°Zoe has been picky since young.¡±


    Jay smiled as he started chatting with ra, i


    ¡°Yelena is just like Zoe, a very picky eater. She doesn¡¯t enjoy eating and is as skinny as a skeleton,¡±


    ra eximed exaggeratedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too good for children to grow too fat either. Yelena is just nice like that.¡± Zoe really did not want


    to join in the conversation but she could not hold herself back.


    ¡°She should still gain some weight. She¡¯s a little too skinny,¡±


    ra insisted.


    Zoe did not want to say any further.


    Each time they were on the topic of Yelena¡¯s appetite, she would always lose to ra.


    Jay¡¯s lips were lifted in a smile throughout the conversation.


    The atmosphere was great.


    After lunch, Jay apanied Yelena for her afternoon nap which she had a habit of having, while


    ra and Zoe stayed in the living room.


    Jay¡¯s living room was at least thrice the size of the living room in their apartment.


    The two of them sat on Jay¡¯s couch, feeling rather out of ce.


    ¡°After everything is settled, we¡¯ll go back,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°This ce is quite nice. The rooms are so big, and Yelena has so much space to run around and y.


    Things are a little cramped in our house.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll move to a bigger ce as soon as I can afford it.¡± Zoe supposed after this incident died down,


    she might have more engagements in the future and earning more money would not be a problem.


    What ra had wanted to say was that staying here sounded like a good idea and there was no need


    for them to go back.


    The two of them chatted idly, and Jay came out of the room


    after putting Yelena to sleep.


    ¡°Is Yelena asleep?¡± ra asked.


    ¡°Yes, she is.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much,¡± ra said politely.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Jay smiled courteously. ¡°It¡¯ll be tough on you two in the days ahead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very easy to take care of Yelena. It¡¯s not tough at all,¡± ra immediately said.


    Jay nodded and did not say anything further.


    It would have appeared pretentious of him if he said too much.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He turned to Zoe and said, ¡°The makeup artist wille at around five in the evening to do your


    makeup for the press conference where we¡¯ll announce Yelena¡¯s identity.


    ¡°Do I need to go see the reporters too?¡±


    ¡°That will appear more sincere. Of course, if you¡¯re really reluctant, it¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Zoe agreed.


    Jay was right.


    She would appear more sincere if she were to turn up in person.


    It was critical for her to leave a good public impression.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jay replied.


    Very soon, the makeup artist arrived at Jay¡¯s house. Not only did she do an exquisite job in dolling Zoe


    up, but she even prepared a fitting ck gown for Zoe. It was not revealing but showed off Zoe¡¯s


    sensual figure.


    Meanwhile, Jay put on a ck suit.


    Their outfits appeared to match each other¡¯s.

 Chapter 858

    Chapter 858


    Chapter 858


    They looked like they were in a couple outfit.


    After both of them were dressed and ready, they sat in a car and drove to the venue of the press


    conference.


    Representatives from hundreds of news outlets were cramped in the venue and there were people


    everywhere.


    This was the first time since Zoe fell from her A-grade status that she felt so ¡®popr¡¯ on such arge


    scale.


    She was beginning to wonder if news of Yelena being exposed was a blessing in disguise.


    Zoe held Jay¡¯s arm and entered the room.


    Jay hobbled in on his walking stick, making it look as if Zoe was supporting him.


    Everyone was shocked to see Jay in the room. Why was he here at Zoe¡¯s press conference?


    Of course, the media knew that Jay and Zoe were both on Actors on Set, and Jay was Zoe¡¯s mentor.


    But even so, was there a need for her mentor to appear in person?


    Since when did Jay put in so much effort for his celebrities?


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Jay did appreciate Zoe¡¯s acting skills in the program, and Zoe did not disappoint him. She had never


    been popr among viewers and she definitely could not rely on luck.


    The moment they appeared, the media went wild.


    ¡°Zoe, photos of you and a little girl behaving intimately have been leaked. It is said that she is your


    daughter. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°You previously said that you were not married and were without kids when you joined the show, yet


    now it¡¯s been exposed that you do have a daughter. Don¡¯t you find this embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°Who is the father of the child? Who is your husband?¡±


    ¡°Director Parker, why are you with Zoe at her press conference? Are you here to show your support for


    your mentee?¡± 1


    ¡°Director Parker, how do you view the fact that Zoe has a daughter? Do you find her dishonest?¡±


    ¡°Director Parker¡­¡±


    It was utter chaos at the conference.


    The host immediately cut in, ¡°Everyone, please quieten down. Quieten down so that Ms. York can


    respond to all queries.¡±


    That was when the reporters gradually kept quiet.


    The sudden silence in the meeting room made the atmosphere tense up.


    Zoe took a deep breath and prepared to speak.


    Just then, Jay said, ¡°Regarding Zoe¡¯s child, allow me to respond to everyone first.¡±


    Zoe turned to look at him.


    She saw how serious he looked.


    ¡°Firstly, thank you very much to all for gracing Zoe and my press conference amid your busy


    schedules. I am very thankful for everyone¡¯s concern¡­¡±


    ¡°Director Parker, what do you mean Zoe and your press conference? Isn¡¯t it Zoe¡¯s conference?¡±


    ¡°Director Parker, what is your rtionship with Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Everyone, please listen to me,¡± Jay went on, ¡°You can feel free to raise your questions after hearing


    me out. If you keep interrupting me right now, it will be difficult for me to answer all of your questions.¡±


    The reporters turned silent again.


    They were clearly trying their best to control their curiosity which was bursting at the seams.


    They could sense that there would be major news today.


    ¡°Reporters have photographed Zoe and a little girl together. I would like to clearly state that the little girl


    is Zoe¡¯s


    biological daughter-our biological daughter,¡± Jay said emphatically.


    Reporters were suddenly unable to process such shocking news.


    They all appeared to be shaken to the core, and it took them a whileter for them to begin raising


    questions.


    ¡°Let me finish what I wish to say before taking everyone¡¯s questions. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be difficult for us to


    wrap up this press conference,¡± Jay cut in once more.


    The reporters tried to control themselves and stop their barrage of questions.


    ¡°Zoe and I have been secretly married for four years and our daughter has just turned three years old.


    Zoe has not been active in the entertainment industry over the past few years because of our family.


    The reason why we did not announce our rtionship was because we did not want to take up too


    much public resources and also hope to give our child a lessplicated environment to grow up in.¡±

 Chapter 859

    Chapter 859


    Chapter 859


    Jay paused for a while before going on, saying, ¡°Our daughter is now three years old and is more


    independent right now, which is why I encouraged Zoe to pursue her dreams again and ept the


    director¡¯s invitation to join Actors on Set. Of course, the production team did not know about our


    rtionship when they invited us and I selfishly did not inform the director. I did it in hopes of bringing


    Zoe back into the public spotlight through this tform, giving her the leverage she needed to return to


    her glorious past. She has sacrificed too much for me over the past few years.¡± i


    ¡°I hereby sincerely apologize for taking up so much public resources because of things between Zoe


    and 1.1 would also like to take this chance to apologize to all staff members of Actors on Set for not


    being honest about my rtionship with Zoe to the production team because of my selfish intentions.


    The production team invited both Zoe and I to the program without any prior awareness about our


    rtionship, and they were unable to make any efforts to avoid the current situation. I officially


    announce that from now on, I will no longer take part in the filming of Actors on Set. Please forgive me


    for the inconveniences I¡¯ve caused to the production team.¡± ¡¯


    Jay stood up from his seat and bowed to the cameras.


    He straightened up and sat back down before saying, ¡°I have said whatever I wish to say. Everyone,


    please take turns to raise your questions. Thank you once again.¡±


    The moment he stopped talking, a reporter jumped in to ask, ¡°Director Parker, is it really true that


    you¡¯ve been secretly married to Zoe for four years? There has been no scandal whatsoever between


    the both of you over the past four years.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already mentioned that we were married in secret. Of course, we wouldn¡¯t leak a secret.¡± Jay


    chuckled. ¡°I knew you guys wouldn¡¯t believe it, so I even brought our marriage certificate. May I ask


    one of the staff members to take it out and show it to everyone here? Please take good care of it and


    don¡¯t wreck it, I only have one marriage certificate.¡±


    Jay¡¯s little joke made everyone burst outughing.


    Someone teased, ¡°Director Parker, do you ce so much importance on that document?¡±


    Someone else added, ¡°Who said he ces importance on the document? It¡¯s the person he cares


    about!¡±


    Everyone burst outughing once more.


    Zoe clenched her fists tighter.


    She felt so awkward that she wanted to dig a hole the size of Jay¡¯s bungalow and bury herself in it.


    She truly did not understand how Jay could bring himself to say something so mushy so naturally.


    The staff member showed everyone the marriage certificate and carefully returned it to Jay.


    Jay ced it into the inner pocket of his jacket carefully in front of everyone.


    He even patted it gently after he was done.


    It clearly looked like he cherished it a lot.


    ¡°I remember that you were in a very serious car ident back then, Director Parker. Was Zoe pregnant


    then?¡± one of the reporters asked quick-wittedly.


    ¡°Yes. Back then, we were overseas and she took care of me while pregnant. It was very tough on her


    and she really sacrificed a lot for me,¡± Jay replied.


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    He got into a car ident when she was pregnant?


    When exactly did Jay get into a car ident?


    How long ago was that ident?


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    How did it happen?


    Was the ident very serious?


    He was crippled by it. Of course, it must have been very serious.


    ¡°Director Parker, you said earlier that you allowed Zoe to participate in Actors on Set to give her a


    chance to return to the entertainment circle. I personally feel thatpared to this program, it might be


    more effective and faster for you to produce a movie specially for her, isn¡¯t it?¡± A reporter raised


    another question.


    It was clearly not logical.


    ¡°Would you believe it if I told you that Zoe did not want to go through the back door?¡± Jay said with a


    tinge of helplessness in his voice.


    The reportersughed.


    Jay continued, ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way. When the director looked Zoe up, she was unaware that the


    director had already looked me up. What¡¯s more, everyone knows that I never participate in variety


    shows, so all the more she did not expect me to participate in it. I signed the contract with the director


    behind her back, and she only found out at the recording studio. But by then, things had progressed to


    a point where we had no choice but to pretend not to know each other.¡±

 Chapter 860

    Chapter 860


    Chapter 860


    ¡°In that case, Director Parker, did you let Zoe go through the back door during this program? Zoe was


    criticized heavily at the start, yet there has been a huge rise in her poprity now.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is wee to look back on the previous two episodes. I can beat my chest and say proudly


    that I did not do so, and Zoe¡¯s achievements to date are a result of her pure hard work,¡± Jay said


    affirmatively. He even threatened jokingly, ¡¯Please don¡¯t frame me, Zoe won¡¯t allow me to open the back


    door for her. Do you want me to end up sleeping on the couch tonight?! Don¡¯t make up groundless


    usations, all right?¡±


    The reportersughed out loud.


    They have never seen such a friendly side to Jay.


    He was good-natured, but he would never crack jokes.


    It was indeed true that men would behave differently in front of their wives.


    ¡°How did you feel when Zoe was criticized severely at the start?¡± another reporter asked.


    ¡°I can only say that my heart ached for her.¡±


    ¡°Did you consider asking Zoe to withdraw from thepetition?¡±


    ¡°More so than the difficulties she faced, Zoe enjoyed the sense of achievement that the program


    brought her. Clearly, her growth and transformation due to the program is proof that she has made the


    right choice to stay,¡± Jay said smoothly.


    ¡°Director Parker, may I ask your wife some questions, please?¡± a reporter suddenly requested.


    The word ¡®wife¡¯ pierced through Jay¡¯s heart.


    It made his heart beat quicken all of a sudden.


    ¡°Of course, you may.¡± Jay calmed himself down as he said,¡± But don¡¯t be too harsh on her.¡±


    ¡°Director Parker, you¡¯re so protective over your wife that I almost don¡¯t dare to ask her questions


    directly. Thank you for your grace, Director Parker. I will just ask her a few simple questions,¡± the


    reporter said with a good sense of humor.


    He went ahead to raise his questions.


    ¡°Ms. York¡­No, I should be addressing you as Mrs. Parker now,¡± the reporter corrected himself quickly.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    Her words of objection died on her lips.


    She reminded herself that she had to pretend to be lovey dovey with Jay.


    Life was like a drama anyway, and she had always been good at putting up an act.


    ¡°Mrs. Parker, how did you and Director Parker meet and get


    together back then? Do you find it worth it to secretly marry him and start a family with him, thereby


    losing your sessful career?¡± The reporter shot her with many questions at one go.


    Zoe spoke into the microphone. ¡°We got to know each other through filming a movie. You could say


    that we grew to love each other with time.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Everyone began wolf-whistling and cheering.


    Zoe realized that what she said might have been suggestive, which was why all the reporters were


    shooting her strange looks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. We simply developed feelings for each other with time,¡± Zoe said,


    blushing.


    ¡°I know, I know. Mrs. Parker, please continue sharing with us your love story.¡± The reporter went along


    with her.


    All the reporters felt like they were not actually on duty, but were behaving more like curious onlookers.


    ¡°We developed feelings for each other with time, and felt that we were each other Mr. and Mrs. Right,


    so we got married. We didn¡¯t want to announce our wedding for fear of taking up too much public


    resources. I did consider leaving the entertainment industry for the family as well. If we announced our


    marriage, I would not have been able to truly leave the industry,¡± Zoe weaved a story on the basis of


    what Jay said.


    She went on to say, ¡°As for whether it is worth it, that is a non-existent question. One cannotpare


    between family and career, and when both cannot be had, there has to be a sacrifice made. It is also


    impossible to ask Jay to give birth.


    I can only say that I do not have any regrets.¡±

 Chapter 861

    Chapter 861


    Chapter 861


    Everyone at the press conference were in awe and admiration as they expressed their blessings to Zoe


    when she said that she did not have any regrets.


    She did not say much, and she said it casually, but through her words, everyone could sense the


    beauty of their rtionship.


    The key was the happiness in Jay¡¯s smile as he sat next to Zoe.


    Everyone could tell that he was in a fabulous mood.


    And that was despite the fact that Jay was one who never wore his heart on his sleeve.


    They must really, really love each other.


    The reporters¡¯ reactions made Zoe suddenly feel awkward.


    She simply followed what Jay had prepared for her to say. Did they need to react so strongly?


    She suddenly felt inexplicably shy at that moment.


    ¡°Mrs. Parker, why did you decide to make aeback then? Is it really because of your passion for the


    industry?¡± the reporter asked.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Zoe nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been my dream to be an actor since childhood, and I¡¯ve sacrificed a lot for


    this dream of mine. Although I chose to give it up because of many other


    reasons, I will persist down this road. I hope to have everyone¡¯s blessings and support as I continue on


    this journey,¡± Zoe said courteously.


    She really wanted, from the bottom of her heart, to maintain good ties with the reporters and media


    partners. After all. Jay would only be around for the moment, while her rtionship with the news and


    media outlets were for life. She could not afford to offend them.


    ¡°Mrs. Parker, that is very kind of you to say that. In the future, if you have any updates or news,


    remember to inform us right away and well be very grateful for that.¡± 1


    The reporters teased her.


    It was not much of an exaggeration, in fact.


    Zoe¡¯s poprity was rising wildly, and she would be an A- lister in no time.


    What was more, now they knew that Zoe and Jay were husband and wife, it would go without saying


    that she would be an important figure in the industry.


    ¡°Director Parker, do you intend to produce a movie or drama series for your wife?¡± a reporter suddenly


    asked.


    ¡°When I decided to participate in Actors on Set, although I selfishly wanted to apany Zoe, my true


    objective was to select suitable actors. I have a movie on hand that I am preparing to film. I won¡¯t share


    its specific genre as it is confidential information that is currently embargoed. As for who the main leads


    of this movie are, we¡¯ll have to see how Zoe performs in theter part of thepetition.¡±


    ¡°So strict, Director Parker? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being made to sleep on the couch when you go back


    home?¡± a reporter joked.


    ¡°Mrs. Parker is even more integrous and upright than I am,¡± Jay said immediately.


    Zoe mumbled to herself inwardly.


    She did not care to be described as ¡®integrous¡¯ and ¡®upright¡¯.


    She did not mind going through the back door, okay?!


    She did receive some minor engagements, but to date, she had not received any scripts for movies or


    drama serials.


    She often dreamed of filming once again, but Zoe did not dare to say that in front of so many reporters.


    She simply faked a smile while her heart bled.


    ¡°We havee to the end of our press conference. Once again, thank you everyone for gracing our


    event amid your busy schedules. Thank you.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay concluded the press conference and left the venue with Zoe.


    Jay leaned against his walking stick and stood up. However, he lost his bnce and tipped toward the


    side.


    Zoe instinctively wrapped her arm around Jay.


    Their intimate posture triggered a wild flurry of camera shots.


    They were clearly giving the reporters a lot of material to work with.


    They left the press conference venue and went to the car.


    The moment they were out of the reporters¡¯ sights, they kept their distance once again.


    Zoe even sat slightly further from him out of habit.


    Jay pretended not to notice and said, ¡°Next up, I¡¯ll have my PR team follow-up online and they will


    make sure that things go ording to n.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe responded.


    Things remained awkward between them when they were finally alone.


    Many times, Jay wanted to speak, but he did not know what to say.


    The two of them ended up surrounded by silence until they finally reached home.

 Chapter 862

    Chapter 862


    Chapter 862


    Jay unlocked the door with his fingerprint.


    Suddenly, he thought of something. ¡°Zoe,e and leave a record of your fingerprint.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Just tell me the passcode.¡± Zoe found it troublesome if she had to delete her


    fingerprint after a while.


    ¡°You¡¯re not good with numbers and always forget your passcode. Recording your fingerprint will be


    more convenient,¡± Jay insisted.


    Zoe kept feeling that Jay had be more aggressive nowadays.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    In the past, as long as she rejected him, he would usually just ept it.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long, and it¡¯s not troublesome at all,¡± Jay added.


    Zoe did not want to argue with Jay over something so trivial, so she walked over and recorded her


    fingerprint with Jay¡¯s help.


    After making sure that she could open the door with her fingerprint, Jay finally walked through the door


    with Zoe.


    He even said, ¡°Let your mom record her fingerprintter, too. N


    Zoe paused for a moment.


    His address of ra as her mom had never been used in describing her rtionship with ra.


    Jay noticed the change in her expression.


    ¡°Are you and her still estranged?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°No need for you to bother about my affairs,¡± Zoe said coldly.


    She walked past Jay in great strides into the living room.


    She stopped in her tracks the moment she entered.


    Jay took some time to remove his shoes and he only saw Nancy and Cora in his living room a while


    later.


    The two of them spotted Jay and Zoe.


    At once, one could cut the air with a knife.


    Zoe did not react to their presence. She had already warned Jay that he had to exin things to the


    Levines about their marriage. She did not want to be involved with them in any way.


    She walked past them, seeing no need to even greet them.


    She headed straight for Yelena.


    Where were Yelena and ra, if they were not in the living room?


    Were they in their room?


    Zoe¡¯s attitude made Nancy¡¯s face darken with displeasure.


    ¡°Zoe York, I¡¯ve really underestimated you. You were driven out of the Levine household and you


    stopped at nothing toe back! Don¡¯t you find it embarrassing toe back via such underhanded


    means?¡± Nancy looked at Zoe¡¯s retreating figure and sneered. ¡¯


    Zoe bit her lip.


    She did not know how to feel about Nancy right now.


    She probably should avoid Nancy like the gue.


    As such, she decided not to react in any way and simply forced herself to remain calm as she left.


    ¡°Zoe York!¡±


    Nancy red up upon seeing Zoe ignore her.


    ¡°I initiated the marriage. It has nothing to do with Zoe. Talk to me if you have anything in mind,¡± Jay¡¯s


    cold yet authoritative voice sounded.


    Nancy looked at Jay.


    He was standing in front of her, blocking her view.


    Smack!


    Nancy suddenly pped Jay.


    Zoe was opening the room door, about to head in, when she heard the loud p.


    It did not stop her from entering the room anyway and mming the door behind her.


    What was going on was between the Levines and had nothing to do with her.


    ¡°Jay Parker, have you forgotten who you are?!¡± Nancy raged.


    She looked at him with eyes reddened with anger, ¡°Do you really think what you achieved today could


    have been possible without the Levines backing you up?¡±

 Chapter 863

    Chapter 863


    Chapter 863


    ¡°Calm down, Mom.¡± Even Cora was frightened by Nancy¡¯s reaction.


    It had been a while since Nancy threw a temper like this.


    She was furious.


    She trembled with anger when she saw news about Jay and Zoe being married and even having a


    child between them.


    How could she ept Jay and Zoe being together?!


    How could she allow Zoe to appear before her once more? Zoe¡¯s existence was a humiliation and a


    blemish in her life. In her entire life, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Zoe!


    ¡°Jay Parker, I order you to divorce Zoe immediately and announce to the media that you have nothing


    to do with her! ¡± Nancy screamed.


    ¡°Impossible,¡± Jay said simply.


    ¡°Jay Parker!¡±


    ¡°I can announce that I have severed all ties with the Levines, ¡°Jay said emphatically.


    He was firm and unyielding, leaving no room for negotiation.


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± Nancy could not believe her ears. ¡°You want to sever ties with the Levines? Do


    you still have a conscience, Jay Parker?! Have the Levines ill-treated you over the years? Have I ill-


    treated you? I epted you despite your status and past, and I¡¯ve treated you well from the bottom of


    my heart, yet now you want to sever ties with the Levines just because of Zoe York?!¡±


    She yelled so loudly at the top of her voice.


    Jay looked in the direction of the room that Zoe just entered, checking if the door was shut.


    He had promised Zoe that he would not let Nancy cause trouble for her, and he did not want her to


    hear anything upsetting.


    Thankfully, the soundproofing in the house was excellent.


    As long as the door was closed, nothing could be heard across the walls.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    He looked back at a livid Nancy and repeated himself firmly, ¡°I¡¯ll sever all ties with the Levines.¡±


    ¡°Jay Parker!¡± Nancy could not ept what Jay said as she used him with red-rimmed eyes, ¡°Do


    you know who you are? Do you know your true identity?! How dare you say something so traitorous¡­¡±


    ¡°My true identity?¡± Jay counter-questioned Nancy. ¡°The illegitimate son of the Levine household.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Nancy suddenly lost her tongue.


    Cora was stunned to the core.


    Jay was an illegitimate son?


    Whose illegitimate son?


    Mark, John¡¯s father, who had died?


    It was no wonder her mom treated Jay so well. Was it because Jay was a rtive in the first ce?


    But rumors had it that Mark had a happy marriage. Did he really have an extramarital affair?!


    ¡°Should I be grateful to the Levines? Yes, when my mom was on her deathbed, she knelt and begged


    him to bring me back to the Levine family, and he agreed to it. Otherwise, I would have been sent to the


    orphanage with no home to return to,¡± Jay said sarcastically.


    ¡°It was his mercy that Dad decided to bring you back to the family. You have no idea how much your


    mom schemed to make your dad sleep with her so that she could have you! It¡¯s reasonable even if your


    dad decided not to acknowledge you as his son, but he eventually relented and allowed you back into


    the family, and he never once ill-treated you!¡± Nancy said self-righteously.


    Cora was taken aback by what Nancy said.


    Jay was not Mark¡¯s son but n¡¯s. Jay was the biological son of the highly respected patriarch of the


    Levine family.


    Come to think of it, when Jay was in a serious ident a few years back, Grandpa did be a lot


    more haggard and worn out.


    Back then, she thought that Grandpa was simply beingpassionate for someone he had taken care


    of, even though they were not rted by blood. It turned out that Jay was Grandpa¡¯s biological son.


    In other words¡­


    Jay was the true heir of the Levine family.

 Chapter 864

    Chapter 864


    Chapter 864


    The moment Cora figured out what that meant, her heart jumped.


    No.


    She could not let the Levines¡¯ assets end up in Jay¡¯s hands. She could not see Zoe leading a better life


    than she did.


    She had suffered for so many years in order to end up with what she had today. What right did Zoe


    have to take back everything she had eventually?


    ¡°Acknowledge me? Did he acknowledge me as his son?¡± Jay sneered. ¡°If he did, why did he keep me


    by his side as his adoptive son? He brought me back simply because there was no one else to take


    care of me, simply because having one more mouth to feed was nothing to the Levine household. To


    the Levines, having me around was no different from having a dog!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Jay!¡± Nancy could not bear to hear more.


    She would not allow Jay to say that of her father.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite enough too.¡± Jay looked coldly at Nancy.¡± I¡¯ve had enough since many years ago. Now


    is a great time for us to make a clean break.¡± i


    ¡°Do you really want things to go so far for Zoe¡¯s sake? We are the only family members left in the


    Levine family. Can you really not care about us?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who wants things to go so far-you are!¡± Jay refused topromise.


    ¡°Fine, Jay.¡± Nancy did not want the argument to go on any longer, ¡°Since you want to sever ties with


    me because of that woman, I have nothing further to say. I hope you¡¯ll nevere to regret your


    decision today.¡±


    ¡°I never will!¡± Jay said bluntly.


    Nancy gritted her teeth as she said to Cora, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Take it that I never came here!¡±


    Jay looked on coldly as they left.


    Nancy mmed the door heavily, the loud bang of the door an outlet for her to vent her anger.


    Nancy was wild with rage.


    She was someone who ced much importance on kinship.


    When she first found out about Jay¡¯s true identity, she was not able to ept it. She could not ept


    that the father she had always respected would do something so immoral and that he would let her


    mom down so terribly. But back then, her mom had passed away a long time ago and her father was


    advanced in his years. Having lived with Jay for so many years, she had grown close to him and she


    knew that Jay himself was innocent in the entire affair.


    As such, she managed to ept Jay¡¯s presence in the family.


    Especially over the past few years, when more and more of their family members departed, Nancy had


    completely epted Jay and even treated him as her own brother. To her, she and Jay only had each


    other left.


    She never expected Jay to cut ties with her because of Zoe!


    Nancy¡¯s face fell.


    Since Jay insisted on being so cold-hearted, he could not me her for being ruthless!


    Jay sat back down on the couch.


    He did not immediately go to Zoe¡¯s room to exin things to her, for he found it difficult topose


    himself at this moment.


    Over the years, he could sense how well Nancy treated him.


    But Nancy was too extreme, especially toward Zoe. If he had to choose between them, he would


    choose Zoe without any hesitation.


    Nevertheless, he felt an inexplicable sense of pressure inside of him.


    He only found out very recently that he was n¡¯s son.


    Back then, when n brought him back home, his mother only told him that n was a friend of hers.


    He was very young back then and did not think too much of it. He never wondered why his young


    mother could be friends with someone as old as n.


    But his mother made him follow n back home and he


    had no choice but to obey.


    When he stayed with the Levines, everyone was very friendly to him, especially Zoe.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 865

    Chapter 865


    Chapter 865


    Zoe would always chase after him, calling him ¡®Old Mister¡¯ when he was clearly only a few years older


    than she was.


    Initially, he felt nothing for Zoe.


    To be urate, in such a new environment, he was pretty much cold toward anyone.


    He did not know how to act around them, and he was very careful to stay within boundaries and know


    his ce, causing as little trouble to others as much as he could.


    But Zoe was overly warm and friendly.


    She had boundless energy when she was young. No matter what he was doing, she would never fail to


    run over and butt in.


    When he was doing his homework, she would sprawl at his feet and y by herself.


    When he was practicing at the piano, she would sit next to him and listen intently. She would even sing


    a few lines in unclear words and imperfect pitch.


    When he was sleeping, she would sometimes climb into his bed and make him read her bedtime


    stories.


    Whatever he did, she would be following behind him.


    She would either chatter on incessantly or wait quietly by his side.


    Zoe made him feel less uneasy and less cautious in the Levine household, and it made him like being


    part of the Levine family a little bit more.


    Their rtionship gradually changed as they grew up and spent more time with each other.


    Jay did not know when he started having feelings for Zoe. Perhaps it was when girls started pursuing


    him.


    That was when he was in junior high, during which girls began confessing their feelings for him.


    Each time a girl confessed her feelings to him, Zoe woulde to his mind.


    Zoe was still a young girl at that point in time. He even felt anxious for her to grow up faster.


    Why was it taking her so long to grow up?


    In the end, before she truly matured, she confessed to Jay when she turned seventeen.


    Her confession was bold, to say the least.


    She gave him a hug and a kiss.


    Jay was truly frightened by what she did.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He knew that she was still too young to be in a rtionship, but he was greatly tempted by her.


    That night, they shared a passionate, lingering kiss.


    To him, that sealed their rtionship in stone for the future.


    Yet, when he returned to his room, n called him into his study.


    n said that he saw Jay kiss Zoe.


    Just when Jay was about to confess his feelings for Zoe and promise to take responsibility for her, n


    told him something earth-shattering.


    He was not n¡¯s adoptive son, but his illegitimate son instead.


    Because it was not appropriate to announce his identity, n could only bring him back to the Levine


    family under the name of an adoptive son.


    Jay did not care whether he was n¡¯s biological son or not -the only thing he cared about was that


    things were no longer possible between him and Zoe.


    He was Zoe¡¯s biological uncle, and it was impossible for an uncle to be in a rtionship with his niece.


    That day, n told him many things but he heard none of it. The only thing he could hear was the


    sound of his heart breaking.


    He was wondering if Zoe could ept it if he told her the truth.


    How could she ept the fact that she had fallen in love with her biological uncle?


    That was probably more disgusting than eating a cockroach.


    So, he chose to share a passionate kiss with another


    woman by way of telling Zoe that whatever happened between themst night was nothing but an


    ident.


    He had to make it clear that he saw her as nothing but an ident and had no feelings for her


    whatsoever.


    Zoe was deeply hurt by him, for many, many years.


    He himself refused to concede defeat, and he secretly did many DNA tests, no less than five times over


    the years.


    Each time, the result showed that he was undeniably rted to n by blood.


    He finally resigned to his fate.

 Chapter 866

    Chapter 866


    Chapter 866


    Until now, he told Zoe nothing.


    He would rather she hate him for life than go through the torment that he did.


    But he never expected that Zoe was not a member of the Levine family by blood.


    The moment he found out, he did not know whether to be happy or not.


    He had hurt Zoe so much, after all.


    All right, he admitted that he felt truly happy.


    It meant that he was not rted to Zoe by blood and they could be together openly.


    But that required some time, because Nancy could not ept Zoe¡¯s existence.


    Zoe was evidence of her husband having an affair. For someone as proud as Nancy, she would never


    ept Zoe¡¯s existence.


    So, if he wanted to be with Zoe, his only choice was to sever ties with the Levine family.


    He looked n up toy all his cards on the table without any hesitation.


    n did not immediately agree; instead, he simply said that they would talk again after some time.


    He agreed to n, thinking that there was still time and by way of thanking him for raising him over the


    years.


    But life never went ording to n.


    Before he could start life anew with Zoe, she had gotten together with Bob.


    He was alwayste by a step, and he was fated to pass her by.


    Once again, he had to bury his own feelings and give Zoe and Bob his blessings.


    As long as she was happy and as long as they genuinely loved each other, that was enough for him.


    As for himself, he had gotten used to it over the years.


    He had gotten used to dreaming of Zoe in the depths of the night, waking up in tears and to an aching


    heart.


    For a very long time, he looked on at the sweet moments between Bob and Zoe, silently epting the


    fact that she had really fallen in love with another man.


    If it were not for Bob¡¯s mother threatening Zoe, he would probably have nothing to do with Zoe for the


    rest of his life.


    Upon knowing that Zoe was being threatened by Bob¡¯s mother, he did his best to brainstorm ways to


    help Zoe preserve her rtionship with Bob. It was not that he no longer loved Zoe, but that he knew


    that Zoe no longer loved him and he did not want to kick her when she was down. Most importantly, he


    didn¡¯t want Zoe being upset and


    heartbroken over breaking up with Bob.


    But Zoe had made a clear decision.


    To avoid putting Bob in a difficult spot, she decided to ask for a break up.


    That night, when he was together with Zoe, he truly felt that it was the most wonderful night of his life.


    He had never felt so satisfied and so wild¡­


    But the heavens loved ying him for a fool.


    He got into an ident during the happiest time of his life.


    By the time he woke up, a few months had passed.


    He was lying on the bed with multiple tubes sticking out of his body, struggling between life and death.


    He did not even know if he had aplete body or whether he had lost a limb.


    Subsequently, after undergoing treatment abroad, he managed to preserve his life despite being


    crippled in the right leg.


    He wondered if Zoe would despise him with his disability.


    She did not love him in the first ce, and now, he was riddled with this disability.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He did not want to do her injustice. 2


    He really thought for a very, very long time before he took the initiative to give Zoe a call.


    Yet, when he finally did so, he found that her number was no longer in service.


    At that moment, all was clear to him.


    Zoe was not waiting for him-she hadpletely given up on him and no longer loved him. 1


    He no longer dared to look her up, for fear that she would despise him.

 Chapter 867

    Chapter 867


    Chapter 867


    The door opened, and Jay snapped back to reality as he sat up straight on the couch.


    Zoe brought Yelena out. ¡°Yelena wants to go to the yground for a while.¡±


    She could not stand Yelena¡¯s whining any longer.


    Since they just moved here, they didn¡¯t bring much of Yelena¡¯s toys. She gave Yelena her phone to use


    but Yelena got bored of it after a while and insisted on going downstairs to y.


    When they were on their way here, Jay mentioned that there was a yground for the children in this


    district, and Yelena kept it in mind.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring her there.¡± Jay picked up his walking stick and stood up.


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve been running around the whole day. I¡¯ll go instead. I can also take Yelena around the


    neighborhood and get to know our way around,¡± ra immediately said.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Jay did not insist on his way.


    He had done a lot of work today.


    Of course, most importantly, he wanted to exin everything to Zoe. i


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, go be busy. Yelena,e with me to


    the yground.¡±


    ¡°Yay, we can finally go out!¡± Yelena dashed happily to the door.


    The infectious joy of children made a smile break across Jay¡¯s face.


    After Yelena and ra left, Zoe asked, ¡°They¡¯ve left?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jay nodded before adding, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Zoe was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can call the shots.¡±


    Zoe had expected this, although she did not expect Nancy toe charging at them so soon.


    But it was only a matter of time, and she had mentally prepared herself.


    Nevertheless, she refused to face up against Nancy. She had agreed with Jay that he would be the one


    to deal with her.


    Zoe turned around to leave.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Jay suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Nancy might target us soon.¡± Jay went straight to the point.


    He hesitated to tell Zoe about it. He was worried that telling her would make her choose to go her


    separate ways from him.


    She had no reason to get herself involved in this mess.


    However, he could not hide it from her.


    Nancy was not just targeting him, but Zoe as well, and he wanted to remind Zoe to mentally prepare


    herself.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡®Til do my best to protect you, but I can¡¯t promise that I canpletely avoid implicating you¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe said, not reacting very strongly to his words.


    Yes, she did mention before that she did not want to deal with Nancy.


    But she knew clearly that Nancy would not let her go so easily and would definitely cause trouble for


    her. Jay was not a deity and certainly did not have the power to stop Nancy from making a move on


    them.


    What she said to Jay previously was simply a casual remark.


    The fact was that the moment she agreed to marry Jay, she knew she could not shake Nancy off. i


    Zoe returned to her room again, and her phone rang all of a sudden.


    It was Cordy calling.


    She had sessfully avoided Cordy for two days. If it were not because Cordy was not in North City,


    she would probably have rushed over with Quinn to find her.


    She answered the call, but she did not hear Cordy yelling at her as she had expected.


    If she were Cordy, she would have lost her cool for sure.


    Cordy¡¯s gentle and soft voice sounded from the other end.¡± Congrattions, Zoe.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart leapt.

 Chapter 868

    Chapter 868


    Chapter 868


    Of course, she knew that Cordy was congratting her on her marriage with Jay.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think it is,¡± Zoe said. ¡°We were forced by circumstances and it¡¯s all veryplicated.


    It¡¯s hard to exin everything over the phone. In short, it¡¯s a fake marriage and well get a divorce after


    a while.¡±


    A low chuckle sounded from the other side.


    ¡°You find it outrageous too, don¡¯t you? But¡­ I don¡¯t seem to have a choice,¡± Zoe said helplessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t find it outrageous,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°I just think you¡¯re being wild again.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zoe did not really understand.


    ¡°Why would you get a divorce when you finally managed to get married?¡±


    ¡°I did not ¡®finally manage to get married¡¯¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean for Jay.¡±


    ¡°You and Quinn are overthinking things.¡± Zoe was bbergasted. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Jay and I.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between you husband and wife. There¡¯s no need to exin things to us.¡± Cordy chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m


    just sending my blessings, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all fake, what¡¯s there to send your blessings for?¡±


    ¡°Zoe, there¡¯s actually nothing wrong with being a little more honest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very honest,¡± Zoe insisted.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°There are many things that I don¡¯t want to say explicitly and would rather wish for you husband and


    wife to resolve between yourselves and open up to each other. Whatever it is, on this tumultuous


    journey of romance between you and Jay, you¡¯re definitely not the most aggrieved one.¡±


    Cordy knew a lot about things between them because John had shared with her previously.


    So she knew how much Jay was holding himself back.


    In this rtionship, the hurt that Zoe experienced was all on the surface. She could vent it out, be


    upset, and express her hatred.


    But Jay could only bury his hurt within. Not only was he unable to talk about it, but he even had to


    pretend he did not care¡­ i


    Thankfully, the two of them were finally together after oveing all the hurdles. 1


    Cordy was not one to be easily fooled by their im that they got married because they had no choice.


    Whatever it was, the cracks in their rtionships could only be mended by themselves.


    ¡°Oh yes, I must visit your daughter once I¡¯m back.¡± Cordy suddenly thought of Yelena.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Zoe immediately agreed, i


    ¡°Zoe, you hid it very well, huh? You have given birth to a child behind Quinn and my backs.¡±


    ¡°You two are so smart that you¡¯ll know that the child belongs to Jay the moment I tell you two. And you


    two are so good to me that you¡¯ll definitely make Jay take responsibility for the child. I don¡¯t want to


    force him to be with me for the


    sake of the child.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid that Jay will only be with you because of the child,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Zoe felt helpless. ¡°I already told you that¡¯s not so. When I said that I no longer have feelings for him, it¡¯s


    the truth. I don¡¯t know since when I stopped loving him. The moment I stop loving someone, it will be


    impossible for me to reignite my love for him again¡­¡±


    Zoe¡¯s eyes shifted.


    She saw Jay standing at her door.


    Jay looked unperturbed, as if he did not hear what she just said, or perhaps, he did not care.


    He did not care because he did not like her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll head down to find Yelena. Would you like toe with me?¡± Jay saw that Zoe spotted him and


    offered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡±


    With that, Jay left.


    Zoe looked at Jay¡¯s retreating figure which somehow looked slightly forlorn.


    Forlorn?


    It was probably because he walked with a limp.


    Physical disabilities never failed to invoke pity in others.


    ¡°Did Jaye just now?¡± Cordy asked Zoe over the phone.


    ¡°Yes, he did.¡±


    ¡°Just when you said that it¡¯s impossible for you to love him?¡± Cordy asked for confirmation.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is that fate ying a cruel trick on you two or what?!¡± Cordy could not help but smile bitterly.

 Chapter 869

    Chapter 869


    Chapter 869


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Zoe said indifferently. ¡°Jay and I have been a mistake from the start. No, we never started-


    everything was just an ident, even our marriage now. Whatever it is, well go our separate ways one


    day.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily so.¡±


    Cordy thought that now that Jay could finally be together with Zoe, even if Zoe did not fancy him, he


    would never let her go so easily. True love would not give up so easily, especially since they were


    already together.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk more to you.¡± Zoe did not want to say anything further, finding it pointless,


    anyway.


    Cordy smiled as she said, ¡°I won¡¯t say more, I¡¯ll just sit here and wait for good news.¡±


    ¡°Go on and wait,¡± Zoe said dismissively.


    Anyway, getting a divorce was good news to her.


    Cordy did not dwell on the subject further. She said, ¡°Send me a picture of Yelena. I think it¡¯ll be tough


    for me to return anytime soon, and I already can¡¯t wait to see what she looks like. We¡¯re rtives, after


    all.¡±


    ¡°Rtives? Oh, I almost forgot that Jay is a Levine. Strictly speaking, Yelena is more senior than Dicky


    in terms of their generations.¡± Zoe found it hrious just thinking about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Cordy agreed.


    ¡°Thankfully Jay isn¡¯t rted by blood to the Levines, otherwise Dicky would find it so strange. Cordy,


    did you know? After I gave birth to Yelena, I even considered having Yelena and Dicky get engaged.


    Dicky is the most handsome little boy I¡¯ve ever met. Given how good looking both John and you are,


    I¡¯m sure Dicky will only grow to be even more dashing when he gets older. You¡¯ve got to keep your eye


    on him from a young age¡­¡±


    ¡°I advise you to kill that thought.¡±


    ¡°Are you looking down on my Yelena?¡± Zoe was mad.


    Her Yelena was a decent choice, all right?!


    Although she was a little capricious at times, she was such a lovable girl!


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Yelena, how can I look down on her?¡± Cordy was almost rendered speechless by


    Zoe¡¯s response.


    She was being used of something and she could not find the words to defend herself!


    ¡°So do you think the age gap is toorge? Yelena is only three years old while Dicky is already ten. I¡¯m


    fine with it, older men are more thoughtful and know how to take better care of others. I like men who


    are older,¡± Zoe said.


    Cordy was thinking how she could break it to Zoe.


    Rtives should not get married.


    She chose her words carefully. ¡°Zoe, I think you¡¯d better ask Jay and see what he thinks about this.¡±


    ¡°Why should I ask him?¡± Zoe did not understand. ¡°Yelena is my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Just do as I say.¡±


    Zoe remained silent.


    ¡°Can¡¯t talk anymore, I have something else to attend to. I shan¡¯t bother you two newlyweds!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us for you to bother.¡±


    ¡°Bye!¡± Cordy ignored Zoe¡¯s rebuttal.


    Cordy just hung up on Zoe, leaving thetter speechless.


    Zoe put her phone down and suddenly was at a loss as to what to do next.


    She felt like everything was in a mess, but when sheposed herself, she found herself unsure of


    what to do next.


    She looked around her unfamiliar surroundings and felt lost.


    ¡°Zoe.¡±


    ra suddenly called her from outside her room.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Zoe turned to look at her.


    ¡°I came back to prepare food. Jay is downstairs watching Yelena. She¡¯s going crazy, ying downstairs


    for the first time here. I¡¯m worried that Jay might not be able to catch up with her given his leg. What if


    Yelena gets lost in the neighborhood? If you¡¯re not busy, can you help watch Yelena


    too? I¡¯ll give you a call when the food¡¯s ready.¡±


    Zoe did not want to go.


    One adult was enough to look after Yelena as she yed by herself. Were two people really


    necessary?


    That was too much.


    But at the thought of Jay hobbling on his walking stick chasing after Yelena¡­


    Zoe decided to head out after all, despite her slight annoyance.


    ra looked at her leaving the house and smiled.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She hoped that Zoe had really found the right man for herself.


    At that moment, Nancy suddenly came to mind¡­

 Chapter 870

    Chapter 870


    Chapter 870


    ra sighed helplessly.


    She would just have to contend with the fact that all good things took time.


    Zoe went downstairs and searched around for a long time before finding the children¡¯s yground.


    This was a high-end estate,prehensively equipped with all sorts of facilities.


    She originally envisioned it to just be a small yground, but she knew she had underestimated it


    when she saw howrge-scale the three-story yground was.


    It was no wonder that ra was worried that Jay might not be able to handle Yelena. If she were to run


    around this huge ce, it was very likely that Jay might not be able to catch up with her.


    Right now, she was unable to spot Yelena. She could only see Jay standing at the side of the


    yground, focusing on a particr spot.


    Zoe walked over.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She followed Jay¡¯s line of sight and saw Yelena climbing up and down the yground like a little


    monkey.


    ¡°Head back first. I can look after Yelena,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    Jay jumped in shock.


    Zoe was not very pleased.


    Was she that frightening?!


    Jay was too concentrated on watching Yelena and did not notice Zoe.


    He had also assumed that Zoe would note anyway, which was why he was shocked when Zoe


    suddenly spoke.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I don¡¯t feel tired anyway,¡± Jay quicklyposed himself and said.


    ¡°Then go over there and take a seat.¡±


    There were chairs right there-did he not feel tired standing with his cane?!


    ¡°No need¡­ or why don¡¯t we go over and sit there together?¡± Jay suddenly changed his mind mid-way


    through his rejection.


    Zoe saw Yelena having lots of fun at the yground and was assured that all safety measures in the


    yground were in ce with no cause for concern before agreeing to sit with Jay on the chair.


    The two of them were seated on a bench, with a marginal gap between them.


    Things began to feel slightly awkward.


    ¡°Cordy called me just now.¡± Zoe spoke first.


    She did not know why she took the initiative to break the silence.


    Hadn¡¯t she gotten used to being alone with Jay with nothing to say?!


    But Zoe was not someone who would get all obsessed about something in particr.


    Since she had spoken, so be it.


    She went on saying, ¡°I think Dicky is great. He¡¯s handsome, sensible, and smart to boot. He¡¯s a rare


    gem.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I was just thinking, why don¡¯t we keep the goodies in the family and matchmake Yelena and Dicky¡­¡±


    Jay choked and coughed upon hearing Zoe¡¯s suggestion.


    Zoe furrowed her brows. ¡°Is there a problem? Why are you so agitated?¡±


    Of course, there was a problem.


    There was a huge problem.


    Things were almost wrecked between them precisely because of ¡®kinship¡¯ issues.


    Richard and Yelena were certainly rtives, unless Yelena was not his child.


    He had suspected that perhaps Yelena was not his biological daughter.


    But now, he had no doubts about it whatsoever.


    If Yelena were not his child, Zoe would never have agreed to marrying him.


    She was very principled in nature.

 Chapter 871

    Chapter 871


    Chapter 871


    ¡°I just think both Yelena and Dicky are too young to consider marriage.¡¯ Jay simply came up with a


    reason, finding it all the more logical after some consideration. ¡°Yelena¡¯s just three! It¡¯s far too early to


    consider that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called nning ahead, get it? Do you think Yelena wont get rivals for a young man as fine as


    Dicky?¡± Zoe said seriously, convincing herself further the more she said it.


    Who knows? Richard Levine might be married by the time Yelena bes an adult, and she would


    die regretting that her golden goose was poached to be someone else¡¯s son-inw.


    ¡°No. Yelena¡¯s cute, so all the good ones would flock around her anyway,¡± Jay replied solemnly. ¡°And


    even if she doesn¡¯t like them or refuses to marry, she can stay with us forever. That¡¯s fine, since I can


    afford it.¡±


    Zoe was rendered speechless.


    Does Jay know that being too nice a father would spoil a daughter? And what was that supposed to


    mean, that Yelena could stay with them forever?!


    ¡°What if you die?¡± Zoe asked.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡®Til name her the heir to my massive fortune, and she could live her life without worrying about


    anything.¡±


    In a way, Zoe was impressed; though she wasn¡¯t about to change Jay¡¯s mind about bethroting Yelena


    to Dicky.


    It was her opinion that any other son-inws paled inparison to Dicky, especially after meeting him


    again recently.


    ¡°Just give up already,¡± Jay said, seeing that Zoe was clearly not abandoning the idea.


    When Zoe had something in mind, she wouldn¡¯t just say it-she would do it too.


    ¡°How am I supposed to give up? All¡¯s fair in love and war. I¡¯m actually surprised you¡¯d stop Dicky and


    Yelena from getting together like Cordy did. Actually, forget Cordy stopping them, since it¡¯s reasonable


    not just anyone deserves a special boy like Dicky¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yelena isn¡¯t just anyone. She¡¯s our daughter,¡± Jay corrected her.


    Zoe shot him a look before continuing, ¡°Either way, we¡¯d be hitting the jackpot if we get Dicky. Cordy


    has reason to be reluctant. But why are you rejecting the idea too? Don¡¯t you want a good husband for


    Yelena?¡±


    Jay was speechless. ¡°Zoe, Yelena¡¯s just three.¡±


    ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s about nning ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s not happening, not for them,¡± Jay said, his tone stern and leaving no room for


    arguments.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Zoe huffed.


    Jay pursed his lips, but he didn¡¯t know where to start, especially with the many things that had


    happened in the past.


    He suddenly rose to his feet, ignored her, and strode off. ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯m taking Yelena home for dinner.¡±


    Zoe was left fuming-she had just married Jay for a day, and she was already stressed beyond reason.


    If this went on, he would be the death of her!


    Yet, Cordy had the gall to say they wouldn¡¯t easily get a divorce after marrying?!


    It¡¯d be a shocker if Zoe didn¡¯t¡ªhell, she wanted a divorce right this instant!


    Over at the capital, Cordy¡¯s smile faded after she hung up.


    She was earnest about wishing Zoe well, and she knew how things were going to develop anyway after


    Zoe was exposed to have a daughter.


    It was inevitable for Jay to marry Zoe, since Jay loved Zoe to bits and wanted this badly. It was why


    Cordy earnestly wished them the best after getting together, following all their tribtions.

 Chapter 872

    Chapter 872


    Chapter 872


    However, Cordy was unable to smile because her own life was now a mess.


    It was a miracle that she discovered that John was still alive, yet he ended up as someone else¡¯s


    fiance.


    Her grandfather also remainedatose, and the Cranstsons¡¯ family conflict was never resolved, i


    It was as if nothing would go well for Cordy, and the crushing weight of it all left her suffocating.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Even Sean was getting restless-the culprit who poisoned Jesse was still not making a move days after


    they set their trap. They had nothing that could expose the culprit, and it was all aplete mystery.


    That was when it urred to Cordy. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re waiting for Grandpa to actually wake up before


    doing anything?¡±


    Sean¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Grandpa¡¯s will is favorable to the culprit as long as he stays unconscious,¡± Cordy exined. ¡¯All they


    needed was to stay strong and do nothing, while waiting quietly for the final oue. He should know


    all too well that any false moves would expose them.¡±


    Sean more or less understood. ¡¯So, what you¡¯re saying is¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Spread fake news that Grandpa has woken up-don¡¯t you think he¡¯d start panicking?¡± Cordy


    asked.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make the arrangements,¡± Sean replied.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to use Cordy¡¯s n immediately, and started discussing the details with her.


    However, once they were done with that, Sean suddenly appeared hesitant to speak.


    Cordy could tell immediately-he would always subconsciously furrow his brow whenever he was


    worried. ¡°Whatever you have in mind, just say it.¡±


    ¡°I just received the invitation to Lucas and Nana¡¯s wedding from the Lynds.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers, which were clenched around her teacup, flinched.


    Sean noticed it, but didn¡¯t hide it from her. ¡¯They¡¯re getting married during the tenth of next month.


    That¡¯s less than two weeks.¡¯¡¯


    Cordy slowly took a sip of her tea, calmly epting the fact that John was marrying another woman.


    Was this his response he was going to give her? And she had to find out from someone else!


    That was when she found herself staring at a tissue; she blinked as she noticedrge tears welling out


    of her eyes.


    She thought herself jaded after going through so much, but it still hurt a lot.


    ¡°I told you-Nana is no pushover. She¡¯d do everything she can to make Lucas stay, given her obsession


    with him,¡± Sean said seriously, his expression indifferent as he watched Cordy struggling with her


    tears.¡± Don¡¯t fight her if you¡¯re not that interested in Lucas. Nana¡¯s one vengeful woman, and even


    more trouble would await if you do fight her.¡±


    ¡°Even if you did win and go together with Lucas, it¡¯d only hurt both your reputation. Not to mention, I¡¯m


    sure Jean would use this as leverage against you so that you¡¯d never hold your head high again in our


    families. There really is no reason to ruin your own future for that man.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve never thought highly of Patrick Stuart and had a feeling he¡¯s weird in certain ways,¡± Sean


    added, ¡°But at least, he¡¯s loyal and wouldn¡¯t y with your feelings. If you really had to choose


    someone, I¡¯m willing to support a rtionship between you two.¡±


    Cordy was actually surprised-Sean and Patrick were so hostile to each other, but now, Sean was being


    nice to Patrick?


    Still, she understood at the next instant that it was all rtive; certain individuals were simply more


    idealpared to others.


    It was true what Sean said; that Patrick at least would not let her down.


    The man would never cheat, or be fickle in rtionships.


    On the other hand¡­


    John had really abandoned her.

 Chapter 873

    Chapter 873


    Chapter 873


    Seeing that Cordy was silent for a long while, Sean called out to her.


    ¡°Cordy?¡±


    Cordy shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s my personal problem. I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    Sean sighed. ¡±1 know you will-you¡¯re as rational as you¡¯re smart since I¡¯ve known you, and there¡¯s


    nothing that can stand in your way. I¡¯m the one who needs your advice in a great many things, but


    that¡¯s precisely why I think you need someone to depend on. You¡¯re isting yourself. Being too


    independent means you¡¯re also the one who gets hurt the most.¡±


    Sean earnestly wished that Cordy could let down her guard and really open her heart, so that she didn¡¯t


    have to live under so much pain.


    Ultimately said nothing, once again choosing to take everything upon herself.


    A weekter, Patrick left the capital and Cordy saw him off at the airport.


    He was actually reluctant to leave, but he was stubborn and kept saying things like he didn¡¯t know


    when the next time he would have free time, that he would be busy and the like.


    While Cordy could buy it that he would be busy for a week after such extended leave, she doubted that


    she wouldn¡¯t see him for a while. She knew him well enough that he would be on a flight the next day


    he missed her, and he definitely had the ability to do it.


    And she was more or less emotionally affected in turn.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she couldn¡¯t feel how good he was to her over thest three years. Even if she was cold


    to him on the surface, she couldn¡¯t reject too many of his requests.


    ¡°Are you going to miss me?¡± Patrick asked her as he stood in front of the checkpoint.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied, merciless as she always had been.


    Patrick actually expected that answer, but would keep testing her everytime.


    Who knew if the day woulde when Cordy changed her mind?


    ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡±


    ¡°Go now, or you won¡¯t make it,¡± Cordy urged.


    ¡°Well, when are you going back to North City?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll decide after my grandfather wakes up,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°When you¡¯re back in North City-¡°


    ¡°Could you note up with things to say just to drag your feet? You really should be going.¡±


    Patrick pursed his lips, and suddenly spread his arms. ¡°Can I hug you?¡±


    When Cordy frowned at him, he smiled self-deprecatingly.


    He was always the one to get embarrassed.


    However, just as he was about to lower his arms, Cordy suddenly pressed herself in between his arms.


    Patrick did a double take, honestly convinced that he was imagining it¡­


    Cordy had always been so repulsed by him, yet now, she wasing on to him?


    Upon this revtion, his heart raced in indescribable delight.


    But before he could wrap his arms around her, she already pulled out from him.


    There was displeasure in his eyes-that was so quick, it was over before he felt a thing!


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get any funny ideas. It¡¯s just a farewell between friends,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Patrick was speechless. ¡°You could¡¯ve said nothing and just let me have this.¡±


    Cordy smiled. ¡°Just go. Text me when you touch down safely.¡±


    Patrick turned and stepped through the checkpoint, turning to smile at Cordy every couple steps.


    Cordy watched as he eventually disappeared from the checkpoint. At the same time, she remembered


    what Sean told her about Patrick being loyal¡­

 Chapter 874

    Chapter 874


    Chapter 874


    Cordy actually wondered when she could let go of the past.


    Soon, perhaps?


    After sending off Patrick, she returned to the car Sean arranged for her and returned to Cranston Hall.


    She didn¡¯t bring Dicky along to the airport since she expected to head back soon after seeing Patrick


    off, just as she did not want Dicky to have to keep running around with her.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    She reclined against the backseat, looking up at the blue skies of the capital.


    Her phone then rang, and she checked the caller before answering it.


    ¡°Have you sent off Patrick Stuart?¡± Sean asked casually.


    ¡°I just did. I¡¯m on my way back now.¡±


    ¡°Actually, you should head to the hospital right now,¡± Sean suggested. ¡°I¡¯m rushing there right now-l just


    released


    news that Grandpa regained consciousness.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy agreed.


    ¡°See youter.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Hanging up, Cordy told the chauffeur, ¡°The hospital, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± the chauffeur replied respectfully.


    Most of the Cranstons had reached the hospital when Cordy did, and they were all standing outside


    Jesse¡¯s ICU ward.


    Sean had leaked the fake information that the doctors said Jesse regained some extent of


    consciousness; that although Jesse was not fully awake, current circumstances pointed to a full


    recovery in under a week.


    Every member of the Cranston family rushed to the reached them, with Paul asking in agitation, ¡°Can I


    go in to see my father?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the doctor said sternly. ¡°He just regained some extent of consciousness, but allow him to rest a


    few days more before visiting him.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you insist,¡± Paul did not push the issue. They were in the hospital, and therefore should


    listen to the doctor¡¯s orders.


    As such, they all merely stayed outside for a while before leaving.


    Cordy was naturally staying with Sean, but their expressions were somber.


    They had been observing everyone seriously just now, but didn¡¯t find anyone suspicious-whoever the


    culprit was, he or she was very well hidden.


    As they stepped out of the elevator, they ran into John and


    Nana. This time, it wasn¡¯t just the two; Jean also came, bringing the entire Lynd family with her.


    Seeing Sean and Cordy, Jean quickly asked, ¡°I just heard Jesse is waking up. Is that true? Is he


    conscious right now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not awake yet, ma¡¯am,¡± Sean replied respectfully. ¡°But the doctors are saying that he¡¯s conscious,


    and that he¡¯d be fully conscious in a week if this continues.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness,¡± Jean eximed excitedly. ¡°I was saying that auspicious events would wash off


    any bad luck. I mean, see? Nana just confirmed her wedding date with Lucas, and Jesse is already


    recovering now. Who knows, he might actually wake up on their wedding day!¡±


    Sean smiled faintly without agreeing, ncing at Cordy seemingly nonchntly to find her remaining


    indifferent; she didn¡¯t even nce at John once.


    On the other hand, John kept ncing at her a few times; ultimately, he said nothing.


    ¡°Are you leaving right now?¡± Jean asked, watching them.¡± You¡¯re not staying with Jesse although he¡¯s


    conscious?¡±


    ¡°The doctor told us not to disturb him for now, and to let him rest a few more days. He¡¯s too weak at the


    moment, so we shouldn¡¯t go in to see him,¡± Sean exined.


    ¡°I see.¡± Jean appeared a little disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll just check on him from outside.¡±


    As she spoke, she led her family into the elevator.

 Chapter 875

    Chapter 875


    Chapter 875


    Cordy left with Sean without looking back, but she could feel a certain pair of eyes fixed on her.


    She smiled in irony-what was the point in staring at her like that, when he didn¡¯t call or text to exin


    himself?


    As they returned to their car, Sean said, ¡°Now that we¡¯ve set the bait, we just have to wait for our quarry


    to take it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    Their n was simple-to force the hand of the culprit.


    If the culprit wanted Jesse Cranston dead, he or she would definitely make another attempt since the


    first one failed.


    And now, their people are stationed at the hospital, waiting for the culprit to fall for it¡­


    ¡°Watch out!¡±


    Sean was suddenly yelling at the chauffeur, who jammed his foot on the brake in his shock at that very


    moment.


    The chauffeur had been driving straight ahead despite the traffic light shing red, and a motorbike


    happened to be bounding forward from the side. They would definitely crash into each other if the


    chauffeur kept going.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he promptly apologized, sweating from fear.


    Sean shot him a look and said sternly, ¡°Eyes on the road.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Cranston,¡± he nodded repeatedly, feeling a little flustered.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He felt his consciousness blurring for a second just now, as if he had almost fallen asleep.


    Strangely enough, he shouldn¡¯t be feeling drowsy since he slept earlyst night, though the shock did


    clear his mind.


    Naturally, he was not about to tell Sean that; lest he risk losing such a good job.


    He had no choice but to brace himself and keep driving, more carefully this time.


    Considering that it was just a small surprise, he just had to take his driving seriously.


    However, that was only the case right after the close shave. He kept his eyes on the road afterwards,


    fully focused¡­until he started to lose consciousness again, his vision blurring.


    He didn¡¯t even realize he was supposed to stop, and kept his foot on the paddle stiffly.


    ¡°What are you doing, watch out¡­¡±


    Sean noticed the chauffeur acting strange again.


    The man had been driving for him for almost ten years, but never had any idents or close shaves.


    In fact, his ability was stunningly good, so it was clear that he was not in his right mind.


    However, by the time Sean noticed, the driver had steered the car away from his original path towards


    the adjacentne, driving against the traffic.


    Soon, another car streaked towards them, its driver clearly having no time to brake-


    Bang!


    The cars collided, and the chauffeur promptly jolted awake.


    He had no idea how they crashed, but was so shocked he tried to put his foot down again;


    unfortunately, he mistook the gas pedal for the brake!


    He mmed their car even more heavily into the car ahead, just as another car streaked towards them


    from the side.


    ¡°Turn, now!¡± Sean shouted at the chauffeur.


    The chauffeur was sweating buckets, utterly flustered, but Cordy noticed another car streaking towards


    them.

 Chapter 876

    Chapter 876


    Chapter 876


    The first collision was on the car¡¯s enginepartment, and everyone inside would at worst suffer cuts


    from bruises. But if the car streaking towards Cordy¡¯s side of the car would crash into them, it would


    most definitely kill her.


    Nheless, the chauffeur gritted his teeth and used thest shred of his strength to swerve the car,


    sending it into a powerslide.


    Bang!


    The caring from the side struck their hood and rocked their car violently, leaving it a crumpled


    heap of metal while the airbags into the car all popped open.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The trio in the car all fainted from the violent crash, and the traffic on the road quickly built into a


    congestion.


    A certain ck car was stuck halfway due to the traffic jam ahead as well.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Nana asked. ¡°Why¡¯s there suddenly a traffic jam?¡±


    It was just her, her chauffeur and John in the car.


    They didn¡¯t stay at the hospital for long. It was as Sean had said-the doctors forbade them from


    entering Jesse¡¯s ICU ward, so Jean didn¡¯t keep the family there and allowed them to leave.


    The Lynds all brought their own car, and they left the


    hospital in different directions.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think there¡¯s been an ident,¡± her chauffeur replied.


    ¡°Go see how long it would take them to clear a path,¡± Nana told him. ¡°We still have to take our wedding


    photos.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Miss Lynd,¡± the chauffeur quickly replied. After that, he alighted.


    Nana turned towards John, and bit her lip in frustration.


    She wondered if he could stay indifferent towards anything now. His icy even though she managed to


    force him to marry her.


    She could also feel that he wasn¡¯t treating Cordy the same way he usually did when he saw her today.


    Nana¡¯s gaze turned cold-whatever happens, she would


    Soon, the chauffeur hurried back. ¡°There¡¯s a serious ident 600 feet ahead, with three cars colliding.


    One of them was in pieces, and the people inside are probably dead. If


    Nana couldn¡¯t care any less. ¡°Did you ask how long until they could clear a path?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no telling how long they¡¯d take¡ªevery car is stuck in ce without space to move, and the


    traffic police can¡¯t even reach the scene. First responders aren¡¯t here yet either,¡± the chauffeur replied.


    Then, he suddenly added, ¡°But the carthat was in pieces, I think it was the Cranstons¡¯¡­.¡±


    Nana¡¯s expression changed, while John turned to look at the chauffeur as well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d mistake it either. There¡¯s not that many Rolls even here in the capital with a number


    te of all 7¡¯s. It must be Sean Cranston¡¯s car¡­¡± The chauffeur trailed off.


    John quickly opened the door, but Nana grabbed the hem of his coat. ¡°Lucas! Where do you think


    you¡¯re going?!¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± John glowered.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t you dare! Stay here!¡± Nana refused to let go¡ªshe certainly knew who he was going to. If it


    really was Sean¡¯s car, Cordy might be in it too.


    She would never allow John to leave her and go to Cordy!


    No matter what it was for, she would never ept it!


    John, however, didn¡¯t waste a single moment and firmly pried her fingers away.


    Nana felt the sharp pain in her fingers; it was as though he was using so much strength, he would


    break her fingers right then and there.


    He didn¡¯t pause, and bolted the instant he freed himself.


    Nana¡¯s eyes welled with tears. Yet, she opened the door in the next moment to give chase.


    She had to stop him-she would never allow him to save Cordy, even if Cordy was about to die.


    To be precise, Nana wanted Cordy dead so no one would


    steal John from her!

 Chapter 877

    Chapter 877


    Chapter 877


    John dashed at top speed, and soon arrived at the wreckage.


    The three-car pile-up was pure carnage, and there was already a huge crowd standing around the


    scene.


    When John saw the car in the middle that was in pieces, and the car te that was barely hanging


    on¡­


    She wasn¡¯t in the car.


    She couldn¡¯t be.


    But that really was Sean¡¯s car, which he used to drive Cordy around when she was in the capital.


    John couldn¡¯t care less and charged through the crowd, and leaned over the car window to get a look


    inside.


    Unfortunately, there were too many cracks for him to see clearly.


    He gritted his teeth and punched it, but it did not shatter.


    It was bulletproof ss, and it didn¡¯t break despite the initial crash.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    John didn¡¯t drag his feet and turned, heading towards


    Most cars had one in case of emergencies, and the driver quickly brought him his.


    John dashed back to the ck Roll Royce, found


    When it did, John saw Cordy, bleeding from her pale, little face.


    She was unconscious and her entire body was wrapped tightly in the airbag, keeping the extent of her


    injuries unknown.


    He tried to pull the door as hard as they could, but it was jammed and not budging at all.


    Gritting his teeth, he pushed in through the car window without caring that the ss of the window was


    cutting into him, and tried to pull Cordy as hard as he could out of the car.


    However, she was stuck inside, kept in ce by something unknown; she couldn¡¯t move her at all.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± John called out to her, but she didn¡¯t move or showed any sign of waking up.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± John kept at it, and pped her cheek to keep trying to wake her.


    Cordy remained unconscious, but beside her, Sean frowned


    It took him a while to realize with a start that he and Cordy were in an ident, and he quickly turned


    towards Cordy.


    Her face was covered in blood, but it didn¡¯t hide her paleness.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Sean shouted her name too, but she remained unresponsive.


    Sean tried to shift his body, but his whole body ached when he did.


    It felt like he was being crushed, and he couldn¡¯t breathe at all.


    He tried his best to withstand the pain, putting all his concern on Cordy.


    ¡°Cordy, wake up,¡± Sean called out to her again.


    ¡°Can you move?¡± John asked Sean.


    Scene did a double take, surprised to see John-what was he doing there?!


    ¡°I was just passing by.¡± John seemed to read his mind, and histone remained urgent. ¡°Can you move?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°If you can move, check if Cordy is stuck. I can¡¯t pull her out at all,¡± John said. ¡°The car¡¯s too dented,


    and I can¡¯t get in.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sean replied.


    It wasn¡¯t the time for questions-they needed to get everyone out.


    Hence, Sean restrained the pain in his body and checked


    Cordy¡¯s condition with his blood-soaked hands.


    After a long while¡­

 Chapter 878

    Chapter 878


    Chapter 878


    Sean told John, ¡°Cordy¡¯s leg is stuck between her door and the front seat. Her safety belt is also


    jammed.¡±


    ¡°Okay, got it.¡± John promptly turned towards the crowd nearby. ¡°Anyone have anything sharp? A knife?


    Even a fruit knife?!¡±


    The crowd around them were restlessly gathering around the wreckage, but was afraid to get involved


    since the ident looked terrible and the victims probably did not survive.


    However, they were eager to look around when they heard something was needed.


    A man soon returned with a two-thumb wide fruit knife. ¡°Will this do?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    John took the knife and soon returned to the car, deting Cordy¡¯s airbag a little before cutting Cordy¡¯s


    seatbelt as hard as he could.


    Although the seatbelt was very thick, John never stopped cutting.


    Sean could see John¡¯s palm turning red.


    He doubted that John would go that far if thetter didn¡¯t


    love Cordy.


    ¡°Lucas!¡±


    They both heard Nana screaming for John.


    She had hesitated in her car for a long while, but eventually gave in and followed Lucas.


    The instant she arrived, she saw him stretching himself through the window to try to save Cordy,


    without caring that the ss was cutting him.


    He was working hard to calm himself, but his worry was clearly visible.


    John never answered Nana, either-all he could think about was saving Cordy.


    He must do it, and she must live.


    His eyes were red, and his movements even more forceful.


    Nana could see that his skin was scraping off from the friction, and cried, ¡°Lucas, the ambnce will


    come. Let go!¡±


    However, John pretended not to hear her.


    ¡°Lucas¡­¡±


    Nana was overwhelmed by the fact that John was so ready to sacrifice himself for Cordy. Infuriated,


    she reached out to pull him, intent on taking him away.


    But the instant she touched his arm, she was shoved so firmly she stumbled backwards and almost fell.


    She stared at Lucas in disbelief. He had pushed her, and so forcefully at that!


    ¡°What are you doing, Lucas? Do you have to treat me like this because of Cordy?!¡± she demanded,


    tears welling in her eyes.


    And yet, John seemed not to hear and never responded-he never did since the start.


    Yes.


    There was nothing more important to John than saving Cordy at that moment, and that was the only


    thing he wanted to do.


    Nana¡¯s tears fell endlessly and she bit her lip, ring viciously at Lucas.


    John eventually cut off the seatbelt, freeing Cordy¡¯s upper body.


    He picked up the hammer he left on the ground and shattered the window of the seat next to the


    driver¡¯s, and quickly climbed inside.


    ¡°Stop! Lucas, I don¡¯t want you to go in!¡± Nana tried to stop him again, grabbing his arm as hard as she


    could. The whole car was filled with ss shards inside, and he had to break the window in the first


    ce because the car frame was too dented. If he crawled in now, he would cut himself from the


    surrounding ss.


    The instant she touched him, however, he pushed her away again and crawled into the car.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nana could see his shirt soaked in blood¡­

 Chapter 879

    Chapter 879


    Chapter 879


    John didn¡¯t care about anything just to save Cordy, even himself?!


    Feeling abandoned, Nana red viciously at him as the vile thought of Cordy dying suddenly urred


    to her.


    If Cordy would just die right then, no one could take John away from Nana.


    At that moment, the savagery in Nana¡¯s eyes only grew stronger.


    Meanwhile, John remained oblivious to her growing hatred as he crawled inside and tried to move the


    seat up front. s, it didn¡¯t budge.


    There was no way to get Cordy out as the seat kept her stuck in ce, along with the door beside her.


    John told himself to calm down, and that he was definitely getting Cordy out.


    He inspected the interior of the car, and realized that he might be able to pull Cordy out from Sean¡¯s


    side of the car.


    ¡°1¡¯11 get you out first,¡± John told Sean, making his decision right there and then.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sean didn¡¯t turn him down or ask questions. John definitely wouldn¡¯t give up when he wanted to


    save Cordy that badly.


    John cut off Sean¡¯s seatbelt, and helped thetter push against the driver¡¯s seat as hard as he could so


    Sean could free himself.


    Sean gritted his teeth to withstand the pain. Yet, he didn¡¯t leave immediately when he was free.


    Like John, he was thinking about how to save Cordy.


    ¡°She¡¯s kept stuck from the right, but there¡¯s room to move from the left,¡± John pointed out. ¡°We need to


    move everything keeping her in ce to the right. If her legs have a little room to move, she would be


    able to pull herself out.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it,¡± Sean quickly said.


    John nodded, but added urgently, ¡°I tried lifting the seat, but that didn¡¯t work. Right now. I¡¯ll push


    everything holding her to the right end. When I do, you have to pull Cordy to the left and see if you can


    get her out.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John returned to Cordy¡¯s side and prepared to push the door


    ¡°Can you do it?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Get ready,¡± John said; at the next instant, he pushed the seat and door to the right as hard as he


    could.


    The car seemed to shake as he pushed, and Sean seized the opening to pull Cordy away.


    He managed to move her a little, but she was soon stuck again.


    He didn¡¯t dare to pull too hard either, fearing he would hurt her leg.


    John stopped pushing, and asked Sean, ¡°Did you get her out? It


    ¡°A little. I¡¯m afraid to pull her too hard,¡± Sean admitted.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You just have to move her out inch by inch whenever I push the seat, until you get her


    completely out.¡±


    ¡°Can your strengthst that long?¡± Sean asked John.


    ¡°Yes.¡± John didn¡¯t hesitate in his answer.


    Sean said nothing else, and worked in perfect tandem to save Cordy.


    Though John kept pushing off the seat repeatedly¡ªhis face flushing red and the veins on his temples


    bulging-he didn¡¯t seem to tire either.


    It was as if he had endless strength; he would push, and then stop for a moment before pushing again.


    Sean was sure the man would kill himself out of sheer fatigue.


    Even as John pushed as hard as he could, the cuts he sustained from the ss as he crawled in


    started to seep out of his shirt and drip all over Cordy¡¯s body and face¡­


    Cordy felt as if she was in a dream¡­or multiple,plex dreams.


    She seemed to see herte mother, but she simply couldn¡¯t get a good look on thetter¡¯s face.


    She started to fear that she had really forgotten what her mother looked like, as if she would really


    forget about her mother¡­


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In her dream, Cordy started bawling and wailing-it had been so long since she cried so much without a


    care in the world.


    Having bottled everything in for too long, she suddenly wanted to vent.

 Chapter 880

    Chapter 880


    Chapter 880


    Cordy felt her tears streaming down her cheeks, unstoppable no matter what she did¡­


    And then, she suddenly felt pain-an unbearable pain that cut her to the quick.


    She opened her eyes with much difficulty, her vision a dizzy blur.


    She had no idea if she was in a dream, or if she had returned to reality.


    It was probably thetter¡­ Why else would it hurt so much?


    But if it was reality, why was she seeing John?


    His face was contorted, as if he was doing something with full strength¡­


    Her eyes then narrowed when she suddenly noticed red blood dripping down on her cheek; the


    sensation was no different from when her tears wet her cheeks in her dream.


    ¡°John¡­¡± she rasped, her voice so hoarse she almost couldn¡¯t speak at all.


    She suddenly remembered that moment three years ago, when she was caught in an ident as


    serious as this one.


    She was in the car with Patrick at the time, and it was also John who saved her.


    He had alwayse to save her.


    Her vision began to blur once again, so much so that she couldn¡¯t clearly see John¡¯s face.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John naturally heard her voice, hearing her calling the name ¡± John¡± repeatedly.


    He felt as if the name was a ray of hope for him, and she would have hope as long as he was around.


    His heart ached for some reason, but he had no idea if it was out of jealousy¡­ It simply hurt.


    Taking a moment to pause, John told her, ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Cordy gulped ever so slightly, but all she felt was her throat hurting and tasting the scent of blood.


    ¡°Are you awake, Cordy?¡± Sean called out to her.


    Cordy blinked, and saw that Sean was covered in blood too; she finally remembered the ident.


    ¡°Does it hurt anywhere?¡± Sean asked her again.


    He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her wake up, but dared not rx.


    She was clearly too feeble, and there was no promise she wouldn¡¯t faint the next instant.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡± Cordy began, though it was difficult to speak.


    In fact, it hurts everywhere.


    ¡°Well get you to the hospital as soon as we save you. Don¡¯t worry-it¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sean kept assuring her.


    Cordy nodded weakly.


    That was about the only thing she could do at that moment.


    ¡°Get ready,¡± John told Sean again.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John gritted his teeth again and pulled, his blood dripping on Cordy again when he did.


    Cordy¡¯s heart ached continuously, though her body was already numbed from the pain.


    They kept going repeatedly, untilCordy suddenly felt her body turning very light. Sean cried out in


    delight, ¡°She¡¯s out!¡±

 Chapter 881

    Chapter 881


    Chapter 881


    John didn¡¯t tarry and kept going, even though he had already reached his limit.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting out. I¡¯ll pull you out from outside,¡± he said, and crawled out of the car window.


    Nana had been standing there, watching as he slowly but surely rescued Cordy, putting his life on the


    line the entire time.


    By the time he got out, his whole body was dyed red in blood; yet, he seemed to not notice.


    In fact, he never stopped to look around when he came out, and was keeping his eye and mind all on


    Cordy every second of the way.


    He leaned in through the window, using his body to block out the ss fragments still sticking around


    the window frame as he carefully carried Cordy out of the car.


    She was bleeding all over, but he prevented her body from touching the ss shards at all-only he


    suffered the cuts.


    Beside them, Nana watched with bloodshot eyes, unable to stand John going that far for Cordy.


    Despite her growing jealousy, she clenched her jaw and bore it.


    At the same time, John carried Cordy out of the car and gently ced her on the ground nearby,


    saying, ¡°Just wait for a moment. I¡¯ll pull Sean out too.¡±


    Cordy nodded, noticing that the traffic was easing up and the vehicles nearby were starting to move off.


    From a distance, she could see the ambnce moving towards them. Plus, John was a lot less careful


    about helping Sean-he was simply arching his back as he pulled Sean out.


    Still, Sean didn¡¯t make a sound and simply bore with the pain as John dragged him along.


    At that instant, a ck-d man approached and strode past John.


    John immediately let go of Sean as if by instinct, dropping thetter back inside the car while he


    dashed towards Cordy.


    The ck-d man suddenly whipped out a knife from his coat, and swung it at Cordy¡¯s head.


    She noticed the danger too, but she couldn¡¯t move at all-all her limbs were numb from the ident,


    and she was covered in injuries.


    She watched for a moment as the ck-d man, also wearing a baseball cap and a face mask,


    stabbed the gleaming knife at her heart; then, she closed her eyes.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She thought she was dead, and many memories shed in her mind right as the thought came to her.


    She didn¡¯t want to part with Dicky, or John.


    And yet¡­


    The pain she expected never came.


    When she opened her eyes, she found a bare hand grabbing the edge of the knife, stopping it inches


    away from her heart by sheer force.


    John¡¯s palm was bleeding freely, his blood trickling off the edge of the knife and dripping over Cordy.


    Before she could respond, her assantunched a vicious kick at John, catching him off guard and


    knocking him backwards.


    The back of John¡¯s head hit the car nearby with a loud bang, and he almost cked out as he started


    to bleed from the head.

 Chapter 882

    Chapter 882


    Chapter 882


    However, John didn¡¯t stop and promptly got back on his feet to fight the ck-d man.


    Beside them, Nana was left stunned in fear.


    When she tried to run up to John and stop him, he had already leapt forward at the ck-d man,


    whose knife was covered in his blood.


    ¡°John, no!¡± Cordy shrieked-he would never win against the ck-d man, not when he was unarmed!


    She could only watch as the ck-d man swung his knife at John¡¯s heart, and her face sank in


    terror.


    ¡°No!¡±


    There was a dull thud as the edge of the knife met flesh, but John wasn¡¯t stabbed.


    He found himself staring in disbelief as Nana jumped in front of him, and the ck-d man plunged


    his knife into Nana.


    It could be lethal whether it was her chest, and the world turned silent right there and then.


    And after dealing that potentially lethal blow, the ck-d man turned and fled into the crowd.


    ¡°Nana!¡± John shouted.


    Cordy was staring fixedly at Nana too, watching as thetter¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°L-Lucas¡­¡± Nana smiled feebly. ¡°You¡¯re safe¡­ That¡¯s all that matters¡­¡±


    ¡°Nana¡­¡±


    Nana fainted, and John yelled again, ¡°Nana!¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy watched beside them as John cradled Nana in his arms; soon, he fainted by the road as well.


    There was no telling if he was in too much grief, or was too hurt¡­


    Somehow, the two people uninvolved in the ident were in an even more serious condition¡­


    The ambnces arrived quickly enough, and rushed everyone to the hospital.


    Sean¡¯s poor chauffeur was dered dead on the spot-he never had much of a chance anyway, since


    the front of the car was almost nonexistent from the crash.


    Both Cordy and Sean weren¡¯t hurt in the vitals or missing any limbs despite their serious injuries. As for


    the four people in the other two cars in the pile-up, three were dead with one seriously injured, since


    their cars offered less protection.


    John remained unconscious; the doctor said that the reason was a serious concussion, while


    sustaining shallow cuts over the rest of his body.


    Nana was rushed straight to surgery-she wasn¡¯t stabbed in the heart, but she might not be able to


    survive such a serious injury with her unique physical condition.


    Two days passed. Cordy could get out of bed, but remained wheelchair bound.


    Dicky wheeled her to the ICU.


    He had been staying with Cordy after he was brought to the hospital, staying by her side constantly


    aside from visiting John asionally.


    They saw John lying motionlessly in his bed, his face frighteningly pale.


    The doctor said that John should be conscious for all intents and purposes, but there were still


    uncertainties. If he didn¡¯t wake up for a week, he might end up in a vegetative state.


    That was why this week was vital.


    The doctor added that talking to John might help him wake up, but Cordy had no idea what to say when


    he forgot so much of his past.


    Their more recent encounters were also too recent for him to remember anything of significance.


    Nheless, she said, ¡°John¡­ I¡¯m still calling you that, you know? You¡¯re not Lucas-you¡¯re John


    Levine, the former scion of Levine Ventures, the father of my son, and the love of my life.¡±


    John didn¡¯t respond, but Cordy continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you all these years, even if I didn¡¯t


    know that you were actually alive. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t leave me now. Don¡¯t be so cruel, John¡­ Don¡¯t


    leave me again when I¡¯m full of hope¡­¡±

 Chapter 883

    Chapter 883


    Chapter 883


    Cordy spoke at length, her tears gushing as she did.


    Dicky¡¯s heart ached for his mother as he watched, but his father just wasn¡¯t responding.


    He wont be able to take yet another departure from his daddy, let alone his mommy.


    Nheless, Dicky quietly hid his tears-his mommy was already badly hurting, and he didn¡¯t want her


    to feel more hurt because of him.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± he called out to her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cordy replied, subtly wiping away her tears.


    ¡°The doctor said visiting hours are over,¡± he reminded her.


    Cordy nodded, and stared at John¡¯s pale face.


    He remained unresponsive, and so she left unhappily.


    She never noticed his fingers twitching as she did.


    When Dicky wheeled Cordy out of the ICU, they found Sean waiting forthem outside.


    His injury was rtively minorpared to Cordy¡¯s, and he wasn¡¯t wheelchair bound. However, the


    doctor still advised him not to move around too much, given the long list of injuries he sustained.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Cordy asked him.


    ¡°It just urred to me that you might be here. You weren¡¯t around in your ward.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there are things I would like to discuss with you,¡± Sean said, before adding, ¡°Patrick¡¯s here too.¡±


    Cordy stared at Sean, who admitted, ¡°Yeah, I called him here, it


    Sean¡¯s intentions were exceedingly clear¡ªhe wanted Patrick and Cordy to get together.


    After all, it didn¡¯t matter if Nana survived or died as they risked the Lynds¡¯ wrath whether or not Cordy


    and Lucas were actually in a rtionship.


    Moreover, Sean earnestly felt that Patrick was the better choice if Cordy had to choose, even if John


    did put his life on the line to save them.


    Sean could see that John would only bring trouble on Cordy.


    Cordy said nothing, however, as she understood Sean¡¯s considerations.


    She had no reason to be cross with someone genuinely wanting the best for her.


    They returned to her ward together, where Patrick was waiting anxiously for her¡ªhe only received


    Sean¡¯s message that they were at the hospital after getting involved in an ident, with nothing


    specific.


    Given the Cranstons¡¯ position and influence, no media outlet would report anything carelessly.


    Therefore, only the insiders were aware of the ident.


    When the door opened, Patrick turned to find Cordy in her wheelchair, covered in bandages.


    Sean didn¡¯t fare any better, but naturally seemed like he was doing well considering that he could walk


    on his own.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Patrick ran up to her when he saw her, asking worriedly, ¡°How are you doing? Does it hurt


    anywhere? Is it serious? What did the doctor say? Would this be permanent? It


    When Cordy said nothing, he eximed in panic, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ You hit your head and suffered brain


    damage?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes, but said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. They¡¯re just flesh wounds, and the doctor told me I can


    leave the hospital in a few days.¡±


    Patrick remained worried regardless. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cordy nodded.

 Chapter 884

    Chapter 884


    Chapter 884


    ¡°That¡¯s good¡­


    Patrick breathed a sigh of relief, but soon asked, ¡°How did you get into another ident again? Why is


    it always car idents?¡±


    Cordy frowned. She didn¡¯t get into car idents that frequently¡­ Though granted, she was in the


    same car with Patrick in thest one.


    And the memory was still fresh in her mind¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and talk,¡± Sean told Patrick.


    Patrick shot him a look in turn and snapped unhappily, venting all his frustrations on him right then.


    ¡°You were in the same car! Why did Cordy get off worse than you? Were you even protecting her? And


    you call yourself her cousin?!¡±


    ¡°It happened in a matter of seconds. It was too fast for anyone to react,¡± Cordy immediately defended


    Sean.


    Not to mention, she didn¡¯t want anyone to protect her with their lives.


    ¡°I¡¯d definitely have protected you properly if I was in the car,¡± Patrick said assuredly.


    ¡°As if I didn¡¯t have an ident when I was with you before,¡± worse than his.


    ¡°I mean, I hadn¡¯t fallen for you at the time,¡± Patrick argued, then added ambitiously, ¡°Hell, that ident


    was the moment I realized I was in love with you-¡°


    ¡°Zip it,¡± Cordy snapped, cutting him short.


    ¡°Right. There¡¯s people here, so I won¡¯t say too much.¡± Patrick winked at her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy pretended not to see it, and turned to ask Sean, ¡°What do you think caused this ident?¡±


    Sean actually came here wanting to discuss this very thing with her, but was surprised that Patrick had


    arrived so quickly-he must have hurried here once Sean texted him.


    His concern for her was only too obvious.


    Cordy nced at Patrick, since what she really meant was whether Sean wanted to talk in private.


    While Patrick could be a little goofy around Cordy, he was still a politician with considerable power and


    authority, as well as a shrewd mind. He naturally could tell what Cordy meant immediately, and started


    to leave.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Sean said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have much to do with him, anyway.¡±


    Both Patrick and Cordy were surprised-Cordy was especially shocked that Sean would suddenly treat


    Patrick so differently.


    Is he considering Patrick to be family even before she agreed to date Patrick?


    Still, Cordy didn¡¯t pause for too long and said bluntly, ¡°I think the n was to have me killed.¡±


    Sean nodded. That much wasn¡¯t obvious before, but the attempted murder on Cordy made that very


    clear.


    ¡°Have you made any enemies here in the capital?¡± Sean asked her.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve never met anyone aside from our family, so there¡¯s no way I¡¯ve upset someone,¡± Cordy


    replied. ¡°Even in North City, my business rivals or others with conflicting interests would nevere all


    the way here just to attack me.¡±


    A bold thought reached Sean. ¡°¡­Could it be Nana?¡±


    Cordy and Patrick were stunned, and Sean quickly exined, ¡°She¡¯s very hostile towards you, and like


    I¡¯ve said before, she¡¯d do anything to get what she wants.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that she does have motive and has the ability, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s her,¡± Cordy said,


    offering a fair assessment. ¡°It¡¯s simple, really-she¡¯s going to marry Lucas either way, providing there are


    no surprises. She has no cause to gild the lily, let alone gamble with her own life.¡±


    Sean nodded, agreeing that Cordy was making sense-even if his immediate reaction was that Nana


    carried the most suspicion in this incident.


    ¡°Nana saved Lucas with her life. No one will be on his side if he dumps here now.¡±


    ¡°But she won¡¯t. To be precise, not before her own wedding,¡± Cordy said confidently. ¡°Of course, if it


    didn¡¯t go smoothly, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising she¡¯d do it given her wit and radical nature.¡±

 Chapter 885

    Chapter 885


    Chapter 885


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was the timing that made Cordy certain the car ident had nothing to do with Nana.


    ¡°I agree with your opinion,¡± Sean replied. ¡°Though I¡¯m just stating facts.¡±


    Cordy blinked-so Sean was just telling her that John was going to marry Nana.


    Caught off guard, she suddenly felt a thumping pain over her chest.


    She wondered if she could actually face that day when ites¡­


    ¡°But if we eliminate Nana, the only culprits possible would be our own family,¡± Sean said solemnly,


    bringing the subject back to the right track.


    Patrick was left gaping beside them. That was one shocking revtion they just spoke off, and it


    seemed that they really were treating him like family.


    He actually felt proud for some reason, and suddenly felt that his ¡®cousin-inw¡¯ wasn¡¯t at all bad.


    ¡°I also suspect it¡¯s the same person trying to hurt our grandfather,¡± Cordy told Sean.


    ¡°I think so too,¡± Sean nodded.


    ¡°Does my presence affect the culprit?¡± Cordy theorized.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe Grandfather mentioned you in his will?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-it never urred to her that Jesse would name her in his will.


    She knew Jesse felt like he owed her-or her mother, to be precise, and was keen on making amends.


    However, she didn¡¯t think that Jesse would go that far, and would at best give her some money and


    showered her with extra concern.


    Money certainly wouldn¡¯t be the only thing to drive the culprit to kill her, either¡­


    Cordy felt a mess of emotions rushing in her-she had been cold towards the Cranstons and refused to


    bond further with them, since certain bonds were simply taxing.


    She was stressed enough, and didn¡¯t want more burdens.


    But now, she was unable to act as carefree as she had been. She breathed a deep sigh at the thought


    that her grandfather was still bedridden.


    There was a vortex of emotions in her, so much that she felt crushed and almost unable to breathe.


    ¡°We were careless,¡± Sean continued. ¡°We were dead sure the target was Grandfather, and kept him


    protected with airtight security¡­ But they simply turned their crosshairs on you.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t anticipate it, or that terrible car crash would not have happened at all.


    ¡°Do you have the autopsy report on your chauffeur?¡± she suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a certain sedative found in his bloodstream- that¡¯s why he kept cking out while he


    drove.¡±


    ¡°He took it? When?!¡±


    ¡°Probably while he waited for us at the basement car park,¡± Sean theorized, ¡°when we were visiting


    Grandfather. He was fine when he dropped us off.¡±


    ¡°In other words, someone made him take it while he waited.


    We could check the cameras.¡±


    ¡°By sheer coincidence, the camera covering that specific


    Naturally, it was less coincidence and more sabotage.


    Whoever they were, they never left clues behind.


    It was therefore not surprising at all¡­ Which further begs the question: which Cranston was it?


    ¡°Do you think the culprit would turn back to Grandfather after failing to kill me?¡± Cordy suggested.


    ¡°Push too far, and even the calmest man wouldsh out,¡± Sean said with certainty.


    ¡°Then¡­ Should we keep waiting for the culprit to take the bait?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Yes, but let¡¯s turn things up a notch.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Cordy asked.


    Sean simply sneered.


    He really doubted that the culprit could pull anything amazing when he was watching!


    Patrick was stunned by the extent of the internal strife within the Crantson family, though it wasn¡¯t that


    surprising now that he thought about it.


    After all, the Stuarts¡¯ own infighting had been equally bloody.


    Nheless, Cordy was tired after discussing such serious matters and soon returned to her bed.

 Chapter 886

    Chapter 886


    Chapter 886


    Sean was ready to go back to his room,novelxo and Patrick was self-conscious enough to stay and


    take care of Cordy.


    ¡® Patrick,¡± Sean suddenly called out to him.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Patrick asked.


    ¡®Where are you staying?¡±


    ¡°Here, of course. I¡¯ll stay wherever Cordy is, and I can take care of her at night as well. You know she


    can¡¯t move around freely with the state of her legs,* Patrick said, as if it was only natural.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re staying at a hotel,¡± Sean rebuked him sternly.


    ¡°Look¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not up for negotiations.¡±


    ¡°You just don¡¯t want us in the same room, do you?¡± Patrick growled, a little irritated.


    ¡°Of course. There should be proper social distancing between men and women.¡¯


    Patrick gnashed his teeth in annoyance; although he had yet to earn his title, he wasn¡¯t about to leave


    the hospital.


    Making up his mind, he said to Sean, ¡®Til sleep at your ward.¡¯


    Sean stared at him incredulously, and Patrick shed an evil grin at the former. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?


    nov?lxo You¡¯re not going to turn me down when I¡¯m just trying to take care of you, right?¡±


    Sean kept an impassive look as he said, ¡°Whatever.¡±


    He strode off, while Patrick looked on smugly as he left.


    What a kid-did Sean think Patrick would be deterred so easily?


    Cordy was speechless as she looked novelxo at the smug look on Patrick¡¯s face too, but simplyy


    down to sleep.


    The instant she closed her eyes, however, she saw John unconscious on his bed¡­


    Meanwhile, John was removed from his ICU.


    He felt like he had been sleeping for a long time, n?velxo and only woke up to find that many things


    had changed.


    The doctor checked him from head to toe, novelx.o ensuring that he was fine before sending him back


    to the standard VIP ward.


    At the same time, Nana also woke up, having survived the most critical period. She was already asking


    to see him.


    The Lynds had arranged it so that she was staying right next door to John, probably knowing that Nana


    would never leave him.


    John entered Nana¡¯s ward to find her lying in bed, nov?lxo looking feeble like a candle in the wind, her


    face stark white.


    Her eyes flooded with tears as novelx.o soon as she saw him, and she murmured softly, ¡°Lucas¡­¡±


    She was too feeble to talk, but she still used every strength she had to call out to him.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re alright¡­¡± Nana teared up, filled with emotions.


    ¡°Why are you crying, Nana?¡± Keith rebuked her sternly. ¡°You just cheated death! The doctor said you


    should be staying calm, but look at you! I won¡¯t let you see Lucas if you keep acting like this.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Nana snapped angrily.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I was just joking. You can see anyone you want. I¡¯ll even buy you the moon if you want it,


    okay?¡± Keithforted her lovingly.


    ¡°Dad, I want to talk to Lucas alone.¡¯


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Keith shrugged feebly. ¡°Chicks always have to leave the nest, I guess.¡±


    He gestured for everyone else to leave, novelxo and pped John on the shoulder heavily as he did.


    It was both a reminder and a threat.

 Chapter 887

    Chapter 887


    Chapter 887


    When it was just Nana and John in the ward, she reached out with the intention of taking John¡¯s hand


    into hers.


    However, he stayed three feet away from her and firmly out of grasp.


    He gulped, his body instinctively rejecting Nana and his hands unwittingly clenching into knuckles.


    Nana stared at him in surprise. ¡°Lucas¡­?¡±


    Even if he never got close to her on his own before, he wouldn¡¯t reject her touch either.


    Now, however, n?velxo she found him to be a stranger more than ever before as he stood before her.


    Even now, he looked at her as if he didn¡¯t recognize her.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± Nana¡¯s tears sprang out again, and the heart rate monitor attached to her beeped irregrly


    in warning as her emotions ran high.


    Nheless, novelx.o John eventually walked up to her and took her hand. Nana¡¯s emotions calmed


    immediately, her heart rate turning stable in turn.


    She sobbed in joy, ¡°You¡¯re alive, Lucas¡­ I was so scared I won¡¯t ever see you again. I can¡¯t live without


    you.¡±


    Her words were earnest, novelxo but John never reacted at all.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked, sharp as ever and noticing that he was acting strange.


    He was never this cold to her-even when he asked to break up with her, saying he didn¡¯ love her


    anymore.


    She just had to y up her frailty, and he would be overwhelmed.


    However, he was now as distant as a stranger even though she almost died trying to save him.


    Why would he act this way? Shouldn¡¯t he be more emotional?


    No!


    She refused to let him leave, and held on tighter to him.


    John felt the firmness in her grasp, but ultimately stayed silent.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask me how I¡¯m doing?¡± Nana asked, trying to find something to talk about.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡± John asked in turn, his voice hoarse.


    That wasn¡¯t it either¡­ Even his tone was the way one would speak to a stranger.


    ¡°The doctor said that although my heart wasn¡¯t hurt, I still bled too much and the toll burdened my heart


    anyway. I was told to stay in the hospital until I made a full recovery and ensured that there were no


    issues with my heart,¡± Nana said. ¡°It might dy our wedding.¡±


    There was slight relief in John¡¯s eyes as he watched her, but she pretended not to see it and continued,


    nov?lxo But I said no.¡±


    John narrowed his eyes, but Nana simply smiled. ¡°I know my own body, and I know we can have the


    wedding as scheduled a weekter. Marrying you is more important than my life.¡±


    John swallowed-he was choking with so many words, but he simply couldn¡¯t say any.


    ¡°You¡¯re marrying me, right?¡± Nana asked naively. ¡°You won¡¯t abandon me, seeing that I¡¯ve put my life


    on the line to save you?¡±


    It was emotional ckmail, and Nana knew she was acting thoroughly despicable.


    However, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate when the other option was to lose him.


    Even so, John didn¡¯t reply to her and remained silent for a long time.


    In truth, he was no angel himself.


    He rarely allowed himself to give in to threats, let alone emotional ckmail.


    But seeing that her heart rate was clearly turning irregr again, he knew very well that she would kill


    herself nov?lxo right in front of him if he rejected her right now.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 888

    Chapter 888


    Chapter 888


    John could¡¯ve stayed indifferent to Nana¡ªif she never tried to save him with his life.


    However, if he could stay unmoved when she didn¡¯t hesitate to protect him in the face of a mortal


    threat, he would bepletely inhuman.


    And yet, saying yes to her also meant abandoning his previous life.


    Cordy¡¯s face appeared in his mind at that very moment; he suddenly felt as if he was stabbed in the


    chest, unable to breathe.


    He had regained his memories, suddenly remembering all his past in a split second.


    It turned out that he really was John Levine, the same man who earnestly loved Cordy to a fault.


    s, when he woke up to that fact, he was already someone else¡¯s fiance.


    When John and Jessica got on that boat rigged with explosives, he fought back once he ensured that


    Cordy and Dicky were safe.


    It turned out that Jessica still had one iota of humanity, despite her terrible cruelty-she didn¡¯t order her


    bodyguards to die with her, and it was just her and John who got on the boat.


    And since it was just two of them, that made things easy.


    However, John had underestimated how much Jessica was prepared to die. The explosives triggered


    the instant he leapt out of the boat, and the shockwave sent him flying into the sea, unconscious.


    When he woke up, he found himself in an unfamiliar hospital with no recollection of anything.


    His family wereplete strangers to him back then; though now, he realized that they really were


    strangers.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He had no idea how he turned into their son; perhaps he could find out the real reason when theye


    to the capital in a couple days to attend his and Nana¡¯s wedding.


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Nana called out to him again, though refraining from pushing him to say yes.


    Instead, she said, *1¡¯11 love you for the rest of my life. You¡¯d definitely realize that I¡¯m the one who


    loves you the most in this world.¡±


    ¡°Just rest,¡± John didn¡¯t answer her directly, and she was smart enough not to push him anymore.


    Right now, she didn¡¯t have to resort to anything radical¡ªemotional ckmail was enough.


    She was surprised that Cordy¡¯s ident helped her instead, as she had been worried that Lucas-or


    rather, John-would annul their engagement.


    She had no idea how long threatening John with suicide would work, or if he would really abandon her


    for Cordy¡¯s sake.


    For the time being, John bore a lot of guilt towards her. Even if he could get over that, he would be


    scorned by many if he left her now.


    Even Cordy probably didn¡¯t expect Nana toe out on top from this ident; that made Nana feel all


    the more cathartic.


    Still, she maintained her pure and innocent facade as she asked, ¡°Are you leaving if I fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°Just sleep.¡± John avoided responding to her directly again.


    Nana tamelyplied-he was marrying her one way or the other, even if he didn¡¯t feelfortable


    about it.


    She didn¡¯t have to get petty now. Plus, being magnanimous would only make John feel even guiltier


    towards her.


    With that, she closed her eyes and sleptfortably.


    John stayed in her room, but not to keep herpany. He simply had no idea what he should do at the


    moment¡­

 Chapter 889

    Chapter 889


    Chapter 889


    John ultimately left Nana¡¯s room, but she wasn¡¯t letting go of his hand even in her sleep.


    He had to firmly pry her fingers off, not caring that he seemed to wake her when doing so.


    He turned and headed outside, his feet seemingly weighing tons.


    Thest three years suddenly felt like a dream; yet even though he had woken up from it, he was


    unable to escape.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    He paused just outside a ward.


    He had no idea that Cordy was staying in that ward, and was simply taking a stroll on a whim.


    Yet he ended up here anyway, and he couldn¡¯t leave once he arrived.


    He stood outside the door, watching as Cordy got out of bed and into the wheelchair beside it.


    Dicky was just typing the password on hisptop when he heard themotion. He turned towards her


    and asked, ¡°Mommy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own, don¡¯t worry,¡± she told him softly, not noticing the man at the door.


    She just slept for a while, though that was a lie¡ªtoo much was weighing on her heart and suffocating


    her, so she wanted to rx.


    But even that would make her miss John more.


    In fact, she couldn¡¯t help wanting to see him again now and stay with him every waking moment.


    She was about to wheel herself out when she saw Patrick sound asleep on the couch, exhaustion


    registering on his face.


    He really had been sweet on her, and there were times she truly felt a soft spot for him.


    She returned to her bed, pulling the nket off it with considerable effort, and gentlyid it over him.


    He sensed it and wiggled, murmuring, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cordy. I¡¯ll always be at your side¡­ Cordy¡­¡±


    Cordy felt an aching in her heart.


    After all, he was still flesh and blood. If there was anyone whom she owed anything in this world, it was


    definitely Patrick.


    s, she couldn¡¯t reciprocate his feelings.


    Afterying the nket on Patrick, she turned and headed towards the door, only to see John standing


    right there.


    She thought she was hallucinating for a moment, and was actually afraid to get close in fear that she


    really imagined it.


    They stared at each other for a while, until Dicky broke the silence.


    ¡°Lucas! You¡¯re awake?¡± Dicky ran up to John excitedly, leaving theptop.


    John studied Dicky, noting that the boy had grown much taller in just three years.


    He nodded. ¡°Yeah. Been up a while, too.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling? Are you sick? Did the doctor allow you to walk around?¡± Dicky asked in concern,


    his delight nheless irrepressible that his father was fine.


    ¡°The doctor said that everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Mom and I were so worried. Mommy kept visiting you, y¡¯know?¡± Dicky told John excitedly.


    John¡¯s pupils turned towards Cordy, and found her eyes welling with tears of joy.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, turning back to Dicky.


    Cordy bit her lip.


    It was a subtle gesture from John, but she sharply noticed that he was being distant towards her.


    So, he gave in to Nana even if he did save Cordy with his life.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired? Want toe in to sit a while?¡± Dicky invited John eagerly, eager to hang out with


    him.

 Chapter 890

    Chapter 890


    Chapter 890


    John refused. ¡°No, I should go back to my room. The doctor did tell me not to move around too much. I


    just came to tell you I¡¯m fine, and there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡¯


    Even as he spoke, he started to turn and leave.


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Cordy called out to him just then.


    John flinched slightly¡ªhe knew Cordy was actually aware of who he truly was, because he heard her


    saying that to him while he was still supposedly unconscious.


    He recovered quickly because of her voice too, but he was afraid to admit that he had already


    remembered everything at that instant.


    ¡°Let me see you off,¡± Cordy said, not waiting for John to say no and wheeling herself out to follow.


    They silently and slowly strolled along the long walkways of the hospital, neither of them speaking.


    The silence between them was deafening, until they both stopped in front of John¡¯s room.


    John turned towards her, watching her pale cheeks, her body that was covered in bandages, and her


    scrawny form¡­


    He had to work very hard to suppress his impulse not to pull her firmly in his arms and never let her go.


    ¡°You never did give me an actual answer,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    John felt a dull ache over his chest.


    He knew Cordy all too well-she would never demand anything from others. If she realized her


    rtionship wasn¡¯t as solid as she believed, she would take the rational choice and step away instead


    of remaining stubborn.


    Thus, she would give up on him if he gave in and married Nana.


    Although she should have turned to leave without needing him to say anything, she chose a radical


    novelx.o method like this instead.


    John pursed his lips-he and Cordy kept reaching out to each other, only to keep missing.


    When he loved him, she kept running away.


    When she epted him, he was ¡®dead¡¯.


    And now, when she made the choice to be with him, there was another woman with him now.


    Were they really destined to be apart?


    ¡°You love me, don¡¯t you?¡± Cordy asked him before he could answer.


    Yes.


    She was beginning to fight for her own happiness.


    She always believed that novelxo she could restrain herself, that she could quietly ept John


    marrying another woman, since a rtionship went both ways.


    As such, she didn¡¯t think that just one person could maintain a rtionship.


    Yet, nov?lxo she realized that she feared losing John more than her need to maintain appearances and


    prestenses.


    As such, she was willing to give up on her dignity, her principles, and hermon sense just to reach


    out to him.


    ¡°You just feel responsible for Nana, n?velxo don¡¯t you?¡± Cordy pressed.


    As long as he said he loved her, no.velxo she wouldn¡¯t mind that he wasn¡¯t with her.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    She was willing to take anything, even if she had to suffer the world¡¯s scorn or even the apocalypse.


    But John never did answer her; merely stared at her quietly, turmoil evident in his gaze.


    He seemed to have read her mind¡ªthat he just had to nod, and she could abandon everything for his


    sake.


    John couldn¡¯t help gulping.


    Nheless, the silence between them continued, as if time itself had stopped.


    The hope in Cordy¡¯s eyes soon faded away¡­

 Chapter 891

    Chapter 891


    Chapter 891


    Cordy suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. You can take your time to consider it. I¡¯m in no hurry.¡±


    There was a smile on her face, even as she stubbornly restrained the tears in her eyes.


    She could wait-she wouldn¡¯t mind waiting for a couple of days, as it was nothingpared to the years


    she waited.


    She understood John; anyone in his shoes would hesitate.


    Most importantly, Nana was no pushover; hell, she just might be smarter and more ruthless than


    Cordy¡¯s sister Noel. Not to mention, Nana was better at manipting a man¡¯s heart.


    It was only natural she had leverage against John.


    And with those words, Cordy prepared to turn and leave.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John suddenly stopped her.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat; suddenly, she was afraid to confront his response.


    After all, she was merely avoiding the problems when she said she could wait and could afford him


    time-now, she wasn¡¯tpletely confident John would choose her.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d disappoint you again,¡± John said, his voice clearly restrained.


    Cordy felt like her heart suddenly shattered.


    So in the end, he chose Nana and was rejecting her.


    In reality, she didn¡¯t have to feel upset-his recent actions had already made it very clear, and she was


    already prepared for it.


    But when he actually said it, the sadness she felt in return still caught her off guard.


    Still, it didn¡¯t mean she had to give up.


    ¡°We can face this together,¡± she said. ¡°I admit I was arrogant before, that I didn¡¯t want to get involved in


    someone else¡¯s rtionship and refused to be a third-wheeler. But now, I¡¯ll set my principles aside


    because I love you.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    John averted his eyes, for they were welling with tears; he didn¡¯t want her to see the emotions in them.


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Cordy said, reaching out to him; her fingers brushed against his fingertips, and she saw that


    his fingers were shaking ever so slightly.


    He clearly had strong feelings for her, but was doing his best to repress them.


    She held on to his hand tightly, the familiar touch therein all too memorable in their minds.


    ¡°Let¡¯s face this together, okay? Don¡¯t leave me like this¡­not when this is worth fighting for,¡± Cordy


    continued, staring at him dolefully.


    John refused to look into her eyes, because he really might get caught in her emotions.


    Once he relented, he would remember Nana. Now, he was familiar with her; it was no empty threat


    when she threatened him with suicide, and she really could kill herself right in front of him.


    Moreover, she saved him.


    John had never been this hesitant, even if he didn¡¯t love Nana at all.


    She simply had all the leverage to ckmail him emotionally, preventing him from ignoring her


    completely.


    Before John could respond, he heard a frail voice calling out to him.


    ¡°Lucas¡­¡±


    Cordy and John turned, only to find Nana standing at the doorway of her VIP ward.


    John narrowed his eyes.

 Chapter 892

    Chapter 892


    Chapter 892


    At that very moment, Cordy held on tighter to John by instinct, not willing to let him leave and go to


    Nana¡¯s side.


    John¡¯s fingers twitched in turn, naturally sensing the pressure in Cordy¡¯s touch.


    However, he didn¡¯t push her away.


    He could never do it.


    ¡°Lucas, we¡¯re getting married soon¡­¡± Nana¡¯s voice remained soft and feeble, as she calmly told them


    about reality with an expectant look in her eyes.


    Even so, John refused to go to her.


    He wanted to stay with Cordy, and love her and her alone for the rest of his life.


    Be it before and after his amnesia, or after he regained his memories, he only ever loved Cordy.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    All he felt towards Nana was only responsibility-but at a level that could crush him.


    Nana, upon seeing that John wasn¡¯ting over to her, and that he wasn¡¯t pushing Cordy away and


    was holding her hand firmly, shed her usual innocent smile; this time, it carried a hint of reluctance.


    She slowly walked towards John, saying, ¡°It¡¯s fine. If you won¡¯te back to me, I¡¯lle to you.¡±


    Nana stopped right in front of him, and tried to pull Cordy¡¯s hand off him.


    However, Cordy stubbornly held on tighter to John.


    No one could make her let go-be it Nana or anyone else!


    Nana, who was enfeebled in the first ce, couldn¡¯t muster any strength to her wrist.


    She gave up, and said, ¡°Lucas and I are engaged, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°You forced him.¡± Cordy looked her in the eye without flinching.


    ¡°You¡¯re imagining it¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know very well who he loves. novelx.o Feelings can¡¯t be forced, and coercing him like this won¡¯t


    make you happy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business, and it¡¯s not up to you to teach me! And don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate that


    you¡¯re holding on to my fiance like this?¡± Nana snapped, ironycing his tone.


    ¡°Fiance?¡± Cordy scoffed. ¡°Do you know who he actually is before that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to know,¡± Nana retorted stubbornly. ¡°For me, Lucas will always be Lucas, even if he


    changed. And he will be with me for the rest of my life!¡±


    ¡°What if I told you I insist on taking him with me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d never be able to,¡± novel.xo Nana said staunchly and confidently, even reaching out to take


    John¡¯s other hand as she did. ¡°Lucas, you just promised to sleep with me. You shouldn¡¯t break


    promises.¡±


    Nana started to pull him along; yet he refused to budge, seemingly having made his choice.


    Nanaughed despite herself, finding herselfughable.


    So he refused to novelxo care if she died even if she did it for his sake, and would rather stick to


    Cordy?


    Was everything she did pointless to him?


    No.


    She never lost once when ites to iming ownership of everything and anything she desired.


    It was no infatuation she had towards Lucas-she was madly in love with him, and therefore would not


    allow anyone to take him away.


    She said very slowly and clearly, ¡® Lucas, do you really want to watch me die?¡±


    John reacted ever so slightly to that, and Cordy felt it too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s despicable, novelxo threatening him with suicide?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°No, because I¡¯m not joking around.¡± Nana smiled with considerableposure. ¡°On the other hand,


    are you willing toy down your life for your love?¡±

 Chapter 893

    Chapter 893


    Chapter 893


    Certainly, Cordy wouldn¡¯ty down her life for just about anyone.


    That was being irresponsible to her own life; plus, she wasn¡¯t despicable enough to threaten someone


    with her own suicide.


    ¡°In other words, your feelings for Lucas don¡¯tpare to mine!¡± n?velxo Nana smiled even broadly,


    her scorn even more obvious.


    ¡°That¡¯s not love-that¡¯s selfish obsession. You have no idea what love is.¡±


    ¡°No! I love Lucas more than anyone else, and I can¡¯t live without him,¡± Nana retorted, looking Cordy


    straight in the eye. ¡®You can still live happily without Lucas, so don¡¯t try to take him from me, okay?


    Spare my life.¡±


    ¡°Your life is your own and has nothing to do with anyone else¡¯s. Don¡¯t try to threaten me with emotional


    ckmail,¡± Cordy said coolly, immune to Nana¡¯s pity party.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not.¡± Nana smiled faintly, turning back to Lucas. ¡°We¡¯re just distant rtives and ultimately


    strangers¡ªhow nov?lxo could I threaten you? I¡¯m just threatening Lucas.¡±


    As John stayed dead silent, Nana pressed, ¡°Let go of Cordy now, or I¡¯ll be a corpse the next time you


    see me.¡±


    John red coldly at her, his eyes bloodshot.


    Nana, however, did not seem to feel his rage at all. In fact, she was actually smiling beautifully at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll count down from three, and then leave without looking back.¡±


    ¡°Three.¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Just like that,novel.xo John let go of Cord/s hand.


    Cordy felt her heart being cut to the quick, but this was simple reality¡ª whether John loved Nana or


    not, he couldn¡¯t abandon her; that made him vulnerable to Nana¡¯s despicable threats.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    And Nana had to be insane enough to die, just to have him all for herself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our room, okay?¡± Nana smiled smugly, since hiding her true nature was unnecessary


    now.


    She imed Lucas in the most despicable way possible, but she didn¡¯t care ¡ªher only concern was


    that Lucas belonged to her.


    She held out her hand in front of Lucas, waiting for him to take it.


    John stared coolly at her hand that was so pale, it seemed not to have a drop of blood underneath.


    Nana didn¡¯t hurry him, and quietly waited for him to take it.


    Amidst the stalemate, John slowly raised his hand¡­


    ¡°John Levine.¡±


    Cordy spoke up at that moment, saying his real name.


    As John¡¯s fingers twitched as she continued, ¡°Don¡¯t go with her. Her death is on her, and has nothing to


    do with you. novelxo You shouldn¡¯t feel threatened at all, let alone deny your feelings because of her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not denying your feelings. I¡¯m giving all my passion to you!¡± Nana¡¯s eyes shed determinedly.


    In her mind, Lucas lost nothing because she loved him, and that was the best for him.


    Refusing to wait, she reached out to take John¡¯s hand.


    John avoided her touch, clearly denying her control.


    Nana¡¯s face dropped right there and then.


    ¡°John¡­¡± Cordy called out to him again, feeling a hint of hope.


    However¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cordy.¡¯


    Cordy thought she heard her own heart break.


    In the end, John abandoned her again.


    And with that apology, he no longer hesitated and left with Nana, even though he refused to touch


    Nana.


    In the end, he chose Nana.


    Cordy* s tears started gushing out without control, and she watched as John strode off into the


    distance¡­

 Chapter 894

    Chapter 894


    Chapter 894


    Cordy opened her mouth to speak, but swallowed her words. What could she say to stop him anyway?


    She couldn¡¯t threaten John with suicide, because she wasn¡¯t that despicable.


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    As John and Nana disappeared from sight, a familiar voice sounded beside her.


    Cordy had no idea when Patrick arrived, how long he had been there, or how much he had seen.


    She couldn¡¯t say anything at that moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking you back to your room,¡± he told her, and wheeled her around.


    That was when Cordy saw Sean as well.


    They must have arrived together, staying behind and quietly watching her misery.


    She couldn¡¯t control her tears, and kept crying despite the irony of it all.


    When they returned to her room, Patrick brought a box of tissues to wipe her tears for her, but she


    refused and took the box instead.


    She slowly calmed down, refusing to let Dicky see her being vulnerable.


    She always appeared invincible, and rarely showed how she truly felt to others.


    It was after a long time that she finally stopped crying.


    When she did, she became immeasurably calm, as if nothing happened just now at all.


    ¡°I told you to give up on Lucas before,¡± Sean said after ascertaining that she had calmed down.


    When Cordy didn¡¯t respond, Patrick butted in, ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    He was asking when Cordy fell for that man.


    He had been chasing her around for three years, but he couldn¡¯t match a man she just met for three


    months?


    He could ept that he lost to John Levine, that he couldn¡¯t rece that man even if John was as


    dead as a doornail.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    But Lucas Lynch? What gave him the right? How was he better?!


    There was an order to things, and it should¡¯ve been Patrick!


    ¡°Don¡¯t butt in,¡± Sean snapped at Patrick, a little impatient.


    ¡°How could I not? This concerns my happiness for the rest of my life! I don¡¯t get it, Cordy-if you can


    ept a man other than John, why can¡¯t you consider me?!¡¯ Patrick ranted with rising agitation.


    Sean was scowling, and threatened, ¡°One more word, and you¡¯re out of this hospital.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    ¡°And I neverpromise,¡¯ Sean glowered.


    Patrick gritted his teeth, but he had no choice but to bear with it since he was on Sean¡¯s turf.


    Seeing that Patrick was staying in line, Sean turned to Cordy. ¡°I¡¯d rather not meddle with your private


    affairs, but Lucas is out of the question. I¡¯ve given you too many reasons, and I won¡¯t repeat myself-


    hell, as long as it isn¡¯t Lucas Lynch, I can knock him out and bring him over giftwrapped.¡¯


    ¡°You can do that to me right now,¡± Patrick said eagerly, all too willing for that to happen.


    Sean rolled his eyes. ¡°Honestly, you-¡°


    ¡°Lucas Lynch is John Levine,¡± Cordy said, very slowly and clearly.

 Chapter 895

    Chapter 895


    Chapter 895


    The ward was suddenly dead silent, and even the air seemed to stagnate.


    Both Sean and Patrick were gaping at Cordy, wondering if they had misheard.


    ¡°Lucas Lynd is John Levine,¡± Cordy repeated very slowly and clearly.


    Being the calmer one, Sean regainedposure soon enough. ¡°How didyou know?¡±


    ¡°Parental test,¡± Dicky suddenly said, seemingly noticing that his mother was in a bad state as well.


    As Sean turned towards him, Dicky exined with logic and in no uncertain terms, ¡°Lucas looks


    different from my father, but everything else about them was identical. I¡¯ve been with Daddy since I was


    a kid, so I¡¯d know that it really is him. I did one parental test just to make sure, and Mommy eventually


    realized it too and did another. Both tests proved that he¡¯s my daddy.¡±


    Sean was silent for a while. ¡°So that parental test¡­ It¡¯s not you and Dicky? It¡¯s Dicky and Lucas?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cody nodded.


    Sean was ultimately stunned. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t John be dead? I even made inquiries to certain private


    sources! His chances of survival are almost zero.¡±


    ¡°And yet, he¡¯s alive,¡± Cordy replied staunchly.


    ¡°In that case, why is he living as someone else? Why didn¡¯t he return to you when he¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°We suspect amnesia,¡± Cordy replied.


    Sean was silent again, putting the pieces together as he summarized, ¡°And because he¡¯s John, you


    can¡¯t get over him.¡±


    Cordy nodded silently-she would never go that far for anyone else, just as she wouldn¡¯t love anyone


    else other than John.


    Sean didn¡¯t know what to tell Cordy, but looked up at Patrick just then to see that he looked more


    miserable than anyone else.


    It wasn¡¯t surprising, since Patrick would be one who got the worst hit amongst them.


    ¡°I need some time alone,¡± Cordy said after a while.


    It never coursed her mind to ask for their opinion or support, since no one could decide on this for her.


    When it came to a rtionship, it was up to people involved to decide if it was worth it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room, then. Just give me a shout if you need me,¡± Sean said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sean turned to Patrick just before he stepped out. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving too?¡±


    Patrick pursed his lips, but slowly left with Sean.


    Both men returned to Sean¡¯s room. Patrick nted himself on the couch, staying motionless as if


    paralyzed.


    He was always so talkative, but he wasn¡¯t saying a word now, spacing out even as he reclined against


    the couch.


    Sean didn¡¯t disturb him-Patrick probably needed time to ept the reality that John was still alive.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Patrick knew all too well that nothing would happen between him and Cordy as long as John was alive.


    Instead of bothering Patrick, Sean asked a care worker to buy some drinks and snacks. He put


    everything on the dining table in his ward, and started to eat alone.


    ¡°Are you crazy? You¡¯re drinking in that state?¡± Patrick snapped furiously; it took him a while to realize


    what Sean was doing.


    Sean simply chuckled without saying anything, even though Patrick was clearly snapping at him.


    One must never get petty with a man who was just dumped, after all.


    In fact, he gestured invitingly. ¡°Care to join me?¡±


    Patrick walked over, standing opposite him and demanding, ¡°Did the doctor say you can drink?¡±

 Chapter 896

    Chapter 896


    Chapter 896


    Sean said, ¡°Being able to enjoy yourself anytime is part of being alive. If you live too miserably, you¡¯ll


    regret it if you suddenly die.¡± ¡°Who the hell is dying?!¡¯ Patrick snapped in displeasure, pausing for a


    moment before adding, ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re worried since you¡¯re not exactly young.¡±


    Sean was speechless¡ªPatrick was no older than him, novelx.o with the man being in the thirties and


    he himself just reaching forty.


    Nheless, Patrick took the beer and ss from Sean. While Sean stared at him, he said, ¡®It¡¯s no big


    deal if you die, but I¡¯d be med if you died near me. I won¡¯t be able to take the novelxo responsibility


    when your whole familyes for my head.¡±


    With that, Patrick took a sip from Sean¡¯s ss, clearly refusing to let Sean drink.


    Sean didn¡¯t fight back since he rarely drank, though he considered that any vice was fine in suitable


    doses.


    And now¡­ Whatever. He didn¡¯t want to argue with Patrick at the moment.


    Hence, Sean watched as the man started from sips until he eventually chugged entire sses.


    Sean didn¡¯t stop Patrick-even if alcohol wasn¡¯t a good way to ease one¡¯s sorrows, he couldn¡¯te up


    with better alternatives for the time being and decided that this had to be it for a moment.


    Patrick was drunk soon enough, andy sprawled over the table while staring at Sean with a muddled


    gaze. ¡°Do you know how much I loved Cordy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But you know I prefer men,¡± Patrick mumbled.


    ¡°Yeah,¡¯ Sean replied.


    ¡°But I love her anyway,¡± n?velxo Patrick groaned, his eyes welling with tears. ¡°Hell, I think I¡¯d love


    Cordy regardless if she¡¯s a man or a woman.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Sean said, ying along.


    ¡°I always thought I had a shot,¡± Patrick mumbled, more tears gleaming in his eyes; he looked just like a


    wounded maiden. ¡®But John Levine just had to be alive. How the hell did he survive? Shouldn¡¯t he be


    blown into pieces?¡±


    Sean shrugged, novel.xo but John was probably one of those insanely lucky types.


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m not going to spend the rest of my life happy,¡± Patrick muttered miserably, as if he was


    destined to be alone for the rest of his life.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That just might not be the case,¡± Sean said quietly.


    ¡°All you ever do is mock me, huh?¡± Patrick snapped indignantly. ¡°You have a baby and a happy family.


    nov?lxo You¡¯d never know what it¡¯s like to be alone forever, let alone understand what it¡¯s like being


    dumped¡­¡¯


    ¡°But I do,¡± Sean said very quietly, but too soft for Patrick to hear as he continued ranting¡­until he fell


    asleep in no time at all.


    Sean chuckled-here he was, wondering how long Patrick¡¯s tears wouldst.


    This was it, huh?


    Sean moved over to help Patrick get to his feet, but thetter refused to budge and even shoved him


    impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    ¡°You can sleep on the bed.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Patrick simply shifted his posture andy sprawled on the table again.


    ¡°Be good.¡±


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    Sean had no choice but to lean in and help Patrick up again.


    His care worker knew his condition, however, and quickly went up, saying,¡± I can do it, Mr. Cranston.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Sean refused.


    ¡°But you¡¯re-¡°


    ¡°Just bring some honey for his hangover,¡± Sean said.


    ¡°¡­Yes, Mr. Cranston.¡¯

 Chapter 897

    Chapter 897


    Chapter 897


    After the care worker left, Sean pulled Patrick up to his feet and off the table.


    Patrick was already dizzy, and the motion almost knocked him out.


    He opened his dazed eyes at Sean, all the while feeling that his own body was being dragged along.


    Sean¡¯s hand was so forceful that he could die from the pain at that very moment.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you be more gentle?¡± he snapped indignantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m never gentle.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Your wife must suffer a lot because of you.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, she does,¡¯ Sean replied, and helped Patrick to the bed with considerable difficulty.


    He was just about to let Patrick down when Patrick grabbed his clothes, catching him off guard and


    pulling him down in bed.


    As Sean fell on top of Patrick,novelx.o the atmosphere seemed to stiffen even though Patrick was


    smiling smugly. ¡®You didn¡¯t expect that, didja?!¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re incorrigible,¡± Sean snapped coolly. ¡°Let go.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Patrick retorted, and held on tighter to Sean.


    ¡°Patrick Stuart!¡±


    ¡°Threats won¡¯t work with me!¡± Patrick looked utterly dauntless. ¡°You won¡¯t kill me and bury me in some


    unmarked grave, anyway.¡±


    Sean told himself not to get petty with a drunk man, and quickly tried to get up.


    However, Patrick caught him again; n?velxo he was very strong despite his somewhat delicate


    appearance.


    When Sean couldn¡¯t move at all, Patrick bragged smugly, ¡°Can¡¯t go anywhere now, can you?¡±


    ¡°You better not regret this.¡±


    ¡°R-Regret what?¡±


    Patrick¡¯s eyes were wide open,n?velxo but he was probably drunk-and unconscious at that.


    Why else would he hallucinate something like this?


    It took a long time for Sean to manage to get away from Patrick, who suddenly appeared more docile.


    Perhaps believing that he was dreaming, Sean fell asleep after some time.


    However, Sean watched him quietly as he slept for a while¡­


    In the next ward, Cordy was quiet as well.


    Dicky was going to speak to her nov?lxo a few times, but ultimately stopped himself.


    He understood that his mommy didn¡¯t want him to worry about her, even though she was really


    unhappy.


    Because of daddy? Because daddy was going to marry another woman?


    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m going to Uncle Sean¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy nodded without asking what he was up to.


    After all, Dicky had always been sharp even as a young child. He wanted to let her have the room to


    herself when he noticed her plummeting mood.


    In reality, Dicky was going straight to nov?lxo John-even if his daddy was amnesiac, he was convinced


    his daddy wouldn¡¯t get over his mommy so easily.


    He had to look around for a while until he reached his daddy¡¯s ward, but his daddy wasn¡¯t in there.


    He then looked at the next ward, and saw his daddy staying by Nana¡¯s side.


    He was upset, let alone his mommy.


    Shouldn¡¯t he be staying with mommy right now, especially when she was so depressed?


    Both John and Nana saw Dicky at the door, and Nana didn¡¯t hesitate to stop John. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±


    John nced at her, but said nothing as he strode off as he looked on. At that, Nana gritted her teeth in


    anger.

 Chapter 898

    Chapter 898


    Chapter 898


    Nana was frustrated by John¡¯s indifference towards her, but she bore with it since it wasn¡¯t Cordy.


    In the very least, John chose her and not Cordy-that alone was enough for her to celebrate for a long


    while.


    Outside the ward, John stood before Dicky, studying his much taller frame and asking, ¡®Were you


    looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay here. Can we go to your room?¡± Dicky asked bluntly, his contempt towards Nana


    not disguised at all.


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied, and led Dicky to his ward.


    Once inside, he asked, ¡®Want a drink? Or some fruits?¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°No,¡± Dicky replied.


    John didn¡¯t force the issue.


    Then, Dicky asked directly, ¡°I heard you¡¯re marrying Nana. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you love Mommy?¡± Dicky was a little agitated-hearing it directly from his daddy hurt even more.


    ¡°Sometimes, adults can¡¯t make all their choices.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Was that because you were dating Nana first? The truth is that you¡¯ve


    been with Mommy for a long time, and you¡¯re just amnesiac!¡± Dicky quickly exined. ¡¯You¡¯re really my


    daddy, and I have our parental test results. I¡¯ll get it for you if you don¡¯t believe me, or we can go to a


    DNA test center-¡°


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Dicky asked, depressed.


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    Dicky¡¯s eyes widened, and saw John nodding in affirmation.


    His expression, even the look in his eyes¡­was just what it used to be, when Daddy was Daddy!


    ¡°You remember now, Daddy?¡± Dicky eximed in surprise.


    John didn¡¯t respond directly, but he didn¡¯t deny it either.


    Dicky knew all too well that it was confirmation, since he grew up in John¡¯s care and understood the


    latter¡¯s personality all too well.


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡¯ Tears welled in Dicky¡¯s eyes as he said that.


    John pursed his lips to repress his surging emotions, just as Dicky brought the conversation back to the


    subject at hand. ¡°Why would you marry Nana if you remember? Don¡¯t you love Mommy anymore?


    She¡¯s been waiting for you all these years!¡¯


    ¡°Like I said, adults can¡¯t make all their choices.¡±


    Dicky red at John. ¡°You neverpromise yourself like this, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°No, but I no longer take risks lightly because I¡¯ve suffered a lot.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Dicky had the feeling that he meant something else.


    ¡°Anyway, just take good care of Mommy while I¡¯m not around.¡¯


    ¡°Then, when are youing back to us?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give you an answer, Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Mommy¡¯s really sad.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Daddy¡­¡±


    ¡°Dicky,¡± John said, his voice turning quiet.


    Dicky had no doubts about that-he knew his father remembered everything now, and with no


    uncertainty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell your mommy you came here, and don¡¯t tell her what I told you,¡¯ John said to Dicky.


    Dicky bit his little lip.


    He couldn¡¯t argue against Daddy¡ªthe blood connection between them was one that bound and


    compelled him.


    ¡°Go back, and stay with your mommy,¡¯ John continued.


    ¡°Daddy, you¡¯reing back to us eventually, right? Back to our side?¡± Dicky asked gingerly-he would


    listen to everything as long as John returned to them.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John nodded.


    At that, Dicky beamed.


    His daddy always came good on his promises, and he would never doubt the man.


    With that, Dicky left happily, while John looked on in silence.


    He just hoped that everything could go smoothly.


    He would never allow the mistakes of the past to happen again!

 Chapter 899

    Chapter 899


    Chapter 899


    The next day, when Sean arrived at Cordy¡¯s room alone, she asked, ¡± Where¡¯s Patrick?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t shown up after he left her roomst night, which was definitely not his style.


    Even if Patrick knew that John was alive, he had no reason to avoid her.


    ¡°He¡¯s asleep.¡±


    ¡°Is he sick?¡±


    ¡°No, just drunk.¡±


    As Cordy stared at Sean, he shrugged. ¡°I saw that he was taking it very hard, and I bought him a drink.


    After that, he¡¯s out like a light even until now, so I didn¡¯t wake him. I can get him if you want him for


    something.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Cordy said quickly, since she was just asking.


    However, she was still staring fixedly at Sean.


    He simply returned her gaze and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You care a lot about him,¡± she said, knowing that Sean wasn¡¯t one who meddled in the affairs of


    others.


    ¡°I mean, he¡¯s family now,¡± Sean smiled faintly.


    Cordy, however, thought that might not be the case. Not to mention, Sean had clear dark circles under


    his eyes; he clearly didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.


    Maybe he couldn¡¯t sleep with Patrick staying in his room?


    ¡°Anyway, back to business.¡± Sean immediately changed the subject.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I found a body double for Grandfather,¡± Sean said.


    Cordy was left a little surprised, and he added, ¡°I¡¯ve screened through plenty of candidates, but there¡¯s


    no doppelgangers like I hoped. The one I picked only resembles him in stature and presence, but


    there¡¯s hardly any resemnce in the face. Anyone could tell that he¡¯s not our grandfather from up


    close.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡®Til move grandfather somewhere secure today, while the body double will pretend as if he just woke


    up. I¡¯ll arrange the specifics-you just have to know that,¡± Sean said.


    Cordy didn¡¯t ask further questions.


    What Sean wanted was for her to y along, and she just had to do it.


    ¡°So? What are your ns for John?¡± Sean asked in the end.


    He didn¡¯t ask yesterday because he needed time to let that bombshell sink in, though now, he would


    like to know her ns.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight.¡± Cordy didn¡¯t hide it from Sean, since he would find out anyway.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Have you considered what you¡¯d be facing if you do?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Cordy remained determined.


    ¡°Then do what you will.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me to stop?¡±


    ¡°Would that deter you?¡± Sean asked in return.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason to make either of us upset. Actually, I¡¯d hate it more if you started to hate me,¡±


    Sean said bluntly.


    Cordy loved Sean, and she would be lying if she said that she wasn¡¯t emotional about his affection for


    her.


    He had always stood by her unconditionally across the years.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Sean,¡± Cordy suddenly said.


    Sean stiffened and stared at her in turn.


    That was the first time he heard such affection in her voice.

 Chapter 900

    Chapter 900


    Chapter 900


    Sean understands that Cordy was emotionally distant towards everyone in the family, and therefore


    treated everyone with indifference.


    That applied to him as well, even though he was always around her.


    ¡°Are you recognizing me as family now?¡± he asked calmly after a while.


    ¡°I always did.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re only showing it now?¡±


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want you to get ahead of yourself,¡± Cordy retorted.


    Sean smiled¡ªmushy words were unnecessary for them, or it would make things more awkward


    instead.


    ¡°Just focus on getting better for now,¡± he told her. ¡°Health is vital for everything, whether it¡¯s to deal with


    John or family troubles.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°The same goes for you.¡± Cordy nodded, when something urred to her.¡± Right. If Patrick does wake


    up, tell him toe over. I need to clear the air with him¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Patrick suddenly spoke from the doorway.


    As both Cordy and Sean turned towards him, he shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that I¡¯d actually sleep in.


    And I wasn¡¯t eavesdropping either, until thest part.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine even if you did. It¡¯s nothing hush-hush,¡± novel.xo Cordy said nonchntly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make the arrangements for our ns now,¡± Sean said, clearing the room for them. ¡°Care


    to join me, Dicky? You¡¯ve been stuck here for days.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Dicky was sharp enough to read the room too.


    Soon, it was just Cordy and Patrick left in her ward.


    Sighing, Cordy said, ¡°You know what I¡¯d choose.¡¯


    ¡°So I¡¯m sentenced to death?¡± Patrick said, but there was a lightness in his tone.


    He refused to let her see his misery, no.velxo because he would never make things awkward for her.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t waste your time on me,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°It never was a waste, and this doesn¡¯t feel like a death sentence,¡± Patrick said with a determined tone.


    While Cordy frowned, he asked gleefully, ¡°So? John¡¯s giving you the cold shoulder, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes-he had to hit her exactly where it hurts.


    ¡°He¡¯s marrying Nana soon. Are you really that confident you could take Nana away from him? Nana¡¯s


    no pushover, you know. Moreover, if he really marries her, are you still going to save yourself for him?


    Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s unnecessary? Forget the years you wasted while he¡¯s dead¡ªhe had someone else


    for years, and you¡¯d be the naive one if you keep pinning your hopes on him.¡±


    Though Patrick¡¯s words were sharp and cut her, novelxo Cordy was actually left speechless.


    ¡°Look, I get it,¡± Patrick continued solemnly. ¡°John¡¯s survival isn¡¯t all that for me. I mean, if he was really


    dead, you¡¯d never get over him forever. But the reality here is that while he¡¯s alive, he¡¯s dumping you.


    And you¡¯re still obsessing over him after that? Anyway, you¡¯re going to ept me once you get over


    him, right?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sure I can get John back?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re not as despicable as Nana Lynd,¡± Patrick said, hitting the nail on the head and leaving


    Cordy speechless again.


    Suddenly, he said, ¡°So, how about we make a deal?¡±


    ¡°What deal?¡±


    ¡°If you really can make John give up on Nana and be with you. I¡¯ll leave without a word right away. But


    if he ultimately chooses her, novelxo you¡¯ll start dating me, and I¡¯ll help you tend to your wounds.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfair to you,¡± Cordy refused.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to me to decide,¡± Patrick said staunchly. ¡°I will always desire you, Cordy Sachs-even if John


    doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Patrick-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t say no,¡± Patrick said, cutting her short and pleading, ¡°Okay?¡±


    He was the child of a very important family, and anything else he wanted was always within reach.


    There were countless women who loved him, but he had to keep making himself single because of her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy agreed to it nheless.


    There was no other reason; Patrick was such a good man, she couldn¡¯t reject him.


    Moreover, why would she hold on if John really gave up on her?

 Chapter 901

    Chapter 901


    Chapter 901


    A couple dayster, Sean summoned Cordy to Jesse¡¯s ICU unit.


    To be precise, every Cranston was summoned, but everyone else was kept waiting outside.


    Cordy entered the ward with Sean, while the rest of the family watched from the window.


    They could clearly see Jesse sitting up, but he kept his back towards them, giving them just a glimpse


    of his face, but nothingplete.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    And because it was Jesse, no one dared to get pushy.


    Sean was certainly smart-with this, no one would suspect if the man in the ward was actually Jesse. He


    resembled Jesse from that angle, and that was enough.


    Cordy yed along with Sean¡¯s n, and spoke with the fake Jesse in the ICU unit with a somber look.


    After half an hour, Sean and Cordy both stepped outside, while Jesse appeared tired and reclined on


    his bed, looking like he had fallen asleep again.


    Once Sean and Cordy were out, the other Cranstons quickly surrounded them.


    ¡°How¡¯s Dad doing? What did he tell you?¡± Paul asked eagerly.


    Sean kept a straight face as he said, ¡¯He¡¯s saying he still feels tired and refuses to meet more people.


    He told us to ry his word that he is coherent, and we don¡¯t have to worry about him or visit that often.


    Once he¡¯s better, he¡¯ll be back at Cranston Hall, so everyone should just go about their business for the


    time being.¡±


    ¡°I want to see him,¡± Paul said eagerly.


    ¡°Uncle Paul.¡¯ Sean stopped Paul. ¡°Grandfather made it very clear that he¡¯s now exhausted and doesn¡¯t


    want to see anyone. He needs the rest, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good if you rushed in right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my father! He just cheated death and regained consciousness, so why can¡¯t I visit him? I¡¯m his


    son, and I¡¯m not going to bother him. I just want a look at him.¡± Paul was a little agitated.


    ¡°It¡¯s what he asked, and I¡¯m just following his wishes. As for the why, I think you should ask him once


    he¡¯s discharged.¡¯


    ¡°Why do I have to wait? I¡¯m going in right now.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Paul¡­¡±


    ¡°Why do you insist on stopping me, Sean? Did you do something that must nevere to light?¡± Paul


    scoffed.


    Sean¡¯s tone turned dead serious. ¡°I¡¯ve been working for Grandfather for years, and I¡¯m the one who


    always handles his affairs. Are you doubting my character or Grandfather¡¯s judgment when you


    question me, Uncle Paul?¡±


    Paul was ever so slightly intimidated by Sean¡¯s presence, but he was ultimately Sean¡¯s elder and would


    never suffer his threat.


    ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about my own father, and none of your drivel matters. Make way¡ªI¡¯m seeing him


    right now, and I¡¯ll suffer the me if he gets upset. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re innocent.¡±


    With that, he started striding inside, and Sean stood in his way again.


    ¡°Sean,¡± he growled. ¡°Move, or don¡¯t me me for turning against my family.


    ¡°Uncle Paul, you can visit Grandfather anytime you want, but not now.

 Chapter 902

    Chapter 902


    Chapter 902


    Paul growled, ¡°What gives you the right-¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that Grandfather was poisoned, and that


    his condition was no ident?¡± Sean replied. ¡°He¡¯s very likely among us, which was why Grandfather


    also made it very clear he isn¡¯t seeing anyone before we find the culprit.¡±


    Paul was incensed. ¡°What, are you suspecting me now?!¡±


    ¡°I would never,¡± Sean replied reasonably. ¡°But if you have nothing to worry about, why incur


    Grandfather¡¯s wrath? It¡¯s not toote to see him once the truth is out.¡±


    Paul was still scowling, but after Sean had put it that way, he would be the one who had more to lose if


    he forced his way inside.


    It was obvious Jesse was refusing to see Paul and everyone else because he didn¡¯t trust them, and


    charging inside would only hurt Jesse¡¯s impression of Paul further.


    As such, Paul restrained himself and stayed silent.


    The rest of the family naturally had even less reason to speak up.


    Sean repeated, ¡°Grandfather just made it very clear that everyone should go about their business, and


    not to visit that often. He will return to Cranston Hall when he¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say anything else? You were in there for so long!¡± Patrick demanded, still a little dissatisfied.


    ¡°Those matters aren¡¯t for your ears.¡±


    ¡°Sean!¡± Paul was furious.


    They were simply humiliating themselves bying here when Jesse clearly trusted Sean more and


    told him everything, while the rest seemed to be of no concern to him.


    ¡°Grandfather has his misgivings, Uncle Paul. Please don¡¯t shoot the messenger.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s letting you take over family matters, is he?¡± Paul huffed, going straight to the point.


    ¡°No. He¡¯s still healthy enough to manage.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Paul snorted skeptically, and scoffed, ¡°Right, you¡¯re his eldest grandson and he personally


    raised you. It¡¯s only natural that he¡¯s ying favorites. Don¡¯t forget me when you do take over!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re overstating matters, Uncle Paul,¡± Sean answered, neutral and nonchnt as ever. ¡°Grandfather


    is still healthy not to retire, and don¡¯t worry-he¡¯d never y favorites.¡±


    ¡°Hah! You¡¯ve really inherited the way he speaks without letting on anything. Fine, I won¡¯t waste my


    breath-if he doesn¡¯t want us to bother him, we shall leave.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    And with that, Paul and his family quickly left.


    ¡°Sean, is Grandfather really alright?¡± Fred Cranston-Sean¡¯s younger brother -asked just then.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Sean nodded. ¡°He just needs to recuperate for a while, and he will be able to get discharged.¡±


    ¡°Is he too exhausted to see the others? Or maybe he doesn¡¯t trust us anymore?¡± Fred asked.


    ¡°Grandfather told me not to say, and I¡¯d plead the fifth anyway. He¡¯s fine now, and he did say everyone


    doesn¡¯t have toe by that often. Just


    head home for now,¡± Sean urged.


    Fred nodded, and stopped asking questions as he left the hospital with his parents.


    After they all left, Cordy asked, ¡°Will this do?¡±


    Sean nodded. ¡°This gambit is a psychological battle, anyway. If the culprit could stay calm until the end,


    no one would question anything if the culprit takes over.¡±


    Cordy was at a loss of words-so the Cranstons valued ability and cared not for character.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s stay inside the ward and wait for the enemy to make a move.¡± Sean beckoned at


    Cordy.


    Cordy gave Sean a look then, and admitted, ¡°I¡­I want to see John.¡±

 Chapter 903

    Chapter 903


    Chapter 903


    Sean stared at Cordy, who remained perfectlyposed as she said determinedly, ¡°I¡¯m not giving up.¡±


    Sean gave in. ¡°Do you want me toe along?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°You¡¯d just get in the way.¡±


    Sean scowled. ¡°What are you upto?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a quick change in attitude.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get off the reservation, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°What reservation? We already have a kid¡­ Fine.¡±


    Cordy had to agree immediately when she saw the scowl on Sean¡¯s face, but what was he getting


    upset about? It was not as if he was marrying her off¡­


    She then added, ¡°Keep Dickypany while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Neglecting your son, are you?¡± Sean growled in annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m all for Mommy¡¯s n,¡± Dicky chimed in.


    Cordy smiled, and wheeled herself out of the room.


    The moment she turned away, she no longer appeared as bright and cheery as she had been just now.


    After all, she had no idea how she should act around John, who now had another woman.


    She couldn¡¯t even imagine how she would react if Nana was getting intimate with John when she went


    looking for him¡­


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, she took a deep breath and told herself that John was amnesiac, and didn¡¯t remember


    her. Thus, he bore no responsibility for Cordy and could do anything he wanted.


    Moreover, Nana did save John.


    It took Cordy considerable effort to finally reach John¡¯s ward, but he wasn¡¯t in just as expected.


    Was he probably next door?


    Even so, Cordy went inside since she would never go looking for John in Nana¡¯s room. She absolutely


    didn¡¯t want to see Nana, and most importantly, Nana would do everything to keep John in her room.


    Cordy would lose more than what she could gain.


    Cordy could not help sighing-she never expected the day woulde when she had to steal a man


    from another woman.


    In fact, her principles forbade her from trying to woo a man, let alone steal him from someone else.


    It wasn¡¯t as if she was that reserved or ying hard-to-get-she just didn¡¯t hold that many expectations


    when ites to rtionships,rgely due to her own family history.


    And yet, she had fallen so far from grace that she was waiting for man toe to her after he was


    done keeping the other womanpany.


    Bored, Cordy whipped out her phone and browsed showbiz news as she sat on John¡¯s bed.


    She didn¡¯t really take notice of much else after her ident, the Cranstons¡¯ family affairs, and John.


    Now, she was quite interested in checking out what happened to Zoe¡­


    And she didn¡¯t even have to look, since Zoe was making headlines.


    [Zoe York retires following sh marriage to Jay Parker]


    [Jay Parker and Zoe York¡¯s three-year oldbor of love]


    [Jay Parker¡¯s gant defense of the missus]


    Cordy was certainlyughing in amusement at the ridiculous titles¡ª entertainment news did entertain,


    after all.


    Cordy simply picked one and tapped on it, which summarized Zoe and Jay¡¯s wedding and having a


    child together, and most of it was congrattory.


    Likewise, the topments beneath were doing the same.


    [Wishing Jay Parker and Zoe York the best! A match made in heaven!]


    [I¡¯m as surprised as I was delighted. No pairing deserves each other more in showbiz.]


    [Jay Parker could¡¯ve helped Zoe with backdoor means, but he pushed Zoe topete and proved


    herself? The love is there, but not much¡­]


    Despite the jokes, most of it was well-wishes.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help smiling.


    It was a serene, beautiful expression, and John happened to see that on her face when he returned.


    He stared, spacing out and silent though she was within grasp.

 Chapter 904

    Chapter 904


    Chapter 904


    In the end, Cordy had enough of reading the news and lowered her phone, only to find him standing by


    the door.


    John came to his senses at that very moment, his expression turning cold immediately.


    Cordy frowned, sensing that John was deliberately keeping her distance. However, she ignored that


    completely.


    She actually smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± John asked coolly.


    ¡°Do I need a reason toe to you?¡±


    John stared at her in return, but he was unable to tell her ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be seeing each other,¡± and


    decided against chasing her off even though he couldn¡¯t be at her side.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I thank you for saving me?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± John replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, and anyone would do the same given the


    situation.¡±


    ¡°But Nana just stood by and watched,¡± Cordy immediately deflected his argument.


    John stayed silent and didn¡¯t argue-perhaps he was unwilling to do so, since he would rather Cordy


    stay with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to ask how I¡¯m going to thank you?¡± Cordy asked him, so that the atmosphere


    between them didn¡¯t cool off.


    John yed along. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°Come here, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Cordy shed him a mysterious look.


    John was a little wary, but he walked up to her regardless.


    ¡°Drop to a couch. You¡¯re so tall, I¡¯d have to crane my neck so much I¡¯d be a giraffe to look at your


    face,¡± Cordyined.


    John was speechless¡ªbeing tall wasn¡¯t his fault.


    Nheless, heplied and dropped to a crouch, while still keeping a distance from Cordy.


    ¡°Is this fine¡ª¡±


    John had his hand over his lips before he finished, and Cordy¡¯s lips ended up pressing up against his


    palm.


    She thought the sneak attack would work, and the disappointment in his eyes was very visible.


    Her heart hurt from being rejected so frankly, even if she was mentally prepared for it.


    The air between them got awkward for quite a while until John stood up, taking a step back and


    maintaining a polite distance as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to hurt yourself like this.¡±


    Cordy shouldn¡¯t give up on her own principles, especially when she hated people who ruined


    rtionships and marriages for others.


    Her own mother and herself had been a victim to such people, yet she was doing the same for his


    sake.


    It hurt his heart to see this.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt me,¡± Cordy said bluntly. ¡°I used to think that there are plenty of fish in the sea, that I


    didn¡¯t have to get obsessed over one because I held no expectations for rtionships. In fact, that was


    why I could break up with Kyle so easily.¡±


    ¡°But John¡­no, Lucas,¡± she used his current name in fear that he would be repulsed. ¡±1 can admit I¡¯m


    obsessed with you. I know that you love me too, and you just feel responsible for Nana, which is why


    you¡¯re with her. But since we love each other, why can¡¯t we just be brave and go for it?!¡¯ John clenched


    his knuckles behind his back.

 Chapter 905

    Chapter 905


    Chapter 905


    John was certainly pushing the limit of his restraint.


    After all, the woman of his dreams was standing before him.


    He never expected that she would dere her love for him so openly, or go this far for him.


    There was a split second when he wanted to drop all pretenses and gather her firmly in his arms, never


    letting her go ever again.


    However, he had learnt his lesson-he refused to take risks after the mess with Jessica in the past, and


    he wouldn¡¯t joke around when Cordy and Dicky¡¯s lives were on the line.


    Nana would only be more radical than Jessica.


    As such, he ultimately chose indifference. ¡°Nana saved me. I can¡¯t abandon her.¡±


    Cordy felt her chest covered in pain.


    Her heart couldn¡¯t ept it, even if she knew that John was cold to her because he did not remember


    that past.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be happy if you keep holding on to what you owe her, instead of love,¡± she told him. ¡°The


    distance between you and her would only grow further, and staying with her would only hurt both of


    you.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t stay with her,¡± John made himself very clear.


    ¡°Are you that afraid of letting her die?¡± Cordy asked savagely.


    ¡°Like I said, she saved me.¡±


    Cordy scoffed. ¡°So you¡¯re going to forfeit your own life for her?¡±


    ¡°As I should.¡±


    ¡°What about me? So you¡¯re just going to disappoint me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± John apologized.


    He wanted to chase her off with just that.


    ¡°Lucas, do you know who you really are-¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know,¡± John said, cutting her short as ruthlessly as he could. ¡°For me, knowing more


    would only hurt me more. Say nothing if you want to live well.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes welled with tears right then.


    John¡¯s cold reaction pierced her heart deeply.


    Even so, John continued determinedly, ¡°I admit that I came to you first, and that I cheated on Nana. I


    even considered the idea to dump her and be with you. But now my mind¡¯s clear. Whether it¡¯s


    responsibility or love I feel towards Nana, I¡¯m choosing her with no uncertainty, and that¡¯s not going to


    change.¡±


    Ultimately, Cordy couldn¡¯t stop her tears from falling.


    She used to think courtship was easy, and even easier if it was John.


    As it turned out, courtship was painfully difficult.


    ¡°I can only apologize, Cordy,¡± John remained impassive, as if it didn¡¯t hurt him-there was not much


    emotion even as he said something so callous.


    ¡°If you know who you are, you¡¯d definitely regret it¡­¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I know nothing, and there¡¯s no reason to know,¡± John replied.¡± It does nothing aside from


    adding to my troubles. If you really love me and want the best for me, stop troubling me. Don¡¯t try to


    use your emotions to ckmail me, because it¡¯d just hurt me further.¡±


    Hurt him further?


    Loving him troubled him?


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend not to know each other,¡± John said.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯te to me ever again, Cordy.¡± John didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak at all.


    His cutthroat attitude made her fall apart.


    Cordy bit her lip¡ªshe had her dignity, and she couldn¡¯t prostrate herself endlessly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this, John Levine,¡± she said, and started to leave, wheeling herself out as fast as she


    could and suddenly knocking herself over.


    It would seem like the reason was because she was going too quickly¡­but she actually did it on


    purpose.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

 Chapter 906

    Chapter 906


    Chapter 906


    The reason Cordy deliberately tripped herself in John¡¯s ward was because she was convinced John


    wouldn¡¯t ignore her.


    Even John had to give it to her that she was getting despicable, ying dirty tricks on her way to


    winning in a rtionship.


    As such, when he was going to help her up by instinct, he abruptly withdrew his hand.


    Cordy simplyy pathetically on the floor, until she looked up to find the cold expression on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get a care worker if you can¡¯t get yourself up,¡± John said coolly.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you help me?¡± Cordy asked, withholding her pain.


    ¡°Social distancing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saving yourself for Nana?¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°I cheated in my mind before. Not doing that ever again.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡± Cordyughed with great irony and misery.


    The love of her life was distancing herself for the sake of another woman.


    She gritted her teeth and pushed herself up-no pretenses this time.


    However, she still looked aplete mess. Both her hands didn¡¯t have the strength to push herself up,


    and since her legs were fractured in the ident, she couldn¡¯t put too much strength into them.


    John continued to watch coldly.


    The stalematested for a while between them, until John obviously noticed that Cordy couldn¡¯t return


    to her wheelchair on her own. ¡°I¡¯ll get a care worker.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Cordy bellowed at him right then.


    As John turned to look at her flushed cheeks, she added determinedly, ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone!¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± John said,pletely unaffected as he strode past Cordy coldly.


    He had no interest in helping Cordy at all, who stared at him as he left without a care.


    How could he go this far?


    How could he not care about her at all?!


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    In fact, she thought that this John waspletely different from the John in the past; he was able to


    free himself from the shackles of sentiment so easily!


    Nheless, John had just reached the door when Patrick appeared andunched a punch at him


    right in the face.


    Pow!


    Cordy had no idea when Patrick arrived, but that punch certainly hurt.


    John was sent stumbling backwards, and would be floored if he didn¡¯t hit a wall first.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always respected you, but not today!¡± Patrick bellowed. ¡°You¡¯re a man, no matter what


    circumstances gue you! Doesn¡¯t your conscience hurt from hurting a woman, and one who loves


    you so much at that?!¡±


    Patrick seemed to get more furious after he ran, and punched at John¡¯s face again.


    John tried to evade a little, but failed.


    However, he started to fight back at the next instant, catching Patrick off guard and punching thetter


    on the face in return.


    The pain incensed Patrick, who charged towards John in retaliation; soon, a rough scuffle ensued.

 Chapter 907

    Chapter 907


    Chapter 907


    Cordy was stunned, but she couldn¡¯t stop the fight when she was lying on the floor.


    And the fight was a brutal one, with Patrick punching John repeatedly as if he had lost his mind.


    John was still injured, and clearly couldn¡¯t withstand Patrick¡¯s assault.


    ¡°Patrick, stop! Stop hitting him!¡± Cordy called out anxiously.


    However, Patrick was too furious to listen, and kept punching John in the face.


    That was the face that bewitched Cordy, was it?! Then he would break it!


    John could sense Patrick¡¯s ring madness.


    He had been holding back earlier, since what he was doing now deserved that much¡­but his temper


    red as well while Patrick kept hitting him.


    He began to punch back at Patrick viciously, putting in more strength with the next punch.


    Patrick was naturally incensed by the retaliation, and they continued their scuffle.


    Beside them, Cordy was absolutely flustered. However, they ignored her even though she shouted


    herself hoarse.


    Feeling that someone would get killed, Cordy finally remembered her phone, and quickly called Sean.


    Sean arrived with Dicky in a couple of minutes, and immediately pulled Patrick away from John. ¡°Stop!¡¯


    Patrick couldn¡¯t stop at all, and shoved Sean away to keep hitting John.


    John wasn¡¯t afraid either, and continued wrestling against Patrick.


    Patrick swung another punch at John when Sean quickly stepped between them; Patrick saw it, but it


    was toote to stop-he punched Sean squarely in the face.


    Sean immediately bled from both nostrils, leaving Patrick stunned.


    John had been defending himself in the first ce, and stopped since Patrick paused.


    ¡°Had enough?¡± Sean asked Patrick coldly, not bothered to wipe away his blood.


    Patrick pursed his lips-both him and John were outrageously bruised and battered on the face.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Had enough?!¡± Sean repeated, more sternly this time since he wasn¡¯t getting an answer from Patrick.


    ¡°No,¡± Patrick growled, a little indignant from Sean¡¯s yelling.


    This wasn¡¯t his fault-would he havee to blows if John wasn¡¯t hurting Cordy?


    ¡°Then hit my face,¡¯ Sean spat back icily.


    Already a little guilty from punching Sean, Patrick¡¯s eyes widened at that.¡±¡® Why would I do that? You


    didn¡¯t do anything to me.¡±


    ¡°Do adults resolve everything with violence?¡±


    ¡°Fine, whatever,¡± Patrick growled impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t reason with me, either.


    I refuse to listen.¡±


    Wheeling on John then, he snapped, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡±


    And with that, he entered the ward, finally remembering to pick Cordy off the floor.


    John watched as Patrick carefully carried Cordy up to her wheelchair, pursing his lips as he watched


    them leave.


    Only Dicky turned to nce at John as the others left, with a clear look of worry in the boy¡¯s eyes.


    John was going to smile and tell him that it was fine, but his lips stung when he tried to move it.

 Chapter 908

    Chapter 908


    Chapter 908


    John touched his ridiculously swollen lip-Patrick was really trying to kill him just now.


    He blinked and turned to nce at his ward, but not at the hidden camera.


    He only noticed it just now, and understood that Nana was now watching everything he did.


    John couldn¡¯t help clenching his fist to restrain himself.


    In the next room, Nana was calmly watching the feed from the hidden camera through her phone.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    She saw John being cold towards Cordy, and how he didn¡¯t help Cordy even though she was on the


    floor.


    It certainly felt cathartic-she knew no one could ever take anything she wanted from her.


    Cordy never amounted to anything, after all!


    Tapping out of the app on her phone, Nana then sent a text: [Don¡¯t make a move on Cordy yet. Wait for


    my orders.]


    [Yes, Miss Lynd.]


    Nana sneered-she had no reason to take any risks now that John recognized the reality..


    In fact, she would actually enjoy Cordy being forced to watch her and John being happy while suffering


    from her unrequited love, i


    The world had been unfair to her since she was a child, which was why she loathed everything and


    despised seeing people doing well.


    As Cordy and the others returned to her ward, they called in a doctor to tend to Patrick, since his face


    was distinctly swollen.


    ¡°Ow!¡± he yelped loudly, a clear contrast from the man who fought so violently without a regard for his


    own life.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing my best to make it hurt less, Mr. Stuart,¡± the doctor said, afraid to touch Patrick again since


    he kept yelping each time he touched his face.


    ¡°Why does it hurt so much if you were? Whatever, forget it. I¡¯ll do it myself,¡± Patrick snapped, as if the


    pain was really unbearable.


    ¡°You need to disinfect and apply anti-inmmatories on the cuts on your face, Mr. Stuart,¡± the doctor


    exined. ¡°You wont recover for a while if you don¡¯t, and you might even get infected¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Sean suddenly said. 1


    The doctor did a double take just then, but Sean simply asked, ¡°I just have to apply these on the cuts


    right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Sean picked up the cotton bud and brushed it at Patrick¡¯s face.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Patrick was startled¡ªSean had even less control of his strength.


    ¡°Say another word, and I¡¯ll shove it harder,¡± Sean threatened.


    ¡°Look, just wait-argh!¡± Patrick shrieked as Sean shoved the cotton bud squarely on one of the cuts on


    his face, and shot thetter a vicious re.¡± What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°I told you. Be a good boy, or I won¡¯t hold back.¡±


    ¡°Look, just wait¡­¡±


    Sean refused to listen to him, and continued to apply medicine to Patrick¡¯s face, though he was much


    gentler this time.


    It still hurt, but Patrick didn¡¯t make a ruckus after he learned his lesson.


    Cordy stayed beside them, watching and wondering if she was imagining it; Sean seemed much nicer


    to Patrick now.


    There was actual concern in his eyes despite his usual sharp banter.


    Still, Cordy quickly turned away.


    She wasn¡¯t about to let her fantasies lead her astray-Sean was definitely straight as an arrow.


    He must be taking care of Patrick for her sake, no?


    After all, Patrick was clearly a better option in contrast to how John was behaving these days.


    And Sean did say that he wanted Patrick and her to get together.

 Chapter 909

    Chapter 909


    Chapter 909


    Sean carefully applied the medicine to Patrick¡¯s face for a while, and the doctor breathed a sigh of relief


    when Sean was finished.


    However, just as the doctor was about to pack his medical briefcase and leave, Patrick stopped him.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Were you hurt elsewhere?¡± The doctor asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Patrick was suddenly grinning evilly. ¡°Sean¡¯s nose is swollen. I can help him with it too.¡±


    As Sean stared at him, he shrugged. ¡°Just returning a favor.¡±


    With that, he took out the disinfectant and the antiinmmatory medicine from the doctor¡¯s briefcase


    and started to shove it up Sean¡¯s nose.


    It stung Sean, but he gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t make a sound, knowing that Patrick was just getting


    back at him.


    Patrick frowned.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    He wasn¡¯t being gentle at all, but Sean wasn¡¯t fighting back?


    As such, he went even harder, and Sean¡¯s nose reddened further when it wasn¡¯t before.


    However, Sean never once made a sound; Patrick actually wondered if the former had issues with his


    senses. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid, unlike you.¡±


    Patrick scowled, speechless.


    ¡°Are you done?¡± Sean asked him.


    Patrick said nothing, so Sean turned towards the doctor. ¡°You may go now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The doctor quickly packed up and left; he wondered if Patrick really didn¡¯t hurt Sean, since it already


    hurt to look.


    ¡°Go to my room, Patrick. I need to talk to Cordy alone,¡± Sean told Patrick.


    ¡°What can¡¯t I know? We¡¯re going to be family eventually, since I¡¯m marrying Cordy soon enough,¡±


    Patrick snapped, a little ufortable about being suddenly left out.


    ¡°Then we shall wait until eventuallyes.¡±


    ¡°Are you belittling me?¡± Patrick was a little frustrated. ¡°You think I can¡¯t win her heart?¡±


    ¡°I never said anything.


    ¡°F*ck,¡± Patrick cursed-Sean may well have said yes.


    Still, he left since there was no arguing that point.


    After all, he kept running into roadblocks on the way to Cordy¡¯s heart.


    After Patrick left, Cordy asked bluntly, ¡°You¡¯re letting him rest, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    There was a sh of surprise in Sean¡¯s eyes as he turned towards her, as he was surprised that Cordy


    saw through him immediately.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t surprising Cordy could guess it, since Sean never went out of his way to hide anything


    from Patrick before.

 Chapter 910

    Chapter 910


    Chapter 910


    Nheless, Sean quickly changed the subject. ¡°What happened between you and John? Why did


    Patricke to blows with him?¡±


    The mention of John made Cordy¡¯s gaze turn dull immediately.


    It was much more difficult to get John back as she thought.


    She thought that if she was willing to stand alongside John and face everything with him, John would


    willingly do so.


    In the end, she overestimated herself¡­or perhaps she underestimated Nana.


    ¡°John was determined to reject me.¡± Cordy did not hide that from Sean.


    ¡°So, Patrick fought him.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in your mind?¡±


    Cordy looked Sean in the eye and said, ¡°I¡¯m not giving up just yet.¡±


    Sean frowned, clearly upset by her response.


    Cordy understood that Sean didn¡¯t want her to suffer because of John, and yet¡­


    ¡°I think there¡¯s something he can¡¯t tell us about,¡± Cordy said, voicing her suspicions.


    She wasn¡¯t thinking much since she was hurting from John¡¯s rejection earlier, but now that she had


    calmed down, she noticed too many inconsistencies.


    John¡¯s reaction to her presence changed too quickly-to be precise, when he returned to his ward.


    When John arrived outside his own ward, he didn¡¯t appear particrly distant towards her, but was


    suddenly very much so when he stepped inside.


    ¡°What exactly can¡¯t he tell us? He loves you, but he has to take responsibility for Nana¡ªthat¡¯s all,¡±


    Sean scoffed derisively. ¡°That man is so indecisive, so different from the John I met. To be honest, the


    first time he came to meet me to build an alliance, he worked quickly and decisively. He was very


    different from the John we¡¯re seeing now¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m suspecting if he¡¯s hiding something from me,¡± Cordy said, determined.


    ¡°Cordy, people change-and in John¡¯s case, he lost his memories. Don¡¯t hold out too much hope for


    him,¡± Sean reasoned. ¡°Also, I¡¯m convinced it¡¯s better for you to give up on John. Patrick is really a good


    man.¡±


    Sean truly didn¡¯t want Cordy to get involved with Lynds. The Cranstons may be the most powerful


    family, but the Lynds¡¯ influence in the capital wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. Most importantly, Jesse


    Crantson was still unconscious. The only reason Jesse could strut was because he was the eldest


    amongst both families.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Still, even he didn¡¯t have the ability to keep Cordy unscathed.


    ¡°Patrick¡¯s a good man. You can have him,¡± Cordy blurted.


    Sean stared at her, speechless.


    Cordy simply smiled. ¡°I just suddenly thought you two are a better match. I¡¯m joking, of course-Patrick¡¯s


    preferences are a mystery, but yours aren¡¯t. Even if your marriage was political, you wouldn¡¯t be


    bewitched by a man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just rmending him, and you have my support even if you reject him,¡± Sean said. ¡°Just prepare


    yourself mentally. Like I said, Nana¡¯s no pushover, and the Lynds even more so.¡±


    Even so, Cordy remained determined. ¡°I used to hate getting into trouble and wanted to keep myself


    isted, just to live my life in peace. That¡¯s why I rejected John so many times-because his life is too


    complicated, and I¡¯d get involved with the Stuarts. But now, I¡¯m willing to go through hell and high water


    to get him back.¡±


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve made up your mind, so I won¡¯t say anything else. Just remember that I¡¯m always on


    your side, no matter how things turn out.¡±


    Cordy sighed emotionally despite Sean¡¯s promise. ¡°I used to hate the Cranstons. I don¡¯t know what


    happened between the family and my mother, only that she suffered a lot because of my father after


    she left the family. That¡¯s why I¡¯m distant even if the family treats me well now. But I think I¡¯ve changed


    my mind now because of you.¡±


    Sean chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m honored.¡±


    ¡°No, the honor is all mine,¡± Cordy corrected him. ¡°I used to be skeptical towards familial rtionships,


    even holding no expectations for it. You allowed me to cherish my family again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great that you¡¯ve sincerely epted us,¡± Sean said, giving her a tender pat on the head. ¡°Just


    don¡¯t hurt yourself over anything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°And like I said before, stay healthy. That¡¯s most important.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± Cordy said, and nced at his nose. ¡°It¡¯s hrious.¡±


    Sean rubbed his own nose when she said that, the emotions on his face inscrutable.

 Chapter 911

    Chapter 911


    Chapter 911


    Over at North City, Zoe won thest round, winning first ce with an overwhelming majority of votes.


    It was deserved, as her acting skills were acknowledged by everyone from the judges to the audience.


    The producers even organized an after-party following the conclusion, since Actors on Set had been


    topping viewership once it gained traction, and the numbers only shot through the roof after Zoe¡¯s


    secret marriage with Jay was exposed. No variety show hit such viewership rate and search hits in the


    last three years, and the producers were certainly making bank.


    As Zoe headed to the backstage to take off her makeup, a staff member eagerly approached her. ¡°Zoe,


    is Mr. Parker going to attend the after-party?¡±


    Zoe did a double take. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He was a judge before.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Well, I don¡¯t know-l didn¡¯t ask if he received an invite.¡±


    ¡°Well, the producers did ask him, but he said he won¡¯t being since he has to take care of your


    daughter.¡± The staff member went straight to the point right then. ¡°They were hoping you¡¯d ask him, so


    as to thank him for his presence as a guest in the previous episodes.¡±


    Zoe refused regardless. ¡°He must have his reasons for saying no. I can¡¯t exactly push him.¡±


    Moreover, she had no guarantees that she could get Jay toe, and she would be embarrassed if


    she could not.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± The staff member appeared disappointed but had no choice but to give up.


    ¡°Next time, maybe,¡± Zoe said simply and cleaned her makeup before heading to her MPV with her


    assistant.


    Naturally, Jay arranged the vehicle for her.


    She refused, but Jay said that she should keep up appearances since they were married, or the media


    would write about it.


    She had no choice but to agree, and she intended to pay for it once she had enough money.


    When the MPV arrived at the luxury clubhouse, Zoe entered to find most of the actors and staff


    members had already arrived.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Dan Kendrick, the head producer eagerly greeted her while dramatically checking behind her


    and teased, ¡°You¡¯re alone?¡±


    ¡°Jay¡¯s staying home to take care of the kid,¡± Zoe replied.


    It was showbiz-it paid to be great at socializing, and she was simply using the convenient excuse Jay


    came up with.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a ve driver,¡± Dan joked. ¡°He said no even though I called him personally.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have him buy you dinner personally next time.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°You¡¯re joining, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Zoe smiled.


    ¡°Over here. Quick, sit,¡± he beckoned.


    Showbiz was certainly materialistic¡ªshe was thrown into a quiet corner when she was a nobody, but


    now she was at the main seat now that her fortune had changed.


    It was only after she sat that she noticed that Cora was there as well.


    Their eyes met, but neither greeted the other.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Candice greeted her then, since the top three winners were sharing the table and Candice took


    third ce.


    ¡°Such a shame Mr. Parker couldn¡¯t make it,¡± Candice added earnestly. ¡°I would have liked to thank him-


    my acting wouldn¡¯t have improved so much without him.¡±

 Chapter 912

    Chapter 912


    Chapter 912


    Candice also felt lucky that she had never upset Zoe throughout the course of Actors on Set.


    It was true what they say, about not belittling anyone else in showbiz since they might be some bigwig


    in disguise.


    Arthur Rubio-the director-was not that lucky .


    It was awkward even as he remembered how he tried to get Zoe on the casting couch.


    He would have liked to apologize properly to Jay on this asion, but the man did not want to show


    up!


    And thus, that little incident would always remain stuck in his mind, which was very much a punishment


    of its own.


    The atmosphere at the after-party was certainly lively, as everyone was drinking eagerly.


    After all, it was a rare asion for every participant to gather no matter their final ranks.


    And as they drank buckets after buckets, even Zoe was starting to be overwhelmed despite being such


    a good drinker.


    Still, there were many who came to toast her, and she never refused anyone.


    Who was she kidding-these were all precious contacts and connections for her, whom she would bank


    on to develop her showbiz career once she divorced Jay.


    She absolutely could not afford to provoke anyone, but she kept drinking until she felt something in her


    stomach.


    She excused herself to the washroom for a breather, though she found Cora when she stepped inside.


    They held each other gazes for a moment, and Cora spoke first with an edge of irony. ¡¯I¡¯m surprised


    you really hooked up with Uncle Jay. I never would¡¯ve dreamt that you two were actually involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between me and Jay. What does that have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my uncle.¡±


    Zoe snorted. ¡°He¡¯s adopted.¡±


    ¡°How would you know that he¡¯s not blood rted to us?¡¯


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve returned to the Levine family for years, and you still have no idea who Jay is?¡±


    Cora stopped herself from saying what was on her mind right then.


    No. She refused to tell Zoe that Jay was n Levine¡¯s biological son.


    What if Zoe used that to demand a cut of the Levine family fortune?!


    Jay was certainly detached and had no need for money, but Zoe was more banal. After getting used to


    living like a princess with the Levines, she would definitely want more from them.


    ¡°You¡¯re so despicable.¡± Cora could not help blurting her indignation just then. ¡°Just because you¡¯re not


    family, you think you can seduce my uncle and get a cut from the family wealth, don¡¯t you?!¡±


    Zoe simply returned Cora¡¯s gaze with apathy while staying nonchnt¡ªshe knew all too well how


    hostile Nancy and Cora were toward her.


    ¡°If you say so.¡± Zoe shrugged-Cora would never believe anything she said, and upsetting Cora might


    actually feel cathartic.


    ¡°How could you do this?!¡± Cora became flushed right then. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s fair to Uncle Jay?!


    You¡¯re ying with his feelings for money!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Isn¡¯t this a normal tit-for-tat rtionship? He wants my body, and I want


    his money. That¡¯s perfectly fair.¡±


    Cora was actually stunned that Zoe was being that blunt. ¡°You¡¯re heinous!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still between me and Jay, so I¡¯d advise you and your mother not to meddle. I¡¯m sure you also


    know how much help Jay gave to boost your showbiz career, so I wonder¡­ would he side with me or


    with you if you tried to mess with me?!¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?!¡± Cora¡¯s voice turned shrill right then.

 Chapter 913

    Chapter 913


    Chapter 913


    Be that as it may, Cora was only overreacting because Zoe touched a nerve.


    Jay had basically paved Cora¡¯s path to stardom, and without him, she would not enjoy the sess she


    had now.


    It was why she found it uneptable that Jay was with Zoe now-what if Jay suddenly changed sides


    and helped Zoe instead?


    Cora knew all too well about Zoe¡¯s strength in showbiz before. If she even had the slightest backing,


    her career would develop with leaps and bounds, most likely knocking Cora off her perch¡­


    Cora certainly could not ept being surpassed by Zoe!


    She had to admit that she had been constantlyparing herself to Zoe ever so quietly, even in the


    years Zoe left showbiz. She would alwayspare her own numbers to Zoe¡¯s in almost every aspect:


    Twitter followers, peak viewership numbers in TV shows, box office, nominations and awards-even


    commercials.


    And just as she was about to surpass those numbers, Zoe had to make aeback!


    It was absolutely uneptable if Zoe surpassed her-she took away everything that was rightfully hers


    as a child, so why would she allow Zoe to get off easy?!


    Nheless, Zoe simply shed a faint smile as she watched Cora fume.¡± It¡¯s both a reminder and a


    threat.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Jay can judge things better than you think, Zoe York-¡®¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Zoe said evenly, cutting Cora short right then as she waspletely reluctant to


    waste time on her. ¡°Jay and I are married, and you should be greeting me as Aunt Zoe ording to our


    seniority. Don¡¯t leave your manners in Levine Manor now.¡±


    And with those words, she strode off, leaving Cora seething in her wake.


    Zoe actually used her seniority against Cora?


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Who did she think she was?!


    Cora would die before greeting Zoe as Aunt Zoe, nor would she acknowledge Zoe¡¯s marriage with Jay!


    As Zoe returned to her seat, more well-wishers came to offer toasts before she actually sat down.


    ¡°Zoe, you really hide your rtionship with Mr. Parker well¡­¡± ire Walker blurted, the alcohol


    loosening her lips just then. ¡°I mean, what would¡¯ve happened if we badmouthed him around you?¡±


    ¡°What could happen anyway?¡± Zoeughed. ¡°I¡¯d badmouth him too.¡±


    ¡°Goodness, Zoe. You¡¯d make the man cry.¡±


    Zoe did not agree, since she believed that Jay would never care.


    ¡°Anyway, allow me to offer you a toast. Please be understanding if I upset you or Mr. Parker in any way


    before,¡± ire said and chugged her drink.


    Zoe happily epted ire¡¯s toast, though as she kept drinking with more others, she really reached


    her limit.


    Thankfully, Dan got drunk too, and once he left, the party was basically over.


    Zoe started to head out of the clubhouse toward her MPV, only to find Jay leaning on his cane and


    waiting for her by the entrance.


    Everyone was joking around again once he showed up.


    ¡°Came to take Zoe home, Mr. Parker?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to babysit, Mr. Parker? Did youe because you¡¯re too worried about Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re here now, Mr. Parker. How about we go for round two?¡±


    Everyone was trying to get a word in, whereas Zoe was sobered up halfway when she saw Jay despite


    being drunk earlier.

 Chapter 914

    Chapter 914


    Chapter 914


    Everyone¡¯s jokes only made Zoe very awkward.


    She was certainly confused with what Jay was doing, running around thiste at night especially with


    hisme foot!


    ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t join the party since I was a little busy. I¡¯ll make it up to everyone next time.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°The little one keeps clinging to you, is it?¡± one of the thespians teased.


    ¡°Well, I just managed to coax her to sleep,¡± Jay replied-Yelena had certainly been clingy ever since


    they moved in together, and he basically could not leave the house once he reached home.


    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t wait to get Zoe once you did, huh?¡± someone added.


    Jay admitted to it openly too. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m worried she drank too much and was lucky to make it in time.


    Well, it is quitete, so I¡¯m taking Zoe home for now. Let¡¯s have a gathering when we can.¡±


    ¡°Bye, Mr. Parker!¡±


    ¡°Bye, Zoe!¡±


    As Zoe followed Jay to the MPV, Jay took her hand-she could not refuse with so many others watching,


    and they locked fingers while they walked and everyone watched.


    Naturally, she let go once in the MPV and said bluntly, ¡°You didn¡¯t have toe thiste.¡±


    ¡°People would be concerned that our marriage is troubled if I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t.¡± Zoe was certainly skeptical.


    ¡°The tabloids woulde up with anything for clicks,¡± Jay told her.


    She did not want to argue at that point and said, ¡°Anyway, you don¡¯t have toe out to get me from


    now on. Don¡¯t you know that the more we hype up our marriage, the worse the criticism would be when


    we break up? Let¡¯s just stay distant so that no one would find it questionable even when we split up.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Jay said nothing in response.


    That was how he behaved whenever he got upset, even if his displeasure never registered on his face.


    Zoe did not offer any kind words, however, since she was just speaking the truth.


    She had no problems if he wanted to build up his image as a nice guy, since it was showbiz and


    everyone should package themselves with a nice front to sell well.


    She just did not want more issues in the future, since the more they bound themselves to each other,


    the harder it would be for them to be parted.


    The car suddenly turned silent, and the atmosphere was a little depressing too.


    Still, things were not that rxed when Zoe had to be alone with Jay-it was not easy to shake off the


    awkwardness of being familiar but also unfamiliar at once.


    Suddenly, Zoe¡¯s phone started ringing.


    Seeing a number she did not recognize, she wondered who would be calling thiste even as she


    politely answered, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Ms. York. I¡¯m Ruby Jones, the producer of Journey of Love. I was wondering if your schedule is


    clear for you to take part in the second season of our program with Mr. Parker?¡±


    Zoe had certainly heard of Journey of Love, since it was a tour variety show involving star celebrity


    couples. The first season had hit several milestones in variety show viewership, and audiences had an


    even higher expectation for the second season, so it was already trending and talked about frequently


    online.


    Naturally, exposure on such a program would naturally boost one¡¯s ratings as well.


    However, Zoe sighed feebly. ¡°I¡¯ve been receiving many endorsement deals recently, so I don¡¯t think I


    can take part with my schedule.¡±


    ¡°When would your schedule be clear? We can adjust the filming schedule ordingly.¡± Ruby was


    certainly sincere.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that, but if I recall, Jay has uing projects-¡°


    ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve already liaised with Mr. Parker, and he told us there was no issue. We just need to go


    along with your schedule,¡± Ruby said bluntly.

 Chapter 915

    Chapter 915


    Chapter 915


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Zoe turned toward Jay,pletely surprised that he would agree to taking part in Journey of Love.


    While he had the excuse of picking actors for his films in Actors on Set, it was simply confusing why he


    would take part in Journey of Love at all.


    Maybe he was nning to throw her to the wolves, like she nned to do to him?


    Zoe certainly would not upset a producer like Ruby, however, since she wanted to be friends with


    everyone. She had therefore wanted to paint Jay as the viin in this respect, especially since she


    nned to develop her career on her own following their inevitable divorce anyway.


    But it had to be Jay who made the first move-there was just no beating his cunning!


    ¡°Since that¡¯s alright with you, Ms. Jones, I¡¯ll visit tomorrow to discuss your contract,¡± Ruby said eagerly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s veryte, so I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. See you, bye.¡±


    Ruby hung up before Zoe had a chance to refuse.


    Zoe put away her phone and turned toward Jay, who sensed her stare and turned toward her.


    ¡°Ruby Jones called you earlier?¡± she asked.


    ¡°She did,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reject her?¡± Zoe snapped, a little angry just then. ¡°You hate variety shows, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d want to take part.¡±


    ¡°Why would I?! Like I hadn¡¯t dug myself a deep enough grave?! I would have epted any other


    offers!¡± Zoe huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°I just thought you¡¯d like to have more time on screen,¡± Jay exined.


    Zoe naturally doubted that, convinced that he had every attention to get her med.


    ¡°Also, it would pay well,¡± Jay added.


    ¡°How much?¡± Zoe asked, suddenly excitedly.


    Jay simply shed a faint smile, while Zoe was left with feeling that he was just messing with her,


    knowing that she really wanted the money. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, forget it-¡¯


    ¡°This much.¡± Jay put up his fingers.


    ¡°Eight figures?!¡± Zoe eximed in shock-she certainly was not worth that much at the moment!


    ¡°As a couple,¡± Jay added.


    Zoe bit her lip right then-she knew she was not worth that much, but Jay was.


    Even if he was a film director, everything from his good looks and talent made him stand above the


    crowd, so he sold well in showbiz.


    ¡°So that means the pay would be 50-50,¡± Jay continued, as if in a monologue.


    50-50?!


    Zoe¡¯s eyes were sparkling. That was still a lot!


    It was certainly a killer deal, and Zoe was raring to go!


    However, considering that she had to be lovey-dovey with Jay and y up their disguise as a model


    couple, she was left worrying about the inevitable bacsh of their divorce.


    Zoe was left in a dilemma.


    On one hand, the money was really too tempting, and she would not deny her obsession with mary


    rewards these days.


    But if she did ept the deal, she would find herself¡­ fake.


    It was so hard to decide, and she was so preupied she never noticed the man beside her smiling


    smugly.


    The next day, Ruby arrived at their home as agreed while Zoe was still hungover!

 Chapter 916

    Chapter 916


    Chapter 916


    Ruby naturally brought the contract, though Jay did not even read a single page before pushing it to


    Zoe. ¡°Your call.¡±


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    Zoe was left gritting her teeth-it was such a cheap move on his part!


    To anyone else, this would look as if he respected her, even spoiled her.


    But he was obviously trying to paint her as the viin!


    Still, Zoe restrained herself and opened the contract, reading every use carefully¡­ until her eyes


    sparkled when she reached the part of mary rewards.


    It really was eight figures¡­ she was going to be rich overnight even if she had to split it with Jay!


    And she was unaffiliated, so she did not have to pay anyone aside from the tax people, and she would


    still keep a lot.


    She would be able to afford a house immediately!


    And with her interested, there was just no way she would say no.


    ¡°What do you think, Ms. York?¡¯ Ruby asked politely. ¡°We can amend any uses you find


    inappropriate. Mywyer is waiting downstairs.¡±


    Ruby was certainly sincere about this, and Zoe would be tactless if she said no at this point.


    And she was never going to reject it when they paid her so much!


    ¡°I think it¡¯s fine. Why don¡¯t you take a look, Jay?¡± Zay said, holding the contract out at him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t need to. I trust you.¡± Jay smiled.


    Zoe did a double take.


    Did he really? Did he not care that he was going to act lovey-dovey with her on screen?!


    Maybe he needed the money too?


    Probably not-every film project he directed in recent years were box office hits, and he was also an


    investor.


    Who knew how much money he hoarded in that time, so why would he care about spare change like


    this?!


    ¡°In that case, you may sign the contract,¡± Ruby said eagerly.


    Zoe was still a little hesitant when Jay signed it right then.


    As such, she had to grit her teeth and sign it too-they were not getting a divorce so soon anyway, and it


    would be a death sentence if she filed for one right now.


    Since that was not an option, why not make a fortune instead?


    However, Ruby heaved a clear sigh of relief after Zoe signed it, and she said, ¡°We will start shooting


    the day after tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So soon?!¡± Zoe eximed in surprise.


    Did they not need at least months to prepare?!


    ¡°Well, you and Mr. Parker are thest guests to confirm, while the others have done it months ago.


    Every other arrangement is also in ce, so with this contact, we can start shooting.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Zoe nodded, but she really was not prepared mentally to get lovey- dovey with Jay in front of the


    whole nation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. York,¡± Ruby said then. ¡°Our program format is rxed and unscripted-we¡¯ll just be


    filming your daily lives, so no pressure or nerves.


    The audience would love to see what you¡¯re like as a couple in private.¡±


    Zoe wasughing inwardly since that might not be the case.


    ¡°Well, I shan¡¯t impose. Everything from the filming schedules to the itinerary is in this document, so


    please take a look when you¡¯re free. You may inform the production team if you find anything


    unreasonable, or if you have any special requests. Please don¡¯t feel shy,¡± Ruby added warmly.


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Zoe said politely.


    ¡°It¡¯s what we should do, and I¡¯m sure we¡¯d be thanking you when the timees. I¡¯m sure that your


    participation would bring our program to new heights.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Zoe did not get too cagey either, since being overly humble was no


    different from arrogance.


    Still, after Ruby left, Zoe could not help telling Jay, ¡°I must put it out there since you¡¯re willing to take


    part-you¡¯d better prepare yourself, as we¡¯re definitely going to get intimate.¡±

 Chapter 917

    Chapter 917


    Chapter 917


    Jay nodded, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zoe in turn feigned nonchnce, since she was not the one losing out in their ¡®marriage¡¯ anyway.


    ¡°Have you read the program schedule?¡± Jay suddenly reminded her.


    ¡°What schedule. This one?¡± Zoe nced at the document in front of her- she was too preupied with


    the contract to check the specifics of the schedule.


    ¡°Take a look,¡± Jay said.


    Zoe picked it up and read it seriously, but the program scheduling was still reasonable. Unlike other


    reality shows, there were no tasks or missions involved, and no survival skills needed-it was nothing


    more than a trip for couples, a rtively conscientious variety show in that sense.


    As such, Zoe was not at all affected when she was done reading.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Jay asked her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Zoe asked, perplexed.


    Jay said begrudgingly, ¡°Filming starts the day after tomorrow. They¡¯ll be bringing cameras when they


    come to interview us.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Zoe was still mystified-they coulde all they wanted. Was there anything unpresentable when


    his apartment is this grand?!


    ¡°We sleep separately.¡±


    Zoe was speechless as she came to her senses, and she quickly eximed in the next instant, ¡°What,


    are they going to film us sleeping?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t, but they¡¯ll film our Iifestyle ¡ªI¡¯m not worried that they would notice anything, butizens


    are sharper these days than we give them credit for. Moreover, our wedding was announced out of the


    blue, so they would pay more attention to the details, and they could well notice something.¡±


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Zoe frowned, her expression turning somber.


    After a while, she asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°I respect anything you decide, of course,¡± Jay replied withposure.


    Zoe cursed him for being hypocritical in her head.


    He must have mentioned the schedule on purpose, obviously to mention that they should sleep


    together, and he was now saying he respected her decision?!


    So he was going to be both the viin and angel now, was he?!


    As such, she steeled herself and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we can share the same room for the time


    being.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Jay quickly replied.


    ¡°Then I am going to move my things inter and get familiar with your room so that I won¡¯t let anything


    slip,¡± Zoe suggested.


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°No, I can do it myself.¡± Zoe refused. ¡°Just keep Yelenapany if you¡¯re idle. She likes you a lot.¡±


    Zoe was nning to take Yelena with her in the divorce anyway, and she was convinced Jay would not


    fight for custody.


    That was why she could afford to let him spend more time with Yelena while they were together.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Jay nodded.


    He was perfectly aware that Zoe was swift and decisive-once she decided on something, she would get


    to work right away.


    With that, she began packing her things and moved everything inside Jay¡¯s room, while Jay yed with


    some toy blocks with Yelena on the floor.


    ra was cooking in the kitchen, and she was smiling happily when she saw what Zoe did.


    Yelena noticed it too and asked in curiosity, ¡°Mommy, why are you moving your things into Daddy¡¯s


    room?¡±


    ¡°Mommy will be staying with Daddy for a while,¡± Zoe replied while panting.


    ¡°But if you sleep with Daddy, then what about me?¡± Yelena¡¯s little face turned grumpy right then.

 Chapter 918

    Chapter 918


    Chapter 918


    Yelena had been sleeping together with her daddy every night since they moved in.


    But if her mommy slept with her daddy, where was she supposed to sleep?


    She loved her mommy, but she did not want her mommy to steal her daddy.


    ¡°You¡¯re old enough to sleep alone,¡± Zoe replied in annoyance-since when did Yelena be so reliant


    on Jay?


    Jay had just spent days with Yelena, and she was totally on his side already.


    ¡°But you¡¯re older than me, Mommy. You should sleep alone more than I do, ¡± Yelena argued with


    righteous indignation.


    Zoe was actually speechless, while Jay chuckled subtly nearby, having zero intentions to defend Zoe.


    It was ra who quickly told Yelena, ¡°How could you argue with your mommy about rooms, Yelena?


    You can sleep with me if you want. It¡¯s been a while since we slept together, and I¡¯m beginning to miss


    you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Yelena was left in a dilemma. ¡°I really like sleeping with Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Then what about me?¡± ra pressed, though it was just teasing at that point. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you


    wanted to stay with me forever?¡±


    Yelena bit her lip, but after some thought, she said, ¡°Can I sleep with Daddy tonight? I¡¯ll sleep with you


    tomorrow night, Grandma.¡±


    ¡°Yelena, you used to tell me that you want a baby brother like Hayden, didn¡¯t you?¡± ra suddenly


    asked.


    Hayden was one of Yelena¡¯s ssmates and she quickly nodded. ¡°Yes. He is so cute!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want your mommy and daddy to give you a baby brother?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°In that case, you have to let your mommy and daddy sleep together,¡± ra exined. ¡°That way, they


    can give you a baby brother!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Yelena eximed in surprise.


    ¡°Yes.¡± ra smiled.


    ¡°Well¡­ Okay.¡± Yelena bought it, and she told Zoe seriously, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll let you have daddy for now.


    But you can¡¯t sleep with Daddy anymore after you give me a baby brother.¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    Did she even agree to that?


    However, she certainly knew that Yelena would keep being stubborn if she did not y along, and she


    definitely wanted to be spared the hassle.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, nodding.


    ¡°Yippee!¡± Yelena happily leapt off the floor. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a baby brother! I will be a sister!¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡¯


    That night, although Yelena was not sleeping with Jay, she insisted that Jay stayed with her until she


    fell asleep before leaving.


    As such, Jay coaxed her to sleep before returning to his room.


    There, he found Zoe sitting on the couch after taking her bath while fiddling with her phone.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± Jay asked her-recording started in two days, and should she not rise early


    for better upkeep, especially since she was a star actress?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I should sleep,¡± she said bluntly.


    While Jay was left taken aback, she exined, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re used to sleeping on the left or on


    the right, and I can¡¯t find another nket.¡±


    So she had no idea how to share the bed with him.


    Actually, Jay had no idea either.


    Naturally, he must not get too eager or Zoe would flee in a second.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to sleeping on the left. As for the nket, I suggest we share it, or we won¡¯t be able to exin


    ourselves if they ask to film our rooms too.¡±

 Chapter 919

    Chapter 919


    Chapter 919


    Zoe did not refuse-what could she do since she had already agreed to it?!


    ¡°Then I¡¯m getting in bed,¡± Zoe said, adding before she did, ¡°I¡¯ve taken a bath, and my clothes are fresh.¡¯


    Jay was taken aback, but soon realized that Zoe was aware of his hygienic tendencies and was


    worried he would hate it.


    But he would never hate her, whenever or wherever.


    He did not have the courage to say it, however.


    Soon, Zoey down on the very edge of the bed and slept there, reluctant to have any body contact


    with Jay.


    Jay did not move closer either, and the space between them could fit three Yelenas.


    Silence ensued, and even though it was soon veryte, neither fell asleep.


    Thest time they shared a bed was that one time.


    Jay gulped-he decided that he must not dwell on it and gently turned around to look at Zoe.


    They had been keeping their backs to one another, but he stared at her back quietly anyway.


    The silhouette of her form was especially clear under the soft lights kept on in the room.


    She was slimmer than before she gave birth-probably so that she would look better on screen.


    They had been staying together and eating together asionally, so he would know that she was


    eating very small portions, and she never went that far even though she followed a diet regime before.


    He yearned so much to gather her in his arms but ultimately restrained himself to wait in silence.


    On the other hand, Zoe seemed to feel Jay staring at her, but it also felt like she was imagining it.


    However, she was aware that he had just turned around on bed and was facing her directly.


    She did not want to face him in fear of the awkwardness, and so, she kept her back to him while


    staying motionless.


    It just felt ufortable-it was not just her posture, but even her bra felt like it was smothering her.


    She used to sleep alone and naturally would not wear something so intolerable to sleep. But now that


    she was sleeping with Jay, not wearing one felt a little undignified.


    She shifted her body in her difort and scratched her bed without realizing it.


    Jay saw at that moment that Zoe had her bra on, and he knew that she would not wear one to sleep


    even when they still stayed at Levine Manor.


    She was often up to certain petty antics, such as sneaking into his room without her bra on.


    Whenever he told her to wear one, she said it was punishment if any woman wore it to sleep.


    ¡°You can take it off,¡± he blurted in the silence.


    Zoe froze, while Jay soon realized he may have phrased it wrongly. He quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m not


    telling you to take off everything. What I meant was that bras aren¡¯tfortable. You can sleep without


    putting them on.¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips-that certainly gave her a shock.


    And here, she was thinking that he¡­


    Well, guess she was overthinking it again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t look. I¡¯ll keep my back to you,¡± Jay added, and Zoe could sense him turning around too.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe was actually hesitant but decided to take her bra off after due consideration-she definitely would


    not sleep well otherwise.


    And that night, Jay never turned around.


    Zoe smiled-she did not have to be wary of Jay anyway.


    It waspletely unnecessary.

 Chapter 920

    Chapter 920


    Chapter 920


    Two dayster, the production crew arrived for the prelude interview at Jay¡¯s apartment.


    Zoe had ra leave the house with Yelena, since she was not eager to let her daughter make a public


    appearance just yet.


    The production crew was also ethical enough to censor Yelena¡¯s face during the asional glimpse of


    her in the camera.


    The host asked, ¡°Who usually cooks at home?¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°Jay is busier, and I can¡¯t cook. Moreover, we don¡¯t stay home that much, let


    alone cook.¡±


    The host could not help grinning, surprised that her response was so candid -the other couples tended


    to keep up appearances, making themselves appear more affectionate for the sake of appearances.


    He then asked, ¡°Who¡¯s usually taking care of the child?¡±


    ¡°Jay does when he¡¯s at home. I do it when he¡¯s not around,¡± Zoe replied.


    Once again, it was no lie-ever since Yelena and Zoe moved in, Yelena actually spent more time with


    Jay than even ra.


    ¡°What do you think of your better half?¡± the host added. ¡°Ladies first, so Zoe, if you please.¡±


    Zoe shot Jay a look.


    Could she say that he was selfish, cold-blooded, and callous?


    Certainly not.


    She shed an attractive smile just then. ¡°He¡¯s kind and caring, and although he¡¯s not good with words,


    he would tend to my every need.¡±


    ¡°Jay is that incredible, isn¡¯t he?¡± The host could not help teasing.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been very good to me.¡± Zoe nodded.


    She had certainly nned this ahead of the recording, and she had her personal motive for hyping Jay


    up before getting him canceled.


    The more praise she heaped on Jay, the more he would have to do in the variety show, or he would be


    med by theizens.


    At the very least, Jay would not be dragging his feet with her.


    ¡°What about you, Jay? What is Zoe like, in your mind?¡±


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay thought about it and replied, ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and a bit boisterous but ultimately kind. Someone who


    always sacrifices herself for others.¡±


    ¡°If you argue, who will apologize first-you or Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Me.¡±


    Zoe was smiling beside them, unfazed at all.


    ¡°Why are you smiling, Zoe?¡± the host quickly asked, quick to seize content.


    ¡°Just a smile of bliss.¡± Zoe¡¯s reaction was split-second.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t brag,¡± the host joked, before adding, ¡°So, do either of you have anything to look


    forward to on this trip?¡±


    ¡°As long as it¡¯s not exhausting,¡± Zoe said. ¡°Jay has ame leg, so we hope that it¡¯s afortable trip.''¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Zoe. The show will offer special treatment,¡± the host assured her.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After that simple interview, the cameraman started to film their room-they would have been exposed if


    they were not prepared beforehand.


    Although the interview was over, the production crew and cameras were kept around the house, and


    they would keep filming them until they went on the trip tomorrow.


    However, they also had to pack today.


    They would have packed their own belongings if there were no cameras, but now that there were, they


    had to do it together and even discuss it.


    Zoe was an actress and acting was too easy for her, though Jay somehow could match her despite not


    being one, and they were soon done packing.


    They were going to leave as the next day arrived, and although they told Yelena that they would be


    gone for a week, the child was still reluctant to see them go.


    Jay patiently coaxed her for a long while until she nodded despite sniffling.


    But before they left, she said, ¡°Daddy, Mommy, please bring me a baby brother when youe back.¡±


    Zoe closed her eyes, speechless.


    It went without saying that the production crew would put that in.

 Chapter 921

    Chapter 921


    Chapter 921


    Their first destination was a coastal city.


    It turned out that there were a total of five couples for this season of Journey of Love, and everyone


    would only gather once they arrived at the destination.


    Naturally, the production crew had kept everything under wraps, and none of the participants knew who


    the others were until they actually met.


    That was why Zoe only found out that Cora and Bob were taking part as well after she actually saw


    them.


    They certainly run into each other too often, but she did not let anything on since they were in front of


    the cameras.


    Cora naturally hated Zoe so much Zoe thought she would kill her the instant they met, but somehow


    she acted like they were close. ¡°Hey, Zoe! What a surprise, you and Uncle Jay were taking part too?¡±


    Zeo naturally yed along. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m surprised too. The production crew¡¯s been keeping everything


    from us, so I didn¡¯t know who the others were.¡±


    They appeared almost intimate, while Bob and Jay shared a smile of tacit understanding.


    After the short gathering, each couple would pick the singlefamily house where they would stay for a


    week.


    However, that also meant they had to cook for themselves-


    the production crew had forbidden them from ordering delivery.


    And since neither Zoe nor Jay could do it, they were both staring nkly at the food ingredients.


    If they knew it woulde to this, they should have learned some simple culinary skills from ra.


    ¡°I could try learning from walkthrough videos,¡± Jay asked Zoe.


    Zoe nodded. ¡°Feel free.¡±


    Jay took off his jacket and picked up the apron nearby.


    He could not quite tie it up for himself, so Zoe promptly walked up to him and helped him tie it up from


    behind.


    Just as she was going to leave, she gritted her teeth ever so subtly and hugged Jay from behind.


    He clearly stiffened, surprised that Zoe would take the lead.


    All he felt was her softness over his back, pressing warmth upon him, while he was suddenly afraid to


    move.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He even felt her cheek on his back as she breathed, ¡°Thank you, darling.¡±


    They had certainly been distant along the journey. If they did not do something, rumors of marital


    troubles would spread as soon as the program aired.


    Jay certainly understood that Zoe was doing his for the variety show, but he was satisfied about that


    regardless.


    He then turned, so that he would not look stiff for too long or their act would appear deliberate.


    He met Zoe¡¯s gaze, and she blushed right then.


    She never did that much, but she held his gaze withposure regardless.


    Jay leaned in and suddenly kissed her on the lips, leaving Zoe¡¯s eyes widening.


    Was that not a little too much?


    She did not expect that she would sacrifice herself to this extent!


    ¡°It was a long flight. Go take a nap over there¡ªI¡¯ll wake you when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need my help?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Jay smiled lovingly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe replied, not about to turn him down-he was the one who chose to y the perfect husband


    role.


    Zoe sat at the couch nearby, nning to watch TV to kill time, but it turned out that she was really


    drowsy after waking too early to catch their flight and hours of journey by car.


    She actually fell asleep on the couch in no time at all.


    As soon as she did, Jay stopped working and went over to her side with a nket.


    His eyes were constantly on her even as he worked in the kitchen.


    He gently tucked Zoe in, and she was so sound asleep she did not wake up at all.

 Chapter 922

    Chapter 922


    Chapter 922


    Jay leaned in to kiss Zoe on the lips again before quietly leaving, content.


    He then spent three long hours making one soup and three dishes, and while it did not look good, Zoe


    woke up when she smelled the fragrant aroma.


    She was too hungry and had not eaten for almost a day.


    As she sat up, Jay asked her, ¡°You¡¯re up?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe replied, stretching. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. See if you like it.¡±


    Zoe sat in front of the dining table, staring at the food that hardly looked appetizing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make do for now. i¡¯ll visit the other couples tomorrow and learn from the best.¡± Jay clearly saw


    Zoe¡¯s look of aversion.


    Zoe, however, said nothing and took the knife and fork from Jay to start eating.


    She might have been really hungry, since it did not taste as bad as she thought.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Jay asked nervously.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Zoe did not hold back her praise.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Jay replied, heaving a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Thanks, darling,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my honor to be praised by my dearest.¡±


    Zoe was speechless-that was so cringeworthy!


    She had to pretend as if they were in some sappy soap opera.


    After finishing dinner, Jay turned her down when she offered to do her dishes.


    She did not nap again this time, instead keeping himpany and watching him fumble his way


    through.


    ¡°The production crew said we¡¯re going out to sea to fish tomorrow,¡± she said,ing up with a topic on


    the spot so that things did not stay awkward between them-not with so many cameras watching them.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied.


    ¡°But can you swim?¡± Zoe asked, only realizing afterward that Jay had a limp leg.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t sink if I fall into the sea,¡± Jay joked, not taking offense.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t swim well, and I¡¯m not going to be able to save you.¡± Zoe yed along.


    With that, they started joking around, and it was probably the most pleasant moment they shared in


    years.


    After washing the dishes, Jay and Zoe went to the living room to watch some TV, but they were too


    drowsy and took turns taking a shower before getting in bed.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    This time, they were holding each other in bed since they must not be distant¡ªthe cameras were


    rolling.


    ¡°Are they going to keep filming us the entire night?¡± Zoe asked Jay.


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Without another word, Zoe got out of bed, picked up a ck shirt, and threw it over the lens.


    Jay was grinning adorably.


    ¡°Now, that¡¯s better,¡± Zoe said as she returned to bed, turning off the lights and sliding to the edge of the


    bed by habit.


    However, she stiffened when a hand pulled her toward his chest.


    She gestured at Jay that she already blocked the cameras, but Jay seemed not to catch the cue,


    holding her in his arms while nuzzling her nape.


    Zoe shuddered slightly, a mysterious stimtion gushing over her chest just then.


    She bit her lip as she stopped herself from pushing him away.


    ¡°Good night, darling.¡±


    Jay spoke quietly beside her ear, and he could admit to himself just then that he was ying dirty tricks


    on his way to her heart¡­

 Chapter 923

    Chapter 923


    Chapter 923


    Zoe did not sleep well because she was really not used to Jay hugging her in her sleep, and so firmly


    at that.


    She could even feel his breath spraying over her nape.


    It was hot, and it tickled.


    Frustratingly, he was sleeping perfectly fine and kept holding her the entire night without moving, while


    she listened to his breathing assume a regr rhythm.


    Zoe was a little miserable at that.


    She had been worried that Jay would be the one to expose them, since he had always been distant to


    her. In fact, she was scared that he would push her away when she hugged him earlier.


    To think that he would get into character more than she did¡­


    Sighing to herself, she did her best to coax herself to sleep.


    She was naturally unaware that the man feigning sleep behind her opened his eyes just then and


    tightened his hold further.


    The next day, Zoe was jolted awake by her rm clock.


    They were supposed to go out to sea at seven, and she therefore had to wake up at six to put on


    makeup for the cameras.


    She quickly turned off the rm in fear that it woke Jay up, letting him sleep since he did not have to


    put on makeup.


    However, just as she was about to get out of bed, Jay held on tighter to her.


    ¡°Let me go, Jay,¡± she protested softly. ¡°I have to do my makeup for when we go out to sea. We¡¯d be


    med if we¡¯rete.¡±


    Jay simply pretended not to hear her, even nuzzling against her nape as if to get even more


    comfortable.


    ¡°Jay.¡± Zoe wiggled her body


    Even though she had blocked the cameras, their voices were still being recorded, so she was afraid of


    waking him- after all, who knew what the production crew would put in the final cut?


    She was angry, but she could only keep it to herself, and her only way of resisting was to struggle her


    way out of his embrace.


    However, the more she struggled, the more she realized something was not right.


    Jay was not just holding her tightly¡ªhe seemed to be grinding himself against her.


    It was a rather instinctive movement, but it left Zoe speechless nheless.


    Did he have any idea what he was doing?!


    ¡°Jay, I¡¯m getting out of bed. Let me go,¡± Zoe said feebly, keeping her voice as quiet as possible¡­ even


    a little flirty.


    However, it clearly did not work with Jay.


    He was still holding her, and¡­ starting to take things further.


    Unable to take it anymore, Zoe used the simplest and crudest measure of biting him on the shoulder.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Finally feeling the pain, he opened his dazed eyes.


    However, before he could speak, Zoe pressed her lips on his.


    ¡°Umph.¡±


    Jay felt like he was jolted by a current that extended all over his body, and he shuddered just then.


    It was such a wonderful sensation¡­


    Zoe naturally did not want to kiss him, but she was worried he would blurt something if he woke up, and


    this was the only way she had to shut him up.


    She kept kissing him until she decided that he was fully conscious and would release him then.


    However, the instant she tried to leave, she felt a hand holding the back of her head, and her eyes


    widened as Jay kissed her even harder.


    She had just wanted to silence him with the kiss, but now, she was left wondering if Jay was actually


    awake.


    Why would he do this if he were and kiss her for so long at that?


    And when Jay finally pulled away, their breathings were rushed, and their hearts were pounding wildly.


    Then, after a long while¡­

 Chapter 924

    Chapter 924


    Chapter 924


    Zoe suddenly remembered that she had to do her makeup, and she quickly said, ¡°I need to get my


    makeup then, and we¡¯re already runningte. Let me go¡­¡±


    ¡°Zoe,¡± Jay said, tightening his arms around her and showing no inclination to release her.


    ¡°Jay,¡± she growled in annoyance.


    Forget being groggy just now-he was now clearly wide awake, but he was still not letting her go?!


    Suddenly, Jay leaned close to Zoe¡¯s eyes and whispered,¡± Actually, I think I¡­¡±


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    His voice was very soft, and it was definitely just the two of them who could hear it.


    Zoe¡¯s face blushed right then, suddenly feeling awkward.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this to happen,¡± Jay finished apologetically.


    Zoe had no idea what she should say just then.


    She could not tell him that it was weird, since it was arguably his body functioning as intended and not


    his fault.


    And yet, she could not tell him that it was natural either-he was a grown man, not some pubescent kid!


    ¡°Just let me go for now,¡± she said while keeping herself calm.


    She was an adult, and she more or less had her experience on certain matters.


    Jay eventually released her, feeling a little hollow without her in his arms.


    Zoe got out of bed, then got him a pair of boxers and a bathrobe. ¡°Would this do?¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Zoe left¡ªstill blushing when she did.


    That should not have happened at all, given Jay¡¯s age!


    The six couples taking part in Journey of Love gathered at the appointed time and took a yacht out to


    sea.


    All the guests made small talk after they boarded the ship, with Cora greeting Zoe. ¡°Did you sleep well


    last night?¡±


    On one hand, the cameras were rolling constantly, so Cora had to keep up appearances so that she


    would not get med.


    Moreover, she did not want to appear hostile toward Zoe in front of Bob.


    However, before Zoe could speak, Jay said, ¡°Watch your manners-don¡¯t address her by her first name.


    That¡¯s Aunt


    Zoe to you.¡±


    Zoe turned to stare at Jay, unable to hide her surprise.


    Did he actually care about such honorifics?


    And he had to know how much Cora hated her too!


    In fact, Cora was already plenty professional when she came to greet her, but Jay was telling her to call


    her ¡®Aunt Zoe¡¯?!¡±


    Cora was naturally livid, but she remainedposed as she replied, ¡°It¡¯d feel too distant if I called Zoe


    that. And she doesn¡¯t mind me calling her Zoe anyway.¡±


    ¡°No, she doesn¡¯t, but that doesn¡¯t mean you get to be impolite. She¡¯s your aunt no matter how close


    you are.¡± Jay was insistent.


    Cora bit her lip, certainly indignant just then.


    She could not ept Zoe and Jay getting together, let alone her mother.


    And she would be acknowledging their rtionship if she addressed Zoe as her aunt!


    Her mother would be furious at her if she found out!


    However, Cora was afraid of arguing against Jay in front of the cameras, while Zoe clearly had no


    intention of helping her.


    As such, she had no choice but to give in and say, ¡°Aunt Zoe. If


    Zoe certainly felt cathartic.


    She actually had no intentions of getting back at Cora since they were both victims of a disagreement


    between their parents. No matter how much loathing she felt, she would never take it out on Cora.


    However, she could not really hide her delight to see Cora suffer such indignation.


    ¡°There, Aunt Zoe. She deserves a weing gift, you know? ¡± Bob said, mediating with perfect timing


    and clearly reminding Zoe not to overdo it.

 Chapter 925

    Chapter 925


    Chapter 925


    Zoe kept a straight face and said, ¡°Please take a note to prepare our niece¡¯s present, darling.¡±


    She was not about to pay for it!


    ¡°Roger,¡± Jay quickly replied, while Cora continued to smile awkwardly.


    Fortunately, Bob was smart with clearing the air as usual, and soon the little episode was over.


    Soon, the yacht arrived at an isted ind.


    As mentioned before, Journey of Love did not include any difficult challenges, but there were still some


    mini games.


    The mini game would test the couples¡¯ tacit understanding, and the couple who did the best would be


    rewarded with the best lunch.


    Soon, it was Zoe and Jay¡¯s turn.


    To be honest, Zoe did not believe there was any understanding between them to speak of, and was


    ready to have some in soup for lunch.


    The director then asked, ¡°Everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°Ready,¡± they answered together.


    ¡°What is Jay¡¯s favorite food?¡± the director asked.


    Both Zoe and Jay whipped out the same shcard that read potatoes.


    ¡°What is Jay¡¯s favorite color?¡±


    Once again, they had the same answer¡ªit was green.


    ¡°What is Jay¡¯s height?¡±


    Zoe did not even need to think on this one-it was six feet.


    Naturally, she saw that Jay¡¯s answer was the same.


    ¡°What is the color of Jay¡¯s underwear?¡±


    Zoe frowned-did understanding have anything to do with this?


    Still, she yed along in the spirit of entertainment and whipped out the white card.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Jay, however, shed the green card.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible,¡± Zoe blurted. ¡°I got you your underwear. It¡¯s definitely white.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jay eximed in surprise. ¡°Did I actually get it wrong?!¡±


    ¡°Check it if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± Zoe said, and started reaching for his pants.


    ¡°Hold on, Zoe. There are people watching¡­¡± Jay reminded her.


    Zoe came to her senses then, while the production crew hid their chuckles.


    Though she felt a little awkward, she told the director, ¡°Why


    don¡¯t you check it.¡±


    The director cleared his throat. ¡®For the sake of fairness, I¡¯m afraid I must apologize for this, Jay.¡±


    With that, he stood, keeping his back to the cameras while he peeked under Jay¡¯s pants before


    nodding with assurance.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s white,¡± he said, and he could not resist teasing,¡± You didn¡¯t expect Zoe to know you better


    than yourself, did you, Jay?¡±


    The production crew were grinning broadly at that, just like Jay. ¡°I¡¯m actually shocked, but it¡¯s an


    honor.¡±


    Under the bright sun, it seemed to paint him with ayer of mystery.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s your turn now, Jay. Do you feel the pressure? Zoe got everything right, y¡¯know,¡± the director


    joked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jay replied. ¡°Hell, I already see myself grounded when we get home.¡±


    Everyoneughed from his joke, and Zoe was actually surprised that he was capable of humor.


    ¡°First question¡­ What condiment does Zoe dislike?¡± The director asked.


    Jay was left staring hesitant at the shcards just then.


    Zoe naturally did not expect him to know-she never held out much hope and told herself not to be


    disappointed.


    However, that was when she saw him pick up the shcard that read mountain pepper.


    It was the same one she was holding.


    ¡°Why the hesitation, Jay? A wild guess, perhaps?¡± the director asked for dramatic effect.


    ¡°I¡¯m just hesitating between mountain pepper and parsley,¡± Jay exined. ¡°Zoe hates both, but


    rtively speaking, she hates mountain pepper more.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the director asked Zoe right then.

 Chapter 926

    Chapter 926


    Chapter 926


    At this point, Zoe would have to say yes even if it was not the case¡­ but Jay was right anyway.


    When it came to condiments, she hated mountain pepper and parsley, but it still puzzled her¡ªshe


    never had either anyway, so why would Jay know that she hated mountain pepper more?


    Was it a wild guess?


    Or perhaps¡­


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She did recall taking part in a gourmet show and mentioning offhandedly about her stronger dislike for


    mountain pepper if she had to choose between the two.


    Did he happen to watch that?


    The man was so busy, but he had the time to sit through some pointless TV show?!


    ¡°Second question. How old was Zoe when she made her debut?¡±


    ¡°She was eighteen years, three months and fifteen days old,¡± Jay answered without hesitation this time


    and without raising any shcards.


    The director did a double take. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ awfully precise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let me check,¡± the director promptly whipped out his phone to check, since the answer he had was


    just up to eighteen years.


    He had to cross-check between Zoe¡¯s birth date and her debut date, and Jay¡¯s answer turned out to be


    completely correct.


    The director chuckled then. ¡°You¡¯re answering too quickly, Jay. The audience might question this for


    being scripted.¡±


    ¡°I can take my time for the next question.¡± Jay smiled.


    ¡°Third question, who is Zoe¡¯s favorite star?¡±


    Once again, same answer.


    ¡°Fourth question. What are the measurements of Zoe¡¯s bust, waist, and hip?¡±


    ¡°Before or at present?¡± Jay asked.


    The director was actually stumped, and said begrudgingly,¡± The official measurements they have


    online.¡±


    ¡°In that case, 81-60-90,¡± Jay replied as if it could not be easier.


    ¡°Correct,¡± the director quickly nodded, but soon added, ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the current


    measurements?¡±


    ¡°83-60-90,¡± Jay said openly.


    Zoe pursed her lips-how the hell did he know?


    Did he cop a feel?!


    Wait, there was no way he could measure them with just his


    hands even if he did.


    She then remembered making a call days ago to order a gown, and she had informed the tailor about


    her measurements at the time.


    But he was supposed to be ying with Yelena at the time¡­ Did he overhear her?


    And remembered it?!


    ¡°Do you hear that, everyone? Time to update Zoe¡¯s wiki page! ¡± the director eximed jovially, before


    adding, ¡°Final question. This is very simple, and it¡¯s not a test on your understanding of your better


    half.¡±


    Jay chuckled. ¡°Can I pass?¡±


    ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll save the caviar for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Alright, ask away,¡± Jay gave in then-the production crew always had a way to keep them on a


    leash.


    ¡°When did you pop your cherry?¡± the director asked.


    It was only expected for such variety shows to pick such grilling questions. The director certainly


    proceeded deliberately without a care, as if he did not mind the drama.


    ¡°Ladies first. Zoe, your answer?¡±


    Zoe pursed her lips, but answered, ¡°Around four years ago. January 13,2019.¡±


    ¡°You certainly remember that well,¡± the director joked.


    Zoe certainly did, and after she answered, she nced at


    Bob, who was taking a break nearby.


    He had been ncing at them from time to time as if he was not paying much attention, but he met


    Zoe¡¯s gaze just then.


    They were both all too aware of the regrets that lingered between them.


    And yet, it also felt like the most ideal arrangement destiny had for them-since they were fated to be


    apart, having fewer things that bound them together was naturally ideal.

 Chapter 927

    Chapter 927


    Chapter 927


    The director then turned to Jay. ¡°What about you, Jay?¡±


    Zoe turned away from Bob by then-she was actually a little curious as to when Jay popped his cherry


    too.


    Eighteen? Twenty-three? Or maybe earlier?!


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Hell, he probably would not remember.


    And yet, at the very next second, Jay answered calmly, ¡°The same day as her.¡±


    Everyone was left stunned by his answer, let alone Zoe.


    Zoe was already twenty-five at the time, and it almost seemed imusible for someone in showbiz to


    stay chaste that long. However, she never did get caught in any scandals and it was believable.


    But Jay was already thirty at the time!


    He had to know that with so many people here bearing witness, this was inevitably going to make the


    final cut.


    He definitely would not go so far as to lie in this situation!


    Jay clearly saw the surprise on everyone¡¯s faces too and exined nonchntly, ¡°Can¡¯t help it. I chose


    to restrain myself after I decided to wait for a certain person.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯d fallen in love with Zoe early on. Jay? Perhaps when she first debuted in


    showbiz?!¡±


    ¡°If I may be so bold¡­¡± Jay smiled enigmatically. ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s earlier than that.¡±


    ¡°You mean-¡°


    ¡°That was thest question, director,¡± Jay said, suddenly cutting him short. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to


    charge extra for more questions.¡±


    The director groaned in regret right then-he fell for Jay¡¯s trap!


    ¡°Well, since it¡¯s over, can we have our lunch now?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jay and Zoe left, heading to the gorgeous restaurant to enjoy their gourmet lunch.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone would expose you?¡± Zoe suddenly asked.


    ¡°About what?¡± Jay replied as he peeled a shrimp for her.


    ¡°You told them that you popped your cherry with me,¡± Zoe said, feeling a little awkward that she had


    actually put it to words. ¡°The production crew would definitely include that part to bring in viewership, so


    aren¡¯t you worried someone woulde forward to prove that you lied? They¡¯re willing to do everything


    for clicks these days, so anything can really happen when ites to showbiz. You can¡¯t fool


    everyone.¡±


    She was certainly worried that a scandal involving Jay would affect her career in turn, since their fates


    were now


    tied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Jay said and ced the peeled shrimp on her te.


    ¡°Are you really that confident?¡± Zoe was not that cheerful, since there was no bottom showbiz folk


    would not sink to these days.


    Moreover, they would not be lying while they garnered interest. What was not to like?!


    ¡°Because I did pop my cherry with you,¡± Jay replied.


    Zoe was munching on the shrimp when she fully paused.


    Jay returned her gaze and said, ¡°Chew, or you¡¯d choke.¡±


    Zoe regained her senses and kept chewing.


    Naturally, she was not convinced, and once she finished the shrimp, she asked, ¡°I know all too well


    women flock around you-that fashion model you were swapping spit with at Levine Manor, and Mandy


    Jessop, whom you announced to the public you were dating. Also, now that we¡¯ve mentioned Mandy,


    she¡¯s only getting roles in soap operas these days and has no chance of hitting the big time, so isn¡¯t


    this the perfect chance for her to seize some attention?!¡±


    ¡°No chance,¡± Jay said tly.


    Zoe was left staring nkly at him, suddenly a little unsure about the man.


    Why would he save himself? It did not make sense at all!


    And it was not like he was impotent-she knew that better than anyone!

 Chapter 928

    Chapter 928


    Chapter 928


    And since Jay could get a woody, why was she the only woman he had been with after so many years?


    He certainly was not in love with her¡ªat least not in the past, or he would not have kept rejecting her


    advances.


    ¡°Would you like to know more?¡± Jay asked, clearly noticing her confusion.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe refused.


    While Jay pursed his lips in turn, Zoe said coolly, ¡°Your past has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied-there was no erasing how much he had hurt her in the past, nor did he deserve her


    forgiveness.


    Nheless, he said, ¡°My future will be in your hands.¡±


    Zoe was a little lost for words, genuinely feeling that Jay had changed so much she did not know him at


    all now.


    Was this all thanks to Yelena?


    Over at the capital, Cordy and Sean were getting restless because their quarry was not making a move


    at all.


    Sean began to have doubts about their ns too.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not easy to make a move in the hospital? To be fair, no one can do anything with all the


    cameras watching


    the ICU unit.¡±


    Cordy nodded, suddenlying to the realization as well.¡± We definitely missed that.¡±


    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Sean said. ¡°If they realize that we have a body double in the room, they


    would definitely


    realize our n. It¡¯s even less possible to draw them out at that point.¡±


    ¡°We can create an opportunity for them.¡± Cordy made up her mind right then.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°They prefer car idents, don¡¯t they?¡± Cordy asked.


    Sean promptly understood, but he was also skeptical. ¡°But how are we going to capture them in that


    case? They could just send henchmen like they did before.¡±


    ¡°Let me think,¡± Cordy murmured, her brow furrowed.


    They were out in the open, while the culprit lurked in the shadows¡ªit was a disadvantage to them from


    the very start.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a short list of suspects and monitor them,¡± Cordy suddenly suggested.


    ¡°How? That would alert them instead.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°We just have to stake everything on this one,¡± Cordy sighed. ¡°It¡¯s as you said-our culprit let nothing on


    even after we set bait after bait, and I¡¯m almost willing to let them take over the family.¡±


    ¡°Well then, what¡¯s your n?¡± Sean asked, direct as ever.


    ¡°As you know, there are only a few who have the disposition to take over the family: Paul Cranston, his


    children, and your younger brother Fred.¡±


    While Sean stared at Cordy, she added bluntly, ¡°I just don¡¯t think we should leave out any possibilities. I


    mean, I even considered your father, but I left him out since he genuinely shows no inclination to


    struggle for power.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Continue.¡±


    ¡°Ask every Cranston and Steven Stark to the hospital tomorrow. Tell them nothing, and wait until they


    all arrive before announcing that Grandfather is getting discharged. At the same time, leak the news


    that Grandfather is nning to change his will once he returns to Cranston Hall. We must force their


    hand.¡±


    ¡°And if they had to make a move, it wouldn¡¯t be calm and controlled given the urgency of the situation.


    We might even notice something in their expressions if we look closely, and since they¡¯re definitely not


    going to do it themselves, they¡¯ll be sneaking off to make phone calls and arrange whatever they have


    in mind. If we¡¯re able to bug them before the fact, we¡¯ll be able to find out who it is.¡±


    Sean agreed with Cordy¡¯s strategy. However¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m concerned since they might notice our bugs. You know that they are more prudent than we


    imagined.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want it done tomorrow. They would be pressed for time and easily neglect the details-the


    advantage would in turn be ours.¡±

 Chapter 929

    Chapter 929


    Chapter 929


    Sean no longer hesitated at that point and did as Cordy suggested, summoning every Cranston to


    gather outside the ICU unit where ¡®Jesse¡¯ stayed.


    Then, he announced, ¡°Grandfather is getting discharged in half an hour. We¡¯ve called you here today to


    see him off.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling us now?! You could have told us earlier.¡± Paul was obviously upset.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference if we¡¯d told you earlier or now?¡± Sean asked. ¡°Do you have some special


    preparations in mind?¡±


    ¡°What preparations can I manage?!¡± Paul snapped in annoyance. ¡°You weren¡¯t this impulsive before,


    Sean-don¡¯t you remember how you¡¯ve always nned and considered everything before deciding?


    Why do I have this feeling that you changed too much after you became chummy with Cordy?¡±


    Cordy turned toward Paul then-the man never liked her, and it did not sit well with him that Jesse had


    been spoiling her ever since she was brought back to the Cranstons.


    In fact, she first suspected Paul to be the one who poisoned Jesse, but now, she had the feeling that he


    was too reckless to be the culprit.


    The man was just too hot-headed-once the first attempt on Jesse¡¯s life failed, he would have already


    launched a second attempt by now instead of waiting.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, Cordy was not about topletely let down her guard around him, since behavior could be


    feigned.


    ¡°You must be joking, Uncle Paul,¡± Sean replied, his expression stern and almost dark. ¡°Cordy has


    always been prudent and orderly when ites to anything, and I have much to learn from her even


    though I am older. Also, it¡¯s Grandfather¡¯s idea that we only announce this after everyone¡¯s arrival-if


    you have any dissatisfaction, you can pose them to Grandfather personally once we¡¯re all back at


    Cranston Hall.¡±


    ¡°How would I dare to be dissatisfied?¡± Paul scoffed with an edge of bitterness in his voice. ¡°Since when


    has the old man not been pernickety whenever I¡¯m concerned?¡±


    Sean did not borate then. ¡°Grandfather is having onest checkup, and he¡¯ll be discharged once


    he¡¯s given the all- clear. Everyone can wait at the VIP lounge before he gets discharged¡ª1¡¯11 inform


    everyone once the doctors give the green light.¡±


    With that, he escorted everyone to the VIP lounge of the private hospital before asking a steward to


    bring them tea.


    The tea was the key-Sean had informed Cordy that the stewards would be nting bugs on their


    targets while they served tea.


    Cordy took a sip of her tea to disguise her nervousness, while Sean left the VIP lounge, acting as if he


    was going to Jesse¡¯s side.


    The room was quiet, with no one saying a thing as they


    waited for Jesse to get discharged.


    Half an hour passed, but Cordy saw none of them leave the VIP lounge.


    Ten minutester, however, Paul started to get impatient and asked, ¡°How long is the checkup? How


    much longer do we have to wait?


    No one answered-everyone in the family was always prudent about their speech and behavior, after all.


    ¡°Is there no one who¡¯s going to ask how long this would take? Surely we can¡¯t just keep waiting here


    forever?¡± Paul started ranting. ¡°I don¡¯t even know why Sean asked all of us here-l rushed here


    immediately when I was told even though I had so much work to do!¡±


    That was when Fred rose from his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll talk to my brother.¡±


    ¡°Make it fast.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers flinched ever so slightly as Fred left.


    After all, she suspected Fred-Jesse clearly favored Sean¡¯s side of the family even though Sean had no


    interest in taking over, and he was rtively indifferent to Paul¡¯s side of the family.


    In other words, Fred would have the best chance of taking over leadership of the family, and Jesse¡¯s


    will would definitely work in his favor.


    And if their analysis before was right¡­


    Cordy subtly texted Sean: [Fred is going out.]


    [Yeah.]


    Sean¡¯s reply did not let on much, while another ten minutes passed¡­

 Chapter 930

    Chapter 930


    Chapter 930


    Paul was starting to get furious and was unable to sit still.¡± Why isn¡¯t Fred back yet? Where the hell did


    he go?¡±


    ¡°Should I go check?¡± Linus¡ªPaul¡¯s son¡ªasked.


    ¡°Just call him. Going in and out would just irritate us more,¡± Paul told him.


    Linus promptly whipped out his phone to call Fred. ¡°Fred, Dad¡¯s asking how much longer the checkup


    would take. And why aren¡¯t youing back?¡±


    ¡°Stomach ache. I needed the restroom,¡± Fred replied. ¡°I¡¯ming back soon.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s Grandfather?¡±


    ¡°Sean said he¡¯ll be done soon and told everyone to rest easy. It


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Linus hung up, and ryed Fred¡¯s message to everyone.


    Paul rose to his feet impatiently right then. ¡°I need a cigarette.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡± Linus followed him to the smoking area, although it was just one ss door


    between them and the VIP lounge.


    Cordy texted Sean again at that: [Uncle Paul and Linus are in the smoking area. Neither are making


    phone calls.]


    Sean replied: [Got it.]


    And with that, everyone waited for ny minutes until Sean finally returned to them, and Paul asked


    grumpily, ¡°Can your grandfather be discharged now?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sean replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll drive him.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. He already got in the car heading home.


    Everyone just has to follow him back to Cranston Hall.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already in his car?!¡± Paul¡¯s voice shot up by a dozen decibels. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell us to receive him?!


    But he left on his own?¡±


    ¡°His ns are a mystery to me too.¡±


    ¡°Or are you just f*cking with us, Sean?!¡± Paul red at him judgmentally.


    ¡°It really is Grandfather¡¯s own arrangement, so I can only say it again: ask Grandfather yourself if you


    have any questions, once we¡¯re all back at Cranston Hall.¡±


    Paul rolled his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s already in his car anyway. Let¡¯s just go.¡±


    Everyone filed out of the VIP lounge, while Sean and Cordy got in the same car with ¡®Jesse¡¯.


    Cordy finally could not stop herself from asking, ¡°Did you find them?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Sean replied, shaking his head.


    ¡°No?!¡± Cordy eximed in surprise.


    The culprit was really that calm andposed even under these circumstances?


    Cordy furrowed her brow. ¡°You¡¯re not covering for anyone, are you?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re suspecting me too?¡± Sean was a little speechless-Cordy was honestly too pragmatic, not


    getting emotional under any circumstance.


    ¡°Fred¡¯s my chief suspect,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°I suspected him too, but I found nothing suspicious about his behavior.¡±


    ¡°He was gone for ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°And would you like to know what he¡¯s been doing in those ten minutes?¡± Sean replied with a look of


    wry amusement.


    As Cordy frowned, Sean brought out hisptop and connected it to the bug, then reyed the voice


    recording he had on Fred.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Cordy was left speechless, while Sean said slowly and clearly, ¡°Yeah. He was taking a sh*t the whole


    time.¡±

 Chapter 931

    Chapter 931


    Chapter 931


    Sean turned off the recording and said, ¡°Right now, the situation is that no Cranston has exposed


    themselves. Either the culprit was calm, smart, and even capable of predicting our every move to stay


    calm, or¡­¡±


    Pausing, he held Cordy¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Or, all our theories before were wrong. The culprit is not a


    Cranston.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed, but she had to admit that she was thinking that they had been suspecting the


    wrong people from the start.


    ¡°So? Which do you think it is?¡± Sean asked.


    Cordy shook his head, unable to offer Sean a solid opinion.


    Sean did not press her either.


    The car drove on quietly, until the chauffeur suddenly jammed his foot on the brakes!


    Everyone in the car-Sean, Cordy, ¡®Jesse¡¯, and Richard were all caught by surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡± Sean promptly asked.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s this bike that came from the opposite direction,¡± the chauffeur quickly replied. ¡°We almost


    crashed-¡°


    ¡°Eyes front!¡± Sean barked at him suddenly, and the chauffeur saw it too-a car bounded toward them


    from the opposite direction¡­ almost as if it was deliberately driving straight at


    them!


    Nheless, the chauffeur reacted right then and floored the gas pedal before abruptly pivoting the car


    into an 180- degree spin, missing the oing car by inches!


    The man was a professional racing driver-Sean had hired the chauffeur specifically because he was


    expecting trouble, and the chauffeur certainly remainedposed enough in the face of danger.


    ¡°Hurry to Cranston Hall,¡± Sean told him after that, and not forgetting to add, ¡°Eyes on the road.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Cranston.¡± The chauffeur¡¯s whole body stiffened, and jammed his foot on the gas pedal again.


    The car shot forward. Cordy¡¯s body stiffened from the sudden inertia, and she could not help clenching


    Richard¡¯s hand.


    It would be fine if something happened to her, but not Richard¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mommy,¡± Richard quickly assured her, seemingly noticing Cordy¡¯s nerves.


    Cordy was silent, though she clenched further on his little hand.


    The remaining journey was definitely heart-stopping¡ªmore cars were chasing them, though their


    chauffeur managed to evade them sessfully by bare inches.


    But in the end, their car arrived safely at Cranston Hall, while their pursuers disappeared somewhere


    behind them.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sean turned to ask Cordy.


    It was too close¡ªeven Sean¡¯s stomach was churning, and he was barely holding it in.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cordy replied and turned to Richard.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mommy,¡± Richard said tactfully.


    On the other hand, Jesse¡¯s body double was groaning, ¡°l-l think I¡¯m going to be sick¡­¡±

 Chapter 932

    Chapter 932


    Chapter 932


    At the next instant, ¡®Jesse¡¯ had opened the door and started to throw up all over the ground.


    The cars of the other Cranstons also arrived at the grounds of the manor as well.


    Since they had been sticking together, they naturally noticed the cars that were chasing Sean¡¯s.


    Everyone was worried as they alighted when they saw ¡®Jesse ¡® vomiting so miserably and hurried to


    him in concern.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Paul was even snapping at Sean already. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help your grandfather when he¡¯s like this


    ¡ª¡±


    He trailed off as ¡®Jesse¡¯ could not help looking up just then.


    And no matter how much he resembled the real Jesse, he was obviously not the man.


    ¡°Who is he?!¡± Paul bellowed loudly, while the others were left stunned by the man too.


    ¡®Jesse¡¯ then turned toward Sean just then, who decided to show his hand. ¡°He¡¯s a paid actor.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Paul was incensed. ¡°Were you f*cking with us, Sean?!¡¯


    ¡°Everything I did, I did to expose the culprit trying to hurt Grandfather,¡± Sean calmly replied.


    Paul snorted. ¡°And? Did you get them?¡±


    ¡°I have to admit that I gave myself too much credit.¡±


    ¡°So, you failed.¡±


    Sean quietly nodded.


    ¡°Sean, you¡¯re really¡­¡± Paul suddenly could not find the word and growled, ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s why I¡¯m giving up now.¡± Sean did not appear upset with Paul¡¯s outburst and quietly came


    clean. ¡°I won¡¯t mind admitting that it¡¯s my loss and yielding leadership of the family if the culprit was one


    of us, even telling them that their disposition is indisputable at this point.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± Paul was certainly bemused.


    ¡°We believe that the culprit isn¡¯t a Cranston,¡± Cordy admitted.


    Now was not the time to keep up appearances-she genuinely believed that she and Sean had been


    working on the wrong people, and she doubted that anyone could stay calm at this point.


    Naturally, that was only one part of it, since the most important finding was that none of the Cranstons


    had been doing anything suspicious while they bugged them.


    She was convinced that no one would text, since the culprit would not be stupid enough to leave a


    paper trail of their crime. And given that they would be pressed for time, the culprit would definitely


    make a phone call, issuing orders with the simplest and most direct method there was.


    They now knew that no one in the family had arranged for those pursuers but they were pursued


    nheless.


    That means someone outside the family had their eyes on taking control over the Cranston family and


    wanted Jesse dead.


    As for who, Cordy already had an idea.


    After all, she already understood everything and was therefore positive that no Cranston was trying to


    hurt Jesse.


    ¡°Our n may have been radical, but it at least clears everyone of suspicion,¡± Cordy spoke up just


    then. ¡°There¡¯s no more cause for suspicion between us, since we now know that everyone is innocent.


    It is only by working together that we can uncover the culprit.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dress it up with pretty words,¡± Paul scoffed. ¡°You think you could just tell us to let it go after you


    and Sean made us run around in circles?¡±


    ¡°We had no choice, Uncle Paul,¡± Sean exined. ¡°We wanted to uncover the culprit as soon as we


    could, for Grandfather and everyone¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Well that just sounds like misdirection to me,¡± Paul said, deliberately looking at Cordy just then.


    ¡°She would have nothing to gain from this,¡± Sean said shortly. Right now, our prime suspect is-¡°


    ¡°The Lynds-Jean, specifically,¡± Cordy finished for him, cutting straight to the point.


    Paul dismissed it right away. ¡°You must be off your meds. Jean is dad¡¯s sister and my aunt! They¡¯ve


    been siblings for


    this long¡ªhow could Jean do something like this to him?!¡±


    ¡°We will look into the specifics,¡± Cordy said. ¡°But while we do, I¡¯d like everyone to keep everything we


    just discussed a secret. All our efforts would be wasted if they be aware of our n.¡±

 Chapter 933

    Chapter 933


    Chapter 933


    Paul, however, was not taking Cordy¡¯s words to heart. ¡°I¡¯m not about to buy into your tall tales.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Paul,¡± Sean said sternly then. ¡°You can doubt us, but just don¡¯t impede us. Cordy and I have


    decided toe clean because we¡¯re family-we can work as one instead of pointing fingers. It¡¯s


    obvious that someone is out to hurt Grandfather, and if we don¡¯t find them, our whole family will be in


    danger. And we shouldn¡¯t end up falling because of this.¡±


    Seeing that Sean had put it that way, Paul knew that he could not stay stubborn, though he was still a


    little miffed and snapped, ¡°Well, what you say goes now in the family since Dad trusts you so much. But


    I¡¯m putting it out there first-don¡¯t expect us to wipe your butt if you mess up. I¡¯m too old for your


    nonsense.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle Paul. Just back us up, and you don¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not bothered,¡± Paul huffed and left with his family, while the others returned inside Cranston


    Hall.


    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean had ¡®Jesse¡¯ stay with them too-they naturally had to keep up appearances until the end, and it


    was doubtful that they would be unable to draw them out.


    Sean stood at the balcony while smoking a cigarette outside


    Cordy¡¯s room, clearly restless since there was much weighing on his mind.


    Cordy was silent for a long while too, since getting into a confrontation against the Lynds was already


    the worst case scenario.


    After so many years, the struggle for dominion among important families only escted.


    Even so, everyone believed that the Cranstons and the Lynds shared an unbreakable bond, and so


    they remained untouchable among their hierarchy.


    And now, the Lynds intended to break their alliance and im everything forthemselves?!


    Sean was done smoking and returned inside his room just then. ¡°Still thinking?¡±


    Cordy nodded. ¡°Fighting against one Cranston and fighting the entire Lynd family is a different thing


    altogether.¡±


    That was certainly the case-they could resolve a case of infighting easily.


    But now that it came to light that it was the Lynds, and without Jesse presiding over them, even Sean


    felt a littlecking.


    ¡°Well, on the bright side,¡± Cordy said, watching him, ¡°at least the family stands together.¡±


    Even if the crisis they faced was terrible, the thought that there was solidarity among the Cranstons


    wasforting.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sean replied.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m actually surprised.¡± Cordy smiled.¡± Everyone¡¯s hearts are one despite being in such


    a big family. Uncle Paul has a sharp tongue, but at least he¡¯s loyal and holds himself responsible for the


    family. I used to think that the more a family had, the less it could stay together-even the Stuarts were


    ultimately going for blood back then.¡±


    ¡°Grandfather holds virtue above all, and everyone in the family respects him. There¡¯s harmony in the


    family as long as he¡¯s around,¡± Sean said, earnestly impressed by Jesse¡¯s legacy.


    ¡°True,¡± Cordy agreed, acknowledging both Sean¡¯s words and the family.


    ¡°So? What are we going to do now?¡± Sean asked, bringing the conversation back on topic.


    ¡°The Lynds are going toe for us again since they failed.¡± Cordy sighed feebly. ¡°The only thing we


    can do now is prepare.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡±


    They certainly could not go on the attack against the Lynds, but Sean was still the best when it came to


    execution.


    Cordy had only been offering suggestions, but he was the one who brought everything to fruition.


    Still, something urred to her just then. ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Sean turned toward her.


    She was really smart, to the point he deferred to her.


    Cordy¡¯s mother was just like that, which earned him much of Jesse¡¯s affection.


    If she had stayed in the family, Jesse might have passed everything to her.


    But the world and fate was just unpredictable like that.

 Chapter 934

    Chapter 934


    Chapter 934


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think the Lynds would set a trap at John and Nana¡¯s wedding?¡± Cordy asked.


    Sean realized with a start and quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s definitely a perfect chance.¡±


    Cordy, however, turned silent, and Sean frowned.


    Realizing why in an instant, he asked, ¡°You want to stop the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She never hid anything from Sean.


    ¡°That begs the question, can you stop it?¡± Sean asked.


    Cordy¡¯s face fell, while Sean made himself very clear. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to rain on your parade, but given


    current circumstances, you have no chance of beating Nana.¡±


    ¡°But what if I do?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to wait for opportunities,¡± Sean said with understanding.


    In other words, if she could stop the wedding, she would have his blessing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare regret it.¡± Cordy smiled.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Sean replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting John Levine on my side early on.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°He told you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡°He really told you everything, huh?¡±


    ¡°He loved me to bits.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s in the past,¡± Sean reminded her.


    ¡°He just lost his memories?¡± Cordy said a little loudly then.


    Sean simply shrugged nonchntly.


    ¡°By the way, why would you want John¡¯s help when there¡¯s such solidarity in the family? Or do you find


    there to be irreconcble differences in the family?¡± Cordy asked in curiosity then.


    The way John put it all those years ago, there had been strong internal conflict among the Crantsons,


    and that he was going to help Sean handle many family matters. After all, John more than proved


    himself when it came to toppling the Stuarts.


    ¡°No,¡± Sean replied. ¡°I just think that no one is really strong enough to lead and keep things together,


    and we¡¯ll scatter once Grandfather hands over leadership of the family.¡±


    ¡°You doubted yourself too?¡± Cordy raised her brow.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for years¡ªcan¡¯t you tell that I¡¯m not interested in taking over?¡± Sean said bluntly


    just then. ¡°And I¡¯ve told Grandfather much earlier that I¡¯m not going to do it.¡±


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like one who doesn¡¯t pursue power.¡±


    ¡°Do I look that trivial to you?¡±


    ¡°Well, having desires is good, you know. It shows that you seek improvement.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I don¡¯t?¡±


    Cordy was speechless. ¡°Are you an Aquarius?¡±


    ¡°Taurus.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re too amazing to be one!¡±


    ¡°Just trying to get you to lighten up.¡± Sean chuckled. ¡°Your brow was almost knitting together there.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-Sean had sincerely been good to her, and he was always meticulous


    enough to notice her mood even though she never liked letting it show.


    ¡°Back to the topic at hand,¡± Sean said, answering her question just now. ¡°When I told Grandfather that I


    won¡¯t take over family matters, his condition was for me to find someone exceedingly capable¡ªone


    who could help the others in the transition.¡±

 Chapter 935

    Chapter 935


    Chapter 935


    Sean exined, ¡°There was no disputing that John would be the perfect man for that job. I was


    amazed by his abilities in his confrontation against the Stuarts, and following further conversations at


    length, I became sure that he¡¯s the one I want.¡±


    ¡°But why won¡¯t you consider taking over leadership of the family?¡± Cordy remained curious about that.


    He was the eldest grandson, was at the right age, and had the strength for it. One might even say that


    the rest of the Cranstons had already tacitly acknowledged him in that capacity-even Paul, his uncle


    and a known troublemaker, would more or less defer to him.


    What reason could he have to delegate such a grand legacy to someone else?!


    Nheless, Sean simply smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass on telling you my reasons, or that might ruin the


    amazing opinion you have of me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re not that amazing in my opinion.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯d still rather you afford me some dignity,¡± Sean said bluntly, though it only made Cordy more


    interested.


    ¡°Quit with the spections, please,¡± Sean told her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you someday.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°It depends.¡±


    He might as well have said nothing, just as Cordy was definitely not one who pried¡ªif someone was


    unwilling to say it, she would not usually ask.


    That being said, she was more interested than usual because it was Sean.


    Nheless, Sean suddenly reminded her, ¡°The wedding is in five days. Good luck.¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes.


    Cordyy in bed, spacing out after Sean left her room.


    Sean was right-what could she do to change John¡¯s mind, to make him break up with Nana?


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    And that woman was a real menace!


    She gritted her teeth and suddenly sat up in bed.


    No one knew what the final oue would be until the veryst moment!


    She whipped out her phone, tapped on John¡¯s number, and texted him after a while: [I was discharged


    earlier.]


    Her heart raced after she sent the text, and she waited.


    However, he never sent anything back, and Cordy got a little angry.


    Gritting her teeth, she sent another text: [I almost got in


    another ident.]


    And, send¡­


    This time, there was an exmation mark beside her message.


    Cordy checked several times online, but that was definitely a notification that her text was not delivered


    to the recipient.


    And the only reason for that was because she had been blocked.


    John actually blocked her¡­


    Cordy felt as if she could not breathe for a moment and really wanted to punch the man right then and


    there.


    At the same time, she felt a chill in her heart-had John really resolved himself to cut all ties from her


    just to stay with Nana?!


    John was still staying at the hospital, keeping Nanapany since she was not discharged yet.


    He was peeling fruits for Nana, and Nana saw it as well when that text from Cordy reached him.


    Sheughed. ¡°Cordy really hasn¡¯t given up on you.¡±


    As such, John blocked Cordy as Nana watched.


    Though Nana could hardly hide her excitement, she said, ¡°I really never wanted to push you like this,


    Lucas, but you definitely won¡¯t regret marrying me. I¡¯ll make you understand


    that marrying me is the smartest choice, because no one loves you more than I do-not even Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied.


    He was cold to her as he always had been, but at least he was determined.


    As such, Nana was convinced that he was just reluctant because he had been coerced, but she was


    confident he would quickly forget about that after he actually married her.


    ¡°Did the doctor say when I can get discharged?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s better if you stay, given your special condition,¡± he replied. ¡°You can get discharged


    once your woundpletely heals and there¡¯s nothing else affecting you.¡±

 Chapter 936

    Chapter 936


    Chapter 936


    Nana groaned, ¡°But I want to get discharged soon. We¡¯re supposed to get married this week.¡±


    ¡°We can change the date,¡± John told her.


    ¡°I refuse. It¡¯s so difficult to arrange this, and changing it might jinx things too.¡±


    ¡°Your health is more important.¡±


    ¡°I know my body,¡± Nana snapped. ¡°Getting married would only improve my health, and don¡¯t you


    remember what my former cardiologist said? I¡¯d live well and longer if I¡¯m in a good mood.¡±


    John gave up right then. ¡°It¡¯s your call.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I love you so much, Lucas.¡± Nana reached out for his hand.


    His fingers clearly twitched, but he did not push her away.


    The next day, Cordy went looking for John at the hospital on her wheelchair.


    Sean was worried about letting her go alone and insisted oning along.


    They waited for John in his ward, since John spent most of his ward at Nana¡¯s ward.


    If he did not go, she would get out of bed to look for her, and she could not bear the exertion given her


    health.


    As such, he usually waited until she fell asleep before leaving, and it was the same today.


    He just did not expect to find Cordy and Sean in his room when he returned.


    Sean was already scowling, clearly hostile toward his presence.


    Cordy was not exactly smiling either and asked immediately, ¡°Why did you block my number?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not going to stay in touch. It¡¯s pointless to keep your number.¡±


    ¡°Does it hurt you that much?¡±


    ¡°It hurts Nana,¡± John said bluntly.


    Cordy almost choked on that retort.


    Given her temperament in the past, she would have turned to leave right then.


    This time, however, she bore with it.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you unblock my number?¡± she asked. ¡°I won¡¯t text you again if you want.¡±


    John felt a stinging pain extending all over his chest right then.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Cordy had been such a proud person before, but she was prostrating herself just for him.


    At that very moment, he almost let down his guard and leapt forward to gather her in his arms.


    He had to clench his fingers in restraint, while subtly ncing at the direction of the hidden camera in


    his room and remained indifferent.


    ¡°There¡¯s no chance of us getting together, Cordy. Don¡¯t waste your time on me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re affecting me,¡± John said coolly, feeling his own heart being cut to the quick with every


    callous line he breathed.


    ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± Cordy¡¯s eyes welled with tears, but she refused to cry or look miserable


    around John.


    She would never do what Nana did, just as she scorned it.


    But now, she really could not stop herself because she felt so powerless in the face of John¡¯s apathy


    for her.


    What else could she do other than cry?


    Ultimately, she lost to him and gave up on all pretenses.


    John was left gulping, unable to say the cruel words already on the tip of his tongue.


    He could not really hurt Cordy, but he could not afford for the same tragedy to hurt them again.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want any ties with you when I¡¯m getting married soon.¡±

 Chapter 937

    Chapter 937


    Chapter 937


    Cordy¡¯s eyes were welling with tears even as she asked,¡± Can¡¯t you just call off the wedding?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± John replied.


    ¡°You¡¯ll definitely regret it,¡± Cordy told him solemnly.


    ¡°Even so, I¡¯ll marry Nana,¡± John told her definitively.


    Cordy bit her lip-she had so much more to say, but she could not say them.


    John was frighteningly determined, and she could not persuade him at all.


    There was nothing she could do.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time on me.¡± John remained unmoved by her misery. ¡°I¡¯m not worth it.¡±


    With those words, he turned to leave,pletely cold toward Cordy.


    Cordy ultimately could not stop the tears streaming down her cheeks.


    She always thought herself strong and was prepared for John¡¯s rejection.


    But if John really was that easy, Nana would not have to push him this far.


    And now, each time John was being cruel to her, it felt like


    her heart was cut to the quick¡­


    She did not even see Sean chasing down John, snapping icily at him across the walkway in the


    hospital, ¡°John Levine!¡±


    John wheeled on him. ¡°You want to beat me up too?¡±


    Just like when Patrick beat him up to stand up for Cordy.


    Would Sean do the same?


    To be fair, he really deserved it now.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that violent,¡± Sean said icily.


    John remained unmoved, so Sean said, ¡°I just want to tell you that if you¡¯ve really made your choice,


    stand with it until the end. Don¡¯t waver.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied with assurance and entered Nana¡¯s ward, which was just next door.


    Cordy wheeled herself out of his ward to find John leaving.


    Sean turned toward her then. ¡°Like I said, you never had a chance.¡±


    Cordy blinked back her tears¡ªshe would never allow herself to be weak that long.


    ¡°Yeah, and thanks for nothing.¡± She naturally overheard what Sean told Jean.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your own good.¡±


    ¡°Save it.¡±


    She turned to leave, but Sean quickly caught up and


    wheeled her to the elevators, saying, Patrick is a good man, to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me!¡± Cordy snapped, venting her bad mood after John¡¯s rejection since she had nowhere


    else to do it.


    ¡°Just try to date him. I heard that the best way to forget a break-up is to start a new one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to forget him.¡±


    Cordy would certainly never forget about John.


    It was just that the man before them was not John.


    ¡°Well, what can you do? He¡¯s really getting married, and you¡¯d be a homewrecker if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my own business.¡±


    ¡°Wake up, Cordy.¡± Sean sighed feebly.


    ¡°I¡¯m wide awake.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m now convinced John doesn¡¯t measure up to Patrick at all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s amazing. You can have him,¡± Cordy blurted.


    Sean pursed his lips and quietly asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you behave like a normal person?¡±


    ¡°I got that from you,¡± Cordy retorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good.¡±


    ¡°What, and I¡¯m not? I¡¯ll be honest-you smile more around Patrick than with your wife, or have you never


    noticed?¡±


    Cordy said bluntly.


    It was no fabrication, and that was really the case even if it felt absurd.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll shut up-you can do whatever you want.¡± Sean gave up right then. ¡°But I¡¯m serious here,


    Cordy. You must give up once John really gets married. People will talk, and you¡¯ll get med to death.¡±Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 938

    Chapter 938


    Chapter 938


    Cordy did not argue, since she understood Sean¡¯s concern.


    Once John married Nana, Nana would have a million different ways to humiliate her no matter how she


    tried to cling on to John.


    That was why she must stop the wedding.


    Sean found himself genuinely impressed by Cordy¡¯s perseverance as she headed to the hospital again


    the next day.


    She was just so cruelly rejected yesterday and clearly moody, but once the day changed, she seemed


    rejuvenated and motivated again.


    He went with Cordy, and they were just arriving at John¡¯s ward when they saw him stepping outside.


    He appeared surprised when he saw Cordy, surprised that she had returned so soon.


    ¡°Cordy-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so full of yourself. I¡¯m not here for you.¡± Cordy cut him short, turning her face away in true


    tsundere fashion.


    John pursed his lips, while Sean appeared stunned as he stood beside Cordy.


    So, today¡¯s n was ying hard to get?!


    It was certainly unorthodox, but Sean was convinced that it would not work either.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± John said and left.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Cordy stopped him, and he paused.


    He could not walk away when Cordy called out to him, and if he could, he would have her in his arms


    and never let go.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to see Nana, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked bluntly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± John replied.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±


    As John stared at her, she added imposingly, ¡°I mean, I have business with her. You wait here.¡±


    John did a double take, while Sean¡¯s jaw dropped beside them.


    What was Cordy up to this time?!


    If he was not seeing this first hand, he would have presumed an ice queen like Cordy would never do


    anything possible just to win over a man.


    Since it was not working on said man, she was going to tear down the rival, was she not?


    ¡°Please take me there,¡± Cordy told Sean just then.


    He came to his senses and started to push Cordy along right in front of John.


    John began, ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a fight between women! Men can shut up!¡± Cordy refused to let him talk at all.


    She certainly did not want to hear John defending Nana.


    John pursed his lips in turn, but in reality, he did not have to worry about Cordy losing to Nana at all.


    Nana had been beaming in her ward when she presumed John was arriving, and she scowled


    immediately when she saw that it was Cordy instead.


    She never expected Cordy toe straight to her.


    She was naturally aware that Cordy came looking for John yesterday, and she had been satisfied with


    John¡¯s reaction.


    So, Cordy was turning her crosshairs on Nana since she could not make John budge?!


    She was really giving herself too much credit!


    Still, Nana subtly smiled again. ¡°Did youe to visit me, Cordy?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°How are you doing? You were very hurt.¡±


    ¡°The doctor said that I¡¯m fine,¡± Nana replied before adding pointedly, ¡°My wedding won¡¯t be dyed


    either.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯lle early when that dayes.¡±


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Are you really that confident it¡¯s going to happen?¡± Cordyunched a naked provocation right then.

 Chapter 939

    Chapter 939


    Chapter 939


    ¡°Of course.¡¯ Nana did not hesitate-she always got what she wanted no matter who stood in her way.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss terms,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°Us?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cordy nodded.


    Nana hesitated.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    She knew for a while that Cordy was no pushover, but she was not afraid of Cordy-Cordy was the one


    who lost whenever they shed, after all.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Nana agreed to it just then, somehow interested in what Cordy was up to.


    Cordy then turned to John and Sean. ¡°Please clear the room. If


    Both of them frowned but left the room, leaving just Cordy and Nana.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Nana told Cordy while watching her calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know a lot about me by now.¡±


    Nana raised a brow. ¡°In what way?¡±


    ¡°Every way,¡± Cordy replied confidently.


    Nana pursed her lips-she certainly did, since Cordy was the enemy.


    ¡°So you¡¯d know what I¡¯m like. I can dazzle even if I¡¯ve been dealt a bad hand, without any help.¡±


    Nana raised a brow again. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Not quite, but I guess I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m not as much of a pushover as you¡¯d like to think.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Give me two days with Lucas-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Nana refused even before Cordy could finish.


    Cordy was undeterred, however, and simply continued slowly and clearly, ¡°If I can¡¯t make Lucas choose


    me instead after two days, I¡¯ll refrain from getting involved in your marriage at all¡­ Or, to put it bluntly,


    if you don¡¯t give me a chance to give up now, your marriage won¡¯t be peaceful.¡±


    Nana was hesitant, and she studied Cordy just then.


    She had to admit that she felt threatened-no one had ever demanded such ¡®unfair terms¡¯ from her in


    her life, just as she never lost once in anything.


    But it was clear that Cordy would be getting the better of their ¡¯deal¡¯, and why would she let another


    woman have a shot at her own fiance?!


    Lucas was hers in the first ce! Be it before or after marriage, she had no reason to lend Lucas to


    Cordy.


    And yet, she was hesitant because Cordy posed too great a threat.


    If Cordy kept clinging to Lucas, there was no guarantee he would not waver.


    On the other hand, she just had to give them a couple days to eliminate a threat permanently!


    Cordy then said, ¡°Think about it. Give me an answer by today


    ¡°Fine,¡± Nana said without hesitation. ¡°You can have Lucas before our wedding, but if he doesn¡¯t choose


    you, I want you gone forever.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t get to threaten him with suicide in those two days,¡± Cordy added-that rule was certainly


    necessary, since emotional ckmail was Nana¡¯s most lethal move.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Nana assured her before adding, ¡°And after those two days, you don¡¯t get to have a say


    in whatever I do.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to lose, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°You never know until the very end. You¡¯d actually get a p in the face.¡±


    Nana did not care about Cordy¡¯s provocation, however, and was utterly confident.

 Chapter 940

    Chapter 940


    Chapter 940


    Havinge to an agreement, Cordy did not linger and strode out of Nana¡¯s ward.


    John and Sean were standing in the corridor, with a great distance between them.


    It was obvious they could not stand each other¡­ or to be precise, Sean could not stand John.


    ¡°You done?¡¯ Sean asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What did you talk about?¡± Sean asked in curiosity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. Let¡¯s head back for now.¡±


    Sean refrained from asking right then and walked over to wheel Cordy away, passing by John who


    watched them.


    Like every other moment he was left watching Cordy left, he clenched his fists¡­


    ¡°Lucas,¡± Nana called out to him just then.


    John withdrew his gaze and headed inside her ward.


    She watched him and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why Cordy wanted to talk to me?¡±


    John had been getting quieter around her ever since Cordy showed up, as if he no longer cared about


    her.


    ¡°You¡¯d tell me if you wanted to tell me. It¡¯s pointless even if I


    asked if you don¡¯t,¡± John said indifferently.


    One could feel how distant he was in the marrow, and any other woman would have lost their mind by


    now.


    Nana, however, remained unaffected. ¡°She told me to let her borrow you for two days. If she can¡¯t


    make you choose her after that, she¡¯ll stay away from us forever.¡±


    John¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, and he asked quietly, ¡°You said yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart. You should know what my answer was.¡± Nana was not being vague either. ¡°I¡¯m all too


    willing to have the peace we¡¯d get in return after those two days.¡±


    John remained silent, and Nana looked at him with an utterly loving gaze. ¡°You won¡¯t betray me, right,


    Lucas? I only agreed to it because I trust you. You wouldn¡¯t disappoint me, right?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have said yes.¡± John did not answer her question.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m confident in myself.¡±


    ¡°Then you didn¡¯t have to ask me for an answer,¡± John said coolly.


    Nana bit her lip but thought to herself that it was just two days.


    She just had to bear with it for two days.


    In the car, Sean ultimately could not resist asking, ¡°So? What


    was all the mystery talk with Nana about? You know she¡¯s not going to y along, whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°But she said yes,¡± Cordy said tly.


    ¡°Yes to what?¡±


    ¡°Lending John to me for two days.¡±


    Sean was stunned.


    ¡°I decided that you were right. I¡¯d be a homewrecker if I kept trying to sabotage their marriage after


    they¡¯re married, and I hate being that the most, even if¡­¡±


    Cordy trailed off, pursing her lips while sheposed herself. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked for those two days.¡±


    Still, Sean was surprised that Nana would agree to it when she stood to lose more. ¡°How did you make


    her agree to it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that impossible,¡± Cordy said coolly, reclining against her seat. ¡°I epted John¡¯s death. Why


    not him cheating?


    I¡¯ll just pretend he died four years ago if the worst happens.¡±


    Sean certainly had more to say but paused for a moment as he realized there was nothing much to talk


    about.


    So, he simply told Cordy, ¡°It¡¯s good, I guess? You won¡¯t have any regrets after you¡¯ve done all you can.


    You could be at ease and choose Patrick if you ultimately can¡¯t be with John too.¡±


    Cordy smiled-Sean was really betting on Patrick, was he not?Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 941

    Chapter 941


    Chapter 941


    Cordy called John early next morning, her heart racing since she was not sure if he unblocked her.


    Fortunately, the call got through.


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Nana must have told you yesterday, right? You belong to me for the next two days.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s tone was a little shrill.


    John unwittingly clenched on his phone.


    He belonged to her¡­


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He gulped but asked, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°What, no resistance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no loss if you agree not to bother us forever after that,¡± John said coolly.


    Cordy restrained her rage and said, ¡°I¡¯m on the first floor of the hospital. Come down right now.¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    On the other end, while John put away his phone, Nana asked, ¡°Is Cordy here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Two days. You muste back before midnight tomorrow,


    ¡± Nana said determinedly. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯d know what happens.¡±


    John said nothing, though his silence was an acknowledgment most of the time.


    Nana was used to his quietness as well and watched as he left.


    After that, she picked up her phone and snapped, ¡°Follow them, and report everything they are doing in


    real time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Lynd.¡±


    Nana¡¯s eyes shed savagely as she lowered her phone.


    Cordy would never win¡­ no matter what she pulled!


    Outside the hospital, John entered the car to find Cordy.


    Her foot was still stered, but she was dressed in an exceedingly alluring ck body-hugging dress.


    However, John merely gave it a brief nce.


    Seeing no reaction from him, Cordy asked a little grumpily,¡± Don¡¯t I look good in this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary,¡± John replied, using as few words as possible but effectively discouraging her.


    Cordy was left gritting her teeth in frustration, since she had spent a long time making herself look


    pretty.


    The journey was silent, and John kept staring outside the window.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about where I¡¯m taking you?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Do I get to choose?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Then why should I bother?¡± John asked tly.


    However, Cordy had had enough. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at the back of your head. Could you look at me


    when I talk to you?¡±


    John gulped, but he turned regardless.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the beach,¡± she said, looking him in the eye and wondering if he remembered he had


    taken her to the beach before too.


    Naturally, she did not have the time to take him back to that faraway ind, but she could take him to a


    small ind near the capital and stay there for a couple days.


    ¡°Not interested?¡± Cordy asked since John did not respond.


    ¡°How do you think I should answer? Do I get my freedom of thought when both you and Nana treat me


    like some tool?¡± John asked her in return.


    ¡°Why do you care so much about Nana?! A person¡¯s life is their own, so that¡¯s her problem if she


    doesn¡¯t care about hers! You don¡¯t have to suffer her emotional ckmail!¡± Cordy cried in agitation.


    She knew that John only came along to spend two days with her because Nana asked.


    He was a yes-man when it came to that woman!


    Was it not Nana¡¯s fault that he lost his freedom?!


    Even so, John stayed silent and did not answer.


    Cordy was a little angry in turn.


    In all the time she had known him, John had never been single and free. 1


    First, it was Jessica.


    Now, it was Nana.


    The man was constantly surrounded by skanks!


    ¡°Someone¡¯s following us,¡± John suddenly said amid the silence.


    Cordy only got more furious when he told her that.

 Chapter 942

    Chapter 942


    Chapter 942


    Cordy was fuming-how could John still pay attention to other stuff?


    She was dying here, but he did not care at all!


    Taking a deep breath to calm down, she told Max the chauffeur, ¡°Shake them off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Max was a racing driver whopeted in the higher echelons, and it took him just around half an hour


    to shake their tail off.


    However, he had been driving too quickly, weaving in and out of narrow alleys and powersliding


    through corners, and Cordy was left carsick right then.


    Clutching her mouth, she mumbled, ¡°Stop somewhere. I need to vomit.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Max replied and promptly stopped the car by the road.


    Cordy opened the door and started vomiting with a loud 1 rgh¡¯.


    Naturally, vomiting once was not quite enough-she kept vomiting over several consecutive times.


    She had lost sleep the entire nightst night, and being carsick while lethargic was twice more


    ufortable.


    ¡°Drink some water.¡±


    Cordy suddenly looked up to find John holding an opened bottle of mineral water in front of her, and


    she ultimately took it.


    She rinsed her mouth and took a moment to rest.


    John asked, ¡°Have you had breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± she replied in frustration, still seething.


    She really wanted to bite him whenever she had to think about the attitude he was giving her!


    ¡°Go get something to eat.¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy refused.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯d get carsick again.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯d just die,¡± Cordy huffed, giving up on life right then.


    John seemed to chuckle just then.


    ¡°What are youughing about?¡± Cordy was even more furious at that.


    He loved to build his happiness on the suffering of others, did he not?


    ¡°You¡¯re an adult, but you behave like a child.¡±


    Cordy scowled harder from being mocked.


    In contrast, John rxed a little.


    Ultimately, John managed to force Cordy to get breakfast, and the soup she had really made her


    stomach better.


    However, that dyed Cordy¡¯s n.


    She wanted to get into the chopper she arranged by 1 PM that would take them to the ind, but they


    only arrived at 3 3PM.


    To make matters worse, she was very drowsy when they arrived at the ind.


    She had been too excited to sleepst night, and all she could think about was scenarios of her


    meeting John today and all the possibilities as they spent time alone with each other¡­


    And yet, once they arrived at the hotel she booked, she dropped on the bed and fell asleep.


    She was nning to take a half-hour nap, which after all was no dy¡­


    But when she opened her eyes again, it was already dark outside.


    Cordy leapt out of bed right then,pletely forgetting her fractured leg in her agitation.


    ¡°Argh!¡± she shrieked, the pain hurting her to the core.


    The door opened right then, and John found her gritting her teeth in pain. He quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong?¡±


    His concern was visible-there was no hiding it just then.


    ¡°My leg. I think I hit it,¡± Cordy groaned in pain.


    John walked up to her bed. ¡°Is it serious? Do you want to get it checked at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy suddenly sat up in bed.


    John frowned. It was as if she was suddenly fine¡­


    However, it was trivial for Cordy¡ªshe only had two days with John, and she had already wasted half a


    day sleeping.


    She refused to waste anytime on anything else, not even a broken leg.

 Chapter 943

    Chapter 943


    Chapter 943


    ¡°Your legs¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cordy replied with great certainty.


    ¡°Okay, get up and eat,¡± John suggested.


    He also got up to walk out.


    ¡°John.¡± Cordy stopped him.


    John turned around in a very natural manner.


    Facing her gaze, he said calmly, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you call me like that if you want. After all, it¡¯s just these


    two days.¡±


    A tinge of disappointment overcame her.


    For a moment, she thought he remembered everything.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± John asked indifferently.


    ¡°My legs are hurt. Can you carry me?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a wheelchair here?¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t get out of bed.¡±


    ¡°How did you get into bed?¡±


    ¡°Is it very difficult to carry me for a while? I¡¯m not fat.¡± Cordy red up in a rage.


    She felt that it was very hard and tiring to speak to him.


    Why was he so annoying after he lost his memory?


    She wondered if she could get his old self back.


    John was hesitant for a while. After that, he bent down and carried her from the bed.


    She was fuming with anger in the previous second, but now her heart softened.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She leaned on him docilely.


    It turned out that the familiar scent on his body was because he was John.


    John ced Cordy on the chair in the dining room.


    He even helped her adjust her position after putting her down.


    Cordy slowly revealed a smile.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten?¡± Cordy asked.


    It was now past eight at night.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡±


    ¡°I just woke up.¡± John ruined her fantasy.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Cordy did not believe him.


    ¡°Whatever.¡± John did not exin further as he lowered his head to eat the dinner delivered by the hotel.


    He had indeed just woken up because he was suffering from insomnia too the night before.


    He did not know what Cordy would do to him today¡­


    He was filled with both eagerness and fear.


    That kind of conflicted emotion made him unable to fall asleep.


    So, he dozed off on the sofa in the living room after he went there and noticed that she had fallen


    asleep.


    When he woke up, it was past seven o¡¯clock. He thought that she might soon wake up, so he ordered


    room service to get some food.


    When the food was just delivered, he heard Cordy¡¯s scream, which scared him.


    When she saw him eating on his own, she also started eating angrily.


    She did not know if she was eating in a fit of anger or not, but she ate a little too much.


    After that, she became so full that she did not even want to move.


    She stretched her body. ¡°John, let¡¯s go out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°You can walk?¡± John looked at her legs.


    ¡°I have a wheelchair, right?¡±


    John was struck speechless.


    John pushed her out of the hotel vi and enjoyed the sea breeze on the beautiful private beach.


    They were quiet most of the time.


    John would not speak first no matter what.


    Cordy put away the things she wanted to say most of the time.


    He had lost his memory, so it seemed futile no matter what she said.


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    Suddenly, Cordy sneezed.


    The night breeze was slightly chilly, and she inevitably hugged herself.


    In the next moment, she felt a warm coat on her body.


    Cordy turned around to look at John.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to take care of the patient anymore,¡± he said gloomily. ¡°It¡¯s annoying.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let go if it¡¯s annoying?¡± Cordy asked.


    Of course, she knew that he was referring to Nana.


    ¡°She once saved my life.¡±


    ¡°So, do you have to give yourself up to her just because of that?¡± Cordy became very angry. ¡°John, we


    can be grateful, but it¡¯s not an excuse to control a person. Nana¡¯s actions made her unworthy for you to


    give yourself up for her!¡±

 Chapter 944

    Chapter 944


    Chapter 944


    John became silent again, keeping quiet once they came to the main point.


    Cordy bit her lips and forced herself to say nothing more about that.


    She finally got a chance to be alone with John, so it could not be ruined because of Nana.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to go back now,¡± Cordy said lightly.


    Hence, John pushed her back to the hotel vi, which was veryrge with many rooms both upstairs


    and downstairs.


    Cordy was staying downstairs because it was inconvenient for her to move around, while John wanted


    to go upstairs.


    ¡°John.¡± Cordy stopped him.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You can go to bed early,¡± John reminded her.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Cordy could feel that he always kept his distance from her.


    ¡°We can sleep together,¡± Cordy said directly.


    ¡°Ahem! Ahem! Ahem¡­¡±


    John choked at Cordy¡¯s sudden words.


    ¡°Are you excited?¡± Cordy chuckled.


    ¡°Stop dreaming about that. We¡¯ll sleep separately.¡± John turned herdown.


    ¡°Are you afraid that you can¡¯t hold back?¡± Cordy tried to instigate him.


    ¡°This kind of mind game doesn¡¯t work on me.¡±


    After that, he turned to go upstairs, and Cordy watched his cold back.


    She told herself not to be angry.


    He had lost his memory as John, so he was indifferent toward her.


    If he regained his memories, he would have enjoyed a fervent romance with her by now.


    Cordy tried her best to get up from the wheelchair.


    Only her left leg was hurt, so she could rely on her right leg.


    At that moment, she supported herself on the stairs and jumped upstairs with her right leg step by step.


    John rejected her, but it did not mean that she would give him up.


    She felt that the most extreme method might stimte him¡­


    If not¡­ she could note up with other options.


    He was about to be another woman¡¯s husband.


    Halfway through her effort, she panted vigorously.


    It was exhausting.


    The stairs were not long, but it was very tiring for her.


    She took a deep breath and decided to continue.


    However, the height of her jump was not enough, so she failed to leap onto the next step. Her body


    swayed, and she was about to fall.


    Cordy felt like she was about to die, but someone hugged her body tightly in this critical moment.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± She then heard his cranky voice.


    He was extremely frustrated.


    ¡°Do you want to break your other leg too?¡± John asked viciously.


    His face was flushed.


    She did not know why he was so angry.


    Even if she fell, she would break her leg, not his.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± John gnashed his teeth and demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of you,¡± Cordy blurted out.


    She tried her best to climb up the stairs just to sleep with him.


    He red at her, his eyes full of wrath, and Cordy sighed.


    She did not want to have sex with him. Instead, she simply wanted to sleep in the same bed with him


    and spend more time with him.


    In short, she was not confident that she could snatch John.


    She did not want to have any regrets, and she still wanted to give herself a chance.


    She said, ¡°If you¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well, as you wish.¡±


    He suddenly carried her and strode to the bedroom upstairs quickly.

 Chapter 945

    Chapter 945


    Chapter 945


    John carried her back to the room and roughly ced her on the softrge bed after.


    However, he did not leave after putting her down.


    Their eyes met just like that.


    The surrounding air gradually became thin. At the same time, their breathing became more rapid.


    John inevitably swallowed.


    Many things could happen at that time, but none of them made any extra moves.


    They just looked at each other that way¡­


    Holding his neck, Cordy felt her heartbeat quicken. She felt like she almost could not take it anymore.


    However, John could remain unmoved.


    She gritted her teeth.


    At first, she simply wanted to spend more time with him.


    After all, he was still engaged with another. He had Nana¡­


    However, she had to admit that she was impulsive now.


    She eagerly wanted to have sex with him.


    She did not believe it herself.


    It was fine if she did not think about Nana.


    When she thought of Nana, she wanted nothing but to go all out with John.


    It was at this moment that she made up her mind. She pulled his neck to her and raised her head to


    kiss him.


    As a result, John¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his body seemed to shake slightly.


    Their lips were against each other¡¯s, but no one made a further move.


    It was as if they were afraid that something uncontroble would happen as long as they turned


    something on.


    So, they were still holding themselves back even at such a point, trying their best to suppress their


    desires.


    Cordy was impressed by John¡¯s strong self-restraint.


    She went to such an extent, but he could remain unmoved.


    Even if he had not left, he had done something beyond an ordinary man¡¯s instinct.


    Cordy decided not to be reserved anymore.


    She knew very well that her reservedness would put out the little desire that could still be aroused.


    She gently parted her lips and deepened her kiss.


    John grabbed the bedsheets tightly.


    Even his knuckles turned pale from his force when Cordy took the initiative to such an extent.


    He should have pushed her away at that time.


    No.


    He should have done that long ago.


    However, he could not resist her temptation.


    No, he could not do that at all¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    John groaned.


    Cordy seemed to be resisting silently since she did not gain his response.


    She bit his lips gently, but it made him lose his mind.


    Atst, he could not hold back anymore.


    He pressed her underneath him and kissed her passionately as if he wanted to make him a part of


    his¡­


    It was a dark night.


    Waves were surging outside.


    Everything would happen naturally but at thest moment¡­


    Someone¡¯s phone rang all of a sudden.


    The two people, who were hugging each other tightly, trembled slightly.


    ¡®It was so close.


    ¡®Don¡¯t go.¡¯


    Cordy hugged his body tightly and refused to let him go.


    The struggle in his eyes was obvious.


    Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He wanted to indulge in that romance with her regardless of anything. However, his reason told him he


    could not disregard everything.


    ¡°John, don¡¯t bother about that¡­¡± Cordy sounded urgent.


    She did not want him to leave.


    He could not go anywhere tonight.


    John¡¯s passionate gaze was full of desire.


    But he stopped out of the blue.


    His body had not cooled down, but he wanted to leave.

 Chapter 946

    Chapter 946


    Chapter 946


    ¡°John!¡± Cordy grabbed his arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s unfair for you,¡± John said with self-restraint.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Cordy replied very firmly.


    She would not regret anything that happened tonight regardless of their future and the result.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    John pushed her hand away, but she exerted great strength until her fingernails were stabbed into his


    skin.


    Her eyes full of tears, her gaze was asking him to stay, but he was unmoved.


    He pushed her away and left her side.


    Cordy soon burst into tears.


    Gradually, her tears fell on her pillow.


    John picked up his phone and walked to the balcony.


    It was a call from Nana.


    He just watched his phone ring endlessly, but he did not pick it up.


    He quietly adjusted his feelings and made himself slowly cool down.


    Nana kept on calling him.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    John knew Nana very well. She would insist on doing the thing she wanted.


    If he did not pick up her calls, she would keep on calling him.


    She would not give up.


    After taking a deep breath, he answered the call. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Are you asleep?¡± Nana was not angry.


    She made at least twenty calls, but she did not show any anger. She just very gently asked him what


    he was doing.


    ¡°No.¡± John made an excuse. ¡°I was showering just now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping either. I can¡¯t sleep without you by my side. ¡± Nana sounded slightly coquettish.


    However, John made no response.


    ¡°Where are you and Cordy now?¡± Nana asked calmly.


    She did not expect that her subordinate would lose them at the very beginning.


    She had no idea where they went and what they were doing¡­


    Undeniably, she panicked slightly.


    ¡°We¡¯re at a beach.¡± John did not hide anything, but he did not tell her which beach it was.


    Nana could feel his aloofness.


    She knew she would not get anything from him even if she raised any more queries.


    So, she went straight to the point. ¡°You won¡¯t sleep with Cordy tonight, will you?¡±


    ¡°You should be mentally prepared from the moment you promised Cordy¡¯s term,¡± John replied


    straightforwardly.


    Nana bit her lips tightly.


    Yes.


    She did imagine the possibility that Cordy might use the most extreme method to seduce Lucas, but


    she felt that he would not be tempted given his character.


    However, she was still scared.


    Lying in bed, all she could think of was John and Cordy¡¯s fervent scenes in bed.


    Hence, she could not help calling him after holding herself back for a day.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Go to bed early.¡± John seemed like he did not want to say much, and he was about to end the


    call.


    ¡°Lucas.¡± Nana stopped him. ¡°I won¡¯t make a fuss about the past no matter what as long as you solely


    belong to me after our marriage.¡±


    John cut it off.


    The suppressed emotions in his heart made him want to disregard everything and vent his feelings out


    for a moment.


    However, he was clenching his fists tightly and trying his best to suppress his desire.


    After a long time, he gradually calmed down.


    He was back in the room.


    Cordy had put on her clothes well, but she was not sleeping in bed. On the other hand, she was sitting


    on the sofa next to it and waiting for him.


    She was waiting for him toe back.


    They looked at each other. Suddenly, they seemed not to know what to say.


    ¡°Do you want to take a bath?¡± John took the initiative to break the stalemate.

 Chapter 947

    Chapter 947


    Chapter 947


    Cordyjust watched him quietly.


    She could no longer see any emotions on his aloof face.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He was on the verge of losing control just now, but currently, he was frighteningly calm.


    ¡°Let me run the bath for you.¡± John walked straight to the bathroom after gaining no reply from her.


    Cordy looked down and put away all the emotions in her heart silently.


    After running the bath for her, he walked out of the bathroom and carried her from the sofa.


    Cordy looked at his cold and refined facial outline.


    After putting her in the bathroom, he said, ¡°Call me if anything happens. I¡¯ll be out there.¡±


    After that, he left.


    Cordy watched his back.


    It seemed like the thing she saw the most now was his back.


    She took off her clothes.


    At that moment, many awkward bruises were left on her fair skin.


    The ambiguous moment just now seemed like sarcasm now.


    After the bath, she put on the new underwear in the vi as well as the hotel¡¯s bathrobe before she


    opened the door.


    John was standing outside the door.


    When he saw Cordye up, he carried her again.


    She did not reject him, for she was indeed having difficulties walking and her wheelchair was


    downstairs.


    Besides, she could not return to her room if he did not carry her.


    Unexpectedly, he put her in therge bed there.


    She did not ask any questions.


    After all, there were so many rooms. If she stayed in this one, John could sleep in another bedroom.


    It was more troublesome to move her around while carrying her.


    So, she slept in thatrge bed with ease.


    After that, she saw him walk into the bathroom.


    Cordy yearned to remind him to take a bath in another room, but she chose to be silent after pondering


    over it.


    After he took his bath, Cordy was still awake.


    How could she fall asleep?


    She took such a long nap and¡­


    Something was troubling her in her heart, which gave her a hard time.


    But after he came out, Cordy purposely closed her eyes.


    After that, she suddenly felt another side of the bed sink in.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    John then slowly approached her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Before Cordy could speak up, John stated, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep with you.¡±


    So, he simply wanted to sleep in the same bed with her.


    She was full of unspeakable feelings.


    That was her original intention. However, people always behaved that way. Once they felt that they


    could take another step forward, they would not be satisfied with what they had at the moment.


    She turned her back to him, using her action to show her displeasure.


    When John saw her lose her temper, he smiled dotingly.


    He did not know what woulde out of it at the end, but he did not want to defile her when he was


    still having an ambiguous rtionship with another woman.


    She was pure and innocent.


    It was a silent night.


    Neither of them dozed off, but they were pretending to be asleep.


    Atst, she turned around to face him.


    She watched his sleeping face before she moved into his arms.


    He clearly hurt her, but she still could not help approaching him.


    She buried herself in his arms.


    After that, she dozed off with ease.


    After she dozed off, she did not realize that the man who was hugging her could not fall asleep at all¡­


    When Cordy opened her eyes the next day, she did not know what time it was.


    She just found the sunlight outside very dazzling.


    She turned around and looked at the spot beside her, but she did not see John there.


    The warmth beside her seemed to have disappeared too.

 Chapter 948

    Chapter 948


    Chapter 948


    Did he wake up a while ago?


    Cordy sat up in bed and carefully got out of bed.


    She then walked to the balcony outside.


    She just wanted to see how the sky and sea became one outside.


    After that, she noticed John swimming in the private swimming pool below the balcony outside.


    It was as if they had gone back to the time when they went traveling four years ago.


    She just watched him like that as he swam freely in the pool.


    Unfortunately, she was nowme and could not swim with him.


    She just stood there and watched him as he swam repeatedly.


    His body seemed to be painted with ayer of brilliant light under the sunlight.


    After a long while, he seemed to have noticed her.


    He looked up at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Cordy answered.


    John got out of the swimming pool.


    The water droplets dripped down his body, and the perfect lines of his muscles became quite dazzling


    under the sun.


    Cordy chuckled.


    Well, it was hard to exin since she could not touch him even though he was right in front of her.


    After he got out of the pool, he put on the bathrobe and walked into the vi. Soon, she heard him


    coming upstairs.


    Cordy turned around.


    He walked to the balcony and bent over to carry her.


    She had now gotten used to his hug and even longed for it even though he was just assisting her.


    After all, her leg was injured.


    John carried her to the dining table and helped her sit down. Soon the waiter delivered breakfast to


    them.


    They ate their breakfast quietly.


    ¡°Do you have any ns today?¡± John asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy answered.


    John looked at her, and she smiled. ¡°Are you disappointed?¡±


    John shook his head.


    ¡°We have so little time to be with each other.¡± Cordy¡¯s smile was filled with slight disappointment. ¡°So, I


    don¡¯t want to make any other arrangements. I just simply want to spend time with you alone in the


    same room.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± John replied.


    ¡°John, cook for me.¡± Cordy nced at him.


    John pursed his lips in pain.


    ¡°Maybe this is thest time I¡¯ll be eating the food you make,¡± Cordy said, smiling.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After breakfast, the hotel waiter delivered some ingredients to them, and John then started making


    lunch in the kitchen.


    Cordy sat on a high chair at the bar counter in front of the kitchen as she watched him busy around in


    the kitchen.


    ¡°You can watch TV. You don¡¯t have to stay with me like this.¡± John might feel slightly uneasy when she


    stared at him like that, so he suggested that to her.


    ¡°I told you that we¡¯re running out of time. Of course, I want to stay with you.¡±


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    Cordy finally got down from the high chair with much difficulty, and John nced at her before he


    lowered his head to deal with the ingredients in his hands.


    Cordy limped as she approached John. ¡°Let me tie the apron for you.¡±


    John did not refuse her.


    Cordy helped him tie the apron from behind. After that, she hugged him from behind, leaning her face


    on his back.


    His hand stiffened as he held the knife to cut the ingredients.


    He swallowed slightly, but he did not push her away.


    Cordy just leaned against him with a clear conscience.


    She asked, ¡°John, do you remember nothing?¡±


    John said nothing.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask me what my favorite food is. Why did you start cooking?¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask the waiter to deliver these ingredients?


    Aren¡¯t they your favorite?¡± John asked in answer.


    Cordyughed bitterly.


    Yes.


    She was always trying to fool herself.

 Chapter 949

    Chapter 949


    Chapter 949


    ¡°Sit over there. Just wait for me,¡± John said quietly.


    ¡°I want to be with you.¡± Cordy hugged him tighter.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to affect my cooking.¡±


    Cordy was struck speechless.


    He was so unromantic.


    ¡°Be good.¡±


    Cordy let go of him and walked to another side unhappily.


    She exhausted herself before she sat on the high chair again.


    When she looked at John, she found that he seemed to be controlling himself. He even gasped.


    So, he did not find her annoying.


    He would¡­ lose control too.


    It was very quiet.


    Cordy just watched him quietly as he cooked their lunch.


    John was very quiet too.


    He silently and attentively made lunch for her.


    During lunch, they sat before the dining table.


    As Cordy took a bite of the fish he made, a familiar taste spread around in her mouth and her eyes


    abruptly turned red


    in that instant.


    It still tasted the same.


    But why could they not return to how they were?


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡± John noticed her emotion, so he asked lightly.


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy held back her tears.


    ¡°Eat more.¡± John served her some food. ¡°It¡¯s bad if you¡¯re too slim.¡±


    ¡°Are you criticizing me?¡± Cordy looked at him.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel ufortable while hugging me? I¡¯m so slim that you feel hurt bumping into my bones.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t all men like curvy women? It¡¯sfortable hugging that kind of woman¡­¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t.¡± John became slightly impatient.


    ¡°Look! You¡¯re angry out of shame.¡± Cordy sounded certain.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John looked at her. He was struck speechless.


    She raised her brows, but she was fearless.


    ¡°You¡¯re very good this way,¡± John stated.


    While talking, he seemed to be gnashing his teeth.


    She could very easily stimte him.


    At first, he should be cold and indifferent.


    However, he could not help being stimted.


    ¡°What¡¯s good about me?¡± Cordy questioned him.


    Her gaze was full of disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s all great.¡±


    ¡°What a hypocrite!¡± Cordymented.


    ¡°You¡¯re not bony but curvy in your way,¡± John said with some self-restraint.


    ¡°Did you touch my bodyst night?¡± Cordy smiled.


    John lowered his head.


    When she looked closely, she found that his ears had turned red.


    ¡°John, aren¡¯t you afraid of having regrets?¡± Cordy asked him very seriously.


    His body reaction was clearer than hers, so she knew his needs very well.


    John pursed his lips tightly and said slowly, ¡°Lives are full of many regrets. If that regret can make each


    other better, that regret is a kind of wonderful thing too.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯ll always be a regret. It won¡¯t be a wonderful thing.¡± Cordy sounded certain.


    John chose to be silent, and both of them fell silent.


    After lunch, Cordy sat on the sofa to watch TV.


    John also sat at the side.


    He did not watch entertainment shows, so he took out his phone and read some news.


    ¡°Zoe won first ce.¡± Cordy was watching the rerun of the finalpetition of Actors on Set.


    John answered, ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Zoe and Jay are a couple now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I saw the news,¡± John uttered calmly.


    She could not tell his emotions.


    ¡°Jay has been in love with Zoe all this while, right?¡± Cordy asked, but it seemed like she was muttering


    to herself.


    John did not respond.


    Cordy would never get his reply either.


    She leaned against the sofa to watch the variety show.

 Chapter 950

    Chapter 950


    Chapter 950


    John stayed beside her.


    Suddenly, he had a feeling that it was a quiet and peaceful life.


    He thought of how nice it would be if they could grow old that way¡­


    Nestling on the sofa, Cordy dozed off in a daze.


    When John looked over, he found her small body curled up on the sofa, and she was breathing evenly.


    Hence, he smiled helplessly.


    He thought that she would do something violent these two days, but she was so calm and quiet.


    He got up and walked toward Cordy.


    At first, he wanted to take a nket to drape it over her body. But when he saw her curl up that way, he


    felt that it was rather an ufortable sleeping posture. She would be sore all over when she woke


    up. Hence, he decided to carry her back to her room.


    When he had just touched her, a pair of slender arms were soon around his neck.


    He was caught off guard when Cordy took the initiative to kiss his lips.


    Consequently, John¡¯s heartbeat quickened wildly.


    He did not even manage to regain his wits when she deepened their kiss¡­


    So, his body became tense.


    It was hard not to be moved.


    Cordy¡¯s kissing skills were not good, but she could still bewitch him.


    He pressed her onto the sofa and their breathing grew hurried.


    However, it would stop atst.


    Cordy looked at him as he panted.


    John was also looking at her whose face was flushed red.


    It was unknown if it was because of her passion or if she was being infuriated.


    ¡°You don¡¯t dare?¡± Cordy provoked him.


    John got down from her body.


    He said, ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    As a result, Cordy was struck speechless. ¡®Scumbag!¡¯


    John returned to his room.


    Watching the tightly closed door, Cordy inevitably pursed her lips briefly.


    ¡°Hiss¡­¡± Cordy could not help screaming once.


    It was painful.


    Her lips almost turned swollen from his passionate attacks just now.


    He was so out of control, but he could exert such good selfrestraint too.


    How did he dothat?


    Cordy got up and limped her way out of the living room of the vi.


    After John came out from a cold shower, he found that she was not in the living room.


    However, her wheelchair was still there.


    He knitted his brows and instinctively walked upstairs.


    After searching around, he did not see her. So, he walked out of the vi and went to the beach


    outside, but he still did not see her.


    Inevitably feeling anxious, he called her.


    ¡°Hello.¡± Cordy answered the phone.


    John could not hold himself back and heaved a huge sigh of relief when the call was connected.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I went out for some fresh air.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Cordy, did you forget why you came here these two days?¡± John suppressed his anger.


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. That¡¯s why I want to distance myself from you.¡±


    ¡°Where are you?¡± John did not want to talk much nonsense with her, so he asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯lle backter.¡±


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    She had already hung up the phone.


    Holding the phone, John¡¯s grip tightened.


    Was she throwing a tantrum at him?


    No one knew that he had it so much worse than her.


    John was waiting for her to return to the living room of the vi.


    He had to leave before midnight tonight.


    That was the deal.


    He knew very well that if he did not go back on time, he would see Nana¡¯s corpse.


    And it was six in the evening now.


    After Cordy left at three in the afternoon, he was left there all alone for three hours.


    He finally could not hold himself back.


    Undeniably, he cherished the time he spent alone with her very much¡­

 Chapter 951

    Chapter 951


    Chapter 951


    He gave Cordy a call, but she did not pick up.


    He began feeling anxious.


    He continued calling her repeatedly.


    He suddenly stood up to head to the door to look for her.


    Just then, Cordy called him back.


    John immediately picked up the call, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?!¡±


    His voice sounded clearly anxious.


    ¡°Were you worried about me?¡± Cordy, on the other hand, was calm andposed.


    ¡°I was just¡­ feeling bored all alone,¡± John made up a flimsy excuse.


    ¡°So you missed me.¡±


    ¡°Are you done ying this game, Cordy? Do you know that we have only a few hours left before we


    have to leave this ce¡­¡±


    ¡°Come out.¡± Cordy cut him off mid-sentence.


    John furrowed his brows. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come out of the house.¡±


    With that, Cordy hung up.


    John kept his anger in check and walked out of the vi.


    The wooden fence corridor suddenly lit up.


    It was six in the evening, and the sky was not yetpletely dark.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    But it did not lessen in any way the romantic ambience in the air.


    He walked in the direction of the light source.


    On the beach not far away, there was an alfresco dining setup with a table surrounded by a circle of


    lamps giving off a soft, warm glow. Fresh flowers and brightly lit candles decorated the tables, and pink


    rose petals were scattered on the sand below, which fluttered with the breeze, making for a beautiful,


    romantic scene.


    John stopped right in front of the table.


    He did not see Cordy around


    Was Cordy preparing for this dinner set-up during the time she disappeared?


    ¡°John.¡±


    A familiar voice sounded behind him.


    Her bright, sweet voice was like honey seeping into his heart and filling it with joy.


    John turned around.


    Cordy was standing around six feet away from him.


    She had donned a white gown.


    The thin shoulder straps entuated her cor bones and fair, dewy shoulders, and her exquisite


    beauty and svelte figure made him catch his breath.


    She was a picture of timeless beauty, all encapsted in one enchanting woman.


    John swallowed as his heart raced.


    ¡°Do I look good?¡± Cordy asked.


    She spent the entire afternoon dolling herself up behind his back.


    ¡°You do,¡± John replied.


    Yet, he looked away.


    He clearly did not dare to look at her for too long.


    That might set him on fire.


    ¡°Won¡¯t youe and give me a hug?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°My leg is injured and I can¡¯t go over,¡± Cordy exined herself just as John was clearly about to


    explode.


    She always had a good reason for him to draw closer to her.


    John walked toward Cordy.


    Cordy gave him a warm, gentle smile.


    At that moment, John suddenly understood how beautiful women always meant trouble.


    ¡°A penny for your thoughts?¡± Cordy looked at him with furrowed brows.


    John smiled.


    Cordy was really sensitive.


    He hauled her up in his arms, and she very naturally wrapped her long, fair arms around his neck.


    The next moment, as John turned his head, Cordy nted a kiss on his cheek.


    She failed in her attack.


    How could John possibly fall into the same trap twice?


    That was how she managed to kiss him this afternoon.


    But she did not manage to seed this time in the evening.


    John gingerly ced Cordy on the chair.


    Meanwhile, a waiter began serving them their dinner.


    The two of them quietly ate their portions.


    Cordy then raised her ss of red wine, and John picked up his ss and clinked it with hers.

 Chapter 952

    Chapter 952


    Chapter 952


    The clear clinking sound melted into the sound of the waves crashing along the coast.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    Cordy sipped from the ss.


    She said, ¡°John, does this not seem familiar to you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Cordy chuckled.


    Her smile was clearlyced with sorrow.


    John turned his face away to look into the distance where the boundless oceany ahead beyond the


    horizon¡­


    The sky was turning darker and darker by the minute.


    The candlelight mingled with the soft glow of themps, intensifying the romantic atmosphere around


    them.


    A touching melody suddenly came from afar.


    It was the lilting notes of a violin drifting from a quiet corner.


    Cordy stood up from her seat, and John looked at her.


    He saw her taking one difficult step at a time toward him, reaching her hands out by way of invitation.


    ¡°Shall we dance? w


    John looked at her from top to toe. ¡°Are you sure you can still dance?¡±


    ¡°Of course I can.¡±


    John chuckled helplessly, although he stood up anyway.


    He walked toward Cordy, and she wrapped her arms around his neck very naturally.


    Cordy seemed to really like hugging him like that, and he did not detest it¡­


    He went with the flow and wrapped his arm around her tiny waist.


    He did not dare to move much for fear of aggravating her leg injury.


    At that moment, he saw Cordy remove her shoes carefully and step on his leather shoes.


    John chuckled dotingly.


    ¡®That was very quick-witted of her,¡¯ he thought.


    The moment he felt that Cordy was steady, John wrapped his arms around her and swayed gently to


    the music.


    The sea breeze caressed their cheeks.


    It felt as if the whole world was asleep except for them. The only thing they could hear were each


    other¡¯s heartbeats thumping wildly in their chests.


    The song came to an end and then soon after, another melody drifted into their ears.


    It went on almost endlessly like this, one song after another.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± John uttered her name in a low and intimate way.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to go,¡± he reminded her.


    She instinctively tightened her hold around his neck.


    She did not want him to leave.


    ¡°Must you?¡±


    ¡°I must,¡± John insisted.


    ¡°You like me, don¡¯t you?¡± Cordy asked him.


    Even if he did not remember a single thing, and even if he did not admit it, she could feel his heart.


    ¡°Can you not go?¡± Cordy said as she looked solemnly at him.


    There was deep desire and longing in the depths of her eyes.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I will face whateveres with you.¡± Cordy did not want to give up. ¡°It¡¯s just Nana threatening to


    commit suicide, right? If that happens, I¡¯ll shoulder it all with you, be it public criticism or pressure from


    the Lynds.¡±


    ¡°Nana saved my life. I cannot force her to a corner like this.¡±


    ¡°What if I also threaten you with my life?¡± Cordy asked him.


    Tears glimmered in her eyes.


    Though she did not want to cry, she could not help it.


    She did not want to be so despicable, but she could not bring herself to just give John up.


    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What if?¡± Cordy smiled with tears in her eyes.


    John looked at her in silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been suffering from depression for three to four years after your ident. I¡¯ve considered


    committing suicide


    more than once. Perhaps losing you one more time might really make me lose all hope in the world,¡±


    Cordy said softly.


    She was not lying to him.


    She was truly not.


    John pursed his lips as his arms subconsciously tightened around her.


    ¡°I am not John Levine.¡± He denied his own identity. ¡°The John Levine you love died a long time ago¡­¡±


    Cordy let go of John¡¯s neck, and he watched as she struggled to leave his side.


    He watched on as she walked further and further away¡­

 Chapter 953

    Chapter 953


    Chapter 953


    She was so near, yet he did not dare to reach out to her.


    He thought that Cordy was leaving, that she would leave upon being rejected by him.


    She had always been a proud woman, and he would rather she stay that way.


    She would leave without hesitation at his rejection.


    He did not want to see her groveling and doing herself injustice, being so aggrieved for his sake¡­


    Cordy picked up her bag on the table and fished out a folded piece of paper.


    She struggled to walk back to John.


    She ttened out the piece of paper and handed it to him.¡± This is the result of the DNA test between


    you and Richard.¡±


    Yes.


    She did not want to show him that or tie John to herself this way, but she sumbed to it eventually.


    Rather than seeing him leave, she would rather lose her dignity.


    She never thought that she would go to such an extent for a man she loved.


    After experiencing what she did with Kyle, she thought that she would never fall in love again¡­


    But John was worth it.


    Yet, John refused to take the test result from her.


    She looked at him, trying to see through his emotions. He was having mixed feelings, struggling within


    himself but with a tinge of cold heartlessness.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes were red with unshed tears.


    At that moment, she felt like she was making things difficult for John.


    She looked down at her feet.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks and fell on the sandy beach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see it?¡± Cordy asked.


    She held back the overwhelming sorrow in her chest as she spoke.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± John said coldly.


    Cordy smirked.


    She could not bring herself to even fake a smile.


    She looked up, her face streaked with tears.


    John¡¯s eyes had turned red too.


    Very red.


    Yet, he remained unyielding.


    She said, ¡°John Levine, even though you¡¯ve lost your memories, even though you really don¡¯t


    remember your feelings for me, even though you rejected me in your current state of ignorance¡­¡±


    John subconsciously clenched his fists.


    ¡°This time, I really will turn and leave,¡± Cordy said emphatically and clearly.


    After this time, she would give uppletely.


    Once she gave up on someone, she would do itpletely and thoroughly.


    She would not leave any hope for herself or the other party as well.


    ¡°Are you sure you still want to leave?¡± Cordy asked John.


    John fell silent.


    The silence between them was deafening, but Cordy did not rush him for an answer.


    She was willing to wait.


    She was willing to wait for his answer.


    Suddenly, John¡¯s phone rang and broke the silence.


    She knew who it was without even asking¡ªit was no one else other than Nana.


    Cordy saw John pull his phone out and stare dazedly at the screen.


    He answered it eventually.


    Cordy smiled, and a lone tear fell from the corner of her eye.


    She knew that this meant that things were over between her and John.


    The moment John answered Nana¡¯s call, he had made his decision.


    To be urate, the moment John refused to ept that DNA test result, she had his answer.


    She simply refused to give up.


    She was simply lying to herself.


    Cordy walked past John.


    She walked very slowly because of her leg condition.


    Or was it because she could not bear to leave him?


    She was still clinging onto hope even in such a hopeless situation.

 Chapter 954

    Chapter 954


    Chapter 954


    But eventually, John did not stop her.


    They simply brushed past each other just like that.


    Cordy returned to the hotel vi, while John left the beach.


    ¡°Have you given up yet?¡±


    Cordy buried her face between her knees on the soft couch in the hotel vi.


    Sean¡¯s voice was a mix of concern and helplessness.


    Cordy did not lift her head up and simply nodded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back.¡± Sean did not ask her any questions, and he neither mock her nor showed her any


    concern.


    He just took it that this episode was over, and he did not want to embarrass her.


    ¡°Give me a moment.¡± Cordy¡¯s voice was nasal from all the crying.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Sean sat next to her as he waited.


    He would be lying if he said that his heart did not ache for Cordy, seeing her like this. He would also be


    lying if he said that he did not feel like punching John.


    But he was a rational man.


    He clearly knew what was best for Cordy, and whatever he said at this point would only make Cordy


    feel worse.


    The only thing he could do was to keep herpany and make sure she did not self-harm, even


    though he was sure that Cordy would not do that.


    But as her kin, he could not just leave her alone.


    What was more, Cordy has thought of him at her saddest moment.


    That was enough to motivate him to stop Cordy from doing anything foolish.


    After a long while, Cordy wiped her tears dry and looked up at Sean.


    Her eyes and nose were both red.


    It was rare for Cordy to express her sorrow so overtly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said.


    She spoke those two words as if she had really let things go.


    Sean did not know if Cordy really let things go or if she was simply hiding her vulnerabilities. Whatever


    it was, it was for the best that she was willing to end the rtionship.


    In his opinion, Patrick was the better man for Cordy.


    Sean stood up, carried Cordy in his arms, and put her gently in her wheelchair.


    By the time she pushed her out, it was already deep in the night.


    Sean¡¯s helicopter was parked on the field next to the hotel.


    As Sean carried Cordy up into the helicopter, he said, ¡°Nana has publicly announced her wedding with


    John. It will be held in two days¡¯time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Cordy responded emotionlessly.


    ¡°You need not have regrets since you¡¯ve given it your all.¡± Seanforted her and simply left it at that.


    Cordy looked out of the window into the night sky, remaining silent the whole time.


    She never feared having any regrets.


    It was just that she loved him very, very much.


    But yet¡­


    They had to pass each other by.


    By the time they arrived at the courtyard of Cranston House, it was already three in the morning.


    The moment she alighted from the helicopter, she saw Patrick standing under the moonlight.


    What could she say?


    Her heart was not made of stone, and she could not help but feel touched.


    She turned to look at Sean.


    Sean shrugged. ¡°Yes, I was the one who informed Patrick. But it was his own decision to wait here for


    you.¡±


    Patrick walked toward them.


    Cordy took a deep breath and asked him, ¡°Is this worth it, Patrick?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Patrick replied without any hesitation.


    ¡°Do you not mind that my heart will continue belonging to another man?¡±


    ¡°That would only go to show that I¡¯m not good enough and don¡¯t have the ability to make you fall in love


    with me,¡± Patrick said with a tinge of helplessness.


    Cordy felt tears welling up in her eyes.


    She did not know if she should give herself another chance.


    Should she give Patrick a chance?


    The only thing she knew was that she was in deep, deep pain.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    The pain of losing John was overwhelming.


    She suddenly really needed warmth from another.


    She said, ¡°Let¡¯s try it out, then.¡±

 Chapter 955

    Chapter 955


    Chapter 955


    Patrick looked at Cordy in disbelief.


    He admitted that he had been pursuing her even in his dreams, but he never expected Cordy to say


    yes to him one day.


    Cordy was like the bright moon in the night sky, a beautiful but unattainable goal.


    His desire for her, the moon that he could never reach, could only exist in his own world.


    But right now, his moon had suddenly agreed to try things out with him.


    Was he hearing things?


    He instinctively looked toward Sean.


    Sean was the only other witness tonight, aside from him and Cordy.


    There was a tinge of resignation in Sean¡¯s eyes until he felt Patrick looking at him dazedly, as if he


    were hallucinating.


    He was hallucinating, right?!


    After all, Sean was hoping against all hope that Patrick would end up with Cordy.


    Now that Cordy had finally agreed, he was a very happy man.


    Of course, Patrick clearly knew that Sean approved of him not because he was excellent, but because


    John was terrible.


    There would not be disappointment withoutparison.


    To Sean, John was a two-timing b*st*rd who did not deserve forgiveness. Even if Patrick was not great,


    at the very least, he did not make mistakes of principle.


    Sean looked back at Patrick and nodded, as if knowing what he was thinking.


    In fact, Sean himself was taken by surprise.


    However, it made sense.


    Cordy should have given up on John and her affections for him long ago, especially since they had


    passed each other by long ago.


    Sean silently turned to leave.


    He had called Patrick here, and he admitted that he wanted to see Cordy and Patrick together.


    He knew very well that the best way to forget about a past rtionship was to begin a new one.


    He had never been optimistic about Patrick, but he now realized it might have been due to his bias


    against Patrick.


    If a man loved a woman so much that he was willing to change himself, what right did he have to doubt


    his sincerity?


    Now that he had done his part, it was time for him to leave.


    Patrick looked at Sean¡¯s retreating figure.


    Was it an illusion?


    Why did he find so many things that happened tonight so strange?Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    He even felt that Sean¡¯s retreating figure was slightly forlorn, as if Sean was very lonely.


    Could Sean not bear to leave Cordy?


    Could he not bear to hand Cordy over to anyone?


    ¡°You¡¯re not willing?¡± Cordy smiled.


    The corner of her lips lifted upward, and she looked just like a dream in the moonlight.


    Patrick waspletely enraptured by her.


    It was as if everything around him suddenly vanished, leaving only him and Cordy on earth.


    He said, ¡°Cordy Sachs, I¡¯ve waited for this day for so long, it feels like a century.¡±


    Pain shot through Cordy¡¯s heart.


    She knew about Patrick¡¯s feelings for her all along.


    She could sense it, but she had always rejected him.


    She thought that he would give up on her one day.


    It had been three years.


    No matter what she did, he would always be at the same spot waiting for her each time she turned


    around to look.


    She had no idea what she felt of Patrick.


    But since she decided to take this step, since she decided to let John go and ept another man, she


    would do her best to love him.


    ¡°Cordy, thank you for choosing me.¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes gleamed in the dark.


    Was it a reflection in the night, or was it tears welling up in his eyes?


    Cordy was truly touched by Patrick.


    He clearly knew why she suddenly changed her mind.


    Patrick was a smart man.


    Otherwise, he would not have been able to escape unscathed from his family battles at such a young


    age.

 Chapter 956

    Chapter 956


    Chapter 956


    He must have guessed that she was hurt by John and needed someone to lean on.


    Perhaps that need was not love.


    She was just tired.


    He clearly knew all that, yet not only did he not mind, but he even felt thankful for her eptance.


    What kind of a man was he?


    Cordy lurched into Patrick¡¯s embrace, no longer able to hold her emotions back, and Patrick stood


    stunned.


    His heart pounded uncontrobly, as if it no longer belonged to his body.


    He felt Cordy sobbing hard in his arms.


    He did not know if she was crying for him or for John. The only thing he cared about was that she was


    in his arms, in a ce where he could finally feel her near.


    ¡°Patrick, I admit that I don¡¯t love you enough right now, but I swear I¡¯ll do my best to love you,¡± Cordy


    said clearly as she made her promise to Patrick.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for me.¡± Patrick hugged Cordy back.


    The sight of the two of them locked in a tight embracended in Richard¡¯s line of vision, and Sean was


    standing right next to him.


    The two of them were standing on the balcony on the second floor of Cranston House, looking down on


    the couple under the moonlight.


    Of course, Sean did not wake Richard up.


    He would not do something so meaningless.


    On the way back to his bedroom, Sean walked past Richard¡¯s room and saw him standing at the


    balcony.


    Richard was too alert and way beyond his years.


    Sean hesitated for a moment before walking toward Richard.


    Then, both of them stood there as they watched Cordy and Patrick embrace each other.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Sean,¡± Richard said, ¡°is Mommy really giving up on Daddy?¡±


    ¡°Do you think your mommy is the one giving up on your daddy?¡± Sean asked him back.


    Richard got it immediately and nodded silently.


    It was his daddy who gave up on his mommy.


    His daddy ended up disappointing him.


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You¡¯re still growing, so you should sleep earlier.¡± Patrick patted Richard¡¯s shoulders


    and said gently.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Sean left Richard¡¯s room.


    His footsteps slowed down gradually.


    It turned out that when all was quiet, his heart ached too.


    Richard went back to bed.


    He stared at the photo that he could not stop himself from taking using his phone.


    It was a photo of his mommy and Patrick hugging each other.


    He hesitated before finally sending the photo to his daddy.


    He wrote the following words: [No one will stay in the same ce and wait for you forever. Goodbye.] i


    Since his daddy had given up on his mommy, then he would give up on his daddy too.


    Meanwhile, John was seated along the corridor of the emergency room in the hospital.


    The doctors were resuscitating Nana.


    Yes, Nana tried tomit suicide again just because he went back ten minuteste.


    She said that she could not wait even for a minute.


    She also said that if she were dead, not only would he bear the guilt his whole life, but Cordy and him


    would also never have a good life ahead.


    He did not care about the guilt, nor did he show himself to have affections for Nana.


    In fact, he thought himself to be a heartless man.


    He would not be emotionally affected by someone he did not care about.


    Even if Nana were to die, he would at most feel guilty for a couple of days or perhaps one or two


    months.


    Someday, Nana wouldpletely disappear from his world.


    His tolerance toward Nana for so long had all been because of the power that the Lynds held.


    He could not let Cordy take this risk with him.


    He did not want what happened to the Levines to repeat itself!

 Chapter 957

    Chapter 957


    Chapter 957


    John¡¯s phone rang.


    It sounded ear-piercing in the quiet corridor.


    Many members of the Lynd family were there in the corridor, aside from him, and that included Jean.


    Nana¡¯s attempt atmitting suicide again deepened her animosity toward John.


    The moment she arrived at the hospital, she pointed her finger at John and threatened to kill him if


    anything untoward happened to Nana.


    The sounding from his phone made Jean re at him, but he did not really care about it.


    He knew that as long as Nana was around, the Lynds would not do anything to him.


    The Lynds knew too well how important he was to Nana, and they would not darey a finger on him.


    Conversely, should Nana die, he would definitely not be able to escape unscathed in the hands of the


    Lynd family.


    John fished out his phone, unperturbed, as he tapped on the notification.


    His thumb suddenly went stiff.


    For that split second, the photo in his phone became blurry.


    At the next moment, amotion along the corridor snapped him back to attention.


    He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and looked upto see the doors of the emergency room swing


    open.


    A doctor walked out with fatigue etched on his face.


    Everyone from the Lynd family rushed over, and John allowed himself to follow behind them.


    ¡°How is she, doctor? Is Nana all right?¡± Jean asked anxiously and fearfully.


    ¡°We resuscitated her in time and her life is no longer in danger.¡± The doctor reassured them before


    going on to remind them with a tinge of helplessness in his voice, ¡°The patient¡¯s condition is very


    unique. Even though she was not physically harmed this time, if this goes on repeatedly, it will be very


    emotionally burdensome for her and cause damage to the heart. Family and next-of-kin should counsel


    her. Otherwise, major idents could easily ur.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you, doctor. It¡¯s been rough on you,¡± Jean heaved a huge sigh of relief upon hearing that


    Nana was out of danger.


    The doctor reminded them a few other things before taking his leave.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Immediately after, Nana was pushed out of the emergency room.


    Her face was ashen gray, and she looked weak and vulnerable.


    The Lynds tried to smile amidst the aches they felt in their hearts upon seeing Nana¡¯s pale face and


    weak smile.


    Jean could not hold herself back.


    She said achingly, ¡°Nana, what¡¯s the point? Problems can be ovee, so why take your life so


    lightly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Granny,¡± Nana said so softly that one could hardly hear her. ¡°I made you worry about me.


    But I¡­¡±


    Her eyes turned red.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak. I know it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Jean red at John standing nearby and went on in a low,


    comforting voice,¡± Rest and recuperate. Everything elsees second.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Nana nodded


    obediently and shut her eyes.

 Chapter 958

    Chapter 958


    Chapter 958


    Right before she shut her eyes, she looked weakly at John.


    A smile of victory crept up her lips.


    Everyone apanied Nana back to her ward.


    After a while, when Nana had fallen into deep sleep, the Lynds prepared to make a move.


    ¡°Come with me, Lucas,¡± Jean said, her face dark with displeasure.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The kind and tender look she gave Nana earlier hadpletely vanished. The entire atmosphere


    dipped, making one tremble in suspense.


    John followed Jean out of the ward and they stood along the corridor.


    The other members of the Lynd family stood nearby and looked on at both of them.


    Jean cut to the chase. ¡°Lucas, my patience has reached its limit. If it weren¡¯t for Nana, do you think


    you¡¯d have survived in the capital until now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood me this time,¡± Lucas said, firmly and unyieldingly.


    ¡°Misunderstood you? What exactly is your rtionship with Cordy Sachs?!¡± Jean went straight to the


    point.


    She did not want to beat around the bush any longer.


    ¡°I admit that I had feelings for Cordy Sachs at one point.¡±


    ¡°Lucas Lynch!¡± Jean seethed.


    ¡°Cordy is a charming woman. As an ordinary man, it¡¯s absolutely reasonable that I developed feelings


    for her,¡± John said fearlessly as he looked straight at Jean. ¡°But now, I am wholeheartedly determined


    to be with Nana. It¡¯s impossible between me and Cordy!¡±


    ¡°Impossible? Don¡¯t think I have no clue as to who you¡¯ve been fooling around with the past two days.


    Lucas Lynch, Nana is willing to lose her life for you. How could you let her down like this?!¡± Jean


    became increasingly agitated as sheshed out at him.


    She wished she could kill the man before her.


    If it were not for fear that killing him might destroy Nana, Lucas would have died a thousand times over.


    ¡°What happened over the past two days was just a transaction between Nana and Cordy. I¡¯m merely


    the object of the transaction, and I didn¡¯t even have a choice. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask


    Nana,¡± John exined.


    Jean looked at him in disbelief.


    ¡°I have no reason to lie to you, nor am I capable of doing so, ¡± John said emphatically.


    ¡°So why did Nana try to kill herself?¡±


    ¡°She did that to threaten me so that I wouldn¡¯t dare to leave her.¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t have been so extreme if it weren¡¯t because you failed to give her a sense of security.¡±


    Jean red up at him once more.


    ¡°What can I do to give her a sense of security? Marry her? Nana has already publicly announced our


    engagement tonight and I didn¡¯t object to it. Yet, she still went ahead tomit suicide!¡± John felt anger


    rising in his chest as well.¡± Tell me, what should I do to give her a sense of security?! Learn from her


    and die for her?! If I die, she wouldn¡¯t be able to doubt me, would she?!¡±


    Jean was suddenly silenced by John¡¯s words.


    She knew best her own granddaughter¡¯s extreme character.


    ¡°Do you truly love her?¡± Jean backed down a little.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I could¡¯ve simply ignored her. Yes. I don¡¯t have much power in the capital and your family


    can do anything it wishes to me and I can do nothing about it. You can say that I fear the power that


    your family wields. But on the other hand, if I were to be with Cordy, the Cranstons can also be my


    support.¡±


    Jean shifted her eyes but remained silent.


    She did not have any words to refute John¡¯s ims.


    ¡°The reason I choose to stay with Nana is because of my feelings and sense of responsibility for her.¡±


    John¡¯s firm voice resounded in the corridor.


    ¡°But you have indeed betrayed Nana emotionally¡­¡±


    ¡°I do regret that too, but what¡¯s happened has happened, and I don¡¯t want to hide it from Nana. I hope


    that we can be honest with each other,¡± John said as he took out his phone. ¡°It¡¯s pointless for me to say


    more. Perhaps seeing this can make you understand that things are impossible between Cordy and I.¡±


    John showed Jean the photo of Cordy and Patrick in an embrace.


    Jean was slightly taken aback.


    ¡°Cordy and Patrick are now together. Cordy and I are merely strangers.¡± John kept his phone back in


    his pocket as he said emphatically to Jean, ¡°Do you now believe that my feelings and loyalty toward


    Nana are true?!¡±

 Chapter 959

    Chapter 959


    Chapter 959


    Jean remained silent.


    Someone who could attain the position and power she had was certainly not simple.


    She would neither casually arrive at a conclusion about anything nor easily admit that she was wrong.


    Even if she was persuaded by another, she would not admit to it.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    She would only brush past the issue as if it were nothing.


    She said calmly, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be interfering in you young people¡¯s affairs, but you know very well that


    Nana¡¯s condition is not like any other ordinary person¡¯s, and we can¡¯t take it lightly. Whatever it is, I


    don¡¯t want something like this to happen again. It¡¯s gettingte and you¡¯ve been running around the


    entire night. Take the time while Nana is sleeping to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± John said.


    Jean left, and John heaved a inward sigh of relief as she saw Jean¡¯s retreating figure.


    He had to gain Jean¡¯s absolute trust at this point. It would otherwise be difficult for him to gain a footing


    in the Lynd household and do anything further.


    It was just that¡­


    His fingers tightened over his phone.


    Cordy and Patrick¡­


    Richard was right.


    No one would stay at the same spot waiting forever.


    He lost her, but he had no other choice.


    It was thest day of filming for the first episode of The Journey of Love 2. 2


    After going out to sea, they returned to the homestay.


    The production team did not have much ns for thest day, so they allowed the five pairs of guests


    to gather for a meal, each family contributing one dish to the feast.


    Zoe woke up naturally and realized that Jay was no longer by her side.


    She furrowed her brows.


    There were not supposed to be any special activities today, and the gathering was only scheduled to


    start at night.


    It was only eight in the morning. Where did Jay go?


    She did not feel Jay leaving the bed at all.


    Zoe yawned as she sat up on the bed.


    She took her phone out of habit and went to the washroom.


    She sat on the toilet bowl as she scrolled through the news.


    The headlines screamed of Nana, the heiress of the Lynd family, and Lucas¡¯ impending marriage.


    Both of them were not celebrities, yet news of their marriage became viral.


    Zoe furrowed her brows as she stared at the photo of the two of them.


    Why did she feel like Lucas resembled John so much?


    Of course, she admitted that there were slight differences in their features if she looked closely, but


    they looked too much like each other.


    She could not believe that such uncanny resemnce existed in this world.


    Zoe hesitated for a moment before giving Cordy a call.


    Cordy was not yet awake, as she had returned tootest night.


    Afterward, she and Patrick spent some time together. By the time she was in bed, it was already four or


    five in the morning.


    Even after washing up and winding down on the bed, she did not manage to fall asleep after a long


    time.


    Her mind was in a mess, but she felt like she had really let things go. 1


    Because even though she did think a lot, she eventually managed to fall asleep.


    She even slept very soundly.


    If it were not for Zoe¡¯s phone call out of the blue, she might have been able to sleep till noon.


    She answered the call blearily. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still sleeping?!¡± Zoe eximed.


    She always thought that Cordy never needed sleep.


    No matter when she called Cordy, even if it was in the middle of the night, Cordy would always be wide


    awake, ready to chat with her.


    Yet today, her voice sounded like she had just woken up!

 Chapter 960

    Chapter 960


    Chapter 960


    ¡°Yeah, I slept tootest night,¡± Cordy said as she forced herself to sit up on the bed.


    ¡°Do you need to go back to sleep?¡± Zoe herself loved her sleep and hated it when people woke her up.


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said. ¡°I¡¯m awake now.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Zoe sounded like she had more to say, yet she fell silent.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± Zoe replied. She did not know how to broach the subject.


    ¡°Just speak your mind.¡± Cordy could see through Zoe in a minute.


    Zoe was not one capable of hiding secrets anyway.


    Unable to hold it in any longer, she then said, ¡°It seems that Lucas is getting married to that heiress of


    the Lynd family?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    She made herself sound indifferent to it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lucas looks a lot like John? Have you ever suspected¡­¡± Zoe halted mid-sentence.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She was wondering whether to tell Zoe the truth.


    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she said, ¡°I saw John disappear right in front of my eyes.¡±


    Since John was not willing to acknowledge his own identity, she had no right to announce it to others


    on his behalf.


    John was nothing but a mere stranger to her, with his affairs having nothing to do with her.


    She would no longer talk about him with others from now on.


    ¡°But he really¡­ I lived with John for many years and I know very well his expressions and


    entricities¡­¡± Zoe tried to be as tactful as she could in expressing her opinion.


    ¡°If you really suspect so, you can ask him directly,¡± Cordy said. ¡°To me, John is gone for good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that you two will pass each other by,¡± Zoe said rather agitatedly.


    Of course she thought it would be better that John was still alive.


    She undeniably had affections for John as family.


    When she knew that something untoward had happened to him, she felt terrible.


    But ultimately, she was not that close to John and her greatest concern was for Cordy, who would be


    the most hurt if John were to remarry.


    She was worried that if Lucas really turned out to be John and if he got married, there would be no


    hope between him and Cordy.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already passed each other by,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t bother about things between him and me,¡± Cordy said slightly harshly.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    She knew Cordy¡¯s temperament especially after so many years of friendship.


    Cordy¡¯s tone right now meant that she really did not want to dwell on this topic.


    ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Cordy asked casually.


    She wanted to change the subject and not waste any more time on John.


    ¡°I¡¯m participating in a variety show¡­ with Jay.¡±


    ¡°With Jay? Is it a dating variety show?¡± Cordy¡¯s curiosity was now piqued.


    ¡°Kind of.¡± Zoe nodded.


    ¡°That sounds good. You two really should spend more quality time together.¡± Cordy smiled.


    ¡°What quality time¡­¡± Zoe nced at the door.


    She lowered her volume so that the monitoring system would not pick up her voice.


    She spoke softer. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got no choice. I need to eat.¡±


    ¡°Is it not convenient to talk now?¡± Cordy was sharp enough to notice the change in Zoe¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then hear me out,¡± Cordy said, ¡°Put aside your prejudice and have a serious rtionship with Jay.¡±


    ¡°Quit joking around¡­¡±


    ¡°Zoe, I¡¯m not trying to matchmake the both of you because I have a good impression of Jay or because


    you two had a child together and therefore must be together. The child is important, but she should not


    be a barrier for either of you in pursuing your happiness. I¡¯m trying to persuade you because I really


    think that Jay is worth it.¡±


    Zoe rebutted, ¡°He¡¯s not a bad person, but he doesn¡¯t like¡­¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Cordy said firmly.

 Chapter 961

    Chapter 961


    Chapter 961


    Zoe had always listened to Cordy¡¯s advice.


    She felt that Cordy¡¯s words always made sense.


    Cordy had suggested more than once for her to be with Jay. She internally rejected the idea and did


    not hold much hope for Jay.


    But this time, for some reason unknown to her, she felt a change of heart inside.


    Cordy was a good judge of character. If she said that Jay was a good man, he would definitely not be a


    crook.


    But the thought of how much Jay used to resist her advances¡­


    She felt so conflicted inside.


    Zoe sighed. -I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    When she was unsure as to what her decision should be, she decided to heed Cordy¡¯s advice.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°Jay won¡¯t let you regret your decision,¡± Cordy said with a smile.


    ¡°I hope so.¡± Zoe did not dare to hold out hope.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re in the midst of filming, don¡¯t get distracted and go back to work.¡±


    ¡°All right, chat next time.¡± Zoe made a move to hang up.


    After all, it was not too good for her to stay in the washroom for too long.


    ¡°Oh yes.¡± Cordy suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°After you¡¯re done filming. I¡¯ll share my secret with you.¡±


    ¡°Why must you wait till after filming is done?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to take it.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I take it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after your filming.¡± Cordy deliberately kept Zoe in suspense.¡± Have a good day at work.¡±


    With that, she hung up.


    Zoe stared speechless at her phone.


    Cordy obviously knew that she was a very curious person, yet she deliberately kept her in suspense,


    making her feel antsy and uneasy¡­


    ¡®Annoying.¡¯


    Zoe walked out of the washroom back to the living room, but she did not see Jay.


    Strange. Where did he go?!


    Did he go back first because he had something urgent to attend to?


    How was she going to film a dating variety show all by herself? What a joke that would turn out to be!


    She could almost see headlines of their impending divorce emerging the moment this episode aired.


    After all, they got married under such bizarre circumstances. Even though most people had nothing but


    blessings for them, there was still a minority who doubted the genuineness of their marriage.


    Zoe gritted her teeth and gave Jay a call.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Someone answered the call.


    ¡°Bob?¡± Zoe recognized Bob¡¯s voice immediately and asked, slightly surprised, ¡®Where is Jay? Why do


    you have his phone?¡±


    ¡°Jay is with me. Do you want toe over?¡±


    ¡°What is he doing over there with you?¡± Zoe became even more surprised.


    What was he doing at Bob¡¯s ce early in the morning instead of sleeping?


    Rumors of their impending divorce would surely spread the moment this episode aired, Zoe was sure


    about that.


    Did Jay not have the basic awareness that they were filming a show?


    ¡°Um¡­e over and you¡¯ll find out,¡± Bob made it sound mysterious.


    Zoe was bbergasted.


    Her curiosity had just been piqued by Cordy, and now Bob was doing the same thing to her.


    She hung up on him straightaway.


    She did want to know what tricks Bob and Jay had up their sleeves.


    She left her homestay and her cameraman followed suit.


    Zoe did not know which homestay Bob was in, and she did not manage to find it even after looking


    around for a while.


    Eventually, Cora had to bring her there in person.


    To be honest, aside from the pay which she was the most happy about, another thing that pleased her


    was how Cora was always inferior to her in the show.


    Seniority was a great thing.


    The two of them walked into Cora and Bob¡¯s homestay, ¡®chatting happily¡¯ along the way.


    The moment they walked in, they saw Jay donning an apron, busying himself around the kitchen.


    So¡­

 Chapter 962

    Chapter 962


    Chapter 962


    Jay came here to cook?


    He did not know how to cook and needed Bob and Cora¡¯s help for it?


    Jay¡¯s behavior with the Levines had never changed indeed.


    Just when Zoe was about to say something sarcastic. Bob walked over and said, ¡°I¡¯m teaching your


    husband how to cook.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Zoe was shocked.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face? You don¡¯t believe that I know how to cook?¡± Bob said on purpose.


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe blurted. ¡°I¡¯ve tasted your food before.¡¯


    The moment she said that, the atmosphere between them tensed up.


    Bob had learned how to cook for her when they were dating each other.


    Bob was naturally talented and everything he cooked tasted delicious, unlike her, who managed to


    screw up every dish she cooked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you whip up a meal for us thest time Zoe and I went to your house?¡± Jay cut in naturally.


    His acting skills¡­


    What a pity that Jay was not an actor.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cora immediately chimed in.


    Cameras were surrounding them and it was easy for people to realize something was wrong.


    ¡°Thest time we celebrated my birthday, you cooked for us and invited Jay and Zoe to our house.


    Sam came too, did you forget?¡± Cora added


    more details to make it sound more believable.


    ¡°I almost forgot about it,¡± Bob said jokingly. ¡°I only had eyes for you on your birthday and just forgot


    about everyone else.¡¯


    Cora smiled sweetly. ¡°You¡¯re the best at teasing me and making meugh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my girlfriend-of course I have to do that.¡¯


    They started bickering yfully with each other, looking just like a loving couple.


    Zoe heaved a sigh of relief.


    They almost got busted.


    Thankfully, everyone reacted quickly.


    She had to be more careful moving forward.


    ¡¯Zoe,e here and have a taste,¡± Jay called out to her.


    Zoe snapped back to attention and walked into the open-concept kitchen.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Bob and Cora walked over too.


    Bob said, ¡°Your husband dug me out of my bed first thing in the morning just to teach him how to cook


    so that he could prepare a feast for you. He heard that you like barbecued ribs and has been busy


    preparing it the entire morning. Come and try it out.¡±


    Zoe nced at Jay.


    Jay had pierced a rib with a fork and ced it next to Zoe¡¯s lips. He said,¡± Try it.¡±


    Zoe took a bite.


    It tasted sweet and sticky.


    The sweetness lingered on and warmed her heart.


    That inexplicable tenderness engulfed her and flipped an invisible switch inside of her.


    She had no words to describe what she was feeling inside right now.


    What Jay did was probably a simple gesture on his part.


    Perhaps he did not even do it specially for her. Perhaps he was practicing so that he could whip up


    something special for tonight. After all, Jay cared about putting up appearances.


    Yet, despite all those possibilities, she felt touched.


    Cordy¡¯s words surfaced in her mind, reminding her that Jay was worth it.


    Worth her loving him again?


    ¡°Is it tasty?¡± Jay looked at her, anxiety filling his eyes.


    Zoe nodded. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Jay grinned.


    He was a man well over the age of thirty, yet he was behaving like a teenager.


    Jay had a bright and expectant look that would only appear on a teenager¡¯s face.


    She could almost imagine Jay¡¯s face blooming like a flower during springtime.


    Zoe had to admit that she was mesmerized.


    Perhaps because Cordy¡¯s words affected her deeply, or because¡­ it was Jay standing right before her.


    She could never underestimate the impact Jay had on her life.


    She suddenly stood on tip-toes, forgetting about the people surrounding them and the cameras around


    them, and she nted a kiss on Jay¡¯s lips.

 Chapter 963

    Chapter 963


    Chapter 963


    If she were honest, she would admit that she regretted it the moment she touched Jay¡¯s lips.


    That touch felt like lightning that jolted her awake.


    How could she take the initiative to kiss Jay?!


    If Jay instinctively pushed her away, would the act they worked so hard to put up over the past few


    days not all be in vain?!


    Even if Jay was professional enough to not push her away, she did it in front of so many photographers


    and even Bob¡­


    What she did was simply courting death.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Arge-scale, bloody social death.


    At that moment, Zoe had a strong urge to take her leave.


    Just as she was about to do so, a warm hand held the back of her head to stop her from leaving, as if


    knowing what she would do next.


    The next moment, he deepened the kiss.


    ¡°Mm!¡± Zoe¡¯s eyes widened.


    She stared at Jay¡¯s huge face up close.


    Did he stop aging at some point?


    How could a man over thirty years of age have such smooth and poreless skin?


    Of course, Zoe¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t exactly on Jay¡¯s looks.


    After all, his kiss was just too¡­ powerful.


    In fact, it bordered on being brazen.


    Zoe did not dare to push him away.


    She was afraid that she might be exposed under the cameras.


    But she was a little dazed and confused from Jay¡¯s kiss.


    Since when did Jay¡¯s kissing skills be so good¡­


    ¡°Cough, cough!¡±


    A series of coughing sounds came from nearby.


    Jay paused for a moment, as if he finally snapped back to reality.


    He almost could not bear to stop the kiss and to leave Zoe¡¯s lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, you two!¡± Bob teased.


    Jay finally let Zoe go.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that you two are seniors and treat us juniors like this,¡± Bob said jokingly.


    He was trying to lighten the atmosphere.


    Zoe immediately looked away.


    She was finally wide awake.


    And now that she was, she began blushing.


    The thought of her and Jay¡­


    She was considering the possibility of discussing with the production team to cut the segment out.


    It was truly awkward.


    Jay hadposed himself and recovered from the kiss.


    He said simply, ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold myself back.¡±


    Everything would have been fine if he kept quiet.


    Yet, he had to talk and make things worse.


    Zoe red at him.


    Jay pretended not to notice the look Zoe gave him and picked up another barbecued rib and put it next


    to her lips, saying, ¡°Since you like it, have more.¡±


    Zoe suppressed her annoyance and opened her mouth to bite into the ribs.


    She had to admit that the barbecued ribs that Jay cooked were really tasty.


    They were not overly sweet or salty and just right for her taste buds.


    ¡°Go back to your own room if you two want to be lovey-dovey, okay? Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re the only


    couple around,¡± Bob chided.


    He looked like he said it jokingly, but in fact, he was almost unable to take more of it.


    He could not take it that Jay managed to snag Zoe once again, just like that!


    Logically speaking, although he wished for Jay and Zoe to reconcile, emotionally speaking, he was


    unable to ept it internally.


    His feelings for Zoe¡­


    Forget it. He should stop thinking about it.


    Terrible things might happen if he overthought things.


    ¡°We are a legally married couple,¡± Jay said smugly, with no care for Bob¡¯s feelings at all.

 Chapter 964

    Chapter 964


    Chapter 964


    If they were not currently filming a show, Bob would really have punched Jay in the face.


    He would see how smug Jay could be!


    ¡°Very soon, we¡¯ll be legally married too,¡± Cora suddenly announced.


    ¡°Have you decided on a wedding date?¡± Jay asked casually.


    He asked it with a tone of superiority as their senior.


    ¡°Yes, we have. But we need to keep it a secret for now,¡± Cora said on purpose.


    In reality, as a celebrity, there were many things that were out of their control.


    Cora could not announce anything of her own ord without her managementpany¡¯s approval.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay clearly knew the rules of the industry and did not ask any further.


    ¡°Hurry up and go back.¡± Bob began rushing them.


    Looking like he did not want them around would be variety show fodder bound to go viral.


    ¡°No way,¡± Jay said calmly. ¡°We¡¯ll have lunch right here at your ce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say, Jay Parker, that¡¯s quite enough! Putting aside the fact that you¡¯re Cora¡¯s uncle, we¡¯re peers!¡±


    Bob deliberately red up.


    All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org.


    ¡°So what? As long as you marry Cora, that makes you my nephew-inw.¡±


    Bob was on the verge of a heart attack.


    How shameless could one get?!


    ¡°I¡¯m feeling quite tired and don¡¯t want to cook anymore. Why don¡¯t you cook a bit more for your uncle


    and aunt?¡± Jay said, almostmanding Bob.


    Bob said through gritted teeth, ¡°You ask for food as if you own the ce.¡±


    Jay ignored him.


    He said in a much gentler tone to Zoe, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s sit on the couch in the living room.¡±


    Zoe saw the look of displeasure on Bob¡¯s face and asked tentatively, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back and cook


    our own food¡­¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony, we¡¯re family,¡± Jay said, unperturbed.


    Zoe was speechless.


    Since when did Jay be so shameless?!


    Did he not see how angry Bob was?!


    Zoe eventually sat with Jay on the couch and waited for the food to be ready.


    Bob reluctantly got down to cooking, with Cora serving as his assistant in the kitchen.


    A whileter, Bob whipped up four dishes and a soup.


    All four of them sat around the table.


    Throughout the meal, Jay kept making sure that Zoe was well fed by serving her so much food that


    there was a mountain of food on Zoe¡¯s te.


    ¡°I can¡¯t eat so much,¡± Zoe protested.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the taste of it? I find it not too bad,¡± Jay remarked.


    Bob looked up at that moment.


    He did not want to admit it, but he could not deny that he had put in a lot of effort in preparing this meal.


    Because¡­ he knew that Zoe would be eating it.


    Earlier, he was pretending that he did not want them around.


    But he could not lie to himself.


    He still had feelings for Zoe.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± Zoe immediately rified as she looked at Bob.


    ¡°I find it delicious too,¡± Cora chimed in beforeining, ¡°Because of all the food you¡¯ve cooked


    these few days, I¡¯ve gained so much weight.¡±


    ¡°Precisely, I¡¯m scared of gaining weight,¡± Zoe exined, ¡°so I can¡¯t eat too much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not fat at all. In fact, you¡¯re too skinny and should eat more and gain some weight,¡± Jay said.


    ¡¯I won¡¯t look good if I gain more weight,¡¯ Zoe refuted.


    ¡¯You won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get a say in this!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a director.¡±


    Zoe was immediately silenced.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like my actresses too skinny,¡± Jay added.


    ¡°As if.¡± Cora refuted his im even before Zoe responded. ¡°You¡¯re always making me go on a diet,


    saying that I don¡¯t look good when I gain weight and my face turns rounder. Why are you now saying


    that you don¡¯t like your actresses too skinny with Zoe around? Jay, are you having double standards?¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s because you really are fat,¡± Jay said ruthlessly.


    ¡°How am I fat?! I¡¯m only ny-nine pounds at a height of five foot five. Zoe is about my height and


    she¡¯s slightly heavier than I am,¡± Corained.


    ¡°Her body is more proportionate.¡±


    ¡°How is mine not proportionate?!¡¯


    ¡°Your face is too big.¡±


    ¡°Am I your family or not?!¡± Cora was so angry her face turned a bright red.


    How was she going to receive advertisement offers in the future with what Jay said right in front of the


    cameras?

 Chapter 965

    Chapter 965


    Chapter 965


    ¡°Oh,e on. Everyone knows that I¡¯m the adopted son of the Levine family.¡± Jay refused to give in to


    Cora.


    Cora¡¯s eyes turned red with anger.


    Zoe stood idly by and watched withpletely no intending of stopping the fight.


    Bob had to be the one to shoulder everything.


    He, a rich heir whocked neither money nor fame, gave in to Cora¡¯s pleas and joined the TV show,


    telling himself that he could just treat it as a holiday. Yet, he did not expect to end up being the one hurt


    most deeply.


    As if the torture of seeing Jay and Zoe being so in love was not enough, he even had to deal with the


    aftermath of their behavior.


    He said, ¡°You¡¯re wretched. Jay. Cora, don¡¯t stoop to his level. To me, you¡¯re the best no matter what.¡±


    Cora¡¯s annoyance dissipated upon hearing Bob¡¯s words as a smile broke across her face.


    ¡°Eat more. I like seeing you eat well and bing cute and chubby under my care.¡± Bob started


    putting lots of food on her te.


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m fat?¡± Cora was on the brink of copse again.


    ¡°I misspoke.¡± Bob immediately corrected himself, ¡°I like seeing the look of joy and happiness when you


    eat the food I cook.¡±


    ¡°Then from now on, as long as it¡¯s food that you prepared, I¡¯ll eat it. At most, I¡¯ll exercise more to lose


    weight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really not fat at all.¡± Bob put more food on Cora¡¯s te. ¡¯Don¡¯t listen


    to Jay spout nonsense. He¡¯s just trying to make Zoe happy.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Cora and Bob sang the same tune.


    Jay and Zoe did not cut in.


    They simply looked at the other couple with a d look on their faces.


    After lunch, Jay and Zoe did not stay on.


    Zoe pushed Jay on his wheelchair and returned to their homestay.


    ¡°Shall we go for a stroll?¡± Jay suggested.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Zoe thought it was a good chance to walk off the calories from the meal they had.


    She pushed Jay on the wheelchair and walked leisurely around the area.


    There were no passers-by around and the production team had already left long ago.


    Their photographers were still with them, though.


    Because of that, it was not very appropriate for them to talk properly.


    Zoe held it in for a while before finally asking the photographers, ¡°Could you give us husband and wife


    some privacy, please? You can continue filming after we go back. Is that fine?¡±


    The three photographers exchanged nces, but none dared to answer her.


    ¡°We¡¯re just walking around, so there¡¯s nothing much to film.¡± Zoe pushed harder. ¡°What¡¯s more, it¡¯s time


    for lunch now, isn¡¯t it? You have to take care of your health in order to work well. Well head back in half


    an hour. Go and have your lunch first.¡±


    The photographers thought about it before one of them asked tentatively,¡±


    Are you sure you¡¯ll be back in half an hour?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Zoe shot them a bright smile and immediately said politely,¡± Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    The photographers finally left.


    Zoe heaved a huge sigh of relief.


    She was finally free from being under the camera lens. She almost could not take it any longer.


    She was so rxed that she did not notice the irrepressible smile on the face of the man on the


    wheelchair.


    If he had heard her correctly, Zoe referred to them as ¡®husband and wife¡¯ just now¡­


    ¡°We can talk now, Jay,¡± Zoe immediately said.


    They only had half an hour, which was precious little time.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Jay snapped back to attention and asked, ¡°What do you want to talk about? ¡ö


    Zoe was slightly stunned.


    Jay¡¯s tone made it sound as if she was going to confess to him.


    She immediately tried to rify. ¡°Just now, at Bob¡¯s homestay, I kissed you only because¡­¡±


    ¡°For the cameras,¡± Jay finished her sentence.


    ¡°Oh. Good that you know.¡± Zoe heaved a sigh of relief.


    For some inexplicable reason, she somehow felt a little disappointed.


    If Jay was so certain that she did it for the cameras, then did he kiss her back for the sake of the


    cameras as well?!


    Frustration suddenly crept up her heart.

 Chapter 966

    Chapter 966


    Chapter 966


    She had already told herself not to have any hopes for Jay¡­


    It was all Cordy¡¯s fault for making Zoe trust her judgment.


    ¡°But not me,¡¯ Jay suddenly said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Zoe did not understand what Jay meant.


    ¡°I said, I didn¡¯t kiss you for the cameras.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart leapt.


    She was unable to hide that sudden jolt in her heart.


    The two of them fell silent, and the atmosphere was rather tense.


    After a long while, Jay changed the subject. ¡°Bob and Cora are pretty close now.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± Zoe agreed.


    She had, in fact, felt guilty toward Bob all along.


    Seeing Bob and Cora being so close made her feel d.


    ¡°But don¡¯t call Cora fat in front of everyone. Being in the entertainment circle yourself, aren¡¯t you afraid


    that Cora will lose filming opportunities by saying that?¡±


    ¡°Which of her movies aren¡¯t filmed by me?¡± Jay said, his brows arching.


    Zoe was silenced.


    Jay was verbally harsh to Cora, but his actions betrayed how much he cared for Cora.


    She felt like she was only embarrassing herself by trying to stand up for Cora.


    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ dislike Cora?¡¯ Jay asked Zoe, uncertain of her response.


    ¡°If she continues treating her rtionship with Bob seriously, I may not necessarily dislike her,¡±


    Zoe said frankly.


    As much as there were still hard feelings between the both of them, she would try her best to persuade


    herself.


    After all, she did not want to put Bob in a difficult spot.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s because of Bob,¡± Jay mumbled to himself.


    ¡°What?¡± Zoe didn¡¯t hear him clearly.


    Jay was sitting up while she was standing. The two of them were still a distance away from each other.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Jay shook his head. ¡°Good that you don¡¯t dislike her.¡¯


    ¡°But this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll proactively try to please the Levines.¡± Zoe was firm in her tone, ¡®Til never


    pander to Nancy just because of our rtionship. The furthest I¡¯m willing to go is to promise not to


    cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to,¡± Jay said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to change your attitude toward the Levines.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Zoe felt her heart tremble.


    ¡°You married me, and that has nothing to do with the Levines,¡± Jay affirmed.


    Zoe pursed her lips, with nothing more to say.


    Her rtionship with Jay right now¡­


    Even she herself found itplicated.


    She was, in fact, facing an internal conflict.


    She did not know what she wanted and how far she wanted to go with Jay.


    She could subtly sense the difference in Jay, and that his attitude toward her was vastly different.


    This difference seemed insignificant¡­


    But she had erected a barrier in her heart.


    She did not dare to take that first step.


    She kept wondering whether the change in Jay¡¯s attitude toward her was because of her, or if it was


    because of Yelena.


    If it¡¯s just to give Yelena a family¡­


    She could ept that, of course.


    The moment she gave birth to Yelena, she did not consider the possibility of falling in love with another


    man.


    She had no reason to reject the possibility of giving Yelena aplete family, one that she could grow


    up in happily.


    But¡­


    Zoe sighed.


    Should she hold out hope?!

 Chapter 968

    Chapter 968


    Chapter 968


    He had let go of the past.


    The two of them were deciding to start anew for real.


    Subsequently, Zoe and Jay seemed to treat each other differently.


    It was a very subtle change that outsiders might not notice, but they felt it deeply.


    For example, they no longer needed to feign intimacy. All of their intimate behaviors were from their


    hearts.


    They no longer kept their distance from each other on the bed when they turned in for the night too.


    Naturally, the two of them would end up hugging each other to sleep.


    Of course, they did not actually do anything during the TV show, but they no longer detested being


    close to each other.


    After filming the first episode and on their way back, Zoe fell asleep in the car.


    Although the trip itself was not tiring, having the cameras around them all the time made her so tensed


    up she was not even able to sleep well.


    Now that no one was ¡®monitoring¡¯ her, Zoe could finally rx and sleep throughout the journey without


    a care for the world.


    They finally arrived home.


    Jay did not want to wake Zoe up, but the moment he bent forward to haul her up, she woke up.


    She looked to her left and right. ¡°Have we arrived?¡¯


    ¡®Yes, we have.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fast.¡±


    ¡°You slept for a long time,¡± Jay said dotingly.


    Zoe smiled sheepishly as she asked, ¡°Did you sleep?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m more used to sleeping on the bed.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Pretentious,¡± Zoemented.


    Jay did not mind.


    The two of them left the car and went home.


    The moment they reached home, Yelena started pestering him.


    They had only been away for five days, yet Yelena made it seem like it was goodbye forever.


    Yelena hugged Jay tight and refused to let him go.


    She was truly his lover in her past life.


    Zoe pushed their luggage cases in and went straight to Jay¡¯s room.


    Since they had decided to start anew, there was no need for her to put up pretenses.


    She unlocked Jay and her luggage cases and began unpacking.


    As she was halfway through, Jay entered the room in his wheelchair.


    Zoe was surprised. ¡®Yelena was willing to let you go?¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Jay blurted.


    Zoe immediately refuted, ¡®Am I so immature as to get jealous over a three year old girl?¡¯


    ¡®I wish you would,¡± Jay mumbled to himself.


    Zoe stared at him.


    ¡°Do you need my help?¡± Jay changed the subject.


    ¡°No.¡¯


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Do you need a bath?¡±


    ¡°Are you inviting me to join you?¡± Zoe said with raised brows.


    Jay was stunned for a moment.


    His face blushed.


    He immediately exined himself, ¡°I meant that getting a shower would make you feel more


    comfortable after an entire day¡¯s journey. If you¡¯d like to take a shower first, I¡¯ll let you.¡±


    Zoe knew what Jay meant.


    She was just joking with him.


    But his eagerness to exin himself upset her.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want to shower with me,¡± Zoe concluded.


    Jay immediately lost his cool. ¡°No-no, I¡¯m just afraid you won¡¯t be willing. Of course I¡¯d love to shower


    with you. Which man can reject a woman¡¯s advances¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that as long as a woman takes the initiative, you wont reject her?¡± Zoe¡¯s face darkened


    with displeasure, 1


    He was making things worse for himself!


    ¡°Hah, men!¡¯ Zoe sneered.


    She picked up her clothes, entered the bathroom and got ready for her bath.


    Just as the door was about to close, arge pair of hands blocked the frame.


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    ¡°I think I should show you by my actions that you¡¯re the only woman I cannot reject!¡±

 Chapter 969

    Chapter 969


    Chapter 969


    Before Zoe could respond, she was hauled up in Jay¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Zoe yelled, her heart thumping wildly. ¡°What are you doing, Jay?¡±


    ¡®Taking a shower.¡±


    ¡°Let me go. Shower by yourself.¡± Zoe struggled against his hold.


    ¡°You said that I rejected having a shower with you just now.¡¯


    ¡°I regret saying that now.¡±


    ¡°Toote.¡±


    Jay carried Zoe straight into the bathroom.


    She did not understand how a disabled man who needed to be in a wheelchair to get around could be


    so strong?!


    She had no strength at all to resist him.


    The door to the shower was shut and locked.


    Jay asked, ¡¯Are you going to take off your own clothes or shall I help you?¡±


    Zoe stared at Jay.


    Was he being serious?


    Had he not always¡­ been reserved and restrained?


    She remembered that when they were still living with the Levines back then. She had always been


    rejected by him when she threw herself at him.


    Yet now, was he deciding not to put up an act any longer?!


    Zoe suddenly smiled flirtatiously at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    Jay¡¯s heart leapt.


    He would never think of letting her off today.


    They were a legally married couple and there were many things they could do that would be well within


    thew.


    What was the point of shortchanging himself?


    In fact, he felt that if he were to continue holding himself back, he would implode.


    Nevertheless, Zoe¡¯s eagerness still made him slightly anxious.


    He did not have much experience in this and was afraid he could not satisfy Zoe.


    Thest time they did it was a few years ago.


    Things happened so fast that they did not even have time to cuddle the next morning before he had to


    leave.


    And then¡­ here they were now.


    Zoe stood up from Jay¡¯s embrace.


    She stood not far from him, then¡­


    Jay swallowed.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Are you going to shower with your clothes on?¡±


    Jay snapped back to attention and looked straight at Zoe,pletely forgetting that he had to remove


    his own clothes too.


    ¡°Or do you need my help?¡± Zoe smirked.


    ¡°No,¡± Jay said with a tinge of anxiety in his voice.


    Why did it suddenly seem like Zoe had be the one taking the lead?


    Jay tried to remain calm.


    He kept taking deep breaths, and the two of them simply looked at each other for a long while.


    Their faces were flushed red.


    Then, Zoe leaned in to Jay.


    Jay¡¯s heart beat faster.


    He felt as if he could not catch his breath.


    He saw Zoe¡¯s svelte fingers caressing his skin.


    It felt warm to the touch.


    It made Jay¡¯s body tremble involuntarily.


    He clenched his fists, not daring to move an inch.


    He was afraid that if he did, everything would go out of control.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    He felt that he should still respect Zoe.


    If she were not willing, he would hold himself back, even if he could feel his heart and everything else in


    his body on the verge of imploding.


    ¡°Were these from the ident?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay was stunned.


    He then realized that Zoe noticed the ugly scars on his body.


    Yes.


    After the ident, aside from bing crippled, there were many scars left on his body. His face was


    scarred too, but he underwent facial scar removal surgery and recovered from it.


    There were just too many scars on his body.


    His body was all covered in them and it was hard to remove them all.


    What was more, his heart had died at that point. With his disabled body in tow, he did not dare harbor


    hopes for Zoe.


    Even when he finally mustered up the courage to call Zoe, he found that her number was no longer in


    service and itpletely dashed all hopes. So, since his heart was dead, why would he care about his


    body?

 Chapter 970

    Chapter 970


    Chapter 970


    He had to remove the scars on his face in consideration of his career in the entertainment industry and


    the fact that he still had to appear on TV at times.


    Otherwise, he would not have cared.


    After so many years, he had long gotten used to the scars on his body. He had also forgotten that he


    was no longer single right now.


    He even forgot how ugly his scars on his body were.


    He looked down at the part of his body that Zoe caressed and asked, ¡°Do you detest me?¡±


    She probably would.


    Zoe ced much importance on appearances, and she had been like this from a young age.


    It was during that period that John was often abroad and did not care much for Zoe as he was naturally


    a cold and proud man. But each time John came back, Zoe loved to follow behind him. Nancy was


    always surprised by her behavior since she had been doted upon since she was young and rarely took


    the initiative to grow close to others. Nancy did not understand why Zoe liked John so much.


    It was only after he asked about it that he found out that it was because Zoe found John handsome.


    Seriously.


    He even felt jealous of John for a period of time.


    He was also thankful that Zoe and John were rted by blood.


    Subsequently, he then found out that he was also rted to Zoe by blood.


    Eventually, the truth was out that Zoe was not rted to any of them by blood.


    ¡®If you find it disgusting¡­Mm.¡± Jay did not finish his sentence.


    He was petrified.


    He felt a pair of warm and soft lips on his ugly scars.


    That tender touch was like an electric current running wildly through his body.


    He did not dare to breathe, fearing his dream would be shattered if he took a breath.


    But this was not a dream. He could clearly feel her warmth, caressing his skin¡­


    Jay¡¯s fingers were trembling ever so slightly and he clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned


    white.


    After a long while, Zoe looked up with her cheeks all flushed.


    She asked, ¡°Did it hurt a lot back then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it did.¡±


    But the pain on his body was nothingpared to the pain in his heart.


    At that time, the only thing on his mind was the fact that things were over between him and Zoe.


    Things ended between them before they had a chance to start.


    He could not possibly reunite with her with his broken body.


    Even he detested himself.


    Yet now, instead of detesting him, Zoe was asking him if it hurt?


    It turned out that there was a limit to how much a person could hold himself back.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    He used to think that he could control himselfpletely when it came to Zoe.


    He had overestimated himself.


    He pulled Zoe back into his arms, held her face in his hands, and kissed her hard.


    Zoe did not push him away.


    In fact, she responded ever so tenderly.


    It turned out that she was not as indifferent to him as she imagined herself to be.


    Her heart ached at seeing the scars covering Jay¡¯s body.


    Her mind was filled with images of Jay lying in a pool of blood after the ident, fighting for his life¡­


    Zoe shut her eyes.


    She wrapped her arms around Jay¡¯s neck and deepened the kiss between them¡­


    Who would have thought that by the time Zoe woke up, it was already midnight.


    Both of them returned home at around noon.


    She had originally intended to take a shower, have a meal and go to bed.


    In the end, she did not even get to eat.


    Instead¡­


    She had no words for what had happened instead.


    She wanted to move her body.


    Forget it.


    She would just continue lying down here like a corpse.


    She really could not understand how a man¡¯s body worked.


    His leg was crippled, yet he could still move his body at will so freely. ¡°Already awake?¡± A familiar, deep


    voice sounded next to her.

 Chapter 971

    Chapter 971


    Chapter 971


    Zoe turned to find Jay¡¯s handsome face, erged right in front of her.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked, her own voice leaving herself stunned.


    What on earth happened to her voice?! It sounded so grating, just like nails on a chalkboard!


    Jay couldn¡¯t help chuckling, clearly teasing her.


    ¡°Don¡¯tugh!¡± Zoe snapped angrily, but it only made her voice even funnier.


    Jay couldn¡¯t stop himself fromughing even harder at that.


    Unable to take it, Zoe mped a hand over his mouth-now, he canugh all he wanted!


    At the same time, she wondered who the devil made her like this¡­


    Meanwhile, Jay forced himself to calm down after Zoe silenced him; however, he couldn¡¯t resist kissing


    her palm.


    The warm and wet touch prompted Zoe to let go of him immediately-he may not be skilled, but he was


    nheless asionally bewitching.


    ¡°Sorry. I was the reason you lost your voice,¡± Jay apologized earnestly.


    Zoe rolled her eyes-he was clearly not forgiven, especially since he went further despite her rejection,


    until she broke her voice.


    ¡°I¡¯ll restrain myself next time.¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes again-they only did it twice, but restraint was something he never showed.


    Those who didn¡¯t know better would¡¯ve thought he had been single forever! Nheless, that thought


    left Zoe¡¯s heart skipping a beat; suddenly, she remembered Jay¡¯s answer to the director¡¯s interview.


    That he popped his cherry with her.


    Even if Jay did insist that he wasn¡¯Jt lying, she never took it to heart since she believed otherwise-that


    it was impossible.


    Now, however, she suddenly believed him a little.


    That he had no other women other than her.


    ¡°Hungry?¡± Jay asked her just then, intent on changing the topic of conversation since he was clearly


    guilty about his self-indulgence.


    Zoe came to her senses, but she had gone without lunch or dinner-it would be weird if she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Just wait here. I¡¯ll bring some food,¡± Jay said, struggling a little to get out of bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Zoe said, getting up-her body felt a little limp, but Jay was still a disabled person.


    Nheless, Jay refused. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go¡±


    ¡°Your leg would make it inconvenient.¡±


    ¡°Taking care of you isn¡¯t a problem.¡±


    Zoe stopped resisting-he could do whatever they like, even if it was suffering because of his vanity.


    And the thought of how ridiculous he had been in bed¡­N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Well, that was no surprise; men were different creatures in and out of bed.


    After Jay left the bedroom, Zoe had to struggle to push herself up, and forced herself to sit up and lean


    against the headboard.


    She picked up the phone she ced beside her. At that moment, she remembered that Cordy


    promised to tell her a secret once she was done shooting.


    Recalling it served to make her more eager. She quickly texted Cordy on Whatsapp. [Filming¡¯s over,


    Cordy.]


    It was already one in the morning over there, and Zoe regretted it as soon as she sent the text-Cordy


    must be asleep at this hour.


    Nheless, Cordy¡¯s reply arrived the next instant, and she sounded perplexed. [It ended thiste?]


    Zoe felt a little guilty-she would never dare tell Cordy that she only remembered thetter after doing


    the deed!

 Chapter 972

    Chapter 972


    Chapter 972


    Zoe quickly changed the subject. [Still up thiste?]


    Cordy replied: [Why¡¯d you text me if you knew it¡¯ste?]


    Zoe was suddenly stumped, though Cordy soon sent another reply to answer the question. [I¡¯m in bed.


    Just haven¡¯t fallen asleep.]


    Zoe exposed Cordy right then. [Because Lucas is marrying Nana Lynd tomorrow.]


    [It has nothing to do with them. I¡¯m chronically insomniac.]


    [Really?]


    [Yeah.]


    Zoe didn¡¯t press the issue. [Fair enough. So what¡¯s the secret?]


    Cordy didn¡¯t reply, however, and Zoe was left restless-she was always rash, while Cordy was always


    calm.


    Someday, that woman would kill her.


    Still, Zoe¡¯s phone started ringing with a call just as she started to draft another text.


    Zoe quickly answered. ¡°Cordy?¡±


    On the other end, Cordy frowned. ¡°What happened to your voice?¡±


    Huh. She forgot that she had lost her voice.


    ¡°Do you have a cold?¡± Cordy pressed.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then how did your voice get so hoarse?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Why Zoe was unsure how to exin, Cordy asked, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Jay made you scream that


    hard, huh?¡±


    Honestly, one wouldn¡¯t have the luxury of secrets when they had such a smart friend!


    ¡°Well, congrattions.¡± Cordy seemed to confirm her own hunch before Zoe could speak.


    ¡°Can I just mention that I¡¯m actually hurting?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Zoe couldn¡¯t helpining.


    They were supposed to be talking about Cordy¡¯s troubles, but it somehow became about her again.


    And to make things worse, she had to talk in that cracked voice of hers!


    Nheless, Cordy was speechless after listening to Zoe¡¯s story, who finished with a question, ¡°Am I


    being too demanding?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said quickly. ¡°But I think you can afford to be more proactive too.¡±


    ¡°Have you tried that before?¡±


    ¡°Never had the chance.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯ve always been single.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you, Zoe. I¡¯m in a rtionship now,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe cried out in surprise, finally remembering just then that she was going to find out about


    Cordy¡¯s secret.


    However, that secret was a little too much for her, and she asked gingerly,¡± You said you¡¯re in a


    rtionship? Not with Lucas, is it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Patrick Stuart?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Zoe sighed heavily, and Cordy asked, ¡°Do you have something to say about him?¡±


    Zoe couldn¡¯t help rambling long-windedly. ¡®Not really, but it¡¯s just a shame¡­ Cordy, I really think that


    Lucas is John. What¡¯s going to happen to him if you¡¯re dating Patrick Stuart? He might faint from


    crying¡­¡±


    ¡°I did my best,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s never happening between us.¡±


    ¡°Cordy-¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s just it,¡± Cordy said, cutting Zoe short.


    Zoe bit her lip-Cordy had always been ridiculously rational, and would never do anything rash.


    ¡°Alright, congrattions,¡± Zoe said, giving in. It was Cordy after all, and she must¡¯ve thought things


    through before deciding.


    Zoe should be wishing Cordy well instead of harassing thetter over her personal preferences.


    ¡°Once everything¡¯s settled in the capital, Patrick and I wille back to buy you and Jay dinner,¡± Cordy


    said, her tone clearly pleased.


    Zoe nodded feebly. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡°Now go to bed. Give your voice time to recover and then keep at it.¡¯ Zoe blushed, embarrassed.

 Chapter 973

    Chapter 973


    Chapter 973


    As Zoe hung up, she turned and almost jumped when she saw Jay in his wheelchair. He was staying


    still just beside the doorway.


    When did he get there?!


    She then remembered that he left to get them food, and wondered if her pregnancy somehow left her


    dull.


    Nheless, Jay wheeled himself inside with a bowl of strawberry soup.


    If Zoe were to be honest, she really wanted something sweet and hydrating just like that soup. She


    wolfed it down as soon as Jay passed it to her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    As she drank, she asked, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡¯No.¡¯


    Zoe looked up at Jay, who shrugged. ¡®TH eat once you¡¯ve eaten.¡±


    ¡°You can share this with me.¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t think that¡¯d be enough for you.¡±


    ¡¯Can¡¯t you bring more?¡± Zoe asked. ¡°Instead of just one bowl.¡±


    ¡¯I can.¡±


    ¡°Then bring another,¡± Zoe said, a little speechless.


    Did his intelligence go dull as well? But he was never pregnant! 1


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied. Just as he was going to wheel himself out of the room, he suddenly asked, ¡°Is


    Cordy in a rtionship now?¡±


    ¡°You heard?¡± Zoe asked as she drank her strawberry soup.


    ¡°You were being quite loud.¡±


    ¡¯Well, yeah. She¡¯s dating Patrick now.¡¯


    ¡¯I see. That¡¯s good,¡± Jay murmured.


    ¡¯Good?¡± Zoe was a little agitated. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she stay with John?¡¯


    ¡°He¡¯s dead. Cordy cant stay single for life.¡±


    ¡°What if he isn¡¯t dead?¡±


    ¡¯People donte back from the dead.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe it even if I told you, huh?¡± Zoe said, reluctant to get into a fight since Cordy was


    dating Patrick now anyway.


    And the more she told Jay, the more she would add to his troubles.


    ¡°Anyway, Cordy said that she and Patrick wille see us once she¡¯s done with her business at the


    capital.¡±


    ¡¯I see,¡± Jay replied, but he didn¡¯t sound exactly interested-as if he felt nothing despite it being


    something as important as Cordy dating.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Zoe reminded him, since she was already almost done with her soup.


    Jay nodded silently, but didn¡¯t leave.


    Zoe felt that he was being a little too tame, but before she could ask why, Jay seemed to muster all the


    courage he had to ask her a question. ¡°¡­Am I really that bad?¡±


    ¡¯Huh?¡± Zoe appeared taken aback.


    Jay¡¯s gaze was evasive. ¡°I mean, in bed¡­¡±


    Zoe blushed-did he overhear everything she had been telling Cordy? He wasn¡¯t even in the room¡­! i


    In his defense, she had been very loud.


    It was exactly because she was hoarse that she kept raising her voice, since Cordy might not hear


    otherwise.


    ¡®I¡­¡±


    Zoe felt so utterly awkward that she could flee on the spot. Her mind seemed to short circuit as she


    suddenly didn¡¯t know how to exin herself.


    That was when Jay murmured quietly, ¡¯Til improve.¡±


    ¡¯¡­Huh.¡¯


    Meanwhile, over at the capital¡­

 Chapter 974

    Chapter 974


    Chapter 974


    Cordy was still unable to fall asleep after she hung up.


    She didn¡¯t mind admitting to herself that she was losing sleep because it was John and Nana¡¯s


    wedding¡¯s tomorrow.


    However, having made up her mind, she was supposed to feel relieved towards it alL.and yet, there


    was still a heavy load that she couldn¡¯t get off her chest.


    Maybe it would be gone once John actually got married?


    She flipped in bed and kept trying to sleep when her phone jingled with another Whatsapp text


    message.


    Cordy was convinced it was Zoe, since that girl always imposed no matter the time.


    However, she picked up her phone to see that it was a text from Patrick.


    [Are you asleep? I¡¯m at the capital now.]


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-he never mentioned that before.


    In fact, after the night they confirmed their rtionship, they nned to go on another trip around the


    capital the next day to let their feelings grow. However, he ended up returning to Rocktown early next


    morning for work, and she had assumed he wasn¡¯ting back since he looked so busy.


    And yet, he texted her to say that he arrived in the middle of the night¡­


    Cordy quickly called him and asked, ¡®Where are you? Did you just get off your flight? Do you need me


    toe get you?¡±


    On the other end, Patrick frowned. ¡°You¡¯re still not asleep?¡¯


    Cordy frowned too-why did he behave so much like Zoe, texting her in the middle of the night even


    though he was afraid of disturbing her?


    She suddenly had the feeling that Patrick and Zoe might be able to bond, and Patrick wouldn¡¯t be


    disappointed to make Zoe¡¯s acquaintance.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡®Because John¡¯s getting married tomorrow?¡±


    ¡®Why ask if you knew the answer?¡± Cordy asked grumpily.


    ¡°¡­Ow, that hurts,¡± Patrick groaned miserably.


    ¡°Alright, cut it out. Where do I find you?¡±


    ¡¯It¡¯s fine. I asked your cousin to give me a ride.¡±


    Cordy was a little speechless-since when did those two be such good friends?


    ¡°To be honest, he wouldn¡¯t have done it, but I told him that I¡¯ll wake you if he didn¡¯t,¡± Patrick said


    smugly.


    Cordy had the feeling that Patrick was always making Sean notice him; she could even hear Sean


    growling in annoyance from the other end. ¡® But you woke her anyway.¡±


    ¡°Come on, cuz! I didn¡¯t wake her-she can¡¯t sleep because she missed her old me,¡± Patrick exined,


    a little angry.


    Sean said nothing, probably because he didn¡¯t want to provoke Sean.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t be bothered to exin further either and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting. ¡ö


    ¡¯Okay. We¡¯ll be back in half an hour.¡±


    She put on some clothes after hanging up, and went downstairs to the living area to wait for Patrick and


    Sean.


    Both of them returned in around half an hour, with Patrick charging straight at her to give me a bear


    hug the moment he saw her.


    Cordy could see Sean frowning beside them, before quietly leaving.


    ¡°Why did you suddenlye here?¡± Cordy studied Patrick after pulling away. She could see that he


    was exhausted from head to toe.


    Lately, he had been running back and forth to Rocktown and the capital because of her. Yet, he


    remained thrilled nheless. ¡®How could I not be here? It¡¯s your ex¡¯s wedding tomorrow-1 have to be


    here to back you up. Also, we could get married tomorrow just to mess with him, but I guess you¡¯re not


    going to say yes.¡¯


    When Cordy said nothing, Patrick wilted again. ¡®I¡¯m so sleepy, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll take you to your room,¡± she said, though she felt a warmth on her chest thanks to him.


    She definitely had to attend John and Nana¡¯s wedding because of the rtionship between the


    Cranstons and the Lynds¡­along with various other vital issues.


    Plus, she had to admit that she was n.ove.lx.o hoping for someone to depend on.


    Patrick was truly a good man.


    As Cordy walked him to his room, his weariness all too visible, she didn¡¯t need imagination to tell that


    he must¡¯ve worked day and night just to make time for her.


    Out of the blue, she stood on her toes and nted a gentle kiss on his cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 975

    Chapter 975


    Chapter 975


    Patrick seemed really lethargic at first, but became energetic again the moment Cordy kissed him on


    the cheek. He turned and gaped at her.


    He was certainly bbergasted, and caught with disbelief that she would actually give him a kiss.


    ¡°Go to bed soon,¡± Cordy told him, feeling a little creeped out from his stare.


    Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have done that-restraint wasn¡¯t his strong suit.


    She could tell that he was so delighted he could dance, but couldn¡¯t he at least hide it a little?!


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Patrick caught her just as she turned to leave, and her heart skipped a beat again.


    She really shouldn¡¯t have teased him-give him an inch, and he¡¯d want a mile.


    To no surprise, he pulled her into his arms; her face was nted into his chest, almost suffocating her.


    Cordy struggled, trying to free herself as she snapped grumpily, ¡°Are you trying to smother me, Patrick


    Stuart?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just so happy!¡± Patrick couldn¡¯t stop grinning.


    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for murder.¡±


    He simply cupped her puffy cheeks and said teasingly, ¡°I¡¯d never do that-l love you too much, y¡¯know?¡±


    Cordy felt a little overwhelmed by his enthusiasm. Even as she tried to re into his eyes to make him


    let go, all she found was his overly passionate gaze. Suddenly, she was unable to say everything she


    wanted to say.


    Her heart raced as she watched his face inched closer to hers; she was conflicted, unsure if she should


    be expectant or resisting.


    Were they supposed to kiss? They had just confirmed their rtionship¡­


    However, she stopped herself the instant she was about to stop him, realizing her double-standard-why


    was she allowed to kiss him, but he wasn¡¯t allowed to kiss her?


    There should be a limit to selfishness.


    As such, after a brief struggle with herself, she closed her eyes to ept him.


    Since she had decided that she wanted a fresh start, it was time to get used to many things.


    However, that was when an angry bellow echoed. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Startled, both Cordy and Patrick promptly jumped away from each other like burrs caught in the act.


    They stared nkly as Sean suddenly stepped out from his room.


    He was glowering, and looked a little scary.


    Patrick¡¯s heart was racing, but he was incensed-did Sean have any idea how much courage he had to


    muster to kiss Cordy?


    And just as he was about to reach her, he was suddenly brought to a stop- he felt absolutely


    murderous!


    Shooting Sean a vicious re, Patrick snapped, ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night! What are you doing out


    here, sleepwalking?¡±


    Sean shot him a look but ignored him, and turned towards Cordy instead. He said sternly, ¡°Go to bed


    already.¡±


    ¡°Stay.¡± Patrick kept his hands on her wrist, refusing to let go.


    Cordy frowned, but Patrick didn¡¯t hide his intentions. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving until I have my kiss.¡±


    Cordy blushed-how could he say that out loud, and with someone else around at that?!


    Sean¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Let her go.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not married.¡±

 Chapter 976

    Chapter 976


    Chapter 976


    Patrick snapped, ¡® What, do you kiss only after you¡¯re married? What, are you from ancient times,


    boomer?!¡±


    ¡® I don¡¯t know,¡± Sean replied tly. ¡°All I know is that you don¡¯t get to do it here in my house as long as


    you¡¯re not married.¡±


    Patrick almost had a stroke right then. ¡°Look, man-¡°


    Sean, however, simply ignored Patrick and firmly pulled his hand off Cordy, who was watching


    everything in silence. She could see that Patrick could jump from sheer frustration.


    Even so, Sean added threateningly, ¡°Watch yourself if you don¡¯t want to get kicked out of my house.¡±


    Patrick gritted his teeth, clearly withholding the hissy fit he was just about to let loose.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help smiling as she watched that reaction; she always had the feeling that Patrick was


    completely powerless when he was around Sean-as if Sean had Patrick grabbed by the balls.


    ¡°Go to bed,¡± Sean repeated sternly at Cordy, scowling.


    Cordy nced at Patrick, worried that he would blow up right then and there; however, Sean promptly


    stood in front of her.


    As such, even she couldn¡¯t do anything about it since Sean had made up his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed now,¡± she told Patrick mildly. ¡°You should do it soon too.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Patrick replied through clenched teeth.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    As she turned to leave, she could hear Patrick snapping viciously at Sean,¡±


    You can¡¯t stand me or something, man?! Tell me if you can¡¯t, and let me beat some sense into you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nuts,¡± Sean replied coolly. ¡°Go to bed right now.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. Let¡¯s fight¡ªhey!¡±


    Patrick suddenly yelped, and a startled Cordy quickly turned around-she presumed that they would just


    be up to their usual arguing, but if they were getting physical¡­


    However, all she was was Sean picking up Patrick and carrying him over his shoulder.


    No matter how Cordy looked at it, the gesture was exceedingly intimate.


    ¡°Let me down, you-¡°


    Patrick started rambling on a series of expletives, though after Sean carried him into the room, she


    heard him yelping in fright, ¡°Watch it! Don¡¯t drop me¡­!¡±


    Cordy decided that she might be worrying over nothing, and started towards her room again.


    She was sure there was nothing that time could not mend, and that many things would be out of mind


    and forgotten eventually¡­


    The next day, Cordy woke up feeling a little tired.


    The ruckusst night left her losing sleep and drowsy. She could see how tired she was from the mirror.


    She washed up nheless, and soon heard an urgent knocking on her door.


    She quickly opened it, and to no surprise, saw that it was Patrick.


    How on earth did he survive in the political arena with that constant impetuous attitude of his, she


    wondered?


    And to think that he seemed soposed and matured when she first knew him.


    But when she really got to know him, it turned out that he was really too carefree.


    ¡°It¡¯s way too early in the morning. Why aren¡¯t you sleeping in?¡± she asked, grouchy.


    ¡°We¡¯re going shopping.¡±


    Cordy was speechless. After a while, she said, ¡°Wake up already! We have a wedding to attend.¡±


    ¡°Which is why we should go shopping.¡±


    ¡°Honestly¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± Patrick took her hand, denying her the chance to refuse and started leading her outside.


    ¡°Hold on, Patrick. At least let me get changed¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°What are you up to this time?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d find out soon enough.¡±


    And with that, Patrick dragged her into one of the Cranston family¡¯s luxury sedans while she was still in


    her pajamas.


    What on earth was he up to?!

 Chapter 977

    Chapter 977


    Chapter 977


    The sedan stopped in the underground car park of a shoppingplex, and Cordy was rendered


    speechless.


    She was being dragged out to shop while in her pajamas and barely any makeup¡­ Patrick was really


    ridiculous!


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go,¡± Patrick beckoned, even opening the door for her in true gentleman fashion.


    Cordy refused-it was just so embarrassing!


    ¡°Come on,¡¯ Patrick urged.


    ¡®Do you think I¡¯m going to humiliate myself like this?¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Trust me.¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth, but ultimately alighted.


    She could afford to brace herself and trust him just this once.


    Afterwards, they both entered the elevator.


    Thankfully, it was unupied¡ªor she wouldn¡¯t know where to hide as they rode it up to the top floor.


    Patrick was still strutting as he led Cordy out of the elevator, which left her in further confusion as to


    what his ns were. ¡°Look, Patrick, it¡¯s my ex¡¯s wedding-not yours! Shouldn¡¯t I be the one feeling upset


    about it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to cheer you up.¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes-he most definitely have a funny way to do it.


    As Patrick dragged her along out of the elevator, she realized in surprise that there was no one else in


    the entire shoppingplex.


    The staff were still around, but since their clientele were either the rich or the powerful, they naturally


    had an eye for things. Thus, none of them were gawking at Cordy even though she was walking around


    in her pajamas.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone here? Is it still too early?¡± she asked in surprise.


    ¡°I told your dear cousin to reserve the whole ce for you,¡± Patrick admitted.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Cordy rolled her eyes. He could¡¯ve said that earlier!


    Patrick merely made an innocent face in reply, since she never asked.


    He led her into a store for custom-made luxury items. ¡¯Like you had put it, it¡¯s your ex¡¯s wedding. It¡¯s


    only natural you dress grandly and seize the asion as the belle of the ball.¡¯


    Cordy was speechless, but she realized that he was moving heaven and earth this early in the morning


    so as to prepare for her grand appearance at the wedding.


    He was getting all excited about it, she almost thought he was proposing.


    Well, guess she was worried over nothing.


    A store assistant approached her eagerly. ¡°Miss Sachs? This way, please.¡±


    Cordy shot Patrick a look, but he said, ¡°Go on, get changed. Make yourself look beautiful and seize the


    day!¡±


    She rolled her eyes.


    The man was such a manchild, though she didn¡¯t reject the gesture-being treated with such dedication


    actually warmed the heart.


    She hence put on the exquisite white evening gown prepared for her. It was encrusted with many


    diamonds beneath the waist, making the white appear subtly dazzling yet undeniably grand.


    She had to admit, Patrick had a good eye.


    ¡°You look wonderful in that dress, Miss Sachs!¡± The store assistant couldn¡¯t help eximing with


    earnest praise of Cordy¡¯s beauty.


    Patrick stepped out of his dressing room as well, this time d in a tailor- made ck tailcoat.


    Cordy actually never saw him dressed that grandly-he was usually either wearing casuals or business


    suits.


    If she didn¡¯t know any better, she would¡¯ve wondered if he was going to steal a bride.


    Patrick, however, didn¡¯t seem to care much about himself.


    He was staring fixedly at Cordy, his breath taken away by her marvelous beauty.


    It was as if she embodied the word beauty at any and every time, and her mere presence could leave


    all creation astounded.


    And that beauty also seemed perpetual, leaving one and all amazed no matter how many times one


    looked.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± Patrick suddenly said very solemnly, suddenly different from how he usually was.


    Cordy blushed a little from being offered such abrupt, serious praise.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she replied. ¡°You look quite dashing yourself.¡±

 Chapter 978

    Chapter 978


    Chapter 978


    Patrick grinned. ¡°So? Do you think we¡¯re a perfect fit for one another?¡±


    Before Cordy could answer, the store assistant nearby promptly praised them sycophantically, ¡®Of


    course, Mr. Stuart! You and Miss Sachs are a match made in heaven-no one deserves each other


    more than you two!¡±


    Patrick was obviously delighted from the obvious fawning, and there was no hiding the dazzling smile


    on his face.


    Later, Cordy was escorted by the store¡¯s staff to the makeup station, while Patrick took a seat on a


    nearby couch and waited.


    While others would be killing time by fiddling with their phones or reading something, Patrick was


    resting his chin on one hand as he stared straight at Cordy.


    ¡­As if worried she would disappear in the blink of an eye.


    The staff who were helping Cordy with her makeup were getting embarrassed from his stare, and


    couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°Are you that afraid we¡¯d abduct Miss Sachs, sir?¡±


    Cordy blushed, and snapped a little grumpily, ¡°Could you keep your eyes to yourself, Patrick?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mine, so technically I am,¡± Patrick replied, as if it made perfect sense. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even looked at


    other women at all, y¡¯know.¡±


    The staff all had a good amused chuckle, while Cordy was so embarrassed she could kill herself right


    on the spot.


    It took a long while for her makeup to finally bepleted, and she strode up to him with lithe grace up


    to Patrick, smiling at him.


    Patrick thought she would be the death of him-how could any woman


    look as beautiful as her? It was almost criminal!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said, putting a hand around his arm.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    It was just the right time to leave and attend the wedding, anyway.


    However, Patrick wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cordy asked him.


    ¡°I think my legs just caved,¡± he replied.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my knees, in awe of your beauty.¡±


    ¡°Patrick,¡± Cordy snapped, though she was blushing in embarrassment as well in front of so many


    others.


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Patrick replied with a wounded look.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll change out of this gown.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Patrick stopped her right then.


    ¡°So? Are we going or not?¡±


    Patrick rubbed his nose and left the shoppingplex with Cordy, and returned to the sedan.


    Inside, Cordy received a call from Sean, who asked, ¡°Are you heading to the hotel right now?¡±


    ¡°No, we just returned to the car at the shoppingplex. We¡¯ll be going there now.¡±


    ¡°Me too. I¡¯ll be bringing ¡®Grandfather¡± along as well.¡±


    ¡°See you at the entrance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just follow Patrick¡ªI¡¯ll meet you there.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Cordy replied. She didn¡¯t forget to remind Sean, ¡°Watch out.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± Sean told her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, though. I¡¯ve nted our people on the inside.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cordy replied, and hung up.


    ¡°What are you up to with Sean?¡± Patrick couldn¡¯t help asking. ¡°Are you really going to steal a


    bridegroom?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes at him, and he breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Wow, you gave me quite the scare. I


    mean, even if you wanted to dump me, that¡¯s too quick even if I¡¯m cannon fodder.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart ached out of the blue, catching her off guard.


    So Patrick was always ready for the possibility that she would dump him, even as he dated her?


    Does he feel that insecure?


    She reached out to hold his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, which only shocked him further.


    Nheless, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll always stay with you as long as you don¡¯t leave me.¡±

 Chapter 979

    Chapter 979


    Chapter 979


    Cordy was neither lying nor offeringfort to Patrick because she was being soft.


    She had already resolved herself when she chose to be with him-that she would never let him down.


    Emotional, Patrick¡¯s eyes turned watery. ¡°You better keep your promise, Cordy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± She nodded.


    He gave her hand a squeeze and they locked fingers, offering each other a genuine promise.


    They arrived at the grand hotel where the wedding was held. Nana was the precious daughter of the


    prestigious Lynd family, and they certainly wasted every dime for the asion.


    Even friends and rtives living in distantnds came to attend, and there were security guards as well


    as bodyguards on watch everywhere.


    Cordy presented her invitation at the entrance, and headed inside with Patrick after it was verified.


    There were already plenty of people present, and the bustling crowd of guests were all socializing.


    Be that as it may, Cordy and Patrick drew considerable attention when she showed up linking arms


    with Patrick.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    For one, she was just so beautiful she drew every gaze as if it was natural.


    Secondly, she was attending the wedding with Patrick.


    It was certainly inappropriate if they were just partners, so this would naturally mean that they were


    dating.


    Many around them were curious, but no one was brave enough to ask, even as one of the stewards led


    them to their seats.


    There was no ceremony either, just a reception; Nana was sticking to local traditions, instead of more


    conventional wedding ceremonies as she spent more time abroad.


    Naturally, it appeared more formal and somber.


    ¡°We¡¯re ced right next to the stage?¡± Patrick observed their seating.¡± Nana must¡¯ve done this on


    purpose so you have a courtside view of her sealing the deal with John.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t argue-she wouldn¡¯t have had the disposition to be seated here, but Nana had always been


    that sinister a person.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can let her see how beautiful look-her eyes will be green with envy,¡± Patrick added


    through gritted teeth.


    Cordy smiled-they certainly would!


    Still, she suddenly rose to her feet. Patrick asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Sean just made it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Patrick started to rise to her feet as well, but Cordy stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    She strode up to Sean, who was wheeling ¡®Jesse¡¯ into the banquet hall.


    The fake Jesse had a mask and a cap on, and his body was almost fully covered in a wool nket.


    Many other guests started to make their way up to ¡®Jesse¡¯ when they saw him arrive, but the


    Cranstons¡¯ bodyguards stopped them immediately.


    Sean announced apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the doctors said my grandfather needs more time to


    recover. He was just discharged recently, so he can¡¯t socialize just yet. Please be more understanding.¡±


    Everyone kept their distance since Sean had spoken. He then added politely, ¡°My grandfather also


    assures everyone that he¡¯ll invite everyone to a gathering once he¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± someone agreed right then. ¡°His health takes priority, and we have all the time we need.¡±

 Chapter 980

    Chapter 980


    Chapter 980


    Someone else added, ¡®That¡¯s right. Let old Jesse rest. His health is of utmost importance.¡±


    Sean nodded, and wheeled ¡®Jesse¡¯ into a lounge reserved forthem. He then spotted Cordy and shot


    her a knowing look.


    Cordy hurried to his side, while everyone else in the banquet watched in slight surprise.


    How did she manage to get in Sean¡¯s good graces?!


    Once they were inside and ensured that no one was eavesdropping, Sean told Cordy, ¡°Jean will


    definitelye by to visit Jesse. y along when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy nodded. Then she asked, ¡°Is Dicky going to be alright at Cranston Hall?¡±


    She had her boy stay there since something might happen today, as she refused to put him in potential


    danger.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sean assured her. ¡°My people are watching him.¡±


    ¡ö Right.¡± Cordy nodded.


    Silence ensued, until someone suddenly opened the door.


    Jean then entered, escorted by the rest of her family.


    She began slowly, ¡°Jesse¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am,¡± Sean said, standing between her and ¡®Jesse¡¯. ¡°The doctors said that Grandfather


    isn¡¯t in his best shape right now, so we shouldn¡¯t have too many people surrounding him. It may stressContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    him and cause him difficulties in breathing.¡±


    Jean understood Sean¡¯s intention immediately, and gestured at the others, ¡°Go on, greet our guests. I¡¯ll


    speak to my brother alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    The Lynds filed out of the lounge, just as Sean shot Cordy a lok.


    She nodded slightly and pushed ¡®Jesse¡¯ up to Jean, who hacked violently just as they reached her.


    Jean appeared deeply worried and concerned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jesse?


    You¡¯re already discharged, but you don¡¯t look well at all¡­¡±


    ¡® Again, apologies.¡± Sean stopped her from reaching for the fake Jesse¡¯s hand. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you just


    now-or anyone else, honestly. Grandfather¡¯s lungs have been infected by a virus. He mostly recovered


    at the hospital, but the doctors told us there¡¯s still a risk of infection.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± Jean said quickly.


    ¡°I understand, but Grandfather really wouldn¡¯t want you to catch it from him, ¡± Sean countered. ¡°You


    should keep your distance if you want to talk, especially since you¡¯re not that young either. It¡¯s fine for


    someone young and healthy to take the risk, but the elderly shouldn¡¯t-Grandfather himself being a point


    in case. The doctors had to operate on him multiple times, and let¡¯s not forget how long he had to stay


    at the hospital.¡±


    Jean was actually slightly terrified by Sean¡¯s warning.


    Even if she didn¡¯t show it, it was obvious that she was scared as she kept ncing backwards to see


    that the doors and windows weren¡¯t closed.


    Nheless, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was that serious, Jesse. I wouldn¡¯t have insisted that youe


    otherwise¡­¡±


    ¡°Nana¡¯s wedding is-ahem!¡± Jesse kept coughing endlessly, though it was just a disguise to hide his


    voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t have to talk,¡± Jean told him quickly. ¡°I¡¯m already so d you can make it.¡±


    ¡®Jesse¡¯ waved her off, indicating that it was a necessary gesture.


    Jean then added, ¡°Anyway, the wedding will start soon, so I¡¯m going out to see how they are doing.


    Wait here for me-l¡¯lle byter.¡±


    ¡®Jesse¡¯ nodded, while continuing to cough violently.


    Jean couldn¡¯t help taking a step back in turn, obviously terrified of getting infected.


    ¡®Well then, I¡¯ll be going now,¡± Jean said, and left immediately.


    Cordy and Sean shared a smile.


    That was all too easy.


    ¡°I should go too,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Nana prepared a special seat for me, just beneath the stage.¡±


    Sean raised a brow. ¡®Are you sure you want to witness it with your own eyes?¡±


    ¡°Just keeping Patrickpany.¡±


    Bearing witness to John¡¯s wedding was just an afterthought.

 Chapter 981

    Chapter 981


    Chapter 981


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Cordy returned to the banquet hall, where Patrick was growing restless from waiting for her.


    She smiled despite herself-he really was a little impatient, since she was barely away for ten minutes.


    ¡¯I would¡¯ve gone looking for you if you didn¡¯te back,¡± Patrick said a little grumpily as he took her


    hand.


    ¡°What, did you think I¡¯d lose my way?¡± she retorted in slight annoyance as they returned to their seats.


    Patrick, however, said seriously, ¡°You won¡¯t lose your way, but you¡¯re so beautiful everyone would want


    to kidnap you. It¡¯s not easy for me to get myself a wife. Who would I cry to if she was abducted?¡±


    Cordy was a little speechless-his danger sense was a little too keen.


    However, before he could continue, everyone turned towards the stage as the wedding¡¯s emcee started


    speaking. ¡°Esteemed guests, thank you for taking time off your busy schedules to attend this blessed


    wedding ceremony of Mr. Lucas Lynch and Miss Nana Lynd. The ceremony shall begin at 12:08 pm.


    Once again, thank you foring.¡±


    When the emcee was finished, Patrick whispered into Cordy¡¯s ear, ¡°That¡¯s another ten minutes.¡±


    Cordy was speechless-she certainly knew that, especially with that conspicuous clock counting down


    on the projector screen up above.


    ¡°Do you think Nana can show up for her own wedding with that frail body of hers? Who knows if she


    faints halfway through?¡± Patrick continued.


    ¡°No one will consider you mute if you keep quiet,¡± Cordy snapped.


    She was once more quite speechless. How awkward did he think it would be if someone overheard him


    saying that, and at the bride¡¯s own wedding to boot?!


    Patrick pursed his lips¡ªdidn¡¯t she understand that he was on her side?


    He was overjoyed that John was staying with Nana, or he wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance with Cordy.


    However, he was still feeling indignant for Cordy¡¯s sake, especially at the thought that Nana was still


    trying to harass Cordy.


    Humans are contradictory that way.


    Nheless, at 12:08 pm, a celebratory fanfare resounded, and John went on stage at the emcee¡¯s


    beckoning.


    The instant he did, he saw Cordy sitting at the table nearest to the stage.


    The diamonds encrusted on her white evening gown seemed to twinkle like the brightest stars in the


    night beneath the slightly dimmed light, and she was smiling as she chatted animatedly with Patrick.


    She wasn¡¯t even looking his way.


    ¡°Lucas?¡± The emcee called out to him just then.


    John came to his senses right then, and the emcee smiled at him. ¡°You seem to be nervous today,


    Lucas. Can¡¯t wait to see your beautiful bride?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied absent-mindedly, while Cordy and Patrick continued to converse in hushed


    whispers.


    Still, Cordy smiled ever so subtly at John¡¯s words, more or less feeling the irony.


    Patrick clearly saw her reacting, and reached out to hold her hand firmly in his, whispering into her ear,


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m over it.¡±


    Patrick, however, didn¡¯t let go of her hand, and actually held on tighter.


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s receive your beautiful bride!¡± the emcee announced with bursting excitement. Right


    then, a stirring fanfare yed within the banquet hall once more.


    Cordy looked up to see John stepping down from the stage.


    He then tread over the red carpet that cut a path through neatly arranged bouquets of flowers and the


    guests¡¯ tables.


    In other words, he was walking right past Cordy.


    Their eyes met for a moment, and she nonchntly averted her eyes at the next instant.


    John also saw her holding hands with Patrick just beneath their table¡­


    Nheless, he walked to the other end of n.ove.lx.o the red carpet, where a small castle built from


    flowers stood.


    Nana was there, waiting in her bridal gown.

 Chapter 982

    Chapter 982


    Chapter 982


    Nana strode down the carpet with her hand linked around her father¡¯s.


    She was smiling beautifully-a pretty sight under the tender radiance.


    Naturally, everyone in the banquet hall was watching them, as Nana¡¯s father pped John on the


    shoulder and passed Nana¡¯s hand to him.


    John nodded respectfully, and took Nana¡¯s father¡¯s ce as the man walked away.


    Nana smiled sweetly as she wrapped her hand around John¡¯s; she slowly strode towards the stage


    together in the apaniment of fanfare and flower petals raining from overhead.


    Even as the air seemed to swirl with the scent of romance and bliss, Cordy watched with clear


    indifference.


    Patrick was watching too, but he would nce worriedly at Cordy from time to time.


    Noting the deep crease on her brow, he told her, ¡°Don¡¯t look if you dont want to. It¡¯s not that interesting.¡¯


    He seemed dead sure Cordy still felt upset about the wedding, until he heard her say, ¡°You¡¯re hurting


    my hand.¡±


    Startled, Patrick promptly released her hand, while Cordy smiled silently.


    Naturally, she didn¡¯t really me him for it either, and even exined, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I only came because I


    was mentally prepared for this.¡±


    ¡°Well, why am I getting so upset?¡± Patrick growled through his teeth.


    Cordy couldn¡¯t help shing a tender, gorgeous smile at his reaction.


    John, who was passing them again with Nana, just happened to see that smile.


    The banquet hall was very dark, but just as the spotlight shone upon him and Nana, they had a clear


    view of those immediately around them.


    And the instant John saw Cordy smiling, Nana saw him watching Cordy.


    She had immediately sensed him behaving strangely, too.


    Naturally, she was the one who arranged for Cordy to be seated right below the stage so that Cordy


    had a clear will of her grand, blissful wedding with Lucas.


    Despite her spiteful payback against Cordy, she immediately saw how grandly Cordy was dressed for


    the asion.


    There was no question that Cordy¡¯s beauty was breathtaking-even Nana herself was stunned, let alone


    John!


    Cordy¡¯s beauty was certainly a delight to behold, but for Nana, it sent her into a panic.


    She suddenly regretted letting Cordy sit right beneath the stage. Hell, she was surprised by the other


    women¡¯s spitefulness!


    Cordy must¡¯ve dressed like that to steal the limelight from her, didn¡¯t she?!


    While Nana¡¯s attention was focused on Cordy, John¡¯s was on Cordy¡¯s smile at Patrick.


    Suddenly, Nana¡¯s body seemed to turn limp. However, John caught her in his arms almost by instinct.


    She was still enfeebled-the doctors were repeatedly insisting that she not push herself even when she


    was getting discharged.


    In fact, they had a medical team ready at the hotel, prepared to operate on her in case of emergencies.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Even the consequences from a fall like that would have been unthinkable, and it certainly drew many


    gasps from some of the guests in the banquet hall.


    Cordy was naturally drawn towards them because of her curiosity as well, but she only turned to find


    John and Nana caught intimately in each other¡¯s arms.

 Chapter 983

    Chapter 983


    Chapter 983


    So that¡¯s what everyone was gasping about?


    And Cordy was wondering if it had been something serious.


    But did they have to unt their affection like this, when they were just a few paces away from the


    stage?


    Were they that eager they couldn¡¯t wait for when this ceremony was over?


    Cordy turned her eyes away coldly, while John helped Nana up the stage.


    The emcee stepped aside, letting the priest quickly go through the grand motions of blessing the new


    couple.


    There was certainly no dy-the wedding ceremony was being rushed because of Nana¡¯s poor health,


    and they were soon at the part of the exchanging of the vows.


    It was quite the simple ceremony.


    As Nana and John stood at the center of the stage, the priest asked John,¡± Lucas Lynch, wilt thou have


    this woman to thy wedded wife; love her,fort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health;


    and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?¡±


    ¡¯I will,¡± John replied, i


    Then, the priest turned towards Nana. ¡°Nana Lynd, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband;


    love him,fort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep


    thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± Nana replied.


    And with that, the priest dered them a formally married couple. The


    emcee¡¯s voice boomed with excitement, ¡°Let¡¯s give a warm round of apuse to the newlyweds as


    they retire to their bridal suite!¡±


    It was certainly a simple ceremony for such a grand wedding reception.


    However, just as John was about to help Nana leave the stage, she gestured at the emcee, who


    quickly handed her the mic.


    She said, ¡°My family and Lucas were hoping that our wedding ceremony would be simpler given my


    health issues, but I¡¯d rather not have any regrets on the most important day of my life. That is why I


    shall grant my own wish to say the many thoughts I have, at this most precious moment of mine.¡±


    The crowd apuded again-they were certainly eager to back her up.


    On the other hand, John pursed his lips and whispered into Nana¡¯s ear,¡± Your health is more important,


    Nana.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Nana beamed at him.


    That smile projected immeasurable bliss-she was just so hopelessly in love with him.


    Cordy watched them, indifferent as ever.


    Nana¡¯s twisted nature aside, she wasn¡¯t hiding her love at all.


    It made sense that John would choose her, since he wouldn¡¯t be able to let her go.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll regret it if I don¡¯t say it today,¡¯ Nana said, still watching John lovingly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss


    the greatest moment of my life, and leave it to regret.¡±


    John said nothing. The banquet hall turned utterly silent, as everyone seemed keen to find out what


    Nana was actually going to say.


    Seeing that John was giving her a silent approval, Nana continued, ¡°I really wanted to thank my


    grandmother for her love and understanding. She never gave up on me even as a child and gave me


    all her love, despite my health being exceedingly poor. She raised me with so much dedication that I


    could finally live like a normal person. I love you, Grandma.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Nana nodded formally as the spotlight turned towards Jean in her celebratory attire, who smiled mildly


    at Nana in return.


    Naturally, the heartwarming exchange between grandmother and granddaughter left a considerable


    chunk of the crowd emotional.


    ¡°Naturally, I also have to thank my parents for giving me such a precious body, as well as my dear


    friends for their love and understanding.¡±


    The crowd apuded thunderously.


    In the minds of many, Nana was weak.


    And it was human nature to side with the weak.

 Chapter 984

    Chapter 984


    Chapter 984


    That was why the crowd felt sympathetic towards Nana.


    ¡¯Last but not least, I must thank my husband, Lucas,¡± Nana continued.


    She said the words ¡®my husband¡¯ with apparent love, but John merely watched her quietly, pursing his


    lips as he did so.


    ¡°I never believed in love, and was convinced that only my family would love me in this life. I also


    believed that I had no right to love, what with my poor health¡­until the day I met you. That¡¯s when I


    found out that I can be loved too, and was capable of loving someone so much. Youplete me, and


    I¡¯m thankful you came into my life.¡±


    Nana¡¯s eyes welled with tears as she finished; it was an especially moving sight as it glinted against the


    spotlight.


    John¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple shifted, but he remained silent nevertheless.


    At the same time, Nana spoke through her tears, ¡°You are my world, Lucas.


    I love you¡­ So, so much.¡±


    Earnest, sentimental derations of love always stole hearts, do they not?


    And it had to be a frail girl who couldn¡¯t stop her tears.


    Even so, John never responded until the emcee prompted him. ¡°Such stirring words from your bride¡­


    Don¡¯t you have anything to say, Lucas?¡±


    John remained silent, leaving the scene rather awkward.


    Nheless, the emcee was experienced enough to smooth things over and quickly said, ¡°Our


    bridegroom must be too emotional, he¡¯s worried he¡¯d cry as soon as he speaks. But that¡¯s fine-it¡¯s his


    big day, so let¡¯s give him more time and encouragement!¡±


    He certainly stirred the crowd, and they pped for him while a staff member quickly handed John a


    mic.


    John slowly took it, and told Nana, ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have you.¡±


    Nana¡¯s tears streamed out of the corner of her eyes.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Tears of bliss were certainly a beautiful thing¡­


    At the same time, a teardrop trickled out of Cordy¡¯s eye too.


    She couldn¡¯t control it, and it came without warning-it was only when she noticed it that she realized


    that she was crying.


    It was ironic considering how many times she repeated that she was over John, that she didn¡¯t love him


    anymore¡­only to loseposure when she faced the harsh reality.


    Nheless, a warmrge hand wiped the tear and the stain off her cheek.


    Noticing that, Cordy immediately mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She was certainly apologetic, finding herself a right scumbag-how could she shed tears for another


    man in front of her boyfriend?


    Nheless, Patrick told her solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m lending you my shoulder for two minutes-you only get to


    mount him for two minutes.¡±


    Cordy stared at him nkly in turn, and he corrected himself when he saw the look in her eyes. ¡°Fine,


    you can have another three minutes. That¡¯s a grand total of five minutes, y¡¯know.¡±


    Cordyughed despite hertears-how could he be so petty?


    ¡°Wait, why are youughing? You¡¯re scaring me, Cordy-¡°


    Cordy had already thrown herself into his arms before he could finish, hiding her head in his chest.


    He could pick out the faint, fresh scent her body carried.


    It wasn¡¯t perfume, but the scent only her body carried.


    He held her in turn, and said, ¡°Today¡¯s thest time you cry for him. You¡¯re forbidden from crying for


    anyone from now on-not even me. Because I¡¯ll always make you smile.¡±


    Yes.


    She was certain Patrick would only bring her happiness from now on.


    And this was thest time she cried for John Levine.


    Henceforth, they would just be strangers¡­

 Chapter 985

    Chapter 985


    Chapter 985


    Meanwhile, the banquet hall erupted in thunderous apuse as Nana and John stepped down from the


    stage.


    Soon, the wedding luncheon started, and the table was served full of dishes fit for kings.


    Cordy hadn¡¯t actually done anything, but found herself staring at a little hill of food on her te.


    Anyone who did not know would think she was famished.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Patrick,¡± Cordy whispered to him.


    ¡® No! You should be eating more to get your money¡¯s worth,¡¯ Patrick said seriously. ¡°You¡¯d be hurt


    emotionally and physically otherwise, and that would be a loss.¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, Patrick urged, ¡°Go on, eat.¡±


    Cordy decided then that the man spoke sense, and started to eat as much as she could.


    Halfway through, John and Nana came to toast everyone, with Nana on a wheelchair.


    Everyone promptly rose to their feet and cleared a spot for Nana, while congratting everyone loudly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± John answered politely.


    He didn¡¯t even nce at Patrick or Cordy, and quickly tried to wheel Nana away, only for Nana to


    suddenly call out, ¡®Cordy.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy pursed her lips-Nana loved to harass her whenever possible, just like she was doing right now


    by deliberately telling Cordy, ¡°I¡¯m so happy to see you. I thought you wouldn¡¯te.¡±


    The other guests were naturally left perplexed, since Cordy was never revealed to be a member of the


    Cranston family yet and her presence in this wedding was a mystery. However, seeing that she came


    with Patrick and the Stuarts being a grand dynasty themselves, it made sense that he was attending


    this wedding, so most would presume he brought Cordy as his plus one.


    But now, Nana¡¯s words left everyone confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural I should witness your big day personally.¡± Cordy smiled faintly. ¡°Congrattions, and


    here¡¯s a personal toast-to love forever, and getting children soon.¡±


    She raised her ss and generously offered her blessing, while Nana had to force a smile.


    Cordy could keep tight a lid on her feelings, and was capable of staying unaffected at any movement.


    Nheless, she rose from her wheelchair with her ss, and clink it with Cordy¡¯s.


    Then, she suddenly added, ¡°Lucas, Cordy¡¯s offering us her blessing. Aren¡¯t you going to have a toast


    with her too?¡±


    John finally turned to see that Cordy was looking calmly at him.


    He was certainly handsome after dressing up borately, and Cordy had heard many people beneath


    the stage being impressed by John¡¯s looks


    Nheless, Cordy simply repeated, ¡°Congrattions. You two deserve each other.¡¯


    John pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t respond; Cordy took notice.


    She raised her ss, but just as she was about to touch her ss with his, he chugged his ss and


    wheeled Nana away without caring if Nana and Cordy drank.


    Cordy simply returned to her seat, her hand shaking ever so slightly as she held her ss.


    Naturally, she wasn¡¯t as calm as she tried to look.


    However, she was still convinced that time would mend everything-right now, she was pretending to


    wish him well, but the day would eventuallye when that wish was genuine.


    She felt a warm hand on hers, squeezing it, and turned to look at Patrick.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she told her determinedly. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    He was her stalwart refuge.


    After the luncheon was over, people began to file out of the banquet hall.


    Cordy texted Sean. [How are things?]


    [Nothing unusual. But Jean hasn¡¯t returned to the lounge she prepared for our family, probably still


    worried about infections.)


    (Can we go now?]

 Chapter 986

    Chapter 986


    Chapter 986


    Sean¡¯s reply was: [I¡¯ll talk to Jean. I¡¯ll tell youter.]


    If there was nothing else impeding them, they could leave-even if it meant they have no idea who the


    culprits trying to kill Jesse was.


    Feeling a little uneasy, Cordy got up. Patrick was immediately worried.¡± Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To thedies¡¯ room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you.¡¯


    ¡°I need to relieve myself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright, I¡¯ll wait.¡¯


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cordy left the table and headed to thedies¡¯ room; she inadvertently ran into John, who was standing


    just outside the door.


    She looked left and right, but John was alone and Nana was nowhere in sight.


    ¡°She¡¯s inside,¡± he suddenly exined, reading her mind


    Cordy said nothing as she strode past him. Supposedly this was how clingy Nana was, needing her


    husband around even when she goes to the toilet.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± John suddenly called out to her, but she simply ignored him and left.


    He pursed his lips, but in reality, he had no right to stop her given the circumstances.


    Cordy just entered thedies¡¯ room and ran straight into Nana wheeling herself out of a cubicle.


    Nana was a little slow since she was wheelchair bound; Cordy strode past her, having no intention of


    helping.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Nana called out to her, leaving Cordy bemused.


    Was it so hard to relieve herself unimpeded?


    She turned to look at Nana, who smiled with contempt. ¡°I really thought you wouldn¡¯te.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡¯ Cordy asked in return. ¡°We had a deal, and it¡¯s all over now.¡±


    ¡°You really can let it go this quickly?¡± Nana was clearly skeptical.


    ¡°I always keep my promises,¡¯ Cordy said bluntly, but she noticed that Nana was still ring fixedly at


    her. ¡°I need to relieve myself right now, so I won¡¯t be ying along if you have nothing else to say.¡±


    And with that, she turned and strode right inside one of the cubicles before Nana could respond.


    She therefore never noticed the heinous smile on Nana¡¯s face. Unbeknownst to Cordy, Nana whipped


    out her phone to send her text.


    And once she received a reply, she deleted all traces.


    She couldn¡¯t be faulted for being savage, especially since Cordy was the one who came on her own.


    With everything prepared, Nana wheeled herself out of thedies room. John naturally took over after


    she got out.


    When he started to wheel her back to the banquet hall, however, she said,¡± I don¡¯t feel so good, Lucas.


    Let¡¯s go to our suite.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, and promptly wheeled her out of the banquet hall.


    The stewards were guiding many guests as they filed out as well. There was plenty of entertainment


    nned for them at the hotel¡¯s casino and clubhouse anyway, not to mention the luxurious rooms


    already booked for them.


    Everything was right upstairs of the banquet hall, which made it convenient for the guests¡¯ ess.


    John wheeled Nana into their bridal suite on the 16th floor. There, Nana asked, ¡®Can you carry me to


    bed, Lucas?¡±


    John leaned downwards and picked her up.


    When he tried to leave after putting her in bed, however, he found her wrapping her arms tightly around


    his neck.

 Chapter 987

    Chapter 987


    Chapter 987


    John frowned; Nana clearly sensed his displeasure, but refused to let go of his neck anyway.


    ¡°We¡¯re awfully married couple now, Lucas,¡± she said.


    ¡°Quit messing around. I need to tend to our guests soon.¡± John tried to push her away, his impatience


    evident.


    ¡°Yes, you can do it soon. It won¡¯t take that long¡­¡± Nana retorted, staring at him fixedly in the eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y around. The doctor insisted you shouldn¡¯t do anything taxing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°But I do,¡± John breathed, very slowly and clearly.


    Nana beamed, clearly ted by his words. ¡°So you love me? You don¡¯t want me to die?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, though that was only because he knew all too well that he wasn¡¯t going to survive


    if Nana died anyway.


    ¡°Let me go,¡¯ he told her again. ¡°I¡¯m going to drop on you.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you would?¡± Nana asked, still refusing to let go. ¡°And aren¡¯t you tired, holding yourself


    up? There¡¯s no body contact between us at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d get hurt. The doctor said you cant afford any mishaps, given your condition.¡¯


    Nana raised a brow. ¡°Is that right? But are you really worried for me, or are you just keeping your


    distance?¡±


    ¡°Your health is more important.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not answering the question, Lucas.¡±


    ¡°To me, your health is more important than anything else,¡± John said very slowly and clearly.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Nana didn¡¯t press the issue, since she was never going to get the answer she wanted. ¡°How


    about a kiss?¡±


    John simply pursed her lips in turn.


    ¡°You¡¯re notying a finger on me, let alone having sex with me. But can¡¯t we at least kiss now that


    we¡¯re married?¡± Nana pressed, her tone dead serious.


    John simply stood there, gulping.


    When she wasn¡¯t getting a response, Nana became demanding.¡¯I want you to kiss me, Lucas.¡±


    He remained still, and Nana¡¯s tears welled in her eyes right then.


    So, he¡¯s choosing abstinence for Cord/s sake? Is he really refusing to touch her even though they were


    lawfully wedded?


    Nana gritted her teeth, keeping her arms firmly around John¡¯s neck and pulling herself towards him to


    kiss her.


    However, just as she was about to reach his lips, John pulled away and left without hesitation, leaving


    her alone on the oversized bed.


    ¡°Lucas!¡± she shrieked at him from the back.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°I¡¯m tending to our guests. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± John simply said, and left without further exnation.


    The spite in Nana¡¯s eyes was all too obvious as he left indifferently.


    She refused to believe that John would still be abstinent once Cordy was dead!


    Once John stepped out of the bridal suite, his cold expression finally revealed the fury he had been


    trying his best to restrain.


    Thud!


    He punched the wall viciously, the dull hit echoing in the quiet walkway.


    The punch left his knuckles red and swollen,but he kept it clenched as if he felt no pain.


    Though the fury in his eyes was restrained after the punch, it wasn¡¯t fading at all¡­


    That is, until the fire rm red all over the hotel. The sudden sound left him momentarily stunned.


    What on earth was going on?

 Chapter 988

    Chapter 988


    Chapter 988


    At the very next instant, John watched as stewards in the hotel appeared on the floor and knocked on


    every door, crying, ¡¯There¡¯s a fire in the banquet hall! Please leave your room with us immediately for


    evacuation!¡±


    As their voices echoed repeatedly, the doors opened. Everyone was in shock by the unexpected fire.


    The banquet hall was on the first floor, and the fire there might have spread upstairs if it was bad


    enough-if the firefighters could not stop the fire in time, naturally.


    Nheless, the walkway was a sight of confusion as the guests ran out of their rooms.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is there a fire? What if it spreads up here? Are we going to die?!¡± someone


    asked loudly.


    The scene was even more confusing.


    However, one of the hotel staff quickly calmed things down. ¡°There¡¯s no need for panic! There¡¯s a fire


    escape that goes straight outside, and you just have to follow our directions. The firefighters have


    already been informed. They¡¯ll stop the spreading fire soon and keep everyone safe.¡±


    ¡°Well, where¡¯s the fire escape? Let¡¯s go already!¡±


    ¡°This way, sir!¡± The staff members began to evacuate the crowd in a tense but orderly manner.


    At the same time, John had already returned to the hotel room and scooped Nana off the bed.


    She leaned against his arms, but scoffed coyly, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯ting back. You wouldn¡¯t be


    shackled if I died, you know¡­¡±


    John said nothing-he was bing ever quieter around her these days.


    To tell the truth, there was a split second when he considered not returning. However, his rationality


    ultimately trumped his emotions.


    He knew very well that he would get killed if Nana died in the fire.


    Even if he refused to save her, the Lynds were prepared to throw as many bodies as they could in the


    fire just to save her anyway.


    And right now, he couldn¡¯t take any risks.


    He evacuated along with the panicking crowd, while Nana stopped gloating because she sensed how


    taxing it was for him to run while carrying her.


    Everyone soon arrived at the vast helipad up on top of the hotel, with several helicopters already


    landing there waiting.


    Since they were the first group of guests who arrived, they safely boarded one of the helicopters under


    the directions of the hotel staff. After ferrying the guests to a safe ce outside the hotel, the helicopter


    would return to the helipad to ferry the next group of guests.


    But after theynded and John took Nana to the Lynds¡¯ car, he didn¡¯t leave the hotel with her.


    ¡°Where are you going, Lucas?¡± Nana was yelling at him again.


    ¡°The fire broke out in our wedding hall. I¡¯ll find out what happened and handle the aftermath. Your


    health¡¯s already so poor-get home and get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just going to check if Cordy is safe?!¡¯ Nana exposed him right then.


    John, however, ignored her and left without a word.


    He simply didn¡¯t care what she thought.


    Nana¡¯s eyes were ring viciously, burning with hatred-Cordy was definitely going to die!


    This was their own fault!


    If Lucas hadn¡¯t fallen for Cordy¡­


    If Cordy didn¡¯keep bugging Lucas relentlessly¡­


    She wouldn¡¯t have to do anything so drastic!


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    It was their fault for upsetting her!


    Naturally, Nana didn¡¯t tell the chauffeur to take her home-she would personally witness Lucas wishing


    he was dead when he saw Cordy¡¯s cold, dead corpse!


    Back at the banquet hall, Cordy was ready to leave after using the toilet.


    Sean already told her that they could leave after informing Jean, and they would be able to do so if no


    surprisesy in wait.


    However, she had just gotten up when she noticed someone locked the door to her cubicle from the


    outside.


    She immediately felt a pang of deja vu, and her danger senses tingled in warning.


    She remembered how Noel tried to have her burnt alive once in the past, having set a fire to sabotage


    her wedding¡­


    No.


    Cordy refused to go through the same experience again!

 Chapter 989

    Chapter 989


    Chapter 989


    Cordy worked hard to stay calm.


    She left her phone on the table out at the banquet hall, and so had no way to call for help directly.


    She gritted her teeth, and started to hammer against the door viciously.


    However, most of the other guests already left the guest hall and there were no others in thedies


    room.


    She therefore couldn¡¯t alert anyone despite the ruckus she was causing.


    Her danger senses were screaming now, and she kept hitting the door.¡± Hello? Is there anyone out


    there?!¡±


    There was still no response, and at that point, Cordy didn¡¯t have to guess if her situation was an


    ident.


    In fact, there was no doubt that this was all Nana¡¯s doing-and given Nana¡¯s heinous nature, she wasn¡¯t


    such a trivial person to go that far just to lock her in.


    Cordy worked hard to quell her unease, and decided that she had to free herself since there was no


    one out there to help.


    She looked around the toilet cubicle, but the doors and the walls reached up to the ceiling, affording her


    no space to climb out.


    The only way was to kick open that door, and she didn¡¯t hesitate.


    Putting away the foreboding thoughts in her mind, she kicked at the door while still wearing her high-


    heels, withstanding the pain.


    Her leg was slightly better after the injury from that ident before, so she could attend the wedding


    without a wheelchair. But even as she kicked with her uninjured foot, the stress still strained her other


    leg, and she started to sweat bullets.


    Nheless, she didn¡¯t drag her feet and kept kicking at the door as hard as she could.


    But it was a luxury hotel, and even the door in thedies¡¯ room cubicle was sturdier than she initially


    expected.


    She was eventually panting tiredly, but the door was still not budging-what on earth could be used out


    there that held the door fast to such an extent?!


    Despite working so hard to stay calm earlier, she was beginning to panic. She wondered if Patrick


    woulde for her.


    He had to be worried about her if she hadn¡¯t returned after so long, right?


    Even so, Cordy dared not underestimate Nana-if Nana was ready to go this far, she must be ready to


    deny Cordy any chance of escape!


    She then remembered how Sean and her had suspected the Lynds for a previous attempt on their


    grandfather¡¯s life.


    And if the Lynds were going to do it again, she wondered if Nana would seize the opportunity to


    eliminate her as well¡­


    Nheless, Cordy told herself that she must stay calm, and not panic.


    She was convinced that Patrick would never abandon her, even if Nana tried to stop him.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    However, that was the moment when she smelled the stifling odor of smoke.


    Her heart was seized by terror again, and she felt another pang of deja vu.


    Was there a fire outside?!


    So the Lynds were stopping at nothing to eliminate them!


    With that, Cordy kept kicking at the door again.


    She refused to be burnt alive, let alone allow Nana win!


    There were just a handful of people left at the banquet hall when the sudden inferno ignited within, and


    they started to evacuate in an orderly manner under the instructions of hotel staff and security


    personnel.


    The instant the fire broke out, Patrick rushed towards thedies room, not caring for anything, let alone


    the potential danger there.


    He must get to Cordy!


    And yet, he had barely made it halfway when¡­

 Chapter 990

    Chapter 990


    Chapter 990


    The hotel staff evacuating the banquet hall intercepted Patrick. ¡°There¡¯s a fire, sir! It¡¯s dangerous here.


    Pleasee with us and leave through the fire exit.¡¯


    ¡°There¡¯s still someone in the toilet! I have to reach her!¡± Patrick cried out urgently, immediately going


    physical against the staff and shoving him aside to rush in thedies room.


    ¡°Sir, don¡¯t worry,¡± the staff caught him nheless. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. We have


    professional rescuers evacuating everyone right now, just leave the rest to us for your own safety.¡±


    ¡°Move! I¡¯m going by myself!¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes were almost red in urgency right now, Cordy¡¯s safety was far


    more important!


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    She was alone in thedies¡¯ room, and her leg was still hurt.


    If help didn¡¯t reach her in time¡­


    The thought only sent Patrick into a panicked frenzy; he ignored the staffs discouragement to push the


    latter away as hard as he could, and dashed straight to thedies¡¯ room without a pause.


    ¡¯Sir!¡±


    The staff chased after him, but Patrick was already running.


    He was very determined, all while hoping that Cordy already left through the fire escape after finding


    out about the fire¡­


    Even so, he didn¡¯t mind the thought of risking himself for nothing as he ran towards thedies room.


    He would do anything to make sure she was safe!


    However, he was so preupied with Cordy that as he reached thedies¡¯ room, he never noticed a


    burly man suddenly rushing up to him and striking the back of his head, catching him off guard.


    Patrick was out like a candle even before he realized what happened. The same burly man picked him


    up, carrying him and striding through the burning banquet hall to leave in no time at all.


    Outside the banquet hall, John was rushing through the crowd as he looked for Cordy.


    The fire was serious, but the hotel staff had been trained constantly on evacuating the building in case


    of emergencies. Thus, they managed to get everyone safely without issue.


    John, however, never saw Cordy-even though she was supposed to stand out among the crowd.


    It wasn¡¯t just her either-none of the Cranstons were in sight.


    A foreboding sensation seized his heart immediately, and he had a hunch right then that this fire was


    no ident.


    Even so, he worked hard to keep himself calm and look everywhere for Cordy.


    He then saw a big man carrying Patrick out of the banquet hall, but Cordy wasn¡¯t with Patrick.


    He knew there was no way Patrick would leave alone-especially when the fire was this serious.


    And the fact that Patrick was unconscious when no one else was choking from the smoke only made


    things more suspicious.


    John didn¡¯t hesitate, and snuck into the banquet hall while no one else was watching.


    It seemed everyone had been evacuated; there was no one else in the hall, which was now fully aze


    with plenty of objects falling from the ceiling.


    The air was as scalding as it was smothering, but John didn¡¯t care and charged straight to thedies


    room.


    Cordy was there thest time he saw her, and Patrick must have been separated from her because she


    was there.


    There was every chance that she was still in there, or she would have been at Cordy¡¯s side.


    In fact, even before he entered thedies¡¯ room, he could hear the banging from inside.


    His heart skipped a beat-he truly hoped n.ov?lx.o Cordy wasn¡¯t there!

 Chapter 991

    Chapter 991


    Chapter 991


    John never slowed down¡ªhesitation was pointless at this moment.


    With the fire getting from bad to worse, the Cranstons would all have a hard time leaving without


    rescue.


    And since the Lynds had gone so far to set this all up, they would definitely have been prepared for all


    contingencies¡ªhelp would never reach them in time.


    ¡¯Cordy!¡± John yelled.


    Cordy was taken aback.


    To be honest, she already lost hope when she picked up the scent of the swirling smoke while still


    trapped inside.


    She simply found no chances of escape, even if she never gave up.


    That was when he heard the voice-it was neither Parick nor Sean as she expected, but whoever it was,


    she had hope now!


    And so, she quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m in here!¡¯


    However, before she answered, John had already noticed that one of the toilet cubicles was locked


    from the outside.


    Someone had obviously trapped Cordy inside, and John instantly could tell who it was.


    But now wasn¡¯t the time for that-the priority was to get Cordy out!


    ¡°Stand aside,¡± John warned her. He didn¡¯t afford her that much time before he kicked the door as hard


    as he could.


    It started to twitch, but it was still not opening.


    John kicked the door again, and this time, it opened with a loud bang.


    He immediately found Cordy inside, her eyes welling with tears as she appeared obviously helpless,


    trapped inside on her own.


    She didn¡¯t break down even though she saw him, and instead asked,¡± There¡¯s a fire outside?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied.


    While she gritted her teeth, John didn¡¯ borate and quickly took off his suit and tore his own shirt


    underneath.


    As he worked, he told her, ¡°Wet your whole body. We have to make a run for it.¡±


    Cordy didn¡¯t drag her feet, and quickly turned on the tap to drench herself from head to toe.


    John did the same, and handed the piece of his shirt he tore off, saying,¡± Keep this over your nose.¡±


    Cordy quickly did as she was told, while John took off his suit and draped it over her head.


    She was taken aback, and he added, ¡®The fire¡¯s pretty bad, but don¡¯t worry- we¡¯re definitely making it


    out of here.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Cordy said nothing.


    They didn¡¯t have time to argue anyway, so John pulled her along while keeping his nose covered and


    rushed outside thedies¡¯ room.


    Cordy never resisted, since survival was most important right now.


    But the moment both of them rushed outside, Cordy was hacking and choking from the suffocating


    smoke.


    Even with a thick piece of fabric over her mouth, her throat felt like it was scalded from the inferno


    around them, almost stopping her from breathing.


    ¡°Stay down,¡¯ John told her, and both of them dropped to a crouch as much as possible.


    The fire had now extended all over the banquet hall, and the heat was only getting worse-Cordy felt like


    she was in a burning furnace.


    And it was just her and John in the hall-no firefighters or rescuers were in sight.


    That was when Cordy wondered if Sean and ¡®Jesse¡¯ were still in there with them.

 Chapter 992

    Chapter 992


    Chapter 992


    The Lynds definitely would¡¯vee up with a n to trap the Cranstons in the fire, and Cordy must


    acknowledge their cunning wit to cover up their conspiracy with an ident.


    Neither Sean nor Cordy would¡¯ve expected them to go all out like this, even though they have prepared


    themselves for the danger they knew they would face when they came here.


    Nheless, Cordy gritted her teeth in determination-now was not the time to worry about others, not


    when she had no idea if she was going to make it out herself.


    With the path ahead blocked by the inferno, neither John nor herself could go anywhere.


    Coupled with the ever growing fire, they would either suffocate from the smoke or be burnt to death.


    But just as Cordy hesitated, John said determinedly, ¡°Let¡¯s make a run for it. ¡ö


    She turned and gave him a look, he assured her, ¡°Our clothes are wet. It won¡¯t burn.¡±


    As Cordy bit her lip, he added, ¡°Keep your head under my jacket. I¡¯ll lead you.¡±


    And with that, John held her hand with great resolve and pulled her through the zing mes.


    Cordy would be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t afraid of the inferno before her, and was too scared to


    wonder what awaits them behind it aside from more mes.


    Moreover, they were just halfway through the hall; if there really was more fire, they would be killed with


    no certainty.


    They had no way out, and there was no question about it.


    She was also positive no one wasing to help.


    If there were, it would be after they were dead.


    All she could feel was John squeezing on her hand; at the very next instant, he let go to hold his suit


    over her head, covering her entire face hidden and shielding her.


    Then, he put his arms around her.


    She tried to resist-what would happen to him if he did that? He would be burnt!


    But before she could speak, she felt John enveloping her in his arms and dashing through the inferno.


    Most of her body was shielded, but she still felt the stinging lick of the mes.


    Unable to bear the agony, she couldn¡¯t help gasping in pain.


    And yet, John never made a sound. She could feel how well he had been shielding her.


    They seemed to advance for quite some distance, and she thought for a moment that they were going


    to make it out of the banquet hall¡­until John¡¯s body came crashing on top of her.


    She felt both of them dropping to the scalding fall in no time at all, as something loud crashed into


    pieces beside them.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy quickly leapt out from underneath John¡¯s suit, and saw that they dropped on a spot without fire.


    However, the fire around them was burning violently.


    She then noticed that John was lying on the floor, suddenly motionless- one of the hall¡¯s chandeliers


    had suddenly dropped right on top of him, knocking him outpletely.


    Even though the chandelier struck John while he was holding her, it somehow didn¡¯t reach her at all.


    ¡°John,¡± Cordy called out worriedly, but he still wasn¡¯t moving.


    No!


    He had to live! He needed to!


    In a frenzy, she started to shift the chandelier; it took everyst bit of strength she had to get the


    chandelier off him.


    There were pieces of ss sticking out of his back, leaving a bloody scene. She had no time to care


    about that, however, and started smacking John repeatedly on the face. ¡°John! Wake up! Wake up!¡±


    John¡¯s brow seemed to twitch at that, but he still didn¡¯t open his eyes.


    ¡°John, wake up. Wake up! Cough¡­¡± Cordy cried in desperation; she started hacking violently as she


    spoke, for the surrounding smoke was gradually suffocating her.

 Chapter 993

    Chapter 993


    Chapter 993


    It took John considerable effort to open his eyes.


    The pain that caught him off guard just now stopped short of knocking him out, and he had to use every


    bit of strength to retain his consciousness.


    After all, what would happen to Cordy if he cked out?


    Gritting his teeth, he used all his strength to pick up the wet fabric Cordy dropped on the floor, holding it


    against her nose.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat¡ªhe was hurt, but the first thing he did once he reimagined


    consciousness was to protect her.


    She had been so scared that she forgot to pick up the wet fabric after she dropped it, along with the


    fact that she could die from inhaling too much smoke as well.


    Her eyes were red. Then, she heard John rasping, ¡°You have to always take care of yourself¡­¡±


    And yet, he didn¡¯t do the same when danger struck just now.


    In fact, she clearly felt him pushing her out of harm¡¯s way so that the chandelier only struck his back


    and not her.


    Cordy bit her lip, awash with a mess of emotions.


    However, there was no time to think when their lives were on the line!


    At the same time, John had pushed himself off the floor.


    He had no time to check the wounds over his back or rest-once he got up, he pulled Cordy along and


    kept advancing.


    Even so, the fires ahead were worse. Even their damp clothes seemed to have dried off instantly,


    scalding them all over.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The wet fabric over their mouths wasn¡¯t working much either. Their nostrils and throats felt as if they


    were ame, their breathing endlessly impeded and getting moreborious by the moment.


    Thud!


    Suddenly, Cordy dropped on the floor.


    She wasn¡¯t struck by something falling overhead, however-her body had simply reached its limit.


    John immediately dropped to a crouch to try and help her up, just as she pushed herself up as well.


    However, her knees caved again as she got up, and she dropped to the floor once more.


    This might be it-her whole body burned even if the fire hadn¡¯t reached her, and her skin could no longer


    withstand the heat around her.


    All she could feel was pain everywhere around her body.


    ¡°Leave me¡­¡± she said as she copsed on the floor.


    She certainly wanted to live-she would never bear to leave Dicky alone, but she really had nowhere to


    go.


    Worse, she would just burden John.


    However, he might be able to make it out alone.


    ¡°Get on my back,¡± John said, crouching in front of her.


    Cordy stared at him for a moment, and he urged, ¡°Now!¡±


    The longer they stayed, the worse it would be-it wasn¡¯t just Cordy, he couldn¡¯t breathe either.


    But he would never give up, because he must get Cordy out of here.


    She must live.


    As such, Cordy used thest bit of her strength to crawl up John¡¯s back, knowing full well that John


    wasn¡¯t going to let her down.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t havee back for her at all.


    She mustn¡¯t tarry for every second counts, and they could die at any moment.


    And she really didn¡¯t want John to die with her-having one of them survive was good enough, since


    Dicky at least wouldn¡¯t be an orphan.


    She was convinced that John wouldn¡¯t abandon Dicky even if she died.


    ¡°John¡­¡± she murmured feebly, as her vision grew too cloudy to see ahead.


    She could vaguely feel that the fire was now all around them, and they had no ce to go.

 Chapter 994

    Chapter 994


    Chapter 994


    ¡°Let me down¡­¡± Cordy tried to reason with John. ¡®We don¡¯t have to die together.¡± ¡® No one¡¯s dying,¡±


    John told her in no uncertain terms. ¡°I saved you once before. I can do it again.¡±


    Cordy had more to say, but he snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Save your strength-we¡¯ll survive this.¡±


    And with those words, she could clearly feel his footsteps picking up pace.


    She closed her eyes, and stayed silent.


    She had already troubled him far too much-she really shouldn¡¯t keep dragging him down.


    And with that, John carried her on piggyback as he charged towards the entrance.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Cordy felt her body aching all over, but clenched her teeth to stop herself from crying out loud. She


    leaned over John¡¯s back, hearing his rushed breathing.


    There were a few times when he seemed to stumble, but he picked himself up again right after.


    He never wasted a single second.


    Cordy was almost fainting amidst the fire and smoke, but he still carried her and hurried forward.


    Just as she was about to lose consciousnesspletely, she seemed to spot several figures rushing


    straight into the fire towards them.


    She had no idea who they were, but they were saved if they were allies of the Cranstons.


    If they were Lynds, however, John might live, but Cordy¡¯s death was assured.


    However, there was no time for it.


    Cordy cked out, and almost at the same moment, John dropped to his knees, his body having


    reached its limit.


    Even then, he never let go of Cordy and used his own body to cushion her fall.


    At the same time, the silhouettes rushed towards them and promptly threw the fire nkets over them,


    as well as attaching breathing masks to their faces.


    ¡°Help her¡­¡± John groaned, still retaining his consciousness somehow.


    Though he was unable to move, he was still able to talk and ask them to help Cordy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    One of the men said quietly, and quickly carried John and Cordy out of the banquet hall.


    There were several ambnces parked outside the hotel entrance, though the crowd of evacuated


    hotel guests had since dispersed considerably.


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Sean cried when he saw her being carried out.


    Patrick beat him to reach her however, and was visibly concerned to see her barely alive.


    His eyes were so red¡­


    Cordy seemed to sense it and wanted to respond, but she couldn¡¯t open her eyes whatever she did, let


    alone speak.


    ¡°Get them in the ambnce!¡± Sean barked. The men promptly carried Cordy and John into the


    vehicles, while Sean and Patrick followed anxiously in their car.


    Both Cordy and John were rushed straight to the emergency room once they arrived at the hospital.


    Patrick paced around on the walkway outside, unable to stop at all.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine what he would do if anything bad happened to Cordy!


    When he regained consciousness moments ago, he was already outside the banquet hall while the


    inferno continued to torch the building.


    And somehow, the firefighters were taking their sweet time to get there.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate to charge straight to the banquet hall again, intent on saving Cordy-knowing that the


    fire was no ident, he knew for sure she never made it out!


    Even so, Sean stopped him before he could rush inside.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± he shrieked at the other man, his face contorted. ¡°I have to get to Cordy! She¡¯s still inside!¡±


    ¡®I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you letting me go in?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d just get yourself killed!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll die with her!¡± Patrick cried hysterically.


    If Cordy really was killed, she had no idea what he would do!


    ¡°Just calm down-¡®


    ¡°I can¡¯t f*cking stay calm! Let me go!¡±

 Chapter 995

    Chapter 995


    Chapter 995


    ¡°I¡¯ve already sent my people in to save Cordy.¡±


    Patrick turned towards Sean, noticing the repressed panic in thetter¡¯s voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re just going to kill yourself if you went in,¡± Sean added firmly.


    Patrick clenched his teeth, but there was no doubt that he was always messing up when Sean was


    around.


    That, and Sean would definitely care about Cordy since they were cousins who were more akin


    siblings.


    But while Sean was always calm andposed in the face of trouble, Patrick only ever seemed to


    cause trouble.


    ¡®Calm down,¡± Sean assured him. ¡°Cordy is going to be safe.¡±


    Patrick nced at Sean, feeling a tinge offort for some reason-as if he knew Sean woulde


    good on his word and save Cordy.


    He had no idea when, but he seemed to have gained a sense of trust towards Sean even though he


    couldn¡¯t stand the man.


    After all, Sean was too cunning and kept everything close to his chest; as such, one shouldn¡¯t get too


    close to him.


    Nheless, they both waited anxiously outside for the rescue team to get Cordy out.


    The Lynds were there too, maintaining order and doing a headcount, all the while apologizing and


    promising reparations.


    They certainly looked like they were eager about rescue and damage control.


    Meanwhile, Patrick waited for what seemed like a century.


    He was about to give in and rush into the banquet hall again when several men dashed out of the fire,


    two of whom were carrying people.


    Patrick was surprised to find that John had been with Cordy.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that, though Cordy being alive was already the best case scenario for


    him.


    All he wanted was for her to stay alive!


    Back at the present, Patrick continued to pace around the walkway without pausing for an instant.


    Sean nced at him, holding his tongue even though Patrick¡¯s restlessness was annoying him.


    He worried about Cordy, and Patrick was only increasing his worry.


    When Sean got up and started to walk away, Patrick caught him and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Patrick looked a little shocked and fearful-Sean could feel the former¡¯s fingers shaking while holding his


    arm.


    ¡®For a smoke,¡± Sean replied bluntly nheless.


    He needed a breather, and Cordy wasn¡¯ting out so soon anyway.


    Patrick¡¯s fingers eased for a moment over his arm, but soon tightened again.


    Sean frowned, but soon saw Patrick releasing him, and walked to a corner to stand alone in silence.


    Sean wondered if he was imagining it as he watched Patrick, but he seemed to needpany.


    But Patrick hated him, no?


    However, he was overwhelmed with fear and worry at the moment and needed someone to share his


    burdens¡­ Or even someone to depend on.


    Sean couldn¡¯t help but swallow a gulp.


    Pursing his lips, he returned to sit on the bench, leaving Patrick stunned. The man just said he was


    going to need a smoke, but now, he was staying? Still, Patrick had no idea why he was worried Sean


    would leave just now. Perhaps having Sean around had a calming effect?


    Or maybe he was just being paranoid¡­

 Chapter 996

    Chapter 996


    Chapter 996


    To be honest, Patrick was just so paranoid that he feared the worst would befall Cordy.


    Seemingly reading his mind, Sean said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait until Cordyes out.¡±


    Patrick nodded in silence-Cordy was just as important to Sean, and Sean would be worried about


    leaving too¡­


    Silence ensued in the walkway, and there was no telling how long had passed.


    Waiting was like being in hell-every passing second was grilling.


    Nheless, the door to the emergency soon opened, and the doctor stepped out.


    Patrick and Sean hurried towards him, and he said, ¡°There¡¯s no cause for worry-the patient isn¡¯t in


    mortal danger, and was onlyatose due to lowered blood oxygen saturation levels caused by


    excessive smoke inhtion. We have since treated her for that, and she¡¯s once again conscious.


    However, her respiratory system suffered serious damage and she has burns all over her body, so she


    has to be admitted for further therapy and recovery. If you¡¯re her family, you should get the paperwork


    for her admittance done soon.¡¯


    Both Patrick and Sean breathed huge sighs of relief.


    Anything was fine as long as Cordy survived.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the paperwork sorted,¡¯ Sean offered. ¡°You can wait here for her.¡±


    Patrick turned towards Sean, but thetter left before he could say a word.


    He would want to see Cordy immediately too, but decided to deal with the paperwork instead¡­


    Suddenly, Patrick didn¡¯t find the man that repulsive.


    Nheless, Cordy was soon wheeled out of the emergency room. However, she couldn¡¯t talk since


    she had a mechanical venttor attached to her face.


    Still, her eyes were open; she turned towards Patrick, as if to greet him.


    Patrick almost burst into tears right then and there.


    He couldn¡¯t hide how emotional he was since Cordy was alive, but it also hurt him deeply to see Cordy


    looking like a pincushion.


    Nheless, he went over, took her hand, and escorted her with the care workers to her assigned


    ward. ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Cordy. We¡¯re going to your room now.¡±


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy nodded slightly, but her throat hurt so much she was unable to say what was in her mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t have to say a word,¡± Patrick quickly said, seemingly reading her mind. ¡°Just get


    better for now. Nothing else matters more than your health, so just think about recovering.¡±


    Cordy had no choice but to give in, and was admitted to the VIP ward.


    As shey in bed, the care worker and nurses had her attached to various instruments and IV drip.


    Add that to the fact she could not move or speak, her state was certainly rather tragic.


    Patrick stayed at her side, his gaze constantly doleful.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t protect you better, Cordy,¡± he said, overwhelmed with guilt to see her in such a state.


    Cordy shook her head-she didn¡¯t me him at all.


    In fact, she didn¡¯t care why Patrick didn¡¯t save her, because being able to see him in one piece right


    now was enough.


    ¡°I was looking for you when the fire started, but someone knocked me out before I reached thedies


    room¡­ I was outside when I regained consciousness,¡± Patrick exined, still traumatized as he


    remembered the fact.


    Cordy nodded as hard as she could, as she wanted Patrick to understand that she didn¡¯t me him the


    slightest.


    However, Patrick was unable to forgive himself. His eyes were welling with tears¡­


    Fortunately, Sean arrived just then.


    Patrick absolutely refused to let Sean see him cry-that would be absolutely humiliating!


    He took deep breaths, and did his best to calm himself.


    Sean paid no notice to Patrick, and instead approached Cordy.


    Cordy had just nodded at Sean in greeting when Patrick snapped in annoyance, ¡°What took you so


    long?¡±

 Chapter 997

    Chapter 997


    Chapter 997


    That tone of his¡­ Why did Patrick sound like a pouting lover?


    Still, Cordy didn¡¯t dwell on it and simply assumed that there was less hostility between Patrick and


    Sean just then.


    Nheless, Sean seemed to not care about Patrick¡¯s outburst. In fact, he was calm, as if used to the


    latter¡¯s petty temper and almost tolerating it.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I was checking in on John,¡± he replied casually.


    Patirck¡¯s face dropped, as if he only remembered at that instant that John and Cordy were rescued


    together from the fire.


    John had left the banquet hall early on, but ultimately ended up being found with Cordy.


    That could only mean John returnedter to save Cordy.


    Patrick certainly felt a little upset that John got to be the hero who saved the damsel in distress.


    However, neither Cordy nor Sean paid Patrick any attention as various expressions alternated


    obviously over his face, with various thoughts crossed his mind.


    Cordy was staring at Sean, clearly eager to know more.


    In fact, she already wanted to ask Patrick how John was doing once she was wheeled out of the


    emergency room. s, she could not speak, and Patrick could not read her mind.


    Sean, however, seemed to know what she wanted.


    After getting to know him better, Cordy noted that Sean was a meticulous person.


    ¡°He¡¯s safe, and his condition is no different from yours, if a little serious. He¡¯s already admitted, and


    Nana¡¯s with him. Either way, he¡¯s fine, though he might not look that handsome now and he still suffers


    from two broken ribs.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes widened in shock, though she realized at the next moment that his rib must¡¯ve broken


    when that chandelier fell right on him.


    She was stunned to realize that he carried her out despite the extent of his injuries, and her chest hurt


    at the very thought. In fact, the emotions involved would still be there even if she restrained herself.


    Sean saw her reaction, and turned to look at Patrick.


    Noticing that, Patrick returned his gaze, the emotions in his face only too obvious.


    Sean had no choice in the matter, however, since there was no way he could hide this fact from Cordy.


    She definitely would ask about John¡¯s condition, especially since there was no doubt that John saved


    her.


    Even the men Sean sent in to rescue Cordy told him how John tried to carry Cordy out of the banquet


    hall¡­ Plus, what could Sean or Patrick do if Cordy¡¯s emotions got the better of her and she tried to get


    back with John again?


    Patrick was the one who missed his chance, and Sean couldn¡¯t be faulted for telling her what


    happened to John.


    However, there was one way to help Patrick.


    ¡°The fire was no ident,¡± Sean said, suddenly changing the subject.


    The n here was to divert Cordy¡¯s attention so that she didn¡¯t dwell on John, and Sean¡¯s words


    certainly had an effect.


    ¡°After the luncheon, we noticed that the doors to our lounge were locked from the outside when we


    tried to leave,¡± Sean added.


    Cordy frowned-most of the Cranstons were in that lounge.


    So, the Lynds were trying to wipe them all out in the fire?!


    The sheer depravity!


    ¡°Soon, we smelled the smoke, and could tell that there was a fire outside,¡± Sean continued. ¡°I called


    Jean and some of the Lynds, but none of them answered. That¡¯s basically confirmation that they all


    wanted us dead.¡± Cordy nodded as she listened.

 Chapter 998

    Chapter 998


    Chapter 998


    There was no doubt about what happened back in the banquet hall. With that, Sean continued, ¡°That¡¯s


    why I didn¡¯t stop to gather more proof, and instead called in our people who had been working in the


    banquet hall undercover to get us out right away. We moved so quickly we were already safely outside


    before the Lynds could stop us. They had to give up, or they¡¯d be exposed. I then arranged for


    ¡®Grandfather¡¯ to be taken home, though I soon noticed that you¡¯re not around and quickly sent help.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes shed with anger-there was no question about it now.


    She wasn¡¯t in the list of people that the Lynds wanted dead, and one could even say that they only


    wanted Jesse Cranston dead. However, while they wouldn¡¯t go out their way to target any other


    individuals, they would wee the prospect of killing any other Cranston along with Jesse.


    It was only Nana who wanted Cordy dead.


    ¡°Just rest,¡± Sean told Cordy. ¡¯There¡¯s still much to discuss after this. For one, I don¡¯t get why Jean


    would want Grandfather dead. I mean, was it because of power and wealth? Why would she suddenly


    turn bloodthirsty after so many years?¡±


    Cordy actually was stumped as well-there was no question that the Lynds wanted Jesse Cranston


    dead, but why?


    Still, it was perhaps an answer only the Lynds would know.


    Knowing that, Cordy closed her eyes, intent on resting.


    She had just cheated death today, and had to admit she was still a little traumatized.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    She needed time to adjust herself.


    ¡°Patrick,e with me,¡± Sean suddenly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with Cordy,¡± Patrick snapped in annoyance. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere, since he was too


    worried to let Cordy out of his sight after what happened today.


    Sean could go anywhere he liked!


    Nheless, Sean told him, ¡°That bump on the back of your head needs to be checked.¡±


    Patrick realized right then that he was swelling where he was struck on the head.


    ¡°Ow!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but wince when he touched it, his face immediately contorting in pain.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough talking. I¡¯ve arranged four bodyguards to watch Cordy¡¯s door 24/7 anyway, so


    nothing¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    And with those words, Sean started to drag Patrick along out of Cordy¡¯s room.


    Patrick tried to resist, but Sean was just too strong for him.


    What on earth did they feed this man with when he grew up?¡¯ Patrick was a man too, but his strength


    seemed to mean nothing to Sean!


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back to keep youpany, Cordy!¡± he yelled before Sean dragged him away.


    Cordy watched as the pair left.


    So, it turns out that Sean did care for everyone¡ªnot just her.


    She actually felt a little jealous.


    Although she held no expectations towards kinship or the Cranstons, she was dragged into their


    conflict for some reason.


    And yet, she felt a little upset to see Sean being nice to someone else.


    She seemed to have changed, as she now desired kinship.


    Still, Cordy closed her eyes and told herself to let things go its natural course.


    There was no reason to get too overly conscious about it, since blood ran thicker than water anyway.


    As she closed her eyes, however, she suddenly thought of John -the memory of him trying to save her


    from the inferno was still fresh in her mind.


    She bit her lip, and forced herself to stop thinking about it.


    Cordy stayed in the hospital for another two weeks, spending most of her time in thepany of her


    care workers, Sean, and Patrick.


    Today, however, she suddenly saw John.

 Chapter 999

    Chapter 999


    Chapter 999


    Both Patrick and Sean were in the ward with Cordy, with Patrick peeling an apple for Cordy and proving


    too inexperienced, and ended up making a huge mess.


    Sean mocked Patrick for it, but he appeared unconcerned despite retorting, ¡°This is mybor of love,


    performed with my very own hands. No matter how bad it looks, it¡¯d still taste sweet. Right, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy never answered, for she was staring at John, who stood at the doorway.


    Sean told her before that his injuries were far worse than hers, so why was he walking around freely


    when she was still bedridden?


    Patrick appeared upset the instant he saw John, however, and demanded,¡± What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came to visit Cordy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary. Just worry about getting better yourself. Why bother about what others are


    doing?¡± Patrick retorted, looking utterly possessive.


    John nced at Cordy, but she didn¡¯t respond.


    Meanwhile, Patrick was done peeling the apple and sliced it into little pieces, and fed her with little


    forks.


    There were certainly times when Cordy thought Patrick could be quite childish¡ªespecially right now,


    when he deliberately put on a show for John.


    Naturally, Cordy wasn¡¯t about to humiliate Patrick; and so, she opened her mouth to eat the apple.


    It was actually sweet.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± Patrick asked her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then have some more,¡± Patrick said; he slowly fed her, one slice after the other.


    John simply stood at the doorway, watching their public disy of affection for a long while, until Cordy


    had thest slice.


    Patrick then asked, ¡°Want some more?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Do you need thedies¡¯ room? I¡¯ll help you get there.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°How about a stroll? It¡¯s a nice day out-get some sun, breathe some fresh air¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°The doctor¡¯s been saying that you¡¯re weak, so you should just stay here and rest. I¡¯d be quiet and


    won¡¯t disturb you, though I could chase off certain unnecessary people¡­¡±


    Patrick ultimately turned his crosshairs on John, but John simply stood at the doorway without moving,


    just like a sentinel.


    ¡°Patrick,¡± Cordy finally told him. ¡°You and Sean can stay outside for now.¡±


    Patrick narrowed his eyes at Cordy, obviously angry.


    However, it was understandable-what respectable boyfriend would let their girlfriend meet their ex?


    ¡°He must have something to tell me,¡± Cordy exined, rational as ever.


    Patrick didn¡¯t want to say yes, but Sean already went up to pull him to his


    feet. ¡°Come on. Time to go.¡±


    ¡°Why should I go? Can¡¯t I stay here if he has something to say? I¡¯m Cordy¡¯s boyfriend, and he¡¯s trying


    to meddle in our rtionship!¡± Patrick snapped indignantly, pointing at John.


    John scowled ever so slightly because of Patrick¡¯s outburst, but Patrick remained indignant. ¡°Let me


    go, Sean! Honestly, you¡¯re so obsessed with Cordy you wouldn¡¯t give a damn even if she told you to go


    to hell. But I have nothing to do with you, and you can¡¯t tell me what to do!¡±


    Be that as it may, he was nice enough to leave with Sean.


    Is that what they call the mouth lies, but the body is honest?


    Although Patrick left with Sean, huffing, Sean soon returned and said, ¡°No more than half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy agreed to it immediately.


    Who knew, ten minutes might already be enough.


    Cordy looked calmly at John, who walked up to her bed.


    They were holding each other¡¯s gaze, but stayed speechless and silent.


    The room was quiet for a while, until Cordy spoke first and asked, ¡°Is there a reason why you came


    looking for me?¡±N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

 Chapter 1000

    Chapter 1000


    Chapter 1000


    John pursed his lips and said slowly, ¡°I just wanted to check on you, see how you¡¯re recovering.¡± ¡°I¡¯m


    doing well,* Cordy replied. ¡°I can be discharged tomorrow, if nothing else happens.¡±


    Silence ensued after she answered, until Cordy asked again, ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Nana isn¡¯t around today?¡±


    ¡®No.¡¯


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°I thought she¡¯s with you 24/7.¡±


    ¡°She went home. There seemed to be something back home.¡±


    ¡°So why are you here?¡± Cordy asked again.


    Her patience was almost used up, and she had kept trying to make John talk just to make him open up.


    However, he ultimately lost.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to regret it now¡­¡± John finally said, his voice exceedingly quiet.


    Cordy stared at him, unable to understand what he meant.


    ¡°Regret pushing you away/ he added.


    Cordyughed despite herself.


    She really was infuriated¡ªwhat did John take her for, a door to open and close as he liked?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± John apologized. ¡°I thought I could persevere until I resolved everything and return to your


    side, single and unabated. But I flinched¡­


    when I faced death.¡± i


    ¡°What are you trying to say? Cordy asked him.


    ¡°When I was caught in the fire, and thought for a split second that we would die here¡­ I was suddenly


    afraid, and unsure which woulde first -death, or tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re nning to indulge your selfish desire with an extramarital affair, ¡± she smiled faintly, calmly


    and ironically.


    Her smile only broadened further as she went on, ¡°So you¡¯re going to mess around with another


    woman behind your wife¡­ To be honest, John, I never would have dreamt that you¡¯d be capable of


    something like this.¡±


    Her words stung John, but he already expected this the instant he nned to say what he wanted.


    He knew how morally righteous Cordy was, and that she would never be the other woman in a


    rtionship no matter how righteous his reasons were.


    And yet, he was traumatized by the prospect that Cordy would die, just as he refused to see Cordy


    getting intimate with Patrick. 1


    He was worried that by the time he was done, she would be too far from him.


    And Cordy was too rationaL.so rational she could control all the emotions she felt.


    She really might forget about him, which was why he wanted to give up.


    Even if it was despicable, emotional ckmail that would challenge Cordy¡¯s bottomline.


    None of those mattered, if he could make Cordy stay.


    ¡°Cordy, I¡¯m John,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve regained my memories.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Cordy was unusually calm.


    John blinked, clearly surprised. ¡°You knew? Since when?¡±


    ¡°The fire,¡¯ Cordy calmly said. ¡°It¡¯s what you said¡­ You saved me before, and you¡¯d save me again.¡±


    John pursed his lips, suddenly remembering that very moment.


    People really missed out on details in the face of death, but Cordy remembered with great rity.


    ¡°So, how long has it been since you remembered?¡±n.ove.lx.o she asked.

 Chapter 1001

    Chapter 1001


    Chapter 1001


    John was silent; suddenly, he didn¡¯t know how to exin himself.


    ¡¯It should¡¯ve been a while ago, no? At least, before we went to that beach,¡± Cordy said.


    She found it ironic as she recalled it now.


    To think she did so much to make him remember their past.


    She even prostrated herself, prepared a parental test, and used his identity to make him take


    responsibility for Dicky.


    But in the end, he had always known.


    The entire time, she was just making a fool of himself.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯I just-¡°


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want your exnation,¡± Cordy said, cutting him short.¡± It won¡¯t do anything aside


    from adding to my troubles.¡±


    As John stared at Cordy, she continued, ¡°To make myself clearer, I will cut ties with you no matter what


    you say now. I refuse to suffer emotional ckmail.¡±


    There was a hint of misery in John¡¯s eyes, but he nodded silently.


    Yes; she would always be that rational, and nothing could change anything she decided on.


    He was the one who thought that he could still be with her when everything was over, with the


    assumption he would earn Cordy¡¯s forgiveness by shaping himself to be a hero¡­


    Cordy went on coolly, ¡°Right now, things are going well between myself and Patrick. I don¡¯t want to be


    your mistress, nor do I need you to be my


    secret lover. It¡¯s over between us, John.¡± 1


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    It took a long while for him to reply, and even then, he only said one word quietly.


    With that, he turned to leave.


    Patrick and Sean stood just outside the door; it seemed they had been waiting there even though they


    said they were leaving.


    As such, they could clearly see the tears streaming down John¡¯s cheeks. 1


    It was simply difficult to hide one¡¯s sadness when it was genuine.


    John believed himself to be a man of restraint, but it turned out that he had severely overestimated


    himself.


    Patrick had something to say just then, but Sean sped a hand over his mouth and shot him a look to


    keep him silent, ignoring his displeased frown.


    As such, while John strode past them and left, Patrick gritted his teeth and remained silent. Right after


    that, he rushed into Cordy¡¯s ward with Sean.


    It turned out that John wasn¡¯t the only one crying.


    Cordy¡¯s tears were unstoppable as she looked at John¡¯s towering, lonely figure.


    They missed out on each other so many times; though they clearly loved each other, destiny was


    simply not on their side, i


    Perhaps destiny itself was telling them that they weren¡¯t right for each other -that they weren¡¯t meant to


    be together.


    Why else would there be so much between them, even as they kept hovering around each other for


    over ten years?


    Seeing her misery, Patrick couldn¡¯t help but call out to her. ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    His heart hurt too-he wasn¡¯t sure if it was because he felt Cordy¡¯s pain, or if he was jealous of Cordy


    and John¡¯s rtionship.

 Chapter 1002

    Chapter 1002


    Chapter 1002


    To be honest, Patrick was ready for the worst case scenario when he left with Sean.


    John did save Cordy with his life, and if he asked, there was every chance Cordy would break down


    and throw herself into his arms.


    Thus, Patrick was surprised Cordy was so determined to reject John. In fact, she refused to listen to


    any of John¡¯s exnations and remained determined to reject his advances even after he admitted that


    he had regained his memories.


    Did she not love him anymore? Or did she love him too much and was afraid to get hurt again?


    At the same time, Cordy wiped away her tears ever so subtly.


    There was just no controlling it when your heart hurt so much.


    However, she will slowly change that from now on, and slowly forget how she felt towards John Levine.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry,¡± she suddenly told Patrick.


    Patrick¡¯s heart skipped an anxious beat.


    She obviously rejected John just now, but was she already regretting it?


    Did that mean his happiness onlysted for¡­minutes?


    He stared at Cordy, afraid to even breathe too loudly or say another word. Great despair overwhelmed


    him all over a sudden.


    However, Cordy smiled. ¡¯If you can give me time, I swear I¡¯ll never cry for other men ever again.¡±


    Patrick froze, realizing right then that he had misunderstood Cordy.


    She was just apologizing-not breaking up with him.


    ¡¯Are you upset?¡± Cordy asked with a faint smile, since he wasn¡¯t responding.


    ¡¯No, I just thought¡­¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes were a little moist, and he was greatly overwhelmed. ¡°Cordy, I¡¯ll do


    right by you-more than he ever could.¡±


    ¡¯I know.¡±


    ¡¯I tried to reach you during the fire, but someone knocked me out, so I couldn¡¯t save you,¡± Patrick


    rambled as he exined. ¡°And then your dear cousin just had to stop me, or I would¡¯ve tried to save


    you, instead of letting John¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Cordy said, nodding.


    She was aware that Patrick would never abandon her. Plus, since Nana was prepared to go that far,


    that woman would definitely cover every corner.


    Still, Patrick¡¯s tone turned solemn. ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, Cordy, but I want to ask¡­ ¡ö


    As he trailed off in hesitation, Cordy saw through him and said, ¡°You¡¯re trying to ask how I could break


    up with John so thoroughly?¡±


    Patrick¡¯s gaze darkened, and he was clearly a little dejected. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not like I mind it, but I just don¡¯t


    get it. John knows how much he loves you now that he¡¯s regained his memories, and he even saved


    you from the fire. You should¡¯ve chosen him, even if it was just gratitude from that gesture¡­ Or do you


    feel guilty towards me?¡±


    ¡¯No,¡± Cordy denied it right away. ¡°It has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s over between him and me, even if


    I¡¯m not with you.¡±


    ¡¯Don¡¯t you find that a pity?¡±


    ¡°Before this, yes¡­ To be precise, I felt that way before I learned that he remembered his past. After


    that, I don¡¯t find it a pity at all.¡±


    Patrick was obviously confused, so Cordy patiently exined, ¡°If he never remembered, I¡¯d always


    think that giving up on him before he could gain his memories would be unfair to him. Despite that, I


    gave up on him anyway, since all it means is that we¡¯re just not meant to be. But now that he¡¯s


    remembered everything, it¡¯s not unfair anymore. I no longer carry any attachments towards him.¡±


    ¡°You already fell out of love for him?¡± Patrick asked carefully.


    ¡¯No.¡¯ Cordy shook her head.


    Patrick felt a little stressed, but this was within expectations-no one got over a breakup that quickly.


    And if Cordy was that casual about rtionships, he wouldn¡¯t have loved her to bits.


    ¡°Now that he remembers, he knows all too well what I¡¯m like-that I meant it when I said I¡¯m leaving


    him,¡± Cordy continued. ¡°But in the end, he still chose to face everything all alone. Since he wants to


    push me away, I¡¯m just going to let him have his wish.¡±


    ¡°But what if he really has his own predicaments? You know the Lynds are no angels,¡± Patrick said, able


    to see things clearly despite being a rival to John.


    ¡¯Like I said, he knows me,¡± Cordy repeated. ¡°When he chose to face everything himself, he would¡¯ve


    been prepared that I¡¯d leave him.¡±

 Chapter 1003

    Chapter 1003


    Chapter 1003


    Patrick had more to say, but then Cordy deliberately provoked him, ¡°So, you want John to have me


    instead? Is that it?¡±


    Patrick promptly snapped in agitation. ¡®No! Of course not!¡¯


    Cordy smiled-she certainly understood that.


    However, Patrick was just too good to her. He was always putting her first before all else, and was


    especially worried that she would be hurt.


    ¡°I want to be with you forever,¡± Patrick said as he reached out, clearly unable to resist taking her hand.


    However, perhaps embarrassed for some reason or another, he couldn¡¯t actually touch her. Cordy


    actually found that she couldn¡¯t stand it.


    Was he embarrassed?


    Come to think of it, it was understandable since this was the first time she was dating a woman.


    As such, Cordy reached out to take his hand instead.


    Patrick looked at her in surprise; the next instant, he took her dainty hand firmly in his and didn¡¯t let go,


    as if afraid someone would take her away.


    At that, Sean left quietly-he was a third wheel, anyway.


    He headed to the open balcony of the hospital and started smoking.


    He was a little frustrated, as so much had been going ontely.


    Still, he was halfway through his first cigarette when a familiar voice called out to him. ¡°Sean Cranston.¡±


    Sean turned to find John standing there. He quickly turned back to the horizon while asking tly,


    ¡°What is it?¡¯


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I want to work with you again.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not on the same side this time,¡± Sean refused, his distaste for the man all too clear.


    Even so, John walked up to his side and said quietly, ¡°Actually, we were always on the same side.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not getting Cordy back, even if you do this.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with her,¡± John said bluntly.


    As Sean looked up at him, he added, ¡®And you should know that the Lynds are making a move against


    your family.¡±


    Sean¡¯s face dropped right then, and he started to study John.


    If his hunch was right, the Lynds wouldn¡¯t think highly of John since they were opinionated against him


    because of his lingering attachment to Cordy. He would have been chased away; hell, he might be


    sleeping with the fishes if Nana wasn¡¯t so hell bent on having him.


    In other words, John wasn¡¯t supposed to know anything the Lynds were up to. Yet, he found out


    anyway.


    How smart was he, actually?


    ¡¯I¡¯m just good at observing and deducting. I could tell that my wedding¡¯s not an ident, and a simple


    deduction makes everything obvious.¡±


    A simple deduction?!


    Sean and Cordy had to move heaven and earth, just to find out that the Lynds were after their heads!


    Sean pursed his lips-there was certainty a reason why John had been the man he took an interest in all


    those years ago.


    In fact, John might even be more capable than what he gave him credit for. Things would certainly run


    smoothly if they worked together, and yet¡­

 Chapter 1004

    Chapter 1004


    Chapter 1004


    Sean had to wonder-should he trust John?


    What if this was all just a trap? There was no question that John had the strength to destroy the


    Cranstons!


    Nheless, John made his intentions clear right then and there. ¡°Nana¡¯s merely a chess piece. The


    Lynds would never consider themselves as one of them without her. If I wasn¡¯t amongst them, I won¡¯t


    have leverage for a partnership¡­¡±


    He trailed off for a moment as he saw Sean raising a brow, and said, ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll admit, it didn¡¯t cross my


    mind before that I should work with you. I was intent on destroying the Lynds as I did with the Stuarts


    with my own strength. However, I didn¡¯t know that the Lynds were your enemies at first. To top it off,


    they were your rtives. I¡¯d never have partnered with you under such circumstances, let alone make


    Cordy hate me because I messed with the Lynds.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re pleased that they moved against us,¡± Sean said, appearingposed but ruffled inside.


    John was going to destroy the Lynds on his own?!


    It was far beyond his imagination to conceive. How powerful was he, really?


    And the Lynds were far above the Stuarts in power and influence!


    ¡°I am. Most importantly, now I know Cordy wouldn¡¯t hate me if I moved against the Lynds.¡±


    ¡°Quit dreaming already. She and Patrick are going strong,¡± Sean said, very slowly and clearly.


    ¡°This is between me and her.¡±


    Sean shrugged. ¡°Just putting it out there.¡±


    John pursed his lips. ¡°So? Are you going to work with me?¡±


    Yet, Sean remained prudent. ¡°How can I trust you? Who knows if you¡¯re a rat? You even married


    Nana.¡±


    Moreover, he never could get a read on John, since thetter yed everything close to his chest.


    ¡°I have no way of proving my allegiances,¡± John admitted neutrally, nheless.


    Sean shrugged. ¡°So, how am I supposed to work with you?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯d say yes, anyway.¡±


    Sean snorted. ¡°You give yourself too much credit, John Levine.¡±


    ¡°You have the love of my life, and my son.¡±


    ¡°There are too many examples of men who would do anything for wealth and power.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not one of them. Moreover¡­¡±


    John paused, looking Sean straight in the eye as he said, ¡°If I were going to work with the Lynds


    against your family, your family wouldn¡¯t have stayed unscathed thus far.¡±


    Sean¡¯s face dropped in displeasure, since John was clearly mocking him.


    After all, John was basically saying that the Cranstons would never win if he worked against them.


    Being the eldest grandson of Jesse Cranston, such contempt naturally left Sean ufortable.


    Yet somehow, he had nothing to say about that.


    ¡°You can take your time to consider,¡± John said, and he started to leave.¡± There¡¯s three days until I get


    discharged.¡±


    In other words, Sean had three days to think about it.


    ¡°John Levine,¡± Sean suddenly called out to him.


    John stopped, but did not turn around.


    ¡°What do you have against the Lynds? Is it because they bound you, denying you freedom?¡± Sean


    asked.


    ¡°Certainly not,¡± John replied. ¡°They don¡¯t have what it takes. I¡¯m merely seizing this opportunity to


    protect those I want to keep safe from harm.¡¯


    Naturally, he was referring to Cordy.


    Sean could certainly anticipate that if John decided to leave Nana, the Lynds would definitely go after


    Cordy.


    And after having a simr experience with the Stuarts, John must¡¯ve made up his mind to root out his


    adversariespletely and allow no potential problems to remain.


    ¡°Is that why you kept pushing Cordy away?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± John admitted, i


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    But Cordy won¡¯t return to your side,¡± Sean told him, in no uncertain terms.

 Chapter 1005

    Chapter 1005


    Chapter 1005


    John said solemnly, ¡°That has nothing to do with my motivation to protect Cordy.¡±


    Sean pursed his lips, unable to say anything against that.


    John then added, ¡°Take your time to consider¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Sean said. ¡°We¡¯re partners now.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need further reason either, since John was on the money.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    If John really wanted to work with the Lynds to destroy the Cranstons, the Cranstons wouldn¡¯t remain


    unscathed.


    And Sean would never doubt John¡¯s strength.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll contact you when there¡¯s any new developments,¡± John said.


    ¡°You mean, I shouldn¡¯te to you?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Ideally, no.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Also, I have a request,¡± John added.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°Arrange for one of yours so that he can stay close to me,¡± John said. ¡°The Lynds are keeping a close


    eye on me, and Nana is as smart as she is sharp -she¡¯d notice something if I¡¯m unaware. As such, I


    need protection and someone who can pass information for me under the Lynds¡¯ noses.¡±


    ¡°Arranging for an insider in the Lynd family? That¡¯s going to be difficult.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a window for you.¡±


    As Sean blinked, John continued, ¡°Just wait for your chance and make a move.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sean agreed to it immediately, as if there was this part in his heart where he simply couldn¡¯t


    reject any of John¡¯s requests.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    And with that, John left. Sean snuffed out the remaining half of his cigarette.


    He sighed-it seemed they were all in for a bloodbath.


    Over at North City, Zoe and Jay were traveling to another distant location to record another episode of


    ¡®Journey of Love¡¯. They would be away for five days and four nights.


    As Zoe packed up early in the morning, Yelena asked grumpily, ¡°Mommy, are you leaving with Daddy


    again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯ll be back in a few days. Be a good girl and listen to Grandma, okay?¡± Zoe told her mildly.


    ¡°I want to go too.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to work, not y.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you bring me to work?¡±


    Zoe refused right there and then. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Bad Mommy!¡± Yelena snapped, and ran off angrily.


    Zoe took no notice, however. Yelena was a right little brat, and her getting upset was amon


    urrence.


    After a while, Jay entered the room with Yelena on hisp.


    Zoe raised a brow. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to bring her along.¡±


    Where¡¯s the principle?


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Jay replied.


    Zoe nodded, but she had certainly been given a scare as she thought that Jay would spoil her daughter


    so much that he abandoned all principles.


    ¡® But I promised to take her outside,¡± Jay suddenly said.


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    ¡°The amusement park.¡±


    ¡°But, your leg¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an issue.¡±


    ¡°Then, go.¡±


    In fact, with Yelena not around, Zoe could have peace and quiet as she packed up.


    That was when Jay added, ¡°You¡¯reing along.¡±


    ¡®I need to pack up.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you do that at night, after wee home.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning to stay outside the whole day?!¡¯ Zoe eximed in shock, unable to believe her ears.


    ¡°Going out to y with Yelena is serious business.¡±


    ¡°Can I just point out that you¡¯ve been either sleeping or ying with Yelena ever since thest


    recording? Are you sure you want to stay that hedonistic?¡±

 Chapter 1006

    Chapter 1006


    Chapter 1006


    Jay said solemnly, ¡°ying with our daughter isn¡¯t hedonistic.


    ¡°But you¡¯re putting off work. If I remember correctly, that film you¡¯re going to direct was supposed to be


    next month,¡± Zoe told him. And I overheard you calling your assistant to dy it another month.¡±


    While Jay was left speechless, Zoe muttered, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to end up on the streets with you.¡±


    ¡°Well, even if I stop working right now. I¡¯d still have enough wealth tost us several lifetimes,¡± Jay


    replied.


    Bragging, are we?


    Zoe was rendered speechless for a moment, but then she quickly said,¡± You should always strive to be


    better instead of goofing off. You¡¯d waste all the money you have if you gave in to hedonistic


    tendencies.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m not. Also, the filming was dyed for a month only because the female lead would only be free in a


    month,¡± John quickly exined, genuinely worried Zoe would find any reason to get sick of him. i


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Yelena couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop packing? Let¡¯s go to the amusement park,


    okay?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe refused right away.


    Yelena pouted miserably, leaving Zoe sighing-her daughter really knew how to make her relent.


    That was probably why Jay was so defenseless against her, too.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go,¡± Zoe said, defeated. She put down the clothes she was holding. ¡°But have you


    considered that we¡¯d be recognized easily if we go out? We¡¯d draw trouble and whatnot¡­¡±


    ¡°I have bodyguards on my payroll. They can keep us safe whatever happens, ¡° Jay exined.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Zoe didn¡¯t want to say more, since Yelena would start crying if they continued droning on. ¡°I¡¯ll


    get changed.¡±


    Zoe dressed casually, prioritizingfort above everything. After all, Yelena would fuss about wanting


    to be carried once she got sick of walking. Since Jay had oneme leg, she would be the one carrying


    Yelena around.


    She didn¡¯t put on makeup either, and left the house just like that.


    Their bodyguards followed them in casuals, though Yelena got excited anyway the instant they got in


    the amusement park, demanding that they try everything.


    Zoe was impressed how energetic children can get, and was left exhausted after ying everything


    avable to children at the amusement park.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break, okay?¡± she pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go get ice-cream-1 want ice cream!¡±


    ¡°Children shouldn¡¯t¡­ Well, alright.¡± Zoe was soon speechless, as Yelena was genuinely capable of


    crying onmand.


    With Yelena still in her arms, she turned to Jay, who had followed them around without ying


    anything. ¡°Do you want some ice cream?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Zoe seemed to remember then that he didn¡¯t like sweet food, unlike her.


    Well, Yelena got that from her.


    That was why she ultimately couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and bought two ice creams. Then, she got to


    a shaded bench to sit down and enjoy the food.


    ¡°It¡¯s so sweet, Mommy,¡± Yelena chirped happily.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe said as she kept slurping on hers, feeling a pang of guilt whenever she did. Unfortunately,


    she was somehow unable to stop herself.


    She told herself with each bite that it was thest, only to keep eating it until the end.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s great! Do you want some, Daddy?¡± Yelena generously held hers in front of Jay.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can have your Mommy¡¯s.¡±


    As soon as he spoke. Jay had already taken Zoe¡¯s ice cream off her hands. She stared numbly as he


    licked it.


    She blinked.


    It was a gesture that amounted to nothing, but she somehow found it sensual.


    ¡°You just said you¡¯re fine without it,¡± Zoe said, trying to distract herself.


    ¡°I was worried you can¡¯t finish it. It¡¯d be a waste.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°The strict discipline of actresses.¡±

 Chapter 1007

    Chapter 1007


    Chapter 1007


    Zoe got upset immediately. ¡°Jay Parker! You kept telling me before that I¡¯m not fat, but now, you¡¯re


    telling me to adhere to the strict discipline of an actress?!¡±


    Men!


    What they see is all they care about!


    ¡°No, you just shouldn¡¯t eat too much sweet food, or you¡¯d get cavities.¡±


    Zoe was speechless. Was she a child to him?! He should be telling that to his daughter instead!


    Feeling petty, Zoe snatched her ice cream back from Jay, chomping down on it when she was just


    taking small, careful bites before.


    Although she was telling herself not to eat too much before, she liked rebelling against Jay more.


    Calling her fat? Did he know how terrible it is to be an actress?


    She had to restrain herself even though there was so much she wanted to eat, and would always feel


    guilty if she managed to encourage herself into taking one extra bite.


    But not only was he refusing tofort her¡­ He had to mock her, too!


    Nheless, Zoe winced immediately from brain freeze after she took arge bite from her ice cream.


    ¡°Oof¡­¡±


    She felt unusually furious. Suddenly, she felt a soft sensation on her lips, followed by a rush of warmth


    that eased the chilling sensation between her teeth¡­


    Zoe was left momentarily stunned until she realized that Jay was kissing her.Jn public!


    Did he feel no sense of shame?!


    It had been a long a while since they kissed.Jn fact, it was since then.


    Jay had also been deliberately avoiding her since then, since she seemed to have hurt his pride.


    And yet, he did that before she coulde up with a way tofort him, and in public to boot!


    She pushed him away the moment she came to her senses, but he was grinning charmingly, seemingly


    unconcerned as hemented, ¡°It really is sweet.¡¯


    Zoe was infuriated, but before she could speak, Yelena snapped unhappily,¡± Bad Daddy! You stole


    Mommy¡¯s ice cream!¡±


    Jay kept smiling, though he appeared a little chagrined.


    Stunned by Yelena¡¯s little outburst, Zoe in turn forgot about her temper.


    Yelena then asked with a look of innocence, as if she didn¡¯t understand at all, ¡°Is it sweeter if you eat


    the ice cream from Mommy¡¯s lips?¡¯


    ¡°Well, yeah,¡¯ Jay gave her a half-hearted nod.


    Yelena promptly stood up on the bench and wrapped her little arms around Zoe¡¯s neck, and started


    reaching for Zoe¡¯s lips.


    Zoe raised her since a baby, and they did kiss asionally, so they were used to it.


    But this time, Jay scooped Yelena away up in his arms before she and Zoe actually kissed.


    ¡® Daddy!¡± Yelena frowned unhappily, upset.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Mommy has no more ice cream on her lips.¡¯


    ¡°Because you ate it all?¡± Yelena asked sternly.


    Jay nodded stiffly.


    ¡°Bad Daddy! You have to share. My teacher always told me to share/ Yelena huffed.


    ¡°You can share everything else, but not Mommy.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re older.¡±


    Yelena had more toin about, but Jay steered the wheelchair away from the bench. ¡°Let¡¯s ride


    the Ferris wheel next, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Yelena was immediately distracted-it was never that hard to cate children.


    Zoe watched as they left, wondering if she had just been forgotten.


    It was upsetting, even if she had no idea why!

 Chapter 1008

    Chapter 1008


    Chapter 1008


    Zoe stared at the ice cream she was holding, and wondered if she should finish it.


    That was when she suddenly remembered Jay kissing her, as well as the touch of his lips¡­


    She immediately threw the ice cream into the trash can.


    That devious man!


    He was doing everything he could just to stop her from finishing that ice cream!


    She quickly ran after Jay and Yelena, joining them as they queued up for the Ferris wheel. She never


    noticed someone taking photos of her from a distance.


    They queued for a long while until it was finally their turn on the Ferris wheel. Yelena really liked it,


    constantly getting excited whenever the Ferris wheel rose into the air.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was no exception this time as she beamed cheek to cheek, leaning against the ss window of the


    Ferris wheel.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lean on the window, Yelena,¡± Zoe told Yelena. ¡°It looks dangerous even from where I¡¯m sitting.¡±


    Yelena pouted, clearly refusing to listen.


    In fact, she wasn¡¯t moving an inch.


    The brat had been getting full of herself ever since she got a daddy.


    Just as Zoe was going to snap at her and show her who was boss, Jay


    interrupted and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s safe.¡¯


    She turned and gave him a look. He was immediately cowed; he quickly scooped Yelena up in his arms


    and put her on hisp. ¡°We can get a good view from here too, Yelena.¡±


    ¡°But I can see better there,¡± Yelena huffed.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same. You can look outside and stay close to me. Isn¡¯t that good? I wanted to hug you too.¡±


    Yelena considered that for a moment, and agreed to it.


    Zoe became obviously annoyed that Yelena only listened to Jay these days, while Jay certainly knew


    how to handle her.


    She raised Yelena for three years, yet Jay defeated her with such ease!


    When their pod rose to the highest point, Yelena suddenly asked, ¡°Can we take a photo together,


    Daddy?¡±nv?lx.o


    ¡°Of course.¡¯ Jay quickly whipped out his phone and took several selfies with her.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to take one with Mommy?¡± Yelena then asked.


    Jay turned towards Zoe, but she said, ¡°Don¡¯te.¡±


    There was a sh of disappointment in Jay¡¯s eyes, and he actually looked wounded.


    Zoe thought to herself that she must¡¯ve imagined it, but she exined nheless, ¡°The pod would


    shake if everyone sits on one side. You¡¯d scare me.¡¯


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jay replied evenly, nodding.


    Somehow, Zoe felt that he was a little happy about that.


    In fact, she had been wondering if she was possessed as she started to take more notice of Jay¡¯s


    emotions.


    Their pod finally came to a stop after half an hour.


    Zoe alighted with Yelena first, before helping Jay out with some assistant from the staff.


    There was a stairs leading up to the pod, so it took Jay considerable effort to go up as well.


    That was the case when they got out as well. Zoe had to match his slow pace while carrying Yelena.


    It took a while for Jay to finally reach his wheelchair, and Zoe could see that his brow was covered in


    sweat and his breathing was rushed.


    She couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Is there no chance for your leg to recover, Jay?¡±


    Jay paused instantly, just as Zoe came to a realization right then.


    She seemed to have hurt his pride once again.

 Chapter 1009

    Chapter 1009


    Chapter 1009


    Zoe wasn¡¯t trying to provoke Jay or scorning him, but¡­


    Fine, she could admit that it hurt her to see how difficult life was for Jay these days. It was why she


    blurted out such thoughtless words.


    And the look on Jay¡¯s face now, she felt like she had wounded him again.


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± she went on awkwardly. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I just think¡­¡±


    Even as she quickly tried to exin, she fumbled her words once again- which she seemed to do


    everytime the situation became tense.


    ¡®The doctors told me that chances of recovery are very low. I¡¯ve tried physiotherapy before as well, but


    the effect wasn¡¯t obvious,¡± Jay said calmly, his emotions inscrutable.


    But whatever the case may be, he seemed really wounded.


    Before Zoe could say more, Jay had Yelena sit on hisp, and steered his wheelchair ahead.


    Zoe watched as he left, feeling so guilty she could die.


    They only had a simple lunch after spending the day at the amusement park. Moreover, Yelena was too


    energetic and never ate much as she was eager to keep ying.


    They were therefore a little hungry after they left. Yelena fell asleep almost instantly once she got in the


    car.


    She was just talking to Jay a second ago and having someughs, but quieted down at the next


    instant.


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry her,¡± Zoe offered.


    Yelena was quite light at over 31 pounds, but that didn¡¯t mean one wouldn¡¯t tire from carrying her


    around for too long.


    In fact, Zoe would find her arms sore the next day because of that.


    Moreover, it was Jay who was mostly carrying Yelena although Zoe was there with them.


    Jay turned towards her and said tly, ¡°I¡¯m just disabled in one leg.¡±


    Zoe stiffened right then-in other words, he was saying that his hands were fine.


    He could really hold a grudge!


    The car turned quiet, and the air between them was a little soured.


    Zoe reclined against her seat, closing her eyes to avoid the awkwardness between them, only to doze


    off without knowing.


    It had been a long, tiring day-for both children and adults.


    When Jay finally turned towards her, he immediately found her asleep.


    He promptly freed a hand to gently shift Zoe so that she could lean against his shoulder, allowing her to


    sleep morefortably.


    He adjusted his hold on Yelena as well, and breathed a small sigh of relief.


    To no surprise, Zoe was repulsed by him-and in every way.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As their car drove into their apartment¡¯s car park, Jay shifted his body slightly, and Zoe opened her


    muddled eyes, asking, ¡® Are we home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied, before adding, ¡°You can carry Yelena.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe said. She quickly picked up Yelena, who was still sleeping like a log.


    She watched as Jay started to get out of the car, refusing the chauffeur¡¯s offer of assistance.


    Why did it feel like Jay was being petnt with her?


    However, he walked around the car and opened her door in gentlemanly fashion, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll carry


    Yelena.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been carrying her for a while. Let me¡­¡±


    Zoe suddenly trailed off, sensing that anything she said would hurt Jay.


    As such, she handed Yelena over with little fuss. Jay took their daughter and strode ahead.

 Chapter 1010

    Chapter 1010


    Chapter 1010


    Zoey followed Jay into the elevator.


    She wanted to speak several times, but gave up whenever she saw the stern look on Jay¡¯s face in the


    mirror within the elevator.


    Even if she had cleared the air-even if they were now in a proper rtionship, there was still a huge


    distance between them.


    Arriving home, Zoe immediately picked up the strong scent of food.


    And she had been famished.


    They had been ying with Yelena the whole day without eating much, so eating something a littlete


    would probably be fine.


    ¡°Wee home,¡± ra greeted them warmly as she approached them.¡± Oh, Yelena¡¯s asleep already?¡±


    She took Yelena off Jay¡¯s arms as if it was only natural, and Jay didn¡¯t reject her in any way.


    In other words, Jay was only being distant towards Zoe.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He then told ra, ¡°We¡¯ve been ying the entire day. Let her sleep.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± ra always spoiled Yelena, and naturally couldn¡¯t bear to wake her since she was sleeping so


    soundly.


    Carrying Yelena into her room, ra said, ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready. Just wash your hands and you can eat.¡±


    Zoe naturally didn¡¯t shy away and headed straight to the dining table.


    Ever since Zoe returned to showbiz, ra had started to learn how to cook low-fat food and would


    cook separate portions for Zoe. Naturally, the menu would not be different aside from Zoe¡¯s, so she


    could have a normal menu if she got sick of the food.


    And today, Zoe wanted to let loose-she certainly couldn¡¯t resist the perfectly marbled steak filet.


    ra was naturally pleased to see Zoe gorging on the steak when she returned to the dining table.


    Even if she was the one who helped Zoe¡¯s diet regiment, there was this part in her heart where she


    hoped that Zoe would eat normally.


    Staying healthy was more important, after all.


    ¡°You¡¯re that hungry?¡± she asked casually.


    ¡°Famished-there¡¯s not much to eat at the amusement park,¡± Zoe replied, and remembered something


    while she ate. ¡°You cooked early today.¡±


    In fact, it was just five in the evening.


    ¡°Jay texted me earlier,¡± ra exined.


    Zoe turned to find Jay eating slowly and elegantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry too,¡± he said just then.


    Still, Zoe didn¡¯t think he texted ra earlier for her sake; it was most likely for Yelena.


    However, she still realized that Jay was always thoughtful in all matters, whereas she was carefree


    most of the time.


    She wondered if their personalities made up for each other¡¯s ws that way.


    As she ate, she became pensive about tomorrow¡¯s recording.


    That meant they were going to be alone in each other¡¯spany again¡­ So why was she looking


    forward to it a little?


    As such thoughts crossed her mind, she suddenly yelped.


    ra flinched in surprise; even Jay was stunned despite being considerablyposed.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s wrong? Did you choke?¡± ra asked worriedly.


    ¡°N-No!¡± Zoe eximed, but otherwise too agitated to speak.


    If only she was choking¡­ No, she was overeating!


    ¡°How many pieces of steak filet did I just eat?¡± she asked ra.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°How many?¡± Zoe asked solemnly.


    ra thought about it, but shook her head. ¡°Seven¡­maybe ten? I didn¡¯t keep count.¡±


    Seven¡­maybe ten?!


    Zoe could die on the spot-she still had a recording for tomorrow!


    She shouldn¡¯t be gorging on so much fat, even if she wanted to indulge herself a little tonight!


    How would she look attractive on camera if she got fat?!

 Chapter 1011

    Chapter 1011


    Chapter 1011


    Jay suddenly said, ¡°You won¡¯t get fat in a day.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a riot. I¡¯m going to be a pound heavier tomorrow,


    with half of it on my cheeks and the other half on my waist¡­¡±


    Zoe closed her eyes, stopping herself from imagining the sight. ¡°You were watching me eat, Jay! Why


    didn¡¯t you remind me of the so-called actress¡¯ self-discipline?!¡¯


    ¡°You told me not to remind you.¡¯


    Zoe was speechless.


    With friends like these, who needed enemies?!


    She mmed her fork and knife on the table right then and left the table.


    Jay certainly knew that she was already making a run for the body weight scale in the room.


    Soon, they heard the blood-curdling scream from the room.


    In reality, she would at most have gained a quarter of a pound¡­


    ¡°Jay, I guess you should eat more.¡± ra gestured at Jay just then, used to Zoe¡¯s obsession with


    weight.


    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jay replied and kept eating.


    Yelena woke up after he was finished, and he yed with her a little to clear her drowsiness and kept


    herpany as she ate dinner.


    When she was finished, Jay took her on a stroll downstairs to help with her digestion before returning


    to the apartment to watch a cartoon with her.


    Once it was about time, he had ra bathe her, after which he read her a bedtime story and coaxed


    her to sleep.


    Since Yelena took a rather long nap in the afternoon, it took him more time to coax him to sleep than


    usual.


    As he returned to his room, he found Zoe just finishing her shower and double-checking their luggage.


    It was only then that he remembered promising to help her pack up.


    ¡°Is everything ready? Do you need my help?¡± he asked nheless.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Zoe replied, since she was not missing anything after she checked-apparently, she


    helped pack Jay¡¯s luggage too.


    ¡°Thanks,¡¯ Jay told her.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    Somehow, things were getting even more formal between them.


    Should they not be more rxed after confirming their rtionship? How did they return to where they


    started?!


    Nheless, Jay said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Zoe replied and got into bed.


    She fiddled with her phone, since she napped a little on the car when they returned home and was not


    feeling drowsy.


    Jay showered quickly, and Zoe thought he was done in minutes.


    ¡°That was quick,¡± she said casually.


    ¡¯I can handle that much on my own.¡±


    Zoe was speechless-what was with the constant hinting? Was he really that upset?!


    Jay got into bed too and turned off his bedsidemp.


    He soon fell asleep.


    Though neither of them usually were up to much of anything in bed, they would not be distant either.


    Even so, Zoe could notice that Jay was definitely angry despite her usual carefree nature.


    After some thought, she put away her phone and turned off themp on her side.


    With that, the room was left as dark as it was silent, and Zoe sensed no motion from Jay¡¯s side of the


    bed.


    Naturally, he never moved much while asleep¡ªthe posture in which he fell asleep would be the


    posture he woke up the next day.


    Tonight, however, Zoe gritted her teeth and slid closer to Jay.


    When her back touched his, she clearly felt his body flinching a little.


    So, his body proved more honest than his mouth.


    ¡°We have a recording tomorrow,¡± she spoke up just then.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied, his tone changing ever so slightly.


    Honestly¡­

 Chapter 1012

    Chapter 1012


    Chapter 1012


    Zoe was a little miffed.


    Was Jay that susceptible to her presence?


    She really wondered just then how he remained so calm whenever she put the moves on him back at


    Levine Manor.


    These days, it was like he red up the instant she looked his way!


    She slid her dainty hands against his bare skin just then, but he caught her.¡± Get some sleep soon. It¡¯s


    a long journey tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ we can¡¯t do it once we leave tomorrow.¡±


    Whether there were cameras in their room tomorrow night, they were still doing a recording away from


    home.


    There certainly was no way they could get frisky, ignoring the presence of the entire production crew,


    right?


    Jay began, ¡°Zoe-¡°


    Zoe cut him short right then. ¡°I repulse you, right?¡±


    Jay did a double take. ¡°I thought it¡¯s the other way around.¡±


    The pot was calling the kettle ck!


    ¡°I¡­ That¡¯s why we have to learn more,¡± Zoe said as if it was only natural, even though he was clearly


    blushing.


    Jay¡¯s heart was racing in turn, but he had to admit that today had been tough.


    He would admit as much when Zoe told him that his technique was subpar, but she also mentioned his


    disability today¡­


    He did not care about the opinion of others and was nonchnt even when weird stares were thrown


    his way every time he went outside.


    However, it hit him hard to hear Zoe say it.


    It was not as if he med her for that either, since everyone would react like she did.


    Even so, he felt resentment toward himself for not giving her himself when he was perfect.


    That was why even if he looked moody today, he was more angry toward himself than toward Zoe.


    Suddenly, he stiffened just then-Zoe was already on top of him.


    The faint light illuminated her alluring silhouette like a dream.


    Jay could not help gulping.


    He had been holding back because Zoe told her that he was bad, worried that he would subject her to


    yet another bad experience.


    It crossed his mind every night, and naturally, only he was aware of that.


    But now, he could not reject Zoe as she took the lead.


    He watched as she leaned toward himself, her lips right beside his ear, breathing hot, flirty steam into it.


    Jay¡¯s body was at once hot and tense-he would lose his mind under such torment.


    And Zoe had always underestimated the effect she had on him.


    ¡°Jay, getting better in bed goes both ways-it¡¯s not a single person¡¯s effort,¡± she said, her voice utterly


    alluringly. ¡°I never cared about your disability. It just hurts to see it¡­¡±


    Jay¡¯s heartbeat was deafening.


    Zoe just told him that she sympathized with his disability.


    She did not hate him for it!


    ¡°I¡¯ve eaten too much tonight, so I could use the workout before I sleep,¡± she then added and licked his


    ear.


    Who could resist such temptation?!


    Jay lost it right then, tossing around and pinning Zoe under himself, startling her!


    As she looked at Jay nervously, she realized that the look on his face was just like the one he had the


    other night!


    ¡®Calm down!¡¯


    What happened to going both ways?! He looked like he would devour her whole right then!


    Zoe could feel her tears welling in her eyes already¡­


    As morning arrived the next morning, Zoe tried to move, only to find herself so limp she could die.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡± A cool man¡¯s voice could be heard beside her ear.


    Zoe turned to find Jay watching her, looking exuberant.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She really wanted to ask right then-what was this disparity of physicality between men and women?!

 Chapter 1013

    Chapter 1013


    Chapter 1013


    Zoe asked in exhaustion, ¡°What time is it?¡¯


    Did they not have a recording today?!


    ¡°It¡¯s still early. You can sleep a little longer if you¡¯re sleepy.¡±


    ¡°But can we make it?¡± Zoe pressed, unable to open her eyes wide and actually intending to sleep in.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sleeping a little longer,¡± Zoe said and tossed around.


    Even that took considerable effort, and she made a mental note not to tease Jay from now on.


    Honestly, she should not even touch him or the consequences would be too severe!


    However, she stiffened right then-even as she turned her back toward Jay, he gathered her in his arms


    from behind with a bear hug.


    Still, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m holding back.¡±


    Zoe was silent but skeptical, though she fell asleep anyway.


    She had no idea how long had passed when she woke up again and flexed her limbs.


    Jay was still holding her firmly in his arms from behind.


    And here she was wondering why it felt like she was suffering sleep paralysis-it was all Jay.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± he asked her then.


    It was as if he could stay energetic no matter what he was put through.


    Was it really not that strenuous for him?


    Now that Zoe thought about it, it probably was not the case since she was the one doing the moving


    when his leg got in the way¡­


    She flushed and asked, ¡°What time is it?¡±


    ¡°2 PM.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe eximed as she sprang out of bed. ¡°We¡¯rete!¡±


    ¡°I took leave from the production crew.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do! Acting like a poser is the worst! My showbiz career is over if word gets out!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll arrive on scene at the scheduled hour.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Either way, there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Jay said, slowly getting out of bed just then.


    He calmly pulled off their nket, and Zoe averted her eyes when he did, making him chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve


    seen it a few times now, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Zoe was speechless. Men really knew no shame!


    ¡°Lie down for now. We¡¯re leaving in an hour,¡± Jay told her. ¡°I¡¯m going to hang out with Yelena for a bit.¡±


    The man was really a ve to his daughter!


    Nheless, Zoey downfortable, tossing and turning for a bit since it was still early. And since


    she did not need makeup, she just had to keep herself reasonably disguised since there would not be


    paparazzis after her these days.


    She nonchntly picked up her phone, to find in surprise that she received a rare text from Cordy,


    simply asking: [Are you there?]


    She promptly called Cordy, ¡°Is the sun rising from the west? Cordy Sachs, initiating contact?¡±


    ¡°What, didn¡¯t I do that before?¡±


    ¡°Unless I¡¯m trending.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Cordy murmured thoughtfully and enigmatically.


    Zoe promptly noticed what was wrong. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m trending?¡±


    ¡°I guess you weren¡¯t checking.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, why am I trending?!¡¯ Zoe eximed in agitation-she had just returned from showbiz.


    How would she make it if they dug out some dirt on her?!


    Her fingers were shaking even as she tapped on a news app.


    At the entertainment section, she found arge photo of her kissing Jay at the amusement park, with


    the caption ¡®Netizens stumble upon Jay Parker and Zoe York¡¯s sweet rendezvous!¡¯

 Chapter 1014

    Chapter 1014


    Chapter 1014


    Zoe promptly tapped on the article, which briefly described their family of three going out on a ydate.


    There were some exaggerated parts here and there but nothing malicious.


    She then scrolled through thements.


    [Can I just say that this is so sweet it hurts? I¡¯m so jealous¡­]


    [Jay Parker usually looks so reserved and aloof, but there¡¯s no hiding it when you¡¯re in love.]


    (How could anyone look that good? They really deserve each other.]


    [Oh, I think I believe in love again now¡­]


    [This public disy of affection caught me off guard, but I approve!]


    Zoe scrolled through a huge portion of thements, but most of them were nice.


    At least there was nothing like ¡®hurting public morals¡¯, ¡®society these days¡¯, or¡¯family unfriendly¡¯.


    She decided to be more careful when they were out in public next time around.


    However, she realized that it was not even her fault after some thought-it was clearly Jay¡¯s.


    ¡¯So? I take it that you¡¯ve seen it?¡± Cordy teased from the other end.


    ¡°You contacted me just for that?¡±


    ¡°Just concerned about how things are going on over there, sister.¡± Cordy giggled.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Zoe yed along. ¡°Judging from your tone, things are going well for you too?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How are things with Patrick?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, I guess,¡± Cordy replied evenly.


    In fact, things were warming up by leaps and bounds between them.


    It might just be a change in mindset, but either way, things were going well now between them.


    ¡°I really wonder if I should give you my blessing.¡± Zoe sighed, a little conflicted.


    She felt at the bottom of her heart that Cordy should still stick to John.


    But even if he was alive, he had to marry Nana, and that alone makes him undeserving of Cordy.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright to give it.¡±


    ¡¯Fair enough.¡±


    ¡® By the way, you¡¯re really good at changing the topic. We were talking about you and Jay, weren¡¯t we?


    When did it be about me?¡±


    ¡¯I mean, it¡¯s the same old for us.¡± Zoe felt embarrassed even saying it.


    She was certainly surprised things progressed so rapidly between herself and Jay¡­ it was almost like


    riding a rocket.


    She could not even remember that time when she was so determined to stay away from Jay even if it


    killed her.


    And now, their rtionship was one that was tooplicated to exin.


    ¡°I¡¯m not calling tough at you,¡± Cordy said solemnly then. ¡°I want to


    congratte you for finally conceding to your true feelings.¡±


    ¡¯I¡­¡±


    Zoe had no idea how she should exin herself just then.


    She had really given up before, holding no illusion or attachment to Jay.


    She had no idea how, but her passion for him was somehow set ame once more.


    In fact, she started to wonder if Jay had herplete existence within his grasp for the rest of their


    lives.


    ¡°It¡¯s time, Zoe,¡± Jay told her, suddenly appearing at the doorway.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe gave a half-hearted reply.


    ¡°You were sleeping until now?¡± Cordy obviously heard Jay.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a real beast, huh? I wouldn¡¯t have known.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s words left Zoe embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re such a pervert!¡±


    ¡°This is good, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Cut that out. I need to get a recording soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Talk to youter.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Bye.¡¯


    Zoe was still blushing when she hung up-Cordy was on the money about so many things¡­


    Still, as she took a deep breath, a smile of relief appeared on Zoe¡¯s face.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Everything was going well now for her and for Cordy.


    She could feel Cordy¡¯s happiness even from behind the screen. It was just Quinn missing for now.

 Chapter 1015

    Chapter 1015


    Chapter 1015


    Zoe quickly washed up and got changed before leaving the house with Jay.


    He brought her some low-fat food, and she asked worriedly, ¡®Are we really not going to affect recording


    progress?¡±


    She was really afraid of getting scandalized, since she still wanted to stay in showbiz.


    ¡® Well be fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡¯ Alright,¡± Zoe said, telling herself to trust Jay as well.


    He had never broken a promise before, after all.


    Later, Zoe finally found out how Jay could be so direct.


    The second episode was to be filmed at a huge farm situated up in the mountains. Aside from organic


    and natural crops, there was also a ranch for livestock.


    They were supposed to ride and vehicle through a rugged mountain path, but Zoe and Jay went


    there on a helicopter. As such, while traveling onnd would have taken them six hours, they arrived in


    just two hours, saving them a total of four hours.


    What was more, two of the other couples were still on the way there when they arrived, and one of


    them was Bob and Cora.


    Bob was almost bursting when he learned that Jay came on a helicopter and must have repeated over


    ten times, ¡°We can do that?!¡±


    He was certainly giving enough content for the episode.


    Still, the purpose of this episode was to promote sales for local farms, so guests were given missions


    this time.


    Not only did they have to cook for themselves, but they had to harvest crops as well.


    Then, before the episode was over, they would be promoting their crops live.


    This time, however, the couples were split up to work separately-thedies were in charge of picking


    crops, while the men would be feeding livestock.


    As they arrived on site, the production crew gave them an inventory of vegetables to gather.


    That naturally meant trouble for Zoe, who did not know a thing since she was raised in Levine Manor.


    Even after she was driven outter on, ra would take care of all her needs-how would she have


    learned a thing about vegetables?


    However, everyone had already been assigned their own tasks that they would have to handle


    themselves, so Zoe was too embarrassed to ask anyone for help.


    And when she asked the production crew, they said, ¡°The doctor said that the guests must handle this


    on their own, or they won¡¯t get ingredients for dinner.¡±


    Liars! Was this program not supposed to be a pleasure trip?!


    Nheless, Zoe gave in and read through the inventory.


    ¡®One lettuce, two eggnts, five bell peppers, one giant cabbage, one spring onion, and¡­ Cora? I


    mean, coriander?¡¯


    Zoe was confused even as she read it-even the words confused her.


    Forget the production crew telling her to gather vegetables-her inability to identify them may be her own


    fault, but vegetables whose names she could not even read?! That was ridiculous!


    However, she decided that she could not just roll over and die, since she did not want Jay to work the


    farm an entire day only to go hungry.


    Even if she had no idea what was what, guesswork would still work.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As such, she scoured around the farm, muttering to herself, ¡°One lettuce. If it¡¯s just one, I think it should


    be quite big¡­¡±


    She strolled ap around the farm and noticed certain big balls that really seized her attention. After


    thinking about it for a while and deciding that that was it, she firmly plucked one out and put it in her


    basket.

 Chapter 1016

    Chapter 1016


    Chapter 1016


    The lettuce was certainly heavy, but Zoe started looking for the next vegetable on the inventory.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She had never seen actual eggnts in farms before, but she at least knew that they were purple.


    It was too distinct a trait, so she found them immediately and plucked two.


    And then, it was the bell peppers¡­


    ¡® Bell peppers, so peppers that look like bells? I guess I just have to find something simr¡­ Okay, got


    it!¡±


    Zoe started to get a little excited just then.


    She suddenly wanted to praise herself for her intelligence-she never felt as smart as this!


    Once she was done with the bell peppers, she started to look for giant cabbages.


    ¡°This one should be easy. Since it¡¯s ¡®giant¡¯, I just have to find the biggest vegetable in the farm,¡± Zoe


    said, though she had to move to another part of the farm to pull out the cabbage.


    With that in the basket, she moved on to the spring onion, and found it yet again ording to a hunch.


    But what was a coriander?


    Zoe was left staring at the word. It was just so bizarre a name for a vegetable, and there was no clue


    as to what it even looked like. And to make things worse, she could not Google it on her phone, since


    the production crew had confiscated everyone¡¯s phone for this task. There was no assistance to be


    hoped for from there!


    Where should she even start looking?


    Zoe started strolling aimlessly through the farm, but there were just too many vegetables for her to pick


    the correct one ording to her ¡®feelings¡¯.


    She asked the cameraman just then, ¡°Are you sure that we¡¯ll be denied food ingredients tonight if we


    don¡¯t pick the right vegetables?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the cameraman replied.


    ¡®Well, what¡¯s a coriander?¡± Zoe asked him casually.


    The man even nced at the inventory but said, ¡¯Beats me.¡±


    ¡® You¡¯re the ones who set the quiz, no?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a cameraman. I¡¯m not in charge of content,¡± the cameraman said innocently.


    ¡°Do you even know how to read it?¡±


    ¡°Curry-under?¡±


    ¡°Well, what does it look like?¡± Zoe tried to trick the man again.


    ¡°Beats me.¡¯ The cameraman shook his head.


    Zoe leveled a judgmental stare at him, but he blushed and said feebly,¡± First off, I really don¡¯t know.


    And it¡¯s not like we¡¯re allowed to tell you.¡±


    So the production crew was no go, huh?


    Zoe felt a little helpless and started to get tired carrying her basket of vegetables around, and she


    simply nted herself on the ground.


    She wondered how the others were doing-who knew, maybe she was not the only one who did not


    know her vegetables. Either that, or she was going to be med.


    ¡°You have twenty more minutes,¡± the cameraman reminded her.


    Zoe was going to try her luck just then when she saw Jay approaching from the distance on his cane. It


    was hard for him to walk in thisndscape.


    However, Zoe promptly ran up to him as if she saw the most beautiful thing she had ever seen in her


    life.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Jay?¡±


    ¡°I came back since I¡¯ve finished my tasks ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you can do that?¡± Zoe eximed in surprise.


    ¡°They never said no.¡±


    The production crew certainly could not say anything against that.


    ¡°Anyway, perfect timing,¡± Zoe said without dy. ¡°How do you read this, and what is it?¡±


    Jay stared at the piece of paper solemnly but remained silent for a long while.

 Chapter 1017

    Chapter 1017


    Chapter 1017


    Zoe knew it-she had been celebrating too early.


    Jay¡¯s upbringing was even more refined than hers, and he would never know his vegetables.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± she asked nheless, refusing to give in.


    ¡¯Ko-ree-an-duh,¡± Jay suddenly replied.


    ¡°Not ¡®corry-under¡¯?¡± Zoe eximed.


    Jay smiled visibly and adoringly just then. ¡°Pretty sure it isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure I won¡¯t end up on a clip where I¡¯m med for being an insult to mandatory schooling?¡±


    Jay¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°You¡¯re being paranoid. Not many would use ¡® coriander* anyway-you can


    check the livements when the episode is broadcasted too. I bet you that eight percent of average


    netizens wont even spell it right.¡±


    ¡°That makes me a little more confident, but do you actually know what it is? ¡± Zoe asked. ¡°I¡¯m more


    concerned about not getting ingredients for dinner than being med.¡±


    ¡°Actually, coriander is another name for parsley,¡± Jay exined.


    ¡°Oh, is that what it is?!¡± Zoe eximed in surprise. ¡°Wait, why would they call it coriander?¡±


    ¡°The production crew is messing around.¡± Jay chuckled.


    ¡°Those monsters!¡± Zoe huffed.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get it,¡± Jay said and picked up Zoe¡¯s basket as if it was natural, adjusting the weight


    before heading to the farm.


    Zoe watched as he left, her eyes unusually moist just then.


    But she must admit that she was touched-he was the one who had ame leg, but he shared her


    burden anyway.


    She quickly ran after him, holding out a hand and offering support.


    Jay nced at her, smiling even more obviously in return.


    He liked it when she got close to him on her own will.


    ¡°Why do you know so much, Jay?¡± Zoe asked as she plucked a tuft of parsley when they found it.


    ¡°It¡¯smon knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I don¡¯t have that?¡± Zoe snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± He smiled. ¡°I used to read books on nts and remembered that without knowing it.¡±


    So he was insinuating that she did not read much!


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pluck too much. A pinch would be enough since you don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Zoe felt warmth unfurling in her heart just then-Jay really remembered everything.


    After they were done gathering Zoe¡¯s vegetables, they saw Cora approaching them just then.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Uncle Jay?¡± Cora eximed in surprise.


    ¡°The production crew never said anything about us not being allowed together,¡± Jay replied. ¡°I came


    over once I was done with my tasks¡­ Wait,


    where¡¯s Bob?¡±


    ¡°Probably still over there,¡± Cora was obviously upset, jealous that Jay was always doting on Zoe.


    ¡°Mr. Parker? They¡¯re distributing the meat over there now. You won¡¯t get any if you don¡¯t go,¡± one of the


    production staff reminded him just then.


    ¡¯Just go. We need the meat after a hard day¡¯s work,¡± Zoe quickly urged.


    Jay handed her basket to her. ¡°Wait for me toe back if you¡¯re too tired to carry it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that weak.¡±


    Jay smiled and turned to leave.


    With that, Zoe was suddenly left alone with Cora.


    Talk about things getting really awkward¡­


    However, they pretended to get along well anyway for the sake of the cameras.


    ¡°Are you done with your tasks?¡± Cora asked.


    ¡°More or less. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Cora replied.


    ¡°Do you know the vegetables?¡± ¡°Nope. Most of it was guessing.¡±

 Chapter 1018

    Chapter 1018


    Chapter 1018


    Cora said, ¡°Me too.¡±


    But in reality, she knew all her vegetables.


    She was the one who lived with ra as a child and went through all manner of sufferings, from


    washing clothes by hand to cooking.


    It hurt her to think of her painful childhood in contrast to Zoe¡¯s.


    However, she forced herself not to show it.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, as they strode along the farm together, they were startled to find something dashing


    through the fields.


    It was a huge ck dog, and it was running straight for them!


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Both Zoe and Cora screamed-what was that thing doing there?!


    And it had a beastly look on its face, like it was going to bite someone!


    Both Zoe and Cora felt as if their souls left them.


    The production crew also reacted toote-before they could jump in, the dog had already leapt toward


    Zoe and Cora, knocking them to the ground!


    ¡°Help!!!¡¯ Cora shrieked as the dog towered over her.


    Zoe was on the ground as well, but the dog obviously was not aiming for her.


    Just as it was to bring its jaws down on her, Zoe reached out by reflex to push it away and tried to pull


    Cora away from her.


    However, the dog suddenly turned and bit her hand in a split second-Zoe did not even have the time to


    feel pain when the dog was done with her


    and bit Cora on the arm too!


    ¡°Argh!¡± Cora screamed, flustered and at a loss of what to do!


    Fortunately, two men from the production crew quickly jumped forward and grabbed the dog, pulling it


    off her and throwing it violently on the ground.


    Stunned by the pain, the dog pushed itself off the ground and ran off with its tail between its legs.


    Nheless, the production set was caught in confusion!


    The production crew quickly ran up to the women, encircling them as they asked, ¡°Are you alright?


    Zoe? Cora? Are you hurt?¡±


    The male guests also rushed to the scene after receiving the message, with Bob being the first to


    arrive.


    He tore his way through the crowd and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you alright, Zoe? Did the dog bite you?


    Where?¡±


    Cora was right beside Zoe, and watched as Bob stared fixedly at Zoe and only Zoe in concern.


    He never even looked her way.


    She bit her lip, an irrepressible emotion flooding her just then.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It just bit me on the hand, but I think it bit Cora on the arm,¡± Zoe told Bob.


    Bob seemed to only remember then that Cora was bit too, and he stiffened when he realized that.


    Blinking, he turned to look at Cora and did his best to act as if nothing happened. ¡°I only received word


    that Zoe was hurt. Were you hurt too? Where?¡±


    Cora certainly knew that she must never lose control with so many people and cameras around.


    Forcing a smile, she said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt, but it was scary.¡±


    Even so, the seeds of hatred were buried deep within her heart now.

 Chapter 1020

    Chapter 1020


    Chapter 1020


    Neither Zoe nor Cora could stop themselves from crying out loud.


    However, while Jay was holding Zoe¡¯s hand firmly as if he would rather be the one hurting, Bob was


    staring at their direction too when he heard Zoe¡¯s cry.


    In fact, his eyes were still fixed on Zoe even though he was standing beside Cora, who kept crying out


    from the pain.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Eventually, she had enough and called out to him quietly, ¡°Bob.¡±


    Bob turned toward her and asked in concern, ¡°Does it hurt? Zoe was screaming murder there.¡¯


    Cora did not answer, but her gaze darkened further.


    After Cora and Zoe¡¯s bite wounds were disinfected and bandaged, they were given a rabies shot and


    admitted for further observation just in case.


    If nothing happened, they could return to North City, where they would have another shot toplete


    the vination.


    Both Zoe and Cora were staying in VVIP wards, and they did not have to worry about the presence of


    intruders.


    However, there seemed to be distance between Bob and Cora even though they were in the same


    room.


    Bob quietly peeled an apple for Cora, and it was until he was done that he finally spoke. ¡¯Here, have


    some fruit.¡±


    ¡°Are you in love with Zoe, Bob?¡± Cora asked bluntly right then.


    While Bob did a double take, she pressed him. ¡°Did you fall for her before you met me?*


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bob did not hide it.


    ¡°Then would you date me at all?! What do you take me for?!¡¯ she shrieked, suddenly losing control right


    then.


    She had certainly been restraining herself, feeling disgruntled ever since Bob blurted Zoe¡¯s name while


    drunk.


    Cora had thought she could bear with it-even pretend that she never noticed.


    However, whenever she caught Bob unwittingly gazing at Zoe from time to time, she would notice the


    love and restraint in his eyes.


    He showed none of those when he looked at her-in fact it only made it painfully obvious he saw her


    very differently.


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s going to happen between me and Zoe anyway,¡± Bob said then.


    ¡°So what am I? Her substitute?¡± Cora scoffed.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being cruel to me?! Why are you still in love with Zoe even though you¡¯re with


    me?! Why?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Bob apologized.


    ¡°You¡¯re sorry?! I¡¯ve been with you for years!¡± Cora cried, ¡°But I only found out now that the man I loved


    so much was actually in love with someone else!¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Bob apologized again and very quietly at that-just like a child caught red-handed.


    He did not know what to do aside from apologizing, and he did feel that he had been unfair to Cora.


    His heart waspletely Zoe¡¯s when he started dating Cora, and he knew that he would never forget


    Zoe even if she had dumped him.


    He always would have a hard time falling for other women, but because her mother kept pushing him,


    he started dating Cora.


    He could actually feel how much Cora loved him too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your apologies!¡± Cora was hysterical.


    She would have convinced herself to ept this sorry state of affairs, if only Bob would say that he


    was going to forget Zoe and do his best to love her.


    But he did not.


    His guilt only proved that he did not love her at all.


    He looked up at her just then and said guiltily, ¡®Then¡­ Let¡¯s break up.¡±

 Chapter 1021

    Chapter 1021


    Chapter 1021


    Cora¡¯s pupils dted as she stared at Bob in disbelief.


    He actually wanted to break up with her? What did the years she spent with him amounted to?!


    ¡°I have done wrong by you, so let¡¯s just end it here before we get married,¡± Bob said then. ¡°I¡¯ll exin


    everything to our parents about my reasons, and I¡¯ll do any PR work necessary to help you get through


    any difficulties you have at work.¡±


    ¡°Are you really doing this to me, Bob?!¡± Cora¡¯s eyes were red, and she could not stop her tears no


    matter what she tried.


    Bob hung his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to make it up to you, just as I can¡¯t lie to you that I don¡¯t love Zoe


    anymore. All the mistakes in the past were my fault, and you can do whatever you want¡ªI¡¯ll try to


    guarantee your satisfaction as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°What do you take me for! Did you think I dated you because I wanted something from you? How could


    you be so cruel, Bob?!¡±


    Bob simply stayed silent, because he genuinely had no words to assure Cora when he dated her just


    because their parents wanted that.


    Even after years had passed, he never felt love for Cora-it was more appropriate to say that he was


    just putting up with her.


    For him, it was as if he was fine with anyone when it was not Zoe.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to break up with you,¡± Cora suddenly snapped with agitation. ¡°Why should I break up


    with you?! I spent four years of my youth on you! I¡¯m not going to let it slide!¡±


    Bob was left staring nkly at her-even after he admitted to loving Zoe?!


    ¡°Calm down, Cora. We really shouldn¡¯t be together, but if you find it troubling, I can finish recording this


    variety show with you-¡°


    ¡°No!¡± Cora cut him short right then. ¡°I¡¯m not breaking up with you. Only I get to make that call¡ªit¡¯s not


    up to you to decide!¡±


    Bob had more to say, but he stayed silent-if Cora felt that who between them demanded a break-up


    matter, he could y along.


    ¡°You owe me this too, Bob!¡± Cora shrieked, suddenly throwing off her nket and springing out of her


    bed.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Bob quickly caught her, a little scared by Cora¡¯s agitation.


    ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Cora¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Cora screamed.


    Bob hesitated for a second, but he ultimately released her, and she promptly turned to leave.


    Bob quickly followed her-who knew what could happen if he let Cora leave alone, and she was a public


    figure at that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Cora. You can get upset with me however you want, just don¡¯t do anything rash¡­¡±


    Cora, however, was not listening to a word he said as she marched straight to Zoe¡¯s room.


    Jay had been feeding Zoe slices of fruit in her ward, and the mood between them was just right until


    Cora stormed inside, running it right then.


    ¡°What is it?¡± he asked sternly like an elder would.


    Cora¡¯s eyes were welling with tears.


    Why did Zoe get to be liked by everyone?


    Why did Zoe get to take so much away from her life and always get happiness in return?!


    It was so unfair, was it not?


    Bob rushed inside hurriedly just then, and seeing him, Jay asked, ¡°Had a fight with Bob?¡±


    ¡°Cora, we can talk it out ourselves.¡± Bob quickly tried to pull her out of the room.


    However, Cora smacked his hand away wildly, ¡°Let me go!¡±


    While Bob was left in an awkward spot, Zoe nced between him and Cora.


    She was sharp enough to notice what it was, especially when Cora was not hiding that murderous


    gleam in her eyes at all.

 Chapter 1022

    Chapter 1022


    Chapter 1022


    ¡°You already have my uncle, Zoe! Why would you seduce Bob too?!¡± Cora demanded right then.


    Zoe pursed her lips-Cora noticed how Bob felt toward her, just as she thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Cora. This is between us-don¡¯t get others involved,¡± Bob said then, suddenly a little


    louder.


    He had behaved mildly earlier, but even that seemed to fade in an instant.


    ¡°You¡¯re siding with her?! I¡¯m your fiancee, Bob! And she¡¯s a married woman! ¡¯ Cora became even more


    hysterical, at that, unable to understand how Zoe was better than her.


    Why did everyone love her so much?


    Even her grandfather asionally called her ¡®Zoe¡¯ before he died!


    She really had enough!


    ¡°Cut it out. We¡¯re leaving,¡± Bob said, restraining his own temper just then.


    ¡°No,¡± Cora said determinedly, and wheeled on Jay. ¡°Uncle Jay, Bob and Zoe had all of us fooled. They


    were-¡°


    ¡°I know,¡± Jay said, cutting her short.


    Cora was left taken aback, and she stared at Jay in disbelief.


    He knew? And he would still spoil Zoe so much?!


    Did he not take offense?!


    She had marched here bent on splitting Jay from Zoe because she could not abide with Zoe doing well


    in any way!


    Moreover, Jay had always kept his hands clean, and Cora never saw him allow any other woman get


    close to him. He obviously had strong views on rtionships between men and women, and Cora was


    convinced there was no way he would ept such disgrace between Zoe and Bob.


    And yet, he admitted to being aware of the fact¡­ while doing nothing about it?!


    ¡°I know everything about her past,¡± Jay continued, his voice suddenly cold and his presence imposing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anyone else to understand her.¡±


    ¡°Uncle Jay-¡°


    ¡°Because I know her better than anyone else,¡± Jay said very slowly and clearly,pletely denying


    Cora a chance to speak.


    Cora¡¯s eyes were red.


    She never got to strut when Jay was around and was even more afraid to upset him since both her


    grandfather and her mother thought highly of him. Moreover, he was the one who helped her rise to the


    top in showbiz.


    And now, she could not say a word either.


    ¡°Whatever happens between you and Bob is between the both of you. Don¡¯t get Zoe or myself


    involved,¡± Jay said solemnly, his might obvious despite his obviousck of rage.


    Cora was seething, but she was naturally afraid of throwing a fit in front of Jay. She bore it with gritted


    teeth and stormed off.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Bob naturally started to follow Cora, since she was clearly not in her right mind.


    ¡°Keep both eyes on her, Bob,¡± Jay told him anyway-he was not keen on something happening right


    now and getting everyone in another huge mess.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Bob agreed to it right away. ¡°I¡¯d handle Cora. Just be nice to Zoe.¡±


    Jay smiled faintly. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Bob hurried off, with Zoe watching him leave.


    There was this feeling she could not quite describe between them.


    It certainly was not love, because with Bob, it was over when it was over.


    Even right now, she had no idea if she really loved Bob¡­ But perhaps she did, since no one could


    refuse a man as ideal as Bob.


    Nheless, she was over it, and that was it.


    That was not the case for her and Jay-she tried to get over him before, but it only made her even more


    obsessed.


    Still, she soon came to her senses and saw the jealousy in Jay¡¯s eyes.


    He just said he trusted her, did he not?


    And he was dispensing with the pretense already?!

 Chapter 1023

    Chapter 1023


    Chapter 1023


    Zoe began, ¡°Bob and I-¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Jay said determinedly.


    Zoe raised her brow. ¡°Why are you interrupting me if you don¡¯t?¡±


    Did men lie despite appearances too?


    Jay pursed his lips. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to say his name.¡±


    ¡°How is that not minding?!¡± Zoe exposed him mercilessly right then.


    ¡°I can pretend I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just lying to yourself.¡± Zoe pouted.


    Jay, however, was fine with that¡ªhe was already perfectly content that Zoe would return to his side.


    Nothing mattered inparison.


    ¡°I¡¯m still going to tell you,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    Jay shed a feeble smile at her. ¡°Because you knew I can¡¯t do anything to you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Since when is that so?¡± Zoe snorted grumpily. ¡°My life is in your hands, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not the other way round?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you ever be honest, Jay? Who¡¯s the one who kept rejecting me so hard like it would kill him


    to ept me, only to end up marrying me because of Yelena?! Don¡¯t you have a conscience,


    constantly lying like that?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t marry you because of Yelena,¡± Jay corrected her.


    Zoe refused to listen to a word-she did not care, since Jay was the one who always had the reins of


    their rtionship, and she did not get to say no.


    ¡°See? I was just going to talk about Bob and I, but you¡¯re digressing.¡± Zoe huffed as she remembered


    that just then.


    Jay had more to say but decided against it. ¡¯Fine, tell me.¡±


    What could he do about Zoe these days anyway?


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    All he could do was spoil the missus, even if she was going to give him a stroke eventually.


    Zoe confessed then, ¡°I was dating Bob because he did a lot of things that touched my heart. And I


    never knew that he loved me for years until he told me.¡¯


    When Jay did not respond, Zoe continued. ¡°When I was chased out of Levine Manor, I was left with


    nothing when Nancy Levine took away all my money. ra was being threatened and needed money


    urgently, and I was almost forced into filming porn-but Bob stopped it. He told me if I was going to give


    up my body, I could just give it to him¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to go into such detail,¡± Jay told her then.


    Zoe could not help giggling then.


    He was getting jealous, was he not?


    But no, she was not about to hold back.


    If he had not been so callous before, would she ever have hooked up with Bob?


    Talk about deserving his own just deserts. If he knew that he would fall for her years down the road¡­


    Hold on. Jay loved her, right?


    She seemed to feel that much now.


    Nheless, sheposed herself and continued. ¡°Bob gave me a lot of money and a house, so I


    agreed to the deal. I mean, it wasn¡¯t a wealthy or morous life, but I could at least live without


    worrying about food or shelter. It was also only after I was with Bob that I realized how much he was


    into me, and I felt for a time that I could live the rest of my life with him.¡±


    Jay took a deep breath, telling himself that it was the past, and he was open -minded enough to not


    take exception to that at all.


    ¡°So, I was happy with Bob for a while, especially since he cleared all the poor opinions I had of love,¡±


    Zoe said, not forgetting to add, ¡°And you were the one who gave me said poor opinions, of course.¡±


    Jay closed his eyes with a wry smile, feeling like she just stabbed a hole in his heart.


    And yet, she waspletely oblivious, even doubling down on it-as she spoke more, she seemed even


    more excited. ¡°But Bob was different. He was really nice, cooking for me, surprising me, and really


    respecting me. I tried to get it on with him several times, but he rejected me, even though I clearly felt


    how eager he was¡­¡±

 Chapter 1024

    Chapter 1024


    Chapter 1024


    Jay could not hold back an expletive right then, ¡°Am I f*cking dead to you,


    Zoe?!¡¯


    He was on the verge of getting a stroke, and he really wanted to get into fisticuffs with Bob right then!


    Zoe simply beamed at him. ¡°All I wanted to say was that Bob and I are clean. Nothing happened even


    when we were dating.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re regretting that now?¡± Jay growled through his teeth.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Zoe replied, speechless.


    ¡°I already know that anyway.¡± Jay was certainly smart enough to not miss that.


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    No way! She had been so close with Bob at the time that anyone would be skeptical!


    ¡°When we filmed thest episode of Journey of Love, during that heart-to- heart we had with the


    director, you revealed that your first time was with me.¡±


    ¡°And you believe that?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°I did.¡± Jay nodded.


    Like he said, he knew Zoe well enough-she would never lie.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, he still had to admit that he had felt pleased for a long while when he found out.


    He was fine with beingbeled old-fashioned, but he would never have held it against her even if she


    did it with Bob anyway.


    He would love her as he did from the start.


    Still, to find out that they were clean¡­


    Fine, he could admit that men were innately possessive, and he was no exception.


    But I didn¡¯t believe you,¡± Zoe said, a little guilty just then.


    When Jay revealed that he popped his cherry on the same day, she did not believe him-not even


    afterward.


    She simply thought it impossible, that he was just trying to build a good public image of himself.


    Right now, the circumstances of their marriage was still cause for suspicion, even though the public


    saw that they were getting along well.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡¯ Jay said magnanimously.


    Still, Zoe suddenly frowned, her expression changing right then. ¡°So, all you needed to know was that I


    was clean when I married you, and the rest is pointless?¡±


    Huh.


    He actually had to admit that it was indeed the case.


    Zoe narrowed her eyes just then. ¡°Does that mean if Bob and I had done it, you¡¯d-¡°


    ¡°Nope,¡± Jay said seriously, before adding with a smile, ¡°Of course, it¡¯d be better if you never did.¡±


    ¡°Pfft! Men.¡± Zoe snorted in disdain.


    Still, Jay was no longer upset now-in fact, he was a little happy.


    He was that pragmatic, after all.


    ¡°And you know why Bob and I had to break up,¡± Zoe added.


    Jay nodded, though Zoe confessed, ¡°I was so devastated at the time¡­¡±


    Jay¡¯s smile slowly faded in turn.


    Nheless, Zoe continued her recollection, ¡°Anyway, I slowly got over it after leaving North City,


    especially since I had Yelena soon after. Her birth allowed me to forget many things and even let the


    past go.¡±


    Jay pursed his lips, wondering if Zoe had been afraid and helpless when she went intobor alone.

 Chapter 1025

    Chapter 1025


    Chapter 1025


    Jay apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Whatever the reason was, he abandoned Zoe in the end and did not stay by her side.


    ¡¯It¡¯s alright,¡± Zoe replied, epting his apology and knowing what it was about.


    And she was really over it too, even if she was not as carefree as she imagined for the longest time


    and did not understand why she allowed Jay to deflower her and abandon her repeatedly.


    That was until now, when she genuinely realized that the past was not as important as she believed.


    And because it was not, she could now tell Jay everything.


    In a way, it was saying goodbye to the past.


    Jay held her gaze in turn and quietly said, ¡°At that time, I¡­ was involved in a car ident.¡±


    Zoe did a double take.


    She knew about the ident, but not when specifically.


    ¡¯After I left that day, I went straight to the film set. The production was on a tight schedule, so it was


    veryte when I finally left-and I was the one who told you to wait for me.¡±


    Did that mean¡­ she was the reason he got in that ident?!


    An aching struck Zoe¡¯s chest right then, and it only got worse by the second.


    Even so. Jay¡¯s tone remained apologetic. ¡°It happened on a mountain road when I was driving back. I


    only regained consciousness six monthster, and they told me my car crashed down a cliff.¡±


    He apologized, even if he did not want things to turn out that way.


    Even if he was the victim.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes turned red even as she bit her lip.


    ¡°Then, after I learned that one of my legs was permanently crippled, I thought about staying away from


    you.¡±


    ¡¯Why?¡± Zoe asked him a little agitatedly-if only he hade to her¡­


    Maybe-just maybe-they would not have let three years go to waste.


    ¡¯I was worried you¡¯d scorn me.¡±


    ¡¯Do I look like that type of person?¡±


    ¡°You like pretty faces.¡± Jay exposed her right then.


    ¡°But your face is fine. What does that have to do with your leg?¡±


    ¡°I was disfigured too,¡± Jay exined. ¡°What you¡¯re seeing now is the oue of reconstructive surgery


    I hadter.¡±


    ¡°What do you take me for, Jay Parker?!¡± Zoe huffed. ¡°Did you really think I liked you for your face?!


    Fine, I¡¯ll admit that you look good, but you¡¯re not as good looking as John Levine! I never said I fell for


    him when we found out that I was not blood rted to him either!¡±


    And did he understand how difficult it was, being a single mother for years?!


    ¡°That¡¯s why I called you,¡± Jay said then.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯But you dropped that number,¡± Jay said.


    Zoe then remembered that she changed her number after leaving North City and bought herself a new


    number since she did not want anyone else to affect her.


    To be fair, she was really upset at the time.


    However, she only got more upset about that. ¡°You would¡¯ve found me anyway, with all the resources


    you had!¡¯


    He gave up just because she changed her number? How was she supposed to believe that he loved


    her?!


    ¡°But didn¡¯t you change your number because you want nothing to do with me?¡± Jay asked her just then.


    Zoe was stumped, since that was certainly what she thought.


    But women could be afforded a tantrum or two, could they not? And she had her pride, too!


    After all, she thought Jay was dumping her after she slept with him.


    ¡°Adding that to my disability, I gave up,¡± Jay said quietly then.


    Even now, he remembered how his heart was cut to the quick when he actually gave up on Zoe.

 Chapter 1026

    Chapter 1026


    Chapter 1026


    Zoe asked grumpily, ¡°Jay Parker, is it really that easy to give up on me?!1 ¡°No,¡± Jay quickly replied.


    ¡°Then why would you do it time after time?¡±


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s our rtionship now?¡± Jay asked in return.


    Zoe frowned, but it slowly dawned on her that he was pointing out that they were married.


    If he really wanted to abandon her, why would he marry her now?


    Somehow, that thought granted herfort.


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    ¡°What?¡± Jay asked, a little confused just then.


    ¡°I never abandoned you, even if you left me in despair repeatedly. Whenever you made a move, I¡¯d¡­¡±


    Zoe trailed off, reluctant to finish-she had her pride too!


    But she could not lie either¡­


    Even so, no matter how Jay hurt her, he just had to do something-anything -and she would be


    defenseless.


    ¡°Anyway, about Bob¡­¡±


    Zoe suddenly brought the conversation back on track.


    It left Jay feeling like he was stabbed-repeatedly.


    Bob was certainly a thorn in his side¡­


    Zoe said, looking Jay straight in the eye, ¡°I think I really liked Bob and even envisioned a future with


    him.¡±


    She could see the displeasure in his eyes, but he had to restrain himself.


    She never had the ability to make him jealous before, while he could leave her drowning with envy if


    she really wanted to pick up every old grudge she had against him.


    Now, it was finally time to let Jay have a taste of his own medicine.


    Zoe said faintly then. ¡°But it didn¡¯t feel like love.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    As Jay watched Zoe in turn, he could tell that there was guilt in her smile.


    After all, she felt sorry toward Bob because she did not really have romantic feelings for him.


    Even if they broke up because of what Bob¡¯s mom did, she never managed to repay Bob for all the


    things he did for her.


    Their rtionship was unfair from the start.


    Staring fixedly at Jay then, she said, ¡°That¡¯s why, in the truest sense of the term¡­ I only loved one


    person in my life. But he was so far beyond my reach, I had to keep telling myself that I could live well


    without him, that one day I would realize he wasn¡¯t my one true love.¡±


    Jay returned her gaze.


    He used to be content with being the only man she had been with.


    Now, however, she realized that being physically chaste mattered less than being emotionally loyal.


    He did not have the words to describe how he felt just then, though he was eager to praise any deity


    that possibly exists and governs destiny.


    He had never been this d even after he cheated death with that ident, nor had he ever felt the


    world was this warm.


    He took Zoe¡¯s hand and held it firmly.


    He was over everything now, and he would stay with her even if it killed him.


    Zoe smiled in turn, quietly watching as Jay squeezed her hand.


    Her hand was shaking a little and a little warm.


    She could really feel his excitement and thought then that this was enough.


    She would let bygones be bygones-maybe she had not been perfect before and did not deserve Jay¡¯s


    unreserved affection.


    But now, she could feel how much Jay cherished her. And that was enough.

 Chapter 1027

    Chapter 1027


    Chapter 1027


    Jay looked at Zoe in turn and said solemnly, ¡°Me too. You¡¯re the only one I ever loved.¡±


    The love in his eyes was all too obvious.


    ¡°Then¡­ Have you never loved anyone else before?¡±


    It was not as if Zoe doubted Jay-in fact, she was dead sure that he loved her, at least now.


    But was he really abstinent before too? Did he really only fall in love at this age?!


    ¡°Be it in the past or the present, the only one I love is-¡°


    Jay was suddenly cut off by the resounding ring of his phone.


    Zoe frowned.


    The mood between them was just perfect! Who could have such poor timing to interrupt them right


    now?!


    She was predicting that things would get even more spicier than before tonight and was naturally a little


    disgruntled.


    Still, Jay answered his phone after hesitating for a moment-it was Ruby Jones, producer of Journey of


    Love.


    And they were in showbiz, so courtesy was necessary.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Jones.¡± Jay greeted Ruby politely.


    ¡°Are you still in the hospital right now, Mr. Parker?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡±


    ¡°How is Zoe doing?¡± Ruby asked in concern before apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry that we allowed such


    an ident to happen. I was going to visit personally, but I¡¯m a little preupied at the moment.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mostly fine here. Thanks for your concern, Ms. Jones. Well be returning to North City tomorrow


    if there are no further issues tonight,¡± Jay said tactfully in return.


    No one would have expected an ident like that anyway, not to mention that the production crew


    handled things the best they could, reimbursed them, and apologized sincerely.


    ¡°I see. Also¡­¡±


    Ruby suddenly trailed off, clearly having more to say.


    Jay was not that sociable despite the years he spent in showbiz, but he got the idea. ¡°Is there anything


    else that needs my attention, Ms. Jones?¡±


    Ruby could not help speaking up then. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have told you so soon with regards to Zoe¡¯s health,


    but I have a feeling that the fallout in this case takes precedent¡­ which is why I need confirmation from


    your side.¡±


    Jay¡¯s was obviously solemn in turn.


    Ruby definitely would not have let anything else slip during a moment like this. Anyone who reached


    her status had to be savvy, to prioritize between one matter and the other.


    In other words, they were looking at something very serious.


    Zoe was surprised to see Jay reacting like that-he was only ever solemn when it was something


    terrible.


    ¡°Someone just tipped the media that you only married Zoe recently and that your daughter is


    illegitimate.¡±


    Jay scowled right then and put the call on loudspeaker while tapping into a news app.


    The first headline immediately caught his notice: [Shocking Revtions! The Truth Behind Jay Parker


    and Zoe York¡¯s Hidden Marriage, and the True Identity of Zoe¡¯s Daughter!]


    The article summarized his rtionship with Zoe, iming that Zoe was ousted from showbiz instead of


    marrying him-that she was canceled because she provoked a bigwig in showbiz.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She would not have disappeared sopletely otherwise, and most importantly, her previous works


    would not have been taken off the shelves either!


    The article also stated that he had undergone treatment alone abroad four years ago following a


    serious ident-and that Zoe was not at his side- which called into question if Zoe¡¯s daughter was


    actually his!

 Chapter 1028

    Chapter 1028


    Chapter 1028


    There were also videos and photos of Jay abroad receiving treatment, all of them evidence indicating


    Zoe was not with him at the time-that they were lying to everyone.


    Naturally, they were med soon after the news was leaked.


    [My god! Is this real?! Unbelievable¡­ I shipped them so much, but it¡¯s all lies!]


    [This is disgusting if it¡¯s true! They are treating us like idiots, deceiving us like this!]


    [Well, what¡¯s their rtionship, really? And who¡¯s the father?]


    [I even heard that they are doing a variety show together, that they were being sweet. Is that all fake


    too?]


    Both Jay and Zoe were scowling harder by the second as they scrolled through the radicalments.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be direct, Mr. Parker. I¡¯m sure you know better than I do, since I¡¯m sure you know better than I do


    that anything can happen in showbiz,¡± Ruby said, having given Jay enough time to check the news.


    ¡¯Of course. Tell me.¡± Jay remained calm andposed.


    Zoe, who was on the verge of screaming, was actually impressed Jay could remain this cool-headed.


    ¡¯Your marriage with Ms. York has always been your private affair, and no one has the right to pry in.


    However, the theme of our variety show is romance, and a rtionship scandal will deal a significant


    blow to our ratings¡ªin other words, if everything they say was proven true, we might really have to


    rescind your participation as a couple.¡±


    Jay remained silent, refraining from responding right away.


    Ruby in turn added, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re able to resolve the entire issue on your own, we¡¯ll be pleased


    to keep you as a guest.¡±


    In other words, she would not rescind their spots as guests even if their rtionship was faked-as long


    as the public believed it.


    She was a businesswoman, and like all business people, they only ever saw value.


    In that sense, truth did not matter.


    As such, Jay told her, ¡¯ Ms. Jones, the only assurance I can offer right now is that I¡¯ll resolve the


    scandal between myself and Zoe right away. I can¡¯t promise that things will go smoothly, and should we


    be unable to resolve the entire issue, Zoe and I will relinquish our spots as guests to Journey of Love,


    as well as issue formal apologies and pay any required damages. If we do well, however, it will be your


    decision if we may continue as guests.¡±


    Jay¡¯s attitude was earnest, which improved Ruby¡¯s impression toward him.


    ¡°In that case, you have my best wishes, Mr. Parker,¡± she replied. ¡°I can admit that I do see a market


    value in your marriage with Ms. York, but personally, your assurance does convince me that I can


    extend our partnership beyond.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Ms. Jones.¡±


    ¡°Well, speaking further with you now would only dy things for you and Zoe. I¡¯m unable to offer you


    direct support here, but whatever the oue may be, we wont be demandingpensation. We¡¯ll


    still be paying you ording to the recorded hours you¡¯ve worked on our program as well.¡±


    Ruby¡¯s courtesy had certainly extended beyond the phase of what was necessary.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jay did not dwell on it further either. ¡°We shall discuss further detailster.¡±


    ¡°Good luck.¡±


    As Jay hung up, he looked up to find Zoe flushed with rage, and she was only getting further infuriated


    the morements she read.


    At first, theizens werementing fairly, but now they were going straight for personal attacks.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Truly, no one would know how terrible cyberviolence could be until they got on the receiving end.


    ¡¯It¡¯s alright.¡± Jay suddenly shed Zoe a smile, patting her head and saying mildly, ¡¯You have me.¡±

 Chapter 1029

    Chapter 1029


    Chapter 1029


    ¡® Are you really not worried at all?¡± Zoe asked Jay. ¡°I mean, we really did lie to the public, and that¡¯s


    going to stick! Our careers will suffer from this permanently¡­¡±


    Zoe was seized with further panic the more she spoke, especially since she was the reason for all this.


    If it was not to save her reputation. Jay would never have publicly announced their marriage.


    And now, she was dragging him down with her.


    She was fine with anything that came her way, but Jay would now suffer with her¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can handle this,¡± Jay said, even giving her an assuring look just then.


    ¡°But¡­¡¯


    ¡°Just rest. I¡¯ll make some calls, set up an arrangement.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping it from me?¡±


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Just didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already worried.¡± Zoe huffed. ¡°The more you tell me not to, the more I¡¯m panicking here.¡±


    ¡°Be good now,¡± Jay said, patting her head. ¡°Believe in your husband- believe that he can protect you.¡¯


    Zoe felt a warm sensation unfurl over her chest-the words ¡®husband¡¯ and ¡® protect¡¯ suddenly granted


    her a sense offort.


    With that, Jay wheeled himself out of her ward and headed straight inside Cora¡¯s ward.


    The air between Cora and Bob was still stiff and tense, and neither were speaking.


    Still, Bob was actually surprised to see Jay enter, but before he could speak, Jay¡¯s expression turned


    cool and his tone icy. ¡°I thought you¡¯d understand propriety, Cora.¡±


    Cora was left biting her lip-she naturally knew what Jay was talking about, but she did not want to admit


    it.


    ¡¯Has anyone treated you harshly ever since you were brought back to Levine Manor?¡± Jay asked.


    Cora remained silent.


    ¡°Has everything I have done for you to make up for all that you missed gone to waste?¡± Jay pressed,


    his tone bing a little threatening just then.


    Cora lowered her head guiltily but stayed silent.


    ¡¯In fact, have you forgotten everything your grandfather told you before you died?¡± Jay¡¯s expression


    turned even darker right then.


    Bob could see that Cora was left tearful by Jay¡¯s words, and he could not help saying, ¡°Look, Jay, Cora


    was being a little impulsive, but what you said was a little harsh too. I¡¯ll apologize to you for the conflict


    between us, and I¡¯ll apologize to Zoeter. But you should really stop.¡±


    Even if he had no romantic feelings for Cora, he was still her boyfriend and could not bear to see her


    suffer so much.


    It seems that he had idea what just happened, even presuming that Cora had provoked Jay when she


    stormed into Zoe¡¯s ward.


    Jay did not answer Bob, however, and instead cut straight to the point.¡± You¡¯re the one who leaked it to


    the media, aren¡¯t you? That Zoe and I weren¡¯t married three years ago?!¡±


    Cora¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 1030

    Chapter 1030


    Chapter 1030


    Cora was biting her lip.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Yes, she was the one who leaked the news.


    To be precise, she had asked her mother to do it.


    She had lost her head when she returned to her ward and texted her mother endlessly, saying things


    like Zoe had stolen twenty years of her life and was now messing around with Bob. She insisted that


    Zoe was intent on messing with her and had every intention to make her life miserable!


    For Nancy¡¯s part, she already owed Cora a lot, and Zoe was the symbol of her humiliation. In fact, she


    already had trouble abiding with Zoe¡¯s presence before, but she never made a move as she was


    worried about provoking Jay.


    But once Cora ranted to her over the phone, all hell broke loose.


    It took just ten minutes for the bombshell about Jay and Zoe¡¯s marriage to reach news headlines.


    Be that as it may, Cora was now afraid after causing such a huge mess.


    In fact, she had no idea why she was scared of Jay, but she always had been cowed by him.


    Maybe because Jay helped her on her rise to stardom, or perhaps she actually knew where Jay¡¯s


    strength lies, she earnestly admired and respected him, which was why she always tiptoed around him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Bob asked Jay in disbelief.


    He knew that Cora could get jealous, even narrow-minded.


    However, he believed it was understandable for Cora to feel inferior and insecure. After all, she was


    only brought back to Levine Manor when she was past twenty and did not actually grow up in high


    society.


    It did not cross his mind that Cora would actually do something so petty.


    ¡°Read the news yourself,¡± Jay told Bob since he did not have the time for him, and he continued to


    snap at Cora. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can still forgive you and your mother now, and this is way beyond the


    limits of my tolerance. You two can do whatever you want now, I don¡¯t care.¡±


    And with those words, he turned to leave.


    He did not actuallye to throw a fit, nor did hee to demand that they rescind the leak-no one


    could be nice when they were in such a terrible mood.


    In fact, he was neither showing weakness at all nor asking for their help.


    If anything, all he came to do was to tell them that he was cutting ties with them.


    As such, Cora started to panic and quickly called Nancy after Jay left, on the verge of tears even as


    she told her, ¡°Mom! Uncle Jay just came and told me he¡¯s never forgiving us!¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what he wants, fine!¡±


    Nancy was certainly not afraid¡ªshe had been proud and spoiled since she was raised in Levine Manor


    as a child. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t care about his own family, I have no reason topromise my principles


    either.¡¯


    ¡°But I¡¯m only in showbiz thanks to Uncle Jay. I¡¯m worried¡­¡±


    ¡°You just have to give up on showbiz at worst. We have all the money tost you the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s my ambition to be a performer, Mom. I really like acting¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter. Also, why worry? Jay is not all-powerful, and I can cover for you whatever it


    is. I¡¯d never let Zoe York bully you, but I must tell you, don¡¯t break up with Bob. He¡¯s a good man, and


    I¡¯m a good judge of character.¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t love me¡­¡¯


    ¡°Feelings can be nurtured, and that can wait until after you marry him. Also, Zoe will be too busy with


    Jay, so Bob will never be with her. Don¡¯t get paranoid about it.¡¯


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Your health matters too, and you need to heal after that dog bit you.


    Anything else can wait until youe back.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cora calmed down after calling Nancy, only to sense an icy re leveled at her.


    She turned to find Bob ring at her, his expression ice-cold.


    ¡®Why did you do this?!¡± he demanded, his words slow and severe. ¡°This was between us. Why did you


    have to get others involved?! Zoe never offended you, so why did you do this to her?!¡¯


    ¡°She never offended me?!¡± Cora bellowed thunderously. ¡°She told twenty years of my life, and she¡¯s


    also obsessing over my fiance! She¡¯s the one person who¡¯s offended me the most in the entire world!¡±

 Chapter 1031

    Chapter 1031


    Chapter 1031


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Bob was apoplectic. ¡°Yes, she stole twenty years of your life, but have you considered that you did the


    same to her too?! And she never hated you for it!¡±


    ¡°So what?!¡± Cora retorted. ¡¯¡¯She enjoyed all the luxuries of Levine Manor and had the best education,


    while I suffered out there! What right does she have to hate me?!¡±


    ¡°You like to think so, don¡¯t you?¡± Bob snapped, arguing furiously and not caring about humiliating Cora


    just then. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as you put it-she enjoyed all those luxuries in life and would still be the heiress of


    the Levine family if you never showed up. She would still be high-and-mighty, enjoying life without a


    care, but because you showed up, she lost everything from her wealth to her family! Ask your


    conscience, wouldn¡¯t you feel hate if you were in her shoes?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still my fiance, Bob!¡¯ Cora cried hysterically. ¡°How could you say such things to me?! I¡¯m the


    one who suffered-why are you still siding with Zoe?!¡±


    ¡°From where I¡¯m standing, you never suffered. No¡ªyou¡¯re demanding a mile now that you had an


    inch.¡±


    Bob was done with pretending then-he would never forgive Cora for what she had done today.¡°That¡¯s


    my fault?!¡± Cora snapped, continuing to argue for herself regardless. ¡°Have you considered that Zoe


    would never have appeared in your life if she never stole my ce?! You¡¯d never have fallen for her, let


    alone argue for her!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Bob growled coolly. ¡°I would never have been with you if not for Zoe.¡±


    Cora was left gaping at Bob in disbelief.novelebook


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°I only agreed to date you to protect Zoe,¡± Bob said,ing clean right then. ¡°I did it so that Zoe didn¡¯t


    have to feel guilty, and it¡¯s for Zoe¡¯s sake that I even looked your way!¡±


    Cora froze right then, suddenly unable to recognize Bob just then.


    ¡°I may have wronged you in some ways, Cora, but Zoe never did!¡± Bob continued with icy indifference.


    ¡°You cansh out at me and hate me, but you never should¡¯ve taken your frustrations out on Zoe. For


    that, I¡¯m breaking up with you.¡±


    ¡°Bob! We¡¯re getting married soon! How could you break up with me over something so trivial?!¡¯nv?lx.o


    Cora was absolutely overwhelmed.


    All she did was give in to her indignation once andsh out at Zoe, and everyone was immediately at


    her throat!


    Jay, Bob¡­ they were all the same!


    Why was she not allowed to hit back at Zoe, and when Zoe was clearly threatening her?!


    Nheless, Bob snorted. ¡°Anything that concerns Zoe isn¡¯t trivial.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Scumbag!¡± Cora bellowed. ¡°Why did you toy with my feelings if you never loved me?! Why did


    you even date me?!¡¯


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m scum, soe after me-l can take anything you dish out,¡± Bob growled slowly but clearly. ¡®But


    if you go after Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°What? What¡¯d you do about it?!¡± Cora shrieked, her emotions already spiraling beyond control just


    then.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll retaliate with equal measure.¡±


    Cora began to shed pearl-sized tears.


    She just could not understand¡ªshe worked so hard to improve herself and earn their favor, only to lose


    to Zoe!


    Why were they doing this to her? Why would they go so far for Zoe?


    That was when she watched Bob spring to his feet and head out of her ward, and she promptly called


    out to him in panic, ¡°Where are you going, Bob?!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up, so there¡¯s no reason for me to stay in the same room with you.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m not breaking up with you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your own business,¡± Bob replied,pletely unmoved.


    ¡°Do you think you get to have a say? Would your parents agree to it?! Don¡¯t forget, Bob, our


    engagement is agreed between our parents¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Bob growled icily. ¡°It was just apromise. As long as it¡¯s not with Zoe, any rtionship I have


    is apromise.¡±


    ¡°Bob!¡±


    Bob refused to say another word and left the room right then, while Cora watched him go, her tears


    blurring her vision.


    She really loved Bob, and this felt like her heart was ripped in two.


    She had fallen for him at first sight, and her feelings for him only grew further after they confirmed their


    rtionship.


    And yet, he was now breaking up with her even though they were supposed to get married soon!


    How could she ept this?!

 Chapter 1032

    Chapter 1032


    Chapter 1032


    Cora could not ept reality at all and was still yelling after Bob maniacally to justify herself. ¡°I never


    did anything wrong! Zoe owes me that much! But now, every single one of you is hurting me!¡±


    Yes.


    She was not at fault.


    They were all at fault!


    Even so, Bob seemed not to hear her hysterics and left without looking back.


    Cora bit her lip.


    No.


    She had no regrets!


    She refused to regret what she did today! Never!


    After leaving Cora¡¯s ward. Jay had headed to a quiet corner in the hospital, making arrangements in an


    orderly manner.


    Bob quietly walked up to Jay and waited in silence as he stood beside Jay.


    After around half an hour, Jay finally hung up and turned to Bob.


    As the men traded nces, Bob spoke first. ¡°Sorry. I was the one who brought this on Zoe.¡±


    Jay shook a head-this was not Bob¡¯s fault at all.


    It was Cora, who never once relinquished the darkness guing her heart.


    He thought she could slowly change with everything he had done for her, but it turned out to be just his


    wishful thinking.


    ¡® Don¡¯t worry, I can handle this. Zoe won¡¯t suffer for it,¡± Jay said, giving nothing but his promise.nv?lx.o


    Bob smiled, a little wistful.


    He handed Jay a cigarette, who took it after some hesitation, and they headed to the smoking area.


    In the room where smoke swirled. Bob said a little wearily, ¡°Urgh, the irony.¡±


    As Jay frowned, Bob took a deep puff of his cigarette and said, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m hoping that you could keep


    Zoe safe from grief and resolve any crisis she faced instantly. On the other hand, I was also hoping


    you¡¯re not that all- powerful, so that I have reason to go up to Zoe to snap at your ipetence and


    vent my dissatisfaction.¡±novel.ebook


    His smile was as lonely as it was miserable.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay, however, was perhaps the only one who could empathize with Bob- he used to feel the way Bob


    felt now, after all.


    pping a hand on Bob¡¯s shoulder, he could only say, ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You cunning b*st*rd.¡± Bob chuckled to hide the misery in his heart just then, pping Jay¡¯s shoulder in


    return and sighing heavily. ¡°I would¡¯ve beaten you up if you didn¡¯t thank me for that. I¡¯m counting on you


    to watch over Zoe now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded. ¡°So, where are you going now?¡±


    Bob had already snuffed out his cigarette and turned to leave. ¡°I¡¯m going for a stroll to clear my head,


    or I¡¯d end up as vile as Cora.¡±


    ¡®No,¡¯ Jay thought. ¡®You never will.

 Chapter 1033

    Chapter 1033


    Chapter 1033


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jay returned to Zoe¡¯s ward, where she kept browsing through the news.


    She would be lying if she was not upset, though it surprised her that she was even more upset seeing


    thements me Jay more than they med her.


    As such. Jay found her cheeks flushed crimson as soon as she entered, looking like she was ready to


    fight someone at any moment.


    He could not help chuckling just then, though Zoe noticed him just then.


    She was speechless to see him smiling and looking so good at that. ¡°How could you still smile now,


    Jay?! The ground is shrinking beneath our feet!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d still have enough money tost both of us.¡± Jay grinned adoringly.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have a solution?¡± Zoe stared at him just then, feeling very much hysterical.


    Did she want money?


    Yes, she certainly did.


    But more than that, she wanted both money and faith!


    She was endlessly greedy that way.


    ¡°I do. We have a press conference scheduled for 2 PM tomorrow, though I don¡¯t know what mighte


    of it.¡± Jay told her about his arrangement.


    ¡°And what are we going to say? Apologize? Don¡¯t we have to prepare our scripts? Do we have one?


    Should I cry?¡± Zoe asked in agitation.


    Jay simply smiled in amusement. ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do anything. Just dress pretty for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Dress pretty?!¡± Zoe was speechless. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be acting miserable to win


    sympathy?¡±novel.ebook


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Jay said slowly and definitively. ¡°You just have to be yourself when you¡¯re with me.


    There¡¯s no need to curry anyone else¡¯s favor.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    There were obviously plenty of things to worry about, and she clearly did not want everything to fall


    apart.


    But for some reason, Jay¡¯s words seemed like an oath, and she felt moved right then.


    She just felt like she could walk with him even to the darkest abyss right then.


    The next day, Zoe was discharged after further examination came up with no issues.


    However, she had just stepped out of the entrance with Jay when they ran into Cora.


    She was getting discharged too, and Nancy was with her instead of Bob.


    Despite the suddenness of the encounter, Nancy began, ¡°Jay¡­¡±


    Jay simply pulled Zoe along as he limped off on his cane and got into his car right away.nv?lx.o


    Nancy was left glowering-Jay really was getting full of himself, even belittling her just for Zoe!


    On the other hand, as Cora watched Jay and Zoe leave, she was less angry than she was afraid.


    She had to admit that her guilty feelings kept growingst night, as if she really provoked Jay-a bigwig


    who would make her suffer perpetually from now on.


    Moreover, Bob never answered any of her texts although she had been sending him a ton, until he


    eventually turned off his phone.


    She really felt that she had lost everything just then.


    She said gingerly then, ¡°Mom, maybe we really shouldn¡¯t have messed with Uncle Jay¡­¡±


    ¡°He messed with us first!¡± Nancy snorted, nonchnt. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t care about his own family, we don¡¯t


    have to feel guilty either.¡±


    Cora had more to say, but Nancy already dragged her into their car.


    In Jay¡¯s car, Zoe turned to nce at Nancy and Cora, realizing just then that her feelings for Nancy had


    dulled after so many years had passed.

 Chapter 1034

    Chapter 1034


    Chapter 1034


    Zoe turned to look at Jay to see the nonchnt look on his face and could not help asking, ¡°You¡¯re


    really not afraid that Nancy is upset, are you?¡±


    Jay turned to look at her. ¡°Are you?¡±


    Zoe shook her head and said tly, ¡°I used to care before, but I think I¡¯m over it now.¡±


    ¡°So why should I be afraid?¡± Jay asked her with a smile.


    The way he put it¡­ it was as if he would worry if she did and would not if she did not.


    But had he not been reliant on the Levines for years?


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even if the Levines were no longer involved inmerce, their wealth and estate was immeasurable,


    and no one would challenge them for no reason. Naturally, Jay had gathered enough influence to


    himself by now, so the Levines could not do anything to him.


    Zoe just did not peg Jay for being such an ingrate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry over nothing,¡± Jay said then, patting her head. ¡°I never owed the Levines.¡±


    He could read her mind as usual, though Zoe was pursing her lips.


    She certainly did not want Jay to ignore his conscience for her sake or be condemned as an ingrate,


    since the Levines had been good to him.


    Nheless, they had returned to North City by 11 AM, and Jay even brought in a makeup artist for


    Zoe.novel.ebook


    She really had no idea what she was up to-would everyone not be further outraged the prettier she


    looked right now?


    Still, she did not reject it, since Jay might prefer lookers.


    Either way, she trusted him unconditionally, and at worst, they would both be med-her heart was


    stout enough to take that much.


    At 2 PM, Jay and Zoe appeared punctually at the venue of the press conference, and both were


    dressed grandly for the asion.


    That, and their exuberant appearance, left most of the journalists present surprised.


    The press conference was being streamed live on the inte as well, with countlessizens breaking


    out their popcorn.


    They were already in a frenzy to see the couple dressed grandly.


    [What the hell?! They¡¯re getting canceled, but they are still dressing up like that?! Do they feel no


    shame?!]nv?lx.o


    [Unforgivable! No matter what they say!]


    [This is disrespectful! I¡¯ve been having trouble eating and sleeping because their ship might sink, but


    they¡¯re acting like it doesn¡¯t hurt them! It¡¯s disgusting!]


    [Whatever they say, I¡¯m not believing them!]


    [I heard they were filming a romance variety show. I¡¯ll say it outrightboycott it if they keep those two!]


    [Boycott everything they are in!]


    Theizens were certainly being lively, just as the venue was getting noisy.


    ¡°Mr. Parker, you have been revealed to be lying about your secret marriage with Ms. York. What do you


    have to say about that?¡±


    ¡°Are you dressed grandly to dere to the inte that neither of you care about theizens¡¯


    skepticism towards your rtionship?¡±


    Mr. Parker, are both of you here to tell everyone with that getup that public opinion does not matter to


    you?¡±


    ¡°Is your marriage hidden, shotgun, or coerced?¡±


    The journalists¡¯ barrage of questions was starting to overwhelm Zoe, since she had never suffered


    such harassment from the press before.


    When she was canceled earlier, she basically disappeared without a trace and without a chance to face


    the press.


    She could not help turning toward Jay.


    She had no idea when it started, but Jay had be her refuge.


    a

 Chapter 1035

    Chapter 1035


    Chapter 1035


    Jay¡¯s eyes were obviously leveled at the journalists before them, but he also reached out to her right


    then and gave her hand a squeeze.


    His hand was so obviously warm, and Zoe suddenly rxed considerably in an instant-not because


    Jay offered her a sense of security, or that she was convinced Jay could handle this perfectly, but she


    just felt that she could take it, however things would turn out.


    As long as Jay was at her side, even an apocalypse did not seem that serious.


    Well, she did not even mind admitting now that she had fallen in love with Jay again, to the point that


    she lost her sense of self.


    He had hurt her so grievously, and she swore never to love him again.


    And yet, once he changed, all her defenses were broken down.


    Honestly, Jay was going to ruin her life. If the day came when he suddenly stopped loving her, she had


    only her own bad luck to me.


    But now, she could not care less-she wanted to run the distance with him.


    And so she could not help squeezing Jay¡¯s hand in turn at that very moment, a gesture to tell him that


    she trusted him.


    Jay¡¯s lips curled up into a smile, and he slowly said, ¡°If everyone can settle down for a moment. Neither


    Zoe nor myself can speak if you keep barraging us endlessly.¡±nv?lx.o


    At those words, the room turned quiet.


    With that, Jay continued, ¡°Zoe and I havee to issue a direct response regarding a recent leak. We


    will answer all questions concerned, but before that, I must exin the specific circumstances of our


    marriage. And for that, I must call for calm.¡±novel.ebook


    The room became even more silent at his words-even the overexcited journalists had to stop


    themselves from saying what was on the tip of their tongue and wait forthem to speak.


    Jay inhaled deeply and said, ¡°The information of the leaks are true.¡±


    The room erupted into an uproar, and the journalists were eager to pester him with questions.


    Nheless, Jay continued without giving the journalists time to speak.¡± Yes, Zoe and I were not


    married in secret years ago-we were recently married. I will admit to deceiving the public in this


    because I wanted to protect Zoe¡­ or, to be precise, this was the only way I had to bring Zoe back to


    my side.¡±


    That was too much information to digest.


    It was not just the journalists-even Zoe did not fully understand what just happened.


    Theizens watching the livestream were stunned too, and thements that came in endlessly


    seemed to pause right then and stayed nk for a while.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve loved Zoe for years,¡± Jay exined. ¡°However, we couldn¡¯t be together because there had been


    too many misunderstandings between us. I would rather not have wasted the public¡¯s time on our


    personal affairs, but since everyone is interested, I shall reveal everything in my past and enlighten Zoe


    about it too.¡±


    With that, he turned toward Zoe.

 Chapter 1036

    Chapter 1036


    Chapter 1036


    Zoe looked at Jay in turn, her heart racing for some reason.


    She began to tense up, as she suddenly had this feeling that Jay had been hiding a lot from her.


    She just had no idea what it was¡­


    Jay turned back toward the journalists then.


    They had been getting restless again a moment ago but were once again tame like a puppy, even


    keeping their breaths silent as if worried that Jay would stop talking if they disturbed him.


    He certainly had everyone on tenterhooks, but the man himself remained calm and unhurried.


    He said, ¡°As everyone would be aware, I was adopted into the Levine family by n Levine. However,


    the truth is¡­¡±


    Jay gulped.


    It was a very well-hidden secret that only n and his biological mother knew, but he eventually found


    out.


    The ever-intelligent John found outter as well, and eventually the whole family.


    And now, the entire nation would as well¡­


    Even so, Jay¡¯s voice remained even. ¡°I am n Levine¡¯s illegitimate son.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    All the journalists present eximed in shock, while Zoe was obviously stunned as well.


    She was left staring at Jay in disbelief-it never crossed her mind that Jay was actually n¡¯s own son


    and not adopted!


    She had always presumed that Jay tiptoed around everyone in the Levine family because he was


    adopted. She just did not expect Jay to be n¡¯s own son while she was really the one who had no


    biological rtions to that family!


    She suddenly remembered how she always mocked Jay for being the Levines¡¯pdog¡­


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Oh, the disgrace!novel.ebook


    Nheless, Jay remained calm andposed. ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone is curious why I would suddenly


    reveal this secret. After all, everyone kept for over thirty years, and it¡¯s unnecessary at this point! Don¡¯t


    worry, I¡¯m not trying to drown out my own scandal with this secret-however, this secret is the reason


    why a rtionship started budding between myself and Zoe.¡±


    The journalists quieted down again, seemingly infected by Jay¡¯sposure.


    ¡°Now that I mentioned it, the tales one could uncover from Levine Manor are legendary. I always


    thought myself adopted, while Zoe was n¡¯s granddaughter, rted by blood. The tables have really


    turned since then¡­¡±


    Jay chuckled as he said that-fate was not without its irony.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± One journalist stopped him. ¡°Zoe York was n Levine¡¯s granddaughter? Don¡¯t you mean


    Cora Levine?!¡±nv?lx.o


    ¡°Yes. Zoe used to be n¡¯s granddaughter, but it¡¯s now Cora,¡± Jay said bluntly. ¡°Everyone in the Levine


    family certainly believed Zoe to be part of the family until Cora showed up, and the truth was unveiled.


    If I may ask, would anyone here disagree that Zoe bears a strong resemnce to Cora?¡±


    The journalists started to whisper among each other in discussion.


    The press had certainlymented how Cora resembled Zoe when Cora rose to stardom in showbiz,


    seemingly appearing out of nowhere.


    However, such articles or content would immediately disappear soon after they were published. Also,


    since Cora¡¯s career was rising to new heights every other week while Zoe disappeared from showbiz


    entirely, no one mentioned that ever again.


    ¡® It¡¯s a saying that what happens in the family stays in the family¡­ but if they hurt those who matter


    most to me, I won¡¯t hold back either.¡± Jay¡¯s expression turned grim as he spoke bluntly. ¡°And the truth


    is, Zoe and Cora share the same father but have different mothers-lvan York had a daughter with


    another woman who wanted revenge against him and switched Zoe and Cora while they were still


    infants since they were born at almost the same time.¡±


    ¡°In other words, Nancy Levine raised Zoe in Levine Manor for twenty-five years until an ident


    revealed her true identity and Zoe was forced out of the family. That was the same day Zoe suddenly


    disappeared from showbiz, and every creative work she was involved in had in turn been taken off the


    shelves.¡±


    ¡°Only the Levine family is capable of that¡­ At the time, that is!¡±

 Chapter 1037

    Chapter 1037


    Chapter 1037


    The journalists were left in an uproar again-no one could resist discussing the bombshells Jay was


    dropping!


    ¡°My goodness¡­ I thought it¡¯s already shocking that Jay is n Levine¡¯s illegitimate son¡­ but Zoe


    used to be the Levines¡¯ heiress too?!¡±


    ¡°Why wasn¡¯t there anyone who told us about Zoe¡¯s identity before?¡±


    ¡°Now that Jay has mentioned it, it was weird how Zoe seemed to disappear into thin air back then. How


    could someone vanish from showbiz sopletely? Was it really revenge from the Levines?!¡¯


    ¡°I remember an article mentioning Zoe¡¯s appearance in front of Levine Manor, but no one seemed to


    care because Jay announced that he was dating Mandy Jessop soon after¡­¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, right, Jay used to date Mandy Jessop¡­ I¡¯m confused.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all soplicated! This has to be the greatest bombshell in showbiz, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The journalists were all eagerly and noisily discussing the piece of news, since there were just so many


    questions. Even they would lose their minds if Jay did not exin everything down to thest detail, let


    alone theizens.


    In fact, thement section was slowing down again, although some of them were stillmenting:


    [¡­]


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, everyone. I will exin everything,¡± Jay said, and the room was instantly silent again.


    With that, he said, ¡°In reality, Zoe and I had fallen in love with each other a long while ago. I certainly


    had no idea why she would, when I was always so cowed, quiet, and withdrawn.¡±


    ¡°She was wearing this pink princess gown when I first saw her, and her cheeks were a fair pink in


    contrast to her bright skin-she looked just like a porcin doll, and I thought she was as dazzling as the


    stars above when she smiled at me. I¡¯d just lost my mother at the time, but I found warmth from her and


    suddenly decided I could stay in Levine Manor even if it was filled with strangers. That was why I


    worked hard to please the Levines even though I was clumsy about it, because I feared the day they


    would get upset with me and chase me out.


    ¡°And as I spent more time with the Levines, I only got the growing sense that they were all


    extraordinary people-even the people around them.


    John Levine was the smartest boy I¡¯d ever met, and even his friends like Sam Saunders and Bob Davis


    were sharp and confident fortheir age. I certainly felt like they eclipsed me, and the inferiorityplex


    deep inside me always red whenever I watched them y with Zoe. That¡¯s why I worked even


    harder to do better for the family while improving myself, intent on bing as sessful as they


    were so I could y with Zoe too.


    ¡¯Fortunately, the Levines were kind to me and never spared any expense on my education, even


    respecting my opinions. One day, I inadvertently overheard Zoe stating her ambitions to be a star


    actress, so I enrolled in the film directing course of a film school so I could direct the films she was


    involved in¡­


    ¡°For the longest time, I discreetly nned a future with us, even if we had yet to tell each other how we


    felt. Even so, our interest with each other was gradually getting apparent as we grew older, and I could


    feel that it was the case for both of us.novel.ebook


    ¡¯I was waiting for Zoe to be eighteen to dere my love for her, but she beat me to it when she was


    seventeen¡­¡±


    Jay trailed off, her gaze a mixture of happiness and misery. ¡°She kissed me that night, and I kissed her


    back. Happiness came as sudden as natural like that, since I¡¯d already decided by then that she¡¯d be


    my better half-even if things came a little earlier than expected.nv?lx.o


    ¡°I always took that happiness for granted¡ªas if it was my right, which was why I felt as if the world


    ended for me when it was taken away. Because on that same night, n Levine sat me down and


    gave me the first serious talk he ever gave me: he told me that I was his biological son and not his


    adopted son, and that was why Zoe and I could never be together.¡±


    Jay¡¯s eyes welled with tears even as he said that, as if the blow remained in him even after so many


    years-it still hurt even now, when he remembered it.

 Chapter 1038

    Chapter 1038


    Chapter 1038


    Zoe felt as if her heart was stabbed just then too.


    She had always been convinced that Jay never loved her, that Jay was only being nice to her to win


    points with the Levines so that he could continue to live with them in wealth and mor.


    She never thought that Jay¡¯s obedience came from his desire to stay with her, even though he was


    always so withdrawn and aloof.


    Naturally, she had even less reason to expect that Jay had been rejecting her because he believed


    they were biologically rted.


    And he never told her¡­ because he was worried it would hurt her?


    It just might be true, because she would rather hate him than ept that a love between them was


    impossible!


    ¡°I used to doubt n,¡± Jay continued then. ¡°I was sure that he just didn¡¯t want me to be with Zoe since I


    was adopted andcking in status to marry her. That¡¯s why I had been sneaking off with his gic


    material to perform paternity tests, doing one after another until I finally gave up on hoping¡­ and


    became convinced that I was n¡¯s son and Zoe¡¯s uncle.¡±


    Zoe felt a pang of aching over her chest as she imagined Jay going to the DNA test center to do those


    tests.


    Was he staring at those papers, hiding in a quiet corner and sobbing to himself?


    On the other hand, all she did back then wasin and throw spiteful tantrums, thinking the worst


    of him.


    ¡°I never could tell Zoe that we were blood rted, because I myself took it so hard it almost destroyed


    me. I would never allow Zoe to suffer the


    same anguish I did, so all I told her was that I never loved her-that I was just being nice to her to earn


    the family¡¯s favor, that I feel no different


    toward her as I did the rest of them.¡±


    Zoe was in turn biting her lip in fear that she would lose control and start bawling in front of so many


    people.novel.ebook


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Jay Parker, you fool.¡¯


    How could he take everything upon his shoulders?


    Did he know how much she hated him over those years?!


    There were times when she wanted to just pick up a knife and stab him to death, and then kill herself.


    If he told her the truth, she might have taken it hard, or fallen apart¡­ but she would never have hated


    him! 1nv?lx.o


    ¡°Later, Zoe left the Levines to build a career for herself in showbiz. The Levine estate was vast at the


    time, but they have barely anyone to manage it. That was why they let her out on her own and never


    offered her any support in showbiz-it was an attempt to make things hard for her, so that she would


    give up on her dreams.¡±

 Chapter 1039

    Chapter 1039


    Chapter 1039


    Jay continued, ¡°That is why Zoe never revealed that she was a Levine no matter what trouble she got


    into over the years while being in showbiz. It was agreed that she would give up on her showbiz career


    if her identity was ever exposed¡­ Therefore, when a paparazzi took photos of me with her in front of


    Levine Manor, drawing spection of a potential affair, I publicly announced a rtionship with Mandy


    Jessop so that Zoe¡¯s showbiz career was kept from harm-so that Zoe did not have to forfeit her career


    she had so much passion for.¡±


    Zoe turned towards Jay in shock again, just like the rest of the journalists.


    So Jay dated Mandy back then¡­ for Zoe?


    No.


    One could say for sure now that everything Jay did, he did it for Zoe.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°However, when I was about to give in and ept that I could never be together with Zoe, then came a


    sudden dramatic turn of events-yes, it was when Zoe was revealed to be not Nancy Levine¡¯s daughter,


    which also meant we were not blood-rted. I had to admit that I was overjoyed when I found out


    about that, more than any sadness I had for her situation. I thought it was a gesture of benevolence


    from destiny itself, that fate was giving Zoe and myself a chance.


    ¡°However, Nancy was left infuriated with the truth about Zoe and went all out to destroy her in every


    way. Naturally, I didn¡¯t fear anything Nancy would do to Zoe or what the Levines would do to me if I


    chose to side with Zoe. Even so, I wanted to end things amicably with the Levines, and agreed with


    n Levine that I would only approach Zoe after a month. He was sure that I would do something rash,


    but that one month is all it took for me to miss out on Zoe again.¡±


    Zoe quietly listened to his story, her heart aching persistently as she did.


    She had always loathed Jay, presuming that he never loved her when he was going so far for her in


    secret, quietly enduring so much¡­


    At that very moment, she suddenly realized that he would have kept everything to himself and never


    said a word about it, even after all the pain he was put through, if not for the sudden malicious leak that


    scandalized them.


    In that case, she would never have found out how much he loved her.


    ¡°In that one month, Zoe started going out with a fine gentleman who handled many of the troubles


    guing her. He loved her too, and they were happy together. I wanted to sabotage that rtionship


    just because Zoe loved me first-because there were misunderstandings that prevented us from being


    together-but I ultimately stopped myself from actually doing it. I couldn¡¯t ignore the smile on her face at


    the time, and that prevented me from doing anything that would hurt her. Even if it broke my heart, I


    constantly told myself that anything goes as long as she was happy, that it was fine. Once again, I


    believed that Zoe and I would never be together, and my only hope was that she could be happy-that


    she could forget all about me and lead a good life.


    ¡°It was a wish granted, and I should ept it with dness, even if I missed out on my own happiness


    in turn.


    Jay¡¯s tone remained calm as ever, and all the journalists were listening in silence.


    They no longer erupted in uproars or got agitated, as if they were now capable of listening in silence to


    Jay¡¯s full ount of this tale between him and Zoe.

 Chapter 1040

    Chapter 1040


    Chapter 1040


    Jay then continued, ¡°Somehow, destiny granted me yet another boon-the fine gentleman was forced to


    break up with Zoe because of family reasons ¡­ or perhaps it would be more urate to say Zoe did


    not want him to be caught in a difficult situation, which would lead to him being disowned like she was.


    She decided to break up with him and used the excuse that she wasn¡¯t over me. I was certainly


    honored that I could be her love even for one night, to put up an act with her, so that the gentleman


    believed that we got back together.


    ¡°After the man left, Zoe offered her body to me as reward¡­ though it would be more urate to say


    that she just didn¡¯t want to owe me.¡±


    Jay blinked just then as if to recall the bliss of that night. ¡°I could tell that she was not actually willing,


    that she wanted to do it just to strengthen her resolve to leave the gentleman. Even so, that was the


    happiest night of my life.


    ¡® However, I had to leave before daybreak the next morning for a film, and Zoe was still sound asleep


    when I left. I couldn¡¯t bear waking her, so I left her a note to tell her to wait for me. My intention was to


    propose when I was done with work that day, and I would have refused to let go even if she refused-


    even if she did not love me anymore. I had my assistant buy a ring fit for her finger and a surprise


    proposal¡­ But I was rushing on my way back from the film set and met with an ident. I almost did


    not survive at the time when my car slid off a cliff.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s tears were welling in her eyes.


    She remembered how long she had been waiting for him that day, and she was actually not as


    disenchanted as she thought.


    She always believed that she did not love Jay that much anyway and would dly ept that he never


    returned.


    And yet, her heart was now numbed from the pain.


    If she had known Jay loved her so much that he almost died trying to propose to her, she would not


    have left at all.


    Nor would she have lied to herself that she no longer loved Jay, even if she probably would not hold out


    much hope for him, because she had been thoroughly every time she did before.nv?lx.o


    And in worse cases, she thought she could die.


    ¡°It was monthster when I finally regained consciousness. I was being treated abroad, and n


    Levine was there with me. He was the one who told me that my right leg was crippled.¡±


    Jay smiled faintly even as he continued his story, as if all those troubled times were past him. ¡°The only


    thought I had was that I no longer deserved Zoe, and I felt the same way I did when I first met her-that


    she was an angel I could never reach. However, while I could work hard during my younger days to


    bridge our distance, I am now permanently a cripple. I would never be whole again, no matter how hard


    I try.


    ¡°I therefore knew very well that I should never impose on her, but ultimately I could not stop myself from


    calling her number. I was always thinking: what if she was still waiting for me? What if? I should at least


    offer an exnation in that case. However, the only response I got was that her number was no longer


    in service, and I thought I had the answer. I used to hurt her so much, and even though I had no


    choice, she would never know that. To her, I¡¯d be the cruelest being there is, so why would she still love


    me?


    ¡°I therefore gave up and told myself that this was the best oue. I¡¯d never emotionally ckmail her


    to be with me-she made her choice, and I must respect her.¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1041

    Chapter 1041


    Chapter 1041


    Jay then continued in his attractive voice, ¡°Zoe disappeared from my life ever since. I never went


    looking for her, nor did shee back to me¡ªit seemed that we vanished from each other¡¯s lives after


    our most intimate moment.


    ¡°However, we met again on the production stage of Actors on Set, when she made her return to


    showbiz. I was as overjoyed as I felt stressed when I saw her, because I did not dare to reveal to her


    how I felt, in fear of her disgust. However, I underestimate her influence on me¡­ I couldn¡¯t stop myself


    from getting close to her, to keep looking at her. Even if I didn¡¯t want to impose on her life, my heart


    was gued with a crazed obsession to bring her back to my side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d always thought that destiny had been good to me, and I was offered light at the end of the tunnel


    because I met Yelena, this adorable girl on a certain day, who turned out to be Zoe¡¯s daughter. I was


    afraid to believe that she was my daughter, but I certainly desired to be her daddy. So, when Zoe was


    exposed to being raising a child, I went to her immediately.


    ¡°I was well aware of how much she cared about showbiz since she did not hold back from fighting her


    own family just fora shot to build a career all by herself. Therefore, I deceived her, saying that I would


    announce our secret marriage and that Yelena is our child if she stayed with me, which in turn would


    resolve her scandal. She agreed to it, and I married the woman of my dreams as I wished.¡±


    By now, the journalists present were left emotional from Jay¡¯s profound love.


    All the malice in the livements were gone as well, as everyizen was left astounded that Zoe


    and Jay could still be together even after years of trials and tribtions.


    It was as if they forgot they were there to ughter Zoe and Jay!


    On the other hand, Zoe was totally silent.


    All she could feel was the pain and warmth she could not ignore inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to speak further on the rest, since everyone would be aware of that. In short, I


    stopped at nothing to bring Zoe back to my side, even if it meant deceiving the world. As such, I


    solemnly apologize for the fans who showed Zoe and myself so much concern and I support. Even if I


    don¡¯t regret my actions, it was still unbing of a gentleman, and I dly ept all your criticism.¡±


    With those words, Jay rose from his chair, albeit with considerable difficulty.


    As everyone watched him, he bowed in apology, and the room was silent in return.


    It was likely that the journalists present had no idea how to respond to him just then.


    To criticize him, when his love was so admirable?


    Or not to criticize him, when he had deceived the public?


    Nheless, Zoe rose from her seat as well.


    Looking at Jay and then at the journalists, she said, ¡°If I had known Jay loved me so much, I never


    would have strayed an inch away from him.¡±


    It was her answer to his feelings.


    Jay was smiling in return.


    Despite their current PR crisis, Zoe¡¯s reaction was still more important to him than anyone else.


    After all, he did not answer to the world-only Zoe.


    ¡°I was furious when the leak hit the press, but now, I¡¯m thankful to them. If not for them, I would never


    have known how much Jay loved me, and I would always have kept misgivings in my heart, even if I


    would still love this man dearly¡­¡±


    Her tears finally trickled out of the corner of her eyes, after she kept them in for so long.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She really, really wanted to scold him right then.


    This fool.


    How did he survive all those years? How did he live with all that pain in his heart?!


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Zoe!¡± one of the journalists suddenly yelled. ¡°Whatever others may think, you and Mr.


    Parker have my support!¡±

 Chapter 1042

    Chapter 1042


    Chapter 1042


    The other journalists started to offer their support too, and all of them were soon moring to say their


    piece, while Jay held on firmly to Zoe¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Me too!¡¯


    ¡°A love this pure and beautiful is praiseworthy, not scandalous!¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone can understand why Mr. Parker would lie for Ms. York¡¯s sake before. This love is


    yours, and the rumors must stop here and now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you all.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that my greater purpose here is to dere my love for Zoe in front of everyone in the country.


    I¡¯m not good with words, and there are times I get so nervous around Zoe I can¡¯t say a thing. If not for


    this incident, I might have kept a lid on my feelings and never spoken up for the rest of my life.


    ¡°And now¡­¡±


    Jay turned toward Zoe then.


    He then saw that Zoe¡¯s eyes were red, her tears unstoppable.


    ¡¯Silly.¡¯


    He should be the one crying here.


    Still, he was genuinely rejoicing that she returned to his side.


    There were times when he would suddenly wake up in the night and wonder for a long while if


    everything he had now was just a dream.


    Was Zoe still right beside him, within reach?


    He had been so careful he would never breathe too loudly, worried that he would shatter the perfection


    of the present, to find out that everything was just an illusion.


    Even so, he now reached out with his long fingers to stroke Zoe¡¯s cheek, wiping away her tears as he


    murmured, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re breaking my heart. ¡ö


    Zoe did not want to cry.


    She never did like to show her misery to others, but she simply could not control herself at the moment.


    She really wanted to bawl at the thought of how Jay had suffered in silence.


    As a method actress, she certainly felt contempt that she had no restraint.


    She had this vague premonition that the hashtag #Zoethecrybaby would top search rankings soon


    enough.


    ¡°Alright. If you like it-if you desire it, it shall be done.¡± Jay smiled tenderly even though his tears were


    welling in his eyes too.


    Suddenly, he dropped down on both knees.


    ¡°Jay¡­¡± Zoe gasped in shock.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but my right leg¡¯s disabled so I can¡¯t drop down on one knee,¡± he exined. ¡¯I can only


    propose to you in this unseemly manner.¡±


    But it was not unseemly!


    His upright gait showed a man, unbroken and unbent-and he was obviously so handsome!


    Zoe¡¯s heart was pounding madly as Jay took a ring out of his wallet.


    ¡°I bought this engagement ring four years ago. There has been a considerable dy, but will you marry


    me?¡± Jay asked her.

 Chapter 1043

    Chapter 1043


    Chapter 1043


    Zoe was filled with deep pain.


    Why was Jay so nice?


    Why was he vehemently good?


    She hated him so much during those years. How did he suffer through that period?


    As a result, she cried profusely and vigorously, feeling greatly sorry for him.


    She wanted nothing but to give all her heart to him now, and she also wanted to tell him that she loved


    him very much and had always been in love with him.


    ¡°I do,¡± she said. She sobbed and said loudly, ¡°Jay, I do. I¡¯ll marry you!¡±


    Suddenly, there was thunderous apuse at the scene.


    At that moment, they seemed to have seen love in its most beautiful state.


    Thements were full of congrattions and blessings.


    [Congrattions! You made me cry.]


    [I came to scold them, but now¡­ you guys have to be happy forever!]


    [Jay is indeed a perfect man!]


    Atst, the screen was full of nothing but the samement. [Jay is a perfect man!]nv?lx.o


    With shaky hands, Jay put the ring on Zoe¡¯s ring finger.


    It was of the same size.


    Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    At that instant, Zoe burst into tears again.


    She recalled the day when Jay left. It was snowing hard. He eagerly dreamed of their happiness, but


    she resolutely turned away and left. A missed call ended their future of being with each other.


    If she could trust Jay more, it would be so much better.


    Jay got to his feet, and Zoe helped him up.


    They looked at each other with teary faces.


    They were once afraid to dream of being together for their whole lives, so they shed tears of joy when


    they finally possessed that happiness.


    They hugged each other tightly, and the apuse did not stop.


    After a long while, Jay let go of Zoe.


    Though he did not even want to let her go for even a second and wanted nothing but to make her a


    part of his so she would never leave him, he had a more important issue to resolve now.


    They returned to their seats respectively.


    Zoe was wiping her tears all that while, unable to stop crying, but she was in fact so happy now that


    she was over the moon.

 Chapter 1044

    Chapter 1044


    Chapter 1044


    However, she could not stop crying, seemingly having suddenly lost control of her tears.


    Jay was still holding Zoe¡¯s hand tightly with one hand. He then said to all the reporters, ¡°Other than


    revealing the love affair between Zoe and me to everyone today, I want to dere my stand here to the


    Levines.¡±


    Soon the atmosphere became solemn, with the reporters also looking at Jay with slight anxiety.


    Jay continued directly, saying, ¡°I wasn¡¯t willing to talk about this in the past. I was used to suffering in


    silence for many things, or to me, many things are not that important except Zoe, including my feelings


    or me. Most of the time, I led a life emotionlessly. But today, I want to make myself clear.


    ¡®Firstly, Zoe isn¡¯t at fault for being your daughter. You had no reason to shift all the humiliation that


    you¡¯ve suffered on Zoe. What¡¯s more, the things you¡¯ve done to Zoe these years were because of your


    selfishness and cruelty.


    ¡°Secondly, I tolerated you these years because of our family rtionship. I know that you¡¯re very nice to


    your family and rtives, and I¡¯m also very thankful for that. After you learned about my identity, you


    didn¡¯t hesitate much or refuse it before you epted me. But even so, I don¡¯t ept moral coercion.


    ¡°Thirdly, I love Zoe more than my life, so I prohibit anyone from bullying her again, including you! I won¡¯t


    ept any kind of threat from you. I can also tell you that I don¡¯t want any property of the Levine family.


    As for the rtionship between us as siblings, it¡¯s all in your hands. If you can¡¯t ept Zoe or even


    target her for the rest of your life, I¡¯ll harm you just to protect her!


    ¡®Lastly, I think I should remind you again. When Mr. n Levine died, he ordered you not to target Zoe


    again. Zoe did nothing wrong. By the way, let me tell you a secret. Before he died, he advised me to


    boldly pursue my happiness. You should know very well whom he was referring to when he talked


    about my so-called happiness!¡±


    Although Jay mentioned no names, everyone knew that he was talking to Nancy.


    It was also at this moment that everyone was enlightened. It must be Nancy¡¯s doing since it was


    suddenly exposed that Jay and Zoe were not secretly married.


    For a moment, Nancy was soon pushed to the heart of the issue.


    The number ofments rose rapidly. ninjanovel


    [D*mn! Nancy is too overbearing! How could she break up a couple?]


    (That¡¯s outrageous. Why did Nancy vent her grudges against her husband on Zoe? Zoe did nothing


    wrong!]


    [This woman is too wicked, isn¡¯t she? Zoe¡¯s been with her for twenty-five years. Even if she can¡¯t take


    this blow, she doesn¡¯t have to use this kind of method to take revenge on Zoe!]


    [What a preposterous thing! In short, I¡¯ll give my blessings to Jay and Zoe from now on.]


    [Anyone who wants to separate Jay and Zoe will be punished by God!]


    Nancy¡¯s reputation suffered a deep blow. ninjanovel


    Jay could anticipate all results, but he did not hesitate at all.


    It would make others feel that he was gullible and could be easily trifled with every time he tolerated it.


    He used the most extreme method to tell Nancy that no one could harm Zoe. Once they did, he would


    fall out with them and risk everything else.


    Jay got up from his seat again.


    He uttered, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much foring and listening to my past with Zoe


    patiently. Thank you for your approvals and blessings. The press conference is dismissed. Thank you!¡±


    He then bowed.


    Zoe followed suit.


    They left the scene first under the staffs escort.


    After that, the reporters also left quickly.


    It was such big news. Of course, they had to rush back to report the truth.


    When Zoe and Jay were back in the car, Zoe had yet to talk with Jay alone when Jay¡¯s phone rang


    endlessly.


    However, Jay neither answered the phone nor rejected the call.


    ¡®Just pick up the phone,¡± Zoe said.


    She knew that it was a call from Nancy.


    Today, Jay had dered war on Nancy unterally, and Nancy would hold him responsible for it, given


    her character.


    Pursing his lips gently, Jay answered the call.


    ¡°Jay, how dare you do this to me!¡± The moment the call was answered, a crazy roar came from the


    other end of the phone. ¡°Are you very happy now that I¡¯m despised by people? Do you want to forceContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    me to death? When did I ever wrong you? Dad is old, so I was always the one who helped you handle


    your affairs. How ungrateful you are!¡±

 Chapter 1045

    Chapter 1045


    Chapter 1045


    ¡°So, can you bind me with moral coercion for the rest of my life just because of what you contributed to


    me?¡± Jay demanded coldly.


    Sitting beside him, Zoe was stunned.


    Frankly, she did not know if it was some kind of psychological shadow that was troubling her all that


    while, but she was always in awe of Nancy.


    Although she encouraged Jay to pick up the call just now, it was because she did not want Nancy to


    pester them relentlessly. She knew Nancy too well, and Nancy would never give up until she achieved


    her goal. If Jay did not answer the call, she would not stop calling him. Atst, she might even go to his


    house.


    Zoe even mentally prepared herself the moment Jay answered the call. Jay was not Nancy¡¯s opponent


    again, and he would only be vigorously rebuked by Nancy. She even made up her mind to brace


    herself and helped Jay to stand against Nancy.


    Unexpectedly, Jay was so powerful.


    ¡°Moral coercion? Do you even know what that is? We¡¯re a family. Jay, both you and I share the blood of


    the Levine family. Zoe is just an outsider!¡± Nancy became agitated.


    She was used to feeling superior from when she was young. All she ever heard were praises showered


    on her. No one had ever treated her that way, so she could not ept it.


    Simrly, she could not ept it because of Jay¡¯spanionship.


    All the Levines cared deeply about their family rtionship.


    Even if Jay was not a Levine back then, he was brought home by n, so all Levines were very nice to


    him.


    That was the influence of the family they grew up in.


    But now, Jay wanted to fall out with Nancy for the sake of a woman.


    As a result, Nancy red up in a rage.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t an outsider. She¡¯s my wife, sis!¡± Jay suddenly addressed Nancy that way.


    Zoe nearly never heard Jay address her that way.


    In her impression, he rarely addressed n as his father, and he also rarely addressed Nancy as his


    sister.


    When he addressed her that way at that instant, Zoe felt inexplicably mncholic.


    ¡°I made myself very clear during the press conference just now. I wasn¡¯t trying to threaten or nder


    you. Everything I did is just the responsibility a husband should fulfill. If you don¡¯t approve of it or can¡¯t


    ept it, we can cut off our rtionship. If you still want to control me or hurt the person most


    important to me, I¡¯ll risk everything to fight you to the death!¡± Jay said aloofly. ¡°Everything I did today


    represented my determination!¡±


    ¡°Why, you!¡± Nancy was so angry that she became speechless.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s it.¡± Jay hung up the call.


    He acted smoothly and slickly without any hesitation.


    Zoe widened her eyes and looked at Jay.


    In the past, she felt that he was the weakest man in the Levine family who had no right to speak. At that


    moment, he was so tough and overbearing.


    Did he pretend very well in the past, or did he change for her?


    It seemed like she would believe the second possibility more.


    What should she do?


    She yearned to throw herself into Jay¡¯s arms now and make babies with him on the spot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ll protect you no matter what happens,¡± Jay said word by word and guaranteed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡± Zoe smiled.


    Tm not afraid as long as you¡¯re around even if it¡¯s a great issue.¡¯


    They looked at each other passionately.


    They confessed their love for each other, and they would spend the rest of their lives being honest with


    each other.


    However, Zoe inexplicably felt slightly awkward at the moment.


    It was understandable, as for so many years, she was used to hating Jay, and she habitually ignored


    everything about him.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Now I suddenly learned that he loves me so much, so I can¡¯t ignore him anymore!¡¯


    She seemed to have forgotten how she should get along with him.


    Did Jay feel the same?


    Otherwise, why did he remain quiet?

 Chapter 1046

    Chapter 1046


    Chapter 1046


    Except for breathing, there was only the sound of their heartbeats in the quiet space.


    ¡®Zoe.¡¯ Jay finally spoke up.


    When he spoke, he caught Zoe off guard, so she trembled slightly.


    Consequently, Jayughed.


    Suddenly, his eyes seemed to have lit up brightly.


    He was at such an age, but he had such clear and bright eyes. Well, he was indeed devastatingly


    bewitching.


    ¡°Did I scare you?¡¯ he asked gently.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯I was thinking. Of course you scared me when you suddenly spoke,¡± Zoe answered grumpily.


    ¡¯I was referring to the thing I said at the press conference today.¡¯


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She recalled everything that Jay said at the press conference today¡­ Consequently, many emotions


    overwhelmed her.


    Zoe took a deep breath and said slowly, ¡°Jay, I did hate you for many years. ¡ö


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯ Zoe¡¯s eyes swiftly turned red.


    However, she felt excruciating pain when she recalled her past grievances and how Jay suffered in


    silence.


    ¡¯I¡¯m afraid you couldn¡¯t ept it. Who can date their uncles?¡±


    ¡°At most, I could just assume I was disgusted by you. I didn¡¯t have to hate you so much!


    Jay was struck speechless. Was she so disgusted?


    When he knew that Zoe was his biological niece, he was not disgusted at all, because it was Zoe. So,


    nothing was disgusting. He just felt deep pain and despair.


    ¡°My identity was exposed after that. You had so many chances. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Zoe


    interrogated him.


    ¡°You were with Bob that time, weren¡¯t you?¡± How many times did she want to remind him and torture


    him about that sad affair?


    ¡¯If I got together with Bob, would you keep this in your heart for the rest of your life?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jay replied without any hesitation.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes turned red again. ¡°Was I not worth fighting for?¡±


    ¡°No, my feelings are worthless inparison with your happiness.¡¯


    ¡°Why were you so sure that I would be happy with Bob?¡±


    ¡°Youughed brightly with him around, and it had been a very long time since Ist saw your sincere


    smile. You were always unhappy in front of me.¡¯


    ¡°You f*cking dumped me. Did you want me to smile at you? Didn¡¯t you demand too much from me?¡±


    ¡°In short, I thought that you were very happy with Bob at that time.¡±


    ¡°B*stard!¡±


    Zoe inevitably cursed.


    When she recalled that they nearly missed each other¡­


    She did not know how happy she would be with Bob, but she would regret it her whole life if she


    learned the truth one day.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry. I was too opinionated.¡± Jay apologized. 1


    ¡¯Stupid.¡± Zoe could not help it. She finally threw herself into Jay¡¯s arms.


    He was not opinionated at all.


    He just cherished her too much that he did not dare to do anything to harm her.


    ¡¯Jay, we shall never part again. We have to be together no matter what great issues happen. Even if we


    die, we have to be buried together.¡±


    ¡¯Hmm.¡± Jay turned his hands around to hug Zoe firmly.


    He would never let go from now on.

 Chapter 1047

    Chapter 1047


    Chapter 1047


    They hugged each other tightly until they reached home.


    When Yelena saw her parentse home, she crawled up from the floor excitedly, asking Jay for a


    hug.


    So, Jay let go of his crutch to hug Yelena, but Zoe yanked him.


    Yelena then looked at them eagerly, and Jay became slightly shocked.


    However, Zoe told Yelena very solemnly, ¡°Your daddy is mine today. No one can snatch him away from


    me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± When Yelena heard that, her eyes turned red.


    Her aggrieved expression looked too pitiful.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason why.¡± Zoe sounded very firm.


    ¡¯He¡¯s my daddy! You can¡¯t be too overbearing!¡± Yelena stated in a childishly fierce manner.


    ¡®He¡¯s my husband.¡± Zoe refused Yelena.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t want that. Daddy, you won¡¯t abandon me, will you?¡± Yelena looked at Jay.


    It seemed that not many people could turn Yelena down, given her look.


    Jay was moved, but Zoe was not fooled at all.


    She pulled Jay to her room.


    ¡¯Daddy!¡± Yelena screamed behind them.


    Jay limped and walked in a slightly sorry manner.


    ¡¯Mommy, you¡¯re bad!¡¯ Yelena eximed while crying.


    But the door of the room was mmed shut.


    Jay abruptly fell to the floor because his legs were unsteady, and Zoe fell too because she was pulled


    by Jay.


    However, the difference was she fell on Jay, so she felt not a tinge of pain with him to cushion her fall.


    But the man beneath her was full of guilt and anxiety. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡¯No,¡± Zoe replied. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡¯No, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you up.¡± Zoe got up.


    She felt that she was indeed too impulsive just now, with the reason being that Yelena was too hard to


    resist.


    Zoe was afraid that Yelena would beat her to it if she was slightlyte. She wanted nothing but to stay


    with Jay that day and did not want others to keep him for even a second.


    She exerted herself to help him up, and he tried his best to get up.


    The fall caused him much pain just now, so his body was slightly unsteady when he got up out of the


    blue, and he nearly made her fall again.


    Zoe finally helped him to steady himself with much difficulty. They were filled with lingering fear while


    sitting at the edge of therge bed.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jay suddenly said.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Zoe was still panting. She was stunned briefly before she regained her wits. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t


    hurt myself.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m talking about my body.¡±


    Zoe turned around to look at him.


    ¡°My physical disability,¡± Jay added.


    After the car ident and his right leg turnedme, he was never so selfabased in front of others. But


    he felt quite self-abashed and inferior in front of her.


    ¡°Jay, what do you take me for?¡± Zoe became angry. ¡°Am I such a superficial person?¡±


    ¡°You value great looks very much.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡­¡± Suddenly, Zoe was struck speechless. She admitted to it in the next moment. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°So, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll despise me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for others, but it doesn¡¯t work on you,¡± Zoe said righteously.


    Jay looked at her.


    ¡¯It means that I¡¯ll still like you even if you¡¯re ugly.¡±


    Why did it sound weird?


    How ugly was he?


    ¡°What¡¯s more, you hurt your leg. Your face is still charming.¡± Zoe looked at Jay¡¯s face very carefully.


    He was indeed very handsome not because he was her lover.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In addition, Jay¡¯s unique temperament was awesome, and his self-restraint charming and attractive.


    It was hard to exin.


    At that moment, his weak look was greatly bewitching.


    The way she looked at him now grew moreplicated¡­


    She inevitably licked her lips and braced herself to get closer to him.


    ¡¯Daddy!¡±


    Suddenly, they heard Yelena¡¯s scream from the other side of the door.

 Chapter 1048

    Chapter 1048


    Chapter 1048


    Her great passion was put off out of the blue.


    She felt that she had given birth to a young rival in love.


    When Jay heard Yelena call after him, he was about to get up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Zoe held his hand and appeared very aggrieved.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask Yelena why she called for me.¡±


    ¡°She just wants to seize you for herself.¡±


    Jay was amused by Zoe.


    ¡°Are you jealous of your daughter?¡¯


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m jealous,¡± Zoe admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to enjoy some time with you. Why should I let her


    have you? We¡¯ve finally resolved our past grudges, so I don¡¯t care-l want you to be mine alone now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an adult.¡± Jay became helpless, but his eyes were full of adoration.


    Her current look reminded him of the time when she was young.


    For a very long time, Zoe kept a distant and cold front in front of him.


    No one knew how much he missed having her following him around and pestering him to y with her.


    So, he was slightly persuaded.


    ¡°Daddy,¡± Yelena spoke up again at the door.


    ¡°Be good. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°No.¡¯ Zoe was very persistent.


    ¡®Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯ll go.¡¯


    Jay looked at her.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll negotiate well with my young rival in love.¡±.


    While talking, Zoe walked to the door.


    She saw Yelena¡¯s aggrieved expression the moment she opened the door.


    Yelena looked up happily, but her happiness turned into displeasure when she saw her mother.


    ¡¯I¡¯m looking for Daddy.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re busy at the moment.¡±


    ¡¯Why?¡±


    ¡¯It¡¯s an adult affair.¡±


    ¡¯Is it about getting me a brother or sister?¡± Yelena blinked herrge, naive eyes and asked Zoe.


    Zoe became speechless and stupefied.


    Was that what a three-year-old should know?


    ¡¯Is it?¡± Yelena continued asking Zoe.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Zoe reluctantly answered.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Yelena behaved adult-like andpromised all of a sudden. ¡°If you and Daddy are willing to


    give birth to a brother or sister to y with me, I can stop pestering Daddy.¡±


    Zoe smiled speechlessly.


    Yelena even negotiated a term with her.


    ¡°How long till I get a sibling?¡± Yelena questioned curiously.


    ¡°Er¡­¡± She did not know the answer either.


    ¡¯Can you do it tomorrow?¡±


    Consequently, Zoe was rendered speechless. ¡®Do you think I cany eggs?¡¯


    Laying eggs would take longer than that too.


    ¡°Maybe your sibling wille next year if you don¡¯t dy me now.¡±


    ¡°Is that tomorrow?¡¯


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s very soon.¡± Zoe tried to exin away.


    ¡°All right.¡± Yelena nodded.


    ¡°Can you y on your own now?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Yelena happily turned away and left.


    Zoe immediately closed the door and locked it, afraid of Yelena regretting her decision out of the blue.


    She then turned around and quickly threw herself into Jay¡¯s arms.


    Jay felt pain and he fell on the bed from the impact.


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Shush, don¡¯t talk.¡± Zoe blocked his mouth.


    Jay looked at her.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s get Yelena a sibling.¡±


    He thought she just made that excuse to drive Yelena away.


    ¡°Jay, do you love kids?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay nodded.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give you a basketball team.¡±


    Jay widened his eyes. He felt he did not like children so much now.


    But Zoe smiled brightly.


    She approached Jay and bit his lips before she said, ¡°Jay, I¡¯ll give you everything you want.¡±


    ¡®Silly.


    ¡®All I ever want is you.¡¯Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1049

    Chapter 1049


    Chapter 1049


    Zoe and Jay enjoyed the great romance in the room throughout the day.


    They were woken up by the rm the next day.


    Both of them had put their phones on silent mode and ignored the news. Although they knew that the


    effects were rather good at the scene, no one knew how the incident would end in the end. However,


    that seemed not to be their concern at all. They cared more about how to get a basketball team.


    However, Zoe had forgotten to turn off her rm, as she had previously set it for the shooting of the


    show.


    She knitted her brows.


    Though her whole body was greatly sore, she still forced herself to narrow her eyes and fish for her


    phone.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    At that instant, Jay was also awakened by the noise. He was about to get up to turn off the rm for


    her, but Zoe got it first.


    She half narrowed her eyes to turn it off. When she was about to continue sleeping, she noticed quite a


    lot of missed calls on her phone.


    After dwelling on it briefly, she casually checked on them.


    The most recent call was from Cordy.


    Cordy would generally not call Zoe so early in the morning because she knew that Zoe had the habit of


    sleeping in. At that moment, Zoe seemed to have regained her wits.


    Noticing Zoe¡¯s reaction, Jay asked hoarsely and nervously, ¡¯What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Cordy called me several times.¡± While talking, Zoe called Cordy back. ¡¯ Something must have


    happened.¡¯


    Jay also sat up in bed in that instant and got up to take his phone.


    Cordy had called him too.


    She failed to reach Zoe, so she would certainly call Jay.


    It meant that something must have happened.


    ¡°I can¡¯t reach her.¡¯ Zoe looked at Jay. ¡°Did something happen to her? She¡¯s been in the capital all this


    while. I don¡¯t even know what she¡¯s doing there!¡±


    ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t her who got into trouble,¡± Jay said directly.


    Suddenly, his expression became slightly solemn.


    ¡¯I think something might have happened to the Levine family,¡± Jay stated before he called Cora.


    He had at least ten missed calls from Cora.


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she felt inevitably calm.


    Suddenly, she felt that she could ept many things calmly.


    ¡°Uncle Jay, why didnt you answer my calls?¡± The moment Cora answered the phone, she burst into


    tears.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Jay was aloof.


    ¡® My mom, she¡­ she¡­¡± Cora stammered for a long while.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Jay became impatient.


    ¡°She tried to kill herself!¡¯


    Jay¡¯s expression changed.


    The volume of the phone was loud, so Zoe could hear Cora¡¯s words in the quiet space.


    She looked at Jay in shock.


    Nancy was such an arrogant person. How would she try to kill herself?


    ¡¯How¡¯s her condition now?¡± After a brief panic, Jay questioned calmly.


    ¡°She was rushed to the hospital, and they¡¯re still trying to save her now. She¡¯s still in the operating


    room. I¡¯m now at the hospital. Uncle Jay, can youe? I¡¯m very scared here all alone. I don¡¯t know


    whom I should call. Hmm¡­¡¯ Cora became desperate.


    She sounded like her world had copsed and there was no one she could rely on.


    If something happened to her mother, she did not know how she could survive.


    ¡°Is it First Hospital in North City?¡±


    ¡¯Hmm.¡± Cora sobbed piteously while giving an answer.


    ¡¯I¡¯lle right away.¡±


    Jay hung up the call, then got out of bed with difficulty and put on his clothes.

 Chapter 1050

    Chapter 1050


    Chapter 1050


    Seeing Jay¡¯s action, Zoe got up from bed.


    Even if she was still sleepy and exhausted, she did not hesitate at all, as she wanted to go with Jay.


    When Jay noticed her action, he said, ¡°You can rest at home¡­¡±


    ¡°I want to go with you.¡± Zoe sounded firm.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the Levine family¡¯s affairs,¡± Jay uttered seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯lle


    back even if it¡¯s a serious incident.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be worried that you¡¯ll be threatened by Nancy, let alone worried that you¡¯ll abandon me. After


    all, you¡¯ve loved me for so many years. You can¡¯t bear to part with me,¡± Zoe exined smugly. ¡°It¡¯s just


    that I¡¯m your wife. I have the obligation to share your difficulties.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    However, Jay was still slightly hesitant.


    He was reluctant to see Zoe suffer any grievances in front of the Levines.


    ¡°We¡¯re a married couple. Your affairs are my concerns too. Although the Levine family holds a deep


    grudge against me, they¡¯re your family. So, I¡¯m willing to ept them for you.¡¯


    Jay stared at Zoe in disbelief.


    If it were someone else, they would hate the Levine family to the core.


    However, she could behave so generously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the Virgin Mary. I¡¯m just¡­¡± Zoe looked at Jay. ¡°Inparison with the unhappiness they


    brought me, the happiness you brought me is so much greater. So, I don¡¯t care very much regardless


    of what they do.¡±


    Jay¡¯s smile was full of tenderness but with a tinge of helplessness.


    He knew that it was not as easy as she made it sound.


    But at that moment, he was still warmed and touched by her words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t waste time.¡± Zoe hurriedly urged Jay.


    Jay was already very fast.


    While they were talking, he did not stop putting on his clothes.


    After getting dressed up, they did not manage to freshen up before Zoe pushed Jay out of the room.


    ra was making breakfast outside.


    On the other hand, Yelena was still sleeping.


    When ra saw their hurried backs, she asked, ¡°Why did you wake up so early? Where are you


    going? Aren¡¯t you going to have breakfast? Are you going to work?¡±


    ra walked to the vestibule from the kitchen, where Zoe and Jay were changing their shoes to go out.


    ¡°Nancy tried to kill herself,¡± Zoe blurted out.


    As a result, ra was struck dumb on the spot.


    After saying that, Zoe realized what she had just said, and she pursed her lips slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going there


    with Jay to check her out.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, go ahead.¡± ra did not say anything else, nor did she reveal any emotions either.


    On the contrary, she smiled kindly. ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Zoe nodded, and they quickly left.


    The driver soon rushed over to give them a ride to the Levine family¡¯s private hospital.


    Cora was sitting all alone in the empty corridor. Her figure looked lonely and slim. She even covered


    her face with her hands and at the same time, she inevitably sobbed ceaselessly.


    Zoe had no sympathy for Cora.


    She was not so kind to someone who had ulterior motives toward her.


    She suddenly felt mentally troubled merely because of her reverence for life.


    Seemingly sensing the emotions she suppressed, Jay tightened his grasp around her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be


    scared. You have me even if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Zoe nodded.


    Jay could indeed give her an endless sense of security.


    At that moment, Cora seemed to have heard the noise in the corridor, so she turned around to look


    over.

 Chapter 1051

    Chapter 1051


    The moment Cora saw Jay, she broke down.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She stood up from her chair and yelled, ¡°Jay, how could you be so cruel?! Are you happy to see my


    mom in the emergency room?!¡±


    Zoe furrowed her brows.


    She was not very pleased with Cora¡¯s attitude, but she forced herself to remain silent given that Nancy


    was fighting for her life in the emergency room.


    Yet Jay, to her surprise, yelled back, ¡°The fact that your mom is in the emergency room haspletely


    nothing to do with me! If it weren¡¯t because your mom was maliciously attacking Zoe, everything that


    happened today wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cora wanted to refute Jay, but had no words to say. She only spoke up after a few moments, ¡°But


    you know that my mom wouldn¡¯t be able to bear the shock!¡±


    ¡®And so Zoe deserves to be bullied by you because she¡¯s mentally stronger?! Cora, you of all people


    should know clearly that everything that¡¯s happening to you right now is just because we chose ¡®self-


    defense¡¯!¡±


    But¡­¡¯¡¯ Cora could not outtalk Jay, especially since she was wrong in the first ce. The only thing she


    could do was to threaten him. ¡°Would you have a clear conscience and remain unmoved if my mom


    died?¡¯


    ¡®I did not do anything wrong,¡± Jay said emphatically.


    He was not just saying that to Cora, but he truly felt so.


    Before he came here today, he admitted that he could not remain indifferent toward Cora. But he did


    note because he had regrets. He was here merely to fulfill his moral obligations and not to repent.


    Cora¡¯s eyes turned red and tears welled up in her eyes as she no longer knew what to say, and Jay did


    not offer her anyfort either.


    He said gently to Zoe, ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and wait.¡±


    ¡¯Okay.¡± Zoe nodded.


    Cora watched on as Zoe and Jay behaved intimately.


    She felt anger, hatred, and jealousy roiling in her heart.


    What right did Zoe have to receive such love from Jay? What right did Zoe have to possess such


    beautiful love while she had nothing?


    All was quiet along the corridor.


    Even though they did not have a guilty conscience, everyone felt nervous since a life was on the line.


    After a long while, footsteps sounded in the corridor.


    Everyone looked up.


    It was Cordy rushing over with Richard.


    Patrick was with them too.


    ¡¯How is she?¡± Cordy asked anxiously.


    Cora had called her to inform her that Nancy tried tomit suicide, and she had also paid attention to


    the news over the past two days.


    She had been doing so ever since Zoe and Jay¡¯s secret marriage had been exposed.


    She did not contact Zoe because she knew that not only would this incident not negatively affect Zoe,


    but it would even push Zoe and Jay closer to each other.


    As she had expected, Jay admitted his undying love for Zoe in front of all the reporters.


    She had also expected everyone to give them their blessings.


    What she did not expect was for Nancy to go to such an extreme.


    Of course, she could not deny thatizens were also extreme in their animosity toward Nancy. Yet,


    why would someone like Nancy who had seen the world be so vulnerable?


    ¡®She¡¯s still in the emergency room. It¡¯s been two hours and she¡¯s still inside. ¡¯ Cora put on her weak and


    vulnerable facade upon seeing Cordy.


    ¡®I see,¡± Cordy said.


    Cora stood stunned for a moment.


    She did not expect Cordy to react so indifferently, not even offer a word offort.


    Cordy was that insensitive. She simply felt that saving Nancy was of utmost priority and everything else


    could wait.


    Of course, she undeniably did not exactly like Cora very much.

 Chapter 1052

    Chapter 1052


    Chapter 1052


    There was no need for pleasantries with her.


    She turned around and walked to Zoe.


    Zoe felt emotional upon seeing Cordy, but she had to keep her emotions to herself while in the hospital


    where doctors were still trying to save Nancy.


    Cordy led Richard and sat next to Zoe while Patrick sat next to Jay, and they greeted each other.


    Meanwhile, Cora sat on the row of chairs opposite them, feeling rather slighted.


    She was clearly the one who should beforted, yet everyone kept their distance from her.


    She felt very upset inside.


    She looked at Zoe and Cordy chatting in hushed tones with each other, the two of them clearly looking


    very close to each other.


    Over the years, although John had passed away, the Levines had always seen Cordy as John¡¯s wife.


    What¡¯s more, she was also Richard¡¯s biological mother and that made them see her as family all the


    more.


    Yet, at this moment, novelbob she chose to stand on Jay and Zoe¡¯s side.


    Cordy clearly knew about the grudge between her mom and Zoe!


    Was Cordy intending to go against the Levines?!


    Why was everyone so ungrateful?


    Jay was ungrateful, and so was Cordy!


    Cora became increasingly bitter the more she thought about it.


    Just then, the doors of the emergency room opened.


    Cora was the first to rush to the door, while everyone else followed behind her.


    The doctor walked out with fatigue etched on his face as he said, ¡°The patient lost a lot of blood, but we


    thankfully managed to save her in time and she¡¯s out of danger for now. But I suggest keeping her


    under observation for a few days just to be on the safe side.¡±


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing the doctor¡¯s words.


    ¡°The patient had cut her wrist tomit suicide and that is a sign of mental illness. I can treat her


    physically but not mentally and emotionally. Family members should treat her with more care, give in to


    her more, and avoid agitating her,¡± the doctor added. ¡°Otherwise, she might not be so lucky next time.¡±


    ¡®Okay. Thank you, doctor.¡± Cora immediately thanked him.


    Meanwhile, a pale-faced Nancy was wheeled out from the emergency room by a couple of nurses.


    ¡°Mom.¡± Cora ran over and called out agitatedly, ¡°Mom, Mom¡­¡±


    Nancy turned to look at Cora, her eyes turning red with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cora. I was wrong to scare


    you like this¡­¡±


    ¡®As long as you are alive and well, everything else isn¡¯t important.¡± Cora sobbed. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t ever do


    this again. Just tell me if you have anything on your mind, don¡¯t scare me like this.¡±


    Nancy did not promise Cora.


    She had probably seen everyone else present.


    The moment she saw Jay and Zoe, her originally calm face immediately gave way to anger.


    ¡¯What are you two doing here?! To gloat at the terrible plight I¡¯m in?!¡± Nancy sneered.


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re fine, I¡¯ll be off.¡±


    There did not seem to be any affections to speak of-nopassion, guilt, remorse, regret, not even an


    ounce of anger.


    He treated her like aplete stranger.


    Jay turned to Zoe and said in a clearly tenderer tone, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Zoe nodded.


    Before she left with Jay, she turned around and shed Cordy a smile, gesturing with her hand that she


    would call Cordyter.

 Chapter 1053

    Chapter 1053


    Nancy looked on in disbelief at Jay and Zoe leaving heartlessly.


    There was no hint of hesitation whatsoever.


    ¡®Jay Parker!¡±


    Nancy yelled at him with all her might.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Jay pretended not to hear her and left unperturbed with Zoe.


    ¡® Are you really trying to force me to my death?¡± Nancy questioned him in a loud voice.


    Jay refused to respond to her.


    Fights never resulted in any oues. Real actions were what counted.


    Unable to hold it in any longer, Cora charged toward Jay and Zoe in an attempt to stop them from


    leaving, but before she could do so, Cordy stood right in front of Cora, blocking her way.


    Cora stared at Cordy.


    ¡¯If you don¡¯t want things to spiral out of control, I suggest you don¡¯t go to them,¡± Cordy said coldly.


    Cora bit her lips, clearly unwilling to concede defeat.


    Nancy said through gritted teeth, ¡°Don¡¯t chase after them. I, Nancy Levine, don¡¯t need their pity!¡±


    Cora heard Nancy¡¯s words and turned back to her. ¡°How are you feeling, Mom?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s send the patient back to the ward first,¡± one of the nurses suggested.


    They began wheeling Nancy to the VIP ward.


    In the ward, Cora stayed relentlessly by Nancy¡¯s side, talking to her even as her eyes grew red with


    unshed tears.


    Cordy, Patrick, and Richard were in the ward as well.


    ¡°Cordy, why are you here too?¡± Nancy asked.


    She had finally calmed down.


    ¡® Mom, I was the one who called her here. I was so scared, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I should be here,¡± Cordy cut in. ¡°You¡¯re sick, so I brought Dicky here to visit you.¡±


    ¡°Dicky, let me take a look at you.¡± Nancy¡¯s voice turned gentle and kind as she spoke to Richard.


    Richard walked toward Nancy and greeted her respectfully. ¡°Grandaunt.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for so long.¡± Nancy held Richard¡¯s hand as she reminisced.


    After a long while, Nancy finally noticed Patrick.


    She furrowed her brows. ¡°What brings you here, Mr. Stuart?¡±


    Dirtyundry within the family should not be aired in public, and she did not want more people


    witnessing her in such a terrible state.


    What was more, she knew that Patrick was not an easy man to deal with.


    ¡°Madam Levine, I am Cordy¡¯s boyfriend.¡± Patrick introduced himself with grandiose.


    ¡°What?¡± Nancy was in shock.


    Cordy had a new boyfriend!


    What about John?!


    ¡°Grandaunt, Mr. Stuart is a good man.¡± Richard could sense the change in Nancy¡¯s attitude and


    immediately spoke up.


    Nancy was clearly still upset.


    But whatever it was, John had passed away and she could not possibly demand Cordy to remain a


    widow her entire life.

 Chapter 1054

    Chapter 1054


    Nancy brought her emotions under control and said calmly, ¡°As long as you¡¯re good to Dicky.¡± ¡¯I read


    the news online and saw that you and Jay¡­* Cordy decided to go ahead and ask.


    Cordy had rushed back today because she indeed cared for Nancy¡¯s life and death. Whatever it was,


    Nancy remained Richard¡¯s grandaunt and she treated Richard very well. On the other hand, Cordy also


    wanted to take the chance to talk to Nancy about Jay and Zoe.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t talk about him. It only makes me angry.¡± Nancy¡¯s face turned dark with displeasure. ¡°I did not


    expect to have raised such an ingrate after putting in so many years of hard work. He has truly


    forgotten how well I treated him back then!¡±


    ¡¯Impossible. You¡¯re being extreme about it,¡± Cordy said frankly.


    Nancy stared at Cordy.


    She knew that Cordy was friends with Zoe and Jay, but she felt that Cordy should have her priorities in


    order.


    ¡® Are you standing on Jay¡¯s side in this matter?!¡± Nancy¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking anybody¡¯s side. I just think that everyone has their own way of life and shouldn¡¯t impose


    their own desires on someone else.¡± Cordy looked at Nancy as she went on. ¡°Jay did not interrupt your


    life and in the same way, you should not be meddling in his affairs.¡±


    ¡®Meddling in his affairs?! As long as it isn¡¯t Zoe York, even if he ends up with a beggar, I¡¯ll support him


    as long as he loves her. He clearly knows that Zoe and I¡­¡±


    ¡¯Zoe not being your daughter was only known subsequently. But Jay loved Zoe way before the right to


    think that Jay let you down and that you¡¯re not destroying his chance for love?!¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Nancy was silenced by Cordy¡¯s words.


    ¡¯Zoe did notmit murder, arson, or any crimes. There is no major w in her character and does not


    deserve you targeting her. Of course, it¡¯s not like you targeting her has any impact. You have seen for


    yourself that Jay isn¡¯t affected by your threats at all,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    She did so despite the fact that Nancy was still lying on the hospital bed.


    Nancy was clearly angered by Cordy¡¯s words.


    ¡®I did not threaten Jay. Since he treated me like this, I saw no need for me to show him any affection,¡¯


    Nancy said coldly.


    ¡®Perhaps you truly don¡¯t have any affection for Jay, but your dominant character from a young age has


    caused the desire to control and lord it over others to take root in your heart. You can¡¯t ept Jay¡¯s


    opposition and so you¡¯re resorting to all kinds of ways to make him regret it and give in.¡¯ Cordy hit the


    nail on the head.


    Nancy¡¯s face darkened by the minute as Cordy said her piece.


    She asked coldly, ¡°Cordy Sachs, is your aim ofing here today really for Dicky to visit me?¡±


    Nancy was not a stupid woman. Having navigated high-ss society since she was young, she had


    long honed her ability to see through people.


    ¡¯It¡¯s not just that. I just think that you¡¯re being extreme in dealing with Jay on this matter, which is why I


    wanted toe and persuade you otherwise. ¡ö


    ¡¯That is my internal family affair and has nothing to do with you!¡± Nancy yelled.


    ¡¯That is true.¡± Cordy did not get angry.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Perhaps she truly saw herself as part of the Levine family after John passed away, and she continued


    seeing herself as John¡¯s wife.


    But now, she no longer was.


    John had his own life, and she had started her own life anew.


    Aside from being Richard¡¯s mother, she had no rtionship with the Levine family whatsoever.


    ¡¯This is why I am advising you from the perspective of a bystander who might see things clearer than


    you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice. I know very clearly what I¡¯m doing and what I want. It¡¯s not your ce to be


    meddling in my affairs.¡±


    ¡®You find it annoying when others meddle in your own affairs. In the same way, Jay feels so too. What¡¯s


    worse for him is that you are hurting the person he loves the most,¡± Cordy said neither haughtily nor


    meekly, refusing to back down before Nancy.


    Nancy looked coldly at Cordy.


    She clearly did not want to speak further with Cordy, who took the hint and said, ¡°I shan¡¯t bother you


    any further. Have a good rest.¡±


    Nancy stayed silent.


    She was beginning to have hard feelings for Cordy.

 Chapter 1055

    Chapter 1055


    ¡°Dicky, do you want to stay here and spend more time with Grandaunt or go back with Mommy?¡± Cordy


    respected Richard¡¯s decision.


    Richard looked at Nancy and hesitated for a moment before replying,¡± Grandaunt, take good care of


    yourself. I¡¯ll head back with Mommy.¡±


    The expectant look in Nancy¡¯s eyes gave way to cold ruthlessness.


    She was unable to let go of her pride in front of outsiders, and the pride that was deeply rooted in her


    did not allow her to give in to anyone.


    Richard walked toward Cordy.


    Before Cordy left, she stopped for a moment, and Nancy¡¯s eyes glinted at that moment.


    Cordy said frankly, ¡®Threatening others with your own life is rather despicable.¡¯


    With that, she left without waiting for Nancy¡¯s reply.


    Nancy¡¯s face was a mix of anger and awkwardness at being called out.


    She had been seen through by another and it was a source of pain for her.


    Yes, she did it on purpose.


    She deliberately wanted Jay to regret his decision.


    She could not stand being insulted and humiliated by others. She did not see how she had done


    anything wrong, and she felt that anyone in her position would have targeted Zoe. Each time she


    recalled how well she treated Zoe and remembered the truth behind her birth, she found it detestable.


    She would nevere to ept Zoe, not over her dead body!


    Cordy walked out of the hospital.


    Are you busy?¡± she asked Patrick.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Patrick replied, ¡°Are you chasing me away?¡±


    ¡®No, if you¡¯re not in a rush to head back to Rocktown, I would like you to join me and a friend for


    dinner.¡±


    ¡®It would be my honor.¡± Patrick¡¯s face broke into a grin.


    Cordy was speechless.


    This man before her was clearly a man of the world. Why did he wear his heart on his sleeve?


    ¡°Who are your friends, by the way?¡± Patrick asked enthusiastically.


    ¡® Didn¡¯t you meet some of them just now?¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to Jay Parker?¡± Patrick¡¯s brows furrowed.


    He did not seem very happy.


    After all, Jay and John shared a¡­ ratherplicated rtionship.


    It was reasonable for him to feel jealous.


    ¡°It¡¯s Zoe York,¡± Cordy rified.


    ¡°Are you very close to her?¡±


    ¡°Should I not be?¡¯


    ¡®How did the two of you meet?¡± Something suddenly came to Patrick¡¯s mind the moment he asked that.


    ¡°Probably because of John Levine, I suppose?¡±


    ¡® No. Zoe was previously a brand ambassador for ourpany.¡±


    Vague memories of the past came to Patrick¡¯s mind as he smiled. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s hurry then, shall we?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s too early for dinner now. I need to head back to the office to do some work. We¡¯ve arranged to


    meetter in the evening,¡± Cordy exined.


    ¡®You still have work to do? Don¡¯t you just need to make arrangements online?¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I need to go down physically to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Shall I apany you, then?¡¯ Patrick asked.


    Cordy hesitated.


    ¡®I promise I won¡¯t interrupt your work,¡± Patrick swore.


    ¡¯Fine.¡± Cordy relented.


    ¡°I knew you can¡¯t bear to leave me,¡± Patrick said smugly.


    ¡°It¡¯s only because you¡¯re one of the partners that you have the right to join in the inspections.¡±


    ¡¯Dicky, do you want to be with Mommy or head back to the vi?¡± Cordy asked Richard then.


    Richard was zoning out, and he snapped back to attention upon hearing Cordy call him. He said at


    once, ¡®Til head back to the vi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you back first. Join us for dinner with your godmother tonight.¡± ¡°Sure.¡±

 Chapter 1056

    Chapter 1056


    Chapter 1056


    Cordy sent Richard back.


    Richard saw Cordy leave in the car with a heavy heart, not really knowing how to articte the feelings


    inside him.


    He could sense that things were going well between his mommy and Patrick.


    Mommy treated Patrick very well and vice versa. In fact, Patrick treated him very well.


    Everything seemed like it was falling into ce.


    Richard sighed.


    He should not have held out any hope.


    It was Daddy who gave up on Mommy, and he should not find it a pity on Daddy¡¯s behalf.


    In the car, Cordy gave Zoe a call.


    ¡°Cordy, did you leave the hospital so soon?¡± Of course, Zoe knew that Cordy could not possibly call her


    in front of Nancy.


    ¡®Yeah. I just wanted to bring Dicky to visit her.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh. Where are you right now?¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m heading to the office. Let¡¯s have dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡®Sure. Will your boyfriend be joining us?¡±


    ¡®Yes, he will.¡¯


    ¡®I got a good look just now. He¡¯s quite handsome,¡± Zoe teased.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s pretty all right,¡± Cordy said shyly.


    ¡®Pretty all right? You¡¯re too humble. His looks will rank him in the 90th percentile of all men in the


    country,¡± Zoe said agitatedly before adding,¡± But I don¡¯t me you for having such superior taste in


    men. You used to have a man with looks that dazzled the entire country.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    Of course, she knew who Zoe was referring to.


    ¡°Did I just say something wrong?¡± Zoe noticed that Cordy went silent and immediately asked.


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. It¡¯s all in the past. Since I¡¯vemitted myself to a new rtionship, I¡¯ve let go of


    everything in the past,¡± Cordy said lightly.¡± Conversely, I¡¯m quite happy with your character now. This


    means that after you got together with Jay, you¡¯ve be that heartless yet pure-hearted and happy


    woman you used to be in the past.¡±


    ¡°Since when was I heartless?¡± Zoe feigned anger.


    ¡®Yes, yes, you¡¯re not heartless.¡± Cordy yed along with her.


    ¡®But I must admit that things are pretty good between Jay and I right now,¡± Zoe said honestly, ¡®Had I


    known that Jay left me because of so many reasons that he had no control over, I wouldn¡¯t have hated


    him so much. Come to think of it, have you seen the news about me and Jay?¡±


    ¡®I have,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°Were you moved by our story?¡±


    ¡®Yes, I was.¡±


    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Zoe furrowed her brows.


    ¡®I¡¯ve known about Jay¡¯s heartaches for a long time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡® Zoe eximed in shock. ¡°How did you know about it? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Cordy Sachs,


    whose best friend are you exactly?¡±


    Cordy smiled bitterly upon being questioned by Zoe. ¡°John told me about it once, but my reasons for


    not telling you are the same as Jay¡¯s. At first, we didn¡¯t want you to be burdened by it. Subsequently,


    the two of you passed each other by and I couldn¡¯t find an appropriate chance to tell you about it.¡±


    Zoe bit her lip.


    Things had indeed passed by in a flurry between her and Jay.


    Many times, it seemed as though things ground to a stop before anything started.


    They never had the time to exin things to each other.


    ¡®Thankfully, the two of you are finally happily together.¡± Cordy gave them her blessings, saying,


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡¯ Zoe dly epted Cordy¡¯s blessings.


    She truly felt that she was very fortunate right now, and there was no need for her to hide her true


    feelings.


    ¡°I¡¯ve reached my office. I¡¯ll send you the address of the restaurantter,¡± Cordy said, ¡°I¡¯ve invited Quinn.


    See if you can get Jay to invite Sam over as well.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll tell Jay that.¡±


    ¡°See you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    They hung up and Zoe turned back.


    She saw Jay seated on the floor ying with Yelena, and she simply could not hold herself back.


    She held Jay¡¯s face in her hands and nted a huge kiss right on his lips!

 Chapter 1057

    Chapter 1057


    Chapter 1057


    Jay was stunned for a moment as his ears turned red.


    Yelena saw what her mommy did and her smiley face immediately turned sour. She said unhappily,


    ¡°Mommy, you yed cheat! How could you kiss Daddy while we¡¯re not paying attention!¡±


    ¡¯Nonsense.¡± Zoe said in all seriousness, ¡°Your daddy is my husband. I can kiss him anytime I want.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that,¡± Yelena grumbled. ¡°Daddy is my Daddy. He¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Zoe informed Yelena very seriously, ¡°You daddy is forever mine. I¡¯m just loaning him to


    you for the time being and allowing him to y with you. Ultimately, he belongs to me.¡±


    Boo hoo hoo! Daddy is mine!¡± Yelena was driven to tears by Zoe¡¯s words.


    ¡°You must learn to ept reality. You can find your own husband in the future,¡± Zoe said ruthlessly.


    Jay was rendered speechless.


    Zoe was being calctive with a three-year-old.


    ¡°Yelena, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯ll always be your daddy,¡± Jayforted her.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Yelena immediately puffed her chest up and said, ¡°Daddy said that he¡¯s mine.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing you. He¡¯ll chase you out of the house once you¡¯re all grown up.¡±


    ¡¯Boo hoo hoo¡­¡± Yelena burst into angry tears at Zoe¡¯s words once again.


    Zoe was suddenly in the best of moods.


    Who asked Yelena to hog her husband all day?


    ¡¯Daddy¡­¡± Yelena hugged Jay tight, refusing to let go.


    Zoe scored and left happily.


    Jay hugged Yelena back dotingly.


    Happiness flooded his heart.


    Zoe had called him her husband¡­


    In the evening, Zoe and Jay headed to the address that Cordy sent them for dinner.


    Quinn was invited as well, although Sam did not turn up.


    Cordy gave Zoe a look that asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call Sam over?¡±


    Zoe, the loud person that she was, said outrightly, ¡°I asked Jay to call Sam but he said he wasn¡¯t free. I


    asked him why and he refused to exin.¡±


    She turned to look at Quinn. ¡°Are things still bad between you and Sam?¡±


    Quinn smiled. ¡°But of course.¡±


    ¡®What is he putting on airs for?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not because of him.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not him then who could it be? You?!¡± Zoe would never think that the problemy with Quinn.


    Quinn had always been an obedient girl since she was young and a top student to boot.


    ¡°I am the problem.¡±


    ¡¯What exactly did Sam do in his past life to deserve someone like you?¡± Zoemented.


    Cordy said to Zoe, ¡°Perhaps Sam really has something on. What¡¯s more, it¡¯s reasonable for him to feel


    ufortable with me bringing my boyfriend to meet all of you.¡±


    ¡®Why would he feel ufortable?!¡± Zoe just wanted toin on Quinn¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°Sam is John¡¯s friend. What do you think?¡± Cordy was baffled.


    Zoe was stunned.


    That was when realization hit her.


    Cordy gave a half smile and said, ¡°Allow me to introduce my boyfriend, Patrick Stuart. These are two of


    my best friends, Zoe York and Quinn Summer. This is Zoe¡¯s husband, Jay Parker.¡±


    ¡®Hi everyone. I¡¯m Patrick,¡± he said very politely and greeted everyone by name, shaking their hands.


    After the formalities, Patrick eagerly handed over presents that he had prepared for them. ¡°Hope you


    guys like them.¡±


    ¡°Not bad, not bad,¡± Zoe teased as she received the gift box.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe and Quinn both received a Hermes scarf in their gift boxes.


    ¡°I have one too!¡± Cordy said as she lifted the scarf tied to her bag.


    ¡¯Good taste.¡± Zoe was generous with herpliments.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Patrick said humbly. ¡°As long as all of you appreciate it. I was worried that I might not be


    good enough.¡±


    ¡®How could that be?¡± Zoe posed with her scarf to see how good she looked with it.


    ¡°I have big shoes to fill, after all.¡±


    ¡®Ha ha ha, that¡¯s true.¡± Zoe was frank.


    Patrick admired Zoe¡¯s personality.


    She did not bother hiding her true feelings.

 Chapter 1058

    Chapter 1058


    Chapter 1058


    He always thought that people from the entertainment circle were supposed to be more tactful.


    Zoe was clearly an exception, being so straight-talking in nature.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to satisfy everyone,¡± Patrick promised eagerly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not important whether we are satisfied. What matters most is whether Cordy is satisfied.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty satisfied,¡± Cordy said.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Tsk tsk, starting with some public disys of affection already, aren¡¯t we?¡± Zoe teased.


    Cordy blushed, and Patrick felt rather shy too.


    Things looked pretty good between the two of them.


    ¡°Drinks tonight?¡± Zoe suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m good with that,¡± Patrick said bravely.


    ¡°Sounds like you hold your liquor well?¡±


    ¡°Not too bad.¡± Patrick did not bother acting humble, and Cordy did not stop him.


    A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit, after all.


    With Zoe around, the atmosphere around the table fired up in no time.


    Zoe was in a pretty good mood and drank quite a bit.


    Jay could not take alcohol so all he did was to sit at the side and pour alcohol for Zoe while


    asionally softly reminding Zoe not to drink so much.


    Zoe used her ability to drink like a fish as an excuse to dismiss Jay¡¯s reminders.


    Of course, the words from Zoe that effectively shut Jay up were, ¡°With you around, I don¡¯t even need to


    fear Hades.¡±


    That filled Jay with confidence.


    After a few rounds of drinks, Cordy needed to go to the washroom.


    Zoe was still putting down shots with Patrick around the table, while Quinn was simply keeping them


    company.


    After Cordy was done with the washroom, she saw Jay waiting outside for her.


    Cordy was not surprised to see him.


    She took the hint and walked to the balcony in the private room.


    The beautiful night scenery weed them.


    Cordy had been in the capital for way too long. Suddenly seeing the familiar lights in the night hit her


    with a strong sense of nostalgia.


    ¡°Have some warm water.¡± Jay handed her a ss.


    ¡®Thank you.¡±


    Jay was always so thoughtful, even preparing a ss of warm water beforehand.


    She did not drink much alcohol.


    It was mainly Zoe and Patrick who were busy with the alcohol.


    As for Quinn, she seemed to be drowning her sorrows with drinks.


    ¡®Have you truly let things go?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡®What else?¡± Cordy said with a smile.


    Things had alreadye to this point. How could she not have let go of things?


    Jay should know very well that she was a rational woman.


    How could she allow things to progress to this point if she had not truly let go of things?


    ¡®That¡¯s pretty good.¡± Jay smiled. ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡®Thank you.¡±


    ¡®But I¡¯m curious as to why you suddenly let go of things. Of course, it¡¯s not that I think you should


    remain a widow for John. I just simply think that you¡¯re not one to let go of things easily.¡±


    ¡®Because¡­¡± Cordy paused for a long while before saying slowly, ¡°I¡¯m tired. Perhaps, I think it¡¯s not


    worth it.¡±


    ¡¯Huh?¡± Jay furrowed his brows.


    He could understand why she would be tired.


    But saying that it was not worth it¡­


    If he guessed it correctly, John¡¯s death had something to do with Cordy.


    Yet, after so many years, Cordy was suddenly saying that it was not worth it


    ¡°Perhaps you might understand why I said that very soon.¡± Cordy chuckled. It was a chuckle that meant


    that she was no longer bothered by the past.

 Chapter 1059

    Chapter 1059


    Chapter 1059


    Jay could tell that there was a hidden meaning behind Cordy¡¯s words, but he did not dare contemte


    the possibility of a miracle.


    Cordy did not say anything further.


    Some things belonged to John alone. Given their rtionship right now, she had no right to say


    anything further.


    ¡®Congrattions to you.¡¯ Cordy changed the subject.


    Jay was stunned for a moment before shing her a smile.


    Of course, he knew what Cordy was congratting him for.


    ¡öRegarding things between you and Zoe, I initially didn¡¯t hold out much hope, thinking that you two


    would eventually pass each other by. Turns out that heaven is fair after all. Lovers do end up happily


    ever after,¡± Cordy looked up at the bright moon hanging in the night sky and said with a smile.


    ¡®I still find it unreal now,¡± Jay said rather shyly, ¡°Something that I never dared to even dream of


    happened just like that¡­¡±


    ¡°You deserve it,¡± Cordy affirmed.


    ¡®Thank you.¡± Jay smiled.


    It was a smile that felt like a spring breeze, conveying the sense of happiness that arose from the


    depths of his heart.


    True love would always find its way to show itself.


    ¡¯It¡¯s gettingte. We should head back, or Zoe and Patrick might end up cking out on the dining


    table,¡¯ Cordy joked.


    ¡®Sure.¡¯


    Jay did not ask her any further.


    They were merely long-time friends with warm affections and concern for each other.


    The two of them went back inside.


    Zoe, who was high from the alcohol, was standing on her chair and drinking straight out of the bottle.


    Patrick, as a man, could not refuse to drink.


    Seeing Zoe down the alcohol with gusto, he did the same as well and emptied the bottle in one go.


    Right after he did so, it was clear that he could not hold it in.


    But for the sake of his pride and dignity, he forced himself to swallow the alcohol down his throat.


    Cordy walked over to him. ¡°Stop drinking.¡±


    ¡°Cordy, you can¡¯t be biased toward your boyfriend!¡± Zoe was upset. ¡°It¡¯s so rare for us to gather for a


    meal and you¡¯re such a busy woman, heaven knows when our next gathering will be. We must drink till


    we drop tonight!¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re already drunk.¡±


    ¡¯Who¡¯s drunk?¡¯


    ¡®Patrick.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m not drunk-burp!¡± Patrick belched. ¡°I can still drink.¡±


    ¡®Look, look, he says that he¡¯s not drunk¡­ burp¡­¡±


    ¡®Drunk people will never admit that they are. We¡¯ll have a chance to gather again next time.¡± Cordy shot


    Jay a nce.


    Jay nodded, and he sat down on his wheelchair.


    In one swift move, he hauled Zoe up in his arms.


    Zoe shrieked, ¡°What are you doing, Jay Parker?!¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡®I¡¯m bringing you back.¡±


    ¡®I want to drink some more.¡±


    ¡®Be good!¡±


    ¡®You cant be so selfish.¡±


    ¡¯Zoe.¡±


    ¡®You¡¯re being fierce to me!¡± Zoe looked indignant.


    ¡®Be good. You¡¯re drunk and you¡¯ll get an upset tummy.¡±


    ¡®Is your heart aching for me?¡± Zoe began chuckling.


    Jay pursed his lips.


    They were still in the private room and everyone was staring at them.


    ¡®I won¡¯t go if you don¡¯t reply me,¡± Zoe said stubbornly.


    Jay said in a low voice, ¡®Yes.¡±


    ¡®Are you lying to me, Jay?!¡± Zoe said with a look of disbelief.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not.¡¯


    ¡®You are.¡±


    ¡®Why would I lie to you? I don¡¯t want you feeling bad from drinking too much. It aches my heart,¡± Jay


    said with a tinge of exasperation in his voice.


    Zoe stared unblinkingly at Jay.


    She did not mean that.

 Chapter 1060

    Chapter 1060


    Chapter 1060


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But hearing Jay say with such certainty that his heart would ache for her¡­


    Happiness filled her heart.


    She really wanted to kiss him in front of everyone, but she was worried that Jay would bury his head in


    the ground out of embarrassment.


    ¡¯Jay, I didn¡¯t mean that your heart wouldn¡¯t ache for me. I meant that you wanted me to go home so


    early surely because you want me to bear many children for you, enough to make up a basketball


    team.¡±


    Cordy burst outughing.


    Meanwhile, Quinn barely managed to hold in herughter, chuckling inwardly as she sipped on her


    wine.


    She did not drink much, but it was not little either.


    Jay¡¯s ears turnedpletely red. He held on tight to Zoe and left in a hurry on his wheelchair.


    Over the years, they had never seen Jay so awkward before.


    Indeed, every person has his own weakness.


    After they left, Quinn put down her wine ss and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, too.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Cordy grabbed Quinn¡¯s arm and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drink with you.¡±


    ¡®Huh?¡± Quinn was taken aback.


    Zoe had already left, so why would they continue drinking?


    Did she not say that they were drunk?


    ¡®Zoe loses all control of herself the moment she starts drinking. She should go home early to bear


    children for Jay, enough to make up a basketball team,¡± Cordy exined.


    Quinn could not hold back herughter. She asked again, ¡°What about Patrick?¡±


    Patrick was hunched over the table.


    If Zoe had not left, he would have continued putting up a front.


    The moment she left, he immediately copsed on the table.


    ¡®Let him sleep for a while.¡±


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ Quinn did not refuse Cordy¡¯s offer.


    The two of them began drinking.


    ¡®Why do you go to the capital so frequently?¡± Quinn said in surprise.


    ¡¯I have some things to settle.¡±


    ¡®Private affairs?¡±


    ¡°You can say so,¡± Cordy replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to hide it from you and Zoe, but I just don¡¯t want the


    two of you worrying about me.¡¯


    ¡¯Is it very dangerous?¡± Quinn asked nervously.


    ¡¯A little.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips.


    ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll protect myself well.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ Quinn nodded.


    When she had no way of helping Cordy, the only thing she could do was to trust Cordy.


    ¡°Just like that.¡±


    To be urate, she had always been down, but the moment Sam¡¯s name was mentioned, it made her


    feel even worse.


    ¡¯Do you like Sam?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Quinn shook her head. ¡°But I really just want to spend my life with him, but I don¡¯t know


    how tomunicate that with him. He seems to be very annoyed with me.¡±


    ¡®Could it be possible that you did not show him how sincere you are?¡±


    Quinn bit her lip.


    Perhaps.


    Each time she wanted to talk to Sam, she would not insist the moment Sam rejected her.


    She felt that she was simply respecting Sam¡¯s wishes, but would Sam think that she was just casually


    asking him?


    But each time she was faced with Sam¡¯s couldn¡¯t-care-less attitude, she found it extremely difficult to


    talk to him calmly.


    ¡® Actually, I think the problem between you two lies with you, not him,¡¯ Cordy said seriously.


    ¡®Huh?¡± Quinn did not understand.


    Between the two of them, the one who had been avoiding the issue had always been Sam.


    Although Sam did not fool around with women as much as he did in the past, it was true that he


    seemed indifferent to her.


    ¡¯You should first figure out what you feel about Sam and if you truly, faithfully want to be with him for


    your entire life. If you¡¯re not even sure about that, how do you expect Sam to feel your sincerity?¡± Cordy


    said helplessly, ¡°To be honest, even I think that your affection for him feels more like gratitude, let alone


    Sam.¡±

 Chapter 1061

    Chapter 1061


    Chapter 1061


    ¡°After you¡¯ve figured out your own feelings and made a decision, have a good chat with Sam ande


    clean with where you stand.¡± Cordy gave Quinn her advice.


    ¡¯Okay,¡± Quinn nodded.


    ¡®Still want to drink?¡¯ Cordy asked.


    ¡°Nah.¡± Quinn smiled.


    She was almost done for the night.


    If she drank more, she would be tipsy.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Unlike Zoe, who would wake up just fine the next morning after drinking much alcohol, Quinn would


    feel terrible for an entire week if she were to get drunk.


    What was more, Patrick had copsed from drinking too much and it was time for him to head home


    too.


    ¡®Then, let¡¯s go.¡± Cordy stood up to help Patrick up.


    ¡® Need my help?¡±


    ¡® No need.¡± Cordy called out to Patrick. ¡°Wake up.¡±


    Patrick opened his eyes blearily and spluttered, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk. Let¡¯s continue,e,e¡­¡±


    ¡®Come on, time to head home.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m not drunk, I can still drink.¡±


    ¡®Zoe is drunk.¡± Cordy was almost rendered speechless.


    That was when Patrick realized that Zoe was not around.


    He smiled smugly. ¡°I can hold my liquor better after all.¡±


    ¡®Silly.¡¯


    Patrick stumbled along as Cordy helped him out of the restaurant.


    ¡¯Need a lift?¡± Cordy asked Quinn.


    ¡®No thanks, I¡¯m not drunk.¡±


    ¡®Text me once you¡¯re home.¡¯


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Cordy helped Patrick into the taxi.


    Because they were all drinking and it was toote, Cordy did not make the driver wait for them. Instead,


    she hailed the first taxi she saw outside the restaurant and headed back to the vi.


    She had wanted to send Patrick to a hotel, but looking at how drunk he was, Cordy decided to bring


    him back to her home.


    She did not know if Richard would mind that.


    She had invited Richard to join them for dinner, but he had turned her down.


    She could sense that Richard and Patrick¡­ At the end of the day, John was still his daddy.


    But she hoped that Richard could eventuallye to ept Patrick.


    Cordy pondered for a moment before texting Richard to seek his opinion.


    Just then, she realized that the taxi was going the wrong way.


    It was not the way back to the vi.


    It was not even taking the longer route. In fact, it was going the opposite direction.


    Cordy¡¯s heart leapt.


    A bad feeling rose in her throat.


    Before she could think about how to react, she found herself losing consciousness.


    Oh no.


    She had been drugged.


    No wonder the taxi driver was wearing a mask.


    ¡¯Cordy.¡¯


    A familiar voice sounded next to her.


    Cordy opened her eyes blearily.


    Everything was dark, and she did not know where she was right now.


    She did not even know if it was day or night.


    ¡®Cordy.¡¯ Patrick called out to her again.


    Cordy turned to the source of the voice and saw a figure in the darkness.


    She moved her body, intending to move toward the direction of the voice.


    That was when she realized that her arms and legs were all tied up and she could not move an inch.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re being kidnapped,¡± Patrick said.


    ¡¯Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    She tried hard to suppress the anger in her.


    She did not expect Nana¡¯s influence to extend all the way to North City.


    But she no longer had anything to do with John. Why would Nana do this?


    Was Nana really psychologically twisted?


    Was Nana never going to rest until she died?!

 Chapter 1062

    Chapter 1062


    Chapter 1062


    But since Nana managed to kidnap her, and since shended in Nana¡¯s hands, why did Nana not kill


    her?


    By right, given Nana¡¯s character, she would never give Cordy a chance to survive.


    Was Nana going to torture her before killing her?!


    ¡°Cordy, don¡¯t fear,¡¯ Patrick said. ¡°Even if we were to die, we¡¯ll stay together.¡±


    Was he trying tofort her?!


    Cordy squirmed around once again.


    She tried to stand up but was unable to move at all.


    ¡¯Patrick, can you move?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I tried,¡± Patrick said helplessly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t move either.¡±


    ¡¯You said that we¡¯re being kidnapped.¡±


    ¡®I can only think of Nana Lynd,¡± Cordy said frankly.


    ¡°Me too. The first thought I had was that Nana is behind this. She can¡¯t ept the affections that you


    and John have for each other, so she wants to kill you and put an end to everything. However¡­¡±


    Patrick went on, ¡°If it were her, we¡¯d be dead by now.¡±


    ¡°So I suspect that Nana might want to torture me before killing me.¡±


    ¡°Is she that perverted and twisted inside?¡±


    ¡°More so than you imagine her to be.¡±


    ¡®In that case, we must find a way to escape!¡¯ Patrick eximed through gritted teeth.


    ¡°How can we do that? We don¡¯t even know where we are!¡±


    ¡¯D*mn it!¡± Patrick could not help but curse.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re already kidnapped, I¡¯m sure someone is watching us. Think of a way to make some noise


    and attract their attention!¡± Cordy suggested.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Patrick suddenly yelled, ¡°Help! Help! Someone is dying!¡¯


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    It was not hard to guess that Patrick was a politician.


    But thankfully, it worked.


    The door was opened.


    Dim light shone from the door and a tall man appeared. He had his back against the light and his face


    could not be seen, but they sensed that he was someone unfamiliar.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the man yelled.


    ¡¯I need to pee!¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± The man cursed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that humans have natural urges? I drank so much and my dder¡¯s about to burst. If I


    were to hold it in any longer, I¡¯d get internal injuries even if I didn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°Wait here!¡±


    The man turned to leave, not forgetting to shut the door before he left.


    A short whileter, the door opened once more.


    The man from earlier walked in and directly toward Patrick with a pail in his hands. ¡°Pee in this!¡±


    ¡¯There¡¯s a woman right here!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to pee or not?¡±


    ¡°I need to poo. You can¡¯t just let me poop in here!¡±


    The man appeared disgusted by Patrick.


    He hesitated for a moment before pulling out a blindfold from his pocket and tying it over Patrick¡¯s eyes.


    He then untied the twine binding Patrick¡¯s legs and ordered, ¡°Come with me. Don¡¯t you dare y any


    tricks!¡±


    Patrick was brought away by the man, and the room became even quieter.


    After a long while, Patrick finally returned.


    His legs were tied back up again and the door was shut tight.


    ¡°Did you see our surroundings outside?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Patrick said, ¡°The blindfold was too effective.¡±


    ¡¯I saw the inside of the room with the dim light just now. This looks like a bedroom.¡±


    ¡¯Yeah, I realized that too.¡±


    ¡°So we should be in some kind of apartment.¡¯


    ¡¯And then?¡±


    ¡¯I suspect this isn¡¯t Nana¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°But if it¡¯s not her, who else could it be? Who else would have a grudge against you?¡±


    ¡°Why not a grudge against you?¡±


    ¡¯I¡­¡± Patrick was stunned for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± ¡¯I just think that if it were Nana, she wouldn¡¯t


    treat us so well. If she wanted to kidnap us, she would have thrown us into the wilderness and made us


    suffer. Why would she hold us in such afortable room?!¡±

 Chapter 1063

    Chapter 1063


    Chapter 1063


    ¡®Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, I find it strange, too.¡± Patrick agreed. ¡¯That woman Nana isn¡¯t a decent


    person. If we were to end up in her hands, she¡¯d definitely torture us to death!¡±


    ¡¯So¡­ who could it be?! Aside from her, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve offended anyone else,¡± Cordy said


    straightforwardly.


    ¡®Could it be¡­ the Sachs?¡¯ Patrick reminded her.


    Cordy was stunned.


    She had not contacted the Sachs for a long while. To her, the Sachs were a bunch of losers who would


    not dare to make any waves under her nose. In fact, they had to do her bidding. Otherwise, she could


    reduce them to nothing!


    After a moment¡¯s doubt, Cordy said with certainty, ¡®Impossible. They don¡¯t have such guts. The Sachs


    clearly know that they will lose whatever standing they have in North City without me. They¡¯d never


    shoot themselves in the foot!¡±


    ¡®Right,¡± Patrick nodded, believing in Cordy¡¯s words unconditionally. ¡°Then who could it be?! Could it


    really be my enemy?¡±


    Cordy really had no idea.


    ¡®But no matter who it is, what exactly is his objective in kidnapping us?¡± Cordy could not figure it out.


    ¡°Why does it feel like he wants to put us under house arrest instead of doing us any real harm?¡±


    ¡®Let¡¯s wait it out.¡± Patrick sighed helplessly. ¡°I refuse to believe that this person¡¯s objective is to lock us


    up for life.¡¯


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy responded in agreement.


    They were not very happy that they were kidnapped for no rhyme or reason, but there was nothing they


    could do now.


    After all, they could neither see the mastermind nor escape.


    Aside from waiting, there was no other way.


    In a dark and quiet alley in the capital, in the dark night, where no one else was around¡­


    ¡¯We¡¯ve kidnapped them,¡± a man said in a low voice.


    ¡¯Okay,¡± another man replied.


    ¡®Shall we make a move tomorrow?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°If nothing goes wrong,¡± the other man replied.


    ¡®Okay.¡± The man hesitated for a moment before agreeing to it. ¡°Watch out for safety.¡¯


    ¡®I will.¡± The other man put out his cigarette and said, ¡°Wait for my update.¡±


    With that, he stood up to leave.


    There was a ck car parked at the entrance of the alley.


    The man got into the car and the driver drove off to the district located in primend.


    John got out of the car and entered the elevator.


    The numbers on the elevator shed in order as the elevator rose.


    When the elevator reached his floor, John unlocked the door and went in.


    A dim light was left switched on, novelbob and Nana was still awake.


    He seldom headed out at night nor returned home sote, but each time, Nana would be waiting for


    him in the living room.


    ¡¯It¡¯ste. Why are you still awake?¡± John asked Nana.


    ¡®I can¡¯t sleep when you¡¯re not back yet.¡±


    ¡®Turn in early,¡± John said bluntly.


    With that, he turned around and walked into the bedroom.


    Right before he shut his door, novelbob Nana squeezed herself through it.


    John stared at her.


    ¡®Lucas, when exactly are you going to be willing to sleep with me in the same room?¡±


    ¡¯The doctor said that given your physical condition, we cannot share the same room for the time being.¡±


    ¡®I know my own body condition very well.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯ll only listen to the doctor.¡¯


    ¡®Are you listening to the doctor or actually not interested in me at all?!¡± Nana said agitatedly.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    They had been married for so long, yet Lucas had been keeping a distance from her.


    Even when they moved to live together, Lucas remained indifferent to her and they continued sleeping


    separately.

 Chapter 1064

    Chapter 1064


    Chapter 1064


    This was no different from when they were not married!


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯I said that your health is more important.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking revenge on me? I forced you to be with me and you¡¯re taking revenge on me by


    treating me like this!¡± Nana broke down and yelled.


    ¡°No,¡± John said coldly,pletely unmoved by Nana¡¯s mood swing.


    Nana was scared to death by Lucas¡¯ behavior.


    She would rather Lucas fight with her and re up at her. At least she would know what he was feeling.


    But the way he was acting now made her suspect that Lucas treated her as invisible like air.


    No.


    She could not ept that.


    She risked her life to be with him not so that they could lead the rest of their lives like this!


    ¡°Lucas, I¡¯m going to sleep in the same room with you tonight,¡± Nana announced as she held back her


    anger.


    ¡°The doctor said that won¡¯t do for now!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I want it and I want it right now!¡±


    The moment she said that, she threw herself into John¡¯s arms, but he took a side step and Nana


    missed.


    She looked at him. ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want unnecessary trouble. If something untoward happens to you if we sleep in the same


    room, I don¡¯t know how to exin things to your grandmother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Lucas! Stop it with your self-righteous exnation. I know exactly what you¡¯re


    thinking!¡± Nana had almost enough.


    She had enough of Lucas¡¯ cold indifference toward her.


    John suddenly became silent under Nana¡¯s questioning.


    Nana saw the look on John¡¯s face and sneered. ¡°I got it right, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± John decided to go all out.


    Nana¡¯s expression changed drastically.


    ¡°Since you know what I¡¯m thinking, why must you force me?¡±


    ¡°Cordy is already with Patrick!¡± Nana reminded him.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of her!¡±


    ¡®More importantly, I am not attracted to you,¡± John dered. ¡°If you can make me fancy you, why would


    I find another woman unforgettable?¡± 1


    ¡°Lucas Lynch!¡± Nana shrieked.


    She could not ept how direct John¡¯s words were!


    ¡°I have no way of objecting to our marriage, but I have the ability to decide what I do with my own body.


    Nana Lynd, I will never touch you!¡±


    With that, he grabbed Nana¡¯s arm and pushed her out of the room hard.


    Nana shrieked at the top of her voice, refusing to leave the room.


    She must sleep with John tonight.


    ¡°Lucas, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll kill myself tonight?¡±


    ¡® No, I¡¯m not,¡± John said frankly. ¡°Instead of suppressing and torturing myself, I¡¯d rather die with you and


    seek relief from such a life. I¡¯ve thought


    it through. If you really were to die, I¡¯ll die with you.¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°If you die tonight, I¡¯llmit suicide tomorrow! Mark my words!¡± John said coldly.


    With that, he refused to say another word and simply drove Nana out of his room.


    He then turned around and mmed his door.


    Nana stared at the closed door, her eyes all red and filled with fury and hatred!


    Lucas did not fear death, but would he fear Cordy¡¯s death?


    Since he was only threatened by Cordy, she had no choice but to use Cordy to her advantage.


    ¡®Lucas Lynch, you asked for this.¡¯


    She grabbed her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Kill Cordy Sachs. No matter what you do, that woman


    must die!¡±

 Chapter 1065

    Chapter 1065


    Chapter 1065


    Nana hung up and returned to her bedroom.


    Tonight, she had to wait till Cordy was dead before she could sleep in peace.


    The night turned darker, and her phone rang.


    Nana immediately answered the call with viciousness in her eyes. ¡°Is she dead?¡±


    ¡® Ms. Lynd, we can¡¯t find Cordy Sachs,¡± the voice from the other end answered her.


    ¡®What!¡± Nana¡¯s brows furrowed tight. ¡°I told you that she¡¯s in North City and I¡¯ve even given you the


    address of her vi there. How could you not find her?¡±


    ¡®We really can¡¯t. We even took the risk to sneak into her vi and confirmed that there¡¯s no one inside.¡±


    ¡°Could she be with Patrick Stuart?¡±


    ¡®Patrick Stuart wasn¡¯t there either.¡±


    ¡°What about in Rocktown?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve asked our men in Rocktown and Patrick Stuart did not go back there.¡±


    ¡°How could they simply disappear into thin air?!¡± Nana raged with fury.


    ¡°We¡¯ll continue searching forthem!¡±


    ¡°After you find her, no matter what you do, just kill her immediately.¡±


    Nana hung up and flung the phone on the floor!


    ¡®Cordy Sachs!


    ¡®Did you predict that I¡¯d make a move on you?!


    ¡®Is that why you¡¯ve hidden yourself?!¡¯


    Nana sneered.


    The viciousness in her eyes grew.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Did Cordy think Nana would not be able to find her even if she hid herself?


    As long as Nana wanted to kill someone, she would be able to find them even if they buried themselves


    three feet underground!


    The next day, Cordy opened her eyes blearily.


    The sunlight peeked through the curtains and they could barely make out the inside of the room.


    She cleared her parched throat.


    ¡°Awake?!¡± An unfamiliar man¡¯s voice sounded next to her, frightening her to death.


    She turned to look but could hardly see what the man looked like in the dark.


    It was not like she needed to see so clearly, though. He was probably a stranger to her, and she did not


    find him the least bit familiar.


    ¡°Why did you kidnap us?!¡± Cordy questioned him loudly.


    Patrick had woken up by then, and he looked at the other man in rm, afraid that the man might do


    something to harm Cordy.


    ¡°We are just hitmen paid to do this. Don¡¯t ask anymore.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do to us?!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t do anything to you until we receive further instructions.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to lock us in here?!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t answer you.¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth.


    She knew that she would not be able to get any useful information from them.


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± the man asked.


    It turned out that they were here so early to deliver breakfast.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get them to bring in breakfast.¡±


    With that, the man walked out.


    Very soon, he was back again, with two portions of breakfast in hand.


    It was a warm bowl of oatmeal with eggs and some side dishes.


    ¡°How are we going to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feed you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to being fed.¡±

 Chapter 1066

    Chapter 1066


    Chapter 1066


    ¡®You can choose not to eat,¡± the man said coldly.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    Was he so scared that she would run?


    How could she possibly do that in such a dark and unfamiliar ce?


    Who would be so careful?!


    This person also seemed to understand her very well.


    ¡® Do you want to eat or not?!¡± the man asked, clearly annoyed.


    ¡®Yes, she¡¯ll eat.¡± Patrick immediately answered on her behalf, worried that she might go hungry.


    Cordy did not reject the man further. ¡¯Thank you.¡±


    The man was stunned for a moment, as he did not expect Cordy to be so courteous to him.


    Of course, such professional business people would never expose their true feelings so easily.


    He picked up a spoon and fed Cordy, spoon by spoon.


    The temperature of the food was just right. Meanwhile, the consistency of the oatmeal was perfect and


    even the eggs were boiled to the degree she enjoyed, while the side dishes were refreshing and tasty.


    Cordy chewed through her food, eating very slowly.


    She did not feel like the tall man was particrly good-mannered, but he did not rush her at all.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    After finishing a bowl of oatmeal, the man asked, ¡°More?¡±


    ¡¯No thanks.¡±


    The man stood up and walked toward Patrick, who did not resist the man and gobbled up his breakfast.


    After he was done, the door was shut once again.


    ¡°Who in the world kidnapped us? Is this how hostages are treated?¡± Patrick was still feeling annoyed.


    Cordy wasparatively calmer.


    She said, ¡°I have a bold conjecture.¡±


    ¡®You have a guess?¡±


    Cordy was really smart, not just ordinarily so.


    ¡®Don¡¯t you find this kidnapping incident very strange? Nana is the prime suspect, but if she were really


    behind this, we would have died much


    earlier on. Even if we didn¡¯t die, we would be half dead. Yet now, there¡¯s even someone feeding us


    breakfast.¡±


    ¡¯The key is that the breakfast was not even bad! Whoever prepared it knew that we drank alcoholst


    night and gave us oatmeal that would be easy on our stomachs. The taste of the oatmeal was superb


    too!¡¯


    Patrick clearly noticed that something was wrong as well.


    ¡®Yes. So I suspect that the person who kidnapped us does not wish to harm us.¡¯ Cordy put forth her


    guess.


    ¡®You mean¡­¡± Patrick got it immediately.


    He thought of the answer in a split second.


    ¡®Yes.¡± Cordy nodded. ¡°I suspect it¡¯s Sean.¡±


    ¡®Is he mad? Kidnapping us? Is he hiding some earth-shattering secret?!


    Goodness!¡± Patrick eximed agitatedly, ¡°Is he attacking you for a start because he secretly wants to


    seize the Cranstons¡¯ family business?¡±


    ¡®Can¡¯t you be slightly more realistic?¡¯ Cordy said exasperatedly, ¡°You get so easily agitated each time


    Sean¡¯s name is mentioned. Do you have a grudge with him in your past life?¡±


    ¡¯I¡­¡± Patrick was rendered speechless.


    He didn¡¯t think that he felt particrly agitated about Sean. Did he not treat everyone the same way?


    ¡¯If Sean had wanted to seize the Cranstons¡¯ family business, he wouldn¡¯t need to do anything


    underhanded. All he needs to do is to tell my grandfather that he wants to inherit the family business


    and my grandfather will let him. Aside from Jesse Cranston, Sean Cranston is the most ambitious of


    the entire Cranston family! Do you really think Sean needs to resort to something so arduous and


    unrewarding?¡¯


    ¡®Then why would he kidnap us?¡±


    ¡¯He¡¯s protecting us.¡± Cordy was very sure about it.


    ¡öHuh?¡¯


    ¡¯Sean is probably making a move on the Lynds and it¡¯s probably something dangerous. Sean must¡¯ve


    kidnapped us in order to prevent me from interrupting his ns.¡±


    ¡¯If he doesn¡¯t want you interrupting his ns, why didn¡¯t he just tell you? Why must he resort to such a


    method?¡±


    ¡¯ Because if he doesn¡¯t do something like this. I¡¯d certainly step in,¡± Cordy said frankly.


    Patrick mumbled with a tinge of exasperation in his voice. ¡°You know that you¡¯re not very obedient,


    right?¡±


    ¡¯I just don¡¯t want Sean shouldering everything by himself.¡¯


    Patrick suddenly fell silent.


    He was probably reflecting upon how dangerous things were getting.


    If they were not dangerous, Sean would not do something so extreme. ¡®Find a way to escape,¡± Cordy


    suddenly said with determination.

 Chapter 1067

    Chapter 1067


    Chapter 1067


    Patrick was stunned for a long while before he finally mumbled, ¡°Can¡¯t you justply with Sean¡¯s


    wishes?¡±


    Cordy was surprised to hear that. ¡®Since when did you begin standing on Sean¡¯s side?¡±


    Patrick paused for a moment before asking her back, ¡°Did I?¡±


    ¡®Didn¡¯t you just do so?¡±


    ¡®I just think that Sean¡¯s considerations are legitimate. If what he¡¯s doing is dangerous, why aren¡¯t you


    avoiding it?¡¯


    ¡®If I¡¯m afraid of danger, won¡¯t they be too?¡± Cordy said with exasperation in her voice, ¡°Why can¡¯t we


    face whateveres together?¡±


    ¡® Perhaps Sean thinks that he can handle it alone.¡±


    ¡®If he thought he could, he wouldn¡¯t have kidnapped me.¡±


    Patrick was at a loss for words. He suddenly said tentatively, ¡°Is it possible that it might not be Sean


    who kidnapped us? Even if you refuse to listen to him, he just needs to lock you up and there¡¯s no need


    for him to resort to such means.¡±


    ¡®The reason is simple. Sean doesn¡¯t want me to be angry. He clearly knows that I¡¯ll hate him for life if he


    tantly locks me up. He¡¯s doing things this way so he would be above suspicion.¡±


    ¡®Fine.¡± Patrick decided to stop doubting.


    He did not really doubt Cordy¡¯s guess, but he just did not want Cordy risking her life, so he deliberately


    cast doubt over the possibility.


    Clearly, he had no way of convincing Cordy.


    She was smart and logical.


    ¡®Now we should think of a way to escape,¡± Cordy said solemnly.


    Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡®We must go out and take a look. I¡¯m really worried something bad might happen.¡±


    ¡®Okay,¡± Patrick responded.


    Silence ensued between the both of them as they were both deep in thought about how to escape from


    this ce.


    Back in the capital, sleep evaded Nana the entire night.


    She red at the messages in her phone, which told of how Cordy could not be found even until now.


    Why did that woman suddenly disappear into thin air?!


    A sound came from outside the room.


    Nana pulled off her sheets and got out of bed.


    She knew that Lucas was awake.


    Nowadays, he would often leave the house early ande backte.


    Nana knew that he had work to do. Now that he had set up business in the capital, there were many


    things he had to deal with in persons


    ¡¯Lucas!¡± Nana called out to him.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John turned around.


    ¡¯Going to work so early?¡¯


    ¡®Today is the weekend, I¡¯m not going to work,¡¯ John said frankly.


    That was when Nana realized that it was the weekend.


    ¡®Then where are you headed to?¡±


    ¡®Nowhere. I¡¯m going to make breakfast.¡¯ With that, John walked into the open-concept kitchen.


    Nana suddenly felt ttered.


    She did not expect Lucas to prepare breakfast for her.


    He has been cold and distant toward here during this period, yet he chose to stay at home during the


    weekends?


    She thought that he would find an excuse to work overtime even during the weekends.


    Nana looked at Lucas busying himself around the kitchen.


    As long as he was willing to live his life with her in peace, she would have no qualms about sparing


    Cordy.


    Twenty minutester, John was done whipping up a sumptuous breakfast.


    He ced the dishes on the table and said casually, ¡®Time to eat.¡±


    Nana was stunned.


    She was unsure if Lucas was calling out to her.


    ¡®Have you had breakfast already?¡± John looked up at her.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s just¡­ never mind. I¡¯ll eat now.¡± Nana did not dare reject him, for fear that any ounce of


    hesitation would cause him to stop her from eating breakfast with him.


    She sat before the table.


    It was like a dream, sitting next to Lucas eating so calmly.


    After they got married, it was clear for all to see how coldly Lucas treated her.


    She knew that Lucas was forced to marry her, but she was sure that she would make him fall for her


    one day.


    Was Lucas gradually changing?

 Chapter 1068

    <strong>Chapter 1068</strong>


    Nana ate very cautiously.


    "Do you like it?" John suddenly asked.


    Nana looked unblinkingly at John before breaking into a wide smile and saying, "It''s delicious. Everything is delicious. I like all the food here."


    "Good." John nodded and did not say anything further.


    Nana began feeling restless and eager to speak.


    "Lucas, can we start anew?" Nana said, her eyes brimming with affection. "Just like how we were abroad. Back then, we were so deeply in love with each other."


    John remained silent.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nana went on. "I really don''t mind your past with Cordy. Everyone has their pasts and emotional baggage. In fact, I''m so thankful that what happened between you and Cordy happened before we got married. Now that we''re married, we''ll focus on living happily ever after and forget everything in the past, okay?"


    John stayed silent, and Nana reached out to hold his hand.


    John looked at her.


    Nana said, "As long as we start anew, I really can let bygones be bygones and really let Cordy off."


    Really.


    As long as Lucas was faithful and true to her, she could give up on killing Cordy.


    She would do anything for him, as long as...


    Nana''s heartbeat quickened.


    Her vision suddenly blurred, and Lucas'' face shed before her eyes.


    A bad feeling crept up her heart.


    "Lucas... are you trying to kill me?" Nana croaked with much difficulty.


    Her eyes turned red with fear as she red viciously at the man before her.


    She had humbled herself to such an extent, yet he wanted to kill her?!


    John did not answer her.


    The way he looked at her chilled her down to her bones.


    Nana could no longer withstand it and fainted right in front of him.


    Yes, he was going to dere war against the Lynds, with Nana as the trigger.


    The Cranstons may be implicated as well, but he would do everything he could to avoid that.


    John stood up and hauled Nana up unhurriedly out of the house before cing her in the car.


    He made a phone call as he drove along. "Have you gotten Jean Cranston out of the house?"


    "Yes."


    "What reason did you give her?"


    "That my grandfather was looking for her," Sean replied.


    "Is Jesse Cranston awake yet?"


    "Not yet."


    "So it''s still a recement."


    "Yes," Sean said. "This means that I can''t spare you much time. You must make haste."


    "Okay."


    "John," Sean called him.


    "Yeah?"


    "Don''t die."


    "I''m lucky."


    John hung up.


    He looked calm andposed, as if what he was about to do next waspletely ordinary and not the least bit dangerous.


    The car was parked right inside the Lynd residence courtyard.


    The servants saw Nana''s car and immediately opened the gate for them.


    "Shh." John shushed the servants. "Keep your voice down. Nana is asleep."


    "Yes, sir," the servants replied respectfully.


    After John got out of the car, he headed to the front passenger seat to carry Nana in his arms before entering the house. He went upstairs and instructed the servants, "Nana has been very tired these few days. Don''t go upstairs and disrupt her rest. Her health is poor and the doctor says she needs rest."

 Chapter 1069

    Chapter 1069


    Chapter 1069


    ¡®Yes, sir,¡± one of the servants immediately replied.


    They even gave him a knowing smile.


    To them, John and Nana were newlyweds and it was absolutely reasonable forthem to asionally go


    overboard in their bedroom activities.


    Therefore, Nana¡¯s fatigue did not make them suspicious.


    What was more, John looked so natural andposed.


    There was no loophole to be spotted.


    He carried Nana upstairs.


    When he previously came to the Lynd residence, he took note of where all the surveince cameras


    were located.


    There was only one surveince camera installed on the second floor which was along the corridor.


    As long as he avoided that surveince camera, the Lynd family members would not notice a thing.


    John first carried Nana back to her old room, then he opened the door to the balcony and climbed out


    without any hesitation. He hung on the outside of the balcony and leapt onto the air conditioning unit


    attached to the exterior of the house. He then grabbed onto the railing of another balcony and lurched


    inside.


    This room he entered was the nearest to the room he wanted to enter, and the corridor that this room


    led to was in the blind spot of the surveince camera.


    After John sessfullynded, he exhaled out loud before walking out of the room.


    Meanwhile, the Lynds who were heading toward the Cranston residence suddenly received a call.


    ¡°Nana and Lucas went back home?¡±


    ¡®Yes. Ms. Lynd looked very tired and she was carried back home by Mr. Lynch. He told us not to disturb


    them,¡± one of the servants reported.


    Nana¡¯s father held onto his phone and told Jean, ¡®Mom, Lucas and Nana went back home.¡±


    ¡± Why didn¡¯t they inform us beforehand?¡± Jean¡¯s sharp eyes were incisive.


    ¡®I¡¯ll call them and ask,¡± Nana¡¯s father immediately said.


    ¡®No need for now. We don¡¯t need to guard against Nana. Our main concern should be Lucas. He had a


    thing with Cordy Sachs previously and Nana forced him to marry her. I¡¯m worried he might seek


    revenge. But there isn¡¯t much of a problem as long as he remains under our watch. Let the butler watch


    Lucas closely, but tell him not to be too bothered if there isn¡¯t any funny business,¡± Jean said. ¡°Nana


    fought so hard for this marriage. At least on the surface, we should treat Lucas as a member of the


    family.¡±


    ¡¯Yes,¡± Nana¡¯s father said respectfully before bowing his head to the phone and instructing the servant,


    ¡°Keep on Lucas but don¡¯t let him find out. Inform us right away if you sense anything amiss.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯Yes, sir.¡±


    After the call ended, the butler instinctively wanted to go upstairs to take a look.


    He pondered for a moment before turning around and walking toward the surveince room instead.


    He instructed the security guard in the surveince room, ¡°Check what Mr. Lynch is up to.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The security guard zoomed in to the appropriate screen.


    ¡® Mr. Lynch carried Ms. Lynd into the room and never came out.¡¯


    ¡°Watch him closely. Call me the moment hees out.¡±


    ¡¯Okay.¡±


    After the butler made the necessary arrangements, he left with a peace of mind.


    At that moment, John had already arrived in front of a room door.


    This was the study and the item he wanted was right inside.


    The Lynd family had an unwritten rule which was that no one was allowed inside the study unless they


    had express permission from Jean. Even the job of cleaning the study had to be done by the butler


    whom Jean trusted the most.


    Due to this rule, even if the door was left open, no one would dare to trespass and so the door was


    never locked.


    Therefore, John entered the study with ease.


    The study was huge, with many items and books disyed in the room.


    He was at a loss at where to begin.


    John looked around quickly, not wanting to take too much time.


    He swiftly identified a spot and began looking for the information he wanted, and he acted fast.


    His movements looked disorderly, but there was an order in his approach.


    He did not have much time.


    The moment Jean realized that ¡®Jesse¡¯ was a fake, she would return very soon.

 Chapter 1070

    Chapter 1070


    Chapter 1070


    John remained calm despite the cold sweat beaded on his forehead.


    Given howrge the study was, it was not easy trying to find some confidential documents that were


    probably hidden very well.


    After ten minutes, John did not manage to find anything.


    After twenty minutes, he still did not make any progress.


    After thirty minutes¡­


    Sweat rolled down his face and dripped down his chin.


    Just then, Sean texted him. [Quick! The Lynds are about to reach home!]


    John remained calm, and he calmly continued his search.


    In the Cranston residence, Jean yelled angrily, ¡°Sean, I watched you grow up and I know you to be a


    mature and sensible man. How could you pull such a joke on us?¡±


    The Lynds realized that ¡®Jesse¡¯ was a fake and Sean had no choice but toe clean.


    ¡°Grandaunt, I came here today to confess to you the truth.¡± Sean tried his best to drag out the time,


    ¡°I¡¯ve always suspected that Grandfather¡¯s


    incident was a deliberate act by someone, so I wanted to use this method to expose the guilty culprit.


    But it¡¯s been so long and I¡¯ve gotten nothing. I really don¡¯t want to keep you in the dark any longer, so


    I¡¯m taking the initiative to tell you the truth.¡±


    ¡°Even so. I¡¯m your grandfather¡¯s biological sister. How could you hide something so major from me?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I really didn¡¯t think this through.¡± Sean apologized. ¡°We had no choice either.¡±


    ¡°So where is your grandfather right now?¡± Jean asked with anger in her voice.


    ¡°I sent him to another ce for rest and recuperation. It¡¯s very safe there.¡±


    ¡®Safe? Since you think that someone might want to harm your grandfather and it¡¯s clearly someone of


    close proximity to us, yet you don¡¯t know who he is until now, how can you say with such certainty that


    your grandfather is safe?¡± Jean questioned him.


    Sean put on a look of embarrassment.


    ¡¯Say no further. Bring me to see your grandfather right now. Since you can¡¯t protect him well, I¡¯ll take


    care of him instead.¡±


    ¡°Grandaunt¡­¡± Sean was hesitant.


    ¡°Aside from having your grandfather by my side, I won¡¯t feel at ease handing him over to anyone else!¡±


    Jean said determinedly.


    Sean refused to give in.


    On one hand, he wanted to show his sincerity. On the other hand, he wanted to give John more time.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t even trust me?¡± Jean¡¯s face changed.


    ¡®Of course not, if I were to doubt you, I wouldn¡¯t have called you over.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Then hurry up and bring me to your grandfather,¡± Jean ordered him.


    Sean finally relented. ¡°All right then. But it¡¯s quite far away.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem. Let¡¯s drive over right now, hurry!¡±


    ¡®Okay.¡¯


    Sean led Jean out of Cranston House.


    Sean sat in his car and led the entourage, asionally ncing at the cars behind him.


    He could not possibly bring the Lynds to his grandfather. If he did, his grandfather would be doomed to


    death.


    It was akin to sending a sheep into a lion¡¯s den.


    Thus, he had to shake off the Lynds midway and he had to do it at the right time.


    If he took too long, the Lynds might be suspicious. He could only drag out the time for John as


    best as he could¡­

 Chapter 1071

    Chapter 1071


    Chapter 1071


    In the Lynds¡¯ car, Keith-Nana¡¯s father-was pondering to himself for a while as he watched the car ahead


    before saying, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you think Sean is ying us?¡±


    Jean looked at her son then.


    She was no pushover since she had seen action herself for years, and while she trusted Sean at first,


    she was now skeptical of Sean¡¯s true motives.


    ¡¯Think about it,¡± Keith continued. ¡®He was keeping things from us for so long, telling us that Jesse had


    woken up before, but now he¡¯s suddenly telling us that it¡¯s all a lie? What do you think he¡¯s trying to


    do?¡±


    ¡®Stop following him,¡± Jean said resolutely right then.


    ¡¯What?¡± Keith eximed in surprise.


    ¡®There¡¯s no need to y Sean¡¯s game now that we suspect he has something up his sleeve,¡± Jean


    exined. ¡°Most of the Cranstons are not the sharpest tools in the shed, but Sean is quite something.


    He¡¯spetent, and he¡¯s been pretty close with Cordy Sachs-that woman can achieve sess on her


    own in North City, and she must not be underestimated.¡±


    Pausing, she then added confidently, ¡¯I suspect that Sean may have caught on to the truth.¡±


    Keith was skeptical. ¡°But we¡¯ve been so careful¡­¡±


    ¡®Either way, being wary is the best policy here.¡±


    ¡®Okay.¡¯ Keith did not hesitate, though he found it a pity. ¡¯We almost could¡¯ve finished the job right there.¡±


    He then told the chauffeur exasperatedly, ¡®Let¡¯s head home.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Mr. Lynd.¡±


    The car promptly turned around and sped off.


    Sean had been keeping an eye on their car, and seeing that they were driving away, he knew that the


    window he bought for John stopped here.


    After some thought, he called the Lynds anyway.


    Keith checked the caller ID and said, ¡°It¡¯s Sean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer it.¡± Jean took the phone immediately.


    ¡°Keith-¡°


    ¡®It¡¯s me,¡± Jean said bluntly.


    ¡® Ma¡¯am. I just wanted to ask why isn¡¯t your car following ours?¡±


    ¡®I really want to see your grandfather too, Sean, but I¡¯m suddenly a little dizzy and I feel like my heart is


    palpitating. It must be my blood pressure spiking again, so I had my chauffeur drive us home,¡± Jean


    replied frailly.


    ¡® Alright, you should get some rest if you¡¯re feeling sick, ma¡¯am. Grandfather¡¯s vitals are all normal, so


    we can wait a couple of days.¡±


    ¡®Thank you for being so understanding,¡± Jean said, still pretending to be sickly. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you myself


    when I¡¯m better.¡±


    ¡®Okay. Please stay healthy, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Sean put away his phone.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He had already texted John while he spoke to Jean over the phone-he bought John as much time as


    he could, and the final oue was up to John¡¯s own ability.


    John was still calm when he saw the text from Sean.


    He was in the study of Lynd Manor, and he only had ten minutes.


    If he could not find it within that time¡­


    Still, he stayed undistracted and kept rummaging, even as every passing moment meant the Lynds


    were closer to reaching home.


    That was when he felt a button at the tip of his fingers.


    He hesitated for a moment and pressed it.


    The door to a hiddenpartment opened right then, and there was a three-foot tall safe ced


    inside.


    If his hunch was right, what he wanted was inside.


    John stayed calm, however, since there must be a password for the safe- one would never crack it just


    because they wanted to, and too many attempts might cause it to be locked permanently.

 Chapter 1072

    Chapter 1072


    Chapter 1072


    John took a deep breath, allowing himself to react before taking out a bottle and sprayed the contents


    over the number pad of the safe.


    The bottle contained a special spray-Sean had prepared it for him, and it would reveal the fingerprints


    on the number pad within seconds, identifying the numbers which the passcode consisted of.


    Coming up with the actualbination, however, depended entirely on luck.


    John noted down the numbers and started to deduce the passcode.


    Most people would have a set pattern when they decide on their passcode, like a birthday or numbers


    that meant something.


    He took a deep breath and tried to arrange the numbers ording to the birthdates of most of the


    Lynds.


    Still his first attempt was wrong.


    He calmed down and keyed in anotherbination.


    It did not work either.


    John¡¯s sweat was raining down at that point-he really did not have much time, just as the Lynds could


    well show up at the very next second.


    He closed his eyes, running the numbers to find anything possibly corresponding to everyone¡¯s mobile


    number to their ID number through and through.


    He suddenly owned his eyes and quickly tapped abination, and the safe opened with a click.


    It was the ID of Jean¡¯s departed husband-but reversed.


    John did not have time to breathe, and he quickly rummaged through the documents inside.


    But the moment he reached in, a siren suddenly started ring in the study.


    It was only then that John realized he was too excited to notice the motion sensor in the safe and


    tripped it in turn.


    He gritted his teeth, but he stayed in the study and kept searching for what he wanted.


    Meanwhile, the siren was resounding all over the manor.


    Downstairs, Doug Keaton-the butler of Lynd Manor-panicked the instant he heard it, and barked at four


    ck-d bodyguards, ¡¯Come with me!¡¯


    They quickly followed him upstairs, storming into the study only to find it empty with no one in sight.


    Still, Doug nervously hurried to the safe in the study-barring Jean, only he got to enter this room freely.


    His face fell when he saw that it was open. He barked, ¡¯Seal every exit-no one gets in or out. And start


    searching the manor!¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    After that, he called Jean. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have a problem.¡±


    ¡®What is it?¡± Jean¡¯s expression clearly darkened just then.


    Keith could clearly sense the air around him suddenly bing suffocating.


    ¡°Your safe¡­ Someone opened it.¡±


    ¡°Who did?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but whoever it was tripped the rm inside before vanishing.


    But I¡¯ve already sent our people to block the main gates. No one would get in or out!¡±


    ¡®Well, is there anything missing from the safe?¡±


    Doug quickly checked, and his face fell. ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­ It¡¯s the most vital document. It¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Nana and Lucas just returned today, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but they weren¡¯t seen in the cameras-¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s Lucas. Get him right now!¡± Jean immediately singled out her target without thinking!

 Chapter 1073

    Chapter 1073


    Chapter 1073


    Having received his orders, Doug promptly brought two bodyguards with him and charged straight


    toward Nana¡¯s room, reaching for the doorknob right away without any intention to knock.


    However, it was locked from the inside.


    Ms. Lynd,¡± Doug said loudly and sternly. ¡®Open the door. We have something important to do and must


    get in there!¡±


    There was no response.


    ¡°Open the door, or I¡¯ll kick it down,¡± Doug growled.


    ¡°I can¡¯t right now,¡± Nana finally said.


    ¡°Sorry about this!¡±


    Dougpletely refused to listen to Nana, and at his word, one of the bodyguards strode up and


    kicked the door open.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Nana shrieked inside the room as she tightened her fingers over her nket, revealing her bare


    shoulders.


    It was enough skin to show that she was not dressed.


    ¡®What the hell?! What are you doing in my room?!¡±


    Doug, however, was unmoved and barked at the bodyguards, ¡°Search the room!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Nana snapped.


    However, the bodyguards went to work-they only obeyed Doug and naturally did not care how Nana


    was trying to stop them.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°How dare you do this to me?! I¡¯ll tell Grandma to fire you!¡± Nana snapped at Doug.


    ¡°This is of vital importance, so please cooperate, Ms. Lynd. If you take offense to my conduct, you may


    punish me however you see fit,¡± Doug replied, respectful but even sterner than before now.


    Nana gritted her teeth. ¡°What are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Your husband.¡± Doug did not hide it.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°He took away some important documents that concern the family. If you know where he is, please tell


    us for the sake of the big picture,¡± Doug said grimly, just as the bodyguards finished their search.


    There was nothing, and the only possibility was¡­ Nana¡¯s bed.


    Doug was staring at it for a moment, and Nana noticed that.


    Her face fell. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t do anything if you hand Mr. Lynch over to us¡­ but if you insist on sheltering him, you can¡¯t


    me us for this!¡±


    ¡®He¡¯s not here! I have no idea where he went!¡± Nana snapped, utterly furious. ¡°If you do anything to me,


    I¡¯ll have you killed!¡±


    Nheless, Doug barked, ¡°It¡¯s not our fault since you refuse to cooperate. Go!¡±


    Nana¡¯s face turned pale, and her fingers clenched on her nket as she shuddered and growled


    threateningly, ¡°How dare you, Doug!¡±


    However, the bodyguards had strode up to Nana as Doug looked on and pried her nket off,


    exposing her naked form right then.


    And she was the only person under the nket.


    ¡°Are you done?!¡± Nana shrieked, feeling murderous right then.


    Doug blinked for a moment and quickly turned away.


    ¡¯ Apologies,¡± he said and barked at the bodyguards, ¡°Keep searching!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± they replied.


    As they headed for the door, Nana snapped hysterically, ¡°Shut the door!¡±


    Doug did so as he left.


    But as soon as he did¡­

 Chapter 1074

    Chapter 1074


    Chapter 1074


    Nana quickly got out of bed and rushed to the balcony to see Lucas carefully advancing through the


    balcony, her eyes filled with hatred even as she watched him.


    She would have murdered him immediately if she was not so hopelessly in love with him.


    What on earth did he take from his family that Doug would go that far?!


    And he never answered when she asked him¡­ He just woke her and then quickly left.


    Naturally, Nana was well aware that he did that so she would cover for him, and she immediately took


    off her clothes when she heard Doug at the door.


    She bought time for Lucas to run away, which he was doing now without so much as looking back.


    If he really got away, she had no idea what would befall her family!


    She gritted her teeth and quickly put her clothes on.


    John hid himself behind a thicket in the back garden.


    He was already prepared to be caught in the act and therefore pinpointed the location of every security


    camera in Lynd Manor, finding a clear route before leaving.


    However, it was impossible for him to get out through the front gates. It would definitely have been


    locked as more people joined the search for him, and the high-voltage fences surrounding Lynd Manor


    would definitely be activated by now to stop him from climbing it too.


    He was panting slightly-leaving was not going to be easy even if Nana bought him time.


    In fact, he was not at all confident that Nana would help him.


    It was at the veryst second, when Doug and his men charged into the study, that he found the


    documents he wanted before jumping out of the window and climbing back into Nana¡¯s room from the


    balcony.


    He knew very well that he would be the first person that the Lynds suspected, and he was not getting


    away when every inch of it was monitored.


    That was why he had to get Nana toe over for him and therefore returned to her room to wake her.


    Nana was certainly smart enough to deduce the situation, and it was always a gambit-he might have a


    shot at staying alive if he won, but if he lost, he would be dead right then and there.


    Obviously, the gambit paid off.


    He owed Nana again-and it was different this time.


    Before this, it was only ever between them, whereas the entire Lynd family was here this time.


    John¡¯s fingers clenched on the documents¡ªhe was not getting away right now.


    The only solution was¡­


    John carefully scanned his surroundings before digging into the soil with his bare hands, wing as


    deep as possible and burying the documents as deep as he could. After that, he reced the grass


    and set some dried leaves over it.


    Ensuring that it looked just like any other patch of ground, he took several photos of the location,


    quickly sent it to Sean, and deleted them soon after.


    If he was not making it out, Sean coulde up with some idea to get in and take those documents. 1


    When everything was done, he quickly turned around, retracing his footsteps.


    He knew very well that he was not getting through the front gates-the closer to the exit, the more


    people there would be.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    And they knew he was not going to disappear into thin air as long as he did not make it out.


    That was why he doubled back and returned to Nana¡¯s room.


    Nana had just put on her clothes and was ready to leave when he returned, and she was caught off


    guard in that instant!

 Chapter 1075

    Chapter 1075


    Chapter 1075


    ¡®Why did youe back here?¡± Nana eximed in surprise, though she understood at the next instant.


    ¡°You cant get out, can you?¡±


    John did not answer, though he might well be admitting it with his silence.


    ¡®Why did you think I helped you, Lucas?¡± she demanded tearfully. ¡°Would what you take really destroy


    my family?¡±


    She was also keeping her voice as soft as possible, in fear that anyone outside would hear her.


    Even if she really wanted to murder him right then, she was still too soft to do it.


    ¡®How far are you going to go, Lucas? Is Cordy really worth the trouble?¡± Nana asked, bewildered. ¡°Is


    there anything about me that does notpare to her? Can¡¯t you just spend your days with me in


    peace?¡±


    ¡®I won¡¯t lie to you.¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t mind. As long as you¡¯re with me, I don¡¯t care that your heart belongs to someone else. And I¡¯m


    confident that you would fall for me eventually.¡±


    ¡¯In the past, maybe. But now that Cordy has appeared, no one can take her ce,¡± John said bluntly.


    ¡¯What is it about her that attracts you? I can change! I¡¯ll change my face so that I look at her, alright?¡±


    ¡®You don¡¯t have to bend yourself backward, Nana. Losing yourself in love is selfish, not noble.¡± John


    remained indifferent.


    ¡®Selfish?!¡± Nanaughed in irony. ¡°So what if I am? Aren¡¯t you selfish too?! No, you¡¯re actually savage!


    What right do you have to destroy my family just so you can be with Cordy?¡±


    ¡®You forced my hand.¡±


    ¡®Just because I loved you? You had to destroy me and my family?¡¯


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡®No, because you would never spare her,¡¯ John said bluntly.


    Nana did a double take, but she quickly denied it. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. As long as you¡¯re with me-¡°


    ¡®You would want to kill her even if you felt a hint that I don¡¯t love you,¡¯ John said, cutting her short. ¡°I¡¯m


    no machine-l have feelings, and I can¡¯t lie as well as you do.¡±


    Nana bit her lip but did not deny it.


    She was never going to trick him.


    ¡®So you¡¯d give up on your own life for Cordy, just to destroy my family?¡±


    ¡®You should never have held any expectations for me,¡± John said coolly.


    ¡®Yeah.¡± Nanaughed in irony again and snapped icily, ¡°Why should I, when you don¡¯t care about my


    family! If you love Cordy so much, you can have it your way! You drove me to this, Lucas!¡±


    And with those words, she strode out of the room and yelled, ¡°Lucas Lynch is here!¡±


    Yes.


    Why should she ruin everything for a man who did not love her?


    She should make him wish he was dead!


    On the other hand, John calmly epted Nana¡¯s reaction-he never expected to get away when he


    returned.


    Nana allowed him to leave the first time out of reflex, since her feelings for him were genuine.


    He was betting on that since she would still be drowsy from sleep.


    He never expected Nana to buy time so that he could leave, and he only wanted to seize the window to


    hide the documents.


    And he returned, just so that he would not owe Nana.


    Letting her kill him with her own hands just might quell her spite.


    At the next instant, a crowd charged into Nana¡¯s room, while Doug¡¯s face fell when he saw John.


    ¡¯What is he doing here, Ms. Lynd?¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know. Ask him yourself,¡± Nana replied, not giving a damn anymore just then.


    Since Lucas wanted to go that far, he deserved everythinging at him.


    Doug did not press the issue either and barked, ¡°Take him and frisk him!¡± John was immediately


    restrained by a pair of bodyguards!

 Chapter 1076

    Chapter 1076


    Chapter 1076


    The bodyguard searched John but came up with nothing.


    Doug was left scowling. ¡®Mr. Lynch, it¡¯s in your best interest to give it up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a smart man. Give it up before we bring the pain!¡± Doug threatened.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. I just came with Nana.¡±


    Doug was left glowering, though that was when Jean and the rest of the Lynd family returned.


    Jean strode right up to John. ¡°Did you find it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± the butler replied respectfully.


    ¡°Did you hide it?¡± Jean asked John.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Nana said she missed you, so I came with her to see you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste my time, Lucas Lynch!¡±


    ¡°I really-¡¯


    Pow!


    Keith punched John squarely in the face out of the blue.


    He was clearly trained, as John¡¯s blood sttered out of his nose-the punch alone could have killed


    John right there, and John almost cked out for an instant.


    Nana flinched even as she looked on.


    She had certainly seen blood before, but it was not John who was bleeding. Still, she gritted her teeth


    and told herself not to back down-he deserved it!


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡®Give it up if you want to live!¡± Keith threatened.


    ¡®I really don¡¯t know-¡¯


    ¡°Take him to the basement,¡± Jean told Doug right then.


    ¡¯Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    As John was violently dragged away, Jean told Keith, ¡°Search every inch of the manor. Find those


    papers even if you have to dig six feet under!¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah,¡± Keith replied and quickly left with his men.


    As Jean started to leave, she paused for a moment beside Nana. ¡®I¡¯d better not find out that you were


    protecting him!¡±


    Nana pursed her lips but did not dare to say a word.


    She always had Jean¡¯s affection since she was smart enough to earn it even as a child.


    But despite Jean¡¯s favoritism, she would be punished all the same when the family¡¯s interests were on


    the line.


    Over at North City, Cordy whispered her into Patrick¡¯s ear, and he eximed in surprise, ¡°Would that


    really work?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t know if we don¡¯t try.¡¯


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡® Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s going to be fine.¡¯


    ¡°Are you so sure that it¡¯s Sean? If it¡¯s not him¡­¡± Patrick trailed off worriedly. He would rather sit here


    and wait than take the risk-someone woulde to save them if he and Cordy lost touch with


    everyone else for too long anyway.


    ¡®All the more reason we should try to get away if it¡¯s not him,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡¯¡­ Okay.¡±


    Patrick was unconditionally tolerant toward Cordy anyway, and they would just die together at worst.


    And he would feel no regret if he died by Cordy¡¯s side.

 Chapter 1077

    Chapter 1077


    Chapter 1077


    "Help!¡±


    Patrick suddenly cried out in the room, and the door promptly opened as the man charged inside,


    looking really worried. ¡°What happened?!¡±


    He then saw Cordy on the floor and shaking uncontrobly, while Patrick said nervously, ¡°S-She said


    her stomach hurts, like it would kill her!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± the man asked in confusion as he dropped to a crouch to study Cordy, who appeared to be


    caught in utter anguish.


    ¡® Maybe the food you brought in was poisoned?¡± Patrick suggested.


    ¡°No way! We hired a Michelin star chef!¡± the man blurted in panic.


    Cordy blinked even as she kept pretending as if she was in pain.


    At that very moment, he became dead sure that Sean was the one who had Patrick and her kidnapped.


    ¡®It hurts¡­¡± She kept groaning in pain nheless.


    ¡°Take her to the hospital! Now!¡± Patrick cried.


    ¡®It¡¯s not food poisoning. She¡¯ll be fine,¡± the man argued.


    ¡®l-lt might be appendicitis,¡± Cordy stammered, making her sound like she was in a world of pain.


    ¡®Appendicitis?¡¯ The man did a double take.


    Patrick quickly added, ¡°Even if it¡¯s just appendicitis, the pain could kill!¡±


    The man rushed outside without dy, clearly to make a call, asking for orders softly. ¡°Mr. Cranston?


    Ms. Sachs says that her stomach hurts, and it might be appendicitis. What should we do now? Take


    them to the hospital?¡±


    Sean had been quietly rushing to Lynd Manor.


    He received the text John sent him and immediately felt a foreboding sensation.


    Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    John never said anything, but it felt like he was writing his will.


    Then, he got the call from the kidnapper and became quiet after hearing her report.


    He was the one who had Cordy and Patrick kidnapped, though John suggested it¡ªthe man suggested


    that the Lynds would go all out in retaliation once he made his move against them, and Cordy would be


    one of their targets.


    That was why Sean agreed to it without hesitation, and he certainly had to give it to the man for being


    meticulous.


    Whatever happened in the end, he did not want Cordy involved or anything to happen to her.


    Likewise, he knew Cordy well enough that she would definitely want to be a part if she found out he


    was moving against the Lynds.


    Most importantly, he must admit his personal agenda in the matter.


    John was not only the lynchpin in the n, but he was also the one who was exposed to most risk.


    Even if he was not confident about it, John was ready and willing to sacrifice himself to take down the


    Lynds.


    And if something really happened to John¡­ No matter how much Cordy insisted that it was over


    between her and John, even confirming her rtionship with Patrick, that was not assured when John¡¯s


    life was on the line.


    That was why the most ideal solution was to stage a kidnapping and to take Cordy and Patrick away to


    somece safe. She would be released once they seed.


    Naturally, Sean considered the prospect of failure, and he had arranged for Cordy be transported to


    safety.


    But Cordy ultimately noticed-Sean did not need much thinking and was basically positive that Cordy


    was faking her stomach ache.


    However, he could not afford to gamble right now, since that meant gambling with Cordy¡¯s health.


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he said, ¡°Take her to the hospital.¡±


    ¡®Yes, sir.¡±


    And keep a close eye on her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The man hung up and quickly returned to the room.

 Chapter 1078

    Chapter 1078


    Chapter 1078


    Without another word, the man picked Cordy up and was prepared to leave. ¡°I¡¯m taking her to the


    hospital!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± Patrick demanded, leaving the man in a dilemma.


    ¡®No.¡¯ Cordy refused right then.


    ¡¯Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡¯Cordy!¡± Patrick¡¯s eyes were already red-it was obvious that Cordy did not want him to take the risk with


    her.


    He even knew that she was doing this for his own good.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    But he did not need that.


    ¡°I can take care of myself-¡°


    ¡®How you feel toward Sean is how I feel toward you. You won¡¯t allow him to risk himself, so do you think


    I would?¡± Patrick demanded as loudly as he could. ¡°Am I that unworthy of your trust, or have you never


    considered me your ally?¡±


    Cordy was left stumped by Patrick¡¯s words, just as he continued sharply, ¡¯ Did you think I¡¯d keep on


    living if you died? Because I¡¯m telling you-l sure won¡¯t!¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she had to admit that it was out of her selfishness that she wanted to keep


    Patrick and was reluctant for him to get involved with danger like her.


    Others should never get involved in the Cranston family¡¯s affair, but she could understand where


    Patrick wasing from.


    And he was right-if she was reluctant to let Sean face the Lynds alone, would Patrick bear to let her go


    alone as well, when he loved her so dearly?!


    ¡°He¡¯sing with me,¡± Cordy said determinedly then, refusing to hesitate.


    Whatever happened soon was something to worry about in the future, and right now, she refused to


    leave Patrick behind.


    ¡®No!¡¯ The man refused right then. ¡®He has to stay here!¡¯


    Cordy quickly took Patrick¡¯s hand just then, interlocking her fingers with his while saying resolutely, ¡¯I¡¯ll


    stay and die here in agony if he doesn¡¯te with me.¡±


    ¡® Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡®You¡¯d have trouble exining yourself if I died, won¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡¯Tch¡­¡± The man clicked his tongue, left in a dilemma just then.


    ¡¯Ow¡­ It hurts so much suddenly¡­¡± Cordy started shaking again, looking utterly anguished.


    The man had no choice but to ask the other man to keep an eye on Patrick as they left the building


    together.


    It was only after they headed outside that they realized they had been kept at a vi up in the hills-it


    was a grand ce, but the ce was exceedingly quiet.


    It had to be one of the holiday houses that the Cranstons had in North City that no one knew about.


    There was a ck sedan parked nearby, and one of the men carried Cordy while the other restrained


    Patrick, all while Cordy and Patrick kept holding on to each other¡¯s hands.


    They all got in the car, which bound straight for the hospital.


    Along the way, Cordy would keep feigning pain, and it looked so real on each asion.


    Patrick would have had a heart attack if he was not aware that she was just pretending.


    Once at the hospital, Cordy insisted that Patrick go in with her, and the men had to undo Patrick¡¯s


    shackles so as to not draw attention.


    They had already freed Cordy earlier when they first got in the car, so they all alighted together.


    The medical staff had a stretcher waiting, and Cordy was put on it, still clutching her belly while her


    whole body trembled in pain.


    As the medical staff quickly wheeled Cordy into the emergency room, Cordy was promptly back to


    normal. ¡°I was kidnapped. Please call the cops.


    While the doctor stared at Cordy nkly, she added urgently, ¡°I¡¯m fine.


    Please help me.¡±

 Chapter 1079

    Chapter 1079


    Chapter 1079


    The doctor quickly called the cops, who rushed to the scene in less than ten minutes, for Cordy.


    The instant the kidnappers saw the cops, they realized they had been tricked.


    They promptly rushed into the emergency room, intent on taking Cordy away, but the cops had already


    whipped out their guns and cornered them against the wall.


    Seeing that the cops had restrained the men, Cordy promptly rushed out of the hospital, dragging


    Patrick along as she left.


    ¡¯Miss?!¡±


    The cops called out to them, but they pretended not to hear as they left.


    Once out of the hospital, they immediately stopped a cab and told the cabbie, ¡¯To the airport, please.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡® And please lend us your phone.¡±


    ¡®My friend and I were kidnapped and just made it out. I¡¯m calling my family.¡±


    The cabbie was skeptical, but he handed his phone to Cordy anyway.


    Cordy promptly called Richard. ¡°Hello Dicky?¡±


    ¡® Mommy,¡¯ the boy sounded like he was on the verge of tears. ¡°Where have you been? Are you in


    danger?¡±


    After all, she had suddenly gone missing for 24 hours and was now calling with a number he did not


    recognize!


    ¡® No,¡± Cordy said. ¡°I¡¯m safe now and not in danger. It¡¯s just some interference, but they meant well. I


    can¡¯t exin everything properly over the phone, and for now, tell Winston to book two ne tickets for


    me and Patrick to the capital, as well as two cell phones for us. I¡¯ll be waiting for him at the airport.¡±


    ¡®What happened, Mommy?¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t know the details either, which is why I¡¯m going to the capital to find out.¡±


    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±


    ¡® Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡±


    ¡°Can Ie with you, Mommy?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy did not hesitate to refuse immediately.


    Richard was obviously disappointed, so she exined, ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t trust you, Dicky, and I don¡¯t


    want to leave you behind either. But you¡¯re still young, and there¡¯s a lot of things that you shouldn¡¯t


    have to shoulder at your age. And for me, I take greatfort in knowing that you¡¯re as safe as you


    can be, and I don¡¯t want you to hurt.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡®I know.¡± Richard was moody, but he epted Cordy¡¯s words immediately. ¡°I¡¯m not that strong right


    now, and staying safe is the best for everyone.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart felt warm, though her nose turned runny as well.


    Richard was sometimes so understanding that it hurt her¡ªher boy was just ten and still a child, but he


    had learnt to think from the standpoint of others.


    ¡®I¡¯ll definitelye home safely,¡¯ Cordy said, keeping things short or her emotions would spiral out of


    control.


    ¡®Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home.¡±


    Cordy hung up, hesitating for a moment if she should call Sean as well, but she eventually decided to


    act first.


    If it really was Sean, he would anticipate her arrival at the capital.


    They arrived at the airport in an hour, and Cordy alighted to wait for Winston, who arrived in twenty


    minutes and gave them everything he prepared.


    ¡® Ms. Sachs, your flight departs in half an hour-here are the ne tickets for Mr. Stuart and yourself.


    I¡¯ve also asked officials for temporary IDs for you to get on your flight, since you probably wouldn¡¯t have


    them since you don¡¯t have your phone either.¡±


    ¡®Yeah. Thanks,¡± Cordy and Patrick took their respective IDs before Cordy said, ¡°Take good care of


    Dicky for me. Also, I promised my cabbie a


    tenfold cab fare. Please remember to pay him.¡±


    ¡®Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡¯


    And with those words, she left with Patrick through the VIP passage, since their tickets were first-ss.


    However, as they boarded their flight, Cordy could not resist asking, ¡¯Are you sure you want toe to


    the capital with me, Patrick?¡±

 Chapter 1080

    Chapter 1080


    Chapter 1080


    ¡¯I¡¯m very sure,¡± Patrick replied.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Cordy did not say anything else at that.


    After all, she once considered dying with a certain someone before and could therefore empathize with


    Patrick.


    After over two hours, they arrived, and Cordy called Sean immediately after she and Patrick


    disembarked from their flight. ¡®Where are you right now?¡±


    Sean sighed ever so faintly. ¡°You¡¯re back in the capital?¡¯


    ¡®Yeah,¡± Cordy replied withposure.


    ¡®I¡¯m near Lynd Manor.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-she actually anticipated Sean to be on the move, but it still left her heart


    pounding that he actually went ahead.


    It was much faster than she nned, since she always believed that they should at least prepare for


    months-even years-just to be safe.


    Doing it in a matter of days was just out of the question.


    Was Sean really that desperate?


    ¡®I¡¯ll be right over.¡± Cordy did not ask questions over the phone-she had to go with the n


    unconditionally now that Sean made his move.


    Cordy and Patrick headed straight to the ce Sean told them, and his people received them after they


    alighted.


    They were actually careful even as they traveled, and they found Sean scowling when they saw him.


    He had always been stoic, but anyone could see his misgivings right then. It was obvious that things


    were not going well-one might even say that it was at the worst case scenario at the moment.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯ Cordy asked. ¡°Did the Lynds catch on? Or¡­ Or did something happen to Jesse?¡±


    Sean stared at her for a moment before turning toward Patrick.


    ¡® Don¡¯t worry-he¡¯s on our side.¡± Cordy thought Sean was skeptical about Patrick and therefore kept


    quiet.


    Sean nodded, but said, ¡°Neither. The Lynds are suspicious, but not at a worrying rate. Grandfather is


    still fine, his vitals still good even though he¡¯s still unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Then, what?¡± Cordy was confused-why was Sean reacting like that if things were not at their worst


    right now?


    ¡®John Levine is in trouble,¡± Sean said very slowly and clearly just then.


    Both Cordy and Patrick were stunned.


    Why would John be involved in the conflict between the Lynds and the Cranstons?


    ¡®Could it be?¡¯


    Patrick then eximed in surprise, ¡°He was your mole?!¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she obviously thought of that too.


    Sean nodded, and Patrick demanded in agitation, ¡°Why would he do that?! He married Nana! He¡¯s a


    part of the Lynd family now!¡±


    Sean said nothing.


    ¡®Wait, did John actually marry Nana just to take down the Lynds? He never felt a thing for her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sean replied.


    Patrick swore under his breath, feeling exceedingly aggrieved just then.


    However, Cordy remainedposed as he turned towards her, and she asked Sean, ¡°When did you


    start working with him? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

 Chapter 1081

    Chapter 1081


    Chapter 1081


    Sean replied, ¡°John was the one who told me not to tell you.¡±


    Cordy simply held his gaze, so he added, ¡°You know his misgivings. He didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡±


    Cordy still did not reply, and the air between them was left in stiff, awkward silence.


    Suddenly, she asked calmly, ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡±


    It was as if everything John did would not affect her at all, and the current situation concerned her


    more.


    ¡¯He must have obtained evidence of the Lynds¡¯ crimes over the years, but they caught on as soon as


    he got it,¡± Sean replied. ¡¯He¡¯s in their custody right now, and I only received a text from him.¡±


    ¡¯What text?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡®See for yourself,¡± Sean said and handed Cordy his phone.


    Cordy stared at the photo, which obviously showed the location where he kept the documents.


    But that also meant his chances were not optimistic.


    Cordy and Patrick were silent for a long while after seeing the photo.


    In thetter¡¯s case, o he felt depressed in a way he could not describe.


    Still, he took a deep breath to stop himself from thinking.


    After all, the big picture was more important.


    ¡®We need toe up with a way to get those documents,¡± Cordy said after a long while.


    As Sean turned toward Cordy, Cordy returned his gaze and exined, ¡®Our family will only be safe with


    those documents. It may seem like the Lynds are after Grandfather right now, but once he falls, well be


    next-and none of us would be able to run.¡¯


    ¡® Don¡¯t you care what happens to John?¡± Sean could not help asking.


    ¡®So what if I do? He knows that he¡¯s not making it out,¡± Cordy replied coolly.


    Sean pursed his lips but decided against saying what was in his mind.


    He nced at Patrick, who noticed his gaze and turned toward him in turn, though they all remained


    silent in the end.


    John was already a gruesome sight of wounds and dripping blood in the basement of Lynd Manor.


    Nana stood aside, watching as he barely hung on to life.


    Everyone had searched every inch of the building and the grounds, but they could not find that vital


    document!


    Their only option was to make John talk, but he refused, which in turn led to them torturing him like this.


    Even now, Kyle was choking him and growling viciously, ¡°Talk!¡±


    His eyes were shing with savagery, and he could well kill John in the next instant.


    John¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, but he met Keith¡¯s gaze. ¡®I told you I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about-


    oof!¡±


    Keith punched him heavily in the stomach before he could finish, making him cough a mouthful of


    blood.


    Nana almost cried out as she watched, her eyes welling with tears right then.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Did Lucas not fear death?


    Not at all?!


    ¡® Did you think I can¡¯t find it just because you hid it?! As long as it¡¯s here in my house, I¡¯ll find it even if I


    have to dig six feet under! I¡¯m just giving you onest chance for Nana¡¯s sake-don¡¯t make me kill you!¡±


    Keith threatened him again.


    John simply held his gaze but remained silent.

 Chapter 1082

    Chapter 1082


    Chapter 1082


    Keith was ring at John murderously, as if he could murder John at the next instant.


    However, John never expected to escape unscathed after he had done what he did.


    That being said, the Lynds¡¯ influence in organized crime was far beyond what he imagined-he just


    presumed that the family had connections with certain groups, and it was not after he procured that


    document that he found out the extent of their horrific power!


    Even the Cranstons-the so-called most powerful family in the nation- would never win against that. The


    Lynds would crush them sooner orter!


    That was why he was ready for the worst when he chose to turn around, and his only wish was for


    Sean to retrieve the document before the Lynds did¡­ otherwise, the Lynds just might dig six feet under


    like Keith promised and find it before long.


    He closed his eyes, genuinely giving up on struggling-he had done his best, and the rest was up to


    fate.


    Seeing that John remained unmoved, the murder in Keith¡¯s re became even more obvious.


    He narrowed his eyes and poised his hand-


    ¡öDad,¡± Nana finally spoke.


    As Keith turned toward her, she said, ¡°Let me try.¡¯


    Keith was still a little conflicted about his daughter-their family would not be in this situation if not for


    her, since there was no question that she had led the fox into the henhouse.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    While she was definitely getting her punishmentter, no one else in the family would have been


    allowed to stand there unscathed.


    ¡¯We¡¯re married, after all. I should at least try asking,¡± Nana pleaded again. ¡¯ It¡¯s not toote for you to


    deal with him if I can¡¯t make him talk.¡±


    Keith hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°You have two hours. You know what¡¯s going to happen if


    he still doesn¡¯t talk after that.


    ¡¯I know.¡±


    ¡°And you know you¡¯ll be implicated too.¡±


    ¡¯Which is why I have to do my best-for my own sake,¡¯ Nana said resolutely.


    With that, Keith left the basement without a word.


    ¡¯Leave us,¡± Nana told the burly men who were standing guard after that.


    ¡®We are not to leave without Mr. Lynd or Madam Lynd¡¯s instructions,¡± the one in the lead replied stiffly.


    Nana pursed her lips¡ªshe actually did not have much in the way of position in the family.


    All she amounted to was being smart and knowing how to curry favor, which earned her Jean¡¯s favor.


    Not bothered just then, she turned to look at Lucas, whose face was covered in blood.


    ¡®Was Cordy worth it?¡± she asked. ¡°Worth the sorry state you¡¯re in?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± John answered without hesitation.


    No matter how prepared she was or how many times she heard it before, Nana was still utterly


    miserable every time she heard that.


    She wanted nothing less to kill Cordy and quell the spite in her, and she swore to do so after this.


    As long as Cordy lived, she would be a ticking time bomb stuck between Nana and Lucas, just as


    Lucas would never forget about her for the rest of his life.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not!¡± Nana snapped. ¡°No one is worth dying for! Lucas, you have to live for yourself!¡±


    John did not answer.


    To be precise, he did not have the strength to do so now.


    Nana took his silence for him wavering, and she quickly added, ¡®Just tell me where you put the


    documents, Lucas. I promise you¡¯ll live.¡±

 Chapter 1083

    Chapter 1083


    Chapter 1083


    John shook his head ever so slightly.


    The Lynds would never trust him, let alone allow a ticking time bomb to leave.


    In fact, they would kill him whether he talked-sooner if he did.


    ¡°I promise you with my life, Lucas.¡± Nana persisted nheless. ¡°Just tell us where the documents are,


    and I can take you away with me. We¡¯ll leave this ce forever and nevere back!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± John said feebly, just as he did not want to drag Nana down with him.


    He could tell that Nana would have no ce in the family because of this either. In fact, if the Lynds


    were feeling a little less forgiving, she would be dealt with the same way he was.


    In fact, that was why he returned to Nana¡¯s room when he realized he had nowhere to run. Most


    importantly, he could make it clear to the Lynds that Nana was innocent, that she chose to side with her


    family instead of him.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Even if they wanted to fault her, they would have to take that into consideration and be lenient toward


    Nana.


    ¡¯This manor is only that huge. They¡¯ll eventually find the documents¡ªyou don¡¯t have to suffer for it.¡±


    Nana continued to persuade him. ¡°Nothing¡¯s


    more important than staying alive, Lucas. You¡¯d have nothing if you¡¯re dead. ¡ö


    And you shouldn¡¯t waste your time. I¡¯m not going to talk,¡± John said with considerable difficulty.


    Nana looked at him with more hatred than pain just then.


    How much more did she have to prostrate herself before him?


    Did he feel nothing for her at all?!


    ¡¯ Don¡¯t push me, Lucas.¡± Nana was choking with tears even as she threatened him.


    John stayed silent, which said everything she needed to know.


    Nana was leftughing crazily as her tears streamed, and she snapped at one of the bodyguards, ¡°Get


    me the whip!¡±


    The man promptly handed her the steel leash, which was still dripping wet in Lucas¡¯ blood.


    As John looked up at Nana, she snapped, ¡°I have to do this since talking is pointless!¡±


    She whipped him as hard as he could, leaving him flinching.


    He thought he was numb to pain after the torture earlier, but thatshing left him with a heartrending


    pain again.


    Though he endured it and stopped himself from making a sound, his stubbornness only incensed


    Nana.


    She keptshing him repeatedly, leaving gruesome and bloody gashes over his skin.


    Nana had no idea how many times she did it either-she just keptshing out in rage, retaliating for all


    the grief she was given.


    When she was finally exhausted, she was panting and dropping the steel whip as she watched John


    dangle against his restraints, on the verge of death.


    Was he really going to die without giving in?!


    She red at him, her face contorted with spite even as she continued to heave.


    Behind her, the bodyguard also noticed that John was not moving at all and promptly strode forward to


    put a finger between his nose.


    Nana bit her lip and told herself that she would never be sad-not even if she just killed John, because


    he deserved it.


    However, seeing the grim look on the bodyguard¡¯s face and John not reacting, Nana was caught off


    guard by a sudden pang of pain over her chest.


    Working hard to control herself, she asked coolly, ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still breathing, but it¡¯s very weak,¡±


    the bodyguard said.


    Nana pursed her lips.

 Chapter 1084

    Chapter 1084


    Chapter 1084


    As Nana quietly heaved a sigh of relief, the bodyguard asked respectfully, Should we wake him, Ms.


    Lynd?¡±


    Nana was hesitant, but her father did give her just two hours.


    If she let John sleep now, Keith would kill him when he woke up.


    ¡¯Yeah,¡± she replied.


    The bodyguard nodded, and turned to gesture at one of his boys, who picked up a bucket of water and


    sshed it down his head.


    John was jolted awake the instant he was sshed, the anguish causing him to grunt without control.


    Nana frowned-John did not hurt that much even when she whipped him.


    And for an instant, she thought he might die from sheer pain.


    ¡®It¡¯s concentrated saltwater,¡± the bodyguard exined, probably noticing Nana¡¯s confusion.


    Nana wheeled on him and snapped, ¡°Saltwater? Are you crazy?!¡±


    John was covered in wounds, and now sshed with saltwater¡­ she was scared to imagine how


    much that would hurt!


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s the quickest way to wake him,¡± the bodyguard replied respectfully.


    Smack!


    Nana had suddenly pped the bodyguard across the face and snapped,¡± Get out!¡±


    The bodyguard remained unmoved and insisted, ¡°That wasn¡¯t Mr. Lynd¡¯s orders.¡±


    Nana had no choice but to keep her own emotions under check and turned to look at John, whose


    veins were bulging from the pain.


    Ironically, because he was exerting himself to withstand the pain, some of his wounds that had already


    dried up were torn open, and he was once again bleeding.


    It was a terrible sight, and Nana asked with heartache and despair, ¡°You still wont talk?¡±


    John remained silent, and Nana was leftughing while tears streamed down her cheeks, asking


    quietly, ¡°Why does it have to be Cordy Sachs?


    How did I lose to her? Why did I lose to her?!¡±


    She really could not understand-she met him first and they fell in love together first.


    Why did he turn into apletely different person after he met Cordy?!


    ¡°You lost because I met Cordy first,¡± John said ever so quietly.


    He was really exhausted, and his vision was blurring so much he felt like he would part from the world


    at the next instant.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Lucas Lynch. I¡¯m John Levine,¡± he told Nana then, not inclined to keep lying to her because of


    that tiny bit of guilt he felt towards her.


    At the very least, Nana did not have to regret if he died now.


    Nana was left staring at John in disbelief.


    Did he just say that he was John Levine, and that he was not Lucas Lynch?!


    If so, where was the real Lucas Lynch?! And how did John end up as Lucas, when he was supposed to


    be the father to Cordy¡¯s son?!


    The more Nana thought about it, the more hysterical she became.


    John continued, almost incoherent just then, ¡°I have no way to exin how I became Lucas Lynch, but


    the short version is that the real Lucas Lynch is dead, while I happened to be found while I was barely


    alive and was mistaken for him. That¡¯s why you never lost around John Levine, because he only ever


    loved Cordy. It was none of your fault-he could only love Cordy.¡±

 Chapter 1085

    Chapter 1085


    Chapter 1085


    Nana could not believe that Lucas Lynch turned out to be John Levine.


    But she had to, because that was reality.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Was that why John loved Cordy so much that he could die for her?


    ¡¯Nana,¡± John said then, ¡°don¡¯t waste your time on me. It¡¯s not worth getting yourself into trouble


    because of me.¡¯


    ¡®Why not? Because you¡¯ll never love me?¡¯ Nana asked through tears.


    ¡®Yes.¡± John nodded without hesitation.


    ¡¯What if you never knew Cordy? Would you fall for me?¡± Nana asked meekly.


    ¡¯Never.¡± John remained resolute. ¡®There¡¯s no ¡®what if s¡¯. I won¡¯t ever fall for any woman other than


    Cordy.¡±


    ¡¯But weren¡¯t you happy with me before?¡±


    ¡¯In retrospect, it was just licking each other¡¯s wounds andpromising.¡¯¡¯


    ¡¯Lucas!¡± Nana cried, almost breaking down right then. ¡°Can¡¯t you just lie to me once in the end?! Why


    do you have to be so cruel to me?!¡±


    John simply stayed silent, and Nana was leftughing as her tears gushed.


    Yes-his love for Cordy was so sacred that not even death would sully it an inch.


    ¡¯You¡¯re right,¡± she said then. ¡°I don¡¯t have to waste time on you since you¡¯re ready for the worst. Since


    you¡¯re so eager to die, so be it!¡±


    With that, Nana gritted her teeth and turned to leave.


    She had suffered enough pain from him and had no reason to keep humiliating herself.


    Leaving the basement, she headed to the living room where she found her entire family sitting there,


    scowling.


    Seeing that his daughter returned, Keith asked coolly, ¡°So?¡¯


    Nana shook his head.


    Keith was left glowering. ¡°That¡¯s the man you wanted to marry even if it kills you! Would this have


    happened if not for you?!¡¯


    Nana bit her lip, but there was no arguing it¡ªher family was in this situation because of her.


    Meanwhile, Keith was shaking with rage. ¡°The whole family has pampered you because of your health


    ever since you were a child, and you have been smart and obedient. But how could you be so blind


    when picking your partner?!¡±


    Truly-the one they worried least about turned out to be the greatest threat of the family.


    It incensed him the more he thought about it, and he barked, ¡°Someone, bring me the whip! She


    deserves as much for the mess she made!¡±


    Nana was left staring at Keith in disbelief.


    He never raised her voice with her, let aloney a finger on her!


    ¡®Forget it,¡± Jean said, suddenly stopping Keith. ¡°Whatever has happened has happened, and it¡¯s


    pointless even if you beat her. The most important thing is that the document is still missing¡­¡±


    Jean was scowling and wheeled on Nana. ¡°You really don¡¯t know anything? Don¡¯t you know any ces


    he likely hid it?¡±


    ¡¯No. He drugged me before bringing me back here,¡± Nana exined. ¡°I don¡¯t know a thing when I came


    back, and when I woke up, Doug was already barging into my room looking for Lucas. After that, he


    suddenly came back to my room, so I alerted everyone.¡±


    Naturally, Nana would never mention that she had a brain fart and allowed John to escape once-she


    would be dead if she did.


    ¡®Doug can speak for me,¡± Nana added.


    Doug came forward. ¡°Yes, Ms. Lynd is speaking the truth.¡± Jean stopped suspecting her at that point.

 Chapter 1086

    Chapter 1086


    Chapter 1086


    Doug was the person Jean trusted most.


    One might even say that she trusted Doug more than her own family in this manner, which was why


    she did not question his words.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She thought then that it was fortunate that Nana was rational enough that love did not cloud her mind,


    and she picked her family rather than her man.


    Otherwise, she would not stand there alive!


    Jean¡¯s eyes narrowed, and she barked, ¡°Keep looking! It wouldn¡¯t have disappeared into thin air!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    There was only silence in the ck car outside Lynd Manor, and the skies were slowly turning dark.


    Cordy asked Sean, ¡°Have you any idea how we¡¯d get in to retrieve the document?¡±


    Sean shook his head-barging in was clearly impossible.


    With the Lynds in high alert, both sides would only lose.


    There was even less chance for them to find some reason to get inside¡ª this was a critical period for


    the Lynds. Not even a fly would be allowed in, let alone them.


    In fact, making a move now would only arouse the Lynds¡¯ suspicion, and they would not make it out if


    they really went in.


    Nheless, Cordy spoke calmly just then. ¡°John must have hidden the document very well, but the


    Lynds would eventually find it even if they can¡¯t do it right now. And before that happens, no one gets to


    enter or leave Lynd Manor-there is only one option to drive them out of there.¡±


    She remained rational even now, focusing entirely on how to retrieve the vital document as if she took


    no notice that John¡¯s fate was unknown.


    ¡°How?¡± Sean asked her, always knowing how smart she was, but she always surprised him


    nheless.


    ¡°Arson,¡± Cordy said clearly and resolutely.


    Sean¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Beside them, Patrick was surprised as well, but there was no question that it was a great idea.


    Once they set a fire, the Lynds would have to evacuate even if they knew someone deliberately set that


    fire-their lives were on the line.


    And amid the confusion, Sean and everyone else would make it inside.


    Unlike the Lynds who were fumbling around in the dark, they knew where the document was and could


    easily retrieve it.


    But if they did this¡­


    Watching Cordy then, Sean asked, ¡°What about John?¡±


    John was still held in Lynd Manor, his fate now unknown.


    He was sure that the Lynds would never set John free, and if they set the fire, they would kill him


    before they left.


    There was no doubt that they would be hastening his death.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to fate,¡± Cordy said calmly.


    Sean frowned, more or less doubtful that Cordy would be that cold.


    Still, Cordy gave him a breakdown of John¡¯s current predicament. ¡°The Lynds have him now, and he¡¯s


    going to die anyway. We have no way of saving him, so we have to make his death worthwhile, and the


    best way of doing it is retrieving the document before the Lynds can!¡±


    Sure, the way she put it was rational, but humans were creatures of emotion.


    There was no way Cordy could be this rational.


    And yet, Cordy repeated herself resolutely, ¡°Don¡¯t let John¡¯s sacrifice go to waste.¡±

 Chapter 1087

    Chapter 1087


    Chapter 1087


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Sean was silent for a while, but he soon started calling his people.


    There was no denying that Cordy¡¯s idea was the best one they had right now-and the longer they


    dyed, the less ideal the final oue would be.


    In fact, Cordy was right¡ªthings looked bad for John no matter what happened, and the only thing they


    could do now was not waste his sacrifice.


    Everything was ready in ten minutes, though Sean turned to look at Cordy and asked, ¡°Are we really


    doing this?¡¯


    Cordy nodded.


    This was their only option-get the document, and John just might get a shot at survival.


    And with that, Sean barked into his phone, ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡¯Yes, Mr. Cranston.¡±


    And in just half an hour, Lynd Manor was covered in mes.


    The towering inferno seemed to ignite out of nowhere.


    It started outside the Lynd Manorpound, but with the electric fences as well as the lush vegetation,


    the fire only continued to build up.


    Within the manor, the servants were crying, ¡°Fire! Fire! Thepound is on fire!¡±


    Every member of the Lynd family had been staying in the living room and waiting until they found the


    document.


    In fact, they did not even have the time to just kill John to ease their spite just then.


    One might even say that they were still holding out hope that he would talk.


    Naturally, their faces fell from the servants¡¯ cry, with Keith barking at one of them, ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    ¡®Thepound is on fire and there¡¯s no stopping it!¡± she quickly replied.


    Keith quickly rushed out of the living room with the others in tow, while Jean alone remained in the


    main chair, glowering.


    Nana headed outside as well and found the entirepound burning, with a scent of gasoline in the


    air.


    She did not have to guess that the fire was set deliberately, and the purpose went without saying.


    But Nana did not say a word, because stopping the fire right now, judging from the state of the


    mes¡­ It was just impossible.


    The only choice was to run.


    At the instant she turned to leave, Keith was barking at the servants to extinguish the mes and call


    the firemen while retreating into the living room.


    ¡® Mom, the whole ce is on fire and the building will soon be too. We can¡¯t stay here-it¡¯s not safe,¡±


    Kyle said quickly and urgently.


    Jean mmed her palm down violently on the tea table, her sudden outburst leaving everyone in


    deafening silence while the fire continued to crack resoundingly outside.


    ¡®What a bunch of spineless worms! Do you think we¡¯d all just capitte in a single day?!¡± she snapped


    viciously, her eyes red with sheer defiance. ¡®To think Lucas alone would push us this far!¡±

 Chapter 1088

    Chapter 1088


    Chapter 1088


    Keith growled with rising indignation then, ¡°He probably wasn¡¯t working alone, no-he must be working


    with the Cranstons. Lucas would never have infiltrated the study if Sean did not lure us out of the


    manor. And who else could dare set fire to our home, let alone have the balls to do it?!¡±


    ¡°We fell for their ploy?! We were this close to greatness¡­ but they turned the tables on us?!¡± Jean


    cried, her body shaking with rage right then.


    ¡® Mom, it¡¯s not the time for regrets. We have to go-the fire is getting worse.¡±


    ¡®If we do, we¡¯d be letting the Cranstons in to get the document and destroy us!¡± Jean snapped viciously.


    Though Keith was speechless, anyone could tell that the fire was to cause confusion while the


    Cranstons sneaked in to take the document.


    ¡®No, I¡¯ll stay,¡± Jean growled resolutely. ¡®I shall see who would have the spine to barge into my house!¡±


    ¡®But it¡¯s really dangerous, Mom. If we can¡¯t stop the fire-¡°


    ¡°Go!¡± Jean said, making up her mind right there and then. ¡°I¡¯ve lived long enough. The family is in your


    hands from now on!¡±


    ¡® Mom!¡± Keith cried in agitation, but it was obvious that his mother was ready to die and take the


    Cranstons down with her.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see for myself how far the Cranstons can go!¡± Jean snapped stubbornly. ¡°Take the others and run


    when you have to, Keith. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    ¡®How could I just run and leave you behind¡­¡± Keith groaned.


    The other Lynds chimed in. ¡°Keith is right, Mom! If we have to run, we¡¯ll do it together!¡±


    ¡®We¡¯d never leave you, Grandma. We have to go now!¡±


    Jena simply waved them off. ¡°I¡¯ve already lived long enough for a person my age. You¡¯re still young,


    and the rest of the family legacy is up to you. All I hope is for everyone to support and love each other,


    and work together to bring down the Cranstons to rise as the greatest dynasty in the nation! At the very


    least, you¡¯d be fulfilling myte husband¡¯s wish.¡±


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°Grandma!¡±


    ¡®Save your breath. I¡¯ve made up my mind,¡± Jean said coolly.


    Keith certainly had more to say, but Jean told her, ¡°You¡¯re the eldest, Keith. The fate of the family rests


    on your shoulders. It¡¯s your duty now-make sure everyone gets out safely.¡±


    And with that, Doug hurried inside. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we just can¡¯t put out the fire. Also, the firemen just called,


    saying that they can¡¯t make it in time due to a car ident causing severe congestion.¡¯


    Jean naturally expected that-nothing would go the way they want now that the Cranstons had made


    their move.


    She made up her mind right then. ¡®Keith, go. Take everyone with you.¡±


    Everyone remained hesitant.


    ¡®Mom.¡±


    ¡°Grandma.¡±


    ¡¯Ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡¯No,¡± she said determinedly. ¡°I won¡¯t have the family die with me.¡±


    ¡°Juste with us,¡± Keith tried onest time nheless.


    ¡°Have you forgotten what I taught you, Keith?¡± Jean snapped at him, breathing very clearly just then, ¡°If


    you want to seed, there is no ce for kindness!¡±


    Keith¡¯s eyes shed with determination right then, and he gritted his teeth as he turned to the others.


    ¡°Everyone, get ready. Do a headcount-then, we¡¯ll leave via the secret passage!¡±


    The rest of the family had no choice but to agree, seeing that Keith was going that far.


    The fire was definitely getting worse, so no one dragged their feet and quickly left.


    Soon, it was just Jean and Doug left in the living room.


    Jean red at her butler, snapping, ¡°What are you doing here?¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯re the one I serve, ma¡¯am. How could I leave when you¡¯re staying?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to die with me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your husband told me to pledge my loyalty to you before he died, and I shall therefore always stay by


    your side!¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡± Jean gave in, her eyes narrowing viciously just then. ¡°He never did fulfill his wish before he


    died, but I¡¯ll do it before I go too!¡±

 Chapter 1089

    Chapter 1089


    Chapter 1089


    Meanwhile, Keith had rallied every member of the Lynd family at the manor grounds as they prepared


    to evacuate through a secret passage.


    All important families had one in case of emergencies, but just as they were about to head in, Marge


    Jenkins-Keith¡¯s wife-was suddenly crying out, ¡°Nana¡¯s not here!¡±


    Kyle finally noticed that Nana was not in the crowd as well, and Marge kept asking worriedly, ¡¯Where


    did she go? Has anyone seen her?¡±


    She would be burned alive if they did not leave now!


    Moreover, only Jean and Keith knew the secret passage. If they left, Nana would never find it in time if


    she returned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see her,¡± someone answered.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡¯Where is she?!¡± Marge cried out in panic and started toward the manor again.


    Keith quickly caught her. ¡°Where are you going?!¡±


    ¡®I have to find Nana!¡±


    ¡¯No, you don¡¯t.¡± Keith glowered.


    ¡¯She¡¯s our daughter, Keith!¡± Marge cried furiously.


    ¡¯And she definitely went to Lucas Lynch,¡± Keith said, as if he knew that for a fact.


    Marge was left doing a double take.


    Although she did not argue, she said, ¡®I¡¯ll get her.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s her choice,¡± Keith growled coolly. ¡¯Mom and the family were lenient enough to not hold her


    ountable for Lucas¡¯ crimes, but she insisted on going to her own doom. She deserves it.¡¯


    ¡®Do you hear yourself talk?! Nana¡¯s our daughter! How could you let her die without lifting a finger?!¡±


    ¡¯It¡¯s toote now,¡± Keith said, watching the fire spreading into the manor.¡± You¡¯d die with her if you go


    in.¡±


    ¡¯So be it-¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s enough!¡¯ Keith caught her immediately and barked at the others,¡¯ Restrain her!¡±


    ¡¯Keith!!!¡± Marge bellowed furiously.


    ¡®We¡¯ve been doting on her because of her health ever since she was born. For that alone, my


    conscience would be clear for the rest of my life,¡± Keith told her callously and turned to the others.


    ¡¯Everyone else, get a move on.¡¯


    Marge tried to resist but was restrained and could not free herself at all.


    She was hence pushed along with the rest of the Lynd family through the secret passage.


    Meanwhile, Nana was trying his best to free John from his chains in the basement.


    The bodyguards watching him had left in a hurry after being told about the fire, but without a key, Nana


    had no way of saving him.


    Nana¡¯s eyes went red in panic, but there was no doubting it now-she could not let John go even now,


    and she wanted him to leave with her.


    ¡¯What happened?¡± John asked her calmly, more less having a hunch that something happened.


    ¡¯There¡¯s a fire,¡± Nana said while restraining her frustration.


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat-a fire? How?!


    Nana then said, ¡°The Cranstons did it.¡±


    As John pursed his lips, Nana scoffed. ¡°Was it worth it, Lucas? No¡­ John?! You¡¯d readily sacrifice


    yourself for the Cranstons, but they set a fire that could kill you without caring if you¡¯d survive! Don¡¯t


    you think you did yourself dirty?!¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s my business,¡± John said indifferently.


    ¡¯Yes, it¡¯s your business, but here I am trying to save you even though I might get killed too!¡± Nana


    growled through her teeth. ¡¯Guess I¡¯m no better than you!¡¯


    ¡¯You don¡¯t have to do this. Just go,¡¯ John urged.


    ¡¯I think so too, but I just can¡¯t leave you alone here. Honestly, what have I done wrong that I have to


    meet you in this life?!¡±


    John did not answer.


    However, his conscience was definitely not clear when it came to Nana, and he was not heartless


    enough to dismiss how she repeatedly saved him. And yet¡­

 Chapter 1090

    Chapter 1090


    Chapter 1090


    Sacrifice was not enough to earn one¡¯s love, and John had already told Nana before that he did not


    love her at all.


    He was simply incapable of falling in love with a woman other than Cordy.


    ¡®Just go,¡¯ he told her. ¡°I don¡¯t want to owe you again.¡¯


    All Nana found was irony. ¡°You¡¯d rather die than owe me, so that I cant sully your rtionship with


    Cordy?! You¡¯re really obsessed, John!¡±


    ¡¯I am,¡± John replied bluntly.


    Most importantly, Nana was never going to get him out given this situation, nor did he want Nana to die


    with him.


    Nana¡¯s eyes were red even as tears streamed down her cheeks. ¡°Don¡¯t you regret anything at all,


    John?¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t.¡±


    Tine.¡±


    Nana turned to leave right then-if he did not care, she had no reason to humiliate herself.


    She could let him die as he wished!


    However, even as broke into a frantic dash out of the basement, she found the manor already engulfed


    in mes, and there was no exit in sight.


    Worst of all, the rest of her family was gone¡­


    The skies beyond Lynd Manor were utterly dark as the smoke from the inferno engulfing Lynd Manor


    grew further out of control.


    Sean and his men were putting on their fireproof overalls and were ready to charge inside.


    ¡¯I¡¯m going!¡± Cordy cried, determined.


    Sean never gave in, let alone hand her one of the overalls.


    ¡®Sean, I¡¯m telling you¡ªI¡¯m going in!¡± Cordy breathed as slowly and clearly as she could.


    ¡¯I can do it myself,¡± Sean said, unmoved.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡®Give me one of those, or I¡¯m charging inside without it,¡± Cordy threatened.


    ¡®Do you think they¡¯d listen to me or you?¡± Sean asked, ncing at the bodyguards around them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hate you for this,¡¯ Cordy snapped.


    ¡¯It¡¯s no issue.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m being serious, Sean!¡± Cordy bellowed, ring at him in turn. ¡¯Let me in now, or I swear I won¡¯t ever


    return to Cranston Hall. Believe it!¡±


    Sean gulped, clearly restraining his frustration as Cordy kept challenging the limits of his patience.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t fear death,¡¯ Cordy said very slowly and clearly.


    ¡®Have you considered Dicky? Are you going to orphan him?¡¯ Sean asked.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, wavering ever so slightly at the thought of Richard, but she did not


    actually give in. ¡°I have to go in.¡¯


    ¡®For John Levine?¡¯ Sean asked bluntly.


    Patrick had been standing nearby and keeping quiet throughout, though he reacted ever so slightly


    when Sean asked that.


    Cordy did not deny it either, and it was certainly the truth that she was going in to save John.


    Even if he was dead, she must see the body.


    She had enough, especially after he reappeared so bizarrely after disappearing four years ago!


    ¡¯I¡¯ll save him. As long as he¡¯s alive, I¡¯ll save him even if it kills me,¡± Sean promised.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t need you to die for me.¡¯ Cordy remained stubborn. ¡°Your task is to retrieve that document. You


    don¡¯t have to care about anything else.¡±


    ¡¯Cordy!¡¯


    Even so, Cordy could not stop her emotions from erupting right then! Rtionships go both ways,


    Sean! Do you think I want you to die when you refuse to let me?!¡±

 Chapter 1091

    Chapter 1091


    Chapter 1091


    Cordy¡¯s outburst left Sean stunned for seconds, but before he could speak, Cordy said, ¡®Please.¡±


    Sean¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he saw Cordy¡¯s eyes moist with tears even as she watched him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop me if you consider me family.¡±


    He really must not, because she did not want to trivialize Sean¡¯s sacrifice for her.


    ¡°You¡¯re not really protecting me like this,¡± Cordy added. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d feelfortable living on if


    you died today? There are times when living is no better than dying-l know exactly how that feels


    because I¡¯ve been depressed before.¡±


    ¡°Just say yes,¡± Patrick suddenly said.


    Sean turned toward him in surprise-was he really still siding with Cordy now? Was he not supposed to


    be head over heels for her?!


    Nheless, Patrick held Sean¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Cordy¡¯s right. She would feel guilty for the rest of her


    life if you died for her sake. Just say yes.¡±


    Patrick knew all too well that Cordy would suffer if she did not try to save John Levine for the rest of her


    life, and he did not want her to live in such anguish.


    Sean pursed his lips, though he could not say what was on the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± Cordy promised him again just then. ¡°I¡¯ll prioritize myself when pushes to shove!¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Sean finally relented, if only Cordy said ¡®please¡¯-he could never say no to her.


    That was why John was right when he said that Sean would get soft on her if he did not lock her up-


    and it happened just as John predicted.


    ¡®But you have to promise me-don¡¯t push yourself!¡± Sean insisted.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy promised.


    Suddenly, Patrick said, ¡°I¡¯m going in too.¡±


    Sean was really speechless just then. ¡°Could you not make things worse right now?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m following you,¡± Patrick told Sean calmly and was not arguing hot-headedly for once.


    And that calm was why Sean could not get harsh with him, and he turned to Cordy instead.


    Only she could get through to the lovesick fool after all.


    However, before Cordy could speak, Patrick said, ¡°I feel exactly the same way you do right now, Cordy.


    Do unto others what you would do to them.¡±


    Cordy was left stumped by Patrick, and she pursed her lips for a while before saying, ¡°Just let him


    come with us, Sean.¡±


    Sean was left gaping at Cordy, surprised that she would agree to it.


    ¡®He feels the same way I do,¡± Cordy said very slowly and clearly.


    In other words, she could not force Patrick to stay out.


    Sean was certainly not inclined to stop Patrick either¡ªsince none of them feared death, they could all


    just charge inside.


    At worst, everyone would just die in a ze of glory, which made for a lively party now that one thought


    about it.


    And once he made up his mind, nothing was that uneptable.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    When Sean told his men to get them two sets of fireproof overalls, Cordy corrected him. ¡°Make it three.¡¯


    Sean understood immediately-the extra one was for John.


    But was there really a point?


    Still, the trio quickly divided their task.


    Sean¡¯s objective was to reach the ce where John left the documents and leave without waiting for


    anyone after obtaining them.


    Patrick and Cordy¡¯s main tasks in turn were to find John, and quickly leave after they did.


    Either way, they must not drag their feet once they get in-being responsible fortheir own lives was being


    responsible for each other.


    Ten minutester, everyone was ready.


    Cordy, Sean, Patrick and six other professional bodyguards rushed toward the zing inferno engulfing


    Lynd Manor.


    The fire was certainly wild¡­

 Chapter 1092

    Chapter 1092


    Chapter 1092


    Even though their bodies were covered from head to toe with the best fireproof overalls, they could still


    feel the searing heat and the suffocating air around them.


    Sean¡¯s objective was clear, so he left immediately when it was time for them to split up.


    On the other hand, Cordy and Patrick were supposed to look for John¡ª they had to do it separately


    since Lynd Manor was huge.


    Patrick in turn stared at Cordy for a while, but she gave him a determined nod.


    She would project herself.


    With that, Patrick stopped hesitating-there was all kinds of danger waiting in there, and the only way to


    be safe was to achieve their objective quickly and get out.


    Cordy and Patrick each had a bodyguard escorting them as they parted ways.


    If her hunch was right, John would be treated harshly once he was caught in the act, and they would


    have held him somewhere secure.


    Rumor had it that there was a basement in the old building of Cranston Hall, where the members of the


    family would be kept and forced to reflect on themselves.


    It was very likely that the Lynds had one as well, since the two families were so close they may have


    built their respective residences in a way that resembles the other.


    Having decided on that, Cordy started searching for Lynd Manor¡¯s basement ording to the Cranston


    Hall¡¯syout.


    Since it would not be the main building, it must be somewhere around it.


    Cordy quickly ran around the main building until she noticed a shack and hurried towards it.


    There was a steel door inside, and it was ajar.


    Cordy headed inside without hesitation, even though the fire was already reaching the fringes of the


    shack.


    Cordy strode down the stairs and into a dark walkway, and it seemed to feel sinisterly cold there


    despite the fire outside.


    There were several doors along the walkway, and Cordy kept opening one door after the other-they


    were all steel doors, but unlocked.


    Cordy clearly flinched when she opened the fourth door.


    She found John, his body covered in his own blood and riddled with so many gruesome gashes he was


    almost unrecognizable.


    His head was dropping, and he looked like he lost all vigor.


    In fact, he looked dead.


    Cordy¡¯s legs seemed to freeze at the doorway for half a minute even though she knew very well that


    she did not have a second to waste.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    The bodyguard behind her prompted her just then. ¡ö¡¯Miss?¡±


    Cordy abruptly came to his senses.


    She gritted her teeth and entered, but just as she reached John, he said feebly, ¡°I told you to run, didn¡¯t


    I? I¡¯m not worth it, Nana.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, delighted for an instant.


    Or perhaps¡­


    Either way, he was alive, even though he looked like he could drop dead at any moment.


    She never said anything and quickly calmed herself.


    Then, she realized that he was still bound by chains-they had to cut those off since they did not have


    the time to find a key.


    She looked around and suddenly saw a giant hammer nearby.


    She quickly picked it up, but it was too heavy for her to wield it effectively.


    She waved at the bodyguard escorting her, who immediately understood and took it off her hands


    before hammering violently at the chains binding John.

 Chapter 1093

    Chapter 1093


    Chapter 1093


    John forced himself to look up then. ¡°I told you you don¡¯t have to save me, didn¡¯t I? I don¡¯t want to drag


    you down with me¡­¡±


    His bloodshot eyes paused, as he thought for an instant that he was hallucinating.


    After all, people tend to think about the ones they wanted to see most when death approaches.


    As such, he stared at Cordy for a long while, as if to confirm if it was her.


    It was a difficult task too, since Cordy was wearing fireproof overalls, covering her from head to toe-no


    one might be able to recognize her unless they were familiar with her. i


    Cordy wondered for a second if he recognized her too, and she did note here to do that-right now,


    rescuing him was more important.


    She turned away from John and watched worriedly as the bodyguard bludgeoned the chains as hard


    as he could.


    However, the chains were too sturdy to break easily.


    Minutester, Patrick¡¯s voice rang over Cordy¡¯s walkie-talkie, and he sounded urgent. ¡®How¡¯s it going


    over there? I can¡¯t find John anywhere here. Where are you? Let¡¯s meet up.¡±


    Cordy stared at the sturdy chains in turn-the fire was not reaching the basement just yet, but she hardly


    had to imagine how bad the fire would be above.


    ¡¯I found him, and we¡¯re getting him out as we speak. We¡¯ll soon reach the gatese out as soon as


    you can,¡± Cordy lied.


    She had no idea if she could save John, let alone whether she could make it out in one piece.


    She understood how Patrick felt, but she did not want him to die with her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Patrick did not doubt her at all, and put away his walkie-talkie as he dashed toward the main


    gates.


    However, just as he moved, a certain man¡¯s image shed in his mind.


    Patrick pursed his lips, perplexed-what did Sean¡¯s fate have to do with him?


    To be fair, he was Cordy¡¯s cousin, and being concerned was reasonable.


    Whipping out his walkie-talkie again, he asked, ¡°How¡¯s it going on your end, Sean?¡±


    Sean did not respond.


    ¡®Cordy is getting John out of here already. What about you? Did you get it?¡± Patrick pressed.


    Sean still did not respond, and Patrick realized that something was wrong right then.


    Reasonably speaking, Sean should have been done sooner than the rest of them¡ªhis objective was


    clear, and he should be out unless there was interference.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Which seemed to be more likely the case now.


    Patrick felt his breath leave his lungs.


    He did not die in the fire, did he?!


    The fireproof overalls did not mean he was safe, since even the best fireproof materials would break


    down under prolonged exposure to fire.


    Patrick did not hesitate to run toward Sean right then-he had seen the photo John sent Sean on his


    phone, and if he remembered correctly, it was in the back garden.


    He gritted his teeth as he rushed headlong into danger.

 Chapter 1094

    Chapter 1094


    Chapter 1094


    Bright mes and thick smoke were everywhere around him when Patrick suddenly stopped in his


    tracks.


    He thought he saw Sean with two of his bodyguards and clearly holding a document.


    However, he was not moving-because he could not.


    Patrick gulped, but kept his distance¡­ because Sean was staring at the rifle in Jean¡¯s hand, aimed


    squarely at them.


    He had taken off his helmet as well, probably because Jean forced him.


    ¡®So it really was you, Sean Cranston!¡± Sheughed darkly and asked calmly, ¡®When did you find out it


    was me?¡±


    Patrick¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    The fire was getting everywhere, and it could kill anyone in an instant.


    And yet, Jean remained so calm and unaffected¡­


    In other words, she never expected to survive!


    The possibility was certainly there when one thought about it¡ªLynd Manor was basically empty when


    they rushed in, meaning that the rest of the family had already evacuated.


    There was no telling where they left, but they were gone¡­ and yet, Jean stayed behind.


    Patrick gritted his teeth.


    Did Jean want to bring them down with her to protect the rest of the Lynds?!


    Nheless, he refrained from moving just then.


    Meanwhile, Sean answered Jean¡¯s question. ¡°Just recently.¡±


    ¡®And how did you find out?¡± Jean was actually puzzled-she had been so discreet, but Sean found out


    anywhere.


    ¡¯No one other than your family was capable of this.¡±


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t suspect your own family?¡±


    ¡°We eliminated that possibility beforeing to the conclusion that it was you,¡± Sean replied.


    ¡®Hah!¡± Jean snorted coolly. ¡°How clever of you.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t all me,¡± Sean admitted.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, huh?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡®She really is as smart as her mother, no?¡± Jean scoffed, though her approval at the bottom of her heart


    was obvious too. ¡°Shame-Jesse himself kicked her out of his house.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡®Why mention the past now?¡± Sean asked coolly.


    ¡®Quiet.¡± Jean nodded before glowering and demanding, ¡°Now hand that over.¡±


    Sean¡¯s fingers clenched on the document-he had gone through great lengths for the document, and he


    was not about to surrender it so easily!


    ¡®You boys really are smart,¡± Jean said quietly through gritted teeth. ¡°To think that Lucas Lynch really hid


    it underground. I really would have to dig six feet under to find it!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. How did you do this to your own brother?¡± Sean asked.


    The documents he had only contained evidence of the Lynds¡¯ illicit activities and not the reason why


    Jean wanted to kill Jesse.


    What could have driven her to plot her brother¡¯s murder, especially when Jesse had always been kind


    to her?


    In fact, the Lynds were in a state of unrest when Jean¡¯s husband died, and danger was everywhere. It


    was Jesse who helped Jean pacify them and helped Jean take firm control over the Lynd family while


    helping her keep her power over the years.


    And yet, she would repay his favor with such spite?!


    Nheless, Jean was suddenly shaking with rage.


    Brother? Why, yes, we were siblings who relied on each other as we grew up¡­ until he murdered my


    husband! Did you think Jesse was an angel?! He¡¯s far more cunning and savage than anyone else!¡±


    ¡°Did you think he helped me im control over the Lynd family for my sake?! No! All he wanted was


    more power-to use me as a figurehead to control my own family! I yed to his tune over the years just


    to wait for my chance to end him!¡±

 Chapter 1095

    Chapter 1095


    Chapter 1095


    Jean was definitely over agitated.


    However, with the fire around them burning so violently, breathable air was scarce, leaving her hacking


    violently after her outburst.


    ¡¯Ma¡¯am?¡± Doug asked in concern.


    Jean did her best to keep herself together. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°It has to be a misunderstanding,¡± Sean said loudly then. ¡°My grandfather would never hurt you or your


    family!¡±


    ¡¯There¡¯s no misunderstanding!¡± Jean snapped viciously. ¡°My husband died because of your


    grandfather¡¯s schemes! Why else would they leave home together only for my husband to die from the


    ident while Jesse stayed fine?!¡¯


    ¡®Have you actually investigated the incident?¡± Sean asked, staying calm.¡± Everyone knows that the


    survivor in such a case would be suspected, and no one would have done it so brazenly. And you know


    better than anyone how careful Jesse was-even if he wanted to kill, he would not have done it so


    obviously!¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s what makes Jesse smart. Everyone was convinced he would not do something so stupid and


    did not suspect him at all¡­ But I have evidence! I caught the man who sabotaged my husband¡¯s car in


    secret, and he was the one who told me that your grandfather was behind everything!¡±


    ¡¯That only makes it sound more suspicious! Don¡¯t you think that person has been-¡°


    ¡°Save it,¡± Jean cut Sean short, refusing to listen to his logic.


    She was dead sure that Jesse killed her husband, and Sean could not present any evidence of Jesse¡¯s


    innocence given this situation either.


    ¡®Give me the document, Sean,¡± Jean said darkly then, ¡°and I¡¯ll spare you for the sake of our kinship! Or


    you will die here with me!¡±


    ¡¯No, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re family, and should never have been at each other¡¯s necks like this¡ªespecially when


    you¡¯re my grandfather¡¯s sister! I won¡¯t give this to you, but I won¡¯t use it to take anyone in your family to


    court either. It would only serve as leverage to prevent your family from moving against mine! I can help


    you get out of here too. You know it¡¯s not toote,¡± Sean tried to negotiate regardless.


    ¡¯Haha!¡± Jean sneered. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d believe you?! Jesse was the one who groomed you-you¡¯re as


    cunning as him!¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m a man of my word, and I promise you that Grandfather will not punish you even if he finds out that


    you wanted to hurt him. Most importantly, there¡¯s a misunderstanding-¡°


    ¡®That¡¯s enough!¡± Jean snapped icily. ¡°I¡¯m counting down from three. Give it to me, or your brains will


    end up on the ground!¡±


    She brought her rifle level-one shot, and anyone would be killed.


    Sean looked at Jean warily in turn.


    He would definitely die there if she did not get through to him, but it was painfully obvious that Jean


    was not giving him any chance.


    She was convinced it was the truth, and that was final.


    After all, she lived for years in good health, if only by calling upon the spite of losing her husband!


    ¡®Three!¡±


    ¡®Two!¡±


    ¡¯One-¡°


    Before Jean could finish, she suddenly felt someone mming into her from the back, and she fell


    forward-her aged body was never going to withstand a blow like that.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    That fall would have killed her if Doug had not reacted quickly to catch her and cushioned her fall.


    Patrick was tumbled to the ground from the momentum of his tackle, and he felt the world spinning


    around him¡ªhe overdid it.


    When he came to his senses, however, he found Doug getting off from underneath Jean and


    scrambling to his feet to get the rifle Jean dropped.


    Patrick scrambled toward it as well, but he had yet to recover and he could not move steadily.


    Just as Doug was about to pick up the rifle to level, Patrick lunged forward on top of the rifle, pressing


    his full weight down on the rifle, preventing him from bringing it to level.


    Doug clenched his teeth and tried his best to push Patrick away, but Patrick grabbed his arms in turn,


    stopping him from moving.


    As the stalematested for heartbeats, Sean rushed toward them!

 Chapter 1096

    Chapter 1096


    Chapter 1096


    Sean could clearly see Patrick putting himself between the rifle and Sean himself.


    If it went off by ident, it would pierce Patrick¡¯s fireproof overalls no matter how thick it was!


    Sean dashed at top speed up to him right then, yelling, ¡°Patrick!!!¡±


    He kept hacking due to the thick smoke swirling around him.


    On the other hand, Patrick kept Doug firmly restrained while barking, ¡°Put your helmet on already!¡±


    The fire was so violent now that one would be maimed or even die if they inhaled too much of the


    smoke.


    Sean¡¯s eyes were red, though no one could notice with all the mes around them.


    Patrick could have been killed, and he was still telling Sean to put on his helmet?!


    Still, Sean gritted his teeth and turned back to retrieve his helmet from the ground while his pair of


    bodyguards ran up to help Patrick seize the rifle and subdue Doug. 1


    Meanwhile, Jean was on the ground, unable to get up.


    Even if she survived the fall, the inferno was zing so violently she could not breathe at all without


    any fire protection gear.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sean barked after putting his helmet back on-right now, the most important thing was to


    escape.


    Patrick did not drag his feet either and immediately followed.


    However, as they all turned to leave, they did not notice that Jean-who had been motionless for a


    while-suddenly whipped out a gun,


    Her vision was dimmed, and all she could see were several figures moving swiftly.


    She bit down very hard on her own lip, knowing well that any moment could be herst.


    Even so, she would take someone with her!


    She took aim at Sean, but just as she pulled the trigger¡ª


    ¡°Watch out!¡± Patrick suddenly cried out and leapt behind Sean.


    Bang!


    The gunshot was deafening, and Sean slowly turned to find Patrick standing behind him and slowly


    dropping to the ground.


    Then, he did not move at all as if he turned to stone.


    He should be checking Patrick¡¯s injury and taking him with him and running, but his mind seemed to


    fizzle out right then¡­


    Meanwhile, in the basement, Cordy¡¯s bodyguard was still hammering away at the chains restraining


    John, showing no signs of breaking.


    Cordy simply looked on when John suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m more than satisfied.¡± His voice was exceedingly


    soft but also serene.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1097

    Chapter 1097


    Chapter 1097


    Cordy blinked at John, who said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you again. This makes it worth it¡­ even if I die


    now.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s dying. Not until the veryst moment,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    ¡®Just go,¡¯ John told her nheless.


    As Cordy pursed her lips, John repeated himself resolutely, ¡°Go.¡¯


    ¡¯Shut up. It¡¯ll be done soon enough,¡± Cordy said, averting her eyes.


    She refused to give up until the very end.


    And yet, smoke was starting to spill into the basement, and John obviously noticed that.


    He held her gaze, looking deep into her eyes as she said, ¡°I¡¯m not worth it, Cordy.¡±


    ¡¯This isn¡¯t about you,¡± Cordy said coolly. ¡°I refused to let Dicky be fatherless.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯ve already taken good care of him.¡±


    ¡¯That still doesn¡¯t rece his father.¡±


    ¡¯But he shouldn¡¯t lose his mother too.¡¯


    Cordy bit her lip at that, while John continued, ¡°Meeting you was my greatest blessing in life. That¡¯s


    why I feel no regrets.¡±


    Cordy stayed silent and kept watching as the bodyguard hammered against John¡¯s chains.


    ¡®Please, I¡¯m begging you. Go.¡±


    There was a quiver in John¡¯s voice now.


    He was expendable, but she was not.


    She must Iive-that was his only wish.


    He would really be rolling around in his grave if she died because of him!


    ¡°Five minutes,¡± Cordy told him slowly and clearly then. ¡°If we can¡¯t break your chains by then, I¡¯ll leave.¡±


    ¡¯That¡¯spletely unnecessary-¡°


    ¡¯At that point, at least my conscience would be clear if you die.¡±


    At least she did her best.


    Even if she failed, that simply meant John was destined to die here.


    John was in turn silent-he knew Cordy came to save him to keep a clear conscience.


    After all, from her perspective, everything he did was in service to the Cranstons.


    In reality, it was not-he did it for himself so that the Lynds could no longer threaten him.


    It was the same thing with the Stuarts, as he would only gain freedom by neutralizing their power.


    However, as time went by, Cordy was left staring and gripped by increasing despair.


    The bodyguard kept hammering violently against the chains, but it crossed Cordy¡¯s mind that she was


    being delusional.


    She could not save John-just like before, when he and Jessica Stuart boarded that ship, and ¡®died¡¯ on


    it.


    All she could do was watch him die again.


    At the same time, the smoke in the basement thickened, and without a breathing mask, John was


    already hacking violently.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy finally told the bodyguard.


    This was enough-any further dy, and they would never make it out either.


    John was right-Richard could go fatherless, but he could not be an orphan.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    They had been doing just fine without John over the years, after all.


    The only regret Cordy had was that Richard knew John survived, and this meant that he would have to


    suffer the loss of his father again.


    Her eyes were red as she felt helpless and despair before death.


    The bodyguard obeyed and put the hammer down.


    John seemed to heave a sigh of relief as well-thankfully, Cordy remained rational.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Cordy apologized.

 Chapter 1098

    Chapter 1098


    Chapter 1098


    ¡®You¡¯ve done your best,¡± John told Cordy. ¡¯I don¡¯t hate you-no, I¡¯m thankful that you came for me in the


    end. Promise me that you¡¯ll live well instead of mourning me, and spend your days in happiness with


    Patrick. I¡¯ve looked into him¡­ He¡¯s changed over the years because of you, and he¡¯s worth entrusting


    the rest of your life with.¡±


    Even so, Cordy¡¯s tears could not stop.


    ¡¯Go,¡± John urged her again-any slower and she would not make it.


    Cordy bit her lip, but just as she was about to turn away, her bodyguard suddenly said, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Cordy promptly turned toward him, an irrepressible sense of hopefulness igniting within her head and


    causing her to shudder ever so slightly.


    She actually thought she could not take more crushed hopes just then.


    ¡¯I think the chains are breaking!¡± the bodyguard eximed in surprise nheless. ¡°I see a crack.


    Should I keep trying, Ms. Sachs?¡±


    ¡¯Yes.¡± Cordy nodded without hesitation.


    John tried to stop them, but the smoke was now so thick he could not even manage a full sentence.


    Nheless, the bodyguard promptly picked up the hammer and struck the chains violently a handful


    of times¡­ and it really shattered!


    Cordy worked hard to restrain her excitement-right now, their priority was to stay alive and get out of


    there.


    She had to catch John quickly too, since he was too weak to stand after the chains stopped supporting


    his weight.


    ¡°Help him put on the fireproof overalls,¡± Cordy told the bodyguard, who had been carrying it and left it


    on the floor while he hammered the chains.


    At Cordy¡¯s orders, he quickly picked it up and helped John, who had to withstand the agony all over his


    body, into it.


    He really did not want to burden Cordy, but he could not give up when he touched Cordy¡¯s body.


    He really could not bear to leave her at all, and he could actually feel her fear that he would actually


    die.


    As such, he did not dare to push her away again, or it would really break her.


    He gritted his teeth and rose to stand on his own feet.


    Cordy was left staring at him in surprise-she had seen the terrible shape he was in, but he stood up


    anyway!


    ¡°Come on,¡± John said, trying to make himself sound as calm as possible.


    Cordy did not say another word, and the three of them left the basement right then.


    It was with considerable difficulty as well, since the fire might have brought down everything around


    them if they were a moment slower.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    They were not out of the woods just because they got out of the basement either¡ªwith the fire zing


    everywhere around them, they could not even tell where the front gate was.


    ¡°Over there!¡± John pointed in a particr direction just then. ¡°That¡¯s the exit! ¡ö


    The trio promptly rushed in that direction when they suddenly heard a feeble voice calling out, ¡°John¡­¡±


    Both John and Cordy turned around to find a womanying on the floor, looking like she would die


    soon.


    Even though she was doing all she could to look up at them, her eyes were clouded in despair.


    Cordy turned to find John stiffened and motionless, but they could not afford any dys with the inferno


    around them.


    As such, she turned to leave without a word.


    She had no idea whether John would choose to save Nana, because she just wanted to leave as soon


    as she could just then and stay alive.


    However, after walking some distance, she ultimately turned around and saw that John had already


    walked toward Nana and taken off his fireproof overalls¡­

 Chapter 1099

    Chapter 1099


    Chapter 1099


    No longer hesitating, Cordy turned and hurried out of the burning manor under her bodyguard¡¯s escort.


    Their surroundings were thoroughly scalding even with their fireproof overalls, and they could hardly


    move forward.


    With the fire zing as it was, they might not make it out if they had a second¡¯s dy, especially


    without fire protection.


    But that was not something Cordy should worry about-everyone had made their own choices.


    It was with great difficulty that she and her bodyguard rushed out of Lynd Manor.


    At the same time, Cordy saw Sean rush out as well, seemingly with another person in his arms.


    She was uncertain because the figure was wearing fireproof overalls as well-she rushed over to them


    and heard Sean bellowing hoarsely, ¡¯Take him to the hospital! Now!¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Cordy was actually stunned-Sean was so worried he seemed to be losing it!


    Her heart in turn raced when she had a good look of the person in Sean¡¯s arms. ¡°What happened? Is


    that¡­ Patrick?!¡¯¡¯


    ¡®He was shot. I can¡¯t give you the details, but the most important thing right now is to take him to the


    hospital,¡± Sean said urgently.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy did not press the issue either.


    Sean was just worried given the direness of the situation-he would not have acted like that otherwise!


    She quickly followed Sean into the car parked nearby and turned around for a look just as she got in.


    She did not see anyonee out and told the bodyguard outside the car,¡± Leave a car here. If


    someone gets out, take them to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    With that, Cordy and Sean rushed Patrick to the hospital.


    The journey was dead silent-Patrick was in too much pain to make a sound, just as Sean was eerily


    silent.


    Cordy did not say a word either, feeling a mess of emotions.


    The car soon arrived at the hospital, and Patrick was immediately stretchered into the emergency room


    for surgery.


    It was only Sean and Cordy alone waiting at the walkway outside. One of their bodyguards was


    standing further away, afraid of disturbing them.


    In the end, Cordy asked, ¡® What¡¯s going on here?¡±


    It was better to talk and distract themselves than to keep panicking further.


    Sean flinched in response, which left Cordy pursing her lips.


    She had really never seen him acting like that.


    What could have happened to leave him in that bizarre state?!


    However, Cordy did not urge him and silently waited for minutes before Sean slowly said, ¡°Jean caught


    me just as I retrieved the documents.¡±


    ¡°She was waiting there?!¡± Cordy eximed in disbelief-was that woman nning to die?


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sean replied. ¡°She knew we would be going in, so she waited for us, ready to take us down


    with herself.¡±


    Somehow, Cordy could actually imagine that sight.


    Sean then continued, ¡°It¡¯s Patrick who tackled Jean to the ground and saved me just as she was about


    to shoot me. But we were leaving when Jean somehow fired at me with thest bit of strength she had,


    and Patrick took the bullet for me¡­¡±


    Sean¡¯s eyes turned red as his voice trailed off, and it was so soft he could almost hear the faint quiver.


    ¡°Where did he get hit?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sean shook his head, burying his face in his palms to hide the emotions-even tears-on


    his face. ¡°I was afraid to check or ask. I was worried¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Cordy stopped him from continuing.


    She knew that Sean was afraid Patrick was struck in the vitals-it would overwhelm Sean if Patrick really


    died saving him.


    Sean was actually a man of sentiment, despite the usual tough front he put on.


    Cordy walked over and gently hugged him. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine. Patrick was born lucky.¡±


    Despite saying that, her eyes were red.


    After all, if..

 Chapter 1100

    Chapter 1100


    Chapter 1100


    ¡®No,¡¯ Cordy told herself. ¡®There are no ¡®ifs¡¯.¡¯


    Meanwhile, time ticked away, and soon half an hour had passed.


    The walkway was so silent one could hear a pin drop, but the doors to the operating room were not


    open.


    Nheless, there was suddenly somemotion along the walkway, and both Cordy and Sean


    turned toward it.


    They found a crowd of medical personnel wheeling two stretchers in their direction, moving so urgently


    one could feel that the patients were in a dire state even from the distance.


    Cordy blinked.


    She did not see the people in the stretchers, but she saw the bodyguard who escorted her into Lynd


    Mansion following the stretchers.


    Cordy lowered her gaze in turn.


    So, the people on the stretchers were Nana¡­ and John?


    He was virtually disfigured, and even Cordy would not have recognized him if not for the bodyguard.


    She simply looked on and watched as they were wheeled into surgery.


    Sean clearly noticed too. ¡°Was that Nana and¡­ John?¡¯


    He simply could not be sure since it was too difficult to identify him in that state.


    ¡¯I think so,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t find him?¡± Sean asked, only managing to remember the other objective just then.


    ¡®I did,¡± Cordy replied -there would only be ash left of them now if she did not.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯Then¡­¡¯ Sean was perplexed¡ªhow did Cordy make it out but not John?


    And if she found him, he should have the fireproof overalls to protect him, and he would not be burned


    that badly!


    ¡®He went back to save Nana,¡± Cordy said coolly.


    Sean pursed his lips and said nothing else at that.


    Right now, Patrick was more important.


    The walkway was silent again, and two hours passed in apprehension when the signal lights outside


    the operating room finally turned off.


    Cordy was caught by surprise, and a little too afraid to face the truth.


    She turned towards Sean, and saw that he was no better.


    That being said, he had been behaving a little weirdly today, but she did not dwell on it since Cordy was


    worried about Patrick¡¯s condition too.


    She gritted her teeth and strode toward the doctor, while Sean clearly wobbled as he got to her feet but


    quickly followed at the next instant.


    ¡¯How¡¯s the patient, doctor?¡¯ Cordy asked nervously.


    The doctor took a deep breath, and both Cordy and Sean¡¯s hearts could blow up right then.


    Nheless, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The patient is not in mortal danger.¡±


    However, before Cordy and Sean could heave a sigh of relief, he added,¡± The bullet struck his back


    and ribs, breaking three ribs and causing some extent of damage to his heart. We have to keep


    observing him after he regains consciousness, and if his heart has an issue¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d die?!¡¯ Sean blurted.


    ¡¯It¡¯s not that bad. We just have to perform further surgery on his heart,¡± the doctor said bluntly. ¡°There¡¯s


    no reason to worry either-we¡¯ll do our best to treat him.¡±


    ¡®Thank you, doctor.¡± Cordy heaved a small sigh of relief.


    Sean quickly thanked him too. ¡°Thank you, doctor. Thank you¡­¡± Forthem, anything was fine as long as


    Patrick stayed alive.

 Chapter 1101

    Chapter 1101


    Chapter 1101


    Both Cordy and Sean stayed in Patrick¡¯s ward to keep himpany.


    They both waited in silence for him to wake up.


    Then, after a long while, Patrick¡¯s eyelids seemed to twitch.


    Sean quickly noticed and straightened himself as he stared fixedly at the other man.


    Cordy sensed his reaction in turn and noticed that Patrick was showing signs of waking up as well.


    She quickly got up, leaned toward him, and whispered into his ear, ¡°Are you awake, Patrick?¡±


    Patrick simply felt light-headed and opened his eyes with great difficulty to find his vision blurred.


    It took a while for him to focus and find Cordy.


    He tried to move but found himself very limp.


    Moreover, he barely moved when he winced in pain. ¡°Oof.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Sean suddenly snapped, his voice stern.


    Patrick turned toward him.


    Cordy did the same and could not help telling him, ¡°He just woke up, Sean, and he¡¯s hurt. Don¡¯t shout


    at him.¡±


    Sean pursed his lips, but stayed silent.


    Patrick seemed to remember what happened just then as well and rasped,¡¯ I¡¯m not dead?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that,¡± Cordy said mildly. ¡°You¡¯ll live another century.¡±


    Patrick could not help grinning-his sentiment for Cordy was only too obvious in his eyes.


    ¡°How do you feel right now?¡± Cordy asked in concern.


    ¡°Just a little tired, and my body feels limp. My back hurts a little, but I¡¯m fine otherwise,¡± Patrick said


    miserably.


    ¡°Of course it hurts. The bullet hit you in the ribs and broke three-the doctors said that you¡¯re going to be


    bedridden for a while.¡±


    ¡°Three broken ribs?!¡± Patrick eximed in agitation. ¡°I won¡¯t end up a cripple, will I?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid now? Weren¡¯t you a dashing figure when you took that bullet for Sean?¡± Cordy teased.


    ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t think far given the urgentness of the situation,¡± Patrick said.¡± It¡¯s scary to actually think


    about it now.¡±


    ¡¯ But, really¡­ thank you,¡± Cordy suddenly thanked him solemnly.


    ¡°For what?¡± Patrick asked, staring at her in turn.


    ¡°If Sean were really shot dead¡­¡± Cordy was afraid to imagine it. ¡°Anyway, thanks for saving Sean.¡±


    ¡°Nothing wrong with saving an inw,¡± Patrick smiled. ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. ¡ö


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied-they really should be less formal.


    ¡°Well, is there anything you want now? The doctors said that you have to stay here for observation


    after you wake up and not to feed you right away. Depending on the situation, you can eat after


    midnight,¡± Cordy said shortly.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, and I have no idea what I want for now. Guess I¡¯ll just stay in bed.¡±


    ¡°Then, do you want to check your phone? I can hold it up for you.¡± Cordy gestured.


    The doctors said that they should not let Sean move since they had just fixed his ribs, and it would be


    troublesome if they touched him.

 Chapter 1102

    Chapter 1102


    Chapter 1102


    Nheless, Patrick refused. ¡°You¡¯ll wear yourself out.¡±


    ¡¯Not really.¡±


    ¡¯Either way, you don¡¯t have to. Just keep mepany, and I won¡¯t be bored, ¡¯ Patrick smiled.


    Cordy did not press the issue. ¡°Alright. We can chat.¡±


    ¡¯Yeah¡­ About what?¡¯1 Patrick asked.


    ¡¯Anything you like,¡± Cordy smiled faintly.


    Patrick felt like his heart could melt from her tenderness and suddenly felt the bullet he took was


    exceedingly worthwhile!


    ¡¯ By the way, did you get John out? Is he alright?¡± Patrick asked.


    Cordy was silent for a while.


    ¡¯Hold on, you didn¡¯t?¡± Patrick eximed in surprise.


    Reasonably speaking, Cordy and John would have left Lynd Manor before anyone else-Patrick was in


    turn dyed because he doubled back to help Sean.


    ¡¯Sorry, but I lied to you.¡± Cordy apologized sincerely then.


    ¡®You mean, you didn¡¯t get John out when I called you?¡±


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    Patrick appeared a little upset at that, so Cordy quickly assured him, ¡® But I¡¯m alright, aren¡¯t I? I was just


    positive I¡¯d give up for my own safety¡¯s sake if I couldn¡¯t get John out, and I didn¡¯t want further trouble


    like having youe to me.¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t do that ever again!¡± Patrick snapped sternly. ¡°I won¡¯t hold this one against you just because


    you¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I won¡¯t do it ever again,¡¯ Cordy promised.


    Naturally, Patrick would not really get upset with Cordy-not when he could not get enough of her.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡®How¡¯s John?¡± he asked, not really concerned about the man¡¯s fate.


    He just needed definitive answers, since they went into a burning building to save that man.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡± Cordy admitted.


    ¡°What?¡± Patrick raised a brow.


    ¡°I managed to get him out, but he took off his fireproof overalls and gave it to Nana Lynd. Saving her


    dyed him from getting out too, so I left with my bodyguard first. You were already in surgery when


    we saw him being rushed into the hospital with Nana, but I didn¡¯t ask after them, so I don¡¯t know how


    they¡¯re actually doing.¡±


    Patrick pursed his lips, not sure what he could say just then.


    ¡®He¡¯s no more than a passing acquaintance to me now,¡± Cordy said with calmposure. ¡¯Now, neither


    of us owe each other anything, and there¡¯s nothing that binds us together either. I¡¯m over him¡ªwhether


    he survives this.¡±


    ¡¯Yeah.¡± Patrick nodded, genuinely convinced that Cordy was really over John.


    He was convinced that he could offer Cordy a brighter future too.


    ¡®Either way, the Lynds¡¯ glory days are over after this,¡± Cordy said,ing up with another topic of


    conversation so that Patrick was not so bored in bed. ¡°The document Sean retrieved is decisive


    evidence against the Lynds -the legal procedures will be a pain, but the oue is assured.¡±


    ¡®They were really up to some shady business, huh?¡±


    ¡®Yes-abusing positions in political office, involvement in organized crime, extortion, and conspiracy to


    murder,¡± Cordy listed. ¡°It¡¯s too much dirtyundry, and they¡¯re done either way.¡±


    ¡¯John is really amazing.¡¯ Patrick suddenly sighed emotionally.


    As Cordy frowned, he quietly continued, ¡°Just think about it-it hasn¡¯t been that long since he married


    Nana, but he¡¯s already found out their dirty secrets. I have to say it, but the man is extraordinary¡­ I


    have to admit I¡¯m impressed, since he took down my family in the same manner years ago!¡±

 Chapter 1103

    Chapter 1103


    Chapter 1103


    Cordy smiled faintly. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Well, he is impressive, so if he actually died¡­¡± Patrick continued and suddenly noticed the look of


    indifference on Cordy¡¯s face, adding, ¡°It¡¯d be a shame¡±


    ¡°You should be worried about yourself.¡± Cordy smiled, though her tone was stern. ¡°You¡¯re worried about


    others when you break three ribs? The most important thing for you to do right now is to get better.¡±


    ¡°And once I¡¯m better, will you marry me?¡± Patrick blurted.


    He was actually surprised himself when he said that-he had always wanted to marry Cordy, but never


    had the courage since he knew all too well that he was not all that important to her yet.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    At least not important enough to entrust the rest of her life with¡­ Like a burr, he had all the intention


    but not the courage.


    Even he had no idea how he managed to say that.


    In fact, he was panicking before Cordy responded. ¡°I-I was just kidding. I¡¯m not asking to offer yourself


    to me just because I saved your cousin-¡°


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cordy suddenly said, i


    Patrick did a double take, caught in disbelief at how sudden happiness reached him.


    Still, he said solemnly at the next instant, ¡°I¡¯m not attempting emotional ckmail here, Cordy. I¡¯ll admit


    it¡¯s a dream to marry you and build a happy family, but I¡¯d never force you, let alonepel you to do


    something you don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying yes because you saved Sean.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°I decided the instant we head inside


    Lynd Manor-that we¡¯ll marry if we can get out safely.¡±


    ¡® Really?¡± Patrick was still a little skeptical.


    Even if things were going well between themtely, he could still feel a sense of distance from Cordy-


    did she reallye to ept him so quickly?


    ¡® Really. I¡¯ve made up my mind-this isn¡¯t on a whim.¡± Cordy sighed feebly.


    He was the one who wanted to marry, but it somehow felt like she was the one harassing him now


    instead.


    ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you tell me what I have going for me?¡± Patrick asked resolutely.


    Cordy was speechless-did he have second thoughts already?


    Still, she knew all too well that Patrick was just worried she would regret it and give herself grief.


    He was afraid that she forced herself to marry him when she obviously did not love him.


    However, what reason did she have to reject a man who had been so good to her?


    As such, she told him solemnly, ¡°You have so many things going for you that I can¡¯t begin to count.


    You¡¯re handsome, kind, and understanding, and you always dote on me. These are more than enough,


    but that isn¡¯t the reason I¡¯d marry you. It¡¯s because I love you.¡±


    Patrick¡¯s eyes welled with tears right then.


    He did not cry even if he broke three ribs from getting shot, and it hurt like hell.


    Even so, he could not stop his tears when Cordy said she loved him-he would never have demanded


    that the one he loved to love him back.


    He always felt that he did not have the luck, that love was just beyond his reach.


    In fact, he had never found love because of his sexual preferences before, and he knew for sure that


    he would be straight someday-whether he was actually willing. That was why his rtionships


    before were just indulgence and not love.


    But at this very moment, it felt like he hade to possess the world.


    He said tearfully, ¡°I won¡¯t ever let you down, Cordy.¡±


    Me neither,¡± Cordy told him resolutely.


    Patrick held out his hand then, and Cordy took it in hers, locking fingers with him-offering each other


    the warmest of refuge.


    Outside the ward, Sean quietly observed their exchange, his gaze more calm than affected as he


    quietly offered his blessings.

 Chapter 1104

    Chapter 1104


    Chapter 1104


    Sean slowly walked toward the ICU, where John was moved after surgery.


    His vitals were weak, and the doctors said that he would either live or never wake up.


    It all depended on the patient-his fate was now beyond the realm of medical knowledge.


    Sean quietly watched him, not quite able to describe how he felt.


    Perhaps he found it a waste-he hade to admire John a long time ago, as he genuinely found the


    man to be a genius. He really would have liked to work with John and even entrust him the future of the


    Cranstons.


    But now, hey on the bed in the ICU ward, his fate unknown.


    Sean sighed-whatever happened to John now, there were things he must do for the man, such as


    bringing Richard over to keep himpany.


    This might be thest time Richard got to see his father, after all.


    Patrick stayed at the hospital for a week.


    Aside from the broken ribs, he had no other issues-his heart was fine too, which the doctors described


    as a blessing in disguise.


    Cordy stayed with him every day and was basically inseparable from him.


    Sean visited often too, though he would be standing outside the ward and would never impose on


    Patrick or Cordy.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    He spent most of his time checking on John instead, though he would be standing outside as well.


    Somehow, he suddenly found a kindred spirit in the man.


    Naturally, Sean had also brought Richard to the capital, and the boy often came to the hospital to stay


    at John¡¯s side.


    Though he was just ten years old, he was considerably more mature than his peers¡ªhe did not cry or


    throw a fit seeing John in his miserable state and merely watched silently even though his eyes were


    constantly red.


    He merely quietly prayed for a miracle.


    The doctor had said that if John did not wake up soon, he would have less chance of waking up now.


    He also suggested family members should try talking to him to try to invoke his consciousness, so that


    he actually woke up.


    That was why Richard often visited and spoke to John-but the boy was never good with words, often


    stopping halfway as he would lose focus on what to talk about, and tears would cloud his vision again.


    Sean would often go in to speak with John too, though he mostly spoke about serious matters.


    For example, he had already submitted the evidence John obtained to the authorities and pulled strings


    to ensure that the Lynds would be brought to justice. The key figures of the Lynd family had since been


    arrested under criminal charges and were pending trial.


    Compelled by public opinion, the authorities would have to arrange for the trial to be held sooner, and if


    there were no surprises, the Lynds¡¯ influence would be utterly crushed in time.


    It was now fated that the family be written out of history pages, and they would no longer be a threat to


    everyone.


    As for Nana, she remainedatose-no different from John¡¯s condition after he rescued her from the


    fire.


    The doctors gave her the same diagnosis: she had less chance of regaining consciousness the more


    time passed, and she could either end up in a vegetative state or worse, lose her life.

 Chapter 1105

    Chapter 1105


    Chapter 1105


    Sean left John¡¯s ICU ward for the day and headed to Patrick¡¯s room, where Cordy was feeding him


    apples.


    He had a blissful, goofy smile on his face as he stared at Cordy, and Sean in turn smiled slightly,


    seemingly in blessing.


    As he entered, both of them turned toward him, with Cordy asking casually, ¡®Is Dicky heading home?¡±


    She was naturally aware why Richard was frequentlying to the hospital.


    ¡®Yeah, I told him to head back to Cranston Hall-there¡¯s a limit to visiting hours, and he¡¯d be idling


    staying here anyway,¡± Sean said, before adding,¡± He¡¯d be third-wheeling if he came here too.¡±


    Cordy blushed a little, though Patrick was beaming. ¡°He¡¯s too polite, honestly¡­ We¡¯re family now. He


    would never be imposing.¡±


    Sean was speechless. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re family. So can I borrow Cordy for a moment?¡±


    Patrick was obviously reluctant, but Cordy already put the apple in his hand and said, ¡®Eat it yourself.


    ¡®What¡­¡± Patrick was clearly upset, but he could only watch as Cordy walked toward Sean.


    That ursed third-wheeler always ruined things for him!


    Did he have a brain fart at Lynd Manor?! Why did he have to save that buster?!


    In the walkway outside, Cordy asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Sean would not have called her out here unless it was something important -or something she should


    do.


    ¡®John isn¡¯t recovering at all,¡± Sean said, straight to the point.


    Cordy pursed her lips-this caught her slightly off guard, since she expected Sean to talk about the


    Lynds.


    Sean continued calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not like I think you owe John anything-he was willing to do this, so we don¡¯t


    have to feel an emotional debt toward him. I just think that it would always be a virtue to save a life, so


    if you could wake John out of humanitarian causes, you should try.¡±


    ¡¯Okay,¡± Cordy agreed to it-Sean¡¯s reasoning was sound, and there was nothing to argue about. ¡°You¡¯ll


    have to keep Patrickpany. He can¡¯t move freely, so help me out if he needs anything.¡±


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ Sean nodded, and Cordy left.


    Sean in turn headed inside Patrick¡¯s ward, and the man promptly looked up excitedly.


    ¡¯Cordy-¡¯ He paused, his smile fading right away when he saw that it was Sean. ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Cordy?¡±


    ¡¯She¡¯s visiting John,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    ¡¯Is this how you treat your savior, Sean Cranston?!¡± Patrick huffed. ¡°How could you repay favor with


    such spite?¡±


    Sean did not argue or even say anything, changing the topic of conversation right away. ¡¯Want a drink?¡±


    ¡¯Nope.¡±


    ¡¯Apple?¡±


    ¡¯Nope.¡±


    ¡®Do you need the washroom?¡±


    ¡¯Nope.¡± Sean refused, but he soon paused.


    Nature called¡­


    He pursed his lips-he wanted to say it, but he did not want to give in to Sean.


    He was certainly upset that Sean sent Cordy over to John¡¯s ward, even if he would not have stopped


    Cordy out of his own selfish possessiveness.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    He was just¡­ ufortable about it.


    Sean saw the look on Patrick¡¯s face just then and asked again, ¡°So, do you need the washroom?¡±


    Patrick simply frowned and refused to answer, not inclined to let Sean help.


    However, he could not say no since the doctor told him not to move because of his broken rib.


    Sean suddenly moved very close to him, which left him stunned¡ªwhat was Sean upto?!

 Chapter 1106

    Chapter 1106


    Chapter 1106


    Sean scooped Patrick out of bed in an instant, and Patrick red so hard at the man his eyes were


    bulging. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    ¡®Toilet break.¡±


    ¡°The doctor said I shouldn¡¯t move! I can do it in bed!¡± Patrick eximed.


    Sean almost gave him a heart attack-how much strength did he have in his arms?!


    He was in his forties, but he could pick up another man so effortlessly!


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sean leaned over to carefully put Patrick back in bed.


    Even then, Patrick¡¯s heart was pounding.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He was afraid to move an inch since it hurt to the bone, only for Sean to pick him up as soon as he


    arrived¡­


    He would havee to blows against the man if his bones had mended!


    That was when Sean saw the bedpan in the ward and brought it over, putting it beneath Patrick.


    Patrick really wanted to snap at Sean to go out already, but Sean simply moved up close and started to


    talk off his pants.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Patrick quickly caught the stic band of his pants- feeling almost vited just


    then!


    ¡°You need to pee, don¡¯t you?¡± Sean replied calmly as if it was only natural, even looking perplexed by


    Patrick¡¯s reaction.


    Patrick almost wondered if he was the one with the issue!


    Hell, no! Who on earth pulled down another man¡¯s pants just like that?!


    Sean was the pervert here!


    As such, Patrick snapped indignantly, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself!¡±


    ¡¯Are you able?¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m not disabled!¡± Patrick huffed.


    ¡°You basically are,¡± Sean replied casually. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t need help with toilet breaks otherwise.¡±


    Patrick red at Sean in turn, having the increasing feeling that he must have caught a brain fart when


    he saved the man.


    ¡¯Out!¡± he snapped grumpily.


    Sean simply turned around and did not argue. ¡°Just do your thing. I won¡¯t look.¡±


    While Patrick was left speechless, he added, ¡°There¡¯s nothing much to see, after all.¡±


    Patrick somehow felt the ridicule in those words.


    Damn him! There was plenty to see there!


    Still, he did not waste his breath arguing since he had to get it over with, and took off his pants to go


    about his business.


    The ward was quiet, safe for the fluctuating sound of his urine hitting the bedpan.


    Still, he had been keeping it in for a while, and he was too embarrassed to do it whenever Cordy was


    around. He would never say that he needed to relieve himself unless he absolutely had to, and now it


    was unstoppable like the water gushing from a broken dam¡­


    Suddenly, Sean cleared his throat.


    At least, that was what it sounded like-it was actually almost weird, as if he was working hard to stifle a


    chuckle.


    Patrick was naturally annoyed, but he did not argue since he was relieving himself.


    It took a long while when he was finished, and Sean quickly turned¡­ but Patrick did not manage to pull


    up his pants in time.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Patrick snapped angrily, blushing right then.


    However, Sean allowed his gaze to linger, which left him incensed.


    ¡®Sean Cranston!!!¡±


    Sean finally turned, a clear meaningful smile showing on his face as he did. Patrick had to work hard to


    hold back the expletive he was about to spit!

 Chapter 1107

    Chapter 1107


    Chapter 1107


    Eventually, Patrick growled unhappily, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Sean slowly turned and picked up the bed pan Patrick peed in as if it was natural, emptied it, and


    cleaned it up before returning it to the ward.


    After that, he returned to the washroom and washed his hands.


    It seemed like a deliberate gesture to Patrick, as if to convey his disdain.


    And when Sean was done, he simply sat on the couch nearby.


    Both men did not say a word, leaving the ward in deathly silence.


    Patrick suddenly found it ufortable. He decided to restrain himself and ask, ¡°How¡¯s John?¡±


    Sean looked up at him, surprise showing in his eyes as he appeared caught off guard that Patrick


    would ask about John.


    ¡°Do I look that cold to you?¡± Patrick demanded right then.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Sean smiled faintly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s stitose, and he suffered worse burns than when he was


    caught in that hotel fire. There¡¯s so much bandage around his face now he looks like a mummy.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    What the hell kind of a description was that?!


    Sean then asked, ¡°Want to visit him?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Patrick refused.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Sean replied.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t stand him,¡± Patrick quickly exined, somehow upset that Sean thought him


    selfish for that.


    ¡®I never said a word.¡± Sean was perplexed.


    ¡°That look on your face is like saying I¡¯m not understanding-like I¡¯m still worried he would steal Cordy


    from me when he¡¯s about to die,¡± Patrick snapped.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Sean agreed, though Patrick found that response half hearted.


    The man must think him two-faced!


    ¡°That look on your face says everything!¡± Patrick huffed stubbornly, while he burned with frustration


    inside.


    Sean was left staring at him, speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t you see that you¡¯re being unreasonable here?¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m unreasonable? Me?! What gives you the right to say that?! I¡¯m just telling the truth!¡± Patrick huffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s an awfully specific denial, if anything.¡±


    ¡°There. You¡¯re still mincing words.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being quarrelsome like a woman and unreasonable.¡±


    ¡®Did you just call me a woman?!¡± Patrick was even more furious, and he felt like he could go up in


    mes just then.


    ¡®Well, you¡¯re too talkative,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡®I know you don¡¯t want to bother Cordy visiting John with your presence,¡± Sean said, cutting straight to


    the point just then. ¡°And you¡¯re worried that Cordy would be unable to let go of him if you showed up.¡±


    Patrick had more to say, but he stopped right then.


    It was certainly upsetting that Sean read his mind, especially since it felt like Sean had him eating out


    of his palm even if he could maintain his innocence.


    ¡®Anyway, that¡¯s enough talking. Sleep-or wake me if you need help,¡± Sean said and reclined against the


    couch in turn.


    He had been busy in the past week, as he had to travel frequently between the hospital and liaising


    with the authorities who were in charge of the Lynd family¡¯s case.


    Naturally, he could delegate most of those tasks to others and did not have to wear himself out like


    that.


    He just wanted to stay busy, since he would have less time to worry about anything else.


    He closed his eyes, easing his tense mood, and he soon fell asleep.


    Meanwhile, Patrick was still very much angry¡­

 Chapter 1108

    Chapter 1108


    Chapter 1108


    Patrick simply felt ufortable in many ways-he wanted a fight, but he had no proper excuse for one.


    However, while he was bristling from head to toe, he suddenly heard faint but regr snoring.


    He turned and was left even more infuriated to find Sean sound asleep.


    How heartless Sean was, falling asleep just like that?!


    He had a million different ways to start a fight in his mind, only for that buster to fall asleep¡­


    He had to take deep breaths, using every fiber of restraint he had to stop himself from jumping out of


    bed and kicking Sean squarely in the face!


    In John¡¯s ICU, Cordy was sitting beside his bed.


    His whole body-especially his face¡ªwas covered in bandages, and there was no way to recognize


    him.


    However, that familiar presence of his was still there, and Cordy could not describe how she felt¡ªbut it


    mostly hurt.


    That was why she had to restrain herself for a long while before she could finally speak.


    ¡¯John,¡± she called out to him.


    Then, silence ensued-she suddenly had no idea what she could tell him now.


    He was once the one dearest to her, but he was now a stranger.


    Nheless, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what else I could say, so here goes


    nothing.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    He remained still, though she did not actually expect a response.


    ¡¯I¡¯m going to marry Patrick Stuart,¡± Cordy said evenly as she looked at him. ¡®We¡¯ll do it once he¡¯s better.


    If you wake up as well, you might be able to attend our wedding.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep Dicky with me and keep him safe from harm. As for having children¡­¡± Cordy paused and


    said, ¡°I think I will. Patrick doesn¡¯t have any, and I cant be that selfish. But the one thing I can promise


    is that no matter how many children I have, my love for Dicky would never wane.¡±


    ¡®I know you probably did not want to hear all that, but I still hope you¡¯ll wake up. Even if my conscience


    is clear and your condition has nothing to do with me, I still hope you¡¯ll shoulder your responsibility as


    Dicky¡¯s father for the rest of his life.¡±


    And with that, there was nothing more else to say.


    Cordy sighed then. ¡°I¡¯m going back to Patrick¡¯s room now. He¡¯s in bad shape and can¡¯t move with his


    broken ribs¡­ You take care of yourself, okay?


    And with those words, Cordy got to her feet when she seemed to hear something.


    She did a double take, but thought she was imagining it.


    She was not convinced that a few words from her could wake John up, since there were only that many


    miracles in this world.


    She strode right out of the ICU ward, not noticing the man in the bed curling his lips in disappointment.


    Ultimately, he decided to stay silent.


    Cordy found Sean asleep on the couch when she returned to Patrick¡¯s ward, though Patrick appeared


    grumpy even as hey in his bed.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t fighting with Sean, were you?¡± Cordy asked quietly, though she thought the possibility was


    very high.


    Patrick could never abide with Sean-in fact, she was shocked when Patrick would put his life on the line


    to save Sean.


    Still, it probably was out of the kindness in his heart or just for her sake.


    Whatever the case might be, Cordy was convinced that she would be happy with Patrick.

 Chapter 1109

    Chapter 1109


    Chapter 1109


    Patrick huffed. ¡°Why would I argue with him?¡±


    His tone was hostile, but he was keeping his voice down anyway, perhaps worried about waking Sean


    up.


    Cordy smiled, but she refrained from exposing the man.


    Patrick had his ego, and she did not want to make things awkward for him.


    She brought a nket for Sean and gentlyid it over him-Sean was always a light sleeper, and even if


    she was careful, he would have woken up on any other day.


    But this time, he was still sleeping soundly.


    Had he been busy? Probably.


    After all, there was a lot to do in the Cranston family right now, and there were asionally family


    members who would add to his troubles.


    Sean, who had to shoulder everything by himself, was definitely under considerable stress.


    After tucking in Sean, Cordy returned to Patrick and asked, ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡±


    ¡°No way. I¡¯ve been sleeping all day everyday for days, and I can¡¯t sleep at all now,¡± Patrick grumbled.


    ¡°Did the doctors mention when I could get out of bed?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Guess we just have to wait forever,¡± Patrick reared his head and sighed.


    Cordy smiled but did not offer him much in way of assurance-she had to be strict since Patrick¡¯s


    recovery was on the line.


    By the way, how is John doing? Did he regain consciousness?¡± Patrick asked casually.


    ¡°Same old,¡± Cordy replied calmly, having decided that there was nothing she should hide from Patrick.


    ¡°He¡¯sying in bed, still as a mummy. I talked to him a little, telling him that I was getting married and


    he should take good care of Dicky. I didn¡¯t ask his doctor for details on his condition either.¡±


    Patrick could not resist a chuckle. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s ying dead?¡±


    Technically, he was not dead¡­ though he was not far from it.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Patrick said, suddenly taking her hand.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Cordy smiled at him in turn.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do right by you and take good care of you,¡± he promised.


    ¡°I know.¡± She beamed. ¡°I¡¯m smart enough not to make myself suffer, and I¡¯d never marry a man on a


    whim.¡±


    Patrick was grinning broadly in turn, and Sean just happened to wake up and saw their tender moment.


    He did not even remember falling asleep-he seemed to close his eyes for a moment and immediately


    dozed off.


    He was jolted awake from the thought of falling asleep, and he immediately saw Cordy and Patrick


    having a moment.


    He really did not want to impose even as they seemed to be inching closer to each other-or Patrick was


    leaning toward Cordy, to be precise.


    Cordy did not reject him, though Patrick paused just as his lips were about to reach Cordy¡¯s.


    He blinked, spotting Sean staring straight at them from the corner of his eyes, i


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He thought he was being watched, and he flinched when he actually saw Sean staring back at him,


    flinching right then and pulling a rib!


    ¡¯ Argh!¡± He could not help crying out loud.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?!¡± Cordy asked worriedly.


    She had no idea why Patrick would suddenly pull away so quickly.


    Did she have bad breath?


    She had actually been nervous since this was the first time she kissed Patrick, and she had to steel


    herself a little mentally¡­

 Chapter 1110

    Chapter 1110


    Chapter 1110


    And yet, Patrick suddenly flinched, catching her off guard.


    ¡°H-Him¡­¡± He pointed behind Cordy through the pain, and Cordy turned to find that Sean had woken


    up.


    Patrick really gave her such a scare, and she almost thought he saw a ghost!


    Taking a deep breath, she asked, ¡®You were awake?¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡®Just woke up.¡¯ Sean nodded calmly, appearing moreposed than the couple before him. ¡°I didn¡¯t


    mean to disturb.¡¯


    ¡®No, you did!¡± Patrick snapped, unable to control himself just then. ¡°You really want to ruin everything


    for me, don¡¯t you?! It took me so much to muster my courage and kiss Cordy, but you had to mess with


    us!¡¯


    Though Patrick was furious beyond words, Sean stayed calm and said,¡± Then I¡¯ll leave. You can


    continue.¡±


    With that, he headed straight out of the room as Patrick red furiously.


    It left Patrick taken aback, though Cordy felt a little awkward too, and they were left staring at each


    other in silence until Cordy asked, ¡°So? Do we continue?¡±


    Patrick gulped-he certainly wanted to continue, but his ribs hurt so much he could not move at all.


    Cordy could see that he had trouble moving as well, so she said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. We have all the time we


    need to do itter-we¡¯re getting married once you¡¯re better anyway.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Patrick nodded-he had topromise for now and wait until he was better.


    Then, after that¡­ It left him all hot and bothered just thinking about it!


    After Sean left Patrick¡¯s ward, a hint of loneliness seemed to appear over his neutral face.


    He stood on the walkway, taking out a cigarette when he remembered he was in a no-smoking zone, i


    He hesitated for a moment and decided to leave the hospital.


    However, he had not moved a few steps when a nurse came running up to him, panting, ¡°M-Mr.


    Cranston¡­¡±


    She was out of breath and unintelligible, but Sean simply waited for him in silence without hurrying her.


    He felt as if a lot of things did not interest him now.


    ¡®M-Mr. Levine is¡­¡±


    ¡®Dead?¡± Sean said, trying to finish her sentence since it was taking her a while.


    The nurse did a double take-surprised that he would say the word so lightly, which was always a taboo


    around patients who were in really bad shape.


    Nheless, she eventually said, ¡°N-No! He just woke up.¡±


    Sean was actually surprised and asked for confirmation. ¡°You¡¯re saying that John Levine woke up?¡±


    ¡®Yeah, he just did,¡± the nurse exined. ¡°Right after that woman visited him. It¡¯s a miracle!¡¯


    Sean headed to John¡¯s ICU ward without dy, where several doctors were examining John at the


    same time.


    Sean waited for a while before going in, and one of the doctors said, ¡°All his vitals and body functions


    are normal, so he¡¯s not in danger at the moment. However, he¡¯ll need a long time to recover from his


    burns, and reconstructive surgery would take even longer.¡±


    ¡®I see,¡± Sean nodded.


    ¡®Try not to prolong your visits either-burns are easily infected, and a cleanroom is a more ideal


    environment for the patient to recover.¡±


    ¡®Yeah,¡± Sean replied, and the medical staff all left.


    Sean walked up to John at that, whose facial features were protruding from his bandages.


    That was why he clearly saw the smile in John¡¯s opened eyes.

 Chapter 1111

    Chapter 1111


    Chapter 1111


    Sean joked, ¡°Congrattions on not dying.¡±


    John smiled in turn.


    He then rasped, speaking with such difficulty as if his throat was dead,¡± Thanks. Though it seems my


    luck has run its course too.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Sean naturally knew what John was referring to.


    Cordy was getting married, after all¡ªhe was going to lose her.


    After having done so much, he would be lying if he said he did not do it for Cordy.


    ¡®Patrick¡¯s a good man,¡± Sean said. ¡°It¡¯s no issue leaving Cordy and Dicky in his care.¡±


    John¡¯s smile broadened-leaving his son and beloved woman in another man¡¯s care was no issue?


    It was true that a man like Patrick would never allow Cordy to be hurt again or his son to be bullied.


    And their lives might just be good with him.


    Even so, that was his son and beloved woman they were talking about¡­ and Sean was telling him to


    give up before he did anything regardless!


    ¡¯Take your time and get some proper rest. You might be able to get out of bed in time to attend Cordy¡¯s


    wedding,¡± Sean added with a serious look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± John replied.


    Sean did not stay long in John¡¯s ward either, since he had already told John everything he needed to


    know while he was unconscious, which he probably remembered.


    In that case, there was no reason to borate, and Sean decided that he should bring Richard over-


    John might recover better with his son¡¯spany.


    After Sean left John¡¯s room and arranged for Richard to be brought to the hospital, he headed to


    Patrick¡¯s room, remembering to knock before entering this time.


    Otherwise, he might stumble on a sight he should not be seeing.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you supposed to be gone?¡± Patrick asked, grumpy the instant he saw Sean.


    Were they natural enemies of some sort? He always ruined things for him every time things were


    getting to the good part!


    He even wondered if he owed Sean some huge debt in a past life, that he had to take a bullet for him to


    pay for it in this life.


    Why else would he do something so stupid?


    Nheless, Sean did not argue and told them rather mildly, ¡°I have something to say.¡±


    Cordy could not helpughing, thinking that Sean might have trouble flexing on Patrick from now on.


    Patrick did save his life, after all¡ªhe could demand Sean¡¯s body even if wanted it.


    ¡°So? What is it?¡± Patrick huffed.


    ¡®John just woke up.¡±


    Both Cordy and Patrick were left stunned, speechless.


    They never expected him to wake up so quickly¡­ and right after Cordy visited him!


    Cordy was pursing her lips, hiding certain emotions she felt just then rather well.


    ¡°Anyway, I spoke to him a little. He¡¯s still a little weak after just waking up, but he appears to be in good


    shape,¡± Sean continued. ¡°I told him you two are getting married, and he took it like a champ.¡±


    Cordy said nothing, but Patrick was skeptical. ¡°He didn¡¯t cry a river?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not like you,¡± Sean blurted.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?!¡± Patrick was annoyed right then.


    ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s fine now, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about,¡± Sean said, refraining from arguing with


    Patrick. ¡°I have other matters to see, so I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ll walk you out.¡±


    Cordy got up and left with Sean.


    Along the walkway, Sean asked, ¡°Not wavering, are we?¡±


    Cordy smiled. ¡°No. Still, it¡¯s a little sudden.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯ve arranged for Dicky to be brought over.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Sean smiled.f

 Chapter 1112

    Chapter 1112


    Chapter 1112


    Cordy asked, ¡°By the way, how¡¯s Grandfather?¡±


    Jesse had been unconscious for so long that the chances of him regaining consciousness were


    dwindling further.


    ¡°Same old.¡± Sean sighed. ¡°The doctors said that there¡¯s not much hope at this point.¡±


    ¡°What about the family?¡± Cordy asked worriedly.


    ¡®I¡¯ll keep things together for now,¡± Sean said wearily.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re reluctant.¡±


    ¡®Well, I have no choice when there¡¯s no one in the family who¡¯s up to task.¡± Sean sighed. ¡°Also, you


    don¡¯t have to worry about me-just keep Patrickpany and nurse him. Anything else can wait.¡±


    Cordy nodded.


    ¡¯I¡¯m going now. Call me if anythinges up,¡± Sean said.


    ¡¯Yeah. See you.¡±


    Sean nodded and left.


    Cordy turned and started to return to Patrick¡¯s room.


    However, she paused for a moment before heading straight there.


    Patrick was staying in bed, bored, and eximed in surprise when he saw her, ¡°Back so soon?¡±


    ¡¯I was just seeing Sean out.¡¯


    ¡¯I thought you¡¯d¡­¡± Patrick trailed off, hesitant.


    Cordy, however, naturally knew what he was going to say and smiled. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m never going to


    meet another man without my boyfriend¡¯s permission.¡±


    Patrick had been a little miffed, but his mood improved immediately. ¡°I won¡¯t meet other women without


    my girlfriend¡¯s permission either.¡±


    ¡¯That¡¯s for sure.¡±


    ¡¯What should I do, Cordy?¡± Patrick asked, suddenly mncholic.


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cordy asked in surprise.


    ¡¯I really want to marry you already.¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes at him-he was such a tease!


    And here she thought his ribs were the issue.


    ¡°I just think that I¡¯m the happiest man in the world.¡±


    Cordy smiled faintly-she felt happy too.


    After two weeks, Patrick could move around on a wheelchair.


    Cordy was just taking him out on a stroll when she paused in the walkway, while Patrick was frowning


    at the maning in the opposite direction.


    He was in a wheelchair too, although his face was covered in white bandages.


    It was a rather funny sight, and Patrick could not help chuckling.


    That seemed to bring Cordy to her senses, and she calmly pushed Patrick past John.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    John pursed his lips, but never called out to her as if she were a stranger. However, it was after they


    were long gone that he turned to watch them, jovially chatting with each other.


    ¡°Mr. Levine?¡± his care worker asked just then.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go,¡± he replied.


    With that, the man wheeled him to Nana¡¯s room. 2


    She had regained consciousness too-she was almost unscathed when John had got her out of the fire,


    with him suffering most of the burns.


    Still, she seemed to end up in bad shape because her heart had always been weak.


    Regardless, she survived, although she remained feeble.


    The doctors said that she would have to stay in the hospital to recover for a very long time, and there


    was no assurance that she would fully heal.


    Her eyes were immediately tearful when John entered her room.


    She thought he would never visit, and he might even be dead.


    Even though his face was covered in bandages, she recognized his eyes immediately.

 Chapter 1113

    Chapter 1113


    Chapter 1113


    ¡®Lucas,¡± Nana called out feebly in delight.


    In contrast, John was indifferent as his wheelchair stopped beside her bed.


    Nana tried to get up, but John said, ¡®Til just say a few things. Then HI be gone.¡±


    In other words, she did not have to do anything-because he would not care.


    Nana bit her lip to hold back her tears just then.


    ¡®I just came to tell you that I¡¯m alive,¡± John said bluntly. ¡°But our so-called marriage is also over. And


    call me John Levine¡ªLucas Lynch is gone from this world.¡±


    Nana¡¯s tears quietly streamed down her cheeks, but she asked, ¡¯Can you really still get together with


    Cordy now?¡±


    She did not ask about herself since she was in no ce to talk terms with John now.


    Moreover, the fact that none of the Lynds were visiting her indicated that they had trouble fending for


    themselves.


    She could notpel John with her family¡¯s influence, and she could not coerce him with suicide.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    And since John saved her almost at the cost of his own life, he had already repaid his life debt to her.


    Nothing she could do would work now¡­


    ¡®No.¡¯


    Even so, John did not lie to her-nor did he have to.


    As Nana stared at him, he calmly said, ¡°She has a better partner now.¡¯


    ¡®Patrick Stuart?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s her business. I merely give her my blessing.¡¯


    In other words, whatever Cordy might choose, he would stay away and refrain from imposing on her


    life.


    ¡¯Can¡¯t we start over?¡± Nana asked humbly then. ¡°Cordy has her own life now. Can¡¯t we just-¡°


    ¡¯No,¡± John said bluntly. ¡°She has my sincere blessings, but this is my life we¡¯re talking about, and I wont


    settle for less.¡±


    ¡¯You¡¯re saying that¡­ I¡¯m lesser?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nana¡¯s heart was numb with pain.


    But what could she do?


    She did her best, but John simply would not love her.


    ¡¯Things aren¡¯t looking good with your family, and it might get worse,¡± John said. ¡°The only thing I can


    offer is enough money so that you could livefortably for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡®So you¡¯re paying me off?¡±


    ¡¯The money is already in your ount. Even with the cost of your medical fees, it¡¯s enough to sustain


    you for life.¡¯ i


    ¡®Should I thank you?¡¯ Nana sobbed. ¡®Why bother with the hypocrisy? You destroyed my family!¡±


    ¡°Your family¡¯s own lust for power has already done that. Your grandmother was bent on murdering


    Jesse Cranston and usurping their family estate, but they¡¯d eventually end up in this sorry state


    anyway. I just hastened their doom.¡±


    Before Nana could speak, he added, ¡°I give you all these not out of guilt. It¡¯s alimony for our divorce.¡±


    So he was justplying with human obligations and not doing this out of sympathy-so that they would


    have a clean break.


    ¡¯Take care of yourself,¡± John said and started to leave without dy.


    ¡®John Levine,¡± Nana called out to him in agitation.


    He stopped and turned to see her tear-stained cheeks as she said, ¡°You take of yourself too.¡±


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat-he was unable to hide that fraction of a reaction just then.


    Even if he never felt love for her, that did not necessarily mean he did not feel for her in any other way.


    2


    And at this moment of final parting, he was still a little emotional.


    He nodded slightly but stayed silent as he left Nana¡¯s room.


    And once he was out, it meant everything was over between him and Nana.

 Chapter 1114

    Chapter 1114


    Chapter 1114


    John took a deep breath.


    Just as he was about to ask his care worker to take him back to his room, he ran into Cordy and


    Patrick.


    They must have been doing rounds around the hospital walkway and just happened to return.


    Since he kept running into the ¡®mummy¡¯, Patrick greeted him, ¡°Yo, brother. Having a stroll out here?¡±


    John nced between Patrick and Cordy, thetter staying silent.


    ¡®Wait, you can¡¯t talk too? But your mouth isn¡¯t bandaged,¡± Patrick joked.


    John pursed his lips. ¡°You probably wouldn¡¯t want to hear what I have to say.¡±


    ¡¯Really? But your voice sounds nice.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m John Levine.¡±


    Patrick was dumbstruck right then¡ªhe definitely did not want to hear that.


    He stared at John in turn and wondered how badly hurt John was that he ended up looking like that.


    Nheless, John said politely, ¡¯I won¡¯t impose.¡¯


    He gestured at his care worker, who wheeled him away.


    Patrick watched as he left casually and turned towards Cordy, frowning.¡± Did you recognize him?¡±


    ¡¯Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded and exined, ¡°I visited him in his ward before, so I know what he looks like.¡±


    In other words, he was the only fool here.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Cordy, however, was nonchnt about it-it was nothing unusual for a jester like Patrick to


    embarrass himself.


    ¡®By the way, is that Nana¡¯s ward?¡± Patrick asked casually as Cordy wheeled him forward.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡¯And they are¡­¡±


    ¡® Are you interested in finding out?¡± Cordy raised a brow.


    ¡¯Nope.¡± Patrick shook his head.


    ¡¯Then why¡¯d you ask?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡±


    ¡¯Well, I¡¯m not interested,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    Patrick smiled then-she was really over John, was she not?


    It was like she had suddenly seen the light.


    Still, he remembered something else. ¡°By the way, Sean hasn¡¯t been here for a while, has he?¡±


    It had to be at least two weeks now¡­ How heartless could he be?


    Patrick saved his life. Should he not visit every other day?


    ¡¯The trial against the Lynd family is at a critical stage, and he has to attend to Cranston family matters


    by himself, so he¡¯s busy,¡± Cordy exined on Sean¡¯s behalf.


    ¡¯Really?¡±


    ¡¯What, you miss him?¡±


    ¡®No way,¡¯ Patrick denied it immediately. ¡°I¡¯d rather he nevere and bother us.¡±


    Cordy smiled and thought nothing of it.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    A monthter, Sean finally visited when Patrick was getting discharged.


    Sean quietly packed up Patrick¡¯s belongings without a word, but he appeared very tired even after a


    month.


    Was he that worn out?


    Before Patick could ask, however, Cordy asked in concern, ¡°You looked like you¡¯ve aged a century.¡±


    ¡¯Been busy and haven¡¯t really rested,¡± Sean said nonchntly. ¡°Everything¡¯s packed. Can we go now?¡±


    ¡¯More or less.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡¯Wait, are we going to Cranston Hall?¡¯ Patrick asked.

 Chapter 1115

    Chapter 1115


    Chapter 1115


    Sean asked, ¡°Why? Not used to the ce?¡±


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s no good if I had to keep staying at your ce, right?¡± Patrick said, slightly embarrassed.


    ¡¯When did your skin be so thin?¡±


    ¡¯Are you saying that I was already thick-skinned?!¡± Patrick snapped-Sean really knew how to push his


    buttons.


    ¡®Stop it. I arranged this,¡± Cordy said, cutting them short since she could not stand their squabbling.


    Patrick pursed his lips but did not breathe a word, while Sean would never provoke a fight for no


    reason.


    ¡¯Even if you¡¯re getting discharged, the doctors advised that you keep resting for another three months


    and not overexert yourself,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°I¡¯d be worried if you had to go home alone, let alone


    board a flight to Rocktown. And since there¡¯s still much to do for me in the capital and North City, you


    can stay here with me for the time being.¡±


    ¡¯Alright.¡± Patrick agreed to it right away, too afraid of arguing at all.


    Sean could not help chuckling, and Patrick had the feeling that the man was mocking him.


    Whatever.


    Rumor had it that his family background was not ideal and he would never know the happiness of


    mortals, so he would not argue.


    They left together, with Patrick still in his wheelchair so as not to impede his recovery.


    Along the way, they ran into John, who was still bandaged from head to toe.


    Should he not have recovered since it has been over a month? Why was he still bundled up like a


    mummy?


    Cordy did not greet John, nor did he impose.


    As such, it was Sean who ended up asking, ¡®Did your doctor mention when you can get discharged?¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s still too early.¡± John did not give anything specific and turned toward Patrick. ¡°Are you getting


    discharged?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡¯Thank you,¡± Patrick replied politely.


    And with that, things turned awkward again.


    Sean broke the stalemate right then and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s noting today,¡± John replied. ¡°He said he¡¯ll be waiting at Cranston Hall since Patrick is getting


    discharged.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Sean said and nodded.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go,¡± Cordy said then and pushed Patrick past John as they left.


    John quietly watched as they headed to the distance¡­


    Outside the hospital, Patrick was making a fuss about getting off the wheelchair and into the car by


    himself.


    However, he suddenly felt his body turning light, and he quickly clutched at the man before him.


    Looking up at Sean, he snapped, ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡®Helping you get in,¡± he replied.


    ¡¯I can do it myself,¡± Patrick huffed.


    Sean frowned. ¡¯Just don¡¯t move.¡± ¡°I said I can do it myself.¡± ¡¯Don¡¯t push yourself.¡±

 Chapter 1116

    Chapter 1116


    Chapter 1116


    ¡®Sean Cranston¡­¡± ¡¯There you go.¡± Sean had put Patrick in the car before he could finish, leaving him


    grumpy for some reason.


    Cordy was watching as the entire interaction took ce and wondered if she was imagining things.


    Why else did she have this nagging, indescribable feeling?


    ¡®Cordy?¡¯ Patrick called out to her.


    ¡®Oh,¡± Cordy murmured and quickly gathered herself-her thoughts had certainly been a little


    questionable.


    After they returned to Cranston Hall, they sent Patrick to his room.


    After settling everything for him, Cordy returned to her room.


    She had been working online most of the timetely, and there was a video conference soon.


    She studied the various agenda to be discussed and practiced how to convey her opinion with


    precision.


    However, someone opened her door while she did, and she looked up to find Richard gingerly carrying


    a ss of coffee into her room.


    While Cordy had been taking care of Patrick, Richard was spending his time with John, so they rarely


    met.


    Seeing him now actually left Cordy guilty-she had definitely been neglecting Richard even though she


    promised John she would always take good care of him.


    Now that she was about to marry, she was already leaving Richard to his own devices.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡¯Mommy, are you busy?¡¯ he asked as he put her coffee on his table.


    ¡¯Thank you,¡¯ Cordy smiled. ¡°I have a video conference in half an hour.¡±


    ¡¯Then I won¡¯t impose,¡± he said in understanding.


    ¡¯Is there something you need for, Dicky?¡± Cordy asked.


    He nodded silently.


    ¡¯There¡¯s still time until the meeting. Sit,¡¯ she said and quickly brought a chair so that he could sit beside


    her.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve been visiting Daddy recently,¡± Richard said.


    ¡¯Yeah, I know. How is he doing?¡± Cordy smiled and asked, not keen for him to find his parents


    estranged with one another.


    ¡¯His doctor said he¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡¯That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡¯And Daddy told me you¡¯re going to marry Mr. Stuart?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded.


    ¡¯But now, Daddy and you¡­¡± Richard knew that Cordy did not want to hear that from her, but he hoped


    that she would make up with John regardless.¡± He couldn¡¯te back because of Nana Lynd, but


    they¡¯re divorced now, and the Lynds can¡¯t threaten him either. I even heard Uncle Sean saying that


    they¡¯ll soon be arrested. Doesn¡¯t that mean you can start over with Daddy?¡±


    ¡¯I know you really want that, Dicky, but things are going well with me and Patrick,¡± Cordy said, patting


    his head. ¡®We¡¯re in a rtionship, and you can¡¯t make me end things so hastily, right? And rtionships


    can getplicated, so I¡¯m not sure how to exin since you¡¯re still young. You¡¯ll understand when


    you¡¯re older.¡±


    ¡®No-I understand, and I¡¯ll support any choice you make¡­ but I just think that Daddy still loves you, very,


    very much,¡± he said resolutely.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She was reluctant to hear more about John, but she did not want to hurt Richard either.


    ¡°Daddy wasn¡¯t doing great when I was with him. The doctor said his burns were extensive, and not all


    people can withstand the pain. I know that he didn¡¯t get hurt because of you-that he got hurt because


    he wanted to save Nana, even though you did everything to save him. But Daddy just didn¡¯t want to


    owe that woman anything. He wants to be free, so that if you ever change your mind, he can be with


    you with a clear conscience.¡±


    ¡¯Dicky¡­¡±


    ¡¯Let me finish, Mommy,¡± Richard said, determined.


    ¡°I said that Daddy was hurting before, right? He¡¯d always wake up while sleeping from the pain, and


    every time he did, he¡¯d murmur your name. Sometimes, I wonder if saying your name curbed his pain.¡¯


    ¡®Also, he often went strolling around the corridor even though the doctor advised against it since he


    might get his burns infected, which would make recovery harder. He refused anyway, but I know he


    wanted to see you that badly.¡±

 Chapter 1117

    Chapter 1117


    Chapter 1117


    Cordy was silent as she listened to Richard.


    It was true¡ªwhenever she took Patrick out on a stroll, they almost always ran into John.


    She was actually surprised, since John was never that outgoing, leaving her wondering if he was


    suffering from cabin fever.


    That was the case for Patrick, who was bored out of his mind staying in bed all the time.


    Meanwhile, Richard continued seriously, ¡°Daddy didn¡¯t have to keep the bandages on his face too, and


    I heard the doctor telling him repeatedly to take them off or it would hamper his recovery. But Daddy


    insisted on keeping on the bandages, and now that I think about it, he must be worried that you¡¯d be


    spooked since his face would look too scary.¡±


    Cordy could not quite say how she felt just then.


    It was as if there was something missing between them, and she had since resigned herself to give up


    on him.


    Now, she really did not want to remember him¡ªit was fine as long as long as they were both alive,


    even though they would be apart. 1


    ¡® Also, Daddy would-¡°


    ¡°Dicky.¡± Cordy could not stop herself from cutting him short right then.


    As Richard blinked, she said, ¡°I know how your daddy feels¡ªbut a rtionship goes both ways. He


    didn¡¯t love me when I loved him, and now, he loves me when I don¡¯t. That could only mean that we


    shouldn¡¯t be together.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dicky,¡± Cordy apologized. ¡°I can¡¯t give you the wholesome family you want, but I promise you


    this-no matter whom I marry and whether I would have more children, you¡¯re irrece to me.¡±


    Richard still had more to say, but he bit his lip since Cordy¡¯s work phone started ringing.


    ¡°I have to work now,¡± she said.


    ¡®Okay. I¡¯ll be going.¡± Richard was ultimately understanding-he would not actually push her.


    Even so, Cordy did not answer her call immediately after Richard was gone.


    Instead, she reclined against her chair, pensive.


    She would be lying if she felt nothing after hearing what Richard said or im that she had no feelings


    for John at all.


    But after going through so much, only for more obstacles toe between them, they were past the


    point of no return.


    Cordy took a deep breath to stop herself from thinking anymore about it.


    She picked up a phone and called back, focusing her attention back on her work.


    Patrick wasying in bed, tossing and turning in boredom.


    Cordy would usually be at his side even when she had to work, but she was now gone after they


    returned to Cranston Hall.


    It suddenly felt like he was being neglected.


    After some thought, he got out of bed, and wheeled himself out of his room, nning to go on a stroll


    around Cranston Hall.


    It was a huge ce and was perfectly suited forthat.


    He passed by Cordy¡¯s room, pausing after some hesitation and peered through the door that was left


    ajar to see her fully focused on her meeting.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He wanted to ask for herpany but ultimately decided against bothering her.


    He walked toward the elevator, while thanking his luck there was one here, or he would have to climb


    down the stairs¡ªliterally. 2


    As he moved toward the living room, he saw no one but several servants.


    Was Sean that busy?


    However, Patrick was used to not seeing the man for a while now, and he wheeled himself toward the


    courtyard.

 Chapter 1118

    Chapter 1118


    Chapter 1118


    However, there was a small flight of stairs leading to the garden.


    Patrick judged the distance but found it a little too tai I¡ªhis wheelchair would flip if he went down


    directly.


    However, he did not have anything to lean on if he tried to walk down there ¡­ and he could not really


    crawl down there, could he?!


    If he forced himself to go straight down and aggravated his broken ribs¡­


    Forget the pain. He was on a timetable to marry Cordy!


    But as various thoughts crossed his mind, a voice suddenly spoke from behind him. ¡°What are you


    doing?!¡±


    ?Argh!¡±


    Patrick squealed and jumped, startled by the sudden presence-his wheelchair lurched forward and


    started to roll down the stairs!


    However, before his face mmed straight on the ground, a silhouette appeared before him and


    quickly gathered him in his arms, 1


    The other man also blocked the wheelchair that was about to fall on Patrick, but it mmed hard on


    him.


    Even so, he straightened his back and caught the full brunt of the blow without letting it hit Patrick at all.


    When Patrick came to his senses, he found himself staring at Sean, who was gritting his teeth and


    withstanding the pain without a sound.


    ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± Patrick asked worriedly.


    Sean kept restraining himself and said rather dully, ¡°I¡¯m fine. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Patrick said-in fact, he did not feel any pain, though he was really shocked.


    Sean had certainly caught him well and shielded himpletely from harm.


    He did not have time to entertain the other messy thoughts clouding his mind either as Sean


    straightened the wheelchair and picked up Patrick, putting him on his wheelchair again, and asked,


    ¡°Where were you going?¡±


    ¡°Oh. I just wanted to stroll around the garden.¡±


    ¡°You can ask a servant to help you if you want to get out next time.¡±


    ¡°I saw that they were all busy, and I don¡¯t know them that well,¡± Patrick said, chagrined.


    ¡°Then call me,¡± Sean said.


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you even busier?¡± Patrick asked, his voice suddenly a little louder¡ª Sean was the one who


    brought him to his own home, but both him and Cordy ended up neglecting him.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t know you that way,¡± Patrick then added grumpily.


    Sean chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a man? Why are you fussing like a little girl?¡±


    ¡°I saved your life, Sean Cranston!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, dear savior. So I¡¯m now at your beck and call for whatever you want.¡± Sean grinned.


    ¡°I just want to go on a stroll. And I¡¯m a little hungry.¡¯ Patrick certainly did not hold back, since he had no


    reason to when it was Sean Cranston.


    Forget saving his life-they would be inws soon enough.


    ¡®Okay,¡± Sean replied and started to push Patrick through the garden.


    ¡°What have you been doing recently anyway?¡± Patrick could not help asking amid the silence.


    ¡°My family¡¯s business and dealing with the Lynds.¡±


    ¡°And how are the Lynds now?¡±


    ¡°Awaiting trial. The evidence against them is solid, and more than half of them will be implicated.¡±


    ¡°John¡¯s really savage!¡± Patrick eximed in awe.


    ¡°Or what, are we supposed to lie down and wait for the Lynds to walk all over us?¡± Sean snapped, a


    little upset about Patrick¡¯sment. ¡°Our family owes him as much as I owe you-the Lynds were just


    waiting to take us down, and they¡¯re the reason my grandfather isatose. They got what they


    deserved.¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Patrick had the feeling that Sean was scolding him just for being casually impressed by John.


    Still, it urred to him that the Lynds were supposed to be John¡¯s inws despite what happened.


    And from a certain point of view, his personal gain was also involved when John took down the Stuarts


    years ago, which was why he should be grateful.

 Chapter 1119

    Chapter 1119


    Chapter 1119


    Patrick could understand the reasoning but hearing it from Sean upset him anyway.


    He did save Sean¡¯s life, so did Sean have to treat him like this?


    Was he saying that saving Sean¡¯s life was less than John¡¯s achievement in destroying the Lynds?


    Patrick got further upset the more he thought about it, but he never said it out loud.


    Sean, however, seemed to notice that Patrick was moody anyway, and he softened his tone. ¡¯I admire


    John as a great man. I would have liked him to work for me ever since he took down your cousins,


    though that¡¯s impossible now after all that¡¯s happened.¡±


    Patrick remained silent.


    Yes, John was extraordinary, but was it not a little too cold to tell a rival that in the face?!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Fortunately, the servants arrived with lunch and left it on the table of the veranda.


    ¡°How about eating out here? The air is good,¡¯ Sean asked Patrick.


    ¡¯You already asked your servant to bring it out, and you¡¯re asking me now? Pointless, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    Sean smiled, but he did not deny it.


    Both men sat at the table and started eating.


    The breeze that gently brushed against their faces was more than a little rxing.


    However, Patrick suddenly yelped halfway through. ¡¯Oh!¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean asked worriedly.


    ¡®What about Cordy and Dicky?1¡ä Patrick asked, feeling very guilty just then.


    Sean was speechless¡ªand here he thought he was choking!


    Still, he said, ¡°Cordy has work to do, but she¡¯lle downstairs to eat once she¡¯s done, and I had the


    servants save her something. As for Dicky, he¡¯s having lunch with John at the hospital.¡¯


    ¡°Oh.¡± Patrick nodded, realizing that he had made a fuss over nothing.


    Still, he soon remembered something else. ¡¯So, Sean.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡¯I was wondering if I should formally propose to Cordy.¡¯


    Patrick was scowling harder the more he listened. He asked miserably, ¡°So, how many days is that?¡±


    ¡®One week, more or less.¡± ¡¯That means I won¡¯t see you for one week?¡± ¡¯We can keep in touch through


    video calls.¡±

 Chapter 1120

    Chapter 1120


    Chapter 1120


    Sean pursed his lips but replied quietly, ¡°That depends on your sincerity.¡±


    ¡¯I think marriage is once in a lifetime, and I want it to be more formal.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    ¡¯Then, propose.¡±


    ¡¯But I don¡¯t know how to surprise her,¡± Patrick muttered dolefully.


    ¡® Are you asking me to brainstorm with you?¡¯ Sean raised a brow.


    ¡®No way,¡¯ Patrick chuckled. ¡®You¡¯re all brawn and no brains. You know nothing.¡±


    Sean did not argue.


    He was definitely not great with romance, though he could take his time to learn.


    Cordy finally showed up when they were almost finished with lunch, and Patrick called out to her


    excitedly, ¡¯ Are you finished with work, Cordy?¡±


    ¡¯Yeah.¡¯ Cordy nodded. ¡°But I have some bad news.¡±


    ¡®Please don¡¯t give me a heart attack,¡± Patrick said nervously, constantly worried that she would leave


    him in an instant.


    Still, Cordy exined, ¡®I¡¯m taking a trip back to North City for work.¡±


    ¡®What about me?¡± Patrick pouted as if he was already abandoned.


    ¡¯You¡¯re staying here to recover. The travel would wear you down.¡±


    ¡¯But¡­¡±


    ¡¯Just stay here for now,¡± Sean interjected. ¡°Your health matters most.¡±


    ¡¯Well, how long would you be gone?¡± Patrick asked miserably, knowing then that resistance was futile.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll make it back as soon as I can.¡¯


    ¡®You mean, it won¡¯t just be a couple days?¡± Patrick asked, a little agitated just then.


    Cordy sighed. ¡¯I was reminded at the meeting that Starstream¡¯s spring season roadshow is in two days,


    but there are still many things that aren¡¯t done yet. Many notable figures in fashion have been invited,


    so our brand name would be ruined big time if we mess up. That¡¯s why I have to go back for a couple


    days and hold the fort.


    ¡¯Then, after it¡¯s done in three days, there will be a g in the evening to thank the VIPs I¡¯ve invited.


    There¡¯s another fashion g the next day-l¡¯ve turned them down too many times before and have


    finally agreed to it since our name would be included on the event¡¯s title.¡¯

 Chapter 1121

    Chapter 1121


    Chapter 1121


    Cordy coolly replied, "There are some things to attend to."


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She was wondering just then if she should ask Sean to send Richard home, worried that her son would


    be ufortable being alone at the capital.


    Still, she soon remembered that she would be going back once she settled matters in North City


    anyway.She was relieved, since she did not want Richard to keep running back and forth.


    "Should I get Dicky¡ª"


    "No."


    Cordy cut John short before he could finish.


    John pursed his lips in turn¡ªhe could actually feel how distant she was toward him.


    Still, he stayed silent and reclined against his huge,fortable seat with his back toward her, staying


    away from her and pretending to sleep.


    Cordy ignored him and calmly read her magazine.


    The flight was a quiet one, and John kept sleeping without moving an inch or responding when the


    flight attendant arrived to ask for their orders.


    Cordy thought he really was sound asleep then, if it was not for the airne suddenly lurching.


    Cries of shock shattered the quietness within an instant, and everyone was afraid, especially with the


    recently increasing numbers of aviation incidents.


    Cordy had been calm at first, but the woman sitting nearby was shrieking hysterically through tears,


    "No, I don''t want to die! My boyfriend is waiting for me! I''m the only daughter of my family! Please..."


    A flight attendant hurried to her, saying, "It''s going to be alright, miss.The ne is just encountering


    some turbulence, it''s perfectly normal¡ªArgh!"


    Before she could finish, the aircraft lurched violently again, sending everyone into a panic once more.


    And to make things worse than before, everyone suddenly felt like they were floating as the airne


    seemed to lose weight and looked ready to dip! Itsted for seconds, and even the passengers who


    could stay calm before were starting to panic, even though the flight crew kept trying to assure them.


    Cordy was no exception as she turned pale in an instant, her heart pounding violently as she


    remembered Richard.


    If anything were to happen to her...


    The ne lurched again, breaking her this time.


    "Nol!!!"


    She could not stop herself from crying, even as she clenched on the hand of the person sitting beside


    her without knowing it.


    John pursed his lips, but he would be lying if he said that he was not afraid.


    However, he did not fear death¡ªhe had experienced the same fear too many times to hope for


    anything, and his fate did not matter much to him.


    What he feared, however, was Cordy dying, and she was now clearly stricken with panic.


    Her palm was covered with sweat and her face frighteningly pale.


    He squeezed her hand in turn, offering herfort.


    "Argh!"


    Nheless, the ne kept lurching endlessly, and there was a chorus of screams on each asion.


    The turbulencested for over ten minutes until the flight finally turned steady.


    Though the flight crew was constantly offeringfort and reasoning, the passengers were all still


    traumatized, their hearts strung up and probably staying that way before theynded.


    Even if Cordy was not bawling like the woman nearby, her whole body remained stiff.


    And judging from the way she was still gripping John¡¯s hand, she was definitely still afraid.

 Chapter 1122

    Chapter 1122


    Chapter 1122


    John never told Cordy and kept holding on to her hand in silence.


    He gulped, his heart pounding erratically as he wished the flight wouldst so much longer.


    It was after a long while when the ne finally started its descent, and the woman nearby started to


    bawl in an instant, though it was tears of joy this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m never boarding a ne anymore! Hngh¡­¡±


    Cordy breathed a quiet sigh of relief in turn.


    She was not as hysterical as the other woman, but everyone feared death regardless.


    She had to inhale deeply several times to only calm herself slightly, and that was when she noticed that


    she had been squeezing John¡¯s hand.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and she rxed her fingers to release him, only to realize that John had


    been holding firmly to her hand, too.


    Nheless, John sharply noticed her movement and quickly released her.


    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    The air between them turned awkward, but luckily, the ne had touched down and stopped soon


    enough, and everyone could get off.


    Cordy did so without a second¡¯s hesitation, whereas John waited for a while before leaving as well,


    deliberately keeping a distance from Cordy in fear that his presence would repulse her.


    As they disembarked one after the other, Cordy suddenly heard another woman calling out to her.


    ¡°Miss? Why are you alone? Where¡¯s your boyfriend?¡±


    Cordy turned to find the woman who had been crying hysterically on the ne, who had left way earlier


    than she did.


    She must have been so spooked that she did not want to stay another second on the ne.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my boyfriend,¡± Cordy replied bluntly nheless.


    ¡°No way! But it¡¯s so obvious that he loved you,¡± the woman said seriously. ¡°Oh, I guess you must be


    having a fight¡­ I mean, he was wearing a mask and all, and I was scared out of my mind, but I


    somehow still couldn¡¯t help noticing his eyes just then. There¡¯s no hiding that care and love¡­ it¡¯s like


    he¡¯d die a thousand times than let you be hurt.¡±novelebook


    As Cordy stayed silent, the woman continued without a care, ¡°I think you can forgive him if it¡¯s just a


    small fight. I can really tell that he loves you. Anyway, I¡¯m off-my boyfriend¡¯s here to get me. I wish you


    and your boyfriend all the best!¡±


    And with those words, the woman quickly ran off and threw herself into the waiting arms of a man and


    started to bawl miserably again.


    The man coaxed her tenderly, and they soon happily left.


    ¡°Cordy?¡±


    Cordy did a double take when she suddenly heard a familiar voice and turned to see the man with a


    face mask and a baseball cap in front of her.


    Despite the good disguise, she was familiar with Jay enough to recognize him immediately.


    ¡°What are you staring at?¡± he asked in curiosity.


    Cordy pursed her lips-she would never admit that she envied the woman and her boyfriend¡¯s


    rtionship.


    But Patrick was obviously a good man, though he was just not beside her at the moment.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Do you¡­¡± Jay paused, but he probably was not sure how to ask his question and changed his mind


    after some thought.¡±


    I came to get John.¡±


    Cordy looked up at him, and he sighed, a little afraid to hope as well. ¡°You¡¯re surprised too, aren¡¯t you?


    I mean, Johnny was obviously¡­ Well, he said he is, and I believed it.¡±


    As a matter of fact, Jay had just received a call this morning from a person iming to be John, saying


    that he would be returning to North City on this flight.


    And so, Jay came to receive him.

 Chapter 1123

    Chapter 1123


    Chapter 1123


    Cordy said nothing, since Jay would understand everything once he met John.


    She started to leave, while Jay asked in surprise, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wait, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy frowned, so he quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s just waiting to see if it¡¯s Johnny. I know there¡¯s a huge chance


    that it¡¯s a con, but-


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy said tly and left without so much as a look behind.


    Jay found Cordy¡¯s reaction peculiar somehow. Was she really doubtful, or¡­


    Nheless, his heart was racing-he had been restless ever since John called him, and he was


    actually afraid to tell Zoe in fear that she would get more agitated than him.


    Hence, he stayed in his wheelchair and watched as the crowd moved around, never catching a glimpse


    of John.


    However, just as he was going to presume that he had been tricked, he suddenly glimpsed a familiar


    figure.


    It was just one glimpse, and his very blood was excited.


    Was that really John?


    That presence was remarkably familiar, even with that face mask and cap¡­


    However, Jay remained calm and did not approach the man to confirm it immediately, since there were


    plenty of people who looked alike.novelebook


    That was exactly the case with that model named Lucas Lynch, who bore a striking resemnce to


    John, only to turn out to be apletely different person.


    Jay inhaled softly to calm himself, and slowly watched as the man walked up to his wheelchair.


    He could imagine the man smiling even without seeing his face.


    ¡°Uncle Jay.¡±


    Uncle Jay.


    So it really was John.


    That voice and presence was so simr it could not have been anyone else!


    And despite being a grown man, Jay felt his tears welling in his eyes.


    He never dared hope for John to be still alive, but John somehow appeared before him!


    He never asked what happened to John over the years or why he only made contact now, only saying,


    ¡°Wee home, Johnny.¡±


    John¡¯s lips curled into a smile.


    Yes-he still had a home.


    As John got in Jay¡¯s car, he had no idea what to say, despite being rtives and blood being thicker


    than water and all.


    As for Jay, he had plenty of questions, only to stay silent in the end.


    Jay had the feeling that John would tell him anything he wanted to, and would not if he did not-there


    was no need to push John.


    Nheless, he spoke first, asking, ¡°Levine Manor, or¡­?¡±


    He should at least find out where they were heading, after all.


    ¡°Take me to a hotel. Not the manor for now,¡± John said bluntly.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be inconvenient eventually. You could stay with me if you don¡¯t want to stay at Levine


    Manor, and Zoe is there too¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± John shook his head. ¡°And don¡¯t tell Zoe that I¡¯m alive either.¡±


    Jay nodded, having learned as a child that John always nned ahead and would have his own


    considerations in the choices he made.


    Still, he pursed his lips and eventually could not help asking,¡± Should I hide it from Cordy too?¡±


    John smiled faintly. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It did not matter now anyway.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jay then added, ¡°Also, she has a boyfriend now¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied.

 Chapter 1124

    Chapter 1124


    Chapter 1124


    Jay decided against saying anything since John already knew-the man always knew what he was


    doing.


    He took John to a seven-star hotel, joining him in the presidential suite instead of leaving immediately.


    His face fell the instant John took off his cap and mask in front of him, stunned that he was disfigured to


    such an extent and almost overwhelmed.


    John, however, remained calm. ¡°Did I scare you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jay promptly said. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Just some unsavory encounter,¡± John said tly. ¡°But I¡¯ve spoken to a doctor, and there¡¯s a good


    chance of recovery.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay replied, unsure what to say just then and only felt a pain inside.


    He even wondered if John wanted to hide from Cordy because of that unseemly face.


    Still, John asked, ¡°I think I¡¯m fine alone, but I¡¯d like you to stay with me while I¡¯m in surgery, since I¡¯d be


    sedated or might face a medical decision that could trouble the doctors. Are you busytely?¡±


    ¡°No. I can go with you.¡± Jay agreed without hesitation.


    In fact, nothing would matter more than John¡¯s surgery, although¡­


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Is there a risk in the surgery?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°None. I¡¯m just preparing for contingencies,¡± John said nonchntly.


    Jay nodded in silence.


    ¡°I made an appointment with a specialist at nine in the morning tomorrow. Please go there with me


    when the timees,¡± John added.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all for now. You should go home, get some rest-1 need some too.¡±


    Suddenly, Jay told him, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be that humble around me, Johnny.¡±


    ¡°I never was.¡± John smiled faintly in turn.


    Jay pursed his lips, but he eventually left the hotel room.


    John¡¯s smile faded as he closed the door behind Jay and turned to look at his reflection in the mirror.


    Fortunately, Cordy did not see this.


    The next day, Jay apanied John to the hospital.


    It turned out that the surgery nned for John was not as simple as he put it, and Jay could feel his


    own heart racing even as he listened.


    He even had trouble differentiating if the surgery was really dangerous or if he had be more afraid


    of death after bing a father.


    He actually felt the impulse to dissuade John from undertaking such a radical surgery-he could just


    restore his looks without demanding perfection, after all.


    However, he would stop himself whenever he was on the verge of saying it, reluctant to actually stop


    John.


    John was admitted on the day of the surgery, and as this surgery was being prepped, he told Jay that


    he could leave.


    However, Jay wanted to stay with him as much as possible- there was no way he would be at ease if


    he left John alone at the hospital.


    That was why he only left when John fell asleep veryte into the night, and he returned home to find


    Zoe still up.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in bed?¡± he asked mildly. ¡°It¡¯s veryte.¡±


    ¡°So you can tell that it¡¯ste? Where have you been?¡± Zoe asked grumpily, finding his behavior quite


    strange for the past couple days-leaving early in the morning and returning veryte.


    And to top it all off, he was not working.


    Nheless, Jay lied. ¡°Something came up at work.¡±


    He was clearly behaving unusually, and Zoe had more to ask when Jay yawned loudly. ¡°I¡¯m very


    sleepy, Zoe. I¡¯m going to take a bath. You should go to bed soon.¡±


    Zoe watched his terrible performance, speechless.


    What the hell was he ying at?!

 Chapter 1125

    Chapter 1125


    Chapter 1125


    Zoe kept staring fixedly even as Jay stepped out of the shower, convinced that something was weird


    with him.


    Jay felt the creeps from her stare, but there was no question that he was bad at lying, and it would


    have been better if he had stayed quiet.


    To stop Zoe interrogating him,he quickly said, ¡°I ran into Cordy yesterday. She just returned to town.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe eximed in surprise, distracted in an instant.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she contact you?¡± Jay eximed in surprise.


    At the same time, he prayed that Cordy would not skin him for this since he had no other choice.


    ¡°That woman!¡± Zoe was fuming in turn¡ªCordy rarely returned, but she never said a word, let alone


    contacted Zoe!


    Was she not Cordy¡¯s best friend?!


    Huffing, she whipped out her phone and called Cordy, while Jay heaved a deep sigh of relief from the


    close shave.


    ¡°I just heard from Jay that you came back?¡± Zoe asked the instant Cordy answered.


    Cordy happened to be in her own office, working overtime- she had stayed at the long and returned to


    find a ton of work waiting to be done.


    Picking up her cup of ck coffee and taking a sip, she walked up to the ss wall to take in the bright


    lights of North City in the night while answering Zoe, ¡°I¡¯m busy.


    There¡¯s a lot to do at work.¡±


    ¡°Is that supposed to be an excuse?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy gave in right away-it was her fault for not contacting Zoe when she wasing back.


    ¡°Are you free tomorrow?¡± Zoe asked.


    Cordy rubbed her temples instead of answering right away.


    ¡°We can meet in the evening. It won¡¯t impose on your work,¡± Zoe eventually huffed, though she did not


    want to bother Cordy at work either, since she knew very well how much of a workaholic Cordy was.


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Is Patrick with you?¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s still in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he worried, letting youe back alone?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not, is he?¡± Cordy replied without borating.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    She did not want to bring her troubles in the capital to North City either or make Zoe worry about her.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s just us three again in the evening. I¡¯ll call Quinn.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy agreed to it immediately, though she quickly added, ¡°Less alcohol in the evening, too.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ll make the arrangements,¡± Zoe said impatiently.


    Cordy smiled begrudgingly in turn, since it would be impossible if they did not start drinking when they


    met Zoe.


    Still, she had to admit that drinking Zoe was really fun.


    Taking a deep breath, she returned to her seat and started working.


    Early next morning, Zoe opened her eyes and found Jay already gone.


    What on earth was he doing?


    How long had it been since they got married? And he was sick of her already?!


    Zoe was unusually grouchy and a little distracted when she met Cordy and Quinn in the evening.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cordy could tell immediately she was not in a good mood, since Zoe would always be


    the life of the party.


    On the other hand, Zoe was moody and gloomy.


    ¡°Not having a fight with Jay, are we?¡± Quinn teased, clearly catching on that too.


    ¡°What fight?¡± Zoe saidnguidly. ¡°I just find him acting weirdtely.¡±

 Chapter 1126

    Chapter 1126


    Chapter 1126


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Quinn asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not being paranoid?¡±


    ¡°Do I look like a paranoid person?¡¯ Zoe retorted.


    Quint thought about it, but had to agree-if Zoe was convinced that Jay was being weird, there was


    definitely an issue with Jay.


    And yet, it was so obvious that he pampered Zoe and tiptoed around her¡­


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Jay tell you anything?¡± Cordy asked casually.


    ¡°Tell me what?¡± Zoe was even more perplexed.


    Cordy frowned-reasonably speaking, Jay would have recognized John as soon as he saw him, and


    John must have decided to reunite with family now that he returned to North City.


    There was no reason to keep Zoe out of the loop, was there? Especially with the bond between her


    and John which stood for years¡­


    ¡°What¡¯s weighing on your mind?¡± Zoe was staring at Cordy, perplexed and feeling that Cordy was being


    weird too.


    It almost felt like she was the weird one there¡­


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s preparing a surprise for you.¡± Cordy hastily came up with an excuse.


    While Zoe appeared taken aback, Quinn quickly added,¡±


    X=z


    That¡¯s true, that¡¯s the only exnation! So just let it pass, or you¡¯d be curbing Jay¡¯s enthusiasm. I


    mean, you know how much courage it took for him to get romantic with you!¡±


    Zoe¡¯s mood improved as Quinn chimed in, though Cordy became a little apprehensive and said


    gingerly, ¡°Don¡¯t hold out too much hope, though.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I just think Jay isn¡¯t the type who can prepare surprises¡­¡± ¡°True.¡± Zoe nodded. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t hold out


    too much hope.¡± ¡°Either way, you just wait and see for now. Come on-it¡¯s rare for Cordy toe back,


    so we should start drinking,¡± Quinn said, quickly smoothing things over.


    Still, things got exciting as Zoe¡¯s mood improved, and the threedies drank all the way past midnight


    until Jay came to get them.


    He almost seemed used to seeing them drunk, and he sent Quinn home first before Cordy.


    Zoe was leaning on Jay¡¯s chest, dizzily asleep.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Jay said then.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Cordy was a little dizzy too, and was leaning against the car door feebly.


    ¡°Johnny¡¯s actually¡­¡±


    Jay trailed off, hesitant to finish his own sentence.


    ¡°Then? Is it alright for things to stay like this?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it is.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you find it¡­ regrettable?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m over regrets,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Didn¡¯t he tell you what happened between us?¡±


    ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing to say. Either way, it¡¯s difficult for us to be together now.¡±


    ¡°Difficult isn¡¯t impossible. Johnny actually still-¡°


    ¡°Patrick has been very good to me too,¡± Cordy said quietly, staring quietly at the moon outside. ¡°I guess


    we¡¯re just not meant to be.¡±


    Jay had more to say, but Cordy stopped him. ¡°You¡¯re keeping Johnpany over the next two days,


    aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s been finding you acting strange, and she thought you¡¯re preparing a surprise for her. You¡¯d


    better talk to her properly or she¡¯d be very disappointed.¡±


    Jay did a double take and soon nodded. ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± Cordy smiled, and the car was silent


    again.


    As they arrived at Cordy¡¯s mansion and she alighted, Jay was not able to tell her that John was


    undergoing stic surgery.


    He had the feeling that he would be overreaching if he spoke too much about what was between them,


    although he still found it a pity.

 Chapter 1127

    Chapter 1127


    Chapter 1127


    Cordy ended up staying in North City for over a month- there was too much for her to do to return to the


    capital for good, and she could only stay in touch with Patrick over the phone.


    He wasining about that every day, and she had no choice but to make time and return on short


    trips.


    Patrick was more or less fully recovered and could walk slowly off the wheelchair.


    He was making a fuss about returning to Rocktown since Cordy was not around the capital.


    Not wanting to make things difficult for Patrick and make him wait for her at the capital, Cordy decided


    to go with him to Rocktown and meet his parents as well.


    After all, Patrick had always been hovering around her, and she never actually did anything for him.


    However, on the way to the airport, she received a call for Zoe, who was on the verge of tears. ¡°Cordy,


    Jay doesn¡¯t love me anymore, does he?! It¡¯s rare for both of us to be jobless, but he¡¯s always been


    leaving early anding homete recently, and he keeps sighing! I¡¯ve been waiting for so long, but


    there¡¯s no surprise from him at all!¡±


    It was not easy for her to finally open her heart to Jay, only to realize that Jay might be cheating on her.


    She did not dare imagine what would happen if Jay really cheated on her.


    It would have been fine if she never had him-now that she had him, she could not bear to give up just


    like that.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ there¡¯s some other issue?¡± Cordy suggested.


    She was not that good with lying, though she was perplexed as well¡ªwhat on earth could John and


    Jay be up to?


    Judging from Zoe¡¯s tone, Jay never told her that John was still alive even after so long!


    ¡°Well, what can¡¯t he tell me?!¡± Zoe was hysterical. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing this morning-he got a call and


    sprang out of bed like some opossum that was ying dead!¡±


    Cordy was speechless-why was thatparison so hrious, especially in this situation?!


    On the other hand, the more Zoe spoke, the more she sounded fearful. ¡°You know he¡¯s always he left


    on his wheelchair immediately even without washing up! What on earth is happening with him?!¡±


    Somehow, it did not look like he was cheating either-it was more like it was something very important!


    Cordy did not want to keep hiding it from Zoe either, but she would still refrain from spilling the beans


    out of respect for Jay and John. ¡°Well, how about this? If you¡¯re still concerned, you can tail Jay and


    find out what he¡¯s up to.¡±


    ¡°Is that really alright?¡± Zoe asked, though she was obviously excited at that point.


    ¡°What¡¯s bad about that? If he finds out, just tell him that you¡¯re worried-don¡¯t worry, he loves you too


    much to get mad at you.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I can give it a try.¡±


    ¡°You have my full support.¡± Cordy smiled faintly.


    ¡°By the way, are you going back to the capital today?¡± Zoe appeared a little upset.


    Even if they were not seeing each other every day, she felt like Cordy was with her if she stayed in


    North City and far away if she left.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to the capital to get Patrick and travel to Rocktown with him. It¡¯s just a few days before I


    come back,¡± Cordy told Zoe about her travel arrangements.


    ¡°It feels like you¡¯re going to see your wife or something,¡± Zoe teased. ¡°And the man¡¯s skin is a little on


    the fair side.¡±


    Cordy did not argue, since Patrick¡¯s fair skin and mannerisms did give the impression that he was a


    little too soft.


    ¡°So, when¡¯s the wedding?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Cordy did not seem to dislike the idea of marrying. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it once Patrick has fully


    recovered.¡±


    ¡°Remember to tell me ahead of time.¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re mentioned it, aren¡¯t you going to have a wedding with Jay?¡± Cordy asked casually.


    ¡°Jay never mentioned anything about that,¡± Zoe replied, a little disappointed just then.


    ¡°You could just ask.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°How could I ask something like that?¡± Zoe moaned, embarrassed for once.


    Hearing Cordy giggle in amusement, she snapped, ¡°You¡¯reughing at me?! I can get hurt too, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°No way. Anyway, I just reached the airport. Let¡¯s talkter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once I¡¯m back.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy put away her phone and quickly alighted before checking in and boarding the ne¡¯s first-ss


    cabin. She arrived at the capital after over an hour.

 Chapter 1128

    Chapter 1128


    Chapter 1128


    She was used to having Sean receive her at the airport, but she was a little disappointed that she did


    not see Patrick.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Patrick?¡± she asked in the car.


    Richard had returned to North City for a while now, and she did not bring him along this time.


    He had his sses too, and she did not want to make him skip too many sses even if prodigies like


    him did not care much about normal schooling knowledge.


    ¡°He¡¯s home, but he hasn¡¯t fully recovered. I didn¡¯t let hime along since it would be taxing,


    especially since he has to travel early tomorrow,¡± Sean exined.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really taken good care of him for me, haven¡¯t you?¡± Cordy joked.


    Sean was suddenly nervous as he exined, ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s because he¡¯s your boyfriend, y¡¯know?¡±


    Cordy did a double take-she was just making an offhand joke, so why was Sean suddenly so nervous


    as if she had read his mind?


    However, Sean soon recovered despite Cordy¡¯s stare. ¡°And he saved my life, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡± Cordy smiled pointedly.


    Sean ignored her and turned aside, which only made Cordy further convinced that Sean was acting


    weird.


    It was only when they arrived at Cranston Hall that she realized what Sean was hiding.


    It turns out that Sean was just helping Patrick hide a surprise, and she realized that her thinking had


    been getting a little polluted.


    As they entered Cranston Hall, Cordy¡¯s heart was racing as red petals were carpeting a little path.


    She turned in surprise toward Sean, who gestured for her to go in.


    She strode along the petal path into the courtyard.


    There was a gentle breeze ruffling her hair under the bright summer sun, and the rustling trees painted


    a beautiful scene.


    She eventually stopped at a pool of petals forming a heart shape, where she found Patrick standing


    nearby, dressed in a white tuxedo and holding a huge bouquet of flowers.


    His hair was flowing a little from the spring¡¯s breeze, and he appeared bright and handsome under the


    sun¡¯s brightness.


    For an instant, Cordy really thought she was looking at the prince on a white horse from a fairytale.


    He slowly walked up to her and dropped to one knee, put the bouquet beside him, and opened the


    exquisite velvet box he was holding, taking out the dazzling ring that sparkled brightly under the sun.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    It was as beautiful as a dream.


    Then, Patrick said, ¡°Will you marry me, Cordy?¡±


    His eyes were glowing with sentiment, and for an instant, she thought the love in his eyes was brighter


    and more unbreakable than the diamond ring he was holding.


    There was no way she could reject him, not to mention that she had considered marrying him from the


    start.


    And since he came up with such an exquisite proposal, how could she disappoint him?


    She nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 1129

    Chapter 1129


    Chapter 1129


    Patrick¡¯s smile became even more apparent, and he carefully took out the ring and put it on Cordy¡¯s


    finger.


    It illuminated her perfect cheeks dazzlingly, painting her with breathtaking beauty.


    Patrick got off the floor, and just as he did, there was a huge gust that kicked the petals on the floor into


    the air before it started to rain down on them.


    It was certainly a romantic sight as they werepletely engulfed in the petals.


    Cordy took it all in and was so emotional her eyes welled with tears.


    ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± Patrick asked.


    Cordy smiled-he was such a doofus.


    She wrapped her arms around Patrick¡¯s neck and kissed him.


    Patrick was taken aback and clearly nervous-so much so that his whole body was shuddering.


    He was afraid to respond, and their lips stayed locked just like that.


    Sean was standing nearby as he watched them kiss and embrace each other.


    The breeze was picking up in strength, ruffling his hair and kicking the petals into the air.


    It was a beautiful sight that no one could tear their eyes away from, but Sean ultimately turned to leave.


    They deserved all the happiness, and he was just an extra.


    The next day, Zoe started shadowing Jay in North City.


    She felt pressured about actually doing it, but Cordy said it was fine, so she was soon at ease.


    Hence, she followed Jay¡­ and arrived at the hospital.


    What was he doing there?


    It was not some terminal illness, was it?!


    All her suspicion towards Jay abruptly turned into concern.


    She just could not imagine it. What was she going to do if Jay died?


    Suddenly too afraid to follow, she watched as Jay wheeled himself into the elevator.


    She hid in a corner and waited to see the floor number where Jay stopped, and she whipped out her


    phone to call Cordy.


    Cordy was just packing his bags with Patrick, preparing to leave for Rocktown, while Sean was


    smoking at the doorway and waiting for them.


    Cordy quickly answered when she saw the call. ¡°Zoe?¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Cordy¡­¡± Zoe was sobbing on the other end.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cordy asked nervously.


    ¡°You told me to follow Jay yesterday, right? I did just that, and it turns out that he¡¯s at the hospital¡­


    Could it be some terminal illness?¡±


    Zoe was on the verge of getting hysterical after she said it, which left Cordy frowning.


    Why was Jay at the hospital?


    Could John have been admitted? Did he not just leave the hospital after recovering?


    Come to think of it, John would probably undergo reconstructive surgery for his face since North City¡¯s


    stic surgeons were famous across the nation, and it made sense that John would choose to do it.


    As such, she remained calm, ¡°What if it was someone else who got sick?¡±


    ¡°You mean, his secret lover got sick? Wait, could she be pregnant?!¡± Zoe became even more agitated.


    ¡°Calm down, Zoe.¡± Cordyughed in amusement. ¡°Jay Parker would rather be a eunuch than cheat on


    you. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Then, what is he doing at the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you find out if you follow him?¡±

 Chapter 1130

    Chapter 1130


    Chapter 1130


    Zoe flinched. ¡°But I¡¯m scared¡­


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t get to be suspicious.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Cordy smiled exasperatedly. ¡°Then be brave and follow him. If you didn¡¯t run away, it wouldn¡¯t happen.¡±


    Zoe bit her lip, feeling that Cordy was right.


    Cordy remembered something else just then. ¡°Oh, by the way N


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Patrick proposed.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Zoe was a little excited. ¡°He did it when you went to the capital?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Good job, Patrick!¡± Zoe eximed cheerfully. ¡°So, when¡¯s the wedding?¡±


    ¡°In a few months, I¡¯d say. I¡¯m meeting his parents in Rocktown, and then there¡¯s the wedding photos


    and arranging the wedding luncheon. That¡¯d be two or three months.¡±


    ¡°I volunteer as a bridesmaid,¡± Zoe said eagerly, though she soon remembered. ¡°Wait, curses¡­ I¡¯m


    already married and have a child. That disqualifies me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. You and Quinn will be my bridesmaids when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°My wedding, my call.¡±


    ¡°What about Patrick?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Patrick quickly replied upon hearing Zoe over the phone just then. ¡°I¡¯d give her the world


    when she said yes. That¡¯s nothing inparison.¡±


    ¡°How did I get flexed on even over the phone?¡± Zoe joked.


    Still, Cordy said, ¡°Are you forgetting what you¡¯re doing, Zoe?¡±


    Zoe quickly came to her senses. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m hanging up. n


    After putting away her phone, Zoe quickly got in the elevator, having seen that it stopped on the


    fifteenth floor just now.


    What department could it be, she wondered?


    She nervously pressed the button, and it took her to the fifteenth floor, which was unusually quiet¡­


    Just like a typical WIP zone.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Still, just as she was about to enter, a nurse promptly intercepted her, ¡°Sorry, miss, but is there


    someone you¡¯re looking for? Not everyone is allowed entry in this area.¡±


    Zoe naturally left home with aplete disguise, so the nurse did not recognize her just then.


    Still, she blurted, ¡°Jay Parker.¡±


    The nurse looked up the name in the system and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we don¡¯t have a patient with that


    name.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Zoe became agitated. ¡°I just saw hime here¡­¡±


    ¡°He might be visiting a patient-¡°


    ¡°So he really was cheating?!¡± Zoe cried out in agitation.


    On the other hand, the nurse found Zoe looking familiar, and recognized her soon enough, ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t


    you Zoe York?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a big fan! I¡¯ve shipped you and Mr. Parker all this while! Did youe looking for him? He just


    went in,¡± the nurse said, suddenly a lot more talkative.


    ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± Zoe replied, actually feeling a little embarrassed that the nurse was suddenly so


    enthusiastic.


    ¡°Then get registered. Standard procedure, I¡¯m afraid..¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe agreed to it right away, experiencing celebrity privilege for the first time.


    While she registered herself, she asked, ¡°Who is Jay visiting? It


    The nurse was going to tell her, but soon remembered something and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t


    say


    because of doctor-patient confidentiality. We have been given strict orders, too.¡±


    Zoe did not press the issue either and headed into the wards after getting registered, all while


    wondering who Jay was visiting.


    Could it really be his secret lover?


    However, just as she apprehensively checked each ward, Jay¡¯s voice suddenly boomed over the


    hallway, ¡°Doctor!¡±


    There was a clear urgency in his voice, and Zoe was startled since Jay was always calm and


    composed.


    That was, unless it was something serious!

 Chapter 1131

    Chapter 1131


    Chapter 1131


    Jay actually did not see Zoe at that instant, nor did Zoe get a good look at him when she saw arge


    group of doctors inb coats rushing into a ward.


    Moments after, a man was wheeled out on a stretcher so quickly that Zoe did not have a good look who


    it was.


    All she saw was Jay wheeling himself so quickly to follow them that he almost flipped his wheelchair.


    Zoe gritted her teeth and followed.


    While the medical staff hurried into the emergency room, Jay waited outside worriedly, and the hallway


    soon became silent again.


    ¡°Jay.¡± Zoe could not help calling out to him just then, and he seemed to jump.


    He was too focused to notice anything else, and the suddenness registered in his reaction.


    He turned to find Zoe standing there and appeared even more surprised, not knowing why Zoe showed


    up there.


    As for Zoe, she could tell immediately from his reaction that he never noticed her from the start.


    Who on earth could he be so worried about?


    And judging from the figure, it was definitely no woman.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    So¡­ Who else would he care so much for?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Jay blurted out just then.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you that?¡± Zoe asked through gritted teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve been out early anding


    homete often and being vague whenever I asked why. How long would you have kept this from me if


    I never followed you here?¡±


    Jay was dumbstruck-he never was good at lying and even more speechless now that he was so


    exposed.


    ¡°So? Who is that in there?¡± Zoe pressed.


    Jay stayed silent, since he had promised John not to tell ¡ª and now he understood why.


    It would definitely cause trouble if Jay spilled the beans, since the invasive reconstructive surgery John


    took up might end up making him look worse.


    He probably did not want his loved ones to hope, only to be let down.


    Still, since Jay was not answering, Zoe started guessing. ¡°Is it Bob?¡±


    Jay appeared taken aback, and taking that as a no, Zoe moved on to the next suspect. ¡°Sam


    Saunders?¡±


    After all, those two were his only close friends, and who else would Jay care so much about?


    ¡°Maybe you should stop jinxing others,¡± Jay said then, since Zoe¡¯s hunches left him speechless and


    suddenly concerned that she would list everyone who mattered to him.


    ¡°Then who is it?¡± Zoe asked very seriously.


    ¡°I promised him not to tell, but¡­¡± Jay trailed off for a moment as his tone changed sharply. ¡°You can


    wait until they bring him out.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re just going to leave me hanging?¡± Zoe was huffing, wondering which man could make Jay


    say something like that!


    ¡°My hands are tied here.¡± Jay gave her a helpless look.


    Zoe gritted her teeth, but she knew Jay-he would be mentally burdened if he had to break his promise.


    So, she had to wait and see who the devil it was!


    As the hallway turned silent again, Zoe remainedpletely calm, while Jay was restless-visibly


    worried that the man would die on the operating table.


    They waited for over an hour until the doors of the operating room opened, and Jay quickly wheeled


    himself over.


    Zoe never noticed before that he could be that slick with his wheelchair!


    Still, she followed him and heard the doctor say, ¡°The patient is fine. It¡¯s just a slight infection on the


    face where he had surgery, and we¡¯ve already disinfected it so there won¡¯t be any issue. However, it is


    a cause for worry, and we need to keep him in a clean room before he fully recovers just in case.¡±


    Jay heaved a huge sigh of relief at the doctor¡¯s words.

 Chapter 1132

    Chapter 1132


    Chapter 1132


    Jay then asked, ¡°Well, can I visit him?¡¯ ¡°I wouldn¡¯t encourage it¡ªhe should avoid unnecessary contact


    for the time being. Moreover, we will move him directly to the clean room,¡± the doctor said.


    ¡°Alright. How long would he be staying in the clean room?¡±


    ¡°Around three to five days. He can leave once his surgical wounds heal enough.¡±


    ¡°Is this going to be thest surgery?¡±


    ¡°In terms of major ones, yes. Now, it depends on the patient¡¯s eptance of his new face, though that


    requires delicacy,¡± the doctor exined.


    ¡°Thank you doctor.¡± Jay was awash with gratitude.


    ¡°It¡¯s our responsibility,¡± the doctor said before sending them off.


    Zoe reluctantly followed Jay.


    It took her so much to muster her courage toe all the way here, but she never found out who Jay


    came to visit every day!


    She was still sulking in the car from frustration, utterly upset.


    Jay began, ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me!¡± she snapped.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jay pursed his lips but tried to assure her nheless.¡± You¡¯d be surprised to see him.¡±


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t get to see him! Who on earth would my own husband worry so much for?!¡±


    Jay shed a begrudging smile. ¡°You¡¯ll know when the timees.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctor say three to five days?¡±


    Zoe was speechless.


    Waiting that long would only kill her.


    Still, she did not actually harass him since she did not actually want him to be sad.


    Three dayster, Jay received a call from the hospital that John could leave the clean room, and he


    quickly prepared to leave for the hospital.


    Zoe watched as he hurried off, and it was not until he reached the door that he remembered her and


    quickly turned around. ¡°Are youing?¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes, but she went with him to the hospital anyway.


    They headed straight to the WIP ward, though Jay paused at the doorway.


    As Zoe frowned at him, he asked, ¡°Have you prepared yourself?¡±


    Zoe was nonchnt. ¡°Do I have to? I¡¯m not going to see a ghost or something, am I?!¡±


    Jay chuckled and led her inside without dy.


    John was reclining against his bed, and his appearance had recovered enough to match his original


    appearance.


    It was still a little unusual with the swelling and facial scars, but those who were familiar with him would


    be able to identify him immediately, which was why Zoe flinched the instant she saw John and could


    not help wobbling backward.


    Jay caught her thanks to his quick reflexes, though Zoe¡¯s eyes were popping out even as she stared


    fixedly at John.


    What the hell?!


    It really was a ghost!


    What was John Levine doing here? He should be dead!


    She pointed a trembling finger at him, and it took her a long while to stammer, ¡°J-John?!¡±


    John smiled faintly in turn-it was the best he could do with the terrible swelling all over his face.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said nheless.


    Zoe dropped straight on Jay¡¯sp right then and cried out in agitation, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not Lucas


    Lynch?¡±

 Chapter 1133

    Chapter 1133


    Chapter 1133


    John was calm, a stark contrast to Zoe¡¯s agitation.


    ¡°I am both Lucas Lynch and John Levine.¡±


    Zoe took a long while to reflect on those worse until she finally understood. She sprang up from Jay¡¯s


    lap in excitement, pping her hands as she cried, ¡°I knew you were you, but Cordy doubted me! I


    mean, after living with you for years, I¡¯d recognize you even if all that¡¯s left of you were bones!¡±


    John was speechless-Zoe never learned how to hold her tongue even after years.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s it with you? Why did you fake your death? What are you doing here at the hospital?


    And what¡¯s with that emergency surgery? Was it something serious?¡± Zoe rambled on, asking a ton of


    questions.


    Still, John answered every question she had, and Zoe felt patience from him for the very first time.


    It was as if his temperament changed after his ¡®death¡¯¡­


    After he was done, Zoe muttered to herself and recounted everything. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you


    survived the explosion after Jessica Stuart blew up the ship and were rescued unexpectedly¡­ only to


    be shipped abroad. The people who saved you just happened to have a son who recently died, so they


    altered your face to resemble him, which was easy since you two share some resemnce.


    That was why no one questioned your real identity?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just been a few years, but you¡¯re smarter now,¡± Johnmented.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been smart!¡± Zoe snorted grumpily.


    John smiled faintly but did not argue.


    ¡°Well, did you tell Cordy?¡± Zoe quickly asked. ¡°Wait, I just remembered-didn¡¯t you marry Nana Lynd?


    Do you know what happened to her family?¡±


    ¡°Cordy knows.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe was bbergasted.


    Used to that reaction from her by now, both John and Jay stayed exceedingly calm.


    ¡°So she¡¯s been hiding it from me all this while? And she also knew Jay was sneaking around for¡­¡± Zoe


    muttered to herself.


    The more she did, the angrier she got-was Cordy actually her friend? Why would she refuse to tell her


    everything?!


    ¡°Then, you and Cordy are now¡­¡±


    ¡°Completely unrted,¡± John said bluntly.


    ¡°But did you know that Cordy is getting married?¡± Zoe asked.


    John pursed his lips in silence, while Jay quickly said, ¡°When did she ever say she¡¯s marrying? They


    just started dating. They wouldn¡¯t move so fast-¡°


    ¡°Cordy just called me the other day, saying Patrick proposed to her, and she said yes. She¡¯s with him at


    Rocktown right now, and they¡¯ll get married in a few months if there are no issues,¡± Zoe blurted, only


    realizing afterward that she might have said too much.


    She was painfully aware how much John loved Cordy.


    At the same time, the ward turned eerily silent.


    That was when Zoe muttered, ¡°I mean, we could steal the bride too¡­¡±


    Jay was left gaping at her, wondering if there was anything his own wife would not say.


    John was staring at Zoe too, and it gave her the creeps. No, hold on-what I meant was she¡¯s still at the


    engagement phase, and they aren¡¯t actually married yet. We can try to stop it!¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°¡­ Isn¡¯t Cordy your bestie?¡± Jay could not bear to listen to another word.


    He certainly wanted Cordy to stay with John, but whatever the case might be, Cordy was in a


    rtionship now.


    Interfering with that would make John the other guy¡­


    Somehow, Jay found himself looking forward to that.


    ¡°This is for my cousin¡¯s happiness!¡± Zoe said, blurting the word just then.


    As John turned toward her, Zoe suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m not your cousin-we¡¯re


    totally unrted.¡±


    John rolled his eyes¡ªhonestly, one should not invest emotions in Zoe.

 Chapter 1134

    Chapter 1134


    Chapter 1134


    Zoe was really capable of making someone fall apart in an instant.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    And right then, she said smugly, ¡°You now have to address me as Aunt Zoe.¡±


    John took a deep breath, clearly a little annoyed.


    Even Jay had to be impressed with Zoe-rarely was anyone capable of leaving John bristling with just a


    few words.


    Nheless, Zoe remained serious, ¡°You should seize your chance-you still have a few months, so


    don¡¯t me your Aunt Zoe for not warning you now. Just give me a head¡¯s up when you¡¯ve made up


    your mind, and I¡¯ll help.¡±


    John rolled his eyes and ignored Zoe, whereas Jay hid a smile nearby.


    He should have brought her to meet John if he knew she would liven things up like this.


    It was certainly awkward when silence ensued between two grown men, especially since said silence


    could stay an entire day.


    But with Zoe around, awkwardness and whatnot was nonexistent.


    As such, Jay often brought Zoe with him to the hospital ever since the first visit.


    She certainly was not as cold as she appeared-in fact, when they headed home after the first visit, she


    suddenly clung on to Jay and started crying tears of joy.


    She just did not like to show emotions around others, and in that sense, Zoe had now fully epted


    him as her better half.


    And Jay was certainly content with that.


    A monthter, John was finally discharged.


    Having taken a while to recover, his current facial appearance did not appear from his old one.


    Zoe and Jay came to get him together, and Zoe proved incorrigible again. ¡°You scared me so much


    when I saw you again, and I thought you¡¯d be permanently disfigured¡­ Well, at least you look exactly


    average now.¡±


    ¡°Zoe!¡± John snapped, glowering like he usually would, pulling rank as her senior.


    However, Zoe retorted sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t try to intimidate me- I¡¯m your aunt now. You¡¯d best watch your


    manners around me.¡±


    John was left ring at her murderously, while Jay hid a smile nearby.


    ¡°By the way, are you really not nning to take Cordy back now that you¡¯ve regained your sweet


    cheeks?¡± Zoe mused solemnly. ¡°She¡¯s just returned, and I have a reliable source stating that she¡¯ll be


    taking wedding photos with Patrick next week.¡±


    John stayed silent, so Zoe pressed, ¡°I¡¯m serious, John. Cordy will really marry another man if you don¡¯t


    make a move.¡±


    Jay finally spoke up, unable to stand it anymore. ¡°Just cut it out.¡±


    Zoe pout. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll regret not listening to your elders.¡±


    Silence ensued in the car soon after, when John suddenly said, ¡°Take me to Levine Manor.¡±


    ¡°Levine Manor?¡± Jay repeated for confirmation.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Jay did not press the issue-even if things had be unpleasant between him and the


    Levines, it did not affect their rtionship.


    It was not to mention there were not that many Levines left, and Jay always could see how Nancy had


    been good to John.


    Jay hence told the chauffeur to take them to Levine Manor, and as John got off, he asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you


    coming?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jay said shortly.


    John said seen the news, and nodded-he would never press the issue.

 Chapter 1135

    Chapter 1135


    Chapter 1135


    John¡¯s return to Levine Manor left the servants gaping at him.


    Some were actually spooked, since they were told that he was dead!


    As such, Nancy hurried out of her room upstairs and was left staring nkly for a long while when she


    saw John, thinking for a second that she had seen a ghost.


    She eventually yelped loudly, and Cora hurried out of her room as well before getting bbergasted to


    see John in the living room.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not dead, John?¡± she asked gingerly.


    ¡°Nope,¡± John said nonchntly. ¡°I survived by chance.¡±


    Nancy hurried out down the stairs, still in shock but mustering her courage to throw her arms around


    John.¡± Johnny, you¡¯re alive¡­ You¡¯re really alive¡­¡±


    John¡¯s heart raced a little.


    Having grown up at Levine Manor, he knew Nancy¡¯s character best¡ªothers aside, she was genuinely


    kind to him.


    He returned her hug. ¡°I¡¯m home now, Aunt Nancy.¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how hard it¡¯s been over the years¡­¡± Nancy sobbed hysterically in her arms. ¡°You


    could¡¯vee back sooner¡­ Even Dad¡¯s gone now, Johnny¡­¡±


    It took a long while for Nancy to calm down a little as they caught up. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving after this, are


    you, Johnny?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. You shouldn¡¯t leave¡­ You¡¯d give me a heart attack like Jay Parker!¡± Nancy huffed,


    absolutely seething at the mention of the name.


    Nheless, John said bluntly. ¡°I¡¯ve seen everything on the news about you and Uncle Jay. I don¡¯t


    think he¡¯s at fault.¡±


    ¡°Are you siding with him too, Johnny?! Do you know what I¡¯ve been through?!¡± Nancy cried, agitated


    right then.


    She was certainly under the impression that John had returned to back her up, especially since their


    family was dwindling. It was as if without a man holding the fort, most of the people who used to


    respect their family were starting to turn against them.


    Now that John finally returned after all those years, she was certainly eager to rally the family and


    punish those who disrespected them viciously¡­ only for John to not take her side?!


    She was certainly overwhelmed!


    Nheless, John remained blunt. ¡°Any grievances between you and Zoe were over the instant you


    chased her out of the family. If anything, your spite should be leveled at Ivan York or even ra


    Gooding-Zoe was a victim too.¡±


    ¡°But she-¡°


    ¡°I understand that it¡¯s unrealistic for you to ept Zoe. Anyone would feel indignant if the same thing


    were to happen to them, and I understand if you can¡¯t stand the sight of her, but you went out of your


    way to harass her and even cut ties with Jay because of that. It¡¯s something I can never agree with,¡±


    John said sharply.


    Nancy was certainly frustrated, but she was keener to listen to John than Jay, not to mention that he


    had just returned and she did not want things to get sour between them right away.


    And he was the only man who could hold the fort now.


    ¡°As for you, Cora.¡± John turned toward the other woman, who was sitting beside them and remained on


    edge for a while now.


    Cordy¡¯s heart could stop right then-she was certainly apprehensive when John mentioned Zoe and


    guilty since she was the one who harassed Zoe.


    And John was obviously siding with Zoe and Jay¡­


    She stared at John worriedly. ¡°John¡­¡±


    ¡°Things could¡¯ve gone well between you and Bob, including marriage and starting a family. Your


    jealousy was what caused your break-up, and Zoe isn¡¯t at fault. You brought it on yourself.¡±

 Chapter 1136

    Chapter 1136


    Chapter 1136


    Cora certainly wanted to argue. ¡°But, I¡­1


    John, however, remained stern and solemn. ¡°You have much toin about, and you feel that Zoe


    has stolen your rights and identity-but in reality, Zoe was the one who was hurt the most when the truth


    came out, and the reason is simple: rags to riches is easy, but the converse is hard.¡±


    ¡°You need to understand¡ªI¡¯m not telling you that you¡¯re not the victim, but Zoe was never the culprit.


    She was sent back to where she belonged after being thrown out of this house so mercilessly, and


    neither of you have any excuse to vent your grievances on her.¡±


    The atmosphere in the living room was stiffened.


    Still, Nancy was indignant to see that her daughter was left blushing by John¡¯s words, and she growled


    through gritted teeth, ¡°Weren¡¯t you on my side when we first found out that Zoe wasn¡¯t my daughter?


    You¡¯re nowpletely on her side just because she¡¯s with Jay now-¡°


    ¡°It was a selfish act on my part,¡± John said, holding her gaze without flinching. ¡°When we discovered


    the truth, I could be understanding since you probably couldn¡¯t take the blow, and I abandoned Zoe just


    then. But after so many years, I presume you would¡¯ve calmed down, seen the truth of the matter, and


    gone about it rationally. In that sense, you disappoint me.¡±


    While John¡¯s words left Nancy dumbstruck, he continued,¡± Naturally, I¡¯d never demand that you ept


    Zoe or tell you to give up on all your obstinance. But why don¡¯t you think about it long and hard now-


    was Zoe at fault in this at all?¡±


    Nancy remained silent, while Cora was afraid to speak, so John did not press the issue. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll


    get some rest in my room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping it the way it was,¡± Nancy quickly said.


    Whatever John would say, she still considered him family.


    John was certainly aware how Nancy felt about him, but kinship was no excuse to ignore conscience or


    moral codes.


    And most importantly, he wanted the family to be whole again too


    Still, Nancy was tagging along as John returned


    ¡°Johnny.¡± Nancy suddenly asked, ¡± Did you know that Cordy has a boyfriend¡­?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied. ¡°I know everything you do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried¡­ Well, alright. You get some rest¡ª1¡¯11 leave you to it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    As Nancy gently closed the door and left, Johny in his huge bed.


    In reality, he was not as cold as he appeared to be, and he wondered if Cordy would really marry


    Patrick just like that!


    It was noon when John woke up.


    He did not really sleep, since he merely stayed in bed to think about what he was supposed to do next.


    His family had been falling to decline since his departure- he had to rally them in dedication to histe


    grandfather¡¯s memory.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    He got out of bed and headed downstairs, stopping halfway when he saw Cordy and Richard on the


    couch, while Nancy and Cora were strangely absent.


    Cordy, who was looking at her phone, felt his gaze and looked up in reflex.


    Their eyes met just like that, out of the blue.

 Chapter 1137

    Chapter 1137


    Chapter 1137


    Richard called out to him in surprise. ¡°Daddy?!¡±


    On the other hand, Cordy turned away in a split second.


    John did the same. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°When did youe back?¡± Richard asked excitedly.


    John headed downstairs and walked up to them ¡°Just did.¡±


    ¡°Where have you been? Why didn¡¯t you contact me? Your replies were half-hearted, too,¡± Richard


    huffed, clearly upset. ¡°I thought you¡¯d gone missing again.¡±


    ¡°I had something to do.¡±


    ¡°Your face is back now,¡± Richard pointed out in surprise just then.


    He was busyining about John being distant to him and only noticed just then that John¡¯s face


    was much better.


    There were no burn marks to be seen, and most importantly, John¡¯s original appearance was restored,


    and he no longer looked like Lucas Lynch.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied again, and nced at Cordy.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Her eyes were glued to her phone and she was not looking at him again. He actually had the feeling


    that she did not get a good look at him when they traded nces for a second.


    ¡°Are you leavingter, Daddy?¡± Richard asked eagerly.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Will you be staying in North City from now on?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m staying here too,¡± Richard quickly said.


    ¡°Okay.¡± John nodded.


    With that, father and son kept chatting, while Cordy never said a word or looked up throughout until


    Nancy emerged from the kitchen at the back. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up already, Johnny? I called Cordy and Dicky,


    since I miss them and it¡¯s been a while, and you happen to be here too. Don¡¯t you miss Daddy too,


    Dicky?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded repeatedly.


    ¡°Of course. Nowe, let¡¯s have lunch together,¡± Nancy quickly beckoned.


    As everyone sat down at the dining table, Richard asked as a matter of courtesy, ¡°Isn¡¯t Aunt Cora


    coming home?¡±


    ¡°She can¡¯t make it since she¡¯s working,¡± Nancy replied and cheerfully put more food on Richard¡¯s te.


    ¡°Eat more, Dicky -you¡¯re going through puberty, so you have to make sure you have enough nutrients.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandaunt,¡± Richard said politely.


    Nancy did the same for John after Richard. ¡°It¡¯s been years since you¡¯re home, Johnny. Are you used


    to the food here? You¡¯ve really lost weight too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine,¡± John replied, before adding, ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nancy said and started serving Cordy as well.


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine on my own,¡± Cordy quickly said.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you move back here with Dicky? Johnny¡¯s back, and it¡¯s high time your family reunited,¡±


    Nancy said as if it was only natural.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    When Cordy received Nancy¡¯s call to bring Richard home today on the pretext of her missing Richard,


    Cordy presumed to be just that.


    Now, however, she finally understood what Nancy was plotting, and said nonchntly, ¡°Dicky is now


    eleven. He can choose where he wants to live, and I¡¯ll respect his decision.¡±


    Hearing that, Richard turned toward her and asked, ¡°What about you, Mommy?¡±


    Cordy smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll live in my own house, of course.¡±


    Richard hung his head in clear disappointment.


    ¡°Cordy, Levine Manor isrge enough, so you can just move in,¡± Nancy said enthusiastically


    nheless. ¡°The more the merrier, and since you haven¡¯t married Johnny before, we could-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m marrying Patrick Stuart,¡± Cordy said bluntly, cutting her short. ¡°There¡¯s no connection between


    myself and John, so we can¡¯t live together.¡±


    John pursed his lips in silence.


    Nancy said anxiously, ¡°Johnny can¡¯te back because of unexpected circumstances. Now that he¡¯s


    back, your family can be reunited, so how could you-¡°


    ¡°Aunt Nancy, stop,¡± John said, cutting Nancy short.


    He understood that Nancy was being kind, but he did not want Cordy to be put in a difficult situation.


    Cordy looked up at John and slowly said, ¡°I¡¯m really getting married.¡±

 Chapter 1138

    Chapter 1138


    Chapter 1138


    John nodded. ¡°I know. Zoe told me.¡±


    Cordy said nothing else at that, and everyone else stayed silent.


    She left Levine Manor after lunch but told Richard to stay since she could tell that he really wanted to


    stay with John.


    But even as she stepped outside, a familiar voice called out to her from behind. ¡°Cordy.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she pursed her lips and turned to find John standing there.


    ¡°Your phone,¡± he said, holding it out to her.


    It turned out that she had left it on the couch.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said as she took it, surprised that she would have left it in Levine Manor¡ªshe would


    never usually forget things.


    Even so, she had to admit that her emotions were affected when she saw John¡¯s face restored to how


    it was, no matter how hard she tried to ignore it.


    ¡°When¡¯s the wedding?¡± John asked.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t decided,¡± Cordy said. ¡°It¡¯ll be in a few months.¡±


    John smiled faintly in turn. ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Do you need a ride?¡± John asked. ¡°It¡¯s easy to get tired after lunch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Cordy rejected his offer.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Alright. See you then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send Dicky home in the evening.¡±


    ¡°Let him decide. Tell him to call me if he wants to go home, and I¡¯ll pick him up.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Cordy turned to leave.


    This was their rtionship now-distant, but amicable.


    In the evening, Cordy headed home after working overtime.


    She was nning to rx for the weekend. However, considering that she would need to leave for


    Rocktown in a couple days to take her wedding photos, and Richard was not around, she went to


    work¡­ and ended up staying all the way until 10 PM.


    When she returned to the mansion, she could hear that things were lively inside, unlike the usual


    silence.


    Richard was usually quiet, and it went without saying for the servants to.


    She entered the living room to find Richard and John watching TV together, and her eyes narrowed in


    clear displeasure.


    ¡°Wee home, Mommy,¡± Richard greeted her just then.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied a little coolly.


    Richard had always been sharp, and he quickly exined,¡± Daddy brought me home when I said I


    wanted toe back, and I asked him to stay with me since you weren¡¯t around. You¡¯re not angry,


    are-¡°


    Even before Richard finished, Cordy put down her bag and strode off as they watched, saying, ¡°Call me


    ahead of time if I¡¯m not around. I¡¯m not used to having strangers in my home without my knowledge.¡±


    Those words were clearly meant for John.

 Chapter 1139

    Chapter 1139


    Chapter 1139


    Richard watched as Cordy left, looking a little disappointed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Daddy,¡± he said guiltily. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± John replied and patted Richard¡¯s head.


    John did not realize it, but Richard really grew up as if in an instant.


    ¡°I thought it¡¯s still possible for you and Mommy. I didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be so angry,¡± Richard exined.


    ¡°I know.¡± John nodded.


    It¡¯s not all Richard¡¯s fault either, since John could have left if he insisted.


    In the end, it was John who wanted to see her-even for seconds.


    He had his own expectations, after all.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. You¡¯re still growing, so go to bed soon. I¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°Do you want toe over tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to school tomorrow, and I¡¯m used to staying here. But I¡¯ll visit if I¡¯m free on weekends.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, just call me if you miss me.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John left¡ªRichard thought about it, but he ultimately got up and headed to Cordy¡¯s room.


    He knocked politely, and Cordy opened the door.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Richard said, utterly apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry-l didn¡¯t think asking Daddy to stay would upset


    you so much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°No, I insisted that he stay,¡± Richard exined in agitation.¡± He was going to leave after bringing me


    home, but I told him no. He was going to call you after we left Levine Manor, but I didn¡¯t let him. It¡¯s


    really all my fault.¡±


    Cordy naturally felt pained to see Richard being so guilty, though in reality, she was not snapping at


    him.


    She knew very well that Richard would never have been able to make John stay if John refused to.


    But when she thought about it, John was Richard¡¯s biological father, and they had been years apart. It


    was perfectly reasonable if John wanted to hang out with Richard.


    If anything, her tantrum was out of line.


    Sighing, she said, ¡°I was not being calm. I¡­ I just didn¡¯t want you to try to get us together again. I¡¯m


    going to marry


    Patrick, and that¡¯s not going to change. I don¡¯t want to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Richard quickly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I


    wanted you to be with Daddy, and I always thought that it was a shame to leave things the way it was¡­


    but Daddy told me and things are going well between you and Patrick, and I shouldn¡¯t mess with your


    happiness.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips and said nothing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mommy.¡± Richard apologized again.


    ¡°I¡¯m really not upset, and I promise I won¡¯t lose it in front of you and Daddy from now on.¡±


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard nodded, but soon remembered something.¡± By the way, Daddy made mushroom soup.


    Have you had dinner? Would you like some?¡±


    Cordy raised a brow.


    ¡°I mean¡­ Daddy made it for you, but he told me not to tell,¡± Richard said seriously. ¡°But I think you can


    be friends even if you¡¯re not married¡­ that¡¯s not a problem, right?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, realizing for a second that she was less rational than a ten-year-old.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have some. I didn¡¯t have dinner.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Richard happily nodded repeatedly. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a bowl. You shoulde downstairs too.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Richard left cheerfully, Cordy took a deep breath.


    Ultimately, John was Richard¡¯s father-there was no way they would really stay out of touch.


    After that, Cordy left for Rocktown to take wedding photos with Patrick and decided on the eighteenth


    of May for their wedding day.

 Chapter 1140

    Chapter 1140


    Chapter 1140


    The wedding would be in two months.


    Zoe had a feeling she could not quite describe as she browsed the photos Cordy sent, especially since


    John was discussing rebuilding Levine Ventures with Jay in the house.


    She mused if she should show John the photos and actually make him give up.


    Judging from the current state of things, John really showed no intention of getting Cordy back. In fact,


    he had put on his workaholic form again andpletely focused on work.


    She walked over and asked, ¡°Want another coffee?¡±


    John nodded and gently pushed his cup to the side, letting her refill it without ncing her way.


    Zoe was speechless-she was supposed to be his elder, his aunt, and he did not even thank her.


    However, she seemed used to it and refilled both John and Jay¡¯s cups.


    Still, she had to admit that men were so good looking when they were working seriously.


    They were both seated at the table in front of the ss wall, and it was honestly a feast for the eyes as


    the sun illuminated their silhouettes.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    How could Cordy not fall for that?


    ¡°Zoe?¡± Jay turned to find her with a broad, silly grin on her face.


    Zoe quickly came to her senses, realizing that she had inadvertently spaced out¡­ but John was just so


    handsome!


    Still, she brought the two cups of coffee over. ¡°Here you go.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jay said politely, while John still ignored her.


    ¡°You should go back to your room,¡± Jay suddenly told Zoe.


    ¡°Am I disturbing you?¡± Zoe asked, giving him a wounded look.


    She had been staying in the living room since they wanted to work in peace, refraining from even


    breathing too loudly¡­ What more did they want?!


    However, Jay could not tell her that she was almost drooling as she ogled at John¡¯s face.


    Jay was used to it, since she always tagged along wherever John went-she was a lookist through and


    through.


    But considering that they were not blood rted now, certain matters needed to be snuffed out in the


    cradle.


    ¡°I was worried that you¡¯d be bored. Go to your room and y something.¡±


    ¡°I can do the same here,¡± Zoe said, feeling Jay was being weird.


    ¡°Go to your room. You¡¯re affecting us a little,¡± John said coolly then.


    Zoe¡¯s bad temper red right then, but instead of arguing, she whipped out her phone and showed him


    Cordy and Patrick¡¯s wedding photos.


    John blinked, staring at Cordy in a bridal dress and leaning into Patrick¡¯s chest with a blissful smile.


    He was ready for the fact that she would marry, but actually seeing it still left a stinging pain in his


    chest-as if pricked by a million needles.


    He averted his eyes, appearing unaffected while Zoe snapped, ¡°Do you know why you lost Cordy or


    couldn¡¯t beat Patrick Stuart?! Because you¡¯re always so cold! That¡¯s why Cordy is now marrying


    someone else!¡±

 Chapter 1141

    Chapter 1141


    Chapter 1141


    Jay stopped her right then, ¡°Zoe.


    Zoe sighed heavily but snapped in disappointment at John regardless, ¡°Now you¡¯ll be forever alone!¡±


    And with that, she stormed off.


    John finally turned away from theptop screen, whipping out a cigarette, thinking about it and asked,


    ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Do it on the balcony,¡± Jay said. ¡°Yelena doesn¡¯t like the smell of tobo whenever she¡¯s home.¡±


    John nodded and headed there, and Jay went with him.


    The sun was just right today, but Jay had the feeling that even a warmer sun would not melt the


    coldness in John¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you do something?¡± he asked eventually. ¡°There won¡¯t be a chance only if you don¡¯t fight for


    it, but there will be if you do.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± John said, breathing out a puff of smoke.¡± No one can change Cordy¡¯s mind once she¡¯s


    made her decision.¡±


    John nodded, since he knew that much about Cordy.


    News about Cordy¡¯s wedding started circting in two months, and their wedding photos were posted


    online soon after.


    There were countlessments.


    [Gosh! Cordy Sachs is so beautiful! I¡¯m a woman, but I¡¯m smitten too!]


    [She would bewitch both men and women!]


    [Patrick Stuart is looking good too. I never understood his charm before, but he looks marvelous now


    that he¡¯s with Cordy!]


    [They are a match made in heaven! I¡¯m looking forward to their grand wedding!]


    At the offices of Levine Ventures, Randy Martin strode out of his boss¡¯s office.


    The man was working overtime even though it was already long past 10 PM, not to mention that he had


    worked overnight yesterday.


    It hurt Randy to see it.


    Just a month ago, John returned and re-established Levine Ventures, giving him a call to re-recruit him.


    He almost burst into tears when he heard the man¡¯s voice, since he was always convinced of John¡¯s


    death.


    He thought it was just some con, but finally believed him when he saw the man in the flesh.


    Soon after, he started working with the man to rebuild everything, knowing what he was capable of.


    In under a month, thepany was on the right track thanks to him working overtime endlessly, but


    that also meant he lost the missus.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t had dinner, Mr. Levine,¡± Randy reminded him then.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied, otherwise not reacting much.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Randy had to brace himself and add, ¡°That means it¡¯s time you stop working, sir. I¡¯m worried you¡¯ll kill


    yourself from overwork if you keep this up.¡±


    John frowned, and it actually took him a moment to realize what Randy was talking about.


    He rubbed his aching temples, chuckling, ¡°I won¡¯t die so easily.¡±


    If he did, he would have died on more than one asion.


    And he was alive and well now, no?


    The world was inevitably kind to him.


    Nheless, Randy added resolutely, ¡°You did not sleepst night and took only an hour¡¯s nap this


    morning-it¡¯s already past ten now. You can finish up tomorrow anyway- allow me to send you home,


    sir.¡±


    John nced at the tasks he had on hisputer in turn.


    In reality, all the pressing tasks had beenpleted, and the rest could wait until tomorrow¡­ or even


    the day after.


    He just wanted the distraction.


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s time.¡± John nodded-he could not keep running away anyway.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something else,¡± Randy said as he suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an invitation for you.¡± Randy handed him an envelope respectfully.


    He actually got it in the morning but did not give it to John since he had been busy throughout.


    ¡°Who sent it?¡±


    ¡°The Stuarts from Rocktown.¡± John¡¯s fingers stiffened.

 Chapter 1142

    Chapter 1142


    Chapter 1142


    Randy actually had a hunch, but there was no way he could hide it from John.


    He certainly knew how things were between his boss and hisdy...or Ms.Sachs now, given current


    circumstances.


    However, John was just gone for too long, and it was perfectly reasonable that Cordy had found


    someone new.He looked on, watching as John opened the envelope anyway.


    The wedding invitation was a fair whiteness, with a wedding photo of Cordy and Patrick attached.


    They looked sweet and happy¡ªa good match for one another.


    John stared at the invitation for a long time, which only stated Patrick''s name without Cordy.


    The wedding would take ce at noon on the eighteenth of May.


    "Sir?" Randy called out to him again, concerned that he would be staring at the invitation for an entire


    night¡ªhe would rather the man just go home and rest.


    "Is that the weekend?" John asked, lowering the invitation and looking normal again.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Yeah.It''s a Saturday."


    "Okay.Remember not to arrange any work for that day."


    "Yes, Mr.Levine," Randy replied, wondering if that meant John would be personally attending the


    wedding.


    "Let''s go," John said and rose to leave, with Randy quickly following.


    John was reclining against the backseat of the car, his expression cool, when the phone suddenly


    started ringing.


    John nced at the screen and slowly answered, "Hello."


    "I''m Patrick Stuart."


    "I know."


    "I heard you''ve been busytely.Would I be imposing at this hour?" Patrick asked.


    "I just left work."


    "I see.Have you received the invitation?"


    "Yes," John replied.


    "I didn''t do it to brag, and it''s no act of provocation.I just think that I''d like you to attend my wedding with


    Cordy as Dicky''s father," Patrick said.


    "Yeah, I''ll be there."


    John agreed to it right away before adding, "Congrattions."


    "Thank you."


    Patrick''s tone was buoyed with cheer, and it was not difficult to pick up on his joy.


    "Well, I shan''t impose.See you there."


    "Yeah."


    John hung up and sighed.


    In the end, the day came anyway.


    How was he supposed to escape it anyway?! In the evening of May eighteenth, John was working


    overtime again when Zoe suddenly called him.


    "What is it?" he asked, exceedingly casual as he always had been toward her.


    "I''m your aunt, John Levine! Watch yournguage! Show some respect!" Zoe snapped loudly.


    John frowned¡ªshe sounded drunk.


    "Have you been drinking? "How''d you know?"


    "Is Jay there?"


    "Of course not.How would I enjoy myself if he were?"


    Zoeughed exaggeratedly when she was finished.


    "Go home already!"


    John snapped sternly.


    "Watch your tone, John Levine! I''m your elder!"


    "Where are you?"


    "What, are youing over?"


    "I''ll tell Jay to take you home."


    "I refuse!" Zoe snapped resolutely.


    "I''m not leaving until I have fun..."


    "Zoe York!"


    "Unless youe to pick me up,"


    Zoe suddenly added.


    John was glowering from impatience towards Zoe, but he relented in the end.


    "Where are you?!"

 Chapter 1143

    Chapter 1143


    Chapter 1143


    Zoe gave him the address, so John drove over to pick her up.


    There were indeed not many women who could make John put away his work.


    When he reached the destination, he called Zoe.


    "Come out.I''m waiting for you at the entrance." Zoe answered ina drunk manner, "Come in.I can''t walk."


    "Don''t push your luck!"


    "Room 808."


    She abruptly hung up the call.


    John took a deep breath.He would have pressed the gas pedal and left immediately if it were not for


    Jay''s sake.He then got out of the car and walked into the private room.


    The door was pushed open, and he thought that it would be smoky and filled with loud music.


    Based on Zoe''s former character, all people in there would be drunk.


    However, it was strangely quiet, with only three people staying together to drink wine.


    There was no music in the private room, and it was brightly lit.So, he saw Cordy drinking and chatting


    with Zoe and Quinn the minute he entered the room.


    His appearance was quite abrupt, and while he was feeling awkward, Zoe immediately walked to the


    door and held his hand.


    "Bro, no.My nephew is here!"


    Consequently, John became speechless and gloomy.


    "Come in now."


    Zoe had to drag him into the room before then pulling him to the sofa.


    Ignoring the other two people and the fact that Cordy was in the limelight today, she forced John to sit


    beside her.


    "It''s Cordy''s bachelorette party today," Zoe announced excitedly.


    "We''re having a wonderful time.Drink with us."


    "Zoe,"


    John uttered as he gnashed his teeth.


    If they were alone, he might have strangled her to death by now.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    "Why are you so fierce toward me? I did this for you!" Zoe eximed angrily.


    "Cordy is about to get married tomorrow, but you can''te to the wedding either.I''m letting you see


    her tonight.Shouldn''t you thank me?"


    "Who told you I can''t go?" John asked fiercely.


    "Are you going to snatch the bride?"


    Zoe became excited.


    Quinn was struck speechless.


    Did Zoe ignore the fact that Cordy was right beside them? Couldn''t they whisper? ¡®These cousins,


    no...This aunt and her nephew should talk about that in private"


    "I received an invitation," John exined honestly.


    "Did you?"


    Zoe was full of disbelief.She turned to look at Cordy.


    "Didn''t you tell me that you didn''t invite him?"


    Cordy frowned slightly.That was true.She found it unnecessary to invite him.


    "It was Patrick who invited me," John exined.


    Cordy pursed her lips.She was full of unspeakable feelings, but it did not affect her much.


    Many people would attend the wedding, so it was fine if he came.He could even help take care of


    Richard, as it was very possible that she could not take care of Richard when she got busy the next


    day.


    "Patrick is so generous.Isn''t he afraid that you would elope with his bride while he watched?" Zoe


    asked agitatedly.


    "Do you think everyone is as childish as you?" John said grumpily.


    "We''re actual adults, y''know."


    "Didn''t it ever ur to you?"Zoe did not believe him.


    How much did John love Cordy, after all?

 Chapter 1144

    Chapter 1144


    Chapter 1144


    He loved her to the core.


    Could he watch her throw herself into another man''s arms? John did not want to talk much with Zoe.


    "Are you going or not?"


    "Are you leaving?"


    Zoe appeared disappointed.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I have something else to do."


    "Have some wine."


    Zoe grabbed his clothes and refused to let go.


    "Let''s have a drink since you''re here!"


    John red at Zoe.


    "It''s been a long time since west had a drink.You finally came back alive.Just do me the favor."


    Zoe picked up a ss of wine and shoved it into John''s hands.


    John''s face turned gloomy.


    "Just sit for a while if you''re free," Cordy chimed in.


    "After all, we''ll go back in a while because we need to wake up early tomorrow."


    John''s heart wavered.


    He pursed his lips and answered, "Hmm."


    "Tsk!"


    Zoe was full of scorn.


    "It''s useless no matter how much I say.Just one word from Cordy is enough to persuade you!"


    "Isn''t that what you wish for?" Quinn inevitably criticized her.


    Zoe thought for a while.


    "That seems to be the case."


    After that, she became overjoyed.


    "Come.Let¡¯s drink and celebrate Cordy''sst night of being single!"


    Three people lifted their sses.


    "Hurry up,"


    Zoe urged John.


    Hence, John had no choice but to lift his ss.He did not want to celebrate herst night of being


    single at all.But...He raised the ss and drank with them.


    Though Zoe promised to just stay for a while, she was quite excited and wanted to go after getting


    wasted.


    In short, the party would not end if the other two people did not get drunk since it was Zoe''s ce.


    John knew that Cordy had to wake up early the next morning, so it would be very ufortable if she


    got drunk and had a hangover.


    However, he could not stop Zoe''s great enthusiasm for drinking, so he took the initiative to drink with


    her.


    While drinking, Zoe could not continue anymore.


    She roared at John, "You vented your resentment on me.I feel like vomiting from drinking with you.Go


    and drink with Cordy if you dare.Don''t always drink with me.Aren''t you afraid of retribution if you get


    your aunt drunk? I have to wake up early tomorrow morning and be a beautiful bridesmaid!"


    "You know that you have to wake up early tomorrow morning.Isn''t it the same for Cordy? She has to be


    the bride! " John eximed grumpily.


    "John, are you trying to protect Cordy?"


    "Do you want to drink? If not, let''s go home."John ignored her.


    "John, aren''t you dumb? If you get Cordy drunk tonight and she can''t wake up, there won''t be a


    wedding tomorrow..."


    "Drink!"


    John interrupted Zoe, forcing her to drink with him.


    On the other hand, Zoe was not the kind of person who would refuse to drink.


    Hence, she had another ss of wine with John.


    After that, she could not take it anymore and hurriedly ran to the washroom.


    Quinn noticed that Zoe was very ill at ease, so she hurriedly ran after Zoe.


    She could also leave some space for John and Cordy.


    After they left, it became slightly awkward.


    Cordy did not drink much, with John and Zoe being the ones who were drinking.


    John could drink a lot, but he could not take it when Zoe wanted to drink so enthusiastically.


    At that moment, he was slightly drunk and felt a slight difort in his stomach.


    In the silence, Cordy got up out of the blue.


    With that, John put away the things he wanted to say.


    Cordy was still bothered by his arrival very much, but she just behaved out of cordiality.He rubbed his


    sick belly and sent Jay a message, asking him toe and pick Zoe up.


    Zoe could not drink anymore, and it would be out of the line if she continued drinking.


    After he sent the message and was about to get up, someone handed him a ss of warm water all of


    a sudden.

 Chapter 1145

    Chapter 1145


    Chapter 1145


    John was stunned, struck dumb on the spot and not epting the ss of water for a long time.


    Cordy originally thought that it was a very normal action.


    It was her bachelorette party that night, and since John was there to drink with them, she should treat


    him politely.


    However, John''s current action made her feel a bit awkward.


    She was about to put it down and go to ask Zoe and Quinn to leave when John epted it.


    "Thank you."


    "You''re wee."


    John extended his hand to ept the ss of water, and surprisingly, he touched Cordy''s hand by


    ident.


    Cordy behaved naturally and let go of the ss.


    On the other hand, John retrieved his hand as if he was frightened.


    The two of them let go of the ss at the same time, and all the water in the ss sshed on John''s


    pants.


    ng! The ss fell to the floor and was smashed into pieces, and they were struck dumb for half a


    second.


    "Are you okay? Are you burned?"


    Cordy naturally took out a napkin to wipe his pants for him.


    John swallowed vigorously and agitatedly, seemingly trying his best to hold himself back.


    After wiping for a while, Cordy realized something amiss.


    Most of the part that was drenched was around the crotch of his pants...She thus immediately retrieved


    her hand, but John grabbed her hand fiercely.


    Cordy knitted her brows and looked at John.She noticed that his eyes seemed to have turned red.


    Moreover, his breathing was hot, and his whole body was burning.


    She knew that John had drunk a bit much tonight, so she thought they should end the party earlier, but


    she never thought that John would lose control of himself after getting drunk.She moved her hand


    slightly, trying to break free of his grasp.


    He then abruptly yanked her into his arms.


    "John..."


    Before she could finish speaking, his burning lips were stamped hard on her lips.He put away all the


    words she wanted to say.


    "Hmm..."


    Cordy struggled.


    Unexpectedly, John would suddenly lose control of himself.


    Was he this drunk, or was he trying to push his luck by using his drunkenness? She twisted


    ceaselessly, but he hugged her tighter.


    He then pushed her onto the sofa to stop her from struggling.


    Cordy could not resist under John''s body given how petite she was.


    Besides, he exerted himself more the more she resisted and struggled underneath his body.


    His tenseness and recklessness were so obvious.


    John kissed her wildly and fervently.She had never seen him behave so crazy before.


    She opened her mouth, but he invaded her privacy even more, so she bit hard on his lips, and a tinge


    of blood lingered between their lips.


    However, he did not want to retreat at all, with his kisses bing even more passionate.


    Cordy could not resist him at all.


    Consequently, the grievances and unspeakable sadness in her heart made her cry profusely.


    She generally would not cry so easily.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    She would suffer in silence regardless of how great an issue she faced and ask herself to stay strong.


    It was hard for her to reach her current state and stay alive like this after all these years.


    At that moment, she did not know why she felt so aggrieved, as if she had suffered a great grievance.


    John''s kisses turned from rude to gentle now because he seemed to have felt herpromise.


    He kissed her tenderly as if she was a great treasure.


    Both Zoe and Quinn were shuddering in the washroom of the private room.

 Chapter 1146

    Chapter 1146


    Chapter 1146


    Quinn did purposely leave them some time to be with each other because she felt that John might want


    to say something to Cordy.


    However, it was beyond her expectation that they would go straight to that.


    Should she go out now or stay in the washroom? At first, Zoe was quite drunk.


    At that moment, she seemed to have be sober.


    She watched their romance excitedly.


    Besides, she rather enjoyed it.


    Could she watch that for free? It was a pity that they did not be actors and shoot films.


    She was still trying to figure out if they should keep on watching if John and Cordy decided to go all


    out...


    Feeling anxious, they were full ofplicated feelings.


    The two people on the sofa were entangled even more.


    John''s lips left her tender lips before he started kissing her neck.


    He put his hot,rge palm under her clothes...


    Suddenly, his body stiffened when he tried to unhook her bra.


    He seemed to have woken up from being sshed with icy water when he saw the tears at the corner


    of her eyes as well as the hatred and despair in her gaze.


    She bit her lips hard, but she did not scream.


    The hatred in her eyes could ruin his soul¡ªit was telling him how despicable and vulgar he was now.


    He was an eyesore to her.


    As a result, he abruptly moved away from her body as if he had be sober all of a sudden, and he


    seemed to have regained his wits.


    Why did he do that just now? Why did he force her so? After he calmed down, he could recall how he


    had forced himself on her just now.


    Currently, he did not even know why he lost control of himself.


    Why did he...


    He was about to speak when someone opened the door of the private room.


    Jay hade to pick Zoe up.


    He knew that Zoe would be self-indulgent tonight, so he had been waiting at home all this while without


    going to bed.


    When he received John''s message, he quickly rushed over.


    After he opened the door, he saw the two figures who were entangled on the sofa, which shocked him


    vehemently.


    He instinctively wanted to close the door, but in his rush to leave, he nearly turned his wheelchair over.


    John pushed Cordy¡¯s body down hard under his body at that moment.


    He blocked her messy clothes and her intimates that were slightly exposed.


    "Are you done?" Cordy asked him.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Excruciating pain engulfed him.


    He did not even dare to look into her eyes now but he forced himself to do so.He knew how much she


    hated her now.So, he said, "I''m sorry."


    "Step aside if you''re done."


    It was hard for her to be so calm.


    She remainedposed as if she felt nothing.


    Her tears ran down uncontrobly, and it was hard to look away from her.


    John got up from Cordy''s body, while she also got up from the sofa.


    Her clothes were in disarray, but she silently smoothed them.


    John opened his mouth to say something but he could not bring himself to say anything.


    It was useless regardless of what he said now, and she must hate him to the core now.


    He did not know why he behaved so.


    Was it because of the alcohol, or did he covet that vehemently? "Why don''t you p me?"


    Finally, John spoke up.


    Cordy had done smoothing her clothes, and she was holding back her tears.


    She stated, "That''s unnecessary.It happens to help me get rid of all the feelings I have for you!"


    John pursed his lips tightly in deep grief.


    Cordy imed that she still felt something for him, but now all was ruined...

 Chapter 1147

    Chapter 1147


    Chapter 1147


    After Cordy smoothed her clothes, she got up to leave.


    ¡¯Cordy.¡± Zoe could not hold herself back anymore, so she ran out of the washroom.


    She staggered, so she nearly threw herself on Cordy and made Cordy fall.


    ¡® Are you going?¡± Zoe hugged Cordy and refused to let go.


    ¡°Hmm, I have to wake up early tomorrow. You guys should go home early.¡±


    ¡® Let me give you a ride home.¡±


    ¡¯Look at you. You¡¯d better take care of yourself,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Mr. Parker is at the door.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll give you a ride.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Quinn chimed in. ¡®You and Mr. Parker should go home first. You can¡¯t even walk steadily.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Zoe, listen to me.¡± Quinn sounded serious.


    Zoe bit her lips. She wanted to chat for a little longer with Cordy.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave with Cordy first.¡± Quinn ignored Zoe before she was about to leave with Cordy.


    The door was opened, and Jay was indeed at the door.


    When he saw Cordye out, he appeared slightly awkward.


    ¡°Zoe is drunk. Please take care of her.¡± On the contrary, Cordy spoke up very naturally.


    ¡°Okay, do you want me to give you a ride?¡±


    ¡°Let me,¡± Quinn hurriedly said.


    So, Jay mentioned nothing more about that.


    It would be very awkward if he gave Cordy a ride now.


    After Cordy and Quinn left, Jay entered the private room, where he saw Zoe sitting unsteadily beside


    John. ¡°John, are you¡­ okay?¡±


    Did she not address him as her nephew?


    Jay rolled his wheelchair over to them, but he did not urge them to leave.


    After all, Zoe could easily get rid of her hangover. Being good at drinking, even if she was very drunk


    tonight, she could still be lively and energetic the next day.


    ¡°Johnny,¡± Jay called after John.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± John replied.


    He did not expose his emotions, but he picked up the ss of wine and started drinking.


    Zoe wanted to stop him, but she found it good to let him drown his sorrows.


    She picked up the ss and wanted to drink too, but Jay stopped her.


    Hence, she was dissatisfied.


    ¡°You¡¯re the bridesmaid tomorrow.¡± Jay reminded her.


    However, Zoe pouted.


    She was sober now, and she had regained her wits.


    She inevitably said, ¡°John, weren¡¯t you too impatient? You can¡¯t do that in front of everyone¡­ Although


    you¡¯re left with no options since she¡¯s going to marry tomorrow, you have to respect her thoughts. You


    can¡¯t do that just because you were drunk! Well, Cordy hates you even more now.¡±


    John remained silent, while Jay was struck speechless. ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much.¡±


    Did she not see how much pain John was in?


    That kind of affair¡­


    If he could hold himself back, he would not have gone to such an extent.


    Who was willing to see their beloved hate them?


    ¡°I was anxious too. I wanted to give him a chance on thest night. I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± Zoe was


    angry about how John let her down.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a chance at all. Cordy went to such lengths. Of course, there¡¯s no longer any chance


    between them!¡±


    ¡°So, are you saying that I made a mistake?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Yes, you were indeed wrong.¡±


    ¡°Jay, we¡¯ve just been married but you¡¯ve be weary of me now, huh?¡± Zoe interrogated him.

 Chapter 1148

    Chapter 1148


    Chapter 1148


    ¡°When did I say I got weary of you? I was talking about this affair. What you did wasn¡¯t very


    appropriate. You know that Cordy¡­¡± ¡°Fine! Let¡¯s get a divorce!¡± Zoe said angrily.


    ¡°Zoe!¡±


    ¡°Look! You¡¯re so fierce to me! As expected, all men are alike. They won¡¯t cherish you once they get


    you. Will you do what you did back then? You got together with another woman after kissing me!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I exin that to you? It was because I suddenly learned about our rtionship¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an excuse!¡± Zoe refused to listen. ¡°Jay, I saw through you. Let¡¯s get a divorce now!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Zoe. If you dare to say that again, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to abuse me physically? Well, I¡¯ll report you to the police if you abuse me. I¡¯ll expose your


    sins on the Inte, so you won¡¯t be able to survive in the entertainment circle¡­ Hmm!¡± Zoe widened


    her eyes.


    Jay! That b*stard! How could he kiss her in front of someone else?


    John was still around.


    She twisted her body to resist Jay, but he used a greater force as she struggled more, grabbing her


    tightly and prohibiting her from moving.


    Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­


    Jay was not gentle at all, so grievances washed over Zoe.


    On the other hand, John put the ss down and left quietly.


    He was in such deep grief, but he was forced to suffer through their lovey- dovey moment¡­


    It seemed like he was the only unhappy person in the whole world.


    Consequently, Zoe¡¯s lips became swollen from Jay¡¯s kisses.


    ¡°Do you still want to talk about divorce?¡± Jay threatened her.


    Zoe remained quiet because she did not dare to do so, afraid that he would bite her hard if she said


    anything more about that.


    Although she felt slightly aggrieved, inexplicable sweetness overcame her.


    Was Jay filled with a deep fear that she might give him up¡­


    ¡°D*mn!¡± Zoe suddenly regained her wits. ¡°Where is John? Where did he go?¡±


    She only realized then that they were the only ones left in the private room.


    Jay pulled Zoe over and ced her on hisp. ¡°He¡¯s long gone.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop him?¡± Zoe was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Do you want him to see us do it on the spot?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡®Jay, you¡¯ve changed!


    ¡®You¡¯ve be glib-tongued!¡¯


    He did not exercise his self-restraint at all.


    ¡°Leave him alone. He¡¯ll feel sadder if we try and console him now.¡± Jay sighed. ¡°No one can help him.


    He can only figure it out himself/


    ¡°I always feel that he can have whatever he wants. He was superior to others from when he was born,


    but he suffered a loss in Cordy¡¯s hands!


    Well, we¡¯re all fools of our destinies.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go home and rest. Don¡¯t you want to look pretty tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t John¡¯s wedding. So, what¡¯s the big deal of me being pretty?¡± Zoe muttered.


    Jay felt sorry too, but he could only ept it since things had turned out this way.


    The night was hazy.


    While Quinn was driving Cordy home, both of them remained silent for a long while.


    Quinn took a deep breath. She finally could not hold herself back. ¡°Cordy, you can still go back on your


    word.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes flickered.


    She turned her gaze from outside the window to Quinn.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you and John, but I feel that you guys still love each other. His


    love for you remains the same, and you¡¯ve been suppressing your feelings for him all this while¡­¡±


    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t true.¡± Cordy interrupted Quinn and uttered calmly, ¡°I no longer feel anything for him.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so sad if you feel nothing for him?¡± Quinn sounded firm. ¡°You cried so sad under John¡¯s


    body just now, and your gaze betrayed you now.


    Cordy, one¡¯s life isn¡¯t long. Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself over a few things.¡±

 Chapter 1149

    Chapter 1149


    Chapter 1149


    Cordy shook her head in silence.


    She did not know if she was telling Quinn or herself about her decision.


    ¡¯Cordy, you don¡¯t have to suppress yourself so. Your current choice is rted to the rest of your life.


    You¡­¡± Quinn tried to persuade her.


    However, Cordy interrupted her and said, ¡°Quinn, I¡¯m well aware of my choice.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re very rational. I also know that you¡¯ll work hard and lead a very good life once you¡¯ve


    made the choice. Patrick is indeed a good man. That¡¯s undeniable. You¡¯ll also be very happy if you


    marry him. I also believe that you guys can be very happy in the future, but Cordy, don¡¯t you feel sorry


    about that? Won¡¯t you think of someone when you have a dream one night¡­


    ¡ö


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Cordy answered very firmly.


    Quinn looked at her.


    ¡®Thank you, Quinn,¡± Cordy continued. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of all of the things you said, but it¡¯s unworthy for me


    to risk everything I have now for a few feelings I may have when I have a dream one night.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips.


    Of course, she knew what Cordy was talking about.


    Cordy still felt something for John, but those few feelings were nothing inparison with her


    perseverance and firm faith.


    Frankly, it was unworthy for her to give up everything she had experienced now for John¡¯s sake.


    Quinn did not know what happened between Cordy and John. He might have let Cordy down hard, so


    she could not give her a chance to forgive him.


    ¡® Among Zoe, you, and I, our characters resemble each other more, so I can¡¯t hide a lot of things from


    you. But you should be able to understand because our characters are alike. You know why I¡¯m making


    such a decision now,¡± Cordy uttered lightly.


    ¡® Yes, I do, but I also know that it¡¯s not hard to ept someone against one¡¯s principles. I once made


    the same choice as you, and I thought I¡¯d never waver for the rest of my life. But the moment I


    wavered, I realized that what I held on firmly wasn¡¯t important at all.¡± Quinn kept on trying to persuade


    Cordy.


    However, Cordy made no replies.


    She did not want to retort since Quinn might be right, but she did not approve of it either because she


    would still hold onto her thoughts. She would not waver.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    Thus, Quinn heaved a sigh.


    Cordy resembled Quinn more, so Quinn knew very well that no one could change Cordy¡¯s decision if


    she did not do so herself.


    She hoped that Cordy¡¯s future would be full of happiness.


    The next day, Cordy and Patrick¡¯s wedding became a hot search query before dawn.


    It would be held in North City, and it was said that they would also hold a wedding ceremony in


    Rocktown.


    Zoe arrived at Cordy¡¯s vi sleepily and leaned in front of the vanity tablenguidly.


    Cordy nced at her. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply sleepy. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m having a hangover.¡±


    Quinn was also slightly dispirited at the side.


    She said, ¡°We cant stay out toote next time. I¡¯m so sleepy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still early now. Why don¡¯t you guys sleep in a bit?¡± Cordy suggested considerately.


    She felt that she did not have to torture them so.


    After all, she did not take the ceremony very seriously-it was just a ceremony for her.


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t do that.¡± Zoe sounded very agitated, seemingly energetic out of the blue.


    She said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re so pretty, but you work so hard and you¡¯ve stayed here to dress up. If we¡¯re


    not proactive, we¡¯ll look so much worse beside you!¡±


    Others were rendered speechless. It was never apetition.

 Chapter 1150

    Chapter 1150


    Chapter 1150


    Quinn was struck speechless too. ¡°It¡¯s a well-known fact that Cordy is prettier than you. Why do you


    haggle over this during her wedding?¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m a female star who never admits defeat,¡± Zoe announced smugly.


    Both Cordy and Quinn were amused by her.


    They slept veryte the night before, and Cordy might be the one who sleptst among them.


    She just had a lot of¡­


    In short, Zoe¡¯s joke made her regain her wits at the moment.


    Zoe took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll wash my face with cold water. You have to try your best to make me pretty.


    Do you get it?¡±


    ¡¯Ms. York, you¡¯re very pretty even without makeup on.¡± The makeup artist tried to please her.


    ¡°You talk nicely. I¡¯ll ask Cordy to give you a great bonuster.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. York, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    The room instantly became lively in the early morning.


    It was just a little past eight in the morning.


    Cordy had finished dressing up, and so did Zoe and Quinn.


    The bridesmaids¡¯ dresses were not any simpler than the bride¡¯s gown.


    The bride was dressed in a white wedding gown with a long train that reached the floor. Furthermore,


    the hem of the gown was filled with diamond pieces. Cordy looked noble, elegant, charming, and


    bewitching. At a nce, she was breathtakingly beautiful in that dress coupled with her deep charms.


    The bridesmaids¡¯ dresses were white wedding gowns too but without long trains. The gowns were also


    full of small diamonds that glittered brightly under the light.


    Zoe enjoyed looking at herself in front of the mirror for a long time. While looking at her dress, she said,


    ¡°Cordy, aren¡¯t you afraid that Quinn and I may snatch your limelight? Why did you prepare such pretty


    bridesmaids¡¯ dresses for us?¡±


    ¡°Cordy is well aware of her charms.¡± Smiling, Quinn chimed in.


    However, she also found herself very pretty.


    All women could not hide their inner joy and satisfaction when they saw beautiful attires regardless of


    how solemn they were.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m not aware of my charms?¡± Zoe pretended to be mad.


    ¡°No, there are differences between people¡¯s charms.¡±


    ¡°How so? Hmm?¡± Zoe looked at Quinn.


    ¡°Cordy¡¯s charms are unique and rare. It¡¯s very hard to see such a pretty woman in the world.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°How about me?¡± Zoe immediately asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re a popr beauty.¡±


    ¡°So, you mean that I¡¯m very ordinary, huh?¡± Zoe was indeed angry now.


    ¡°What I meant is that everyone thinks you¡¯re very pretty.¡± Quinn chuckled.¡± You¡¯re a super idol. Of


    course, your charms are in line with people¡¯s tastes.¡±


    Zoe was stupefied.


    She felt that she was tricked by Quinn.


    Was Quinn praising her or¡­ putting her down?


    Didwyers always sound so confusing?


    ¡°Herees the bridegroom!¡±


    Zoe had yet to figure it out when someone knocked on the door all of a sudden.


    She screamed in shock, ¡°It¡¯s only around eight o¡¯clock, but Patrick is here. How eager is he to marry


    Cordy?¡±


    ¡°Stop muttering. Go and close the door now,¡± Quinn hurriedly ordered.


    Zoe immediately reacted, quickly rushing to the door with a group of people and no longer caring about


    her delicate makeup as she liked to join in the fun.


    Cordy watched how everyone became excited all of a sudden in the room.


    She smiled faintly before she put away her smile. In the next moment, she revealed a bright smile.

 Chapter 1151

    Chapter 1151


    Chapter 1151


    Patrick hammered on the door. ¡°Open up!¡±


    There was a raucous from the outside, but Zoe shouted from behind the door, ¡°We wont let you have


    Cordy just because you asked!¡±


    She was so excited it was as if she was the one getting married.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What should I do, then?¡¯ Patrick asked loudly.


    ¡°Pay up.¡±


    ¡°You have to open the door. How else can I pay you?¡¯


    ¡°Forget it. You men are savages-you¡¯ll start charging in the instant we open the door,¡± Zoe replied, not


    easily fooled.


    It was true, since many of Patrick¡¯s family and friends from Rocktown were there with him, and were


    ready to charge inside like bandits if she opened the door.


    ¡°Well, how am I going to pay you if you don¡¯t open the door?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the digital age, Mr. Stuart. There¡¯s something called Google Pay!¡±


    ¡® But I don¡¯t have your ount number.¡±


    ¡°Then start asking.¡±


    Patrick had no choice but to ask, and Zoe told him. She soon received a notification of a wire transfer.


    It was a four-digit sum, and Zoe was impressed as she checked. ¡°How generous of you, paying through


    the nose for your wedding! Alright, everyone get in. We¡¯re splitting the spoils!¡¯


    After a while and the bridesmaids were done splitting the money, Patrick started knocking again. ¡°You


    have your money. Can you open the door now?¡±


    ¡°But I never said I¡¯d open the door. I was just telling you what you should do to marry Cordy, and the


    payment is just one of them.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. Well, what do I have to do now?¡¯ Patrick asked calmly, seemingly not upset and fully


    compliant.


    ¡°Do you see the staff members outside?¡±


    ¡°Staff members?¡± Patrick eximed in surprise.


    Cordy was caught off guard, too-when did Zoe prepare that? Was she not drunk sillyst night and


    completely out of it this morning?


    ¡°When did you prepare this?¡± Quinn could not help asking.


    ¡°Ages ago. Can¡¯t let Patrick win so easily,¡± Zoe answered excitedly.


    And soon enough, Patrick was calling from outside. ¡°We see them.¡¯


    ¡°They are carrying sweets, lemons, bitter melon, and jpenos. Each represents a different taste and


    the vicissitudes of life, and if you survive that, it means that you¡¯ll stick with Cordy no matter what


    comes.¡±


    ¡°You mean I¡¯m eating those?¡¯ Patrick asked meekly.


    ¡°Who else would eat it, me?¡± Zoe retorted. ¡°And make a video call while you do. We need video


    evidence or you¡¯ll cheat.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Patrick agreed to it right away.


    Once his video call got through, Zoe quickly brought it over to show Cordy while the otherdies


    flocked up to watch as well.


    Things were certainly lively.


    Patrick took the lemon slice first, and he grimaced from the taste.


    Everyone inside and outside the room wereughing themselves silly.


    After that, Patrick had the candy before chewing on the chunk of bitter melon.


    He was on the verge of the tears from the horrible bitter taste, rousing another round ofughter.


    After that¡­

 Chapter 1152

    Chapter 1152


    Chapter 1152


    Patrick picked up the oily green jpeno, took a deep breath, and chewed.


    His mouth was instantly ignited, and he was jumping around in circles.¡± Argh!!!¡±


    Everyone wasughing themselves silly at his reaction, and things could not be more cheerful.


    ¡® Drink some water, Patrick,¡± Cordy quickly said over the phone, since she knew he could not take spicy


    food.


    ¡® Water, water!¡± Patrick started looking around while his throat seemed to billow with smoke.


    That was when arge, long hand brought a ss of cold water, and no one saw who it was since he


    was not on camera.


    Only Cordy seemed to blink just then.


    After Patrick had his drink, he still took a while to recover. ¡°Is this enough, Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Zoe said right away.


    Patrick could die right then. ¡°What else must I do, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Did you think you could have Cordy that easily?¡± Zoe repeated.


    ¡°Cut it out, Zoe.¡±


    Jay suddenly appeared on screen, while Zoe did a double take.


    He was there too? It was their chauffeur who gave her a ride this morning!


    ¡°I¡¯m not ying here,¡± Zoe retorted, sounding wounded. ¡°This is serious business. Cordy¡¯s happiness is


    in the bnce.¡±


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Patrick quickly said. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    Zoe giggled smugly then. ¡°See? That¡¯s a good husband right there, unlike you who won¡¯t even give me


    a wedding.¡±


    Jay was left feeling awkward, though Zoe was good enough to liven up the atmosphere and redirect


    everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Patrick,¡± she said loudly, ¡°we just discussed going through the vicissitudes of life. But don¡¯t you think


    you need to be healthy enough to grow old with Cordy first?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Patrick nodded repeatedly-whatever Zoe said went now.


    ¡°Then do a hundred push-ups,¡± Zoe said. ¡°How are you going to protect your wife if you don¡¯t even


    have stamina?¡±


    Patrick froze.


    A hundred push-ups?


    Was she trying to kill her?!


    ¡® Ms. York, Patrick isn¡¯t going to have his bride tonight after this!¡± Someone among Patrick¡¯s friends


    joked just then, and everyoneughed.


    ¡¯Is a hundred push-ups enough to exhaust him? That¡¯s sad,¡¯ Zoe added insult to injury.


    Naturally, no man could stand such provocation, and Patrick promptly took off his suit and dropped to


    the floor, getting started as everyone cheered him on.


    ¡°1,2,3¡­¡°


    Excitement buzzed in the air, and it took Patrick a while to reach seventy¡­ and he started to get


    exhausted.


    He was never active physically, and he merely came this far because he was spurred by the challenge.


    And now, he had reached his limit.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough, right?¡± Cordy asked.


    Zoe could not help teasing, ¡°Worried that he really can¡¯t get going tonight?¡±


    Cordy was left blushing.


    Still, Zoe was just having fun and was not about to dy the wedding.


    Just as she was going to tell Patrick could save his strength for Cordyter, another man appeared in


    front of the screen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the rest for him,¡± Sean said, since Patrick was already floored from fatigue.

 Chapter 1153

    Chapter 1153


    Chapter 1153


    Before Patrick could react, Sean was already on the floor doing push-ups rapidly-twice quicker than


    Patrick and doing fifty even though he just had to do over twenty.


    Even Zoe was mesmerized. ¡°Oh, I never knew! To think the scion of the Cranstons isn¡¯t that young, but


    he¡¯s quite capable! By the way, six packs or eight?¡±


    She spoke a little too loudly, and it was also audible from the video call.


    Everyoneughed, and someone even goaded Sean to lift his shirt.


    ¡°Stop it, guys¡­¡¯ Patrick tried to defend Sean right then, thinking he should defend Sean as much since


    Sean was nice enough to help him with the push-ups.


    And yet, before he could finish, Sean had already lifted his shirt, baring eight -pack abs.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Zoe could not help gasping, surprised that Sean was actually that well-built.


    She always presumed that Sean would be the soft-spoken type, just as she was surprised that Sean


    would attend this wedding.


    Still, considering that other rich and important families were attending, it was reasonable for Patrick to


    invite them as a way of courtesy, even though she never heard before that Patrick was this close with


    Sean¡­


    ¡®Show some restraint, Zoe,¡± Jay said sternly from the video call just then.


    Zoe quickly turned away, almost forgetting that her husband was there too.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡¯Can you let Patrick in now, Ms. York?¡¯ Sean asked after lowering his shirt.


    But I never said that anyone was allowed to help him.¡± Zoe smiled wickedly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t really deny your best friend her first night either, can you?*¡¯ Sean smiled good-naturedly in


    return.


    Zoe thought about it and decided that Sean was being reasonable.


    ¡¯Seeing that you¡¯ve put in physical effort and offered some eye candy, it¡¯s open sesame!¡±


    And with that, Zoe ran up to open the door.


    Outside, Patrick stood, panting and sweating buckets.


    Sean was sweating a lot as well as he stood beside Sean.


    Still, Zoe barely had a good look at Sean when she sensed a hostile re and turned to find Jay


    glowering.


    Men were really petty, were they not?


    Nheless, she suddenly caught sight of John too.


    He came as well? So Jay was keeping himpany?!


    How much did he lose his mind that he came with the bridegroom¡¯s procession? Was he a masochist?!


    ¡¯Get your presents, everyone!¡± Outside, Patrick¡¯s friends began to hand out gifts, causing


    pandemonium as everyone in and out hurried to get theirs.


    Patrick seized the opening and rushed into the room, reaching Cordy, who sat on arge white bed.


    The train of her bridal gown was arranged in a heart shape so that she was on top of it, with countless


    rose petals carpeting the bed.


    It was as aesthetic as it was romantic.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Cordy,¡± Patrick said as he presented her the bouquet he was holding.


    Cordy smiled-she had been waiting for this moment.


    ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± Zoe eximed as she suddenly rushed into the room.


    Patrick was already traumatized and promptly beckoned for his friends to bring out more gifts.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not that materialistic, but it¡¯d be a waste to reject a gift,¡± Zoe said as she snatched one away. ¡°I


    won¡¯t make things difficult or dy the wedding, but propose to Cordy again with everyone as your


    witness. And be earnest, get down on your knees.¡±


    Patrick quickly did so, dropping straight on both knees and drawing more raucousughter.


    ¡® Already learned how to kiss the floor, have we?¡± Zoe teased.


    Patrick blushed, but he raised the bouquet and asked loudly, ¡°Will you marry me, Cordy?!¡±

 Chapter 1154

    Chapter 1154


    Chapter 1154


    Cordy nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered without hesitation and with a blissful smile.


    John stood nearby and looked on silent as she married another man in happiness¡­


    As Cordy took the bouquet, someone started to goad, ¡®Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡±


    Others echoed him soon after, and Zoe was going to join in¡­ until she saw John standing nearby at a


    corner.


    How else should she describe the sight before her? He was the only one who was shrouded in misery


    as the rest of the room was aze with joy and bliss.


    There was no hiding it when he stuck out like a sore thumb against all that, which was how she noticed


    immediately.


    She walked over to stand at his side, and as his eyes turned toward her, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for the


    kiss. They did it.¡±


    Both John and Jay ignored her, thetter being frustrated with what Zoe had been doing with other men


    just now, though he had to admit that he could not hit the gym after his leg was crippled and would not


    have abdominal muscles.


    It certainly hurt him, and Zoe was naturally too carefree to notice.


    She could notice John¡¯s misery but not his displeasure.


    Zoe naturally did not since John was not responding to her, so she ran back to Patrick and Cordy to


    join the festivities.


    Both Patrick and Cordy were nervous, their faces and ears red.


    And yet, there was something beautiful at the moment, and the cameramen as well as everyone else


    were busy taking pictures.


    At the same time, Patrick took a deep breath and finally mustered his courage to lean in and kiss


    Cord/s lips.


    Everyone apuded, and the room was rife with thrill.


    Zoe turned to see John striding out of the room and pursed her lips.


    As she turned, she also noticed Cordy ncing at John¡¯s direction for a moment¡­


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Nheless, the room remained abuzz with excitement.


    Patrick then helped Cordy put on her shoes, scooped her up in his arms, and left the room.


    Everyone followed them to the cars.


    Since Zoe and Quinn were bridesmaids, they got into Cordy¡¯s car.


    Richard was there too, though he would rather go with John, having noticed him in the crowd just now.


    However, he did not want to ruin his mommy¡¯s mood either-she should be happy today, no?


    He bit her lip and stared outside the window in silence while the huge convoy headed to North City¡¯s


    grandest hotel.


    ¡®Dicky, you look so handsome today!¡± Zoe seemed to finally notice him, having been too busy with


    Cordy, Patrick, and John just now-almostpletely neglecting the potential here.


    Richard was really getting handsome by the day, and adolescence was starting to hit him at eleven.


    Who knew how manydies he would bewitch when he got older?


    Still, she prayed he would not take after his daddy, who missed out on the one he loved most!

 Chapter 1155

    Chapter 1155


    Chapter 1155


    Richard was quiet and withdrawn, and Zoe¡¯s teasing left him blushing.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little upsetting,¡¯ Zoe sighed suddenly, her words seemingly aplete non sequitur.


    ¡°You¡¯re upset about Cordy getting married? You¡¯ve been getting both money and gifts, y¡¯know,¡± Quinn


    teased her just then.


    ¡¯Yeah,¡± Patrick agreed, slightly agitated. ¡°I did everything you asked me just now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m upset about you getting married,¡¯ Zoe replied, rolling her eyes. ¡°I just think it


    hurts that Dicky would be someone else¡¯s son -inw. Such a shame, he¡¯s such a looker¡­¡±


    While everyone was left speechless, Zoe added seriously, ¡°I was nning to have him marry Yelena,


    but they¡¯re somewhat blood rted. It¡¯s so frustrating!¡±


    Zoe was upset, but everyoneughed at her words, which only left Richard blushing even harder.


    There was never a dull moment with her in the car.


    As they arrived at the hotel, Cordy, Zoe, and Quinn headed straight to the dressing room while Patrick


    greeted guests outside.


    Richard deliberately stayed in the hotel to wait for John, who was wheeling Jay into the hotel.


    Jay joked, ¡°I¡¯m surprised. You¡¯re actually attending the entirety of Cordy¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°I can at least bear witness since I can¡¯t give her one.¡¯ John shed a pained smile.


    Jay did not reply, since he could imagine how much John¡¯s heart would be bleeding at the moment.


    Back then, when Zoe was with Bob¡­ it still hurt in the chest to think of it now.


    As they headed toward their seats, Richard hurried to them when he saw them. ¡°Daddy.¡±


    John nodded, and they all sat at one of the main seats.


    They were the bride¡¯s guests, after all.


    As they sat down, Sean approached them and Richard greeted him politely. ¡°Uncle Sean.¡±


    Sean nodded and pped his little shoulder, while Jay was surprised.


    ¡°Uncle?¡± He mouthed at John-why would Richard address Sean as uncle, not to mention that he


    seemed close with Sean?


    John said, ¡¯He¡¯s Cordy¡¯s cousin-from her mother¡¯s side.¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Jay did a double take but soon came to a realization.


    It was not surprising now that Cordy often visited the capital recently, not to mention that the identity of


    Cordy¡¯s mother had always been a mystery.


    Jay sighed-now that it was obvious Cordy¡¯s mother was a member of the Cranston family, Cordy


    herself was someone important.


    Nheless, the trio were mostly silent as they sat together.


    Richard had been mature even as a child and never got restless.


    Around them, the crowd was shuffling through the grandly decorated hall, illuminated with myriad-


    colored lights and graced by melodious tunes.


    Intimate wedding photos of Patrick and Cordy were everywhere, making the ce appear even more


    romantic.


    There was another hour until the wedding formally started, and John was killing time on his phone,


    keeping his head lowered as he stared at the screen.


    Naturally, nothing was registering¡ªhe just wanted to keep himselfposed.


    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and he turned to the side, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jay noticed the reaction right then, since he was sitting right beside John.


    John pursed his lips and hesitated for a moment before he got to his feet.¡± I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming too, Daddy,¡¯ Richard quickly said.


    ¡°You can go on your own. I¡¯m going out to smoke,¡± John hastily came up with another excuse.


    Richard frowned as he left.


    He knew his daddy was not as indifferent as he appeared, and yet¡­

 Chapter 1156

    Chapter 1156


    Chapter 1156


    Richard had no words offort for his daddy, now that his mommy was getting married.


    ¡®It¡¯s fine, Dicky. Your daddy is an adult-he knows how to control his temper,¡± Jay said calmly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded.


    Still, as he quietly sat down, he somehow felt Sean bristling unhappily beside him too.


    John followed the figure he glimpsed to the rear courtyard of the hotel, running through it to find the


    person.


    Did he make a mistake, or was he perhaps imagining it?!


    However, as he turned and left, a figure stepped out from a hidden corner, a sinister smile showing on


    her lips.


    If she could not get her happiness, Cordy would never hope to get it too!


    John returned to the lobby, but he did not return to his seat and instead approached Sean. ¡°Could you


    ask someone to check if Nana Lynd has recently been discharged?¡±


    Sean¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he came to an understanding as soon as he met John¡¯s gaze.


    Sean quickly made a call, whereas John headed to the security room-he would rather get security


    footage than y hide-and-seek with that woman.


    But if it really was her¡­ she definitely meant to cause harm.


    After arriving at the security room and getting the personnel to agree, he started checking the security


    footage.


    Soon, Sean called. ¡°I just checked-Nana¡¯s not at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°When did she get discharged?¡±


    ¡°A week ago.¡±


    John¡¯s fingers clenched.


    ¡°You saw her?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m checking the security footage-I¡¯m not seeing her at the moment.¡±


    ¡°We need to prepare if she¡¯s really here. The Lynds are down and out, and she has nothing to lose¡­


    which means she¡¯s capable of anything.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± John replied and hung up.


    His fingers clenched on his phone, gripped by anxiousness because he knew very well what this


    meant.


    Even though he was totally focused on checking the security tapes, there were still too many people


    attending the wedding today.


    Nana was exceedingly smart, and if she had really slipped in with a goal in mind, she could well have


    picked a route that avoided cameras.


    John frowned-there was ten minutes until the wedding, but he still had yet to find Nana.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Was he just being paranoid?


    Nheless, Sean called him again. ¡°My sources just check-Nana definitely flew over to North City


    three days ago.¡±


    John¡¯s gaze turned cool.


    ¡® Nothing good woulde after she shows up here. I¡¯ll contact security right now, see if I can find her.¡±


    Sean stated his n before asking, ¡°Should we contact Patrick and Cordy?¡±


    John was hesitant since he did not want to affect their wedding.


    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed and he called out to one of the security personnel. ¡°Stop!¡±


    The security promptly pressed the stop button, and John had him slow down the footage.


    Just as he thought-a familiar dainty figure entered the banquet hall, sticking close behind another


    silhouette.


    She obviously knew that the camera was capturing that angle, which was why she moved


    inconspicuously and slipped in easily.


    ¡°I have confirmation Nana is in the banquet hall,¡± John said quickly and urgently. ¡°Get security. I¡¯ll tell


    Cordy!¡±

 Chapter 1157

    Chapter 1157


    Chapter 1157


    John hurried to Cordy¡¯s dressing room.


    She had just finished preparing and was ready to enter the banquet hall, but just as she opened the


    door, she found John standing there, panting and sweating all over his forehead.


    He looked like he had something important to say, but before Cordy could say a word, Zoe eximed


    loudly and excitedly, ¡°John! Have you decided to steal a bride?!¡±


    She really did not care how huge a mess she was causing.


    Still, John did not even look her way.


    Instead, he saw the sh of disgust in Cordy¡¯s eyes.


    Still, he did his best to stay calm and said, ¡°I just saw Nana entering the banquet hall. I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll


    do something terrible, so just dy the ceremony for a moment, and we can resume once we find her-¡°


    ¡® Don¡¯t make me hate you even more, John Levine.¡± Cordy cut him short right then.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    As John was left blinking, she added coldly, ¡¯I don¡¯t want a fight at my own wedding. Now, move.¡±


    ¡°Cordy, I¡¯m not trying to stop your wedding, but something will happen if you go now. You can resume


    once we find Nana-¡°


    ¡°So you¡¯d rather I make all our guests wait?!¡± Cordy snapped angrily. ¡°If you can¡¯t find her, does that


    mean she¡¯s not there?! Don¡¯t be so selfish, John!¡±


    ¡°Believe me, it really was Nana-I can get you the footage,¡± John stammered, unsure how to exin.


    He was also too flustered to record the video.


    ¡® Why should I trust you?¡± Cordy asked him then. ¡°After what happened that night?¡± 1


    John was suddenly dumbstruck and left pursing his lips.


    She could well hate him for the rest of her life after that night.


    Even so, he insisted, ¡°Nana really is in the banquet hall. Call Sean if you don¡¯t believe me-¡°


    ¡® If she¡¯s there, so be it! I won¡¯t let anyone stop my wedding, so move!¡± Cordy growled slowly and


    clearly, and kept glowering at John.


    John was left staring at her fixedly.


    He could not convince her, but he did not want to let her pass either.


    Cordy gritted her teeth in turn and pushed him away as hard as he could, and John wobbled in his


    step.


    Zoe stood nearby, afraid to make a sound.


    Cordy was scary when she was furious-even more so than John.


    And to be honest, John could just admit that he loved her instead of using someone else as an excuse.


    If he had just told Cordy he did not want her to marry, taken her hand, and eloped, maybe Cordy would


    not have been that furious.


    And after pushing him away, Cordy strode toward the banquet hall, but she had barely taken a step


    when John caught her wrist, holding her firmly in ce as he said, ¡°Cordy, even if you hate me-¡°


    Smack!


    Cordy pped John so hard across the face that Zoe thought her soul leapt out of her body, and she


    mped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from crying out.


    Cordy was certainly savage, pping John so viciously a palm print showed distinctly on his face just


    then.


    ¡°Let me go, John!¡± she shrieked in clear agitation, struggling against his grip, but John only held on


    tighter while Cordy¡¯s temper red!

 Chapter 1158

    Chapter 1158


    Chapter 1158


    Cordy looked like she was ready to vent all the grief she had been holding in for a while now.


    Zoe worriedly tug at Quinn¡¯s sleeve in turn. ¡°What do we do? Do we help?¡±


    ¡® Help? But who do we help?¡± Quinn asked.


    The question left Zoe stumped-she certainly had no idea.


    They would just have to wait and see¡­


    ¡¯I¡¯ll hate you for the rest of my life, John!¡± Cordy screamed as she red at him, her eyes turning red


    right then!


    ¡°Can¡¯t you wait just for a minute? Are you really that eager to marry Patrick?!¡± John was furious too.


    ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t even wait for one second!¡± Cordy snapped bluntly.


    As a vein bulged over John¡¯s temples, Zoe felt like he was really going to hit someone.


    What should she do? Call the cops?


    But that would mean calling the cops on her own family, no?!


    Nheless, while she was left in a dilemma, John suddenly let go of Cordy.


    Cordy in turn did not wait a second and turned to leave¡ªshe was short on time, and she would never


    miss out on the most important day of her life.


    John watched as she left, the rage in his eyes all too obvious.


    At the same time, Gordy¡¯s staff, who had been left stunned by the tussle, quickly came to their senses


    and chased after her.


    Zoe walked up to John, shooting him a look of disappointment while snapping, ¡°Why can¡¯t you be a


    little more honest?!¡±


    And with that, she went after Cordy too.


    The emcee for the wedding was already livening up the atmosphere at the banquet hall when Cordy


    arrived, and Patrick stood at the entrance looking handsome and dashing.


    Cordy took a deep breath, doing her best to calm down before heading on stage as well.


    She did not invite Simon Sachs, so she would just walk down the aisle with Patrick, hand in hand.


    She heaved a deep sigh of relief as she saw Patrick grinning in bliss¡ªit was fortunate that she did not


    miss it.


    She did not want to disappoint him, after all.


    However, she could not resist looking around either.


    Was Nana really there at her wedding?!


    Even though she knew she should not doubt John, she seemed inclined to thwart him-perhaps spurred


    by all her pent-up spite.


    But she was already here, and she therefore refused to ruin the wedding.


    She turned away and held her gaze firmly against Patrick¡¯s.


    He was going to be her happiness from the remainder of her days.


    Meanwhile, at a corner of the hall, John was restraining himself so much his fingers were shaking as he


    called Sean. ¡°Have you found her yet?¡±


    ¡® No,¡± Sean replied with an urgency in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ve mobilized every security personnel, but we have


    nothing.¡±


    John knew it would not be that easy either.


    Their hands were already tied since they could not cause a panic, and to make things worse, the


    banquet hall was kept dimly lit to liven up the festivities.


    Nana could be hiding anywhere!


    Sean apparently saw Cordy just then. ¡°Wait, she¡¯s carrying on with the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She insisted,¡± John admitted.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean did not respond-even he could not bring himself to ruin the heartwarming scene.


    ¡°Just keep your eyes peeled around you,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just Nana. It won¡¯t be much of an issue.¡±

 Chapter 1159

    Chapter 1159


    Chapter 1159


    John kept searching the banquet hall until he inadvertently looked up at the screen above the stage.


    Patrick, with a bouquet of white flowers, moved closer to Cordy and slowly lifted her veil.


    Her beauty was hence revealed to one and all, just as the lights illuminated her figure.


    Crystalline glint shed over her bridal gown, unveiling her divine beauty endlessly.


    Everyone held either breaths, as if the dreamlike scene before them should never be disturbed.


    Patrick in turn gazed at her lovingly, taking a deep breath as he repressed his burgeoning excitement.


    He could not resist saying, ¡®You¡¯re so beautiful, Cordy,¡±


    Cordy shed a breathtaking smile in turn, and Patrick felt like he would suffocate from the devastating


    beauty.


    Nearby, Zoe could not help eximing, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Cordy in showbiz?


    There¡¯s no debating the issue-those looks alone would get her to the top.¡±


    Quinn nodded beside her, since Zoe¡¯sment was no exaggeration.


    It was a great blessing for anyone to witness such beauty in their lifetime.


    Below the stage, John averted his eyes, afraid to let his gaze linger.


    Cordy was so beautiful it hurt, and he did not dare to lose himself to it.


    He still had to find Nana¡ªhe could not let her ruin Cordy¡¯s wedding, not when Cordy was looking


    forward to it so much.


    While John weaved his way through the crowd, Patrick took Cordy¡¯s hand as the priest instructed, his


    heart racing when he did.


    His whole body started shuddering as well, and Cordy noticed the sweat over his brow as well.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± she could not help asking.


    Patrick nodded, looking her deep into her eyes as he said, ¡°It just feels so unreal¡­ I mean, I dreamed


    of this day, but I¡¯m really marrying you now.¡±


    Cordy smiled as she squeezed his hand. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s all real, and we¡¯ll grow old together.¡±


    Patrick nodded repeatedly.


    He would definitely love her for the rest of their lives and never fall for anyone else.


    They walked down the aisle as instructed, on a red carpet covered with petals.


    The train of Cordy¡¯s bridal gown was certainly an aesthetical marvel as it dragged the petals along.


    Pink petals were raining down from above as well, and they were a picturesque sight as the blue-white


    lights shone upon them.


    Everyone was certainly drawn to the sight, almost none of them noticing a dark figure slowly


    approaching the stage.


    Even though the security personnel had been searching endlessly, she eluded them easily, and slowly


    closed in on Cordy and Patrick.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was so beautiful and found happiness¡­ while she lost everything.


    What gave Cordy the right to im the spotlight, while she was left no more significant than dust?


    No one showed the Lynds any respect after their fall from grace, and people would just mock her if she


    showed her face in public.


    Why did she have to suffer such inhumane treatment?


    But one way or another, Cordy was the reason for all of this.


    If not for her, her family would not have been ruined, and John would not have been so cruel.


    She had to kill Cordy to quell her spite, even if it meant she would fall too. Her eyes narrowed¡­

 Chapter 1160

    Chapter 1160


    Chapter 1160


    Nana was holding a ck gun, and she waited for the perfect moment before dashing up the stage¡ª


    she was bent on killing Cordy when her happiness peaked!


    However, just as she brought her gun level at Cordy and was about to pull the trigger, a figure lunged


    forward and knocked Cordy to the floor, shielding her stalwartly behind himself.


    Nana blinked, but one nce was enough to register that it was John.


    So he was going to die protecting Cordy when she was marrying someone else?!


    As a matter of fact, Nana knew John was looking for her, even sending everyone he could to do so.


    However, Nana had crossdressed and hid herself in the men¡¯s room, eluding any prying eyes to slip


    into the banquet hall.


    She actually thought for a moment that the wedding would be called off, since John would have


    stopped it-she was certainly surprised that it carried on in the end.


    Who was being overconfident here, Cordy or John?


    Still, she had to give it to him-his presence made her pause, and she did not pull the trigger.


    At the same time, the sudden situation of John knocking Cordy to the floor left everyone stunned.


    Her eyes were instantly filled with rage-she could sense John¡¯s familiar presence, and she knew it was


    him even if everyone else could not.


    Patrick was startled by the suddenmotion but immediately reached out to grab John, presuming


    right then that he wanted to abduct Cordy.


    And he would rather die than let him!


    However, before he could reach John, someone else grabbed him and pulled him away.


    Patrick turned to see a flustered Sean, dragging him off the stage without letting him a chance to fight


    back.


    He iled and bellowed, ¡°A-Are you crazy?! Are you letting John take Cordy away on purpose?!¡¯


    Cordy was screaming too. ¡°Let go of me, John Levine-¡°


    Before she could finish, however, John already got off her and dashed in another direction in an instant,


    seemingly finding his mark.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-she seemed to see Nana for an instant and saw Nana aiming a ck gun


    at her.


    John, however, moved into her line of fire in a sh.


    Cordy was too flustered to be sure, but just as she was about to stand up and confirm what she saw, a


    squad of security personnel had run up to her, encircling her with riot shields.


    While they did so, she saw John jumping toward Nana, who had her gun trained on him¡­


    No!


    Cordy panicked, but at the next instant, a resounding bang echoed in the hall.


    The guests were all stunned, and screams soon echoed.


    Most of them promptly dropped to a crouch beneath their tables or behind the chairs, while Cordy


    watched from a distance as two figures strode out


    of the hall.


    Soon, many security personnel followed, and the hall soon turned silent.


    The lights in the hall were lit up right then, but Cordy had no idea what happened out there, let alone


    what happened in the end¡­


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean released Patrick then, and he promptly ran to Cordy¡¯s side.


    Sean sprinted out of the banquet hall in turn and started chasing after John.


    ¡¯ Are you alright, Cordy?¡± Patrick asked nervously, noticing her deathly pale face just then

 Chapter 1161

    Chapter 1161


    Chapter 1161


    ¡°Cordy? Cordy?!¡±


    Patrick called out to Cordy repeatedly, but she was not responding, obviously stricken with fear.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Cordy!¡± Patrick gathered her in his arms, his heart breaking just then.


    Cordy was trembling endlessly and uncontrobly, the sight of John and Nana just now reying in her


    head¡­


    Where did that shot hit?!


    Patrick tightened his arms around her and kept assuring her, ¡°It¡¯s alright now, Cordy. I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    The guests in the hall were flustered and panicking too.


    Should they leave?


    But which was more dangerous, staying here or going outside?


    And were they going to continue the wedding? But the bride appeared to be in serious shock¡­


    While the hall erupted into pandemonium, Patrick promptly made up his mind. ¡°Let¡¯s put the wedding


    on hold and get out of here for now¡­¡±


    Cordy suddenly grabbed Patrick by the arm with a sweaty palm.


    ¡°Cordy?¡± Patrick stared at her.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Cordy finally asked.


    Patrick certainly had no idea-he was too concerned for Cordy to care about anything else that


    happened.


    Nheless, he quickly said, ¡®Til go ask.¡±


    Cordy stayed silent, and he took it for her approval.


    Patrick whipped out his phone and called Sean, having seen him leave the hall just now and probably


    chasing after John.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked urgently when Sean answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can continue the wedding,¡± Sean replied calmly, as if nothing happened at all.


    Nheless, Patrick pressed, ¡°Is John hurt?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious,¡± Sean answered.


    ¡°Well, where is he?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking him to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Patrick snapped a little loudly, feeling that Sean had been half-hearted in


    his response.


    Sean was silent for moments, which left Patrick¡¯s heart pounding.


    ¡°Say something, man!¡± he bellowed, which startled Cordy just then.


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s nothing serious, but you refuse to believe me,¡± Sean said nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m taking John


    to get examined at the hospital. I¡¯ll be back for the wedding if there are no issues.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s going to live?¡± Patrick asked, skeptical.


    He was concerned that Sean was lying.


    No.


    To be precise, he was concerned that John was lying to everyone.


    He really gave Cordy the best of himself, to the point that he refrained from stopping the wedding in


    fear that he would affect her rtionship with someone else.


    After all, despite it happening in a split second, Patrick understood just now that John was using his


    own body to shield Cordy.


    He would have been shot if Nana did not hesitate.


    And after a split second, he leapt toward her to restrain her before dragging her swiftly out of the


    banquet hall.


    Nana had a gun, so Patrick had no idea what happened in the end.


    All he knew was that John put his life on the line to protect Cordy¡­


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯ll live,¡± Sean said then.


    Patrick sighed lengthily in turn.

 Chapter 1162

    Chapter 1162


    Chapter 1162


    Sean was no close friend of Patrick¡¯s, but he knew Sean enough that he would not lie about something


    so important.


    If Sean said John would live, then he would live.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    He turned toward Cordy, and said confidently, ¡°Sean said John would live. He¡¯s probably just wounded,


    so Sean took him to the hospital.¡±


    Cordy nodded silently.


    She did not ask any questions-because she was afraid to.


    It was the same for Patrick.


    All he asked was whether John was alive and nothing else¡­


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go, Cordy.¡± Patrick helped her to her feet.


    Right now, he had to take her somewhere safe.


    He had no idea if Nana nned anything else, and safety was the best policy right now.


    Perhaps they could go to the hospital to visit John.


    Running was not an option.


    He toko Cordy¡¯s hand to lead her away while telling the staff, ¡°Please handle the guests appropriately-¡°


    ¡°Patrick.¡± Cordy suddenly stopped him.


    Patrick did a double take and turned toward Cordy in surprise.


    ¡°We¡¯re staying,¡± she said solemnly.


    There was even more surprise in Patrick¡¯s eyes then.


    At the same time, Zoe and Quinn recovered from their initial panic, while Jay immediately wheeled


    himself to Zoe¡¯s side.


    It took her a while to recover, and she still had no idea what just happened when she came to her


    senses, only that John charged at someone else and a gun fired when he did.


    She had no idea what happened to John, while Jay made sure that there was no danger in the hall,


    and left the hotel as well.


    ¡°Are you alright, Cordy?¡± Zoe asked in agitation.


    Quinn was utterly concerned too.


    ¡¯I¡¯m fine,¡± Cordy said.


    She was suddenly and eerily calm, as if the panicking woman just now instantly vanished.


    Turning to Patrick, she said, ¡°Our wedding must continue, Patrick.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Patrick eximed in surprise. ¡°Continue¡­ Now? But what if-¡¯


    ¡°There won¡¯t be any problems now that Nana¡¯s gone,¡± Cordy said solemnly.¡± The Lynds are powerless,


    and no one would help her. That¡¯s why she had toe alone, and she won¡¯t be any threat now that


    she¡¯s subdued. That¡¯s why we can continue.¡±


    Her reasoning was crystal-clear, and Zoe had no idea if she should be impressed or horrified.


    Should anyone not be panicking after what happened?


    Sure, Cordy had inner strength and a stabler mood than most, but John had just put his life on the line


    for her.


    Should she not at least¡­ care?


    ¡°We¡¯ll carry on with the wedding,¡± Cordy repeated resolutely to Patrick,


    even straightening her bridal gown and hair as she did. ¡°Let¡¯s apologize to the guest for the incident,


    and we¡¯ll respect their decision whether they stay or leave. Even so, we¡¯ll have our wedding today-even


    if it¡¯s just us two. ¡ö


    Patrick stared at Cordy silently, but her gaze remained staunch. ¡°Marriage is once in a lifetime. You¡¯ve


    spent a long time preparing something special, and I don¡¯t want to ruin it.¡±


    Patrick hesitated for a couple seconds and nodded, ¡°Alright, just wait for a moment while I make the


    arrangements¡­ and check if our emcee has wet his pants before we continue.¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯lle with you.¡±


    Cordy was about to leave with him when Zoe stopped her. ¡°Cordy,¡± Zoe called out with a grim


    expression.

 Chapter 1163

    Chapter 1163


    Chapter 1163


    Cordy turned toward Zoe in surprise-she was rarely that serious.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Zoe? Are you in shock too?¡± Cordy asked in concern. ¡°Also, where¡¯s Jay? What¡¯s he


    doing, not staying with you? If you¡¯re still traumatized, head home, or take a break in the anteroom¡­¡±


    ¡°Jay left to check on John,¡± Zoe said bluntly. ¡°To see if he¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not. Sean just called, saying that he¡¯s safe and taken to the hospital-¡°


    ¡°And does that mean you don¡¯t have to care?¡± Zoey demanded.


    Cordy blinked.


    Zoe was clearly emotional.


    Furious, even.


    ¡°John almost died trying to save you, and you really feel nothing? Or don¡¯t you care about that at all?


    You¡¯d even continue your wedding after all that- is a wedding more important than a person¡¯s life?!¡± Zoe


    snapped, her voice louder with every word.


    She had always worshiped Cordy, never questioning Cordy¡¯s actions.


    But she could not help doing it now in front of all of Cordy¡¯s guests.


    Did John not deserve even a sliver of her sympathy? Did Cordy have to be so cold to him?!


    ¡°Zoe, calm down.¡± Quinn caught Zoe¡¯s wrist and quickly tried to reason,¡± Cordy just said that John is


    safe, and they got him to the hospital. And so what if she didn¡¯t go with John? She¡¯s not a doctor, and


    she can¡¯t help.


    John will be fine since he has others with him, and it¡¯s not like Cordy can just leave her guests just like


    that.¡±


    ¡® But it¡¯s no skin off her back,¡± Zoe retorted.


    It was not as if she wanted Cordy to go to John, but Cordy was so eerily calm Zoe feared that Cordy


    would never visit his grave even if he died for her.


    How lonely would John be?!


    ¡°And how¡¯d you know it isn¡¯t? Some people hide their misery inside,¡± Quinn said quietly.


    Unlike Zoe, she actually sensed that Cordy¡¯s calmness was not indifference but merely suppression of


    her own impulses.


    And Cordy probably wanted to keep the wedding going because she did not want to afford herself the


    chance to change her mind.


    ¡® But¡­¡¯ Zoe was still indignant.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Til carry on with the wedding, Zoe,¡± Cordy said then. ¡°Patrick has gone through great lengths to


    prepare this, and I won¡¯t put his effort to waste. Moreover, John is the reason why this happened in the


    first ce. I don¡¯t owe him anything.¡±


    ¡°I-¡°


    Zoe was about to argue, but Quinn held her back and stopped her right then. ¡°I cane with you to


    the hospital.


    As Zoe turned toward her, she started to pull Zoe aside. ¡°Let¡¯s see how John is doing so you won¡¯t


    worry over nothing here.¡±


    She did not want Zoe to start fighting Cordy, just as she believed Cordy¡¯s decision deserved respect.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m going, but you¡¯re staying,¡± Zoe said, pushing Quinn away just then.¡± It¡¯d be nonsensical if both


    bridesmaids left. ¡¯


    And with those words, Zoe strode off.


    She was definitely worried about John, and¡­


    Well, forget it.


    Right or wrong did not matter when it came to rtionships.


    After Zoe was gone, Quinn turned to tell Cordy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. She¡¯s always been like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯d be fine in a couple days.¡±


    Cordy nodded.


    She did not me Zoe at all -John had been a brother to her for years, and her bond with him was


    undeniable.


    Moreover, despite her anger and refusal to be understanding, she still told Quinn to stay so that


    Cordy¡¯s wedding would not be dyed.


    What reason did she have to get upset with Zoe now?


    It was her fortune to have made a friend like Zoe.

 Chapter 1164

    Chapter 1164


    Chapter 1164


    Cordy took a deep breath and told Quinn, ¡°I¡¯m counting on you now. Patrick and I will arrange for the


    wedding to resume.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Dicky?¡± Cordy suddenly remembered.


    ¡°I just saw him follow Sean outside. He must be with John-do you want me to check?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡±


    Cordy and Patrick left, while Quinn called to check if Richard was with John.


    She went looking for Cordy after she was done, and Cordy had already confirmed the new program


    with the emcee, and the wedding soon resumed.


    Some of the guests had left, but not that many-both Cordy and Patrick were people of influence, just as


    many would need to consider their positions.


    Moreover, if the bride and bridegroom feel that they could continue, there probably was no danger.


    As such, Cordy and Patrick stood together one stage once more, looking like a match made in heaven.


    The emcee livened things up, clearing the gloom before proceeding to the new schedule.


    ¡°Patrick Stuart, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife; love her,fort her, honor and keep


    her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall


    live?¡±


    Patrtick turned toward Cordy with a smile but paused when he saw Cordy.


    She was obviously distracted, her eyes staring aimlessly ahead while her fingers clenched on her


    bouquet of flowers.


    ¡°Mr. Stuart?¡± The priest prompted Patrick when he did not respond.


    At that instant, Cordy seemed to finally realize that Patrick had been staring at her for a while now.


    She turned toward Patrick and smiled faintly at him, looking just like usual- except for the tears welling


    in her eyes, which her smile squeezed out of her eyes.


    One drop trickled down her cheek, but she subtly wiped it away.


    ¡°Oh, our bridegroom is mesmerized by her bride!¡± the emcee joked then.¡± There¡¯s no rush-you have a


    whole night waiting for you to get going, so why don¡¯t we finish the wedding for now?¡±


    The guestsughed, and the atmosphere in the banquet hall returned to normal.


    Patrick¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he said, ¡°I do.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband; love him,fort him, honor and keep


    him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both


    shall live?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Cordy answered simply and without hesitation.


    ¡°You may exchange your rings.¡±


    Quinn brought forward the rings, and Patrick was supposed to put it on Cordy¡¯s finger first.


    Cordy was second, but her fingers kept shaking uncontrobly, so much so that she missed several


    times.


    ¡°Cordy?¡± Patrick whispered to her.


    Cordy took a deep breath and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s my first time. I¡¯m a little nervous.


    And with that, she calmly slid the ring on Patrick¡¯s finger.

 Chapter 1165

    Chapter 1165


    Chapter 1165


    ¡°I pronounce you husband and wife!¡± the emcee announced excitedly. ¡°You may now kiss the bride.¡±


    The hall erupted in thunderous apuse at his words, and confetti popped above stage.


    The atmosphere at the wedding reached a climax even as Patrick stood face-to-face with Cordy,


    staring at her.


    She was looking fixedly into her eyes in turn, and the lights above illuminated their bright gazes with a


    celestial glint.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Patrick gently called out to her.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®Will you marry me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded-she had strong principles, and no one could force her to do anything.


    ¡°Will you regret it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cordy replied, shaking her head.


    Once she married him, her world would revolve around him and their family -no one would change that.


    Nheless, Patrick said bitterly, ¡°But I¡¯m worried I¡¯ll regret this.¡±


    As Cordy¡¯s eyes widened, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t give you a happy family.


    ¡°Why?¡± Cordy asked, a little nervous.


    Patrick could do anything well-why would he be afraid?


    ¡°Patrick¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re doing your best to love me and stay with me now, but I don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be hurt.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m worried you will be.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Patrick,¡± Cordy said, trying to dispel the unusual emotion seizing him just then. ¡°I¡¯m happy


    with you. You¡¯ve been very good to me, and I¡¯m touched.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re marrying me?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she was left silent right then.


    Patrick then said, ¡°I know you¡¯ll give me your heart and soul after marrying me, but I don¡¯t want you to


    force yourself to do anything you¡¯re upset about, to stress yourself out. In truth, you still love John, don¡¯t


    you?¡± Patrick asked her.


    Cordy bit her lip.


    She did not want to lie to Patrick, but she could tell him with no uncertainty, ¡°He¡¯s my past now. In the


    future, I¡¯ll do my best to love you.¡±


    ¡°In other words, you don¡¯t love me now.¡±


    ¡°Give me time, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, Cordy,¡± Patrick said solemnly.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Cordy was left staring at him anxiously, realizing just then that whatever she said was pointless.


    ¡® My feelings for you are pure, but yours aren¡¯t,¡± Patrick said, disappointment showing in his eyes. ¡°And


    I don¡¯t think that¡¯s fair.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you today, Patrick?¡± Cordy asked, finding him weird just then.


    ¡°I just suddenly came to a realization, and I don¡¯t want either of us to be hurt,¡± Patrick said, taking a


    deep breath as if he had let go of everything just then.


    ¡°It hurts to be with me?¡± Cordy¡¯s eyes were red.


    She was always convinced that she and Patrick could give each other warmth, even salvation.


    But now, did those things be hurtful?


    ¡°It does,¡± Patrick said, resolute. ¡°You don¡¯t love me, and being with me would hurt you. I love you, but


    you don¡¯t love me, and that would hurt me. Instead of hurting each other, let¡¯s just¡­ forget it.¡± i


    ¡°Forget it?¡± Cordy could not believe her ears.


    Was he not looking forward to this wedding so much? How much thought and effort he put in for this


    wedding, and he would just ¡®forget if nonchntly?!


    Cordy hung her head, unable to believe what she heard again.

 Chapter 1166

    Chapter 1166


    Chapter 1166


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Patrick kept his eyes on Cordy even as he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to force this. I¡¯m tired of it-l admit


    that I yearned to marry you, the only woman I¡¯ve ever loved and the one who makes me want to give


    up on my former life¡­ To start anew. I¡¯d admit I was looking forward to this wedding so much I wanted


    to make it perfect, so that I won¡¯t have regrets. Even so¡­ At this very moment, I regret it.¡±


    ¡¯¡¯Patrick¡­¡±


    Tm sorry, Cordy.¡± Patrick apologized.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s unnecessary¡­¡± Cordy murmured, knowing very well that Patrick


    was suddenly regretful because she did not want her to be sad.


    He was convinced that she still loved John, and nothing she said now would work.


    She did not want to lie to Patrick, not when he was so pure and innocent.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for embarrassing you in front of so many guests. It¡¯s willful of me, ¡¯ Patrick said, and reached


    out to take her veil off.


    The guests were left stunned, since they did not see a kiss.


    It was certainly weird that they were only talking, and the air between them did not exactly look good.


    Still, none of the guests dared to say a word and simply watched silently in anticipation of an oue.


    ¡°I can¡¯t marry you now,¡± Patrick said, his fingers clenching on her veil.


    Cordy shook her head, her tears flowing endlessly.


    She had no idea what she could say, only that her chest hurt everywhere.


    She really was not indifferent to Patrick, but she had no idea if it was love or gratitude she felt for him.


    And being with him without differentiating that was her mistake.


    Patrick raised a hand in reflex to wipe her tears away but lowered his hand just inches away.


    This was not up to him from now on.


    Holding back his misery just then, he turned toward the guests and announced, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but today¡¯s


    wedding is canceled.¡±


    The banquet hall erupted in an uproar.


    Their rtionship was obviously strong, since the incident earlier did not even postpone the wedding.


    But now, Patrick was announcing that it was off?


    Was he having augh?


    ¡°I¡¯ve let Cordy down,¡± Patrick said, taking responsibility for everything just then. ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly changed


    my mind, and I don¡¯t want to get married. I¡¯m sorry, everyone. I¡¯m sorry, Cordy.¡±


    Patrick bowed in apology to everyone, but just as he was about to leave, Cordy called out, ¡°Patrick.¡±


    He stopped for a moment, clearly still hesitant, but he continued striding away at the next instant.


    His gait was determined, and every guest at the hall were trading looks in confusion.


    Cordy stared at Patrick as he left, her tears unstoppable.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± Quinn walked upto Cordy then.


    She wanted to console Cordy but did not know what to say.


    It had certainly been a wedding that sent the heart racing.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Cordy said, wiping her tears.


    She did not feel abandoned-she just honestly felt that Patrick was the best man the world had ever


    seen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of here,¡± Quinn said. ¡°The staff will handle the rest.¡±

 Chapter 1167

    Chapter 1167


    Chapter 1167


    Cordy left with Quinn, leaving the staff to handle the guests.She certainly was not in the mood to deal


    with anything else, but she had to admit that she was depressed.


    Even after she got in her car, she realized afterward that it was the bridal car for her and Patrick, which


    left her even more depressed.


    Quinn noticed that too and was left feeling a little helpless.


    "Cordy..." Cordy took a deep breath.


    "It''s alright."


    Quinn shook her head¡ªhow could she be? Even if the feelings were not that strong, anyone would be


    upset being left at the altar.Still, she had no idea how to console Cordy.


    Should she say that she felt a little lucky?! It was far better than to proceed with the wedding, have


    bottled-up feelings after, and force herself to be happy.But Quinn was afraid to say it¡ªonly Zoe would


    ever dare say something like that.


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy naturally did not know what was on Quinn''s mind, and she picked up her phone, hesitating for a


    moment before making the call.


    "Hey Cordy," Sean answered.


    "Don''t worry, John is going to be fine.The doctors are operating on him, but he can be discharged in a


    week after rest.It''s no issue, so you can proceed with your wedding¡ª"


    "Patrick left me at the altar," Cordy said quietly.


    Deathly silence ensued.


    Sean did not ask questions or appear agitated¡ªperhaps it just came too suddenly that he could not


    quite react.


    "The wedding was called off, and the guests were sent home.I''ve left the hotel, and..."


    Cordy trailed off, her voice choking with tears.


    Every word seemed to wound her further.


    She did not like to show her feelings, but Sean had always been a stalwart shield to her, and she could


    not control herself when it was him, especially emotional turmoil.


    "I''ll be right there," Sean said, his tone turning calm.


    "I''ll leave some instructions with the hospital ande over.Jay is here with Zoe, so they can keep


    Johnpany.Where are you now?"


    "It''s fine," Cordy said, taking a deep breath topose herself.


    "I''m just worried that Patrick is hurting more than I am.If you could spend the time, you should check on


    him."


    "Alright."


    "Sorry for the trouble," Cordy said somberly.


    "It''s no trouble," Sean said, his voice a little thrilled just then.He usually would say something like,


    "We''re family¡¯.


    However, Cordy was not able to consider that much just then.


    Lowering her phone, she told Quinn, "I can go home by myself, Quinn.I''d like to be alone."


    "Alright."


    Quinn agreed to it right away.


    "Go home and get some rest¡ªanything can waitter.I''ll check on Johnter too, and update you


    soon."


    "...Yeah."


    Quinn left after Cordy reached her mansion, calling Zoe before rushing to the hospital.She ran into


    Sean who was just about to leave when she arrived, and he appeared surprised to see her.


    "Where''s Cordy?"


    "She said she needed time alone, so I came." Sean frowned.

 Chapter 1168

    Chapter 1168


    Chapter 1168


    "Don''t worry.Cordy knows what she''s doing and won''t get up to anything serious," Quinn said bluntly.


    "If she wants to be alone, she wants to be alone."


    "Yeah," Sean replied.


    "Are you leaving? Don''t let me keep you," Quinn said, smiling faintly as Sean gazed at her.


    With that, she said nothing else and headed to the hallway outside the operating room.Both Jay and


    Zoe were waiting outside, worry clear on their faces.


    "Oh, you''re here, Quinn!" Zoe was thrilled to see her.


    "Yeah."


    "Wait, if you''re here...what about Cordy''s wedding?!" Zoe eximed.


    Even if she disliked how Cordy treated John, she earnestly wanted the best for Cordy regardless.


    "Didn''t Sean tell you?" Quinn eximed in surprise, thinking to herself then that the geezer was really


    tight-lipped.


    "Patrick left Cordy at the altar."


    "What?!"


    Zoe could not help eximing, and for a moment, the only sound in the entire hospital was her voice.


    The nurses at the nurse''s station turned toward her, and Quinn promptly shushed her.


    "Calm down¡ªdon''t make a scene.Aren''t you worried that you''d bother the doctors operating on John?"


    "Oh, right." Zoe quickly nodded.


    "But how did it happen? Patrick loves Cordy to bits, doesn''t he? Why would he change his mind? Are


    you sure it''s not Cordy leaving him at the altar?!"


    This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yeah." Quinn nodded.


    "I think Patrick might have realized that Cordy is not really in love with him.He did not want either of


    them hurt because of that."


    "Holy sh*t!"


    Zoe could not help cursing just then.


    "Shouldn''t you be pleased?"


    "I should, but it still upsets me that Cordy is being left at the altar so publicly."


    "Oh, you''re always softie inside, aren''t you? You were just snapping at Cordy before, and now you feel


    for her?"


    "I..."


    Zoe trailed off, feeling awkward until she remembered.


    "By the way, why isn''t Cordy here?¡¯¡¯


    "Consider her position¡ªshe was just left at the altar, she won''t be in the mood to check on John right


    now.She''s human, she needs time to process her feelings...Anyway, everything is happening too fast


    for me, but judging from how things are developing at the moment, it''s going to be good for everyone."


    Zoe thought about it and nodded.


    Still, she grumbled, "Couldn''t Patrick have picked a better time to walk away? It''s so terrible for Cordy,


    being dumped so publicly!"


    "He''s human too.It''s hard for him to make a choice like this ¡ªbe more understanding."


    "That''s true." Zoe nodded.


    While they continued their exchange, Jay listened to it all in silence nearby.He had to admit that he


    heaved a subtle sigh of relief when he heard that the wedding between Cordy and Patrick was called


    off.


    Like Quinn said, things were developing in a way that was good for everyone, and it was fortunate that


    it did not go beyond a path of no turning back.


    Half an hourter, John was wheeled out of the operating room.


    Meanwhile, Nana was in police custody.Her shot only struck John''s arm, perhaps because she


    hesitated for a moment.


    Otherwise, she could easily hit him in the heart.


    As he was wheeled out of surgery, everyone else quickly surrounded him.


    John was conscious, though a little frail after undergoing surgery.


    "Good news, John," Zoe eximed impatiently.


    "Cordy did not marry Patrick¡ªhe left her at the altar. Cordy''s single again now!"

 Chapter 1169

    Chapter 1169


    Chapter 1169


    Both Jay and Quinn were left staring at Zoe, speechless.She really could not hide any secret! And John


    just had surgery.


    If his blood pressure spiked or something...


    Still, John''s face fell for a moment, though he soon calmed himself at the next instant, perhaps


    convinced that he was hallucinating and was therefore afraid to believe it.


    Everyone escorted him to his VVIP ward, where the medical staff settled John in and left after leaving


    some instructions.


    The ward was silent with just a few of them.


    Richard spoke up then.He had been sitting silent on the walkway outside the surgery room,


    overwrought and never chiming in even after hearing that his mommy was left at the altar.


    Now that he saw that John was fine, he could not help asking, "Aunt Zoe? You just said that Mr.Stuart


    left my mommy at the altar.Is that true? They''re not married?"


    Zoe was just drafting a text to Cordy, unable to help caring about her even though they just had a little


    disagreement.


    It would hurt being left at the altar anyway.She was just engrossed with texting Cordy and updating


    Cordy on John''s condition, looking up when Richard called her.She had to think to realize what Richard


    was asking and replied, "Yeah, they''re not.But things are good right now¡ª your mommy is very strong,


    so don''t worry.A few words of encouragement from me and she''s fine now."


    "Okay." Richard nodded.


    He was certainly pleased inside, since this meant mommy and daddy could start over¡­ although he


    was afraid to show it.


    "Johnny, your heart is racing too much," Jay told John just then.


    Everyone turned toward the cardiograph to see John''s wild heart rate.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "We''d have to call a doctor if you keep this up," Jay teased.


    After all, the doctors did tell them to inform them immediately if something cropped up.


    John worked hard to calm himself right then.


    Even so, he never expected Patrick would suddenly call off the wedding.He was thrilled and therefore a


    little out of control.


    "You''re that pleased?"


    Zoe grinned even as she watched John''s heart rate keep climbing.


    John closed his eyes but did not answer.He kept taking deep breaths while telling himself not to think,


    or his heart might not be able to take it.


    Zoe, however, remained tactless as ever and eximed excitedly, "Patrick suddenly had regrets at the


    wedding today, and left Cordy at the altar.She must be very sad right now, and she''s back at the


    mansion.There''s hope, John¡ª she''s single!"


    John did not respond again, still afraid of letting his imagination run wild and kept working hard to


    control his feelings.


    "Your heart rate betrays you.Stop pretending," Zoe teased.


    John turned his back on her and snapped coldly, "Go home¡ª every single one of you.I''m fine, and I


    can handle myself."


    "Are you going to call Cordy when we''re gone and..."


    "That''s enough." Jay stopped her then.


    "Do you think everyone is as important as you?"


    "What?"


    Zoe huffed¡ªher husband had been really rude to her these days! "Come on.We''re leaving."


    Jay beckoned at her nheless.


    Zoe nced at John, a little reluctant to leave since she wanted to discuss how he would get Cordy


    back.


    "Take Dicky home too," John added.


    "I want to stay with you, daddy," Richard quickly said.


    "I''m fine¡ªand you heard the doctor, it''s just my arm," John assured him.


    "I''ll be fine soon enough. Go home to your mommy with Uncle Jay¡ªkeep herpany."

 Chapter 1170

    Chapter 1170


    Chapter 1170


    Richard thought about it and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll visit tomorrow.¡± ¡¯Yeah.¡±


    As Richard tamely left with Jay and the others, Zoe could not help teasing John as they did, ¡°Cordy¡¯s is


    my bestie. If you need my help in any way, just ask. Should always keep the nice things for the family,


    right?¡±


    John stayed silent and actually appeared haughty even though there was a surging storm in his heart.


    He could not help heaving a deep sigh after they were gone, and he was shuddering ever so slightly.


    Cordy and Patrick did not get married.


    That meant¡­


    Still, he just wanted to recover quickly and get discharged soon.


    He refused to miss out again!


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    In North City airport, Sean had been calling Patrick repeatedly, but Patrick never answered and


    eventually turned off his phone.


    Sean searched for Patrick everywhere-the hotel he was lodging, the Stuarts¡¯ businesses in North City,


    and the bridal suite prepared for him and Cordy.


    Eventually, he found that the man had arrived at the airport and bought a ne ticket.


    Going home to mommy and daddy after heartbreak? How childish of him. As Sean entered the VIP


    lounge, he saw a man seated in a massage chair from afar, hanging his head as he held on to a veil.


    Moving closer, Sean saw the man¡¯s tears rolling down his cheeks.


    So Patrick really was hiding in a corner to cry¡­


    In fact, Sean already knew why Patrick did it when he received Cordy¡¯s call -it was definitely to let


    Cordy be with John.


    What an idiot.


    Patrick loved Cordy so much but would rather hurt himself for her sake.


    He should know that given Cordy¡¯s personality, she would love him with all her mind and spirit.


    He just did not want Cordy to suffer.


    As such, Sean refrained from disturbing Patrick and simply sat nearby in silence to keep himpany.


    Crying was ideal for sadness, after all.


    In fact, Patrick was so caught in his own misery he did not notice that Sean had been sitting with him


    for at least an hour, until an air hostess approached him to tell him, ¡°Mr. Stuart, you may board your


    flight now.¡±


    Patrick nodded.


    When he looked up, he had already wiped away his tears and quickly strode out, still not noticing Sean.


    Sean smiled faintly and quietly followed him to the first-ss cabin.


    He stared outside the window, still not noticing that Sean was right beside him even as the airne


    took to the air.


    Patrick watched as North City became ever distant and thought to himself that he was nevering


    back.


    It hurt too much, after all.


    He was persistently regretting his decision as well, but in the end, he still hoped that he had granted


    Cordy happiness-or at least a fair chance for her to pursue it.


    His eyes welled with tears again.


    However, he paused just as he was about to turn and pick up some tissues to wipe them off, finally


    noticing that Sean had been sitting beside him and staring at him.


    Was Sean here tough at him?!

 Chapter 1171

    Chapter 1171


    Chapter 1171


    "W-What are you..."


    Patrick was too agitated to speak when he saw Sean.


    How long had Sean been sitting beside him? How long was Sean watching him make a fool of


    himself?! Was Sean watching all the while he cried?! How could someone be so horrible?!"


    In fact, Patrick was so furious he could have a stroke.


    However, just as he was about to yell at Sean, Sean sped a hand over his mouth, denying him the


    chance to speak.


    Patrick''s eyes widened and reddened, clearly infuriated.


    "Shush," Sean told him calmly nheless.


    "Don''t make too much noise¡ªyou''re on a ne."


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Somehow, Patrick thought that Sean was messing with him on purpose.He was so furious he could


    murder, and he promptly bit on Sean''s palm at that instant as hard as he could.He put so much weight


    into it he was shaking.


    Patrick wanted nothing less than to kill Sean or at least bite a chunk of his hand off.


    Sean frowned, clearly in pain but not making a sound.


    He merely bore with Patrick''s venting, and even Patrick had no idea how long he was biting Sean¡ªhe


    could taste blood when he finally came to his senses.


    Taken aback, he seemed to calm down right then and stopped biting down on Sean.


    Sean did not pull his hand away, however.


    "Have you calmed down now?"


    Patrick did not say a word and simply turned aside as if pouting.


    "As long as you''re calm now," Sean said and pulled his hand away.


    Gruesomely deep teeth marks were clearly visible over it, and blood was seeping out.


    Patrick nced at it and felt a little guilty.


    Still, he remembered that Sean was deliberately messing with him, and he was too furious to talk to


    Sean.


    On the other hand, Sean slowly wiped the blood off his palm and seemed not to care about it anymore.


    Patrick gave him a look.


    "That''s all?"


    "Or, what?"


    "Aren''t you going to clean it?" Patrick asked grumpily.


    "I did.It''s not bleeding now."


    While Patrick was left speechless, Sean smiled faintly.


    "Or what, are you going to disinfect it for me?" Patrick rolled his eyes.


    "I''m not a doctor.I don''t carry bottles of antiseptic around with me."


    "Your spit can do the trick," Sean said.


    "Are you a deviant, man?"


    "Shush," Sean put a finger on his own lips¡ªPatrick''s voice was already making some passengers


    around them scowl.


    Patrick sighed lengthily and held his tongue, but he turned aside and looked like he did not want to talk


    to anyone.


    Sean pressed the service bell in turn, since there would always be first kid kits ready onboard.


    However, he had just pressed it when Patrick suddenly picked up his hand and licked his palm.


    Sean was left blinking at the warm sensation and looked at Patrick in disbelief.He was also blushing up


    to his ear, since he only said that without meaning it and did not believe Patrick would have done it at


    all...


    Patrick was left embarrassed by Sean''s stare and let go of his hand while growling coolly, "Don''t make


    me feel like owe you.I hate owning people!"


    Sean simply smiled¡ªhe just could not help it.


    Patrick blushed from his reaction.


    "Don''t be nice just because you got a goodie.I''m just¡ª"


    Before he could finish...

 Chapter 1172

    Chapter 1172


    Chapter 1172


    An air stewardess arrived.


    "Good evening, sir.How may I assist you?"


    "I identally got bitten," Sean replied.


    "Could you help me disinfect it and bandage it?"


    "Of course.One moment, please."


    Once she left, Patrick''s face almost turned green.


    "Were you messing with me, Sean?!"


    His voice was shaking from restraint, and every word was growled through clenched teeth.


    Sean simply shed an outrageous smile at him¡ªPatrick never saw him smile like that and started to


    shake with rage and murderous impulse.


    However, he had to bear with it since he was on a ne and turned his head aside, not wanting to look


    at Sean twice.


    Soon, the air stewardess had cleaned and bandaged Sean''s palm, and neither man spoke along the


    rest of the journey.


    Nheless, Sean kept following Patrick after they disembarked, leaving Patrick almost hysterical.He


    certainly did not want to see Sean for another second after what happened on the ne.


    "Why are you following me?"


    "Cordy told me to keep youpany."


    Patrick''s heart stung at the mention of Cordy¡ªshe was a thorn in his heart that could not be pulled out


    for the rest of his life now.


    "Don''t need it.I''m fine," he said nheless.


    "Then I need yourpany," Sean said bluntly.


    "And why should I keep youpany?!"


    Patrick snapped angrily¡ªhe was suffering heartbreak, and he still had to keep the manpany?!


    "You traumatized me severely when you left my dear cousin at the altar.I need to adjust."


    "Could you be more shameless?" Patrick asked viciously.


    "And what trauma are you talking about?! It wasn''t your wedding!"


    "Can''t I mourn for my cousin?"


    Patrick rolled his eyes, refusing to waste his breath.


    "Do whatever you like.Just stay away from me."


    "I''ve never been to Rocktown."


    "Then get on the next flight home."


    "l lost my ID."


    "I don''t believe you."


    "But I really did."


    Patrick started giving Sean a pat-down, searching every nook and cranny where he might have hidden


    his ID.


    For his part, Sean did not push Patrick away, allowing Patrick to touch him as much as he wanted.


    Two young women¡ªa university student¡ªwho saw them nearby were smiling meaningfully.


    The looks on their eyes were obviously...


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "Hey! What are you looking at?!"


    Patrick snapped at them right then.


    Startled, they bolted right then, though not before they said, "Be happy together for the rest of your


    lives!"


    "What..."


    Patrick was so incensed he could swear.


    Still, Sean stopped him.


    "Calm down.We''re in public.Be more aware of your image."


    "Then let go of me!" Patrick snapped at him in return.


    "Who, me?"


    It was only then that Patrick noticed his hand was still ced on Sean.


    After that tussle just now, he seemed to have wrapped his arms around the other man.


    ¡®Sh¨¦t! Patrick promptly leapt away from Sean by a few paces, though his eyes suddenly caught


    something when he did.


    "What the hell is in your hand, Sean Cranston?!" he demanded, bristling with rage.


    Sean turned to see that he was actually holding his own ID.


    "You mother¡ª"


    Before he could finish, Patrick watched as Sean handily threw his ID into an robotic electric cleaner,


    which soon dashed away.

 Chapter 1173

    Chapter 1173


    Chapter 1173


    Patrick was speechless.


    "What the¡ª"


    Sean simply pulled his arm along.


    "Come on.Rocktown is your turf¡ªit''s your turn to be host!"


    "I never agreed to this!"


    Patrick was exasperated, but Sean was too strong and basically dragged him along.


    Moreover, since Sean could not check in at a hotel without an ID, Patrick had to let him stay in one of


    the apartments he owned.


    However, the instant they stepped through the front door, Sean asked, "I''m a little hungry.Do you have


    anything to eat? Patrick almost had enough.


    "It''s almost 7 PM," Sean said nheless, pointing at the skies darkening outside.


    "I haven''t eaten anything for a day." Patrick realized then that he had not eaten either, as he was


    caught in his misery.


    Sitting on the floor just then, he asked Sean, "What would you like to eat?"


    "Anything''s fine," Sean replied, stretching his back as he sat on the couch.


    "A little alcohol would be good, though."


    As Patrick looked up at him, Sean said, "No? It''s been a tiring day.Drinking would help with sleep."


    Patrick said nothing and simply ordered a ton of food to be delivered before heading out to the


    spacious balcony for a cigarette.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    He was already irritated, and Sean had to impose like this! Could a man not have his silence?! Inside,


    Sean turned to look at Patrick cutting a lonely figure and smiled faintly.


    Perhaps this was just fate at work.


    Half an hourter, the doorbell rang and Sean received the delivery, putting everything in an orderly


    manner on the tea table.


    The thought of sitting on the floor and eating skewers while sipping beer was quite enjoyable.


    After putting everything down, he headed out to the balcony, where Patrick was still leaning against the


    handrail with a dark look on his face.


    Sean told him, "Dinner¡¯s here."


    Patrick turned to nce at Sean.


    "I''m not feeling an appetite.Eat yourself¡ªHey!"


    Before he could finish, Sean already started dragging him away¡ªthe man was just too strong! Was he


    actually a bear?! Nheless, Sean dragged Patrick to the tea table, put a cushion on the floor, and


    had him sit before cracking open a bottle for him.


    Patrick snorted.


    "I don''t drink."


    "It''d be boring if I drank alone," Sean said.


    "That''s your business¡ª"


    "Drink."


    Sean refused to give Patrick a chance to resist, pouring him a ss and holding it beside his mouth.


    Patrick frowned at Sean indignantly.


    Sean said, "Drink away your sorrows."


    Patrick took a deep breath¡ªit certainly took a lot of self control not to grab the ss and smash it over


    Sean''s head.He always felt like Sean always led him by the nose...


    Still, he angrily grabbed the ss and chugged it, while Sean smiled faintly as he drank as well.


    Patrick actually did not want to drink since his body would hurt afterward, in addition to his already


    hurting heart.


    And yet, the more he drank, the more he could not stop himself.


    Taking Patrick''s ss just then, Sean said, "You should eat something."


    He clearly noticed that Patrick was going to drink himself to death.


    "I don''t want to eat."


    "Be good now," Sean told him sternly and held a meat skewer beside his mouth.


    "Honestly, Sean, when would it be over with you?!"


    Patrick snapped, while Sean watched him withposure.


    "Who are you to me? Why would you want to boss me around like that? My dad? Or my mom? You


    were going to be an inw, but now you''re not! Don''t push me, I''ll never eat anything you give¡ªoff!"


    Patrick''s eyes widened as Sean stuffed the meat skewers into his mouth.


    Patrick could die from sheer exasperation right then! "Eat.It''s good."


    Patrick bit off a chunk and growled, "Don''t my words make sense to you, Sean Cranston?!"


    Sean kept drinking nonchntly, looking as if he waspletely ignoring Patrick.

 Chapter 1174

    Chapter 1174


    Chapter 1174


    Patrick gritted his teeth and told himself not to get petty with Sean.


    Either way, he could make Sean leave tomorrow.


    With that, he started chomping down on the skewers and drank.


    As the night stretched over the skies, the lights of the city lit up.


    Sean must have drunk a lot.


    Still, he was usually rational enough not to get drunk, and he stopped when he was about to reach his


    limit.


    He went outside to the balcony, standing where Patrick stood for a breather.


    Sean had never been to Rocktown, only evering on business trips and certainly not to gaze upon


    its sights properly like this.


    Somehow, he found it rather beautiful and enjoyed the touch of the breeze against his face as he took


    in the scenery.


    There was no telling how long had passed, and he felt a little cold as his drunkenness subsided.


    He turned to look through the sliding door that Patrick had already drunk himself silly and was sprawled


    over the table.He knew the man would get drunk tonight anyway but did not lift a finger to stop him at


    all.He did help, however, since it would hurt a lot more getting drunk on an empty stomach.


    Striding into the living room, he scooped Patrick off the floor, who felt as if he was suddenly weightless


    and floating in the air.


    Was he drunk, or was he drunk? "I think I''m sick,"


    Patrick mumbled.


    "You''ll be fine in bed after a while," Sean assured him quietly.


    Patrick frowned but ultimately did not resist as Sean put him in bed.


    But the instant he did, Patrick felt his stomach churning and started retching a couple of times.


    "Bleurgh..."


    "Hold on," Sean told him.


    "I''ll take you to the washroom right away¡ª"


    "rghl!!"


    Patrick ultimately could not stop himself and vomited all over the floor, getting some on Sean as well.


    Sean sighed heavily in turn¡ªtaking care of a drunk person was really a pain.


    "Is there more where it came from?" Sean asked nheless.


    "No," Patrick replied, tossing around after causing all the damage all over the floor and falling asleep.


    Sean had no choice but to take off the clothes that Patrick dirtied, throw them into the trash bin, and


    then clear the floor.


    After that, he headed to the bathroom for a shower...only noticing afterward he had not brought a


    change of clothes.


    He saw the bathrobe on the rack in the bathroom and put it on-¡ªit was clearly a little small for him, but


    he could not afford to be picky.


    Once he stepped out, he found Patrick tugging at his own shirt even as hey in bed, clearly


    ufortable.


    He was still in his white bridegroom shirt, and Sean walked over to help him take it off.


    After some thought, he took off his pants and socks.


    He was just finished and about to bring a hot towel for Patrick when the man suddenly opened his


    eyes, staring straight at Sean with his jet-ck, crystalline eyes.


    It actually left Sean a little...embarrassed.


    "What are you doing?" Patrick asked him.


    That was when Sean looked down and found his bathrobe hanging loosely...


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Before he could exin, Patrick kicked Sean, knocking him to the floor beside the bed while he leapt


    off, dashing straight for the bathroom in only his boxers...

 Chapter 1175

    Chapter 1175


    Chapter 1175


    However, Patrick had not made it inside the bathroom for even a moment when Sean heard a violent


    crash.


    Stunned for a moment, he dashed inside immediately to find Patrickying on his back, and


    motionless.


    Worried, Sean hurried to him in fear that he broke something, only to hear his regr, rhythmic


    breathing.


    Sean was left speechless¡ªthe man would rather sleep on the bathroom floor than on his huge,


    comfortable bed? He arched his back and tried to help Patrick back to bed before changing his mind,


    putting the man in the bathtub and helping clean him up instead...


    The next day, Patrick opened his eyes when the sun was high overhead and felt his body aching all


    over, including his head.


    He felt a little hangover and was unable to remember just then how he ended up in bed, let alone fell


    asleep.


    He wiggled a little, and his heart skipped a beat when he realized there was someone behind him.What


    was more, his back was pressed firmly against their back, and he could clearly feel their warmth!


    Patrick almost suffered a nervous breakdown right then¡ª what was he doingst night?! He could not


    remember at all! Nheless, he carefully turned around, and immediately found himself staring at a


    pair of very broad shoulders and scratch marks over it.


    Patrick sped a hand over his mouth, taking deep breaths and repeatedly trying to calm himself just


    to stop himself from screaming! What the hell did he dost night?! He slowly got up, fearful that he


    would wake the person beside him.


    But he at least had to sneak a peek to find out who it was, right?! Patrick pushed himself up and craned


    his neck to look, but the man''s face was half buried under the nket, and there was no way to see his


    face clearly.


    This is from N?velDrama.Org.


    As such, Patrick gingerly tried to lift the nket with trembling fingers.


    It took considerable effort just to reach the nket, while his heart threatened to leap up to his throat.


    When he lifted the nket, the man turned slightly, revealing his face right then.


    S-Sean...?! Patrick could die right then.


    To make things worse, Sean suddenly opened his eyes even before he could react, staring at Patrick


    for a moment with unfocused eyes before calmly saying, "Mornin¡¯."


    As soon as Sean spoke, Patrick rolled out of bed in shock, leaving Sean frowning.


    Was he that scary when he just woke up? But just as Sean was about to pull off his nket to help


    Patrick up, Patrick promptly turned his head aside and yelled, "Don''t take off the nket! I don''t want to


    see!"


    Sean was mystified¡ªwhat had gotten into Patrick this early in the morning? Was he still drunk?! "Last


    night, did you..."


    Patrick tried to speak just then but trailed off as he could not finish his sentence.


    "Last night, what?" Sean asked.


    Patrick gritted his teeth¡ªhe had to be pretending, no?!

 Chapter 1176

    Chapter 1176


    Chapter 1176


    ¡®You were drunkst night.1


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sean stretched his back, putting a pillow against the headboard to cushion himself as he sat up,


    sighing emotionally. ¡°Urgh, I¡¯m really sore all over.¡±


    ¡¯Shut up!¡± Patrick bellowed at him.


    Sean was left confused as to how he upset Patrick.


    It took him great effort just to bathe the manst night, so that he could sleepfortably¡­ only to


    throw a fit at him first thing in the morning?!


    Did he even remember how terrible he was, iling around like a child while Sean bathed him?!


    Not only did Sean have to coax him just like with a child, he even scratched Sean as he resisted.


    ¡°You¡¯re still drunk, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sean asked, studying him just then.


    ¡®Yes, yes, yes, I¡¯m still drunk!¡± Patrick admitted to it right away. ¡°That¡¯s why I had no idea what I didst


    night at all! So I refuse to take responsibility!¡±


    Sean was left staring at Patrick again.


    ¡®Refuse to take responsibility?¡¯


    Still, Sean understood in an instant.


    So Patrick was presuming what happenedst night was¡­


    Sean smiled ever so subtly at that, if a little cunning.


    ¡°Not remembering doesn¡¯t mean you never did it,¡± he countered. ¡°Thew punishes you even if you


    were amnesiac, as long as you¡¯re found guilty.¡±


    ¡®W-What do you want?!¡± Patrick blurted, ring at Sean as regret seized his guts.


    Why did he have to drink too muchst night and give in to Sean goading?


    Come to think of it, Sean seemed to tell him to keep it moderate¡­


    No.


    If Sean never offered him that alcohol, he would not have drank so much, let alone getting a hangover


    and into so much trouble!


    ¡¯What do you think?¡± Sean asked in return.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re married. You have a wife!¡± Patrick snapped a little too loudly, somehow finding


    the spine to argue. ¡°Let¡¯s pretend nothing happenedst night. I won¡¯t tell anyone-or ruin your


    marriage!¡±


    ¡®But I can¡¯t pretend nothing happened¡­¡±


    ¡¯This is for your own good! What more do you want?!¡± Patrick cried, flustered-why did Sean have to


    look a gift horse in the mouth?!


    ¡¯We¡¯re married in name only,¡± Sean said bluntly just then.


    ¡¯What?! It was a sham?!¡¯ There was disgust in Patrick¡¯s eyes right then.


    Sean was actually impressed by how conservative Patrick was. ¡°Look, my wife¡¯s actual love interest


    used to be a good friend of mine who sadly passed away in an ident. She was already pregnant by


    then, and I married her so that his child would have a family-at least nominally.¡±


    Patrick stared nkly as Sean exined everything.


    Wait, why was Sean telling him that?!


    Just then, Sean continued, ¡°But both my wife and I know in the years of our marriage that living


    together would only remind us of the pain of losing my friend. That¡¯s why she¡¯s been nning to take


    her child overseas and start fresh¡ªwe¡¯re finalizing our divorce as we speak.¡±


    ¡¯Why tell me all that? What does that have to do with me?¡± Patrick asked impatiently.


    ¡¯That means you have nothing to worry about when you take responsibility for me now.¡±


    ¡¯What¡­¡± Patrick was left stumped for a moment before snapping, ¡°Sean Cranston, are you saying that


    you¡¯re-¡°


    ¡®I am,¡± Sean admitted shortly. 1


    Patrick was stunned.


    He had never heard any such rumors, and he certainly could not tell!


    ¡®You kept it well under wraps in your own case, no?¡± Sean asked in return just then.


    Patrick did double-take


    Sean was right, and yet¡­


    He never could tell that Sean swung that way.


    ¡®That¡¯s the long and short of why I can¡¯t take over the family estate and why I¡¯m working so hard to


    groom another heir¡ªI can¡¯t produce an heir,¡± Sean added.


    Patrick suddenly could not say anything against that.


    After a moment, Sean asked, ¡°So? How will you take responsibility for me?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­ it¡¯s not my first time. And here I thought you were a virgin-¡°


    ¡¯It is my first time. And I¡¯m forty,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    ¡®No way¡­¡±


    After all, chastity never mattered to the likes of them.


    ¡®I¡¯m ready if you want tounch a full-scale investigation,¡± Sean said with considerableposure.


    Patrick¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    What kind of clusterf*ck did he just get himself into?!

 Chapter 1177

    Chapter 1177


    Chapter 1177


    A week passed.


    In North City, Cordy took the time to adjust and was more or less back to normal.


    Emotions would re when she asionally remembered what happened, but the issue was not at all


    major.


    And when she showed up at work, the employees would scarcely dare to act like something happened.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    After clearing a load of work for the day, Cordy decided to call Sean after some thought-she was


    convinced that she could be friends for life with Patrick, even if they could not be husband and wife.


    And although Sean had left to soften the blow for him over the week, he never called or texted her, so


    she had no idea how Patrick was doing.


    Soon, Sean answered, though he was clearly drowsy as if he had still been sleeping.


    And it was almost 11 AM-since when did he wake up sote?


    ¡®You¡¯re still not up yet? What were you doing? Did you stay up the whole night?¡± Cordy asked, puzzled.


    ¡®Yeah, I just woke up,¡¯ Sean rasped before adding vaguely, ¡°Well, it¡¯s technically not the whole night¡­¡±


    Cordy did not press the issue and instead asked, ¡°Where have you been the whole week?¡±


    ¡¯Why? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget you were supposed to talk to Patrick for me? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re back in the capital


    already?¡± Cordy was a little disgruntled just then.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Sean could not say anything to that.


    Cordy had a hunch right then. ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡± Sean neither confirmed nor denied.


    ¡¯You didn¡¯t talk to him at all, did you?¡± Cordy snapped, a little angry just then. ¡°At least tell me you


    weren¡¯t going¡­ Urgh, whatever. I know you¡¯re busy. I¡¯ll call him myself.¡±


    With that, Cordy hung up, gritted her teeth, and called Patrick in the end.


    He picked up right after one ring. ¡°Cordy.¡±


    He somehow sounded panicked, even though he answered so quickly Cordy felt like he expected her


    call.


    Something just felt out of ce.


    ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    ¡¯Nothing,¡± Patrick promptly said.


    While Cordy was left speechless, Patrick corrected himself. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m fine. No issue over here. What


    about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine too.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Patrick had no idea what to say.


    Well, what could he say?


    It was not like he could just say it¡­


    He shot a re at the man beside him, who was smiling gleefully as he made a fool of himself.


    He had no idea how he fell right into Sean¡¯s hands, and it left him thoroughly indignant.


    ¡®Still friends?¡± Cordy asked, smiling and trying not to put Patrick in an awkward situation.


    ¡® Of course.¡±


    Hell, they might be inws soon.


    ¡®Alright, I shan¡¯t impose. There¡¯s a partnership in the works here, soe over and check how things


    are running if you have the time,¡± Cordy said, as if it was only natural. ¡°We¡¯ll leave the past behind.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®See you.¡±


    ¡®See you.¡±


    Cordy put away her phone at that and sighed.

 Chapter 1178

    Chapter 1178


    Chapter 1178


    Cordy felt disappointment inside even though she could hear that Patrick sounded fine.


    Their rtionship was neither deep or shallow, but it was over regardless.


    In the afternoon, when Robin Tate-one of Cordy¡¯s executives-arrived for a routine update, he instead


    said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have bad news, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡®What?¡±


    ¡¯The lease of our gship outlet in KPW Shopping Center that was due for renewal in October has


    been repealed, and a new lease tender is due immediately. We approached the manager yesterday,


    but they told us that someone bought the entire shopping center and is reevaluating the lease of every


    outlet starting next month.¡¯


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Everyone was doing fine at their respective outlets at KPW Shopping Center. Why the sudden chaos


    and reevaluation of leases?!


    Not even a change in owners should lead to such a major reshuffle-forget the enormous workload that


    involved, it would also cause serious discontent among the businesses involved.


    Was the new owner not interested in making money, or¡­


    Perhaps someone was making a serious push for one of the outlets, and for fairness¡¯ sake, KPW¡¯s


    management decided on a reshuffle just to see who could offer a better lease tender.


    As a matter of fact, the Starstream Fashion outlet upied the centermost and best spot in the


    shopping outlet. Since it was their gship physical store, it stood tall regardless of the decreasing


    poprity of all physical outlets and boasted significant sales. Most importantly, they must retain the


    brand effect to keep up appearances and must never lose it.


    From that trail of thought, if anyone was interested in any outlets, their first choice would definitely be


    where Starstream Fashion¡¯s gship outlet was right now.


    Having understood that, Cordy told Robin, ¡°Make an appointment with KPW¡¯s manager. I¡¯d like to have


    a personal discussion with him.¡±


    ¡¯Yes, Ms. Sachs. I¡¯ll have it done right away.¡±


    After Robin left, Cordy crunched the numbers, including KPW¡¯s current circumstances, the brand


    outlet¡¯s revenues, and the rest-whatever happened, they must not lose the gship outlet at all.


    Soon, however, Robin returned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Sachs, but the manager kept saying that he is too busy


    to make time.¡±


    ¡¯Too busy?¡±


    ¡¯For the entire week.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s gaze turned cool-that reaction only further proved her hunch that the manager was intending to


    give their lot to someone else, which was why he refused to meet.


    ¡®Give me the information on thepany that recently acquired KPW Shopping Center and its key


    executives.¡±


    ¡®Okay.¡±All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Soon, Robin returned with a dossier, and Cordy stared at the first page for a moment before flipping


    through it.


    SYX Corp.


    When did thispany start operating in North City?


    But if they were able to acquire the KPW Shopping Center, it meant they had deep pockets.


    ¡®When was it founded?¡± she asked.


    ¡®Just three months ago,¡± Robin replied. ¡°And they hit the ground running, immediately cutting a turf for


    themselves in North City¡¯s business scene. You might have been too busy with your wedding to


    notice¡­¡±


    Robin trailed off, afraid to continue.


    Cordy pursed her lips in turn-but it was true.


    She may have been working too, but it was mostly internal affairs and nothing external.


    ¡®Go on.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, okay-well, SYX Corp has been acquiring many otherpanies of moderate scale since, firstnd


    lots and now shopping centers,¡± Robin quickly continued. ¡°Their reach has spanned a vast area, and


    rumor has it that they are a foreign conglomerate since the person in charge was never revealed, but


    the key executives are all famous foreign business folk.¡¯


    Cordy continued reading through the dossier as she listened, genuinely impressed by such rapid


    progress SYX achieved in such a short time.


    In summary, aside from capital, the person in charge must have been outstanding as well.


    ¡¯Do you have an address?¡±


    ¡®As in fortheir headquarters?¡± Robin asked.


    ¡¯Yes.¡±


    ¡¯I do,¡± Robin replied. ¡°It¡¯s in Peach Garden, and it looks like they recently moved there, but we can¡¯t


    make it in without an appointment. One of my contacts even told me that no one has ever made it in


    the building.¡±


    ¡®Arrange for a car to bring us straight there.¡± Cordy made up her mind right then.

 Chapter 1179

    Chapter 1179


    Chapter 1179


    When Cordy arrived at the lobby of SYX¡¯s office building, the front desk receptionist intercepted her.


    ¡¯Good morning, ma¡¯am. May I ask for the purpose of your visit?¡±


    ¡¯I would like to meet your CEO,¡± Cordy replied politely.


    ¡® Do you have an appointment, ma¡¯am?¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯No.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. You can¡¯t meet him if you don¡¯t have one-he¡¯s really busy,¡¯ the receptionist said


    mildly.


    Cordy pursed her lips, but she could imagine how busy a newly establishedpany would be,


    especially since they had their hands in so many cookie jars.


    And barging in might affect the CEO¡¯s scheduling, so after some thought, she asked, ¡°What time does


    he usually leave work?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no telling. Sometimes early, sometimeste-there were asions where he stayed overnight,¡±


    the receptionist replied.


    The man was really giving it his all, was he not? It was hardly surprising that thepany developed


    so rapidly.


    ¡¯I see. Thank you,¡± Cordy said politely.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡¯


    Cordy left the front desk but not the lobby.


    Robin, who was with her, was surprised. ¡°Ms. Sachs?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice but to wait.¡±


    ¡°But the receptionist just said he might work overnight¡ª¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll wait overnight.¡±


    Robin said nothing else at that, knowing all too well that Cordy was the type who never rested until she


    got what she wanted.


    In that sense, it was not surprising that she carried Starstream Group to the pinnacle of North City¡¯s


    businesses on her own.


    Cordy settled on the guest¡¯s couch, bringing out herptop and continuing to work since she was


    prepared for being denied a meeting with the CEO.


    In the spacious and extravagantly decorated office on the top floor of the building, Randy was


    reporting, ¡°Ms. Sachs is waiting for you downstairs.¡±


    John paused just before he signed a piece of paper, his lips curling upward right then.


    He expected her toe to him¡­ to be precise, he had arranged for that, though he was surprised he


    would move that quickly.


    ¡°Bring her coffee and something to eat,¡± he instructed.


    Randy was left stunned for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not letting her in?¡±


    He was well aware of why his boss arranged for the reshuffling¡ªwhat else could it be, other than


    goading Ms. Sachs to go to him?


    And yet, he was not meeting her now that she came¡­


    Nheless, Randy replied, ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t let her see you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Randy quickly told the front desk receptionist to bring Cordy coffee and confectionery, even adding


    telling her not to tell Cordy that it was brought specifically for her.


    Cordy was actually surprised by the service, and the front desk receptionist told her mildly, ¡°It¡¯s just the


    hospitality for guests here at SYX Corp. Please enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy replied and turned toward Robin. ¡¯Remember to tell everyone to learn from SYX¡¯s


    hospitality.¡¯


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    In the afternoon, the receptionist approached Cordy again, this time bringing her a lunch box filled with


    scrumptious food. ¡°Please enjoy.¡±


    Cordy was left staring at it, wondering if SYX had too much money to spend -what otherpany had


    such profound standards in hospitality?


    And after that, she was served tea with decorum expected of five-star hotels and an exquisite dinner in


    the evening.


    It would have been no different if she were fine dining at some expensive restaurant, and she


    wondered if SYX just wanted to avoid outside criticism while showing the public how great their


    hospitality was.


    And soon after dinner, she was brought more tea and dessert, along with supper at 10 PM.


    Cordy turned toward Robin then. ¡°How much do you suppose all those meals cost?¡±


    Robin shrugged and asked gingerly, ¡°Should we follow their example too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that crazy.¡±

 Chapter 1180

    Chapter 1180


    Chapter 1180


    Robin quickly nodded. He certainly had to agree that SYX was a little depraved since they were too


    rich.


    Nheless, he asked, ¡°Are we going to keep waiting for their CEO?¡¯


    Cordy nced at her watch, wondering if the man was really that hardworking.


    She really doubted he would work overnight and therefore said resolutely,¡± Yeah.¡±


    Robin had no choice but to stick with his boss.


    Soon, it was 11 PM.


    On the top floor, Randy reported, ¡®Ms. Sachs is still waiting, Mr. Levine.¡±


    John smiled-she really was as tenacious as ever.


    ¡¯Should we keep her waiting?¡± Randy asked. ¡°The air-conditioning downstairs is in full force, and it¡¯s


    getting cold at this hour¡­¡±


    John looked up at him, and he quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll ask someone to set it warmer.¡±


    However, John suddenly said, ¡°Show her upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Take her to the waiting room.¡±


    What a difficult boss.


    ¡®And make sure the room temperature is just right. Bring her fruit, snacks, warm milk¡ª¡±


    ¡®Yes, Mr. Levine.¡± Randy promptly left to make the arrangements.


    At the lobby downstairs, the front desk receptionist told Cordy politely, ¡¯ Ma¡¯am, our CEO will be getting


    off work soon. If you¡¯re still going to wait for him, you may do so at the waiting room outside his office.


    He can afford you 20 minutes after he is finished with work.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said, agreeing to it immediately-finally, there was hope!


    She quickly went to the waiting room with Robin and immediately found it even grander than the


    waiting room.


    The lobby had gotten very cold just then that she was starting to give in, while the waiting room was


    warmed just right.


    And there was more fruit, snacks, and even warm milk?


    There was something as being too attentive, no?


    ¡®Enjoy, ma¡¯am,¡± the front desk receptionist told her politely.


    Cordy could not help asking, ¡°Yourpany¡¯s hospitality is amazing. Isn¡¯t your boss afraid of losing


    money?¡¯


    ¡¯Well¡­¡±


    ¡®My boss is only being this nice to you, though¡­¡±


    Cordy simply smiled in turn, since ordinary employees would have no such concerns. ¡°Thank you. You


    should go back to work.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The receptionist left, leaving just Cordy and Robin in the room.


    They settled down on the soft couch and had some fruit, while Cordy quickly finished the warm milk


    since she was feeling a little cold.


    And with that, it was more endless waiting.


    There was no telling how long they had to wait, and Cordy was starting to get drowsy as she reclined


    against the couch.


    On the other hand, Robin always napped in the afternoon, but he did not have the time to do it since he


    was staying at his boss¡¯ side the whole day.


    Now, however, he was asleep soon enough.


    Both of them hence dozed off, not noticing at all that someone was standing at the doorway, watching


    them.


    ¡®Mr. Levine? She might get a cold sleeping there. Should I bring a nket?¡± Randy asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John nodded.


    Randy turned and hurried off to get one, and John tiptoed over to tuck in Cordy.


    However, he just did so when Cordy suddenly opened her eyes, staring at the man before her and


    feeling for a second that she was imagining things ¡­ until he started to turn and leave.


    ¡°John Levine?!¡± Cordy called out to him.


    John pursed his lips in turn and stopped to turn toward her.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯It¡¯s you? You¡¯re the CEO of SYX Corp?¡± Cordy understood right then.


    She was presuming that SYX was foreign instead of domestic, and there was no question that Levine


    Ventures used to have such capital!

 Chapter 1181

    Chapter 1181


    Chapter 1181


    John stayed calm and said, ¡°Yeah, I am.¡±


    Cordy realized with a start then and snorted coolly, ¡°So you were ying me? Was it that fun?¡±


    ¡°You must have misunderstood, Ms. Sachs. I wasn¡¯t avoiding you, but my schedule was packed full


    and your visit had been sudden,¡± John said before beckoning at Randy. ¡°Please show Ms. Sachs my


    schedule for the day¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean today,¡± Cordy growled through her teeth, working hard to make herself stay calm.


    She was willing to believe that John did not have time the whole day, since he would definitely be very


    busy with hispany, which was expanding into multiple territories simultaneously.


    What she wanted to ask was something else instead. ¡°You deliberately arranged for the shopping


    center to reshuffle the leases, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°It was deliberate, yes,¡± John admitted.


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not an orchestrated effort against you.¡±


    Cordy merely stared at him, so he turned to Randy again. ¡°Bring our project n for KPW.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Levine.¡±


    Randy quickly ran away to fetch it, panting heavily as he returned. John took it and held it out to Cordy.


    ¡°Please take a look, Ms. Sachs. It¡¯s the background analysis, ns, and intended effect ourpany


    put together for KPW¡¯s invitation to tender.¡±


    Cordy shot him a look, took the document, and browsed through its contents.


    It was a trade secret, but she had no reason to refuse when John was showing it to her so willingly.


    And she certainlybed through it, but everything about the invitation to tender wasprehensive,


    from its factors to analysis.


    It appeared that they would also implement further change after the reshuffling, and they expected a


    ten percent of additional revenue following the adjustments.


    That level of profit would spur anyone to get it done.


    Still, Cordy read it for a long time before returning the document to John.


    With that, she turned and strode off, intending to leave without a word.


    Nheless, John reminded her, ¡°The deadline for the tender is next month. Please prepare by then,


    Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips and wheeled on him. ¡°This is all a game for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± John replied solemnly. ¡°This is corporate action and the fruit ofbor of the many


    individuals working here at SYX


    Corp. I have an obligation to thepany as well, so I must ask your misunderstanding should your


    interests be affected.¡±


    Cordy merely leveled a cool re at him before turning to leave again, her rage all too obvious.


    It was a long while after she was gone that Randy finally could not help asking, ¡°Ms. Sachs is furious,


    sir. Everything would go down in mes if this is your n to win her back¡ª¡±


    He was suddenly silenced as John shot him a look, but he was getting impatient too, since he knew all


    too well how much his boss loved Cordy.


    ¡°Confirm my dinner with Gareth Bryant tomorrow,¡± John suddenly said.


    Randy did a double take.


    Were they not just talking about getting back Ms. Sachs? Why was the boss talking about work again


    already?


    Was he not being a little too rational here?!


    John raised an eyebrow since Randy did not respond. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Randy promptly replied.


    ¡°Also, spread word about said dinner.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Randy was left mystified¡ªwhat was the boss ying at?


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    However, John left without offering any exnation.


    In spite of everything else, he had to admit that he had been too busy because of work.


    As he stretched his back by habit, he suddenly felt a sharp pang of pain on his arm¡ªhe had yet to fully


    recover from that gunshot.

 Chapter 1182

    Chapter 1182


    Chapter 1182


    John could barely exert much strength with his right hand, and he was so busy he almost forgot that he


    was half a patient.


    His doctor did insist that he rest frequently and attend rehabilitation sessions regrly.


    The next day, Cordy was working in her office at Starstream Group when Robin entered. ¡°We just


    received a tip, Ms. Sachs¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°The CEO of SYX Corp is going to have dinner with Gareth Bryant tonight. He¡¯s the board chairman of


    Future Tech.¡±


    ¡°So?¡¯ Cordy asked, frowning¡ªshe was unusually irritated whenever John was mentioned.


    ¡°Well, Future Tech had been trying to gain a foothold here in North City with a physical outlet. They had


    one in a rather remote location, but performance has not been ideal for them. Recently, rumor has it


    that Gareth was trying to get a lease in KPW Shopping Center, but that went south too¡­ Therefore, it¡¯s


    reasonable to specte that he is having dinner with SYX¡¯s CEO to discuss a lease


    11


    Cordy scowled, naturally understanding what Robin was hinting at.


    He was concerned that Gareth had his eyes on their lead lot in KPW Shopping Center.


    There would already be considerablepetition given that the lot was at the centermost spot of the


    shopping center, and the reshuffling therefore affected them the most.


    She put away the documents she had been reading, feeling even more indescribable irritation.


    She had already lost sleep when she got homest night, having no idea if John was scheming against


    her.


    Still, she must admit that business folk inevitably prioritized their interest, and John must have been


    working so hard to grow his estate.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    There was no reason to harass her, and he might be over her too.


    After all, he never showed up around her even though it has been a while since Patrick left him at the


    altar. In fact, he neither received a text nor a call.


    Taking a deep breath, Cordy said, ¡°Find out where they will be having dinner.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s bump into him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Robin left and soon returned with the address.


    Cordy left work early for the day and went straight to the restaurant, having booked the private room


    next to where John and Gareth would be dining.


    She arranged for someone to watch the door as well, and when both John and Gareth arrived at the


    restaurant, she stepped out, running right into them.


    There was a smile on John¡¯s face for a split second before he appeared surprised.


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Cordy greeted Gareth right then. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Bryant. Are you dining


    here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Are you here to eat too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve booked this room, in fact.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re right next door,¡± Gareth smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re well-informed, Ms. Sachs, but I didn¡¯t


    expect you to be that well- informed.¡±


    Cordy would naturally rather die than admit it. ¡°You tter me, Mr. Bryant, but this is just a coincidence.


    And since it¡¯s such a nice coincidence, why don¡¯t we eat together?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Gareth nced at John.


    John shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m fine either way.¡±


    Gareth nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together, then.¡±


    In the end, no matter how much scheme and plot behind the scenes, business folk could never afford


    to get on anyone¡¯s bad side.


    And with that, Cordy easily joined John and Gareth at dinner, and they sat down, with Gareth sitting


    between her and John while their subordinates sat around them.


    As they got started, Cordy raised her ss, ¡°I heard your Al tech has been applied to business a while


    ago, Mr. Bryant. I was just thinking about asking if there¡¯s anything that suits mypany¡¯s needs,


    since I¡¯d like us to develop technically as well.¡±

 Chapter 1183

    Chapter 1183


    Chapter 1183


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gareth quickly said, and he and Cordy promptly went into an endless discussion, leaving


    John neglected.


    And after dinner, both Cordy and Gareth were a little drunk, while John was perfectly sober.


    In fact, Gareth was starting to feel sick and left immediately with his assistant.


    Once he was gone, Cordy wanted to leave as well, only for Robin to whisper into her ear, ¡°I¡¯m sorry,


    Ms. Sachs, but our car broke down and was sent for repairs. Just wait for a moment¡ªI¡¯m calling for


    another car.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Ms. Sachs, I can give you a ride,¡± John said then.


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy refused right away.


    But with that, John did not press the issue and turned to leave with Randy.


    Along the way, Randy could not resist speaking up again. ¡°You could have insisted on giving Ms. Sachs


    a ride, Mr. Levine. It¡¯s an opportunity to earn her favor.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it,¡± John told him, grinning.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Randy was of the opinion that John was the one who did not.


    Meanwhile, Cordy was left with a feeling she could not quite describe as she stared at John leaving so


    quickly.


    And afterward, she waited with Robin for at least half an hour before their ride finally came.


    Her head was spinning, her stomach was queasy, and her heart was uneasy.


    Therefore, when she returned home to see John and Richard having a cheerful time in the living room,


    her irritation red.


    Why did she have to see John showing up so pompously in her own house?!


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± She rushed at them, visibly angry. ¡± Hadn¡¯t I told you before? Don¡¯te


    here without permission!¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± John nodded.


    His tone was perfectly neutral, showing no anger or tenseness because of her outburst.


    He was just so¡­ cool about it.


    Then, he added, ¡°It¡¯s the weekend tomorrow, so I¡¯ll be taking Dicky back to Levine Manor for the day.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have called me?¡± Cordy retorted, a little shrilly.


    ¡°But Mommy, Daddy did it several times,¡± Richard said softly. ¡°He was worried you¡¯d be upset if he


    didn¡¯t tell you, so he waited for you toeback.¡±


    Cordy frowned and took out her phone to see that there were indeed several missed calls.


    It was put on silent, but she was dizzy and her stomach was churning too much for her to actually


    check her phone.


    ¡°You could have waited outside,¡± she said stubbornly nheless.


    ¡°It was raining, so I let Daddye in,¡± Richard said.


    Cordy naturally knew that, since she had just returned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a car?¡±


    Richard was going to argue when John yielded yet again. ¡°It¡¯s fine ¡ªI won¡¯te in next time.


    Apologies for imposing. I¡¯ll be leaving with Dicky now, if that¡¯s alright with you?¡±


    Cordy absolutely did not want to agree to it, but Richard was already eleven years old and could make


    his own choices in many affairs.


    Turning toward the boy, she said, ¡°It¡¯s your own call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle home Sunday night,¡± Richard said bluntly.


    Richard¡¯s undisguised affection for John only left Cordy further irritated¡ªshe had to take deep breaths


    and tell herself that blood ran thicker than water.


    ¡°Fine.¡± Cordy agreed to it and turned to head upstairs.


    She did not want to let Richard catch on to her irritation and burden her own son, which was why she


    had been walking too quickly.


    Coupled with the fact that she was already dizzy in the first ce, she barely got two steps up the stairs


    before she slipped.


    She was about to fall, but somehow the only thought in her mind was how much she did not want to


    embarrass herself in front of John.


    However, the pain she expected never came, and she only felt herself falling squarely into a firm


    embrace.

 Chapter 1184

    Chapter 1184


    Chapter 1184


    Her heart pounding, she looked at the man before her and saw that he was not lookingposed


    either.


    In fact, his face was pale, as if he was more scared than she was.


    Their eyes met for a couple seconds, but just as Cordy was about to struggle out of John¡¯s arms, he


    scooped her up in his arms.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?!¡±


    ¡°Carrying you back to your room.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that. I can walk fine on my own.¡±


    ¡°Keep moving, and we¡¯d both fall.¡±


    Cordy gritted her teeth, but she had no choice but to take it since she could not move, even though she


    suffered considerably from it.


    Still, John quickly strode up the stairs with her in his arms and took her to her room.


    He put her in bed and left immediately after, as if she would sully his modesty if he lingered even for a


    second.


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    John was already gone, but she did not get to vent her grief at all!


    ¡°You¡¯re back already, daddy?¡± Richard eximed in surprise as he watched Johne downstairs.


    ¡°What silly ideas are you cooking now?¡± John patted Richard¡¯s head as he walked past the boy. ¡°Come


    on. We¡¯re going to Levine Manor.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not going to stay? Mommy¡¯s drunk¡ªaren¡¯t you going to take care of her?¡±


    ¡°She can take care of herself.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    With that, he left with Richard.


    Cordy worked overtime over the entire weekend in Richard¡¯s absence, since it meant she did not have


    to spend time with him.


    ¡°Ms. Sachs,¡± Robin greeted her as he handed her their tender proposal.


    However, it was obvious that Cordy was distracted¡ªsomething that never happened before.


    After all, she was always tireless andpletely focused, so what had gotten her today?


    ¡°Yeah. Put it there¡ªI ¡®ll look through itter,¡± Cordy told him. ¡± Also, it¡¯s the weekend. You really don¡¯t


    have to work overtime with me. You should spend more time with your family.¡±


    Robin stared at her in surprise for a moment before quickly saying, ¡°Okay. Thank you, Ms. Sachs. Do


    take care of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    After Robin left, Cordy was left alone in her office, and she soon decided that she was in no mood to


    work.


    She was simply feeling too restless.


    She got out of her chair and stood before her ss wall, wondering if she was suddenly gripped by a


    sense of loneliness.


    Patrick was not going to show up in North City for a while after returning to Rocktown, and Richard was


    away for the weekend with John.


    As for Zoe, she would naturally spend all the time she had with family, while Quinn was busy with


    severalwsuits.


    Was this how being single at thirty felt? It was certainly a feeling she has not experienced for years.


    She turned and pored over her work again until her phone suddenly rang.


    It was John.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Can youe to Levine Manor to take Dicky home? Something came up for me this evening, so I


    can¡¯t send him home myself. Though you don¡¯t have toe if you don¡¯t mind me asking a chauffeur


    to take him¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle,¡± Cordy said without hesitation.


    ¡°Great. See you soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cordy hung up, and drove straight to Levine Manor, where John was waiting with Richard at the gates.


    It did not escape Cordy¡¯s notice that John was dressed smartly in a suit, and it was obvious that he had


    made an effort to look good. So what big asion was he attending this time?

 Chapter 1185

    Chapter 1185


    Chapter 1185


    ¡°Thankyou,¡± John told Cordy politely.


    However, Cordy said nothing and left with Richard.


    On the way home, however, Richard suddenly asked, ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t you think Daddy looked good?¡±


    Cordy¡¯s fingers clenched over the steering wheel, but she said nonchntly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Richard murmured before adding, ¡°He¡¯s going on a blind date today.¡±


    Cordy blinked and nced at the boy.


    ¡°Are you upset, Mommy?¡± Richard quickly asked, sensing Cordy¡¯s stare right then.


    ¡°No. Just a little surprised,¡± Cordy said nonchntly.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, Grandaunt Nancy arranged the meeting for him,¡± Richard said. ¡°He didn¡¯t want to go, but she


    insisted.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dress up for the asion if he was really reluctant.¡± Cordy scoffed.


    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t paying attention, Mommy?¡± Richard smiled in amusement.


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªshe could not afford letting her guard down around Richard these days now


    that he was all grown up.


    ¡°Grandaunt Nancy prepared the suit and everything,¡± Richard added.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about your daddy, okay? What would you like for dinner? I¡¯ll treat you to something


    good,¡± Cordy said, changing the topic right then.


    After all, whatever John wanted to do was his business and had nothing to do with her.


    ¡°I was just craving the steak at Perkins House.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Cordy agreed to it without hesitation and took Richard straight there.


    A waiter led them to a window seat, and it was not until they sat down that Cordy turned to find John


    sitting opposite a young woman at the next table.


    Richard followed her gaze and saw John too. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Daddy was having his blind date here,


    Mommy.¡±


    Cordy turned towards him with a faint smile, leaving him biting his lip¡ªit was an awfully specific denial,


    after all.


    Still, Cordy did not expose him even as he lowered his head in silence, since she understood how he


    felt.


    Even so, they missed out on each other, and that was that.


    Still, even as they ordered their food and started eating, she inevitably looked up to see that John was


    having a pleasant time with the young woman.


    She could clearly see the interest in her eyes too.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom,¡± she told Richard then.


    ¡°Okay.¡± He nodded tamely.


    Cordy entered the washroom.


    When she stepped out from one of the cubicles, she found John¡¯s blind date talking into the phone


    excitedly. ¡°I really hit the jackpot today¡ªhe¡¯s rich and handsome, although he¡¯s just a little older¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Older men will pamper you more,¡± her friend teased. ¡°And they are especially good, if you


    know what I mean¡­¡±


    They bothughed then, the meaning all too obvious.


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that easy,¡± John¡¯s blind date said, frowning then. ¡°He¡¯s nice and


    gentlemanly, but he¡¯s also quite distant. I mean, among all the men I¡¯ve met over the years, he must be


    the first who¡¯s so uninterested in me.¡±


    ¡°And I suppose you suddenly find that¡­ challenging?¡± Her friend giggled.


    ¡°Of course,¡± John¡¯s blind date eximed excitedly. ¡°I intend to seal the deal tonight.¡±


    ¡°You can do it, girl.¡±

 Chapter 1186

    Chapter 1186


    Chapter 1186


    John¡¯s blind dateughed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never failed thus far.¡±


    ¡°By the way, are you really not going to settle down?¡± her friend asked, her tone turning slightly serious.


    ¡°It¡¯s just been one blind date after another¡ªare you really just going to y around like that?¡±


    ¡°Settle down? I¡¯m only twenty-four! That¡¯d be a waste of my youth. And you know that I won¡¯t ever get


    my parents to shut up unless I attend these blind dates. And what¡¯s the harm when I might find some


    top-quality stud while I do?¡±


    ¡°Older men are not that yful, y¡¯know,¡± her friend warned. ¡°He might want you to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯m a veteran,¡± John¡¯s blind dates said nonchntly. ¡°That said, I don¡¯t mind hanging


    around to y a bit more with this one. You have no idea, but he¡¯s the best-looking one I¡¯ve had yet.


    He¡¯d even give movie stars a run for their money.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send a photo overter.¡±


    ¡°In bed, I hope.¡± Her friendughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± John¡¯s blind date did not reject the idea.


    ¡°You better do, sister.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI change lovers, not besties. You can pickup what¡¯s left after I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a deal.¡±


    The two women spoke a lot more after that, and it was not until John¡¯s blind date hung up that she


    noticed Cordy standing beside her.


    She did a double take, finding Cordy a little familiar just then.


    And it was only natural to take a second look at another woman that was gorgeous¡ªout of an


    instinctivepetitiveness between females and not attraction.


    She then remembered that Cordy was sitting at the next table with her son, who appeared around ten.


    ¡®What a shame, wasting her youth like that.¡¯


    Still, she greeted Cordy. ¡°What a coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re married quite young.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not actually married.¡±


    ¡°Then, domestic partnership?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Divorcee, then.¡±


    Cordy had no idea what to say to that.


    ¡°Well, I feel for you. Having a child at such a young age is a little regrettable,¡± John¡¯s blind date said.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve enjoyed yourself a few more years, then understand the pleasures of life.¡±


    Cordy remained silent, since everyone had their own opinions on how to live life.


    Moreover, John¡¯s blind date was at the fickle phase of twenty-four, so she had no input in mind for that.


    As for John¡¯s blind date, she fixed her makeup and left nonchntly despite what she said.


    And as she returned to the table, she was once again docile around John¡ªa far cry from the wildcat


    speaking over the phone in the washroom just now.


    Cordy returned to her table as well, and seeing that Richard had almost finished his food, she asked,


    ¡°Shall we head home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded, and Cordy asked the waiter for the check.


    That was when Richard got up and walked up to John¡¯s table, speaking clearly and audibly, ¡°Mommy


    and I are heading home now, Daddy.¡±


    The woman was charmingly sipping on her fruit, and she spat it out right away when she heard


    Richard.


    John and Richard were both left staring at her, and Cordy actually felt second-hand embarrassment


    even as she looked on.


    Still, John¡¯s blind date quickly wiped her lips, staring fixedly at John and then at Richard¡­


    And finally, Cordy.


    The awkwardness showed obviously on her face as she said nervously, ¡°Y-You¡¯re married¡­ but you


    still came on a blind date?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not married. I¡¯m actually single, although I do have a kid,¡± John exined.


    ¡°B-But¡­¡± John¡¯s blind date could not manage another word.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Cordy promptly beckoned at Richard in turn. ¡°Time to go, Dicky.¡±


    Richard returned to her side, but before they left, Cordy turned and said, ¡°He¡¯s really single¡ªthere¡¯s


    nothing between us, so you don¡¯t have to feel burdened about us.¡±


    And with that, she left with Richard, leaving John and his blind date staring at each other.

 Chapter 1187

    Chapter 1187


    Chapter 1187


    John¡¯s blind date stared at him, unable to say a word for a long while.


    Eventually, she began, ¡°I think we should just end it here. We¡¯re not right for each other¡ª¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± John said, cutting her short.


    The woman did a double take but quickly shook her head, remembering all the nonsense she had


    spouted in the washroom while Cordy was right beside her. ¡°No, I must assure you that we¡¯re not¡­¡±


    ¡°You just want a good time, and the same goes for me,¡± John said bluntly.


    The woman was left gaping at him.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    How could he tell? And here she thought her maidenly act was impable!


    Even if Cordy was going to tell him, she could not have done it so quickly!


    ¡°You¡¯re still fooling around? At your age?!¡± she eximed in disbelief.


    John simply stared at her, speechless.


    ¡°Wait, I don¡¯t mean you can¡¯t,¡± the woman quickly said. ¡°I mean, shouldn¡¯t you be settling down by


    now?¡±


    ¡°I should.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re stilling on to me?¡±


    ¡°More likeing to you for help.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The woman was left further confused.


    ¡°Once it¡¯s done, you will be rewarded generously,¡± John said, cutting to the chase right then.


    ¡°With what, money?¡± The woman frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly short on cash¡ª¡±


    John simply slid his phone up to her, having typed an amount on the screen.


    The woman¡¯s eyes went round as she gaped, her jaw dropping so far down one would wonder if it


    would ever close.


    ¡°Would that do?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Of course¡­ but that¡¯s a little too much, don¡¯t you think?¡± the woman eximed, staring at him in


    disbelief. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not selling me your kidney, are you?¡±


    John chuckled. ¡°No kidney is worth that much.¡±


    The woman thought about it and had to agree.


    Still, she smiled. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t mind a form ofpensation that¡¯s more¡­ physical. You really don¡¯t


    have to pay through your nose like that.¡±


    ¡°Surely it¡¯s my freedom to pick the form ofpensation. You just have to decide if you¡¯re agreeing to


    our deal.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have a deal,¡± the woman quickly said. ¡°I¡¯d have to get my brain checked if I refuse something


    like that.


    John chuckled and told her his requests.


    The woman took time to let all that information sink in and concluded, ¡°So, my task is to help you get


    back together with your ex-wife?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Technically, she¡¯s not my ex-wife.¡±


    They never managed to get married, after all.


    ¡°So that beautifuldy is the mark?¡± the woman said with a look of understanding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªI may


    be more experienced when ites to men since I spend most of my time with them, but I¡¯m also


    profoundly aware of what different women care most about their men. You¡¯ve found the right person,


    coming to me.¡±


    ¡°Then here¡¯s to a productive partnership.¡± John raised his ss.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    A monthter, Cordy was at the executive meeting room at SYX Corp, waiting with other businesses for


    the invitation to tender.


    John, however, arrivedte.


    He apologized when he finally showed up, saying that something came up out of the blue.


    Cordy thought that given his personality, he would never bete for anything arranged this early in


    advance.


    However, it was also a fact that people change, and she did not believe that she knew him that well.


    And since John was the first party, everyone had to defer to him, and no one said a word.


    That said¡­


    Cordy had not seen him ever since she bumped into him during his blind date.


    There were times when he would take Richard to Levine Manor, but he was always polite enough to


    text ahead of time. If she agreed to it, he would send a chauffeur over to fetch Richard, so he did not


    have to show his face around her.


    Naturally, she thought nothing of it¡­ although she was a little unustomed since things were


    obviously different from usual.


    Maybe she would get used to it with them.


    Nheless, the invitation to tender soon began.

 Chapter 1188

    Chapter 1188


    Chapter 1188


    Cordy was actually confident.


    Having built a partnership with Gareth Bryant, he naturally had to defer to her. As such, he was


    basically going through the motions when he showed up here.


    Moreover, she had looked into thepetition as well, but the only side that mightpete was


    Gareth, and no one else had any chance of winning.


    That was why her confidence showed during her presentation.


    Two hourster, after everyone presented their proposals, the results were announced on the spot.


    To no surprise, Cordy retained the best spot in KPW Shopping Center, extending the contract for ten


    years this time.


    That basically meant she did not have to worry about her gship outlet in the immediate future.


    Still, John politely offered a handshake after agreeing to the partnership. ¡°Congrattions, Ms. Sachs.


    Here¡¯s to a fruitful partnership.¡±


    Cordy merely stared at his hand hesitantly and did not take it.


    John did not seem to feel embarrassed by that and simply lowered his hand.


    Nodding instead as a way of greeting, he promptly turned and left.


    Cordy watched as he did, able to feel how distant John was toward her.


    And after he left, the other business owners also filed out of the meeting room.


    That was when Cordy heard someone joking, ¡°Your CEO¡¯s really busy, Martin¡ªhe camete and left


    as soon as he could¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, he has really been busytely, but today¡­¡± Randy smiled meaningfully.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. Are those wedding bells I¡¯m hearing? Though I heard through the grapevine that he¡¯s


    been single for years¡­¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± Randy said, lowering his voice mysteriously. ¡°His girlfriend came early in the morning to see


    him, and she¡¯s still waiting in his office now¡­¡±


    Everyone else realized with a start. ¡°Oh. Well, no surprises there.¡±


    ¡°So, I would ask everyone to be a little understanding,¡± Randy said, quickly defending John just then.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since he was dating, but he still has a lot of work to do every day¡­ so, unfortunately,


    the only ce he can do anything is in the office.¡±


    ¡°Understandable. Just don¡¯t forget to send us an invitation to the wedding¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    Cordy was among the crowd as they left the building, chatting openly about John¡¯s personal life.


    So, in the end, John ended up hooking up with his blind date.


    And here she thought¡­


    To be fair, everyone has different tastes, and John probably had no idea what that blind date of his was


    going for.


    And in the end, his blind date was young and beautiful.


    Cordy returned to her car and headed back to her office.


    Although Robin was giving a report along the way, he noticed that she was clearly not paying attention


    and called out, ¡°Ms. Sachs?¡±


    Cordy came to her senses and smiled apologetically, ¡°Sorry, I think I worked a littletest night, so


    I¡¯m a little tired. If you don¡¯t mind, report to me again when we¡¯re back in the office. I¡¯ll sleep a wink for


    the time being.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t let me keep you up, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy nodded, closed her eyes, and reclined against her seat.


    However, all she could see was John and his blind date, and all she heard was that woman¡¯s


    conversation with her friend over the phone¡­


    Cordy took a deep breath and told herself not to get affected by John.


    It was normal for him to have his own private life, and he deserved it if he allowed himself to be


    deceived.


    Suddenly her phone started ringing.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy nced at the screen before answering. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    ¡°Are you free tonight? You shoulde have dinner at my ce.¡±


    ¡°Is there a special asion?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I just missed you¡ªit¡¯s been awhile, and I have no idea what you¡¯ve been up to.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure we should eat at your ce?¡±


    ¡°I mean, Jay has a limp. It¡¯s inconvenient for him to go outside.¡±


    Cordy was speechless¡ªZoe really showed no regard for Jay¡¯s feelings!

 Chapter 1189

    Chapter 1189


    Chapter 1189


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Cordy brought Richard along as she headed to Zoe and Jay¡¯s apartment right after she left work.


    Zoe was excited to see her. ¡°Wee, Cordy! Come in, Dicky- Yelena¡¯s waiting to y with you.¡±


    Richard had not actually met Yelena on that many asions, but it was clear that the little girl liked


    him.


    And in spite of Richard¡¯s haughty nature, he was surprisingly patient with Yelena.


    Blood rtions were a funny thing, no?


    In fact, just as Cordy and Richard entered, Yelena already came and pulled Richard away.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Quinning?¡± Cordy asked, since it was always the three of them whenever they gather.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be gone for two weeks. She has awsuit to deal with,¡± Zoe said regrettably.


    Cordy nodded, feeling the same way.


    The three of them had been too busy to gathertely.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jay?¡± Cordy asked just then, since she only saw ra working in the kitchen and greeted


    her.


    ¡°He¡¯ll probably be back soon,¡± Zoe replied.


    As she spoke, the door opened.


    Cordy turned to find Jay entering in a wheelchair.


    John was with Jay and his blind date.


    They were certainly looking perfectlyfortable with each other.


    Cordy pursed her lips then and turned toward Zoe.


    Zoe quickly exined, ¡°I really didn¡¯t know Jay would bring him.¡±


    Cordy was skeptical¡ªZoe was obviously lying with that twinkle in her eyes.


    Still, Jay stepped in then to help back up Zoe. ¡°I was at John¡¯s office to help him with work. It happened


    to be time for dinner when we¡¯re done, so I invited them over.¡±


    Cordy almost rolled her eyes.


    These two were getting more cunning by the day, no?


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± Jay asked just then.


    ¡°It¡¯s your home. What you say goes,¡± Cordy said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°Oh, this is Johnny¡¯s girlfriend. Why don¡¯t you introduce us?¡± Jay told John then.


    Before John could speak, the woman said eagerly, ¡°We¡¯ve actually met a month ago when I first met


    Johnny on our blind date, Ms. Sachs. Do you remember?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I do.¡± Cordy smiled gingerly.


    Cordy must admit she was impressed¡ªshe had clearly overheard the woman saying all that crap at


    the washroom, but the woman was still soposed?


    ¡°I¡¯m Wendy Crane, but you can just call me Wendy,¡± the woman said as if they were friends already.


    ¡°Can I call you Cordy? You¡¯re Dicky¡¯s mother, after all. It¡¯s too formal to call you Ms. Sachs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine either way,¡± Cordy replied neutrally.


    Wendy did not spend much time on Cordy either and quickly turned toward Zoe, looking her from head


    to toe excitedly. ¡°Oh, I finally get to meet you in person, Zoe! I really like you¡ªI¡¯m a big fan!¡±


    Zoe actually blushed a little despite usually being so thick-skinned.


    Wendy continued, ¡°I was going to have dinner with Johnny anyway, so I insisted wee to Jay¡¯s


    house because I really wanted to meet you. You look even better than on TV¡­ Can I have an


    autograph?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zoe nodded, actually left awkward by Wendy¡¯s enthusiasm.


    ¡°How about a selfie too?¡± Wendy whipped out her phone, looking hopeful just then.

 Chapter 1190

    Chapter 1190


    Chapter 1190


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zoe replied.


    Wendy promptly opened her camera app and took a selfie with Zoe before suddenly calling out to


    Cordy too. ¡°How about we take another one together?¡±


    Cordy was left staring at Wendy, wondering how carefree that woman could be.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Wendy kept urging nheless.


    Cordy joined them in the end, since she did not want things to get awkward.


    However, after taking the selfie, Wendy was muttering, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not surprising that Dicky is that


    handsome¡ªhe really got some good genes from his parents. I wonder if Johnny and my kids would


    look that good.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you guys are getting married?¡± Zoe was a little agitated at the prospect.


    ¡°Not that soon¡ªwe just met a while ago,¡± Wendy smiled, chagrined, though she soon added meekly,


    ¡°But if Johnny proposes, I think I¡¯ll say yes¡­¡±


    As she spoke, she nced at John, who did not answer directly and said instead, ¡°Time to eat. Go


    wash your hands.¡±


    Wendy stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°You¡¯reing with me.¡±


    John did not refuse and headed to the washroom with Wendy.


    Zoe sighed at that. ¡°Honestly, why did John have to get a woman that young? And he has to pamper


    her so much¡ª¡±


    She promptly cut herself off mid-sentence and turned toward Cordy, exining, ¡°I-I just thought he


    changed a lottely. He usually is so dull¡­¡±


    Cordy pretended not to hear, and Zoe asked deliberately, ¡°You don¡¯t mind, do you? You did part ways


    with him amicably now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was amicable,¡± Cordy replied.


    Zoe frowned ever so slightly¡ªCordy could really be difficult.


    When dinner was ready, everyone sat around the huge dining table.


    Zoe sat with Jay, while Cordy sat beside Zoe, and John and Wendy sat together opposite Cordy.


    ra sat with Yelena, who insisted that Richard sit with her.


    And the atmosphere around the table was alright, since Yelena kept prattling all the way through.


    Her eyes lit up as she pointed a pudgy figure at a piece of grilled meat. ¡°I want that, Dicky.¡±


    Richard patiently put it on her te.


    Then, she pointed at a fish. ¡°I want that, Dicky.¡±


    Richard followed her orders yet again.


    ra could not bear to look. ¡°Yelena, I¡¯ll help you get what you want, okay? Dicky still has to eat.¡±


    ¡°No, I want Dicky to do it,¡± Yelena cried as she tugged at Richard¡¯s sleeve, before wheeling on Zoe and


    Jay. ¡°Mommy, Daddy, can you give me a brother? I want one who looks just like Dicky.¡±


    Zoe really wanted to snap at her, though Jay said seriously, ¡°We can only get you a younger brother,


    Yelena.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Well, okay,¡± Yelena agreed to it after some thought. ¡± Well, when can I have a younger


    brother?¡±


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk while you¡¯re eating,¡± Zoe snapped grumpily.


    Yelena pouted. ¡°Bad Mommy. Daddy and Dicky are so much better.¡±


    As she spoke, she snuggled up against Richard, who did not push her away and actually fed her


    attentively.


    Cordy watched them, suddenly wondering if Richard was lonely as a single child and whether she


    should get him a sibling¡­


    That was when she noticed John and Wendy flirting, and she felt stressed just then.

 Chapter 1191

    Chapter 1191


    Chapter 1191


    "Cordy?"


    Zoe had to call out to her several times before she came to her senses and realized that she had been


    spacing out.


    "What''s with you tonight?" Zoe asked, perplexed.


    "You''re looking at Yelena one second, and then at John and Wendy the next."


    "Was I? I was just thinking, not really looking," Cordy replied half-heartedly.


    "Then what were you thinking?" Zoe pressed relentlessly.


    "I was just thinking...Yelena is really cute," Cordy hastily came up with an excuse, giving in to Zoe just


    then.


    "So you want a daughter too?" Zoe asked.


    Cordy frowned¡ªso it was a trick question! "Can''t I just like Yelena?" she snapped grumpily.


    "I like you too, Godmother!" Yelena quickly eximed loudly.


    "Well, your daughter would definitely be very beautiful," Zoe pressed on nheless.


    "I refuse," Cordy said tly.


    "Dicky is enough."


    "You can do it," Richard suddenly said.


    "I want a younger sister too."


    "Me too!"


    Yelena promptly raised her little hand since Richard had spoken.


    "Ask your daddy if you want.He''s getting married soon, no?" Cordy said nonchntly.


    John seemed to look her way just then but stayed silent.


    "Sure."


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Wendy agreed to it right then.


    "How many younger sisters do you want, Dicky? We can have two if one''s not enough.I could even get


    you a basketball team if you really want more siblings."


    Richard was stunned for a moment and quickly said, "A couple is enough.I won''t be able to take care of


    too many."


    "Alright.That''s two, at least," Wendy said cheerfully. She was the youngest at the table barring the


    children, but she was also the most open-minded.


    "Okay."


    Richard nodded.


    At that instant, Cordy profoundly felt how epting Richard was toward Wendy.


    And John had been taking him to Levine Manor regrly...so her son had be close with Wendy


    while he was there? Cordy told herself not to get petty about it, since John was going to get married


    eventually, and Richard would get a stepmother.


    And despite Wendy''s disagreeable behavior, she was still a good person...


    Cordy lowered her head and pored over her dinner.She thought it would be just her, Zoe, and Jay here,


    and things had to get so awkward instead...


    After dinner, Jay and John were having a chat while Richard patiently yed with Yelena.


    Meanwhile, Zoe, Cordy, and Wendy were on the living room couch and watching TV.


    Cordy wanted to leave after dinner, but Yelena refused to let her and Richard leave.


    Unable to steel herself and make Yelena cry, Cordy had no choice but to stay.


    "Cordy," Wendy suddenly called out to her.


    "Yeah?" Cordy asked, turning toward Wendy.


    "You never married Johnny?" Wendy asked seriously.


    "Didn''t he tell you?"


    "I think things would get sour if we talked about our exes." Wendy smiled.


    ¡®Then why are you asking me?! "We were never married."


    "Then Dicky was born out of wedlock?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well, why didn''t you two marry?"


    Cordy was really reluctant to talk about the past, while wondering if Wendy really did not feel any


    awkwardness at all.


    "Wait, don''t tell me¡­ You''re ipatible in bed?" Wendy blurted.


    Cordy was speechless.

 Chapter 1192

    Chapter 1192


    Chapter 1192


    Before Cordy could speak, Zoe was already excited and asked, "Is John impotent?"


    Cordy was speechless.


    Did Zoe really just ask John''s ex¡ªright in front of John''s current girlfriend¡ªabout how he was in bed?!


    She thought to herself then that Jay had really been pampering Zoe to no end.


    "Shouldn''t you ask Wendy about that instead?" she asked.


    Zoe came to her senses and turned toward Wendy.


    "Of course we arepatible." Wendy smiled gingerly.


    "I mean...John is such a stud."


    Zoe was actually a little embarrassed just then.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    The young really did not watch theirnguage these days, did they? She then turned to find Cordy


    looking perfectly calm.


    "Sorry, I need thedies¡¯ room."


    Wendy excused herself right then, worried that the topic was spiraling out of control.


    After she left, Zoe kept staring at Cordy.


    Cordy was speechless again.


    "What are you staring at me for?"


    "No, I wasn''t." Zoe denied it.


    "I just thought it¡¯s nice being young."


    Cordy knew that Zoe was deliberately messing with her, but she was still young.


    After all, all men were loyal...as long as their partners stayed in their twenties! "It''ste now.I should go


    ¡ªDicky still has to go to school tomorrow," Cordy said, checking the time.


    "You should talk to Yelena."


    "Okay."


    Zoe was reluctant to see Cordy go, but school was important. Still, it took her a while to coax Yelena


    back to her room and take a shower.


    Cordy left with Richard, but just as they were about to get in the elevator, John and Wendy followed.


    Cordy had thought John was going to keep talking with Jay for a while.


    "Daddy, are you free this weekend?" Richard asked.


    "Why?" Richard''s voice became a little quiet.


    "My school has a vlog project, and we''re supposed to film our family for a day.I don''t want anyone to


    find out I''m from a single family..."


    "I''ll make time." John agreed immediately.


    "Mommy, can you let Daddy in the house for a day?" Richard asked Cordy then.


    "I see no issue," Cordy said generously.


    "I''m just not sure if Wendy would agree to it..."


    "Oh, of course I''ll say yes.Children¡¯s homework always takes priority," Wendy said.


    "I mean, I don''t mind showing up although I''m a lot less photogenic."


    While Cordy pursed her lips, Richard seemed not to notice her reaction and quickly said, "Thank you,


    Wendy."


    "Oh, we''re family.Don''t get so polite now," Wendy said, patting Richard''s handsome head just then.


    Richard did not seem averse to her touch, and Cordy had to avert her eyes.She must not be petty¡ª


    she had already failed to give Richard aplete family, but she could do well not to make him feel


    burdened.


    Soon, the elevator arrived downstairs.


    Richard got into Cordy''s car, while John left with Wendy. It was very obvious that he was distant toward


    Cordy now.


    Men.


    Cordy, however, did not care much about that¡ªstill, something else weighed down on her mind.


    As she drove, she tried to ask as uninterestedly as she could, "Wendy seems to be a good person."


    "She really is," Richard quickly said, his expression bing animated right then.


    "She''d always y with me whenever I head to Levine Manor with Daddy.We''d y video games and


    Lego, and she even takes me to amusement parks.I think she has even more fun than I do then."


    "Do you like her?" Cordy asked.


    Richard was sharp enough to notice it and told her, "I just think she''s nice, Mommy. I still love you the


    most."


    However, most people would only say something like that when they hadpletely epted their


    stepmother!

 Chapter 1193

    Chapter 1193


    Chapter 1193


    Tilting his little head just then, Richard asked, "Mommy, do you not like having Wendy around?"


    "I''m fine with her," Cordy said generously.


    "Oh," Richard replied with a tinge of disappointment.


    Cordy did not dwell on it, simply dismissing it as John''s issue that had nothing to do with her.


    Saturday morning soon arrived, and Cordy only woke up when it was already 10 AM.She had been


    workingte on Friday and came home sote it was long past midnight when she got into bed.She


    decided to sleep in, considering that she did not have work tomorrow.


    When she finally woke up, she stretched her back and headed downstairs in her pajamas, wondering if


    Richard had any arrangements for the day.She was still yawning just as she arrived downstairs, where


    she found Richard and John in the kitchen, with John cooking and Richard filming with his phone.


    Cordy was stunned for a while before remembering Richard''s school project¡ªthe family vlog.


    "You''re up, Mommy!" Richard eximed as she turned the camera on her.


    Cordy quickly tidied her hair while saying, "I''ll get changed."


    "But you look fine.Don''t you agree, Daddy?" Richard asked John just then.


    "Yeah," John said before adding, "But it''s better to get changed for appearance''s sake."


    Cordy felt unusually upset to hear John say that.She knew that he was right, but felt just then that he


    was showing her contempt for not being self-aware.She turned and hurried back upstairs rather quickly.


    When Richard saw that she was gone, he quickly told John, * Daddy, I think Mommy''s really angry.You


    should say something nice to make her happy..."


    John simply chuckled.


    "That can wait."


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Richard sighed¡ªhe certainly could not! His mommy did not seem to take exception to Wendy''s


    presence, and now, she did not seem to care about his daddy too.


    Nheless, Cordy took half an hour before finally returning downstairs.


    Not only did she change her clothes, but she put on makeup as well and looked a lot more attractive


    right then.


    "Did you put on makeup, Mommy? You look so beautiful!" Richard eximed sweetly, and he


    remembered something else just then.


    "You put on makeup for Daddy, right? I recently learned that girls like to look pretty for the people they


    like." Cordy rolled her eyes.


    What was her son learning at this delicate age?! She denied it right away.


    "No, I''m doing it because I''m on camera.It''s natural that I should look good and win some points in your


    favor."


    "But you''re still most beautiful without makeup," Richard quickly said.


    Cordy smiled from Richard''s ttery¡ªno one would say no to ttery, after all.


    "Go wash your hands.It''s time to eat," John said.


    Cordy nced at the dishes he cooked and eximed, "That''s a lot of food.Is that breakfast or lunch?"


    Were they really going to finish all of that this early in the morning? "Daddy said you can have brunch


    since you didn''t have breakfast.We''ll also be making cake for the afternoon, or did you forget,


    Mommy?" Richard said enthusiastically.


    "I actually did," Cordy said tly.


    "Then Daddy will make more," Richard said.


    "Sure," John agreed.


    Cordy was left speechless in turn.


    Soon, they gathered at the dining table, and Richard continued to capture a video of himself exining,


    "We''re going to eat now.Daddy made Mommy''s favorite.Good work, Daddy."


    He put down the phone when he was done filming and said, "Mommy, Daddy, let''s eat."

 Chapter 1194

    Chapter 1194


    Chapter 1194


    "Okay."


    Cordy picked up her knife and fork and started eating slowly.She was going to argue but noticed upon


    a closer look that the food really were all her favorites.


    "You didn''t have to make my favorites exclusively," she said, seemingly offhandedly.


    "I''m not picky with food..."


    "I feel guilty imposing on you today, so take this as a token of gratitude." Cordy said nothing else at that


    and treated it as an actual polite gesture.


    "By the way, didn''t Wendy say she wasing? Why isn''t she here?" Richard asked.


    Cordy looked up at Richard just then¡ªher son really liked Wendy, did he not? "She always sleeps


    in.Leave her be¡ªdon''t disturb her now," John said tly.


    Cordy somehow thought she heard a tinge of tenderness in his tone.


    "Okay." Richard nodded.


    "What about the afternoon?"


    "That depends if she has other arrangements.She''ll be here if there aren''t any."


    "Okay."


    And with that, they finished brunch, with Richard and John conversing intermittently, while Cordy


    remained silent.When they were done, she offered, "I''ll wash the dishes."


    Richard had sent the servants away earlier.


    "It''s alright," John said politely.


    "I can do it. You can go about your business."


    Cordy said nothing else, since she had a video conference scheduled for the afternoon and she did not


    want to bete.She headed straight there after brunch and before returning inside, she told Richard,


    "Come get me in the study if you need more content for your vlog."


    "Okay.It''s alright, Mommy.You can keep working," Richard quickly said.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was miffed¡ªRichard seemed to be understanding, but it somehow felt like she was


    imposing.She took a deep breath and told herself that it was normal that Richard loved ying with


    John.


    After all, John was the one who raised him as a child, and Richard worshiped John.


    Cordy returned to the study to work, and after the video conference, it was already 3 PM.She ended up


    disappointed, since Richard never came looking for her.


    It seemed that on most asions, it was not the parents who were reluctant to leave their children¡ªit


    was the other way round.


    Cordy took a deep breath and left the study.She just got downstairs and found John, Richard, and


    Wendy smiling and chatting.


    John was baking something, and Wendy was learning but failing, which caused John and Richard to


    roar withughter.


    Cordy wondered if she should not show up just then.


    "Mommy," Richard called out to her as soon as he saw her.She never could avoid him.He eximed


    excitedly, "Hurry over here, Mommy.Daddy is teaching Wendy to bake.We made a lot¡ªyou have to try


    it.It''s great!"


    Cordy was reluctant to curb Richard''s enthusiasm either, and she walked over to see rows of


    confectionery on the countertop.Everything looked positively salivating.


    "Try this, Mommy.It''s matcha pie¡ªDaddy made it for you since you like the vor." Richard picked a


    slice up and held it beside her mouth.

 Chapter 1195

    Chapter 1195


    Chapter 1195


    Cordy quickly said, "No, it''s not made for me."


    She could understand that Richard meant no harm since he was still a child.But with Wendy around,


    saying something like that was inevitably inappropriate.


    "No, it really was made for you," Wendy said bluntly then.


    "I told Johnny to make it for you, since Dicky said you like it.Why don''t you have a taste?"


    Cordy pursed her lips, surprised that Wendy was that magnanimous.


    In contrast, she felt petty.


    Nheless, she opened her mouth and ate the slice.It was much softer than those purchased, and its


    sweetness melted in her mouth right away.


    In fact, Cordy had not been feeling an appetite, but she was suddenly seized by an impulse to start


    gluttoning.


    "It''s good, right?" Wendy asked her expectantly.


    "Yeah."


    "That''s what I''ve been saying," Wendy said sweetly.


    "I''m so lucky to have met Johnny.He''s rich, handsome, kind, and a good cook.He''s just so perfect..."


    Cordy was going to tell her that she did not have to go that far just to brag about her boyfriend, but


    Wendy seemed to realize it herself.


    "Sorry, you don''t mind, do you? I didn''t mean to brag."


    "No, I don''t." Cordy smiled faintly.


    "By the way, Mommy..."


    Richard suddenly called her, remembering something just then.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "What is it?"


    "My teacher told us to include some family photos as well."


    "Family photos?"


    Richard turned toward Wendy just then.


    "Wendy, can you take a photo of our family?"


    "Of course."


    Wendy agreed to it right away, seemingly not taking offense when Richard said ¡®our family¡¯.


    Naturally, Cordy could not refuse either.


    Richard then suggested, "Let''s do it in the backyard."


    "Okay."


    Cordy and John agreed to it, and John started to take off his apron.


    Wendy headed over and helped him out of it, looking just like the perfect couple.


    Cordy held Richard''s hand and headed outside first, and it took some time before John and Wendy


    came out as well.


    They were chatting andughing, with Wendy mainly doing the talking, and John smiling in turn.It felt


    like she was just messing around, while he yed along with her antics.


    "Daddy, over here."


    Richard beckoned at John eagerly just then, and he left Wendy to walk toward Cordy.She carefully


    stepped aside, letting Richard stand between them to keep her distance.


    Wendy was happily holding up Richard''s phone.


    "Three, two¡ª"


    Before she said one, she lowered the phone, leaving Cordy frowning.


    What was Wendy ying at? Her smile was starting to get unnatural! "I think the way you''re standing is


    unnatural,"Wendy said nheless.


    "It''s a family photo, not a passport photo.Rx, and try to look more like a happy family."


    John patiently asked, "Well, what should we do?"


    Cordy could not help looking at him then.He never liked taking photos or wasting time, but he was


    surprisingly tolerant of Wendy.


    "Dicky, don''t stand between your parents.Stand in front of them," Wendy instructed.


    After Richard did so, Wendy told John, "Move closer to Cordy, Johnny.At least let your shoulders


    touch."


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    Was Wendy that naive or magnanimous?! Even if she was not John¡¯s ex-wife, they were exes and had


    a child together, but Wendy did not seem to mind at all.


    "Move closer, Cordy," Wendy said seriously then.


    "You''re too far¡ªit won''t look good in the photo." Cordy gritted her teeth and moved closer.


    She would be the petty one if she started to nitpick.Moreover, Wendy was already sacrificing herself so


    much...

 Chapter 1196

    Chapter 1196


    Chapter 1196


    Understanding that she should be grateful, Cordy moved to stand next to John.


    Wendy raised the smartphone again and said, "Three, two, one, smile!"


    She even took several more after that.


    "Alright!" Wendy eximed when she was done, and she passed Richard his phone back.


    "Check it out.Are they good?"


    Richard scrolled through them and quickly said, "It''s great, Wendy.Thank you."


    "Oh, it''s nothing," Wendy replied.


    Things were perfectly harmonious, and Cordy felt like she was not a part of it.


    However, Richard would always reach out to her, always paying attention to her mood like he did now.


    "Mommy, can I film a video of you and Daddy working together?"


    Cordy was going to say no, but John agreed to it right away.


    * Sure."


    Cordy nced between John and Wendy, thetter who shrugged nonchntly.


    "Of course¡ªanything that makes you happy, Dicky."


    "You''re the best, Wendy."


    "Of course" Wendy said smugly.


    "And I''ll treat you the same even after I have a ser team with your daddy."


    Dicky was a little embarrassed by that and quickly turned to Cordy.


    "Are you okay with that, Mommy?"


    She nodded¡ªcould she say no when everyone agreed to it? With that, they headed to the kitchen and


    started baking.As Richard filmed them, John told Cordy, "Separate the yolk from the white."


    "Okay."


    She nodded and quickly broke an egg, using a ss rod to keep the egg yolk from the egg white.


    John had actually finished with his task when he eventually turned and saw what Cordy was doing.He


    chuckled, and Cordy promptly looked up at him, frowning.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "You don''t know how to separate the yolk from the white, do you?"


    "I''m doing my best, aren''t I?"


    Cordy snapped in displeasure.


    And why was it so hard?! Both were so smooth and slippery she just could not separate them...


    John''s smile broadened, and he handily picked up a stic bottle from the side.


    "Take this," he said, holding it out to her.


    Cordy was perplexed but took it anyway.


    "Aim the mouth of the bottle toward the egg yolk," John instructed.


    Cordy was mystified but did as she was told.


    "Now, suck it."


    "What?"


    Cordy was confused.


    "The bottle."


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "How? With my mouth?" Cordy asked.


    Johnughed at that, which angered her further.


    "What are youughing for?" she demanded a little angrily.She had never done this before¡ªthere was


    nothing funny about it! John did not get upset, however, and simply walked over to her, wrapping one


    arm around her waist and cing both hands on the stic bottle.


    Cordy was starting to feel a little ufortable, but before she could resist, John told her, "Don''t


    move."


    Then, she felt his fingers pressing on the bottle, which instantly sucked in the egg white.Startled, Cordy


    looked up at him with clear delight and a sense of aplishment.However, just as she did, John was


    leaning downward, and they pulled very close...

 Chapter 1197

    Chapter 1197


    Chapter 1197


    Stunned, their eyes met for seconds before Cordy quickly pushed John away and turned her back on


    him.


    They had been so close she spaced out for a moment, but she still felt John''s hot breath bing


    rushed.She could also feel her own heart racing wildly, while her cheeks burned.She took a deep


    breath to calm herself, deciding that she had been a little careless just then.


    "That was great, Mommy! Do your best!" Richard quickly eximed just then, cheering her on as he


    noticed the awkwardness between his parents.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy slowly calmed down as well and seriously learned baking from John while quietly keeping his


    distance.


    Naturally, he did not step out of line either¡ªin fact, he was paying considerable attention not to get too


    close since he felt her aversion.


    Soon, they finished making cookies, which were a little charred but tasted good.


    Cordy felt a strong sense of aplishment, especially with Richard munching while ttering her.


    "Wow, your cookies are wonderful, Mommy!"


    "You''re amazing, Mommy! This is so delicious!"


    "Wendy, you should try my mommy''s cookies too.It''s her first time, but it''s really good!"


    Wendy had some too, and she did not hold back from praising Cordy as well.


    "It''s really good¡ªit''s is much better than what I made.You have a gift, Cordy."


    Cordy was actually embarrassed from all the unrestrained praise.It was fineing from Richard since


    he was her son, but it was definitely awkwarding from Wendy.


    Did Wendy not mind that Cordy used to be with John? After she was done with the cookies, Cordy got


    a call and excused herself.


    It was actually nothing important, but she really could not stay immune to the atmosphere in the room


    and theplicated web of rtionships between everyone in said room.She returned to her study


    and kept working¡ªshe had no idea how long Richard would film his vlog, but she figured that they


    would not be staying for dinner.She dilly-dallied until it was past six before finally stepping out of her


    study.


    There was no one around by then, and she wondered if everyone had already left.She could not quite


    describe how she felt just then, but she was definitely a little upset that everyone left without telling her.


    And most of all, did Richard leave with them, thus leaving her alone? She took a deep breath, telling


    herself once again not to get petty.


    However, just as she arrived downstairs, she suddenly overheard someone speaking over the


    phone.Her voice was soft, and it seemed to be Wendy...so they were still around? Although Cordy did


    not have the habit of eavesdropping, she suddenly heard Wendy exim excitedly, "A six-foot tall b


    of muscles?!"


    Cordy pursed her lips but stopped in her tracks.


    "Well, I can''t make it.I''m not done over here," Wendy whispered.


    "I mean, you girls could send me more photos...Yeah, I''d really like to be there!"

 Chapter 1198

    Chapter 1198


    Chapter 1198


    Wendy continued, "Oh, stop teasing me.John is handsome and great in every way, and I''m lucky to


    have him, but I can''t help it, y''know? My preference for freshness and excitement is inborn.There''s no


    stopping me."


    "Oh, don''t give me that crap.I''ll try to slip outter¡ªI won''t miss out on such a stud."


    Wendy kept chatting for a while,ughing mischievously from time to time.


    Cordy avoided her in turn and headed out to the back garden, where she found John and Richard


    setting up the barbecue set.


    The back garden had also been decorated borately to look romantic and homely.


    Richard eagerly called out to her, "Mommy! You''re finished with work? Daddy and I have prepared


    dinner¡ªit''s almost done now.I was just going to get you."


    "Yeah, I''m finished with work," Cordy replied and walked up to them.


    John was focused on preparing the food, while Cordy could not resist sliding several nces at


    him.Richardughed just then.


    "Mommy, why are you staring at Daddy? Do you find him handsome?"


    At those words, John looked up and just happened to lock eyes with Cordy.She promptly turned away,


    her heart raising as if guilty.However, she subtly took a few deep breaths¡ªwhat was she panicking


    about? She was not cheating on anyone! Just then, Wendy stepped out of the mansion and asked with


    a smile, "Is dinner ready?"


    "Yeah, Wendy," Richard replied.


    "Oh, it looks so appetizing," Wendy eximed dramatically in front of the meat.


    "I''m drooling.You''re such an amazing genius, Johnny." As she spoke, she leaned against his arm,


    brushing her cheek against it like a spoiled child.


    John shed a tender smile.


    "As long as you like it."


    "I love it."


    "Good.Now sit before you eat," John beckoned.


    Cordy and Richard sat down, upying each side of the rectangr table, while John sat with Wendy.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Wendy was certainly being intimate with John.


    This Wendy was certainly innocent and adorable, a far cry from the woman who was talking over the


    phone just now, mouthing all sorts of obscenities...It was certainly weighing down on Cordy''s mind, and


    none of the grilled meat seemed particrly appealing because of that.


    "Is it not good?" John suddenly asked Cordy. She did a double take, before realizing that she was not


    really touching the chunks of meat in her te.


    "No," she shook her head.


    "I think I might''ve had too many cakes and pies in the afternoon."


    "But I ate a lot in the afternoon too, and I''m still famished.John''s meat is really iparable!"


    Wendy eximed in satisfaction, and pointed at a steak on the grill.


    "Johnny, I want that too."


    John got up and took it for her, putting it in her te and slicing it into small bite-sized pieces for her


    convenience.


    "Oh, you''re wonderful, Johnny," Wendy eximed in bliss.


    "What have I done to deserve you?" John smiled mildly.


    "Hurry up and eat already.It''d be bad if it gets cold."


    Cordy stared at the look of tenderness on John¡¯s face just then but decided to bear with it and averted


    her eyes.


    Halfway through dinner, however, Wendy left the table to take a call.


    When she returned, she said, "Johnny, my friend just got dumped and she''s throwing a fit.I''m really


    worried something might happen to her¡ªI think I should check on her."


    "What, right now?" John asked.


    "Yeah."


    "Alright.I''ll take you there."


    "No, it''s fine."


    Wendy quickly rejected his offer.


    "You''ve been busy with the grill and hadn''t eaten at all, and you can''t drive since you''ve drunk a little.


    Just ask your chauffeur to give me a ride, and make sure to eat some more¡ªyou know I wouldn''t be


    able to bear seeing you get skinny."

 Chapter 1199

    Chapter 1199


    Chapter 1199


    John rose to his feet nheless.


    "I''ll walk you to the front gates, at least." He really was meticulous when it came to Wendy.


    "Okay," she smiled sweetly in turn, before turning to Cordy and Richard, "I''m sorry.I have to leave since


    my friend''s in trouble.Enjoy your meal." Cordy said nothing, while Richard nodded cheerfully.


    "Okay, Wendy.Come again next time."


    "Of course I will."


    "See you."


    Wendy gave him a pat on the head before leaving.When she was gone, Richard could not help sighing.


    "Wendy''s so nice."


    Cordy felt a little miffed at that but thought to herself that she really was not jealous this time.She was


    just conflicted¡ªshould she expose Wendy here? It took John a while to return after walking Wendy to


    the gates, and Cordy presumed that they must have gotten a little frisky.


    They were still in the honeymoon period and were perhaps reluctant to be apart even for a second.


    Cordy looked at John, who felt her gaze and asked, "Do you have something to say?" She quickly


    averted her eyes and shook her head.


    "Nope."


    She did not know where to begin and whether she would be ruining a rtionship if she spoke up.


    "If you don''t like me around, I''ll leave right after I clean up," John said just then.


    Cordy was left stunned for a moment before realizing that John thought she still disliked having him


    around.


    But the truth was that she did not feel averse to him, and they were gathered here for Richard''s sake


    as well, so she quickly said, "I don''t mean anything like that.We''re doing this for Dicky, so you don''t


    have to worry about it."


    "Yeah," John replied, and he seemed to smile faintly just then.


    They kept eating, and the grill sessionsted a while just like any would.


    Naturally, it only tasted better with alcohol.


    "Things are going strong with Wendy, I see," Cordy mentioned offhandedly just then, like normal friends


    conversing about one of their love lives.


    "It''s alright, I guess." John nodded.


    "She''s young and can get immature asionally, but she¡¯s lively and adorable, even naive."


    Naive.


    Cordy seemed to use the word in her head just then, wondering how John would react if he knew


    Wendy''s true nature.


    The dilemma was killing her too¡ªshould she tell him or not?! Would he think that she was trying to


    cause a rift between him and Wendy? "She hasn''t been a bother today, has she?" John asked just


    then.


    "That''s just how she is¡ªshe''s instant besties with everyone she meets."


    "No." Cordy shook her head.


    "She''s nice.It''s just..."


    "Just...?" John raised a brow.


    "It''s nothing."


    Cordy ultimately stopped herself from saying it.


    John did not press her either.


    In fact, it was Cordy who spoke to him throughout dinner, while John mostly spoke with Richard and


    basically did not talk to her.It was nine when they were finished eating, and Cordy cleaned up since


    John was the one who cooked.He and Richard headed to the living room, and by the time Cordy was


    done cleaning up, she turned to find John asleep on the couch, his cheeks flushed.


    She remembered that he had been drinking alone, and he had drunk a lot.She walked over to him...Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1200

    Chapter 1200


    Chapter 1200


    Richard saw Cordy and quickly put a finger on his lips so she would stay quiet.He certainly looked


    upset and was reluctant to have John woken up.


    Cordy pursed her lips and said softly, "We can''t let your daddy sleep on the couch the whole night..."


    "I''ll ask him to sleep in one of the rooms," Richard quickly said.


    "No, what I mean is, shouldn''t we ask Wendy to get him? He''s drunk, and he needs someone to take


    care of him when it''s thiste."


    "Can''t I do it?" Richard asked, a little disappointed.


    "You''re still a child."


    "Can''t you do it?"


    "That''s inappropriate considering our current rtionship," Cordy said seriously.


    Richard was unhappy about it, but he nodded tamely regardless.


    Cordy texted Wendy, since they exchanged numbers earlier.However, Wendy did not answer, so Cordy


    called her.It took a while for Wendy to answer, and it was very noisy on the other end for a while before


    things finally quieted down.


    "What is it, Cordy?" Wendy asked.


    "John got drunk and fell asleep.Could youe get him?"


    "I''m still with my friend and I can''t leave at the moment.Can''t you let him stay the night?"


    "Do you think it''s appropriate to let your boyfriend stay the night at his ex''s ce?!"Cordy snapped, her


    temper ring right then.Her tone was severe, but she had been feeling stressed the whole night.The


    thought that Wendy actually left to mess around with other men was more than what Cordy''s principles


    could take.


    Nheless, Wendy retorted with righteous indignation, * What''s inappropriate about it? John is


    Dicky''s father¡ªwhat''s wrong with sharing a roof? I mean, you''re being cruel if you don''t let them hang


    out..."


    "A-Aren''t you worried that something would happen between me and John?!"


    Cordy was bristling¡ªwas Wendy that naive, or did she simply not care?! "What could happen?"


    Wendy shot back, seemingly even more nonchnt.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "I mean, would you have broken up before if there was something that could? You''re definitely apart


    since you don''t like each other, and that means I would have nothing to worry about...Oh, Cordy, just be


    kind and let John stay the night.


    I''lle first thing tomorrow once I''m done here, okay? Thanks in advance!"


    And with those words, she hung up before Cordy could get a word in.


    Cordy was left staring at her screen, speechless.


    Richard came to her, leaving the living room just then¡ª Cordy had left earlier since she was worried


    about waking John.


    "I think Daddy is feeling sick, Mommy," he said nervously.


    "Is Wendying back soon?" Cordy pursed her lips.


    "She said she''s busy. She can''t make it."


    "Well, what should we do? Do we send Daddy home?"


    Richard asked before muttering, "But I also heard it would be ufortable for drunk people to be


    moved around, and Daddy might vomit along the way.He looks really sick to me.Cordy inhaled deeply


    and finally said, "Help your daddy to one of the rooms.He''s sleeping here tonight, I guess."


    "Really?!" Richard eximed, excited right then.


    "You''re the best, Mommy.I''ll help Daddy to the room now." He quickly ran off too, as if worried Cordy


    would change her mind.


    Cordy sighed but followed him to the living room, where John was stillpletely unconscious.


    ¡®Honestly, why would anyone drink so much?¡¯ She watched as Richard worked hard to help John to his


    feet.


    Even if he was not particrly fat, John was tall and muscr, making for a heavy mass.


    Cordy was certainly well aware of that, and Richard would not actually move him far despite his growth.


    After hesitating for a while, Cordy eventually walked over and put one of John''s arms over her


    shoulder.


    As they lifted him, he opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused while he wobbled with them up the stairs to


    his room.

 Chapter 1201

    Chapter 1201


    It took Cordy and Richard great effort to finally move John to a room.


    Just as they put him on the bed, Richard suddenly eximed, ¡°Whoops.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cordy asked, seeing the anxiety on his face just then.


    ¡°I have to submit the vlog tomorrow, but it¡¯s already veryte and I haven¡¯t edited anything.¡± Richard


    looked very worried.


    ¡°You can go do it now,¡± Cordy told him.


    ¡°But Daddy is drunk. Someone needs to take care of him,¡± Richard said, clearly in a dilemma.


    However, he was also obviously staring at Cordy, clearly wanting her to help.


    Cordy sighed¡ªshe had to spoil her own son.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Mommy. You¡¯re the best!¡± Richard eximed with visible joy.


    But as Cordy watched him leave, she sighed, somehow feeling like she had fallen for a trap.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, she got up and helped John out of his jacket and socks, after which she went to the washroom


    and wet a hot towel for him, wiping his cheek bit by bit whileining to herself inwardly¡ªwho was


    John to her, and why should she be helping him so much like this?!


    Most importantly, she was not the one who got him drunk, and there was also no reason for him to get


    drunk!


    And aside from herint, she also remembered Wendy.


    Right now, she was not quite sure what Wendy was actually up to.


    Was she really messing around with other men?


    Cordy stared at John¡¯s handsome face and sighed.


    To think that the day hade when a young woman had him wrapped around her little finger, even


    with those good looks that bewitched scores of women in life.


    Still, whether it was out of altruism or something else, Cordy was dutiful in her face for John¡ªnot only


    did she wipe his cheeks, but she also took off his shirt and wiped his body.


    It was supposed to be perfectly normal care for a drunk person, but Cordy suddenly noticed something


    unusual as she wiped John¡¯s body¡­


    His heart rate seemed to be racing more than usual, and she thought she could hear it pounding loudly.


    Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump¡­


    Could it be an allergic reaction to alcohol causing a blockage in his veins?!


    Cordy quickly moved closer to his chest and felt his heart pounding even harder from there!


    Looking up at John, she shouted at him, ¡°Wake up, John! Are you alright?! Is your heart having issues?


    Should I get an ambnce?¡±


    John struggled to open his eyes.


    His gaze was unfocused, and he appeared incoherent.


    Cordy thought that he was in danger and quickly got up to call an ambnce.


    However, just as she was about to move, John caught her and suddenly pulled her into his arms.


    Cordy yelped and started to il around in his embrace.


    ¡°Let me go, John! I have to get you to the hospital!¡± she cried.


    ¡°But I¡¯m fine¡­¡± he mumbled softly, and there seemed to be an indescribable mncholy in his voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine? Your heart is pounding like a race car!¡± Cordy snapped, skeptical. ¡°Let go of me. I need to


    get you to a doctor.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll be fine after I calm down,¡± John said, clearly panting.


    Cordy frowned. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need the hospital?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied and tightened his arms around her.


    She could feel his warm breath beside her ear, and he seemed to be adjusting his heart rate with each


    puff of breath.


    Cordy gradually felt his heart rate slowing down, and his entire being seemed to be calming down as


    well.


    Eventually, he released her, and she promptly got out of his embrace.


    John seemed to be lucid just then as well. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize I was asleep¡­¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªit might have been better to let him pass out on the couch.


    Now that he was awake and topless, it only made her a little awkward.

 Chapter 1202

    Chapter 1202


    Cordy¡¯s eyes shed, and John looked down to find himself topless.


    He promptly picked up his shirt that was left nearby to cover himself.


    Cordy frowned¡ªobviously, she wanted John to get dressed, but it irked her seeing him getting agitated


    as if she was the one taking advantage of him.


    Did he have to be so dramatic? It was not like she hadn¡¯t seen him naked.


    Still, she watched as John quickly put his clothes on and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know when I took it off. I didn¡¯t


    mean to¡­¡±


    Then, he quickly got to his feet, ready to leave bed¡ªwhether he moved too quickly or he was still drunk


    and dizzy, he wobbled as he got up.


    He looked like he could fall at any moment, so Cordy reached out by instinct to hold him.


    However, the instant she touched him, he flinched and shifted away from her¡­ which led to him


    dropping to the floor with a dull thud.


    It was certainly a horrible fall, and it left the man himself stunned, unable to regain his senses even as


    hey sprawled on the floor.


    Cordy simply stared at John, who was obviously averse to her and would rather fall to his death than let


    her help him.


    She took a deep breath and told herself not to get upset¡ªthat there was nothing between them, which


    was why they must keep their distance.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    She simply waited for John for a while until he slowly rose to his feet, looking embarrassed from head


    to toe.


    He rarely embarrassed himself so much, after all.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. I should head home,¡± he said, not forgetting to add, ¡°I still have to take Wendy hometer.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªshe needed so much restraint to stop herself from telling him that Wendy was


    enjoying herself just then.


    She wondered how John would react to that if he found out¡­ a heart attack, perhaps?!


    Perhaps.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask my chauffeur to drive you,¡± she said.


    She had no reason to keep him¡ªnow that he was conscious, he certainly should not stay in her house.


    Men and women should always maintain a civilized distance between one another, after all.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± John said, and they left the room together.


    Remembering something else just then, Cordy told him, ¡°Tell Dicky you¡¯re leaving. Don¡¯t let him think I


    chased you away.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    John headed to Richard¡¯s room, while Cordy waited for him outside.


    He arrived after a while, saying, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±


    Cordy nodded, and they filed down the stairs.


    Still, Cordy had just taken a few steps down and turned to find John wobbling again, and walking very


    slowly.


    Hesitating for a moment, she then moved to his side. ¡°Need help?¡±


    John looked at her, looking a little hesitant.


    As such, she said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you find it inappropriate. Just take your time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he suddenly said and reached out to put a hand over Cordy¡¯s shoulder.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat in turn, but that was John alright.


    He was just full of surprises.


    She had the feeling that he was distant since he had a girlfriend now, but it made sense that he would


    stay away from other women now that he was in a rtionship.


    And yet, she also felt on asion that he was not actually that resistant to her presence¡­.


    Cordy stopped herself from thinking right then.


    All she wanted to do right now was to send John away as soon as she could.

 Chapter 1203

    Chapter 1203


    John put an arm over Cordy¡¯s shoulder as she kept him standing, letting him press his entire body


    weight over her.


    They slowly headed downstairs and then out of the mansion, where her chauffeur sent him off.


    John did not even say goodbye after getting into the car and left just like that.


    Cordy heaved a long sigh in turn.


    Men!


    ¨C


    After that night, Cordy did not meet John much, although he would asionally text her out of


    politeness whenever he would take Richard to Levine Manor.


    Aside from that, they basically did not stay in touch.


    Still, on a certain weekend and Richard returned from Levine Manor, Richard mentioned offhandedly,


    ¡°Daddy is going to marry Wendy.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy was just taking a sip of water and ended up spitting it all over Richard¡¯s face.


    As he gave her a wounded look, she quickly wiped him. ¡°Sorry, I was just a little surprised¡­ But they


    just started dating a while ago, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Are you upset, Mommy?¡± Richard asked quietly.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you get so excited?¡±


    ¡°I was just surprised.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Richard did not dwell on that and simply told her, ¡°Well, Daddy isn¡¯t young and it¡¯s time he settled


    down, although I¡¯m not sure what Wendy thinks. She¡¯s still young, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯d say no since


    she loves Daddy to bits.¡±


    Cordy was left mncholic at that and was once again caught in the dilemma of telling John that


    Wendy did not love him¡­ or that Wendy was not that loyal, at least.


    But if John and Richard really found out about Wendy¡¯s true nature, Cordy really had a hard time


    imagining how devastated they would be.


    On the other hand, Richard saw that Cordy was not speaking for a while, and he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong,


    Mommy?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied. ¡°I just think that one should be prudent about marriage, not just deciding on it


    after a brief rtionship and presuming that she¡¯s the right person just from that. Marriage is for life,


    after all¡­¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Richard nodded in agreement. ¡°But I think Daddy felt the urgency, and it¡¯s been a while


    since I saw him being so lively. I actually think he looks younger thanks to Wendy¡¯spany.¡±


    Cordy had to agree that there was a difference in John too.


    She basically never saw John tweet before, but she would asionally see his tweets recently.


    The tweets were nothing special, and there were certainly no photos with Wendy and whatnot, but she


    could feel that he was reveling in bliss.


    But the more she felt that way, the more her conscience seemed to gnaw at her.


    She really could not just watch and do nothing while John became lost in it¡­


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Richard said, seemingly having given the matter serious thought as well. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try


    talking to Daddy? Tell him that marrying so soon isn¡¯t actually that good. I mean, I think highly of


    Wendy, but she¡¯s also too yful¡­ I¡¯m worried that she considers her marriage with Daddy to just be a


    game too.¡±


    Cordy was left gaping.


    Richard realized that despite being a child?


    And John never felt that, even though Richard did?


    The man must have been bewitched by Wendy. There was no other way about it.


    Even so, Cordy refused. ¡°You should go for it, since it¡¯d be inappropriate if I do it.¡±


    Whatever the case may be, her rtionship with John was simply awkward, and there was no telling


    where they should set the line once they started discussing certain matters.


    And with that simple exchange, Cordy returned to her room.


    Richard watched her leave, his little face showing utter disappointment.


    When would his mommy ever open up?


    ¨C


    The next day, Cordy was at work when Zoe suddenly called her, saying excitedly, ¡°Cordy, let¡¯s get


    drunk tonight!¡±

 Chapter 1204

    Chapter 1204


    Cordy raised a brow. ¡°Tonight? Not the weekend?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss,¡± Zoe told her. ¡°You have a say on your own work hours.¡±


    Cordy sighed, but it had been a while since Zoe asked her out like this. ¡°Why tonight? It seems


    unprecedented.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Jay left on a business trip,¡± Zoe eximed excitedly.


    Cordy was speechless. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of upsetting him, huh?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t be upset if it¡¯s you,¡± Zoe quickly said. ¡°And Quinn missed out on that dinner before, so she


    can make up for it now.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but I might bete. I¡¯m taking stock of the share markets in the afternoon, so that might take a


    while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no issue,¡± Zoe said generously. ¡°We¡¯ll wait.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Cordy put down her phone, rubbing her temples wearily just then.


    She had been burning out a little from worktely, so it was time she rxed.


    Hence, Cordy kept the meetings for the day short and headed straight to the destination Zoe told her


    about after work.


    It was the same old¡ªa private room for just the three of them, and getting drunk was inevitable


    whenever Zoe was involved.


    To make things worse, they were already drunk, but Zoe still insisted on dragging them along to a


    karaoke bar.


    Quinn tried to reason that it was veryte, but Zoe was relentless.


    Quinn turned toward Cordy for help, and Cordy could agree that it was veryte for them to stay.


    And yet¡­


    Fine, Cordy could admit that she had wanted to vent a little.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just hang out a little longer,¡± she said.


    Quinn was stunned, since she was convinced Cordy would not y along.


    And since two of them were going, she had to tag along.


    There, they booked yet another private room and started singing while drinking¡ªmostly drinking.


    But while they drank themselves silly, Zoe suddenly asked, ¡°Have you been feeling stressedtely,


    Cordy?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy frowned, convinced that she did not let it show.


    ¡°Right?¡± Zoe pressed, a confident look showing on her face.


    ¡°Not really. Maybe I¡¯ve just been feeling a little pressure since my workload is burgeoning.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Zoe smiled sinisterly.


    Cordypletely ignored her. ¡°I need the washroom.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, run away.¡± Zoe snorted, even more confident of her hunch then.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t need the washroom after drinking so much?¡± Cordy snapped in exasperation and


    turned to leave the private room.


    But as she closed the door, she could clearly hear Zoe exim, ¡°There¡¯s a washroom right here! You¡¯re


    just trying to avoid the issue!¡±


    Cordy shut the door and leaned against it for a moment as she sighed.


    She was a bad liar, but she was convinced that things were not what Zoe presumed them to be either.


    However, she was definitely a little drunk, and she needed a breather.


    She started heading to the washroom but had barely walked a few steps when she noticed a familiar


    figure in the hallway.


    Said figure was clinging tightly to a man¡¯s body, and they were kissing each other fiercely.


    While it was natural to run into such sights at the bar and other entertainment centers, Wendy was still


    supposed to be still in a rtionship.


    How could she be this carefree? Was she not afraid of getting caught in the act?!

 Chapter 1205

    Chapter 1205


    Cordy simply stood there, watching them kiss for a long while.


    Her legs were starting to feel sore when those two finally pulled away, but they were obviously reluctant


    to stop.


    When Wendy finally pulled away from the man¡¯s embrace, she took him by the hand and started to pull


    him along¡­ until she turned and found Cordy standing there.


    ¡°Woah!¡± she eximed, clearly shocked to the core while Cordy stared at her calmly.


    The man with her was startled too and could not help asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing,¡± Wendy stammered guiltily.


    The man then nced between her and Cordy. ¡°Who is she? Friend of yours?¡±


    ¡°Uh, hmm¡­¡± Wendy stammered for a while and finally said, ¡°Can you wait for me over there? I¡¯lle


    back to youter¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought we¡¯re heading straight to a hotel, babe,¡± the man chuckled, even nuzzling against her. ¡°I can¡¯t


    wait already.¡±


    Wendy appeared even more embarrassed at that and pushed the man away, ¡°Come on, just go. Be a


    good boy now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait.¡± The man had to leave obediently, seeing that Wendy was serious about it.


    Cordy watched as the man left before turning toward Wendy, who smiled gingerly. ¡°Small world, huh,


    Cordy?¡±


    ¡°Small world indeed.¡± Cordy sneered.


    ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    ¡°Does that matter?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I mean, I have a few more friends waiting. Why don¡¯t you hang out with us?¡± Wendy offered. ¡°They¡¯re


    all real studs there¡­¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes narrowed sharply, and she was suddenly glowering visibly.


    Wendy clearly noticed that and stopped pretending right then.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m still young, and I can get a little yful sometimes,¡± she admitted. ¡°But this is just a game,


    and I¡¯m serious about John. Can you not tell him what you just saw?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy was determined.


    ¡°Come on, Cordy,¡± Wendy purred. ¡°We¡¯re both women. You don¡¯t have to be so cruel, right? I can


    introduce you to some pretty boys¡ªsatisfaction guaranteed.¡±


    ¡°Wendy, don¡¯t think everyone¡¯s like you¡­¡± Cordy retorted, refraining from obscenities.


    ¡°You just haven¡¯t had a taste yet,¡± Wendy said confidently. ¡°Once you have, you¡¯ll understand why.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a waste even if you lived long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you about your rtionship with John right now, Wendy.¡± Cordy said sternly.


    Wendy took a deep breath and said slowly, ¡°That¡¯s between me and John. It has nothing to do with


    you.¡±


    Cordy was actually stumped, and Wendy suddenly seemed to grow a spine and continued confidently,


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re just John¡¯s ex and nothing else. You have no right to meddle in our rtionship, let


    alone interfere with whatever happens between us!¡±


    However, Cordy was equally staunch. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have a right to meddle, but it¡¯s also my freedom to


    decide whether I should tell John what I saw you do tonight.¡±


    And with that, she had no intention to keep arguing¡ªWendy obviously had no moralpass, and


    more words were just a waste of time.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    She had barely walked a couple steps when Wendy suddenly jumped in front of her, cutting her off.


    While she red coolly at Wendy, Wendy suddenly seemed to yield and apologized!


    ¡°Look, Cordy, I know I made a mistake, but don¡¯t tell John, alright?¡± Wendy cried miserably. ¡°John and I


    are serious¡­ I just couldn¡¯t resist the temptation, but I swear I won¡¯t do this again, okay? Never ever!¡±


    While Cordy pursed her lips, she added, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll be eternally loyal to John from now on. Just give


    me a chance, alright?¡±


    Cordy was actually left hesitant.

 Chapter 1206

    Chapter 1206


    In the past, Cordy would not have hesitated to tell John.


    However, considering that Richard told her that John was going to propose to Wendy, she could guess


    how much John loved Wendy.


    Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Could John really take the blow if she exposed Wendy¡¯s true nature?


    Most importantly, Wendy promised to change.


    As Cordy remained silent for a while, Wendy quickly said, ¡°Look, Cordy, I¡¯ll go straight home right now.


    No more nightclubs, okay? Just don¡¯t tell John, I¡¯m begging you¡­¡±


    Cordy gave in then. ¡°This can only happen once.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Thank you, Cordy! I¡¯ll go home right now!¡± Wendy¡¯s misery turned into a smile right then. ¡°See


    you!¡±


    Cordy watched as Wendy hurried away and sighed heavily, wondering how John fell for her¡­


    Nheless, she returned to the private room after going to the washroom, where Zoe was still


    drinking with Quinn.


    And once Cordy made it back, they promptly dragged her along and made her drink.


    After a while, Zoe asked a little unhappily, ¡°Why do you look so distracted, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy did a double take¡ªwas she being that obvious?


    ¡°Something on your mind?¡±


    ¡°No, I just think it¡¯ste. We should get going already.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not even midnight.¡±


    ¡°No, we can always do this again. Jay isn¡¯t going to let you out of the house if you really get drunk.¡±


    Cordy smiled, using Jay as a threat.


    Zoe pouted but did not argue despite her displeasure.


    On the other hand, Quinn was always rational.


    Since Cordy mentioned they were leaving, she promptly gathered herself despite being drunk.


    The trio stepped out of the bar and got into the same car home.


    Cordy¡¯s mansion was further away, so she sent Zoe and Quinn home first.


    And when she was left alone in the car, she could no longer hide her pent-up emotions.


    She whipped out her phone, her finger hovering over a certain number for a while before she finally


    mustered her courage to make a call.


    She was clearly on the side of justice, but she somehow felt guilt instead.


    ¡°Cordy?¡±


    John¡¯s surprised voice could be heard from the speaker.


    He was probably shocked that she would call her thiste at night¡­ or at all, to be precise.


    ¡°Yeah. Were you sleeping?¡±


    ¡°I just got in bed. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I just wanted to ask you if Wendy is over there?¡± Cordy asked.


    She just wanted to confirm if Wendy actually came good on her promise.


    ¡°No, she said her father was taken ill, so she¡¯s staying home with him for the night,¡± John replied. ¡°You


    have business with her? I could call her for you and tell her to call you back.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Cordy growled grumpily.


    Wendy was really incorrigible¡ªshe had just promised to change one second but fell back to her old


    habits the next!


    John was puzzled nheless. ¡°Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just tell her to call me when you see her tomorrow. I have questions,¡± Cordy growled through


    her teeth.

 Chapter 1207

    Chapter 1207


    Wendy called Cordy the next morning.


    However, after Cordy got home, she kept waking up in her sleep, since all she could think about was


    Wendy cheating on John with another man¡­


    Naturally, her temper red as soon as she saw Wendy¡¯s call, which was why she snapped a little


    loudly at Wendy, ¡°Wendy, did you forget your own promisest night?!¡±


    ¡°I can exin, Cordy,¡± Wendy quickly said. ¡°I was just a little tipsyst night, so I was afraid that John


    would get upset with me if I went to his ce. I headed to my parents¡¯ home instead, but I really did not


    do anything wrong. You have to trust me.¡±


    ¡°Really? And why should I trust you?¡± Cordy sneered.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Wendy tried off, unsure how to exin herself.


    However, after a moment of silence, she suddenly asked, ¡°Cordy, are you still in love with Johnny?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Cordy bellowed, clearly incensed by that response.


    She had always been calm¡ªin fact, she was calm when she caught Wendy being up to something so


    outrageous justst night. In fact, she consciously decided to resolve the matter rationally instead of


    telling John immediately.


    But now, that single line from Wendy left her flustered.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    And to make things worse, Wendy pressed the issue. ¡°I hit the nail on the head, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Wendy!!!¡±


    ¡°Cordy, I¡¯ve always had faith in your character,¡± Wendy simply continued with righteous indignation. ¡°I


    thought since it was over between you and John, it really was over. I even respected your rtionship


    with him, since I know that you can¡¯t really keep your distance when you both have a child together. I


    fully epted Dicky in my life, but now I think you¡¯re venturing out of line.¡±


    Cordy was really angered then and snapped, ¡°I¡¯m just a person with virtue and integrity! What¡¯s the


    problem if I take issue with your behavior and stand for justice? It won¡¯t be just me¡ªanyone who saw


    what you didst night won¡¯t be able to pretend nothing happened either!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still my business! You don¡¯t get to have a say!¡± Wendy retorted furiously. ¡°Let me be clear: I


    don¡¯t want you to meddle in my rtionship with John!¡±


    ¡°You call this meddling?!¡± Cordy really thought then that she could not get through to Wendy at all.


    ¡°What, am I wrong? Things are going well between me and Johnny now, and your meddling would only


    affect our rtionship. You just want to get Johnny to break up with me so you can get together with


    him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips, genuinely furious at Wendy.


    Wendy, however, only got more conceited with her silence. ¡°Cordy, let me give it to you in no uncertain


    terms: you don¡¯t need to worry about what¡¯s going on between me and Johnny. It¡¯s all between us and


    no one else. I hope you won¡¯t meddle in our rtionship.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve had it with you,¡± Cordy said icily. ¡°I have no misgivings now since you insist on being


    stubborn.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough,¡± Cordy snapped and hung up.


    She took a moment to calm down before calling John.


    ¡°Did Wendy call you already?¡± he asked, nonchnt. ¡°I just called her and told her you were looking for


    her.¡±


    ¡°John, did you know¡­¡±


    Cordy suddenly paused.


    She had clearly made up her mind, but suddenly could not finish what she was going to say.


    She simply could not understand how Wendy could show no qualms, let alone guilt, for what she did¡­


    when Cordy herself, a witness, could hardly bring herself to speak about it.


    ¡°Did I know¡­ what?¡± John asked, confused just then.


    ¡°About Wendy.¡±

 Chapter 1208

    Chapter 1208


    John sounded even more perplexed. ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to propose, right?¡± Cordy asked, doing her best to stay calm.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± John chuckled. ¡°Dicky told you, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was just nning that, since I¡¯m not exactly young,¡± John admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Dicky, and he


    agreed that Wendy suits me, so I n to go through with it.¡±


    Somehow, those words stung Cordy¡¯s ears.


    ¡°You really love her, don¡¯t you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What?¡± John asked a little shrilly, probably shocked that Cordy would ask something like that.


    Nheless, Cordy repeated herself slowly and clearly, ¡°You really love Wendy, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, not that much. I just think she¡¯s a good fit for me,¡± John exined calmly. ¡°At my age, I just want


    to find someone to settle down with.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s hardly the person for that,¡± Cordy said solemnly.


    ¡°Why?¡± John was confused. ¡°Because she¡¯s too young?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons,¡± Cordy said, no longer intending to hide it. ¡°The other is that she


    misbehaves.¡±


    ¡°Misbehaves?¡±


    ¡°Yes, misbehaves!¡± Cordy repeated sternly.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°I ran into herst night at a bar.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cordy said. ¡°She was with another man¡­¡±


    Cordy trailed off and did not go into detail, but she knew John would get it.


    However, John simply said, ¡°Well, she gets yful from time to time. And she¡¯s young¡ªit¡¯s normal for


    her to frequent such ces.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it, John? I¡¯m saying that she was hooking up with another man!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t men and women get a little yful after a little alcohol?¡± John replied, defending Wendy right


    then. ¡°She¡¯s really sociable, and she already told me before that she enjoys going drinking with her


    friends. It¡¯s normal for her to get lively at her age.¡±


    ¡°What does it take for you to recognize reality, John?¡± Cordy snapped, earnestly frustrated just then.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that she told you yesterday that she was taking care of her fatherst night? But I


    saw her at the bar! What is that if not a lie?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she told me,¡± John told her calmly. ¡°She told mest night that the friend from before asked her


    out again. She didn¡¯t want to go, but her father mostly recovered, and it was that same friend who was


    getting depressed over her breakup and threatened to kill herself. Wendy¡¯s just worried her friend might


    really end up doing something drastic, so she went to the bar.¡±


    Cordy was left biting her lip.From N?velDrama.Org.


    She really underestimated Wendy there, and it was not surprising why Wendy could confidently fight


    back.


    For one, Wendy was dead sure Cordy did not have evidence against her.


    Cordy certainly did not take photos since it never crossed her mind.


    Secondly, Wendy was convinced she had John wrapped around her little finger.


    John was her boyfriend, and he would believe anything she said.


    Cordy sneered.


    Wendy was certainly a lot less naive than she thought!

 Chapter 1209

    Chapter 1209


    John asked Cordy just then, ¡°Is there some misunderstanding between you and Wendy? Should we


    meet up to clear the air?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no misunderstanding,¡± Cordy said resolutely. ¡°It¡¯s your own issue since you believe you


    know what Wendy is like. I was just giving you a head¡¯s up out of the kindness in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± John replied and said nothing else.


    Cordy hung up right then, fuming.


    He made it sound as if she was trying to drive a wedge in his rtionship and took no notice of her


    kindness.


    She took a deep breath and told herself that it was their business, and she should not have meddled at


    all.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    There was no question that she was embarrassing herself too.


    That was when Cordy¡¯s phone rang.


    She nced at the caller, calmed herself down, and answered. ¡°Zoe.¡±


    ¡°Bad day, huh?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy denied it right away.


    ¡°I can tell from your tone right now, y¡¯know,¡± Zoe said confidently.


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªin the end, there was just no deceiving besties, was there?


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just wanted to ask if you¡¯re feeling alright after drinking so muchst night,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Though I might really have been drunk if we kept at it.¡±


    ¡°By the way, what are you upset about?¡± Zoe asked.


    She had always been very curious and always insisted on getting to the bottom of the matter.


    Cordy was silent in turn, unsure if she should tell Zoe what she knew.


    There would be too much pent-up frustration in her if she did not.


    But if she did, she felt like she would be prying.


    ¡°Cordy, I always tell you everything, but you can¡¯t do the same for me?¡± Zoe snapped, obviously a little


    angry just then.


    Cordy threw caution into the wind right then, deciding that she would be more upset if she held her


    tongue.


    ¡°Did you know that Wendy is hooking up with other men?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe eximed in disbelief, her voice twice as loud right then.


    ¡°I mean, unless you think I¡¯d spread false rumors about someone,¡± Cordy told her.


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying, but I¡¯m just surprised,¡± Zoe said, not quite understanding what she was


    being told. ¡°Wendy usually looks naive and she¡¯s definitely a good girl, so why would she¡­ Forget it.


    The point here is John is a good man. What is she even thinking, cheating on him?!¡±


    Cordy could not understand it either¡ªshe presumed that Wendy would get her act together after she


    started dating John.


    However, it only seemed to make her behavior escte, as if it took a toll on her.


    ¡°Did you tell John?¡± Zoe asked just then.


    ¡°I did. He didn¡¯t believe me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re upset?¡±


    Cordy said nothing but did not deny it either.


    Even so, she was just miffed.


    ¡°Honestly, what is John thinking?¡± Zoe ranted right then. ¡°How could he believe Wendy instead of you?


    I mean, how long has he met her,pared to you? Honestly, he¡¯s being stupid. Serves him right that


    he¡¯s being deceived by a woman.¡±

 Chapter 1210

    Chapter 1210


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy agreed. ¡°Serves him right.¡±


    ¡°And that means you can just leave him be.¡± Zoe gave her verdict then.


    Cordy was naturally taken aback. ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I said, just leave him be,¡± Zoe said very calmly. ¡°It¡¯s his own business if he¡¯s being deceived by a


    woman, and he refused to listen when you told him. What more can you do?¡±


    However, that did not sit right with Cordy at all!


    It was fine if Cordy herself did not keep trying to reason with John, since he refused to listen when she


    did. Moreover, it was inappropriate considering theplicated rtionship between them.


    But Zoe was different¡ªshe was supposed to be John¡¯s rtive, and she was just going to do nothing


    while John was being deceived by a woman?


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you at least tell him?¡± Cordy could not help asking.


    ¡°Why should I? It¡¯s everything I ever dreamed of,¡± Zoe said very calmly before going on a rant with


    rising indignation. ¡°It¡¯s his own fault for changing heart so quickly, falling for another woman at the drop


    of a hat. I thought he would being after you with everything he had after Patrick left you at the


    altar, only for him to get it on with another woman! Men really are pigs!¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Cordy was actually left speechless, while Zoe only spiraled further out of control. ¡°Oh, forget him¡ªit


    pisses me off to even talk about him. Let them marry, and he¡¯d get cucked to kingdome after that.


    It feels cathartic to even think about it.¡±


    ¡°Jokes aside, he¡¯s still your cousin. You really should talk to him,¡± Cordy remained rational.


    ¡°Why do you care? He certainly doesn¡¯t care about you! Aren¡¯t you being too kind for your own good,


    Cordy?!¡± Zoe eximed.


    ¡°I¡¯m just virtuous.¡± Cordy excused herself.


    ¡°Wait, are you sure you¡¯re not¡­¡± Zoe suddenly trailed off.


    ¡°No!¡± Cordy knew what she was suggesting, however, and denied it right away.


    ¡°Then why would you care so much?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m just virtuous,¡± Cordy told Zoe. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand seeing something like that happen


    under my watch. It would have been fine if I never witnessed it, since I don¡¯t have time or effort to spare


    to find out¡ªbut I saw it, and therefore I can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I believe you, but¡­¡± Zoe trailed off, before adding determinedly, ¡°I won¡¯t be happy with anyone


    else ending up together with John except you. And I won¡¯t ever change that opinion.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to disappoint you, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Cordy said resolutely.


    Zoe sighed. ¡°Fair enough. I¡¯m hanging up now¡ªI need to sleep off my hangover.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied and put down her phone.


    She had to admit that her emotions were ruffled just then, and it was not as if she did not know why¡­


    Still, she could pretend she was just miffed that she was being doubted!


    ¨C


    Throughout the next month, Cordy spent most of her time at work, having no mood to care about


    anything else.


    She never saw John again or heard anything from them.


    In fact, John did not evene over to take Richard over to Levine Manor, and she had no idea what


    he was busy with.


    That was until one night when Cordy got home to have dinner with Richard read only on


    ninjanovel, and he casually mentioned that his daddy was going to marry Wendy.


    Cordy stared at Richard, stunned.


    Nheless, the boy said seriously, ¡°They already decided on a day next month, so they¡¯re very busy


    since they are preparing for the wedding right now. Grandaunt Nancy said Daddy¡¯s pulling all the stops


    for the wedding as well, so it¡¯s not surprising that he did not take me to Levine Manortely.¡±


    There was a slight disappointment in his little voice, though Cordy was a little annoyed to hear it as


    well.


    She really did not expect John to marry Wendy so quickly, after all.


    She thought that even if he refused to take her advice, he would at least have been wary, even


    thoughtful, when he made his decision.


    Did he have that much faith in Wendy?!

 Chapter 1211

    Chapter 1211


    Richard called out to her just then. ¡°Mommy?¡±


    Cordy came to her senses and said evenly, ¡°It¡¯s your daddy¡¯s decision. You should respect it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Richard replied before remembering something. ¡°What present do you think I should get for


    their wedding?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just give them your blessing,¡± Cordy said tly.


    ¡°But I really want to give them a present,¡± Richard said seriously.


    Cordy pursed her lips but remained silent.


    She had no idea what she should suggest, and given how she felt about the wedding¡­


    Whatever. That was their business.


    ¨C


    Cordy returned to her room after dinner, and she had just gotten into bed to sleep when Zoe called.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Cordy, did you know that John is going to marry Wendy?!¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Cordy replied nonchntly.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the eighteenth of next month. Just twenty-five days from now,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ you¡¯re not interested?¡±


    ¡°Should I be?¡± Cordy asked in return, amused.


    If John believed his decision to be right, then it must be¡ªshe would not give it anyment.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting married too,¡± Zoe suddenly added quietly.


    ¡°What?!¡± Cordy was clearly agitated this time.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction? Aren¡¯t you my bestie? You don¡¯t want me to get married?¡± Zoe snapped a


    little grumpily.


    ¡°I mean, I thought you already married Jay¡­ And you¡¯re doing it again?¡±


    ¡°We never had a ceremony,¡± Zoe said, speechless. ¡°It feels like our marriage is not legitimate because


    of that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you mean it¡¯s just for the ceremony?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe nodded, before adding gingerly, ¡°There¡¯s something else you should know. Please don¡¯t


    get upset.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cordy asked, mystified.


    ¡°My wedding with Jay is on the same day and venue as John¡¯s,¡± Zoe said very quietly.


    Cordy blinked, but she had to admit that she actually felt a little upset.


    Zoe seemed to notice Cordy¡¯s mood and quickly exined, ¡°I was going to say no! I mean, who would


    want to get married on the same day as Wendy?! But Jay insisted, and Nancy was adamant.¡±


    Cordy remained calm, since she had a rather high tolerance for many things and was absolutely not


    one who got emotional.


    Still, she asked, ¡°Wait, did you make up with Nancy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it counts, but I guess things are less hostile now?¡± Zoe replied. ¡°Jay and I actually had


    dinner in Levine Manor a few times now. I¡¯m not sure if John intervened or something, but whatever the


    case may be, Nancy is neutral toward us now. That¡¯s just fine for me¡ªkeeping things casual is just


    right, instead of making things awkward for one another by getting obsessed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy replied.


    She had already expected John to mend the strained rtionship in the Levine family once he


    returned, since the family always valued kinship.


    They would have put their unpleasant past behind eventually.


    ¡°Jay might seem cold toward Nancy, but that¡¯s probably because he wants to side with me,¡± Zoe


    exined to Cordy just then. ¡°But I could feel that he actually respects her in the bottom of his heart,


    especially since she¡¯s the head of the family now¡ªeven John would defer to her to some extent. I


    didn¡¯t want to make things hard for Jay either, so we agreed to the joint wedding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good, I guess,¡± Cordymented. ¡°It saves time and effort.¡±


    ¡°In that case, would you like to be my bridesmaid?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cordy agreed to it right away.

 Chapter 1212

    Chapter 1212


    ¡°Then that makes you and Quinn!¡± Zoe eximed excitedly. ¡°Are you free tomorrow? I¡¯m trying out my


    bridal gown, and we can try your bridesmaid dress as well.¡±


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°See you tomorrow, then.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Cordy heaved a long sigh after she hung up.


    Things were moving a little quicker than she expected!


    ¨C


    The next day, Cordy headed to the bridal boutique Zoe told her about, though she was slightlyte


    since she had to make arrangements at work before hurrying over.


    It was only there when she realized that aside from Jay and Zoe, John and Wendy were there too.


    Zoe had just put on her bridal gown, and it shone with crystalline radiance beneath the chandeliers


    overhead, sparkling like a dream.


    Zoe was bewitched by herself, admiring her reflection in the mirror even while praising herself. ¡°My


    goodness, is that really me?! I¡¯m so beautiful! When did your tastes improve so much, Jay? Did you


    really order this tailor-made?¡±


    Everyoneughed in amusement, just as Zoe spotted Cordy from the mirror. ¡°Hey, Cordy! You made it!¡±


    Cordy smiled faintly as she walked up to Zoe, while the others turned and saw her too.


    She did not look at them in turn and instead made a beeline for Zoe. ¡°Jay definitely has good tastes.¡±


    ¡°You think so too?¡± Zoe was so thrilled she could not stop smiling. ¡°I thought he wouldn¡¯t make a real


    effort since he arranged for a joint wedding with John. I¡¯m actually surprised.¡±


    Jay was left speechless by Zoe candidness¡ªhe certainly would not be half-hearted about something


    like this, since he was preparing for their wedding from the start.


    In fact, he traveled abroad to personally order Zoe¡¯s bridal gown. Why else would he have gone on so


    many business tripstely?


    Naturally, he did not tell Zoe, since it was what he should do.


    As long as she was happy about it, nothing else mattered.


    A staff member approached Wendy just then. ¡°Ms. Crane? You can try your bridal gown now.¡±


    Wendy nodded and shed a sweet smile at John. ¡°I¡¯ll try out the dress now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you outside,¡± John said mildly.


    Cordy did want to ninjanovel look at them, but there were huge mirrors on every corner of the


    room, and she would catch their reflection no matter where she looked.


    And she certainly could see the infinite tenderness in John¡¯s eyes as he looked at Wendy.


    After Wendy left, another staff member led John away to get changed as well.


    Cordy stayed with Zoe, admiring her bridal gown with her.


    Zoe¡¯s delight was all too clear, and her emotions were as infectious as ever.


    Cordy could even sense Jay could barely hide a smile as he stayed in his corner.


    ¡°You should go try your bridesmaid dress,¡± Zoe suddenly remembered just then. ¡°Quinn can¡¯t make it


    since she¡¯s in court for a case, and your figure is simr to hers. It¡¯d fit her if it fits you.¡±

 Chapter 1213

    Chapter 1213


    Cordy went to the changing room.


    Thedies¡¯ changing area was basically shared, with just zipper curtains separating them.


    That was why Cordy could hear Wendy from behind the curtains.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m trying out my bridal dress right now. I don¡¯t have time to go drinking,¡± Wendy was saying.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have the chance soon if you don¡¯t hang out with us now. You¡¯re getting married soon!¡± Her


    friend goaded her.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but maybe not now. John¡¯s waiting for me.¡± Wendy seemed to be in a dilemma.


    ¡°And he¡¯ll always be waiting for you¡ªwhat¡¯s a couple hours inparison?¡± Her friend kept goading


    her anyway. ¡°Think about it. You¡¯ve been constantly hanging out with us, but he never said a word! And


    you won¡¯t feel anything if you y around now, but you probably won¡¯t dare to even leave the house


    once you¡¯re actually married. Just get over here already¡ªwe just chanced upon some college boys,


    and they¡¯re going back to campus tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, you girls¡­¡± Wendy sighed feebly, but the eagerness in her tone was too obvious.


    She was not stepping out after Cordy finished changing, though a bridal gown was probably more


    complicated.


    Cordy was also convinced that Wendy would not leave immediately either¡ªno matter how yful she


    was, she should at least understand time and ce.


    ¡°Wow!¡± Zoe could not help eximing when Cordy left the changing room. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful, Cordy!


    It¡¯s a simple bridesmaid dress, but you look so good in it!¡±


    It was not actually that simple¡ªone could actually see an effort made in picking it.


    Cordy thought then that Zoe was really lucky to have such a good man like Jay in her life.


    ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t Wendy taking too long?¡± Zoe asked, puzzled after admiring Cordy¡¯s dress for a long


    while. ¡°Is her bridal gown that difficult to put on? And no ying favorites, John¡ªdon¡¯t you dare


    embarrass me in our joint wedding.¡±


    John had changed into a ck tuxedo andpletely ignored Zoe.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe naturally would not humiliate herself, and she turned to discuss with Cordy about their dresses.


    Her eyes were narrowing so much from smiling. It was obvious she loved her bridal gown to bits.


    ¡°Jay, aren¡¯t you going to get changed?¡± Zoe finally remembered her dear husband amid the excitement.


    ¡°Spare me.¡± Jay refused. ¡°You¡¯re the main event.¡±


    ¡°Even John got changed already.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s a hassle, don¡¯t you?¡± Zoe¡¯s face fell right then.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°You definitely think so,¡± Zoe said assuredly. ¡°Jay, is our wedding just a gesture to meet the Levines¡¯


    demands? You¡¯re not willing to give me a proper ceremony, are you?¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get changed.¡± Jay sighed¡ªhe was always helpless when it came to Zoe.


    She smiled smugly in turn. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have to waste my breath if you listened early on.¡±


    While Jay wheeled himself to the changing room, Cordy gave Zoe a nudge and whispered into her ear,


    ¡°You have to help him.¡±


    Zoe finally realized that and hurried to Jay¡¯s changing room, while Cordy looked on with a begrudging


    smile.


    Zoe was as always too carefree for her own good.


    It was obvious that Jay did not want to get changed because it was inconvenient given his physical


    condition, and any other husband would be suffering from a stroke with Zoe¡¯s negligent attitude.


    After Zoe and Jay left, it was just John and Cordy left in the spacious room.


    They were both dead silent, while Cordy mused to herself if she should change out of her bridesmaid


    dress.


    She had already tried it and sent a photo to Quinn, so she did not have to keep it on.

 Chapter 1214

    Chapter 1214


    Chapter 1214


    Even as the thought crossed Cordy¡¯s mind, Wendy stepped out of the changing room.


    However, she was still in her casual dress from before and not wearing her bridal gown.


    Cordy could immediately tell what Wendy was up to with a single look, but she held her tongue while


    John asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Doesn¡¯t the dress fit?


    ¡°No,¡± Wendy replied a little anxiously. ¡°Something urgent came up, so I have to go right now. I took off


    the bridal gown halfway.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My friend got into a traffic ident. I need to get to the


    hospital right now.


    Cordy was blue with shock-that was such an outrageous lie!


    ¡°How is she doing?¡± John quickly asked in concern.


    ¡®I don¡¯t know, she didn¡¯t say. I need to find out at the hospital.¡±


    I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s alright.¡± Wendy refused right away. ¡°You can decide on the bridal gown-l


    don¡¯t know when I can make it back. I¡¯ll love anything you decide on anyway.


    Before John could say more, Wendy quickly left. ¡°I¡¯m going now, Johnny. I¡¯ll call youter.¡±


    And with that, she was gone, leaving John behind.


    John watched as she left, disappointment clearly showing in his eyes.


    Zoe and Jay stepped out of the changing room just then, with Jay having put on a white tuxedo.


    They were a picturesque sight and very easy on the eyes, and Jay¡¯s noble presence was hardly


    dampened despite being seated on a wheelchair.


    ¡°Wait, why is Wendy leaving?¡± Zoe asked, staring as Wendy headed to the distance. ¡°I was just looking


    forward to seeing if she looked good in hers. John here personally stayed abroad for a week, keeping a


    close eye on the tailors as they made her dress!¡± ¡°Her friend met with an ident. She¡¯s heading to the


    hospital right now,¡± John exined.


    ¡°Now of all times¡­¡± Zoe grumbled, clearly upset.


    John did not say anything in turn.


    ¡°So? The gown isn¡¯t going to try itself,¡± Zoe said.


    John simply sighed.


    ¡°How about¡­¡± Zoe suddenly eximed as inspiration struck. ¡°Cordy try it?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy refused right


    away.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But we¡¯re supposed to try on all the dresses today!¡± Zoe eximed in agitation. ¡°Just do it. See if it


    looks good on you!¡± ¡°Only the bride should try on the bridal gown. It might jinx things if someone else


    does.¡± ¡°But you won¡¯t mind right, John?¡± Zoe asked, turning toward him.


    As John pursed his lips, Zoe kept goading him. ¡°Don¡¯t you at least want to see what it looks like when


    worn?¡±


    Before Cordy spoke, John said sincerely, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Cordy¡­¡±


    Cordy was taken aback.


    Most people would mind, would they not?!


    She pointed out, ¡°Wendy would probably be unhappy if someone else were to put on her bridal


    gown¡­¡± ¡°No, she wouldn¡¯t,¡± John said confidently. ¡°She¡¯s never petty, and if we don¡¯t try it out today,


    we won¡¯t have time for adjustments. So please try it out.¡± ¡°But my body measurements are different.


    And the look-¡°


    Zoe did not wait for Cordy¡¯s approval at all and dragged Cordy toward the changing room right then,


    saying, ¡°Oh, stop saying no, Cordy. Just try it out and see how it feels overall first! Measurements and


    the rest can wait.


    Now get going¡ªI¡¯ll help too!¡±

 Chapter 1215

    Chapter 1215


    After Cordy dragged Zoe into the changing room, she had to change into Wendy''s bridal gown as Zoe


    wrestled her with brute strength.


    Then, before she had time to check her reflection, Zoe dragged her outside, showing everyone that


    noble, elegant pure-white dress to everyone.


    John and Jay were chatting, and they were both transfixed from a single nce.


    Naturally, the staff''s reaction was even more exaggerated.


    "Oh my goodness, you look so beautiful! That has to be the most beautiful bridal gown I''ve ever seen in


    my life.It sparkles just like the stars up above¡ªit''s just so dazzling!"


    "No, no, no¡ªit''s not just the gown.The bride is so beautiful they are a perfect match.It''s not surprising


    since it''s tailored ..It''s just different from your usual bridal gowns.It''s just simply different.The elegance


    is a sight to behold!"


    Their unrestrainedness left Cordy embarrassed, but she had to admit that John''s tastes were


    incredible.She was not feeling particrly confident when she looked at herself in the mirror, but a brisk


    nce was enough for the dress to dazzle her.She could not describe it in detail either, since every


    inch was borately tailored.


    The only words that came to mind were the cliched ones: dazzling, grand, elegant, exquisite, and the


    like.


    Either way, it was simply beautiful, and no one could take their eyes off it.


    Starting to get a little self-conscious, she grumbled, "I''m done.I''m taking it off now."


    "Hold it.I haven''t seen enough!"


    Zoe quickly stopped her.


    "It looks so good we have to take a few more photos here."


    "Zoe," Cordyined disapprovingly.


    "Just photos, okay?" Zoe asked with a wounded look.


    "It''s just so good.At least let me take a photo with you for posterity."


    Unable to argue, Cordy gave in.However, it was not just one photo¡ªafter Zoe had Jay take photos of


    them, she took selfies with Cordy as well.


    Either way, it took them most of the day, until Zoe beckoned at John and Jay.


    "Come on.Let''s take another, all four of us."


    Before Cordy could protest, both men were already beside them, on their feet.


    The staff helped them take the photos with professional cameras, and did it so quickly Cordy could not


    react in time at all.


    All she heard was the sound of shutters snapping repeatedly when she finally had enough and


    dered resolutely, "I''m getting changed."


    "I''ming with," Zoe quickly followed, sensing her foul mood.


    John simply watched as Cordy stormed off.


    In the changing room, Zoe put on a fawning smile as she asked, "Are you upset, Cordy?"


    "Nope."


    "I know you are¡ªthat''s the exact same face you make whenever you get upset," Zoe said, watching


    her dolefully.


    "You don''t throw a fit or give people the stink-eye, but it''s scary anyway." Cordy pursed her lips.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    "You know things are awkward between me and John, but you went through with it.It''s difficult for me,


    y''know?"


    "I just think you look good in that bridal gown."


    "It still isn¡¯t mine," Cordy huffed slowly and clearly.


    "That might not be certain..."


    Cordy gave Zoe a look, and she promptly stopped herself.


    "I mean, John doesn''t mind, so you don''t have to.You''re just trying it out, and you happened to look


    good in it¡ªyou really don''t have to worry so much about it."


    Cordy sighed feebly in turn.


    Zoe was always that carefree, never thinking much and always doing whates to mind.


    "I''m not angry, but it still feels ufortable," she said."Anyway, I''ve already tried on my bridesmaid


    dress, so I''m not needed for anything else, right? I''m going to get changed, and I''ll be gone."


    "Okay,"


    Zoe naturally would not push her further, worried that Cordy would really get angry at her.

 Chapter 1216

    Chapter 1216


    Chapter 1216


    Cordy felt a little bad seeing the sad puppy look on Zoe''s face, especially since she knew Zoe meant


    no harm.


    "I''m not upset."


    "Okay.I''ll be more careful next time," Zoe assured her again.


    "Yeah."


    With that, she got changed and stepped out of the changing room.


    John had already done the same, while Jay asked her, "Are you leaving?"


    "Yeah.There''s still work waiting at the office."


    "Sorry for dragging you out here."


    "It''s alright."


    Cordy smiled faintly.


    "Zoe is still trying on another dress, so wait a moment."


    "Okay," Jay nodded.


    Cordy started outside the boutique without another word when she realized John was following her.She


    frowned, but did not ask.


    Then, as she entered the elevator, she watched as John entered too, saying, "I have to go since


    something came up too.I''d be bothering them trying out their dresses anyway."


    "Yeah," Cordy could understand, since his bride had left already as well.


    However, she remembered Wendy again and sighed heavily.


    Giving in, she asked, "Don''t you think Wendy''s behavior has been strange?"


    "What?"


    "She''s always leaving even when she''s doing something important.Is that just a coincidence?"


    "I mean, no one can expect a traffic ident," John said tly.


    "But she''s always leaving alone but not letting you go with her," Cordy pointed out.


    "That''s her alright, always doing things quickly and on a whim.Also, I can''t really socialize with her


    friends¡ªthey''re young and a little too immature for their own good."


    Corddy pursed her lips¡ªJohn was being open-minded, and she had no way of waking up someone


    hypnotized.


    Soon, the elevator arrived at the parking lot, and while Cordy made her way toward her car, John


    asked, "Are you going back to your office, Cordy?"


    "Yeah."


    "Then do you mind giving me a ride? Wendy took my car."


    Cordy was speechless, though John pressed, "Please.I''m going back to Levine Manor, so it''s along the


    way."


    She had no excuse to reject him at that point.


    Along the way, John suddenly said, "Thanks for today."


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    "For what?"


    "Trying out the bridal gown."


    Cordy pursed her lips¡ªshe would rather not have mentioned it at all.


    "It''s nothing."


    "Lunch is on me,"


    John suddenly added.


    Cordy did a double take, and she thought she was hearing things just then.


    Did John just ask her out for lunch? He then pointed out, "Whatever happens, you''re still Dicky''s


    mommy and we really shouldn''t be so distant.And it just happens to be lunch hour."


    Still, Cordy refused.


    "I have a meeting in the afternoon to prepare for."


    "Oh, okay."


    John did not press her, though Cordy somehow sensed a tinge of disappointment.She pretended not to


    notice.


    He was going to marry someone else soon, and she should not allow herself to be affected by


    unnecessary emotions.

 Chapter 1217

    Chapter 1217


    Chapter 1217


    Cordy returned to her office after sending John to Levine Manor, but she ended up distracted, even


    spacing out during the meeting in the afternoon.


    When it was finally over, she could not focus on her work when she returned to her office.


    Her subordinates noticed she was being weird when they came to report the day¡¯s work, and they


    asked, ¡°Are you feeling unwell, Ms. Sachs? Do you want to get checked at the hospital?¡±


    Cordy had never been perfunctory in the years since she took over thepany, after all.


    She did a double take when her subordinate pointed that out, finally realizing that she was acting


    strange.


    Still, she said, ¡°I¡¯m alright-l just need a break. You may go for now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Sachs.¡±


    Cordy then had her assistant bring her a cup of coffee to freshen up before walking up to the ss wall


    and gaze upon the city¡¯s skyline to adjust her mood.


    She admitted to herself right then that she was not entirely unaffected by John¡¯s uing wedding.


    Was it really only because of Wendy¡¯s duplicity? She actually doubted that herself just then.


    Nheless, she pursed her lips in a begrudging smile and stopped herself from dwelling on it, though


    she remained standing by the ss wall in silence for a long while.


    Her phone jingled with a notification just then, and she picked it up to see a text from Zoe.


    [Check this out, Cordy. Do I look good?]


    Zoe had also sent many photos of her bridal gown, and she appeared as beautiful as she was blissful,


    and so much so that Cordy was spacing out.


    She just felt like that sort of happiness was getting further and further away from her.


    She remembered her past rtionships just then, and how bumpy things had been.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Her first boyfriend was a scumbag who cheated on her.


    And then came John, who was ipatible, probably? Either way, that was the reason they drifted


    apart.


    After that, it was Patrick, who persistently promised not to hurt her, only to leave her at the altar.


    She was probably going to end up a spinster in this life.


    Cordy started drafting a reply to Zoe¡¯s text, offering her blessings whilementing about her own life,


    until her fingers paused¡ªZoe had suddenly sent her a photo of her in Wendy¡¯s bridal gown.


    It was beautiful, and she looked beautiful in it.


    And somehow, looking at that photo, Cordy had the feeling that the bridal gown was tailored to her


    measurements instead¡­


    Cordy stopped herself from pondering too much.


    One always kept certain disappointments they would never say in the heart, and in her case, it was


    probably her yearning for love.


    Still, she was going to put down her phone when she saw Zoe sending another photo.


    It was a photo of her, Zoe, Jay, and John in their wedding attire.


    And there was something strangely natural about it¡­

 Chapter 1218

    Chapter 1218


    Chapter 1218


    In the photo, it looked as if Cordy was John¡¯s bride, and they were really getting married¡­


    Cordy pursed her lips as she stared at it.


    She then tore her eyes away and replied to Zoe¡¯s text: [Don¡¯t send that photo anywhere else or tweet it.


    It¡¯s inappropriate.]


    [Puh-lease. What¡¯s inappropriate about that? The four of us are just gorgeous-we¡¯d be the kings and


    queens of showbiz!]


    Zoe¡¯s excitement was palpable, but Cordy was stern nheless.


    [Zoe, I¡¯m not the bride.]


    Zoe could actually feel Cordy¡¯s wrath even from behind the screen-she was livid, even.


    As such, Zoe quickly replied: [I won¡¯t tweet it. I just wanted to show you how good us four looked. Just


    save it for posterity.]


    Cordy, however, disagreed-she was adamant that the photo was inappropriate.


    Maybe she just wanted to avoid looking at the photo and let her imagination go astray.


    Still, it was Zoe¡¯s photo, and it was her freedom if she wanted to save it.


    [Aren¡¯t you a little upset, Cordy?] Zoe asked gingerly.


    Cordy denied it. [Nope.]


    [It feels like you¡¯re upset that John is getting married.]


    [You¡¯re imagining things.]


    [Honestly, there are times you shouldn¡¯t lie to yourself, Cordy. I think Wendy doesn¡¯t suit my brother


    too.]


    [Don¡¯t say that, Zoe. And definitely not now.]


    Cordy had just texted that when Zoe called her.


    She answered it, and Zoe seemed to muster her courage to say, ¡°Zoe, I think I¡¯d regret it if I don¡¯t get


    this off my chest¡­¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    She actually knew what Zoe would say, but did not stop Zoe-much to her own surprise.


    ¡¯I still want to try to get you together with John onest time,¡± Zoe said. ¡¯ I¡¯m really convinced that both


    of you would regret the rest of your life if you truly miss out on each other. Have you thought about it?


    The two of you kept splitting and reconciling for years, and there had been so many external factors


    that kept you apart, but you¡¯ve now decided on your own that you should be apart? I really don¡¯t think


    it¡¯s worth it.¡±


    Cordyughed quietly. ¡°Factors notwithstanding, certain things are gone once you miss out. That¡¯s the


    case for me and John-destiny just isn¡¯t on our side.¡±


    It had never once crossed her mind again that it was possible for her and John to get together again.


    Even if her feelings felt ruffled-and she felt irritated, even-she would never think about it.


    ¡°Screw destiny! It¡¯s just the both of you being spineless!¡± Zoe snapped angrily. ¡°If only one of you would


    make a move, things wouldn¡¯t be in this sorry state. Both of you obviously still love each other!¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡±


    Before Cordy could argue, Zoe continued ranting with increasing indignation, ¡°Don¡¯t bother denying it.


    I¡¯m not smart, but I can tell that both of you still have feelings for each other and are trying to hide it! I


    don¡¯t know what either of you went through, but now that things are the way they were, why won¡¯t you


    two be together?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that John is getting married? He has someone he loves,¡± Cordy reminded her.


    ¡°John doesn¡¯t love her at all,¡± Zoe breathed slowly and clearly.


    ¡°Then why would he marry Wendy?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard of the term promise¡¯? He has no choice! Or maybe he didn¡¯t dare to make a


    move on you because you¡¯ve been distant and had to divert his feelings to another woman.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think,¡± Cordy said calmly. ¡°He has really been good to Wendy.¡±


    So good, in fact, that he insisted on marrying Wendy even when she made it clear that Wendy was


    cheating on him.


    ¡°Like I said, he just wanted to use Wendy to distract himself from his feelings for you! He doesn¡¯t want


    to burden you!¡± Zoe insisted.


    ¡°You¡¯re not him, Zoe¡­¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine, then let me put you this way-are you going to do nothing but watch while he marries scum like


    Wendy Crane?!¡± Zoe asked sharply.


    Cordy pursed her lips but decided that she was fine with it.


    She was not the one getting married anyway, and she had already warned John.


    He was the one who doubted her, and that made it his own responsibility, did it not?


    ¡°You can talk to John yourself if you can¡¯t bear to see it happen,¡± Cordy said evenly.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want your help if I could get through to him,¡± Zoe snorted, speechless. ¡°I might¡¯ve said that


    he deserves to be deceived, but I still tried to talk to him in private. He refused to listen at all.¡±

 Chapter 1219

    Chapter 1219


    Chapter 1219


    Cordy said evenly, ¡°That means it¡¯s his decision. Shouldn¡¯t we respect it?¡±


    Zoe was left speechless by Gordy¡¯s retort, but Cordy could understand where Zoe wasing from-


    she could not afford to do nothing given her connection to John, and it was even reasonable for her to


    be agitated.


    However, there was no uncertainty that Cordy and John had missed out on each other, and that was


    that.


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯ll stop here,¡± Zoe said, giving up right then, perhaps understanding that anything else she


    said was pointless just then.


    Cordy could sense her disappointment.


    However, while there were things where she would stake everything to help Zoe, she was powerless in


    others.


    ¡°Well, now you just have to wait for our wedding. Just be there on time,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy smiled. I¡¯ll properly make time to be a good bridesmaid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up now. Bye.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s smile faded the instant she hung up, and she looked out into the distance.


    She thought to herself that she just had to weather through this period, and she would no longer feel


    confused after that.


    News of John¡¯s wedding soon topped searches, and since it was a joint wedding with Zoe and Jay¡¯s, it


    became the talk of the town.


    Surprisingly, John never revealed the bride, and the mystery only made everyone anticipate it further.


    Everyone was eager to find out the identity of John¡¯s bride, and most rumors imed it was Cordy.


    After all, their rtionship was one that was constantly surrounded by rumors, and it was public


    knowledge that Richard was John¡¯s son.


    And then there was the fact that Cordy is still single after Patrcik left her at the altar, and all the clues


    made everyone positive that Cordy was the bride.


    That certainly brought her considerable trouble, including frequent ambushes by the media who asked


    about her ¡®wedding¡¯ with John.


    They refused to listen no matter how she denied it, even insisting that she and John were using the


    mystery wedding fortheir personal interest.


    After all, SYX Corp and Starstream Fashion¡¯s share prices were rocketing upward once John¡¯s


    wedding was announced.


    The number of paparazzis that were hounding Cordy 24/7 were increasing as well, as if they could not


    wait to capture something decisive to prove that she was going to marry John.


    Even Sean, who had fallen out of touch for a while, contacted her to ask why he did not receive an


    invitation for her wedding with John.


    Unable to maintain her innocence at all, she finally gave in and called John. ¡°Can¡¯t you announce the


    identity of your bride?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, his tone perfectly neutral.


    Cordy could hardly hide her indignation at that. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been saying it¡¯s me, and I have no way to


    prove it isn¡¯t. Don¡¯t you check the news at all?!¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you talk to the press?!¡±


    ¡°That would be unnecessary. The wedding is soon anyway, and they¡¯ll find out by then.¡±


    Cordy actually could not argue against that.


    ¡°It¡¯s in less than two weeks,¡± John added. ¡°I¡¯m a little busy, handling work while preparing for the


    wedding. Please be understanding if it has affected you somehow.¡±


    Cordy hung up on him-that man would never be considerate toward her these days, and she was really


    asking for it.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    As such, she had to endure being hounded for over ten days until Jay and Zoe¡¯s wedding day finally


    arrived

 Chapter 1220

    Chapter 1220


    Chapter 1220


    Cordy headed to Zoe¡¯s home before six in the morning on the day of the wedding, though Zoe had just


    gotten out of bed and was barely awake.


    Seeing Cordy and Quinn arrive, she mumbled feebly,¡±


    Getting married is¡­ taxing.¡±


    ¡°And you were looking forward to it so much,¡± Quinn teased.


    ¡®No way. Jay insisted-l had no say in it.¡±


    ¡°Stop bragging,¡± Quinn snapped.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Zoe stuck her tongue at Quinn and smiled.


    Despite herint, Zoe had to admit that she felt great.


    With that, all three of them started to put on their makeup on the makeshift dressing table, and it


    certainly took them a while-especially Cordy, who was not done even after Zoe¡¯splicated bridal


    makeup wasplete.


    Were they trying to make her the belle of the ball?


    Her ego actually felt a little hurt for the first time ever, since she always thought of herself as a natural


    beauty who did not need much makeup.


    After a long while, she asked, ¡°Wait, there¡¯s still more?!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ms. Sachs, but I guess I¡¯m a littlecking in skill and taking too much time,¡± the makeup artist


    said apologetically. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure that you¡¯re gorgeous!¡±


    Cordy was skeptical, since the makeup artist¡¯s skill was notcking at all.


    Still, she did not dwell on it. ¡°It¡¯s alright-something simple will do. I¡¯m not the bride, let alone the main


    event.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Zoe suddenly snapped, and she told the makeup artist, ¡°Ignore that woman. Make her


    as beautiful as you can.¡±


    Then, turning to Cordy, she added sternly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯d steal the spotlight from


    me? I wouldn¡¯t have asked you toe if I was-and you¡¯re going to steal the spotlight anyway.¡±


    Cordy stopped arguing about that, although she felt like they were wasting a lot of time.


    After a long while, her makeup was finally done, though she genuinely thought it was too borate.


    And she actually took exception, even if Zoe did not-it felt like she was trying to usurp Zoe as the main


    event.


    Zoe was generous with her praise nheless.


    ¡°Wow! You look gorgeous, Cordy!¡±


    Cordy smiled feebly.


    Only a person as down-to-earth as Zoe would not take exception at all.


    Just then, there was somemotion outside, and someone announced loudly, ¡°The bridegroom has


    arrived!¡± Before anyone inside could react, Zoe had already ran up to hold the door shut and beckoned


    Cordy and Quinn, ¡°Hurry over here! Hold the door-don¡¯t let Jay get his way so easy. Make him


    understand that it¡¯s no easy feat to marry me.¡±


    Both women grinned in amusement-did Zoe forget that this was her wedding?!


    Still, they quickly went up to hold the door without dy.


    Soon, they heard a knock on the door. ¡°Open up! The bridegroom has arrived!¡±


    It was Bob, and Cordy turned in surprise toward Zoe.


    Cordy was a little surprised at first, though she soon rxed -after all, stranger things had happened to


    Zoe, and she was used to it by now.


    Just then, Zoe yelled loudly, ¡°Open the door? Just because you asked?¡±


    She was certainly having more fun than anyone else.


    ¡°Well, what would it take for you to open the door, Miss Bride?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°At least go through 81 tasks!¡±


    ¡°81 tasks? Is the bridegroom getting married or getting enved here, ma¡¯am?!¡±


    Everyone outside and behind the doorughed at Bob¡¯s joke.


    Cordy was certainly impressed by Zoe then, that she could resolve all her rtionships with such ir.


    She was certainly convinced that she and John would never be able to do what Zoe and Bob did.

 Chapter 1221

    Chapter 1221


    Chapter 1221


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Nheless, Zoe was determined. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not going to open the door just like that.¡±


    Bob sighed feebly. ¡°Well, what can we do to convince you, ma¡¯am?¡±


    ¡°Tell Jay to sweet-talk me,¡± Zoe said. ¡°And make sure it pleases me.¡±


    Bob called out loudly right then, ¡°You heard your bride, Jay. She wants you to sweet-talk her.¡±


    Everyoneughed in amusement-joy was nevercking wherever Zoe was.


    However, silence followed theughter, and everyone seemed to be waiting for Jay to say something.


    They were amused just a moment before, and now actually expectant-they all knew that Jay was not


    good with words, despite being a film director. In private, he did not speak much.


    And now, he was supposed to dere his love for Zoe in front of so many¡­ the bride truly knew how to


    mess with her groom.


    After a long, deafening silence, however, Jay still did not say a word.


    Zoe, who had been a little smug at first, started to panic a little.


    She called out loudly, ¡°Jay? Why don¡¯t you say something?¡±


    The people outside were urging him too.


    ¡¯Say something, Jay. Don¡¯t dy your own wedding now.¡±


    ¡®Hurry up, Jay! Your bride is waiting!¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be shy. Just pretend we don¡¯t exist-say whatever you want, no matter how


    cringeworthy it is¡­¡±


    Even as things became lively with loud words andughter outside, Zoe was left biting her lip, looking a


    little wounded.


    She only told Jay to sweet-talk her, but he was refusing to speak at all?!


    She only got increasingly aggrieved the more she thought about it, and her eyes turned red.


    Cordy naturally noticed Zoe¡¯s reaction right away and promptly assured her, ¡°Calm down, Zoe. Jay


    never was outgoing, and you have to give him time if you¡¯re asking him to say things like that in front of


    so many others.¡¯


    ¡®But¡­ But¡­¡± Zoe still felt aggrieved because it was their wedding day!


    No matter how embarrassed Jay was, he could at least say ¡®I love you¡¯, no?!


    She could open the door even for that much!


    She bit her lip, looking unhappy while silence ensued outside for a while.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes were welling with tears, while everyone else was getting impatient too.


    Voices encouraging Jay could soon be heard outside-most of them had believed this to be a small


    interlude, only for things to get so awkward.


    ¡®Jay? Aren¡¯t you going to talk?¡± Zoe eventually could not stop herself from asking loudly.


    Jay still did not respond.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t,¡± Zoe said then. ¡®We¡¯re a done deal anyway, having gotten married and having a


    child together. Even the wedding is just going through the motions¡­¡±


    The more she spoke, the more miserable she felt.


    Her rtionship with Jay had been troubled over the years. Even now, when she was convinced all


    their tribtions were past them, she somehow had to suffer on their wedding day¡­


    She felt like this day would traumatize her permanently.


    And yet, when she gritted her teeth and reached for the door¡­

 Chapter 1222

    Chapter 1222


    Chapter 1222


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡± Jay suddenly spoke outside.


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Even though they had been together for a while now, her heart would still race when he said her name


    so tenderly.


    ¡°I¡¯m very nervous now,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m even more tense and excited than when I was giving my


    eptance speech for being awarded the best director.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s heart kept racing, with her feeling ever so slightly guilty and wondering if she had really put Jay in


    an awkward position.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to drag things out-l¡¯m worried I¡¯d dy our wedding too, and heaven knows how long I¡¯ve


    been waiting for this moment.¡±


    As Jay spoke quietly outside, it was obvious he was working very hard to keep his own voice calm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been nning this wedding for so long and was looking forward to this ever since we had our


    marriage registered. I wanted to give you an unforgettable wedding, and not just to do it while Johnny


    was having his. I prepared this with all my heart.¡±


    Zoe nodded silently-she certainly knew, because she was not as free spirited or ignorant as everyone


    would believe. While Jay had been away from hometely-even getting sneaky-she knew he was busy


    with their wedding.


    ¡°You wanted me to sweet-talk you, and I suppose you want me to say some mushy stuff?¡± Jay asked


    Zoe then.


    Before she could respond, however, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m not really good with that. I¡¯ve directed plenty of


    romantic dramas and TV series, but I¡¯m really bad at it-l have no idea what I should say to please you.¡±


    Zoe decided then that she loved that man and everything about it.


    It was just a slight pity, but it was pointless-she knew that he loved her too, and that was enough.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll say it anyway,¡± Jay said then.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡®Zoe, I fell for you the first time I saw you in Levine Manor. I was too young to understand love back


    then, but I just found you adorable, offering me warmth like a little sun-¡°


    However, Jay suddenly paused, before quietly saying, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ve already said that at the press


    conference when we were exining the circumstances of our rtionship.¡±


    Zoe was left speechless-she was just starting to get excited, only for Jay to take an almighty U-turn?!


    He was aedian too, huh?!


    Everyone actuallyughed when Jay suddenly stopped himself.


    For Jay¡¯s part, he seemed to take a moment topose himself before saying, ¡°What I want to say is


    that I¡¯ve loved you for years-for as long as I remember. You¡¯re my everything, and I would be alone for


    life if not for you.¡±


    Zoe would never believe anyone telling her that.


    But she would¡­ if it was Jay.


    That was how since they were thought to be rted, and he really would have stayed celibate for her


    for life.


    He would even refrain from telling her that all, quietly blessing her with happiness even if she left him to


    pursue her own happiness.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She remembered the years they missed out on each other-the years of pain Jay had to endure-and


    wondered how she could have doubted Jay¡¯s feelings for her, let alone get upset over just now.


    She did not hesitate to open the door right then, just as Jay said tenderly, ¡°I love you, Zoe. You¡¯re the


    only one for me!¡±


    Zoe was left staring at Jay, who was carrying Yelena, dressed in a pink dress and holding a bouquet of


    roses, in his arms

 Chapter 1223

    Chapter 1223


    Chapter 1223


    Zoe stared at Jay and Yelena, her eyes welling with tears of emotion.


    She really wanted to weep, for the sight of them before her was the most blissful moment she had ever


    seen.


    ¡°Mommy,¡± Yelena called out to her in her soft voice as she held out the bouquet with her little pudgy


    hands.


    Zoe could not stop herself as more tears welled in her eyes.


    ¡°Why are you crying, Mommy?¡± Yelena asked in confusion. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happy you¡¯re marrying


    Daddy today?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not crying, I just¡­¡± Zoe was choking on her tears, unable to exin herself.


    ¡°Daddy was crying too,¡± Yelena suddenly said.


    Zoe was left stunned, while Yelena round cheeks curled into a grin. ¡°His eyes were red like yours, and


    he told me he wasn¡¯t crying when I asked, just like you, Mommy. You¡¯re both so funny.¡±


    Zoe looked up at Jay, who blushed a little.


    He had certainly been so thrilled he could not stop his tears, and he certainly did not expect Yelena to


    spill the beans.


    He would have been embarrassed any other day, but today, he kept his eyes fixed on Zoe, determined.


    ¡®Yeah. I couldn¡¯t help weeping tears of joy when I remembered that I¡¯d be marrying you soon,¡± he said.


    Zoe was surprised that he would admit it so honestly, and she could not help throwing herself into Jay¡¯s


    arms. ¡°I love you to bits, Jay Parker.¡±


    Yelena was being crushed beneath her mommy, her cheeks pressed askew.


    Her mommy always lostposure whenever she saw her daddy, and she always stole her daddy


    from her.


    Surprisingly, Yelena was not fighting her mommy for her daddy today.


    After all, her grandma had told her that her daddy belonged to her mommy today because they were


    getting married.


    And she could afford to let her mommy have her daddy for that long.


    Meanwhile, as Zoe and Jay held each other in fierce embrace, everyone seemed affected by their love.


    It was at once amusing and emotional, until someone called out, ¡°Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡±


    Zoe and Jay finally realized then that they were hugging each other for too long. As she got up, she


    found Yelena beneath, her cheek reddened, and suddenly realized her daughter was exceedingly


    disciplined today.


    ¡®Kiss!¡± Everyone cheered just then.


    Zoe nced at Jay, seated in his wheelchair and unable to move.


    She was supposed to take the lead?


    Fine.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She could actually do that much.


    She arched her back again, and wrapped her arms around Jay¡¯s neck and nted a huge kiss.


    ¡®Yeah!!!¡±


    ¡®The bride is so brave!¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s Zoe for you! She always does it!¡±


    ¡°Jay Parker, you lucky dog!¡±


    Everyone was thrilled and chattered excitedly.


    Zoe was thinking that a brief kiss was actually enough.


    She was the main event, but she still had to meet the expectations of the many friends and family who


    came to celebrate their wedding.


    There was no helping it since she was always too considerate for her friends.


    However, just as she was about to pull away, she felt his hand firmly holding the back of her head and


    soon felt Jay¡¯s tongue

 Chapter 1224

    Chapter 1224


    Chapter 1224


    ¡®l-ls he being serious?¡¯


    Jay had always been so shy and withdrawn, but he was doing this in front of so many people¡­


    ¡®Hmph!


    ¡¯Let¡¯s see whosts!¡¯


    Zoe never liked losing and began to respond-even going on the attack.


    They locked lips for a long while until the people around them could not help reminding them, ¡°Hey, you


    two are the main event, but aren¡¯t we on a schedule?¡±


    Zoe and Jay did a double take, realizing then that they were getting too much into it.


    As Zoe pulled away, she saw Jay blushing all the way up his ears.


    What should she do? She felt like she loved him even more now and wanted to jump him right then.


    Wedding? She would rather stay in bed with him.


    ¡°Quit staring at each other already,¡¯ Bob snapped, having had enough. ¡¯You two had plenty of action


    already, so can¡¯t you be more considerate about the feelings of poor single folks like me? Get married


    already.¡±


    Jay puckered his lips and sighed quietly, still feeling the touch of Zoe¡¯s lips just then.


    Nheless, he reached out to take Zoe¡¯s hand, and she firmly grasped him in return before starting


    heading out.


    That was when someone said, ¡°The groom is taking the bride away without giving presents¡­¡±


    It was only then that everyone remembered-did those two distract them on purpose so they could skip


    out on gifts?! How frustrating!


    And at those words, everyone promptly blocked the door to stop Zoe and Jay from leaving.


    Jay quickly turned to Bob, who was sharp and quickly said, ¡°Everyone, get your presents here! Come


    on!¡±


    As he spoke, he poured a stack of gift boxes from his sack, and pandemonium ensued in the living


    room.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Cordy and Quinn quickly moved aside.


    They could not jump in the fray since they were dressed in gowns and probably would have done the


    same if not for the inconvenience.


    The crowd seemed topletely ignore Jay and Zoe while they grabbed what they could, and Quinn


    was suddenly knocked off bnce as she moved.


    Cordy was already further ahead and quickly turned to help Quinn, noticing that she was knocked off


    her feet. However, there was some distance between them, and she could not move too quickly on


    heels.


    Quinn thought she was going to fall too, since she did not wear gowns much, and her heels were too


    high for her to react in time.


    But just as she was about to give in, a firm arm caught her right then.


    Quinn turned, her heart racing when she saw Sam¡¯s face.


    He was naturally going to be there since Jay and John were getting married, but she presumed he


    would be staying at John¡¯s since Bob was already with Jay.


    She was therefore too surprised to notice Sam here with Bob and Jay a while ago, though she could


    also tell that he was clearly keeping his distance, not intending to greet her at all.


    As such, she did not approach him.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± he said coolly after helping her to her feet, and he left to help Bob.


    Quinn pursed her lips as she watched him leave.


    Cordy saw them, and called out to her, ¡°Quinn?¡±


    Quinn came to her senses and hurried off with Cordy, getting into the wedding limousine with Jay and


    Zoe

 Chapter 1225

    Chapter 1225


    Chapter 1225


    Zoe was talking endlessly in the limousine, her joy as the bride barely concealed.


    Cordy actually thought Zoe could brag about Jay¡¯s bold deration of love and kiss for the rest of her


    life.


    They soon arrived at the golf club where the weddings would be held.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    Since there were two weddings, most hotels did not haverge enough halls to cater for it, so they


    chose to hold it at North City¡¯s most luxurious golf club.


    As soon as they alighted, journalists who were waiting at the entrance mobbed-it was the wedding of a


    star actress and a famous director, so most of North City¡¯s press was mobilized.


    Jay led Zoe out of the car first-they needed to give some feedback to the fans as public figures, and it


    was a principle of Zoe¡¯s.


    Moreover, journalists were not allowed inside their wedding venue, just as filming was prohibited, so


    they could only do an interview outside.


    Even so, the journalists were very excited.


    ¡°Jay, I heard you had Zoe¡¯s dress tailored made from abroad?¡±


    ¡°Jay, it¡¯s basically a done deal before your wedding. Doesn¡¯t it dampen your expectations?¡±


    ¡°Rumor has it that John Levine is having his wedding here too. Can you confirm?¡±


    ¡°John Levine did not announce his bride. Could it really be Cordy Sachs?¡±


    It was pandemonium, with Zoe and Jay hardly able to hear anyone clearly as they were all speaking at


    once.


    Concerned that it would dy their wedding, Jay spoke loudly, ¡°Please, settle down. We will answer


    your questions one by one-we can¡¯t even hear anyone, let alone answer everything all at once.¡¯


    Then, pausing for a moment to take out a sheet of paper, he added, ¡°And before you ask, I¡¯ve prepared


    a press release.¡±


    Zoe gaped at him, surprised that he came prepared.


    Jay shed a tender smile at her and started reading the script. ¡°First of all, thank you for taking time


    from your busy schedules to witness my wedding with Zoe. Apologies that we could not let everyone in


    since we have many friends who aren¡¯t involved in showbiz, but as a token of appreciation for your


    traveling all the way here, we¡¯ve prepared appropriate gifts for your arrival.¡±


    The journalists apuded Jay resoundingly right after they spoke-it was certainly pleasant to hear that


    they would be rewarded.


    ¡°Also, I am at once thrilled and looking forward to this wedding. Even if Zoe and I did register our


    marriage, it is my opinion that a marriage is iplete without a wedding-everydy deserves one,


    and Zoe even more so. I¡¯ve certainly prepared considerably for this one, in hopes that I can give her a


    beautiful, unforgettable wedding.¡±


    With those words, he turned to gaze upon Zoe lovingly, and the journalists promptly captured photos of


    the moment-the sentiment between them was certainly palpable.


    ¡°Last but not least, I¡¯m sure everyone has questions about John Levine¡¯s wedding. All I can say is that


    John has his own considerations, and if he refuses to reveal his bride, we should respect that. There


    isn¡¯t much else about it I can say either, and I therefore ask for your understanding.¡±


    With his speech finished, he nodded deeply to show his respect for the press.


    Since he had already said that much, it would be tactless of them to press him further-they certainly


    should not make things awkward for everyone on his big day.


    After the journalists turned silent and stared at each other for a while, one of them said,


    ¡°Congrattions, Jay and Zoe. We wish you a happy marriage, ¡ö


    More journalists echoed, offering their blessings and asking no more questions.


    Both Jay and Zoe offered their earnest thanks and returned into their limousine

 Chapter 1226

    Chapter 1226


    Chapter 1226


    The limousine drove straight into the golf club.


    Neither Cordy and Quinn got out of the car at all. Still, they were really impressed with Jay and Zoe¡¯s


    acumen for public rtions, fending off the journalists in just ten minutes when they thought it would


    take them at least half an hour.


    Once the limousine parked outside their wedding hall, Jay headed inside first to greet the guests.


    Cordy, Quinn, and Yelena went with Zoe to the anteroom as she changed into her second wedding


    dress.


    Since Zoe was the only one who changed, Cordy and Quinn waited and yed with Yelena.


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡± Cordy called out to her just then.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    ¡¯Yeah?¡± Quinn replied, busy ying with Yelena.


    It was obvious that she loved Yelena and that she wanted a kid.


    Cordy liked Yelena too, but she was not as interested as having children like Quinn.


    ¡°Are things still the same with Sam?¡± Cordy asked.


    Quinn paused for a moment, but soon answered. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    It was simply difficult for them to open up to each other.


    ¡°Sam has left prison for a while now, but you still can¡¯te to an understanding?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied, a look of destion showing in her eyes.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the problem here? You or him?¡±


    ¡°Him, I think,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°He doesn¡¯t trust me. He mentioned a divorce again just days ago.¡±


    Cordy frowned, while Quinn continued, I refused. I moved back to Saunders Mansion to avoid him too.¡±


    ¡°Why would he ask for a divorce out of the blue?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s sick of me. There¡¯s a world ofdies out there waiting there¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s convinced you don¡¯t love him?¡±


    Quinn did not argue.


    After all, she had no idea how she felt toward Sam¡ªonly that she just wanted to be with him, perhaps


    for the rest of their lives.


    ¡°Or do you not think you love him enough?¡± Cordy sighed, noticing the look on Quinn¡¯s face.


    ¡°Oh, stop talking about me, Cordy-you¡¯d sour the mood. Let¡¯s talk about something happier since it¡¯s


    Zoe¡¯s wedding,¡± Quinn said, suddenly bing serious as she added, ¡°For example, how much is Zoe


    paying us as bridesmaids?¡±


    ¡°A lot, naturally,¡± Zoe said.


    She was just done changing into her second wedding dress, which was the one she tried on before and


    took wedding photos with.


    ¡°Tut, tut. Jay is such a lucky man, getting such a gorgeous bride to warm his bed,¡± Quinn teased.


    ¡°I feel the same way too.¡± Zoe smiled evilly.


    ¡°Me too,¡± Yelena suddenly said loudly.


    Everyoneughed in amusement at the child¡¯s innocent words.


    Yelena was mystified. ¡°I¡¯m not lucky?¡±


    ¡°Of course you are,¡± Cordy scooped her up in her arms and gave her a peck on the cheek. ¡°You¡¯re


    going to be the luckiest child on earth.¡±


    After all, her parents loved each other

 Chapter 1227

    Chapter 1227


    Chapter 1227


    There was much cheer in the anteroom, when Quinn suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°I


    wonder how things are going with John¡¯s wedding.


    While Cordy pursed her lips, Zoe remained cheerful and said nonchntly, ¡¯ Who cares? He¡¯s not


    marrying a woman I like, so he can do whatever he wants.¡±


    Quinn chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m just a little curious. There¡¯s nothing on John in the news at all ¡ªit¡¯s all you


    and Jay topping trending searches.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Zoe said smugly. ¡°A star director and a star actress-now that¡¯s a real power couple.


    Everyone¡¯s going to be as jealous as they are envious.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re the best,¡± Quinn replied.


    Zoe could not care less-she was the main event and the happiest person there was.


    They continued chatting andughing for a while until a staff member entered. ¡°Ms. York? You may


    enter the wedding hall now.¡±


    Zoe became visibly agitated. ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m getting a little nervous r?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a star actress who¡¯s used to red carpet events? Are you going to let a little wedding get you


    down?¡± Quinn teased.


    ¡°That¡¯s different. I fake it for red carpet events, but this is my wedding!¡± Zoe eximed with thrill. ¡°I can¡¯t


    help getting excited, knowing that I¡¯m going on stage with my beloved¡­¡±


    ¡°Whatever. Get a move on already, or you¡¯d be dying it,¡± Quinn urged.


    Zoe pouted-Quinn must be jealous of her being caught in bliss, and she lifted her skirt to stride out.


    Yelena was already brought to the aisle since she was the flower girl, and she had to prepare.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy and Quinn followed Zoe to the wedding hall, entering the miniature castle arch ced opposite


    the stage. Curtains formed the ramparts on both sides, hiding them and keeping things mysterious.


    There was another arch beside theirs, probably prepared for John¡¯s bride- it was some distance away,


    so Cordy could not see if the bride had arrived yet.


    Zoe¡¯s eyes were certainly sharp. ¡°Where are you looking, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy quickly turned away-despite Cordy¡¯s usual carefree nature, her eyes were sometimes


    frighteningly keen.


    ¡°Just a little curious,¡± Cordy said hastily. ¡°Quinn just said that John¡¯s wedding is due to start soon, but


    his bride is nowhere to be seen. It¡¯s also weird that there¡¯s no news coverage on his wedding at all.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s weird about it? He¡¯s always been so discreet,¡± Zoe tly replied, seemingly disagreeing. ¡°Never


    liked being discreet. I want nothing less


    than for the whole world to know I¡¯m marrying Jay.¡±


    Cordy smiled quietly, while Quinn retorted.


    Despite all that, Quinn had to admit that Zoe¡¯s earnestness made her a good friend, and Cordy


    considered her and Quinn her closest people.


    Just then, the emcee started speaking on stage.


    Zoe¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she started to get nervous again, asking, ¡¯ Oh my gosh, it¡¯s starting¡­


    I¡¯m so nervous! What should I do?!¡±


    Neither Cordy nor Quinn answered.


    Nervous? Zoe obviously could not wait to throw herself into Jay¡¯s arms instead!


    Just then, the emcee announced enthusiastically, ¡°Now, let¡¯s hear it as our handsome grooms take the


    stage!¡±


    The whole hall thundered with apuse as John wheeled Jay up the stage and assumed their


    positions.


    ¡°Music!¡± the emcee eximed excitedly, ¡®And now, for our two beautiful brides to walk down the aisle!¡±


    And with those words¡­

 Chapter 1228

    Chapter 1228


    Chapter 1228


    The curtains of both miniature castles slid open.


    Zoe took a deep breath, feeling nervous if not mostly excited.


    She maintained a prim smile nheless, since that was a mandatory standard of a star actress, and


    she strode out of the miniature castle arch with the apaniment of music.


    Without a father, and since Jay had trouble walking, she walked down the aisle alone toward Jay up


    their section of the stage.


    The guests were seated along the red carpet covered in petals, and she had not taken more than a few


    steps when she nced aside.


    Behind her, Cordy and Quinn turned too, surprised to find no bride emerging from the arch.


    The guests were surprised as well, but no one asked any questions so that they did not impede the


    wedding.


    As such, Zoe continued striding along amid the romantic atmosphere and up the stage, walking straight


    toward Jay.


    Still, she nced at the empty spot nearby, while the emcee was obviously left flustered as well.


    He walked toward John, seemingly to discuss proceedings since his bride was not there.


    Still, after just a few seconds of discussion, the emcee returned to Zoe and Jay¡¯s side and announced,


    ¡°There may be two weddings, but each will be conducted separately. John will leave the stage as he


    takes a break and awaits his bride, while let¡¯s get started with Zoe and Jay¡¯s wedding!¡±


    Thunderous apuse rang through the hall, while the emcee gestured,¡¯


    Step forward please, Zoe, Jay.¡±


    Zoe pushed Jay to the center of the stage, while Cordy and Quinn stayed at the edge.


    John¡¯s castle arch was opened just now, but now it was closed again.


    And she clearly did not see a bride inside just now.


    In other words¡­


    Cordy pursed her lips-she should not be worried about this.


    Returning her attention to Zoe and Jay, the priest was reading their vows.


    ¡°Jay Parker, do you take this woman as your beloved wife, to cherish her in sickness and in health, ¡¯till


    death do you part?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Jay replied solemnly.


    ¡°Zoe York-¡°


    ¡°I do,¡± Zoe said before the priest could finish.


    Everyoneughed in amusement, and the emcee could not help chuckling.¡± It seems our bride is a little


    impatient. Don¡¯t worry-the night is still young.¡±


    The hall was rocked with everyone¡¯sughter at the meaningful joke, livening up the atmosphere to the


    max.


    Zoe actually blushed in response and flushed harder as she turned to look at Jay.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    With that, the emcee announced, ¡°You may now exchange rings. Let¡¯s invite our adorable flower girl.¡±


    Yelena gingerly walked up the red carpet in her pink dress just then, holding the box containing her


    parents¡¯ wedding rings

 Chapter 1229

    Chapter 1229


    Chapter 1229


    Everyone was charmed by Yelena in her little pink dress as she tamely brought the rings to Jay and


    Zoe.


    ¡°Thank you Yelena for bringing your parents your rings,¡± the emcee said warmly, dropping to a crouch


    before Yelena. ¡°Do you have anything to tell them?¡±


    Yelena leveled her round,rge eyes at Jay and Zoe, before talking into the microphone. ¡°I want a little


    sister.¡±


    Everyoneughed at her words-with that goofiness, she was definitely Zoe¡¯s daughter.


    Jay and Zoeughed too-honestly, who taught her that?


    In fact, Zoe had expected the emcee to ask something like that and even told Yelena while they were


    alone that she must wish them to be happy together forever.


    She had made sure that Yelena remembered that, only for the girl to say something else entirely.


    The emcee chuckled too and asked, ¡°Not a brother?¡±


    Yelena blinked. ¡°Well, that is eptable.¡±


    The adultlike tone left the whole hallughing again, and Yelena suddenly said, ¡°Actually, I want both.


    Daddy and Mommy should have twins! Then I don¡¯t have to choose.¡±


    There was yet another chorus ofughter, and the emcee could not help teasing, ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure your


    parents will remember your wish. So be a good girl and don¡¯t disturb them tonight, and your brother


    and sister wille soon.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Yelena asked, before frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Grandma told me the same thing¡­ no, she told me many times not to disturb my parents when they


    are together in their room. But I¡¯ve not gotten any siblings so far¡­¡±


    Yelena trailed off, getting angrier with every word as theughter below stage rang even louder.


    Children are really innocent, are they not?


    Even Zoe felt a little awkward-did she give birth to Yelena so that Yelena could harass her?


    Forget wanting to steal Jay from her-the little girl would even embarrass her in public!


    ¡°Yelena, stop it,¡± she snapped at Yelena.


    Yelena pouted¡ªshe was just telling the truth, but her mommy always got upset with her afterward.


    ¡°Go on. You can get your candy now,¡± Zoe said, really worried that Yelena would say more and


    embarrass her further.


    ¡°But I still have more to say,¡± Yelena huffed.


    ¡°What more do you have to say?¡± Zoe asked, wary about letting her speak at all.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to bless you and Daddy, right?¡± Yelena said seriously.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You made me memorize it the whole night, and you wouldn¡¯t let me sleep, ¡± Yelenained.


    Zoe suddenly remembered and urged, ¡°Go on, hurry.¡±


    Yelena thought about it, and shed a perfect smile, ¡°Daddy, Mommy, I wish you will be happy together


    forever.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Yelena,¡± Jay said, patting her head and clearly nicer to her. ¡¯ You¡¯re amazing.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Daddy,¡± Yelena said and stood on her toes to nt a kiss on Jay¡¯s cheek.


    And with that, she hurried off the stage, seemingly having zero intention to kiss her mommy.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe was left ring

 Chapter 1230

    Chapter 1230


    Chapter 1230


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    While Zoe wondered if she had raised an ingrate, the emcee teased, ¡°Let¡¯s give our flower girl another


    round of apuse, to thank her for bringing us such joy.¡±


    The hall was certainly resounding withughter, and it seemed to have been the case since the start.


    ¡°And now, let¡¯s move on to the exchanging of rings,¡± the emcee announced.


    Naturally, the wedding rings were matching and made in ordance to specific details.


    Jay took off the engagement ring on Zoe¡¯s middle finger and carefully slipped on the wedding ring on


    her ring finger. It was not entirely elegant, but Zoe found it beautiful anyway, since Jay had flown


    abroad just to have it designed ording to his intention.


    She was so obviously engrossed staring at it and could not draw herself out that the emcee prompted


    her, ¡°And now, the bride may help the groom put his on.¡±


    Zoe realized with a start, and the hall rang withughter again as it was a rather funny reaction.


    She picked up Jay¡¯s ring and put it on his ring finger, feeling that the gesture was too emotional just


    then.


    In fact, just looking at the matching rings on their fingers made her want to cry a little.


    ¡¯I now pronounce you husband and wife!¡± the priest announced, and the wedding reached a climax with


    the soaring riffs of the music.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± The emcee deliberately trailed off, ¡°You may kiss the bride!¡±


    The hall rang with deafening apuse, while Zoe and Jay looked at each other.


    Jay was on a wheelchair, and he shifted, clearly intending to stand up.


    A staff member quickly brought his cane, but just as he took it, Zoe was already in his arms, wrapping


    her arms around his and nting a huge kiss on his lips.


    Everyone was stunned by the bride¡¯s move.


    After all, what bride took the lead?


    Naturally, it could not be denied that they were a picture of bliss.


    Still, Zoe soon pulled away, saying, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t kiss you for too long or I¡¯d get addicted.¡±


    Everyoneughed again.


    Even the emcee had a hard time moving things on, and so simply proceeded to the next event, ¡°And


    now, for the groom¡¯s speech. If you¡¯d please, Jay.


    Jay stood up then, leaning on his cane-a sign of his respect for his guests.


    ¡°Thank you everyone for attending my wedding. I¡¯m thrilled¡­ and I¡¯ve never been this thrilled, even


    when I received the award as best director. I hence ask for your understanding should my hospitality


    provecking.¡±


    Everyone apuded right then, to tell him that his hospitality was notcking and they did not take


    exception.


    ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t know what I should say to express how I feel toward Zoe ¡­ but I can swear before


    everyone, that I, Jay Parker, will only love Zoe York in this life, and I¡¯ll break my right leg myself should I


    ever be found guilty of duplicity!¡±


    His left leg wasme, and the crowd apuded thunderously again.


    ¡°Thank you for your speech,¡± the emcee said, moving things on. ¡°And now, for the bride¡¯s speech. Let¡¯s


    give her a round of apuse!¡±


    Zoe took the microphone and looked at the many guests beneath the stage who were attending her


    wedding.


    ¡°I was not supposed to give a speech since our time is limited, and we might dy John¡¯s wedding.


    However, I¡¯m also worried that I won¡¯t have the courage to say this after today.

 Chapter 1231

    Chapter 1231


    Chapter 1231


    Every guest was staring at Cordy, convinced that she was going to dere her love for Jay because


    her affection for him was all too visible.


    And given Zoe¡¯s personality, she would want nothing less than to announce it to the whole world.


    And yet, when she began, she said, ¡°There are two people I want to thank. The first is ra Gooding,


    my mother.¡±


    ra was sitting below stage, her body obviously stiffening when Zoe suddenly mentioned her.


    She was holding Yelena in her arms after she got off the stage.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my mother,¡± Zoe said. ¡°But I never called her that, because there was a time I hated her. If


    not for her, I wouldn¡¯t have gone through the worst moment of my life-1 mean, who would¡¯ve thought


    that an heiress of the great Levine family would turn out to be just a maid¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Her words were calm, but everyone could empathize with her pain and despair of the time.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°I really did not want to acknowledge her. I really wanted to disown her¡­¡± she continued even as she


    looked at ra.


    ra¡¯s eyes were red, her eyes welling with tears.


    She certainly knew that Zoe held considerable grievances against her, but Zoe was too kind and


    ultimately kept ra with her.


    ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t,¡± Zoe finished. ¡°If I had done that back then. I¡¯d regret it for the rest of my life.¡±


    ra quietly shook her head¡ªshe was the one who had been regretting her actions all this while.


    She did something in the heat of the moment andmitted an irreparable mistake.


    ¡°In the end, she¡¯s the best mother in this world who has given me all her love in a way that no one else


    could ept,¡± Zoe said, looking at ra then. ¡°The world might not understand you, but I do, Mom.¡±


    It was the first time Zoe called her that, and ra¡¯s tears kept gushing.


    Seeing her cry, Yelena quickly used her little hands to dry her tears. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Grandma. I¡¯m here,


    and I will protect you.¡±


    Yelena¡¯s kind words only made ra¡¯s tears gush further-what had she done to deserve a daughter


    like Zoe and a granddaughter like Yelena?


    ¡°Mom, I thank you for all you have given me, and for Yelena. I would not have given birth to such an


    angel if not for her, and Jay and I would have gone on living our separate lives. I know you¡¯ve been


    quietly sacrificing yourself for all our sake, telling me to rest while Yelena was sick while you stayed


    overnight with her, saying that you¡¯re not tired even though I caught you sleeping beside her.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to bridge the gap between us, but in the end, I chose to walk away because it¡¯s what you¡¯re


    obliged to do, to atone for the years I was left with the Levines,¡± Zoe said, her voice choking with tears


    just then.


    Jay wiped away her tears, offering her silent encouragement.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom. I shouldn¡¯t have hated you or kept you at arm¡¯s length. I know about your love for


    Yelena and for me¡­ Mom, I don¡¯t hate you anymore. I love you, Mom!¡±


    The hall apuded at Zoe¡¯s son¡¯s deration, many of them left emotional by Zoe¡¯s speech.


    Indeed, many of them who wereughing themselves a moment ago now had tears welling in their


    eyes-their feelings seemingly all grasped within Zoe¡¯s palm.


    ¡°I love you too, Mommy!¡± Yelena answered Zoe from beneath the stage then.


    She was upset to see her mommy cry and wanted to offer herfort, even adding loudly, ¡°Grandma


    says she loves you too!¡±


    Zoe smiled despite her tears, feeling at once emotional and relieved.


    Earnest feelings always stir the heart.


    With that, Zoe took a long while topose herself

 Chapter 1232

    Chapter 1232


    Chapter 1232


    Zoe allowed herself to calm down before saying, ¡°And the second person I wanted to thank is¡­¡±


    ¡®Your husband!¡± someone suddenly shouted below stage.


    Everyoneughed as Zoe paused, and she could not helpughing too. ¡¯ Can¡¯t wait to start eating, can


    you, Bob?!¡¯


    Naturally, it was Bob who shouted just now.


    He was learning to let go of the past and to bless Zoe.


    Everyoneughed at Zoe¡¯s outburst-it was certainly a wedding of tears andughter.


    ¡¯Sorry to disappoint you, Bob, but it¡¯s not my husband, and I have plenty to say. The wedding luncheon


    would have to wait.¡±


    Bob shrugged, while the other guests chuckled before turning quiet.


    Zoe took a deep breath and then said, ¡°The second person I want to thank is Nancy Levine.¡±


    Nancy was naturally present.


    There were two weddings today, Jay and John¡¯s-she would never miss it for the world.


    And she would be lying to say that she did not take exception to Zoe¡¯s confession to ra.


    She hated Zoe for the longest time, even now-for making her a fool of herself.


    Naturally, she was surprised that Zoe would mention her at her own wedding, let alone thank her!


    ¡°I understand that my existence hurts you, just as I understand that you hate me even now-but what


    can I do? I¡¯d run into you even more now that I married your brother,¡± Zoe said smugly.


    Nancy¡¯s expression darkened-she knew she should not have put her hopes on Zoe at all.


    She thought for an instant Zoe would actually remember their past bond as mother and daughter¡­


    Mother and daughter.


    Nancy¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she suddenly remembered a time when Zoe was a child.


    She would throw herself into her arms, calling her mommy in her tiny, adorable voice¡­


    Nheless, Nancyposed herself and stared at Zoe haughtily.


    Zoe returned her gaze, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to address you now. Sister, perhaps? Like Jay?¡±


    Someone could not help chuckling at that, and Zoe turned to see that it was Bob again.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    That man certainly knew how to kill the mood.


    It took her so much to push herself to do this, and he would just pull the rug from under her feet.


    ¡®Go on. Pretend I don¡¯t exist,¡± Bob quickly said.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    Fortunately, it was a basic skill for actors to replicate emotions, and Zoe soon found the right mood


    again. ¡°Today, I would like to thank you for raising me.¡±


    Nancy remained silent, still looking icy.


    Even so, Zoe continued, ¡°Over the years, I don¡¯t understand a thing-when we were still mother and


    daughter, you had truly given me the warmth of family, and I had felt the greatness of motherly love and


    even thought I had the best mother in the world! She gave me confidence, courage, and resilience. If it


    was not for the love that I had in my heart, I would never have survived all the trauma, and I would


    have fallen under pressure!

 Chapter 1233

    Chapter 1233


    Chapter 1233


    Zoe concluded, ¡°That is why I¡¯m grateful for you raising me, for giving me so much love so that I could


    survive any tribtions that maye and continue forward with determination. Much has happened


    between us, and though I know you still hate me, I¡¯ll still say to you: thank you.¡±


    And with that, she bowed.


    Nancy pursed her lips, apparently not reacting.


    However, anyone close enough could see that her eyes were glimmering with tears, and she was


    holding them back.


    She never expected Zoe to still be grateful toward her now. After all the ruthless torment she put Zoe


    through, she thought Zoe would hate her back.


    She suddenly remembered Zoe as a child again.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    While not knowing who she really was, Zoe had been so adorable, and she always doted on Zoe-


    Nancy turned away so that she did not hold Zoe¡¯s gaze.


    Zoe watched her cold reaction, feeling slightly disappointed.


    Nancy was a proud woman, and there was no way she could let go of such a grudge.


    She had certainly been taken for a fool, and given her ego, she would remember that for life.


    Zoe took a deep breath-she would only say what she wanted to say.


    And with that, she would be believed.


    ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll no longer hold a grudge,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°You can keep hating me if you do-l would


    not hold on to grievances of the past. I¡¯ll greet you and speak to you on my own ord, so just bear


    with it if you don¡¯t like it. I¡¯ll just pretend I don¡¯t notice your bad temper.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Bob chuckled again.


    ¡°Bob Davis, could you be more serious?¡± Zoe snapped angrily, wondering if the man was just there to


    mess around. ¡°I know you love me, but don¡¯t sabotage my wedding out in the open like this.¡±


    She had been a little emotional before, only for Bob to ruin everything again -was he aedian?!


    ¡¯Look, I didn¡¯t want tough, but you¡¯re a real joke,¡± Bob could not help saying. ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯tugh


    again-go on, don¡¯t stop me from our luncheon. Most importantly, Johnny is waiting for you to finish.


    Don¡¯t dy the man¡¯s wedding now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll cut it short!¡± Zoe snapped angrily and turned toward the emcee. ¡°I¡¯m done. You can


    announce that my wedding ceremony is over now.¡±


    The emcee spaced out for a moment beforeing to his senses.


    He almost forgot he was supposed to preside over the ceremony, since he was busy enjoying the


    drama.


    After all, the bride had really been putting on a show.


    Still, the emcee quickly regained his professionalism. ¡°Thank you for your stirring speech. Everyone,


    let¡¯s give the bride a round of apuse!¡±


    Zoe was speechless.


    That was a stirring speech?! She felt absolutely embarrassed!


    Whatever-she was used to a little embarrassment, and it was no big deal.


    ¡®Since there are two weddings to be had today, let¡¯s allow Jay and Zoe to go offstage for a small break.¡±


    Jay and Zoe got off the stage together and went to their tables.


    Somehow, Zoe was even more nervous after she got down, and Jay noticed it. ¡°Are you actually more


    worried than you were on stage?¡±


    ¡®Oh, please. The next wedding is the main event-ours was just the foil.¡±


    Jay was left frowning-the wedding he went through great lengths to prepare¡­ was just the foil?!


    Zoe noticed his reaction. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not saying that ours arecking. I¡¯m happy and emotional, not to


    mention that it¡¯s a wondrous feeling to eat the luncheon of my own wedding.¡±


    ¡°Just the luncheon?¡±


    ¡¯I¡¯m joking.¡± Zoe grinned at him. ¡°I love you, Jay Parker.¡±


    Jay did a double take-Zoe changed the subject so quickly!


    Before he could react, he felt a softness on his own lips just then

 Chapter 1234

    Chapter 1234


    Chapter 1234


    As she pulled away, Zoe asked, ¡°Can you feel it now?¡±


    She could express her love with actions, after all.


    Jay pursed his lips but did not answer, although his hand tightened over hers without knowing it.


    ¡°They¡¯re starting,¡± Zoe quickly told him.


    Jay took a deep breath, deciding that he really should get used to Zoe-her emotionssted no more


    than a couple seconds before changing.


    He turned toward the stage then, though he had to admit that the second wedding was actually the


    climax.


    He watched as John walked on stage under the emcee¡¯s invitation and took center stage.


    The emcee then went through a long opening monologue before announcing toward the castle arch,


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s have our bride make her shy appearance!¡±


    The curtains slowly parted, and everyone saw a woman in a white gown standing there.


    Indeed, there was no mistaking it-a gown, not a bridal dress.


    After all, it was not Wendy but one of her bridesmaids.


    She appeared awkward, unsure what to do just then.


    Should she step onto the red carpet, or not?


    The guests were feeling the awkwardness of the situation as well, gesturing and whispering when they


    saw that only a bridesmaid was there.


    Cordy pursed her lips and nced at John, and she saw the destion in his eyes.


    Still, anyone would feel traumatized to be left at the altar on their wedding day.


    In fact, Cordy suspected that Wendy never came, since she was never one who abided by the rules.


    If she was here, there would have been somemotion.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    And given what Cordy knew about Wendy, it was likely Wendy changed her mind at thest moment


    because she had yet to have enough fun for her life, and marrying would make her behavior morally


    contemptible.


    Just then, the bridesmaid could not help walking down the aisle a little quickly since it was not her


    wedding and she did not want to waste anyone¡¯s time.


    She hurried to John, held out a USB stick to John, and said loudly, ¡°This is from Wendy. She¡¯s not


    coming.¡±


    And with that, she fled.


    John was left staring at the USB stick in silence for a while before he turned toward the emcee. ¡°Please


    y this.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    The emcee handed it to a staff member who yed the video, showing Wendy dressed in casuals on


    the LED screen.


    ¡°Sorry, John, but I can¡¯t do this,¡± she said. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been good to me, and I really like you too, but


    I really can¡¯t marry you. I thought I could because you are great in every way, but I flinched today. I


    don¡¯t know if I can be a good wife or a good mother because I think I¡¯m still too young to be an adult.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry for my irresponsibility, and I sincerely apologize. I don¡¯t know if I can earn your forgiveness,


    but I offer you my earnest blessings regardless¡­ to an eternal union between you and Cordy Sachs.

 Chapter 1235

    Chapter 1235


    Chapter 1235


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Wendy paused for a few seconds just then, and the guests at the scene all turned in shock toward


    John and Cordy.


    Cordy was pursing her lips, surprised that Wendy would suddenly mention her.


    Nheless, Wendy continued, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been good to me and earnestly wanted to be with me,


    but I must say that Cordy is a better fit for you. I can also tell that you have feelings for her although


    you keep hiding it deliberately. Are you perhaps afraid that she would reject you?¡±


    ¡°Actually, as a fellow woman, I can feel that Cordy loves you too. I don¡¯t know what happened between


    you that you deliberately kept your distance, but I earnestly feel that you both deserve each other. I


    asked Dicky too, and he admitted that he liked me but he still rather his parents get back together.¡±


    Cordy turned toward Richard, who had been constantly tagging along at John¡¯s side.


    His face was still a child¡¯s, but he was over five feet tall and could y the role of John¡¯s best man.


    Though dressed smartly in a suit, his lips were tightly pursed, probably keeping his emotions just then.


    At the same time, Wendy continued, ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t be here, John. But I hope you¡¯ll be brave to take


    that step and pursue your happiness. After all, the one you love most is right in front of you! Don¡¯t flinch


    now. I¡¯ll pray earnestly for your happiness.¡±


    She pumped her fist and eximed, ¡°Go for it!¡±


    The video stopped at that.


    Either way, that meant John¡¯s wedding would go without a bride since Wendy fled.


    The guests were all left debating what happened, especially since most of them did not even know who


    John¡¯s bride was.


    It was just the letters ¡®J¡¯ and ¡®W¡¯ on the wedding invitation where the names were supposed to be


    written-letters representing John and Wendy.


    Those who knew, knew.


    And now, those who did not knew as well.


    What a shame that the bride was not making it to this wedding that had all everyone¡¯s attention,


    perhaps more than a star actress and a star director¡¯s.


    And now, it was just a joke.


    While the wedding hall was left in raucous chaos, the emcee was at a loss of howto proceed.


    The stalematested for around five minutes until John suddenly strode forward.


    And once he moved, the hall was suddenly silent-everyone was looking forward to seeing what he


    would do!


    Would he end it here, or would he do as Wendy suggested, bravely pursuing his true love?


    Hence, as everyone looked on, John walked up to Cordy.


    She pursed her lips and stared at him in silence.


    He was not really going to marry her just because of what Wendy said, was he?!


    That would be so¡­ childish!


    John probably knew very well that she would not agree to it.


    And yet, she could hear John say, ¡°Will you marry me, Cordy?¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    ¡®No¡¯ was on the tip of her tongue, but she could not say it for some reason

 Chapter 1236

    Chapter 1236


    Chapter 1236


    #Cordy stared at John, watching as tears seemed to well in his eyes.


    She was not sure if he was devastated that Wendy suddenly left him at the altar or over something


    else.


    Suddenly, she realized that she could not think straight, and her emotions were a mess.


    For the first time, she had no idea what she wanted to do.


    ¡°Wendy¡¯s right, and actually¡­¡± John said, gulping. ¡°This wedding was prepared for you.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat, surprise showing in her eyes.


    She thought Wendy running away from her wedding was expected, since Wendy was too self-indulgent


    to let go of the many vices the world had to offer.


    She just did not expect John to prepare the wedding for her.


    She was skeptical too, because John had no idea what Wendy was really like and therefore would


    never anticipate whether Wendy woulde to the wedding hall.


    As such, Cordy felt a little repulsed.


    If John openly admitted to being tricked and asked her to help him save face, she might have agreed to


    it-this situation was humiliating, after all.


    And in polite society, he would be no different from being dead.


    ¡°Wendy and I¡­¡± John took a deep breath and continued, ¡°were just putting up an act from the very


    start.¡±


    Cordy frowned-what act?


    ¡°I thought I could get you to take notice of me that way, even sympathize with me, given Wendy¡¯s


    private life¡­¡±


    John trailed off, since he should at least save Wendy some dignity where there were so many others


    around.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fantasizing that you would stop my wedding. But even if you did warn me, I could feel that


    you did so out of moral obligation and not because of me-you were just that kind.¡±


    John looked into her eyes then, as if struggling to restrain his uncontroble emotions.


    ¡°I prepared a script for Wendy for that video, wanting to use your sympathy so that you¡¯d help me out of


    this pickle. I know you might¡¯ve agreed to it, but I don¡¯t want to keep pretending or to lie to you


    anymore.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I was hurting everytime I pretended to be dating Wendy because you didn¡¯t seem to care at


    all, while I had to force myself to go through the pretext of dating another woman¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt


    my conscience anymore nor continue this act.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Cordy Sachs, and I¡¯ve loved you from the start.¡±


    ¡°This wedding was made for you, which was why I never announced the bride¡­ Even the bridal gown


    you wore that day was yours, not Wendy¡¯s,¡± he said, his voice choking a little with tears. ¡°Will you marry


    me, Cordy?¡±


    As he spoke, John went down on one knee, taking out the ring he prepared.


    It was made for Cordy¡¯s size.


    She stared at it, and then at him, unsure what to do with his sudden proposal.


    Although she clearly felt that he had changed and really felt for Wendy, he was telling her now that it


    was just an act-to make her care and sympathize.


    The wedding hall was silent as everyone waited, with Zoe left absolutely flustered.


    Naturally, she knew John prepared this wedding for Cordy-to be precise, she, Jay, and even Richard


    knew who the real bride was.


    From the start, their n was to swindle Cordy into saving the day, even if it was a sham marriage.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    That was why Zoe had no idea why John would suddenly admit to everything when they were just a


    step away from seeding

 Chapter 1237

    Chapter 1237


    Chapter 1237


    The endless silence only made everyone anticipate Cordy¡¯s response more.


    After all, they could all tell that he was hopelessly in love with Cordy.


    Still, there was no telling what she was thinking just then, and she simply stared at John while he


    stared back.


    They were both silent while Richard stood nearby, staring nkly at them.


    He knows that this was his daddy¡¯sst chance-that he would have no more chances if his mommy still


    rejected him¡­


    But he really wanted them to get back together, and honestly felt that his daddy loved his mommy


    dearly.


    He had no idea how devastated his daddy would be to lose his mommy.


    He really did so much for her, going to the extreme lengths of ying pretend lovers with Wendy so


    that mommy would marry him¡­


    ¡°rm sorry,¡¯ Cordy suddenly said.


    It was a rejection the instant she spoke.


    John smiled in relief, but his eyes were tearful.


    His heart really ached, but he truly gave in this time.


    He knew he had really hurt Cordy too much, that she did not love him anymore.


    He was just coercing her, and it was just his wishful thinking¡­


    He rose to his feet, seemingly wobbling for an instant.


    He was so tall and burly, but he seemed like he would fall over in an instant.


    Zoe felt her heart numbed with pain even as she looked on.


    She had never seen John looking that miserable-ever since they were children, she thought he was


    some sort of divine being, always haughty and lofty.


    He certainly never looked this pitiful.


    The only time he seemed to cry was during his parents¡¯ funeral, but it was a very longtime ago.


    John was still young at the time, and feeling vulnerable after losing loved ones was only natural.


    That was why he should not be looking that vulnerable and letting his agony show so much.


    For an instant, Zoe thought John must be feeling the skies crashing down from above, but he still tried


    to stay strong because he must not let it show in front of Cordy.


    Zoe could not bear to look as her tears started rolling down her cheeks.


    It was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, but she felt endlessly reliable nheless.


    She suddenly had the impulse to just kidnap Cordy and tie her to John¡¯s bed.


    However, before she gave in to the impulse of trying to persuade Cordy, Cordy suddenly rose to her


    feet.


    She was staring at John¡¯s towering figure as he walked away, wobbling as if he could fall at an instant.


    Then, she spoke crisply and clearly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, John. I didn¡¯t know that you still loved me.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Her voice resounded over oily green grass, beneath the bright blue sky.


    Everyone was unusually silent, worried that they misheard.


    Like John, they thought she rejected him.


    And yet, what she said left that uncertain.


    Was it a yes or no? Or was it really just an apology and not reconciliation?


    John stiffened because he was the most nervous person in the hall. He had hope and expectation, just


    as he feared disappointment

 Chapter 1238

    Chapter 1238


    Chapter 1238


    John really had no idea if he could take another blow, only for his shred of hope to be ultimately


    crushed.


    He restrained himself, gulping endlessly while hisrge hand clenched into a fist unwittingly in clear


    restraint.


    However, he still turned to face Cordy.


    Yes.


    Even if it was just a tiny shred of hope, his chest was still filled with it.


    He looked at Cordy as her lips curled upward-a suffocating sight of beauty.


    He thought he saw tears in Cordy¡¯s eyes too and wondered if he had just imagined it.


    After all, his own tears were blurring his own vision even though he was trying his best to blink them


    back.


    ¡°I thought it was over between us,¡± Cordy said softly, looking at John and his tense reaction. ¡°We¡¯ve


    gone through so much¡­ doubt, death, and having someone else, that I really thought was one bridge


    too far.¡±


    John looked at Cordy nervously, yearning so much to tell her that it was not the case.


    He could admit that he really did forget about her in his amnesia, but when he saw her again, he could


    not stop himself from getting close to her¡­


    Even so, he could not say a word just then, worried that he would choke with tears before he could


    speak.


    He merely looked at her longingly, while Cordy¡¯s voice was no longer choking with tears. ¡®I don¡¯t know if


    we would regain those feelings for each other. I don¡¯t know how you or I felt before, or whether I could


    love you again without anything getting in the way¡­¡±


    She and John had really gone through too much.


    They had known each other for over ten years, and all the things they went through in that time would


    be more thrilling than what others experienced in a lifetime.


    She was a little reluctant to lead that life again and sincerely hoped that life could be mundane again.


    She did not know that she was bing vulnerable with age, fearing parting in death and loss so


    much that she would rather not have anything at all, which was why she kept her distance from John.


    She thought that if she parted ways with him and lost all her feelings for him, her life would really


    be normal for good.


    But was that what she wanted-to have no desire, to live mundanely?


    Cordy said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind everything I¡¯ve said, then yes, I¡¯ll marry you-¡¯


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± John said resolutely before Cordy could finish.


    To her, Cordy¡¯s existence in his world was enough, and he would never ask anything of her-as long as


    she was there.


    ¡¯Okay.¡± She smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s get married.¡±


    They could try again.


    Again.


    Ultimately, she could not stop her tears even as she looked at him.


    He lowered his head in turn, seemingly doing his best topose himself.


    It was certainly bizarre that he would weep, but he was choking so much now that he had trouble


    calming down.


    ¡°Is the bridal gown still here?¡± Cordy asked just then.


    If this wedding really was prepared for her, it would definitely still be here.


    John nodded repeatedly.


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll get changed,¡± Cordy said calmly, a stark contrast against John, who looked more like a little


    girl with his tear-filled face.


    It was certainly a sight to behold, and Zoe had her phone out, sneakily taking multiple photos, having


    every intent to give them to Cordy as her wedding present


    Chapter 1238


    John really had no idea if he could take another blow, only for his shred of hope to be ultimately


    crushed.


    He restrained himself, gulping endlessly while hisrge hand clenched into a fist unwittingly in clear


    restraint.


    However, he still turned to face Cordy.


    Yes.


    Even if it was just a tiny shred of hope, his chest was still filled with it.


    He looked at Cordy as her lips curled upward-a suffocating sight of beauty.


    He thought he saw tears in Cordy¡¯s eyes too and wondered if he had just imagined it.


    After all, his own tears were blurring his own vision even though he was trying his best to blink them


    back.


    ¡°I thought it was over between us,¡± Cordy said softly, looking at John and his tense reaction. ¡°We¡¯ve


    gone through so much¡­ doubt, death, and having someone else, that I really thought was one bridge


    too far.¡±


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    John looked at Cordy nervously, yearning so much to tell her that it was not the case.


    He could admit that he really did forget about her in his amnesia, but when he saw her again, he could


    not stop himself from getting close to her¡­


    Even so, he could not say a word just then, worried that he would choke with tears before he could


    speak.


    He merely looked at her longingly, while Cordy¡¯s voice was no longer choking with tears. ¡®I don¡¯t know if


    we would regain those feelings for each other. I don¡¯t know how you or I felt before, or whether I could


    love you again without anything getting in the way¡­¡±


    She and John had really gone through too much.


    They had known each other for over ten years, and all the things they went through in that time would


    be more thrilling than what others experienced in a lifetime.


    She was a little reluctant to lead that life again and sincerely hoped that life could be mundane again.


    She did not know that she was bing vulnerable with age, fearing parting in death and loss so


    much that she would rather not have anything at all, which was why she kept her distance from John.


    She thought that if she parted ways with him and lost all her feelings for him, her life would really


    be normal for good.


    But was that what she wanted-to have no desire, to live mundanely?


    Cordy said, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind everything I¡¯ve said, then yes, I¡¯ll marry you-¡¯


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± John said resolutely before Cordy could finish.


    To her, Cordy¡¯s existence in his world was enough, and he would never ask anything of her-as long as


    she was there.


    ¡¯Okay.¡± She smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s get married.¡±


    They could try again.


    Again.


    Ultimately, she could not stop her tears even as she looked at him.


    He lowered his head in turn, seemingly doing his best topose himself.


    It was certainly bizarre that he would weep, but he was choking so much now that he had trouble


    calming down.


    ¡°Is the bridal gown still here?¡± Cordy asked just then.


    If this wedding really was prepared for her, it would definitely still be here.


    John nodded repeatedly.


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll get changed,¡± Cordy said calmly, a stark contrast against John, who looked more like a little


    girl with his tear-filled face.


    It was certainly a sight to behold, and Zoe had her phone out, sneakily taking multiple photos, having


    every intent to give them to Cordy as her wedding present

 Chapter 1239

    Chapter 1239


    Chapter 1239


    Cordy headed to the anteroom as a bridesmaid and was now suddenly a bride.


    This wedding would certainly go down as one of the more astounding ones in history!


    She put on the bridal dress she tried on before, and it really seemed to be tailored ording to her


    body¡¯s measurements.


    Still, she found herself in a daze, as if it was all unreal.


    Just yesterday, she felt that there was such an insurmountable distance between them, only for them to


    get married today.


    ¡°Wow, that bridal gown is just so gorgeous! You look so beautiful in it!¡¯ The staff were fawning over


    Cordy.


    Even Quinn, who was in the anteroom with Cordy, was dazzled by the dress.


    She certainly looked exceedingly beautiful, and Quinn was unsure to praise her or the dress-both


    seemed to fuse together.


    ¡°I really doubt that the bridal dress was not tailored ording to your measurement.¡± She could not


    help sighing.


    As Cordy nced at her through the dressing mirror, she smiled. ¡°To think I¡¯d be a bridesmaid twice in


    one day. Who knew?¡±


    Cordy smiled and blushed faintly¡ªshe never expected to get married either.


    ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s not keep your groom waiting, and the guests are looking forward to the luncheon as


    well,¡± Quinn urged.


    Cordy nodded and stepped through the miniature castle arch that was supposed to be Wendy¡¯s.


    Through it and her veil, she could see John in the distance¡­


    Dear Readers Books Are Daily Updated Click On Link Below To Join Our Official


    Telegram Group To Get Latest Books Updates..


    It felt just like a dream¡­ To think that her wedding would be so outrageous!


    She had always thought Zoe was already outrageous with a ridiculous wedding, only for her to give


    Zoe a run for her money.


    She took a deep breath, listening as the emcee announced her and the curtains in front of her parted.


    The symphony started ying a beautiful tune as guests apuded and petals danced in the air.


    It was a sight of wonder, and yet, the hall was stunned as Cordy walked down the aisle.


    ¡®Heavens! She¡¯s so beautiful!¡±


    ¡®Is this real? It feels so much like a painting!¡±


    ¡°I know Cordy is beautiful, but this is ridiculous. It¡¯s like her beauty is infinite!¡±


    Cordy could hear the gasps around her and actually felt a little nervous just then.


    Zoe had kept saying she was nervous before as well, but now Cordy had the feeling that Zoe was just


    tricking them to liven the atmosphere.


    After all, right now, she was really nervous that she had held her breath since forever, and her whole


    body shuddered.


    As Quinn apanied Cordy down the red carpet-the second time for the day as a bridesmaid-she


    could sense Cordy¡¯s nervousness.


    She was surprised that someone who had seen action like Cordy would get nervous over something


    this trivial.


    Truly, she would be lying if she ever said she did not love John.


    It was all restraint and self-deceit.


    John¡¯s eyes in turn never left Cordy as she walked upstage and upto him- he kept staring as if worried


    she would run away.


    His spirit felt disembodied when she headed to the anteroom to change into her bridal gown, and it felt


    like he got her back when she appeared before him again.


    He reached out to take Cordy¡¯s hand, though he soon lowered his hand.


    He had no idea if Cordy was willing to let him take her hand or if it would irritate her.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Even if she agreed to marry him, he would not hope that Cordy still loved him.


    She might have done it to save him the blushes or for Richard

 Chapter 1240

    Chapter 1240


    Chapter 1240


    When Cordy said yes to his proposal, John noticed her ncing behind himself at Richard.


    But whatever the case maybe, he was rejoicing that she would say yes and would never ask for more.


    In fact, he was a little flustered, unsure as to what he should do to not annoy Cordy.


    On the other hand, Cordy noticed the tiny beads of sweat over John¡¯s forehead.


    However, the day¡¯s climate was just right, and there was even a breeze- but he was sweating anyway.


    Was it perhaps from nerves?


    She also noticed that John was reaching for her hand.


    She was ready to take it, but John ended up lowering his hands, his entire figure looking very stiff.


    Was that nerves too?


    Was he more nervous than she was?


    Cordy pursed her lips and suddenly reached out to take John¡¯s hand.


    John¡¯s whole body flinched visibly.


    Below the stage, Zoe giggled ¡ªthe dauntless John Levine was bristling from Cordy¡¯s touch!


    Truly, everything has a weakness, and John was destined to be at Cordy¡¯s mercy.


    That thought alone left Zoe feeling cathartic, especially since John had been so conceited when they


    were children, as if no one would ever size upto him.


    And he deserved to fallpletely to Cordy.


    As Cordy took John¡¯s hand, she could feel her palm drenched in sweat, spreading ayer of wetness


    between their hands.


    The emcee could not help teasing, ¡°It seems that the bride is more eager than the groom! Alright, now


    let¡¯s have our beautiful bride and our handsome groom take a step forward.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Everyoneughed at his joke while Cordy was left blushing.


    John held on to her hand even tighter then, while the priest moved to stand between them to officiate


    the ceremony.


    ¡°John Levine, do you take Cordy Sachs as your beloved wife? To love her and cherish her, in sickness


    and in health-¡¯


    ¡°I do!¡± John quickly answered.


    The emcee could not help chuckling. ¡°Our groom really is impatient.¡±


    Everyoneughed again, while John pursed his lips.


    He might usually be calm as a cucumber, but he could not help exposing himself today anyway.


    ¡°I will always be with Cordy, and not even death could take me away from her,¡¯ John said resolutely


    then.


    ¡°Cordy Sachs, do you-¡±


    ¡¯I do,¡± Cordy answered before he could finish too.


    The priest could not help joking, ¡°Well now I just feel silly standing here.¡± Cordy blushed, the pigment


    on her cheeks making her appear even more attractive just then.


    With that, even the emcee seemed to speak quicker. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s move on to the exchange of the


    rings so that no one gets impatient. Over here, Yelena. Come on¡ªrun up and bring their rings.¡±


    Yelena promptly leaped out of ra¡¯s arms, took the ring box from the staff, and ran onstage as fast as


    she could on her little feet.


    Cordy¡¯s heart could melt from the mere sight of such adorableness.


    ¡°Johnny.¡± Yelena greeted John just then.


    John had dropped to a crouch to take the rings and was left a little dumbstruck by Yelena calling him


    Johnny.


    Sure, Jay was his uncle, but did Yelena really have to assert herself so much?!


    ¡°I wish you and Cordy will be happy forever together and give me another brother like Dicky,¡± Yelena


    continued seriously.


    Their family tree seemed to be a real mess just then

 Chapter 1241

    Chapter 1241


    Chapter 1241


    While everyone was charmed by Yelena, John grinned and patted her little head with a tender look on


    his face. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t give you another brother, but maybe a younger sister.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me like my parents,¡± Yelena said very seriously.


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Yippee! I¡¯m going to have a younger sister!¡± Yelena eximed excitedly.¡¯ Can I see her tomorrow?¡±


    John was speechless-not even a stork could deliver a baby that quickly.


    ¡°Come down, Yelena!¡± Zoe yelled from below stage just then. ¡°You¡¯re not getting married! Why are you


    hogging all the spotlight?!¡±


    ¡°My mommy is a baddie.¡± Yelena pouted-she was not allowed to kiss her daddy, and she could not


    speak too?!


    Still,ints notwithstanding, Yelena was obedient as she always had been and strode down the


    stage on her little feet.


    The host quickly smooths things over while announcing loudly, ¡°And now, for the exchanging of rings.¡±


    John and Cordy traded nces, and John took out Gordy¡¯s ring first before carefully sliding it on her


    ring finger.


    His finger was actually trembling, perhaps from nerves, and he did not seed even after multiple


    tries.


    ¡°Calm down, John,¡± Cordy whispered to him.


    Still, John could not do it even after taking a deep breath and only managed to do so after a long while.


    After that, Cordy picked up John¡¯s ring and put it on his finger, feeling an emotion she could not quite


    describe.


    After all, they were getting married-just like that.


    By the power vested in me by God and man, I pronounce you wife and husband. You may now kiss the


    bride,¡± the priest announced, and everyone apuded thunderously.


    However, both John and Cordy stared fixedly at each other, but neither moved for a long while.


    ¡°Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡± Someone started egging them on from below the stage, and it naturally was Bob.


    Zoe was naturally getting impatient as well, but she was a woman and it was awkward for her to get


    rowdy-in that sense, Bob was really her mouthpiece and everyone else¡¯s since they were all impatient


    too.


    After all, John was a business magnate, but he was also a little too overly cautious in his love life!


    Truly, the richer a man, the more he spoils his wife.


    ¡°Cordy, can I¡­?¡¯ John asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cordy nodded.


    They were already at the altar, so that was hardly the question to ask!


    John leaned in toward Cordy then.


    She closed her eyes in turn, offering a silent consent.


    Soon, their lips met.


    John¡¯s heart was pumping, and he was afraid to make a false move even as he kissed her-he simply


    kept his lips against her, feeling her softness and warmth.


    However, just as he was about to pull away, he felt Cordy taking the lead, her tongue seemingly


    brushing against him!


    His mind seemed to nk out from that tiny, almost seductive move.


    At that instant, he responded instinctively¡­ and passionately.


    Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her ferociously.


    On the other hand, Cordy was just trying to signal to him that he was allowed to kiss her, and licking his


    lips a little was hardly a seduction.


    She realized then that it was a little difficult to pull out now.


    And even after so many years, he was still such a great kisser¡­


    Pulled into his rhythm a little just then, they started to kiss each other passionately..

 Chapter 1242

    Chapter 1242


    ¡°Ahem!¡±


    The emcee cleared his throat just then, interrupting John and Cordy.


    They were actually afraid to kiss a moment ago but were now too into it.


    The wedding luncheon was going to get cold.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    John and Cordy in turn came to their senses and slowly pulled away, their lips flushed in passion, and


    Cordy¡¯s were a little swollen upon a closer look.


    The emcee chuckled. ¡°Anyway, the bride and bridegroom can pick up where they left off at the bridal


    suite. After all, a lot of people are waiting for the luncheon.¡±


    John and Cordy blushed harder, with Cordy wondering how she became lost in it.


    She could not help pursing her lips-John¡¯s taste still lingered over them.


    ¡°I hereby announce that the two wedding ceremonies have officially concluded, and now it is the photo


    session. All guests maye on stage to take photos with the two couples,¡± the emcee said loudly.


    And with those words, many of the guests proceeded on stage,peting to take photos with the two


    newlywed couples since they were so easy on the eyes. It was certainly rare for all four of them to be


    such marvelous beauties.


    After the photo session, the wedding luncheon began¡ªit was a buffet since it was outdoors.


    Throughout the luncheon, both couples would move from table to table to drink with the guests, with


    Cordy having changed into an appropriate dress.


    Naturally, it was tailored to her measurements too.


    Zoe walked with her, asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised, Cordy?¡±


    Staring at her in turn, Cordy asked, ¡°You knew?¡±


    Zoe bit her lip, realizing that she had just dug a hole for herself.


    ¡°So you were working with John to help him get me back?¡± Cordy pressed nheless.


    ¡°I wanted to do it, but I don¡¯t mean to lie. I mean, if I¡¯d told you, you might¡¯vepletely ignored John,¡±


    Zoe said, wounded. ¡°I sacrificed a lot for you two, y¡¯know. You know how bad I am at keeping secrets-


    do you know how hard it was for me to keep everything bottled up?¡±


    Cordy rolled her eyes. ¡®Oh, poor you!¡¯


    ¡°Well, now I don¡¯t have to hold back. I was so afraid that I would blurt it out and John would hack me


    into pieces for it.¡±


    ¡°No, he won¡¯t,¡± Cordy said assuredly. ¡°You¡¯re his aunt now. He¡¯d never dare do a thing to you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s true!¡± Zoe eximed, her mood improving considerably. She then turned toward John.


    ¡°Come on. Call me Aunt Zoe.¡±


    John simply rolled his eyes at her, leaving Zoe speechless.Books Chapters Are Daily Updated Join &


    Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    He was not that impudent when she helped him chase after Cordy!


    Since it was two weddings in one, things were constantly lively.


    At a certain corner, Bob was wolfing down food since he was famished.


    He had gone to Jay to see to his best man duties before sunrise and only just got to eat now.


    And he might be called upon for moreborter, and so he kept eating¡­ until a woman¡¯s voice


    suddenly called out,¡± Bob.¡±


    Bob looked out to find Cora standing there.


    They had been out of touch ever since Cora spilled the beans on Zoe.


    To be precise, he stayed out of touch, not replying to Cora¡¯s text or her calls.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± She smiled, aware that Bob was resistant toward her.


    After all, she had attacked Zoe, the woman Bob loved since he was a kid.


    But now, Zoe was married, and that meant Bob had no chance.


    Cora therefore could not get jealous or try to hurt Zoe.


    In fact, she might even try to ept Zoe, since Zoe would be her aunt now.


    If she could do that much, would things go back to the way they were for her and Bob?

 Chapter 1243

    Chapter 1243


    Chapter 1243


    Bob nodded slightly without responding much.


    Cora had more to say, but he said bluntly, ¡°The newlyweds are here. I¡¯m joining them.¡±


    And with that, Bob strode past her, leaving Cora¡¯s eyes welling with tears.


    She had already made the first move, but did Bob still have to be so cold?


    Meanwhile, Nancy had been watching her every move.


    She was worried that Cora would be ufortable since it was Zoe¡¯s wedding, and it was


    understandable for Cora to be jealous given her connection to Zoe and with Zoe finding her happiness.


    Naturally, she saw Bob rejecting Cora, and she walked up to Cora. ¡°Cora.¡±


    Cora¡¯s eyes welled with tears. ¡°He¡¯s really abandoning me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can find you a better man-there¡¯s no need to hurt yourself for Bob-¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s the only one I love,¡± Cora said miserably. ¡°Is Bob still unable to let go even after Zoe is


    married?¡±


    ¡°Give him some time. Give yourself some time,¡± Nancy told her.


    Cora looked at her then. ¡°Mom, do I pale inparison to Zoe-¡°


    ¡°No/ Nancy snapped, cutting her short. ¡°You just haven¡¯t met the right person.¡±


    Cora lowered her gaze.


    The right person.


    Who was her right person?


    How could Zoe find her happiness so easily but not her?!


    Even as Nancy tried to reassure Cora, she nced at Zoe and saw the blissful smile on Zoe¡¯s face.


    She should feel upset, but Zoe¡¯s happiness was somehow infectious.


    Still, she turned away and led Cora aside, quietly consoling her.


    Zoe inadvertently spotted them while continuing to greet the guests and saw Bobing over to her


    from the same direction.


    ¡°Bob,¡± she called out, and he walked upto her.


    He was the best man and was supposed to tag along with the newlyweds, but he had to eat something


    since he was too hungry.


    Sam had yet to eat since he had been taking his ce, so Bob told him quietly, ¡°Go on. Get some


    chow.¡±


    Sam did not refuse and handed Bob the wine bottle containing mineral water. ¡°Refill it when it¡¯s empty.


    I¡¯ll be right back after I eat.¡±


    ¡°Just go. I¡¯ll be around-don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Sam was about to leave when he paused and asked Quinn, ¡°Are youing?¡±


    While Quinn did a double take, Sean said tly, ¡°Bob¡¯s here. Just eat something for now.¡±


    Cordy quickly turned toward Quinn. ¡°Go get something to eat, Quinn. Bob will be enough.¡±


    Quinn nodded and walked with Sean toward the buffet area in silence.


    Although they had moved out of Saunders Mansion and lived together in a separate home, there was


    no meaningful development at all.


    They slept in different rooms and were awake during different hours¡ªthey could even go weeks


    without seeing each other.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn suddenly called out to him.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he replied coolly.


    ¡°Can we go home together tonight?¡± Quinn asked.


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Sam did a double take

 Chapter 1244

    Chapter 1244


    Chapter 1244


    Quinn exined, ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡­ Let¡¯s go home together after the wedding is over, okay?¡±


    ¡°Well see whether there¡¯s other arrangements,¡± Sam said, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    Quinn pursed her lips, while Sam picked up a te of food and headed for a table nearby.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He remained cold to her.


    And here she thought he was concerned when he asked her to eat¡­


    Perhaps it was just mentioned in passing?


    She should not have expected too much.


    As the newlyweds moved from table to table, Zoe had Bob walk with her.


    Naturally, they were now friends again-their past rtionship was just a beautiful memory, and they


    both let it go.


    ¡°I just saw Cora approach you,¡± Zoe suddenly said.


    ¡°Still such a gossiper.¡±


    ¡°Not going to kiss and make up?¡±


    ¡°Can you not poke your nose in my affairs?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried you can¡¯t get over me and stay alone forever,¡± Zoe said solemnly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give yourself too much credit, Zoe,¡± Bob said in contempt. ¡°You think I¡¯d still obsess over you


    after you¡¯re married? Rich kids like me get all thedies I need. I just don¡¯t want to stop having fun so


    soon-if I want to marry, I can do it anytime.¡±


    Zoe simply listened to him brag, looking utterly skeptical.


    ¡°Anyway, just quit meddling with my business,¡± Bob huffed grumpily. ¡°Just enjoy your life with Jay.¡±


    ¡°I just want to say that Cora is not exactly likable and she gets petty, but it must be said that she really


    loves you,¡± Zoe reasoned. ¡°You¡¯re right for each other, and your parents and hers are happy about it,


    so try to reconsider. As a person who¡¯s directly involved, if I can let go of my prejudice against Cora,


    why can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as heartless as you,¡± Bob snapped in disdain.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s heartless,¡± Zoe snapped back.


    And with that, they went into a war with words, while Jay, John, and Cordy continued to greet their


    guests.


    Cordy sighed exasperatedly, concerned that Zoe might have forgotten she was the bride and had to


    show the guests some hospitality. ¡°Zoe is still so capricious.¡±


    ¡°Let her be.¡± Jay smiled tenderly.


    He would never tie her down with rules and obligations-as long as she liked it, it was fine.


    Cordy nodded, and all three of them continued to move around the tables while Zoe continued to argue


    with that best man whom she had history with.


    In the end, she said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop. Let¡¯s see how you¡¯ll cry when you stay alone forever.¡±


    With that, Zoe stormed off, and Bob watched her leave.


    He still felt a little bitter inside because he felt he would never forget her.


    Naturally, he was happy to see her happy and felt nothing else.


    Moreover, he would not start a new rtionship when the old one was not really over because it would


    be unfair to everyone.


    In fact, he had been unfair to Cora when he dated her while holding on to past sentiment, and he did


    not want it to go on.


    Maybe when the day came and he was really over it, he could reconsider.


    Meanwhile, as Zoe returned to Jay¡¯s side, he asked casually, ¡°What have you been talking about with


    Bob? That took a while.¡±


    ¡°What, are you jealous?¡± Zoe grinned.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t love me anymore!¡± Zoe eximed exaggeratedly.


    Jay smiled feebly. ¡°I¡¯ve been jealous for too long. I can¡¯t do it anymore.¡±

 Chapter 1245

    Chapter 1245


    Chapter 1245


    Zoe felt pure bliss from Jay¡¯s words and was grinning as she went around the tables with him, greeting


    their guests.


    Her happiness was palpable. Everyone could feel it, and there was no hiding it.


    As the four of them arrived at Nancy¡¯s table, she nced at them for a moment before quickly turning


    away.


    Zoe pursed her lips but she did not mind-she had said during her speech just now that Nancy could do


    anything she wanted.


    Zoe would just ignore it since she would not be the one who would die from sheer frustration.


    However, Nancy said just then, ¡°Congrattions, Johnny, Cordy.¡±


    She always was a little too enthusiastic toward John.


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Nancy,¡± John replied respectfully.


    Nancy nced at Cordy in turn, who smiled and greeted her in turn, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Nancy.¡±


    John¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he stayed calm.


    Nancy was his only elder left, and Cordy addressing her as aunt was undoubtedly acknowledging that


    she was now family-it was hard not for him to feel excited.


    ¡°Head home early tomorrow,¡± Nancy said. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± John nodded.


    That was when Zoe said, ¡°Jay and I will being too. Remember to cook some more.¡±


    Nancy turned toward Zoe.


    The way she said it¡­ as if it was only natural.


    Nancy turned away, huffing. ¡°You won¡¯t go hungry.¡±


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Zoe smiled-it was impolite, but it was not a rejection.


    After all, Nancy could not do anything against her now.


    With that, they moved on to the next table after the toasts and were eventually done greeting all the


    guests at every table.


    Zoe was absolutely famished as they sat at the main table, and she asked Cordy while eating, ¡°Aren¡¯t


    you hungry Cordy?


    I was starving. I didn¡¯t know getting married is so tiring.¡±


    ¡°Slow down.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°You have an appearance to maintain. You¡¯re the bride.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t bother-it¡¯s not easy for me to eat at my own wedding luncheon. And where¡¯s my alcohol?¡± They


    were toasting guests with mineral water, after all.


    How could a banquet go without alcohol?!


    As she got a waiter to bring a bottle of vodka, Cordy gaped at her. ¡°Are you being serious, Zoe?!¡±


    But even as she watched, Zoe poured herself a ss and chugged it impatiently.


    She seemed revitalized after she drank it and asked Cordy,¡± Want some?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy refused¡ªthey would make a scene if they got drunk.


    ¡°Really?¡± Zoe pressed.


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Drink with me, Quinn.¡± Zoe turned toward Quinn.


    Quinn had just left to get some food, but she returned to them soon enough and was eating as well


    after they greeted all the guests.


    ¡°That might be inappropriate.¡± Quinn refused too-brides and bridesmaids were not supposed to get


    drunk at weddings.


    ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate? I¡¯m the boss today. Get drunk with me right now,¡± Zoe snapped, pouring Quinn


    a ss without giving her a chance to refuse.


    Quinn had no choice but to drink a few sses with Zoe.


    Zoe was certainly headstrong-what was worse, Jay let her be.


    There was somehow the feeling that he was always smiling as she messed around.


    It was a picture of bliss.


    Nheless, Zoe had even less restraint the more she drank and Cordy really could not help stopping


    her right then. ¡°Cut it out. How are you going to greet your guests if you¡¯re drunk?¡±


    ¡°I have you girls, no? I¡¯m going to bed soon,¡± Zoe said, as if it was only natural.


    Cordy rolled her eyes¡ªZoe really knew how to make her arrangements.


    Still, Zoe was quite thrilled, and she drank a lot.


    It would have been fine if it was just her-Quinn was starting to look tipsy since Zoe had been egging her


    on.

 Chapter 1246

    Chapter 1246


    Chapter 1246


    After the wedding luncheon, Zoe returned to her bridal suite at the golf course.


    They had fully reserved all the guest rooms for both weddings, so that the guests could have some rest


    and rxation there.


    Still, while Zoe went straight to bed, Quinn insisted on staying with Cordy to greet the guests.


    It felt a little like they both worked for Zoe.


    "Quinn, you should take a nap,"


    Cordy suddenly told Quinn.She had woken very early in the morning and had drunk a lot just now.She


    must want to rest very badly.


    "What about you?" Zoe asked.


    "I''m fine.I''ll get some rest once we''re der."


    "Very well." Quinn yawned.


    "Call me if somethinges up."


    "Okay."


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    With that, Quinn left and headed to the front desk, got the key card for her room, and headed toward it,


    feeling muddled.She must admit that she was really dozing off and took off her clothes as soon as she


    was inside.It was a nice dress, but it was just so tight she could not wait to take it all off and take a


    breather.She got in bed as soon as she was done...only to see the man in bed! She yelped in surprise


    ¡ªwas this room not supposed to be hers alone?! How did it turn out to be a shared room?!


    "Quite yapping,"


    Sam snapped, not even bothered to look her way.


    Naturally, he had woken up very early because he was the co -best man for Jay, and he went there


    straight to sleep after eating.He just fell asleep when he heard the door open and saw Quinn


    undressing impatiently and crawling into bed naked.He should be the one yelping! Quinn''s heart


    skipped a beat, but she soon realized it was Sam.


    Why him?! Sam''s eyes narrowed in turn¡ªwho did she think it was going to be?


    "What are you doing here?" Quinn asked.


    "Can''t I be here?"


    "No, I mean..."


    Quinn was suddenly at a loss for words, since she thought this room was hers alone.


    "There''s a finite number of rooms for a ton of guests.It''s natural for couples to share one," Sean


    exined.


    Quinn realized with a start.


    So that was why the front desk receptionist had asked for her name before she took the key card.She


    thought it was to register herself, since anyone could stay in any room they liked instead of just the


    wedding guests.She did not think that far...Sam blinked just then.


    "And you''re going to stay like that?"


    Quinn came to her senses and remembered that she was naked.She promptly covered her breasts.


    "I didn¡¯t know you''re here, so..."


    "Whatever.I''m sleepy."


    Sam snorted and turned his back to her as if he did not care, as if whether she was dressed did not


    matter to him.


    Or perhaps he was simply not interested in her existence.


    Quinn bit her lip.


    She was feeling embarrassed at first, but now, she just felt wounded.


    Sam was really too cold to her¡ªdid she really have no charm going for her at all? She promptly lifted


    the nket right then and slid underneath.


    Sam stiffened, certainly able to sense that she was naked.He had never taken Quinn for someone that


    bold...

 Chapter 1247

    Chapter 1247


    Chapter 1247


    Quinn pressed herself against Sam, who frowned and wondered if she was doing it on purpose.


    He gulped, worried that he would make a weird sound while his whole body stiffened.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    He had no intention to care since he had seen plenty of action and would never be easily seduced¡­


    Suddenly, Sean grunted as Quinn continued to y with fire, sliding her leg over his tie while she


    pressed herself against his back.


    ¡°Are you trying to seduce me, Quinn?¡± he asked her in an eerily quiet voice.


    Quinn could not detect a hint of emotion from him at all¡ªhe was simply not interested in her.


    Even so, she boldly admitted to her schemes. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little clumsy¡­¡±


    ¡°Then teach me,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    ¡°I only know how to enjoy.¡± Sam snorted.


    As Quinn was left biting her lip, he added, ¡°I¡¯m wide awake now. You can stay in bed.¡±


    With that, he got out of bed and headed to the bathroom.


    Quinn watched as he went, her eyes welling with tears-how much did Sam despise her, that he would


    wash himself after touching her?!


    Could anything ever bloom out of their marriage, and should she actually persevere?


    The wedding dinner was much more rxed than the ceremony in the afternoon.


    There were no particrly noteworthy events as the guests drank, sang, recounted the good old days,


    and offered their blessings to the newlyweds.


    While the hosts did not have much to worry about or stay veryte for the dinner, it did not mean they


    could leave early either.


    Zoe was in fine spirits, since she slept after getting drunk in the afternoon, leaving John and Cordy to


    greet the guests.


    And now that she was energetic in the afternoon, Cordy kept yawning and looked obviously distracted.


    ¡°Are you sleepy? Want to get to bed?¡± John whispered into Cordy¡¯s ear.


    Cordy, who was still feeling muddled, was wide awake when she heard the word ¡®bed¡¯.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, shaking her head right then.


    John raised a brow¡ªshe had been yawning endlessly, but he did not expose her and quietly arranged


    for a car.


    ¡°Drink up, Cordy! It¡¯s the evening, so you can drink, right?¡±


    Zoe eximed just then, getting a little buoyed again after drinking at the party.


    Cordy rolled her eyes at Zoe-Zoe slept plenty, and now she was tormenting Cordy again.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy refusednguidly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Zoe snapped grumpily. ¡°It¡¯s your own wedding. Why don¡¯t you let loose?¡±


    Cordy was speechless-Zoe certainly did let loose, letting her take on everything.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯m not in good shape today.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Zoe stopped pressing the issue, since Cordy definitely must have her reason for refusal.


    As such, Zoe picked up her ss and happily ran off to another corner to keep drinking.

 Chapter 1248

    Chapter 1248


    Zoe was skipping around, reveling in bliss.


    She had certainly been misbehaving today, but Jay had to admit that everything was worth it just to see


    the smile on her face.


    As Zoe kept drinking with one guest after the other with a silly happy grin that seemed to broaden


    constantly, Jay sat nearby with a faint smile.


    ¡°Drink up! Wish me well¡­¡± Zoe poured herself a ss full but trailed off when she saw the person in


    front of her.


    After all, it was Nancy Levine.


    She was still here? It was already veryte¡ªshe always slept early to maintain her healthy


    appearance, no?


    Still, Zoe pursed her lips and told herself to get serious before holding up her ss. ¡®Cheers, sister.¡±


    Nancy was already scowling, and she scowled even harder after Zoe addressed her as ¡¯sister¡¯.


    ¡°That¡¯s our rtionship now,¡± Zoe muttered-she was not messing around.


    Nancy kept scowling. ¡°How unseemly it is for ady to go around drinking.¡±


    ¡°You told me that life should be enjoyed as much as possible, no? You even brought me to a bar to ¡®see


    the world¡¯ when I became an adult, testing my alcohol tolerance. You told me never to drink beyond my


    limit, and I¡¯m far from reaching that limit.¡±


    Nancy was left stumped by Zoe¡¯s words-she had always indulged Zoe¡¯s whims, never saying no to her


    if it was something Zoe liked.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    And during the years they were still mother and daughter, she would drink with Zoe since the girl was


    really fond of her alcohol¡­


    ¡°Came to wish me well too?¡± Zoe asked, changing the subject right then.


    She was also surprised that Nancy woulde to her¡ªwas Nancy not supposed to dislike her a lot?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time,¡± Nancy said coolly.


    ¡°Then why are you here? Had a stroke?¡± Zoe blurted.


    ¡°Zoe York!¡± Nancy could suffer a stroke right then, but she took a deep breath-she would only be the


    one getting upset if she argued with Zoe.


    After all, Zoe just dered that she would get upset with anything Nancy threw at her.


    She gritted her teeth and said bluntly, ¡°I came to ask about you and Bob.¡±


    ¡°Bob? Bob Davis?¡± Zoe eximed a little loudly.


    ¡°Keep it down,¡± Nancy snapped.


    ¡°Oh,¡¯ Zoe lowered her voice. ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Nancy was hesitant, since it was hard to exin it to Zoe.


    Eventually, she asked, ¡°Is he still into you?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Zoe said a little confidently.


    Nancy was left fuming. ¡°You¡¯re now married.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the charming one. Can¡¯t help it,¡± Zoe said innocently.


    Nancy was seething-this felt like a man dying of thirst watching another man drown.


    Here Zoe was, beloved by all¡­ While her daughter Cora could not even get into a steady rtionship.


    Working hard to stay calm, she told Zoe, ¡°Talk to Bob. Tell him to get over you.¡±


    ¡°I did. Heck, I told him to get together with Cora during the luncheon,¡± Zoe replied earnestly.Books


    Chapters Are Daily Updated Join & Stay Updated For All Books Updates¡­


    ¡°And what did he say?¡± Nancy asked a little eagerly.


    ¡°He told me I¡¯m heartless.¡±


    Nancy shot Zoe a look, but she appeared perfectly at ease because she was not lying.


    ¡°That said, I personally feel that it¡¯s not going to be easy if you want Bob to get together with Cora,¡± she


    added. ¡°Bob never liked parents getting involved with their children¡¯s rtionship, since it was his


    parents¡¯ involvement that forced him to break up with me, so he¡¯d be holding a grudge. That¡¯s why I


    think you really should stay out of Bob and Cora¡¯s rtionship-let the young ones do what they want.¡±


    Nancy snorted. ¡°And you¡¯d know.¡±


    ¡°Been there, done that, sister. It¡¯s fine if you ignore me, but that¡¯s my honest word of advice.¡±


    Nancy rolled her eyes-she bristled whenever Zoe called her ¡®sister¡¯, but she restrained herself.


    ¡°Look, I know you feel like you owe Cora a lot, but being so protective would only hamper her growth,¡±


    Zoe suddenly said. ¡°You should be letting her free to adapt, both in her career and love life.

 Chapter 1249

    Chapter 1249


    Chapter 1249


    Nancy was left staring at Zoe-was she lecturing her?!


    What gave her the right?!


    How was it Zoe¡¯s business how she raised her daughter?!


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s just a suggestion.¡¯ Zoe shrugged. ¡°What you do with Cora is all your business.¡±


    Nancy had to stop herself from saying what was on the tip of her tongue, though she suddenly felt as if


    Zoe was taking her for a ride.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going over there-my friends are waiting for me,¡± Zoe said, twirling her wine ss. ¡°Enjoy


    the party, sister.¡±


    And with that, she left.


    Nancy inhaled deeply in turn, feeling like she could get a heart attack everytime Zoe called her


    ¡®sister¡¯¡­ and she had to do it so naturally!


    ¡°Mom, what were you talking with Zoe about?¡± Cora asked, walking up to her just then.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Nancy was not in the mood to tell.


    Cora did not ask in turn. After all, there was nothing she could do about Zoe when Zoe was so thick-


    skinned, and right now, she was more concerned about her rtionship with Bob and was not in the


    mood to care about anything else.


    ¡°Mom,¡± she said. ¡°Could you talk to Bob¡¯s mom? He¡¯s not listening to me at all, but he¡¯ll listen to his


    mother. You know Mrs. Davis, so you can ask her to talk to Bob again-¡®


    ¡°Cora,¡± Nancy said, cutting her short.


    Then, as Cora stared at her in shock, she finished, ¡°I think you should learn to fight for yourself


    already.¡±


    Cora stared at Nancy in disbelief, unsure what had gotten into her mother.


    Her mother had always agreed to her every request, never saying no to anything.


    What had gotten into her today?!


    ¡°I just think it¡¯s time you grow up,¡± Nancy continued bluntly. ¡°You¡¯re not young, so don¡¯t keep relying on


    me. I¡¯ll eventually be too old to help- moreover, this is your rtionship. If we old folks meddle, it


    changes the entire rtionship itself. This time, I believe you should try to fight for it yourself.¡±


    ¡°B-But Bob doesn¡¯t love me,¡± Cora groaned reluctantly.


    ¡°Exactly. Do you think the marriage would be happy if we forced him to be with you? A loveless


    marriage is just a house of cards-it¡¯d copse from the slightest touch,¡± Nancy said bluntly then.


    ^zx*-^ kxi* l*xzx?? lirx z zx zx ?-x zx ?x zx zx liMAAf4z?i?4 /xk?Mi* kx zx ?? rxx zx ? kx a*1 ZX aUaaaa


    aa*x


    ¡°It¡¯ste now. I¡¯m going home,¡± Nancy suddenly said. ¡°Stay here if you want. Ore home with me.¡±


    Cora was stunned again.


    Before this, Nancy would definitely ask Cora to go home with her-Nancy would at least never leave


    Cora outside alone thiste at night, even if she was in a safe ce. There were times when filming


    draggedte into the night, and Nancy would be there in person to keep herpany.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Really, what had gotten into Nancy today?


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here,¡± Cora said-she wanted to keep trying because Bob has not left yet.


    ¡°It¡¯ste now. I¡¯m going home,¡± Nancy suddenly said. ¡°Stay here if you want. Ore home with me.¡±


    Cora was stunned again.


    Before this, Nancy would definitely ask Cora to go home with her-Nancy would at least never leave


    Cora outside alone thiste at night, even if she was in a safe ce. There were times when filming


    draggedte into the night, and Nancy would be there in person to keep herpany.


    Really, what had gotten into Nancy today?


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here,¡± Cora said-she wanted to keep trying because Bob has not left yet.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Nancy replied shortly and left right away.


    Cora watched as Nancy left with increasing confusion, but she did not dwell on the matter as she


    turned toward Bob, who wasughing and chatting with Sam and the others.


    She had alwayscked confidence and was tentative when ites to socializing, and she now


    became afraid to get close.


    She inadvertently spotted Zoe just then, who was ever bold and down-to- earth, mingling with everyone


    with perfect ease even if she was not the only host.


    Cora pursed her lips, unable to hide her envy just then.


    John was gone for a while, and when he returned, he told Cordy, ¡°Time to go.¡±


    ¡°Leaving so early? Isn¡¯t that inappropriate?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°I spoke to Jay. He and Zoe will handle things from here.¡±


    ¡°Is that really alright?¡± Cordy was a little reluctant.


    ¡°What¡¯s not alright? Did you forget that Zoe dumped you in the afternoon for her beauty sleep?¡±


    Cordy was stumped because that was actually true. ¡°Come on,¡± John said, taking Cordy¡¯s hand right


    then.

 Chapter 1250

    Chapter 1250


    Chapter 1250


    Cordy seemed to freeze right then, and John quickly let go of her hand-he took her hand as if it was


    only natural, and it never crossed his mind to wonder if Cordy liked it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡±


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    He paused, since Cordy took his hand on her own and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡¯


    John nodded, clearly grinning from ear-to-ear.


    Still, Cordy found it a little funny as she got in John¡¯s bridal car, since she was not in it when she came.


    It was a little quiet, with neither of them speaking.


    Cordy had the nagging feeling that John was a little nervous too, but about what?


    Her heart soon skipped a beat as she remembered their wedding night¡­


    She pursed her lips, her heart racing unwittingly.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡± she asked, trying to hide her nerves.


    ¡°I had Winston take him home,¡± John replied. ¡°He¡¯s still a kid. He shouldn¡¯t be staying upte.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded before asking, ¡°Are we going to Levine Manor?¡±


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ve prepared a house for us,¡± John said.


    Cordy pursed her lips-that meant they would be staying together alone¡­


    ¡°Is Dicky staying with us?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°No, I sent him to Levine Manor.¡±


    That meant it was just her and John tonight.


    Was he not being a little obvious about what he wanted?!


    With that, they both got silent again.


    It took a while when they finally arrived at the house John got for them.


    It was a mansion on a hill, and Cordy thought then that he really liked such locations.


    Or perhaps he preferred seclusion?


    John got out first, walking around the car and opening the door for her in gentlemanly fashion.


    As she alighted, she looked up at the mansion and noticed the lights were not on.


    Could the power be out?


    It was a quiet ce, devoid of any signs of life or light, only illuminated by sporadic starry radiance.


    Being enveloped in darkness was certainly a little creepy¡­


    Cordy turned to John just then, but before she could ask what was going on, he started to lead her


    inside.


    This time, he was holding her hand firmly, but she could feel the sweat on his palm.


    Was he nervous too?!


    Cordy gritted her teeth but followed him inside anyway-if John dared to enter, why would she not?


    In fact, she would be more scared if she was left alone outside the mansion, what with the chauffeur


    driving off already.


    Hence, Cordy gingerly followed John as she opened the mansion door.


    When she stepped inside, a light suddenly lit up at her feet.


    As she did a double take, she took another step with John, and another light lit up.


    So, this was a surprise he prepared?

 Chapter 1251

    Chapter 1251


    Chapter 1251


    As Cordy stepped into the mansion and reached the edge, she turned to find countless myriad colored


    lights turning on in an instant, as if all the stars from the skies were falling down.


    She was certainly surprised, because it was a sight more astounding than those lights at the ind


    they stayed at.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    She wondered how much time John spent preparing the surprise¡­ and was it really for her and not


    Wendy?


    If she never said yes today, all his preparations would have gone to waste, no?


    Cordy looked at John then, and followed his gaze to see the huge LED screen in the garden, which


    suddenly shed into life with photos of her¡­ since her childhood.


    Cordy was surprised-how did he get those?! She had basically lost them!


    John seemed to read the question in her mind and said, ¡°I met your father.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips.


    ¡°I know you¡¯d never forgive him, which was why I did not invite him to our wedding,¡¯ John continued.


    ¡°However, I managed to get a lot of your photos from Sachs Mansion, and I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want


    them kept there.¡±


    Cordy nodded-that was certainly true, since those photos of her childhood were taken by her mother.


    Her eyes welled with tears.


    If her mother were still around¡­


    ¡°I was going to invite the Cranstons here to North City too, but I was afraid¡­ N


    John trailed off, but Cordy could understand that he would be left in an awkward situation if he invited


    the Cranstons, only for her to reject his proposal.


    Moreover, the Crastons¡¯s presence would pressure her into saying yes, no?


    John had certainly thought of everything.


    Even if she lied to herself earlier that she was just sparing John the blushes, that his bride was meant


    to be Wendy¡­ it would be in denial if she still maintained that belief.


    These photos that she did not even remember she had, John found them all for her.


    She watched as thest photo shed past, thinking that the video was over, only for more to be


    yed.


    She gasped in surprise as John exined, ¡¯This is Dicky¡¯s present for us.¡±


    Indeed, Richard¡¯s handsome little face was now on screen, appearing a little nervous.


    He took a deep breath and said, ¡±Mommy, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll ever see this video, but I hope you


    will¡­ Because I really want you to get back together with Daddy.¡±


    Cordy could not stop her tears as she looked at her son on screen, feeling that she owed him so, so


    much.


    ¡°Remember this? I said it¡¯s a family VCR for a school project, but there was no project. I just wanted


    you to get back with Daddy, so I made an opportunity so that you can spend time with Daddy,¡± Richard


    said, while the footage showed the many moments he captured at Cordy¡¯s house that day.


    John was in the video, cooking in the kitchen.


    ¡®These are all Mommy¡¯s favorites, Daddy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡¯ John replied.


    ¡°Should I wake her up?¡± ¡°Nope. Let her sleep.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll have less time with Mommy¡­¡¯

 Chapter 1252

    Chapter 1252


    Chapter 1252


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± John smiled. ¡°Just having her near is fine.¡±


    Wendy looked on, watching him smile with such tenderness and contentment¡­


    She could hardly describe how she felt just then.


    It turned out that John loved her with all his heart, while she thought he was dating Wendy.


    The scene then changed to Richard, John, and Wendy discussing how to take a family photo.


    They talked for a while until Cordy arrived, and they took the family with just Cordy, John, and Richard.


    She could not help ncing at John, noticing that he was nervously raising his hand and lowering it


    repeatedly, refraining from putting it on her shoulder.


    The scene changed again to the afternoon when John was baking a cake.


    Richard was hurrying him, saying, ¡°Mommy¡¯sing downstairs. Wendy, get clingy with Daddy.¡±


    Then, as Wendy snuggled up against John as he worked, Cordy remembered that it was exactly what


    she saw when she arrived at the kitchen at the time.


    So it was all just an act.


    As she watched the video, she watched Richard asking John to teach him how to bake cookies.


    She was too preupied with the cookies at the time to look at John¡¯s face, though he was behind her


    anyway so she could not see.


    But in the video, she could see the boundless tender love in his eyes¡­


    At the time, she thought he preferred them young and had developed a taste for novelty and


    excitement.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    After that scene, it was now a scene of John drinking himself silly.


    Before he did, however, he and Richard were talking about how he could get an excuse to stay the


    night¡­


    Honestly, these two¡­


    Cordy shot John a look, who pursed his lips and wondered why he let Richard put that in too.


    He guessed he trusted his son too much-he would have looked through it if he knew, even if Richard


    insisted it was a surprise that must only be unwrapped on their wedding night.


    And now, things got awkward!


    The video was soon over, and Richard¡¯s face appeared on video as she said, ¡°Mommy, this is my


    wedding present for you and Daddy. Did you like it? I don¡¯t even know if you¡¯ll see it¡­ I mean, if you


    didn¡¯t marry Daddy, this video would only be kept for posterity.¡±


    Cord/s sight was blurred with tears.


    Would she have let Richard down if she had rejected John¡¯s proposal today?


    She could scarcely imagine how disappointed he would be.


    Nheless, Richard continued earnestly on the video, ¡°But no matter what happens, Mommy, I love


    you very, very much. I think I¡¯m the happiest boy ever, ever since Daddy told me who you were. I mean,


    I was blessed with a mommy who is so kind, so beautiful and so warm. And before I


    show you our family photo, I want to say I hope we¡¯ll always be together forever, and if it¡¯s possible, I


    want a sibling too.¡±


    When Richard was finished, the family photo of Cordy, Richard, and John together at her home


    appeared on screen.


    Wendy took that photo for them, and Cordy had always thought the photo looked awkward.


    And yet, Cordy saw that they were all smiling very happily¡­


    She pursed her lips.


    Perhaps all her determination before was just stubbornness¡­


    She blinked as the skies overhead suddenly erupted with brilliant fireworks

 Chapter 1253

    Chapter 1253


    Chapter 1253


    Cordy stared at the fireworks that seemed to nket the skies and John¡¯s bewitching face beneath, her


    emotions ruffled¡­


    He really was in love with her and prepared so much for her.


    Her eyes welled with tears-she thought she would never feel touched like this ever again.


    John was looking at her dewy eyes in turn.


    As they held each other gaze lovingly, all the ugliness, misunderstandings and repressed grievances


    seemed to fade.


    In fact, the world seemed to vanish as well, as they only had eyes for each other.


    John leaned his face toward her just then while she blinked before closing her eyes.


    As he gently kissed her lips, their hearts seemed to be awash with warmth.


    Cordy could not help clenching her knuckles as John held her lips, allowing him more.


    Hence, while it was a gentle brush at first, tongue was soon involved, and they started panting.


    He then scooped her up in his arms, while she wrapped her arms around his neck by instinct.


    They were very close, their breathing ragged and their hearts racing.


    John carried her through the living room and up to the second floor, opening the door to theirrge


    bridal room, which was decoratedvishly.


    Cordy was wearing a white evening gown, and her dainty figure was a stark contrast against the huge


    bed as John carried her over. The blush on her cheek stood out from the crisp white sheets with a


    tempting charm.


    John threw off his suit and took off his necktie then, unbuttoning his shirt as he leaned toward her, his


    burly form pinning her beneath him.


    Cord/s fingers nervously clenched on the sheets.


    It had been so many years since they did it, and their son was already ten¡­ but this was the third time


    they were doing it.


    Cordy could even feel the urgency John felt as he leaned close to her face while repressing his libido,


    showering her cheeks with tiny kisses before moving on to her nose, lips, ears, and neck¡­


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    At the same time, he reached beneath her, pulling down the zipper of her gown that extended to her


    waist.


    The chill that ensued sent her heart raising, and she seemed to regain her rationality in that instant.


    John was nuzzling around her corbone, and her lips were just beside his ear as she said, ¡°John¡­ is


    it too much of a buzzkill if I said I want to take a bath right now?¡±


    John stiffened-he was certainly reluctant to pull away from her body.


    As he looked beneath her at her flushed cheeks, he certainly was eager to get going¡­


    Even so, he knew he must not rush things, and he did not expect himself to be that impatient either-


    especially since taking a bath first was a part of his n.


    He gulped, repressing the fiery libido in him as he said, ¡°No, I got ahead of myself. You should take a


    bath.¡±


    Cordy nodded quietly and crawled out from beneath him, leaving him feeling a little empty as the


    softness beneath him disappeared.


    As Cordy entered the bathroom, John sighed lengthily and headed to the bathroom in the next room.


    He should save time and be tactful enough to take a bath while Cordy did the same.


    He did so solemnly, cleaning himself although he was doing it a little quickly..

 Chapter 1254

    Chapter 1254


    Chapter 1254


    John returned to their room after finishing his bath and saw that Cordy was not done with hers, just as


    he had expected.


    He did not hurry her and sat against the headboard instead, scrolling aimlessly through his phone as


    he waited for Cordy.


    He was clearly distracted, tensing up whenever he sensed movement from the bathroom.


    However, it was until after over ten minutes that Cordy finally opened the bathroom door, dressed in a


    pink bathrobe while having her wet hair wrapped in a towel, clearly having washed it.


    The bathrobe was a couple¡¯s set with the other being blue. John could not wear it since it was already


    in the bathroom after Cordy got in, so he wore a white one that was kept next door.


    He stared at Cordy, whose cheeks were still flushed after her bath, and her skin crystal fair under the


    lights.


    John could not help licking his dry lips-Cordy looked really appetizing at that very moment.


    Still, he did not give in to excitement and jump on her right away-instead, he walked to the bathroom to


    get the hair dryer.


    Cordy could see the look on his face, but she did not say what was on her mind.


    He told her, ¡°Dry your hair first or you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±


    Heaven knows how much restraint it took him to repress his lust and speak so calmly.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded, and John helped her blow dry it.


    Her hair had the scent of fresh shampoo after it was dry, and though it was a normal scent, John felt


    like it would take his breath away.


    He quelled the storm in the night, telling himself that he just had to wait a little longer.


    The night was still young after all, and he was in no rush.


    After a long while and drying all her hair, he lowered the hair dryer and stared fixedly with a burning


    gaze.


    The fire in his eyes certainly could not be concealed¡­


    Cordy pursed her lips, unable to tell him right then.


    That was, until John finally could not stop himself and started to lean his face toward her.


    ¡°John, I¡­ I¡¯m on my period,¡± she said.


    John was barely an inch away from her lips as he was left petrified from head to toe, his brain too hot to


    realize what Cordy had just said.


    She said¡­ she was on her period?


    In other words¡­


    At that very moment, he felt like he was on a rollercoaster, reaching a peak one moment and


    plummeting the next.


    ¡®I have to experience this once to actually feel what it is like!¡¯


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    ¡°So, not tonight,¡± Cordy added, since he was not responding for a while.


    John nodded, while he quietlyposed himself.


    In fact, he was never confident they would consummate tonight anyway-it was just that he was very


    hopeful since Cordy was not saying no before.


    There was no hiding how much he felt let down, as if he was crumbling. In truth, she did not expect that


    the time of the month woulde tonight, since it was supposed to be in another two days judging


    from the usual cycle.


    Someone up there was probably just messing with her or punishing John¡­

 Chapter 1255

    Chapter 1255


    Chapter 1255


    Cordy actually felt guilty.


    She and John were sleeping in the same bed on their wedding night but were doing nothing at all.


    She had no intention of shirking her spousal obligation since she decided to marry John.


    To her, marriage was no child¡¯s y, and it should be treated solemnly.


    Even so, what happened tonight was definitely unexpected, and Cordy felt even more guilty when she


    saw the box of condoms in the bedside drawer.


    John had really prepared for everything.


    In fact, that was not al I¡ªhe even prepared underwear and sanitary pads for her, so there was nothing


    to worry about despite the surprise.


    John probably just did not expect that she would need the pads tonight.


    In fact, Cordy had trouble sleeping the whole night, tossing and turning in bed, probably because she


    was not used to sleeping in a new ce.


    As for the man beside her, he did not sleep at all.


    They were still asleepte into the morning because of that until John¡¯s phone rang.


    He picked it up. ¡°Aunt Nancy¡­¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you here?!¡± Nancy snapped from the other end.


    John checked the time to see that it was past ten.


    Still, he was not in a hurry at all as he quietly replied, ¡°Be back soon.¡±


    ¡°The sooner the better. Don¡¯t keep us waiting.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± John said and hung up, having every intention to sleep in until he turned to see Cordy.


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    She was clearly woken up by the call. ¡°Your aunt?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can sleep a little longer¡­¡±


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go already. I¡¯d rather not get her stink-eye at Levine Manor,¡± Cordy said, pushing herself out


    of bed with considerable difficulty.


    She was certainly aware of Nancy¡¯s bad temper, and everything would be fine if it went her way.


    If it did not, the look on her face alone would be horrific.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s not going to get upset with you,¡± John said, clearly feeling Cordy¡¯s exhaustion.


    ¡°She¡¯s so worried I¡¯d be celibate that she would never dare upset you.¡±


    Cordy did a double take, though she soon understood what he meant.


    Was he saying that he would never marry any other woman beside her?


    She felt a faint warmth on her chest just then-she had no idea if she really epted that she and John


    were married, but she definitely epted her rtionship with John now.


    As such, she quietlyy down.


    But just as she was going to sleep, her phone rang with a call from Zoe.


    She picked it up. ¡°Zoe?¡±


    ¡°Are you still sleeping with Johnny?!¡± Zoe asked a little too loudly.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    How was she supposed to answer that?!


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m at Levine Manor already, and Ms. Levine here is saying that you and John aren¡¯t even up


    yet?¡±


    Cordy stayed silent, unable to answer.


    Zoeughed mischievously at her silence. ¡°So, it¡¯s been a long night, huh? Leaving early but still


    unable to even get up ¡­ Was a box of condoms even enough? Wait, no. You need to get Dicky a


    sibling, so don¡¯t use protection¡­ Hold on, John would definitely insist on protection, right? I mean, he


    didn¡¯t see any action for years, so he¡¯d definitely want to enjoy himself for a while first, or he¡¯d suffer a


    stroke if it¡¯s bulls-eye! So? How was it? Was one box enough?¡±


    Cordy was left speechless as she rambled on. ¡°No,st night we-¡°


    Before she could finish, however, Zoe quickly said, ¡°Hold on, Ms. Levine is calling us again. Get here


    soon-let¡¯s discuss this face to face.¡±

 Chapter 1256

    Chapter 1256


    Chapter 1256


    Zoe promptly hung up, while Cordy turned toward John and said, ¡°Zoe and Jay have both returned to


    Levine Manor. Let¡¯s join them-Dicky¡¯s there too.¡±


    John nodded, since they would not not get any sleep in peace.


    They got out of bed and started washing up.


    John then entered the bathroom first, telling Cordy, ¡°Your clothes are in the closet room.¡±


    Cordy headed over, and found the closet room so huge it could match their bedroom.


    She opened one of the closets to find rows of women¡¯s clothing arranged neatly, outnumbering John¡¯s


    clothes by a ton.


    Naturally, every piece of clothing was her size-John certainly made considerable effort preparing this


    house.


    As such, she wondered again how traumatizing it would be if she had rejected his proposal.


    Still, she did not mull for too long-the dust had settled, and everything was going to be better now.


    She picked a set of rather formal clothes and put on light makeup while John put on a suit.


    They got in the car together, with Cordy admiring the scenery outside while he drove.


    They were married, and they were no strangers-but for some reason, being in the same room made


    things a little awkward.


    As such, Cordy kept staring outside to kill time, until she blinked and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to Levine


    Manor.¡±


    ¡°No. We¡¯re going to the civil registration office.¡±


    While Cordy did a double take, John added, ¡°We haven¡¯t registered our marriage yet.¡±


    Cordy finally remembered then that they only had the wedding ceremony directly after John proposed.


    She certainly forgot about the legal formalities.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t bring my ID and other documents,¡± she quickly said.


    ¡°I did,¡± John replied. ¡°Yours are with me too.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Dicky brought them for me just two days ago.¡±


    Cordy was speechless.


    Still, John was the one who raised Richard since he was a baby, so it was natural that their son showed


    bias for his daddy.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Soon, they arrived at the civil registration office, and they both alighted to get their marriage registered.


    Zoe called them again while they did, saying that they should spare them the daytime since they had


    plenty of time at night.


    She certainly left Cordy at a loss for words, but since Cordy could not say too much at a formal ce,


    she quickly hung up.


    They soon received their marriage certificate, and Cordy started feeling an emotion she could not quite


    describe.


    Getting married was really much quicker than she thought.


    She turned toward John to find him staring at the marriage certificate too, doing so for a long while as


    she wondered what he was really staring at¡­


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be going now?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± John seemed toe to his senses right then.


    And when he did, the smile on his face was all too obvious, and he seemed to shine even though the


    sun was right above.


    Cordy lowered her eyes.


    She, too, was clearly smiling without realizing it.


    They headed back to the car and returned to Levine Manor, though they could hear Zoe from afar,


    saying, ¡°Can¡¯t you give it a rest, Ms, Levine? It¡¯s been a literal decade since John and Cordyst


    consummated. It¡¯s only natural that they¡¯re glued to each other right now!¡±

 Chapter 1257

    Chapter 1257


    Chapter 1257


    Cordy froze outside the front door, left embarrassed by Zoe even before she stepped inside.


    Talk about a rock and a hard ce¡­


    Still, Zoe turned and saw her right then but appearedpletely unabashed as she called out to Cordy


    loudly, ¡°Oh, Cordy! You finally brought my cousin¨Dl mean, my nephew home!¡±


    John pursed his lips-Zoe was really getting full of herself after she took a promotion in seniority.


    And to make things worse, he could not argue-which really felt like a defeat.


    ¡°Your dear aunt is getting real impatient. I think she¡¯ll drag you both out of bed if you still drag your


    feet,¡± Zoe teased.


    ¡°Watch your manners,¡± Nancy snapped.


    ¡°What manners? I¡¯m their aunt too-what I say goes,¡± Zoe argued.


    Nancy was stumped, while Jay quickly smoothed things over. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get things underway?


    Everyone¡¯s hungry, especially the kids.¡±


    He was certainly concerned that Nancy would start fighting Zoe, especially thetter being so fearless


    after she got over her past history with Nancy.


    Nancy shot Zoe a look and huffed, ¡°Yes, Dicky shouldn¡¯t go hungry especially during puberty, so I¡¯ll


    refrain from getting into another argument. Wilma, prepare some tea.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ms. Levine,¡± the servant promptly said.


    Naturally, Nancy took the main seat since she was the eldest member of the Levine family, while Jay


    and Zoe should offer her tea per tradition as newlyweds.


    Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org.


    They took the tea cups the servant brought, with Jay serving her respectfully, ¡°Have some tea, Nancy.¡±


    Nancy nced at him briefly before taking his cup for a sip and then handing him a gift envelope.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Jay told her.


    It was Zoe¡¯s turn after Jay, and she did so eagerly. ¡°Have some tea, sister.¡±


    Nancy felt like she had a day shaved off her lifespan whenever she heard Zoe say ¡®sister¡¯.


    She shot Zoe a look, while the tea somehow felt stressful to drink.


    She earnestly would rather Jay not end up with Zoe, but unfortunately, harmony in the family came first!


    After all, Nancy¡¯s father always wished the family would be peaceful and prosperous.


    It was not as if she epted Zoe¡ª she was just fulfilling her father¡¯s wish so that his soul could rest in


    peace.


    Taking the cup Zoe offered, she strained herself to take a sip.


    On the other hand, Zoe did not mind at all since she never held out hope for Nancy-she just had to do


    her part well, and that was enough.


    After Nancy drank the tea, she gave Zoe a gift envelope too.


    Zoe somehow could not help finding it a bit thin and touched Jay¡¯s.


    She knew it. Nancy was giving preferential treatment!


    And as usual, she did not hold her tongue at all. ¡°Come on, sister! Isn¡¯t this too obvious?! You shouldn¡¯t


    harass me like this even if you hate me! I mean, how thin is this envelope?! I¡¯m your younger brother¡¯s


    wife-you shouldn¡¯t go this far even if it¡¯s for appearance¡¯s sake!¡±


    She could ept Nancy being nice to Jay, but did she have to be this obvious?! She had her own


    dignity too!


    On the other hand, Nancy rolled her eyes at Zoe and ignored Zoe.


    Bristling right then, Zoe snatched opened Jay¡¯s gift envelope and found a stack of dor bills, probably


    amounting up to one grand!

 Chapter 1258

    Chapter 1258


    Chapter 1258


    Zoe turned toward her gift envelope, expecting not even ten percent of Jay¡¯s, and opened it right in


    front of Nancy.


    However, Zoe found nothing inside her envelope and could blow up right then.


    What the hell¡­


    Nancy really knew how to upset her!


    Still, Nancy could tell what Zoe was thinking from thetter¡¯s reaction. ¡°Keep looking.¡±


    ¡°For what?!¡± Zoe snapped, speechless. ¡°Lint?!¡±


    She then felt something small inside-could Nancy insult her any further?!


    It had been years, but she was still so petty!


    ¡°Just take out what¡¯s inside already!¡± Nancy snapped sternly then.


    She was not worried that Zoe would misunderstand, but she was really afraid that Zoe would be so pig-


    headed she would throw the envelope away.


    Zoe was certainly reluctant, but she had been obedient to Nancy for years and did as she was told.


    And when she did, she was stunned to find that it was not a lint but an emerald ring instead.


    It also looked so familiar she had the feeling that she had seen it before¡­


    ¡°Your grandmother¡­¡± Nancy blurted but quickly paused to correct herself. ¡°It belonged to my mom.


    She passed it to me before she died.¡±


    Zoe was shocked. ¡°Why would you give me something so valuable?¡±


    Nancy could die right then.


    Why did she give it to her? Was that not obvious?!


    ¡°No way¡­ it¡¯s my dowry?!¡± Zoe suddenly eximed


    ¡°Who are you to me? Why should I give you a dowry?!¡± Nancy denied it right then. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re


    Jay¡¯s wife, and that more or less makes you family.


    And that¡¯s why you¡¯re given a Levine family heirloom.¡±


    Zoe pouted to think she actually felt touched.


    Still, she was optimistic as always, and she asked, ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re acknowledging me?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if I do. The whole world knows that you¡¯re Jay¡¯s wife now.¡±


    Nancy snorted in disdain.


    ¡°And you¡¯re really the most stubborn woman in the world.¡± Zoe beamed.


    Nancy was stumped.


    She certainly did not expect that a day woulde when Zoe left her speechless.


    She turned away, not inclined to waste her breath with Zoe-Zoe could think whatever she liked.


    Looking at Cordy and John just then, Nancy appeared more friendly as she smiled. ¡°Your turn.¡±


    ¡°Have some tea, Aunt Nancy,¡± John said respectfully, and Nancy drank it before giving him a gift


    envelope too.


    ¡°Have some tea, Aunt Nancy,¡± Cordy said after John.


    After she finished this time, Nancy took a red pouch she had been keeping behind her.


    Cordy appeared surprised, while the others watched Nancy with great interest as she opened the


    pouch, taking out an emerald bangle.


    Johnny


    ¡°This is an heirloom from Johnny¡¯s grandmother-it¡¯s a talisman for safety, and she wore it her whole life.


    It¡¯s also an antique, a collector¡¯s item of inestimable value¡­ anyway, take good care of it.¡±


    With those words, Nancy took Cordy¡¯s hand and slid it onto her fair, slender wrist.


    Cordy was left stunned.


    Before she could speak, however, Zoe snapped in displeasure, ¡°ying favorites are we, Ms. Levine?


    Why do I get a ring while Cordy gets a bangle?!¡±

 Chapter 1259

    Chapter 1259


    Chapter 1259


    ¡°Why not?¡± Nancy calmly shot back. ¡°Legitimate children take priority!¡±


    Zoe was stunned for a moment, before realizing what Nancy meant.


    Turning toward Jay, she told him, ¡°Your sister is calling you a b*st*rd.¡±


    Jay was speechless-Zoe really took it all in stride, did she not?


    Nancy in turn ignored Zoe and helped Cordy with the bangle, satisfied with how it looked on her wrist.


    ¡°Johnny¡¯s grandmother would definitely be pleased to know that he married such a great wife.¡±


    Cordy was a little embarrassed from the ttery, while Nancy quickly said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aunt Nancy,¡± Cordy said earnestly-being epted by family was most precious and


    emotional for her, someone who was denied familial warmth since she was a child.


    After the tea ceremony, everyone headed to Levine Manor¡¯s spacious dining hall for lunch.


    Zoe was famished, since she hurried to Levine Manor without breakfast, worried that Nancy would


    scold her for beingte.


    In fact, she would probably get upset if anything did not go her way at all.


    Somehow, even after they rushed to Levine Manor, neither Cordy nor John arrived, even taking their


    sweet time toe.


    Truly, the difference in treatment given to illegitimate children was all too obvious-and as the wife of


    one, she should be more self-conscious.


    ¡°You should eat more, Cordy,¡± Nancy told Cordy, as if worried her hospitality wascking.


    Zoe did not take exception, since Nancy would not actually be sincerely nice to her anyway.


    In fact, she felt lucky that Nancy did not already kick her to the curb.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Still, as Zoe ate, she wondered if she was imagining it, but every dish was her favorite.


    She could even swear she tasted her childhood.


    Did Levine Manor not change their chef after so many years? The man must be advanced in age.


    Zoe savored every bite, since she did not have to take care of Yelena, who was snuggling into Jay¡¯s


    arms constantly.


    Nancy had enough just then, and snapped sternly, ¡°Zoe York, can¡¯t you take care of Yelena a little?!


    Jay hasn¡¯t taken a bite from the start!¡±


    ¡°But Yelena doesn¡¯t want me to.¡±


    ¡°How could she not?¡±


    Not bothered to exin, Zoe simply turned toward Yelena.¡± Want me to feed you, Yelena?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Yelena refused right away. ¡°I want Daddy or Dicky.¡±


    ¡°Not Dicky,¡± Nancy snapped before Richard could speak. ¡°He has to eat-he¡¯s going through puberty.¡±


    Zoe shrugged nonchntly, and kept eating.


    Nancy inhaled deeply in turn and asked Yelena, ¡°How about I feed you, Yelena?¡±


    Yelena, who was sitting tamely on Jay¡¯sp, blinked herrge round eyes at Nancy for a moment


    before answering adorably, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Zoe was speechless and stared at Yelena in disbelief.


    Her own daughter would not let her touch her but would let Nancy do it?!


    She was used to Yelena hating her, but now, she felt a sense of disappointment.


    In fact, Nancy was surprised that Yelena would agree, since everyone could see how clingy Yelena was


    to Jay.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Nancy. You eat¡ªI¡¯ll feed her,¡± Jay said just then.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Nancy said. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten earlier and I¡¯m still full. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you,¡± Jay said as he passed Yelena to Nancy.


    ¡°Thank you, Grandma,¡± Yelena echoed, imitating Jay¡¯s good manners right then.


    ¡°Not Grandma-it¡¯s Aunt Nancy,¡± Zoe corrected her.

 Chapter 1260

    Chapter 1260


    Chapter 1260


    ¡°But she¡¯s Grandma,¡± Yelena said seriously.


    ¡°I look old, don¡¯t I?¡± Nancy asked a little grumpily-it would be upsetting whether she was addressed as


    grandma or otherwise.


    ¡°No.¡± Yelena shook her head and exined seriously, ¡°You are Mommy¡¯s mommy, so that means


    you¡¯re Grandma.¡±


    Nancy was speechless for a moment, and she snapped, ¡°Eat. It


    She was certainly not bothered to waste her breath with a four-year-old brat, and she carried Yelena to


    another chair, bringing over a child¡¯s fork and spoon to feed her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like cucumbers, Grandma,¡± Yelena huffed. ¡°I want meat.¡±


    ¡°Your hair will turn gray if you don¡¯t eat your greens.¡±


    ¡°Would that look bad?¡± Yelena asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But your hair is gray, Grandma,¡± Yelena said, pointing at Nancy¡¯s hair.


    While Nancy was left speechless, Yelena demanded, ¡°I want meat, Grandma.¡±


    Nancy had no choice but to cut a slice of cod and put it on her te.


    After she ate, Yelena said, ¡°I want soup, Grandma. I¡¯m thirsty. It


    Nancy brought her a small bowl of soup.


    ¡°Grandma, I want¡ª¡±


    ¡°Could you stop for one second?! Can¡¯t you eat what I fed you?¡± Nancy snapped, losing patience right


    then.


    Yelena pouted her little eyes while her eyes quickly welled with tears, looking like she was thoroughly


    wounded.


    She looked just like Zoe as a child-no one could get mad at her.


    Nancy quickly sweet-talked Yelena. ¡°Okay, okay. You can have anything you like-just don¡¯t cry, alright?¡±


    ¡°But I feel hurt.¡± Yelena stared at Nancy dolefully. ¡°Unless you admit you were wrong.¡±


    Nancy red at her right then, but Yelena¡¯s tears welled in her eyes again when she felt Nancy¡¯s anger,


    somehow looking even more hurt.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I was wrong-l shouldn¡¯t force you to eat anything you don¡¯t like. Just don¡¯t cry, okay?¡±


    ¡°Then give me a hug.¡± Yelena spread her hands right then.


    Nancy scooped her up in her arms, and Yelena wrapped her little arms around Nancy¡¯s neck, cooing, ¡°I


    forgive you.¡±


    Nancy felt a flood of emotions she could not describe even as she carried Yelena¡¯s little body.


    There¡¯s just such a strong resemnce between the little girl and Zoe.


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Okay. Now let¡¯s eat.¡± Yelena was beaming as soon as she let go of Nancy.


    Nancy put Yelena back on her chair in turn, patiently feeding her this time.


    Everyone else around the table could feel their jaws dropping as they watched the little episode


    between Nancy and Yelena.


    Had Nancy ever been that patient with anyone?!


    Somehow, Yelena had Nancy wrapped around her little finger!


    Jay eventually turned away and ced a shrimp on Zoe¡¯s te, bringing her back to her senses.


    As she did, a teardrop slid out of the corner of her eye, catching her off guard.


    She did not want to admit it, but she had to-she really cherished her rtionship with Nancy, and she


    wished they could start over if it were possible.


    Even without the so-called blood rtion¡­


    ¡°Eat up,¡± Jay told her just then. ¡°These are all your favorites.¡±


    Zoe did a double-take and turned to see Jay smiling at her.


    The meaning behind that smile went without saying.


    So, everyone could tell that Nancy actually cared about her? The olddy doth protest too much.

 Chapter 1261

    Chapter 1261


    Chapter 1261


    After lunch, John led Cordy upstairs to his room for a break.


    As they went, Zoe was giggling as she watched them, leaving Cordy speechless.


    Honestly, why did she have to keep thinking about that stuff?


    Seemingly reading her mind, John suddenly said, ¡°She¡¯s not wrong.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cordy was confused.


    John leaned in and whispered something into her ear, and she was left flushing right then.


    He grinned. ¡°Go to bed already, Mrs. Levine.¡±


    ¡°Should we sleep¡­ in separate beds?¡± Cordy asked, concerned for his spiritual well-being just then.


    ¡°No.¡± He refused summarily. ¡°I¡¯d rather spontaneouslybust than let you spontaneously vanish.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-how scared was he that she would leave him?


    Meanwhile, Zoe remained in the parlor, watching a reality show on TV.


    Jay had left to coax Yelena to take a nap, or he would not be able to return to Zoe.


    She sat on the couch, feeling that everything there changed though the people living there were


    different.


    Suddenly, she had the vague feeling that someone was approaching, and she turned to see Cora.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    To be honest, it was hard to imagine that she could be sitting amicably near Cora-while Cora did not


    harass Zoe earlier today, she was not exactly weing.


    It was almost certain Zoe did not exist, though ultimately the reason forthat was because Cora still


    found herself inferior.


    Zoe therefore had no reason to despise Cora, even if she had been hostile to Cora before. While she


    had been upset before, she found Cora¡¯s motivations understandable.


    She wondered if she was kinder these days, since she was caught in such bliss she refused to let such


    matters affect her good life.


    With that in mind, Zoe kept watching TV, not feeling ufortable despite Cora¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Zoe.¡± Cora suddenly called out to Zoe half an hour after she sat down beside Zoe.


    Zoe thought Cora was just watching TV with her since it was a famous show, and Cora could use more


    practice with her acting.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± She turned to look at Cora.


    ¡°I think my mom¡­ has fully epted you,¡± Cora said.


    Zoe pursed her lips.


    So Cora was holding that against her?


    Sure, Nancy was still unfriendly to Zoe today, but people could see that she had epted Zoe as a


    member of the family.


    ¡°I still had my grievances to you at first,¡± Cora said earnestly then. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m the real heiress of the


    Levine family, and I had to suffer an inhumane life while you were spoiled like a princess before we


    became adults. But now, I intend to let it go like you did.¡±

 Chapter 1262

    Chapter 1262


    Chapter 1262


    Zoe stared at Cora in slight surprise, not quite convinced that she could let go of past grievances so


    easily.


    Cora read Zoe¡¯s mind too and exined, ¡°Since I¡¯ve been brought back here, my mother has be


    the most important person to me. She gave me everything I did not even dare dream of before, be it


    riches, fame, or kinship. To me, her concerns are mine, and I won¡¯t care for what she doesn¡¯t care


    about.¡±


    In other words, Cora changed her opinion of Zoe because Nancy did.


    It was as much of a surprise as it was unexpected.


    However, Zoe told her bluntly, ¡°Actually, I think you should be more independent. You shouldn¡¯t be


    living for anyone else.¡±


    Cora stared at her, unable to react to Zoe¡¯s advice, not to mention that her mother had told her the


    same thing just the other night.


    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re still afraid even after being given back what was rightfully yours,¡± Zoe


    exined. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re tiptoeing and never gained confidence, because you fear that your


    newfound happiness will turn out to be a hallucination.¡±


    Cora pursed her lips, but it was clear that Zoe had experienced the same things she did, allowing Zoe


    to read


    her mind.


    Or perhaps¡­ she was really afraid to admit it, and to stop herself obsessing over her grudge with Zoe.


    Moreover, they were biological sisters-they shared a father, after all.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯m guessing you have another reason for talking to me,¡± Zoe said then. ¡°It¡¯s Bob, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Cora gaped, surprised that Zoe could see through that too.


    She had always considered Zoe tactless and simple- minded, unable to read the room and unaware of


    what everyone else around her was scheming.


    Zoe shrugged. ¡°I just don¡¯t like to do it, and I¡¯m not good at it anyway-life shouldn¡¯t be thatplicated


    or taxing.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cora said then. ¡°I¡¯d like you to help me with Bob. I really love him, but he doesn¡¯t love me back. I


    even think he¡¯s still into you, even though you¡¯re married with children¡­¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t help you with your rtionship,¡± Zoe said slowly and clearly.


    Cora simply held Zoe¡¯s gaze and said gingerly after a while, ¡± But he loves you so much. He¡¯d definitely


    listen to you-¡°


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be happy with a rtionship like that?¡± Zoe asked her in return.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. As long as he-¡°


    ¡°Like I said, you should live for yourself and not for everyone else,¡± Zoe told Cora, solemn for once. ¡°He


    doesn¡¯t love you,


    so what you have to do is to improve yourself so that he has a reason to, instead of asking others to


    compel him to be with you. A rtionship based on coercion is very fragile- it¡¯ll break easily like yours


    did. If he still doesn¡¯t fall for you after you¡¯ve improved yourself, that just means it¡¯s not meant to be.


    And I¡¯m sure everyone would eventually find their other half in life.¡±


    Cora¡¯s eyes welled with tears¡ªshe still could not get over Bob, just as she did not know what she


    should do to improve herself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t always get what you want, but if you try some time, you¡¯ll get what you need,¡± Zoe finished.


    ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll find your own happiness.¡±


    Cora nodded in silence.


    In truth, she had no idea where she could go from here, just as she had no idea how to change Bob¡¯s


    mind without anyone¡¯s help.


    But perhaps that was just what life was.


    She rose to her feet and left, obviously sad and disappointed -she still hoped that someone could help


    her.


    However, rtionships were really different from anything else, and she had to understand that


    rtionships go both ways.


    For example¡­


    Cora turned to see Jay wheeling himself to the parlor just then.


    Perhaps, when she really found her happiness, she would realize profoundly how magnificent it was for


    two people to love each other¡­

 Chapter 1263

    Chapter 1263


    Chapter 1263


    After dinner at Levine Manor, Cordy and John left with Richard, while Zoe and Jay left with Yelena.


    Nancy walked with them to the door, watching as they got into their car.¡± Remember toe back


    often, Johnny.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± John replied.


    ¡°But he¡¯s going to the capital soon,¡± Zoe said, tactless as ever. ¡¯He has to visit Cordy¡¯s family, so he¡¯s


    going to be gone for a while. Don¡¯t ask too much now.¡±


    Zoe was among one of few who found out about Cordy¡¯s connection to the Cranstonster on, and she


    thought Cordy must have gotten tired of having to keep hiding that fact from her.


    In reality, Cordy only told her because there was no threat against them- she did not want her loved


    ones to worry for her, let alone get them caught in danger.


    However, before Nancy could say a thing, Cordy turned toward Zoe. ¡¯But I never said I¡¯m going to the


    capital, did I?¡±


    Did anyone say anything about that?


    Zoe appeared perplexed in turn-did she really not know? ¡°But I just heard Jay and John talking about it


    this afternoon¡­¡±


    Cordy turned toward John right then, who exined, ¡°We talked about itst night.¡±


    Cordy frowned-he never said it was today!


    Zoe giggled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re not going to remember all the strenuous activities you were up tost


    night¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my period,¡± Cordy blurted, having had enough of Zoe¡¯s teasing.


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe eximed in shock. ¡¯You mean you did not do itst night?!¡±


    Cordy was silent, and Zoe took it as an admission, turning to look at John with sympathy right then.


    Last night must have been torture for him!


    ¡°We¡¯re going tomorrow. I¡¯ve already contacted Sean.¡± John changed the subject right then.


    ¡°Do we have to go so soon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly in a hurry,¡± John replied.


    He would have liked to go a few dayster, considering that Cordy was on her period and she would be


    exhausted with all the traveling.


    However, Sean demanded that they go over right away, probably finding it uneptable that they got


    married without a word.


    John had no choice but to agree and told Jay in the afternoon since there were matters that Jay


    needed to attend to.


    And since Cordy was napping, he did not wake her, and there was no chance to tell her until now.


    ¡°Your cousin told us to go there tomorrow. He was insistent,¡± John exined.


    Cordy could actually imagine Sean being impatient and so refrained from pressing the issue.


    That was when Zoe suddenly turned toward Nancy. ¡°I cane back often if you¡¯re feeling lonely-l¡¯m


    half-retired anyway, and I have too much time on my hands.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Nancy ignored herpletely and instead told Yelena, ¡°Come visit if you¡¯re feeling bored.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Yelena agreed to it right away. ¡°I like ying with you too, Grandma. N


    How many times did she tell the girl she was not ¡®Grandma¡¯?


    Still, it was tooplicated a web of rtionships for anything to be distinct.


    ¡°Alright, time to go,¡± Zoe said.


    She was not overly sentimental, but she could tell that since Nancy invited Yelena, she was basically


    inviting Zoe too.


    Still, Nancy had her pride to consider, and she should not make things too awkward for her.


    Nancy watched as everyone got in their cars and left-perhaps because she was at that age, she more


    or less felt a misery in parting.


    Levine Manor used to be so lively¡­ but it was just her and Cora now.


    And if Cora got married in the future as well¡­


    Nancy smiled wistfully-people do fear loneliness at a certain age.


    Cordy and John¡¯s flight was early next morning-Sean had booked the flight, so resistance was futile.


    The family of three were weary as they boarded the ne to the capital, and as they disembarked¡­

 Chapter 1264

    Chapter 1264


    Chapter 1264


    Sean was waiting at the airport, glowering as if they owed him money-though he probably would not be


    that upset even if they did.


    Still, Cordy noticed in surprise that Patrick was there too!


    Should he not be in Rocktown? What was he doing here?!


    ¡°Sean¡­¡± Cordy barely began when Sean turned and strode off.


    He looked really upset.


    Cordy slid a nce at John, who gave her an assuring look as if it was no issue.


    Cordy rolled her eyes-for him, maybe, since Sean was not his cousin.


    She quickly hurried after Sean, though they left the airport in two different cars.


    Though calm earlier, Cordy was starting to get a little worried because of Sean¡¯s silent treatment when


    John assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry-l have leverage against him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy eximed in surprise-leverage again Sean? What could it be?


    John merely grinned enigmatically while their cars soon took them to Cranston Hall.


    There, Cordy gingerly approached Sean. ¡°How¡¯s Grandfather?


    ¡°You remember him now?¡± Sean scoffed, clearly upset.


    Still, he replied, ¡°Still no sign that he¡¯s waking up.¡±


    Cordy nodded¡ªshe had not been to the capital often, but she often asked after Jesse on WhatsApp.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit himter.¡±


    Sean stayed quiet, but Cordy considered it his approval.


    ¡°As for my wedding with John¡­¡± Cordy started to exin before saying staunchly, ¡°He forced me into


    it.¡±


    That was certainly an amazing way to pass the buck!


    Sean blinked and turned sharply to John.


    John was left staring at Cordy, who avoided his gaze-she was nning to leave this to him anyway.


    And he had leverage, did he not? Well, it was time to use it!


    ¡°How did you force her?¡± Sean demanded right then.


    ¡°It¡¯s not forced. It¡¯s consensual¡­¡±


    ¡°Consensual? Did she consent to it? Did her family agree to it?¡± Sean asked, his voice louder with


    every syble.


    He obviously admired John, but he could not ept Cordy being coerced into marrying him either!


    However, John asked in return, ¡°In that case, did the family agree to you divorcing your wife?¡±


    Sean¡¯s face fell, while Cordy eximed in surprise, ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a divorce?!¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡± Sean asked John then.


    ¡°Oh, I know way more than that.¡± John smiled¡ªSean was smart enough to tell what he meant right


    then.


    And to no surprise, Sean was pursuing his lips, suddenly a little stumped.


    The air in the room became a little stiff, and Cordy was left wondering what the leverage was.


    Naturally, she did not dare to ask lightly in fear that she would get burned too.


    ¡°So? What are you going to do to make amends for our family?¡± Sean asked, histone still cold.


    However, Cordy could tell that he was basically relenting¡­


    So, what dirt did John have on Sean, really?!


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold another wedding ceremony in the capital and marry Cordy with all pomp and circumstance,¡±


    John said seriously then. ¡°And so that the country knows Cordy¡¯s real identity.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

 Chapter 1265

    Chapter 1265


    Chapter 1265


    Sean blinked.


    While a wedding at the capital goes without saying, John also suggested announcing Cordy¡¯s identity,


    which Sean himself had wanted to do for some time if not for Cordy¡¯s refusal.


    Cordy was in turn frowning at John¡ªshe never said anything about announcing that. John in turn


    quickly sensed her displeasure and whispered into her ear, ¡°I have to do this to cajole Sean.¡±


    In reality, he had nned to announce Cordy¡¯s identity for a long while. Naturally, it was not for vanity,


    but Cordy should shine further because she had what it took. Cordy pursed her lips, since she could


    understand that Sean would be furious that she decided to get married on her own¡­ Well, whatever.


    There was no denying that the Cranstons¡¯ blood flowed in her veins, and there was nothing bad about


    letting the public know that part of her anyway. Still, Sean said, ¡°I have another request.¡±


    John stared at him warily, as if to tell him to toe the line or they would all be in for it if Cordy got upset.


    Sean simply pretended not to see that and cut straight to the point.


    ¡°You¡¯re family now that you¡¯ve married Cordy, so work for the family.¡± John did a double take, surprised


    by the unreasonable request! Sean raised a brown in turn.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Actually, yes. I¡¯ve just rebuilt my family business, and it¡¯s a newpany, so that


    means there¡¯s a lot to manage. I don¡¯t have the time.¡±


    ¡°You can entrust that to someone else. The Cranston family estate, however, must have leadership at


    all times,¡± Sean said solemnly.


    ¡°But everything is on the right track now, isn¡¯t it?¡± John asked in return. With their obstacles cleared and


    the addition of the Stuarts¡¯ support, it would be smooth sailing from here.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m around,¡± Sean said.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t leave,¡± John said bluntly. Sean inhaled sharply before asking, ¡°What about in the future?¡±


    ¡°How far in the future are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°What do you think?!¡± Sean¡¯s voice lifted just then. John pursed his lips-he was smart enough to tell


    what Sean meant.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Specifically, it was when leadership was to transition to the next generation. Obviously, Sean was not


    going to produce an heir now, just as his ex-wife¡¯s child likely was not his, or he would not have allowed


    his ex-wife to take the child away. As such, it was for posterity¡¯s sake that Sean waspelling him to


    help the Cranstons. Talk about preparing for a rainy day¡­ However, after having all the details now,


    John immediately came up with a solution.


    ¡°I can loan you Dicky.¡±


    Throughout their conversation, Richard was just listening as a bystander. Though that was not quite


    right¡­

 Chapter 1266

    Chapter 1266


    Chapter 1266


    Richard was not actually watching the adults but was using his phone.


    He had no concerns these days since his daddy and mommy made up. He was therefore caught by


    surprise when his daddy suddenly said his name, and he looked at them in confusion.


    Sean was smart enough to catch what John meant right then -when he was older, Richard could take


    over the Cranston family estate.


    The man certainly had brains.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Daddy?¡± Richard asked in confusion just then.


    ¡°Nothing. Get back to using your phone.¡± John smiled.


    That smile creeped out Richard somehow, as if John was going to sell him off to some vers.


    But considering that he was not adopted, and his biological parents had no reason to actually sell him,


    he shrugged and continued poring over his phone.


    ¡°How about that?¡± John asked for confirmation.


    Sean nodded begrudgingly-it was certainly not difficult.


    The reality was that Sean himself had no intention of abandoning the Cranston family estate easily


    since it was his grandfather¡¯s life work. As the rightful heir, he would always retain duty and obligations-


    even if he was keen to hand it over to John. After all, John was a rare prodigy he had taken a liking to,


    and the Cranston family estate would never suffer with him at the helm, but a gentleman should also


    not force people if they were unwilling.


    Moreover, John was the only pir that the Levines had left. It was inhumane if Seanpelled him to


    give up on them.


    On the other hand, Richard was different.


    Sean could take his time to groom Richard, and when it is really time for his retirement, Richard would


    be ready to ept the challenge.


    With that in mind, Sean had to be impressed at John¡¯s insight and quick ability to adapt.


    Moreover, Richard was obviously the better candidate to manage the Cranston family estate.


    John was not biologically a member of the Cranstons, and the other Cranstons might resist the idea of


    appointing John.


    On the other hand, Richard did have Cranston blood. Add that to his intelligence andpetence, he


    would grow to be extraordinary.


    If pushes to shove, they just had to change Richard¡¯sst name to Cranston.


    The more Sean thought about it, the more he found the idea perfect, and he slowly started to rx.


    ¡°That¡¯s a deal,¡± John confirmed.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sean replied, still retaining his usual solemn air¡ªhe was not about to forget about them getting


    married first and asking permissionter.


    This was this, and that was that.


    ¡°When will you hold the wedding here in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Next month,¡± John replied. ¡°The wedding in North City was grand, but Cordy deserves the best every


    time, so I need some time to properly prepare.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯d be in the capital for a month?¡±


    John nced at Cordy, afraid to agree to it lightly.


    Cordy in turn rejected it right away. ¡°Our respective businesses are both based in North City-we can¡¯t


    stay here constantly. Well stay here for a week, and I¡¯d still count that as plenty.¡±


    Sean could not argue against that, just as Cordy changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯d like to see Grandfather now.


    If it¡¯s convenient, you can take John and I along.¡±


    Sean nodded, and they left Cranston Hall together.


    Along the way, Cordy appeared to be getting confused, while John could see that she was a little out of


    it too.¡± What is it?¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t Patrick been following us the whole way?¡± Cordy asked as if to confirm that¡ªshe was not


    seeing things, was she?


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Yes.¡± s


    ¡°Why would he follow us?¡± Cordy asked, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s fine if he only received me at the airport since


    we haven¡¯t met for a while, and it¡¯s good to meet up while he¡¯s in the capital. But I¡¯m now going to see


    my grandfather, so why is he in my brother¡¯s car?¡±


    John smiled meaningfully just then. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±

 Chapter 1267

    Chapter 1267


    Chapter 1267


    Cordy asked, ¡°Should I know?¡± ¡°Well, no,¡± John said, not giving a direct answer. ¡°But I was sure you


    could guess it.¡±


    Cordy frowned¡ªguess? Guess what?!


    Was it even possible that Patrick and Sean shared some unspeakable secret¡­ Hold on!


    Cordy was taken aback, staring at John as a certain idea started to take root.


    John chuckled-he knew his wife was smart enough to figure it out.


    Meanwhile, they arrived at the exceedingly luxurious private hospital where Jesse Cranston was


    admitted-it was only natural that he stayed at such a ce.


    As they alighted, Cordy was staring between Sean and Patrick, not quite understanding it just then.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sean asked, frowning and left a little perplexed by Cordy¡¯s fixed stare.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Cordy replied as she came to her senses and followed him into the hospital.


    There was an indescribable tension every time she came.


    To think that her grandfather was still bedridden¡­


    Suddenly, she felt a big warm hand grasping hers, and she looked up at John.


    He smiled, clearly to offer assurance.


    Cordy smiled in return-even if she had epted the possibility that her grandfather would never regain


    consciousness, people would always be more hopeful than necessary while they lived¡­


    As the door to Jesse¡¯s ward opened, Cordy could not help stop her eyes from welling with tears when


    she saw her grandfather-he had lost more weight while she was away.


    It was only logical-there was no way he would get better as hey in bed all year, surviving only on IV


    nutrients.


    The more he stayed like this, the worse things would be.


    Cordy sat beside Jesse and gently called out, ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    He naturally did not respond, and she smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m getting married, Grandfather¡­ Actually, I¡¯m


    already married. Would you mind that we decided to ask for permissionter?


    ¡°And my husband is John¡­¡± Cordy worked hard to keep her tone light. ¡°We¡¯ve been orbiting around


    each other for years.


    I didn¡¯t expect it to be him either¡­¡±


    John smiled feebly beside her-he had literally put his life on the line to get her back.


    ¡°Come here. Talk to Grandfather too.¡± Cordy beckoned at him.


    John nodded and walked upto Jesse.


    ¡°Sir, my name is John Levine,¡± he said. ¡°Apologies that I did not give you a head¡¯s up-l was a little


    impatient because I was worried I¡¯d never get to marry Cordy.¡±


    Patrick chuckled nearby, which left Cordy a little embarrassed.


    ¡°But don¡¯t worry, sir-l will have no woman aside from Cordy. I love her very much and only her, and I


    refuse to let her suffer because of me. Therefore, I would assure you that you have nothing to worry


    about when you entrust her to me. IV


    He nodded respectfully and so deeply that it could be a bow.


    Cordy¡¯s eyes welled with tears, unsure if she felt sad that her grandfather could not witness her


    wedding or if she was touched by John¡¯s gesture.


    N?velDrama.Org exclusive content.


    They had gone through so much that it still felt unreal remembering it now.


    She used to believe that she had a hard time letting the past go and that she would never reconcile


    with John.


    Now, however, she realized that once she decided to let go, she was really relieved-and history


    became nothing but history.

 Chapter 1268

    Chapter 1268


    Chapter 1268


    And the future was right in front of them.


    Everyone stayed at Jesse¡¯s ward for a while, and Cordy¡¯s eyes were still red as they left.


    She must admit that she felt relieved like never before, as if she really bade farewell to the past and


    made peace with it after telling her grandfather that John was there with them, alive.


    And she would always allow John to be in his life, always.


    Returning to Cranston Hall, John was leading Cordy to her room to get some rest when she said


    bluntly, ¡°I¡¯ll restter. You can go to our room for now-l want to talk to Patrick.¡±


    John naturally knew what they would discuss, and Patrick agreed to it cheerfully.


    Thest time they met was at their botched wedding- others aside, the two of them were still business


    partners, and they should not stay away from each other forever.


    ¡°Okay,¡± John said simply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to your room,¡± Sean offered, letting Cordy and Patrick be alone.


    After John and Sean left, Cordy and Patrick headed to the tearoom outside Cranston Hall, holding each


    other¡¯s gazes before they smiled at each other in understanding.


    They certainly knew that their mutual smiles meant they had gotten over their past and were relieved-


    even offering each other their blessings.


    ¡°So? When did you get together with my cousin?¡± Cordy eventually asked.


    Patrick blushed, not expected Cordy to be so direct.


    He took a sip of tea. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    ¡°What can¡¯t I ept it? I mean, I can ept that he¡¯s¡­¡±


    She suddenly trailed off-to be honest, she had trouble epting the truth.


    No matter how she thought about it, Sean just was not¡­


    Granted, she also understood now why Sean was so cold to his ex-wife and was always on the search


    for an heir to the Cranston legacy.


    So, he could not produce a progeny¡­ but in that case, what was the deal with his ex-wife and child?


    Could it be one of the sham marriages that rumors often mentioned, although it was not that well


    concealed as a secret?


    In the end, once they were discovered, she left with her child.


    While her thoughts were a little jumbled, Patrick waved a hand before her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?


    Please tell me it¡¯s family friendly.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Cordy rolled her eyes-he only ever seemed to think about that stuff. ¡°I was thinking about my cousin


    and his ex-wife¡­¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know that it was a fake marriage?¡±


    ¡°For the child?¡± Cordy found that uneptable-he always thought Sean was upstanding and incapable


    of such despicable behavior.


    Still, Patrick suddenly snapped, clearly upset, ¡°How could you think of Sean that way?!¡±


    Cordy frowned at him-already jumping to his beloved¡¯s defense?!


    Nheless, Patrick exined, ¡°His ex-wife was actually his friend¡¯s lover. His friend happened to die,


    so to protect her from being scorned and giving the child a proper family, they pretended to be family.


    But the woman could not get over her dead lover even yearster-Sean was the one who arranged for


    their divorce and even sent them abroad.¡±


    ¡°He never told me.¡± Cordy was a little jealous.


    This was terribly serious, and it was Patrick-a person outside the family-who told her?!


    Patrick grinned smugly, as if bragging like he had won!


    ¡°So. When did you start dating him?¡± Cordy pressed. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me.¡±


    ¡°The day after our wedding was called off.¡±


    Cordy was left staring at Patrick, suddenly remembering that she told Sean to console Patrick.


    And it turned out they ended up ¡®talking¡¯ in bed!

 Chapter 1269

    Chapter 1269


    Chapter 1269


    Patrick sighed feebly when he saw Cordy¡¯s reaction. ¡°Like I said, you¡¯d have trouble epting it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t¡­ but isn¡¯t that too quick?!¡±


    ¡°So, you can¡¯t.¡± Patrick shrugged.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯re normal again¡­¡±


    ¡°And you consider myself and your dear cousin abnormal?¡± Patrick snorted, a little upset.


    Cordy pursed her lips. ¡°No, I can respect anyone¡¯s preference -what I mean was you changed your


    heart a little too quickly, and not only that, but you changed your preference too!¡±


    ¡°But I never did change my preference. I just happen to love you too,¡± Patrick said. ¡°You¡¯re the only


    woman I ever loved.¡±


    Cordy felt an aching on his chest, still guilty toward Patrick.


    Naturally, she respected Patrick¡¯s preferences, and she believed gender was irrelevant when it came to


    true love.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    But ultimately, in the big picture, going with the flow would grant further recognition from society. Most


    importantly, Patrick and Sean were important people-and she more or less cut off Patrick¡¯s way out.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel guilty about this.¡± Patrick was nonchnt, however. ¡°It¡¯s because we broke up


    that I found out how great your cousin is.¡±


    As Cordy stared at him, he added, ¡°Hell, he¡¯s better than me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what are we talking about?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Cordy, be serious. Of course I mean as a person.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Cordy!¡± Patrick snapped a little indignantly-she had to be doing that on purpose.


    Still, he teased her. ¡°It¡¯s just been months, but you¡¯re way more easy-going than before. John has really


    changed you.¡±


    ¡°It has nothing to do with him.¡± Cordy shrugged. ¡°I just got over it, and there¡¯s no need to push myself


    too much.¡±


    ¡°If only you¡¯d gotten over it earlier,¡± Patrick said quietly.


    Cordy was left staring at him but decided against saying what was on her mind.


    ¡°Did you know why I suddenly backed out of our wedding?¡± Patrick asked.


    Cordy nodded in silence.


    Nheless, Patrick continued, ¡°It wasn¡¯t because you don¡¯t love me enough, but rather, I wanted to let


    you and John be together.¡±


    Cordy blinked and remained silent.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t surprised at all to see news of your wedding with John. Well, your brother was bristling-though


    to be precise,


    he started to bristle when he saw the announcement of John¡¯s wedding. I told him at the time that it


    was definitely with you, but he doubted me, saying that if it was, he would be informed beforehand¡­


    but you never told him.¡±


    ¡°Heck, I actually thought for a moment that there would be a reversal, but in the end, you did marry


    John Levine,¡± Patrick finished.


    Cordy could not say anything against that-everyone could tell that she had always harbored feelings for


    John, but she was the one who constantly avoided confronting it.


    ¡°But it¡¯s good.¡± Patrick smiled, seeing that she was chagrined. ¡°At least my sacrifice wasn¡¯t in vain.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Cordy replied earnestly.


    Patrick smiled feebly-no one would want to be thanked in his shoes.


    However, it was all good as long as she was happy.


    He chugged his tea then and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back. You should get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Not going to stay a while?¡± Cordy asked-they had just sat down no more than ten minutes ago, and


    she was sure that they had much to talk about since they were apart for so long.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m worried,¡± Patrick said.


    It was a surprising response and it left Cordy perplexed.


    After a while, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re worried that they¡¯d misunderstand? Don¡¯t worry-we never got intimate


    even up until our wedding. They won¡¯t misunderstand.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Patrick said solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m concerned your brother would get interested in John.¡±

 Chapter 1270

    Chapter 1270


    Chapter 1270


    Cordy had just picked up her teacup and was taking a slow sip-Patrick¡¯s words almost left her spitting it


    out.


    Patrick frowned and asked in confusion, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried? rr


    Cordy considered it-but John had always been straight¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t really understand how amazing those two men really are,¡± Patrick said solemnly. ¡°You


    should know how incredible John is even without rose-tinted sses. Others aside, I very much have


    no argument even if I lost you to him.¡±


    ¡°As for Sean¡­¡± Patrick trailed off, embarrassment showing on his face for once. ¡°He¡¯s a real keeper


    only after I really got to know him.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is he that amazing?¡± Cordy was skeptical.


    ¡°Are you doubting your cousin¡¯s charisma?¡± Patrick demanded, clearly upset.


    Cordy raised a brow-here he was, defending his belief again!


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going. I have to check out what those two are up to!¡± Patrick said and left.


    Cordy watched as he left really urgently right then, afraid that Sean would be stolen.


    She sighed feebly, though she was soon smiling in relief.


    She had felt guilty toward Patrick for the longest time, and that if there was one person whom she had


    wronged, it was him.


    But she could finally let that go-after all, loving and being loved was equally important!


    And what Patrick had now was his perfection!


    Cordy slowly returned to her room, and John happened to arrive as well, intending to take a bath.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Talking to your cousin,¡± John replied.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Cordy murmured¡ªPatrick was actually on the money.


    ¡°What?¡± John could seethe weird look she was giving him.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied. ¡°Just keep your distance from Sean from now on.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What, did he do something to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid he would do to you,¡± Cordy blurted.


    John raised a blow, simply confused at that point.


    ¡°I mean, Sean is¡­¡± Cordy trailed off instead of finishing her sentence.


    She was still confused how her straightced cousin became not that straight because of Patrick!


    And she had the feeling that she needed a long while to digest that bombshell!


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± John understood right then, his lips curling into a bewitching smile.


    That smile was so beautiful he had to be breakingws for that.


    When Patrick said John was amazing before, she thought it was subjective and did not dwell on it


    particrly.


    And yet, John¡¯s effortless charm at the moment left her heart pounding, and it was a little irresistible.


    It was not surprising that Patrick would be wary of him- Cordy had the feeling that John was attractive


    even from Patrick¡¯s perspective.


    Cordy then realized something with a start, and she could swear right then¡­ After all, she now had to


    be wary of both Sean and Patrick!


    John was really born attractive¡ªand to both men and women!

 Chapter 1271

    Chapter 1271


    Chapter 1271


    John grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m quite straight.¡±


    He could admit that it felt a little pleasant to have Cordy face those mini paranoid episodes-it only


    meant that Cordy was concerned that someone would take him away from her.


    But if there was anyone in the world who could tempt him, it was Cordy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that Sean would be¡­¡± Cordy trailed off again, unable to finish her sentence.


    She could ept Patrick being that, since they were unrted and she knew about that for a while.


    But her cousin was always so masculine, and yet¡­


    John chuckled. ¡°Well, I am grateful for Sean¡¯s role.¡±


    If it was not for him, Cordy would probably be still trapped with guilt toward Patrick.


    ¡°That¡¯s schadenfreude,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°You have to admit that they make a good pair.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She refused to admit that.


    ¡°Go to sleep already,¡± John said, not pressing the issue just then. ¡°You must be sleepy since we had to


    wake early for our flight.¡±


    She could take her time to ept the reality anyway.


    When it came to rtionships, the best thing others should do would be to offer their blessing.


    Cordy nodded.


    They washed up and then changed into casuals.


    ¡°Your cousin¡¯s quite attentive,¡± John praised.


    They did not bring anything since they came to the capital in a rush, but there were clothes prepared


    for them here anyway-for him and Cordy-and they fit perfectly.


    Cordy was left staring at John¡¯s clothes, suddenly a little ufortable.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, darling?¡± John could not helpughing.


    ¡°Who¡¯s your darling?¡± Cordy blushed.


    ¡°We already had a wedding, and we even got our certificate, ¡± John teased. ¡°And with our respective


    family¡¯s approvals, is that still not reality now?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Cordy stubbornly denied it.


    John frowned but soon said, ¡°Oh, right. We haven¡¯t consummated our marriage.¡±


    As Cordy stared at him, he nodded as if in understanding.¡± Yeah, I know.¡±


    ¡®What do you know?!¡¯


    Nheless, John suddenly scooped her up in his arms,


    and she snapped, ¡°What are you doing?! It¡¯s just been two days-it¡¯s not over yet!¡±


    She was referring to her period, naturally.


    However, John carried her straight to bed and pinned her beneath herself, which scared her. ¡°Are you


    really going to make me bleed?¡±


    John snickered. ¡°Cordy, do I look that desperate to you?¡±


    ¡°Actually, yes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s been telling me that. Repeatedly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her crap.¡±


    ¡°And I felt it too.¡± Cordy bit her lip.


    She wiggled her brows as if to remind him.


    John actually flinched a little.


    Damn it, why did that have to be so tempting?! It was a twopronged assault to his eyes and touch!


    John suddenly got off Cordy, and she could not help smiling as she watched him basically flee.


    It just felt mysteriously blissful.


    They napped the entire afternoon and were surprised to realize howte it was since no one woke


    them up.


    They were both people with strict self-discipline who somehow became self-indulgent after they got


    together.


    Getting out of bed and getting dressed, John opened the door and was about to head downstairs when


    Cordy stopped him.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    They were at home, so they were dressed very casually.


    John was just wearing a casual white shirt, with his cor and several buttons undone.

 Chapter 1272

    Chapter 1272


    Cordy decided that John was dressed in a manner too loose and tempting, and she went to stand in


    front of him, buttoning his shirt.


    John blinked, his lips curling up into a smile.


    ¡°Done,¡± Cordy said, leaving just the cor button free, and looked up to see that meaningful smile on


    his face.


    Cordy naturally knew he was smiling because she was being possessive.


    Actually¡­


    Alright, she could admit she was possessive, and she was really a little concerned with two rivals in the


    house.


    One would never have been able to tell that of the four people in the house and three of them men, she


    was in the end the least threatening.


    It was just ever so slightly upsetting to know that.


    As they headed downstairs, they found Sean and Patrick sitting on the parlor couch.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sean was reading a newspaper, while Patrick was watching TV.


    They were not being particrly intimate, but there was an indescribable sense of harmony between


    them¡ªprobably like domestic bliss.


    Once Cordy and John arrived, they both turned toward the couple.


    ¡°Ah, newlyweds really get clingy.¡± Patrick teased them right then. ¡°Napping all the way to 4 PM without


    lunch?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a tiring couple days,¡± Cordy reasoned. ¡°The wedding, visiting Levine Manor, and then rushing


    over here¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s understandable. We get it¡ªhoneymoon period.¡± Patrick nodded in understanding.


    Cordy rolled her eyes¡ªwhy was he no different from Zoe?


    Maybe she should have had Patrick get together with Zoe, though Jay would have murdered her if she


    did.


    ¡°I mean, in the beginning, Sean and I were¡ª¡±


    Patrick suddenly stopped, realizing that he had spoken too much.


    Still, Cordy pressed him deliberately. ¡°Were what?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you get it. You¡¯ve been there, done that.¡± Patrick refrained from borating.


    ¡°But Sean¡¯s past forty¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. That¡¯s when men really peak,¡± Patrick said, fervently on Sean¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯d never


    understand the bliss of old men.¡±


    Sean had lifted his newspaper to hide his face, but he still felt embarrassed anyway.


    And he felt like he was stabbed aside from being embarrassed.


    ¡®Old man¡¯?! Talk about being murdered by words!


    ¡°Alright, save it¡ªI¡¯m famished,¡± Patrick said then. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t eat earlier?¡±


    ¡°Your cousin insisted on waiting for you.¡± Patrick huffed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait that long, and you could¡¯ve just woke us up.¡±


    ¡°Your cousin insisted on not imposing,¡± Patrick scoffed, a little bitterly.


    Cordy turned toward Sean, feeling touched just then.


    Her mother passed away because of the Sachs¡¯ machinations, and she never had much expectation


    toward family. Sean, however, allowed her to feel the warmth of family again. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Sean said


    then, putting away the newspaper. ¡°We¡¯re all hungry.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded, hiding her welling


    emotions just then. After all, she should be happy instead of getting all teary-eyed. As they headed to


    the dining table, Cordy asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dicky?¡± ¡°He already ate-he¡¯s probably doing some holiday


    homework,¡± Sean said as he beckoned for everyone to sit. ¡°Oh, and since John is offering to have


    Dicky inherit the Cranston estate, he can attend school here. I can personally groom him as well.¡±


    Cordy did a double take, surprised that Richard would have to leave them so soon. She turned toward


    John, who nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy frowned. ¡°Have you asked for Dicky¡¯s opinion?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± John


    said bluntly. ¡°But¡­¡± Was that not too hard on Richard? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s tougher than you think.¡±

 Chapter 1273

    Chapter 1273


    Chapter 1273


    Cordy said nothing else-she could trust John that much since he raised Richard as a child and he knew


    the boy.


    However, she turned toward Sean. ¡°Won¡¯t others feel discontent with passing the family estate to


    Dicky? It is a lot of money and power.¡±


    ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Sean replied confidently.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy frowned-it almost felt like she was being paranoid, since between Sean and John, they could


    handle anything in the world.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± John assured her. ¡°It¡¯ll all be alright when the timees.¡±


    Cordy nodded-since they could handle it between them, she had no reason to overthink this.


    She felt a sense of security that welled from the bottom of her heart and felt for the first time that she


    could rely on them without any concern.


    The dining table was a ce of harmony until Sean¡¯s phone rang.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    His expression was grim as he answered it, and the others could not help looking at him, sensing that


    something serious had happened.


    Still, Sean¡¯s reaction kept changing, and there was not telling if it was good or bad.


    However, the people at the table were all experienced with crises, and they all stayed silent until Sean


    finished his phone call.


    Soon, Sean put down his phone, looking overwhelmed with emotion.


    Cordy pursed her lips-the worst thing she could imagine just then was¡­


    She really did not want to think about that.


    Nheless, Sean took a deep breath and said, ¡°Call from Grandfather¡¯s hospital. They¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    Cordy¡¯s heart could leap out of her throat-she had expected it to be about their grandfather, since Sean


    would not react like that otherwise.


    ¡°They said he woke up,¡± Sean said after a while.


    Cordy felt like her heart could explode-she had really expected things to go the other way, and she


    thanked the heavens for having mercy for them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital right now,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sean nodded.


    They all put down their knives and forks and rushed to the hospital.


    As Cordy entered Jesse¡¯s ward, she still had a hard time believing that she could still see her


    grandfather¡¯s gentle smile.


    He was clearly feeble. His breathing wasbored and it took him a lot to sit up on his bed, but there


    was no doubt that he was awake, and he could see them and smile at them.


    Cordy rushed toward him first, throwing herself into his arms.


    She had never been this intimate with him before, in fear that she would hurt him, even though she


    wanted to bridge their distance.


    And although Jesse had been the head of a dynasty for decades and had long since gotten used to


    staying stoic, Cordy¡¯s emotions still left his old eyes welling with tears.


    As he lowered his gaze to look at his granddaughter, he seemed to see his daughter at that very


    moment.

 Chapter 1274

    Chapter 1274


    Chapter 1274


    It had been a silly argument and refusal to give in that drove Jesse and his daughter Evelyn apart, and


    it was the greatest regret he had in life.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine now, Cordy,¡± he said quietly, still enfeebled having just regained consciousness.


    Cordy nodded quietly in his arms, tears covering her cheeks as she sobbed.


    ¡°Cordy.¡± John walked up to take her out of Jesse¡¯s arms.


    Naturally, he was not jealous-he just knew that Cordy was embarrassed that she was crying like a


    baby.


    Cordy naturally seized the moment to lean on John¡¯s chest, hiding her face there to conceal her tears.


    Still, Jesse was a little worried, so John gave him an assuring look and mouthed, ¡°She¡¯s just too


    happy.¡±


    Jesse nodded in turn.


    Perhaps because he had just regained consciousness, he appeared more kindly and actuallycked


    his usual edge and imposing presence.


    ¡°How do you feel, Grandfather?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Just a little weak,¡± Jesse replied. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    ¡°Should I call the rest of the family?¡±


    ¡°Not right now. Let me have a few days to recover,¡± Sean said quickly-he would rather they not see him


    so weak.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sean nodded. ¡°The doctors said you still need to stay for a while. You¡¯ve woken up from a long


    coma, so most of your body still can¡¯t keep up. You should spend time here to rest and rehabilitate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jesse replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay here to keep youpany,¡± Sean offered.


    ¡°And who¡¯s going to manage the family business with you gone?¡± Jesse asked.


    He could actually hear them talking around him while he was in aa and was therefore aware of


    everything that had happened-including the Lynds¡¯ attempt on his life and subsequent rest, as well as


    Cordy telling him that she married John just this morning.


    ¡°Things are fine in the family¡­¡±


    ¡°Sean, it¡¯s not your first day leading the family-you know that it¡¯s never fine unless someone keeps


    things together,¡± Jesse said, his voice quiet but the authority obvious.


    ¡°Yes, Grandfather,¡± Sean replied respectfully and did not press the issue.


    ¡°I can stay here with you, Grandfather,¡± Cordy said then, pulling away from John¡¯s arms.


    Her eyes and nose were red, and John almost could not help hiding her in his arms again.


    Jesse turned toward Cordy then, more or less surprised.


    Cordy had not been particrly attached to him-before hisa, at least, since she was not raised in


    hispany.


    Naturally, that meant he was not there to protect her when she needed it, and he always felt guilty


    about that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you until you make a full recovery, okay?¡± she repeated. ¡°I won¡¯t be busy for a while, and I


    can delegate work to my employees.¡±


    ¡°You just got married. You should be spending more time together¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re married, so we have all the time to spend together and a couple of days is no issue,¡± Cordy


    said determinedly, even turning to the man beside her. ¡°Right, John?¡±


    John really wanted to say no, but he certainly did not dare to argue with the missus.


    Moreover, she had every reason to care for Jesse, and he ought to show his beloved wife support.


    As such, he smiled while hiding his disappointment. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Don¡¯t refuse us now, Grandpa,¡± Cordy said sternly then.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t.¡± Jesse smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of myself, get better, and attend your


    wedding.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Cordy nodded, grinning from ear to ear.


    John patted her head in turn, giving in upon seeing that she was so happy.

 Chapter 1275

    Chapter 1275


    Chapter 1275


    John certainly had mixed emotions about staying, since he was really looking forward to Cordy¡¯s period


    to be over.


    And yet, he ended up the victim of yet another poorly-timed bombshell.


    ¡°I would like to be alone for a while,¡± Jesse suddenly said, his voice still weary. ¡°Not you, Sean. Stay for


    a moment.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± John said, leading Cordy while putting a hand around her shoulder.


    Patrick nced at Sean, who nodded-he more or less knew why his grandfather told him to stay.


    Patrick refrained from speaking in turn and followed Cordy and John out of the ward.


    Even the medical staff left, leaving just Jesse with Sean.


    Jesse started to sit up, and Sean hurried over to put a pillow vertically behind his back so that he could


    sit morefortably.


    Nheless, Jesse soon asked bluntly, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with you and Patrick Stuart?¡±


    Sean did not actually mention anything about him and Patrick while Jesse was in aa. He knew his


    grandfather would not ept it and did not want to burden him.


    However, it was obvious that Jesse was far more formidable than what Sean gave him credit for and


    could tell immediately something was going on between him and Patrick.


    As such, Sean pursed his lips and admitted to it. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you think it is, Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°Preposterous!¡± Jesse snapped a little too loudly.


    Cordy and the others were outside. They would not have heard Jesse, but they certainly could when he


    was being that loud.


    Cordy turned toward Patrick, obviously aware of what Jesse was upset about.


    However, Patrick simply remained silent.


    It was not as if he was not worried-he simply trusted Sean.


    At the same time, Sean had his lower back as he said,¡± Please calm down, Grandfather. You¡¯ve just


    recovered, and you can wait until you¡¯re better before you scold me-or mete out whatever punishment


    you have in mind. Your health matters.¡±


    ¡°I pinned all my hopes on you, Sean,¡± Jesse huffed in disappointment. ¡°You know that none in our


    family are special, and I won¡¯t rest easy if any of them took control of the family estate. That¡¯s why I


    personally groomed you, but this is the way you repay me?! Do you want our lineage to end under your


    watch?!¡±


    ¡°I already have that covered, Grandfather.¡± Sean said, knowing that his grandfather would not rest until


    he gave his grandfather something to work with.


    ¡°How so?!¡± Jesse remained agitated.


    ¡°Like you said, everyone in the family isn¡¯t worth inheriting the family estate. However, Cordy is,¡± Sean


    said bluntly.


    Jesse brinked, actually swayed ever so slightly.


    ¡°However, I¡¯d understand if you have misgivings about it since Cordy isn¡¯t technically a Cranston, which


    is why I believe Dicky is the better choice,¡± Sean said.


    Jesse twitched again-though he was ring at Sean, he did not argue.


    Sean hence went on to borate, ¡°Cordy, John, and I havee to an agreement. Dicky will stay with


    us, and I¡¯ll groom him personally so that he can be strong enough to lead the family. While I


    personally hope that he¡¯ll change it, he doesn¡¯t have to, and I¡¯d still have to ask for Cordy and John¡¯s


    permission-even if I think they¡¯d say yes. I¡¯m sure you know about Dicky¡¯s potential, and he would have


    no issues taking leadership if we start with him now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve really covered all corners, huh?¡± Jesse growled coolly.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 1276

    Chapter 1276


    Chapter 1276


    Sean said evenly, ¡°It¡¯s what I thought I could do for the family.¡±


    ¡°When did you¡­ With Patrick Stuart¡­¡± Jesse trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with him,¡± Sean said. ¡°I knew which way I swing ever since I was a child, but I¡¯ve


    never said anything considering how you would feel about this. Of course, I never did find the right


    person until Patrick, whom I considered worth fighting for, even if it means going against the family.¡±


    Jesse¡¯s visage was cold.


    Still, Sean continued, ¡°I understand very well how I feel toward him, and I know the price I must pay.


    The only thing I can do now is to do my best not to inflict losses to the family.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going through with this?¡± Jesse demanded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sean said bluntly.


    Jesse¡¯s visage contorted hideously, but no one could ept such a thing immediately.


    The ward remained deathly silent, and Sean kept his head bowed.


    There was no telling how long had passed until Jesse said,¡± I¡¯ll never ept this. I won¡¯t force you to


    reconsider, and I¡¯m in no state to get agitated. Give me a proper response when I¡¯m getting


    discharged.¡±


    However, Sean knew his answer very well and he was determined-whether a month, a year, or a


    lifetime would pass.


    His grandfather was too frail to suffer any agitation right now, so he said, ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll have a proper answer


    when you¡¯re discharged, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Jesse growled. ¡°Tell Cordy and the rest toe in again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Sean strode out of the ward.


    As the others looked at him worriedly, he gave them a look of assurance and said, ¡°Go on in.


    Grandfather¡¯s asking for you.¡±


    Though she had questions, Cordy decided to stay silent and followed the others into the ward.


    Jesse¡¯s rage and disappointment seemed to disappear into thin air, and he was once again kind and


    gentle to Cordy.¡± The rest of you can go about your business. I¡¯m fine with just Cordy keeping me


    company.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sean said respectfully.


    John nced at Cordy, who said, ¡°You can go back to Cranston House with Sean. Dicky¡¯s there, and


    don¡¯t you have something to tell him?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± John nodded. ¡°Take good care of Mr. Cranston. Call


    me if anythinges up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    As they left, Patrick could not help asking in the car, ¡°What did your grandfather say? He disagrees with


    us being together, doesn¡¯t he? I knew he would.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Sean asked, looking at him just then.


    ¡°What am I afraid of?!¡± Patrick somehow thought that he was on apletely different wavelength. ¡°I¡¯m


    not afraid- I¡¯m perfectly open-minded, and I won¡¯t die because I can¡¯t live with someone. And you know


    I¡¯m still highly eligible, and I¡¯m attractive to both men and women¡­¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll take responsibility, silly.¡± Sean smiled at him adoringly. ¡°And that means for life. Stop letting


    your thoughts take over-l can handle this.¡±


    Patrick looked at Sean then.


    He certainly understood how impressive Jesse could be, which was why he did not really want to make


    things awkward for Sean.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    But considering that they would be driven apart because of this still left his heart breaking.


    He would be aggrieved, miserable, and reluctant to let Sean go. However, he would not want Sean to


    be in trouble because of him either.

 Chapter 1277

    Chapter 1277


    Chapter 1277


    Cordy kept Jessepany in his ward, talking to him, wiping him down, feeding him, and bringing him


    water.


    She cared for him meticulously, and Jesse was certainly emotional to see this.


    It reminded him of Cordy¡¯s mother, and the single greatest regret he would have in this life.


    He always had a soft spot for her, too-which was why he could admit that he was interested in Sean¡¯s


    suggestion to let Cordy¡¯s son inherit the family estate even though strictly speaking, Richard was not


    even on the list.


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Jesse suddenly called out to her. ¡°Did you know about Sean and Patrick?¡±


    Cordy nodded, having no reason to hide it. ¡°I just found out.¡±


    ¡°But you and Patrick¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say it was not meant to be.¡± Cordy sighed feebly.¡± And we¡¯ve both now found someone


    better.¡±


    ¡°Someone better?!¡± Jesse glowered.


    The thought that the grandson he appreciated most turning out to be a walking timebomb certainly left


    him overwhelmed.


    Cordy could read his mind and smiled, ¡°I think you should be more open-minded about Sean,


    Grandfather.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just uneptable,¡± Jesse huffed with righteous indignation. ¡°I never thought this would happen to


    me.¡±


    ¡°But it happened.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°And what, I shouldn¡¯t stop it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rmend against stopping them,¡± Cordy said quietly, concerned that she would aggravate him.


    ¡°Things are going well for Sean and Patrick. And after listening to Sean¡¯s story, I personally believe that


    he won¡¯t change the way you want him to.¡±


    Jesse¡¯s beard bristled in frustration¡ªthis was the first time he felt so powerless.


    Cordy continued to persuade him. ¡°It¡¯s just the line of session, no? There are plenty of Cranstons


    who can hold the line, and it¡¯s no issue if Sean abstains. He did not abandon the family estate either,


    and he¡¯s doing what he can to keep the family going, in his own way.¡±


    ¡°His own way? You mean throwing Dicky to the burning pit?¡± Jesse huffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite right, Grandfather. Dicky would be honored to take over the family estate if he proves


    to possess the caliber.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going along with this?¡± Jesse asked.


    In reality, he was worried that Cordy-or worse, John-was reluctant.


    The Cranston family estate was certainly grand. Having stood for decades at the top, it was no issue


    for their splendor to be sustained over a century.


    However, the Levines were no pushovers-with their wealth that could match nations, their family


    needed an heir as well.


    Everyone would also have seen by then how smart Richard was even as a child, and his potential


    would certainly be inestimable. As such, were the Levines really willing to let Richard stay with the


    Cranston family?


    ¡°I¡¯ll respect Dicky¡¯s choice, and John gave Sean a definitive response that he¡¯s willing to let Dicky stay


    in Cranston Hall,¡± Cordy said shortly.


    As Jesse looked up at her, she added solemnly, ¡°You¡¯ve just regained consciousness, Grandfather.


    Don¡¯t worry too much -you still need time to recover. In fact, I think it¡¯s time you can retire, since Sean


    has the strength to keep the family going. He won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±


    Jesse stayed silent for a while before sighing. ¡°My children and grandchildren have all found their


    happiness. I¡¯ve certainly grown old.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not old, Grandfather. But you¡¯ve been striving for a lifetime, and you¡¯ve earned your respite.


    Leave the rest to us young¡¯uns or even our descendants.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jesse nodded and shed a mild smile. ¡°I definitely have let go of many things after what


    happened. There¡¯s no telling what life would bring next, and it¡¯s high time I enjoy what¡¯s left of my


    days.¡±

 Chapter 1278

    Chapter 1278


    Chapter 1278


    Cordy smiled. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, Grandpa. Also, the doctor said you can go out on a wheelchair-how


    about I take you on a stroll?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Jesse replied.


    As Cordy wheeled Jesse through the hallways of the hospital, she thought to herself that even if she


    had no idea why Jesse and her mother fought, she would be happy with how things were now.


    Cordy cared for Jesse for over a month before he returned to Cranston Hall.


    During that period, the other Cranstons learned that Jesse had regained consciousness as well, and


    they all came to visit.


    Though some of them were more or less jealous that Cordy was always with Jesse, they did not protest


    given Jesse¡¯s authority.


    Meanwhile, Richard remained in the capital, just as he would be there for the foreseeable future.


    Cordy asked if he was really willing to stay, and Richard¡¯s response was resolute.


    He would love to stay with his parents, but he was also a young man who should learn to shoulder


    responsibilities.


    While Cordy had no idea what John told their son, Richard¡¯s reaction set her mind at ease.


    Naturally, John was not staying put after returning to North City either-he would be flying to the capital


    either day like your typical frequent flier.


    Zoe would asionallyin to Cordy that only she and Jay were the only ones visiting Levine It


    was even less fun that she had to pit her wits against Nancy, and she felt aggrieved.


    Cordy, however, did not agree¡ªZoe appeared much more relieved.


    Indeed, anyone would not have been able to put the past behind them if they were in Zoe and Nancy¡¯s


    shoes. One might even call it the armistice of the century.


    Whenever John arrived at the capital, he woulde to the hospital to take care of Jesse, as well as


    discuss details of their wedding, which was held a week after Jesse was discharged.


    It was a grand asion, though Cordy would rather John kept things subtler-who else had two


    weddings with such pomp and circumstance?


    Even so, John told her seriously that he could not be subtle- if he could, he would have one wedding


    for them every year, so that everyone in the world knew he married Cordy Sachs.


    Cordy blushed-how could he say something so mushy like that?!


    ¡°Cordy,¡± Jesse said. ¡°I should be giving you a dowry.¡±


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to, Grandfather¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not? You¡¯re a Cranston, and you should marry with all due pomp and circumstance,¡± Jesse said


    solemnly. ¡°I¡¯ve had people prepare everything for you-bring in the inventory, Sean.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Sean said, bringing out a ledger.


    Cordy was stunned¡ªshe really did not want anything from the Cranstons.


    For her, she was grateful that the family could offer her the warmth of a family once more.


    And there were a ton of assets to be transferred to her.


    Real estate, cars, shares, and cash-there seemed to be no end to it as Jesse read it all aloud¡­

 Chapter 1279

    Chapter 1279


    Chapter 1279


    After reading everything aloud, Jesse lowered the ledger and told Cordy, ¡°Come here.¡±


    Cordy hurried to him, her eyes already red with emotion.


    Jesse then took out an emerald bangle from a beautiful jewelry box. It was obvious that the bangle was


    worth a fortune and had considerable history given that the box was an antique.


    Taking Cordy¡¯s hand, Jesse put the bangle around Cordy¡¯s slender wrist, his voice choking with


    emotion as he said,¡± Your grandmother left this for your mother.¡±


    Cordy felt her nose turning runny and her tears almost threatened to fall.


    Jesse smiled at her contentedly in turn. ¡°I thought it¡¯d stay in that box forever¡­ Thank you foring


    when you did.¡±


    He certainly still had regrets but was thankfully given a second chance.


    ¡°Thank you, Grandfather,¡± she said earnestly.


    Jesse grinned. ¡°Just tell me if John ever gives you grief. I¡¯ll be there for you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d never allow her to be hurt, sir. You have nothing to worry about,¡± John quickly said nearby.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. I won¡¯t let myself be given grief either.


    ¡± Cordy smiled.


    Jesse nodded in satisfaction and said a little wistfully, ¡°Your mother really raised you well.¡±


    Cordy¡¯s eyes welled with tears again-her mother certainly did.


    It would always be regrettable that she could not be with them.


    Jesse sighed lengthily in turn, not intending to stay miserable on an auspicious day.


    He turned toward Sean, who had been prim and proper recently.


    While he always showed a strong sense of self-discipline before, he somehow put in extra effort,


    working hard for the family and running around if he had to.


    Anyone could see it, and Jesse did as well-though he also knew why Sean was working so hard.


    He still could not ept that Sean was gay even after a month, but he could not withstand Cordy¡¯s


    persistent persuasion either.


    She kept reasoning with him, saying that the family¡¯s lineage would carry on even without Sean.


    Eventually, Jesse more or less relented inside even though he did not really say it out loud.


    ¡°Patrick Stuart, was it?¡± Jesse suddenly called out to Patrick, who was there with them.


    John had actually been traveling around for work and was mostly away from the capital. However, he


    came to greet Jesse as he was getting discharged.


    On the other hand, Patrick was constantly loitering around Cranston Hall, even hovering around Jesse


    at Sean¡¯s side-it was a headache for the elderly man on asion.


    Obviously, Jesse was hardly epting, and that extended to Sean. However, Sean seemed not to


    care, bringing Patrick along to every family gathering. That worked well against Jesse¡¯s quiet


    discouragement, as he always refrained from saying anything as he usually quietly pressured people


    into backing down and following his will.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.


    Sean simply acted as if he did not know a thing and acted lovey-dovey with Patrick out in public.


    ¡°Wait, were you calling me?¡± Patrick asked in disbelief.


    He certainly could tell that Jesse despised him and had thought about leaving Cranston Hall to avoid


    conflict.


    Sean refused to let him go, however. He kept saying stuff like he was working himself like a ve for


    their happiness and forbade Patrick from leaving unceremoniously.


    Hence, he stayed, while Sean constantly brought him along when he visited Jesse, basically


    challenging the man¡¯s limit of tolerance.


    At times, Patrick rejoiced that he had to rejoice that Jesse was too old to get physical or he would at


    least have a couple of broken limbs.


    And now, the man suddenly called him by his name¡­

 Chapter 1280

    Chapter 1280


    Chapter 1280


    It was natural that Patrick would be uncertain Jesse was calling him, since the man had treated him like


    he did not exist for a month.


    He was actually terrified¡ªwhat would Jesse do to him?!


    Jesse was not going to start beating him up now that he had recovered, right?!


    He nced at Sean with a look that said ¡®you did this¡¯.


    Sean pursed his lips, more or less worried as well.


    ¡°Who else is named Patrick around here?¡± Jesse huffed.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    The parlor of Cranston Hall was silent-no one ever made a sound whenever Jesse got upset.


    ¡°Yes, sir. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Patrick asked calmly and respectfully, controlling his breathing despite the


    lingering fear inside.


    ¡°Does your grandfather know about you and Sean?¡± Jesse asked.


    ¡°He does,¡± Patrick replied.


    In fact, his family knew his preferences all along and were much more amodating than the


    Cranstons.


    Perhaps prepared for it, Monty Stuart even urged him to bring Sean home soon.


    Still, Patrick rejected the offer, since there was no telling what would happen since they had yet to gain


    the Cranstons 1 approval.


    They would like to avoid regret just like any couple would.


    ¡°They had no objections?¡±


    ¡°None,¡± Patrick replied. ¡°They were even happy about it.¡±


    While Jesse frowned, Patrick added, ¡°You can call my grandfather if you doubt me.¡±


    Jesse stayed silent, but he was convinced that Patrick would not lie no matter how bold he was.


    ¡°So, if I give my approval, the two of you are going to¡­¡± Jesse trailed off, unable to finish.


    He was too old to be so epting!


    Cordy could not help butting in just then, saying,¡± Grandfather, it¡¯s decided with or without your


    approval.¡±


    Jesse inhaled deeply in turn, and after a while, he growled,¡± Come here.¡±


    Patrick was left stunned again. ¡°Who, me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be questioning your intelligence if you weren¡¯t a Stuart!¡± Jesse snapped, further frustrated by


    Patrick¡¯s dull response.


    Patrick pursed his lips and slowly walked toward Jesse.


    Things were probably getting physical, but he did steal the man¡¯s most treasured grandson.


    No one could take such a thing lying down!


    Resigning himself, Patrick walked over to Jesse, but Sean suddenly stepped between them.


    Everyone else was taken aback, and Jesse scowled even harder.


    ¡°Grandfather, this isn¡¯t his fault. You can punish me if you want¡ªI¡¯ll take anything thrown my way,¡±


    Sean said with humble respect, his very posture showing deference.


    However, he was also determined.


    Jesse red coldly at Sean-while anyone would back down tactfully, Sean had grown a spine and


    issued a tacit challenge to Jesse¡¯s authority!

 Chapter 1281

    Chapter 1281


    Chapter 1281


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Jesse¡¯s expression was dark-Sean had never once disobeyed him before.


    Patrick was surprised that Sean would suddenly step between them too.


    Still, before Jesse flipped out, Cordy quickly said, ¡°Sean, please.¡±


    Sean pursed his lips, but he was determined.


    ¡°Juste here for a moment.¡± Cordy tried to pull him along.


    Sean still did not move.


    Cordy shot him a look then-she had been coaxing Jesse every day she spent with him, speaking highly


    of both Sean and Patrick. She really doubted that Jesse was not swayed at all after her month-long


    effort.


    Moreover, Jesse was a man of principles and had a reputation to maintain. There was no way he would


    physically harm Patrick even if he did not acknowledge Sean and Patrick¡¯s rtionship-all it would do


    was embarrass him, just as he would have to defend his actions to the Stuarts.


    If there was punishment, it would be thrown at Sean.


    Sean had to be smart enough to understand that, but it was also understandable people get flustered


    when their loved ones are at stake.


    Cordy could understand that Sean was being serious about Patrick or he would not havee clean to


    the family readily. However, she did not expect Sean to blindly cover for Patrick to such an extent


    either.


    Still, Sean seemed toe to his senses when he saw the look in her eyes, and he moved aside with


    her.


    Jesse¡¯s scowl did not fade-he would not have bothered himself with Sean and Patrick¡¯s affair if Cordy


    had not worked so hard on him over thest month.


    If he was feeling a little drastic, he would just kick them out.


    And now, he was given grief too?!


    Inhaling deeply, he slowly said, ¡°As an old friend of your grandfather¡¯s, I can look the other way for his


    sake.¡±


    Patrick could not hide his delight at those words, and his grin was so broad that Jesse was left


    scowling.


    Could Patrick control himself a little instead of looking so smug right in front of him?!


    ¡°Thank you, Gramps,¡± Patrick said, easily closing the distance with new acquaintances as he always


    did.


    Jesse was going to correct him but decided to bear with it.


    Whatever.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said, pointing at a jewel box nearby, leaving Patrick in confusion.


    Rolling his eyes, he said, ¡°Take it.¡±


    What¡­?!


    Patrick was perplexed-was Jesse actually giving him a gift?!


    ¡°What, did you think I¡¯d put it on for you like I did with Cordy?! ¡± Jesse snapped angrily.


    That was not actually the case¡ªPatrick was just content that Jesse would acknowledge his


    rtionship with Sean.


    The gift naturally left him stunned.


    Still, Patrick did not hold back at all and promptly opened the jewel box to find an emerald ne


    with the gem in the middle the size of a bird¡¯s egg.


    Everyone was stunned that Jesse would give such a precious gift-it would certainly match Cordy¡¯s


    bangle in value!


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken a while to pick it, but this is the only thing that I thought suits you,¡± Jesse said, a hint of


    discontent showing in his voice. ¡°If word gets out that Sean¡¯s partner is a man¡­¡±


    He trailed off again, knowing that he would give himself a stroke if he finished his own sentence.


    ¡°Go on, get out of my sight-don¡¯t be an eyesore,¡± he huffed, waving Patrick off.


    Patrick was certainly not upset¡ªin fact, he was happy about this.

 Chapter 1282

    Chapter 1282


    Even if Jesse was not being particrly nice, he was obviously indicating that he epted Patrick¡ªthe


    emerald ne was proof enough.


    Patrick turned toward Sean, who gave him an adoring look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t flirt in front of me!¡± Jesse snapped right then.


    Both men had to restrain themselves right then, while Jesse announced, ¡°Alright, everyone can go


    about your business. I¡¯m retiring to my room.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you, Grandpa,¡± Cordy offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright-Johnny rarely visits the capital. You should spend more time with him¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Sean offered.


    ¡°No!¡± Jesse barked, clearly hostile.


    ¡°Allow me, then,¡± Patrick volunteered.


    Jesse was left ring at him-was he really a Stuart? Was he so blind he could not tell how hostile he


    was toward him?!


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you like my own grandfather.¡± Patrick simply strode up to Jesse and held him up by his arm


    without noticing the moody look on his face.


    Jesse was left taken aback and repulsed, but Patrick ignored that too as he helped Jesse to the


    elevator.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Jesse glowered but ultimately stayed silent.


    Meanwhile, everyone was left gaping at Patrick as he left with Jesse.


    It was truly a miracle!


    ¡°Congrattions.¡± Cordy smiled at Sean when she came to her senses.


    Sean did a double take and actually blushed a little.


    Yet another miracle!


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Sean said quietly.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Cordy smiled.


    ¡°I mean, when you stopped me-¡°


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sean nodded.


    ¡°You really should check on them, though,¡± Cordy told him.¡± What if Grandpa harasses Patrick under


    duress?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Sean said, though he soon added, Tm going back to my room. You and John should get


    some rest too- especially John, since he¡¯s been traveling around a lot. Don¡¯t let us impose on your


    honeymoon period.¡±


    With that, he hurried away.


    Truly, one could lie all they want, but the body would always be honest.


    After Sean left, Cordy and John returned to their room.


    John had certainly traveled between the capital and North City, mostly arriving in the evening only to


    leave the next morning.


    ¡°When are you going back?¡± Cordy asked casually once they reached their room.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying until our wedding,¡± John said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why did you think I was working so hard earlier?¡± John chuckled.


    He wanted to free up more time to prepare for the wedding.


    Cordy¡¯s heart skipped a beat-his gestures always warmed her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy nodded.


    She watched as John headed into the bathroom.


    She thought to herself that he always visited even though she would be always busy taking care of


    Jesse and barely had time to get intimate with John.


    And now¡­


    Cordy¡¯s heart raced-her period was just over, and it was a safe day.


    She hesitated for a moment before changing into a sleeping gown.


    They had been married for a while, but they never had their honeymoon period.


    Even she was getting expectant, let alone John¡­

 Chapter 1283

    Chapter 1283


    Chapter 1283


    Cordyy in bed, waiting for John.


    He eventually emerged from the bathroom, absent-mindedly drying his hair as he changed into fresh


    pajamas.


    He appeared surprised to find Cordy in bed. ¡°Going to sleep too?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°No,¡¯¡¯ he quickly said. ¡°I mean, you¡¯d have trouble sleeping at the hospital while taking care of your


    grandfather.¡±


    Cordy pursed her lips-that certainly was not the case.


    In private hospitals, one could enjoy the hospitality usually expected from five-star hotels. With people


    at your beck and call, it certainly did not dull inparison to one.


    Still, John did not seem to notice Cordy¡¯s feelings as he pulled up the nket and got into bed.


    Cordy followed suit after he did and slowly slid to his side.


    John was taken aback-he almost could not recall a day when he was alone in the same room with


    Cordy, and he handily pulled her into his arms.


    Holding her firmly, he started to sleep.


    Cordy¡¯s heart racing.


    It was as if there was some unknown force at work stopping them from consummating even though


    they were legally married now.


    She waited nervously for a long while, but John was not making a move!


    He should be desperate, and she remembered that he could not sleep the night after their wedding in


    North City.


    But now, John was not moving at all, and she could not feel his body stiffening, let alone show any


    sense of urgency.


    She turned to find him sound asleep, his breathing rhythmic and his visage rxed.


    Cordy was left staring in disbelief-he actually fell asleep and very soundly at that!


    Cordy was left heaving from the grievance that seemed to stay stuck on her chest and was left tossing


    and turning, unsure if she was supposed to vent or to get his attention.


    John could not help twitching a little just then, as if to pull away from Cordy.


    He dreamed that he was crushing Cordy under his weight, making her ufortable, so he moved


    aside-which left Cordy bristling! She was teasing him, only for him to move away!


    Just as she was going to bite him, she spotted the dark circles under his eye, an obvious sign that he


    had been working very hardtely.


    That left her a little pained and she took a deep breath to calm herself.


    Then, slowly shifting to his side, she wrapped her arms around him and slept-understanding how John


    had trouble sleeping those nights before.


    It was certainly ufortable¡­


    It was the final week before the wedding, and a lot of the specific details were to be decided.


    John basically hit the ground running when he arrived at the capital, and Cordy was naturally with him.


    They finalized details and chose their wedding attire, even sparing the time to take wedding photos.


    On the day of, the Cranstons were there too, so they took a full family photo.


    As a dynasty, there were plenty of people in the Cranston family, but they had yet to take an actual


    family photo.


    Still, Jesse seemed to think that he would not have the chance to do it again if he did not do it now,


    given how old he was.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Hence, every member of the family gathered at the photo studio¡­

 Chapter 1284

    Chapter 1284


    Chapter 1284


    Everyone was dressed formally and elegantly, none of them doing anything out of line since Jesse was


    present.


    Even Paul Cranston¡ªwho was usually dissatisfied with the favoritism Jesse showed to Sean-was


    afraid to say more.


    Naturally, he could not help throwing some barbs at Sean¡¯s way from time to time, but Jesse¡¯s re


    would be enough to silence him.


    Surprisingly, Patrick was allowed in the family photo as well.


    Even the man himself was surprised-while Jesse had grown to ept him, it was not difficult to tell that


    the man was exasperated whenever he looked at Patrick.


    He was probably wondering how his legacy ended up ruined because of Patrick, but it was quite simply


    a mystery¡­


    Under the directions of the staff, everyone stood in position. Then, with a few brisk snaps of the camera


    shutter, the digital copy of their photo was soon disyed on a huge screen.


    Everyone was smiling happily, even if some were reluctant. It was a picture of one big happy family.


    They all certainly felt something then and would suddenly agree that nothing was more important than


    family¡­


    Still, the Cranstons started to leave after the photo session, leaving just Cordy and John.


    Cordy stopped Sean. ¡°Hey, Sean?¡±


    Sean looked at her, since he was going to send Jesse home.


    ¡°You should stay with us,¡± Cordy said.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Take some photos with Patrick,¡± Cordy suggested quietly.


    Sean was a little hesitant-it did cross his mind, but they were still two grown men¡­


    Still, he became eager with Cordy¡¯s offer, and Cordy kept goading him. ¡°You have Grandfather¡¯s


    approval, so let¡¯s take some photos inmemoration of you and Patrick and then with us as well.¡±


    Sean nced at Patrick, who was poring over his phone and shrugging nonchntly, ¡°Your call.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send Grandfather home first,¡± Sean said.


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯re waiting.¡±


    Sean did not reply, but his silence could well be a yes.


    Still, he returned before long.


    Cordy asked, ¡°You sent Grandfather home already?¡±


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Nope. He¡¯s heading home with Uncle Paul,¡± Sean replied.


    Cordy smiled enigmatically then-their grandfather was certainly sharp.


    ¡°I had the staff pick your clothes,¡± Cordy said. ¡°Try them on.¡±


    Sean nodded and headed to the dressing room with Patrick.


    Since Cordy and John¡¯s photo session was prearranged, their session was quickly over with no issues.


    The cameraman and his assistant were in awe even as they worked. ¡°You have to be the most


    beautiful couple I¡¯ve ever seen. There¡¯s no need for touch-ups-your photo is already perfect!


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the boss to give you some rebate since we¡¯re spared such taxing post-processing work.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we could even waive any charges if we¡¯re allowed to use your photos for


    promotional purposes¡­¡±


    It was the first time Cordy had ever met such a talkative cameraman, who was constantly praising their


    good looks instead of asking forthem to pose.


    Meanwhile, Sean and Patrick¡¯s photo session started halfway through theirs.


    In reality, they kept their distance in public so others did not see them together often. It was perhaps to


    be tactful toward those around them as well, since not everyone was that epting.


    Naturally, the cameraman asked them to stand close to each other, even intimately for the photo.


    Cordy was left spacing out, since they were a good match for each other!

 Chapter 1285

    Chapter 1285


    Chapter 1285


    Night had arrived by the time they were done taking photos, with both couples going out with Richard


    for dinner.


    Cordy, who had been busy taking care of Jesse for over a month, suddenly realized she had been


    neglecting Richard a little.


    It felt like her son had grown up again, and he resembled a teenager now.


    ¡°Are you used to the capital, Dicky?¡± Cordy asked him as she put food on his te.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Richard nodded.


    ¡°Your daddy and I won¡¯t be here eventually. Will you get ufortable?¡±


    ¡°No. Uncle Sean¡¯s been good to me-he¡¯ll take good care of me,¡± Richard said cheerfully, showing no


    signs of being coerced into this decision. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªjust go back to North City with Daddy. I¡¯ll be


    fine here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Cordy nodded, a little emotional just then.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Richard was the greatest surprise she ever had in this world, after all.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Dicky back to North City whenever there¡¯s time too,¡± Sean said. ¡°Though I hope you two will


    come over instead.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    After dinner, the five of them returned to Cranston Hall, where the ce was silent since it was very


    late.


    They tried to keep things quiet as they returned to their rooms.


    When Cordy and John returned to theirs, John prepared a bath for her. ¡°You can bathe first.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Cordy nodded and headed to the bathroom, though she paused at the doorway just as she was


    about to enter.


    John had taken off his suit and was seated on the couch, killing time on his phone.


    Still, he looked up when he noticed Cordy poking her head out to stare at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is the


    water too hot?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cordy shook her head.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Want to bathe together?¡± Cordy asked.


    John did a double take, surprised by Cordy¡¯s bold suggestion.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯ste-and it would save time that way,¡± Cordy quickly added, blushing. ¡°We still have to


    check the lodgings for our guests tomorrow, don¡¯t we? Well be leaving early tomorrow.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far to save timetake your time, I¡¯ll just take a break on the


    couch first.¡±


    Cordy frowned at John, really doubting that he did not catch her hint!


    However, it had been a few days since John came to the capital, and they were not doing much even


    though they shared the same bed.


    She knew that the days were tiring, as they woke up early and sleptte.


    This, on the other hand¡­ was ridiculous!


    Gritting her teeth, Cordy turned and headed inside the bathroom, mming the door shut a little


    forcefully.


    John could do whatever he wanted-she was not that eager anyway!


    On the other hand, John smiled feebly as he watched her m the door shut.


    He naturally understood Cordy¡¯s hint, just as she had dropped plenty over thest few days.


    In fact, he almost fell for her seduction on asion!


    Even so, he was hoping that he could give her the best, so he could afford to wait another couple days.

 Chapter 1286

    Chapter 1286


    Chapter 1286


    John got out of the couch and headed over to the balcony.


    He was the one who rejected Cordy¡¯s advances, but he was also the one who suffered.


    Dayster, John¡¯s second wedding with Cordy in the capital was underway.


    Since he was supposed to receive Cordy from Cranston


    Hall, he bought another mansion where the Levines would stay the night before.


    Naturally, Zoe and Jay were there, while Quinn also stayed at a nearby hotel, just like the other friends


    and associates from North City.


    Cordy was yawning when Quinn and Zoe both arrived at Cranston Hall early in the morning, and the


    servants led her to the room.


    Zoe was ranting the instant she saw Cordy, ¡°I knew the Cranstons were amazing, but I didn¡¯t think that


    they¡¯d be this amazing. This old manor is so huge I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll lose my way in here¡ªare you sure it¡¯s


    not a pce?! You¡¯d be a princess or nobility, or at least royalty, if we were in medieval times.¡±


    In reality, Zoe was not that far off the mark-the Cranstons had ties to royalty. Their roots were still


    entrenched deeply that the family retained that influence, and they did deserve their cement as one


    of the four most important dynasties in the nation.


    Moreover, in addition to its historical significance, Cranston Hall was still expanding its walls every year,


    and in the capital where every yard ofnd was worth its weight in gold, they basically upied half a


    street now.


    What Zoe was seeing was just the tip of the iceberg¡ªthere were spots in the manor reserved for


    tourism, but they still retained ownership even though tourists paid toe in for a look.


    ¡°To think my bestie is nobility-it¡¯s an honor.¡± Zoe sighed emotionally before snapping indignantly, ¡°I


    mean, if they¡¯d brought you back earlier, you¡¯d be wiping Jessica Stuart and Noel Sachs¡¯ faces on the


    floor!¡±


    Cordyughed. ¡°They lost to me anyway even without my family¡¯s help anyway.¡±


    ¡°Praise be to Cordy the Almighty!¡± Zoe promptly ttered her.


    Cordy smiled faintly, though she also felt a little emotional- Noel and Jessica seemed to be ancient


    history to her now.


    In fact, Noel might have been released from prison since it had been years.


    How would she live now?


    She never came looking for Cordy¡ªnot that Cordy was kind enough to care.


    Even if Noel did give every percent of Sachs Enterprise¡¯ shares she owned to Cordy, neither of them


    owed each other anything.


    As for Jessica, there was even less reason to get sentimental about the dead.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Zoe suddenly yelped after getting changed.


    Both Cordy and Quinn turned toward her in surprise-Cordy had already shown them their bridesmaid


    dresses.


    Was there a need to get so excited?!


    Nheless, Zoe was soon eximing in excitement,¡± John¡¯s really ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Check out the news right now,¡± Zoe urged.


    Cordy, who was seated at the dressing table, took out her phone and tapped on the news app, still


    confused.


    The headlines popped up immediately: [Wedding of the Century! John Levine, richest man of North


    City, ties the knot with heiress Cordy Cranston. All are invited!]


    ¡®All are invited?!¡¯


    Cordy tapped on the article to find that early in the morning, John had sent flowers to everydy in the


    capital, be it infants in cradles or the elderly!


    It was certainly a national celebration, but that was not all ¡ª he bought billboards and livestream


    timeslots to broadcast their wedding. Some TV channels would be broadcasting it live as well!


    Cordy tapped on one of the streams to find John looking sharp in his ck tuxedo and with a bouquet


    in hand.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    And every livestreamment was repeatedly praising his good looks!

 Chapter 1287

    Chapter 1287


    Chapter 1287


    Zoe was very much smug. ¡°John¡¯s really announcing to the world that he¡¯s marrying the finest bride,


    isn¡¯t he? The wedding in North City was exceedingly grand, but he still managed to take it to new


    heights here at the capital.


    Whoever wants to use the ¡®wedding of the century¡¯ title from now on must at least surpass what he did.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not all him,¡± Cordy muttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Zoe eximed in surprise.


    ¡°My family definitely had a hand in this too,¡± Cordy exined. ¡°We married without the family¡¯s approval


    before, so they want to announce my status as a Cranston. That¡¯s why they would work together to


    make it so grand.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s just an excuse,¡± Zoe said very confidently. ¡°John would be unable to resist telling the whole


    world! It¡¯s like he¡¯s afraid you¡¯d run away, marrying you like this¡ªhaha!¡±


    Cordy did not argue since it was something John could do.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°And here I thought I¡¯d seen his bag of tricks-that wedding in North City was plenty enough. To think


    that he could still put up another stunning performance! He¡¯s really amazing!¡± Zoe said proudly.


    Cordy was speechless and turned.


    As she looked at the mirror, she inadvertently noticed that Quinn was exceedingly silent even as she


    sat beside her.


    She was awyer, so she always appeared more mature.


    However, Quinn was just too silent today, and she usually would be infected by Zoe¡¯s mood when Zoe


    was around. ¡¯


    ¡°Quinn?¡± Cordy called out to her just then.


    Quinn did a double take and slowly smiled. ¡°Oh? Yeah, it¡¯s very lively.¡±


    Naturally, she was referring to John and Cordy¡¯s wedding.


    Cordy then asked offhandedly, ¡°Is Saming out of the capital?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Quinn shook her head.


    She came here with Zoe, and Sam never answered Quinn¡¯s texts when she asked-so she had no idea.


    However, he woulde unless something came up, considering that he and John went way back.


    ¡°I think I saw him on the livestream just now,¡± Cordy said.


    Quinn nodded but did not say anything else.


    Cordy followed suit.


    Rtionships do getplicated, after all.


    Cranston Hall became lively at 9 AM, and Zoe excitedly locked the door, probably because John had


    arrived.


    The girl certainly loved to have fun.


    Still, Bob snapped bluntly from outside the door, ¡°State your demands, Zoe York¡ªI know it¡¯s you. Don¡¯t


    forget that it¡¯s John who¡¯s getting married today¡­ unless you have something against their marriage?!¡±


    Zoe rolled her eyes¡ªBob always knew how to get on her nerves!


    Cordy smiled at her reaction, while Bob added loudly from outside, ¡°Open the door if you¡¯re actually


    smart. There¡¯s all the gifts you want here.¡±


    Zoe turned toward Cordy. ¡°I really hate that man.¡±


    Cordy smiled.


    It was not her first wedding in recent days-one might say that it was one too many.


    Although she was excited, she was still a little worn out.¡± Open up.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Zoe muttered reluctantly and opened the door.


    However, a huge group of people swarmed inside as soon as she did, which really startled everyone


    inside!


    While Zoe was still left stunned, Jay had wheeled up to her, pulling her aside in fear that she got hurt.


    Zoe red at them and could not help snapping, ¡°Thugs!¡±


    ¡°Gifts! Gifts!¡± a staff member eximed excitedly then.


    Bob-or John, more specifically-was certainly generous, giving everyone hefty boxes of presents.


    The makeup artists were all grinning from ear to ear from their rewards, allowing John to reach Cordy


    easily.

 Chapter 1288

    Chapter 1288


    Chapter 1288


    John went down on one knee and offered her the bouquet he was holding.


    Cordy grinned brightly, her white wedding dress magnifying her dazzlingly beautiful presence.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to get you, Cordy,¡± John said, his voice quiet and alluring.


    Nearby, several cameras were capturing every moment, as if afraid to miss some exciting moment.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± Cordy replied, looking at him lovingly in return.


    If theirst wedding was a surprise, she had truly been waiting for this.


    ¡°Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡± Zoe eximed nearby, and everyone else echoed.


    Cordy turned toward John while he returned her gaze.


    They were not too sure how each other felt in the wedding at North City, so they might appear distant,


    even estranged.


    But this time, John held Cordy¡¯s cheeks and kissed her firmly on the lips, not caring who was watching.


    ¡°Yeah!!!¡± Everyone eximed excitedly around them as they watched them kiss.


    It was a loving,sting kiss that one would not find even in movies.


    There was both beauty and desire, while livements all pondered if they really were allowed to


    watch this for free.


    The kiss lingered for a while until John reluctantly pulled away.


    He stared at her blushing cheeks and reddened lips, feeling like he really had not had enough.


    As he could not help leaning toward Cordy again, Bob tactlessly reminded him, ¡°Johnny, we¡¯re on a


    schedule here¡­¡±


    Cordy did a double take and avoided John¡¯s kiss-he was the one who made a pass on her advances


    the past few days, after all! And now he was getting eager in front of so many people?!


    Really, the man was a true enigma!


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, Cordy was still lost in thought when she suddenly felt herself rising into the air, and she quickly


    wrapped her arms round John¡¯s neck as he carried her out of the room.


    Everyone followed, bringing much life to Cranston Hall.


    Still, John suddenly paused at the parlor.


    Jesse, Sean, and Richard were there, waiting before him.


    John faced Jesse straight-on and bowed slightly, showing deference and respect.


    Jesse looked at John in turn, and then at Cordy who was in his arms.


    ¡°Be good to her,¡± Jesse said.


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about, sir.¡±


    And with that exchange, Jesse smiled and stood aside-it was his gesture of approval to let John take


    Cordy with him.


    John bowed to him once again before carrying Cordy away.


    Cordy turned to look at her grandfather, her vision blurred with tears.


    She was suddenly reminded of her mother, who must have felt regret that she did not have Jesse¡¯s


    blessing for her marriage!

 Chapter 1289

    Chapter 1289


    Chapter 1289


    Droves of journalists were waiting inside and outside the wedding hall, and John and Cordy¡¯s arrival


    sent the ce into a frenzy.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    As there was a press conference arranged beforehand, they stood among the journalists and answered


    the questions posed to them.


    ¡°The previous wedding in North City had already stirred waves in North City, Mr. Levine. Why another


    wedding? Is it to make up to Ms. Sachs?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, you and Mr. Levine had been hovering around each other for years. Why only get married


    now? Was there perhaps misunderstandings in between?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Sachs, why did you hide your identity as a member of the Cranston Family? Were there perhaps


    some factors you¡¯re not at ease to discuss?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Levine¡­¡±


    As the journalists peppered them with questions, John calmly said,¡± Please, one at a time-or we don¡¯t


    know whose question to answer, and we wont be able to hear anyone clearly. We¡¯ve arranged for this


    press conference to be conducted with ample time so everyone¡¯s question would be answered.¡±


    The journalists turned quietly immediately at John¡¯s words-he always had the ability to take control over


    any scene.


    Soon, one of the journalists asked, ¡°Mr. Levine, it¡¯s obvious that you and Ms. Sachs have loved each


    other for years. What could have happened that you had to wait so long to tie the knot?¡±


    ¡°There has certainly been one too many heart-stopping escapades. While I¡¯m happy to tell everyone


    everything, the gist of it is that we kept missing out on each other despite our love for one another.¡±


    He turned to look at Cordy then, and she looked at him in turn-there was no hiding the love in their


    eyes.


    ¡°I must thank the heavens that we can always start anew after all the missed opportunities. From now


    on, I¡¯ll never let go of Cordy¡¯s hand,e what may.¡±


    He was supposed to be answering the journalists¡¯ questions, but it feels more like a deration of his


    love.


    Another journalist then asked, ¡°Ms. Sachs, may I ask about your connection to the Cranston family?


    Why were you hiding your status before?¡±


    ¡°My mother was Jesse Cranston¡¯s daughter-and I didn¡¯t mean to hide my ties to the Cranstons. I was


    only made aware of that three years ago, since my mother ran away from home. I had since decided


    not to ask about the reasons for her departure since the past should be allowed to stay in the past.


    However, I must tell everyone in no uncertain terms that I am happy to have a wonderful grandfather,


    and I¡¯m proud to be a Cranston.¡±


    ¡°Does Jesse Cranston agree to your marriage with Mr. Levine?¡± the journalist pressed.


    ¡°Very much so,¡± Cordy said. ¡°John is someone he¡¯s entrusting my future to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you hold a grudge for his years of abandonment?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Cordy said bluntly.


    John¡¯s hand tightened around hers, but she continued, ¡°However, I understand that he did not get to


    make his choice. That is why I have all the more reason to be happy and be content with what we


    have, because our rtionship was forged through adversity, and it did note easy.¡±


    ¡°So, you do love Mr. Levine?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cordy smiled. ¡°I would never marry anyone I don¡¯t love.*


    John gulped-that was certainly what she said.


    Even if he did feel that Cordy¡¯s feelings for him changed over time, he could not help feeling immense


    contentment.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all the time we have for your questions.¡± One staff member pped his hands loudly just


    then. ¡°There¡¯s a luncheon avable for everyone, so please proceed inside the hall and offer the bride


    and groom your blessings.¡±


    With the staff having put it that way, the journalists decided not to ask further questions despite having


    more.


    Cordy headed into the banquet hall under John¡¯s escort, but they had to split up to get ready at their


    respective dressing rooms.


    John, however, was holding Cordy¡¯s hand, reluctant to let her go.

 Chapter 1290

    Chapter 1290


    Chapter 1290


    Cordy smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be seeing each other soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± John trailed off.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You just said you love me.¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, he said, ¡°I love you too.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°I know,¡± Cordy replied calmly, though she could feel butterflies in her stomach.


    ¡°See youter,¡± John said then, reluctantly releasing her hand.


    However, before Cordy turned to leave, she suddenly turned and threw her hands around his neck,


    standing on her toes to kiss him.


    As John froze, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to run away, John Levine. Never ever.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± He smiled and nodded.


    Naturally, Zoe was smiling pointedly at Cordy when she entered the dressing room. ¡°I saw everything,


    y¡¯know¡­ he must be beside himself with joy right now. Heck, I bet he has a big dumb smile on his face


    in the dressing room.¡±


    Cordy blushed, but she had to agree it was likely.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re finally going to be with him now.¡± Zoe sighed emotionally.¡± Honestly? It¡¯d kill me too if you


    didn¡¯t end up with him.¡±


    In reality, Cordy thought she would find it a terrible regret too.


    ¡°Well, now that things are settled on our end¡­¡± Zoe said, tuning toward Quinn. ¡°You¡¯re the one left,


    Quinn.¡±


    Quinn had been sitting quietly in a corner and only came to her senses when she heard her name.


    She smiled. ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Your rocky marriage, girl!¡± Zoe said bluntly.


    Cordy turned toward Quinn as well.


    Zoe was not as carefree as everyone would think, since she actually empathized with others a lot.


    She just did not like to get all mushy over it.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Quinn smiled.


    ¡°What, you¡¯re actually doing fine with Sam Saunders?¡± Zoe frowned.


    ¡°I mean, my marriage has always been rocky. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    ¡°Used to it? Marriage is for life-don¡¯t get used to that!¡± Zoe snapped sternly. ¡® Are you going to stay


    married to that man like that and leave things so ambiguous between you two?!¡±


    Quinn could not argue against that.


    ¡°Heck, I never understood what¡¯s the deal between you and Sam,¡± Zoe huffed. ¡°You used to loathe him,


    but now, yearster, you have feelings for him?! And he has a criminal record, even serving time! Can


    you just leave him?! There¡¯s plenty of good men out there-even Bob Davis is more ideal!¡±


    ¡°Come on, Zoe,¡± Cordy snapped, a little speechless just then. ¡°Offer proper advice. Don¡¯t even joke


    around about that.¡± ¡°What, do you think I wouldn¡¯t know what Sam¡¯s like after growing up with John and


    the gang?! The man has so many women that he¡¯d never settle


    for one!¡±

 Chapter 1291

    Chapter 1291


    Chapter 1291


    Quinn said, ¡°Actually, Sam changed a lot¡­ He hasn¡¯t been fooling around ever since he got out¡­¡±


    Zoe was speechless. ¡°And that makes him an eptable husband?¡±


    ¡°No, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Zoe demanded.


    Quinn had no idea how to exin the many things that happened between her and Sam.


    Moreover, she was the one who had him sent to prison¡­


    ¡°Time¡¯s almost up,dies. It¡¯s time for the bride to take the stage,¡± a staff member called out from the


    stage just then.


    Zoe therefore had to give up, and she sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to youter.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    They strode out, and Cordy saw John immediately.


    They both stood before the red carpet, both sides of which were arranged with tables full of guests.


    There were red ribbons and decorations everywhere, livening up the atmosphere in the wedding hall.


    The spotlight found Cordy and John once the appointed hour arrived.


    In her wedding dress, Cordy appeared prim and magnificent, appearing brighter and more dazzling as


    if she was above the rest.


    Zoe could not help being amazed as she looked on. ¡°You¡¯re just so beautiful, Cordy!¡±


    Quinn agreed. ¡°Yes. And not just that¡­ she¡¯s so blessed.¡±


    So much so that it was a cause for envy.


    Quinn could not tear her eyes away from John and Cordy as she wondered how hard they worked for


    their happiness.


    Sam and Bob were there too, as they were John¡¯s best men.


    Bob wasining, ¡°Best man again¡­ At this rate, I wont get a wife. I might have to live out my days


    in Johnny¡¯s service.¡±


    Sam chuckled.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Bob huffed. ¡°You can be the best man as many times you want since you¡¯re married. I¡¯m still


    single, you know.¡±


    ¡°Cora Levine¡¯s always waiting, y¡¯know?¡± Sam pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯t get stubborn. Just give in.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already given up,¡± Bob shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no better option anyway.¡±


    Sam did not expose him, and he turned to see Quinn nearby.


    He certainly noticed that she was staring at Cordy and John for a while, with a look of envy and


    expectation.


    John and Cordy were certainly a picture of happiness, and it was the most ideal state one could hope


    for from marriage.


    Those were circumstancespletely different from theirs.


    In fact, it was understandable Quinn would envy Cordy for being able to marry a man she loved¡­ while


    she did not.


    The wedding ceremony was short and simple, and it was over amid the emcee¡¯s sonorous cheer. ¡°I


    now pronounce you husband and wife!¡±


    As Cordy turned to face the crowd, they found Jesse and Nancy sitting at the front table.


    Jesse had a tender gaze as he watched Cordy, and she returned his gaze, understanding that he saw


    her mother in her.


    There were tears in his eyes as Cordy smiled at him, and he smiled mildly in return to hide his tears.


    It was a scene that was broadcasted over tons of tforms-there had been spections that


    Cranstons had abandoned Cordy or they would have acknowledged Cordy way earlier. She was born


    as a member of the Sachs family too, and it was only because of John that they finally epted Cordy.


    But now, those spections were clearly refuted wordlessly with the way Jesse looked at Cordy.


    While one could argue that it was just an act, they must consider the man named Jesse Cranston here.

 Chapter 1292

    Chapter 1292


    Chapter 1292


    There was no way a man like Jesse would put up an act for the cameras- his status and age certainly


    made that unnecessary.


    And there was no denying the look of adoration and love he was giving Cordy.


    To say that he did not care about Cordy now would be nothing but obstinance or just lip service to earn


    clicks.


    Cordy then turned toward John, and they held each other gazes.


    They were both smiling with tears in their eyes.


    Was she being emotional? Happy? Or just reveling in bliss?


    Cordy could not quite describe how she felt just then, but she earnestly felt that this happiness would


    last the rest of her life.


    The hall thundered with apuse-there was nothing mushy about the ceremony, but there was just


    something emotional about their union.


    One would even start sniffling or tearing up-in fact, Zoe was doing it at the moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s their second wedding,¡± she sniffled loudly. ¡°How is it still so emotional? N


    Quinn¡¯s tears welled in her eyes too-but there was just something beautiful and envious when it came


    to a fulfilling love.


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d stop believing in love if they get a divorce,¡± Zoe sobbed.


    Quinn giggled. ¡°What, don¡¯t you believe in your marriage with Jay?¡±


    ¡°I have more faith in Cordy and John¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Jay¡¯s heart would break from that, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°d he¡¯s not here, then.¡± Zoe smiled mischievously.


    She always was able to clear the air when things got overly sentimental.


    ¡°But if I had topare, I have even less faith in you and Sam,¡± Zoe suddenly added.


    Quinn pursed her lips-Zoe had to ruin the nice atmosphere they had going.


    At the same time, Sam turned toward them.


    They were not exactly far from each other, and Zoe was not speaking softly either.


    Nheless, Zoe continued seriously, ¡°You should just divorce him already before things get really


    ugly.¡±


    Quinn stayed silent, and Sam took that for a tacit agreement.


    He smiled faintly-fortunately, he never held any hope in Quinn.


    Meanwhile, the wedding ceremony was formally over, and the emcee said, ¡°Let¡¯s give our newlyweds a


    round of apuse!¡±


    With that, John took Cordy¡¯s hand as they got off stage and left the wedding hall.


    The ceremony was short, and once John and Cordy were gone, the emcee invited everyone to enjoy


    the luncheon served.


    Naturally, all the dishes were delicacies of the highest order.


    Zoe lifted her skirt as she said, ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    She always was a glutton, but she was especially hungry all the time recently.


    She had breakfast earlier and still needed brunch for some reason.


    And now, she was hungry again, i


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­¡± A staff member approached them just then.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Zoe asked, turning toward him and presuming that they were being ushered to the tables.


    This was certainly the simplest wedding-they just had to wake early, escort John and Cordy to the


    wedding hall, help them change their attire a couple of times, and it was all done.


    It was almost delightful!


    However, while Zoe was thinking that this escort task was all too easy, the staff member told them,


    ¡°The newlyweds have left for their honeymoon. The four of you are now tasked with the guests¡¯


    hospitality.¡±

 Chapter 1293

    Chapter 1293


    Chapter 1293


    Zoe was left staring at the staff member and wondering if she had heard him wrong.


    What?!


    The bride and groom had left for their honeymoon and left all those guests behind?!


    And the best men and bridesmaids were supposed to handle the guests?!


    Those two¡­ They really bailed on everyone!


    Meanwhile, the staff member continued, ¡°This way, please. We¡¯ve prepared drinks for you to share


    toasts with the guests.¡±


    Cordy was actually surprised that John led her straight out of the hotel once the wedding was over.


    There was a car waiting at the front entrance, and John opened the door for her, helping her with her


    cumbersome dress before getting him inside.


    And as the car drove away, Cordy was left staring at the hotel that seemed to shrink in the distance.


    It took her a while to regain her senses. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    Were they not staying for the luncheon?


    And if they left so suddenly, what would happen to the guests?


    ¡°We¡¯re going for our honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cordy was left staring at him.


    ¡°We¡¯re going for our honeymoon.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Now? When I¡¯m dressed like this?! Wait, we¡¯re just going to leave before the wedding is over?!¡± Cordy


    eximed in disbelief.


    John was supposed to be rational-did he consider the consequences of bailing on everyone?!


    She was afraid to even imagine it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve told your grandfather about this.¡±


    ¡°And he agreed?!¡± Cordy eximed in surprise-Jesse was always prim and proper!


    How would he agree to something so unorthodox?!


    ¡°He did,¡± John said proudly nheless.


    ¡°How did you convince him?¡±


    ¡°I pointed out that we haven¡¯t consummated despite being married for a while. And having been


    married himself, he understands.¡±


    While Cordy was left speechless, John added, ¡°I told your cousin too. Sean will help with the guests,


    and he assured me that I have nothing to worry about on my honeymoon.¡±


    Cordy became suspicious. ¡°You have leverage against him, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± John admitted. ¡°He just thinks highly of me. I mean, he¡¯s already interested in having me help


    with the Cranston family estate even before they discovered your ties to them¡­¡±


    Cordy wondered if it would be better if he said Sean was ¡®interested¡¯ in him -she would have an easier


    time buying that.


    ¡°As for my family, I¡¯ve spoken to my aunt and Jay. They¡¯ll help too,¡± John added.


    Cordy rolled her eyes¡ªthe man must have nned this for a while!


    John then remembered. ¡°As for greeting the guests during the luncheon, my best men and your


    bridesmaids will handle that.¡±


    ¡°And they agreed to it too?¡± Cordy eximed in surprise but thought it was only natural that those four


    would.


    They were all their best friends, and things would especially be lively with Zoe¡¯s personality.


    Still, it was weird that Cordy never heard a word ofint from Zoe¡­


    ¡°Nope. I never said a word.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In fact, they just found out like you did.¡± John grinned. ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±


    ¡°For me, maybe,¡± Cordy said slowly and clearly. ¡°It would be a scare for them.¡±


    John did not seem to care.

 Chapter 1294

    Chapter 1294


    Chapter 1294


    John said, ¡°My priority right now is to spend time alone with you without anyone disturbing us.¡±


    ¡°Even if that means abandoning Dicky too?¡± Cordy raised a brow.


    ¡°Can¡¯t deny that he¡¯s the biggest third-wheel now.¡±


    ¡°To think that he¡¯s always worshiped you.¡± Cordy smirked-the man was really leaving their son to his


    own devices.


    ¡°He¡¯ll understand when he¡¯s older.¡±


    Cordy snorted-always an excuse for everything, huh?


    ¡°Anyway, we have nothing to worry about. Just rx and enjoy our time alone together.¡±


    Cordy inhaled deeply.


    There was nothing she could do after he had gone that far anyway, so she just had to y along.


    She also did not want to think how badly Zoe would chew her out for this when they got back.


    As a matter of fact, Zoe wanted to chew out John and Cordy right now.


    There were eighty tables seated full of guests, and they had to greet everyone, table by table!


    And forget about picking up their mess-they still needed toe up with excuses for the newlyweds¡¯


    absence!


    And after doing ap around the hall, Zoe felt like she could die.


    Jay, Sean, and Patrick were all waiting at the table as the four of them sat down.


    After all, they were all Cordy¡¯s best friends.


    And being one of the hosts, Sean offered them personal hospitality.


    ¡°Urgh, I¡¯m beat. I feel like I could die,¡± Zoeined miserably. ¡°John and Cordy had better note


    back! How dare they bail on us like that?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult for them to finally get married, and they were busy even after their wedding,¡± Quinn


    reasoned. ¡°It¡¯s understandable if they can¡¯t wait to have some time alone.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡± Zoe trailed off and snorted. ¡°Whatever-I¡¯m hungry. No, I¡¯m hungry and tired. Let¡¯s start


    drinking!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re hungry and tired, but you¡¯re drinking?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard? It relieves tension.¡± Zoe grinned and turned toward Sean, who sat across from her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr.


    Cranston. We must drink-don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Sean quickly said, ¡°Of course. All the more reason to do so since Cordy and John aren¡¯t around.¡±


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°See? The man has spoken.¡± Zoe smiled at Quinn.


    Quinn did not press the issue, since Zoe could hold her liquor anyway. Moreover, she could take a nap


    afterward since there was nothing to do in the afternoon, and it would not affect her greeting the guests


    in the evening.


    Sean popped open a bottle of vodka and poured everyone a ss.


    However, when Zoe picked hers up and was about to take a sip, she retched loudly. ¡°Bleurgh.¡±


    Quinn looked at her in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t like the taste?¡±


    ¡°The smell is just a little strong,¡± Zoe said, quickly putting down her ss.


    ¡°It is a unique vor,¡± Sean said, noticing Zoe¡¯s reaction just then. ¡°You can have something else if


    you¡¯re not used to it-which do you prefer, wine or beer?¡±


    ¡°Beer,¡± Zoe said, withstanding the queasiness in her belly while feeling puzzled.


    She never did like vodka, but not to the point that she got literally sick.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sean beckoned for a waiter to fetch a beer, while Zoe pushed her ss of vodka away-even


    the sight of it made her queasy somehow.


    Noting her reaction, Jay asked beside her, ¡°Are you that tired today?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Zoe quickly nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve felt like this¡­ It¡¯s like I could turn into jelly. It¡¯s


    never happened before, but I think I have a cold, yet my symptoms don¡¯t point to a cold.¡±


    ¡°What symptoms?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Tiredness, hunger, and vomiting,¡± Zoe said. ¡°I think I woke too early this morning-1 almost puked when


    I rinsed my mouth!¡¯

 Chapter 1295

    Chapter 1295


    Chapter 1295


    Zoe felt pained even as she remembered how queasy she was in the morning.


    Fortunately, her beer soon arrived, and the sight of it allowed her to forget the difort in her mind.


    She took the bottle and poured herself a ss, but before she could drink, Jay snatched the ss off


    her hands. ¡°You can¡¯t drink anymore, Zoe.*


    Zoe did a double take but snorted unhappily, *Why?! I¡¯m beat-can¡¯t I unwind?¡¯


    ¡°For the sake of your health, you shouldn¡¯t drink now.¡±


    ¡°What about my health? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not actually sick¡ª¡±


    ¡°You might be pregnant,¡± Jay said slowly and clearly.


    Everyone including Zoe was left gaping.


    ¡°W-What?! I¡­ We¡­ It¡¯s not that easy, right?!¡± she bbed, too agitated to be coherent.


    ¡°When¡¯s thest time you had your period?¡± Jay asked.


    ¡°Around the tenth ofst month?¡±


    Zoe was not sure about the specific date or time since she did not bother to keep track of it-it would just


    happen once a month anyway.


    ¡°The twelfth,¡± Jay said precisely then.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°I think so.¡± Zoe shrugged guiltily, surprised that Jay would remember.


    ¡°And what day do you think today is?¡±


    Zoe whipped out her phone to check. ¡°The twenty-eighth¡­?¡±


    Whoops.


    That was more than ten dayste-she had no idea!


    The mood around the table tensed up as everyone listened to their exchange.


    And considering Zoe¡¯s strange behavior today, it had to be so.


    ¡°No way!¡± Zoe eximed in disbelief-they had only stopped using contraceptives this month!


    Jay was not that impressive, was he?!


    Hold on, he was that impressive-perhaps even more so-when he got her pregnant with Yelena.


    After all, that was just one shot!


    Flustered, she stared at Jay, who told her, ¡°Let¡¯s get you checked at the hospital after dinner.¡±


    ¡°But what if I am pregnant?¡± Zoe asked.


    Jay grinned. ¡°Then we¡¯ll be having another child.¡±


    Zoe was speechless, spacing out just then.


    They were actually nning to have another kid, but it was still surprising that it was happening so


    quickly!


    It was not easy raising Yelena, and Zoe was hoping she could have a break in between.


    What was worse, having a baby meant no more romping for a while!


    It was as much a blessing as it was a curse!


    ¡°Congrattions on your second child,¡± Quinn quickly said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure yet.¡± Zoe rolled her eyes, though she had a feeling that Jay was right.


    Her dyed period, and her body¡¯s various symptoms and reactions¡­


    ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s celebrate.¡± Quinn smiled. ¡°No more alcohol, I guess. Milk is best for pregnantdies.¡±


    Zoe was left staring wistfully as Quinn took her beer away.


    It looked so enticing!


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯re not young either, are you?¡± Zoe suddenly asked Quinn.


    Quinn was speechless. ¡°How dare you. We¡¯re of the same age, and I¡¯m just a few months older at


    best.¡±


    But it was true that she was not exactly young.

 Chapter 1296

    Chapter 1296


    Chapter 1296


    After all, Quinn turned thirty this year.


    Thirty!


    All her youth, gone!


    ¡°How are we the same? I¡¯ll soon be the mother of two kids, while your children are nonexistent.¡±


    Quinn was speechless.


    Was Zoe not afraid of giving her depression, rubbing salt into her wound constantly?!


    ¡°I mean, look at Cordy-she¡¯s our age too, but she¡¯ll be a mother-inw a few years down the line.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re just being ridiculous.¡± Quinn snorted¡ªRichard was barely a teenager!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how dangerous middle-aged pregnancy can be?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not middle-aged, am I?¡±


    ¡°You will be if you don¡¯t get to work soon.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can do it just because I want to.¡±


    ¡°What, are you saying Sam can¡¯t do it?!¡± Zoe said a little too loudly while staring straight at Sam.


    Sam, however, was taking his sweet time eating and drinking with Bob, even toasting Sean and Patrick


    from time to time.


    He seemed perfectly at ease and did not seem to care about what Zoe and


    Quinn were saying, even if he was sitting beside Quinn.


    No one would have been able to tell that they were married unless they knew they were.


    And if they did not know any better, they would think that Sam and Bob were a couple, given how close


    they were sitting.


    Sam was deliberately keeping his distance from Quinn, was he not?!


    Still, hearing his name being mentioned, he slowly turned toward Zoe with his roguish smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure


    you know the answer to that, Ms. York.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± Zoe promptly denied. ¡°Don¡¯t you nder my good name!¡±


    ¡°I mean, we¡¯re childhood friends, and you¡¯re acquainted with plenty of starlets yourself. Have those


    ladies not told you about my performance?¡±


    ¡°Did you think everyone is as shameless as you are?!¡± Zoe snapped angrily.


    The thought of Sam¡¯s constant affairs only left Zoe feeling indignant for Quinn¡¯s sake.


    If she were in Quinn¡¯s ce, she would have divorced Sam a hundred times over!


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sam did not argue since no one could afford to upset pregnantdies.


    Hence, he shrugged and ignored Zoe¡¯s jibe before turning to continue chatting and drinking happily


    with Bob.


    Zoe was so livid Quinn could feel her rage.


    She quickly slid a slice of steak on Zoe¡¯s te, telling her, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.


    You should eat more.¡±


    Zoe was speechless and stared at Quinn in stunned disappointment.


    Quinn simply smiled and offered a toast to Sean just then.


    They were bothwyers, but he was much more famous and she had always admired him.


    ¡°My name is Quinn Summers, Mr. Cranston. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you-we share the same alma


    mater, and¡­¡¯


    ¡°I know you,¡¯ Sean said. ¡°You¡¯re quite famous in the legal circles of North City.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°That¡¯s still a lot lesspared to your achievements.¡¯


    ¡°But you¡¯re still young,¡± Sean told her. ¡°You still have much potential for advancement to look forward


    to.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your encouragement.¡±


    As Sean smiled, Quinn stood up and offered him a toast with a worshipful look.


    Sam turned to look at Quinn just then-she always did prefer mature men who were serious about their


    carers.


    After they finished their sses, Quinn shared a toast with Patrick too.


    After some polite exchange, they both chugged their sses.


    Zoe was actually surprised that Quinn could liven up the atmosphere too, and her cheer livened things


    up around the table in turn.


    It was therefore a shame that Zoe only got to watch¡­

 Chapter 1297

    Chapter 1297


    Chapter 1297


    After the luncheon, Jay took Zoe to the hospital, while Quinn stayed at the wedding hall to mingle with


    the guests.


    Her cheeks were a little red, and she was slightly drunk but still coherent.


    Moreover, she was doing this for Cordy and naturally must not be careless.


    Sam was nowhere to be seen, though she knew that he always hated to mingle. In fact, the more


    formal an event, the more spiteful he would be.


    He simply preferred to hang out with his buddies, though Bob remained at the wedding hall to mingle


    with the guests as well. However, he did not stay for too long and left once he saw that the Cranstons


    were helping with the guests diligently.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you get some rest, Quinn?¡± Sean asked in concern when he saw her after going one round


    around the hall. ¡°You must be tired-you¡¯ve been on your feet for a while, and you were up early this


    morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Quinn shook her head. ¡°Cordy¡¯s friends from North City are here, and I should greet them


    since I¡¯m more familiar with them.¡±


    Sean did not press the issue. ¡°Just get some rest when you¡¯re tired.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn smiled.


    Sean smiled in return and nodded politely before leaving.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    In truth, Quinn was tired and would like to rest. However, considering that she ended up in the same


    room with Sam before, it would not be surprising if they were arranged to stay in the same room again.


    And right now, she did not know how to get along with Sam-perhaps she should have given up far


    earlier like Zoe had put it.


    As she continued to mingle with the guests, Bob and Sam left their room and came downstairs. They


    had only taken a bath to sober up before returning to help with the guests.


    Even if John had scapegoated them, they would do what he asked even if they were in tears.


    As such, they saw Quinn and Sean standing together just then. Bob and Sam could not hear what they


    were talking about, but Quinn was smiling very sweetly at Sean.


    Sam¡¯s expression changed ever so slightly at that.


    And being a good friend of his for years, Bob could perceive Sam¡¯s emotions were ruffled.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually jealous?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Sam replied, averting his eyes.


    ¡°Well, Sean has a mature charm-he is Quinn¡¯s type, though we know how Sean swings too, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Bob teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous,¡± Sam growled and walked away.


    Bob watched as he left.


    Sam really was stubborn-even Bob had trouble understanding why he would treat Quinn like that.


    Would he have reacted if he had no feelings for Quinn?


    And yet, each asion when Quinn tried to bridge their distance, he would keep her at arm¡¯s length.


    If he really did lose her and had to start chasing after her, that would be quite the day¡­


    Later in the afternoon, Quinn ended up feeling a little tired and headed to a corner to get a cool drink


    and clear her head.


    She was surprised to find Bob and Sam returning to the hall, appearing a little lively as they eagerly


    mingled with the guests, looking like the life of the party as they stood in the crowd.


    She was all the more surprised to see Sam having augh with the guests- she had always believed


    that he would never get involved on such asions.


    And yet, he was doing it and actually looked the part.


    She was left staring at him until he turned toward her, frowning and clearly a little annoyed that she was


    staring at him.


    Quinn quickly averted her eyes, herself unsure why she would space out staring at him.


    Perhaps it was because it had been a while since she watched him in the open?


    He would stop her with a hostile re whenever she tried, and she gradually developed an instinct to


    evade him.


    Even so, she realized that he had changed considerably from watching him just now-his hair was


    growing out again after he shaved himself bald while incarcerated. It seemed to dull his edge, and


    made him better looking.


    He was handsome anyway, with a fine face aside from that menacing height.

 Chapter 1298

    Chapter 1298


    Chapter 1298


    Still, Sam always looked too fearsome, and one would feel pressured when he stopped smiling.


    Quinn turned and headed inside an anteroom.


    It was quitete, so she could not go back to her room to sleep or she would end up sleeping past the


    evening¡¯s banquet.


    She lounged on the couch in the anteroom, fiddling with her phone to kill time, only to end up falling


    asleep and waking up at 6 PM.


    She thought she had just closed her eyes for a moment-how did she allow an entire hour to pass


    without noticing?


    She quickly got up in shock when she realized that she had a nket on and her phone was put aside.


    That was weird-did someonee in earlier?


    As she got off the couch and opened the door, she found Sean right aside.


    ¡°Ah,¡± he said. ¡°The banquet is starting. I was justing to get you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Quinn quickly replied.


    ¡°Just leave whenever you like,¡± Sean added. ¡°I¡¯ll make arrangements for the guests. You¡¯ve been busy


    the whole day, so get some rest soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded-it was not like she wouldst the whole night. Only those who always partied


    could, and way into midnight at that.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Cranston,¡± she added solemnly then.


    ¡°Actually, I should be thanking you instead,¡± Sean smiled in return. ¡°I¡¯m d that Cordy has a good


    friend like you.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean-¡°


    ¡°Sean? Come here for a minute,¡± Jesse was suddenly calling out to his grandson.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sean quickly replied before turning back to Quinn for a moment.¡± Please enjoy the banquet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t let me keep you,¡± Quinn said.


    She hated being a bother the most, and she just wanted to thank him for the nket anyway.


    It had to be Sean, since no one else would know that she was taking a break in the anteroom, nor


    would they bring her a nket.


    Zoe obviously had not returned after leaving with Jay. Moreover, Jay was not an airhead-he would not


    be bringing Zoe back to a congested location if her pregnancy was confirmed. That means he would


    either take her to John¡¯s mansion or return to North City right away.


    Meanwhile, Quinn strolled along the hall, which was still exceedingly lively despite the absence of the


    newlyweds. Any mention of Cordy or John would be met with words of blessings of expressions and


    admiration too- no one seemed to find it inappropriate that the couple had bailed on their own wedding.


    As Quinn made ap around the hall, she spotted Sam and Bob, who were still mingling with guests


    and looking like it was really easy.


    Eventually, Quinn was starting to get exhausted by 10 PM, and it hurt a little after wearing heels for the


    entire day.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    She turned and left the hall, heading upstairs to her room.


    It was toote in the night to return directly to North City-anything else could wait until tomorrow.


    Still, Sam noticed that she left, while Bob could not help teasing beside him, ¡°That¡¯s your wife. No need


    to hide it.¡±


    Sam turned away and rolled his eyes at Bob, who huffed, ¡°You¡¯re the one who sneaked in the room to


    bring her a nket. I really wonder if all your phndering ever meant a thing, Sam!¡±

 Chapter 1299

    Chapter 1299


    Chapter 1299


    Bob asked Sam just then, ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave with her?¡±


    Sam ignored him and kept clinking sses or chatting with the many guests in the hall.


    Bob smiled, speechless.


    Sam was certainly good at pretending, but how long would thatst?


    After Quinn returned to her room, she removed her makeup, took a bath, and got dressed in casual


    clothing beforeying down on the huge, luxurious hotel bed.


    She was obviously exhausted but somehow could not fall asleep as she was wondering where Sam


    would be staying tonight.


    She had checked the lodging records, and this room was allocated to her and Sam.


    Did that mean they are sharing the room again? In that case, when would he return?


    Her heart palpitated, and she simply could not fall asleep.


    She got out of bed to get a ss of water before sitting on the chaise lounge beside the ss wall to


    take in the stunning nightscape of the capital.


    One would expect nothing less from the heart of a nation-evente into the night, it was illuminated with


    mesmerizing myriad colored radiance.


    Quinn was left dazzled by the sight when her phone jingled with a notification.


    She tapped on it, pausing for a moment, surprised that Ryan would suddenly text her.


    [I heard you¡¯re in the capital, Quinn?]


    [Yeah. Cordy¡¯s second wedding is being held here.]


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    [When are you going back?]


    [Probably tomorrow-it¡¯s toote tonight. Honestly, Cordy and John are so tactless. They bailed on us


    fortheir honeymoon.]


    Ryan sent a fewughing emojis in reply. [I saw that on the news. It certainly is¡­ novel. By the way, if


    you have time tomorrow, I can take you shopping. You rarelye here, after all.]


    He had been moved to the capital over a year ago. Although he moved back to North City, he was so


    good in his work that he was transferred back to the headquarters, bing a member of the nation¡¯s


    core researchers.


    His parents¡¯ faces always lit up with pride-their eldest son was dedicated to his service for the country,


    after all.


    Likewise, they would tacitly avoid the subject of Sam, having given up on himpletely.


    Nheless, Quinn replied: [Let me ask Sam if he¡¯s free tomorrow.]


    Ryan¡¯s reply came a littlete. [Why don¡¯t I call him instead? He¡¯d listen to me.]


    [Okay.]


    [I¡¯ll text you after I speak to him.]


    Quinn put away her phone, taking a deep breath and continuing to look out at the city skyline beyond.


    She used to love Ryan-he was like a brother to her, doting on her and offering her warmth.


    On the other hand, Sam was despicable-bullying her since she was a child, persistently gaining


    pleasure from making her cry.


    Later on, the Saunders took her in after her parents died in an ident. Concerned that she did not


    feel like she belonged, they even arranged for her to marry into the family.


    She was sure that she would be marrying Ryan, since her parents and his were always joking about it.


    They could also tell that she and Ryan were close, while she was basically enemies with Sam.


    However, on the day when they were supposed to be married¡­

 Chapter 1300

    Chapter 1300


    Chapter 1300


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Ryan left without a word, leaving the rest of the Saunders absolutely flustered.


    The wedding ceremony and everything else was prepared, only for the bridegroom to run away at the


    altar-the family would be disgraced when word got out!


    As such, the Saunders hastily came up with the idea to have Quinn marry Sam instead.


    While they did ask Quinn for her opinion, she did not really have a say when she was dependent on


    them. Moreover, she agreed to it because was convinced that Sam would never agree to it.


    She was therefore surprised that Sam did and was convinced for a while that his parents coerced him


    in some eway.


    But whatever the case may be, they got married-even if the wedding was pdash, and they were the


    laughing stock of polite society.


    And on their wedding night, she rejected Sam-she never had been liberal and did not want her first time


    to be so pdash like her wedding.


    Naturally, she epted the reality that she was now married to Sam-she just needed time to slowly


    nurture a rtionship with him.


    But it proved exceedingly difficult-Sam¡¯s womanizing ways only escted after he got married, and he


    did not make an effort to hide it. Aside from having to clean up his mess, there was basically no


    development in their rtionship whatsoever.


    A monthter, Ryan sent a message to the Saunders family to inform them that he was doing fine, but


    it was not until a yearter that he exined everything including running away from his wedding.


    It turned out that he was recruited for a secret government project, and time was of the essence-he


    was brought in as soon as he was informed. The Saunders thought he had been abducted for a time


    since they could not find him anywhere.


    And that also meant that Quinn had been married to Sam for a year, and by then, everything had fallen


    into ce.


    The Saunders could not afford the ignominy of letting her divorce Sam and flirt with Ryan, and once


    again asked for Quinn¡¯s opinion while telling her the many issues that would result from a divorce.


    However, Quinn never considered getting back together with Ryan anyway. She hated him for leaving


    initially, but it was resolved after he exined himself.


    Still, despite surviving the worst time of her life, she now had nothing to look forward to, and no one


    needed to make amends either.


    In the end, she stayed married to Sam, and the Saunders kept throwing money at her, seemingly


    feeling guilty-by now, she basically owned their family estate.


    One might even say that she stood above Sam in the family.


    Quinn¡¯s phone jingled again, and she tapped on to find another text from Ryan: [Sam said he might be


    busy tomorrow since he would be going out with Bob. We could go out-just the two of us.]


    Quinn refused. [There¡¯s no need. You¡¯re a busy man. You don¡¯t have to go out of your way to show


    hospitality.]


    [I¡¯m not busy. I¡¯d like to take you on a trip around the capital.]


    [I know you¡¯ve always felt guilty, but we should be keeping our distance.] Ryan¡¯s reply took some time


    this time. [I¡¯m not feeling guilty. I just don¡¯t want to miss out again.]


    Quinn paused, unsure how to respond this time.


    Ryan sent another text then: [I let you down when I chose my nation over my love life. But now that


    things have settled down, there¡¯s no chance of what happened before repeating, so I want to start over


    with you. I¡¯ve wanted to say this for years but never could muster the courage. Your rtionship with


    Sam is still going nowhere, and I really don¡¯t want to miss another chance.]

 Chapter 1301

    Chapter 1301


    Chapter 1301


    Quinn stared at the text from Ryan for a long while and eventually texted,¡±


    A miss is a miss.¡±


    She did not want to start over.


    Ryan did not text her back after that, and Quinn put away her phone.


    She reclined against the chaise lounge and kept staring at the city skyline.


    She was really sleepy, but did not want to go to bed for some reason.


    She simplyy there, letting herself space out and eventually falling asleep before long.


    Sam found her on the chaise lounge when he entered, rolling his eyes disapprovingly at her inability to


    take care of herself.


    She fell asleep on the couch in the afternoon and somehow neglected to use the two nkets nearby-


    did she think cellphones could be used for nkets?


    Slightly irked, he strode over, arched his back, and scooped her up in his arms.


    Quinn sensed his touch and frowned, shaking her body in difort.


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he stared at her nervously, as she looked like she could wake up at any


    moment.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    He had no idea why he picked her up, even-was he too upset that he did not notice what he was


    doing? It was only then that he realized he had her in his arms.


    If she woke up now¡­


    He froze as if petrified, but he soon saw Quinn snuggling against his chest, seemingly to get more


    comfortable before falling asleep again.


    Seeing that she was sleeping peacefully again, Sam heaved a huge sigh of relief.


    They always saidwyers were sharp, but he could sell this one off to vers and she would not know


    any better.


    Nheless, he carried her to bed and tucked her in, heaving another sigh of relief when it was all


    done¡­ as if he was feeling guilty.


    Wait, why was he feeling guilty?


    It was just a gesture of courtesy, and anyone would do the same in his ce.


    With that in mind, he turned and headed to the bathroom.


    As soon as he was gone, Quinn opened her eyes and stared silently as he left.


    She had actually woken up, startled as she could suddenly feel her body rising into the air.


    But now that she calmed down, she had an idea who it was, especially with that familiar scent of his.


    That was why she pretended to sleep, since she could predict that Sam would not hesitate to drop her


    on the floor.


    The man was vain and would never ept being exposed like that.


    Naturally, she did not consider carrying her to bed a change in their rtionship¡ªit might be just a


    matter of courtesy to him.


    In fact, anyone with a conscience would do it if they could.


    Even so, she had to admit to herself that she felt warmth in her chest.


    Who knew if maybe Sam was slowly changing his perception of her too.


    As such, she closed her eyes, waited for him in bed, and slept in the same bed.


    She did not expect anything to happen, but it had been a while since they shared a bed.


    And this was where a couple could start nurturing their rtionship, no? Hence, Quinn waited for over


    ten minutes.

 Chapter 1302

    Chapter 1302


    Chapter 1302


    As Sam left the bathroom, Quinn could smell the faint scent of soap from his body.


    She could not help being nervous.


    The first time they did it had been unpleasant, and they were only intimate for a handful of times.


    She stayed beneath the nket, her body stiffened as she stopped herself from breathing too loudly.


    However, she kept waiting for a while, but he never got into bed.


    In fact, the scent of scent was gone, and the lights were turned off.


    She discreetly opened her eyes and peeked around, and she found Sam reclining on the chaise lounge


    where she was earlier.


    So¡­


    He was never going to share the bed with her, and he was just kind enough to carry her to bed


    because she was sleeping where he would sleep.


    A man should always show chivalry-no matter how hopeless he was, Sam should never let her sleep


    on the couch.


    Her heart felt doused, her faint spark of hope vaporized.


    All she presumed turned out to be nothing but presumptions.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    She did not sleep well that night, though it was the same for Sam.


    With his towering, burly form, sleeping on the couch was always going to be a torture.


    He was afraid to turn in fear that he would fall off, and not getting to extend his legs was certainly


    ufortable.


    Most importantly, Quinn was on the bed, and any slight movement from her would put him on edge.


    Bob was right-all his years of phndering was pointless!


    The next day, Quinn was woken up by her phone ringing.


    She quickly silenced it and became hesitant when she saw that it was a call from Ryan.


    Sam was woken up by the ringing too-not that he had been sleeping.


    In fact, he was just thinking that he could close his eyes when the ringing came, and he snapped


    grumpily at Quinn, ¡°Answer your phone outside. I need to sleep!¡±


    Quinn nced at him as he turned his back to her.


    His face was hidden, but his rage was palpable.


    Still, she got out of bed and left the room to answer the call. ¡°Ryan.¡±


    ¡°Did I wake you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn had a peek at the time before going outside, but it was already past nine.


    She usually would never sleep in thatte, but there was too much on her mind for her to fall asleep.


    ¡°I¡¯m downstairs. Come on down.¡¯


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn was left stumped right then.


    ¡°I said I would take you around the capitalst night.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Quinn nced at his room. ¡°I never said yes.¡¯


    ¡°So you¡¯re noting?¡± Ryan asked. ¡°I drove an hour to get there-the morning traffic in the capital is


    the worst¡­¡¯


    Quinn could not say no-she never had been able to reject his niceties ever since she was a child.


    ¡°Come on. It¡¯s just for a day,¡± Ryan pressed mildly.


    Quinn bit her lip.


    Sam must want to sleep at the moment, and she would inevitably disturb him if she stayed.


    Moreover, he could sleep on the bed while she was gone¡­


    ¡°Okay,¡± she told Ryan. ¡¯Just wait for a while. I need to wash up and get changed.¡¯


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait.¡± Ryan sounded clearly happy.


    Quinn gingerly returned inside the hotel room after hanging up, washing up, and getting changed.


    Before she left, however, she could not help approaching Sam and saying,¡± You can sleep on the bed.¡±

 Chapter 1303

    Chapter 1303


    Chapter 1303


    Sam snapped hostilely, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with your feigned niceties!¡±


    He was clearly upset with her.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes welled with tears as she watched him. She was clearly just trying to be nice¡­


    ¡°Get out! I¡¯m trying to sleep here!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip and left without another word.


    She was going to call a concierge to get breakfast prepared for him, but he probably would not want it.


    In fact, he might take it as a gesture of harassment, waking him while he was sleeping.


    Once Quinn was gone, Sam tempestuously leapt out of the chaise lounge and headed over to the bed


    to sleep.


    He was already in a bad mood because Quinn woke him, and he could guess that Ryan called her.


    Ryan had actually called him, inviting him to join him with Quinn on a trip around the capital, but he


    rejected it without hesitation, saying that he was going out with Bob.


    He was instinctively repulsed by his own brother.


    To no surprise, Ryan said that he would bring Quinn along since he was not going.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± he told Ryan at the time.


    Now that he thought about it, Ryan told him since thetter knew he would never go with them. It was


    just a matter of courtesy since he and Quinn were still married.


    To hell with courtesy!


    And what gave Quinn the right to have an affair while he only got to sleep on the couch?!


    As he slipped under the nket, his temper red further since he caught a whiff of Quinn¡¯s scent.


    He actually hoped that she would reject Ryan too. He even presumed that Quinn might really be


    warming up to himtely, and there was even sentiment involved¡­


    It was all just his presumption.


    Quinn loved Ryan and not him ever since she was a child!


    Quinn hurried to the hotel entrance.


    She never liked beingte or making others wait and therefore reached Ryan as soon as she could.


    When Ryan saw that, he smiled.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting,¡± she said in apology.


    Ryan grinned. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not busy.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Quinn said, ready to get into the car.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Ryan suddenly stopped her.


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn eximed in surprise.


    Ryan reached out to her hair and she froze before dodging out of the way.


    While Ryan¡¯s hand was left awkwardly hanging in the air, Quinn took a step back and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s


    wrong? Is there something on my face?¡±


    ¡°No, your hair was just messy,¡± Ryan replied, slowly lowering his hand.


    He had presumed that she could not wait to see him when he saw her run toward him so urgently, but


    she was now keeping her distance?


    Well, it made sense since they should not be intimate given their current rtionship-Quinn had always


    been a moral, principled person. She would never do anything that would vite her discipline.


    ¡°Get in. You can use the mirror in the car,¡± he said mildly and opened the door for her in a true


    chivalrous fashion.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Quinn said as she got in, and saw that her bangs were a mess since she was running.


    She tidied herself, closed the mirror, and was about to ask Ryan where they were going when Ryan


    passed her a box of meatloaf and milk. ¡°You didn¡¯t have breakfast, did you?¡±


    While Quinn¡¯s heart skipped a beat, Ryan said, ¡°That¡¯s the best meatloaf in town. Try it-skipping


    breakfast is bad for your health too.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied and started eating.

 Chapter 1304

    Chapter 1304


    Chapter 1304


    The food was good¡ªRyan still remembered what Quinn liked, and she would be lying if she said that


    she did not feel touched.


    It was hard not topare Ryan to Sam, who were as different as heaven was to earth.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± Ryan asked.


    ¡°Very.¡±


    ¡°Can you finish it?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn admitted-it was arge box of meatloaf, and she could only eat half at most.


    ¡°Feed me if it¡¯s alright with you. I haven¡¯t had breakfast yet,¡± Ryan said.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten? Why didn¡¯t you eat while you waited for me?¡± Quinn eximed in surprise.


    ¡°It would get cold if I let the hot steam out, and I wasn¡¯t hungry.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, and held a slice of meatloaf near his mouth, and as he bit down, his lips touched


    her finger.


    Quinn stiffened and put the slice on the handbrake housing.¡± Eat it when you can.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ryan replied with an obvious grin.


    Quinn must be embarrassed from touching him just now.


    Soon, they arrived at the city wall-where the capitalcked tourist spots, there were plenty of historical


    locations.


    They walked quite far along the ramparts, and Quinn had enough stamina to keep going.


    Ryan was quite studied in history, and as they admired the sights of ancient wonders, Quinn listened to


    his narratives since it made him an interesting tour guide.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check in,¡± Ryan suddenly said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ryan took out his phone and tapped on selfie mode. ¡°Come over here, Quinn, or I¡¯d miss you.¡±


    Quinn hesitated. She eventually moved closer but kept a polite distance.


    ¡°Smile,¡± Ryan said.


    Quinn refused. ¡°I don¡¯t look good smiling.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Your smile is beautiful,¡± Ryan insisted. ¡°Now, smile-l¡¯m taking the photo now.¡±


    Quinn ultimately smiled as they took the photo.


    Ryan then asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I help you take a few photos?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°For posterity. You can¡¯te here and take nothing back, right?¡±


    Quinn gave in and took a few photos before getting off the city walls.


    It was lunch by then, and she swiped through her phone to kill time.


    Before she noticed it, she was swiping through her social feed and saw that Ryan had already


    uploaded the photos, even captioning it as ¡®going on a trip around the capital with Quinn¡¯.


    Aside from their selfie, every other photo was of her alone.


    Quinn was surprised Ryan would upload them-he was rarely active on social media.


    However, while she wondered what to tell Ryan so that he deleted the photos, she saw that Sam had


    already liked those photos, albeit without ament.


    What was that supposed to mean? Had he read it, or¡­


    ¡°My photos are good, right?¡± Ryan smiled then, noticing that she was scrolling through her social feed.


    Quinn pursed her lips and said, ¡°You can take me home after lunch, Ryan.¡±

 Chapter 1305

    Chapter 1305


    Chapter 1305


    Ryan did a double take before eximing in surprise, ¡°But we just visited one ce and I had two


    others in mind. They aren¡¯t that far either-are you tired or perhaps busy?¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re here anyway-you should at least have some fun before you get home. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t


    lose you,¡± Ryan joked.


    ¡°We should be keeping our distance.¡± Quinn cut straight to the point right then.


    Ryan¡¯s smile stiffened. ¡°Do you have to be so distant, Quinn?¡±


    ¡°Nothing woulde of this. And I don¡¯t want you to cause any misunderstanding between me and


    Sam.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ryan asked Quinn. ¡°I know how you feel-that you love me and not him. Why are you changing


    your mind now that we can be together? Are my parents pressuring you? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk to them


    and take responsibility for anything-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s not them,¡± Quinn said, cutting him short. ¡°I don¡¯t love you anymore.¡±


    Ryan froze in shock, not quite able to register the heartache he felt while wondering if he was hearing


    things.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that I used to love you, that I was devastated when you left me at the altar. It hurt so much,


    and I couldn¡¯t begin to understand why you¡¯d run away. I guess I was disappointed, so I agreed to your


    parents¡¯ suggestion to marry Sam. I can admit that it was to repay their support for me over the years,


    and most importantly, it was my way of getting back at you.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you-¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past. Right now, I just want to stay with Sam, ¡± Quinn said slowly and clearly. ¡°Feelings


    change with time. I no longer yearn for you now-all I want is to stay with Sam.¡±


    ¡°Because you feel like you owe him?¡± Ryan asked her.


    He was not going to believe that Quinn had fallen out of love with him¡ªit was as if she was still into


    him, and that would not change no matter how much time passed.


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°Maybe I just find him worth it.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s worth it? Worth what, spending the rest of your life with him? Don¡¯t you know how much he fools


    around?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s in the past. He never did so ever since he left prison,¡± Quinn exined.


    It was no lie either.


    Ryan cut to the point in turn. ¡°Sam¡¯s drunk driving had nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s nothing to do with that-¡°


    ¡°You did ask him to get you, but he was the one driving


    under influence, and that¡¯s his fault. You didn¡¯t force him into anything. Him ending up in prison was his


    own fault!¡± Ryan snapped in agitation.


    Quinn bit her lip.


    It was pouring that night, and she was discussing a divorcewsuit with a clientte into the night.


    That was when she got into an ident.


    She was already a bad driver, and with the belting rain, she mmed into the scaffolding nearby when


    a semi truck shed its high beam at her.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Horrified, she called Sam in panic. ¡°Sam, I was in an ident, and it¡¯s pouring out there. Can you


    come and get me?¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±

 Chapter 1306

    Chapter 1306


    Chapter 1306


    Sam¡¯s voice was cold but clearly lucid-there was no way Quinn could tell that he had been drinking.


    She told him her location and quietly waited for him in her car, but he never came after a long time.


    In reality, she had been at once surprised and regretful that she called him.


    Why call Sam? He was thest one who would help her.


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    She should be calling the cops, the insurancepany, or even the car repair shop.


    Maybe she already wanted to get along with Sam since then and therefore asked him for help.


    But he never came, although he did call her.


    ¡°How badly are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°I bumped my head when I crashed my car, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that serious.¡±


    ¡°Call the cops, and then an ambnce before contacting your insurancepany to assess if you¡¯re


    eligible forpensation,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Quinn asked him, her eyes welling with tears.


    She actually knew what to do¡ªstandard operating procedures were basic knowledge for awyer like


    her.


    However, she needed someone to depend on after the ident, which reminded her of the passing of


    her parents¡­


    ¡°No,¡± Sam said coolly. ¡°You¡¯re awyer, Quinn. I thought you¡¯d know the process.¡±


    With that, he hung up.


    Quinn had to admit that she was thoroughly disappointed with Sam at the time and was convinced that


    she wanted a divorce¡ªnothing woulde of this sham marriage anyway!


    But when she was done on her end and headed to the hospital, she ran into Sam.


    He was covered in blood, and two police officers were escorting him.


    Quinn thought it was a mistake and rushed up to him. ¡°What happened to you, Sam? Why are you


    covered in blood?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± Sam said coolly.


    ¡°Then whose is it?¡±


    Sam never answered, but she tugged on his sleeve. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Are you a family member?¡± one of the officers asked her.¡± He¡¯s involved in a drunk driving incident.


    The victim is in surgery, while he sustained minor injuries.¡±


    Quinn stared at Sam in disbelief, even as it clicked in her mind that Sam was doing it for her.


    Still, he seemed to read her mind and said coolly, ¡°It has nothing to do with you. I broke thew.¡±


    Quinn did not argue but simply discussed what would happen to Sam after that, eventually taking the


    role of his defensewyer.


    However, his crimes of driving under influence and causing another person¡¯s death through negligence


    was clear cut. He was remorseful, however, and the victim¡¯s family eventually forgave him, reducing his


    sentence to just three years.

 Chapter 1307

    Chapter 1307


    Chapter 1307


    ¡°I know you¡¯re nice and good at heart, Quinn, but I¡¯d rather you open your eyes,¡± Ryan said, his voice


    bing stern. ¡°If you keep going like this, you¡¯ll hurt yourself and Sam too.¡±


    Quinn was slightly stunned, and as she stared fixedly at Ryan, he continued, ¡°You should know that


    you¡¯re the one who calls the shots in your marriage with Sam¡ªhe¡¯d never divorce you as long as our


    parents are around. But have you considered his feelings in the matter? He can¡¯t get a divorce, and the


    media would have a field day with him if he messes around with other women-he¡¯s stuck between a


    rock and a hard ce too.¡±


    ¡°But I think-¡°


    ¡°That he likes you? Just because he came for you even if he was drunk?¡± Ryan demanded.


    Quinn nodded-she definitely felt that Sam was into her.


    Why else would he go that far?


    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Forget drunk driving¡ªhe would never leave the bar once he started drinking.


    And yet, he went to get her just from a phone call despite the downpour and the alcohol.


    She had to admit that she was touched, her emotions stirring because of him for the first time.


    She therefore waited until he got out from prison, earnestly


    hoping to start over with him¡ªbut he rejected all her advances.


    ¡°You¡¯re too naive, Quinn,¡± Ryan told her. ¡°No one would ignore you in the same situation. Sam did it


    merely out of altruism, and his drunk driving was because of his own disregard for thew. Don¡¯t mix


    those two up.¡°


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°I won¡¯t push you right now. I don¡¯t mind giving you time to recognize the truth,¡± Ryan said as he looked


    at Quinn with a pained look in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but it seems that you don¡¯t want to


    give up.¡±


    Quinn was silent.


    Yes, she still wanted to fight for this¡ªshe was convinced that she still stood a chance with Sam.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you back to your hotel after this,¡± Ryan said.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Silly,¡± Ryan said, reaching out to pat her head tenderly like he always did when they were children.


    Quinn had been dependent on him back then too, but now, it felt like something had changed.


    Perhaps people would simply change after they grow up..


    After lunch, Ryan sent Quinn back to the hotel as promised and opened the door for her in true


    chivalrous fashion as always.


    ¡°Promise me that you would tell me immediately if Sam ever hurts you,¡± he told her. ¡°Don¡¯t bottle up


    your feelings-it hurts me to see that.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, feeling like she knew even less on how to deal with him these days.


    ¡°Go on,¡± he then said.


    Quinn nodded in silence and headed into the hotel lobby.


    She could feel his eyes lingering on her for a long while. Though she would have been grateful about it


    before, it was now just a burden.


    As Quinn returned to her room, she saw that most guests who attended the wedding were leaving, and


    wondered if Sam left as well.


    While Ryan mentioned that he was going out with Bob, it was now past 2 PM-he was probably gone by


    now.


    That was what Quinn thought as she took out her room card and opened the door.


    When she entered, she thought she had the wrong room and quickly tried to leave, but she soon froze.


    This had to be her and Sam¡¯s room-how else could she have opened it?


    Her eyes turned puffy and red right then, her vision blurring.


    How could Sam do this?!


    She gritted her teeth and returned inside.


    Sam was frowning-he had just gotten out of bed, having nothing but a pair of boxers on and wearing


    nothing from the waist up.


    And with him was the woman in bed¡­

 Chapter 1308

    Chapter 1308


    Chapter 1308


    From the looks of it, the woman was nude.


    Quinn had the feeling that Sam was naked when hey in bed before as well.


    Could it be¡­


    Quinn strode up to the bed while Sam frowned, watching her every move.


    He thought she would turn and leave right away when she caught them-that was how it always went


    with her.


    But now, she suddenly turned back!


    ¡°Kyah!¡± The woman in the bed suddenly yelped as Quinn pulled the nket off her.


    She had been using that nket justst night, and now, another woman was using it?


    Did Sam really not find that filthy? Was it not possible for him to do this elsewhere?


    Did it have to be the bed she slept in, and must he let her see this?!


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Sam bellowed as he pulled Quinn away a little forcefully.


    Quinn almost stumbled and fell, but he caught her in reflex.


    Still, he released her at the next instant and growled impatiently, ¡°Get out.¡±


    With those words, he promptly turned away, leaving Quinn staring at his cold figure.


    To think that she told Ryan confidently that Sam¡¯s no longer fooled around with other women¡­


    It certainly was a p in her face and one that stung terribly.


    She bit her lip until it turned pale white¡­ but even as silence lingered in the room, Quinn suddenly


    lowered her head and started undressing, leaving the other woman in shock.


    Was she joining them?! The excitement was too much and she was not prepared for it!


    Sam kept her back on Quinn, waiting for her to leave.


    He knew that she wasing back.


    Ryan had texted him beforehand, telling him to stop holding her hostage since he felt nothing for her-


    that she was guilty for sending him to prison and always wanted to make up for it.


    He insisted that the drunk driving was Sam¡¯s own fault, and Quinn should not have to bear that cross.


    But in a nutshell, he just meant to say to Sam that he should not ckmail Quinn emotionally¡ªthat she


    had the right to pursue her own happiness.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    However, was Ryan not also implying that she would be happy with him?


    There was no doubt about it-Quinn had always loved Ryan.


    And even though Sam had never resorted to emotional ckmail, Quinn definitely was forcing herself


    to stay in an unhappy situation.


    In that sense, Sam was in the way of Quinn¡¯s right to be happy, which was why he should let her free.


    Nheless, Sam¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    He could clearly see what Quinn was doing through the reflection on the ss wall.


    He wheeled on her, but she had already dropped her cardigan on the floor, leaving just the bra


    underneath!


    She did not hesitate to reach out and start to unfasten that either. However, she could unhook it for a


    long while, perhaps clouded by her anger or nerves.


    ¡°What are you doing, Quinn?!¡± Sam bellowed in rage, his eyes red with fury.


    Quinn did not answer. She simply turned her slender back to him and asked, ¡°Can you help me with


    this?¡±

 Chapter 1309

    Chapter 1309


    Chapter 1309


    Sam¡¯s eyes were bloodshot even as he red at Quinn from the back. ¡°Are you crazy?!¡±


    However, he was more flustered than angry.


    After all, he was convinced he had anticipated all her potential reaction to finding him cheating.


    The first one was her leaping at him and pping him, though that would be unusual given her


    temperament.


    The second would be chasing away the woman-she had done that before.


    The third-which Sam thought was most likely¡ªwas her turning to leave without a care.


    And she did leave¡­ only to return, even starting to take off her clothes!


    Sam was certainly caught stunned, and he fumbled to zip her dress back up. ¡°You¡¯ve really lost your


    mind¡­¡±


    As Quinn turned toward him, her tears were gushing down her cheeks.


    She looked so wounded Sam could not say what was on his mind-he was caught by surprise she


    would cry so miserably and in his presence.


    It was as if he had dumped her, leaving her in despair¡­ but was she not in love with Ryan?!


    He stared at her then, appearing helpless, unable to say a word or do anything.


    ¡°I can do it too, Sam,¡± Quinn said miserably then.


    ¡°What?¡± He frowned, not quite understanding what she was saying.


    All he could see was her tears, and he actually wanted to wipe them off.


    ¡°I can sleep with you.¡± Quinn continued to sob, as if she could not stop from her misery.


    Sam pursed her lips, still unable to say anything as he suddenly felt afraid of her crying.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    It was no different from when they were children, and it was not like he wanted to make her cry back


    then.


    But whenever she had her eyes on Ryan, she would never notice him until he yed a prank on her.


    And every time she cried, he would panic.


    But when he tried to make amends, she would throw herself into Ryan¡¯s arms, seeking sce¡­ The


    same thing happened repeatedly over time-he would bully her, she would go to Ryan, and he would


    then bully her again after seeing how sugary she was with Ryan.


    It eventually developed into a vicious cycle.


    ¡°I learned some skills over thest few years¡­¡±


    Meanwhile, Quinn was doing her best to calm down-even she was surprised she was this miserable to


    see Sam in bed with another woman.


    It felt like her world was falling apart, and she kept asking herself why Sam would do this.


    Did he not care that she was working so hard for him?


    ¡°What?¡± Sam had no idea what Quinn was saying-she was stuttering and sobbing too much, barely


    forming a coherent sentence.


    ¡°You said I was bad, right? I practiced in secret¡­ Thest three years¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Sam bellowed as he came to the realization that Quinn was working hard practicing sexual


    techniques!


    She learned?! From who?!


    He could swear right then-like any other man, he cared more about chastity than ¡®skill¡¯!


    Moreover, he never despised her for being unskilled, aside from that romp in the car¡­

 Chapter 1310

    Chapter 1310


    Chapter 1310


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    In fact, Sam actually became disinterested in other women ever since that car romp.


    He was just putting up an act even now, since Ryan told him he was using emotional ckmail against


    Quinn, and he wanted to end things using this.


    ¡°You can try,¡± Quinn told him resolutely just then.


    ¡°I refuse,¡± Sam said immediately. ¡°Honestly¡­¡±


    He was bristling, murderous at the thought of Quinn practicing sex.


    ¡°You won¡¯t know until you try,¡± Quinn argued


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±


    ¡°Do you hate me that much?¡± Quinn sobbed, her tears gushing again no sooner after she almost


    stopped.


    ¡°Stop crying already,¡± Sam sighed exasperatedly-since when did she be such a crybaby?!


    She never cried after they became adults, especially not since after she married him-it was like she


    became apletely different person, so calm and mature that she could not evenugh or cry.


    Same knew too well that she reserved her emotions for Ryan.


    And yet, here she was, bawling like a child, her usualposurepletely gone.


    ¡°Then tell her to leave,¡± Quinn snapped, pointing at the woman.


    The woman was still sitting on the bed, stunned by the couple¡¯s drama.


    When she received the call today, the pay offered left her musing if she shoulde naked.


    After she came, she yed every trick in the book to seduce the man before her¡ªnot only was he rich,


    but he was also handsome enough to make her feel like she had made a killing.


    And being experienced herself, her instincts told her that he would bring her great pleasure. That was


    why she did everything she could, but the man never looked her way, even telling her to stay in line.


    They simplyy under the sheets, and he told her not to touch him.


    So¡­ what on earth was going on here?


    She waspletely confused but yed along for the sake of money.


    And soon enough, the other woman arrived, and this happened.


    She was gaping throughout, realizing that she had just been a tool.


    Still, she quickly closed her mouth and turned toward Sam as they both turned toward her-the customer


    is always right.


    Sam hesitated for a moment and nodded-tonight¡¯s little act was already finished, and there was no


    point keeping her.


    As the woman got out of bed, Quinn blinked.


    Quinn was worried to see the woman naked for a moment, only to find she had her undergarments on


    under a red silk sleeping gown.


    Quinn was confused-so the woman did not do anything with Sam?!


    She watched as the woman quickly got dressed and left, and she suddenly turned Sam¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t


    look.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve already looked.¡±


    ¡°Not this time,¡± Quinn¡¯s eyes welled with tears again-it was like she could cry at any moment.


    Nheless, Sam turned away, and Quinn was relieved.


    Just then, the woman was done getting dressed and about to leave. ¡°My pay¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Just give me your payment details,¡± Sam said.


    The woman quickly whipped out her phone and left happily after Sam paid her.


    Quinn was scowling, however, and staring straight at Sam.¡± My figure is better than hers.¡±

 Chapter 1311

    Chapter 1311


    Chapter 1311


    Sam blushed right then, since he never expected that from Quinn.


    Was shecking in self-awareness? Did she have any idea how dangerous it was saying that?!


    Quinn frowned at Sam in turn, certainly noticing him blushing upto his ears.


    Was she imagining it, or did he actually get embarrassed?! A man as experienced as him?!


    She could not help reaching out to touch his cheek and whispering, ¡°Your cheeks are burning.¡±


    Sam was stunned for a moment before leaping away. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn frowned-he really did not like her.


    Even so, she was convinced that they justckedmunication and time spent together, and feelings


    could be grown.


    ¡°You¡¯re blushing,¡± Quinn said.


    ¡°Me, blushing? Really?¡± Sam denied it. ¡°I¡¯m angry, alright? I¡¯m emotional.¡±


    ¡°What are you angry about?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°What do you think? You chased off my entertainment for the night.¡±


    ¡°I can make up for it.¡±


    ¡°Show some modesty, woman. Where¡¯d you learn that from? ¡± Sam snapped tempestuously.


    Quinn said. ¡°I¡¯m with my husband¡­ Modesty is no concern¡­¡±


    Her voice trailed off, and she blushed up to her ear and neck like a backed crab.


    Sam gulped-his libido was ring, and he almost could not control himself.


    She just referred to him as her husband¡­


    Still, he lowered his gaze to find her still naked, and his temper red again. ¡°Get dressed already!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip-she really could not seduce Sam, even if she had prepared so much for this.


    ¡°What a hassle,¡± Sam snorted since she was not moving, before he picked her clothes off the floor and


    put it on gruffly for her.


    He stiffened when he inevitably touched her skin, but he got her dressed nheless.


    As he turned to leave, Quinn caught him. ¡°Where are you going?!¡±


    She felt like he was dumping her again-was he going to find that woman again?


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a bath,¡± Sam huffed.


    ¡°What are you doing after that?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to visit the capital. Let¡¯s go sightseeing¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough of that?¡± Sam snorted.


    She already had her fun with Ryan earlier¡ªwas she now ying nice with her husband after a tryst


    with her lover?


    ¡°I came back halfway,¡± Quinn said.


    ¡°Ryan was busy, huh?¡± Sam sneered-so that was why she suddenly was being nice to him.


    ¡°No, I asked toe back,¡± Quinn retorted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Ryan wanted to take me to other ces, but I refused.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I saw you liking that post he shared.¡±


    Sam averted his eyes-he clearly was upset when he saw the post.


    ¡°I was worried you¡¯d misunderstand,¡± Quinn added.

 Chapter 1312

    Chapter 1312


    Chapter 1312


    ¡®Did I misunderstand anything?¡± Sam asked nonchntly.


    ¡°You did,¡± Quinn said confidently. ¡°I was surprised Ryan uploaded it at all.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°And you would¡¯ve pretend it never happened if he didn¡¯t?¡± Sam snorted in amusement. ¡°That there¡¯s


    nothing going on between you two?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn was a little flustered-Sam was never that shrewd.


    His grades were poor and he always goofed up, and yet she could not retort against what he said.


    Still, she said patiently, ¡°I mean, he and I were just taking normal photos of our travels, but it


    complicates matters when he posted it. That¡¯s why I was worried you¡¯d misunderstand¡ªthat¡¯s why I


    came back.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat-she seemed serious about this¡­


    That was when Quinn snapped, ¡°And I ran into¡­ this!¡±


    Her tears welled in her eyes again when she remembered seeing Sam in bed with a woman.


    She bit her lip in silent misery, while Sam was left confused by her reaction.


    Was she seriously upset that he appeared to be cheating on her, or did she really have feelings for


    him?


    But she never liked him-even when they were children.


    Now that Ryan was back in the game and obviously chasing after her, she had even less reason to turn


    him down.


    Nheless, Quinn asked, ¡°Could you promise me you¡¯d stop doing this?¡±


    As Sam stayed silent, she looked him in the eye. ¡°Please?¡±


    He never had a woman since he left prison anyway, but he could not bring himself to tell her yes.


    He just did not think Quinn loved him and was worried that her affection was just his imagination.


    Moreover, she was probably doing this out of guilt.


    Still, Quinn did not press him. ¡°You should take your bath. I¡¯ll prepare it for you.¡±


    She understood that he would not change right away¡ªthis was a long process, and she had to give


    him time and patience¡­


    ¡°Quinn.¡± Sam suddenly stopped her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, turning around.


    ¡°Actually, the woman-¡°


    ¡°Yo, Sam!¡±


    The door suddenly swung open, and Bob¡¯s arrival cut Sam short.


    As he stood at the door, he got the creeps as Sam and


    Quinn had both turned to stare at him.


    Was he imposing?


    But they were both dressed respectfully and there was a huge gap between them¡­ it did not look like


    they were up to anything.


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Sam huffed.


    It was not easy for him to muster his courage toe clean to Quinn, only for Bob to get in the way!


    Bob was equally annoyed and waved his wristwatch at Sam. ¡°You told me toe get you at four,


    saying we¡¯d go sightseeing around the capital. Sure, I came five minutes earlier, but that¡¯s how much I


    respect you!¡±


    They never were polite since they were good enough friends to dispense with formalities.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Sam snorted.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Bob snapped-it always was upsetting to get stood up-


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel like it.¡± Sam hastily came up with an excuse.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s go,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    Bob nced between her and Sam-something was fishy.


    It feels like these two were behaving really differently¡­


    ¡°Can I go too?¡± Quinn asked Bob then.


    ¡°I see no issue with it.¡± Bob shrugged. ¡°Sam, though¡­¡±


    Quinn stared dolefully at Sam, who averted his eyes. ¡°Suit yourself. Though you won¡¯t find what we


    men like enjoyable.¡±

 Chapter 1313

    Chapter 1313


    Chapter 1313


    Quinn followed Sam and Bob out of the hotel, where the Cranstons had a car and chauffeur waiting for


    them.


    Bob rode shotgun, while Sam and Quinn took the backseat.


    Sam and Bob were chatting incessantly throughout-they always had a lot to talk about since they knew


    each other since childhood.


    Quinn certainly was not interested in what they were saying, but she was not that bored either.


    She listened quietly until her phone rang.


    Seeing the caller, she answered, ¡°Ryan.¡±


    Sam clearly paused mid-conversation, and Bob noticed immediately while shing a sly smile.


    Still, Sam soon regainedposure and continued chatting with Bob.


    At the same time, Quinn said, ¡°I¡¯m with Sam.¡±


    ¡°With Sam? Where?¡± Ryan eximed in surprise.


    He actually did not go far after dropping off Quinn at the hotel. Naturally, he did not linger out at the


    entrance since he did not want to be conspicuous and arouse Quinn¡¯s suspicion.


    However, he made himself very clear when he called Sam- and he knew Sam well enough. Coupled


    with their terrible rtionship, Sam would do whatever it took to distance himself from Quinn.


    As such, Ryan was ready for Quinn toe to him, but she never called him.


    Considering that she always had her pride and was stubborn enough to not ask for help, he called her,


    ready to offer her words offort¡­ only for her to tell him that she was with Sam.


    That was not how he thought this would go.


    ¡°We¡¯re going out sightseeing around the capital,¡± Quinn said.


    ¡°With Sam?¡± Ryan asked to be sure, slightly skeptical.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s going out with Bob anyway, so I joined them.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ You don¡¯t mind?¡± Ryan asked.


    ¡°Mind what?¡± Quinn asked in confusion.


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re on bad terms with Sam. Staying with him would be awkward, and-¡°


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t,¡± Quinn said determinedly. ¡°We¡¯re married.¡±


    Sam gulped, but he had to admit right then that he was listening attentively to Quinn¡¯s telephone


    conversation, even though he yed it cool as if he was still talking to Bob.


    And his lips curled into a smile unwittingly when Quinn said that they were married!


    Bob found the entire scene amusing even from the front seat -Sam was the perfect definition of a


    tsundere just then.


    Beside him, Quinn kept her conversation with Ryan short, convinced that Sam would take exception.


    On the other end, Ryan was glowering after hanging up.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Was he imagining it, or did Quinn really fall for Sam?


    No, that was impossible.


    Quinn had always loved him. She would never fall for someone like Sam, who had nothing going for


    him and was not worth his affection.


    Ever since they were children, Sam never was a match to him.


    Their parents, rtives, and friends all preferred him.


    His eyes narrowed-Sam was not going to deny him what he wanted. He would have Quinn no matter


    what it took!


    Quinn had dozed off before their car arrived at the destination.


    She did not think they were traveling that far-she presumed that they would hang out at the city center.


    After all, what else would men derive pleasure from, other than bars and women?

 Chapter 1314

    Chapter 1314


    Chapter 1314


    Quinn was prepared for the men going to some super exclusive and expensive nightclub, only to open


    her eyes and find themselves on a mountain peak.


    They were quite far from the city, too¡­


    ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked as she looked around.


    It was so remote and quiet that she could be convinced Sam could kill her here without leaving


    evidence.


    ¡®Ever been in a race?¡± Bob asked Quinn.


    ¡°A race?¡±


    ¡°You might not know this, but Sam¡¯s an incredible racer.¡±


    She certainly did not, but that would probably apply to everyone else too¡­


    Moreover, he must just be racing for kicks, not to mention that it was dangerous.


    Quinn started scowling, but Bob appeared immune and added, ¡°Sam has actually invited a few racers


    to join him today. Just watch-he¡¯s so cool behind the wheel.¡±


    Quinn had more to say, but Sam had already alighted.


    At the same time, the air thundered as a dozen race cars revved, and Quinn quickly opened the door to


    find multiple cars and bikes streaking toward them.


    While she was left gaping with her heart racing, the convoy stopped. Men and women who were


    dressed mboyantly all alighted, most of them having tattoos and obviously not you averagew-


    abiding citizen.


    ¡°Sam.¡± Brian¡ªtheir leader, a man with dreadlocks and a cigarette between his lips, came up to them.


    ¡°What a surprise. Why¡¯d you suddenly thought of racing?¡±


    Sam actually did not n on racing, but he needed to vent.


    Ryan¡¯s phone callst night left him irritated, so he thought of racing today.


    He merely sent a message to his group of race buddies, and they all came from every corner of the


    country. There no way he could say no now¡­ though it was also a good chance to let Quinn assimte


    into his social circle.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Naturally, she might not-she had always been the role model-type who always toed the line, and she


    must have had trouble epting his racing hobby.


    ¡°Just feeling bored,¡± he said nonchntly. ¡°Thanks foring all the way here.¡±


    ¡°Come on, bro. We¡¯de for you as long as you just say the word,¡± Brian told him.


    As Sam nodded, Brian asked, ¡°So how are we doing this?¡±


    ¡°Your call.¡±


    ¡°Old rules then-threeps, first to the finish point wins. As for the prize¡­¡± Brian thought about it. ¡°A


    hundred grand?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Sam nodded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get started,¡± Brian said right then.


    Quinn had been standing nearby, wanting to say something about this but unsure what.


    On the other hand, Bob was excited-he would join Sam on races asionally, though he was just there


    to cheer for Sam since he was no racer.


    Even so, spectating was already a thrillpetitive sport always sent one¡¯s juices flowing.


    ¡°Stick with Bob,¡± Sam told Quinn just before he left.


    ¡°Sam¡­¡± She could not help calling out to him.


    He looked at her in turn, convinced she was going to scold him.


    She probably found his behavior hedonistic and was unable to ept something as crazy as racing.


    And yet, she merely held his gaze and said, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Sam did a double take in surprise.


    Still, Quinn added, albeit worriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for you, but you have to be safe.¡±

 Chapter 1315

    Chapter 1315


    Chapter 1315


    ¡°Sure,¡± Sam replied and headed toward one of the cars at the starting line, putting on his helmet before


    getting in.


    While Quinn stared worriedly at him, Bob said behind her, ¡° Don¡¯t worry-Sam¡¯s good. The car he¡¯s


    driving has also been modified many times for safety, and his friends brought it all the way here from


    North City. He¡¯s going to be fine.¡±


    Quinn nodded in silence despite her panic and steered clear of the road.


    The cars moved to the starting line and sprang forward at the wave of a g.


    The entire hill thundered with the revving of engines, while Quinn was left on her toes-as if even the


    wind could spook her to death.


    On the other hand, Bob was buoyed with excitement and whooping alongside the cheer squad.


    ¡°Oh, Sam¡¯sing!¡± he cried excitedly. ¡°And he¡¯s leading!¡±


    Quinn watched as the car in the lead streaked down the road and zipped past them!


    ¡®Two moreps,¡¯ she told herself.


    At the same time, Bob said, ¡°Sam has a talent for this-he rarely loses. I mean, when he¡¯s not


    womanizing and goofing off like people presume he does, he can do well in anything he puts his mind


    to.¡±


    Quinn turned toward Bob, surprised that he would think so highly of Sam.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Despite Sam¡¯s personality deficiencies, he would still pale inparison with the likes of John Levine


    and Jay Parker.


    Even so, Bob was proud of Sam¡­ though to be fair, who else other than Sam¡¯s childhood friend would


    think highly of him?


    Bob seemed to read her mind and added, ¡°I¡¯m being serious here. Take your time to learn more about


    him-there¡¯s plenty of things about him most people would not know, and it¡¯s enough to take your breath


    away.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips and nodded-she should not argue since Bob had put it that way.


    ¡°Here Sames again!¡± Bob eximed, waving his glet.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you cheer for him too?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Quinn hesitated.


    She was embarrassed¡ªshe had never done anything like that before, not even in grade school.


    Bob, however, already passed her a bright little glet and said, ¡°Wave this. Sam will see it when he


    passes by.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it affect him?¡± Quinn eximed worriedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-he¡¯s a professional.¡±


    Quinn took the glet and waved it a little after some hesitation.


    ¡°He¡¯sing!¡± Bob eximed excitedly, seeing the red car approaching from the distance.


    He had clearly left the next car far behind¡ªBob was right that Sam was a great racer.


    Everyone around them was cheering loudly for him too.


    ¡°Go! Sam, go!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s thest round¡­ Don¡¯t stop now!¡±


    ¡°Sam for the win!¡±


    Quinn watched as they cried out so hard their faces were flushed, and she waved her glet too.


    ¡°Go! Sam, go!¡± she eximed on top of her lungs.


    While Sam zipped past them again, Bob wheeled on Quinn.


    Was this what they called ¡®the light at the end of the tunnel¡¯?!


    ¡°Is this thestp?¡± Quinn asked Bob excitedly just then.


    Coming to his senses, Bob smiled. ¡°Yeah, it is.¡±


    He was fine with his best friends finding their happiness, even if he was the only one of the four who


    would stay single forever¡­

 Chapter 1316

    Chapter 1316


    Chapter 1316


    Somehow, Quinn found thestp especially grilling.


    Her heart was pounding from anxiety, and she thought for an instant that her heart would be


    overloaded.


    She quietly waited for Sam to finish his thirdp-it did not matter to her if he won, for she just wanted


    him to be safe.


    ¡°Oh, sh*t!¡± someone cried out nearby just then.


    Quinn was immediately petrified, dreading that she would hear about something terrible which would


    overwhelm her.


    ¡°Aman just called-there¡¯s a crash halfway up the peak!¡± the man exined.


    The others panicked at once and hurried to their cars and bikes to the crash.


    Bob was following suit when he turned to look at Quinn.¡± Hey, youing?¡±


    Quinn came to her senses-she gritted her teeth and hurried after Bob into the car.


    Since it was a race track, civilian vehicles would be barred from entry up the mountain during races, be


    itpetitive or casual.


    As Quinn got in the car, her whole body was shaking.


    Bob was worried too-there was no information on who crashed or how serious the crash was.


    Nheless, they were soon at the site of the crash, with every racer as well as spectators having


    moved there.


    Quinn alighted, unsure which car was Sam¡¯s.


    Still, she could see that a car had crashed through the guardrail, its front bumper teetering in the air-it


    could fall off at any moment.


    If it did, anyone inside would definitely be killed.


    No!¡¯


    Quinn rushed toward the car with Bob in tow, and her heart almost stopped when they got close.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    The carthat crashed was not Sam¡¯s, but Sam was standing beside it, clearly trying to get the driver out.


    But it was too dangerous, not to mention that he was straddling the guardrail to boost his reach. If the


    car fell, he might get dragged along!


    ¡°Sam!¡± Bob cried as he hurried to him, while Quinn gritted her teeth and followed suit.


    As Sam turned, Bob told him, ¡°Calm down, man! Just wait for help-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯ve already called for help,¡± Sam replied, ¡°but the car is too heavy. It could crash down the hill before


    help arrives.¡±


    ¡°But you could tip it over if you touch it-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m just watching. I¡¯m not doing anything stupid,¡± Sam exined.


    However, that was when the chassis groaned, and the car tipped into a steeper angle and pebbles


    around it rolled off the cliff.


    ¡°Wargh!¡± everyone cried out, startled by the sight.


    Sam stiffened, but remained focused as he studied the car- it just tipped slightly, but was not falling just


    yet.


    However, it was a precarious position, and Sam made up his mind right then.


    ¡°We can¡¯t wait,¡± he told the others. ¡°Everyone, hold down the spoiler and keep it steady. I¡¯m getting the


    driver out!¡±


    ¡°Sam!¡± Bob barked¡ªthat was too dangerous.


    If they did not hold the car steady, Sam would fall with it!

 Chapter 1317

    Chapter 1317


    Chapter 1317


    Bob clearly did not want Sam to risk himself, even if someone else might die.


    However, Sam¡¯s stubbornness in risking himself might lead to two people dying.


    ¡°I was the one who organized this race, Bob,¡± Sam said resolutely. ¡°I¡¯m responsible for anything that


    happens.¡±


    Bob gritted his teeth, not sure how to talk Sam out of this.


    He turned toward Quinn, who remained in the crowd.


    She was so dainty she would easily be lost, but Sam could always find her immediately wherever she


    was.


    And now, their eyes met.


    Quinn was biting her lip, reluctant to let him go, but she did not know what to say.


    A life was at stake, but she did not want Sam to die.


    No¡­ She did not even want to imagine it.


    However, Sam had barely stared at her for seconds before he turned away, just as she mustered her


    courage and was about to speak.


    He went to work, ordering everyone present how to help with the rescue.


    They first moved rocks and boulders to cushion the rear end of the car, stopping it from tipping over to


    some extent.


    Then, he had some of the other racers hold down the spoiler, while others would try to drag it


    backward.


    With everything done, Sam moved close and saw that the driver was unconscious.


    He smashed the window with a hammer and felt for a pulse.


    After he made sure that the driver was alive, he tried to yank open the door, only for the car to shake


    again and for pebbles to start falling off around the car.


    Everyone was sweating buckets-brute strength would not do as the car might fall before they could get


    the driver out.


    The airbag has also deployed and was keeping the driver firmly enveloped.


    Sam took a deep breath and reached inside the car since he could not open the door from the outside.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Bob looked on, his heart threatening to leap out of his throat -this was really dangerous. If the car fell


    now, catching


    Sam off guard, he would definitely be plummeting with it.


    Neither Bob nor Quinn dared to make a sound.


    Quinn¡¯s vision was blurred with tears, but she forced herself not to cry while she watched Sam in silent


    apprehension even though she was utterly horrified.


    It was the same for everyone else-they were all silent, despite knowing that Sam was doing something


    really dangerous. After all, he could fall if they distracted him even a little.


    Meanwhile, Sam reached around carefully for a long while but refrained from putting in too much


    strength.


    He wanted to open the door from the inside, but he had to make sure that the car was stable.


    After a long while, Sam finally reached the door handle and pulled.


    The door opened, but the car shook again.


    Quinn sped her hand over her mouth, afraid of making a sound.


    The others around her were deathly silent too.

 Chapter 1318

    Chapter 1318


    Chapter 1318


    Only the mountain¡¯s breeze and everyone¡¯s panting could be heard.


    After Sam opened the door, he took out a pocket knife and cut off the seatbelt before carefully slicing


    through the airbag.


    With the driver within reach, all there was left was for Sam to pull him out, and it would be done and


    dusted.


    Sam took a deep breath and gingerly pulled-the car shook again, but only slightly this time. After all, he


    made sure to keep his hands still and ensured the car was bnced from the inside.


    However, he could feel just from a slight pull that the driver¡¯s legs were stuck.


    He would not get the man out with brute strength, and the car might even tip off because of the


    pressure. He was not going to get the driver out unless he freed his legs¡­


    Sam only hesitated for a beat before he leaned over, putting his upper body into the car.


    ¡®No!¡¯


    Quinn¡¯s face paled when he saw Sam¡¯s death-defying stunt.


    Earlier, Sam only had his hands in the car. He might react quick enough if the car tipped over and avoid


    falling down the hill with it.


    But now, half of him was in there-if the car did tip over, he was dead meat.


    Quinn¡¯s whole body shuddered, afraid to look-afraid that he would disappear as she watched.


    But she forced herself to look while she prayed silently.


    On the other hand, Sam could see that the driver¡¯s legs were caught under what remained of the


    dashboard, since most of the front end of the car was left crumpled from the crash.


    However, Sam could only pry the debris off slightly even if he used all the strength he had.


    He was afraid of waking the driver too¡ªif the driver got too agitated, they would all fall together.


    Getting out of the car, he told Bob, ¡°Get the jack from my car. r?


    Bob quickly did so without a moment¡¯s dy, and Sam slowly slid the jack between the driver and the


    dashboard, pushing a gap open inch by inch.


    However, the car shook repeatedly when he managed to get an opening. It was certainly more serious


    this time-a boulder that had been keeping the rear wheel in ce slid off, and the car began to dip.


    Everyone who had been holding the car down could not help yelping even as they tried to keep the car


    down.


    But even though they would hold on as long as they could, even the spoiler was starting to tear off.


    And once it did¡­


    Quinn started nervously at Sam-he was still not hesitating to reach inside the car while using the jack to


    force the dashboard loose.


    ¡°Sam,¡± someone growled through his teeth as loudly as he could, ¡°we¡¯re not going tost. We¡¯re all


    going to fall if we keep this up!¡±


    It was no joke-the car was starting to tip over, and it would have fallen if not for everyone holding it


    down.


    In fact, if someone let go now, everyone might be caught in the drop.


    ¡°Everyone, start counting down from ten,¡± Sam suddenly said aloud. ¡°Once you do, let go at the same


    time.¡±


    Sam still had half his body in the car when he said that, and he only called for a countdown.


    Would he give up once the countdown was finished¡­ Or would he fall with it?


    Quinn bit her lip so hard it turned pale, but it felt like her soul leapt out of her body.


    All she wanted was for Sam to survive.


    He must!


    Nheless, everyone started counting down as one.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Ten.¡±


    ¡°Nine.¡±


    ¡°Eight.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s heart raced with every count, and she was clearly getting overwhelmed¡­

 Chapter 1319

    Chapter 1319


    Chapter 1319


    Quinn looked on as everyone continued the countdown, but Sam still had his whole upper body in the


    car¡­


    ¡°Three¡­¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Quinn thought she could not breathe just then and closed her eyes at the veryst instant.


    She was afraid to look-to see something that would overwhelm her.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    That was when a resounding crash could be heard over the hill. It started just beside her ears before


    bing distant.


    The car had tipped over and fell down the hill, mming thunderously down below.


    Quinn was trembling, still afraid to open her eyes.


    She had no idea what happened, let alone whether Sam was safe¡­


    As if avoidance would spare her from having to face reality.


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Bob suddenly called out.


    Quinn jumped-it was as if she could suffer a breakdown with even a slight breeze.


    Nheless, Bob urged, ¡°We should go.¡±


    Quinn bit her lip, finally opening her eyes¡­ and she saw Sam nearby immediately.


    He was with the other racers, carrying the injured driver to one of the cars.


    In other words, he did it.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes were moist with tears, and she suddenly felt as if she had cheated death even though she


    was not the one in danger.


    As Sam got in another car, he seemed to turn to look at Quinn.


    However, he said nothing before driving away.


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Bob called out to her again.


    Quinn came to her senses right then. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re going with them to the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Quinn was going to follow Bob, but clearly still traumatized, she started to wobble just as she was


    about to walk.


    Bob saw that and quickly caught her, asking nervously,¡± What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°My legs feel a little limp,¡± Quinn replied, embarrassed.


    Bob could not help chuckling, though he remained praiseful of Sam. ¡°Don¡¯t worry-Sam knows what he¡¯s


    doing, and he did it. We¡¯d be watching someone die without doing anything otherwise.¡±


    Quinn nodded silently, so Bob did not press the issue.


    Quinn and Sam were married¡ªthey could sort their own issues out, while bystanders like Bob himself


    could at best point them in the right direction.


    ¡°Need me to help you walk?¡± he asked.


    ¡°N-No.¡± Quinn shook her head.


    Bob nodded-he just had to stay patient and wait for her.


    Once they both got into the car, they headed straight to the hospital.


    The driver who crashed was already in surgery when they arrived.

 Chapter 1320

    Chapter 1320


    Chapter 1320


    Everyone was waiting quietly in the hallway, and Sam was amongst them.


    Around two or three hourster, the doors to the operating room opened, and the surgeon stepped


    outside.


    Everyone surrounded him right then. ¡°How is he, doctor?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-he¡¯s not in danger.¡±


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    Quinn did so too, although her eyes were on Sam.


    ¡°How are his legs? He was squeezed beneath the dashboard when he crashed,¡± Sam asked calmly


    then.


    ¡°He was brought in just in time¡ªanyter and he would need amputation,¡± the doctor said generously.


    ¡°But thanks to the timely intervention, he¡¯ll make a full recovery without any issues. It would take a


    while since it is a serious fracture, though.¡±


    ¡°Good. He¡¯s a racer, after all,¡± someone suddenly said.


    Sam nodded silently, relieved just then.


    Just as the patient was wheeled out of the operating room, hurried footsteps and cries could be heard


    from the other end of the hallway. ¡°What happened to my son? How is he?¡±


    It was the racer¡¯s parents-Quinn could see from afar that they were wobbling and were tearing up even


    as they hurried


    to their son.


    They were on the verge of a breakdown when they saw their son covered in bandages, with the racer¡¯s


    mother almost fainting.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, ma¡¯am,¡± one of the racers assured her. ¡°He¡¯s not in danger, and the doctor said he was


    brought in just in time. He¡¯ll make a full recovery, although it would take him a while since the fracture


    was quite serious.¡±


    The parents started to cry tears of joy-if something really bad happened to their son, they would


    definitely be overwhelmed.


    Lunging at their son¡¯s stretcher, they shouted his name in agitation while following the medical staff


    toward the patient wards.


    The others started to file out of the hospital, with a couple who were close with the racer staying with


    his parents.


    Quinn followed Sam toward the hospital entrance, while Bob sighed nearby. ¡°Well, that was exciting¡­¡±


    ¡°Sam Saunders?¡±


    Someone was suddenly calling out to Sam, and they turned to see the racer¡¯s mother.


    She hurried to Sam, catching his sleeve excitedly as she cried, ¡°Thank you¡­ I heard you did


    everything to save my son, or he would¡¯ve been-¡°


    ¡°It¡¯s just what I should do, ma¡¯am,¡± Sam assured her. ¡°He¡¯s fine now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I really don¡¯t know what to say¡­ but thank you. Not only did you save my son, but you also saved


    our family¡­ I don¡¯t know if my husband and I can live without our boy¡­ Thank you¡­¡±


    Sam talked to her for a while as she thanked him repeatedly for a long while, even bowing to him


    before she left.


    Watching her go, Bob could not help saying, ¡°You really saved a family there, brother. It suddenly feels


    like you¡¯re noble.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sam was speechless.


    As they returned to their car, Bob and Sam continued chatting incessantly again, while Quinn stayed


    with them, silent as a stone.


    They soon returned to their rooms at the hotel, with Quinn still staying in the same one as Sam.


    As for Sam, the first thing he did once he got back to the hotel was to order room service-it had been a


    long day, and they had not eaten even though it was already past 8 PM.


    After he made the order, he started toward the bathroom¡­


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn suddenly called out to him.


    Sam paused, pursing his lips.


    Still, he turned toward her and found her eyes welling with tears again¡­


    It seemed to have been happening the whole day, too- whether he was racing, saving that driver, or


    being thanked.


    Anyone who did not know better would think that she was emotional, but Sam knew that she was


    angry, with him always deciding on everything on his own!

 Chapter 1321

    Chapter 1321


    Chapter 1321


    Bracing himself, Sam said, ¡°Scold me all you want.¡±


    It was not the first time-or the first day-that Quinn got upset with him.


    He was plenty prepared, but that was when he stiffened as he felt her suddenly throwing herself into


    his arms, holding him in a firm embrace.


    She had wanted to do that for a while but had been constantly holding back.


    She was never this scared of losing him before, and she had no idea when she started to pay so much


    attention to Sam.


    Still, she would not deny that it might have started with that ident three years ago, when she began


    to take her marriage with Sam seriously. Were they really unable to stand each other?


    And when he was sentenced to prison, she kept remembering him for some reason-persistently, too.


    Then, once he was out, she could not wait to mend her marriage with him¡­ or to nurture Sam¡¯s


    feelings for her, to be precise.


    Either way, she knew very well that she was not that cold toward Sam now.


    She cared about him and perhaps even liked him.


    That was why she wanted to be with him-it had nothing to do with the Saunders or anyone else.


    It was only for her own sake.


    Her hands were shaking even as she hugged Sam-she really did not want to think of the possibility of


    something really happening to him.


    All she wanted to do right then was feel his warmth and presence.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    That he was alive-in front of her and within reach.


    ¡°Quinn?¡± Sam was actually surprised by what she was doing.


    Many possibilities crossed his mind about what she would do-lecture, scold, or even give him the silent


    treatment.


    He did not expect her to hold him like this, so fiercely as if she was afraid to lose him.


    It left him flustered and her fingers trembling.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn murmured as she looked up to meet his gaze, her tears gushing even harder just then.


    Sam frowned-really, when did she be such a crybaby?


    He used to make her cry because he wanted to make his presence known.


    Eventually, she stopped crying, which made her difficult to bully.


    And when they got married, Quinn was exceedingly cold. How did she regress to her crybaby condition


    now?


    ¡°Hey, just say what you¡¯re upset about. Heck, hit me, scold me¡ªplease don¡¯t cry.¡± Sam sighed


    exasperatedly, though he was tense inside.


    He tried to dry her tears, but it only seemed to make her cry more.


    Sam tried to act angry and threatened her coolly, ¡°Quinn, I¡¯m telling you-stop. My patience has its


    limits.¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t you know how worried I was?¡± Quinn stammered through tears just then.


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied-she would have trouble exining herself to his family if anything were to happen


    to him.


    Moreover, she had always been kind-she would never stay unmoved if she had to watch someone die.


    ¡°If you died-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m cursed. I won¡¯t die easily,¡± Sam said smugly.


    Quinnughed, actually amused-who else would call themselves cursed?


    She wondered then¡­ had they all been ignoring him ever since she was a child?


    ¡°Stop crying,¡± Sam growled in frustration just then¡ªwhy was she crying more now when she was


    laughing a moment ago?


    ¡°Alright, I know that it¡¯s my bad.¡± Sam gave in then. ¡°I won¡¯t ever race or do anything dangerous, so


    stop crying, okay?¡±


    His annoyance showed all over his face, but he still coaxed her tenderly, i


    However, Quinn had no idea if she was being emotional too¡­

 Chapter 1322

    Chapter 1322


    Chapter 1322


    Maybe Quinn just could not stop her tears as soon as she began.


    Those were tears of joy, after all-because Sam lived.


    ¡°Stop crying, or I¡¯m going to kiss you.¡± Sam frowned.


    He had always been tall, but his facial features were rigid and frightening once he got upset.


    However, Quinn suddenly did not feel afraid.


    She just could not stop her tears, so she took a deep breath as she attempted to control her emotions-


    she already knew that she had lostposure.


    Then, at that very moment¡­


    ¡°Mmmph¡­¡±


    Quinn¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She found herself staring at Sam¡¯s face up close as he suddenly kissed her.


    She even forgot that she was crying as she looked at him, feeling the warmth of his lips.


    Then, she stopped moving.


    Seeing that she calmed down, Sam slowly let her go. ¡°Cry again, and I will bully you-Mmmph.¡±


    It was his turn to be surprised-she was standing on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck with


    much difficulty as she pressed her scarlet lips against his.


    Sam gulped, his fingers clenching in clear restraint.


    ¡°Mmmph.¡±


    He stiffened-he had kissed Quinn just now just to stop her from crying and nothing else.


    But now, she was pressing her little tongue into his mouth- tentatively, ufortably, but also boldly.


    Sam¡¯s mind went nk as the tip of her tongue brushed against his. All he felt was the warmth in his


    mouth¡­ so soft and breathtaking.


    She was such an amateur,pletely inexperienced, but he could not help feeling buoyed.


    It was so hard to not respond in kind!


    He held the back of her head and kissed her fiercely then, and she did not flinch.


    In fact, once she felt him responding to her, she gave him everything.


    She wished they wouldst forever, as their lips seemed glued to each other¡¯s while they got ever


    closer.


    However, just before anything else could happen, the doorbell chimed, followed by a voice calling out,


    ¡°Room service!¡±


    Quinn and Sam both stiffened before slowly pulling away, obviously embarrassed then.


    Quinn¡¯s cheeks were red, and she kept her eyes lowered, refraining from meeting Sam¡¯s eyes.


    How did she let loose so much just a moment ago?


    She had never behaved like that before, as she had always been very reserved.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    As for Sam, he took a deep breath to recover before opening the door.


    ¡°Sir, your order has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sam let the waiter in while he went straight to the bathroom. He needed to douse the ring desire in


    him with cold water. Still, he wondered-if there had been no interruption, would he and Quinn had gone


    all the way?


    He could also feel his heart skipping a beat-he could almost still feel the sensation of her touch, leaving


    him hot and bothered, i


    Gritting his teeth, he started sshing himself with cold water!

 Chapter 1323

    Chapter 1323


    Chapter 1323


    When Sam got out of the bathroom, Quinn was sitting tamely by the table with the food, waiting for him.


    He frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eat first?¡±


    He knew all too well he had stayed a long while in the bathroom, since it took him considerable effort to


    calm his libido.


    Whenever he started to show signs of calming, he would suddenly remember what they were doing


    and get restless again.


    As such, he had to soak himself in cold water for who knew how long, and it never crossed his mind


    that Quinn was still waiting for him to eat.


    How stupid could she be? She could eat first if she was hungry!


    ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± Quinn replied mildly, not upset with his hostile tone.


    ¡°No one asked you to wait. Start eating,¡± Sam growled as he sat down, shoving a fork and knife at


    Quinn and pettily putting extra food on her te.


    Quinn did not refuse, though she was just staring at him so much that he was starting to get


    ufortable.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Still, he said, ¡°Finish it. You¡¯re as thin as a stick.¡±


    Quinn felt a little petty then. ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m perky where I should be.¡±


    In fact, she had been working hard on erging her chest with diet and exercises while he was in


    prison, since she knew that he preferred an ample bosom. She also hit the gym often to shape up her


    waist, posterior, and other curves.


    Sam gulped, unable to help feeling buoyed again-was she doing this on purpose?! It took him


    considerable effort and a cold bath to cool off!


    He certainly noticed the improvement in her figure, and that she was even more shapely than years


    ago.


    Even so¡­


    ¡®Whatever!1


    Sam kept his head down and ate, trying his best to distract himself.


    Quinn did not say anything else either and ate with him in silence.


    It was reallyte, and she did not feel hungry at first, but only when she started eating.


    She finished two tefuls of food, while Sam finished four.


    Once he was finished, he reclined limply on the couch, not feeling like moving at all.


    Quinn followed suit, even though she did not eat as much.


    They sat in silence for a long while, none of them intending to start talking.


    Still, Quinn had the feeling that this would be their life for the rest of their lives¡­


    After a while, Quinn got out of the couch to take a bath.


    Sam had taken his sweet time with a bath before, but she did not, and she felt dirty and sticky.


    There was a sweet aroma wafting from her as she stepped out, and her skin was brighter and fairer


    after she soaked in warm water.


    Sam nced at herzily, but that single nce almost broke his restraint again.


    He started to wonder if Quinn was that beautiful or whether he just had not seen action for that long-he


    had not touched a woman ever since he left prison, after all.


    There were times when he wondered how hested this long.


    But whenever he felt the impulse, the thought of doing it with other women would just vaporize his


    libido.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn called out to him softly then. ¡°You can sleep on the bed tonight.¡±


    As Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she added, ¡°The couch is too small for you. I can take the couch.¡±


    Sam felt as if he had been doused by cold water, while Quinn said, ¡°I¡¯ll call room service to clean up the


    table.¡±


    They were so full after they finished eating that they really did not want to move at all once theyy


    down on the couch, so the dirty dishes were all left on the table.


    Sam watched as Quinn made the phone call, and housekeeping soon arrived to clean up.


    Quinn adjusted the room heater to an optimal temperature and straightened the sheets. 2


    ¡°Sam, you can sleep on the bed now,¡± she told him, while she picked up the nket and headed for the


    chaise lounge.

 Chapter 1324

    Chapter 1324


    Chapter 1324


    That was when Quinn realized that Sam was reclining on the chaise lounge.


    Quinn went to stand before him, waiting for him to leave.


    Her sleeping gown was conservative, but it still left Sam hot and bothered.


    He was imagining tearing the sleeping gown into pieces and other unspeakable images¡­


    Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and got off the couch.


    However, just as Quinn was putting her nket on the chaise lounge and ready to get on it, she


    gasped in surprise,¡± Ohl-


    Sam had suddenly scooped her up in his arms.


    It could not be easier¡ªagainst his burly figure, it was as though she was just a tiny chick, weak and


    unable to fight back.


    ¡°What are you doing, Sam?¡± she eximed inint.


    ¡°Sleep on the bed,¡± he told her and threw her unceremoniously onto the bed.


    Quinn was left feeling daze, but she insisted, ¡°You¡¯d be ufortable on the couch-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m sleeping on the bed too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn eximed, taken aback.


    She thought she had heard him wrong-he despised her, did he not?


    He had always rejected her advances, but he was giving in now?


    Nheless, she began to blush as she imagined what would happen now¡­


    Nheless, Sam growled, ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    He even moved his face close to hers, straddling her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a real pervert, Quinn!¡± Sam said, staring at her gleefully from head to toe.


    ¡°W-We¡¯re married. Doing it is normal, no?¡± Quinn asked loudly.


    ¡°Doing it?¡± Sam smiled evilly just then. ¡°Doing what? Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Doing¡­¡±


    Quinn suddenly found Sam dangerous, as if he could devour her at any moment.


    She bit her lip, tense from head to toe.


    ¡°So? What is it?¡± Sam asked, deliberately bullying her since he knew she could see it easily.


    Even so, Quinn gritted her teeth and mustered her courage.¡± It¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡± Sam snapped right then.


    Quinn looked at him in turn, slightly irked just then.


    Sam always loved to bully her, just like when they were children.


    ¡°We¡¯re sharing the bed, but we¡¯ll be on different sides of the bed,¡± Sam said as he climbed on the bed,


    solemnly pointing at the center of the bed. ¡°This is our border, and neither of us shall cross it.


    Understand?¡±


    Quinn was speechless-he made it sound like she was desperate.


    But she was only like this when it was him.


    Unlike him, she could not feel this way toward everyone, and she certainly could not jump into action at


    any moment.


    ¡°Just sleep,¡± Sam snapped and turned off the lights.


    The faint rays of twilight filled into the room-it was not blinding and would not affect sleep. However, it


    kept the room just bright enough, offering a sense of warmth and security.


    Amid the silence, Quinn turned around.


    Sam stiffened¡­ only for Quinn to turn around again.


    Sam stiffened again¡­ and the process repeated until he had enough.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just stay still and sleep?!¡± he barked.


    Quinn was a little stumped-she was just trying to getfortable, and she did not touch him!


    Nheless, he growled, ¡°Don¡¯t move. I can¡¯t sleep if you do. IV


    Quinn stayed still then and stared at Sam¡¯s back.


    Suddenly, she asked quietly, ¡°Can we try having a rtionship, Sam?¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 1325

    Chapter 1325


    Sam was si lent, and Quinn could not see his reaction in the darkness, let alone tell if he was willing.


    Nheless, she pressed, ¡°It¡¯s possible that we missed out on our chance to be together, and I won¡¯t


    deny liking Ryan as a child¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to push yourself,¡± Sam said tly, pursing his lips.


    ¡°Can you let me finish?¡± she asked with a hint of plea in her voice.


    Sam stayed silent, and taking that for his approval, Quinn mustered her courage to continue. ¡°At the


    time, I just felt he was good to me. He protected me like a brother after what happened to my family,


    giving me warmth, while you always made me cry¡­¡±


    Sam gulped, remembering the past just then.


    His parents brought Quinn home after her parent¡¯s ident, and he had no idea at the time, simply


    presuming that she was visiting Ryan like she always did.


    After all, she was always tagging along with Ryan wherever he went, and it was exasperating how she


    was always calling out to Ryan.


    That was why he yed a prank on her when she was alone, pulling her hair and bringing a spider.


    But that was the one time Quinn really got upset and shoved him as hard as she could.


    She never fought back, only ever bursting into tears, and Sam retaliated, pushing her to the ground.


    He was young at the time too, and it felt disgraceful being shoved around by a girl.


    He knew very well that he did not push her that hard-he just wanted to show her who was boss, only for


    Quinn to identally hit her head and bleed profusely.


    He was scared out of his wits and scooped her up in his arms before running back to the house,


    yelling, ¡°Help! Quinn is bleeding!¡±


    The entire family came running, with Sam¡¯s father Marvin taking Quinn off his arms while barking at the


    servants to get an ambnce.


    They all waited until it arrived and went to the hospital together.


    Fortunately, Quinn only sustained a flesh wound and her head was fine-the doctor assured them that


    she would be better with a few days¡¯ rest.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    However, that was when Marvin pped Sam in front of everyone, startling his mother Lindsay, Ryan,


    and Quinn.


    Even so, no one defended him because they all believed he deserved it¡ªhimself included.


    Moreover, he never wanted to hurt Quinn¡­


    ¡°Apologize to Quinn!¡± Marvin snapped viciously-he had never been that furious at Sam, no matter how


    terrible the things he did before!

 Chapter 1326

    Chapter 1326


    Chapter 1326


    Sam was about to apologize when Ryan suddenly said, ¡°Apologize? What¡¯s the point? He loves


    bullying Quinn constantly and still behaves the same even after what happened to her family. I¡¯d have


    our parents disown you if you weren¡¯t my brother!¡±


    Sam had actually no idea what happened to Quinn¡¯s family, but Ryan¡¯s outburst left him incensed.


    He clenched his jaw and refused to apologize since it was pointless-they would never forgive him! Even


    Quinn never cared to look at him!


    That in turn sent Marvin into a frenzy, beating the snot out of him for his stubbornness and for hurting


    Quinn.


    He resented Quinn for that, until he found out that her parents died-they were being buried the day he


    hurt her too.


    He felt remorse, scarcely able to imagine how miserable she was.


    And what if she died with them at the time too?


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    That was why he tried to apologize, but Ryan kept her with him at all times after she returned to


    Saunders Mansion, refusing to let Sam approach her.


    And on asions where she was alone, she would bolt when he tried to approach.


    When he eventually had enough and finally caught her, he saw how scared and disgusted he was with


    her.


    Even so, he asked, ¡°Why were you hiding from me?¡±


    ¡°You hit me.¡±


    ¡°You hit me first. I was just fighting back,¡± Sam argued.


    ¡°Ryan told me to stay away from you. I don¡¯t want you near me,¡± Quinn snapped in distaste.


    ¡°Could you stop it with Ryan?! Are you going to do everything he tells you to?! What if he asks you to


    die?!¡± Sam bellowed.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t,¡± Quinn retorted vindictively. ¡°He¡¯s the best person in the world, and I¡¯ll marry him when I


    grow up. I¡¯ll always listen to him.¡±


    ¡°Marry him?! How old do you think you are?! Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?!¡± Sam¡¯s eyes went red from


    frustration.


    However, Quinn did not notice-she presumed he was going to hit her again as he snapped.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll only marry Ryan,¡± she told him before turning to run.


    That was why Sam never apologized to her.


    ¡°I always thought I was going to marry Ryan.¡±


    Back at the present, Quinn¡¯s voice yanked Sam out of his reverie.


    He thought he forgot all about the past-about the fights with Quinn-only for those memories to have


    been ingrained deep in his mind.


    ¡°I never expected Ryan to bail on our wedding,¡± Quinn said, miserably when she remembered what


    happened that day.


    Still, it was natural for anyone else in her shoes, and she was deeply in love with Ryan at that.


    ¡°I can admit that I agreed to marry you to get even, since I didn¡¯t know why Ryan left like that-why he


    would hurt me so badly on the day I would be most happy. He could¡¯ve told me if he didn¡¯t love me, and


    I wouldn¡¯t have clung to him.¡±


    Pausing, she then continued, ¡°I don¡¯t even remember how I felt when Ryan returned and exined why


    he ran away¡­ But it was probably a relief.


    Having an answer to a question that stressed me out for so long allowed me to let go.¡±


    ¡°That was why Ryan and I were just history at that point. There may be regret and lingering feelings,


    but I never lied to you-l never thought of divorcing you because I have acknowledged our marriage.¡±

 Chapter 1327

    Chapter 1327


    Chapter 1327


    Quinn was disappointed even as she said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know why you hated me so much.¡±


    She was wholeheartedly sincere on every asion she visited Saunders Mansion, bringing all her


    favorite things and always smiling sweetly at everyone.


    She did not hold a grudge against Sam either-she knew that he was naughty and stubborn, but she


    would be nice to him anyway, bringing his favorite chocte candies.


    That was why she could not understand why Sam despised her so much, always snapping at her


    whenever she came.


    Laying beside her in bed, Sam was silent-he never hated Quinn and would actually have liked her


    parents to bring her over every day.


    He liked her round little face and sweet smile, and she seemed to be the only one who did not mind


    him being inferior to Ryan.


    ¡°You¡¯re both our children, but we always have to worry about you, unlike Ryan¡­¡± Their parents would


    always sigh, shaking their head-but Quinn never did the same.


    Indeed, the adults refused to acknowledge him just because he had poor grades. They never cared


    about him, and it did not cross their mind that it was exactly why he had poor grades.


    In fact, there was once when he had a perfect score on a paper, but his parents merely threw a half-


    hearted congrattions before continuing to fawn over Ryan. Ryan had always been smarter than his


    peers anyway, and they would rather groom him with everything they had.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    As such, Sam decided to give up since his parents did not care even if he seeded, since Ryan was


    simply better in their opinion, and hepletely turned against them.


    At least that way, they would still notice him instead of treating him like he did not exist.


    As for when he began to despise Quinn, it was when his parents took him, Ryan, and Quinn up a


    mountain. It was not easy climbing up to the peak, after which his parents told them that there was a


    tree people always made a wish upon, sticking notes containing their wishes


    They were given pen and paper to write down their wishes, and they all did it seriously.


    Ryan and Quinn left soon after that, while Sam stayed.


    After hesitating for a long while, he climbed the tree to peek at Quinn¡¯s note.


    [I wish I will mawy Wryan when Im bigger.]


    The wish was simple but rife with spelling mistakes-she was barely seven.


    Sam could tear it into pieces after reading it but left it be since he might make Quinn cry again.


    He then nced at Ryan¡¯s note.


    It was simple too: [I wish to be someone important for the country.)


    Sam wasughing at the time.


    Did Quinn see this? Her beloved Ryan did not even mention her in his wish.


    Putting Ryan¡¯s note back where it was, he added another line on Quinn¡¯s note.


    [If Ryan dumps me, I will marry Sam.]


    As he put it back where it was and was about to climb down the tree, his foot slipped.


    He dropped to the ground so loudly everyone was startled, and seeing him bleeding, his parents


    quickly took him out of the mountains.


    Even so, he heard Ryan admonishing him like he was an elder, ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore, Sam!


    Can¡¯t you learn to behave?!¡¯


    Then, Ryan even turned to their parents and snapped, ¡°Indulge him too much, and he¡¯d get even


    worse!¡±

 Chapter 1328

    Chapter 1328


    Chapter 1328


    Sam¡¯s parents sighed. ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re a blessing. Sam¡¯s just a curse.¡±


    A curse?!


    Sam certainly remembered that, and his rebellious streak only got worse.


    Back to the present, Quinn ultimately med herself.¡±


    Maybe I had beencking when I was a child, but I hope you can let go of past preconceptions and


    allow us to have a fresh start.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips and stayed silent.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes turned red in misery. ¡°Can¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± he said very quietly, so Quinn could not hear that he was choking with emotion.


    It had been a long while since he looked forward to anything, and he even though no one in the world


    liked him or cared-that he was just excess.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    He did not expect Quinn to ask him for a fresh start or to try having a rtionship. He did not agree to it


    right away, because he thought he imagined it¡ªthat it was just his fantasy.


    ¡°You mean, we can start going out?¡± Quinn asked, working


    hard to calm herself. ¡°Then¡­ can I hold you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Sam refused right then.


    Quinn was a little wounded at first, when he finished, ¡°Not just yet.¡±


    Right now, he was worried he would be overwhelmed, since they were just giving this rtionship thing


    a try.


    While Quinn would like to try to grow her feelings for him, it was just that-she did not necessarily love


    him, and he did not want to hurt her.


    He regretted what he did before, especially when he was in jail¡ªhe had no right to defile her when they


    were not going to be together. He should allow her to be whole when she was finally by the side of her


    beloved.


    That was why he refused to lose himself now, and even if they never fell in love in the end¡­ Or if


    Quinn never fell for him, to be precise, he would at least not have done her wrong.


    ¡°Then, when?¡± Quinn asked with a wounded tone.


    ¡°When we actually have feelings for each other,¡± Sam said, resolute.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Quinn said but was ultimately disappointed.


    Still, she encouraged herself. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make you fall for me, Sam.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    But she was wrong there-he was the one who should make her fall for him.


    As the room became silent, Quinn happily went to sleep after getting a satisfying answer from Sam.


    It was a great leap forward for them, whatever the case may be-Sam at least stopped being a


    porcupine who kept her at arm¡¯s reach.


    She was soon asleep after closing her eyes, since it had been a taxing, heart-stopping day.


    On the other hand, Sam¡¯s eyes were wide open, unable to fall asleep when he should be exhausted.


    He was afraid that everything would change once he woke up, and things were no different between


    him and Quinn¡­ He would lose his mind if that really happened.

 Chapter 1329

    Chapter 1329


    Chapter 1329


    When Sam woke upte in the morning the next day, he was alone on his hotel bed.


    He sprang to his feet right then¡ªwhere was Quinn? Did she leave?


    Was everything she said yesterday about trying to have a rtionship a lie?!


    He knew it.


    He was going to wake up and realize that it was just a dream, and now, he did.


    He was smiling coolly, the stinging sensation that extended from his chest overwhelming him just then.


    Quinn was such a liar, tricking him into developing feelings for her. He never should have believed her-


    Nheless, that was when the door opened.


    Startled, Sam saw Quinn standing at the doorway, holding a bag.


    She smiled at him, seeing he had woken up. ¡°You¡¯re up? You were sleeping like a log.¡±


    Sam gulped, hiding how he felt just then.


    Still, Quinn noticed his weird reaction and hurried to him.¡± What¡¯s wrong? Your eyes are red¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Sam turned away.


    Even he would hate himself, since Quinn almost left him in tears when he thought she left him!


    ¡°Still feeling drowsy?¡± Quinn asked, not minding his hissy reaction-he always got irritable right after he


    woke up, and she was used to it. ¡°I just bought some of the capital¡¯s specialties¡ªI¡¯d like to eat outside


    with you, but I¡¯d rather not wake you seeing that you were sound asleep. I can ask room service to put


    everything in the fridge if you want to sleep longer. They¡¯ll return it heated-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± Sam said. ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam said, entering the bathroom and closing the door behind him.


    When he did, he could not help putting his hand on his chest, where his heart was pounding.


    Quinn was being serious with him¡­


    He looked at his reflection in the mirror then and snorted. Who was he even talking to?!


    Gruffly washing his face and rinsing his mouth, he stepped out when he was done.


    Quinn hadid out the food she bought neatly on the dining table and smiled as he stepped out.


    ¡°Come, eat.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart was racing again-this felt like something he would only see in a dream.


    ¡°I know you like it hot, so I ordered it extra spicy. See if you like it,¡± Quinn said, eagerly putting food on


    his te.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Sam took a bite, and it tasted just right-he certainly liked it.


    ¡°Is it good?¡± Quinn asked with a hopeful look.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ve queued two hours for this, since it had rave reviews online.¡± Quinn beamed-her hard work


    paid off, and she felt a sense of aplishment.


    Still, Sam¡¯s face fell. ¡°You queued for two hours? For this? Are you crazy?¡±


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t like it?¡± There was a flicker of sadness as Quinn looked at Sam-but he just said it was


    good! 1


    And the look on his face said as much too¡­ How could he just change like that?

 Chapter 1330

    Chapter 1330


    Chapter 1330


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that ever again/ Sam said sternly.


    Quinn pouted. ¡°But I thought you liked it../


    ¡°Even so.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn hung her head as if she had made a mistake.


    Sam appeared left flustered by her reaction-was that too much?


    Still, it frustrated him to think she queued for two hours. He did not like her pushing herself that much¡­


    As such, he added, ¡°I¡¯ll queue for it if I want it.¡±


    That was the most he could manage-sweet-talking was never his strong suit.


    Nheless, Quinn argued, ¡°You¡¯re not patient enough for that.¡±


    ¡°T-Then I¡¯ll just give it a pass.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d never know how it tastes in that case,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine without it.¡±


    ¡°Are you allergic to people being nice to you?¡± Quinnined.


    Sam pursed his lips and stayed silent, so Quinn demanded, ¡°Eat. You don¡¯t get to leave the table


    unless you finish everything.¡±


    ¡°You bought a lot,¡± Sam argued, but considering that Quinn was a little scared, he rxed histone. ¡°I¡¯ll


    finish half.¡±


    Quinn was dissatisfied, however. ¡°Three quarters.¡±


    Sam raised a brow at her retort. ¡°You¡¯re all bones, woman. You should be eating more/


    ¡°Is that concern I hear?¡± Quinn asked.


    Sam kept his head down and ate, pretending not to hear.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try to eat more,¡± she agreed.


    There was a smile on Sam¡¯s lips as he kept eating.


    Naturally, both were stuffed afterward, with one reclining on the chaise lounge and the other on a


    single-seat couch.


    If she kept feeding him like this a couple more times, he would die from overeating¡­


    ¡°When are we going back to North City?¡± Quinn suddenly asked.


    ¡°You want to go back?¡±


    ¡°I just think it¡¯s been a while since we got here. Most of the guests here have already left, and Zoe is


    already starting her prenatal routine.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡¯s pregnant?¡± Sam eximed, a little surprised.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Jay¡¯s good.¡± Sam chuckled.


    Quinn stared at him and could not resist asking softly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want children, Sam?¡±


    Sam almost choked¡ªhe never dared think about it.


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    Still, Quinn became a little disappointed. ¡°I guess you really don¡¯t like children¡­¡±


    Sam took a while to calm himself and shot back, ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Before this, not really. It felt like a task your parents entrusted me/ Quinn replied. ¡°But now, I guess I¡¯m


    a little interested. Zoe is having a second child, and Dicky¡¯s old enough to be best man../


    Sam pursed his lips and stayed silent.


    He did consider the idea before, but they were just starting to give a rtionship a try-would it not be


    too early to talk about children?


    But if things went smoothly¡­ Would it not be natural to have children?


    ¡°Anyway, when are we going back to North City?¡± Quinn asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°We can leave today. I¡¯ll talk to Bob/ Sam replied.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    When Sam called Bob, however, Bob immediately went into a rant. ¡°You just remembered I exist, don¡¯t


    you, Mr. Saunders? You left me hanging for the whole day, and you know I¡¯d never knock or call since


    I¡¯m worried about interrupting your hanky-panky again! It¡¯s not easy being me, you know!


    ¡°Just book our flight home this evening,¡± Sam told him curtly. ¡°For my wife and me/


    ¡°Your wife? Getting warm, aren¡¯t we?¡± Bob teased.

 Chapter 1331

    Chapter 1331


    Chapter 1331


    Sam ignored Bob¡¯s teasing and hung up before turning to Quinn. ¡°Bob will make the arrangements.¡±


    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯re really close to him,¡± Quinn said earnestly.


    ¡°Not just him. With John and Jay too,¡± he replied.


    He would not mention his friends before to her and always kept her out of the loop when it came to


    himself.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Quinn said hesitantly just then.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get upset with me.¡±


    ¡°Just say it.¡±


    ¡°Why are you able to get along with everyone other than Ryan?¡± Quinn asked, still worried that Sam


    would get upset.


    It was a sensitive question, and Sam¡¯s temper had always been horrible¡­ But she was really curious,


    especially since they were brothers.


    A look of irritation appeared on Sam¡¯s face in turn¡ªwas it not obvious? Was there any man who could


    y nice with another man clearly coveting his wife, even if he was his brother?


    Moreover, get along with Ryan when Ryan had belittled him his whole life?


    ¡°Are you that eager to have me get along with him?¡± Sam asked instead of answering.


    Quinn did a double take, though she soon shook her head. ¡°You do you.¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t mind me being hostile toward Ryan?¡± Sam asked just to make sure.


    ¡°I have no reason to meddle in your sibling rivalry,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°My priority is just to make sure we


    be a proper couple. I¡¯m too busy to worry about anything else.¡±


    Sam smiled then, unable to hide his joy.


    Even as she stared at him, Quinn actually had trouble believing it-did he really just smile at her?


    He only ever scowled at her before¡­


    As such, she could not help smiling back, just as a ray of sunshine filed inside from the window,


    illuminating her face¡­


    And for the first time, Sam found the world beautiful.


    When Sam returned to North City with Quinn and Bob, it just happened to be Jay¡¯s birthday.


    Zoe was threatening them to have dinner at their ce despite Jay¡¯s protests.


    Since she just got pregnant, the doctor advised her to rest more and not to stress herself out.


    Zoe was just too free-spirited, so Jay had to keep her on a tight leash.


    He would remind her to slow down if she walked too quickly, insisting shey on her sides if she


    wanted to sleep and warning her that she would affect the baby if she shouted too much.


    It was worse when it came to her diet, as Jay hired an in-house nutritionist and denied Zoe¡¯s attempts


    to sneak away with some spicy soup.


    And it had just been a few days her pregnancy was confirmed-Zoe had no idea how she would survive


    the next nine months!


    That was why she was so insistent on having everyone visit on Jay¡¯s birthday, or she would die from


    cabin fever.


    Naturally, she also called Cordy, asking when she would be back¡­

 Chapter 1332

    Chapter 1332


    Cordy sounded lethargic although it was noon when Zoe called her.


    John was probably devouring her whole during their honeymoon, and there would be a baby in her


    belly by the time they got back.


    Zoe was staring at Quinn as sheined about all the grief she suffered for days. ¡¯You¡¯re finally


    back, Quinn¡­ You have no idea how much I¡¯ve suffered. Jay wouldn¡¯t let me have anything¡­¡±


    Quinn smiled. ¡°That¡¯s because he cares. Rejoice that you got a good husband!¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯d rather have freedom.¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯ll be free after you have your baby¡­¡±


    ¡®Til still have to breastfeed¡­¡±


    ¡°And stopctating.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just saying that because you won¡¯t ever know what it¡¯s like,¡± Zoe huffed.


    Quinn hid a smile-that certainly was the case.


    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t you want children? You¡¯re not young¡ªheck, this pregnancy even feels different than


    when I had Yelena. It¡¯s so taxing¡­¡¯ Zoe said then.


    Quinn nced at Sam who was sitting with the others, and he turned to look at her too, as if he sensed


    her.


    Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org.


    As their eyes met, Quinn smiled.


    Zoe stared at her in turn. ¡°Is there something going on between you and Sam?!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip, unsure what to tell Zoe just then-Zoe was always vocal against her being with Sam,


    and there was no question that he had been harsh with her.


    Still, Zoe seemed to understand with a single look. ¡¯So, you made up?¡±


    ¡°Half, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Half?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to make it work,¡± Quinn exined. ¡¯We¡¯re taking it slow, since we were forced to marry


    before and had no feelings for each other.


    Building a foundation is naturally the most important if we really want to be together.¡¯


    ¡°Then¡­ Have you already fallen for him?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t want to divorce him,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°Even if Ryan kept dropping hints¡­¡±


    ¡°That means you love Sam,¡± Zoe said definitively.


    As Quinn stared at her, she exined, ¡°No woman marries a man they don¡¯t love orpletely rejects


    a man they like. This means that you¡¯ve gotten over Ryan and are into Sam now.¡¯


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Quinn pursed her lips and murmured softly, ¡°Probably.¡±


    Hearing that, Zoe shot her an ¡®l-knew-it¡¯ look.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ve cheapened myself?¡¯ Quinn suddenly asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Zoe eximed in surprise.


    ¡°I mean, Sam obviously doesn¡¯t love me, but I insist on having a fresh start with him. What is that if not


    love for brains?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Zoe told her confidently, though Quinn knew that Zoe was unconditionally supportive no


    matter the decision she made.


    Nheless, Zoe suddenly sighed. ¡°Sam isn¡¯t that bad.¡¯


    Quinn was left staring at Zoe again-but she hated Sam the most!


    ¡°Do you remember having your first period in school?¡± Zoe reminded her.


    ¡°Yeah. It was so awkward I almost cried-thank goodness you brought me the pads.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Sam barged into my ssroom and gave them to me. He told me to pass them to you, or I


    wouldn¡¯t have known at all.¡±


    Quinn did a double take-Sam was just three years older at the time and attending the same private


    school.


    She remembered bleeding into her pants when she ran into him, but he told her nothing.


    In fact, she was so flustered she could not even tell her ssmates, and she regretted it after she


    rushed into the washroom on impulse.


    sses were already in session, and there was no else around to help!

 Chapter 1333

    Chapter 1333


    Chapter 1333


    Meanwhile, Zoe continued reminiscing. ¡°Sam was really tall, even during high school¡ªstanding half a


    head taller than the rest, he stood out even in the basketball team. Anyway, he charged into our


    ssroom with that terrible look on his face and came up to me.


    "Even the teacher was spooked, let alone my ssmates. Heck, my heart skipped a beat, and I was so


    worried I''d upset him and he wanted me dead...¡±


    Zoe shuddered even as she remembered it. ¡°Anyway, Sam threw me a pack of pads as everyone


    watched..¡±


    While Quinn had a hard time imagining the scene, it was still a fresh memory in Zoe''s mind. "He was


    scowling at me even as he told me to bring it to you... and with that, he''s gone, not caring that everyone


    was staring at him. It was like he was immune to embarrassment... Like it only happened to anyone but


    him."


    "You had no idea how awkward it was, Quinn¡ª! could vanish right then,¡± Zoe sighed, overwhelmed


    even as she remembered. "I had to pick up that pack while everyone watched and take it to you.¡±


    "Why didn''t you tell me?¡± Quinn eximed in surprise.


    "You know how sensitive you were back then." Zoe shrugged. "You''d be so embarrassed you''d go into


    hiding. I mean, Sam''s still an idiot¡ªisn''t he announcing to everyone that you''re having your period?


    That you''re a real maiden now? Do you still think you''d show your face in public?¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, but it was true¡ªshe would have been traumatized back at middle school, and


    for a long while at that.


    "That''s why I never mentioned it, and I basically forgot about it now that we''re grown up," Zoe smiled,


    and turned to look at the men just then. "I also thought that Sam was quite vulgar, being all open about


    ady''s sensitive issues¡­ though now that I thought about it, he must be worried since you''d be stuck


    and helpless in the washroom. That''s why he could only barge into our ss room, and it''s obvious he


    was worried about you."


    Quinn''s heart skipped a beat as an unfamiliar feeling welled in her heart, but it felt warm like spring.


    "It''s over, Quinn!" Zoe sighed then. "You should see that girly look on your face right now¡ªyou''re in


    love!¡±


    Quinn did not argue¡ªshe really thought she would like to start a proper rtionship just then.


    Even after she confirmed her rtionship with Ryan, they never spent much time together since he


    was always busy with his studies. He rarely called and came home on even less asions, basically


    sparing her no time.


    As such, their rtionship was hardly what one would call a normal one.


    Perhaps that left her with regret, and she now appreciated how things were with Sam¡ªto really see


    each other, to care and feel for each other... +


    "Well, this is good,¡± Zoe said, switching gears just then. "Stay with him and live the good life since


    you''ve made your choice. I mean, if John and Jay ept him, he''d never be that rotten!¡±


    "You''re just hinting that your husband is a good man too," Quinn teased.


    "Whoops, you noticed.¡± Zoe admitted to it openly. They continued their lively chatter, and the men did


    the same, though Sam would nce at the women from time to time.


    His heart raced whenever he saw the bright smile on Quinn''s face.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Bob and Jay certainly noticed that, but they merely shared a tacit smile, refraining from exposing their


    good friend.


    In the evening, as everyone sat around the dining table to celebrate Jay''s birthday, Bob and Sam


    insisted on getting drunk and insisted Jay drink with them.


    Unable to refuse, Jay yed along. But this was Bob and Sam they were talking about...

 Chapter 1334

    Chapter 1334


    Bob and Sam frequented nightclubs so much that even alcoholics like Zoe could not hold her own


    against them together, let alone apletely amateur like Jay.


    Naturally, Zoe was fuming to see Sam and Bob drinking with Jay.


    If only she could drink too¡­ She would wipe the floor with them!


    Quinn could not help jiggling as she watched Zoe seethe-who would have known that the carefree gal


    would care so much for a man?


    Naturally, it was just as unlikely to think that the same gal who was thoroughly wounded from


    rtionships would find her happiness.


    Still, Quinn did not drink with everyone, feeling the need to be prim with Sam around. She did not


    meddle as they got drunk by the gallons either, since Sam would never lose out with his tolerance for


    alcohol.


    She instead was paying close attention to Yelena, who had been well-


    The little girl would eat on her own, looking endearing as she did.


    Quinn would take care of her while she ate, even putting food on her te and helping her wipe her


    mouth, taking care of her meticulously.


    Yelena liked Quinn too and would smile sweetly at her.


    Sam inadvertently caught their exchange. While he felt nothing about children before, even he had to


    admit that he was a little interested as he watched Quinn and Yelena now.


    For a moment, he thought about having a daughter with Quinn and resembling her, and it tenderized


    his heart.


    ¡°Drink up, Sam. What are you looking at?¡± Bob could not help calling out to him just then.


    As Sam came to his senses, Bob teased him for staring so fixedly at Quinn. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The missus


    ain¡¯t running-just go home and ogle all you want.¡±


    ¡°You shut your trap,¡± Sam said, quickly hiding his emotions just then. ¡°I was days, but she¡¯s even more


    adorable now¡ªright, princess?¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As Sam smiled at Yelena, the girl smiled sweetly back. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Saunders. You look more


    handsome too.¡±


    ¡°Good eye.¡± Sam gave her a thumbs-up, and her smile broadened from the praise.


    Bob did not stop with the teasing. ¡°Of course he is more handsome now. He¡¯s in love!¡±


    ¡°You really want to crawl home, don¡¯t you?¡± Sam snapped at Bob.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s gonna be me?¡± Bob snorted.


    ¡°Drink!¡± Sam raised his ss, and Bob followed suit.


    As they kept chugging their sses, it was as if they forgot whose birthday it was-either way, they were


    having the most fun drinking.


    Naturally, both ended up floored, even though they were just bantering a second ago!

 Chapter 1335

    Chapter 1335


    Zoe, Jay, and Quinn were left gaping at the pair¡­


    Honestly, whose birthday was it again?


    Why were they being more jolly than the rest, getting drunk themselves?


    As the trio traded nces, Quinn said, ¡®Til get Sam home. As for Bob¡­¡±


    ¡°He can sleep here,¡± Jay said. ¡°He can leave after he gets sober.¡±


    ¡°Is that alright?¡± Quinn nced between him and Zoe.


    Does Jay really not take exception to Bob¡¯s presence, what with Bob and Zoe being an item before?


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Jay said bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m that confident in myself. K


    Quinn could not help smiling in turn¡ªeven Jay could give himself credit at times.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    As such, she shrugged and said, ¡°I¡¯m taking Sam home then.¡±


    ¡°Are you fine on your own?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°The car¡¯s right downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Drive safe.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Nheless, it was still taxing from Quinn to carry Sam, who was so heavy she could copse from his


    weight.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Zoe asked worriedly.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied through clenched teeth-she did not have to walk far, and it would be alright once


    she reached the car.


    Seeing that Quinn was determined, Zoe did not stop her.


    Couples need moments like these to grow closer, after all. Moreover, Sam might just go for the drunken


    fumble afterward¡­


    Still, after seeing off Quinn and Sam, Zoe turned to stare at Bob, who was still sprawled over the table


    and out like a light.


    ¡°So? What are we going to do about that?¡± Zoe asked.


    ¡°Get Yelena to take a bath and sleep,¡± Jay replied. ¡°I¡¯ll move him to the guest room and take care of


    him.¡±


    ¡°Can you do it?¡± Jay was paraplegic, after all.


    ¡°No worries.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll bathe Yelena now.¡±


    Jay nodded, and Zoe brought Yelena back to her room.


    In reality, Zoe did not have to take care of Yelena so much, since her mother ra usually did it. Still,


    they had been drinking for a long while, and ra returned to her room. Still, she was on hand to take


    ra to her room once it was time for bed.


    To be honest, Zoe would not be brave enough to give birth a second time-she never took care of Zoe


    that much herself, and ra basically raised Yelena.


    Feeling warmth and emotional inside, Zoe felt herself blessed.


    Nheless, Jay had not returned to their room when she went in to take her bath.


    Hesitating for a moment, she headed to the guest room to see Jay cleaning vomit off the floor.


    ¡°He puked?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded. ¡°Guess he really drank a little too much.¡±


    ¡°Why on earth would he do that?¡± Zoe huffed.


    ¡°Probably just too excited,¡± Jay said, not particrly concerned.


    He had always been nice to everyone, though Zoe was not jealous since she knew he gave her his


    best.


    ¡°Go take a bath,¡± she told him then. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on Bob for a while.¡±


    Jay hesitated, but he was a clean freak, and Bob stank of alcohol-the stench unsettled him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Jay said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    After Jay left, Zoe sat on the guest room couch and stared at Bob as hey in bed.

 Chapter 1336

    Chapter 1336


    Chapter 1336


    Bob¡¯s cheeks were as read as a baboon¡¯s rump, and he looked sick.


    He kept tossing and turning in bed, sighing endlessly until he eventually asked, ¡°Jay, some water


    please¡­¡±


    Zoe poured him a ss and made him sit up. ¡°Get up before you drink.¡±


    Bob opened his muddled eyes, and it took him a while to see who it was.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°What, I won¡¯t do?¡± Zoe asked grumpily.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Jay worried, leaving you in a room with me?¡± Bob joked as he got up and took the ss.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Zoe said bluntly. ¡°He trusts your character.¡±


    Bob did a double take before smiling wistfully.


    Truly, Jay had him pegged as some noble monk¡­


    That was when Zoe added, ¡°I trust you too. You¡¯re a really good man, Bob.¡±


    Bob gulped a little as he drank, hiding what he was feeling just then.


    Once he was finished, Zoe asked, ¡°Want some more?¡±


    Bob shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking it back then.¡±


    ¡°Zoe¡­¡± Bob suddenly called out to her.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Would you have gone back to Jay if I never let go back then?¡± he asked.


    He could not help it-it was the worst regret he had in life.


    How could he have bought the lie that Zoe cheated on him? He just had to ask around to find out that it


    was his mother¡¯s fault, and Zoe had to make sure he would give up, which was why she chose a


    drastic move.


    She was always serious with everything-it was he who lost her.


    ¡°No,¡± Zoe answered bluntly then. ¡°If things had worked out between us, I would never have gotten


    together with Jay.¡±


    Bob was left staring nkly at Zoe just then.


    However, it was only now that she had truly let go of the past and could tell it with such nonchnce


    and honesty.


    Years ago, she would have said that she would definitely have given up on Bob anyway so he would


    not feel any regret, even if she would be lying to herself and Bob.


    At the time, she was really dead set on Bob. Given how things were at the time, she would not have


    split up with Bob even if she ultimately found out about Jay¡¯s plight, and she would have categorized it


    as a simple case of missed opportunity.


    ¡°But, y¡¯know¡­¡± Zoe finally. ¡°Turns out I only ever loved Jay Parker.¡±


    The tiny bit of hope Bob had inside was shredded.


    Even so, he smiled faintly-if a little wistfully-feeling as if he was doused with a bucket of ice water.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Yes.


    If he never let go, Zoe would have been determined to stay with him in turn, even if it was out of


    obligation.


    Even now, she never regretted choosing him once before- such was how seriously she treated her


    rtionships, and she never turned her back on anyone.


    Be that as it may, she would never have lied to herself or to lie that she never loved Jay.


    Toward Bob, it was gratitude at best.


    Bobughed then, and heughed so hard that his tears were falling.


    Zoe never saw him losing control like that, though there was restraint along with his aggravation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bob,¡± she apologized.


    ¡°No,¡± he told her. ¡°Thank you for this, Zoe.¡±


    Zoe was stunned-should he not hate her to the bone given the situation? After all, she was harboring


    feelings for another man while she was dating him.


    It was undoubtedly duplicity¡­


    ¡°Thank you for the truth,¡± Bob exined then. ¡°With this, I won¡¯t have false hopes¡­ but most


    importantly, I won¡¯t have any regrets.¡±


    Zoe¡¯s chest ached terribly then.


    It was not as if she had no feelings for Bob-someone simply reached her heart before he could,


    inscribing his name on it so deeply there was no erasing it¡­

 Chapter 1337

    Chapter 1337


    Chapter 1337


    Zoe told him just then, ¡°Get some rest, Bob.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, she got up and left, though she turned around at the door to nce at him.


    He was t on his back, his eyes covered under his hand.


    But the tears flowing from underneath were visible anyway.


    If only¡­


    No. No ifs-Bob would meet the one he was destined for in life.


    With that, Zoe left.


    She had actually noticed Jay listening to their conversation from outside the doorfor a while.


    However, he never came in¡ªit was his gesture of respect.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You should talk to him,1¡ä Zoe told him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Jay nodded, while she earnestly felt that it was worth being alive just then.


    Meanwhile, Quinn had considerable difficulty helping Sam to the car and driving him home.


    She drove as slowly as possible-she was that bad at driving and was concerned Sam would get sick if


    the journey was too bumpy.


    The car was basically a snail crawling on the road, and there was no telling how long it took for her to


    finally reach the parking lot.


    After stopping, she opened the door to the back seat and stared at Sam, who was out like a light.


    Eventually, she steeled herself to wake him up. ¡°Get up, Sam. We¡¯re home. You can sleep on the bed.¡±


    As Sam did not move at all, she pressed, ¡°Come on, Sam. Get up.¡±


    Sam frowned in annoyance. ¡°Shut it¡­¡±


    ¡°Be good. You can sleep in the house-it¡¯s really ufortable doing it in the car.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna move¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡­¡± Quinn actually got a little frustrated just then, as Sam refused to get up no matter how she


    smacked and snapped at him.


    However, she was going to give up and was considering spending the night in the car with him when


    Sam suddenly opened his eyes.


    Still, his gaze was unfocused as he looked at Quinn and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t hate me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn was stunned, and his voice was muffled with alcohol.


    ¡°I said, don¡¯t hate me!¡± he suddenly snapped angrily.


    Quinn felt like her eardrums perforated just then-was it that difficult to take care of him when he was


    drunk?!


    Nheless, she yed along. ¡°Be good and I won¡¯t hate you.¡±


    It was a nomittal response, and she was convinced Sam would not react to that.


    And yet, Sam crisply replied, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Quinn was speechless-he was apletely different person after getting drunk, huh?


    Still, since he was beingpliant, it would be a waste not to exploit this.


    ¡°Get out of the car yourself, Sam,¡± she told him.


    Sam actually looked left and right before getting out tamely.


    Quinn was actually delighted-was it really this easy?!


    Nheless, she quickly walked up to hold him up since he was really drunk despite hispliance,


    and he was still wobbling.


    She could feel most of Sam¡¯s weight on herself-she was left gritting her teeth as she closed the car


    door and locked it before helping Sam back in the house.


    However, when they finally made it inside, Sam suddenly tripped over her foot, and they both dropped


    to the floor with a loud thud.


    Quinn winced in pain, while Sam seemed immune and fell asleep on the floor.


    ¡°Sam, get up,¡± she called out even as tugged on him, but he was not budging at all.


    ¡°Get up, or I¡¯ll hate you!¡± she threatened.


    Sam scrambled to his feet right then.

 Chapter 1338

    Chapter 1338


    Chapter 1338


    Quinn was left gaping at Sam¡ªwas he that afraid of her hating him?!


    Whatever¡­ Getting him to the bed was the priority!


    As such, she took him to the bedroom and eventually got him on the bed, where she took off his


    clothes and wiped him down with a hot towel.


    However, she barely touched him once when he caught her wrist andined, ¡°No¡­¡±


    Sam did not seem to like being touched.


    Honestly, he slept with so many women! Why was he ying chaste?!


    ¡°Do you want me to hate you, Sam?¡± she demanded right then, and he quickly released her.


    Really, this tactic was surprisingly useful when he got drunk¡­


    After Quinn wiped him down, she helped him into pajamas and thought about it before making him a


    ss of honey drink. ¡°Drink this to help with your stomach. You¡¯d feel better. n


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get angry,¡± Quinn said, really getting used to the feeling of Sam obeying her with no more


    than an offhand remark.


    And she liked it, since it felt like he was as harmless as a little puppy, unlike his usual chip-in-the-


    shoulder demeanor.


    She watched as he finished the honey drink and stopped bothering him after that so he could get some


    proper sleep.


    She tucked him in, though she paused just as she got to her feet and arched her back to kiss him on


    the lips¡­ a reward for being sopliant tonight.


    Well, she could also admit that she could not resist it since Sam was absolutely docile tonight.


    And with that sneaky kiss, she was flushing even as she rushed to the bathroom.


    Things were certainly going a little quickly for them. Even if they had been married for years, it actually


    had not been more than a few days since they started trying out a rtionship.


    Maybe they should stick to a more natural schedule¡­


    Quinn had to calm her racing heart, and she then turned on the shower.


    As such, she never heard the man on the bed mumbling,¡± Don¡¯t hate me, Quinn¡­ I love you¡­¡±


    Sam woke up with a painful headache the next day.


    How did he get drunk? How did he get back here? Did Quinn bring him back?! Did he embarrass


    himselfst night? Was he vomiting everywhere? Did he stay on the floor, refusing to leave? Did he say


    anything weird?! Did Quinn hate him getting drunk?!


    Damn it, he should have stopped sooner¡­ but he had to get drunk with Bob!


    Still, he had good reason since Bob was drinking his sorrows away. After all, anyone could see that


    Bob was still into Zoe, and there was misery in his eyes whenever he looked at her, even though he


    presumed that he hid it well.


    For Sam¡¯s part, he would have stopped when Bob had enough, but somehow, Bob had to be a


    better drinker than usual, even if he might be pretending.


    Either way, Sam himself got drunk too and fell unconscious at that.


    Suddenly, he had no idea how to face Quinn¡­


    That was when the door opened, and Quinn asked, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up?¡±


    She was dressed casually with an apron around her waist. ¡°I was just making lunch. Try some of my


    cooking if you think you can get up.¡±


    Sam pursed her lips as she stared at her, slightly drowning in this feeling of being home just then.


    Seeing him stay still, she asked in concern, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you still feeling sick? Are you going to


    throw up?¡±


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Sam muttered as he came to his senses.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Being able to see the person he wanted to see most with a beautiful smile¡­


    He simply found all of it beautiful.

 Chapter 1339

    Chapter 1339


    Chapter 1339


    Quinn was left staring at Sam, finding him acting strange just then-was he still drunk?


    After all, he was only docile when he was drunk.


    She entered the room, leaving him taken aback as she promptly pulled off his nket. ¡°You need to eat


    even if you¡¯re still drunk-you¡¯d at least feel better than having an empty stomach. I could help you wash


    up if you¡¯re feeling nauseated too¡­¡±


    She suddenly trailed off as she stared at him fixedly.


    He frowned, followed her stare downward, and blushed.


    He promptly pulled up his nket to hide himself.


    At the same time, Quinn realized with a start and flushed a crimson, surprised by what she had seen.


    She quickly turned her back on Sam-she did not mean to look.


    Still, Sam was a little frustrated to see her avoiding staring so quickly and snapped, ¡°It¡¯s normal for men


    in the morning!¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Quinn replied¡ªwas it something she said?


    ¡°It¡¯s proof that I¡¯m healthy.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a reaction to you.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips in silence-she had been fine before, but she felt a little upset just then.


    ¡°Come eat once you¡¯re done washing up. I¡¯ll be waiting outside,¡± she told him before leaving his room.


    Sam watched as she left and sighed exasperatedly.


    In reality, it was a reaction to Quinn-he had been dreaming of her the whole night too.


    Inhaling deeply, he strode toward the washroom, taking a while to calm himself before leaving his


    room.


    Quinn was waiting behind the dining table silently, and the food looked scrumptious.


    It was only when Sam headed over that she picked up her fork and knife with a smile. ¡°Come try my


    cooking and find out how it tastes.¡±


    ¡°You made all these?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°When did you learn how to cook?¡± Sam asked as he picked up his knife and fork to pick up some food.


    ¡°I always knew how to,¡± Quinn said. ¡°I liked cooking, so I learned from your family¡¯s servants and


    videos, and I¡¯d cook whenever I feel like it. I don¡¯t do it often, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s good.¡±


    Sam was gnawing on a spiced rib, and Quinn stared at him expectantly.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    As he finished, he slowlymented, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s good.¡±


    Quinn heaved a sigh of relief.


    She had no idea if her cooking suited his tastes, but it was good enough if he said that it was good-he


    was never good with giving praises.


    ¡°Then have some more,¡± she quickly urged him. ¡°That and the pork tenderloin. I¡¯ve always liked it, so I


    learned the dish for a while now.¡±


    Sam nodded.


    The vibes around the table were certainly pleasant-Sam kept eating as Quinn brought him food, and he


    finished te after te.


    Still, he soon realized something unusual. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    He was almost stuffed and was just being nice to finish everything since it was the first time Quinn


    cooked for him.


    However, she had definitely cooked too much for him to eat everything alone¡­

 Chapter 1340

    Chapter 1340


    Chapter 1340


    When Sam looked up, he realized that he was the one one eating, and Quinn virtually never ate. If he


    kept eating now, he would start to throw up.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot¡­¡± Quinn smiled.


    ¡°Have some more,¡± Sam suddenly said, putting food on her te and surprising Quinn¡ªwhen did he


    learn to show such concern?


    However, Sam just wanted them to share the food.


    With that, they ate in silence for a while until Quinn suddenly began hesitantly, ¡°Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°Can you only do this for me?¡± she asked, blushing.


    ¡°What?¡± Sam was mystified-do what for her?


    Did she mean only eating her cooking and finishing it at that?


    He burped-he really did his best.


    ¡°I mean, in your room¡­¡± Quinn said quietly.


    Sam did a double take, quickly realizing what she was talking about.


    So that was what she meant?!


    He pursed his lips and decided to tease her since he found doing so amusing. ¡®Hmm. That depends on


    what you do.¡±


    As Quinn stared nkly at him, he continued, ¡¯I have high standards. I wouldn¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°I wont disappoint,¡± Quinn said resolutely.


    Sam was left speechless¡ªdid she have any idea what she was talking about?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m experienced,¡± Quinn added confidently then.


    Sam was left even more speechless-how was he supposed to be pleased about this?!


    After lunch, Quinn cleaned up the table since the housekeeper only came in once a week, and there


    were no other servants around the house.


    They did not usually eat together at home either, and this was the first time Sam saw Quinn tending to


    housework.


    She stood at the kitchen, cleaning the kitchen utensils seriously.


    He then remembered that she was always serious with everything and would do well with anything she


    undertook.


    It was her seriousness that made her fit for her chosen profession as awyer.


    Now that he thought about it¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to go to work?¡± Sam asked, unwittingly walking up to the kitchen counter to watch her


    work.


    He had always been peeking at her since he was a child, and be it handicrafts, homework, TV, or


    painting, she was the type who gave the task at hand her full attention. As such, she would neglect to


    notice those around her, and her serious little face was quite attractive.


    And despite being as energetic and always on the move, he could stay and watch her until she was


    done.


    ¡°I¡¯ve resigned,¡¯ she said just then. ¡°I won¡¯t be taking anywsuits and I mostly work for Saunderiately.


    I¡¯ve applied for leave from your dad-he told me you can go to work once I¡¯ve rested enough.¡±


    ¡°The old man¡¯s been treating you well.¡±


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    ¡°Of course. He and your mother are eager for me to give them a cute grandson.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips, though Quinn was blushing after she said that too.


    ¡°There¡¯s not much choice there. Ryan¡¯s not going to take over Saunderia since he has his own career,¡±


    she exined. ¡°They¡¯re not pinning their hopes on you either since you¡¯re not stepping out anytime


    soon.¡±


    While Sam was left speechless, Quinn looked up with a smile. ¡°Did I upset you?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Well, would you like to try going to work?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Sam refused right away.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn did not press the issue¡ªnot that it would work.


    Still, she would be responsible for everything including Saunderia if he did not go to work.


    After all, the child would not be an adult overnight to take over the family business, while Sam¡¯s


    parents would eventually grow old¡­


    ¡°Do you want me to work?¡± Sam suddenly asked, sensing that Quinn was a little disappointed just then.

 Chapter 1341

    Chapter 1341


    Chapter 1341


    ¡°Ahhh!!!¡± Quinn suddenly yelped, and a bowl shattered audibly on the floor.


    Sam quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it-¡°


    ¡°Ahhh!!!¡± Quinn gasped, getting a cut just as she dropped down to pick up the pieces.


    Sam hurried into the kitchen and watched her crouching and frowning in pain and grief.


    ¡°Honestly, why are you so dull?¡± He huffed grumpily.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Quinn retorted, her eyes puffy just then.


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat-anyone would fall for that doleful look of Quinn¡¯s!


    ¡°I can¡¯t multitask or I¡¯d mess up,¡± Quinn continued unhappily just then. ¡°I would¡¯ve been fine, let alone


    cut my finger, if you didn¡¯t talk to me. And there you stand, all gleeful.¡¯


    Sam¡¯s smile actually broadened¡ªwas that why she was always so engrossed in everything she did?


    Because she was not that sharp?


    ¡°Honestly, what have I done that I have to ve away for you like this?¡± Quinn huffed unhappily.


    Sam chuckled and scooped Quinn up in his arms, causing her to exim in surprise, ¡°What are you


    doing?!¡¯


    Sam did not answer and simply put her on the living couch before leaving to bring the first aid kit over.


    Quinn frowned as she stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re bandaging me?¡±


    Sam frowned too. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not like something you¡¯d do.¡±


    ¡°And what do you think I¡¯d do?¡± Sam asked as he took out a bottle of iodine to disinfect the cut.


    Quinn gritted her teeth, ready for the pain¡­ and did a double take as Sam touched her.


    It did not hurt at all, since Sam touched her so gently and without a hint of roughness.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, feeling warmth in her chest to see him being so careful.


    Suddenly, she said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m really surprised you know how to bandage.¡±


    ¡°What, doesn¡¯t everyone know how to do it?¡± Sam said with coolposure. ¡°Or what, did you


    presume all I can do is hump?¡±


    He has no shame at all!


    Quinn was left biting her lip, unable to muster a response.


    As for Sam, he bandaged her after disinfecting, making such a big fuss over the tiny cut it looked as if


    she had broken a finger.


    Still, she had to admit that she quite liked that.


    Then, after Sam put away the first aid kit, he walked straight to the kitchen, leaving Quinn doing a


    double take again. ¡°What are you doing, Sam?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± Sam retorted as he walked straight to the sink.


    It was not as if Quinn could not-she just could not imagine Sam doing the dishes.


    Unable to stop herself from going over to him, she watched as he rolled up his sleeves and asked, ¡°Do


    you know how to do it?¡±


    ¡°What, are you going to do it instead?¡± Sam asked in return.


    They actually had a dishwasher-she just did not think it necessary since there were not that many dirty


    dishes, and she did not hate doing it.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Now, however¡­ Quinn pursed her lips.

 Chapter 1342

    Chapter 1342


    Chapter 1342


    However, just as Quinn thought she could afford to let Sam shape up, he told her, ¡°Help me with the


    apron. It¡¯s more expensive than these bowls and tes.¡±


    Quinn was left speechless-was he really up for this?


    Still, she took out the apron.


    However, she could not reach up to his neck despite standing on her toes and skipping.


    ¡°You can tell me to bend my knees, silly.¡± Sam looked at her in amusement.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that short,¡± Quinn huffed even as she wrapped it around her neck.¡± My height is typical for the


    ladies. It¡¯s your fault for being too tall.¡±


    ¡°That means you¡¯re too short,¡± Sam repeated determinedly.


    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Quinn gave up right then. ¡°Though there¡¯s research that proves tall people never


    outlive short people. You¡¯re going to die early, Sam. N


    Sam was washing the dishes and paused at that, turning on her and snapping, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll live


    longer than you will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to you! Nobody chooses when they die!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be? Do you want me to die early so you can die early?!¡± Sam growled through his


    teeth.


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn replied. ¡® But if you¡¯re really going to die you can see, or you¡¯d forget about me soon


    enough¡­¡¯


    ¡°I wont,¡± Sam suddenly said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Is this how you wash this thing?¡± Sam asked, glossing over the subject right then.


    ¡°Yes. rinse it when you¡¯re done, then put it in the disinfection cab,¡± Quinn told him.


    He nodded and went to work.


    Still, Quinn had to admit that he was slick-he appeared a little clumsy at first but became good at it


    soon enough.


    He was such a good learner, so why did he have bad grades when he was younger?


    That said, he probably did not pay any mind to study properly¡­


    After washing the dishes, they returned to the living room together.


    Suddenly, things got ufortable as they were suddenly alone together under one roof.


    Not keen on ufortable stares, Sam whipped out his phone to y a game, when Quinn asked,


    ¡°Could you teach me how to y it?¡±


    Sam frowned. ¡°You y video games? I thought you hated it.¡¯


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    He certainly remembered how she persistently told


    The more they rebuked him, the more he yed-even at his age, it was a good pastime.


    ¡°I was just young and unknowledgeable-l¡¯d believe anything anyone said,¡± Quinn shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no


    harm in gaming now that I think about it. Why can¡¯t I use it as a pastime too?¡±


    Sam rolled his eyes-she really got thest say in everything!


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you an ount first,¡± Sam told her.


    ¡°What are we ying?¡±


    ¡°PUBG.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll get it when you y.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Quinn waited patiently before logging in to join Sam in a game, but she was a total novice since she


    never yed anything.


    All she did was tag along with Sam, bing a burden as she did not know how to take cover and did


    not shoot when she saw enemies.


    As such, both were dead soon enough.


    ¡°Am I¡­ stupid?¡¯ Quinn asked guiltily, staring at Sam.


    ¡°Not just your average stupid either.¡± Sam snorted-chivalry was dead with him.


    As Quinn pouted, he threatened, ¡°I¡¯ll punish you if you keep feeding!¡±

 Chapter 1343

    Chapter 1343


    Chapter 1343


    Quinn was fully focused in her second game, not daring to get distracted at all in fear of burdening Sam


    or he would get upset again.


    However, she was really terrible at doing two things at once-with Sam yapping endlessly beside her,


    she had to listen, which meant she was distracted.


    Hence, she ended up dead just a second before Sam did.


    Quinn bit her lip and turned gingerly toward Sam, who was blue with shock. ¡°I can stop ying¡­ you


    can do it alone while I watch.¡±


    ¡°I told you. I¡¯ll punish you.¡¯


    ¡°Guh¡­¡± Quinn winced unhappily.


    ¡°Lean your head toward me,¡¯ Sam demanded.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Sam raised a hand, holding his middle finger with his thumb. ¡®Forehead flick.¡±


    Quinn was actually afraid¡ªshe had yed with Sam as a child. games, and she always seemed to


    lose, after which he would punish her with forehead flicks too.


    He would leave her crying every time, which was why she was still traumatized even now¡­ and was


    the reason why she started to turn down his invitations to y.


    It had certainly been a while, and she forgot about the pain.


    ¡°Hurry up,¡± Sam urged, looking menacing and clearly not sparing her from this.


    Quinn gave in, and beat her lips as she leaned in, her eyes tightly shut in obvious fear.


    She was shuddering as Sam leveled his hand against her head.


    Sam¡¯s flicks used to leave bruises for days, and given his current strength, he would leave a swelling!


    On the other hand, Sam watched as Quinn resigned herself to her fate.


    It reminded him of that one time she yed with him, and he flicked her forehead for amusement like


    he always did-he would feel aplished to see her cry back then.


    But the next day, there was arge bruise left on her head, and he realized then that her tears were


    real and that he had flicked her too hard.


    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    He regretted it so much at the time, but he could not bring himself to apologize because of his pride.


    Though he thought about deliberately losing to let her flick him, she refused to y with him anymore.


    His parents and Ryan lectured him for forcing her to do what she was reluctant to, even using him


    of beating her up-which in turn caused a rift between them.


    Back at the present, he flicked her on the forehead anyway.


    Quinn winced, only to realize in a second that it did not hurt at all ¡ªit was no more than a tap against


    her forehead.


    As she gaped at Sam in surprise, he snapped, ¡°What¡¯s that look for? Should I have gone harder?¡±


    ¡°N-No.¡± Quinn quickly shook her head and soon smiled. ¡°It just hit me that you¡¯ve changed a lot¡­¡¯


    ¡°Everyone changes, don¡¯t they?¡± Sam replied nonchntly as he started another game. ¡°That goes for


    you too, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn nodded¡ªshe was convinced their rtionship and marriage would improve too.


    With that, she sat quietly beside Sam and watched her y solo-she was getting immersed after


    ying a few rounds herself, and her juices were flowing as she watched Sam take out enemies with


    single shots until he emerged victorious.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± she eximed excitedly.


    Sam grinned, feeling smug just then-others aside, gaming was his speciality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t I get a reward?¡± he asked.

 Chapter 1344

    Chapter 1344


    Chapter 1344


    Sam asked it without meaning it, while Quinn paused for a moment before leaning in to give him a peck


    on the cheek.


    That more or less counted as a reward, after all.


    Sam, however, stiffened as he turned toward her, and she was clearly still thrilled.


    She blushed when she saw the look in Sam¡¯s eyes, realizing that she was doing it too naturally.


    But she really thought he was amazing just then and felt the impulse to kiss him¡­


    She certainly felt a little ufortable as Sam stared fixedly at her-he never did like her getting


    close¡­


    ¡°Mmmph.¡±


    She suddenly widened her eyes nheless as she stared at Sam in disbelief.


    His face was inches away as he kissed her ferociously and urgently.


    ¡°Mmmph¡­¡¯


    She then felt him lifting her, putting her on hisp to better hold the back of her head and kiss her even


    deeper. She felt all her senses converging between their tongue and lips, and all she could smell was


    his scent¡ªhis male hormones that she could not help getting engrossed in¡­


    There was no telling how long had passed after that.


    When she almost felt like she would run out of breath, Sam finally released her.


    Her lips were red and swollen, while he rasped with an indescribable ambiguity, ¡°Now that¡¯s a reward,


    Quinn.¡±


    Quinn flushed as their eyes met.


    Then, Sam had started to lean in again when his phone suddenly started ringing.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s calling you,¡± Quinn told him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t care,¡± he replied right then.


    Quinn stared at him, but for Sam, nothing mattered more than what he wanted to do just then.


    However, while he left his call unanswered, Quinn¡¯s phone started ringing soon enough.


    ¡°That¡¯s mine,¡± she said.


    ¡°There¡¯s no end to it¡ªdon¡¯t answer it,¡¯ Sam growled impatiently.


    Was wanting to kiss his own wife that difficult?!


    ¡°It might be your parents,¡± she said¡ªno one else would call him and then her, so something must have


    come up.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Can¡¯t they wait a little?¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s something serious?¡± Quinn pointed out, getting off hisp just then and brushing against


    something right then.


    Sam stiffened, while Quinn flushed when she saw it and hurried to pick up her phone from the couch.


    She used the quietness to calm herself and check the caIler¡ªit really was from Saunders Mansion.


    She answered, ¡°Mrs. Saunders-¡¯


    ¡°Are you with Sam?¡± Lindsay Pond asked immediately.


    ¡°He is. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Quinn had a foreboding sensation right then-Sam¡¯s mother would not be that


    flustered otherwise.


    ¡°Bring him to the hospital right now! His father was just rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke!¡±


    Lindsay sounded on the verge of tears.


    Quinn tensed up too.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be right there,¡± she said, tensing up right then before hanging up.


    Turning to Sam, she said, ¡°We need to go. Your father had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital!¡±

 Chapter 1345

    Chapter 1345


    Chapter 1345


    Sam and Quinn hurried to the hospital and found Lindsay in the hallway, where she was on the verge


    of a nervous breakdown.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Sam called out to her loudly.


    Lindsay¡¯s eyes went red as soon as she saw Sam. ¡°Y-Your father¡­ he suddenly had a stroke. He had


    already lost consciousness when they rushed him to the hospital¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down. He¡¯ll be alright,¡± Sam said, gathering her in his arms. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Hngh¡­ How am I going to live if something happens to him ¡­¡± Lindsay kept sobbing nheless.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes welled up with tears-she had been living with Saunders for years and knew how close


    Marvin and Lindsay were. She could not imagine what it would be like if something really happened to


    either of them¡­


    They waited quietly outside the surgery room, jumping at the faintest sound.


    There was no telling how long had passed when rushed footsteps could be heard.


    Everyone turned to find Ryan hurrying toward them.


    ¡°Mom,¡± he called out to the sobbing Lindsay immediately, asking urgently, ¡°What happened to Dad?


    Why would he suddenly have a stroke? Didn¡¯t he have frequent checkups?


    Are you sure he¡¯s been taking his blood pressure medicine every day?¡±


    ¡°He fell unconscious at the office. His secretary said a partnership left him so furious he cked out¡­¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org


    Lindsay trailed off, choking with tears and unable to continue.


    ¡°The questions can wait until Dad wakes up,¡± Sam told Ryan just then.


    Ryan pursed his lips as he stared at Sam and promptly pulled Lindsay away her shoulder as he


    assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Dad will definitely be fine.¡±


    Lindsay nodded in silence and could not help leaning against Ryan just then


    Quinn turned toward Sam in turn, watching as Sam stared and Ryan and Lindsay.


    He sensed her looking then and averted his eyes in turn.


    Quinn was hence left wondering if she had imagined it, but Sam was being ignored¡­


    She pursed her lips but walked up to Sam and took his hand, interlocking their fingers.


    Though he appeared taken aback, Sam gave her hand a squeeze.


    Ryan happened to see that, and there was a brief cold sh in his eyes just then.


    Nheless, the hallway was once again silent, and there was no telling how long had passed when


    the doors to the operating room opened.


    Lidnsay could only stand and stare as the doctors came out, too afraid to approach them.


    Sam and Ryan hurried over, while Quinn stayed to give Lindsay a supporting hand.


    ¡°How¡¯s my father?¡± Ryan asked loudly, looking clearly worried¡­


    Sam appeared calm as he stood beside him, but Quinn noticed that his fingers were shaking.


    She bit her lip and held on firmly to Lindsay¡¯s arm¡­

 Chapter 1346

    Chapter 1346


    Chapter 1346


    ¡°The patient was fortunate that he was brought in when he was. A second slower and he might have


    ended up in a vegetative state,¡± the doctor said. ¡®¡±He¡¯s stable now, but he would need to be kept in an


    ICU for further observation after a craniotomy. Visits are inadvisable for now.¡±


    Everyone quickly heaved a sigh of relief, with Ryan quickly turning toward Lindsay. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom.


    Dad¡¯s fine.¡±


    Lindsay burst into tears at those words-she had been keeping it in for a while and could no longer do


    so.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, now. The doctor said that he is going to be alright,¡± Quinn assured her.


    Lindsay nodded repeatedly, but there was no stopping her tears.


    Fortunately, Marvin was wheeled out just then, and everyone hurried to his side.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Marvin was still unconscious, and his head bandaged while he looked enfeebled.


    Lindsay called out to him softly in fear of startling him, and they walked with him as he was brought to


    the ICU.


    They could see from the window as Marvin was attached with various tubes and instruments, while


    Lindsay continued to sob hysterically.


    ¡°You should watch out for your own health too, Mom,¡± Ryan


    assured her. ¡°Dad made it against all odds. Don¡¯t hurt yourself from stress.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know¡­¡± Lindsay nodded, but her heart still ached for Marvin who had to be in there alone.


    ¡°Get some rest for now,¡± Ryan told her. ¡°You must be tired¡ª Dad¡¯s surgery took a while.¡±


    Lindsay appeared reluctant to leave, however, so Quinn reasoned with her as well. ¡°There¡¯s no point in


    staying with Mr. Saunders right now-the medical staff will take care of him anyway. You need to stay


    healthy in the meantime since you have to take care of Mr. Saunders when he gets better.¡±


    Lindsay nodded at Quinn¡¯s words, and they left the ICU, heading to a VIP ward-they had arranged for


    Lindsay to stay there for the time being since Lindsay was obviously not going to leave. They would


    also move Marvin straight there once he recovered and was taken out of the ICU.


    Lindsay was obviously tired, as shey in bed as soon as she got to the ward. Still, she looked


    enfeebled and clearly worried-there was no way she would rx until her husband left the ICU.


    Nheless, Ryan suddenly demanded, ¡°Is this how you take care of your own parents, Sam?!¡±


    As everyone turned toward Ryan, he continued furiously,¡± Have you ever shown an ounce of


    responsibility in all the years you¡¯ve spent with the family? Forget freeloading-at least treat Mom and


    Dad better! See what you¡¯ve done now?! Dad¡¯s in surgery, and Mom¡¯s overwrought with worry!¡±


    Sam clenched his fists in clear restraint.


    However, Quinn noticed his emotions ring and hurried over to hold his hand down-Sam always had a


    tendency to resort to violence!


    Sensing the tense atmosphere in the room, Lindsay quickly tried to calm things down. ¡°Ryan, this has


    nothing to do with Sam-your dad just got a little upset at work. Don¡¯t me Sam¡­ None of us expected


    this, and he had no idea this would happen.¡±


    However, Ryan was dead set that it was all Sam¡¯s fault.¡± Nothing to do with him?! He¡¯s a thirty-year-old


    freeloader! If he actually worked and Dad didn¡¯t have to do everything on his own, Dad wouldn¡¯t have to


    be hospitalized for work stress! Can¡¯t you shape up already, Sam?! You¡¯d actually be useless if you go


    on like this!¡±


    ¡°Ryan!¡± Lindsay snapped, having heard enough.


    Sam¡¯s knuckles were clenched pale white, and Quinn nervously clung on, stopping him.


    She knew that Sam was at the limit of his patience, and he would rather fight than talk it out!

 Chapter 1347

    Chapter 1347


    ¡°Are you done?!¡± Sam bellowed, ring at Ryan a coldness swirling around him just then.


    He had one hand held in ce by Quinn, and he knew Quinn was worried that he and Ryan would


    come to blows.


    In fact, he had to admit to himself that was exactly what he wanted ever since he was a child!


    Even so, he was aware that whether he wins or loses, their parents would ultimately only care about


    Ryan.


    Moreover, Ryan would never stoop to his level-all he needed was a few careless whispers for their


    parents to side with Ryan, beat Sam up, and scold Sam.


    Meanwhile, Ryan refused to listen to everyone telling him to stop. ¡°Words can¡¯t even describe how


    disappointed I am-¡®


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ryan!¡± Lindsay snapped sternly.


    ¡°Mom, he¡¯s thirty, not three or thirteen! You¡¯d be hurting him if you keep tolerating him like this!¡± Ryan


    snapped vindictively in turn.


    Lindsay, however, ignored him and turned to Quinn. ¡°Take Sam home for now. I¡¯ll keep an eye on my


    husband¡ªI¡¯ll call if anythinges up.¡±


    In the end, Lindsay knew her son-she knew very well that if Ryan kept talking, her sons would


    inevitablye to blows.


    That was what Quinn feared too, so she quickly nodded.¡± Okay.¡±


    Even if she did not like what Ryan was saying just then, no good woulde of this no matter who


    came out on top.


    Still, as she pulled Sam along, he refused to budge like a piece of metal.


    ¡°Come on, Sam,¡± she tried to reason, as Ryan watched her do her best to lead Sam away.


    Ryan¡¯s eyes were ring with jealousy-he was dead certain that Quinn would never fall for someone


    else.


    Even if she did, he would never believe that it would ever be Sam.


    After all, he never thought Sam to be significant. In fact, one might say that their entire Sam. As Ryan¡¯s


    second best, Sam seemed not to exist whenever Ryan was around.


    And yet, here Quinn was, rejecting his offer of reconciliation for Sam¡¯s sake.


    He certainly could not stop talking with all that pent-up frustration inside!


    ¡°Just ignore him, Quinn,¡± he scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s not worthy of you 11


    Pow!


    Sam had suddenly pushed Quinn away, knocking her to the wall as he caught her off guard while he


    leapt up at Ryan and punched him squarely in the face!


    Caught off the guard as well, Ryan was sent dropping to the floor even as Lindsay gasped in shock.


    ¡°Anyone in the family has the right to lecture me-but not you!¡± Sam growled slowly and clearly then.


    Ryan slowly rose from the floor, bleeding from the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Are you alright, Ryan?!¡± Lindsay was looking at him worriedly.


    ¡°Stay away, Mom,¡± Ryan told her. He then swung a punch at Sam¡¯s face, only for Sam to catch it


    squarely with a vice-like grip, and Ryan could not even move his hand.


    After all, not only was Sam heads and shoulders taller than Ryan, but he had also practiced martial


    arts-Ryan was never going to win.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Ryan glowered, but it was obvious that he was being embarrassed when Sam restrained


    him to the point that he could not move!


    Still, Sam shoved him off, leaving him stumbling backward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push me!¡± Ryan screamed.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    He had never been humiliated like that in his family, ever!

 Chapter 1348

    Chapter 1348


    Chapter 1348


    Ryan simply could not ept the fact that Sam was absolutely lording over him, and he gritted his


    teeth as he leapt up to throw another punch¡­ only for Sam to catch him again and answer with a


    punch squarely in his stomach.


    Ryan was left hunching over, the pain actually preventing him from straightening.


    ¡°Stop it, Sam!¡± Lindsay screamed.


    However, Sam¡¯s eyes were blood red with rage, and he had always wanted to beat up Ryan anyway.


    He walked toward Ryan and kicked him squarely in the thigh, catching him off guard and flooring him


    again.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Stop it, Sam! I¡¯m telling you to stop!¡±


    Lindsay hurried to them to try to pull Sam away, but Sam shoved her gently and sent her stumbling


    backward, and Quinn had to catch her.


    Her eyes welled up with tears as she cried from fear, ¡°Stop Sam! Stop him! He¡¯s going to hurt Ryan!¡±


    In fact, Sam was on top of Ryan again and sent another jab in his face.


    Ryan eventually got up, seething from being given a beat down!


    He swung punches in retaliation at Sam¡¯s face, missing his mark again while Sam¡¯s every hit made


    contact.


    If this went on¡­


    Gritting her teeth, Quinn ran up between Sam and Ryan.¡± Sam!¡±


    However, the brothers seemed not to hear her and were about to throw a punch again. Realizing it was


    hopeless, Quinn clenched her jaw, ready to take the blow!


    ¡°Oof.¡±


    That was when Sam suddenly withdrew his knuckle just as he was about to hit Ryan, while Ryan hit


    him squarely on his left eye, causing his vision to ck out for a moment.


    ¡°Sam!¡± Quinn cried out in panic, clearly feeling that Ryan had really put his back into that punch.


    She also clearly saw Sam flinching and knew that he was the stubborn type who refused to give in.


    Still, it was clearly serious or he would not have reacted to a hit at all.


    However, Ryan caught her before she could go to Sam to look at his face. ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Quinn snapped, flustered just then.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go to him! He has a violent streak-he¡¯ll hurt you!¡± Ryan held onto her hand firmly nheless,


    preventing her from getting away.


    Quinn wheeled on Ryan-he certainly was one to talk!


    Sam was the one who stopped right away when she ran between them, whereas Ryanunched a


    punch without slowing down! If he had missed by an inch, he would be hitting Quinn instead!


    Moreover, Quinn clearly felt Sam quickly pulling her away with his other hand. It denied him time and


    space to dodge Ryan¡¯s punch, forcing him to take it in the face!


    Sam red at Ryan as he held Quinn just then, an icy smile creeping over his lips at Ryan¡¯s words.


    ¡°Yes, I have a violent streak-so stay away from me, Quinn!¡± he snapped.

 Chapter 1349

    Chapter 1349


    Chapter 1349


    With those words, Sam turned to leave.


    Quinn quickly tried to follow, but Ryan firmly held her in ce. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Forced to watch as Sam left, Quinn gritted her teeth and wheeled on Ryan. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    Ryan was clearly furious too. ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt if you get close to him now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s my husband and I should be with him whatever happens,¡± Quinn retorted determinedly.


    ¡°Let me go!


    ¡°When did you be so stubborn?!¡± Ryan frowned, his tone clearly upset.


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Lindsay called out to her just then.


    Quinn¡¯s agitation finally eased slightly, and she turned toward Lindsay.


    She had returned to her bed, looking enfeebled and there were clear tear stains on her cheeks. ¡°Ryan¡¯s


    right¡ªit¡¯s dangerous to be around Sam right now. Let him calm down before going to him.¡±


    ¡°Exactly-he¡¯s not calm right now. I¡¯m worried he¡¯ll do something-¡°


    ¡°He¡¯s fine!¡± Ryan snapped, cutting her short. ¡°He always causes trouble for everyone anyway! It¡¯s never


    changed ever since we were children!¡±


    ¡°You really should stop it with that attitude, Ryan. You¡¯re his brother,¡± Quinn argued for Sam¡¯s sake,


    having had enough just then.


    Ryan did a double take, stunned that Quinn would snap at him.


    She was always on his side before¡­ but she was now siding with Sam?! But he was not worthy of her


    ¡ªnot one bit!


    Quinn shook her wrist. ¡°Let me go. I need to find Sam.¡±


    Doing so only made Ryan clench on her wrist so firmly it hurt her.


    ¡°Ow¡­¡± She gasped, and it was only then that Ryan realized what was happening and let her go.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    He became flustered to see the tears in her eyes, stunned that he would hurt her.


    However, he had definitely thought of breaking her wrist when she insisted on going to Sam-he


    surprised himself that he would think that!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Quinn,¡± he quickly apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you-l¡¯m just really worried Sam would


    hurt you.¡¯


    ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°Even my mom says so! Why can¡¯t you believe us?!¡± Ryan bellowed right then. ¡°You know him better


    than we do.¡±


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Lindsay spoke again. ¡°Just listen to Ryan. Sam really needs time to himself and calm down.¡±


    Seeing Quinn pursing her lips, she added, ¡°I needpany here too.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Quinn gave in and sat by Lindsay¡¯s bed.


    Quinn could certainly tell that Lindsay was hurting-her husband was in ICU, while her sons just had a


    huge fight. And Lindsay had always been good to her, taking care of her like she was Lindsay¡¯s


    daughter ever since she was a child.


    ¡°You should sleep. I¡¯ll wake you if there¡¯s any developments with Mr. Saunders,¡± Quinn assured her


    softly.


    Lindsay nodded, fatigue showing all over her face after a long day.

 Chapter 1350

    Chapter 1350


    Chapter 1350


    Quinn started with Lindsay until she really fell asleep and gently tucked her under her nket.


    She turned to find Ryan on the couch, still clearly furious after what happened with Sam.


    In reality, Quinn did not get Ryan-how could he use Sam for neglecting their parents when Ryan


    himself never stayed at their side?


    Still, she could only purse her lips.


    She was unable to say anything damning because of the years of sentiment she harbored for Ryan-he


    was definitely good to her when they were children.


    She was always grateful toward the Saunder family too, aside from Sam, since she always thought he


    did not like her.


    As such, she asked Ryan softly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you get your face looked at by a doctor, Ryan?¡±


    The bruise and swelling on his face was certainly obvious¡­


    Ryan looked up at her in turn, but he said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Quinn could tell that it was all just flesh wounds-she had no idea when it started, but she had this


    growing feeling that Sam actually showed propriety despite what everyone thought.


    This was a case in point-Sam was definitely holding back his punches, or Ryan would not be getting on


    his feet.


    On the other hand, that one punch Ryan managed tond¡­


    Still, Quinn was a little concerned and reasoned, ¡°You


    should get that checked. Don¡¯t you have to go to work? It¡¯d be awkward if your colleagues and bosses


    saw it.¡±


    Ryan was silent, but Quinn took it as him giving in. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get you to a doctor. Your mom¡¯s


    asleep now-she won¡¯t be waking up soon.¡±


    Ryan nced at Quinn and followed her out of the VIP ward.


    The doctor who examined Ryan confirmed that his injuries were no issue, though it looked gruesome


    since they were all in the face.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    After simple treatment and some prescription, they left the clinic and returned to the VIP ward.


    They were tip-toeing since Lindsay was still asleep in the silent ward.


    Quinn hesitated for a moment before asking Ryan, ¡°You¡¯re not leaving, right?¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know how things will turn out with Dad, so I used my annual leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then you stay here with mom-l¡¯m going now.¡±


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡± Ryan growled a little too loudly just then and gritted his teeth when he noticed Lindsay


    twitching in turn.


    Lowering his voice, he demanded, ¡°Are you going to Sam?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been hours,¡± she reasoned. ¡°He would¡¯ve calmed down by now.¡±


    Ryan only looked disappointed. ¡°How could you be so stubborn?!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my husband,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°We should be togethere what may, and it¡¯s all the more reason


    I should be with him since he¡¯s in a bad mood.¡±


    ¡°Your husband?!¡± Ryan snorted in unspeakable agitation.¡± How is that a marriage? You wouldn¡¯t have


    been with him if I wasn¡¯t forced to leave! And did either of you behave like you were married over the


    years?! Has he shown you any respect when he messed around with other women?! Why would you


    want to go to him now?!¡±


    ¡°Sam and I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my parents personally once my dad¡¯s better. I won¡¯t let you continue to suffer because of my


    family,¡± Ryan assured her.

 Chapter 1351

    Chapter 1351


    Chapter 1351


    Quinn stared at Ryan in confusion. ¡°Why would you talk to your parents?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± he asked in return.


    Quinn scowled right then. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    Disappointment showed in Ryan¡¯s eyes right then. ¡°When did you be so stubborn, Quinn? You


    used to be kind and understanding.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips-she thought then that Ryan had changed too.


    In the past, he would never have put her in an awkward situation. In fact, he would prioritize her


    feelings, cheer her up if she was down, and certainly not hurt her with words.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s my fault I abandoned you, but I¡¯ve told you I had no choice but to leave you at the altar. I


    thought you¡¯d understand, but you¡¯d still get petty with me over it.¡± Ryan sighed then. ¡°You¡¯ve changed


    so much, Quinn.¡±


    Quinn bit her lip as she listened to Ryan¡¯s usations toward her.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    She certainly could admit that she bore a grudge from being dumped, since anyone in her ce would.


    However, she never did anything drastic-she simply quietly endured her misery and worked hard to


    make a life for herself.


    Then, when she understood Ryan¡¯s troubles, she chose to forgive him.


    She earnestly never hated anyone-she simply held no expectations for a rtionship with Ryan


    anymore. When one misses out on things like that, one misses out on it forever, even if it is neither


    parties¡¯ fault. It was quite simply what one would describe as ¡®not meant to be¡¯.


    And now, she was doing her best to live a life for herself and to build a rtionship with Sam and spend


    the rest of her life with him.


    That was why she did not understand why Ryan would criticize her like this¡ªwhat did she do to make


    him think she changed and that she had disappointed him?


    ¡°Look, once my father wakes up, I¡¯ll tell him and my mother to have Sam divorce you, and then I¡¯ll


    marry you,¡± Ryan said bluntly right then. ¡°You know that I¡¯m a busy man, so I really can¡¯t spare the


    effort to cate your little dissatisfaction. I hope you can understand me, and don¡¯t cause more trouble


    for me, alright?!¡±


    ¡®Cause him trouble?!¡¯


    Quinnughed in both amusement and misery.


    She had always lived prudently and obediently because she was living under someone else¡¯s roof,


    constantly keeping herself as inconspicuous as possible.

 Chapter 1352

    Chapter 1352


    Chapter 1352


    Quinn had never asked the Saunders for anything, nor was she ambitious.


    In fact, she was always worried that she would cause trouble for others.


    And yet, here Ryan was using her of doing just that.


    She certainly had no idea what she did wrong!


    Still, she calmly asked, ¡°How did I cause you trouble, Ryan?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?!¡± Ryan snorted impatiently. ¡°Sam has really been a bad influence on you over the


    years, Quinn.¡±


    ¡°What did I do?!¡± Quinn demanded slowly and clearly, taking a stand right then.


    ¡°Everything you¡¯re doing now. It¡¯s all just a disy of your dissatisfaction at me for leaving you at the


    altar,¡± Ryan said bluntly. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re cold-shouldering me so I¡¯ll


    Quinn realized with a start then that patience had never been Ryan¡¯s strong suit.


    Even as a child, Ryan¡¯s only priority was to study, and he loved it because it was proper. To give him


    the space to focus, no one would disturb him whenever he announced that he was studying. It was only


    after he was done that he would even begin to think of anything else.


    On the other hand, Quinn had always been disciplined and obedient. She would never bother Ryan


    while he was studying. Now that she thought about it, he was not exactly kind to her, just as he was not


    considerate of her feelings or cared enough to cheer her up. She just did not know how to cause him


    trouble back then.


    In fact, if she had any dissatisfaction, it would only be conveyed when Ryan was not busy. He did not


    need tofort her that much either, since she would haveposed herself by then.


    With that in mind, Quinn suddenly smiled-now that she realized all that, she really no longer held on to


    the past.


    As such, she told him, ¡°I don¡¯t need yourfort, Ryan.¡±


    ¡°Why do you still keep saying that-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m being serious. I used to like you because I thought you were gentle and understanding unlike Sam,


    who always bullied me and made me cry. But now, I¡¯m convinced that my feelings for you are no


    different from how a younger sister admires her brother and relies on him. To describe it as love¡­ it¡¯s


    no more than an idealization of those feelings.¡±


    Ryan glowered. ¡°What are you talking about?!¡±


    Nheless, Quinn continued, ¡°That is why instead of saying that I loved you, it is more appropriate to


    say that I wanted a safe harbor. In the end, my parents were gone, and I neededfort in an


    unfamiliar environment-you gave me that back then, which was why I wanted to be with you. Now,


    however, that warmth is gone, and so has my reliance toward you. Right now, I¡¯d rather stay with Sam,


    because what I feel toward him is love-¡°


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Quinn!¡± Ryan cut her short.


    Despite his seething rage, Quinn remainedposed. She used to give him her best and was always


    on her best behavior doing everything he said because she was worried that he would get upset.


    And now, she seemed to suddenly be free from that shackle ¡ªshe should not live so prudently,


    shackled by Ryan¡¯s expectations in fear that she would disappoint him.


    ¡°If you keep behaving like this, then there¡¯s no future for us,¡± Ryan growled slowly and clearly just then.


    ¡°There never was,¡± Quinn retorted. ¡°When our wedding fell through, it was clear it wasn¡¯t meant to be-¡°


    ¡°So you still believe that it¡¯s my fault for leaving you? Is that why you¡¯re still upset and punishing me this


    way?!¡± Ryan bellowed. ¡°After all, you still can¡¯t get over the fact that I left you?! But what do you want


    me to do?! Am I supposed to bind myself to childish ideals of rtionship?! To give up on the big


    picture for something measly like you?!¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, suddenly feeling tired for once-tired of arguing with Ryan.


    He had always positioned himself above the rest ever since a child, so that everyone would think him


    noble, that he was on another level beyond their reach¡­

 Chapter 1353

    Chapter 1353


    Chapter 1353


    Ryan continued with righteous indignation, ¡°Whatever, Quinn -I don¡¯t want to keep arguing. I¡¯m not the


    type who sweettalks people, and I¡¯ll use words instead of actions to prove my feelings for you. I really


    hope you can understand my perspective.¡±


    Quinn simply stared at him, feeling that he was a stranger for the first time.


    If she yed to his whims, he would still be kind, understanding, and brotherly.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    If she did not, he would be self-obsessed, convinced that everything he thought was right and


    allowing no one to say otherwise.


    Had she been looking at him through rose-tinted sses all this while? It was certainly disappointing to


    see how far her idealized version of him was from the real thing.


    On the other hand, Ryan took her long silence as her giving in.


    He sighed, appearing disappointed and working hard to forgive her, as if he had been hugely tolerant of


    her.


    Somehow, it annoyed Quinn.


    He was somehow both using emotional ckmail against her and behaving like a pick-up artist at the


    same time!


    Hence, she said, ¡°I¡¯m saying it onest time-it¡¯s over between us, and there¡¯s nothing left at all. I¡¯m not


    upset, and I¡¯m not behaving like this so you¡¯llfort me. Right now, I really want to be with Sam.¡±


    Ryan was incensed right then, unable to ept Quinn¡¯s rejection at all. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?!¡±


    ¡°Also, you don¡¯t get to talk to Sam like you did today,¡± Quinn continued calmly.


    She had an epiphany¡ªthat she should not live under Ryan¡¯s shadow and to behave the way he


    wanted just because he said it was good.


    She had her life too, which was why she couldpletely ignore how he felt now!


    ¡°I admit that Sam hasn¡¯t given your parents much, and he has definitely been ying around too much


    and not sharing their burdens,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°However, only your parents get to scold him and be


    disappointed in him, not you.¡±


    ¡°Why not?!¡± Ryan bellowed. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest, and Dad¡¯s hospitalized now! I¡¯m the one keeping the family


    afloat, so I have the right to criticize anyone who¡¯scking-¡°


    ¡°But you aren¡¯t any better,¡± Quinn said, going straight to the point.


    Ryan was left gaping, unable to believe what he was hearing.


    At the same time, Quinn continued, ¡°You told Sam that he never kept your parentspany or shared


    their burdens, but what about you? You never did that either! You were always studying and never


    cared about your family, and you


    left the family to work once you graduated. You never ask after the family, and you barely spend any


    time at home.


    That¡¯s why you don¡¯t get to criticize Sam from a moral high ground-not when you haven¡¯t done anything


    for your parents.¡±


    ¡°Get your facts right, Quinn!¡± Ryan bellowed, growling every word as he glowered. ¡°Is my career no


    different from Sam fooling around?! I serve the country while he goofs off every day, and you¡¯re


    equating him to me?! He¡¯s really been a bad influence on you!¡±


    Quinn shrugged. ¡°I never said you were wrong-your aplishment is noble, but what I¡¯m saying is


    that you don¡¯t have the right to criticize others with your own moral standards when you can¡¯t even do


    the same. In other words, don¡¯t demand anything of others that you haven¡¯t done yourself!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ryan bellowed, but Quinn had certainly rendered him speechless.


    Filled with impotent rage but having nowhere to vent, he could only re viciously at Quinn so she


    would see he was angry and realize her mistake.


    Even so, Quinn returned his gaze withposure.


    She was very much aware that he was seriously upset, but she suddenly refused topromise or


    cater to his whims.


    ¡°I know that I have been blunt,¡± she said, ¡°but I hope you¡¯ll properly think about this, instead of causing


    the family further discord as soon as you return.¡±


    ¡°Are you using me of starting arguments and causing discord here, Quinn?!¡± Ryan shouted at the


    top of his lungs.

 Chapter 1354

    Chapter 1354


    Chapter 1354


    Quinn actually knew that he had woken Lindsay up, but she kept her voice down whenever she spoke


    anyway.


    On the other hand, Ryan never did¡ªeven if he knew that his mother was sleeping, he did not care as


    he vented his feelings.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Quinn shrugged and gave up just then.


    She did not want to press the issue of Ryan changing as a person¡­ or that she never noticed that side


    of him that many others did not know of.


    Right now, she just wanted to live her life and be with Sam.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now. Sam¡¯s hurt too-l need to check on him,¡± she said and turned to leave without another


    word.


    Ryan growled coldly in her wake, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re trying to be petty and said those things to upset


    me, warning: if you step out of that door, we¡¯re never getting back together. I refuse to cater to the


    whims of hand- me-downs.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips-so she was a hand-me-down in his mind already.


    No one would have stayed unscathed by such a humiliating term, but it really was no skin off her back.


    Perhaps now that he was not important to her, nothing he said mattered.


    Still, she suddenly turned and walked up to him, and he watched, convinced that she was afraid to


    leave because of his threat.


    He smiled smugly-he knew she was just bluffing and that there was no way she had fallen out of love


    with him. He certainly knew that Quinn would not be stupid enough to pick the inferior one between him


    and Sam. After all, anyone with a working pair of eyes would know that picking him was the smart


    choice.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start over Quinn,¡± he said. ¡°Let bygones be-¡°


    ¡°I¡¯m just getting Sam¡¯s medicine,¡± Quinn said as she picked up the packet on the tea table. ¡°I had the


    doctor write two prescriptions.¡±


    And with that, she was gone, leaving with swift termination.


    Ryan¡¯s face flushed from indescribable rage as he seethed.


    He gritted his teeth as he did his damndest to stop himself from having a breakdown, but there was no


    doubt that it was a p to his face!


    He would never ept that Quinn would dump him to be with Sam¡­ if anything, he was the one who


    dumped Quinn!


    ¡°Ryan,¡± Lindsay finally spoke amid the silence.


    Ryan quicklyposed himself, once again the kind, mature, and understanding child-the child


    everyone envied -as he stood before Lindsay.


    ¡°Sorry that I woke you up, Mom,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think


    Quinn would be that stubborn.¡±

 Chapter 1355

    Chapter 1355


    Chapter 1355


    Lindsay stayed silent for a long while as she stared at Ryan.


    He was certainly a good boy in everyone else¡¯s mind, never once causing them worry ever since he


    was a child-always hard working and striving to do his best.


    On the other hand, they had to scold Sam ever since he was a kid. It was always a mystery how


    another child from the same parents could never excel like Ryan.


    But now, she was at a loss.


    Had they idealized Ryan so much that even a slight w seemed uneptable?


    Nheless, she said, ¡°Ryan, you should stop trying to force Quinn toe back to you.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s soft gaze turned sharp right then, and he red at Lindsay incredulously. ¡°What are you talking


    about, Mom?! How is this forcing?! Don¡¯t you know that Quinn has always loved me?! I would¡¯ve


    married her that day if my hand wasn¡¯t forced!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s passed has passed¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is why I wanted to correct that mistake,¡± Ryan growled indignantly.


    Lindsay sighed. ¡°I said it has passed-l didn¡¯t say it was a mistake. Quinn and Sam¡¯s marriage is reality,


    and they¡¯ll slowly make progress for the better. We should be giving


    them our blessing instead of trying to force them apart like you are.¡±


    ¡°Why are you siding with him too?!¡± Ryan red icily at Lindsay.


    Lindsay actually felt like she did not know Ryan just then- he was certainly a far cry from the gentle boy


    he was.


    Was it because he had long since left them?


    Nheless, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not siding with anyone. Right now, I just at the altar.¡±


    ¡°How much do I have to exin to you people that I really had no choice-¡°


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lindsay said bluntly. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. Yes, you have ambition and you¡¯re doing


    something noble, and we¡¯re all proud of you. However, you can¡¯t abandon everything for the sake of


    your ambitions and make Quinn pay the price. Moreover, you left without a word, and she almost


    ended up aughing stock in North City because of you.¡± i


    She was trying to get Ryan to realize he had gone astray.


    In fact, she used to think Quinn loved Ryan too. Everytime Ryan mentioned that he wanted to get back


    with Quinn, she felt repulsed since it was undignified to have two brothers fight over one woman.


    However, considering that Quinn and Sam¡¯s marriage never worked out, and Ryan loved Quinn so


    much, she did not say a word so as to not cause further chaos.


    Even so, everything had be clear to her after she listened to Quinn¡¯s conversation with Ryan.


    Quinn¡¯s words were not spoken out of spite. Lindsay herself watched Quinn grow from a child-Quinn


    was always kind and would never do anything to hurt others.


    Even so, what Quinn said was her genuine thoughts.


    It had been years since Ryan left her, and to her, it was not meant to be.


    And now, she was working hard to make her marriage with Sam work and to build a little family.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    That is why Ryan should not meddle right now.


    Even so, Ryan growled coldly and finally gave up on caring as he said what was on his mind for years.


    ¡°No. She and I would¡¯ve been fine if you and Dad didn¡¯t force her to marry Sam!¡±


    Lindsay was left staring at Ryan. ¡°Do you hate me for that?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Ryan retorted, his tone remaining staunch as ever. ¡°But I really think you and Dad


    shouldn¡¯t have pushed her to marry someone she doesn¡¯t love for the sake of dignity. You ruined her


    happiness-that¡¯s much worse than being single.¡±

 Chapter 1356

    Chapter 1356


    Chapter 1356


    Lindsay took a deep breath to calm herself down.


    Her husband was still in the ICU-she could not afford to be admitted too.


    Taking a moment to calm down, she said, ¡°Ryan, don¡¯t jump to conclusions before you see the full


    picture. Do you know what Quinn faced at that wedding, all alone? The whole city was ready to mock


    her¡ªsure, you could say that we should prioritize her life¡¯s happiness over contempt. However, Quinn


    would rather have someone save her at that time and finish that wedding when she was alone and


    helpless. She¡¯s not as brave as you think, and she only refrains from crying or throwing tantrums


    because she doesn¡¯t want to cause trouble for us. If you really know how she feels, you¡¯d know that


    she needs love and yearns to be protected after her parents¡¯ deaths. She¡¯s afraid of being alone and


    abandoned!¡±


    Even so, Ryan¡¯s eyes were red with rage and obstinacy¡ªhe and Quinn loved each other in the first


    ce and that should be the way it was for the rest of their lives!


    No one gets to interfere with two people who love each other, but that was not the case for marriage!


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    Nheless, Lindsay continued slowly and clearly, ¡°I also spoke to Quinn after the wedding, telling her


    that the wedding would not count if that was what she wanted. Her answer then was that marriage isn¡¯t


    a game-that she¡¯s Sam¡¯s wife. So, instead of saying that Quinn developed


    feelings for Sam after marrying him and abandoned you, it¡¯s more appropriate to say that Quinn


    acknowledged Sam as her husband when they walked down the aisle.¡±


    Ryan stayed silent-he refused to acknowledge what his mother said, let alone ept it!


    Quinn was his, and she always would be!


    ¡°Think about it.¡± At that point, Lindsay did not want to press the issue-she could only hope that Ryan


    understood.


    It was an unchanging rule that what all attachments feared was abandonment.


    And even if one hoped to understand, others would refuse even with the most legitimate of reason-


    because the damage was already done.


    Quinn returned home with the medicine.


    She wanted to call Sam after leaving the hospital, but she realized that he would refuse to answer


    because of his usual stubbornness, and he would never tell her where he was anyway.


    In fact, he might even hide from her out of pettiness.


    As such, she should head home right away in the chance that he was there.


    Actually, she scarcely dared to hope even as she opened Sam¡¯s bedroom door-he never likeding


    back anyway.


    However, she held her breath and looked to find Sam standing before the ss wall, smoking a


    cigarette.


    The entire room smelled like tobo too.


    Although Quinn did not like the smell, nothing seemed to matter when she saw him¡­

 Chapter 1357

    Chapter 1357


    Chapter 1357


    Quinn walked up behind him. ¡°Sam¡­¡¯


    He ignored her.


    In fact, he actually sensed someone entering but never turned to look.


    Quinn could sense his rage without seeing the look on his face, but she asked anyway, ¡°How¡¯s your


    face?¡±


    ¡°Very good. What are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you staying with Ryan?¡± he asked with a hint of


    sarcasm.


    Quinn would have stormed off in the past.


    But for some reason, she felt like he was just being jealous at the moment.


    Moreover, he was simply bad at expressing himself, which led to many misunderstandings between


    them before.


    ¡°I¡¯m your wife. Why should I stay with him?¡± she asked.


    Sam pursed his lips and took another puff of his cigarette while continuing to ignore her.


    ¡°Let me take a look at your face,¡± she offered then. ¡°I asked the doctor for a prescription.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± he growled a little impatiently.


    ¡°Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Go back to your room. Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said, his tone still harsh.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Why would I be?¡± He snorted. ¡°Ryan¡¯s right. I have no right to be upset when I¡¯m useless.¡±


    ¡°And I snapped at him,¡± Quinn suddenly replied.


    While Sam did a double take, she exined, ¡°For your sake. You¡¯re obviously not the man he


    described.¡±


    Sam gulped, and she added, ¡°I don¡¯t like the way he insulted you either.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of him?¡± Sam asked, his tone still cold but obviously changing ever so slightly.


    It was likely that he did not notice it either.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Quinn shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not my husband.¡±


    Sam stiffened a little, while she tugged on his hand. ¡°Come on. Let me see your face.¡±


    His fingers twitched in return-he wanted to push her away but did not actually do so.


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. ¡°Go back to your room. I want some peace and quiet.¡±


    ¡°I will after I¡¯m done tending to your face,¡± she said.


    ¡°I said you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± he said in annoyance, but Quinn ignored him and firmly pulled him along to


    the nearby couch.


    Sam grumpily shook off her hand just then, catching her off guard and knocking her off bnce.


    Nheless, Sam quickly turned around, quickly catching her right then, while her heart raced as she


    pulled on his clothes.


    Sam was certainly worried as she red at her. ¡°Watch out!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who-Pfft!¡± Quinn was suddenly giggling, stopping short of bursting intoughter.


    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Sam scowled.


    ¡°Your eye,¡± Quinn said, barely keeping it in as she looked at Sam¡¯s right eye, which was ckened like


    a panda¡¯s.


    Coming to a realization, Sam let go of her and turned his back on her, staying silent and appearing


    even more upset than before.


    ¡°Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want me to see that, did you? Was that why you didn¡¯t want me to treat your face?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be embarrassed now that I¡¯ve seen it.¡±


    ¡°I said that¡¯s not it.¡±


    ¡°Then why turn your back on me?¡± Quinn pressed. ¡°Turn around if you¡¯re not worried about it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡±


    ¡°Just let me treat your face, alright? I¡¯d get worried otherwise,¡± Quinn suddenly pleaded, her voice soft


    like a purr.


    Sam actually had a hard time saying no just then¡­

 Chapter 1358

    Chapter 1358


    Chapter 1358


    Sam was worried that Quinn would start crying if he said no, while she said, ¡°I promise to leave once


    I¡¯m done.¡±


    At the same time, she tugged at his hand and shook it adorably.


    ¡®Damn it, when did she learn how to y up her cuteness?¡¯ And doesn¡¯t she get embarrassed, being as


    old as she is?¡¯


    Sam turned and sat on the couch quietly, though his silence made it clear that he gave in.


    Quinn chuckled-so the soft approach worked on him.


    She walked toward him and took the ointment, applying iodine on his bruised eye with a cotton swab.


    Still, seeing it again made her giggle, and he promptly snapped, ¡°Laugh again and I¡¯m throwing you


    out!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip-fine, she could stopughing for once.


    ¡°Close your eyes,¡± she told him just then.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°What if I get the iodine in your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯tugh,¡± Sam growled.


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Quinn promised, though she could not resist smiling when he actually closed his eyes.


    She had never seen him letting someonend a punch on him even as a child, and yet he ended up


    bruised like this.


    Still, remembering that she was the reason Ryan managed to hit his face, she tended to him solemnly,


    gently disinfecting and rubbing ointment around his bruised eye.


    They were quiet and close, so they could hear each other¡¯s breathing.


    It took a while, but just as she was about to tell him to open his eyes, she suddenly paused as she


    stared at his face.


    She had never looked at him from this close¡ªas a child, she would avoid looking at him since she


    always believed that he disliked her.


    Even so, seeing him from up close now, she realized that every part of his face was wless.


    His brows were sharp, the line of his eyes were long and narrow, his nose was straight and


    pronounced¡­ and those perfect lips.


    He was pursing his lips a little impatiently just then, and Quinn gulped unwittingly.


    His lips seemed to bewitch her, drawing her nearer without her knowing¡­ It was not until she kissed


    him that she realized what she had done.


    Startled, she pulled away, but he caught the back of her head just as she did and firmly pulled her back


    for a more passionate kiss.


    Quinn actually felt a little overwhelmed-she might have initiated the kiss, but she was already flustered!


    At the same time, Sam started panting heavily as he pinned her under herself on the couch, kissing her


    until she was out of breath.


    Quinn wrapped her hands around him in turn, wondering if she had imagined it¡­ Somehow, his body


    was so hot as if he had a fever.


    His body and muscles were exceedingly stiff as well, and there was no telling how long had passed as


    the entire room seemed to heat up.


    As Sam slowly pulled away and she looked into his eyes, her body seemed to feel strange as the


    desire lurking just beneath her eyes seemed to erupt just then.


    She really wanted to go further¡­

 Chapter 1359

    Chapter 1359


    The room¡¯s temperature seemed to be rising, and Quinn could not think as she was in a daze.


    She leaned in toward Sam again, wanting another kiss, and more¡­


    However, he suddenly moved, and she missed, kissing just the corner of his lips.


    Even so, her eyes remain dewy with desire for him.


    Sam gulped in turn, afraid to look at her just then. Heaven knows how seductive she was!


    He got off her, even if he wanted nothing less than to let her tenderness consume him whole¡­


    ¡°Sam?¡± she called out to him, her confused voice soft like a kitten¡¯s purr.


    She could clearly feel that he was reacting to her, and they were just about to get down to business.


    Why did he suddenly back off?


    Did she make a mistake?


    Did he not like her taking the lead?!


    But he did not push her away when she kissed him-in fact, he was reveling in it! Why did he suddenly


    lose interest?


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Was she not attractive enough, or was her technique that terrible?


    When they kissed, she was basically just taking it, and she did not know how to respond to his


    passion¡­


    But she really liked it.


    She liked him kissing her, taking the lead as he took her to a realm she had never been to before¡­


    Nheless, Sam repressed his desire and growled, ¡°Go back to your room.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Quinn asked. ¡¯Weren¡¯t we doing just fine?¡±


    ¡°I suddenly don¡¯t want to do it,¡± Sam said coolly.


    ¡°But your body¡­¡±


    ¡°My heart refuses.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Quinn was genuinely confused and was intent to find the reason so that she could change.


    ¡°Stop asking questions!¡± Sam snapped, his voice getting louder as his temper red. ¡°I just don¡¯t want


    to do it, get it?!¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what your face says,¡± Quinn pointed out.


    Sam had to take a deep breath or she would kill him right then!


    It took him so much to control himself, and she was still trying to challenge him?


    And why was she always so calm?! Any other woman who was rejected at this stage would be


    storming out of the door, but she was somehow the exception!


    Was she really not going to regret it? Ryan was clear that he wanted to start over, and she just had to


    say yes and bnce would be restored to the universe.


    Why waste time on him? In the end, he was just a cannon fodder wherever Ryan existed, as it had


    been for years.


    He had long since given in, which was why he was refusing to take advantage of Quinn.


    How could he put it¡­ this was her getting petty with him, no? She was offering to build something with


    him out of feelings of pettiness, and she would inevitably regret it when she realized that he really fell


    short whenpared to Ryan.


    ¡°Sam.¡± Quinn got off the couch and walked up to him, and Sam basically leapt away, keeping his


    distance.


    Quinn watched him do so, feeling a little hurt¡ªdid he hate her that much?!


    Was their intimacy just now merely an illusion?


    There was no hiding the hurt in her eyes just then¡­

 Chapter 1360

    Chapter 1360


    Chapter 1360


    Sam saw it but averted his eyes.


    Still, Quinn repressed the grief within her and said, ¡°I just want to say that it¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t want to


    do it now¡­¡±


    Maybe he had his reasons, or perhaps he really did not love her that much¡­ But as long as he was not


    in love with another woman, she could slowly build a rtionship with him.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t push me away,¡± she finished and watched as he stubbornly turned away so that he did not


    have to look at her.


    Even so, she gingerly asked, ¡°We can take it slow and gradually ept each other, okay?¡±


    She was really afraid that he would say no-he never cared how others felt since he was a child and


    always did what he wanted.


    He would never prostrate himself, just as he would never hold back.


    That was why Quinn bit her lip nervously.


    She had no idea why she yearned so much to be with Sam right now, and she had no idea if it began


    when he was jailed because of her.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    All she knew was that since then, she began to change her opinion of Sam gradually. And now, the


    more she looked at him, the more epting she was toward him and the more she desired to be with


    him.


    Perhaps it was love, and she did not dare admit it before because it felt weird¡ªwhy would she fall for


    him for no reason?


    She certainly could not put a finger on it. Sam obviously did not change or treat her any nicer, but


    before she realized it, her affection from her was entrenched all the way to the bottom of her heart.


    ¡®TH take it as a yes if you keep quiet,¡± she said then.


    Sam stayed silent, and she smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going now. Get some sleep, and try to cut down on smoking.¡±


    With that, she turned, and Sam suddenly called out to her. ¡°Quinn.¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat and started racing, as if fearful that she would hear something she did not


    want to.


    Her whole body was stiff from nerves until he asked her, ¡°You don¡¯t love Ryan anymore?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn answered without hesitation.


    Sam¡¯s fingers twitched, while Quinn continued, ¡°I told him as much him that it¡¯s over between us for a


    long time now, and in front of your mother too.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Sam asked.


    Quinn thought about it. ¡°No reason. I just suddenly don¡¯t love him anymore.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips-she was clearly throwing his words back at him.


    Quinn smiled in turn. ¡°I¡¯m not two-timing, and I¡¯d never use anyone like a tool to satisfy a petty grudge-


    l¡¯ve really given up on him. It was clearly not meant to be when he left me at the altar.¡±


    Sam could not help clenching his fist, obviously feeling something about that.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t me him-l couldn¡¯t after I got the truth, but that¡¯s probably how fate works when it¡¯s


    just never going to happen,¡± Quinn finished.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a waste? You and Ryan deserve each other,¡± Sam said, restraint clear in his voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wasteful about it? People have to keep going on, don¡¯t they? Bygones will be bygones, and


    there¡¯s no traveling to the past, right?¡±


    Quinn¡¯s words were filled with relief because she had really moved on.


    ¡®Tm going now.¡± She smiled, not wanting to pressure Sam.


    She might love him now, but that did not mean he would love her back.


    She should give him time.


    Once Quinn left, however, Sam could not restrain himself any longer¡ªhe was clenching his fist and


    shaking uncontrobly.


    He never dared imagine that Quinn would fall out of love with Ryan¡­


    He only ever wished for it once in his life-back when he wrote that wish on the tree.

 Chapter 1361

    Chapter 1361


    Chapter 1361


    The next morning, Lindsay called to say that Marvin had woken up, but Sam was absolutely refusing to


    go to the hospital.


    For one, he woke up with his eye swollen and even cker, which was very amusing.


    Secondly, he did not want to see Ryan ever again.


    Still, Quinn dragged him to the hospital anyway¡ªthey were family and were only going to run into each


    other inevitably.


    Marvin appeared enfeebled in the ICU, and the doctor said that he needed time to recover.


    However, he seemed worried about work and pestered Lindsay to call in his assistant Peter.


    Lindsay naturally refused. ¡°You should be resting, dear. The doctor said that you¡¯re really sick, so get


    some proper rest. Don¡¯t worry about anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just want to know about thepany¡¯s situation-¡¯


    ¡°If you¡¯re not worried, then you don¡¯t have to know,¡± Lindsay told him. ¡¯ Don¡¯t worry, thepany would


    still run itself even without you. Quit worrying, you know your health matters.¡±


    III II


    ¡°Dad,¡± Ryan spoked up, unable to keep watching just then. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about thepany in


    your state. What if the same thing happens again if you overworked yourself? You¡¯d be squandering


    your health as well. How could that be good?¡±


    Marving became a little upset just then. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Thepany won¡¯t be running if I¡¯m not


    around to worry.¡±


    ¡°Why not? There are so many people working there¡ªthey won¡¯t miss you. Whatever you say, I¡¯ll never


    let you leave. Just stay and rest,¡¯ Ryan said firmly.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t rest at ease if thepany¡¯s situation isn¡¯t resolved¡­¡±


    ¡°You have to put your mind at ease if you must. Either way, I¡¯m not letting you work now,¡± Ryan said


    firmly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to do it if I don¡¯t?!¡± Marvin cried, getting so agitated that the monitors attached to him


    started beeping.


    ¡°Stop it, Ryan,¡± Lindsay chided him just then.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Ryan appeared exasperated and said, ¡°He¡¯s not going to recover if you let him stay like this.¡±


    ¡°As long as thepany¡¯s issue isn¡¯t resolved, he¡¯d keep worrying even if I tried to stop him,¡± Lindsay


    retorted.


    ¡°So you¡¯re letting him worry himself sick? Who¡¯s going to take responsibility for what happens?!¡± Ryan


    demanded.


    ¡°I know my body. Quite bothering your mother,¡± Marvin snapped angrily.


    Ryan clearly had more to say when Quinn suddenly spoke, ¡°Calm down, Mr. Saunders. I can help with


    thepany.¡¯


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Marvin said, suddenly calmer as he was always kind toward Quinn.


    As for his two sons¡­ The eldest might be aplished, but there was no question that he never


    contributed anything to the family business.


    Naturally, the second contributed even less.


    That was why he never held out much hope on either of them-it was only Quinn who always stayed by


    his side, helping with thepany.

 Chapter 1362

    Chapter 1362


    Chapter 1362


    However, Quinn was still young, and most of the elders in Saunderia-especially the board members¡ª


    had no confidence in her.


    As such, she could not keep thepany in line. She might even get harassed while her every move


    would be impeded.


    Marvin could therefore anticipate that Saunderia had copsed into a mess internally by now because


    he was the only one who could keep things together.


    Til go with Quinn,¡± Sam suddenly said.


    Everyone was left stunned, while Quinn turned toward Sam in surprise.


    ¡°You wanted me to work, didn¡¯t you? That¡¯s what I¡¯ll do right now,¡± Sam told Marvin. ¡°It¡¯s a one-time


    offer-you either stay down and rest and let me and Quinn handle thepany¡¯s situation. Or you can


    go back to your office right now, but in that case, don¡¯t ever hope that I¡¯ll ever set foot in Saunderia.¡±


    Marvin was hesitant, just as he doubted Sam¡¯s ability to handle thepany¡¯s situation. In fact, Marvin


    himself only went to work every other day, so there was no way he had the confidence Sam was up to


    task.


    However, there was no question that this was a chance for Sam to shape up-Marvin would not have to


    worry about being heirless if he agreed to keep thepany together¡­


    Nheless, Ryan scoffed just then. ¡°What¡¯s the point?


    You¡¯ve never worked, and you¡¯re saying you can handle a crisis? Over thirty and none of the maturity


    to show for it¡­¡±


    ¡°I am immature and I don¡¯t have what it takes.¡± Sam shrugged even as he admitted to it. ¡°But I¡¯m willing


    to shoulder the responsibility and work just so our father can recover with peace of mind. But what


    about you? Are you willing to give up on your work and help Dad?¡±


    ¡°Giving up on my work?! When you¡¯re the one constantly goofing off?!¡± Ryan bellowed. ¡°Do you think


    we¡¯re the same?! My work contributes to the nation!¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not¡ªbut somehow, neither of us contribute anything to the family business,¡± Sam said


    bluntly.


    While Ryan was left unable to speak, Sam continued, ¡°And since you¡¯re saying that it¡¯s pointless for me


    to work, you could go instead.¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What?!¡± Ryan snapped, but it was only natural that he refused his current work.


    After all, it made his existence more valuable, and he would feel superior to those money-grubbing


    business people around him.


    ¡°Why give me crap when you¡¯re refusing?¡± Sam sneered just then.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re being nonsensical,¡± Ryan told him, his contempt for his younger brother having taken


    root long ago. ¡°You¡¯d never solve anything, and Dad would never be


    relieved even if you do it. It¡¯s far better toe up with something else.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I solve anything?¡± Sam retorted.


    ¡°What, are you some prodigy who excels without learning?!¡± Ryan snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not, and I can admit that I don¡¯t know a thing about running apany-but what I have is friends,¡±


    Sam said slowly and clearly. ¡°Everyone here knows John Levine, no? He¡¯s like a brother to me, and the


    question is: do you think he can resolve the issue if I ask for his help?¡±


    Marvin became obviously excited at Sam¡¯s words.


    He certainly did not believe in Sam¡¯s ability to resolve Saunderia¡¯s crisis, but he and everyone in North


    City knew about John¡¯s business acumen. Even those of the older generation deferred to the man¡¯s


    aplishments.


    And if that man was helping¡­


    ¡°Dream on!¡± Ryan scoffed just then. ¡°John Levine might hang out with you on asion, but personal


    profit is involved here. You really are naive if you think all businessmen are earnest!¡±

 Chapter 1363

    Chapter 1363


    Chapter 1363


    ¡°You just think that friends are as materialistic as you imagined because you have none,¡± Sam retorted.


    ¡°All my friends are for life, and they would go to great lengths for me if I¡¯m really in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Ryan snorted. ¡°Fair-weather friends, more like.¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to exin myself to you.¡± Sam shrugged and turned to Marvin. ¡°Just rest, Dad. Leave


    Saunderia to me and Quinn¡ªI¡¯ll tell you if I can¡¯t resolve the issue.¡±


    Marvin was hesitant, but considering that Sam was actually going to work, and John might help¡­ It


    might be no crisis at all.


    He nodded. ¡°Alright. I¡¯m leaving it to you and Quinn.¡±


    Ryan was left staring at Marvin in disbelief, but he could not say what was on his mind just then either.


    After all, he did not want to work in his father¡¯s stead-the consequences would only be unimaginable if


    he failed. If anything, he simply could not ept that their father would really put his faith in Sam.


    Pursing his lips, Ryan said, ¡°Let¡¯s hope that you can surprise us.¡±


    Sam said nothing in turn-they all left soon since there was a time limit on ICU visitations.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Lindsay returned to the ward where Marvin would stay once his condition stabilized, whereas Ryan


    excused himself, saying that something urgent came up at his unit in the capital.


    With that, the family went their separate ways as Sam and Quinn headed to the Saunderia


    headquarters.


    In the car, however, Sam was restless.


    ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re just going to work-they¡¯re not going to kill you,¡± Quinn assured him, presuming that


    he was afraid of going to work.


    He never liked to do any work or attend meetings before.


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of them-they are all myckeys,¡± Sam shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ concerned.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Quinn asked, curious.


    ¡°I¡¯m the board chairman¡¯s son, and I have a reputation to maintain,¡± Sam growled. ¡°How many people


    would beughing behind my back if they saw my ck eye?¡±


    Quinn could not help giggling right then, which left him bristling. ¡°See?! Even you are finding this


    funny!¡±


    Why did he even agree to go to work?! He could just let John handle everything!


    The thought of his face¡­ Oh, the shame!


    ¡°No, I just think you¡¯re more mature now,¡± Quinn said earnestly then.


    As Sam looked at her, she continued, ¡°I never thought the day woulde when you¡¯d go to work and


    help your


    father. I¡¯m really seeing you in a new light.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t put me on a pedestal. It¡¯d be a p to my own face if I mess up,¡± Sam grumbled. ¡°Just pretend


    I¡¯m going on a trip.¡±


    Quinn certainly knew that was not the case.


    When it came to Sam, he would never say a word if he did not care about something.

 Chapter 1364

    Chapter 1364


    Chapter 1364


    At the same time, if Sam ever said anything, he would never go about it half-baked.


    Naturally, Quinn did not want to pressure him either.


    As they arrived at the Saunderia headquarters, Sam alighted after preparing himself mentally and went


    in with Quinn.


    Every employee who passed them would greet them as soon as they saw them. ¡°Mr. Sam. Ms.


    Summer.¡±


    Though Sam felt a little awkward, he did not want to show it.


    As such, his visage appears haughty. He also appeared especially intimidating if he did not smile, all


    the more because of his tall figure.


    Still, that was fine-Quinn believed he could take the time to change that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just get the details on the ongoing crisis ande up with a solution for now,¡± she said. ¡°I just


    called Peter Lang, your dad¡¯s assistant. He¡¯sing right now to brief us.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said, already behind his desk as he whipped out a mirror to check his right eye repeatedly.


    Soon, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Peter entered and greeted Quinn right away, ¡°Ms. Summer.¡±


    He then spotted Sam and greeted him politely in turn. ¡°Mr. Sam.¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Sam nodded, and Peter started briefing Quinn without dy.


    ¡°The issue is a new project with automobiles powered by new energy under our independent brand.


    However, it kept getting mothballed because wecked the technology-to make up for the losses and


    attempt toplete the project sooner, we recruited famous researchers from abroad and finally had


    the technology. We wanted to make a killing in the market, only for one of the researchers to be


    exposed for bearing fake certifications, and questions quickly surfaced regarding the reliability of our


    technology. As online sentiment grew against us, sales for the new cars we developed stagnated. With


    most of Saunderia¡¯s capital being betted on those cars, it caused a severance in capital flow, and our


    other business were affected as well. The banks we¡¯re contacting are refusing to give us loans as well,


    which led to Mr. Saunders being taken ill¡­¡±


    ¡°Are there any developments in the situation?¡± Quinn asked. ¡¯ What¡¯s the worst case scenario should


    sales keep stagnating?¡±


    Sam was paying Peter full attention as well, even if the other manpletely ignored him, seemingly


    convinced he was not here to work.


    ¡°We have a fifty million dor deficit in capital, and as mentioned, most banks are denying us loans with


    various excuses. Even the banks we have close ties with have only offered loans of up to a million out


    of respect for Mr.


    Saunders, and that¡¯s not going to help at all. If the severance in capital continues without improving,


    Saunderia wouldst only another month at best before facing bankruptcy.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s expression changed, and she turned to see Sam stiffening as well.


    She could understand then why Marvin would want to return to work even if it killed him-the situation


    was so dire that it shocked even Quinn herself.


    And here she thought it was some usual management issue


    ¡°What¡¯s the board¡¯s reaction to the issue?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The board is a mess in the board chairman¡¯s absence,¡± Peter said anxiously. ¡°How is he now? Has he


    woken up? When can hee?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s awake,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°However, the doctor forbade him from leaving the hospital because he¡¯s


    still in bad shape. Given his condition, he must stay at least two weeks for rest and observation.¡±


    ¡® Then what are we supposed to do?! Thepany¡¯s in a precarious position right now¡­¡±

 Chapter 1365

    Chapter 1365


    Chapter 1365


    Sam said, ¡°I¡¯lle up with something.


    Peter looked up at Sam in disbelief, though he was not at all convinced that Sam coulde up with a


    solution. The man never even took any notice of Saunderia when things were going smoothly!


    Now that it was a mess, Peter was never going to believe that Sam would shape up and take the reins,


    let alone have what it takes.


    Nheless, Quinn spoke up just then. ¡°Thank you. Now that we understand the specifics, let us have


    some time to resolve the issue. You can get back to work for now.¡±


    She naturally could tell that Peter was belittling Sam and had no faith in the man. She therefore quickly


    sent Peter away-who knew if his attitude would provoke Sam.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    With Sam¡¯s fiery temper, he might just let loose once things went south. Moreover, they were in the


    middle of a crisis and naturally should cater to him.


    As Peter left worriedly, Quinn turned to Sam. ¡°So our most pressing issue is capital and then the


    censure of our core technology. You could ask John for some ideas.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded.


    He certainly knew nothing about business at the moment and needed John¡¯s help¡­ only to remember


    something else


    when he whipped out his phone. ¡°By the way, isn¡¯t he still on his honeymoon?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Quinn realized with a start¡ªthat seemed to be the case.


    ¡°Whatever. I¡¯d be eating dirt by the time hees back.¡± Sam snorted and made the call without


    hesitation.


    The dialing tonested for a while before John answered with a tired voice, and Sam nced at a clock


    to see that it was already half past ten in the morning.


    He could not help teasing just then, ¡°Tough day, huh, Johnny? Sounding exhausted at this hour?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± John offered no exnation, but his voice was so hoarse anyone would get funny ideas.


    ¡°My family¡¯s in trouble.¡± Sam, however, dove straight to the point as well.


    ¡°What?¡± John¡¯s tone in turn became serious.


    Sam quickly gave him a rundown on Saunderia¡¯s current situation, and Quinn added further details


    when necessary.


    ¡°The priority is to restore capital flow,¡± John said bluntly after they were finished. ¡°Though that¡¯s still the


    short term priority-the real issue is Saunderia¡¯s core technology.¡±


    ¡°First of all, find out if there are actual problems or if it¡¯s deliberate nder or spections that took


    root. Then, you should tailor the solution ording to said issue. If there never were problems, get


    international specialists to verify the tech and prove your innocence.¡±


    ¡°If there are problems, however, you have to fix everything without worrying about the losses or there


    would be more issues to look forward to. Your father¡¯s copse would¡¯ve sent Saunderia spiraling into


    internal discord as well, so you need to keep everyone in line and ensure that operations are running


    smoothly. If they don¡¯t, thepany would still copse if you resolve your tech issues.¡±


    ¡°Also, the number of people in an organization would mean there are that many people thinking for


    themselves. There¡¯s no telling when someone would use the chaos to their benefit, so that must be


    avoided at all costs. Anypany needs to be stable internally before they tackle external issues.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sam nodded, havingplete faith in John.


    ¡°Give me a week-l¡¯ll resolve your capital issues for now,¡± John added. ¡°Do as I tell you for the other


    matters, and call me any time you¡¯re having trouble.¡±


    ¡°Well, when are youing back?¡± Sam asked-the man was gone for almost two weeks now and not


    showing any inclination of returning.


    ¡°It¡¯s still too early to say.¡±


    ¡°nning to conceive a second child first?¡±


    ¡°¡­Maybe.¡± John admitted to it openly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not exactly young, brother,¡± Sam joked. ¡°Show some restraint.¡±


    ¡°You take care of yourself too.¡± John chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d rather not see you in the dirt when I get back.¡±


    With that, they hung up.

 Chapter 1366

    Chapter 1366


    Chapter 1366


    After all, there was plenty of work to do for Sam, while every minute counted for John.


    John turned to nce at Cordy, who was nestled in his arms. She was awoken by him taking a call,


    and his brow was clearly furrowed in displeasure.


    Hey down again, pulling her toward himself, and he started nuzzling her corbone while his hands


    danced around her waist¡­


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Cordy purred, fidgeting as vaguely sensing his amorous intentions. ¡°I¡¯m so tired¡­¡±


    It only encouraged John. ¡°As long as you enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Cordyined, shoving him away. ¡°You say that everytime-¡°


    ¡°And you¡¯re actually hoarse,¡± John finished, leaving her blushing.


    It was certainly embarrassing when they were alone on that islet, and every detail was too obscene to


    describe.


    Still, Cordy snapped, ¡°Let me sleep or I¡¯m going back to


    North City¡­¡±


    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.


    John promptly kept his hands to himself-he had yet to fully enjoy his¡­ perks, though it would probably


    be more appropriate to say he had yet to have enough.


    As such, he decided to just sleep in¡­


    He would only get extra perks when Cordy was energetic anyway.


    Over at Saunderia, once Sam hung up, Quinn suggested, ¡°I agree-we need to keep everyone in


    Saudneria in line. Peter mentioned that thepany is leaderless, so we need to rein in everyone. My


    suggestion is to call for a board meeting and let everyone know that you¡¯ll take over the duties as the


    acting board chairman for the time being.¡±


    ¡°But can I do it?¡± Sam asked-even he doubted his own abilities.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first step you must take. And you promised your father,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    Sam pursed his lips-he did say that, and now he had to stick with it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Peter and have him prepare the conference room, ¡± Quinn added without dy, knowing full


    well that Saunderia would be worse off the longer they dragged on.


    Sam was left watching as Quinn made countless calls and queries-she always was doubly efficient


    when it came to work.


    She basically never stopped to breathe since the morning, and he had no idea what to do since this


    was the first time he was here.


    Feeling a vigor he did not know how to use, he kept watching as Quinn wore herself out when he


    suddenly got the urge to share the burden.

 Chapter 1367

    Chapter 1367


    Chapter 1367


    Sam handed Quinn a ss of water. ¡°Here, have a drink.¡±


    Quinn was surprised-he never was this caring with anyone.


    Still, her stare left him embarrassed, and he averted his eyes, huffing stubbornly, ¡°Your voice is hoarse.


    It¡¯s grating.¡±


    Quinn did not take it to heart-he probably would not stop being a tsundere.


    ¡°The board meeting will start at 2 PM,¡± she reminded him.¡± You have to attend it in ce of your father


    and announce your tenure as the acting board chairman.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Sam eximed in surprise.


    ¡°Is that going to trouble you?¡±


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°No,¡± Sam replied, bracing himself just then. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect you to be so efficient.¡±


    ¡°Well, John is right about keeping thepany in line,¡± Quinn said seriously. ¡°That means it can¡¯t go


    leaderless, although the meeting might turn out to be a bloodbath as well¡­ Even so, you have my


    unconditional support.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of geezers,¡± Sam huffed nonchntly. ¡°I can handle them.¡±


    ¡°With agees wisdom. Don¡¯t let your guard down,¡± Quinn told him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Quinn could not help smiling at how confident Sam looked- he always did like to put on airs.


    Even so, she found a sense of security in the way he faced crises with aplomb.


    Sam led Quinn into the board conference room at 2 PM sharp.


    The air in the room was stiff with the twenty board members all scowling as they sat.


    Sam took the board chairman¡¯s seat nheless, which caused further displeasure.


    In fact, everyone immediately started urging Sam to leave, none of them showing him due respect.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing here, Sam Saunders?! This isn¡¯t a ce for you to mess around-we


    need to discuss a vital issue thepany is facing!¡±


    ¡°Your father is still in the hospital, and thepany¡¯s facing a crisis. You can¡¯t help us, so don¡¯t add to


    our troubles too.¡±


    ¡°Leave already. Don¡¯t dy our meeting!¡±


    Nheless, Sam remained calm as he announced, ¡°My father¡¯s doctors have insisted that he takes


    his time to rest and recover. As such, before he has a clean bill of health, I¡¯ll be taking his ce and his


    full authority in managing Saunderia.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡¯ One of the board members snorted.¡±


    Or has your dad gone senile?! Letting you take over?! If there¡¯s anyone who can, it¡¯d be Ryan-certainly


    not you!¡±


    ¡°Dream on, kiddo. We won¡¯t voluntarily ept the leadership of some rich yboy who¡¯s never done a


    day of serious work in his life.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really taking charge, then I give up entirely. Do whatever you want-it¡¯s just bankruptcy at


    worst.¡±


    Sam was left scowling by the chorus of disapproval.


    However, it was reasonable considering hisck of aplishments¡­ In fact, from a certain point of


    view, the board¡¯s loyalty to thepany was made evident.


    As such, he calmed down and exined patiently, ¡°I neither contributed anything to Saunderia nor


    worked seriously before my father¡¯s illness. However, this incident has


    spurred me to mend my ways and put all my effort into my work.¡±


    However, the board members were not understanding at all.


    ¡°Those are some pretty words, but can you back them up?¡±


    ¡°Look at your own eye! You were recently involved in a fight, weren¡¯t you?! Go back to your life of


    pleasure, and we might turn things around ourselves.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right-are you trying to get us bankrupt


    sooner with your leadership?!¡±


    Sam did not expect the geezers to be this harsh!

 Chapter 1368

    Chapter 1368


    Chapter 1368


    Sam really wanted to curse out loud.


    Was he really that ipetent that his presence would make thepany bankrupt sooner?!


    These geezers were never this rude when he came to Saunderia before-they would actually defer to


    him and even greet him properly.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    Now, they were being dismissive just because his father was in the hospital!


    ¡°Just leave already. Stop wasting our time.¡± One of the board members waved him off dismissively.


    Sam decided to stop running around in circles with the geezers and cut straight to the point. ¡°Saunderia


    is merely facing two problems right now. The first is stagnating capital flow¡ªwe urgently need money,


    but the banks are refusing to lend us any. The second is the censure against our core technology,


    leading to overstock of our products and severe losses.¡±


    The board members were all left taken aback, shocked that Sam would have taken the initiative to find


    out the issues guing Saunderia.


    However, most were still not interested. ¡°If you know that, then stop wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to handle said issues,¡± Sam said solemnly.


    ¡°You? How?¡± One of the board members sneered.


    Sam said bluntly, ¡°We will have a fifty million dor capital injection in under a week.¡±


    The rowdy conference room was suddenly silent, and another board member eximed, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said-we will have a fifty million dor capital injection in a week,¡± Sam repeated.


    ¡°Where did you get the money? No bank is willing to offer any loans-¡°


    ¡°John Levine offered it to me,¡± Sam said nonchntly.


    The board was ready for more retort, but the mention of John stopped them.


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± one of the board members asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sam said confidently.


    That board member pursed his lips and stayed silent, while the other board members traded nces


    and followed suit.


    The capital deficit was an absolute headache for them, only for Sam to resolve it with rtive ease-the


    brat had definitely hit the jackpot befriending John.


    ¡°With the issue of capital out of the way, let¡¯s move on to the other issue,¡± Sam pressed.


    The board members traded nces again. They were certainly still reluctant to let Sam strut, but they


    could not belittle him either-not after he got the fifty million they


    needed so easily.


    Nheless, Gilbert Wells-the board member leading the technological division¡ªhuffed, ¡°We did have


    an issue with one of our employees¡¯ qualifications found to have been falsified. However, there are no


    issues with our core technology-l can assure you of that!¡±


    ¡°Your assurances mean nothing,¡± Sam said bluntly, not sparing the man an ounce of dignity. ¡°Not when


    the customers don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    While Gilbert glowered, Sam pretended not to see that and continued, ¡°What we need are authorities in


    the field to verify that our core technology has no issues. That¡¯s right up your alley, Mr. Wells-do you


    know who is the leading authority in the field at the moment?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Gilbert replied, scowling. ¡°It¡¯s Damian Craig, the director of TSL¡¯s new energy division,


    which is apany based in Minerva.¡±


    ¡°Good. Then we shall ask for his seal of approval.¡±


    ¡°Could you stop messing around, Sam?!¡± Gilbert exploded right then. ¡°Do you think he¡¯d ept our


    invitation?! He¡¯s our rival in the field of new energy-how inane would he have to be to take the role of


    guarantor for our core technology?!¡±

 Chapter 1369

    Chapter 1369


    Chapter 1369


    Sam was actually mystified. ¡°How would you know that if you don¡¯t try?¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Try? It¡¯s called reality!¡± Gilbert snapped grumpily. ¡°Stop wasting our time, boy¡ªshut your mouth if you


    don¡¯t understand how any of this works.¡±


    ¡°I agree. I don¡¯t know a thing about managing apany,¡± Sam conceded. ¡°But I think your pessimism


    doesn¡¯t work either, Mr. Wells. I mean, pulling out just because you have an issue? How are you going


    to solve anything at this rate?¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Gilbert was left flushing in anger and took a moment to calm down before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not


    saying that I don¡¯t want to solve this. I¡¯m just refusing to waste our time on something pointless!¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re denouncing my solution as pointless and a waste of time, what better option are you


    suggesting here, Mr. Wells?¡± Sam asked in turn.


    Gilbert almost choked right then-would he be that flustered if he had any?!


    And yet, Sam was refusing to give him an inch and continued to frustrate him repeatedly as everyone


    else looked on!


    Be that as it may, Gilbert did not have anything to say and gave in sheepishly after a while. ¡°W-Weren¡¯t


    we supposed to discuss this together?¡±


    ¡°In that case, discuss away-l¡¯m listening,¡± Sam said, reclining against his chair patiently.


    However, the board members could only trade nces- they clearly had nothing.


    ¡°No discussion? Why the silence?¡± Sam frowned.


    The board members were miffed at that but obviously had nothing to say either.


    As things got more awkward, Gilbert gave in and snapped at Sam, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the acting board


    chairman? Shouldn¡¯t you be leading us?¡±


    Sam actuallyughed in amusement, which left Gilbert glowering¡ªwhat a spoiled brat, banking on his


    good fortune in life!


    Nheless, Sam told him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just shoot down my idea, Mr. Wells? In that case, what else can


    I say?! And if I recall, I¡¯m supposed to be your boss, spending fortunes for your service. Or is that not


    how this works? Is my money supposed to be spent on sustaining your freeloading?¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Gilbert sprang to his feet, infuriated by Sam¡¯s ridicule.


    Quinn, who was beside Sam, had the feeling that he would give Gilbert a stroke if he kept this up.


    Tugging on his suit, she whispered to him, ¡°Pipe down.


    They¡¯re not employees¡ªthey¡¯re shareholders.¡±


    ¡°Shareholders?¡± Sam repeated. ¡°You mean, they¡¯re bosses too?¡±


    ¡°Or you can consider them your partners, while you¡¯re the bigger boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s better,¡± Sam replied and turned back to the board members. ¡°Mr. Wells there said that I¡¯m


    the boss here and should be resolving this crisis, no? I therefore ask the rest of the board to state their


    respective opinions as well-since you are all bosses too.¡±

 Chapter 1370

    Chapter 1370


    Chapter 1370


    Gilbert fell back on his seat just then, too furious to say a word.


    Ken Loggins, who sat beside him, said, ¡°Sam, your father¡¯s still in the hospital and thepany¡¯s a


    mess¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t mess with us right now. We are trying to find a solution, but there¡¯s just nothing


    we can do right now.¡±


    ¡°Once again, I¡¯m here in earnest to manage Saunderia. I¡¯m not here to mess around,¡± Sam said bluntly.


    ¡°Why else do you think a yboy like me would sit with you geezers for so long, suffering your


    contempt?¡±


    Quinn watched as the twentyish board members scowled.


    They were elite business folk, only for Sam to call them geezers!


    Sam took no notice-or never realized that they were all glowering at him-and continued without a care.


    ¡°Since none of you have any solutions, why not try what I suggested?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not worth trying!¡± Gilbert could not help snapping right then.


    ¡°Why not? Anything is possible,¡± Sam said confidently. ¡°For that man you spoke of, the superiority of


    his position and the fact that he¡¯s our business rival are the reasons he won¡¯t cooperate. What if he


    isn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®what if he isn¡¯t¡¯?¡± Gilbert scoffed, having no patience for Sam at all.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just buy his intellectual property?¡± Sam asked.¡± Since our core technology is suspect, we


    could just acquire new tech. If that director is the leading global authority, we can just partner with him


    or offer a joint venture for our car project. Those cars would end up as scrap metal in the end, or am I


    wrong?¡±


    The room turned silent as the board members seemed to be stunned by Sam¡¯s whimsical words.


    However, there was no question that this was a solution.


    On the other hand, their solutions were confined to how they should sell their new energy powered cars


    and to have the public acknowledge that there were no issues with their technology. A joint venture had


    never crossed their minds- if the other side agreed to it, their technological issues would be resolved by


    themselves.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    And with a better team working on their tech, they might even increase sales!


    Gilbert more or less agreed to Sam¡¯s idea but still asked, ¡° Even if that¡¯s our way out, what guarantee


    do we have that Damian Craig would say yes?¡±


    ¡°What guarantee?¡± Sam asked in return, shrugging. ¡°There¡¯s none in anything, is there? Or are you


    suggesting that we shouldn¡¯t do it just because we don¡¯t have any? In that case, has anyone


    anticipated the quality of the cars we produced to be called into question? That the financial pressure


    could be a cause for our bankruptcy?! Nothing is ever guaranteed¡ª the only thing we can do is try!¡±


    None of the board members argued at that, as they all suddenly agreed with Sam¡¯s statement.


    After a long silence, one of them suddenly said, ¡°I concur with the acting chairman¡¯s opinion-that


    there¡¯s no guarantee of sess. Ironically, there¡¯s a guarantee of failure if we take no action.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Let¡¯s put together a proposal and prepare for negotiations.¡±


    ¡°I must admit¡­¡± One of the board members suddenly sighed. ¡°Young men have a more active


    imaginationpared to ours. We¡¯ve been banging our heads against a brick wall to resolve those two


    issues, only for you to resolve them with rtive ease.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yet to be resolved.¡± Gilbert certainly did not forget to tone down the hype. ¡°No one knows if this


    would work at all!¡±


    ¡°Stop raining on the young man¡¯s parade already,¡± one of the board members reasoned. ¡°Our issue


    with the capital is already resolved, and that at least ensures thepany¡¯s operations stays on track.


    Leave the rest to the kid-heck, it¡¯s time we retire!¡±

 Chapter 1371

    Chapter 1371


    Chapter 1371


    After Sam and Quinn returned to their office from the board conference room, Sam promptly dropped


    on his chair and started to shake from head to toe.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Quinn could not help giggling just then. ¡°You were actually scared? Could have fooled me, especially


    when you rendered Gilbert speechless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a boss, aren¡¯t I?! I should at least show I have the spine,¡± Sam said, taking a deep breath to calm


    himself. ¡°Those gloomy geezers are somehow still scary¡­ by the way, how did I do? Don¡¯t you think


    those geezers would hold a grudge and try to get back at me somehow?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn assured him. ¡°They would only think that there¡¯s finally someone worthy enough to keep


    Saunderia going.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sam remained skeptical. ¡°Are you sure Gilbert wouldn¡¯t stab me in the back after I


    embarrassed him so much?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just concerned you¡¯d fail. If you seed, they¡¯ll think highly of you ande to trust you,¡± Quinn


    told him.


    ¡°That mean I did well?¡± Sam¡¯s lips were clearly curling up just then.


    ¡°Very.¡± Quinn was never stingy with her praise.


    While Sam¡¯s grin broadened, Quinn¡¯s expresion turned serious. ¡°But now¡¯s not the time to celebrate


    yet.


    Saunderia¡¯s still caught in a crisis, and we can¡¯t let our guard down.¡±


    Sam knew that too-unifying thepany was pointless if they could not resolve the external issue.


    ¡°Well, what are you going to do now?¡±


    While Quinn stared at him, his eyes twinkled, ¡°You know I¡¯ve been goofing off beforeing here. I


    have no idea how to manage apany or what I should be doing now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m so pleased about this,¡± Quinn said, shing a tender smile. ¡°If you can put your heart


    into leading Saunderia, your parents would be pleased too.¡±


    Sam was certainly pleased-Quinn was really learning how to sweet-talk these days.


    Feeling really motivated just then, he asked, ¡°So, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Since we only have to wait for John to deliver, we basically don¡¯t have to worry about the capital


    shortage,¡± Quinn exined. ¡°And since the board basically acknowledged you as the chairman, we¡¯re


    safe against internal power struggles for the time being as well. The only challenge is to get Damian


    Craig to agree to a joint venture.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go look for him.¡± Sam made up his mind right then.


    As Quinn looked up at him, he frowned. ¡°Or is that a no?¡±


    Quinn simply smiled. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s go right now.¡±


    Sam may tend to rush things along, but she had to admit that he was deadly efficient.


    In reality, one just had to try asionally-brainstorming and analyzing in offices all the time would only


    fail.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have Peter book us tickets right away,¡± Quinn said. ¡°Well also need someone to overseepany


    matters, or chaos might ensue in your absence.¡±


    ¡°But who can we ask for help?¡± Sam was at a loss.


    ¡°We can just go with Gilbert.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Sam eximed, clearly disapproving. ¡°That geezer¡¯s been in my face the whole time. There¡¯s


    no way I¡¯d let him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he cares about Saunderia,¡± Quinn reasoned. ¡°Moreover, letting him manage


    Saunderia provisionally presents your magnanimity, showing that you¡¯re not taking it personally. It¡¯s


    going to help you build a positive impression in thepany.¡±


    Sam nodded at that. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go with that.¡±


    Quinn beamed, feeling that having Sam settle down and lead thepany just might work.


    Early next morning, they both traveled to Minerva and headed straight to TSL, but they were turned


    down at the door because they did not have an appointment, and Damian was busy with work.


    They had no choice but to ask for a meeting the next day.


    On the next day, however, they were informed that Damian would not being in because of a


    meeting elsewhere.


    Then, on the third day, they were told he had taken his annual leave.


    Sam finally had enough. ¡°Are you messing with me?!¡±


    He was a tall man and looked all the more frightening when he got upset!

 Chapter 1372

    Chapter 1372


    Chapter 1372


    Frightened, the front desk receptionist promptly called for security.


    At the same time, Quinn stopped Sam while cordially apologizing to the front desk receptionist.


    With that, both of them were forced to leave, and Sam kicked on the pavement when he arrived


    outside, clearly furious.


    Quinn was certainly frustrated as well. Damian could have at least met them once when they visited


    them earnestly over for days, but he never showed up at all.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡± Sam suddenly strode off.


    Quinn quickly hurried after him. ¡°Calm down, Sam. We can¡¯t give up, or there won¡¯t be any hope left-¡°


    He suddenly stopped. ¡°Who said we¡¯re giving up?!¡±


    Quinn was running too quickly to stop in time, and her face mmed squarely into Sam¡¯s back.


    His body was very stiff, and it hurt her nose so much she could not stop the tears.


    When Sam turned to find her clutching her nose and in tears, he asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?


    Does it hurt?¡±


    Quinn quickly shook her head, but Sam pried her hand off.¡± Let me see. Are you bleeding?¡±


    Her small nose and eyes were reddish, and she looked quite miserable.


    Sam¡¯s fingers against her neck as he snorted. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for not watching where you¡¯re going. You


    should feel lucky you¡¯ve never done your nose or it¡¯d be deformed by now!¡±


    Quinn bit her lip-he was the one who stopped out of the blue!


    As she red at him, he suddenly nodded in apology. ¡°Yeah, my bad. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Quinn was stunned-did he just give in?! He was the type who would rather bleed than yield!


    Feeling embarrassed from her stare, Sam quickly changed the subject. ¡°Let¡¯s find Damian Craig at his


    home.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s noting to work, we¡¯ll look for him at home. If he¡¯s not home, we¡¯ll look for him in his office. I


    doubt we¡¯d never reach him,¡± Sam growled through his teeth.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn agreed right away.


    She was convinced for a second that Sam had given up, since he had always been that impatient and


    was persistently shown the door for days now.


    ¡°Well, do you know where he lives?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°No, but we can ask,¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°How?¡± Quinn was confused.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch for now. We¡¯ve been waiting since this morning, and I¡¯m starving.¡± Sam did answer


    directly.


    Quinn did notin. Even their sleep schedule was a mess just from waiting for Damian, and she


    seemed to realize that she was hungry after Sam mentioned it.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Sam said as he walked ahead.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    However, he stopped again after he walked a few steps, startling Quinn who almost ran into him again.


    Still, she watched, stunned as he suddenly reached out to take her hand.

 Chapter 1373

    Chapter 1373


    Chapter 1373


    Quinn stared at Sam¡¯s hand, suddenly a little flustered since he had never taken the lead like this.


    There were times he walked so quickly she really had to jog just to keep up, and he always kept his


    own pace, not caring that she was wearing heels.


    ¡°Come on,¡± he said, turning to look at her just then.


    Quinn came to her senses, and gave his hand a squeeze, prompting his heart to skip a beat.


    He turned his face aside, obviously flushing up to his ears.


    After lunch they returned to TSL¡¯s headquarters in the afternoon.


    This time, Sam told her to sit in a corner and watch him put on a performance.


    She hence watched as he walked over to the front desk, and the receptionist appeared clearly


    impatient when she saw Sam.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t help you,¡± she exined nheless.¡± Mr. Craig really isn¡¯t in, and he¡¯d usually be


    away for a week while on leave. He doesn¡¯t like talking about work in that period either, so I can only


    suggest that you return after a few days.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t looking for him,¡± Sam said with a roguish smile. ¡±1 came looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m busy with work-¡°


    Sam suddenly whipped out a bottle of perfume-thetest product from a top fashion brand.


    The receptionist was clearly interested after just one nce but said seriously nheless, ¡°We don¡¯t


    ept bribes, sir. You¡¯d make me lose my job if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? This is for myself,¡± Sam said, promptly picking up the bottle and puffing it


    once over himself.


    The scent was simply bewitching, and the receptionist could barely hide her interest. As such, Sam


    deliberately angled the bottle slightly away from himself, so that some of the perfume was sprayed over


    her.


    Nheless, she told him sternly, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m working. Please don¡¯t disturb me.¡±


    Sam calmly whipped out a business card for her instead.¡± Here¡¯s my number. Let¡¯s have dinner if


    you¡¯re interested.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be seeing me.¡±


    ¡°But I just flew into Minerva,¡± Sam groaned. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this ce, so what do you have


    to worry about?


    I can¡¯t do anything to you when we¡¯re in your stomping ground. Call your besties if you¡¯re still


    concerned¡ªI¡¯ll be waiting outside when you leave work.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and I really don¡¯t like this perfume,¡± he added, leaving the bottle of perfume on the front desk. ¡°It¡¯s


    my gift to TSL. You can use it to keep a fresh scent in the lobby.¡±


    With that, he turned to leave.


    Seeing that, Quinn quickly ran after him, asking, ¡°How did it go?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Although she was too far to hear what they were discussing, it somehow felt like Sam was hitting on


    the receptionist!


    Moreover, she had gone with him to a nearby mall to check out thetest line of perfumes after lunch¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Sam replied.


    While he was not a hundred percent sure, he knew women well enough to tell that it was no issue.


    Around 6 PM, Sam was staring at his phone.


    It was not ringing even as TSL employees were leaving work.


    However, just as he was starting to get restless, an unfamiliar number shed on his screen.


    Sam took a deep breath and answered it. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Anna, TSL¡¯s front desk receptionist. Where are you?¡±


    Sam looked toward the front door of the office building, grinning. ¡°To your right, Anna.¡±


    Anna turned in his direction¡­

 Chapter 1374

    Chapter 1374


    Chapter 1374


    As Sam waved at Anna, she approached him with three otherdies.


    ¡°Hellodies,¡± he greeted them. ¡°I¡¯m Sam-pleasure to meet you.¡±


    After everyone briefly introduced themselves, Sam turned toward Anna. ¡°Do you happen to know any


    nice restaurants? Please give me a rmendation.¡±


    ¡°Sure-there¡¯s one with specialty dishes at a mall nearby,¡± Anna said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t mind my friend joining us?¡± Sam gestured at Quinn just then.


    Seeing that it was a woman, Anna nodded right away. ¡°¡¯Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Please lead the way, Anna.¡±


    As they headed to the restaurant together, Sam was having a fun time chatting up thedies even with


    Quinn at his side.


    Quinn pursed her lips, feeling miffed since he used to mess around with Saunderia employees before


    as well.


    Truly, a leopard never changes its spots.


    She scowled as she followed them into a restaurant, where Sam passed Anna the menu in a chivalrous


    manner. ¡°Order whatever you like.¡±


    ¡°Anything goes?¡± Anna asked for confirmation, obviously warming up to lot less cagey than the typical


    Zidonian woman.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Sam nodded cheerfully, and the women excitedly made their order.


    As they waited for dinner to be served afterward, Sam presented each of them with a bottle of the


    same perfume from before.


    While they traded nces, hesitating to ept it, Sam shrugged nonchntly. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. It¡¯s


    so cheap that it won¡¯t even count as a bribe.¡±


    The women ultimately gave in to temptation and epted the perfume, although Anna hesitantly


    returned it to Sam.¡± You already gave me one at the lobby.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Sam eximed with exaggerated shock. ¡°Why would I give something I used to


    you as a gift? Look, I¡¯m serious that the earlier bottle was for the lobby. I know there¡¯s cameras, so let¡¯s


    err on the side of caution. Just tell your bosses that a client left it if they asked.¡±


    Anna was obviously touched by Sam¡¯s words¡ªhe was actually so thoughtful!


    In reality, she had already kept that bottle in her handbag, and her superiors would punish her if they


    were to find out. However, if she ¡®confiscated¡¯ it, they surely could not say anything about that.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said then.


    Sam shed a dashing smile at her.


    His looks fit even the aesthetic values of those from abroad, what with his thick brows,rge eyes, a


    high nose bridge, chiseled facial features, his muscr figure, and six foot four frame.


    Quinn was left feeling grumpy even as he watched the women sliding peeks at Sam on asion, even


    though she knew that Sam was doing this for his work.


    As such, she turned away and kept her eyes glued to her phone even though she could hear Sam


    having a fun time with thedies.


    The man was truly a pick-up artist.


    Nheless, when everyone ate and sipped on their wine, Anna finally asked, ¡°Sam, could you tell us


    what you¡¯re scheming by buying us dinner and presents?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, really. Just making friends.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Anna looked him in the eye before adding bluntly,¡± You want me to help you set up a meeting


    with Mr. Craig, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to help you, but there¡¯s only that much I can do as a


    receptionist.¡±


    ¡°Why would I trouble a beautiful woman like you? I¡¯m not like that,¡± Sam said with the air of a perfect


    gentleman.


    Anna giggled, clearly amused.


    Seeing that the timing was right, Sam finally got down to business. ¡°I¡¯d just like to know the man¡¯s


    interests and his


    address.¡±

 Chapter 1375

    Chapter 1375


    Chapter 1375


    Anna was a little surprised. ¡°Is that it?¡¯ ¡°What, do I look like the type who troubles others?¡± Sam


    shrugged.


    Anna and the other women were certainly having a pleasant time with him, and they began to tell him


    everything.


    ¡°Damian Craig¡¯s a family man through and through. Loves his wife and babies his two sons-they go on


    a trip together every year.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a hobby¡­ or at least, we¡¯ve not heard anything about it in the office anyway. He


    doesn¡¯t drink much or socialize-he heads straight home after work. His family is what he cares most


    about.¡±


    ¡°And his house is¡­¡± Anna thought about it, and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we trade numbers? I can send you


    the location-it¡¯d be more urate.¡±


    Sam quickly did so as Quinn looked on.


    She had not seen him smile as much as he did now.


    After dinner, Sam picked up the check and sent off thedies in taxis.


    It was finally over then, and Sam was grinning with a sense of aplishment even as he checked the


    address Anna sent. ¡®Alright. This means we can visit Damian at his own house tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied.


    As they took a taxi back to their hotel, Sam was in such a good mood that he was humming a song,


    completely oblivious that Quinn was feeling depressed.


    Suddenly remembering something, he turned toward Quinn


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Since he¡¯s a family man, we should get presents for his wife and sons too,¡± Sam suggested.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a handbag for the wife,¡± Sam said, making up his mind toy cars.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    After that, Sam continued to talk endlessly even after they reached their hotel.


    Quinn sighed¡ªshe really should not be petty, since Sam had never ever been that talkative around


    her.


    She could certainly feel his sudden passion for work.


    After taking a bath and changing, she went toy in bed within her room-they had booked the


    presidential suite, which had two separate rooms


    However, she had barely gotten into bed when she heard a knock on her door. ¡°Come out, Quinn.¡±


    Quinn opened the door, frowning. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Supper.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Over here,¡± Sam said, and headed straight to the dining table by the window.


    It was actually a candlelight dinner, with steaks, red wine, and the romantic vibes as well.


    And yet, Quinn was perplexed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already have dinner?¡±


    ¡°I did, but you didn¡¯t,¡± Sam said bluntly.


    While Quinn was left taken aback, he added rather critically,¡± You should have told me if you don¡¯t like


    the food and didn¡¯t eat your fill. You¡¯re already skinny.¡±


    Quinn was a little miffed at that, her gratitude vaporizing immediately.


    Still, she sat down and started eating the steak, while Sam sat opposite her and slowly ate his.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have your fill too?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°I guess. You were so busy drinking with those pretty faces flocking around you that you didn¡¯t have


    time to eat!¡± Quinn snapped sourly then.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your conscience, woman? I was chatting them up to get the information on Damian, wasn¡¯t I?


    Also, I didn¡¯t eat much because¡­¡±


    Sam was huffing but suddenly trailed off.


    While Quinn stared at him, he said grumpily, ¡°Finish your steak already. You¡¯re not going to bed unless


    you finish.¡±


    Quinn pouted-he was always pleasant around any other woman, while he was always snapping at her.

 Chapter 1376

    Chapter 1376


    Chapter 1376


    While both Sam and Quinn kept their heads lowered and ate their steaks, Sam wasining


    inwardly throughout.


    How unconscientious could Quinn be?


    He had noticed that she was not eating much and followed suit so that they could eat together here in


    the hotel.


    And yet, not only did she prove less than understanding but she was using him of flirting with the


    ladies?!


    Did he even need to do that?! Ladies flocked to him anyway!


    The only one he wanted to flirt with was her!


    Nheless, they both returned to their rooms after finishing their steaks.


    There was still work to be done tomorrow, so they had to go to bed without dy.


    Naturally, that meant someone like Sam who was used to having night life had to force himself to sleep.


    Early next morning, Quinn had just gotten out of bed when she found Sam already out in the living


    area, dressed smartly in a suit.


    ¡°You¡¯re up already?!¡± she eximed in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s only seven¡­¡±


    ¡°Sleeping in is a taboo for a dutiful working man.¡± Sam snorted. ¡°We still have a discussion with


    Damian Craig, don¡¯t we? I need to revise the details, or he¡¯d find me unprofessional when we meet.¡±


    Quinn stared at him as he went through the papers on the couch with a serious look, wondering for a


    moment if he was still the Sam Saunders she knew.


    Could people really change that dramatically? Was the prodigal son truly repentant, and would his


    atonementst?


    Suddenly, he said without turning, ¡°I know I¡¯m handsome, but you¡¯re going to affect me if you keep


    ogling me like that.¡±


    Quinn came to her senses and hurried off to wash up.


    After changing and putting on makeup, room service had already brought them breakfast.


    Sam and Quinn had a little before heading straight to the luxury goods department at a mall.


    Even as Sam was chatting with the shop assistant, he looked through the handbags seriously.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    The man seemed to know what women liked, though there was no way he could not after all the


    women he had been with.


    It was certainly frustrating for Quinn to think that she only ever had him while he had countless others.


    She simply strolled around the store, ncing through the handbags. Though she did go shopping from


    time to time, she was actually not at all interested in this stuff.


    ¡°I¡¯m done, Quinn,¡± Sam suddenly called out to her.


    Quinn stared at the handbag he picked for a moment, feeling an impulse to ask the shop assistant for


    another, but only to give up.


    She pursed her lips, staying silent even as she joined Sam at the checkout counter, watching as he


    made the payment.


    They both left afterward, going to the children¡¯s department this time to buy toys for the children.


    Suddenly, Sam said, ¡°Hold on a moment. I need the restroom.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    As Sam hurried away, Quinn was left staring at the shopping bags she was holding and sighed softly.


    There was no telling how long it would take for Sam to really take notice of her-it might be hopeless,


    even.


    After all, he was never the type who paid attention to details.


    Even his motivation to work over the past week waspelled by circumstances-a whim, even.


    She had no assurance that Sam would persevere at all.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Sam said when he returned, taking back the shopping bags as if it was only natural.


    Quinn followed as he walked, feeling a little disappointed.


    She did not have high hopes, but she was still slightly expectant nheless¡­

 Chapter 1377

    Chapter 1377


    Chapter 1377


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Quinn followed Sam distractedly-she definitely saw him watching her staring at those bags, but he


    really did not care


    Nheless, they were soon in their car again, heading straight to Damian¡¯s house, which was a huge


    mansion in the outskirts.


    The weather was just fine, even therapeutic, with the bright blue skies and peaceful clouds.


    Quinn sighed. ¡°I¡¯d like a ce like this too when I¡¯m older¡­ away from the bustle and spending the rest


    of my years with the people I love.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re into this sort of ce?¡± Sam said with slight contempt-it was so quiet that there were no traces


    of night life at all.


    ¡°Just saying.¡± Quinn sighed-she certainly knew that Sam would not like a ce like this, since he


    seemed innately drawn to liveliness.


    They pressed on the doorbell without dy, and a servant approached them before returning inside.


    Then, she returned after a long while, inviting them inside as the gates opened.


    It was all green inside, with two children running along thewn as several gardeners tended to the


    shrubs-a warm and harmonious sight.


    As they followed the servant into the drawing room, they found Damian on the couch with his wife


    Judith. They smiled politely upon their arrival, but it was just a gesture of courtesy-they were not


    especially weing since no one would like to be bothered on a family day.


    In fact, once they had introduced themselves, Damian said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯m not really interested in a joint


    venture. Moreover, I¡¯m not feeling too well to be hospitalized or discuss work- it¡¯s mainly why I applied


    for leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve been imposing,¡± Sam quickly said. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll make it short. I¡¯ll leave the proposal of


    our joint venture here with you, so go through it whenever you¡¯re free. If you¡¯re interested, we will be


    waiting for your call 24/7.¡±


    Damian nodded slightly, and Sam started to leave without taking the presents away.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Damian told him. ¡°We¡¯re not that close- it¡¯s just a waste.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a waste-it¡¯s just a token of our sincerity to your wife and children, not to you personally. It¡¯s


    nothing that valuable either, and your servants can hand it if your wife and children aren¡¯t interested. It¡¯s


    taxing if we have to carry it back home anyway.¡±


    Damian did not press the issue at that, though it was more likely that he did not want to waste his time


    on them.


    ¡°We shall be going now,¡± Sam said as he led Quinn, who was frowning, away.


    He was leaving a little too quickly, was he not? They could at least show some sincerity left so quickly,


    Damian would think that they were just going through the motions instead.


    Sam, however, did not seem to understand the look she was giving him and strode off.


    He paused just as they left the drawing room-a ser ball rolled beside his feet, and he spared it a


    nce before kicking it straight into the crude goalpost in thewn.


    Both boys stared at him in shock, since the stranger had hit it with his first attempt while they failed for


    so long.


    The elder one mustered his courage then and asked, ¡°Can you y with us?¡±


    Sam agreed to it happily. ¡°Sure, but for just ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Both children were chipper.


    Behind him, Quinn looked on, mystified as Sam took off his jacket and joined the children¡­ leaving


    them on the verge of tears before long.

 Chapter 1378

    Chapter 1378


    Chapter 1378


    Quinn was panicking even as she watched-Sam could afford to let the children win a little, and Damian


    might even have a reason to ept the joint venture.


    But Sam just could not bring himself to lose anything!


    In fact, Quinn could see Damian and his wife standing by the door now, watching as Sam yed with


    their sons. It certainly put Quinn in an awkward position, as there was no talking their way out of this.


    As she looked on, flustered, the children stole the ball from Sam.


    But just as she thought the boys would score a goal, Sam easily caught up and stole it back, leaving


    one of the boys on the verge of tears. However, he gritted his teeth and gave chase with his brother


    instead of giving up.


    It was certainly a peaceful picture with them having the two dogs running along them over thewn.


    Quinn then saw Sam raise his foot, ready to fire another shot ¡­ when one of the boys knocked the ball


    away from him, puffed himself up, and shot instead.


    Quinn almost could cheer as the ball struck home, while Damian and Judith generously apuded their


    sons, who were skipping around excitedly and not hiding their happiness and all.


    Sam gave them a thumbs up and said, ¡°That¡¯s ten minutes. I have to go now.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to?¡± The two boys were reluctant to see him go.


    ¡°Yes. Keep ying-you¡¯re both amazing.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°Will we see each other again?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m able to.¡±


    With that, Sam walked straight toward Quinn and took his jacket back before heading for the gates


    without another interaction with Damian.


    Quinn followed him, though a servant hurried after them just as they reached the gates. ¡°Mr. Saunders,


    Mr. and Mrs.


    Damian are asking you to stay for lunch.¡±


    Quinn turned toward Sam, who could hardly hide his delight, in surprise-they both knew what that


    meant.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Sam said nheless, and they returned to the drawing room.


    Sam¡¯s face was covered in sweat since he had too much fun with Damian¡¯s sons.


    ¡°Our guest room has been sorted for you, Mr. Saunders,¡± Damian told him politely. ¡°You can have a


    shower there if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯d like to y with the boys again if I may,¡± Sam said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve run


    that much, and I haven¡¯t had enough.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Damian agreed to it immediately.


    Quinn was impressed by Sam¡¯sposure in turn. Most others would be eagerly mentioning the joint


    venture at this point, whereas Sam kept a cool head and kept his promise with the children.


    As Sam headed to thewn, the boys were thrilled and started ying with him again.


    Judith walked up to Quinn, who was watching nearby. ¡°Your husband is amazing.¡±


    Quinn smiled, not bragging about Sam or denying it. ¡°He has always been the active type.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean he knows what the children want,¡± Judith exined. ¡°Not in an excessively ttering


    manner but so that they would work hard and be rewarded when they do. That¡¯s what really brings


    them joy while they learn the importance of working hard.¡±

 Chapter 1379

    Chapter 1379


    Chapter 1379


    As Quinn did a double take, she soon understood that Sam did not immediately lose in order to pique


    the boys¡¯ interest so they would understand the joy of their hard work paying off.


    She seemed to have made it a habit of denouncing him.


    Meanwhile, Sam and the boys kept ying for a while until Damian called for them. As the boys


    reluctantly left thewn, they asked if they could y with Sam again.


    Sam headed to the room Damian prepared for him and took a shower, since he would be in no state to


    discuss anything when he was sweating all over.


    Feeling refreshed afterward, he and Quinn had lunch together with everyone in Damian¡¯s home.


    The boys liked Sam and kept chatting him up as he ate.


    Sam was patient with them as well and had a good sense of humor. The two children hence kept


    hovering around him until Judith took them to their rooms for a siesta.


    The drawing room turned quiet without the boys, and Damian led Sam and Quinn to his study.


    Damian took out their proposal and exined right then.¡± I¡¯ve read through it, but I can¡¯t say yes to the


    joint venture just then. Thepany has policies, and I don¡¯t decide on everything. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not


    hoping to only partner with myself either.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam quickly said. ¡°We¡¯d prefer a joint venture with yourpany, and we wouldn¡¯t ask you to


    compromise your professional integrity for our sake.¡±


    Damian nodded. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll present your proposal to thepany once my leave is over. I can


    tell your sincerity from this proposal, and ourpany is interested in a venture into foreign markets


    and establishing branches. The pressure would be squarely on our own shoulders, and a joint venture


    through technological exchange is ideal in this case. That said, there would be some appropriate


    adjustments to the final revenue ratio if thepany asks.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Sam said right away. ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for a response from you whenever.¡±


    They started to move on to the technical portions of the proposal.


    Though Sam crammed as much knowledge as he could, he was stillcking on that front, so Quinn


    picked up where he left off.


    They were the perfect duo, and Damian¡¯s satisfaction after their discussion was clear.


    Later, when they were on the way back to the hotel after leaving Damian¡¯s mansion, Quinn remained


    concerned. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll agree to the joint venture?¡±


    ¡°More or less,¡± Sam said confidently.


    ¡°I can¡¯t rest easy until the deal is sealed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sam assured her.


    He was in a fine state of mind, and Quinn thought just then that he was suited for work that entailed


    monumental pressure like this one.


    ¡°So, when are we going back?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Damian said that he¡¯ll only go back to work in a week, and it¡¯s another two weeks or a month before


    hispany decides. It¡¯s pointless if we wait here, so we can book our flight back today.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn nodded-she agreed that waiting here was a waste of time, and they could not let their


    guard down when Saunderia¡¯s crisis was not over yet.


    ¡°If you like it here, let¡¯se again when we have the time,¡± Sam said casually just then.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn smiled, surprised that Sam noticed her fondness of this ce.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

 Chapter 1380

    Chapter 1380


    Chapter 1380


    Quinn stared out of the window and smiled in relief-she really did not have to demand too much from


    Sam. He was never that meticulous, and the fact that his attitude toward her changed was already


    good enough.


    They had all the time they needed, after all.


    Once back at the hotel, they packed their bags and headed to the airport, though it was a ten-hour


    flight for them to finally get home.


    They headed straight to the hospital after they returned, where Marvin was already transferred to a


    normal ward, and Lindsay was feeding him when they arrived.


    Ryan was there too-he had probably returned after finishing work at the capital, and he was scowling


    when he saw Sam and Quinn. ¡°You two went abroad for days while Dad wasn¡¯t even fit enough to


    leave ICU. How carefree.¡±


    Sam stayed silent, clearly not caring to answer.


    Ryan could tell that much as well, but he always thought Sam insignificant and did not care how Sam


    reacted to him.


    Nheless, Quinn stepped up and exined, ¡°We had your parents¡¯ permission. Things aren¡¯t


    looking good at


    Saunderia, so Sam and I are trying to secure a joint venture that could help turn things around.¡±


    She was starting to defend Sam often these days, almost as if she considered herself his¡ªRyan¡¯s


    derisive words for him certainly upset her.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°So what?¡± Ryan snorted contemptuously, though he was only more annoyed that Quinn was clearly


    siding with Sam.


    Before this, he always felt that Quinn cared about him, but that feeling was fading even more now.


    But the more Quinn behaved that way, the more he wanted her back-she was his in the first ce!


    ¡°This will take time-we¡¯re waiting fortheir response at the moment,¡± Quinn replied patiently nheless.


    ¡°Agreements aren¡¯t decided on the same day, and the more important it is, the more time it would take.¡±


    ¡°So you believe in Sam now?¡± Ryanughed coolly. ¡°You think he has what it takes to turn things


    around?! You disappoint me, Quinn.¡±


    Sam glowered at Ryan and snapped right then, ¡°Come at me if you have a problem. Stop trying to put


    the moves on Quinn like some pickup artist!¡±


    Quinn¡¯s heart skipped a beat¡ªnot because Sam was standing up for her, but because his words struck


    here with a sudden realization.


    Ever since a child, she never showed confidence around Ryan. In fact, she was always convinced that


    everything


    Ryan said was right, and it had to be her fault if he got upset.


    She never thought that Ryan was just putting the moves on her from the start.


    All he talked about was what he would love most from her.


    He always praised her for never holding a grudge because she was kind and understanding.


    He always told her that she was obedient and never unreasonable.


    She certainly had no idea when she had lost her sense of self and became that woman Ryan always


    spoke of.


    She never noticed that until what Sam said made her reevaluate her rtionship with Ryan¡­

 Chapter 1381

    Chapter 1381


    Chapter 1381


    Sam¡¯s words left Ryan even more furious, perhaps embarrassed because Sam was right.


    Either way, he was losing control.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, Sam!¡± Ryan screamed. ¡°When did I ever put the moves on Quinn?!¡±


    However, before Sam could respond, Marvin barked at them sternly, ¡°That¡¯s enough! How old do you


    think you are, arguing whenever you meet?! Sam-watch your words, that¡¯s your brother you¡¯re talking


    to.¡±


    Sam sneered in turn-he knew this would happen.


    Ever since they were children, it was always his fault if he and Ryan ever argued.


    He certainly remembered that one time he was having swimming practice in the garden¡¯s swimming


    pool, but Ryan told him to stop swimming that early in the morning because it affected his studies. Sam


    ignored him since he had a swimmingpetitioning up at school.


    Ryan simply ran to his parents after that, and they stopped him from swimming just because it affected


    Ryan.


    Sam tried to fight back, saying that he had apetitioning up, only for his parents to shoot him


    down saying that it was pointless since it was within the school and that Ryan¡¯s studies were more


    important.


    Sam never swam at home ever since, and he had no idea if his parents ever noticed that.


    But from the looks of things, they never did, and they were actually convinced that he actually did


    disturb Ryan. They never cared that Ryan just had to shut his windows to cut off any noise, not to


    mention that Sam was not making that much noise in the first ce.


    Sam certainly did not care now since he was used to it¡ªbe it in the past or present, their parents were


    convinced that anything Ryan did was right. After all, Ryan was the pride of the family while he was


    nothing and incapable of achieving anything, let alone deserved any praise.


    It was no exaggeration that fortheir parents, everything Ryan said was right, while everything Sam said


    was wrong.


    With that in mind, Sam turned to leave, having no intent to defend himself or argue with them since it


    was pointless-it would only leave him frustrated instead.


    ¡°Where are you going, Sam?!¡± Quinn quickly caught him, however, stopping him because he was not at


    fault at all.


    And what gave Marvin the right to tell Sam off like that? All Ryan did was his own so-called noble work,


    never even calling to ask how things were, while Sam traveled abroad to discuss a joint venture for


    Saunderia!


    Not only were they not getting any thanks in turn for the trouble, but they were instead shown such


    contempt?!


    Quinn would not stand for this even if Sam did not fight for himself!


    ¡°Where are you going?!¡± Marvin in turn snapped coldly at Sam, seeing that he was leaving.


    ¡°Wherever,¡± Sam replied coolly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make a difference to any of you.¡±


    And it was not as if they cared.


    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to lead Saunderia now, Sam!¡± Marvin eximed in disappointment. ¡°Can¡¯t you just be


    more mature? You¡¯re leaving just because I told you off? Is that how you behaved at the board meeting


    too, throwing your hands up once the board members started arguing against you?! How am I going to


    have the peace of mind to entrust you with Saunderia?!¡±


    Sam sneered but did not argue since Marvin saw him as useless anyway. ¡°In that case, just don¡¯t.¡±


    With that, he strode off, forcing Quinn to leave with him since she could not hold him in ce no matter


    how hard she tried¡­

 Chapter 1382

    Chapter 1382


    Chapter 1382


    Marvin was left ashen faced with frustration in his ward, with Ryan relentlessly goading him. ¡°Sam¡¯s


    supposed to be an adult, but he doesn¡¯t care how others feel at all! Others notwithstanding, he¡¯de


    here just to upset you while you¡¯re in the hospital. He really isn¡¯t improving even after all those years¡­¡±


    While Marvin got more frustrated the more he listened, Lindsay quickly tried to calm things down. ¡°Cut


    it out, Ryan.¡±


    Ryan put on a scornful look instead. ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to say it. He¡¯s just such a disappointment!¡±


    ¡°Cut it out,¡± Lindsay repeated, a tinge of impatience in her voice this time.


    Ryan could tell that much and pursed his lips as he kept quiet.


    ¡°I just spoke to your father¡¯s physician, and he¡¯s fine for now with no issues,¡± Lindsay said then. ¡°He


    just needs rest.


    You¡¯ve been busy too, so you don¡¯t have to stay here. I can take care of him.¡±


    ¡°Are you really fine, Dad?¡± Ryan asked in concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m much better.¡± Marvin nodded. ¡°I¡¯d be discharged if it wasn¡¯t for your mother being a worrywart.¡±


    ¡°No, you shouldn¡¯t-your health is more important, so don¡¯t worry about work. Just rest up,¡± Ryan told


    him.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Marvin nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going, then. Call me if anythinges up¡ªI¡¯lle back to visit whenever I¡¯m free.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You take care of yourself too,¡± Lindsay told him.


    ¡°You never have to worry about me,¡± Ryan said, insinuating that he was different from Sam since he


    would never stray out of line.


    After sending Ryan off, Lindsay returned to find Marvin still scowling.


    He looked up at her and said, ¡°Give me my phone.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°For what?¡± she asked, since she had put it away so that he would rest properly instead of worrying


    about work.


    ¡°I want to know how things are going,¡± Marvin admitted. ¡°I¡¯m worried about leaving thepany in


    Sam¡¯s hands even if Quinn is with him, and we¡¯re in the midst of a crisis.¡±


    Lindsay stayed silent and thoughtful just then.


    Thinking that she was hesitant, Marvin quickly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry-it would be for less than ten minutes.


    You can take it back after that, and I won¡¯t worry about Saunderia after that.¡±


    ¡°Dear.¡± Lindsay¡¯s expression suddenly turned solemn. ¡¯¡¯Don¡¯t you think we¡¯re prejudiced against Sam?¡±

 Chapter 1383

    Chapter 1383


    Chapter 1383


    ¡°What?!¡± Marvin frowned, surprised that his wife would suddenly say something like that.


    ¡°We only ever cared about Ryan ever since they were children because he¡¯s smart and a quick learner,


    excelling in everything. But we neglected Sam in turn-l don¡¯t even remember how many of his birthdays


    we¡¯ve celebrated for him.¡±


    Marvin did a double take and argued feebly, ¡°Birthdays?! He should be learning to man up instead-¡°


    ¡°But we celebrated Ryan¡¯s birthday every time,¡± Lindsay pointed out. ¡°And we¡¯d celebrate Sam¡¯s with


    him just because they were born the same month, never celebrating Sam¡¯s birthday by itself. And


    everytime we celebrated Ryan¡¯s birthday, everyone would only offer their wishes to Ryan, so that


    doesn¡¯t really count either.¡±


    Marvin, however, was neither that considerate nor eager to discuss it. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? Why


    would they mind? They¡¯re brothers, y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Ryan¡¯s been making a habit of mocking Sam?¡± Lindsay told him. ¡°I¡¯m actually


    getting fed up with the way Ryan talks to Sam now.¡±


    Marvin snorted. ¡°Ryan only does that because Sam behaves poorly. We all know all too well what Ryan


    is like, don¡¯t we? Ryan has been smart and obedient ever since he was a


    child, never causing us any trouble. All Sam does is the opposite-¡°


    ¡°That still doesn¡¯t give Ryan the right to mock Sam,¡± Lindsay said, cutting Marvin short. ¡°Ryan hasn¡¯t


    done anything for the family either. What gives him the right to be indignant, as if he had the right of


    reason?¡±


    Marvin was left staring at Lindsay. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? You used to favor Ryan even more than I do,


    but now you¡¯re getting upset with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lindsay replied.


    She could not put her finger on it either, but there was no question that they had paid all their attention


    to Ryan because they were convinced he stood a better chance of sess. Even if they imed that


    they were fair, they all mostly cared about Ryan and only felt disappointment toward Sam.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Now, however, Lindsay felt that their constant disappointment toward Sam led to Ryan thinking Sam


    insignificant, thereby driving a rift between the brothers.


    ¡°Oh, just stop it.¡± Marvin snorted when he saw the look on his wife¡¯s face and assured her, ¡°Ryan just


    wants Sam to improve. He means well¡ªthat¡¯s why he said what he said.¡±


    ¡°Fine, then what did Sam do wrong today?¡± Lindsay asked him in turn.


    ¡°What are you talking about?! How about leaving just because I was frustrated at the very mention of it-


    he


    wanted to ask about how things were in Saunderia, but Sam stormed off like a petty child before he


    could say a word!


    ¡°But Ryan was already mocking him even before he left,¡± Lindsay reminded him.


    While Marvin appeared taken aback, Lindsay continued.¡± Quinn and Sam headed abroad together to


    discuss a joint venture with a man named Damian Craig . Even if I stopped you from working, I did ask


    Peter about that man¡ªhe¡¯s a technocrat, the haughty type who¡¯s really difficult to get along with, and


    it¡¯s obvious that Sam has his work cut out for him.¡±


    ¡°But whatever the oue may be, Sam has willingly done his part for Saunderia, and he didn¡¯t


    deserve Ryan¡¯s


    contempt as soon as he returned. That¡¯s why we should¡¯ve been supportive of Sam instead of telling


    him off like we did. If you were in his shoes, how would you feel if you worked so hard, only for me to


    tell you that Saunderia is suffering because of your poor leadership?¡±


    While Marvin was left dumbstruck, Lindsay sighed. ¡°I have no idea how it happened, but I¡¯m starting to


    feel guilty toward Sam. I¡¯m convinced we¡¯re too opinionated against him and therefore constantly


    neglect him, never showing concern for him, let alone care for how he feels.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t bother yourself with such silly stuff.¡± Marvin clicked his tongue and waved her off. ¡°Sam¡¯s not


    that delicate.¡±


    ¡°See? That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Lindsay raised a brow. ¡°We¡¯re so convinced that Sam is a


    failure and a troublemaker that we¡¯ve never cared if he¡¯s happy or healthy. No¡­ None of us have even


    asked him what he wants!¡±

 Chapter 1384

    Chapter 1384


    Chapter 1384


    Marvin was certainly left dumbfounded by Lindsay¡¯s words.


    Even so, he had gotten used to such preferential treatment toward his boys that it was impossible for


    him to realize that and change.


    It was the same for Lindsay too-despite speaking at length on the issue, she had trouble actually


    changing how she treated Ryan and Sam.


    Sighing, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s just be more understanding of Sam from now on.¡±


    Meanwhile, Quinn was absolutely frustrated since she could not catch up with Sam at all.


    The man was tall and walked very fast-she would never catch up with her short legs, and she was


    already out of breath before long.


    ¡°Sam!¡± she cried, but he pretended not to hear and continued onward without a care.


    Gritting her teeth, Quinn threw herself on the floor and yelled, ¡°Argh!!!¡±


    Sam clearly paused, while Quinn stayed on the ground and kept screaming at him, ¡°Sam, I fell! I think I


    broke something!


    Sam finally turned and ran to her side, dropping to a crouch beside her.


    ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± There was clear worry in his voice.


    Quinn, however, grabbed him by the wrists and told him,¡± Stop running already.¡±


    Sam frowned. ¡°I¡¯m asking you where it hurts!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare run away again,¡± Quinn repeated, holding on to his arm.


    ¡°Quinn!¡± Sam red at her darkly and suddenly scooped her up in his arms, rushing back into the


    hospital.


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.


    ¡°To a doctor,¡± he growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, tightening her arms around his neck. ¡°I faked my fall because I couldn¡¯t catch up.¡±


    Sam paused and red icily at her, but she simply clung on to him. ¡°Whatever. Don¡¯t you leave me


    behind like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sticking with me? What for?¡± Sam scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m a useless can¡¯t even act my age. Don¡¯t you find


    me embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve changed,¡± Quinn retorted with agitation. ¡°You¡¯re not that bad-we¡¯re the ones who


    misunderstood you. You did better than I¡¯d ever give you credit for when we went on that business trip,


    and you showed a strong sense of responsibility.¡±


    It was not mere ttery either-she genuinely thought that Sam had improved rapidly, and people would


    have to think differently of him soon enough.


    Sam gulped and put her down just then.


    Quinn kept a vice-like grip on his sleeve in turn, fearful that he would leave her again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just give everyone more time, Sam,¡± she said.


    Sam stayed silent and continued ahead.


    Quinn kept clinging on to his shirt, but he had obviously slowed down this time for her sake.


    She added, ¡°I think we should give everyone time¡ªthat includes your parents, Ryan, and every person


    working in Saunderia. We will prove that you have improved, that you have the caliber.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

 Chapter 1385

    Chapter 1385


    Chapter 1385


    Quinn continued, ¡°You can¡¯t me your parents even though I disagree with them and dislike what they


    said about you. But if you calm down and think, their prejudice against you is understandable¡ªyou


    were always messing around, while Ryan was smarter and disciplined. All we need to do is have your


    parents see that you¡¯re changing and doing your best, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll see you in a new light in


    time. So instead of getting petty with them, prove yourself through your actions instead, alright?¡±


    Sam stayed silent, so Quinn had no idea what he was thinking-it was concerning since he had always


    been radical, and no one could ever force him to do anything he did not like.


    But now that he had changed, Quinn believed that he must not give up halfway through now.


    ¡°Sam?¡± she called out to him tentatively.


    ¡°I know,¡± Sam suddenly said, leaving her perplexed.


    What did he mean?


    ¡°I mean I know they won¡¯t trust me until I show results. It¡¯s my fault for being a disappointment before,¡±


    Sam said with a tinge of irony and impatience, seeing the puzzled look on her face, but his anger had


    clearly subsided considerably.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t a disappointment. It just wasn¡¯t the right time for you to show your merits,¡± Quinn said,


    doing all she could to encourage Sam. ¡°But the time hase, and you¡¯ll leave everyone astounded.¡±


    Sam shot her a sideways nce. ¡°You really like to stroke others¡¯ egos, huh?¡±


    ¡°Just stating facts,¡± Quinn replied with a look of determination.N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Sam suddenly smiled, and it was so genuine that Quinn felt delighted too.


    Still, his smile soon faded, seemingly because he realized that he was doing it.


    Turning away from her, he huffed, ¡°I just find youughable. Nothing else.¡±


    With that, they reached their car where their chauffeur had been waiting for a while, and Sam entered


    with Quinn quickly following.


    ¡°You actually look handsome when you smile, Sam,¡± she suddenly told him.


    Sam kept his back to her, though he could not help smiling just then. Still, Quinn could see it from his


    reflection in the mirror. He was definitely changing gradually, and though she was really concerned that


    something would affect his growth, she looked forward to his metamorphosis!


    ¡°Are we heading home, Mr. Saunders?¡± the chauffeur asked respectfully as he drove the car out of the


    parking lot.


    ¡°To the office,¡± Sam growled.


    Quinn did a double take, thinking she misheard him for a moment.


    It was a long flight home, and they were heading straight to the office instead of going home for a


    break?


    Was he really listening to her and properly doing his best now?!


    ¡°Don¡¯t give yourself too much credit-it¡¯s not for your sake,¡± Sam suddenly growled viciously. ¡°I¡¯m just fed


    up with my parents and Ryan belittling me all the time. I¡¯ll show them how awesome I am and give


    them a p in the face!¡±


    Quinn could not help smiling¡ªSam was never eager to get ahead before, and he only gave up further


    the more they disparaged him.


    But now, she had this feeling he changed for her sake¡­ Or at the very least, he agreed to all the stuff


    she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sticking with you, Sam,¡± she promised him right then.¡± We¡¯ll give them a p in the face together!¡±

 Chapter 1386

    Chapter 1386


    Chapter 1386


    Just a day after Sam and Quinn returned to work, the funding John promised arrived.


    While the board had been unhappy with Sam after his standoffish attitude, they could not help being


    excited when they received the money. They were certainly surprised that someone as hedonistic as


    Sam would be able to resolve a major issue likeck of funding!


    And once they got their money, Sam, Quinn, and the board discussed how they should be channeling


    the money and setting a list of priorities.


    ¡°I just started work, and I¡¯ve seen the numbers,¡± Sam said. ¡± Actually, the numbers are all there in my


    head even when I take a dump.¡±


    The board was certainly stumped¡ªcould he not be a little more refined with his words?


    Nheless, Sam continued to state his opinion. ¡°I must admit that I don¡¯t have a deeper


    understanding of the numbers, but personally speaking, I want to ensure that the employees are paid. I


    heard from finance that the average employee has their wages dyed for over six weeks, while it is


    three months for executives. Do you think it¡¯s possible for a horse to run without feeding it?¡±


    ¡°Yes-dyed wages might lead to unrest among the lower levels. The cost of appeasing them isn¡¯t that


    high, even if


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    executives would consider more factors,¡± Gilbert said, agreeing with Sam for once, though he soon


    added,¡± However, I¡¯d still suggest giving the executives a month¡¯s pay to keep them in line for now and


    then pay everything at once when our capital flow is fully restored.¡±


    Sam frowned. ¡°I disagree.¡±


    His immediate protest showed no hesitation or regard for Gilbert, which left thetter scowling. ¡°Could


    you hear us out on this one, Sam? We¡¯re really short on money, and three months of dyed pay is no


    small sum. We should instead keep the funding we received to be used only for emergencies.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that we should skip paying our executives just in case of emergencies? That we¡¯re


    keeping the money until we¡¯re out of the red?¡±


    ¡°No one expected so many surprises,¡± Gilbert said stubbornly.


    ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t care.¡± Sam refused to hear a word of it.¡± The executives are only human-that¡¯s all I


    know. We shouldn¡¯t demand that they sacrifice their pay just because resigning would cost them more.


    They¡¯re working hard too, and they have their own families and lives! No one¡¯s dying any payment,


    and not a single cent at that. I¡¯lle up with something else if we run out of money again.¡±


    Gilbert certainly had more to say when Quinn echoed, ¡°I agree with Mr. Saunders. Other factors


    notwithstanding, Saunderia is at a critical juncture. We may be the board, but we can¡¯t turn the tide on


    our own-everyone should be surmounting this crisis together, be it average employees or executives.


    That¡¯s why we have to show our vision and understanding as leaders of the organization and refrain


    from owing them anything as long as Saunderia¡¯s operations run smoothly. I¡¯m sure that the employees


    would respond in kind if we go that far for them. We really don¡¯t need that money that badly.¡±


    Gilbert sighed at that. ¡°Fine-do as you see fit. Sam¡¯s the board chairman-what he says goes anyway.


    You young¡¯uns do as you please.¡±


    There was dissatisfaction in his tone, but for a man with strong opinions and a social standing as high


    as his, it was already a miracle that he epted someone else¡¯s suggestion.


    The other board members did not question Sam, seeing that Gilbert had already agreed with him.


    The board meetingsted an hour.


    Sam hated meetings-he would never step into a conference room unless he had to. That was why he


    dismissed everyone as soon as he had his say and returned to his office, familiarizing himself further


    with his work with Quinn¡¯s help.


    Past 11 PM, however, Quinn suddenly received a call from Ryan.

 Chapter 1387

    Chapter 1387


    Chapter 1387


    Quinn hesitated for a moment, but she eventually answered. ¡°Yes, Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Where are you?! Where¡¯s Sam?! Dad was rushed to the ER again!¡± Ryan bellowed furiously over the


    phone.


    Quinn froze, though she soon recovered. ¡°We¡¯ll be there right now.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Sam certainly noticed the look on her face.


    ¡°Your Dad was rushed to the ER again,¡± Quinn said, working hard to stay calm.


    Nheless, Sam stopped working right away and rushed out of his office, and Quinn hurried after him


    as they both rushed to the hospital.


    When they arrived, Marvin was already wheeled out of the ER.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Sam was going up to Marvin when Ryan stopped him. ¡°You have no right to be near Dad!¡±


    While Sam gritted his teeth, Lindsay nced at him for a moment. Still, she was more concerned about


    her husband and asked the doctor, ¡°How¡¯s my husband?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am-it¡¯s nothing that serious,¡± the doctor assured her. too hard when he was having a


    bowel movement. That


    increased abdominal pressure and blood pressure, which led to fainting with the lowered blood supply


    to the brain. Just be more careful-he¡¯s a little weak after surgery, but it¡¯s advisable that he gets out of


    bed to walk around a little just to help with his bowel movements.¡±


    Lindsay heaved a huge sigh of relief-Marvin¡¯s fainting almost scared the daylights out of her. ¡°Oh, thank


    you, doctor.¡±


    Ryan just happened to visit again, and he helped alert the doctors while wheeling Marvin to the ER.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± the doctor replied and added, ¡°The patient should take notice when ites to his diet as


    well and ensure intake of high fiber foods. I¡¯ll also prescribe medicine includingxatives should Mr.


    Saunders have trouble with bowel movements-just don¡¯t push yourself given your body¡¯s condition at


    the moment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, doctor. Thank you.¡±


    After the doctor issued further instructions, they brought Mavin back to his ward.


    However, no sooner had Marviny down in bed than Ryan was already shouting at Sam, ¡°Can¡¯t you


    take care of Dad for just one day, Sam?! Don¡¯t you know how scared Mom was when she had to see


    Dad faint alone? What if I hadn¡¯t rushed back on a ne after work earlier?! She was crying! Show


    some sense of responsibility and stay with them instead of ying around like you always do!¡±


    Sam glowered but stayed silent-he never exined himself anyway.


    Quinn quickly said in turn, ¡°He wasn¡¯t ying nor was he being irresponsible. He was working overtime


    with me at Saunderia.¡±


    ¡°Working? Overtime?¡± Ryan was clearly skeptical.


    Both Marvin and Lindsay were shocked.

 Chapter 1388

    Chapter 1388


    Chapter 1388


    Nheless, Quinn continued loudly, ¡°That¡¯s not all either¡ª right after we left the hospital, neither Sam


    nor myself took a break. We headed straight to the office to resume work. Yes, Sam is working very


    hard now.*


    Marvin and Lindsay were left obviously stunned. In fact, even if Lindsay had caught on that they had


    been prejudiced against Sam, she was still surprised and delighted to see him changing dramatically.


    ¡°Is that true, Sam?¡±


    Sam said nothing¡ªhe was always stubborn whenever his temper red, but they were used to taking


    his refusal to respond as the obvious truth.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Sam! I¡¯m so happy,¡± Lindsay quickly said. ¡°I¡¯ve been worried that Saunderia would be


    neglected, but I¡¯m relieved with you around now.¡±


    ¡°Oh look, he¡¯s learning,¡± Marvin said sternly, but he was clearly acknowledging Sam too.


    And the sight of his parents¡¯ change of attitude toward Sam left Ryan fuming-he was ever got praised,


    and Sam never got to steal the spotlight from him before!


    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s nice to see him mend his ways,¡± Ryan said darkly. ¡°Let¡¯s just hope it¡¯s not just a fluke.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sam retorted. ¡°I promised to take the reins, and I¡¯ll see it through.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll be watching,¡± Ryan said sardonically. ¡°Also, working and doing well are two separate things.


    You should be seeding if you¡¯re taking the reins.¡±


    Quinn was certainly able to hear the jibe in Ryan¡¯s tone, and she promptly defended Sam. ¡°But thanks


    to Sam, Saunderia has received a capital injection and thepany¡¯s operations are restored.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a bank that actually gave Saunderia a loan?!¡± Ryan eximed in surprise.


    Marbin and Lindsay were gaping at Sam too-Lindsay in particr had kept Marvin¡¯s phone turned off in


    fear to keep him away from tending topany matters. Conversely, that also meant they were


    unaware that Saunderia was back on track again.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not a bank-as we understand it, no bank was willing to give us a loan. Sam personally asked


    John for it,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    Ryan¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    He never expected Sam to be able to get the money just a few days after he started work, or that John


    would actually help. He was convinced that Sam¡¯s friends were all just fair- weather friends who only


    hung out with him and would refuse to help when it came to personal gain.


    Nheless, Marvin was excited. ¡°Really? We really received a loan to cover everything? That¡¯s not a


    small sum we¡¯re talking about!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quinn said. ¡°You can ask around if you doubt us, Mr. Saunders.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, no, no. It¡¯s definitely true if you say it, Quinn,¡± Marvin quickly said, unable to hide the smile on


    his face.

 Chapter 1389

    Chapter 1389


    Chapter 1389


    Marvin was earnestly relieved. All he wanted was that capital injection to keep Saunderia standing-


    anything else could wait!


    He did not shy away from affirming Sam too. ¡°We really owe you this time, Sam.¡±


    Though Sam was not too enthusiastic, he replied, ¡°That¡¯s mostly thanks to Johnny¡¯s help. He gave me


    the money


    once I asked and offered me some suggestions on how to resolve Saunderia¡¯s issues.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    ¡°Yes, you should learn from him,¡± Marvin said, pleased nheless. ¡°He¡¯s always had an acumen for


    business even as a youth. You¡¯ve made a good friend.¡±


    As Sam nodded, Ryan was left seething.


    He never expected Sam to easily resolve Saunderia¡¯s mary issue. While he would rather


    Saunderia be safe instead of going bankrupt as well, Sam¡¯s contribution still made him ufortable.


    As such, he could resist adding sarcastically, ¡°No friend can protect you for life in the end, and John


    Levine won¡¯t help you again if you fail this time. Don¡¯t keep bothering the man when he haspany to


    manage himself-learn to stand on your own feet!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s learning to do just that,¡± Quinn retorted, leaping to Sam¡¯s defense. ¡°He did well when we traveled


    abroad to


    negotiate a joint venture.¡±


    She did not want Ryan to keep belittling Sam like that. Also, whether she had imagined it or not, she


    had the nagging feeling that Ryan was not offering advice-he simply could not stand Sam doing well.


    Ryan¡¯s voice cooled as well. ¡°Everything depends on the oue. Don¡¯t praise him over nothing-l


    really think you¡¯re losing your sense of self.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Quinn was stumped, but he was right-all she had were cheap words before the dust settled.


    However, she also believed that the effort made should be acknowledged regardless of the oue,


    instead of obsessing over the oue like Ryan did.


    ¡°I never believed myself impressive or capable of leading Saunderia,¡± Sam suddenly said bluntly to


    help Quinn out of the bind. ¡°But at the very least, I¡¯ve worked hard for this instead of being sarcastic


    while doing nothing like you.¡±


    ¡°How is this sarcastic?! I¡¯m encouraging you, aren¡¯t I?! I¡¯m concerned that you¡¯d get ahead of yourself


    and lose the plot, ¡± Ryan retorted with righteous indignation. ¡°You know better than anyone else what


    you¡¯re like, and I¡¯m saying all this for your own good! Don¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth!¡±


    Sam pursed his lips, his very presence suddenly cold.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Ryan,¡± Lindsay suddenly spoke, clearly having had enough. ¡°Sam has been working


    hard for Saunderia and actually seeded in resolving their capital issue. Encourage him instead of


    trying to rebuff him.¡±


    ¡°Just stop,¡± Lindsay repeated, her tone obviously sterner.


    Ryan could hear that she was upset and was left frowning, his stomach churning grumpily.


    Lindsay simply ignored him and walked up to Sam in turn, taking his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve done really well,


    Sam. There¡¯s a lot to do at Saunderia, and I think both you and Quinn should take note of your health


    as welI¡ªit¡¯s more important than anything, especially after what happened to your dad.¡±


    Quinn could not help smiling, seeing that Lindsay¡¯s attitude toward Sam was clearly changing. ¡°Don¡¯t


    worry, Mrs.


    Saunders. We¡¯ll take good care of ourselves.¡±


    ¡°This is such a relief.¡± Lindsay smiled at Sam in turn. ¡°The family is in your hands now, Sam.¡±

 Chapter 1390

    Chapter 1390


    Chapter 1390


    Sam was a little unnerved-if not shocked-that Marvin and Lindsay were suddenly poring over him.


    Having no idea how to respond asionally, he would just nod or stay silent.


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    Ryan looked on, miffed that their parents never ignored him like this.


    However, he did not get petty about it since he always considered Sam a failure. He never held out


    much hope in Sam and was convinced that the more hopes put on Sam, the bigger a disappointment


    Sam would be.


    ¡°It¡¯ste. Your dad¡¯s fine¡ªboth of you should go home,¡± Lindsay said affectionately then.


    Sam did not refuse-he had an early meeting the next morning and was concerned he would have


    trouble waking up the next day.


    He always had trouble waking up early and had to drag himself out of bed by sheer will for a week now.


    However, Ryan was following them as he and Quinn left Marvin¡¯s ward, and they entered the elevator


    together.


    The air in the room was suddenly awkward as they were all silent-despite growing up together, they


    somehow had nothing to say to each other.


    As they arrived at the basement parking lot, Marvin¡¯s chauffeur was there waiting for Sam and Quinn.


    Ryan then got into the car with them-he did not have a chauffeur, and his workce was not about to


    assign him one when he worked somewhere abroad.


    Quinn was left staring at him, while Sam stared out of the window, seemingly unconcerned.


    ¡°I need a ride home,¡± Ryan said. ¡°Or is that a no?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Quinn nodded right away¡ªMarvin¡¯s chauffeur just happened to since Marvin was hospitalized.


    The car was silent, and Quinn felt exceedingly uneasy sitting between Sam and Ryan-she would really


    rather take the front seat just then¡­


    ¡°How is Saunderia right now specifically? You don¡¯t have to hide anything from me. Just give it to me


    straight,¡± Ryan suddenly said.


    Quinn immediately frowned-they had just told Marvin and Lindsay everything, did they not? And what


    was this feeling she had that he was doubting them?!


    Ryan noticed her reaction and added as if he was being nice, ¡°I get it. You don¡¯t want my parents to


    worry, so you try to keep things sound as positive as you can. There¡¯s no need to hide from me,


    however-l¡¯ll ask if I could have my friends pull some strings.¡±


    ¡°Everything we told your parents is how things are at Saunderia,¡± Quinn replied patiently. ¡°We¡¯re not


    hiding


    anything or trying to paint things in a better light. Right now, with the issue of capital resolved,


    operations will run optimally, and the only thing to do now is to resolve the setback we had from our


    new energy car project. Once the joint venture goes through and sales and production proceed, we¡¯ll


    be able to return John¡¯s loan.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything guaranteed with the joint venture?¡± Ryan asked skeptically.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re still waiting for a response,¡± Quinn said. ¡°But we¡¯ve done our best.¡±

 Chapter 1391

    Chapter 1391


    Chapter 1391


    Ryan snorted grumpily. ¡°What good is that? Have you thought of a backup n in case the joint


    venture falls true? Wouldn¡¯t thepany face another crisis?¡±


    ¡°Of course we are going to prepare a backup n,¡± Quinn exined. ¡°We are having a board meeting


    for that agenda tomorrow, and we¡¯ll decide on improvements or reforms in case that happens.¡±


    While Ryan was left speechless since he could not find fault in that, Quinn added, ¡°Sam and I are


    thinking we could abandon the new energy car project if the joint venture does fall through.¡±


    ¡°What about the losses sustained?!¡± Ryan snapped in agitation right then. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that John


    Levine¡¯s loan was used precisely to make up for that! Or are you going to leave it as bad debt?!¡±


    ¡°We will repay it-friendships aside, business is business,¡± Quinn said firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll use the profits from


    Saunderia¡¯s other operations.¡±


    ¡°And the investment is just going to be abandoned?!¡± Ryan was still disgruntled-that would lead to a


    100% loss, while they might at least sell a few cars if they persisted.


    ¡°That¡¯s the sunk cost facy,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°Without Damian Craig¡¯s advocacy and the public being


    thoroughly skeptical toward our technology, we won¡¯t make any sales


    at all. Instead, it would expose us to a PR disaster as well, and that would culminate in a stock market


    drop.¡±


    Ryan had more to say, but Quinn told him bluntly, ¡°Of course, there are plenty of other issues to


    discuss, and we¡¯ll do that with the board. The board has rights too, so their opinion is necessary


    because Saunderia isn¡¯t entirely ours. Anything we say here is pointless-we just have to wait until the


    meeting tomorrow.¡±


    Ryan pursed his lips, obviously stumped by Quinn¡¯s words.


    Was she not saying that he was not a part of Saunderia and therefore had no right to impose?!


    With that, the car was silent again until they returned to Saunders Mansion.


    As Ryan alighted, he turned toward Quinn. ¡°You should stay in the mansion tonight.¡±


    Quinn did a double take before turning toward Sam-they had been staying at their smaller house for a


    while now.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    However, Sam stayed silent and stared outside the window as he had been throughout the journey.


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn said then. ¡°Sam and I will be heading back to our home.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s face dropped.


    ¡®Our¡¯ home?! What did she mean?!


    Was she really dead set on Sam now?!


    ¡°Good night, Ryan,¡± Quinn said with a politely distant smile before shutting the door and turning to the


    chauffeur.¡± Please take us back to Central Avenue, Larry.¡±


    Ryan could only watch as the car sped off into the distance. He always had a nagging feeling that


    Quinn was still upset with him for letting her down-that she felt abandoned whatever his reasons might


    be and that she was just being petty and using Sam as a tool against him.


    Right now, however, he felt that Quinn had really gotten over him-that her heart and soul was ced


    entirely on Sam, and it was no act¡­


    Even so¡­ he was not about to hand Quinn off to someone else! 2


    Ryan¡¯s eyes narrowed-there was no way he would just take this lying down!

 Chapter 1392

    Chapter 1392


    Chapter 1392


    The car was silent as Quinn reclined against her seat and rested her eyes.


    After having discussed it with Ryan just now, all she could think about was work. It was also concerning


    since there had been no word from Damian, and if the n for a joint venture fell through, Saunderia


    would suffer a huge loss anyway.


    Still, Sam suddenly asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave with Ryan when he asked?¡±


    Quinn actually flinched-she was too engrossed with her thoughts and did not expect him to say


    something out of the blue.


    As she took a moment and realized what Sam was saying, she frowned. ¡°Why would I leave with him?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ With him¡­¡± Sam trailed off hesitantly, and anyone watching would see that he was clenching


    his knuckles without realizing it. ¡°Don¡¯t you have feelings for him anymore?¡±


    His heart was pounding even as he asked that, unsure what response Quinn would give.


    ¡°Nope,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    As Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he repressed his excitement and kept his tone neutral. ¡°You liked him a


    lot before, didn¡¯t


    you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s before, like you said. Things seem to have cooled off after so much has happened.¡± Quinn


    smiled. ¡°Some rtionships are just fragile, I guess.¡±


    Hers and Ryan certainly did not withstand the test of time.


    Still, even she was surprised that she got over Ryan so easily.


    Sam gulped just then. ¡°If you really don¡¯t have feelings for him anymore, stay away from him so that he


    won¡¯t get any funny ideas.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn agreed to it right away.


    She did not want Ryan to get any funny ideas, and she had already made herself very clear before-


    perhaps Ryan would understand in time that they were never getting back together.


    The next morning, the board meeting was about to begin when the doors suddenly swung open, and


    everyone turned to find Ryan entering.


    The whole room was left staring at him, stunned with confusion as he calmly found himself a seat, and


    began quietly, ¡°I heard that Saunderia is facing difficultiestely, so I applied for leave from my unit to


    help.¡±


    The board was naturally pleased to hear that-everyone knew that Marvin¡¯s two sons were pr


    opposites.


    Obviously, Ryan was the one whom they fawned over ever since he was a child. He was now working


    with the country¡¯s leading figures, each of whom were feared and respected by millions.


    That was why no one would protest Ryan¡¯s offer to assist with the ongoing crisis.


    In fact, they had high hopes for him!

 Chapter 1393

    Chapter 1393


    Chapter 1393


    The conference room was at once lively, with everyone¡¯s attention fixed on Ryan, most of them


    admiring.


    On the other hand, Sam suffered rebuke as soon as he came. Although he had managed to gain some


    extent of approval now, he was once again anonymous with Ryan¡¯s appearance.


    Quinn nced at Sam just then, taking note of the change in expression on his face.


    So she was not the only one annoyed with Ryan¡¯s presence- he was too.


    Saunderia was now back on track under Sam¡¯s management, and Ryan would have interrupted the


    current flow of events.


    It was also obvious that the board preferred Ryan, even if he never helped with Saunderia at all-all his


    intelligence was used entirely on scientific research, and science and business were twopletely


    different things!


    Naturally, Quinn did not say that out loud-Ryan was doing this because he wanted to help Saunderia


    out of their current crisis, so she had no reason toin.


    It was the same for Sam too.


    However, Ryan looked pointedly at Sam just then and asked, ¡°Are you upset that I¡¯m here, Sam?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Sam replied. Nothing¡¯s better since you¡¯re here to help. You¡¯re smart, and thepany would


    develop further with you.¡±


    ¡°I hope that¡¯s spoken from your heart.¡± Ryan smiled in disdain, never sparing Sam at all times.


    Used to it, Sam simply brought up the agenda of the meeting. ¡°We¡¯re discussing the joint venture. As


    things stand, there has been no response from Damian Craig, but I was there myself. I personally


    believe that our chances are bright-all we need is time. But during this uncertain period while the new


    energy car project is being put on ice, our project management would be left in disarray.¡±


    ¡°For one, many personnel are involved in the project, and as things drag on, the manpower cost will


    increase. To make things worse, they don¡¯t know what to do, and they¡¯ll work in fear every day as long


    as we don¡¯t give them a clearly defined goal. Moreover, what are we nning to achieve with this


    project? Are we supposed to go all in, or is it supposed to be a backup n? These are the strategies


    we need to decide on, and we need to utilize Saunderia¡¯s resources suitably.¡±


    Sam paused for a moment after the long exposition before continuing, ¡°Now, we will discuss two


    agendas. The first is the n for the new energy car project should our proposed joint venture be


    approved and personnel management in that case. The second is to scrap the new energy car project


    entirely to plug the leaking capital if the joint venture falls through.¡±


    The board was silent and thoughtful-they must weigh their words before speaking at such an important


    meeting.


    On the other hand, Ryan was left staring at Sam, stopping short of gaping.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    While Sam had been supposedly working for a while, Ryan was told that it was their father who forced


    him to, and he never really cared about it. In other words, Sam had only been working seriously


    recently, but theposure and meticulous attitude he disyed left Ryan in disbelief.


    How could Sam change so dramatically?! This was the same Sam whom he always thought to be


    insignificant!


    Still, Gilbert spoke up just then. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, Ryan, you should know about Saunderia¡¯s situation


    as well. Why don¡¯t you tell us what you think? Us old folks would like to hear what you young people


    have to say.¡±


    He obviously had high hopes for Ryan.


    Ryan in turn remained calm andposed, having had Peter Lang work overnight to brief him about


    thepany¡¯s situation-especially on the joint venture.


    As such, Ryan said bluntly, ¡°I personally think that after everyone here and my father has given their all


    the new energy car project, I propose to keep it instead of so-called scrapping it.¡±

 Chapter 1394

    Chapter 1394


    Chapter 1394


    ¡°We¡¯re continuing to lose capital on the project, and that will go on if we can¡¯t get the joint venture,¡±


    Sam retorted. ¡°I¡¯m only proposing scrapping the new energy car project if the proposed joint venture is


    turned down. If we get it, we¡¯re definitely going through with it. We¡¯re simply discussing the policy


    implemented for both scenarios to be prepared for anything so Saunderia has a strategic goal to strive


    for.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re getting the joint venture,¡± Ryan said bluntly. ¡°Or to put it frankly, I hold no hope in


    your business trip. We can presume there won¡¯t be one.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips-Ryan was directly denying hispetence in front of the entire board.


    And perhaps because he had been bullied ever since they were children, it was as if there was this


    vast gap between them.


    As if when Ryan said that he was a failure, he was exactly that.


    And seeing that Sam was not speaking up, Ryan continued calmly, ¡°That¡¯s why we can just forget


    about the so-called joint venture and n thepany¡¯s direction in the absence of it. And I made it


    very clear earlier-l do not agree with the new energy car project being scrapped. We shall continue to


    pour all our resources into it even without the joint venture.¡±


    ¡°The entire project haspletely stalled,¡± Sam reminded him.


    ¡°Because there weren¡¯t proper promotion efforts.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°Any promotional efforts would be rebuffed with public skepticism regarding product quality.¡±


    ¡°Then we can prove its quality ourselves,¡± Ryan said slowly and clearly.


    As Sam looked on, Ryan revealed his proposal. ¡°It¡¯s simple- why would there be product confidence if


    we don¡¯t use it ourselves? I hence propose that all personnel in Saunderia- from executives to the


    janitor-switch to using our cars. The public would naturallye to trust our cars¡¯ quality at that point


    and be willing to purchase it.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s proposal left everyone including Sam and Quinn in stunned silence.


    Ryan raised a brow. ¡°If no one¡¯s speaking up, I¡¯ll take it that everyone¡¯s in agreement.¡±


    The board members traded nces, but no one spoke in fear of causing hurt feelings.


    Still, Sam suddenly said, ¡°Ryan¡­¡±


    As Ryan turned toward him, he asked, ¡°When you say that we¡¯ll have the entirepany buy our own


    cars¡­ Were you joking?¡±


    ¡°I never joke around,¡± Ryan said bluntly. ¡°I personally despise wasting time.¡±


    ¡°Then, did you think things through before suggesting this?¡±

 Chapter 1395

    Chapter 1395


    Chapter 1395


    Ryan certainly sensed the irony in Sam¡¯s voice. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°What right do we have to demand our own employees to buy our cars?!¡± Sam demanded. ¡°This is a


    direct vition ofborws, and do you have any guarantees that they¡¯re willing to buy it? If so much


    as one of them is unwilling and they decide to report us, we must face thew¡¯s judgment, and what do


    you think would be left of Saunderia¡¯s reputation? The tide hasn¡¯t really changed for Saunderia, and


    ying Russian roulette withpany PR will see us facing bankruptcy again soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t protest if we give employee rebates,¡± Ryan argued.


    ¡°Employee rebates? What¡¯s the percentage we are talking about?¡± Sam demanded. ¡°Thirty? Forty?


    Maybe even beyond fifty? Did it cross your mind that we¡¯d be taking a loss in capital? Every employee


    has different living conditions and family background too, which affects their purchasing power.


    Moreover, if I¡¯d recently bought a car that I¡¯m pleased with, I¡¯d refuse your offer even if you sold it to me


    with a ny percent discount! Cars aren¡¯t household items ¡ªit¡¯s a consumable that requires


    maintenance. Even if it¡¯s a new energy car and costs less than carbon-fueled vehicles, it still costs


    money, especially for maintenance!¡±


    Though Ryan was left glowering, he persisted. ¡°There are employees who will need it! Do you think this


    is right, denying my proposal when you¡¯ve done nothing?!¡±


    Sam shrugged. ¡® Aren¡¯t you denying my hard work even before Damian Craig has given me a definitive


    response?¡±


    Ryan fumed, obviously put on the spot by Sam just then.


    ¡°This is a board meeting,¡± Ryan growled through his teeth.¡± The board¡¯s unanimous agreement is


    needed. Those who agree with my proposal to have Saunderia employees purchase our cars with


    rebates as a means of promotion, raise your hand.¡±


    Everyone was quiet and did not move-none of them agreed with Ryan¡¯s proposal, after all.


    He was left staring at them in disbelief-did Sam buy all of them in no time at all?!


    ¡°Is no one agreeing to my proposal?!¡± he snapped.


    Sam certainly did not spare Ryan any dignity in return.¡± Anyone who¡¯s worked in business and has any


    level of experience would say no.¡±


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡¯


    ¡°Just stating facts.¡¯ Sam replied coolly. ¡°This sort of marketing is fundamentally wrong, and making


    employees buypany products is a clear vition of organizational management. Never in


    Saunderia¡¯s long history has there been any case of such employee exploitation-because the


    company¡¯s ts and ideals forbid it!¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exploiting employees. I¡¯m giving rebates-¡°


    ¡°Moreover, there¡¯s no telling what woulde out of this proposal. Saunderia is not influential enough


    to sway public opinion into believing our product is of high quality just because our employees are


    using it. Such is public opinion- no one gets full control over it.¡±


    Sam simply denied Ryan any chance to speak, which left Ryan ring coldly.


    He never imagined that Sam would humiliate him as so many watched!


    For his part, Sam was not going to waste his time with Ryan, and he promptly summarized imposingly,


    ¡°I¡¯ve made myself clear-l don¡¯t want to fight with you in a meeting because this wastes everyone¡¯s time.


    Your suggestion is rejected because the board does not agree with it.¡±


    ¡°Now, back on the topic at hand-does everyone agree with scrapping the new energy car project should


    the joint venture fall through?¡±

 Chapter 1396

    Chapter 1396


    Chapter 1396


    Every board member raised their hands in approval once Sam was finished, and Ryan could not


    believe his eyes.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t each and everyone of you given your blood and sweat for the new energy car project?!¡± Ryan


    demanded loudly. ¡°And you¡¯re giving it up just like that?! This means you¡¯re just writing off everything


    as a loss when you still have hope if you don¡¯t give up!¡±


    Even before Sam could speak, however, Gilbert finally had enough. ¡°Ryan, do you really understand


    what Saunderia is going through at the moment? Did you ask before you came? n


    ¡°Of course I did,¡± Ryan said bluntly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that to be the case,¡± Gilbert told him.


    He was always candid-he had been lenient toward Ryan earlier, perhaps because he regarded the boy


    through rose- tinted sses.


    Now, however, enough was enough.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind admitting that I¡¯ve regarded Sam with contempt,¡± Gilbert continued. ¡°He had been goofing


    off for years despite holding a position in Saunderia, but now, I see him in a different light because he¡¯s


    earnest about setting things right, and doing his best. Your presence here, however ¡­ I can¡¯t help but


    think that you¡¯re just messing around or indeed wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Wells.¡± Ryan¡¯s face fell. ¡°I would understand that if you don¡¯t agree with my proposal, but you¡¯re


    just insulting me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts, and if I were to be honest, I was even harsher with Sam when he announced


    himself as acting board chairman, but he¡¯s proven himself on his own merits.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m just trying to sustain my father¡¯s legacy. You have no right to humiliate me like this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked if you understand what¡¯s going on in Saunderia. If you actually took this seriously,


    you¡¯d realize the new energy car project is the reason behind our capital flow stalling and us facing


    potential bankruptcy. If we don¡¯t apply the right strategy before we make another foray, the same thing


    will happen again. That is why at present, the only option is to scrap the new energy car project instead


    of undertaking a pointless effort should the joint venture fall through.¡±


    Gilbert¡¯s words left Ryan utterly embarrassed-he had never suffered such humiliation before!


    Even so, Gilbert continued slowly and clearly, ¡°Your father and I are old friends after decades being


    business partners, and our families I close. I myself watched you grow up, and I didn¡¯t expect that you


    would disappoint me this much and that it¡¯d be Sam who gives me something to look forward to. n


    Ryan certainly could not abide with being belittled like that!


    ¡°In that case, do you think Sam would secure that so-called joint venture?! Do you think he can lead the


    company if he


    takes things seriously?! Do you also think it¡¯s right, walking all over me just because my proposal was a


    mistake?¡± i


    ¡°Right now, what I know is that you have no idea what is going on in Saunderia or what it means to run


    a business. Yes, everyone knows that you were always smarter than your peers ever since a child, just


    as the technocrats know the part you¡¯ve yed in the technological department. See, I¡¯m not denying


    your gift, but you¡¯re only outstanding in your own field. You¡¯re talentless when ites to business.¡±


    Before Ryan could argue, Gilbert continued, ¡°The negotiation for the joint venture is not as easy as


    you¡¯d like to think either. It¡¯s perfectly normal if it falls through-that¡¯s just how business works. That¡¯s


    why we won¡¯t doubt Sam¡¯spetence even if it falls through, because it¡¯s a means to salvage the


    new energy car project in the first ce. No, we can even say that sess is not within our


    calctions. But if Sam does secure it, that would prove that he¡¯s exceptional, n


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to get it,¡± Ryan repeated.


    He had no rebuttals aside from repeating that, after all.


    Gilbert frowned in turn, clearly annoyed with Ryan¡¯s stubborn contempt for Sam.


    Quinn was upset too-she did not think so when she was younger, but she could clearly feel how utterly


    dismissive Ryan was toward Sam.


    He was thoroughly convinced that Sam was hopeless, even though she used to think that Sam goofed


    off too much as well!

 Chapter 1397

    Chapter 1397


    Chapter 1397


    It was not just Quinn-Marvin and Lindsay would probably agree that Sam used to goof off too much as


    well. However, after Sam had changed and his work was showing results, they were earnestly pleased


    and offered encouragement.


    It was only Ryan who was staunchly convinced that Sam was a failure and refused to trust him.


    When Quinn could not help defending Sam, his phone suddenly started to ring.


    He checked the caller ID and promptly answered.


    That move seemed to be a grievous offense in Ryan¡¯s eyes, and he promptly snapped, ¡°We¡¯re in a


    meeting, Sam!


    Personal calls aren¡¯t allowed! Don¡¯t you have any respect for the board?!¡±


    Sam simply ignored him and walked over to a quieter corner, leaving him fuming.


    Gilbert snapped at Ryan right then, ¡°He¡¯s the acting chairman, and anything he says goes-that means


    he gets to answer calls whenever he wants to! We¡¯ve also been in enough meetings with him to know


    that he won¡¯t answer unless it¡¯s important.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s face was left ashen and thought to himself right then that Gilbert must be in cahoots with Sam¡ª


    why else would Gilbert repeatedly leap to Sam¡¯s defense while insulting him thoroughly?!


    However, even as he turned to the other board members, they were all keeping quiet, clearly not taking


    issue with Sam taking a call at the meeting!


    Ryan was speechless then¡ªwhat goodies did Sam promise these people?!


    Nevertheless, he had to stay silent despite his impatience, since everyone else was keeping quiet.


    Eventually, Sam was done with the call and returned.


    Before he could speak, Ryan snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s an issue, having everyone wait while you


    take that call?!


    Everyone¡¯s time is precious, and you¡¯re wasting it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m wasting anyone¡¯s time,¡± Sam said slowly and clearly. ¡°Because-¡°


    ¡°Right, you¡¯re never wrong. Because you always know what you¡¯re doing¡ªeven as a child,¡± Ryan


    scoffed.


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    As Sam glowered, Ryan continued, ¡°There¡¯s no way Dad would rest easy letting you be acting board


    chairman.


    Anyone would do better than you, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have asked for an extended leave. You have no


    idea how much progress is dyed with me being away-¡°


    ¡°Actually, I think you¡¯re the one wasting everyone¡¯s time with your crap.¡± Sam cut him short right then.


    Ryan exploded right then, but before he was ready to leap up and lecture Sam, Sam suddenly said,


    ¡°I¡¯ve secured the joint venture.¡±

 Chapter 1398

    Chapter 1398


    Chapter 1398


    The conference room was suddenly so silent one could hear a pin drop.


    The board seemed to think they were hearing things and held their breaths in fear that they were


    dreaming.


    Ryan, however, was thoroughly skeptical that the eternally bratty, useless Sam could secure the joint


    venture.


    Nheless, Sam repeated sonorously so that everyone could hear him clearly, ¡°Damian Craig has


    agreed to our joint venture, and he will be present when we sign the agreement next Wednesday, after


    which we would go into details regarding the joint venture.¡±


    ¡°For real?!¡± Gilbert eximed, his voice almost shaking even though he was the first toe to his


    senses.


    The rest of the board was looking at Sam in disbelief. They- including Marvin¡ªwere convinced that the


    new energy car project was a lost cause, and scrapping it was inevitable to prevent further loss of


    capital should they fail to secure the joint venture. None of them would find the losses regrettable


    either, because it was a strategic withdrawal given the circumstances.


    They all knew how difficult it would be to secure a joint venture involving transnational technological


    exchange either and with a rival of sorts.


    It was therefore unthinkable that Sam made it work anyway!


    ¡°That¡¯s what Damian said when he called me just now.¡± Sam shrugged just then.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say!¡± Gilbert was speechless in thrill.


    The other board members joined in to offer their praise too.


    ¡°Well done, Sam!¡±


    ¡°How did you get Damian Craig to agree to it? I heard the man¡¯s entric, and most people can¡¯t even


    get an appointment with him.¡±


    ¡°This is a monumental achievement, Sam-it¡¯d otherwise take up to five years for Saunderia to fully


    recoup the losses! 99


    As every board member fawned over Sam and praised him, Ryan was left ignored, though it was not


    like he could speak at all just then.


    He stared fixedly at Sam, unable to believe that thetter had really secured the joint venture-what


    fluke was this?! Did Sam just happen to be in the right ce and the right time when the Minervans


    decide on expanding into Zidonia?!


    That had to be it¡ªSam would otherwise never achieve something like this!


    Nheless, the bustle in the conference roomsted for a while until Sam gestured for everyone to be


    quiet. ¡°Damian has only agreed to the joint venture. We have preparations ahead of his arrival next


    Wednesday-don¡¯t let down your guard just yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the board agreed right away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed so much, Sam.¡± Gilbert could not help praising Sam again. ¡°I can¡¯t even calm down at


    my age, while you remain everposed. Your father should be proud of having a son like you, just as


    Saunderia should be proud that you¡¯ll be taking the reins.¡±


    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    Such earnest ttery actually left Sam blushing, but he stayed calm.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just done what I can, and I thank you for tolerating my shorings before,¡± he said politely


    before returning to the topic at hand. ¡°With the joint venture now agreed upon, we shall discuss it, since


    the earlier discussion about scrapping the project and cutting losses is now moot. We don¡¯t have to


    reconsider human resource management for the project either-just have the workers be on standby


    until the project is revived.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the board agreed.


    ¡°Quinn will be in charge of arranging the particrs of the joint venture,¡± Sam added solemnly. ¡°She


    knows the specifics of Saunderia¡¯s operations better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Quinn nodded¡ªSam was far from proficient when it came to the specifics since he had not been


    working here for that long.

 Chapter 1399

    Chapter 1399


    Chapter 1399


    If anything, Sam left everyone astounded that he could take the reins of Saunderia.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Naturally, they must not simply dismiss it as pure talent.


    In fact, Quinn had personally seen the hard work Sam put in, studying Saunderia operations


    management whenever he had the time. He would also work all the way past midnight, and even as


    they headed home, he would be doing further reading in the car.


    Considering that Sam would spend all his time on video games or drinking before, Quinn was certainly


    amazed that he seemed to be born anew now.


    She started to split up the tasks in preparation for receiving Damian¡¯s arrival next week. With the


    board¡¯s increasing approval of her and Sam¡¯s leadership, they would basically take up any task given


    with noint.


    That naturally eased the pressure on them while smoothing out operations.


    After the board meeting, Quinn started to follow Sam back to his office.


    She had be ustomed to walking there as well, and Sam would often ask her about jargons or


    marketing procedures he knew nothing about. She would answer him whenever, which in turn saved


    them time.


    Nheless, Ryan suddenly called out to her, ¡®Quinn,e with me to my office.¡±


    Quinn paused in hesitation and looked at Sam.


    However, he simply growled ¡°Whatever,¡± and strode off.


    Quinn was a little disappointed-even if Sam had changed drastically, their rtionship did not.


    He showed no possessiveness toward her, though she would not demand it either-there was no time


    for love when they were both engrossed with work. If anything, she was content that he was being


    serious and not messing around.


    ¡°Come on. He doesn¡¯t care about you at all,¡± Ryan said bluntly.


    Quinn pursed her lips as she followed Ryan, entering the board chairman¡¯s office with him.


    Although Sam was now the acting board chairman, he never moved from his office,ining that it


    was too troublesome.


    Quinn, however, had the feeling that Sam simply did not want to waste time. It was as if he wanted


    nothing less than to spend every waking moment working, so it was no exaggeration to say that he was


    now a workaholic.


    Still, there was something that just felt wrong about letting Ryan have the board chairman¡¯s office,


    though she could not quite exin why¡­


    Naturally, Quinn would not say it, though she was still curious. ¡®Why did you ask for me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about working here, but I¡¯m going to contribute now that I¡¯m here. You¡¯ve been here


    for a while and you know Saunderia through and through, so you can be my personal assistant while


    I¡¯m here.¡± The way he put it was as if it was only natural!

 Chapter 1400

    Chapter 1400


    Chapter 1400


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn stared at Ryan quietly, suspicion lurking just beneath her eyes.


    She had always trusted Ryan ever since they were children, convinced that he was more mature than


    their peers, smarter, and more protective of her.


    Now, however, she suddenly started wondering if she had misunderstood something about him.


    In fact, she thought his behavior at the moment was so childish she had no idea where to start.


    She certainly had no idea how Ryan could say something so easily, especially when he obviously knew


    that she and Sam were married. She had also repeatedly told him that she was doing fine with Sam at


    the moment too, and that there was no way she would rekindle her rtionship with Ryan.


    Moreover, Ryan also obviously knew that as Saunderia¡¯s acting board chairman, Sam¡¯s decisions


    would decide Saunderia¡¯s development. He especially needed Quinn¡¯s help since he was under huge


    pressure.


    And yet, Ryan brazenly spouted such thoughtless words and appeared so selfish!


    On the other hand, Ryan scowled since Quinn stayed silent.¡± What, is there an issue?¡±


    ¡°Are you really here to work, Ryan?¡± Quinn asked bluntly. ¡°Or perhaps you think so lowly of Sam that


    you¡¯re dead sure he can¡¯t manage Saunderia at all and came to keep an eye on him?!¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m here to work.¡± Ryan snorted. ¡°Why else would I apply for leave, put aside my important


    research work, ande here?! And yes, I do think lowly of Sam. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s not going to do well¡ªif


    anything, he¡¯ll get full of himself and throw his weight around if he aplishes anything at all.


    Saunderia will not survive his abuse.¡±


    ¡°I somehow get this feeling that you don¡¯t want him to seed,¡± Quinn muttered.


    Why else would Ryan insult Sam like that or be so intent in taking her away from Sam?


    Forget her abilities¡ªshe knew Saunderia better than Sam, and she always gave her very best to the


    company without any ulterior motives.


    Nheless, Ryan¡¯s face fell right then. ¡°Did Sam brainwash you or something?! Why wouldn¡¯t I want


    him to seed? I couldn¡¯t ask for more if he can keep Saunderia afloat, what with Dad being sick and


    a sessor being needed. I can¡¯t share his burden, so of course I want Sam to keep things together!¡±


    ¡°Then you have a strange way of showing it,¡± Quinn said bluntly, looking him in the eye. ¡°Every board


    member was praising and encouraging him. You did not do that at all and kept doubting him instead!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried Sam can¡¯t grow up! Do you think the board is right, fawning over him after


    measly aplishment?! No! They¡¯re just going to spoil him, and do you think Sam would keep doing


    his best once he gets full of himself?! I¡¯m whipping him into shape!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all adults,¡± Quinn said quietly. ¡°Are you really unable to differentiate between what¡¯s good and


    what¡¯s not?¡±


    ¡°Are you doubting me, Quinn?!¡± Ryan demanded coldly, finally losing all patience.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you I¡¯m not?¡± Quinn smiled, seeing the clear skepticism on his face. ¡°By


    how you¡¯re treating Sam, I doubt you¡¯re trying to ¡®whip him into shape¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Quinn!!!¡± Ryan screamed, stunned that Quinn would actually fight him over Sam!


    Was she this stupid?! Could she not tell who between him and Sam was better, or who deserved her


    affection?!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ryan, but I¡¯m going to have to refuse,¡± Quinn said, not backing down. ¡°Sam needs me very


    much right now, and I¡¯ll stay at his side. I¡¯ll have Peter make the arrangements if you need an assistant


    or a secretary.¡±


    And with those words, she left without a pause or waiting for Ryan¡¯s approval.


    Once outside the office, however, she took a deep breath¡ª she was hardly as determined as she


    looked, since she never could refuse anything Ryan asked.


    Today, however, was the day she finally stepped out of his shadow.


    She would never mindlesslypromise herself for him now!


    And in the office, Ryan was ring at the door, having watched as Quinn left so briskly without caring


    how he felt¡­ or at all!

 Chapter 1401

    Chapter 1401


    Chapter 1401


    Ryan gritted his teeth¡ªhe was not giving up on Quinn!


    He would make her regret and understand how bad a mistake she had made in choosing Sam!


    Meanwhile, Quinn headed straight to Sam¡¯s office after leaving Ryan¡¯s office to find that he was busy


    with work.


    He did not spare a moment for himself once he returned and would be reading up on documents even


    after work.


    Quinn earnestly felt that he changed drastically, and since hard work always pays off, she believed he


    would achieve great things.


    Sam looked up at her just then and asked coolly, ¡°What did Ryan talk to you about?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to be his personal assistant,¡± Quinn replied.


    She did not hide it from him-in fact, she did not want to hide anything from him from now on.


    If she wanted to make things work with him, she certainly had to show her sincerity.


    Sam¡¯s fingers paused over his keyboard just then, and he chuckled coolly.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    However, he did not ask further questions, as if not interested in knowing if she agreed to it.


    Or perhaps in his mind, Quinn already did-when had she ever turned Ryan down?


    Still, he forced himself to return his attention back to his work. He had made up his mind on fixing the


    mess in Saunderia, and he was not about to give up halfway.


    Nheless, Quinn suddenly said, ¡°I told him no.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and the feeling was so obvious that he could not deny it.


    Even so, he kept a straight face, appearing nonchnt while his fingers continued typing away on the


    keyboard.


    Quinn did not expect him to be affected much either, since he never cared that much about her-all she


    could do was tell him what she did.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Sam asked tly just then.


    ¡°Because I feel that you¡¯d need me more.¡± Quinn smiled.


    Sam pursed his lips-Quinn had always been rational and understood that Sam was staying at


    Saunderia while Ryan was only here temporarily.


    Still, he was a little disappointed, even if he would rather die than admit it.


    ¡°And I would rather stay with you,¡± Quinn suddenly added.

 Chapter 1402

    Chapter 1402


    Chapter 1402


    Sam¡¯s lips curled upward.


    It was not obvious, but it was clear that he was in good spirits.


    Quinn did not impose either and picked up herptop to start work as she settled on her couch. She


    was naturally fully supportive of Sam as he was improving by the day and would give him more time to


    deal with his work.


    She logged into thepany¡¯s official chat group-even if she set her status to ¡®busy¡¯, she would always


    take notice whenever there was an update.


    However, she was probably not the only one who was stunned when she logged in-everyone else


    would probably be left in disbelief too!


    After all, Sam was repeatedly typing her name into the group!


    Quinn looked up to see Sam looking serious behind hisputer, but the messages that said nothing


    but [Quinn] kepting¡­


    ¡°Is yourputer bugged, Sam?¡± Quinn asked him just then.


    ¡°What?¡± Sam seemed toe to his senses just then-he was spacing out for a moment, not sure


    where his mind had drifted off to.


    Either way, he was feeling good.


    Quinn walked up to his desk and checked his screen to find that he had yet another [Quinn] in his


    textbox, ready to be sent.


    Sam finally realized that, along with the many other [Quinn] messages he had already sent in the


    group.


    He was bbergasted-his mind was definitely so full with thoughts about Quinn just now, but he never


    noticed that!


    Just then, someone typed in the group: [Was Mr. Saunders flirting with Ms. Summer? Wrong chat,


    maybe?]


    As soon as it was typed, another message from the same person followed: [Whoops. Wrong chat!]


    Both messages were soon deleted, while Sam finally recovered from his shock to realize that the


    messages could be deleted. However, when he tried to do that, it was past the two-minute limit and


    hence could not be deleted.


    Quinn was still standing beside him, and the air between them was suddenly awkward.


    For once, Sam felt so embarrassed he could hide himself in some hole, just as Quinn was left at a loss.


    She really thought that hisputer was hit by a virus, but she could not lie to herself after seeing his


    reaction.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    But why would he do that? Plus, it almost seemed subconscious.


    Though her heart skipped a beat, she did not dwell on it nor did she ask Sam.


    After all, she could not ask him directly if he liked her!


    Even so, the thought sent her heart racing, and she avoided looking directly at Sam.


    Sam was not looking at her either.


    As such, the awkwardness stayed between them for a while, since he was not exining himself and


    she was not asking.


    They finally came to their senses when they heard the knock on the door-an executive member


    entered, document in hand, to submit a report.


    Quinn quickly moved aside, appearing nonchnt¡­

 Chapter 1403

    Chapter 1403


    Chapter 1403


    In reality, Quinn¡¯s heart rate never slowed nor did she have any idea how long the awkward silence


    between them would havested if that Saunderia executive did note in.


    Sam was embarrassed too, was he not?!


    Quinn bit her lip and worked hard to keep a straight face or she wouldugh out loud.


    She returned to the couch.


    As she nced at Sam from the corner of her eye, she saw that he was listening attentively to the


    executive¡¯s report and nothing else.


    She allowed herself a deep breath in relief¡ªit was likely that he was just a little embarrassed since he


    really valued his pride.


    After all, that was the exact reason he did not exin himself, right?


    She really should not expect too much¡­


    All the concerned departments and employees worked overtime for Damian Craig¡¯s reception, and that


    was the same for Sam and Quinn as well.


    They held endless meetings and discussions, intent on presenting their sincerity as much as they


    could.


    It was now two in the morning, but Sam was not leaving the office. He had just liaised with various


    departments for atter period discussion of their partnership agreement, amending the sales use.


    This finally afforded him to process the day¡¯s OA documents, many which required his approval.


    When he first started out, he would approve everything without even reading through the document.


    Still, he was increasingly prudent now, checking through each document thrice before giving his


    approval, which took considerably more time.


    By the time he was done and turned toward Quinn, he found her asleep on the couch.


    She usually did not fall asleep easily-as far as he could recall, she would not nap while he did, and she


    always woke up in the mornings punctually.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    And yet, she was sleeping on the couch now. Was she that tired?


    But considering that they were already working overtime for a week and leaving home early every


    day¡­ he actually felt a tender feeling inside.


    He walked up to her gingerly, worried that he would wake her just as he vaguely realized that he rarely


    looked at her like that.


    To be precise, he never dared to do it ever since he was a child in fear that he could not control himself.


    There were times he deliberately made her despise him so that she kept her distance-so that he did not


    have to dream.


    But now, he could not take his eyes off her, which seemed glued to her face and beautiful facial


    features. She was thirty, but her skin was so fair and smooth that he could not spot a pore.


    Sam reached out, feeling an impulse to touch her face and red, moist lips.


    His restraint seemed to have gone out the window, as his fingers jumped from her cheek to her lips


    almost right away.


    Then, he slowly got closer to her lips¡­


    That was when a voice suddenly spoke from the door.¡± Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    Sam almost jumped away right then while Quinn stirred, slowly opening her eyes.


    She was still in a daze, unaware that she had fallen asleep.


    As she looked nkly at Sam and then at Ryan by the door, Ryan growled coolly, ¡°It¡¯s toote to work


    overtime. Let¡¯s go, Quinn.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s head was still muddled, and she walked Ryan at his call¡­

 Chapter 1404

    Chapter 1404


    Chapter 1404


    Sam watched as Quinn got up and walked toward Ryan, who was grinning.


    After all, Quinn was still into him-there was no hiding it now!


    When a person is in a daze, their actions genuinely reflect their thoughts.


    Sam¡¯s fingers twitched in turn-he reached out to Quinn but stopped just as he almost reached her


    sleeve.


    He did not want to force her. He would respect her decision, as he always did¡­


    Nheless, just as Quinn stood before Ryan and he reached out to her, she came to her senses and


    seemed to clearly see him just then.


    ¡°Ryan?!¡± she eximed-she was in such a daze she thought she was dreaming.


    In fact, she did not even know when she fell asleep, only that her head was so groggy she could not


    think straight.


    Nheless, Ryan took her hand and started to lead her away. ¡°It¡¯ste. I¡¯m taking you home.¡±


    Quinn shook his hand off, leaving him scowling.


    ¡°I was dizzy from sleep,¡± she said bluntly before turning back toward Sam, who was still in the office. ¡°I


    can go home with Sam.¡±


    ¡°Why are you still pretending?¡± Ryan asked icily.


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn waspletely perplexed as to why Ryan would suddenly flip out like that.


    ¡°What, is it fun teasing me?¡± he pressed.


    it | r?


    ¡°Fine. You can consider it my fault,¡± he suddenly said.


    It only left Quinn even more confused.


    What had gotten into him, and why was he suddenly apologizing-if one could call it that?


    ¡°Being forced to leave you alone at our wedding was my fault,¡± he said.


    Quinn realized with a start-so that was what he was talking about.


    In reality, she still held grievances despite him exining himself before. Even if it was eptable


    rationally, it was not the case emotionally.


    However, she had really gotten over it when she made up her mind tomit to her marriage with


    Sam. With that, nothing was left of her rtionship with Ryan.


    She began, ¡°It¡¯s in the past-¡°


    Ryan refused to let her speak. ¡°You wanted me to prostrate myself, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m doing that right


    now.¡±


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I never wanted that. I don¡¯t care about the past at all.¡±


    Ryan glowered right then. ¡°I¡¯ve alreadypromised with you plenty, Quinn.¡±


    What more did she want after he had gone this far?!


    Still, Quinn was starting to get a little impatient.


    She really had no idea what Ryan wanted-she had said so much, just as her actions made it very clear.


    Why could he not understand?


    How much did he love her, really?!

 Chapter 1405

    Chapter 1405


    Chapter 1405


    Or maybe Ryan just could not ept that Quinn suddenly did not love him-that she was suddenly in


    love with someone else?


    Quinn stayed patient toe clean right then. ¡°I don¡¯t need yourpromise or your apology, Ryan. I


    just want us to split up amicably-you, me, and Sam all grew up in the same mansion. I hope we can be


    family again.¡±


    Ryan stared at her, silent for a long while.


    Quinn, however, did not want to prolong their argument-in the end, one could never wake a person


    pretending to sleep. All she could do was to use her actions to convey her intentions.


    She turned and started toward Sam¡ªit was veryte and she was still very sleepy, so she wanted to


    go home with him. They could not afford to rx before Damian arrived and they actually signed the


    agreement for the joint venture. All they could do was catch some sleep in between.


    However, Ryan caught her wrist with a vice-like grip just as she turned, not letting go of her no matter


    how she tried to free herself.


    Sam red coldly at Ryan, his knuckles always clenched.


    Still, just as he was about to make his way over to them, Ryan suddenly said, ¡°What you just did makes


    everything clear, Quinn!¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± Quinn asked in confusion.


    ¡°While you were in a daze, you walked up to me when I called out to you. That could only mean that


    the one in your heart is me, so stop pretending. I promise I¡¯ll be good to you from now on, and I swear I


    won¡¯t leave you ever again-¡°


    ¡°You¡¯re not in my heart,¡± Quinn retorted.


    Ryan red at her furiously, even as she exined, ¡°Like you said-1 was following you because I was


    in a daze. It was just a knee-jerk response, and I did not even realize it was you. At best, I thought your


    voice was familiar enough to differentiate it from a stranger¡¯s or a viin¡¯s.¡±


    As Ryan kept ring at her viciously, Sam stayed silent nearby, working hard not to spring forward


    toward them.


    Like Ryan had put it, Quinn¡¯s inadvertent reaction could well have been how she really felt.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    She was only recently warming up to Sam because she still held grievances against Ryan, and she still


    believed that she was the reason Sam was in jail for three years.


    Nheless, Quinn continued to meet Ryan¡¯s gaze without flinching. ¡°Perhaps I can also put it this


    way-you¡¯ve conditioned me. I was so used to going along with your arrangements and doing what you


    tell me without once resisting. Perhaps my subconscious still retains that habit from childhood, and I


    followed you without hesitation when you called out to me. But now, I¡¯ll do my best to fix that habit. If


    Ryan¡¯s whole body was shaking in fury, the rage in his eyes palpable.


    Even then, he could not ept the reality that Quinn no longer loved him, that she would be unmoved


    even after he started making efforts to woo her and deferred to her!


    In his mind, Quinn was always his, and she would always return to him whenever he desired, certainly


    not rejecting him more and more like this!


    Ryan¡¯s inability to ept that reality left him gradually ovee by his emotions. Throwing all


    hesitation out the window right then, he started dragging Quinn in full force.


    He would never allow Quinn to leave him or let her belong to any other man!


    Quinn¡¯s hand ached terribly under Ryan¡¯s vice-like grip, and she started to panic as she was virtually


    being dragged along.


    She could actually feel that he was not in his right mind either¡ªhe usually wasposed enough and


    would never behave like this!


    In her horror, she was about to cry out to Sam when Ryan suddenly stopped, and she looked up to find


    Sam already standing in front of Ryan, holding him by the wrist and forcing him to free her!

 Chapter 1406

    Chapter 1406


    Chapter 1406


    ¡°Let her go!¡± Sam growled icily, slowly and clearly.


    Ryan met his gaze with equal fury, and a fight looked like it could start at a moment.


    ¡°Let me go,¡± Quinn was shaking hard against Ryan¡¯s grip, but he only grabbed her even harder.


    ¡°It hurts!¡± she could not help crying out right then.


    Sam glowered and clenched on Ryan¡¯s hand in turn. ¡°I told you to let her go!¡±


    It was certainly hurting Ryan, but he refused to give in-the harder Sam clenched on his arm, the harder


    he clenched on Quinn.


    Even as Quinn was left on the verge of tears, he snapped coldly, ¡°Let go! This is between me and


    Quinn-you don¡¯t have the right to interfere!¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Samughed coldly. ¡°Did you forget that Quinn and I married, while you¡¯re nothing to her?!


    Are you trying to steal my wife now?! Don¡¯t you understand the shameless words you just said?!¡±


    ¡°What¡­!¡± Ryan was left stumped by Sam¡¯seback-he never considered Sam a threat just because


    Quinn used to like him, let alone consider Sam and Quinn¡¯s marriage a real one!


    But now, he ended up being humiliated like this?!


    ¡°Quinn loves me!¡± Ryan screamed, his embarrassment devolving into fury.


    As he bristled, Quinn was in too much pain to argue.


    It was Sam who snapped, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who she loves- she¡¯s my wife now, and I¡¯ll never allow her


    to be taken away or hurt! I¡¯m counting to three, and you¡¯re getting it if you don¡¯t let her go!¡±


    ¡°One.¡±


    ¡°Two.¡±


    Ryan merely red at him, clearly unmoved, and received a punch squarely in the face before Sam


    even counted to three.


    Sam had put his back into it, and Ryan was immediately bleeding from the nose.


    In his pain, he had to let go of Quinn.


    Naturally, he was not about to suffer this lying down!


    Especially when it was Sam, whom he had always lorded over. He would never allow himself to appear


    a wreck around Sam!


    He raised his fist and jabbed at Sam, catching Sam by surprise¡ªthetter was not paying attention to


    Ryan at all, since he had turned to check on Quinn¡¯s fist.


    As Sam¡¯s punch sent him stumbling backward, Ryan snarled, ¡°Is violence all you¡¯re capable of?! No


    one¡¯s going to be happy spending the rest of their lives with you, and Quinn¡¯s


    life is ruined if she stays with you¡ªoof!¡±


    Sam punched him in the face again, cutting him off.


    And this time, he did not stop at one-he continued to clobber Ryan relentlessly.


    Ryan was certainly no match for him, in fact, and was beaten until he could not fight back at all.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn promptly caught him right then. ¡°Stop it, Sam!¡±


    Sam had certainly seen red and finally realized that he had left Ryan floored and motionless.


    Quinn was freaking out too and promptly crouched beside Ryan to examine him. ¡°Are you alright,


    Ryan?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother!¡± Ryan snapped and pushed her away, seemingly venting all his frustration at Quinn after


    being beaten so terribly he could not get up.


    As Quinn fell painfully on her bottom, Sam pulled her up and growled, ¡°Ignore him. Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 1407

    Chapter 1407


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn called out loudly to him despite knowing he was furious. ¡°At least take Ryan to the


    hospital.¡±


    Ryan was still family, and she did not want such discord between the brothers.


    And if something happened to Ryan¡­


    Sam paused.


    He knew that he did not actually hurt Ryan¡ªhaving trained in close-quartersbat, he knew which


    spots in the human body would sustain serious damage.


    In fact, even if he lost his cool, he would not hurt Ryan¡¯s vitals.


    However, since Sam was not responding, she promptly whipped out her phone to call an ambnce for


    Ryan.


    She kept her distance from Ryan, however, simply watching as hey on the floor nearby as they


    waited for the ambnce.


    She could clearly see that he was absolutely furious but did not have the strength to get up and fight


    Sam.


    She certainly had no idea why those two had been constantly fighting for a while now, and this was the


    second time things got physical!


    Even if they were distant as brothers, things would not have gone this far when they were children. And


    now, to think that they would be this irrational especially at their age!


    Nheless, the paramedics soon arrived and moved Ryan into the ambnce on a stretcher.


    Quinn got in as well, but Sam was not about to get in.


    She hesitated and got out to pull him in.


    The journey was silent, and rage seemed palpable in the room.


    Ryan was immediately rushed to ER when they arrived, while Sam and Quinn waited upstairs.


    As Sam stood in a corner, clearly apathetic, Quinn saw that his face was hurt too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to get yourself checked too, Sam?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he growled. ¡°It¡¯s just flesh wounds. I¡¯ll be better soon enough.¡±


    Quinn did not press the issue, while the ER¡¯s signal lights soon faded.


    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± his doctor announced. ¡°It¡¯s all just cuts and bruises.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Quinn said gratefully. ¡°Should we get him admitted?¡±


    ¡°No need. He just needs some medicine and bed rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Ryan could walk by himself out of the ER¡ªaside from his battered face, nothing about his gait


    appeared out of the ordinary.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the pharmacy¡ªwait here for me, both of you,¡± Quinn quickly said, though she added


    worriedly, ¡°Don¡¯t start fighting again.¡±


    Neither of the brothers spoke, even if they looked more like enemies just then.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Quinn did not press the issue and left¡ªthose two would have calmed down just then instead of


    continuing to fight.


    She returned to them after getting Ryan¡¯s medicine.


    Having called their chauffeur earlier, he was waiting for them outside.


    Once again, the journey was silent until they returned to Saunders Mansion.


    Quinn handed Ryan his medicine. ¡°Remember to apply it ording to the instructions there.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing with me?¡± Ryan asked.


    Sam¡¯s knuckles clenched.


    Nheless, Quinn answered, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance, Quinn. Come with me tonight, or we shall go our separate ways,¡± Ryan


    warned.

 Chapter 1408

    Chapter 1408


    Chapter 1408


    Quinn snapped right then. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Ryan?! It¡¯s really over between us-


    we¡¯re never getting back together!¡±


    She was actually angry, just as she had no idea how to make the message sink in so Ryan would


    believe this was what she really thought.


    Why did he have to be so stubborn?!


    Ryan red at Quinn and growled through his teeth right then, ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this, Quinn!¡±


    He then mmed the door shut with a loud bang, causing it to shake from the force.


    The chauffeur was too afraid to make a sound, let alone ask for orders.


    On the other hand, Quinn was calm. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Sam turned to study her just then.


    He was a little jubnt but would not dare to get too pleased -it always was a case of ¡®win some, lose


    some¡¯ whenever he and Quinn were concerned.


    Still, after the chauffeur started the car and started to take them home, the journey was silent once


    again.


    After all, Sam would rather die than start a conversation if Quinn did not.


    They alighted consecutively as they got home, both of them exhausted.


    They had been working through the night, and it was now 3 AM because of the mess with Ryan,


    limiting them to just four hours of sleep.


    Still, Quinn forced herself to stay awake and said, ¡°Take a shower. I¡¯ll help you with ointmentter-your


    face is bruised, and there¡¯s swelling on your hand.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips and replied, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Quinn showered in her own room, briefly clearing her head.


    She then took the first aid kit from the living room and knocked on Sam¡¯s door.


    He was sitting on the couch, already in his pajamas.


    He had a cigarette, which he was not lighting up, between his fingers.


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    There was no telling if he had suddenly lost interest or was just afraid that she would hate the smoke.


    She made her way to him, taking out a bottle of iodine solution and a tube of ointment.


    ¡°Lower your back, Sam-1 can¡¯t reach you,¡± she told him mildly.


    Sam did as she told, and Quinn could not help smiling-he rarely listened so easily.


    As she gently disinfected his cuts and applied ointment on his bruises, she would blow on it in case it


    hurt him.


    Sam stared at her from up close, feeling no pain since she was really gentle, just as the coolness of the


    medicine applied affords him somefort.


    His heart rate turned irregr, and he lowered his gaze to not look at her face in case he lost control.


    Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Are you really spurning Ryan?¡±


    Quinn, who was seriously tending to his injury, was actually a little surprised to hear him start a


    conversation.


    He rarely did that, after all.

 Chapter 1409

    Chapter 1409


    Chapter 1409


    Sam was not actually introverted-he was just uninterested where Quinn was concerned.


    Sighing, she snapped, ¡® Neither you nor Ryan believe me, do you?!¡±


    Was she that untrustworthy?!


    Sam kept a neutral look, though his heart was pounding thunderously and his breathing was turning


    ragged. ¡°I just think that Ryan¡¯s better than me in every way. You have no reason to choose me


    instead.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s better than you,¡± Quinn said nonchntly.


    ¡°What?¡± Sam raised his brow, not quite believing what he just heard.


    Everyone knew for a fact that Ryan was smarter and morepetent than he was. In fact, he had


    beenbeled a loser and lost cause ever since a child.


    Nheless, Quinn repeated, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s better than you. Increasingly so.¡±


    ¡°But haven¡¯t you been in love with him for years ever since you were a child?¡±


    ¡°Now that I thought about it, it¡¯s dependence rather than affection,¡± Quinn said as she applied ointment


    to his bruises. ¡°When we were children, I thought of him as being mature and always having it together,


    unlike you who kept


    bullying me every chance you got. And with my parents gone and having to live in an unfamiliar ce, I


    was insecure and needed someone reliable to give me a sense of security.¡±


    Putting down the ointment then, she looked Sam straight in the eye as she continued, ¡°At that time,


    Ryan really made me feel that he could protect me. That¡¯s why I never really gave serious thought to


    my rtionship with him, and I thought relying on him was no different from loving him¡­ though that


    proved to be not the case. And now, I no longer hate him for leaving me at the altar, just as I¡¯m not


    inclined to rekindle our rtionship. In fact, I hope he¡¯ll stay away from me so we can live our own


    separate lives.¡±


    Sam gulped, working hard to repress the excitement in him just then.


    Sam really never thought that a day woulde when Quinn would fall out of love with Ryan and


    genuinely get over him.


    If anything, Sam was convinced that she would inevitably return to Ryan¡¯s side.


    ¡°Then, are you serious about staying with me?¡± Sam asked.


    Heaven knows how much courage he had to muster to ask that!


    ¡°Of course,¡± Quinn said bluntly. ¡¯Like I said-l don¡¯t think he¡¯s better than you. Also, it¡¯s everyone that


    they neglect to see your potential, in turnpletely ignoring your presence.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hardly anything that impressive,¡± Sam said, blushing from such direct praise.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Quinn shrugged before continuing with a determined tone,¡± Well, I did think you goofed off too much


    and had nothing going for you, but you¡¯repletely different than how you usually are when you take


    your job seriously. You work hard and have both the wits and brawn to match, which makes you a


    talent needed in business. I won¡¯t deny Ryan¡¯s smartness or his aplishments in scientific


    research. But that just makes him suited for that particr field, not business management.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go out on a limb to say which one of you is superior -you both simply have different things


    going for you. That¡¯s also why there¡¯s no need for you to feel inferior or believe that Ryan¡¯s better than


    you, and the board meeting is proof enough. No one was backing him up, and that makes it obvious


    this is where your strength lies.¡±


    Sam felt as if he had a sun glowing within him, dazzling and warm.


    He was certainly surprised that Quinn would praise him so generously. Even if he did not care how


    others saw him since he was used to being insulted, he still cared a lot about Quinn¡¯s opinion and


    wanted her to acknowledge him.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn said just then, her expression turning serious.¡± Once we¡¯re done with Saunderia and


    everything¡¯s on the


    right track, let¡¯s properly give us some thought. I really hope we can make our marriage work and grow


    old together.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded-he could not manage aplete sentence just then.


    Happiness hade a little too suddenly, and he wondered if he could consider what Quinn said as a


    confession.


    He was at once thrilled, in bliss, and apprehensive¡ªhad his patience in waiting really paid? He was


    afraid that it was all just wishful thinking!

 Chapter 1410

    Chapter 1410


    Chapter 1410


    Quinn looked at Sam then, ¡°It¡¯ste¡ªwe should get some sleep. I hope Saunderia will soon be clear of


    this crisis too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡¯¡¯ Sam nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room, then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡¯


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    As Quinn got to her feet, she actually felt a reluctance to leave.


    Instead, she suddenly arched her back and hugged him as she gave him a peck on his forehead.


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat and started to pound thunderously and uncontrobly.


    His fingers twitched, but before he could reach out to pull her into his arms, she was already gone.


    His fingers brushed against her clothes, and he shuddered slightly.


    He paused for a moment but ultimately gave up-he was worried things would spiral out of control.


    Moreover, it was veryte and he could feel Quinn¡¯s exhaustion.


    There was no rush too-he just had to wait for a few days. Once that was done, they would have all the


    time they needed.


    Hence, even as his heart pounded controbly, Sam watched as Quinn left his room.


    He earnestly felt a sense of expectation just then¡ªall the


    Just as he was almost convinced that someone up there was granting his wish for once, he


    remembered that he was often made aughing stock too.


    Dayster, Damian and his representatives arrived at Saunderia, where they received a kingly


    reception.


    Sam handed him the joint venture agreement, which was refined countless times to attain perfection, to


    which Damian expressed great approval.


    After that, they toured Saunderia¡¯s factory floor for their new energy cars where Sam gave an


    introduction of their technology.


    On that very day, Damian sealed the deal for the joint venture with Saunderia.


    That meant the director of the world¡¯s leading authority in the new energy automotive industry would be


    involved in Saunderia¡¯s new energy car project.


    With that, Saunderia¡¯s new energy car project would receive public approval and regain momentum in


    sales figures. In fact, their technology for new energy cars was considered the country¡¯s best soon


    enough, and they did not have to worry about sales at all.


    Ryan was involved in the entire process.


    It did not cross his mind that Sam had actually seeded, and he was still convinced of Sam¡¯s failure


    up until the joining venture agreement was signed.


    After all, Sam had never achieved anything of note ever since he was a child¡­N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

 Chapter 1411

    Chapter 1411


    Chapter 1411


    But now, Sam had used the shortest time possible to sign a strategic agreement with the world¡¯s


    leading authority in the new energy automotive industry.


    Once news of this spread, Saunderia would have no issues with sales while their stocks would


    skyrocket in value.


    Who would ever expect that thepany would be facing bankruptcy one moment and suddenly


    leapfrog up several notches?


    And that was all thanks to Sam, even if it was hard to believe.


    Ryan had done his homework this time, and there was no question about it -Sam had taken a personal


    loan from John Levine when Saunderia¡¯s capital flow stagnated to make up for any shortfalls.


    As for Damian Craig, it was also all thanks to Sam and Quinn visiting him abroad and securing the joint


    venture on their own. No one in Saunderia helped at all in that undertaking.


    Naturally, Ryan had mixed feelings about all that.


    He was certainly pleased that Saunderia survived. After all, his father was rushed to the ICU after he


    copsed from stress over thepany¡¯s crisis.


    But while he wanted his father to be well, Saunderia ended up surviving all thanks to Sam.


    After being used to Sam being inferior to himself ever since they were children, it certainly irritated


    Ryan that Sam would suddenly steal the spotlight.


    Ryan was left gritting his teeth as he hid his ring temper!


    After Sam and Damian signed the joint venture agreement, bothpanies began a forum on new


    energy technology.


    Naturally, that was a task for the specialists, but Sam had already provided all necessary arrangements


    along with research tforms. They just had to sit and wait to reap the fruits of theirbors at that point.


    Right now, Saunderia¡¯s priority was the marketing ns once their new energy cars resumed


    production. Things never go smoothly even if everything was going well now, and they had to prepare


    for a rainy day because no one knew if things would go the way they wanted.


    For Sam, their current crisis would only be over once the new energy car returned to the market and


    sales reached the estimated figures to grant a steady capital cirction.


    Still, things were certainly lively in the board conference room, where Sam sat to discuss the uing


    marketing ns.


    The board members were a lot more enthusiastic as the tide was now turned in Saunderia¡¯s favor. In


    fact, if Ryan was not seeing it with his own eyes, he would never believe that the board members-many


    of whom were twice older than Sam-had be so cordial and polite that they were stopping short of


    bing Sam¡¯s yes men.


    ¡°Regarding promotion channels and strategy,¡± Sam said, ¡°I actually have one in mind.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    ¡°Do tell.¡± The board was all ears.


    ¡°In a previous board meeting, there was this suggestion that we should sell our cars to our own


    employees,¡± Sam said bluntly right then.


    That immediately prompted frowns among the board members, since that waspletely unnecessary


    now!


    Finally getting a chance to speak right then, Ryan promptly leaped in to mock Sam as much as he


    could. ¡°You¡¯re the one who rejected that idea of mine before, and you¡¯re proposing it now? Don¡¯t you


    feel the irony?! Also, that¡¯spletely unnecessary right now¡ªwe were concerned about sales before


    and were trying to get employees to buy it as a way of promotion and prove that our tech is solid.


    Obviously, all those issues are now behind us, and even if I was the one who suggested mandatory


    staff purchases before, you¡¯d make us look way worse doing that now.¡±


    As Sam pursed his lips, the other board members promptly joined in.


    ¡°I agree with Ryan. We¡¯ve now gained public approval for our tech and a proper sales channel. There¡¯s


    no need to exploit our own employees.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m convinced that our sales figures will be good after all our hard work too. New energy cars are


    already in high demand across the market.


    Having our own employees buy them would instead strain our production capacity, and we might lose


    way more than what we can gain.¡±


    Still, there were board members who were willing to appease Sam. ¡°We could use it as a backup


    solution-if there really are issues with our sales figures, mandatory staff purchase would be viable.¡±


    Saunderia might really face bankruptcy now if not for him. As such, an idea that was not too horrible


    was one they still could get behind.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. There¡¯s a misunderstanding here,¡± Sam exined nheless. ¡°What I¡¯m


    suggesting is that we offer our employees rebates and priority in the production queue. I mean to use


    this as a form ofpany benefit and not to coerce them into buying our cars. They can either take it


    or leave it-the decision is theirs.¡±

 Chapter 1412

    Chapter 1412


    Chapter 1412


    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Ryan demanded coolly. ¡°If the decision is theirs, how is it going to help our sales?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. This is neither to increase sales nor to exploit our own employees-l¡¯m offering them the


    rebates as a reward,¡± Sam exined solemnly. ¡°Regardless of how things will turn out, they¡¯ve more or


    less stood with us to surmount this crisis. At this time, we should be rewarding them to better


    encourage them.¡±


    ¡°You could just offer them bonuses instead of some borate scheme,¡± Ryan schemed.


    ¡°That would instead give them false hopes,¡± Sam replied.¡± And they¡¯d expect us to pay them a fat


    bonus whenever thepany faces a crisis. Sure, they might be pleased this time, but they¡¯d get


    unhappy should our rewards fall short. Rebates are the best choice-a suitable reward since it would not


    lead them to expect too much while making sure that they felt valued.¡±


    ¡°I concur,¡± one of the board members promptly said once Sam finished.


    The other board members promptly echoed.


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised how sharp you are when ites to personnel management, Sam. Never underestimate


    the youth, as they say.¡±


    ¡°Good old Marvin finally has his sessor. Guess we¡¯re all worrying over nothing.¡±


    ¡°We should congratte himter. He¡¯s blessed to have raised a fine son.¡±


    Sam was actually embarrassed from all the ttery despite being thick-skinned, while Ryan was left


    ashen-faced.


    He was certainly aggrieved that all the board members were all fawning over Sam¡ªwhen did he


    be thempshade while Sam received all the des?!


    After the meeting, various departments went to work with the sales and promotion of the new energy


    cars.


    The project formally returned to the market in two weeks to an overwhelmingly positive response once


    it was announced.


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    All pre-orders were immediately taken, and Saunderia had to urgently increase the number of


    showrooms across the country.


    As some consumers even skipped the test drive and made direct purchases, the new energy cars


    immediately made record high sales figures. As they imed 60 percent of the automobile market, they


    were the undisputed top dog.


    Marvin got discharged by then-he had mostly recovered by then, but Lindsay remained concerned and


    insisted that he stay at the hospital a little longer. Even after he was discharged, she made him stay


    home to get some proper


    rest, forbidding him from going to work.


    He was not in a hurry to go to work either, as everything was going well with Saunderia under Sam¡¯s


    leadership.


    After over a month, he eventually got a little bored and went to his office with Lindsay.


    He entered to find in surprise that Ryan was sitting in there!


    Ryan rarely came by-he had applied for leave, iming he would work with Sam to help Saunderia


    through the crisis. Naturally, he rarely came by after his leave was over.


    Today, his unit just happened to have an outing to North City. He told them he would be staying for the


    weekend, and they did not insist otherwise as long as their research progress was not dyed.


    For Ryan¡¯s part, he was keen to see how things were at Saunderia-which only left him plenty


    aggrieved.


    It was rare for him to have that many days off, and all he managed was to bear witness of Sam¡¯s


    achievements.


    No one even mentioned Ryan after he left, as if he was never there!


    Feeling wounded, he threw himself on his chair as he told Peter Lang to brew him coffee while asking


    for recent financial reports.


    Just as he was about to start reading¡­

 Chapter 1413

    Chapter 1413


    Chapter 1413


    Sensing the office door open, Ryan snapped without looking up, ¡°Get out! Haven¡¯t you learned to


    knock?!¡±


    Marvin and Lindsay were at the door, and his outburst left their faces falling.


    They had always considered Ryan their pride, not to mention that he would always be the polite,


    obedient son when they were around.


    Naturally, his outburst left them in disbelief-even Marvin would not snap at his employees like that!


    On the other hand, sensing that they were not moving, Ryan snapped impatient, ¡°Do you not


    understand what I¡¯m-¡®


    He looked up, cutting himself short when he suddenly saw Marvin and Lindsay standing there with


    Peter behind them.


    Ryan¡¯s expression quickly changed, and a flicker of nervousness showed in his eyes.


    He was already frustrated, filled with pent-up stress by the improvement in Saunderia¡¯s finances and


    Sam¡¯s leadership. That was why he was venting those frustrations without knowing who it was.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Marvin asked as he strode inside.


    It was only then that Ryan realized he was seated on his father¡¯s chair.


    He had no idea Marvin would being¡ªhe even called Lindsay a few days ago, and she told him at


    the time that she would not be letting Marvin return to work so soon and insisted that Marvin rest a little


    longer.


    Quickly getting off the chair, Ryan said, ¡°I came to see if there¡¯s anything I can help with-l¡¯m worried


    about leaving Sam alone in charge of Saunderia.


    H


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Marvin growled, slightly cold toward Ryan just then.


    He walked straight toward his chair.


    Though Ryan promptly stepped aside, looking embarrassed, he merely stared at his chair and did not


    sit down, clearly feeling repulsed.


    Even if they were father and son, it was a known fact that people with power were less tolerant toward


    others taking their ce. After all, it was a challenge to his authority.


    And Ryan knew that, so he quickly exined, ¡°Since I came in a hurry, and Saunderia was busy with


    the crisis before, no one had time to get me an office. I was worried about imposing too, so I made do


    with your office.¡±


    Marvin¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly.


    Ryan was using his office and calling it ¡®made do¡¯?!


    The boy was really getting full of himself!


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re back, I won¡¯t have toe in anymore,¡± Ryan added then. ¡°Things are busy with my


    research, and progress is stagnating a little because I¡¯ve been applying for leave constantly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Marvin replied. ¡°You just stick to your work. Leave Saunderia to Sam.¡±


    Ryan was left staring at Marvin.


    Even if his career as a researcher was his choice, the way his father told him to leave Saunderia to


    Sam so naturally still left him a little upset.


    ¡°Sam¡¯s still young,¡± Ryan said nheless. ¡°He might get careless¡ªI think you should keep a close


    eye on him.¡±

 Chapter 1414

    Chapter 1414


    Chapter 1414


    Marvin¡¯s tone was a little cold. ¡°I know what to do with mypany. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    The way he said it was almost like he felt that Ryan was speaking out of turn, and Ryan could tell that


    much.


    So everyone was changing their opinion toward Sam just because he helped Saunderia through the


    crisis?


    From Ryan¡¯s perspective, it was just a fluke¡ªhe would never consider Sam significant!


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, he packed up his belongings and said, ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Ryan started to leave but paused at the doorway. ¡°I¡¯m staying over for the weekend since the unit is


    having an outing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Marvin replied. ¡¯Ask Mrs. Watson if there¡¯s anything you like.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s eyes shed coldly¡ªMrs. Watson was the housekeeper in Saunder Mansion.


    Whenever he returned before, the family would definitely go all out weing him home, preparing


    feasts and the like. Even Marvin himself would skip work just to see him!


    And now, they were treating him this coldly?! He was now inconsequential just because Sam was


    proving himself?!


    Ryan glowered as he left, and Lindsay could tell that he was upset even as he left.


    She wanted to say something to calm him down, but for some reason stayed silent instead.


    Walking toward Marvin, she sighed. ¡°I know we¡¯re happy that Sam has more than proven himself, but


    we shouldn¡¯t neglect Ryan just because of that. I did mention that we¡¯ve been unfair to Sam, but this is


    no reason to be unfair to Ryan¡ªwe should afford them equal treatment.¡±


    Marvin said nothing, but he was still miffed.


    Whatever the case might be, he was not even retired or incapacitated from old age. How could Ryan


    take his office and sit where he sat?!

 Chapter 1415

    Chapter 1415


    Chapter 1415


    Lindsay entered and said, "Good work, Sam and Quinn.¡±


    Both of them looked at them at the same time, only seeing her just then since they were busy with


    work.


    Sam was surprised. ¡°When did youe by, Mom?¡±


    "Your dad insisted oning, so I came with him.¡±


    "Dad''s here too?¡± Sam frowned.


    "He was persistent and I couldn''t stop him,¡± Linda said with a smile. "I told him that he only gets two


    hours, though. He''s leaving once the time is up.¡±


    "Is he feeling better?¡± Quinn asked in concern.


    "The doctors said he¡¯s mostly fine, but I''m still worried given the precedent.¡±


    "Yeah, he should rest more." Quinn nodded and quickly asked, "Would you like a drink? I''ll have my


    secretary bring it for you.¡±


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    "No, I just came to check on you," Lindsay said mildly. "I won''t impose either¡ªyou should get back to


    work.¡±


    When Quinn got up to walk with her, she stopped Quinn. "No, you can stay. I''m just sightseeing


    anyway. Also, you shoulde by tonight for dinner. It''s Marvin''s sixtieth birthday soon, and I''d like to


    make it a grander celebration to bring in more cheer, especially with your dad having a close shave


    recently.¡±


    "Yeah." Sam agreed.


    Quinn nodded. "I''ll have Sam leave work earlier too.¡±


    "Good. Don''t forget about it now¡ªI''ll have Mrs. Watson cook a feast.¡±


    "Yeah."


    Lindsay left cheerfully. She had certainly been fatigued, even short of getting depressed, with Marvin''s


    illness, Sam and Ryan''s constant bickering, and Saunderia.


    Thank goodness everything was going well now...


    As she turned to look at Sam and Quinn, she wondered if a child between them was possible now!


    It was the only thing on her to-do list at the moment.


    Around 5.30 PM, Quinn reminded Sam to get off work, since they had been working overtime


    constantly for a while now.


    After all, theypletely underestimated all the things that mighte up during the sale process.


    They had presumed things would ease up after securing the joint venture for the new energy cars, and


    they returned to the market.


    Since the new energy cars were a new enterprise, like anything else without a proper system, they


    needed time to explore, test, and summarize.


    In fact, Quinn had a feeling that they would still be busy for a long while.


    "Thirty minutes,¡± Sam said without looking up. "I need to put in a request for OA today or we''d be


    busier tomorrow.¡±


    While Sam could leave the task to his secretary, he was still not too familiar with allpany


    operations. That was why he took charge of OA regardless of how busy he was, and by handling it


    personally, he could quickly study variouspany operations.


    "Yeah," Quinn said, and quietly waited for him. She never expected that there would be a day when


    Sam would be that different, and she spaced out a little as she stared at him from the side...

 Chapter 1416

    Chapter 1416


    Chapter 1416


    When Sam was finished with work, he looked up to find


    Quinn staring at him fixedly.He blinked in return and said, "Quinn?"


    Quinn came to her senses, blushing right away as she got entranced from staring at Sam.


    While she never thought him good looking, she found him exceedingly handsome today.


    That chiseled cheek matched with his pronounced facial features... There was no hiding that masculine


    charm of his.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Could this be beauty in the eye of the beholder?!


    Quinn''s heart skipped a couple of beats, and she could feel it thump even as she pursed her lips.


    Not wanting to hide her feelings for Sam anymore, she mustered her courage to turn and meet his


    gaze.


    Sam could tell that she was acting weird as well¡ªeven the way she looked at him was different.


    He gulped without knowing.


    Heaven knows how much he wanted to rush up and take her into his arms and never let go.


    The air in the room seemed ame just then, until Sam''s phone suddenly started to ring.


    Both Sam and Quinn were startled.


    All their impulses and passion that threatened to leak ina split second suddenly evaporated, struck by


    the bolt from the blue.


    Quinn kept her head down and calmly packed her things from the table, subtlyposing the storm


    she felt inside.


    Beside her, Sam took a deep breath before answering Lindsay''s call. "Hey, Mom.¡±


    "Still working?¡± she asked mildly.


    "We''re just leaving.¡±


    "Then we''ll be waiting. Come back soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sam said, hanging up and turning to Quinn. "She''s telling us to hurry.¡±


    "Yeah." Quinn replied, picking up her back and leaving work with Sam.


    Naturally, things got awkward again as they got into their car.


    While everything was perfectly natural when they talked about work, they did not dare to look each


    other in the eye now.


    Quinn was staring out at the streets as she worked hard to calm herself, and Sam did the same too


    through the other window.


    No one would be able to tell that his heart was pounding¡ª his heart would race even if he sat with


    Quinn now.


    He swore under his breath¡ªhow the hell did he fall to her when he had been with endless women


    before?!


    He was basically getting weird around her and might even die of a heart attack someday!


    Nheless, their car soon reached Saunders Mansion, and they aligned consecutively.


    Sam walked ahead, intent on reining in his emotions.


    However, his heart would race whenever Quinn got close, and it was especially bad today!


    Still, just as they arrived into the drawing room, he suddenly felt a dainty warm hand taking his.


    Sam felt his chest throbbing and could lose his mind right then.


    He turned to find Quinn smiling at him without any exnation and leading him inside.

 Chapter 1417

    Chapter 1417


    Chapter 1417


    Sam stared at their interlocked fingers, his heart racing as warmth overflowed over his chest.


    He could not help tightening his grip, as if to respond after she took the initiative.


    Quinn smiled lightly as they entered, holding hands.


    Marvin and Lindsay were waiting on the porch.


    Ryan was there too, and he immediately saw Sam and Quinn holding hands.


    There was no hiding the rage in his eyes¡ªwas this a challenge?


    Were Sam and Quinn deliberately challenging him?!


    Lindsay and Marvin noticed that too and smiled happily since they really wanted Sam and Quinn''s


    marriage to improve!


    Lindsay greeted them eagerly. "Wee back. I''ll have the kitchen serve dinner.¡±


    "Okay." Sam nodded.


    Neither he nor Quinn let go, as they were all too keen to keep holding on to each other.


    In fact, Quinn never thought that holding hands would be this blissful.


    Still, as they sat down together with the family at the table,


    Sam would be peeking at Quinn on asion, and Quinn would return his gaze asionally. There was


    no hiding their affection even though they could not hold hands, and they could not help feeling


    embarrassed when their eyes met.


    Marvin and Lindsay were naturally beside themselves with joy¡ªonly Ryan was left scowling throughout


    and not eating at all, though no one seemed to care.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Lindsay was especially enthusiastic with Sam and Quinn, putting food on their tes as she said, "Eat


    as much as you like. It must''ve been a difficult time, so I had the kitchen prepare more of your


    favorites.¡±


    Marvin was actually striking up conversation with Sam too, mostly questions about work but hardly


    hiding his approval toward Sam.


    As the atmosphere at the table got lively, Ryan appeared to be an outsider.


    No one seemed to notice him if he did not speak up, and everyone waspletely ignoring him.


    Hence, as the dinner was over, everyone aside from Ryan was in a cheerful mood.


    Marvin and Lindsay had Sam and Quinn stay for a while, and


    Lindsay told them about the night''s agenda. "Your dad''s sixtieth birthday ising soon. I''d like to


    make it a lively asion."


    ¡°Sure.¡± Sam nodded. ¡°Whatever you like¡ªI''ll help as much as I can."


    "It''s on the thirteenth next month, so we have a month to prepare. It''s a little rushed, and I''m worried


    we''d be too busy if we invite too many...¡±


    "Things are calming down at the office, and there''s nothing important aside from proceedings,¡± Quinn


    said. "I could prepare for it with you.¡±


    "Wouldn''t I be imposing?¡± Lindsay asked in concern.


    "No¡ªSam can hold his own now, so I''m not that busy,¡± Quinn said, before turning to ask Sam. "Right?"


    "Yeah. You don''t have toe in punctually¡ªjust help Mom with Dad''s birthday.¡± Sam nodded.


    "Okay." Quinn nodded.


    Lindsay was even more happy to see them getting along so well and said earnestly then, "It''s our good


    fortune that Quinn would marry into our family. Be good to her, Sam¡ª she''s the best girl I''ve ever met.¡±


    "Y-Yeah," Sam stammered, embarrassed.


    Quinn was feeling a little awkward too.


    While things were obviously fine between them now, they had yet to really open their hearts to each


    other.


    Even after years of marriage, they were still at the flirting stage now and had yet to break the ice for


    love.


    "I mean, neither of you are young¡ªJohn Levine''s son is over ten years old now,¡± Lindsay said


    solemnly. "You should really think about having children now.¡±

 Chapter 1418

    Chapter 1418


    Chapter 1418


    Quinn blushed even harder. She had no idea how things stood between herself and Sam as of yet, but


    it was definitely not at the stage of having children.


    Sam was getting embarrassed too and quickly said, "You don''t have to worry about us¡ªwe get it.¡±


    ¡°I really think you don''t,¡± Lindsay huffed. ¡°Your children would be running around now if you did your


    job!¡±


    "Mom!" Sam cried, speechless. "Cut it out.¡±


    "Fine, I''ll stop¡ªbut I must warn you, Sam, you''re not getting a better woman if you lose Quinn. You''d


    be forever alone, regretting it for life!¡±


    "I know.¡± Sam snorted impatiently, but he was not arguing the point.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Nearby, Ryan was left glowering as he listened and suddenly got up to leave the drawing room.


    Everyone turned toward him because of his sudden departure, and Sam naturally knew what Ryan was


    upset about.


    He turned to nce at Quinn, who was staring as Ryan left. It was just a knee-jerk reaction and nothing


    else, and when she sensed Sam looking, she promptly turned back toward him.


    She met his gaze, as if telling him wordlessly that she had gotten over Ryan.


    Sam averted his eyes, but he was celebrating inwardly.


    She had really gotten over Ryan, had she not?!


    Marvin and Lindsay were surprised for a couple of seconds after Ryan left too but never mentioned


    him. They were mostly discussing Marvin''s birthday and urging Sam and


    Quinn to have children soon.


    Sam and Quinn headed home at 9 PM¡ªthey normally never headed home this early since they often


    worked overtime.


    As such, they would usually be exhausted and go to bed once they had taken their baths.


    Tonight, however,ing home early meant things got a little awkward.


    At some point they did not know, it had be embarrassing for them to be in each other''spany,


    even when they were looking in each other''s eyes.


    Still, feeling that they were being too quiet, Quinn began, "I''ll be going with your mom to help organize


    your dad''s birthday banquet, so I won''t be going to work with you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sam nodded.


    "Thepany is on the right track now, so don''t work overtime unless it''s important,¡± Quinn added.


    ¡°Your health matters.¡±


    "Yeah."


    And with that, they both fell silent again.


    Quinn sighed¡ªshe should just take her time with Sam. She thought that Sam was always better in


    courtship, so it could be just her. That was why she felt he was a little green when Sam was around


    her.


    Or maybe he just did not feel anything for her¡­ Rising from the couch, she said, "It''ste. I''m going


    back to my room¡ªyou should do the same.¡±


    "Quinn." Sam suddenly stopped her.


    "Yes?"


    "I..." Sam paused for a moment, before continuing "You said before that once we''re done with


    Saunderia''s crisis, we should really give our rtionship a serious thought."


    Quinn''s heart started racing right then¡ªshe thought Sam had forgotten about it, just as she was


    unsure how to bring it up.


    After all, she had the nagging feeling that he did not care much about them, and they were more


    comrades than anything else.


    Sam mustered his courage just then and said, "If you''ve really gotten over Ryan, we could... give us a


    try.¡±


    "Yeah." Quinn agreed to it without hesitation. Sam was actually surprised¡ªeven subtly delighted¡ªby


    her determination, though he did not expect her to say no when she suggested it herself.


    He took a sip of his drink to hide his excitement, concerned that he would scare her off if he made


    himself appear too obvious.

 Chapter 1419

    Chapter 1419


    Chapter 1419


    Sam was actually worried that he would celebrate too early and jinx it.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Looking at Sam just then, Quinn asked, ¡°Do you want to sleep together tonight?¡±


    ¡°Bleugh!¡± Sam spat out his drink.


    Quinn was left staring at him in disappointment. ¡°If you mind it, it¡¯s fine¡­¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t mind,¡± Sam blurted.


    Quinn was left stunned since he was clearly overreacting.


    Still, Sam quickly wiped his mouth and added, ¡°I don¡¯t mind sleeping with you.¡±


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go take a bath first,¡± Quinn said with a beam.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Shall we sleep in my room or yours?¡±


    ¡°Either¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Your room, then. It¡¯srger.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my bath now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Quinn said. ¡°You should too.¡±


    She flushed right then, since all adults knew what that meant.


    Sam gulped repeatedly, unable to control his feelings.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he murmured, his voice deep but shuddering-he almost could not repress his desire just then.


    He stared at Quinn until she finally returned to her room and breathed a huge sigh of relief.


    He was not getting the wrong idea, was he?! He was so nervous he could not breathe just now!


    Even as he wondered about what was going to happen, Sam¡¯s fingers trembled as he held his ss.


    He was acting just like a virgin on the cusp, even though he had been with countless women and was a


    master in courtship.


    Even so, his mind simply went nk because it was Quinn.


    Chugging his drink, he rushed to his room to take a bath.


    This was it-tonight, things would dramatically change between them!


    Sam actually took a long while to bathe, however-he used to finish up within minutes, but he rinsed


    himself repeatedly as if worried that he was not clean between the legs. His whole body was red as he


    showered endlessly with soap before finally leaving the bathroom to get into bed, where he waited for


    Quinn.


    He actually expected her to be in his room and waiting, but she took more time than he expected.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Come to think of it, she would be more nervous than he was.


    They had done it once before, though that asion pretty much did not count.


    This time, he would put on a good show without hurting her.


    The thought left him buoyed, and he was starting to get restless.


    Why was she not there yet?!


    He was restless and could not hold back his eagerness, though when he finally decided to go to


    Quinn¡¯s room, his door slowly opened.


    Quinn was dressed in pink pajamas, her cheeks flushed as she stood at the doorway.


    Sam stiffened the instant he saw her-there was just no controlling himself!


    As she gingerly walked up to him, Sam felt his whole body burning and had trouble breathing, while he


    could hardly think.


    When he realized what was happening, her dainty figure was already beneath him¡­

 Chapter 1420

    Chapter 1420


    Chapter 1420


    Sam clearly felt his own body shaking-and it was not only him, as Quinn was trembling beneath him


    too.


    He was really at the limit of his self-restraint and would have let loose before.


    He gently approached her even as she stiffened from head to toe, her fingers clenching nervously on


    the sheets and afraid to release it.


    She did not even realize how she ended up beneath Sam, only that his breathing was ragged and his


    heart pounding heavily like thunder.


    She was actually afraid to touch him, since she felt that he was dangerous just then.


    Nheless, he pressed his lips against hers, his heart thumping even more violently while she


    clenched harder on the sheets.


    Their minds went nk when their lips met.


    Unable to think, the tender sensation between them seemed to plunge straight into their buoyed spirits.


    So that was what a real kiss felt like.


    Quinn suddenly remembered the time Sam took her in the car, which was more like mating between


    base animals.


    On that asion, she felt humiliation instead of joy, the lead-while Sam was careful to not hurt her, her


    lips parted invitingly¡­


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Sam certainly could not resist the temptation and plunged within.


    The world seemed to turn quiet around them just then, with only the sound of their heartbeats


    intertwining.


    A long while passed-neither knew how long they were kissing each could be just as brief as a minute or


    as long as a century.


    They pulled away, their cheeks flushed.


    Sam had never been this clueless with intimacy-he actually had no idea what to do after kissing Quinn.


    All he could think about was how great that kiss was, and that he would like to keep kissing her for the


    entire night without letting her go¡­


    Hence, he leaned in to kiss her again, deeply and tirelessly.


    As time went on, Quinn felt like he was going to leave her lips swollen, but Sam seemed yet to have


    enough.


    All he felt was the mes inside him as he stared at her lips, and he started to lean in for another when


    Quinn finally stopped him.


    As Sam did a double take, Quinn whispered, ¡°There are other things to do¡­¡±


    She flushed up to her ears even after she said that. There was no way they would just stick to kissing


    the whole night, would they?!


    She presumed Sam to be masterful-even if she had watched videos to curry his favor, she thought she


    could rely on him tonight as well.


    Now, however, she actually found him less masterful than she thought, and the way he kissed her was


    actually amateurish.


    Was that because he had not done it for a while?


    To be fair, he had been busy with work for a long while. Quinn was at his side long constantly too, so


    she would know if he had been getting action.


    Sam naturally understood what Quinn was saying as well, though he only stuck with kissing to afford


    her time to think.


    He was really worried that she would regret this, and what was he supposed to do if she did?!


    Moreover, he knew very well that once they did it tonight, he would never let her go again.

 Chapter 1421

    Chapter 1421


    Chapter 1421


    Sam moved from Quinn¡¯s lips to her ears, which were flushed from embarrassment and burned at his


    touch.


    Quinn had never been tempted like this, since her only carnal experience was that one time with Sam


    in the car.


    There was no resisting his teasing now.


    She moved closer to him, nestling her head against his corbone, and rubbed herself against him¡­


    Sam almost broke under her seduction and made bolder moves as he clearly felt Quinn being receptive


    toward everything he was doing.


    The rest was history¡­ or would have been, until Sam suddenly stopped.


    Quinn felt her whole body ame and soft, and her head was empty as she was merely ying to


    Sam¡¯s tune.


    Finally realizing that he had stopped for a while, she opened her muddled eyes at him. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Sam slowly rxed himself, refraining from speaking in fear that his desires would get the better of


    him.


    ¡°Sam?¡± Quinn had no idea what was wrong with him and was left staring as he stayed silent and still.


    But he was so¡­ urgent just now and now remained stiff as he panted heavily¡­


    ¡°Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Quinn,¡± he finally spoke, his warm breath scalding her skin and triggering goosebumps.


    But everything was clearly going great! Why did Sam stop? Was she that uneptable to him?


    Why would he do it with other women but not her?!


    However, just as Quinn¡¯s tears welled up in her eyes and she was about to ask why, Sam spoke as if


    he was on the verge of falling apart. ¡°You¡¯re on your period.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Quinn was left gaping at him, so stunned she could not understand just then.


    ¡°Probably just started,¡± Sam added. ¡°You have bloodstains on your pants.¡±


    Quinn flushed as she came to her senses, this time from exasperation and not excitement.


    Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was supposed to have another two days until it started! Why now, of all times, did it have toe


    early?!


    She promptly leapt off bed, moving so quickly she almost fell over.


    Still, Sam saw that and quickly caught her.


    While her heart was still racing, he told her in concern,¡± Watch out.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn nodded, too embarrassed to look up again after she lowered her head.


    ¡°Put a pad on,¡± Sam reminded her. ¡°I¡¯d rather not have my bed turn into a river of blood.¡±


    Quinn nodded again, flushing even more obviously just then.


    As she left Sam¡¯s room, he sighed-heaven knows how bbergasted he was when he saw the redness


    on her panties.


    All the blood in his head was already heated up¡­


    He got up and headed to the bathroom just then-he needed a cold shower or he would not survive the


    night!


    When he was done and stepped out, Quinn was already outside, waiting in her pajamas.


    She met his gaze for a moment before hanging her head.

 Chapter 1422

    Chapter 1422


    Chapter 1422


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Quinn apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­ It came early this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded-he did not me her since she was not at fault.


    In fact, no one would know, and one could only me the heavens for being unfair.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He had been abstaining for her sake for three years, and when he finally thought it was finally time¡­


    Whatever, it did not matter.


    Sam sighed heavily, and Quinn thought he was disappointed in her and felt hurt.


    Even so, she mustered her courage and asked, ¡°Are we going to do it again?¡±


    Sam did a double take, and snapped loudly, ¡°Ya think?! We¡¯re doing it the instant it¡¯s over!¡±


    Quinn¡¯s sullen mood cleared up right then¡ªshe was so worried he would give up because of this!


    Having his assurance now, she quickly said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to my room. I shouldn¡¯t bother you from


    sleeping.¡±


    Before she could leave, Sam asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Back to my room.¡±


    ¡°You already came to mine, and you¡¯re going back


    Even if they could not do it right now, could they not just cuddle?!


    ¡°But I¡¯m on my period¡­¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Sam shot back.


    Quinn was left feeling awkward. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say we were going to wait? I¡¯d really rather not¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you take me for?! If I wanted it that badly, I would¡¯ve bled you dry!¡± Sam snorted grumpily.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯re sharing a bed from now on whether we¡¯re doing it or not.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ we¡¯re sleeping together from now on?¡±


    ¡°Are you saying no?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Quinn promptly shook her head-she


    The man certainly did not look the part!


    Still, he got into bed first andy on one side. ¡°Come here already. I¡¯m sleepy after all that mess.¡±


    Quinn did not hesitate andy down on the other side.


    As the lights were dimmed, she felt like there was a huge gap between them that could fit up to four


    people¡­ until Sam moved.


    As her heart skipped a beat, he pulled her into his arms.


    She stiffened all over. ¡°Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Rather you didn¡¯t roll off bed,¡± Sam snorted.


    Quinn stopped moving right then, keeping her back to him.


    As he towering form enveloped hers, she felt like she was curling within his arms.


    He held her so tightly there was not a spot where air could escape, and the night turned silent.


    Neither of them spoke, but Quinn could feel Sam¡¯s heart thumping from the back.


    Her heart was racing with an irregr pace as well.


    She suspected she was not going to fall asleep tonight either ¡ªnot when Sam had her in his arms like


    this.


    Still, she suddenly rxed as Sam¡¯s breathing turned rhythmic behind herself and gingerly turned to


    face him.


    She could see his handsome, chiseled face under the moon¡¯s glow.


    He was actually good-looking, though his hard features made him look a little fierce.


    When he smiled, he was exceedingly bewitching.


    Leaning in to kiss his lips, she whispered, ¡°I love you, Sam.¡±

 Chapter 1423

    Chapter 1423


    Chapter 1423


    And with those words, Quinn fell asleep contentedly in Sam¡¯s arms.


    She did not notice that beside her, the man opened his eyes and watched her sleep lovingly, his fingers


    trembling even as he caressed her hair¡­


    When Quinn opened her eyes the next day, she stared muddleheadedly at her unfamiliar surroundings.


    She eventually remembered that she was in Sam¡¯s bed, having done everything with him except the


    deed.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Her face went beet red¡ªshe thought she would never fall asleep in his arms since she was used to


    sleeping alone, and her heart would race whenever he was near.


    Despite her nerves, she fell asleep once she closed her eyes since she was too tired, and work had


    been taxing as ofte.


    She tentatively turned to find Sam still deeply asleep, and the way he looked waspletely different


    from usual. His brow was rxed, his visage mild and a lot less stern than when he opened his eyes.


    What was it that made him look so different when he was awake from when he was asleep?


    As Quinn stared at Sam¡¯s eyes, she decided that it was his gaze-it was piercing and inspired fear.


    Now, however, she did not fear him at all, whether he was asleep or awake.


    And while she would never kiss him on her own volition if he was awake, that was not the case when


    he was asleep.


    She leaned in, giving Sam a peck on his lips.


    Then, clearly not satisfied, she gave another¡­ and then some, until someone¡¯s phone started ringing.


    Quinn¡¯s lips were still on Sam¡¯s when she found his eyes open.


    As their eyes met, Quinn quickly tried to run just like a burr caught in the act, but Sam caught her


    and pinned her beneath himself, stopping her from moving.


    And though he just woke up, his eyes were exceedingly clear andcked any grogginess.


    As he stared at her fixedly, Quinn averted her eyes, unable to stand her ground-as mentioned, his eyes


    were so piercing she felt like a rabbit under crosshairs.


    ¡°Kiss and run? Really?¡± he suddenly rasped.


    Quinn did a double take and became flustered. ¡°You were pretending to sleep?¡±


    ¡°What, do you really think I wouldn¡¯t feel it when I¡¯m being molested?!¡±


    Quinn was embarrassed-who talked like that?


    Still, considering that he was aware of everything she did¡­


    How did he feel about that? Would he consider her a pervert?!


    Feeling the ground shrinking beneath her feet, Quinnined, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you push me away if


    you¡¯re up?¡±


    ¡°You want me to push you away?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Quinn trailed off in hesitation. ¡°At least don¡¯t tease me.¡±


    ¡°How was I teasing you?¡±


    ¡°Y-You could have woken up! You wanted me to embarrass myself, didn¡¯t you?!¡±

 Chapter 1424

    Chapter 1424


    Chapter 1424


    Sam snorted grumpily. ¡°I thought you¡¯re smart as awyer, Quinn. Did you use up your brains for work?


    Don¡¯t you understand how attraction works?¡±


    Quinn flushed¡ªit was his fault, and he had the cheek to tell her she was thickheaded?!


    Still, Sam snapped loudly just then, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious I¡¯d like you to keep kissing me?¡±


    As Quinn stared nkly at him, Sam sighed feebly. ¡°You bonehead. You really don¡¯t get it.¡±


    With that, he suddenly pressed his lips over hers, leaving her eyes widening.


    ¡°Umph¡­¡± She was starting to grow weak-where she was just pecking Sam on the lips, Sam was going


    deep¡­


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Their kisssted for who knows how long, and they seemed to be glued to each other even as the


    phone rang.


    Eventually, Sam released her reluctantly, her gaze distant as she was left muddled¡­


    ¡°Sh*t!¡± Sam suddenly cursed and forced himself out of the bed.


    As for Quinn, it was not until she heard the sshing from the bathroom that her head cleared.


    Still, she was surprised-she always thought herself rational.


    Since her parents¡¯ death and choosing the profession ofwyer, she always showed self-discipline and


    restraint, never rushing into things.


    And yet, she was now a changed woman because of Sam- she had reason to believe that she would


    not even know what hit her if he ran her down with a truck.


    Nheless, she got out of bed as well and returned to her room, since her pads were not there.


    After washing up and getting changed, she stepped out to find Sam in the living room as well and on


    the phone in the living room.


    She nced at the clock and realized that it was past nine.


    They had certainly been indulgentst night-for a while now, they would wake up around seven and


    leave for work at eight.


    Was Sam dealing with work now too?


    Even as Quinn made a mental note not to let loose again, she conceded that she was concerned that


    Sam would revert into that half-baked person he was before.


    Still, Sam was talking for a long while on the phone before finally putting it away to eat breakfast with


    her.


    ¡°Is it about work?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re really runningte-we should be more careful about the time next


    time.¡±


    Sam took a sip of his soup before shooting her a look.¡± You¡¯re saying like we actually did something.¡±


    Quinn flushed¡ªit was certainly her fault they did not.


    ¡°That was a call from the office,¡± Sam continued. ¡°But it¡¯s no big deal-we just need to drop byter.


    Don¡¯t worry¡­ I know what I¡¯m doing, and I¡¯d never put off anything important.¡±


    Still, he seemed to read her mind just then.


    She was really afraid he would stop being serious with work and rather he worked 24/7, did she not?!


    No one would even work ves that hard!


    Despite his displeasure, Sam did notin, just as he could keep this up if Quinn liked him when he


    was working¡­


    ¡°Oh, but that was Bob just now. Johnny and Cordy are returning after going missing for months, and


    they¡¯re inviting everyone for dinner. Are youing?¡±

 Chapter 1425

    Chapter 1425


    Chapter 1425


    ¡°Cordy¡¯s back?¡± Quinn was obviously excited. ¡°Of course I¡¯ming! It¡¯s been so long¡ªwe have to


    thank John and her for helping us so much this time.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well be having dinner at Jay¡¯s ce,¡± Sam said. ¡°He can¡¯t really move around much, and Zoe¡¯s


    pregnant-it¡¯ll be more convenient for them.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Just call me when you¡¯re leaving work¡ªI¡¯ll help your mom for your dad¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam nodded.


    After breakfast, they went their separate ways, with Quinn heading straight to Saunders Mansion.


    As soon as she entered the drawing room, she found Ryan seated alone at the couch.


    Naturally, she was obviously a little nervous about the sudden encounter, especially since they were


    alone.


    Ryan stared at her for a long while and eventually asked,¡± Are you here to see my mom?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded. ¡°Are you staying here?¡±


    ¡°What, you¡¯d rather I be gone?¡± Ryan scoffed.


    ¡°No, but you were always busy with work before,¡± Quinn exined.


    ¡°I was busy with my research before, but the research center is less busy these days with most


    agendas on the right track. If


    ¡°I see.¡± Quinn nodded again.


    Sensing how distant she was, he took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Sam?¡±


    ¡°At work.¡±


    Ryan frowned. ¡°On a Saturday?¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°There¡¯s still a lot going on at Saunderia, so it¡¯s six working days for the time being,¡± Quinn replied,


    though Sam had not been taking Sundays off for a while now either.


    Whenever he had time, he would be locking himself in his office to work.


    ¡°So he¡¯s a changed man.¡± Ryan sneered. ¡°Is that why you see him differently now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Quinn replied, shaking her head. ¡°You can never get a read on such things.¡±


    ¡®You can never get a read on such things, and you¡¯re knee deep in love before you know it.¡¯


    On the other hand, Ryan¡¯s eyes red with rage-she actually did fall for Sam!


    At this point, if he still believed that Quinn was with Sam out of a petty sense for retaliation, he would


    really be lying to himself!


    As the air stiffened in the silence, Lindsay appeared at the stairs.


    ¡°Oh, Quinn. You¡¯re here,¡± she called out warmly when she saw Quinn.


    ¡°Yes. Is everything ready?¡¯


    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s go,¡± Lindsay said, walking to Quinn¡¯s side and taking her hand.


    Having grown up with the Saunders, Quinn always was close with Lindsay, and they looked more like a


    happy pair of mother and daughter than inws.


    Nheless, Ryan suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ming along.¡±


    He then scowled, seeing that both Lindsay and Quinn appeared surprised. ¡°What, you don¡¯t want me


    around?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy?¡± Lindsay asked-in their minds, Ryan never had time.


    ¡°It¡¯s Dad¡¯s birthday. I have to do something even if I¡¯m busy,¡± Ryan replied. ¡°Also, I¡¯m here for the next


    couple of days-l¡¯m only going back to the capital on Monday.¡±


    Lindsay was hesitant, since she knew how things were between Quinn and Ryan.


    Ryan, however, did not give her the chance to refuse and turned toward Quinn. ¡°Your car keys.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Car keys-l¡¯m driving,¡± Ryan said slowly and clearly. ¡°You¡¯re a bad driver.¡±


    Quinn nced at Lindsay in turn, who ultimately nodded.


    They never said no to Ryan ever since he was a child, since they were all convinced of his tact and wit.


    He would never put them on the spot, which was why they grew to respect and tolerate him.


    And now, Lindsay could not say no no matter how much she wanted to.

 Chapter 1426

    Chapter 1426


    Chapter 1426 Once Quinn passed her keys to Ryan, the three of them headed out of Saunders


    Mansion.


    When Quinn was going to take the backseat, Ryan told her,"


    You¡¯re riding shotgun, Quinn."


    "I¡¯ll sit with your mom-"


    "I don¡¯t know my way around North City.


    Be my guide,"


    Ryan said, but there was an edge in his voice that did not permit refusal.


    "Use the satnav,"


    Lindsay said, bailing Quinn out right then."


    We¡¯re heading to Verdant Hotel-I¡¯ve already contacted the manager, and he will be waiting for us."


    Then, she also added, "Quinn, sit in the back with me.


    Let¡¯s chat."


    "Okay.1¡ä Quinn agreed to it right away, unable to hide a smile.


    Ryan was left glowering-so she was that happy that she did not have to sit with him?! Gritting his teeth,


    he got in the driver¡¯s seat, turned on the satnav, and started driving.


    Along the way, Lindsay said, "You must take me seriously what I told youst night, Quinn."


    "About what?"


    Quinn asked in confusion.


    "Having children with Sam."


    "Oh¡­ okay,"


    Quinn quickly replied.


    "Not just lip service-children don¡¯t grow on trees.


    It takes action,"


    Lindsay suddenly added bluntly.


    Quinn¡¯s face turned beet red.


    "I know¡­ Sam and I talked about itst night."


    "He said yes?"


    "He did."


    Quinn nodded.


    Lindsay smiled.


    "I guess that means I can have a proper break now."As Quinn nodded again, Lindsay was beside


    herself with joy and excitement.


    "Wonderful.


    I wanted to be a grandma so much."


    On the other hand, Ryan¡¯s fingers clenched on the steering wheel.


    He would never allow or ept Quinn having a child with Sam! Soon, they arrived at the Verdant Hotel,


    where they met the manager to discuss the details of the banquet.


    Ryan hated such asions, though it would be more precise to say that he despised socializing.


    Having been engrossed in his research efforts for years, he merely sat in a corner, idling.


    Still, he suddenly had an idea and whipped out his phone to take a selfie before taking photos of


    Lindsay and Quinn behind him.


    Since they were too busy speaking with the manager to notice that, he posted the photos online with


    the caption: [ Spending a rare holiday with the family.] He sneered once it was sent-he was convinced


    Sam would see it! Sam, however, did not-he was too busy with work to check social media.


    It was not until Bob called him that he realized they were having dinner at Jay¡¯s and remembered to call


    Quinn.


    However, it was Ryan who answered.


    "She¡¯s changing.


    Call backter."


    Sam naturally could tell that it was Ryan right away.


    "Why do you have her phone?"


    "Didn¡¯t you check Twitter? I thought you¡¯d see my post in the morning,"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Ryan said with deliberate ambiguity, keeping it short and hanging up right after.

 Chapter 1427

    Chapter 1427


    Chapter 1427 Meanwhile, after arranging the details of the banquet, Quinn stayed with Lindsay as they


    gave specifications to have Marvin¡¯s tailored tuxedo for his birthday banquet.


    Lindsay told Quinn to have a dress tailored as well, and Quinn left her phone on the table while she got


    changed.


    Quinn did not expect Ryan to answer Sam¡¯s call, and Ryan did not say anything when she returned.


    She never had the habit of checking her phone intermittently, not to mention that she was serious about


    picking clothes with Lindsay.


    Eventually, her phone rang again.


    Ryan reached for it again, seeing that it was Sam, but Quinn snatched it away before he could.


    While Ryan scowled a little, he soon felt glee at the thought that Sam probably saw his post.


    As such, he pretended to read a paper nonchntly while listening attentively to Quinn and Sam¡¯s call.


    Nheless, he scowled again as Quinn greeted Sam eagerly and happily like a couple passionately


    in love who were kept briefly apart.


    "Hey, Sam."


    "Still busy?"


    Sam asked.


    "We¡¯re trying out some clothes and discussing the details with the tailor,"


    Quinn replied enthusiastically.


    "I¡¯m trying out a dress myself¡ªI¡¯ll send a phototer."


    "Where are you? I¡¯ll be right there."


    "You¡¯re getting off work already?"


    Quinn asked, ncing at the time to see that it was just a little past four.


    "It¡¯s Saturday.


    Everyone should leave work if there¡¯s nothing urgent,"


    Sam pointed out.


    "And once things stabilize at Saunderia in a few days, we should be reverting to five working days."


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    "Yeah,"


    Quinn replied in agreement and told him where they were.


    She was smiling sweetly after hanging up before returning to Lindsay¡¯s side.


    Ryan was staring coolly as she left¡ªSam actually did not snap at her over the phone?! Did he not


    care?! Or perhaps he did not love her at all?! Meanwhile, Sam¡¯s knuckles were white as he clenched


    his fingers over his phone.


    He would be lying if he said that he did not mind the post Ryan staged and wanted nothing less than to


    slide Quinn into his pocket.


    He was terrified that someone would take her from him, especially Ryan, her old me.


    He did not even want to imagine Quinn choosing Ryan again -he would really lose it.


    However, he did not show his frustrations when he called Quinn, since he could not bear to take it out


    on her.


    Taking deep breaths and working hard to calm himself, Sam only had his chauffeur take him to Verdant


    Hotel when he had actuallyposed himself.


    He arrived to find Quinn in a green gown which suited her appearance and hugged her body to


    entuate her figure.


    Ryan was standing in front of her in a ck suit, which especially matched Quinn.


    When Sam gulped, Quinn noticed him through the full-length mirror, her faint smile turning dazzling


    right then.


    "Oh, you¡¯re here, Sam,"


    she said as she walked straight toward him,pletely ignoring Ryan as she appeared to have a look


    of utter expectation.


    "Do you think this looks good on me, Sam? Your mom wanted something more modest, so it¡¯s gowns


    for usdies and suits for you boys."


    "Yeah."


    Sam nodded, not particrly interested.


    It was already amazing that he did not lose it after seeing Quinn and Ryan looking so suited for each


    other!

 Chapter 1428

    Chapter 1428


    Chapter 1428


    Quinn did not mind Sam¡¯s coldness, however-she knew him well enough, and he certainly was not the


    type who would go shopping orment seriously while one shopped. If anything, it was outrageous


    that he woulde and sit around. ¡°Oh, hello, Sam,¡± Lindsay greeted him when she saw him.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking Quinn with me. We¡¯re having dinner with friends,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, sure. Young people should socialize more often-it¡¯s good,¡± Lindsay said cheerfully, having grown


    more tolerant of Sam these days.


    Before this, while she would not disapprove whenever Sam mentioned he was going out, she would


    make a face, indicating clearly that she did not like it.


    ¡°It¡¯s still early now. Come try out your suit,¡± she told him nheless.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re leaving now. Getting changed is too much effort¡­¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Now!¡± Lindsay snapped sternly.


    ¡°But I¡¯m tired after work¡­¡±


    ¡°It took Quinn a long while to pick this for you. Can¡¯t you put it on for your wife¡¯s sake?¡± Lindsay huffed,


    frustrated that Sam was still so dense when it came to courtship.


    Sam turned toward Quinn in turn, and she quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s just something I picked that I thought would


    suit you. Just try to see if it suits you-if you like it, I¡¯ll have it tailored to your size.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam replied tly.


    ¡°In case I don¡¯t like it.¡± No one seemed to notice his fingers shaking, as he was really astounded that


    Quinn would really pick something for him. He followed the staff to the changing room, and once he


    stepped out, everyone was eximing, ¡°Looking good, Mr. Saunders! The suit is made for you!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sam was skeptical. ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn quickly joined in.


    ¡°You really look good in it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Sam clearly smiled at her affirmation, even looking a little gleeful just then. ¡°Well, that¡¯s


    mostly thanks to my good looks and not the suit.¡± Quinn could not help giggling-he was still the


    narcissist he was. She went over and straightened his lopsided tie, and everyone around them was


    smiling as they watched their romantic gesture¡­ that was, everyone except Ryan, whose eyes were


    ring with rage. He was waiting for Quinn and Sam to start a fight, and instead, they were publicly


    unting their affection! Naturally, neither Sam nor Quinn noticed him shaking in frustration.


    In fact, while Quinn straightened Sam¡¯s necktie, she told him, ¡°The staff said that our clothes are from a


    couple¡¯s set.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sam could not tell. ¡°The trim on yourpels and the buttons sewn in are all dark green, see?


    The color matches my gown,¡± Quinn exined. Sam only noticed that just then, and had to admit that


    such subtle details were a delight.


    ¡°You like it?¡± Quinn asked him after fixing his necktie.


    ¡°More or less,¡± Sam replied. In reality, he could not wipe the smile off his face now. Though he thought


    Ryan and Quinn were a match earlier, it seemed that he and Quinn looked more like a couple nowin


    terms of their clothes, at least. That alone made that his win!

 Chapter 1429

    Chapter 1429


    Chapter 1429


    Sam was certainly easily satisfied


    Quinn just needed to throw him one candy, and he would be feeling the sweetness for the rest of life.


    Nearby, Lindsay was smiling knowingly as they continued their happy chatter. While she had been


    concerned about their marriage just now, it was now obvious that it was pointless. ¡°Sam, weren¡¯t you


    taking her for dinner?¡± Lindsay asked just then.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°You should go now that you¡¯re done trying on your clothes,¡± she said, stopping short of calling it a


    date. Either way, she obviously wanted them to spend time alone and properly fix their marriage.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Quinn asked. ¡°Ryan¡¯s with me,¡± Lindsay quickly said.


    ¡°I just need him to stay with me, and I¡¯ll be moving around to make further arrangements for my


    husband. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Ryan was clearly reluctant, but there was no way he could refuse after


    Lindsay said that much. Quinn naturally did not refuse either. ¡°I¡¯m leaving my car keys, then-Sam and I


    will get changed now.¡±


    After they did, they left together, holding hands and without even ncing Ryan¡¯s way. While Ryan


    red viciously as they left, his spite hardly concealed, Lindsay suddenly called out to him, ¡°Ryan.¡±


    Ryan promptly came to his senses andposed himself at that instant. Even so, Lindsay continued,


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how things were between you and Quinn back then, but it is reality that you missed out on


    each other. Things are going well for her and Sam now, so you should be giving them your blessing as


    the elder brother.¡±


    Ryan suddenly understood what Lindsay was getting at, but why should he?! Quinn was clearly in love


    with him before, whereas Sam was the third wheel!


    ¡°Your father and I have always been proud of you,¡± Lindsay added. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t disappoint us.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    And with those words, she left to get changed. Ryan was certainly mature enough to understand that


    as well -if he went further at that point, he would only cause disharmony in the family.


    Even so, he clenched his knuckles and repressed his rage. Why?! Why should he sacrifice himself for


    Sam¡¯s sake?! He never lost to Sam ever since they were children, and he was not about to start!


    Meanwhile, in Sam¡¯s car, Quinn was in a great mood. She never expected Sam to personallye to


    her and wondered if that meant his opinion of her was slowly changing.


    Even as she thought that, she kept her head down, fiddling with her phone to pass the time since she


    might giggle out loud otherwise. Sam would definitely make fun of her over that. Still, she paused as


    she absentmindedly pulled up her social media ount and saw the post Ryan uploaded along with


    the curious caption and photos. She turned toward Sam, seeing that he was keeping his eyes on the


    road as he drove and in a good mood. He was actually a little excited since it had been a while since


    he went drinking, and with his best friends at that. Still, Quinn wondered if he really was not upset


    about Ryan¡¯s post! He had to have seen it, but he did not even ask about it!

 Chapter 1430

    Chapter 1430


    Quinn gritted her teeth, braced herself, and asked, ¡°Sam, did you see Ryan¡¯s post?¡±


    Sam¡¯s fingers clenched on the steering wheel, his good mood suddenly ruined.


    He was just thinking he had the upper hand for the day¡­ and she had to rub salt into the wound


    instead!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you mind?¡¯ Quinn pressed.


    ¡°Nope,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s a normal post. There¡¯s nothing upsetting.¡±


    Quinn was left staring at him, disappointment showing in her eyes a little.


    Was he really not concerned that she would return to Ryan¡¯s side?!


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Fighting against her misery, Quinn said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, I¡¯m obligated to exin myself as your wife.


    Whatever happens, Ryan and I had a pure rtionship.¡±


    Sam¡¯s fingers clenched on the steering wheel again.


    Pure rtionship?! Really?! They obviously did it when¡­


    Sam stopped himself from thinking about it, since he was no saint either and had no right to demand


    anything from Quinn.


    Moreover, her love was pure while he was basically rotten and had a lot less reason to feel grievance.


    Nheless, Quinn exined, ¡°Ryan was the one who offered to go shopping with Lindsay, so we


    couldn¡¯t really refuse. However, I never spoke to him at all and kept our distance-ask your mom if you


    don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat, surprised Quinn would go out of her way to exin so much for him.


    Was she that concerned about how he felt?!


    ¡®Oh, hell.¡¯


    Sam had to keep his breathing steady and his eyes focused ahead, since he thought he was getting


    too excited to drive!


    At the same time, Quinn assured him, ¡°Since I chose to be with you, I¡¯ll do so with all my heart. I won¡¯t


    do you wrong.¡±


    Sam did not seem to react too much, and there was nothing on his face.


    She knew it¡ªhe really did not mind.


    But whatever the case might be, she had done what she should -this at least meant they would not


    argue over some tiny misunderstanding.


    But while Quinn reclined against her seat, feeling a little distracted, Sam suddenly said, ¡°I won¡¯t either.¡±


    When Quinn thought she was hearing things, Sam repeated,¡± I mean, I won¡¯t do you wrong too.¡±


    Quinn could not help smiling at that, feeling pumped and invigorated.


    Whether Sam took offense to Ryan¡¯s post or not, Sam gave her a promise.


    That allowed her to harbor hope for their future¡­


    When they arrived at Jay and Zoe¡¯s home, Cordy and John were already sitting in the living room.


    Quinn certainly missed the newlyweds who had been out on their honeymoon for so long-she missed


    Zoe too and was excited to see her again after a long while.


    ¡®Zoe! Your belly¡¯s really swelling!¡± she eximed in surprise, while John, Jay, Sam, and Bob headed


    over to another corner, letting thedies have their chit-chat.


    ¡°Urgh, it¡¯s just frustrating to even mention it.¡± Zoe snorted, speechless. ¡°I¡¯m just five months pregnant,


    but my stomach¡¯s a lot bigger than when I had Yelena. How much bigger would it get? Can I really


    recover my figure when I¡¯m done?¡±


    ¡°Of course you can,¡± Quinn assured her.


    After spending some time having small talk with Zoe, she turned toward Cordy and asked warmly, ¡°So,


    what took you so long?¡±


    ¡°Not my fault. Someone really didn¡¯t want to leave.¡± Cordy sighed exasperatedly.


    ¡°Come on, Cordy. You¡¯ve kept the man abstinent for how long now?¡± Zoe smiled mischievously then.


    ¡°Now that he has the legal right and privilege, he¡¯s not going to rest until he has his satisfaction!¡±

 Chapter 1431

    Chapter 1431


    Chapter 1431


    Cordy was left blushing due to Zoe¡¯s words, since thetter was clearly right on the money.


    ¡°See? I know the man¡ªhe¡¯s always kept his passionate side bottled,¡± Zoe said smugly. ¡°The man


    might look cold, but he really lets loose when it¡¯s the one he loves. You¡¯re going to see even more


    action from now on!¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Zoe.¡± Cordy was at a loss for words. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant. Babies start learning even in the


    womb.¡±


    ¡°Who cares about a b of meat.¡±


    Who on earth calls a baby a b of meat?!


    Still, Zoe turned toward Quinn just then. ¡°So, what have you been busy withtely? It takes you days to


    reply to a text.¡±


    Zoe was certainly fuming-pregnancy was already boring, and what made it worse was Jay stopping her


    from doing everything!


    She felt like she would waste away!


    ¡°Things have been busy with Saunderia,¡± Quinn exined.¡± There were operational issues that almost


    led to a


    bankruptcy, so Sam and I were busy for a while.¡±


    ¡°Did you just say Sam?¡± Zoe asked skeptically. ¡°He¡¯s working?¡±


    ¡°You should change your opinion on him now.¡± Quinn


    smiled. ¡°He¡¯s a changed man, and not perpetually goofing off like before. It¡¯s all thanks to him that


    Saunderia was brought back from the brink.¡±


    Turning toward Cordy then, Quinn was grateful even as she continued, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s all thanks to


    Cordy and John as well. Thank you so much-l¡¯m really afraid to think about what would¡¯ve happened if


    you didn¡¯t go all out helping us!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really.¡± Cordy shrugged nonchntly. ¡°Still, John did tell me how much Sam changed-he


    would call sometimeste in the night, when we¡¯re both asleep, just to ask John if there were issues


    with his policies. He¡¯s really been working hard.¡±


    ¡°Wait, he really changed?¡± Zoe eximed, naturally trusting Cordy.


    Turning toward Quinn, Zoe demanded, ¡°Hold on, did you whip him into shape?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me too much credit.¡± Quinn smiled. ¡°I think he¡¯s at that age where he¡¯de around.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Why am I getting this feeling you¡¯re really into him right now?¡± Zoe asked, sharply catching


    Quinn blushing and nodding in understanding. ¡°Be honest-is your marriage improving by leaps and


    bounds? Right?! If he¡¯s changed, I think you can really stick with him. At least he¡¯s loyal, and to be


    honest, I think he¡¯s better than Sam.¡± 1


    ¡°Wait, really?¡± Quinn frowned-Zoe really thought that?!


    She never said that before, though it was not just her either since everyone believed that Ryan was


    much better than


    Sam.


    The whole world would always say that there was a world of difference between the two Saunders


    children, and everyone knew who that meant.


    ¡°I mean, I used to belittle him because he¡¯s a scumbag who cheats even when he¡¯s married!¡± Zoe


    admitted. ¡°I mean, a little hanky-panky before getting married is fine, but it¡¯s moral corruption if


    continued afterward! That didn¡¯t sit well with me, but the rest of him is fine.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Quinn felt warmth inside-she might get angry if it were anyone else badmouthing Sam, but she could


    allow Zoe to do it.


    Zoe was Quinn¡¯s best friend, and her approval was what Quinn wanted most.


    In fact, Quinn was concerned Zoe would disparage Sam, which was why she kept secret that things


    were going great with Sam. The man did hurt her too much before, after all.


    At the same time, Zoe added smugly, ¡°Also, anyone Johnny appreciates wouldn¡¯t fall short!¡±


    She was really a yes-woman when it came to John-from her perspective, anything he would say would


    definitely be right.


    That was when Zoe added, ¡°On the other hand, when I met Ryan back when we were kids, he was


    already so vain.¡±


    Quinn did a double take, not because Zoe was badmouthing Ryan, but instead because the word ¡®vain¡¯


    was quite simply a wake-up call!

 Chapter 1432

    Chapter 1432


    Chapter 1432


    Quinn certainly never knew what it was about Ryan that irked her.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    His sess certainly could not be denied-he was the best of the best, and even the nation wanted his


    service.


    It was not as if he was unmatched, but he appeared haughty nheless.


    He belittled businessmen, considering them greedy and money-grubbing-that was why he was told his


    parents that he would not inherit the family business.


    And when he socialized, he would only be flexing his knowledge, demonstrating his excellence almost


    by reflex.


    When one put all those into consideration, the man was certainly vain¡ªso much so that Quinn got sick


    of it now.


    At the same time, Zoe borated on the various traumas Ryan left her with. ¡°I mean, he refused to join


    us when we were ying as children, but he would stay nearby, making sure we could see him


    practicing programming on his phone. When we watch variety shows, he¡¯d say they were fake and only


    people with low IQ would like them. Even when we¡¯re having snacks, he would tell us he never once


    ate any because snacks affect our intelligence¡­¡±


    Naturally, Zoe was also less vulnerable to pick-up artist moves unlike Quinn, and she actually


    wondered for the longest time if there was something wrong with Ryan.


    Honestly, did all the book-reading left him with a warped personality?


    ¡°Whatever, forget him.¡± Zoe gave up soon enough. ¡°Ryan is past tense now-just stick with Sam from


    now on.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn nodded, having lost all interest in the man too.


    The women moved to the huge dining table as the housemaid informed them that dinner was ready.


    Yelena and Richard were there, and Richard proved to be tsundere like his father, constantly doting on


    Yelena despite his aloof appearance. Naturally, that only applied to people he acknowledged.


    Zoe was left sighing emotionally even as she watched Richard. ¡°It¡¯d hurt whoever marries my dear


    Yelena.¡±


    ¡°Really? Even Cordy hasn¡¯t even said a word,¡± Sam teased her.


    ¡°She¡¯s not going to hurt when she¡¯s getting a daughter, while I¡¯ve always treated Dicky as my son-in-


    law!¡± Zoe groaned. ¡°It hurts that he¡¯s a Levine!¡±


    Samughed. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s no big deal. I can get you a son-in-w-what¡¯s your type? I¡¯ll do my best!¡±


    ¡°Oh, already made ns with Quinn, huh?¡± Zoe teased. ¡°You never mentioned that, Quinn!¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s lying. Don¡¯t listen to him.¡± Quinn tried to maintain her innocence, blushing.


    ¡°What do you mean lying? You¡¯re the one who took chargest night,¡± Sam said brazenly right then.


    As everyone around the table turned toward Quinn right then, she felt like she could die!

 Chapter 1433

    Chapter 1433


    Chapter 1433


    "Oh, I didn''t know things were going that fast!" Zoe teased.


    "Quinn''s taking charge? Not bad, Sam!"


    Sam was usually quite the tsundere, but since there was no reason to pretend around friends, he said


    smugly, "Can''t help being handsome.¡±


    "Shut it.¡± Zoe snorted, speechless.


    As everyone around the table had a jovial time, Zoe had enough.


    Her greatest tribtion now that she was pregnant was not being allowed to drink.


    And being the life of the party, she wanted everyone to do it!


    "Cordy? Quinn? Why aren''t you drinking?!¡± she demanded.


    "Cordy can''t drink,¡± John replied.


    "Not today!" Sam answered at the same time.


    Zoe stared at them, perplexed. "Wait, are both of them pregnant?!¡±


    "I''m not,¡± Quinn promptly said.


    "Then why can''t you drink?¡±


    "She''s on her period,¡± Sam said bluntly.


    "Oh, when did you learn to be so caring, Sam?" Zoe teased. ¡±


    Stopping Quinn from drinking just because she''s on her period... I wouldn''t have known you improved


    that much!"


    Sam beamed¡ªhe was certainly in good spirits.


    Done interrogating Quinn just then, Zoe turned toward John, still clearly upset. "So? Why isn''t Cordy


    allowed to drink?¡±


    "No means no.¡±


    "Wait, is she on her period too?¡± Zoe frowned¡ªthat was too much of a coincidence!


    Cordy blushed in turn, pursing her lips and clearly embarrassed just then.


    "Don''t bother." John refused to talk anyway.


    "Hold on, is she sick?! You''re scaring me, Cordy! What''s wrong?!" Zoe appeared worried as if Cordy


    had some terminal illness!


    Even John was speechless. "What are you thinking? Why would she be sick?¡±


    "Then why isn''t she allowed to drink?" Zoe demanded.


    John pursed his lips and turned toward Cordy, his gaze clearly mild.


    Zoe noticed that too and was left marveling at how much he pampered Cordy.


    Honestly, the man would put Cordy before everyone else!


    "Something''s fishy.¡± Zoe smiled sly just then.


    Cordy took a deep breath and finally admitted, ¡°I''m pregnant.


    "What?!" Zoe was shocked, along with everyone else.


    Jokes aside, it was still surprising that Cordy was really pregnant.


    So they were doing that while on their honeymoon?!


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    John was left speechless again. "What''s so surprising? We''re both healthy people and that could


    happen at any moment!¡±


    Zoe was speechless too. "Then why didn''t you just say it earlier?"


    ¡°It''s been less than three months," he exined.


    Zoe was actually shocked. ¡°What, are you worried it''s a false rm or something?¡±


    "Shut it,¡± John growled grumpily. "Just don''t tell anyone else.¡±


    "Fine," Zoe huffed, though she soon came to a realization. * Wait, is that why you''re finally back?


    Because Cordy''s pregnant?! Is it possible you might not havee back at all otherwise?!¡±


    John did not deny it, just as Cordy could not.


    If she had not suddenly remembered that her period was runningte for a long while and used a test


    kit despite her apprehension, they might really not have returned.


    In fact, every time she suggested the idea, John would just tell her that it was still too early...

 Chapter 1434

    Chapter 1434


    Chapter 1434


    "Congrattions!"


    Jay quickly said, worried that his wife would blurt something astounding again.


    The others promptly congratted John and Cordy as well, while Bob could not help teasing,


    "Impressive, Johnny¡ªit''s been a while, but you still got it! Sam, on the other hand, hasn''t had much


    luck even after all these years.I''m starting to wonder if there are issues..."


    "Shut your trap!" Sam huffed.


    "I''m fit as a fiddle!"


    "Really?"


    Bob raised a brow in contempt.


    "Shut it!"


    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.


    Sam snorted, speechless.


    "You''re one to talk, still single after all these years! I at least have a wife, while you have nothing!"


    "What?! Bob was dumbstruck.


    "You''re the worst off among us four," Sam added.


    Bob could have a stroke right then.


    "Shut up and drink! I won''t rest until you''re drunk!"


    "We don''t know who''d be thest one standing!"


    The others ignore the two men, who were in their thirties but as petty as children.


    They were used to it anyway.


    As Zoe calmed down as well, she could not help asking Cordy softly, "So, Johnny wasn''t using


    protection?"


    "What?"


    Cordy was left dumbstruck.


    "I mean, he''s not nning to have children so soon, is he? There''s no way he''d want to lose his perks


    so soon,"


    Zoe pointed out.


    It was why Zoe did not think of the possibility that Cordy was pregnant, since she knew John enough


    that he would want to make itst as long as he could.


    Just a couple of months would certainly be a huge loss to the man! Cordy blushed again.


    That was why she was puzzled during their honeymoon¡ª John would use protection everytime, no


    matter how much he wanted otherwise.


    But now that they were legitimately married, there was no issue with having children.


    Cordy herself had asked Richard too, and the boy was supportive, even saying he was fine with either


    a brother or a sister.


    As such, she had no idea what the devil John was up to, and she eventually gave in to her curiosity


    and asked.


    Naturally, John admitted that he wanted to enjoy it as long as itsted, just as Zoe had put it.


    Cordy, however, had no idea when John would have enough, and so did something indescribable


    which led to her pregnancy.


    "Wait, did you...?!"


    Zoe teased.


    "Stop it.Anyway, this is how it is now," Cordy said, blushing.


    Zoe had an idea since there were things between spouses one should avoid mentioning.


    "So, how are you feeling? Is your morning sickness terrible?"


    "Not really," Cordy replied.


    "I''d feel a little nauseated when I rinse my mouth in the mornings, but aside from that, it''s nothing


    serious¡ªI can eat and drink as appropriate.It''s no different from when I had Dicky, though that was a


    while ago and I don''t remember much."

 Chapter 1435

    Chapter 1435


    Chapter 1435 "Oh, that''s way different from when I had Yelena," Zoe said.


    "I heard it differs with gender," Cordy replied.


    "IT wouldn''t know." ¡°Haven''t you checked?" Cordy asked.


    "Of course I have." Zoe was certainly eager to find out if it was a boy or a girl, being as impatient as


    she was.


    "But the doctors keep telling me the same thing every time and refuse to tell me.


    It''s killing me!" "Haha!" Cordyughed ¡ªshe could imagine how hrious Zoe''s reaction would be on


    each asion.


    "So, which would you rather have¡ªa boy or a girl?" Cordy asked.


    ¡°What do you think? A boy, of course," Zoe admitted, blunt as ever.


    Cordy frowned.


    "Are you being sexist here?" "Who, me?" Zoe huffed indignantly.


    "No, it''s Jay¡ªdon''t you see how frustrating it gets? I have to watch him pamper Yelena every day! I


    should at least put someone in the equation to drive a wedge there." Cordy could not help smiling.


    She knew it¡ª Zoe was just made different.


    "Well, even if I don''t know the gender, it feels like a girl somehow.


    " Zoe sighed.


    ¡°They do say pregnant women have sharper intuition." "Yet another rival, huh?" Zoe sighed again.


    "Maybe Jay''s phndering too much in hisst life and they are alling for him in this life." "Haha!"


    Cordyughed.


    "Stop fantasizing already." Beside her, Quinn wasughing herself silly too.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°Anyway, what do you think about yours? And which would you prefer?" Zoe asked Cordy then."


    "Either''s fine, but there''s a little part of me that wishes for a girl," Cordy admitted.


    "Absolutely not.


    Johnny''s going totch on to her 24/7, and he''d be way worse than Jay.


    Also, you and John are so good - looking she''d be a proper beauty too, and Johnny would pamper her


    as hard as he could." Cordy was at a loss for words, but despite her reservations about Zoe, she felt


    like Zoe was right.


    "Well, it''s not like we can decide anyway.


    It''s all up to fate now." Zoe sighed.


    Cordy nodded and stopped dwelling on the issue.


    While she would like to know the gender of her child as well, she was not particrly obsessed since


    their health was more important.


    On the other hand, while John obviously appeared disappointed after learning she was pregnant, he


    was a different man the next day.


    In fact, he now cared so much about their baby that he would not even let her walk, saying that it was


    too much vibration and would concuss their daughter¡ª inadvertently letting on that he wanted a girl.


    When they returned, she also stumbled on him shopping for baby dresses on his phone with a goofy


    smile.


    The thought still gave her the creeps now.


    Still, she was more sensitive than Zoe and turned toward Quinn, asking, ''We''re not boring you, are


    we?" After the two children quickly finished dinner and made themselves scarce, the men and women


    around the table were each engrossed with their conversations.


    Cordy was naturally concerned that talking about children with Zoe would leave Quinn feeling left out.


    "No, of course not," Quinn quickly replied nheless.


    "I actually would like to know more, so I have some knowledge when I have my own children."

 Chapter 1436

    Chapter 1436


    "Oh, so Quinn''s getting ready," Zoe teased.


    Quinn smiled shyly, while Cordy said, "You should n sooner if you''re sure, Quinn.


    Don''t hesitate." "Yeah, I know." On the other hand, Zoe felt that they had to drink something to make it


    a proper dinner.


    "Since we''re not boozing given our unique circumstances, let''s stick to water.


    Here''s to our..." She paused for a moment before continuing.


    "Smooth delivery? Though there''s no telling when Quinn will get down to business!" "Then let''s drink to


    our wishesing true," Cordy offered.


    "You''re ready for the cultured one, Cordy," Zoe giggled.


    "May our wishese true, and may we stay as besties for life, even until our teeth fall off!" Cordy and


    Quinn raised their sses, genuinely feeling fortunate that they could meet such loyal friends they


    share so much inmon with.


    The dinnersted for quite a while, and the men boozed much longer than that.


    Cordy, Zoe, and Quinn left the table, heading to the living room to watch TV and chat.


    There was no sense of distance between them despite being apart for so long, and they seemed to


    have endless things to talk about.


    It was the same for the four men at the dining table as well, even as they boozed and took turns going


    to the washroom.


    They seemed to be bent on not leaving until they got drunk.


    As it gotte, John was the first one to fall.


    His face was beet red and he could not walk steadily unless Richard helped him.


    Cordy never saw John that drunk, but he probably let loose a little since it was some time since he met


    all his friends.


    She was not upset either¡ªit waste, but she could still keep chatting with Zoe and Quinn.


    If anything, she was reluctant to leave too.


    Nheless, after they helped John into the car with considerable difficulty, John was suddenly wide


    awake.


    Cordy was left gaping at his reaction.


    "You''re sober already?" John smiled.


    "Of course not." ¡°Then, you were pretending?!" Cordy saw through him right then.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Do you think those monkeys would let me go otherwise?" "It''s fine.


    You can hang out with them a little longer..." "That won''t do," John rejected the idea right away.


    "It''ste, and the bundle in your belly needs to sleep.


    Rising early is good for your health and your skin too." ''_..Fine, you win.'' After John left, Jay was


    floored too.


    Zoe had no choice but to help him back to his room, and she had never seen him so drunk.


    He was basically unconscious and would not wake no matter how hard she tried.


    She could not carry him either, so it was Sam who wheeled Jay into his room and helped him on the


    bed.


    When Zoe started to take off Jay''s shirt, however, the door suddenly closed.


    Zoe promptly turned to find Sam approaching and cried out in shock, "What are you doing, Sam


    Saunders?! Don''t think you can do anything to me just because Jay''s drunk¡ª" ¡°How low is your


    opinion of me, Zoe?! What do you take me for?" Sam snapped grumpily right then.


    Zoe was speechless.


    "Then why did you lock the door? We''re alone in here." "T need to talk to you." ¡°To me?" Zoe was left


    staring at Sam.

 Chapter 1437

    Chapter 1437


    Should he not be talking to Jay instead?! "Don''tugh at me," Sam said.


    "Then tell me what it is." Zoe replied.


    Sam did not hesitate to say it right then, ''''I want to propose to Quinn." Zoe was left staring at him, her


    jaw dropped.


    What was that? Sam wanted to propose to Quinn?! Was the sun rising from the west?! Still, her


    reaction left Sam annoyed.


    "Could you not react like that? Why can''t I propose to her?" Zoe promptly closed her mouth and asked,


    "Are you serious?" "Isn''t it obvious?" ¡°Are you really going to settle down with Quinn?" "Really." "You''re


    not going to mess around with other women?" Zoe asked, skeptical.


    "Nope." "Promise me." "How?!" "Though so.


    Men are all cheaters and liars," Zoe snorted ¡ª making it clear that whatever he said was pointless.


    Sam inhaled deeply right then and mustered his courage to finally say, "I''ve never had a woman after


    getting out of jail." "What?" "To be precise, I never had a woman ever since I identally did it with


    Quinn." "For real?!" ¡°Why would I lie to you?" Sam growled grumpily.


    "Then swear it.


    No cheating, or you can''t even get a woody." Sam was left staring at Zoe¡ªhow vicious could she be?


    ¡°What, are you scared?" Zoe asked.


    "I swear by my woody that it''s the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." ¡°Well done, Sam!"


    Zoe was instantly excited.


    "You''ve really turned over a new leaf!" "Save it.


    Right now, I want to propose to Quinn.


    You know the circumstances of our wedding, so I''ll put together one that actually belongs to her." "Like


    you should''ve long ago." Sam ignored that, though he was starting to get a little embarrassed.


    "Anyway, I want you to help me n things.


    You know I''m a brute and don''t know much about romance...


    though I''m nning to do that on my dad''s birthday." ¡°What do you mean you aren''t romantic? I think


    you''re plenty romantic," Zoe said, already having a better opinion of him.


    "That said, I don''t have anything for you when you''re asking me this out of the blue.


    There''s still a few days though, so leave it to me and I''ll get it properly done." "That''s a promise," Sam


    said, raising a palm.


    Zoe gave him a high five but told him, "You don''t get to ck off, though.


    This is your proposal, so you must put all your heart into it.


    I''m just giving suggestions and ideas¡ª you''re the one doing it." "Sure," Sam replied¡ªhe just wanted


    advice, since he was worried Quinn would not like what he prepared for her.


    "I''ll have Cordy join us when the timees.


    She''s sharper and better with the details." "T have a condition..." "A condition? When you''re the one


    asking me to help?" Zoe was speechless¡ªthe man really did not hold back.All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''d rather the boys don''t know." "What?" "Look, I have my dignity too, okay?" Sam blushed, and there


    was no telling if it was from the alcohol or embarrassment.


    Zoe could not help giggling.


    "Fine, I won''t tell them." ¡°Thank you.¡± Zoe nodded, actually feeling excited about the whole thing.


    She had just been feeling bored, and now there was something to do.


    Sam was speechless.


    ¡°I''m going now," he said as he strode off.


    "Bob''s going to get himself killed from alcohol if he doesn''t get a wife soon!"

 Chapter 1438

    Chapter 1438


    After Sam left, Zoe was about to head to the washroom to bring Jay a wet towel when the man


    suddenly sat up on bed.


    ¡°Zoe,¡± he called out.


    ¡®You¡¯re up? Does it hurt? You drank a lot,¡± Zoe asked in concern.


    ¡°Nope. I was never drunk,¡± Jay replied.


    Zoe gaped. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡®Of course.¡±


    ¡®Then you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jay admitted.


    ¡°You¡¯re ruthless, you know that? It¡¯s your brother from another mother out there.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to take care of you if I¡¯m drunk?¡± Jay said as if it was only natural. ¡°Your belly is swelling,


    y¡¯know.¡±


    Zoe stroked her own stomach just then, feeling touched. ¡°You did that for me?¡±


    ¡°Why else would I do it?¡±


    Feeling warm in her heart, Zoe said, ¡°Once I squeeze this one out, I¡¯ll get properly drunk with your


    friends.¡±


    Jay was left speechless.


    Sam and Bob were drinking happily in the living room.


    Quinn did not hurry them and killed time watching TV on the couch.


    With Cordy leaving and Zoe taking care of Jay, she had no idea how long Sam and Bob were drinking.


    If anything, they seemed intent on getting drunk.


    Still, Quinn was going to pick a movie when Bob called out with a muffled voice, ¡°Quinn, I think your


    man¡¯s drunk!¡±


    Quinn promptly put down the remote control and headed to the dining room to find Sam lying sprawled


    over the table, mumbling, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk¡­


    I can still drink. Bob¡­ I¡¯ll leave you floored or else¡­ Burp.¡±


    As Sam burped loudly, Bob chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re done, brother! You¡¯re not drinking anymore in that state-


    try again in ten years!¡±


    ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± Sam eximed and pushed himself up to stand.


    However, he fell back as soon as he did and had to squint to look for his beer mug.


    ¡°You¡¯re done, Sam. Let¡¯s get you home.¡± Quinn quickly stopped Sam and had to work hard to help Sam


    to his feet.


    Turning to Bob in concern, she asked, ¡°Are you leaving, Bob? Would you like toe with US?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine-l can get home on my own. Just help Sam get home.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll be going now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    With that, Quinn started to help Sam out of the apartment.


    However, when she finally got out of Zoe¡¯s house with considerable difficulty and closed the door, Sam


    suddenly straightened.


    Quinn gaped at him in surprise. ¡°What are you doing, Sam? You can¡¯t pee here!¡±


    ¡°Do I look that uncivilized to you?!¡± he snapped right then.


    Quinn did a double take-he was perfectly sober, apletely different man from the man who had


    drunk himself silly!


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk,¡± Sam exined just then. ¡°It¡¯s Bob. He wouldn¡¯t let me go otherwise.¡±


    Quinn raised a brow-was this really alright?!


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Sam shrugged nonchntly. ¡°He¡¯s single-he can drink all he wants. I¡¯m spoken for, so I should show


    some restraint.


    Quinn was actually shocked-did he just say that he was spoken for and should therefore show


    restraint?


    Was he really changing for her sake?


    However, Quinn did not dare press the issue-there was something nice about an undefined rtionship


    too.


    After his three best friends left consecutively, Bob was left nursing half a bottle of beer on his own.

 Chapter 1439

    Chapter 1439


    Chapter 1439


    The more Bob drank, the more he sensed that something was wrong.


    When did those three get so bad with alcohol? Were they really cutting down on their drinking so


    much?


    Feeling tipsy, he rose to his feet.


    Though he was wobbling a little, he was able to get home on his own since he was not fully drunk.


    He took a couple steps and hesitated for a moment before leaving directly ¡ªhe should have stopped


    imposing on Zoe long ago.


    He had no idea if he had gotten over her, but one way or another, it no longer hurt now that he got


    numb to it.


    Wobbling away, he got a cab and left.


    When he returned home, he took a bath and got into bed¡­and suddenly sat up just as he was about to


    close his eyes!


    Wait one goddamn moment! What was the deal with those three?! Was being married really all that


    awesome anyway, leaving in pairs right under his nose¡­


    The next day, Sam, Zoe, and Cordy formed a secret chat group.


    Zoe, being as excitable as she usually was, went to work immediately and spammed the group with


    various proposal scenes, leaving Sam speechless and confused.


    [Be more realistic. Are you trying to kill me, spamming me with so many ideas?!]


    [I¡¯m asking you to choose, not do them all.]


    Cordy was on Sam¡¯s side. [It still is a little messy. Why don¡¯t we drop anything we think won¡¯t fly and go


    through the ones we think are viable?]


    Sam promptly praised Cordy. [I second Cordy. She¡¯s the reliable one in the end.]


    [Watch your mouth, Sam, or I¡¯m leaving the group.]


    Sam rolled his eyes-he never did get the better of Zoe. [My bad, ma¡¯am!]


    Cordy then said: [Actually, we¡¯re short on time. Aside from nning, there are plenty of props that we


    need-we have to formte a n today and get everything else ready.]


    Sam agreed to it right away. [Sure. Luckily, I don¡¯t have to work today.]


    The trio chatted a while in the group.


    Meanwhile, Quinn did not go out with Lindsay today. Quinn actually wanted to go, since there were


    finer details to be decided although most things were done yesterday. Still, Lindsay said it was rare for


    them to have a break and told her to spend some proper time with Sam-they could continue nning


    Marvin¡¯s birthday on Monday.


    Quinn agreed to it, only for Sam to be preupied with his phone the whole day she was around.


    Even during lunch, he was staring anxiously at his screen, as if worried about missing something.


    ¡®Is it about work?¡± Quinn could not help asking.


    ¡°No,¡± Sam replied and swiped the screen off, as if worried she would see.


    Quinn was actually a little upset¡ªwhat was he worried about if it was not about work? He seemed


    intent on hiding it from her too!


    After lunch, Sam nonchntly left his phone on the table and went to the bar to get a ss of ice water,


    only to return to the sight of Quinn picking up his phone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it!¡± Sam snapped at her loudly.


    Quinn jumped and stared at him in confusion.


    He strode toward her, snatched it off, and grumbled unhappily, ¡°Who told you to touch my phone?¡±


    ¡°It kept ringing. I was going to bring it to you¡­¡±


    ¡®Don¡¯t ever touch it again,¡± Sam said sternly.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn felt a little hurt but nodded nheless. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be careful next time.¡±

 Chapter 1440

    Chapter 1440


    Chapter 1440


    Sam returned to his room once he took his phone, not offering any exnation.


    Quinn was left staring as he left miserably¡ªthey had just made up for a couple days, and Sam had


    already lost interest?!


    She sat alone in the living room, picking up her phone and texted Zoe and Cordy.


    [Are you two busy?]


    It took Cordy a long while to reply. [Not really. What''s up, Quinn?]


    Quinn was left staring at her phone, unsure what to say. How? Things were just fine with Samst night


    but were back on square one today.


    Cordy pressed: [Quinn?]


    Zoe showed up too. [What''s up, Quinn?]


    Quinn hesitated for a moment but eventually typed: [I think


    Sam''s cheating on me again.]


    Zoe sent a vomiting emoji, while Cordy sent a question mark.


    Quinn borated: [I was staying home with Sam today to improve our rtionship, but he''s been on


    his phone the whole day, even during lunch. Not only is heughing from time to time, but he snapped


    at me when I picked up his phone¡ªhe''s obviously worried that I''d see him texting other women!]


    Both Cordy and Zoe were petrified with Quinn''s text.


    They were naturally aware that they were the ¡®other women¡¯


    Sam was texting!


    Zoe promptly sent a direct message to Cordy: [What do we do? Quinn obviously misunderstood.


    Should we tell her?}


    Cordy promptly stopped Zoe. [Calm down. Sam has finally thought of a surprise. He''d die if you spoil it


    for her'']


    [What should I do? I''m worried Quinn would cry.]


    [Just tell Sam to be more careful.]


    Zoe snorted. [He''s such a bonehead.]


    With that, Zoe texted Sam whileforting Quinn in the other.


    Quinn was still reading her texts from Zoe and Cordy when


    Sam got into his room.


    He was surprised Quinn misunderstood. He really wanted to surprise her and was worried she would


    find out, which was why he was being distant.


    ¡°Want to catch a movie this afternoon?¡± he asked.


    Quinn did a double take, unable to believe her ears.


    Sam was just being distant a moment and was now inviting her to a movie?


    She never thought him a film buff either¡ªhe would watch


    Jay''s movies to support him at best.


    After all, he preferred thrill and passion such as racing and boozing.


    Still, it was embarrassing for Sam as Quinn kept staring at him. "It''s boring staying home. Are you


    coming?"


    Cordy was the one who suggested the movie, as she told him the proposal was one thing. Since he


    had decided to fix his marriage with Quinn, the first thing he must do is offer her warmth instead of


    getting so fixated on the proposal that he behaved strangely from day to day.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn agreed to it right away, actually looking forward to going to the cinema with him.


    It felt just like a normal date between a couple, though she did not ask for too much since it was


    impossible when it came to Sam.


    "I''ll get changed, then.¡±


    ¡°Me too."


    As the pair returned to their rooms to change clothes, Quinn put on some makeup and a flowery dress.


    She was always in ck and white and rarely wore skirts as a legal consultant, so the dress was a


    rarity.


    Zoe was the one who forced her to buy it, saying it suited her when they went shopping a long time


    ago.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn herself thought the dress did not suit her style and never wore it.


    She suddenly felt the urge to today and walked toward Sam

 Chapter 1441

    Chapter 1441


    Sam spared a nce at first before turning around to her again.


    His heart was suddenly pumping-Quinn never usually dressed like that?!


    Was this how it felt to be in love?!


    Still, as Sam spaced out a little, Quinn asked, ¡°No good?¡±


    She knew such a soft feminine dress did not suit her and realized she had been tricked by Zoe¡¯s


    entricism.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll get changed¡­ Oh!¡±


    Quinn gasped in surprise as Sam had suddenly pulled her into his arms.


    She was left wondering what had gotten him, and all she could feel was his heart pumping in his


    steellike chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sam?¡¯ she asked gingerly.


    He released her, and as their eyes met, he said, ¡°Just can¡¯t help it.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ Mmph.¡±


    In an instant, the question turned to a statement as things escted quickly.


    Sam was kissing her repeatedly.


    It was already so difficult for him to restrain himself, and she had to seduce him!


    In fact, the kissingsted so long Quinn was protesting. ¡°Weren¡¯t we going to watch a movie?¡±


    Sam actually rather he pinned her down and¡­


    But she was in a delicate period, and he wondered if this was divine retribution against his indecency


    before.


    He could explode right now!


    Still, he said, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go,¡± Quinn said, gently shoving him since he was still holding her.


    She was not exactly reluctant to be kissed, but she was just a little worried that Sam would give in¡­


    And she really did not want to bleed.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Sam suddenly said quietly.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Still, Sam said nothing as he moved closer.


    Quinn flushed.


    ¡®All men are pigs!¡¯


    It was only after a while that Sam took Quinn to the cinema.


    The journey there was silent, and Quinn was too embarrassed to talk about the moment before they


    left.


    When they arrived, Sam bought tickets, arge bucket of popcorn, and two cokes.


    He never had a sense of youthfulness and was clearly the type not to be upset even in casual clothes.


    That was why he stood out like a sore thumb with the popcorn and the coke, and Quinn could see


    plenty of people around unable to resist staring at him.


    As Sam walked up to Quinn, he asked, ¡°Do I look that dashing today? Everyone seems to be looking at


    me!¡±


    Quinn smiled but did not expose him, even whipping out her phone and offering, ¡°Yeah, you do. Let¡¯s


    take a selfie.¡±

 Chapter 1442

    Chapter 1442


    Chapter 1442


    Sam was beaming at Quinn''s words. He never liked taking photos and certainly not selfies with filters.


    And yet, he was shing a goofy smile as he stared into Quinn''s camera.


    After that, they headed into one of the theater halls, and Quinn posted the selfie before the movie


    yed without any captions.


    Bobmented in an instant: (Whoa, am I seeing things?! Is that really Sam or a poodle?!]


    Jay and John both liked the post, while Zoe and Cordymented too.


    Zoe: [@Cordy A movie? Without inviting me? Are we really sisters?!)


    Zoe: [@Sam You look like a poodle with that smile]


    Cordy: [What movie is it? Is it good?]


    Some colleagues from Saunderia liked it too, leaving Quinn stunned by the number of unread


    notifications.


    She rarely posted on social media, aside from the asional epiphany and motivational quotes.


    And now, she actually received so manyments from updating her social page on her social life.


    She was going to reply when Sam turned toward her, appearing a little miffed. "The movie is starting.


    What are you looking at?"


    "Nothing," Quinn replied and set her phone on silent before slipping it into her bag and watching the


    movie with Sam.


    At first, she was not quite focusing¡ªit was her first date with Sam, so she more or less found it an


    unusual asion, with her heart racing asionally.


    However, as the film progressed, Quinn started to get engrossed until the movie was over.


    The lights were turned back on for a while, but she could not quitee to her senses.


    "The movie''s over. Time to go,¡± Sam told her.


    Quinn finally came to her senses and quickly followed him out of the cinema.


    However, she was silent in the car along the way home. Sam was left frowning. "You''ve been quiet


    since the movie. Why?"


    Quinn stared at him, really wanting to ask why they were watching Lost in the Stars on a date.


    What else could she say? Ask if he would kill her?! Sam was speechless. ¡°You''re not thinking if I''m


    nning to kill you, are you? First of all, I''m richer so I don''t have to kill you for your money. Secondly, I


    don''t gamble¡ªin fact, it¡¯s a principle of mine to not do it. I''m not one to use poison, andI don''ts cuba


    dive. I''d die too if I went diving.¡±


    Quinn was speechless too¡ªshe certainly knew Sam would not do anything to her.


    However, since they were trying to fix their marriage at the moment, should they not be watching a


    romance film on a date?! This movie was basically dissuading them!


    He was certainly making her misunderstand that he did not want a rtionship!


    "That''s not what I think... the movie was just a little too extreme and I''ve yet to recover,¡± Quinn said


    bluntly.


    She picked up her phone, scrolling through the many unread texts, and eventually told everyone what


    movie they watched.


    Zoe wasughing herself silly as soon as she said it.


    [Hahaha! Sam really didn''t disappoint]


    Quinn inhaled deeply and wondered if there was a day when


    Sam would not disappoint her too.


    Still, it was only then that she realized they had left the city and were heading out to the suburbs.


    ¡°Where are we going?" Quinn asked.


    "You finally noticed?¡± Sam asked grumpily. "Is this how you behave when you''re in anyone''s car, feeling


    no sense of danger?"


    Quinn pouted¡ªshe was clearly upset, and he was still lecturing her?!ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

 Chapter 1443

    Chapter 1443


    Chapter 1443


    Sam suddenly said mysteriously, "I''m taking you somece nice.I''ve never brought anyone there aside


    from my friends¡ª it''s a ce you won''t forget."


    Quinn was actually hopeful then¡ªSam might just surprise her, and the movie might just be a mishap.


    Eventually, they arrived at a quiet port, and Sam alighted with Quinn after parking her car.


    The pavement was uneven and Quinn could not walk properly in her heels, but she decided to bear


    with it for the sake of good food.


    There was no restaurant in sight even as they reached a pier, and Quinn eventually found Sam


    beckoning to her from a boat¡ªnot the luxury type yboy types hung out in, but a crude one.


    "Are we dining at sea?"


    Quinn could admit that she was hopeful, but Sam never answered as he took her hand and got


    onboard.


    The boat ride was exceedingly bumpy, and Quinn was certainly scared since she could not swim.


    "Woo hoo!"


    As she clenched on the handrail while waves sshed against the boat, Sam was whooping


    repeatedly in excitement.


    On the other hand, Quinn could not manage a sound, even as she was drenched from head to toe as a


    wave sshed her.


    She could imagine the mess that was her face and hair, especially the makeup and hairdo she went out


    of her way to prepare.


    Even her flowery dress...and the fact that she was on her period! Quinn gritted her teeth but told herself


    to bear with it, convinced that Sam would surprise her.


    However, it was less a surprise than a chain of shocks.


    As the boat stopped at a terrible looking beach with a scattered feel of rundown houses, Quinn walked


    on her barefoot over the beach, feeling pebbles digging into her soles.


    Once again, she bore with it, and followed Sam to the so- called nice restaurant...which turned out to


    be some in hut, which had nothing going for it.


    They sat down by a broken table, and Sam watched her looking unhappy even as he said, "The


    fishermen here go out to sea every day, so it''s very fresh.We don''t have to order anything either¡ª


    they''ll serve anything they caught for the day."


    However, Quinn was not interested no matter how it would taste¡ªshe was already worn out after


    traveling all the way here just for this.


    Sam did not borate either, since he was convinced that Quinn would understand that it was all worth


    it once the food was served.


    Soon, a waiter brought the dishes.


    There were fish, crab, prawn, and the like¡ªthe menu was certainly extensive.


    "Try it," Sam told Quinn, watching her excitedly just like a child.


    Not wanting to kill the mood, Quinn picked up her fork and knife...only for Sam to tell her, "Don''t use


    those.Eating with your hands is much better."


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn was speechless¡ªshe came here for a date! She prettied herself up so that she could nurture


    her marriage with Sam, not to booze with him!

 Chapter 1444

    Chapter 1444


    Chapter 1444


    "Why aren''t you eating?" Sam asked Quinn.She picked up a crab and started eating¡ªit tasted better


    than what was offered in most restaurants, but it was not worth it for the hassle of traveling all the way


    there.


    "Is it good?" Sam asked expectantly "Yeah."


    Quinn nodded with a smile.


    "I knew you''d like it," Sam said as he started eating as well."


    Bob and I oftene here, while Jay and John drop by a lot less since they''re busy men."


    "Yeah." Quinn nodded.


    "A little beer?" Sam asked, suddenly feeling like it.


    "I''m on my period," Quinn reminded him, somehow not upset that he was being careless.


    One simply has noints when they have no expectations.


    "Oh, right." Sam came to his senses just then.


    "What would you like to drink?"


    "Just water."


    Sam had the waiter bring them water and beer, while Quinn watched him drink and knowing that she


    would be the one driving.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Whatever.


    She refrained from telling him¡ªas long as it pleased him.


    After all, there would not be happiness if one forces themselves to like the same things.


    If anything, she was not that demanding toward her other half and hoped Sam would do something that


    pleased himself.


    As they continued eating, Quinn chatted with Cordy and Zoe, since both of them were curious where


    Sam took her for their date.


    Quinn certainly did not spare any details.


    Zoe: [That''s Sam alright.A bonehead through and through!]


    Cordy: [Did you tell him you don''t like it there?]


    Quinn: [I didn''t, but it doesn''t matter.We''re fixing our marriage now and getting involved in each other''s


    lives.I should learn more about his preferences.]


    Cordy: [That''s fine, but you don''t have to tolerate everything especially when you''re married.Being too


    formal and understanding is not good for a marriage since you''ll be staying with each other for the rest


    of your lives.If you don''t like it, you should summon your courage and tell him.]


    Quinn looked up at Sam, seeing that he was still in a good mood, drinking and eating seafood.She


    really did not want to upset him.


    Quinn replied: [It''s fine.


    I''m just a little disappointed, is all.] Cordy sighed¡ªQuinn was really too amodating toward Sam.


    That was good at first, but there would be conflict with time.


    In reality, Sam would change if Quinn just said it.


    It was not as if he did not love her¡ªhe just did not know how to and presumed that he achieved that by


    sharing what he liked with her.


    Family and marriage certainly needed both parties working on it.


    Zoe: [You really have love for brains, Quinn!]


    Quinn giggled¡ªshe could not argue with that.


    "Why are youughing?" Sam suddenly asked, finally noticing that she was checking her phone while


    eating.


    "Just chatting with Cordy and Zoe," Quinn replied.


    "What did they say?" Sam asked eagerly, hopeful to be praised, since those two were also helping out


    with his proposal n.


    "Zoe called me love for brains," Quinn blurted.


    Sam was left gaping at her, while she eventually realized what she just said and was left embarrassed.

 Chapter 1445

    Chapter 1445


    Chapter 1445


    Still, Quinn soon realized it was nothing that embarrassing and mumbled, "A little, I guess."


    Sam could not help smiling, not reading her mood and actually smiling smugly.


    "Can''t help it.I''m just that charming! Quinn giggled and did not argue, while he continued, "I''m telling


    you, Quinn¡ªdon''t judge me by how I''ve been unreliable as a kid.Once I''ve made up my mind, I''ll


    persevere until the end.That''s why since I agreed to stay with you, I''ll definitely not cheat on you."


    "Yeah."Quinn nodded.


    She really trusted him...or perhaps she should say that she was willing to trust him.It did not matter how


    long it took either¡ªshe could wait.


    "So don''t worry about loving me.I won''t disappoint you," Sam continued proudly.


    "Yeah." She nodded, praising him for anything he said.


    The skies were a little dark After they finished dinner, and Sam took her on a stroll on the bridge.


    They watched as the red sun descended down to the horizon, dyeing the clouds around it dazzling.


    Quinn had to admit that the scenery was beautiful despite the crude environment, just as she was


    worried.


    It waste, and she was worried that the crude boat was dangerous, since the waves would be


    stronger.


    "Sam, I think we should go," she suggested.


    "You want to leave?"


    "Yeah."


    "We could wait¡ªit''s quitefortable here."


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "But we''ll be taking the same boat back, right? That''s dangerous at night..."


    In fact, she was already scared witless when they came and it was bright daylight.She did not dare


    imagine doing the same at night! Somehow, Sam found it funny.


    "Are you scared?"


    "Yeah."


    Quinn nodded with a serious look.


    "Then let''s go," Sam replied.He just suddenly agreed to it, which left Quinn surprised.


    She was actually convinced that Sam would not respect her decision and did not even hope for it or


    mention it before.


    However, considering Cordy telling her that she should say what she liked or did not, and that she


    wanted to stay with Sam for the rest of their lives, she too had no idea how long she could bear with


    Sam.


    "Come on," Sam said, leaving her without hesitation.


    Quinn was a little surprised.


    "Are you upset, Sam?"


    She was actually worried about that since he agreed to it very easily, as if giving her the cold treatment.


    "Why should I be upset?"


    Sam looked at her in turn, mystified.


    "It''s natural that I respect your decision if you don''t want to take the boat at night.I won''t force you to do


    it.


    "Thank you," Quinn said earnestly.


    "No, don''t be so formal with me," Sam said a little sternly.


    "Yeah."


    "Actually, I''d rather not leave."


    "Huh?"


    "The night scenery here is beautiful. I think you''d like it."


    "Really?"


    "Have I ever lied to you? I brought you here, didn''t I? Or is the food not nice?" Sam asked, suddenly


    serious again.


    ¡®Oh, forget it"


    Quinn was a little hopeful at first but did not hesitate to head home now.

 Chapter 1446

    Chapter 1446


    Quinn nervously returned to the boat.


    She would also be the designated driver since Sam had been drinking.


    And here she was wondering who else had to go through a date like this! Though she kept quiet, she


    was grumpy even as she drove.


    On the other hand, Sam waspletely oblivious, ying his favorite music on the radio and singing


    all the way home.


    He was probably under the impression that it had been a beautiful day too.


    Once they were home, Quinn headed straight for her room.


    Sam called out to her, "Why are you turning in already? Stay out here." It was early¡ªthey could watch


    TV together.


    "I need a bath," Quinn said.


    "That can wait." "No, I got wet on the boat, and I need a warm bath.


    Most importantly, I''m on my period and I need to change my pad to feel morefortable," Quinn


    exined.


    Sam was reminded again that she was not feeling well, and he heard that thedies needed to be extra


    careful during that time.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He actually remembered that yesterday but seemed to forget that today since he was having too much


    fun.


    "You can watch.


    I''lle back after I''m done bathing." "Yeah." Sam nodded quietly, actually feeling a little guilty.


    After some thought, he texted Zoe and Cordy in their group.


    (What do thedies take notice of when they''re on their period?) Zoe: [You monster! Are you nning


    some hanky- panky when it''s a delicate period for Quinn?!] Sam: [Could you fix your brain? I''m not that


    sick.] Zoe: [Then why''d you ask?] On the other hand, Cordy could guess immediately what Sam was


    up to.


    Cordy: [She should stay warm, and make sure she doesn''t get fatigued.


    Rest as much as possible, avoid cold food and alcohol.


    You don''t actually know that much since Quinn could take care of herself, and she never troubles


    others.) Cordy: (Right now, you can help by making her cranberry juice.


    It''s a natural diuretic and most importantly, it''s sweet.


    Ladies can get irritable during their periods, and it is scientifically proven that sweet stuff improves the


    mood.] Sam started spamming ''thank you'' emojis right then.


    Cordy: [You''re wee.


    Here''s a recipe for cranberry juice ¡ªit''s simple, take your time to learn.] Sam: [Okay.] Zoe: [You''re a


    goddess, Cordy!] Zoe even thought then that if Sam asked them for help earlier ¡ªor Cordy, specifically,


    Sam and Quinn would have children by now! On the other hand, Sam headed to the kitchen after


    putting away his phone.


    There was everything in there, but he never cooked anything before, so he was a little confused.


    As he solemnly followed the recipe Cordy sent, Quinn finished her bath.


    Stepping out of her room, she was perplexed to find Sam busy in the kitchen.


    "What are you doing?" "Don''te in!" Sam suddenly snapped at her.


    Quinn stared at him in turn and wondered what he was up to.


    He looked so agitated she felt like she was some sort of beast! "Just sit in the living room and watch


    TV.


    Don''te in," Sam repeated sternly.


    Quinn was not that curious a person, however, and she was used to such outbursts from Sam over the


    years.


    She returned to the couch, feeling clearly refreshed after her bath.


    Thankfully, she was not bleeding much today...

 Chapter 1447

    Chapter 1447


    Chapter 1447


    Otherwise, Quinn would need more pads than what she was carrying, especially with the taxing


    itinerary she had with Sam.


    She turned on the TV, switching to the channel showing court sessions.


    She was so engrossed she seemed to forget what Sam was doing in the kitchen.


    On the other hand, Sam finally managed a ss of cranberry juice, even tasting it a few times to


    ensure that the taste was good before serving it in a ss.


    Cordy reminded him with a text to ensure that it tasted goodter or it would be for nothing.


    As Sam gingerly put the ss in front of Quinn, she did a double take before turning toward him in


    surprise. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡¯Cranberry juice,¡± he replied. ¡°Drink it.¡¯


    ¡öWhat?¡±


    ¡¯It¡¯s good for your period, right?¡± Sam said nonchntly.


    ¡¯You made this for me?¡±


    ¡¯I don¡¯t have periods,¡± Sam said sternly.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Quinn actuallyughed.


    While there were times when she found himcking tact, she also found his bluntness adorable.


    She more or less understood what people call a love-hate rtionship just then.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said nheless, touched by the gesture.


    She had been a little miffed since Sam was being a little inconsiderate today, and now her mood


    improved greatly.


    As she took her a sip, she saw Sam picking up the remote while asking, ¡¯ How is it?¡¯


    Quinn frowned-she was just halfway through watching a court case! He was still being inconsiderate


    and did not care for her preferences!


    Quinn sighed softly.


    She really did not want to hold out hope for him, since it was a real rollercoaster of emotions.


    ¡°It¡¯s no good?¡±


    However, Sam was agitated as he heard her sigh. ¡°But it was good when I tried it myself! I could finish


    it myself if you weren¡¯t having your period.¡±


    ¡®I didn¡¯t say it¡¯s bad¡­¡±


    ¡°But you sighed.¡±


    ¡°I sighed because¡­¡± Quinn paused as Sam was looking at her seriously.


    He seemed intent on what excuse she coulde up with.


    ¡°Because you changed my channel,¡± Quinn ended up saying anyway.


    She was going to let it go at first-she could not ask Sam to watch her favorite programs if their interests


    shed, just as she could google the case online to watch the rest.


    She said it because she remembered what Cordy said-in fact, everything Cordy said was to advise her


    to be earnest about their rtionships.


    If she kept giving in to Sam, she would appear to be the victim who was given grief.


    In reality, she too was cheating in a way, since she disguised herself and kept her true self from him.


    And upon hearing what Quinn said, Sam seemed to only realize that he changed Quinn¡¯s channel just


    then.


    He actually did not mean to do it-he just wanted to hide his nerves, just as he was in no mood for TV.


    His heart was pounding, and all he could think about was whether Quinn liked the cranberry juice he


    made for her.


    ¡®You can have the remote back,¡± he quickly said, though he could not resist asking again, ¡°Is the


    cranberry juice good?¡±

 Chapter 1448

    Chapter 1448


    "Yeah, it''s good." Quinn nodded ¡ª it was worth the praise.


    Moreover, Sam had never once cooked in his life, and it was a huge surprise that he could do it so well.


    If anything, Quinn was prepared to taste something bitter.


    Sam''s mood improved thanks to her approval as well, and he switched channels back to the court


    case.


    "You were watching that?" "Veah.


    Ty ¡°A court case?" Sam frowned, slightly confused.


    All women preferred variety shows or romance dramas, did they not?! "I prefer the legal field¡ªit''s why I


    went tow school back then," Quinn admitted.


    "Yeah," Sam replied, remembering that Quinn was awyer and a legal consultant for Saunderia.


    Did that mean she gave up on her preferred career to stay with him? Sam felt emotional in a way he


    could not describe just then, and he could feel a warm sensation spreading over his heart.


    "I''ll watch it with you," he volunteered ¡ªhe did not actually like it, but he was willing to get involved with


    her life.


    Quinn nodded, thinking that Sam would like such an exciting analysis of the court cases.


    Most others shielded away just because they did not have in- depth knowledge of what was happening.


    However, when they really did, they would be drawn into the intrigue, just as they would gain a lot of


    knowledge¡ª killing two birds with one stone.


    While Quinn was engrossed, Sam was at first serious and a little interested but soon found it dull.


    He was never a patient man, and he really wanted to whip out his phone.


    However, he resisted the urge¡ªhe had agreed to watch TV with Quinn, and he would do just that.


    As such, he kept fidgeting even as he sat beside Quinn, while she did not really notice that as her eyes


    were fixed on the TV.


    By the time she realized what was happening, Sam had dozed off beside her.


    His entire body was leaning lopsided in a clearly ufortable position, but he was sleeping soundly


    regardless.


    Amused, Quinn wondered if she should get him a nket or he might catch a cold.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    But after some thought, she decided to wake him up and tell him to go to bed, since sleeping on the


    couch was hardlyfortable.


    Most importantly, it would hurt for his six foot frame to stay there.


    "Sam," she called out to him softly.


    Sam frowned, slightly upset.


    "Sam, you should go back to your room," Quinn repeated.


    ¡°Urgh, go away..." Sam mumbled, clearly still sound asleep.


    Having no other choice, Quinn reached out to shake him.


    "Come on, Sam.


    Go back to your room¡ª sleeping on the couch is really ufortable, and you''d catch a cold¡ªah!"


    Quinn gasped in shock as the world seemed to spin just then, and when it came toa stop, she was


    already pinned beneath Sam and kept immobile.


    Sam''s eyes seemed clouded by drowsiness, and he only seemed half-awake as he stared at Quinn in


    front of himself.


    In fact, his eyes were unfocused; he might still be dreaming...


    "¡°Sam¡ª it "Shush..." Sam suddenly cut her short.


    Quinn was left staring nkly at him and wondering what he was up to.


    Could he be sleepwalking? Suddenly, he murmured, "Don''t ruin my dream." So, what on earth was he


    dreaming about?

 Chapter 1449

    Chapter 1449


    ¡°Umph." All Quinn could feel was the softness on her lips as Sam suddenly leaned in to kiss her.


    However, he was gentle as if she were a treasure that needed babying, and after pulling away, he


    stared at her lips and whispered, "So soft." Quinn flushed right then¡ªso he was having a wet dream


    just then?! She was at once amused and fuming.


    A leopard really never changes its spots¡ªso he was thinking about that all the time?! It was a pipe


    dream wishing he would change that side of him! Quinn sighed, just as Sam leaned in for another kiss.


    ¡°wake up, Sam," she huffed as she shoved him, rougher this time in hopes that he would wake up.


    She certainly did not want to get humped for no good reason, especially when she was still on her


    period.


    Her persistent shaking also had an effect on Sam, and he frowned at her.


    "Why''s this dream so vivid?" "It''s not a dream," Quinn told him.


    Sam promptly leapt off the couch,ing to his senses right then as all drowsiness left him.


    "Shit, it''s not a dream?!" "So who were you dreaming about?" Quinn asked.


    Sam pursed his lips¡ªwho else?! To be precise, it was not a dream, but more a fantasy he had in the


    past, where he was with her.


    So that dream hade true?! Still, he decided against saying that, just as he could not say the many


    things he had in his mind¡ªall because he simply could not.


    He obviously was not one to mince words, but it just happened when he was around Quinn.


    Instead, he asked, "How did I fall asleep?" "Maybe you''re exhausted," Quinn said, refraining from


    pressing the issue.


    There were times when one should just turn a blind eye¡ª ignorance is bliss, after all.


    "Go take a bath and sleep," she urged.


    "You''ve been working long hours, and it''s rare for you to take a break over the weekend.


    You still have to wake up early for work tomorrow." ¡°Yeah...


    What about you?" Sam asked just as he was returning to his room.


    "After this court case." "Will you be sleeping in my room?" Sam asked.


    Quinn blushed a little but nodded.


    "Yeah." And with that affirmative response, Sam contentedly returned to his room, though he was a


    little frustrated after he did.


    It was the perfect chance toe clean about all the feelings he had for Quinn, especially since they


    confirmed they wanted to fix their marriage.


    He should not have misgivings since Quinn was sure she would not return to Ryan.


    After taking a bath, hey down in bed, suddenly unable to sleep despite being drowsy earlier.


    He really wanted to text Cordy and Zoe about what he was thinking ¡ªafter they set up that group chat,


    he actually found chatting with them more interesting than chatting with John and the gang.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    He certainly did not have to be self-conscious around them, while the boys tended to make fun of him.


    In the group, Cordy replied: (It''s alright¡ªyou''d need time to talk about those feelings you''ve kept for


    decades.


    Also, you''re proposing soon, and saying it at that time would be great.] Sam stared at Cordy''s text


    emotionally.


    John must have insane luck to marry a woman as perfect as her.

 Chapter 1450

    Chapter 1450


    Samy in bed, tossing and turning but unable to fall asleep.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    He somehow dozed off earlier as he merely stayed there, but now that he was in bed, he was wide


    awake.


    He waited for Quinn, but she was noting even after a long while.


    As such, he quietly got out of bed and peeked through the door slit to find her still watching TV with a


    serious look.


    He tiptoed back to bed, inwardly relieved.


    He was not impatient¡ªhe was just worried Quinn would not return to his room.


    Still, he tiptoed back and forth for a while to peek at Quinn, until he finally saw her turn off the TV.


    Startled, he scrambled back to his bed to pretend to sleep.


    Quinn returned to her room to wash up before heading into Sam¡¯s room.


    She kept her movement quiet seeing that he was asleep, pulling up the nket toy beside him.


    She did not want to wake him but could not help shifting closer either.


    Sam suddenly stiffened, getting nervous as he usually did around Quinn.


    He held his breath, feeling her soft, warm body pressing against his.


    For a split second, he really felt that it was worth staying alive-the world was just so beautiful!


    Over the following days, Sam and Quinn were both busy, with Sam at work and Quinn helping Lindsay


    prepare for Marvin¡¯s birthday banquet.


    They did not have much time to spend together, and Quinn certainly was not as busy as Sam.


    She did not get to see him much. asionally, he would return tiptoeingte into the night, gently


    pulling herself into his arms to sleep.


    However, he would be gone by the next morning, which left Quinn feeling at a loss.


    Somehow, she also felt like he was deliberately hiding from her, especially since her period was over


    days ago.


    In fact, on that very night, she waited for him toe home, hinting that she was ready when he did.


    ¡°rm tired from work,¡± he muttered at the time. ¡°I need to get some sleep¡­¡±


    Quinn felt dejected but did not press the issue since he was tired.


    However, he made the same excuse for days.


    Sighing, she got out of bed since she was not the type who could idle. And with Marvin¡¯s birthday


    banquet ready, she did not have to help Lindasy.


    After some thought, she got changed, put on some makeup, and went straight to the office.


    She was a little eager since it has been two weeks since she worked, and she looked forward to being


    with Sam.


    However, she entered Sam¡¯s office, only to find it empty.


    Where did he go?


    For a meeting?


    This early in the morning?!


    It was not surprising that he left early if it was an important meeting.


    Her difort easing slightly, she walked over to her desk.


    For convenience, she always worked in the same office with Sam¡­

 Chapter 1451

    Chapter 1451


    Now that Sam could hold his own, Quinn wondered if she should move back to her own office.


    Still, she decided that there was no hurry-Sam¡¯s office was spacious, so it would not affect them


    working together.


    Quinn turned on herputer, ready to read through some documents and announcements.


    That was when Danny-Sam¡¯s secretary¡ªentered the room, and he was surprised to see her there.


    ¡°Hello, Ms. Summer.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡± Quinn smiled. ¡°What are you doing here? You¡¯re not sitting through the meeting with Sam?¡±


    ¡°Meeting?¡± Danny appeared perplexed.


    Quinn frowned. ¡°You mean there¡¯s no meeting?¡±


    ¡°Not in the morning today-just one at 3 PM,¡± Danny quickly said.


    Quinn was left further perplexed. ¡°Well, where¡¯s Sam? Is he out with a partner or doing rounds?¡±


    Logically, Danny would always follow Sam everywhere he went¡­ so why was Sam alone missing?


    ¡°He didn¡¯te in this morning,¡± Danny said then. ¡°He called me early in the morning saying that he


    woulde inte, since he has something personal to attend to. He asked me to prepare the


    materials for this afternoon¡¯s


    meetings too-it¡¯s here, and I was going to leave it on his desk.¡±


    As Danny held up the documents, the wrinkle on Quinn¡¯s brow deepend.


    Sam had something personal to attend to?!


    She and Lindsay handled everything around the house, and Sam never asked about it.


    As such, it did not concern their family¡­ But if it did not, what personal matter would Sam have to deal


    with, alone and during work hours?


    Turning back to Danny, she said, ¡°Okay. You can get back to work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Danny replied, putting the documents on Sam¡¯s desk before leaving.


    After he was gone, Quinn was too distracted to read any of the official documents.


    Eventually, she gritted her teeth as she mustered her courage to text Sam.


    [Where are you?]


    [At the office, working. What¡¯s up?]


    The reply was instantaneous, and Quinn was left staring at the text, her heart feeling like it had plunged


    into the abyss.


    Sam was lying to her? Why?!


    Was he up to something bad?


    She thought about how Sam¡¯s attitude towards her alternated repeatedly, and how much he wanted to


    do it when she had her period. And yet, when it was over, he kept avoiding her.


    Was it because someone else satisfied him? Was that why he did not need her?!


    Quinn started trembling as an aching suddenly extended all over her body.


    For the first time, it hurt so much she felt it in her bones, and she actually could not breathe.


    Her tears rolled without warning, and there was no stopping it.


    She picked up her phone, intent on asking Sam why he would lie to her.


    Did he not say he would not cheat on her anymore?


    She earnestly believed that things had changed between them, just as she could feel his feelings for


    her.


    Was it all just an illusion, or did Sam perhaps only find her interesting for a moment?!


    Quinn always believed that she could give him time to fall for her, and that she had the patience to wait


    for him to change.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    However, she never knew that she was not that nonchnt about it, and it turned out she really cared if


    Sam was loyal to her¡­


    She could not even imagine smelling the scent of another woman from his body. She would really lose


    her mind!


    She sat behind her desk, staying silent for quite a while as she went through a nervous breakdown, but


    she eventually calmed down.


    Nheless, Sam was nowhere in sight even after the whole morning had passed-it was 2 PM when


    he finally entered the office, humming a tune and looking refreshed.

 Chapter 1452

    Chapter 1452


    Sam froze when he saw Quinn, his face falling like he was caught red-handed doing something bad.


    By then, Quinn had calmed herself down enough to ept that Sam did not actually change


    fundamentally, though her chest started heaving when she saw his reaction.


    Even if she was ready for the worst, she thought there was a chance there had been a


    misunderstanding. After all, Sam might have been doing something important and not what she was


    thinking.


    However, was his reaction just now not a sign of his guilt? What else would it be?


    Quinn¡¯s eyes turned red thoroughly, but she quickly hid it and pretended nothing happened.


    On the other hand, Sam needed some time to recover and ask, ¡°When did you get here?


    ¡°A while,¡± Quinn replied vaguely, keeping her head down sorting through some documents so she


    looked busy.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you helping my mom with my dad¡¯s birthday celebration?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all done¡ªwe¡¯re just waiting for the actual event next week,¡± Quinn replied calmly.


    ¡°Oh. So you¡¯reing back to work from now on?¡±


    Quinn¡¯s fingers paused over her keyboard as she looked up at Sam. ¡°Do you not want me to?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sam quickly said, but he soon realized that he had made a mistake.


    If she came into work every day, he would not have time to slip out and get things done with Cordy and


    Zoe.


    Quinn could see that he was antsy but said nothing as she returned to work.


    Sam did not press the issue or exin his tant lie about being at work earlier.


    Eventually, Quinn sighed softly.


    At the moment, she was not confident that she could get Sam to get his act together or if she had the


    ability to stay oblivious should he fail to give up phndering.


    Would she be overwhelmed and choose to leave?


    She was fine when she did not love him before, but she could not take it now that she did.


    The office turned silent with neither of them initiating a conversation¡ªnot even when it was time for the


    3 PM meeting. Sam never said a word and left the office with Danny.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    On the other hand, Quinn was left staring at herputer, unable to get anything into her head.


    She had no idea why Sam suddenly changed when everything was just fine earlier. Was his attention


    span really so short?!


    Her heart ached, and she tapped into her chat group with Cordy and Zoe, needing somewhere to vent


    just then or she would get depressed.


    Quinn: [I think Sam has changed.]


    Zoe was the first to reply, and she was actually agitated.


    Zoe: [You noticed?!]

 Chapter 1453

    Chapter 1453


    Right after he did, Cordy sent a direct message to Zoe: [Can you calm down and see what Quinn has


    to say first? Sam worked hard for this surprise. Don¡¯t ruin it for him.]


    Zoe promptly replied: [Okay, okay. I won¡¯t talk.]


    Back in the group chat, Quinn typed: [You knew, Zoe?]


    Zoe replied: [Knew what? No idea.]


    Quinn then responded: [Then what was that supposed to mean?]


    Zoe promptly thought of something. [I mean, Sam did change. He used to goof off, and now he¡¯s doing


    so well at work! Jay¡¯s been praising him from time to time just to mess with Bob, since Bob¡¯s the one


    who¡¯s done nothing of note yet.)


    She went on at length just to change the subject and cover up her blunder.


    Still, Quinn replied: [I don¡¯t mean at work, although he¡¯s improved a lot on that front. I¡¯m talking about


    his personal life.]


    Zoe responded: [Personal life? Isn¡¯t it going well? You two are doing fine now, no?]


    Quinn continued: [I might just be imagining it.]


    Zoe frowned. [borate?]


    Quinn paused in hesitation for several seconds before typing: [Sam and I almost did it the night before


    Cordy returned. But we didn¡¯t expect my period toe.]


    Zoe replied: [And?]


    Quinn then typed: [Obviously, we didn¡¯t do it. But I could tell that he really wanted to do it so much he


    could blow up.]


    Zoe then responded: [No need to go into that much detail, sister. Continue.]


    Quinn continued: [But it¡¯s been days, and my period is already over.]


    This time, Cordy sent a text before Zoe could. [Maybe he¡¯s been really busy? Men can have


    performance issues, especially when they¡¯re tired.]


    Quinn replied: [I thought so too, since he¡¯s been leaving early anding homete. But he wasn¡¯t


    around when I tried to find him in the office today, and when I called, he lied, saying he¡¯s working.]


    Both Cordy and Zoe were silent, since Sam was with them, picking a wedding ring.


    Quinn then typed: [I think he¡¯s having an affair.]


    Zoe was just taking a sip of water and almost choked.


    Jay, who was working from home as he had done most of the time these days, saw that.


    Putting aside his work, he went over to her and rubbed her back. ¡°Be careful. How could you choke on


    water?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zoe said, wiping her lips. ¡°Go about your business.¡±


    Jay frowned at her-she had really been behaving weirdly


    She would alwaysin about how tiring it was being pregnant. Lately, however, she would always


    leave the house without him.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Whenever he asked, she would only say that she was hanging out with Cordy.


    John did verify it when he asked, but Jay still felt like he was keeping something from him.


    Wheeling himself back to hisputer, he saw that he received a message from John.


    [Have you noticed Zoe behaving strangelytely?]


    Jay did a double take-was John being a psychic?


    Another message arrived from John just then. [Cordy¡¯s been behaving strangely for a while now.]


    Jay came to a realization-so John thought Cordy was being weird too?


    What on earth were their women up to?!

 Chapter 1454

    Chapter 1454


    In the other chat group, Cordy was assuring Quinn. [You¡¯re being paranoid. Zoe and I both think that


    Sam has changed a lot.]


    Quinn replied: [I think so too, and I was even happy that he made amends. But he¡¯s not the type to stay


    still, and I guess I expected too much from him-l wouldn¡¯t have been so disappointed otherwise.]


    Cordy typed: [Sam was a hellraiser, but I think he¡¯s an earnest man. Given his personality, I don¡¯t think


    he¡¯d hide an affair if he really was having one.]


    While Quinn was left stunned, Zoe simply watched, afraid to butt in just in case she misspoke.


    At the same time, she was impressed with how persuasive Cordy was.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    If it were her, she would never be able to convince Quinn of Sam¡¯s innocence without exposing him.


    Cordy then replied: [Think about it. What is Sam like? Would he hide anything from you after being


    married to you for so many years?]


    [That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t overthink this. Maybe he¡¯s just up to something he can¡¯t talk to you about yet,


    and one should always have faith in marriage. Give each other time so that your marriage improves-it


    takes time for two people to slowly get used to each other.]


    Quinn was actually convinced-Sam never hid any of his affairs in the past and would have no reason to


    do that now.


    While she really could cry from sheer frustration before, she was now clearly relieved and would be


    depressed if not for Cordy.


    Zoe agreed. [Cordy¡¯s right. You shouldn¡¯t overthink this¡ª even someone like me who has a low opinion


    of Sam thinks he¡¯s changed, so don¡¯t get the wrong idea.)


    Quinn replied: [Okay, I won¡¯t.]


    As the conversation moved on, Zoe texted Sam in their secret chat group. [You¡¯re acting too


    suspicious, Sam. Quinn¡¯s suspecting you of having an affair!]


    Sam did not notice the message right away since he was at the meeting and only saw it an hourter


    when he returned to the office.


    He promptly replied: [Don¡¯t I deserve some trust?!]


    Zoe replied: [How, given your past behavior?]


    Sam was left dumbfounded, and it was a whileter when he finally replied: [So what do I do? I don¡¯t


    want her to misunderstand!]


    Zoe then responded: [Quinn¡¯sining that you don¡¯t want to get it on with her. And in most spousal


    arguments, humping helps. If that doesn¡¯t work, do it twice.]


    Sam promptly refused. [Nope.]


    Zoe was left frowning. [Hold on, did you let loose too much


    that you can¡¯t perform anymore? Is that why you¡¯re finally interested in Quinn now?! Scumbag! How


    could you do this to her?!]


    Sam was speechless and typed so hard his keyboard was cking. [I¡¯m perfectly fit! I can go a dozen


    rounds in one night!]


    Being in the same office with him, Quinn could not help ncing at him.


    Who was he talking with? Did he have to get so agitated?!


    Still, even after having decided not to overthink as Cordy and Zoe told her, she was still left wondering


    what Sam was upto.


    In the secret chat group, Cordy messaged: (Ahem. Please be civilized.]


    At the same time, Sam took a deep breath to calm down. [ I¡¯m just serious about doing my best for her.


    Our first time wasn¡¯t pleasant.]


    Zoe, the gossip queen, asked: [How so?]


    Sam replied: [Not telling. Anyway, I¡¯ll do it only after Quinn epts my proposal. It¡¯ll be a night to


    remember.]


    Zoe replied: [Tut, tut. Turned over a new leaf, have we?] Sam typed: [Shove it.]

 Chapter 1455

    Chapter 1455


    Cordy typed: [The point is, what do we do to ay Quinn¡¯s suspicion?]


    Sam had no idea and could not help peeking at Quinn just then.


    Quinn was already focused on him, so when he turned, she promptly looked toward him.


    As their eyes met, Sam promptly averted his gaze, looking really guilty just then.


    Quinn pursed her lips, left perplexed by Sam¡¯s recent behavior.


    Sam was at a loss too-he did not do anything wrong, so why could he not hold his head high?


    He texted the secret chat group: [I don¡¯t know.]


    And it was the truth.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Zoe thought about it. [How abouting up with some excuse and telling her where you were this


    morning?]


    Cordy replied: [No, that would expose him. We just assured Quinn, so if Sam exins himself right


    away, Quinn would be sharp enough to tell that we were talking to him. She might me us, so doing


    anything now is unnecessary since it¡¯de off as suspiciously specific denial.]


    Zoe responded: [So? What should he do?]


    Cordy thought about it. [Actually, I think it¡¯s fine to keep things like this.]


    Zoe and Sam were both puzzled.


    Cordy then borated: [The point of a surprise is its unexpectedness. In fact, Quinn would be further


    surprised if she¡¯s feeling disappointed. Just hold on for a few days until your father¡¯s birthday, and


    spring the huge surprise on her.]


    Sam remained apprehensive. [Are you sure it¡¯d be a surprise and not a shock? I don¡¯t even know if


    she¡¯ll say yes.]


    Zoe replied: [You bonehead! Don¡¯t you know how Quinn feels about you?]


    Cordy reassured him. [Don¡¯t worry. Quinn won¡¯t reject you.]


    Sam did not press the issue. [I¡¯ll hold you to that.]


    When he was done on that end, he found messages from another group.


    John asked: [Sam, is Quinn behaving normallytely?!]


    Sam replied: [What?]


    John then typed: [Have Cordy and Zoe been hanging out with Quinntely?]


    Sam responded: [Don¡¯t think so. Why?]


    Jay texted: [Johnny and I think that Cordy and Zoe have been acting weird, and we¡¯re wondering what


    they might be up to. That¡¯s why we¡¯d like to know if Quinn is being weird too.]


    Sam replied: [What do you mean, weird?]


    Bob chimed in. [What¡¯s this, marital troubles? I don¡¯t mind being a baby daddy! @Jay]


    Jay was blue with shock. [Dream on, and get yourself a wife instead of coveting another man¡¯s!]


    Sam replied: [Get a life. @Bob]


    Bob responded: [Tch.]


    Jay then typed: [You should talk to Cordy, Johnny. I¡¯ll talk to Zoe myself.]


    John responded: [We won¡¯t get anything out of them if they don¡¯t want to talk. Get someone to follow


    them to see what they¡¯re upto instead.]


    Jay replied: [Okay.]


    Sam was left speechless-should he tell them what he and their wives were sneaking around for?

 Chapter 1456

    Chapter 1456


    Sam eventually told the boys that Cordy and Zoe were helping him.


    After all, he was really worried that the two wife-for-brains would move heaven and earth to find out


    what they were up to and mess up his ns.


    Naturally, they were all teasing him, with John and Jay using Sam of working two pregnant women


    for his n.


    He certainly had to make up for it before they finally let it pass.


    Most importantly, the n was almostplete and the only thing they had to do was wait.


    Marvin¡¯s sixtieth birthday arrived soon enough, and it was a lively scene.


    Though he was not trending, the media still had interest in him. He was also mentioned frequently on


    news and social media, and most importantly, theizens were surprised by Sam¡¯s sudden rise.


    He was the typical freeloading rich yboy, but he somehow managed to carry Saunderia on his


    shoulders when everyone was convinced it would be Ryan.


    As posts praising him changing his ways circted everywhere, Ryan saw it too.


    He had been in a good mood at first, since it was his father¡¯s birthday and he could attend the banquet


    after working long nights in his research center.


    The news, however, left him glowering.


    Sam, who was so insignificant to him, was now being fawned over so many, while Ryan himself only


    served as the backdrop!


    Ryan was left scowling even as he drove to the airport while listening to the stream reporting his dad¡¯s


    birthday.


    Somehow, the media was more interested in Sam than his father.


    It was six in the morning, and his flight was at seven. His father¡¯s birthday banquet would start at ten,


    and he called beforehand, saying he might bete.


    Neither of his parents were upset about that. In fact, they told him not to hurry¡ªit did not matter if he


    waste.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    He always knew he had his parents¡¯ bias and tolerance.


    Now, however, it felt more like indifference rather than tolerance, because they now saw Sam in a new


    light.


    As frustration red inside him, he floored the gas pedal, elerating the car.


    He was not nning to drive, but taking a cab was troublesome. Since he had to be back by tomorrow


    as well, driving back on his own was more convenient by parking at the airport.


    Still, he seemed to have forgotten that he had worked veryte and basically did not sleep.


    It was also very early, so there were not many cars on the highway.


    He was also stubborn-even as he yawned endlessly, he refused to take a break at any of the rest


    stops. Instead, he elerated further to keep himself awake.


    That was when a stray dog suddenly scampered across the highway.


    Ryan was just spacing out when he saw the moving figure. His mind seemed to freeze, and he


    suddenly jammed his foot on the brakes and spun the steering wheel, turning the car¡¯s nose in on itself.


    At the next instant, another car that had been driving at top speed mmed right into his car with a


    resounding crash!


    Meanwhile, Marvin and Lindsay had woken up early in the morning and were happily getting ready to


    head to the hotel.

 Chapter 1457

    Chapter 1457


    After having their makeup done by professionals early in the morning, Marvin and Lindsay got restless


    and headed to the hotel first thing in the morning.


    They called Quinn as they left, since they were used to calling her instead of Sam. The boy never


    answered, so they basically counted on her.


    Quinn had just gotten out of bed when she received their call and was drowsily letting the makeup artist


    pretty her up.


    ¡°Yeah, both Sam and I are up. I¡¯m having my makeup done, while he¡¯s still in the bathroom,¡± she


    quickly answered.¡±


    Yeah, just head over without us. We¡¯ll be there before eight.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    After hanging up, Quinn looked at her reflection in the mirror and was left wondering if it was a little too


    borate.


    After all, she was not the star of the show.


    Even her dress was changed-the matching couple set with Sam was now a sparkling chest gown. It


    was beautiful, but it was so showy she would be stealing the spotlight.


    She could not resist asking just then, ¡°Sam, are you sure I should wear this? It wasn¡¯t the dress I


    ordered with your mom!¡±


    Sam was waiting for her in the living room.


    He had actually surprised her earlier.


    It was rare for him to wake earlier than she did, and she had quite a scare when he was nowhere in


    sight when she woke up.


    When did he be an early riser?


    Even during work days, the rm would be left ringing repeatedly until he finally got out of bed


    grumpily.


    Still, Quinn did not dwell on the issue-they should not drop the ball, since it was Sam¡¯s father¡¯s birthday.


    Still, it took her a few times to finally get Sam¡¯s attention, as he seemed really distracted.


    ¡°What?¡± Sam asked, looking at her.


    Quinn frowned. ¡°Are you going to make a speech today?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡± Sam promptly shook his head.


    ¡°Then why do you look so nervous?¡±


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± Sam stammered. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m still feeling drowsy.¡±


    ¡°You could take a nap since it¡¯s still early. I¡¯ll wake you when I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just sit here.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn nodded, feeling that Sam was acting strangely.


    Still, she soon remembered he still did not answer her question. ¡°Sam, did your mom really ask me to


    wear this? I just think it¡¯s a little too much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she did. She said young people should look more fashionable. Leave the more traditional dresses


    to her.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Quinn was skeptical, since Lindsay really liked how she looked in that other dress the other


    day.


    ¡°Yeah. Just go with it,¡± Sam said, appearing a little impatient.


    Quinn pursed her lips and did not ask further, since patience was not his strong suit.


    However, Sam was not being impatient-he was just afraid of Quinn asking too many questions, thereby


    exposing him.


    He had been grilling Cordy and Zoe as well, ensuring that nothing was amiss because he wanted to


    make today unforgettable for Quinn.


    His heart raced in worry and anticipation at the thought of what was toe. He had really never felt


    this way, just as he had to admit the feeling of irrepressible bliss beneath all those emotions.

 Chapter 1458

    Chapter 1458


    After Quinn was done dressing up, she looked positively dazzling in her silver chest gown that shone


    beneath the lights.


    Somehow, she had the feeling she would steal the spotlight from Lindsay since this dress was simply


    blinding.


    Feeling a pang of worry even as she looked at her beautiful reflection, she asked again, ¡°Are you sure


    this is alright, Sam?¡±


    It actually felt a little inappropriate.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sam told her confidently. ¡°This is the right dress.¡±


    ¡°Did your mom really send this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± Sam asked, a little sternly.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Quinn gave in-she did not have to worry if it¡¯s Lindsay¡¯s intention, since Lindsay had always


    comined that she was too discreet and rather she stood out.


    Who knows, maybe Lindsay wanted more people to see her during this asion.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Sam said. ¡°Mom told us to be early since there will be an interview and photo session.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They headed out together, but Sam remained distracted and constantly on edge.


    He was constantly checking his phone, as if something was not right with him.


    ¡°Sam?¡± Quinn called out to him.


    ¡°What?¡± he replied,ing to his senses right then.


    ¡°Are you hot?¡± she asked, noticing the sweat all over his brow-the car¡¯s interior was plenty cold


    enough.


    ¡°Nope.¡± Sam promptly shook his head.


    ¡°But you¡¯re sweating.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sam nonchntly wiped his forehead and corrected himself. ¡°Just a little stuffy.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with you?¡± Quinn asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting weird today.¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Sam gave her a nonchnt look.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Quinn asked in concern.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m as healthy as an ox! There¡¯s no way I¡¯d get sick.¡±


    Seeing that she was going nowhere, Quinn simply gave up.


    It was still early when they arrived at the hotel.


    None of the guests were there, but the media were waiting at the reception hall, waiting to start an


    interview.


    When they arrived, Marvin and Lindsay beckoned for them to greet the media together.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ryan? He said he¡¯ll apply for leave yesterday toe back. Isn¡¯t he with you?¡± Sam asked


    nonchntly.


    ¡°He couldn¡¯t,¡± Lindsay replied. ¡°There were issues with his research, so he had to work overtimest


    night. He¡¯ll only make it back around 10 AM, and he¡¯ll be greeting the guests right away. We can start


    with the interview without him.¡±


    Sam did not ask anything else as they moved into the press room.


    The journalists were excited to see them.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Mr. Saunders.¡±


    They all wished Marvin a happy birthday before asking their questions.


    Most were about Marvin since he was the main subject of the event, thoughter, one of them asked


    Sam, ¡°Sam, word is that you are now piring Saunderia¡­ though there have been earlier rumors


    about you that were hardly ttering. Could there have been some misunderstanding?¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1459

    Chapter 1459


    Sam said, ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding. I have behaved questionably-l suddenlyjust came around.¡±


    ¡°How? Because your father was hospitalized?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it certainly was a huge blow,¡± Sam said earnestly.¡± Even as a child, I always thought of him as a


    titan-a hero who would pir the family. It never crossed my mind that he would age or get sick, and


    that one day, it would be up to me to do the same.¡±


    Marvin was listening nearby and clearly touched by Sam¡¯s words.


    He was certainly rejoicing-he never imagined that Sam would be such a good son.


    ¡°Also, there¡¯s also my wife, Quinn,¡± Sam said.


    As he turned toward her, she was actually surprised to suddenly be named.


    Still, Sam continued, ¡°She helped me a lot, standing by my side as I took over management of


    Saunderia and resolved the problems that thepany faced withoutint. I had a temper, but


    she¡¯d tolerate and encourage me. Her contribution was necessary for me to calm down and focus on


    my work.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s heart was racing-she did not expect Sam to praise her in front of so many journalists.


    ¡°But there have been rumors that your marriage is on the rocks and your rtionship is strained.¡±


    ¡°Certainly not,¡± Sam said confidently. ¡°Things are going well between us. I won¡¯t deny that I¡¯ve


    misbehaved constantly in the past and caused our marriage to be strained, and that¡¯s on me. However,


    I no longer behave that way now.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking a U-turn and dering your affection for Mrs. Saunders now?¡± another journalist


    teased.


    Sam did not argue and actually blushed just then.


    The journalists were all stunned-when the paparazzi took photos of him, he would verbally or physically


    attack them¡­ When did he be so shy?!


    Quinn was left emotional by Sam¡¯s words and actually decided to not hold his recent distant behavior


    against him, including the fact that they had yet to do the deed.


    ¡°By the way, why isn¡¯t Ryan Saunders around? Isn¡¯t heing back?¡± another journalist suddenly said


    then. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Saunders really offered him to the nation, huh?¡±


    Lindsay replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, but he¡¯sing back. He just couldn¡¯t take the day off


    yesterday, so he had to return today.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Word has it that he¡¯s still single. Are you worried about that? If


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying to say I¡¯m not. However, he was smart even as a child, and he has his goals in life. We


    should respect his decisions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very open-minded view, Mr. and Mrs. Saunders. I¡¯m sure Ryan will be grateful for you,¡± the


    journalist ttered.


    Marvin and Lindsay were beaming from the praise.


    At the same time, Sam felt a little disappointed.


    He had sensed his parents¡¯ pride toward Ryan when the journalist praised his brother.


    Perhaps it was his childhood trauma talking¡ªRyan was the only one who ever got praised around the


    house.


    Quinn seemed to pick up on his mood, however, and subtly reached out to take his hand.


    Feeling the warmth of her palm, Sam turned to Quinn, and they shared a smile.


    The journalists took as many photos as they could right then ¡ªthere was no hiding the love in one¡¯s


    gaze.


    ¡°Mr. Saunders, now that your younger son has taken over management of Saunderia, would he have a


    bigger share when ites to splitting the assets?¡±


    Marvin frowned-the question had never crossed his mind before the journalist mentioned it, and he


    actually had no answer for it.


    At that very instant, Lindsay¡¯s phone started ringing.


    It was a call from an unfamiliar number, and it went unanswered. She hesitated for a little too long.


    However, a text message arrived at the very next moment. [Your son, Ryan Saunders, was involved in


    a traffic ident. Please reply if you see this message.)

 Chapter 1460

    Chapter 1460


    Lindsay¡¯s face fell, fueling the imagination of the journalists, who had been watching them all so


    closely.


    ¡°What happened, Mrs. Saunders? Is it something serious?!¡± one of them promptly asked, keen for it to


    be some incredible headline.


    Their reaction prompted the rest of the Saunders to turn toward Lindsay, and they realized something


    was wrong as well.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear?¡± Marvin promptly asked, but Lindsay¡¯s eyes were red with tears and she could


    not say a word.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re scaring me,¡± Marvin repeated, starting to get nervous as well.


    Sam was staring straight at Lindsay as well. ¡°What is it, Mom?¡±


    Lindsay¡¯s lips were trembling, but she still could not say a word as her tears kept rolling down her


    cheeks.


    Sam¡¯s eyes narrowed, just as he noticed that her phone screen was still lit.


    He promptly took it and read the text, and his face fell as well.


    ¡°Mr. Saunders? What happened here? What does the message say?¡± the journalists asked.


    Sam, however,pletely ignored them and got to his feet, leaving the press conference.


    ¡°Where are you going, Mr. Saunders? What happened?¡±


    The journalists were relentless, with many rising from their seats intent on following Sam but were


    stopped by security.


    Quinn could tell from Sam¡¯s reaction that it was something serious. Gritting her teeth, she followed him


    to the hallway outside, where he was talking over the phone, his reaction getting more somber with the


    minute.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Quinn had no idea what could make him react like that¡ªit was as if the world had just ended.


    He never reacted like that back when Saunderia was facing a crisis. He was even calm andposed


    when he was arrested for drunk driving, so what could it be?


    It was after a long while that Sam finally lowered his phone and turned toward Quinn, who was staring


    nkly at him in worry.


    He pursed his lips, just as Marvin and Lindsay arrived- Lindsay looked especially expectant, as if


    hoping it was just a prank.


    However, Sam said slowly and clearly just then, ¡°It was Ryan¡¯s supervisor. Ryan really was involved in


    an ident around 6 AM.¡±


    Lindsay¡¯s legs caved right then, but Marvin reacted quickly and caught him, looking anxious just then


    as well. ¡°How is he now?¡± i


    ¡°It looks a little serious-he was rushed to the ER right away, current status unknown.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Marvin eximed, shuddering just then-he would copse if he was not leaning on Lindsay.


    ¡°Where is he now? The capital?¡± Quinn asked.


    Sam finally turned toward her. He was afraid to look her in the eye when he broke the news about


    Ryan, because he did not know if she could take it.

 Chapter 1461

    Chapter 1461


    Sam was worried he would be overwhelmed if Quinn could not ept it.


    Even as he looked at her now, she was clearly stunned by the news, her concern barely concealed.


    She could neither take it nor imagine how hurt Ryan was now.


    Attraction aside, she really considered Ryan her brother.


    ¡°Yes, he is,¡± Sam replied. ¡°He¡¯s at the best hospital there is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going there,¡± Linsdsay suddenly eximed loudly, seemingly havinge to her senses just then.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± Marvin did not hesitate either.


    ¡°We¡¯ll all go there together,¡± Sam quickly said, staying calm just then. ¡°Well have to call off the birthday


    banquet-leave that to me. Quinn, you arrange for our transport over to the capital.¡±


    Both Marvin and Lindsay nodded, but they were clearly worried out of their minds.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Quinn said, working hard to keep herself calm and went to work with Sam.


    Quinn called the house chauffeur, who took them straight to the airport and booked the next flight which


    left in an hour.


    Meanwhile, Sam kept making calls to align the way to the airport, announcing the cancetion of the


    birthday banquet and instructing the staff to make the suitable arrangements for the guests. He also


    told them to pass the message that they would personally apologize after and tell them the reason for


    the cancetion.


    Even as they arrived at the airport and waited, Sam was still making the arrangements with calm


    composure and without any trouble. However, none of the others noticed that change about Sam since


    they were all too focused on Sam.


    After more than an hour¡¯s flight and arriving at the capital, they disembarked and got in the car waiting


    to take them to the hospital


    One of Ryan¡¯s colleagues was already waiting at the entrance. ¡°This way, Mr. and Mrs. Saunders. You


    can call me Hans-they are still operating on Ryan at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Is it that serious?¡± Marvin asked as he followed Hans.


    ¡°Actually, I was only informedter myself, so I don¡¯t know the details. Our supervisor did say that he


    was still conscious when he was brought in, s-so¡­¡±


    Hans seemed afraid to speak and trailed off, and there was no hiding the worry on Marvin and


    Lindsay¡¯s faces at that.


    As they arrived outside the ER, Jonah Jones, Ryan¡¯s supervisor, hurried over to them. ¡°They are still


    operating on Ryan at the moment.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been?¡± Sam asked.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Over three hours,¡± he replied.


    ¡°How did it go? Has anyonee out yet?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Jonah sighed exasperatedly.


    Lindsay could fall apart right then. How could this happen? If the worst dide true¡­


    Before Lindsay could think about that, a nurse hurried outside. ¡°Is Mr. Saunders¡¯ family members


    present?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam promptly replied-neither Marvin nor Lindsay could speak with their nerves stretched thin.


    ¡°We¡¯re still doing our best to help the patient,¡± the nurse said urgently. ¡°However, his condition is


    serious, and his right leg was really mangled in the crash. It needs to be amputated, or it would risk his


    life. We need a family member to sign this consent form!¡±


    Sam stared at the piece of paper and turned toward Marvin and Lindsay-both of them were clearly


    afraid to do it, since it was a leg!


    Lindsay even demanded in agitation, ¡°Can¡¯t my son keep his leg? I think he¡¯d be overwhelmed if he lost


    it!¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t ask if it were possible-the doctors have really done their best,¡± the nurse exined,


    before urging, ¡°Please sign this now. The longer you wait, the further in danger the patient would be!¡±

 Chapter 1462

    Chapter 1462


    Lindsay started bawling, while Marvin¡¯s eyes were red with tears as well-he might be old and


    experienced, but this was his son they were talking about.


    Both Sam and Quinn were silent too. Ryan was ultimately his brother, and no one would stay unmoved.


    As for Quinn, her tears were rolling freely after hearing that the amputation was necessary, as she did


    not think that it would be that serious.


    Moreover, Ryan had always been sessful and proud. She had no idea how he would react once he


    woke up to find himself missing a leg.


    In the end, Marvin signed the consent form-keeping Ryan alive was more important than a leg.


    His legs almost caved soon after, and Sam had to hold him up.


    The surgery continued for a long while. It should have been a day of celebration for the Saunders, only


    for things to turn out so terrible.


    Even Quinn had no idea how long the surgery continued, and the hallway was suffocatingly silent when


    the door to the ER opened.


    The doctor stepped out first, taking off his mask and looking utterly tired.


    Jonah approached him, asking urgently, ¡°How¡¯s Ryan, doctor?¡±


    The others came to their senses at that.


    Sam held up Marvin, while Quinn held up Lindsay as they approached the doctor.


    The doctor sighed, which almost left Marvin and Lindsay fainting right then.


    ¡°How is he, doctor?! How is Ryan?!¡± Lindsay cried in agitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s not in danger at the moment. But¡­¡± the doctor trailed off, hesitant.


    ¡°But what?!¡± Lindsay demanded loudly.


    ¡°The patient might get agitated when he wakes up after the amputation, so please be prepared. He has


    also suffered injuries on the rest of his body, and we will be keeping him in the ICU for observation. He


    will be transferred to a normal ward when his condition ispletely stable.¡±


    Lindsay nodded in silence.


    On the other hand, Marvin could not say a word.


    He was hurting, just like everyone else-and if they could not ept it, Ryan most certainly could not.


    Soon, when Ryan was wheeled out of the ER, Lindsay promptly jumped toward him, calling out loudly,


    ¡°Ryan!¡±


    Marvin hurried after the stretcher too, ¡°Ryan! Are you alright,


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Ryan?!¡±


    The nurses promptly shushed them. ¡°Please calm down. The patient won¡¯t wake up for another couple


    of hours-make way, we need to take him to the ICU now.¡±


    With that, everyone followed the hospital staff to the ICU.


    They watched him from behind a window, where his whole body was covered in bandages. However,


    the worst was still his amputated leg.


    Lindsay¡¯s tears would not stop, and even Marvin was wiping off his tears from time to time.


    They had no idea how to break the news when Ryan woke up that he lost a leg.


    Time passed in silence, and everyone stood outside, not moving an inch as they waited for Ryan to


    wake up.

 Chapter 1463

    Chapter 1463


    Sam left and returned after buying a few bottles of water.


    As his parents did not want any, Sam passed one to Quinn, who stared nkly for a moment before


    taking it.


    In reality, they had not eaten or drank for a day since rushing to the capital for a day, waiting until


    Ryan¡¯s surgery was over and standing watch over him now.


    And even as Quinn took a few sips, all her attention was on Ryan.


    That was when she suddenly realized that Ryan had woken up-


    It was a small twitch, and there was no other reaction¡ª perhaps it hurt too much, or he simply did not


    have the strength.


    Still, he slowly opened his eyes.


    All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s awake! Ryan¡¯s awake!¡± Quinn eximed excitedly.


    Marvin and Lindsay noticed it right then and quickly turned to Sam. ¡°Go get a doctor!¡±


    Sam promptly did so, and the doctor arrived, entering the ICU to examine Ryan.


    The walls were soundproof, however, and they could not hear what the doctor was discussing with


    Ryan.


    They all watched anxiously, and the doctor stepped out


    after a while.


    ¡°How is my son? How is he?¡± Lindsay asked in agitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry-his vital signs are stable and he¡¯s not in danger, ¡± the doctor assured her. ¡°However, he¡¯s


    still very weak, so he¡¯d need to stay here for another few days to avoid infection, or the consequences


    would be unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ He should stay as long as he has to.¡± Lindsay promptly agreed to it. ¡°Can we go in to keep


    himpany?¡±


    ¡°Not for now,¡± the doctor replied, shaking his head. ¡°He regained consciousness, but his head is still in


    a blur. He should rest for now¡ªI¡¯ll arrange for visitation in a few days once he¡¯s better.¡±


    Both Marvin and Lindsay both thanked the doctor gratefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I should do,¡± the doctor replied. ¡°By the way, the patient can¡¯t quite feel his condition, so don¡¯t


    tell him about his amputation for a few days when you start visiting. I¡¯m concerned he won¡¯t be able to


    take it, and it¡¯s very dangerous until he¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lindsay nodded, as she always did while tears flowed freely from her cheeks.


    ¡°Our staff will be taking shifts to watch him 24/7. Everyone may step away for now, since the patient


    would need your care after he leaves ICU. You need to take care of yourself before looking after


    others.¡±


    And with that advice, the doctor left.


    However, neither Marvin nor Lindsay intend to leave-their red, tearful eyes stayed on Ryan.


    ¡°Mom, Dad, you should get some rest ande back tomorrow,¡± Sam reasoned. ¡°I¡¯ve booked a hotel


    not ten minutes away from here, and neither of you have eaten or drunk since this morning.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to stay with Ryan,¡± Lindsay sobbed.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m staying too,¡± Marvin said.


    ¡°Your health matters too, Dad,¡± Sam told him. ¡°What would happen to Ryan if both of you get sick?!


    Don¡¯t worry-l¡¯m staying here, and I¡¯ll call you right away if anything happens.¡±


    When Marvin still didn¡¯t give in, Sam pressed, ¡°You can neglect your own health, Dad, but not Mom¡¯s.¡±


    Marvin was convinced right then and turned to Lindsay,¡± Sam¡¯s right. We¡¯ll have all the time we need to


    care for Ryan, and we should be more careful about our own health.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lindsay sobbed, unable to say anything.


    Marvin nodded-they shared the same pain.


    ¡°Quinn, you can go with them to the hotel,¡± Sam said, not asking for opinions just then.


    The priority now was to not let everyone wear themselves out!

 Chapter 1464

    Chapter 1464


    Quinn nodded, knowing that it was most important to take care of Marvin and Lindsay¡¯s health at the


    moment. With both of them being old, and Marvin recently suffering health issues himself, anything that


    happened to him now might turn out to be terrible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hotel for now. Sam will stay here to keep an eye on Ryan,¡± Quinn quickly reasoned.


    Lindsay eventually agreed to it thanks to Marvin¡¯s insistence, though she told Sam again to


    immediately inform them if anything happened.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom.¡± Sam nodded. ¡°Come-I¡¯ll walk you to the entrance.¡±


    Sam watched as Marvin and Linsday got in, and then at Quinn, who was riding shotgun.


    A million things crossed his mind, but he ultimately buried it and stayed quiet.


    Quinn turned to look at Sam as well. There was a sense of an attachment in their gaze, but it ultimately


    went unsaid.


    Sam hence watched as the car sped into the distance, its tail lights disappearing before he returned to


    the hospital.


    He sat in the hallway outside the ICU, finally having the time and mood to check his phone.


    Unsurprisingly, he had countless missed calls and texts.


    He ignored most, tapping on the group chats with John and Cordy respectively.


    Everyone was asking basically the same thing.


    John: [What happened?]


    Jay: [Sam, what is it? Why was Mr. Saunders¡¯ birthday event suddenly canceled?]


    Bob: [Say something, man. You¡¯re killing us, not answering our calls! What could be so serious?]


    Cordy: [What happened, Sam?]


    Zoe: [Reply, Sam! What in the world happened?! You should look at your face-that and your parents¡¯!


    It¡¯s on the news?!]


    Zoe: [Hey! Say something?!]


    Zoe: [By the way, are we still going with the proposal?]


    Zoe: [Probably not, with the birthday party canceled.]


    Zoe: [Answer us, Sam! This is so frustrating¡ªeven Quinn isn¡¯t answering calls! What the hell


    happened?!]


    Zoe: [You¡¯re killing me!]


    Cordy: [Calm down, Zoe. Quinn and Sam must be really busy if both of them can¡¯t answer. They¡¯ll tell


    us once all of this is over.]


    Zoe: [Fine, I¡¯ll calm down¡­]


    Sam stared at the messages, his fingers hovering over the screen.


    He really had trouble telling them everything since he could hardly ept it, but it was reality and there


    were no miracles to be expected here.


    Eventually, he typed: [We received a call saying that Ryan was in a car ident this morning during


    that press conference. The whole family rushed to the capital. It took some time for them to save Ryan,


    and they had to amputate his right leg. He¡¯s in the ICU, and the doctor said that his vitals are stable,


    but he¡¯s notpletely safe yet.]


    Sam read it after typing it before sending it, after which he sighed heavily himself.


    He could not imagine what would happen if Ryan found out he lost a leg, since he was always proud


    and unable to ept any ws in himself.


    Both chat groups were stunned after they received Sam¡¯s text.


    Cordy sent a sad emoji, while the rest were asking questions.


    Jay: [That¡¯s terrible!]


    Bob: [For real? Are you with Ryan now?]


    Bob: [Should wee over to keep youpany?]


    Zoe: [Amputate? As in he lost his right leg?! Gosh! Can he take it?! He¡¯s been spoiled and proud as a


    child!]

 Chapter 1465

    Chapter 1465


    Zoe: [Is Quinn with you at the hospital in the capital?]


    Zoe: [How are your parents taking the news?]


    Sam felt really stressed even as he replied to his friends¡¯ text, since this was a tragedy for anyone, just


    as he had no idea how to deal with Ryan.


    Soon, it waste into the night, and Sam received a text from Quinn: [Are you asleep?]


    [Nope.]


    Quinn: [Can you sleep at the hospital? You should find a ce to rest¡ªyou should be careful with your


    own health too. You¡¯d have to step up if your parents get overwhelmed.]


    Sam: [I know. It¡¯ste, though. Aren¡¯t you sleeping?]


    Quinn paused for a moment. [I¡¯m a little worried about you.]


    Sam chuckled bitterly. [Why? I¡¯m fine. Ryan, though¡­]


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn¡¯s fingers hovered over her phone, unsure of what to say.


    Sam did not dwell on it either. [It¡¯ste. You should get some sleep.]


    Quinn: [Yeah.]


    Sam: [Watch my parents for me. I¡¯m worried that they¡¯d get overwhelmed.]


    Quinn: [I¡¯ll stay with them. Don¡¯t worry.]


    Sam put down his phone at that and reclined against the hallway chair.


    He stayed there until the morning, even though the hospital had already booked a VIP ward for his


    convenience. It was for Ryan once he could be moved out of ICU, but he did not go there.


    He just thought someone should stay with Ryan at all times -he would get scared if he were alone.


    By daybreak, however, Sam had dozed off because he was too drowsy¡­ until a nurse came, and


    called out softly, ¡°Mr. Saunders?¡±


    Sam opened his bloodshot eyes and straightened, looking at her in surprise as she said, ¡°The patient


    would like to see you.¡±


    Sam paused for a moment before pointing at the ICU and eximing in surprise, ¡°You mean Ryan?¡±


    The nurse nodded. ¡°He says he would like to see you inside.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the doctors forbid visitation?¡±


    ¡°They were just here to check on him, actually-all his vital signs were stable, so they gave him the


    green light,¡± the nurse exined mildly. ¡°You can visit the patient, but you¡¯ll have to watch the time.


    Since the patient is still very weak, we¡¯ll do our best to fulfill his needs to help with his recovery.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sam got to his feet, deciding to confront Ryan right then.


    ¡°Come with me. You need to change into scrubs,¡± the nurse told him.


    Sam did so and followed the nurse into the ICU.


    Now that he was seeing Ryan up close, Ryan looked way worse than he thought.


    His brother, who had always cared a lot about his personal image at home or outside, usually looked


    sharp and well- dressed at all times.


    Now, he was covered in bandages and had plenty of tubes attached all over his body, leaving him a


    shadow of his past self.


    Keeping a lid on his feelings, Sam looked at Ryan¡¯s face, meeting thetter¡¯s feeble gaze just then.

 Chapter 1466

    Chapter 1466


    ¡°Are you alone?¡± Ryan asked with considerable exertion.


    His voice was so soft Sam barely heard him, and he had to drop to a crouch to hear him clearly.


    ¡°Mom and Dad are worried, but they¡¯re too old,¡± Sam quickly said. ¡°The doctor also stopped US from


    visiting for another couple of days, so I sent them to the hotel. I¡¯ll call them now if you want to see


    them.¡±


    Ryan shook his head slightly, instead asking, ¡°What did the doctor say about me?¡±


    ¡°Your vitals are fine,¡± Sam assured him. ¡°But there¡¯s organ damage so you need to recover here in the


    ICU for a while. Don¡¯t worry-you have the best medical staff here. You¡¯ll get better.¡±


    ¡°Am I disfigured?¡± Ryan asked.


    Sam did a double take.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see-you¡¯re totally covered in bandages,¡± Sam said earnestly before adding. ¡°Your eyes, mouth,


    and ears are showing, but those are fine.¡±


    ¡°Am I missing limbs?¡± Ryan then asked.


    Sam paused, surprised that Ryan would ask about that.


    Still, it was understandable-anyone who went through such a terrible ident would be either


    concerned about their survival, and then their physical condition. After all, it would be easy to be


    crippled or disfigured after serious car idents.


    ¡°Sam.¡±


    There was panic in Ryan¡¯s eyes when Sam did not answer.


    ¡°No,¡± Sam lied, going against his own conscience-the doctor had told him not to tell Ryan about his


    condition, since it would be adverse to his recovery.


    If they could deceive him for even a moment, so be it.


    ¡°You were hesitating,¡± Ryan said, his tone feeble but agitated. ¡°You¡¯re lying, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sam repeated. ¡°You¡¯re perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡®Swear it.¡±


    ¡°I swear,¡± Sam said, bracing him against his conscience once more.


    However, he also clearly sensed Ryan¡¯s changing mood, which was bad, since he was not supposed to


    get aggravated at the moment.


    ¡°If you lied, you won¡¯t get to stay with Quinn,¡± Ryan suddenly said slowly.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sam gulped-he could swear anything about his own life, but not his rtionship with Quinn!


    Even his tone turned stern. ¡°I won¡¯t swear on anything with the lives of my loved ones, because I don¡¯t


    fool around with their lives-not just Quinn¡¯s, but our parents¡¯ too. That¡¯s my principle.¡±


    ¡®Why not? Because you¡¯re lying?¡± Ryan asked in rising agitation.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s my duty toward my loved ones. I can swear on my life, but I have no right to swear


    anything on another person¡¯s life. It¡¯s not fair to them.¡±


    ¡°So you were lying.¡±


    ¡°I think you need to calm down,¡± Sam tried to reason. ¡°I¡¯ll get the doctor for you.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel my right leg,¡± Ryan suddenly said.


    Sam subtly pursed his lips, but he said calmly, ¡°The doctor said the painkillers aren¡¯t wearing off yet.


    You will feel it once the effect passes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s gone, isn¡¯t it? My right leg?!¡± Ryan demanded with stubborn agitation.


    He always was smarter than the rest and could tell from Sam¡¯s tiniest reactions that something was


    wrong.


    Moreover, he really could not feel his right leg even though he was lying in bed!

 Chapter 1467

    Chapter 1467


    Ryan¡¯s other senses were still intact, and he could feel everything except for his right leg!


    ¡¯Calm down, Ryan.¡± Sam did his best to calm Ryan down. ¡¯You¡¯re just hallucinating from the morphine.


    You¡¯ll feel it once the effect passes and you¡¯ve recovered.¡±


    ¡°No, I really can¡¯t feel it. It¡¯s really gone¡­¡± Ryan started to convulse, losing control of himself right then.


    Whatever Sam said, Ryan was dead sure he had lost his leg.


    At the same time, the monitors attached to him begin to re in the ICU room, while Sam promptly


    called for the doctor.


    All the medical staff rushed to the scene immediately, checking the instruments for a moment before


    quickly wheeling Ryan to the ER.


    Sam was actually spooked that Ryan would react like that-he seemed to have seen Ryan almost


    tline right there!


    As he followed the medical staff hurrying to the ER, Marvin, Lindsay, and Quinn just happened to arrive


    at the hallway outside.


    They were there to visit Ryan since they could not stay calm. In fact, Marvin and Lindsay were up


    before daybreak, and it was difficult for Quinn to persuade them toe after having breakfast.


    And yet, they arrived to see Ryan being wheeled into the operating room¡ª was he not supposed to be


    in a stable condition? What was happening? Judging from the grim looks of the medical staff, it was


    serious!


    Lindsay almost copsed from fear, while Marvin had to keep assuring her as Quinn helped her stand.


    They hurried to the ER, where Sam stood outside, restless and not even noticing that they were all


    behind him.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn called out to him.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sam realized with a start and turned toward them, his hands trembling, and he inadvertently touched


    Ryan¡¯s hand when he helped the medical staff wheel Ryan to the ER.


    It was so cold¡­


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re scaring me,¡± Quinn said, a little scared when she saw his pale face.


    On the other hand, Lindsay did not notice Sam¡¯s reaction since all she cared about was Ryan. ¡¯H-


    How¡¯s Ryan?¡±


    Sam had no idea what to say.


    That Ryan was in denial of losing his right leg, and that was why he was in danger?


    ¡°What happened?! Wasn¡¯t he stable?! How did this happen?!¡± Lindsay kept pressing, looking like she


    could fain in an instant.


    Thankfully, the surgery was short this time, and the doctor stepped out in twenty minutes.


    Sam hurried toward him. ¡°How is Ryan, doctor?¡±


    ¡°The patient¡¯s heart seemed to weaken and showed signs of arrest, but we managed to resuscitate him


    in time,¡± the doctor replied. ¡¯He¡¯s stabilizing, but he¡¯s not in the best state of mind. You were the one


    who spoke to him, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    When Sam nodded, the doctor promptly snapped, ¡°What did you tell him? He¡¯s already in a bad state,


    and I can¡¯t promise that he¡¯ll survive if this continues!¡±

 Chapter 1468

    Chapter 1468


    As the doctor interrogated Sam, he pursed his lips and replied, ¡°He knows he lost his leg.¡±


    ¡°How could you tell him?!¡± the doctor cried in agitation. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say not tell him?! He¡¯s weak, and


    knowing about his amputation wouldn¡¯t work for his recovery! Can¡¯t you be more careful as his family


    member?!¡±


    And when the doctor was done, Lindsay could not hold back either. ¡°How could you be so terrible,


    Sam?! Don¡¯t you understand Ryan¡¯s condition?! Why would you tell him?! Don¡¯t you know what¡¯s right


    at your age?! If he¡¯s hurt because of you¡­ I-I¡¯ll give up!¡±


    Lindsay started bawling at that, and Marvin had tofort her.


    However, he was clearly angry as well and told Sam, ¡°What you did today is really disappointing, Sam.


    You¡¯re thirty¡ªdon¡¯t you understand the consequences?¡±


    Sam wanted to exin himself but soon decided it was futile.


    It was always that way since they were children-he would always be the one at fault whenever he and


    Ryan were at odds.


    If he said he never told Ryan now and that Ryan had guessed it himself, no one would believe it


    anyway-they would just believe that he was lying.


    Lindsay promptly turned toward the doctorthen while sobbing hysterically. ¡°What should we do now,


    doctor?! How bad is it, my son knowing his condition? You have to save him-he¡¯s only in his thirties and


    still has much to live for! I can¡¯t outlive him!¡±


    The doctor sighed exasperatedly. ¡°He¡¯s stable and not in danger, but being depressed like this or


    sudden outbursts could lead to worse situations. But it¡¯s already happened, so we just have to do our


    best tofort him and help him ept reality.¡±


    Lindsay remained hysterical. But he¡¯s been sessful even as a child and worked for the top research


    center of the country! Can someone as proud as him ept his disability?! I can¡¯t even imagine how


    much he was hurting when he found out¡­ I¡¯d rather be the one hurting than him! How could fate be so


    cruel?!¡±


    ¡°Please calm down,¡± the doctor told her. ¡°First of all, we need to be positive around the patient, in order


    to offer him strength and assurance. Don¡¯t be sadder than him, or you¡¯d overwhelm him. Don¡¯t worry -


    eptance is a process, and it takes time.¡±


    Lindsay simply kept sobbing.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Just then, Ryan was wheeled out of the ER, and Lindsay leaped toward him, calling out tentatively,


    ¡°Are you alright, Ryan? Does it hurt in any way?! Tell me¡­ Tell Mommy¡­¡±


    Ryan kept his eyes closed and stayed silent.


    He was clearly conscious and reluctant to deal with anyone, and that reaction only left Lindsay hurting


    more.


    However, the doctor told him that he must first control his own emotions and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll be with


    you whatever happens, alright? You have nothing to be afraid of¡­.¡±


    Ryan did not respond, while tears rolled down from the corner of his eyes.


    Lindsay¡¯s heart could break right then, and she kept wiping them for him while telling him repeatedly:


    ¡°Be strong, Ryan.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re family.¡±


    ¡°We will get through this.¡±


    Nheless, Ryan stayed silent even after he was wheeled into the ICU.


    Everyone could only watch from the door, with Lindsay¡¯s tears never stopping.


    Marvin¡¯s eyes were welling up with tears as well¡­


    Sam was silent, his pain palpable, while Quinn had quietly shed tears a few times.


    Soon, they watched as the staff inside lowered the folding curtains on the window of the ICU.

 Chapter 1469

    Chapter 1469


    Her eyes filled with pain, Lindsay was exceedingly agitated since she had been staring fixedly at Ryan.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?! Why aren¡¯t they letting US see him?!¡±


    A nurse stepped outside just then. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but everyone should leave.


    The patient needs to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying,¡± Lindsay insisted. ¡°I¡¯m staying with my son.¡±


    ¡°He asked for this, I¡¯m afraid,¡± the nurse told her. ¡°He says he doesn¡¯t want to see you.¡±


    Lindsay was left hysterical right then. ¡°Why won¡¯t he see US? How could he stand being alone there¡­¡±


    ¡°You should give him time to ept reality,¡± the nurse reasoned. ¡°You should go. We¡¯ll inform you right


    away if anything happens.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m staying.¡± Lindsay remained stubborn.


    Marvin did not try to talk her out of it since he wanted to stay with Ryan too.


    Suddenly, Lindsay¡¯s tone turned cool as she said, ¡°You should go, Sam.¡±


    As Sam looked up at her, she added, ¡°You¡¯ve stayed here the whole day. You should get some rest.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips, knowing that his mother did not say that out of concern but as a form of


    punishment instead, and to have him stay away and stop being an eyesore.


    As such, he simply nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the hotel. Just call me if anything happens. I¡¯ll be right over.¡±


    Lindsay did not respond at all, while Sam stared at her cool demeanor from behind for a moment


    before turning to leave.


    He nced at Quinn when he did.


    She had been silent all while keeping Lindsaypany.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    He could see her tears too, and he wondered if she too med him for not keeping Ryan in the dark.


    As such, Sam headed out of the hospital without pause.


    Quinn pursed her lips as she looked on, pains showing in her eyes.


    For some reason, she had the feeling that Sam had not told them the full story, and that Sam would not


    have told Ryan about his amputation.


    She would not be sure before, but she had found Sam to be tactful after working with for a while. There


    was no way he could have run apany as huge as Saunderia so easily otherwise.


    As for why he never exined himself despite his mother¡¯s me¡­ was he perhaps hurting too much


    to say anything?


    Quinn turned toward Marvin and Lindsay and mustered her courage to say, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Saunders,


    you should stay with Ryan. I¡¯ll go check on Sam.¡±


    Both Marvin and Lindsay were surprised that she would ask to leave.


    Still, as they calmed down, they realized that there was nothing she could help with even if she stayed.


    Lindsay nodded. ¡°Go on.¡±

 Chapter 1470

    Chapter 1470


    Sam had just stepped outside the hospital and was ready to get in a cab when Quinn ran outside,


    calling out to him loudly, ¡°Sam!¡±


    He nced at her, almost telling the cabbie to leave just then.


    However, seeing that she appeared pressed, he decided not to leave her behind even if that meant


    being scolded by her.


    Quinn was panting as she got in the cab-she thought Sam was going to leave without her.


    Fortunately, he did not, or she would have to take her own cab back to the hotel. Though that would


    actually be fine, since Sam was upset and needed time alone, there was no telling if he would go to the


    hotel, and if he did not answer his calls on top of that¡­


    Either way, she was worried about his present state of mind.


    Sam waited as she got in before telling the cabbie to head to their hotel, and the journey there was


    silent.


    Sam stared outside at the streets without saying anything.


    Though Quinn tried to muster her courage to talk to him a few times, she remained silent as she


    watched his cool demeanor from behind.


    Sam might prefer some silence at that moment, after all.


    Eventually, they arrived at the hotel.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As Quinn followed Sam into their room, he suddenly turned to face her before she could speak. ¡°Yell at


    me all you want, and don¡¯t hold back. Once you¡¯re done, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Quinn did a double take, wondering what he was talking about just then.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me, and Ryan¡¯s condition is unknown because of me, but I can sleep as if it¡¯s no big


    deal. You might not believe it, but I¡¯m being honest here-people can die if they suffer too many


    sleepless nights.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to sleep with you, Sam,¡± Quinn said. ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep wellst night myself, and I¡¯m also worried


    you wont sleep well now since you might be stressed.¡±


    Sam was left staring at Quinn-this was going differently from what he imagined.


    He thought she would¡­


    Quinn read his mind right then. ¡°You thought I¡¯m upset with you too?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± Sam asked self-deprecatingly as he turned away.


    ¡°Ryan would eventually find out,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    Sam smiled dolefully at that-so she was convinced that he told Ryan about his amputation too?!


    He had no ns to exin, but that was when Quinn suddenly added,¡± Ryan¡¯s smart. He found out


    without you telling him, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    Sam paused and turned to look at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± Quinn asked.


    Sam stayed silent, and Quinn took that as a yes.


    ¡°I had a hunch even while we were at the hospital,¡± she continued. ¡°Ryan¡¯s been smart since he was a


    kid, and he¡¯d be asking about his condition as soon as he wakes up, even probing for the answers he


    wants every way he can. If it wasn¡¯t you today, it¡¯d be someone else the next. It¡¯s not your fault, so


    don¡¯t me yourself, Sam.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Sam said magnanimously, though it still upset him that neither of his parents trusted him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you exin to your parents?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? Who¡¯d believe me?¡± Sam snorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s still better than staying silent. It¡¯s no different from admitting to the guilt,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    Sam shook his head, not inclined to stay on that issue.


    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re letting your parents vent their stress?¡± Quinn suggested. Sam pursed his lips.

 Chapter 1471

    Chapter 1471


    Quinn then said, ¡°Ryan was rushed to the ER again. You¡¯re worried your parents would be


    overwhelmed, so you¡¯d rather take a scolding so they can vent rather than tell them the truth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not that noble. I just didn¡¯t want to talk,¡± Sam said darkly.


    ¡°No way that¡¯s true,¡± Quinn said, reading his mind.


    He was never a good liar anyway, and he had a million different tells whenever he did lie.


    ¡°You¡¯re really kind, Sam,¡± Quinn said earnestly-even more than Ryan.


    It was true that Ryan was the pride of the Saunders family ever since a child. Though he respected his


    parents, he only ever took from the family and never gave anything.


    On the other hand, Sam was often neglected by the family. Though he was mischievous and


    incorrigible, he would be there for the family when anything happened.


    Getting embarrassed by Quinn¡¯s words, Sam was blushing up to his ears. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    He was no sensationalist, and he would not get started now.


    Quinn watched as he headed straight to the bathroom and felt thankful that she followed him.


    Sam would be hurting a lot if he still believed that no one believed him.


    After all, everyone was only looking at Ryan ever since they were children, including Quinn herself.


    Was Sam envious or perhaps even jealous?!


    But he had never said anything nor fought Ryan for anything.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Somehow, that left Quinn hurting inside.


    She took a deep breath and worked hard not to let her bad mood fester-Ryan was still in the ICU, while


    Marvin and Lindsay¡¯s health could be affected if they persistently stayed with him.


    Right now, Quinn and Sam needed their rest, and Quinn decided that she would definitely make things


    up to Sam when everything was over.


    After taking a bath, Samy down in bed but was uncertain if he could sleep.


    He sighed-the moment he closed his eyes, he would see Ryan in his mind, bruised and battered¡­


    That was when he felt the warmth of someone behind him.


    As Sam stiffened, Quinn said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep with you, Sam-I actually couldn¡¯t sleepst night too, since


    there was plenty on my mind. That¡¯s no good since we both need the rest, and your parents will


    depend on us if they get overwhelmed.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam replied, and the room turned silent.


    There was no telling how long it was, but they both fell asleep.


    Despite Quinn saying that there was no telling if either of them could sleep, they really did soon


    enough.


    They slept for a long time as well, since they were physically and mentally worn out from yesterday.


    There was no telling how long they would have slept as well, if not for a sudden phone call.


    Sam was still muddled when he answered. ¡°Mom?¡±


    Lindsay was already angry, and hearing his tone left her further incensed. ¡°Sam Saunders! Your brother


    is still in ICU, and you¡¯re sleeping like it¡¯s perfectly fine?! Are you really that calm after almost getting


    him killed again?!¡±


    Sam pursed his lips, clearly upset.


    However, he did not flip out even though he would have already hung up if it were in the past.


    Now, however, he calmly asked, ¡°Why did you call me?¡±

 Chapter 1472

    Chapter 1472


    Chapter 1472


    Lindsay was absolutely furious. ¡°Why did I call you? Don¡¯t you have any empathy, Sam?! Your


    brother is still in the ICU!¡±


    ¡°And what do you think I should do?!¡± Sam bellowed. ¡°Shall I watch him 24/7, or would you have


    preferred me to be the one in the ident?! In the end, I mean nothing ever since I was a child,


    and there¡¯s no problem even if I get killed!¡±


    Sam¡¯s sudden outburst was so loud that it startled Quinn.


    ¡°Sam¡­¡± she called out to him tentatively.


    Sam pretended not to hear it.


    At the same time, Lindsay turned silent on the other end and started sobbing after a long while.


    ¡°You¡¯re killing me, Sam¡­¡±


    ¡°Not me. You-all of you-have been killing me from the very start!¡±


    And with that, Sam flung his phone on the floor so loudly Quinn was left stunned silent. He then got


    out of bed and stormed out of the room.


    He even mmed the door shut loudly in his wake, but Quinn needed a long while before she came


    to her senses. She had never seen him that furious despite having a chip on his shoulder even as a


    child.


    She started to follow him when her phone rang.


    Hesitating for a moment, she eventually turned to answer it.


    ¡°Yes, Mr. Saunders?¡±


    ¡°Is Sam with you?¡± Marvin asked.


    ¡°He was, but he left.¡±


    ¡°Is he alright?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Quinn shook her head and quickly asked,¡± How¡¯s Mrs. Saunders?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s crying a lot,¡± Marvin said exasperatedly. ¡°She really didn¡¯t mean to snap at Sam, but she just


    let it slip because of her grief.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Quinn was perfectly aware, but it was all the more reason Sam was disappointed.


    ¡°You shoulde to the hospital,¡± Marvin said bluntly just then.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°But I¡¯d rather look for Sam. He broke his phone and left¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be fine¡± Marvin said.


    ¡°Why do all of you always think he¡¯ll be fine?!¡± Quinn snapped right then, feeling indignant for Sam¡¯s


    sake. ¡°Sure, he¡¯s not as impressive as Ryan, but he has a heart too. All everyone ever cares about


    is Ryan. Do you really think Sam doesn¡¯t get hurt?¡±


    Marvin sighed. ¡°We were wrong in the past, but this is a serious moment and we can¡¯t spare him


    any attention. The priority is to help Ryan get through this.¡±


    Quinn had no cause to argue, since Marvin was right-they had to take care of Ryan before anyone


    else now.


    ¡°You shoulde, Quinn. Ryan wants to see you,¡± Marvin said, finally getting to the point.


    When Quinn was hesitant, Marvin¡¯s voice turned quiet.¡± Please, I¡¯m begging you. He¡¯s really in bad


    shape-help us talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Quinn gave in, quickly changing and getting a cab. On her way to the hospital, she made a


    phone call. ¡°Cordy.¡±

 Chapter 1473

    Chapter 1473


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1473-Cordy knew something was up when she received Quinn¡¯s phone call


    out of the blue. ¡°Hey. What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Sam had a fight with his mother,¡± Quinn said quickly and anxiously. ¡°He broke his phone too, and I don¡¯t


    know where he¡¯s gone. I¡¯m worried, but Mr. Saunders told me to visit Ryan at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°So you want me to ask John and his friends to look for Sam?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn quickly said, feeling lucky that she had a friend like Cordy who could read her mind.


    ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry-just go to Ryan. I¡¯ll talk to John and call you when we have something.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    However, Quinn felt frustrated even as she hung up and could not calm down no matter how she tried.


    Once she arrived at the hospital, Quinn headed straight to the ICU.


    Marvin and Lindsay were still out in the hallway, with Lindsay¡¯s eyes red with tears and her still crying


    even after Quinn arrived.


    All rights ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Quinn had no idea if Lindsay was crying because of Ryan or because of her fight with Sam, but she did


    not ask.


    There was a part deep in her heart that had gotten sick of the way Lindsay treated Sam.


    ¡°Ah, Quinn. You¡¯re here,¡± Marvin promptly greeted her when he saw her.


    ¡°Mr. Saunders¡­¡±


    ¡°Ryan doesn¡¯t want to see anyone but you,¡± he said shortly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have asked for you so urgently


    otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn said, knowing that Marvin and Lindsay would say yes even if Ryan demanded the world


    now. ¡°I¡¯ll get changed.¡±


    Marvin nodded, but just as Quinn was about to leave, Lindsay suddenly snapped angrily, ¡°So Sam is not


    coming, is he?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Quinn replied bluntly.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Lindsay¡¯s tears overflowed like a burst dam right then. ¡°So he¡¯s bent on upsetting me, is he?! At a time


    like this?!¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, holding back the retort that she was about to dish out.


    She decided to restrain herself because Lindsay was clearly not in her right mind, and Quinn did not


    want the conflict to escte further.


    Taking a deep breath, she said, ¡°Sam just needs time, Mrs. Saunders. He¡¯ll be fine once hees


    around.¡±


    ¡°When is he ever going to grow up?!¡± Lindsay rambled on. ¡°I thought he did when he took over


    Saunderia, but in the end, I was hoping for too much from him. He¡¯s still like a kid ¡ª who knows if he¡¯s


    working out of a whim, and if he¡¯ll lose interest again in time-¡°


    ¡°Mrs. Saunders,¡± Quinn cut her short, finally having had enough. ¡°Everyone has a temper, and Sam is


    upset because you were being harsh. Weren¡¯t you agitated too? You shouldn¡¯t think that Sam is the only


    one at fault. I don¡¯t think something this insignificant calls his character orpetence into question, let


    alone denies his aplishments. That¡¯s unfair to him.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I was wrong?!¡± Lindsay red at Quinn in disbelief.


    She wanted Quinn¡¯s approval, since she was surprised that she got so upset with Sam herself.


    Moreover, she had noeback against what Sam said!

 Chapter 1474

    Chapter 1474


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1474-¡¯I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Saunders,¡± Quinn replied, avoiding Lindsay¡¯s question.


    ¡°I may be upset too since what happened in the past couple days can get on anyone¡¯s nerves. I¡¯ll do my


    best to show restraint after this-l¡¯m getting changed now. I¡¯ll talk to Ryan.¡±


    As Quinn left, Lindsay wheeled on Marvin, who sighed. ¡°She¡¯s right¡ª everyone¡¯s upset after what


    happened, but we can¡¯t take it out on others because of that. It¡¯s unfair to anyone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just-¡®


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me how much Sam changed, and said we should make it up to him after owing


    him so much, so why are you so upset with him now? He stayed here alone keeping watch the entire


    night without sleep, and he needs it no matter what happens. How else would he be able to take over


    while we rest?! Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re too old to stay up for too long.¡±


    Lindsay remained indignant. ¡°Then why would Sam tell Ryan about the amputation?! The doctor had


    orders to keep Ryan in the dark, and even if we neglected Sam, it¡¯s unbelievable why he would do


    something like that!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong about that too. Did you really think Sam would do that?¡± Marvin shot back. ¡°I¡¯ve made


    personal inquiries among the executives about Sam¡¯s management, and they all agreed that he¡¯s


    understanding and knows what he¡¯s doing.


    There was no negligence under his leadership.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m upset. I thought he¡¯s better than this-¡°


    ¡°Did it cross your mind that Ryan guessed it himself?¡± Marvin cut her short.


    While Lindsay appeared stunned, Marvin continued, ¡°You know how smart Ryan can be. Did you think he


    wouldn¡¯t know just because Sam kept quiet?! And it¡¯s Ryan¡¯s own body¡ªhe can feel it better than


    anyone. Sam just happened to be in the room, and thus the misunderstanding.¡±


    Marvin was himself upset at first, but things became clearer as he calmed down, and now he was


    actually convinced about that misunderstanding.


    Even so, Lindsay stubbornly argued, ¡°Sam never said anything-¡°


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s more introverted than we think,¡± Marvin exined. ¡°Think about it¡ª he¡¯s basically inconsequential


    aside from the time he got notorious for messing around with women every other day. I don¡¯t even


    remember when he ever spoke up at the family¡¯s dinner table.¡±


    When Lindsay was finally left speechless, he assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. We¡¯re just all


    very upset right now, but we¡¯re family. Sam will understand once things cool off. Now, let¡¯s just wait to


    see if Quinn is able to reason with Ryan.¡±


    Lindsay stared at Marvin but ultimately kept quiet.


    Quinn entered the ICU after changing into scrubs.


    Ryan looked even more tragic up close, and it hurt to look.


    ¡°Ryan,¡± Quinn called out to him, her voice choking with tears.


    Despite the many unpleasant things between them, they were in a crisis and they were still family, so she


    could not hate Ryan or actually turn her back on him.

 Chapter 1475

    Chapter 1475


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1475-Ryan turned toward Quinn, his gaze projecting frailness and despair.


    Quinn could actually imagine how hurt and hysterical he could be inside, but she assured him, ¡°It¡¯s


    alright, Ryan. Well be by your side and get through this. Don¡¯t give up-the doctor said your surgery was a


    sess, and you¡¯ll recover.¡±


    ¡°Recover?¡± Ryan groaned feebly in grief. ¡°Without my leg? I¡¯m never recovering-l¡¯m useless now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not useless. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a scientist who works at the most famous research center in


    the country,¡±


    Quinn quickly said. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to yourself-did you forget that your wisdom is a wealth for all people?


    Don¡¯t give up just because of a little setback. You¡¯re always a genius to me, and that will never change.¡±


    Ryan listened in silence, his tears welling up in his eyes and still in denial about losing a leg.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Ryan,¡± Quinn said, wiping her tears. ¡°Your parents are waiting outside, and they¡¯re


    worried. They can¡¯t live if you don¡¯t pull yourself together. Don¡¯t let them down now, they¡¯ve always been


    so proud of you.¡±


    ¡°I already did. I¡¯m less of a man now.¡±


    ¡°They love you the most in this world. They¡¯d ept you even if you lose both legs and actually feel your


    pain.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m disgusting?¡± Ryan asked her just then.¡± It¡¯s so revolting to lose a leg.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I just feel pain for you,¡± Quinn said determinedly.¡± Don¡¯t give up on yourself, Ryan. We¡¯re


    family, and we¡¯ll always have your back-you¡¯ll have us even if you lose everything.¡±


    ¡°You too?¡± Ryan murmured.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Quinn nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll always be with you.¡±


    ¡°Quinn, you¡¯d bettere good on that promise,¡± Ryan said.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn agreed to it, under the impression that she would stay with him as family to help and


    encourage him, just like his parents would.


    She did not think of anything else at all.


    After that, Quinn and Ryan made small talk, in which Quinn kept encouraging Ryan.


    She was not allowed to visit for too long, since thest time Sam did, Ryan had needed emergency


    surgery. The medical staff had her leave in concern that Ryan would get agitated again.


    Marvin and Lindsay promptly came up to her. ¡°So? What did Ryan say?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still depressed, but I think he¡¯s not giving up,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°I think he¡¯lle to terms if we give


    him time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Lindsay breathed a sigh of relief at those words.


    Quinn was actually relieved as well, since she was worried that Ryan would really give up.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Clearly, he was not suicidal when they spoke.


    If anything, Quinn was more worried about Sam. Where did he go, alone and without his phone?!

 Chapter 1476

    Chapter 1476


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1476-While Quinn stayed with Marvin and Lindsay at the hospital, she kept


    holding on to her phone, waiting anxiously for news.


    Eventually, Cordy texted her when night arrived.


    [Don¡¯t worry-my cousin found Sam drinking at a bar. He¡¯s just cranky but otherwise fine. John and I are


    nowing to the capital and we¡¯ll see him soon. We¡¯ll keep an eye on him.]


    Relieved, Quinn was earnestly grateful. [Thank you, Cordy. Sorry for putting you through all that trouble.]


    [It¡¯s no trouble. John and I areing anyway-Sean¡¯s been urging me to do so for a while now, and


    there¡¯s no better time to do it.]


    [Yeah.]


    Quinn had no idea what to say, though there were times when feelings did not need to be expressed.


    Cordy soon sent her a photo of Sam drinking at a bar.


    It was dark and grainy, but Quinn could sense that Sam was upset even from behind the screen.


    She really wanted to go to him, but as she turned to nce at Ryan in the ICU, and then at Marvin and


    Lindsay who looked exhausted, she ultimately did not say it.


    After staying with Ryan for a day, Lindsay¡¯s body was stiff and hurting everywhere, while Marvin did not


    fare any better.


    They were sitting on the bench, slowly flexing their limbs.


    Quinn had wanted to send them back to the hotel while she stayed here with Ryan, but she suddenly did


    not want to do it when she remembered how they treated Sam.


    It might be selfish, but she would rather have Marvin and Lindsay stay overnight and see if they needed


    rest after that.


    She wanted them to understand that the family should be cooperating during a time like this since no one


    could care for Ryan all by themselves, so that Marvin and Lindsay would understand their mistake.


    That was why Quinn stayed silent.


    In reality, Marvin and Lindsay were waiting for Quinn to speak up, since she was the only one who could


    stay overnight with Sam gone.


    Moreover, Quinn had rested in the morning, so it would be no issue.


    However, as long as she did not speak up, neither Marvin nor Lindsay could mention it outright.


    They were too worried to leave Ryan alone at the hospital too¡­


    Hence, the stalemate continued all the way to midnight, but Quinn was still not saying anything.


    Reasonably speaking, she should be a lot more caring and would have told them to leave already, but


    she kept checking her phone and texting.


    Who could it be? Sam?! Neither Marvin nor Lindsay could tell¡­


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Eventually, Lindsay could not resist asking Quinn, ¡°Who are you chatting with? I see you¡¯ve been texting


    the whole night.¡±


    ¡°A friend,¡± Quinn replied nomittally as she looked up. ¡°What is it? Did Ryan ask for me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lindsay shook her head, clearly exhausted-she could not stay upte at her age, even past 10 PM.


    And everything that had happened over thest two days had also taken its toll on her body.


    However, Quinn simply turned back to her phone and continued texting, and Lindsay asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you


    sleepy, Quinn?¡±


    She certainly had a way with words and knew how not to sound imposing and upsetting.


    And yet, Quinn simply yawned. ¡°I am.¡±


    Lindsay was left taken aback-should Quinn not offer to stay while telling them to leave?


    And yet, Quinn kept yawning repeatedly and even stretched her back. ¡°Sam and I were going to catch up


    on sleep, but we ended up only sleeping a couple hours. Since we didn¡¯t really sleepst night, I¡¯m


    getting a little drowsy now.¡±

 Chapter 1477

    Chapter 1477


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1477-Quinn did not offer to leave or ask them to, and so Marvin and Lindsay


    remained awkwardly quiet even if they wanted to leave.


    Everyone simply remained in the hallway in silence, while Quinn continued to text Cordy.


    On the other end, Cordy and the rest had already met up with Sam.


    Since Cordy was pregnant and unable to stay at a lively ce like the bar, they moved to Cranston Hall,


    where Sam,


    John, Sean Cranston, and Patrick Stuart continued drinking.


    Cordy, who was getting tired, sent Quinn onest photo and a text.


    Cordy: [Sorry, I can¡¯t stay up-l have to go to bed. Don¡¯t worry, Sam will be fine with John and the others.]


    Quinn: [Okay. Get some rest soon. Sorry for the trouble.]


    Cordy: [Again, you¡¯re wee.]


    Quinn put away her phone, and turned to see Lindsay leaning against Marvin, clearly past her limit. If


    she had not started that fight with Sam and allowed him to sleep, he would have been here to take over


    and they would not be suffering.


    Still, Quinn could not live with herself to see them like that.


    ¡°It¡¯ste now,¡± she said. ¡°You can go back to the hotel. I¡¯ll stay with Ryan and contact you right away if


    anything happens.¡±


    Lindsay certainly did not insist on staying and even affectionately asked, ¡°Can you take it, Quinn? You


    can leave if you cant. We¡¯ll stay with Ryan-juste back when you wake up.¡±


    ¡°No, you can leave. I can still stay-you can return here once you¡¯re up.¡±


    Lindsay appeared to be hesitant and nced at Marvin, who nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll get going now. Thank you


    for staying here day and night, Quinn.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem.¡± Quinn smiled.


    Just as Marvin and Lindsay were about to leave, however, she added, ¡°Sam did the same yesterday.¡±


    Lindsay paused but ultimately kept quiet and left with Marvin.


    Quinn did not actually want anything from Lindsay, except for thetter to realize that she had mistreated


    Sam.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When Marvin and Lindsay were gone, she got up from her chair to flex her limbs-she was actually


    sleepy, and she might have wanted Marvin and Lindsay to go through the same thing.


    She peered into the window to look at Ryan, sighing when she saw that he was lying in bed, not moving


    an inch.


    In reality, she did feel sad for him.


    Quinn was asleep during daybreak the next day.


    Ryan was actually perfectly safe in the ICU-having someone keeping watch out at the hallway 24/7 was


    unnecessary.


    Marvin and Lindsay, however, wanted someone there to watch him in case he did something drastic


    while in denial, which was why someone had to be there 24/7.


    A nurse approached Quinn just then. Miss¡­¡±


    As Quinn opened her muddled eyes, the nurse said, ¡°The patient would like to see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Quinn agreed to it right away, putting on scrubs and entering the ICU.


    She nced at the clock to see that it was just past 5 AM, but Ryan¡¯s eyes were clear and sharp.


    He probably could not sleep much now, with so much weighing on his mind.


    ¡°Ryan,¡± Quinn called out to him just then.

 Chapter 1478

    Chapter 1478


    Chapter 1478


    Ryan seemed to notice she had been sleeping outside and wanted to send her away. ¡°Quinn, you


    don¡¯t have to stay with me all the time.¡±


    ¡°No, your parents insisted that I stay with you until they¡¯re back,¡± Quinn said, rejecting him right


    away.


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary,¡± Ryan said. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to put everyone through so much.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter as long as you get better.¡±


    ¡°Get better¡­¡± Scorn was clear in Ryan¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, Ryan-it doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re missing a limb. ¡± Quinn did her best to reason with


    him. ¡°You have such a great mind that can still contribute to the world. Have you forgotten your


    ambition? Are you giving up already?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up,¡± Ryan replied, shaking his head.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even so, he was just aggrieved.


    How did this happen to him?! It was just so unfair!


    His work has merit and contributes to humankind, and this was what he got? How was he going to


    stay calm and rational in this world with a missing leg?!


    ¡°You have to be strong Ryan,¡± Quinn said.


    ¡°Quinn,¡± Ryan said, and Quinn watched as he worked hard to extend his hand.


    ¡°Do you want a drink?¡± she quickly asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Ryan said. ¡°I want to hold your hand.¡±


    Quinn did a double take, her first reaction being to say no.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Ryan asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Quinn quickly pushed his hand down. ¡°I¡¯m worried I¡¯d hurt you with all your injuries.¡±


    ¡°I want to feel your warmth,¡± Ryan said. ¡°Without your constant support, I don¡¯t know if I can ept


    this reality. Thank goodness you¡¯re staying with me.¡±


    ¡°I will always stay with you,¡± Quinn said, determined.


    ¡°Thank you, Quinn,¡± Ryan said earnestly. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I believe you.¡±


    With that, Ryan kept holding onto her hand, not wanting to let go because this was the only thing


    driving him to keep living.


    That was if Quinn would always stay with him.


    It was certainly a peaceful sight between them, which Sam saw through the window.


    He simply looked on in silence.


    How did he feel just then? He had no idea.


    But there was no reason for grief-he just had to ept it.


    In reality, he never wanted toe.


    He was only human too, and he could feel insulted.


    However, he had been drinking the whole night but could not get drunk at a 11¡ªit was not because


    he was that good a drinker, but he had been restraining himself constantly.


    He knew very well he would have to switch ces with his parents and Quinn and could not get too


    drunk to the point that he could not get up.


    That was why he stopped drinking and went to bed once midnight arrived.


    When he woke up, he did not hesitate toe to the hospital.


    He did not want to dwell on things too much nor refuse toe at all. Moreover, he expected Quinn


    would be here on watch for the night.

 Chapter 1479

    Chapter 1479


    Chapter 1479


    Sam simply watched as Quinn and Ryan held hands in the ICU, her eyes projecting concern and


    heartache.


    Should he havee? Probably not.


    He started to leave as quietly as he came, but he did not go that far.


    He stood at the end of the hallway, waiting for a long while until Quinn finally stepped out, and he


    pretended that he had just arrived.


    Quinn was surprised to see him and hurried to him, asking, ¡°What are you doing here, Sam?¡±


    She was delighted, but it seemed to Sam she was upset.


    So he was not needed here?!


    ¡°Do you want to switch?¡± Sam asked.


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn blurted.


    Sam smiled faintly-true, he had been delusional.


    Nodding, he started to leave when Quinn exined, ¡°Wait, Sam-I meant I want to stay with you.


    Your parents wille to switch ces with US once they¡¯re up.¡±


    She somehow felt that he was acting weird, thought it might be because he argued with his parents


    yesterday.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    That was understandable.


    Sam wanted to say no, but Quinn had already taken his hand as if it was natural and sat down on


    the hallway chair.


    Sam pursed his lips but ultimately stayed quiet.


    They sat together, with Quinn moving very close to him.


    Sam did not react, however, even shifting slightly to keep his distance.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you go drinkingst night? I thought you¡¯d still be passed out, but you¡¯re early,¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t drunk. I didn¡¯t drink that much,¡± Sam exined.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded.


    She knew it¡ªhe had changed.


    When push came to shove, he no longer behaved on a whim and knew what he should be doing.


    ¡°You asked Cordy to look for me yesterday?¡± he asked, having an idea when Sean came


    looking for him at the bar.


    He did not have a phone with him, and Cordy was Quinn¡¯s only person to go to for help.


    ¡°Yeah. I was worried, so I asked Cordy,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°I¡¯d have to thank her properlyter.¡±


    Sam said nothing, but his heart skipped a beat.


    Maybe Quinn only did it out of her sense of responsibility, and he should not expect too much.


    They simply sat there on the hallway, chatting intermittently while Quinn had the nagging feeling


    that Sam was acting coldly today.


    Was he still upset with his mother?!


    Quinn wanted to reason with him, but she also believed that he was not at fault-that he was right to


    be angry!


    At around eight, Quinn was left surprised to see Cordy and John visiting, and she promptly stood


    up. ¡°Cordy¡­¡±


    ¡°We came to visit Ryan,¡± Cordy said. ¡°We would¡¯vee with Sam, but he was already gone when


    we woke up. He¡¯s worried that you¡¯d be tired staying up all night and was going to switch ces


    with you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn blushed a little. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for his parents toe soon, then I¡¯ll go back


    to the hotel with him.¡±

 Chapter 1480

    Chapter 1480


    ¡°Okay,¡± Cordy said.


    Quinn then led them to the ICU, and even Cordy felt a little overwhelmed to see Ryan¡¯s condition.


    That was despite them being distant from Ryan, as John had mentioned that they never could warm up


    to each other since Ryan did not like friends.


    Moreover, just because they were a little younger, they were all brats to Ryan and beneath him.


    However, John still had reason toe visit since Ryan was Sam¡¯s brother, and Sam was his best


    friend.


    ¡°How is he?¡± Cordy asked.


    ¡°Much better,¡± Quinn replied. ¡°He was overwhelmed before, but he¡¯s slowly adjusting-he needs time.¡±


    Cordy nodded¡ªthat would be the case for anyone.


    ¡°I believe in him. He¡¯s always been strong, and he¡¯ll pull together once he epts reality,¡± Quinn said.


    Sam and John were standing beside them, and Sam could hear the affirmation Quinn had for Ryan.


    That was true-Ryan was probably all-powerful in her mind, just as everyone else considered him the


    greatest existence.


    As for Sam himself, he was born just to even out the numbers.


    ¡°Great.¡± Cordy smiled and added, ¡°But Ryan should rely on himself to ovee eager to push him,


    Quinn. You should give him more space.¡±


    Cordy did not make it clear, but she meant to say that even if it was important to help Ryan, Quinn


    should still keep her distance.


    Otherwise, there would be many misunderstandings.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn nodded, seeing sense in Cordy¡¯s words.


    She thought the same-once he could leave the ICU, she would leave him by himself so that he would


    learn to take care of himself. Anyone else was just support, and he was the key.


    As everyone continued their small talk, Marvin and Lindsay arrived, even bringing breakfast for Quinn.


    They were actually surprised to see Cordy and John, though they enthusiastically weed them.


    John did help them when Saunderia was in a crisis, a favor Marvin and Lindsay constantly kept in


    mind.


    ¡°Cordy, Johnny,¡± they greeted them, only casting Sam a passing nce despite clearly seeing him.


    Sam did not greet them in turn, making himself appear a stranger.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°We came to see Ryan,¡± John said. ¡°We heard from Quinn that he¡¯s better.¡±


    ¡°He is, though there¡¯s no telling if it¡¯d be the same from here. ¡± Lindsay remained clearly worried.


    ¡°With time, it shall,¡± John assured her.


    ¡°I hope. Poor Ryan¡­¡± Lindsay sniffled, her eyes red with tears. ¡°He¡¯s so sessful. How could


    something so unfair happen to him?¡±


    John had no idea what to say, so Cordy said, ¡°No one could¡¯ve expected this, Mrs. Saunders. It¡¯s


    fortunate that Ryan survived such a terrible ident.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to think about it.¡± Lindsay nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get going now-my grandfather is just going for his checkup,¡± Cordy said just then.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t let us keep you¡­ Sorry that we can¡¯t offer you better hospitality.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mrs. Saunders. You should take good care of your health too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we know.¡±


    Cordy nodded and nced at Quinn, who nodded in turn. With that, Cordy left with John.

 Chapter 1481

    Chapter 1481


    Things got awkward once Cordy and John were gone.


    Marvin and Lindsay nced at Sam before turning back to Quinn. ¡°You didn¡¯t have breakfast, right? You


    should go eat.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded and took Sam by the hand. ¡°Sam, you probably haven¡¯t eaten since you came


    very early. Let¡¯s eat together.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Sam rejected her coolly.


    ¡®You should eat something. It¡¯s unhealthy to starve,¡± Quinn insisted.


    ¡°No.¡± Sam did not give in.


    At the same time, Lindsayid out all the breakfast bought on a nearby chair.


    She avoided looking at Sam, and quietly said, ¡°Just eat together. We bought a lot-Quinn won¡¯t be able to


    finish everything on her own.¡±


    Sam paused, ncing for a moment at his mother and quickly turning away.


    He did not say no, and Quinn knew that Sam had given in.


    Naturally, she was not upset that Sam refused her but epted Lindsay¡¯s offer so easily.


    If anything, her heart ached for him-the more she learned about him, the lonelier she realized he was.


    Lindsay was clearly at fault and never apologized, but just a simple line from her was enough to make


    Sam put aside a grudge.


    He probably really wanted to be a part of his family.


    As Sam and Quinn sat down for breakfast in the hallway, Marvin said, ¡°You two should get some rest at


    the hotel-we¡¯ll watch Ryan during the day. We¡¯re really too old to stay upte, so we have to count on


    you.¡±


    Quinn shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Mr. Saunders. It¡¯ll be over once the worst is past.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Marvin nodded. ¡°Get some proper sleep once you¡¯re back. Don¡¯t worry about us here-the priority is to


    take care of your health, since we¡¯d be overwhelmed if one among US copsed now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied, while Sam stayed silent.


    They left the hospital once they finished breakfast.


    Once inside their cab, Quinn quickly said, ¡¯Your parents understand they were at fault. Otherwise, they


    wouldn¡¯t have sent US away and told US to take care of ourselves.¡±


    However, Sam was silent and kept the back of his head to her.


    ¡°Are you still upset with your mom?¡± Quinn asked gingerly.


    Sam stayed silent.


    He was upset, but Lindsay was his mother, and he more or less buried the hatchet after she told him to


    eat.


    He could not hope for too much from his family-he had no right to.


    Quinn continued to reason with him nheless, saying, ¡°She knows she¡¯s wrong, but she¡¯s your mother


    and can¡¯t put aside her pride to apologize.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not upset,¡± Sam replied tly.


    Quinn smiled. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t that petty.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips and stayed silent.


    The cab soon arrived at their hotel, and they went to take a bath without dy before getting into bed.

 Chapter 1482

    Chapter 1482


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1482-Having basically not slept for 24 hours, Quinn basically fell asleep


    when shey down.


    On the other hand, Sam, who had caught up with sleep and was less drowsy, did not doze off even


    afterying in bed for


    a long while.


    He simplyy beside Quinn, watching her sleeping face.


    How much longer could he see her like this from up close?


    He always knew that Ryan always got what he wanted, and he was no match for Ryan.


    He leaned in, unable to resist kissing her on the forehead.


    He gulped, the emotions he kept ring.


    He really wanted to hold Quinn firmly in his arms and never let go.


    There was no telling how long had passed when Quinn¡¯s phone started ringing.


    Sam promptly muted it for her and saw that it was Lindsay.


    He hesitated, but eventually got out of bed and walked towards the balcony sliding doors. He then


    answered softly,


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Lindsay could clearly tell it was him and asked bluntly, ¡°Where¡¯s Quinn?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still sleeping.¡±


    ¡°Tell her toe to the hospital-Ryan wants to see her,¡± Lindsay said right away.


    ¡°It¡¯s only 10 AM, and we only left after 8 AM,¡± Sam said slowly.


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Lindsay demanded.


    ¡°Dad just told us to get some rest and take care of ourselves, for we can¡¯t afford to wear ourselves out.


    Quinn already


    went 24 hours without sleep, and you¡¯re telling her to go just an hour after sleeping? Do you think she¡¯s


    made of steel?¡±


    ¡°But Ryan made it clear he wants to see Quinn,¡± Lindsay cried, desperate.


    She was so afraid of upsetting Ryan that she would do anything he said, even if she was concerned


    about Quinn.


    Still, Sam snorted. ¡°So you¡¯re going to give Ryan the world if he asks?¡±


    Lindsay was shaking with rage right then but did not snap at Sam like he did yesterday.


    Working hard to control herself, she said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s an important time for Ryan now. We have to


    satisfy him as much as


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    we can-¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s during this time that you should learn to tell him no. Make him learn to be strong instead of


    avoiding reality-¡°


    ¡°Can¡¯t you listen to me, Sam?! I know I¡¯ve mistreated you and focused too much on Ryan, and I¡¯m now


    guilty! But be


    understanding now-you¡¯re both my children. How could I live if anything happens to either of you?!¡±


    Lindsay burst out in tears right then.


    Sam pursed his lips, understanding emotional ckmail for the first time.


    His fingers clenched on Quinn¡¯s phone as he trembled.


    As a man of principle, he would not be so easily dissuaded of his convictions.


    However, just as he was about to refuse, he heard his father snap from the other end, ¡°Did you call


    Quinn?! Didn¡¯t I tell


    you not to do it?! How long did you think she got to sleep?! Just calm down already-Ryan is


    traumatized after that


    ident, but he doesn¡¯t get to make everyone suffer with him! His health is his own, and Quinn¡¯s


    health is hers!¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m wrong?! That everything I do is wrong?! That I¡¯m ruining our family?!¡± Lindsay


    cried hysterically in


    retort.


    Sam listened to them argue for a while and eventually growled, ¡°I¡¯ll be there.


    It was time he and Ryan had a proper talk.

 Chapter 1483

    Chapter 1483


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1483-Sam carefully returned Quinn¡¯s phone beside the bed and put it on


    silent before leaving the hotel.


    Quinn, who was usually a light sleeper, should have woken up when he took the call from his parents.


    However, she did not move at all¡ªit was easy to imagine how tired she had been staying up sincest


    night.


    Sam soon arrived at the hospital and found Lindsay and Marvin in the hallway.


    As he looked at them from afar, they seemed to have aged considerably, especially with Lindsay


    sobbing endlessly.


    Marvin was making no effort tofort her, however¡ªit was probably because they had a fight.


    Sam made his way to them and said bluntly, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Ryan. n


    Both his parents looked up at him, but surprisingly, they nodded.


    They could see that Quinn had it hard and actually thought that Ryan¡¯s persistent demand to see her


    was out of line.


    However, they could not put aside their pride and refuse him, meaning that it was up to Sam to be the


    bad cop here.


    As Sam changed into scrubs, he asked about Ryan¡¯s situation.


    The medical staff said that Ryan¡¯s vitals were stable and he was not in any danger unless something


    unexpected


    urred. However, they would still suggest that Ryan stayed in ICU for observation given his unstable


    emotional state.


    Sam headed into the ward as he listened.


    Ryan blinked, his face falling the instant he saw Sam.


    It was so obvious Sam sensed it despite his face covered underyers of bandages.


    ¡°I want to see Quinn,¡± Ryan said bluntly right then.


    Afford More, Worry Less


    Enjoy No Cost EMI with Bajaj Finserv ¡Á


    ¡°She¡¯s resting at the hotel,¡± Sam replied. ¡°She¡¯s been up for 24 hours¡ªor do you prefer she dies by


    your bed before you


    get better?!¡±


    Ryan gulped, humiliated by Sam¡¯s words.


    But he was the patient!


    He needed care!


    Even if it was unreasonable, he had privilege!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°I want to see Quinn,¡± he demanded again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let her see you,¡± Sam said slowly and clearly.


    ¡°I want to see Quinn!¡± Ryan bellowed tempestuously, twitching slightly and clearly not appearing calm.


    Meanwhile, Marvin and Lindsay were watching from outside

 Chapter 1484

    Chapter 1484


    Marvin and Lindsay could not hear what Ryan and Sam were saying, but Lindsay could not bear seeing


    Ryan getting agitated.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She promptly started toward the door, intent on stopping Sam, but Marvin stopped her.


    She red at him in turn. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°We decided to let Sam deal with this, so we should trust him,¡± Marvin said coolly. ¡°Sam is right-Ryan


    should learn to ept reality.¡±


    Lindsay¡¯s eyes were red and swollen-she had been crying for days.


    Still, she eventually gritted her teeth and held her tongue.


    In the ICU, Ryan remained agitated as he red at Sam. ¡°I want to see Quinn! If you refuse, I¡¯ll refuse


    medication and-¡¯


    ¡°You are no man,¡± Sam growled viciously then. Who do you think you¡¯re threatening here aside from your


    own family, and why is that? It¡¯s because everyone cares! And you don¡¯t care how anyone feels-do you


    even know how hurt our parents are because of you? Mom¡¯s been crying for days and her eyes are red


    and swollen! You know how vain she gets, but she doesn¡¯t care about that at all now. And what about


    Dad? Have you ever seen him cry?!¡±


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Ryan snapped, refusing to listen.


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Sam refused to give in. ¡°Our parents are arguing, and the whole family¡¯s a mess because of


    you! Everyone¡¯s feeling hurt-are you only satisfied when that prolongs and hurts them physically? Mom


    and I had a fight yesterday, and that denied Quinn any time to sleep. She had to stay with you through


    the night and now finally slept for an hour, but you¡¯re demanding to see her? Do you think this is love?!


    Everything you¡¯re doing is out of your selfish intent to im her, or am I wrong?!¡±


    ¡°Shut up! Get out of here!¡± Ryan screamed, his embarrassment turning into rage.


    He started iling around to get up, but he could not turn in his state, let alone push himself up.


    All he could do was re at Sam furiously, but Sam remained unaffected. ¡°It would¡¯ve been so much


    better if you just died. Why live and be a burden to the family?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°To be honest, you can still die now,¡± Sam said icily. ¡°Do you know how much I hate you? Our parents


    only ever cared about you, as if I¡¯d never measure up to you-everything is always my fault, and you were


    always their pride. I¡¯m just trash, a pointless existence.¡±


    ¡°Whose fault is that?! You! You¡¯re stupid!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not ming anyone. I just think that it¡¯d be so much better if I never had a brother.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re weak and stupid!¡± Ryan cursed furiously.


    ¡°So what? You¡¯re less than me now.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a leg, isn¡¯t it? Sure, not everyone can take it, but it¡¯s reality and what can you do other than


    ept it? Jay Parker lost one too, but is he suffering a breakdown like you are? He depended on no one


    but himself, never burdening everyone, while you¡¯ve be our family¡¯s worst burden!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for you!¡± Ryan screamed, his face flushed as Sam called him out.


    Even so, Sam did not yield an inch to Ryan¡¯s outburst. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to our parents. I¡¯ll tell them not to stay


    here with you 24/ 7.


    The best medical equipment is avable here, and the medical staff can deal with any problems you may


    have. We¡¯re not contributing with anything anyway-we¡¯ll only decide if we have to help with your rehab


    after you leave the ICU.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are?! Do you think you can take over the family?! Believe me, I just have to act


    suicidal and anything you say would be moot!¡± Ryan snarled viciously.


    ¡°Oh, I believe you,¡± Sam said self-deprecatingly. ¡°What you say goes in the family, while I amount to


    nothing.¡±


    ¡°Then what gives you the right to threaten me?!¡±


    ¡°Quinn."

 Chapter 1485

    Chapter 1485


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1485-Ryan froze-what was Sam getting at?


    ¡°You¡¯re doing all this because you want Quinn, no?¡± Sam said bluntly¡ªit was pointless to run around in


    circles with him.


    Ryan was actually surprised that Sam would be blunt too,pletely refusing to y his game.


    But that had always been Sam¡¯s style-he never considered the consequences with anything he did.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Quinn¡ªI just think you don¡¯t deserve her, and being with you is an insult to her,¡± Ryan


    said with righteous indignation just then, as if he was right


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    even if he was third- wheeling, even sabotaging someone else¡¯s marriage!


    Sam did not argue-that would be pointless too.


    No one could change Ryan¡¯s mind once he decided on something-if he believed that Sam did not


    deserve Quinn, then he did not.


    At the same time, Ryan continued to disparage Sam, not sparing him any dignity. ¡°I can give Quinn a


    better life. I don¡¯t mess around with other women like


    you-my heart is devoted to Quinn, and I¡¯ve always made sure to keep myself chaste for her sake. On


    the other hand, you¡¯re filthy.¡±


    Sam certainly was, having been a phnderer for so long.


    He was convinced he could change as the prodigal son saying goes, but it was only ever self-deceit.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t torment Quinn right now. Properly get better, and once you¡¯ve recovered, I¡¯ll step aside,¡±


    Sam said then, only giving Ryan a promise and never


    defending himself.


    Ryan stared at him in disbelief-he was offering to give up on Quinn?!


    Despite precedents, he was not blind to Sam¡¯s affection for Quinn recently, and it was exactly because


    Sam got serious that he felt threatened.


    And yet, he was thwarted in his every attempt to reim Quinn¡­


    Seeing that Ryan had concerns, Sam assured him, ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Ryan agreed to it right away-he could trust Sam this one time since he was going this far.


    ¡°Once you leave the ICU, I¡¯ll leave the capital and have Quinn stay with you,¡±


    Sam said.


    ¡°Good,¡± Ryan nodded.


    ¡°But before that, I¡¯d like you to cooperate with your treatment and stop taking out your frustrations on


    innocent people. That goes for our parents too, and not just Quinn.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me. I care for them more than you do. ¡± Ryan scowled.


    Sam did not argue and turned to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been the best choice for Quinn,¡± Ryan said from behind, slowly and clearly.


    Sam pursed his lips.


    He wanted to tell Ryan that it as long as that did not include letting Quinn down.


    However, he felt that he was now an outsider and had no right to say it.


    As such, he simply left.

 Chapter 1486

    Chapter 1486


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1486-Everyone, including Sam, turned to find Quinn standing nearby.


    She seemed frozen there as she stared at Sam, her cheeks drained of color.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Quinn?¡± Lindsay hurried over, panic showing in her eyes as she was worried


    that Quinn had overheard them.


    Quinn turned stiffly toward Lindsay, saying coolly, ¡°I came here because the hotel room was empty


    when I woke up.¡±


    It was the truth-she rushed to the hospital once she woke out and found that Sam was gone. She went


    there directly without calling because he might stop


    her out of concern for her health, and he might get into another fight with Lindsay.


    And when she arrived, she heard everything Sam said-that he was just making do with keeping her


    around, and that giving her off to Ryan was nothing to him.


    So she was still so insignificant to him.


    She actually believed for a moment¡­ but it was all just her wishful thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m still feeling sleepy,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the hotel.¡±


    Quinn turned to leave, barely managing to hold back her tears in front of them.


    Lindsay actually felt hurt to see her dispirited like that- Quinn was not her daughter, but she had grown


    up in their care and Lindsay always treated her like


    own. She always felt great pity whenever she remembered that Quinn¡¯s parents were dead.


    And yet, she never told Sam to stop Quinn, as she was selfishly agreeing to Sam¡¯s solution-if Quinn


    was the only one who could get Ryan to pull together,


    she would rather believe that Sam and Quinn had a tonic rtionship.


    On the other hand, Marvin had enough and snapped at Sam, ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I never heard a word of what


    you said. Go to Quinn and talk to her-don¡¯t drift apart from


    her because of this.¡±


    Sam had been clenching his knuckles for a while, and he could see that Quinn was sad.


    However, it was better to make it quick-Quinn loved Ryan, and being free from her marriage would be


    good for her once she returned to Ryan.


    As such, Sam ignored Marvin, leaving him sighing.


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Everything was going fine. How did things turn out like this?


    Ryan was very receptive toward his treatment since then, and the doctors said that he was recovering


    so well he could be moved to a normal ward should


    everything be found to be normal after the day¡¯s examination. After that, he would stay for another


    week before getting discharged, then stay home for rest.


    Naturally, nothing was found to be out of ce, and Lindsay and Marvin were overjoyed that Ryan


    could move to a normal ward.


    It was undoubtedly good news-it had been terrible for everyone to stay at the hospital constantly.

 Chapter 1487

    Chapter 1487


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1487-Everyone, including Sam, turned to find Quinn standing nearby.


    She seemed frozen there as she stared at Sam, her cheeks drained of color.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Quinn?¡± Lindsay hurried over, panic showing in her eyes as she was worried


    that Quinn had overheard them.


    Quinn turned stiffly toward Lindsay, saying coolly, ¡°I came here because the hotel room was empty


    when I woke up.¡±


    It was the truth-she rushed to the hospital once she woke out and found that Sam was gone. She went


    there directly without calling because he might stop


    her out of concern for her health, and he might get into another fight with Lindsay.


    And when she arrived, she heard everything Sam said-that he was just making do with keeping her


    around, and that giving her off to Ryan was nothing to him.


    So she was still so insignificant to him.


    She actually believed for a moment¡­ but it was all just her wishful thinking.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m still feeling sleepy,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m going back to the hotel.¡±


    Quinn turned to leave, barely managing to hold back her tears in front of them.


    Lindsay actually felt hurt to see her dispirited like that- Quinn was not her daughter, but she had grown


    up in their care and Lindsay always treated her like


    own. She always felt great pity whenever she remembered that Quinn¡¯s parents were dead.


    And yet, she never told Sam to stop Quinn, as she was selfishly agreeing to Sam¡¯s solution-if Quinn


    was the only one who could get Ryan to pull together,


    she would rather believe that Sam and Quinn had a tonic rtionship.


    On the other hand, Marvin had enough and snapped at Sam, ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I never heard a word of what


    you said. Go to Quinn and talk to her-don¡¯t drift apart from


    her because of this.¡±


    Sam had been clenching his knuckles for a while, and he could see that Quinn was sad.


    However, it was better to make it quick-Quinn loved Ryan, and being free from her marriage would be


    good for her once she returned to Ryan.


    As such, Sam ignored Marvin, leaving him sighing.


    Everything was going fine. How did things turn out like this?


    Ryan was very receptive toward his treatment since then, and the doctors said that he was recovering


    so well he could be moved to a normal ward should


    everything be found to be normal after the day¡¯s examination. After that, he would stay for another


    week before getting discharged, then stay home for rest.


    Naturally, nothing was found to be out of ce, and Lindsay and Marvin were overjoyed that Ryan


    could move to a normal ward.


    It was undoubtedly good news-it had been terrible for everyone to stay at the hospital constantly.

 Chapter 1488

    Chapter 1488


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1488-Saunders breathed a sigh of relief after Ryan was transferred to a


    normal ward.


    As Ryany down, he said considerately, ¡°Thanks for staying with me, Mom and Dad. Sorry for causing


    you worry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, as long as you get better,¡± Lindsay said excitedly.


    It was so obvious that Ryan was no longer pessimistic after leaving the ICU,


    unlike the period of time just after his ident.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to disappoint,¡± Ryan assured her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never disappointed us. You¡¯re always our pride,¡± Lindsay said confidently, holding his hand.


    Ryan smiled at her, a heart-warming sight between mother and son.


    Sam was in the room too, since Ryan was leaving the ICU today.


    He stood nearby, fiddling with his lighter and looking like none of it concerned him.


    At the same time, Ryan turned toward Quinn after speaking with Lindsay.


    Quinn was busy speaking with the nurse, getting her familiar with the ward and asking about the rehab


    procedures for Ryan, meticulous as ever toward his


    care.


    Ryan looked at her lovingly. ¡°Thank you, Quinn.¡±


    Quinn turned and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s what I should do.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have epted reality without your encouragement,¡± Ryan said nheless, ¡°let alone


    recover so well. Thank you very much.¡±


    Quinn smiled faintly, acknowledging the gratitude before turning back to the nurse.


    With that, Sam started to leave.


    ¡°Sam.¡± Marvin suddenly stopped him. ¡°Where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m heading back to North City,¡± Sam said tly.


    ¡°Now?¡± Marvin eximed in surprise that he would leave so soon-was Sam really just leaving his


    parents to stay with Ryan?!


    ¡°Someone should check things out in Saunderia,¡± Sam said, his tone still t.


    ¡°There were calls days ago about several projects that I need to be briefed on directly. And Ryan¡¯s


    doing fine now-yourpany is enough for him, and I¡¯d just


    get in the way hanging around.¡±


    Marvin sighed, feeling a little hurt that Sam would say that he was ¡®getting in the way¡¯.


    Did he always feel so inconsequential in their family?!


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡± Sam said and started to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    Sam cringed and turned toward Quinn.


    It had been three days since Quinn overheard his conversation with his parents,


    and they never spoke since. They were still staying at the same hotel, but would miss each other since


    they were taking different shifts-she would be taking the


    day shift while him the night or vice versa.


    It was only because Ryan was leaving the ICU that everyone was gathered there.


    Moreover, Sam could tell that Quinn was being distant, and he was therefore surprised that Quinn


    would suddenly approach him.


    Before Sam could speak, Ryan suddenly asked, ¡°Are you leaving too, Quinn?¡±


    He suddenly looked so lonely and vulnerable, unlike his cheerful self just a moment ago.


    Lindsay was staring nervously at Quinn too, worried that she would leave with Sam.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just sending him off to the entrance,¡± Quinn replied.

 Chapter 1489

    Chapter 1489


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1489


    Quinn followed Sam out of Ryan¡¯s ward in silence.


    As they stepped outside the hospital, Sam¡¯s car was already parked there and waiting.


    Sam pursed his lips, intent on leaving directly since he had no idea what to tell Quinn.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Quinn suddenly called out to him. ¡°Will you being back to the capital after you return to


    North City?¡±


    Sam stopped then. ¡°Probably not. Ryan¡¯s recovering well, and it looks like he¡¯ll be discharged soon.


    Mom and Dad will take him back to North City for rehab as


    well, so I won¡¯t have to travel back here.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re leaving me here alone,¡± Quinn muttered under breath.


    Her words were quiet, but it struck Sam in the heart so violently and abruptly he almost could not


    breathe.


    He clenched his teeth and stayed silent, basically saying yes.


    What else was she hoping for?! He had already said that he was just making do with her, and once he


    left, it was over between them.


    She simply could not move him even after everything she did.


    ¡°Safe travels,¡± she said, because there was nothing else to say.


    Understanding was enough. She smiled at him and turned to leave.


    Sam watched her cutting a lonely figure, suddenly finding her so small.


    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sam himself felt an ache in his chest as he left alone, as if he had really abandoned her, leaving her all


    by herself.


    He clenched his fist so hard it was shaking.


    He really wanted to gather her in his arms, but he must not.


    Resisting the impulse, he got into the car.


    Quinn was not alone anyway¡ªshe had Ryan.


    At the same time, Quinn finally stopped after walking for a while, unable to resist turning around after


    walking past the main entrance.


    If¡­ just if¡­ Sam did not leave, she would tell him to stay and make an excuse to hold him.


    But he did.


    He and his car were gone, showing no ounce of sentiment.


    Quinn¡¯s tears flowed down her cheeks right then-she thought she could take it,


    and that she pretended well enough.


    But her chest hurt so much she just could not control herself.


    It took a long while for her to calm down, and it was not until Lindsay called her that sheposed


    herself and returned to Ryan¡¯s ward.


    Everyone breathed a sigh of relief seeing her return, since they were all worried that Quinn left with


    Sam.


    In fact, Quinn always fulfilled her promises. Even if she had mustered her courage to ask Sam to stay


    just now, she would not have left with him¡ªshe would only ask him to wait for her to go back to North


    City.


    Trying to ease the awkwardness in the room just then, Lindsay asked, ¡°Has Sam left?¡±

 Chapter 1490

    Chapter 1490


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1490-¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°Well, Sam¡¯s busy and Saunderia is his responsibility now,¡± Lindsay said. ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s going back


    to North City. Now that Ryan¡¯s much better, he


    doesn¡¯t need everyone all the time.¡±


    She wanted to soften the blow, since she could tell immediately that Quinn was depressed, having


    raised Quinn herself.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Quinn nodded, smiling faintly.


    Mom, Dad,¡± Ryan said just then. ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you, so why don¡¯t you get some rest? I¡¯ve already


    left the ICU and the doctors said I¡¯m fine. I just need to


    adjust and get discharged in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lindsay said in agreement, relieved that Ryan had improved so much.


    However, she also knew that Ryan wanted to be alone with Quinn. She added,


    ¡°We¡¯re going now. Please take good care of Ryan, Quinn.¡±


    In reality, Quinn was not given a choice aside from staying and taking care of Ryan.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn nodded.


    That in turn improved Ryan¡¯s mood considerably.


    As Lindsay and Marvin left, Marvin sighed audibly, upset with the arrangement.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    But there was nothing to be done about it.


    With Marvin and Lindsay gone and just them left in the room, Quinn broke the silence and asked Ryan,


    ¡°Would you like some fruit?¡±


    ¡°Sure, thanks,¡± Ryan said, staring at her as she picked up a pear and peeled it seriously, feeling high-


    spirited just then.


    When she was finally done, she cut it into little slices and put it on a te in front of Ryan. ¡°Take your


    time.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Ryan asked.


    ¡°Not feeling like it.¡±


    Ryan did not try to persuade her further and ate primly, somehow that confident and haughty man from


    before.


    Quinn sat silently beside her, watching him and unsure if she contributed anything.


    She put away the te once Ryan was done and passed him a tissue.


    Things were certainly amicable-or at least, that was what Ryan thought.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Quinn,¡± he said.


    Quinn¡¯s fingers twitched, but she stayed silent.


    ¡°Mom told me you overheard what Sam said about you that day,¡± Ryan said bluntly, convinced that


    there was nothing to hide about their rtionship. ¡°I told


    you Sam wasn¡¯t serious about you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s between me and him,¡± Quinn said, clearly repulsed.


    Ryan did not take it to heart, simply believing that Quinn was hurt and felt undignified.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious about you,¡± he continued. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you like you-I¡¯m sure about you, and you¡¯re the only


    want in my life.¡±


    ¡°Ryan,¡± Quinn said, looking him in his love-stricken eyes and saying slowly and clearly, ¡°I don¡¯t have


    any feelings for you.¡±


    Ryan¡¯s glee evaporated into a cold re, but she continued,¡± Even if it¡¯s over between me and Sam,


    nothing¡¯s going to happen between us.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to keep being stubborn, Quinn?!¡±


    ¡°I just know full well that things are over between us. I don¡¯t want to lie to you or ingratiate myself,¡±


    Quinn said bluntly.


    ¡°Then were you pretending to be nice to me?¡±


    ¡°I said you¡¯ll always be a brother to me. And I just want my brother to get better,


    and nothing else.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Ryan snarled stubbornly. ¡°You were just tricked by Sam to think that you feel


    nothing for me! When you calm down, you¡¯ll realize that I¡¯m


    the one you love!¡±

 Chapter 1491

    Chapter 1491


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1491-Quinn replied, ¡°I¡¯m calm, and- ¡°Then date me for six months!¡± Ryan


    snapped stubbornly, cutting her short. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you¡¯d really love Sam instead of me. You¡¯re


    just spiteful that I left you at the altar, and you want revenge. If that¡¯s not the case, date me for six


    months, and if you still don¡¯t fall for me in that time and want to go back to Sam, I won¡¯t protest!¡±


    Quinn was taken aback even as she stared at Ryan, knowing very well that she would not love him no


    matter how long had passed.


    Nevertheless, she agreed to it because she wanted Ryan to give up and end things with him.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said.


    On the other hand, Ryan was smiling the instant Quinn said yes-he was confident that even after losing


    a leg, he had what it takes to make Quinn love


    him again.


    Sam was nothing to him, and he believed that Quinn would not give up on a fine man like himself and


    settle for less.


    She was not that stupid.


    ¡°I have another condition,¡± he then said.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want you to divorce Sam first-since you¡¯ve agreed to date me, our rtionship will be proper. I don¡¯t


    want people gossiping about us.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, but she agreed since she did not want to offend Sam,


    and it was a basic gesture of respect to her marriage. If anything, she was incapable of an extramarital


    affair.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Quinn nodded.


    Ryan¡¯s smile broadened¡ªhe had a better chance of sess if they divorced.


    ¡°But I have a condition too,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ryan agreed to it without hesitation, convinced that Quinn was already his.


    Ryan was discharged a weekter, and Marvin arranged a private jet to fly him back to North City.


    With that, the whole family could return home.


    Sam drove to the airport to receive them.


    Ryan had to be carried off the ne in his wheelchair. He would not be able to work for six months


    while he was still recovering, and it was only after that that


    he could consider having a prosthetic made.


    Naturally, his research department was understanding and afforded him a paid medical leave, so that


    he could return to work once he recovers.


    Ryan rode in Sam¡¯s car, while Marvin and Lindsay rode in another since there were too many of them.


    Quinn sat beside Ryan, while Sam drove.


    He was used to it, just as he did not expect Quinn to ride shotgun.


    They had not texted each other, let alone spoken over the phone for a week-if anything, they look like


    strangers.


    ¡°Sam,¡± Ryan suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Quinn needs to talk to you about somethingter. Don¡¯t leave the mansion immediately.¡± i ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam


    nodded, unable to resist ncing at Quinn from the rearview mirror.


    She was very silent, her eyes kept outside the window.


    However, Sam also saw Ryan reaching out to take Quinn¡¯s hand¡ªeven locking fingers with her, and


    Quinn did not push him away, i Sam turned away¡­This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 1492

    Chapter 1492


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1492-Sam appeared nonchnt, but his fingers clenched on the steering


    wheel,


    revealing his emotion.


    Still, he soon drove steadily into Saunders Mansion, and Quinn helped Ryan out of the car.


    He was basically leaning his whole body against her, and they appeared intimate-even trained-probably


    because they were used to doing that.


    Everyone headed to the drawing room, with Marvin and Lindsay feeling a little nostalgic.


    It had been over two weeks since they had been home, and they did not really sleep soundly on a


    different bed-one always finds betterfort in their own


    bed.


    That was why Marvin and Lindsay immediately went back to their rooms to sleep.


    With Ryan saying he was tired as well, Quinn wheeled him to his room.


    No one else was in the living room save for Sam, who sat there waiting.


    He could have left, but he promised Ryan to wait since Quinn had something to say.


    He kept waiting without knowing how long it would take- maybe she and Ryan were already asleep and


    would sleep all the way to the evening.


    However, when Sam prepared himself to wait a day, he suddenly found Quinning down the stairs


    alone.


    His heart raced as he straightened, his body stiffening.


    Quinn calmly sat down beside Sam, but they were both awkwardly quiet-feeling neither like spouses


    nor family just then.


    Sam suddenly thought that his life was as foolish as it was hrious.


    ¡°What did you want to tell me?¡± he asked bluntly, not inclined to give himself hope.


    He did not want to stay in the same room too long with Quinn either, in fear that he would regret it.


    In reality, he regretted his choice all this while, but he had no choice.


    Quinn looked at him just then, and she said slowly and clearly, ¡°Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡±


    Sam looked at her cool demeanor in turn and was caught off guard by the sudden aching in his chest.


    It felt as if he clubbed on the chest, knocking the wind out of him.


    He pursed his lips, his fingers clenching.


    It was not as if he did not expect this.


    If anything, he knew this would happen.


    He just did not expect to be so overwhelmed when Quinn said those words so nonchntly, even


    feeling like he almost cked out.


    He bit his lip until it paled just to keep himself conscious and rational-he refused to embarrass himself


    in front of her.


    In the silence, Sam suddenly smiled as if it was natural.


    Quinn did the same, although her eyes were red.


    She actually thought he would feel something, but he did not.


    Nodding, Sam said, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a divorce agreement. We can sign it now if you¡¯re in a hurry and


    then formalize it at the civil bureau.¡±


    So he was prepared¡­


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    But it was only natural¡ªwhy would he feel attached since he already handed her off to Ryan?


    She said, ¡°We can do it whenever.¡±


    ¡°I have a meeting this afternoon, actually,¡± Sam said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. I¡¯lle by in the morning.¡±

 Chapter 1493

    Chapter 1493


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1493-Having confirmed the time, there was nothing left to say- Sam and


    Quinn simply sat there in silence.


    After a long while, Sam suddenly stood up.


    As Quinn looked at him, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡±


    He left without waiting for her response and did not stop, just like when he left the capital early before.


    Quinn¡¯s vision was blurred by tears as she watched Sam go further and further away¡­


    The next day, Quinn and Sam arrived at the civil bureau as agreed.


    Sam was there first and waited for Quinn outside.


    He saw her alighting in the distance and talking to someone in the car.


    Sam could tell it was Ryan even without looking, and averted his eyes, fiddling with his lighter.


    He can smoke in a public space like this, so this was the only way to get his fix.


    Quinn then jogged up to Sam. ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    ¡°No, I was early,¡± Sam replied, sliding his lighter into his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    They headed inside, and Sam passed Quinn the divorce agreement as they waited in line. ¡°Check if


    there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unhappy about. I brought the


    USB drive and the file can be edited at any moment.¡±


    Sam actually showed it to herst night-they did not have child custody to fight for nor mary issues,


    but Sam insisted on paying her three million.


    Quinn refused, but Sam insisted it was alimony, so she did not argue-it was pocket change for Sam


    anyway.


    It was a clean divorce, and they owed each other nothing.


    That alone made that worth it for Sam.


    However, after they signed the application for divorce, they were told that there was a month-long


    cooling-off period.


    Quinn looked up, staring nkly at Sam who clearly had no idea.


    As such, they could only file for the application and leave the bureau, with Sam saying, ¡°Let¡¯se


    here again next month.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡± Sam said before adding nonchntly, ¡°Do you need a ride?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Quinn replied, shaking her head. ¡°Ryan¡¯s waiting for me in the car.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Sam did not press the issue and turned to leave.


    Quinn suddenly felt like she was used to watching him leave and turned away.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Taking a moment topose herself, she then returned to Ryan¡¯s car.


    ¡°Is it done?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s a one-month cooling-off period,¡± Quinn said bluntly.


    Ryan actually remembered that just then, but he could not force her to break thew despite his


    displeasure. ¡°Let¡¯se here again in a month.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± Ryan said, reaching out to take her hand.


    Quinn hesitated but did not push him away.


    The month soon passed..

 Chapter 1494

    Chapter 1494


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1494-Sam basically never showed up around Quinn through the next


    month.


    When his parents asked him multiple times to return home for dinner, Sam would refuse, saying he had


    to work overtime.


    In reality, everyone in the family knew Sam was just refusing to go.


    On the other hand, Ryan was recovering well-the family doctor came in every day to check on his


    progress, and he could use a prosthetic at the rate he was


    recovering.


    The Saunders were pleased with that, while Quinn was constantly by his side,


    helping him with rehab and spending time with him.


    One day, Quinn got a call from Zoe, asking her to have dinner at her ce.


    Zoeined that since she would be giving birth soon, and that also meant postpartum care would


    soon follow- she would not be able to eat anything as


    she liked, and she wanted to have her fill before that.


    Quinn thought she should let loose a little as well.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She had no idea if she had been stressedtely, but there was simply nothing to look forward to, so she


    agreed to it right away.


    ¡°Is Sam going?¡± Ryan asked when Quinn told him about the dinner.


    Ryan was aware that Sam was on very good terms with Zoe, Jay, and the rest,


    but he did not want Quinn and Sam to meet in private.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I did not ask,¡± Quinn replied bluntly. ¡°I¡¯d go even if he does-l¡¯m not about to cut ties with


    my best friend because of him.¡±


    Her words left Ryan embarrassed, and he smiled. ¡°I was just asking. Don¡¯t get drunk-hangovers are


    terrible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Only Zoe¡¯s family was there when Quinn arrived at Jay¡¯s apartment in the evening.


    Zoe¡¯s belly was really swelling even though it was two months tobor.


    She knew that Zoe was bored and neededpany to rx.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me?¡± Quinn said, handing her the bouquet she bought in hopes that it would cheer Zoe up.


    ¡°Nope. I invited Cordy too,¡± Zoe replied.


    ¡°I see.¡± Quinn nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s also Johnny, Bob and¡­¡± Zoe continued, her eyes fixed on Quinn.


    ¡°Sam.¡±


    Quinn remained apathetic.


    Zoe was naturally aware that Quinn and Sam were getting a divorce-Quinn would never hide


    something so important from her and Cordy.


    Although Quinn never mentioned the reason, Cordy and Zoe broke down the details and concluded it


    was most definitely because of Ryan.


    However, they were all adults-they had no right to meddle in another person¡¯s marriage, especially


    when the details were murky. As such, Cordy and Zoe


    decided to stay silent.


    As Quinn made small talk with Zoe on the couch, Cordy and the rest arrived consecutively.


    After half a month, Cordy¡¯s belly was swelling, leaving Quinn a little dejected.


    She actually wanted to get pregnant with her two besties, but there was no chance of that now.


    Once everyone arrived, they settled down around the table for dinner.


    Sam stepped out of the washroom just then and pped Bob on the shoulder as if it was natural. ¡°Let¡¯s


    switch seats.¡±


    Quinn, who was chatting with Cordy and Zoe, did not react although she heard Sam.


    Still, even as Bob switched seats with Sam, he was muttering, ¡°You could still be friends after the


    divorce, y¡¯know?! Zoe and I get along just fine after our breakup


    too!¡±

 Chapter 1495

    Chapter 1495


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1495-Things got a little awkward, though Zoe quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s not the


    same for us.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°I never loved you,¡± Zoe said bluntly. ¡°Of course we can be friends.¡±


    Bob was left staring at her-talk about going for the jugr!


    What, was she worried she had not hurt him enough and had to keep rubbing salt on his wound?


    That was when Zoe deliberately asked Quinn, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you wouldn¡¯t actually be friends if you


    were really in love with him?¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips in silence, and it was Sam who said,¡± Nope. Maybe you find said person not


    worth your time.¡±


    Quinn held her tongue right then, while Zoe shot Sam a re.


    Getting into a rtionship and even marrying? He was more suited to be forever alone!


    Still, Jay quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to gather, and the next time would be my


    baby¡¯s birthday. Open another bottle, Bob. Let¡¯s get


    drunk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bob was certainly sharp.


    This world where only he got hurt was already a husk, and he did not feel hurt anymore.


    He opened a bottle and passed it around the men, while asking the women,


    ¡°Water or milk,dies?¡±


    ¡°Just water,¡± Cordy replied politely. ¡°We¡¯re fine on our own- just ignore us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a bottle, Bob,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    Everyone turned toward her in surprise since she was not known for her alcoholism-she would never


    drink if she was not drinking with Cordy and Zoe.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare for us to hang out, so I¡¯d like something to drink,¡± she said nonchntly. ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck with


    Ryan for a while, and there¡¯s no telling


    when¡¯s the next time I can get off.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s he now?¡± Zoe asked in curiosity. ¡°Still hanging by a thread?¡±


    ¡°Nope. He¡¯s fine,¡± Quinn exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying! He¡¯s a man, so why would he threaten everyone with his own life?!¡± Zoe


    eximed right then.


    She had felt sympathy at first but only found contempt now with that cheap move, adding grumpily,


    ¡°She¡¯s not the only one with a limp-Jay is, and he¡¯s not


    going on a selfdestructive spiral. Heck, he has a stout heart despite his disability!¡±


    Jay was just going to share a toast with the boys and was left wondering if he should actually drink it.


    Still, his wife was praising him for showing perseverance from a different point of view!


    Bob began, ¡°I mean, right after Jay was disabled, he¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Jay cleared his throat warningly.


    ¡°Oh, whatever,¡± Bob pouted. ¡°Let¡¯s drink.¡±


    The men started drinking again, changing the subject.


    Things were cordial around the dinner table, with Quinn looking like she was in a good mood, joking


    with Cordy and Zoe from time to time.


    However, the three empty bottles in front of her did not escape anyone¡¯s notice.


    Zoe had enough and was going to stop Quinn when Cordy stopped her.


    When Zoe shot Cordy a pointed look, Cordy texted her: [ Quinn¡¯s stressed.


    Letting her rx is nothing bad.]


    Zoe: [I¡¯m worried. She¡¯s going to get drunk.]


    Cordy: [Leave her be. She mighte around after she did.)


    Zoe: [But I¡¯m frustrated! Things were going well for her and Sam, only for Ryan to meddle.]


    Cordy: [Just give them time.]


    Zoe: (Yeah, but you know how I hate waiting. I could tell her about everything Sam prepared for her


    right now.]


    Cordy: [Respect the man¡¯s choice.]

 Chapter 1496

    Chapter 1496


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1496-Zoe: [Honestly, these two are as stressful as me and Jay back in the


    day.]


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cordy: [At least you¡¯re self aware.]


    Zoe: [¡­We¡¯re getting off-topic, sister.]


    Cordy smiled. [Let Quinn indulge a little tonight. We can talk to her tomorrow.]


    Zoe: [Fine.]


    And with that, Quinn drank five beers on her own that night ¨C it was basically her limit, and shey


    sprawled, her head muddled.


    Both her stomach and her heart hurt, and she really felt frustrated.


    She needed to vent, but she had been keeping a lid on it because she was the type who never cried no


    matter how bad things got.


    Whether it was her parents dying when she was a child and leaving her with no refuge, she could never


    reveal her true self.


    ¡°That¡¯s about enough,¡± Zoe told the others right then.


    Cordy echoed, ¡®It¡¯ste, Johnny. We should get home soon too.¡±


    Now basically a ve to the missus, John would spit out the alcohol he was just chugging if Cordy so


    much as said it. As he hurried home with her, Zoe shot Bob


    a look, who took his cue.


    ¡°I¡¯m going now,¡± he said, following Cordy and the others even if he had not drunk enough tonight.


    Zoe then turned toward Sam, who was still nursing his drink and frowned. ¡°Bring Quinn home.¡±


    ¡°Let her stay over,¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°Nope. That¡¯s not how it works around here,¡± Zoe said.


    ¡°Bob did before.¡±


    ¡°Bob¡¯s not the same-he was almost my husband,¡± Zoe shrugged, her unfiltered words left Jay feeling like


    he was shot in the heart.


    How did she break the hearts of two men in a single night?


    On the other hand, Sam was actuallyughing, so Zoe added sternly, ¡°Quinn is still your wife after


    everything is said and done. As long as you¡¯re not divorced,


    you have an obligation for her safety!¡±


    Sam had noeback against that and put down his ss to scoop Quinn up in his arms.


    Somehow, she felt small as he carried her.


    Zoe watched as Sam carried her off, suddenly finding them perfect for each other but somehow only


    drifting further apart.


    Sam carried Quinn to a cab and gave the address of Saunders Mansion, when Quinn suddenly sat up


    and snapped, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    Sam shattered. ¡°Then where do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°My home.¡±


    ¡°Where is that?¡± Sam asked in amusement. ¡°Isn¡¯t Saunders Mansion your home?¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Quinn mumbled. ¡°Sam¡¯s home is my home.¡±


    Sam¡¯s chest suddenly hurt, and he stared nervously at Quinn, noting her flushed cheeks and distant


    gaze.


    Did the alcohol leave her muddled or actually loosen her lips?

 Chapter 1497

    Chapter 1497


    Ultimately, Sam carried Quinn home.


    She was more stubborn after getting drunk, and since it waste, they would cause a ruckus if they


    returned to Saunders Mansion.


    He ced Quinn on the bed and was about to leave when Quinn caught his wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±


    Sam¡¯s heart raced-he could feel the warmth of her palm in his hand. ¡°Open your eyes, Quinn. I¡¯m Sam.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Quinn stared at him with a thousand-yard stare.¡± You¡¯re an irresponsible man!¡±


    Sam pursed his lips-was she that wild whenever she got drunk?!


    This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    ¡°You have no right to hand me off to Ryan! I¡¯m not a piece of merchandise!¡±


    Quinn cried as she suddenly rose and stood on the bed, ring downward at Sam.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stand there. You¡¯ll fall,¡± Sam said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to fall,¡± Quinn refused to listen, and kept pressing, ¡°Why did you push me away? How did I


    come up short? My figure? My face? Why are you so picky, Sam Saunders?!¡±


    ¡°Just lie down.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Quinn refused to let him touch her, evading him whenever he reached out to hold her.


    Sam¡¯s heart could leapt out of her throat, watching her teeter over the edge.


    ¡°Answer me first. Why do you hate me?!¡± she snapped, pointed at him in the nose.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±


    ¡°You do!¡± Quinn eximed, her eyes puffy. ¡°You¡¯d rather have those bad women than me. Should I


    be bad for you to like me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying! You like those women with big butts and slender waists. The ones who are skilled,¡± Quinn


    scoffed in grief.


    Sam was speechless¡ªwas she that difficult when drunk?!


    ¡°I wanted to get wild too,¡± Quinn suddenly said.


    ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Sam¡¯s face fell right then. Get wild?! How? Was she thinking what he was


    thinking?!


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep with many men and learn some techniques,¡± Quinn continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Sam bellowed angrily-what on earth was she thinking?!


    ¡°That way, I¡¯d find out what sort of women you prefer!¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would! I¡¯m that much of a loser!¡± Quinn cried hysterically. ¡°I can go that far¡ªit hurts and it feels


    dirty just to think that I¡¯d do it with another man!¡±


    Sam breathed a sigh of relief-at least she was not that far gone.


    Even so, Quinn¡¯s tears kept rolling as her grief unfurled. ¡°But how am I supposed to find out your type?!¡±


    Sam felt stung and said ever so quietly to himself, ¡°You¡¯re my type.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me, Sam? How do I make you love me?! Tell me!¡±


    Quinn shrieked and suddenly jumped at him.


    Stunned, Sam had to quickly catch her, though she leapt so hard she knocked him down.


    Falling on his bottom, he was gritting his teeth in pain but froze before he could make a sound.


    Quinn was suddenly kissing him, and their breathing and heart rates abruptly raced.


    Sam wanted to push her away, convinced that she was just drunk and would regret it tomorrow when she


    got sober. However, he could not push her away because he could not bear to do it.


    His body stiffening, his eyes widened as he watched Quinn kiss him so meticulously, and he could taste


    her in his mouth.

 Chapter 1498

    Chapter 1498


    Sam suddenly felt like he was intoxicated, and so much so that he could not differentiate between


    dreams and reality.


    After who knows how long, Quinn finally pulled away, though she kept staring fixedly at Sam.


    He was docile for once, not moving and allowing her to kiss him as much as she wanted.


    ¡°Is my kissing that bad?¡± she asked.


    Hell, no!


    He was excited he could explode and did not dare to respond because he might pin her down, and the


    rest went without saying¡­


    Even so, Quinn pressed, ¡°Tell me! What am Icking? I¡¯ll change, okay?!¡± Sam gulped-he was not that


    calm.


    Quinn was lighting a fire in him that could not be extinguished!


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡± He groaned and tried to push her away, only for her to kiss him again!


    Sam¡¯s temple veins were bulging-the woman was really ying with fire!


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    If this went on¡­


    No!


    But he could not push her away, and Quinn was basically doing everything she wanted to him!


    Sam¡¯s fingers stiffened right then¡ªan unruly, dainty hand had reached beneath his shirt, its warmth


    leaving every part it touched ame.


    Sam was really falling apart, his whole body stiffening in restraint.


    He might go for the drunken fumble too since he had been drinking as well!


    And yet, Quinn kept testing his limit, reaching further by the second!


    ¡°Ahh!¡± She looked at him then as he caught her hand.


    He was panting and working hard to stay calm.


    If she went an inch further¡­


    ¡°Enough is enough, Quinn,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked innocently with a wounded look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you back to Saunders Mansion,¡± he said. There was no way he could let her stay when


    something might happen!


    ¡°No! I won¡¯t!¡± Quinn cried determinedly.


    ¡°Be good,¡± Sam said.


    When he tried to get up, however, Quinn threw her arms around him, refusing to let him go.


    ¡°Quinn.¡± He sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here tonight! I¡¯m sleeping with Sam tonight!¡± Quinn eximed slowly and clearly.


    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying?!¡±


    He was on the verge of a breakdown, and she was still testing him?!


    If she went for it at the next instant, he could not care less!


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?! We¡¯re legally married!¡± Quinn eximed, more agitated than he was.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting a divorce soon.¡±


    ¡°That means we¡¯re not divorced.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be a month in a few days¡ª¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re still legally married! Having sex is a given!¡± Quinn refused to listen.


    ¡°Why do I only get to bang once after getting married to you for so long? And it has to be you! I demand


    satisfaction, and I¡¯ll sleep with you tonight

 Chapter 1499

    Chapter 1499


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this tomorrow, Quinn,¡± Sam vowed stressfully, his whole body shaking since this felt worse


    than death.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Quinn snapped slowly and clearly. ¡°My only regret is only having *** once in my whole life,


    and it sucked! If


    ¡°What?!¡± Sam eximed in shock.


    ¡°Why did we only do it once?! And I was¡­ passive!¡± Quinn continued loudly.


    Sam pursed his lips-so she was talking about that one time they did it.


    He almost thought¡­


    But that was impossible, since Quinn and Ryan had been dating for so long, and he saw Quinn leaving


    Ryan¡¯s room with his own eyes!


    ¡®Til take the lead this time!¡± Quinn¡¯s gaze was clearly muddled, but her words mysteriously staunch.


    ¡°Push me away, and I¡¯ll bite!¡±


    And with that, Quinn jumped on him, pinning him down as she threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare resist.¡±


    She kissed him again, and Sam did not fight back-he could not bear to push her away as she was now.


    He had the feeling she would cry if he did, and he did not want her to cry or his heart would break.


    As for after he sobered up tomorrow, he would just admit to exploiting her while she was vulnerable.


    It was a long night, and Quinn tossed around during daybreak.


    It felt like she had a truck ram into her, and she needed to make an effort just to move her toes.


    As she wearily opened her eyes, it took her a long while to register the familiar surroundings and


    realize that she was still in Sam¡¯s bed.


    Fragments of memoriesst night soon pieced themselves together into aplete story, and Quinn


    blushed.


    She had certainly taken the lead, though she did not dare to think too far.


    She was actually shocked that she would really go that far- now that she was sober, she would never


    be that bold.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    However, she did not regret it, even if she had no idea how to behave around Sam now that she was


    sober.


    Bracing herself while feeling bliss inside, she turned around, ready to face Sam¡­ only to find the other


    side of the bedpletely empty.


    Quinn frowned-where did he go? Did he leave that early?


    She blushed again when she got up from bed, since she was naked.


    She then remembered how they were embracing each other¡¯s naked bodies to sleep for the night¡­


    Quinnposed herself and picked up a shirt from the floor.


    It belonged to Sam-it reached all the way to her thighs when she wore it, and she could well use it as a


    dress.


    She walked toward the door and opened it, but Sam was not around.


    The spacious house felt empty, even cold.


    Quinn ultimately felt disappointed-she was convinced there would at least be warmth today afterst


    night. She did not expect Sam to go missing.


    Taking deep breaths, she reined in her emotions before returning to the bedroom to look for her phone


    and call Sam.

 Chapter 1500

    Chapter 1500


    At that very moment, Quinn spotted a ss of water and a pill.


    There was a note under it that read ¡®morning after pill¡¯.


    Quinn stared at the pill and the ss, understanding how it felt to have her parade rained on just then.


    Her chest ached, but Sam¡¯s meaning was clearst night was just a moment of impulsiveness between


    two adults.


    No responsibility would be taken, no sentiment would be retained.


    Quinn picked up the pill andughed miserably.


    Quinn only returned to Saunders Mansion at noon.


    Her phone was out of juice as well, so she had no idea how many times Ryan would have called her by


    now.


    As soon as she stepped inside the drawing room, she found Ryan glowering at her, clearly angry.


    On the other hand, both Lindsay and Marvin were clearly concerned. ¡°Where have you been, Quinn?


    Why did you turn off your phone? We called Zoe, who said you left with Sam, but Sam said you weren¡¯t


    with him when we called him.


    Where did you go? Are you alright?!¡±


    Quinn stared at them and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just drunk and stayed the night at Sam¡¯s.¡±


    At her words, Ryan immediately snapped, ¡°What did you promise me, Quinn?! But you¡¯d stay the night


    at Sam¡¯s?!¡±


    ¡°What did I promise you?¡± Quinn shot back.


    Ryan was left fuming but could not manage a word.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    It was only natural he could not since he was the one coercing her.


    Quinn then continued bluntly, ¡°Sam and I aren¡¯t divorced yet. Whatever we did, it was perfectly legal.¡±


    ¡°But-¡°


    ¡°Anything else can wait after the divorce,¡± Quinn said tly.¡± I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡±


    She strode upstairs right then, ignoring the fact that Ryan was seething.


    Shey in bed and stared at the ceiling, her body and soul weary while a trail of tears rolled down the


    corner of her eyes.


    She tossed around, clutching her nket and doing her best to sleep.


    It probably would not hurt so much after she had her sleep.


    It was night when she woke up, and she tossed around, ready to get up when a voice suddenly spoke


    in her room.¡± You¡¯re awake?¡±


    Quinn jumped-it was Ryan¡¯s voice!


    She turned and saw that Ryan had entered her room without her knowing!


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± she demanded, remembering that she had locked her door from the


    inside!


    ¡°Does that matter?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Ryan snapped. ¡°What matters is that you promised to date me, but you ended up


    messing around with Sam.¡±


    ¡°Sam and I are legally-¡°


    ¡°I forgive you this once. This must never happen again.¡±


    Ryan continued, not letting her speak and started to wheel himself out. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner. I¡¯ll wait for


    you downstairs.¡±


    Quinn stared at Ryan coolly as he left with indescribable stress and indignation!


    Five dayster, the cooldown period was officially over.


    Quinn once again headed to the civil bureau with Ryan in tow.


    Ryan was naturally with her, but unlike before, he got out of the car and stayed with her as she and


    Sam filed their divorce paperwork.


    It was actually the first time Quinn and Sam were meeting since the other night.


    She had been waiting for something-anything-from him.


    All she got was a textst night that said: [Tomorrow, the civil bureau, 9 AM.]

 Chapter 1501

    Chapter 1501


    Everything went smoothly this time.


    When Sam and Quinn stepped out, they each carried their divorce certificate.


    Ryan walked up to Quinn in crutches, asking, ¡°Is it done?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quinn replied.


    She held out the papers, which Ryan hurriedly snatched to read, smiling after he did.


    He was worried something unexpected would happen¡ªthat was why he followed Quinn here.


    If anything, he did not expect things to go this smoothly.


    Sam and Quinn did not say a word to each other either, and they were done soon after they got in


    without dragging their feet.


    Did they really feel nothing for each other? Was that why they split up so quickly? Or did something


    happen between them?


    Either way, Ryan was satisfied as long as they were divorced -he could be with


    Quinn out in the open now. Moreover, he was confident that Quinn would return to him soon without Sam


    tying herdown.


    As they stepped out of the civil bureau, Ryan even called out to Sam, ¡°Why haven¡¯t youe home


    lately even after our parents called? Are you that busy?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t neglect family even if you are busy-you have to separate work and personal life,¡± Ryan


    lectured him right then with the bearing of seniority.


    Sam stayed silent in turn¡ªdid Ryan forget that he was the one who did not return home for months or


    years while working at the capital, while their parents would not call him for fear that they would disturb


    him at work?


    It seemed to Ryan that everyone was actually idling despite having work to do, with him being the


    exception because his work mattered the most.


    At the same time, Ryan continued, ¡°Just call ahead of time once you¡¯re free toe home. I¡¯ll have the


    kitchen cook your favorites¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be abroad for a while,¡± Sam said, cutting Ryan short.


    Ryan did a double take. ¡°What?¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sam shrugged. ¡°Didn¡¯t Dad tell you?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ryan was totally bemused.


    Quinn was staring at Sam as well, and he said nonchntly,¡± The new energy car project is booming


    locally, and Damian Craig has been insisting that we can expand our market abroad, even establish a


    branch for Saunderia in Minerva. I¡¯ve told Dad that I¡¯ll be going.¡±


    Ryan was actually shocked that Sam was going abroad and turned to see that Quinn was unaware as


    well.


    He actually thought she would, only to see that miserable smile on her face. So Sam was so thorough


    about cutting ties.


    Ryan then asked, ¡°What will happen to thepany when you go abroad?¡±


    ¡°Dad will take the reins. He¡¯s much better now, and Saunderia¡¯s operations are back on track,¡± Sam


    replied. ¡°You could work in his ce if you¡¯ve somehow found your conscience too¡ªhe¡¯s of retirement


    age, after all.¡±


    ¡°I have my own career,¡± Ryan refused right away. ¡°I¡¯m only on medical leave, and I¡¯ll be back doing my


    research when I¡¯m better. My work is different from yours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re noble,¡± Sam scoffed, though it somehow sounded self deprecating. ¡°The rest of us are all


    just stinking business folk.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far-we simply pursue different things,¡± Ryan said, quickly changing the


    subject as he detected Sam¡¯s hostility. ¡°When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ryan eximed in surprise-he thought it would be in a few months, at least. Who would leave


    the country on a whim?


    ¡°My flight¡¯s early tomorrow, in fact,¡± Sam added. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±

 Chapter 1502

    Chapter 1502


    Sam remained nonchnt. ¡°It¡¯s no hurry. I¡¯ve been preparing for half a month.¡±


    He did not seem affected that he would be leaving the country along with his friends and family.


    ¡°When are youing back?¡± Ryan asked.


    Sam shrugged. ¡°No idea-it depends on how things go. I¡¯ll be back early if things go smoothly. If they


    don¡¯t, who knows?¡±


    Ryan had more to say but realized he had nothing more to say.


    He took Quinn¡¯s hand just then.


    Quinn seemed to regain her senses just then, and she pursed her lips, a tear rolling off the corner of her


    eye.


    She hid it well.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Ryan told her.


    She nodded, not saying a word to Sam even in parting.


    Sam did not look at her, because he knew he could only watch her leave when she had gone far with


    Ryan, which he did.


    Inr reality, there were plenty of talented representatives in Saunderia-Sam did not have to go abroad


    himself.


    Still, he offered to do it to stay away from them.


    As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind-just like now.


    He had no idea how many times he could take seeing them like this after all.


    Sam headed abroad. It was only after he arrived that he informed John and the others that he left, and it


    would be after a while that he would return.


    Everyone was surprised, but it was somehow easy to understand.


    That was why they told him nothing aside from to take care of himself and to remember toe home


    when he had the time.


    Only Zoe meddled a little, texting Sam privately: [What are you thinking, leaving just like that?! Are you


    giving up already?! I¡¯ve never seen you so spineless,


    Sam Saunders! If I were you, I¡¯d be fighting Ryan to death!]


    Sam: [I¡¯d just humiliate myself because I¡¯d never win.]


    Zoe: [How would you know you wouldn¡¯t? Do youck confidence toward yourself or toward Quinn?]


    Sam: [Both.]


    Zoe: [Are you just giving up on the proposal you nned so meticulously?!}


    Sam: [Yep.]


    Zoe: [I¡¯m done. I don¡¯t even have words to describe you now!


    How the eff can I make you understand that Quinn loves you, not Ryan?!]


    Sam: [Let me put you this way-1 never held a candle against Ryan. Now that he¡¯s disabled, he has


    another cause to tie down Quinn.]


    Zoe: [Are you for real? Giving up just because you¡¯re worried you¡¯re troubling Quinn?]


    Sam: [Doesn¡¯t matter now. Anyway, I¡¯d like to thank you and Cordy for helping me before. Just wish me


    luck in finding a new girl now.]


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Zoe: [Whatever, idiot!]


    Sam smiled exasperatedly as he read Zoe¡¯s text-he was indeed stupid.


    Why else would he fall for Quinn, when Ryan owned her? He obviously knew nothing woulde out of


    it!

 Chapter 1503

    Chapter 1503


    Sam returned to the country six monthster.


    Saunderia¡¯s foreign branch was developing smoothly, and everything was on the right track.


    Still, Sam returned only to attend the celebration of Zoe¡¯s son¡¯s birth, not because he missed home.


    Time flies-Zoe was still heavily pregnant when he left, and the baby was three months old now.


    Sam headed home first without telling anyone when he came back-it was dusty since it was vacant for a


    while, so he had cleaners tidy up the ce.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Hey on the familiar bed, alone in the house.


    That night, he loved the woman he held most dear, but it was nothing more than history.


    He would have worked hard to forget if he had not returned, and he had no idea if he seeded.


    Still, it had been six months since he and Quinn spoke- there were times when his parents spoke to him


    through video call from Saunders Mansion. However, it was usually night and Quinn did not show up,


    though Sam asionally would catch a glimpse of her.


    Sam tossed around-the celebration for Zoe¡¯s baby was tomorrow, and he would probably be drinking


    with Johnny and the boys.


    It had been a while since he did, and he wondered if he could still hold his liquor. Either way, he just


    needed some rest, and he would be ready for anything.


    He woke up very early the next morning.


    His biological clock somehow took after his parents¡¯ before he knew it-he never usually stayed upte


    and would wake up early in the morning.


    Dressing up smartly, he brought along the presents he prepared and left at the right time-neither toote


    nor too early, going with the flow.


    He used to like beingte, thinking it was fashionable, only to find that childish now.


    He certainly matured over thest six months, surprising even himself. He used to believe his personality


    would never change.


    Arriving at the banquet hall, he saw Jay and Zoe greeting guests from afar, both of them visibly happy.


    Who would not be, having both a son and a daughter now?


    He made his way over to them, and they were both stunned to see him.


    Zoe especially gaped for a while before eximing exaggeratedly, ¡°You really came back?!¡±


    She had merely notified him on Facebook, sending it in a group chat.


    He acknowledged it, but she thought he was just replying out of courtesy, even if he said he wasing


    back when she grilled him repeatedly.


    Caught in disbelief, she was left wondering if Sam was always that loyal and actually thought better of


    him just then.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m not wee here?¡± Sam asked, speechless.


    ¡°No way!¡± Zoe eximed. ¡°I¡¯m just shocked, y¡¯know?¡±


    Sam smiled and nodded, while Zoe quickly said. ¡°Hurry inside. Johnny and the rest are in there.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Sam nodded. ¡°Here. A gift for the little man.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a gift?¡± Zoe giggled as she took it. ¡°Turned over a new leaf, Mr. Saunders?¡±


    Sam ignored that and strode into the banquet hall, while Zoe appeared thrilled once he left

 Chapter 1504

    Chapter 1504


    Zoe promptly texted Cordy: [Sam is back! He¡¯s really back! He just entered the hall!]


    Cordy: [I told you he¡¯de. You didn¡¯t believe me.]


    Zoe: [How should I know that I¡¯m that attractive?]


    Cordy sent a speechless emoji, spotting Sam, who was very tall and easy to spot in a crowd, as she


    looked up just then.


    ¡±Sam,¡± John called out to him just then, and he quickly made his way toward them and sat down.


    ¡°When did you get back?¡± John asked.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Noon yesterday,¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Bob snorted, a little miffed just then. ¡°What, too important to hang out with your


    brothers now that your career has taken off?¡±


    ¡°My career¡¯s taken off? Have you ever seen Johnny¡¯s pockets?¡± Sam rolled his eyes.


    Bob simply shrugged.


    John then asked, ¡°When are you going back?¡±


    ¡°In two days. I¡¯ll be visiting my parents before that,¡± Sam replied.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t have time for us now, do you?¡± Bob butted in. ¡°It¡¯s a little rushed since there¡¯s still stuff to


    do,¡± Sam said.¡± We have all the time to meet up after we can do it today too. Bottom¡¯s up!¡±


    Bob was exasperated. ¡°Sam, you¡¯ve really changed-could you be a little less sessful? It¡¯s a little


    overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Well what do you want?!¡± Sam snorted.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Bob actually could note up with anything, and so snapped, ¡°Just drink!¡±


    ¡°Fine!¡±


    With that, both men started drinking even before food was served, before the hosts returned to the hall.


    John was going to stop them when a woman sat down beside Sam. His hands paused before reaching


    his ss-he could tell who it was without turning, and so his fingers stiffened.


    He eventually reached for his ss, while Cordy nced at Sam before greeting Quinn warmly. ¡°Hey,


    Quinn.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°You came alone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Sam¡¯s fingers stiffened again.


    ¡°You still have to be careful,¡± Cordy told her.


    ¡°I know.¡± Quinn smiled.


    Nothing about her presence or voice changed, and yet everything had changed.


    Still, as Sam brought up his ss to pour himself a drink, John said, ¡°Show some respect for our hosts.


    It¡¯s not starting yet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Bob said immediately. ¡°We still have to wait for Jay and Zoe to start things up.¡±


    Sam quietly put down his ss at that.


    It was a wide table, and Sam kept chatting with Bob and John, while Quinn did the same with Cordy.


    Cordy was expecting soon, and her belly was positively bulging, so they were mostly talking about


    children. ¡°Have you had an ultrasound yet? Is it a boy or a girl?¡±


    ¡°We did, but they were hiding whenever we tried to check,¡± Cordy said, exasperated. Now it¡¯s too close


    to the due date to check. Well, I¡¯m fine with either anyway.¡±


    ¡°Not so much for me,¡± John suddenly chimed in. Cordy rolled her eyes at him, while Quinn giggled,


    knowing that John was zealous about wanting a daughter.


    One could not imagine how John would react if Cordy gave birth to another son, though it probably would


    not matter since Cordy mattered most to him.


    As long as it was their bundle of joy, he would love them profoundly.

 Chapter 1505

    Chapter 1505


    Just before the banquet began, Zoe came to sit with Cordy.


    "What are you doing here alone?" Quinn teased.


    Zoe shrugged.


    "What''s the issue?" ¡°Where''s your baby boy?" "Oh, my mom''s taking care of him." Zoe waved her off.


    "All he does is eat and poop.


    Boring." While Quinn appeared speechless, Zoe asked her, ''Now, what about you?" ¡°what about me?"


    Quinn appeared bemused.


    "That bun in your oven, I mean," Zoe said bluntly.


    ng.


    Everyone turned to find that Sam had dropped his cup on the table, spilling tea all over.


    Since the banquet had not started, he, Bob, and John were all drinking tea.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Still, Sam calmly picked up his cup again and pulled up some tissues, slowly wiping the puddle.


    There was not much reaction on his face either, and he continued chatting with John and Bob, as if


    dropping his cup was a perfectly normal mistake.


    "We''re fine," Quinn said just then.


    "I used to feel so queasy, but I can now eat and sleep easily." ¡°Well, you''ve put on weight," Zoe said,


    studying her just then.


    "Five pounds, I guess." "That''s still fine." Zoe continued chatting with the women for a while.


    Then, Jay beckoned for her as the banquet started, since she was supposed to be on stage.


    Things were quieter around the table after Zoe left, since John, Sam, and Bob were done reminiscing


    about the old days.


    Quinn stood up, reacting for the teapot when Sam quickly took it and poured her a cup.


    "Thank you," Quinn said politely.


    Sam nodded, and silence ensued again.


    Eventually, Sam asked, "You''re pregnant?" "Yeah." "That was fast." He smiled, hiding his


    disappointment just then.


    He did not expect Quinn to get pregnant so quickly.


    He thought it would be after the wedding.


    He had not even heard that Quinn and Ryan were married, though it was likely that they did not have a


    wedding.


    Sam pursed his lips, refraining from thinking just then.


    ¡°why are you alone?" he asked.


    "Where''s Ryan?" "He returned to the capital," Quinn replied.


    ¡°He''s recovered?" "Yeah.


    He''s making do with a prosthetic as well." Sam nodded in silence and asked after a while, "He''s still


    that busy?" Should Ryan not be with her now that she was pregnant? Or could he not be bothered to


    take time off to offer Quinnpany? How could he be at ease, letting her walk around alone while


    pregnant? "Yeah, he''s busy," Quinn said.


    She did notin, and Sam smiled faintly.


    Maybe he was just overthinking ¡ªif Quinn could be understanding, he should too.


    As silence ensued again, Quinn asked, "How are things abroad?" "Good,'''' Sam said nonchntly.


    "Eating well, sleeping well." "Yeah." Quinn nodded, slowly asking, Have you gotten yourself a


    girlfriend?" "Do you think Ick women?" Sam asked vainly.


    ¡°I mean, a steady rtionship," Quinn said, staring him in the eve.

 Chapter 1506

    Chapter 1506


    As their eyes met, Sam turned frantic and averted his. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°Would I lie to you?¡± Sam asked a little grumpily.


    ¡°And you didn¡¯t bring her back?¡± Quinn asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m on a schedule, and it¡¯d be taxing for her if I bought her along,¡± Sam said, making things up as he


    went along. ¡°I¡¯ll bring her along when things are less busy.¡±


    ¡°Is she pretty?¡± Quinn pressed.


    ¡°What, have I ever picked an ugly one?¡± Sam snorted smugly. ¡°You know I prefer curvaceous types, and


    there are plenty of those abroad.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a photo?¡±


    Sam was silent for a while and eventually said, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Can I see it?¡±


    ¡°What, does she have to pass your assessment?¡±


    ¡°Just curious about the girl who can tempt you to settle down,¡± Quinn replied.


    ¡°You¡¯d be humbled.¡± Sam hastily came up with an excuse.


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Quinn said, determined.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see her when I bring her home.¡± Sam refused nheless.


    ¡°I would like to see a photo now.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not that photogenic. It¡¯d be nder against her.¡± ¡°Why do you keep refusing? Because there¡¯s


    no such person?


    IV ¡°Do you think I¡¯m not over you, Quinn?¡± Sam snapped in annoyance. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very detached


    and I¡¯d never cling to you.¡±


    ¡°When did you ever cling to me?¡± She suddenly shed a lonely smile.


    It hurt Sam to see her like that, but he did not let it show.


    Quinn was now far beyond his reach.


    He suddenly got up. ¡°I need the washroom.¡±


    Quinn pursed her lips, quietly watching as he left.


    In the washroom, Sam kept his head lowered over the sink and kept washing his hands repeatedly and


    thoughtlessly.


    Bob strode over, turning off the tap. ¡°You¡¯d wash off your skin at this rate.¡±


    Sam nodded as Bob handed him paper towels. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Honestly, why hurt yourself like this? Fight for


    her if you love her,¡± Bob said, leaning against the wall and watching Sam dry his hands, but he still kept


    his head down.


    Sam did not say a word, since there was no way he could deceive his best friends.


    ¡°Come on-the banquet¡¯s starting,¡± Bob said, refraining from pressuring the issue. ¡®Can¡¯t miss a brother¡¯s


    happy day.¡±


    Sam nodded in silence but did not appear inclined to leave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Bob urged.


    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± Sam said.


    Bob frowned and suddenly saw tears rolling down Sam¡¯s cheeks.


    He had never seen Sam cry-he would never break down into tears even if he bled.


    Pursing his lips, Bob stepped outside to wait.


    It was exactly because they were friends that he should give Sam space.


    Minutester, Sam stepped out, looking calm and showing zero misery, let alone tear stains.


    It was as if he had been perfectly fine, and it was not him in the washroom just now.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Come on.¡± He beckoned at Bob and headed toward the banquet hall.

 Chapter 1507

    Chapter 1507


    At the banquet hall, Jay and Zoe were thanking their guests with their children in their arms.


    Then, Zoe announced excitedly, ¡°Please give my best friend, who is also my son¡¯s godmother, a warm


    apuse as shees on stage!¡±


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sam stood at a corner of the hall, watching as Quinn walked up the stage, only realizing just then that


    her belly was clearly swelling despite her baggy clothes.


    Time flies-he had not left that long ago, but she and Ryan already had a child.


    She was not worried about giving him a stroke, was she?


    He watched as Quinn took the mic and looked around below searching, seemingly searching.


    After a while, he thought she was looking at him, but by the time he looked up, she had already turned


    away.


    Maybe she was looking for Ryan before remembering that Ryan was not there?


    Nheless, Quinn spoke into the mic, saying, ¡°I¡¯m honored to be chosen as the godmother to Zoe¡¯s


    son, and she¡¯s been saying he¡¯d be engaged to my child if it¡¯s a girl. I already love my godson to bits-he¡¯s


    just so adorable¡­ But when ites to an engagement, I think it¡¯s not up to me to decide alone. The


    father has a say too.¡±


    ¡°Then drag him out here,¡± Zoe eximed excitedly. ¡°We¡¯ll settle this here and now!¡±


    Quinn smiled faintly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s¡­¡±


    Quinn suddenly paused, leaving Sam gulping.


    He could really beat Ryan up just then-he gave Ryan the woman he held most dear, but Ryan could not


    be bothered to be good to her, letting here here alone and go on stage all by herself.


    ¡°Zoe, could I have the floor?¡± Quinn suddenly asked.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s prepared for you.¡± Zoe smiled but suddenly added, ¡°No, I mean my future daughter-in-


    law.¡±


    Everyoneughed, bringing a cheerful vibe into the hall as Zoe and Jay carried their children off stage.


    The lights dimmed suddenly, leaving everyone shocked when the giant LCD screen lit up.


    Everyone presumed that it would be Quinn giving Zoe a surprise, only for it to turn out to be Sam¡¯s face.


    As the crowd grew rowdy, Sam was stunned too.


    What was going on? He did not make a video or anything for Zoe¡¯s son¡­


    And yet, the video started ying, along with his clearly recorded voice. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Sam


    Saunders-I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s surprised as to why I¡¯m here.

 Chapter 1508

    Chapter 1508


    The guests were encouraging, loudly asking, ¡°Why?!¡±


    ¡°Because of a woman,¡± Sam¡¯s recording replied.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Quinn Summer,¡± the Sam on the screen said slowly and clearly, leaving the Sam who was in the hall


    stunned.


    What the hell?! That was the proposal video he prepared before!


    Why did it show up here? Did Zoe make a mistake?!


    He knew it-leave anything to Zoe, and she would mess it up!


    He started striding toward the stage, intent on stopping the recording, when John and Bob intercepted


    him with a look of utter guilt while the recording continued. ¡°Quinn is my wife, and we¡¯ve been married for


    years, but I¡¯ve never really loved her-not because I don¡¯t, but because I¡¯m afraid to. I feel too insignificant


    inparison to the one she loves, so I¡¯d always hurt her¡­


    painfully and childishly. I regret that so much now, Quinn. How could I have abandoned you for so long


    because of my own jealousy? I¡¯d rather hold you in my sleep every night, but my damned pride denied


    me that for years.¡±


    It was already a miserable picture, and his words only turned on the waterworks.


    What was this, a confession? One couldugh as much as they would cry!


    ¡°I love you, Quinn!¡± Sam suddenly said loudly with a look of determination. ¡°I¡¯ve really loved you ever


    since I first met you. I tried to catch your eye with every way you hate because you didn¡¯t like me-


    because I felt inferior. I was so stupid back then!


    ¡°But now, I¡¯ll turn over a new leaf. I probably won¡¯t be a sessful man, but I swear to be the man who


    treats you best.


    ¡°I won¡¯t get upset with you, use you like a tool, or hurt you out of jealousy. From now on, what you say


    goes in our family, and me, my money, and my life are in your hands.¡±


    It was a cliched speech, but some of the more sentimental guests were actually brought to tears.


    Even in the recording, Sam was choking with tears. ¡°So¡­ Will you marry me again? This will be the real


    start of our marriage-we¡¯ll sleep together every day, performing our spousal duties¡­¡±


    The guestsughed again-could he not be serious for a second longer?!


    ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to get children. As long as they are mine, I¡¯ll love them with my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll work hard to be a good husband and a good father, and grow old with you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Quinn!¡±


    ¡°Will you marry me?!¡±


    The recording ended there-there was a shower of petals nned at that stage, and Sam would go on


    stage with a diamond ring and go down on a knee with everyone as their witness.


    But now, there was nothing even as the lights turned on.


    All Quinn saw was Sam standing there, his knuckles clenched so hard his veins surfaced.


    John and Bob let go of him just then, and Bob whispered into Sam¡¯s ear, ¡¯ Don¡¯t falter now.¡±


    Sam pursed his lips.


    He understood that his best friends, Zoe and Cordy, had worked hard to seize this opportunity for him.


    But it was toote.


    It should have stayed as history since the moment Ryan met that ident, because he had no chance


    with Quinn since then.


    Naturally, he did not me them since he knew they were just trying to help, but he did not want to put


    Quinn on the spot either.

 Chapter 1509

    Chapter 1509


    Everyone in the hall was staring at Sam and Quinn, while Quinn took center stage, staring fixedly at


    Sam.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    He stood in the middle of the crowd, watching her silently.


    She in turn felt fear that he would turn and leave, just as she did not know if she had the courage to


    stand before him again and to dere her feelings for him in front of so many others.


    Nheless, amid the deafening silence, Sam suddenly walked toward the stage.


    His pace was slow as if his feet were made of lead, but he was also unusually determined.


    Quinn¡¯s heart raced uncontrobly right then!


    Everyone else was watching them nervously, especially Cordy and Zoe, with thetter being especially


    concerned that the cowardly Sam would bail.


    Fortunately, he was a man who showed responsibility. He would not leave Quinn alone and


    embarrassed.


    Hence, as everyone looked on, Sam stood before Quinn, his gaze flickering as their eyes met.


    He gulped ever so slightly, his emotions clearly ruffled even as he did his best to calm himself.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind that, Quinn,¡± he said nonchntly as if it was just a joke. ¡°I must have had a stroke when I


    recorded that video-just pretend I was mad. You know how ridiculous I can be, always doing inane stuff


    like that just because I¡¯m in the mood. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Quinn blinked as she continued to stare fixedly at him while he turned to leave, looking for a staff


    member to remove the footage.


    ¡°But I took it to heart,¡± Quinn said slowly and clearly just then.


    Sam froze in ce, doing his best to stop his racing heart.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve caused you trouble. If you really take offense to this, I won¡¯t ever show up around


    you ever again, alright? Don¡¯t let a person like me affect your life. That¡¯s just unnecessary.¡±


    Quinn stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes as she saw his frustration and exasperation.


    ¡°A person like you? What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°An inconsiderate freeloader who does whatever he wants. Nothing good either way,¡± Sam said


    casually as he insulted himself to no end.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes were read as she hid the tears in her voice and questioned him, ¡°Inconsiderate? When


    you sacrificed your own rtionship for someone else, even ruining your reputation for it? You¡¯d rather


    leave your homnd than make things awkward for others-how is that doing whatever you want? You¡¯d


    work overnight tirelessly for the family-how are you a freeloader?! How could you say that about


    yourself?¡±


    Sam pursed his lips, emotional and surprised that Quinn would defend him like this.


    He had always thought himself a lowlife, a troublemaker, and a person insignificant in Quinn¡¯s mind-or


    in everyone else¡¯s mind, for that matter.


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± she suddenly said.


    Sam was left staring at her, perplexed by those two words that came out of nowhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying I¡¯m willing to marry you!¡± Quinn dered loudly right then.


    Sam¡¯s heart raced out of control, but he thought he was hallucinating.


    Quinn was with Ryan, and they even had a child together¡­ Why would she want to marry him?!


    Was she feeling guilty because of this video?


    He really did not want to trouble her-he would wish she never saw this video if he could.


    As he stared frantically at Quinn, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling guilty or worried about letting you down,


    even though Zoe and Cordy told me that you were going to propose six months ago, but it had to be


    put off because of Ryan¡¯s ident. They told me that even though you looked calm andposed,


    you were so nervous you messed it up countless times, and¡­¡±


    She trailed off, her voice choking with tears.


    She did not think that Sam had done so much for her.


    In reality, she was never going to be with Ryan even after Sam left.


    She had just been emotionally ckmailed into dating Ryan, but it was also her reservation. In those


    six months after she made him ept his life after his ident, she had freed her conscience and no


    longer felt like she owed him anything.


    And by then, she could be with Sam without any burden.

 Chapter 1510

    Chapter 1510


    However, Sam had already pushed Quinn away before she could tell him. But even if he did not love


    her or did not want to be with her, she would never stay with Ryan.


    She had been disappointed in Sam, wondering why he would give up so easily.


    Was she that unimportant to him?


    Therefore, if it were not for Zoe and Cordy showing her that video or telling her so much, she would


    never have known that he loved her for years¡­


    Sam¡¯s heart ached even as he looked into Quinn¡¯s tearful eyes.


    He reached out a hand, but soon withdrew it-would he not burden her?


    Even so, it hurt to restrain himself as he watched her, and he was actually getting the feeling that Quinn


    loved him¡­


    But she already had Ryan¡¯s child¡­


    Well, he was fine with that, as long as the child was Quinn¡¯s.


    But would she not mind?


    ¡°I will marry you, Sam,¡± Quinn said slowly and clearly then.¡± Not because you¡¯re a good man, not


    because you prepared so much for me, and not because of how much you prepared for me, but


    because I love you. That¡¯s the only reason I will marry you. It has nothing to do with anything else.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you love Ryan?¡± Sam asked in disbelief, staring at her in turn.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you?! I haven¡¯t loved him for a long time, and I told you before that it


    might have been a habit. You¡¯re the only one I love, and it isn¡¯t out of guilt or anything else!¡±


    Quinn was a little angry just then-he doubted her whenever she told him she loved him.


    Still, it was less anger toward his self-doubt than him doubting her.


    Why did he think she would never love him?! How could a man as fearless as him be so doubtful of


    himself because of his family? Did the Saunders¡¯ neglect since he was a child leave him thinking that


    he was incapable of anything?!


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re pregnant¡­¡± Sam said gingerly.


    Quinn looked down at her own belly, and then blinked at Sam, ¡°Is that why you¡¯re rejecting me?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Sam promptly said. ¡°I¡¯d never reject you for anything- I¡¯d love you even if you were a vegetable!¡±


    Quinn was left wondering if she should cry orugh-was he telling her to be a vegetable?


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean¡ªI mean I¡¯d love you however you are,¡± Sam said, his voice turning


    despondent as he continued. ¡°I just think things are going well between you and Ryan, and you¡¯re


    having his child. Why marry me? You don¡¯t have to worry about me-l love you and maybe no other


    woman in this life, but I have many friends, so I won¡¯t be lonely.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d rather be forever alone than take one small step for me?!¡± Quinn snapped in annoyance.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to trouble you,¡± Sam said quietly.


    Even if he had been neglected, he had never tiptoed like this!


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that it¡¯s no trouble?! I want this, and I want to marry you! So are


    you going to marry me or not?!¡± Quinn demanded loudly, almost coercing Sam just then.


    The hall was silent, but Quinn¡¯s demands left everyone restless.


    Bob especially had had enough of Sam dragging his feet and bellowed, ¡°Say yes if you¡¯re a man,


    Sam!¡±


    The others all echoed, ¡°Say yes! Say yes!¡±


    Quinn stared at Sam, pursing his lips, his whole body stiffened but remaining silent.


    Her tears welled out of her eyes even after she did her best to stop herself, the rim of her eyes


    reddening.


    But she stayed silent as she waited for Sam.


    They stood there for a long while, with everyone else getting impatient from waiting.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Bob tried to instigate the crowd again, but Zoe stopped him ¡ªshe was calm for once.


    After all, it was up to Sam and Quinn to deal with whatever happened now and to ovee the


    obstacles in their minds.


    With that, the hall became silent once again.

 Chapter 1511

    Chapter 1511


    A Life Debt Repaid Chapter 1511-Everyone waited patiently for the final oue.


    Quinn¡¯s eyes were welling up with tears, threatening to gush if she so much as blinked.


    She did her best to hold back her tears-to be strong!


    A long while passed, and it felt like a century for Quinn when she finally heard him say, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Quinn¡¯s tears started falling in happiness as Sam dered loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll marry you, Quinn-it¡¯s what I¡¯ve


    always wanted to do! I won¡¯t let you go even if you regret it eventually! You only get to be with me, and I¡¯ll


    never let any other man im you! I¡¯ll be very overbearing¡­ eventually!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it,¡± Quinn said, determined.


    She certainly would not regret marrying him!


    Zoe walked up to them with perfect timing just then, and Sam did a double take.


    He finally remembered that Zoe was the host of this luncheon and was going to leave with Quinn when


    Zoe whipped out a small red velvet box.


    ¡°You know what¡¯s in here, don¡¯t you?¡± Zoe asked.


    Sam¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He certainly did-it was the ring he would propose to Quinn with.


    He had certainly made an effort with it, as it was made by an internationally renowned designer.


    It was a ring like no other.


    ¡°Take it,¡± Zoe said as she handed him the box.


    Sam¡¯s fingers were shaking even as he took it, and slowly opened.


    Everyone could see the 5-carat diamond ring right then, and it was so dazzling it could blind them.


    As Sam drew it out, he and Quinn were looking into each other¡¯s eyes as he went down on one knee.


    Quinn sped a hand over her mouth, worried that she would cry out loud as the scene she used to


    imagine appeared so clearly before her now.


    ¡°Quinn¡­¡± His voice was choking with tears. ¡°I used to be a bastard, but I swear I¡¯ll change.¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be a good husband, and¡­¡± He paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°And a good father!¡±


    He would ept the baby even if it was not his-he would ept everything about Quinn!


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quinn nodded repeatedly, her tears unstoppable.


    ¡°Will you marry me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Quinn said without hesitation, and held out her hand in front of Sam.


    He started to slide the ring on her finger¡­ until it got stuck.


    Sam frowned-that was impossible!


    He had measured Quinn¡¯s finger in secret. This was the right measurement!


    Why did it not fit?!


    Sam pushed a little harder just then, and- ¡°Ow¡­¡±


    Sam flinched and promptly pulled away, stammering gibberish. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I was¡­ why is it small¡­


    What happened?¡±

 Chapter 1512

    Chapter 1512


    ¡°I¡¯m swelling from my pregnancy,¡± Quinn exined. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Sam was left staring at her for a while before asking, ¡°So, what should I do?¡±


    ¡®Til put it on when I slim down.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Sam was a little disappointed, since he had always dreamed of having her put on the ring he had


    custom made.


    But this was fine-they had all the time they needed, and the most important thing for him is that Quinn


    was marrying him!


    He rose to his feet just then, and everyone was cheering as soon as he did.


    ¡°Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡±


    Quinn blushed right then, and Sam could see that she was embarrassed.


    He did not want to make things awkward for her, even if he was quite eager at the moment.


    Heaven knows how much he missed that night¡¯s drunken fumble they had. In fact, during the times he


    remembered it in dreams, he had to wash his pants when he woke up.


    Still, just as he took Quinn¡¯s hand and started to leave, he felt a softness on his lips-Quinn was kissing


    him!


    Sam¡¯s heart pounded thunderously, and he stared at Quinn in disbelief.


    She actually kissed him¡­ and in front of so many people?!


    While he was left bewildered, Bob could not resist teasing him. ¡°Cat got your tongue?!¡±


    Sam inhaled deeply, deciding not to get petty-no one should get petty with single men.


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± he told Quinn. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡­ Mmmph?!¡±


    He was left gaping again-this time, it was no brief peck on the lips, as Quinn was letting the kiss linger.


    She was even pressing her unruly tongue past his lips!


    Sam stiffened, his heart racing-she was killing him!


    He really could not control himself just then.


    Gathering her in his arms, he seized the initiative as he kissed her harder, holding the back of her


    head.


    She was so small in contrast to him, even if she was pregnant.


    There was a pop and rose petals rained from the air, building a romantic vibe to entuate their bliss.


    As both of them continued the kiss for a long while as if glued together, Bob could not help chuckling.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it goes when a man breaks his fast.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still single. You don¡¯t get to mock Sam,¡± Zoe snapped.


    She was ever the heartbreaker-Bob would really have died from a stroke if he was even slightly


    narrow-minded.


    Still, Zoe sighed a little exasperatedly just then. ¡°How long are they going to keep kissing? Are we


    supposed to start the luncheon at all?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Cordy suddenly gasped.


    Zoe turned. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough too, huh?¡±


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Cordy was clutching her belly. ¡°I think the baby¡¯sing.¡±

 Chapter 1513

    Chapter 1513


    ¡°What?!¡± Zoe eximed in shock.


    Beside them, John¡¯s face fell despite being usually stoic.


    Still, even before anyone could react, he scooped Cordy up in his arms and left.


    Zoe did not hesitate to follow, but Jay reminded her, ¡°We¡¯re the hosts, Zoe.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care.¡± Zoe waspletely unconcerned. ¡°Ask my mom and your sister to handle the guests. I¡¯m


    going with Cordy!¡±


    Jay hesitated for a moment before deciding to follow since there was no reasoning with Zoe.


    Sam and Quinn also realized that something was out of ce.


    As they pulled away reluctantly, Bob shouted from below, ¡°If you¡¯re done kissing, we¡¯re going to the


    hospital! Cordy¡¯s going intobor!¡±


    Quinn hurried after them as soon as she hurt, but Sam caught her. ¡°Slow down.


    We can catch up.¡±


    In fact, most of the guests were leaving as weII¡ªit was as if the banquet for Zoe¡¯s son was actually


    intended for everyone else.


    The poor boy was certainly unlucky to have such unreliable parents!


    As everyone rushed to the hospital, Cordy was immediately sent to the delivery room once she arrived.


    It was urgent as her water broke.


    John was certainly restless. He paced around outside the delivery room, unable to calm down despite


    his usual calmness and restraint.


    Even Zoe had had enough. ¡°Calm down, Johnny. We¡¯re all nervous, and you¡¯re getting everyone even


    more worried.¡±


    John promptly shot a look at Zoe, and Jay had to step in.¡± Don¡¯t worry, Cordy will be fine. It took Zoe a


    while before too, but it¡¯s all good after she delivered.¡±


    Despite his words, Jay was far less calm than John when Zoe went intobor and would have gone on


    to be the midwife if he could.


    Everyone waited outside, able to hear Cordy¡¯s cries of pain from within.


    The nervousness was palpable, just as they could see John clenching his knuckles.


    Suddenly, Sam reached out to take Quinn¡¯s hand, catching her by surprise since she was worried


    about Cordy.


    In Sam¡¯s mind, Quinn would be going intobor herself soon and she might be hurting too, and it hurt


    to know that.


    Eventually, the room was getting silent, while John was at his limit.


    He told the nurse, ¡°Ask the doctor how it¡¯s going. And tell him a C-section is viable if necessary.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. The doctors will suggest the option ording to the situation-¡°


    ¡°I told you to ask!¡± John eximed a little loudly, his body shaking.


    The nurse hurried into the delivery room without another word before returning soon.


    ¡°What did the doctor say?¡± John asked nervously.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    The nurse mustered her courage for a moment and said,¡± Actually, I have a message from the missus.


    She asked you to not bother her while she¡¯s inbor.¡±


    While John was left speechless, Zoe could not help snickering¡ªCordy was certainly the only person in


    the world who could put a leash on John.


    Nheless, another hour passed.


    It had been a while since Cordy¡¯s voice could be heard, and John was sweating bullets over his brow.


    Even Zoe had never seen him losing control in such fashion.


    One almost had to wonder if it was him or Cordy going intobor.


    He turned and bellowed at the nurse, ¡°Why is it so quiet? What happened?!¡±


    ¡°Maybe the delivery was sessful?¡± the nurse suggested meekly.


    John was left stumped¡­

 Chapter 1514

    Chapter 1514


    Soon, another nurse emerged from the delivery room with a small bundle. ¡°Is the mother¡¯s family


    here?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± John eximed loudly.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°The delivery was sessful,¡± the nurse said. ¡°The baby weighs eight pounds-¡°


    ¡°How is she?¡± John asked in agitation, not caring about the child.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. The doctor is just helping her clean up and she¡¯ll be out soon,¡± the nurse replied.


    As John breathed a sigh of relief, the nurse reminded him,¡± Aren¡¯t you the father? Here¡¯s your child.¡±


    John took the baby off her arms, staring at her for a moment as the others flocked around him.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s so fair!¡± Zoe could not help eximing. ¡°That¡¯s the most beautiful baby I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that your son¡¯s ugly?¡± Bob teased.


    ¡°To be honest, yeah,¡± Zoe replied without thinking.


    Jay cleared his throat-even if it was a subjective opinion, it still hurt to have his own baby called ugly.


    ¡°Let me carry her,¡± Zoe volunteered just then, and John did not hesitate to hand her his baby.


    As Zoe cradled the baby in his arms, she eximed, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so adorable, princess. Fate has really


    been kind!¡±


    Somehow, she appeared to be emotional that Cordy¡¯s child was blood rted to hers.


    ¡°Let me see her.¡± Quinn got closer, ying with the baby.


    The baby was really beautiful and gave the impression that she would be gorgeous despite being


    a newborn.


    ¡°Wait, is she a girl?¡± Quinn suddenly asked.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Zoe said confidently. ¡°What, do you think there¡¯s a pecker?¡±


    Before the nurse could speak, Cordy was wheeled out of the delivery room.


    John strode up to her, kissing her on the forehead when he saw her frail state.


    ¡°Good work.¡±


    Cordy shot him a look, clearly upset.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get you to your room. No mentions of the baby now,¡± John said determinedly, not wanting to see


    her look so sad ever again.


    He took the handles of her wheelchair from the nurse and took her to her ward while everyone else


    followed.


    Quinn started to leave as well but suddenly turned to find Sam standing there.


    She was surprised-why was he still standing there?


    Sam saw her looking at him just then and smiled faintly.


    He could see happiness in her eyes when he saw her looking at the baby-she must be looking forward


    to giving birth too!


    Walking up to her, he said, ¡°I will always stay with you.¡±


    Before and after the delivery-no, he would even raise the baby with her.


    Quinn took his hand, locking fingers as she asked, ¡°Will you be a good father, Sam?¡±


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Sam promised.


    ¡°Then I forgive your pump and dump.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Sam did a double take.


    Pump and dump?! Could it be¡­?!


    Quinn beamed as he stared at the swell that was her belly, and his eyes welled up with tears.


    He had never felt this lucky in his life, and he decided that he really loved her!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!