ã€ŠThe Adorable Twins and Their CEO Daddyã€‹


 Chapter 1: Dispose Of Her Body

    Chapter 1: Dispose Of Her Body

    ¡°Asher¡­ I want more¡­¡±

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    Ambiguous gasps and moans were heard through the gap in the bathroom doors.

    Eliana Pierce felt like she was falling into an ice cer as she stood outside the door.

    The people inside the bathroom were none other than her friend, Erica Duffy, and her fiance, Asher

    Harrison.

    ¡°You mischievous little darling.¡± Asher¡¯s voice was filled with lust, which was nothing like Eliana had

    heard before.

    Erica smiled and asked softly, ¡°Do you like it? Aren¡¯t I better for you than Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her!¡± Asher huffed in a low voice.

    Erica groaned, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. It¡¯s all her fault that she would rather find a male prostitute than sleep

    with you¡­¡±

    ¡°She is such a bitch!¡± Asher interrupted Erica, venting the hatred in his heart as he kneaded her body

    so hard until she began to implore him to be gentle.

    At the same time, Eliana staggered backwards, her hands trembling as she tried to hide the hickeys on

    her neck. Her eyes were red and she was on the verge of tears.

    ¡°You will break off the engagement with Eliana, won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will! That bitch doesn¡¯t deserve to marry into my family! Like mother, like daughter. Back

    then, her mother also tempted and provoked some big shot, which caused Eliana¡¯s father to die¡­¡±

    Asher snorted disdainfully.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t her fathermit suicide?¡±

    ¡°That was just for show!¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Eliana felt her brain buzzing.

    By the time she came to her senses, she had already pulled the bathroom door open, and stormed in.

    ¡°What did you just say, Asher?¡±

    Asher and Erica naked in the bathroom, their faces paled from the shock.

    Asher quickly grabbed the bath towel beside him in a hurry. ¡°Eliana, what are you doing here?¡±

    Eliana grabbed his hand tightly, trembling, and demanded, ¡°Tell me, who killed my parents!¡±

    ¡°Let him go!¡± Erica, who was still naked, reached out and pushed Eliana away.

    Since Eliana was not expecting the attack, she staggered backwards, and hit her head on the bathtub.

    She instantly cked out and fell unconscious.

    Seeing that she was not moving, Erica plucked up the courage to feel her breath, and found that it was

    very weak.

    Horrified, Asher asked, ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    Erica suddenly withdrew her hand, and said in a shaky voice, ¡°She has¡­ I think she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°What? She¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. What should we do now, Asher?¡± Erica¡¯s lips were quivering as she lowered her head,

    preventing him from seeing through her lie.

    Asher¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He took a step forward to find out the truth for himself.

    However, Erica threw herself into his arms, and burst into tears. ¡°Eliana is dead! And I don¡¯t want to go

    to jail! Help me, Asher! Could you keep it a secret for me?¡±

    Asher frowned. He was really irritated. ¡°What¡¯s the point of keeping it a secret? When¡­¡±

    ¡°Just dispose of her body, and erase all evidence!¡±

    Asher was dumbfounded when he heard what she said.

    Eliana woke up, listening to the loud humming sound of the yacht. She felt her head was like being

    poked open. Feeling the intense pain in head, she touched the back of her head, and the growing pain

    made her shudder

    Before she could breathe, she felt someone grab her hair.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eliana let out a scream as she subconsciously propped her neck backwards.

    Erica was standing behind her with an evil smile.

    ¡°Were you satisfied with the gigolo that I sent youst night?¡±

    Thinking of the passionate scenes from the night before, Eliana gritted her teeth and retorted, ¡°So it

    was you who set me up!¡±

    She had woken up that morning in a mess. However, she still believed her friendship with Erica, and

    that was the reason she had rushed to her house. She believed that there must be some

    misunderstanding. Erica wouldn¡¯t have done something like that to her.

    But she did not expect to see Erica having sex with her fiance!

    ¡°Yes, since I took your fiance away from you, I certainly had topensate you, and that was the

    reason I chose the gigolo to serve you.¡± Erica covered her mouth and smiled with hatred in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you enjoy yourself a bit more before you die.¡±

    Eliana looked at her in disbelief and then nced around with a pale face. There were two bodyguards,

    who were tall and strong, standing beside Erica. The endless ocean surrounded the yacht, making it

    impossible for her to escape.

    ¡°Throw her down!¡±

    As soon as Erica gave the order, the bodyguards picked up Eliana and tossed her out like a bag of

    trash.

    The surging waves immediately swallowed her, and she did not even have a second to cry out for help.

    Hearing the sound of the waves around her, Erica heaved a sigh of relief, feeling happy.

    Five yearster, at the airport.

    With a serious look in his eyes, a little boy supported the luggage cart as he turned to Eliana and said,

    ¡°Let me help you, Mommy!¡±

    Lowering her head, Eliana touched the boy¡¯s soft hair and remarked, ¡°What a considerate son I have!¡±

    ¡°What about me, Mommy?¡± A little girl, who was sitting in the luggage cart, poked her head out, blinking

    her big eyes. She looked very cute.

    The boy mercilessly replied, ¡°You¡¯re thoughtfully helping us increase the weight of our luggage.¡±

    The girl red at him and pouted before she raised her hand to attack him.

    With a bright smile, Eliana¡¯s heart softened when she saw her kids.

    She had thought that her life would end when Erica had thrown her into the sea, but fortunately,

    someone saved her life.

    She had been unconscious for several months, and when she had regained consciousness, she had

    found out that she was pregnant.

    Several more months after that, she had given birth to the twins, Aileen Pierce and Adrian Pierce.

    To her, they were angels who brought light to her life again.

    ¡°Miss Pierce.¡± A woman walked up to her with a big smile. ¡°I¡¯m Kimora, the nanny sent by Mr. Jonathan

    Bowman to take care of you and your babies.¡±

    Kimora took out her ID card and handed it to Eliana.

    While they were talking, Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up.

    A tall man was walking towards them. He was dressed in a deep ck suit, had sharp features, and

    dark eyes. His intimidating aura made everyone step away, but it attracted Aileen.

    When he was about to walk past her, she jumped down from the luggage cart, and put her arms around

    his leg.

    ¡°Daddy!¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2

    Chapter 2 Know Your ce

    In an instant, the air around them seemed to freeze.

    Maurice Moran looked down at the little girl clinging to his leg.

    The girl had a fair and adorable face. Maurice could see his own face reflected in her bright and round

    eyes.

    Maurice felt that he could not take his eyes off of her.

    He was filled with the sudden urge to take away this cute child.

    Maurice stared down at the little girl and gently asked, ¡°Where is your family?¡±

    ¡°Daddy! You are my daddy!¡± The little girl stared boldly back at him. She squinted a bit and smiled

    sweetly, melting Maurice¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Hold me. I don¡¯t want to walk,¡± she mumbled.

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    Maurice was about to reach out to pick her up when a whiff of perfume filled his nose. A woman

    suddenly appeared and scooped the little girl into her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said earnestly. ¡°My

    daughter likes to pretend that handsome strangers are her dad. She didn¡¯t mean to offend you. I¡¯m

    really sorry.¡±

    She gave Maurice a nod before turning to leave.

    As he watched the woman walk away, Maurice was filled with a sense of familiarity.

    Eliana gently pinched Aileen¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise that you would stop doing this?¡±

    ¡°But he was so handsome¡­¡± Aileen pouted and seemed about toin some more, but Eliana

    gave her a reproachful look and she stopped talking.

    Eliana met up with Kimora, and they walked to the parking lot together.

    Eliana ced the twins in the car and was about to help Kimora with the luggage. When she got out of

    the car, she was met with two familiar figures.

    Asher¡¯s car key fell from his hand to the ground with a tter.

    He didn¡¯t even notice it. ¡°Eliana?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°You are still alive?¡±

    Eliana was shocked for a moment. Her expression turned cold. She nced from Asher to Erica, who

    was standing behind him.

    ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t deserve to die. Do you agree, Erica?¡± Eliana spoke each word slowly and deliberately.

    Erica was so startled to see Eliana that she stumbled backward in horror. She twisted her ankle and fell

    to the ground with a cry of pain.

    Erica looked up and saw that Eliana was not the shabby-looking woman she had been five years ago.

    Eliana was tall and beautiful even without any makeup. Erica shuddered at the mocking smile that lifted

    the corners of Eliana¡¯s mouth. Without thinking, she turned to Asher for help, only to find that he was

    staring at Eliana with obsession in his eyes. Asher walked slowly towards Eliana and reached out his

    hand.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you contacted me for all these years?¡±

    Eliana stepped back to avoid his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. You¡¯re disgusting.¡±

    Asher was shocked and stood frozen.

    Erica was livid. She couldn¡¯t believe that Asher still loved this horrible woman!

    Eliana watched them both with disdain. ¡°Wait and see,¡± she said through red lips. ¡°We¡¯ll see each other

    again. I will watch you pay for what you did!¡±

    At this moment, Kimora mmed the trunk closed, m

    aking Erica and Asher tremble in fear.

    Eliana sneered, got into the car, and drove away.

    Eliana and Kimora began to unpack their suitcases after arriving home.

    ¡°Mommy, we want to help you!¡± The twins ran towards Eliana and kissed her on the face.

    Eliana was pleased. She kissed them too and handed them some light luggage.

    ¡°Look at this handsome guy!¡± Aileen shoved a photo towards Adrian. ¡°It¡¯s my grandfather!¡±

    Adrian was speechless.

    Eliana paused. She looked over and found that Aileen had opened the photo album to a photo of her

    father as a young man. Aileen was giggling.

    ¡°Let me have a look.¡±

    Aileen passed the photo album to Eliana.

    Eliana gently touched the photos one by one. A few tears left her eyes as she looked at her parents¡¯

    smiling faces.

    She remembered what Asher had said. There was more to her parents¡¯ death than met the eye. The

    Pierce Group was directly purchased by the Moran Group after its bankruptcy. There should be some

    old employees working there.

    She must find out the truth!

    Eliana made up her mind as she stared at the job offer from the Moran Group on her phone.

    The Moran Group had a prime location and its tall Twin Towers were magnificent.

    The receptionist led Eliana into the office and reminded her in a low voice, ¡°This is Gabrielle Aston, the

    director of the Design Department.¡±

    Eliana nodded and walked inside.

    A woman sat on the sofa in the middle of the room. She looked Eliana up and down.

    The woman¡¯s gaze made her ufortable. Eliana kept her cool and smiled politely. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Eliana

    Pierce.¡±

    ¡°Wee to the Moran Group.¡± Gabrielle smiled. She gave Eliana a meaningful look and said, ¡°I have

    a client meeting tonight. You can go with me.¡±

    ¡°Tonight?¡± Eliana was surprised, but she immediately hid it. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Gabrielle nodded with satisfaction and walked toward the door, swaying her hips. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Eliana was ready to go through the formalities. As they stepped out of the elevator, she saw the

    employees¡¯ faces be serious, as though they were faced with a formidable enemy.

    A tall figure walked out of an office room, surrounded by senior executives. He wore a haut suit and

    had a dignified posture. He was clearly not an ordinary employee.

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    Eliana blinked and stared at the man. He looked familiar.

    The man stopped in the corridor and turned his head.

    ¡°Eliana,¡± Gabrielle called her from behind.

    Eliana was dragged aside before she could react.

    Gabrielle¡¯s face darkened and her eyes turned cold. ¡°You have to know your ce. Mr. Moran is

    ruthless and distant. If you disy any inappropriate feelings towards him, you will be fired

    immediately.¡±

    The man was Maurice, the CEO of the Moran Group.

    Eliana thought for a moment and lowered her head obediently. ¡°I understand.¡±

    Gabrielle snorted and walked into the office, but Eliana didn¡¯t move. She raised her head and looked

    down the corridor.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3

    Chapter 3 A Strange Face

    Seeing the man stop in his tracks, the assistant immediately approached and asked with concern, ¡°Mr.

    Moran, is there something wrong?¡±

    Frowning, Maurice looked away and continued to walk forward.

    Perhaps his mind was all over the ce, causing him to feel that the woman he met looked familiar.

    As night fell, the Imperial Golden Club came to life.

    A Maybach slowly came to a halt at the front door. Maurice got out of the car and strode right in.

    ¡°Well, this is a first. You¡¯re ten minuteste this time.¡± At the front desk in the center of the hall, Wyatt

    was ying with a si ring on his finger with a faint smile. He looked like a yboy.

    The receptionist beside him blushed. It was obvious that Wyatt had been flirting with her.

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    ¡°I¡¯mte because of a meeting.¡± Maurice raised his chin and walked inside without waiting for a

    response from Wyatt Todd. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to join us in the private room, why don¡¯t you be a

    receptionist at my club?¡± he added.

    With a disapproving click of his tongue, Wyatt followed behind Maurice, only to find a gloomy

    expression on his face. He raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by calling out your

    tardiness. What¡¯s with the long face?¡±

    Maurice ignored him.

    Wyatt studied his face for a while before muttering under his breath, ¡°That mask looks so real¡­¡±

    Maurice strode all the way to the private room. After he closed the door behind him, he asked in a low

    voice, ¡°Do you know where the ring is?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re already looking for it.¡± Wyatt shrugged his shoulders. ¡°As of right now, there¡¯s still no news.¡±

    As he spoke, he poured a ss of wine for Maurice. ¡°Come on. Don¡¯t you have a lead?¡±

    Five years ago, Maurice made the mistake of having a one-night stand with a strange woman. The

    following morning, he found that the family ring had gone missing, and so did the mysterious woman.

    ¡°I used to think it was nned by my uncle.¡± Maurice raised his sszily and took a sip. There was

    something about his demeanor that made him indescribably sexy. ¡°But I found out that his people were

    also searching for the ring. I didn¡¯t know what trick he was ying.¡±

    Wyatt broke into a wide, teasing smile. ¡°You must¡¯ve suffered a great loss that night, am I right? Not

    only did you lose your ring, but also your virginity!¡±

    Maurice leaned against the back of the chair and nced at Wyatt¡¯s direction. He might be smiling, but

    a chill ran down Wyatt¡¯s spine when they locked eyes. He quickly coughed and dropped the subject.

    Meanwhile, in another private room in the Imperial Golden Club, Eliana was following Gabrielle inside.

    The private room was dimly lit and the table was covered with bottles of different kinds of liquor. A fat

    man was slumped on the sofa. When the two women came in, his lustful eyes swept over the first one

    like a venomous snake.

    Frowning slightly, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but feel a little uneasy.

    Gabrielle strode towards the man with a flirtatious smil

    e. ¡°Hello, Mr. ke. You came so early.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be rude of me, a gentleman, to let a woman wait.¡±

    Antwan keughed and reached out to stroke Gabrielle¡¯s thigh with his chubby fingers.

    Gabrielle managed to dodge Antwan¡¯s advances calmly and beckoned to Eliana. ¡°Come on, say hello

    to Mr. ke.¡±

    Only then did Antwan shift his focus to the woman by the door.

    Eliana was wearing a cream-colored dress, enveloping her tender skin and hugging her small waist.

    Antwan¡¯s soul left his body the second heid eyes on her. He immediately stood up and pulled her by

    the arm. ¡°Come and sit here!¡±

    But Eliana took a step back and looked at Gabrielle hesitantly.

    ¡°What¡¯s taking you so long? Mr. ke just asked you to sit down!¡± Shooting Antwan an apologetic

    smile, Gabrielle put a ss into Eliana¡¯s hand and leaned over to whisper, ¡°Our project¡¯s sess

    hinges on Mr. ke. If you can¡¯t even aplish your first task, don¡¯t bother toe to work

    tomorrow.¡±

    Eliana understood what Gabrielle meant. With clenched fists, she had half a mind to up and leave right

    then and there. But if she wanted to find out the truth about the past, she needed to stay within the

    Moran Group. She had to endure whatever she was to face tonight.

    Forcing a smile, Eliana took a deep breath and toasted to Antwan. She then quickly gulped down the

    drink in her hand.

    ¡°Good girl, Eliana!¡± Gabrielle pped her hands and filled another ss for Eliana.

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    After drinking one ss after another, Eliana began to lose her consciousness.

    With a ng, her ss fell to the carpeted floor. She sank into the sofa and raised her hand weakly.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t drink another ss¡­¡±

    Seeing that the time was right, Gabrielle quickly exited the room.

    As soon as the door of the private room was closed behind her, Antwan couldn¡¯t wait to touch Eliana¡¯s

    delicate body and push her on her back.

    In a drunken haze, Eliana peeled her eyes open just in time to see the chubby face of Antwan leaning

    over. He was trying to kiss her.

    Before she knew what she was doing, her hand pped him hard across the face.

    The sound of the p echoed in the private room. Eliana immediately sobered up.

    Antwan was knocked backwards by the heavy blow and his head hit the corner of the table as he went

    down. Then he curled into a ball and whined, ¡°Ah! What the fuck! How dare a bitch like you hit me?¡±

    But Eliana wasn¡¯t about to stay and chat. She immediately jumped off the sofa in a hurry and rushed

    out the door.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± Antwan¡¯s roar came from behind as he tried to get back on his feet to chase after

    her.

    Eliana suddenly noticed a crack in the door of the private room next to hers, so she pounced into the

    room without thinking.

    As soon as she stepped into the room, she suddenly lost all her strength and copsed, falling into the

    arms of a strong man.

    She struggled to raise her head and saw a strange, masculine face, but his eyes seemed somewhat

    familiar¡­

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4

    Chapter 4 The Male Prostitute

    ¡°Help me!¡±

    Maurice looked down at the drunk woman in his arms. She grasped at his sleeves as though he were a

    lifesaver amidst a rolling ocean.

    When his eyes swept across her face, he felt that this woman looked a little familiar.

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    But he didn¡¯t have the time to pause and think. Antwan had burst out of his private room and found

    Eliana in the arms of another man. His fat face purple with anger, he roared, ¡°You¡¯reing with me!¡±

    Maurice nced at Antwan indifferently.

    Only then did Antwan falter slightly. Although this man was merely a stranger, he could still feel that he

    was dangerous. His aura made Antwan panic.

    ¡°Get out,¡± Maurice said tly.

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    ¡°Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do? How dare you steal my woman? Do you know who I am?

    Give her back!¡± Antwan tried to puff out his chest like an aggressive alpha male. ¡°Otherwise, I won¡¯t let

    you leave the Imperial Golden Club!¡±

    Wyatt, who was drinking and watching this scene unfold before him with amusement, suddenly burst

    intoughter.

    How interesting! This fat man actually had the nerve to threaten Maurice.

    How dare he challenge Maurice?

    ¡°Well, since you rarely get the chance to have an affair, let me help you.¡± Wyatt stood up casually and

    winked at Maurice. Then he walked up to the fat man. Suddenly, he raised his foot and kicked Antwan

    in the stomach, causing him to stagger a few steps backward. Then he walked out of the room and

    mmed the door shut.

    ¡°Get him out of my sight,¡± Wyatt barked at the bodyguards.

    Two bodyguards quickly sprang into action. They dragged Antwan to the gate of the Imperial Golden

    Club and threw him onto the street.

    The passers-by walked around Antwan, peering at him with curiosity. He had never felt so humiliated in

    his life.

    In the private room, Eliana was still holding on to Maurice¡¯s clothes.

    Impatient, he tried to shake off her stubborn hands.

    But she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your eyes

    before¡­¡±

    Her warm breath smelled lightly of alcohol, brushing on his skin like a light breeze. She bit her lower lip

    seductively, and her watery eyes caught Maurice¡¯s attention.

    Then, it suddenly dawned on him. The memories of the past surged in his mind, vivid and clear. In his

    memory, he was kissing a woman and eventually had sex with her.

    That woman from years ago was the woman in front of him right now.

    His expression immediately darkened. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±

    Eliana closed her eyes, dizzy from the alcohol. She winced in pain, leaning her head on his shoulder

    tiredly.

    Her soft lips brushed against Maurice¡¯s bare skin, giving him goose bumps. An inexplicable sexual

    desire was aroused in his body.

    He sneered, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll fall for the same trick twice?¡±

    He had fallen for the exact same trap five years ago. Were his rivals trying to set him up again?

    Come on. At the very least, his rivals should¡¯ve picked another woman to seduce him. Did they think he

    was a blind fool?

    ¡°Huh? No, I just want to go home. Adrian and Aileen are waiting for me,¡± Eliana murmured under her

    breath. When she tried to stand on her own feet, she momentarily lost her bnce and pressed her

    hands against Maurice¡¯s chest to regain her bnce. ¡°Wow, nice body,¡± shemented in surprise.

    Her fingers wandered around his body. The man¡¯s muscles were firm and defined. What was more, he

    had wide shoulders and narrow waist. He looked like a god.

    Maurice frowned and caught her hands to stop her from groping him.

    With her misty eyes, Eliana tilted her head and looked into Maurice¡¯s eyes. She suddenly smiled, her

    eyes lighting up with recognition. ¡°Hey! I know you!¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. ¡°Is that so? Then who am I?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re that kind of man.¡±

    Maurice frowned and patiently asked, ¡°What kind of man?¡±

    Her beautiful red lips parted and she blurted out, ¡°A male prostitute.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes zed with anger when he heard this unexpected answer. Suppressing his anger, he

    gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°A male prostitute, you say? In that case, let me serve you tonight.¡±

    He was curious to see where

    this woman would draw the line.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Eliana suddenly felt dizzy and pressed her slender fingers against her temple. When she came to her

    senses, she was already sitting on the sofa.

    Under the dim, warm light, the man leaned towards her and slipped his arms around her waist. She

    tried to gather her bearings, but she only felt dizzier.

    The next second, his lips were pressed against hers.

    The man kissed her passionately and crazily, as if he wanted to be one with her.

    Eliana suddenly felt hot. She clutched the man¡¯s shirt tightly and murmured, ¡°Wait, wait¡­¡±

    Humph, was this woman going to expose her true colors already?

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at her coldly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t have any money with me today,¡± she said in a slurred voice. Intoxicated, everything was a

    blur to Eliana in that moment.

    ¡®So, she insists on keeping up the act. Okay, then. I¡¯ll y along,¡¯ Maurice thought to himself.

    He leaned forward again, but this time, he kissed her earlobe and gently licked it. Then he whispered in

    her ear, ¡°I don¡¯t need your money tonight. Happy?¡±

    Eliana trembled under his touch. She couldn¡¯t think straight.

    Maurice slowly unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his chiseled muscles. Her mind went absolutely nk

    when she took in his captivating pheromones.

    Then, her eyesnded on the ferocious scar on the man¡¯s chest¡­

    Why did the scar look so familiar?

    Stunned for a moment, she shook her head toe to her senses.

    Then, in a fit of rage, she shoved the man off her. After that incident from five years ago, she had been

    so angry because she didn¡¯t know the identity of that man. Now she knew the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s you! You! You¡¯re that man from all those years ago!¡± She was so furious that she couldn¡¯t form

    a coherent sentence.

    Maurice straightened his shirt and looked at her with one eyebrow raised. ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the male prostitute I met five years ago! Do you know how much trouble you have caused me?!

    I thought you¡¯d be the best male prostitute, but your service was so bad!¡±

    What kind of trick was this damned woman ying?

    Maurice narrowed his eyes and frowned unhappily. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°I meant what I said,¡± Eliana hissed, pointing a finger at him. ¡°I¡¯llin to your manager!¡±

    This stupid man hadn¡¯t even used condoms back then!

    Although she had cute babies now, she would never forget the despair and helplessness this man

    brought her!

    Maurice stared at the woman coldly, anger surging within him violently.

    First, she treated him like a man-whore, which was an insult enough in itself. Now, she had the

    audacity to im that he sucked!

    Maurice suddenly approached her, cornering her on the sofa.

    Shocked, Eliana tried to retreat instinctively. However, before she could escape, the man had already

    wrapped his arms around her waist.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Let go of me!¡± Eliana struggled in a panic-stricken daze. However,

    she was already weak from drinking too much, so she didn¡¯t have the strength to refuse his embrace.

    The man rested his forehead against hers and then gave her a hot, deep kiss.

    Maurice held the back of her head with one hand and secured her waist with the other. He used his

    tongue to force her mouth open and he kissed her violently.

    Eliana tried to push him away, but failed. She had no choice but to ept his kiss.

    The atmosphere was thick with sexual desire.

    Her rational mind told her to push this man away. However, another small part of her wanted to kiss

    him back. Eventually, she stopped struggling and devoted herself to the kiss.

    The alcohol gradually took over and she passed out from drunkenness.

    Maurice gently let go of her. His eyes swept over her sleeping figure.

    The next moment, the door to the private room was mmed shut.

    Maurice had walked out, with lipstick smeared all over his lips, revealing what had happened just now.

    The waiters who passed by didn¡¯t dare to look straight at him. They all bowed their heads respectfully.

    Maurice pointed at the private room and barked an order. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone near that room.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5

    Chapter 5 She¡¯s Not Leaving

    The next day, the sleek Maybach drove out of the vi¡¯s driveway.

    Maurice leaned against the back seat and closed his eyes to rest, but the erotic scenes from five years

    ago kept shing in his head.

    To avoid being detected by his uncle¡¯s spies, he wore a simtion mask whenever he went to the

    Imperial Golden Club. It didn¡¯t matter if five years had passed since that fateful night. Very few people

    knew about this secret. Was it possible that that woman was one of them?

    ¡°Mr. Moran?¡± Maurice¡¯s assistant, Corbin Jenkins, suddenly called his attention. He had received an e-

    mail and reported its contents. ¡°I¡¯ve found her. The woman¡¯s name is Eliana Pierce. She joined the

    Moran Group just yesterday. The director of the Design Department, Gabrielle, took her to meet a client

    at the club yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Maurice opened one eye and nced at his assistant impatiently.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Corbin turned red with embarrassment. Lowering his head timidly, he said, ¡°This is all I was able to

    gather so far. It¡¯s very strange. It seems all information about Eliana from before she worked at our

    company was erased¡­¡±

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Maurice sneered contemptuously and uttered, ¡°Sounds like somebody doesn¡¯t want us to know about

    her past.¡±

    And that ¡°somebody¡± was most likely his uncle.

    All these years, his uncle had tried his best to take him out.

    On the other side of the city, Eliana groaned in pain. Her head was pounding.

    She somehow managed to sit up and winced, pressing her fingers against her temples. She was

    cursed with a terrible hangover.

    Looking around, she found that she was in an exquisitely decorated private room.

    To her shock, she saw a disheveled woman with smudged lipstick in the reflective surface of the wall.

    ¡®Is that me?¡¯ she thought in disbelief.

    Seeing such a sorry sight, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Suddenly, the events ofst

    night all came back to her, especially that kiss¡­

    ¡®That fucking man-whore! He¡¯s the man from five years ago! I¡¯m certain of it.¡¯

    Thinking of this, she quickly nced down to check herself. Fortunately, she was still fully dressed.

    Eliana nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. She would settle ounts with him another day!

    Then she dragged herself off the sofa and opened the door of the private room.

    There were two waiters standing outside on either side of the door. When she walked out furtively, they

    just nced at her and then looked away with a straight face.

    Since they didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by her, Eliana left the Imperial Gold

    en Club in a hurry.

    First, she passed by her house to wash up and change her clothes. Then she kissed her sleeping

    children, Adrian and Aileen, before rushing to the Moran Group.

    Gritting her teeth, she recalled what Gabrielle had done to her yesterday.

    It was totally different from being forced by a project and doing it intentionally!

    When Eliana arrived at the office, she happened to run into Gabrielle in front of the meeting room.

    ¡°Miss Aston.¡± Eliana greeted her coldly.

    Gabrielle was stunned for a moment. Then, she quickly gathered her bearings and assumed a look of

    dominance. ¡°I took you to that meeting to talk about the project out of the goodness of my own heart,

    but what did you do?! Mr. ke is an important client of the Moran Group, but you offended him. How

    will youpensate for thepany¡¯s loss?¡±

    The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Her sharp, manicured nails poked hard at Eliana¡¯s

    shoulder.

    Instantly, Eliana grabbed her hand and stopped her. Her calm tone was contrasted greatly with

    Gabrielle¡¯s shrill voice. ¡°If we were talking about a project, why did you leave me with Mr. ke¡ªalone

    and drunk? Is that how you usually discuss business?¡±

    The colleagues nearby overheard this and burst into an uproar.

    The previous day, they had all been curious as to why Gabrielle had taken a new employee to meet a

    big client. Now it was clear that Gabrielle wanted to force Eliana to sell her body in exchange for the

    project.

    She was also a woman, yet she put down a fellow woman to elevate herself in thepany. How

    vicious!

    Everyone turned to look at Gabrielle reproachfully. Their hateful gazes seemed to pierce Gabrielle¡¯s

    very heart.

    Humiliated, Gabrielle flew into a fit of rage. She shook off Eliana¡¯s hand and roared, ¡°How dare you

    nder me, Eliana? You were the one who got drunk and told me to leave you alone with Mr. ke!

    The audacity! You¡¯re fired! Get out of here!¡±

    Eliana took a deep breath to calm herself down. ¡®I haven¡¯t even started the work I intended to do here. I

    can¡¯t leave the Moran Group like this.¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving,¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°What?!¡± Gabrielle was bbergasted. Furious, she raised her chin and pointed a finger at Eliana. ¡°Do

    you want me to call security?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not leaving.¡± Suddenly, a deep, masculine voice sounded from behind them.

    The colleagues around all fell silent and stepped back to make way for the man who had spoken just

    now.

    Even Gabrielle restrained her angry expression and looked warily at the maning towards.

    Previous Chapter

    Next Chapter

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6

    Chapter 6 What A Fickle Woman

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, whatever do you mean?¡± Gabrielle asked through gritted teeth.

    As if he hadn¡¯t heard her, Corbin headed straight to Eliana and smiled gently at her.

    Eliana looked at him in bewilderment. ¡®Does he know me?¡¯

    Instead of exining himself, Corbin sighed and turned to look at Gabrielle sympathetically. ¡°Miss

    Aston, it seems that your ability toprehend iscking.¡±

    Gabrielle¡¯s face was burning from the humiliation, but she didn¡¯t dare to retort to the CEO¡¯s assistant.

    ¡°Let me say it again. Eliana isn¡¯t leaving ourpany,¡± Corbin stated in a kind but firm tone. ¡°It¡¯s what

    Mr. Moran wants.¡±

    As soon as he mentioned their CEO, everyone¡¯s eyes suddenly shifted to Eliana.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    A shiver ran down Eliana¡¯s spine.

    Gabrielle couldn¡¯t take it anymore and exploded. ¡°Impossible! This bitch¡ª She offended an important

    client on her first day of work. Why the hell would Mr. Moran want to keep her in thepany?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s expression darkened instantly. ¡°Are you questioning Mr. Moran¡¯s decision?¡±

    Gabrielle immediately shrank back and forced a smile. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean that. It¡¯s just that Mr. ke¡ª¡±

    ¡°Solve that problem yourself.¡± Corbin ended the conversation right then and there.

    Eliana chuckled to herself, secretly ted.

    That Gabrielle was way too arrogant. It was great that someone had finally taught her a lesson.

    But a question nagged at her. Why did Mr. Moran help her?

    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    It didn¡¯t ur to her that she had met the man the night before.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m so sorry. It was all just a misunderstanding.¡± All of a sudden, Gabrielle grabbed Eliana¡¯s

    hand and looked at her apologetically.

    Eliana got goose bumps. What a fickle woman!

    Disgusted, Eliana shook off her hand with a look of disdain.

    Gabrielle was unfazed. She smiled and exined hurriedly, ¡°I just needed to go to the bathroomst

    night. I didn¡¯t expect Mr. ke to misunderstand the situation. It¡¯s all my fault. How about this? I¡¯ll invite

    Mr. ke to dinner sometime. That way, you two can solve the misunderstanding and thepany¡¯s

    project will be pushed along smoothly.¡±

    Eliana sneered with disdain. ¡°Miss Aston, you really know when to hold your head high and when to eat

    your humble pie.¡±

    Gabrielle nearly lost her temper again, but when she saw Corbin¡¯s dark expression, she suppressed

    her anger. ¡°If this project is a sess, you¡¯ll get amission,¡± she hissed at Eliana in a low voice.

    Upon hearing that, the corners of Eliana¡¯s mouth twitched. Amission? Gabrielle didn¡¯t mention any

    commission earlier.

    Seeing Eliana¡¯s hesitant expression, Gabrielle gritted her teeth and whispered, ¡°Fine! You can get two-

    thirds of the profit.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Eliana smiled happily. How could she say no to money?

    However, Gabrielle¡¯s n didn¡¯t go smoothly. The following day, Eliana didn¡¯t get any word regarding

    the dinner.

    It was time to get off work, so Eliana turned off herputer and packed up her things.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± She was on her way out when Gabrielle caught up with her. Her high heels cked against

    the marble floors so loudly that it sounded as if she was going to stomp on anyone who crossed her

    path.

    Eliana turned around to the sound of her name and met Gabrielle¡¯s gloomy face. ¡°Miss Aston, have you

    made an appointment with Mr. ke yet?¡±

    ¡°No! Mr. ke was so angry that he refused to meet with us.¡± Gabrielle gave Eliana a murderous look

    and shoved a piece of pap

    er into her hand. ¡°This is the hotel he¡¯s staying in, so we have no choice but to wait for him in the lobby.

    You can go ahead. I¡¯ll follow after a meeting. Don¡¯t fuck it up this time!¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Gabrielle turned around and rushed to the conference room.

    Eliana unfolded the note and looked at it warily. Could this be yet another trap?

    After mulling over the idea for a while, she finally relented and decided to hail a taxi.

    After all, she just needed to wait in the lobby. It wasn¡¯t as though Mr. ke could assault her in public.

    In the Aldbourne Hotel.

    As soon as Eliana entered the hotel, her eyes immediatelynded on a conspicuous sight in the corner

    of the hall.

    Outside the hotel cafe, three brawny men stood with their hands behind their backs, their strong arms

    riddled with tattoos. Their leader was wearing a big gold chain around his neck. He stared fiercely at

    the cafe with a murderous look on his face.

    Everyone who passed by made no mistake and detoured around the three fierce-looking men.

    Eliana was also terrified. She instinctively turned around to leave, but something caught her attention.

    In the cafe, there was a man in a dark suit. His cor was unbuttoned, exposing his defined vicle.

    His temperament was cold and distant, but there was a certain kind of sexiness about him. The elegant

    woman in front of him couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. She furtively reached forward and held his hand.

    ¡®What the¡ª?! What a coincidence! Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d run into the most popr male prostitute

    here? And he¡¯s greeting a guest, too!¡¯

    Eliana¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment. However, she soon realized that something was off.

    Were the three strong men outside just staring at those two people?

    ¡°Here¡¯s all the information you wanted.¡± The woman stuffed a thumb drive in Maurice¡¯s hand

    respectfully.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Maurice took the thumb drive and plugged it into his tablet. A photo popped up on the

    screen. He pointed at the person in the photo and said, ¡°There¡¯s something off about this person. Keep

    an eye on her.¡±

    The woman leaned forward to look at the screen, her plump breasts pressing against the table. She

    was so close to the man.

    Eliana felt very awkward watching this scene. She turned her head slightly and noticed that the strong

    men outside the cafe were reacting more strongly than her.

    The leader¡¯s fists were clenched, his eyes as wide as saucers, and his lips were pursed tightly, as if he

    was going to explode from anger.

    Eliana studied him curiously.

    Finally, she understood the situation.

    The woman sitting opposite the male prostitute was a married woman. She was about to have an affair.

    And the three men outside were here to catch her in the act!

    ¡®Poor guy. These men are going to beat him to a pulp.¡¯

    Before Eliana knew what she was doing, she had taken a few steps toward the cafe.

    But then she stopped abruptly in her tracks. The male prostitute had wrecked her life before. Why

    would she poke her nose into his business now?

    Just then, her phone started to ring. It was Gabrielle.

    ¡°The meeting just finished,¡± she uttered. ¡°I¡¯ll head there right now. Have you seen Mr. ke yet?¡±

    ¡°Not yet, I¡­¡± Just as Eliana turned around to leave, she noticed that the leader of the three men slowly

    approached the cafe, his hand reaching for something at his waist.

    ¡®What the¡ª? Is that a gun?¡¯

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7

    Chapter 7 Excellent Acting Skills

    Panic-stricken, Eliana stood frozen to her spot.

    The strong man in the lead had pulled out a gun to confront his cheating wife!

    ¡®Oh, my God! The male prostitute is doomed for sure!¡¯

    In a trance, Eliana thought about her twins. They had taken after that man. He was, after all, the father

    of her children.

    Even if she despised him for all the suffering he had caused her, she couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch

    him get killed!

    No way! She wasn¡¯t going to just let this happen!

    ¡°Eliana? Eliana! I¡¯m talking to you!¡±

    The harsh voice from the phone drew Eliana back to reality. Without responding, she hung up the

    phone and rushed inside the cafe ahead of the strong man.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    She threw herself into Maurice¡¯s arms and started wailing, ¡°I love you so much! How dare you date

    another woman?¡±

    Maurice was obviously taken aback. Bewildered, he looked at Eliana, who had tears in her eyes.

    Squinting at her, he asked coldly, ¡°What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Lowering her head, Eliana touched her belly dramatically and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you that I¡¯m

    pregnant with your child.¡±

    All of a sudden, all eyes were on them.

    ¡°He got a woman pregnant, yet he has the audacity to date another woman. What a jerk!¡± one of the

    customers in the cafemented with disdain.

    Another one chimed in, ¡°You know what they say about how a handsome man can¡¯t be trusted.¡±

    Maurice looked around at the pairs of eyes staring at him and was speechless.

    What was this crazy woman up to? Their affair happened five years ago. How on earth could she have

    possibly gotten pregnant only now?

    His face turned gloomy but his tone remained bone-chillingly cold. ¡°Get away from me.¡±

    ¡°Never! Honey, I¡¯m not feeling well. Can you take me home?¡± Eliana looked at him pleadingly, slipping

    her arms around his waist.

    Maurice suddenly felt the warmth of her arms around him. He lowered his head to look at her and

    found that there were tears in her eyes, which made his heart skip a beat.

    The woman sitting opposite Maurice was also stunned.

    She had worked for Maurice for years, but this was her first time to see someone treat him like this.

    Moreover, this was her first time to see Maurice suppress his anger over something so ridiculous.

    ¡°Mr¡ª¡±

    As soon as the woman started to speak, Maurice shot her a warning look.

    The woman immediately understood and stood up to leave.

    Eliana watched the woman walk out of the cafe and heaved a sigh of relief. As she turned her head to

    face Maurice, the tip of her nose brushed against his soft cheek.

    Flustered, she immediately stepped back, trying to distance herself from him.

    Maurice pinched her waist meaningfully and held her in his arms. With a faint smile, he parted his thin

    lips and asked, ¡°Honey, where are you

    going? Don¡¯t be shy.¡±

    Her eyes fell on his sexy lips. She was at a loss for words. ¡°Shy? What¡­what¡¯re you talking about? I

    was just¡­¡±

    Maurice calmly raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to exin.

    But for whatever reason, Eliana couldn¡¯t conjure up an excuse. She just wanted to turn around and

    escape, but when she did turn around, she suddenly gasped in fear.

    The three brawny men had entered the cafe regardless of the woman leaving. They stood side by side,

    blocking the path to the main door like a brick wall.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Trembling with fear, she mustered all of her strength and yanked Maurice out of his chair. Together,

    they ran out the back exit of the cafe.

    As Eliana was dragging him away, Maurice looked at the back of her head in confusion. ¡°Why are we

    running?¡±

    However, before Eliana could answer, she saw Antwan storming towards her.

    ¡°You! How dare youe here!¡± Antwan raised his double chin and sneered at her with disdain.

    It was definitely toote to apologize to him now!

    However, maybe if she was willing to throw herself at him, he could forgive her and the project could

    move forward!

    Sure enough, Antwan¡¯s lustful eyes were already sweeping over her body. ¡®Tsk tsk! This woman must

    be good in bed,¡¯ he thought to himself.

    His hands suddenly took on a life of their own and reached out to hold her waist.

    Startled, Eliana retreated quickly to avoid his advances.

    Seeing this, Maurice clicked his tongue in disgust and kicked Antwan away mercilessly.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    A scream echoed in the air.

    Antwany on the ground, curled in a ball, howling in pain.

    Eliana looked at Maurice with her jaw dropping. It looked as though this man was really good at

    fighting.

    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Maurice said sardonically. His face was expressionless and his eyes were still cold

    as ice.

    ncing at the fat man writhing on the ground, Eliana suddenly remembered why she hade to the

    Aldbourne Hotel in the first ce.

    Damn it! She screwed things up again.

    However, before she could reflect on her actions, she saw that the three strong men wereing up to

    them.

    She hurriedly grabbed Maurice¡¯s hand and ran away.

    Not knowing how far she had run, Eliana saw there were fewer and fewer people around her. She

    stopped and gasped for breath. ¡°They¡­ they didn¡¯t catch up with us, did they?¡±

    Maurice stared at her and gestured behind him. ¡°No one is following us.¡±

    Seeing his gesture, the three brawny men immediately stopped and hid in a corner.

    Looking back at the empty street, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief and finally let go of Maurice¡¯s hand.

    Unexpectedly, Maurice reached for her hand and gently pulled her into his arms. He then raised her

    chin with one hand and looked into her clear, uneasy eyes.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8

    Chapter 8 A Valuable Ring

    ¡°What trick are you trying to y?¡±

    Maurice bent over and whispered in Eliana¡¯s ear. The feeling of his hot breath on her skin made her

    tremble.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Eliana struggled ufortably. ¡°I saved you from the hands of a rich woman¡¯s

    husband. Are you going to repay my kindness with ingratitude?¡±

    ¡®A rich woman¡¯s husband?¡¯

    Maurice didn¡¯t know whether he shouldugh or cry.

    She still thought that he was a male prostitute¡­

    Was she pretending or was she truly confused?

    He couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    While he was distracted, Eliana pulled herself free of his grasp. She raised her eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re still

    young, so you¡¯d better find a decent job,¡± she said fiercely. ¡°Prostitution isn¡¯t a permanent solution.¡±

    Maurice was speechless.

    The silence was broken by Eliana¡¯s phone ringing.

    Eliana gave him a warning re and stepped aside to answer the call.

    ¡°Eliana! How dare you?! How dare you hit Mr. ke?¡± Gabrielle roared.

    Eliana ced a hand on her forehead and exined, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me¡­¡±

    Strictly speaking, she hadn¡¯t done anything to Antwan.

    ¡°I was going to ask for a settlement, but you screwed it uppletely!¡± Gabrielle interrupted in a sharp

    voice. ¡°As for the cost of losing this project and paying Mr. ke¡¯s medical fees, you will be responsible

    for both!¡±

    Gabrielle hung up the phone abruptly.

    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

    Eliana felt her heart sink as the dial tone rang in her ear.

    ¡°Who scolded you?¡± Maurice looked at her calmly.

    Eliana red at him. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡± she snapped. ¡°I messed up my job because I saved you. Don¡¯t

    try to stay out of this. Give me your phone number.¡±

    She took out her phone and held it out to him.

    Maurice looked down at the phone. ¡°That¡¯s a poor reason to get my phone number.¡±

    ¡®Damn you!¡¯

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to run away!¡± Eliana shoved her phone towards him and growled, ¡°Hurry up! Give me your

    number!¡±

    ¡®She is kind of cute,¡¯ Maurice remarked inwardly.

    He narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly before t

    aking the phone and typing in his number. Then he heaved a falsely sad sigh and stated, ¡°You know, I

    haven¡¯t had any business in a long time. I finally made a deal today, but then your ruined it.¡±

    ¡°I did that to save you! Why can¡¯t you distinguish right from wrong? Which is more important, business

    or life?¡±

    ¡°Fine. How about I repay you with my body and have sex with you for one night?¡±

    ¡°What? Have sex with me? Absolutely not!¡±

    Eliana red at him again.

    He handed her the phone, then raised her chin and gave her an intense stare. ¡°If you want

    compensation, I have a valuable ring which has been in my family for generations. But after we slept

    with each other five years ago, I couldn¡¯t find it. I suspect¡­¡±

    ¡®A ring?¡¯

    A hazy picture shed through Eliana¡¯s mind.

    Yes¡­ She seemed to remember a ring¡­

    The incident had been so sudden and her memory of it was blurred.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! Don¡¯t me me.¡±

    She was nervous. Surely a famous male prostitute¡¯s ring would be extremely expensive. Did he want

    her topensate for it?

    Maurice squinted as if peering through her disguise. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡±

    ¡®She is lying. It¡¯s bold of such a little thing to y tricks on me. Let¡¯s see if she¡¯s still smiling tomorrow!¡¯

    Maurice shot a cold nce at her while he removed his hand. He dialed a number. ¡°Drive the car here.¡±

    Theck of emotion in his voice made Eliana shiver. ¡°Wait, what did the ring look like?¡±

    Maurice acted like he hadn¡¯t heard her question.

    Soon an Aston Martin sped over and came to a stop in front of them.

    Maurice stepped forward and opened the car door.

    Eliana¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡®This is his car?¡¯

    Maurice disappeared into the back seat. Eliana wanted to follow, but the door mmed shut in her

    face.

    The engine roared and the Aston Martin drove away, leaving her alone on a remote street.

    Eliana clenched her teeth and took out her phone to call a taxi. Then she saw the new number in her

    phone.

    ¡°Preston Archer!¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9

    Chapter 9 The Punishment

    Exhausted, Eliana returned home. When she entered, she found the living room empty.

    The balcony door was slightly ajar, and she could faintly hear Kimora¡¯s voice. She seemed to be talking

    on the phone.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman, the kindergarten is in charge of organizing the summer camp activity, which entails huge

    costs. Miss Pierce just got a job. I¡¯m afraid that the money¡ª¡±

    The balcony door was pushed open loudly.

    Startled, Kimora whirled around to find Eliana standing by the door. Instinctively, she hid the phone

    behind her back and hung up the call. It was obvious that she had done this many times before.

    Eliana frowned slightly. ¡°Kimora, I¡¯ve been ready to support my family ever since I came back. Please

    don¡¯t ask for money from Jonathan and don¡¯t tell him anything about me,¡± she stated sternly.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Bowman is just worried about you¡­¡± Kimora faltered.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Truth be told, Jonathan had paid her a lot of money to take care of Eliana and the two children.

    Everyone could see what he was up to.

    Eliana smiled but her eyes were icy cold. ¡°If you think that Mr. Bowman is so nice, then why do you

    come and work here? I should send you back to him.¡±

    Flustered, Kimora mumbled a promise that she wouldn¡¯t tell Jonathan about Eliana¡¯s situation anymore.

    When that was settled, Eliana retired to her room and sank into her bed. Suddenly, she recalled that

    Preston had mentioned a ring.

    Did she really take that man¡¯s ring?

    She jumped out of bed and started rummaging through the boxes and drawers.

    The event of that night from five years ago was simply too absurd. The morning she woke up, she had

    hurriedly packed up her things and left.

    A lot had happened since then. After all, it had been years since that night. Naturally, she couldn¡¯t

    remember if she had identally taken the ring with her.

    After she turned her room upside down, Eliana¡¯s search was fruitless.

    Surveying the mess she made, she sighed helplessly.

    Perhaps Preston was just teasing her.

    There was a gentle knock on the door and it opened a crack. Two small heads poked inside, and the

    twins peered around curiously. When they saw Eliana look right at them, they asked in unison, ¡°What

    are you looking for, Mommy?¡±

    Seeing their cute little faces, Eliana felt as though her weariness melted away. She opened the door

    and threw her arms around the two children. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a ring. Have you seen it by any chance?¡±

    Adrian shook his head, staring at his mother nkly.

    ¡°I have it!¡± Aileen beamed and put her chubby hand into her pocket.

    Could the ring be in Aileen¡¯s pocket?

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°Here!¡± Aileen fished out a candy ring, her eyes gleaming proudly, as if she had found precious

    treasure. ¡°Is this what you¡¯re looking for? It¡¯s pretty and yummy!¡±

    Eliana was at a loss whether to burst into tears orughter. How cute her girl was!

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    She nted a kiss on her daughter¡¯s soft cheek and whispered, ¡°Not this kind of ring, honey.¡±

    Adrian seemed displeased. Pouting furiously, he pointed at his face and cried, ¡°What about me,

    Mommy?¡±

    Just then, Kimora¡¯s voice sounded. She called them to the dining table to eat. Eliana kissed her son¡¯s

    cheek as well and coaxed the two to go and eat dinner.

    On the next day, Eliana went to work.

    As soon as she entered the office, she felt that the atmosphere was a little strange. Her colleagues all

    fixed their eyes on her.

    Confused, she touched her cheek and asked, ¡°Why are you all staring at me? Is there something on

    my face?¡±

    One of the colleagues coughed and jabbed a finger at her desk.

    There was a janitor¡¯s uniform on the table.

    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Eliana picked up the uniform and looked at it, more confused than ever.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins sent it here. He wants you to¡­¡± The colleague¡¯s voice trailed off, as though he was

    hesitant about telling the truth. Eliana tilted her head and looked at him questioningly. Finally, the

    colleague relented and blurted out, ¡°He wants you to clean Mr. Moran¡¯s office as a punishment for

    screwing up the project.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers.

    A designer was asked to do the cleaning?! How humiliating!

    ¡°Eliana, do you know how much money thepany lost because you screwed the project up? Three

    hundred million!¡±

    Gabrielle¡¯s shrill voice came from a distance. Then Eliana heard the high heels cking against the

    floor, fast approaching her.

    When she turned around, she met Gabrielle¡¯s glowering eyes.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10

    Chapter 10 Touched Mr. Moran¡¯s Chest

    ¡®Three hundred million?¡¯

    Eliana nearly gasped.

    ¡°You should feel lucky that Mr. Moran¡¯s only punishing you by making you clean the office!¡± Gabrie

    scoffed.

    Not everyone was allowed to enter Maurice¡¯s office. Gabrielle had been with thepany for so many

    years, but she had never stepped foot inside it.

    As though she could read her mind, Eliana sneered, ¡°Are you jealous? Anyway, I think this uniform

    suits you better.¡±

    Gabrielle¡¯s nostrils red angrily when she heard this. She almost let out a string of curses but

    managed to hold back.

    Eliana held up the uniform and sneered, ¡°Get out of my way, or else I¡¯ll bete. If Mr. Moran gets angry

    at me, I¡¯ll tell him it was you who held me up.¡±

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Considering Maurice¡¯s high position in thepany, Gabrielle didn¡¯t dare to keep him waiting, so she

    had no choice but to let Eliana go.

    ¡®There¡¯s no need to rush. I¡¯ll trample on this little bitch some other time!¡¯

    With that, Gabrielle stood aside and Eliana strode out of the Design Department with her chin held

    high.

    ¡®Mr. Moran is so weird. I would¡¯ve expected him to punish me with a hefty fine for screwing up, but to

    make me clean up his office? What a strange quirk.¡¯

    Indignant, Eliana changed into the janitor¡¯s uniform and took the elevator to the top floor.

    She knocked on the door lightly, but there was no response.

    After hesitating for a moment, Eliana furtively pushed the door open a crack. The elegantly-decorated

    CEO¡¯s office was empty.

    ¡®He¡¯s not here? Great!¡¯

    However, the office was so massive that it felt like an eternity before she finished cleaning.

    When she was finally done, Eliana heaved a heavy sigh and leaned against the wall to catch her

    breath.

    Suddenly, a click sounded from behind her.

    Before Eliana knew what was happening, the wall she was leaning against suddenly disappeared and

    she immediately fell backwards.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Then, she felt someone grab her by the waist and yank her back forcefully, pulling her into a warm

    embrace.

    In a state of shock, she looked up and met the deep set eyes of a man.

    ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Moran?¡± she blurted out.

    It was the first time that Eliana had seen his face at such a close distance. He looked handsome,

    elegant, cold and sexy, with dark deep eyes.

    Maurice, who was holding her by the waist, looked at her carefully.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t wearing any makeup, but her facial features were delicate and petite. Even a janitor¡¯s

    uniform couldn¡¯t hide her natural beauty. Her waist was very slim and Maurice couldn¡¯t help but stroke

    her smooth skin.

    Noticing this, Eliana trembled and immediately pushed the man away. To her surprise, her fingers

    made contact with his smooth, supple skin.

    Her heart banged against her chest and she quickly averted her gaze. Looking around carefully, only

    then did she realize that the wall she had leaned against was actually a hidden door. Because she had

    inadvertently pushed it open, she could see the lounge it opened up to.

    ncing back at Maurice, she noticed that his hair was slightly wet. He seemed to have just taken a

    shower. His bathrobe hung loosely around him. Even though there was a belt wrapped around his

    waist, a part of his chiseled chest was exposed.

    ¡®I-I-I touched Mr. Moran¡¯s chest just now?!¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please excuse me.¡± Eliana looked away in a hurry. Seeing him in a bathrobe, she could

    barely think straight.

    Maurice carefully raised his hand and adjusted the cor of his robe, covering the scar on his chest.

    His sharp eyes stared at the woman, piercing through her like a knife.

    Then he started to walk towards her.

    Eliana was forced to take a few steps back. Soon, her back bumped against the desk and she had

    nowhere to run.

    What on earth did this guy want from her? Eliana looked up uneasily and started to ask, ¡°Mr. Moran, is

    there anything I can do for y¡ª¡±

    Thest word died on her lips.

    Maurice had suddenly leaned towards her, cing both his hands on either side of her, trapping her

    between his body and the desk.

    Her two legs were almost driven out of ce by him, pressing against his.

    The subtle fragrance of the woman¡¯s body wafted to his nose.

    Just as he lowered his head, she raised hers. Their noses almost brushed against each other, their

    breaths mingling and intertwining.

    The explosion of pheromones made her panic slightly.

    Eliana held her breath subconsciously and her body went stiff as a board.

    ¡°You peeped while I was taking a shower, didn¡¯t you?¡± The man¡¯s breath brushed against her face,

    making her heart race in her chest.

    She tried her best to calm down. ¡°You misunderstand! I didn¡¯t mean to peep at you¡­¡±

    Plus, it was not like she knew there was a hidden door!

    Maurice sneered slyly, ¡°And are you satisfied with what you see?¡±

    ¡®Honestly¡­ Yes. I am satisfied¡­ Wait! His voice¡­ Why does he sound so familiar?¡¯

    Before Eliana could figure it out, she suddenly felt a tingling sensation at her waist.

    The man¡¯s big palm had swept over the woman¡¯s waist. Now, he was tugging at the belt of his

    bathrobe, slowly untying the loose knot. He opened his mouth and said in a raspy, almostzy voice,

    ¡°Do you want to see more?¡±

    ¡®More? What on earth is he talking about?¡¯

    Beneath her calm exterior, Eliana was growing ever desperate. ¡°Mr. Moran, this is all just a big

    misunderstanding. I¡¯m not interested in you!¡±

    Maurice stared at her carefully, his expression unreadable. In his eyes, she seemed flustered,

    ashamed, and even angry. And she didn¡¯t look like she was faking it.

    ¡®This woman¡¯s such a great actress.¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡ª¡±

    All of a sudden, the door to the CEO¡¯s office swung open.

    The person who was about to walk inside suddenly froze in ce, petrified by what she was seeing.

    The secretary clutched the documents in her arms tightly, at aplete loss as to what to do.

    Maurice, whom she had only ever seen in a suit, was now wearing nothing but a bathrobe. His slender

    body was pressing a flustered woman against the desk. The two were looking deep into each other¡¯s

    eyes. One of Maurice¡¯s arms was wrapped around her waist, while the other was untying his bathrobe

    belt. Was he about to pull it open?

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯lle backter!¡± Trembling, the secretary squeezed her eyes shut and immediately closed

    the door.

    Eliana felt as if her soul had left her body.

    ¡®Oh, my God! She must¡¯ve misunderstood, too!¡¯

    Embarrassed and angry, Eliana finally shoved the man off of her and turned around to leave.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Maurice¡¯s authoritative voice suddenly sounded.

    Eliana waspletely irritated by now. She shot him a murderous re and was about to scold him

    when he cleared his throat.

    ¡°You forgot to clean the bathroom,¡± he said coldly.

    ¡®His tone ispletely different from when he was flirting with me just now. Is he a schizophrenic?¡¯

    Gnawing her lower lip, Eliana coughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Well, after I finish cleaning¡­ About the

    loss of this project¡­¡±

    ¡®Do I have to repay thepany?¡¯

    As though he had read her mind, Maurice cast her a cold nce and asked, ¡°You want topensate

    me for it?¡±

    ¡®Is he crazy? I couldn¡¯t possibly pay him back!¡¯

    Eliana shook her head profusely. ¡®That is three hundred million!¡¯

    Maurice frowned with disdain. ¡°It seems you¡¯re short on money.¡±

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    Then, he smiled ever so slightly, which made him look inexplicably charming. Seeing this, Eliana

    gulped nervously.

    The man suddenly stretched out his hand to pinch her chin in between his slender fingers. His vicious,

    cold eyes stared at her and he said slowly, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡­ You can be my woman. At least, you¡¯ll

    have enough money then.¡±

    ¡®What the hell does that mean? Does he think¡­ Does he think I¡¯m that kind of woman?¡¯

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can you match a man-whore in bed?¡± Rolling her eyes, Eliana picked up the mop and

    stormed off to the bathroom, seething with hatred.

    The man watched her leave with displeasure, his face a little gloomy.

    ¡®Did she mean I can¡¯t match a man-whore in bed? That woman is really something else¡­¡¯

    Two hourster, an exhausted Eliana returned to the Design Department. Suddenly, her phone started

    to ring. ncing at the caller ID tiredly, she saw that it was Preston.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11

    Chapter 11 Chased By Bad Guys

    The backlight highlighted Maurice¡¯s tall figure while he stood in front of the French window. ¡°You don¡¯t

    wantpensation anymore?¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Eliana became furious.

    How could a male prostitute like him be so arrogant? He had left her alone in the wilderness thest

    time. How could he be so kind as topensate her?

    ¡°Can you even afford to?¡±

    Eliana found it funny that a male prostitute like Preston was speaking to her with so much confidence.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll manage to pool money,¡± Maurice answered with a faint smile.

    His decisive reply rendered her speechless for a moment.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after you get the money,¡± she retorted with a snort.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will pay you back slowly¡­¡± Hearing his low, hoarse voice, she felt as though it was her

    lover whispering in her ear.

    And because she was in a daze, she almost believed his words.

    But the next moment, she felt like he was bragging to her.

    She wanted tough at him when he told her that he would not be able to afford topensate.

    After hanging up, Maurice sat back in his chair with a smile on his lips.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, why are you so interested in her?¡± Corbin was confused. He could tell that there was

    something odd about Eliana, but instead of driving her away, Maurice was trying to protect her.

    Maurice looked at his phone casually. ¡°If it¡¯s not her, then my uncle would send some other woman to

    me.¡±

    Moreover, Eliana had a unique way of handling things.

    She was a bit of a rebel.

    Early morning on a fine day, Eliana left home and went to work.

    The kindergarten was not far away. Holding the kids¡¯ hands, Kimora slowly walked to the school.

    All of a sudden, Aileen stopped in her tracks, fumbled through her pockets, and curled her lips. ¡°I left

    my candy ring at home.¡±

    Since Kimora failed to coax her to give up the candy ring, she had no choice but to take them to the

    supermarket.

    Adrian watched Kimora going to pay the bill. He crossed his arms over his chest and said with a sneer,

    ¡°You¡¯re not a little girl anymore, Aileen. Why are you still so obsessed with eating candy?¡±

    Aileen pouted and answered confidently, ¡°I¡¯m only four years old! Which means that I¡¯m still young¡­¡±

    Before she could say anything more, she got hit and fell down.

    Adrian immediately hugged his sister. However, since he was also a child, he was not strong enough to

    support them both.

    After they fell down, they looked ahead in shock.

    It was another boy, who had knocked them down.

    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± The boy got up from the ground. He was dressed in a delicate suit, and he seemed to be

    a little flustered. ¡°Can you help me? There are some bad guys chasing after me!¡±

    ¡°What? Bad guys?¡±

    Aileen jumped up decisively and put on a serious look on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. We will definitely

    help you!¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± However, Adrian looked at him vigntly, and stopped Aileen. ¡°Where are the bad

    guys?¡±

    The little boy pointed at a few tall men in suits, who were running towards him in a hurry, looking fierce.

    But Adrian still doubted him. ¡°Where are your parents? How can they let a kid like you roam alone

    outside?¡±

    At that moment, one of the fierce men looked over at them.

    Aileen was so anxious that she held her brother¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Oh, stop asking questions and hide

    him first!¡±

    She then grabbed the boy¡¯s hand and ran to the bathroom, which was located near the back door of

    the supermarket.

    Shaking his head helplessly, Adrian followed them.

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    Once they were inside the bathroom, the little boy touched his chest with lingering fear. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Aileen stared at him with her curious ck eyes. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Ss Gorman.¡±

    Adrian frowned and asked, ¡°So why are they chasing you?¡±

    After a moment of silence, Ss rolled his eyes and made up an answer. ¡°Maybe they have a grudge

    against my family.¡±

    ¡°If they really have a grudge against you, then will they make things difficult for us too?¡± Aileen nced

    at her brother.

    Ss obviously seemed to have misunderstood her words. Lowering his eyes, he said, ¡°You¡¯d better

    leave now. Leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°Aileen, do you mean¡­¡±

    Looking at his sister, Adrian understood that she hade up with a solution.

    ¡°Adrian, let¡¯s help him!¡± Aileen pulled her brother¡¯s sleeve, acting like a spoiled child.

    Adrian couldn¡¯t refuse when he looked into her watery eyes.

    He couldn¡¯t help but spoil his sister.

    He quickly walked up to Ss, grabbed his suit jacket, and took it off. ¡°Take off your clothes and give

    them to me. Hurry!¡±

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12

    Chapter 12 This Kid Looks Familiar

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ss was in shock.

    But Adrian looked calm and determined.

    ¡°Just hide here and don¡¯t make a sound. I will try to draw them away.¡±

    After Kimora paid the bill, she could not find the twins, so she became really anxious and asked the

    shop assistant to check the surveince video.

    That moment, she noticed a kid running past them.

    The shop assistant immediately turned to Kimora and asked, ¡°Is that the child you¡¯re looking for?¡±

    Kimora immediately turned around and recognized the boy. ¡°Adrian!¡±

    But Adrian ran out of the supermarket.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡°Over there! Hurry!¡±

    The men, who were waiting to catch Ss, ran after Adrian, thinking that he was the boy they were

    after.

    ¡°Why are you guys chasing him?¡± When Kimora saw Adrian being chased by those men, she could not

    help but shout, ¡°Help! Someone is trying to kidnap a child¡­¡±

    She tried to chase them, but she tripped and fell down on the ground. When she looked up again, she

    could not see Adrian anywhere, but she ignored her pain, quickly dialed a number on her phone and

    sobbed, ¡°Miss Pierce, something terrible happened!¡±

    At the same time, Adrian lowered his hat, and continued to run forward without turning back.

    He did not dare to turn around. Feeling a sudden burning sensation in his throat, he took a deep

    breath, only to find that he had exhausted himself.

    However, those men were still chasing after him.

    Fortunately for him, he was able to blend with the crowd as he was short. Hence, the men could not

    catch up with him for a while.

    Although it had only been few days since he arrived in the city, he had already familiarized himself with

    the streets. He decided to make a detour to buy some time.

    His battle of physical strength ended around the corner, where the road was being repaired.

    Out of breath, Adrian stood in front of the construction team. He had no way of escaping. Soon, the

    men rushed to him, picked him up, and took him to their car.

    Even though Adrian was aware that things were not going the way he wanted to, he still did not cry.

    Instead, he remained calm as he waited.

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    The car arrived at a vi after a while, and the man carefully escorted him into a room.

    Hanging his head low, Adrian heard a few dull thuds.

    He nced around and saw a man sitting from across him.

    The man was dressed in a white shirt, ck trousers, and boxing gloves. Every time he threw a punch

    or swept his leg, the sandbag shook violently, which scared Adrian.

    In a respectful tone, the men in suits called out to him in unison, ¡°Mr. Moran.¡±

    Maurice took off his gloves and walked to Adrian.

    Taking a deep breath, Adrian clenched his fists nervously.

    The next moment, someone took off Adrian¡¯s hat.

    He then heard Maurice¡¯s hoarse voice. ¡°Who is this?¡±

    The men in suits looked at Adrian in a hurry. Wasn¡¯t he Ss?

    Adrian chuckled softly to himself when he saw the surprised look in their eyes. ¡®These idiots!¡¯

    He then took off his mask and raised his he

    ad. He was just a little kid, but his fearless gaze stunned Maurice for a second.

    ¡®Why does this kid look familiar?¡¯

    Maurice squatted down, looked at Adrian, and asked, ¡°Who gave you these clothes?¡±

    Adrian blinked his eyes and shook his head. ¡°These are my clothes.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Maurice narrowed his eyes at him.

    The men in suits began to sweat.

    Adrian retorted, ¡°I found them on the side of the road.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Maurice stood up, and threw his boxing gloves on the table. ¡°Noses of the kids who lie tend to

    grow.¡±

    ¡°Noses of the adults who lie tend to grow,¡± Adrian replied calmly. He even pulled Maurice¡¯s trousers,

    and requested, ¡°You should squat down a little. I am too exhausted to raise my head and look at you.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Maurice was speechless.

    Corbin, who was standing by the door, immediately lowered his head and tried to suppress his chuckle,

    but his trembling shoulders gave him away.

    ¡°Corbin.¡±

    The moment he heard Maurice calling his name, he became serious. ¡°Mr. Moran.¡±

    Maurice cast a cold and sharp nce at him. ¡°Send him back. If you can¡¯t find Ss in an hour, then

    don¡¯te back.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Mr. Moran!¡±

    Corbin¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly grabbed Adrian¡¯s hand and was about to walk out.

    Ss was the son of Maurice¡¯s younger sister. The couple had died in an ident, so Maurice was

    raising Ss.

    Perhaps, Ss had suffered a lot before, and that was the reason he was very disobedient, and had a

    bad temper. He often skipped school. The bodyguards would spend a lot of time trying to catch him

    every month.

    Maurice was worried about him, and Corbin was doing everything he could to find him.

    Meanwhile, Aileen took out a lollipop from her pocket and handed it to Ss.

    But Ss shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t eat candies.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Aileen carefully peeled the candy wrapper and handed the lollipop to him again. ¡°You

    should try it.¡±

    Ss hesitated for a moment before he took the lollipop, and sucked on it. The sweet taste of the

    lollipop made him happy.

    ¡°It¡¯s yummy.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you say that you don¡¯t eat candies?¡±

    ¡°My uncle says that candies are a girl¡¯s thing.¡±

    ¡°He lied. My mom said that it¡¯s only natural for kids to like candy. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask

    your mom.¡±

    Ss hung his head sadly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a mom.¡±

    Aileen frowned and asked, ¡°Where is she?¡±

    Ss lowered his eyes and remained silent.

    Aileen stretched out her hand and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°How about you go home with me? I

    would love to have you as my another brother.¡±

    Ss¡¯s eyes were shining as he raised his head and smiled.

    The bathroom door was suddenly pushed open, and Kimora, who had been anxious until now, hugged

    Aileen and burst into tears. ¡°Aileen! Are you all right? Adrian is missing. What do we do?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t find Adrian?¡±

    Frightened, Aileen teared up and her lips began to quiver as though she was going to cry.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13

    Chapter 13 Could He Be The Male Prostitute

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Ss felt very ufortable when he looked at Aileen¡¯s pitiful face. Wiping away her tears,

    he asked, ¡°Was Adrian taken away by those men in suits?¡±

    Kimora was also on the verge of tears, but she nodded in reply.

    ¡°They are not bad guys. Those men work for my uncle¡­¡± Embarrassed, Ss turned to Aileen,

    blushing. ¡°They only came to take me to school.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Aileen and Kimora eximed in disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kindergarten now. Once my uncle finds out that they caught the wrong person, he will

    definitely send Adrian back.¡±

    At the same time, Eliana rushed to the kindergarten, panicking. When she couldn¡¯t find Kimora there,

    she took out her phone and called her, trembling.

    However, the busy tone kept ringing, and the more she thought about it, the more flustered she

    became.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Kimora initially told her that Adrian was chased by some men and was taken away, butter she said

    that it was just a misunderstanding. So, Eliana could not help but wonder, ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯

    All of a sudden, she felt someone grab her dress. ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Eliana lowered her head and saw Adrian standing beside her, safe and sound.

    ¡°Adrian!¡± With tears in her eyes, he held her son and began to check if he was hurt. ¡°How are you? Are

    you hurt?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Mommy. Don¡¯t cry, you¡¯ll get wrinkles.¡± Adrian touched the corner of her eyes, wiping away

    her tears.

    Eliana did not know whether to cry orugh.

    He then stroked her hair softly andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mommy. I am okay. But¡­ I¡¯mte for

    school.¡±

    ¡°Let me take you in.¡± Eliana lifted him up and carried him in her arms as she walked into the

    kindergarten.

    A Maybach drove past them as soon as she turned around.

    Corbin nced out of the car window and said, ¡°Mr. Moran, she seems to be the boy¡¯s mother.¡±

    Maurice turn to his side and saw a slim women disappear into the kindergarten.

    That day, everyone in Eliana¡¯s family was worried.

    Later in the evening, Eliana and Kimora prepared a sumptuous dinner tofort themselves.

    After they had dinner, Eliana read the kids a story.

    ¡°A long time ago¡­¡±

    But she began to yawn as soon as she read the first few words. She had been so tensed all day long

    that the moment she sat down on the bed, her exhaustion took over her body.

    Adrian and Aileen looked at each other.

    Eliana had put herself to sleep once again.

    With a slight sigh, Adrian tucked his mother and sister in bed before he also fell asleep.

    The next morning, Eliana worked for a while before she went to the water cooler to talk to her

    colleagues about acquisition of the Pierce group.

    Although there are more than 2000 employees in thepany, only a few knew about it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the Pierce Group.¡± One of the employees, who had just joined thepany, was

    confused.

    Hearing that, an older employee frowned and said, ¡°The Pierce Group went bankrupt and was acquired

    by Mr. Moran five years ago. Why are you suddenly asking about it?¡±

    Eliana rxed her eyebrows a little and replied calmly, ¡°I read about it on the Inte, and I was a little

    curious.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you all be working?¡± A sharp female voice came. Gabrielle walked to them, narrowing her

    eyes at Eliana.

    Even though Eliana was new in thepany, she was already on bad terms with Gabrielle.

    Everyone tried to escape with an awkward smile, but Gabrielle turned around, and blocked their way.

    ¡°It¡¯s been really busy in the Design Department for some time now. I¡¯ll buy you coffee.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Aston!¡± everyone said in unison.

    However, when Eliana saw her evil gaze, she knew that she was plotting something again.

    Just as she expected, Gabrielle handed her a card, smiled at her, and said, ¡°Eliana, I don¡¯t think you

    will refuse to do something as trivial as buying coffee for me, will you?¡±

    Looking at the expectant eyes of her colleagues, she knew that she could not say no.

    So she smiled sweetly and took the card.

    After ring at her for a second, Gabrielle left.

    By the time Eliana returned to the Moran Group with two packs of freshly brewed coffee, an hour had

    passed.

    She walked into the elevator, put the heavy cups of coffee on the floor, and took a deep breath.

    It was really difficult to earn money.

    She found it ridiculous when she recalled that Preston had offered to pool money topensate her.

    She had obviously not believed him then.

    Although it had been a few days since he had said that, he still had not contacted her. So she figured

    that he must not have been able to pool the money.

    She decided tough at him if she saw him again.

    A few other employees walked into the elevator, so Eliana moved to a corner with her head down as

    she sent a text to Preston.

    ¡°How much have you gotten?¡±

    She instantly heard a notification tone.

    She looked around and found that Corbin was also in the elevator. There was another intimidating man

    standing in front of him. He had a powerful cold aura, which made it obvious that he must be Maurice,

    the CEO of the Moran Group.

    He was tall and strong, making people afraid to go near him.

    Eliana withdrew her sight and sent two emojis to Preston, urging him to reply.

    The same moment, she heard another notification sounding from the elevator.

    What was going on?

    Was Preston also in the elevator?

    Eliana sent another message, and a few secondster, she turned to the direction from which the

    notification tone was heard.

    She was stunned to see that it was from Maurice¡¯s phone.

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    Eliana opened her eyes wide in disbelief. Could he be the male prostitute?

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14

    Chapter 14 A Minor Incident Feeling

    Eliana¡¯s gaze on his back, Maurice turned around.

    "What?" he asked.

    Startled by his sharp, cold gaze, Eliana took a step backward and almost kicked over the coffee.

    "Nothing.I was just wondering which floor we were on," she stammered, staring at the button to avoid

    his eyes.

    Remembering that she was asked to clean his office thest time, she answered his question more

    cautiously.

    However¡­ She suddenly felt that his voice was strangely familiar.

    Why did his voice sound exactly like Preston¡¯s? When she had been to the CEO¡¯s office thest time,

    she had felt the same way.

    But since it had been so chaotic that day, she had no time to dwell on that thought.

    Although Maurice and Preston seemed to look different, it was clear that they had the same voice.

    Eliana peeked at his phone and was about to send another message to Preston to test if Maurice was

    Preston.

    She quickly typed her message, but just when she was about to send it, the elevator stopped.

    "We¡¯ve reached the Design Department," Corbin kindly reminded her.

    Eliana looked up and found that the elevator had indeed stopped at her floor, so she thanked Corbin,

    picked up the coffee, and walked past Maurice in a hurry.

    She still had not sent the message to him yet.

    As the elevator continued to ascend to the top floor, more people got off, leaving Corbin and Maurice

    alone¡­ Maurice smiled for just a moment, thinking of Eliana, before he became his usual cold self.

    "Is she really that free?"

    How did she have the time to go out and buy coffee?

    "Well, ording to the tradition of the Design Department, it is customary for the neer to do such

    chores and errands for the seniors,"

    Corbin exined Maurice¡¯s expression darkened when he heard those words, but he didn¡¯t say

    anything.He immediately pressed the button "12".

    At the same time, Eliana gave the coffees to her colleagues, and the office immediately came alive.

    Before long, the door to the director¡¯s office flung open.

    With a cup of coffee in her hand, Gabrielle pointed at Eliana, and said in a sarcastic tone, "I¡¯ve already

    told you that I¡¯m sensitive to gluten.Did you purposely buy me coffee that contains oat milk? What are

    you trying to pull, Eliana?"

    Eliana took the coffee cup from her, checked thebel, and found that it indeed contained oat milk.

    Those who were sensitive to gluten could face serious issues if they consumed it.

    But she could not remember Gabrielle mentioning that she was allergic to it at all.

    Eliana frowned, thinking about it.

    "Everyone, check whether Eliana has gotten you something that you¡¯re not supposed to consume."

    Gabrielle sneered in her heart, determined to put Eliana in her ce.

    "It is true that we were in a conflict before, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can try to kill me for revenge!"

    Gritting her teeth, Eliana was about to exin when she suddenly felt a pain in her elbow.Her pain

    caused her to identally pour her coffee over Gabrielle.

    "Ah!" Gabrielle screamed.

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    Her tight white shirt was stained with the coffee and her hair was ruined.The coffee dripped down from

    the ends of her hair and fell to the floor.She felt as though Eliana had disgraced her in front of the

    Design Department.

    "Eliana!"

    When Gabrielle was about to curse her, she saw a man standing behind her and immediately

    swallowed her words.

    "Mr.Moran! It is so nice to meet you, sir!"

    She greeted Maurice politely.

    Gabrielle quickly took a tissue to wipe her face.

    "That b***h!¡¯ she cursed Eliana in her heart.

    After all, she was the reason she looked so undignified in front of Maurice now.

    Everyone else in the office also held their breaths the moment they saw Maurice.

    A few secondster, they began to talk among themselves in low murmurs.

    "Why has Mr.Morane to the Design Department?"

    "He is so handsome¡­"

    "Shh! Keep your voice down!"

    Hearing their whispers, Eliana turned around stiffly.

    Was it Maurice who caused her to spill the coffee? Oh my god!¡¯ She could not help but sigh, wondering

    why he had set her up and put her in such an awkward position.She could almost imagine Gabrielle

    torturing her in the future.

    But the moment she saw Maurice, she pretended to be obedient.

    After all, she could not afford to offend the CEO of thepany.She would rather confront Gabrielle

    than Maurice.

    Gabrielle forced an obsequious smile and asked, "Mr.Moran, what brings you here?"

    "Stay away from me.You are dirty." Maurice stepped back in disgust.

    Gabrielle¡¯s expression froze.Her mind went nk.She could not believe that Maurice had just

    humiliated her in front of everyone.

    "The Moran Group doesn¡¯t recruit ipetent people and we don¡¯t ask employees to run errands like

    buying coffee."

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were so cold that everyone felt a sudden drop in temperature inside the office.

    "If you ask her to buy coffee again, then you will get fired."

    The Design Department fell silent and no one said a word until he walked out of the office area.

    But Corbin looked at his phone and said, "Gabrielle, Mr.Moran wants you to buy coffee for all the

    colleagues of the Design Department for the next three months."

    Gabrielle couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    "But I¡¯m the director!"

    "This is the second time you have questioned Mr.Moran¡¯s decision." said Corbin coldly.

    Gritting her teeth with a hateful re, she did not dare toin anymore.

    Ignoring her, Corbin walked out of the office.

    Looking at the stunned Gabrielle whose makeup was smudged, Eliana could not help but smile.It was

    karmic retribution that Gabrielle deserved! Relieved, Eliana walked back to her desk briskly.

    As soon as Corbin walked out of the office, he saw Maurice smiling.

    Ever since Eliana had joined thepany, Maurice smiled more often.

    Seeing that, Corbin could not help but wonder if he was doing okay.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15

    Chapter 15 Not Fit To Be My Uncle

    Although Eliana was happy, she still wasted a lot of time running errands.

    By the time she was done with her work, most of her colleagues had already gone home.

    When she finally got home, Kimora had already prepared dinner, and the twins clung to her, asking her

    for a hug.

    Eliana coaxed her kids to sit at the dining table.

    "What did you do at school today?" she asked whiledling soup into their bowls.

    Aileen tilted her head and rolled her shiny ck eyes.

    "The teacher said that the kindergarten would hold an activity where we can share what we like the

    most."

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    "And it involved toys," Adrian exined, taking the soup bowl from his mother and handing it to his

    sister.

    "Okay.What do you want to take with you?¡¯Eliana put the other bowl of soup in front of Adrian and

    caressed his face.

    Although they were twins, their temperaments werepletely different.

    Aileen was innocent and bubbly while Adrian was cold and taciturn.

    Eliana could not help but wonder who he was like.She would sometimes worry that if he did not have

    fun as a kid, then he might never get a chance to live a carefree life once he was an adult.

    "Look over there." Adrian raised his hand and pointed at a shelf that had a model ne on it.

    "I assembled it myself."

    "Wow, Adrian, you are so awesome!" Aileen grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and said expectantly.

    "Mommy, I want to take that beautiful ring!"

    ¡®The ring?¡¯

    Upon hearing that, Eliana was started for no reason at all until she realized that her daughter was

    probably talking about the candy ring that she had seen some time ago.She put her hand against her

    forehead and chuckled.She was so nervous that the moment Aileen mentioned the ring, she

    immediately thought of Preston.

    Touching her daughter¡¯s soft hair, she praised, "Looks like you have a great eye for jewelry.Maybe you

    can be a jewelry designer in the future."

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    With a bright smile, Aileen turned around and raised her chin.

    Looking at her brother, who was busy eating, she said proudly, "Mommy praised me more than you!"

    Hearing that, Adrian was speechless.He would not argue with a kid over such a trivial thing. After

    dinner, Kimora pulled Eliana aside and said, "Miss Pierce, the kindergarten has started to charge for

    the summer camp.You still haven¡¯t gotten your sry yet, have you?"

    Eliana patted her hand and responded calmly, "Don¡¯t worry.I will give you the money as soon as

    possible."

    Kimora was about to say something, but as she saw Eliana¡¯s determined look, she decided not to.She

    then walked into the kitchen.

    Although Eliana did not seem to be flustered on the surface, she was indeed a little uncertain at heart.

    Frowning, she took out her phone and opened her chat box with Preston.

    At the same time, inside the riverside vi, a notification tone was heard from the phone on the table.

    Maurice pretended like he did not hear it and continued to look at Ss.

    "You rarely go to the school so obediently.Have you made friends at the kindergarten?"

    There was an unusual hint of gentleness in his voice.

    Ss did not say a word.He just lowered his head and continued to y with his smartwatch while

    subconsciously thinking of the twins he had met before, who looked extraordinarily alike.

    Pursing his lips, he smiled softly.

    "Ss." Maurice patiently looked at him, waiting for his answer.

    Ss pulled a long face and red at him.

    "It¡¯s none of your business."

    "I¡¯m your uncle."

    "You are not fit to be my uncle! You caused my parents to die.I hate you!"

    Ss then jumped off the sofa and ran out of the room coldly. Although it was just a few simple words, it

    hurt Maurice a lot.

    He subconsciously wanted to catch up with him, but he stopped on second thought.

    As he looked at his nephew¡¯s disappearing figure, a strong sense of deathly stillness filled his heart,

    making it difficult for him to breathe.He sat down dejectedly, burying his face in his palms

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16

    Chapter 16 Have You Been Treated Well Maurice could never erase the tragic car ident from his

    mind.

    The ambnce siren pierced the sky and a crowd had gathered amidst the chaos.

    When he arrived at the scene, he was met with fire.

    The crashed car was burning before his very eyes.

    To his horror, the blood of his sister and her husband dyed the seats a deep, dark red.

    Lying weakly in the ambnce, a young boy was covered in blood.

    Ss reached out his small trembling hand and wailed, "Dad¡­ Mom¡­"

    The indescribable grief was indelibly printed on Maurice¡¯s brain, haunting his will day by day.

    Even though his heart was as cold as ice, he still couldn¡¯t bear to hear the words "You caused my

    parents to die" from Ss.

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    After what seemed like an eternity, Maurice left the room, his face as pale as a ghost¡¯s.

    Corbin nearly gasped in surprise as he saw him.

    "Mr.Moran, what¡¯s the matter? Should I call a doctor¡ª"¡­ The man raised his hand and stopped him in

    his tracks.

    His voice was dry, but it carried a certain indisputable weight that no one was allowed to refuse.

    "We¡¯re going to the Imperial Golden Club."

    A drink was what he needed right now.

    At the same time.

    Eliana hadn¡¯t received a reply from Preston until now, so she looked for his phone number but he

    hesitated, debating whether to call him. She had saved him out of the goodness of her heart, yet he

    didn¡¯t have the decency to even thank her.

    As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he refused to apologize to her for ruining the project.

    Instead, he imed that he would raise the money himself andpensate her¡­ Just thinking about

    that b*****d made her angry! "Mommy!"

    Adrian¡¯s childish voice sounded from behind her.

    The little child sat beside her and ced his sped hands in front of her mysteriously.

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    "I have a gift for you." Eliana paused and looked at him expectantly.

    Adrian slowly spread out his hands, revealing a leaf vein bookmark lying on his small palms.

    "Adrian, did you make this yourself?" Eliana asked, taking the gift from Adrian carefully.

    "Yes!" Adrian nodded proudly.

    Eliana bent down and kissed the boy on the cheek.

    Then, he quickly scurried off, his ears red from being flustered ¡®Did I finally win? Mommy didn¡¯t kiss

    Aileen, just me!¡¯ he thought.

    Eliana watched her son waddle off with an amused smile.

    Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her phone screen and her heart sank.

    Because she had been interrupted by Adrian, she had identally called Preston and he had

    answered it.

    "Preston?"

    Eliana pressed the phone against her ear, but there was no response from the other end of the line.She

    checked her phone in confusion.She hadn¡¯t put the phone on mute.

    "What do you want?"

    A hoarse, unmistakably masculine voice suddenly sounded.

    There was a hint of cruelty in his tone, which made Eliana¡¯s scalp tingle.She immediately bit back the

    words she had nned to say to him

    "Are you dumb?" Preston asked.

    Adrian and Aileen were shouting at each other, horse ying around the house.

    Eliana sighed and retired to the balcony for some peace and quiet.

    The call was still ongoing, and she wanted to ask him why he didn¡¯t reply to her.

    However, as she opened her mouth, she said something else.

    "Have you gotten the money?" A cold sneer sounded from the other end of the line.

    The man¡¯s tone was bone-chillingly cold.

    "If you want money,e to the Imperial Golden Club and get it yourself "

    Wells Without waiting for a response from her, the man dropped the call.

    Eliana listened breathlessly to the cold beep on the phone.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter with him? Did something bad happen to make him so ill-tempered? His tone is so

    arrogant! And who really asked for money from him? Why did he need me to get the money? Does he

    have that amount of money?¡¯

    All of a sudden, she scowled in frustration.

    She was determined to teach the man w***e a lesson today! Without a minute to spare, Eliana hurried

    to the Imperial Golden Club.

    The waiter graciously led her to the door of the VIP private room.

    After hesitating for a while, Eliana pushed the door open and entered.

    The room was still as spacious and luxurious as she remembered.

    Beneath the dim light was a man standing beside a pool table.

    A cold aura emanated from his body, which could daunt anyone who came close.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Preston seems different today¡­ Is this how the most popr man w***e behaves?¡¯

    She pinched her palm lightly to pluck up the courage and walked towards the man.

    After hitting the b***s into pockets at the edge of the pool table, Maurice picked up the ss of wine

    that was resting on the table and downed it in one gulp.

    Then, he ced the ss in front of Eliana with a ng, She nced up at him wordlessly.

    ¡®Does he think he can treat me as a waitress?¡¯ Without waiting for a response, the man picked up the

    cue and proceeded to aim at his target.

    His clothes tightened ever so slightly, outlining his perfect figure as he flexed his muscles.His

    temperament was¡­

    In a trance, Eliana felt like she was seeing the domineering CEO, Maurice.

    She recalled the notification tone in the elevator¨Cwhich, by the way, was a huge coincidence and

    realized that the voice was simr to Preston¡¯s, Eliana suddenly felt the need to verify her suspicion,

    And so she obliged the man¡¯s request and poured wine into his ss.

    Maurice raised his hand to take the ss from her, but she suddenly withdrew her hand for seemingly

    no reason.

    Maurice shot a cold nce at Eliana, which made her hair stand on end.She somehow managed to

    suppress the urge to retreat and smiled at Maurice.

    "Why are you so depressed? Has your sugar mommy been treating you well?"

    Maurice chuckled lowly, but hisughter didn¡¯t reach his eyes, which was creepy.

    Seeing this, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but take a step back in fear.

    All of a sudden, the cue ttered to the floor.

    And a strong arm suddenly slipped around her waist.

    Before she could protest, Maurice pressed his lips against hers passionately.The Adorable Twins and

    Their CEO Daddy? .

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17

    Chapter 17 Defend Him Without Hesitation

    Eliana didn¡¯t even have the time to think.She was busy gasping for breath.

    The man¡¯s flexible tongue had swept past her lips and pried open her teeth, plundering her breath like

    a storm.

    His strong body pressed hers against the pool table.

    The temperature in the VIP room suddenly rose a couple degrees.

    Eliana tried to resist his kiss.

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    But it was futile and only faint grunts coulde out of her mouth, as though she was moaning

    eagerly, which only aroused Maurice¡¯s desire even more.His hands eagerly reached down to lift up the

    hem of her shirt.His warm fingers swept across her bare skin, and Eliana couldn¡¯t help but groan.

    "You¡¯re so sensitive¡­" Maurice whispered as he kissed her earlobe and even gently bit it.

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    His bewitching voice was so soft that her body grew numb because of it.

    "Haven¡¯t you been with any other man in the past few years?"

    The shame he inflicted on her made Eliana fly into rage.

    Gritting her teeth angrily, she hissed, "Of course! Countless times!"

    Maurice sneered in disbelief while his fingers caressed her thin waist, causing her to tremble slightly.

    "Your body tells me otherwise."

    Hearing that, Eliana red at him.

    "You¡¯ve also been lying! You¡¯ve been saying that you¡¯ll raise the money.So can you afford it or not?"

    "I¡¯ll pay you back by f*****g you."

    "I don¡¯t want that!"

    She red at the man stubbornly.

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at her.

    Suddenly, his grip on her tightened while his other hand started unbuttoning her clothes.

    At the same time, he also silenced her by kissing her.

    Eliana¡¯s heart was pounding wildly in her chest.

    As soon as she grabbed his hand to stop him, she heard a bang.

    The door of the private room had been kicked open.

    "F**k! They¡¯re actually doing it!"

    Antwan stood with his hands sped behind his back, his lustful eyes glued to Eliana whose beautiful

    shoulder was exposed.

    Fortunately, when he saw Eliana enter the club, he immediately followed her with his men.

    He had nned to teach this b***h a good lesson, but now¡­ It was not bad to enjoy the view first.

    Maurice¡¯s expression immediately darkened.He pulled up Eliana¡¯s clothes in one swift motion and

    stood in front of her protectively Upon ncing at him, Antwan instantly recognized him as the man

    who k¨ªcked him in this club!

    "Who the f**k are you and how¡¯re you rted to this b***h?" he demanded.

    "I¡¯m her man," Maurice answered coldly.

    However, Eliana stuck her head out to protest.

    "What the hell? You aren¡¯t my man! Who said you were?"

    "If he¡¯s not your boyfriend, why are you two f*****g here?" Antwan chuckled dirtily.

    "Or are you actually a pimp who works here?"

    Antwan¡¯s men behind himughed obediently.

    Eliana found herself at a loss for words.

    "So he really is a pimp?"

    Antwan¡¯s eyes shed with enlightenment.

    "Eliana, why do you still pretend to be innocent? If you want a man, I can satisfy your needs.You don¡¯t

    need to waste your money on this pimp." Maurice frowned in disgust.

    "Get out of here." Antwan couldn¡¯t help but curse.

    "You¡¯re just a pimp.Where does your arrogancee from? Just hand her over and I¡¯ll order my men

    to spare your life."

    As he spoke, the men behind Antwan started to close in on Maurice, and the atmosphere suddenly

    became tense.

    Feeling uneasy, Eliana grasped the hem of Maurice¡¯s clothes nervously.

    Seeing this, Maurice raised his eyebrows and grabbed her hand.

    "What if I don¡¯t agree?"

    Antwan sneered, "She gave you money for one night only.Why bother to protect her?"

    Maurice looked down at him.

    Although he didn¡¯t say anything, his sharp eyes were full of fierce deterrence Antwan couldn¡¯t help but

    take a step back hesitantly, but he somehow tripped and staggered backward.

    Embarrassed, he steadied himself awkwardly and instantly flew into a rage.

    "D**n it! Cut his face! Beat the c**p out of him until he¡¯s crippled!"

    At hismand, his men quickly surrounded Maurice.

    Eliana was panic-stricken, and her hands moved with a life of their own.

    When she came to her senses, she had already picked up the cue and swung it towards one of the

    men! The cue had smacked the man on the head and he shrieked in pain, crumpling to a heap on the

    floor and causing the men beside him to fall with him.

    With his fall, a gap immediately appeared in the encirclement.

    Without hesitation, Eliana pushed Maurice that way.

    "Run!"

    Maurice nced back at her in surprise.

    The woman was fragile and weak.Her knuckles were pale when she grabbed the cue.

    Obviously, she was scared out of her wits.

    Yet she stood to defend him without hesitation!

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18

    Chapter 18 The Strongest Pimp

    "What are you waiting for!? Beat the c**p out of him!" Antwan shouted, his face purple from anger.

    His men immediately sprang into action, clenching their fists and grabbing wine bottles as they rushed

    forward.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes went wide like saucers.

    What should she do? Before the Pierce Group went bankrupt, she was the apple of her parents¡¯ eyes.

    Even though she had a near-death experience, she had always been taken care of and never gotten

    into fights after someone saved her.

    ¡®Help!¡¯ her mind shrieked.

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    Suddenly, she felt a strong arm wrapping around her waist, yanking her backwards hard.

    Eliana was in a daze as she was thrown behind the pool table as a wine bottle flew over her head,

    narrowly missing her.

    "Ah¡­!"

    Still in a trance, she could hear pained screams from the other side of the pool table.

    "Preston!"

    In a panic, Eliana turned around with her heart in her throat, only to find that most of Antwan¡¯s men

    littered the ground, groaning in pain.

    With a quick kick from Maurice, thest of Antwan¡¯s men flew across the room, mming into the wall

    at the back.

    In the blink of an eye, only Antwan was left standing.

    His eyes were filled with horror as his legs trembled in fear.

    Seeing the chaotic scene before her, Eliana was floored.She could see the indifference in Maurice¡¯s

    eyes and gave him a thumbs -up subconsciously.

    "You must be the strongest pimp out there," she breathed in awe.

    "Amazing!"

    Maurice frowned and said helplessly, "My life was on the line."

    His uncle had been trying to have him killed for years.Countless assassins hade for him.

    If he didn¡¯t have the skills to protect himself, he would¡¯ve already died by now.

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t catch what he meant.

    Thinking about how he had been besieged by that rich woman¡¯s husband, she sighed sadly.

    ¡®Poor guy.It¡¯s not easy to be a pimp these days.They risk their lives for hard-earned money.¡¯

    Bang!

    Shocked by the sudden sound, Eliana looked up and found that Antwan had awkwardly slumped to the

    floor as he awkwardly tried to crawl to the door.

    His pants¡¯ crotch was wet, and there was a puddle left in his wake.It didn¡¯t take long before an off

    putting smell wafted over to Eliana and Maurice.

    Maurice averted his gaze in disgust and went straight to Eliana¡¯s side.

    Looking her up and down carefully, he asked, "Are you hurt?"

    Shaking her head warily, Eliana answered, "I¡¯m fine.But, just now¡­ You actually had a conscience!"

    Moments earlier, she was scared that Preston would run away, leaving her to fend for herself.

    "Who was the one that tried to be a hero and told me to run away?" Mauriceughed teasingly.

    Eliana was rendered speechless.

    In that moment, she forced herself toe up with an excuse.

    ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this man was the father of my children, I wouldn¡¯t give a d**n about him!¡¯

    Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching and several bodyguards in ck suits filed inside the

    private room.

    Eliana gulped nervously.She tugged at Maurice¡¯s sleeve and whispered, "Are you going to be fired as

    things go on like this?"

    The dim light outlined the man¡¯s chiseled figure.He looked at her quietly without saying anything.

    Was she actually worried about him? She seemed sincere when she risked her safety to save him just

    now¡­ Eliana shifted ufortably under his gaze.

    "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "Help me! Please!"

    Antwan¡¯s loud voice seemed to interrupt Maurice¡¯s thoughts.He tore his gaze away from Eliana.

    Eliana secretly breathed a sigh of relief.His gaze was too intense.

    Antwan was plucked up from the floor by the bodyguards.

    When he noticed that they were staring at his stained pants, he immediately grew furious from the

    humiliation.

    "Bring out the owner of the Imperial Golden Club! Your pimp has no respect.How dare he hit a guest!

    Fire him! I demand that he is kicked out of our city!" The bodyguard was visibly confused.

    "But isn¡¯t the owner-".

    He was suddenly cut off by the sound of ss shattering. The bodyguard looked up in surprise and

    saw that Maurice had dropped a ss on purpose.His mouth immediately snapped shut.

    "Well? What¡¯re you waiting for? Call him here right this instant!"

    Antwan pointed a chubby finger at the bodyguard¡¯s face.

    The bodyguard took a step back in disgust.

    Completely irritated by the way he was being treated, Antwan exploded and started shouting

    expletives.

    Just as El¨ªana opened her mouth to argue with him, her phone started to ring.

    When she saw that it was Kimora calling, she quickly left to find a quiet spot to take the call.

    Finally, she retreated to the balcony and closed the door behind her before answering the phone.

    Kimora¡¯s sobbing voice sounded.

    "Miss Pierce! The kids have gone missing!"

    Hearing this, El¨ªana nearly broke down.Somehow, she managed to suppress her panic andpose

    herself.

    "Kimora, track their locations."

    Ever since Adrian was taken away because of a misunderstanding, she had bought tracker watches for

    each of the twins, just in case.

    But she didn¡¯t expect that it would happen so soon.

    Thanks to Eliana¡¯s reminder, Kimora remembered about the watches.

    "Oh, right! Let me check right now!"

    After hanging up the phone Eliana started to walk out in a hurry, regardless of the messy situation in

    the private room.

    When she passed them by; Maurice grabbed her by the wrist and asked, "Where do you think you¡¯re

    going?"

    When Eliana met his inquisitive eyes, she was flustered.She didn¡¯t want to tell Preston about the

    children just yet,-.So she decided to lie.

    "I¡­ I forgot to turn off the gas."

    "Where do you live? Why do you still use a gas stove?"

    Maurice raised his eyebrows dubiously.

    Seeing this, Eliana forced out another excuse.

    "My neighbor just called.Her dog is giving birth and she asked me to help!" Maurice narrowed his eyes

    at her, confused.

    ¡®Why is she lying?¡¯

    Without saying anything more, Eliana shook off his hand and ran out of the private room.

    "Don¡¯t let that woman get away!"

    Antwanmanded the bodyguards aggressively.

    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Then, he pointed at Maurice and barked, "And you, when your bosses out, you¡¯re dead meat!"

    Maurice walked over casually, as though he was taking a stroll in a garden.He stopped right in front of

    Antwan.

    Antwan stepped back immediately, flustered.

    "Don¡¯t you darey a finger on me! There are guards here!"

    "Ha-ha!"

    One of the bodyguards couldn¡¯t help but chuckle in amusement.

    ¡®He¡¯s not a fool, is he? ¡°

    "I don¡¯t want to see him again.Get him out of my sight."

    After saying that, Maurice stepped out of the private room without looking back.

    "Wow! What made you so arrogant¡­"

    Antwan retorted subconsciously, but his voice gradually trailed off.

    Only then did he realize that the bodyguards were all looking at him with hostility.He stepped back

    instinctively, his hair standing on end.

    ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why aren¡¯t they obeying me?¡¯

    Outside, Maurice¡¯s phone rang and he quickly answered it.

    "What is it?"

    "Mr.Moran, Mr.Gorman has gone missing!"

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19

    Chapter 19 Seeing Daddy Again

    Maurice¡¯s brows furrowed as soon as he logged into the positioning software.

    Since Ss had done it so many times, he had already installed a GPS tracker in Ss¡¯s smartwatch.

    Now, the GPS was showing him that Ss was in a cake shop.

    But why was he there? Maurice ordered his men to go there first before he got in his car and drove

    there.

    Once he got to the cake shop, he slowly stopped his car outside and saw Ss inside the shop.

    Taking off his mask, Maurice walked in with a sullen look.

    He seemed so cold that the shop staff members were too terrified to even greet him.

    The moment Ss saw him, he turned around.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Ss.Why did you run away again?" Maurice asked coldly, frowning.

    As soon as he finished his words, he heard a child call out to him.

    "Daddy!"

    The next moment, a small child ran up to him and hugged his leg.

    Maurice looked down and saw a girl staring at him with bright eyes.She had a round face, and her hair

    was neatly tied up in a bun.

    Even the heart of a cold-hearted man like Maurice would melt in front of the sweet girl.

    Adrian stepped forward and pulled away Aileen¡¯s hand helplessly.

    "Why are you casually calling a stranger as daddy? Didn¡¯t Mommy tell you to let go of this bad habit?"

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at Adrian.

    "It¡¯s you." Adrian looked into his eyes and nodded politely.

    "Hello, sir.We meet again."

    "Daddy!"

    Although he was trying to drag his sister away, she continued to hold Maurice¡¯s hand, looking at him

    innocently with her bright watery eyes.

    Adrian corrected her, "You should call him mister.He is Ss¡¯s uncle."

    Aileen nodded three times, smiled sweetly at Maurice, and blurted out, "Daddy."

    Hearing that, Adrian was speechless.

    Maurice, the ruthless businessman, became softhearted.

    He bent down and asked gently, "Why are you here?"

    Aileen showed him the menu and said with excitement, "We came here to choose a birthday cake for

    Mommy!"

    Maurice nced at Ss, stroked Aileen¡¯s hair and smiled.

    "Where do you live? I¡¯ll drop you off at your house."

    Adrian pulled Aileen into his arms and looked at Maurice warily.

    "Our mommy doesn¡¯t like us to reveal our house to strangers."

    Hearing those bold words, Maurice burst intoughter.

    "Adrian! Aileen!"

    Kimora rushed into the cake shop, gasping for breath, and when she saw a man in front of the kids,

    she immediately rushed to their side.

    "Kimora!" the twins called out in unison.

    "Excuse me, sir.Are you the one that took the kids away?"

    Standing in front of Maurice, Kimora red at him.

    "No.Daddy is a good man!"

    Aileen held Kimora¡¯s hand and shook it.She acted like a spoiled child, making it impossible for Kimora

    to be mad, Even Maurice found Aileen to be adorable, He couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Ss was not

    being so good and obedient like her.

    It was true that girls had a closer attachment towards adults than boys did.

    Maurice looked at Ss, sighed, and held his hand.

    "Let¡¯s go home."

    "No! You are so annoying!"

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    Ss shook off his hand and rushed towards the door.

    "Ss!"

    Maurice hissed with a serious look in his eyes.

    The next second, several bodyguards blocked Ss¡¯s path.

    With a smile, Corbin opened the car door and said, "Mr.Gorman, please stop.

    Your uncle is worried about you.

    Please get in the Ss looked around to find a way to escape, but he knew that there was no chance

    for that now.

    He snorted before he waved goodbye to Adrian and Aileen, quietly walked to the car, and sat down.

    "Why is Ss angry all of a sudden?"

    Standing on tiptoes, Aileen looked towards the car in confusion.

    At the same time, Adrian waved to Ss.

    Seeing the reluctant look in Ss¡¯s eyes, Maurice came up with an idea.

    "Corbin, buy the most expensive cake for them¡­"

    He then nced at Ss, and added, "In the name of Ss."

    Ss froze when he heard those words, but he did not say anything and just tapped his fingers on the

    seat.

    Corbin gave them a meaningful nce before he opened the door and got out of the car.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20

    Chapter 20 The Devil Uncle

    When Eliana arrived at the bakery, Kimora was there waiting for her with the twins.

    "Mommy!"

    Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up immediately and she threw herself into Eliana¡¯s arms.

    Eliana hugged her daughter tightly with one hand, while she held out the other to Adrian, who was

    walking towards them calmly.

    "Why didn¡¯t you tell Kimora when you went out? We were so scared!"

    The twins exchanged nces and stuck out their lower lips simultaneously, looking like two dolls.It

    seemed they hoped to get away with it: But Eliana didn¡¯t buy it, not even for a second.

    She even pulled a long face and said, "Why won¡¯t you tell me?"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Seeing that the children were still silent, she released them and stood up gloomily.

    Adrian realized that his mother got angry.He quickly grabbed the hem of Eliana¡¯s clothes and said,

    "Mommy, don¡¯t be angry.I¡¯ll tell you everything."

    Finally, Eliana squatted down and looked at her son attentively.

    "Adrian!"

    Aileen wailedin-an attempt to stop her brother from spilling the beans.

    "Aileen and I wanted to surprise you."-Adrian patted his sister¡¯s head while looking at Eliana with his

    big, round eyes.

    "Mommy, it¡¯s almost your birthday.We wanted to buy a big cake!"

    "Adrian, since you¡¯ve said it already, it¡¯s not a surprise anymore!"

    Aileen whined, her eyes filled with tears.

    Eliana felt as though her heart was filled to the brim with love from her children.

    Deeply touched, she sighed emotionally.She held out her arms and the twins Mished towards her.

    The three embraced each other tightly while Eliana kissed them repeatedly.

    "I¡¯m-sorry.I lost my temper just now."

    Aileen burst into a wide grin.

    "It¡¯s okay, Mommy! We forgive you!"

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    "It¡¯s our fault.We sneaked out and made you worried," Adrian added sulkily.

    On their way home, Eliana held each of their hands as the three walked in a line.

    "What do you want for your birthday, Mommy?" Aileen asked, jumping up and down.

    "Mommy will like whatever you give me."

    "Then¡­ What about a handsome daddy?"

    "Aileen cupped her cheek and smiled giddily.

    "I just saw Ss¡¯s uncle.He was so handsome! Do you want him to be your boyfriend, Mommy?".

    Eliana was at a loss whether to burst into tears orughter.

    Out of the blue, Adrian grabbed her hand tightly with both hands, like a lion protecting its cub.

    "No! Mommy is ours and ours alone!"

    "Don¡¯t worry, little one.Mommy will always be yours,"

    Elianaforted him gently.

    Seeing that her son¡¯s expression softened, she asked, "Who is Ss? Your ssmate?"

    "Yes." Adrian sighed.

    "But his life is too sad.His parents are dead.He lives with his devil uncle now."

    "Devil¡­ uncle?" Eliana asked with confusion.

    Aileen shook her head disapprovingly.

    "But when we met just now, his uncle was very nice and handsome and gentle-like a prince! He¡¯s not a

    devil at all!" Adrian frowned deeply.

    "You idiot.You can¡¯t judge a man by his appearance."

    "What did you just say? I¡¯m not an idiot!"

    Aileen red at her brother and the two twins started to fight.

    Night fell and the moon crept up high in the sky.

    Eliana finally tucked the children up in bed and gave each of them a goodnight kiss.

    When they drifted off to sleep, she crept out of their room quietly.

    Recalling what had happened at the club, she suddenly pulled out her phone to call Preston.She had

    left in such a rush earlier that she didn¡¯t know what had happened to Preston.

    Did the owner of the Imperial Golden Club punish him? After all, he beat up an esteemed guest and left

    the private room in shambles.

    Surely he would be asked to take responsibility Eliana tried dialing his number, but no one answered,

    so she could do nothing but leave him a few messages Minutes passed and she didn¡¯t receive a reply.

    She frowned more and more tightly.

    What could¡¯ve happened? Could Preston have been locked up? Or was he beaten so hard that he

    couldn¡¯t even move? As her mind raced, Eliana sank into bed and sighed.

    Despite her active mind, her body was exhausted and sleep soon overtook her "Preston Hmm¡­"

    Eliana¡¯s breath suddenly quickened.

    In her dreams, her lips were pressed against Preston¡¯s.

    The man¡¯s tongue forced itself into her mouth, dancing with her own tongue, arousing the passion that

    was once dormant in her body His hands reached under her clothes, skillfully utching her bra and

    grabbing at her plump b*****s.

    In a daze, Eliana felt like her body was on fire.

    She opened her misty eyes and saw that the man in front of her¡­ It was¡­ Maurice!? His half-closed

    eyes were so deep, as if they were intoxicated.

    She trembled under his touch, feeling hot all over.But she felt something was wrong.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21

    Chapter 21 A S*x Dream

    "Ah!"

    Eliana suddenly woke up, breathless and panting.

    Did she actually just dream about s*x? She even dreamed of kissing! And it seemed that her

    subconscious pined for more than one man.

    Recalling the events of her dream, she began to feel hot again all over her body But it was too

    ridiculous.

    How could she dream of both the pimp of the Imperial Golden Club and the CEO of the Moran Group?

    It was said that dreams were the reflection of one¡¯s inner thoughts.

    Was she secretly a loose woman? No! Eliana refused to admit it.

    From the corner of her eye, she saw the time on the rm clock.

    Startled, she sat bolt upright.She had overslept! She jumped off the bed and quickly freshen up.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Before rushing out the door; she said goodbye to the children.

    After getting in a taxi, Eliana texted Preston "Hey.Are you still alive?"

    But to her growing worry, she received no reply.

    Yesterday, they had made a huge fuss in the club.

    How on earth would Preston exin what happened to his boss? Worse yet, what if Antwan vented his

    anger on Preston?.

    As these thoughts gued her mind, Eliana grew more and more worried.She tried calling him again,

    but only heard the cold busy tone.

    Could something terrible have happened to Preston? Eliana tried to be optimistic.

    Perhaps Preston was just busy entertaining his customers so that he had no chance to reply to her

    messages and calls.

    Imagining Prestonughing in the arms of another woman, Eliana found herself feeling a little

    ufortable.

    What on earth was the matter with her? Could she have fallen in love with that damned gigolo? It was

    not until the taxi came to a halt in front of thepany that she put away her phone.

    She quickly paid the fare and trotted to the elevators, ncing at the time, she grew anxious.

    If she didn¡¯t hurry to punch the clock, she would bete.

    When the elevator doors slid open, Eliana rushed towards it, for fear of beingte.

    But before she could step on board, somebody stopped her from entering.

    "Sorry, please take the next elevator."

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    Bewildered, Eliana looked up and found it was Corbin She didn¡¯t understand.

    "What? Why?"

    There was no one else in the elevator.

    Why should she have to wait for the next one? Without answering, Corbin stoically dragged her aside

    to make way for a man who was striding over.

    Maurice walked over in a tailored suit.He was handsome, but his powerful aura was daunting.

    As soon as he got close, he frowned and shot Eliana a cold nce, Eliana looked back at him,

    confused.

    Why was the boss looking at her like that? She didn¡¯t do anything wrong.She was so nervous that she

    didn¡¯t notice when Corbin quickly withdrew his hand.

    Only then did Maurice walk into the elevator with satisfaction If anyone else had tried monopolizing the

    elevator, he would have been scolded severely.

    But the man just now was no ordinary man-he was the CEO of Moran Group, so no one dared to

    counter him.

    Just then, another elevator arrived.

    The other waiting employees all rushed inside simultaneously.

    Unfortunately, Eliana was slow to react and was thest one to squeeze in.

    As soon as she stepped foot inside, the elevator automatically warned its passengers that they had

    gone beyond maximum capacity.

    One of the employees shouted, "Who was thest one to enter? Get out.Don¡¯t waste our time."

    Everyone looked at Eliana pointedly.She pursed her lips unhappily.

    How unlucky she was! she stepped out of the elevator.

    As the doors of the other elevator slowly slid to a close, she met Maurice¡¯s cold gaze and sneer.

    Before she could respond, the elevator doors closed ruthlessly, leaving Eliana alone and bewildered.

    Why did her boss sneer at her? Did she offend him somehow? Checking the time, Eliana¡¯s heart

    leaped to her throat D**n it! There were only three minutes left before she would be markedte:

    Unable to wait any longer, she rushed to the staircase.

    Out of breath, she rushed to the Design Department, but she was still toote, And it was all the CEO¡¯s

    fault.He had his own exclusive elevator.

    Why did he have topete with employees for an elevator? Indignant, Eliana looked around fiercely,

    which startled a colleague who was beside her.

    "What¡¯s the matter with you?"

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana forced a smile and said, "I was stopped by a mad dog on the way, so I

    ended up beingte."

    "Don¡¯t worry.Your sry won¡¯t be affected."

    The colleague seemed to read her mind.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes immediately lit up.

    "Are you serious? Is ourpany sox?"

    The colleague looked at her strangely.

    "Not exactly¡­ Those who arete have to go to thepany¡¯s golf course to pick up the

    b***s.Mr.Moran made this rule just today."

    Eliana stared at her colleague nkly,pletely and utterly speechless.

    A new rule? Was it specially set for her? The colleague saw the murderous intent in her eyes, smiled

    awkwardly, and then left.

    Unfortunately, there were a lot of things to deal with today.

    Eliana was so busy that she ended up having to rush to the golf court without having lunch.

    The golf course was located outside the Twin Towers of the Moran Group.

    There, the sun shone brightly.

    Taking a look at the vast golf course that went as far as the eye could see, Eliana was stunned.

    How could she pick up all the golf b***s in such arge golf course?

    "What a freak!" she blurted out without much thought.

    "Who is?"

    A deep voice sounded from behind Eliana, which made her almost jump up from shock.She whirled

    around, only to find it was the devil himself standing behind her.

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22

    Chapter 22 What Were You Looking At

    Maurice was wearing but a thin shirt, his coat draped over one arm.

    The scorching sunlight illuminated his chiseled outline, and Eliana found herself staring at his delicate

    eyebrows and cold eyes.

    When he was serious and silent, he gave out a sense of ruthlessness, which was enough to make

    people forget how to breathe.

    But at this moment, as he lowered his eyes and looked at Eliana, his domineering aura almost

    disappeared, reced with something that almost looked affectionate.

    To Eliana¡¯s surprise, she realized his gaze was as attractive as Preston¡¯s.

    "Eliana," he said coldly, snapping her back to reality.

    She immediately nced away sheepishly.

    What the heck was wrong with her? Why did she always rte Maurice with Preston? "Mr.Moran," she

    greeted him stiffly.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice nced at her and then at the vast golf court before them.

    "Do you have any objection to the newpany rules?"

    After a slight pause, Eliana looked up and asked tentatively, "Mr.Moran, did you make this new rule

    specifically for me?"

    The man didn¡¯t even bother to look at her.

    He simply brushed past her and said coldly, "You can leave if you don¡¯t like it."

    The coldness in his voice sent a shiver down her spine.She looked at him from the corner of her eye,

    sizing him up carefully: Her CEO was so cruel.

    Whack! A golf ball arched through the air andnded in the distance.

    Eliana had just picked up one ball and now had to run after another ball.

    She was so tired from running around that she was out of breath

    "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit harsh?" Wyatt asked passively, feeling sorry for the woman who was

    chasing after the golf b***s.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened and the corners of his mouth tightened.

    "She¡¯s spying for my uncle.It shouldn¡¯t be a big deal for her to pick up a few b***s."

    "But she¡­ She doesn¡¯t look like a spy at all."

    Smiling faintly, Wyatt fixed his eyes on the sweating Eliana in the distance.Her hair was wet with sweat,

    but she didn¡¯t look disheveled.She almost looked like an athletic goddess.Her slightly parted red lips,

    her breathless panting, and her heaving chest all drew his attention.

    Whoosh! A gust of wind suddenly blew straight at his face.

    Wyatt subconsciously took a step back.

    When he realized that Maurice had swung the golf club at him, he showed an aggrieved expression.

    "What did you do that for?" he demanded.

    "What were you looking at?"

    Displeasure shed in Maurice¡¯s eyes, like a knife piercing through Wyatt¡¯s face.

    "You may see her face, but not her mind.Has your ability to see through people degenerated to the

    same level as your golf skill?"

    Shooting Maurice an impatient look, Wyatt picked up his golf club and stepped forward.

    "All right, all right.I just nced at her, okay? No need to get so violent."

    While the two of them fought, Eliana finally had the chance to rest.

    But her respite didn¡¯tst long.

    Soon, golf b***s started flying out again.

    The scorching hot sun beat on Eliana¡¯s back as she ran back and forth after flying golf b***s.

    After a while, she started to feel dehydrated and dizzy.

    All of a sudden, the automatic sprinklers on thewn went on, spurting water at her out of the blue.She

    took a step back and immediately lost her footing.She slipped and fell, twisting her ankle.She shrieked

    as a piercing pain shot up from her leg.

    It took her quite a while to recover.

    Gritting her teeth, she pulled herself to her feet and limped back to the tee area, the golf ball in hand.

    "Hey! Are you okay?"

    Wyatt jogged up to her.

    When he got close to her, he blushed slightly.

    Eliana¡¯s clothes were soaked.

    The translucent fabric clung to her curvaceous figure, revealing her plump b*****s and thin waist.

    At the sight of these, Wyatt¡¯s throat immediately went dry.

    Eliana didn¡¯t seem to notice his hungry gaze and she smiled at him politely.

    "I¡¯m fine, thank you."

    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Frowning deeply, Maurice put his big palm on Wyatt¡¯s head and twisted it to the side, forcing him to

    look away from Eliana.

    Then he looked into the woman¡¯s reproachful eyes.

    ¨C Unfazed, Maurice picked up his suit jacket and threw it to her.

    "Go back to work."

    His suit jacketnded on her head, covering her face.

    Only then did Eliana nce down and realize that her clothes were transparent: Blushing; she quickly

    put on his suit jacket.

    When Eliana got back to the Twin Towers of the Moran Group, she slowly walked towards the

    elevators, leaning against the wall It seemed that her misfortunes weren¡¯t about to end: It just so

    happened that Gabrielle was passing by, carrying some samples in her arms.

    Seeing Eliana like this, she smiled with glee.

    "You look like a mess!"

    Eliana was tired and in pain, and the wet clothes still clung to her body ufortably.She didn¡¯t want

    to deal with Gabrielle, so she gritted her teeth and ignored her.

    But all of a sudden, Gabrielle grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm and demanded, "Why are you wearing Mr.Moran¡¯s

    jacket?"

    "None of your business, Angry, Eliana shook off Gabrielle¡¯s hand. She had been extremely busy since

    she got here.

    She hadn¡¯t rested at all today yet was found at fault over and over again.

    No matter how good she was at handling her temper, she couldn¡¯t stand the injustice any longer.

    Gabrielle¡¯s wrist was twisted slightly.

    She raised her voice all of a sudden and cried, "Eliana! How dare you hit me?"

    Passers-by overheard her cries and quickly made a detour for fear of being implicated.

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to engage in this unnecessary squabble and turned around to leave.

    Unfortunately, Gabrielle wasn¡¯t willing to let her go.

    Grabbing at the suit jacket, she said in a shrill voice, "Leave what doesn¡¯t belong to you!"

    "This doesn¡¯t belong to you either!"

    Eliana shot back through gritted teeth.

    Gabrielle raised her chin and sneered, "Do you really think that we don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to?

    When you cleaned the CEO¡¯s office, you tried to seduce Mr.Moran.Now, you¡¯re up to the same

    tricks.Shame on you!"

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23

    Chapter 23 Intimacy In Public

    As soon as Gabrielle finished speaking, the crowd fell silent for a moment "D**n! What did I just hear?

    She has seduced Mr.Moran?".

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you that she looked like a tramp?"

    "You¡¯re missing the point.How can she be wearing Mr.Moran¡¯s suit-jacket?"

    "She probably stole it!"

    I Eliana¡¯s colleagues fixed their burning gazes on her as if they were going to incinerate her.

    With a frown, she asked, "Miss Aston, are you sure that you want to make this into such a big deal?"

    "Don¡¯t threaten me.Did you forget how lofty you were back then? I asked you to be with Mr.ke, and

    you refused.Now, you¡¯re selling yourself to a wealthier man."

    Gabrielle did not believe her words at all.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana smiled and said in a sharp tone, "Speaking of selling oneself, I don¡¯t think s¨¢m as experienced

    as you in that matter, Miss Aston.I am sure that you must be really exhausted after getting so many

    projects."

    When her colleagues heard that, they were shocked and turned to Gabrelle with a disdainful look.

    "Oh my God! Is that what people do to get good design projects now? How shameful."

    "It¡¯s not surprising that Gabrielle became the design director at such a young age.Who would have

    thought that she sold herself to get to that position?"

    "Now that the truth is out, I don¡¯t find it surprising-at all that a lot of our colleagues of the Design

    Department have resigned.How could they bear to work like that?"

    Gabrielle¡¯s face turned livid with rage as soon as she heard those words.

    With a twisted expression, she threw the wooden sample box at Eliana in a fit of pique.

    "What-nonsense are you talking about?"

    Just before the box hit Eliana¡¯s face, she turned aside and dodged-it.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    With a crisp sound, thetch of the box flung open, littering the sample diamonds all over the floor, like

    a cloud of stars.

    "Ah!"

    Everyone else in the office let out a scream and took a step back.

    Gabrielle was flustered for a moment before she calmed down, raised her eyebrows at Eliana, and

    scolded, "How dare you destroy the sample! It was supposed to be a part of the new products that are

    to be released during the next press conference.

    Each of those diamonds is worth more than a million dors.

    Even if you sell your body to make up for it, you won¡¯t be able to afford a single diamond if you lose

    them."

    With that, she pushed Eliana away, Eliana¡¯s ankle was sprained, so she stumbled and got down on one

    knee.

    As she stuck her arms out to break her fall, her ankle hurt so badly that it resulted in a headache.

    She could not help but grit her teeth angrily.

    At the same time, Gabrielle wascent.

    "Oh,e on! Don¡¯t pretend to be weak."

    She felt like she had finally gotten the perfect opportunity to put Eliana in her ce.She then cruelly

    raised her foot, intending to stamp on the back of Eliana¡¯s hand with her high-heeled shoe.

    However, she identally stepped on a diamond, and fell backwards like a defeated turtle.

    Seeing that, everyone burst intoughter.

    Furious, Gabrielle red back at them.

    Just by a nce she was bbergasted.

    Maurice squatted down beside Eliana and put his arm around her waist.

    "No, thanks."

    Eliana pressed his arm, signaling him to stop hugging her.

    However, Maurice ignored her and leaned over until his handsome face was merely an inch away from

    hers.

    Sensing his strong masculine aura, Eliana leaned back in shock.

    What was he trying to do when there were so many people watching them?

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24

    Chapter 24 Fired

    "No!"

    Eliana¡¯s heart started banging against her chest and her face grew hot.

    At a loss, she froze on the spot.

    Maurice stopped and looked into her eyes, which were very close to his.

    There seemed to be a yful light in his eyes, but his voice was still ice-cold.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    The man reached out his hand to her, but instead of helping her, it went into the pocket of his suit jacket

    and pulled out a cell phone.

    Embarrassed, Eliana gritted her teeth in anger and struggled to stand up, leaning on the wall.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice stood up and looked around.His expression suddenly darkened.

    All of a sudden, the colleagues present immediately shut up and didn¡¯t dare to gossip any longer.

    They all lowered their heads in fear.

    "Who can exin what happened?"

    Maurice gestured at the diamonds on the floor and looked around at the passers-by coldly.

    Gabrielle mbered to her feet and hurried to exin, "Mr.Moran, this is all Eliana¡¯s fault.She was

    angry at me, so she deliberately damaged the Design Department¡¯s sample to vent her anger."

    "Miss Aston, look!"

    With her red lips slightly parted, Eliana pointed at the surveince camera nearby.

    "Oh, please.Everyone present can attest that it was you who damaged the sample."

    Gabrielle¡¯s voice faltered slightly, but she couldn¡¯t give in, especially with so many people watching.

    "You¡¯re fired," Maurice said, his voice as in as day.

    Gabrielle was ted to know that the CEO was on her side.She raised her eyebrows and looked at

    Eliana smugly.

    "Did you hear that? Eliana, you¡¯re fired.Now, get out!"

    "It¡¯s you who should get out." Maurice cast her a cold nce.

    Gabrielle was shocked.She felt as if her soul left her body.

    Staring at Maurice nkly, she said feebly, "Mr.Moran, I¡¯m the director of the Design Department! I¡¯ve

    worked for yourpany for so many years¡­"

    If she was fired by the Moran Group, no otherpany in the industry would dare to hire her.

    What the hell had she done wrong? Gabrielle suddenly turned to Eliana with a crazed look in her eye.

    "You b***h! This is all your fault! You made me lose my job!"

    Startled, Eliana took a step back subconsciously, but a sharp pain shot up from her foot and she nearly

    lost her bnce again.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Before she fell, Maurice held her back with his big palm and looked at Gabrielle coldly.

    "Throw her out,"

    Corbin ordered in a low voice and waved at the nearby bodyguards.

    Two bodyguards in ck stepped forward and grabbed Gabrielle by her arms.

    "No, no¡­"

    Gabrielle struggled and kicked madly.

    In her attempt to escape, her hair and clothes were disheveled, making her look like a crazy

    woman.She even kicked away one of her high heels.Her shrill begging and whimpering gradually faded

    away in the distance, while the other colleagues were left stunned.

    "Do you want to leave with Gabrielle?"

    Corbin¡¯s voice brought everyone back to their senses.

    The crowd immediately dispersed.

    Eliana also wanted to take the opportunity to make her escape, but just as she took one step forward,

    Maurice h****d his finger into her cor.

    "And where do you think you¡¯re going?"

    "Err, what else can I do for you, Mr.Moran?"

    She looked back at him awkwardly, her heart beating fast.

    Was he nning to punish her again? The man raised his chin slightly and ordered, "Pack up the

    sample.One diamond missing, you¡¯ll have to clean the office for ten days."

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25

    Chapter 25 Satiate Your Needs

    Today had been a rough day.

    Everyone kept stealing nces at Eliana whenever she wasn¡¯t looking.

    And whenever she raised her head, everyone would look away quickly and tap away at their keyboards

    loudly.

    After what seemed like an eternity, it was time to get off work: Eliana finally turned on her phone, but

    there was still no news from Preston 100. It had been so long.

    Even if he was busy entertaining his customers, he should¡¯ve at least informed her of his safety.

    But before she could overthink things, a loud horn startled her.

    Then a taxi screeched to a halt in front of her.

    When she came to her senses, she found that it was the car she had hailed online.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    She got inside the car hurriedly and said in an anxious voice, "To the Imperial Golden Club."

    When she arrived at her destination, Eliana dialed Preston¡¯s number again as she walked inside the

    club.

    The lobby, was bustling with people.

    Confused for a moment, she trotted-towards the private room where Preston often stayed.

    Holding her breath, she pushed the door open and was greeted by the thin back of a man¡­

    "Preston! Are you okay?" Eliana asked anxiously, rushing to the man and grabbing his arm.

    The man turned around and looked at her.He had a handsome face with especially charming eyes.

    To her surprise, it wasn¡¯t Preston D**n it!

    "Miss Torres?"

    The man smiled charmingly, taking Eliana¡¯s hand.It was as if his touch electrocuted her.

    Eliana quickly withdrew her hand, muttering a hasty apology.

    "I¡¯m sorry.I mistook you for someone else.I¡¯m not Miss Torres."

    The man raised his eyebrows and smiled at her warmly.

    "Then who are you looking for? Who could be so lucky to receive such a beautifuldy?"

    When Eliana met his flirtatious eyes, she was pulled into a trance.

    Since this man was able to flirt with her so easily, he must¡¯ve been a peer of Preston¡¯s.

    Realizing this, she asked tentatively, "Did someone get into a fight in this private room recently?"

    "Yes.Our boss was so angry that he broke the troublemaker¡¯s leg and threw him out."

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank to her stomach.

    Could the troublemaker be Preston? She looked at the man anxiously and asked, "Do you know

    anyone named Po-"

    Before she finished her sentence, the man¡¯s hand reached for her slender waist.

    "What do you think you¡¯re doing? Don¡¯t touch me!"

    Eliana swatted his hand away quickly.

    Unfortunately for her, the man didn¡¯t take her rejection too seriously.

    He grinned at her and whispered, "It seems my client won¡¯t make it to our appointment, so I¡¯m free

    now.If you are in a hurry, I can satiate your needs¡­"

    "No, thanks."

    Rolling her eyes, Eliana turned around to leave, Unexpectedly, the man slipped his arms around her

    waist, leaned over from behind, and whispered in her ear, "Don¡¯t go.I can give you a discount if you

    want."

    "Let me go!"

    His breath sent goose bumps all over her body.

    Springing into action, Eliana stomped on his foot hard.

    The man winced in pain, but he didn¡¯t let her go.

    Instead, he flung her onto the sofa and asked flirtatiously, "Miss, do you like it rough? Then I have a lot

    of tricks for you."

    Being pressed against the sofa, Eliana struggled like mad.

    "I¡¯m not here for that! Let me go! Help!"

    Eliana tried her best to push him away, but the man easily overpowered her.

    Suddenly, she felt air brush past her bare shoulders.

    The man had pulled off her clothes so quickly the she didn¡¯t even realize it.

    His rough hands grabbed her by the chin, holding her in ce.

    N?velDrama.Org owns all content.

    "Don¡¯t worry.I¡¯ll take good care of you."

    As he spoke, he leaned forward to press his lips against hers.

    Eliana was so scared that her eyes turned red.

    Just as she was getting desperate, the weight that was pressing down on her body suddenly

    disappeared.

    Before she knew what was happening, the man was flung right into the wall.

    Eliana raised her eyes.

    Preston was standing in front of her like a god.Her fear instantly turned into grievance.She threw

    herself into his arms without hesitation and cried, "Preston! What happened to you? I was worried sick!"

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were fixed on the scumbag who was about to rape her just now, but his hand gently

    stroked Eliana¡¯s hair.

    "I was busy.Sorry."

    He gently straightened up her clothes.

    All the while, his distressed and rage-filled eyes made Eliana¡¯s heart beat fast.

    "F**k¡­ You- Who the f**k are you?"

    Grimacing, the man who was kicked away struggled to his feet.

    When he recognized the man in front of him, his eyes suddenly went wide with panic and he stumbled

    backwards as though his legs wouldn¡¯t carry him.

    "You¡­"

    Eliana looked at him in surprise.

    Why was the man so scared of Preston?

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    Chapter 26

    "Who are you going to eat it with? The people who arranged a birthday surprise for you?" Maurice

    asked coldly.

    How could she leave him alone for the second time for the sake of the same people? Eliana nodded

    without hesitation.

    "Yes, of course! I want to eat my birthday cake with the people who are very important to me."

    "Is it your boyfriend?" Maurice gritted his teeth.

    "Yes, they are my little lovers!"

    She did not notice his anger at all.She quickly picked up some of the frosting from the cake and was

    about to smear it on his handsome face.

    But Maurice easily dodged her sneaky attack.He then held her hand tightly.

    Since Eliana could not free herself from his grasp, she pounced on him.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist, and the frosting was smeared on the tip of

    his nose.

    Seeing that, Eliana burst intoughter.

    Sneering at her, Maurice leaned closer.

    But Eliana noticed that the frosting from his nose was about to touch her face, so she screamed and

    pushed him away.

    Maurice rarely ever saw such a lively side of her, which made him smile.

    "Ouch!"

    But then she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her ankle, staggered, and was about to fall down.

    Maurice quickly pulled her into his arms and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "My foot is hurting." Eliana frowned.

    "I sprained my ankle when I was at work."

    ¡®In the golf course? Why hasn¡¯t she recovered yet?¡¯

    "I¡¯ll take you to the hospital."

    "No!" Eliana hastily stopped him.

    "Hospitals are too expensive!"

    "How poor is she?¡¯, Maurice snickered.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Gerald pay her?¡¯

    Thinking that, he suddenly leaned forward and carried her in his arms.

    "It will cost you a lot more if you dy treating such injuries."

    Hearing that, Eliana felt that his words did make sense.

    In the hospital.

    The doctor examined her foot and said that her bones were slightly dislocated, and that she would

    have to get treatment.

    Eliana red at the doctor, wanting to refuse.

    "Will it hurt? If it¡¯s going to hurt, then I don¡¯t want it!" The doctor frowned disapprovingly.

    "You will have to endure the pain.If you don¡¯t get it treated right away, then you might not be able to

    walk well in the future." Eliana shook her head.

    She did not want pretend like she was overreacting, but in reality, she was really afraid of pain.

    Seeing that, the doctor became a little impatient, turned to Maurice, raised her hand, and said, "Don¡¯t

    just stand there.

    Come and hold your wife¡¯s leg, and do not let her move."

    Eliana retorted hastily, "I¡¯m not his wife!"

    It was true that she was not his wife, but he was the father of her children.

    "Oh, so you¡¯re still boyfriend and girlfriend?" the doctor asked.

    ncing at Preston, Eliana answered, "No¡­ Not really."

    "Then what¡¯s your rtionship?"

    The doctor tried to distract her by asking her casual questions while she swiftly moved her hands to

    treat her.

    Eliana subconsciously tried to move her leg away from the doctor, but Maurice held it firmly.

    "Sit tight," he said coldly.

    She had nowhere to go, so she buried her face in his arms.

    He felt her delicate face rubbing against his chest under his shirt, which caused him to stiffen

    subconsciously.

    When she pinched his arm, he felt her body trembling.

    The doctor quickly finished setting her bone.

    "All right.Take rest, and don¡¯t strain yourself too much."

    ¡°Thank you."

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, brushing away the sweat on her forehead.She then gently moved her

    ankle.

    The doctor looked at her with a smile.

    "Are you that afraid of pain? How are you going to give birth to children?"

    A long timeter, Eliana said, "I won¡¯t give birth to kids."

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Deep down, she thought that Aileen and Adrian were enough for her.

    "You are a handsome couple, so I am sure that your kids would turn out to be beautiful."

    It was true, indeed.

    Thinking of her adorable children, Eliana agreed with the doctor, but she did not say it out loud. Soon,

    Maurice held Eliana in his arms and left the hospital.

    She seemed to be angry on their way back, and he could not figure out why "What do you do that

    made you both angry and injured?"

    Maurice asked indifferently.

    Eliana instantly turned into an angry cat that was waiting for an opportunity to vent its anger.

    "It¡¯s all my boss¡¯ fault! He insisted on monopolizing an elevator, and that caused me to bete this

    morning! And because of that, he pu?ished me by making me pick up golf b***s for him.I ran all over

    the golf course to pick up the b***s, in the scorching sun.I got drenched by the sprinklers and sprained

    my ankle!"

    Maurice immediately sensed that something was wrong.

    She was not angry at Gerald; she was angry with him!

    ¡®What is wrong with her? Why would she only remember me treating her badly?¡¯

    "What do you think, Preston? Wasn¡¯t he being too cruel to me? What a lunatic!"

    Eliana was so angry that her face was red Maurice¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that He

    tightened his grip on her hand, and she immediatelyined, "Ah, it hurts.What are you doing?"

    She red at him coldly Maurice immediately loosened his grip and said expressionlessly, "I¡¯m angry

    for you."

    "But¡­ Although Mr.Moran is a weird guy, he is fair when ites to handling issues.He punished the

    design director without hesitation just because she framed me.And when I got wet, he lent me his

    coat¡­"

    Maurice¡¯s expression softened a little At least, she still remembered the good things he did for her.

    Eliana sighed.

    "I hope I¡¯ll be luckier from now on and won¡¯t meet him again." Maurice sneered.

    ¡®Not see me again? In your dreams!¡¯

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    Chapter 27

    "Who are you going to eat it with? The people who arranged a birthday surprise for you?" Maurice

    asked coldly.

    How could she leave him alone for the second time for the sake of the same people? Eliana nodded

    without hesitation.

    "Yes, of course! I want to eat my birthday cake with the people who are very important to me."

    "Is it your boyfriend?" Maurice gritted his teeth.

    "Yes, they are my little lovers!"

    She did not notice his anger at all.She quickly picked up some of the frosting from the cake and was

    about to smear it on his handsome face.

    But Maurice easily dodged her sneaky attack.He then held her hand tightly.

    Since Eliana could not free herself from his grasp, she pounced on him.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist, and the frosting was smeared on the tip of

    his nose.

    Seeing that, Eliana burst intoughter.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Sneering at her, Maurice leaned closer.

    But Eliana noticed that the frosting from his nose was about to touch her face, so she screamed and

    pushed him away.

    Maurice rarely ever saw such a lively side of her, which made him smile.

    "Ouch!"

    But then she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her ankle, staggered, and was about to fall down.

    Maurice quickly pulled her into his arms and asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "My foot is hurting." Eliana frowned.

    "I sprained my ankle when I was at work."

    ¡®In the golf course? Why hasn¡¯t she recovered yet?¡¯

    "I¡¯ll take you to the hospital."

    "No!" Eliana hastily stopped him.

    "Hospitals are too expensive!"

    "How poor is she?¡¯, Maurice snickered.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t Gerald pay her?¡¯ Thinking that, he suddenly leaned forward and carried her in his arms.

    "It will cost you a lot more if you dy treating such injuries."

    Hearing that, Eliana felt that his words did make sense.

    In the hospital.

    The doctor examined her foot and said that her bones were slightly dislocated, and that she would

    have to get treatment.

    Eliana red at the doctor, wanting to refuse.

    "Will it hurt? If it¡¯s going to hurt, then I don¡¯t want it!" The doctor frowned disapprovingly.

    "You will have to endure the pain.If you don¡¯t get it treated right away, then you might not be able to

    walk well in the future." Eliana shook her head.

    She did not want pretend like she was overreacting, but in reality, she was really afraid of pain.

    Seeing that, the doctor became a little impatient, turned to Maurice, raised her hand, and said, "Don¡¯t

    just stand there.Come and hold your wife¡¯s leg, and do not let her move."

    Eliana retorted hastily, "I¡¯m not his wife!"

    It was true that she was not his wife, but he was the father of her children.

    "Oh, so you¡¯re still boyfriend and girlfriend?" the doctor asked.

    ncing at Preston, Eliana answered, "No¡­ Not really."

    "Then what¡¯s your rtionship?"

    The doctor tried to distract her by asking her casual questions while she swiftly moved her hands to

    treat her.Eliana subconsciously tried to move her leg away from the doctor, but Maurice held it firmly.

    "Sit tight," he said coldly.

    She had nowhere to go, so she buried her face in his arms.

    He felt her delicate face rubbing against his chest under his shirt, which caused him to stiffen

    subconsciously.

    When she pinched his arm, he felt her body trembling.

    The doctor quickly finished setting her bone.

    "All right.Take rest, and don¡¯t strain yourself too much."

    ¡±Thank you."

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, brushing away the sweat on her forehead.She then gently moved her

    ankle.

    The doctor looked at her with a smile.

    "Are you that afraid of pain? How are you going to give birth to children?"

    A long timeter, Eliana said, "I won¡¯t give birth to kids."

    Deep down, she thought that Aileen and Adrian were enough for her.

    "You¡¯two are a handsome couple, so I am sure that your kids would turn out to be beautiful."

    It was true, indeed.

    Thinking of her adorable children, Eliana agreed with the doctor, but she did not say it out loud Soon,

    Maurice held Eliana in his arms and left the hospital.

    She seemed to be angry on their way back, and he could not figure out why "What do you do that

    made you both angry and injured?"

    Maurice asked indifferently.

    Eliana instantly turned into an angry cat that was waiting for an opportunity to vent its anger.

    "It¡¯s all my boss¡¯ fault! He insisted on monopolizing an elevator, and that caused me to bete this

    morning! And because of that, he pu?ished me by making me pick up golf b***s for him.

    I ran all over the golf course to pick up the b***s, in the scorching sun.

    I got drenched by the sprinklers and sprained my ankle!"

    Maurice immediately sensed that something was wrong.

    She was not angry at Gerald; she was angry with him! ¡®What is wrong with her? Why would she only

    remember me treating her badly?¡¯ "What do you think, Preston? Wasn¡¯t he being too cruel to me? What

    a lunatic!"

    Eliana was so angry that her face was red Maurice¡¯s expression darkened when he heard that He

    tightened his grip on her hand, and she immediatelyined, "Ah, it hurts.

    What are you doing?"

    She red at him coldly Maurice immediately loosened his grip and said expressionlessly, "I¡¯m angry

    for you."

    "But¡­ Although Mr.Moran is a weird guy, he is fair when ites to handling issues.

    He punished the design director without hesitation just because she framed me.

    And when I got wet, he lent me his coat¡­"

    Maurice¡¯s expression softened a little At least, she still remembered the good things he did for her.

    Eliana sighed.

    "I hope I¡¯ll be luckier from now on and won¡¯t meet him again."

    Maurice sneered.

    ¡®Not see me again? In your dreams!¡¯

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28

    Chapter 28 I¡¯ve Seen The Ring Before

    It was almost after midnight Maurice was sitting by the French window in his riverside vi, browsing

    through the documents in hisptop.

    Corbin rushed to him in a hurry and reported, "Mr, Moran, Gerald¡¯s men were spotted around the old

    mansion.And I am sure that they must be looking for that ring."

    "Whatever."

    Maurice did not even raise his head.His uncle¡¯s efforts would bepletely futile.His men had already

    searched the old mansion, and they did not find a thing.

    Thus, he didn¡¯t think that his uncle would find any clue.

    Once Maurice was done looking at the documents, he subconsciously clicked on a photo.

    A gentle-looking woman was holding a child.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    There was a ring on her finger in the picture.

    Maurice unconsciously erged the ring in the photo several times.

    The ring had a very simple design all over.It was frosted, and decorated with natural gemstones and

    quaint patterns.

    Besides the fact that it was the thing that his mother had left him, it was also something that

    represented the supreme power of his family.

    If someone had really taken it on purpose, then they would have enough power on their hands to turn

    the situation around in the corporate world.

    "Eh? I¡¯ve seen this ring before."

    A child¡¯s weak voice attracted their attention.

    Ss stood beside Maurice as he gazed at the screen, tilting his head.

    Maurice immediately erged the ring in the picture again, showed it to him, and asked seriously,

    "Have you really seen it before? Where did you see it?"

    However, Ss snorted and turned around.

    "I forgot."

    "Ss."

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at him.

    Seeing that he was about to lose his temper, Corbin immediately pulled Ss away, and said, "The ring

    is ancient, and I doubt Mr.Gorman ever saw it."

    He winked at Ss, who rolled his eyes at him.

    Seeing that, Corbin was embarrassed.

    ¡®Well, I did it for nothing, I guess.! ¡°

    "Ss is not a child who would talk nonsense."

    Maurice¡¯s mellow voice came, and Ss became stiff for a moment before he slowly lifted his head and

    looked at his uncle.

    "Don¡¯t pretend like you know me well!"

    With a sigh, Maurice reached out to touch Ss¡¯s head.

    However, Ss turned away, dodging him.

    Maurice smiled and ordered Corbin, "Go and check if he¡¯s right.I want you to investigate everyone he¡¯s

    met, including his kindergarten ssmates."

    "Yes, sir!"

    Saying that, Corbin nodded and left.

    Maurice lowered his eyes and rubbed his fingers.

    All of a sudden, he remembered the two children he had seen Ss talking to at the bakery¡­ Did the

    ring have anything to do with those kids? Meanwhile, Eliana opened the door, and saw that it was dark

    inside.

    ¡®Are they all asleep?¡¯ She felt guilty.

    A lot had happened since that morning, and she hade homete.

    Hence, she could not spend time with her children.She did not notice that the room door was open, and

    warm light wasing from the gap.

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    "Mommy! Happy birthday!"

    Adrian¡¯s and Aileen¡¯s voice sounded like music to her ears.She turned around in surprise and saw the

    twins holding a big cake in their hands with candles on it.

    Their eyes were glowing with joy and their smiles were beautifully innocent.

    Moved by their love, Eliana smiled at him.She wanted to help them put the cake on the table, but

    Adrian shook his head firmly.

    "Mommy, it¡¯s your birthday today, and you must not do anything.Let us do everything for you!"

    "That¡¯s right! Let us do it!"

    Aileen nodded in agreement.

    Eliana¡¯s nose twitched and tears welled up in her eyes.

    The kids put the cake down on the table gently, turned around, and held Eliana¡¯s hands as they walked

    her to the table.

    "Mommy, sit down! Eliana sat down in front of the cake with a smile.After taking a careful look at it, she

    raised her eyebrows in surprise.It looked just like the one that Preston had prepared for her.

    ¡®What a coincidence! "This is the cake that Ss got you, and he wanted us to let you know that he also

    wishes you a very happy birthday!" Adrian exined.

    "If only he was here to eat the cake with us!" Aileen grinned sweetly.

    Eliana¡¯s heart softened at once.

    She held her kids lovingly, and said, "I love your surprise a lot.Thank you, my darlings."

    Aileen jumped up and kissed her on the cheek.

    Adrian also smiled, and after singing the birthday song with his sister, he urged, "Mommy, make a wish!

    Hurry!"

    Eliana slowly closed her eyes, enjoying the happy moment! Aileen and Adrian were really a gift from

    God.

    No matter what difficulties she was facing, she was determined to protect them and help them grow up

    peacefully.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    Chapter 29

    Eliana¡¯s work life became peaceful after Gabrielle was fired However, jobs were alwaysplicated,

    and soon, new troubles came her-way.

    Just when she was on her way to the pantry to take a break, she heard a nasty rumor.

    "I still can¡¯t believe that Mr: Moran actually got angry for the sake of a woman."

    "Don¡¯t you know¡­ Mr.Moran was the one that helped Eliana pour coffee on Gabrielle?"

    "Eliana is such a sneaky b***h! Although she¡¯s new to thepany, she has already h****d up with the

    CEO and kicked out her immediate superior Overhearing their discussion, Eliana became furious.

    She felt the urge to storm in and hand each of them a pen, because she felt that they would be better-

    scriptwriters than designers.

    But then, a voice was heard

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡®Now that the design director is gone, who is going to take the documents to Mr.Moran for approval?

    Hearing that the women looked at each other.

    Neither of them wanted to face Maurice, their cold and ruthless CEO.

    Eliana sensed a bad feeling in her gut! She quickly put back the coffee cup, walked out of the Design

    Department and pressed the elevator button But before the elevator stopped on her floor, Rachel, the

    woman who had just spoken in the pantry, stood in front of Eliana with a document in her hand.

    With a wicked smile, Rachel said, "Eljana, everyone knows about your special rtionship with

    Mr.Moran.From now on, you have to take the documents to him for approval."

    Then she reached out, intending to hand the document to Eliana.

    "I¡¯m really not familiar with Mr.Moran."

    Saying that with a perfunctory smile; Eliana pushed the document back towards her.

    Maurice was thest person she wanted to contact.

    The next second, her phone rang.

    "Why hasn¡¯t the document from the Design Departmente to Mr.Moran¡¯s office yet?"

    Recognizing Corbin¡¯s voice over the phone, Eliana was stunned.

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    "Are you really asking me?"

    "Oh, Mr.Moran asked you to be responsible for bringing the documents of your department to him from

    now on.Hurry up.Don¡¯t make him wait too long," Corbin replied bluntly, as if it were her duty.

    He then quickly hung up before Eliana could say anything i She was speechless and confused.

    ¡°Good heavens!¡¯ She had cleaned his office first; then she had picked up the golf b***s for him, and

    now, she had to bring documents to him.

    It seemed so easy for Maurice to boss her around.

    Suppressing her anger, Eliana looked up and met Rachel¡¯s knowing look.

    It was more awkward for her now as it was harder for her to exin her rtionship with Maurice.

    "Didn¡¯t I tell you that you¡¯re the right person to take the document to him? The Design Department is

    counting on you!" Rachel said, put her hands together and smiled, pretending to plead.

    She then immediately ran back to her desk.

    Eliana was about to run after her when the elevator stopped at the Design Department Massaging her

    forehead, she cursed her bad luck.

    After hesitating for a moment, she got in the elevator, and braced herself as she ascended to the top

    floor, unimpeded by anyone.

    Maurice¡¯s office door was slightly open, and she heard someone¡¯s voiceing from inside.

    "Mr.Moran! Please show mercy!"

    A middle-aged man was kneeling down in front of Maurice.

    "The moment mypany goes bankrupt, my son will be doomed! He is still young, and is currently

    receiving chemotherapy treatment at the hospital.Please don¡¯t cut off his medical expenses! Mr.Moran,

    how can you bear to¡­" the man pleaded, grabbing Maurice¡¯s pant leg.

    However, Maurice kicked him brutally, and he fell to the floor, crying pitifully.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were as cold as a block of ice as he stood straight in front of him, unmoved.

    Seeing that, Eliana began to shake uncontrobly in fear, and mped her hand against her mouth, not

    daring to make a sound.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30

    Chapter 30 An Assassination

    As Eliana¡¯s eyes fell on the haggard middle-aged man begging and crawling piteously at Maurice¡¯s

    foot, all dignity thrown aside, she inevitably recalled herte father, Lemuel Pierce.His death came

    without warning, hitting her like a bolt from the blue.

    But that wasn¡¯t the end of everything: following his sudden death, the Pierce Group fell into bankruptcy

    and Eliana¡¯s mother took her own life.

    In just a sh, Eliana¡¯s world came crashing around her.She lost everything in the blink of an eye,

    falling from the luxury of heaven and tumbling down straight into the fiery, miserable pits of hell.

    The Moran Group emerged as the ultimate beneficiary and bought the Pierce Group at an insultingly

    low price, thereby ending the Pierce Group¡¯s existence once and for all.

    Recalling her past tragedy, she suddenly found it hard to breathe.

    A pair of invisible hands clenched her heart tight, gripping and crushing it without mercy.

    Difort pricked her like tiny needles plunging into her flesh.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana¡¯s gaze grew slightly blurry as she trembled.

    She peeked through the small crack of the ajar door, her frightened gaze fixated anxiously on Maurice¡¯s

    ever cold, ever emotionless visage.

    Did he once treat her father the same heartless way he treated the pleading middle-aged man? Was he

    responsible for ruthlessly destroying her father¡¯s will to live on? Was he the catalyst that pushed her

    originally happy family off the cliff, spelling their doom? As these thoughts raced through her

    increasingly frantic mind, Maurice¡¯s sharp eyes turned to the door.

    His frigid voice was like thesh of a whip.

    "Who is it? Enter!"

    Eliana found herself shivering involuntarily, so much that the document in her hand slipped out of her

    shaky grip.

    Panic struck her immediately.She grabbed it as fast as she could but she identally pushed the door

    wide open and put herself under Maurice¡¯s daunting scrutiny.

    His eyes were daggers.

    She forced down her growing anxiety and tried to calm her screaming nerves.

    Giving her utmost best to put on a straight face that revealed nothing, she handed Maurice the

    document.

    "Mr.Moran, I need you to sign this document."

    Subconsciously, her eyes swept across the kneeling middle-aged man.He looked anguished and

    thoroughly ashamed of the humiliation forced upon him.

    Yet, he bottled all of his resentment and remained kneeling motionlessly on the floor, perhaps as he

    understood full well that he was without any choice.

    A pang of guilt struck Eliana as her gaze softened in pity.

    The poor man! He wasn¡¯t debasing himself because he had no dignity.

    Far from it! The burden of family forced his hand, and he must sacrifice were he to protect the

    livelihood of his children.

    Maurice was soon done with signing the document.

    As he looked up, he took notice of Eliana¡¯s line of sight.

    Seeing the obvious sympathy brimming in her saddened eyes, he clicked his tongue and sneered in

    disdain, "Mind your eyes, Eliana."

    His harsh reprimand startled her.

    She wanted to say something, but suddenly, she felt as though a particrly sharp, pesky and sad

    stone was stuck in her throat.

    With great difficulty, she braved herself to speak, although her words came out in a terrified stammer.

    "Mr.Moran¡­ Y-you may be rich and powerful, but you can¡¯t trample on people¡¯s dignity so."

    "Fool."

    At her words, Maurice¡¯s face darkened in an instant.

    A storm brewed in his eyes, promising theing of great wrath that could destroy everything.

    "How could you actually believe such a flimsy lie?"

    Eliana, for her part, had never seen him so intimidating towards her.

    She shrank, her fear growing by the second.

    Maurice forced himself to draw in a deep breath.

    How could the people sent by Gerald be idiotic to this extent? Or was she perhaps too good of an

    actor? Eliana was hesitant, uncertain of what to think.

    Would anyone really lie about his family¡¯s conditions without a second thought? With this in mind, she

    couldn¡¯t stop herself from sparing another concerned nce at the middle-aged man.

    Though he was kneeling on the floor, his right hand was buried in his pocket, and his posture was oddly

    stiff and awkward.

    Eliana was busy dwelling in her uncertainty when the middle-aged man suddenly leaped forward,

    roaring like a madman, "Maurice! Go to hell!"

    A cold light gleamed in the air as he finally took out his right hand from his pocket.

    As it turned out, the middle-aged man held a sharp dagger in hand.

    With a vicious swing, he stabbed Maurice and pushed the dagger hard into Maurice.

    Immediately, blood drained out of Eliana¡¯s face and fear engulfed her very being.

    But before she could react, she felt something closing around her waist and lifting her up.

    Her surroundings began to spin as she was pushed out of danger.

    The dagger brushed past her, missing her by mere inches.

    Hints of phantom pain assaulted her.

    A sharp de of wind seemed to have shed her tender skin, the sensation cold and painful Out of

    instinct, she hurried to touch the wound.

    Upon doing so, she quickly realized that she was unhurt and the wound never existed in the first ce.

    "Argh!"

    A pained howl grabbed her attention.She turned her head swiftly, only to be greeted with the sight of

    Maurice kicking the middle-aged man away as hard as he could.

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    The man¡¯s body smashed into the tea table, sending the cups on it falling down and crashing

    unceremoniously on his head.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31

    Chapter 31 Danger Follows

    Maurice made a phone call.

    ¡°Send some guards upstairs now.¡±

    Nestling in his arms, Eliana looked up and stared at his handsome profile. Her heart started pounding

    against her chest, and she couldn¡¯t decide whether it was because of fear or something else entirely.

    The mix of Maurice¡¯s breath and cologne overwhelmed her and stirred something that had long been

    shrouded in her memory. His smell¡­ It was familiar.

    Eliana surely had scented it before. Maurice looked at her with his deep eyes: His sharp gaze instantly

    stopped her wild thoughts, ¡°Th¡­ thank you, Mr. Moran.¡±

    She coughed awkwardly, feeling embarrassed She stood up for the bad guy just now, but now she felt

    like she had been-pp¨¥d hard in the face. Maurice let go of her and nced at her up and down.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana froze-and looked at him in disbelief. His words were full of concern, and the

    situation they were in right now was giving her a serious case of deja vu. Maurice¡¯s eyes looked exactly

    like Preston¡¯s.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Maurice frowned.

    ¡°Nothing.I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Feeling ridiculous, Eliana hurriedly averted-her gaze. The middle-aged man struggled to get up and

    attempted to teach for the d¨¡gger with his trembling hand.

    When he was about to touch the hilt of the dagger, he grinned wildly, but the next moment, his

    expression stiffened. A well-made leather-shoe stamped firmly on the dagger. The middle-aged man

    raised his head and looked up at Maurice whose face was gloomy.

    ¡°Your child is receiving chemotherapy? Then tell me his specific symptoms, the doctor¡¯s official

    diagnosis, and the side-effects of the chemotherapy,¡± Maurice¡¯s questions were cold and hard, which

    rendered the middle aged man speechless. Eliana was stunned and slowly understood what was

    happening Maurice kicked the dagger far away and looked at her.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a child who is receiving chemotherapy at all. Only brainless people would believe

    such a lie.¡± Her face flushing red, Eliana lowered her head in embarrassment, and clenched the hem of

    her blouse.

    After a few moments, the guards Maurice sent for came bursting through the door and quickly subdued

    the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man struggled desperately and roared, ¡°Maurice! You devil!

    You will be punished! You will die a horrible death¡­ You bas¡­¡±

    His curse got stuck in his throat as the guards gagged him and dragged him away like a rabid, muzzled

    dog. Maurice stared at the dazed Eliana who saw the guards leave, and his eyes darkened.

    ¡°If you¡¯re curious as to what will happen to that man, you may follow the guards and find out. Hearing

    that, Eliana immediately looked away and sped her hands in front of her. She stood up straight and

    behaved like a little girl who had just been scolded by her parents. Amused, Maurice let a smile tug on

    his lips and handed the signed document to Eliana. She took it with both hands and looked up at him

    secretly.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, why did that man try to kill you?¡±

    ¡°Many people want to kill me.¡± Maurice didn¡¯t take the question seriously and sneered.

    ¡°Wherever I go, danger follows.¡± He looked at Eliana and shed her a knowing smile. Would this

    woman be one of the dangers that would tail him? Flustered by Maurice¡¯s gaze, Eliana lowered

    her head, and made her way out of his office, holding the signed document.

    When she returned to her desk, she still felt uneasy and couldn¡¯t focus on her work, which led to her

    inefficiency. She pinched the bridge of her nose to relieve some of the headache hertest interaction

    with Maurice had brought on.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Corbin suddenly called from far away. The whole Design Department fell silent, but surely,

    whatever was about to happen would turn into hot office gossip once Corbin turned his back.

    ¡°Mr. Moran sent his assistant to look for Eliana again¡± Her colleagues shared the news in an online

    group.

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    ¡°Mr. Jenkins.¡± Eliana stood up and greeted Corbin politely. Corbin handed her a sheet with a stack of

    receipts on the back.

    ¡°Mr. Moran is going to attend a party this evening. Please pick up the clothes he needs. Here¡¯s the

    addresses!¡± Eliana was speechless.

    Again? Why did Maurice always insist on making her pick up his things? Did he hire her to be his

    nanny? She tried to decline politely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Jenkins, but I still have a lot of work to do¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s also your job to serve Mr. Moran, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Corbin rudely interrupted her.

    ¡°Pick up the clothes or quit. Your choice.¡± Eliana clenched her fists. What a vengeful man! How could

    such a narrow-minded, power-tripping person be the CEO of a hugepany?

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32

    Chapter 32 Robbing Others

    ¡°I''ll go.¡±

    Eliana felt aggrieved, but she knew that she had topromise. It was because she still had not found

    out the secret behind the Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy, and she needed money to raise her kids. She

    could not afford to lose her job now. She took the sheet and read it with a frown.

    A suit, a shirt, a tie, cufflinks¡­ Everything was to be purchased from a different store, and each store

    was in a different district.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, these¡­ When will Mr. Moran be needing them?¡± she asked through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Six o¡¯clock,¡± Corbin replied with a smile. Eliana looked up at the clock and saw that it was already half

    past three in the afternoon. If she stayed there for even a minute longer, she would not be able toe

    back before six o¡¯clock.

    Pushing Corbin out of the way, she grabbed her bag, and rushed out. At half past five, she still had one

    more item left to get. Holding a pile of bags, she ran into the luxury women¡¯s clothing store, and

    showed the receipt to the shop assistant. After checking the receipt, the woman looked at her in

    surprise.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Eliana tried to catch a breath while holding the counter.

    The woman replied in a respectful tone, ¡°Mr. Moran said that you need to try on the dress.¡±

    ¡°I should try it on?¡± Eliana asked in confusion.

    ¡°Why?¡± ¨C She figured that Maurice must have ordered the dress for his date for the party. But that didn¡¯t

    have anything to do with her. The shop assistant seemed to be in a dilemma.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know the details. But you can¡¯t take it with you unless you try it on first¡­¡± Eliana was

    speechless, looking at the clock ticking away in front of her. She thought that perhaps, Maurice¡¯s date

    was the same size as her.

    A momentter, the shop assistant led Eliana to the fitting room. After a few minutes, Eliana pushed

    open the door and looked at herself in the mirror. It was a pure white off shoulder dress with

    embroidered corners. The gold thread on the edges of the dress made it look all the more delicate and

    elegant. Her curves were tightly wrapped in that dress, enhancing her beauty. She casually coiled her

    long hair, revealing her smooth neck.

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    Eliana was stunningly gorgeous with full red lips and bright eyes. Her pretty face and perfect figure

    instantly caught everyone¡¯s eye. And Asher was one of them. He never thought that he would meet

    Eliana again in a ce like that. Looking at her, he felt that she was growing more beautiful each day,

    and could not take his eyes off her. All of a sudden, he felt a sharp sting in his arm. Erica screamed in

    jealousy, ¡°Honey! What are you looking at?¡±

    Asher coughed, hiding his amazement. He then said in a serious tone, ¡°That dress seems a lot like it

    was designed by Aurora. Don¡¯t you like that style?¡±

    ¡°You know me well, honey!¡± Covering her mouth, Erica smiled. Holding Asher¡¯s arm, she approached

    Eliana.

    ¡°Let¡¯s buy this one.¡±

    Upon hearing the disgusting familiar voice, Eliana turned around with a frown. She cursed her luck for

    stumbling upon them. At the same time, Erica red at Eliana fiercely.

    ¡°This b***h is so lucky! Five years ago, I tossed her into the sea, but she did not die! When Ist saw

    her at the airport, I thought that I was looking at a ghost!¡¯ Erica was not bothered by the fact that Eliana

    was still alive, but she became furious when she thought that Eliana must havee there topete

    with her for Asher¡¯s love. Erica looked away and pointed at the dress that Eliana was wearing.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take this one. Ask her to take it off, and don¡¯t forget to disinfect it,¡± she said to the shop assistant.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. This is a customized dress, and there is only one such piece,¡± the shop assistant

    exined and quickly stood between the two women. Erica was about to lose her temper when she

    heard that. How could a mere shop assistant refuse her?

    Eliana sneered, ¡°Looks like you still like robbing others. And you don¡¯t care whether you steal men or

    clothes.¡±

    Although she was only stating facts, her words infuriated Erica. Erica pushed the shop assistant away,

    rushed to Eliana, and roared harshly, ¡°Eliana! Don¡¯t confuse right and wrong! You slept with a gigolo

    and cheated on Asher first.¡±

    Eliana was so angry that she could not help bursting intoughter. She red at the woman in front of

    her and hissed, ¡°Have you forgotten that you admitted that it was all your plot right before you threw me

    into the sea?¡± Her gaze sent a chill down Erica¡¯s spine. She grabbed Asher¡¯s hand in fear, and was

    about to ask him for help. But he looked at her suspiciously and asked, ¡°What Eliana said¡­ Is it true?¡±

    How could Asher suspect her now? Anger and jealousy engulfed Erica¡¯s heart.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33

    Chapter 33 He Also Had A Scar

    All of a sudden, there was a sound of cloth tearing.

    Eliana¡¯s dress was cut, ¡°Ah!¡± the shop assistant screamed in horror.

    With a cold expression, Eliana red at Erica, and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Erica yed with the sharp hairpin in her hand with a smile. ¡°You can¡¯t have what I can¡¯t get.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana asked calmly, ¡°Did you think that you won¡¯t have to pay for it?¡±

    Thinking of Erica¡¯s stupidity for ripping apart the expensive dress that Maurice had ordered, Eliana

    could not help butugh in her heart. Erica raised her chin and said in an arrogant tone, ¡°It¡¯s just a

    piece of rag. I¡¯llpensate for it. Do you think I am as poor as you are?¡±

    The shop assistant shouted, ¡°Ma¡¯am, this dress is worth three million dors!¡±

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡°What?¡± Startled, Erica grabbed the shop assistant¡¯s arm and red at her.

    ¡°You two must have conspired with each other to deceive me, right? Believe it or not, I will call the

    police!¡±.

    Upon hearing that, Eliana sneered, ¡°Go ahead. Call the cops. I would like to see who gets arrested.¡±

    Erica was so furious that she could not speak fluently. ¡°Y-you! Where did you even get the money to

    buy such an expensive dress? I am sure you just h****d up with a rich guy!¡±

    Asher¡¯s expression darkened as he warned, ¡°Erica, stop it!¡±

    Eliana turned to the shop assistant and ordered coldly, ¡°Check the surveince video and call the

    police.¡±

    The shop assistant nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it right now!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Asher stopped the shop assistant in a hurry.

    ¡°We¡¯llpensate for it.¡±

    Seeing that, Erica was mad.

    ¡°I won¡¯tpensate!¡±

    ¡°Stop it, Erica! You¡¯re the one that started it. And what did Eliana mean when she said that she was

    thrown into the sea? What exactly happened?¡±

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    Erica lost her momentum the moment she heard that, and faltered. She had set Eliana up by making

    her h**k up with a gigolo, and had thrown her into the ocean.

    However, Asher was still clueless about these matters. If that had not been the case, then he would not

    have married her so soon. He could not help but shake his head seeing Erica behave like that. But he

    knew that she would not tell him the truth at the store. All the customers in the shop gave them a

    disdainful look as they talked about them in whispers, Asher had no choice but to take out his bank

    card and pay for the dress before he grabbed Erica¡¯s arm and walked out of there.

    And Eliana didn¡¯t even bother to look at them. She took off the dress, and looking at the long cut on it,

    she was lost in thought.

    ¡°What should we do now? Although they paid for the dress, it is still torn. Will Mr, Moran¡­¡± The shop

    assistant seemed to be desperate.

    ¡°Do you have a sewing kit?¡± Eliana asked, looking at her. The shop assistant looked at her in surprise

    before she reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to repair it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a designer, so you can be rxed.¡± Eliana gave her a reassuring smile.

    The shop assistant hesitated for a while before she brought her the sewing kit. Although Eliana finished

    repairing the dress at her best speed, it still took her some time. By the time she returned to Maurice¡¯s

    office, it was exactly six o¡¯clock. With a straight face, Corbin pushed her into the CEO¡¯s office, and said,

    ¡°Please go in. Mr. Moran is waiting for you.¡±

    Before Eliana could react, he mmed the door shut behind her.

    ¡°Mr¡­Mr. Moran, your clothes¡­¡± Eliana stammered, unable to speak. Maurice was justing out of

    the lounge A Scar Tidying his cor with one hand, he left his shirt unbuttoned, exposing his sculpted

    chest. The scar that fell across his chest destroyed the beauty of his muscles.

    Did she see it wrong? Or was there really a scar¡­ On Maurice¡¯s chest?

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34

    Chapter 34 Go To The Party

    ¡°Put down the clothes and go out.¡± Maurice turned around, instantly hiding his chest from Eliana¡¯s sight.

    She stopped in her tracks, but that nce frightened her.

    Why did Maurice have the same scar on his chest-as Preston? Could the man she had slept with five

    years ago be¡­ Eliana put the clothes bags on his big desk: Instead of leaving, she walked towards

    him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, is there anything else you want me to do?¡±

    Maurice turned around and looked at her coldly: ¡®Is she finally going to give herself away?¡¯ he

    wondered.

    Eliana was scared by his gaze, She was determined to find out about the true identity of the man she

    had slept with that night. Bracing herself in fear, she approached him slowly. Maurice suddenly grabbed

    her arm and pulled her into a warm embrace ¡ª- He wanted to see how far she was willing to go..

    However, Eliana was frightened. She felt her heart in her throat and began gasping for breath.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡°Eliana.¡± Maurice smiled-faintly, staring at her with his deep eyes, trying to bewitch her

    But she was profoundly scared, and almost bit her tongue: ¡°What¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    As he lifted her chin, making her look into his eyes, it seemed like the distance between them vanished.

    Panicking, Eliana leaned back to avoid meeting his eyes. In her eyes, he was the devil that was able to

    cast spells. She always felt that Preston was remarkable when:it came to seducing her, but she did not

    expect Maurice to be on par with him.

    Pinching her palm tightly, she looked down. Maurice¡¯s body was beautifully sculpted, and he looked like

    a Greek God. However¡­ The scar had disappeared from his chest. How could it be possible? She had

    seen it just a second ago! With her eyes wide open, Eliana tried to look deep into his clothes.

    But from where she was standing, it seemed like she was gazing at his crotch Maurice gritted his teeth,

    and asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Eliana replied subconsciously before she put her hands on his waist, wanting to pull his shirt.

    He held her hands, looked at her, and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You want it?¡±

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t! Don¡¯t get me wrong!¡± Eliana denied resolutely, looking at him, She quickly pushed Maurice

    away, but she continued to gaze at his chest.

    Maurice¡¯s gray tie was blocking her view. Did she hallucinate and think that the tie was a scar? Seeing

    her strange expression, Maurice narrowed his eyes at her. Until now, he had no clue that she was a

    lascivious woman. With an embarrassed smile, Eliana exined, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought that you had the

    same scar as my friend. I was mistaken.¡±

    Thinking of what she had just said, she felt that it was ridiculous. One man was a gigolo in a nightclub,

    and the other was the CEO of herpany. Even if they had something inmon, it was impossible

    for Maurice to be the man she had slept with five years ago. She assumed that she had been too busy

    lately, and that was probably the reason her judgment was a little faulty now.

    ¡°Really?¡± Maurice deliberately straightened his shirt and buttoned it up slowly. He looked at her

    strangely and asked, ¡°So this is the way you like to recognize people, huh? You take off their clothes

    when you meet them? What kind of friend is he?¡±

    Eliana understood what he meant and blushed.

    ¡°Just¡­ an ordinary friend!¡± She lowered her head, gritted her teeth, and tried to leave. But then,

    Maurice ordered coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t go. Wait here.¡±

    Eliana wanted to protest, but she could only hear the lounge door close. When Maurice opened the

    door again, he was wearing a suit for the party. He was serious and cold, but his delicate features

    made him look like a handsome prince. Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly felt a tie on her

    hand.

    ¡°Help me.¡± His voice was cold. She was stunned.

    ¡°What?¡± Maurice looked at her and asked in a low voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask if there is anything else I want

    you to do?¡±

    Hearing that, she remembered the casual excuse she just made, and approached him, holding the tie.

    She then stood on tiptoes and put the tie around the cor of Maurice¡¯s shirt. The refreshing scent of

    his cologne filled her nostrils. Maurice swallowed and asked, ¡°Do you know how to tie it?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eliana awkwardly tightened it and fastened the knot. She then blinked and answered

    honestly, ¡°Not really.¡±

    Maurice looked at her helplessly and grabbed her hands.

    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± With an awkward smile, Eliana stepped back and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have

    never worn a tie before.¡±

    She used to be so arrogant that she had not even worn a tie for Asher. Maurice raised his eyebrows at

    her and smiled inexplicably.

    ¡°Good.¡± Eliana felt relieved when she saw that he had put on his tie.

    ¡°Can I get off work now?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Maurice chuckled and blocked her way.

    ¡°Go to the party with me.¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35

    Chapter 35 Not Easy To Make Money

    Was Maurice joking?

    Eliana refused, saying, "Mr.Moran, I think that you should find someone else to go to the party with

    you."

    "That dress was made for you.Go inside and get changed," Maurice ordered bluntly.

    Hearing that, Eliana was shocked.It was no wonder that the dress fitted her so well.

    Was he nning on taking her to the party all along? Why did he never ask her about it? With a

    straight face, Eliana said, ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Mr.Moran, I can¡¯t go to the party with you."

    Maurice turned to look at her and saidzily, "I¡¯ll pay one hundred thousand dors as your reward."

    "What do you think I am?" Eliana shouted, ring at him.

    "Five hundred thousand dors, then, Maurice said in a calm tone.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana raised her eyebrows and gritted her teeth, retorting, "It¡¯s not a matter of money!"

    "How about one million dors? She took a deep breath.Wealthy people could do whatever they

    wanted.

    She then reached out her hand and said expressionlessly, "Give me the money first."

    Smart people would end up submitting to their fates eventually, and she was a single mom with two

    kids.

    For the sake of her kids, she thought that attending the dinner party for a price of one million dors

    was not a bad deal.

    Amused, Maurice looked at her and asked, "Are you really that short of money?"

    "Being poor is not shameful, is it?¡¯ Eliana smiled at him calmly.

    "After all, I would not be listening to you if I have enough money, right?"

    Maurice took out a check, wrote down a number, and handed it to her.

    "Hurry up,"he urged her coldly.

    A whileter, Eliana pushed open the lounge door Dressed in the white off-shoulder dress, she looked

    stunning.

    Her makeup was light, enhancing her natural delicate beauty.

    Maurice stopped breathing for a second, and there was a hint of burning desire in his eyes.

    "Beautiful."

    A voice of praise came from his side, and Corbin hade into the office to report something to him.

    Maurice nced at him coldly.

    Frightened by his re, Corbin immediately shut up.He figured that it was not the right time for him to

    come in, so he left the office.

    Eliana put her long hair behind her back and lifted the cor.

    When she looked up again, she saw Maurice standing in front of her, reaching out to her.

    "What are you doing?" she asked, vigntly taking a step back.

    Maurice ignored her as he slowly walked towards her, making her retreat to the wall.

    He gently stroked her shoulders with his slightly rough palm before he slowly moved it further down.

    His intimate touch made Eliana¡¯s heart clench, and her breath quicken.

    She turned around and wanted to run away, but Maurice suddenly put his arm on the wall, stopping

    her.

    "Don¡¯t move."

    Noticing that something was strange, she looked down.He actually was pinning a brooch on her dress,

    which had small diamonds surrounding a crescent-shaped ruby.

    The gorgeous brooch made her feel lively, like a flower that emitted intoxicating fragrance in the dark

    night.

    Maurice¡¯s expression grew unfathomable.

    But Eliana could only think of how expensive the brooch was.

    "Mr.Moran, this is too expensive¡­"

    She then raised her hand to take the brooch off, but he stopped her.

    "Don¡¯t degrade yourself.You¡¯re my date."

    Maurice¡¯s harsh words pierced into her heart.Her heart skipped a beat as she raised her head and

    looked into his eyes.

    Maurice¡¯s face was barely an inch away from hers, and he was smiling from his eyes.

    Eliana could see her own face reflected in his clear eyes! She was confused to see him like that.She

    couldn¡¯t see through him at all.

    At the gate of Boyo Hotel, a Maybach slowly stopped and the car door opened.

    A man stepped out of the car.He looked so dignified that he attracted everyone¡¯s attention.

    Maurice raised his arm and motioned for hispanion, Eliana, to hold his arm.

    However, Eliana took a step back and said, "I¡¯ll just follow you, okay? There¡¯s no need for me to hold

    your arm¡­"

    She sensed countless jealous and fierce eyes ring at her the moment she stepped out of the car.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Everyone knew that Maurice was capable and unreachable.

    As long as no one got to be with him, the world would be in peace.And if someone broke that rule, they

    would face a miserable life.

    "If you don¡¯t hold my arm, I will deduct the promised fee."

    Saying that, Maurice cast a cold nce at her.

    Without any hesitation, Eliana leaned over his shoulder and held his arm.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows at her, feeling satisfied.

    Eliana sighed in her heart.She felt that it was indeed difficult to satisfy him.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36

    Chapter 36 A Shield Holding

    Maurice¡¯s arm, Eliana walked into the party venue, causing quite a stir.

    Everyone turned to look at them.

    They were all powerful people in the businessmunity, so their gazes were quite frightening.

    Eliana felt her scalp tingle, and she unconsciously clenched his sleeve.

    Maurice nced at her and asked, "Are you scared?"

    Shaking her head, she was about to say something when someone interrupted.

    A middle-aged man slowly walked to Maurice.He had wrinkles, and his thin hair was neatlybed.He

    was wearing a typical suit that perfectly enhanced his steady demeanor.

    Maurice greeted him with a faint smile and said, "Uncle Gerald."

    "Is she your date?" Gerald looked at Eliana inquisitively.She smiled perfunctorily as she looked at

    him.She could not let Maurice lose face since she already made a deal with him.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Feeling a sudden warmth in her hand, she looked down and saw Maurice holding the back of her palm

    tofort her.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t I?"

    Maurice looked indifferently at Gerald.

    However, Gerald didn¡¯t look at nephew, and his heart skipped a beat when he realized how familiar

    Eliana looked.He had always been immune to theplexities in the corporate world, but her smile

    shattered his soul.

    Many years ago, a woman with the exact same bright eyes had smiled at him.

    However¡­ Thinking of the past, he controlled his emotions and said in a low voice, "Maurice, you¡¯re

    too willful! You knew the purpose of today¡¯s party, and yet you brought a date along!"

    Eliana heard him.

    "Am I not allowed to bring a date to our family party?" Maurice asked in a harsh voice.

    Gerald¡¯s expression darkened.

    "The very purpose of this party is to announce your engagement to the daughter of the Jarvis family.Did

    you bring her just to embarrass them?"

    ¡®Engagement?¡¯

    With her eyes wide open, Eliana subconsciously tried to shake off Maurice¡¯s hand.

    However, Maurice held her wrist tightly as though he was expecting it.

    Taking a deep breath, she red at him.It was obvious that he was using her as a shield.

    Any woman who was able to get married to a man like him should be from a powerful family, and

    Eliana did not want to get into trouble.

    "Uncle Gerald, don¡¯t worry about me."

    There was a hint of sarcasm in Maurice¡¯s mellow voice.

    "Besides, I know that you are the first one who wants this so-called engagement to fail."

    Gerald narrowed his eyes at Maurice, and their eyes met.The coldness between the two sent a chill in

    the air.

    Eliana felt goose-bumps all over her body.

    What did she do to get involved in such a situation? She was so hungry at that moment that her

    stomach growled.

    The confrontation between Maurice and Gerald suddenly stopped when they both looked at her.

    Embarrassed, Eliana covered her stomach with her hands.

    "You two¡­please go on."

    She turned around and wanted to run away, but Maurice caught her quickly.

    Sensing a sweet smell, she looked down and saw him holding a piece of cake in his hand.

    "Eat this," he said, handing it to her.

    They hade straight to the party after work, so she had no time to eat.

    Maurice was used to handling himself in such situations, but she was not.

    Eliana was slightly stunned, and the anger in her heart dissipated a little.

    "Mr.Moran, Maurice, you are both here!" A delicate voice came, drawing Gerald¡¯s attention.

    "Evelynn."Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Gerald looked at the woman with a gentle smile.

    "My father is looking for you.Can you talk to him?"

    Evelynn Jarvis was dressed a light green gown, which perfectly enhanced her outstanding figure.

    Her smile was bright, making her look beautiful and dignified.

    ncing at Maurice from the corner of his eye, Gerald sneered in his heart, but pretended to be kind.

    "Okay.You guys talk.I won¡¯t disturb you."

    Maurice was right.

    Gerald did not want him to have the Jarvis family¡¯s support Although Maurice seemed indifferent to the

    marriage, he was sophisticated.

    Hence, Gerald could not expose his trump cards yet.

    After walking to the second floor, Gerald took out his phone and called someone.

    "Are you ready?" he asked coldly.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37

    Chapter 37 True Love

    "Maurice, you used to like going up against your uncle when we were at school.It¡¯s been a long time

    since west met, but I can tell that you have not changed at all."

    For a moment, Evelynn nced at Eliana¡¯s hand that was holding Maurice¡¯s arm.She still smiled gently

    and then affectionately looked at Maurice.

    Everyone could tell that she admired him, but Maurice was unmoved by her affection as he watched

    Eliana eat the cake.

    Seeing that, Eliana almost choked.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    "Here, have some juice."

    Eliana looked up and found that Evelynn was handing a ss of juice to her with a concerned look in

    her eyes.Was she really that broad-minded? Since Eliana did not want to get in trouble or be

    misunderstood, she wanted to slip away.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    However, Maurice did not let go of her.He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and stuffed a ss of

    water into her hand.

    "Slow down," he said in an incredibly gentle voice.

    Eliana felt that she was not lucky enough to cherish his caring side because Evelynn¡¯s burning gaze

    made her feel ufortable.

    Slowly sipping the water, she tried her best to keep a distance from Maurice.

    Thinking that she was being sensible, Evelynn forced a smile.

    She then approached Maurice gracefully and said, "Maurice, today¡­"

    "If you have anything to say to me, then just say it."

    He looked at her coldly.

    Seeing that, Evelynn swallowed her warm words.She just looked at the man she had been missing for

    so many years in her heart.

    He was still handsome, but after being the CEO for many years, he was no longer the young man she

    once knew.

    Now, his abilities could not be concealed; he seemed a lot more mature; and he was a very unique

    choice for a husband.

    However, he was looking at her coldly while holding another woman in his arms.

    Jealousy and sadness surged from the bottom of her heart, about to erupt at any moment like a

    volcano.

    Gritting her teeth, she stared at Eliana before she said sweetly, "Thisdy doesn¡¯t seem very familiar to

    me.Which family is she from?"

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood, and was about to tell the truth.

    "I am Mr.Moran¡¯s¡­"

    "She is my woman," Maurice interrupted her.

    Eliana¡¯s heart thumped, and before she could react, Maurice held her waist affectionately.He then

    leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Drive her away, and the reward will be doubled."

    ¡®Doubled?¡¯ Eliana¡¯s beautiful eyes lit up at once.

    She would not have to worry about her children¡¯s expenses for another year with that kind of money.

    Evelynn looked at Maurice in shock.

    "Maurice, you¡¯re kidding, right?"

    "Maurice doesn¡¯t like to joke."

    Eliana chuckled coquettishly, almost melting Maurice¡¯s heart.He raised his eyebrows at her, and she

    wrapped her arms around his waist lovingly.Her graceful body clung to his.

    "At first, I also felt that the gap between us was too big, and that it was impossible for us to be

    together.But he was so persistent in his quest to be with me, and he has been really gentle and kind to

    me.He protected me in thepany and confessed his love to me on the golf course.Now, he¡¯s

    brought me to his family party.I don¡¯t think any woman can refuse a man like him."

    Maurice almost burst intoughter when he heard those words.

    Eliana described all the times that he had tortured her as an act of love.

    And she turned it into a good story and was acting well.

    Just as expected, the mask of gentleness on Evelynn¡¯s face slowly began to disappear and she

    warned, "Miss, do you know what kind of an asion this is? Do you know what will happen to you if

    you talk such nonsense?"

    ¡®How could Maurice even like this stupid woman?¡¯

    "Miss Jarvis, you are not as good as me in terms of looks and figure.And men are visual creatures.Do

    you really think that a man who has been used to eating delicacies his whole life would be willing to

    make do with just eating pickles?" Eliana asked with a sweet smile.

    Although she appeared to be gentle, there was a hint of coldness in her voice which infuriated Evelynn.

    Gritting her teeth, Evelynn tried her best to force a smile.

    "A pretty face and a good body are not the only things that a man wants in a woman.What¡¯s the use of

    having big b***s if you have no brains? The kind of woman that Maurice needs is someone who is

    talented, and can help him with his business."

    While saying those words, Evelynn ignored Eliana and gazed at Maurice.It did not seem that surprising

    that she wanted to marry Maurice.

    If it had been any normal girl, she would have gotten angry and left, but not only was Evelynn calm, she

    also had a strong will and was very eloquent.

    Eliana rolled her bright eyes, rested her chin on Maurice¡¯s shoulder, and whispered in his ear, "I¡¯ve tried

    my best, and she¡¯s not leaving.How about¡­ We give up?"

    Maurice looked down at her and smiled.

    "Go on."

    He was curious to see what more tricks she had up her sleeve.

    Upon hearing that, Eliana could not help but roll her eyes secretly.

    Looking a little aggrieved, she got close to Maurice with tears in her eyes.

    "I thought that Miss Jarvis was not an old-fashioned person, and I really believed that she would be

    able to understand that true love was what mattered the most in a rtionship.But I didn¡¯t expect¡­"

    "Don¡¯t cry.It really hurts me when you cry."

    Maurice also began to y along with her act.He gently touched her delicate cheek, wiping away her

    crocodile tears.

    When he felt her eyshes touch his fingertips, he could almost feel all the blood in his body rushing

    back to his heart.

    Eliana nced at Evelynn with pride.

    "I may not be able to help him with his business, but he really loves me¡­"

    Her words were felt like a huge thunder, crashing on Evelynn¡¯s heart.

    Before she coulde to her senses, she saw Eliana standing on tiptoes as she put her arms around

    Maurice¡¯s neck to kiss his lips.

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38

    Chapter 38 The Coming Kiss

    Maurice¡¯s sharp eyes were filled with coldness, but the very tip of his eyes curved up slightly, looking

    tempting.

    Whenever he smiled from theers of his lips, his thin lips appeared so alluring, making women want

    to kiss him.

    However, no one ever dared to approach him because of how cold he was.But Eliana had to kiss him

    now in order to finish her act.

    Anxiety grew in her heart as she saw Evelynn standing still while she moved her lips closer to

    Maurice¡¯s.

    And Maurice seemed to be really cool about her kissing him.

    Eliana could not drag it on for any longer.

    She nced at Evelynn shyly and asked, "Miss Jarvis, why are you still standing here? Are you going

    to watch us kiss?"

    Evelynn looked at Maurice and asked sadly, "Maurice, is she telling the truth? Do you really¡­"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice looked at her and frowned, his sharp gaze indicating that she was disturbing their kiss.

    Evelynn was shocked, and tears welled up in her eyes.She wanted to pretend like she was pitiful, but

    Eliana seemed to be better at it than she was.

    Eliana frowned, her eyes wet with tears as she pleaded, "Miss Jarvis, please don¡¯t make things difficult

    for Maurice."

    She then turned to him with an affectionate look and continued, "He is not saying anything now

    because of how close your families are.Sooner orter, he will announce that the woman he loves is¡­

    is¡­"

    Eliana suddenly felt words stuck in her throat.She could not continue to act any longer and wanted to

    retreat.

    "Eliana."

    Maurice¡¯s maic voice instantly rendered her brain numb.She was stunned for a moment before she

    looked at Maurice whose eyes¡¯ were full of banter.

    "Well done."

    Subconsciously, Eliana looked to the other side and found that Evelynn had left in a fit of pique.She

    maintained a straight posture, looking dignified.

    However, the big blow had caused her to be in a hurry.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to leave.But Maurice continued to hold her waist.

    She reminded him, "Mr.Moran, you can let go of me now."

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Maurice looked at her with his deep eyes, which made her feel like she could drown in them.

    "Since you¡¯ve started, why don¡¯t you keep up the act till the end?"

    "No, no¡­"

    Eliana shook off his hand, blushing.

    "I¡­ I¡¯ll find something to eat."

    Saying that, she ran away.

    The banquet hall of Boyo Hotel was huge, and there was a table full of delicious desserts.

    While Eliana was enjoying the desserts, someone suddenly handed her a piece of tiramisu.

    "This is the hotel¡¯s specialty.Have a try," Wyatt exined with a smile.

    Eliana immediately recognized him as the man Maurice had yed golf with that day.

    Wyatt was dressed in a neat suit and a tie, which made him look dashing andposed.His handsome

    faint smile made him look like azy, spoiled man from a rich family.

    "Hello."

    Eliana greeted him politely, but she didn¡¯t take the tiramisu.

    Wyatt didn¡¯t mind that at all.His eyes lit up as he looked at her admiringly.

    "You look gorgeous today."

    "Thank you." Eliana smiled.

    "I had to dress up in order to act for Mr.Moran."

    Wyatt turned away and said, "It seems that your boss is very busy.If I were him, I would ignore my work

    and pay attention to you¡­"

    Eliana looked in the direction of his gaze.

    Maurice was standing straight and talking to a middle-aged man, holding a goblet in his hand.

    The middle-aged man stooped, ttering Maurice so openly.

    All of a sudden, the man turned around, and Eliana recognized him immediately.

    ¡®Hodge Chadwick?¡¯

    Eliana wanted to step forward, but stopped.

    Hodge used to be her father¡¯s right-hand man.

    Could he know about the inside information from back then?

    "Hodge used to be an important figure in Pierce Group back then.I heard that Lemuel, the CEO of

    Pierce Group, valued him a lot.Look at him ttering your boss like an obedient dog!" Wyatt said

    sarcastically.

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank, but she pretended to be calm and replied, "A single pir is not enough to support

    a copsing building.I guess he didn¡¯t have a choice."

    "Indeed.Pierce Group had some illegal operations in the assets merger, which gave the Moran Group a

    good opportunity to take over Pierce Group.But Lemuel was pitiful.He didn¡¯t have to die, but he was

    just so disobedient¡­"

    Wyatt said in a regretful tone.

    Shocked, Eliana almost lost her bnce.Had Hodge and Maurice worked together to destroy the

    Pierce Group? Had they forced her father to die? Feeling a sudden chill, she began to tremble.

    After talking to Maurice for a while, Hodge nodded, bowed, and turned around, walking to the door.

    With her eyes fixed on him, Eliana took a difficult step forward.She must ask Hodge what had

    happened all those years ago.

    However, Wyatt stopped her and asked in confusion, "What¡¯s the matter with you? You don¡¯t look too

    good."

    "Let go."

    Without any hesitation, Eliana pushed him away and strode purposefully towards Hodge.

    However, Hodge had already left the banquet hall by then.

    Lifting up her dress, she rushed out of the hall.She saw many people entering and exiting, but she

    could not find Hodge at all.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39

    Chapter 39 Extreme Cold And Heat

    Eliana tried to hold back her tears.

    Since she couldn¡¯t find Hodge, she decided to ask Maurice directly.

    Turning around, she went back to the banquet hall.

    In the hall, people mingled, crystal sses in their hands.

    Waiters and waitresses were shuttling among the guests, serving them.

    After talking to an elderly man, Maurice walked to the table.He loosened his tie, revealing his s**y neck.

    Just then, a waiter walked over to the table with a te.

    Picking up a ss of wine from him, Maurice looked around for Eliana.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Before he found her, he noticed that the waiter kept peeking at him.He suddenly turned around and

    stared at the waiter, who immediately became nervous.

    Maurice noticed that something was wrong, and questioned, "Who sent you here?"

    His voice was low, intimidating and cold.

    "I¡­"

    Terrified, the waiter was weak in the knees and almost knelt down.

    Maurice sneered and pushed the ss to him.

    "Fine.Drink this."

    The waiter¡¯s hands trembled.He did not dare to take the ss of wine.

    While they were in a stalemate, Eliana rushed over, gasping for breath, and heard Maurice say, "Drink

    it first, and then we¡¯ll have a nice talk.And if you refuse, then you will be facing really bad

    consequences."

    Eliana was so frightened that she shrank back.

    Did Maurice already know what she was about to ask him? She looked at the goblet in front of her

    hesitantly.

    The crimson liquid inside emitted a sweet aroma.

    If Maurice was willing to tell the truth, then she would not even mind drinking poison, let alone a ss

    of wine.

    Eliana snatched the ss from him immediately.

    Maurice was shocked, but by the time he grabbed her wrist to stop her, it was already toote.

    There was not even a single drop of wine left in the ss.

    "Eliana! What are you doing?"

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    He looked at her coldly and clenched his jaw.

    "Didn¡¯t you know that something was mixed in the wine?"

    "Wh¡­What? If there was something wrong with it, then why did you give it to me?"

    Eliana looked at him as though he was a pervert.

    "You took it from my hand," Maurice reminded her, gritting his teeth.

    With a long face, Eliana grabbed her dress and asked, "Is it toote for me to go to the hospital now? I

    just¡­didn¡¯t¡­"

    Her breath became abnormal and she staggered.

    Maurice grabbed her arm, frowning.

    "How are you feeling?"

    "Hot."

    Eliana¡¯s cheeks were flushed and her breath became heavier.Her vision slowly turned blurry, and she

    could only see a handsome man in front of her.

    Feeling his cool touch, she could not help but grab his hand and snuggle up to him, his breath brushing

    against her skin.She closed her eyesfortably, wrapping her arms around his waist.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened.He knew that the wine was mixed with some drug.And now, it became

    clear as to what was mixed in it.

    "I feel so bad.Please take me to¡­ The hospital¡­"

    Eliana¡¯s voice was soft and sweet.

    The feeling that she was experiencing was rather new and strange to her.

    Burning desire flowed through her blood, causing her body temperature to rise.

    Some guests, who had just seen Maurice question the waiter, now were stunned to see her moaning.

    They were all gazing at her movements.

    Everyone felt that she was too bold for showing her coquetry in public so brazenly.

    Maurice nced at them coldly, scaring them.He then bent down, picked up Eliana, and strode out of

    the banquet hall.

    With her arms around his neck, she asked, "What¡­ What¡¯s happening to me?"

    Heat was surging in her body, and she was slowly bing limp.She was in a daze, but she reminded

    him, "Take me to the hospital¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    Maurice frowned, got in the elevator, and pressed the button, taking her to the thirty-ninth floor.

    Once they got off the elevator, he took out a card and opened the door to a room.

    After putting her down on the bed gently, he called his private doctor.

    However, before he hung up, Eliana restlessly sat up and hugged him from behind, pressing her cheek

    against the back of his neck.

    Maurice took a deep breath, disconnected the call, turned around, and pressed Eliana back to the bed.

    "Behave yourself!" Eliana gasped faintly, tempting him.

    "Help me¡­ I feel terrible."

    Even though Maurice was cold-hearted, he couldn¡¯t take it.He carried her to the bathroom, put her

    down in the bathtub, and turned on the faucet.

    As cold water ran into the bathtub, he said, "The doctor will be here soon."

    Eliana felt so cold that it made her shiver, but the heat inside her burned ever strong.The water did not

    help at all.It was like she was being tortured with extreme cold and heat.

    Tears welled up in her eyes.She raised her head, and saw that Maurice¡¯s face was also blurry now

    because of her tears.She wanted him.

    He was her only antidote.

    Passion took over her mind, and she pounced on him, kissing him.

    "Eliana! Sober up!"

    With a frown, Maurice pushed her back into the bathtub, but the water sshed all over him, wetting

    his clothes.

    And Eliana seemed to have not heard him at all.She clung to him and kissed his lips.

    Maurice¡¯s resoluteness was shattered by her messy kiss.He gulped with an unfathomable look in his

    eyes.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40

    Chapter 40 The Night Feeling

    Eliana¡¯s kiss against his neck and ear, Maurice was stunned.Her breath brushed against his skin,

    seducing him.

    "I am feeling so ufortable.Help¡­"

    Before Eliana even finished her words, the response that she had been waiting for came all of a

    sudden, sealing her lips.

    They both fell into the bathtub together, letting water ssh all over the floor.

    Maurice¡¯s private doctor and Corbin stood outside the door, knocking for a long time, but there was no

    response.

    Seeing that, they looked at each other.

    The private doctor turned to Corbin and said with a meaningful smile, "It looks like I¡¯m not needed

    anymore."

    Corbin scratched his head anxiously.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    ¡®What am I supposed to do now? Mr.Moran and Eliana are alone in the room.¡¯ Maurice and Eliana were

    as passionate as fire.

    It was a really wild and interesting night.

    The next morning, as soon as Eliana opened her eyes in a daze, she looked into Maurice¡¯s handsome

    deep eyes.

    The nket was casually covering his naked body.

    In a panic, Eliana looked away, and sat up in horror.

    The nket slipped off her body, revealing countless hickeys all over her skin.

    The messy sheets and the pain in her body reminded her of what had happened the night before.

    With a remorseful look in her eyes, Eliana curled up into a ball.

    ¡®How did I let such a thing happen? I slept with Maurice Moran! What the hell am I supposed to do

    now?¡¯ Flustered, she was about to get off bed when she felt someone pulling her hand.

    Caught off guard, Eliana fell into his arms, and he hugged her.

    "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" Maurice asked in a seductively hoarse voice.

    Eliana felt so shameful that she wanted to cry.

    "What happenedst night¡­ Just forget about it."

    Maurice looked down at the woman in his arms, stroked her back lovingly, and said in a deterrent

    voice, "Are you really trying to run away after sleeping with me?"

    Eliana felt a spark of electricity when their bodies clung together.She began to tremble uncontrobly.

    In her eyes, everything that had happened the night before was just an ident, but Maurice was

    making it sound like it was not over yet.

    All of a sudden, they heard a small sound of swiping the electronic key card from the door.

    "The boss is resting inside.You can¡¯t enter¡­"

    "Miss Jarvis is very worried about Maurice when she heard that he was not well, and that¡¯s why I

    brought her over to see him."

    "No¡­ Mr.Moran, Miss Jarvis is here!"

    The next second, the door flung open.

    Eliana was so frightened that she shrank back into the nket and covered her head.

    Maurice looked at the door with a frown.

    Gerald stormed in, followed my Evelynn, who was shocked.

    They could see what happened in the room.

    A man¡¯s and a woman¡¯s clothes were scattered all over the floor.

    Gerald roared, "What¡¯s going on here?"

    "You know the answer already, don¡¯t you?" Maurice looked at him indifferently.

    "Maurice! Is that the way you talk to your elders?" Gerald was burning with fury.

    "You¡¯re going to marry Evelynn.How dare you sleep with another woman?"

    Evelynn finally came back to her senses and burst into tears.

    She turned to Maurice and asked in a shaky voice, "Maurice, is this your reply to the Jarvis family?"

    Maurice nced at her coldly.

    "I have already said that I have no intention of marrying you, or anyone else from the Jarvis family."

    Tears rolled down Evelynn¡¯s cheeks.She staggered back and ran away from there.

    With a long face, Gerald hissed, "Maurice, see what you have done.Do you know that entertainment

    reporters photographed youst night? if I hadn¡¯t dealt with them, your scandalous affair would be

    everywhere by now."

    Hearing that, Eliana flustered and clenched her fists unconsciously.

    Fortunately for her, the news of the affair had been suppressed.She did not want her children to know

    about it.

    Maurice touched the back of her head over the nket tofort her.

    He ignored Gerald, but that did not stop Gerald from finishing his performance.

    He frowned and sighed deeply, pretending to be heartbroken.

    "Although the news hasn¡¯t gotten out, the elders of the Moran family and the Jarvis family already know

    about it.Think of an exnation to give to your grandfather when you go back."

    "That¡¯s some great acting," Maurice remarked with a cold smile.

    "I don¡¯t want the political marriage, so I can y along with your little act.But if my grandfather finds out

    about what you put in that ss of wine, do you really think that he will continue to let you be in charge

    of the branchpany?"

    Gerald¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    "What are you talking about?"

    "Get out."

    Maurice didn¡¯t want to say another word to him.He red at him with a dangerous look in his eyes.

    "Let¡¯s wait and see!"

    Gerald took a deep breath, mmed the door, and left.

    Eliana immediately lifted the nket and took a deep breath.

    When she turned around, she found Maurice gazing at her naked back.

    Blushing, she jumped out of bed at once.

    Maurice chuckled and said, "Youscivious woman."

    Only when she heard that did she realize that she had pulled away most of the nket with her.

    And Maurice was leaning against the bed, naked.He was tall and muscr with wide shoulders and a

    slim waist.

    Eliana¡¯s gaze slowly traveled down his torso, until¡­ She quickly looked away as if someone had

    poured acid in her eyes before she ran to the bathroom.

    As soon as she closed the door behind her, she clutched her chest, forcing herself to calm down.

    After putting on her clothes, she opened the door slightly, and shouted, "Are you dressed?"

    But there was no response.Did Maurice leave already? She reluctantly opened the door and walked

    out.

    "Looking for me?"

    Maurice¡¯s sudden response startled her.She stepped back vigntly.

    He was already well-dressed, looking powerful and handsome, unlike the way he was when he was

    naked and yfully flirting with her.

    Biting her lip, she blurted out, "Did you deliberately use me to cancel your political marriage?"

    She could not help but think that even though the s*x might have been an ident, Maurice clearly had

    a part to y.

    And he did not seem to be surprised by the appearance of Gerald and Evelynn that morning.She was

    just an unlucky victim in their plot.

    "Eliana, you drank that ss of wine on your own."

    Maurice turned to look at her.His seductive voice revealed the harsh reality.

    Elianaughed at herself.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Indeed, she had agreed to go to the party with him, and she had drunk the wine on her own.

    Clenching her teeth, she red at him, and stormed out.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows in confusion.

    She was the one who took the initiative to have s*x with him, so why was she so angry all of a sudden?

    Was she not satisfied with his performance?

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41

    Chapter 41 Take Responsibility For Her

    In the old house of the Moran family, a gray-haired old woman was sitting on the sofa with a stern

    expression on her face.She was Maurice¡¯s grandmother, Nancy.

    Walking up to her calmly, Maurice greeted her, "Grandma."

    "Care to exin these?"

    Nancy tossed a stack of photos on the table.

    Maurice looked down, The photos on the table were of him and Eliana from the night of the party.

    In these photos, they were holding hands, or his arm was wrapping around her waist, or she was in his

    arms.

    There was even a photo in which they looked like they were kissing.He picked it up and said, "It just

    looks like it because of the angle."

    "That¡¯s not what I asked, though."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Nancy red at him.

    Maurice grinned and replied in a serious tone, "Grandma, I don¡¯t want a political marriage with the

    Jarvis family."

    Nancy looked into his eyes.

    All of a sudden, she raised her hand and pped his arm.

    "You b*****d! The political marriage is not our biggest problem now."

    Maurice was a little stunned.

    "Grandma¡­"

    He couldn¡¯t figure out what his grandmother was saying.

    Nancy regretted that her grandson didn¡¯t live up to her expectations.

    "You brat, did you sleep with that girl?"

    Maurice did not move as he let her p him.

    After all, her p did not hurt him in the least.

    Nancy continued to ask, "You! Did you do something that you shouldn¡¯t have done?"

    Maurice felt that her question was a little unnecessary.

    Thus, he felt helpless.

    ¡®Wait¡­ Why is she asking me such a question to begin with?¡¯ he wondered.

    "If you¡¯re not saying a word, then it proves that you did it."

    Nancy red at him and pinched his cheek.

    "It doesn¡¯t matter whether you marry the daughter of the Jarvis family or not.But as a man of the Moran

    family, you cannot abandon a woman you¡¯ve slept with.You must take responsibility for her!"

    Maurice retorted in a low voice, "It was an ident¡­"

    "Even then, you¡¯re responsible for it!"

    Furious, Nancy pinched him harder.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but hiss in pain.She immediately let go of his cheek, but by then his face was

    red.Her expression softened a little.

    "Bring that girl home.I want to see her."

    Maurice knew well about Nancy¡¯s temper, and he knew that if he refused, she would not just let it go,

    Closing his eyes, he said, "Alright, I will bring her to meet you."

    Hearing that, Nancy smiled.She looked at him and asked, "Does it hurt?"

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    "No."

    Maurice shook his head, and found that his grandmother was looking at him expectantly.He was

    confused.

    "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Nancy pushed him to stand up and urged, "Hurry up!"

    Maurice¡¯s eyes widened.

    "Now?"

    "Yes!"

    With a firm look, she drove him away mercilessly.

    "If you don¡¯t bring her with you, then you won¡¯t be allowed to enter the house."

    Bang!

    She closed the door on him.

    Maurice was driven out.

    After seeing that, Corbin hung his head, but he could not helpughing.

    However, the cold gaze from Maurice¡¯s eyes frightened him.

    Maurice turned to look at him and asked, "Where is Eliana?"

    Corbin murmured, "She left this morning after sleeping with you.How can she be so shameless?"

    "What?"

    Maurice squinted his eyes at him, displeased with what he just said.

    Scared, Corbin immediately apologized and felt like pping himself.How dare he talk like that? That

    moment, Maurice¡¯s phone rang.He nced at the screen and saw that it was from Eliana.

    Corbin also seemed to be overjoyed when he saw her name on the screen.She was calling Maurice

    right when they were talking about her.

    Maurice answered the call, but he did not hear her voice at all.

    "Eliana?"

    Eliana¡¯s weak voice sounded pitiful.

    "Preston, can youe to be with me for a while? for a while?"

    "Where are you?"

    Maurice immediately walked to the garage without hesitation.

    Corbin clicked his tongue.

    How could Eliana want to see the "gigolo" after sleeping with his boss? She was so sham In the heart

    of the city, Eliana stood alone by the street.

    As soon as she hung up, she regretted what she did.

    Although she had no one to talk to, she felt that it was not appropriate for her to call Preston now.

    Covering her eyes with her hands, she recalled her passionate night with Maurice.

    She guessed that Maurice might be the culprit behind her father¡¯s death.But how could she have slept

    with him?

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42

    Chapter 42 The Treatment Exclusive To The Best Pimp

    All of a sudden, a deafening honk roared amid the silence of the streets.

    The loud sound struck Eliana like a bolt from the blue.

    Startled, she snapped out of her daze and returned to her senses just in time for a car to brake hastily

    inches away from her.

    "Screw you!" the driver barked, furious.

    He shot her a fierce re from the windshield.

    Eliana, despite having regained herself, was still stunned.

    She hurriedly looked around to ascertain her surroundings, and realized that she was standing smack

    dab in the middle of a busy road teeming with cars.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "I-I¡¯m sorry¡­"

    Facing the driver¡¯s justified anger, she was quick to bow and apologize as sincerely as she could.

    Just then, someone grabbed her wrist from behind and pulled her away from the car-filled road.

    The palm wrapped around her wrist wasrge and masculine.It was the hand of a man.

    Eliana found herself dragged unwittingly from where she stood and to the safety of the sidewalk.

    Preston¡¯s handsome face fell into her view.His attractive features were strained with concern and

    anger.

    "Are you crazy? What if you get hit by a car?!"

    Eliana stared at Preston¡¯s furrowed brow and bright eyes, startled by his unexpected appearance.

    All the sorrow and misery in her heart washed over her like water out of a broken dam, and suddenly,

    she couldn¡¯t control her emotions.

    Without an ounce of hesitation, she flung herself into his strong arms and dug her face into his warm

    chest.

    When she spoke, it was in a childish tone full of pleading.

    "Hey¡­ Can I borrow you for a minute? Please¡­?" Maurice paused.

    At that moment, time stood still and silence reigned between them.

    The only clear sound was the subdued rhythm of their pulsating hearts.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Maurice closed his arms around Eliana¡¯s waist and ran his hands through her soft ck hair tofort

    her.

    "I¡¯m in a bad mood." Eliana replied vaguely, not bothering to dive deep into the details.

    After all, she couldn¡¯t possibly tell him what had taken ce the night before.

    Despite her curt response, Maurice didn¡¯t question her.

    Instead, he apanied her quietly just as she had requested.

    A long time passed before Eliana finally raised her head from his chest.

    Red dusted her cheeks as she muttered shyly, "Umm, you see¡­ I want to get some drinks.If you pay

    the bill¡­ Will you get a discount?"

    Maurice had waited for her to speak for quite a while, and didn¡¯t expect this to be the first thing she

    would say.He was caught by surprise.His lips quirked up into a smile before he burst into amused

    laughter.

    They entered his Aston Martin, and he drove to the Imperial Golden Club.

    Once there, he stopped the car right at the entrance.

    Eliana was about to get out but stopped instantly when Maurice interrupted her with a curt call.

    "One second."

    Eliana wondered what he was nning.He stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat, and then made his way to

    the passenger seat to open the door for Eliana from the outside.His charming, gentlemanly conduct

    surprised and ttered Eliana.

    Never did she expect him to be so attentive to her! As Maurice escorted Eliana out of the car, their

    gazes met.

    In his eyes, Eliana could see warm affection and adoration.

    The two stepped into the club¡¯s premises and soon passed the entrance gates.

    As Eliana and Maurice walked, the waiters passing by stopped briefly to give the two a short, respectful

    nod before returning to their tasks.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Their show of respect puzzled Eliana, who couldn¡¯t understand why all of them were acting that way.

    She promptly tugged at Maurice¡¯s sleeve and whispered curiously, "Are they always like this?"

    Maurice turned briefly to her.

    His eyes shone with a mischievous glint as he grinned at her and said teasingly, "This is the treatment

    exclusive to the best pimp.They wouldn¡¯t do the same to others."

    "I see! You deserve it," Eliana replied seriously, her face the expression of dawningprehension.

    Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine the most famous pimp to enjoy such a distinguished

    position in the Imperial Golden Club.

    A thought crossed her mind.

    What of the discount on the drinkster on? A little whileter, Maurice and Eliana reached their private

    room.

    Inside, Eliana immediately ordered all kinds of alcohol without the slightest hint of restraint.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t stop her, nor did he have any intentions of doing so.

    After all, it was so much better for her to seek sce in drink rather than suffer the alternative of

    crushing misery.He didn¡¯t love best Pimp want her to remain in the throes of depression.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the thought to p him in the face after the alcohol was served.

    Eliana¡¯s restraints were non-existent.She downed an entire bottle of wine in one go, and immediately

    opened the next with little reservation.She brought it to her lips and chugged it down with great relish,

    taking gulp after gulp without a moment¡¯s pause.

    In just a short while, empty wine bottles piled up into a small mountain.

    Maurice was beside himself with shock.

    Frowning, he finally decided enough was enough and grabbed the bottle in Eliana¡¯s hands, taking it

    away from her grasp.

    "What do you think you¡¯re doing?"

    Eliana, who was now more than a little drunk, was red all over from the intoxication.Her fairplexion

    was flushed a dark crimson, and her hazy eyes were unfocused from the alcohol.

    "Are you trying to kill yourself by drinking this much?"

    Maurice gritted his teeth in frustration and pressed her against the wall in warning His reprimand had

    no effect on Eliana, who simply replied with a foolish smile.

    The next second, she passed out on the floor, muttering incoherently to herself as she lost all

    consciousness.

    Looking at the cked out Eliana, Maurice felt his anger disappear.He sighed helplessly and helped

    her back up, putting her by his side.

    "What happened to you¡­?"

    Had what urredst night vexed her so much? As he pondered this, Eliana suddenly moved and

    raised her head.Her soft lips brushed his chin with such gentleness that his heart skipped an excited

    beat.

    Blood surged to his face, heating up his cheeks as his heartbeat thumped loudly.He lowered his head

    ever so slightly to stare at Eliana¡¯s closed eyes.

    They were so near that the distance between them was nearly nonexistent.

    Suddenly, he found himself breathless.

    Unable to stop himself, he sumbed to his urges and bent down to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43

    Chapter 43 That B*****d CEO

    In just mere moments, the two grew closer and the distance between them vanished steadily.

    In her drunken stupor, Eliana opened her bleary eyes and saw shadows lurking around her blurred

    vision.

    Despite her haziness, one thing remained clear: the bright, vivid gaze of a single man, shining like

    blessed light within creeping darkness.

    His gaze, so deep and bottomless¡­ They were Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    Anger rushed through her veins and shot up straight to her head.

    Struck by a sudden inspiration of fury, Eliana rose with angry determination and pounced on Maurice

    like a scorned tigress.She pinched his neck, digging her fingers into his flesh as she roared a mighty

    yell, "You absolute b*****d!"

    Her unexpected fit of fury caught the shocked Maurice off guard.

    Unable to react in time, Maurice found himself pushed to the sofa.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    As he fell, he instinctively reached for Eliana and held her firmly so as to prevent her from falling with

    him.

    Eliana ended up straddling on top of Maurice, ready tounch her attack.

    But at the most crucial second, she froze in confusion.

    She stared at him, blinking her eyes, and mouthed, "Preston? Wait¡­ Why is it you? Where¡¯s that guy?"

    "Eliana¡­ You¡¯re drunk."

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    "No! I saw him just now! I really did! Where did he go? Where is he?!"

    Eliana rubbed her eyes, still confused, and removed herself from Maurice.She stumbled to a halt, and

    then realized that aside from her and Maurice, there was no one else in the private room.

    The realization astounded her, she was so sure she saw him a moment ago¡­ Maurice stared at her,

    unable to make head or tail of her puzzling actions.

    "Who?"

    His question fell on deaf ears.

    Eliana ignored him and promptly took out her phone, and then drunkenly went through her contacts list.

    The alcohol had gone to her head, giving her repeated pangs of dizziness.

    Her mind was clouded with a strange haze, and she couldn¡¯t think straight.

    For a long time she browsed her contacts, only to realize that she didn¡¯t have Maurice¡¯s number saved.

    With that, she hopped to the closest thing she had: Corbin¡¯s number.

    All the while, Maurice watched her silently.

    Her angry outburst reminded him of a temperamental cat, hissing and spitting with its fur standing up.It

    was both amusing and endearing, to say the least.

    Eliana waited for the call to connect.

    The moment it did, she hollered at the phone with a roar that sent the entire room shaking.

    "Hey!"

    Corbin, at the other end of the line, was simultaneously confused and horrified.

    "Corbin! It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it? Listen up! Get¡­ Get Maurice to answer the phone!"

    "I¡­ I beg your pardon?"

    Corbin was understandably startled.

    Eliana¡¯s demand only served to further confuse him.

    "Hey, why do you want to talk to Maurice so badly?"

    Maurice quickly approached Eliana and held her shaking body steady, for fear her drunkenness would

    lead her to falling to the floor.

    Eliana leaned against his chest, overwhelmed by her dizziness.

    She looked at him with a dissatisfied expression and pouted cutely, muttering crossly, "¡­I want to

    curse that guy.I¡¯ll curse that b*****d CEO roundly! How dare he take advantage of me when I was in

    deep trouble? I¡¯ll make him pay!"

    Corbin listened to everything Eliana said from the other end, silent all the way.

    Privately, he thought Eliana had a lot of guts for being able to say all that about Maurice.

    "Preston! You¡¯re great with words.Curse that b*****d for me! Help me do it!"

    Eliana¡¯s eyes snapped wide open in wrathful determination.She pressed her phone to Maurice¡¯s ears,

    excited.

    Maurice, for his part, was rendered tongue-tied.

    What should he say now? His hesitance went unnoticed by Eliana, whose eyes were shining with

    eager expectation.

    "You¡¯re the only one I can rely on! If I¡¯m really your friend, curse at him for me! Even just a bit is fine!"

    Corbin was shaking in fear, but at the same time, he was also quite curious.How on earth would his

    boss rebuke himself? Maurice¡¯s eyes turned red as annoyance seeped in him.

    Scowling, he clenched his teeth.

    "You¡¯re digging your own grave, Eliana!"

    "Huh¡­? What do you¡­?"

    Eliana stopped immediately as the alcohol finally got the better of her and struck her into a drunken

    faint.Her body went limp as her consciousness faded, and she fell on Maurice.

    Night soon bled into morning¡­ Eliana slowly woke up, her eyes wide open.

    Before she could do anything else, a sharp pain banged her head like the blow of a sledgehammer.

    "Miss Pierce, you¡¯re awake.Have some honey water.It¡¯ll make you feel better."

    An unfamiliar voice surprised Eliana as she was contending with her stinging headache.

    Next to her, a neatly-dressed maid ced a delicate porcin bowl on the bedside table before leaving

    the room respectfully.

    Questions raced through Eliana¡¯s confused mind.

    Where was she? Unfortunately, her curiosity was trumped by her overwhelming hangover.

    As she got out of bed, her eyes swept around her surroundings.

    The room bathed in bright light, looking spacious and luxurious, and it was furnished withvish

    furniture and exquisite decorations.

    There was a balcony with an excellent view overlooking a hugewn meticulously decorated with

    various kinds ofndscape nts.She could also see many uniformed servants walking around.

    Whoever owned this ce, he must be either rich or powerful.

    Still¡­ Wasn¡¯t she drinking with Preston at the Imperial Golden Club yesterday? She recalled the

    events.

    She¡¯d chugged down bottle after bottle, and then got drunk to the world.

    Eliana gasped in shock as realization dawned upon her.

    Could thisvish ce be Preston¡¯s house? Was he this rich?! In her shock, she rushed out of the

    room to look for him.

    The building was a magnificent vi with opulent decorations.

    Despite its vast space, the people were few and far between.

    The wless floor underneath her reflected her lonesome figure as she walked around in aimless

    circles.

    Suddenly, the door to one of the rooms she had just passed by swung open.

    Frightened, Eliana jumped and retreated in a hurry.

    The opened door soon revealed a pair of long legs that belonged to an impably handsome man.

    He was d only in a single bathrobe.

    His short ck hair was drenched wet, and it seemed he had just stepped out of the bathroom.

    At his appearance, Eliana¡¯s eyes went wide with shock.

    Unable to believe the sight before her, she stammered in confusion, "W why are you here¡­?"

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44

    Chapter 44 Granddaughter-inw

    Eliana could not help but scream in her heart.

    ¡®Why is Maurice here?¡¯ "Why do you look so surprised?"

    Flipping his wet hair backwards, he walked towards her with a faint smile.

    "Don¡¯t you remember what happenedst night?"

    ¡®Last night? Did I have s*x with him again?¡¯ Thinking of that, Eliana had a splitting headache.

    "Last night, I was with my friend¡­"

    Her voice grew weaker as she said those words.She had been with Preston the night before, and she

    had wanted to call Maurice to scold him.

    "Are you ying dumb now?"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice was not as serious as usual.He waited for her to take the bait patiently.

    Gulping, Eliana racked her brain and found a breakthrough.

    "Why am I at your ce? And where is my friend?"

    Maurice raised his eyebrows.

    However, he kept silent.

    Anxiety grew in Eliana¡¯s heart as she walked to him and questioned, "What did you do to him?"

    As they got closer, Maurice put his arm around her waist and pulled her into an embrace.

    "Why are you so worried about him? What¡¯s your rtionship with him?"

    Feeling his hot breath on her ear, Eliana felt numb, as though a bolt of electricity had struck her.She

    struggled with embarrassment, but that did not work at all.

    "You won¡¯t tell me? Alright, then.I will ask my men to deal with him," Maurice threatened in a cold voice.

    "No! He is my friend," Eliana replied, gritting her teeth

    "Is that so?"

    Maurice noticed the flush on her face with an amused look in his eyes.

    "What kind of a friend is he? Have you slept with him?"

    Not only had Preston slept with her, he was also the father of her children.

    However, she did not have any reasons to tell Maurice about it.

    In the end, she looked away and said, "No.".

    The room was so quiet that even their breaths could be heard clearly.

    Maurice pinched her chin and raised her face, forcing her to look into his eyes, which were burning with

    desire.

    "Do you like him?"

    Under his intense gaze, Eliana felt flustered.She looked away and asked, "Who do you think you are?

    It¡¯s none of your business."

    "I¡¯m someone who wants to sleep with you."

    Raising his eyebrows with a smile, he said those seductive words.He looked like a dissolute yboy,

    who had never been in a serious rtionship, Eliana pushed him away, thinking that he was being too

    shameless.

    "Mr.Moran, I am sure that countless women are dying to sleep with you.Are you really going to pretend

    like you don¡¯t have anyone to have s*x with?"

    Maurice leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Ick a woman whose size matches mine perfectly, like

    you."

    Hearing that, Eliana felt like her brain was about to explode.Her expression darkened at once as she

    said, "I still haven¡¯t settled with you after what happened that day."

    Maurice sneered, "Who scolded me on the phone yesterday?"

    Eliana¡¯s heart immediately skipped a beat, and she was so nervous that she curled her toes.

    ¡®D**n it! Did he really hear it?¡¯ Maurice raised her chin and stared deep into her eyes.

    "Did I not make you happy?"

    His words left her with a headache.

    Thinking of the crazy s*x they had that night, she could not help but regret it.

    "Answer my question."

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened as he pinched her chin harder, making her frown in pain.She had

    actually called him yesterday to ask him if he had forced her father to die.

    However, she had been afraid of hearing him admit it or deny it.

    As she felt really irritable, her face and eyes turned red.

    Lowering her head, she bit his neck.

    And she exerted so much force that she heard him hiss in pain.

    In a voice as gloomy as the devil¡¯s, he wamed, "You have to pay the price for biting me¡­"

    But before he finished his words, he felt a hard p across his back.It was Nancy.

    "You brat! How could you bully her again?"

    With a frown, Maurice let go of Eliana.

    The yful look in his eyes disappeared as he turned around and held Nancy¡¯s hand.

    "Grandma, be gentle.Be careful not to hurt your hand."

    Eliana was dumbfounded.She never thought Maurice could be so gentle or obedient.

    Nancy snorted arrogantly.

    Looking at her grandson, who was only wearing a bathrobe, she frowned, and asked, "Why aren¡¯t you

    dressed? Go inside and put on your clothes."

    Maurice nced at Eliana, who looked like she was watching a y, before he went back to his room

    with a sullen look.

    Seeing that, Eliana almost burst intoughter.She reminded herself that evil needed to be punished by

    a bigger evil.

    But the moment she turned around, she saw Nancy cautiously approaching her with a concerned look.

    Smiling sweetly, Nancy said earnestly, "Girls must be careful when drinking outside."

    Surprised, Eliana sniffed her clothes and asked, "Do I still smell of alcohol?"

    "No.But I was also here when you came herest night."

    Nancy then took Eliana¡¯s hand and led her to the living room.

    "Good girl.Now,e and sit with me."

    Thinking that she had seen her drunk, Eliana could not help but feel embarrassed.She had lost face in

    front of Maurice¡¯s grandmother.

    Nancy was very talkative.She held Eliana¡¯s hand as she began to ask her questions.

    Eliana was confused by her kindness.

    Soon, Maurice walked out of his room, neatly dressed.

    Looking at him, Eliana subconsciously shrank back.

    Nancy patted the back of her hand tofort her and smiled.

    "Wait here for a while."

    Before she could answer, Nancy stood up and pulled Maurice aside.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    "What¡¯s the matter?"

    Maurice looked puzzled.

    Nancy hissed, "I asked you to bring her over to give her an exnation.What on earth did you do to

    make her so afraid of you?"

    Hearing that, Maurice fell silent.

    Seeing that, Nancy shook off his hand.

    "You¡¯re not going to tell me? Then I¡¯ll ask her."

    However, Maurice stopped her.

    "She is just mad at me, so let me coax her."

    "You sure have to," Nancy replied with a satisfied nod.

    "Women should be spoiled.I don¡¯t want to see you bullying her again."

    Maurice sat down next to Eliana and said in a low voice, "Do me a favor.Grandma knows that we had

    s*x, and now she wants me to be responsible for you."

    Eliana took a nce at Nancy, who was looking at them vigntly.She felt like it was finally time for her

    to take revenge.She straightened her back, narrowing her eyes at Maurice.

    "A favor? Didn¡¯t you just threaten me a moment ago, Mr.Moran?"

    Maurice gritted his teeth, thinking that Eliana was really smart to be using the situation to benefit

    herself.

    But instead of getting anxious, he whispered in her ear, "My grandmother doesn¡¯t change her mind

    once she fixes her mind on something.Now, you have to help me deal with her, or you won¡¯t be able to

    leave."

    Was he threatening her again? Eliana took a deep breath.

    When she looked at him again, she held his arm and shouted in a distressed tone, "What did you just

    say? Your grandma doesn¡¯t like me?"

    Maurice raised his eyebrows in amusement as he rolled his eyes at her.

    "He was talking nonsense.I like you a lot."

    Nancy had been listening to them the whole time.

    She immediately pushed Maurice Granadaugnter-inw away and sat next to Eliana.

    Hugging Eliana, she said with a kind smile, "If Maurice ever scolds you, don¡¯t be depressed.Just tell

    me.I will be your backup and teach him a lesson!"

    She then red at Maurice fiercely.

    Nancy was being so warm and gentle to her.

    Eliana looked into her eyes.Her affection was like a warm spring that was wrapping itself around her,

    making her sink intofort.

    Mixed feelings appeared in Eliana¡¯s heart and her eyes turned red.

    Maurice might not be a good man for her, but he definitely had a loving and kind grandmother.

    "Oh! Why are you crying?"

    Upset, Nancy quickly took out a piece of tissue and handed it to Eliana.

    "I was just thinking of my family."

    Eliana wiped her tears away and gave Nancy a sweet smile.

    "Grandma, can I hug you?"

    "Of course, you can!"

    Nancy¡¯s heart melted.She gently patted Eliana on the back.

    "It¡¯s not easy for a woman to make a living outside.I will be your grandmother from now on.If you have

    any grievances or troubles, then pleasee to me."

    "Hmm," Eliana replied in a low voice, hugging her.

    Seeing that, Maurice could not help but admire her acting skills.

    Nancy looked at him sharply and said, "Maurice, I will think of her as my granddaughterinw from now

    on.You must take good care of her."

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45

    Chapter 45 A Stingy Man

    Nancy and Eliana talked for a very long time.It wasn¡¯t until night fell that Nancy finally bade goodbye

    and left.

    The second she stepped out, Eliana¡¯s sweet smile vanished, as if it was never there in the first ce.

    She turned to Maurice and said to him in a robotic tone devoid of any emotions, "Our cooperation is

    over.Don¡¯t forget the rewards you¡¯ve promised me."

    Her curt and cold tone hardened Maurice¡¯s gaze.He hissed icily, "Is that all you care about? Money?"

    "What else?"

    Eliana stopped in her tracks and stared at him, scoffing, "Are you saying you¡¯ll be responsible for me?"

    Maurice frowned.

    "I can do that."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "No, thanks.I don¡¯t need someone like you to be responsible for me.But if you really want to make up to

    me, answer my question honestly."

    Eliana took a deep breath, steeling herself.

    "Hodge Chadwick talked to you at the dinner party.Has he worked for you?" Maurice¡¯s eyes darkened

    instantly.

    "Why are you asking that?"

    How odd.

    Why was Eliana asking him about Hodge out of the blue? Maurice found it suspicious.

    Perhaps Gerald told her to pry into something? Eliana was unwavering.

    Her eyes bore into Maurice¡¯s as she pressed in a firm tone, "Answer me, Maurice.It¡¯s very important to

    me."

    She looked so serious that Maurice found the whole situation to be delicious irony.

    As it turned out, she couldn¡¯t hide her secret anymore.

    Maurice wasn¡¯t about to answer.

    Instead, he sneered disdainfully, "That¡¯s ourpany¡¯s confidential information.Do you think I have to

    tell you everything just because you slept with me?"

    His callous words were such that Eliana felt her entire body heat up from anger.She was so furious that

    she ended upughing despite herself.

    Obviously, she never expected there to be any difference in their rtionship even after that night.

    Maurice¡¯s refusal to answer her further strengthened her assumption.She had been right.

    The ambiguous feelings she harbored for him that had been swirling about at the back of her mind

    disappeared instantly.

    Gone were her lingering desires for him.Her heart turned cold, and she no longer cared.

    Maurice stared down at her, ever cold and imposing.

    He reminded her icily, "Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re an employee of the Moran Group.Behave yourself."

    "Well then, Mr.Moran.As you refuse to answer, there¡¯s no point in me staying in thepany.I¡¯ll

    resign.We¡¯ll never see each other again after this."

    Having said that, Eliana leveled a burning gaze at him.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    There was not a hint of fear in her eyes, only steely determination.She should have known better.

    The Moran Group had strict management, and finding the truth here would be a near impossible task.

    Rather than continuing a fruitless effort, it was much better to stop while she could.

    Right now, it was obvious that any interaction with Maurice was a pointless attempt with a guaranteed

    failure.

    Maurice, for his part, was stunned.

    Never did he imagine she would tell him such words.He was instantly flustered and upset, but quickly

    rposed himself.

    Suppressing his emotions, he maintained his cold front.His eyes were dark and unfathomable,

    rendering his thoughts unreadable by anyone who looked at him.

    "So, you¡¯re intent on drawing a clear line between us?"

    "That¡¯s right."

    "What if I don¡¯t agree?"

    It was Eliana¡¯s turn to sneer.She scoffed, and replied to him in a voice dripping with mockery.

    "Oh my, Mr.Moran.Do you enjoy keeping all the women you¡¯ve had a one-night stand with in your

    company?"

    Maurice, annoyed, grabbed her chin and lifted it slightly so that he could look into her eyes.He wished

    he could read her mind and see exactly what she was thinking.

    "Tell me, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Perhaps you harbor feelings for me¡­?"

    "No."

    Eliana was quick to cut him off.

    Despite her firm reply and cold appearance, what she felt on the inside was another story.His question

    sent her into a fluster and her heartbeat rose rapidly, thumping painfully against her ribcage.

    Somehow, her throat grew dry and her voice was stuck.She didn¡¯t harbor feelings for him, nor did she

    have a crush on him.She shouldn¡¯t.

    Never!

    "Goodbye, Maurice."

    Having said that, she spun on her heels and left without sparing him another nce.

    This time, Maurice didn¡¯t stop her.He simply remained rooted at the spot and watched quietly as her

    figure strode out of the vi.

    As soon as Eliana reached the exit, Corbin stopped her.

    Corbin gave her a polite nod and said respectfully, "Mr.Moran instructed me to see you off."

    "That¡¯s unnecessary."

    She immediately refused without missing a beat.

    Corbin, however, didn¡¯t move.

    Instead, he reminded her patiently, "It¡¯s not easy to hail a taxi here."

    Eliana stopped in her tracks to take a deep breath.

    She turned around to head to Maurice¡¯s Maybach, which was parked at the garage.

    Just as she was about to approach it, however¡­ She was startled by the sudden roar of ignition.

    The Maybach drove away and disappeared right before her eyes.

    "Huh¡­?"

    Eliana was left with her jaw hanging.

    Corbin smiled and pointed at a spot in front of them.

    "Your ride is over there."

    In confusion, Eliana¡¯s eyes followed the direction he pointed.

    A bicycle.

    Before hery a bicycle.

    Eliana was struck dumb, too shocked to say anything.

    Gnashing her teeth, she took in a deep breath and hissed, "Corbin."

    Corbin kept smiling innocently, not a single change in his expression.

    "Mr.Moran said that since you have resigned, you no longer have the right to enjoy employee

    benefits.This bicycle is a free gift from ourpany.By the way, there¡¯s no need to thank him."

    Eliana clenched her teeth and made her way towards the bicycle.

    The moment she held it, the brace fell out of its body and crashed to the ground with a bang.

    Eliana was rendered speechless from shock.This was unbelievable! She shoved the bicycle away and

    put it against the wall.

    No longer wanting to entertain this ridiculousness, she readied herself to leave.

    Corbin took the chance to give her another sly reminder.

    "You¡¯ll have to walk about ten kilometers."

    Eliana turned around onest time, forcing herself to smile ever so sweetly.

    "I¡¯m very grateful for the reminder."

    A tiring journeyter, Eliana finally reached the kindergarten gate, albeit out of breath.She approached

    a teacher standing in wait by the gate and asked politely, "Excuse me, but I¡¯m Adrian and Aileen¡¯s

    mother.Have they set off for summer camp?"

    "Not yet," the teacher replied warmly with a smile.

    "Oh dear, if it isn¡¯t Eliana! What are you doing here?"

    An obnoxiously high-pitched voice caught Eliana¡¯s attention.She looked in the direction of the voice,

    dreading to see its owner.

    Erica strutted over proudly in her high heels, holding the delicate hand of a well-dressed little girl.She

    shot a disdainful re at Eliana and sneered arrogantly, "My, are you here to send a child as well? May

    I know whose child it is?"

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46

    Chapter 46 Make A Scene In The Kindergarten

    It¡¯s none of your business."

    Eliana nced at Erica coldly before she looked at the girl beside her.

    ¡®What a small world!¡¯ She never imagined that Erica and Asher¡¯s kid would also go to the same

    kindergarten as her kids.

    However, Erica was not willing to let her go.

    "What? You¡¯re scared to tell me? Did you have some random stranger¡¯s child? Eliana, what kind of a

    s**t are you?"

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to talk to her at all, so she turned to the teacher and asked, "Can I go inside to see

    the kids now?"

    But then, before the teacher answered, Erica grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

    "You can¡¯t!"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana shook off her hand and looked at her coldly.

    "Erica, do you own this ce? What makes you think that you have any right to stop me?"

    Seeing them in a stalemate, the teacher rushed forward to stop them.

    "Please, calm down,dies¡­ Ah!"

    However, Erica pushed her away before she could even finish speaking.

    Helping the teacher steady herself, Eliana looked at Erica with a frown.

    "Miss Walker, this is the best kindergarten in the city.Why do you ept such illegitimate kids?

    Bastards don¡¯t deserve to be in the same kindergarten as my daughter!"

    Erica scorned at the teacher.

    Ivy Harrison, who was dressed in a princess gown, shook her hand and asked in a daze, "Mom, what is

    a b*****d?"

    Erica covered her mouth before she answered with a smirk, "A b*****d is¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    Eliana interrupted her coldly.

    "How could you speak such vulgar words in front of your child?"

    "Stop lecturing me!"

    Erica roared before she raised her hand, intending to p her.

    However, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist so hard that she could not help but scream.

    "Ah! It hurts!"

    Eliana looked at the strange man in surprise.He was tall and strong, dressed in a ck suit.

    The man pushed Erica¡¯s hand away, making her stagger to the gate.

    Embarrassed, her arrogance vanished.

    The other parents eximed among themselves before they escorted their kids away.

    "She deserves it¡­"

    "She must have offended the wrong person¡­"

    They were talking among themselves in whispers.

    Unable to keep her countenance, Erica gathered her courage and shouted at the man, "Who are you?

    And how dare you hit me? Do you know who my husband is?"

    He cast a cold nce at her and stepped back with his head down.

    Two kids ran from behind him and rushed to Eliana.

    "Mommy!"

    Eliana squatted down, embracing Adrian and Aileen.

    Looking at their watery eyes, she felt her anger dissipate.

    Their cute faces were filled with worry.

    "Mommy, are you hurt?"

    "That woman is a bad person! How could she try to hit you? Fortunately, Ss¡¯s bodyguard is here!"

    Eliana¡¯s heart softened when she heard those words.She kissed her children on the cheeks and

    assured them, "Don¡¯t worry.I¡¯m fine.It¡¯s not right to hit people, and I hope you understand that."

    Adrian and Aileen nodded.

    Erica hid behind the teacher and said in a tone filled with arrogance, "Miss Walker! Ask the security

    guards to drive them out!"

    The teacher also felt embarrassed and was about to say something, but she stopped on second

    thought.

    In the blink of an eye, the kindergarten was filled with people.It was really chaotic.

    "You are the one who should be driven out."

    Saying that, Ss walked out slowly, like a nobleman.

    Erica¡¯s face turned red with anger.

    "You brat! How dare you order your bodyguard to hit me?! Where are your parents? Call them over at

    once!"

    She almost scratched his face with her long sharp nails But before she could make a move, Eliana

    stood in front of him.

    The bodyguard also stepped forward, ring at Erica fiercely.

    Erica instantly became a coward again, turned to the teacher and said, "Miss Walker, call his parents

    here! Or ask the principal toe over at once! You are not to leave this ce without settling this

    first!"

    "Well¡­"

    The teacher pulled a long face and looked at Ss before uttering, "Mrs.Harrison, this child is in a

    special situation, so I advise you to let it go."

    "You want me to let it go? Why? Did you not see them bullying me?"

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Erica was furious.

    Seeing that, the teacher became speechless.

    Eliana squatted down tofort the kids as she wondered how she was going to put an end to the

    farce.

    The kids had been looking forward to the summer camp for months, and she did not want it to be

    ruined because of Erica.

    With a straight face, Ss said in a serious tone, "It¡¯s not a big deal.Don¡¯t worry.I¡¯ll take care of it."

    Eliana was amused by how adult-like he was.

    Although he was about the same age as Adrian, he seemed to be more mature than her son.

    "What¡¯s your n?" she asked curiously.

    "We¡¯ll have to rely on one devil to take down another devil," Ss replied in a fierce but childish voice,

    which caused Eliana tough.

    By then, Ss had already called someone on the phone.

    "Uncle, an ugly woman is making trouble in the kindergarten, and she is preventing me from going to

    the summer camp."

    Saying that, he hung up quickly.

    Eliana was amused by his actions.

    Although he was a child, he seemed to be very smart, and she could not help but wonder whom he had

    learned it from.

    Erica sneered, "Uncle? Why didn¡¯t you call your parents? Are you also a b*****d? Don¡¯t you have the

    mother to educate you¡­ Ah!"

    Before she could say another word, a hard pnded on her face.She covered her burning and

    swollen cheek, pointing at Eliana.

    "How dare you hit me?"

    Rubbing her numb palm, Eliana said with a firm look, "That p was meant to teach you to shut up if

    you don¡¯t know how to talk properly."

    With her eyes wide open, Erica shouted, "Eliana! I must¡­"

    "Mrs.Harrison."

    A solemn male voice interrupted them.

    The principal of the kindergarten walked to them, and smiled apologetically at Eliana.He then turned to

    Erica, and said in a gloomy voice, "It¡¯s a pity that your daughter is no longer allowed to participate in

    this summer camp."

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47

    Chapter 47 A Powerful Figure

    Hushed silence fell as these words were spoken.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    The shocked Eliana turned to look at Ss, stunned by what had taken ce.

    When their eyes met, Ss gave her a mischievous little wink.His tiny face was filled with triumph.

    Erica was just as shocked, but in her case, it came with a dose of horror.

    "What¡­ What did you just say? My child paid the money and applied to join the camp! Why are you

    suddenly saying that she couldn¡¯t join? Exin this instant!"

    The principal didn¡¯t seem to mind her raised voice.He began exining in a rxed manner, "Ss¡¯s

    family sponsored the summer camp activity in full.The Gormans also sponsored our kindergarten¡¯s

    teaching building and entertainment facilities.Since your child can¡¯t get along with Ss, I appreciate it if

    you can leave."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Erica stood rooted to the spot, transfixed with shock.Her eyes were wide open and her jaw ckened

    as she tried to process the sudden tum of events.

    Never did she imagine a child like Ss to be so powerful! However, she was unwilling to yield.

    Gnashing her teeth, she argued, "So? Are you telling me that just because the Gormans happen to

    sponsor the kindergarten, they¡¯re free to do as they please? This is injustice! You are misusing your

    power! I won¡¯t stand for it!"

    The surrounding parents watched the scene with growing displeasure.

    The principal went out of his way toe out and deal with the problem, yet Erica remained hard-

    headed and had even resorted to screaming.

    One by one, they began voicing their dissatisfaction and banded together to criticize her.

    "Hey,dy! Quit being so unreasonable! You¡¯re just stalling the kids¡¯ activities!"

    "Tsk, tsk.How can such an uneducated woman be worthy to be a mother? I feel bad for her daughter."

    "Hurry up! I need to go to work after I send my kid! Can you afford to waste everyone¡¯s time? You¡¯re

    making it difficult for us!"

    In less than a minute, Erica had be the unsavory target of the parents¡¯ displeasure.

    Scathing remarks came her way without stopping, turning her red and shaky from humiliation.

    Despite all that, Erica was unwilling to embrace her defeat with grace.

    Furious, she yanked her daughter¡¯s arm roughly and stormed out of the ce.

    "All of you, just wait and see! You¡¯ll pay for this! So what? My daughter doesn¡¯t want to stay at this d**n

    ce, either!"

    Poor little Ivy couldn¡¯t keep up with her mother¡¯s wide strides, especially with her small feet.

    Several times she stumbled and fell, hurting herself in the process.

    Erica didn¡¯t even stop or blink at her daughter, and simply grabbed the fallen little girl back up.

    There wasn¡¯t a shred of tenderness in her actions, as if she was simply lifting something from her

    pocket.

    Erica kept on pulling Ivy¡¯s arm, pressing her hand hard into Ivy¡¯s tender skin.

    Ivy tried to endure the pain, but she was just a small child.

    In the end, Ivy held on to Erica¡¯s leg and burst into sorrowful tears, begging piteously in a babyish

    voice, "Mom, I don¡¯t want to leave! I want to go to the summer camp with everyone!"

    Ivy¡¯s saddened outburst caused Erica¡¯s temper to re up once more.

    Furious and humiliated, she snapped harshly at the crying Ivy, "Shut up, you stupid girl! Keep crying,

    and I¡¯ll abandon you!"

    It was a terrible thing to say to a child.Ivy, hurt and frightened, ended up crying even more loudly.

    "No, Mom! Please don¡¯t! Don¡¯t leave me! I promise I¡¯ll be obedient¡­"

    Erica clicked her tongue impatiently before picking Ivy up like a sack and leaving the ce in haste.

    Eliana watched their disappearing backs with an ugly frown.

    Poor little Ivy.

    To have a monster like Erica for a mother was truly a stroke of misfortune.

    Still, nothing could be done about it.

    Eliana turned to Ss with a smile and squatted next to him.

    "Thank you so much for helping me solve a big problem, Ss."

    Ss¡¯s face reddened with pleasure from the praise.He pursed his lips defiantly and shook his head.

    "You¡¯re wee!" he replied in a childish voice filled with pride.

    Aileen suddenly broke free from Adrian¡¯s grip and threw herself into Ss¡¯s arms.

    She giggled, saying, "I¡¯ll reward you with a hug on Mommy¡¯s behalf!"

    Adrian frowned and quickly stretched out his hand to separate his sister from Ss.

    "Guys and girls are different! Quit sticking to him all the time!"

    Ss smiled shyly at the two of them and gently pulled away from Aileen.

    Though he couldn¡¯t receive her hug, he didn¡¯t mind.

    Instead, he simply patted Aileen¡¯s head affectionately, the way an adult would treat a small child.

    "Aileen, you can think of me like your brother too."

    Ss was sensible and mature for a child.He could read the room and knew how to act.He was even

    far more tactful than Adrian.

    Eliana recalled that Aileen once told her that Ss¡¯s parents were long gone.

    A wave of pity washed over her.She took his little hand and held him in her arms, bringing him to her in

    a gentle hug.

    "Don¡¯t take that awful woman¡¯s words seriously, alright? If you have any problems, you can always

    come to me."

    Ss¡¯s body stiffened at the touch.

    However, he quickly rxed in Eliana¡¯s gentle arms and hugged her back, holding on tightly to her

    shirt.

    Such a soft, warm hug¡­ It was just like how his mother used to hug him.

    Without him realizing it, a teardrop rolled out of his eyes.It slid down his fair and tender cheek,

    dampening Eliana¡¯s shirt.

    Yet, nobody saw it.

    Soon, Eliana apanied the children to the bus and watched as they entered it.

    The bus began to start, about to leave.

    Adrian and Ss hurriedly waved goodbye to her, smiling all the way.

    Aileen, however, blew her a kiss and winked at her, full of happy vigor.

    When the bus moved and Eliana¡¯s figure disappeared from their sight, Aileen turned to Ss.

    Grinning, she asked, "Hey, Ss, do you like my mommy?"

    "Yes, I do."

    Ss¡¯s answer was straightforward, apanied with a sincere smile.

    Adrian watched the two with a nk face.He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the bubbling jealousy

    in him.

    "Well, I like your uncle too."

    Aileen giggled and leaned on Ss¡¯s shoulder, acting like a spoiled child.

    She whispered excitedly to him, "I tell you what¡­ If you let your uncle be my dad, then my mommy will

    be your aunt! We¡¯ll be a family!"

    "No way!"

    Unexpectedly, Adrian and Ss shouted in unison and refused at the same time.

    "What? Why not?"

    Aileen blinked her round, doe-like eyes in frustration, feeling wronged.

    Ss replied seriously, "My uncle¡¯s super fierce."

    Aileen cupped her cheeks, putting on a cutesy appearance.

    "That doesn¡¯t matter.My mommy¡¯s even fiercer!"

    "No way, nuh-uh.If they¡¯re both fierce, they¡¯ll fight whenever they get together," Adrian said, nodding to

    himself.

    "Yeah, Adrian¡¯s right."

    "Oh, jeez! You boys are so annoying!"

    Unable to convince the two boys, Aileen turned away with an irritated harrumph and ignored them

    completely.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48

    Chapter 48 Get Her Back To Work

    When Eliana returned home, Kimora almost drowned her with her nagging words.It took a long time to

    calm Kimora down, and she had to promise her that she would inform her beforehand if she was going

    to stay out again.

    After that, Eliana ran to her room.She threw her buzzing phone on the bed.

    By the time it stopped buzzing, she saw that there were neen missed calls.

    She nced at the screen before she began to clean the room.

    ¡®What a b*****d that Preston is!¡¯ She had trusted him so much, but he had casually left her to be with

    Maurice.

    She was unwilling to talk to him anymore because of that.She reminded herself that men were all

    unreliable.

    At the same time, in the Moran Group¡¯s conference room, the senior executives reported their working

    progress, trembling with fear.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    However, Maurice, who was usually cold and strict, was behaving differently.

    After quickly pointing out all the problems, he ended the conference.

    The conference onlysted for an hour, whereas it usually took half a day.

    Everyone looked at Maurice, who left in a hurry, as they wondered what was making him so anxious all

    of a sudden.

    After walking out of the conference room, he turned on his phone, but he did not see any replies from

    Eliana.

    Corbin followed him to the CEO¡¯s office.

    Seeing him looking a little dejected, Corbin asked curiously, "Mr.Moran, is something wrong?"

    "Why doesn¡¯t Eliana respond to me anymore?"

    Maurice couldn¡¯t understand what happened.

    They had been on good terms justst night, so why wasn¡¯t she answering his calls now? Corbin was

    speechless when he heard those words.He thought that Maurice seemed to be down because of some

    issues with the conference.

    Now, he felt like he overthought about it.

    The moment he looked up again, he met Maurice¡¯s cold gaze, so he smiled sheepishly and said,

    "Well¡­ She probably still has a problem with that night when you two¡­"

    He paused mid-sentence and put on a mischievous grin on his face.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened.

    "I meant to say that she doesn¡¯t respond to Preston anymore."

    Corbin suddenly remembered that his boss had two identities.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    It would make sense if Eliana just did note to work in the Moran Group, but she was also not

    responding to Preston now.It was not surprising that Maurice was depressed.

    An idea popped into Corbin¡¯s mind and he suggested, "How about you ask Mr.Todd? I found that she

    was being really nice to him, so he might know something¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    Maurice¡¯s cold voice made Corbin shiver.

    "Why haven¡¯t you found any clues about the ring?".

    Corbin answered hastily, "I¡¯ve checked everyone in the kindergarten, and I could not find anything

    unusual there.Mr.Gorman seldom talks to the other children, except the twins you met in the cake

    shop."

    Thinking of the lovely twins, Maurice asked, "What¡¯s their background?"

    "ording to their documents, there is no information on their mother, but their father is Jonathan

    Bowman, the CEO of the Universe Group.And a nanny is the one taking them to and from school every

    day," Corbin replied honestly.

    "Is Jonathan married?"

    "No."

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and pondered Were the twins Jonathan¡¯s illegitimate children, then? If

    that was true, then he would have to think seriously before he did anything to the twins.

    When Eliana returned home, Kimora almost drowned her with her nagging words .

    It took a long time to calm Kimora down, and she had to promise her that she would inform her

    beforehand if she was going to stay out again.

    After that, Eliana ran to her room .She threw her buzzing phone on the bed.

    By the time it stopped buzzing, she saw that there were neen missed calls.She nced at the

    screen before she began to clean the room.

    ¡®What a b*****d that Preston is!¡® She had trusted him so much, but he had casually left her to be with

    Maurice.

    She was unwilling to talk to him anymore because of that.She reminded herself that men were all

    unreliable.

    At the same time, in the Moran Gr oup¡®s conference room, the senior executives reported their working

    progress, trembling with fear.

    However, Maurice, who was usually cold and strict, was behaving differently.

    After quickly pointing out all the problems, he ended the conference.

    The conference onlysted for an hour, whereas it usually took half a day.

    Everyone looked at Maurice, who left in a hurry, as they wondered what was making him so anxious all

    of a sudden.

    After walking out of the conference room, he turned on his phone, but he did not see any replies from

    Eliana.

    Corbin followed him to the CEO¡¯s office.

    Seeing him looking a little dejected, Corbin asked curiously, "Mr.Moran, is something wrong?"

    "Why doesn¡¯t Eliana respond to me anymore?"

    Maurice couldn¡¯t understand what happened.

    They had been on good terms justst night, so why wasn¡¯t she answering his calls now? Corbin was

    speechless when he heard those words.

    He thought that Maurice seemed to be down because of some issues with the conference.

    Now, he felt like he overthought about it.

    The moment he looked up again, he met Maurice¡¯s cold gaze, so he smiled sheepishly and said,

    "Well¡­ She probably still has a problem with that night when you two¡­"

    He paused mid-sentence and put on a mischievous grin on his face.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened.

    "I meant to say that she doesn¡¯t respond to Preston anymore."

    Corbin suddenly remembered that his boss had two identities.

    It would make sense if Eliana just did note to work in the Moran Group, but she was also not

    responding to Preston now.It was not surprising that Maurice was depressed.

    An idea popped into Corbin¡¯s mind and he suggested, "How about you ask Mr.Todd? I found that she

    was being really nice to him, so he might know something¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    Maurice¡¯s cold voice made Corbin shiver.

    "Why haven¡¯t you found any clues about the ring?"

    Corbin answered hastily, "I¡¯ve checked everyone in the kindergarten, and I could not find anything

    unusual there.Mr.Gorman seldom talks to the other children, except the twins you met in the cake

    shop."

    Thinking of the lovely twins, Maurice asked, "What¡¯s their background?"

    "ording to their documents, there is no information on their mother, but their father is Jonathan

    Bowman, the CEO of the Universe Group.And a nanny is the one taking them to and from school every

    day," Corbin replied honestly.

    "Is Jonathan married?"

    "No."

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and pondered Were the twins Jonathan¡¯s illegitimate children, then? If

    that was true, then he would have to think seriously before he did anything to the twins.

    The power of the Universe Group was not to be underestimated, and he could not rashly make

    enemies.

    Impatient, Corbin suddenly asked, "Mr.Moran, what¡¯s our next arrangement?"

    "Make a phone call."

    "Do you want me to call Jonathan?"

    Maurice raised his head and looked Corbin as though he was looking at a f ool.

    "Call Eliana.I don¡®t care what you do, but I want you make sure that she gets back t o work."

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49

    Chapter 49 You Took Advantage Of Me

    Eliana was sound asleep on her bed after lunch.

    All of a sudden, her phone rang, waking her up.She fumbled for the phone with her eyes closed before

    shezily answered, "Hello?"

    "It¡¯s Corbin,"

    Although Eliana was surprised to hear from him, she emphasized in a kind voice, "Corbin, I have

    resigned."

    She had already left her job at the Moran Group, so was there even a need for him to call her now?

    Hearing her words, Corbin couldn¡¯t help butin in his heart, ¡®What a heartless woman! It¡¯s no

    wonder that she is able to conquer my cold-hearted boss!¡¯

    Thinking of that, Corbin forced himself to stay calm as he reminded her, "Of course, I remember that!

    But Mr.Moran has asked me to settle ounts with you."

    What kind of ount was he even talking about? Eliana sensed something fishy at the mention of

    money.She immediately jumped up from her bed.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Corbin continued, "Miss Pierce, the reward for you apanying Mr.Moran to the dinner party was

    originally one million dors, and it waster doubled to two million dors, right?"

    "Is there a problem with that?" Eliana asked in reply, frowning.

    Corbin cleared his throat.

    "Well, the dress you wore at the dinner party¡­"

    Eliana¡¯s heart rose to her throat.

    Did they really find out that the dress was torn? But she tried her best to repair it to its original

    condition¡­

    "Well¡­ There is nothing wrong with the dress."

    Hearing that, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    "But do you remember the matching brooch that Mr.Moran pinned on the dress?"

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Those words made her feel like a bolt of lightning had struck her.She suddenly remembered that things

    had been so chaotic that night that she hadpletely forgotten about the brooch.

    "Mr.Moran lent you the brooch, and now, it is missing.It is worth three million dors.After your two

    million dors¡¯ reward is deducted, you are in a debt of one million dors, Miss Pierce."

    Eliana was shocked and could not help but scoff in disbelief.She couldn¡¯t ept it at all.

    Apparently, she had worked so hard for nothing.

    And now Corbin was telling her that she owed Maurice money? Eliana was in a daze.

    Before she could even think properly, Corbin urged, "Mr.Moran knows about your financial situation, so

    he has kindly provided you with two solutions.You can choose either of the two options.Your first option

    is toe back to thepany and work with us till your debt is settled, and your second option is to

    face us in court.The Legal Department of the Moran Group will contact you."

    Eliana was rendered speechless.

    How could he say that Maurice kindly provided her with two solutions? There were two roads in front of

    her, and both were dead ends.

    That day, she had felt that Maurice had agreed to her resignation too easily.

    Now, she realized that he had only agreed to it because he already had a backup n.

    After hearing about it, she was not feeling sleepy anymore.She got out of bed and rushed to the Moran

    Group.

    Corbin was waiting at the entrance as he greeted her warmly.

    "Wee¡­"

    "Shut up!"

    Gritting her teeth, she red at him.

    Corbin felt that she was as overbearing as Maurice.

    Sulking, he shut up.He was only following Maurice¡¯s orders, so why did people always give him the

    cold shoulder? Eliana stormed into the CEO¡¯s office.

    And without Corbin, the other assistants couldn¡¯t stop her at all.

    One of them just followed her into the CEO¡¯s office.

    Maurice, who was busy with work, looked up.

    "I¡¯m sorry, Mr.Moran.I was really unable to stop¡­" the assistant exined in fear.

    "Go back to your work."

    After she left, Eliana walked up to his desk with her head held high, her eyes gleaming with fire.

    "Mr.Moran, I can stay in the Moran Group.But I refuse to ept any task that is not rted to my

    job.I¡¯m a designer, and not a logistics staff."

    She was determined to not let him ask her to pick up golf b***s, clean his office, or buy someone

    coffee.

    Strangely, her firmness fascinated him, and he could not help but sigh in his heart.

    Maurice suppressed his inexplicable desire as he stood up with his hands on his desk.

    Eliana took a stepped back subconsciously.

    However, he didn¡¯t walk to her at all.He pointed at the documents on the left side of the desk and said,

    "These are the projects that are left behind by Gabrielle.I want you to deal with them."

    Hearing that, she looked at him in surprise.She found his sudden easy-going attitude to be strange.

    Was he treating her differently now because they slept together once? Maurice looked at her and

    noticed her flushed face, What was she thinking about? He stared deep into her eyes and said in a low,

    seductive voice, "Eliana, you should know clearly that you owe me more than one million dors,

    right?"

    Eliana¡¯s eyes were wide open in shock as she asked, "What else?"

    "You were the one who was drugged that day and took advantage of me, If I wanted to settle ounts

    with you over that, then you will be owing me more than just a few million dors.Could you be¡­

    Expecting to sleep with me without paying me?"

    Maurice raised his eyebrows at her.

    Not knowing what to say, Eliana was stunned.

    ¡®What a narcissistic man! How could a man like him be the CEO of the Moran Group?¡¯ It was

    really an eye-opener.

    Taking a deep breath, she angrily picked up the documents and left without even looking at Maurice.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50

    Chapter 50 The Ring Appeared Again

    Although Eliana was furious with Maurice, she was still passionate about her career as a designer.

    After taking charge of the project documents, she was so busy that she had no time to rest, but she

    was still happy.She felt like she could finally do her own job.

    Once she was done with work, she went home and had dinner that Kimora had prepared.

    Since the kids were at the summer camp, the house was strangely quiet.

    Eliana felt sleepy the moment shey on the bed.

    All of a sudden, her phone rang, and it was the ringtone that she had exclusively set for her kids.

    Eliana sat up abruptly and answered the video call.

    "Mommy!" Aileen¡¯s beautiful face and bright smile shed on the screen.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Aileen, you are blocking my view," Adrianined sweetly.

    Aileen pouted and moved aside, revealing two cute boys behind her.

    One was Adrian, and the other was Ss.

    They were all sitting together, crossing their legs.

    Seeing that, Eliana felt a little dizzy.

    At first nce, the boys looked somewhat simr.

    They had round yet lifted eyes, which made them look smart.

    With a hint of shyness in his voice, Ss greeted her.

    "Are you sleeping in the tent tonight?"

    Eliana carefully studied their surroundings to make sure that they were safe.

    "Yes!"

    Aileen blinked her watery eyes and smiled weirdly.

    "And Ss is going to share the tent with us.I can hug them both."

    "You always move around when you sleep.Let me sleep in the middle."

    Adrian crossed his arms over his chest with a serious expression.

    "Or none of us will get a good night¡¯s sleep."

    "Ah! Adrian!"

    Aileen pounced on him, acting like a spoiled child, but he shook his head firmly.

    With a smile, Eliana reminded them softly, "Well, it¡¯s gettingte.You guys should sleep."

    After a while, Aileen finally managed to convince her brother to change his n.She curled up in the

    sleeping bag between the boys as she looked at the camera expectantly.

    "Mommy, I want to listen to a story."

    Ss¡¯s eyes lit up at once and he stared at the screen.

    Eliana was half lying down on her bed.

    Leaning against the head of the bed, she told them a story.

    "Once there were twenty-five soldiers made of tin¡­"

    Suddenly, she noticed a huge shadow on their tent, which scared her, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    Sensing that something was wrong, Aileen also turned back at once.

    Adrian and Ss also sat up in confusion.

    "Huh? What is that?"

    Aileen tilted her head, crawled out of the sleeping bag, and looked out curiously.

    Eliana anxiously shouted, "Aileen, don¡¯t go! Aileen!"

    But then, Aileen had already unzipped the tent.

    Eximing, she ran back to the phone.

    "Mommy, look!"

    She was holding a cute puppy in her arms.

    Adrian zipped the tent and said in an assuring voice, "Mommy, nothing else was outside."

    However, Eliana was so scared that she could not help but me Aileen.

    "Aileen, don¡¯t be so impulsive again.What if there was something dangerous outside?"

    Aileen lowered her head with a gloomy look.

    "I know.I was wrong.I won¡¯t do it again.Mommy, please don¡¯t be angry¡­"

    "Miss Pierce, don¡¯t worry.My bodyguards are around this ce.There will be no danger."

    Ss walked up behind Aileen and smiled at Eliana.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, and told Aileen about everything that she must and mustn¡¯t do before

    she finally let her go.

    Aileen was relieved.She let the puppy out of the tent, turned around, and blew a kiss to Eliana over the

    phone.

    "Good night, kids."

    Eliana ended the call after she saw them go to bed.

    Again The puppy circled around the tent for a while before it sat down outside, wagging its tail

    obediently.

    Seeing its shadow, Aileen pitied the puppy.

    Unable to suppress the urge, she secretly crawled out of the sleeping bag and unzipped the tent again.

    The puppy immediately ran over and intimately rubbed against Aileen¡¯s hands.

    Suddenly ity on the ground, and turned over, revealing its belly.

    Aileen rubbed its belly, and the puppy groaned like a spoiled child.

    Its voice was soft and cute, causing Aileen to pity it more.

    "Aileen? What are you doing?"

    Adrian was sleepy, but when he saw his sister being so restless, he could not help sitting up in a daze.

    "The puppy is hungry.I¡¯ll get it some meat."

    Saying that, Aileen began to rummage in her backpack.

    There were too many things in her backpack, and she was so anxious that she picked it up and shook

    it, causing its contents to fall out.

    A candy hit Ss right between his eyebrows.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Now, he was also awake.

    Aileen stuck out her tongue and apologized, "I¡¯m sorry, Ss."

    When Ss turned around, he saw her opening a pack of sausage and feeding it to the puppy.

    The tent was a mess.

    Among the things scattered on the ground, something caught his eye.It was a ring.

    Rubbing his eyes, he sat up in shock.

    "Aileen, this ring¡­"

    It looked exactly like the ring that Maurice was looking for.But before he could finished his word, the

    hungry puppy pounced on the ground, licking it with its pink tongue, and the next second, the ring was

    gone.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51

    Chapter 51 Agreement

    "No!"

    Adrian screamed and shook the puppy.

    "That¡¯s not a sausage.You can¡¯t eat it."

    "Spit it out."

    Aileen immediately rushed to the dog, only to find it barking sadly.There was nothing in its mouth.

    "Oh my God! This silly puppy swallowed the ring," she added with a helpless sigh.

    Ss was rendered speechless.

    Aileen did not know what to do.She curled her lips, looking like she was about to burst into tears any

    moment.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "What should we do now? I have to ask Mommy.Is the puppy going to die?"

    "Mommy is not here, and you have to learn to make the judgment call on your own."

    Adrian sighed and put the puppy back on the ground.

    The puppy ate all the sausages, wagged its tail happily, and began circling around Aileen.She could not

    help but smile, sniffling.

    The puppy seemed to be fine for now, but she knew that she would have to find a way to get the ring

    out of its stomach.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Adrian frowned, looked at the dazed Ss, and asked, "What did you say about the ring?"

    Hearing that, Ss was perplexed.

    "I wanted to say that the ring looks like the one that my uncle is searching for."

    Looking straight into his eyes, Aileen said, "But this is my mommy¡¯s ring."

    Adrian also asked in a doubtful tone, "Did you see it clearly? Are you sure that it¡¯s the same ring as

    your uncle¡¯s?"

    Ss tried hard to recall the ring.

    "Well¡­ It looked just like it¡­ But the dog ate it before I could get a good look at it."

    "Let the puppy spit it out first, and then you can see it again."

    Aileen bent down and picked up the puppy with a serious look in her eyes.

    The puppy let out an innocent cry, tilted its head, and looked at them.

    The kids tried for a long time, but the puppy had no intention of spitting the ring out.

    And they had no choice but to mark the n as a failure.

    Exhausted, the kids slipped into their sleeping bags and fell asleep instantly.

    The puppy curled up beside Aileen and also sank into a sleep.

    The next morning, the teachers woke up the kids one by one.

    Feeling the fresh morning breeze, their sleepiness vanished.

    Aileen was still half asleep when she looked at her teacher¡¯s smiling face and remembered the puppy.

    She jumped up and looked around nervously, but the puppy was nowhere to be found.

    "¡­ Hmm¡­"

    Before she could call out to the puppy, Adrian covered her mouth.

    Confused by their odd behavior, the teacher asked, "What¡¯s wrong?"

    "It¡¯s nothing.We can get dressed on our own.You can go and help the other kids, Miss," Ss said with

    a smile.

    Feeling relieved, the teacher left with a smile.

    Adrian pinched Aileen¡¯s cheek and said, "Don¡¯t worry.Ss already gave the puppy to his bodyguards."

    Ss closed the tent and said in a low voice, "I have a n.I¡¯m going to take the puppy back home and

    raise it.I¡¯ll wait for it to s**t the ring."

    He had to make sure if the ring was the same ring that his uncle had been searching for.

    "Ss, you are so smart!"

    Aileen was delighted to hear that.

    Even though they could not make the puppy spit out the ring, they could wait for it to p**p it out.

    Why did she not think of that? However, Adrian snorted and nced at Ss arrogantly.

    "The ring belongs to our mommy, so the puppy can¡¯t go with you."

    "Exactly! You can¡¯t take it away!"

    Aileen instantly changed her mind, stood behind her brother, and chimed in.

    Ss scratched his hair in confusion.

    "Does your mommy have the same ring as my uncle?"

    "How could there be two same rings?"

    Aileen cupped her face and asked excitedly, "Is it a wedding ring?"

    But when Adrian heard her guess, his expression darkened.

    "You idiot," he remarked.

    Suddenly, a small hand stretched out to them.

    Ss raised his little finger and said seriously, "Let¡¯s make an agreement.We have to keep it a

    secret.And once we get the ring, we can decide what to do with it."

    Ss knew that Maurice wasparable to the devil, and that if he thought that Adrian or Aileen had

    stolen the ring, he would not allow Ss to y with them anymore.

    "Great! Let¡¯s pinky swear!"

    Aileen smiled, h****d her little finger with Ss, and shook it.

    After thinking for a while, Adrian also did the same.

    The kids made a deal.

    Meanwhile, Eliana had just left for work when she got a call.She looked at the caller ID, feeling

    pleasantly surprised.

    "Nana?"

    "My dear! I¡¯m back! I missed you so much!"

    She heard a passionate female voiceing from the other end of the line.

    "Even if you miss me more than anything, I don¡¯t think that you would leave your new husband behind

    ande to me, would you?"

    However, Nana¡¯s reply shocked her.

    "I¡¯ll tell you a secret.I ran out on my wedding!"

    Eliana almost let her phone slip out of her hand and fall to the ground.

    "What? Are you serious?"

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52

    Chapter 52 Who Is That Man

    Eliana had first met Nana Marlin when she had been pregnant with the twins.

    Nana had always longed for passionate love, so her sudden engagement had shocked Eliana.

    However, she did not expect her to run out on her own wedding.

    "I came back secretly, so remember to keep it between us!"

    Despite the noise in the background, her voice was very clear and pleasant "Let¡¯s stop talking about all

    those unhappy things.Where are the two cuties? I miss them so much!"

    Nana had seen Adrian and Aileen grow up for the past four years, and it was the first time that she was

    separated from them for so long Since Eliana could not understand or ask Nana the reason she had

    run out on her wedding for the time being, she had no choice but to give her Kimora¡¯s number.

    "Their summer camp ends today, so you can go with Kimora in the afternoon to pick them up."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Okay."

    Soon, Eliana arrived at thepany.

    The moment she put down her bag, Rachel dragged her into the conference room.

    "What happened?" Eliana asked in confusion.

    They had no meetings scheduled for the day.

    Rachel winked at her and said, "The new director is here.I caught a glimpse of him when he came, and

    he¡¯s super handsome."

    "In terms of appearance, I think Mr.Moran is better."

    The other colleagues immediately joined their chat.

    "Mr.Moran can only be looked at from a distance.Who would even dare to approach him?"

    "Besides, anyone can be the director.I just hope that he is not like Gabrielle."

    The office became lively as they all started talking to each other.

    All of a sudden, someone pushed the door open from the outside, and everyone fell silent.

    A man walked in, dressed in a gray suit and a white shirt.He was lean, muscr, and had gentle

    features.

    With a smile, he greeted them, "Hello, everyone.I¡¯m Bradly Stewart, your new director."

    Stunned, Eliana looked at him, breathing rapidly.She did not expect the man she had been looking for

    until now to be the new director of the Design Department.

    Bradly turned, and when he met Eliana¡¯s eyes, he was also pleasantly surprised.

    After a brief introduction of the staff members of the Design Department, Bradly ended the meeting and

    left the conference room.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Holding her face in her hands, Rachel stared at his back.

    "This is the first time that I have felt so pumped to be working here!"

    "You¡¯re just interested in our new design director, aren¡¯t you?" a colleague teased her.

    Eliana walked back to her desk,ughing with them.

    The moment she sat down at her desk, she noticed a shadow over her face.She raised her head

    subconsciously and saw Bradly smiling brightly.

    "I¡¯m new here, and I was wondering if I could trouble you to take me to the cafeteria during lunch?"

    "Of course, Bradly¡­"

    Eliana blurted out.

    But then she corrected herself quickly, "I mean, Mr.Stewart."

    Seeing that, Bradly smiled gently and said, "Thank you, Eliana."

    He then turned around and walked back to his office.

    When Rachel saw that, she became extremely jealous.

    How could Eliana be so lucky? It was not just their CEO, Maurice, who was interested in her, but also

    their new design director! Why did the handsome men always like her? That noon, Eliana escorted

    Bradly to the cafeteria.

    As they both sat at a table, Bradly nced at the food on her te, andmented, "Your taste hasn¡¯t

    changed."

    Upon hearing that, a smile appeared on Eliana¡¯s lips as she thought of the Pierce Group.

    She then asked tentatively, "Bradly, five years ago, after the Pierce Group went bankrupt, I looked for

    you, but¡­"

    She did not expect to meet him again in the Moran Group at all.

    Bradly was not only her former senior in college, he had also been an employee at the Pierce Group.

    Eliana had lost her parents and the Pierce Group had gone bankrupt overnight all those years ago.She

    had felt really lonely, and had wanted to find Bradly to ask him for help, but she had not been able to

    find him at all.It was as if he had disappeared from the world.

    "I¡¯m sorry." Bradly frowned with a look of pity in his eyes.

    "My grandfather suddenly fell ill at that time, so I had to go abroad to apany him.And I did not

    expect the Pierce Group to be gone by the time I returned.I could not find you, either."

    "I see." Eliana smiled bitterly.

    Fate liked to make people suffer, and if she had met Bradly all those years ago, then she might not

    have faced the difficulties she did.

    "I identally joined a branchpany of the Moran Groupter.It was only inst month that

    someone assigned me to try working here as the new design director.I really did not expect to meet you

    here."

    Hearing that, Eliana was stunned.

    With bright eyes, she grabbed his sleeve and asked, "You have been working in the Moran Group for a

    long time now, right? Did you hear about its acquisition of the Pierce Group?"

    She did not notice that Maurice, who was walking, stopped right in his track Corbin, who was right

    behind him, almost mmed into his back.

    "Mr.Moran, what¡¯s the matter?"

    Saying that, he turned to the direction Maurice was looking.It was a sunny noon, and Eliana and Bradly

    were sitting by the French window, like a perfect couple.

    Eliana seemed to be holding Bradly¡¯s arm intimately as she looked at him affectionately.

    Sensing that something was not right, Corbin stepped back cautiously as he looked at Maurice timidly.

    With a faint smile on his lips, Maurice asked in a cold voice, "Who is that man?"

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53

    Chapter 53 A Big Client

    "This is Bradly Stewart, the new director of the Design Department.He has just been transferred here

    from a branch office."

    Corbin¡¯s voice trembled as he introduced Bradly.

    "He seems to be getting along with Eliana on his first day here," Maurice sneered impatiently under his

    breath.

    When he noticed Eliana leaning towards Bradly, he frowned and ordered Corbin, "Tell her to get back to

    work."

    "But, it¡¯s lunch break now¡­"

    Corbin reminded him in a low voice.

    Maurice cast a sharp nce at him, gritting his teeth as he said, "Then close the canteen."

    Corbin¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment at his words.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    After all, he had never seen Maurice behave so irrationally.It was clear that he must have lost his head

    because of Eliana.

    Meanwhile, Bradly sat in the canteen, dazed and confused.He had sensed something fishy about

    Eliana¡¯s question.

    "Are you suspecting that someone deliberately did something to bring Pierce Group down?"

    Moreover, the maniptor behind it was rted to the Moran Group.There was a flicker of

    disappointment in Eliana¡¯s eyes.

    After all, Eliana was afraid that Maurice¡¯s involvement would put Bradley in trouble as she didn¡¯t want

    him to lose his job.She shook her head to dismiss all thoughts on the matter and released her grip on

    his sleeve.

    "I was just making conversation.My dad poured his heart and soul into the Pierce Group.I¡­ I can¡¯t let it

    go."

    Bradly was about tofort her.

    Suddenly, there was a rush of footsteps approaching them.

    Before Eliana could even say anything, a waitress from the canteen came and took her te away

    from the table.She looked up in confusion and asked the waitress, "What happened?"

    The waitress cast a contemptuous nce at them before she pompously responded as if she had

    something very important to say.

    "Mr.Moran asked us to close down the canteen temporarily.I have to ask you two to leave right now."

    Before Eliana and Bradly could even say anything, the waitress turned on her heel and walked away.

    Eliana and Bradly looked at each in confusion as they were forced to leave the canteen.

    "You haven¡¯t eaten much.Do you want to go out and grab something to eat?"

    Bradly¡¯s gaze became softer.He wanted to spend more time with Eliana.

    After all, he had been waiting for her for many years.

    Unfortunately, Eliana did not notice the look of affection in his eyes.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    She was too angry at Maurice to notice anything and the more she thought about him, the angrier she

    became.

    "What¡¯s wrong with Maurice? Why did he suddenly decide to close the canteen?"

    "Mr.Moran¡­ He¡¯s quite special," Bradly remarked casually.

    Then he noticed a person standing behind Eliana.

    Maurice stood there with a deadpan expression on his face.

    The oppressive aura that he exuded suffocated the people around him.

    Bradly tried to tip Eliana a wink before saying, "Mr.Moran, it¡¯s good to see you."

    Startled, Eliana turned around and as soon as she met his cold eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

    Maurice walked past her and stood before Bradly.

    "It¡¯s your first day on the job and you¡¯re here fraternizing with a female employee?"

    If anyone had overheard Maurice¡¯s words, Bradly would lose the respect of his colleagues as the new

    director.

    "Mr.Moran, you¡¯ve misunderstood¡­"

    Frowning, Eliana tried to exin, but Bradly stopped her.

    Bradly lowered his head respectfully and said, "I understand what you¡¯re saying, Mr.Moran.I don¡¯t know

    what I was thinking.Thank you for setting me straight this time."

    Maurice shifted his cold eyes towards Eliana as he was extremely unhappy with her.

    ¡®How dare she defend Bradly?¡¯ Meanwhile, Corbin stood in a corner, shaking as he felt frightened and

    nervous.

    He kept his head lowered as he earnestly tried to avert drawing any attention to himself.

    "Ding!"

    Suddenly, the elevator arrived and soon the door slid open.

    Corbin exhaled in relief and said, "Mr.Moran, it¡¯s almost time for the meeting."

    As Maurice walked into the elevator, he paused and red at Eliana.

    "Aren¡¯t youing?"

    Eliana raised her chin before responding, "No, thanks, Mr.Moran.We¡¯ll take the stairs."

    Her tone was respectful but sarcastic.She grabbed Bradly¡¯s arm and dashed to the stairwell.

    The elevator door slid close and Corbin caught a reflection of Maurice¡¯s livid face.

    The corners of Corbin¡¯s mouth twitched as he said, "Miss Pierce seems to have gotten grumpiertely."

    His eyes lit up all of a sudden as if he hade across a brilliant idea.

    "Why don¡¯t we seal off the stairwell?"

    After all, closing down the canteen seemed to have worked out in their favor.

    Maurice stared at him in awe and anger as he couldn¡¯t find the words to respond with.

    How about sealing Corbin¡¯s mouth? Corbin would have to keep quiet then, wouldn¡¯t he? Later in the

    afternoon, Eliana was working in her cubicle.

    Out of the blue, Corbin tapped on her desk and said, "Eliana,e with me to the CEO¡¯s office."

    "But I have to finish this and send it out before¡­"

    Eliana took a deep breath and refused politely.

    What was Maurice up to now? After she disrespected him earlier at noon, what could he possibly want

    from her now?

    "What could be more urgent than Mr.Moran¡¯s demand now?" Corbin asked haughtily.

    Eliana was at a loss for words.

    Bradly walked over to them and looked at Corbin with a smile.

    "Mr.Jenkins, what Mr.Moran need? I¡¯ll arrange for the right person to do it."

    Corbin smiled and said, "One of our big clients wants Eliana to take charge of a project.Do you want

    someone else to handle the project?"

    "Well¡­"

    Bradly looked at Eliana with hesitation.It was rare for a client to ask for an ordinary designer to take

    charge of a project.

    Eliana pointed her finger at herself in surprise.

    "Which¡­ which client?"

    She hadn¡¯t even published her work since she got back.How could a client ask for her without any

    reference to her work?

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54

    Chapter 54 Not Understand This Man

    "I am not authorized to give you any details about the client right now." Corbin¡¯s expression was subtle

    and his answer was vague.

    Eliana felt suspicious.

    However, before she could say anything, Bradly continued, "Why didn¡¯t the cliente to the Design

    Department to meet her in person?"

    Turning his head to look at Bradly, Corbin curled his lips in anger and said, "What are you trying to say?

    Are you saying that Mr.Moran has toe to you with the client first?"

    "No! I didn¡¯t mean that," Bradly quickly denied.

    He tilted his head downwards and looked at Eliana, who didn¡¯t seem happy at all.He added in a gentle

    voice, "It¡¯s great that a client asked to work with Eliana, but it¡¯s up to her whether to ept the project

    or not.If she doesn¡¯t want to do it, I won¡¯t force her to ept any arrangement beyond those within the

    Design Department."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Bradly, do you know what you are talking about?"

    Corbin¡¯s face darkened as he said, "Are you going to make Mr.Moran look bad by turning a client down

    on behalf of Eliana?"

    "Well, I¡¯m the director of the Design Department.As such, I have to be responsible for the members of

    the Design Department," said Bradly, puffing his chest up with a smile on his face.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Although Eliana was moved by his words, she didn¡¯t want Bradly to get into trouble with Maurice for her

    sake.She smiled and said, "Bradly, it¡¯s okay.I¡¯m willing to meet this client."

    "All right Go ahead."

    Bradly gazed at her, his eyes gentle and firm, and added, "Let me know if you need anything."

    Eliana nodded and then pushed Corbin out.

    "Mr.Jenkins, let¡¯s go.You shouldn¡¯t keep Mr.Moran and the client waiting!"

    The two reached the top floor via the CEO¡¯s private elevator.

    Corbin opened the door of the CEO¡¯s office for Eliana.

    Eliana took each step forward cautiously and eventually found two people sitting on the sofa.

    Maurice was leaning against the sofa leisurely with a faint smile on his face.

    There was a woman sitting very close to him.She looked graceful, dressed in a matcha-colored

    cheongsam.Her hair was coiled up behind her head, adorned with tiny gems.

    It was clear to see that she had taken the time to dress up.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying to Maurice because she was speaking in a very low voice.

    The slit of the cheongsam was noticeably high, and the woman¡¯s slender legs were almost rubbing up

    against Maurice¡¯s knees.

    From a distance, anyone could tell that the two were being very intimate with each other.

    Without conscious thought, Eliana stopped in her tracks.She felt breathless, almost as if someone had

    reached into her chest and squeezed her heart.

    Maurice raised an eyebrow at Eliana contemptuously and said, "Do you need me to tell you to walk

    closer?"

    He always sought revenge for the smallest of grievances.

    Since Eliana didn¡¯t seem to have a problem holding Bradly¡¯s arm to make him feel jealous, he was

    going to give her a taste of her own medicine.

    Stifling her surging emotions, Eliana raised her chin and walked forward.

    The woman on the sofa turned around and looked at her with a bright smile.

    "Eliana, you¡¯re finally here.Maurice and I have been waiting for you for a while now."

    Eliana¡¯s body froze in an instant.

    The woman¡¯ was none other than Evelynn.

    "When Maurice learned that I want to change a ne¡¯s design, he rmended you.I know we¡¯ve

    had some misunderstandings before, but I trust your skills," Evelynn said in a gentle and sincere voice.

    Her behavior now was significantly different from when they were at the dinner party where it seemed

    as though she was going to skin Eliana alive.

    Maurice had never taken the initiative to talk to her before, but this time, he enthusiastically invited her

    to the Moran Group.

    Evelynn felt ttered by his gesture, so much that she even deluded herself into imagining herself as

    the future Mrs.Moran.

    Therefore, when she came to thepany this time, she had made up her mind to deal with Eliana in

    a respectable manner.

    Lowering her eyes slowly, Eliana noticed that Evelyn was leaning against Maurice¡¯s shoulder.

    The man seemed rather calm and he didn¡¯t even reject her advances.

    An inexplicable taste of bitterness spread in Eliana¡¯s heart.

    When they were at the dinner party, Maurice had clearly refused to be close to Evelynn.

    But today, it looked like he hadpletely changed his mind about her.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t understand this man at all.

    Maurice noticed the change of expression on her face, and a satisfied smirk appeared on his lips.He

    turned to face Evelynn with tenderness in his eyes and said, "Evelynn, just tell her what you want.You

    can ask her toe up with any design you want."

    Evelynn¡¯s heart skipped a beat at his words.

    Up until this moment, she didn¡¯t realize that she had been used as a tool for Maurice to make Eliana

    jealous.

    She looked at Maurice affectionately and said, "This ne was made for our engagement

    ceremony.Although the marriage has been canceled, the Jarvis family and the Moran family have been

    on good terms for many years, and since Maurice and I still care for each other¡­"

    Eliana interrupted her, "So what kind of design do you want now, Miss Jarvis?"

    Evelynn had no choice but to stop.She nced at Eliana unhappily, but her tone was still gentle as she

    replied, "I want to change it into a gift for my mother.Can you redesign the ne? I look forward to

    seeing what you can do."

    Eliana knew that there was no room for her to refuse.She smiled and said, "It would be my pleasure."

    Evelynn smiled back, but her eyes were cold and malicious.

    "One more thing! I would like to use an Argyle pink diamond on this ne."

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55

    Chapter 55 An Argyle Pink Diamond

    Eliana frowned and quickly reminded Evelynn, "Miss Jarvis, unfortunately, the production of Argyle pink

    diamonds has been suspended for the time being."

    "I know.That¡¯s why this ne will be more valuable.Besides, my mother likes Argyle pink diamonds

    very much," Evelynn said.

    She then turned around, held Maurice¡¯s arm, and looked at him with puppy dog eyes.

    "You know, she¡¯s been depressed ever since our marriage got canceled.If anything can cheer her up,

    it¡¯s this gift."

    Maurice leaned forward and picked up the teacup from the table.He pulled out his arm quietly, in a calm

    and friendly manner.

    "Rest assured.The Design Department will take care of your needs.With both the design and the Argyle

    pink diamond."

    "Mr.Moran!"

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    After all, as far as she knew, the Moran Group didn¡¯t have any Argyle pink diamond in stock.

    Where was she going to find one for the design? Maurice winked at Eliana and said, "You are the

    designer in charge of the project.I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle up with something.I¡¯m counting on you."

    Evelynn sat up straight and cast a meaningful nce at Eliana.

    "Maurice is such a good man.If only the marriage hadn¡¯t been canceled¡­"

    Disregarding her gaze, Eliana looked at Maurice without blinking as she said, "Mr.Moran, Argyle pink

    diamonds are indeed precious, but if we can¡¯t find the source of the goods, I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult to

    complete the project on time.Why don¡¯t we try to work with another type of gem instead?"

    With a sharp clinking sound, Maurice put the teacup down on the table.His face darkened, and his eyes

    were frosty under his eyebrows, sending shivers down Eliana¡¯s body.

    The tone of his voice was gut wrenching.

    "Eliana, hasn¡¯t your director taught you to respect the wishes of the client? What qualifications do you

    have to influence the client¡¯s decision?"

    Eliana¡¯s breathing paused.

    "I¡¯m sorry.I¡­"

    Maurice stood up and walked towards her.

    With his long legs, he strode towards her in his hand-tailored suit.

    "If this project doesn¡¯t go well, I¡¯m going to me Bradly, since he is the director of the Design

    Department.His position at the Moran Group depends on this project."

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "Why? What does this project have to do with him?"

    Eliana looked at Maurice incredulously.Her fiery re seemed to burn a hole into his skull.

    Maurice was so handsome and yet so ruthless.

    He leaned over and whispered, "What? Do you want Bradly to leave right now?"

    Eliana couldn¡¯t let him drag Bradly down for his problems with her.

    After all, Bradly was innocent.

    "Okay, I will take care of the project as required," said Eliana, gritting her teeth.

    Evelynn walked forward gracefully and shook Eliana¡¯s hand, pulling her away from Maurice.

    She smiled sweetly and said, "Then, please take care of my ne."

    Eliana was so angry with Maurice that she didn¡¯t even want to speak with this woman anymore.She

    turned around and was about to leave.

    However, Maurice stopped her and said, "Please, bring Miss Jarvis downstairs."

    Blue veins bulged from Eliana¡¯s forehead as she gritted her teeth to refrain from acting out.

    After all, as an employee, it was her duty to obey the orders of her boss.

    Fortunately, she managed to endure it.

    Soon, an awkward silence permeated the elevator.

    Eliana lowered her eyes in silence, praying that the elevator would get to the ground floor quickly.

    After all, the faster she could get rid of Evelynn, the better it was for the both of them.

    Suddenly, she heard a sneer.

    Evelynn had maintained a friendly facade this whole time, but she finally removed her disguise and

    revealed her true self.

    "Eliana, every time I thought back to your arrogance at that dinner party, I assumed you were the

    daughter of some rich and powerful family.However, reality is far more surprising and satisfying.I would

    have never thought that you are just an ordinary designer working for the Moran Group.You¡¯re really

    good at pretending to be someone you¡¯re not."

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56

    Chapter 56 You¡¯d Better Not Tie Your Hair

    Eliana replied lightly, "You¡¯ve gotten better at changing faces."

    Unfazed, Evelynn smiled carelessly and looked down to inspect her manicure.It was obvious that she

    didn¡¯t take Eliana seriously.

    "In Maurice¡¯s eyes, you are nothing but a toy.You might¡¯ve slept with him, but he¡¯ll alwayse back to

    me.What he wants is a woman from the same social rank."

    Upon hearing this, Eliana¡¯s heart sank to her stomach.She recalled how Maurice and Evelynn sat side

    by side, intimately interacting with each other.

    As this scene reyed in her mind, she couldn¡¯t help but get upset.

    Eliana turned to look at Evelynn.Her branded clothing and luxury essories made her look

    iparably expensive, as though she inhaled and exhaled money.

    Eliana was standing in front of her, dressed in a simple office uniform.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    The juxtaposition was clear.

    They came from two very different worlds.

    Noticing the look in Eliana¡¯s eyes, Evelynn sneered smugly.But to her surprise, Eliana started to

    chuckle.

    "Miss Jarvis, it seems you¡¯ve been thinking about me sleeping with Mr.Moran.Could it be-are you

    jealous?"

    Evelynn¡¯s expression changed instantly.

    "Even though our engagement was called off this time, we¡¯ll eventually get married.Why should I be

    jealous of my fiance¡¯s ythings?"

    "You¡¯d better wait until you marry into the Moran family before you talk like that," Eliana said calmly.

    "Why, you¡ª!"

    Furious, Evelynn narrowed her eyes at Eliana.

    Just then, Eliana¡¯s fake smile disappeared and was reced with a sharp, cold look.

    In a low voice, she said slowly, "Allow me to give you some advice, Miss Jarvis.You¡¯d better not tie your

    hair the next time you see Mr.Moran.He likes s*x when the woman¡¯s long hair is draped over her

    shoulders¡­"

    Her voice trailed off.

    Eliana¡¯s taunt clearly got to her.

    Evelynn¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers and her red lips parted to shriek, "E¡­ li¡­a¡­ na!"

    "Ding¡ª!"

    The elevator doors slid open and Evelynn¡¯s shrill voice came out.Some employees who were waiting

    for the elevator all looked at her in shock.

    "You¡¯ve reached the ground floor.Take care, Miss Jarvis."

    Eliana waved goodbye to her, smiling sweetly.

    ncing at all the shocked faces looking at her, Evelynn gritted her teeth angrily.

    But she suppressed her rage for now, knowing that she should be a gracious hostess of the Moran

    Group.So she held her chin up high and left in a huff.

    Eliana heaved a sigh of relief.

    At least she was able to vent her anger.She made her way back to her desk and sat down, all the while

    in a daze.

    Bradly, who happened to walk past her, stopped in his tracks and asked worriedly, "What¡¯s wrong,

    Eliana?"

    "Bradly¡­"

    Eliana felt the urge to weep but found that she had no tears left to cry.

    Bradly reached out and patted her head gently.

    "You know you can talk to me, right?"

    Eliana had never mentioned to him the previous interaction among her, Maurice, and Evelynn.She only

    talked to Bradly about the details of the project.

    "Where can I find an Argyle pink diamond that is no longer in production?"

    Eliana buried her face in her hands, at a loss as to what to do.

    Bradly frowned, deep in thought.

    After a while, he said, "Don¡¯t be scared.Although Argyle pink diamonds aren¡¯t on the market anymore,

    I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone out there, who has collected a few.I have some connections.I¡¯ll help you

    inquire around it."

    Surprised, Eliana raised her head to look at him gratefully.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Meanwhile, on the top floor of thepany, Corbin strode into the CEO¡¯s office and handed a

    document to Maurice.

    "Mr.Moran, please take a look at this," he said seriously.

    "Previously, the capital chain of the Harrison Group was broken, so they resorted to usury.But in the

    end, the Harrison Group couldn¡¯t afford to pay off their debts.Their head came to us a few days ago

    and offered to sell us a batch of Argyle pink diamonds at an exorbitant price, but was refused by the

    Project Department."

    As he listened, Maurice lowered his head and leafed through the document Despite the warmth of the

    sunlight, Maurice¡¯s fair face looked inexplicably cold.It was as though he was born into a world where

    people couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away from him.

    After quite a while, he put down the document.

    "Set an appointment with the head of the Harrison Group."

    "Alright."

    After a moment of hesitation, Corbin asked in a low voice, "Should I tell Eliana about this matter?"

    Maurice chuckled in a deep, masculine way.

    "No.She wille to beg me for it sooner orter."

    Corbin smiled wryly, although a shiver ran down his spine, Maurice was definitely someone you

    couldn¡¯t mess with.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57

    Chapter 57 Nana Came Back

    Later that afternoon, the school bus came to a halt in front of the kindergarten.

    Hand in hand, Aileen and Adrian skipped out of the bus like two bunnies.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    The twins were as picturesque as two porcin dolls, attracting the attention of many parents in the

    area.

    "Kimora!"

    Before Aileen could run away, Adrian grabbed her hand firmly.He dragged her towards Kimora and

    greeted her politely.

    Nana was ted to see the twin cities.She jumped out from behind a pir and stretched out her arms

    wide to receive them.

    "Surprise! Adrian, Aileen,e and hug me!"

    "Nana!"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Aileen¡¯s round, doe-like eyes instantly lit up and she pounced into Nana¡¯s arms like a cannon ball.

    Chuckling, Nana caught Aileen and spun around and around excitedly until she felt a little dizzy.

    nting many kisses on Aileen¡¯s face, she cried, "I missed you so much!"

    Aileen giggled, tickled by Nana¡¯s kisses.

    Then, Nana put down Aileen and turned to hug Adrian, but the child stubbornly refused her.

    The boy turned his face away and muttered, "Don¡¯t be childish¡­"

    But before he could finish his sentence, Nana¡¯s hand flew to his mouth and she narrowed her eyes at

    him yfully.

    "Don¡¯t be so indifferent!"

    She was so fond of the twins.

    How could she just ept rejection from Adrian? Adrian rolled his eyes, but eventually relented and

    walked to her with his arms out.

    Nana chuckled and hugged him.

    With both twins in her arms, she gushed happily, "It¡¯s been so long, you two! Have you made any new

    friends?"

    "Yes!"

    Aileen immediately poked her head out and started squirming.She pointed to the other side of the

    kindergarten and shouted, "Over there! That¡¯s my friend, Ss!"

    "Oh, wow! Is that your boyfriend, Aileen?"

    Nana teased, poking the little girl¡¯s butterball belly yfully.

    Adrian, on the other hand, was having none of it.

    In a cold voice, he said, "I¡¯ll tell Mommy that you made fun of Aileen."

    Amused, Nana coughed lightheartedly and rubbed his nose.

    "You¡¯re a wise one, aren¡¯t you?"

    She looked down at his fierce expression and wondered why Adrian acted so maturely.

    Couldn¡¯t he act his age?

    "Hey, Adrian, Aileen."

    Ss approached the twins, all the while looking at Nana curiously.

    When she saw him, Nana¡¯s eyes lit up.

    The little boy was dressed so smartly in a suit that seemed tailor fit for him.He had an adorable face,

    but his expression was far from childish.He looked much calmer and more reserved than his peers.His

    temperament wasparable to that of Adrian.

    Birds of a feather flocked together, Nana supposed.

    Aileen wriggled out of Nana¡¯s arms and leaped to introduce the two of them excitedly.

    "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Nana," Ss greeted her with a polite smile.

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but grin from ear to ear.

    What a sensible little boy! Delighted, she dug her hand into her pocket, fished out a handful of candies,

    and put them onto Ss¡¯s small palm.

    The sweet candies wrapped in brightly colored wrappers were a stark contrast to Ss¡¯s suit, which

    made him look particrly lively.

    Ss looked at the candies in his hand hesitantly.

    Ever since Aileen asked him to have a taste of candy, things had started to spiral.

    In just a month, he gained two cavities and was criticized harshly by Maurice.

    Since then, he had never even touched candy¡­ "Hey, those are good candies.They¡¯re Aileen¡¯s

    favorite!"

    Nana smiled at him warmly when she saw that he didn¡¯t seem to want to eat the candy.

    Aileen also jumped around him in circles expectantly.

    "Yes! They¡¯re my favorite! Eat them, Ss!" Ss gulped nervously.

    "Uhm, but,"

    "Here.I¡¯ll unwrap them for you."

    Nana skillfully peeled the candy wrapper off one of the candy and held it in front of Ss¡¯s little mouth.

    After wrestling within his heart for a second, Ss relented and opened his mouth wide.

    However, out of the blue, the candy was pped out of Nana¡¯s hand and it rolled on the ground.

    "What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?" Corbin quickly pulled Ss behind him and looked at the

    woman warily.

    "How could you feed another person¡¯s child?" Nana looked up at him in surprise.

    "I¡¯m sorry.I didn¡¯t mean that,"

    "She was just giving me candy." Ss tugged at Corbin¡¯s sleeve and defended Nana hurriedly.

    "You can¡¯t eat candy from strangers!"

    Corbin looked at Nana as though she was some kind of predator.

    This time, Nana frowned.

    "Hey, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s rude to talk like that?"

    How could he call her a stranger? Aileen had just introduced Ss and her to each other¡­

    "Yeah! You¡¯re being rude!"

    Aileen stuck out her tongue at Corbin while hugging Nana¡¯s leg tightly.

    Only then did Corbin notice that the twins were also there.He quickly came to his senses and looked at

    Nana, bewildered.

    Was she the mother of the twins-Jonathan¡¯s lover? Nana was a good-looking girl, curly hair dangling

    over her shoulders.

    Now that she was ring at him with displeasure, she looked even more imposing and beautiful.She

    was wearing an expensive dress that came up to her ankles, and her bag was branded.

    Easily, she attracted a lot of attention.

    Corbin¡¯s eyes darted around.He saw that some of the parents and teachers were watching their

    confrontation.

    Corbin felt as though a spotlight was being pointed at him.

    Thinking about how fond Maurice was of the twins, he suddenly faltered.

    Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t a stubborn man and quickly apologized to Nana.

    "I¡¯m sorry.I shouldn¡¯t have said that.I was just worried about Ss.Please don¡¯t feed other people¡¯s

    children out of the blue.What if they get a stomachache?"

    But to Nana, Corbin¡¯s words sounded more like a threat than an apology.

    In a fit of rage, she took the twins and turned around to leave immediately.

    Aileen had told her that Ss had been living with his uncle, so she guessed that that rude man must

    be Ss¡¯s uncle.

    How could such a cute and sensible boy have such an impolite and rash uncle? Ss¡¯s genes must¡¯ve

    been mutated.

    This man¡¯s temperament was far inferior to Ss¡¯s.

    As Nana walked away with Adrian and Aileen, Ss looked up at Corbin coldly.

    "You shouldn¡¯t have said those things to Nana."

    "Her name is Nana?"

    Corbin turned to look at the receding figures in the distance.

    In a huff, Nana angrily carried the twins into the car one by one and then got in the driver¡¯s seat.

    Secondster, the Maserati zoomed off.

    They and Eliana arrived home almost at the same time.

    Having not seen each other for so long, Eliana and Nana hugged each other tightly and shrieked

    excitedly.It was a while before the twodies calmed down.

    When they pulled away from the embrace, Nana looked around Eliana¡¯s house with a strange

    expression.

    "You live here? It must be hard for you and the kids."

    "It¡¯s not that bad."

    Eliana smiled and looked affectionately at Adrian and Aileen, who were ying on the sofa.

    "What the hell are you talking about? This is a dumppared to where you lived abroad.And you¡¯re

    working harder than before, but it seems you¡¯re struggling to support your family."

    Nana relentlessly pointed out her pessimistic situation.With regret, she said wistfully, "It would¡¯ve been

    better if you chose to be with Jonathan¡­"

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58

    Chapter 58 Don¡¯t Need To Lie To Me

    "Nana!"

    Eliana interrupted Nana, furrowing her eyebrows at her angrily.

    With a look of innocence, Nana replied, "Why are you yelling at me?"

    Eliana winked at her, indicating that the children were listening in on their conversation.

    Adrian blinked his eyes at them both and said, "It doesn¡¯t matter where we are.As long as we¡¯re with

    Mommy, we will be happy."

    "Adrian is right!" Aileen smiled sweetly and rested her head on Adrian¡¯s shoulder.

    "And, we have made new friends."

    Eliana smiled and kissed her two children on the forehead.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Nana looked at them lovingly and said, "Eliana, I envy you.I wish I had cute kids like Adrian and

    Aileen."

    "Well, you can have one after you get married to Huey," Eliana said with a chuckle.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Nana¡¯s face turned a little gloomy.

    "I don¡¯t want a man. I just want a child," she replied as if nothing had happened.

    Eliana could tell that Nana was just acting as if she wasn¡¯t embarrassed with just one nce.It seemed

    as though she was hiding the real reason as to why she escaped from the wedding.

    After asking Kimora to put the kids in bed, Eliana took Nana back to her bedroom.

    "Tell me the truth.Why did you run away from the wedding?"

    Sitting across from Nana, Eliana stared at her seriously.

    Nana dodged her gaze and murmured, "¡­I just didn¡¯t like Huey anymore."

    "What?"

    Eliana raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

    "I had no choice but to run away since my parents didn¡¯t agree to cancel the wedding."

    Nana sat up straight and added, "I just can¡¯t force myself to marry someone I don¡¯t like."

    Eliana was silent for a moment.

    Although Nana seemed to be a hot-tempered person, in fact, she was a proud and sentimental

    person.She knew that Huey Layton must have broken Nana¡¯s heart, so she ran away from the

    wedding.

    All of a sudden, Eliana leaned over and hugged Nana.

    "It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to tell me.You don¡¯t need to lie to me.I just want you to know that no matter

    what happens, I will always be on your side."

    All of a sudden, tears welled up in Nana¡¯s eyes as she buried her face in Eliana¡¯s shoulder.

    "I¡¯m so sad¡­" she sobbed.

    "Don¡¯t worry about anything else.Go ahead and cry.I¡¯m here for you, Nana,"

    Eliana said softly, patting Nana¡¯s head gently.

    Nana took a deep breath and when she let go of Eliana, her smile had already returned to her face.

    "Why should I cry? I want tough! Fortunately, I managed to escape before getting married.Can you

    imagine what trouble I would be in if I hadn¡¯t run away?"

    While she was speaking, she pulled Eliana to the wardrobe and began to pick some clothes.

    "Why don¡¯t we get dressed and go out! I want to celebrate being single!"

    "Sure," Eliana said helplessly.

    She could never keep up with Nana¡¯s change of mood.

    Nana took out her cell phone and searched for the popr local clubs nearby on the Inte.

    When Eliana saw "Imperial Golden Club" on the screen of the phone, she quickly said, "Don¡¯t go to this

    club!"

    "Why?" Nana looked at her in confusion.

    "The reviews are quite positive¡­"

    Eliana looked at her sternly and said, "I¡¯ve been there once.It¡¯s not a good ce.The owner of the club

    must have paidizens to post positivements."

    Fortunately, Nana didn¡¯t care to insist.

    Instead, she chose the other ce-Heyday Club.

    After confirming the destination, Eliana changed her clothes, but Nana seemed unhappy about

    something.

    She looked Eliana up and down and asked, "Are you going out like this?"

    Eliana asked in confusion, "Why not?"

    Nana sat her down in front of the dressing table and applied makeup for her.

    Eliana had beautiful skin and delicate features.

    As a born beauty, she was pretty even without any makeup on.

    After Nana finished putting some makeup on her, Eliana was almost hard to recognize herself because

    of her twinkling eyes, ruddy lips and indescribable beauty.

    Finally, Nana seemed very satisfied with herself as she took a moment to appreciate her own work.

    It took them another hour before they went out Meanwhile, a Maybach slowly drove out of the Moran

    family¡¯s vi the kindergarten.I meant to say, Jonathan¡¯s lover, Nana Marlin."

    He handed a photo to Maurice.

    Maserati next to them was Adrian, and he stared at them The woman was from the back seat of the

    car.

    A frown appeared on Maurice¡¯s lips, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    Nana didn¡¯t look like the mother of the twins he had imagined.It seemed as though¡­ something was

    wrong.

    With a curious furrow on his eyebrows, he ordered in a low voice, "Find out everything about this so-

    called Nana Marlin."

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59

    Chapter 59 Pay Extra

    In a private room on the second floor of the Heyday Club, Wyatt was lounging on the sofazily.

    When Maurice pushed the door open and walked in, Wyatt smiled and raised his ss.

    "The busy man finally made it."

    "Traffic jam," Maurice replied dryly.

    He loosened his cor, shrugged off his coat, and sat next to the rxed man.

    Maurice was wearing just a ck shirt, but he sat up straight and in a dignified manner, a stark contrast

    to the man next to him, who had practically sank into the sofa.

    Wyatt handed him a ss of wine.

    "Why aren¡¯t we meeting at the Imperial Golden Club?"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "I¡¯m tired of that ce."

    Maurice took a sip of wine indifferently.

    Wyatt nodded wisely.

    "Out with the old and in with the new."

    Maurice nced at him subconsciously.

    "Wait!"

    It struck him.

    Wyatt realized the truth.He looked at the man yfully, resting his chin on his hand.

    "It¡¯s because you¡¯re depressed, now that Eliana¡¯s giving you the cold shoulder."

    "Humph,"

    Maurice sneered coldly, not wanting to give Wyatt the satisfaction.

    "Oh, forget it."

    Wyatt raised his hands in mock surrender.

    Then, he stood up, strode over to the window, and pushed it open.

    In the blink of an eye, the deafening sound of music and shouts from the dance floor below filled the

    private room.It was so noisy that it gave Maurice a headache.

    Frowning, he called out Wyatt¡¯s name, but thetter didn¡¯t respond.

    Maurice had no choice but to walk over and close the window himself.

    "Wait, don¡¯t.Why don¡¯t you check out the other women and get your mind off of Eliana?"

    Wyatt stopped him with one hand and gestured downstairs with the other.

    "How about the one in the red dress?"

    The window of the private room faced the club¡¯s dance floor.

    Men and women were dancing under the colorful, dazzling lights, drowned in deafening music. The

    woman Wyatt was pointing at seemed to be a good dancer.

    She twirled around to the music, her curly hair flying lithely.

    Maurice frowned, feeling that she looked familiar.

    Upon a closer look, he recognized her instantly.

    She was¡­ Nana, Jonathan¡¯s lover! On the dance floor, Nana smiled flirtatiously and pulled Eliana

    towards her.

    Eliana grinned and followed her dance moves.Her waist swayed to the music, her ck dress

    blossoming like a flower.Her fair, slender legs peeped out from under the dress.

    The graceful dance between the two women attracted many people¡¯s attention, and even Maurice

    found his heart was beating faster.

    How on earth did Eliana know Nana? What was more, the two of them seemed quite close.

    "Oh, my God!"

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes lit up when he recognized the woman in the ck dress.He looked at Maurice teasingly

    and said, "Isn¡¯t that Eliana? She¡¯s dressed more seductively than usual!"

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened immediately.He unhappily watched Eliana twirl on the dance floor.

    Not only did she ignore Preston¡¯s calls, she also treated Maurice coldly when she technically worked

    for him as an employee of the Moran Group.

    Moreover, she had decided to go to a different club than usual tonight, and had even dressed herself

    up to dance..

    Well.

    Out with the old and in with the new indeed.

    When she grew tired, Eliana dragged Nana away from the dance floor and into a private room.

    Nana excitedly called over a waiter over and whispered to him.

    "What¡¯re you up to? You¡¯re always so mischievous."

    Eliana narrowed her eyes at her friend in suspicion.

    Nana giggled like a child and whispered in her ear, "I¡¯ve sent for a few gigolos to liven up the

    atmosphere."

    Eliana¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers and she immediately stood bolt upright.

    "You did what?!"

    She was already traumatized thanks to a gigolo! Eliana reached for her bag subconsciously and started

    to shuffle towards the door.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "Enjoy them yourself.I¡¯m leaving now,"

    ¡°Wait Come back?"

    Nana crossed her arms over her chest, both angry and amused.

    She pulled Eliana back to the sofa and demanded, "What¡¯s gotten you so worked up? I just wanted to

    have some fun, and didn¡¯t pay for the whole night."

    "No, thank you."

    Eliana shook her head stubbornly.

    Nana wrapped one arm around Eliana¡¯s shoulder and winked pitifully.

    "Don¡¯t worry, honey.These gigolos won¡¯t sleep with you unless you pay extra.In fact, they won¡¯t even let

    you touch them without paying up!"

    Suddenly, the door of the private room swung open.It was clear that the gigolos at the door had heard

    Nana¡¯sst sentence.

    Blue veins popped out on the forehead of the man standing at the end of the line.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60

    Chapter 60 Why Are You So Angry

    Eliana quickly looked away embarrassedly, unable to meet these gigolos¡¯ gazes.She quickly pushed

    Nana aside and pressed her fingers against her temple.

    "Okay, fine.I¡¯ll stay."

    Nana cheered and gestured at the men toe in.

    The private room suddenly transformed into a private fashion show.

    The tall, slender, and handsome gigolos filed in, one after another, which dazzled Nana.Her eyes

    twinkled with excitement.

    "Nana, did you order them to ¡®liven up the atmosphere¡¯ or help them build their team?" Eliana asked

    sardonically.

    "Tsk, why do you talk to me like I¡¯m an idiot?" Nana shot her a warning re.

    "If I have the money, why not spend it?" Eliana found herself unable to retort.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Fine." She sank into the sofa dejectedly.

    Bang!

    Thest man who walked in mmed the door behind him.

    Eliana was jolted by the loud noise.

    When she looked in the direction of the sound, her eyes went as wide as saucers.

    By the door, a man dressed all in ck surveyed the room coldly.His ice-cold eyesnded on Eliana,

    making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

    Preston?! Didn¡¯t he work in the Imperial Golden Club? What the hell was he doing here? Was he here

    drumming up business? Eliana was too shocked to speak.

    The ss she was holding slipped through her fingers and shattered into countless pieces.

    "Eliana! Are you okay?"

    Nana, who was obsessing over the beautiful men, suddenly turned around when she heard the sound

    of ss breaking.She found Eliana staring nkly at the man by the door.She smiled knowingly.

    "So that¡¯s your type?"

    "No¡­"

    Before Eliana could exin, Nana had already called Preston over to entertain Eliana.

    The other gigolos eyed him jealously.

    Maurice ignored their envious gazes and strode to Eliana.

    The overhead light flickered and the light illuminated his delicate features, outlining his sculptural

    face.He was devilishly handsome.

    Even Nana couldn¡¯t tear her eyes away from him.

    She ran her finger down the man¡¯s shoulder and murmured, "I didn¡¯t think the Heyday Club would have

    such a fine specimen¡­"

    Maurice stepped back and said coldly, "Don¡¯t touch me."

    Instead of getting angry, Nana giggled.She raised on hand to cover her mouth and teased Eliana, "You

    chose someone special.How could he treat a guest that way?"

    Lowering her head, Eliana didn¡¯t dare to look at Preston.

    "I need some air."

    She pushed Nana aside and was about to go outside.But Maurice blocked her way and handed her a

    ss of wine.

    The man¡¯s face was as beautiful as a painting, but his words were as sharp as a de.

    "Don¡¯t go.Since you requested me toe, won¡¯t you let me serve you? I¡¯m sure I can satisfy you¡ª"

    "Preston!" Eliana exploded in anger.

    "What the hell do you want?"

    Only then did Nana realize that something was wrong.

    She quickly stepped in between them and asked in a low voice, "What¡¯s going on? Are you¡­ his

    usual?"

    But as far as she knew, Eliana wasn¡¯t the type to frequent a gigolo.

    Then, it clicked.

    "Is he the gigolo from five years ago? Adrian and Aileen¡¯s¡ª"

    "Nana! I¡¯m sorry.I¡­I¡¯ll exin everythingter, okay? I don¡¯t feel so good.I¡¯ll go home now."

    Eliana quickly cut Nana off and ran out of the private room.

    She quickly made her way across the long corridor.

    Deafening music rattled her eardrums, but her mind was already all over the ce.

    All she could think about was Preston¡¯s behavior just now.

    How could he patronize her without any trace of guilt? He was the one who had done something

    wrong.

    Eliana suddenly stopped in her tracks.

    A thought had urred to her.

    Yes, she wasn¡¯t the one in the wrong.

    Why did she have to run away? What exactly was she afraid of? Eliana¡¯s heart beat faster and faster.

    It was as though something was trying to break out of her heart.

    Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the arm.

    "Hey, hot stuff!"

    Eliana turned around, her eyes wide with fear.She found a drunk man holding her tightly.

    "Let me go!" she shouted, struggling to free herself.

    The drunkard staggered slightly, but his hand was wrapped firmly around her wrist.His eyes stared at

    her hungrily and licked his lips.

    "Don¡¯t run away, honey.Come and y with me for a while, won¡¯t you?"

    Eliana was so disgusted that she got goose bumps.

    Just as she raised her leg to kick him, the drunkard crumpled to his feet, screaming He had been

    knocked out with a punch, his lip busted open and bleeding.

    A tooth had flown out of his mouth, rolling on the floor in a b****y heap.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Eliana looked at the attacker in shock.

    Maurice frowned with disdain and wiped the back of his hand.He looked like he wanted to inflict more

    damage, but decided against it.

    Their eyes met.

    Maurice grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and started dragging her away.He didn¡¯t stop until they were at a corner

    of the lobby.

    Eliana finally snapped out of her daze and shook off the man¡¯s hand.

    But Maurice stubbornly took her hand again.

    Boiling with rage, she hissed through gritted teeth, "Let go of me!"

    "Why are you so angry?"

    Maurice asked coldly, staring at her unblinkingly.

    Over the past days, he had called her countless times, but Eliana never picked up the phone.

    "At least let me know why."

    After a moment of silence, Eliana locked eyes with him and asked icily, "Why did you give me to

    Maurice so casually the day we drank together?"

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61

    Chapter 61 His Mother¡¯s Belonging

    Eliana red at him like an angry kitten, as though she was going to swipe at him with her ws at any

    moment.

    Amused by her cute expression, Maurice didn¡¯t know whether to burst intoughter or tears.

    "You¡¯re mad because of that?"

    Of course, he never would¡¯ve handed Eliana over to anyone other than¡­ Well, himself.However, he

    couldn¡¯t tell Eliana the truth just yet.

    "I¡¯m so disappointed in you, Preston."

    Eliana shook her head, as though she had given up on him.How could he be so indifferent when she

    questioned him? Was he¡­ was heughing at her? The audacity! Maurice frowned.

    "Why?"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "I trusted you! I trusted you enough to drink with you and bare my soul to you! But you¡­you¡ª!"

    Eliana was so angry that her face turned purple and she raised her voice.

    Passers-by started looking at them.

    Not wanting to attract unnecessary attention to herself, she bit her lip and tried to calm down.She

    looked into Maurice¡¯s eyes, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of guilt or regret in them.

    Elianaughed bitterly.She had been too naive, thinking that she and Preston had be friends.

    But it turned out he didn¡¯t give a d**n about her.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes turned icy cold.

    Through gritted teeth, she said, "I don¡¯t want to talk to you ever again.

    Please don¡¯t bother me."

    Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked away.Her resolute attitude made Maurice grow

    nervous.His hand acted like it had a mind of its own and reached out to hold her hand.

    Eliana turned around slowly.

    She looked at him indifferently, as if she was looking at a stranger, Her voice waspletely alienated

    as she uttered, "Please let go of me."

    However, this made Maurice hold her hand more tightly.

    "You can¡¯t just cut ties with me.You haven¡¯t even returned the ring."

    "Ring?" Eliana raised her eyebrow questioningly.

    It took her a while before she realized what he was referring to.

    She shook off Maurice¡¯s hand and sneered, "How long do you expect me to fall for such a flimsy

    excuse? You drive a luxury car and wear branded clothes.You spend money like it grows on trees.What

    kind of ring is worth enough for you to keep pestering me?"

    "I¡¯m not lying.That ring is very important to me."

    After hesitating for a while, Maurice shook his head and showed his phone to Eliana.

    On the screen, there was a picture of a woman with a charming smile and her eyes were full of

    tenderness.

    She was holding a little boy in her arms.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    He had bright, ck eyes that looked somewhat arrogant.His noble appearance somewhat resembled

    Adrian¡¯s.

    Before Eliana could understand what he meant, Maurice zoomed into the ring on the woman¡¯s finger.

    "That ring was my mother¡¯s.It¡¯s also the only thing she left to me when she died."

    Maurice tried his best to speak in an indifferent, aloof tone.

    However, his eyes betrayed his true emotions, exposing his grief and vulnerability, even though for only

    a moment.

    For so many years, he had pretended to be calm and removed.He never would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d reveal

    his sadness in front of Eliana, He had kept looking for the ring not only for the force behind it, but also

    because it was the only thing his mother had given to him personally before she died.

    The ring truly was important to him.He couldn¡¯t allow Gerald to take away the sole thing his mother had

    left behind.

    The man¡¯s tone was calm, as if he was talking about someone else, but his sad eyes made Eliana feel

    a bit sorry for him.

    Eliana¡¯s heart softened.She had always thought that the ring was given to him by a rich woman¡­ She

    didn¡¯t expect such a heartbreaking backstory.

    If Preston wasn¡¯t lying, then she shouldn¡¯t keep anything from him either After hesitating for a moment,

    she stated calmly, "I did see this ring five years ago, but,"

    "Eliana! Stay away from him!"

    Nana came rushing over, her heels clicking against the floor noisily.

    She pulled Eliana to her side, away from Maurice

    "Nana, what¡¯s the matter?" asked Eliana in surprise.

    Holding her protectively, Nana shot Maurice a murderous re, like a tigress protecting her baby.

    "Don¡¯t believe a word this gigolo says.People like him make up sob stories to trick naive women like

    you to pay them more money."Eliana¡¯s mouth parted in surprise.Being described as a naive woman,

    she felt a little offended.

    Just as she was about to retort, Nana dragged her out of the club in a hurry, as if a ghost was chasing

    after them.

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62

    Chapter 62 The Ring Was In Her Hands

    As he watched Eliana walk away, Maurice thought about what she was about to say just now.Did she

    not have the ring? But even then, she must know something-a clue of some sort.

    All of a sudden, a burst of apuse echoed from behind him.

    Wyatt walked over gloatingly, pping his hands loudly.

    With a sigh, he said, "Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined Mr.Moran would be

    abandoned by a woman.Today will be a day to remember¡­"

    Maurice looked at him coldly, which sent a shiver down his spine.

    Wyatt changed the topic quickly.

    "If you can¡¯t get Eliana to talk, I doubt you¡¯ll find the ring before Gerald.His men are also looking for it."

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    "Don¡¯t worry.He¡¯s no threat to me,"

    Maurice sneered indifferently.

    ording to Corbin¡¯s report, while Gerald was indeed looking for the ring, his search was aimless and

    without direction.

    Wyatt shrugged.

    "But you still need to move fast.Eliana¡¯s right in front of you.Don¡¯t wait until she¡¯s gone."

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened.

    Eliana was ever elusive.

    For some reason, it was more difficult to deal with that woman than it was to deal with business worth

    hundreds of millions of dors.It waste when Eliana and Nana returned home.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t put off Nana¡¯s questioning and told her everything that had happened between her and

    Maurice and Preston these days.

    Nana¡¯s eyes twinkled with interest.

    "Your love life is even more colorful than when you were abroad," she sighed wistfully, Eliana rolled her

    eyes.

    "Rx.I don¡¯t have any feelings for either of them."

    But Nana smiled at her knowingly and took her arm.

    "Although Preston is Adrian and Aileen¡¯s biological father, he¡¯s just a gigolo.He has neither a bright

    future nor loyalty.I think you should focus on Maurice.Not only is he the head of the Moran Group, he

    sounds like a decent man who doesn¡¯t have any scandals¡­"

    Eliana interrupted Nana and sneered.

    Maurice? A decent man who didn¡¯t have any scandals? The man who had held her waist without

    scruples and forced a kiss on her? Plus, he had something going on with Evelynn¡­

    "What kind of a reaction is that?"

    Narrowing her eyes at Eliana, Nana poked her cheek with her finger.

    "Are you in love with Maurice?"

    "What?! No!"

    Eliana swatted her finger away and frowned.

    "I don¡¯t like either of them.Adrian and Aileen are mine.They have nothing to do with Preston.On the

    other hand, Maurice is just my boss.Nana, stop drawing such baseless conclusions."

    "Alright, alright.I won¡¯t bring it up again."

    Tired of Eliana¡¯s nagging, Nana closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her temple.

    Then she picked up a photo album and tried to change the topic.

    "Is this from the kindergarten?"

    "Yeah, they sent over photos of activities they had for the kids."

    Nana leafed through the album, looking at the photos of Adrian and Aileen.She couldn¡¯t help but giggle.

    "The twins are too cute.I want to whisk them away with me."

    "You wish!"

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Smiling, Eliana flicked Nana¡¯s forehead yfully.

    Nana suddenly eximed and pointed at a photo.

    "No wonder the tuition is expensive.The toy look so good."

    In the photo, Aileen was wearing a cute bun on her head.She was winking at the camera adorably.

    A ring that was too big for her was on her little finger.

    The unique design of the ring drew Eliana¡¯s attention at once.

    But the next moment, her eyes widened.

    "This¡­"

    Eliana grabbed the photo album in disbelief.

    Upon a closer look at the photo, she realized that Aileen was wearing the ring that Preston had lost five

    years ago.

    So, was the ring with Aileen this whole time? Only then did Eliana recall how Aileen had mentioned that

    she would take a beautiful ring to the kindergarten¡¯s show-and-tell.

    Eliana had thought it was a candy ring, so she didn¡¯t give it much thought.It had never urred to her

    that Aileen was talking about this ring¡ªthat was, until now.

    The following day, Kimora cooked breakfast early in the morning.

    The kids got dressed on their own and sat at the dining table to have breakfast.

    Eliana sat next to them with the photo album in her hands, her eyes fixating on Aileen.

    But Aileen didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    After she finished drinking her milk, there was a milk mustache on top of her lip.

    Oblivious, she pouted and asked, "Why isn¡¯t Nana having breakfast with us?"

    "She is still sleeping,"

    Eliana answered absentmindedly.It was Adrian who had to get a tissue to wipe his sister¡¯s mouth.

    Aileen¡¯s pout deepened.

    "I want to sleep some more, too."

    Eliana opened the photo album and pointed at the photo in which Aileen was wearing the ring.

    "Aileen, do you have this ring?"

    "Yeah!" Aileen nodded.

    Then she seemed to remember something and used the milk cup to cover her guilty face.

    "The ring fell out of your bag.I wanted to keep it for you¡­ But I just forgot to tell you¡­"

    Upon hearing this, Eliana¡¯s heart leaped into her throat.

    But she also couldn¡¯t help but be amused by her daughter¡¯s expression.

    "Okay.If something like that happens again, you have to tell Mommy."

    She touched Aileen¡¯s soft hair affectionately and then asked, "Can you give the ring back to Mommy

    now?"

    Aileen¡¯s eyes widened and her lower lip trembled slightly.

    Eliana had a bad feeling about this.

    "What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen to the ring?"

    Aileen didn¡¯t dare to say anything.She lowered her head and twiddled with her fingers.

    Adrian stepped forward and took his sister¡¯s hand.Then, looking at Eliana calmly, he said, "The puppy

    ate the ring."

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63

    Chapter 63 Two Cups Of Coffee

    "What?! What do you mean ¡®the puppy ate it?"

    Eliana was bewildered.It was already shocking enough that the ring had been with her daughter this

    whole time.

    And now, she was told that a dog had eaten the ring.It was just too ridiculous! Aileen¡¯s lower lip

    trembled and her big, round eyes filled with tears.

    "Mommy, I¡¯m sorry¡­"

    Eliana¡¯s heart softened.She scooped her daughter up in her arms and wiped her tears away.

    "Don¡¯t cry.Mommy isn¡¯t ming you.Just tell me what happened and why you were with a puppy¡­"

    Suddenly, a thought urred to her.

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    "Was it the day you were at summer camp?"

    She vaguely recalled seeing a puppy in their tent when she was on a video call with the children at the

    time..

    Aileen buried her face in Eliana¡¯s neck and sobbed, "Yes¡­ It was that silly dog¡¯s fault!"

    She was too sad to speak coherently.

    In the end, Adrian cleared his throat and exined the whole story.

    "So Aileen has always had the ring.She couldn¡¯t part with it and took it with her when you two went to

    summer camp.But the puppy there identally swallowed the ring.After that, you took it and kept it in

    the kindergarten.Am I right?"

    Eliana double checked.

    Adrian and Aileen nodded simultaneously.

    Pressing her fingers against her pounding temple, she wondered how Preston would react if she told

    him this.He¡¯d probably use her of making up a wild story to throw him off.

    Thus, she decided not to tell him for the time being.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    First, she needed to get the ring and find out whether it was indeed the one Preston had been looking

    for.

    After breakfast, Kimora took the children to school.

    Nana was still asleep.

    No one dared to disturb her.

    So Eliana took Nana¡¯s breakfast into the bedroom and gently set it down on the bedside table.

    Then, she left for work.

    In the Moran Group, Corbin followed Maurice into the elevator and respectfully started rying his

    schedule for the day.

    Maurice listened absentmindedly while waiting for the elevator doors to close.

    All of a sudden, a familiar feminine voice called out urgently.

    "Wait!"

    Toting a bag in one hand and coffee in the other, Eliana scurried to the elevator hurriedly.

    After saying thanks repeatedly, she looked up and found that it was only Maurice and Corbin in the

    elevator.

    What bad luck! She immediately forced a smile and started backing out.

    "I¡¯ll just wait for the next one." Maurice raised his hand to stop her.

    "No need.Just take this one."

    Eliana¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

    She said slowly, "If my memory serves me right, Mr.Moran doesn¡¯t like sharing an elevator with others,

    right?"

    What was up with Maurice today? He once made sure she couldn¡¯t get in the elevator, even if it meant

    she¡¯d be punished for beingte for work.She still hadn¡¯t forgotten how he had fooled her.

    Seeing the frown on Maurice¡¯s face, Corbin stepped forward to block Eliana¡¯s exit.

    "Your memory doesn¡¯t serve you right.Mr.Moran doesn¡¯t mind such a thing."

    As he spoke, he pressed the button for Eliana¡¯s floor.

    Eliana could do nothing but watch as the elevator doors slid to a close.She sighed quietly and retreated

    to the corner of the elevator that was farthest from Maurice.

    Although Eliana was cold and distant, Maurice couldn¡¯t help but fix his eyes on her.

    Today, the woman was wearing a light colored dress and her hair was coiled up into a bun.

    Her lips were slightly pink, and her cold face looked elegant and fresh.

    Maurice nced at the two cups of coffee in her hand and frowned, "Who made you run errands for

    them this time?"

    "No one.I bought an extra cup for Bradly."

    She had wanted to thank Bradly for inquiring about the Argyle pink diamonds for her.

    Eliana¡¯s voice was pleasant to hear, but her words stabbed Maurice¡¯s heart like a knife.

    She was going to give Bradly coffee? Since when did they be so close? Maurice pulled a long

    face, and the atmosphere in the elevator grew cold.

    Unfortunately, Eliana didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    When the elevator stopped at the Design Department¡¯s floor, she quickly scurried off, leaving Corbin

    alone with a glowering Maurice.

    Maurice looked at the trembling Corbin and said in an indifferent tone, "Tell Eliana that I want my coffee

    in three minutes."

    Corbin nodded speechlessly.

    No one was more scheming than his boss.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64

    Chapter 64 Service Charge

    Eliana made her way across the Design Department and brought the coffee to Bradly in his office.

    Bradly saw that she had picked out his favorite vor from back when he was still a student.

    When they were still in college, they sometimes stayed upte to finish their papers.

    Eliana had always brought him that coffee.He sighed emotionally.

    "You still remembered¡­"

    Just as Eliana opened her mouth to reply, her phone suddenly started to ring.

    ncing at the caller ID, she saw that it was Corbin calling Eliana had a bad feeling about this.

    Every time Corbin called her, he always delivered bad news.

    Stepping outside Bradly¡¯s office, she answered the phone.

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    Corbin¡¯s cold voice sounded.

    "Bring Mr.Moran coffee in three minutes."

    Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped in amazement.

    "Three minutes? Are you kidding me?"

    "You have two minutes and fifty seconds left."

    Corbin looked at his watch and began the countdown.

    Eliana¡¯s mind was a mess.It was already ridiculous that he was asking her to give him coffee, let alone

    setting a time limit of three minutes! It was an impossible task! "Eliana, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Bradly poked his head outside his door only to find a dumbfounded Eliana still standing there.

    "Nothing," she said briskly, forcing a smile.

    Worst case scenario, she could just give her own coffee to Maurice.

    "By the way, Mr.Moran wants two cups of coffee¡­"

    Corbin added in a low voice.

    Eliana gritted her teeth, speechless.

    Maurice had just seen her with two cups of coffee-did he want them both? It was so obvious that he

    was provoking her on purpose! Just as she was about to hang up, Corbin added, "Two cups of coffee

    will offset fifty thousand dors¡¯ worth of debt.Don¡¯t forget that you still owe Mr.Moran money."

    Eliana closed her eyes to think.

    Two cups of coffee were worth fifty thousand dors to him? What a good deal! She stole a nce at

    the cup of coffee on Bradly¡¯s desk.

    "Bradly, have you touched your coffee?" she asked slowly.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "Not yet.Why?" asked Bradly, confused.

    Good! Eliana swiped the coffee from the desk without thinking too much.

    Bradly¡¯s eyes widened in confusion.He looked at her questioningly.

    When Eliana met his inquisitive eyes, she blushed.

    How embarrassing!

    "I¡¯m sorry, Bradly.I need this.I¡¯ll buy you another coffee next time."

    Lowering her head in humiliation, she quickly ran away.

    Eliana rushed to the top floor, carrying the two cups of coffee.

    Corbin was amazed when she stumbled into the office.

    He didn¡¯t expect that Eliana would meet his boss¡¯s unreasonable request.

    As she ran into the CEO¡¯s office, Eliana pped the coffee onto Maurice¡¯s desk, gasping for breath.

    Maurice simply nced at his watch.She came just in time.

    "You made it."

    "Two coffees in exchange for fifty thousand dors¡­"

    Before she could even catch her breath, Eliana started calcting in her mind.Her eyes twinkled as

    brightly as the stars.

    "Since I brought it here myself, I should collect service charge, don¡¯t you think? It should offset some

    more debt."

    Maurice lowered his eyes and smiled in amusement.

    In azy voice, he drawled, "How meticulous.If you¡¯re in such a hurry to pay off your debt, why don¡¯t

    you ¡®service¡¯ me more to cover it?"

    His meaningful gaze roamed across the woman¡¯s body.

    Eliana shivered in disgust and she immediately retreated a couple of steps.

    Crossing her arms over her chest, she red at Maurice defensively.

    "I didn¡¯t mean that kind of service!" His tall figure loomed over her.

    He steadily got closer and closer to Eliana.

    Eliana instantly grew nervous and stammered, "N¡­ nothing!"

    She had been so stupid just now! Why didn¡¯t she just ask Corbin to bring the coffee in? Maurice

    chuckled darkly.

    The sound of his voice was like nails on a chalkboard to Eliana.

    "Forget it.I was just trying to help you pay off your debt sooner.Why? What were you thinking?"

    Eliana¡¯s ears turned red.

    Seeing her so flustered, Maurice found her adorable.He couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch her

    earlobe gently.

    "Your ears are red."

    Ashamed into anger, Eliana swatted his hand away abruptly.

    But Maurice was unfazed.He smiled and looked at her leisurely.

    At a loss, Eliana ran out as fast as she could, leaving the door open.

    When Corbin came to close the door, he caught a glimpse of his boss¡¯s expression.

    Maurice¡¯s face actually looked soft and gentle -a rare sight indeed.

    "Corbin."

    Maurice suddenly turned to look at him.

    Corbin¡¯s hand instinctively flew to cover his eyes.

    "I didn¡¯t see anything!"

    But Maurice just handed him a cup of coffee.

    "You can have this one."

    Corbin looked at the coffee, lost in a trance.

    How could one cup of coffee be worth twenty-five thousand dors? Eliana was the sole person who

    received special treatment from Mr.Moran.

    "After drinking your coffee, make sure to remind Eliana that there¡¯s someone who can actually help her

    find the pink diamond."

    Maurice looked at him meaningfully.Corbin immediately understood what he meant.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66

    Chapter 66 A Trap

    "And who is this?"

    The owner turned to look at Eliana.His cold, sunken eyes made him look like a living corpse.She

    couldn¡¯t help but look away ufortably.

    Bradly stood in front of Eliana protectively, but his smile remained polite.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "We¡¯re here together.Now, let¡¯s get down to business."

    The owner didn¡¯t say anything more.He turned around and walked to the innermost part of the shop.

    "Come with me if you want to see the goods."

    As he turned around, he unlocked his phone and looked at the screen, on which there was a clear

    photo of Eliana.

    Then he stole a nce at Eliana.He immediately sent a message, which read, "Miss Jarvis, she has

    taken the bait."

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    Bradly was about to follow the owner into the shop when Eliana tugged at his sleeve urgently.

    "What¡¯s the matter?" he asked in confusion.

    Staring at the owner¡¯s back, Eliana whispered in a low voice, "Something is wrong."

    Bradly immediately took her hand and assumed a protective stance.It was obvious he believed her

    without hesitation.

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect him to react in this way.

    After a moment of stunned silence, she pulled her hand away.

    "Why are you just standing there? Do you still want the pink diamonds?"

    The owner whirled around to find that the two people had stopped in their tracks.

    Smiling calmly, Eliana asked in a level voice, "Sir, are you nning to raise the price since it¡¯s very

    costly to transport the Argyle pink diamonds from South Africa?"

    Bradly raised his eyebrows and looked at her with respect.He instantly caught on to what she was up

    to.

    Argyle pink diamonds came only from Australia, not South Africa.

    But the owner didn¡¯t doubt her question.

    "Of course.It was indeed very expensive."

    Hearing this, Eliana and Bradly exchanged knowing nces.

    Their hearts sank to their stomachs.

    "Never mind.We don¡¯t have that big a budget.We can¡¯t buy it now."

    Eliana spoke as though nothing had happened and started pulling Bradley towards the door.

    "I¡¯m ready to negotiate.Why don¡¯t you check them first before discussing the price?"

    With an unsettling smile on his face, the owner slowly approached them with his hands behind his

    back.

    Finally, Eliana gritted her teeth and sneered, "Argyle pink diamonds were only produced in

    Australia.What kind of fakes did you have transported from South Africa?"

    Bradly also pulled a long face and shook his head with disappointment.

    "Who told you to lie to us?"

    Seeing that the jig was up, the owner threw his head back andughed.

    "Thedy¡¯s smart.What a pity¡­"

    A sinister light shed across his eyes and he suddenly shouted, "Hey, buddies! Entertain the guests,

    why don¡¯t you?"

    As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed across the house and a group

    of men surrounded Eliana and Bradly in the blink of an eye.

    Tall, strong men blocked the exit.

    The low sunshine extended their shadows all the way to Eliana¡¯s feet.

    Eliana¡¯s adrenaline was pumping through her veins, and her hair stood on end all over her body.

    "What do you want from us?"

    Bradly shouted harshly, pulling Eliana behind him protectively.

    The old overhead light in the antique shop flickered a few times, before going outpletely.

    The dimness was like a that immediately enveloped them, suffocating them.

    "I suggest you cooperate, unless you wish to suffer," the boss sneered from the shadows.

    Eliana swallowed her panic and threatened them.

    "We¡¯re calling the police!"

    "Get out of our way.We can pretend that nothing happened."

    Bradly tried to negotiate with them while grabbing Eliana¡¯s wrist and tentatively walking to the door.

    However, the men who blocked their way didn¡¯t budge.

    The owner grinned from ear to ear.

    "Miss Pierce, someone paid me a high price to teach you a lesson.Now that you¡¯re here, I 0.0% need

    to do my job."

    Bradly¡¯s grip on Eliana¡¯s wrist tightened.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe her ears.

    Did they actually lure her out here under the guise of selling Argyle pink diamonds? But before she

    could mull over it some more, the owner barked at his men to attack.

    The men swarmed towards Eliana, waving machetes and iron clubs in their hands.

    "Ah!"

    Eliana¡¯s body reacted faster than her brain.She quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding one of the men¡¯s

    weapons.Her heart was pounding against her chest.

    Bradly suddenly pushed her into a corner.

    With bared teeth, Bradly stood firmly in front of her and fought back several men.

    The scene was chaotic.

    But Bradly was outnumbered.It didn¡¯t take long before he was knocked out cold.

    "Bradly!" Eliana screamed, wanting to rush over to him.

    But then a man with a sinister smile stepped in front of her.She stumbled to the side to dodge his

    attack, but another man rushed at her from behind.

    With nowhere to escape, she was forced into a corner.She felt a gust of wind blow against her ears as

    an iron stick swung towards her head at lightning speed.

    Eliana squeezed her eyes shut as despair overtook her.

    All of a sudden, she heard the crisp sound of metal nging against metal.

    The sound of pained groans followed.

    Surprised, Eliana opened her eyes and found that the iron stick had been knocked to the ground a few

    feet away, and that several men in ck started streaming into the shop out of nowhere.

    They fought off the men skillfully.

    Stunned, Eliana was at a loss for words..

    Even the owner of the shop was surprised.

    In a fit of anger, he roared, "You b***h! How dare you call for help? Go to hell!"

    The owner pounced on her, waving a knife in the air.

    Before Eliana could act, the sharp de was already swinging at her in the air.She held her breath and

    braced herself for the pain.

    "Eliana!"

    A familiar male voice shouted her name anxiously.

    The next moment, Eliana felt herself being pulled into a warm embrace.

    Then, they fell to the ground.

    She came out of the ordeal unscathed, but the figure who had saved her was groaning in pain.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67

    Chapter 67 Jealousy

    "Are you okay?" The man¡¯s cold voice sounded.

    In a daze, Eliana looked up and met Preston¡¯s gaze.He was frowning, and his eyes were flickering

    dangerously.

    "I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine."

    Still panicstricken, Eliana didn¡¯t realize she was in his arms until now.She immediately jumped to her

    feet and helped him up.

    In doing so, she inadvertently held the man¡¯s hand.His burning skin grazed hers like a jolt of electricity,

    making her heart beat wildly.

    But the owner of the shop wasn¡¯t done just yet.He growled and held up his knife once more.

    Maurice didn¡¯t hesitate and kicked him square on the chest.

    "Go to hell, you b*****d!"

    The owner was flung backward and he smashed into some porcin vases behind him.He spat out a

    mouthful of blood.

    Before he could do anything, the men in ck quickly surrounded and subdued him.

    When the lights came back on, Eliana found herself standing in a mess.

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    Furniture and porcin was scattered all over the floor, and the owner¡¯s men were all crying and

    screaming as the men in ck pressed them to the ground.

    Blood dribbling down his chin, the owner looked up at Maurice in disbelief.

    "How dare you make trouble in my shop? Do you know who I am?" he demanded.

    Maurice looked down at him with cruel eyes and a face as cold as ice.He was in all ck, as if Death

    himself hade to take the owner and his men.

    The owner couldn¡¯t help but shiver under the man¡¯s gaze.

    "Get them out of my sight,"

    Maurice hissed through gritted teeth.

    "Yes, sir!" the men in ck answered in unison, which was deafening in the small, enclosed shop.

    The tables had turned too fast.

    Before Eliana could gather her bearings, Maurice had already dragged her out of the antique shop and

    into the sunlight.

    "What¡­ what¡¯re you doing here?"

    She looked at him in disbelief, wondering if she was seeing an apparition.

    The coldness in Maurice¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t fade away just yet.

    He scolded mercilessly, "I should be asking you the same thing! How could you just jump into such an

    obvious trap?"

    Eliana pursed her lips tightly, her eyes fixed on Maurice.

    How did Preston know that it was a trap? Did hee here just to save her? But Maurice¡¯s next

    sentence crushed her fantasy in the blink of an eye.

    "Luckily for you, my client wanted toe here with her bodyguards.Otherwise, how could I have

    saved you?"

    His client? Bodyguards? What kind of clients did Preston have? He was probably entertaining a rich

    woman.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes clouded over at once.

    Through gritted teeth, she spat, "You must be so popr."

    "Eliana¡­"

    A weak voice called out her name.

    Only then did Eliana remember that she hade here with someone.

    "Bradly!"

    She whirled around in a heartbeat and ran to the injured Bradly.

    Looking him up and down carefully, she asked, "How are you? Where does it hurt?"

    Just now, Bradly was outnumbered yet he still bravely fought to the best of his abilities.

    Eliana trembled, just thinking about it.But before Bradly could answer, he was interrupted by a loud

    sneer.

    Maurice¡¯s ck eyes bore a hole through his head.

    "You were the one who brought Eliana here, aren¡¯t you? You knew this was a ck market where all

    kinds of scum hang out.You don¡¯t even have the means to protect yourself, let alone Eliana.Did you

    want her killed?"

    "I¡­ That wasn¡¯t my intention¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­"

    Bradly hung his head guiltily.

    "This is all my fault.When I heard that they were selling Argyle pink diamonds here, I got too excited to

    verify the information beforehand."

    However, Eliana¡¯s face suddenly fell.

    "Bradly! Your hand!"

    Bradly followed her gaze only to find that his right hand was covered in blood.It was wounded so

    severely that it looked like something straight out of a horror film.

    Eliana wrung her hands anxiously.

    Bradly was a designer.

    If something bad happened to his right hand, how could he draw?!

    "Preston! Did you take your care here? Can you drive us to the hospital?"

    Eyes big and filled with fear and worry, Eliana turned to Maurice pleadingly.

    Seeing that she was so distraught over another man, Maurice couldn¡¯t help but seethe with rage.

    "He was the brainless one who put you in danger.Why do you still care about him?"

    Eliana shook her head and began to beg.

    "Please, Preston.Please."

    Maurice was even more furious, but he found that he couldn¡¯t refuse her when she looked at him like

    this.He probably owed this woman in a previous life.

    Scowling, he supported Bradly¡¯s arm and led him away, At first, Eliana was surprised that Maurice had

    agreed to her request.

    Snapping out of her daze, she quickly trotted over to keep up with the two men.

    "Be careful.Bradly¡¯s hurt."

    Although she was just being thoughtful, Maurice was so angry that he wanted to throw Bradly into the

    trash can.But he still obliged her and slowed down his pace for Bradly¡¯s sake.

    After putting Bradly in the backseat, Maurice started the car and drove to the nearest hospital.

    On their way there, Eliana carefully took Bradly¡¯s injured hand and looked him up and down carefully.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "Are you hurt anywhere else?"

    "I¡¯m fine.Rx."

    Bradly smiled weakly.

    "Preston, can you drive any faster?"

    Eliana urged Maurice.

    Maurice nced at the rearview mirror and met her anxious eyes.

    The anger he had been suppressing just now suddenly burst out like a geyser.

    The car swerved sharply.

    The sudden movement made Eliana lurch to one side.

    At the same time, she heard a loud bang.

    "Ouch!"

    Bradly cried out.His head had smashed against the window and his face contorted in pain.

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68

    Chapter 68 Injury

    "Bradly?"

    Eliana immediately turned around to check on Bradly¡¯s condition.It wasn¡¯t until she was sure that he

    wasn¡¯t seriously hurt that she scolded Maurice.

    "Howe you drive like a madman?!"

    She pursed her lips unhappily, suspecting that he did it on purpose.This man had looked gloomy ever

    since he saved them.

    Maurice didn¡¯t answer at first.

    Instead, he steadied the steering wheel with one hand while the other pressed against his waist.

    A hint of pain shed across his face.

    But a split-secondter, he said tly, "It was a slip."

    Minutester, they made it to the hospital.

    Supported by Eliana, Bradly got out of the car and hobbled to the emergency room.

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    A doctor tended to the wound on his hand and announced, "It¡¯s not a serious injury.None of the bones

    or tendons were damaged.You just need toe back to have the dressing changed and the stitches

    removed.Your hand will be fine once it recovers."

    Hearing this, Eliana heaved a sigh of relief.It turned out that Bradly didn¡¯t have any other wounds, just

    bruises.

    So the doctor ordered a nurse to run a detailed examination on Bradly to see if he had any internal

    bleeding.

    Before Bradly was escorted away, he gently touched the back of Eliana¡¯s head andforted her,

    "Now you can rx, okay?"

    Eliana smiled faintly and watched as the nurse took Bradly away.

    "Is he your boyfriend or something? Why do you care so much about him?"

    There was a hint of bitterness in that low, hoarse voice.

    Eliana looked in the direction of the voice and saw the man slumped on a bench nearby.

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at her, looking hostile.

    "No, but he got injured, trying to protect me back there.How could I not worry?"

    Eliana sat next to Preston in a huff and tried to help him sit up straight.

    Although Preston was just a gigolo who worked in a night club, he always maintained a dignified,

    upright posture.

    This was Eliana¡¯s first time to see him slouch.

    As she tried to help him up, she felt something sticky on her fingertips.

    Puzzled, she looked at her hand, only to find that it was stained with dark red blood.

    "Preston!" she shrieked in horror.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!"

    She subconsciously lifted the hem of the man¡¯s ck clothes to check on his wound.

    "Doctor¡ª"

    "It¡¯s none of your business,"

    Maurice cut her off.He grabbed her wrist to stop her.

    The dark blood on her fair skin stood out starkly.His voice was cold, as though he was in no pain at all.

    "Just care about your Bradly."

    "Are you sure?! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier that you got hurt?"

    Tears welled up in her eyes that wandered to the back of his waist anxiously.

    The wound¡­ He was stabbed when he protected her back in the antique shop.

    At the time, she had just thought that he had grunted in pain from the fall.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    She didn¡¯t expect that he could endure such pain and keep hisposure even though he had been

    stabbed with an actual knife.

    "I didn¡¯t want to inconvenience you."

    Maurice¡¯s frown deepened.

    The whole drive to the hospital, Eliana had only worried about Bradly.

    She only nced at Maurice when she asked him to drive faster-and that too was for Bradly¡¯s sake.

    Hearing this, Eliana looked at him, eyes wide with astonishment.

    "Preston! Are you seriously letting your anger at me get in the way of your health?"

    "Don¡¯t tter yourself.I don¡¯t give a d**n about you."

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened as he tightened his grip on her wrist.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but wince in pain.

    Seeing this, he immediately let go of her and said in a bone-chilling voice, "Just give the ring back to

    me as soon as possible.Then we can cut tiespletely."

    As he spoke, Maurice stood up and strode towards the exit as though he wasn¡¯t injured.If it weren¡¯t for

    her bloodstained wrist, Eliana would¡¯ve thought that his wound was just an illusion.

    She quickly stood up and chased after the man.

    "Come with me to see a doctor, or-"

    Eliana was so anxious that she ran to catch up to Maurice.She moved too fast that she almost tripped

    and fell.

    Fortunately, Maurice caught her by the waist subconsciously.He looked down at her stubborn eyes.

    "Or what?"

    Maurice squinted at her, his eyes shing dangerously.His other hand moved upward along her back

    and held the back of her head in ce, making her unable to move.His touch made her go numb, and

    she gradually lost feeling in her arms and legs.

    But before she could go limp in his arms, she took a deep breath and said feebly, "If you don¡¯t see the

    doctor, I¡­ I won¡¯t let you go."

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69

    Chapter 69 Her Worry

    All of a sudden, Maurice¡¯s phone started to ring, which startled Eliana.She snapped out of her trance

    and broke free from his embrace.

    A trace of imitation shed in his eyes as Maurice nced at the caller ID.It was Corbin.

    Eliana cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away.

    "Wait, why aren¡¯t you answering your phone?"

    Eliana looked at Maurice in confusion when he rejected the call.

    Just then, a figure ran towards them, shouting, "Mr.Mo¡ª"

    But before he could finish his sentence, Maurice shot him a murderous re.

    Corbin¡¯s mouth mped shut instantly.

    Then he saw that Eliana was looking at him with confusion.

    With horror, Corbin suddenly realized that he had almost blown Maurice¡¯s cover.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes darted between Corbin and Maurice, confusion written all over her face.

    "Mr.Jenkins? What¡¯re you doing here?"

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    "My friend is in the hospital.I came here to see him,"

    Corbin lied through his teeth.

    The truth was, because he was Maurice¡¯s assistant, he could check on his boss¡¯s location from his

    phone.

    When Corbin saw that Maurice was in the hospital and wasn¡¯t answering his phone, he had rushed

    there as fast as he could.

    Bumping into Eliana was the farthest thing from his expectations.

    Besides, he didn¡¯t realize at first that Maurice was still pretending to be Preston.

    "Friend? What friend?" Eliana tilted her head to the side, mulling it over.

    "Then who were you trying to call just now?"

    "No one!"

    Corbin saw the warning look in Maurice¡¯s eyes and added, "I think you misunderstand.You must¡¯ve

    heard me wrong."

    "But it sounded like you were calling Mr.Moran just now¡­"

    Eliana¡¯s words made Corbin¡¯s heart leap to his throat.

    Racking his brains for a way to get out of this sticky situation, he suddenly pointed an usatory finger

    at Eliana.

    "Do you want to get in trouble with Mr.Moran? You said you were leaving the office for work, but now

    you¡¯re just cking off!"

    As expected, Eliana¡¯s attention was immediately diverted.

    With a guilty expression, she tried to exin, "I¡¯m not cking off! We¡­ we got into an ident when

    we went looking for pink diamonds in the ck market.Bradly was badly injured and is getting checked

    right now."

    Pink diamonds? Corbin shook his head in disappointment.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "We¡¯re already negotiating for the Argyle pink diamonds project, but you actually went to the ck

    market to buy them yourself.Are you stupid or something?"

    "I didn¡¯t think it was a trap!" Eliana lowered her gaze, guilt overwhelming her.

    Corbin scolded sternly, "You¡¯re a grown woman! How could you still be so naive? I already told you that

    you can talk to Mr.Moran about the pink diamonds.But you and Bradly decided to believe in mere

    gossip.Of course something bad happened!"

    Eliana took the beating, unable to retort.

    Corbin was right.She had been too rash this time.If she had known earlier that people would get hurt,

    she would¡¯ve gone straight to Maurice instead.It was better to give in to Maurice¡¯s whims than to get

    others hurt-or worse, killed.

    After Corbin left, Eliana realized that Preston had slipped away.

    For a second, she was consumed with worry and agitation.

    Preston hadn¡¯t had his wound treated yet! How could he just run away? Why didn¡¯t he care about his

    own health? What if his wound got infected?! Eliana quickly whipped out her phone and tried calling

    Preston, but to no avail.

    A little whileter, the results of the examination came out.

    It turned out that Bradly didn¡¯t have any internal injuries.He just needed to keep the wound on his hand

    dry.

    With a heavy heart, Eliana took Bradly home.

    Then she went straight to the Imperial Golden Club in an effort to find Preston.

    However, after looking around, she didn¡¯t find him.

    The sun was setting and it was getting dark.

    Dejected, Eliana headed home.

    Nana was in the living room when Eliana amived, watching TV and eating snacks.

    Seeing that her friend¡¯s mind was elsewhere, she quickly pulled her into a hug.

    "What¡¯s the matter, Eliana? Were you bullied at work? Tell me who bullied you.I¡¯ll beat them to a pulp!"

    Despite her threats, Nana¡¯s embrace was warm.She let Eliana¡¯s head rest on her shoulder.

    Eliana shook her head and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.

    After thinking it over for a while, she decided to tell Nana what happened.

    Eliana stuck out her lower lip and sighed.

    "He isn¡¯t answering my calls.I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s fainted by the side of the road or something.Who

    knows if there¡¯s anyone taking care of him?"

    Frowning deeply, she couldn¡¯t help but worry constantly about Preston¡¯s condition.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70

    Chapter 70 The Woman Who Was Valuable To Him

    In the riverside vi.

    After dressing the wound on Maurice¡¯s back, the doctor reminded him, "Make sure that you don¡¯t let the

    wounde in contact with water¡­"

    Maurice replied with a nod, put on his coat, and stood up.His face was pale, but he still looked very

    handsome.

    When he looked out of the French window, he noticed the gates in the front yard opening, and a ck

    car driving in slowly.

    Just by a nce, he could tell that it was Gerald¡¯s car.He narrowed his eyes coldly, looking at it.

    Not long after, Gerald walked up to him, led by the butler.

    The butler gave Maurice a curt nod and walked out of the room.

    "Maurice, are you feeling ufortable now?"

    Gerald sat down on the sofa, facing Maurice, with a hint of hypocritical concern in his eyes.

    "I¡¯m fine."

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    Maurice remained calm as he added, "Thank you for your concern."

    Gerald turned to him with a smile and said, "I just saw the family doctor leaving."

    Maurice looked up at him ufortably and said, "Well, the doctor was actually called in for you,

    Uncle Gerald."

    "Maurice! What do you mean by that?"

    Gerald¡¯s expression changed at once.Was Maurice cursing him to fall ill? Standing by the window,

    Maurice smiled casually.

    "You¡¯re growing older, Uncle.And I just thought that you should get checked up regrly.If you have

    any undiagnosed diseases, and you don¡¯t find out about it in time, then it will be very difficult for you in

    the future."

    Gerald¡¯s lips twitched when he heard those words.

    ¡®What an arrogant b*****d! he thought to himself.

    If only his father did not favor him, he would have killed his nephew already.

    Gerald closed his eyes, trying to calm down.

    And a momentter, he regained hisposure and opened his eyes again.

    Maurice was really not interested in making small talk with him, so he asked, "Uncle Gerald, since you

    came all the way to my ce, I don¡¯t think that you¡¯re here to see the doctor, are you?"

    "Of course, I came here because I had something important to discuss with you!"

    With an amiable smile, Gerald narrowed his eyes.

    "I heard that you disposed of my shops in the ck market.Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"

    "Absolutely not."

    Maurice walked to him and looked down at him with a gloomy expression.He looked very intimidating.

    "I did it."

    Gerald¡¯s smile faded away as he asked, "Why?"

    "The owner of your shop hurt my people."

    Maurice sat on the sofa opposite Gerald, leaned back, and looked at his uncle disdainfully.

    "Maurice, if you didn¡¯t already know, the ck market is aplicated ce.They don¡¯t just work for

    me.They work for the money, you know? I don¡¯t think that you should have gotten all those shops

    involved for personal reasons," Gerald hissed, gritting his teeth.

    That afternoon, Maurice had sent his men to clear out all of Gerard¡¯s shops in the ck market, and in

    addition to the antique shop, they had also cleared out a hundred other shops that Gerald owned,

    which made him suffer a huge loss.

    "That has nothing to do with me, but if you want someone to take the me, then feel free to go and

    find those who did it."

    However, whether Gerald would be able to find those men or not would be apletely different story.

    "Did you do it just for that woman?" Gerald asked in disbelief.

    He had not taken Eliana seriously when Maurice had brought her to their family dinner party as his

    date.

    And he clearly was not expecting Maurice to make such a big move for her sake.

    Maurice sneered and said in a disdainful tone, "Why should I exin my actions to you?"

    There was a solemn look in his eyes, and his indifference made Gerald swallow his saliva.

    Gerald¡¯s expression darkened as he sped the sofa armrest until his veins on the back of his hand

    stood out.He could not help but feel that Maurice was getting increasingly arrogant by the day.

    Although he felt the urge to kill him right there, he had no choice but to control himself.

    "You¡­ I hope you can answer your grandfather in the same way when he asks you about it!"

    Gerald stood up furiously, turned around, and left the vi.But the moment he got in the car, he burst

    intoughter.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    Since he had known Maurice for a long time, he knew exactly what kind of a man he was.He figured

    that Maurice must have made such a big move in the ck market for Eliana¡¯s sake.

    Even after investigating her, Gerald could not find anything about her, so he guessed that Maurice must

    have prevented people from knowing more about her.

    Since Eliana was so valuable to his nephew, Gerald realized that he had to make good use of her.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was a little flustered to see that Preston was still not answering her calls.It was time

    for the kids to sleep, so she suppressed the uneasiness in her heart, tucked them in, and helped them

    sleep.

    Adrian and Aileeny on the bed, looking at her expectantly.

    Eliana picked up a fairy tale book and sat down beside them.

    "What bedtime story would you guys like me to read today?"

    "Cindere!"

    Aileen raised her hand excitedly, smiling sweetly at her mother.

    Adrian sat up in silence before he tucked her hand back into the quilt.

    Eliana¡¯s heart warmed up when she saw that, and she stroked her son¡¯s hair lovingly.She then tucked

    them in again before opening the fairy tale book.

    Soon, her soft voice filled the room.

    Adrian was just about to fall asleep when his sister¡¯s sudden cry woke him up.

    "Her family pushed it too far! How could they bully her like that?"

    Eileen could not help but smile when she saw a hint ofin in her son¡¯s eyes.

    She patted him on the belly tofort him before she turned to Aileen and said in an earnest tone, "If

    you and your brother ever get bullied, you must tell me, okay? Do not just put up with it."

    Hearing that, Adrian said in his sleepy voice, "Okay."

    "I won¡¯t be bullied!"

    Aileen suddenly looked up at Eliana and said, "I want to find the best man in the world to be our daddy

    and Mommy¡¯s husband! He will protect Mommy from being bullied!"

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71

    Chapter 71 I Know Where He Will Be

    "Aileen, you¡¯re such a considerate girl!" Eliana kissed her daughter on the forehead and added, "But it¡¯s

    time to sleep now.Look at your brother¡­"

    They turned to look at Adrian, who was sound asleep.His long eyshes cast a shadow under his

    eyes, and he was smiling as though he was having a good dream.

    Aileen sat up and kissed Eliana on the cheek before she lied down again and closed her eyes.

    "I¡¯m going to sleep too.Good night, Mommy."

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "Good night, honey." Eliana chuckled.

    Gazing at her kids¡¯ sweet sleeping faces, she could not help but sigh.Her kids were always so sensible

    that they rarely ever asked her about their father.

    However, it was their considerate attitude that often caused Eliana to feel guilty.

    Did she even deserve to have such lovely kids? As for their father¡­ She suddenly remembered when

    Preston had risked his own life to save hers.

    Clenching her fists, Eliana still felt like there was something sticky on her fingertips, and it was

    Preston¡¯s blood.

    At the same time, Nana was watching TV in the living room.

    https://novelebook/the-almighty-dragon-general-bd2376.html

    When she saw Eliana rushing to the door, she immediately caught up with her and stopped her.

    "It¡¯s sote.Where are you going at this hour?"

    "I¡¯m going to find Preston."

    Saying that, she turned to Nana with a worried expression.

    Preston had gotten injured while saving her, but she had only cared about Bradly.

    In the end, he left alone.

    The more Eliana thought about it, the more it worried her, and every minute that passed felt like torture.

    Nana sped her shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.

    "Calm down, Eliana! You weren¡¯t able to get in touch with him until now.How are you going to find him?"

    "I know where he will be.And don¡¯t worry, I will immediately call you if something bad happens," she

    said with a smile and hugged Nana.

    Before Nana could say another word, she opened the door and walked out.

    After taking a cab, she rushed to the Imperial Golden Club.

    Once she arrived there, she quickly got off the cab, and ran inside.

    At the same time in the riverside vi, a message notification came.

    Maurice nced at his phone screen and saw Eliana¡¯s message.

    "How is your wound, Preston? I am waiting for you at the Imperial Golden Club.And I am not leaving

    until youe."

    With a cold sneer, Maurice tossed away his phone.

    Although he had risked his life to save her, she had only cared about Bradly, which hurt him deeply.

    In fact, she had not even noticed his wound before she tried to help him sit up straight.How could she

    start to pretend like she cared about him now? It was toote.

    As soon as Maurice took a deep breath, he felt his heart and his chest ache.

    "Corbin."

    Hearing that, Corbin pushed the door open, rushed to his side, and stood respectfully.

    Maurice ordered, "Don¡¯t let Eliana get into the Imperial Golden Club."

    He thought that if he prevented her from entering the club, then she would leave sooner.

    Surprised, Corbin looked up and just met Maurice¡¯s cold eyes.

    "I¡¯ll do it right now," he immediately said.

    He was about to hurry back when he suddenly stopped before walking past the window.He saw the

    curtains flowing in the cool breeze, Corbin drew back the curtains and closed the window.

    Thunder roared outside, and the sky was dark with heavy clouds, predicting a possible rainstorm.

    "I think it¡¯s going to rain," he said with a sigh.

    Maurice immediately became intrigued and stared at the dark clouds outside.

    The next second, rain poured down from the sky.

    At the same time, Eliana, who was outside the club, was starting to get wet.

    She turned to the security guard and asked in surprise, "Why aren¡¯t you letting me in?"

    The security guard remained expressionless as he said tly, "Maybe you offended our boss.Hurry! Get

    out of here.Don¡¯t hinder our business."

    Soon the ck gate was mmed shut in front of her face, the shiny surface reflecting her disheveled

    shadow.

    All she could do was squat down in a corner to avoid getting soaked in the rain while she kept her eyes

    glued to the gate.

    Preston¡­ Did he really not want to see her? A strong gust of wind blew, soon bringing the rain to the

    dry corner where Eliana was.

    Bean-sized raindrops fell all over her body, drenching her.

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72

    Chapter 72 I Believe You Would Come

    Eliana¡¯s clothes were soaking wet and stuck to her skin, revealing her curvaceous figure to the many

    bystanders who had stopped in their tracks to look at her.

    Embarrassed, Eliana¡¯s cheeks turned red as she squatted down to hide away from the people.

    Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of thunder rumbled and a sh of lightning lit up the night sky.

    Eliana covered her ears in fear and she trembled like a leaf, burying her head between her knees.She

    could hear the sound of rain pattering on the pavement.

    After a while, she began to wonder why she couldn¡¯t feel the raindrops on her skin.

    Out of curiosity, she slowly raised her head and found a man standing in front of her, holding an

    umbre over her head.

    "Preston? You¡­"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Overjoyed, Eliana stood up quickly as if a sense of relief hade over her..

    However, before she could open her mouth to say anything else, Eliana was overwhelmed with

    dizziness, as she must have stood up too quickly.

    For a brief moment, Eliana seemed to have lost her senses, but she was able to support her weight

    against the wall when the man reached out and grabbed her by the waist.

    As soon as she found herself nuzzled against his firm chest, her heart skipped a beat.

    "Your clothes are soaking wet."

    Maurice pulled himself back as he let go of her.His expression was cold as steel and he red at her

    intensely when he put the umbre in her hand.

    Out of the blue, he took off his coat and put it over her.

    Eliana could still feel the warmth of his body and she immediately picked up a familiar scent from his

    coat that caused her heart to palpitate.

    Maurice hadn¡¯t noticed Eliana¡¯s expression, but he turned around and looked at the people who were

    staring at her.He sent shivers through their bodies with just one took and they all dispersed like tiny

    insects.

    "Were you just going to sit in the rain if I hadn¡¯te?"

    Maurice¡¯s heart raced and emotions surged up when he peered into the eyes of the woman standing

    before him.

    "Well, you¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you?"

    Eliana winked at him and added, "I knew you woulde."

    When her words entered his ears, it was as if Eliana¡¯s voice had electrified his senses from within.

    The thought of her smiling eyes as she spoke, gave him a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.It was undeniable

    that this woman was slowly shaking the coldness and toughness that he had refined in the business

    world.He shook his head to show his disappointment as he grabbed her hand and said, "Can¡¯t you at

    least hold the umbre properly?"

    Although he had clenched one fist to calm himself down, he stretched out his other hand, tilting the

    umbre towards Eliana.

    As a result, he ended up getting slightly wet in the rain.

    Eliana gasped out loud as soon as she saw that and she quickly pushed his hand back.

    "Hey, you¡¯re going to catch a cold if you get wet! You just got injured!"

    Maurice pulled her into his arms without saying anything and started walking towards the gate of

    Imperial Golden Club.

    "Wait! They¡¯re not going to let me in¡­"

    However, before Eliana could even finish her words, the security guard who had stopped her from

    entering earlier on, greeted them with a smile as he took the umbre from Maurice and opened the

    door for them politely.

    Eliana was stunned speechless.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    As it turned out, the security guard turned out to be a man of many faces and he knew just how to

    change them ording to the situation he was in.

    The treatment of the most popr gigolo was different.

    Eliana and Maurice arrived at his private room, soaking wet, so he asked for two sets of clothes for

    both of them.

    After Eliana got changed, she walked out of the bathroom with water dripping from her wet hair.

    Sitting leisurely on the sofa, Maurice stared at her nkly and he had changed into dry clothes.

    "How is your injury?"

    Eliana walked towards him with a concerned expression on her face.

    The dim yellow light danced on her delicate face as she got closer to him.

    Although Eliana wasn¡¯t wearing any make-up today, she still managed to make his heart skip a beat

    with her strikingly good looks.

    "Preston?"

    When Eliana didn¡¯t get any response from him, she waved her hand in front of his face to get his

    attention.

    Out of the blue, Maurice came to his senses and found that he had just watched this woman

    spellbound.He cleared his throat and said, "I¡¯m fine."

    "Are you just saying that to look tough? Did you really see a doctor?"

    As Eliana sat down next to him, she eyed his waist suspiciously "You don¡¯t believe me?"

    Maurice raised his eyebrows at her and added, "Do you want me to show you?"

    He looked straight into Eliana¡¯s eyes and unbuttoned his shirt slowly.

    Eliana didn¡¯t stop him.Without conscious thought, her eyes explored his muscr figure before she

    looked down his slender fingers.

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73

    Chapter 73 Get Sucked Deep Inside

    Soon, the shirt was removed, revealing Maurice¡¯s sculpted body.His strong abs were wrapped in a thick

    layer of gauze, and the blood from the wound had already dried up.A strong wave of male hormones hit

    Eliana¡¯s senses.But at the moment, he looked kind of fragile.

    These two extreme feelings showed on him at the same time, and she couldn¡¯t even look away.

    Tossing away his shirt, Maurice leaned closer.She felt his deep gaze piercing through her heart like a

    sword.Her heart began to race, and she began to breathe rapidly as he got closer and closer to her.

    All of a sudden, a bath towel fell over her head.And Eliana couldn¡¯t see anything.

    Maurice was the one who threw it on her.

    "Dry your hair first.Don¡¯t me meter if you fall sick," he said in a low voice.

    Pulling the bath towel away, Eliana looked at him and said, "I got it."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Are you disappointed?"

    Maurice¡¯s lips curled into a sneer as he added, "What did you think I was going to do?"

    "No¡­ Nothing."

    Eliana¡¯s face turned red and she suddenly felt hot as she looked down at the gauze around his waist,

    her heart clenching. She touched it and said in a low whisper, "You got injured because of me, and

    without even noticing it, I was being so fierce to you¡­"

    There was a clear hint of regret and apology in her tone.

    Maurice was surprised by her sudden touch and could not help tremble.Holding her hand, he let out a

    heavy breath and said in a low voice, "There is no need for you to apologize.Just take care of yourself,

    okay?"

    He then stared deep into her eyes.

    "And don¡¯t go to such dangerous ces again."

    Eliana was deeply touched by his concern for her.

    Seeing that, she instantly realized that Preston really cared about her, Even though it was her stupidity

    that had caused him the injury.

    "Okay," she replied with difficulty in a hoarse voice.

    Hearing that, Maurice let go of her hand.She took a deep breath, not daring to look at him.

    In her eyes, Maurice was a ck hole that made her want to get sucked deep inside.

    Randomly drying her wet hair, she suddenly said, "I will get your ring back as soon as possible."

    Staring at her, Maurice remained silent.

    The next morning, in the Moran Group¡¯s office.

    Eliana was lost in thought for a long time before she finally pressed the elevator button to the top floor

    of the building.

    Since Corbin had already made things clear to her, she did not have to bother herself anymore.She

    knew that she had to ask for Maurice¡¯s help to get an Argyle red diamond.

    As soon as the elevator doors opened, she saw a doctor walking past her.

    Seeing the doctor, Eliana was surprised.

    ¡®What happened? Why is a doctoring out of Mr.Moran¡¯s office? Is he sick?¡¯ Although Maurice¡¯s

    office door was open, she could not hear any response from the inside even after knocking on it.

    She entered the office immediately, but there was no one sitting behind the desk.She then turned

    around and was a little surprised to see Maurice sitting on the sofa.

    His eyes were closed, and his lips were pursed into a thin line as though he was enduring pain.

    "Mr.Moran? What happened to you?" Eliana asked him in a low voice.

    Maurice opened his eyes slowly and answered in a hoarse voice, "I caught a cold."

    ¡®A cold?¡¯ Eliana carefully looked at him.

    And she felt that he did not seem to be suffering from something as simple as amon cold.

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Maurice sat up on the sofa.

    Although he still looked a little pale, the weakness in his eyes seemed to have disappeared, as though

    Eliana had imagined it just a moment ago.

    "What¡¯s up?" Maurice asked.

    In a hesitant tone, she said, "About the Argyle pink diamond¡­"

    All of a sudden, someone knocked on the office door.

    When the do walked and handed him a document, Maurice carefully flipped through the document

    before he said, "I heard that Bradly also found a source for those diamonds."

    Taking a deliberate look at Eliana, Corbin said, "What Bradly found was not a source, but a trap."

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74

    Chapter 74 Are You Afraid Of Me

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    With a hint of embarrassment ying in her eyes, Eliana exined, "Mr.Stewart was just trying to help

    me, but he ended up getting deceived by the people from the ck market."

    "Not only did he fail to acquire the pink diamond, but he also came back with an injury.Now the

    progress of the other work will also get dyed because of what happened."

    Corbin¡¯s words seemed to pierce through Eliana¡¯s heart as she stood there in silence.

    What was wrong with Corbin? His words were particrly harsh today.

    Eliana looked at Maurice guiltily.

    "Mr.Moran, it was not Mr.Stewart¡¯s fault.I should be the one to me.If I hade to you earlier, none

    of this would have happened."

    She could not help but feel sorry when he thought of the thick gauze around Preston¡¯s waist.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    If she hadn¡¯t acted so recklessly, perhaps Preston wouldn¡¯t have sustained such an injury.

    Maurice had a deadpan expression on his face, but his cold eyes glistened balefully at her.

    "Bradly is doing just fine.He still came to work today as usual," he scoffed in disgust.

    "If you care about him so much, you should go to him.Don¡¯t mope around in front of me."

    "What? I didn¡¯t mean him¡­"

    Eliana was at a loss for words.

    Why did Maurice suddenly be so moody and aggressive? What did she do wrong? Maurice

    flipped through the pages of the document in his hand with indifferent eyes.

    "Then, who were you talking about?"

    "One of my friends."

    Eliana smiled and bowed her head down slightly to Maurice.

    "Mr.Moran, I will keep this lesson in mind.I promise I won¡¯t make the same mistake again."

    The one she was speaking of was none other than Preston.

    All of a sudden, a rare smile appeared on Maurice¡¯s face.

    At least this woman had a conscience and she cared about him.

    When Eliana noticed that Maurice¡¯s expression softened, she slowly asked, "Then¡­ Mr.Moran, are you

    going to push forward with the project of purchasing Argyle pink diamonds?"

    Maurice signed the document and handed it to Corbin without saying a word.

    Then he stood up and walked towards her.

    Eliana lowered her head nervously and waited for his response.She felt suffocated by his silence.

    Indeed, it was quite ironic that even though his voice was pleasant to the ears, his words were sharp

    and agonizing.

    "Since you have been assigned to design Evelynn¡¯s ne, you must see to itspletion on your

    own."

    Eliana said sulkily, "I¡¯ve tried¡­"

    Unfortunately, the attempt to buy a pink diamond on the ck market failed miserably.She raised her

    head stubbornly and said, "I admit that I can¡¯tplete this project on my own at this moment.That¡¯s

    why I havee to you."

    Eliana knew that everything was in Maurice¡¯s power.

    "Are you begging me?"

    As Maurice looked down at her, a hint of contempt appeared in his half-closed eyes.

    "Is this your way of pleading?"

    Eliana¡¯s voice softened at once as she said pitifully, "Mr.Moran, I really need an Argyle pink

    diamond.I¡¯m willing to do what it takes to get my hands on one."

    The woman¡¯s voice was coquettish and her eyes glistened under the light.

    Corbin realized that it was time for him to leave, so he walked out silently.

    When she heard the sound of the door closing, Eliana turned around and nced at the door.

    Corbin had left without saying a word.

    The moment she turned around again, she saw Maurice walking towards her.

    "Are you willing to do anything?"

    The man chuckled, but his eyes were dead serious.As he approached her, his face distorted by a

    hideous leer.

    Eliana stepped back in apprehension.

    What was it that she had said? She was willing to do anything? Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t willing to do

    what Maurice had in mind.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t move or speak.

    Just as she opened her mouth, she tripped over the sofa.

    With a cry of shock, she stretched out her hands without conscious thought and grabbed Maurice¡¯s

    cor.

    The two fell on the sofa together.

    Their bodies so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheeks.

    Eliana¡¯s heart jumped to her throat and she struggled to get away from him.

    However, Maurice acted in the opposite way.He leaned closer to her and stared at her nervous and shy

    face with great interest.

    "Eliana."

    His mellow voice was as pleasant as a cello, but the proximity between them made her feel very

    ufortable.

    "Please¡­get off of me first."

    "Are you afraid of me?"

    There was a rare hint of humor in Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    Eliana¡¯s body stiffened.She didn¡¯t dare to shake her head or nod in response.

    Maurice slowly sped the back of her head and whispered in a demonic voice, "Tell me, what made

    you risk going to the ck market instead ofing to me in the first ce?"

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75

    Chapter 75 Punish Her With A Kiss

    Eliana trembled as she looked into the man¡¯s eyes reluctantly.She raised her head and slowly

    answered, "Yes, I¡¯m afraid of you."

    Maurice narrowed his sharp and malicious eyes.

    "You are far more dangerous than anyone I could havee across at the ck market."

    The look in his eyes frightened Eliana but she clenched her fists and told him the truth.

    Maurice was like the eye of a storm.

    Every time she got close to him, she found herself in the middle of aplicated and dangerous

    situation.

    To make matters worse, even though she knew that this was the case, she would still find herself

    attracted to him.

    Although she wanted to make a clean break and move on, everything had a way of going against her

    will when it involved him.

    This time was no exception.

    Maurice mmed his lips into hers and kissed her passionately.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    However, Eliana moved away, which infuriated him, He grabbed her jaw hard and kissed her harder,

    almost as if he was going to s**k the life out of her.

    "Ouch!"

    Maurice¡¯s kiss was not delicate, but one steeped in the passion that promised the realness of primal

    desire.

    It was painful to Eliana¡¯s lips as she was suffocating slowly.She tried to push him away.

    All of a sudden, Maurice groaned painfully in a muffled voice and he reluctantly pulled himself away

    from her.

    At longst, Eliana was able to catch a breath.

    The first thought that popped into her mind right after was to escape, but when she saw his pale face

    covered in sweat, she realized that he must have been in a lot of pain.

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    "Don¡¯t move," Maurice said.

    Eliana was at a loss and she asked, "What¡¯s wrong with you?"

    Maurice held her for a while before he could endure the pain of the wound tearing on the back of his

    waist.He gave a chuckle.

    ¡®She¡¯s really good at putting me through a lot of pain.¡¯ "I¡¯m fine."

    Maurice sat up calmly, but his pale face couldn¡¯t deceive anyone.

    The moment Eliana saw his hand on the back of his waist, she realized that she must have hit him

    there identally.

    However, it would have been impossible for her to hurt Maurice like this, unless there was already a

    wound there.

    Eliana was both surprised and confused.

    Did Maurice get injured in the same part of his body as Preston? Without a word, she reached out her

    hand and tried to lift up the hem of Maurice¡¯s shirt to see what was going on.

    However, Maurice acted faster and grabbed her wrist.

    "It seems like you really want me, right?"

    "What?"

    It was not until then that Eliana realized what he had meant and her face turned red with

    embarrassment.She felt a strong urge to p herself for being so foolish.

    How could she be so thoughtless? All things considered, she shouldn¡¯t have done that even if Maurice

    was indeed injured in the same ce as Preston.

    "¡­I just wanted to have a look¡­" Eliana tried to exin quickly.

    All of a sudden, she got pulled back into his arms again.

    "Eliana, do you think about that night?"

    Maurice leaned over and gently rested his forehead against hers before he said in a yful tone, "You

    were trying to make me angry because you wanted to use that opportunity to have s*x with me

    again.The pink diamonds are just an excuse."

    His low and hoarse voice entered her ears and shook her insides.

    With some agitation, she quickly retorted, "No!"

    Eliana lied.

    Although she had never mentioned it to anyone, she would often think about that night.

    The sound of sshing water and her passionate moaning reminded her of shame and anger.

    Suddenly, Eliana was jittery with adrenaline and she pushed Maurice away with all her strength before

    running toward the door at full speed.

    "Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might fire Bradly?"

    The man¡¯s words froze Eliana on her spot.

    Was he going to threaten her with Bradly again? However, this time, she wasn¡¯t going topromise

    so easily.

    Eliana turned around, smiling instead of being angry, and said, "Why should I care? When Bradly

    leaves the Moran Group, I will leave with him.I¡¯ll just have to find another job to pay off the debt!"

    "What did you say?"

    Gritting his teeth in anger, Maurice grimaced.

    Without answering, Eliana turned around and walked away.

    But before she could reach the door, Maurice grabbed her hand. Maurice stifled the furious outburst

    inside his chest and said in a low voice, "If you want an Argyle pink diamond, you¡¯re going to have to

    work for it."

    "Does that mean that you¡¯ve agreed to buy pink diamonds?" Eliana asked with a glimmer of excitement

    in her eyes.

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76

    Chapter 76 The Chance To Get Her Revenge

    "Did I not make myself clear? I don¡¯t like to repeat my words."

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were cold and sharp, but his words made Eliana jump with joy.

    Maurice¡­ actually gave in? Eliana couldn¡¯t believe her ears.She pinched herself to make sure that she

    wasn¡¯t dreaming.

    As Maurice stared at her, the cold expression on his face unconsciously softened.

    "Tell Corbin to take you to receive the partner."

    "Okay!"

    Eliana left the CEO¡¯s office happily.

    As he watched Eliana leave, a satisfied smile appeared on Maurice¡¯s face.

    With Maurice¡¯s order, Corbin took Eliana downstairs to receive the partner.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Looking at Eliana¡¯s happy face, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Why didn¡¯t youe to Mr.Moran earlier?

    You could have stopped someone from being stabbed¡­"

    Corbin stopped speaking abruptly when he realized that he had said more than he should have had.

    As expected, Eliana looked at him suspiciously.

    "How did you know that someone got stabbed for me?"

    With a wry smile, Corbin tried to confuse her.

    "Didn¡¯t Bradly get injured because he was trying to protect you?"

    "Corbin, do you¡­"

    Eliana was about to ask him more questions, but Corbin quickly pointed ahead and said, "The person

    representing the partner has arrived!"

    As such, Eliana had no choice but to look in the direction where he was pointing at.

    An enchantingly beautiful woman with exquisite makeup on and ming red lipstick, approached them

    while twisting her hips proudly.

    Eliana¡¯s heart thumped.

    Was that Erica? She tugged at Corbin¡¯s sleeve and asked, "Whichpany is she is representing?"

    "The Harrison Group."

    As he found a stunned expression on her face, Corbin asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Do you have a beef with

    her?"

    "Humph."

    Eliana scoffed contemptuously and said, "It¡¯s more than just a beef."

    It was an unparalleled grudge.

    Corbin raised his eyebrows at her in surprise.

    After all, he had guessed it right.

    He smiled and said, "Then this must be your chance to get your revenge."

    "What do you mean?"

    Eliana was confused by what he had said.

    With a sly smirk on his face, Corbin exined, "The Harrison Group isn¡¯t financially very stable right

    now.In fact, they¡¯re heavily in debt.The creditors have driven thepany into a tough spot and if the

    company doesn¡¯t manage to sell their pink diamonds and get money¡­ the Harrison Group will go

    bankrupt in less than a week."

    Eliana never thought that she would live to see the day when the prosperous Harrison Group would go

    bankrupt.It was karmic retribution! Eliana almost burst intoughter.

    Erica saw Corbin first and she walked to him with a big smile.

    "You must be Mr.Moran¡¯s assistant, Corbin Jenkins.Am I right? It¡¯s nice to meet you.I¡¯m representing

    the Harrison Group¡­"

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    However, before she could finish her words, Erica¡¯s eyes fell on Eliana, who was standing next Corbin.

    Her smile disappeared immediately.

    "What are you doing here?"

    "What a surprise to see you here! I work here at the Moran Group.Aren¡¯t you here for business? This

    way, please."

    Eliana¡¯s confident smile made Erica feel ufortable as if she could sense that something was off.

    Crossing her arms over her chest, Erica squinted at Eliana arrogantly and said, "Eliana, why are you

    always lurking around me like a ghost?"

    Erica thought that Eliana now had a strong backer, but it turned out that she was just an employee at

    the Moran Group.

    At most, it seemed that she was an assistant of some sort.

    Eliana walked ahead and snapped, "If you wish to change your mind, you know where the exit is."

    Erica caught up with her angrily and said, "Don¡¯t let your self righteousness damage the reputation of

    the Moran Group.Besides, is this how a mere assistant wees a client into thepany?

    Mr.Jenkins, haven¡¯t you taught her anything?"

    When she said thest sentence, her tone softened and she looked pitifully at Corbin as if she was

    disappointed.

    However, Corbin didn¡¯t fall for her trick as he coldly replied, "Eliana is right.Mrs.Harrison, if you are

    having second thoughts, we shouldn¡¯t waste each other¡¯s time.Mr.Moran is very busy."

    Erica was rendered speechless and her face darkened in anger.

    After all, Corbin was Maurice¡¯s personal assistant.

    Everyone pandered to his every whim because it was said that if anyone wanted to get close to the

    CEO, they would have to go through him.

    Why was he taking Eliana¡¯s side? Erica thought that Eliana must have used some kind of maniption

    to get his support.

    If she weren¡¯t desperate to sell the pink diamonds, she would have walked away without even ncing

    at Eliana again.

    When the elevator reached the top floor, Erica was still lost in her own thoughts.

    "Mrs.Harrison, have you made a decision yet?" asked Eliana with a smile.

    She reached out her hand and stopped in front of the button on the first floor.

    "I never said that I was going to change my mind!"

    Walking out of the elevator quickly, Erica turned around and red at Eliana.

    "Don¡¯t be so arrogant.I¡¯ll make you pay for thister."

    "Sure.I am looking forward to it."

    Eliana smiled sweetly.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78

    Chapter 78 Bargaining

    Clenching her fists, Erica asked, "Unless what?"

    She felt her heart sink deeper and deeper as she waited for Eliana¡¯s reply.However, the humiliation that

    she was expecting to face did note.

    "Unless you lower the price of the pink diamonds by 5%," Eliana said with a sly smile.

    Maurice was intrigued by her answer.He did not expect her to be so good at doing business.

    Although she was eager to get those pink diamonds, she stayed calm in front of Erica as she bargained

    with her.

    Seeing her handling the situation so calmly, he was surprised.

    After hearing Eliana¡¯s request, Erica refused instantly, "No way!"

    Even though she couldpromise and bow down to Eliana, she could never lower the price of those

    pink diamonds.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    What was even the point of her getting humiliated if the Harrison Group failed to pay off the remaining

    debts? If Asher found out that the reason such a thing happened was because she had offended

    Eliana, then he would divorce her without any hesitation and kick her out of the house.

    ¡°No?"

    Pretending to be surprised, Eliana looked at her and said, "Mrs.Harrison, it looks like you¡¯re not that

    interested to cooperate with us."

    Her voice wasced with a hint of sarcasm.

    Gritting her teeth, Erica replied with a forced smile, "I obviously want to cooperate with you.And I

    sincerely hope that our past grudges will not affect either of thepanies."

    **

    Upon hearing those words, a hint of darkness clouded Eliana¡¯s eyes.She felt like she did not need to be

    reasonable or decent when dealing with a woman like Erica.

    "You have to reflect on yourself, then.Who threw a tantrum in the CEO¡¯s office, ignoring the line that

    separates public and private lives? It looks like you greatly contributed to the potential bankruptcy of

    the Harrison Group."

    "Eliana!"

    Eliana¡¯s words infuriated Erica so much that she felt a sudden urge to pounce on her and rip her to

    shreds.

    At that moment, Corbin suddenly nced at his phone and announced, "Mr.Moran, there are some

    people causing trouble at thepany¡¯s entrance."

    With a frown, Maurice asked in reply, "What¡¯s their deal?"

    "They¡­ They apparently followed Mrs.Harrison here to collect debts," Corbin said, ncing at Erica.

    "They seem to be the creditors of the Harrison Group."

    "What? Our creditors?"

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Erica froze in panic.She did not expect them to follow her all the way here.

    If she had been outside instead of being in the Moran Group now, then¡­ A cold shiver ran down her

    spine at the thought of it, and she broke out in a cold sweat.

    Panicking, she grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and said, "I agree! I agree! I can lessen the price of the pink

    diamonds by 5%.Are you happy now?"

    Eliana looked down at her with a smile on the corners of her lips.

    "I¡¯m sorry.That was the price I offered a few minutes ago.Now I have changed my mind."

    "What?"

    Erica looked at her in disbelief.She then reached out to pull her.

    "How dare this b***h take advantage of my situation to rob me? She¡¯s pushing her luck!¡¯ However,

    Eliana swiftly moved her hand, grabbing Erica¡¯s wrist, and twisting it.

    "Ah!" Erica screamed in pain.

    "Let go of me!"

    Eliana red at her and hissed, "Is this your way of cooperating? As soon as you arrived here, you

    caused a fuss, and now, you¡¯re trying to hit me."

    By then, Maurice also lost his patience and ordered, "Corbin, throw her out!"

    Hearing that, Eliana immediately loosened her grip.

    Unable to struggle anymore, Erica withdrew her hand, took a few steps back, and fell on the

    ground.She looked like a disheveled clown with messy hair and ruined clothes.

    "¡­I¡¯m sorry!"

    Erica cowered and clung to Eliana¡¯s foot.

    "Give me one more chance! Please! We¡¯ve been acquaintances for so many years, ight?"

    As Eliana looked down at her, some distant memories shed through her mind.They had indeed

    known each other for a long time, and Erica had once been her best friend.

    However, she hadter framed her, taken away her fiance from her, and had thrown her into the

    ocean¡­ Remembering those things, Eliana felt like someone was stabbing her in the heart.

    After all, she had almost died because of Erica.

    She had always been such a good friend to her, so why did she end up suffering because of their

    friendship? "Why? Since we¡¯ve known each other for so long, I want to know the reason you despise

    me so much."

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79

    Chapter 79 Trust Her Unconditionally

    Erica was stunned.She felt as though she had heard it wrong.

    "What?"

    "Don¡¯t be absent-minded during negotiations,"

    Maurice scolded in a low voice, and Eliana heard him.

    That was the moment she realized that he had been standing by her side until now, and had never left.

    Turning around, she gazed into his deep eyes.She sensed something special in his eyes, probably pity

    or affection.

    No matter how painful her past was, she felt as though she could easily melt away all of her sufferings

    by looking into his eyes.

    "Let bygones be bygones.Just continue with the negotiation now,"he said in an indifferent tone.

    After carefully considering his advice, Eliana became cold.

    "I want the price of the pink diamonds to be reduced by another 10%."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "What? Another 10%?" Erica screamed.She was speechless and horrified.

    "If you refuse, then we won¡¯t be cooperating with you." Eliana said tly.

    Erica¡¯s mind was a mess as she gasped for breath.

    After hesitating for a long time, contemting what to do, she finally said, "Okay¡­"

    She was in a great need of money as she and the Harrison Group were both in danger.

    "Let¡¯s talk about the other terms of the contract, then,"

    Eliana said with a smile, signaling Erica to sit down on the sofa.

    Erica then began to concentrate better, worried that Eliana might set a trap for her again.

    However, to her surprise, the process was quite smooth.

    After signing the contract, she arrived at the first floor with a copy of the contract in her hand.She

    carefully walked out of the elevator and looked towards the entrance of the building.

    Although she saw a lot of people entering and exiting the building, there was no sign of amotion.

    Seeing that, she pulled the security guard aside, and asked, "Have the troublemakers been driven

    away?"

    "Who made trouble? There were no troublemakers here, ma¡¯am."

    The security guard seemed to be confused.

    "How could that be possible? Corbin said¡­"

    Just when she was about to retort, she paused to think for a moment and realized that she had been

    fooled.

    How could Maurice and Corbin join hands with Eliana and deceive her? Furious, she smashed the

    contract copy to the ground.

    "That b***h! Eliana!"

    Turning around, she was about to rush back into the elevator.But the security guard stopped her

    vigntly.

    "I think that you¡¯re the one trying to cause trouble here.Am I wrong?"

    "Let go of me!"

    Erica roared, struggling to break free from his grasp.However, the guard did not even flinch as he threw

    her out of the building.

    "Ah!"

    Staggering, Erica injured her ankle and fell on the flowerbed that was by the road.She angrily stood up,

    wanting to get back at him, but then she tripped over a branch and fell down again.

    The burning pain from her knees and elbows because of the scratches was making it difficult for her to

    stand up.She was so furious that veins stood out on her forehead.She then pulled away the leaves and

    branches over her body, swearing that she would get back at those who tricked her.

    "Eliana¡­"

    At the same time, in the CEO¡¯s office, Eliana could not help but smile as she repeatedly read the

    contract over and over again.

    Maurice sat down beside her and asked, "Are you really that happy?"

    "Yes.Things are going to be so much easier once this problem is solved." Eliana smiled.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Looking at the man beside her, she asked hesitantly, "Don¡¯t you want to ask me about what Erica said?

    What if I am really a disloyal woman, who abandoned her lover¡­"

    With a faint smile on his lips, Maurice replied, "I don¡¯t need to ask.I trust you."

    After all, no one knew the truth about what had happened five years ago better then him.

    And it was because he was the gigolo, Preston.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes shone as she looked at him.She found it hard to believe that he would trust her

    unconditionally.

    Feeling her heart race uncontrobly, she fell into a daze.

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80

    Chapter 80 Mind Your Own Business

    With a cold look in his eyes, Maurice nced at Eliana and said, "But you were too stupid five years

    ago.How could you let Erica bully you?"

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Clearly, he was still the same person.

    The warm feeling in Eliana¡¯s heart instantly faded away.

    However, Maurice¡¯s cold words did not stop.

    "And how could you have such a bad taste in men? How could you have fallen for a man like Asher?

    Luckily, you did not die because of them."

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana suppressed her urge to tape his mouth shut.

    Meanwhile, in the Design Department, Bradly was correcting Rachel¡¯s design.

    However, she was really distracted by the bandage on his hand.

    Frowning, she felt sorry for him, "Mr.Stewart, the wound on your hand looks pretty serious.How did it

    happen?"

    Bradly had gone out with Eliana, and the wound was there when he had returned.

    What a jinx Eliana was! He was just about to answer her question when he noticed Eliana approaching

    them, so he immediately swallowed his words, forgetting the question.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Concerned, he asked, "Eliana, why did Mr.Moran ask you to see him again?"

    Jealousy surged in Rachel¡¯s heart like a tide as she looked at Eliana with resentment in her eyes.

    "Bradly! We got the Argyle pink diamonds!"

    Eliana smiled brightly, which enhanced her beauty.

    However, Rachel found it to be really irritating.

    And Bradly was oblivious to the change in her expression.He walked up to Eliana and smiled gently.

    "That¡¯s great.You will be able to proceed with your design now."

    "Yes.I¡¯m going to work overtime today."

    Eliana was obviously excited and happy.

    And Bradly could not help but stare at her with admiration in his eyes.She had not been that happy

    since the day they had met again.

    He did not know what she had been through, but at least now, she was the same bright girl he

    remembered from his college days.

    "Bradly? What¡¯s up with you?"

    Eliana asked in confusion all of a sudden.

    Hearing that, Bradly came to his senses.He gulped and said in a hoarse voice, "I¡¯ll work overtime with

    you."

    "But you¡¯re injured."

    With a frown, Eliana stared at his injured hand.

    "Eliana, did Mr.Stewart get injured because of you?" Rachel asked in an unfriendly tone.

    Feeling guilty, Eliana stammered, "¡­"

    "My injury has nothing to do with her."

    Bradly¡¯s smile faded as he red at Rachel and questioned, "Rachel, have you modified your design?"

    "What? No¡­"

    "Focus on your work and mind your own business."

    Bradly had always been polite, and it was the first time that he was scolding her so openly.

    Blushing with embarrassment and anger, Rachel returned to her desk.

    ¡®Who the hell is Eliana to him? Why is she getting special treatment from him? Not only did she win

    over Maurice and Bradly, she also got the Argyle pink diamond project all by herself?¡¯ The longer

    Rachel thought about it, the more upset she became.

    She couldn¡¯t stand the way Eliana was being treated by them at all.

    If Eliana managed to sessfullyplete the ne project, then she would certainly be

    more arrogant in the future.

    Thinking of that, Rachel wondered if she wouldpete with her more fiercely.

    Rachel turned and slowly nced at Eliana¡¯sputer with hatred in her eyes.She could not let Eliana

    complete the project so smoothly.She figured that she should probably do something to sabotage it.

    At the same time, in Eliana¡¯s house, Nana received a call from Eliana.

    After hearing that she was going to work overtime, Nana decided to help her by picking up the kids

    from school.

    "By the way, I want you to bring the puppy back home," Eliana said over the phone.

    Nana raised her eyebrows in confusion.

    "What? What puppy are you even talking about?"

    At the mention of the puppy, aplex emotion filled in Eliana¡¯s heart and she exined everything to

    her friend in detail.

    Nana chuckled and said, "You and Preston are destined to cross each other¡¯s paths again.God didn¡¯t

    want you to return the ring to him, and that¡¯s probably why he sent the dog to you."

    Upon hearing that, Eliana was speechless.

    Nana started from the house soon and headed for the kindergarten.

    There was joyful music ying at the school.

    All the kids were cheerfully skipping and hopping as they ran to the people who came to pick them up.

    With her sharp eyes, Nana was able to spot Adrian and Aileen as soon as she made her way to the

    gate.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81

    Chapter 81 I¡¯m So Good-looking

    With one hand holding Adrian¡¯s, Aileen waved excitedly at Nana with her other hand.

    "Nana!"

    She was smiling so sweetly that Nana¡¯s heart softened in an instant.

    Nana ran to the twins and threw her arms around them, kissing them each on the cheeks one by one.

    "And how was your day?" she asked with a smile.

    "We yed games and drew in arts and crafts time! The teacher even liked Adrian¡¯s drawing!"

    Aileen announced proudly, nting her hands firmly on her hips.

    Nana couldn¡¯t help chuckle.She ruffled Aileen¡¯s hair yfully.

    Then she looked at Adrian and praised, "Good job, Adrian!"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    But the little boy seemed absent-minded.He kept ncing around, as though he was looking for

    something.

    Nana giggled and pinched Adrian¡¯s soft cheek.

    "Who are you looking for, Adrian?"

    The little boy replied tly, "Ss."

    Nana frowned slightly.That name sounded familiar.

    Suddenly, it dawned on her.

    "Is he the young boy I metst time? Why¡¯re you looking for him? Were you nning to meet up after

    school?"

    "Yes!"

    Aileen nodded, her two pigtails bobbing aggressively.

    "Ss is bringing Bowling here." Nana tilted her head to the side in confusion.

    "Bowling?"

    "A puppy." Adrian exined patiently.

    Nana suddenly remembered that Eliana had asked her to take a dog home.

    She stifled a giggle.

    "This name¡­ Who named the puppy ¡®Bowling¡¯?" Aileen raised her hand proudly.

    "I did! I had no choice.The puppy is a big eater.It eats a big bowl of food every meal time! So I decided

    that Bowling is the best name for it!"Suddenly, Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up.She jumped up and down, shouting

    excitedly, "Over here, Ss!"

    Ss came over to them, toting a huge backpack.

    Nana hurried to help him take off the heavy looking bag.

    Almost immediately, a puppy barked from within the bag.

    Nana opened it a crack, only to meet the puppy¡¯s big round eyes.

    "How cute!" Nana reached in to pet the puppy¡¯s head.

    But before she could get carried away, she saw the three children staring at her intently.

    They were all so adorable that Nana¡¯s heart melted into a puddle.

    "Nana, behave yourself.You¡¯re acting like a strange woman."

    Adrian¡¯s cold eyes were full of disdain.

    Nana looked back at him, rendered utterly speechless.She stood up and was about to carry the

    backpack when a small chubby hand grabbed the backpack¡¯s strap.She looked down in surprise and

    found it was Ss.

    "What¡¯s the matter, little cutie?"

    "¡­."

    After having taken care of the puppy for a few days now, Ss was reluctant to part with it.But before

    he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a sharp voice.

    "What do you think you¡¯re doing?"

    Corbin strode over and grabbed Nana¡¯s wrist tightly.ncing at the sad look on Ss¡¯s face, he turned

    to Nana and red at her.

    "How dare you bully a child?" he scolded her with righteous indignation.

    "And you even snatched his backpack,"

    Suddenly, the backpack rustled and the dog barked.Corbin faltered slightly.

    "Uh¡­ A dog?"

    Why in the world was there a dog in Ss¡¯s backpack? His expression was a little funny.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "Have you always been brainless as a grown-up?" Nana sneered with disdain.

    "You always jump to the wrong conclusions!" She looked him up and down in a huff.

    Last time, Corbin had scolded her for giving Ss candies, thinking that she was some kind of creep

    And here he was, scolding her again! He was being a real pain in the neck! With a p, Nana swatted

    Corbin¡¯s hand away.

    She ran her fingers through her curly hair and sneered, "Is this your way of flirting?"

    Corbin looked at her incredulously.

    "What makes you think you¡¯re so good."

    But he stopped mid-sentence.

    Only then did he notice that Nana was wearing a long purplish red dress over a pair of ck short

    boots.

    The color and coordination were both unorthodox, but Nana pulled it off effortlessly.She was totally

    different from Eliana in temperament but she was, in her own way, just as beautiful.Her skin looked

    smooth and supple, and her figure was slim yet curvaceous.

    The wind ruffled her curly hair, making ite to life.

    "I know I¡¯m good-looking."

    Nana leaned over, deliberately showing off her supple cleavage.

    Corbin rarely encountered such unscrupulous women.

    Nana¡¯s unrestrained actions stunned him speechless.

    Seeing that he couldn¡¯t say a word, Nana rolled her eyes impatiently and hoisted the backpack onto her

    back carefully.

    "Bowling is a stray dog that Adrian and Aileen found.It¡¯s only natural that I take it home with us."

    "Oh, please.Ss has had this dog for days now.How could it suddenly be yours?"

    "Then let¡¯s see who Bowling recognizes as its master!"

    Nana was so angry that she put the backpack on the ground and let the puppy out.

    "Okay!"

    The three children all exchanged confused nces, not knowing how things hade to this.

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82

    Chapter 82 Something Strange About The Puppy

    "Nana¡­"

    Adrian wanted to put an end to the farcical drama, but Aileen covered his mouth to stop him from

    speaking.

    "Shh!"

    Aileen chuckled and added, "Just wait and see.This is going to be very funny."

    Nana took out a ham sausage from the backpack and peeled its skin before shaking it at the puppy.

    "Hey, Bowling! Look at this! Do you want some?"

    The dog¡¯s eyes lit up immediately, and it started to wag its tail with excitement as it scampered towards

    the ham sausage.

    Corbin made Ss stand in front of him as he made a series of sounds to attract the dog.

    When the little dog stopped and turned its head, Corbin said.

    "Bowling! Do you remember the young master? He¡¯s the one who fed you and yed with you!"

    Corbin squatted next to Ss, urging him to y along.Ss was speechless.

    After all, he didn¡¯t want to be too friendly with Corbin.

    The dog recognized Ss and took a few steps towards him, but then it ran towards Nana because she

    was holding a ham sausage.

    Corbin took out a small bag of beef jerky.

    "Bowling!"

    The poor dog was caught in a dilemma.It groaned, stretching its limbs, and then copsed on the

    ground.

    Ss couldn¡¯t stand it anymore.

    "Stop it.Just give them the puppy."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Why? This is your dog." Corbin couldn¡¯t understand why Ss had said so.

    "The puppy doesn¡¯t belong to me alone.We three picked it up together.It¡¯s just that the bodyguards

    brought it back to my home temporarily." exined Ss.

    "Yes!" Aileen leaned on Adrian¡¯s shoulder and blinked her big eyes at the boy.

    "We can always bring him over when Ss wants to y with the puppy."

    Adrian nodded in agreement.

    Ss winked at them to show his satisfaction.

    They had already reached an agreement.

    Once they could get their hands on the ring again, Aileen and Adrian would be open to discussing its

    ownership.

    Since the kids had reached an agreement, it would be unreasonable for Corbin to keep Nana from

    leaving.

    Nana sneered and walked off with the twins and the puppy.

    Having realized that something was wrong, Corbin asked Ss, "What¡¯s going on with the puppy?"

    "Didn¡¯t I just exin it to you?" Ss looked at him impatiently.

    There was a strong sense of exasperation in his tone.

    Without uttering another word, Ss turned around and walked towards the car.

    Although he was young, he was quite intelligent for a boy of his age.

    After all, Corbin was Maurice¡¯s assistant.If Corbin knew the truth, he would definitely tell Maurice.

    Since Ss had given Aileen and Adrian his word, he had no choice but to keep it a secret.

    Meanwhile, Corbin stared suspiciously at Ss as the little boy walked away.

    Although he had a feeling that this matter was far from simple, he could not figure out what was strange

    about that puppy.

    It would be best to let go of a trivial matter like this¡­ He didn¡¯t think it was necessary to report it to his

    boss.

    As the stars were twinkling in the night sky and a full moon gazed down upon everyone outside the

    window, the only light in the Design Department came from themp on Eliana¡¯s desk.

    Suddenly, she received a text message on her phone.

    When she looked at the screen and saw that it was from Nana, she clicked open the message.

    The message was a photo of a cute little puppy with snow-white fur and round, light blue eyes.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    There was a message written at the bottom that said, "Missionpleted! I took the puppy to the

    hospital.It is too small for an emetic or a surgery.Fortunately, the ring is not big enough to cause any

    danger to it.All we have to do is wait for it to relieve itself and look for the ring in its excrement."

    Eliana was speechless.

    Excrement? No! The ring was¡­ a family heirloom passed on to Preston by his mother.

    What would he do if he were to find out? All of a sudden, Preston¡¯s cold and malicious eyes came to

    her mind, driving chills down her back.

    Eliana hesitated for a while before she finally plucked up the courage to call Preston.She had better tell

    him that she would find the ring soon.

    However, she didn¡¯t know how to tell him that she was just waiting for the dog to excrete the ring.

    While she was lost in thought, a tall figure stood quietly outside the door of the Design Department.

    The dim light outlined Maurice¡¯s face, making him look soft.He looked down at the muted phone that

    had lit up and smiled.

    "Hello."

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83

    Chapter 83 Our Reunion Must Be Fate

    Upon hearing the man¡¯s cold yet melodious voice, Eliana paused for a moment.Her hands flew to cover

    her weirdly burning cheeks.

    "Preston, I think I¡¯ll be able to return the ring to you soon." Maurice raised his eyebrow in surprise.

    "So where did you find it?"

    N?velDrama.Org owns this text.

    "Uhm¡­ Don¡¯t ask. I¡¯ll give it back to you anyway."

    Eliana smiled awkwardly and rubbed the aching spot on her neck.She refused to tell him that she was

    just waiting for a dog to p**p out the ring.

    Maurice watched her from a distance and said in a low voice, "Fine."

    His tone softened involuntarily.

    "What are you up to now?"

    "Working overtime." Maurice chuckled.

    "Has your CEO been torturing youtely?"

    "No.He has actually been quite kindtely."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana caught a glimpse at the time and her eyes went wide.It waste already.

    "I have to get back to work now."

    Without waiting for a response, she was about to hang up the phone.

    However, she suddenly faintly heard a familiar voice on the other end of the line.

    Eliana frowned slightly.

    The voice sounded like Corbin¡¯s.She paused and asked, "Wait, who was speaking just now?"

    Maurice shot Corbin a cold re, who had just approached him.

    Corbin immediately got the message and trembled slightly.His mouth snapped shut and he retreated a

    few steps back.

    Maurice then said into the receiver, "Who else could it be?"

    "I thought I heard a familiar voice.Maybe the exhaustion¡¯s getting to me."

    Eliana closed her eyes and rubbed her aching temples.

    How could she have confused Corbin¡¯s voice for Preston¡¯s? She was probably too tired to function

    properly.

    Maurice frowned.

    "Then don¡¯t procrastinate and go back home as soon as possible," he said in a deep voice.

    Before Eliana could reply, the phone was hung up.

    The busy tone echoed loudly in her ears.

    "What a short-tempered man!" She shook her head helplessly and put down the phone.

    Just then, Bradly opened the door and strode in.

    Waving a take-away bag in front of her, he asked, "Are you hungry? You should eat something."

    Eliana hesitated, but before she could say something, her stomach suddenly growled loudly.She looked

    at Bradly with an embarrassed smile.

    He chuckled knowingly and handed a burger to her.

    "Here you go."

    Realizing that she was starving, Eliana didn¡¯t try to refuse.She gratefully epted the burger.

    "How¡¯re your designs going? Can I see them?" Bradly asked, sitting down next to her.

    Eliana clicked open her draft and showed it to Bradly while eating the burger.

    Bradly studied her drawing carefully and then pointed out the ws.

    "That¡¯s all.Only a few changes need to be made.I¡¯m looking forward to your final design drawing."

    Bradly looked up from the drawing, but he suddenly froze.

    Eliana¡¯s head was lowered and she was carefully jotting down Bradly¡¯sments¡­ Her side profile

    was so elegant and beautiful, her red lips parted slightly to show her perfect little teeth.She was just so

    pretty.

    But there was one problem¡­ Bradly leaned over and wiped the corner of her mouth gently with a

    tissue.

    "You got ketchup on your mouth." Eliana was a little taken aback.

    She looked up at him warily.

    Their heads were very close.

    The light reflected off of Eliana¡¯s longshes.

    They trembled as she blinked, like a butterfly that pped its delicate wings.

    Bradly¡¯s breathing became light and his gaze softened as he stared at her lovingly.

    "Let me do it myself."

    Feeling embarrassed, Eliana took the tissue from Bradly¡¯s hand and wiped her mouth wantonly.

    "The truth is, I looked for you five years ago," Bradly confessed, looking at her affectionately.

    "I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there when you needed me the most.But our reunion must be fate.Eliana, I like-".

    "Eliana." A voice as cold as ice interrupted Bradly mid-sentence.

    Surprised, Eliana looked up to find a tall figure slowly walking towards them.

    His handsome yet cold face was gradually exposed as he walked into the light.

    "Mr.Moran?"

    Why on earth was Maurice here at this moment?

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84

    Chapter 84 Are You Close To Mr.Moran

    The air around them seemed to drop a hundred degrees.

    Maurice¡¯s expressionless face gave off a cold, intimidating aura.

    Every time he met Eliana, she¡¯d always pull a long face.

    But it seemed she was always so warm and meek in front of Bradly.

    When Maurice saw Bradly wipe her mouth and look at her affectionately just now, indescribable rage

    surged within him, tossing reason out the window.

    "It¡¯s sote.Why are you still in the office?"

    Eliana bit the bullet and asked Maurice straightforwardly.

    Maurice cast a cold nce at Bradly and retorted, "Why are you dating a colleague so openly?"

    Dating? Eliana frowned.It seemed that Maurice was deliberately finding fault with her again.

    "Good evening, Mr.Moran."

    Bradly stood up and greeted Maurice courteously.

    The tender look on his face from earlier hadn¡¯t disappearedpletely but he said, "You

    misunderstand.This isn¡¯t a date.We are just working overtime to finish something."

    Maurice looked at him indifferently as though he was an insignificant fly.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Your ex-fiancee, Evelynn, chose me to design the ne.Mr.Moran, have you already forgotten

    this?"

    Eliana deliberately locked eyes with Maurice, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

    Maurice sneered coldly, "Of course I haven¡¯t.", D**n it! Whenever Bradly was by her side, this woman

    always found the confidence to defy him.

    And sure enough, Eliana refused to back down from the fight.

    "Mr.Moran, since Miss Jarvis is your ex-fiancee, you should be quite familiar with her and know her

    taste, right? Now that you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you give us some feedback?"

    She stepped aside and showed him the design draft on theputer screen.

    Maurice begrudgingly looked at the screen.

    To his surprise, the design draft had almost taken shape, and her desk was covered with densely

    packed notes.It could be seen that Eliana was very hands-on in this project.

    But when Maurice recalled how Eliana took these notes down whenever she was alone with Bradly, he

    still felt ufortable.

    "Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bitte to consider Evelynn¡¯s preferences when you¡¯ve almost finished your

    design drawing?"

    Maurice snorted, provoking her on purpose.

    "If I offered you any advice, would you redo the entire design?"

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    "If it¡¯s within reason, I¡¯m willing to make revisions."

    With acent smile on her face, Eliana stressed the word "reason".

    Bradly¡¯s eyes darted between the two.

    There was obvious tension between them, but for some reason, he could sense inexplicable intimacy

    between them.

    Maurice still spoke coldly, but his piercing gaze had softened, reced with something one might

    consider "tender".

    Eliana¡¯s expression was even stranger, Her bright eyes were full of an emotion that Bradly had never

    seen before.She was passionate and lively, as if her whole body had lit up.

    He had never seen her like this, even when she was in love with Asher back then.

    Bradly turned to Eliana and asked in a low voice, "Are you close to Mr.Moran?"

    "Not at al!" Eliana shook her head adamantly.

    As Maurice saw them whisper between themselves, the veins stood out on his forehead.He gritted his

    teeth and hissed, "Eliana!"

    Looking back into his gloomy eyes, Eliana smiled at him questioningly.

    "Yes?"

    "If you really want to improve the design, then I might have some helpful information."

    When Maurice spoke again, his tone was calm, as though he wasn¡¯t boiling with rage just now.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up.

    "What is it?" Maurice waved his hand indifferently.

    "Ask Corbin."

    He took out his phone and dialed his assistant¡¯s number.

    Then he turned to Bradly and said dismissively, "Go get the information from Corbin.He should give you

    the jewelry designs that the Jarvis familymissioned from the Moran Group over the past ten

    years.Once you¡¯ve gone over those, you¡¯ll have a general understanding of the Jarvis family¡¯s style

    preferences."

    "Got it," Bradly said.

    Then he turned to Eliana and suggested, "Let¡¯s go together."

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85

    Chapter 85 Only Two Options

    "I''m afraid that only Mr.Stewart has ess to those documents,"

    Maurice said with a calm smile.

    "They''re confidential after all.You, Eliana, aren''t qualified to ess them."

    Eliana narrowed her eyes in suspicion, keenly sensing that something was wrong.

    Maurice was aggressive just now, but then his attitude had changed abruptly.It was obvious that he just

    wanted Bradly to go away.

    Although she didn''t know Maurice''s motives, her senses were on high alert.

    "Oh, well.It''s gettingte.Let''s look for the documents tomorrow," she said loudly, stepping in front of

    Bradly.

    Maurice studied her carefully and noticed the uneasiness in her eyes.He sneered and shifted his attack

    to Bradly.

    "Instead of getting the valuable information, why are you alone with a female employee at midnight?

    Bradly, what the hell are your intentions?" Bradly''s heart skipped a beat.

    Maurice had ruthlessly exposed his selfish motive.It was true that he worked overtime with Eliana just

    because he wanted to be alone with her.

    Unfortunately, Maurice interrupted him before he could confess his feelings to her.

    "I just wanted to help Eliana finish the project," Bradly answered in a calm, collected voice.

    "If the information is indeed useful for the project, I''ll go ahead and check them now." He looked at

    Corbin, who had just arrived.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Mr.Jenkins, please lead the way."

    Now that things hade to this point, Eliana couldn''t stop him anymore.She could do nothing but

    watch Corbin and Bradly leave.

    Now, it was just her and Maurice left in the Design Department.

    Eliana clenched her fists and kept her breathing normal, but she felt inexplicably nervous.

    Meanwhile, Bradly and Corbin entered the elevator.

    Finally, he plucked up the courage to ask, "Mr.Jenkins, is Mr.Moran dissatisfied with my work?"

    "No, " Corbin replied tly.

    But this confused Bradly even more.

    "Then why is he always picking a fight with me?"

    As he spoke, the elevatornded on the top floor and its doors slid open.Corbin strode out and

    answered, "Can''t you tell that Mr.Moran is interested in Eliana?"

    "What?"

    Bradly gasped.He stopped right in his tracks.

    Only then did he realize that he was so stupid to have left Eliana alone with Maurice.He immediately

    turned 180 degrees around and walked briskly back to the elevator.

    However, Corbin was quicker.He stopped him and said, "Mr.Stewart, don''t let your feelings get in the

    way of your work."

    Instead of answering his question, Corbin gave him a light warning.

    "Just stay away from Eliana."

    Bradly locked eyes with Corbin.

    In a low voice, he said, "Even though Maurice Moran is the CEO, he can''t force Eliana to return his

    feelings."

    Corbin shrugged indifferently.

    "That''s true."

    But...his boss was not just the CEO of the Moran Group.

    Maurice was also his own rival in love.

    Nobody else coulde close to Eliana.

    Corbin believed that Eliana''s only options were Maurice and Preston.

    Whatever happened, the winner could only be his boss.

    In the Design Department, Eliana couldn''t stand the awkward atmosphere anymore, so she found an

    excuse to leave.

    She turned off theputer and turned around, only to find that Maurice was looking down at her with

    one hand on the back of her chair and the other on her desk.

    She instinctively shrank away from him, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.But

    she couldn''t stop his aura from shrouding her.

    With Maurice''s handsome face so close to hers, she felt her throat dry up.

    "Mr.Moran, please get out of my way.It''ste and I want to go home."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86

    Chapter 86 Do You Like Eliana

    Staring at Eliana for a moment, Maurice said, "I''ll drive you back."

    "No, thanks," Eliana refused at once.

    But when she noticed his expression darken, she added, "Someone is picking me up, and I don''t want

    to trouble you."

    Frowning, he wondered who was going to pick her up.

    Was it some man that he did not know about? Thinking of that, he stood up, clenching his fists.

    Eliana quickly grabbed her bag and said, "I''ll be off, then."

    "Let''s go together."

    Saying that, Maurice immediately walked to her.

    Looking at his straight back, Eliana was confused about his intentions.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    However, she quietly followed him to the elevator while taking asional peeks at him until her eyes

    met his.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    With a ravishing smile, he asked, "Am I that handsome? You keep looking at me."

    "No, and I wasn''t looking at you.Don''t tter yourself!"

    Flustered, Eliana nervously looked away.

    Noticing the flush on her face, Maurice said in a gentle voice, "If Evelynn makes things difficult for you

    again, then do tell me.I''ll help you solve the problem."

    His low, deep and gentle voice almost made Eliana weak in her knees.

    Although she was moved by his words, she suddenly recalled the scene where Maurice and Evelynn

    were being intimate with each other in his office.

    And that memory forced her to calm her racing heart.

    After all, Maurice had been extra nice to Evelynn before, and he had worked with her to make things

    hard for her over the Argyle pink diamonds.

    How could he suddenly say that he would help her deal with Evelynn now? Eliana sneered in her heart,

    thinking that she could not trust him.

    Lost in thought, she kept walking without even realizing that she was already at the entrance of the

    Moran Group.

    Maurice followed her closely and saw a Maserati outside the gate.

    ''This car..Wasn''t it Jonathan''s lover''s?'' The next second, he saw the car door open, and a woman

    jumped off.

    Maurice stopped in his tracks.

    "Honey..."

    Nana ran to Eliana and hugged her warmly.Her cheerfulness was infectious, and in the blink of an eye,

    Eliana''s tiredness seemed to vanish.

    Feeling rxed, Eliana held her hand and was about to walk to the car with her.

    However, Nana stood still in her tracks, gazing at Maurice.

    ''Is he Maurice Moran, the CEO that Eliana kept talking about?'' Nana fell silent for a moment before she

    blurted out, "Do you like Eliana? Can you ept a single mo..."

    Knowing what she was about to say, Eliana was stunned.She almost pounced on Nana and covered

    her mouth.

    "I''m sorry.Don''t mind her,"

    Eliana said to Maurice in a rush before dragging Nana to the car.

    Seeing that, Maurice was confused.

    What was she even talking about? He could not understand a thing.

    Besides, how could Jonathan like a woman like her? Soon, he heard the car engine roar, and they left.

    ncing at the speed indicator, Eliana reminded her friend, "Go slow!"

    "Your CEO is quite handsome,"

    Nana eased her grip on the elerator and added, "But don''t forget to hear his opinion.What if he is

    not able to ept Adrian and Aileen..."

    Eliana immediately dampened her enthusiasm.

    "Don''t even think about it.It''s impossible for me to be with him."

    "What?"

    With a regretful look, Nana suddenly asked, "Are you still thinking about that gigolo? Well, he is

    handsome too."

    "I am not thinking of either! Actually, I don''t think about anyone!"

    Eliana ended the topic resolutely.

    However, Preston and Maurice were on her mind.And for some reason, she realized that they both

    looked alike, especially their eyes...

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87

    Chapter 87: Maurice Was Giving Him A Hard Time

    Before long, the Maserati stopped in front of Eliana''s house.

    She habitually looked up and found that the house was brightly lit up.

    It seemed as though the warm light helped to dispel the coldness of thete night.

    Back home, Nana copsed onto the sofa.

    Eliana looked around the beautifully decorated house and then walked towards the bathroom.

    Adrian and Aileen were squatting down side by side at the door, staring at a white puppy in the

    bathroom.

    Adrian was the first to notice that they were being watched and as soon as he turned around, he saw

    Eliana squatting down with her arms around her knees.

    "Mommy!"

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    He smiled from ear to ear.

    Aileen immediately jumped up as soon as she heard Adrian, and she threw herself into Eliana¡¯s arms

    like a spoiled child.

    Adrian asked worriedly, "Mommy, when is the ring going toe out?"

    "We''ve been waiting for a long time, but it doesn''t look like the puppy is going to poop any time soon."

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Aileen pouted her lips at Eliana.

    "Well, we need to be patient.Just wait and see."

    Eliana patted their heads, smiling in amusement.

    In truth, she wanted the ring toe out as soon as possible so that she could give it back to Preston.

    Therefore, all three of themid their expectant eyes on the puppy at the same time.

    The innocent little puppy tilted its head, not knowing what the three of them wanted from it.

    Unfortunately, it was gettingte, so Eliana coaxed the children back to their room for sleep.

    After she washed her face and rinsed her mouth, she caught Aileen trying to sneak back into the living

    room to y with her tablet on the sofa.

    Eliana immediately said, "Aileen, why aren''t you in bed?"

    "Mommy, do you want to see the photos I took of the puppy?"

    Aileen looked at Eliana with doe-eyes as she showed her the screen with a big grin on her face.

    She had taken multiple photos of the puppy with various filters and angles.

    The puppy looked more like a ball of cotton than an animal.

    In her excitement, Aileen identally clicked the ne design draft Eliana had drawn.Her eyes lit

    up.

    "What a beautiful ne!"

    With a doting smile, Eliana picked her up in her arms and said, "It''s time to sleep.Let''s look at it some

    other day, okay?"

    "Just wait a minute," said Aileen sweetly.

    "What else do you want to do?" Eliana asked exasperatedly.

    Aileen jumped out of her arms and took out paper and crayons from a drawer on the tea table.

    "I want to draw a ne too.I''m going to give it to you, Mommy!"

    Eliana was amused by the little girl''s enthusiasm and she couldn''t helpughing.

    Aileen turned her back to Eliana and said, "Don''t look at it until 1 finish drawing."

    "Okay," said Eliana.

    Within a few minutes, the little girl had managed toe up with a drawing.

    Aileen excitedly handed the paper to Eliana and asked, "Do you like it, Mommy?"

    As soon as Eliana looked at the drawing, her eyes widened in amazement.

    Although the brushwork was childish, the design of the ne was actually quite ingenious.

    Instead of cing the diamond in the middle, Aileen ced it on the side.

    The design was unique and eye-catching.

    "Honey, this is more beautiful than my design," Eliana sighed from the bottom of her heart.

    "Aileen is truly gifted."

    Aileen giggled, covering her mouth shyly.

    The next day, Eliana went to thepany with Aileen''s drawing.She walked to Bradly''s office and

    knocked on the door.

    "Come in," said Bradly in a hoarse voice.

    When Eliana pushed the door open and walked in, Bradly looked pale and the dark circles under his

    eyes suggested that he hadn''t sleptst night.

    "Bradly, are you sick?"

    "No."

    Bradly rubbed his temples and it was clear to see that he was exhausted.

    "I stayed up all night to read the documents."

    Corbin dumped a bunch of documents on himst night, but after spending hours reading everything,

    Bradly found that none of the information was actually helpful for designing the pink diamond ne.

    In fact, he almost believed that Maurice was deliberately giving him a hard time to teach him a lesson.

    Thinking of what had happened yesterday, Bradly frowned and looked at Eliana.

    "Do you know that Mr.Moran..."

    Before he could finish his words, Eliana cut him short and said, ¡ãI have good news! I have a new

    design idea!"

    Eliana handed Aileen¡¯s picture to Bradly.

    "Have a look at this."

    "Whose child drew this?"

    Eliana paused to think and then lied, concealing Aileen¡¯s identity.

    "My neighbor''s."

    "I''ve gotten to say, the child has a knack for design," Bradly sighed with a smile.

    Just then, Rachel came over with a cup of coffee.

    As soon as she arrived at the door of the office, she heard Eliana''s chuckle.Her heart sank in an

    instant.

    She looked at the two people chatting andughing in the office, and the jealousy in her heart grew,

    spreading like wildfire inside her body.

    Almost immediately, Rachel was overwhelmed by anger.

    ¡®Well, Eliana, soon you won''t beughing anymore.."

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88

    Chapter 88 Evelynn Put On Airs

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana didn''t notice that there was something off with Rachel.

    After a detailed discussion with Bradly, she had a clearer grasp on the design concept and knew what

    revisions she needed to make.

    Excited to get to work, she couldn''t wait to go back to her desk and start sketching.

    Several hours had passed when she finally finished the revised design drawing.

    Eliana stretched her arms high and yawned.

    After saving the file, she picked up her empty cup and went to the pantry for a refill.

    A figure crept to her desk.

    The dark shadow sat in Eliana''s chair, reached for the mouse, and clicked on thepleted design

    drawing.

    With a sneer of contempt, the mysterious figure quickly made a copy of design drawing.

    Taking a short break in the pantry, Eliana was totally unaware of all this.She even chatted with some

    colleagues who were also on a break.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Then she went back to her desk and promptly sent the design drawing to Evelynn''s mailbox.

    Now, all she could do was wait for feedback from Evelynn.

    In other words, she had to wait and see how Evelynn would continue to make trouble for her.

    Minutes ticked by.

    Eliana nced at the clock absent-mindedly, waiting until it was time to get off work.It wasn''t until she

    stood up to leave that Evelynn called her.

    The woman''s fake smile could be felt over the call.

    "I saw your design, but I''m not satisfied with it.Eliana, is this all you can do?" Her voice dripped heavily

    with sarcasm.

    The corners of Eliana¡¯s mouth twitched.

    Sure enough, Evelynn wasn''t about to let her go so easily.

    "Can you tell me exactly what you don''t like about the design?" Eliana asked in a t tone.

    Putting on airs, Evelynn said loftily, "Well...It''s not something I can exin over the phone.Come to the

    Yuho Hotel and let''s discuss things there."

    Eliana''s senses went on high alert instantly.She quickly refused.

    "We can talk in the Moran Group."

    "What? How could you not cooperate with your client?"

    Evelynn clucked her tongue meaningfully.

    "Eliana, have you forgotten what Maurice said? If anything goes wrong with my project, he won''t let you

    and your director go easily."

    She deliberately stressed the words "you and your director".

    Maurice''s cold and ruthless threat reared its ugly head in Eliana''s mind.

    Bradly could be fired at any moment, and it''d be her fault.

    Eliana gritted her teeth angrily.She didn''t expect that Evelynn would use this threat as a tool to control

    her.

    This was all that damned Maurice''s fault! He had also told her to ask him for help if Evelynn found fault

    with her.

    How could she be so naive to believe him? With anger surging inside her, Eliana hissed, "See you at

    the Yuho Hotel then."

    Evelynn snorted contemptuously and hung up the phone.

    Eliana shook her head wryly and went downstairs to hail a taxi.She was still wary, so she sent Nana a

    message, briefly exining what was going on, and turned on her GPS.

    When Eliana stepped inside the hotel, a staff member who seemed to have been informed in advance

    voluntarily led her to a private room.

    The Yuho Hotel was by no means shabby.

    Its luxuriously decorated corridor shined, lined with rare antiques and ornaments all over, giving off a

    noble atmosphere.

    But as Eliana made her way past the luxurious corridor, she just grew more and more confused.

    They were just supposed to talk about a design draft.

    Was it so necessary to meet in such a fancy hotel? What kind of tricks was Evelynn ying? Soon,

    Eliana caught a glimpse of the nobledy herself.

    Evelynn had exquisite makeup on her face and was wearing a long, conservative dress that made her

    look elegant and slim, but it covered the legs that she had always showed off before.

    "You''re finally here, Eliana."

    Smiling warmly, Evelynn walked over to Eliana and held her arm.

    The way she acted would''ve made any bystander think that the two women were close.But it was

    nothing but an illusion.

    Eliana¡¯s gut told her that something was really off.

    Evelynn only pretended in front of others.

    She looked at the door to the private room warily.

    Who else was inside? Before she could think too much, Evelynn opened the door and pushed her

    inside.

    As soon as Eliana raised her head, she met three pairs of surprised eyes.

    An unfamiliar middle-aged woman in a cheongsam was sitting on the side, looking dignified.

    But her nted eyes and sharp cheekbones made her look unapproachable.

    She looked a little like Evelynn, so she must''ve been Evelynn¡¯s elder.

    In the middle sat Nancy, Maurice''s kind grandmother, and the person beside her was...

    None other than Maurice.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89

    Chapter 89 The Mother-daughter Duo

    No wonder Evelynn behaved so prim and proper today.It turned out that the two families had gathered.

    And even the elders from both parties were present.

    Were they here to discuss their marriage again? When this thought urred to her, Eliana couldn''t

    help but feel a little unhappy.

    Maurice''s eyesnded on her arm, which was being held by Evelynn.

    "Why are you here?" he asked indifferently.

    "Miss Jarvis asked me toe here to talk about the ne''s design," Eliana answered dryly.

    She had guessed that Evelynn would make things difficult for her, but she didn¡®t expect that she''d do it

    in front of these people.

    "But...On second thought, I dont think it''s appropriate to talk here.I''ll talk to Miss Jarvister."

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana nodded politely and tried to turn around to leave.But Evelynn didn''t let go of her arm.Her voice

    was gentle, but her eyes sparkled with menace.

    "Don''t go! Maurice specifically asked you to design for the Jarvis family, which undoubtedly has caused

    you a lot of trouble.I just want to thank you for your time and effort."

    "Yes, Eliana.Don''t you miss me?"

    Nancy smiled at the girl kindly.

    This made Evelynn''s smile stiffen.She had nned topletely ruin Eliana¡¯s image in front of Nancy

    today, but she had no idea that Nancy already met Eliana.

    And from the look of things, the two were even close.

    Evelynn''s heart burned with jealousy, but she managed to keep a cool, collected face.

    "Mrs.Moran, you know Eliana? That means that you have to stay for dinner, Eliana¡ª for Mrs.Moran''s

    sake." Eliana ignored Evelynn.

    But seeing the kind smile on Nancy''s face, she found herself not wanting to disappoint the old woman.

    Eliana was caught between a rock and a hard ce.

    "Grandma asked you to stay, so just stay," Maurice suddenly said in a cold voice, which just saved

    Eliana from the embarrassment.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "The marriage between the Morans and the Jarvises has been canceled, so there''s nothing here that

    you''re not allowed to hear."

    He didn''t even look at Eliana as he spoke, but it was as though he had read her mind.

    Eliana was slightly shocked.

    His words, albeit said in a cold tone, dispelled all her worries.

    Nancy''s smile grew even bigger and she said, "Eliana, there''s no need to worry.

    It was us elders who arranged the marriage previously, so it didn''t count."

    Mixed feelings gued Evelynn''s heart.

    Why did Eliana suddenly be the center of attention as soon as she arrived? Evelynn had been

    waiting to marry Maurice for so long, yet Nancy was here telling Eliana that it didn''t even count.

    Trying her best to suppress her anger, Evelynn forced a smile and pulled Eliana to sit next to the

    middle-aged woman.

    She pretended to be close to Eliana and leaned against her shoulder, as though they were good

    friends.

    "Mom, this is Eliana Pierce, the designer Maurice appointed to design the Argyle pink diamond

    ne."

    Mnie Jarvis, Evelynn''s mother, nced at Eliana coldly and sneered, "I know you.You made a scene

    at the dinner partyst time, am I right?"

    Upon hearing that, Eliana''s blood froze.

    Mnie''s voice reeked of disdain.

    "It was the first time I ever witnessed such a girl.You knew that the dinner party was to discuss the

    marriage between the Jarvises and the Morans, but you still pestered Maurice in front of everyone."

    "Mom..."

    Evelynn took her mother''s hand.

    "Don''t say that.The engagement between me and Maurice is over."

    As she spoke, she lowered her eyes, which were brimming with tears.She looked pitiful, like an

    abandoned puppy.

    Mnie patted the back of her hand and sighed heavily.

    "You are too kind, my dear daughter.She had the audacity to treat you like that yet you allowed her to

    design the pink diamond ne for you.Who knows what sort of trickery she¡¯s up to? Even if you

    give the ne to me, I''ll refuse to wear it!"

    Eliana smiled wryly, despite the anger raging in her heart.

    It turned out that Evelynn inherited her hypocritical traits from her mother.So it turned out that Evelynn

    had specially invited her here today to let the mother- daughter duo push her around.

    "Mrs.Jarvis, you can rest assured that I''ll do my job.Mr.Moran himself assigned me to design the pink

    diamond ne.If you have any problem with that, you can talk to him."

    As she spoke, she calmly nced at the man who was watching from aside.If she had her way, she

    never would''ve wanted to get involved in this nonsense.

    But Maurice had dragged her into it.

    Fortunately for her, Maurice was sick and tired of the y.He narrowed his eyes at Eliana but readily

    agreed with her.

    "Yes, I''m the one who arranged this.Eliana''s undoubtedly a skilled designer, and she even found a

    supplier of pink diamonds.She acquired them at a price 15% lower than market price."

    Before Mnie could find further fault with Eliana, Nancy nodded with satisfaction.

    "Eliana, that''s wonderful I didn''t know you were that good at your job!"

    In Nancy''s eyes, Eliana deserved to be her granddaughter-inw.

    The girl had even begun to make tons of money for the Moran Group before she married Maurice.

    Mnie''s eyebrow shot up in surprise.

    "Isn''t she a designer? Why did she have the right to negotiate the acquisition?"

    "I asked her to do it.The designers of the Moran Group do their best for the sake of our clients,"

    Maurice answered her sharply, which made Mnie falter slightly.

    He continued, "Why are you so surprised, Mrs.Jarvis? Didn''t you know that Evelynn insisted that we

    use pink diamonds?"

    In that moment, Mnie''s heart skipped a beat.

    Choosing Argyle pink diamonds was just an excuse for her daughter to make things difficult for Eliana

    ¡ªsomething Evelynn didn''t talk to her about.

    The truth was, she didn''t know much about the pink diamonds at all.

    Nancy coughed, her eyes showing a trace of dissatisfaction.

    "How could you not know what material you wanted to use for your own ne? And Evelynn, why

    didn''t you discuss it with your mother?"

    Nancy might have been old, but she definitely wasn''t stupid.It was clear to her that the mother and

    daughter were just doing whatever they could to make things difficult for Eliana.

    Evelynn''s eyes darted around anxiously.She grabbed Mnie''s arm and opened her mouth to retort,

    but found that she didn''t know what to say.

    Eliana suddenly smiled and sighed, "What a coincidence! In my search for the pink diamond, I was

    tricked into going to the ck market and almost died there.I wonder how the merchants in the ck

    market got the news about the Argyle pink diamond.They actually set a trap and waited for me to jump

    in..."

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90

    Chapter 90 A Sorry Story

    "Who was so vicious?"

    Nancy''s expression changed.She reached out to hold Eliana''s hand with a worried expression.

    "Eliana,e here.Let me take a look.Did you get hurt?"

    Eliana''s heart softened as she walked to her and held her hand.

    "Don''t worry, Mrs.Moran.I''m fine."

    Nancy''s wrinkled hands were full of warmth.And Eliana was reluctant to let go.

    At the sight of that, Evelynn''s face turned livid with rage.She picked up the ss in front of her and took

    a sip, trying to hide her angry look.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    However, the ss only ended up making her face look more twisted.

    "I cleaned up the ck market.As for the people behind the scene who attempted to hurt Eliana, I will

    make sure that none of them escape," Maurice said coldly with a hint of murderous intent in his tone.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    The next second, a loud cracking sound of ss attracted everyone''s attention.

    The ss had slipped from Evelynn¡¯s hand and fallen to the floor.

    Looking at the broken ss, she panicked as though she had seen her end.

    "Why are you so careless?" Mnie said before she signaled a waiter to clean up the mess.

    At the same time, Nancy ordered the waiter to bring another set of tableware before she pulled Eliana

    to Maurice''s side.

    "Come and sit here."

    The smile on Eliana¡¯s lips froze, and she knew that she would not be able to eat if she sat beside him.

    Maurice sat on her left, and Evelynn would sit on her right.

    Nancy didn''t notice her difort at all and continued, "Eliana, you have suffered a lot, and

    fortunately, you were back safe and sound.You can rest assured and hand over the investigation to

    Maurice.He will definitely find out what happened."

    Hearing that, Eliana had no choice but to nod with a smile.She nced at the chair that was ced too

    close to Maurice''s and quietly moved to the other side.

    But Maurice saw that.

    He suddenly reached under the table and took her slender wrist to stop her.

    "Are you that afraid of me?"

    Eliana immediately pulled her hand away and retorted in a low voice, "Are you sure you can focus on

    the food if you sit so close to me?"

    Maurice remained silent.He then slid his palm down her hand, and entwined his fingers with hers

    tightly.

    Surprised, Eliana red at him, but she was met with his deep gaze.

    His eyes were like a vortex that was slowly sucking her in, and she could not look away.

    Jealousy and fury rose in Evelynn¡¯s heart like a soaring tide when she saw them looking at each other

    lovingly.

    Mnie was not happy either.

    "Mrs.Moran, I don''t understand.How could Evelynn be any inferior to Eliana?" she asked in a

    displeased voice.

    The dinner was actually supposed to be a trap for Eliana, but to their surprise, it became a tform for

    Maurice and Eliana to show off their affection.

    With a calm expression, Nancy replied lightly, "The girls can''t bepared.It all depends on who is in

    Maurice''s heart."

    "So, does that mean that Maurice has fallen in love with her?"

    "Yeah.If Maurice hadn''t chosen her, he wouldn''t have brought her home."

    Nancy looked at the bickering Eliana and Maurice with a warm smile.

    Perhaps, even Maurice was not able to notice the fact that he had changed a lot ever since Eliana

    appeared in his life again.

    And Nancy knew him better than everyone else.Her grandson was in love...

    "s..."

    Nancy couldn''t help but sigh.

    "I''m very happy that Maurice has met a woman he likes."

    Upon hearing those words, Mnie almost lost herposure.

    Should Maurice abandon Evelynn just because he had met a woman he liked? Eliana looked at Nancy

    while trying to get rid of Maurice''s hand.

    But the moment she met Nancy''s loving gaze, she automatically gave up her struggle.

    "Eliana, it is true that Maurice is sessful, but his life is not easy at all.His parents died when he was

    young, so he grew up with his younger sister.But a few years ago..."

    Nancy''s voice suddenly turned sad.

    "His sister and her husband died in an ident, leaving their son alone."

    Eliana looked at Maurice in surprise.She did not expect the man who was so powerful to have such a

    sorry story.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91

    Chapter 91: His Affection Towards Her

    At the mention of Maurice''s miserable past, he loosened his grip on Eliana¡¯s hand.

    Looking at Nancy with a helpless expression, he asked, "Why did you have to talk about that now,

    Grandma?"

    After all, it was a painful memory for Nancy too.

    Nancy had really loved Rosina Moran, Maurice''s sister, and it had been really hard for her to ept the

    fact that Rosina had died in a car ident at such a young age.

    Holding Maurice''s hand, she said earnestly, "I was just afraid that you might scare her away.You are

    cold and tough, and you have finally managed to open your heart to someone."

    Eliana nced at Maurice''s hand, which was away from hers, lost in thought.

    "Eliana, I hope you try to understand his odd temper.He might seem really cold on the outside, but he

    really loves you," Nancy added with a smile.

    Eliana suddenly ced her hand on Maurice''s, surprising him, and said to Nancy, "Please rest

    assured, Mrs.Moran."

    Maurice''s heart skipped a beat as he felt a sudden spark of electricity from her hand that traveled

    straight to his heart.

    Closing his eyes, he held her delicate hand softly.

    Seeing that, Evelynn turned around, anger burning in her eyes.She really felt like jealousy might burst

    out of her heart likeva if she saw them being so intimate one more time.She had been in love with

    Maurice for so many years now, and hoped to marry him, but he had never given her a chance.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    However, he was readily epting Eliana, who had onlye into his life a short while ago.

    ¡®Why is he willing to do it for her and not me?¡¯ Furious, she bit her lips hard until she felt the coppery

    taste of blood on her tongue.

    She raised her hand to touch it, frowning in pain.

    "Don''t forget yourself, Evelynn."

    Although Mnie was also not happy, she remained calm.

    "We haven''t finished the game yet."

    Evelynn blinked her eyes and replied in a low voice, "Hmm."

    Mnie then asked the waiter to serve the dishes.

    Soon, the door was pushed open, and several waiters walked in, putting one dish after another on the

    table.

    All of a sudden, Maurice''s eyes turned cold.He grabbed a waiter who was just about to walk out of the

    private room, and said, "It''s you."

    After taking a look at the waiter, Eliana also felt that he looked familiar, but she could not remember

    where she had seen him before.

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    Meeting Maurice''s murderous gaze, the waiter became so terrified that he felt his legs go weak.

    Seeing him crumble to the ground, Eliana, whose chair was the closest to him, became startled and

    stood up.

    "Who sent you to drug me that day?" Maurice questioned the waiter coldly.

    Evelynn blurted out in surprise, "Did Maurice sleep with Eliana because he was drugged that day?"

    The next second, she immediately covered her mouth, realizing that she said something she should not

    have.

    However, everyone heard her.

    Maurice had sex with Eliana on the night of the dinner party and ruined his engagement because of the

    drugs.

    Nancy frowned and asked, "What happened?"

    Trembling, the waiter looked at Eliana, and pointed at her.

    "It...She was the one that asked me to drug you.She told me that she would pay mea huge amount of

    money once she married into the Moran family, but she fell out of touch after that day."

    "Oh my God! Eliana, I never thought you would be such a scheming person!"

    Although Evelynn pretended to be shocked on the outside, she was gloating in her heart.

    Nancy asked in disbelief, "Eliana, is he telling the truth?"

    The disappointment in her eyes made Eliana¡¯s heart ache.

    "I didn''t drug anyone," she replied in a hoarse voice.

    "So, you''re really with Maurice?" Nancy asked eagerly.

    But it was not easy for Eliana to answer that question.

    Nancy had been good to her, and had scolded her own grandson for her sake.

    And she had only been deceiving Nancy from the start.

    Everything that Nancy saw was just an illusion that she and Maurice had created.

    Eliana was actually not in a rtionship with Maurice at all.

    Nancy''s voice became shaky as she asked, "Eliana, why don''t you answer me?"

    It was hard for Eliana to say anything, but before she could even try, Maurice put his arm around her

    shoulder.He was a cold man to everyone else, but he was so gentle to her, and the affection in his eyes

    when he looked at her was like a deepke, which made her want to drown in it.

    "Eliana didn''t need to drug me at all.I was more than happy sleep with her."

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92

    Chapter 92: No More Cooperation With The Jarvis Family

    Maurice''s words were straightforward and his affection towards Eliana was too obvious.

    Stunned, Eliana felt her heart race.

    The others also fell silent.

    Then he wrapped his arms around her waist intimately.

    "Actually...I fell in love with her from the moment I first saw her, so I always tried to win her over in the

    best way I could.But to my surprise, she was indifferent to money, unlike other women.Gradually, I

    found many more good things about her.Her kindness and enthusiasm, as well as her talent in design

    made me grow increasingly fond of her."

    His low and gentle voice was like opium, bewitching her and putting her in a trance.However, she could

    not tell if he was just lying to them or not.

    Looking affectionately into her eyes, Maurice leaned closer and gently kissed her on the lips.

    Eliana was stunned.Her heart told her that she should push him away, but her body could not move.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Maurice''s kiss was unprecedentedly gentle.His clean, warm breath flowed into her mouth like sweet

    addictive honey.

    Seeing that, Evelynn became furious and was about to stand up, but Mnie stopped her.

    Mnie knew that it would only impact the friendship between the families if Evelynn continued to

    pester Maurice.

    Even though neither of them were willing to ept it, the truth was that their npletely failed.

    Maurice let go of Eliana, and could not help smiling when he saw her in a daze from the kiss.

    However, in the blink of an eye, his expression darkened again.

    Looking at Evelynn and Mnie, he said in a cold voice, "Don''t invite us to dinner if you have such evil

    intentions.The Moran Group won''t cooperate with the Jarvis family anymore.Take care of yourselves."

    Mnie and Evelynn were horrified.

    They never thought that their n would ruin theirpanies¡¯ long term cooperation.

    With an apologetic expression, Maurice turned to Nancy and added, "l am sorry, Grandma.We''ll be

    leaving now."

    "Go ahead," Nancy replied with a warm smile.

    Maurice left the private dining room with Eliana.

    Mnie watched them leave in a daze.Her heart was burning with rage and she did note to her

    senses for a long time.

    A few minutester, she hissed, "Mrs.Moran, shouldn''t you exin on your grandson''s behalf? How

    can he humiliate us like this?"

    "Well..."

    Nancy was still thinking about Maurice and Eliana¡¯s kiss.

    "Maurice did a good job, and I am really proud of him for acting so responsibly.He seems to have really

    fallen for Eliana, and I have never seen him love someone so deeply ever since his childhood," Nancy

    said with a serious nod.

    Mnie was rendered speechless.

    How could Nancy think so strangely?

    "Evelynn."

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Nancy turned to Evelynn with a reproachful look.

    "Tell me the truth, did you prepare the dinner just to humiliate Eliana? And the pink diamond that you

    mentioned earlier...You deliberately acquired it just to make things harder for Eliana, right?"

    "I..."

    Eliana wanted to exin, but looking at Nancy''s sharp eyes, she began choking on her words.

    Sobbing, she said, "Mrs.Moran, I really love Maurice.Eliana doesn''t deserve him at all.I did what I did

    for him..."

    Nancy interrupted her with a sigh of disappointment and a wave of her hand.

    "Love is something that is between two people.Neither you, nor your family has the right to tell my

    grandson which woman to love."

    With that, Nancy walked out of the dining room.

    Subconsciously, Evelynn tried to help her, but Nancy refused.

    "Don''t bother see me off.Just like Maurice said, our families have nothing to do with each other

    anymore."

    "Mrs.Moran!" Evelynn was desperate.

    The olddy left decisively, ignoring her.

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93

    Chapter 93: Kissing On The Street

    Maurice escorted Eliana out of the Yuho Hotel.

    Although the street was crowded, she could only see Maurice in front of her.

    Nancy''s words still rang in her head.It was hard for her to imagine that a high-spirited and powerful

    man like him could have such a heartbreaking past.He had lost his parents, his sister, and his brother-

    inw.

    Eliana suddenly seemed to understand the reason he was always so cold.

    To lose something that one had in the past was more painful to bear than having nothing at all.

    Perhaps, he was avoiding all kinds of intimate rtionships with peoplein order to avoid facing the pain

    of losing them.

    "Eliana, please don''t be so reckless next time," Maurice said in a cold voice, pulling her out of her daze.

    Raising her head, she met his reproachful eyes.

    "But I did not do anything reckless!" she protested.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    "Then why didn''t you tell me that Evelynn asked to meet you alone?"

    Although there was a clear hint of harshness in his tone, his eyes were full of concern.

    "Is it because you like getting bullied by her?"

    Eliana obviously knew that Evelynn had ulterior motives.However, she had not wanted to bother

    Maurice by asking him to help her.

    "I¡¯m not masochistic.Why would I like to be bullied by her? By the way, you''re the one that asked me to

    ept her project! Doesn''t that mean you wanted her to make things harder for me?" she asked in a

    cold voice.

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    "That was not what I wanted."

    Maurice''s voice sounded like the freezing river, but there was evident firmness in it.

    Eliana was in a daze for a moment before she tried to calm her racing heart and looked deep into his

    eyes.

    "What did you even want, then?" she blurted out.

    "I already did what I wanted to a moment ago."

    Maurice''s burning gaze fell on her plump pink lips.

    Feeling her cheeks burning, she recalled his kiss from a while ago.

    There was a strange sense of desire surging in her heart, which felt like it might explode at any

    moment.

    She looked away hastily and retorted, "You may have the habit of casually kissing people, but I don''t!"

    "Eliana, you owe me a kiss from the night of the banquet!"

    Maurice could not help but tease her, looking at her flushed face.

    "And you enjoy kissing me, don''t you?"

    "No, I don''t!"

    Eliana retorted at once, but to her surprise, he said what was exactly on her mind.She indeed enjoyed

    his kiss.

    "I don''t believe it."

    Maurice stepped forward, slowly and seductively approaching her with a deep look in his eyes.

    "Try again if you want to convince me otherwise."

    ¡®Try again? What do I have to try again?¡¯ Her mind was a mess.Before she could even react or snap

    out of it, he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer.He pressed his body against hers, making them

    both feel the heat of each other.Her wide open eyes reflected his sculpted and handsome face

    beautifully.Maurice lowered his head, slowly moving his lips towards hers.

    In just a moment, he gently pressed his lips against hers.

    Time seemed to have slowed down as Eliana engraved that moment deep into her heart.She could feel

    the scent of his unique and warm breath brushing against her lips.

    A strange feeling seeped into her heart, urging her to immerse herself in the kiss, so she closed her

    eyes.

    "Eliana!"

    All of a sudden, an anxious voice followed by the honking of a car, pulled them out of the magical

    moment.

    A Maserati drifted over at a fast speed and stopped beside them.lt was Nana, who was surprised to

    see them being intimate with each other.

    At the same time, Eliana and Maurice were also startled.

    Nana had gotten news that Evelynn had asked to meet Eliana, and that was the reason she had

    rushed over.She was worried that Evelynn might try to harm her friend.But she felt stupid when she

    saw that she had driven so far just to see them being romantic with each other.

    After all, Eliana and Maurice were kissing on the street! Maurice red at Nana for interrupting their

    kiss.

    With an awkward smile, Nana signaled to them and said, "Aha, it''s my fault! You guys go on.Carry on."

    Hearing that, Eliana was speechless.She was so embarrassed that she felt her skin burn and

    immediately pushed Maurice away.

    In a calm and t voice, Maurice said, "Let''s go.I''ll drive you back."

    But Eliana refused without hesitation, "Nana is here, so she''ll take me home!"

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at her.

    "Why are you so against me driving you home? Do you have another guy hiding in your house?"

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94

    Chapter 94: I''m Irritated Because Of A Stupid Woman

    Eliana was speechless.She was obviously not hiding another man in her house.But she was hiding her

    kids from him.

    "Think whatever you want.I''m leaving now," she replied without hesitation.

    She then got in Nana''s car without even looking back at him.

    "Let''s go!"

    Eliana urged Nana.

    Soon, Nana changed gears, loosened the clutch, and stepped on the gas.

    The Maserati raced away like a sh of lightning.

    Standing there alone, Maurice stared in the direction of their car.He felt like Eliana was strangely

    hesitant to let him drive her home every time.

    Was she hiding something in her house? At that moment, Corbin drove his Maybach over, and slowly

    stopped in front of Maurice.

    Maurice was delighted to see that he arrived just in time.

    After getting in the car, he looked at Corbin, and ordered, "Follow the Maserati ahead."

    Upon hearing that, Corbin was surprised.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    It had only been a short while since theyst saw each other, so why was Maurice suddenly acting like

    a detective? Meanwhile, in the Maserati, Nana was so curious that she could not help fire questions at

    Eliana.

    "Eliana, are you really interested in your CEO?"

    Nana''s eyes lit up.

    Gossip was her thing, and it always excited her.

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    "You were just closing your eyes, waiting for him to kiss you!" Eliana rubbed her forehead, sensing a

    headache.

    "Is it just my imagination?" Nana nced at the rearview mirror.

    "There is a Maybach following us, right?"

    "It''s Maurice''s car," Eliana said, looking at the rearview mirror, her eyes wide open in shock.

    "Is he following us?"

    Nana was also stunned.

    It seemed like the CEO of the Moran Group had a quirk of stalking! She then thought for a second and

    suggested, "How about we let him follow us? That way, you can use the chance to introduce the kids to

    him, and see how he reacts.Maybe, he will retreat if he sees the kids!"

    Nana''s words made sense.However, Eliana was really flustered when she imagined Maurice seeing

    her kids.

    And she was really anxious to see his reaction.

    Whether he would ept the children or not...

    Clenching her seat belt, she shouted, "Nana, let''s get rid of him."

    "Got it!" Nana nodded at once.

    She immediately stepped on the gas, making the car soar in speed.

    At the same time, Corbin sensed a chill down his spine when he saw the Maserati moving farther away.

    Maurice was ring at him with a piercing gaze.

    Seeing that, Corbin had no choice but to speed up, and eventually caught up with the girls.

    But to his surprise, the Maserati suddenly changed twones, drifted left, and disappeared at the

    intersection.His car, on the other hand, was blocked by traffic, making it impossible for him to catch up

    with them.

    Maurice continued to stare at him, waiting for his exnation.

    "Mr.Moran..." Corbin stammered.

    "I''ve tried my best."

    Was Nana an ex-convict? How could she drive so crazily in the city? Maurice''s expression darkened.

    In the end, he forgave Corbin and said in a low voice, "Don''t make any noise."

    Corbin nodded.He then took out his cellphone and called Eliana.

    Soon, he heard her soft voice over the phone.

    "Hello, Preston?"

    "How long will it take for you to return my ring? Tell me your address and I''ll get it," Maurice asked

    coldly.

    When Eliana heard those words, she began to tremble as though someone had poured ice-cold water

    over her.

    In the past, Preston had always protected her and cared about her work even when he had been

    injured.

    Why was he suddenly talking to her in such a cold voice? Calming herself down, she answered

    tentatively, "Could you please give me some more time? I will return the ring to you as soon as I get it."

    "How long do I have to wait?"

    "I will give it to you very soon, I promise," Eliana answered vaguely.

    She then realized something unusual and asked in a curious tone, "Why are you so angry all of a

    sudden? I didn''t do anything to provoke you.Did some wealthy woman bully you again?"

    Upon hearing those words, Maurice was rendered speechless.

    "I''m irritated because of a stupid woman," he answered in a sarcastic tone.

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95

    Chapter 95: Maurice Was Wronged

    Eliana bit her lip.

    Was Preston really mad because of a wealthy woman? Thinking that there were many women in his

    life, Eliana suddenly felt as though someone had grabbed her heart, making her unable to breathe.She

    pulled a long face and said, "Anyway, I will contact you once I get the ting."

    She then hung up before he could reply.

    Although Nana did not hear what he said to her, she was able to make a rough guess based on what

    Eliana said to him.

    "Did that gigolo just scold you?" She was enraged.

    Immediately her opinion of Preston worsened.

    "I''ve already told you he is not a good choice.Once you find the ring, I want you to cut off ties with him."

    Hearing that, Eliana burst intoughter.

    "Oh,e on! Don''t be so angry."

    After all, she did owe him the ring.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Eliana could not help but curse her bad luck.

    Nana snorted, "Leave this matter to me.I''ll take Bowling to see the vet again tomorrow."

    Eliana always felt at ease when Nana was with her.

    The next morning, Eliana wanted to meet Bradly as soon as she arrived at thepany to talk about

    Evelynn''s project.

    However, she was shocked to see that Bradly''s office was empty.

    Eliana asked his assistant about his whereabouts and found that Maurice had asked him toe to his

    office.

    As soon as she heard that, she felt her heart clench.

    Since she and Evelynn had parted on bad terms the night before, it was very likely that the project was

    now ruined.

    Maurice had told her that if she did not do the pink diamond project well, then Bradly would not be

    allowed to work in the Moran Group.

    Was Maurice really going to fire him? Thinking of that, Eliana rushed to the top floor.

    The moment the elevator door opened, Eliana stumbled out, only to bump into someone''s firm yet

    warm body.

    Maurice held her and asked, "Why are you in such a hurry?"

    "Mr.Moran! If you are so persistent about firing someone, then just fire me! Don''t fire Bradly! He¡¯s done

    everything he could to help me with the design!" she protested anxiously.

    Upon hearing that, veins popped on his forehead and anger rose within his heart like a tide.

    "So you''re really willing to get fired in his ce?"

    "Yes!" Eliana answered without hesitation.

    The project that she was working on should not have involved anyone else.

    Bradly had already gotten injured in the process of helping her, and clearly, Maurice was making things

    harder for him.She could not bring herself to let Bradly suffer because of her again.

    "Eliana."

    Bradly''s voice came from behind.He then walked up to her, held her wrist, and pulled her away from

    Maurice.

    "Don''t worry.Mr.Moran didn''t fire me."

    Stunned, Eliana asked, "Really? Then why has he asked you toe to his office?"

    "Mr.Moran has canceled Miss Jarvis¡¯ project, so you don''t have to worry about it anymore," Bradly

    exined in a low and gentle voice.

    Eliana looked at Maurice in disbelief, only to find him ring at Bradly''s hand that was holding her

    wrist.

    Seeing that, she pulled her hand away in a hurry.Maurice''s deep gaze fell on her.

    "After Evelynn''s project was canceled, I showed your design to some of our other clients.And Nicole

    Swift wants your design.She is going to wear the ne to a film festival."

    Hearing the sudden news, Eliana was astonished.

    "Nicole Swift? The popr actress?"

    "Yes.Congrattions, Eliana.You deserve it,¡¯ Bradly praised with appreciation in his eyes.Eliana was

    surprised and pleased to hear that.After all, it was the first design that she had created since she joined

    the Moran group.

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    Although she had to go through a lot during the process, she was more than delighted to know that her

    design would make an appearance at the film festival.

    ¡®What a pleasant surprise! Although...She suddenly realized something.

    Eliana seemed to have wrongly used Maurice.She turned back and saw him walking into the

    elevator.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96

    Chapter 96 The Children''s Father

    Maurice seemed to be indifferent.

    Soon, the elevator door closed, making him disappear from Eliana''s sight.

    Seeing that, Eliana felt a pang of regret in her heart.She realized that she should have checked what

    was going on before she said such things to him.

    Maurice had gotten her such a good opportunity, but she had misunderstood him.

    Meanwhile, at the kindergarten school.

    Nana handed over Adrian and Aileen to their teacher and said, "Be good, and listen to your teachers,

    okay?"

    "Don''t worry, Nana! We will be good to the teachers!" Aileen said with a cute smile, amusing the

    teacher.

    Adrian held her hand and said, "Don''t worry, Nana.I will take good care of Aileen."

    After reluctantly saying goodbye to the kids, Nana walked to the car.She had to take the dog to the vet

    next.She made up her mind to keep Eliana away from Preston after she got thering.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    When she got close to the car, she noticed that the back door was slightly open.

    And the dog was biting the tire, grinding its teeth outside the car.

    Seeing the naughty dog, Nana was speechless.

    Since Aileen had been reluctant to let her go, she had been really busy coaxing her and had forgotten

    to close the door tightly.

    "Bowling,e here," she called the dog softly, approaching it slowly.

    When the dog saw her, it barked, and ran in the opposite direction.

    ¡®Damn it! I can''t lose it! ¡°

    Thinking that, she anxiously tried to catch up with it.

    But the dog ran around, looking at her from time to time, as though it was teasing her.

    All of a sudden, the dog bumped into a man''s leg and fell down.

    Looking at it, Nana hurried to apologize, "I''m sorry...It''s you!"

    The man turned around before she finished her words.It was Corbin.

    He bumped into Nana after dropping Ss off at the kindergarten.

    ¡®What bad luck!¡¯ Corbin cursed in his mind while smiling at her politely.

    "What a coincidence."

    Ignoring him, Nana bent down to pick up the dog.

    "It''s already hard for you to take care of two kids all by yourself.Doesn''t their father help you at all?"

    Upon hearing that, Nana paused.

    Did he really think that she was Adrian and Aileen''s mom? Why was he pretending like he knew her?

    And how could he ask her about their father so bluntly? Although Nana was a little annoyed, she

    replied calmly, "I have been taking care of them by myself ever since they were born.They don''t need a

    father!"

    After all, she knew how much Eliana had been through in the past few years to take care of them.That

    was one of the main reasons she hoped that Eliana could find true love someday.

    Then Nana fell silent.

    Seeing that, Corbin suddenly felt sorry for her.She had to be Jonathan''s lover in the dark, and had to

    take care of the kids all alone.

    All of a sudden, they heard the sound of camera shutters.

    With vignt eyes, Nana looked around.She noticed a man with a camera running away after seeing

    her.

    "Stop!"

    Nana called out to him before she began to chase him.

    Startled by her voice, the man stumbled and fell to the ground.

    Nana ran to him and took the opportunity to grab his camera.But the man quickly stood up and

    snatched it back from her hands.

    "Delete the photos, or I''ll call the police."

    Nana''s expression darkened and her beautiful eyes were burning with anger.

    However, there was not even an ounce of fear in the man''s eyes.

    He quickly turned on the video recorder in the camera and asked, "You are Nana Marlin, the star, right?

    Were you just dropping off your illegitimate kids at school? Who is their father?"

    Furious to see the camera still running, Nana pounced forward to grab the camera from him.But he

    somehow managed to push her to the ground.

    "You''re just someone who''s past her glorious days.How could you be so arrogant? If I hadn''t been free,

    I would not have followed you at all!"

    Nana fell to the ground, wincing from the scratches on her hands and legs.

    The man paused for a moment before turning the camera towards her again.

    "Come on, look at the camera.Let me take a few more photos of you."

    The shutter kept clicking, and he seemed to be recording how embarrassed she looked at that

    moment.

    But the next second, he stoppedughing and began to cry out.

    His hand was twisted, and the camera was taken away from him by force.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97

    Chapter 97 Nana''s Past

    ¡°Who are you? What are you doing?" the paparazzi roared in anger.

    Corbin turned off the camera in the middle of the shooting and calmly said, "I''m Miss Marlin''s

    lawyer.You have broken thew."

    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    The paparazzi retorted arrogantly, "What do you mean I broke thew? Don''t talk nonsense."

    Corbin slowly helped Nana up, but when he saw the bruises on her knees and arms, he pulled a long

    face and said, "Sir, not only was it illegal for you to take photos of her secretly, now I''m also going to

    press charges against you for assault.Come to the police station with me at once."

    Corbin made it sound like he was telling the truth.

    Fortunately, he was dressed sharply in a suit which made him look like awyer.

    "Damn it! What bad luck!"

    Corbin''s intimidation seemed to have done the trick as the paparazzi mumbled curses and ran away

    without even taking his camera.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Nana breathed a sigh of relief.

    Corbin put the camera in her hand, looking at her with concern and asked, "Did you get hurt badly?"

    "It''s not so bad.I''ll be fine."

    Nana gave him a perfunctory response as she was busy browsing through the photos in the camera.

    The more she looked at them, the more she felt shrouded by anxiety.

    The paparazzi must have been following her for several days as he had snapped photos of her in

    various ces.

    Nana clenched her fist as she recalled what the paparazzi had asked her earlier on.

    It was by a miraculous stroke of luck that she found him today, or else the two babies, Aileen and

    Adrian, might have been implicated because of her.

    Nana couldn''t calm down until she had deleted all the photos.

    Then she looked at Corbin beside her.

    "Thank you...For today."

    She stared at Corbin with a hint of surprise as she didn''t expect him to be so helpful at such a critical

    moment.

    After all, he was usually so annoying.

    "You''re wee.The twins are adorable.You and your family must be very proud of them.They are too

    young and innocent to be brought into the public eye."

    After a pause, Corbin added, "And what if our Ss got mixed up in all of this?"

    Nana nodded and said, "You are right.As expected, if it has nothing to do with you, how can you help

    me?"

    Corbin felt that he had been scolded, but there was no evidence.

    When he saw the look of embarrassment on Nana''s face, he couldn''t help saying, "Why didn''t you just

    find a good man instead of choosing to live such a hard life after you quit the entertainment circle?"

    Nana asked warily, "Have you been digging up dirt about me?"

    After all, it had already been a few years since she quit the entertainment circle.

    How did this man know so much about her and what happened to her with Huey? Corbin didn''t realize

    until now that he had identally hit a nerve in Nana.

    Although he regretted saying what he had said, he started to gabble nonsense in a calm and

    composed manner, "I didn''t have to do any digging at all.If the paparazzi can recognize you, so can I.I

    used to be your fan."

    "I don''t believe it."

    Nana looked at him suspiciously and asked, "If you were my fan, why did you argue with me the first

    time we met? Didn''t you recognize me then?"

    He called her a strange woman! Corbin''s silence made Nana angrier and she osted him with an

    aggressive tone.

    "Well, why aren''t you saying anything? Answer me!"

    Corbin''s breathing stopped and his heart skipped a beat all of a sudden when she stood closer to him

    and her beautiful features caught his attention.

    The woman was very smart and sharp-witted.

    Unfortunately, nothing he could say to her right now would sound usible because he had told the lie.

    Suddenly, Corbin''s face twitched as if he had thought of something important.

    "Wasn''t you trying to catch that dog?"

    Nana''s eyes widened at his words.

    Damn it! She hadpletely forgotten about the puppy! She turned around and ran back without even

    looking at Corbin.

    However, there was no sign of the puppy in front of the kindergarten.

    "Oh my God! How could I have been so thoughtless?"

    Nana held her head with both hands in despair and pulled her soft curly hair.

    Corbin followed her and as he looked around, he asked, "Haven''t you found it?"

    His voice seemed to have triggered Nana because she erupted like a volcano almost immediately.

    "This is all your fault! If you hadn''t pestered me, I wouldn''t have lost track of Bowling!"

    Bowling was nowhere to be found! How was she going exin this to Eliana?'' .

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98

    Chapter 98 What''s Wrong With Bowling

    Corbin couldn''t help but feel guilty when he saw how devastated Nana was for losing Bowling.

    In truth, he thought he was partly to me.

    The puppy must have run away when he was having a confrontation with Nana.

    Needless to say, Nana was livid and annoyed at Corbin.

    However, she knew that losing her temper wouldn''t solve the problem.

    "Let''s split up and look for Bowling.Maybe we''ll be able to find him quicker that way."

    Taking a look at his watch, Corbin found that his time escorting Ss to kindergarten was long over, and

    he should be back at work by now.

    However, he still nodded and said, "Okay."

    Before long, they went in two different directions and started looking for the puppy.

    Unfortunately, Nana and Corbin had searched every corner of the kindergarten, but the puppy was

    nowhere to be found.As time went by, Nana became more anxious and it seemed as though she was

    on the verge of tears.

    Corbin''s desperation led him toe up with a bad idea.

    "I''ll tell you what, we can find a puppy that looks exactly like Bowling.The kids won''t know the

    difference! When we find Bowling, we will just rece the other puppy with it."

    Nana wasn''t convinced as she replied, "What''s the use of buying a substitute dog? Bowling''s belly

    has..."

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    All of a sudden, Nana stopped talking and she fell into a pensive mood.

    "What''s wrong with its belly?"

    Confused, Corbin looked at Nana, who seemed to have made a slip of the tongue.Nana bit her lip

    hesitantly before she attempted to exin herself.

    "Bowling identally swallowed something very important to my friend.So we must find that puppy as

    soon as possible."

    As ofte, dealing with Maurice and Preston had taken a toll on Eliana and now if she were to find that

    Bowling was nowhere to be found...

    Nana didn''t even want to think how Eliana would react.

    Come hell or high water, Nana had to find the puppy before word of its disappearance was to reach

    Eliana.She looked at Corbin unhappily as she had no choice but topromise with him and said, "All

    right.Let''s go with your suggestion.Let''s buy a dog that looks like Bowling for now."

    Nana then lowered her eyes to the ground in a dispirited fashion.

    This behavior was far from her usual self, as Corbin remembered her being nothing but lively, cheerful

    and joyful when they had first met.

    Corbin felt a little sorry for her and he replied, "Don''t worry.I''ll help you find Bowling.We will find it.Don''t

    give up."

    After they reached an agreement, Nana and Corbin went to the nearest pet market to look for a white-

    furred puppy that closely resembled Bowling.

    Before parting ways, Corbin said to Nana, "Leave me your phone number so I can call you if I find

    Bowling."

    Nanaplied, having no reason to refuse.

    That evening, Nana went to pick up Adrian and Aileen after school was over.

    When the twins got home, Aileen ran to the white-furred puppy excitedly.

    "Bowling!"

    However, as soon as she reached out her hand, the white-furred puppy ran away and hid in the

    bathroom.

    "Eh?"

    Aileen blinked her eyes in confusion and then pouted her lips.

    "Bowling, why aren''t you ying with me?"

    Bowling would usually tag its tail and jump around her when it would see her.What could have

    happened...

    "You might have frightened him."

    Adrian patted his sister''s little head andforted her for a while before walking towards the bathroom.

    Squatting down at the door of the bathroom, he took out a bag of Bowling¡¯s favorite snack.

    "Bowling!"

    The white-furred puppy looked at him timidly, huddling in the corner of the bathroom.

    "That''s strange."

    Adrian tilted his head, lost in thought.

    Aileen stuck her head out from behind and took an innocent guess.

    "Has Bowling lost its memory?"

    Adrian didn''t reply to her as he seemed to be mulling over something.

    Nana tiptoed towards the room, but as soon as her hand touched the doorknob, she heard Adrian''s

    voice.

    "Nana, what''s wrong with Bowling?"

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99

    Chapter 99 I''m In Love

    As soon as Nana turned around stiffly, she saw the kids staring at her without even blinking.She did not

    have time to think about their appearance now, so she casually lied, "Well...Bowling was probably

    scared when I took it to the hospital.It should be fine after a few days."

    Aileen believed it immediately.

    Looking at her dog with pitiful eyes, she said, "Hospitals are really terrible."

    She remembered the doctor giving her an injection every time her mother had taken her to the hospital

    when she had been sick.

    Hence, she had always been afraid of hospitals, but she did not expect Bowling to be just like her.

    "Did you take Bowling to the hospital to get the ring?" Adrian asked.

    He was not going to let Nana go.

    "Yes...But they still haven''t gotten the ring out of it yet," Nana said with a wry smile.

    If she did not need to, she would not have lied to the kids.

    However, she thought that it was best for her to sort out the problem that she caused on her own.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    Thinking of that, Nana felt uneasy.

    By the time Eliana got home from work that evening, Nana was very nervous.

    "What''s the matter with you?"

    Eliana instantly sensed that something was wrong with Nana, because she seemed to be particrly

    stiff.

    Nana smiled sheepishly and said, "No, nothing happened."

    "Are you sure?"

    Eliana looked at her carefully as she slowly walked to her.

    Nana looked into her eyes.

    That moment, Nana''s phone rang, saving her from the awkwardness.

    With her phone in her hand, she rushed to a corner to answer it.

    "Hello?" she whispered over the phone like a thief.

    On the other end of the line, Corbin could not help but smile when he heard her funny voice.

    "What''s going on? Have you muddled it through yet?" he asked.

    Nana sighed.

    Even though she managed to fool the kids, she did not know if Eliana...

    "It''s hard to say.For now, we need to focus on getting Bowling back as soon as possible."

    At the same time, Kimora served dinner and asked everyone to have it.

    Eliana turned around and saw that Nana was still on the phone.

    Hearing her strangely quiet voice, she felt that it was odd.She quietly approached her and patted her

    on the shoulder.

    "Who are you talking to?"

    "Ah!"

    Startled, Nana let her phone slip from her hand.

    "Why are you so nervous all of a sudden?"

    Her unusual reaction startled Eliana, and she pulled Nana aside to ask, "Tell me the truth, what are you

    hiding from me?"

    Nana was stunned for a moment before she thought for a second and lied, "I...I''m in love!"

    "You''re in love? Really?"

    Eliana was surprised.

    Nana nodded firmly with a serious look in her eyes.

    However, Eliana did not believe it at all.

    "Where did you two meet?"

    "I like to say that God sent him to me."

    Nana braced herself and continued, "I''m in a rtionship.Aren''t you happy for me?"

    With her eyes fixed on Nana, Eliana moved closer.

    All of a sudden, she hugged Nana.

    "Yes,m.Of course, I''m happy for you!"

    She patted Nana''s back gently.

    "I hope he sincerely loves you."

    Eliana had been worried that Nana was stuck in the previous failed rtionship, and that was the

    reason she had not dared to ask her why she had run away from her wedding with Huey.

    But since Nana was in love with another man now, she felt that it could help her heal from her previous

    rtionship.

    Sadness weighed on Nana''s heart when she saw her best friend''s genuine joy for her.She cursed

    herself for lying to her.

    At the same time, in the study of the riverside vi, Corbin overheard Nana¡¯s conversation with Eliana

    with a subtle smile.

    ¡®I fell in love for no reason? Nana''s dating me?¡¯ He couldn''t imagine suchathing.

    "Corbin."

    Maurice''s cold voice pulled him back to reality.

    Corbin quickly hung up, put his phone away, and looked at Maurice with respect.

    "Mr.Moran."

    Maurice walked out of the study and handed him the finished document.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    He suddenly realized something and asked, "What happened to you this morning?"

    Corbin had dropped off Ss at the kindergarten that morning, but he had returned veryte.

    Since he had been working for Maurice ever since he started his career, Maurice knew that he had

    always been punctual.

    "The twins¡¯ puppy went missing by ident," Corbin exined concisely.

    "That dog seemed to have swallowed something that was Eliana''s.Nana was anxious, so she dragged

    me along to help her find the dog."

    Although Nana had not mentioned her friend''s name, Corbin figured that it must be Eliana.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100

    Chapter 100 The Copse Of The Jarvis Family

    Looking at Corbin, Maurice asked, "Have you found it?"

    "Not yet." Corbin shook his head in reply.

    Upon hearing that, Maurice''s expression darkened and he fell into deep thought.He wondered, ¡®What

    did the dog swallow to make Eliana care so much about it? Eliana, the dog, the kindergarten.."

    All those bits of clues shed in his mind.

    There was a vague feeling in his gut that told him that it was all connected.

    However, the thoughts were shing so fast that he could not put the pieces together.

    "You must find that dog.If you can''t do it alone, then take more men,"

    Maurice ordered in a low voice.

    "Understood, sir."

    Corbin nodded in reply, but he was surprised.

    https://novelebook/the-adorable-twins-and-their-ceo-daddy-bd2451.html

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    There was a popr saying, "Love me, Love my dog."

    It seemed that Maurice loved Eliana so much that he even cared about her dog.He sensed that he

    would have to report everything about Eliana to him from now on.

    With that, Corbin added in a hurry, "Mr.Moran, I found some clues about how Eliana was lured into the

    ck market.Evelynn was the one who bribed the owner of the antique shop."

    "I already guessed it."

    Contrary to what he expected, Maurice did not seem surprised at all.

    There was only one person who hated Eliana, knew that she was in need of the Argyle pink diamond,

    and could afford to buy off those thugs.

    And it was none other than Evelynn.

    Thinking of her, he became furious at once.He could not stand Evelynn and the Jarvis family anymore.

    The Jarvis family was absolutely corrupt, and just like Evelynn, the rest of the family was also rotten at

    heart.

    "It''s time to deal with the Jarvis family."

    Hearing that, Corbin looked at Maurice.

    There was a hint of murder and coldness in his eyes, which made him seem like undying mes that

    would annihte everything in sight.

    The next day.

    As soon as Eliana arrived at thepany, she put down her bag, and checked her phone.She found

    numerous news articles about the Jarvis family.

    "The corrupt Jarvis Group?"

    "Jarvis Group''s list of bribes exposed?"

    "The stock prices of Jarvis Group plummeted?"

    Eliana was bbergasted.

    "Oh my God! What''s going on with the Jarvis family?"

    Soon, she heard her colleagues discussing about it in the pantry, and they had the same questions

    about the news as her.

    Eliana turned around and found all of her colleagues gossiping.

    "Weren''t the Jarvis family and the Moran family friends? Will ourpany be implicated because of

    this?"

    "Keep your voice down! I heard that the reason behind the Jarvis family''s sudden copse is because

    they offended Mr.Moran..."

    Hearing that, the colleagues gasped in shock.

    Eliana was also surprised.

    Maurice had asked her to design the ne for Evelynn, and she had seen them being intimate at

    that time.

    If he really was the one behind the fall of the Jarvis family, then...

    Thinking of that, she trembled and felt goose bumps all over.

    She figured that she should stay away from a temperamental man like him.

    ncing at Eliana, who was standing in the corner, Rachel sighed and said in a sarcastic tone, "Eliana,

    you are really lucky.Mr.Moran canceled the Jarvis family''s project right before their fall."

    She made it sound like Maurice had deliberately removed Eliana from the matter before he took action

    against the Jarvis family.

    "It was just a coincidence," Eliana retorted coldly.

    Rachel could not help but sneer in her heart with jealousy as she looked at her pretty face.

    "Mr.Moran not only canceled the Jarvis family''s project in time, but also rmended your design to

    Nicole to wear on the red carpet.The rest of us in the Design Department never get such a chance."

    Upon hearing those words, the others also looked at Eliana with a disgusted expression.

    How could Mr.Moran give such a good opportunity only to Eliana? What dirty tricks had she yed?

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101

    Chapter 101 The Design Was Leaked

    Eliana sneered, ring at Rachel before she said, "Mr.Moran used my design only because he

    recognized my skill.I almost ended up dying in the ck market when I went to get the Argyle pink

    diamonds, and in the end, I was able to buy a batch of Argyle pink diamonds at a price that was 15%

    lower than the market price.If you were able to do such things, then Mr.Moran will definitely

    acknowledge your skills too."

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Rachel was stunned and speechless.

    When did Eliana be so tough? A few months ago, when Gabrielle had bullied her, she had been

    so scared to even raise her head.

    Eliana then nced at other colleagues and continued, "You are all the same.And if you don''t agree

    with Mr.Moran''s decision, then you can ask him directly."

    Since everyone was afraid of Maurice, they would never dare to question him.The other employees

    nced at each other and did not say more.

    "Eliana, something has happened."

    Bradly''s voice was heard, breaking the awkward silence in the room.He quickly walked to Eliana with a

    frown.

    There was an obvious hint of anxiety in his tone.

    Eliana had rarely seen him so nervous.

    Bradly showed his phone to her and said, "Look at this."

    He pointed to a news article that was second to the Jarvis family on the trending topic list.

    "The female star, Cheryl Gibson, attended a charity banquet and donated a huge sum of money."

    Eliana was confused at first, but when she clicked on the details, Cheryl''s photo popped up.Her

    expression changed at once.

    Cheryl was wearing the exact same ne as the one that she designed.

    However, that ne was made with a regr diamond instead of an Argyle pink diamond.

    "What happened? How was my design leaked?" Eliana couldn''t believe her eyes.She subconsciously

    nced at her colleagues.

    Rachel seized the opportunity, looked at Eliana, and sneered, "Why are you looking at us? That is your

    design."

    "I''m not suspecting you.But I have never showed the design to anyone else," Eliana exined.

    Upon hearing that, Rachel burst intoughter.

    "Besides you, only Mr.Stewart and Mr.Moran have seen your design.Do you really think that they would

    have leaked your design? Also, I heard that you only work for Moran Group because you owe

    money.Were you trying to sell your design for money and frame a colleague for it?"

    "Rachel, stop it." Although Bradly''s voice was not loud, it was firm.

    Rachel had no choice but to shut up even though she was angry.

    ¡®Eliana is such a tramp! How could she make him support her in such a situation?¡¯ Bradly narrowed his

    eyes at the other employees.

    "Leaking a design is a very serious offense.I have reported it to thepany and the authorities have

    started to investigate it.None of you is permitted to leave until we find the culprit."

    Rachel''s heart skipped a beat as she heard that.She did not expect the officials to make such a big

    move for the sake of Eliana.She had been working in the Moran Group for many years now, but no

    internal review had been conducted.

    Eliana''s heart sank, and just when she was going to ask more questions, she heard the sound of high-

    heeled shoes clicking against the floor.It was crisp and loud.

    Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, and saw a slim- figured woman walk in.She was wearing

    oversized sunsses that covered almost half of her face.

    The woman was dressed in a tight pink dress that enhanced her long legs, small waist and swan-like

    neck.She was definitely a beautiful woman.

    The bright pink color made her look like a hibiscus flower, enchanting people.

    Eliana felt like she had seen her somewhere, but she did not know where.

    The woman suddenly stopped, turned around, and took off her sunsses.

    At a nce, Eliana noticed the iconic red mole at the corner of the woman''s eye.She instantly

    recognized that it was Nicole.

    Looking around, Nicole asked coldly, "Who is Eliana Pierce?"

    Everyone looked at Eliana with various looks in their eyes.

    Sensing a bad feeling, Eliana took a deep breath, walked to Nicole, and answered, "I am."

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102

    Chapter 102 Being pped

    As soon as Eliana finished her words, she felt a hard p across her cheek.Massaging her wrists,

    Nicole hissed, "How dare you? How dare you give the design that I chose to Cheryl?"

    Her eyes were sharp and cold like an icicle as she red at Eliana.

    The p was so hard that Eliana felt a ringing sound in her ears followed by a dizzy feeling.She

    staggered backward and almost fell to the floor, her cheek swollen and red.

    Everyone in the office was shocked.

    They did not expect Nicole to be so violent.

    However, they also knew that her anger was not wrong.It was a well-known fact that she and Cheryl

    were rivals.

    And since the design she liked was worn by Cheryl, she was pushed into an embarrassing situation.

    When Nicole saw Eliana staying silent, she grew angrier and raised her hand again to hit her.

    However, Eliana grabbed her wrist and pushed it away.

    "Miss Swift, we have CCTV cameras in ourpany.If you don''t want to see the media talking about

    how Nicole Swift pped a designer from the Moran Group tomorrow, then I suggest you control

    yourself."

    Eliana''s cheek had a red mark of Nicole''s hand.But she seemed to be cold and calm, as if nothing had

    happened.

    Stunned for a moment, Nicoleughed and retorted, "How dare you threaten me?"

    The next moment, Bradly stepped forward, ring at Nicole while standing in front of Eliana.

    "Eliana is just trying to remind you that you should not be making a scene here."

    "This is a misunderstanding.Nicole loses her mind whenever she gets angry."

    A fat middle-aged man squeezed in from behind Nicole.It was evident that he was her agent.

    The man stepped forward with an apologetic look.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    "It was wrong for Nicole to p the designer.But you still need to exin how the design got into

    Cheryl''s hands, right?"

    "Do you really want to discuss this in front of all these people?" Bradly asked coldly.

    Looking around the office, the man noticed everyone staring at them curiously.

    Frowning, he suggested, "Let''s find a quiet ce."

    "Send our guests to the VIP room first," Bradly said to his assistant, who was standing not too far away.

    Under hismand, the assistant led the way gingerly.

    ¡°Please follow me."

    But Nicole continued to re at Eliana, unwilling to let it slide.

    However, her agent stepped forward, blocking her sight as he pushed her away.

    Looking at Eliana, Bradly asked with concern, "How''s your face?"

    He then reached out to touch her face, but she avoided his hand.

    Lowering her head, Eliana said, "I''lle back after dealing with them."

    She felt a lump in her throat.

    The pain was not troubling her; it was the humiliation that she faced that hurt her the most.

    Eliana wanted to leave the office, but before she reached the door, she heard Rachel''s sarcastic voice.

    "Eliana, where are you going to hide now? Go and exin what you did to Nicole! Don''t ruin the

    reputation of our Design Department."

    Eliana looked at her coldly and said, "Unlike some people, I have a clean conscience."

    Bradly also narrowed his eyes at Rachel and hissed, "Rachel, go back to your desk.The investigation

    has begun.No one is allowed to touch theirputers until the investigation isplete."

    Rachel was so furious that she retorted in a loud voice, "Why do you suspect us when Eliana was the

    one that caused trouble?"

    Looking at her indifferently, Bradly said, "We need everyone to cooperate with thepany''s internal

    review to find out who leaked the design drawing."

    "The prime suspect here is Eliana, so you should investigate her first! "Eliana is no exception."

    Bradly frowned and continued, "But thepany has to investigate thoroughly, because you wouldn''t

    be able to bear the loss if the same thing happened to any of you in the future, right? Rachel, you don''t

    seem to worry about your designs at all.Perhaps, it was you who leaked Eliana''s design."

    When Rachel met his observant eyes, a chill rose in her heart.Did Bradly already know what she did?

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103

    Chapter 103 The Boss Is Jealous Again

    Rachel did not dare to utter even one word after that.

    However, Eliana stopped Bradly and said, "She''s not wrong, you know? I should exin things to

    Nicole."

    After all, someone had to be held responsible for what happened.

    Eliana felt that it was better to solve the problem than to watch Rachel cause trouble.Thinking of that,

    she walked to the VIP lounge.

    But before she walked too far, Bradly caught up with her and stopped her.

    "Eliana, it''s no use exining it to only Nicole."

    "I know."

    Bradly frowned and asked, "Have youe up with a strategy, then?"

    Eliana nodded and replied, "Well, I''ll be taking responsibility alone.And I won''t implicate anyone else."

    "You are being too naive.Things have already gotten out of hand.There is no way you''re going to be

    able to solve this even by resigning!"

    Bradly persuaded patiently.

    "But someone has to be held responsible, right?"

    "Then it shouldn''t be you," Bradly said in a firm voice, interrupting her.

    With a slight sigh, he put a hand on her shoulder and continued, "Don''t be stupid and reckless.Our

    priority now is to make Nicole happy again.It''s obvious that she will have to pick a different design for

    the red carpet event.And I will show her some of our best designs for her to choose one."

    Bradly quickly suggested a brilliant and reasonable option.

    Eliana suddenly felt disappointed in herself.

    After all, it had been her carelessness that had caused her to fall into such an embarrassing

    situation.She lowered her head dejectedly and asked, "Bradly, why do you think that it was not me who

    leaked the design?"

    All her other colleagues were suspecting her.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    "I don''t think that you are that kind of a person."

    Staring at Eliana affectionately, Bradly added in a firm voice, "The Eliana I know would never even think

    of doing such a thing."

    The unconditional trust he had in her moved her.

    "But my trust alone is not enough," Bradly reminded her lightly.

    "We have to wait for the investigation results too."

    All of a sudden, Eliana thought about Maurice.She could not help but wonder if he would also trust her

    the way Bradly did.

    At that moment, the elevator stopped at the Design Department floor.

    Maurice walked out of the elevator.

    Corbin followed him, exining about the design leak in detail.He also informed him that Nicole was at

    the office to settle ounts.

    All of a sudden, Maurice stopped in his tracks and interrupted Corbin, "You don''t need to say more."

    When Corbin looked up again, he saw a man and a woman standing together in the corridor.

    They seemed to look like a couple.

    As the golden sunlight from the window fell on them, they almost looked like a beautiful painting.

    There was a strange emotion in Eliana''s eyes when she looked at Bradly.It seemed as though she was

    going to throw herself into his arms at any time.

    When Corbin looked at Maurice again, he noticed his re.

    ¡®Good heavens! The boss is jealous again"

    Maurice walked to Eliana and Bradly, emitting an intimidating aura.

    At this point, Eliana suddenly felt a chill down her spine.She suddenly turned around, and her gaze fell

    on Maurice.

    "Why are you here?"

    "Everyone in thepany knows what happened with Nicole.How long would you have let this

    continue if I hadn''t showed up now?" Maurice asked coldly.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104

    Chapter 104 The Unfinished Kiss

    Only when Maurice got closer to Eliana was he able to notice the red mark of a hand on her right

    cheek.His heart clenched, and he lifted his hand to hold her chin.

    "What happened?"

    There was darkness and anger filled in his eyes, making it look like he could destroy the world.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Eliana awkwardly retreated to avoid his touch.

    At the same time, Bradly thought that Maurice was asking her about the leak of the design.So he

    exined, "The leak of the design is still under investigation."

    Maurice interrupted him and asked, "Who pped Eliana?"

    His affection and feelings towards her made him want to throw his identity away.

    Bradly''s heart sank when he heard those words, but he answered honestly, "Nicole."

    Maurice sneered, "There were so many of you in the office.How could you watch her get pped?"

    Eliana lowered her head embarrassedly, and her hair slipped from behind her ears, covering her

    swollen cheek.

    Why did Maurice have toe and see her in such a state?

    "Eliana, look at me." She heard his low and clear voice.

    Clenching her fists, she looked up, and met his deep, dark eyes.

    "You were not the one that leaked the design, so why were you hanging your head?"

    "But Nicole believes that I was the one that did it," Eliana replied with a sigh.

    Maurice looked at Bradly and said, "Eliana looks terrible, and she can''t go anywhere.You go and pacify

    Nicole first."

    "If he goes to her now, then she would vent all her anger on him,"

    Eliana blurted out.She did not want to cause Bradly trouble because of her again.

    Maurice''s expression darkened at once, and he resolutely dragged her away.Bradly tried to go after

    them, but Corbin stopped him.

    "Get out of my way," he said to Corbin in an annoyed tone.

    Corbin reminded him in a gentle voice, "Mr.Stewart, you should calm down and think about it.Who do

    you think has the power to help Eliana now?"

    Upon hearing that, Bradly stopped and clenched his fists as he watched Eliana''s receding back.It was

    true that he could not really help her now.

    Meanwhile, Maurice took Eliana to his office.

    Sitting down on the sofa, she nkly stared at the man in front of her, who was opening the first aid kit.

    Was Maurice really going to apply the medicine for her? Just when she was in a daze, Maurice sat

    down next to her with an ointment and a cotton swab in his hand.

    His weight caused the sofa to sink a little and Eliana''s body was made to lean to him involuntarily.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows at her.He had rarely seen her being so obedient with him.

    Her cheek was clearly swollen and red, which made Maurice pity her at once.

    He bent over and applied ointment on Eliana¡¯s wound clumsily.

    And she felt his domineering aura.

    The next second, her ears turned red.

    All the memories that were hidden deep in her mind came flooding to her at once.

    They had been so close when they had been about to kiss on the Street that night.

    Eliana could almost see her reflection in his dark eyes.

    Unfortunately, they had not really finished that kiss...

    ¡®Wait, what am I thinking?¡¯ All of a sudden, Eliana came back to her senses, her heart still racing.

    Maurice saw that she was still lost in thought after he applied the ointment for her.

    Looking into her eyes, he asked in a low voice, "What are you thinking about?"

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105

    Chapter 105 Am I ! Not Charming Enough

    "Nothing...Nothing at all! Ouch!"

    Eliana shook her head so vigorously that she could not help but grimace from the pain.

    Maurice said, "Don''t worry too much.I''ll take care of Nicole."

    "Are you going to talk to her?" Eliana was surprised.

    "You don''t like to interact with female stars, right?"

    The Moran Group and Maurice valued their reputation a lot, so there was rarely ever any gossip about

    them.

    Maurice nodded and said, "You''re right.I don''t, but this time is an exception."

    Upon hearing that, Eliana was stunned.

    Did he consider Nicole to be an exception?

    Did he really not mind the fact that they could be gossiped about? Although she felt really

    ufortable about it, she did not dare to question him anymore.

    And she did not notice that Maurice was still staring at her lovingly.

    In his heart, he knew that he was making the exception for Eliana''s sake.

    After attending to her swollen cheek, he walked out of the office.He walked straight to the VIP lounge,

    where Nicole was.

    Eliana followed him closely, and wanted to enter the VIP lounge as well.

    However, Corbin acted quickly and mmed the door shut before she could get in.

    Eliana and Nicole''s agent were both outside.

    Corbin looked away from Eliana, who seemed to be pleading with him.

    There was only one small ss window on the door, and she had no choice but to peep through it.

    Inside the VIP lounge room, Nicole was surprised to see Mauricee to her.

    She had only seen him in finance magazines before.

    She could not help but think that it was a pity for a man with such good looks to be a businessman who

    only knew how to make money.

    Nicole was stunned to see that Maurice looked more handsome in person.He was tall, slim, but

    muscr, dressed in a well-fitted gray suit and a ck tie, which made him seem like a man who

    believed in abstinence.

    There was a darkness and coldness in his eyes, which paired perfectly with his sculptured jaw.

    With that kind of looks, people would focus their attention on him even if he was not wealthy or

    powerful.

    "I didn''t expect to see you here today, Mr.Moran," Nicole greeted him with a sigh.

    After all, Maurice was well-known for turning a cold shoulder to actresses in show business.Why did he

    suddenlye to meet her?

    "Let''s get down to business."C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Ignoring her words, Maurice sat down on a chair and straightened his back, emitting a domineering

    aura.

    Even Nicole''s bad temper was instantly suppressed, and her voice softened, "Eliana leaked the

    ne design that was meant for me.How are you going to solve it, Mr.Moran?"

    "I will find out who did it and punish them," Maurice said unhurriedly.

    "As for your ne for the red carpet event, I will lend you the Van Boshy that I collected." Nicole

    was a little surprised.

    "Do you mean the Van Boshy ne that had an auction price of more than a hundred million

    dors?"

    "Yes." Nicole found the deal to be inconceivably satisfying.

    "Mr.Moran, are you doing this because of that designer, Eliana?"

    Maurice asked back coldly, "Do you really think that''s the case here?"

    There was a hint of malice in Nicole''s eyes.She was able to sense that he was not telling her the truth

    at all.

    Since Maurice hade there personally to solve the problem, it could only mean that he cared a lot

    about Eliana.

    Nicole thought that she could use that as a trump card to get more from him.

    "The Van Boshy ne won''t cut it.Mr.Moran, I want you to apany me to the red carpet event at

    the film festival."

    She knew that if Maurice walked on the red carpet with her, it would certainly make her the center of

    attention.

    "No."

    Maurice immediately refused with a sneer.The undisguised ridicule in his tone infuriated Nicole a little.

    She walked up to the armchair Maurice was sitting in, and sat down on the arm rest.She twisted her

    waist, revealing her slim and beautiful curves.

    "I promise that it won''t be a loss for you to walk the red carpet with me.Or do you not think that I am

    charming enough to be yourpanion?"

    With a seductive look in her eyes, Nicole deliberately lowered her voice, like a coquettish devil.She

    wanted to test if Maurice''s clean rtionship history was true or not.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106

    Chapter 106 What Did You See

    "Please behave yourself."

    Maurice nced at Nicole coldly.

    Seeing that, she broke into a cold sweat.

    With an awkward smile, she withdrew her hand.

    The rumors were true, indeed.Maurice didn''t like actresses, and he was probably not interested in

    women at all.

    "I won''t apany you, but I can get you a suitable date."

    Saying those words, Maurice''s expression softened a little.

    Nicole raised her eyebrows and asked in surprise, "Who do you have in mind?"

    Eliana was still waiting outside the VIP lounge.

    Looking at the intimate interaction between Maurice and Nicole, she had mixed feelings.

    Did Maurice really meet Nicole to help her or did hee there for a tryst? While she was lost in

    thought, she identally turned the doorknob.

    And the door was pushed open.

    "Ah"

    Losing her bnce, Eliana staggered and fell to the floor.There was a horrified look in Nicole''s eyes

    when she saw that.

    Seeing who it was, she sneered, "Oh, I almost thought it was the paparazzi.I didn''t expect you! Aren''t

    you the designer? Why are you so sneaky?"

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    Feeling embarrassed, Eliana awkwardly hung her head.She was only trying to observe Maurice

    secretly to find out how he was going to solve the problem, and now she was ashamed of herself.

    "How long are you going to keep lying on the floor?"

    Maurice did not seemed to be surprised by her weird behavior at all.He slowly walked to Eliana and

    reached out his hand.

    "Get up."

    Seeing his kind gesture towards her, Nicole looked at him in disbelief.He was just being so cold to her,

    but now he was smiling at Eliana as though he was a different person.

    Nicole immediately realized that her guess was right.

    The designer, Eliana, had a special ce in Maurice''s heart.

    Holding Maurice''s hand, Eliana stood up.She seemed to be really embarrassed, and could not bring

    herself to look him in the eye.

    But Maurice asked her with great interest, "What did you see?"

    "I really didn''t mean to pry," Eliana retorted and turned to Nicole.

    "Miss Swift, I just want to ask if you find out who leaked the design.And what are you going to do if I

    was not the one that leaked it? You pped me earlier."

    "That''s a good question."

    Maurice nced at Eliana and found that her cheek was still red and swollen.He couldn''t just let it

    slide.

    However, Nicole was also very stubborn.

    Even though Maurice seemed like he was going to take Eliana''s side, she did not want to give in.

    Nicole snorted, "Don''t think that you can threaten me with this."

    She hated being threatened.

    And if she found out that Eliana was not the one behind the leak, then she would tell Maurice that he

    would not have topensate her, but there was no way that she was going to apologize to a mere

    designer!

    "Nicole!" the agent interrupted her in a low voice.

    "Stop causing a scene.We can''t afford to offend Mr.Moran."

    He then nced at Nicole, hinting that she should not get on Maurice''s nerves.

    Maurice was not only the CEO of the Moran Group, he was also the future leader of the great Moran

    family.

    The current leader of the family was Maurice''s grandfather, and sooner orter, Maurice would take his

    ce.

    Moreover, Maurice''s deceased mother was Brenda Moran whose maiden name was Mason.

    And the Mason family was more powerful than the Moran family.If Nicole offended Maurice, she would

    not be the only one to suffer, the entire agency would be in trouble.

    Gritting her teeth, Nicole tried her best to restrain her anger.

    She couldn''t afford to offend Maurice, but she also could not bring herself to face such humiliation! She

    deliberately smiled at Eliana and said, "You cane alone and get even with me once you prove your

    innocence.You can even p me.But for now..."

    Nicole leaned toward Maurice and added in an affectionate tone, "Mr.Moran, don''t go back on your

    promise."

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    Chapter 107 Half A Day

    What did Maurice promise Nicole?

    Eliana stole a nervous nce at Nicole, only to see her sparkling eyes and meaningful smile.

    Satisfied with Eliana''s reaction, Nicole raised her chin confidently and left.Her agent hurried after her.

    "What did you promise Nicole?" Eliana asked, looking at Maurice.

    A smirk yed at the corner of Maurice''s lips.

    "Don''t look so nervous.Did youe here just to eavesdrop? Or were you afraid that I would suffer a

    loss?"

    The intimate scene Eliana had walked in on just now shed through her mind, bringing an involuntary

    scowl to her face.

    She sarcastically retorted, "How could the great Mr.Moran suffer a loss? You threw aside even the

    Jarvis family, which was almost allied with you through marriage."

    Maurice, visibly affected by the mention of this, narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in displeasure.

    ¡®What an ungrateful woman! I only did that to the Jarvis family for her sake, but instead of appreciating

    my kindness, she''s making fun of me"

    Maurice thought hotly to himself.

    Then, in a low voice, he sneered, "Here you are wasting time worrying about the Jarvis family, when

    you should actually be working hard to find out how your design drawing got leaked."

    When Eliana heard that, she felt her heart drop to her stomach.

    ¡®Why is this guy so moody? Just a few minutes ago he helped me deal with Nicole, and now he''s

    threatening me.It''s like he has a whole new personality" she thought to herself sourly.

    ncing at the silent Eliana, Maurice could immediately tell how unhappy she was.

    Without any change in his tone, he reminded her, "As a designer, you have to be responsible for your

    own designs."

    "Of course I will," Eliana snapped back immediately.

    "You have only half a day," Maurice said indifferently.

    "Okay," Eliana agreed through gritted teeth.

    Maurice could barely suppress hisughter when he saw the adorable firmness on her face.

    ¡®Would she really be able to get to the bottom of the issue in half a day?¡¯ he wondered.

    Back in the Design Department, the employees were in the middle of cooperating with the internal

    review process.

    They reluctantly submitted the data in theirputers and, one by one, attended an individual

    interrogation.

    Needless to say, it was a long-winded process that brought the work of the whole department to a halt.

    As time went by, Rachel became more and more irritable and she couldn''t hold back herints

    any longer.

    "When will this stupid inspection end? I have to submit my design drawing tomorrow.This is just a

    waste of time!" Rachel grumbled loudly.

    "Just wait a little longer.It''s almost your turn," a colleague advised softly, but Rachel just turned her

    head away.

    It was at this moment that Eliana returned to the Design Department.Her presence was like a spark

    falling onto gunpowder, igniting Rachel''s suppressed anger at once and yanking it to the surface.

    "Eliana! How dare youe back here?"

    Rachel growled, rushing over to Eliana in front of everyone.

    "You''re the reason the whole department is being investigated, but you happily went and hid

    somewhere.If we can''t finish our designs on time, will you take responsibility for it?"

    "Don''t worry.The inspection will be over soon," Eliana replied unhurriedly.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    "What do you mean?"

    Seeing Eliana¡¯s calm and unaffected demeanor reduced Rachel to a nervous wreck.

    In an instant, the tables were turned.

    Until now, Rachel was sure that even an investigation wouldn''t be able to uncover the truth.

    That was why she fearlessly scolded Eliana like that.

    But after seeing how calm Eliana was, Rachel couldn''t help but wonder if Eliana had already found

    some evidence.

    A mixture of guilt and fear gripped her, causing her hands to tremble.

    "Mr.Moran has given orders to collect the surveince footage.We''ll soon find out who touched my

    computer and stole the design drawing," Eliana exined, folding her arms over her chest.

    These words confirmed Rachel''s guess.

    In her apprehension, she hastily said, "But your desk is a blind spot!"

    "How did you know that?" Eliana asked coolly.

    Realizing that she had made a slip of the tongue, Rachel was so flustered that she couldn''t help but

    stutter as she spoke.

    "I''ve been working here for so many years.Of course I know that."

    Watching Rachel squirm in panic, Eliana knew without a doubt that she must be the culprit.

    Not wanting to let go of this opportunity to teach Rachel a lesson, she deliberately exined in detail,

    "Well, you''re right, it¡¯s a blind spot.But all we need to do is watch the surveince footage of the

    surrounding area to find out who touched myputer.It''s simple."

    Rachel''s eyes widened, and her mouth went dry.She didn''t know what to say.

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108

    Chapter 108 You Leaked The Design Drawing

    Upon hearing Eliana''s voice, Bradly walked out of his office and saw her.

    Since her cheek seemed to look less red and swollen than before, he figured that she must have

    applied ointment on it.

    Did Maurice really drag her away just to apply medicine for her? Bradly was having mixed feelings

    about it, and clenched the ointment in his pocket.

    Controlling his emotions, he smiled gently, and asked, "Eliana, has Nicole''s problem been solved?"

    "Yes," Eliana answered with a warm smile.

    Actually, she was not the one that solved the problem; it was Maurice.And she did not even know what

    Maurice had promised to Nicole.

    "That''s good," Bradly said with a slight nod.

    "Let''s go to the monitoring room to check the surveince footage after lunch," Eliana said in a loud

    voice.

    Rachel was curious to know more about their conversation, but Eliana had already pulled Bradly to the

    other side, and their voices were not audible.There was a hint of sparkle in Rachel''s eyes.

    ¡®No way!¡¯ She could not sit still and wait for the surveince footage to show that she was the one that

    leaked Eliana¡¯s design.

    At the same time, Eliana and Bradly stopped walking in the corridor.

    Perplexed, Bradly asked, "What were you trying to do?"

    He had already been to the monitoring room before.Since thepany cleaned the surveince

    records every once in a while, the footage that they could actually use might already be deleted.

    With a mischievous grin, Eliana winked at him.

    "A thief always steals again."

    Stunned, it took Bradly a moment to understand what she meant.

    "You want to bait the culprit?"

    "Shhh!"

    They would find the answer soon enough.

    That noon, the sun was shining brightly in the sky.

    ording to the n, Eliana left the Design Department with Bradly, pretending to have lunch with

    him.

    So Rachel rushed to the monitoring room after making sure that they were gone.

    The door of the monitoring room was slightly open, and the lights were turned off.

    The dim light from theputer screen outlined the silhouette of a suspicious figure.

    The figure rushed to theputer and grabbed the mouse.Her hands were trembling.She moved the

    cursor swiftly and searched for a long time before she finally found the surveince records.

    "Damn it! Hurry..." she muttered to herself anxiously as she continued to click on the file.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    All of a sudden, a warning message was disyed on the screen and the speakers began beeping.

    The screen was filled with pop-up windows.

    "You leaked the design drawing!"

    Those words were written in bold bright red letters in each of those windows.

    "AI Terrified, Rachel threw away the mouse and stepped back.She identally knocked down all the

    things on the desk, making them fall to the floor with a loud sound.Soon, she heard the sound of a

    switch clicking.The lights in the room were turned on.

    Standing at the door, Eliana said in a cold voice, "Rachel, you are the one who leaked my design

    drawing, aren''t you?"

    Rachel did not even think of the reason Eliana was there.She immediately shook her head and denied,

    "No! It wasn''t me!"

    "Then why are you here? Didn''t you just try to delete the evidence?" Eliana asked in a low voice that

    was as cold as ice.

    Rachel retorted, "I...I was just curious to find out who stole the design and caused our department to be

    inspected.That''s why I came here.You can''t nder me because of that!"

    At this point, the door flung open again.

    Bradly stepped into the room and cut away all of Rachel''s escape routes.

    "If checking the surveince video isn''t enough evidence to use against you, then the remittance

    ount sent by Cheryl should be enough.I''ve already checked it, and it is in your name, Rachel," he

    said in a gentle but firm voice.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109

    Chapter 109 No Evidence

    Shocked, Rachel looked at Bradly, who shook his phone in front of her eyes.

    "I''ve already made an appointment with Cheryl''s agent, and I will be going over to their studio in the

    afternoon to discuss about the ne design," Bradly said.

    His words felt like a lightning that struck Rachel on her head.She copsed to the floor with a pale face.

    "Now that things havee to this point, I really suggest that you don''t continue lying to me,

    Rachel.It''s just us three here, and Mr.Stewart might help you out if you tell us the truth.Perhaps, you

    won''t be too severely punished," Eliana said in a soft voice.

    "Really?"

    With tears in her eyes, Rachel looked at Bradly expectantly.

    Looking at her with a smile, he nodded in reply.

    Gritting her teeth, Rachel had no choice but to confess, "It''s true.I was the one who stole Eliana¡¯s

    design and sold it to Cheryl."

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    The moment Bradly heard that, his face turned cold again.

    Seeing that, Rachel hurriedly passed the buck and continued, "As soon as Eliana joined thepany,

    she was favored by Mr.Moran, who instigated her as the sole designer of the pink diamond project.And

    you have also been always partial to Eliana, Mr.Stewart.You never acknowledged my hard work."

    Uttering those words made Rachel feel more miserable and she could not help bursting into tears.

    "I was...I was really jealous of her.I stole her design to pull her down to the same level as me, so that

    we could have a fairpetition.I didn''t expect that Nicole would be so angry ande to the

    company to make trouble..."

    All of a sudden, a loud pnded across Rachel''s face.It was from Eliana.

    She then said in a cold voice, "Nicole should have pped you.And I am just passing the torch."

    Rachel covered her face and red at Eliana.She looked terrible and her eyes were red.

    Although she was about to explode with anger, she knew that she had to restrain herself if she wanted

    to continue working in thepany.

    Trembling, she held Eliana¡¯s hand and pleaded miserably, "Eliana, I''m so sorry.I was wrong.Please

    don''t tell Mr.Moran about this, okay? He will certainly fire me, or worse, ban me from working in the

    industry, like he did to Gabrielle! I...will give you the money that Cheryl gave me for the design, okay?

    Can you please let this go?"

    Bradly sighed and shook his head with disappointment.

    "I didn''t expect you to be the one to..."

    Rachel froze and suddenly realized that something was wrong.

    What did he mean by that? Didn''t they have the evidence to use her? She immediately blurted out,

    "Were you fooling me? You don''t have any evidence, do you?"

    "We didn''t have evidence before, but now we do," Eliana replied calmly.

    She then took out her phone from her pocket, which had recorded Rachel''s confession.

    Rachel became furious at once and pounced on Eliana.

    "How dare you!" Eliana dodged her attack swiftly.

    However, Rachel had lunged at her so fast that she slipped and fell to the floor.She began to scream in

    pain.

    But Eliana and Bradly were not moved at all.

    After all, it was Rachel''s fault.

    Eliana said, "You still have a chance.You can take the initiative and confess to Mr.Moran."

    Rachel retorted, "That''s not possible!"

    "Then I have no choice but to confess to him on your behalf.But you have to think it over, because

    there''s a huge difference between turning yourself in and being reported by someone else."

    "No matter who confesses, Mr.Moran won''t show mercy."

    Even after hearing that, Rachel shook her head.Now she had no choice but to face the fact that she

    had been avoiding until now.

    "He will only be merciful to you..."

    "Forget it," Eliana said.

    She then walked out of the room with Bradly.

    The room fell silent immediately.

    Rachel was lying on the floor weakly.It was all messed up.She was doomed now.She felt desperate.

    From the corner of her eye, she nced at the floor and saw a faint glimmer of light.She turned around

    and found that it was a paper knife.

    The de was reflecting the light sharply and coldly.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110

    Chapter 110 Pay Off The Debt For Her

    Eliana was finally able to breathe with relief after finding that Rachel was the culprit.

    Now that the truth hade out, she no longer had to feel guilty.

    More importantly, she could keep her job and slowly pay back the money she owed.

    As Bradly and Eliana walked side by side in silence, he couldn''t help but feel ambivalent about what

    had happened.

    Rachel''s words kept lingering in his mind.

    Even Rachel could see that Mr.Moran treated Eliana differently from the others.

    What about Eliana? What did she think of Mr.Moran? Did she feel for Mr.Moran the same way he felt

    for her?

    "Eliana, do you really think Mr.Moran treats you differently from how he treats others? You seem to be

    special to him, right?"

    Bradly finally spoke up after hesitating for a while.Eliana stopped at his words and her heart skipped a

    beat.

    "Bradly, don''t be ridiculous! Rachel was just making an excuse to provoke me.Besides, how could

    someone like Mr.Moran like me? I''m not good enough to be with such a big shot."

    Although Eliana spoke casually on the surface, she undoubtedly felt a little bitter in her heart.

    "Eliana, don''t sell yourself short.I think it''s Maurice who doesn''t deserve someone like you."

    Bradly gazed into her eyes as he spoke.

    In his heart, he truly believed that Eliana was a good person who deserved all the good things in the

    world.

    Out of the blue, he felt a strong urge to act on impulse.

    Out of the goodness of his heart, he wanted to pay off Eliana¡¯s debt so she could live a life of freedom,

    without being controlled or pestered by anyone.

    As soon as Bradly finished speaking, there was a moment of prolonged silence between the two.

    Eliana became aware that something wasn''t right.

    The way Bradly looked at her with his passionate eyes was unmistakable that the emotions hidden

    behind them were begging to pour out.

    Eliana was not sure what those emotions implied, but she knew that it was not the way a man looked at

    his friend.She finally began to grasp what was going on.

    ¡®Does Bradly have a crush on me? It can''t be true!¡¯ Eliana quickly denied the possibility.

    Suddenly, a strange noise drew her attention from behind.

    As soon as Eliana turned around, she saw Rachel trotting towards her at a quick pace.

    The tip of the sharp paper knife Rachel was carrying in her hand glinted in the light and her face

    contorted in rage.

    "Eliana, you bitch! I''m going to make you pay for what you did!"

    In the blink of an eye, Eliana''s mind went nk and she pushed Bradly away without conscious

    thought.She was almost certain that she was going to get badly injured.

    Unfortunately, after pushing Bradly away, Eliana didn''t have time to evade Rachel.

    The furious woman cackled loudly and lunged at Eliana.

    However, just in the nick of time, someone grabbed Rachel''s wrist from behind before she could even

    get close to Eliana.

    Rachel heard the sound of her wrist twisting.

    The excruciating pain that followed forced a yelp of agony out of her mouth.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    "Rachel, do you have a death wish?"

    It was Maurice''s voice! Like a knight in shining armor, he swooped in at thest minute and stopped

    Rachel from hurting Eliana.

    Rachel''s ferocious expression suddenly froze on her face, and her face turned from furious red to

    ghostly pale.

    "Mr.Moran..." Her voice trembled and she dropped the paper knife to the floor.

    "What are you doing here?"????l?????.??m

    Eliana still hadn''t recovered from the shock as she stared at the man who came out of nowhere and

    saved her.

    Against the light, Maurice slowly walked towards Eliana, like a god descending to the world from

    heaven.

    "If I remember correctly, I gave a certain someone only half a day to find out the truth.It seems like time

    has run out.¡±

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111

    Maurice¡¯s words snapped Eliana out of her delusions, and the gratitude she felt for him had

    disappeared.

    She realized that he didn¡¯t appear in her time of need because he cared about her, and that he was just

    there out of his selfish need.

    She rolled her eyes and mmed the phone in Maurice¡¯s palm.

    ¡°Here you are. The evidence you wanted.¡±

    It seemed strange for a CEO of such a bigpany to be so concerned about something like this. Did

    he not have anything else to do?

    ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t believe what they say. They don¡¯t have any evidence at all. They tricked me into

    saying whatever is on the recording. I¡¯m actually the victim here. Let me exin!¡±

    Rachel¡¯s desperation was clear to see in the way she fell on her knees and held Maurice¡¯s leg.

    It was obvious who stole the design drawing.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Maurice curled his lip in disgust as he cast a fleeting nce at Rachel.

    Corbin walked up to Maurice as soon as he nodded his head slightly.

    He knew exactly what his boss had meant and he immediately yanked Rachel away from Maurice

    before dragging her away.

    ¡°Save your exnation for the police. I¡¯m not interested in listening to you.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression was cold and indifferent. Although he was told that Rachel was the main culprit

    behind all of this, he didn¡¯t show a hint of surprise in his eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, do you really haveplete trust on Eliana? Didn¡¯t you ever suspect her, even for once? I

    don¡¯t believe it!¡± Rachel shouted from the top of her lungs.

    ¡®Why? Why did Mr. Moran care about this damn bitch so much?¡¯

    Eliana had a stunned incredulous expression on her face and her eyes drifted towards Maurice.

    Did he ever doubt her character?

    Eliana wasn¡¯t sure.

    With a sneer, Maurice approached Rachel and whispered in her ear, ¡°Did you really think that you help

    Evelynn make Eliana fall into the pink diamond trap and I wouldn¡¯t hear about it?¡±

    His deep and hoarse voice pierced Rachel¡¯s ears and clutched at her heart.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, how did you know¡­¡± Rachel widened her eyes in disbelief.

    As it turned out, nothing could escape the eyes and ears of Mr. Moran.

    Maurice remained silent and took a step back, without giving her so much as a pitiful nce.

    Rachel¡¯s hopes had been crushed into dust.

    Damn it! She waspletely doomed.

    Just then, the sound of the police sirens announced the tragic end to Rachel¡¯s story.

    ¡°Eliana, I beg you. Please forgive me. Please ask Mr. Moran to forgive me. I don¡¯t want to go to the

    police station!¡±

    Eliana looked away when Rachel came to her in despair and begged for mercy.

    As the saying goes, good would be rewarded with good and evil with evil. The moment Rachel stole the

    design drawing, her fate was already decided.

    She finally got what wasing to her. Eliana would never sympathize with people like her.

    After Rachel was taken away by the police, Eliana looked at Maurice curiously and asked, ¡°Mr. Moran,

    what did you whisper in Rachel¡¯s ear? Why did she get so worked up?¡±

    Of course, Maurice wouldn¡¯t tell her that he actually knew that it was all an borate trap.

    Otherwise, she would quarrel with him again without a doubt.

    He nced at Eliana and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡±

    ¡®There he is, deliberately mystifying the truth again,¡¯ Eliana thought to herself.

    ¡°And Bradly, you will have to take some responsibility for what happened in the Design Department.

    You will be suspended until further notice. Is that clear?¡± Maurice stared at Bradly as he waited for an

    answer.

    Eliana stood before Bradly and retorted, ¡°Mr. Moran, that¡¯s not fair. We should all be responsible for our

    own actions. Whatever happened in the Design Department had nothing to do with Mr. Stewart!¡±

    Maurice narrowed his eyes and his face darkened.

    Why was she always defending Bradly?

    Why did she care so much about this man?

    Bradly held her hand and looked at her gently.

    ¡°I ept your decision, but first, there¡¯s something that I have to do.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Maurice was starting to get impatient.

    ¡°I want to pay off Eliana¡¯s debt on her behalf.¡±

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112

    ¡°Bradly, you¡­¡±

    Bradly¡¯s words shocked Eliana, rendering her speechless.

    It was true that she was moved by his generosity, but she couldn¡¯t get him involved any longer.

    Just as she was about to refuse his kindness, Maurice spoke first.

    ¡°Bradly, are you so nice to all the employees in your department? Are you really so generous that you

    want to pay off the debt for her for nothing in return?¡±

    Maurice narrowed his eyes at Bradly, with a murderous look on his face.

    ¡°To be honest, Mr. Moran, Eliana is not only my subordinate, but we went to the same school together.

    Eliana¡¯s father took care of me when I needed help back then. I¡¯m one of her closest friends. If I can¡¯t

    stand by her when she¡¯s in trouble, then what kind of a friend would I be?¡±

    Although Bradly was often gentle and soft-spoken, he didn¡¯t give in to Maurice¡¯s intimidation.

    When the two men looked at each other, it seemed as though a thunderstorm was about to rage the

    skies.

    ¡°So you two could almost be called childhood sweethearts.¡±

    It seemed as though Bradly was very close to Eliana.

    Maurice gritted his teeth as he looked at Eliana.

    After all, Eliana had never mentioned this piece of information to him before.

    All of a sudden, Eliana felt a hint of guilt creep into her heart.

    No! Why did she have to feel guilty?

    Bradly continued, ¡°Now that you know the truth about me and Eliana, could you please tell me how

    much money she owes you?¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Bradly, are you sure you can afford to pay off her debt? Or are

    you just going to use your grandfather¡¯s heritage to pay off her debt?¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Eliana noticed Bradly¡¯s facial expression stiffen.

    ¡°Have you been snooping around my private life?¡± asked Bradly angrily.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Maurice replied without hesitation.

    Besides, Bradly¡¯s life was so simple that it didn¡¯t take him much time to dig up his personal information.

    With a mocking smirk at the corners of his mouth, he said, ¡°Do you want to pay off the debt for Eliana

    because you don¡¯t believe that she can pay it with her own ability?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Bradly had never been so angry before.

    Suddenly, there was raw tension in the air.

    Fortunately, Eliana¡¯s phone rang at that moment.

    When she saw it was a call from her children, she quickly turned around and answered it.

    ¡°Mommy, something big happened at home. Come back quickly!¡±

    Aileen sounded anxious.

    What? What could it be this time?

    ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Eliana got flustered in an instant. After hanging up the phone, all she could think about was leaving.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you back,¡± Maurice and Bradly said in unison.

    They looked at each other with determination, showing no chance of giving in.

    ¡°No, thanks. I can go back by myself.¡±

    After all, there could be a big risk of them finding out about her children, if either of them were to take

    her home.

    Eliana turned around and ran as soon as she finished speaking.

    Maurice and Bradly stared at each other awkwardly after Eliana left.

    ¡°It¡¯s so weird! Why does Eliana always have an emergency and then disappear without saying

    anything?¡± Bradly murmured to himself.

    Maurice thought the same thing as he replied without conscious thought, ¡°Indeed.¡±

    As soon as he said this, a deathly silence filled the air between them.

    Maurice had disliked Bradly for a long time.

    As such, they parted ways.

    Meanwhile, Eliana rushed home as quickly as she could.

    As soon as she opened the door, she saw Aileen, Adrian and Nana standing in the living room, safe

    and sound.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the two children were safe.

    What was the emergency about?

    She could sense that something was off. The children and Nana were standing on opposite sides.

    Bowling was at Aileen¡¯s feet, listless.

    The two kids red at Nana angrily, while Nana looked embarrassed.

    ¡°Is everything okay¡­ What happened?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, you are finally back!¡±

    Aileen threw herself in Eliana¡¯s arms.

    Eliana squatted down to catch her and gently patted her head. ¡°Aileen, what happened? Tell Mommy

    now.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, Bowling is missing.¡± Aileen looked like she was about to cry.

    ¡°Aileen, what are you talking about? Bowling is right there?¡±

    With a confused look, Eliana pointed her finger at the puppy lying prone in the middle of the living

    room.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113

    Aileen raised her hand, pointed at the dog and shouted, ¡°That¡¯s not Bowling! Nana reced it with

    another puppy.¡±

    Reced?

    Putting down Aileen, Eliana walked up to the puppy and looked at it carefully.

    The dog¡¯s eyes were a little brown and slightly different from Bowling¡¯s pure ck pupils.

    Indeed, this wasn¡¯t Bowling.

    ¡°Nana, what¡¯s going on? Where is Bowling?¡±

    Eliana looked at Nana curiously.

    Embarrassed, Nana scratched her head and avoided making eye contact with Eliana.

    ¡°If I tell you the truth, please don¡¯t be mad at me.¡±

    All of a sudden, Eliana had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¡°Well¡­ The puppy ran away and I don¡¯t know where to find it.¡± Nana decided to tell the truth.

    ¡°Ran away? Why? Where did you see itst? And, where did you get this dog?¡±

    Eliana had a lot of questions as she pointed at the unknown dog lying prone on the floor.

    ¡°I am so sorry. I lost it by ident. I was afraid that you were going to get angry, so I found a puppy

    that resembled Bowling to keep everyone calm.¡±

    Nana¡¯s voice trailed off as she spoke.

    The news shocked Eliana¡¯s senses as she started to feel a little light-headed.

    Damn! Bowling was missing! She was doomed!

    After all, the ring was still inside Bowling¡¯s belly. With that dog gone, how was she going to find the ring

    to give to Preston?

    All of a sudden, as if it were some joke that was being yed on her, she received a call from Preston.

    Eliana pulled a long face as she held the phone in her hand.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡± Nana cautiously tried to get her attention.

    Eliana snorted and poked Nana on the forehead.

    ¡°Now you care about me? It¡¯s toote now. What am I going to do? The owner of the ring is calling me.¡±

    Eliana had a raging headache as she contemted whether to answer Preston¡¯s call or not.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t worry. I will take responsibility, since I lost the dog. Give me your phone. I¡¯ll talk to him.¡±

    With a solemn expression on her face, Nana raised her hand and tried to grab the phone from Eliana.

    ¡°Stop it!¡±

    Eliana held her phone tightly. However, she exerted too much strength and the phone flew out of her

    hand.

    While the phone was in mid-air, Eliana noticed that she had identally answered his call. The call

    automatically went on speaker as soon as it was connected.

    Both she and Nana rushed to pick up the phone, but they identally bumped their heads into each

    other and fell to the floor.

    The phone flew, hitting the corner of the sofa on the way before it slid and stopped in front of the

    unknown puppy.

    The dog¡¯s eyes lit up as it assumed the phone to be some kind of a toy and it licked the screen

    excitedly.

    ¡°Stop, puppy!¡± Adrian shouted anxiously.

    The yful puppy pushed the phone under the sofa and then tried to dig it out from there with its paws.

    ¡°My phone!¡± Eliana screamed in sheer horror.

    Adrian and Aileen rushed to the puppy. However, the puppy was so lively that it ran away as fast as it

    could and instead the two children ended up falling on the floor after trying to catch it.

    The scene was absolutely chaotic.

    Meanwhile, Maurice heard children¡¯s voices and a puppy barking on the other end of the line.

    Confused, he removed the phone from his ear and looked at the screen.

    It was indeed Eliana¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello, Eliana. Is that you? Are there children around you?¡±

    Maurice frowned and wondered why the children¡¯s voices sounded familiar.

    It was a feeling he couldn¡¯t quite exin and yet its existence was undeniable.

    Could it be the boy and girl twins he had seen before?

    Damn it! Alert!

    Despite the pain on her body, Eliana turned her head to the other people in the room and brought her

    finger to her lips.

    ¡°Shh¡­¡±

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114

    No one dared to say a word.

    Aileen and Adrian stared at their mom and covered their mouths. Nana also held her breath.

    The puppy was barking like a fool.

    ¡°Did you hear it wrong? There are no kids here, just a dog. It¡¯s a dog that¡¯s barking!¡± Eliana exined

    loudly.

    Upon hearing that, Maurice was rendered speechless.

    She then stood up from the floor, massaged her waist and walked to the sofa with difficulty.

    She then moved the puppy away and reached her hand under the sofa.

    She finally felt her phone.

    She then immediately turned off the speaker.

    ¡°Preston, why did you call me?¡±

    She was praying in her heart that he did not call her to ask about the ring.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would return my ring soon? Well, I want to know when you¡¯re nning on

    giving it back to me,¡± Maurice said lightly, but his words felt like a death sentence to her.

    ¡°Well¡­ There is a small problem with the ring now, and¡­ The situation is veryplicated,¡± Eliana

    stammered.

    The puppy pouted at Eliana since she took its toy away. Barking loudly, the puppy continued to bite her

    trousers and pull them.

    Eliana was already upset, and the puppy¡¯s noisiness only caused her irritation.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Hearing her loud scream, the puppy fell quiet and ran to its masters forfort.

    At the same time, her deafening roar hurt Maurice¡¯s ear, and he had to move the phone away from his

    ear.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with her?¡¯

    ¡°Are you going to return my ring or not?¡±

    Eliana felt like her head was going to explode. She knew that she would have toe to terms with it

    sooner orter, and thought that it was better to do it now.

    With a heavy sigh, she said, ¡°Preston, listen, let¡¯s talk about the ring in person. I can¡¯t exin about it

    over the phone.¡±

    She felt that it was not right for her to tell him about the ring over the phone.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    After all, the ring was swallowed by the dog, and the dog was now missing. No one would believe such

    a story.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see youter in Golden Imperial Club,¡± Maurice said.

    An hourter, he sat at the bar of the club, wearing a mask.

    Anyone who came to the club would say that it was the happiest ce in the world.

    However, Maurice did not feel so. Every time he came there, he would change his identity and

    investigate Gerald.

    But ever since Eliana came into his life, he had always felt an inexplicable sense of expectation

    whenever he thought of meeting her there.

    Hence, he did not want toe there after she stoppeding.

    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯

    Maurice was still in a daze when Wyatt walked up to him with a bottle of wine and poured him a ss.

    ¡°I thought that you would nevere again. Looks like you¡¯ve patched things up with Eliana. Isn¡¯t that

    right?¡±

    Wyatt handed the ss to Maurice, who took it from him, ignoring his tease.

    ¡°I heard that you were looking for a dog.¡±

    Maurice drank the wine down. His deep eyes reflected on the shiny ss.

    ¡°The dog has something to do with Eliana. I am only helping her search for it.¡±

    ¡®So it¡¯s Eliana¡¯s dog?¡¯

    Wyatt smiled and said, ¡°Maurice, you are crazy! Why do you care about Eliana¡¯s dog?¡±

    Stroking the wine ss, Maurice also felt that he had been acting really strangetely.

    All of a sudden, they heard a noise, turned around, and saw a group kicking and punching a middle-

    aged man.

    ¡°That guy looks like Hodge.¡± Wyatt frowned.

    Hodge¡­

    Maurice suddenly remembered that Eliana had once asked him about that man.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with him?¡±

    ¡°I guess he owed money to those people and they chased him here. He is a fence sitter, who used to

    work for Gerald privately, and got a lot of benefits from him. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to quit his

    gambling habit and ended up falling in debt. Are you curious about him?¡±

    Maurice felt that a man like Hodge should have nothing to do with Eliana.

    But why had she asked him about Hodge?

    Maurice immediately lost interest and became disappointed.

    ¡°Drive them out. How dare they act like beasts in the Golden Imperial Club? Do they have a death

    wish?¡± Maurice asked coldly.

    He ced the wine ss on the table, looked up, and saw Eliana walking into the club.

    His eyes lit up at once and he wanted to greet her.

    However, the next second, he saw Eliana walking towards Hodge.

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115

    As soon as Eliana arrived at the Golden Imperial Club, she saw an acquaintance.

    ¡®Isn¡¯t that Hodge?¡¯

    Hodge was lying on the floor while people were attacking him mercilessly. He was beaten ck and

    blue. If Eliana had not remembered him well, she would not have been able to recognize him.

    After all those months she spent looking for him, she did not expect to stumble upon him at the Golden

    Imperial Club.

    She was determined to seize the opportunity and ask him what had happened to the Pierce Group all

    those years ago.

    ¡°Stop!¡± she shouted at the group.

    The leader of the group, a man with tattoos on his arms, stared at Eliana, and said fiercely, ¡°Who are

    you? This is none of your business.¡±

    However, she had already made up her mind to meddle in their affairs.

    Instead of retreating, Eliana walked closer to the group of people and shouted, ¡°Help! Help! A man is

    molesting me!¡±

    Everyone in the club immediately turned around and the man was shocked and frozen in ce.

    The security guards rushed over to the scene at once.

    ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m warning you! Not to make trouble here. Or else, you need to get out of here!¡±

    The leader of the group did not want to give up at all, but given that the club was run by a powerful

    person, he had no choice but to retreat for the time being.

    Looking at Hodge with a murderous gaze, he spit at him and hissed, ¡°You¡¯re lucky to escape death this

    time. But if you don¡¯t settle your debt, I am gonna kill you!¡±

    When he walked past Eliana, he red at her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Eliana reached out to help Hodge get up.

    Hodge¡¯s ears were buzzing and when he finally came to his senses, he heard a familiar voice.

    The moment he looked up and saw Eliana, he was more terrified than he had been when he had met

    his creditor.

    ¡®Why is she here?¡¯

    Hodge immediately wanted to run away and escape.

    However, in his wounded state, he could not move and was caught by Eliana.

    Eliana pulled him to a quiet corner and asked, ¡°Mr. Chadwick, tell me, what happened to the Pierce

    Group all those years ago? What caused my dad¡¯s death?¡±

    She had tried to contact him numerous times ever since she saw him at the dinner party, but he had

    always avoided her, which could only mean that he was hiding something from her.

    Hodge stammered, ¡°Stop asking. There¡¯s no secret behind what happened to the Pierce Group. It was

    all because of the poor management. Your father just couldn¡¯t ept the fact. No one else could be

    med for¡­¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Eliana eximed, interrupting him.

    ¡°Dad was not the kind of man who was not able to take a blow. Besides, he was not the kind who¡¯d

    leave his family alone. Tell me, did it have something to do with Mom? Or did the Moran Group do it?¡±

    Eliana forced him to tell her the truth by holding his shoulders tightly.

    Hodge panicked. After all, he knew very well that he would be facing a fate worse than death if he told

    her the truth.

    He had no choice but to escape.

    All of a sudden, he ced his hand over his chest and cried out, ¡°Ouch! It hurts so badly!¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana loosened her grip and asked nervously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Hodge seized the opportunity, pushed her away, and rushed out.

    Caught off guard, Eliana bumped into a table identally. The ss bottles on the table smashed to

    the floor, crashing loudly.

    Just when Eliana was about to fall down, she felt someone catch her from behind.

    She looked up in a panic and saw Preston.

    Ignoring her pain, she wanted to chase after Hodge.

    However, Maurice grabbed her wrist. ¡°You are injured. Why are you still keen on running after him?¡±

    By then, Hodge had already disappeared.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°Why are you stopping me? Do you have any idea of what I just missed?¡±

    Eliana was almost furious. She was just about to find out the truth about Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy.

    ¡°Preston, was I indebted to you in my past life that you¡¯re now trying to collect the debt?¡±

    Maurice became angry when he heard that. After all, he was only trying to protect her.

    ¡°Shut up! Look at yourself!¡±

    Maurice raised her hand. Only then did Eliana notice that several pieces of ss were deeply stuck in

    her arm, which was oozing with blood.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116

    Eliana was hurt¡­

    She was so focused on chasing after Hodge that she did not even notice the ss shards on the table.

    Actually, she did not even know that those ss shards had pierced through her skin.

    The moment Preston reminded her about it, she suddenly felt pain all over her arm, stinging her.

    She could not help but think of everything that had happened to her in the past few days.

    Nicole had pped her in the face; then she had almost gotten stabbed by a paper knife; andter, she

    had fallen to the floor while trying to grab her cellphone. However, she felt more miserable now

    because of her injuries and the bleeding.

    How could she be so unlucky?

    ¡°Preston, don¡¯t you think that I have been really unluckytely? I suffered a lot and I got hurt!¡±

    ¡°We need to get your wound dressed first.¡±

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened at once, and it seemed as though there was a storm brewing in his

    dark eyes.

    The blood dripping from Eliana¡¯s arm was making him ufortable.

    ¡°Sit here while I go and fetch the first aid kit.¡±

    Maurice escorted her into the private room and went to get the first aid box.

    Eliana¡¯s heart softened as she saw the busy man. She was moved to see that someone cared so much

    about her and even felt the pain lessened.

    Holding a pair of tweezers, Maurice carefully removed the ss shards from her arm.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so skilled at first aid,¡± Eliana muttered in a low voice, a warm emotion filling

    her heart.

    ¡°How can I not be skilled? Do you know how many of your wounds I¡¯ve treatedtely?¡± Maurice said

    with self-mockery. But the concern in his eyes was obvious.

    Eliana curled her lips and said, ¡°And how many times did you treat my wound? You must have

    mistaken me for someone else.¡±

    After all, he was a gigolo who was involved with many women, so it was only natural for her to think

    that he must have treated other women¡¯s wounds.

    An inexplicable feeling of envy spread in her heart when she thought of Preston helping other women

    so gently.

    Maurice¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he realized what he just said.

    He had almost exposed himself just a second ago by revealing that he had treated her wounds.

    ¡°Could there be anyone who is as dumb as you?¡± Maurice quickly changed the topic. ¡°Even though

    you¡¯re a grown-up, you still don¡¯t know how to protect yourself.¡±

    After cleaning the wound, he applied some hydrogen peroxide over it to disinfect the wound.

    The moment the cotton swab doused in hydrogen peroxide touched her wound, Eliana could not help

    but gasp in pain.

    ¡°Endure the oue of your recklessness.¡±

    Although Maurice was pretending to be cold, his movements were very gentle.

    Gradually, Eliana¡¯s pain subsided, but she could not stop thinking about Hodge.

    Hodge had been a senior employee at the Pierce Group, so he must know what had happened back

    then. Why was he so keen on hiding the truth from her?

    Thinking of that, she felt as though someone was covering her eyes with a veil, making it impossible for

    her to see the truth.

    Maurice finally wrapped a bandage around Eliana¡¯s arm, and when he looked up, he saw her frowning.

    It was not surprising to him that he did not hear her screaming from the pain. She had been absent-

    minded for a long time now.

    ¡°Are you thinking about that man you were chasing? Tell me, why were you chasing him? Maybe, I can

    help you.¡±

    Maurice was also confused. Eliana had asked him about Hodge before, and she had been really

    emotional at that time. Why was she so keen on finding Hodge?

    Since it was about her painful past, Eliana was a little hesitant.

    It was true that Preston was the father of her kids, but was he worthy of her trust?

    She had trusted someone with all her heart, and when that person betrayed her, it had been engraved

    in her heart. Was she really going to risk opening up to someone again?

    For some reason, she recalled all of her interactions with Preston.

    He had gotten injured at the ck market while trying to save her, and he had provided her with an

    umbre when it had rained that day. He had even gotten her a birthday cake.

    Until now, she did not realize that they had experienced so many things together.

    Gritting her teeth, she decided to make a bet again.

    ¡°That man is Hodge Chadwick. Several years ago, my parents were set up, and theirpany went

    bankrupt. Both of them died. And Hodge was a key figure at my parents¡¯pany, so I think that

    perhaps he knows the truth about it.¡±

    Although Eliana sounded very calm, Maurice could feel the weighing sadness in her voice.

    She was usually very optimistic and strong, but now, she seemed like a fragile porcin doll, which

    made him want to take care of her.

    However, her story sounded strangely familiar to him.

    Her surname was Pierce¡­

    He immediately thought of the Pierce Group, which had been acquired by his Moran Group a few years

    ago.

    After the bankruptcy of the Pierce Group, the boss had jumped off a building,mitting suicide and

    soon his wife had also died.

    They had a daughter at that time. Was it Eliana?

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117

    Eliana heaved a long sigh of relief after revealing the truth.

    This was the first time she had uttered these words to others.

    This secret had been weighing on her and now that burden was gone. For a long time, she felt like she

    had been wandering in the darkness with the weight of this secret, but now she finally found another

    person whom she could share it with.

    After hearing what Eliana had said, Maurice fell into silence. However, Eliana mistook his silence.

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking for your sympathy, Preston. I can take care of my own problems. Don¡¯t take my words

    to heart. I don¡¯t expect you to do anything.¡±

    There was a distant look in Eliana¡¯s eyes as she felt a little embarrassed after saying that.

    She wondered what it was about this man and his presence that made her so talkative. It was as if she

    could really open up to him without hesitation.

    Maurice snapped out of his thoughts and noticed the rare shyness on Eliana¡¯s face. A smile yed at

    the corners of his mouth almost immediately.

    It was then that he realized that she trusted him.

    He looked at Eliana seriously and said, ¡°I will help you.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect Preston to be so serious. Besides, he gazed at her with charming eyes. No normal

    woman would be able to resist such charm.

    ¡°Leaving aside the matter, let¡¯s get down to business¡­ The ring! Yes, I have some news about your

    ring.¡±

    Eliana tried to change the subject because she couldn¡¯t bear his intense gaze on her anymore.

    Maurice deliberately didn¡¯t expose her thought. Instead, he turned around, put away the medical kit and

    slowly asked, ¡°Okay, tell me where the ring is.¡±

    Eliana had her heart in her mouth and her lips trembled as she opened her mouth nervously. ¡°Your

    ring¡­ I have lost it.¡±

    The brief moment of silence was pure agony.

    Strangely, at this moment, Maurice had a feeling that it was within his expectation.

    ¡°But! Don¡¯t be rmed! I know exactly where it is! It¡¯s aplicated story and I can¡¯t exin it clearly in

    a few words,¡± Eliana blurted out, but her tone revealed that she felt guilty.

    ¡°Then please exin.¡±

    ¡°It¡­ It got eaten by a dog,¡± said Eliana, lowering her eyes in shame.

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    ¡°Then the dog got lost, right?¡± Maurice asked.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    Was Preston spying on her? How did he know about the dog?

    Maurice shook his head speechlessly. Such a ridiculous incident could only happen with Eliana.

    Finally, everything made sense.

    The missing dog was indeed Eliana¡¯s, and she was Nana¡¯s friend. The boy and girl twins were Nana¡¯s

    children, and the ring had been taken to the kindergarten by the twins, where Ss had seen it before.

    Then the ring got eaten by the dog, and that idiot Corbin was the reason why Nana lost the dog¡­

    The incident was perfectly coherent and was clearly a story of amazing coincidence.

    Maurice¡¯s prolonged silence made Eliana feel guiltier and more ashamed.

    ¡°Preston, it¡¯s really my fault, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not an irresponsible person. I am willing to make

    compensation for your loss. No matter what the cost.¡±

    After going through a life-changing experience five years ago, Eliana knew well the pain of losing a

    loved one.

    The biggest regret of her life was that after her parents passed away, there was nothing left of them

    and so she didn¡¯t have anything of theirs to remember them by.

    Therefore, she could imagine just how devastated Preston would be; after all, she had lost histe

    mother¡¯s belonging that had been left to him after her death.

    Maurice didn¡¯t mean to make things difficult for Eliana, but when he saw the nervous look on her face,

    he had a strong urge to y a trick on her.

    He bent down and got closer to Eliana, until they were so close that he could hear her heart pounding

    inside her chest.

    ¡°Have you made up your mind yet? That ring is very important to me, so¡­¡±

    The moment Eliana felt Preston¡¯s warm breath on her cheeks, her mind became a mess. Her knees felt

    weak, almost as if she was going to crumble to the floor any moment.

    Maurice smiled yfully and his tone was seductive. He eyed Eliana from top to bottom with a

    mysterious glint in his gaze.

    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to think of a way for you to make it up to me¡­¡±

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118

    Eliana¡¯s body became numb in an instant, as if an electric current had passed through her body.

    She was a little rmed by the tone of his voice.

    ¡°What do you want? I am not going to sell my body to you aspensation, if that¡¯s what you have in

    mind!¡±

    Crossing her arms across her chest, Eliana stepped back and stared at Preston warily, like a frightened

    little animal.

    She could feel the goosebumps upon her skin and the breath caught in her lungs in the presence of the

    Devil standing before her.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that her behavior would only make her more attractive to him.

    Maurice chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯re crazy if you think I would be that desperate. I don¡¯t know what you

    can do topensate me yet, but I¡¯ll decideter. Besides, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t try to run away from

    your responsibilities.¡±

    ¡°No! No! No! I won¡¯t!¡± Eliana nodded repeatedly and added, ¡°The ring belonged to your mother. I

    promise I¡¯ll do everything in my power to bring it back to you. But, before that, you will¡­¡±

    ¡°I will what?¡±

    Maurice leaned forward again, his thin lips almost touching Eliana¡¯s skin.

    It was almost as if any moment a kiss wouldnd on Eliana¡¯s cheek.

    Suddenly, the atmosphere around them intensified. As she looked up at his handsome face, Eliana

    swallowed nervously.

    ¡®What should I do?¡¯

    She only wanted topensate for the ring, not by herself!

    Maurice just wanted to make a fool out of Eliana.

    There was an adorable pinkish blush on her cheeks and her beautiful eyebrows looked like they were

    painted on by master painter. At that moment, he was drawn by her charming eyes.

    At such a close distance, he could catch a hint of Eliana¡¯s fragrance with every breath.

    Everything about her seemed so alluring that he felt a strong desire for her that needed instant

    satiation.

    While Maurice was biting his lips in pure arousal, Eliana¡¯s words snapped him out of his lustful

    imagination.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡­ I¡¯ll be your mother. Don¡¯t worry about anything. I will give you all the maternal love

    you need,¡± Eliana suggested seriously.

    Maurice didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Get out!¡±

    She wanted to be his mother?

    What an ungrateful woman! It was almost impossible to have a decent conversation with her without

    him getting infuriated.

    As soon as the man gave the order, Eliana was taken away and thrown out of the Imperial Golden

    Club, leaving her with a confused expression on her face.

    She looked up at the gloomy sky before turning around to look at the closed door of the Imperial

    Golden Club.

    A strong gust of wind blew over Eliana and she shivered like a dry leaf.

    She felt as useless as a four-day-old cabbage that got left on the streets to rot.

    Indeed, her entire life seemed to be cursed.

    She owed the CEO money and the gigolo a ring now. On some deeper deliberation, Eliana started to

    find a strange resemnce between the two men. Was her fate entangled with theirs?

    Perhaps, a visit to the nearest forteller could help her see into the future so she could avoid such

    disasters from ever entering her life.

    After mulling over the matter for some time, Eliana decided that it would be better to use the

    forteller¡¯s helps to find the dog instead.

    The most urgent problem at hand was finding the dog, so that at the very least, she could keep her

    dignity in front of the gigolo and avoid the miserable fate of being humiliated both by the CEO and the

    gigolo at the same time.

    The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to Eliana.

    Meanwhile, she had no idea that there was a camera aimed at her from a dark corner of the road just

    outside the Imperial Golden Club.

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    The person who pressed the shutter stared at her attentively and then confirmed her identity.

    Elsewhere, a dimly litmp cast a little light on a figure sitting on the expensive office chair. In front of

    him was a big French window from which he could overlook the nightscape of the entire city.

    The ss of red wine in the man¡¯s hand sparkled, casting a scarlet reflection on his hand.

    ¡°Boss, is this the person you¡¯ve been looking for? It seems like she¡¯s a regr at the Imperial Golden

    Club and she wasst seen meeting Hodge.¡±

    The man reporting was stood in the middle of the room, bowing his head with respect. The photos of a

    woman were scattered under the smallmp on the desk.

    The woman in the photos was none other than Eliana. Some of the photos were shot when she was

    working in the Design Department and some were shot when she was entering the Imperial Golden

    Club. Besides, he even took a picture of her while she was holding Hodge¡¯s hand inside the Imperial

    Golden Club.

    The chair turned around slowly, revealing a middle-aged man¡¯s face. His expression revealed a cold

    and murderous side to him that made the person before him tremble with fear.

    He was Gerald.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119

    Gerald picked up a photo from his desk.

    In the photo, Eliana was smiling happily and squatting down to feed the stray cats by the roadside. The

    sunlight illuminated her body dramatically and gave her a slightly hazy halo, making her look like a god

    in an oil painting.

    It turned out that Eliana was the daughter of the Pierce family. No wonder her eyes looked so simr to

    hers¡­

    For a moment, Gerald was stuck in a trance. Through the photo, he pictured the young girl of his

    dreams again. She was the woman he had been longing for but had never really possessed.

    He was thinking about Ingrid White, Eliana¡¯s mother.

    Lost in thought, Gerald¡¯s mind started churning out various schemes.

    Eliana was a member of the Pierce family, and Maurice liked her.

    The corners of Gerald¡¯s mouth twitched upwards. This was wonderful news. He finally found Maurice¡¯s

    weakness! Now, all he needed to do was think about how he could use Eliana to his advantage.

    It didn¡¯t take long before he hatched a n.

    Swirling the red wine in his ss, Gerald smiled viciously. ¡°Bring Hodge to me,¡± he barked.

    It waste. The moon quietly climbed up into the sky. Under the cover of the night, a storm was

    brewing amidst the shadows. Unbeknownst to her as she walked home, Eliana was standing at the

    center of the storm.

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    She sneezed loudly just as she reached her home. After rubbing her nose, she took out the key from

    her bag.

    When she opened the door, she found that the living room was dark. The only light came from the

    children¡¯s room.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re home!¡±

    Nana walked out of the children¡¯s room and closed the door behind her. She walked over and flicked on

    the lights in the living room.

    ¡°How are Aileen and Adrian?¡± Eliana asked as she shook off her shoes and put on slippers.

    ¡°They¡¯re asleep. As for the dog¡­ You don¡¯t know how noisy it is,¡± Nanained. Her head ached at

    the mere thought of the energetic puppy.

    She shook her head, thinking she must¡¯ve been out of her mind to have taken in such a troublesome

    pet.

    Only then did Nana notice that there was arge gauze wrapped around Eliana¡¯s arm. She immediately

    narrowed her eyes and anxiously picked up Eliana¡¯s hand to check her wound.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt? Damn it! It was that damned gigolo, wasn¡¯t it? How dare he bully a girl? So I lost the dog

    and I made the mistake. Worst case scenario, I¡¯ll apologize to him. He should¡¯vee to me!¡± Nana

    snorted indignantly.

    How dare Preston hurt her good friend?

    Nana didn¡¯t look like she was going to apologize at all. Instead, she looked like she wanted to teach

    Preston a lesson.

    Eliana burst intoughter and waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Rx, will you? It wasn¡¯t Preston¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°Then whose fault was it?¡± Nana frowned. It was clear that she didn¡¯t believe a word Eliana said.

    Eliana fell silent and then she sighed.

    ¡°Hodge Chadwick.¡±

    Nana¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Hodge Chadwick? Who¡¯s that?¡±

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    ¡°He used to be the second-inmand in the Pierce Group. He¡¯s the only person who can tell me the

    truth behind the Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy.¡±

    Eliana subconsciously clenched her fists. No one wanted to find Hodge more than she did.

    ¡°Hodge Chadwick, you say? Wait. I¡¯ll get a private detective to investigate him right now.¡±

    As she spoke, Nana whipped out her phone, rushed into the bathroom, and closed the door behind her.

    ¡°Nana, open up! Stop being so impulsive!¡±

    Eliana followed her to the bathroom and knocked on the door, but Nana had already made up her mind.

    She knew that the death of Eliana¡¯s parents had always been a thorn in her heart. Now that they finally

    found a clue, Nana was determined to do her best to help her friend.

    She unlocked her phone and called Corbin instead of the so-called private detective.

    ¡°Hey, Corbin. I¡¯m calling to tell you that the dog ¡®thing¡¯ has been discovered. There¡¯s only one way for

    us to make up for the trouble we¡¯ve caused.¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡±

    Corbin sounded helpless. In that moment, he regretted getting involved with this crazy woman.

    ¡°I¡¯ll exinter. Help me find someone first.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Hodge Chadwick.¡±

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120

    The next day, Corbin told Maurice that Nana had asked him to look for Hodge.

    ¡°Sir, I think that there must be an issue or something.¡±

    However, Maurice was not surprised to hear that at all, because it was pretty evident that the reason

    Nana was trying to find Hodge was for Eliana¡¯s sake.

    If he did not know that Eliana was the daughter of the Pierce family, then he might still suspect that she

    had ulterior motives behind her quest to find Hodge, but now everything was clear to him. She was only

    trying to find Hodge to figure out who was the mastermind that was responsible for the bankruptcy of

    the Pierce Group.

    ¡°Why are they trying to find Hodge?¡± Corbin asked in confusion.

    ¡°They¡¯re doing it for the Pierce Group. Hodge is the only one who knows the truth behind the Pierce

    Group¡¯s bankruptcy.¡±

    ¡°The Pierce Group? What does the Pierce Group have to do with Nana or Eliana?¡± Corbin was puzzled

    for a moment. ¡°Wait¡­ The Pierce Group, Eliana Pierce¡­ Oh my God! Is Eliana the daughter of the

    Pierce Group¡¯s boss?¡±

    Maurice nced at the shocked Corbin andmented lightly, ¡°It seems that you are not stupid.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you purchase the Pierce Group? Then, you and Eliana are¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Corbin was about to say that Maurice and Eliana were enemies, but when he met Maurice¡¯s cold gaze,

    he immediately swallowed his words.

    ¡°What should we do now?¡±

    ¡°You have to agree to find Hodge to Nana even if it means that you¡¯ll have to dig a hole in the ground.¡±

    Maurice had to keep his word since he had already promised to help Eliana.

    Moreover, he also felt that there was something mysterious about the Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy.

    And it was because before he had bought the Pierce Group, his uncle had done something to the

    company.

    Maurice remembered the news from that time.

    The boss of the Pierce Group hadmitted suicide by jumping off a building, and his wife had

    followed him soon after.

    Gerald had not made any moves after that, and thinking about it, Maurice realized that it could not be

    that simple.

    And he was also curious about how Eliana had survived all those years. She had been the daughter of

    a wealthy family, and her family had fallen overnight. How did she manage to cope with such miserable

    things?

    Maurice recalled the fact that she had agreed to act like his girlfriend for money and had been forced to

    work in thepany to pay off the debt of one million dors, and his heart ached.

    He could not help but wonder how many such injustices she had suffered in her life.

    All of a sudden, Maurice wished that he was able to turn back time and meet her sooner.

    If he had met her earlier in life, then he could have¡­

    What would he have done? Maurice didn¡¯t dare to think further about it.

    Looking at his boss, who was being so silent, Corbin sighed with mixed feelings.

    Eliana had indeed changed Maurice greatly. In fact, Maurice had never been as concerned about a

    woman¡¯s past as he was now, and Corbin could not figure out how much he really cared about her.

    ¡°Sir, do you still want me to look for the dog?¡± Corbin reminded him in a low voice.

    At the very mention of the dog, Maurice¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°How dare you mention the dog? You¡¯re the one responsible for that.¡±

    ¡°Is the dog that important?¡± Corbin was perplexed.

    Did Maurice really love Eliana so much that he even cared about her dog? Corbin could not help but

    comin in his heart.

    Maurice suddenly sneered, ¡°The ring I¡¯ve been looking for the past five years is in that dog¡¯s belly. And

    since the dog ran away, we have no way of finding the ring. Is the dog important or not?¡±

    With an awkward smile, Corbin said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re kidding, right? How could such a coincidence

    happen?¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows at him. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m kidding?¡±

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    Corbin waspletely stunned.

    ¡®Why? Why does it always have to be me who gets hurt in the end?¡¯

    Ever since Eliana met Hodge at the Golden Imperial Club, she had been trying her best to find him, but

    her efforts were in vain.

    However, she still had to continue working.

    Soon, she resumed her normal life at thepany and at home.

    One morning, when she was about to enter thepany building, a woman rushed forward and

    blocked her path.

    ¡°Eliana, you bitch!¡±

    ¡°Evelynn?¡±

    Eliana looked at her in shock.

    Evelynn¡¯s face was haggard, and she was not looking like the elegant daughter of the Jarvis family

    now.

    How did she be like that?

    Resentment began to pour out of Evelynn¡¯s heart the moment she saw her. She really wished that she

    could tear Eliana into shreds.

    ¡°What kind of vicious methods did you use? How could you let Maurice destroy the Jarvis family?¡±

    Evelynn screamed hysterically.

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121

    ¡°For me? What are you talking about?¡± Eliana asked with squinted eyes, confused by Evelynn¡¯s

    usation.

    ¡°If I had known things would end up like this, I would have arranged for more people in that shop to get

    rid of you! If I hadn¡¯t made a mistake and you hadn¡¯t been rescued by Maurice¡¯s men, my family

    wouldn¡¯t have been destroyed. It¡¯s all your fault! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Evelynn shouted, with clear madness

    in her eyes.

    For a moment, Eliana froze in shock.

    She had always suspected that Evelynn was the one behind everything, but since she couldn¡¯t find any

    evidence to prove it, she had stayed silent till now.

    But she had never imagined that Evelynn would actually admit it with her own mouth!

    ¡°Evelynn, it¡¯s no surprise that your family has been reduced to such a state. It¡¯s what you deserve. And

    I¡¯ll have you know that I wasn¡¯t rescued by Mr. Moran¡¯s men that day. You think that Maurice destroyed

    the Jarvis family for my sake? Sorry, I¡¯m not that charming.¡±

    Just the memories of that day brought the lingering fear to the surface of Eliana¡¯s mind. She knew that

    if Preston hadn¡¯t arrived in time that day, she might have been dead by now.

    ¡°Eliana, stop lying through your teeth! It was of course Maurice¡¯s men who saved you that day. How

    long are you going to pretend like you don¡¯t know?¡±

    Evelynn was fed up with what she was sure was an act by Eliana.

    After all, she had orchestrated the whole scheme in secret. No one could have found the shop in such

    a short time, let alone dared to take Eliana away from Gerald¡¯s territory, except Maurice.

    Immersed in her own perspective, Evelynnpletely regarded herself as a victim.

    Eliana knew this, so she didn¡¯t want to waste her breath arguing with Evelynn anymore.

    Instead, she just walked past Evelynn and left.

    But she had barely taken two steps when Evelynn whirled around and grabbed her hand.

    When Eliana turned her head to look back at Evelynn, she saw tears rolling down thetter¡¯s cheeks.

    The woman who had looked fierce and deranged just two seconds ago now looked pitiful.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m begging you. You can do anything you want to me, but don¡¯t take your anger out on my

    family. My poor mother has a heart disease. She won¡¯t be able to live with the fact that we¡¯re broke.

    Can you help me beg Maurice?¡±

    As Evelynn spoke, her left hand which was hidden behind her back curled into a fist, and her nails dug

    into her palm.

    She wanted nothing more than to pounce forward and kill Eliana, but right now, Eliana was the only one

    who could change Maurice¡¯s mind.

    In this situation, she had no choice but to bow down to Eliana!

    But Evelynn promised herself that in the future, once she had regained her previous power, the first

    person she would deal with was Eliana.

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    Of course, Eliana couldn¡¯t possibly know what was going on in Evelynn¡¯s mind. All Eliana could see

    was the tears on Evelynn¡¯s face and the way her lips were trembling, making her look pathetic. It was

    probably the first time that Evelynn had ever begged someone for mercy.

    The scene in front of Eliana reminded her of her father.

    When the Pierce Group was on the verge of bankruptcy, had her father begged for help to save the

    group?

    The memory tugged at Eliana¡¯s heart, but she refused to sympathize with Evelynn. In her eyes, the

    Jarvis family deserved their downfall and more.

    Besides, a person like Evelynn, who thought that she had the right to take a person¡¯s life at will, had to

    learn the hard way that the same thing could happen to her at any moment.

    Eliana would never forgive this woman in front of her, who had once tried to kill her!

    ¡°Evelynn, stop putting on a show. You¡¯re just wasting both of our time. I¡¯m not a pushover, and I¡¯m not

    interested in helping you. Let go of me right now. I have to go to work,¡± Eliana said curtly as she shook

    off Evelynn¡¯s hand. Then, she strode into thepany without looking back.

    Evelynn charged forward to chase after her but was stopped by the security guards.

    When Eliana got into the elevator and turned around, she saw Evelynn standing outside the office

    building caught in a tangle with the security guards. At this moment, Evelynn¡¯s face was twisted in fury.

    Just as Eliana expected, Evelynn couldn¡¯t keep up her pitiful facade for long. Arguing with the security

    guards like a shrew, she looked ridiculous, much to Eliana¡¯s pleasure.

    Her run-in with Evelynn didn¡¯t affect her mood at all.

    When the doors of the elevator opened, Eliana stepped out and walked briskly into the office of the

    Design Department. As soon as she sat down at her desk, she saw Bradly packing up the things on his

    desk.

    ¡°Bradly, what¡¯s wrong? Are you leaving thepany? Did Maurice make things difficult for you again?

    Did he force you to resign?¡± Eliana asked anxiously, jumping out of her seat and walking up to Bradly.

    There was a stab of guilt in her heart, since she felt that she was the one who had made him get into

    trouble.

    ¡°Eliana, calm down. I¡¯m indeed leaving thepany, but I¡¯m the one who took the initiative to resign.

    I¡¯m going back to America,¡± Bradly exined.

    Hearing those words, Eliana felt like the breath had been knocked out of her lungs.

    It turned out that it was time to say good-bye again.

    Bradly took a deep breath and finally said the words that he had been chewing over.

    ¡°Eliana, would you like to leave with me and start a new life in America?¡±

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122

    ¡°Eliana, I like you, and I want to take care of you, and give you a happy, wonderful future.¡±

    Bradly could not bear to hide his feelings for her anymore. He spoke out his feelings, hoping that the

    woman he loved would give him an answer.

    However, his confession shocked Eliana.

    Although she had vaguely guessed what he was trying to say to her, when she actually heard his

    confession, she did not know what to say to him.

    Bradly¡¯s eyes were glistening when he gazed at her.

    But Eliana knew well that her eyes would never sparkle the same way for him.

    After all, she had always thought of him as a friend, and had never had any romantic feelings for him.

    Moreover, she still had not told him that she was a mother of two children.

    Bradly¡¯s restless heart sank when he noticed her hesitance.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡­ Are you in love with someone else?¡± he asked in a low voice, enduring the dull ache in

    his heart.

    She suddenly saw the hazy image of a man in her mind.

    He had a handsome and enchanting face with cold yet soulful deep ck eyes.

    He looked like Maurice, but also like Preston.

    Thinking of the image in her mind, she felt like she was a fickle-minded, immoral woman.

    Looking at the silent Eliana in front of him, Bradly knew what she was going to say.

    With a bitter smile on his lips, he wondered if he waste in his confession again.

    ¡°Eliana. Don¡¯t feel so stressed. I¡¯m willing to wait for you. I was toote to confess my feelings for you

    all those years ago, so you ended up dating Asher, that terrible man. I have regretted not telling you

    sooner ever since, and I did not want to repeat the same mistake again.¡±

    In Eliana¡¯s life, Bradly was like the gentle cool breeze that was always there tofort her when she

    needed it the most. No matter how much her life changed, he was always there for her.

    Thinking of that, Eliana was in a dilemma.

    Although he was a good man, she did not have feelings for him, and she believed that it would be too

    cruel to make him wait.

    What was she supposed to say?

    ¡°Bradly, please don¡¯t say that. I¡­ I already have a boyfriend,¡±

    Eliana blurted out hastily. She did not want to waste his time or get his hopes up. She believed that he

    deserved to be with a woman he loved, who also loved him back.

    ¡°Is¡­ Is it Mr. Moran?¡± Bradly asked slowly.

    ¡°No! No, how could it be him? Anyway¡­ I have a boyfriend now.¡±

    Eliana clutched her hem of her shirt in her hand nervously as she lied to him with a heavy heart.

    She probably did not notice that she always tended to clutch her clothes nervously whenever she lied.

    Since Bradly had known her for so many years, it was easy for him to figure out that she was lying.

    ¡°Really? To celebrate my resignation, I invited everyone from the Design Department for dinner tonight.

    I¡¯ll help you find out if the man you¡¯re with is a good one.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Where was she going to find a boyfriend now?

    All of a sudden, Preston¡¯s enchanting face shed in her mind.

    An idea urred to her at once.

    She could perhaps ask Preston to act like her boyfriend. Since they were already good friends, Preston

    would not be able to demand a lot of money for the role, and he would probably do it for free.

    ¡°Okay, Bradly. Just hold on a minute. I¡¯ll call him.¡±

    Bradly¡¯s eyes darkened when he heard those words. Just like any man, he was stubborn. He was

    unwilling to give up before he saw Eliana¡¯s boyfriend.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Eliana walked to a corner, took out her phone, found Preston¡¯s number, and dialed it.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Preston¡¯s maic voice came to her ears, making her feel thirsty for some reason.

    ¡°Well¡­ Preston, I have something to ask you. I need your help.¡±

    Intrigued by her words, Maurice raised his eyebrows and asked in azy voice, ¡°What is it?¡±

    Eliana gulped and asked, ¡°Well, can you be my boyfriend?¡±

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    Chapter 123

    For a moment, Maurice¡¯s mind went nk.

    He felt like there were countless fireworks lighting up in his heart, making the long silent night glow like

    a carnival.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Eliana always surprised him, but it was the first time that Maurice was at a loss for words and did not

    know what to do. Shock, doubt, panic¡­ Countless of such emotions filled up in his heart. Imperceptible

    sweetness was tugging at hisplex mood.

    ¡°Pretend! Can you pretend to be my boyfriend?¡±

    Eliana felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest when she realized that shepletely

    forgot to mention the word ¡°pretend¡±.

    Upon hearing no reply from the other end, she felt a little disappointed.

    Was he not going to agree?

    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Maurice asked in a calm voice, ignoring the feeling of disappointment in his

    heart.

    ¡°I just came back from abroad, and I don¡¯t know a lot of guys here. You¡¯re a gigolo, who is used to

    serving wealthy women, right? So I thought that your acting skills might be perfect for my needs.

    Besides, I still haven¡¯t found the ring, so we can¡¯t cut off ties just yet. Why don¡¯t you just think of it as a

    favor and help me?¡±

    Obviously, the main reason Eliana chose him was because she knew that he would not ask her for

    money, but she did not dare to mention that to him, knowing that it would infuriate him.

    ¡°What a ridiculous reason! You are so shameless!¡± Anger rose in Maurice¡¯s heart and he couldn¡¯t help

    butugh.

    ¡°You¡¯re no better. Actually, I learned to develop a thick skin by watching you,¡± Eliana retorted cheekily.

    ¡°You¡­ Okay! You got me.¡±

    Hearing the sound of Preston gritting his teeth, she felt like she had vented her anger.

    But why was his voice echoing?

    She was hiding behind a huge flower beside the elevator to avoid Bradly.

    With a confused look, she nced through the leaves and saw Maurice, standing not far away and

    talking to someone over the phone.

    Did she just hear Maurice¡¯s voice?

    Preston, Maurice¡­

    An astonishing conjecture came to her mind.

    Preston and Maurice looked different, and were different people. One was a CEO, and the other was a

    gigolo, but for some reason, she always felt that there was an inexplicable simrity and striking

    coincidences between them.

    Preston had gotten injured while trying to save her in the ck market, and on the next day, Maurice

    had a scar in the exact same spot.

    And she had fallen asleep beside Preston one night and had woken up in Maurice¡¯s house the next

    morning.

    Moreover, they both seemed to answer her calls at the same time¡­

    She felt like all those little hints were a part of the puzzle. It was all connected.

    Could it be that Preston and Maurice were actually the same guy?

    Shocked by her own thoughts, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but stagger.

    She identally rubbed her arm against the nt, causing the leaves to rustle.

    At the same time, Maurice sensed that someone was secretly watching him, so when he heard the

    leaves rustle, he immediately turned around.

    Their eyes met, and he immediately hung up.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°What are you doing here sneaking around during working hours?¡±

    Flustered by his sudden question, Eliana tried to avoid him subconsciously.

    But after thinking about it, she realized that she did not do anything wrong, and that there was no

    reason for her to be so afraid.

    She then thought of her suspicion and felt that it was necessary for her to find out the truth.

    Eliana walked up to him on purpose and asked, ¡°Mr. Moran, Mr. Stewart is treating us to dinner tonight.

    Will you join us?¡±

    She was confident that if Preston and Maurice were the same man, then they would not be able to

    appear in the same ce at the same time.

    Maurice was calm, and there was a hint of contempt in his eyes when he replied, ¡°No, Bradly is not

    qualified to treat me to dinner.¡±

    ¡°My boyfriend will also being tonight, so can¡¯t you just be normal and join us this once? Or

    perhaps, you¡­ You don¡¯t dare to?¡±

    Eliana stared straight into his eyes, trying to catch him.

    However, as an experienced businessman, Maurice would never expose himself so easily.

    He approached her slowly, forcing her to the wall.

    He then leaned closer and whispered in her ear, ¡°Eliana, when did you find a boyfriend?¡±

    Her breathing became frantic in an instant.

    ¡°By the way, does your boyfriend know that his girlfriend has slept with her boss?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s back was against the cold wall, and her senses were drowning in his seductive fragrance.

    The faint, clear yet domineering smell of his fresh pinewood perfume was very fitting for him.

    She was so overwhelmed by him that she did not know what to do.

    ¡°We just started dating, okay?¡± Eliana pushed him away at once, her face red from embarrassment.

    ¡°Are youing or not?¡±

    Since she was so eager to test him, he would certainly give her a chance. Thinking that, Maurice put on

    a meaningful smile and responded, ¡°Okay.¡±

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    Chapter 124

    ¡°What did you just say? Wait, did I hear you wrong? You¡¯re going to have dinner with Bradly, and so is

    Preston?¡± Corbin was perplexed.

    Sitting on his chair with a calm expression, Maurice took a sip of his coffee.

    ¡°Are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±

    Corbin really wished that he was deaf.

    ¡°Why did you even agree to it? Unless, you can use the avatar technique¡­¡± Corbin was truly puzzled.

    He knew that Maurice¡¯s identity would get exposed to Eliana otherwise.

    Maurice stared at him as though he was looking at a fool. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to use your brain, then

    you should probably donate it to someone who actually needs it.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Corbin was speechless.

    How could Maurice abuse him on such a personal level?

    With a heavy sigh, Maurice added, ¡°Go and call Wyatt over.¡±

    Meanwhile, Eliana was not in the mood to work.

    A lot had happened in just a day. First, Evelynn had confronted her at thepany entrance, and then

    Bradly had confessed his love for her, but the most pressing thing on her mind now was to find out

    whether Maurice and Preston were the same man or not.

    It was finally time for everyone to get off work, and while everyone happily left the Design Department,

    gathering near thepany entrance to discuss Bradly¡¯s dinner invitation, Eliana just followed them

    absent-mindedly.

    A whileter, they saw a white Audi car stop in front of the gate. Bradly got off the car, dressed

    casually.

    ¡°Get in the car. I have made a dinner reservation, and you can eat all you want.¡±

    ¡°Long live, Mr. Stewart!¡± everyone cheered in unison.

    Standing among them, Eliana suddenly became nervous and frowned.

    Would Preston and Maurice reallye?

    In the darkness, a pair of evil eyes was secretly staring at her back.

    Noticing Eliana standing there silently, Bradly was about to call her name, but he suddenly heard a loud

    car horn ring from behind.

    A Rolls-Royce Phantom stopped in front of Eliana, and a frivolous version of ¡°Preston¡±, dressed in a

    custom-made Armani suit, came into her sight.

    Without saying a word, he walked over to Eliana and slid his arm around her waist intimately.

    ¡°Sorry, babe. I¡¯mte.¡±

    He then opened the car backdoor for her, revealing a pile of red roses inside it.

    All the other employees present there gasped in awe.

    ¡°Is he really Eliana¡¯s boyfriend? He is so handsome!¡±

    ¡°Not only is he good-looking, he is also wealthy, and sickeningly romantic. How did she even manage

    to find a guy like him? I really envy her.¡±

    Eliana froze in Preston¡¯s arms as she never expected him to make such a grand and coquettish

    appearance.

    Feeling embarrassed, she wriggled ufortably in his arms.

    Preston tightened his arms around her waist as he lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t

    move. I have to go all out with the role. Or else how are they going to believe that I am your boyfriend?¡±

    Although Eliana felt that his words did make sense, she also felt that there was something strange

    about him.

    ¡°Preston, you sound a little different today.¡±

    Actually, it was Wyatt, ying the role of Preston. With a guilty cough, he lowered his head and

    answered in a low voice, ¡°Well, it¡¯s because I have a cold.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Eliana did not believe his words and looked at him suspiciously.

    Preston¡¯s temperament was also strange that evening. Contrary to his usual cold self, he was acting

    like a frivolous young man. And he did not look like Maurice at all.

    At that moment, Bradly stepped forward, and asked, ¡°Who is this?¡±

    Just when Eliana was about to introduce Preston to him, Wyatt offered him his hand and said, ¡°Hello, I

    am Preston Archer, Eliana¡¯s boyfriend. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±

    Shaking his hand with a doubtful look, Bradly asked, ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve known Eliana since forever. Why haven¡¯t

    I met you before?¡±

    ¡°You must be the senior that Eliana often talks about, right? It¡¯s only normal that we haven¡¯t met before.

    I met her five years ago, and fell in love with her the moment Iid eyes on her, but then something

    happened and we were separated. We stumbled upon each other quite recently, and I am really hoping

    that we¡¯ll be able to resume our rtionship again,¡± Wyatt answered quickly. The men shook hands

    with a fake smile, but there was a clear scent of animosity in the air.

    ¡°Come on, Bradly. Let¡¯s go,¡± Eliana interrupted them just in time, pulled Wyatt¡¯s hand and was about to

    get in the car.

    Staring at their backs, Bradly could not help but frown.

    He thought that he knew Eliana well, and ording to him, she would never fall for a frivolous man.

    Moreover, this man seemed to be far inferior to Maurice.

    ¡°It¡¯s so lively here. Do you think of thepany as your home?¡± Maurice¡¯s cold voice was heard all of a

    sudden.

    And he appeared a momentter.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Maurice, dressed in a ck windbreaker, walked out of thepany slowly.

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125

    ¡®Maurice?¡¯

    Shocked, Eliana looked at Maurice, who was walking towards them nonchntly. With a confused

    expression on her face, she then turned around and looked at the fake Preston, who was stood right

    next to her.

    ¡®So they are not the same person,¡¯ Eliana thought.

    It seemed as though she was wrong about Maurice. Eliana sighed with relief. However, at the same

    time, she felt a little disappointed as well. After all, if they had been the same person, then she¡­

    Stop it!

    Eliana shook her head immediately, trying to shake the terrible thought that was about to enter her

    mind.

    While she was lost in thought, Maurice walked up to Bradly.

    There was pin-drop silence in the crowd. The moment everyone in the Design Department saw their

    boss, they automatically became nervous.

    Everyone kept silent as they respectfully waited for Maurice to speak. ¡°Bradly, I can¡¯t go to the dinner

    invitation tonight. Something urgent came up. But I¡¯ll take care of all the expenses. Enjoy yourselves.¡±

    What mattered was that he had already achieved his goal.

    At this moment, he had good reason to believe that Eliana had probably put off her doubts about him.

    As such, there was no need for him to go to the dinner invitation anymore.

    Bradly¡¯s frown implied that he wasn¡¯t going to take up his offer, but before he could say anything, Eliana

    cut in, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran. That¡¯s very generous of you.¡±

    Bradly looked at her disapprovingly and said, ¡°Eliana¡­¡±

    Eliana tipped him a wink and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not embarrass Mr. Moran by turning down his kindness,

    Bradly. Besides, it¡¯ll save you money too.¡±

    Eliana wasn¡¯t going to turn down an opportunity to rip Maurice off, because her boss wasn¡¯t just rich, he

    was filthy rich.

    Bradly had no choice but to agree. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impolite, Eliana.¡± Then he turned to Maurice and said,

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Maurice furrowed his eyebrows unhappily when he saw them together.

    Eliana was so considerate of Bradly. He was just her senior in college. Why were they so close with

    each other?

    That Bradly Steward! He was always looking for a chance to tell everyone that he and Eliana were very

    close.

    Since Maurice wasn¡¯t happy, he was going to make sure that no one else was happy either.

    He nced at the fake Preston and then shifted his eyes to Bradly yfully. Then he said meaningfully,

    ¡°I heard that Miss Pierce¡¯s boyfriend is here. Is that him next to you? Miss Pierce, if that is your

    boyfriend, why do you care about what another man thinks?¡±

    Bradly¡¯s face turned pale at once.

    The fake Preston had been standing quietly beside Eliana since Maurice came and he never spoke

    again.

    Wait a moment! Something didn¡¯t feel right!

    Preston, with his usual bad temper, could not be indifferent towards Maurice¡¯s words.

    A strange feeling arose in her mind as Eliana felt as though she had missed some important detail.

    However, she didn¡¯t have time to think about it then because all her colleagues were eagerly waiting to

    go to the restaurant. After all, Maurice was footing the bill for the dinner.

    ¡°Well, if we keep chatting, we will bete for dinner. Let¡¯s go quickly. My boyfriend and I will go ahead.

    Just follow us.¡±

    Eliana took fake Preston¡¯s arm and jumped into the car, nuzzling up to him as if they were very close.

    Eliana kept her eyes on fake Preston when they were inside the car. She didn¡¯t even turn around to

    look out the window for once. Wyatt was so nervous the whole time that his body stiffened.

    Did she find out anything?

    He looked away from her and fidgeted in his seat.

    Fortunately, Eliana had no idea what he was thinking. She was just staring at him nkly, lost in her

    own thought.

    Preston¡¯s handsome face was unmistakable.

    However, Eliana had to test him as her curiosity was piqued.

    ¡°By the way, did you find what I asked you to find?

    ¡°That dog? I haven¡¯t found it yet.¡±

    ¡°What a pity! Then, have you found that man?¡±

    ¡°You mean Hodge? I¡¯m doing the best I can. I will inform you immediately if some new information

    arises.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much. You have helped me a lot, just likest time. I appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, helping you take care of your wound was my pleasure.¡±

    He kept answering her questions without any omission.

    Atst, she gave up, thinking that she was just being paranoid for no reason.

    When they arrived at the restaurant, fake Preston parked the car at the gate.

    ¡°Send Eliana away. I need to talk to you in private.¡±

    He heard Maurice¡¯s voice through the bluetooth earphone in his ear.

    Turning his head to Eliana, Wyatt said, ¡°Please wait outside the car for me. I need to make a private

    call. I¡¯ll be quick.¡±

    Without thinking too much of it, Eliana got off the car and waited for him not far away.

    After making sure that Eliana was far enough, Wyatt pulled down the visor and looked at his disguised

    face through the small mirror. He said proudly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m a good actor. Eliana didn¡¯t suspect

    anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you this. I¡¯m telling you to keep a distance from Eliana. Don¡¯t touch her.¡±

    It sounded like Maurice was jealous.

    ¡°You are making things difficult for me. If it were you in my ce, would you have kept a distance from

    her? I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Say that again and you are dead!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± said Wyatt, fiddling with the pinhole camera on his cor. ¡°Besides, the camera is always

    on. You can watch me at any time. I won¡¯t do anything funny. Rx!¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t hear anything, but she could see him smiling mischievously inside the car.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Was he flirting with some other women?

    ¡®That gigolo must be really good at hooking up with women. No wonder he is the best in the business,¡¯

    thought Eliana jealously.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126

    Bradly had made dinner a reservation at a five-star restaurant, which had brightly lit hallways, and

    crystal chandeliers.

    All the employees from the Design Department gathered around a round table with a diameter of three

    meters. As the host of the dinner, Bradly stood up with a ss of red wine to make a toast.

    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m d to have you all here on my farewell dinner, and I would like to propose a toast to

    Eliana first.¡±

    He then raised his ss, looking at Eliana, and continued, ¡°Eliana, the happiest thing I experienced

    was to see you again after returning home, so cheers to that!¡±

    Surprised and ttered, Eliana also stood up and raised her ss. ¡°I was also d to see you again,

    Bradly.¡±

    Bradly then lifted his ss to his lips and drank the wine, concealing the tears that were welling up in

    his eyes.

    ¡°Unfortunately, we always keep missing each other. Do you really believe that we¡¯re not meant to be?¡±

    The wine was not strong. It was Bradly, who was too sad and expressed the deepest regrets in his

    heart.

    Eliana met his eyes for just a moment and sensed the deep sadness in them. She would be lying if she

    said that she was not moved by his gesture.

    However, she knew well that they could never be lovers.

    After all, love was unpredictable and unreasonable.

    She believed and hoped that Bradly would find his true love some day, and that she would be able to

    bless them from a distance.

    Noticing the eye contact between them, the others felt like that they both had feelings for each other,

    and that they could be together if they wanted.

    The dining room fell silent, and the employees were quietly spilling the tea when a sudden voice

    interrupted them.

    ¡°Mr. Stewart, you are too self-deprecating. We should thank you for taking care of Eliana,¡± Wyatt, who

    was pretending to be Preston, finally said.

    However, he did not actually mean it that way. To him, it felt like a great opportunity to see his close

    friend¡¯s woman being snatched away from him at a close distance.

    But he also knew that if he did not do something right away, then he might not be alive the next

    morning.

    The spy camera on his cor was still on, and Maurice was watching his every move through the

    computer screen on high-definition, which he found to be annoying.

    ¡°She¡¯s bad at drinking, so I will drink instead of her.¡±

    Saying that, Wyatt grabbed Eliana¡¯s ss and finished it.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯d also like to propose a toast to you.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Picking up the wine ss again, Wyatt filled it and shook it provocatively in front of Bradly.

    Bradly felt a bitterness in his mouth, but he was determined to be willful.

    He quickly poured himself a ss and gulped it down.

    Everyone at the table could see that the men were fighting over Eliana.

    ¡°Bradly, stop drinking.¡± Eliana tried to stop him.

    She knew that it would be impossible for him topete with Preston, who worked at a nightclub.

    Wyatt would not let her achieve her purpose and began to heckle, ¡°Mr. Stewart, you¡¯re really

    straightforward! I shall risk my life to drink with you today!¡±

    Although it was supposed to be a farewell dinner, the men began drinking uncontrobly.

    However, the result was not surprising at all as Bradly lost.

    When Eliana noticed his face turn red and the distant look in his eyes, she knew that she couldn¡¯t let

    them continue.

    The moment Wyatt poured another ss, she snatched it from him.

    ¡°Preston, behave yourself.¡±

    However, she did not expect to ssh the wine on him, staining his expensive coat.

    And that was enough to make them stoppeting.

    While Wyatt was tidying up his clothes, Bradly rushed to the toilet.

    Eliana watched his receding figure with a concerned look.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡±

    Wyatt removed his dirty coat, revealing a ck shirt underneath, which made him look more dashing.

    Even after he had drunk so much, his expression did not change even a little.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? If you want him to give up, then we need to do this. He will only let go of you if

    you cause him enough pain. Or else what¡¯s even the point of asking me to pretend to be your

    boyfriend?¡±

    Eliana felt like she was looking at apletely different man now, and not the Preston she

    remembered.

    Unveiling his indifferent self, Wyatt looked at her. His deep eyes were like the quiet ocean, waiting to

    drag her in and bury her.

    For some reason, an inexplicable sense of sadness rose in her heart when she looked at him¡­

    After a moment of silence, Eliana asked, ¡°Have you ever been hurt in love?¡±

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127

    Wyatt, who was pretending to be Preston, was perplexed for a moment before bursting outughing.

    ¡°Haha, what are you thinking about? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re the only girl in my life.¡±

    He then grinned cheekily once more. The sad Preston disappeared.

    Was she imagining things?

    Eliana found herself more and more confused about the man. What had happened to him?

    ¡°Take a seat. I¡¯m going to clean my coat.¡±

    Preston then stood up and walked away, carrying his coat in his arms. Eliana felt he now seemed more

    flustered than Bradly.

    The private dining room began to re up again as soon as the fake Preston and Bradly left.

    ¡°Eliana, tell me the truth. What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Stewart?¡± one of her colleagues asked,

    gossiping.

    ¡°He was my senior back in university,¡± Eliana exined.

    ¡°Senior? It¡¯s impossible that your connection with him ends there. He looked at you so affectionately.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°By the way, what does your boyfriend do? He looks very wealthy.¡±

    Everyone gathered around her, trying to gossip. Eliana couldn¡¯t take it any longer.

    ¡°Ah! Why hasn¡¯t my boyfriend returned yet? He might have lost his way. I¡¯ll go look for him.¡±

    Eliana abruptly stood up and dashed out of the room as quickly as she could.

    Meanwhile, Wyatt went to the balcony by himself to get some fresh air. He silently watched the cars on

    the street. No one could tell what he was thinking.

    ¡°You should go back there now.¡± Maurice¡¯s voice broke the silence on the balcony.

    Wyatt chuckled. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t give myself away. It¡¯s almost over. Don¡¯t get

    too worked up.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t make matters worse. Go back as soon as possible. Don¡¯t forget that Eliana is very

    shrewd.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Wyatt shook his head, convinced that Maurice had fallen madly in love with Eliana.

    He turned around and was about to go back to the private dining room when he noticed a familiar

    figure.

    A curvaceous, sexy woman, wearing a wine-red velvet strappy dress and sunsses, stood in another

    corner of the balcony.

    The woman leaned against the wall, a cigarette in between her slender fingers. Her red lips parted as

    she exhaled the smoke, which blurred her outline. She looked debauched and very appealing.

    Wyatt recognized the woman at a nce, despite the smoke and sunsses.

    It was Nicole.

    He would never, ever forget her.

    Nicole, sneaking out for a smoke, had just finished another cigarette. When she took another stick and

    was about to smoke again, the lighter didn¡¯t work.

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    ¡®Dammit! Why isn¡¯t everything going swimmingly today?¡¯

    Nicole, who was now irritated, raised her head and met Wyatt¡¯s eyes.

    Wyatt took a step back subconsciously.

    Nicole, on the other hand, approached him nonchntly. In an instant, all Wyatt could see was the

    stunning woman in front of him.

    Nicole stood in front of him, holding a cigarette in her hand.

    ¡°Hey, sir, do you have a light?¡±

    It seemed that she didn¡¯t know him.

    Wyatt went into a trance for a brief moment. He then remembered that he was pretending to be

    Preston now, wearing an borate mask. It was impossible for Nicole to recognize him.

    He couldn¡¯t decide whether tough or cry at that point.

    But when did Nicole begin smoking?

    Wyatt frowned. But he still took out a lighter and lit her cigarette.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Nicole said perfunctorily.

    She took a puff on her cigarette and looked more rxed.

    ¡°Are you Nicole Swift?¡±

    It seemed that the man knew her.

    Nicole blew out smoke rings before asking, ¡°So what? You are free to tell the press anything about me.

    Of course, you can request the hush money from my agent. He is extremely generous.¡±

    Wyatt became enraged when he heard her indifferent tone. He had been simmering with anger since

    Nicole had abandoned him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Through the camera, Maurice sensed something strange about Wyatt.

    Wyatt had already forgotten that he still had to pretend to be Preston at this point. He turned off the

    camera and hung up the phone.

    He raised his brows and inquired, ¡°Are you wealthy?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡± Nicole chuckled.

    ¡°Then I want¡­ 5 million.¡±

    Nicole once got $5 million from him and abandoned him coldly in a hospital right after.

    He was going to take it back now.

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128

    Nicole was taken aback when she heard the amount.

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    A face from deep within her memory shed through her mind.

    Wyatt!

    Nicole almost lost her cool, staring at the man in front of her.

    No! He was not Wyatt.

    Nicole lowered her gaze with mixed emotions.

    She just realized that, after all these years, she was not as strong as she thought. She could be easily

    affected by him.

    She quickly suppressed her surging emotions and forced a mocking smile.

    ¡°How dare you ask for an exorbitant price? Five million dors is too much. It¡¯s enough to buy a

    person¡¯s life!¡±

    Now it was Wyatt¡¯s turn to be taken aback. Nicole¡¯s tone gave him the impression that deep inside, she

    was mocking herself.

    Nicole threw the cigarette to the ground, crushed thest spark with her high heels, and turned around,

    leaving without hesitation. Her face was void of any emotion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be greedy. If you dare mention five million dors again, I¡¯ll call the cops.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s figure gradually faded from Wyatt¡¯s view, just as it had before. She just walked away from him

    without saying anything.

    Memories washed over Wyatt¡¯s mind like a flood. The surge of emotions made it hard for him to

    breathe.

    At the same time, Eliana, who had rushed out of the private room, was still looking for Preston

    everywhere.

    ¡®Where on earth did Preston go? Did he get lost?¡¯

    Eliana anxiously took out her phone to call him.

    The call was connected immediately.

    ¡°Preston, you¡­ hmmp¡­¡±

    All of a sudden, a pair of big hands covered Eliana¡¯s mouth from behind. She was already drugged and

    passed out before she could even struggle.

    The phone slipped from her grasp andnded with a thud on the floor.

    Before she lost consciousness, she was still able to murmur something. ¡°Preston¡­¡±

    ¡°Eliana! Eliana! What happened to you? Answer me!¡±

    Maurice abruptly stood up from his seat and shouted Eliana¡¯s name, but he received no response.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Corbin asked, perplexed.

    ¡°Something bad happened to Eliana¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Corbin couldn¡¯t help but raise his voice. His eyes were wide open in shock.

    The blue veins on Maurice¡¯s forehead became very visible. He clutched the phone so tightly that it

    seemed like he wanted to crush it.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He was so frustrated that he couldn¡¯t contact Wyatt.

    What should he do?

    Maurice had never been so agitated. Even in the most dangerous situations, he had never been upset.

    But not this time.

    He had to look for Eliana.

    He couldn¡¯t care less about anything else. He rushed out of the house, and Corbin immediately

    followed him. They used Maurice¡¯s fastest supercar and headed to the restaurant where Eliana had

    been earlier.

    He hoped that Eliana was still there.

    Meanwhile, an unremarkable minibus sped through the night towards the city¡¯s most secluded corner,

    where criminals were hiding.

    Eliana woke up in a daze because of the bumps. Her surroundings were inplete darkness. Her

    mouth was stuffed with cloth, and her hands and feet were tied up. She was immobilized.

    She gradually came to her senses and realized that she had been kidnapped.

    The atmosphere around her was stuffy. She was clearly wrapped in a sack, and she felt the jolt. She

    thought that she was probably in a moving vehicle.

    Who kidnapped her? Where were they taking her?

    Eliana became agitated at the thought of these things and tried her best to break free.

    However, an unbearable heat emanated from her body, as if her heart had caught fire. She was going

    to lose her marbles.

    That feeling was particrly familiar¡­

    Damn it! She¡¯d been drugged yet again!

    Why were they doing this to her? Eliana felt so helpless.

    The minibus came to a halt not long after. The trunk was opened, allowing light to enter. Eliana could

    make out several blurred figures reaching for the sack.

    She struggled with all her might, but the men who had apprehended her had obviously no mercy for

    her. One of them carried her on his shoulder with brute force.

    She was dragged into a dark room and thrown to the floor.

    She groaned in excruciating pain.

    ¡°Open it for me.¡±

    A familiar female voice broke the silence in the room.

    When the sack was opened, Eliana struggled to poke her head out and took a deep breath of fresh air.

    The next thing she saw was a familiar face in front of her.

    It was Evelynn.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129

    Her once again?

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened since she was in such a state of shock.

    Evelynn stood in the center of the room, staring down at Eliana, with two muscr guys standing on

    each side of her.

    There was a noticeable difference in Evelynn¡¯s demeanor from the morning. Instead, she had a strange

    and erratic grin.

    It felt as if she was ready to rip Eliana apart as she red at her with a terrifying look.

    ¡°Eliana, you ruined the Jarvis family; therefore now I¡¯ll give you a taste of your own medicine!¡±

    Evelynn squatted down in front of Eliana and looked at her. Then, with a fierce grin, she yanked the

    cloth from her mouth. ¡°The two guys standing behind me are presents that I¡¯ve hand-picked just for

    you. There are a lot of cameras in here. Later, you may let them y with you.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s pupils constricted as soon as she heard it. She looked at Evelynn, amazed, and said,

    ¡°Honestly, Evelynn, you¡¯re a lunatic! Maurice is the one who brought the Jarvis family to its knees. You

    should take revenge on him, instead of me. If you let your rage out on me, you¡¯ll simply seem more

    pitiful as a result.¡±

    ¡°Will you shut up?¡± Evelynn lost her cool and smacked Eliana across the face all of a sudden.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    Eliana¡¯s head tilted as she felt the p¡¯s force and her face ached.

    In a word, Evelynn was bonkers, to say the least. It was up to Eliana to figure out a means to escape.

    Regardless of whether or not she was able to escape, she needed to bide her time until Preston arrived

    to help her.

    Eliana had no doubt that Preston would discover something unusual and rush to her aid.

    As the cold perspiration streamed from her brow, it exacerbated the anguish of her facial wound!

    What would be the smartest move to make then?

    Speaking of which¡­

    ¡°Evelynn, please stop. If you harm me, Maurice will not let you go. You said that Maurice destroyed the

    Jarvis family in my favor, did you not? You¡¯re familiar with him. The only way you¡¯ll get away with

    kidnapping if he knows about it will be much worse than what you do now.¡±

    Eliana made every effort to exin that in a calm manner.

    Evelynn¡¯s angry look froze that very instant. Her awareness of Maurice¡¯s cruelty was unmistakable. He

    had a profound impact on the world of business. Even if she didn¡¯t die, she¡¯d be skinned if he caught

    her.

    Would Maurice still desire Eliana if she got raped by some other people?

    Evelynn said mockingly, ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t try to fool me. After you are raped, I will send the film to the

    Moran family for them to enjoy. There is a good chance that you won¡¯t be able to get into the Moran

    family by any means¡­ Damn!¡±

    Eliana mmed her to the floor before she couldplete her sentence.

    Eliana had been patiently waiting for this opportunity!

    Eliana had gently undone the rope around her feet while they were talking just now. She used every

    ounce of power she had just gathered to knock Evelynn to the floor and dash for the door.

    ¡°Do you feel the need to flee? The sky¡¯s the limit!¡±

    The two men surged forward and yanked Eliana¡¯s hair back.

    In the midst of Eliana¡¯s despair, Evelynn left the room and shut the door behind her.

    She smirked as if she had predicted Eliana¡¯s awful demise.

    A guy stood in her path as his shadow fell over her.

    Maurice disguised himself as Preston by wearing a mask.

    ¡°Where are you keeping Eliana?¡±

    Could he havee here for Eliana?

    ¡°First, who could you be?¡± Evelynn asked.

    ¡°ording to the camera footage, Eliana was brought to the abandoned house at 68.¡±

    Corbin abruptly hung up the phone and informed Maurice of the situation.

    Evelynn was taken aback by the familiarity of the voice she recognized. It was Corbin¡¯s!

    Why was Maurice¡¯s assistant with this odd man?

    Who was he, anyway?

    Evelynn was in a state of utter disorientation.

    Maurice was pressed for time and did not care if he would reveal his true identity at this point. He

    walked up to Evelynn in a rage.

    ¡°Was it you?¡±

    Evelynn shuddered and retreated when she saw the guy in front of her with amanding attitude.

    This man was dreadful!

    Evelynn was reminded of someone by his savage gaze.

    Who else if not Maurice?

    ¡°What are you doing? Leave me alone!¡±

    The next instant, with her eyes wide open, Evelynn was pulled by Maurice to the door of the

    abandoned house at 68.

    A hard assault from Mauricended Evelynn on the floor. He was even more enraged by her contorted

    expression of anguish.

    Evelynn repeatedly attempted to hurt Eliana. It seemed as though she was ying poker with death.

    He was going to really torment her this time.

    Eliana waspelled to the window of the abandoned house. The two males with filthy grins

    approached her.

    She was unable to flee.

    The locked door was pounded open with a resounding thud.

    In an instant, Eliana¡¯s tense nerves were strained to breaking point, and she couldn¡¯t help but lean

    back.

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    Chapter 130

    As soon as Maurice pushed the door open, the terrible scene in front of him was startling.

    Two men were forcing Eliana to the window, and she was about to fall down.

    Seeing that, Maurice immediately rushed forward, grabbed her arm, and pulled her back.

    He then punched the men so hard that they instantly fell to the floor.

    ¡®Thank God, I got here in time!¡¯

    Maurice felt relieved.

    Eliana could clearly hear the sound of their racing hearts as shey in his arm.

    ¡®I¡­ Am I safe now?¡¯

    She was dizzy, but she looked up and saw Preston.

    For a second, she could not tell what was making her heart race. Was it the shock, or was it the man in

    front of her eyes?

    However, she knew that she would be safe as long as he was there with her.

    So Eliana passed out at ease.

    ¡°Eliana, Eliana!¡±

    Maurice gently shook her. But Eliana didn¡¯t open her eyes.

    So he had no choice but to carry her in his arms.

    By then, the bodyguards rushed into the room and subdued the two men and Evelynn.

    ¡°Listen up! No matter what Evelynn asks you to do to Eliana, I want you to do it to Evelynn,¡± Maurice

    ordered the men on the floor coldly.

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t hurt me. I¡¯m from the Jarvis family. If you hurt me, then you will face a miserable end! I

    will ask my dad to kill you!¡±

    Evelynn kept screaming and roaring while the bodyguards stopped her struggle.

    The men were hesitant. Although the Jarvis family fell into decline, the Jarvis family could still easily kill

    them if they wanted to, so they could not afford to offend the Jarvis family.

    Figuring out what the men were thinking, Maurice sneered.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, then I will castrate you. Believe it or not, I can think of numerous ways to turn your

    lives into a living hell!¡±

    His words terrified them, and the men could tell that he was not ying around. If they even dared to

    offend this man, then he would make them wish that they had offended the Jarvis family instead.

    ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll do as you ask.¡± Gritting their teeth, the men nodded in response.

    Besides, they were going to die anyway, so they thought that it might be better if they enjoyed

    themselves a little before they died. After all, they had never slept with such a beautiful woman before.

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    Maurice signaled the bodyguards to let go of the men and Evelynn.

    One of the men stood up and walked towards Evelynn, who seemed to be in great despair. She tried to

    crawl away from them, but the man grabbed her leg and dragged her back ruthlessly.

    ¡°No! Help, help¡­¡± She kept screaming desperately, but no one came to save her.

    Just a moment ago, she had been the perpetrator, and now, she was the victim.

    Maurice did not want to see what was going to happen to her, so he left and put the unconscious Eliana

    in the car, intending to drive her to the hospital.

    Eliana woke up on their way to the hospital and sensed her body burning from the effects of the drug.

    The heat in her body was too overwhelming, so she unconsciously reached out her hand to touch the

    man beside her.

    Feeling her soft hands caressing his body, Maurice was instantly aroused and couldn¡¯t help but breathe

    heavily.

    He could not concentrate on driving at all.

    ¡°Behave yourself!¡±

    His warning was futile at best.

    ¡°Where¡­ Where are we going?¡±

    Eliana froze for a moment when she heard the familiar voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home,¡± Maurice answered tly and drove to a small house in the suburb.

    Eliana was feeling dizzy from the drugs, and the moment she got out of the car, she couldn¡¯t control her

    desire. Maurice was also turned on by her, even though he appeared to be calm.

    He walked straight into the bathroom that was inside the master bedroom, carrying Eliana in his arms.

    He then put her down in the bathtub. The moment he turned on the shower, the cold water poured out,

    drenching her.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131

    The cold water sshed all over her face. Caught off guard, Eliana coughed and began to struggle with

    her hands and feet, trying to close the gap between her and the man she desired.

    ¡°Stop moving!¡±

    Maurice remained vignt and didn¡¯t soften his heart. He wouldn¡¯t let her near him no matter how hard

    she tried.

    When Elianast slept with him, she had been drugged and wasn¡¯t thinking straight. As soon she got

    out of bed, she immediately turned against him, resigned from her job, and ran away. She was an

    irresponsible and impulsive woman.

    Maurice knew better than to let history repeat itself.

    However, the fiery desire in Eliana¡¯s body could not be easily extinguished.

    While struggling to regain her bnce, she identally hit the showerhead, sending it crashing down

    to the floor. When she was about to stand up, she slipped and pulled Maurice down beside her.

    Before Maurice could even react, Eliana¡¯s kiss quickly fell on his lips.

    It felt more like an aggressive bite than a sweet soft kiss.

    However, it was more than enough to lower Maurice¡¯s defenses. His willpower to resist this sexy little

    beast¡¯s advances was slipping away. The lust in Maurice¡¯s heart was ignited in an instant, and he

    couldn¡¯t help kissing her back.

    Suddenly, he was now the one in control.

    The showerhead was still sprinkling, and the young couple kissing in a hot passion were both soaking

    wet. The temperature in the bathroom was constantly rising, and it seemed that they were both ready

    to take things all the way.

    ¡®No. This can¡¯t go on further.¡¯

    Maurice somehow managed to regain his senses in time and pushed away Eliana from his body.

    ¡°Eliana, get ahold of yourself and sober up!¡± Maurice shouted coldly.

    Hearing his angry voice, Eliana suddenly snapped out of her drunken stupor. Her round eyes were

    filled with tears, emotionally drained and confused.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t even think about crying! Don¡¯t you remember what happened thest time we hooked up?

    You kept seducing me like this five years ago until I gave in. Then you immediately regretted it after

    sleeping with me. After bawling your eyes out, you even asked me topensate you.¡±

    Moreover, the situation was even more steamy and passionate when theyst had sex.

    The bittersweet memory of the lustful incident shed in Eliana¡¯s mind.

    She suddenly felt sad, and tears welled up in her beautiful eyes.

    ¡°You know what¡¯s heartbreaking? My entire life had been so miserable up to this point! I know it¡¯s

    pointless to dwell on the past. But I can¡¯t seem to get rid of these bitter thoughts in my head. In my life

    of more than twenty years, I have only had sex twice. Yes, you heard that right. Only twice! Can you

    believe that? And in each case, it happened because I was drugged. How pathetic does that sound? I

    had sex in a daze. A special moment that was supposed to be intimate was reduced to an

    unmemorable fling. I¡¯m such a wreck!¡±

    Eliana kept sobbing while hugging Maurice tightly, desperate forfort.

    She only had sex twice? If that were true, then that meant he was the only man she had ever slept

    with.

    Savoring the thought of this, Maurice felt a little pleased.

    He was slightly amused to see that Eliana was so woeful about such a reason.

    Maurice gently patted her on the back andforted her, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    He cradled her face in his hands and gently kissed away her tears.

    Eliana was stunned by his sweet gesture and stared at him longingly with her big eyes.

    Maurice felt a tingling sensation in his lower abdomen, and his desire rose unconsciously.

    He put his mouth beside her ear and whispered seductively, ¡°Do you really want it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± Eliana answered in a soft voice.

    s! He had finally given in to temptation.

    The expression in Maurice¡¯s eyes flickered dangerously in the light. He looked ravenous, like a fierce

    hunter about to capture his prey.

    Picking up the drenched Eliana with his muscr arms, Maurice carried her out of the bathroom. He

    then stripped off all their clothes, dropping them carelessly on the floor.

    On the dark blue bed sheet, the enchanting woman with beautiful skin spread her arms and legs in

    great anticipation. The handsome and well-built man crawled on top of her, creating a very tantalizing

    scene.

    Maurice breathed more heavily as things started to heat up. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.

    Leave everything to me. Don¡¯t you always say that I¡¯m a gigolo? Now you¡¯re the one being served.¡±

    Then he positioned himself in between her legs and slowly entered her. He grunted in pleasure as he

    pushed deeper and deeper.

    The quilt moved as the two bodies collided repeatedly.

    While Eliana was closing her eyes in satisfaction, one thing came to her mind unexpectedly.

    It now urred to her that Preston and Maurice were not the same person.

    At least not in bed.

    In between breaths, Maurice noticed that Eliana was preupied with her thoughts.

    He was slightly annoyed that she was distracted, so he suddenly became rough, thrusting harder and

    faster. Eliana immediately snapped back to reality, and she moaned loudly in deep pleasure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take your mind off me. Just wait until I drive you crazy!¡±

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    The very next day, Eliana woke up with pain all over her body.

    When she opened her eyes, she saw the handsome face of Preston. Her mind went nk in an instant.

    How she wished it was just an illusion!

    Eliana turned around in a hurry and tried to recall what had happened the night before.

    All of a sudden, memories of her most recent sexual encounter flooded her mind. She remembered

    how she had pestered Preston and how she cried at his side, begging him for sweet sex.

    Who would have thought she would hook up with Preston after she just slept with Maurice?

    And it was exactly for the same reason.

    Damn it! She had really be a promiscuous woman!

    ¡°You scum!¡±

    Preston¡¯s hoarse voice came from behind. It seemed they had some unfinished business to settle.

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132

    ¡°No! I am not!¡± Eliana blurted out.

    Realizing something, she became stunned.

    She turned around stiffly. Just as she thought, Preston was yfully staring at herzily. His lust was

    satisfied now.

    He looked so sexy and charming at this moment.

    ¡°What? Are you thinking of another man?¡± Maurice asked, raising his eyebrows at her.

    ¡°No! Not at all! Of course not.¡±

    Eliana would never admit to him that she was thinking about the fact that she had slept with Maurice.

    If she admitted that, then he would really think of her as a dissolute woman.

    Hence, she denied, shaking her head.

    Wanting to tease her, Maurice got close to her and touched the tip of her nose with his nose

    affectionately.

    ¡°Really? Is he as good as I am in bed?¡±

    Upon hearing his sudden question, Eliana¡¯s face flushed.

    ¡®What a rogue!¡¯

    But after thinking about it for a moment, she realized that both Preston and Maurice were good in bed.

    It was really hard to tell who was better.

    ¡®Wait¡­ Why am I evenparing them?¡¯

    ¡°Shut up! Preston, I am sure that you¡¯re so proud of your skills in bed because of all the rich women

    you¡¯ve served!¡± Eliana began to speak mindlessly.

    And her words made Maurice feel morose.

    She was the only woman he had ever slept with, but he could not tell her that. He was really upset.

    Noticing his silence, Eliana figured that she must have hit him in the sore spot.

    She quickly got off the bed, and picked up her clothes that were scattered on the floor.

    The moment she put her shirt on, she sensed something weird. She suddenly remembered what had

    happened five years ago.

    ¡°Damn it! I almost forgot! Preston, did you wear a condomst night?¡± Eliana asked restlessly.

    ¡®A condom?¡¯

    Maurice kept silent. Since it had happened so quickly the previous night, he had no time to get a

    condom.

    Looking at his guilty expression, she figured that he must not have worn one.

    Furious, she blurted out, ¡°You didn¡¯t wear it! And it was the same mistake that happened five years

    ago. Because of which, I¡­¡±

    Realizing what she was about to do, she stopped suddenly.

    ¡®Damn it! I almost spilled the beans¡­¡¯

    ¡°What happened five years ago?¡±

    Maurice immediately sensed that something was wrong.

    Why was Eliana insisting on him wearing a condom? There must be some reason behind it.

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Eliana shook her head, not daring to look him in the eye.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Maurice called out her name loudly, and fixed his gaze on her, putting her under a lot of

    pressure.

    ¡°I said nothing happened. Why are you so mad at me?¡±

    Eliana also lost her temper, and Maurice did not know what to say.

    However, he was certain that she was lying to him about something.

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯d better not hide anything from me. If I find out the truth, then you¡¯ll be dead meat.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes darkened. He was enraged.

    Eliana became a little upset, because she knew that if he found out about the kids, then¡­

    The consequences she would be facing in the future would be horrible!

    Eliana was too nervous to even speak.

    All of a sudden, her phone, which Maurice had gotten it and given it back to her, rang.

    Eliana and Maurice both nced at her phone at the same time.

    And her heart skipped a beat.

    She figured that it must be her kids calling her because she had stayed out all night.

    She pounced on the bedside table to get her phone and was about to cut the call without even looking

    at the caller ID.

    However, Maurice held her from behind as he quickly answered the call and turned on the speaker.

    ¡°Hello, Eliana. It¡¯s me.¡±

    Bradly¡¯s voice came from the other end.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133

    Bradly was on the phone while standing in the airport¡¯s departure lounge.

    He was about to board a ne bound for America.

    Bradly had no idea what had happened the night before. By the time he returned to the private dining

    room, both Eliana and her boyfriend were already gone.

    In the departure lounge, there were a lot of peopleing and going, and he was just standing there

    by himself. No one was waiting for him or seeing him off. It was just like thest time he was at the

    airport.

    After much deliberation, Bradly finally dialed Eliana¡¯s number. Even though he knew he had no chance,

    he still wanted to put an end to his unrequited love.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m at the airport right now. Please forgive me for not telling you. I¡¯m afraid that I¡¯ll find it harder

    to leave if youe to see me off.¡±

    Bradly was trying his best to be calm.

    Eliana, on the other end of the line, was quite disappointed. Bradly was one of the few people who

    knew about her past, and now, he was leaving her as well.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Bradly. I owe you a lot for helping me these past few days. As a friend, I wish you

    the best for the future.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s nose twitched as she spoke.

    ¡°Eliana, could you please answer a serious question for me? Is Preston really your boyfriend?¡±

    Bradly clenched his phone tightly. He was holding his breath.

    Maurice was leaning on Eliana¡¯s shoulder at that time. He immediately frowned upon hearing Bradly¡¯s

    question.

    Bradly just asked her on the off chance that she was still single.

    Without waiting for Eliana¡¯s response, Maurice took her phone and said, ¡°That¡¯s correct. And I am with

    my girlfriend now.¡±

    Maurice then hung up the phone.

    Eliana didn¡¯t get a chance to answer Bradly¡¯s question. She could only watch in astonishment as

    Preston hung up the phone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so unreasonable, Preston! You¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath.¡±

    Maurice ignored her protest and jumped out of bed.

    ¡°You, rogue!¡± Eliana suddenly screamed, covering her eyes with her hands.

    Maurice was naked.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve said I¡¯m a rogue, I¡¯ll be sorry for the title if I don¡¯t do something shameful. Do you want to

    come with me to the shower?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s question was both serious and yful.

    Eliana felt terrified when she heard that. She cowardly wrapped herself in the quilt.

    Maurice just chuckled and walked into the bathroom.

    Eliana didn¡¯t get out of bed until she heard the sound of running water.

    She hurriedly put on the rest of her clothes and looked around the room right after.

    The room was small and quite run-down. It seemed very ordinary inparison to Preston¡¯s usual

    powerful character.

    However, the room was warmly furnished, despite its old decoration.

    The morning sunlight streamed in through the window and onto the wooden table in front of the bed,

    which also held a photo frame.

    Eliana examined the photo frame more closely and discovered that it contained a photograph of the

    entire family. There was a man and a woman in the picture, as well as a little boy and a little girl. They

    all had lovely smiles on their faces. They were obviously a happy family.

    It must be Preston¡¯s family.

    ¡®This little boy was Preston, right? But why did he look different now?¡¯ Eliana wondered.

    She was confused.

    She then noticed an old photo album on the table. She opened it out of curiosity.

    There were pictures of Preston dating back to his childhood in the photo album, including one of him

    wearing a diaper as a baby, learning to walk in his father¡¯s arms, and one with him wearing a school

    uniform in kindergarten.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Eliana was somewhat obsessed with them. It was like she was watching Preston grow up through the

    photos. The next pictures in the album were those of him during his transition to adulthood. She was

    about to open the pages.

    Suddenly, a pair ofrge hands grabbed the photo album from Eliana¡¯s grasp.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize it¡¯s impolite to rummage through other people¡¯s belongings?¡±

    Maurice was obviously disappointed with what she did.

    Fortunately, he came and intervened in time, or the secret would have been revealed.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134

    Eliana felt a little scared when she saw how gloomy Preston was.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I am sorry, okay? I should not have rummaged through your stuff without permission.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s anger dissipated after he heard her sincere apology.

    Raising her head, Eliana looked around and continued, ¡°Is this really your house?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it used to be my parents¡¯ house.¡±

    There was a hint of nostalgic look in his eyes, which revealed his soft side.

    The elders of his parents¡¯ families had not approved of their marriage, so they had eloped and had

    lived in that house for a few years. Only after Maurice¡¯s sister was born had his grandfather brought

    them back.

    And the days that Maurice had spent in his parents¡¯ house was the happiest time of his life.

    Eliana rarely ever heard about his family, and she knew nothing about them, except for the fact that his

    mother had passed away.

    ¡°What about your other family members? And this girl, is she your younger sister?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes were gleaming with curiosity as she pointed at the photo.

    Maurice kept silent for a long time, and just when she was convinced that he was not going to answer

    her, he said, ¡°They are all gone.¡±

    Eliana was shocked to hear that.

    She found it strange that he was so calm when he talked about it. It was as though his heart was dead

    from the great pain of losing his loved ones.

    She felt a sharp pain in her heart as though someone was piercing a needle through it.

    She pitied him. If his family had been still around, then he would not have be a gigolo.

    The sympathy in her eyes felt like a sting in his heart.

    His parents had passed away when he was just a child, and he had been met with many peoples¡¯

    sympathetic looks.

    And that would always make him feel disgusted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I don¡¯t need your pity,¡± he said coldly.

    He believed that pity was the most hypocritical and useless thing in the world.

    Eliana did not seem to be irritated by his words. In fact, she was able to understand his feelings, so she

    patted him on the shoulder tofort him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you before I help you find the ring. If you want, you can consider me as your

    family, and I will take care of you.¡±

    As a mother of two kids, she wanted to take care of Preston, who hadcked a mother¡¯s love.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    In her eyes, he was a poor kid, who had lost his parents and had to grow up all alone.

    Overwhelmed by her instinctive maternal love, she decided to be nicer to him.

    Noticing that Preston had just washed his hair, Eliana immediately asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you dry your

    hair? What if you catch a cold?¡±

    Without waiting for his response, she turned around, and grabbed the hair dryer. Then she stared at

    him with gleaming eyes.

    ¡°Let me help you dry your hair.¡±

    Maurice could not bring himself to refuse her when he saw the expectant look in her eyes.

    He walked over and sat down on the bed quietly, letting her dry his hair.

    Since she was used to drying her kids¡¯ hair, she was good at it.

    However, Maurice was a little touched because no one had dried his hair for him except for his mother.

    When her soft small hand caressed his hair, Maurice felt the long lost peace. Only when he was with

    her was he able to let his guard down and enjoy a moment of peace.

    ¡°Eliana, I know that we are now pretending to be lovers. But how about making it real? Would you be

    my girlfriend?¡±

    The noise from the hair dryer was so loud that Eliana was not able to hear him clearly.

    She turned off the hair dryer, found a dry towel, and threw it to him.

    ¡°Dry off the rest with this.¡±

    Maurice was speechless when he felt the towel thrown at his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear my question?¡±

    Confused, Eliana leaned closer and asked, ¡°What? What did you say?¡±

    The moment Maurice moved the towel off his face, he saw Eliana¡¯s face that was merely a centimeter

    away from his. Within a second, their lips brushed against each other dramatically.

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    Covering her mouth, she took a step back. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±

    Maurice touched his lips, reminiscing the touch of her lips from a moment ago.

    ¡°I said, how about making it real? And would you be my girlfriend?¡± Maurice repeated.

    Perhaps, it was the familiar ce that was making him stay calm and finally able to confess his

    feelings.

    He even decided toe clean about his identity and to never lie to her again if she epted him.

    Nervousness crashed into his heart like a wave as he stared at her expectantly.

    ¡°No. Sorry,¡± Eliana refused him, making his heart sink.

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135

    Eliana was flustered after hearing Preston¡¯s confession.

    How could she not fall for a man who had saved her over and over again?

    She knew that she liked him too, because if she did not, she would not have told him about her

    background. But for some reason, all she could think of was Maurice when she heard his confession.

    She still had not figured out if she was in love with both of them, and she felt like it would be unfair to

    Preston if she agreed to be his girlfriend hastily.

    Moreover, Preston was Adrian and Aileen¡¯s father, and if they were together, then he would certainly

    introduce himself to the kids as their dad, but his upation¡­

    Her mind was so full ofplex feelings that she decided to escape.

    ¡°Ah, Preston, I just remembered that I have something to deal with at home, so I have to go now.¡±

    Eliana immediately turned to leave, but Preston held her hand tightly.

    ¡°Eliana, trust me. If you miss this opportunity, then you will regret itter.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s palms were sweaty as he held her hand.

    There was an inexplicable sincerity in his eyes.

    ¡°You lied to me again. I can pay you forst night. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you without paying you for

    sleeping with you. I will give it to you when I have it, okay?¡±

    ¡®Damn it! What is she even talking about?¡¯

    C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

    She was so embarrassed that she could not even bring herself to look into his eyes.

    Preston seemed to lose all of his strength at that moment. He let her slip away from his hands and

    leave.

    Soon, the door opened and closed, leaving him alone in the room.

    He stood still for a long time.

    Actually, he had not been to that house in a long time, and he could not understand why he had

    brought Eliana there on a whim.

    He slowly walked to the table and looked at his family photo. Some people could not be brought back,

    and some wonderful times could nevere back.

    Everything had changed, and he was left alone.

    He gently put down the photo frame, and took off his mask, revealing the lonely Maurice.

    Meanwhile, Eliana returned home in a daze.

    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± she announced weakly after opening the door.

    ¡°Oh thank God! You¡¯re finally back!¡±

    Nana rushed to her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Where were you? I was worried sick about you! I kept

    calling you, and when you didn¡¯t answer, I thought that something bad happened to you! Were you

    really nning on scaring me to death?¡±

    ¡°You called me?¡±

    With a frown, Eliana took out her phone and was shocked to see that it was turned off.

    ¡°My phone is dead, but nothing bad happened. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Saying that, Eliana charged her phone.

    However, something seemed to be wrong.

    Realizing that, Nana stared at her friend and questioned in a suspicious tone, ¡°Tell me the truth. If

    nothing happened, then why didn¡¯t youe homest night?¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana suddenly remembered Preston¡¯s confession from earlier.

    ¡°Would you be my girlfriend?¡±

    She became more upset and did not even know how to exin it to her.

    ¡°Nana, someone confessed his love for me.¡±

    ¡°Confess his love for you? What? Who?¡± Nana stammered in shock.

    ¡°Preston.¡± Eliana fell silent for a moment.

    She then told everything that happened the night before to her best friend.

    ¡°Tell me, did I do something wrong?¡± Eliana asked, feeling distressed, and after finding out about it,

    Nana did not know how tofort her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about the future now. You should eat this first.¡±

    Saying that, she put a contraceptive pill in Eliana¡¯s hand, who took it obediently.

    ¡°Honey, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Don¡¯t be so soft-hearted! Think about it¡­ What if Preston finds

    out about the kids and tries to take them away from you?¡±

    Nana sighed and gave Eliana a warm hug.

    And she was right. Eliana could never bear to lose her beloved kids.

    She pulled herself together, and understood that she could never take any risks about her children.

    ¡°Thank you, Nana. I understand now.¡±

    ¡°You just need to cheer up. I¡¯ve stuck notices for the missing dog on the wall by the side of the road,

    and I¡¯ve mentioned your phone number on it. And I have also asked someone to look for Hodge. Those

    are the most important things now,¡± Nana reminded her.

    Eliana also felt that she could not set aside her priorities for the sake of her rtionship with Preston.

    She wanted to see if there was any news.

    The moment she turned on her phone, she was stunned to see that there were several missed calls

    from a particr unknown number.

    Who had called her?

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136

    Is the first time in Maurice¡¯s life where he was faced with the excruciating experience of being refused

    by a woman.

    In his agony, he drove to Wyatt¡¯s house as fast as he could.

    When Maurice opened the door, he was greeted with the foul perfume of alcohol. He grimaced.

    Although it was daytime, the blinds of the house were closed tight. The dim living room was littered with

    empty wine bottles.

    Wyatt was on the sofa, his shirt unbuttoned and a coquettish woman in his arms. They were kissing

    passionately. His eyes were unfocused and his face was pink. He was obviously a yboy who gave

    way to his carnal desires in the daytime!

    Wordlessly, Maurice rushed to Wyatt and punched him in the face.

    The woman screamed as Wyatt fell to the floor.

    Wyatt didn¡¯t seem fazed by Maurice¡¯s attack. He raised his head and gave Maurice a bloody smile.

    As Maurice red down at the delirious Wyatt, his anger bubbled over.

    ¡°Do you know that Eliana was in dangerst night? How could you leave her there alone?¡± Maurice

    roared.

    Wyatt could tell that Maurice was furious, but he didn¡¯t care.

    Wyatt stayed on the floor, leaning back on his arms. ¡°So what? Eliana isn¡¯t your girlfriend, is she?¡± he

    said casually. ¡°She¡¯s just a new toy that you haven¡¯t lost interest in yet. People like us don¡¯t deserve

    true love. Why are you deceiving yourself?¡±

    He grabbed a bottle of wine off of the floor and took a big drink.

    Wyatt¡¯s words were like an arrow in the bull¡¯s-eye of Maurice¡¯s heart. Seeing his friend give up on

    himself just made him even angrier. He raised his fist, ready to strike Wyatt again.

    The woman screamed again.

    Wyatt made no move. He just sat there, waiting for Maurice¡¯s blow.

    Maurice¡¯s fist changed its direction and collided with the wall.

    ¡°Please, you have to pull yourself together.¡±

    Maurice had nothing more to say. He turned and left.

    Back in the car, Maurice became more and more confused as he considered the situation.

    Why was Wyatt giving up on himself? He had been fine just yesterday, hadn¡¯t he?

    Maurice remembered what he saw in the video that had been takenst night. Wyatt had met a woman

    who was wearing sunsses. Then he had suddenly seemed to lose control and he cut off contact with

    Maurice.

    That woman¡­

    Maurice picked up his phone and called Corbin.

    ¡°Corbin, Wyatt met a woman at the restaurantst night. I want to know everything about her!¡±

    Corbin was silent for a long minute, and then said, ¡°Mr. Moran, that woman¡­ That woman is Nicole

    Swift.¡±

    So he was right. It was her.

    A sudden idea brought a clever smile to Maurice¡¯s face.

    ¡°It seems that we¡¯ve finally found someone who can control this guy.¡±

    Back at the house, Wyatt was still sitting on the floor with his eyes barely open. He looked distraught.

    As soon as Maurice left, the coquettish woman came to her senses and rushed to his side to help him

    up.

    ¡°He really has a bad temper.¡± Wyatt wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled.

    ¡°Mr. Todd, was that Mr. Moran?¡±

    The woman was holding Wyatt¡¯s arm, but her eyes were lingering longingly on the door Maurice had

    stormed out of.

    Wyatt nced at her coldly and sneered, ¡°Quit dreaming. His heart has already been taken by another

    woman. You don¡¯t have a chance.¡±

    The woman was embarrassed. ¡°Mr. Todd, don¡¯t misunderstand me. I love you wholeheartedly. Look at

    you. Your face is all swollen. How can you walk the red carpet like this?¡±

    Wyatt stood up and threw himself onto the sofa. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He paused andughed to himself.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been beaten by him, but I still have to return his favor. He thinks I¡¯m a sucker. I don¡¯t even know

    which beauty will walk the red carpet with me.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mr. Todd, you¡¯d better go now. Don¡¯t keep that beauty waiting too long.¡±Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    The woman sat on hisp, wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned against his chest in a

    coquettish fashion.

    Wyatt raised her face to his. ¡°I have you in my arms. Let her wait.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Todd¡­¡±

    The woman blushed and closed her eyes to ask for a kiss. She didn¡¯t see the coldness in Wyatt¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137

    The annual fashion show took ce tonight. Many celebrities gathered on the red carpet. And as usual,

    the high-caliber celebrities wore stunning gowns and wless makeup. They scrambled to the

    ceremony, being photographed by a slew of media reporters.

    Nicole¡¯s agent, Esteban Foley, was at the backstage, looking very anxious.

    ¡°Nicole, why are you still standing around? Maurice¡¯s men haven¡¯t arrived yet. Will they stand us up?¡±

    He looked at Nicole, who was sitting in front of the mirror, with disappointment. She was wearing a

    lacey ck off-the-shoulder evening gown, a pair of high heels and a pricey Van Boshy ne. At

    this moment, she was just casually browsing through social media.

    Nicole raised her head and cast her agent an unconcerned nce. ¡°Rx, Esteban. Maurice, as far as

    I know, is a man of honor.¡±

    She then continued to browse social media, likingments thatplimented her beauty with

    another ount.

    Esteban was forced to change the subject. ¡°I heard from the members of the Moran Group that the

    exposure of the design draft had been thoroughly investigated. Eliana was clearly innocent. You can

    apologize, and the matter will be over.¡±

    She really didn¡¯t do it?

    ¡°I always keep my word. It¡¯s just a p. So I¡¯ll ask her to p me back,¡± Nicole said, raising her

    eyebrows.

    ¡°Nicole, do you not value your dignity?¡± Esteban was annoyed.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that. I only care about the truth and keeping my words. I must keep my promise

    because I was wrong and made one.¡±

    Nicole was very calm, and Esteban knew that no one could change her mind.

    What could he possibly do? Nothing, but to just support her.

    ¡°I have spoiled you too much,¡± Estebanmented, shaking his head helplessly.

    His phone rang at that moment, and Maurice¡¯s men arrived.

    ¡°Great! They are finally here!¡± Esteban turned to face Nicole. ¡°I¡¯m going to wee them. Please stay

    here. Do you hear me?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± Nicole waved her hand without looking up.

    Cheryl, an uninvited guest, entered Nicole¡¯s greenroom after Esteban had left.

    ¡°Hey, Nicole, why are you here all by yourself? I heard you wanted to walk the red carpet with Mr.

    Moran, but hepletely ignored you. Without him, you might have to walk the red carpet alone this

    time.¡±

    Cheryl only came to mock Nicole for failing to invite Maurice.

    Nicole remained calm and just smiled, but her eyes were filled with contempt for the person in front of

    her.

    ¡°Where does such a vexing persone from? You seem to be adept at making fun of other people¡¯s

    misery. You are not popr, and you have no notable film or television work. You may even have to

    rely on others to attract the audience¡¯s attention. What a pity!¡±

    It was a very sore point with Cheryl.

    ¡°Nicole, don¡¯t be too haughty. You won¡¯t erase the fact that you¡¯ll be walking the red carpet alone this

    time.¡± Cheryl could not be outdone.

    ¡°So, who are you going to walk the red carpet with? Your sugar daddy? Ah! I apologize. I forgot that he

    is too old to walk for a long time.¡±

    ¡°You! Let¡¯s see what will happen!¡±

    Cheryl was so enraged that she was almost out of breath. Finally, she stormed out.

    Nicole chuckled.

    The stupid Cheryl was no match for her.

    ¡°You are so articte, Miss Swift.¡±

    All of a sudden, she saw someone she would never want to see again in her life. Her smile immediately

    faded.

    ¡°Wyatt¡­¡±

    Nicole looked at the handsome man in front of her with aplicated expression on her face.

    ¡°Long time no see. It appears that your life has be better since you abandoned me.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes were mocking as he looked up and down at Nicole. It didn¡¯t look like a reunion of two old

    friends, but of two enemies.

    They both hadplicated expressions on their faces as they looked into each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to walk the red carpet tonight,¡± Nicole suddenly said.

    ¡°Nicole, what are you going to do this time?¡±

    Esteban¡¯s tone was very serious. He then turned around and pleaded with Wyatt, ¡°Mr. Todd, don¡¯t listen

    to her nonsense. She is just a little shy¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯m willing to be her partner if she¡¯s also willing to give me a chance.¡±

    Nicole was well aware that he was threatening her.

    ¡°Nicole, hurry up. The program is about to start. Don¡¯t bete.¡±

    Nicole had no choice. In the end, Esteban urged them to walk the red carpet.

    In the spotlight, Wyatt, with his handsome face and elegant demeanor, made all the other men present

    pale inparison. The spotlight followed him everywhere he went, and Nicole was no exception.

    Witnessing it, Cheryl clenched her teeth in rage.

    Damn it! Nicole had be the center of attention.

    Cheryl would keep this in mind. She would find a way to get even with Nicole.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138

    In the end, Nicole had aplished her aim.

    Tonight, she had the spotlight on her, but she didn¡¯t seem to be enjoying it.

    Just walking beside Wyatt was agony. She was enamored with him, but her sane being kept telling her

    to get the hell out of there!

    Nicole was in mental suffering as she went down the red carpet, which was barely more than 10 meters

    in length.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you smiling? Without a grin, people will assume you¡¯re putting on airs,¡± Wyatt murmured to

    Nicole as he took her arm and waved to the reporters.

    ¡°What¡¯s your reason for being here? Don¡¯t you really despise me?¡±

    Then, after much deliberation, Nicole voiced her thoughts.

    Wyatt¡¯s smile was tinged with a hint of mirth.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you. Trust me, I have gotten over the past. I no longer feel anything for you.¡±

    Looking at his smile, Nicole felt tremendous emptiness in her heart, as if she¡¯d just lost something vital.

    Could Wyatt have really gotten over it?

    Nicole¡¯s face was painted with a lovely smile despite her sadness.

    She stood on her tiptoes and murmured, ¡°You mean it?¡± into Wyatt¡¯s ear.

    In Wyatt¡¯s ear, the sound touched Wyatt¡¯s heart, which caused him to get somewhat excited.

    Wyatt turned his head around and Nicole¡¯s grin drew him in.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    After saying that, Nicole instantly straightened up. The media erupted into apuse, assuming that the

    two persons were just kissing.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯ll be in the headlines in the papers tomorrow. All thanks to you, Mr. Todd.¡± Nicole¡¯s face lit up

    with a big smile.

    In an instant, Wyatt¡¯s expression darkened.

    He was once again a victim of this woman¡¯s exploitation.

    Following that, Nicole smiled broadly as she went down the red carpet, although Wyatt, who was

    standing next to her, had a sullen frown.

    Nicole first went to sign her name while Wyatt received an interview. To make a point of catching up

    with her, Cheryl purposefully stood next to her.

    ¡°I hadpletely underestimated you. Tell me, how did you convince Mr. Todd to walk the carpet with

    you?¡±

    A disinterested Nicole just responded sketchily to avoid further conversation.

    ¡°This beauty speaks for me!¡± she said.

    Cheryl erupted in the blink of an eye. Nicole¡¯s dress inspired her toe up with something.

    Didn¡¯t Nicole like being the center of attention? So, she¡¯d give Nicole a chance.

    Cheryl took a step forward and feigned to stomp on Nicole¡¯s dress identally as she turned around to

    walk away.

    Nicole, as predicted, was blissfully unaware of Cheryl¡¯s moves. She raised her leg, and the strap of her

    expensive but fragile dress tore apart!

    Nicole hit the floor hard!

    Such a thing waspletely out of her expectations for that day. She put her hand on her chest as

    soon as she hit the floor to cover it.

    Pictures of her were promptly snapped by the media. You¡¯d think they anticipated the opportunity.

    As a result of the shes, Nicole was unable to open her eyes in an instant.

    It was aplete catastrophe for her.

    There was no doubt that the media would write about her tumbling on the red carpet and exposing her

    breasts in the process. Nicole had a sneaking suspicion that she would be made fun of the next day.

    She couldn¡¯t even lift her head because she was humiliated.

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡±

    Next, a ck suit jacket that smelled like bergamot was on Nicole¡¯s upper torso. She could feel Wyatt¡¯s

    warmth enveloping her.

    Wyatt ced his coat over Nicole, assisted her in standing, and shielded her from the shes with his

    body while he wore a frown.

    Nicole¡¯s nose twitched as she seemed to be seeing the guy who had been nice to her in the past.

    As soon as they entered the backstage area, Wyatt¡¯s demeanor shifted. He instantly let go of Nicole,

    and he maintained a distance from her.

    He mocked, ¡°You are absolutely unlikeable.¡±

    Nicole came to her senses and stopped thinking about the distant recollection that she had been on for

    a while. Indifferently, she murmured, ¡°I could say the same about you.¡± and grabbed the coat tightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± Wyatt was irritated and said in a sarcastic tone, ¡°My business is done here. I¡¯m off

    now.¡±

    He gave Nicole a fleeting nce before turning and walking away.

    Nicole¡¯s attention was drawn away for a long time while she watched him leave.

    No one in the general public was affected by any of this. They were now working hard to support

    themselves.

    One of the people was Eliana. The event was being televised live at the moment, and she and her

    coworkers were tuned in to see it. Women in Eliana¡¯s workce yelled as Nicole and Wyatt emerged,

    arm in arm.

    ¡°She is Nicole, the well-known actress who showed up at thepany to bring up amotionst

    time. I was told that the lovely jewelry around her neck belonged to Mr. Moran. Mr. Todd has a great

    physique.¡±

    The female coworkers were fixated on Wyatt. When Eliana saw the attractive guy on the TV, she had

    the strangest feeling that he had something familiar about him.

    Eliana had seen Wyatt beside Maurice on several asions, but she seldom remained with him alone.

    Despite the fact that they didn¡¯t know each other, she felt as if they had spent some time together when

    she looked at him.

    How so?

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139

    ¡°Eliana, Eliana.¡± One of Eliana¡¯s female coworkers nudged her.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Eliana came back to her senses. This wasn¡¯t the first time she had been absent-minded since she saw

    Wyatt walking the red carpet on TV.

    ¡°Where has your head beentely?¡± her coworker asked. ¡°The Product Department just asked you to

    take the pink diamond ne. It¡¯s beenpleted.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on it.¡±

    Eliana sighed. Finishing that ne had been a struggle. She didn¡¯t know who was going to receive

    it in the end.

    Eliana stood and hurried to the Product Department. Then she saw two unexpected figures: Maurice

    and Corbin.

    It was just her bad luck to meet her enemy. She had to hide before he saw her.

    This turned out to be unnecessary. Maurice didn¡¯t even look at her.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, but a heavy feeling remained in her chest.

    What was wrong with Maurice?

    His constantly changing mood was a mystery to her.

    Maurice had his own ns.

    He walked slowly on purpose. As soon as he saw Maurice, Corbin reported, ¡°Mr. Moran, Asher

    Harrison is here. He said he came to negotiate a project.¡±

    Asher!

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard this name. She was close to both of these men.

    Eliana¡¯s interest did not go unnoticed by Maurice. Knowing that she was listening, he said, ¡°That¡¯s

    good. I want to ask him a few questions about the Pierce Group.¡±

    The Pierce Group!

    This was another phrase that Eliana had been waiting to hear.

    Eliana focused on their conservation and strained her ears to hear more, but Maurice¡¯s and Corbin¡¯s

    voices were getting quieter. She turned around and found that they had moved quite a way away.

    This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so she couldn¡¯t let it slip through her fingers.

    Eliana followed the two upstairs without hesitation. When Maurice stepped into his office, she grabbed

    Corbin by the arm and pulled him to the door of the pantry.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, does Mr. Moran want coffee when he is talking business?¡± Eliana asked and put on her

    most ttering smile.

    Corbin smiled to himself. ¡®She has been trapped atst,¡¯ he thought. ¡®The trick I yed with Mr. Moran

    just now was not in vain.¡¯

    When Maurice found out about Eliana¡¯s background, he had asked Corbin to investigate what had

    happened to the Pierce Group. Maurice had invited Asher today because Maurice knew that Asher was

    likely to know the truth of what had happened that year.

    Corbin raised his eyebrows in mock surprise and said, ¡°Yes, he wants it, but you don¡¯t want to serve

    him drinks, do you?¡±

    ¡°The boot is on the other foot now,¡± Eliana said in a honeyed tone. ¡°I still owe Mr. Moran money, right? I

    was paid fifty thousand for a cup of coffee before. This time it will be the same, right?¡±

    She was really good at calcting!

    Corbin was tempted to apud Eliana¡¯s intelligence. She got the news and made money all at once,

    effectively killing two birds with one stone.

    ¡°Okay, you can bring the coffee in after you finish making it.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Eliana rushed into the pantry and made a cup of coffee in record time. She then headed to the CEO¡¯s

    office and knocked on his door.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Eliana opened the door and saw that Asher and Maurice were sitting together on the sofa.

    Asher stood up in surprise.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you here?¡±

    Eliana sneered and remarked, ¡°Mr. Harrison, don¡¯t act surprised. It was me who bought your wife¡¯s pink

    diamonds. What? Didn¡¯t she tell you?¡±

    Asher was speechless. How could Erica mention her to him when she wanted him to never see Eliana

    again?

    ¡°Eliana, is that coffee for me?¡±

    Asher quickly changed the subject and reached out for the coffee.

    His hand slid deliberately across the back of Eliana¡¯s, making her shiver in disgust.

    She was about to step back.

    In the blink of an eye, Maurice had snatched the coffee.

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Harrison, it is a policy of mine that no one is allowed to touch my things without my permission.

    This includes my coffee, and my people.¡±

    Maurice gave Asher an icy stare as he held the cup.

    Asher shivered. He could see the warning in Maurice¡¯s eyes. Maurice was like a beast guarding its

    territory against an enemy.

    Did Maurice mean that Eliana was his woman? When did he go out with Eliana?

    Asher was shocked. He had an awful thought.

    Did Eliana already know what had happened back then?

    Then¡­ Why did Maurice ask him toe here today?

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    As Asher began to understand the situation, fear turned his stomach cold. His first instinct was to run

    away.

    But Maurice wasn¡¯t going to give him that chance.

    ¡°Have a seat.¡±

    Asher sat down uneasily.

    Maurice sat as well. He got right to the point. ¡°I want you to do me a favor, Mr. Harrison.¡±

    Asher¡¯s body stiffened, and he hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°How can I help you, Mr.

    Moran?¡±

    Eliana clenched her fists. She had a feeling that Maurice was about to bring up the Pierce Group.

    Maurice took a leisurely sip of coffee and ced his cup down. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± he said slowly. ¡°It¡¯s

    about some rumors that I¡¯ve heard recently.¡±

    Asher¡¯s throat tightened and cold sweat ran down his back.

    ¡°What rumors?¡± Asher asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the reason the Pierce Group went bankrupt is because someone plotted against it,¡±

    Maurice continued. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were driven to despair and died by suicide. Mr. Harrison, as a

    former employee of the Pierce Group, I thought that you might know the true story.¡±

    If it was fated to happen, it would happen.

    Asher¡¯s face went pale visibly.

    Asher realized Maurice had found something out. He was testing Asher. If Asher didn¡¯t give him some

    information, Maurice wasn¡¯t going to let him go painlessly.

    But Asher was also well aware that if he told Maurice that Gerald was the real culprit, he would die in

    agony.

    Eliana lowered her head and stood quietly beside Maurice. She seemed calm, but her trembling hands

    gave her away.

    She felt dizzy, like she wasn¡¯t getting enough air. She was close to passing out.

    Maurice noticed her difort and held her hand to support her.

    The warmth from Maurice¡¯s palm spread through Eliana¡¯s body, slowly calming her down.

    Asher nearly became blind with jealousy when he saw this.

    He would never let Maurice win Eliana¡¯s heart!

    Asher took a deep breath and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what happened to the Pierce Group. I¡¯m sure

    that Mr. Pierce¡¯s death was a result of overwhelming pressure from the Moran Group. But I can¡¯t say if

    anyone ever met with him in private¡­¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart jumped into her throat.

    Was the truth about toe out?

    ¡°To be honest, I suspected that the viin is you, Mr. Moran,¡± Asher said boldly.

    The viin was¡­ Maurice?!

    What previously had been aforting warmth from Maurice¡¯s palm now felt like burning metal.

    Without thinking, Eliana snatched her hand out of Maurice¡¯s and staggered back.

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened. He raised his head and coldly stared at Asher.

    Of course, Maurice had done nothing that Asher was using him of. How dare Asher try to smear

    Maurice¡¯s name right under his very nose!

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense. I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Who is behind the plot?¡±

    Asher¡¯s confidence wavered in the face of Maurice¡¯s threatening manner.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    But one look at Eliana was enough to fill him with the fuel of jealousy once again. He gritted his teeth

    and continued to lie.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please, it would be wise for you not to push me. If you threaten to nullify the business

    rtionship between us, that will not change my mind. I will still believe that you are the culprit,¡± Asher

    said solemnly.

    He was doing his best to act like a noble and resolute man, and to paint Maurice as a bully who used

    his power to target those beneath him.

    Asher¡¯s shamelessness was almost funny to Maurice.

    By now, Maurice had determined that Asher would not be providing him with the truth. The only way to

    solve the mystery was to find Hodge.

    A cold smile split Maurice¡¯s face. ¡°Well, Mr. Harrison, you¡¯d better pray that the one behind you is

    strong enough to protect the Harrison Group. Now get out of here!¡±

    Asher trembled and rushed out of the room.

    Eliana felt like someone who had drunk far too much. She thoughtlessly leaned forward as if to follow

    Asher, but Maurice grasped her arm before she could move.

    ¡°Do you really believe that bastard¡¯s bullshit? Do you really think I did this?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s mind was in chaos. Who was telling the truth and who was lying, Maurice or Asher? Who was

    the viin?

    ¡°Whether he is telling lies or not, it¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    Eliana tried to shake free of Maurice¡¯s grip.

    Maurice didn¡¯t let go. His hold on her arm only tightened, preventing her escape.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Pierce had a daughter¡­¡±

    This short sentence hit Eliana like a thunderbolt.

    She stared at Maurice, speechless.

    Had her real identity been exposed?

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    Chapter 141

    Eliana was preparing herself to be exposed.

    However, to her surprise, Maurice jumped to a different question. ¡°If you were the only daughter of the

    Pierce family, then would you believe that I was the one behind all of this?¡±

    He did not reveal her identity, in the end.

    He did it because he knew that it would be difficult for Eliana to get along with him as the daughter of

    the Pierce family, and he felt that it was best for the both of them to maintain their current rtionship.

    Eliana fell silent, reminiscing the past few days she had spent getting along with him.

    He had helped her stay in thepany; he had helped her deal with the other employees who were

    making life difficult for her; he had taken her to the party, and had sex with her when she had been

    drugged; he had helped her clean up the mess, prove her innocence, and saved her from Rachel¡¯s

    trap.

    Eliana knew everything that he had done for her.

    However, the Moran Group was still the one behind the acquisition of the Pierce Group, and Maurice

    was the dominant one.

    Although she could not be sure that Maurice was the one behind everything just by relying on Asher¡¯s

    words, she could also not bring herself to trust Maurice just because he trusted her.

    Maurice had indeed upied an important ce in her heart, but the Pierce Group and her parents

    were also important to her. In fact, it was obvious that she would choose thetter.

    ¡°I only believe in evidence.¡±

    Saying that, she shook off his hand, turned around, and left.

    Maurice stood there, looking lonely, staring at her receding figure.

    At the same time, Asher had not gone too far, so when he saw Eliana walk out alone, he immediately

    caught up with her.

    ¡°Eliana, long time no see. I didn¡¯t have time to talk to youtely. How have you been?¡±

    Just when he was about to grab her hand, Eliana dodged him.

    ¡°Mr. Harrison, please behave yourself. You are married now.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s indifference towards him embarrassed him, but still he continued to talk to her.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t be like that. I care about you. Remember not to get too close to Maurice, okay? He is a

    shrewd guy, and he won¡¯t think twice about deceiving you.¡±

    There was a tenderness in Asher¡¯s eyes, as though he was still infatuated with her.

    Eliana got goose-bumps all over her body, disgusted by his shamelessness.

    ¡°Asher, how dare you say that you care about me? You slept with my best friend and she almost killed

    me. Did you really think that I was going to trust you again just because you said that you cared about

    me? That won¡¯t even happen in your dreams!¡± Eliana retorted in disgust.

    Asher¡¯s expression darkened when he heard those cold words, but he suppressed his anger, and

    pretended to be affectionate towards her.

    ¡°Eliana, you misunderstood me and I don¡¯t me you. But everything that I did was for your own good.

    You will understand one day.¡±

    Eliana sneered, ¡°Stop pretending like you¡¯re a loving man. If you don¡¯t have anything useful to say, then

    leave!¡±

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    It was Asher¡¯s first time seeing her so determined, and he had no choice but to leave.

    And the moment he left, Eliana¡¯s phone started ringing.

    Looking at the ID, she saw that it was from the same unknown number.

    With a deep frown, she decided to answer it.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    There was a long moment of silence on the other end, so she was about to hang up when the man

    spoke.

    ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s me, Hodge.¡±

    ¡°Hodge!¡±

    She was surprised to hear from the man she had been looking for in the entire city.

    Thinking about the circumstances, she figured that there must be something fishy about it.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you always wanted to know the truth behind the bankruptcy of the Pierce Group? Well, I can

    tell you all about it, but in exchange, I want you to get some information from Maurice for me.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she asked, ¡°What information?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about an important ring. Maurice said that he lost it before, but¡­ He seems to have found it

    recently.¡±

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    Chapter 142

    A ring!

    Why did both Preston and Maurice lose a valuable ring?

    Eliana was a little surprised. What a coincidence!

    ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± she asked after a brief pause.

    ¡°All you have to do is find out the whereabouts of this ring.¡±

    Without waiting for her response, Hodge sent her a photo of the ring.

    Eliana clicked on the photo and realized that the ring was familiar.

    It was the gigolo¡¯s ring!

    It was exactly the same as Preston¡¯s ring.

    Eliana¡¯s mind was a mess as she examined the ruby ring in the photo.

    Why did two people who had nothing inmon and weren¡¯t connected with each other have the

    same ring?

    The only answer she coulde up with was that Mr. Moran and the gigolo were the same person.

    However, Eliana immediately dismissed this possibility.

    Maurice and Preston both appeared at the same time that day. So it was impossible that they were just

    one person.

    Eliana was still hoping to get some useful information, but Hodge didn¡¯t give her the chance as he

    abruptly hung up the phone.

    She held the phone and her heart was in turmoil.

    Something was definitely wrong.

    The mystery about the ring was like a small, sad stone in her throat. Things couldn¡¯t possibly be so

    coincidental.

    Eliana dialed Preston¡¯s number.

    Maurice was in a meeting at that time.

    On the stage, the Project Department¡¯s director was exining thepany¡¯s project n for the

    uing quarter. Maurice noticed that his phone was buzzing. He picked it up and realized that it was

    a call from Eliana.

    She had just dered that she didn¡¯t believe him. What made her call him now? Oh! She was actually

    calling Preston. But Maurice was in a meeting and couldn¡¯t answer the phone and guise as Preston.

    N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    Maurice stared silently at the buzzing phone for a few seconds before turning it off.

    Eliana became angrier when Preston did not answer the phone so she sent him several messages.

    ¡°Tell me the truth, Preston. Is the ring really your mother¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Are you lying to me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be dead meat if you¡¯re lying to me!¡±

    Eliana felt deceived and became more enraged after not receiving a response.

    Maurice and Preston were not one person, but they had the exact same ring, so there could only be

    one truth.

    Most probably, Preston stole the ring. Right! After all, how could a gigolo own such a valuable item?

    Eliana suspected that Preston had stolen Maurice¡¯s ring from somewhere. Then she had taken it away

    by mistake, and he just tried to get her sympathy by saying it belonged to his mother.

    The more Eliana thought about it, the angrier she became. She had felt guilty the entire time, but it

    turned out that the gigolo was lying to her.

    Maurice kept looking at his phone while in the meeting. He was getting anxious.

    Maurice went back to his office right after the meeting. He then turned on his phone.

    Several missed calls from Eliana popped up.

    Why was she so eager to talk to Preston?

    Several messages from her also appeared.

    Reading the content, Maurice immediately felt rmed and nervous.

    Eliana learned about the ring?

    Who told her?

    Did someone tell her about it on purpose?

    Why?

    Maurice was deep in thought when Corbin came in.

    ¡°Boss, our men have found some information about Hodge.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes lit up and he asked, ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Corbin wanted to say something but stopped on second thought. He just answered, ¡°Hodge appeared

    in Gerald¡¯s territory.¡±

    Sure enough, it seemed that Gerald had something to do with the issue about the ring.

    Damn it! Both of his identities were now at odds with Eliana.

    Maurice was expressionless and looked so cold. The temperature in the office seemed to drop several

    degrees.

    Even Corbin didn¡¯t dare to take a deep breath or do any noticeable action for fear of irritating the CEO.

    All of a sudden, Corbin¡¯s phone rm rang.

    He nced at Maurice as he turned off the rm, hesitating to say something.

    After a while, he uttered, ¡°Boss, today is¡­ that day.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± For a few seconds, Maurice remained silent. ¡°Postpone everything. I¡¯lle with you to pick

    up Ss and have dinner at the old house. You can leave now.¡±

    Maurice then closed his eyes. He was so tired.

    Corbin turned around and walked away quietly. He had been working for Maurice for five years. Every

    year on this special day, Maurice would stop working and show his vulnerability.

    It was the death anniversary of his sister.

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    Chapter 143

    ¡°It¡¯s over. My heart can now enjoy some peace.¡±

    Eliana leaned back in her chair and looked over the design draft on theputer with a sigh of

    contentment. The day hade to a close for her.

    She took a peek at her phone and saw that it was still early.

    What if she left work early today? That way, she was able to avoid seeing Maurice and still pick up the

    children.

    Eliana hurriedly packed up and left the workce, thinking it was a wonderful idea.

    Maurice and Corbin were standing nearby with a Rolls-Royce parked in front of them as she

    approached the corporate gate.

    Could Eliana go back unnoticed?

    Corbin waved at Eliana when he saw her standing outside thepany¡¯s gate. ¡°What a coincidence!

    You finished up your work early today. What¡¯s your n?¡± he asked.

    ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t be better! It seems that Mr. Moran also leaves work at this time. I have an errand

    to attend to near mor Road.¡± Eliana feigned a grin as she stealthily retracted her left leg and turned

    to face the other direction.

    Adrian and Aileen¡¯s kindergarten was located close to mor Road.

    Eliana was certain that Maurice would find no errors in her assertions.

    It dawned on Corbin that they were both headed in the same direction.

    Corbin had an idea after casting a close look at Maurice, who was standing aside quietly.

    ¡°What a happy ident! We¡¯ll be heading to a nearby ce as well. I bet you need a ride. Hop in the

    car.¡±

    Maurice gave Corbin an apathetic look and ultimately did not refuse.

    Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped. They couldn¡¯t possibly be going to the same ce.

    When she was ready to reject, she recalled Hodge¡¯s condition and swallowed her words of rejection.

    She didn¡¯t want to betray Maurice, not in the slightest. She was just looking for information about the

    ring. Suppose the ring Hodge described was the one that the dog had swallowed. Then she had a

    clearer idea of where it was.

    ¡°Sure, Mr. Moran, thank you very much.¡±

    Eliana opened the door and climbed into the vehicle. She was seated next to Maurice.

    Maurice had been quiet until now, his ice-cold features projecting an air of aloofness.

    Eliana had no idea how to start a conversation with him; thus she had to make peace with the chilly

    atmosphere.

    Even Corbin, who was driving the automobile at the time, was unable to handle the dismal mood.

    To help de-stress, how about tuning in to the broadcast?

    The radio was cranked up by Corbin.

    ¡°That breakup couldn¡¯t get any better. I pray for your well-being. The good ones are still not over¡­¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Crap! Who wrote that sort of song?

    Corbin did not waste any time changing the channel.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t being dishonest. Is there any reason for me to fabricate a story? You¡¯re familiar with who I am.

    I will never put on a show for you. I didn¡¯t make any false statements. If you believe you are not

    receable, you¡¯re wrong¡­¡±

    The air in the automobile was bing thicker and thicker.

    ¡°Could those be the worst songs everposed? My head is pounding because of themotion.

    You may turn it off now,¡± Maurice yelled angrily.

    Cold perspiration dripped from Corbin¡¯s brow as he switched off the radio.

    Why was he always the one getting hurt?

    The music stopped, and Eliana was finally able to open her mouth.

    She pretended to remark unwittingly, ¡°I have a question for you, Mr. Moran. I hope you¡¯ll answer me.¡±

    ¡°Well, of course,¡± Maurice calmly said.

    There was some hope!

    ¡°I wonder whether you know anything about the design of jewelry rings,¡± Eliana inquired.

    Maurice¡¯s gaze shifted to Eliana as he heard this. He hadn¡¯t looked her in the eyes since they¡¯d gotten

    in the vehicle.

    Maurice was thinking about the messages she¡¯d sent to Preston then. He was aware that Eliana was

    testing him in regards to the ring, but had no intention of exposing her.

    He would like to see how she was going to do that.

    His eyebrows arched, Maurice said, ¡°I have some rough ideas. What¡¯s the point of asking?¡±

    That was just awesome! ¡°May I ask you, Mr. Moran? Do you recognize this ruby ring?¡± questioned

    Eliana, after locating the picture of the jewelry Hodge had sent her and giving it to Maurice.

    Maurice¡¯s pupils constricted. He had no idea Gerald¡¯s staff would present the picture to her directly.

    What a dummy!

    As soon as Eliana mentioned a ruby ring, Corbin¡¯s attention turned from the road to the conversation.

    He feared that his employer¡¯s other identity would be found out.

    Corbin was engrossed in his thoughts and didn¡¯t see the automobile ahead. So he braked hard¡­

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    Chapter 144

    Eliana¡¯s body moved forward uncontrobly because of the sudden impact.

    She was so terrified that her heart almost leaped out of her chest.

    A pair of warm hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.

    When Eliana came back to her senses, she was already in Maurice¡¯s arms. He was holding her very

    tightly.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s low, hoarse voice came from above her head. Eliana¡¯s face immediately turned red, and she

    jerked away from his arms.

    ¡°Ye¡­yeah¡± She shook her head, trying to calm her racing heart.

    Corbin turned around and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss. It was my fault,¡±

    ¡°Be careful,¡± said Maurice, straightening his tie.

    The car was restarted. The embarrassing stalemate was immediately broken after the minor mishap.

    The atmosphere between Eliana and Maurice became intimate again.

    ¡°You have yet to respond to my question.¡± Eliana dared not to look directly into Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    Maurice took the phone and pretended to examine the photograph. ¡°I know this ring, and I¡¯m actually

    looking for it,¡± he said calmly.

    ¡°Is it yours?¡± Eliana asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not mine. I just want to collect it.¡±

    That was it?

    Eliana still did not believe Maurice.

    Would Hodge make such an effort to find something so insignificant? He had even lured her with the

    truth in the past.

    ¡°Why are you so interested in this ring? Do you know where it is?¡±

    Maurice stared at Eliana. His deep eyes seemed to be able to see right into her soul.

    Eliana was agitated. ¡°Of course not. How could I know something you don¡¯t even know?¡±

    Maurice looked so calm. He didn¡¯t appear to be lying.

    Eliana had to temporarily put her doubts aside.

    Besides, it was easy to get information whenever necessary.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief. She then realized something crucial.

    Preston hadn¡¯t lied to her because the ring was indeed not Maurice¡¯s.

    Damn it! She had wronged the gigolo again.

    She wished she could just vanish when she remembered the messages she had sent.

    Eliana was the type of person who couldn¡¯t keep her emotions to herself. Her face could clearly show

    what she felt. Maurice noticed her face changing in a matter of seconds, from being rxed to

    comcent to regretful.

    Maurice was amused by the quick change in her lovely expressions.

    After a few moments, Eliana asked to get out of the car because the kindergarten was already nearby.

    ¡°I have arrived at my destination. Thank you.¡±

    Eliana got off the car. Maurice watched her walk away thoughtfully.

    ¡°Boss, it seems that Eliana is also heading to the kindergarten. Is she picking up the kids for Nana?¡±

    Corbin guessed.

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    Kids?

    Images of the twins shed immediately in Maurice¡¯s mind.

    The little girl was lovely and cute, and the little boy was cool and handsome as well. He had no idea

    why the images of the twins overshadowed Eliana¡¯s face in his mind.

    Maurice thought the twins resembled Eliana more than Nana.

    Something shed through Maurice¡¯s mind out of nowhere.

    ¡°Are we still picking up Ss?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s voice broke into Maurice¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°No, have the bodyguards take him out first. Don¡¯t let Eliana see you there,¡± Maurice ordered.

    He didn¡¯t want to reveal that Ss was his nephew just yet.

    Meanwhile, Eliana thought that she had done a good job keeping the secret as she took a detour to

    pick up the children at the kindergarten gate.

    It was the end of school hours. As time passed, the adults who had been waiting with her had already

    left with the other children they picked up, but Aileen and Adrian were nowhere to be found.

    Eliana became uneasy. Was there something wrong?

    All of a sudden, she saw the teacher of the twins.

    The usually amiable teacher had a straight face and asked, ¡°You are Aileen and Adrian¡¯s mother, aren¡¯t

    you?¡±

    Something must have happened.

    ¡°Yes. What happened to the kids?¡± Eliana asked anxiously.

    ¡°Nothing serious. It was just a minor squabble between the kids. Come with me,¡± the teacher said

    seriously. ¡°Aileen broke another child¡¯s valuable item.¡±

    Aileen?

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. How could her obedient daughter make trouble?

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    Eliana followed the teacher into the ssroom.

    Both adults and children were present. Two groups of people were facing off in the center of the room.

    Aileen and Adrian were standing on one side. Aileen¡¯s eyes were red from crying and tears streaked

    down her cheeks.

    Adrian stood on her right andforted her in a low voice. Ss stood on her left and wiped her tears.

    Behind them stood Ss¡¯s bodyguards.

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    Eliana also recognized the other group of people.

    Erica was in the lead.

    Why was this woman always trying to make her life harder?

    Eliana paid no attention to Erica as she strode over to Aileen and squatted in front of her. She caressed

    Aileen¡¯s tiny face and looked at her gently.

    ¡°What happened, my love? Don¡¯t cry. Mommy is here. Tell me what happened.¡±

    Her mother¡¯sfort only made Aileen felt more aggrieved. She pursed her lips and stayed silent.

    Adrian was about to exin the situation, but a sharp voice interrupted him.

    ¡°Eliana, you need to discipline your daughter. She is a little liar! She refuses to admit that she broke my

    daughter¡¯s diamond ne. She is so ill-bred. Well, it¡¯s not surprising, since her father is a¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Erica! Watch your mouth, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Eliana shouted.

    Everyone was stunned by Eliana¡¯s outburst. Everyone except Erica, who was unfazed.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t think that you can scare me just because of what happened with the pink diamondsst

    time. You are far below my league.¡±

    As she spoke, Erica held up the ne, which was broken into two pieces.

    ¡°Everyone here can judge who is right and who is wrong,¡± she said to the crowd. ¡°I bought this precious

    diamond ne as a gift for my daughter. My daughter showed it to your daughter. Your daughter

    was jealous and broke it. Now she refuses to admit what she has done. What a cheap little liar! You

    won¡¯t be getting away with this.¡±

    The crowd whispered to each other and exchanged nces. Erica was satisfied to see that most of

    them were on her side.

    Now that the Harrison family had gone through a crisis, her rtionship with Asher was as good as

    before. Her status was far above that of Eliana, whose family had already fallen. Eliana was no

    competition to her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Aileen shouted. ¡°Mommy, I didn¡¯t break the ne. It was broken when Ivy showed it

    to me.¡±

    Aileen gripped Eliana¡¯s hand. Her face turned red and all of her little body trembled in anger.

    ¡°That is true!¡± Adrian affirmed.

    Eliana¡¯s heart ached. She hugged Aileen and patted her back. ¡°Baby, it¡¯s okay. I believe you.¡±

    Aileen slowly calmed down.

    Once Aileen had beenforted, Eliana walked to Erica¡¯s daughter, Ivy.

    She squatted down and asked gently, ¡°Ivy, can you tell me what happened?¡±

    Ivy stared timidly into Eliana¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t dare to speak.

    Ivy liked Eliana very much because she was gentler than her own mother.

    The truth was that Ivy had broken the ne. She was terrified that her mother would punish her for

    it. She asked her friend Aileen for advice and showed her the ne. It was at that moment that

    Erica entered. Erica insisted that Aileen had broken the ne.

    Ivy opened her mouth to speak. But her mother shot her a deadly nce that scared Ivy into hiding the

    truth.

    ¡°The ne¡­ Aileen broke the ne.¡±

    Though she spoke quietly, everyone heard her.

    Erica smiled in triumph. ¡°Did you hear that? Your daughter broke the ne. It is your responsibility

    topensate me for it.¡±

    Eliana raised her eyebrows. ¡°If you want me topensate for this ne, I need to take a look at it

    so I can judge the price.¡±

    Erica thought that she was already the victor of this game, so she thoughtlessly handed over the

    ne.

    Eliana epted the ne and examined it carefully. It was an ordinary diamond ne with a

    basic design. The diamond seemed to be expensive at first nce, as it looked like it weighed about 6

    carats. The rest of the ne was made of cheap pearls.

    There was something off about the diamond.

    Wait a moment.

    Eliana realized what was wrong.

    Eliana turned to the crowd and said confidently, ¡°This diamond is a fake.¡±

    Erica¡¯s smile froze. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You¡¯re only iming that because you don¡¯t have the money to

    compensate for it!¡±

    Eliana smiled in disdain at Erica¡¯s refusal to admit the fraud.

    She didn¡¯t have the time or energy to argue with Erica. She put the ne on the table, picked up a

    ss, and smashed it into the diamond.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you crazy?¡± Erica yelled.

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    Eliana struck the diamond with the ss, and the fake diamond shattered into pieces with a loud bang.

    Shocked, everyone looked at Erica.

    ¡°Looks like you gave your daughter a fake diamond, and tried to ckmail me. I should let the police

    handle the matter.¡±

    With a meaningful smile, Eliana picked up the broken ne.

    ¡°Oh my God! Did she really buy a fake?¡±

    ¡°She was even forcing Aileen¡¯s mother to pay for it. Maybe, she was looking to extort money from the

    later!¡±

    ¡°She could have broken the ne herself, you know? How could she ask her own child to lie for

    her? That¡¯s a sin.¡±

    Everyone present began to sneer at Erica with a disgusted look in their eyes.

    She felt really embarrassed.

    Eliana then proposed to call the police.

    Watching her take out her phone and proceed to dial a number, Erica became flustered and shouted,

    ¡°Stop her! Take the ne back.¡±

    In just a second, her bodyguards rushed over.

    Ss¡¯ bodyguards had frightened her before, so now, she brought her bodyguards with her every time

    she came to the kindergarten to pick up her child.

    Ss ordered in a childish voice, ¡°Don¡¯t let her seed!¡±

    The next second, his bodyguards rushed to Erica¡¯s bodyguards and began to push them away.

    Seeing that, Erica snatched the ne and ran away with Ivy.

    Eliana became furious.

    ¡®How dare she try to escape?¡¯ She decided to catch her and teach her a lesson.

    Just when she was about to chase Erica, she felt a small hand grabbing her dress.

    Eliana looked down at Aileen, who seemed to be terrified.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    It was only natural for a kid to be afraid in such a chaotic situation.

    ncing at the kids, Eliana figured that it was more important to watch over them than to chase after

    Erica.

    She helped Aileen sit down in a chair and stroked her hair lovingly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. I¡¯m right here. No one will dare to bully you while I am here, okay? Look, even Adrian

    and Ss are with you.¡±

    Sniffling, Aileen looked up and saw Adrian and Ss standing before her with a concerned look in their

    eyes.

    Although she felt a little relieved, she was still heartbroken by her friend¡¯s betrayal.

    ¡°Mommy, why did Ivy lie? Wasn¡¯t she my friend?¡±

    Aileen looked at Eliana pitifully with tears in her eyes.

    Eliana sighed and asked, ¡°Aileen, why do you think Ivy didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth?¡±

    ¡°Is it because her mother didn¡¯t allow her to?¡±

    Aileen became afraid at the thought of Erica, and reminded herself that Eliana was the best mother in

    the world.

    With a warm smile, Eliana said, ¡°You are so smart, Darling! Tell me, would you ever lie if I asked you

    to?¡±

    Puzzled by her mother¡¯s question, Aileen thought for a while before she shook her head.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Children should not do everything that adults ask them to. They should learn to distinguish

    right from wrong on their own. I hope that you turn out to be a sensible and honest woman in the future,

    Kiddo. You did great today!¡±

    Hearing that, Adrianined, ¡°Mommy, you are so corny! You¡¯ve said that so many times already.¡±

    Eliana frowned, feeling speechless. She did not expect that her son would not agree with her.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    And she really did not know what to do with him.

    She quickly wiped away Aileen¡¯s tears. ¡°I know that I said it a lot, but it works.¡±

    Upon hearing thoseforting words, Aileen felt better.

    ¡°Aileen, here you go.¡±

    Ss handed her the candy that his teacher had given him earlier. ¡°A kid who lies is not a good person.

    Don¡¯t talk to Ivy anymore.¡±

    Aileen had always consoled him by giving him a piece of candy and saying sweet words to him

    whenever he had been upset.

    Taking the candy from him, Aileen gave him a firm nod.

    She also did not want to be friends with a girl who lied to her.

    As she saw the kids getting along with each other, Eliana¡¯s heart warmed up.

    ¡°Mr. Gorman, it¡¯s time for you to go home,¡± a bodyguard urged Ss.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡±

    Eliana touched Ss¡¯ head, thinking that she should thank his bodyguards.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Eliana and the kids walked out of the school, followed by the bodyguards. At the same time, Maurice¡¯s

    car was parked not too far away from the school gate.

    ¡°Oh, no! Mr. Moran, Mr. Gorman is walking out of the school with Miss Pierce and the twins!¡±

    The moment Corbin saw them, he immediately turned around and informed Maurice.

    Why were theying out together?

    Frowning, Maurice could note up with any ns, so he said, ¡°Try to avoid them, then.¡±

    As the CEO of the Moran Group, he never thought that he would be hiding from people.

    Ss saw Maurice¡¯s car and was about to wave to him. However, the car drove away at a high speed.

    Ss was puzzled. ¡®What happened? I didn¡¯t even get in the car!¡¯

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    Chapter 147

    Did he really see what he thought he saw?

    Ss felt something was weird. He immediately called Maurice on his smart watch.

    ¡°Hello, uncle. Why aren¡¯t you here to pick me up yet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way. Wait a little.¡±

    Maurice asked Corbin to park the car on a nearby corner. From there they could secretly observe

    Eliana and the children.

    ¡°You are always busy with work. Are you still working? Have you forgotten what day it is?¡±

    Ss was irritated and hurt.

    Before Maurice could exin, Ss had already hung up in disappointment.

    Ss stood still in silence. His little body drooped down, making him look like an abandoned puppy.

    Aileen and Adrian nced at each other. ¡°Ss, if your uncle isn¡¯t picking you up, you cane to our

    house,¡± Aileen said. ¡°Bowling isn¡¯t there, but we can y with Foodie.¡±

    Adrian bumped Ss¡¯ shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go to our house and y.¡±

    ¡°Not today.¡± Ss shook his head and looked down at the ground. He was silent.

    Eliana could tell that something was wrong with Ss.

    He was usually a polite and sensible kid, and it was strange for him to reject an invitation and ignore his

    friends.

    Eliana squatted down, grasped his hand, and asked gently, ¡°Ss, can you tell me why you are sad?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s kindness reached Ss¡¯ heart. He bit his lip and tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°Today is the

    day¡­ my parents died. But my uncle has forgotten about it.¡±

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    This stunned Eliana. She could see her younger self in Ss. She knew better than anyone the pain of

    losing parents.

    Poor kid¡­

    Eliana hugged andforted Ss. ¡°Ss, you have to believe that your uncle has not forgotten what

    day it is today. You lost your parents, and your uncle also lost his sister. How could anyone who lost

    their loved one not feel grief? He must have something going on today. I¡¯ll stay with you and wait for a

    while, okay?¡±

    As a mother of two, Eliana knew that childcare was not easy.

    After Ss¡¯ parents died, only his uncle was left to take care of him. Since he was also working, it was

    inevitable that he would not be able to give Ss hisplete attention.

    After a while, a Lincoln limousine came to a stop in front of Eliana. She could barely see a man wearing

    sunsses and a mask in the driver¡¯s seat.

    The windows into the back seat werepletely dark.

    The driver looked strangely familiar.

    As Eliana tried to get a closer look at him, he said, ¡°Mr. Gorman, I apologize for my tardiness. Please

    step in the car.¡± Corbin tried to make his voice sound different.

    Eliana frowned when she heard the driver¡¯s strange voice.

    Ss was also confused, but he didn¡¯t want to. He said goodbye to Eliana and the twins.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Aileen, Adrian, I¡¯m leaving now. Goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Have a nice dinner with your uncle.¡± Eliana hugged Ss.

    Ss waved goodbye to the three of them and got into the limousine.

    ¡°Where is Maurice?¡± Ss asked Corbin suspiciously.

    ¡°Here.¡± Maurice sat up in the back seat.

    Maurice waste because he had changed to a different car to avoid Eliana recognizing him.

    ¡°Ss, I¡¯m sorry. I haven¡¯t forgotten what today is. We agreed to have dinner together today, and I won¡¯t

    break my promise.¡± Maurice¡¯s voice was sincere.

    Ss was surprised and turned around. The kind man in front of him waspletely different from his

    indifferent uncle.

    Ss remembered what Eliana said. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Uncle, when my mom died¡­ were you

    sad?¡±

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    Chapter 148

    Maurice was so stunned that his mind went nk for a moment.

    Sad?

    ¡°Ss, how could I not be sad?¡± Pain shone in Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your mother was my only sister,¡± he

    said slowly. ¡°When I lost her, it felt like my world was copsing. But I still have you, Rosina¡¯s only child.

    I have sworn to protect you as well as I can. Do you understand?¡±

    Memories filled Maurice¡¯s mind, apanied by a sharp pain in his heart and a sadness so strong he

    felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    Before their parents died, they told them to support each other and told Maurice to protect his sister,

    but¡­

    He had lost Rosina forever¡­

    To others, Maurice seemed crazy after Rosina¡¯s death. All he could do was distract himself with

    endless work.

    If he hadn¡¯t have Ss to look after, he didn¡¯t know if he could have held on.

    Ss watched Maurice silently. Though they lived together, they had never talked with each other so

    candidly before.

    Ss used to think that Maurice was responsible for his parents¡¯ death. If they hadn¡¯t taken Maurice¡¯s

    car, they would have still been alive. When Maurice immersed himself in his work, Ss thought that

    meant he wasn¡¯t sad about their death. Now, for the first time, he understood the grief Maurice was

    feeling.

    Eliana had been right. His uncle was as grief-stricken as he was.

    ¡°D-don¡¯t be too upset. Miss Pierce told me that you wouldn¡¯t forget what today is. I shouldn¡¯t have

    med you,¡± Ss said, giving Maurice an awkward pat on the shoulder.

    ¡®Miss Pierce? That¡¯s Eliana.¡¯

    Maurice felt a wave of warmth melting the ice around his heart.

    Ss thought that Aileen had been wronged today. Heined angrily to Maurice, ¡°Miss Pierce is

    so kind, but someone is always being mean to her. Ivy Harrison¡¯s mother was bullying Aileen and Miss

    Pierce today. She used a fake diamond ne to frame Aileen. She said that Aileen had broken it

    and demanded that Miss Piercepensated for it. She is so hateful!¡±

    Ss told Maurice about the situation in a clear manner.

    Ivy Harrison? She was Erica¡¯s daughter. So Erica was causing trouble for Eliana again?

    Maurice guessed the truth immediately.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Bullies wille to a bad end.¡±

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Maurice touched Ss¡¯ head and decided that he would teach Erica a lesson in the future.

    The limousine sped along and soon arrived at the old mansion.

    Maurice got out and opened the door for Ss.

    As usual, he reached out his hand to grasp Ss¡¯.

    Ss stiffened for a moment, but he didn¡¯t refuse.

    Maurice led Ss into the old mansion.

    Earle Moran, the real leader of the Moran family, was sitting on the sofa in the living room.

    He was a legend in the business world for decades. He was now in his seventies.

    His hair and beard were all white, and he wore a ck suit. His face was hard and cold. A pair of

    domineering eyes shed with an icy light from within deep sockets. Even sitting on the sofa in his

    home, he seemed alienated from others.

    Maurice had that same domineering aura. But Earle¡¯s aura grew stronger as time went by, until just a

    nce from him could make one¡¯s blood run cold.

    ¡°Why do you return sote?¡± Earle¡¯s deep voice sounded like it had the power to prate into the

    depths of a listener¡¯s heart.

    Ss couldn¡¯t stop himself from cowering behind Maurice.

    ¡°Maurice, today is an important day, and it is inappropriate for you to bete.¡± Gerald seized the

    opportunity to echo Earle.

    Maurice was used to it.

    Even on a day like this, his uncle would not miss an opportunity to belittle him in front of his

    grandfather.

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149

    ¡°You¡¯re both here, Maurice and Ss.¡±

    In the blink of an eye, the chilly feeling in the room dissipated when Nancy walked into the living room

    with a dish of fruit.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°What are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mom,¡± Gerald said. He had to treat his mother with respect.

    Nancy snarled at Earle and Gerald. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Surely you don¡¯t want to frighten the

    kid.¡±

    She took Ss in her arms.

    Obediently, Ss leaned towards Nancy¡¯s breast. When he wasn¡¯t acting like an adult and acting like a

    child, he was lovable.

    ¡°Dear Great-grandma, how are you?¡±

    ¡°You poor little thing, thest time I saw you was long ago. I miss you terribly.¡±

    Nancy gave Ss a pinch on the face and a kiss on the cheek.

    Ss gathered his strength to speak, raising his head. ¡°Don¡¯t me Uncle Maurice, Great-grandpa.

    Because I had been ying for a long time, we arrivedte.¡±

    When Earle saw his granddaughter¡¯s sole child, his expression softened. He gave Maurice an

    uninterested look and said, ¡°Do not repeat that. Sit down. I guess it¡¯s only right if we have a meal.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Immediately after Earle¡¯sments, everyone sat down. There was silence for a minute, except for the

    sound of tes and forks hitting.

    Gerald was upset when he saw how peaceful the room was.

    He feigned concern and said, ¡°Maurice, I¡¯ve heard that you tore up the Jarvis household in order to win

    the affections of ady. Is this urate?¡±

    Inwardly, Maurice scoffed as he put down the food he was picking up.

    Today, Gerald tried to make it as tough as possible for him.

    Earle¡¯s scowl was anticipated, and he enquired, ¡°Maurice, tell me what¡¯s happening. Who¡¯s that

    woman?¡±

    Mauriceid down his forks, wiped his mouth gently, and answered, ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t wipe out the

    Jarvis family for the sake of a woman. In recent years, the Jarvis family has been a spent arrow. They

    still hoped to gain an edge by using the closeness of the Moran family to them. Allow them to take

    advantage of us, and more families will follow suit and do the same in the future. I can¡¯t let that

    happen!¡±

    After he heard this, Earle¡¯s expression became a little softer.

    Gerald was rather persistent. ¡°Really? Everyone in the workce was aware that you pursued Eliana,

    ording to what I¡¯ve heard.¡±

    Earle squinted and asked, ¡°Eliana?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s responded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. She is the sole daughter of the Pierce Group¡¯s owner, and the

    group dered bankruptcy five years ago.¡±

    ¡°I advise you, Maurice, although you may have a good time with a low-statusdy, you should not take

    things to a serious level. The tragedy of thest generation is something that shouldn¡¯t recur. Especially

    if you¡¯ll be one involved.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s father¡¯s demise saddened Earle. Every time he mentioned him, he was ovee with grief.

    These statements were unbearable to Nancy. She chastised Earle by pointing her finger at his nose.

    ¡°All of you, please stop talking now. Earle, I¡¯d want to tell you something. I¡¯m happy to have Eliana as

    my granddaughter-inw. Come on, someone, stop it! Didn¡¯t everyone learn enough from the past? I

    will flee if somebody tries to cause problems for Maurice again. Leaving the Moran family is an option

    for me!¡±

    Earle remained silent as a result of the scolding. This dominant husband, who had been that way his

    whole life, couldn¡¯t stand up to his wife. His wife appeared to be able to persuade him to give in to her.

    Gerald was unable to say anything harsh when Nancy became enraged.

    They were all awestruck by Nancy.

    Ss gave Nancy a sneaky thumbs-up beneath the table.

    Nancy was able to settle a disagreement right away.

    Maurice rarely sat in front of Ss¡¯ bed in the evenings to lull him to sleep. On the nightstand, there was

    a snapshot of the whole family.

    ¡°Sleep now. I¡¯m not going anywhere till you¡¯re sound asleep.¡±

    Ss¡¯s quilt was tugged by Maurice, who perched on the side of the bed.

    ¡°Then you should keep your word,¡± Ss whispered, burying his head in theforter.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Maurice¡¯s grin became softer and softer around the corners of his lips.

    Maurice didn¡¯t leave until Ss was well asleep.

    It was already far into the wee hours of the morning. Maurice went alone to the balcony and started

    smoking. He could only really experience his yearning for someone at that exact time.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150

    Maurice¡¯s alone time was soon interrupted by an unweed guest.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    It was Gerald.

    ¡°Maurice, it is such a surprise to see that you dote on your nephew so much, even though you¡¯re not

    even married yet. It¡¯s such a pity that your sister died at such a young age.¡±

    The cigarette between Maurice¡¯s fingers slipped to the floor and he turned around with an unmistakable

    fierceness in his eyes.

    He grabbed Gerald¡¯s neck and pressed him against the balcony railing, the sheer force causing half of

    his body to hang in the air as though he was about to fall to his death any moment.

    Although Gerald was terrified, he tried his best to pull back Maurice¡¯s hand with a fierce look in his

    eyes.

    However, his strength could notpare to Maurice¡¯s, and now, his life was in Maurice¡¯s hands.

    Gerald felt the air in his lungs slowly decrease, and his vision was starting to blur. Maurice, who was

    strangling him, looked like a devil.

    It was only natural for Maurice to be so furious upon getting offended.

    ¡°Gerald, if you dare to mention anything about my mother or sister again, I will make sure that you die a

    tragic death!¡± Maurice hissed in a hoarse voice.

    Hearing his devilish threat, Gerald could not help but nod with difficulty.

    Actually, Maurice was prepared to kill him.

    Veins popped out of his hands and his eyes were red with anger.

    If he had used a little more strength, then he could have killed the man who caused his sister¡¯s death,

    but he could not bring himself to do it, because if he did, then his family would fall apart. What would

    happen to Ss then?

    Maurice breathed heavily, trying to suppress his murderous intent.

    He knew that it was still not the right time to kill Gerald, but he was determined to make him pay

    thousand times the price when the time came.

    Thinking of that, Maurice loosened his grip.

    Gerald covered his neck, retreated two steps, leaned over, and coughed violently.

    His survival instincts drove him away from danger¡­ From Maurice.

    ¡°Are you plotting something with Hodge?¡± Maurice stubbed the cigarette on the floor, his sharp eyes

    fixed on Gerald.

    Gerald argued, ¡°Are you really that paranoid? Do you think that everyone wants to hurt you?¡±

    There was a look of disdain and ridicule in Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know that you destroyed the Pierce family

    for your own selfish gain. But you¡¯d better behave yourself from now on, and don¡¯t let me get any dirt

    on you.¡±

    Gerald was shocked to see Maurice, who had once been a weak boy, grow up to be a fierce man.

    At the same time, he was not the kind of person who would just sit and wait for his death. He would get

    revenge for everything sooner orter, probably once he found the ring¡­

    Gerald lowered his eyes, and left, hiding the conspiracy in his heart.

    Maurice¡¯s family was full of scheming rtives, while Eliana¡¯s family was filled with warmth,ughter,

    and happiness.

    Their strikingly contrasting families lived under the same sky with the shining moon.

    Meanwhile, Eliana just finished having dinner with her family.

    She sat down with Nana in the living room sofa, while Adrian and Aileen yed with their new puppy.

    Aileen suddenly seemed to feel depressed and sat down sullenly.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Aileen?¡± Eliana asked.

    ¡°Mommy, where is Bowling? I do love Foodie, but I miss Bowling a lot.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset. We will find Bowling soon,¡± Eliana said, stroking her daughter¡¯s hair lovingly.

    Even though she seemed to be calm on the surface, her heart was roaring.

    She wanted to find Bowling too! After all, the ring was still in the dog¡¯s belly, and she could not afford to

    let it be.

    Thinking of the ring, Eliana suddenly remembered her phone call with Hodge.

    Lately, the ring had really been the cause of all the problems in her life, and she found it weird. And

    whenever she was close to finding the clue, the mystery would be more difficult to solve.

    ¡®How about I ask Nana? Perhaps, she could have some ideas.¡¯

    Eliana cleared her throat and looked at Nana seriously. ¡°I have something to tell you, but don¡¯t be too

    shocked by it, okay?¡±

    With a bag of chips in her arms, Nana was enjoying the variety show. She did not even turn around and

    asked casually, ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ Hodge contacted me.¡±

    ¡°What? Come again?¡± Nana asked in a loud voice, letting the bag of chips fall to the floor in shock.

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    Chapter 151

    ¡°So Hodge called you and asked you to inquire about Maurice¡¯s ring. And he will tell you the truth in

    exchange¡­ Now, you have to find a ring that looks exactly like the one that¡­ Preston lost?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Eliana nodded.

    ¡°Oh God! Who the hell does that ring belong to?¡±

    Nana was perplexed to hear Eliana¡¯s words.

    Eliana was also stunned, feeling like the whole issue was a little outrageous.

    ¡°What do you think I should do now?¡± Lost in thought, Eliana rubbed the bridge of her nose.

    All of a sudden, a brilliant idea urred to Nana.

    ¡°Eliana, I don¡¯t think now we should worry about the owner of the ring now. Hodge wants the ring, right?

    How about we use whatever we know about the ring as bait to lure him out?¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up at once.

    ¡°Great! Why didn¡¯t I think of this before? You¡¯re right. I will try to lure Hodge out the next time he calls

    me.¡±

    Hodge called her not long after they came up with the n.

    Eliana took a deep breath and answered the phone, putting it on speaker.

    ¡°Eliana. Have you made up your mind yet?¡±

    Hearing Hodge¡¯s question, Eliana and Nana nced at each other.

    ¡°Yes. I found the ring you were looking for,¡± Eliana said in a firm voice.

    ¡°What? You found it? Really? Where is it now?¡± Hodge asked excitedly.

    ¡°Listen, Hodge, I can give you the ring, but you¡¯ll have to meet me in person and tell me the truth.¡±

    Seeing that he was about to take the bait, Eliana did not waste any time.

    However, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.

    With a slight frown, Eliana asked, ¡°Are you hesitant to meet me because you¡¯re following someone

    else¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°No, you think too much,¡± Hodge retorted stiffly.

    Eliana sneered, ¡°Then why are you so afraid to show me your face? It¡¯s because the one who

    instigated you to do all this is the real mastermind, right?¡±

    Hodge fell silent again.

    For some reason, Eliana felt like she heard someone else¡¯s voice over the phone. And the person

    seemed to bemanding Hodge. She thought that it might be because she was feeling nervous.

    ¡°The ring is what I want. You don¡¯t have to know the reason. I can meet you, but you must let me

    decide when and where.¡±

    Hodge finally took the bait!

    Suppressing the excitement in her heart, Eliana said in a calm voice, ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°I will see you at the Impression Cafe on Phoenix Road, at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s settled, then.¡± Eliana was relieved.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.

    As soon as she hung up, Nana jumped and sat down beside her. ¡°Great! We did it!¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was not easy, but we can¡¯t let him run away from us this time,¡± Eliana remarked with a smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We can ask someone to help us catch him. I am sure we can make him tell us the truth!¡±

    Nana cried out.

    ¡°But have you ever thought of the fact that Kimora is the only one who can help us? The three of us are

    all women. How can we manage to catch Hodge?¡±

    Eliana was not as optimistic as Nana, because Hodge was a man. Moreover, they were suspicious that

    there might be someone else controlling him.

    ¡°You are so silly. Go and find Preston! He has a lot of contacts, right? So it won¡¯t be a big deal for him

    to find some men. And you can ask Hodge and Preston about the ring tomorrow since they¡¯ll both be

    there. Killing two birds with one stone, you know?¡±

    Eliana realized that it was perfect.

    Nana¡¯s n was the best way to find the truth.

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    Chapter 152

    Eliana immediately picked up her phone and called Preston.

    On the other side, Maurice stared at Eliana¡¯s caller ID on the screen of his phone. All the dissatisfaction

    that had umted within him finally reached the peak.

    So when he answered the phone, it was in a rather unfriendly way.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong with you? Earlier, you called me so many times and even texted a bunch of

    strange questions to me. What¡¯s your reason for calling again? Do you think that there¡¯s no limit to my

    patience?¡±

    ¡°It was definitely a misunderstanding! I was so dumb that I just blindly med you,¡± Eliana said in an

    apologetic tone.

    ¡°A misunderstanding? Have you ever trusted me? You always believe whatever others say, but you

    don¡¯t believe a word I say. Can you tell me why?¡±

    To say that Maurice was exasperated by Eliana¡¯s attitude towards him would be an understatement. It

    seemed that regardless of whether his identity was Maurice or Preston, he never had Eliana¡¯s trust.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Being treated by Eliana this way was a big blow to him.

    Eliana, on the other hand, was a little flustered after hearing the cutting anger and disappointment in

    Preston¡¯s words.

    ¡°Because¡­ Becausepared to being deceived by other people, being deceived by you would really

    hurt me!¡±

    In her anxiousness to appease Preston, Eliana blurted out a flurry of words in one breath. But as soon

    as she finished saying them, she was gripped with regret.

    What on earth was she talking about? She wished she could just press a button to withdraw all the

    words she had just said!

    For a moment, there was a tense silence on both sides.

    ¡°Eliana, what do you mean?¡± Maurice finally asked, subconsciously tightening his grip on the phone.

    To him, Eliana¡¯s words sounded like a confession of love. The possibility made his heart almost beat

    out of his chest.

    Eliana, too, came back to her senses.

    It was only now that she also realized why she had been so angry at the prospect of Preston¡¯s

    deception in the first ce¡ªshe already unconsciously regarded him as a very important person in her

    heart.

    She was angry at him because she cared about him, and she felt hurt because she cared about him.

    Somehow, while she was thinking about Preston, Maurice¡¯s face also appeared in Eliana¡¯s mind.

    Did that mean that she also cared about Maurice the same way?

    The answer was yes, even if Eliana didn¡¯t want to admit it. Deep in her heart, she still didn¡¯t believe that

    Maurice was the one who had brought the downfall of the Pierce Group.

    She seemed to have inexplicable feelings for both these men.

    How had she fallen into such a mess?

    While waiting for the right opportunity to take revenge, Eliana also had to uncover the mysteries that

    both Preston and Maurice seemed to be shrouded in. And now, she couldn¡¯t even figure out her own

    feelings. How could she say such a thing out loud to anyone?

    In the end, Eliana chose not to answer Preston¡¯s question. It was not that she wanted to torture Preston

    with suspense, but that it was impossible for her to untangle the thread of her own feelings.

    Maurice hung up the phone disappointedly without hearing an answer from her.

    Seeing Eliana put down the phone, Nana raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°How did it go? Did he agree?¡±

    Eliana bit her lip and shook her head.

    Nana didn¡¯t ask any further questions. She just patted Eliana on the shoulder andforted her,

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t worry. Since you can¡¯t trust the gigolo, I¡¯ll help you find a way.¡±

    After saying that, Nana took out her phone and sent a message to Corbin.

    ¡°Corbin, we¡¯ve found Hodge. He¡¯ll be at Impression Cafe on Phoenix Road at eleven o¡¯clock tomorrow

    morning. If you help me get some capable men, I¡¯ll catch him in the trap.¡±

    As soon as Corbin received the message, he called Maurice.

    ¡°Boss, Nana just texted me and said that they¡¯ve found Hodge, and that they need help to catch him.

    How did they find Hodge?¡±

    Corbin couldn¡¯t believe it at all. He and Maurice had been looking for Hodge for a long time, but they

    always ended up at a dead end. However, Nana and Eliana seemed to have found him easily.

    How could it make sense? In fact, it was a little humiliating.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it must be a trap. Should I warn them not to be fooled by Gerald?¡±

    As Corbin spoke, he quickly opened the message app to type a reply to Nana.

    But he was stopped by Maurice¡¯s low voice, which came from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Corbin, don¡¯t do that. Just agree to what Nana asked for.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s fingers hovered uncertainly over the keypad, and he frowned. ¡°Mr. Moran, do you have a

    n?¡±

    ¡°Get some people to intercept Hodge tomorrow and ask him about what happened back then. After

    that, we will directly tell Eliana the truth.¡±

    At this moment, Corbin understood.

    His boss was going to take advantage of the situation.

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    Chapter 153

    All of the yers in the game were resting peacefully at night, awaiting the advent of tomorrow with a

    variety of motives and emotions.

    Eliana dropped off Aileen and Adrian at kindergarten the next day like she always did.

    The twins said their goodbyes to their mother. When they entered the ssroom, Ivy was standing

    beside Aileen¡¯s seat, as if she was expecting her.

    However, her excitement faded as soon as she spotted Aileen and Adrian. She took a few steps closer

    after a few moments of hesitation.

    Adrian remembered that Ivy had lied and betrayed his sister only yesterday. A strong desire to stop Ivy

    sprang in him right now.

    He was dragged over by a hand. It was Ss.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Ss shook his head and then signaled Adrian to have a look at Aileen.

    Aileen¡¯s little face was instantly covered with grief and sadness. The corners of her lips drooped, and

    she still seemed quite depressed.

    Ss was well aware that the one who created a problem should be the one to solve it, and that they

    should reverse their actions. Ss and Adrian just needed to be there for Aileen no matter what she

    decided.

    Ivy¡¯s eyes were as red as a rabbit¡¯s when she stood in front of Aileen.

    ¡°Aileen, I¡¯m sorry for my stupid actions. Yesterday, I should not have lied to wrong you by iming you

    damaged the ne. In any case, I was frightened of getting in trouble with my mother, so I¡­ Can

    you ept my apology?¡±

    That apology took a long time toe out of Ivy. She bowed her head in embarrassment and avoided

    looking Aileen in the eyes when shepleted speaking in one breath.

    Ivy¡¯s apologies had little effect on Adrian.

    Aileen¡¯s pain could not be erased by an apology.

    But he had to put up with it for Aileen¡¯s sake.

    Aileen had the same reservations. Yesterday, she was so enraged by Ivy¡¯s actions that she decided

    she would never forgive her again. However, after hearing what Eliana had to say, she realized that Ivy

    could have lied out of fear of her mother.

    ¡°Apology epted.¡±

    Aileen was set in her ways.

    ¡°Really? Does that mean we¡¯re still friends?¡±

    Ivy¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Aileen as she waited for her response.

    In spite of her forgiveness, Aileen shook her head and stated, ¡°I¡¯ll never be friends with you again.¡±

    Aileen made the call. She was able to forgive Ivy for what she had done to her, but she was unable to

    be friends with Ivy as if nothing had urred because of her past actions.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. My sister is intelligent.¡± Adrian was full of admiration for Aileen.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Keep your spirits up. In the future, we shall meet new people,¡± Ss promised Aileen,

    caressing her head.

    Ivy¡¯s jaw dropped. Adrian and Ss had already dragged Aileen away, so she couldn¡¯t say anything

    further in an attempt to win her over.

    Ivy¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she saw Aileen and the other kids enjoying a good time.

    Eliana and Nana, on the other hand, had arrived at the Impression Cafe.

    Eliana advised Nana, ¡°Nana, let¡¯s separate now and work together afterward. At all times, keep your

    phone on. Unless Hodge tells me, you may bring the others to capture him. It¡¯s imperative that we

    seed in our mission!¡±

    Nana gave a confident thump to her chest. ¡°The only way to find out the truth is to ask him directly.

    Everything else is on me.¡±

    Eliana took her seat at the table as scheduled. To ensure a prime spot for the prize catch, Nana had

    booked the private box with the best view of the entrance.

    Everything was now in ce, and the only thing left to do was take thest step.

    Nana retrieved her phone and dialed Corbin¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello, Corbin. Right now, I¡¯m stationed at the entrance. What is your location?¡±

    Corbin was hiding out in an Audi parked outside the cafe at this point in time.

    ¡°I can¡¯te today because of something urgent.¡±

    Corbin felt somewhat embarrassed, but his appearance in front of Eliana was very inconvenient for

    him. As long as Eliana pursued the evidence, the secret of his employer could no longer be protected

    once he was unmasked.

    ¡°Fuck! Am I dreaming?¡±

    Was he being serious?!

    ¡°Do not get too irritated. Rx. I got some people to help because I can¡¯t be there,¡± Corbin said in

    haste.

    ¡°You swindler! Where are those helpers? There isn¡¯t even a soul in sight!¡±

    Nana was so enraged that she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She would give Corbin a

    solid lesson right now if he stood in front of her.

    This individualcked dependability.

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    Chapter 154

    The cafe¡¯s gate was immediately unlocked when Nana reprimanded Corbin.

    She was approached by a group of imposing guys. Their punches were powerful enough to take out

    three of her in a single blow.

    Nana¡¯s eyes became wide.

    What in the world did Corbin do? Where did hee across these people?

    Hodge seemed to be in trouble.

    ¡°Are you Nana Marlin?¡± said the leading guy with sunsses.

    ¡°Yeah¡­yes,¡± Nana answered haltingly in a choked voice.

    Afterward, the male leader removed his sunsses. He was clearly a mobster based on his square

    features and imposing physique.

    He extended his hand in greeting. ¡°Mr. Jenkins instructed us toe here. What can I do to help you?¡±

    Nana promptly extended her hand to the guy and said, ¡°Thank you, sir. Help us out today, please.¡±

    As soon as they exchanged pleasant greetings, the situation turned tense. Neither Nana nor the

    muscr guys moved as they stared into each other¡¯s eyes.

    Everyone else would assume something was amiss if they continued to stand like this, not to mention

    Hodge.

    Nana wondered what she should do as she saw the enormous guys

    ¡°Buddies, how about we hide for a bit and wait for the target to arrive before we show up again?¡± Nana

    proposed.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    After the answer, the guys remained silent again and followed Nana¡¯s instructions to sit down in the

    box. They were quite obedient.

    ¡°Let¡¯s first take cover here. My partner willter speak with the target. We¡¯ll stay in contact no matter

    what happens. We¡¯ll go after him as soon as we see anything fishy. Please keep in mind that we must

    capture him alive.¡±

    Nana repeated her request. She was terrified that these big, bad guys would savagely murder Hodge.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The leader nodded his head.

    Something went amiss again. Awkwardness returned to the situation at that point.

    Nana started to warm up to him after a while. ¡°Our objective has not yet arrived. Would you want a cup

    of coffee, my friends?¡±

    Even though she knew she was seated among a bunch of strong guys who were rooting for her, Nana

    was still nervous.

    The males were really aloof and said nothing.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    In the end, Nana requested some coffee for her and them.

    Eliana sat uneasily on the chair outside, awaiting Hodge¡¯s arrival.

    Suddenly she felt a pair of eyes staring at her.

    Someone was watching her.

    With a frown, Eliana surveyed her surroundings.

    There were few customers at the cafe at this time. They all sat together in small groupings.

    A guy with a jacket and a mask sat with a piece of newspaper before his face in the cafe corner.

    Maurice was the guy disguised as a spy.

    He was worried that Gerald would be brewing a plot and Eliana might be in danger if she came to see

    Hodge by herself, so he followed her.

    However, there was some kind of telepathic connection between him and thatdy. She¡¯d been

    scanning his face from the start.

    Poor fool!

    Maurice instinctively lifted the newspaper to block her view when Eliana¡¯s gaze returned.

    He had no idea that to others, he seemed to be¡­ Much more bizarre.

    The two females seated across the cafe from him were chatting in hushed tones.

    ¡°Weird, look at that guy in the corner. What¡¯s up with his outfit? Do you think he¡¯s a psychopath?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think that¡¯s possible? He¡¯s a sight to see. He wears designer clothing. In spite of his

    face being hidden, his demeanor remains upbeat. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a big name. He may be terrified of

    being identified by others.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not out of the question. It seems that he has a striking resemnce to Eli Goodwin, a recent

    inte sensation. No, I must request an autograph. What if he¡¯s truly Eli Goodwin?¡±

    One of the females summoned the courage to approach Maurice directly.

    The girl approached Maurice, her huge eyes blinking as she inquired timidly, ¡°Are you, Eli Goodwin, by

    any chance? Your most recent television y is excellent. I need your signature, please.¡±

    What was she referring to?

    This baffled Maurice.

    He lowered the newspaper a little, nced at the girl, and said, ¡°You mistake me for someone else.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It turns out that I had the incorrect individual in mind. Sorry for the trouble.¡±

    The embarrassed girl rushed back to her seat, and Maurice hastily lifted the newspaper once again.

    Eliana, on the other hand, was well aware of what was going on.

    With each passing nce, he appeared to be more and more familiar.

    Eliana sprang to her feet and headed directly towards Maurice¡¯s.

    Maurice was on the verge of being detected as the space between the two dwindled.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡±

    When Eliana heard that, she froze in her steps and instantly turned back.

    Her name was yelled out by a middle-aged guy at the cafe¡¯s entryway.

    It was Hodge who appeared.

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    Chapter 155

    After seeing Eliana drawing Hodge¡¯s attention, Maurice heaved a sigh of relief.

    However, noticing that Hodge hade there alone, he felt that something was suspicious.

    How could Gerald have let Hodgee alone?

    Such a move did not match up with his personality.

    Sensing that something was fishy, Maurice frowned deeply.

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    At the same time, Eliana did not think as much as he did. She was only keen on finding out the truth

    about the past from Hodge.

    ¡°Please have a seat,¡± Eliana said.

    Hodgeplied and sat down from across her.

    Facing each other, they felt awkward and did not know what to say.

    Five years ago, Hodge had been one of her father¡¯s most trusted friends, but things had changed

    since. Recalling that, mixed feelings rose in Eliana¡¯s heart.

    That moment, a waiter walked over with a menu card.

    ¡°Sir, miss, may I take your order?¡±

    Hodge nced at Eliana, and said to the waiter, ¡°Please take thedy¡¯s order first.¡±

    With the menu in her hand, Eliana was lost in thought for a while.

    ¡°A cup of Spanishtte and a Schwarzwald cake for the gentleman. And I will take a cappino and a

    tiramisu, please.¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The waiter took the menu from her and left.

    Eliana¡¯s words caused a stir in Hodge¡¯s heart.

    He had watched her grow up, after all. However, Spanishtte and Schwarzwald cake were his and his

    ex-wife¡¯s favorite foods, respectively.

    And Eliana remembered it till day.

    It was no wonder that she was Lemuel¡¯s daughter. Just like her father, Eliana also seemed to value

    personal rtionships a lot.

    A surprising bitterness rose in Hodge¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Where are your son and daughter? Why didn¡¯t I see them?¡± Eliana asked.

    ¡°They are abroad. Like you saw that day, I owe some people a lot of money, and theye after me all

    the time. How could I let my kids stay with me in such a situation?¡± Hodge replied with a wry smile.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡±

    Hodge couldn¡¯t answer her question. The reason he had not left with his kids was because Gerald had

    promised to pay off his debts, and after that, his children coulde back and he would be able to

    reunite with them.

    And that was the main reason he wanted to get the ring¡­

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop with the small talk now. Where is the ring?¡±

    Hodge was clearly quite anxious.

    ¡°Tell me why you want the ring first.¡±

    Eliana needed to know the truth.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that.¡±

    Flustered, Hodge awkwardly looked out of the window.

    ¡°You¡¯re not the one that¡¯s actually after the ring, right?¡± Eliana continued to question him as she

    guessed that there must be someone who was controlling Hodge.

    Hodge remained silent.

    ¡°How can you expect me to just give you the ring if you won¡¯t even tell me that much?¡± Eliana tried to

    persuade him.

    ¡°Yes, well, my creditor¡­ That¡¯s right! My creditor¡­ Well, he wants the ring. He said that it was a part of

    a very precious jewelry collection, and he said that he will waive off my debts as long as I get him the

    ring.¡±

    Obviously, Eliana was not a fool to believe that.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me where the ring is, then I can¡¯t tell you what happened back then!¡±

    Hodge seemed to be agitated, like he was forcing Eliana to tell him where the ring was.

    Seeing that, Eliana decided to use her trump card.

    ¡°Okay, let me be honest with you. I¡¯ve lost the ring that you are looking for.¡±

    ¡°What? You lost it? How?¡± Hodge stood up, his eyes wide open in shock.

    ¡°It¡¯s because the dog is missing,¡± Eliana replied calmly.

    ¡°The dog?¡± Hodge was perplexed.

    ¡°A dog swallowed the ring, and then it ran away, so now the ring is missing.¡±

    Hearing those words, Hodge was speechless.

    ¡°Are you kidding me? I don¡¯t think you knew about the ring¡¯s whereabouts to begin with. You were only

    trying to lure me out, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    Furious, Hodge turned around, intending to leave.

    However, Eliana could not let him go, so she swiftly grabbed his hand and snapped, ¡°You want to

    leave? Unless you tell me the truth, you won¡¯t be able to get out of here!¡±

    Enraged, Hodge was trembling as he roared, ¡°It was Maurice Moran, who wanted to acquire the Pierce

    Group back then. He nned the Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy. He¡¯s the one that forced your father to kill

    himself. He is the real culprit!¡±

    ¡°Maurice¡­ Moran?¡± Eliana asked in shock.

    Pretending to be sad, Hodge said, ¡°Yes. Maurice already knows about your identity, but the funniest

    thing of all is that you have slept with your enemy. If your parents know about that, then their souls

    won¡¯t be at peace.¡±

    Upon hearing those words, Eliana was startled. She suddenly remembered Maurice¡¯s words.

    ¡°If you were the daughter of the Pierce family, then would you believe that I was the one that did it?¡±

    Eliana had not understood the real meaning of his words at that time, but now she did.

    She had been tricked¡­

    Thinking of that, she fell into a long daze.

    Seizing the opportunity, Hodge shook her hand away and ran towards the cafe entrance.

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    Chapter 156

    While she was talking with Hodge, Eliana kept in touch with Nana on the phone.

    Nana heard their whole conversation and immediately realized that something was wrong.

    ¡°It¡¯s time! Guys, get going!¡± she ordered. ¡°You must catch Hodge!¡±

    Nana stood up and rushed out, taking several strong men with her.

    A waiter carrying arge tray of coffee appeared at the door, blocking their way out.

    Nana couldn¡¯t stop in time.

    ¡°Lady and gentlemen, your coffee¡­ Ah!¡±

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    Nana mmed into the waiter and knocked the coffee off of the tray and onto the heads of the strong

    men.

    The only exit was blocked. The scene dissolved into chaos.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Nana struggled quickly to her feet and rushed for the door.

    She ran right into another person; it was Eliana, who was chasing Hodge.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    The impact knocked both of them to the floor.

    The men had recovered from being soaked with coffee and finally caught up with Nana. They stopped

    sharply, narrowly avoiding stepping on the two women.

    Eliana felt dizzy. There was only one thought in her mind.

    ¡°Damn it! Hodge!¡± she shouted.

    During the chaos, Hodge had fled to the road.

    A Volkswagen stopped in front of him.

    By the time Eliana got to her feet, it was toote.

    All she could do was watch Hodge jump into the car and speed away.

    Maurice had been watching from the sidelines. His moment had finally arrived.

    ¡°Corbin, follow him!¡±

    One coveted gains ahead without being aware of danger behind.

    Maurice had been observing the whole situation in the cafe, and had already asked Corbin to guard

    outside.

    Corbin immediately stomped on the gas and pursued Hodge.

    The two cars sped down the road.

    ¡°Hurry up! There is a car chasing us!¡±

    Hodge¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he noticed his pursuer.

    The driver nced into the rearview mirror and silently stepped on the elerator.

    ¡°Corbin, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Corbin and Maurice were speaking on the phone.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I¡¯m a talented racing driver.¡±

    With a confident smile, Corbin stepped on the gas again to close the distance.

    Hodge looked back at the Audiing up behind him. His heart felt like it would pound out of his chest.

    The man in a floral shirt who was sitting next to him looked calm. ¡°Why are you panicking? Has she told

    you where the ring is?¡±

    ¡°Eliana tricked us. She didn¡¯t tell me anything. She didn¡¯t know where the ring is.¡±

    Hodge looked upset.

    ¡°So¡­ you will be of no more use to us,¡± the man in the flowery shirt said coldly. He reached over and

    closed his hands around Hodge¡¯s neck.

    ¡°As the boss said, there can be only one end for useless pawns!¡±

    Hodge¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief and he struggled fiercely.

    The man¡¯s strong hands were like iron pliers, almost twisting Hodge¡¯s neck.

    Hodge¡¯s face turned red and contorted in pain. He couldn¡¯t breathe and felt that his throat was being

    crushed into pieces.

    If he couldn¡¯t free himself quickly, he would die.

    Just then, their car crossed a bridge and another car cut in front of them.

    The driver braked and both Hodge and the other man were sent sprawling forward.

    The iron grip on Hodge¡¯s neck loosened. Hodge gasped for air and kicked the man¡¯s crotch. The man

    doubled over in pain.

    Now!

    Hodge pushed the door open and jumped out of the car.

    Corbin was startled to see a figure leap out of the car.

    Without meaning to, he swerved to avoid the figure.

    Bang!

    The Audi crashed into the guardrail of the bridge. The window shattered and the airbag deployed.

    Corbin was thrown into the airbag and he fainted.

    Maurice was still on the phone with him.

    ¡°Corbin! Corbin!¡±

    Maurice raised his voice in desperation, but there was no reply.

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157

    The impact caused Hodge to roll on the road, which might have led to broken bones.

    He rolled over several times. But despite his injuries, Hodge stood up and stumbled forward.

    In the car, the man in the flowery shirt came back to his senses. The sharp pain in his crotch made him

    look ferocious.

    ¡°Knock him down! Kill him!¡±

    Upon receiving the order, the driver then maneuvered the car. He made a sharp turn and drove fast in

    Hodge¡¯s direction.

    Hodge closed his eyes in hopelessness as he saw the car approaching fast.

    The next second, Hodge was knocked to the ground, blood gushing from his body.

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    Meanwhile, the car immediately drove away, joining the heavy traffic on the bridge.

    Only Hodge, who was lying on the ground, and Corbin, who was unconscious in the car not far away,

    remained at the scene.

    When Eliana took a taxi to catch up with Hodge, the bridge was closed as two ambnces blocked the

    way. A huge crowd of onlookers obstructed the path ahead.

    Eliana tried her best to push her way through the crowd, only to see medical personnel in the middle of

    the road carrying the unconscious Corbin into an ambnce. His head was covered in blood, Corbin!

    Why was he here? Did Maurice send him here?

    But Eliana didn¡¯t have time to think about Corbin at that moment.

    She noticed Hodge on another stretcher. The blood flowing from his body had stained the stretcher,

    and medical personnel were giving him first-aid treatment.

    Hodge seemed to be in a more critical stage than Corbin.

    Eliana¡¯s heartbeat quickened, and she dashed towards Hodge.

    Eliana was stopped by the medical staff. ¡°Miss, you can¡¯te here. We¡¯re taking the patient to the

    hospital shortly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, Doc. I know the man on the stretcher. He is Hodge Chadwick,¡± Eliana exined

    anxiously.

    The medical staff hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

    Eliana got into the ambnce and apanied Hodge to the hospital.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡±

    Hodge, who had received emergency treatment, regained consciousness and noticed Eliana sitting

    beside him.

    ¡°Hodge! You¡¯re awake!¡±

    Eliana gripped Hodge¡¯s hand tightly, her emotions tangled. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me the truth. You can¡¯t

    die.¡±

    When people were dying, they became kind and honest. Hodge couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty as he

    stared at Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ Sorry¡­ I¡­ lied¡­ The Pierce family¡­ was plotted against by the one¡­ from the Moran¡­

    fami¡­¡±

    He lost consciousness before he could even finish his sentence.

    Eliana was shocked. ¡°Hodge! Hodge!¡±

    ¡°His heart has stopped beating. Please step aside, miss!¡±

    The medical personnel approached Hodge to revive him.

    After some time, the ambnce arrived at the hospital. Hodge was immediately taken to the operating

    room.

    Eliana was left outside the operating room¡¯s door. There were stains of blood in her skin.

    At that exact moment, Eliana felt as if she was transported back to the day of her father¡¯s death. She

    witnessed her father, who was also covered in blood, being pushed into the operating room.

    When she saw him again, he was already wrapped in a thick white cloth.

    Her mother thenmitted suicide three days after her father died. She was still rushed to the hospital,

    but she didn¡¯t survive.

    Elianapletely broke down when she saw her mother¡¯s pale face covered in white cloth.

    She¡¯d cried nonstop for two days and two nights in the hospital, until she could no longer shed a tear.

    The desperate and painful memories washed over her like a flood.

    Her consciousness gradually blurred as her father¡¯s blood-sttered face and her mother¡¯s cold body

    reappeared in her mind.

    Eliana eventually couldn¡¯t hold on and fell down.

    Luckily, a pair of strong arms caught her. She could feel herself being held in a warm embrace.

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158

    Was it Preston?

    Eliana¡¯s first thought was that the warm arms around her must be Preston¡¯s.

    She raised her head and saw Maurice¡¯s handsome and cold face.

    He was thest person Eliana wanted to see right now.

    ¡°Maurice, why was Corbin at the scene of Hodge¡¯s car ident?¡±

    The question had been bothering her from the moment she saw Corbin.

    Now that Maurice was here, she could demand an answer.

    She didn¡¯t want to believe that Maurice was the one responsible for her parents¡¯ death, but why was

    Corbin there? What on Earth had Maurice ordered him to do?

    Eliana¡¯s expression was cold, but her heart was burning with anger that threatened to set both her and

    Maurice on fire.

    Maurice was silent.

    Eliana grabbed his cor in an iron grip.

    ¡°Did you n all of this? You already knew my identity, but you didn¡¯t deliberately expose me. Do you

    think it¡¯s amusing to see me looking for evidence beside you every day? If Hodge hadn¡¯t told me, I

    would still be in the dark. Maurice, how long do you want to y games with me?¡±

    Maurice was flustered by Eliana¡¯s rising hysteria.

    He had never seen Eliana like this. She was like an erupting volcano in the form of a woman, or a ss

    bottle vibrating at such high speeds that it was sure to shatter.

    His mind was in chaos. He needed to exin. ¡°Eliana, calm down! I¡­¡±

    Before Maurice could continue, the door of the operating room was opened and a doctor emerged.

    Eliana immediately approached him. ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±

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    The doctor sighed and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ve done all we can. The patient has suffered

    extremely severe injuries and he has fallen into a deepa. It is unlikely that he will ever wake up.

    You have to be mentally prepared. Treatment is not inexpensive.¡±

    Hodge might never wake up?

    Eliana staggered backward a few steps until Maurice caught her.

    ¡°Miss, are you a rtive of the patient?¡± the doctor asked.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just a person who knows him.¡± Eliana shook her head.

    ¡°Can you help me contact his family? We need his family to sign the operation agreement.¡±

    The doctor handed over the paperwork.

    Eliana lowered her head. She knew that Hodge had divorced and his children had gone abroad. He

    had no family at home.

    ¡°I will sign it.¡±

    Eliana took the operation agreement and signed her name on it.

    It was so funny. A few hours ago, Hodge had been her enemy, but now she was trying to help keep him

    alive.

    While Eliana was lost in thought, a nurse came over with the bill.

    ¡°This bill is for Hodge¡¯s family.¡±

    Eliana took the bill, then walked to the cashier and handed over her bank card.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, miss. You do not have enough money on your card.¡±

    Not enough?

    Eliana had been so agitated that she hadn¡¯t even taken a proper look at the bill. Now she looked closer.

    When she saw the huge number, her heart sank.

    She couldn¡¯t afford such an expensive treatment.

    ¡°Are you going to pay or not? We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    The people in line behind Eliana began toin. Eliana didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°Use my card.¡±

    A slender but powerful hand gave a ck card to the cashier.

    It was Maurice.

    Eliana opened her mouth to refuse. But she couldn¡¯t. If this bill wasn¡¯t paid, Hodge would die.

    After the bill had been paid, the two of them walked back silently.

    Walking behind Maurice and staring at his silent back, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Why did you pay

    for Hodge¡¯s treatment? Aren¡¯t you looking forward to his death? If Hodge dies, then no one will know

    what you have done, right?¡±

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159

    Maurice stopped.

    He turned around and stared coldly at Eliana.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that stupid to ask Corbin to kill Hodge?¡±

    ¡°Now that Corbin is in aa, you can say whatever you want,¡± Eliana sneered.

    ¡°Is that how you see me?¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t contain his anger. He moved forward and grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm, only to discover that

    her body temperature was not normal.

    Eliana¡¯s temperature was unusually high.

    ¡°You have a fever?¡±

    Maurice frowned, and his anger disappeared in an instant.

    ¡°So what? It¡¯s none of your concern. Let go of me!¡±

    Eliana fought valiantly, but she was dizzy. She didn¡¯t have enough strength to slip from Maurice¡¯s hold.

    After a few moments, she felt that Maurice was already lifting her.

    ¡°Maurice, what the hell are you doing?¡± Eliana struggled. ¡°Put me down!¡±

    Maurice looked down at the frail woman in his arms. ¡°Be quiet. If you are certain that I am your enemy,

    you should take care of yourself first. Only when you live longer will you be able to exact your revenge

    on me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡±

    Eliana was very annoyed. She bit Maurice on the neck.

    Eliana showed no mercy to him. She didn¡¯t stop, even when she had already tasted blood.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Maurice took a deep breath.

    ¡®She really has a bad temper,¡¯ he concluded.

    Maurice didn¡¯t stop her until Eliana had vented most of her anger and frustration.

    Eliana calmed down after biting Maurice hard.

    She had no strength to argue with Maurice any further and eventually fell asleep in his arms.

    Maurice carried her into the car and then drove back to the Moran family¡¯s old house.

    When they reached the house, Maurice brought her all the way to a room. Eliana regained

    consciousness after he put her down on a bed.

    She could tell it wasn¡¯t her home.

    ¡°Maurice, you wretch! Where did you take me?¡± Eliana murmured. Her voice showed that she was

    really not feeling well.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t decide whether tough or cry. Despite her condition, Eliana still had the strength to

    scold him.

    ¡°You take care of her from now on,¡± he told the butler and servants before dismissing them.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moran,¡± the servants responded with bowed heads.

    Eliana suddenly came to her senses. Without saying anything, she leaped out of bed, wanting to leave.

    But Maurice pushed her back into bed.

    ¡°Are you going to lock me up?¡± Eliana asked impatiently. ¡°What on earth do you want to do, Maurice?¡±

    ¡°Stay here if you still want Hodge to continue his treatment. If you dare to leave, then I will just let him

    die,¡± Maurice threatened.

    ¡°Ridiculous! Do you really think I care about him? If he died, then it would be a good thing.¡±

    In a rage, Eliana struggled to get out of bed again.

    ¡°You don¡¯t care about Hodge, alright. But how about your other friends? Trust me, my resources are not

    what you can imagine.¡±

    What he had just said sent shivers down Eliana¡¯s spine.

    She remembered her children.

    Maurice would not let her children go once he found out about them.

    Eliana also thought of Nana, who had run out on a wedding.

    She couldn¡¯t bear thinking about it any longer.

    She clenched her teeth and hissed, ¡°Maurice, you¡¯re such a jerk!¡±

    Maurice just looked at her indifferently.

    ¡°Remember, you cannot bear the consequences of running away from me.¡±

    He then turned around, exited the room, and locked the door.

    The room fell silent. Eliana lied down on the bed helplessly, gasping for air.

    She couldn¡¯t just sit there doing nothing.

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    After resting for a while and regaining some strength, Eliana stood up, walked to the window, and

    pushed it open.

    She saw things she would never have seen in the city. It was a manor surrounded by trees, with arge

    courtyard and a massive iron gate.

    It wasn¡¯t her first time at the ce. It was Maurice¡¯s suburban vi.

    The cold wind blew on her face. Eliana, who was still a little groggy a few minutes ago, immediately felt

    better.

    Looking down at the view, she thought about how she could escape.

    After a while, she still couldn¡¯te up with a good idea, so she leaned out the window to get a better

    look.

    However, a maid opened the room¡¯s door at that exact moment and saw her in that position.

    ¡°Ah! Miss! Please don¡¯t! Don¡¯t do it! We are on the third floor!¡±

    The maid¡¯s scream resounded throughout the entire manor.

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160

    The moment Eliana heard the maid¡¯s bloodcurdling scream, she stepped back in fear.

    The maid ran to her side and closed the window.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please don¡¯t harm yourself.¡±

    Panicking, she looked at the woman in front of her, whom Maurice had carried back in his arms.

    With a bitter smile, Eliana said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just wanted to open the window to see where I was.¡±

    After hearing that, the maid breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you are the first woman that Mr. Moran had brought home. If something happens to you, I will

    be punished for it!¡± the maid said in an anxious voice.

    However, Eliana did not believe her at all.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? He¡¯s skilled in kidnapping people! He should be bringing women home often!¡±

    Eliana scoffed.

    ¡°Everything that I said ispletely true. Look, even this nightdress is new.¡±

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    The reason the maid came upstairs was to give Eliana the nightgown. She handed the nightgown to

    her with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯d better take a shower and get changed first,¡± the maid added softly, looking at Eliana imploringly.

    Looking down at her bloodstained clothes, Eliana had no choice but topromise.

    ¡°Okay, give it to me.¡±

    Holding the nightgown in her hand, she walked to the bathroom, removed her bloodstained clothes,

    and took a shower.

    She felt a lot better when she walked out of the bathroom.

    All of a sudden, she heard her phone ring. She immediately turned around and saw that it was a call

    from Nana.

    ¡°Hey! Eliana, where are you? Have you caught Hodge yet?¡±

    Nana was staying home with Adrian and Aileen.

    She was really anxious because she hadn¡¯t been able to get in touch with Eliana or Corbin ever since

    Eliana went after Hodge.

    ¡°Nana, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll talk to you about Hodge in detail once Ie back. Please take care of the kids

    for the time being. I¡¯m now¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her words, a female doctor walked in with a bottle of medicine.

    ¡°Where are you?¡± Nana asked.

    After careful consideration, Eliana decided not to tell her the truth, because she knew that Nana would

    come to Maurice¡¯s ce and cause trouble if she knew that she was in his house.

    Thinking of Maurice¡¯s threats, Eliana shuddered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. I just couldn¡¯t catch Hodge and was in a bad mood. I¡¯lle back once I calm

    down.¡±

    Nana was still suspicious. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I promise,¡± Eliana replied.

    After coaxing Nana, she hung up and saw the doctor waiting for her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce¡­¡± The doctor looked at her, feeling embarrassed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for wasting your time. Please tell Maurice that he doesn¡¯t have to be so concerned about me.

    I just want him to let me leave this ce at once.¡±

    The doctor could not convince her to take the medicine, so she put it down and left.

    Eliana refused to eat or take the medicine, so her fever got worse. She was feeling very weak by that

    evening.

    She curled up under the covers, feeling the sudden heat and cold in her body. Her hands and feet were

    also cold, and she couldn¡¯t think straight.

    While she was delirious, the door was pushed open, and she sensed the fragrance of soup.

    ¡°Get up and eat,¡± Maurice said, walking in with a bowl of cream of mushroom soup in his hand.

    As he looked at the untouched medicine on the table, his voice became cold.

    Although Eliana had her eyes closed, she could still feel his icy gaze.

    She silently pulled up the quilt and turned her back to him to express her dissatisfaction. She was

    determined to protest till the very end.

    Seeing that, Maurice was furious.

    He put the soup on the bedside table, picked up the medicine, and put it into his mouth. He then took a

    sip of water, pulled Eliana up from the bed, and kissed her. Her eyes widened in surprise.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    Eliana struggled in vain.

    The moment she opened her mouth, he let the water and medicine in his mouth flow into hers.

    After doing what he wanted, he stepped back.

    Eliana coughed and was about to spit out the medicine.

    ¡°If you dare to spit it out, then I¡¯ll have sex with you,¡± Maurice threatened her.

    Eliana hesitated and swallowed the medicine unconsciously.

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161

    Maurice leaned over Eliana as soon as he finished speaking. Their close proximity and sudden mood

    shift left her breathless.

    ¡°Uh, what are you doing?¡± Eliana struggled to move away in caution.

    Maurice squinted his eyes and seductively unbuttoned his shirt with his slender fingers. In a few

    seconds, his broad chest was exposed.

    Seeing the hickey on his neck, Eliana froze in fear. There was a dangerous look on Maurice¡¯s

    handsome face. It seemed that he was about to pounce on his prey, and there was nothing she could

    do about it.

    Dirty thoughts began to fill Eliana¡¯s mind. She wondered if Maurice was going to have sex with her at

    this moment.

    Stepping back instinctively, Eliana started shivering uncontrobly.

    ¡®How could Maurice be so horny? I¡¯m not feeling well and have a high fever. Does he still want to have

    sex with me in my condition? I don¡¯t understand. I obeyed him and took the medicine. What else does

    he want me to do?¡¯

    Feeling trapped and confused, Eliana sniffed as tears streamed down her sad face.

    The sight of Eliana weeping made Maurice stop dead in his tracks. His cold heart suddenly melted.

    He had been merciful to her a couple of times recently, and today he decided once again to take it easy

    on the poor girl.

    With a barely audible sigh, Maurice straightened himself up and took the millet congee from the

    bedside table. Wearing a nk expression, he handed it to Eliana.

    ¡°Are you still afraid of me now? Eat it, or I will have sex with you. I mean it.¡±

    Eliana was really frightened this time. She hurriedly took the soup, picked up the spoon, and took a sip.

    The presence of warm food in her stomach gradually relieved the difort caused by her hunger and

    high fever.

    After some thinking, Eliana finally figured it out.

    It was bad for her to stop eating.

    She vowed never to do such a stupid thing again!

    With a nod of approval, Maurice watched her finish a whole bowl of soup.

    The cream of mushroom soup warmed Eliana¡¯s stomach and reinvigorated her entire body. Soon, her

    mood began to lighten.

    She returned the empty bowl to Maurice and showed no signs of wanting to leave anymore. Instead,

    she lowered her head and refused to look at him again.

    Maurice took the empty bowl and didn¡¯t utter a word. He stood up and promptly left the room.

    Once the door was shut, Eliana was all alone again.

    In the darkness, Eliana sat on the bed with her arms tightly wrapped around her legs. She buried her

    face on her knees as countless emotions surged to her heart.

    Hodge was in a dire state, remaining unconscious and weak. What on earth should Eliana do to find

    out the truth about her parents¡¯ death?

    And what did Hodge mean to tell her before he passed out? He wanted to tell who the criminal was, but

    he failed.

    Nothing seemed to make any sense. Was Maurice truly responsible for all this?

    Eliana had never felt this kind of pain before. Moreover, she was helpless to do anything.

    Suddenly, a familiar ringtone broke the dreary silence.

    Eliana raised her head and picked up her phone. Preston¡¯s name appeared on the screen.

    ¡°Hello, Preston.¡±

    ¡°Eliana, is there something wrong? Your voice sounds gloomy and weak.¡±

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    Eliana effortlessly harbored many grievances in her heart for a long time, like the strong woman she

    was. But when she heard Preston¡¯s deep voice, her eyes grew misty, and her strength disappeared.

    People were always like this. When no one else cared about them, they could be tough and resilient.

    But once someone showed concern for them, they would break down easily.

    Unable to keep her emotions bottled up, Eliana began sobbing and told Preston what had happened.

    She cried her heart out as she recounted the harrowing events, from Hodge¡¯s car ident to being

    held captive in Maurice¡¯s room.

    ¡°You know what? That asshole locked me up and forced me to eat and drink medicine.¡±

    The more Eliana thought about it, the angrier she became. She wished that she had bitten Maurice¡¯s

    neck a little harder.

    Unbeknownst to her, Maurice was the person on the other end of the line. He smiled in amusement at

    everything he had heard.

    ¡°Since you have suffered so much recently, how about I find a way to take you to safety?¡± Maurice

    suggested in a concerned tone.

    ¡°Forget it, Preston. You can¡¯t afford to offend Maurice. Who knows what would happen when you two

    cross paths?¡± After a brief pause, Eliana added, ¡°He is too terrifying. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±

    Maurice was quite surprised when he heard that Eliana was afraid of him.

    ¡°Really? Just because he forced you to eat and take medicine?¡± Maurice asked innocently.

    For the first time, Eliana was speechless. Aside from locking her up, Maurice really wasn¡¯t out of line.

    She wanted to retort, but she couldn¡¯t think of any valid reason.

    The two fell silent for a while. Since Eliana had nothing else toin about, Maurice spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s

    good you are doing fine. Seeing that nothing¡¯s wrong, I have to hang up now and tend to my business.

    Have a good rest.¡±

    ¡°No, wait a minute,¡± Eliana said. She tightly clenched her phone in her hand, a slight frown forming on

    her lips. ¡°Please don¡¯t hang up. Can you talk to me for a while? Too many bad things have happened to

    me today. I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Well, okay then.¡±

    Hearing her exnation, Maurice ultimately agreed.

    Leaning against the wall, Eliana curled up helplessly, thinking of what was in store for her in the future.

    In the next room, Maurice continued to listen to her worries on his phone.

    Fate was ying a trick on them, making them both close yet feeling so far away.

    It was not until Maurice heard Eliana¡¯s soft regr breathing that he stood up and entered her room

    again.

    Maurice walked to the bedside and saw that Eliana had already fallen asleep. She seemed to be

    having a nightmare as she frowned with tears falling down her cheeks.

    Watching the poor girl struggle in her sleep, Maurice couldn¡¯t help but kiss the tears away from the

    corners of her eyes and gently tuck her underneath the nket. His heart ached dearly for her.

    To his surprise, Eliana¡¯s brows unfurled after the kiss, and her face finally seemed to be at peace.

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162

    Eliana woke up early the next morning. She immediately put her hand over her forehead. Her body

    temperature had dropped.

    She shook her head as she remembered her dream from the night before, wherein Preston had kissed

    her on the forehead. But when she thought about it, she realized that it was actually Maurice.

    Even her dream was hazy.

    Eliana sighed.

    Suddenly, the door was opened.

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    Eliana quickly shut her eyes and pretended to sleep. She didn¡¯t want to see Maurice¡¯s face yet,

    especially when she had just woken up.

    ¡°Eliana, are you awake?¡±

    Apparently, it was Maurice¡¯s grandmother.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t stay in bed any longer. She quickly opened her eyes and sat up.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, why are you here?¡±

    Eliana was slightly embarrassed. She had adamantly refused to have a rtionship with Maurice, but

    she was in his bed.

    ¡°Just lie down. You are still sick.¡±

    Nancy walked to the bed and sat on the edge. ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m very happy that you came. I heard it was

    Maurice who brought you back in his arms yesterday,¡± she said warmly, holding Eliana¡¯s hand.

    The olddy gave Eliana a yful look, as if she were looking at her granddaughter-inw.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, you misunderstand,¡± Eliana said quickly. ¡°Maurice and I¡­¡±

    Nancy cut her off, saying, ¡°I¡¯m older and more experienced. I can definitely tell whether Maurice likes

    you or not. Where is he, by the way? He shouldn¡¯t be going out since his girlfriend is sick. He¡¯s gone

    too far.¡±

    Nancy couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about her grandson¡¯s emotional state.

    He moved so slowly. When would he marry Eliana? How long would it take for her to finally have a

    great-grandchild?

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m fine now,¡± Eliana assured her.

    Nancy felt sorry for Eliana. She touched Eliana¡¯s face lovingly and said, ¡°Look at you. Your face is

    thinner. I have made a sandwich and heated a cup of milk for you. Hurry up and have them.¡±

    Nancy then instructed a maid to immediately bring the sandwich and milk to Eliana, not giving her a

    chance to refuse.

    Eliana didn¡¯t dare mention going home in front of Nancy, so she just obediently sat on the bed and ate

    the food.

    ¡°Good girl. Take the medicine after your breakfast. You young people don¡¯t take getting a cold seriously,

    but it will harm your health if it worsens.¡±

    Eliana listened to Nancy¡¯s nagging while finishing up the food.

    At that moment, Eliana felt the warmth of family for the first time in a long time.

    Her mother was exactly like that. Ingrid would always nag at her when she was sick,ining that

    she didn¡¯t care about her own health. But no one had ever talked to her in that way since her mother

    died.

    She had a string of bad luck in the days following her return from abroad.

    It was either Maurice who would make things difficult for her or Preston who would bully her. Even

    when she was sick, she had to deal with it alone, without telling her children.

    Now, with Nancy taking care of her, Eliana felt like she was back to being a helpless child, tears welling

    up in her eyes.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you crying? Is there any problem? Maurice is entirely to me. Wait a second. I¡¯ll call

    him.¡±

    Nancy med her grandson for everything. In any case, her future granddaughter-inw couldn¡¯t

    possibly be wrong.

    Eliana was startled and immediately stopped crying.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t call Maurice.¡±

    She just felt touched. Things would surely get out of hand if Nancy called Maurice.

    But Nancy didn¡¯t listen to her. She still called Maurice.

    At the time, Maurice was attending apany meeting.

    The Moran Group had just released its mid-year report that day. All of thepany¡¯s leaders at various

    levels were present.

    However, due to the car ident involving Corbin, thepany temporarily hired Theo Scott as

    Maurice¡¯s assistant.

    It was Theo¡¯s first day as Maurice¡¯s assistant, and he didn¡¯t know the ins and outs of the job yet. On

    such a significant asion, it was normal for him to be nervous.

    People who were nervous were more likely to make mistakes.

    The first tragedy in Theo¡¯s career happened soon after. He was so nervous that he projected Nancy¡¯s

    video call to Maurice directly on the screen.

    Nancy¡¯s face appeared on therge screen in the meeting room. Simultaneously, another person¡¯s face

    could be seen.

    Wasn¡¯t that Eliana? Eliana was at the CEO¡¯s residence.

    Everyone was taken aback and looked at Maurice.

    Something fishy must be going on between them.

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    Chapter 163

    Why was his grandmother hanging out with Eliana?

    The sudden video call also confused Maurice, who immediately signaled Theo to turn it off. But before

    Theo could do anything, Nancy started nagging.

    ¡°You brat, don¡¯t hang up! You have to apologize to Eliana. You brought her home with you. But why did

    you leave her alone when she was sick? How could you do that? Apologize now!¡± Nancy urged

    Maurice to apologize to Eliana.

    Sitting behind Nancy, Eliana finally realized that something was wrong.

    ¡®Wait¡­ Why are there so many people surrounding Maurice? Is he attending a meeting?¡¯

    ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m in a meeting.¡±

    Eliana felt as if the entire world had copsed on her in an instant.

    Damn it! She couldn¡¯t clear her name any longer.

    ¡°He¡¯s in a meeting, Mrs. Moran. Please hang up immediately.¡± Eliana was very anxious that she was

    even sweating profusely.

    ¡°No, he owes you an apology.¡±

    Nancy was adamant. She didn¡¯t save Maurice¡¯s face even in front of random people.

    Maurice realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to get through it easily. He had to make apromise in order to

    end the farce as soon as possible.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Maurice¡¯s voice was very serious.

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    Eliana was surprised.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. And since you still haven¡¯t recovered yet, take your medicine and eat well.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Okay.¡±

    Eliana was still dazed.

    Did this man¡¯s personality change in an instant? Didn¡¯t he threaten to lock her in a small dark room

    yesterday?

    Somehow, after hearing him apologize, Eliana felt¡­ much better.

    Maurice obeyed no one but his grandmother.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Nancy then hung up the call with satisfaction.

    The screen went back to normal.

    Maurice looked around the stunned crowd and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed.¡±

    After the meeting, Maurice went back to his office and pulled a long face. He immediately summoned

    Theo to his office.

    ¡°Your name is Theo Scott?¡±

    Theo was standing in front of the furious big boss, trembling.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid like that again.¡±

    Maurice resisted the urge to fire Theo right away and just motioned for his assistant to leave the office

    as soon as possible.

    Three assistants had infuriated him prior to the meeting this morning.

    Maurice then realized that Corbin had never made such a stupid mistake since he became his

    assistant. Maurice had forgotten how good Corbin was until that moment.

    What about paying Corbin a visit?

    When something went wrong with his boss¡¯s work, Corbin was finally remembered and appreciated.

    In the afternoon, Maurice went to the hospital.

    The ward¡¯s door was half open. As Maurice approached, he noticed a middle-aged couple tending to

    Corbin. They must be his parents.

    They were happily conversing,ughing at each other¡¯s remarks from time to time.

    Maurice was moved by that warm scene, but he also felt a little upset.

    He had once felt this kind of simple happiness, but it had long since gone.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want to disturb the family¡¯s moment, so he chose to leave silently.

    Maurice and Nana walked past each other in the hospital corridor.

    Nana stopped, puzzled as to why the man appeared to be familiar. She turned around right away, but

    Maurice was already out of her sight.

    Nana then concluded that she might just have been mistaken.

    Nana ignored the matter and went straight to Corbin¡¯s ward.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see you, Corbin!¡± Nana called out before she even entered the ward.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    She felt embarrassed as soon as she walked in and saw Corbin¡¯s parents.

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s mother looked at both her son and Nana. ¡°Son, your father and I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.

    Have a good chat with this girl,¡± she said when she finally realized something.

    She drew Corbin¡¯s father out of the ward as she spoke.

    Corbin, with his head wrapped in gauze and his legs in a cast, asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°How did you let this happen to yourself?¡±

    Nana was really stunned to see him like that.

    Corbin groaned. ¡°I had a car ident, can¡¯t you see? I¡¯ve had bad luck since I met you. Don¡¯t you think

    you are my curse?¡±

    Nana was not convinced. ¡°You think I¡¯m your curse? No, you¡¯re my curse. You failed to do everything I

    asked you to do.¡±

    They started arguing with each other.

    After a few moments, a nurse came in.

    ¡°Corbin Jenkins, right? You need a shot right now.¡±

    Nana felt that she had to leave after learning that Corbin was about to receive an injection.

    When she was about to turn around and leave, the nurse suddenly asked, ¡°Are you the patient¡¯s

    girlfriend? The patient faints during injection. Why don¡¯t you stay and assist him?¡±

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    Chapter 164

    Did he really faint during injection? Or was the nurse just kidding?

    Nana looked at Corbin with wide eyes and saw that his face was pale, and his eyebrows were tightly

    knitted. He seemed to be resistant and utterly nervous.

    Upon her observation, he seemed like he would actually faint.

    ¡°Oh my goodness. You¡¯re a tough and masculine individual, but you¡¯re afraid of tiny needles?¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter.

    ¡°Excuse me? Can¡¯t men faint at the sight of needles?¡± Corbin¡¯s cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

    A few momentster, Nana felt odd about something the nurse had said.

    Wait a minute¡­

    Did the nurse just refer to her as Corbin¡¯s girlfriend?

    ¡°Miss, it seems you¡¯ve gotten it all wrong. I¡¯m not actually his girlfriend. Our rtionship is purely

    business. We are just creditor and debtor,¡± Nana hurriedly exined, hoping to clear things up.

    A knowing smile suddenly spread across the nurse¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. There¡¯s no need to be so shy about it. Apart from his mother, no other female hase to

    visit him except for you. If you are not his girlfriend, then who is?¡±

    Nana¡¯s face immediately turned red.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, enough talking. I¡¯m ready now. Give me the injection.¡±

    Gritting his teeth in anticipation, Corbin unbuttoned his hospital gown and exposed his shoulder. He

    nervously gulped as he stared at the syringe in the nurse¡¯s hand. Curling his hands tightly into fists,

    Corbin tried to stop himself from trembling.

    Nothing else had terrified him since he was a child. He could climb great heights and fightrger foes,

    but he could never escape the fear of needles even now that he was a full-grown adult.

    However, it was different this time because Nana was watching. He had to show her that he wasn¡¯t a

    coward.

    Wearing a determined face, he willed himself to go on with the procedure.

    Nana stood nearby and watched the nervous Corbin. She seemed to be caught in quite a dilemma.

    ¡®Corbin had just assisted me in the pursuit of Hodge. How about helping him this time?¡¯

    After giving it some thought, Nana walked over to stand in front of Corbin and blocked his sight from

    the shiny needle.

    ¡°Hey, I can take care of myself. It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

    Despite his attempts to wave Nana aside, Corbin was actually scared. Even though he wanted to mock

    the woman, he had already instinctively cowered behind her body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything you don¡¯t mean, and y nice. If you open your mouth to insult me, I¡¯ll move away

    and leave you on your own.¡±

    Nana threatened to abandon him, but truthfully she would do no such thing.

    ¡°No! Please don¡¯t!¡±

    In a state of panic, Corbin grabbed Nana¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°So you admit defeat, right?¡± Nana burst intoughter upon seeing this big man turn into a crybaby.

    ¡°Yes, you are beautiful and kind. No one else canpare to your gorgeous looks andpassionate

    heart!¡± Corbin cried out in defeat.

    The nurse carefully injected Corbin while enjoying their public disy of affection.

    ¡°Look at how sweet you two lovebirds are. How could you say you were not a couple?¡± the nurse

    teased with a grin as she applied a cotton swab on Corbin¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°We are not in a rtionship! Let me exin¡­¡± Nana suddenly became anxious.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for an exnation. Don¡¯t worry, I understand.¡±

    The nurse gave Nana an encouraging wink and turned around to leave, closing the door behind her.

    Nana and Corbin both dropped their eyes to the floor and fidgeted awkwardly.

    ¡°Well, were you able to catch Hodge?¡±

    To ease the embarrassing atmosphere between them, Corbin decided to break the silence and change

    the topic.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually a big problem of mine right now. Not only did we fail to capture Hodge this time, but my

    friend suddenly went missing. She hasn¡¯te back yet, and I don¡¯t know where to begin looking for

    her.¡±

    Nana sighed deeply and looked genuinely upset.

    ¡®Her friend? It must be Eliana. But that¡¯s impossible. How could Eliana be missing? She must be at

    Maurice¡¯s house.¡¯

    Unknowingly, Corbin immediately guessed the truth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much. Maybe your friend just went¡­¡±

    Before he could finish his words, a stern-looking policeman suddenly entered the room.

    ¡°Good day, folks. Are you Corbin Jenkins?¡±

    After acknowledging Nana¡¯s presence, the policeman stared curiously at Corbin, who was lying on the

    bed.

    ¡°Yes, sir. What is this about? Have I done anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°Corbin Jenkins, you have been dered a prime suspect of a hit-and-run crime, resulting in a civilian

    casualty. I need to ask you some questions.¡±

    A vehicr ident that caused a casualty?

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m afraid you might be making a mistake. Are you sure you have the right guy?¡±

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    Nana narrowed her eyes in confusion.

    Corbin was afraid of needles. How could he simply escape after causing a car ident?

    In stark contrast to the troubled Nana, Corbin seemed to be calm. He knew that it must have something

    to do with Hodge, but he couldn¡¯t let Nana find out that his boss was also involved.

    Quickly formting a n in his mind, he realized the first step was finding a way to make Nana leave.

    Turning to the confused woman, he said coldly, ¡°The police officer and I need to talk in private. Show

    yourself out the door.¡±

    Nana felt worried about him, but when she heard Corbin¡¯s dismissive tone, she suddenly became

    frustrated.

    ¡°Fine. Whatever. I don¡¯t care about you anyway.¡±

    After finishing her words, she walked out of the ward with a bitter look on her face.

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    Chapter 165

    Someone informed Gerald about the police paying Corbin a visit regarding Hodge¡¯s ident.

    ¡°Great! Corbin is Maurice¡¯s confidant. If something goes wrong, Maurice could be implicated. That¡¯s

    fantastic!¡±

    Gerald smiled evilly as he sat in his office chair.

    His eyes were gloomy as he touched the bruises on his neck. He finally got his revenge on Maurice this

    time.

    ¡°Boss, what if Maurice betrays Corbin and mes him for the ident?¡± Sean Weston, his secretary,

    reminded him.

    Gerald sneered and replied, ¡°My nephew looks cold and ruthless, but in fact, he cares the most about

    personal feelings. That is his fatal weakness.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right! People who do great things do not bother about futile things. You can aplish great

    things, boss. Your greatest strength is that you do not let yourself be controlled by emotions. You have

    no weaknesses at all.¡± Sean kept ttering his boss.

    Suddenly, Gerald¡¯s smile froze.

    Was his secretary praising him?

    He red at Sean, and Sean snapped back to reality. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, boss. Please let me exin.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. This conversation is over. I¡¯d like to see how Maurice can get out of this predicament.¡±

    Gerald then stood up and fixed his sleeves.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back and see if we can find anything interesting.¡±

    Sean let out a sigh of relief and followed Gerald out of the office.

    They walked toward the underground parking garage. Suddenly, a Bentley rushed towards Gerald.

    Gerald subconsciously pushed Sean beside him as the car approached.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Sean, who had been pushed out of the way to block the car, closed his eyes and screamed in fright.

    But then the Bentley screeched to a halt in front of him.

    Sean was so terrified at that critical moment of life and death that he copsed to the floor.

    On the other hand, Gerald didn¡¯t care about his secretary at all. He ran towards the exit without looking

    back.

    Gerald was clearly the target.

    The driver maneuvered the car to follow Gerald.

    ¡°Damn it! Help!¡±

    Gerald was frightened out of his wits. He dashed around the parking lot like a madman until he was

    cornered by the Bentley. There was no way out.

    Gerald copsed to the floor as his legs went limp.

    The car stopped, just as he thought he was doomed.

    Gerald couldn¡¯t open his eyes due to the bright headlights of the car.

    He vaguely saw a familiar figure get out of the car, holding a long iron stick. The stick made a harsh

    sound as it scratched the floor.

    The figure got closer. Gerald¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he saw the man¡¯s face clearly.

    ¡°Maurice!¡±

    ¡°You have good eyesight, Uncle Gerald.¡±

    Maurice stood in front of Gerald, holding the iron stick and wearing a cold smile. His tone was very

    cold, and there was a storm brewing in his eyes.

    ¡°You lunatic! What the hell are you doing?! I¡¯m your elder. Is this how you treat your elders? I have to

    inform your grandfather that¡­¡±

    Maurice waved his iron stick at Gerald before he could even finish his sentence.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Gerald was so terrified that he screamed and covered his head with both hands.

    Bang! The iron stick hit the wall.

    ¡°Gerald, this is just a small gift for you,¡± Maurice sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve found evidence that you hired people to

    hit Hodge with the car. I¡¯ll let you pay the price. Just wait and see.¡±

    Gerald had already been shaken to his core by the blow. He sat on the floor in a daze.

    What a coward!

    Still holding his iron stick, Maurice climbed into his car and then drove away without looking back.

    When the Bentley had already been gone for a long time, Sean approached Gerald and asked,

    ¡°Boss¡­ are you okay?¡±

    Gerald had not recovered from his fright until that point. He thought about how frightened he was

    because of what Maurice had just done. He became even more furious and revengeful.

    ¡°Maurice! You son of a bitch! I swear I¡¯ll teach you a lesson that willst you a lifetime!¡± Gerald cursed,

    but he still didn¡¯t have the strength to stand up.

    He then yelled at Sean, ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and help me up!¡±

    Sean came back to his senses. He carefully assisted Gerald in getting up, and the two limped to

    Gerald¡¯s car.

    Apparently, Gerald¡¯s Rolls-Royce had been smashed.

    Gerald was so furious that he couldn¡¯t even say a word.

    All of a sudden, Sean¡¯s phone rang.

    ¡°Boss, bad news! We have several big projects that are now gone.¡±

    Gerald froze. After a while, a deafening roar echoed throughout the garage.

    ¡°Maurice! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166

    Eliana had been staying in the vi for two days already.

    Maurice had never shown up since that night. The servants of the Moran family, however, did not dare

    to let her go because of his order.

    Nancy, on the other hand, made sure she ate nutritious food every day. Now that Eliana hadpletely

    recovered, she could no longer bear being imprisoned in his vi.

    Moreover, Aileen and Adrian would be worried if she still did not go home.

    Nancy came over with a smile on her face, looking quite happy, just as Eliana was busy thinking about

    how to escape.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    She took Eliana¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Eliana, I¡¯ve been here for quite a while, and it¡¯s time for me to go. But

    before I leave, I want you to promise me one thing.¡±

    Eliana, surprised and delighted, responded, ¡°Mrs. Moran, I will promise to do whatever you ask of me.¡±

    ¡°Good girl. An auction ising up in a few days, and I¡¯m too old to go out. Please do me a favor and

    attend the auction on my behalf. You are free to leave after that. I¡¯ll take care of everything else.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face turned red unexpectedly when she heard that. Nancy had apparently read her mind.

    Nancy was the one who helped Earle establish their family business. With her experience, how could

    she not know Eliana¡¯s desire to leave?

    So she went along with it because she wanted to use the auction to bring Maurice and Eliana together.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡­¡±

    Eliana was in a dilemma. Every time she attended such an event, something seemed to go wrong. She

    was drugged thest time she went to a dinner party with Maurice and spent the entire night with him.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t say no too quickly. I¡¯ll show you the auction items, and maybe you¡¯ll be interested in

    them.¡±

    Nancy took out the auction booklet and handed it to Eliana.

    Eliana was about to refuse when a small antique music box on the cover caught her attention.

    She immediately collected the booklet and took a closer look at it.

    Indeed, it was her parents¡¯ antique music box. She had always seen it at their home when she was still

    a child. Later on, the Pierce Group dered bankruptcy, and all of their valuables were auctioned off.

    Eliana took a deep breath and felt conflicted emotions.

    She was overjoyed to see her parents¡¯ old belongings again. But she was well aware that she couldn¡¯t

    afford the music box.

    However, even if she couldn¡¯t buy it, it would be good to be able to see it again in person after years of

    not having a glimpse of it.

    With the music box in mind, Eliana decided to grant Nancy¡¯s request.

    ¡°Okay, Mrs. Moran. I promise to attend the event.¡±

    Nancy instantly gave Eliana a beaming smile and gently patted her hand.

    ¡°Good girl. I knew you would not refuse me. Don¡¯t worry. I have arranged everything.¡±

    After Nancy left, the driver came to her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran has requested that we take you to the salon.¡±

    Eliana took the opportunity to make a request. ¡°Can I go home first?¡±

    Not knowing what to say, the driver then called Maurice.

    Maurice paused for a moment before responding, ¡°Grant her every request. Let her do whatever she

    wants before the auction.¡±

    In the end, Eliana went home using Maurice¡¯s luxurious Maybach.

    Nana, who had received the news, was waiting for her at the building¡¯s entrance with the twins. Eliana

    hurriedly got out of the luxury car, which surprised the three.

    Nana was taken aback when she realized the car was Maurice¡¯s.

    She rushed forward, grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Really? Your rtionship with Maurice has

    progressed to this point?¡±

    ¡°You think too much,¡± Eliana replied, shaking her head.

    Adrian raised his head and doubtfully asked, ¡°Mommy, did you win a lottery while you were gone?

    Where did you get this car?¡±

    On the other hand, Aileen didn¡¯t give it much thought. ¡°Mommy, are you ying a princess?¡± she

    asked, clutching Eliana¡¯s thighs. ¡°I want to join you.¡±

    Eliana held Aileen in her arms and exined softly, ¡°Mommy is not ying a princess. My friend let me

    use his car. I have something to deal with today, so I won¡¯t be able to get home until the evening. You

    have to behave yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Aileen lowered her head in disappointment.

    Meanwhile, Adrian was staring at the car and recognized it.

    ¡®That car¡­ Why is it so simr to the car Ss¡¯ uncle used to pick him up? The license te number is

    even the same.¡¯

    He frowned. Something was wrong.

    Eliana kissed Aileen and Adrian on their cheeks. ¡°Nana, thank you for taking care of the kids,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯m attending an auction. Please look after them for a little longer.¡±

    Eliana then got into the car and left.

    Adrian stared at the te number, feeling that there was really something strange about it.

    ¡°Do you think two cars will have the same license te number, Nana?¡± Adrian asked.

    Nana didn¡¯t take his words seriously. ¡°Of course not. You must be seeing things incorrectly.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Adrian was lost in thought.

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    Chapter 167

    ¡°Miss Pierce, are those kids your children?¡± the driver immediately asked as soon as Eliana entered the

    car.

    ¡°No, they are my friend¡¯s children,¡± Eliana answered calmly.

    The driver asked no further questions. They arrived at their destination shortly.

    Eliana was stunned as soon as she stepped out of the car.

    A tall white building stood in front of her. In the front wall of the building, there was a scarlet word that

    read ¡°Rebirth¡±.

    In the industry, ¡°Rebirth¡± was a well-known design and styling salon. Its customers were all politicians

    and business people. But not everyone who was wealthy could book a slot there.

    It was just an auction. Was it absolutely necessary toe here for styling?

    As soon as Eliana walked in, a group of stylists surrounded her.

    They took her measurements and did her skin care and make-up. About a dozen people were

    attending to her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, what color do you like? Blue or white?¡±

    ¡°What kind of hairstyle do you want, Miss Pierce? Sweet, elegant, or seductive?¡±

    ¡°Does this pair of shoes fit you, Miss Pierce?¡±

    More than a dozen senior stylists, who were really well-known in their field, attended to her. Their

    voices made her feel like there were a group of flies around her.

    When she couldn¡¯t stand them any longer, she asked in a respectful manner, ¡°Well, don¡¯t you have any

    other customers? You don¡¯t have to be all around me.¡±

    One of the stylists smiled at her and inquired, ¡°Miss Pierce, don¡¯t you know? Mr. Moran has reserved

    the entire salon for you today.¡±

    ¡°The entire salon!¡±

    ¡®Oh my God! How much did it cost?¡¯ Eliana was taken aback.

    Even though it wasn¡¯t her money, she still felt ufortable.

    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    ¡°Well, forget it. You can do whatever you like.¡±

    Eliana settled into being like a puppet, allowing the stylists to do whatever they wanted with her hair

    and makeup.

    Two hourster, Eliana fell asleep while sitting on a chair and with her hair hanging on the perm

    machine.

    ¡°Mr. Moran is here.¡±

    Ignoring the crowd¡¯s murmurs, Maurice walked toward Eliana. He felt a tug in his heartstrings as he

    stared at the sleeping woman, who didn¡¯t lookdylike at all.

    For many years, he had kept his heart closed to avoid being disturbed by anyone. Unexpectedly, he

    met Eliana, a girl who defied logic and appeared in his life.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t count the number of times he¡¯d lost control of himself because of Eliana. It was as if

    his happiness, excitement, and anger were all caused by her, and those strange and surging emotions

    often surprised him.

    At that point, Eliana suddenly tilted her head to one side, and Maurice quickly reached out to hold her

    face.

    Eliana then woke up in a daze.

    ¡°Well, is it done?¡±

    When Eliana opened her eyes, she saw Maurice standing in front of her, his hand still holding her face.

    She was so terrified that she stood up right away, not realizing her hair was still stuck in the perm

    machine.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Eliana screamed out in agonizing pain.

    Maurice then pushed her back into the chair.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to have your hair shaved, just behave yourself,¡± Maurice threatened her.

    Eliana obediently sat on the chair, although she was feeling rebellious deep inside.

    Maurice was such a bastard. He imprisoned her in his house and did not show himself up for days.

    Now, he was here in front of her again. What did he take her for?

    Sulking, Elianapletely ignored Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please choose a dress for Miss Pierce,¡± a stylist requested as she pushed a row of dresses

    over.

    Maurice chose a pinkcey gown.

    Eliana wanted to oppose him. So, she casually picked up a white satin dress and walked into the fitting

    room without even looking at the dress he had chosen.

    However, when she changed into it, she realized that the neckline of the white satin dress was very

    low, and it was slit to the thigh.

    Eliana felt disappointed. She hadn¡¯t brought any other clothes with her, but she was too embarrassed

    to go out like that. She was in a dilemma.

    She still didn¡¯te out as time passed. Maurice grew impatient.

    He then walked over and knocked on the fitting room door.

    ¡°Eliana, what are you doing inside?¡±

    Eliana became even more agitated when she heard Maurice¡¯s voice.

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    Chapter 168

    ¡®Damn it! Can¡¯t the door of the fitting room be locked from the inside?¡¯ Eliana wondered irritably and

    pressed against the door in a hurry.

    ¡°Don¡¯te in!¡± she shouted.

    Maurice¡¯s lips pressed into a thin line when he heard that. He didn¡¯t know what the hell that woman was

    doing inside.

    Knocking on the door two more times, he warned sternly, ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. If you don¡¯te out by

    then, I¡¯lle in.¡±

    ¡°No, wait!¡± Eliana shouted, putting all her weight against the door in a bid to stop him.

    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three!¡±

    Eliana was no match for Maurice in terms of strength, and it was with ease that he opened the door.

    Maurice quickly slipped into the fitting room and closed the door behind him.

    The moment heid eyes on Eliana, he was stunned into silence. It was as if she had be a whole

    different person.

    The white dress was wrapped tightly around her slender body, hugging each and every curve. On top

    of that, the low neckline, which framed her cleavage, and the slit at the side of the dress, through which

    her thigh peeked out, both fought for attention. Wearing this bold dress, Eliana looked indescribably

    sexy and charming.

    Looking at her, Maurice swallowed hard.

    ¡®This dress¡­ It¡¯s too revealing!¡¯

    That was the only thought on his mind, but he couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away. It was as if his gaze had a

    mind of its own.

    Seeing the greedy way Maurice was staring at her, Eliana was rmed.

    ¡°Maurice, where are you looking at? You pervert!¡±

    Crossing her arms over her chest, Eliana shot Maurice a ferocious re.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you choose this dress yourself?¡± Maurice pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    In her annoyance, Eliana¡¯s face turned red. Unwilling to lose to Maurice, she decided to stick to her

    decision, no matter what.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking this dress!¡±

    With that, Eliana swung open the door and stormed out.

    Maurice reached out to stop her, but it was toote.

    As soon as Eliana walked out of the fitting room, all eyes turned to her, as if towards a maic force

    that they couldn¡¯t resist. Everyone¡¯s face lit up in amazement.

    But a momentter, they hurriedly lowered their heads in fear. The stunning beauty was apanied

    by a fierce man, who loomed behind her like a devil and red at everyone with a murderous look on

    his face. No one dared to so much as nce at Eliana after that.

    Soon, the chief stylist came out to assist Maurice. ¡°Mr. Moran, how about letting thedy try on another

    dress?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Maurice nodded expressionlessly.

    The chief stylist took out a dark blue velvet strapless evening dress that she had prepared.

    Not wanting to miss the opportunity to change out of the ufortable white dress, Eliana quickly

    grabbed the new dress and hurried back into the fitting room, where she changed her clothes.

    When she stepped out of the fitting room again, there were a few audible gasps.

    The dark blue velvet dress elevated Eliana¡¯s appearance, making her look noble. The diamonds lining

    the hemline of the dress were like the stars in the night sky, shining brightly. The contrast that this dress

    cast against her fair skin made Eliana look elegant and mysterious, just like the goddess of night in

    legends.

    Eliana herself was shocked when she took a look at the mirror.

    At this moment, she felt like she was finally looking at the noble daughter of the Pierce family again.

    By now, Maurice had also changed into his suit.

    When the two of them stood next to each other, they looked like a perfect match.

    The chief stylist nodded in appreciation and pped excitedly. ¡°Perfect!¡±

    Finally, Eliana¡¯s transformation wasplete.

    The two of them left the store and got into the car. Eliana inadvertently looked forward and found a

    strange man sitting in the driver¡¯s seat.

    ¡°That¡¯s my new assistant, Theo Scott,¡± Maurice exined indifferently.

    Eliana frowned in confusion, before realizing that Corbin couldn¡¯t be here because of the car ident.

    As soon as she thought of Corbin, she inevitably thought of Hodge, who was still lying on the hospital

    bed. Her mood suddenly plummeted.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Pierce,¡± Theo greeted her politely.

    ¡°Theo, right? You should be really careful from now on. You know what happened to Mr. Moran¡¯sst

    assistant, right? That poor man is still lying in the hospital. It is said that Mr. Moran asked him to kill

    someone.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s words seemed to send shockwaves throughout the car, rendering Theo speechless.

    ¡°Eliana,¡± Maurice hissed, narrowing his eyes at the woman next to him.

    ¡°Did I say anything wrong? Corbin got into a car ident because of you, but you don¡¯t look guilty at

    all. And you already even found a new assistant,¡± Eliana retorted, ring back at him fearlessly.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Blue veins stood out on Maurice¡¯s forehead, and it was clear that he was on the verge of losing his

    temper.

    ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts!¡±

    Eliana was so angry that she didn¡¯t notice the dangerous shift in Maurice¡¯s mood.

    ¡°All right. You asked for it,¡± Maurice said with a tight smile.

    Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org.

    Then, without any dy, he grabbed the back of Eliana¡¯s neck and kissed her on the lips.

    His fierce attack left her no room to escape.

    Wound up with anger, coupled with the lingering lust after seeing Eliana in the white dress earlier,

    Maurice was like a ferocious lion.

    Eliana struggled with all her strength, but she couldn¡¯t get rid of him.

    In the end, she bit down hard on Maurice¡¯s lip, instantly drawing blood.

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169

    Maurice¡¯s lips were aching.

    Then, after a little pause, he continued. He proceeded to kiss Eliana with a deeper feeling of retribution,

    eagerly grasping her distinct sweet fragrance.

    He continued till he tasted the astringency of her tears.

    ¡°Ahem, Mr. Moran, we¡¯re here,¡± Theo reminded him in a hushed tone.

    Maurice didn¡¯t let go of Eliana till then.

    The next thing he did was to open the door for Eliana after stepping out of the car as if nothing had

    urred.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡± Looking down at Eliana, Maurice extended his hand to her.

    Eliana snapped, ¡°No,¡± with her brow furrowed and her eyes crimson.

    Despite her exhaustion, she was still quite enraged by Maurice, even though she couldn¡¯t contend with

    him anymore.

    ¡°Something from the Pierce family, ording to rumors I¡¯d heard, is going up for sale. Isn¡¯t it tempting

    to take a peek?¡±

    Eliana was astounded for a second.

    Without a doubt, Maurice was aware of her frailty. Her breath caught in her throat as she grabbed his

    hand.

    The Jade Hotel hosted the auction. It had white walls and stone pirs, all designed in the Greek style,

    with blooming flowers all over the ce. Eliana¡¯s mind wandered to Olympus, the mythical home of theContent from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.

    gods, as the lights flickered.

    The sight, on the other hand, brought back memories for her. She had frequented such opulent locales

    before the Pierce family went bankrupt.

    The wealthy and influential from all walks of life gathered in the hall before the auction began. It was at

    this moment that Maurice and Eliana came together, causing an immediate sensation in the auction

    hall.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the chief executive officer of the Moran Group? Who is thedy next to him? She¡¯s just

    stunning!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen her. She¡¯s obviously the daughter of a well-to-do family. Even Miss Jarvis

    couldn¡¯t get Mr. Moran to submit back then.¡±

    In a short time, arge number of individuals approached Maurice to extend their greetings. Everyone

    had a meaningful expression on their faces as they nced at Eliana. She couldn¡¯t help but feel

    anxious. She had been distant from the so-called upper ss since the Pierce family went bankrupt.

    ¡°I need to take a breather.¡±

    Eliana attempted to let go of Maurice¡¯s arm, but she couldn¡¯t. He gripped her hand in his own.

    ¡°I¡¯lle along with you.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious to you? For the time being, you¡¯re thest person I want toe into contact with.¡±

    Eliana turned around and walked away after removing Maurice¡¯s hand.

    The hotel brought up memories for Eliana. She remained in a state of disarray as long as she believed

    that Maurice was somehow connected to the bankruptcy of the Pierce family.

    Maurice did not pursue her since he understood that Eliana wanted some time alone.

    In the immediate aftermath of Eliana¡¯s departure, Asher and Erica came to the door, arm in arm.

    ¡°Eliana?¡±

    Asher¡¯s gaze followed the sparkling figure automatically when he saw her.

    Erica was quite envious when she saw her husband gazing absently at Eliana.

    Erica had been searching for a chance to reim the limelight since the Harrison Group was on the

    verge of bankruptcy, so she went all out for her appearance this time. In her eyes, Eliana had

    surpassed her as the most attractivedy at the auction, and she was devastated.

    ¡°Why the fuck on earth is that piece of trash here?¡± Erica growled, clenching her teeth.

    ¡°All kinds of famous people are in attendance today. Keep your mouth shut and don¡¯t bother Eliana,¡±

    Asher forewarned her.

    Then he was hot on Eliana¡¯s tail.

    Erica was left all alone. Her eyes were a sh of craziness.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170

    Eliana didn¡¯t see the unexpected person approaching her.

    She stood in front of the sink and peered at the beautifuldy reflected in the mirror, feeling a bit odd

    about her.

    Eliana Pierce, the daughter of a wealthy family, seemed to have reappeared five years after she was

    supposed to have died.

    Was it all due to Maurice? Eliana was clueless.

    She shook her head, threw off her tangled thoughts, inhaled deeply, and exited the restroom.

    Asher was waiting for her outside the restroom door at that moment.

    With excitement, he approached Eliana as she emerged from the restroom.

    ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t have been better, Eliana. I had no idea you¡¯d show up here.¡±

    Asher intended to grasp Eliana¡¯s hand while he talked.

    Eliana evaded his grasp. ¡°Behave yourself! When your wife sees what you¡¯re up to, she¡¯ll go wild once

    again.¡±

    At the mention of Erica, Asher¡¯s visage sank into a frown.

    Seeing Eliana blossom over time before his eyes and contrasting her with Erica¡¯s growing

    shrewishness made Asher feel more and more awful.

    Why? Why did Eliana not belong to him anymore? When Asher thought about Maurice¡¯s gaze when he

    looked at Eliana, he was filled with envy.

    ¡°Why do you continue to be with Maurice, Eliana? The Pierce Group went bankrupt and your parents

    died because of him!¡± said Asher eagerly.

    ¡°You think I¡¯m naive enough to ept whatever you say, Asher? In order for me to trust you, you must

    provide me with proof that Maurice was the perpetrator right now.¡±

    Asher was stunned and speechless at the mere mention of proof since he had none to back it up.

    ¡°Now that you have no proof, I need a clear path,¡± snarled Eliana.

    How did Eliana manage to protect Maurice in this manner? It pushed Asher to the edge of sanity.

    Holding on to Eliana¡¯s hand, he shouted uncontrobly, ¡°What are you doing, Eliana? You¡¯re simply

    making up reasons! Simply because he has the means to provide an extravagant lifestyle, you¡¯ve

    chosen Maurice. I¡¯m no less capable than him. Are you so financially strapped?¡±

    Asher¡¯s psyche had been ravaged by jealousy, and he was entirely irrational.

    p!

    Angry, Eliana smacked him in the face.

    ¡°Are you in the clear now?¡±

    Laughing slyly, Eliana stared at Asher¡¯s astonished expression. ¡°Aren¡¯t you, Asher, setting yourself up

    for a humiliating situation? What do you have to offer inparison to Maurice? Besides his superior

    strength, he is also more attractive and fascinating than you. In addition, he is a more responsible

    person than you are. If he has a wife, he won¡¯t be thinking about other women constantly.¡±

    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Eliana!¡±

    Asher¡¯s face was savage and half of it had bloated. He had a devilish appearance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream in my face. Dare you utter those remarks in front of Maurice once more?¡± Eliana had a

    stern look on her face as she gave him a taste of his own medicine.

    Asher could not speak.

    ¡°Well, now you know what makes him so unique from you.¡±

    In a single breath, Eliana said all the words she had inside of her. She was feeling a lot better by the

    time she was done.

    A pair of dark eyes not far away was studying her, but she was unaware.

    While Eliana was speaking, Maurice happened to be close and heard every word.

    The fact that thisdy had so much regard for him surprised him.

    She hadn¡¯t returned to him, and Maurice was concerned, so he came to look for her. He wasn¡¯t

    prepared to hear her honest assertion.

    The mood of someone else, on the other hand, was quite different. Erica, who had pursued Asher, was

    also in the audience for this moment.

    She was enraged by the situation and reacted angrily on the spot.

    ¡°You¡¯re one mean bitch, Eliana! What the hell are you doing seducing my husband?¡±

    All eyes were on them as a piercing cry erupted in the otherwise serene hall.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171

    Erica¡¯s face turned red and her eyes popped out in anger, making her look like a fiend.

    She rushed over and raised her hand to p Eliana, but her wrist was grabbed by Asher.

    ¡°Erica, stop it,¡± Asher warned sternly, digging his nails into her wrist.

    ¡°Why?!¡± Erica¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°She seduced you shamelessly!¡±

    Her shoulders heaved as she fumed with anger and pointed an using finger at Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, you bitch! Can¡¯t you live without a man? Back when you were rich, you used to sleep with a

    gigolo, and now that you have no money, you want to seduce my rich husband! Where are the security

    guards? Kick this shameless bitch out!¡±

    Erica¡¯s raucous assertion drove the whole venue into an uproar. In an instant, Eliana found herself

    being the center of unwanted attention.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t stand aside any longer. He stepped forward before Eliana could exin.

    Then, he went straight to her and wrapped his arm around her waist, as if iming her.

    Gazing coldly at the contemptible couple standing in front of him, he domineeringly dered, ¡°Miss

    Pierce is mypanion. Mr. Harrison, you would do well to ask your wife to watch her mouth.¡±

    Erica¡¯s face instantly shrunk, as if she had just swallowed a lemon. ¡°Did I say anything wrong? She is

    just a social climber-¡±

    ¡°Erica Harrison!¡± Maurice growled, interrupting her. ¡°Don¡¯t try my patience! Have you forgotten the

    lesson you learned before regarding the pink diamonds? If you dare to say one more word, don¡¯t me

    me for being ruthlesster.¡±

    Erica pursed her lips tightly in displeasure, but there was nothing she could do.

    ¡®Damn it! How could Eliana be lucky enough to have Maurice backing her up?¡¯ she wondered bitterly.

    She was not reconciled at all. Eliana was someone that Erica could easily insult in public, but she could

    not afford to provoke a big fish like Maurice.

    Maurice stormed off with Eliana, leaving the couple in his wake, who watched their receding back with

    envy and resentment.

    Although Erica didn¡¯t dare to say anything more, the onlookers around them began to gossip about

    Eliana in hushed tones, though their words were loud enough for everyone to hear.

    ¡°Wow, thatdy even seduced another woman¡¯s husband!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of material girls like her. But how did she seduce Mr. Moran?¡±

    Embarrassed by these words, Eliana subconsciously tried to get rid of Maurice¡¯s hand on her waist.

    However, Maurice just held her even tighter and whispered out of the corner of his mouth, ¡°I don¡¯t

    mind.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana was stunned. She raised her head and looked at him in surprise. ¡°What did you

    say?¡±

    ¡°I said I don¡¯t mind. I don¡¯t mind even if you have a boyfriend or you¡¯ve slept with a gigolo before.

    Unless¡­¡±

    ¡°Unless what?¡± Without knowing why, Eliana began to feel flustered.

    ¡°Unless you hired a gigolo to pretend to be your boyfriend.¡± Maurice¡¯s eyes darkened as he spoke.

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard those words, and she had to struggle to keep her

    composure.

    ¡°How could that be? How could I do that?¡± Eliana finally asked with a wry smile.

    Maurice didn¡¯t say anything, and just watched Eliana put on an act.

    Who knew better than him whether Eliana had done that or not?

    At this time, the auction was about to begin. Still holding onto Eliana¡¯s waist, Maurice led her to their

    seats.

    Erica and Asher were sitting not far away from them.

    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for attending the auction. A very warm wee to everyone

    present here. Now, let¡¯s start the auction with our first precious item.¡±

    With a practiced flourish of his hand, the auctioneer lifted the red cloth that was covering the first

    auction item on the stage.

    It was an exquisitely-made music box that had aged beautifully.

    ¡°ording to the records, this antique music box was made by a skilled royal craftsman in Louis XIV¡¯s

    court. Over the centuries, it has passed into the hands of various collectors.¡±

    The auctioneer¡¯s exnation echoed faintly in Eliana¡¯s ears. It had never urred to her that her

    parents¡¯ music box would be the first auction item of the day. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of it.

    ¡°The base price of this antique music box is $5 million. With every bid, the price of this music box will

    be raised by at least $100, 000.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank when she heard the price. Her hope seemed to vanish in an instant.

    But before she could dwell on it for long, Maurice turned around and handed her the bidding paddle

    indifferently.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    ¡°Do you want it? Raise it by yourself.¡±

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    Chapter 172

    Maurice was so generous!

    Eliana shook her head and said stubbornly, ¡°No, it¡¯s very expensive. I can¡¯t afford to pay you back.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay me back,¡± Maurice replied nonchntly.

    Eliana shook her head again, and this time, there was a look of alienation in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s easy to

    repay money, but to return a favor ispletely different.¡±

    She knew it better than anyone else. She had already owed Preston. She didn¡¯t want to owe one more

    person.

    After the auctioneer introduced the music box on stage, many people bid on it. In a short period of time,

    the price skyrocketed.

    ¡°Seven million dors,¡± Erica triumphantly announced the price while holding the signboard in front of

    everyone.

    Eliana had a bad feeling when she saw her evil smile.

    Of course, there was a different reason why Erica wanted to buy the music box. It was not simply

    because she was fascinated by it.

    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    As soon as the music box appeared, she realized why Eliana came to that night¡¯s event.

    Erica remembered seeing this antique music box at Eliana¡¯s house when she and Eliana were still best

    friends before the Pierce Group went bankrupt.

    She would feel very satisfied if she could buy the music box and smash it in front of Eliana.

    Erica waspletely engrossed in her revenge plot.

    The price rose even more to an astonishing ten million dors.

    When Erica was about to raise the signboard again, Asher stopped her.

    ¡°Enough! Ten million dors for an old music box! Are you crazy?¡±

    ¡°You know nothing!¡± Erica snapped bitterly as she shook off his hand.

    She was adamant. There was nothing Asher could do about this crazy woman, and he couldn¡¯t argue

    with her in front of all the city¡¯s power brokers. The attendees at the auction were all prominent people,

    and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face here.

    He could only hope that someone else would bid a higher amount for that damned music box.

    The price had risen even more since Erica wouldn¡¯t give up. Eliana unconsciously began to show a

    nervous expression as thepetitors became fewer and fewer.

    The consequences of Erica getting her parents¡¯ previous belonging would be unfathomable.

    ¡°Twelve million dors.¡±

    Erica raised the price once more. Her generosity had already sparked the crowd¡¯s interest. She was

    enjoying everyone¡¯s attention at the moment, making her feel better.

    Great! She could finally hold her head high this time. She had to make Eliana pay when she got the

    music box.

    ¡°Twelve million dors. Going once, going twice, going¡­¡±

    Just when Erica thought she had already won, a voice echoed throughout the hall.

    ¡°Thirteen million dors.¡±

    Everyone, including Eliana, turned their gaze to the source of the voice.

    She was surprised to see Theo, Maurice¡¯s new assistant, holding the signboard.

    Did Maurice n it?

    Eliana stared at Maurice in disbelief, her heart beating fast.

    Meanwhile, Erica was wondering why anyone would stillpete with her at this point.

    The spotlight was now on Theo. ¡°This gentleman is extremely generous,¡± the auctioneer remarked.

    Theo stood up and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not me, but my boss. He wants to buy that music box and give

    it to the most beautifuldy present.¡±

    Theo took a deliberate pause, and everyone¡¯s curiosity was immediately piqued.

    ¡°It¡¯s her,¡± Theo said, pointing to Eliana. ¡°Miss Eliana Pierce.¡±

    The spotlight was then shifted to Eliana, and she instantly overshadowed Erica.

    Erica¡¯s eyes were filled with venom. She locked her gaze on Eliana¡¯s back, and the jealousy and hatred

    in her heart could no longer be suppressed.

    Why? Why was Eliana so lucky?

    Maurice liked her, and so did the other bigwigs. Why did all the good things only happen to her?

    ¡°Fifteen million dors!¡± Erica made a desperate bid.

    The audience burst into an uproar. Everyone was waiting to see if Theo, who had only juste out

    halfway, would bid again. But Theo remained silent.

    ¡°Fifteen million dors. Going once, going twice, going three times. Sold! Congrattions, Mrs. Erica

    Harrison!¡±

    Thunderous apuse erupted from the audience. Everyone was delighted, except Eliana who felt like

    she had fallen into an ice cave.

    Eliana stood up from her seat anxiously and prepared to say something. But Maurice pulled her down

    onto her seat.

    ¡°Calm down. Wait for a moment.¡±

    Eliana was confused. ¡°Wait for what?¡±

    A hint of yfulness shed through Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wait until she realizes she can¡¯t afford it,¡± he said

    confidently.

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    Chapter 173

    It was only after she had her fill of being the star of attention did Ericae to a sudden realization.

    Fifteen million dors.

    The amount struck her dumb. The terrible truth that she didn¡¯t have sufficient funds to cover such a

    staggering price dawned on her like an awful tidal wave.

    Horrified, Erica hurriedly turned to look at Asher for a solution.

    A dark storm raged in Asher¡¯s face. He was so furious at her that he couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    ¡°A-Asher, I¡­¡±

    In a fit of nervousness, she grabbed his sleeve. To her chagrin, he shook her hand off and shoved her

    away in anger.

    ¡°You absolute moron!¡± Asher howled, livid.

    He couldn¡¯t care less about his image anymore; at least, not under these circumstances. The Harrison

    Group had just survived a crisis, but his wife was insane enough to purchase a stupid music box for the

    astronomical price of fifteen million dors!

    ¡°You bid for it yourself, so find the money to pay by yourself. I won¡¯t clean up after your mess.¡±

    So saying, Asher spun on his heels and left the ce in a huff. Erica was left standing dumbly, all alone

    and at aplete loss.

    What should she do? What could she do?! How was she supposed to solve this problem? She couldn¡¯t

    think of anything!

    Deste, she slumped into the chair with her back drenched in cold sweat. Her head was spinning

    from the pressure.

    Right now, Eliana was no longer in her thoughts. She didn¡¯t have the leisure to consider anything about

    Eliana! All she wanted was to escape this terrifying hell as soon as she could.

    With this in mind, Erica steeled herself and maintained her calm front. She carefully stood up from her

    seat and attempted to sneak away while everyone was busy focusing on the auction, trying to be as

    inconspicuous as possible.

    Unfortunately, the auction staff weren¡¯t as easy to fool as the audience. After they saw that Asher had

    left before the auction¡¯s end, they kept strict watch on Erica and observed her every movement in

    silence.

    ¡°Pardon me, Mrs. Harrison. Where are you going?¡± The person in charge stepped forward and

    immediately blocked her way right as Erica reached the door.

    ¡°This ce is¡­ Well, it feels a bit too depressing. So, I¡­ I thought I¡¯d go out for a quick stroll to get

    some air,¡± Erica stammered, barely keeping her voice from shaking.

    ¡°I see. However, Mr. Harrison has just left. Are you going back on your bid?¡± the man asked, his face

    disdainful. There was a hint of scorn in his gaze as he looked at the trembling Erica.

    His usation was a great blow to the proud Erica¡¯s self-esteem. Refusing to back down, she gritted

    her teeth and barked, ¡°What augh! Who said I am?! It¡¯s just a bit of money! I¡¯ll sign the check myself,

    alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Harrison, but I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t sign the check.¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Why not?¡± Erica stared at him in confusion, her jaw hanging.

    ¡°The Harrison Group was on the verge of bankruptcy quite recently. Although it has evaded the crisis,

    its credit in the banks hasn¡¯t been restored yet. Thus, all the checks under the Harrison Group name

    could not be cashed,¡± the person in charge exined patiently.

    ¡°Oh dear! My, my, what should I do? Perhaps I can go back and have my husband to pay in my stead?¡±

    Erica held fast to her pride, adamant on denying the deal.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. We also ept payment with a credit card.¡±

    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    The person in charge stretched out his hand with a sly smile, much like a shrewd fox.

    Themotion caused by Erica soon attracted the attention of several auction participants. Now, many

    people had their eyes on her.

    At this point, Erica couldn¡¯t hold in the shame filling her. She waspletely embarrassed.

    Left with no choice, she was forced to take out a credit card from her bag and hand it to the man with

    great reluctance. The act itself, despite simple, was infinitely painful.

    The person in charge then brought over a POS machine from his subordinate and quickly swiped the

    credit card before Erica¡¯s eyes.

    Beep! Erica watched in dismay as the payment failed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Harrison, but the bnce in your ount is not enough.¡±

    ¡°R-Really? Dear me¡­¡±

    Red-faced with growing embarrassment, Erica fumbled with her bag and hurriedly took out another

    card to give it to the man.

    Very soon, another beep came through.

    ¡°Apologies, but this card is frozen.¡±

    ¡°T-That can¡¯t be! Swipe it again!¡±

    Erica¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers. She was thoroughly mortified.

    ¡°Mrs. Harrison. Can you pay the bill or not?¡± After so many failed transactions, the person in charge

    had gradually lost his patience.

    Despite being the wife of Harrison Group¡¯s CEO, Erica couldn¡¯t even afford to pay the bill for her bid.

    The richdies within the audience threw her scornful looks, their lips curled into disdainful sneers.

    Their stares were akin to painful daggers stabbing into Erica¡¯s flesh. At this moment, Erica wished for

    nothing more than to dig a hole and bury herself in it.

    The auctioneer took the opportunity to give Erica a timely reminder. ¡°Mrs. Harrison. Since you can¡¯t

    afford it, why don¡¯t you ask that gentleman for help? Didn¡¯t he initially want to buy this music box? If you

    can make up the difference in prices, he might buy it in your stead.¡±

    Having said that, he turned to look in Theo¡¯s direction.

    Erica was instantly enlightened. Yes, that was it! Didn¡¯t the man want it just now? As long as she

    asked, he¡¯d definitely buy it with no questions.

    Eric was confident in her assumption, and her embarrassment vanished. Then she walked smugly

    towards Theo.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m more than willing to give up this music box for you. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me, but I have to ask my boss about it.¡±

    Theo then rose to his seat, and then made his way to where Maurice and Eliana were.

    Erica was stunned by the revtion. To think he actually worked for Maurice, of all people!

    She stared dumbly at the calm Maurice, eyes twitching with disbelief.

    Had he already known that this would happen?

    Realization dawned on her. She had been taken for a fool! Seething with rage, she screamed at the top

    of her lungs, ¡°You¡­! You fooled me!¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    Maurice cocked his head to look at Eliana who looked stunned too. He drawledzily, ¡°Just like how it

    was with the pink diamonds, I¡¯ll leave it to you to decide whether to buy the music box or not.¡±

    His words startled Eliana. She began to ponder: would she buy the music box to help Erica?

    Her answer was easy enough.

    Of course not!

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174

    Erica was quick to express her displeasure when she learned that her fate would be decided by her

    greatest foe.

    Erica¡¯s thoughts drifted to Asher, and she picked up the phone to make a call to him. She pleaded in a

    soft voice, ¡°Hello, sweetheart. I was to me. I should not have gotten into an argument with you in the

    first ce. However, the fifteen million¡­¡±

    ¡°There is no need for you to dwell on this, Erica. You¡¯re not getting the money.¡± Asher declined without

    a second thought.

    ¡°Asher! Are we not married!?¡± Erica yelled back.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to be a couple. If you insist on getting the money, then I will immediately file for divorce,

    and you will be responsible for paying off the obligation on your own.¡±

    Erica was taken aback. Her spouse, with whom she¡¯d shared a bed for so long, now treating her so

    cruelly was beyond the pale for her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a victory for you!¡±

    Erica was furious as she hung up the phone.

    She whirled around and saw the guy in control of the auction and the ck-d security men behind

    him. Once again, she behaved timidly.

    ¡°Your toughness amazes me, Mrs. Harrison. Do you really need my assistance?¡± Watching from the

    sidelines, Eliana took in the show.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave.¡±

    Maurice acted as though he was leaving with Eliana.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Erica eximed.

    Eliana ignored her and continued going.

    As a result, Erica was in a state of agitation. She expected Eliana would purchase the music box

    because of her love for her parents, but he didn¡¯t expect her to go so quickly.

    Asher was no longer a dependable source of support for Erica. She needed to figure out a method to

    save her skin as quickly as possible¡­

    She had a lightbulb moment.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯d want to speak with you one-on-one,¡± Erica said from behind Eliana.

    Eliana paused, turned around, and said scornfully, ¡°Why should I waste my time on you?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about what happened five years ago? I have information that you have been

    wanting for as long as you can tell,¡± Erica said eagerly.

    Eliana, on the other hand, was unable to keep her calm. Her pupils constricted fiercely, and her fists

    clenched involuntarily.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to believe a thing you say until you have concrete proof.¡±

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll provide you with proof,¡± Erica remarked as she gritted her teeth. ¡°However, you¡¯ll need to

    spend your money on the music box first.¡±

    Eliana paused before making a decision. She wouldn¡¯t have bought it if it was all about the music box.

    But now that it was linked to the truth, she had to watch her steps.

    While she was still deliberating, Maurice wrote a check and gave it to Theo.

    Erica¡¯s face lighted up as she saw that. She reached out and tried to grab the check herself.

    Maurice promptly took back the check.

    ¡°You can¡¯t get it until you¡¯ve spoken the truth you im to know.¡±

    Under the watchful eye of Maurice, Erica was no longer able to y her tricks. She retrieved a video

    from her phone¡¯s gallery.

    ¡°I hired a private investigator because I suspected that Asher and Eliana were having an affair.

    However, I discovered that he was having a meeting with a stranger. This video was filmed by the

    private investigator I hired.¡±

    Asher was certainly chatting with a stranger in the video on Erica¡¯s cell phone. Although they were only

    able to view his back, their conversation could be picked up inly.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do? Eliana is still trying to figure out how her mother became involved in the

    Pierce Group¡¯s copse,¡± Asher shrieked in fear.

    And the weird guy replied, ¡°Remember, no matter what you do, you can¡¯t tell anybody about what

    urred back then.¡±

    ¡°I get what you mean.¡± Asher nodded his head in agreement. Then, in a state of perplexity, he asked,

    ¡°Why did you spend so much time and effort destroying the Pierce Group back then?¡±

    After a moment of contemtion, the guy said, ¡°I will never forget Ingrid, the most remarkabledy in

    my life. I was ready to do everything to get my hands on her.¡±

    After then, the video suddenly came to a halt.

    Despite the fact that Eliana had finally found what she had been searching for for so long, she was

    gued by an overwhelming feeling of unreality.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    When she watched the film, she was puzzled by the facts she had gleaned.

    Immediately, it became clear that this unusual individual in the film was responsible for the Pierce

    Group¡¯s demise. He ruined the Pierce Group and drove Eliana¡¯s father, Lemuel, to his death, in order to

    acquire Eliana¡¯s mother, Ingrid.

    And the guy in the video was clearly not Maurice.

    Eliana was just three years younger than Maurice. Additionally, he had studied overseas earlier. His

    involvement with Ingrid was impossible as a result.

    Therefore, Eliana had really falsely used Maurice¡­

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175

    Eliana was not the only one who was rendered speechless because of the video. Maurice, who had set

    it up, was also surprised.

    He had actually set the trap to help Eliana get her parents¡¯ belongings back while teaching Erica a

    lesson. However, he did not expect that it would also prove his innocence.

    ¡®What a pleasant surprise!¡¯

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve watched the video, can you pay?¡±

    Erica withdrew her phone, staring at the check in Maurice¡¯s hand.

    Eliana also recovered from the shock. ¡°Of course! But you have to make up for the difference!¡±

    ¡°Eliana, you are not keeping your promise!¡± Erica roared.

    ¡°Erica, do you think I¡¯m a pushover? Have you forgotten what you said to me by the bathroom? Do you

    really think that I will still help you without any reason? In your dreams!¡± Eliana sneered.

    Erica¡¯s expression darkened and her heart sank. The money she had would not be enough to pay the

    difference in the price.

    ¡°You pay for it now. I will pay you the restter.¡± Ericapromised.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t pay in installments.¡± Eliana refused, spreading out her hands.

    Maurice advised, ¡°How about letting Mrs. Harrison use something else to make up for the difference

    since she doesn¡¯t have the money?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Erica felt like she was drowning.

    Maurice looked at her and said, ¡°Your jewelry should be worth some money. Why don¡¯t you use it to

    make up for the difference?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Erica stepped back in fear.

    Maurice then nced at the man, who was in charge, and he immediately understood what he meant.

    ¡°Mrs. Harrison, I think you¡¯d better cooperate with us.¡±

    The security guards quickly surrounded Erica and took off her diamond ne, diamond earrings,

    and an invaluable emerald ring.

    ¡°Let go of me, you robbers! I¡¯m going to sue you!¡±

    Erica tried her best to struggle, but her efforts were futile as she watched the guards hand over her

    jewelry to the person in charge. She panicked.

    ¡°The jewelry is fake.¡±

    The man in charge took a quick look at the jewelry with a sardonic expression.

    Seeing that, Erica closed her eyes in despair.

    Her secret was out now.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    And she had never felt so humiliated before. She felt as if she were standing naked in front of everyone

    and being trampled on.

    The worst thing of all was that she had no money.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. ¡°Since Mrs. Harrison¡¯s jewelry is fake, I have another idea.¡±

    Erica suddenly opened her eyes and looked at him with just a faint glimmer of hope.

    ¡°You damaged the reputation of my date, so I want you to step outside that door, and announce that

    you were spreading wrongful rumors about Miss Pierce. I also want you to swear that you would never

    do such a thing again. If you do that, then you won¡¯t need to pay for the difference. What do you think?¡±

    Desperate as she was, Erica still couldn¡¯t ept his suggestion.

    ¡°Eliana, we used to be friends. Please help me. Please.¡± Looking at Eliana, she broke into tears.

    ¡°Stop saying that. It makes me want to throw up!¡± Eliana retorted in disgust.

    Erica¡¯s pitiful expression froze, making her look ugly.

    However, she still did not want to give up at all, and thus called Asher.

    But before she could even say a word, he hung up on her.

    Unwilling to give up, she continued to call him over and over again, but he just did not answer.

    Everyone at the auction house watched in silence as she made a fool of herself.

    Finally, Erica couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Gripping her phone tightly, she roared, ¡°Asher, you jerk! I am

    an idiot for falling in love with you¡­¡±

    ¡°Have you not decided yet?¡± Maurice lost his patience and ordered Theo to tear the check.

    ¡°No! No!¡± Erica was on the verge of kneeling down and begging him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the door now¡­¡±

    Enduring the humiliation, she walked to the door under everyone¡¯s intense gazes and said in a low

    voice, ¡°I spread rumors about Eliana. I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡±

    Maurice and Eliana walked out slowly, and Eliana nced at her and asked, ¡°What are you saying?

    The wind is too strong. I can¡¯t hear you clearly.¡±

    Erica looked up at Eliana with hatred in her eyes, but when she met Maurice¡¯s cold gaze, she felt a chill

    down her spine.

    Gritting her teeth, she shouted, ¡°I was the one that spread rumors about Eliana. I¡¯m sorry! I swear I

    won¡¯t do it again!¡±

    Her funny apology attracted everyone¡¯s attention. At first they were only snickering, but soon, they

    beganughing hysterically.

    Maurice said indifferently, ¡°Go on.¡±

    Erica apologized to Eliana again. Seeing more people gather around them, she was so angry and

    embarrassed that she wanted to run away from there.

    All of a sudden, she was out of breath, rolled her eyes, and copsed.

    Everyone was shocked.

    ¡°Since she fainted, there¡¯s no need for us to pay the money,¡± Maurice said calmly.

    As soon as Erica heard that, she immediately got up.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m awake.¡±

    The crowd realized that she was just acting.

    Seeing her like that, they burst intoughter again.

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176

    Now that Eliana had finally uncovered the truth, she didn¡¯t care about Erica anymore. All she wanted to

    do was to retrieve both her parents¡¯ personal belonging.

    Seeing that Erica had just been taught a lesson, Maurice casually handed the check to Theo.

    With the check in his possession, Theo quickly sealed the deal with the person in charge of the auction

    house.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, we are greatly pleased to have you here with us. You are so generous.¡±

    The person in charge looked at the auctioneer with a smile and gave a nod. The auctioneer

    immediately brought the music box to Eliana and handed the priceless item to her, bowing slightly in

    respect.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, congrattions. You are now the new owner of this precious antique.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s hands couldn¡¯t stop trembling. The small music box was sold to them at fifteen million dors.

    But for her, what made it so valuable was not the well-designed box itself.

    She lifted the lid open, and three miniature figures in western ssical clothes stood up and began to

    dance to the sweet melody.

    The three little figures included a man, a woman, and a little girl. Judging from the noticeable smiles on

    their faces, they were obviously a happy family. If one took a closer look, they would find that the little

    girl¡¯s face bore a striking resemnce to Eliana¡¯s.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    It was no coincidence.

    When Eliana¡¯s father acquired the music box years ago, the faces of the three figures had been

    distorted and blurred due to its long history.

    Wanting to enhance and personalize the item, Eliana¡¯s mother had an idea. She suggested they draw

    new faces for the three little figures. As a child, Eliana insisted on drawing her image on the little girl.

    Of course, Eliana¡¯s father would not disagree. Since the miniature figures were a family of three as

    well, they could draw each of their own faces on them.

    So he hired the most skilled craftsman to make the necessary changes. After a few hours, the finished

    product was a sight to behold.

    That was why Eliana valued the music box so much. It served as a constant reminder of her family¡¯s

    legacy.

    The item itself didn¡¯t matter much to her. What was priceless were the fond memories associated with

    it.

    The music box kept ying familiar melodious music, which reminded Eliana of the happy times of her

    childhood. She could not help but shed tears.

    Maurice chuckled and teased, ¡°Weren¡¯t you refusing the offer at the beginning? If I¡¯m not mistaken,

    those seem to be tears of joy.¡±

    Eliana rolled her eyes in response, and her mood suddenly shifted. She took a long look at the music

    box and finally handed it to Maurice.

    But the confused man didn¡¯t ept it. Instead, he simply stared at her in bewilderment.

    ¡°You bought it. I¡¯m just d enough that I was able to see it one more time. Maurice, thank you for

    reminding me of the wonderful days of my past. It¡¯s too expensive, and I can¡¯t afford it. Here you go.¡±

    Insisting to give it to the rightful owner, Eliana raised the music box towards Maurice.

    A wave of bitterness consumed Maurice¡¯s heart. Was she so indifferent to his feelings? This woman

    would rather give up her family heirloom than owe him a favor. How outrageous!

    Maurice pursed his lips and felt unhappy. He extended an act of kindness toward her, and she rejected

    his gift in return.

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want it, it¡¯s worthless to me. I¡¯d rather throw it away and be rid of it.¡±

    Maurice extended his arm high in the air, pretending to throw the music box away. The frightened

    Eliana immediately wrested the music box from his hand.

    identally, the two¡¯s hands sped together.

    As she saw their fingers intertwined, Eliana¡¯s heart almost jumped out of her chest.

    Maurice was also speechless for a moment.

    The handsome pair didn¡¯t show any resistance and let their hands hold each other instead.

    Looking closely at Maurice¡¯s handsome face, Eliana struggled to contain her emotions.

    Why was he so good to her?

    Processing the flurry of thoughts in her mind, Eliana suddenly realized that Maurice seemed to be

    constantly looking out for her.

    He had already stood up to Erica for her twice. As for Evelynn, Maurice had singlehandedly taken down

    the Jarvis family.

    Although Eliana had tried hard to find excuses for Maurice¡¯s selfless behavior, now she could no longer

    deceive herself. It seemed that Maurice truly cared about her.

    After a moment of hesitation, Eliana plucked up the courage to voice her thoughts.

    ¡°Why are you so good to me?¡±

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177

    Maurice was able to hear Eliana¡¯s voice, despite the fact that she was speaking in a whisper.

    Finally, thisdy came to terms with the fact that he had been wonderful to her.

    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± Maurice said to Eliana as if on purpose to taunt her.

    Eliana flushed and her eyes darted as the man¡¯s hot breath dropped on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m a member of the Pierce family, so I¡¯m guessing you want to make up for me in some way?¡±

    Hodge said that Maurice was aware of her Pierce ancestry and that she hade to investigate him,

    but he kept her by his side anyhow. In the end, why wouldn¡¯t he try to make amends?

    Eliana was confident in the logic of her reasoning.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you realized it yet? That I¡¯m not the puppeteer backstage?¡± Maurice pointed out.

    ¡°I know, but you acquired the Pierce Group, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Yet another factor remained hidden because Eliana couldn¡¯t bring it up. Before he passed out, Hodge

    had uttered the word ¡°Moran.¡± Even while it didn¡¯t seem that he was referring to Maurice, the Moran

    family was clearly involved.

    She had spent a long time looking into the matter, but it was still a mystery to her.

    Was she a dunce? Maurice was really curious about what was going on inside Eliana¡¯s head.

    ¡°I have never owed anybody anything, and I don¡¯t need to make up for anyone.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t open her mouth.

    Maurice smiled, but out of boiling anger. ¡°You still have your doubts about me, then?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Eliana was quick to deny it. ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Maurice interjected.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s brain was aplete jumble.

    The evidence pointed to a member of the Moran family as the genuine perpetrator, not Maurice. Who

    would Maurice assist if the genuine criminal was from his family?

    Would hee through for her? Or would he save the skin of the Moran family member?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t see beyond Maurice¡¯s mask of mystery and didn¡¯t seem to know how significant she

    was to him.

    When she was ready to open up, she looked him straight in the eye and said, ¡°Thank you very much

    for all of your assistance, Maurice, but I get the distinct impression that there are many things I don¡¯t

    know about you. Is there any way I can entirely trust you?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t fool herself knowingly.

    She was expecting Maurice to be entirely open with her and reveal the truths he had concealed at this

    point.

    ¡°I gave you an opportunity to know me but you blew it,¡± Maurice coldly said.

    Eliana had the opportunity to know everything about him while he was still Preston, but she

    disregarded it.

    It was as if a bowl of cold water had been thrown over her head, leaving her with a half-frozen heart.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go now that the auction has ended.¡±

    Maurice let go of Eliana, turned around, and went out the door, leaving her in a state of awe.

    Was he upset for whatever reason?

    As far as Eliana was concerned, she had no idea.

    Theo, Maurice¡¯s new assistant, had been standing in the distance, observing the whole event while

    waiting for the two individuals.

    Out of nowhere, he saw his boss walking away on his own.

    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Theo was taken aback and caught up with him. When he passed Eliana, he casually murmured, ¡°Miss

    Pierce,e along.¡±

    After that, Maurice swiveled around and gave him a scathing stare.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t bother with this naivedy and ask her to go back by herself. I¡¯d like to avoid her at all

    costs.¡±

    Maurice walked away after saying this.

    ¡°Boss, wait.¡± It didn¡¯t take Theo long to close the distance between them.

    Afterward in the car, Theo pondered Maurice¡¯sments word after word.

    His superior was quite something. Regardless of the consequences, Maurice remained unyielding in

    his resolve.

    Was his boss hinting at something?

    ¡®I¡¯d like to avoid her at all costs,¡¯ Theo repeated inwardly.

    To be more precise, what the boss was trying to say was that¡­ Miss Pierce should be fired by him on

    his orders.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178

    Eliana waspletely stunned. She watched, dumbfounded, as the unscrupulous boss and

    subordinate duo Maurice and Theo, left her all alone without a single care in the world.

    ¡°Maurice, you bastard!¡±

    She deeply regretted being moved by him, of all things.

    Furious, she picked up the music box and stormed out of the auction house in angry steps.

    Unfortunately, the fact that the hotel was in the suburbs made it hard for her to hail a cab. It took her an

    absurdly long time to find herself a ride. By the time she got home, her anger had reached its boiling

    point and she exploded.

    ¡°You know what, Nana? That jerk Maurice isn¡¯t normal. Do you have any idea how abnormal he is?! He

    drives me up the wall! Anyway, I can¡¯t stay in the Moran Group anymore. I¡¯m at my limit. Let anyone

    who wants to work there do it instead. I¡¯ve had enough!¡±

    Eliana shook off her high heels, exhausted, and threw herself on the sofa as she voiced herints

    to Nana.

    However, Nana was oblivious to Eliana¡¯s displeasure. She was absent-minded, seemingly lost in

    thoughts, and didn¡¯t reply to Eliana at all.

    At the moment, all she could think about was Corbin. She couldn¡¯t shake him off her mind no matter

    what she did.

    ¡°Nana? Nana, are you listening? Nana!¡±

    Eliana, noticing Nana¡¯s dazed state, sat up and patted her best friend.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±

    At this, Nana snapped out of her musings and returned to her usual self.

    Eliana frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Nana hesitated to reply. After a while, she relented and muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ One of my friends is

    in trouble.¡±

    Eliana decided to crack a joke to lighten the mood. ¡°What? What sort of trouble? Don¡¯t tell your friend

    was question by the police?¡±

    Unexpectedly, Nana replied with a grim nod.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    Eliana was dumbstruck, not expecting her silly remark to be real. She let out a shocked gasp, very

    much startled.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t misunderstand. My friend¡¯s not a bad person!¡± Nana immediately exined upon seeing

    Eliana¡¯s shocked expression.

    Eliana stared, suddenly feeling a tinge of suspicion. There must be something wrong, but she couldn¡¯t

    put her finger on it.

    With that in mind, she looked into Nana¡¯s eyes and asked seriously, ¡°So, is it your friend or your

    boyfriend? If it¡¯s your boyfriend, you¡¯d better make it clear. If not, you might get dragged into his mess.

    Who knows, you might get some jail time.¡±

    ¡°W-What are you saying? It¡¯s a friend! Of course a friend. Jeez¡­¡± Nana hurriedly rified, though her

    cheeks had turned beet red at that very instant.

    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Eliana, however, didn¡¯t buy it. Not when Nana was blushing so hard.

    ¡°A-Anyway, let¡¯s drop the topic. Didn¡¯t you say you bought back your parents¡¯ music box? Take it out

    and show it to me and the kids.¡±

    Nana swiftly quickly changed the topic to put aside Eliana¡¯s suspicion.

    ¡°Oh, yeah. Wait a moment. You¡¯ll be so surprised!¡±

    Just as Nana had predicted, she sessfully diverted Eliana¡¯s attention. Eliana carefully took out the

    precious music box and called to the bedroom, ¡°My dears,e out to see something left by your

    grandparents.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, we¡¯re here!¡± Aileen and Adrian immediately burst out of the bedroom and threw themselves

    at her, running excitedly with their little legs.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Under the expectant gazes of the twins and Nana, Eliana carefully opened the music box. Three little

    figures appeared in the music box and began to dance to the soft tune.

    ¡°Wow!¡± The children¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight, shining with delight.

    ¡°Mommy, look at this little girl. Doesn¡¯t she look like Aileen?¡± Adrian said, pointing excitedly at the little

    girl in the music box.

    ¡°Me?¡± Aileen tilted her head and scrutinized the figure. Surprised, she said, ¡°It really does look like me!¡±

    Eliana smiled sweetly and stroked Aileen¡¯s little head before pointing at the three little figures in the

    music box. ¡°Of course. This little girl is me when I was a child, and the two adults are your grandpa and

    grandma.¡±

    At her exnation, Aileen and Adrian grew more and more interested in the music box. They reached

    out their little hands and stroked the small figures with awe, careful to be gentle.

    ¡°Grandpa and Grandma are so beautiful,¡± Aileen praised, her little voice filled with affection.

    ¡°Of course! Grandpa and Grandma must be good-looking. That¡¯s why they could have such a good-

    looking daughter like Mommy,¡± Adrian eximed proudly, his nose high up in the air.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ This music box must be really expensive. How did you buy it?¡± Nana whispered curiously in

    Eliana¡¯s ear.

    Eliana recalled the auction. Feeling ashamed, she muttered a hasty reply, ¡°You worry too much.

    Maurice was the one who bought it.¡±

    ¡°W-what? Maurice?!¡± Unable to hold back her surprise, Nana¡¯s voice rose to a shrill octave.

    ¡°H-Hey! Keep your voice down!¡± Eliana hissed, ncing anxiously at the children.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Eliana! A man who¡¯s willing to spend money on his woman is a real man.¡± Nana now

    gained a better impression of Maurice.

    ¡°Humph!¡± Eliana felt differently. Thinking of how ruthless Maurice was when he insulted and abandoned

    her alone at the auction venue, anger surged in her. He may have bought the music box, but it didn¡¯t

    matter. It didn¡¯t move her anymore.

    The melodious tune from the music box blessed Eliana with a good night¡¯s sleep.

    Early the next morning, her phone rang before she could wake up properly.

    Groggy and dazed from having been woken up so abruptly, she picked up the call without bothering to

    check the caller ID. ¡°Hello¡­?¡±

    ¡°Is this Miss Pierce?¡±

    ¡°Yes, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Theo Scott, Mr. Moran¡¯s new assistant. We met yesterday.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Scott. What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Nothing serious. I just want to inform you of apany decision.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What decision?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fired, Miss Pierce.¡±

    ¡­What?!

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179

    Eliana was dumbfounded.

    Maurice seemed fine the day before. Did he really fire her for something so trivial?

    ¡°Mr. Scott, may I ask something?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡±

    Eliana swallowed hard. ¡°Did Mr. Moran decide to fire me?¡±

    Theo sighed. ¡°Miss Pierce, I hope you understand. Although it is difficult, I am only doing what Mr.

    Moran ordered yesterday,¡± he said with conviction.

    No way! It was really Maurice¡¯s order. That bastard! He was so petty!

    Eliana was so upset.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    ¡°What about my stuff in the office?¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I must remind you that you should note to thepany today because Mr. Moran is

    in a fit of anger. I¡¯m afraid he will outburst again when he sees you. I¡¯ll make time today to pack your

    stuff and send them by post. Please don¡¯t evere to thepany.¡±

    Theo felt he was very considerate after saying that.

    ¡°What about my debt?¡± Eliana asked again. ¡°Am I now absolved?¡±

    ¡°Your debt? What kind of debt? Do you have a financial obligation to Mr. Moran?¡±

    Theo was confused. His boss hadn¡¯t told him about any debt.

    ¡°Forget it. You probably don¡¯t know the whole story. Anyway, please tell Maurice that I will definitely pay

    back the money I owe him. I¡¯m not the type of person who doesn¡¯t keep her word,¡± Eliana grumbled.

    Before Theo could even reply, Eliana had already hung up the phone.

    She threw away her phone andy on the bed, unable to express how upset she was.

    Did Maurice hate her so much? Did he despise her so much that he forgave her debt just to get rid of

    her?

    He seemed determined this time to cut her off from his life.

    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t you want to get up yet? It¡¯s alreadyte!¡±

    The door was opened, and Aileen entered. Adrian trailed behind her.

    Her daughter¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts.

    Eliana rubbed her temples.

    ¡®Cheer up! It¡¯s not the time to dwell on your issues with Maurice,¡¯ she reminded herself.

    She was fine with being fired. She now had more time to spend with her children.

    Eliana got out of bed and squatted in front of Aileen. ¡°Baby, I¡¯ll ask Nana to take the day off today.

    Mommy will send you to school. Okay?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great! It¡¯s been a long time since Mommy sent us to school.¡±

    Aileen giggled, and Adrian, who had always been understanding, looked extremely happy as well.

    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you.¡±

    Eliana felt sorry and sad as she watched her children walk out of the room.

    Unconsciously, she had been neglecting her children due to her hectic schedule.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to work?¡±

    Nana was confused to see Eliana washing her face unhurriedly.

    ¡°I was fired.¡±

    ¡°What? Who fired you?¡± Nana choked on the milk she was drinking.

    ¡°Maurice,¡± Eliana answered calmly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s time to end our story.¡±

    Nana looked at her friend, whose eyes were filled with sadness, and she wanted to say something but

    couldn¡¯t find the words.

    Eliana then turned around and took the children out without saying anything else.

    They quickly packed their belongings and left. Nana was bored at home and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡®How about I visit Corbin?¡¯

    When Eliana took the twins to kindergarten, she happened to run into Ss at the gate.

    ¡°Ss, over here!¡± Aileen greeted Ss from a distance.

    Ss waved back at them and shouted, ¡°Come here, Miss Pierce, Aileen, and Adrian. Something has

    happened.¡±

    What happened?

    When the three got closer, they noticed a crowd blocking the entrance. In the center of the crowd stood

    Ivy, with tearful eyes, and her nanny who was wearing a sullen expression.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Eliana asked.

    ¡°The kindergarten is not letting Ivy go in there,¡± Ss exined.

    ¡°Why? Because of what happenedst time?¡±

    Eliana was perplexed. She didn¡¯t think the minor squabble was serious enough to kick Ivy out of

    school.

    Ss shook his head, a calm expression on his face that belied his age.

    ¡°No, Miss Pierce. It¡¯s because other parents have beenining about Ivy¡¯s mother. They imed

    that every time she take Ivy to and from the school, she causes chaos by either taking other people¡¯s

    parking spaces or inciting children to fight. They believed that Ivy should no longer attend this

    kindergarten.¡±

    Eliana finally understood.

    She was speechless.

    It was exactly what Erica would possibly do.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me into kindergarten? Did I do something wrong?¡± Ivy sobbed, clutching her nanny¡¯s

    hand. Her eyes had be puffy from crying.

    The kindergarten staff was in a dilemma. They didn¡¯t mean to look like they were punishing Ivy.

    The children in this kindergarten mostly came from wealthy and highly-respected families. The parents

    requested for Ivy to be kicked out. The staff could not offend and refuse them.

    A kind staff member walked up to Ivy andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You did nothing wrong. It¡¯s

    because of your mother¡­ What about calling your mother over and asking her to apologize to those

    parents? Perhaps you can still stay here.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Ivy wiped her tears and looked at the nanny with a hopeful expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy,¡± the nanny admitted, her face flushed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened. But Mrs.

    Harrison is always drunk and doesn¡¯t care about her family. How could she possiblye here to the

    rescue of her child?¡±

    The nanny was enraged by the mention of Erica¡¯s name alone.

    Every day, Erica drank and ignored Ivy. Then now, Ivy had to take responsibility for her mother¡¯s

    actions. Even the nanny, as a servant, was disappointed, let alone the child.

    ¡°Do you mean Mom isn¡¯ting? How about me? I can¡¯t go to school?¡±

    Ivy¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks.

    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Ivy. Who says you can¡¯t go to school? If you can¡¯t go to this kindergarten, you can go to

    another one. You don¡¯t need toe here again,¡± the nanny said gently, holding her arm tofort

    her.

    Surprisingly, the obedient girl shook off the nanny¡¯s hand and eximed, ¡°No! I will stay here!¡±

    Ivy was always reserved. She was even shy when she cried, afraid of making a bad impression on

    others. It was the first time she had cried out loud. The nanny was taken aback.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave¡­¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention was now drawn to them. The nanny felt very embarrassed as she saw so many

    people watching them. She wished to disappear right that instant.

    She held Ivy¡¯s hand and dragged her away. Ivy kept struggling, causing onlookers to sympathize with

    her.

    Aileen, who was standing in the crowd, felt sorry for Ivy. She tugged at Eliana¡¯s sleeve and asked,

    ¡°Mommy, can I talk to Ivy?¡±

    When Eliana saw Ivy crying, she took pity on her. She would not vent her anger on this helpless and

    innocent child.

    ¡°All right, go ahead,¡± she said gently, touching Aileen¡¯s head.

    Aileen nodded and ran after Ivy.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°Aileen¡­¡± Ivy turned to face Aileen. They were now standing face to face with each other.

    Aileen took a tissue from her bag and handed it to Ivy, saying, ¡°Please wipe your tears.¡±

    Taking the tissue, Ivy asked hesitantly, ¡°Aileen, have you forgiven me?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Aileen nodded, but then added, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t lie anymore. I won¡¯t y with a liar.¡±

    Ivy sniffed, but her eyes lit up. ¡°Aileen, as long as I don¡¯t lie, we¡­ we¡¯re still friends?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Come on, let¡¯s make a pinky promise,¡± Aileen said with a sweet and friendly smile on her

    face.

    Ivy finally smiled through her tears.

    She extended her hand and inteced her little finger with Aileen¡¯s.

    ¡°No more lies. We¡¯re not friends anymore if you lie again.¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡±

    The two kids reconciled.

    Eliana, who was watching silently behind them, smiled with satisfaction.

    ¡°Aileen is really an angel,¡± Ssmented.

    Adrian raised his head and eximed proudly, ¡°Of course, she¡¯s my sister! And we have a wonderful

    mommy.¡±

    ¡°You are such a sweet boy,¡± said Eliana jokingly.

    In the meanwhile, Nana mustered the courage to enter the hospital after hesitating for a long time.

    Nana walked quietly to Corbin¡¯s ward. But she did not dare to enter.

    She peered in, as if she were there to steal something.

    Sure enough, she was caught the next second.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181

    Nana shivered in terror. She raised her hands above her head, making the standard surrender gesture.

    ¡°I¡¯m a good person, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡±

    Nana turned around to see an elderly couple standing behind her. They were Corbin¡¯s parents.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins,¡± Nana greeted them awkwardly.

    Corbin¡¯s mother immediately recognized Nana.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who came to see Corbin thest time.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Jenkins, you remember me. You left quickly thest time. I haven¡¯t introduced myself yet to you. I

    am Nana Marlin. I¡¯m Corbin¡¯s friend.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s mother looked Nana up and down.

    ¡°Nana, please call me Madge and my husband Fabian. Are you here to see my son? Why are you still

    standing at the door? Come in and have a seat.¡±

    Nana then walked into the ward shyly.

    Corbin was lying on the bed and ying a game at the time.

    When he saw Nana, he immediately put down his phone and sat up straight.

    ¡°Umm¡­ Why are you here?¡±

    He didn¡¯t look like he was going to jail. He didn¡¯t look miserable at all.

    Nana breathed a sigh of relief.

    But she remembered the policeing into his ward thest time. She wanted to ask him about it, but

    she didn¡¯t dare because his parents were also in the room.

    ¡°You brat! How could you talk to your girlfriend like that?¡± Fabian Jenkins scolded his son.

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Nana and Corbin were quick to deny having a rtionship. They almost spoke in unison.

    They exchanged nces before awkwardly shifting their gazes away.

    ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins, you¡¯ve gotten it wrong. I¡¯m not Corbin¡¯s girlfriend,¡± Nana exined.

    ¡°Really?¡± Fabian looked very disappointed.

    They all fell into a deafening silence.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you aren¡¯t his girlfriend right now.¡± Madge Jenkins¡¯s gaze alternated between her

    son and Nana. ¡°What do you think of Corbin, Nana?¡±

    Nana was caught off guard by the sudden question. ¡°He¡¯s good¡­¡±

    ¡°Then consider making him your boyfriend.¡±

    Madge brought it up again.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t make fun of me, Mrs. Jenkins.¡±

    While speaking, Nana looked at Corbin and motioned for him to help her out.

    ¡°Nana, although he is in a mess now, our son is very promising. He works as the assistant of the Moran

    Group¡¯s big boss,¡± Madge said with a smile. ¡°Are you familiar with the Moran Group? It¡¯s well-known in

    the business world and is extremely profitable. And his boss is also nice¡­¡±

    ¡°Mom, stop it. You are not selling off your son,¡± Corbin interrupted his mother as soon as he realized

    something bad was about to happen.

    His mother was causing him trouble. She would expose everything about him if she continued to

    speak.

    If Nana learned about Maurice¡¯s another identity, it meant that Eliana would also know it.

    Corbin was sure that his boss would not just let it pass. Maurice would definitely teach him a lesson.

    Madge red at her son. ¡°I¡¯m just helping you.¡±

    ¡°Well, Mom, you¡¯ll surely help me by taking Dad out right now.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s parents immediately understood what he meant. They exited the ward without hesitation and

    closed the door carefully.

    ¡°You¡¯re an assistant? Who is your boss in the Moran Group?¡±

    Nana found a blind spot.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a director¡¯s assistant, and you don¡¯t know who that director is.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you tell your parents you were the big boss¡¯s assistant?¡± Nana inquired.

    ¡°I was afraid my parents would be worried about me, so I told them I worked for the big boss.¡±

    Corbin didn¡¯t hesitate to belittle himself just to get by.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already gone too far. Your parents trust you so much and they are proud of you. I really envy

    you for having such great parents.¡±

    Corbin breathed a sigh of relief when he realized Nana didn¡¯t suspect him at all.

    ¡°You envy me? Are you kidding me?¡±

    After all, he had looked into Nana. Her parents should be more proud of her because she used to be a

    child star.

    Nana tried to hide her sadness. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. By the way, what happened to you thest time

    you were investigated by the police?¡± she asked, changing the topic.

    ¡°My director dealt with it for me.¡±

    Corbin took a sip of water and formed a thumbs-up for his boss, as if he were in front of him.

    ¡°Your director is so kind to you, unlike Maurice. That jerk! He even fired my friend,¡± Nana said

    indignantly.

    ¡°What¡­¡± Corbin almost choked on the water. ¡°Your friend was fired?¡±

    Who dared fire Eliana?

    Nana was so angry that she raised her voice. ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it detestable? Maurice instructed his new

    assistant to contact my friend and inform her that she had been fired!¡±

    This time, Corbin was absolutely dumbfounded.

    Something significant was about to happen.

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182

    In the Moran Group, Maurice mmed a document on the desk in his office with a loud bang.

    He was clearly infuriated.

    ¡°What is wrong with you?! Under whose authority did you dismiss Eliana?¡±

    Theo stood erect in the center of the room, confronting the fury of thepany¡¯s top executive.

    Eliana was dismissed by Theo this morning, and the boss was raging because of his action. Theo was

    so terrified that he wouldn¡¯t even take a deep breath.

    ¡°Boss, I thought you said you don¡¯t want her in your face again¡­¡± Theo replied in a low voice.

    ¡°Stop talking!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s temples kept twitching because he was so enraged.

    Why did the HR Department choose such an ipetent assistant for him?

    How could he dismiss Eliana without an authorization? Was he having a mental breakdown?

    Scolding Theo was pointless now that things had reached this stage. Eliana¡¯s reaction was unknown to

    Maurice at the time. He had an inkling that she got enraged right away.

    ¡°How did Eliana take it?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Theo raised his head and stared at Maurice in shock.

    ¡°What was Eliana¡¯s reaction after learning she had been fired? A protest, perhaps?¡± Maurice scowled.

    In truth, Theo shook his head.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Miss Pierce took it without a trace of a second thought. The tone of her voice suggested that she

    was¡­ Cheerful.¡±

    She epted it without hesitation. She had a nice mood.

    Thisdyckedpassion.

    Maurice¡¯s whole body was aze with rage.

    As soon as Theo saw the mncholy look on the boss¡¯ face, something popped into his mind.

    He offered a cautious suggestion, saying, ¡°If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll call Miss Pierce back. After all, she¡¯s still

    owing you money.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t happen. What¡¯s done is done.¡± Maurice¡¯s tone was even more frigid than ice. ¡°Theo, execute the

    last task for me as instructed.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the task? Please proceed, sir.¡±

    Theo¡¯s face lit up as a result. Was this an opportunity to make up for his mistake?

    A tinge of wickedness could be seen in Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Call all design firms and advise them not to

    employ Eliana, and otherwise they¡¯ll be working against the Moran Group.¡±

    Eliana seemed to be getting a lot of good from him.

    He would prevent her from working for any other firm since she didn¡¯t want to continue with the Moran

    Group.

    As soon as she got into a bind, she would turn around and return.

    Theo shivered uncontrobly. His supervisor was nothing short of vicious.

    In his heart, he was sad for Eliana.

    ¡°No problem, boss. I¡¯ll get right on it. But¡­ why is it thest task, boss?¡± Theo was stumped.

    Maurice¡¯s demonic grin filled his face. ¡°Because I also don¡¯t want to see you in my vicinity.¡±

    That left Theo with his mouth agape!

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic. This time, you won¡¯t miss any instruction.¡±

    Suddenly, Theo¡¯s face turned a ghastly shade of white.

    As a result of his actions, his service was unneeded.

    The days that followed Eliana¡¯s dismissal were quite uneventful. Eliana was in charge of sending and

    collecting up the kids from school and taking care of household chores since she had nothing to do

    every day.

    Eliana prepared a nice breakfast for the two youngsters one morning.

    ¡°Eat up. Later, Mommy will take you to school.¡±

    Aileen was all smiles as she held the spoon up. ¡°Yeah!¡±

    In recent days, Aileen was happy since her mother and Nana alternated between dropping her and her

    sibling off at school.

    Kimora, on the other hand, was able to enjoy a carefree life thanks to Eliana¡¯s free time at home.

    Adrian took a drink of milk and squinted at his mother skeptically.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work, Mommy?¡±

    Eliana suddenly felt like her secret had been discovered.

    Her son busted her!

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183

    ¡°Well¡­ I haven¡¯t been feeling welltely, so I asked for a few days¡¯ leave,¡± Eliana replied nervously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie, Mommy. Your nose will grow longer if you do.¡±

    Adrian crossed his arms over his chest. He was not the type to easily get fooled, and he saw right

    through her lies.

    ¡°How could I lie to you?¡± Eliana smiled awkwardly.

    ¡®It¡¯s so difficult to deceive him! It¡¯s no wonder that he¡¯s my son. He has clearly inherited my smartness,¡¯

    she thought.

    Seeing that there was no way for her to fool him, Eliana changed the topic.

    ¡°You two, stop dawdling! We¡¯re going to bete if we don¡¯t leave now.¡±

    Saying that, Eliana picked up her kids¡¯ things and sent them to the kindergarten.

    Watching them walk into the school, she turned around and sighed.

    Actually, she was more anxious about finding a job than anyone. She had already applied for jobs at

    manypanies, but she hadn¡¯t gotten any response.

    None of the designpanies were willing to give her a chance. And she found that to be a bit

    strange.

    Just when Eliana was feeling hopeless, her phone rang.

    Thinking that it was a call from apany, she immediately answered it without even looking at the ID.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°You sound so anxious. Were you waiting for something?¡±

    ¡®Maurice! Why is he calling me?¡¯

    ¡°Why are you calling me, Mr. Ex-boss?¡± Eliana retorted.

    ¡°I heard that you were looking for a job. How¡¯s it going? Is everything good?¡± Maurice asked, even

    though he knew the answer.

    However, Eliana was too stubborn to reveal her situation to him.

    ¡°What a coincidence! I just found a job.¡±

    ¡°You found a job? I don¡¯t buy it.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help butugh in his heart when he heard those words.

    He could tell whether she had found a job or not.

    There was probably no one in the city who would dare to go up against the Moran Group.

    Eliana also sensed that something was wrong when she heard Maurice¡¯s words.

    ¡°How can you be so sure that I won¡¯t find a job? Is it possible that¡­ You did something?¡±

    Hearing that, Maurice was taken aback.

    ¡°Eliana, you are just a designer. Do you think you deserve my meddling in your career? You just have

    to admit that you¡¯re ipetent instead of finding excuses to justify it.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s quick words dispelled Eliana¡¯s suspicion for the time being.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Eliana became more depressed.

    She wondered if she should find a part-time job first.

    While thinking about it, she walked to an intersection.

    She looked up and saw the traffic lights. All of a sudden, a familiar-looking dog came into her sight.

    Under the traffic light, a man wearing a hat and a mask was walking a puppy.

    ¡®Bowling?¡¯

    The puppy also looked at her and barked several times, as though it recognized her.

    It was indeed Bowling.

    ¡°Bowling!¡± Eliana shouted and wanted to cross the road, but the red light was still on. The next second,

    a big red truck stopped in front of her, blocking her view.

    Once the truck left, the man and Bowling were not there.

    As soon as the green light was on, Eliana rushed to the other side of the road.

    ¡°Bowling!¡±

    Even after looking around for a while, she couldn¡¯t find the man or the dog.

    Was that damned ring really destined to not fall into her hands?

    At that moment, a strong gust of wind blew a leaflet towards her face.

    She pulled down the leaflet and found that it was a recruitment advertisement. A high-end restaurant

    called ¡°Moonlight¡± was recruiting waiters and waitresses.

    Eliana raised her head.

    To her surprise, that restaurant was right in front of her.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184

    Could this possibly be divine guidance?

    She was only looking for a part-time job when this recruitment flyer smacked her in the face. Was she

    destined to be a waitress?

    Eliana entered the restaurant, carrying the recruitment flyer.

    A tall man immediately greeted her. He had a square face and looked amiable and mature.

    ¡°Hello, beautifuldy. May I help you?¡±

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to apply for a job as a waitress,¡± Eliana said, raising the flyer in her hand.

    The man stared at her for a moment before smiling happily.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please allow me to introduce myself first. My name is Jordy Hamilton, and I¡¯m the chef at

    this restaurant. Since you are here for a job interview,e with me. I¡¯ll take you to the manager.¡±

    Jordy smiled brightly, but he was discreetly casting nces at Eliana.

    For no apparent reason, Eliana felt a little uneasy. ¡°Please call me Eliana, Mr. Hamilton.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid that¡¯s a bit impolite. Can I call you Miss Pierce? This way, please.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Eliana trailed behind Jordy.

    Jordy whisked her away to the office areas in the back of the restaurant to meet with the manager.

    The manager was a petite, slim middle-ageddy. Her hair was perfectlybed up and she wore a

    pair of ck-framed sses that made her appear stuffy and serious.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Rosalie Gorden, and I¡¯m the manager of this restaurant. Could you please give me a copy of

    your resume?¡±

    Rosalie¡¯s voice, like her personality, was cold and distant.

    Eliana nodded. ¡°Alright. But I don¡¯t have a printed copy of my resume with me. Can I send you a digital

    copy instead?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Eliana took out her phone then and sent Rosalie the digital copy of her resume. Rosalie looked at it.

    After a few seconds, her brow furrowed.

    ¡°I noticed that you have no prior experience working as a waitress in a restaurant, Miss Pierce. I¡¯m

    concerned about your ability to perform the job responsibilities.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m confident in my ability to do this job well,¡± Eliana replied, patting her chest.

    ¡°Do you mind if I ask you some things rted to the job?¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡±

    Eliana did not panic for even a bit. After all, she came from a wealthy family. In order to be a proper

    lady, she received extensive education about cuisine and dining etiquette.

    ¡°The waiter serves the wine in order. What will the guest do if he does not want more wine?¡±

    ¡°Touch the ss¡¯s rim with his fingertips.¡±

    ¡°To get the best vor, different dishes in cuisine must be paired with different drinks. Can you name a

    few that you think go well together?¡±

    ¡°White wine is typically paired with white meat and seafood dishes; red wine with red meat and game

    dishes; salty food with dry or sour wines; sweet food with sweet wines; spicy food with strongly vored

    wines; and neutral wines such as sparkling wines with uncertain types of dishes.¡±

    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.

    Eliana managed to answer all of Rosalie¡¯s questions correctly.

    Rosalie¡¯s taut face gradually softened into a satisfied smile.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m truly sorry for undermining your abilities. Apparently, you are more than qualified for

    this job.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ Does it mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Congrattions! You passed the interview,¡± Rosalie said, reaching out her hand.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± Eliana finally felt relieved as she held Rosalie¡¯s hand. She was more nervous

    this time than when she went to the interview for the designer position.

    Jordy approached Eliana as she exited the manager¡¯s office contentedly.

    ¡°How was it, Miss Pierce? Did you pass the interview?¡±

    Eliana smiled thankfully at him and replied, ¡°Yes, and I should thank you for this opportunity.¡±

    However, Jordy was only thinking evil thoughts as he looked at the youngdy in front of him.

    She had a beautiful face and a perfect figure.

    Jordy¡¯s eyes were bing lewd, and he was about to reach out to touch Eliana when he was

    interrupted by a voice.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, since you¡¯ll be starting the job tomorrow, let me introduce you to the restaurant¡¯s owner.¡±

    Rosalie walked out of her office.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Eliana replied cheerfully.

    ¡®This damn bitch again!¡¯ Jordy resisted doing what he really wanted to do and moved silently out of the

    way.

    Rosalie led Eliana to the boss¡¯s office door and said, ¡°The boss is inside. Just go and say hello.¡±

    Eliana opened the door and walked in, slightly perturbed.

    ¡°So you¡¯re the new waitress?¡±

    At the sight of the boss, Eliana was dumbfounded.

    ¡°Wya¡­ Wyatt!¡±

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185

    ¡°You are the Moonlight¡¯s owner?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.

    ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Wyatt asked, raising his brows.

    Eliana was rendered speechless. Why was she always running into people rted to Maurice?

    After all, Wyatt was a close friend of Maurice¡¯s. Now that she had fallen out with Maurice, Wyatt would

    definitely not let her work in his restaurant.

    It seemed that she was going to lose her new job.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you. Goodbye.¡±

    Eliana had intended to leave first before Wyatt fired her.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Eliana stopped in her tracks.

    Wyatt approached Eliana and stopped her. ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you yet about what¡¯s going on. Why did

    you apply for a waitress job?¡±

    Eliana rolled her eyes discreetly.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I resigned, and I haven¡¯t found a suitable job yet.¡±

    It was entirely his good friend¡¯s fault that she had ended up this way.

    Wyatt was taken aback. He thought about it for a while before realizing something.

    Certainly, Maurice and Eliana had a fight.

    He knew Maurice very well. Maurice was a cunning man. Eliana should have no trouble finding work

    based on her qualifications and experience. Maurice had surely tampered with the matter.

    Wyatt pondered for a moment and came up with an idea.

    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll have to look for another job, right?¡±

    Eliana sighed. ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t make a living with just one job.¡±

    She had two children, which was the main reason. Eliana got stressful thinking about the exorbitant

    cost of raising two children.

    ¡°How about this?¡± Wyatt said, patting Eliana on the shoulder. ¡°You can stay in the restaurant and work

    for me. As for the sry, are you okay with thirty thousand dors per month? In that case, you won¡¯t

    have to look for another job.¡±

    Why was he giving her such an attractive offer?

    Eliana always believed that if a pie fell from the sky, something was wrong.

    ¡°Mr. Todd, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too high for an ordinary waitress to get a monthly sry of thirty thousand

    dors?¡± she asked, staring at Wyatt suspiciously.

    ¡°You are not an ordinary waitress. We really hit it off,¡± Wyatt teased. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re very beautiful. I¡¯ll

    take a few photos of you for my restaurant¡¯s publicity in order to attract more customers. I¡¯ll recoup my

    investment by then.¡±

    For a brief moment, Eliana was engrossed by Wyatt¡¯s mischievous smile.

    He looked very familiar to her now.

    He looked exactly like Preston, who was acting strange that night!

    Eliana kept staring at Wyatt, making him feel creeped out. His heart was instantly filled with dread.

    Did she discover anything?

    It wasn¡¯t until then that Wyatt remembered that Maurice had warned him that this woman was very

    smart and that if she found any w, she would connect all the clues to find out the truth.

    Wyatt feltpelled to do something to divert Eliana¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Do you think I offer you too much money? What if I cut it down?¡± he asked.

    As expected, he immediately got Eliana¡¯s attention at the mention of money.

    ¡°No! I think the sry is just right. I¡¯ll start working tomorrow.¡±

    Of course, no employee would object to a high sry. Besides, she still owed Maurice money.

    ¡°Thank you, Wyatt.¡±

    Despite the fact that she had no idea what he was up to, she was still grateful to him for giving her a

    job.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. If you don¡¯t mind, please stand at the door and let me take two photos to

    be used for this restaurant¡¯s publicity.¡±

    Of course, Eliana would not refuse such a simple request.

    Wyatt took out his phone and snapped a few photos of Eliana. He then sent them to Maurice, with a

    message which read, ¡°Your Eliana is in my ce. Don¡¯t worry. I will take good care of her for you.¡±

    Wyatt waited for the big fish to take the bait.

    Meanwhile, Maurice was reprimanding his subordinates when his phone suddenly buzzed.

    He casually clicked on the message and saw photos of Eliana standing at the door of Wyatt¡¯s

    restaurant with a big smile on her face and Wyatt¡¯s provocative message. Maurice got irritated in an

    instant.

    ¡°Wyatt!¡±

 Chapter 186

    Chapter 186

    Maurice couldn¡¯t stand the thought of Eliana being with a yboy like Wyatt for even a second.

    He immediately called him.

    Wyatt, on the other hand, couldn¡¯t stopughing when he saw the caller ID.

    His loudughter drew Eliana¡¯s attention.

    What was wrong with Wyatt? He was grinning obscenely.

    When he noticed the strange look in Eliana¡¯s eyes, he cleared his throat and tried to look serious.

    ¡°Umm, Eliana, you go find the manager first and get familiar with the restaurant¡¯s operations. I have to

    answer a call.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Eliana turned around and walked away after giving Wyatt a suspicious look. She then came across

    Rosalie, who was looking around the restaurant.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, Mr. Todd directed me to you so that I could get familiar with the operations here.¡±

    Rosalie pushed her sses up her nose and started exining to Eliana her tasks at the restaurant.

    Wyatt stood nearby, talking to Maurice on the phone.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you doing, Wyatt? Why is Eliana there?¡± Maurice was clearly in a bad mood.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never responded to my messages so quickly before. What¡¯s wrong with you this time? Are you

    anxious?¡± Wyatt continued to provoke Maurice.

    ¡°Just answer me if you still want to live.¡± Maurice voice was so cold.

    ¡°I just feel sorry for Eliana. She lost her job and was unable to find another, so I offered her a job out of

    kindness. After all, she was kidnapped before because of my carelessness. I just want to help her to

    somehowpensate for my mistake.¡±

    ¡°I know you so well, Wyatt, and you won¡¯t feel guilty for such a thing,¡± Maurice retorted, not giving in to

    his lie.

    Wyatt paused for a while. He then began babbling, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found out, I might as well just tell

    you the truth. I fell in love with Eliana as well.¡±

    ¡°Ha! That¡¯s nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me? When I pretended to be Preston, I had a great time with her. Maybe deep

    inside, she even likes the fake Preston more. May just the best man win?¡±

    Maurice became serious. ¡°I warn you, Wyatt. You can do whatever you want, except for anything that

    concerns Eliana. You¡­¡±

    Wyatt abruptly hung up the phone.

    Maurice seemed really furious this time.

    The anger at the bottom of Wyatt¡¯s heart finally dissipated at this point.

    Not long ago, Maurice tricked him into meeting Nicole and asking him to walk the red carpet with her.

    Now, he hired Eliana to work at his restaurant. They were now even.

    It was never toote for a gentleman to avenge himself. He exacted his vengeance in this manner.

    Wyatt smiled as he looked across the room and saw Eliana working hard. As long as she was here, he

    would surely be entertained by the things that were to unfold.

    All of a sudden, Eliana felt a chill down her spine.

    She turned around to see what was causing her to feel that, only to find Wyatt staring at her with a

    mysterious smile on his face.

    She got goose bumps all over her body. Then she remembered Wyatt¡¯s phone call and his weird

    laughter when he received it.

    Something was wrong.

    Did Maurice call him? Did Wyatt inform Maurice that she was working here?

    Eliana stared nkly in Wyatt¡¯s direction, lost in thought.

    A figure suddenly blocked her view, and a young girl with freckles on her face stood in front of her.

    ¡°Eliana, this is another waitress in our restaurant, Alissa Smith,¡± Rosalie said, introducing the girl.

    ¡°Hello, I am Eliana Pierce,¡± Eliana said as she reached out her hand for a handshake.

    Alissa smiled warmly as she held her hand. ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Alissa Smith. Can I call you

    Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    In Eliana¡¯s eyes, Alissa seemed to be quite easy-going.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve gotten to know each other, Alissa, you can take Eliana with you and show her how to

    serve the dishes,¡± Rosalie instructed.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Okay, Ms. Gorden.¡±

    Rosalie then left them.

    Alissa¡¯s sweet smile vanished in an instant when Rosalie left. Her expression became dark and hostile.

    ¡°Hey, neer, do you have a rtionship with Mr. Todd?¡± Alissa asked with contempt in her voice

    and obvious jealousy in her eyes.

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    Chapter 187

    The girl suddenly turned turn hostile towards Eliana.

    Eliana was stunned, her mouth agape. ¡°You may have misconstrued what I meant. My employer has

    absolutely no business with me,¡± she finally rified after some time.

    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced. Why is the boss gazing at you and smiling at you if you have nothing to do with

    him?¡± Alissa eximed in a furious manner as if Eliana had snatched her lover.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t sure whether she shouldugh or weep. She wondered why it happened so often to her.

    It felt that the people around an attractive man could easily be misunderstood.

    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m at a loss for words.¡± Eliana sounded dismissive of the topic.

    ¡°You!¡± Alissa began to feel nervous.

    ¡°Alissa, that¡¯s enough. How could you make such a statement on Miss Pierce?¡± Suddenly, Jordy

    appeared and yelled at Alissa.

    Alissa felt aggrieved and said, ¡°Mr. Hamilton, why are you speaking on her behalf?¡±

    Jordy gave her a frown and warned, ¡°Keep your tongue in check. Keep that bad mouth shut about Miss

    Pierce.¡±

    Alissa was a bully to the weak and a trembler to the powerful. Her spirits dropped and she walked

    away, disheartened, the moment Jordy yelled at her.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    The relief on Eliana¡¯s face was palpable as she thanked Jordy for his help.

    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Mr. Hamilton.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s all good. I¡¯ll be there for you if you ever need me. Anytime, I mean.¡±

    Even though Jordy was ying nice, he was not going to give up his evil designs.

    As it turned out, Eliana wasn¡¯t the boss¡¯s girlfriend. He could prey on her since she was a novice with

    no prior experience.

    Jordy¡¯s grin became more sordid as his mentality degraded.

    Eliana began working in Moonlight the next day.

    Within a few days, she had established herself as the restaurant¡¯s go-to person for cuisine and had a

    well-rounded intellect.

    The diners at the restaurant were enamored with the new hire¡¯s attractiveness and skill set. There were

    more and more guys approaching her.

    Jordy was worried when he saw how well-liked Eliana was. He was worried that someone else might

    have thedy of his dreams first.

    The sooner he made Eliana his girlfriend, the better.

    He already had a n for how he was going to do it.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, pleasee here.¡± Jordy gave Eliana a friendly wave.

    Eliana approached him. ¡°What is it, Mr. Hamilton?¡± Eliana asked curiously.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go for a bottle of red wine from the storeroom behind the kitchen.¡± Jordy¡¯s expression was

    impable.

    Eliana said without hesitation, ¡°Sure, sir.¡±

    Jordy¡¯s eyes became dimmer, and a little grin crept over his lips.

    Jordy had Eliana apany him to the storeroom. The door here was kept locked year-round to better

    store the red wine. When the light went out, the storeroom became so dim that it was impossible to see

    anything in it.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you switch on the light, Mr. Hamilton?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s natural apprehension was heightened by the darkness.

    And how could Jordy, who was lurking in the darkness, switch on the light? Taking advantage of the

    opportunity to rape Eliana while the storeroom was dark and the coast was clear was all he desired.

    ¡®I¡¯m here, little cute thing.¡¯

    The demonic Jordy stretched out to Eliana, who was unaware of what was about to unfold.

    The door suddenly swung open.

    ¡°I knew you were cking off again, Neer! I want you back working!¡±

    Alissa¡¯s high-pitched voice echoed throughout the storeroom.

    Alissa had been attempting to get Eliana into trouble for thest few days. This was her opportunity at

    last.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be there in a moment.¡±

    Eliana hurriedly exited the storeroom, her brow furrowed in disgust.

    Alissa¡¯scency grew as she saw Eliana who was hurrying.

    Jordy emerged from the shadows with a glum expression. Alissa was probably on his hit list!

    ¡°Alissa! It¡¯s about time you used your manners! What is it about you that makes it impossible to let the

    sleeping dogs lie? Honestly, I doubt that you have something to do. Why don¡¯t you return to your job

    right away?¡±

    Jordy¡¯s temper red as he yelled at Alissa, shocking her.

    Alissa regained herposure when Jordy left.

    The chief had never been so nasty to her in all her years of employment!

    The neer was solely to me.

    Eliana was to me for everything, ording to Alissa.

    For the simple reason that Eliana caused her to be scolded, she would make things difficult for her

    Alissa made a promise to herself that she would expel Eliana from the restaurant!

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188

    Rosalie intervened just as Eliana was ready to leave for the day after a particrly exhausting day.

    ¡°Eliana, do you have a minute?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Is there something wrong, Ms. Gorden?¡± Eliana became anxious as she saw Rosalie¡¯s

    serious demeanor and Alissa¡¯s aggressive demeanor.

    Rosalie said, ¡°Alissa approached me and told me that you had stolen a cake from the restaurant earlier.

    Is this urate?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, no. This is a huge misunderstanding. I paid for the pastry on my own. Every day, there

    are a few little cakes left behind at the restaurant. Employees are allowed to purchase them at a

    discounted rate. That¡¯s as per the rules.¡±

    Eliana unzipped her bag. A beautiful cake was contained inside.

    ¡°See! You stole that!¡± Alissa spoke out with confidence.

    ¡°You can verify it for yourself if you don¡¯t trust me. I¡¯ve gotten the receipt with me if you¡¯d want to see,¡±

    Eliana said, very displeased.

    Alissa took out the cake and dived into the bag. This tiny cake was purchased by Eliana, as confirmed

    by the receipt that Alissa discovered in the bag.

    Rosalie¡¯s face became pliable as a result.

    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe!¡±

    Alissa¡¯splexion was pallid. She simply couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.

    ¡°Are you still going to search my bag?¡± Eliana stretched her hand. ¡°Can you please return the cake I

    bought?¡±

    In a rage, Alissa feigned to give Eliana the cake. However, she released her grasp before Eliana could

    take it.

    The cake smashed to the floor, and Eliana¡¯s pants were drenched in the cream. The floor was a

    shambles.

    ¡°Ooops, I¡¯m so sorry! It fell out of my grasp.¡± In an effort to seem sincere, Alissa apologized.

    ¡°Alissa, enough! Don¡¯t make fun of me for no reason. How could you possibly toss the cake on the

    floor?¡±

    Eliana seemed to be in a state of rage. She was aware that Alissa was working against her, but she

    was unfazed by that. What a waste of such a delicious cake.

    ¡°It¡¯s just some cake that was leftover. Is it necessary for you to be so enraged? I¡¯ll foot the bill for this. It

    was only a dessert that no one desired.¡±

    Alissa had no doubt that she was correct. The only thing she could think of was that Eliana was a nasty

    lady.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    ¡°Hey, put an end to it! What if the guests witness you arguing?¡±

    Rosalie moved forward just as the situation was about to spiral out of hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to leave work. Before you depart, you two should tidy up this mess.¡± Rosalie walked away with

    a sour expression on her face.

    Alissa let out a snort and told Eliana to handle the mess on her own. Then she departed.

    No other option was left to Eliana than to use a broom to sweep it all up.

    Upon seeing the filthy floor, she found the situation absurd. Surely this was how she felt when she first

    started working at the Moran Group¡¯s Design Department. She seemed to be in a less-than-satisfactory

    mood.

    ¡°Eliana, are you all right? I¡¯ll give you a hand.¡±

    Again, Jordy appeared from nowhere and was ready to seize the broom from her grasp.

    ¡°Thank you, but no need. I¡¯ll take care of the cleanup myself. I don¡¯t want to annoy you,¡± Eliana

    responded.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem at all, Miss Pierce. Anything you need, I can do it.¡±

    Jordy ced his hand on Eliana¡¯s.

    Eliana¡¯s instincts kicked in and she realized something was amiss.

    ¡°Mr. Hamilton, you overstepped the line.¡±

    Jordy smiled innocently and said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m guessing that you don¡¯t have a boyfriend, do you?¡±

    Eliana said, ¡°I do not have a partner, but I do have two children.¡±

    Jordy paused briefly before smiling and asking, ¡°How do youe up with such a joke?¡± after hearing

    this.

    ¡°There is no humor in that, trust me.¡±

    However, the door of the restaurant was forced open before Jordy could ask any more questions.

    ¡°Is nobody present in this enormous restaurant?¡± A man¡¯s voice rang out.

    Jordy became enraged when he was interrupted again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but we¡¯re closed,¡± he remarked with a sour tone.

    ¡°Really? You treat your guests like this?¡±

    Eliana recognized the voice right away.

    She lifted her head and called out, ¡°Preston!¡±

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189

    ¡°What brings you here, Preston?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback and ashamed at the same time.

    As it turned out, Preston hadn¡¯te any close to her since professing his feelings for her and got

    rejected.

    Initially, she felt he wouldn¡¯t want toy his eyes on her again.

    Maurice cast a sidelong look at Jordy and snarled, ¡°Why have you asked that? I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve

    interrupted you two.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t realize how close she was to Jordy until then, so she instantly distanced herself from him.

    When he saw her reaction, Maurice¡¯s expression softened a little.

    ¡°Wait, Preston, did someone tell you that I was here?¡± The look on Eliana¡¯s face was skeptical. ¡°Are

    you following my movements?¡±

    Maurice had a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re overanalyzing everything. I can¡¯t afford even a second for that.¡±

    ¡°Then howe you¡¯re in this eatery?¡± Eliana was doubtful.

    ¡°This eatery is well-known around here. A friend of mine told me about this ce, so I decided to check

    it out. I had no idea you¡¯d show up here.¡±

    Maurice maintained hisposure while telling his fib.

    Actually, he drove to Moonlight without thinking after getting off work.

    Luckily, realizing that Eliana had been followed by someone made Maurice reconsider his reluctance to

    enter the building.

    However, he had to allow Preston to reappear since appearing as Maurice was inconvenient for him.

    Eliana was able to grasp the gist of Maurice¡¯s exnations.

    His friend? What kind of friend would that be? A wealthydy who was his client?

    Unhappily, Eliana twisted her lips.

    After confessing his feelings for her and saying he wanted to be her lover the previous time, he

    returned to serving wealthy clients to earn more money. She had even considered saying yes to

    Preston. When she reflected on it now, she was d she didn¡¯t ept his proposal to be his girlfriend

    back then.

    Jordy, who had been left out of the conversation, took a nce at the two and saw something off about

    the dynamic between them. He wasn¡¯t at all happy.

    ¡°Let me introduce myself. I¡¯m the restaurant¡¯s head chef. What kind of connection do you have with

    Miss Pierce?¡±

    ¡°Why should I inform you about our rtionship?¡± Maurice inquired with a sneer.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Unless you have business with her, just go. You can¡¯t bully Eliana because I won¡¯t let you.¡±

    Jordy made himself known right on as a steadfast ally of Eliana¡¯s.

    He wouldn¡¯t let Maurice to bully Eliana? He sounded very intimate with her.

    Maurice was consumed with resentment. ¡°I¡¯m a gigolo maintained by her,¡± he remarked, pointing at

    Eliana as he did so.

    Everyone around was stunned when he said what he said.

    ¡°Not possible!¡± That left Jordy stunned.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is it anything that bothers you?¡±

    Jordy couldn¡¯t lift his head as Maurice drew closer and closer to him.

    A gigolo wasn¡¯t in this guy¡¯s demeanor at all.

    Maurice seemed to have knocked Jordy down with a feather. He shut his mouth!

    At the same moment, Eliana had just regained herposure after Preston¡¯s unexpected statements.

    She had never maintained a gigolo in the first ce.

    ¡°What are you on about, Preston?¡±

    Her cheeks flushed. Her earlobes became bright crimson in an instant.

    Never in a million years! She had to escort him out before he spoke any more garbage.

    ¡°You, follow me.¡±

    Suddenly, Eliana grabbed Preston¡¯s hand and dragged him out of the restaurant.

    In front of the restaurant, a vehicle was standing by.

    Eliana and Maurice had just walked out of the restaurant when Sean saw them while in the automobile.

    Sean scowled and phoned Gerald immediately.

    ¡°Something strange has urred, boss. Eliana just walked out of the restaurant with an unidentified

    male. What are our options at this point?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s savage voice came from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Fuck that guy! You must abduct and bring Eliana here this time, regardless of who is apanying

    her.¡±

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190

    It seemed this time, Maurice had truly enraged Gerald.

    Sean quickly promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. I promise I¡¯ll carry out the task well.¡±

    Meanwhile, Eliana had no idea that she would get kidnapped a second time.

    Still anxious, she dragged Preston to a quiet corner where no one would bother them. Upon reaching

    there, she let go of his hand.

    ¡°Please don¡¯te to the restaurant ever again. Your presence will just disturb my work,¡± Eliana

    pleaded to him, her tone grim.

    ¡°Work? What work? You used to have a decent job, but here you are, scrubbing dishes. It¡¯s better for

    you to go back to Moran Group and be a designer,¡± Maurice sneered in a contemptuous tone. His

    words struck a nerve in Eliana, whoshed back immediately.

    ¡°Who do you think you are?! What right do you have to tell me that?! Do you honestly think I don¡¯t want

    to be a designer? Everything that¡¯s happening to me right now is all because of that bastard Maurice! If

    he didn¡¯t fire me for no reason, I wouldn¡¯t need this crummy job! Yet here you are, speaking up for

    him?!¡± Eliana roared. She was so upset, her eyes reddening.

    ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean that. I was just¡­¡± Maurice began, suddenly at a loss. He had slipped up.

    It quickly urred to him that since he was acting as Preston at the moment, he couldn¡¯t speak in

    Maurice¡¯s callous tone. Preston was different from Maurice, after all. It wouldn¡¯t do him any good if

    Eliana sensed something was amiss.

    Eliana ended up venting all her umted anger on Preston. The bitter resentment piling in her heart

    from thest few days faded after she screamed out her bottled up feelings. Still, she hadn¡¯t done it on

    purpose. Recalling her blunder, she wished she could find a hole to bury herself. Preston wasn¡¯t to be

    med, and yet, she made him the target of her anger.

    Suffice to say, she found it humiliating. How terrible of her to treat Preston that way! After she rejected

    him too, no less. She was ashamed of herself. Not knowing to react, she decided to flee.

    ¡°Preston, I¡­ I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    She wanted to go. She needed to escape and flee far, far away.

    With that in mind, she spun on her heels and dashed off. Yet as she moved, a hand grabbed hers and

    stopped her.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Turning around in confusion, Eliana saw Preston gazing at her with a deep, quiet look. His hand

    gripped hers tight, as if he was refusing to let her go.

    Maurice had long sensed that someone was spying on them in secret since a few moments ago.

    Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint who it was.

    He couldn¡¯t possibly leave Eliana be, especially when danger was lurking nearby. They were probably

    some people hiding behind the shadows, targeting her and watching her every move.

    ¡°It¡¯s already sote. Let me apany you to go home,¡± Maurice suggested, hoping Eliana would

    listen to him.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. The bus stop¡¯s just around the corner. I can take the bus myself.¡± Eliana, however, shot

    down his offer and shook her head desperately.

    All she wanted was to avoid him. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t let herself stay with him even a second longer.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t hesitate to turn around and leave, ignoring Mauricepletely.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Her reaction took Maurice by surprise. Nervous, he hurried to follow her. Unfortunately, his actions

    made Eliana all the more uneasy.

    She picked up her pace, wanting to shake him off. She had to find a way to get rid of him!

    Left out of options, she purposefully chose to enter a dim alley.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go there!¡±

    Preston¡¯s worried voice shouted after her the moment she walked into that alley.

    However, Eliana couldn¡¯t care less. All she wanted to do was to avoid Preston. She pretended not to

    hear him and hurried into the alley, hoping she could leave him once and for all.

    The second she stepped into the dark alley, she was osted by a sinister tension akin to one from a

    horror movie. Suddenly, all the hairs on her body stood on their ends.

    Dpidated streetmps with their broken bulbs shed bleakly in the alley. Next to her were old walls

    that seemed they could copse at any moment. A strange green light flickered faintly in the darkness.

    The stench of rotten garbage permeated the heavy air, rendering Eliana breathless. It was a perfect

    setup for murder.

    As she walked, Eliana could feel the hiss of cold wind blowing from the back of her head despite it not

    being windy at all. For some reason, she had a feeling that something horrific would pop out of the

    darkness without warning.

    Immediately, she came to regret her decision. Why on earth did she go into this alley? She wished she

    could turn back!

    While these thoughts ran through her mind, the faint sound of footsteps emerged from behind her.

    Eliana squeaked, frightened. She subconsciously quickened her pace, hoping to leave this alley as

    soon as possible.

    Much to her horror, the footsteps behind her became quicker as she walked faster. It felt like a monster

    was stalking her from behind, about to catch up to her and tear her apart the second it reached her.

    Her heartbeat sped as fear gripped her heart. Suddenly, a ball of light shed before her eyes. Joy

    bloomed in her heart. It was the long awaited light at the end of the proverbial tunnel! Without

    hesitation, Eliana rushed towards the brightness, happy she could finally leave the alley.

    The next second, an unexpected ident urred.

    In her relief, Eliana messed her steps and stumbled over a manhole cover on the ground. The impact

    caught her unawares and she fell forward, about to hit the ground.

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191

    Eliana closed her eyes, but the anticipated anguish did not manifest itself.

    She was embraced very warmly instead.

    Her face struck the muscr chest of a guy with force. The man¡¯s clean and clear scent surged into her

    nostrils, putting her tense nerves more at peace.

    Preston¡¯s chest muscles were so robust.

    Eliana¡¯s thoughts werepletely nk. She remained on Preston¡¯s chest for a lengthy period of time,

    without moving at all.

    ¡°Is this woman dumb?¡± Maurice chuckled as he spoke.

    Eliana felt humiliated as she raised her head.

    Red all the way from head to toe, she resembled a cooked crab.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Maurice inquired caringly.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s a given that people will stumble. It doesn¡¯t matter how things are.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s body tensed and her gaze remained fixated on the ground. Embarrassment was clearly visible

    on her face.

    ¡°Then exin to me; how is your face so red?¡± Maurice whispered in her ear as he dropped his head.

    ¡°The illumination is inadequate. Your eyes must be misinterpreting what they¡¯re seeing.¡±

    Eliana pulled away slightly and refused to acknowledge it.

    ¡°I possibly won¡¯t buy that.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s pulse raced as the man¡¯s lips moved closer to hers, creating an intimate ambiance in the

    otherwise deste alley.

    Suddenly, she heard what sounded like people fighting behind her. Eliana had a nagging desire to turn

    and check it out.

    ¡°Do not budge.¡±

    Maurice squeezed her head to prevent her from turning around.

    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± Confusion filled Eliana.

    ¡°It looks like¡­ Something is going on behind¡­¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in dread as she heard that. ¡°What if¡­ It¡¯s a ghost!?¡±

    Maurice nodded in earnest.

    As a matter of fact, Maurice intentionally misled her. His subordinates were tussling with Gerald¡¯s guys,

    making it rather raucous.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ What now? Will we die!?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s voice trembled as she spoke.

    Taking this alley was a big mistake on her part. She had really experienced a ghost.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be frightened. You won¡¯t see anything because I¡¯ll put my hands over your eyes.¡±

    Eliana nodded frantically.

    Maurice refrained fromughing and covered her eyes.

    Possibly because of Preston¡¯s presence, Eliana felt inexplicably secure even with her eyes covered.

    Maurice proceeded carefully out of the alley, holding Eliana¡¯s hand, to a street light.

    Observing how much Eliana depended on him, Maurice found himself wishing the alley was a little bit

    longer.

    Once Eliana had walked for a considerable amount of time, the sounds had vanished.

    ¡°Are¡­ Are we out of danger?¡±

    Maurice remained mute.

    To her dismay, they had arrived at the bus stop when Eliana pulled his hand off of her face.

    No one was behind her when she turned around.

    ¡°Preston, did you intentionally mess with my mind?¡±

    Maurice said in jest, ¡°I¡¯ve not met someone as timid as you are! What made you feel the need to stroll

    alone at night?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, I¡¯m mousy. Now, why follow me?¡±

    Suddenly, Eliana stopped speaking. Yes, and how did Preston get himself in that alley?

    Then she saw that his forehead was covered with perspiration.

    Did he run to the alley because he was concerned for her safety, or did he just want to see her?

    Eliana was deeply affected by the thought of this.

    Preston was, in fact, a nice guy, regardless of what he did for a living, nheless¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely nothing.¡± Eliana denied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on the events of today. Make sure you¡¯re cautious when you leave work from here on out.

    Stay away from your chef as well. He is a bad person.¡±

    When Maurice first saw Jordy, he knew he had an ulterior motive in approaching Eliana.

    It was possible that just Eliana hadn¡¯t figured it out.

    When Maurice wasn¡¯t with thisdy, he feared for her safety.

    Maurice tried to make it sound very casual. ¡°The sooner you return to the Moran Group, the better.

    That¡¯s the ce you need to be.¡±

    Eliana was irate and boasted, ¡°The Moran Group will never see me again. If Maurice personally asks

    me, I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. The arrogance of her demeanor was shocking.

    Just now, the bus came.

    ¡°My bus has arrived. You¡¯re free to leave.¡±

    Eliana gave Preston a wave before boarding the bus. She couldn¡¯t help but open the window and talk

    to him before the bus left.

    ¡°Hey, thanks for thepany, Preston,¡± she said after she had taken a seat.

    Eliana was bidding farewell to Maurice with a grin on her face. He was a little astounded. He felt as

    though he and she were a romantic pair. If only his imagination and feelings were real!

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192

    Eliana went to work again the next day. Jordy would approach her at every chance he got, determined

    to have her for himself. He wasn¡¯t about to give up.

    ¡°Say, Eliana. Were you joking when you told me that you already had children yesterday?¡±

    At his question, Eliana stopped in her tracks. Jordy was beginning to get on her nerves. It was enough

    that he disgusted her, but he wouldn¡¯t stop pestering her repeatedly despite her giving him the cold

    shoulder.

    ¡°What I said yesterday was true, Chef.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ Your resume says that you¡¯re unmarried,¡± Jordymented, unable to stop himself from

    making a slip of the tongue.

    Well, well, well. So he had even gone as far as to rifle through her private information. Eliana

    immediately stood on alert.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that I¡¯m unmarried, and it¡¯s also true that I have children. But I hope you can concentrate on

    work and stop digging into other people¡¯s privacy.¡±

    Having said that, Eliana resumed working and staunchly ignored him.

    Jordy didn¡¯t mind her aloof treatment of him. He stared at her perfect back and swallowed hard.

    ¡®Looks like she is a loose woman,¡¯ hemented inwardly. She had given birth to children out of

    wedlock. If so, then it would be easy for him to get her in his clutches!

    The thought overpowered him, and his gaze on Eliana grew ever more lustful. He couldn¡¯t reel in his

    desires.

    When Eliana identally caught a glimpse of his eyes, goosebumps crawled all over her body. She

    shivered in spite of herself, feeling terribly ufortable.

    She decided to heed Preston¡¯s advice and try her best to avoid the chef from now onwards. Nothing

    good coulde out of entangling herself with him.

    Meanwhile, Alissa had witnessed Eliana and Jordy¡¯s interaction from the beginning until the end.

    Difort and frustration crept in her.

    Before Eliana¡¯s appearance, the chef had never treated her so kindly. After Eliana appeared, it seemed

    all the men¡¯s eyes were on Eliana and no one else. Seeds of jealousy sprouted in her heart, turning her

    resentful.

    While Eliana was busy working, Maurice slipped in the restaurant unnoticed. He dressed in low-key

    clothes different from his usual sophisticated manner of dress. As soon as he entered, he chose an

    inconspicuous seat and remained quiet all the while.

    ¡°Sir, what would you like to order?¡±

    Alissa was the first to notice Maurice at his seat. She approached him absentmindedly, not thinking

    much, until Maurice turned his face and looked up at her.

    She was stunned. What a devilishly handsome man!

    Maurice¡¯s masculine beauty stole Alissa¡¯s heart in an instant. She could feel her temperature rising,

    and her heart thumped loudly against her chest. It was love at first sight! Without realizing it, she

    subconsciously straightened her clothes to make a good impression on him. She intended to speak to

    him again, though with a sweeter, more flirtatious tone.

    Her hopes were dashed when Maurice turned away, not bothering to look at her a second time.

    Unexpectedly, he pointed at Eliana¡¯s back and replied icily, ¡°No, thanks. Please call that person over for

    me. I want her to serve me.¡±

    Alissa followed the direction pointed by Maurice, only to saw the busy Eliana. Her head exploded as

    jealousy surged in her veins.

    Eliana? Why was it her again?! Ugh! Why were all the good things happening to her? This was

    injustice!

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Huffy and red-faced, the upset Alissa stormed towards Eliana. She saw that Eliana was writing

    something on a note with a ck pen, but ignored it and screamed at Eliana, ¡°Hey, Neer! That

    guest called for you.¡±

    Alissa jabbed her thumb at Maurice, irked. Eliana stared at Alissa, confused. Who was it that angered

    Alissa again?

    She looked at the direction Alissa was pointing, only to see the back of a man.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Nodding, Eliana tore off the note in her hand and pasted it on the small ckboard.

    The note stated that the guests at Table 10 couldn¡¯t eat nuts.

    Eliana paused, slightly worried. After a brief moment of pondering, she told Alissa in a concerned tone,

    ¡°Alissa, tell the chef that the guests at Table 10 can¡¯t eat nuts. I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t notice the note.¡±

    ¡°Fine, got it! Just leave quickly.¡±

    Alissa rolled her eyes contemptuously, disgusted with Eliana. Why couldn¡¯t Eliana just tell that to the

    chef herself?

    ¡®For a neer, she has the audacity to order me around? The gall of this woman!¡¯ she cursed in her

    mind.

    Alissa¡¯s heart was akin to an exploding volcano, red and angry, pulsating with magma. Her eyes fell on

    the note on the ckboard, and a revenge n formed in her mind.

    Eliana, for her part, felt relieved after rying that information to Alissa. She was ignorant to the fact

    that her unintentional reminder was in truth the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.

    Now, Alissa¡¯s umted anger which she had bottled up for many days had burst out. She could no

    longer stand it.

    The moment Eliana turned around, Alissa tore off the note from the board.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193

    Eliana had no idea what Alissa had done. She followed Alissa¡¯s pointing finger to the corner of the

    restaurant.

    In the corner there was a colorful ss window.

    The weather was lovely today. The sun shone through the multicolored ss and onto the man¡¯s

    handsome face. The scene looked like a painting.

    ¡°Sir, would you like to order?¡±

    The man turned around.

    ¡°Maurice! It¡¯s you!¡±

    Eliana was shocked.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± he asked pointedly.

    Eliana hadn¡¯t forgotten when Maurice had fired her.

    She ground her teeth together, turned away, and left without saying a word.

    ¡°Where are you going? Is this how Wyatt taught you to serve guests?¡±

    Maurice narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

    He didn¡¯te here just to have her ignore him.

    Eliana stopped. Reluctantly, she turned around and walked back.

    She couldn¡¯t forget that she was a waitress and Maurice was a customer.

    ¡°Sir, what would you like to order?¡± Eliana forced herself to smile.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. He found it amusing to watch Eliana smile at him despite her fury.

    ¡°I remember that you used to hate doing this. Why have you decided to be a waitress now?¡±

    Maurice knew how to get under Eliana¡¯s skin.

    Eliana clenched her fists.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if my job is good or bad. We¡¯re equal. If there were no waitresses, who would serve you?

    You can choose not to go out for dinner.¡±

    The two exchanged icy res. Neither was willing to admit defeat.

    Meanwhile, Alissa¡¯s revenge had already begun.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    She tore off Eliana¡¯s sticky note and waited excitedly for the chef to prepare the dishes for Table 10.

    As soon as the food was ready, she brought it out to Table 10.

    ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am, your food is ready.¡±

    The couple seated at Table 10 were busy flirting with each other. They didn¡¯t notice if the food

    contained nuts.

    Alissa kept an eye on Table 10 after she gave them their food. She was relieved when they ate the food

    with nuts.

    ¡®Eliana is about to be in trouble!¡¯ she thought.

    Soon enough, the man at Table 10 started to have an allergic reaction.

    ¡°Honey, your face!¡± The woman covered her mouth and stared in horror at the rash that had started to

    form on her boyfriend¡¯s face and neck.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Only then did he notice something was wrong. He looked down at his hands. ¡°Damn

    it! My hands!¡±

    His shout could be heard throughout the whole restaurant.

    Alissa hurried to the table.

    ¡°Sir, what is wrong?¡± she asked anxiously.

    ¡°Why are there nuts in the food?¡± The man pointed furiously at the tes.

    ¡°Let me have a look. Oh, this is our specialty fried steak. There is nut powder in the sauce to enhance

    the vor. Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a big problem! Didn¡¯t I say that I¡¯m allergic to nuts? How can you be this ipetent?¡±

    The man rolled up his sleeves, revealing horrible rashes all over his arms.

    ¡°Oh my God, I didn¡¯t know. Are you sure you told my coworkers?¡± Alissa pretended to be surprised.

    The woman nced around furiously until she saw Eliana¡¯s back. Pointing at her, she snapped, ¡°It was

    her. She took our order. I told her over and over that my boyfriend can¡¯t eat nuts. She must have

    forgotten.¡±

    Eliana heard themotioning from Table 10.

    She immediately abandoned Maurice and walked over.

    ¡°What happened here?¡±

    Rosalie also rushed over after noticing the noise.

    Alissa pointed at Eliana in front of everyone.

    ¡°Ms. Gordon, Eliana forgot that this gentleman can¡¯t eat nuts. Now he is having an allergic reaction!¡±

    She was certain that Eliana would be punished this time!

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, Eliana made a dangerous mistake and needs to be severely punished,¡± Alissa said,

    concluding her exaggerated story.

    ¡°You should be fixing the situation instead ofining.¡±

    Rosalie red at Alissa, and then turned to the guests and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. We have made a

    mistake. We apologize for causing you trouble. We can negotiatepensation. Do you still wish to

    eat?¡±

    ¡°How could we still eat here? Still, we¡¯re not leaving until you give my boyfriend an exnation.¡± The

    woman red at Rosalie.

    Rosalie quickly negotiated thepensation that the restaurant would provide.

    As soon as the guests left, Rosalie grimaced and said, ¡°You two, and Jordy,e with me.¡±

    Alissa, Eliana, and Jordy all went to the corner to meet with Rosalie.

    ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, please believe me. I wrote down that the guests at Table 10 can¡¯t eat nuts and I pasted

    the note on the small ckboard. I even asked Alissa to repeat it to the chef.¡±

    Eliana could barely get the words out of her mouth. She felt incredibly wronged.

    ¡°Nonsense! You never told me about it. Besides, aren¡¯t you close to the chef? Why didn¡¯t you tell him

    yourself?¡± Alissa retorted.

    Eliana fell silent. She couldn¡¯t admit to everyone that she hadn¡¯t spoken to Jordy because she was

    afraid he would harass her.

    ¡°Where is the note you supposedly wrote?¡± Alissa pressed on.

    ¡°It¡¯s on the ckboard.¡±

    Eliana went back to fetch the note, but there was nothing on the ckboard.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, I¡¯ve told you that she is lying,¡± Alissa repeated stubbornly.

    ¡°Enough, Alissa. Be forgiving. We are so busy in the restaurant. It¡¯s understandable that Eliana could

    forget something. Don¡¯t berate her too much.¡±

    Jordy spoke up, trying to earn Eliana¡¯s goodwill.

    Alissa remembered the handsome man who had asked Eliana to serve him earlier.

    She couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°I think she forgot because she was too busy flirting with a male customer.¡±

    What? ¡°Alissa, flirting? What do you mean?¡± Jordy demanded.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    Rosalie glowered at the two of them, and then looked over at Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, in the restaurant business it is extremely important to remember when a guest has a food

    allergy. Carelessness can put lives in danger. You didn¡¯t take this danger seriously. I¡¯m disappointed in

    you.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say.

    She clearly remembered writing the note. Where had it gone? Had it fallen down?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    She bent down and carefully searched the floor, but had no luck. When she was about to stand, a hand

    pressed against her head.

    ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t hit your head on the table.¡±

    It was Maurice.

    Eliana straightened up and gave him a look of surprise. ¡°Why are you still here?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t gotten the chance to order yet. Why would I leave?¡± Maurice replied indifferently.

    Alissa couldn¡¯t stand seeing the two of them talking, and quickly interrupted them.

    ¡°Sir, customers are not allowed outside of the dining area. Please return to your table.¡±

    Maurice ignored her and turned to Rosalie. ¡°Rosalie, how are you doing recently?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for asking.¡±

    Rosalie¡¯s serious expression softened and her aloof aura also disappeared.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, do you know this guest?¡± Alissa asked. ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°He is a regr guest and a friend of the boss,¡± Rosalie replied.

    He knew the boss? It seemed that this handsome man had powerful connections. Alissa was eager to

    have him.

    ¡°Maurice, what are you doing here?¡± Rosalie asked.

    ¡°I am the male customer thisdy said that was flirting with Eliana. Since it is my fault that Eliana made

    a mistake, I thought I shoulde over,¡± Maurice said righteously.

    ¡°Maurice, you and Eliana¡­¡±

    Rosalie¡¯s shocked eyes wandered between Eliana and Maurice.

    ¡°No, Ms. Gorden. Please let me exin. It¡¯s not what you think. I was not flirting with him.¡±

    Eliana was so anxious that she almost jumped up and down.

    Yesterday there was a rumor that she kept a gigolo, and today she was used of flirting with a guest.

    Her reputation was ruined.

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195

    Eliana actually knew the friend of the boss.

    Alissa was startled at first, but then she felt a pang of jealousy.

    Eliana had made such a big mistake. No one could save her, even if she knew Maurice.

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Rosalie, as Alissa had predicted, had no intention of letting it go.

    Rosalie had always been a person of integrity. Even if Eliana was connected to Maurice, she would not

    turn a blind eye to what Eliana had done.

    She believed that she should be in charge of the restaurant properly since Wyatt had appointed her to

    the manager.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯m not sure what your rtionship is with Eliana, but she made a big mistake this time. We

    can¡¯t let it go easily, even if you intercede for her.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Gorden is right!¡±

    Alissa became even smugger after hearing Rosalie¡¯s words. She was assuming that Eliana would be

    fired this time.

    Maurice cast a sternly appraising look at Alissa.

    He could tell she was going after Eliana.

    ¡°How can you be sure Eliana didn¡¯t write it down on the sticky note?¡± he asked.

    Alissa felt as if she were being watched by a beast at this moment. Maurice¡¯s voice sent shivers down

    her spine.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to lie. Look, there¡¯s nothing on the note. Eliana didn¡¯t write anything on it,¡± she said

    quickly, picking up the sticky note.

    Alissa gripped the sticky note tightly, as if it provided her with a sense of security.

    When Eliana looked at the nk note, a brilliant idea suddenly popped into her mind.

    ¡°Alissa, you imed I hadn¡¯t written anything on the note. Will you hand it over to me?¡± Eliana extended

    her hand, looking at Alissa.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Alissa confidently handed over the sticky note. She didn¡¯t think Eliana would make the

    writing on the note reappear.

    Eliana took the note, picked up the pencil next to her, and drew on it gently. Soon after, a line of text

    appeared.

    ¡°No nuts, Table 10.¡±

    She smiled as she showed everyone the note in her hand.

    ¡°I did write a note, but I¡¯m not sure where it went, or¡­ someone with ulterior motives took it away.¡±

    She fixed her gaze on Alissa.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to Alissa as well. From the very beginning, Alissa had been too active

    in putting the me on Eliana. It was impossible not to feel strange about her actions.

    ¡°You¡­ Why are you looking at me?¡±

    Under the gaze of many suspicious eyes, Alissa panicked and subconsciously put her hand into her

    pocket.

    Eliana noticed this as her gaze was fixed on Alissa.

    She rushed forward and grabbed Alissa¡¯s hand.

    Instantly, a piece of crumpled paper fell from Alissa¡¯s hand.

    Alissa squatted down quickly, trying to pick up the crumpled paper.

    But Rosalie was quicker. She had picked up the crumpled paper before Alissa could even reach it.

    She unfolded the crumpled paper, revealing the handwriting on it.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, let me exin¡­¡± Alissa was at a loss for words.

    ¡°Do you still want to argue?¡±

    Rosalie was extremely disappointed in Alissa. She had no idea that the person who had worked in the

    restaurant for so long would be so vicious.

    The truth came to light. Maurice then suggested, ¡°Since the matter has been settled, she should pay

    the price.¡±

    Rosalie hesitated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Wyatt will let such a person continue to work in his restaurant,¡± Maurice added.

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196

    Alissa suddenly lost herposure and began to panic. If she didn¡¯t do anything to fix this mess, she

    would be fired.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, I¡¯m so sorry. It was all my fault. I was so jealous that I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. It¡¯s true

    that I hid Eliana¡¯s note, but I didn¡¯t expect the situation to spiral out of control. I¡¯ve been working here

    for many years now and this ce is basically my home. As a hardworking and loyal employee, you

    can¡¯t dismiss me like this. Besides, an outsider should not have a say on how to run a restaurant

    business.¡±

    Alissa¡¯s words were so sincere and convincing that Rosalie couldn¡¯t make up her mind.

    After giving it some thought, Rosalie finally texted Wyatt and told him the whole story. ¡°Let¡¯s see what

    happens. It¡¯s really up to the boss whether Alissa should stay or leave.¡±

    With a glimmer of hope, Alissa smiled in relief.

    Since she had worked in the restaurant for so long, she was sure that the boss would be against her

    termination.

    Maurice sneered and shot a smug look at Eliana. ¡°It blows my mind how you could bear to stay in such

    a toxic working environment.¡±

    ¡°Keep quiet, Maurice. Wyatt is the owner of the restaurant. We should wait for his decision.¡±

    As soon as Eliana finished speaking, Rosalie¡¯s phone rang.

    Rosalie pressed the button and answered the call, ¡°Hello, boss.¡±

    ¡°I have been clear about this matter. Underneath Alissa¡¯s pleasant exterior, she is actually an unsavory

    character. There is no room for such a person in Moonlight. Tell that wretched woman to leave as soon

    as possible. I don¡¯t want to see her again when I return to the restaurant,¡± Wyatt said in an angry tone.

    Rosalie hung up the phone and shrugged at Alissa. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry to break the bad news to you. But

    you are fired from your job effective immediately.¡±

    ¡°That is ridiculous! Is this how you repay all my years of good service? I¡¯m a senior employee of the

    restaurant. Even if I didn¡¯t get the promotion, I have worked hard for this position. Why should I be

    fired?¡±

    Alissa couldn¡¯t believe what she just had heard. She turned around and pointed at Eliana with pure

    hatred in her eyes. ¡°This is all your fault! It¡¯s obvious that the boss favors you above all, so he fired me

    just to please you.¡±

    ¡®My goodness. This woman has truly lost her mind.¡¯ Staring at the hysterical Alissa, Eliana couldn¡¯t help

    but sigh helplessly. How could she be so unfortunate to have often met jealous lunatics at work?

    ¡°Yep, I see you really found yourself a good job.¡± A mocking smile formed on the corners of Maurice¡¯s

    mouth as if he wasughing at Eliana. The job she chose had be a burden in the end.

    ¡°Maurice, I don¡¯t think you dropped by to have a meal today. You are here to make fun of me, aren¡¯t

    you?¡±

    Eliana red at the handsome young man.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was actually here to cause trouble,¡± Maurice replied with a straight face.

    Suddenly, the atmosphere between the two became very awkward.

    Eliana was so upset that she ignored himpletely. With flushed cheeks, she turned around and

    apologized to Rosalie in a low voice.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, I¡¯d like to request a leave of absence. Although it was mainly Alissa who caused trouble, I

    also take responsibility for my role. I¡¯m truly sorry for disrupting the business of the restaurant.¡±

    Eliana bowed her head at Rosalie in shame.

    The kind-hearted manager nodded in agreement. The entire incident had been stressful. Perhaps it

    would be better for Eliana to have a rest for a few days.

    ¡°Okay, Eliana. You can go now.¡±

    Hearing the positive response, Eliana turned around to pack up her things without hesitation.

    She didn¡¯t even acknowledge Maurice when she passed him.

    With her bag in tow, Eliana was ready to call it a day and head home. But when she entered the dining

    area, Maurice caught up with her and grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Eliana, give mypany another shot. Come back to the Moran Group,¡± Maurice said in a hushed

    tone. He chose topromise.

    ¡°And why should I? Didn¡¯t you just fire me recently, Mr. Moran?¡± Eliana scoffed at him.

    ¡°That was just a misunderstanding. Why don¡¯t we put the past behind us and start over?¡± Maurice

    responded with a sense of urgency.

    ¡°A misunderstanding? On the contrary, I think I perfectly understood your words back then. Didn¡¯t you

    say that you didn¡¯t want to see me ever again? How could it be just a simple case of

    misunderstanding?¡±

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Eliana didn¡¯t believe his excuse one bit.

    Maurice opened his mouth, thinking if he should tell her that Theo made the decision himself.

    In his brief moment of hesitation, Eliana spotted a figure rushing towards them from the corner of her

    eye.

    She turned her head and saw Alissa charging at them in a blind rage. The crazy woman was carrying a

    bowl of steaming soup to pour it straight at them.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    With no time to lose, Eliana tried to push Maurice out of the way.

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The loud scream echoed throughout the restaurant.

    The hot soup would soon fall on Maurice¡¯s and Eliana¡¯s heads.

    Eliana¡¯s mind went nk at that point. She subconsciously pushed Maurice away.

    Then she turned around nimbly to avoid the hot soup.

    Maurice¡¯s heart skipped a beat when Eliana pushed him away.

    He rushed over to Eliana and asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Maurice anxiously examined her entire body. His hands trembled slightly as he held her.

    Eliana was still in disbelief. She suddenly remembered Preston¡¯s face as she looked at Maurice who

    rarely got agitated.

    Absentmindedly, she extended her hand to cover the lower half of Maurice¡¯s face.

    Her heart jolted.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes looked exactly like Preston¡¯s.

    Eliana stared at Maurice, lost in thought.

    Maurice frowned and took Eliana¡¯s hand in his. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did it scare the hell out of you?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Eliana came back to her senses. She wanted tough at herself for thinking such things.

    She had already confirmed that Maurice and Preston were two different people.

    ¡°If it didn¡¯t scare the hell out of you, howe you pushed me away first? Do you realize how badly

    you would have gotten hurt if you hadn¡¯t dodged?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression was cold and his dark, menacing eyes were filled with rage.

    ¡°I¡¯m not scalded. Besides, it is not new to me. I¡¯ve already been in that situation. I pushed you away

    because I¡¯m confident in my ability to protect myself. Don¡¯t tter yourself,¡± Eliana said nonchntly.

    But the truth was, she just lied.

    When the ident urred, she pushed Maurice away without hesitation, not minding her own safety.

    If she hadn¡¯t been so lucky, she would have been hurt badly.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t do it again. If you do, I will¡­¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡±

    Maurice was suddenly at a loss for words.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to say, then let go of my hand. It hurts!¡± Eliana tried to get away from

    Maurice¡¯s hold.

    It was not until then that Maurice realized he was holding Eliana¡¯s hand tightly. Then he loosened his

    grip on her.

    Themotion in the restaurant drew the attention of Maurice¡¯s bodyguards. They stormed into the

    restaurant and surrounded Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Catch her,¡± Maurice ordered coldly, pointing at Alissa.

    His bodyguards then rushed up to restrain the frightened woman.

    ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me! This is against thew! I¡¯ll call the police! I¡¯ll sue you!¡±

    Alissa was yelling. She didn¡¯t think that she had just purposefully hurt Maurice and Eliana. Even if the

    police arrived, she would surely be taken away.

    ¡°Enough, Alissa!¡± Rosalie came over. Her face flushed with anger. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who he is?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just a rich man! He can¡¯t be exempted from thew!¡± Alissa yelled with disdain.

    ¡°Alissa, you¡¯repletely wrong. He¡¯s the CEO of the Moran Group, and you¡¯ll have no ce in this

    city since you offended him!¡± Rosalie snapped.

    Alissa froze. Her eyes widened in an instant.

    It finally came to her that she had just offended a big shot.

    Maurice¡¯s expression was very cold and his eyes were menacing.

    ¡°Take her to the police station,¡± he instructed mercilessly.

    Alissa struggled and begged. But her efforts were all in vain.

    Her shrill cry for help echoed throughout the restaurant until she was dragged out ruthlessly.

    The farce terrified the guests. They stopped eating and got up to leave.

    Rosalie looked very distressed as she tried tofort the guests.

    Such a chaotic scene weed Wyatt as soon as he stepped into his restaurant.

    He was dumbfounded.

    Did he go to the wrong restaurant?

    Wyatt even walked out and checked the restaurant¡¯s name.

    Indeed, it was his restaurant!

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198

    What happened? Why was there amotion?

    ¡°Everyone, please calm down first,¡± Wyatt said helplessly with a facepalm.

    But no one paid attention to him.

    Wyatt was forced to take action. He suddenly shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll assume full responsibility for all of your

    expenses today.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s gaze was drawn to him all of a sudden.

    ¡°Please allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m the owner of Moonlight, and I apologize for the trouble my

    employees have caused you. Therefore, all of you, our dear guests, are free of charge as

    compensation.¡±

    The crowd finally calmed down after hearing what Wyatt said, and the restaurant regained its order.

    Wyatt walked up to Maurice and gave him a punch on the shoulder. ¡°Are you here to cause me trouble

    today?¡±

    Maurice looked at him coldly. ¡°You always fool around, no wonder you can¡¯t even manage a restaurant

    well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with me,¡± Wyatt replied.

    Maurice¡¯s face twitched with sarcasm. ¡°Wipe the lipstick stain on your shirt first,¡± he said, pointing to

    Wyatt¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Your father will not hand over the Todd family business to you because you do not

    take business seriously.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not any better. Doesn¡¯t Gerald alwaysin about you to your grandfather?¡±

    The two men started bickering against each other.

    Realizing that the two wouldn¡¯t stop, Eliana silently looked at Rosalie for help.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, are you not going to stop them?¡±

    Rosalie smiled, a hint of nostalgia visible on her poker face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They are always like that.

    Maurice used to frequent the restaurant with his sister. His sister¡¯s favorite restaurant was Moonlight.¡±

    Rosalie¡¯s smile gradually faded as she spoke. ¡°He hadn¡¯te here much since his sister died.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s sister¡­

    Eliana recalled Nancy telling her that Maurice¡¯s parents died when he was young, and his sister died in

    a car ident a few years ago as well. His temperament had shifted dramatically since then.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, what was Maurice like before? Was he really this cold and ruthless?¡± Eliana asked

    curiously.

    Rosalie gave Eliana a meaningful look and replied, ¡°When you almost got scalded by the hot soup just

    now, Maurice was very worried about you. He used to be that thoughtful and caring man. For the first

    time in many years, I saw that worried expression on his face once again.¡±

    Eliana was taken aback. She recalled the expression on his face when Maurice looked at her a while

    ago. He was so focused on her. Her heart skipped a beat.

    No way! She couldn¡¯t fall in love with him.

    She must think straightly. She shouldn¡¯t forget that Maurice was a cold-blooded, ruthless and moody

    beast.

    Eliana suppressed her surging emotions.

    ¡°Eliana, I still have to apologize to you for what happened today. I have misunderstood you.¡± Rosalie

    looked very guilty.

    ¡°It was not a big deal, Ms. Gorden. After all, I am really involved.¡±

    It was Alissa who started the whole thing. Rosalie had done nothing wrong.

    ¡°Eliana, you are a kind and good girl. I think there is something special about your rtionship with

    Maurice,¡± Rosalie said, smiling amiably.

    ¡°Ms. Gorden, you may have misinterpreted¡­ I really can¡¯t exin my rtionship with him in just one

    or two words. Anyway, I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    The more Eliana spoke, the guiltier she felt. So she needed to get out of there quickly.

    ¡°Wait a second, take this cake.¡±

    Rosalie then handed her a mouth-watering cake.

    Eliana wanted to refuse, but Rosalie looked firm. Afraid that Maurice woulde to her a whileter,

    she hesitantly epted the cake.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Eliana then slipped out of the back door with the cake in her hand.

    Not long after, Maurice was already looking for her. He looked around and found Eliana nowhere.

    ¡°Rosalie, where is Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Eliana? She already left,¡± Rosalie replied in a teasing tone.

    That woman fled without telling him again.

    Maurice turned around and walked towards the door.

    But before he could even reach the door, he heard Rosalie remarked, ¡°Maurice, I¡¯m very happy. Finally,

    someone can make you feel and act like how you used to be. But I¡¯d like to give you some advice. You

    can¡¯t pursue a girl in this way. You are too anxious. Eliana is a sweet youngdy. You must take your

    time.¡±

    Maurice came to a halt in an instant.

    How he used to be¡­

    He himself had even forgotten about it.

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199

    Maurice paused for a few moments before turning around and nodding to Rosalie.

    ¡°Thank you for reminding me, Rosalie. I¡¯ll do what I think is best.¡±

    Maurice then left the restaurant.

    Rosalie smiled contentedly as she watched Maurice walk away.

    ¡°Rosalie, just let him be. He is very stubborn. Now that he has found someone who can subdue him, I

    want to see him suffer.¡± Wyatt grinned evilly.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Rosalie¡¯s face darkened instantly. She smacked Wyatt. ¡°Maurice was right. You¡¯re such a jerk. How

    dare you fool around in broad daylight?¡± she scolded.

    ¡°Well, Rosalie, I promise I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Wyatt begged, rubbing the spot where Rosalie smacked

    him.

    Rosalie sighed. ¡°I know you well. I heard that you met Nicole not long ago and even walked the red

    carpet with her. What is going on? Have you reconciled?¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s smile froze all of a sudden. ¡°Rosalie, don¡¯t bring up that woman again. I don¡¯t have anything to

    do with her anymore,¡± he said tly.

    Rosalie shook her head helplessly when she saw Wyatt¡¯s conflicted expression.

    He seemed to be another person whenever Nicole was mentioned, but he insisted that he didn¡¯t care

    about Nicole.

    Meanwhile, Eliana returned home quickly. Nana and the twins were home at the time.

    ¡°Look what I¡¯ve brought you, my babies!¡± Eliana waved to her children while holding the cake in her

    other hand.

    ¡°Cake!¡± Aileen and Adrian eximed in unison.

    Aileen ran over and hugged Eliana¡¯s thigh, staring at the cake she was holding.

    ¡°Take the cake to the table, and let¡¯s eat together,¡± Eliana said, touching Aileen¡¯s head.

    Aileen ced the cake on the tea table. They ate it happily together.

    ¡°Where did you buy this cake, Eliana? It¡¯s delicious,¡± Nanamented before taking another spoonful

    of cake.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift from work.¡±

    Nana was taken aback. ¡°Did you go to work? What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I work as a waitress in a restaurant. Our expenses are increasing, so I can¡¯t just stay at home,¡± Eliana

    answered casually.

    Nana suddenly felt that the cake in her hand was no longer delicious.

    She wanted to cry at the thought of her best friend working as a waitress while she was at home eating

    and drinking for free.

    She silently put the cake down, feeling dejected.

    Eliana immediately noticed that Nana suddenly stopped eating with a straight face.

    ¡°Nana, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Eliana, do you think I¡¯m useless?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking that?¡± Eliana was confused.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been staying at your house since I returned from abroad, with free food and lodging, but I haven¡¯t

    given you anything, not even a cent.¡±

    Nana was bing increasingly embarrassed as she pondered more about it.

    She had escaped from a wedding. Thus, her parents had frozen all her cards in order for her to just

    give in. Her savings had been exhausted, and she couldn¡¯t even afford the fuel for her luxury car.

    Eliana sighed. She knew Nana was having a hard time. But she would never ask. Nana was a strong

    woman and she knew that she would never give up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about those things,¡± she said, taking Nana¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°Everyone has their

    own struggles, but friends share weal and woe. Besides, you go out every day to look for our dog.¡±

    The puppy then barked at the right time. ¡°Woof, woof¡­¡±

    ¡°Even the puppy thinks my words make sense,¡± Eliana said with a smile, pointing to the puppy.

    When she heard the adults discussing the puppy, Aileen looked up at Eliana and asked, ¡°Mommy, can

    you not send Foodie away after we find Bowling?¡±

    Foodie was the name of the new puppy.

    Looking at her daughter¡¯s pleading eyes, Eliana couldn¡¯t refuse as much as she wanted to. Besides,

    Foodie had been with them for quite a while now and they had grown fond of each other.

    It seemed that they would be keeping another dog.

    Eliana suddenly felt very pressured.

    Nana saw Eliana¡¯s reaction and became even more determined.

    She wanted to stand on her own feet. She had to work.

    She was no longer a wealthydy from now on. She aspired to be a respectable employee.

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200

    While the poor worked hard to make a living, the rich were happy to sit in tall buildings and give

    commands.

    Maurice was one of these people. He was in a meeting on the top floor of the Moran Group building.

    Sitting in a chair, Maurice looked seriously at his phone and frowned. Reporting to him was the

    manager of the Sales Department, who was sweating from nervousness.

    What was wrong? Was Mr. Moran unsatisfied with thepany¡¯s profit this quarter? Why did he look

    so grave? Thepany¡¯s profits had increased by 30%, but he was making a face like they were about

    to go bankrupt.

    The Moran Group¡¯s senior leaders were stiff with anxiety. They didn¡¯t know that their boss¡¯s mind was

    on other things.

    Maurice looked down at the photos of Eliana that Wyatt had sent him. Anger sparked in his heart.

    Was she really happy being a waitress? She smiled brightly at male customers.

    Maurice¡¯s face grew darker and darker. The director of the Publicity Department, who had been

    confidently giving a speech on the stage, panicked.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, this is the product promotion n proposed by our Publicity Department. Do you have any

    suggestions?¡± the director asked cautiously.

    Maurice finally looked away from his cell phone. ¡°Your n is not bad, but¡­¡±

    Maurice spoke sharply and pointed out several ws in the n. No one in the room could have

    guessed that he hadn¡¯t been paying full attention.

    After the meeting, Maurice returned to his office, depressed.

    He wanted to know how Eliana was doing in the restaurant, but he couldn¡¯t go there to visit her

    because it would be embarrassing.

    Irritated, Maurice blurted out, ¡°Corbin, go to Moonlight to check on Eliana.¡±

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    No one answered.

    ¡°Boss, Mr. Jenkins is still in the hospital,¡± Maurice¡¯s new assistant reminded him after a while.

    Damn it! How could he forget that Corbin was still in the hospital?

    The new assistant said carefully, ¡°Boss, you just mentioned Moonlight. Do you want to order some

    food?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s mood worsened. It seemed nothing was going his way recently.

    The Personnel Department had assigned him a new assistant, whose name was Leo Stoner. Maurice

    thought that he was not nearly as good as Corbin.

    Maurice waved his hand and said, ¡°You can leave now.¡±

    Leo felt lucky to escape. He quickly walked out and closed the door.

    A momentter, Leo opened the door again.

    ¡°What is it this time?¡± Maurice said impatiently.

    ¡°Boss, Nicole, the celebrity, is here¡­¡±

    Nicole?

    What was she doing here?

    Maurice was confused.

    Leo looked embarrassed as he said, ¡°Boss, Nicole is heading to your office and she looks very

    angry¡­¡±

    To be exact, Nicole looked like she was determined to get even with someone.

    When Leo stepped out of the office again, he was face to face with a beautiful woman who had an irate

    expression. It was Nicole.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes lit up and he got an idea.

    ¡°Call Nicole in. I want to talk to her.¡±

    Leo breathed a sigh of relief and called Nicole in.

    Nicole did not hesitate to sit opposite Maurice and immediately demand, ¡°Why did you ask Wyatt to

    walk me down the red carpet?¡±

    Nicole watched Maurice closely. She suspected that he knew about what had happened between her

    and Wyatt, and that he had set her up on purpose.

    ¡°Wyatt is my friend and his status met your requirement. Why shouldn¡¯t he rece me?¡±

    Maurice was calm.

    ¡°Is that why you came here today?¡±

    Nicole withdrew her suspicion and said calmly, ¡°Last time I said that if I wronged that little designer, I

    would let her p me back. I always keep my word.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t think she would keep her promise, but this was a good opportunity.

    ¡°Okay, but Eliana is not in the Moran Group now,¡± Maurice said inly.

    ¡°Then where is she?¡±

    Maurice raised the corners of his mouth and asked in a meaningful tone, ¡°Do you want to see her? I

    can take you to her.¡±

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201

    Nicole had a feeling something was wrong.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare to see Eliana, so you use me as a cover-up, would you?¡±

    Nicole observed that something must have happened between Eliana and Maurice.

    Instead of answering her question, Maurice called Leo into his office.

    ¡°Call the restaurant I mentioned earlier and reserve a table.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moran.¡± Leo tried hard to suppress his curiosity and left the office without looking at Nicole.

    ¡°Will you go with me?¡± Maurice asked provocatively, looking at Nicole.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Nicole epted Maurice¡¯s invitation to see what would happen between Maurice and Eliana when they

    met again.

    They arrived at the Moonlight restaurant shortly. Nicole went into a trance for a moment as she looked

    up at the huge signage.

    It brought back memories of her first show. She yed a walk-on part in a music video for a song

    called Moonlight.

    Maurice gently opened the door and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going in?¡±

    Nicole regained herposure and asked, ¡°Does Eliana work here?¡±

    Maurice nodded. ¡°Yes, she is the waitress here.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Nicole followed Maurice into the restaurant and sat at the table Leo had reserved.

    A waiter came over with the menu.

    ¡°Sir, madam, what would you like to order?¡±

    Nicole took the menu and inadvertently nced at it. In an instant, she waspletely dumbfounded.

    There were special cocktails.

    The Day We Met, a cocktail made of whisky, tequ, and other vored spirits, was one of them.

    The second cocktail, Midsummer Night¡¯s Dream, was made with absinthe and gin and garnished with

    orange rind.

    The third one was called Vinegar.

    When Nicole saw the names of the cocktails, she was transported back in time.

    Nicole once met a man. The man¡¯s favorite drink was whisky, while she preferred tequ. The man

    considered himself fortunate to have met Nicole, so he concocted a cocktail with whisky and tequ.

    Nicole told him about her dreams while eating oranges on a midsummer night. When he saw Nicole

    kissing other men while filming, he always got jealous. Thus, he created a cocktail that tasted sour and

    had aplex vor and named it Vinegar.

    ¡°Who owns this restaurant?¡±

    Nicole clutched the menu with both hands. Her face was now pale, and her eyes were burning with

    rage.

    Maurice looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°You have figured it out already, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    Indeed, Nicole already knew the restaurant¡¯s owner when she saw the names of the cocktails.

    She knew she needed to get up and leave right away, but she remained immobile.

    She didn¡¯t want to leave the restaurant. She wanted to see him.

    ¡°Nicole, don¡¯t run away anymore,¡± Maurice said coldly.

    He then stood up and walked away.

    Nicole remained in her seat.

    Maurice exited the dining area, looking for Eliana.

    Rosalie came over and asked, smiling, ¡°Maurice, are you here for Eliana? We have a lot of guests

    today. She¡¯s been very busy. I just saw her going to the storeroom to get some wine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ms. Gorden.¡±

    Maurice then headed to the storeroom.

    Eliana was in the storeroom getting the wine ordered by guests. Because of Alissa¡¯s departure, she

    was forced to perform the tasks for two people and became extremely busy.

    Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a figure not far away.

    ¡°Who is that?¡±

    Eliana became alert all of a sudden. She slowly walked toward the figure until she finally saw the

    person¡¯s face.This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202

    Jordy smiled at Eliana and remarked, ¡°I was worried that you couldn¡¯t find the red wine the customer

    asked for, so I came to help you.¡±

    Was that his true motive?

    Eliana recalled the times that Jordy had said strange words to her and touched her. A sinking feeling

    filled her stomach.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Eliana said, clutching the red wine in her arms. ¡°I¡¯ve found it. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    Eliana quickly walked to the door and turned the knob. However, the door did not open.

    Damn it! The door was locked from the inside and the key was gone.

    Eliana¡¯s heart rose into her throat.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Why don¡¯t you stay and have a chat with me?¡±

    Jordy¡¯s disappointed voice came from behind her.

    Eliana¡¯s hair stood on end and her heart raced.

    Eliana struggled to keep her voice calm. ¡°Mr. Hamilton, you must be joking. We¡¯re supposed to be

    working, not cking off in here.¡±

    ¡°Are you still trying to fool me into thinking you¡¯re a chaste girl?¡±

    In the dark and hidden storeroom, Jordy finally revealed his true nature.

    He approached Eliana with ascivious smile. ¡°You are such a temptress. You not only have a gigolo

    lover, but an affair with a CEO as well. You have even given birth to illegitimate children. Don¡¯t pretend

    to be innocent in front of me.¡±

    ¡°Jordy! Stop it!¡± Eliana shouted as she stumbled backwards away from him.

    ¡°Babe, I¡¯ming!¡±

    Jordy rushed towards Eliana.

    Eliana had already retreated to a corner. There was nowhere to hide. She raised the wine bottle and

    smashed it on Jordy¡¯s head.

    The bottle shattered into pieces.

    Bright red wine sshed all over Jordy.

    Jordy snorted in surprise.

    Eliana had missed his head and hit his shoulder. The sharp pain awakened his anger. He wanted to

    hurt Eliana.

    While Jordy was distracted, Eliana shouted and ran away from him.

    ¡°Help! Is anyone here? Help!¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯sing, no matter how loud you scream!¡± Jordy grinned hideously and ran after her.

    At this moment, the locked door was kicked open with a bang.

    Maurice stood silhouetted against the light, giving off a terrible aura that would make anyone shiver.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.

    Maurice¡­ he hade to help her?

    Without thinking, she threw herself into his arms.

    Maurice¡¯s strong and murderous demeanor made her feel protected.

    ¡°What were you trying to do?¡±

    Jordy raised his head and met Maurice¡¯s fierce eyes. ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing anything!¡± he shouted. ¡°This

    woman tried to seduce me¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re courting death!¡±

    Maurice kicked him hard.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Jordy was thrown several feet away.

    He rolled back and forth on the floor, giving shrill cries of pain.

    The ss fragments from the wine bottle pierced his face. Blood mixed with the red wine on the floor.

    His face was disfigured.

    Maurice wanted to kick Jordy again, but Eliana grasped his sleeve.

    ¡°Take me out of here¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes shone with ferocity and his handsome face seemed to be covered in frost.

    ¡°Eliana, are you stupid?¡± Maurice snapped. ¡°I¡¯ve told you that the chef is up to no good!¡±

    Thinking about what could have happened if he hadn¡¯t showed up made Maurice want to skin Jordy

    alive.

    Eliana was still in shock from her encounter with the lecher. Maurice yelling at her just made her more

    confused.

    The words sounded familiar, but they didn¡¯t seem to have been said by Maurice.

    This thought only shed through Eliana¡¯s mind for an instant.

    Maurice carried Eliana to the rear of the restaurant.

    Wyatt hurried over to them. He looked from Maurice¡¯s serious face to Eliana lying limply in his arms.

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Wyatt, take care of your staff!¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but vent his anger on Wyatt.

    He red at Wyatt and carried Eliana out of the restaurant.

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203

    What was Maurice trying to convey?

    Wyatt was unsure of what to make of the situation. Rosalie raced over in a panic at this point.

    ¡°Boss, Jordy has been injured.¡±

    ¡°Jordy? What went on?¡±

    What happened to everyone?

    ¡°Just now, I saw Jordy lying on the floor in the storeroom. The floor was strewn with shards of shattered

    ss. He had many cut wounds to his face, which caused him to lose a lot of blood.¡±

    In addition to the shattered ss, the blood, the things Maurice had just uttered, and Eliana, Jordy, and

    Maurice¡­

    Wyatt was taken aback, but his gut told him something more.

    ¡°Tell me the truth, Rosalie. In thest several days, has Jordy been weird?¡±

    Rosalie¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thoroughly considered the matter and concluded that Jordy had

    been behaving oddlytely.

    She nodded, her face contrite. ¡°He has.¡±

    ¡°Fuck! How could he!?¡±

    Wyatt was on edge. In his restaurant, he didn¡¯t expect to see such a scumbag, who had evene

    close to hurting Eliana. Maurice would go berserk if Eliana got hurt in some sort of way.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, Wyatt. I¡¯m bing too elderly to make urate judgments about people; therefore

    I¡¯m not doing as much as I should when ites to staff management. That¡¯s why this urred.¡±

    A guilty Rosalie made her apology to Wyatt. The chef of the restaurant nearly raped an actress. She

    was to me since she was the manager of the eatery.

    Wyatt became silent. He sighed and shed a bitter smirk as he shut his eyes.

    ¡°Rosalie, you are not to me for this. This is my restaurant, and I run it. It¡¯s all my fault. I paid little

    attention to the restaurant and left all decisions to you. It seems like Maurice had a point when he

    chastised me. I justck the necessary qualifications. That exins why my father hasn¡¯t given me the

    Todds.¡±

    ¡°But Wyatt¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Rosalie.¡±

    When Wyatt opened his eyes, he regained hisposure. ¡°That scoundrel should go to the hospital,

    but he will not be allowed back to work at my restaurant. Additionally, the restaurant will be closed

    temporarily in order to restructure the remaining staff. If theyckpetency, you can rece them

    all.¡±

    Rosalie was delighted to see Wyatt¡¯s calm and severe countenance.

    Finally, he had the demeanor of a boss.

    ¡°Of course, sir. I¡¯ve just notified the guests that the restaurant is closed for the time being, but one

    woman refuses to go.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and try to convince her.¡±

    When that came up, Wyatt didn¡¯t give it any thought. He walked to the dining area, thinking it was just

    an ordinary guest.

    Rosalie¡¯s thoughts were conflicted as she watched him.

    She knew without a doubt who the female customer was. For so long, Wyatt had been missing that

    lady. Her sympathies were with him. Wyatt would possibly revert to his former self if the two were

    reunited.

    Upon Wyatt¡¯s arrival, he saw Nicole seated on a chair. He came to an abrupt halt.

    His thoughts wandered back to the fun times they¡¯d had together in the past.

    He had nned to run this restaurant with Nicole back then. He hoped to surprise her. As soon as the

    restaurant was fully decked up, he¡¯d bring Nicole here to check it out. Their rtionship, when the

    restaurant was decorated, was a loving one. At the moment, Wyatt was still fantasizing about her sitting

    in front of this window with the sun dappling her lovely face. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?

    The happy times, on the other hand, were short-lived. Before he brought her to the restaurant, the

    rtionship ended.

    After a lot of time had gone, things had evolved. Everything had changed in a big way.

    Wyatt took a long breath, collected his thoughts, and then went forward after regaining hisposure.

    ¡°You should go now. There is no food avable today as a result of an incident at the restaurant.¡±

    Wyatt gently nced down at her.

    Nicole lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. She wanted to examine the depths of his heart.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you alter the wine¡¯s names?¡±

    Was she the reason behind it?

    Nicole couldn¡¯t ask, but Wyatt was able to decipher what she was saying.

    ¡°I was toozy to make a modification. There was nopelling reason,¡± Wyatt answered very

    casually.

    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced,¡± Nicole retorted.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s upon you. This restaurant will not be open for a while. Leave right away.¡±

    Using a stern tone, Wyatt ordered her out of the restaurant.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

    Was it any wonder that they couldn¡¯t even get along peacefully at this point? Nicole tried to keep her

    emotions in check.

    She couldn¡¯t remain any longer since the restaurant¡¯s owner was chasing her away. Nicole rose to her

    feet.

    Suddenly, the sky and earth seemed to be whirling, and she felt weakness in her limbs. Nicole was

    unable to avoid staggering.

    Wyatt was stunned. He grasped Nicole¡¯s tumbling body before he knew what was happening.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Nicole stabilized herself by holding onto Wyatt¡¯s arm and sat gently.

    She responded by rubbing her dizzy head and said, ¡°Nothing major. For my job role, I have to slim

    down. I may be suffering from hypoglycemia because I eat too little.¡±

    ¡°What the hell are you thinking?!¡± Wyatt was unable to hold back his rage. ¡°Hold on. I¡¯ll cook you

    pasta.¡±

    After Wyatt cursed, he walked away.

    Nicole erupted intoughter as she saw him speed up.

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204

    Wyatt quickly prepared a te of pasta and put it in front of Nicole.

    ¡°Come on, hurry up, and go after you finish it.¡±

    Wyatt didn¡¯t even hide his impatience.

    Nicole felt as if they had suddenly returned to the past as she stared nkly at the steaming pasta in

    front of her.

    She was madly in love with Wyatt at the time. But she was just an insignificant actress who wasn¡¯t even

    hired by any film and televisionpany.

    One day, she was given the opportunity to y the leading female role in a film. She cheerfully went to

    the audition. But Wyatt¡¯s mother was the film biggest investor.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Are you no longer interested in the food I prepare now that you¡¯re a famous

    celebrity?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s trip down memoryne was interrupted by Wyatt¡¯s sarcasm. The surging emotions pped her

    hard like stormy waves.

    Nicole picked up the knife and fork and began eating the pasta regardless of how hot it was.

    Wyatt immediately became concerned by her gobbling. Just as he was about to remind her, Nicole

    choked.

    ¡°Uhmm, uhmm¡­¡±

    Nicole coughed painfully while covering her mouth. Wyatt reached for a tissue and handed it to her.

    ¡°Why are you still so reckless?¡± he asked. The worry in his voice couldn¡¯t be hidden.

    His words left both of them speechless.

    Nicole broke the long silence by asking, ¡°Wyatt, how have you been these years?¡±

    Nicole held her breath, waiting for Wyatt¡¯s answer.

    Wyatt didn¡¯t want to think about the past. ¡°Fine,¡± he replied, pretending to be calm. ¡°I¡¯m living a good life

    now.¡±

    Nicole then ate the pasta in silence without saying anything else.

    Silence filled the room.

    Suddenly, the restaurant¡¯s door was opened.

    ¡°Oh my god, why are you still here? Your location has been revealed, and your fans are on their way

    here. If you don¡¯t leave right now, it will be toote.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s agent, Esteban, was drenched in sweat. He grabbed her hand and pulled her.

    Nicole looked back at Wyatt, but he didn¡¯t react at all.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Esteban urged her again, and Nicole had no choice but to stand up and leave.

    Wyatt remained silent until Nicole was already out of his sight. He looked at the pasta which had

    already gone cold. He sneered and poured it into the trash can.

    He pondered her question.

    How had he been these years?

    Was he happy?

    ¡°No,¡± Wyatt murmured. His head bowed down.

    He had not been fine over the years. When Nicole left, time seemed to stand still. He had never moved

    on from it.

    Unfortunately, Nicole couldn¡¯t hear him.

    Meanwhile, Maurice took the frightened Eliana to his car.

    When Eliana came to her senses, she had no idea where she was.

    ¡°Maurice, where are you taking me?¡± Her voice was trembling.

    Maurice turned to her and answered nonchntly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t sell you out. You¡¯ll know when

    we get there.¡±

    Eliana was so exhausted and had no strength to argue with Maurice.

    No one could make him change his mind anyway. So she didn¡¯t have to waste her time arguing with

    him.

    Eliana then closed her eyes to rest for a moment.

    ¡°Get off the car. We¡¯re here.¡±

    Eliana opened her eyes when she heard Maurice¡¯s deep voice and saw avishly decorated shop.

    It turned out that Maurice had taken her to the Moran Group¡¯srgest jewelry store.

    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±

    Eliana was very confused as she stood at the store¡¯s door. Sometimes, she didn¡¯t really understand

    what Maurice was thinking.

    ¡°Have a look by yourself,¡± Maurice said, pointing to the transparent cab.

    Confused, Eliana then looked in the direction he pointed.

    The cab held a variety of exquisite and beautiful jewelry. Those lovely pieces of jewelry sparkled in

    the sunlight, especially the dazzling pink light.

    That was¡­

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    The pink diamond ne disyed in the center of the cab was the one she had designed

    herself.

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205

    The pink diamond ne that Eliana designed was disyed at the centermost position behind the

    shop window. With distinctive asymmetrical design and iid with a 12-carat Argyle pink diamond,

    anyone who looked it could not deny it was a stunning piece of art.

    Even if it were to be ced in a window full of luxurious jewelry, it would still be the first thing to steal

    people¡¯s attention. No other pieces couldpare.

    Bright sunbeams fell on the jewelry, reflecting vivid light that made it all the more beautiful. Meanwhile,

    the shop window reflected Eliana¡¯s look of surprise and Maurice¡¯s uncharacteristically tender gaze.

    Eliana¡¯s sole focus was on her work, while Maurice had no one else but her in his eyes.

    But Eliana didn¡¯t notice his burning stare. At this precise moment, she was too busy immersed in great

    joy.

    For designers to have their work put on disy in the centermost part of the shop window in the

    brand¡¯srgest store, it could only mean one thing. Thepany had recognized their merit and

    approved them, so much that their work was publicized for many others to see.

    Ever since Eliana decided to be a jewelry designer, she often fantasized earning this privilege. Her

    craftsmanship for all the world to see! Yet, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine her fantasy

    would be a reality so soon.

    However¡­ It was Maurice who contributed for her dream toe true.

    With this in mind, Eliana found herself looking at Maurice with aplicated look. She wasn¡¯t sure

    what to think.

    Maurice responded to her gaze with a calm expression, looking no different than the usual. He was just

    as aloof as ever, acting as if what he had done was nothing beyond the extraordinary.

    Suddenly, Eliana found Maurice to be a hundred times more handsome. As soon as she realized it, her

    heart fluttered.

    ¡°So, Eliana. Are you willing to work for Moran Group again?¡± Maurice asked in a low baritone.

    Eliana turned her attention back on the pink diamond ne in the shop window. She was hesitant.

    ¡°Umm, let¡¯s go inside and have a look.¡±

    In the end, Eliana chose to avoid the issue for the time being. She didn¡¯t want to think about it yet.

    The two then entered the jewelry store together.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    At the same time, two young girls entered as well. One of them, pretty and sweet-faced, made a

    beeline for the counter and asked excitedly, ¡°Excuse me, the pink diamond ne in the window is

    gorgeous! I like it very much, but there¡¯s no price tag on it. Is it on sale?¡±

    The salesman shed the girl an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Miss. Unfortunately, the pink diamond

    ne is not for sale. It¡¯s just there for disy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Can¡¯t you make an exception for me?¡± The girl sounded rather disappointed, but didn¡¯t

    give up.

    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, I¡¯m afraid.¡± The salesman refused again, putting on a helpless look.

    ¡°Oh, well¡­ May I meet the designer of the ne? I¡¯d love to have her design an exclusive ne

    for me!¡± the girl suggested, her eyes shining.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. Sadly, the designer has left Moran Group.¡±

    ¡°Ah, what a pity! It can¡¯t be helped. Then, may I have a closer look at that ne?¡±

    The girl appeared rather down. As she made her request, she gave the salesman a pitiful puppy pout.

    The salesman didn¡¯t turn her down. He took out the ne from the disy and ced it in front of

    the girl for her to admire.

    The girl¡¯s eyes lit up as she admired the beautiful ne. Next to it was a small sign that told the

    ne¡¯s basic information. She took a glimpse of the designer¡¯s name.

    ¡°Eliana Pierce¡­¡± she mouthed the name silently and memorized it.

    Her friend suddenly gave her a reminder. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s time for us to go.¡±

    The sweet girl gave a final look at the pink diamond ne before trudging after her friend out of the

    jewelry store with great reluctance.

    Eliana, having witnessed the scene in its entirety, swelled with pride. She was deeply moved.

    ¡°As you can see, your design has gained a lot of positive attention. Many people love it. Return to

    Moran Group as our jewelry designer. Making more designs and improving your craft is the surest way

    to prove yourself,¡± Maurice said, trying to persuade her once more.

    Eliana would be lying to herself if she said she wasn¡¯t a little tempted.

    As soon as she entertained that thought, however, her experiences in Moran Group flooded her mind.

    During the entire time she was there, she was forced to endure a lot of difficulties, not to mention petty

    drama. She would only be digging her own grave if she went back to work for Maurice. Days of endless

    trouble would gue her, as they had once.

    She dreaded such a bleak future. Worried for her own well-being, she rejected him firmly.

    ¡°No, forget it. I¡¯ll continue my career elsewhere, but I don¡¯t want to go back to Moran Group anymore.¡±

    Eliana shook her head, giving Maurice an undeniable refusal. She could not be dissuaded to change

    her mind.

    Maurice frowned, silent rage boiling inside him. After all, he wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would

    repeatedly ask her to work for him.

    ¡°Maurice, thanks very much for saving me today and taking me here. Now, I know my efforts were not

    in vain. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back first.¡±

    Eliana expressed her sincerest thanks before walking away. She hailed a taxi and left immediately

    after.

    Afterwards, Maurice took out his phone and dialed Corbin. His face was thunderous.

    ¡°Corbin, your method didn¡¯t work at all. I¡¯m docking your sry.¡±

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206

    The moment Corbin heard that thepany would soon deduct a part of his monthly wage as

    punishment, he immediately sprang up from the bed and started to sweat profusely.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please don¡¯t do this to me!¡±

    He hadn¡¯t even stepped foot inside the office in a long while, and his sry had already been docked.

    He felt wronged!

    ¡°Then you¡¯d better put your head to good use ande up with bright ideas. I suggest you pray that

    things will work out for Eliana. If the n fails, your sry will be reduced immediately.¡±

    ¡°But Mr. Moran, please hear me out¡­¡±

    However, without listening to what Corbin had to say, Maurice abruptly ended the call.

    Dropping his head in defeat, Corbin felt depressed at the string of unfortunate events that came his

    way.

    He had been hospitalized due to his injuries from an ident at work. But even in his poor condition,

    he still had to give advice to Maurice on how to win Eliana¡¯s heart. His boss made one thing very clear.

    If Corbin was unable to provide helpful and effective ns, he would be dealt with a harsh pay cut.

    How unlucky he was to be in such a predicament!

    Later that day, Eliana returned home exhausted. As soon as she sat down on the sofa, her phone

    suddenly vibrated.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    She checked her notifications and saw a message from a local bank. Someone had just transferred a

    sum of money to her ount.

    After a few seconds, a text came in from Wyatt.

    ¡°Eliana, the restaurant will be closed indefinitely until further notice. You don¡¯t have to report to work for

    the time being, but rest assured, you will still bepensated. I just wired you your sry for this

    month. Take care.¡±

    With a deep frown, Eliana tossed her phone on the sofa and threw herself on the velvet sofa.

    She wondered if she had just lost her job again.

    As countless thoughts began to consume her, the peaceful silence in her home was interrupted by the

    shrill ringtone of her phone. Someone was calling her, but it was an unknown number.

    Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Who would call her at this time?

    After a moment of hesitation, Eliana finally answered the call.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hi, Eliana. This is Nicole.¡±

    ¡°Nicole! How unexpected!¡± Eliana sat up as curiosity took over her. ¡°Why did you call me?¡±

    ¡°I dropped by Moonlight earlier, but you weren¡¯t there. Didn¡¯t we make an agreementst time that if I

    wronged you, I would let you p me back? Well, I¡¯m here to live up to my part of the deal.¡±

    Her reason caught Eliana by surprise.

    She didn¡¯t think that Nicole would take their agreement seriously. Unexpectedly, Nicole remembered it

    and wanted to keep her promise, which changed Eliana¡¯s attitude towards her.

    ¡°No, you can forget about it. It¡¯s good that our past misunderstanding had been cleared up. Besides, I

    don¡¯t like hurting other people,¡± Eliana said graciously.

    ¡°Fair enough. But I still don¡¯t like the feeling of owing you something. How about this? I heard that you

    are searching for a part-time job recently. Coincidentally, I¡¯m actually looking for a stylist. The sry is

    twenty-five thousand a month. I¡¯ll send you the rest of the detailster. Be there at the interview

    tomorrow. You can¡¯t refuse, or else you¡¯ll have no other choice but to p me back.¡±

    Eliana was utterly speechless. She didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh. No other employers would be

    so kind as to help her like this. Moreover, if she didn¡¯t ept the invitation, she would have to p

    Nicole.

    ¡°Well, alright then. I¡¯ll be there,¡± Eliana agreed without hesitation.

    She did need the money and weed any work to keep her mind distracted from all her emotional

    problems.

    After exchanging farewells, Eliana soon fell asleep on the sofa. When she woke up in a daze a while

    later, she saw Foodie yfully licking her hand.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Aileen trotted over with a big smile on her face.

    Eliana was surprised to see them. She realized that Nana had already fetched the two kids from school

    for her.

    ¡°Oh, Nana. I¡¯m sorry to trouble you again.¡±

    Rubbing her eyes in exhaustion, Eliana slowly rose from the sofa to cook for her family.

    Nana shook her head and said, ¡°Eliana, you¡¯d better get some rest. You¡¯re in no shape to prepare

    meals for us. Let¡¯s order take out instead. By the way, don¡¯t worry about the money. I¡¯ve found a job

    now, and I¡¯ll help with the family expenses moving forward.¡±

    ¡°Really now?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t believe it.

    Proudly patting her chest, Nana replied with a confident smile, ¡°Of course, my dear.¡±

    Taking a long look at her face, Eliana said, ¡°Nana, please don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Don¡¯t force

    yourself to work odd jobs just for the money.¡±

    Nana hurriedly exined, ¡°No, I actually found a job that I love. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    It was all a lie.

    She hadn¡¯t worked for a few years after she quit the entertainment business, and it was nearly

    impossible to find a good job now.

    But she didn¡¯t want Eliana to worry about her. It was for the best.

    ¡°Well, enough about me. How are you doing at the restaurant? Tell me more about your work. Is it

    tiring?¡± Nana suddenly changed the topic.

    ¡°Not at all. I enjoy working at the restaurant. Everything is going fine over there.¡±

    Eliana lied too. She didn¡¯t want Nana to know that the restaurant just closed down.

    At this moment, the two women shared the same thought.

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207

    Eliana woke up bright and early to send the two kids to school the following day.

    Halfway through their drive, Aileen looked at her mom expectantly and asked, ¡°Mommy, I love the cake

    we atest time. When are you going to buy one again?¡±

    Aileen had been craving the sweet and vorful taste of the cake that Eliana had brought back from the

    restaurant since thest time she had eaten it.

    ¡°What a foodie,¡± Adrian murmured upon hearing his sister¡¯s question.

    Even though Eliana didn¡¯t want to burst her daughter¡¯s bubbles, she could only be honest with her. ¡°I¡¯m

    sorry, sweetie, but I am afraid that cake is no longer avable,¡± she said, shaking her head helplessly.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Unable to conceal her disappointment, Aileen¡¯s deep sigh echoed inside the car.

    Traces of sadness were all over thetter and Adrian¡¯s faces because of what their mom said. Even

    though Adrian hadn¡¯t said a single word about it, he was also silently looking forward to eating the

    cake.

    Sensing the displeasure in her children¡¯s moods, Eliana faked a cough and said, ¡°Hey, cheer up, okay?

    Don¡¯t worry. I will take you guys to the mall and buy you some toys after school.¡±

    ¡°Really?! You¡¯re really the best, Mommy!¡± Aileen eximed in delight before kissing Eliana in the

    cheek.

    ¡°You really know how to tter Mommy,¡± Adrianmented.

    Of course, Aileen wasn¡¯t the only one who felt ecstatic about the situation. Even Adrian¡¯s eyes were

    brimming with excitement, but he didn¡¯t bother to express his joy.

    After safely sending her kids to the kindergarten, Eliana wasted no time and headed straight to the

    part-time interview location, which Nicole gave.

    Surprisingly, it was arge shopping mall. Eliana then hurriedly walked over and saw a bunch of people

    crowding around the center. ¡®It seems like the crew has already started shooting,¡¯ she inwardly

    concluded.

    Just when she was about to get too absorbed watching the shooting, Esteban approached her.

    ¡°I was looking for you, Miss Pierce. Please follow me, and I¡¯ll take you to Nicole. She has been waiting

    for you since she arrived,¡± Esteban said and smiled warmly.

    ¡°I see,¡± Eliana replied softly.

    Esteban then apanied Eliana to the backstage without saying a word.

    Nicole, on the other hand, had already lost her cool at the backstage. She kept throwing a fit at her

    stylist, saying, ¡°Tania, do you really know what you are doing? Look at thesebinations of clothes

    that you¡¯ve prepared! They look so bad! My image would be ruined because of this. No wonder my

    bashers keep saying that I look ugly. It turns out that you¡¯re not taking your job seriously.¡±

    After saying that, Nicole threw the dress in her hand on the sofa, looking utterly disgusted. Her intense

    re somehow gave the impression that she would never consider wearing it.

    In the face of Nicole¡¯s anger, her stylist, Tania Wilson, did not dare say anything or breathe loudly,

    afraid to enrage her boss even more.

    ¡°What made you angry again?¡± Esteban asked as he hurried over toward Nicole¡¯s direction.

    Thetter didn¡¯t respond, but her expression softened when she saw Eliana followed behind Esteban.

    Nicole¡¯s lips automatically curved upward as she said, ¡°You¡¯re finally here, Eliana! Come here.¡±

    Eliana roamed her eyes around briefly, somehow reading the situation. After that, she faced Nicole and

    asked directly, ¡°What can I do for you, Nicole?¡±

    Hints of surprise and admiration instantly filled Nicole¡¯s face upon hearing Eliana¡¯s question. She didn¡¯t

    expect thetter to be in work mode as soon as she arrived at all.

    ¡°I have sessive photo shoots today for the shopping mall posters, which I would do with other

    models. As much as I didn¡¯t want to stress you out on your first day, I need you to put together a set of

    clothes and jewelry that would match each other. You can ask Tania for help in the meantime,¡± Nicole

    exined.

    Hearing that, Eliana nodded and reached out her hand to Tania. She then greeted, ¡°Nice to meet you.

    My name is Eliana Pierce.¡±

    However, in contrast to Eliana¡¯s delight, Tania felt like she had been bypassed. ¡®Who the hell is this girl,

    and where did shee from?¡¯ she thought.

    Signs of displeasure were pretty evident on Tania¡¯s face. After all, she had been working for Nicole for

    so long. Even though Tania had already grown ustomed to thetter¡¯s sudden burst of demands,

    she felt like Nicole had gone too far by asking someone to help her out with her job without consulting

    her first.

    Nevertheless, Tania didn¡¯t dare show her unwillingness to cooperate in front of Nicole. Not wanting to

    appear rude, she shook hands with Eliana perfunctorily.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Tania Wilson, and I am Nicole¡¯s exclusive stylist,¡± Tania introduced, heavily emphasizing the

    word ¡°exclusive¡± to unt her position.

    However, Eliana couldn¡¯t care any less about that. Thus, she just nodded, turned to Nicole, and asked,

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound ungrateful, but I am baffled right now. Why did you choose me for this job?¡±

    ¡°Well, I just thought you have a better taste than Tania when ites to jewelry since you were able to

    design an exquisite pink diamond ne. There is no harm in trying, you know?¡± Nicole reasoned.

    Needless to say, only Nicole could make Eliana a stylist for such a shallow reason.

    Eliana bit her bottom lip as she pondered for a while.

    Nicole, on the other hand, yawned and said, ¡°Well, you and Tania can discuss the style first while I take

    a short nap.¡±

    Of course, someone like her, who had been busy shooting for consecutive days, would undoubtedly

    feel worn out. Her eyelids were already heavy, and she could no longer hold on.

    When Nicole left, Eliana immediately began styling her clothes.

    She meticulously took out several dresses and pieces of jewelry before trying to match them. Once she

    arrived withplete styles, which she thought would suit Nicole, she showed them to Tania.

    Tania, on the other hand, looked utterly annoyed upon seeing the styles Eliana had prepared. Fearless,

    she threw the clothes and jewelry aside and scolded, ¡°Who told you to change the style I prepared?¡±

    Dumbfounded, Eliana said, ¡°But Nicole asked me to¡­¡±

    However, Tania didn¡¯t even give her a chance to finish her sentence and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to burst your

    bubble, but you are just an outsider who knows nothing about fashion. Your job is to help me carry

    these clothes like an assistant and nothing more important than that.¡±

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208

    ¡°Carry clothes?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t understand what Tania meant.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? People like you, who aren¡¯t unprofessional, are only qualified to carry clothes,¡±

    Tania remarked condescendingly.

    She obviously didn¡¯t take Eliana seriously.

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana tried her best to remain calm.

    Forget about it. She could put up with Tania for the sake of the $25, 000 sry.

    She hoped that Tania would change her attitude toward her because of her concession.

    Eliana walked towards where the temporary working team were and helped them move the clothes.

    At that time, other models also came out, with Nana being thest in the line.

    Nana, who was walking through the crowd, made a long face and looked listless. She was certainly not

    happy.

    She came out for work. She had assumed that because of her name and qualities, she would be

    invited to some small activities even if she couldn¡¯t make much money.

    However, reality gave her a crushing blow. No one wanted to hire a has-been female celebrity like her.

    In the end, she had no choice but to ept this low-paying job with no other benefits at all.

    If this happened before, Nana would nevere here. But every time she thought of Eliana working as

    a waitress to support her family, Nana didn¡¯t have the nerve to stay at home, eating for free.

    While waiting for her make-up to be done, Nana caught a glimpse of a familiar figure among the people

    who were carrying clothes.

    Was that¡­ Eliana?

    Wasn¡¯t Eliana supposed to be in the restaurant? Why was she moving clothes here?

    Nana thought that she needed to hide. She had just told Eliana that she had found a good job. It would

    be so embarrassing if Eliana saw her here right now.

    Nana became agitated and hurried into the crowd, silently watching Eliana¡¯s movements.

    On the other hand, Eliana was busy moving clothes. She was stressed and tired. Her waist and back

    hurt. She didn¡¯t notice that her best friend was only about ten meters away.

    A group of people were chatting when she went to the venue bringing the clothes.

    ¡°You know what? This shopping mall is actually owned by the Moran Group. I heard that the CEO of

    the Moran Group woulde here today to inspect the work.¡±

    ¡°Really? Do you think Mr. Moran ising here for Nicole, the famous celebrity?¡±

    ¡°Why did you say so?¡±

    T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? A few days ago, a gossip magazine reported that Nicole and Mr. Moran dined at a

    restaurant. Think about it. One is a stunning female celebrity, and the other is a powerful businessman.

    They are an ideal match.¡±

    Eliana thought that, apparently, Maurice had gone to the restaurant that day for Nicole, not for her.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t describe how she felt at that moment. What she was sure about was that she was quite

    out of breath.

    She was so distracted that the clothes slipped from her hands and scattered to the floor.

    Tania happened toe over at that exact time.

    She had been waiting to find fault with Eliana so that she could kick her out as soon as possible.

    ¡°Eliana, what are you doing?¡± Tania yelled as she pointed at Eliana. ¡°How could you throw the

    sponsored clothes on the floor? You just don¡¯t want to follow my instructions and deliberately lose your

    temper!¡±

    Tania¡¯s sharp voice immediately drew the attention of everyone around.

    Eliana came back to her senses in an instant and picked up the clothes scattered on the floor. But it

    was toote.

    She stood in the middle of the crowd, feeling extremely embarrassed.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Am I wrong?¡± Tania continued to scold Eliana.

    ¡®How dared that bitch bully Eliana?¡¯ Nana gritted her teeth as she watched themotion.

    She couldn¡¯t let her best friend be bullied. It didn¡¯t matter if Eliana saw her.

    Just as Nana was about to rush over, a deep male voice cut in.

    ¡°What happened here?¡±

    Everyone turned around and immediately saw Maurice approaching them, together with the senior

    executives of the shopping mall.

    ¡°Who is causing amotion here?¡± asked the middle-aged man next to Maurice. ¡°Don¡¯t you know

    where you are?¡±

    Everyone turned to look at Tania.

    Maurice looked at Tania coldly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t scream in my mall, or better yet, just get out of here.¡±

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209

    At the sight of Maurice, Eliana¡¯s jaw almost dropped from the shock. Why on earth was she seeing him

    again?

    She was on the verge of breaking down. It seemed that everywhere she went, Maurice would be just

    around the corner.

    Despite the many people around them, Maurice ignored it and calmly made his way to Eliana.

    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve found a job so soon? You¡¯re not a waitress in Wyatt¡¯s restaurant anymore, but a worker in

    Nicole¡¯s team instead. You¡¯re quite capable.¡±

    In actual truth, Maurice felt a prick of difort stabbing him upon seeing that Eliana would rather

    debase herself and do petty chores for Nicole than work for him in Moran Group.

    ¡°Maurice, do you think I owed you something in my previous life? If that¡¯s not the case, why are you

    always sticking to me wherever I go?¡±

    Eliana was irritated. Her bad luck was off the charts! Everywhere she went, she would always find

    herself face to face with Maurice. She hated it, so much that she couldn¡¯t hold back from rolling her

    eyes in disgust.

    The gesture did not go unnoticed by Maurice. Did she loathe him that much?

    The thought infuriated him, and his anger reared its ugly head once more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so narcissistic, Eliana. I¡¯m not here for you. I came to inspect the shopping mall based on a

    business n mypany¡¯s approved since a long time ago. The Moran Group is engaged in various

    industries. If you want topletely avoid me, you¡¯ll have to leave the earth.¡±

    A n from a long time ago?

    What nonsense! He probably came here for Nicole.

    As this shed through Eliana¡¯s mind, jealousy filled her heart.

    On the other hand, Tania¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement the moment sheid her eyes on Maurice.

    He was a man well-known for his prestige and wealth. If she could be with him, she would live in

    comfort and luxury for the rest of her life!

    Fantasizing a wealthy life of her own, Tania hurriedly straightened her clothes and strutted confidently

    towards Maurice.

    ¡°Greetings. You must be Mr. Moran. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯m Tania Wilson, Nicole¡¯s exclusive

    stylist.¡±

    As this went on, Eliana looked at Tania with her mouth agape. A second ago, Tania was screaming her

    head off at Eliana. Yet in the blink of an eye, her fury had vanished and she was quick to put on a coy

    act for Maurice.

    The change in her demeanor was lightning fast. Eliana was stunned speechless.

    Maurice retained his cold and aloof persona despite Tania¡¯s obvious ttery. It was obvious he didn¡¯t

    care for her or her ttery.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to greet me. Just do a good job with Nicole. Besides, Eliana used to work in the

    Design Department in Moran Group. I think both of you will cooperate well.¡±

    With that, Maurice gave Tania a meaningful look before leaving.

    Tania suddenly felt a chill down her spine when Maurice¡¯s deep eyesnded on her just now. Did Mr.

    Moran imply that she should be kind to the neer, Eliana?

    She turned to scrutinized Eliana, scanning thetter up and down with great suspicion. Who the hell

    was this woman? How could someone like Eliana attract the attention of a big shot like Mr. Moran?

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Moran?¡± Tania demanded, jealousy evident in her voice.

    Eliana¡¯s response was a bitter smile. Helpless, she exined again, ¡°Nothing. I have nothing to do with

    Mr. Moran.¡±

    Tania calmed down upon Eliana¡¯s confirmation. Her arrogance returned full swing.

    She nced at Eliana up and down again before hissing contemptuously, ¡°I knew it! How could Mr.

    Moran be interested in a in Jane like you?¡±

    Even if Maurice wanted to sleep around, Tania felt that he should at least choose a woman on Nicole¡¯s

    level. The boring and ordinary Eliana in front of Tania wasn¡¯t even qualified to carry Maurice¡¯s shoes!

    Just then, the staff appeared to urge the progress, iming that the models had yet to be dressed.

    Tania casually pointed at Eliana and ordered haughtily, ¡°You! Go find matching clothes for the models.¡±

    Eliana was baffled. ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Who else?! Do you expect to do it for Nicole? Dream on!¡± Tania was smug, taking Eliana for

    granted.

    Eliana was fuming, but told herself to calm down. ¡®Calm down! I have to control myself. I have to

    restrain myself. The sry of twenty-five thousand dors is at stake!¡¯

    Thinking of the money, Eliana sessfully held back her anger.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡±

    While Eliana had a hard time and was given difficult tasks, she endured and still followed professional

    ethics. She selected clothes that Tania had given up on but she thought were suitable, and distributed

    them to the models.

    Nana saw that Eliana was getting closer and closer to her, and began to panic.

    What should she do?! At this rate, she would expose herself!

    ¡°Hello, excuse me. These are your clothes.¡± Eliana finally arrived and handed Nana the clothes.

    Nana took it nervously, dreading the terrible future.

    One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Time passed, and Eliana didn¡¯t recognize her. This was great! Nana breathed a sigh of relief, the tense

    knot in her body unraveling.

    However, it was perfectly normal for Eliana to not have recognized Nana.

    Because just as Eliana was about to reach Nana moments ago, Nana grabbed a paper bag lying

    beside her and hastily slipped it over her head.

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210

    Eliana sighed after handing the clothes to the model wearing the carton.

    She had never seen someone use a carton as decoration before.

    The fashion circle was amazing¡­ It seemed that she was out of touch.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    A strange female voice emerged from under the carton.

    Eliana noticed that something was off.

    Why did the voice sound so familiar?

    Eliana stopped and turned to look carefully at the model.

    Now that she got a good look, she realized that the model resembled¡­ Nana!

    But why would Nana be here?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t shake her suspicions. She became determined to find out the strange model¡¯s true

    identity.

    She pretended to leave but stopped at a corner where she could still see the model.

    Nana, who was a bit simple-minded, assumed Eliana had left. She removed the carton from her head

    with relief.

    Eliana saw her.

    ¡°Ha-ha! It¡¯s really you, Nana. Is this your job?¡±

    Eliana was stunned. She had thought that Nana had found a good job which would allow her to

    continue her career as a star, but here Nana was, working as an hourly model in a shopping mall.

    Nana was taken aback by Eliana¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Eliana, please listen. I told you I found a good job because I didn¡¯t want you to worry. Besides, this

    isn¡¯t such a bad job.¡±

    Eliana poked Nana¡¯s head angrily. ¡°You used to be a big star. Why are you degrading yourself like

    this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re no different,¡± Nana snapped. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a waitress? Why are you moving clothes here?¡±

    Now it was Eliana¡¯s turn to feel guilty. ¡°I¡¯m Nicole¡¯s stylist now. It¡¯s an awesome job, but I can¡¯t do

    Nicole¡¯s styling right now¡­¡±

    The two women exined to each other what had happened. It turned out that they had both suffered

    from the same rotten luck.

    They couldn¡¯t helpughing as they looked at each other.

    Nana held Eliana¡¯s arm and rested her head on Eliana¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Eliana, thank you for all of your hard work. If I hadn¡¯t had to look for a job, I wouldn¡¯t have realized how

    hard it is to work outside. You don¡¯t have to worry. I will change my ways and support the family.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to hear you say this. Willingness to start over is the first step to change,¡± Eliana said with a

    smile.

    She pointed at the clothes in Nana¡¯s hand and added, ¡°Go on and change. The clothes and jewelry I

    picked suit you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, madam.¡±

    Nana took the clothes to the fitting room.

    All of the models, including Nicole, left the fitting rooms in their outfits, ready to take photos.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Everything was going well, but the photographer couldn¡¯t help staring at Nana instead of Nicole while

    photographing them.

    Nana was on the stage, wearing a strapless ckce fishtail dress with blooming red roses

    embroidered on the hemline.

    She didn¡¯t wear any jewelry except a ck vicle chain ne and a huge rose-shaped earring.

    Her ck hair was tied up high, revealing her long neck. She looked like a noble ck swan, distant

    and enchanting. People were unable to look away from her.

    No one had expected an ordinary model to be more dazzling than Nicole, who stood in the middle of

    them all.

    Even Maurice, who came to supervise the work, noticed Nana¡¯s outstanding performance.

    He guessed that Nana¡¯s outfit had been designed by Eliana.

    That was how she was. Her talent could not be hidden in any situation.

    In the middle of the shooting, Nicole finally noticed that everyone¡¯s attention was focused on another

    model.

    She had to admit that she could see why.

    ¡°Stop! Stop!¡±

    Nicole pouted and paused the shooting.

    She called Tania to her and asked, ¡°What were you thinking? Why did you do such gorgeous styling for

    an insignificant model?¡±

    Tania was sweating nervously. Eliana¡¯s abilities had far exceeded her expectations.

    All she could do now was pin the me on Eliana.

    ¡°She¡¯s the one who styled that model,¡± Tania replied and pointed at Eliana.

 Chapter 211

    Chapter 211

    ¡°Are you saying that Eliana was the one behind it?¡± Nicole somehow smelled a rat in Tania.

    ¡°It was her, without a question! Simply look. There is still a lot of whispering going on between her and

    that model. It¡¯s safe to assume they¡¯ve met before. Eliana purposefully left that model with that more

    attractive styling. What else would you call that if not direct provocation?¡±

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Tania ced the me on Eliana.

    She was well aware that Nicole was a force to be reckoned with and would never allow others to steal

    her thunder. Nicole regarded it as a major taboo. Eliana¡¯s fate was sealed since she was already

    implicated.

    It was no surprise that when Nicole learned of Tania¡¯s findings, her whole demeanor changed.

    She whirled around and charged at Eliana and Nana.

    Good gracious! Tania was eagerly anticipating the start of the action.

    Nicole took a position in front of Eliana and Nana in the full view of the crowd. She squinted and

    seemed threatening. She was clearly unfriendly, and it was evident to everybody there.

    Eliana protected Nana unconsciously by standing in front of her.

    ¡°Nicole, if you¡¯re having a bad day,e to me.¡±

    Just as everyone was preparing for a gory storm, Nicole stared Nana in the eye and remarked, ¡°Nana

    Marlin, right? Just now, I was beginning to wonder whether I had misidentified you. Wasn¡¯t it just a few

    years ago that you were fairly famous? I wonder why you abruptly disappeared from the public

    domain.¡±

    The light in Nana¡¯s eyes faded momentarily, and she remained silent.

    Nicole wasn¡¯t bothered by it in the slightest. She had a mixture of astonishment and admiration in her

    eyes when she looked at Eliana.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be thatpetent¡­ You can even salvage a forgotten model. I need you to

    hurry quickly and change my clothing. I want to leave everyone around speechless. No one else has

    the right to take away my limelight.¡±

    Having expected Nicole to be unreasonable, Eliana was surprised by her behavior. The woman

    exhaled a sigh of relief.

    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll get to it right now.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s outfits and jewelry were selected by Eliana in the apparel section.

    Tania was determined to cause as much difficulty as possible in order to ensure that Eliana did not

    have an easy time of it.

    She halted before Eliana and murmured, ¡°Sorry, Eliana. There is no more clothing supplied by the

    sponsor.¡±

    ¡°There are no more left? Damn! What now?¡± Eliana didn¡¯t like this in the least.

    Tania scoffed, ¡°Obviously, you¡¯ll have to figure it out on your own. Wasn¡¯t it you who used to design for

    the Moran Group? Why can¡¯t you aplish something as simple as that?¡±

    ¡°Tania, you¡¯re giving me a hard time!¡± Eliana became enraged and yelled at her, ¡°This type of event

    can¡¯t be repeated. Never underestimate my irritability.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve simply said the truth, and I¡¯m sorry about that. I have nothing to offer.¡±

    Tania had decided to get rid of Eliana this time, or she would lose her position herself.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t do anything since all of the sponsored items were in Tania¡¯s hands.

    To please Nicole, she would have toe up with a style that was better than Nana¡¯s.

    Suddenly, a mall employee approached Eliana and said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Miss Eliana Pierce. Are you

    the one?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Talk to me,¡± Eliana responded, confused.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. The mall¡¯s management has just received a notice. You may get your hands on a new

    collection of clothing and jewelry for Miss Swift from the Moran Group as soon as you can.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck!¡± Tania erupted in a rage. ¡°I don¡¯t think the leadership cares about such a little matter.

    Who put it together?¡±

    There was a brief look from the employees at Tania before she replied, ¡°Mr. Moran has given me this

    instruction.¡±

    Tania¡¯s eyes widened and she took two steps back in disbelief. The truth was, put simply, a bitter pill for

    her to swallow.

    Tania red at Eliana after she recovered from the blow. ¡°You said you had nothing to do with Mr.

    Moran, didn¡¯t you? You¡¯re such a scum! What was the point of pretending to be meless?¡±

    Eliana was caught off guard at the same time as everyone else.

    In what way did Maurice be aware of her predicament? Was he still present?

    She searched about and eventually met Maurice¡¯s eyes in the air.

    In the midst of the throng, a gorgeous, stylish, and serene Maurice stood. In Eliana¡¯s eyes, he was a

    ray of light, beaming on her when she needed him most.

 Chapter 212

    Chapter 212

    Soon, the staff brought in many luxurious dresses and boxes of exquisite jewelry.

    Eliana stared dazedly at the clothes and jewelry.

    ¡°Hurry up and choose the outfit! You can¡¯t keep Nicole waiting.¡±

    Maurice had approached her without her noticing.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Eliana felt nervous and didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Why are you hesitating?¡± Maurice teased. ¡°Do you think I have spent too much?¡±

    Eliana gave Maurice a grateful look.

    She came to her senses and rushed to the clothes. Quickly, she selected a in dress and a set of

    pearl jewelry.

    Tania burst outughing as soon as she saw the outfit Eliana chose.

    Eliana was courting death. Tania was sure that she didn¡¯t even have to try to make trouble for Eliana,

    because Nicole would fire her anyway.

    Nicole was a mboyant woman who would hate this in outfit. Everyone in the entertainment circle

    knew that she loathed light-colored clothes. Eliana was sure to be scolded.

    Sure enough, when Eliana offered the clothes and jewelry to Nicole, Nicole refused immediately.

    ¡°Beige? Light-colored clothes do not suit me. Go pick a new outfit.¡± Nicole frowned and crossed her

    arms over her chest. She refused to change into the clothes.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t quick to give up. ¡°Nicole, you invited me here, which means you must believe in my

    ability. You have seen my styling for Nana. Trust me, please. How do you know it won¡¯t suit you if you

    haven¡¯t worn it?¡±

    Nicole hesitated, but a look into Eliana¡¯s determined eyes convinced her.

    ¡°I will trust you this time. I hope you won¡¯t let me down.¡±

    Nicole entered the fitting room with the outfit.

    Eliana waited nervously until Nicole finally emerged.

    Eliana had chosen a beige dress with a simple cut for Nicole. The unique part of the design was the

    long chiffon that extended from its sleeves to the whole dress. This chiffon was dotted with dazzling

    Swarovski crystals.

    The backless design of the dress showed Nicole¡¯s perfect figure. With the pearl crown on her hair, she

    looked just like a fairy.

    Nicole and Nana were shooting together. Nana was aloof and alluring, like a noble ck swan, while

    Nicole was like a snow lotus swaying in the wind.

    They were like a red rose and white rose. Instead of obscuring each other¡¯s charm, their different styles

    complemented each other.

    The photographer was excited when he saw the photos.

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Perfect! I haven¡¯t seen such a masterpiece for a long time.¡±

    Nana felt uneasy at first, but as the shooting went on, she regained her confidence. Without even

    meaning to, she exuded a charm that put her on the same level as Nicole.

    Everyone there couldn¡¯t take their eyes off of the two women.

    Everyone but one. While the others stared at the dazzling women on stage, Maurice¡¯s eyes were glued

    to Eliana.

    She was all he could see, as if there was a spotlight shining on her and only her.

    In Maurice¡¯s eyes, Eliana was more beautiful than Nicole and Nana.

    Three hourster, the shoot was finally over. The photographer took his photos to Maurice so that

    Maurice could pick his favorites.

    ¡°Eliana,e and help me choose.¡± Maurice naturally pulled Eliana over.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is a good idea.¡±

    Eliana was in a dilemma. After all, she had left the Moran Group. She was only Nicole¡¯s stylist. She

    didn¡¯t have the qualifications to help select photos.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see Nana¡¯s photos?¡±

    Maurice lowered his head and picked up the photos.

    In the end, Eliana couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity.

    She and Maurice huddled close around theputer screen and looked through each photo.

    ¡°This one looks good, and this one is also good¡­¡±

    Eliana felt her heart swell with pride when she looked at the confident and beautiful Nana in the photos.

    Nana hadn¡¯t looked this lovely and self-assured in a long time.

    She didn¡¯t even notice when her head touched Maurice¡¯s.

 Chapter 213

    Chapter 213

    Maurice¡¯s gaze remained fixed on Eliana¡¯s side as he inhaled her hair¡¯s delicate scent of peach.

    It was nice for Eliana to be silent with him just now.

    Maurice silently appreciated the intimate moment.

    Despite this, Eliana waspletely unaware of it. In the midst of her photo-picking, she didn¡¯t see that

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were filled with affection when they nced at her.

    As Eliana chose more and more images, exceeding the required number, Maurice had to intervene.

    ¡°You should be done by now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten to pick some more. There are still many attractive photographs,¡± Eliana said without so

    much as lifting her head.

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    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to the vegetable market looking for cabbages. We just need a single, standout image.¡±

    Maurice was unable to express himself after hearing that.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Eliana wasn¡¯t content yet. ¡°There are a plethora of images. Which one do you prefer?¡±

    It was tough for her to narrow her choices down to just one. All of these images, in her opinion, were

    excellent.

    ¡°Do you like this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say this one?¡±

    Eliana and Maurice simultaneously extended their hands and selected the same picture.

    Smiling broadly, the photographer offered insight. ¡°This one, too, has my seal of approval. This set of

    images, Mr. Moran, is superb. Could you please pick another option?¡±

    Maurice agreed.

    ¡°This one also stands out.¡±

    For the second time, Eliana and Maurice picked the same picture.

    ¡°It seems that Mr. Moran and thisdy have simr taste.¡±

    Eliana felt terribly ufortable as the photographer grinned knowingly.

    She couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to escape the photographer¡¯s teasing, but she was in close

    proximity to Maurice.

    Her lips brushed Maurice¡¯s cheek as soon as she moved her head.

    She hadn¡¯t anticipated it to happen.

    How! Did she just kiss him?

    Eliana was momentarily shocked, and then her cheeks immediately reddened. Immediately, she ced

    her hand over her lips, and then took a step back.

    ¡°The images have been selected. I need to go immediately.¡±

    She was ready to flee with a guilty conscience.

    ¡°Hold your horses!¡± Her hand was grasped by Maurice. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll invite everyone involved in the

    filming to supper. Should I expect to see you?¡±

    The kiss was thest thing on Maurice¡¯s mind as he looked lovingly at her, but he didn¡¯t say anything

    about it.

    ¡°Sadly, I won¡¯t be able to make it since I have other ns.¡±

    Eliana had told her children that she would apany them to the toy store today, so she declined

    Maurice¡¯s request.

    ¡°Other ns?¡± Maurice¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What must an unemployed woman like you do?¡±

    What was so big about not having a job? Wasn¡¯t there anything an unemployeddy could do?

    Eager to retaliate, Eliana boasted, ¡°Because I¡¯m unemployed, I have plenty of time to apany my

    boyfriend.¡±

    After uttering those words, she whirled around indignantly and kicked the light barrier.

    Suddenly, the enormous light barrier tipped over and was about tond on her.

    Eliana did not have any time to respond, and people around her started to yell. Suddenly, just as the

    light barrier was going to strike her, a hand stretched out and grabbed it tightly.

    Her brain seemed to be in a whirl then.

    ¡°Watch your six, Eliana!¡±

    Maurice returned the light barrier to its original ce, turned around, and regarded Eliana intently.

    Eliana continued to be in a state of disbelief as she stroked her heart and gazed up at her rescuer.

    ¡°You saved my skin.¡±

    ¡°There must be something wrong with you. I believe you¡¯re best suited for professions with little risk.¡±

    Maurice lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°Such as remaining close to me.¡±

    ¡°Do not overstep your bounds, Maurice!¡±

    Eliana flushed and moved back when she heard that.

    The folks surrounding them had already been drawn in by the dynamic between the two of them.

    Eliana was embarrassed by the attention of the crowd.

    ¡°What exactly are you up to, Eliana? Juste and organize the clothing,¡± Tania, who had been left

    out, yelled at Eliana in displeasure.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    As a result, Eliana was relieved when Tania showed up.

    ¡°I must go back to work. Bye.¡±

    Eliana fled once again.

 Chapter 214

    Chapter 214

    Eliana brushed aside the earlier controversy and concentrated on her work. She began to sort out the

    clothes carefully, giving her all in her task.

    Tania, however, wouldn¡¯t stop bugging Eliana. She dared not harass Eliana openly after getting

    reprimanded by Nicole, but opted to making life difficult for Eliana in more inconspicuous ways.

    ¡°You know, someone did good styling once by pure luck and starts thinking she is real stylists. She

    even goes as far as trying to steal other people¡¯s jobs! Really, doesn¡¯t she know her ce? Mr. Moran¡¯s

    mistress can do anything, so why does she have to y games here? She¡¯s just trampling on other

    people¡¯s efforts!¡± Tania drawled, purposefully raising her voice so everyone could hear her.

    It was all too obvious that she was insulting Eliana.

    At this point, Eliana couldn¡¯t stand Tania¡¯s harassment any longer. She was seething.

    Twenty-five thousand dors be damned! Did Tania think she was a pushover? Well, Tania was about

    to learn otherwise! And so, Eliana turned to Tania with a furious snarl.

    ¡°Who are you talking about, Tania? Maybe in your eyes, I¡¯m just an outsider who¡¯s just acting as a part-

    time stylist. But I have never underestimated this job, not even once! I had chosen several outfits

    earlier, and I had already showed you the one I picked for Nicole.¡±

    To prove her point, Eliana took out a sketch and handed it to Tania. Since she used to be a designer,

    she was used to drawing her inspirations. This job was no exception, and it so happened that this was

    the perfect time to use the sketch as evidence.

    However, Tania didn¡¯t even bat an eye at it. Instead she waved her hand callously and smacked the

    paper and pen away, letting them fall to the floor.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! My hand¡­ slipped. It¡¯s just a sketch. You won¡¯t be mad at me, right?¡±

    Tania shook her hands and pretended to be apologetic, but she didn¡¯t sound sorry. Her eyes were full

    of provocation, as if she was challenging Eliana to retaliate.

    It was clear that she regarded Eliana as aplete pushover.

    Eliana felt her blood boil. Her anger exploded in her like a volcano. That was it!

    Fury coursing her veins, she was determined to give Tania her just deserts. Yet just as she was about

    to make her move, a paper bag suddenly appeared from nowhere and hit Tania smack-dab in the face.

    ¡°W-What? Who¡­ Who threw the bag?!¡± Tania roared, rubbing her injured face.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Nana emerged, proud and righteous, having changed her clothes. She had been the one who threw

    the bag at Tania. As it was filled with clothes, it was quite the painful blow for Tania.

    ¡°I know you! You¡¯re on Eliana¡¯s side! You hit me because of her!¡± Tania screamed, so agitated that her

    eyes were burning with malice.

    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re scaring me, Miss Wilson¡­¡± Nana¡¯s face suddenly turned pale, and she stammered in a

    trembling voice. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I was careless! My hand¡­ slipped. You won¡¯t be mad at me, right?¡±

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    Earlier, Tania had pretended to be innocent. So now, Nana decided to imitate her and let her

    experience what it felt.

    Nana slyly returned Tania¡¯s words to thetter, repeating them in verbatim.

    Forced to contend with the same trick she had used, Tania felt like she had been pped hard in the

    face.

    It was her turn to be angry. She was so furious that she almost couldn¡¯t breathe.

    Nana picked up Eliana¡¯s sketch that was lying on the floor and looked at it. She then went on to exim

    loudly, making sure Tania would hear every word. ¡°Some people just do it casually, but they¡¯re a

    hundred times better than a so-called professional stylist. I wonder, what does it mean? It¡¯s obvious

    that you don¡¯t have talent. Your work is subpar. No wonder so many people on the Intemented

    on how ugly Nicole¡¯s styling is! Looks like they were right. You¡¯re garbage, but how dare you call

    yourself a professional stylist? Why don¡¯t you quit your job and do farm work in the boonies instead?¡±

    Nana¡¯s tant insults instantly gave rose to heated whispers from the surrounding people.

    Her words were venomous. Tania, who had gone through multiple humiliation today, could no longer sit

    still.

    ¡°Who said that?! In the first ce, Nicole has a lot of antis! People insult her because she doesn¡¯t look

    good enough, not because the style is bad!¡± Tania barked back, defiant.

    Eliana was quick to sense a golden opportunity. This was it!

    Narrowing her eyes meaningfully, Eliana decided to teach Tania a lesson thetter would never forget.

    Without anyone noticing it, she took out her phone and sent a video call request to Nicole.

    ¡°Tania, I think you¡¯re so subpar that you put the me on Nicole.¡±

    After she pressed the call button, Eliana deliberately added fuel to the fire in Tania¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Rubbish! Nicole¡¯s the one with too many antis! My styling is perfect! She got reprimanded because she

    was annoying. It had nothing to do with me. In fact, I¡¯d say she¡¯s the one who implicated me!¡± Tania

    spat without any hesitation, talking down Nicole with little regard.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t stop the grin from spreading on her face. She raised her phone and said, ¡°Did you hear

    that, Miss Swift?¡±

    Nicole?!

    Tania was horrified. She instantly saw Nicole¡¯s face on the screen, and her mind went nk.

    Oh, no. She was doomed!

    Nicole had heard the entire conversation, and her face was stormy. She sneered disdainfully, ¡°Tania,

    you don¡¯t have toe to work tomorrow. I might implicate you again.¡±

    Tania hurried to exin and retract her words, but she was toote. Nicole had already hung up before

    she could do anything.

    Eliana ignored Tania as she put away her phone and took Nana¡¯s hand, intending to leave.

    ¡°You! Don¡¯t try to run away!¡± Tania snarled, her face the epitome of fury. She rushed after Eliana and

    Nana, about to catch up to them, when she suddenly slipped.

    ¡°Arghhh!¡±

    It was the pen that she had pped away earlier that became her undoing. She identally stepped

    on it and immediately lost her footing, rolling down and falling face-first on the floor.

    The onlookers around them were unable to stop themselves fromughing at herical misfortune.

    Eliana and Nana turned around to look when they heard the loudughs, only to find Tania crying her

    heart out on the floor.

    ¡°She looks so pathetic,¡± Nana cackled, her face naughty.

    Eliana shrugged her shoulders, unaffected by Tania¡¯s wretched appearance. ¡°People can¡¯t be too

    aggressive. She paid for it.¡±

 Chapter 215

    Chapter 215

    Right after she was finished with work, Eliana went shopping together with Nana. Some timeter,

    Nana received a call from Kimora.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Marlin. The children are at the shopping mall now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    Nana ced the phone back into her pocket before turning and telling Eliana about the call.

    ¡°What should we buy for the kids, Nana?¡± Eliana asked.

    Nana didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°The best, of course! I just got my sry, so we should give Aileen and

    Adrian the best presents.¡±

    Eliana pondered over Nana¡¯s words beforeing to an agreement. She seldom bought toys for her

    children, after all. Now that she had just received her sry, she would definitely let them have a taste

    of luxury.

    With that in mind, the two decided to take the children for an all-out shopping spree.

    As they say, shopping is a woman¡¯s best friend!

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Meanwhile, a party was held after the heavy work came to a close. Everyone attended it, with the

    exception of Eliana, Nana, and Tania who had been fired.

    The bustling restaurant was crowded with many peopleing and going in. Everyone was enjoying a

    good time, with Maurice being the sole exception. Different from the cheery people around him, he

    seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

    ¡°The heroine didn¡¯te, so why are you still here?¡± Nicole walked up to Maurice with a ss of red

    wine in her hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hurry and chase after her? Go on.¡±

    She had long noticed how Maurice couldn¡¯t care less about the party.

    Maurice paused, thinking over her words. Finally, he came to a decision and sent a deep look at Nicole.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Thanks.¡±

    With that curt reply, he stood up and left without hesitation.

    Eliana and Nana soon reunited with the twins in the mall, and spent the whole time shopping their

    hearts out.

    Adrian chose his favorite ne model as his present.

    Aileen, on the other hand, stopped at the door of a clothes shop to stare at the parent-child outfits

    disyed behind the shop window. She was transfixed, her big doe eyes never leaving the outfits.

    They were pink and blue in color, made for a family of four.

    She was giving special attention to the father mannequin, unable to look away. Without realizing it, she

    found herself reaching out to hold the mannequin¡¯s hand.

    This gesture of hers did not go unnoticed by Eliana, who felt a painful prickle in her heart. It hurt so

    much that she couldn¡¯t utter a single word.

    While Adrian and Aileen never voiced it, she knew more than anyone how much they longed for a

    father to keep thempany.

    Eliana was struck by a sudden pang of depression. No matter how much love she showered her

    children with, the truth remained: she couldn¡¯t give them a father.

    Nana was quick to sense that something was amiss. She hurriedly broke the silence and said, ¡°Oh,

    wow! These outfits look good, don¡¯t they, Eliana? Aileen likes them. Why don¡¯t you buy them for her?

    The four of us can wear it. I got dibs on that blue one. Nobody take it!¡±

    Herical stint amused Eliana and the children, dispersing the gloomy mood in an instant.

    Eliana squatted down and caressed her children¡¯s soft faces. She then pointed at the clothes in the

    window with a smile. ¡°How about we go inside and try them on?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Adrian nodded eagerly before grabbing his sister by the hand and making a beeline for the clothes.

    Meanwhile, Nana patted on Eliana¡¯s shoulder and asked worriedly, ¡°Eliana¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just¡­ I feel a little sorry for the kids.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. I¡¯m always here for you. Cheer up! Let¡¯s go inside and try the clothes. We don¡¯t

    want to make the children wait too long.¡±

    Eliana nodded in agreement. Feeling slightly better, she entered the shop with Nana.

    Soon, the four of them changed into the new clothes. Nana, being a model, was very tall and pulled off

    the male outfit with impable ease. The clothes suited her perfectly, and she put on a matching hat to

    complete the look.

    With the four of them standing in a row in matching outfits, they were the picture of a four-man family.

    The shop assistant couldn¡¯t help but praise them. ¡°Oh, my! These clothes suits you so well. It¡¯s like they

    were made just for you.¡±

    Even the passers-by couldn¡¯t help but take several glimpses at the ¡°family¡± and shower them with

    heartfelt praises.

    At that moment, Maurice happened to have just exited the restaurant. ncing around for Eliana, he

    soon spotted her all too familiar figure not far away.

    Immediately, he strode to her.

    Just then, the four of them turned their backs to the door. Maurice could only see the kids standing next

    to Eliana, along with an unfamiliar man. They were all dressed in matching outfits, happiness evident

    enveloping them.

    They looked like a happy, loving family of four.

    The sight depressed Maurice somewhat, whose heart sank.

    Eliana had just kissed him, but now, she was smiling so happily at another man.

    While he was dwelling in his momentary gloom, Maurice suddenly caught Aileen calling Eliana,

    ¡°Mommy.¡±

    Mommy¡­?

    Did she just call Eliana ¡°Mommy¡±? But how could that be?! Wasn¡¯t she Nana¡¯s daughter?

    Maurice was beside himself with shock.

    Perhaps¡­ Was Eliana the true mother of the twins?

    That was impossible! How could that be true?

    He racked his brains and thought. If the twins were truly Eliana¡¯s children¡­ Then who was their father?

 Chapter 216

    Chapter 216

    Maurice walked forward to get a closer look.

    Just when he got to the door of the shop, the strange man in blue turned around.

    It was Nana!

    Nana squatted down and gently straightened Aileen¡¯s clothes.

    Maurice sighed in relief.

    It was just a false rm. He thought that Aileen was calling Nana Mommy.

    Meanwhile, in the shop, Eliana had the feeling that someone was staring at her. She looked around but

    did not see anyone suspicious. When she looked back, there was no one at the door.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Nana pushed her.

    Frowning, Eliana asked, ¡°Nana, do you feel as if someone is staring at us?¡±

    Nana nced around and saw that all the shop assistants and customers were busy with their own

    business.

    ¡°Eliana, I don¡¯t see anyone staring at us. Could it just be your imagination?¡±

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Eliana wondered if her brain was ying tricks on her.

    She paused for a while. Then she remembered that this shopping mall belonged to the Moran Group.

    Maybe Maurice would show up again.

    She shivered. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and get our shopping done,¡± she urged Nana. ¡°We have to get out here

    as soon as possible. I can¡¯t shake the feeling that something bad will happen if we stay here.¡±

    ¡°That sounds a bit over-dramatic.¡±

    Nana was a little confused, but she didn¡¯t object.

    The two picked up the toys and clothes they had chosen and walked to the checkout counter to pay,

    taking the children with them.

    ¡°Ladies, I have good news. I just received a notice that you aren¡¯t responsible for paying your bill

    today.¡± The female cashier smiled and helped them put the goods into shopping bags.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to pay?¡± Eliana and Nana eximed at the same time.

    ¡°Yes, today is our boss¡¯s birthday, and to celebrate it, we are waiving the bill of the 100th guest. That

    happens to be you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡±

    Eliana was excited. She had been prepared to spend a lot of money. Now she wouldn¡¯t have to spend

    a single coin. Why wouldn¡¯t she be happy?

    ¡°Mommy, does she mean that we can get these things without paying?¡± Aileen asked excitedly.

    ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t that nice?¡± Eliana smiled.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Maurice stood a short distance away and felt their happiness fill his own heart.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I have done what you asked.¡±

    The shop owner stood in the same secluded corner as Maurice.

    ¡°You did great. I¡¯ll have my secretary send you three times the money they spent.¡±

    There was no such thing as a free lunch in the world unless someone did something kind on purpose.

    Maurice stared calmly after Eliana and smiled.

    ¡°Eliana, you are being paranoid,¡± Nanained as they walked out of the mall. ¡°You were in a hurry

    to leave because you thought someone was staring at us. We could have gotten more for free if we

    had shopped longer.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t exin why, but I feel certain that someone was spying on us.¡± Nana¡¯s words hadn¡¯t calmed

    Eliana down. ¡°Don¡¯tin,¡± she added. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t left when we did, we wouldn¡¯t have been the

    100th guest.¡±

    Nana sighed. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just a shame that we didn¡¯t get more.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡±

    The four walked out of the mall, talking andughing.

    This time, they all failed to notice that there was a man staring at them.

    Gerald¡¯s secretary Sean was squatting in a quiet corner of the mall and watching them.

    Once he saw them leave the mall, he quickly called Gerald and told him what had happened.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I just followed Eliana in the shopping mall. She had two children with her. They seemed to

    call her Mommy.¡±

    ¡°What? Eliana has two children?¡±

    Gerald was shocked. He had asked someone to investigate Eliana¡¯s background, but they hadn¡¯t found

    out about any children.

    Who was their father?

    Gerald had to know.

 Chapter 217

    Chapter 217

    ¡°Sir, maybe Asher knows something about Eliana¡¯s kids. Besides Hodge, he also assisted you in

    destroying the Pierce family, after all. Plus, he and Eliana used to be in a rtionship. Maybe he¡¯s the

    father of the kids,¡± Sean exined to Gerald.

    ¡°You¡¯re right! How did I forget about him?¡±

    Gerald was enlightened. He fell silent, thinking, and soon came up with a brilliant n.

    The very next day, he led arge group of men to ambush Asher¡¯s house. His subordinate broke the

    door open with a ferocious kick.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Asher?! Call him out!¡±

    Gerald strode in arrogantly with his subordinates in tow. With the way things were at the moment, he

    looked no different than the leader of a gang of violent thugs.

    Erica was lying on the sofa, drinking without a care in the world. Gerald and his men¡¯s sudden

    appearance caught her unawares.

    The shock turned her sober. She screamed in fear before taking flight and rushing to her room.

    ¡°Get her, men!¡± Gerald ordered, not about to let her escape. His men obeyed immediately and sprang

    forward to subdue her. Erica was caught in an instant, denied any means of escape.

    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Where¡¯s Asher?¡±

    Frightened by Gerald¡¯s cruel and merciless behavior, Erica couldn¡¯t retaliate. She stammered a reply,

    her voice shaky, ¡°H-He¡­ He¡¯s upstairs. W-Who are you? What do you want?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, what a surprise! Hello, Mr. Moran. How can I help you?¡±

    Asher appeared, and rushed downstairs with a smile.

    ¡°H-Honey, help me!¡± Erica immediately turned to him for help, her face pale.

    But Asher had no pity for her. Instead, he red at her in disgust and said to Gerald, ¡°I don¡¯t know what

    my wife did to upset you, but rest assured. I¡¯ll have her apologize to you right away.¡±

    Gerald sneered, ¡°It¡¯s not your wife. It¡¯s you.¡±

    Asher broke into cold sweat, fear gripping his heart. ¡°What do you mean by that, Mr. Moran?¡±

    Gerald took his time to reply. He said nothing and sank into the sofa, making himself at home.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. I just have a small question for you.¡±

    Asher, however, felt nothing but nervousness. He hastily wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and

    said with a wry smile, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything I know, Mr. Moran.¡±

    ¡°Very well. I knew Eliana is your ex-girlfriend. I came here today just to ask you this one thing: Who¡¯s

    the father of her children?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s question momentarily stunned Asher. Immediately after, he fell into panic.

    Why did Gerald know that Eliana had children? How did he find out?

    And¡­ Why did he care so much about it?

    Asher was well aware of Gerald¡¯s atrocity. Subconsciously, he wished to cover up for Eliana and protect

    her from him.

    Unexpectedly, it was Erica who spoke first. Before Asher could say anything, the hateful woman yelled,

    ¡°I know!¡±

    Asher¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. He turned to her angrily and barked, ¡°Shut up!¡±

    However, Gerald was interested. ¡°Let her go. Let her talk.¡±

    At his behest, the men let go of her. She staggered to her feet and shed Gerald a vicious smirk.

    ¡°Eliana¡¯s nothing but a slut! She slept with a gigolo working in Imperial Golden Club and had the

    children right after. Rather being ashamed, she actually likes the brats very much! After that, she

    hooked up with the CEO of Moran Group. I bet Maurice doesn¡¯t know that Eliana has two kids!¡±

    The more Erica spoke, the more excited she became. It seemed that whenever she belittled Eliana,

    she would get momentary pleasure and feel better about herself.

    However, her happiness was short-lived. Asher pped her across the face, hard, rendering her

    stunned.

    ¡°You¡­ You pped me?¡± She stared at him, ck-jawed and filled with disbelief.

    ¡°I just did. Do you have any idea what you¡¯re talking about?¡± Asher was trembling with anger, his chest

    heaving up and down.

    ¡°You bastard! I knew it. You¡¯re are still protecting that bitch. I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Erica let out a crazed roar and sprang forward to scratch Asher¡¯s face, much like an infuriated cat

    whose tail was stepped on. She looked cruel and vicious, devoid of any humanity, as if she wanted

    nothing more than to disfigure Asher.

    ¡°You crazy woman!¡±

    Asher couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He had despised her for a long time, and right now, his patience had

    reached its limit. The umted grudges between him and Erica, new and old, surged out.

    Trying his best to control the crazy woman, he howled, ¡°I can¡¯t stand you anymore, you stupid bitch! I¡¯m

    going to divorce you. You¡¯re not taking away the kid!¡±

    His deration worsened Erica¡¯s fury. She grew even angrier and burst into ear-piercing screeches.

    ¡°Ha! I know you¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Do you think that if you dump me, you can

    make up with that bitch again? Let me tell you, it¡¯ll never happen! I won¡¯t let you go, even if I die!¡±

    The couple broke into a fight and began attacking one another, uncaring about the fact that many eyes

    were on them.

    Gerald stared, incredulous. For a moment, he was at a loss and didn¡¯t know what to do.

    ¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He had already known what he wanted to know, so there was no point caring about the couple. He

    turned around and left with his men, no longer sparing the couple another nce.

    On the way back, he thought over the newfound information. There was something strange about what

    Erica had told him.

    Maurice owned Imperial Golden Club. Meanwhile, Eliana¡¯s partner and the father of her two children

    was a gigolo working for the club. What an incredible coincidence!

    After a few moments of pondering, he dialed Sean.

    ¡°Keep investigating who the biological father of Eliana¡¯s children is.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    He then hung up, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

    Gerald couldn¡¯t wait to tell Maurice that the woman he loved dearly had sired another man¡¯s children.

    What would Maurice¡¯s face look like upon receiving the news? Gerald was certain it¡¯d make for an

    amusing sight!

 Chapter 218

    Chapter 218

    Eliana was once again jobless after finishing her part-time position as Nicole¡¯s stylist. Nana got new

    employment and went to work daily.

    Eliana, the matriarch of the household, had been feeling downtely.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    She dropped the kids off at school, as usual, this morning. The two youngsters noted that Eliana was

    acting strangely on the route.

    Aileen yanked Eliana¡¯s clothing and gestured for her to crouch as they prepared to part ways.

    Aileen moved forward and kissed Eliana on the face after she squatted. ¡°Do not be disheartened,

    Mommy. Be upbeat!¡±

    Eliana was taken off guard. What she didn¡¯t anticipate was for Adrian to walk up and give her a quick

    kiss on the forehead also.

    ¡°Mommy, keep your head up. Always, you¡¯ve been the finest,¡± Adrian said in hushed tones and then

    arrogantly turned his head.

    Eliana¡¯s gloomy thoughts suddenly vanished, as if she were lying in the light.

    ¡°Sincerely, I¡¯ll give it my best shot.¡±

    Eliana felt a tremendous surge of energy as she held the two kids in her arms.

    As she was driving home, she got a text from Preston.

    ¡°Are you still looking for the ring?¡±

    Eliana was a little perplexed for a second.

    What! How unbelievable! She was so close to forgetting!

    Eliana scratched her head and recalled that she went to work at the restaurant because she noticed a

    dog like Bowling in the area.

    However, she had been so preupied with earning a living that she had forgotten about the dog.

    Eliana felt a pang of remorse as she reflected on this.

    Her phone rang again before she had a chance to think of a response.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°The first time you resigned, Eliana, didn¡¯t you promise to reimburse me? Where is the cash? Is that

    something you¡¯ve forgotten about?¡±

    Maurice was the one calling.

    How could she have forgotten such a big deal?

    The mere notion of the two guys made Eliana¡¯s day miserable. A feeling she didn¡¯t desire to have for

    even a second. But so were things!

    Although Eliana had just finished two jobs and earned some money, the money had already covered

    her children¡¯s tuition.

    Paying Maurice back at this time was clearly next to impossible.

    Embarrassed, Eliana gripped the phone and didn¡¯t know how to respond. Unintentionally, her gaze

    strayed.

    Her eyes expanded unexpectedly.

    She spotted a familiar canine standing right in front of her!

    Bowling, indeed! It was the dog she had to look for!

    Eliana massaged her eyes as she peered at the dog. She was quite certain that she was correct!

    She ran into the dog¡¯s owner and the dog again on the street.

    ¡°I just got an important task to do. Allow me to get back to youter.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t waste any time hanging up the phone and sprinting toward the guy.

    He and his dog abruptly vanished around a bend as she got closer and closer.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on.

    She nced around, but a pair of hands immediately snatched her.

    Her mouth was covered with a hand as she was shoved against the wall.

    ¡°What do you want from me? What are you doing following me?¡±

    The guy who seized her had a blue cap and arge mask that almost covered half his face.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    Eliana waspletely unaware of his identity.

    She exerted every ounce of energy she had.

    When Eliana ripped off his mask, the guy didn¡¯t think she¡¯d be that strong.

    Eliana glimpsed the man¡¯s face as soon as the mask fell. She was speechless.

    The man¡¯s attractive, angr face was immediately identifiable. In his demeanor, he seemed to be an

    intimidating figure.

    The guy resembled Preston in every way.

    Her day couldn¡¯t get any worse!

 Chapter 219

    Chapter 219

    ¡°Preston! Is this a new way to tease me?¡± Eliana asked, annoyed. ¡°Look, it¡¯s not funny at all. Let go of

    me now!¡±

    ¡®There is something strange about this woman. Is she not right in the head?¡¯ the man thought.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s Preston?¡± he asked, clearly puzzled.

    Eliana immediately realized that something was amiss. Confused, she asked tentatively, ¡°Umm, aren¡¯t

    you Preston?¡±

    ¡°Huh? My name¡¯s Eli. I don¡¯t know who Preston is. And you¡­ Don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± Eli seemed

    more surprised at the fact that there was someone who genuinely didn¡¯t recognize him.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know you,¡± Eliana admitted honestly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Eli! Eli Goodwin? Doesn¡¯t that ring a bell? Look carefully. How can you not recognize this face?¡± Eli

    neared Eliana, determined to get as close to her as possible as he showed her his handsome face.

    Eliana stared at his facial features. She realized he looked just like Preston, except that he was paler

    and thinner than Preston.

    Despite the startling resemnce, Eli insisted that he wasn¡¯t Preston.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really don¡¯t know you,¡± Eliana repeated.

    Unbeknownst to her, her honesty stung Eli deeply. He was now a popr star, with posters disying

    his face practically everywhere. Plus, he had a lot of fans. Was this woman living on Mars? Didn¡¯t she

    surf the Inte at all?

    ¡°Excuse me, Mr. Goodwin, but please let go of me first,¡± Eliana grumbled, shaking off Eli¡¯s hand.

    Unwilling to give up, Eli insisted, ¡°If you don¡¯t know me, why are you following me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t follow you. I just happened to mistake you for someone else.¡±

    Eli was doubtful. He raised his eyebrows and asked again, ¡°You mean, the man called Preston? I don¡¯t

    believe you. I bet you¡¯re just looking for an excuse to get close to me.¡±

    Eliana rolled her eyes. ¡°I said I¡¯ve made a mistake, didn¡¯t I? If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡±

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Having said that, she immediately took out her phone and dialed Preston.

    Meanwhile, Maurice was in his office when his phone suddenly rang. Seeing that Eliana was calling

    Preston, he was slightly unhappy.

    She had hung up on him without reservations just moments ago, and now, she was calling Preston. Did

    she really prefer the gigolo?

    Damn it! Maurice was seething. Why was he jealous of himself again? This was ridiculous.

    Maurice picked up the call, in a bad mood.

    ¡°Hey, Preston. Where are you?¡±

    Maurice casually made a lie on the spot. ¡°I¡¯m in the club. Why, something wrong?¡±

    ¡°I just want to make a video call with you,¡± Eliana said.

    A video call? Maurice was curious. What did she want this time?

    Before Maurice could answer, Eliana hung up and sent him a video call request.

    Maurice was speechless. Quickly, he put on his mask and went to a corner before picking up the video

    call.

    On Eliana¡¯s side, Preston¡¯s handsome, deeply-lined face appeared on her phone screen.

    She was delighted to see him. Preston answered her call!

    Still, why did his background seem a little strange?

    She frowned and stared at Preston in the video, squinting her eyes. Rather than a club, Preston

    seemed to be in Maurice¡¯s office, of all ces.

    ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re calling me, but you¡¯re not saying anything.¡± Maurice grew slightly

    impatient when Eliana remained silent for a long time.

    Eliana pushed aside her suspicions and she picked up her phone to get a good look at Preston¡¯s face.

    She then turned to look at Eli, who was standing next to her.

    Their likeness was incredible! No wonder she confused Eli with Preston.

    ¡°Look at him! I didn¡¯t lie to you, did I?¡±

    She hurriedly showed her phone to Eli. The two men stood face to face, eyes on one another.

    ¡°Oh my god¡­ You¡¯re right! Who is this man?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Preston and Eli spoke at the same time. Oddly enough, even their shocked expressions were very

    simr.

    Eli, rather startled, blurted out, ¡°Is¡­ Is he the man you called Preston?¡±

    Eliana nodded.

    Eli was astonished. ¡°We really do look alike!¡±

    If Eli hadn¡¯t confirmed that he really was the only son in his family, he would probably think he had a

    twin brother who went missing for many years.

    Would wonders never cease?

    While Eli was having the shock of his life, Maurice was just as stunned.

    Preston¡¯s face was fake, but he had specifically customized the mask. It should bepletely unique;

    one of a kind. There shouldn¡¯t be a man who looked like the mask in this world.

    Yet, why did the man on the screen look so much like Preston¡¯s fake face?

 Chapter 220

    Chapter 220

    Now that she was clear on the situation, Eliana ended the video call.

    ¡°Well, your name is Eli Goodwin, right? I¡¯m sorry that I confused you with someone else just now.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s apology was sincere.

    Eli was a little embarrassed by her sudden politeness. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I was rude because I

    misunderstood why you were following me. What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Eliana Pierce,¡± Eliana said.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Neither of them knew what to say then.

    ¡°Woof woof¡­¡±

    A dog¡¯s bark suddenly broke the silence.

    A puppy ran over from close by.

    ¡°Lucky! What are you doing here?¡±

    When Eli had thought the person following him was a stalker fan, he left his puppy in a corner close by

    for safety. He was surprised when the puppy ran over by itself.

    Eli squatted down and stretched out his arms for his dog to run into.

    The puppy ran with clear excitement.

    Then¡­

    He passed by Eli and went straight to Eliana.

    What? He mistook its master?

    Eli was stunned when Lucky ignored him and ran to Eliana.

    Lucky circled around Eliana, rubbing excitedly against her legs.

    ¡°Bowling!¡±

    She squatted down and rubbed its head. She was now 100% sure that it was Bowling.

    Eliana picked up Bowling. ¡°Mr. Goodwin, was this dog a stray when you met it?¡±

    Eli had finallye back to his senses after his dog¡¯s betrayal. ¡°Do you have a dog that looks exactly

    like Lucky?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°No,¡± Eliana said quickly.

    ¡°Good.¡± Eli breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°In fact, I think your Lucky is the dog I lost. I called it Bowling.¡±

    Eli paused for a moment and asked, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°To tell you the truth, my dog Bowling went missing a few months ago. And before he went missing, he

    swallowed my ring.¡±

    The ring¡­

    Eli touched his ne subconsciously, thinking that the ring Eliana spoke of might be around his

    neck at that very moment.

    Three months ago, Eli found a puppy by the roadside and took him home out of kindness. A few days

    later, when he was cleaning the doghouse, he was surprised to find a ruby ring in his new dog¡¯s poop.

    Then, something magical happened. Before he rescued the puppy, he was nobody. After, he became

    famous overnight. He got many opportunities to perform and became a hot topic in the entertainment

    industry.

    Because of this, he saw the dog and the ring as his good luck charms. He named the dog Lucky and

    took the ring with him wherever he went.

    Now this strange woman was telling him the dog and the ring were hers and she wanted them back. He

    couldn¡¯t go along with this.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Pierce. You must be mistaken. I bought Lucky myself. I don¡¯t know anything about the

    ring you mentioned either.¡±

    After hesitating for a moment, Eli chose to lie.

    Eliana didn¡¯t suspect Eli was being untruthful. She was disappointed by what he said.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a misunderstanding. I¡¯m leaving with Lucky.¡±

    Eli picked up the barking dog and turned away.

    Before he took more than a few steps, he heard someone shouting.

    ¡°Look! That¡¯s Eli Goodwin!¡±

    ¡°Go after him!¡±

    Paparazzi and fans rushed towards him like a pack of dogs on the hunt.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Eli ran back to Eliana. He grabbed her arm with one hand, while the other still held the dog.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Eliana followed themand without thinking.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    ¡°Look behind us!¡±

    Confused, Eliana looked back and gasped.

    Gosh! Those people were chasing after them like zombies!

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. They found me because you were talking to me in public! If they get photos of us and

    im that we are lovers, I will have to pay mypany for the loss! Would youpensate me for

    that?¡±

    Compensate?

    That was the word she hated most in the world!

    She would never pay for him!

    Eli had hardly finished speaking when Eliana quickened her pace and passed him.

    ¡°Run! Come on!¡± She looked back and red at Eli.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Eli was stunned.

    This woman was so horrible!

 Chapter 221

    Chapter 221

    Eliana and Eli ran as fast as they could. They finally spotted a hiding ce in the corner of the park that

    would allow them to rest unseen by the reporters and fans.

    Eliana crouched behind the thick grass and watched as more fans slowly arrived. ¡°We¡¯re hiding like

    criminals,¡± sheined.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Eli gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

    ¡°We can¡¯t hide here. More and more people are arriving. If we can¡¯t get out of here, we will be found.¡±

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s stomach churned with nerves. She really didn¡¯t want to have to pay thepensation.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I¡¯ll call my agent and ask her to save us.¡±

    Eli handed the dog to Eliana and fumbled in his pocket for his phone. His hand came up empty.

    ¡°Darn, I forgot my phone.¡± Eli looked desperate. ¡°What a piece of bad luck!¡±

    A ring from Eliana¡¯s cellphone interrupted their despair and made them taken aback.

    Seeing that the call was from Preston, Eliana answered. She lowered her head and whispered, ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Why are you whispering? What¡¯s going on?¡± Maurice asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m in a bit of a tight spot¡­¡±

    Eliana acknowledged Eli¡¯s repeated winks in her direction and asked, ¡°Preston, can you drive to Shore

    Park and pick us up right now?¡±

    ¡°How many people are with you?¡± Maurice understood at once.

    ¡°I can¡¯t exin quickly right now. Come over here first.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Maurice agreed, ¡°Okay. Wait for me.¡±

    After Eliana hung up, both she and Eli breathed a sigh of relief.

    Half an hourter, Maurice arrived at Shore Park. From a distance, he could see two furtive people and

    a dog.

    Why was there a strange man with Eliana? Maurice frowned.

    Eliana and Eli rushed over to Maurice¡¯s car.

    Eliana got in the car quickly. ¡°Thank you, Preston.¡±

    Maurice said nothing. When he saw that Eli was about to step into the car, he stated, ¡°You, scram!¡±

    Eli paused with his hand on the car door.

    Eliana knew she couldn¡¯t leave Eli behind. ¡°Let him get in, Preston.¡±

    Maurice nced indifferently at Eli, but agreed.

    Eli got in the car.

    As they left the park behind, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but notice something about Preston and Eli. ¡°You two

    look so alike,¡± she eximed.

    Eli had also noticed the incredible resemnce.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but want to pinch Eli to make sure everything in front of her was not an illusion.

    She reached out her hand.

    Maurice noticed Eliana¡¯s outstretched hand.

    He stomped on the brakes and parked the car on the side of the road. Before Eliana could touch Eli, he

    grabbed her hand and pressed it against his face.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Eliana nodded. ¡°You two truly do look simr.¡±

    Eliana got an idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t you also try to be a star? This guy seems to be pretty popr.

    Even if you can¡¯t be as popr as him, you can at least be a stand-in.¡±

    Stand-in? For him?

    Maurice looked at Eli in disgust.

    Two female fans rushed out of nowhere and pressed their hands against the car windows. ¡°Eli, I love

    you!¡± they shouted at Maurice.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t move the car without hitting them. Eli huddled in the backseat, terrified of being

    discovered.

    Even after Maurice honked the horn several times, the fans refused to move. He grew annoyed.

    He opened the door and got out of the car, pulling Eliana out with him.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten the wrong person. I¡¯m not Eli. I¡¯m with my girlfriend. Please go away.¡±

    Maurice wrapped his arm around Eliana¡¯s waist. He gave off a strong and icy aura which scared the

    fans.

    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s not Eli after all.¡±

    After looking carefully at Maurice, the fans realized their mistake. They apologized and scuttled away.

    Eliana leaned into Preston¡¯s arms. He was wearing a V-neck shirt that ttered him.

    Suddenly, Eliana found that there was something wrong.

    The scar on Preston¡¯s chest¡­ it wasn¡¯t there anymore.

 Chapter 222

    Chapter 222

    Eliana wondered if her eyes had deceived her.

    She moved closer to see more clearly.

    Maurice realized that he had left in a hurry and forgotten to remove the concealer from his chest. He

    started to get nervous.

    When he appeared in front of Eliana as the CEO of Moran Group, he covered the scar on his chest

    with concealer.

    In his hurry to pretend to be Preston, he had forgotten all about it.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    If Eliana found out now, it would be a disaster.

    Maurice lowered his head and ced his lips next to Eliana¡¯s ear. ¡°Are you so eager to see my body?¡±

    he teased her in a hoarse voice.

    He was hoping this would distract Eliana.

    This method had always worked before, but not this time.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t going to let him go so easily. She gave him a serious look and asked, ¡°What happened to

    your scar, Preston?¡±

    She clearly remembered the scar on the chest of the male prostitute she had slept with that year.

    If Preston didn¡¯t have a scar, that called into doubt whether he was the biological father of the twins!

    ¡°It¡¯s there. You can feel it. Go on.¡±

    Maurice stayed calm.

    Eliana tentatively reached out her hand and caressed Preston¡¯s bronzed chest through his V-neck shirt.

    She felt the scar on Preston¡¯s warm skin.

    Eliana leaned closer, looking for the scar.

    From Maurice¡¯s angle, it looked like she was about to kiss his chest.

    Goosebumps appeared on Maurice¡¯s skin as he felt Eliana¡¯s hot breath against his chest. He pressed

    his lips together and swallowed. His chest muscles tensed.

    ¡°Preston, why can¡¯t I see your scar clearly?¡±

    Maurice resisted the urge to touch her. ¡°I put concealer on my scar so that it can¡¯t be seen,¡± he

    exined.

    ¡°Concealer?¡±

    ¡°As a prostitute, my appearance is my livelihood. Sometimes my scar makes it harder to earn money,

    so I cover it.¡±

    Maurice was a good liar now.

    Eliana trusted him.

    Her doubts dissipated, but she still felt unhappy.

    What a dedicated male prostitute Preston was!

    Maurice chuckled when he saw Eliana staring at his chest in a daze.

    ¡°You like the scar on my chest that much? If I had known you like men with scars on their chests, I

    would have removed the concealer before I came here.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Did Preston think of her as one of his rich clients?

    Her tone turned cold. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me that way. I¡¯m not one of your rich and powerful clients.¡±

    ¡°True, you are not my client, but you have slept with me twice. You didn¡¯t give me a penny and even

    took my family heirloom.¡±

    Maurice teased her, but Eliana didn¡¯t seem relieved at all.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m poor. I slept with you, but I didn¡¯t give you any money. I¡¯m also a thief. You can go find your

    rich clients. I won¡¯t see you anymore.¡±

    Eliana was irritated.

    If she stayed with Preston, she would be infuriated by what he said sooner orter.

    Anyway, the danger was over now. Eliana rolled her eyes before she turned and left.

    Maurice could do nothing but smile bitterly as he watched her back.

    Eliana was cruel to him when she didn¡¯t need his help.

    Eli, who had no idea what was going on, was still hiding bitterly in the car.

    That evening, Eliana returned home.

    Shey on her bed and thought carefully about what had happened today. She had a strange feeling

    about it all.

    Even if there was another dog who looked just like Bowling, it still didn¡¯t make sense for it to run right

    up to her.

    Eliana got up and turned on theputer to search for information about Eli, but she couldn¡¯t find

    anything useful on Wikipedia.

    When Eliana was at a loss, Nana walked into her bedroom.

    ¡°Eliana, what are you doing?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Nana, you are also a star. Do you know how to get more information about another star?¡±

    ¡°When did you be interested in stars?¡± Nana asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I just want to know something.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy,¡± Nana exined. ¡°Change your profile picture, pretend to be a cute new fan, and join a chat

    group. As long as you talk trash about rival stars on the Inte, other fans will immediately ept

    you. You can learn everything from them.¡±

 Chapter 223

    Chapter 223

    With Nana¡¯s help, Eliana managed to join the chat group of Eli¡¯s fans and soon developed a good

    rapport with them.

    By talking to them, she found out a lot of information about Eli, including about his dog and the ring.

    ording to Eli¡¯s fans, Eli had gotten his dog three months ago, which coincided perfectly with the time

    that Bowling went missing.

    Eliana also went through Eli¡¯s recent photos on his fan page. In many of those photos, Eli was wearing

    a ne, and the pendant on that ne looked exactly like Preston¡¯s ruby ring.

    So not only did Eli¡¯s dog look like Bowling, but the ring he wore around on his ne looked like

    Preston¡¯s. It was too much of a coincidence.

    Eliana was sure of it now.

    Bowling and Preston¡¯s ring were both with Eli!

    However, without evidence and a valid reason, Eliana knew that she couldn¡¯t just demand those things

    back from Eli.

    While she was contemting how to proceed, she received an offer from Eli¡¯s studio.

    The coordinator informed Eliana that they were inviting her to work as Eli¡¯s stylist after Nicole had

    rmended her to them.

    Eliana¡¯s face lit up when she heard that. It seemed that luck was on her side.

    All she needed was a chance to get close to Eli. She would definitely get the ring back and return it to

    Preston.

    With that thought in mind, Eliana epted the offer without hesitation. In no time, the studio emailed

    her the job duties as well as the contract.

    Eliana skimmed through the contract easily, but when she looked at the job duties, she froze in shock.

    It turned out that Eli¡¯s client was the Moran Group! He was shooting an advertisement for jewelry at the

    Moran Group¡¯s building, so Eliana would have to meet him there.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°Ohe on! Why can¡¯t I ever get rid of Maurice?¡± Eliana groaned, tilting her head back with her palms

    on her face.

    She regretted epting the offer from Eli¡¯s studio so readily without asking any questions.

    If Eliana had known that the job entailed going back to the Moran Group, she would have turned it

    down immediately! Now, she didn¡¯t know when or where she would run into Maurice. Just thinking of

    having to deal with him again gave her a headache.

    Noticing that her best friend was in low spirits, Nana came over and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Eliana?¡±

    ¡°I just got a job offer.¡± Eliana paused, looking glum.

    ¡°Congrattions! But why do you look so down? Isn¡¯t this good news?¡±

    ¡°It turns out that for this job, I¡¯ll have to go back to the Moran Group¡¯s building. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll end up

    running into Maurice again. Nana, what do you think I should do?¡±

    ¡°You silly girl, I thought it was something serious!¡± Nana clucked her tongue and shrugged. ¡°Anyway, I

    think you should go. Why not? You need a job to make money and pay Maurice back, right? Otherwise,

    you won¡¯t be able to get rid of him forever.¡±

    Enlightenment shed in Eliana¡¯s eyes when she heard these words.

    Nana was right! ¡®The sooner I pay off my debt to Maurice, the sooner I¡¯ll be free from him,¡¯ she thought.

    With that thought, she made up her mind.

    ¡°Thank you, Nana. You always know just the right things to say. You¡¯re so smart! I¡¯ll ept the job.¡±

    ¡°Good. This sounds more like the Eliana I know.¡±

    The two women smiled warmly at each other.

    Neither of them noticed the two kids at their bedroom door, who were eavesdropping on their

    conversation.

    ¡°Adrian, do you think Mommy will find a daddy for us? That Maurice who Nana mentioned, will he be

    our new daddy?¡± Aileen asked Adrian in a low voice, with her big eyes widening in a mixture of

    eagerness and curiosity.

    Adrian frowned in thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Have you ever seen this Maurice before?¡±

    Aileen pouted and shook her head. But then an idea suddenly urred to her, and she pped her

    hands.

    ¡°I know! How about we look him up online?¡±

    Adrian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. We can use Nana¡¯s cellphone. She is such a scatter-brain.

    She probably would have left her phone in the living room.¡±

    The two kids quietly tiptoed into the living room.

    ¡°Woof, woof, woof¡­¡± The dog, Foodie, was curled up in the living room when it saw its young masters,

    and immediately jumped up to greet them.

    ¡°Shh! Be quiet, Foodie. Adrian and I are doing something top secret. Don¡¯t make any noise!¡± Aileen

    hissed.

    Foodie stopped barking, and quietly followed the children.

    Sure enough, after looking around the living room for a few seconds, Aileen found Nana¡¯s phone

    tucked away in the corner of the sofa.

    ¡°Adrian, I found it!¡± Aileen shouted excitedly in a low voice.

    ¡°Great!¡± Adrian came over at once.

    Aileen easily unlocked the phone, opened Google and typed in ¡°Maurice Moran¡±. Within the first few

    results was a Wikipedia page titled by that name.

    While carefully looking through the few photos on the page, Aileen widened her eyes in surprise.

    ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t you think that our new daddy looks a lot like Ss¡¯s uncle?¡±

 Chapter 224

    Chapter 224

    ¡°Ss¡¯ uncle?¡±

    Adrian took the phone and looked at the photo. He was then stunned.

    They really looked alike¡­

    ¡°Adrian, what¡¯s going on? Is Ss¡¯ uncle our new daddy? Does Ss know this?¡±

    The overload of information confused Aileen.

    ¡°Mommy said she was looking for a job. Maybe we¡¯re thinking about it too much,¡± Adrian stated.

    ¡°Can¡¯t she look for a new job and our new daddy at the same time?¡± Aileen asked innocently.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Aileen didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°Be good, Aileen.¡± Adrian touched Aileen¡¯s head. He said seriously, ¡°Mommy will be too tired if she

    looks for both at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Aileen nodded. She believed her brother.

    Foodie was following them. It barked as if agreeing with Adrian.

    A few dayster, Eliana once again stood in front of the towering Moran Group building.

    But this time, she was no longer a jewelry designer for the Moran Group, but a stylist working for Eli.

    Eliana stared at the crowded entrance of the building. She couldn¡¯t convince her nervous body to move

    forward.

    Should she go in or not?

    While she was hesitating, a Maybach stopped behind her.

    As soon as Maurice got out of the car, he saw Eliana standing near the door.

    Why was she here? Had she finally thought things through and decided toe back to work for the

    Moran Group?

    Maurice narrowed his eyes and smiled.

    ¡°Eliana,¡± he called out and walked towards her confidently.

    Eliana turned around in response to the familiar voice.

    She knew this would happen.

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Hence, he was calm.

    Then, she saw another man following Maurice.

    ¡°Corbin! Why are you here?¡± Eliana¡¯s face showed her surprise.

    ¡°Long time no see, Eliana,¡± Corbin said with a bright smile. ¡°I have recovered enough to work again.¡±

    ¡°Are you both idle? You don¡¯t have work to do?¡± Maurice asked

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran,¡± Eliana said lightly and then fell silent.

    Corbin noticed the tension between them. ¡°Eliana, would you like to go in with us?¡± he suggested.

    Eliana nodded. Right now, she would let it be.

    The three walked into the Moran Group building together.

    While they were waiting for the elevator, Eliana looked at Corbin carefully and said, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to see

    that you¡¯re fine. But are you¡­ back to work as the CEO¡¯s assistant?¡±

    Corbin smiled and answered, ¡°Yes. Actually, I¡¯ve not only returned, but I¡¯ve gotten a pay raise as well.

    I¡¯ve heard that none of the assistants Mr. Moran hired in my absence performed well. It seems that our

    company still needs talent like me.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Eliana thought of Maurice¡¯s previous assistant, Theo. Corbin was much more reliable.

    The two chatted happily, ignoring Maurice, which irritated him.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Maurice interrupted in a deep voice. ¡°Corbin, take Eliana upstairs and help her go through

    the entry formalities again.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s smile slipped away. ¡°Yes, boss.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± Eliana realized what Maurice was saying. ¡°Who said I came back to work?¡±

    Wasn¡¯t that why she came back?

    Maurice frowned. ¡°If you are not back to work, what are you doing here?¡±

    Eliana pursed her lips. Her uing answer was cut off by a sudden scream.

    ¡°Eli, Eli, I love you!¡±

    ¡°Eli, you are my favorite star!¡±

    Arge group of young girls had appeared outside the gate of the Moran Group building. They were

    shouting excitedly and holding posters and light boards.

    The cause of thismotion was a young man.

    The man stood tall and straight. He wore a clean white shirt and light blue jeans. His eyes were hidden

    by sunsses, but his profile was clearly visible.

    He walked into the Moran Group building, followed by a capable female agent. The security guards

    restrained the wild fans outside.

    Once he had entered the building, the man took off his sunsses, revealing a handsome face. His

    dark eyes were filled with warmth, contrasting with his sharp outline. He looked as gentle and

    approachable as a childhood sweetheart.

    It was this smile that drove the fans to hysteric. Even the female employees of the Moran Group

    couldn¡¯t look away.

    ¡°This star is so popr,¡± Corbin sighed.

    Eliana was suddenly in high spirits. This was the protagonist she had been waiting for.

    She recognized at a nce that the man who had caused the uproar was her new boss, Eli.

    Eliana immediately rushed to him.

 Chapter 225

    Chapter 225

    There was nothing Maurice could do except watch as Eliana ran away from him and toward the star,

    not looking back.

    A chill started to permeate his body and his face became darker.

    Was that not the star in the park with Eliana the previous time?

    ¡°Corbin, who the hell is that guy?¡± Maurice inquired, frowning.

    Corbin said with a squint, ¡°Eli Goodwin must be his name. He hastely gained poprity as an idol.

    He¡¯s here to film the Moran Group¡¯s current season jewelrymercial.¡±

    ¡°Why is Eliana rushing to him?¡± Maurice inquired.

    Then, after a few moments of silence, Corbin replied, ¡°It was previously announced that the Moran

    Group¡¯s stylist had been turned down by Eli¡¯s agent, who said that he would bring his own stylist

    instead. I guess Eliana is the stylist they referenced.¡±

    Corbin attempted to speak with as much caution as possible so as not to irritate his boss once again.

    However, the look on Maurice¡¯s face continued to deteriorate.

    Eliana was adamant that she would not return, no matter how he tried to persuade or trick her. When

    she epted a job offer from someone else, she promptly came.

    When Maurice realized what he was doing, he sneered. ¡°Now that she has a new job, she is happy to

    come to the Moran Group.¡±

    While listening to Maurice¡¯s words, Corbin had the distinct impression that the man was speaking with

    clenched teeth. He made an effort to console his employer. ¡°It¡¯s at least good to hear that Eliana has

    Maurice couldn¡¯t say anything. He swung back to face Corbin and sent him a cold look.

    Corbin¡¯s body shook, and he quickly stopped talking.

    In his head, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect on the situation. He felt he had no choice but to put up with it

    since his employer had offered him a raise.

    Eliana, on the other hand, pursued Eli all the way to the top floor.

    After exiting the elevator, she located the room for Eli with precision. She stepped in after knocking on

    the door.

    Eli was now seated on the couch with his eyes closed. He seemed exhausted.

    When he heard the door open, he assumed that it was his assistant. Before opening his eyes, he

    commanded, ¡°Prepare coffee for me. I want to drink some for refreshment. Don¡¯t sweeten it with sugar.¡±

    Eliana was puzzled. He asked her to be a stylist, didn¡¯t he? For what reason was she supposed to

    make him coffee?

    Nobody answered Eli. He said with impatience, ¡°Go ahead. What¡¯s the holdup?¡±

    Eliana had no option but to put up with it in order to acquire the ring. Since Eli requested a cup of

    coffee, she turned around and walked to the pantry to prepare one.

    Eli opened his eyes hesitantly as he smelled the aroma of coffee.

    The moment he opened his eyes, he was met by Eliana, who was holding a cup of coffee before him.

    ¡°The hell! Why is it always you?!¡± Eli was so shocked that he almost hit the cup of coffee across the

    room. ¡°Are you always on my tail? The Moran Group is so tightly protected. How did you get into this

    ce?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback by his behavior as well. Once she had the coffee set up, she said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t

    following you. I¡¯m here to do my job, and I¡¯m here to¡­¡±

    Prior to finishing her sentence, Eli yelled, ¡°Security, get rid of her!¡± at the top of his lungs.

    Eli was skeptical of what Eliana imed. Could it be possible that such a coincidence urred?

    His agent walked in as soon as he was done speaking.

    ¡°What exactly did you say, Eli?¡±

    ¡°The timing couldn¡¯t be better, Inger. Expel thisdy from the premises,¡± Eli said while pointing to

    Eliana.

    Inger Sumner greeted Eliana cordially, ¡°You are Miss Eliana Pierce, aren¡¯t you?¡± as she noticed her

    face clearly.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°I am.¡± Eliana nodded her head in agreement.

    ¡°Inger Sumner, Eli¡¯s agent. Today, please assist us with his grooming.¡±

    Eliana shook Inger¡¯s hand as soon as she extended hers. ¡°My pleasure, Ms. Sumner. As far as my

    work goes, you can count on me to give it my all.¡±

    Eli was taken aback by their exchange.

    She was really here for a job.

    With a stern look in her eyes, Inger urged Eli, ¡°Please, Eli, be a gentleman today. Please don¡¯t cause

    any problems for me while filming themercial. Nicole endorsed Miss Pierce¡¯s services. Please

    work with her on this, okay?¡±

    In the face of the agent¡¯s stern scrutiny, Eli admitted, ¡°Of course.¡±

    Inger felt a sense of relief and went to work.

    Yet after she departed, Eli¡¯s face took on apletely different expression.

    His eyes became more ominous. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s your purpose in approaching me?¡± he asked coldly

    as he stared at Eliana.

 Chapter 226

    Chapter 226

    When Eliana heard what Eli had to say, she didn¡¯t freak out in the least.

    She stared calmly into Eli¡¯s piercing eyes, pulled out her phone, and showed him the proof she had

    uncovered recently.

    ¡°There is no justification for your deception, Eli. The dog and the ring are not yours.¡±

    This startled Eli. Nervously, he took Eliana¡¯s cell phone.

    Eliana¡¯s screen name was ¡°Love Eli Forever¡± and it was the first thing Eli saw. On top of that, Eliana

    also used Eli¡¯s photograph as her profile picture!

    He spotted Eliana¡¯sment in the chat group as he scrolled down. Her voice sounded just like one of

    his ardent admirers.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Eli held the phone and sneered, ¡°Is this your purported proof? It¡¯s nothing but an excuse toe closer

    to me, it seems.¡±

    Eli smirked contemptuously, assuming Eliana was a stalker!

    Infuriated, Eliana responded aggressively to the usation, ¡°What on earth are you referring to? Is

    there anything I¡¯m saying that you don¡¯t get?¡±

    Eliana was adamant about her denial!

    Eli nced at Eliana, suddenly rose up, and walked towards her step by step. ¡°Please, tell me whether

    you want a hug or a kiss. I will fulfill your request and allow you to show it out to other admirers.¡±

    Eventually, it became necessary for Eliana to retreat.

    Even more, Eli wrapped his arm around Eliana¡¯s waist.

    The proximity of the two individuals suggested a tight rtionship.

    Eliana wondered what Eli had in mind for her.

    A moment before she was going to stomp on Eli¡¯s foot, the door was opened.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    As Maurice stood at the entrance, he had a gloomy countenance and deep ck eyes, which startled

    everyone.

    Only after that did Eli relinquish his grip on Eliana¡¯s waist.

    ¡°What is it that you do here, Eliana?¡± Maurice gave a sneering grin.

    Eliana was stumped for a moment as to how to describe it.

    Eli took a brief nce at Maurice and pondered his next move. He quickly put on a friendly grin as he

    remembered the warning from his agent.

    ¡°Please, Mr. Moran, do not make a mistake. Miss Pierce is a fan and stylist for me. Since this is her first

    encounter with me, she is really thrilled. I was going to sign my autograph for her. Miss Pierce, am I

    correct?¡±

    Eli pretended to be friendly with Eliana by cing his arm over her shoulder. Then he turned his head

    and signaled Eliana to assist him to lie in order to get away with it from Maurice.

    Eliana was aware of Eli¡¯s expectations. Even though she was enraged, she couldn¡¯t refuse his request

    since she hadn¡¯t yet gotten the dog and the ring.

    ¡°Yes. Mr. Moran, I¡¯m Eli¡¯s admirer. We were just having a good time together.¡±

    Eliana acted as though she agreed.

    Maurice¡¯s gaze subconsciouslynded on Eli¡¯s hand resting on Eliana¡¯s shoulder. His eyes became icy.

    He wondered, ¡®How could Eliana meet a new guy as soon as she leaves my sight? Why is she so

    dismissive?¡¯

    ¡°I am uninterested in what you are thinking, Eli. But it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t think anything bad. The Moran

    Group¡¯s reputation will not be damaged if you execute your work correctly. Otherwise¡­ Everything is at

    your own perilous risk.¡±

    The sarcasm in Maurice¡¯s voice was subtle, but it was evident that he was condescending, as if he

    considered Eli a nobody.

    Maurice¡¯s attitude obviously irritated Eli who had high self-esteem.

    Eli¡¯s eyes narrowed and he made a provocative remark. ¡°I believe you have misinterpreted something,

    Mr. Moran. I, too, am entitled to make a decision. If I don¡¯t want to work for the Moran Group, you can

    do nothing. You can¡¯t threaten me, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Eli was courageous and provoked Maurice, who was standing at the entrance with a nk look.

    Palpable tension pervaded the air as the two guys stared at each other. It was conceivable that they

    would actually fight at any moment.

 Chapter 227

    Chapter 227

    The tense atmosphere was getting more unbearable by the second. The mounting suspense and

    drama made Eliana feel depressed.

    She knew she had to do something to get out of this mess this instant, or there would be severe

    consequences.

    ¡°Enough of this nonsense, Eli. Let go of me.¡±

    Eliana broke free from Eli¡¯s arms and distanced herself from the men¡¯s heated confrontation.

    Her actions worked like a charm, suddenly extinguishing the anger in Maurice¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Go on about your business.¡±

    As soon as he finished his words, Maurice turned around and left the room.

    It seemed the impending crisis was finally averted.

    Now that she was free from Maurice¡¯s icy stare, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡®Well, what do we have here? It seems this woman has a deep rtionship with the CEO of the Moran

    Group. How interesting!¡¯

    With this realization in mind, Eli looked at Eliana with a mischievous grin and said, ¡°I see you¡¯ve been

    busy entertaining a lot of men recently.¡±

    Eliana ignored Eli¡¯s remark, and her determined expression remained unchanged. She just wanted to

    get Preston¡¯s ring back.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. You have something that belongs to me. Give it back.¡±

    ¡°As I said earlier, as long as you can prove that the ring is yours, I will happily return it to you,¡± Eli

    replied with a sneer.

    Faced with this predicament, Eliana was speechless. She had no way to prove that the ring was hers.

    In the first ce, the ring¡¯s rightful owner was Preston.

    Just when the situation felt hopeless, an idea suddenly came to her mind.

    ¡°Eli, do you still remember the man who bore a striking resemnce to you?¡±

    ¡°You mean Preston?¡± Eli never forgot that man. He furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity. ¡°What about

    him?¡±

    ¡°The ring is actually his. If you still refuse to believe me, I can ask him to confront you.¡±

    Without waiting for a reply, Eliana pulled out her phone and immediately dialed Preston¡¯s number.

    On the other side of the building, Maurice received a call from Eliana that was intended for Preston. He

    narrowed his eyes as he stepped out of the elevator.

    While spending time with another man, she even had the gall to call Preston. What did Eliana take him

    for? Was he simply a toy she would y with whenever she desired hispany?

    Suppressing his anger, Maurice took a long look at his phone but didn¡¯t answer it.

    ¡°Sorry, the subscriber cannot be reached for the time being. Please try againter.¡±

    Eliana called several times, but Preston never answered.

    Why did the enigmatic gigolo fail to be there for her when she needed him the most? If she couldn¡¯t

    reim the ring for him, he deserved it.

    With flushed cheeks, Eliana put her phone down, feeling embarrassed.

    ¡°All you¡¯ve proven to me so far is that you¡¯re a fraud.¡±

    Eli shook his head and sneered. He was sure that Eliana was making up the whole story.

    Keeping such a deceitful woman by his side would only spell disaster. There was no ce for her in his

    life.

    Staring at Eliana with contemptuous eyes, Eli pointed to the door. ¡°Will you leave by yourself, or shall I

    ask Inger to fire you? No sane artist would allow a crazed stalker to be their stylist.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

    She was hired by his team in great confidence. Why should she quit her job just because of Eli?

    ¡°I can quit, but then you have to pay a penalty. Even if you get me fired, you still have to pay me,¡±

    Eliana said lightly.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Eli snorted in disdain. Did he look like some fool who would spend money

    for the benefit of this crazy woman?

    ¡°Well, it says so ording to the contract.¡±

    Unbeknownst to Eli, Eliana had arranged a backup n before signing the agreement.

    This was a lesson she had learned the hard way after being tricked by Maurice several times.

    ¡°This is outrageous! How could I not have seen thising? It seems I underestimated you.¡±

    Eli gritted his teeth in frustration. There was nothing he could do to dismiss her.

    Only one option remained. He had to figure out a way to make Eliana quit on her own.

    ¡°Then you can stay. Let¡¯s see how many days of hardship you can endure. I¡¯m looking forward to the

    day you finally choose to leave,¡± Eli said spitefully and turned his back on her.

    ¡®The tables have finally turned. This arrogant man can¡¯t seem to ept that I outsmarted him with the

    contract.¡¯ Eliana smiled to herself.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Not only did she want to take the ring back, but she also needed to get paid for her services.

    This time, she must stay. If she missed this opportunity, it would be nearly impossible for her to get

    close to Eli again.

    Later on, Eliana devoted herself to her work. She selected several outfits that she thought were a good

    match and drew sketches for Eli to see.

    Eli reluctantly took the sketches from her and looked at each drawing with a bored face. After a few

    seconds, he scoffed and aired his disapproval.

    ¡°These clothes won¡¯t do. They are out of date. I want newer ones. Give me something modern and

    refreshing.¡±

    His assistant nodded and replied immediately, ¡°Understood, sir. I¡¯ll be back with thetest jewelry

    collection and clothing line sponsored by the Moran Group. It will only take a short while.¡±

    ¡°Hold on a second.¡±

    Eli stopped his assistant and turned to look at Eliana with a coy smile. ¡°You go get it. After all, you are

    my official stylist. You must know about fashion more than anyone in this room.¡±

    The smile on Eli¡¯s face seemed to have been perfected from plenty of practice in front of the mirror.

    Even the arc at the corner of his mouth was just right and visually appealing, making people feel so

    comfortable in his presence that they could not help but indulge themselves in his signature smile.

    During this time, not a single person could possibly refuse him no matter what kind of request he made.

    While everyone was immersed in Eli¡¯s breathtaking smile, Eliana only felt a chill run down her spine.

    ¡®Wasn¡¯t this the smile of a devil?¡¯

    Eliana suddenly realized just how much she missed Preston.

 Chapter 228

    Chapter 228

    At Eli¡¯smand, Eliana went up and down the long flight of stairs to fetch and move things several

    times. She was on the verge of copsing due to exhaustion. But no matter what she did or how hard

    she tried, Eli was still dissatisfied with her work. Staying true to his word, the devilishly handsome man

    was adamant about making Eliana¡¯s life a living hell.

    What made matters worse was that Eliana couldn¡¯t fight back. Once she showed any hint of

    unwillingness, Eli would pretend to be confused and ask her, ¡°I thought you¡¯re my stylist? Why don¡¯t

    you bring me more clothes ande up with better ideas?¡±

    Then everyone looked at her with reproachful eyes as if she had justmitted an unforgivable

    mistake.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    In this industry, such a beautiful face was perhaps the deadliest weapon of all. Every single person was

    on the side of Eli.

    Eliana had no choice but to keep silent and do as she was told.

    When she was summoned by Eli once again, Maurice happened to take notice after apany

    meeting.

    ¡°Look at that girl. She works hard all day. It¡¯s such a shame for a beautiful girl like her to be subjected

    to too much stress.¡± Corbin couldn¡¯t help but shake his head.

    Across the desk, Maurice frowned and felt annoyed. He turned to Corbin and said in a low voice, ¡°No

    outsider has the right to make employees of the Moran Group suffer. I will not tolerate this form of

    bullying. Something must be done quickly.¡±

    In his mind, Maurice¡¯s people could only be bullied by himself.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, boss. I¡¯ll arrange for some people to help her right away,¡± Corbin replied obediently,

    understanding what his boss meant.

    Eliana remained clueless about this recent development. At this time, she was carrying a pile of clothes

    in her arms and struggled to climb the stairs.

    While she waited for the elevator a few minutes ago, several maintenance workers showed up and

    informed her that the elevator was under maintenance. Eli instructed her to head upstairs, so she had

    no choice but to take the stairway.

    Before she reached halfway, she was already exhausted. It was a tiring ordeal, and she desperately

    wanted to rest. To her utter surprise, several assistants of the Moran Group appeared out of nowhere

    and enthusiastically offered to help her carry the clothes.

    Without her saying a word, the eager assistants soon finished all her work.

    Eliana was in shock. ¡®Was everyone so happy to go out of their way to help others?¡¯

    These assistants didn¡¯t speak at all. They just helped Eliana carry the things to the top floor and then

    left silently.

    They didn¡¯t even bother to tell her their names. Eliana opened her mouth to speak, but the assistants

    were gone before she could even thank them.

    ¡°Eliana, how is everything going? Is Eli ready? Our boss is asking for an update.¡±

    Corbin walked up to Eliana¡¯s side to check on the progress.

    ¡°I think so. Let me ask him.¡±

    Eliana picked up the clothes from her desk, intending to show them to Eli.

    ¡°I see. Let¡¯s go there together then,¡± Corbin suggested with a faint smile.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    While the two of them were on the way to Eli¡¯s office, Corbin suddenly turned his head to his

    companion and said, ¡°Eliana, I didn¡¯t hit Hodge. It wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    At first, Eliana looked at him in confusion. Then she slowly realized that Corbin was talking about

    Hodge¡¯s tragic car ident.

    ¡°I already knew that. I¡¯ve watched the news. Another car had hit Hodge and escaped. We just had a

    misunderstanding.¡±

    Once reports of the incident aired on national television, Eliana already knew that she had made a

    wrongful usation against Maurice.

    However, the circumstances remained shrouded in mystery.

    Mere seconds before Hodge drifted unconscious, he tried to mention the real culprit¡¯s name, but he

    failed. As a result, Eliana still questioned Maurice¡¯s innocence.

    The pair kept silent for the rest of the way and finally arrived at Eli¡¯s dressing room.

    With an exhausted sigh, Eliana handed the heavy pile of clothes to Eli. Thetter only took a few

    nces at them and began to criticize her choices once again.

    ¡°Is there something wrong with your eyes? These outfits are horrible. Go and get some new ones.

    You¡¯d better get it right this time.¡±

    With her patience running out, Eliana couldn¡¯t take this abuse any longer.

    ¡°My goodness, Eli! I¡¯ve had enough of your unreasonable behavior! You¡¯re never satisfied with anything

    that I bring you. What the hell do you want?¡±

    Eli¡¯s face darkened at once. His jaw tightened, and his hands curled into tight fists. ¡°Since you are my

    official stylist, you should be responsible for my image. Your defiant attitude now makes me doubt your

    professional ability.¡±

    ¡°Eli, if you want to force me to resign, just say it. You don¡¯t have to beat around the bush and question

    my ability,¡± Eliana retorted.

    The two rivals were at a standoff, and the people around didn¡¯t dare interfere.

    During the heated moment, Corbin stepped forward and asked, ¡°Mr. Goodwin, how long will it take for

    you to finish the styling of your wardrobe?¡±

    ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s not my problem. It¡¯s just that my stylist can¡¯t do it. Herck of good taste is ruining

    my brand. I can do nothing with the clothes she chooses for me.¡± Eli shrugged helplessly.

    ¡°I see.¡± Taking theint into consideration, Corbin nced at Eliana and turned to Eli. ¡°Mr. Moran

    said that if these clothes still can¡¯t work, we can change the person.¡±

    With a triumphant look on his face, Eli nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Eliana, did you hear that? Time to pack

    your bags.¡±

    Corbin cleared his throat and pointed a finger at Eli. ¡°Mr. Moran said that he would rece you, Mr.

    Goodwin.¡±

    All of a sudden, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room. Eli¡¯s wide grin instantly disappeared

    as he struggled to speak. Not a single person dared to make a sound. Everyone waited for Eli to say

    something, bracing themselves for the disaster that was toe.

 Chapter 229

    Chapter 229

    ¡°Rece me?¡± Eli couldn¡¯t believe his ears.

    The Moran Group wanted to rece a celebrity spokesperson for the sake of a stylist.

    Mr. Moran must be crazy. Without Eli, who would shoot the advertisement?

    ¡°You didn¡¯t mishear, Mr. Godwin,¡± Corbin said, as if he could read Eli¡¯s mind. ¡°You are going to be

    reced. There¡¯s no need to worry. We¡¯ll soon have someone to take your ce. The Moran Group is

    never without a spokesperson.¡±

    Inger sensed that things were about to get out of control and stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Jenkins, why are

    you saying this? Eli has always been dedicated and cooperative.¡±

    She turned and red at Eli. ¡°Eli, don¡¯t be childish,¡± she said sternly. ¡°Let Miss Pierce do your styling so

    we can start shooting.¡±

    Eli couldn¡¯t disobey his agent. He had no choice but to suppress his anger and let Eliana do his styling.

    Once everyone was busy with the shooting of the advertisement, Inger smiled and asked, ¡°Mr. Jenkins,

    is this alright?¡±

    Corbin nodded with satisfaction.

    Within half an hour, all of Eli¡¯s styling was finished.

    Eliana¡¯s aesthetic taste was impable. Even Eli¡¯s long face could not negate the charm Eliana¡¯s

    styling gave him.

    When everything was ready, Eli began to shoot the advertisement.

    Eliana walked over to Corbin to give him her thanks, but he shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m never the one who truly deserves your thanks,¡± he said. ¡°Eliana, can¡¯t you see who is really aiding

    you from behind the scenes?¡±

    Corbin had never seen Maurice pay so much attention to any woman in all of his many years of

    working for him. And yet, Eliana ignored his affectionpletely.

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana fell silent.

    She knew that Maurice was pulling strings to help her, but she didn¡¯t understand Maurice himself.

    He was a mystery, a window with dark ss. She could not understand him and thus she chose to stay

    away from him.

    ¡°Corbin, what kind of person do you think Maurice is?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you an objective evaluation. I can only tell you to trust your intuition. What do you think of

    Mr. Moran, Eliana?¡±

    Love was subjective. Corbin couldn¡¯t speak for Eliana.

    Eliana¡¯s mind was chaotic. Her instinct was to avoid the subject.

    ¡°Corbin, if you are here to persuade me, you don¡¯t have to do that. I¡¯m living a good life now. And ask

    those assistants to do what they should do. I will handle my work well.¡±

    With a sigh, Corbin turned around and left.

    It seemed that his boss still had a long way to go before he could win Eliana¡¯s heart.

    The day¡¯s work was finally done. Eliana helped the other staff clean up. She put Eli¡¯s outfit away

    carefully.

    Then her eyesnded on something: the ring she had been looking for, which was lying beside Inger¡¯s

    hand.

    At that moment, Inger got a phone call and walked out of the lounge to answer it.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t take her eyes off of the ring.

    No one was around. This was her chance to take the ring.

    The ring belonged to Preston anyway. She just wanted to return it to its owner.

    Having justified this to herself, Eliana walked over to the ring.

    The simple and luxurious ruby ring reflected a beautiful luster in the light. It seemed to be begging

    Eliana to take it.

    Eliana swallowed and reached out.

    Suddenly, someone¡¯s hand closed tightly around her own.

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    Chapter 230

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The hand and voice belonged to Eli.

    Eliana was so frightened that she withdrew her hand immediately and took two steps back.

    ¡°It seems that my new stylist is not just a fan, but a thief as well!¡±

    Eli red at Eliana. If he hadn¡¯t gone back to the lounge to rest halfway through the shoot, his treasure

    would have been stolen by this hateful woman!

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say to defend herself.

    Inger returned to the lounge, having finished her phone call.

    She opened the door to find a furious Eli and an embarrassed Eliana.

    Eli looked grim as he demanded, ¡°Inger, didn¡¯t I tell you to keep an eye on my ring? Just now, this

    woman almost stole it.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to steal it!¡±

    ¡°I saw you!¡± Eli shouted, and gritted his teeth.

    ¡°I really wasn¡¯t¡­¡± Eliana wanted to exin, but she couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°How dare you keep trying to defend yourself? What a liar you are!¡± Eli roared.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Inger¡¯s face darkened. She rubbed her temples. ¡°Eli, you go back to the shoot first. I¡¯ll handle

    this.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Go back!¡±

    Gritting his teeth, Eli red at Eliana and mmed the door behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Pierce.¡±

    Inger sighed. ¡°Eli has a vtile temper. When he was a trainee, the others ignored and bullied him. He

    didn¡¯t have any friends,¡± she exined patiently. ¡°A few months ago, he came across Lucky and then

    got this ring. It was then that his auditions started to be sessful. He treats the ring as a treasure that

    no one else can touch.¡±

    So that was the story¡­

    Eliana¡¯s spirits sank. If Eli treasured the ring so much, it would be even more difficult to take it back.

    Meanwhile, in the CEO¡¯s office¡­

    ¡°How is she?¡± Maurice raised his head from a pile of documents.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ asked those assistants to go back. She said¡­¡± Corbin paused.

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    ¡°She said¡­ she wanted those assistants to do what they were supposed to do. She would handle her

    work well.¡±

    Determined, Corbin rted Eliana¡¯s words to Maurice.

    Maurice¡¯s grip on the paper in his hand tightened. He lowered his eyes and put on an indifferent

    expression.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want them to stay, then respect her wishes.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Corbin lowered his head. He left the office and sighed.

    He was worried about the rtionship between Maurice and Eliana. Still, he had to remember that it

    was not his business!

    That evening, Eli had finally finished the first of three days of shooting for the advertisement.

    The thought of having to be around Eliana for two more days made him irritable.

    Eli¡¯s assistant came over to help him take off the precious diamond bracelet around his wrist.

    ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Eli pulled his wrist away rudely.

    ¡°Be careful. This bracelet is fragile. The Moran Group specially told us to be gentle with it.¡±

    The assistant¡¯s heart skipped a beat as he saw Eli behaved so roughly.

    The bracelet was fragile¡­

    Looking at the bracelet in his hand, Eli suddenly came up with a brilliant idea.

    He withdrew his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take if off myself,¡± he said to the assistant. ¡°You can go do something else.¡±

    The assistant had no choice but to agree. ¡°Be careful,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but remind Eli again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Eli waved his hand to drive his assistant away, like he was swatting at an annoying fly.

    He took off the bracelet, put it in his pocket, and rubbed it violently for a while.

    When he took it out again, there were obvious cracks on the bracelet.

    With the nearly-broken bracelet in hand, Eli walked up to Eliana.

    She was beside the swimming pool where the advertisement had been shot, carefully packing up the

    precious jewelry the Moran Group had provided.

    ¡°Eliana, you forgot the diamond bracelet I wore. Here you are.¡±

    Eli smiled brightly and held out the bracelet to Eliana.

    What was going through his head?

    Eliana gave Eli a confused look.

    She looked at the bracelet in his hand. She didn¡¯t notice anything wrong with it.

    Had Eli really changed his attitude?

    Eliana stretched out her hand.

    Suddenly, Eli¡¯s hand shook and the bracelet fell into the swimming pool.

    Crystal clear diamonds scattered in the water.

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    Chapter 231

    Everyone there was taken aback at the time.

    ¡°What exactly happened? Why did the bracelet of diamonds fall into the water?¡± Inger raced over with

    urgency.

    ¡°It seemed like Miss Pierce was in a bad mood at the moment. Initially, I was going to assist her to put

    the bracelet away and apologize to her, but she was so excited that she identally dropped it into the

    swimming pool.¡±

    The corners of Eli¡¯s eyes drooped slightly as he smiled with a sour grin. He behaved in a victimized and

    naive manner.

    Everybody began to feel sorry for him. They were of the opinion that Eli had done nothing wrong.

    They then swiveled around to face Eliana with reproachful looks.

    Eli had surprised Eliana byining first!

    ¡°You¡¯re making things up. The bracelet was not an ident; you dropped it into the water on purpose,¡±

    she shot back with a response that was as quick as lightning.

    Unfortunately, no one was willing to put their faith in her.

    ¡°Our faith in you hasn¡¯t wavered, Eli. You¡¯re not to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she had to have nned it.¡±

    Eliana was the target of everyone¡¯s wrath.

    Eliana¡¯s body trembled as she vented her rage at Eli.

    Because everyone was upied just now, Eliana had no proof to support her im of innocence.

    Inger also had faith in Eli. She remarked with a sneer, ¡°Regardless of what you intend to do, Miss

    Pierce, this bracelet is sponsored by the Moran Group, and we must return it. I ampelled to seek

    restitution from you.¡±

    Again, Eliana was requested to makepensation.

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t rpense you?¡± she said in a chilly tone.

    It was safe to say that Inger wasn¡¯t a slouch. ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m afraid that isn¡¯t up to you,¡± she told her

    straight out.

    Eli acted as if he were a decent guy and replied, ¡°You now have a second option, Miss Pierce. The

    diamonds are in the pool. If you hurry, you can still catch them. In spite of this¡­¡±

    ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll have to put in the effort. This is your own fault and you deserve to be punished. You¡¯ll have

    no one to turn to,¡± Eli stated a little more slowly.

    He was hell-bent on humiliating Eliana.

    As Eliana lowered her head, she took a look at the swimming pool, which was enormous. It was

    bingte. While the scene was illuminated, it remained dark beneath the water. Finding all the

    diamonds on her own was impossible.

    Eli kept on teasing her, ¡°What? You¡¯d rather not? You may quit or request assistance from Mr. Moran.¡±

    Eliana smirked, knowing that Eli had attempted to repel her.

    Eli couldn¡¯t have what he wanted from her.

    Eliana did not consider seeking Maurice for support.

    ¡°Only searching for diamonds? Piece of cake! I¡¯m certain that I¡¯m capable of doing this task on my own.

    There is no need to be so snarky about this.¡±

    She plunged into the pool without hesitation.

    The water in the swimming pool was icy. Eliana plummeted to the bottom of the pool. It was dark and

    she had to fumble for the diamonds in the murky water. She was able to locate one before her oxygen

    was depleted.

    ¡°Got one!¡±

    Eliana ascended to the surface, set aside the diamond she had found, and then submerged once

    again. One by one, the gems were discovered throughout time.

    Eli was taken aback by what he saw.

    Eliana¡¯s stubbornness drove him crazy!

    However, Eli had a presumption that Eliana was going to quit on her own or that she was going to give

    up as soon as she picked some of them. Then, he would have every justification for kicking her out of

    his team for good.

    No one prepared him for how determined Eliana would be to get the jewels.

    Eliana repeatedly dove gently into the water and surfaced awkwardly. Eli felt sorry for her as he gazed

    at her.

    In the end, he had no choice but to ept the situation as it was.

    One diamond at a time, Eliana¡¯s physical power was being depleted as she searched for them.

    When she jumped back into the water, she felt a tightness in her thigh!

    Suddenly, Eliana couldn¡¯t move one inch. Her throat suddenly tightened as the water in the pool

    choked her. She¡¯d taken a big breath unconsciously. The water was pouring into her trachea, and she

    was beginning to suffocate.

    She wanted to scream for aid, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it.

    Eliana struggled and sshed water as she fought for her life beneath the pool.

    Eli sensed instantly that something was amiss with Eliana. He yelled, ¡°Oh no, she¡¯s drowning!¡±

    No one wanted to jump to Eliana¡¯s rescue as the panic broke out.

    ¡°Help!¡± Eli yelled at the top of his lungs.

    He couldn¡¯t do anything except watch from the sidelines, since he had no idea how to swim.

    In thest seconds, before Eliana was ready to go under, a guy dashed over and dove into the pool.

    Eliana had exhausted her strength.

    Her field of view was clouded. She sunk to the bottom of the water after giving up her fight.

    Was her demise imminent?

    Moments before she lost consciousness, she dimly saw a person swimming toward her.

    Who was this man?

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    Chapter 232

    ¡°Eliana, Eliana¡­¡±

    Drowning, Eliana heard someone frantically calling out to her. She struggled to open her eyes. But her

    eyelids weighed such heaviness that she couldn¡¯t part them open.

    Suddenly, a pair ofrge hands pressed against her chest and squeezed hard. Something which felt

    cold and soft stuck to her lips, forcing air into her mouth.

    ¡°Ahem, ahem, ahem¡­¡±

    Eliana finally spurted out the water stuck in her lungs. She had a violent fit of cough, as though she was

    going to cough her lungs out. Her nasal passage burned in pains.

    After coughing for nearly a minute, Eliana finally stopped.

    ¡°Eliana, are you alright?¡±

    A pair ofrge hands helped her sit up and gently patted her back.

    In a struggle, Eliana¡¯s eyes fluttered open and before her was a face as handsome as a god.

    ¡°M¡­ Maurice.¡±

    It was Maurice who had saved her

    With difficulty, Eliana called out his name, her nose feeling sore. One more look at him, she suddenly

    felt all kinds feelings surged up in her heart.

    She could have sworn that she wouldn¡¯t survive this time.

    The moment she saw Maurice, she realized that she survived. The urge to cry came heavy on her, like

    a bullied child who could no longer bear the grievance upon seeing their parents.

    ¡°Say nothing. I¡¯ll take you away.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s gaze was gentle and firm as he reached out and wrapped his arms around Eliana¡¯s waist

    and legs. He lifted her up and turned away as the crowd stared in amazement.

    It was only after a long time that the crowd came out of their reverie.

    ¡°Phew! That was scary. Thankfully, nothing happened,¡± Inger said in relief.

    The scene was in chaos after Eliana drowned. However, just when she thought something bad was

    going to happen, the CEO of the Moran Group suddenly rushed over and dived into the water without

    hesitation to save Eliana.

    Maurice¡¯s defiance to personally go into the water to save her, regardless of his own safety, made Inger

    guess that the rtionship between him and Eliana might be¡­ perhaps, not just an ordinary one.

    Inger suddenly regretted the harsh words he had just hurled at Eliana. If Eliana held any grudge

    against them and reported to Mr. Moran, Eli would suffer for it.

    With this in mind, Inger subconsciously turned to look at Eli.

    Since Maurice took Eliana away, Eli had been standing quietly by the pool, staring at nothing in

    particr.

    He squatted down to pick up the diamonds that Eliana had worked so hard to find, and without realizing

    it, nced at the few sketches on the floor.

    It must have fallen off during the chaos.

    Eli picked up each of the sketches. On the drafts were men¡¯s clothes of different styles, together with

    the matching jewelry.

    The lines were simple, but it was quite clear that the drawer had taken her time.

    Did Eliana draw all these?

    Eli¡¯s heart sank as he looked at the sketches. He had been making things hard for Eliana the whole

    day, yet she still helped him with styling intently.

    If she was really a stalking fan, was it necessary for her to do these? Eli was suddenly a bit unsure.

    Quietly, he put away the sketches that were soaked with water. His heart was clouded with mixed

    feelings.

    Maybe he was wrong from the start.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°Achoo!¡±

    Wrapped in a bath towel, Eliana shivered seriously, her teeth chattering against each other. She kept

    on sneezing.

    After Maurice carried her, he took her to his office.

    ¡°Hurry up, get out of your wet clothes and go take a shower,¡± Maurice urged as he took a set of

    women¡¯s clothes out of nowhere and ced them on the sofa.

    Eliana wrapped herself tightly with the bath towel. ¡°No, thanks. I just want to go home now.¡±

    How could she go home in this state?

    Maurice frowned, looked at the disheveled Eliana and threatened, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to take a shower

    yourself, I¡¯ll do it for you.¡±

    He reached out his hands, feigning a move to take off the bath towel.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll go, okay?¡± Eliana surrendered.

    Eliana rushed into the bathroom, her face flushing red.

    The warm water flowed from the nozzle, caressing off the coldness and tiredness all over her body.

    She couldn¡¯t help but let out a small moan.

    Eliana felt relieved after taking the shower, but when she was about to get dressed, she was

    dumbfounded. Her mouth slightly parted in confusion.

    She was such a fool to have forgotten to bring the clean clothes into the bathroom.

    And she wasn¡¯t with her phone.

    Now there was only Maurice outside. Eliana only had one option if she didn¡¯t want to go out naked¡­

    Ask Maurice to give her the clothes.

    ¡®God, help me!¡¯

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    Chapter 233

    In the meanwhile, Eliana was in the shower and Maurice was out doing business.

    Eliana hadn¡¯te out of the bathroom for a long time, despite the fact that the water had stopped

    running.

    The door to the bathroom caught Maurice¡¯s attention. Did anything happen again to Eliana?

    Standing up, he was going to have a look. As soon as he got close enough, he noticed the clothes he

    had prepared for her on the sofa.

    Eliana was afraid toe out because she had left her clothes on the sofa.

    Maurice was both powerless and amused.

    He made his way to the bathroom and knocked on the door. ¡°What¡¯s keeping you there, Eliana? Is

    there anything I can do for you?¡±

    Eliana was surprised by the unexpected knock at the door while she was in there. She said

    unyieldingly, ¡°No.¡±

    Thatdy was stubborn!

    Maurice grinned. ¡°Honestly? Then exit immediately. What¡¯s with all the time you¡¯re spending in my

    bathroom?¡±

    While awkwardly d in a bath towel, Eliana was at a loss.

    Her phone rang at that exact moment.

    Maurice went and took Eliana¡¯s phone. ¡°Babe¡± was the name of the caller.

    When did Eliana meet a new man?

    Who was this person?

    Jealousy consumed Maurice¡¯s thoughts.

    When Eliana was in the bathroom, she heard her phone ringing as well, which made her nervous.

    The kids may have found that she hadn¡¯t arrived home yet and phoned her.

    Immediately, Eliana said, ¡°Maurice, assist me in bringing my clothing and cellphone.¡±

    Eliana was bursting to answer the phone, and Maurice noticed it.

    His pupils dted. ¡°You can only pick one of them,¡± he said coldly.

    The rage in Eliana was so palpable that she opened the door just a crack, wanting to let out a scream

    at Maurice.

    She opened the door to find Maurice standing there. She mmed the door closed.

    ¡°I¡¯m having a shower right now. What¡¯s the point of you standing there? What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s wrath and shame caused her to lose her cool.

    ¡°Who¡¯s babe?¡± Maurice¡¯s temper had erupted at this point.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t make out what he was saying.

    Maurice increased his volume, saying, ¡°Your babe has phoned you. What is his name?¡±

    This time, Eliana heard him well and knew her children had called her. She waspletely bewildered

    at this point.

    Silence reigned in the bathroom. Maurice gave a sneering re.

    Since Eliana didn¡¯t tell him, he determined to answer for himself.

    Maurice answered the telephone with resolution.

    ¡°Hello, Mommy, Where are you now? Why are you still not at home?¡±

    A little child¡¯s voice could be heard on the other end.

    He was perplexed, to say the least. It was not clear to him why the youngster referred to Eliana as

    Mommy.

    The bathroom suddenly erupted in a scream.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Eliana had just heard Adrian¡¯s voice. She was in such a state of panic that shepletely forgot she

    was in the bathroom. She wanted to run, but she tripped while attempting to do so.

    On impact, Eliana mmed onto the tiled floor hard.

    It was a painful fall!

    Eliana was dizzy from the fall. She was unable to rise to her feet as shey on the floor, and her bath

    towel slipped down.

    In response to Eliana¡¯s screams, Maurice burst into the bathroom without bothering about the phone

    call. He didn¡¯t give a damn who the kid was on the other end of the line.

    ¡°Eliana, are you alright? Were you hurt?¡±

    Maurice saw her on the floor. Naked and voluptuous, Eliana¡¯s body made her attractive. She had taken

    a bath. The heat had turned her skin bright pink.

    There was a tightness in Maurice¡¯s throat. He sank to his knees and reached out to lift Eliana.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about looking at me!¡±

    Eliana flushed and put out her hand to block Maurice¡¯s view.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing new.¡± Maurice giggled as he teased her.

    ¡°Take your eyes off me!¡±

    Eliana used both hands to block Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    After the taunting jabs, Maurice finally responded, ¡°Put your hands down first, please. I won¡¯t open my

    eyes.¡±

    ¡°Deal?¡±

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    Eliana gradually withdrew her hands and saw that Maurice¡¯s eyes were closed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me till I¡¯m clothed,¡± she said.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Maurice extended his hand. This time, Eliana didn¡¯t say no.

    As he closed his eyes, Maurice was able to feel the softness and suppleness of her skin in his hand.

    Eliana¡¯s enticing figure appeared in his thoughts.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Eliana exited the washroom with the help of Maurice. She took the clothing off the sofa and changed

    swiftly. When she looked back, she found Maurice standing with his eyes closed behind her.

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    Chapter 234

    This was strange. Why was Maurice being so cooperative?

    Was he stealing nces at her?

    Eliana was skeptical. She walked over to Maurice and waved her hand in front of his face. In an instant,

    his hand caught hers.

    ¡°What¡¯s this? You¡¯re bold again after getting dressed?¡±

    A hint of yfulness was in Maurice¡¯s voice. He grasped Eliana¡¯s hand and slowly approached her until

    her back hit the bookshelf.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s looming figure made Eliana feel a little shy and uneasy.

    Maurice lowered his eyes and moved even closer to her. She could feel his warm breath as his

    beautiful lips almost pressed against her ear.

    ¡°I have to tell you that your clothes¡­¡±

    Eliana became stiff and her eyes flickered back and forth in a panic. She felt like a small songbird

    cornered by a huge beast.

    ¡°I just remembered that I forgot to turn off the gas at my house. I have to go. As for the clothes¡­ I¡¯ll

    wash them and return them to youter.¡±

    Eliana pushed Maurice out of her way, grabbed her things, and rushed out of the room.

    Maurice paused. He was unsure if he shouldugh or cry.

    He was not a monster who wanted to eat her whole.

    He had only wanted to tell her that she was wearing the clothes inside out.

    When Eliana pulled the door open, she bumped into Corbin.

    ¡°Who is it? Maybe you should watch where you¡¯re going, eh, Eliana?¡±

    Corbin was surprised to see Eliana. He wondered why she was here, and why she was so flustered.

    Eliana didn¡¯t even raise her head.

    She passed Corbin wordlessly and hurried away like she was being chased.

    ¡°That was strange,¡± Corbin said as he walked into the office. ¡°What happened? She looked like she

    saw a ghost.¡±

    He raised his head and saw Maurice.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t see a ghost. She saw me.¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and gave Corbin a cold nce.

    Corbin shut up immediately.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯re here, I have a task for you.¡± Maurice¡¯s face was expressionless, but his ck eyes

    shone with a cold light. ¡°Teach that man, Eli Goodwin, a lesson.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart ached when he remembered pulling Eliana¡¯s deathly cold body from the pool.

    Eli would pay for hurting her.

    Corbin shivered. Maurice¡¯s words seemed to have chilled the room by several degrees.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    He wondered what Eli did to earn Maurice¡¯s ire. Eli was going to get himself banned.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do it right away.¡±

    Corbin was an efficient worker.

    Within two hours, Inger received the news that all of Eli¡¯s business cooperation projects had been

    canceled. Word spread around the inte that he had forced a female stylist to get into the pool to

    fetch the diamonds because he was too haughty to do so himself.

    Public opinion turned against the formerly-popr star in an instant.

    There had to be someone manipting the public¡¯s opinion. Who was it?

    Was it Eliana? Had she spread the unttering news because of Eli¡¯s poor treatment of her? Or was it

    Maurice, the CEO of the Moran Group? Did he seek revenge on Eliana¡¯s behalf?

    Inger now regretted hiring Eliana as Eli¡¯s stylist.

    She found Eli and tried to reason with him. ¡°Eli, you have to listen. Be kind to Eliana tomorrow. Find a

    way to make peace with her. Then this will all be over.¡±

    Eli looked at the sketches he held, which were drawn by Eliana.

    Something had changed in his heart. He couldn¡¯t understand why he felt irritated when he remembered

    Maurice taking Eliana away.

    ¡°Inger, do you think that Eliana is Maurice¡¯s lover?¡± Eli asked abruptly.

    Inger had also been confused by the scene at the pool. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never heard of Maurice

    having a lover.¡±

    Eli looked down at the sketches and murmured, ¡°Then what¡¯s going on between them?¡±

    Why did Eli suddenly care about their rtionship so much?

    Inger realized what she thought was going on. She gave Eli a firm look. ¡°Eli, as your agent, I have to

    remind you that falling in love with anyone at this critical point of your career would be disastrous. You

    must not have feelings for Eliana. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Inger, don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s not my intention.¡± Eliughed. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. It would be an interesting

    piece of gossip if an insignificant stylist and the CEO of the Moran Group were lovers.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do, then?¡± Inger breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find out if they are lovers or not.¡±

    He had to understand what kind of person that woman was.

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235

    This time, returning to the Moran Group didn¡¯t bring Eliana joy. She had been through many struggles

    and even almost lost her life.

    It was like the ce was plotting against her.

    She got home veryte and threw herself on the sofa, exhausted.

    Nana had heard the door open and she came over with the twins. She found Eliana lying on the sofa in

    new clothes, which were inside out.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong? Why did you change your clothes? And why are your clothes inside out?¡±

    Inside out? Were they really?

    Eliana immediately jumped up and looked down at her clothes.

    Sure enough, Nana was right.

    She was embarrassed. Apparently, earlier in his office, Maurice was just trying to tell her that her

    clothes were inside out.

    Eliana felt so humiliated.

    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Aileen asked worriedly as she ran to Eliana.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired from work.¡±

    Eliana picked Aileen up and took a few deep breaths.

    ¡°Mommy, who is the man that answered your phone today?¡± Adrian asked abruptly.

    Eliana¡¯s hands froze.

    ¡°When Adrian called you, a man answered the phone. Who is he, Mommy?¡± Aileen raised her head

    and looked up at Eliana.

    ¡°What? Eliana, do you have a new man? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Tell me everything!¡± Nana eximed.

    Three pairs ofrge eyes burned holes into Eliana.

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten it wrong. That was just one of my colleagues,¡± Eliana exined.

    ¡°Which colleague? Do I know him?¡± Nana gave Eliana a piercing and curious look that pulled the truth

    out of her.

    ¡°Mommy, was it really just a colleague?¡±

    Adrian frowned. He obviously didn¡¯t believe it.

    Eliana had no choice. She winked at Nana and silently mouthed, ¡°Maurice.¡±

    Damn it! It was him.

    Nana immediately caught Eliana¡¯s meaning. She suddenly shifted her position to be on Eliana¡¯s side.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian, since your mommy said it was just a colleague, he must be just a colleague.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Aileen recalled the phone call. ¡°The voice I heard sounded like the voice of Ss¡¯ uncle.¡±

    Ss¡¯ uncle? Corbin?

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    How could Corbin¡¯s voice sound like Maurice¡¯s?

    ¡°Dear, you must have misheard. They are not alike at all,¡± Nana said.

    ¡°Yes, they are.¡± Adrian nodded in agreement.

    Nana grew suspicious. It was impossible that both children had misheard.

    She wanted to get the details from them.

    ¡°Nana,e here and have a look!¡±

    Eliana had turned on her cell phone and been greeted by a ton of notifications from news sites and

    social media.

    The Inte was in an uproar. ¡°Eli put on a disy of haughtiness at the site of histestmercial

    shoot. He forced a female stylist to jump into a pool to pick up diamonds.¡±

    The topments were all criticizing Eli. Many were even from partners saying they would no longer

    work with him.

    How could the news of what had happened just today spread so fast?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Nana approached her. Eliana handed her the phone. ¡°Have a look!¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes widened as she scrolled through the news.

    ¡°Eliana, is this true? Did Eli really do this to you?¡±

    Eliana sighed. ¡°It¡¯s true. Eli targeted me. He went too far today.¡±

    ¡°How dare he?¡±

    Nana¡¯s anger red up and she looked like she was ready to fight Eli.

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Eliana threw water on the mes of Nana¡¯s fury. ¡°Here¡¯s what happened¡­¡±

    Eliana exined the whole story in detail.

    ¡°So Preston¡¯s ring is in Eli¡¯s hands now? Are you doing all this to get the ring back?¡± Nana finally

    figured it out.

    Eliana nodded seriously. ¡°But now Eli doesn¡¯t want to return the ring. Things are getting more and more

    complicated.¡±

    But this wouldn¡¯t stop her.

    Once Eliana was determined to do something, she would never give up.

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236

    The next morning, Eliana went to work as usual, as if nothing had happened.

    As soon as she arrived, whispers began following her.

    ¡°I think it was her who spoke to the reporters about Eli yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It looks like her. I don¡¯t know her, but I didn¡¯t expect that she would be so vindictive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably best to stay out of her way¡­¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t refrain from replying when she heard thesements. She turned around and sneered,

    ¡°Yesterday, when I was drowning, none of you came to save me. But now, all of you are talking about

    me. If I had died, none of you would have escaped punishment. You¡¯re all murderers.¡±

    The whispers stopped. No one dared to even look at Eliana again.

    They only ndered her behind her back.

    Eliana turned away and saw Eli walking towards her.

    The negative public opinion of him did not seem to affect him at all. He had a sunny smile on his face,

    but his words were not pleasant to Eliana.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a strong character. Why didn¡¯t you refuse to pick up the diamonds

    yesterday? Did you know that Maurice woulde to save you?¡±

    Eli was kidding, but Eliana exploded with anger.

    ¡°Eli, you must have misunderstood. I did not fetch the diamond bracelet because of your oppression.¡±

    ¡°Why then?¡± Eli asked, confused.

    ¡°Do you know how many people have put their heart and soul into making that diamond bracelet? The

    designer dreamed up the design and then countless craftsmenbored to make that design a reality.

    You only see an expensive object. I see the hard work of everyone behind it. You shouldn¡¯t have made

    fun of theirbor.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s words were powerful enough to make Eli feel a little ashamed.

    All he had thought about was how he could use the diamond bracelet to force Eliana to resign.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Eli murmured.

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    ¡°What?¡±

    Eliana thought she must have heard him wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have made you pick up the diamonds. I apologize.¡±

    Eli¡¯s sincere expression surprised Eliana.

    Eliana had been prepared for an argument, but Eli had apologized so quickly.

    ¡°By the way, here are your sketches. I saw them and picked a few sets that can be used today.¡±

    Eli took out several sketches from behind his back and held them out to Eliana, who epted them in

    a daze.

    ¡°By the way¡­ I can tell you put a lot of effort into these.¡± Eli¡¯s ears went red and he turned away. He left

    in a hurry.

    Eliana was now alone and confused.

    What was up with Eli? Why was he suddenly treating her so well?

    Before Eliana could try to unravel this mystery, she had to focus on her work.

    During her break, she remembered that she still had Maurice¡¯s clothes. She texted Corbin.

    ¡°Corbin, are you free now? I can give you Maurice¡¯s clothes.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to see Maurice, so she hoped Corbin would ept the clothes.

    Soon, Corbin replied, ¡°I have asked Mr. Moran. He said that if you want to return the clothes, you

    shoulde and give them back yourself. If you don¡¯t want toe, you can simply throw the clothes

    away.¡±

    Eliana had expected this response.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring them to him after work.¡±

    So, she had no choice but to face Maurice.

    Eliana was in a daze.

    ¡°Eliana,e here.¡±

    Eli¡¯s voice came from the lounge.

    Eliana put her thoughts aside and walked into the lounge.

    Eli was wearing a vest that revealed his powerful arms and striking figure. He didn¡¯t usually dress like

    this.

    Many women would be drawn to his masculine charm.

    Eliana¡¯s eyesnded on Eli¡¯s neck.

    The ruby ring!

    ¡°Help me change my clothes. This outfit is not good.¡±

    Eli handed his coat to her. For a moment, Eliana was too absorbed to react.

    Eli followed her gaze to the ring on his neck andughed. ¡°Is this so important to you? You can¡¯t take

    your eyes off of it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very important to me.¡±

    Eliana nodded enthusiastically.

    ¡°If it¡¯s so important, why did you lose it?¡± Eli asked.

    Eliana was at a loss for words.

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237

    Eli waited in silence for her answer.

    After a long while, Eliana sighed. ¡°To tell you the truth, this ring belonged to my friend¡¯s mother. She

    has passed away. It is an important keepsake. I identally came into possession of it and then lost it.

    I have been looking for it for a long time.¡±

    A keepsake¡­

    Her words tugged at Eli¡¯s heartstrings.

    ¡°This is why I have to take the ring back. Do you understand?¡±

    She looked at Eli earnestly.

    ¡°A few days before I found Lucky, my previous dog passed away. I believe that God meant for me to

    find Lucky. So I took it home. I wasn¡¯t expecting the ring to appear a few dayster. It was like magic.

    I¡¯ve been lucky since that day.¡±

    Somehow, Eli felt he could tell her everything.

    ¡°Eli, I know you regard this ring as your lucky charm, but it belongs to someone else. You don¡¯t have to

    take something that¡¯s not yours. You will have your own luck one day,¡± Eliana stated sincerely.

    Would he indeed have his own luck?

    Eli didn¡¯t know what to say. No one had ever said something like that to him before.

    Meanwhile, Maurice had been waiting for a long time and was worried that something bad had

    happened. He decided to find Eliana.

    When Maurice arrived at the shooting scene of advertisement, he looked around and didn¡¯t see her.

    He grabbed an employee by the hand. ¡°Where is Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡± The employee felt ttered. ¡°You mean Miss Pierce? She is probably in the lounge.¡±

    Maurice hurried to the lounge.

    Just as Eli was about to speak, he saw Maurice walking towards them.

    Eli had a brilliant idea. He took Eliana¡¯s hand, lowered his head, and frowned.

    ¡°Will I?¡± he asked in a fragile voice.

    No one could look at the distraught expression on Eli¡¯s face without feeling for him.

    Eliana was no exception. She patted him on the shoulder and said affectionately, ¡°Of course you will.

    Everyone has their own luck. Don¡¯t be so sad. How about this? You can keep the dog. He will still bring

    you luck.¡±

    The truth was that she couldn¡¯t afford to keep two dogs. She was sad to let Bowling go.

    Eli stepped toward her and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°Thank you, Eliana. I¡¯ll think about it,¡± he said

    in a warm tone.

    From behind, the two looked extremely intimate.

    Eliana was so ted from the triumph of reiming the ring that she didn¡¯t notice how their posture

    seemed inappropriate.

    When Maurice entered, he saw Eli standing very close to Eliana, lowering his head towards her face

    and talking to her confidently and intimately.

    Eli¡¯s eyes met Maurice¡¯s and he gave Maurice a defiant stare.

    ¡®Well, it seems that this guy really doesn¡¯t want to work in the entertainment business anymore,¡¯

    Maurice thought.

    His face suddenly darkened. He pursed his lips and the veins on his forehead twitched. Anyone who

    knew him well could have seen that he was about to get angry.

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    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡± People around greeted him with respect.

    When she heard this, a chill passed through Eliana¡¯s body. She was about to turn around, but Eli

    suddenly hugged her.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238

    Eliana¡¯s thoughts suddenly went nk, and she unconsciously pushed Eli aside.

    She turned around to see Maurice, who was looking downcast.

    ¡°The timing of my arrival seems to be out of whack.¡±

    Maurice scowled as he struggled to hold back the rising rage that was welling up inside him. His words

    had wry cynicism to them.

    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than what you see¡­¡± Eliana feltpelled to rify.

    Without giving her the opportunity to exin, Maurice turned and walked away.

    Eli felt it was insufficient, so he added, ¡°Mr. Moran, goodbye.¡±

    ¡°Eli, you were deliberate in your actions. In addition, you simply lied to me.¡±

    Eliana scowled at Eli with her eyes wide open as she raised her head. She hoped she could savage

    him with her teeth.

    Eli quickly surrendered by raising his hands. ¡°Let go of your resentment. To be honest, I¡¯d want to know

    more about you and Maurice¡¯s connection.¡±

    ¡°What conclusion have you gotten to?¡± Eliana scoffed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finally figured it out. The CEO of the Moran Group seems to have a one-sided crush on you.¡±

    Knowing that Maurice¡¯s affection for Eliana was unrequited, Eli felt a tinge of excitement.

    ¡°Shut up already.¡±

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    Eliana exhibited irritability and guilt.

    She had no connection to Maurice. Why did she act as though she had been found cheating with

    another man?

    When Eliana noticed the bag on the couch, she realized she hadn¡¯t returned Maurice¡¯s clothing.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t bother me anymore. I¡¯ve nearlypletely forgotten about my work. There are more

    outfits avable. Hung there. You don¡¯t need anybody else to help you with that, I assume.¡±

    Eliana scooped up the clothes and pursued Maurice.

    She wasn¡¯t trying to console Maurice. She just wanted to give the clothing back.

    When Eliana arrived at Maurice¡¯s office out of breath, he was already seated in his chair, head down,

    doing business as if his recent gaffe outside the lounge had been a hallucination.

    ¡°Maurice, I can¡¯t thank you enough for saving me yesterday. I havee to return your clothes.¡±

    Eliana gave the clothing over to him. Maurice cocked his chin and sent a fleeting look at her.

    ¡°Toss it in the trash, Corbin.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­¡±

    Corbin was scared to respond for fear of getting himself into trouble.

    Eliana exhaled with rage. She was baffled as to how he could be so cruel.

    ¡°Maurice, it¡¯s OK if you¡¯re not happy with me. What makes you so angry that you have to let it all out on

    the clothes?¡±

    Slowly, Maurice ced the paper on the table and lifted his dark eyes to shoot a caustic gaze at her.

    ¡°Let it all out? You give yourself too much credit. Because it¡¯s worthless, I discard it. In what capacity

    should I retain this? Do you intend to utilize it in the CEO¡¯s office as a backup?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t bear the way Maurice spoke to her.

    She didn¡¯t need to exin herself because of this.

    ¡°As it stands now, I¡¯ve given back the clothing. It¡¯s entirely up to you how you handle it.¡±

    Eliana forcibly handed Corbin the clothes. Maurice¡¯s deep voice came from behind her as soon as she

    turned around.

    ¡°Beware of Eli¡¯s advances. He¡¯s a troublemaker by nature.¡±

    Eliana came to a halt and drew a big breath when she heard that.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯ll only go over this with you once. I will only be by Eli¡¯s side since one of my close friends

    lost an essential ring, and it¡¯s in Eli¡¯s hands. It¡¯s something I should retract. That is all there is to it.¡±

    After making her statement, she walked away without turning around.

    A ring¡­

    Maurice narrowed his gaze. Before he couldprehend the situation, he heard Corbin¡¯s outburst.

    ¡°She said a ring! Has Eliana mentioned the ring you¡¯re also after? But why did the ring fall into Eli¡¯s

    hands?¡± Corbin said excitedly.

    ¡°The first objective is to get the ring from Eli, regardless of why it is in his possession.¡±

    When he learned that the ring he had been seeking for so long was nearly in his reach, Maurice could

    not help but feel irritated.

    ¡°But hold on a second.¡± Corbin went to aplete stop. ¡°Eli is, after all, a well-known character around

    town. Numerous individuals have seen him with the ring. Gerald, I¡¯m afraid, has already learned of this

    and acted ordingly.¡±

    Maurice felt his stomach drop as his eyes shed and his chest tightened.

    ¡°Then we must move quickly to reim the ring before Gerald takes action.¡±

    The time to leave the work hade. Inger abruptly stopped Eliana as she was going to leave for

    home.

    ¡°Do you want toe to supper with us tonight, Miss Pierce? The misunderstanding that arose

    between you and Eli yesterday may be cleared up then.¡±

    ¡°Inger, get your mind off that. It does not have to be a personal issue for you. That¡¯s done with,¡± Eliana

    exined.

    ¡°What if I can¡¯t help it? Please do that for me.¡±

    Eliana could not again decline Inger¡¯s request to apany her to the restaurant, since it would be

    impolite.

    Eliana was surprised to see someone she didn¡¯t anticipate as she entered the private dining room.

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    Chapter 239

    ¡°Maurice, what are you doing here?¡± Eliana asked, surprised.

    Hadn¡¯t he just warned her to stay away from Eli? So why would hee here himself?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t fathom his motives.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, have a seat!¡± Inger gave her a warm greeting.

    Only two vacant seats remained. One on Eli¡¯s left and one on Maurice¡¯s right.

    Which should she choose?

    This was a dire dilemma.

    ¡°Eliana, take the seat beside mine.¡±

    Before she could make her choice, Eli stood and pulled out the chair next to his.

    She couldn¡¯t refuse.

    She had no choice but to walk over and sit down beside Eli. Unfortunately for her, her seat was

    opposite Maurice.

    After all the guests had been seated, Inger stood up with a winess in her hand.

    ¡°Thank you all foring. I invited you here to rify the misunderstandingst night. Eli, now¡¯s the

    time to apologize to Miss Pierce.¡±

    Inger swallowed the wine in her ss and gave Eli a gentle shove.

    ¡°Inger, I already apologized to her, and she forgave me. We even hugged¡­¡±

    Eli blurted out the words. Eliana kicked him under the table.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you haven¡¯t forgiven me yet?¡± Eli raised his eyebrows.

    ¡°Of course not. The situation has not been resolved, after all. You haven¡¯t given it back. I¡¯ll forgive you

    as soon as it is returned to me,¡± Eliana said in a joking manner.

    Inger didn¡¯t understand what was happening. ¡°Eli, did you take something that belongs to Miss Pierce?

    You must return it to her quickly.¡±

    Eli didn¡¯t hesitate to remove the chain with the ring on it from around his neck.

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    Maurice recognized his mother¡¯s ring immediately.

    So this was the person who had taken it. Maurice was so furious in that moment that he wanted to kill

    Eli.

    Eli held the ring up and stared at Eliana seriously. ¡°I will return my lucky ring to you, but only if you

    agree to one condition.¡±

    These words made Eliana¡¯s stomach sink. She felt that she would agree to anything to get the ring

    back.

    ¡°Well, what is the condition?¡±

    ¡°I want you to be my full-time stylist.¡±

    The truth was that Eli had already decided that he would return the ring to Eliana. Her words before

    had convinced him. But he couldn¡¯t pass up the chance to ask for a favor before he returned the ring.

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±

    Maurice rejected Eli¡¯s request before Eliana could even speak.

    ¡°She can¡¯t be your stylist, because she is going to return to work for the Moran Group.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was firm. Hemanded everyone¡¯s attention.

    Eli sneered and pulled the ring closer to himself. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true, Mr. Moran. If Eliana wanted to

    work for you, why did she leave?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not inside her head. How do you know that she didn¡¯t change her mind?¡± Maurice said coldly.

    Thepetition between Maurice and Eli chilled the room.

    Why did they have to argue?

    Eliana massaged her forehead. Her heart told her to agree to Eli¡¯s request. Getting the ring so that she

    could return it to Preston was more important than anything else.

    But when she saw the cold expression on Maurice¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t say the words.

    She knew that if she dared to agree, Maurice wouldn¡¯t let her go easily.

    Which should she choose? The ring, or her life?

    She didn¡¯t know. She just wanted to eat dinner like this awkward moment never happened.

    She raised her hand and identally knocked over the ss in front of her. Wine sshed all over her

    clothes.

    The icy air was disturbed. Maurice and Eli both looked at her.

    Eliana stood. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. All of you just enjoy the meal. I¡¯ll clean up in the bathroom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Inger followed her to the bathroom.

    As soon as the two of them left, Maurice dropped his facade.

    He suddenly seemed to radiate a murderous aura.

    ¡°I want that ring,¡± Maurice said in a powerful voice. ¡°Name your price.¡±

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    Chapter 240

    The two women were both in the bathroom at the same time, with Eliana cleaning her dirty clothing and

    Inger applying her make-up.

    ¡°I would want to speak with you, Miss Pierce. Would you be interested in a conversation?¡±

    In the silence of the restroom, Inger said abruptly.

    ¡°Ms. Sumner, I¡¯m all ears.¡± Eliana paused and used a tissue to clean her hands.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, please ept my apologies on Eli¡¯s behalf.¡±

    Inger¡¯s face was filled with pity the following minute as she was lost in her recollection.

    ¡°Eli grew up in a welfare facility. He has no one to call family. He was just apanied by a dog.

    Because of its age, the dog became ill. He worked several jobs to earn enough money to cover the

    costs of the dog¡¯s medical care. Consequently, a talent scout discovered him and brought him into the

    entertainment industry. Unfortunately, hispanion dog did not survive.¡±

    What Eli stated turned out to be true.

    In the end, it was only then that Eliana realized she hadn¡¯t been misled by Eli in the greenroom earlier

    that morning.

    Inger was quite chatty.

    ¡°Eli eventually came upon Lucky by chanceter on. He was a lot more content and self-assured as a

    result. He believed the ring was pretty worthless, so he wore it every day and said it was a lucky charm.

    You can¡¯t hold it against him because he hasn¡¯t returned you the ring. Since he doesn¡¯t have many

    possessions, he is unwilling to return it to you.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not to me, Inger Sumner.¡±

    Eliana let out a sigh.

    Eli resembled a person who had not fully matured. To him, having nothing in his life meant that, when

    something good came along, it couldn¡¯t stay away from him for a second.

    In the restaurant¡¯s private room, the two guys seemed hostile toward one another. They couldn¡¯t settle

    down anywhere since Maurice said it.

    ¡°You¡¯re very kind, Mr. Moran. For the sake of making Eliana happy, you¡¯re prepared to part with your

    hard-earned cash in order to purchase an old ring. Is it worthwhile to do such a thing for her?¡±

    When Eli assumed Maurice purchased a ring for Eliana¡¯s sake, he was consumed with jealousy.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important for you to know.¡± An arrogant Maurice sat erect in his chair.

    ¡°Huh? Mr. Moran, are you aware that Eliana shared a bed and slept with me?¡± Eli uttered malignantly.

    Maurice¡¯s pupils dted and he was nearly unable to maintain hisposure.

    ¡°Ady like Eliana is simple to fool. She will be friendly and sympathetic to those who seem vulnerable

    in her presence. She¡¯ll be as obedient as a puppy if she¡¯s given a few more perks.¡±

    Because Eli hoped that Maurice would loathe Eliana, he concocted these falsehoods.

    After that, he could¡­

    Actually, Eli didn¡¯t dare to devote much more thought to what he could achieve.

    But to his amazement, Maurice had a smile on his face and he couldn¡¯t helpughing.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny about this?¡± Eli was perplexed by Maurice.

    What was so funny to Maurice?

    His ipetence made Mauriceugh. Just now, he was enraged to see Eli hugging Eliana, and he

    snapped at her.

    Up until this point, he was unaware that Eli had yed a trick.

    ¡°Eli, you have no idea what Eliana is like. She will never be the person you described. If not, you will

    not make every effort to keep her at your side.¡±

    Maurice saw through Eli¡¯s scheme and said, ¡°You are so sad, Eli,¡± in a casual manner.

    ¡°Maurice!¡±

    Eli was infuriated to the point that he couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. He attacked Maurice like a lion in a

    rage¡­

    Eliana and Inger had just emerged from the restroom at that very time.

    They heard a loudmotioning from inside the private room before they even got to the door.

    Hell had broken loose!

    Both Eliana and Inger rushed to the door and opened it after looking at one another.

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    Eli fell awkwardly on the floor in the private room, sustaining facial injuries. He had a befuddled

    expression on his face.

    Maurice, on the other hand, stood stoically at a distance, staring down at Eli with a sneering smirk.

    Everything before them was crystal-clear. They could tell that a vicious individual had just brutally

    assaulted a victim.

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    Chapter 241

    ¡°Eli, are you okay?¡± Eliana ran to him and held out her hand to help him up. She looked at Maurice.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, do you really think it is worth it to hit me just because you¡¯re angry that I won¡¯t sell the ring

    to you?¡±

    Eli grasped Eliana¡¯s hand and staggered to his feet.

    ¡®What? Maurice hit Eli! Over the ring? Impossible!¡¯

    Eliana was stunned.

    Maurice didn¡¯t expect that Eli was so quick toin to Eliana!

    He red at the other man.

    He was furious with Eli.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can you exin yourself? I know you are of a high status, but you still can¡¯t hit whoever

    you want.¡±

    Inger stood between Maurice and Eli and grimly stared Maurice down.

    ¡°I have nothing to exin. If you want to sue me, then go ahead. I will inform mywyer to contact you.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, a powerful man like you already knows he has nothing to fear,¡± Eli sneered.

    Ignoring Eli, Maurice turned around and reached out his hand to Eliana.

    ¡°Come with me.¡±

    Eliana felt the subconscious urge to walk toward Maurice, but Eli grabbed her hand.

    She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do.

    Maurice pulled his hand back and walked out with a disappointed air.

    Eliana¡¯s heart ached when she looked after Maurice¡¯s retreating back.

    Eli snickered. His n had been a sess.

    ¡°Wait a moment¡­ Maurice didn¡¯t hit you.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face took on a calm and determined look. She gently pulled her hand out of Eli¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Eliana, what are you talking about? Didn¡¯t you see him attacking me? Don¡¯t the bruises on my face

    prove it?¡±

    Eli¡¯s heart pounded.

    This couldn¡¯t be happening! His acting was perfect! How could Eliana have seen through him?

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I know Maurice well. He is not the type of person who will easily resort to violence. You are lying.¡±

    Eliana knew better than anyone else that Maurice had many ways to exact revenge on someone he

    disliked. He didn¡¯t have to use his own fists.

    All Eliana saw was Eli lying on the floor. She hadn¡¯t seen Maurice hit him.

    Eli did have bruises on his face, but he might be lying about where they came from.

    ¡°You are too naive. Anger can make people do anything,¡± Eli argued.

    ¡°Then what did you say that made him so angry?¡±

    All of the worry and care that Eliana had felt for Eli before vanished from her eyes.

    Eli knew that Eliana had seen through his design.

    Eliana stared calmly at Eli, who had nothing else to say. She knew what had happened.

    ¡°Eli, I won¡¯t be your full-time stylist. If you don¡¯t return the ring, I¡¯ll call the police. Then the owner will

    come get it himself.¡±

    She had given Eli many chances, but every time he chose to deceive her.

    She had no choice but to resort to drastic measures to get the ring back.

    Without another word, Eliana turned and rushed after Maurice.

    Panic overtook Eli and he grabbed for Eliana, but his hand closed on thin air. All he could do was watch

    her disappear.

    Eli stared at his empty hand and felt his heart sink.

    It was drizzling outside the restaurant. By the time Eliana came outside, Maurice had already

    disappeared.

    Had he gone far?

    Eliana stood in the doorway, dazed.

    After a while, the rain began to fall harder. Eliana didn¡¯t have an umbre.

    It seemed that she was going to get soaked.

    Eliana smiled wryly. Suddenly, a ck umbre appeared above her head.

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242

    Suddenly startled, Eliana raised her brow. ¡°Maurice, you didn¡¯t leave¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pouring down pretty heavily. It¡¯s a good idea to carry an umbre.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s features were muddled by the torrential downpour.

    Eliana recognized this sight, as though someone had also held an umbre for her.

    Preston was the guy.

    Suddenly, in her thoughts, Maurice¡¯s face and Preston¡¯s coincided.

    Eliana had the distinct impression that these two individuals were one and the same, despite the fact

    that they were different.

    In terms of looks, Eli resembled Preston more than Maurice, yet Preston¡¯s lonesome temperament was

    identical to that of Maurice.

    Did a connection between the two seem conceivable? Maurice was a CEO, whereas Preston was a

    male prostitute. They were twopletely distinct individuals. Despite this, there were always a few

    striking parallels between the two of them.

    It was impossible for Eliana not to take a step closer to Maurice¡¯s umbre.

    ¡°I¡¯m only going to say it once, Maurice. I trust you. I feel that you did not strike Eli, and I will not serve

    as Eli¡¯s full-time stylist.¡±

    With her head held aloft, Eliana stared at Maurice as if he were the only person she cared about.

    ¡°Why do you put your faith in me?¡± Maurice lifted his brows in amazement.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Eliana retorted, ¡°You¡¯re not that dumb.¡±

    Maurice was taken aback at that. He didn¡¯t expect Eliana to be so honest with him.

    He grinned as he fixed a thoughtful nce on her.

    Eliana was surprised since she hadn¡¯t seen Maurice smile for a very long time.

    She was enamored by his ice-cold good looks and captivating grin, which had her fixated on him.

    Her pulse pounded.

    ¡°It won¡¯t repeat itself.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s mood improved. He discovered for the first time how lovely it might be to be trusted by

    someone.

    The hatchet had clearly been buried about the matter.

    ¡°Maurice, on the other hand, as for Eli¡­ How do you n on dealing with him?¡± Eliana inquired, her

    voice quiet and cautious.

    ¡°He canplete the advertisement shoot. He can then leave. I will not take action against him as long

    as he does not continue to behave in a hazardous manner.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s thoughts were clear to Maurice. She feared he would retaliate against Eli.

    Was this man born that cruel?

    ¡°Nevertheless, I must get the ring.¡±

    This was the crux of Maurice¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    Eliana sighed with contentment. She didn¡¯t want anything awful to happen to Eli, despite the fact that

    she wouldn¡¯t work for him.

    She had apparently disregarded something¡­

    ¡°Maurice, why are you so obsessed with that ring? Do you very badly want to collect it?¡± Eliana said

    with a shaky voice.

    Maurice¡¯s heartbeat quickened. He suddenly understood that he was not Preston, but Maurice. His

    focus on the ring was unnecessary.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it important to you to have that ring? I only want to retrieve it for you.¡±

    Maurice maintained hisposure while he lied.

    Once again, he was not telling the truth.

    Eliana felt dejected at the moment. Even after all this time, Maurice remained a mystifying figure with a

    plethora of mysteries.

    At the roadside, their actions were seen by another individual.

    It turned out to be Gerald¡¯s secretary, Sean.

    Sean, who was in then seat munching on bread, was befuddled by the two people.

    Didn¡¯t Eliana and Maurice have a fight before? Why did they get back together?

    Outside the window, the chilly rain sttered the ss. Sean saw Maurice and Eliana engaging in

    intimate interactions.

    He pulled out his phone once again and phoned the familiar number.

    ¡°Eliana and Maurice seem to be back together,¡± he uttered.

    ¡°It seems like they get along well,¡± Sean then continued in a quiet voice after ncing at the guy and

    lady in the rain.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to watch them love each other! You must be out of your mind. Have you located

    Eliana¡¯s children¡¯s father yet?¡±

    Gerald was incensed. He feared that he might die of a heart attack since he was so enraged all the

    time.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t discovered the individual yet,¡± Sean remarked, moving the phone from his ear slightly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°However, I got a name: Preston Archer,¡± Sean added rapidly. ¡°He is a male prostitute, but Eliana and

    he are romantically involved. I¡¯m stumped as to where he is.¡±

    Gerald developed a keen interest in the subject. ¡°What else do you have for me?¡±

    Gerald was told by Sean of what he¡¯d learned.

    ¡°I just watched Maurice take on a well-known celebrity, Eli.¡±

    ¡°What was their fight about?¡±

    Sean exined, ¡°Because of Eliana, they got into a fight. Eliana may be having a rtionship with Eli,

    as evidence suggests.¡±

    How was it feasible for thisdy to have so many men in her life?

    Gerald, on the other hand, could be able to take advantage of the conflict between Maurice and Eli.

    Gerald¡¯s features contorted into a sinister grin.

    The reputation of the Moran family was very important to them. If Earle had any knowledge of this¡­

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243

    The following day, it was widely reported on the Inte that Maurice had severely beaten Eli and

    wounded his face, which masked the scandal that Eli had mistreated the female stylist.

    Citizens started to feel sorry for Eli, who was humiliated by a wealthy and powerful businessman this

    time around. His supporters were filled with righteous wrath and wanted justice for him.

    As a consequence, Eli¡¯s poprity grew.

    Eliana scoffed as she saw the news.

    That was a clever ruse! It not only concealed his wrongdoing but also drew in arge number of new Eli

    supporters. That was slick!

    Eli showed up on schedule at the Moran Group premises to film the advertising at this point in time.

    Just at a very crucial time, he wanted to be in the public eye and see the drama he had directede

    to life before his eyes.

    There were a lot of people and reporters waiting to see him as he arrived at the Moran Group office, as

    predicted.

    Fans were enraged because Eli looked like a victim with a hat and sunsses.

    There was a blockade of the building¡¯s entrance by protesting fans, and even the building¡¯s workers

    could not get in or out easily. All in attempt to get justice for Eli.

    A girl pulled Eliana aside as she tried to follow Eli in.

    ¡°You must be a member of Eli¡¯s staff, Miss. What¡¯s thetest on him? Was he brutally assaulted by that

    vile rat?¡±

    The girl¡¯s expression was filled with sorrow for her idol and inconceivable rage at the perpetrator.

    This made Eliana scream loudly, ¡°The CEO of the Moran Group didn¡¯t beat anybody. All of you were

    duped.¡±

    Eliana was immediately swarmed by female admirers as soon as her words had faded.

    ¡°What¡¯s the reasoning behind your statement? You didn¡¯t really witness that, did you?¡±

    Eliana said, ¡°I apologize, but I was present at the time.¡±

    ¡°Are you fooling about right now?¡±

    ¡°You liar! You liar!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s ims were not taken seriously by the supporters. As a result of what she said, many people

    were outraged.

    The female admirers surged towards Eliana. They mercilessly mmed water bottles into her face.

    Eliana was repeatedly struck because she was unable to avoid them in time.

    Two security guards put in their effort to rescue Eliana when they saw the situation had spiraled out of

    hand. However, their efforts were ineffective due to the overwhelming number of irate fans.

    Eli wanted toe to Eliana¡¯s aid as soon as he saw her battered, but he was stopped by Inger.

    ¡°Eli, what exactly are you up to?¡±

    ¡°Eliana is under attack, Inger. I intend to rescue her.¡± Eli wanted to get rid of Inger¡¯s hand as soon as he

    possibly could.

    ¡°Shut up, Eli!¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Eli was shocked by Inger¡¯s yell.

    ¡°There is no doubt that your antics have been disruptive enough. Please don¡¯t cause any more havoc.

    We¡¯ve gained a positive reputation in the eyes of the public. I¡¯m not sure what will happen if you persist

    in bing engaged. You can only deal with Maurice if you keep the existing situation the same. I am

    acting in your best interests. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Inger gave sound advice.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Eli was unsure what to do when he saw Eliana¡¯s situation.

    Outside the gate, Eliana was being pummeled by the enraged supporters as well as being forced to the

    ground. She was unable to get up at all because of the crowd.

    The guards were on the verge of losing to the fans when a wicked voice suddenly rang out.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to let her go!¡±

    For a brief period, the throng was eerily silent. Eliana lifted her head and saw Maurice move towards

    her against the light after hearing the voice.

    He looked like a goding down from the sky at that exact moment.

    ¡°Are you able to stand?¡±

    Maurice reached his hand out to her.

    Eliana took his hand without hesitating.

    In the next split second, she flung herself into a safe andfortable hug. She felt as secure as she

    had never been in her entire life as she listened to the man¡¯s pulse.

    When Maurice was at her side, she didn¡¯t seem to have to worry about being hurt.

    There was no doubt about that.

    Maurice took a good look around, scanning the whole scene with his piercing gaze. A guy with a

    powerful aura stood before them, and the fans who had just been raging were all suddenly quiet and

    afraid to stare into his eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Moran.¡± The two security guards took a bold step forward without thinking.

    ¡°Nobody is forcing you toe to work tomorrow if you can¡¯t manage a little matter like that. In the

    Moran Group, we don¡¯t retain somebody who isn¡¯t doing anything.¡±

    Maurice grimaced and entered the building while holding Eliana¡¯s shoulder with his arm.

    Fans at the gate gradually returned to their senses after Maurice departed.

    ¡°That guy was so awful just now¡­¡± One of the female fans almost froze in terror.

    ¡°Mr. Moran! That¡¯s what the security guards were calling him. Eli was beaten by that scumbag!¡±

    There was an audible cry from another female supporter.

    Everyone remained in a state of utter silence.

    Because of what they had just seen, they feltpelled to abstain from vengeance.

    In the end, their own lives seemed more significant than that of their idol.

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244

    When Maurice entered the building with an injured Eliana in his arms, Eli immediately walked up to her

    with a worried face.

    ¡°Eliana, how are you? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡± Eliana hissed through gritted teeth.

    At this time, she was in a bad shape. Her forehead was swollen from the impact of the water bottles

    thrown at her, and her face was full of scratches.

    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, Eliana.¡±

    Eli¡¯s heart was ovee by guilt. He had targeted Maurice, but he didn¡¯t expect that Eliana would

    suffer the brunt of his attack.

    Disheveled and wounded, Eliana¡¯s first instinct was tosh out at Eli and express her anger. But when

    she saw the genuine distress on the apologetic man¡¯s face, her heart suddenly softened.

    ¡°You need to see a doctor and have your wounds treated. Let me take you¡­¡±

    ¡°Fuck off!¡± Holding Eliana protectively in his arms, Maurice stepped back and kept his distance from Eli.

    ¡°What right do you have to care about her now? Wasn¡¯t it you who caused all this mess?¡±

    Eli¡¯s body stiffened. He bit his lips and wanted to refute, but no words came out of his mouth.

    After all, Maurice had a point. It was all Eli¡¯s fault, and the damage had already been done.

    Maurice snorted in disdain, red at Eli as he walked by with Eliana, and went straight into the

    elevator.

    The elevator door slowly closed, and the pair ascended to the top floor.

    Sitting on the sofa inside Maurice¡¯s office, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but touch her swollen forehead. As her

    fingers made contact with the bruise, she immediately cried out in pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. Leave it to me.¡±

    Maurice walked over with a medical kit. He grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and scowled at her, which made her

    drop her head.

    With a long face, Maurice took out an iodine cotton swab and began to apply medicine to Eliana¡¯s

    wounds. The office was silent for the next few minutes, and the atmosphere felt really awkward.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯ve suffered a great deal here at work recently. Do you think the entire Moran Group is

    against me?¡±

    Eliana spoke some nonsense just to ease the tension.

    ¡°Was it because you stood up to those girls?¡±

    As Maurice recalled the scene when Eliana was shoved to the ground, he held his breath and exerted

    more force on his hand than necessary.

    ¡°Ouch! Be gentle!¡± Eliana gasped in pain and recoiled instinctively. ¡°Why do you make it sound as if it

    was my fault? Don¡¯t you realize why I did that in the first ce? It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want them to

    tarnish your reputation.¡±

    ¡°Wow. I¡¯m touched. Why are you so good to me?¡± Maurice teased, treating her wounds more tenderly

    this time.

    ¡°Well, just think of it aspensation. I refused to believe a word you said back then. It was my fault,¡±

    Eliana muttered with a look of regret.

    Her sincerity suddenly melted the coldness from Maurice¡¯s heart.

    Did she just apologize for the car ident? Within seconds, Maurice was overwhelmed with a flurry of

    emotions.

    He couldn¡¯t help but lean forward and hover a few inches away from Eliana¡¯s face. He pressed his

    hands on both sides of her body and trapped her between his muscr figure and the velvet sofa.

    ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve finally regained your conscience. But do you honestly think yourpensation is

    enough for me? I think I deserve more.¡±

    The distance between them was too close forfort, and Eliana could hear Maurice¡¯s breathing as he

    exhaled on her face. It was hot and tantalizing, which made her heart beat even faster.

    Looking at Maurice¡¯s handsome face, she couldn¡¯t help but bite her lip and gulp nervously.

    But before things could progress any further, the door suddenly swung open with a loud bang.

    ¡°Boss, I have some bad news! Mr. Earle Moran just arrived! What should we do? Oh¡­¡±

    When Corbin saw Eliana and Maurice sitting on the sofa intimately, he stopped dead in his tracks and

    was unable to speak any further.

    The fiery atmosphere suddenly fizzled out. Eliana was so startled that she pushed Maurice away and

    sprang up from the sofa.

    Compared to the flustered Eliana, Maurice handled the disturbance withposure. He stood up

    casually and asked with nonchnce, ¡°Why is he here at this time?¡±

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Corbin blinked rapidly and snapped back into reality. ¡°Your grandfather had a chat with the senior

    employees and heard some gossip about you and Eliana. The rumors outraged him, and he came over

    to confront you right away.¡±

    If Earle saw Eliana inside Maurice¡¯s office, the old man would surely misunderstand the situation again.

    A hint of worry shed across Maurice¡¯s face, and he immediately ordered Corbin to escort Eliana out

    the door.

    But it was toote.

    The familiar sound of a crutch hitting the corridor floor reached Maurice¡¯s ears. Earle had already

    arrived.

    Seeing that it was toote to make a quick escape, Eliana dropped down and hid behind the sofa.

    ¡°Maurice, I heard you¡¯ve been up to no good recently. What the hell happened earlier at the building

    entrance? The whole story had just been shared with the public. I read in the newspaper that you

    fought with a male celebrity for a woman. You should be ashamed of yourself! You¡¯re a disgrace to the

    Moran family!¡±

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245

    Obviously, Gerald was the one whoined to Earle about him.

    Maurice chose not to respond despite knowing this.

    His granddad was clearly in a rage at this point. It didn¡¯t matter what he said. Nothing could help the

    situation. It was possible Gerald could take advantage of the situation and cause problems.

    The only thing he had to do at this point was wait for the elderly guy to express his rage. In such a

    case, there would be more area for maneuvering

    Earle had lost his cool to a point that he mmed his cane into the floor.

    He believed that Maurice epted that he was envious of a male celebrity because of Eliana.

    ¡°How many foolish acts have youmitted because of Eliana? Thisdy is promiscuous. Because the

    Moran Group purchased the Pierce Group, she must have contacted you intentionally. Avenging her

    cowardly and inept father is a top priority for her.¡±

    Eliana attempted to flee while hiding behind the sofa, but after taking just two steps, she overheard

    Earle disparaging her father.

    Eliana went into aplete frenzy when she heard it. As if she had arge stone pressing on her

    heart, she found herself unable to take a breath.

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Forcibly interjecting and casting a peek towards the sofa¡¯s back, Maurice cut Earle in.

    ¡°That¡¯sme. The insolvency of the Pierce Group was shrouded in mystery.¡±

    It seemed that Maurice was very smitten with the Pierce family¡¯s daughter¡­

    Earle was in a daze as he gazed at Maurice, thinking about Maurice¡¯s father, the son he was both

    pleased and saddened with.

    Was Maurice going to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps? Earle¡¯s fear grew as he pondered the situation.

    ¡°Take a good look at yourself. You resemble your father in every way. Have you ever considered the

    implications if you ignore my counsel and do as you please?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel was the passing of his parents. Instantaneously altering his expression, he

    exploded, ¡°I will be different! I¡¯m not my dad. I will defend the one I care about.¡±

    ¡°Kneel down, you disloyal grandchild!¡±

    It just strengthened Earle¡¯s conviction that Maurice had been seduced by desire through his defiance.

    He swung his cane at Maurice in a rush.

    As the cane mmed against Maurice¡¯s lower back, it made an audible noise.

    He hit him repeatedly.

    Maurice knelt down on the floor and did not say anything.

    Agonizing to behold, even Corbin turned his head away.

    Earle lifted his cane and prepared to strike Maurice another time. Suddenly, something out of the

    ordinary urred.

    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.

    The cane was suddenly stopped by a pair of thin hands.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    From behind the sofa, Eliana crawled up and seized Earle¡¯s cane.

    Suddenly appearing from nowhere, the woman caught Earle off guard.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Standing up and letting go of the cane, Eliana responded, ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet

    you. Eliana Pierce is my given name. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about me from a variety of sources. That

    eliminates the need for me to make an introduction.¡±

    Earle was enraged by the girl¡¯s cool response.

    ¡°That¡¯s excellent, Miss Pierce. Honestly, the daughter of a once-wealthy and influential family being so

    ill-bred just surprised me. Isn¡¯t itmon knowledge to avoid listening in on others¡¯ conversations?¡±

    ¡°You missed something, Mr. Moran,¡± Eliana remarked bitterly. ¡°I was just in this office, but I didn¡¯t want

    to make you furious, so I hid and attempted to leave without you noticing. As for the Pierce family part, I

    just had to make an exception and change my n.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you have anything to say?¡± Incredulously, Earle snarled at the snide exnation.

    ¡°I¡¯d want you to rescind what you¡¯ve just said. The man who raised me was not coward. Neither you nor

    anybody else has the right to criticize my father.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes seemed to be on fire. Even in the face of the Moran family¡¯s strong and stately master,

    she stood her ground.

    When it came down to it, her family was her most important priority.

    It was impossible for either Maurice or Corbin not to feel concerned about this courageous girl. There

    were no other people who could talk to Earle in this manner since Earle was known for being a man of

    his word.

    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that! Good! Good girl!¡± Earle said. He seemed enraged, judging by his demeanor.

    ¡°Guards, cast her out of here.¡±

    His guards were on the verge of taking action.

    ¡°Grandpa!¡±

    ¡°Hold on!¡±

    Maurice and Eliana talked simultaneously.

    Eliana¡¯s face was devoid of fear, notwithstanding Maurice¡¯s serious expression. She exuded self-

    assurance.

    ¡°Two more minutes, please, Mr. Moran. Someone wants to converse with you.¡± Eliana smiled as she

    spoke.

    She casually lifted her hand while holding the cellphone in the hand.

    ¡°Old guy, who will you cast out?¡±

    Nancy was the one who appeared on the screen. In all candor, who would that be?!

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246

    The change shocked everyone present.

    It seemed that Eliana had already nned a solution before she stood up.

    If there was anyone in the world who could control Earle, it was Nancy.

    Eliana had made a video call to her savior.

    ¡°Old man, it¡¯s time for you to go home. Why are you meddling in young people¡¯s business?¡±

    Just as Eliana had hoped, Nancy was able to subdue Earle immediately.

    ¡°Honey, I¡­¡± Earle frowned and looked like he was about to say more.

    But Nancy didn¡¯t give him the chance. ¡°On the way home, don¡¯t forget to stop by the dessert shop on

    the east street and buy some of those puffs I like. If you don¡¯te home in two hours, don¡¯te

    back at all.¡±

    Nancy smiled. Earle stared at the screen and knew he had no choice but to obey.

    ¡°Honey¡­ don¡¯t let me be embarrassed in front of outsiders.¡±

    Earle was still struggling desperately.

    ¡°I always keep my word. Remember, you have two hours. The clock starts ticking now.¡±

    Nancy had literally brought a clock to keep the time.

    For many years, Earle had been calm in the face of all kinds of difficulties, but now he panicked.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯ll give you half a day to deal with the public opinion, or¡­¡±

    ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Earle couldn¡¯t ignore Nancy¡¯s threat. He hurried out to buy puffs.

    Once Earle was gone, Eliana couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    In this world, everyone had a weakness. Even though Earle was a powerful man, he was still afraid of

    his wife.

    ¡°That was a smart move.¡±

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Maurice got to his feet. He could stand straight, but there was sweat on his forehead because Earle

    had hit him with the cane.

    ¡°Maurice, are you okay? Does it hurt?¡±

    Eliana gave him a worried stare.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave before now?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s deep eyes stared into hers.

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t find a chance to leave.¡±

    She couldn¡¯t admit that she had stayed because she was worried about him.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t look into Maurice¡¯s eyes because she was afraid he would see the truth that was in her

    heart.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s usation made an embarrassed blush creep across Eliana¡¯s face.

    ¡°I have to go back to work.¡± Eliana flinched.

    When she reached the door she suddenly remembered something important. She turned around and

    said, ¡°By the way, I will try to get Eli to rify the rumors about you online.¡±

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s handsome face was covered with ayer of frosty indifference.

    ¡°I will handle it myself.¡±

    He had been lenient with Eli before. Not this time.

    Eliana shivered. If Maurice intended to take revenge, Eli was doomed.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s my fault. I will help you.¡±

    After making this firm statement, Eliana turned and left.

    Meanwhile, at the shooting site¡­

    Eli was seated and having his makeup fixed. The female staff who surrounded him gave him pitying

    looks.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Moran to be so violent. I feel horrible for you, Eli.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Thank you for your help. I¡¯m feeling much better now, so you can go back to work.¡±

    Eli continued to y the role of the resilient victim.

    When Eliana returned, she was unhappy to see this scene in front of her.

    What a hypocrite Eli was!

    ¡°Eli.¡± Eliana walked straight over to him. ¡°Why did you frame Maurice?¡±

    Eli leaned back leisurely and saidzily, ¡°Because it was fun.¡±

    Fun?

    What a childish thing to say.

    ¡°Eli, you never really intended to return the ring to me, did you?¡±

    Was that what she thought of him?

    Eli was disappointed. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to try to exin. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I was ying tricks on

    you,¡± he lied.

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank. She had truly believed that the capricious Eli thought of her as a friend and was

    sincere with her.

    She calmly took a drawing out of her bag and handed it to Eli.

    ¡°I know you see that ring as your lucky charm, and that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to give it back. Do you

    remember what I said? I said you would have your own luck. This is the lucky ring I designed just for

    you.¡±

    Eli stared down at the sketch in shock.

    The artwork showed a in gold ring, simple but dignified. There was no decoration whatsoever,

    except for two words engraved inside the band.

    ¡°Eli¡± and ¡°July¡±.

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Eli murmured, clutching the sketch tightly.

    ¡°July¡± was the name of his dog who had passed away.

    Eli felt overwhelmed by the emotional weight of the gift.

    For a moment, Eliana felt embarrassed.

    How could she tell Eli that she found out his former dog¡¯s name from an enthusiastic fan when she was

    pretending to be a fellow fan in the online group?

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Eli¡¯s heart was bursting with thousands of words, but he could only say those two.

    ¡°I drew the ring for you, and I won¡¯t take it back. But you have to promise me to stop your vengeful

    tirade right now. You¡¯re underestimating Maurice. He won¡¯t remain passive if you continue. If you rify

    the situation now, you can reduce the damage. Otherwise, things will get worse for you,¡± Eliana urged

    him in a patient voice.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you gave me this drawing¡­¡± Eli¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°You¡¯re only trying to help Maurice.¡±

    Before Eliana could exin, Eli¡¯s temper overflowed and he stormed away.

    How could Eli be so unreasonable? She shouldn¡¯t have let herself care about him.

    Soon, Eliana¡¯s prediction was confirmed.

    After the shoot for the advertisement, Inger approached Eli with a long face.

    ¡°Bad news, Eli! The public opinion on the Inte has changed abruptly.¡±

    She took out her phone and showed Eli a video.

    The video was set in the restaurant where they all had dinner yesterday. The surveince camera

    recorded everything that happened between Eli and Maurice.

    In the video, Eli suddenly sprang up and threw a punch at Maurice. Maurice easily dodged. The

    momentum behind Eli¡¯s punch made him fall to the floor, and his face was bruised on the table leg.

    The video showed the scene clearly. There was no way to deny what happened.

    Thements below the video were all criticizing Eli. They said that he had yed the victim even

    though he instigated the fight. They demanded that he should be punished for framing Maurice.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Just that morning many people had supported Eli, but now just as many people were scolding him.

    ¡°Eli, you have to leave quickly. The reporters areing.¡±

    Inger swiftly packed up Eli¡¯s belongings with an anxious expression, intending to run away.

    ¡°So what she said was true¡­¡±

    Eli finally realized that Eliana might have warned him out of genuine kindness.

    It had been naive of him to use public opinion against Maurice.

    The greenroom was a mess. Eliana rushed over, alerted by the noise of Inger packing up.

    Inger¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Miss Pierce, you came just in time. Disguise Eli and we¡¯ll leave by the back door

    right away.¡±

    Eli couldn¡¯t make himself look at Eliana. He turned his head away.

    ¡®The situation has gotten serious. If Eli doesn¡¯t suffer the consequences, he won¡¯t learn his lesson.¡¯

    This was what Eliana thought, but she didn¡¯t show it. She quickly arranged a new look for Eli.

    She grabbed a ck and purple wig, a Gothic T-shirt with arge gold chain, and a pair of loose jeans

    with many smaller chains.

    This was a style that no one would expect Eli to wear.

    ¡°Eliana, you did this on purpose!¡±

    Eli felt his blood boil in anger as he looked at the outfit.

    ¡°So what? You have only two choices now. You either escape in this disguise that you hate, or you

    kneel in front of Maurice and apologize. It¡¯s up to you,¡± said Eliana, shrugging her shoulders.

    There was no way Eli would apologize to Maurice.

    Eli hesitated beforeing to his decision.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Eli gritted his teeth and tried to turn off his sense of shame as he put on the outfit.

    Finally, Eliana finished dressing him up.

    She couldn¡¯t help butugh.

    Though she had chosen this outfit specifically to get revenge on Eli, she didn¡¯t expect that he would

    look so¡­ ridiculous.

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248

    ¡°What are youughing at?¡±

    Eli¡¯s face darkened as he narrowed his eyes at Eliana.

    Holding back herughter, Eliana pushed Eli towards the mirror.

    ¡°Look at yourself,¡± she said, with her lips twitching uncontrobly at the corners.

    When Eli first looked at himself in the mirror, his temper red up.

    After all, he looked nothing like the young and handsome idol that he was. Rather, he looked like a

    comical cartoon character.

    But the longer he stared at himself, the more he found humor in the situation. In the end, he burst out

    laughing at his own reflection.

    Now that Eliana had vented her anger by ying a prank on Eli, she smiled and stood on tiptoe to

    smooth his wig down.

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    ¡°What do you think? Aren¡¯t I a good stylist?¡± Eliana asked, tilting her head.

    Eli lowered his eyes to look at her, and his breathing subconsciously quickened.

    He knew that Eliana was just fooling around in a good-natured way, so he wanted to retort in kind. But

    when he thought of the design drawing of the ring, a single word bubbled out of his mouth before he

    could stop it.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, both he and Eliana were stunned.

    Whether consciously or not, it turned out that Eli knew that he was in the wrong.

    ¡°If there¡¯s anybody you should be apologizing to, it¡¯s Maurice. Go and talk to him. This matter has to be

    solved,¡± Eliana said gently, trying to persuade him again.

    ¡°No way,¡± Eli scoffed and turned his head away arrogantly.

    He looked nothing like the man who had said sorry just seconds ago. Eliana was so annoyed that she

    had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down.

    ¡°Eli, stop talking. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    After everything had been arranged by Inger, Eliana walked to the back door with Eli, who looked

    thoroughly unrecognizable.

    But by then, the door was blocked by countless reporters.

    ¡°Hurry up! Stop them!¡±

    Eli¡¯s staff were lined up along the way to create a barricade against the swarming reporters, leaving a

    safe passage for Eli to escape.

    Eliana had to stifle a groan when she looked at the crowd. She had already done what she could do for

    Eli; now, she just wanted to go home and rest, but it seemed that she had to fight her way through this

    crowd first.

    It was a long time before she finally managed to squeeze through the crowd of reporters and rush out

    of the Moran Group¡¯s building.

    A pair of footsteps that sounded closely behind hers made Eliana turn back with squinted eyes.

    ¡®Damn it! Why is Eli here?¡¯ she wondered, wanting to cry.

    Some of the sharp-eyed reporters noticed the furtive Eli and followed him suspiciously.

    ¡°Damn it! Why did you follow me? Do you want to make trouble for me?¡± Eliana hissed, pulling Eli to a

    corner.

    ¡°I was in a hurry. I didn¡¯t see you.¡±

    Of course, Eli was lying right through his teeth.

    Earlier, when he was separated from Inger by the crowd, his mind went nk, and he subconsciously

    followed Eliana, the next person he knew and trusted.

    By this time, the interaction between the two of them had attracted the attention of the reporters, who

    hastened their pace and walked towards where they were hiding.

    At this critical moment, Eli suddenly stepped forward and pressed Eliana against the wall by the

    roadside, leaning his whole body against hers.

    ¡°Look at me.¡±

    Eli¡¯s voice came out in an unfamiliar low growl, causing Eliana to look at him in curiosity.

    Eli lowered his head, reaching out one hand to hold Eliana¡¯s cheek and the other to hold her waist, as if

    he was about to kiss her on the lips.

    Realizing what Eli was about to do, Eliana jumped in fright and tried to turn her head away, but with Eli

    holding her, she couldn¡¯t move at all.

    Just as their lips were about to touch, Eliana closed her eyes and pursed her lips tightly with a look of

    utter distaste on her face.

    ¡°Do you hate the idea of kissing me that much?¡± Eli whispered, stopping less than an inch away from

    her lips.

    ¡°Eli, are you insane¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t say anything,¡± Eli interrupted her and winked, indicating that there were people nearby.

    Sure enough, when Eliana slid her eyes covertly to the side, she spotted several reporters standing not

    far away.

    All of a sudden, she felt her heart leap to her throat.

    If she was caught in such an intimate position with Eli, his deranged female fans would skin her alive

    for sure!

    ¡°That man looks just like Eli, doesn¡¯t he? Is it him?¡± one of the reporters asked another.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How would Eli kiss a woman on the street? That¡¯s a scandal he would never

    recover from,¡± came the incredulous reply.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Eli must have gone the other way. Come on, let¡¯s catch him!¡± the first reporter said.

    The group of reporters seemed to be in consensus, because they all hurried away to the other side, not

    knowing that their real target was right under their noses.

    ¡°They¡¯re gone. Let go of me!¡±

    As soon as the reporters were out of sight, Eliana pushed Eli away with all her strength.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for using you,¡± Eli apologized insincerely, staggering to catch his bnce.

    With a frown of displeasure, Eliana shook her head and looked down at her watch.

    It was almost time for the kindergarten sses to be dismissed. Eliana had originally intended to go

    pick up the kids after getting off work early today, but now, she was going to bete because of Eli.

    ¡°Well, now that the show¡¯s over, you can leave. I have something important to do.¡±

    Rolling her eyes, Eliana turned around and stormed off.

    ¡®Something important to do? Is she going to meet Maurice?¡¯ Eli wondered nervously. He couldn¡¯t help

    but secretly follow her to find out where she was going.

    Not long after, he saw Eliana stop at the gate of a kindergarten, which seemed to have just been

    dismissed. Kids were milling out of the school.

    Eli, who was hanging back not far away, saw an adorable boy and girl rush into Eliana¡¯s arms with

    excited cries. ¡°Mommy, you are here!¡±

    As soon as Eli heard that, his jaw dropped in shock.

    ¡®Mommy? Eliana has children?!¡¯

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249

    Discovering that Eliana had kids left Eli bbergasted.

    Eliana, who was blissfully unaware of Eli spying on her, held her children¡¯s hands as usual and happily

    walked them home.

    On the way, Aileen, who was the simplest out of the three of them, realized that they were being

    followed.

    ¡°Mommy, I think someone is following us,¡± she said in a low voice, shaking Eliana¡¯s hand to catch her

    attention.

    ¡®Someone¡¯s stalking us?¡¯ Eliana wondered with a gulp.

    Countless horror stories that appeared on social media shed through her mind, making her break out

    in a cold sweat.

    Meanwhile, Aileen wanted to look back to see who was following them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look back!¡± Adrian hissed seriously in a low voice, squeezing Aileen¡¯s hand to warn her.

    ¡®What should we do now?¡¯

    Eliana¡¯s heart was pounding against her chest, but she forced herself to calm down and looked around

    carefully. The three of them were walking along a deserted path with no other pedestrians in sight. It

    was useless to shout for help here, so she had to find another way on her own.

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    Noticing a bending up on their way, she relieved as there would many pedestrians ahead. Then

    she came up with an idea.

    She gently squeezed the hands of the two children and gestured to the bend of the road with her eyes.

    In turn, the children gave her an imperceptible nod to show that they understood.

    Mother and children all quickened their pace as they walked towards the bend.

    Eli, who was secretly tailing them, lost sight of them all of a sudden. He hurried towards the bend to

    catch up with them, but as soon as he turned the corner, he was hit by a stick.

    ¡°Get him!¡± Eliana shouted with a stick in her hand.

    The two children grabbed their schoolbags and joined her, and the three of them beat Eli ck and

    blue.

    Afraid that his beautiful face would be damaged, Eli hunched over and crossed his arms over his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Eli!¡± he howled in pain.

    It was not until then that Eliana recognized him.

    Resisting the urge to hit herself on the forehead with her palm, she told the children, ¡°Stop. I know him.¡±

    Only then did the twins stop.

    ¡°Mommy, who is this weird guy?¡± Adrian stared warily at Eli, who was dressed in strange clothes to

    throw off the paparazzi.

    Pulling a long face, Eliana replied, ¡°He¡¯s someone I work with.¡±

    Standing up straight, Eli looked at the two children in disbelief. ¡°Eliana, you have children? Why didn¡¯t

    you tell me earlier?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask,¡± Eliana replied awkwardly.

    At this moment, there was a sudden squeal from Aileen that made all of them almost jump in surprise.

    ¡°Oh my God, I know you! You are a famous star, right? I¡¯ve seen you on TV before.¡±

    Aileen¡¯s loud and excited words caught the attention of the people around them. Many of them began

    to point and whisper.

    Eliana bit her lower lip, knowing that things would get worse if they continued to stay here.

    She had only narrowly escaped a scandal earlier, and didn¡¯t want tond herself in another one just

    yet. With one hand holding Eli and the other hand holding the children, she shuffled straight home.

    The first thing Eliana did after entering the house was bringing the children to the bedroom and getting

    them settled down.

    Then, she went back to the living room where Eli was, intending to ask him why the hell he was stalking

    her like this.

    Unexpectedly, the main door swung open at that time, and Nana walked in. Startled by the sight of a

    strange man in the house, she blurted out, ¡°Eliana, why did you bring Preston home? Are you going to

    tell the kids that he¡¯s their father?¡±

    The two people standing in the living room were instantly petrified.

    ¡°Nana, look carefully. He¡¯s not Preston! He is Eli Goodwin,¡± Eliana exined, shaking her head.

    With a frown on her lips, Nana took a closer look and found that the man standing there indeed wasn¡¯t

    Preston.

    ¡°Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. So you¡¯re Eli, the hottest star these days?¡±

    Nana stepped forward and blinked curiously at Eli, as if studying a rare animal.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Eli greeted, scratching his head in embarrassment.

    ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Nana Marlin. I¡¯m Eliana¡¯s best friend. She told me that you bullied her a

    few days ago. Is that true? Since you¡¯re here today, you better tell me the truth.¡±

    Even in such a situation, Nana didn¡¯t forget to seek justice for her best friend.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault for throwing away the diamond bracelet. Tell me how I can fix it. Whatever you want me to

    do, I will do it,¡± Eli said sincerely, looking at Nana and Eliana.

    Nana pursed her lips in thought for a while. When an idea urred to her, she snapped her fingers and

    smiled. ¡°How about you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nana!¡±

    Eliana interrupted Nana and shook her head, signaling Nana not to go too far.

    Nana¡¯s shoulders slumped in disappointment, and she let out an exaggerated sigh.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go easy on you since Eliana told me to. How about you¡­ give us some signed photographs?

    You¡¯re quite famous, right? Your signed photographs must be worth a lot of money.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to disappoint you.¡± Eli shrugged andughed at himself. ¡°Thanks to Maurice, my

    career is destroyed.¡±

    Hearing Eli throw the me on Maurice made Eliana furrow her eyebrows in annoyance.

    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. You deserve it!¡± she retorted.

    As soon as she finished speaking, her phone rang.

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250

    Before Eliana could answer Maurice¡¯s call, Eli stopped her.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eli demanded. ¡°What do you mean by saying that I deserve it?¡±

    Eliana tried futilely to shake off Eli¡¯s hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± she snapped. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t provoked Maurice for no reason, the public wouldn¡¯t have

    attacked you and this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    Anger burned in Eli¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°You¡¯re biased towards Maurice!¡± he sneered. ¡°You care so much about him. Have you told him that

    you have children?¡±

    Eliana froze. ¡°How does whether I have children or not have anything to do with Maurice?¡±

    ¡°What if I told him?¡± Eli said passionately.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    Eli smiled. He had finally located Eliana¡¯s weak spot.

    ¡°Eliana, I don¡¯t have to tell him. As long as you let me stay here a little longer, I will keep your secret.

    What do you say to that? You know, there is a big difference between Maurice hearing this from you

    and hearing it from other men.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. Let go of my hand. I have to answer the phone.¡±

    Eliana was upset, but determined to answer the call.

    But Maurice had already hung up.

    He stared at the phone and felt his heart sink.

    Just now, Maurice went to visit Eliana, but Inger told him Eliana left with Eli. Eliana probably didn¡¯t

    answer the phone because she was with Eli.

    The thought of Eliana being alone with Eli made Maurice¡¯s stomach churn.

    When Corbin saw Maurice¡¯s expression turn sour, he guessed that it was because of Eliana.

    Eliana could make Maurice react in ways that no one else could.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, if you want to see Eliana, how about we go out to find her?¡±

    ¡°Who said that I want to see her?¡± Maurice snapped. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how to deal with Gerald. He

    has been ying games recently. It is quite possible that he asked Grandpa toe today.¡±

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    Corbin suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I heard someone went to the Imperial Golden Club to investigate Preston and was sent

    away. Do you think it was Gerald?¡±

    Why would Gerald try to investigate Preston?

    Did he know the rtionship between Maurice and Preston? Or was it because of Eliana?

    Maurice couldn¡¯t sit around and wait.

    ¡°If he is bored and needs something to do, I will give him something to upy his time.¡±

    Maurice went straight to Gerald¡¯spany.

    Gerald was in a meeting.

    Recently, he had profited from investing in a resort. He was nning to continue his investments and

    further develop the resort.

    Gerald was calm and confident until the door of the conference room was kicked open.

    Maurice coolly entered with his men.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where are the security guards? Why didn¡¯t they stop these people?¡± Gerald red

    at the receptionist.

    The receptionist¡¯s face was as pale as ashes. ¡°Mr. Gerald Moran, we couldn¡¯t stop them¡­¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re in a meeting? I assume you won¡¯t mind if I sit in.¡±

    Maurice found a seat and sat down.

    Maurice looked up at the n of the resort that was on the screen. ¡°Don¡¯t develop anymore,¡± he said.

    ¡°Maurice, what are you talking about?¡±

    Gerald had a feeling in his stomach.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Maurice exined. ¡°It will close down tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251

    ¡°Is this a joke? What have you been doing behind my back, Maurice?¡±

    Gerald mmed the table in the conference room with a resounding thud.

    Everyone in the room remainedpletely quiet, and no one made a sound. Some of them even

    stepped a few steps away, scared of being drawn into the battle between the two enormous titans.

    ¡°Corbin.¡±

    Angry, Maurice raised his voice. Corbin tossed a document at Gerald without dy.

    ¡°Uncle Gerald, I¡¯ll let you look at it yourself.¡±

    Frowning, Gerald grabbed up the document and went through it, squinting his eyes at it. His expression

    abruptly shifted.

    ¡°Andslide killed numerous people two months ago, just as you were beginning construction of the

    resort. You didn¡¯t do anything to fix it. You, on the other hand, made enormous measures to keep the

    story from spreading, despite the danger, and continued with the resort project. Since another disaster

    urred in the resort a few days ago. For that, I¡¯ll have to put an end to the project. The situation is all

    your fault, Uncle Gerald, and I¡¯m here to assist.¡±

    Maurice¡¯sments caused amotion. A lot of people were talking in the conference room. The

    individuals in attendance were only aware of the positive aspects of the resort and had no idea of the

    horrible events that had urred there.

    Clearly¡­ The situation was impossible. How did Mauricee by this information?

    Gerald¡¯s face went from pale to red, then from red to ck, and his eyes disyedplex emotions

    such as fright, fury, and dread.

    All of his earlier efforts woulde to naught if he admitted that he was wrong.

    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Maurice.¡±

    Gerald was still pretending to be out of the loop.

    There was a palpable feeling of foreboding in Maurice¡¯s deep voice and ice-cold gaze.

    ¡°Do not assume that I am unaware of your actions behind my back, Uncle Gerald. I advised you to

    abandon the project. You don¡¯t seem to have paid attention to what I had to say.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t be more right!

    What was the extent of his knowledge?

    Gerald¡¯s forehead was wet with sweat. He was in a state of confusion.

    ¡°How can you think of me in this manner, Maurice? After all, I am your senior.¡±

    Gerald put on a brave face and attempted to exin to Maurice, but he couldn¡¯te up with anything

    to say that would make sense. After all, deceiving Maurice was no little feat.

    Stiffness permeated the room. The police whistle blew downstairs before Maurice had a chance to say

    anything.

    ¡°There¡¯s no use in worrying about what I think about. You will go to the police and tell them what

    happened. They will be interested in your story.¡±

    Maurice then chuckled and smirked.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°I¡¯m your uncle, Maurice. How dare you call the cops on me? If your grandpa discovers this, it won¡¯t just

    slide!¡±

    Gerald sprang out of his chair in disbelief at what was happening.

    He clenched his fists and blue veins showed off on his arms as if he were about to engage Maurice in

    combat at any moment.

    ¡°If Grandpa finds out what you¡¯ve done, I¡¯m afraid your demise will be far worse,¡± Maurice hissed

    contemptuously.

    Gerald¡¯s enraged yell remained lodged in his throat, and the ensuing rage consumed his thoughts.

    He couldn¡¯t stand to stare at Maurice¡¯s haughty expression. It seemed like Maurice had total control

    over everything, while he was simply an ant beneath his feet that might be stomped to death at any

    moment.

    Gerald was reminded of his younger brother, Maurice¡¯s father, with whom he could neverpete.

    A wicked smirk emerged on Gerald¡¯s face out of nowhere.

    ¡°Keep your wits about you, Maurice. Do you believe that you are omniscient and omnipotent? That¡¯s

    not right! You have no idea that thedy you love has children.¡±

    ¡°She has children?¡± This baffled Maurice.

    ¡°Yes, children, some other man¡¯s kids.¡± Gerald¡¯s lips curled up in a broad grin that became wider and

    wider. ¡°Before being married, Eliana had children with another man. In the eyes of the Moran family,

    she is just not eptable.¡±

    ¡°Why should I buy that?¡± Maurice stated quietly.

    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d want to tell them, Sean? I¡¯m sure there is.¡± Gerald regarded Sean with

    confidence.

    Sean gulped and stepped out in front of the crowd¡¯s gazes. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Eliana really has two

    children, as I saw firsthand.¡±

    Gerald watched Maurice withcency as if he were certain that Maurice had no idea about this

    matter.

    Did Eliana have any kids?

    Without realizing it, Maurice took a nce at Corbin, who seemed unsurprised. Instead, he chuckled.

    Corbin whispered in Maurice¡¯s ear, ¡°Boss, they must have confused Nana¡¯s twins for Eliana¡¯s kids.¡±

    ¡°Even funnier is the fact that the father of Eliana¡¯s children is a gigolo at Imperial Golden Club. You¡¯re

    so bad, Maurice. You¡¯re worse than a gigolo. You¡¯re such a clown!¡± Gerald burst outughing.

    Maurice¡¯s gaze abruptly shifted to him.

    A gigolo!?

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252

    A gigolo!

    Eliana had only interacted with a single gigolo at the Imperial Golden Club.

    It was Preston.

    How did Gerald get the idea that the children were Preston¡¯s? What on earth was happening?

    Maurice¡¯s eyes became bloodshot. The door was knocked as he was ready to ask more questions.

    The cops were on the scene.

    ¡°Gerald Moran? Where are you? In order to conduct an investigation, we need your assistance. Come

    out now.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention was immediately drawn to Gerald.

    ¡°Sir, he is the one.¡± Maurice cast an uninterested look towards Gerald.

    Gerald was handcuffed by two police officers who came forward.

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    ¡°This is not a joke, Maurice, right?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s wrath faded away, and a profound difort gradually surfaced on his face.

    He fought back for a moment but was quickly restrained by the cops.

    ¡°The firm is under my management. You cannot treat me this way!¡± Gerald let out a roar that nearly

    shook the whole room.

    Maurice maintained hisposure as if nothing had happened. ¡°The main corporation is under my

    control. From this moment, I am inmand of your business. Sirs, you are more than wee to

    take him away.¡±

    ¡°Maurice, you looney, I¡¯m not letting you get away with this one!¡±

    Gerald was eventually taken away by the cops while he was swearing.

    Disbelief spread among the workers.

    Why did thepany¡¯s leader change in the blink of an eye?

    Maurice, on the other hand, was unable to care for them. He could only think of one thing at the time.

    He was curious to confirm whether Gerald¡¯s ims were urate.

    Back at home, Eliana was busy in the kitchen.

    She had requested Eli¡¯s agent, Inger, to pick up Eli from her residenceter.

    In fact, Eli was still at Eliana¡¯s.

    After all the anger she felt, Eliana didn¡¯t believe it was appropriate to expel the man. He¡¯d be in a

    difficult situation if he was found by those wild reporters.

    Eli had removed the wig in the living room, making him seem more natural.

    Aileen, who had a soft spot for the physically appealing, was quickly won over by his imposing good

    looks. They had a lot of fun with Foodie, the dog.

    Eli used both hands to pet Foodie. ¡°Can you tell me who your dad is?¡± he murmured to Aileen as he

    cast a quick look at Eliana.

    ¡°You want to know my dad?¡± Aileen¡¯s huge eyes widened in surprise. She said, ¡°My father is the best

    guy in the world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not conceivable while I¡¯m still here!¡± Eli¡¯s response was naive and immature.

    Aileen had a sour face and eximed, ¡°Shut up! Do you know something? My father is more attractive,

    wealthier, and more intelligent than you; plus he must treat my mother better than you do.¡±

    Aileen turned her back on Eli, refusing to speak to him anymore.

    Eli was perplexed. He had no idea how to engage with a youngster.

    He swung around to face Adrian as if to ask the same question.

    He was chastised by Adrian before he had a chance to say anything.

    ¡°This is quite rude of you, young guy. It has nothing to do with you, regardless of who our father is.¡±

    Eli was once again cornered.

    The two children were little, but you could easily get on their nerves.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to sit down to dinner, my dears.¡± Eliana was wearing an apron when she served the food and

    asked everyone to join her for dinner.

    The food on the table was modest andpletely home-cooked, but Eli seemed to appreciate it.

    Since he was a little kid, he had lived as an orphan. He didn¡¯t have enough food or clothing when he

    was at the orphanage. No one wanted to adopt him because of his unusual temperament as a

    youngster. He had never been served a family-prepared supper.

    This was the first time he¡¯d eaten food that tasted as if it came from his own family.

    Aileen had the undesirable tendency of bing a food snob. In order to avoid having to eat anything

    she didn¡¯t like, she would always set it aside. This asion was no different than any other. Her dish

    was practically heaped high with carrots.

    Eli was sad to see that. ¡°What gives with your culinary preferences? Those carrots are so good. I¡¯ll

    assist you with them if you don¡¯t eat them.¡±

    Eli snatched Aileen¡¯s carrots off her te and scarfed them down in a sh. He was close to choking.

    When Eliana noticed this, she broke outughing and poured some soup for him.

    ¡°Slow down a little bit. They are yours to eat, and no one can take them from you.¡±

    Eli flushed as he took a drink of the soup and calmed himself down with a mumbled apology, ¡°I¡¯ve

    never had a meal prepared for me. I¡¯ve never eaten home-cooked meals before, so¡­¡±

    He sounded like he was in a terrible state of mind.

    The young guy in front of Eliana seemed to abruptly shed his mischievous exterior, exposing a delicate

    inside that made her heart exceedingly tender.

    ¡°It is immaterial. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve already consumed some? However, my meal is not free. You¡¯ll

    have to make a payment to me. Instead of handing over cash, why don¡¯t you pay with the ring?¡± Eliana

    sounded cheeky.

    Eli took it seriously despite the fact that it was meant as a joke.

    He held the bowl in a stupor while considering the other dishes on the table. He finally came to a

    decision.

    Afterward, Eli drew Eliana out onto the balcony.

    He removed the ring from his neck and presented it to her without saying a word.

    ¡°Here you go; the ring is yours.¡±

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253

    Eliana epted the ring in a daze.

    ¡°Why are you giving me this? I know that you¡­¡±

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    She paused. She knew how much Eli treasured the ring.

    She was sure it would take an enormous effort to make him give up the ring. How could it be so easy?

    She couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°I¡¯m returning it to you. Will you keep your promise to make me another lucky ring? I want that ring

    instead,¡± Eli asked humbly.

    ¡°Of course, but this ring won¡¯t be made out of precious material. I can¡¯t afford something too

    extravagant¡­¡± Eliana did not hesitate to agree.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter to me. I don¡¯t need an expensive ring,¡± Eli said. Relief slowly filled his heart that

    shot upwards into his throat.

    ¡®As long as it is made by you,¡¯ he added silently.

    ¡°Okay. But why did you suddenly agree to return the ring?¡± asked Eliana.

    Eli had even defied Maurice in order to keep this ring. How could he give it to her so easily?

    ¡°Why do you have to ask so many questions? Hurry up and take it before I change my mind.¡±

    Eli¡¯s ears turned red.

    He would never admit that he was so moved by the dinner that he decided to return the ring.

    Eliana¡¯s phone rang with a call from Inger.

    She said that she had arrived downstairs.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you downstairs.¡±

    Eliana put the ring away and went downstairs with Eli.

    Inger had been waiting for a while by the car outside. As soon as she saw Eli and Eliana, she waved to

    them.

    ¡°You can go ahead. I¡¯ll give you the ring when it is made.¡±

    There were no reporters around. Eliana was about to go back inside.

    Suddenly, Eli didn¡¯t want to leave.

    He didn¡¯t want to be lonely again.

    To everyone else, it looked like his life was perfect. He was handsome, rich, and popr with fans.

    Only he knew the loneliness that filled his heart when he left the apuse and attention behind and

    returned to his empty house. What did it matter if many people loved him? In the end, he was still

    alone.

    When he had dinner with Eliana and her children, he felt warm and happy for the first time in what

    seemed like forever.

    Eli had never been so certain that he was in love with someone.

    He didn¡¯t know how long he had loved her. Maybe since shedled soup into his bowl; maybe since

    she designed the ring for him; maybe since she jumped into the swimming pool; maybe even before

    that¡­

    He only knew that he had a crush on Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, wait!¡± Eli grasped her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave.¡±

    ¡°You mean you want to stay in my house?¡±

    Eliana was totally confused.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Eli said seriously.

    ¡°Do you have a fever? Have you lost your mind?¡±

    Eliana touched Eli¡¯s forehead.

    He didn¡¯t feel feverish. So why was he talking nonsense?

    Eli took a deep breath. His eyes shone with emotion.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I think I have a crush on you, Eliana!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t believe what she had heard.

    ¡°What did you say? Say it again.¡±

    ¡°I said, I have a crush on you, Eliana. I don¡¯t mind you that you have two children. I¡­¡±

    ¡°Eli, what are you doing? Hurry up and get in the car!¡±

    Seeing Eli holding Eliana¡¯s hand filled Inger with rm.

    The interruption made Eli¡¯s expression turn anxious.

    ¡°Eli, stop talking! I¡¯m trying to understand.¡±

    Eliana recovered a bit from her shock, but her mind was still in chaos.

    Eli had a crush on her!

    Why? Since when? How did he fall in love with her? Why hadn¡¯t she noticed?

    This was too outrageous.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t think of what words to say.

    But one thing she knew for sure was that she didn¡¯t have a thing for him.

    It was impossible for her to reciprocate Eli¡¯s love.

    ¡°Eli, I¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feel rushed to reply.¡±

    Eli seemed to notice that something was wrong, and stopped her before she could respond.

    He finally heeded Inger¡¯s words and walked away.

    Mixed feelings swirled inside Eliana as she watched Eli¡¯s back.

    How did ite to this point?

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254

    Eliana stood downstairs in a daze. She silently digested the outrageous information she had just found

    out.

    The sound of her phone ringing in her pocket brought her back to her senses.

    The call was from Preston.

    Preston¡­the ring¡­

    Right!

    Eliana smacked her forehead. She hadpletely forgotten about finally getting the ring back.

    This was her chance to tell him the good news.

    Eliana answered the phone, filled with excitement.

    ¡°Preston, I have something to tell you¡­¡±

    ¡°Where are you now?¡± Maurice interrupted her in a low voice.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m at home.¡±

    ¡°I want toe see you.¡±

    Preston wanted to see her? Did he already know that she had gotten the ring back? That would be

    impossible.

    Eliana felt uncertain. Preston had never wanted toe to her home before. Something must have

    happened.

    The twins were here. She couldn¡¯t let him see them.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you toe. Why can¡¯t we talk on the phone?¡± Eliana tried to discourage him.

    Maurice thought for a moment. Then he said, ¡°Eliana, do you have two children?¡±

    Eliana was frozen instantly.

    ¡°And¡­ am I their father?¡±

    There was a long silence. Maurice could hear Eliana¡¯s breathing getting faster.

    Was Gerald right?

    Maurice¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°Eliana, tell me the truth. If you don¡¯t tell the truth, I wille to your home

    and find out myself.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Eliana blurted out in panic.

    If Preston came to her house, everything would be exposed.

    ¡°How do you know where my house is? Preston, you followed me!¡±

    Eliana tried to change the subject, but Maurice didn¡¯t take the bait.

    ¡°I have ways of finding out where people live. I never thought that you would hide something so huge

    from me!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was like a smoldering fire about to burst into mes.

    If his guess about the children was true, he didn¡¯t even know what he would do.

    The matter couldn¡¯t be dyed any longer. To prevent Preston from seeing the children, Eliana had to

    compromise.

    ¡°Don¡¯te here. I¡¯lle to you and we can talk in person.¡±

    Eliana forced herself to speak calmly.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll wait for you at the Imperial Golden Club. You¡¯d better be there soon.¡±

    Eliana hung up. Her whole body was shaking and her mind was scattered.

    Should she tell Preston the truth? Should she allow the kids to know that a gigolo was their father?

    Would Preston take the children away from her?

    She couldn¡¯t know the answers.

    No, for now, she couldn¡¯t let Preston see the children.

    Eliana ran upstairs and started throwing things into a suitcase.

    Nana walked over. ¡°Eliana, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Nana, we need to hurry! You need to take the kids out to hide them,¡± Eliana said anxiously as she held

    Nana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Hide them? Why?¡±

    ¡°Preston might have found out about the children. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll take them away from me.¡±

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Nana realized how serious the situation was. ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°I will go see Preston and hold him back. You take the children and hide. You cane back after the

    storm is over.¡±

    This was the only n that Eliana¡¯s panicked brain could think of.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll help you pack.¡±

    Nana patted Eliana¡¯s shoulder and began to help her.

    The loud noises attracted the attention of the twins.

    Adrian sensed that something had happened. ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Eliana squatted down in front of him. ¡°Adrian, nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m going to y hide and seek with you

    and Aileen. You have to hide somewhere where I can¡¯t find you.¡±

    ¡°Really? I want to y.¡± Aileen was quick to agree.

    Adrian was lost in thought, with a strange expression on his face.

    Soon, Eliana and Nana had packed everything they needed. They were ready to send the children

    away. Eliana asked Kimora to take care of them.

    Eliana hesitated as she stared at therge and small suitcases. She didn¡¯t know if she was doing the

    right thing or making a terrible mistake.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Nana said firmly. ¡°If something goes wrong, you can tell Preston that it was all my idea. I

    will take the me.¡±

    Eliana felt a little relief enter her heart.

    Her expression became firm.

    She had to protect Aileen and Adrian. No one would take them away from her.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana walked out of the house. It was time for her to face Preston.

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255

    After Eliana left, Adrian was sure that something was wrong.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Being asked to leave home so suddenly made him uneasy. He suspected that something huge had

    happened, but he had no idea what it was.

    When Nana tried to get him to leave, he refused.

    ¡°Nana, I won¡¯t y hide and seek unless you tell us what¡¯s really going on.¡±

    ¡°Adrian!¡± Adrian refused to move from the sofa.

    Nana stared at him. It was a real headache for her.

    Adrian was sensitive but stubborn. Once he made up his mind, it was hard to get him to change it, and

    Nana didn¡¯t know how.

    When Nana was at a loss, Aileen approached them.

    She walked towards her brother with her favorite doll in her arms.

    ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t be so stubborn. We need to go.¡±

    Adrian shook his head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Aileen, have you ever thought that the person ying hide and

    seek with us might be Dad?¡±

    Nana¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Adrian had guessed the truth.

    Would Aileen also refuse to leave?

    Nana looked over at Aileen.

    Aileen pursed her lips and clutched her doll. ¡°I¡¯d still go,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Mommy asked us to leave.

    No matter what reason she has, I trust her.¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s Dad, you won¡¯t regret leaving?¡±

    Adrian knew how much Aileen wanted a father.

    ¡°I won¡¯t regret it, Adrian. Mommy has been taking care of us our whole lives. I do want a daddy, but if

    having a daddy will make Mommy sad, I would rather not have a daddy.¡±

    Nana and Adrian were shocked.

    Neither of them had expected that Aileen, who always begged to have a handsome father, would be so

    sensitive to her mother¡¯s feelings.

    Adrian realized that Aileen was more sensible than he gave her credit for. She had many things hidden

    in her heart.

    Aileen¡¯s attitude swayed Adrian.

    His sister was right. He must stand by his mother and obey her request.

    ¡°Nana, I¡¯ve changed my mind. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Finally, they were able to leave.

    As soon as Eliana stepped outside the building, she encountered Preston.

    Damn it! Why was he here?

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I woulde and meet you, Preston? Why didn¡¯t you keep your promise?¡±

    Eliana was flustered. Preston¡¯s presence ruined her n.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t wait.¡±

    Maurice stepped forward and gave Eliana an intense look.

    Ever since he found out about the children, every second had been painful to him. He had to know the

    truth as soon as possible. He couldn¡¯t wait for Eliana toe to him.

    Just then, Nana came downstairs in an elevator with Kimora and the twins.

    Eliana saw them out of the corner of her eye. Her heart began to pound.

    She quickly stepped forward to block Preston¡¯s sight.

    ¡°That¡¯s no excuse for arriving at my house without you telling me!¡± Eliana said loudly to attract

    Preston¡¯s attention.

    But her strange behavior only made Maurice suspicious.

    He thought that she seemed to be hiding something¡­

    Maurice gave her a suspicious nce and looked past her.

    Eliana¡¯s heart stopped beating for a moment. Her secret was going to be exposed.

    ¡°Eliana, what on earth are you hiding from me?¡±

    Maurice looked around but saw nothing.

    Nana had noticed Preston¡¯s arrival and hidden with the twins in a corner out of his sight.

    Didn¡¯t he see them?

    Eliana¡¯s heart began to beat again. She knew that Nana and the children must be inside, so she had to

    find a way to distract Preston and give them a chance to escape.

    What should she do? What could she possibly do to avert disaster?

    Her brain went into overdrive and she felt like she was suffocating.

    Suddenly, an idea shed through Eliana¡¯s mind.

    She knew what she had to do.

    ¡°Eliana, why don¡¯t you tell me what you are hiding? You¡­¡±

    The rest of Maurice¡¯s words were cut off.

    Eliana kissed him hard on the mouth.

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256

    Eliana saw Preston¡¯s face grow in her eyes in a split second.

    Desperately, she kissed his delicate lips.

    His lips were chilly and gentle, and Eliana could even detect a distinct scent on his body.

    Before this moment, Eliana had only kissed him when he initiated the kissing.

    She closed her eyes uneasily, anticipating that Preston would once again kiss her fiercely.

    But not this time. She was mistaken.

    Preston was quite rxed. Standing there, he was as still as an audience member observing her act

    with calm eyes.

    Eliana almost got swallowed whole by the intimidation she was feeling. Without doing anything, she

    would have little chance of capturing Preston¡¯s attention.

    Eliana was determined, so she put in more effort.

    Maurice¡¯s lips were firmly closed as she inserted her tongue to pry it open. After her tongue got caught

    in, she had no skills and merely plunged deep and swirled haphazardly.

    She acted like a stupid animal, carelessly provoking a vicious beast.

    For a while, Maurice did nothing except look calmly at Eliana, oblivious to her self-sacrifice kiss.

    This woman was perhaps the worst kisser!

    Because of her inexperience and sloppiness, she sparked his interest.

    Gradually, this kiss ceased to be Eliana¡¯s solo performance. Maurice couldn¡¯t resist the temptation.

    Eliana felt as though she had been swaddled in a fierce and suffocating hug.

    She let out a sigh of fear.

    In a sh, the towering guy sprang into action and aggressively swept everything. Affectionately

    encircling her little tongue, he plundered the woman¡¯s saliva before moving on to the next step of the

    exploration.

    Eliana¡¯s moans were muffled by the kiss, and she was carried away in the kiss. At the same time, she

    was aware of the primary aim of her kiss.

    Adding to the intensity of the kiss, she wrapped her arms around Preston¡¯s neck and yanked him back

    as she took him to the elevator.

    The folks hiding in the corner had a window of opportunity to flee at this point. Nana did not disappoint

    Eliana and swiftly took the youngsters from there.

    Eliana had reached her limit of sobriety and was almost unable to hit the floor button with Preston in the

    elevator.

    She was so close to giving in to Maurice¡¯s incredible kissing prowess.

    Air seemed to glow in the small elevator. Until the elevator door partially opened, the two of them

    kissed fiercely.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    In a split second, the elevator door swung open, revealing the steamy scene outside.

    When Maurice returned to his senses, he cradled Eliana in his arms and ced her head on his chest.

    It was a disgrace in its own manner.

    With Maurice embracing her, Eliana had egg on her cute face.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Maurice seemed to be at ease. He was casually kissed and duped.

    Yes, he was aware that Eliana was enlisting the aid of a honey trap in order to aid the individuals hiding

    behind her in their escape. So he decided to go along with her and see what she might conjure up for

    him.

    He had nned a backup n as well, of course.

    The elevator door slid open.

    With his arms around Eliana¡¯s waist, Maurice stepped out of the elevator and all the way to her house.

    Eliana fumbled for her key in her pocket and unlocked the door, her mind racing.

    Maurice shoved Eliana against the door as soon as he entered the room, wanting to prolong their kiss.

    He was startled by a sudden, distinct sound.

    A ring dropped from Eliana¡¯s pocket.

    The ring!

    Eliana eventually came to her senses when she saw the ring.

    It was quite perilous now. She was duped by this irresistible guy.

    ¡°I forgot to inform you that I retrieved your ring, Preston.¡±

    Eliana took the ring from the floor and gave it to Preston. ¡°So now that I¡¯ve returned the ring to you, I

    guess we¡¯re done here,¡± she remarked solemnly.

    How could she distance herself from him after getting the ring?

    What was she looking for in him? Was he a tool that could be dropped at any time? Or a major problem

    she couldn¡¯t wait to eliminate?

    As Maurice leaned down to get closer to Eliana, he grinned smugly. ¡°We are done here? You drove me

    home so that you could return the ring to me and then settle everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what more would you want?¡± Eliana answered immediately, resoundingly.

    ¡°So what did you mean when you kissed me just now?¡± Maurice made steady progress forward.

    ¡°I meant to¡­¡±

    Eliana was mute in the face of this.

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257

    ¡°That was¡­ a goodbye kiss!¡±

    Yes, that was what it was.

    Eliana hade to a decision. She could see that Preston cared about the children a lot. If he found

    out the truth, he would probably try to take Aileen and Adrian away from her.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t take that risk. She had to cut Preston offpletely. She couldn¡¯t see him again.

    Eliana¡¯s heart hurt.

    ¡°A goodbye kiss? What do you mean by that? You want to dump me because I discovered your secret?

    Eliana, this is stupid.¡±

    Maurice clenched his teeth and gripped Eliana¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Tell me the truth, are the children mine?¡±

    Eliana tried as hard as she could to keep her expression under control and put on a righteous tone.

    ¡°Of course not. Their mother is my best friend, Nana. She used to be a star and had to hide her

    children to protect her career.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If they are Nana¡¯s, why did you have to hide them from me?¡± Maurice demanded.

    ¡°I had to hide them because Nana is my best friend. To protect her future, I would dly keep this

    secret from everyone, even you.¡±

    As she went on, her words became more eloquent.

    Even now, she was still lying to him¡­

    Maurice had to hold his feelings back. He felt almost angry enough to hurt her. The ache in his heart

    was nearly unbearable.

    But he felt powerless as well.

    He couldn¡¯t even remember how many times she had said goodbye since they first met. She could

    push him away so ruthlessly.

    It seemed so easy for her to say they should separate. Like it was only a trivial thing to her.

    Frustration put every nerve in Maurice¡¯s body on edge. There was a wall in Eliana¡¯s heart that he could

    never break through.

    He didn¡¯t know how to continue to face Eliana as Preston.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°Okay. I understand what you mean.¡±

    Maurice let go of Eliana. His expression became calm, but a hint of redness in the corners of his eyes

    betrayed the strong emotions that raged inside him.

    He reached out for the ring in her hand. ¡°If it is your wish, then I will not appear in your life again.¡±

    The words pierced Eliana¡¯s heart like a knife.

    She knew that Preston meant what he said.

    She should be happy. She would no longer have to deal with the problem of the ring, and she wouldn¡¯t

    have to fear that he would one day find out about the children and take them from her.

    She should be happy¡­

    But¡­ her heart felt like it was being torn to shreds.

    Eliana clenched her fists so hard that her nails pierced into her flesh.

    ¡°But Eliana, it¡¯s your fault that my precious ring was lost for a long time. Surely it¡¯s reasonable for me to

    charge you interest?¡±

    The hoarseness in his voice made Eliana¡¯s toes curl. When she met his gaze, his eyes were full of

    burning desire.

    ¡°How much do you want?¡±

    Eliana swallowed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want money. You know what I want, and you can¡¯t refuse this time.¡±

    As soon as he said those words, Maurice lunged forward and kissed Eliana passionately.

    Eliana¡¯s first instinct was to pull away, but then she thought about how she would never see Preston

    again.

    She didn¡¯t want to resist anymore. She wanted to indulge herself this time.

    She rxed and leaned into Preston.

    Their mouths were full of the bitter taste of sadness. This was the real goodbye kiss.

    What happened next was only natural. They made love.

    This time, there was no aphrodisiac. There were only two hearts longing for each other.

    Maurice caressed her body, his eyes full of obsession. Eliana moaned. Her vision was blurred.

    She raised her head and opened her red lips slightly, letting herself sink into the sea of lust.

    A cold tear fell from the corner of her eye.

    The two beautiful bodies intertwined.

    It was an erotic scene.

    Meanwhile, Nana had finally escaped with the twins. Everything had happened so suddenly that they

    had no time to find a house to stay in. They were discussing finding a hotel to stay in temporarily.

    On the way, Nana got the feeling that they were being followed.

    She was right. Someone had secretly followed them ever since they left home.

    The spy was Corbin.

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258

    Nana stood by the road with a group of people, her armsden with bags.

    She was still worried about which hotel they could stay in, how long they would remain there, and how

    the twins would go to school¡­

    She wondered whether she would have enough money for the hotel.

    Kimora noticed Nana¡¯s indecision and spoke up.

    ¡°Miss Marlin, I know a ce where we might be able to stay temporarily. I have a rtive who works

    there. I can ask him to give us a discount. Wait a minute. I¡¯ll call him and ask.¡±

    Kimora took out her phone and walked to an empty corner.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Bowman.¡±

    The person on the other end of the line was Jonathan.

    ¡°Is there anything wrong with Eliana?¡± Jonathan asked in a gentle and kind voice.

    ¡°Yes. Miss Pierce is hiding from the father of her two children. Miss Marlin is taking care of the children

    for now.¡±

    Where Jonathan was, it waste at night.

    Jonathan was wearing a ck bathrobe as he stood in front of a huge French window.

    He was tall and handsome with an elegant aura. Water dripped from his hair due to his recent shower.

    He held the phone in one hand and a wine ss in the other. His eyes shed.

    ¡°Check them into the hotel under my name. I will send you the address and arrange everything. Keep a

    close eye on Eliana for me. I want to know about her every move, including everyone she interacts

    with.¡±

    The possessiveness in the man¡¯s tone made Kimora shiver.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Bowman.¡±

    After he hung up, Jonathan swallowed the rest of the wine and sat on the sofa. He picked up a photo

    frame from the table.

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    In the photo, Eliana was holding the twins and smiling brightly. Jonathan reached out his hand to touch

    Eliana¡¯s beautiful face. His eyes shone with affection.

    ¡°Eliana, wait just a little longer. We¡¯ll see each other soon.¡±

    Though these words were gentle, the way he said them would send a shiver down anyone¡¯s spine.

    Kimora reported the news to Nana.

    ¡°Your rtive has agreed to let us stay for free?¡± Nana hesitated for a moment. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little

    inappropriate?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He is the manager and therefore has the power to do this. Right now is the off-

    season for tourists, so there are vacant rooms. If you really feel bad about it, you can give him some

    money when you leave.¡±

    Kimora tried her best to be persuasive.

    The moment Nana got out of the car, she was shocked to see the luxurious hotel waiting for her.

    She had expected a small inn, not a huge five-star hotel. The decoration was expensive but tasteful.

    Everywhere she looked there were signs of wealth. The guests were all rich people wearing famous

    brands.

    ¡°Adrian, this ce is so big and beautiful. How long will we stay here? Can Nana afford it?¡± Aileen

    whispered to Adrian.

    ¡°If she can¡¯t afford it, we can sell you to pay for the rooms,¡± Adrian teased.

    ¡°Humph! I won¡¯t talk to you anymore!¡±

    Aileen puckered her lips and decided to ignore her brother for three days¡­ No, one day was enough.

    ¡°Empire Hotel¡­ Kimora, are you sure this is the right ce?¡±

    Nana stood at the entrance of the hotel and stared in amazement.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Kimora nodded.

    What would the cost be?

    Nana pitied her wallet, but now that they were here, she had no choice but to go inside.

    As soon as they entered the hotel, the manager greeted them warmly and checked them in. The

    doorman came and helped them carry their luggage.

    Adrian had a strange feeling about all of this.

    ¡°Nana, don¡¯t you think there is something wrong? They are treating us too well.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s suspicions had only increased ever since they stopped in front of the hotel. It seemed to him

    that the hotel staff were treating them like distinguished guests.

    It was bizarre.

    Nana carried the sleepy Aileen. She was also confused.

    She felt suspicious as well, but Kimora promised over and over that everything was fine. With so much

    luggage and two children in tow, it was toote to find another hotel.

    ¡°Adrian, you and Aileen go ahead to bed. I¡¯ll go downstairs and inquire.¡±

    Nana set the two children down and headed downstairs to ask some questions.

    Corbin, who had been following them the whole time, wasing upstairs just then.

    When the elevator door opened, Corbin and Nana were face-to-face.

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259

    The stalker was caught by the person that he was stalking. What could he do next?

    He froze like a deer in headlights, and beads of sweat gathered on his forehead.

    After a few suffocating seconds of indecision, Corbin made up his mind to y the offensive before

    Nana could ask him anything.

    ¡°Nana, what a coincidence! I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you at this hotel. What are you doing here?¡± Corbin

    asked, widening his eyes in a mixture of feigned confusion and surprise. There was a light smile at the

    corner of his lips, as if he was pleased to run into Nana here.

    Thanks to his excellent acting skills, he sessfully deceived Nana and saved himself from hot water.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying here with the children for a few days,¡± Nana replied curtly. There was no hint of suspicion in

    her voice.

    ¡°Children? Well, why are you all staying in a hotel?¡± Corbin raised a questioning eyebrow.

    Nana was about to tell him the truth, but changed her mind at thest minute.

    The less people who knew about Eliana¡¯s children, the better. Nana didn¡¯t want to air out the truth to

    anyone else.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. The guy pursuing my friend finally came to our house. I wanted to give them some

    privacy, so I booked a hotel room for me and the children. Anyway, it¡¯ll be like a vacation for us,¡± Nana

    lied casually.

    Corbin frowned. Judging by Nana¡¯s candid exnation, it seemed to him that the twins really were her

    children.

    ¡®Gerald must have misunderstood the whole thing! Mr. Moran and I were worried about nothing,¡¯ he

    thought to himself.

    Inwardly heaving a sigh of relief, he nodded and said in a rxed tone, ¡°I see. Well, have a good time.

    I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Wait! What about you? What are you doing here at this hour?¡±

    Nana finally came to her senses and narrowed her eyes. Looking at Corbin carefully, she realized that

    he hade to the hotelte at night without any luggage¡­which could only mean one thing.

    ¡°Are you here with a woman?¡± she continued coolly.

    ¡°What are you talking about? Stop imagining things,¡± Corbin retorted, instinctively denying Nana¡¯s

    usation.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Nana asked, folding her arms over her chest.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Corbin¡¯s mouth went dry. Obviously, he couldn¡¯t tell Nana that he was following her, but he hadn¡¯t

    thought of an excuse for being here, either.

    ¡°I was right, wasn¡¯t I?¡±

    Nana¡¯s voice rose sharply. She didn¡¯t know why, but her temper red all of a sudden.

    Learning that Corbin hade to a hotel in the middle of night to sleep with a woman left a bad taste in

    her mouth. She felt deeply displeased for some reason.

    While the two of them were arguing, a drunk woman suddenly staggered over, wrapped her arms

    around Corbin¡¯s shoulders and clung to him.

    ¡°Honey, why are you sote? I have been waiting for you so long. You¡¯re breaking my heart,¡± she

    whined, her wordsing out in a slur.

    ¡°Who are you? You got the wrong person. Let go of me,¡± Corbin said gruffly.

    He tried to get rid of the woman¡¯s grip, but she continued to clutch on to him, letting her hands

    restlessly roam his body.

    Nana almost threw up at the disgusting sight. It turned out that Corbin was really such a man. ¡®How

    could I have been so blind?¡¯ she wondered.

    Watching Corbin and the drunk woman stand there entangled, Nana stormed off with her hands

    clenched into fists and her eyes burning with fury.

    ¡°Nana!¡±

    By the time Corbin finally managed to break away from the drunken woman, Nana had walked far

    away. He anxiously ran after her.

    But when he arrived at the door of her hotel room, two hotel staff members rushed over and blocked

    his way.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman has told us that no one is allowed to disturb Miss Marlin and the two children. Please

    leave, sir,¡± one of them exined coldly.

    It turned out that this hotel was Jonathan¡¯s territory.

    Corbin had investigated Nana before, so he was well aware of who Jonathan was.

    It was suddenly crystal clear to him why Nana had chosen to stay in this hotel.

    It seemed that Jonathan attached great importance to the mother and children. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t

    have ordered people to guard them.

    ¡®So I was right. Jonathan must be the children¡¯s biological father,¡¯ Corbin thought. A humorless smile

    spread across his face.

    They said that the truth could set one free, but at this moment, Corbin didn¡¯t feel rxed at all.

    ¡®Is Nana going to be Jonathan¡¯s secret lover all her life?¡¯

    Nana¡¯s pretty face appeared in Corbin¡¯s mind. All of a sudden, he felt as if a big stone was pressing on

    his chest, making it impossible for him to breathe.

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260

    The next day, by the time Eliana woke up, Preston had already left.

    This time, Preston left with the ring, leaving nothing behind.

    Reflecting on the crazy night yesterday, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but p her head. She smiled helplessly.

    She waspletely smitten by Preston¡¯s charm.

    Luckily, she had rid the room of every trace of the children yesterday. If Preston had found any

    evidence, she would have had to open up to him.

    Just to be on the safe side, Eliana decided to call Nana and ask her to stay away from home with the

    two children for two more days.

    As soon as the call was answered, Nana¡¯s anxious voice came through on the phone.

    ¡°Eliana, watch the news. Something has happened.¡±

    ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Eliana thought to herself.

    She quickly opened Twitter only for her to see Eli¡¯s apology statement.

    Eli who had hit Maurice issued a public apology, hoping that Maurice could forgive him for his

    impulsiveness.

    The apology statement was quite detailed and honest.

    Strangely, Maurice made no response to it.

    But just now, the official ount of the Moran Group suddenly released a message that due to Eli¡¯s

    misbehavior in recent days, the Moran Group would withdraw his advertisement and im a high sum

    as penalty for breach of contract.

    The news instantly sparked a buzz across the inte.

    Eli was fooled!

    It was then everything became clearer to Eliana.

    Perhaps, Maurice never wanted to let Eli off the hook from the beginning, and the reason why he didn¡¯t

    rify it despite public pressure was because he wanted Eli to finish filming the wholemercial.

    As soon as themercial was done with, he immediately produced evidence to prove his innocence

    and get back at Eli.

    When Eli apologized under pressure, the Moran Group had a reason to bring a im against him for

    misconduct that damaged the group¡¯s interests.

    It was Eli¡¯s fault. He had to pay for it.

    Maurice perfectly nned his game. Now there was no escape for Eli.

    Eliana was a little worried.

    She felt Maurice was a terrifying person.

    Eliana sighed and continued flipping through the Inte.

    Arge number of Eli¡¯s loyal fansmented in thements section of the official ount of the

    Moran Group. They rained curses on Maurice, using all kinds of terrible pictures. Some of them

    mored to go to the Moran Group to protest.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t put up with it and retorted when she saw a badment about Maurice.

    Consequently, she was immediately chewed out by the aggressive fan who even threatened to track

    down her details.

    Eliana was so livid that she was about to harshly reply to the fan, but her phone rang.

    It was Inger!

    Why was she calling?

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°Hello, what¡¯s up, Ms. Sumner?¡± Eliana answered the call.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, can you do me a favor? I¡¯m aware that you have a special rtionship with Mr. Moran.

    Please plead with Mr. Moran to let Eli go, okay?¡±

    Special rtionship?

    Eliana smiled wryly. ¡°Ms. Sumner, you¡¯re wrong. I don¡¯t have any special rtionship with Mr. Moran.

    He is just my former boss.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I know that Eli has wronged you before, but he is really not a bad person. You don¡¯t want

    to see him ruined, do you? Besides, if this continues, Mr. Moran won¡¯t be able to get off the hook

    either.¡±

    As expected of a top agent, Inger made the stakes clear in just a few words, ying the pity party.

    Eliana was indeed swayed. She suddenly remembered that only just a few days ago, Maurice was

    beaten and scolded by Earle because of this matter. If things continued like this, Maurice would

    probably be hit again.

    ¡°Okay, Ms. Sumner. I promise to do my best, but I can¡¯t guarantee that Maurice will let go of Eli.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Pierce.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Eliana resigned herself to getting up from the bed and got dressed.

    An hour and a halfter, she was at the entrance of the Moran Group again.

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261

    Eliana could call Corbin and ask if Maurice was inside thepany building.

    She took out her phone and called him, but he didn¡¯t answer. She called a few more times, but still he

    didn¡¯t receive the call.

    Now that she was here, she couldn¡¯t back down.

    Eliana hyped herself up silently and approached the entrance.

    Before she reached the gate, a security guard stopped her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. People unaffiliated with the Moran Group are not allowed to enter without permission.¡±

    The Moran Group had tightened security because of the disturbance caused by Eli¡¯s fans a few days

    ago. Now it was hard for most people to get inside.

    What could she do?

    ¡°Please let me in. I have an urgent situation to deal with,¡± Eliana pleaded.

    ¡°An urgent situation? What is it? What could you possibly have to do inside the Moran Group? Tell me.¡±

    The security guard red at her.

    She was here to plead with Maurice. But there was no way the security guard would believe that.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say.

    She saw a group of people waiting in line to enter the building. The other security guards were not

    stopping them.

    Eliana had an idea.

    ¡°I came with them.¡±

    The security guard gave Eliana a suspicious look. ¡°You¡¯re here for an interview too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here to be interviewed,¡± Eliana said. ¡°Did I go through the wrong door?¡± she asked, to make

    her lie more convincing.

    ¡°All the interviewees have to wait there and will be allowed to enter togetherter.¡±

    The security guard pointed to another hallway.

    Eliana followed the group of interviewees into the building.

    Corbin was dropping by to check on the interviewees. He saw a furtive Eliana in the crowd.

    Why was Eliana here in a group of interviewees?

    What is possible that¡­ Had she changed her mind and decided to return? Corbin was eager to tell the

    boss the good news.

    He hurried upstairs to Maurice¡¯s office.

    ¡°Boss, you¡¯ll be d to hear this.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t look up from the paper in his hand.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°I just saw Eliana.¡±

    Who? Eliana?

    Maurice finally looked up and raised his eyebrows. ¡°What is she doing here?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart ached when he thought of what Eliana had said to himst night when he was Preston.

    ¡°She¡¯s here for an interview,¡± Corbin said excitedly.

    An interview¡­

    She had broken up with Preston only the night before, and now she was here at the Moran Group for

    an interview.

    Had she broken up with Preston so that she could start over again with Maurice?

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but consider the possibility.

    Corbin noticed the change in Maurice¡¯s expression and decided to share his other news.

    ¡°Boss, ording to my investigation after I followed Nana to the hotelst night, the twins are the

    children of Nana and Jonathan. They are unrted to Eliana.¡±

    Maurice was stunned. So the children were not his and Eliana¡¯s. A faint sensation of loss rose in his

    heart, but he pushed it down.

    ¡°Boss, should I inform the HR director now that Eliana had decided to have an interview?¡± Corbin

    suggested.

    ¡°No need. Bring her here. I want to interview her in person,¡± Maurice said quietly.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Just as Corbin was about to leave, Maurice stopped him.

    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll go myself.¡±

    Maurice put his coat on.

    Eliana waited nervously outside the interview room.

    She was supposed to be finding Maurice and speaking to him about Eli, but now she was trapped

    waiting for an interview.

    She was in a bind.

    She was about to try to sneak away when a strange voice spoke to her.

    ¡°You are¡­ Eliana Pierce!¡±

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262

    Eliana turned toward the voice that called her name.

    Standing in front of her was a tall woman with graceful features and ck hair, which wasbed high

    and revealed her full forehead.

    She was dressed in slim and professional clothes, which made her look capable and mature.

    Who was she? How did she know Eliana¡¯s name?

    Eliana was confused.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Pierce,¡± the woman said warmly as she stretched out her hand. ¡°My name is Harriet Stone.

    I¡¯m the new director of the Design Department at the Moran Group. I saw the pink diamond ne

    you designed. I found it to be stunningly beautiful.¡±

    Eliana smiled at the praise and shook Harriet¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Really? Thank you for your kind words.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s smile was as bright as the diamonds she worked with. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to meet the person

    capable of designing such exquisite jewelry. It was unfortunate that you had already resigned by the

    time I joined thepany. I didn¡¯t expect that my wish would be granted today.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Stone, I¡¯m ttered.¡±

    This was the first time Eliana had been praised by a woman.

    Harriet looked around. ¡°Miss Pierce, are you here for an interview?¡± she asked in surprise.

    ¡°No, Ms. Stone, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here,¡± Eliana replied quickly.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. A skillful jewelry designer like yourself should put your talent to use on a major stage

    like that of the Moran Group.¡±

    The regret in Harriet¡¯s voice made Eliana feel a little awkward.

    Just as she was about to speak, someone called her name.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    ¡°Eliana.¡±

    It was Maurice¡¯s voice. He was here to see her in person.

    Maurice!

    How did he know she was in the building?

    Eliana felt like a mouse who had seen a cat.

    But she realized that it was actually a good thing that he came to find her. After all, she came here to

    see him.

    Her eyes were bright and she didn¡¯t think about running away anymore.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, why are you here?¡±

    Eliana wasn¡¯t sure if she was imagining it, but she thought that Harriet¡¯s voice was much softer when

    she spoke to Maurice.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I¡¯m going to interview this applicant in person.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t even nce at Harriet before he left with Eliana.

    Harriet stared after the two receding figures. Her warm smile faded and her face darkened.

    The friendliness left her face like old paint king off of a painting.

    ¡°Miss Stone, that woman is Eliana Pierce. She is a shameless tramp. She was driven out but now has

    the gall to return for an interview. It is fortunate that she does not work for the Moran Group anymore.

    Otherwise, she could use any means to seduce Mr. Moran,¡± Harriet¡¯s assistant reported to her.

    Harriet sneered. ¡°I¡¯m going to get Eliana toe back to the Moran Group.¡±

    ¡°But didn¡¯t Mr. Earle Moran tell you not to let Eliana return?¡± The assistant was confused.

    ¡°Let me exin. A proud and refined man like Mr. Moran is used to grand banquets, so sometimes he

    gets bored and wants to try in dishes. I want Eliana to return so that she will be near Mr. Moran all

    the time. This closeness will ensure that Mr. Moran will eventually see her true vulgar nature. He will

    then leave her without my intervention.¡±

    Harriet was confident. After all, Earle had selected her as the prime candidate for Maurice¡¯s wife.

    No one was going to stop her.

    Maurice pulled Eliana quickly to his office.

    Once they entered, Maurice sat straight in his chair and looked intently at Eliana.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would never return to the Moran Group as long as you lived? Why did you

    change your mind now? Has causing two bosses to fail in session made you nervous?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t even argue.

    It was true that she was unlucky.

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263

    Eliana said nervously, ¡°I¡¯m not here for an interview today.¡±

    What was the point?

    Without saying anything, Maurice just blinked.

    ¡°About Eli, Maurice. Can¡¯t you just let the poor guy go?¡±

    Eliana made up her mind, closed her eyes, and blurted it out. She didn¡¯t seem to want to rethink it.

    Was she attempting to sway him for the sake of another man?

    As soon as he realized this, Maurice¡¯s eyes shrank and a mncholy mood swept over him.

    He gave a frigid reply, saying, ¡°Why should I listen to you?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect such a reply.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you begging for Eli¡¯s release? Why should I let him go?¡±

    Did Maurice erroneously interpret something?

    Eliana suddenly realized what he was thinking.

    She really came here to beg for Maurice¡¯s sake, not for Eli.

    She witnessed how Eli¡¯s crazed admirers assaulted Maurice and discussed how they would cause

    problems in the Moran Group once again over the Inte.

    Therefore, she wished for Maurice to end this situation as quickly as possible.

    ¡°Maurice, you misunderstand what I¡¯m trying to convey to you. I am here for you, not Eli.¡±

    Once she had her phone out, Eliana went to the Moran Group¡¯s social media ount and reviewed the

    comments there. She wanted Maurice to see the inmmatory remarks and manipted images that

    had been made against him.

    The phone was handed to Maurice, who had a look through it.

    An angry look spread over the man¡¯s face. His eyebrows furrowed deeply, and his face became more

    irate.

    As a result, Eliana hoped he would now believe her.

    She had no idea how critical the situation was. Just as she was going to resume her proposition with

    him, she heard Maurice yelling angrily at her, ¡°You saw thesements?¡±

    Maurice was enraged at the moment. Was Eliana enjoying reading thements criticizing him?

    Eliana was shocked to hear that. When she got her phone, she saw that all of her remarks in favor of

    Maurice had been removed, leaving just the defamatory ones.

    This was simply messed up! She couldn¡¯t even exin herself in this manner.

    Eliana was distraught. Except for herments, none of the others were deleted. This was truly

    unfortunate.

    Eliana was forced to give up when she saw that Maurice¡¯s expression was bing more sinister by

    the second.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not bother with it because you don¡¯t want to. I must go at this time because I have to deal with

    something at home.¡±

    It was a bad day for negotiating, unfortunately.

    While speaking, Eliana took steps backward.

    As soon as she reached the door, she spun around, opened it in an instant, and prepared to leave.

    As if on cue, arge hand pulled her backward.

    Harriet, who was on her way to report to Maurice with interview materials, urred to walk in on this

    situation by chance.

    Once again, the door was shut, and Eliana collided with a robust chest.

    ¡°The Moran Group, Eliana, is not a location where you maye and leave as you choose!¡± Maurice

    hissed in a husky tone.

    Eliana¡¯s breath was a bit jumbled for a minute. Just now, she appeared to catch a glimpse of Harriet.

    Harriet seemed downbeat.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Release me, Maurice. We¡¯re in the firm. Miss Stone is standing outside. Be a good sport.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s efforts to free herself of him were unsessful.

    ¡°In the Moran Group, the ultimate word belongs to me.¡±

    Her pleas were disregarded by Maurice. Eliana¡¯s power was like a tickle to him.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m with you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean with me?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t understand what he was trying to say.

    ¡°As long as you return to the Moran Group, I am prepared to ept Eli¡¯s apology.¡±

    In the end, Maurice came around.

    ¡°Eliana, are you interested in rejoining the Moran Group?¡±

    Eliana instantly lifted her head and stared at Maurice upon hearing this. This guy was taking it quite

    seriously.

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264

    Did he imply he consented to Eli¡¯s release?

    Eliana didn¡¯t understand what Maurice meant till then. So long as she agreed to return to the Moran

    Group, he would be happy to forgive Eli.

    She had nothing to lose if she agreed to Maurice¡¯s requirement.

    So, why not return?

    Her return to the Moran Group would not only address Eli¡¯s situation but alsond her a job.

    She had no business turning off the opportunity to aplish two goals at once.

    Her unequivocal refusal to return to the Moran Group, however, had been made clear. If she returned

    now, wasn¡¯t it a smack in her face?

    Eliana found herself in a quandary.

    Seeing her frown, Maurice didn¡¯t try to push her too hard.

    Then he said, ¡°Let me know when you¡¯ll get back to thepany! Take time. The decision is yours to

    make. Take like three days¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in!¡± Eliana replied all of a sudden.

    This time, Maurice was the one stunned. Was it that easy for her to decide?

    It was surprisingly simple. Then why did he need to do so many things in the past?

    Maurice was almost speechless.

    Did he get it correctly?

    Was Eliana¡¯s decision to break up with Preston a signal for her to begin over with him?

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°Won¡¯t your lover be bothered by this?¡± Maurice inquired intentionally.

    Was he referencing Preston in his remarks?

    Eliana¡¯s mood darkened when Preston was brought up.

    Before, they got into an altercation. She assumed that their rtionship had ended.

    Wait¡­

    Was there any history between them?

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be concerned about my personal life. I¡¯ve agreed to your terms, and I won¡¯t let you

    back out of yourmitment.¡±

    Eliana pushed Maurice away, agitated. He decided to let her go this time.

    Eliana was startled to see Harriet still waiting outside as she opened the door.

    ¡°Have you concluded your conversation with Mr. Moran, Miss Pierce?¡±

    Harriet¡¯s demeanor remained kind and courteous.

    ¡°Please ept my apologies for the inconvenience. I¡¯m done with Mr. Moran now.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s cheeks flushed as she felt a twinge of remorse.

    Harriet questioned hesitantly, ¡°It seems like you had a pleasant discussion with Mr. Moran. Are you

    nning to return to thispany?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s mostly due to the fact that I haven¡¯t paid Mr. Moran yet. I need to pay back the money I owe

    him,¡± Eliana said awkwardly.

    Repay the debt? Harriet believed that Eliana was trying to woo the guy.

    Even though Harriet didn¡¯t like Eliana, she acted as she did. Sheplimented Eliana,

    ¡°Congrattions, Miss Pierce,¡± as she grasped her hand affectionately.

    Eliana had no idea how to react since it was the first time she had received kindness from a female

    coworker.

    ¡°Miss Stone, see you again in our organization next time.¡± Nodding, she turned and walked away.

    What Eliana didn¡¯t see was that the instant she turned around, Harriet made a long expression and

    gazed with distaste at the hand she had just shaken with Eliana.

    Harriet washed her hands five times in the bathroom before she started to feel better.

    In front of the mirror, she meticulously powdered her nose and reapplied her perfume. Then she

    strolled out of the bathroom and directly to the CEO¡¯s office, with the most gorgeous grin on her face.

    ¡°Are you present, Mr. Moran?¡± Harriet knocked at the door.

    ¡°The door is open for you.¡±

    Harriet entered the room with elegance. ¡°These are the specifics on today¡¯s interviews, Mr. Moran.

    You¡¯re the one who has to make the ultimate call.¡±

    ¡°Put it there,¡± Maurice uttered without lifting his head.

    ¡°Certainly, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Harriet ced the papers neatly on the desk.

    She exposed her delicate neck by pretending to caress the hair strewn about her ears.

    Maurice¡¯s nose was instantly hit by a faint scent.

    Maurice lifted his head and took a serious look at the new design director for the first time.

    ¡°Harriet Stone, the Stone family¡¯s daughter. Currently, Stone Group is the world¡¯s most prominent

    luxury perfumepany. It looks as though working for the Moran Group is beneath your dignity.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s response was nonchnt. He didn¡¯t give a damn about her, despite what he stated.

    While Harriet looked at the guy she liked, her pulse rate began to rise and even her cheeks flushed

    uncontrobly.

    ¡°I requested that your grandpa put me in the Moran Group since it seemed like a better fit. Please, Mr.

    Moran, don¡¯t hate me.¡±

    In spite of her inner enthusiasm, Harriet maintained a dignified demeanor. She didn¡¯t go too near to

    him, but she made it clear that she wanted to be close to him.

    She has a good chance of catching Maurice¡¯s eye this way. It was hard not to flick her hair as she

    reflected on how far she had gotten.

    Unexpectedly, the guy dropped his head and his eyes disyed discontentment.

    ¡°Change your perfume the next time you visit my office. You have a peculiar odor.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s mind was blown right then and there.

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    Harriet was humiliated by Maurice¡¯s blunt remarks.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    The perfume was a big business for the Stone Group. She had carefully selected the scent in order to

    seduce Maurice. It was a surprise that he didn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°Really? Next time, I¡¯ll switch the fragrance.¡±

    Harriet tried to hide her shame as she responded.

    ¡°Well, since you have nothing else, you may now go.¡±

    Maurice scowled and was eager to ask her out of his office. Apparently, Harriet¡¯s fragrance bothered

    him.

    Harriet was devastated by this since she had always held herself in high regard. Her polite and

    dignified grin was so fragile by now that it was practically falling off her face.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Moran, I¡¯m going. Thanks.¡±

    Harriet walked away, her face flushing with disappointment. Maurice didn¡¯t give her a second look the

    whole time.

    After going out, Harriet ran into Corbin. She smiled and said, ¡°Hello there, Mr. Jenkins. It¡¯s a nice

    coincidence.¡±

    Corbin came to a halt in front of her and said, ¡°Please, Miss Stone, give me any documents you need

    to submit. Our boss dislikes it when individuals enter and exit his office without concrete reasons.¡±

    Corbin strode past Harriet and into the office after saying that.

    Why would Maurice not let her, a respectable director of the firm, enter his office, but permit ady who

    had quit to enter his office casually?

    Astounded, Harriet experienced envy for the very first time.

    Eliana phoned Inger after she left the Moran Group.

    ¡°I made every effort to speak with Mr. Moran today, Ms. Sumner. He is willing to forgive Eli.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Inger¡¯s eyes glowed on the other end of the phone line. ¡°Miss Pierce, I felt there had to be a

    turning point in this situation as long as you stood out in your efforts to assist.¡±

    At this point, Eli stood next to Inger. In response, his eyes furrowed and he seized the phone in his

    hand as quickly as he could.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how Maurice could be so generous as to allow me to go. Eliana, have you made any

    promises to him?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. She wasn¡¯t prepared for Eli¡¯s sensitivity.

    But ever since she chose to aid him, she had never thought to ask Eli for anything in exchange for her

    assistance. In the event that she gave him the whole truth, he would reject her goodwill and make

    things much worse.

    ¡°The problem is that you¡¯re overthinking it. If things continued in this fashion, it would be of no use to

    anybody. Maurice is able to halt the losses before they be too serious.¡±

    Despite what she said, Eli could not shake the suspicions he had in his heart. More than anything else,

    he believed Eliana was trying to keep something from him.

    To find out what had urred, he really wanted to run to Maurice and question him directly.

    Eliana continued, ¡°Maurice would notplicate matters for me.¡±

    The only thing she hoped for when she returned to the Moran Group was that everything would go

    wlessly this time around.

    Initially, Eli wanted to say something, but he reconsidered after a moment of hesitation. Eliana hadn¡¯t

    replied to him since he expressed his love for her in a realistic way.

    Eliana could have been unable to reply.

    Her rtionship with Maurice was such that he wouldn¡¯t make it tough for her.

    What was Eliana¡¯s stand in this matter? Did she also develop feelings for Maurice?

    Eli cracked a sour grin as he thought about this.

    ¡°Eliana, thank you very much. Please keep in mind that you may turn to me for protection if Maurice

    doesn¡¯t value you.¡±

    When she remembered Eli¡¯s confession that day, Eliana¡¯s heart pounded.

    ¡°Eli¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all good. There is nothing further I can add. I¡¯m off to do something else. Bye.¡±

    Eli was the first to hang up the phone.

    Eliana spent some time staring at her phone. Her head was a jumble of Preston, Maurice, and Eli, and

    she couldn¡¯t keep up.

    It was a waste of time!

    In one swift motion, Eliana shook her head and cleared her mind.

    Regardless, she had told Maurice she would return to work. Too much mental effort was a waste of

    time.

    Eliana chose to bring the children back after an additional two days when all public criticism had

    subsided.

    The twins were staying at the Empire Hotel with Nana, so she went to get them.

    These days, Aileen and Adrian enjoyed themselves at the hotel. When she arrived, each of them

    attempted to tell her something intriguing that had urred.

    Eliana was relieved that the youngsters were not scared, but she also felt a touch of sadness.

    She felt pity for her children since their home was so tiny.

    Before they departed, the hotel staff informed her that she had a letter waiting for her.

    Eliana received and opened the letter. When she opened it, she gasped in disbelief.

    The penmanship belonged to Jonathan. Was this even happening in the first ce?

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    Chapter 266

    The mail included a letter as well as a ck credit card.

    As soon as Eliana opened the envelope, she started reading the letter without any thought.

    ¡°Dear Eliana. How have things been treating youtely? I predicted that you would eventually run out of

    strength ande to my region when you couldn¡¯t keep going any longer. Don¡¯t fret. You may count on

    me to be at your side at all times. You should stop messing around with Nana. She managed to get

    away from the wedding, but she will pay the price for it. I do not want her to get you in trouble as well.

    In addition, I¡¯ll be returning. We¡¯ll meet up soon, I¡¯m sure of it. I hope you¡¯ll be able to ept me when I

    get back. Jonathan.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart began to constrict as she gripped the letter hard, like a chill serpent slithering up her

    spine.

    Was it possible for Jonathan to know so much about her life after she returned from abroad?

    He was hundreds of miles away, but she felt as though he was watching her.

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Not only her but also her children and Nana couldn¡¯t escape his eyes.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help trembling at the notion of this.

    He was really appalling!

    ¡°What are you staring at?¡±

    The letter drew Nana¡¯s attention. Her face altered as well after she read it. ¡°Jonathan is aplete and

    utter freak. He¡¯s more terrifying than Maurice.¡±

    Eliana ced the letter down with a frown.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how Jonathan and Maurice go head-to-head. Who between the two of them has the

    best chance of winning your affections? Let¡¯s do this, baby. It¡¯s up to you to make the big scene.¡±

    Nana teasingly nudged Eliana¡¯s shoulder.

    She set out to calm Eliana down, but it turned out to have the exact opposite effect.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but image the moment when the two guys encountered one other.

    Simply put, that was terrifying.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get going!¡±

    Eliana collected the child¡¯s belongings and wanted to return home.

    Prior to her departure, she insisted on returning the ck card to the hotel personnel and requesting

    that they delivered it to Jonathan.

    Some money, despite her need for funds, she was unable to take.

    An impatient Rolls-Royce pulled up right in front of them the moment they exited.

    Then, a middle-ageddy exited the vehicle. It was evident that she had been around for a while

    judging from her face. Her hair was neatly curled up, and the corners of her eyes were cocked upward.

    Her eyes had a piercing intensity. The sleek outfit she was wearing gave her the appearance of a

    strongdy.

    Nana¡¯s cheeks grew pale as soon as she saw thedy.

    Behind Eliana, she ducked and hid.

    However, it was toote. Thedy had noticed her.

    ¡°Nana, it¡¯s been a while. Huh?¡± It was apparent that the woman¡¯s voice had the grandeur of a monarch.

    ¡°True. It¡¯s been a while, Miss Deleon.¡±

    Nana greeted thedy with an embarrassed look as she emerged from behind Eliana.

    To Eliana, the woman was all Greek. ¡°Nana, who¡¯s thedy?¡± she questioned in a quiet voice.

    ¡°Huey¡¯s mother¡­ Eliana.¡±

    This middle-ageddy turned out to be Nana¡¯s fiance¡¯s mother. Eliana was astonished.

    What was her purpose in being here? Was she on a mission to recapture her son¡¯s girlfriend, who had

    escaped?

    Eliana advanced withposure to obstruct Nana.

    ¡°Hello, are you Nana¡¯s dearest friend, Miss Pierce? I¡¯m Huey¡¯s mother, Rosamond Deleon.¡±

    Rosamond seemed unaware of what Eliana had done. She extended her hand to Eliana in a very

    natural manner.

    ¡°Greetings, Miss Deleon. What has brought you to see Nana at this particr time?¡± Eliana said politely

    to Rosamond as she shook her hand.

    ¡°I simply came to see my son¡¯s ex-girlfriend. Actually, I¡¯d want her to rify something for me.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank at that. After all, it seemed that Rosamond¡¯s arrival here was prompted by Nana¡¯s

    evasion of the wedding.

    Astonishingly, Nana looked directly into Rosamond¡¯s eyes and said gravely, ¡°Please return, Miss

    Deleon. There is no way I¡¯ll be with Huey. It¡¯s a no-brainer.¡±

    Rosamond scowled and said in a more solemn manner, ¡°Nana, please stop acting like a kid.¡±

    Nana pursed her lips and remained silent, but her eyes were filled with resolve.

    The atmosphere became ice-cold.

    ¡°Adrian, this pretty woman exudes such dignity.¡± Aileen was always drawn to physically attractive

    individuals.

    ¡°Quiet, please,¡± Adrian admonished his sister in a rush.

    Rosamond had already heard the dialogue between the twins, though. She took a close look at the two

    youngsters and said, ¡°Who are their parents?¡±

    Before Eliana could speak, Nana jumped in. ¡°Oh, these? I¡¯m their mom. They are my children. As a

    result, I and Huey cannot be together.¡±

    What!

    Rosamond was taken aback.

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    Chapter 267

    What was Nana thinking when she spoke a lie?

    Eliana was baffled.

    Rosamond wasn¡¯t fooled easily. She said in a serious manner, ¡°Nana, Huey will return before you

    realize it. I hope you two can find a mutually convenient time to talk about it. The exnation for

    abandoning my kid could not possibly be as bizarre as this one.¡±

    ¡°All right, Miss Deleon.¡±

    Nana had to swallow her pride and ede to Rosamond¡¯s request in order to keep Eliana out of

    problems.

    Rosamond immediately departed after stating what she had to say. Her arrival and departure were

    abrupt. Eliana finally got a glimpse of this woman¡¯s style.

    She ultimately got them back home after this episode.

    Eliana drew Nana to her bedroom upon their return home and questioned her about her get away from

    the wedding.

    ¡°Nana, please be honest with me. Why did you flee the wedding in the first ce? When you told

    Huey¡¯s mother that you had illegitimate children, it effectively scuttled any chance of a rtionship

    between you and Huey, You realize it, right?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s look was solemn.

    Previously, she just believed that Nana and Huey had a disagreement. Now, Nana had lied about

    having illegitimate children in order to keep Huey away.

    She was familiar with Nana. Huey must havemitted a heinous act, for Nana to obstruct their

    connection on her own initiative.

    Nana, realizing that she couldn¡¯t keep the truth a secret any longer, eventually told her friend what had

    happened.

    ¡°Please, Eliana, don¡¯t take it the wrong way. I fled the wedding because the evening before the

    ceremony, I found Huey cheating,¡± Nana stated slowly and dropped her head.

    The embarrassment was excruciating!

    She dreaded being a victim more than anything else in her life. She couldn¡¯t take the sympathetic looks

    of others.

    She decided to run away from the wedding rather than let everyone feel sorry for her.

    ¡°Why are you being such a fool, my foolish girl?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. The fact that Nana, who had always been thoughtless, was in such

    emotional distress surprised her. And being her best friend, she didn¡¯t even know that was the case.

    Eliana found herself feeling sorry for and remorseful about Nana all of a sudden.

    She couldn¡¯t help but console Nana by embracing her tightly. ¡°Nana, please look up. Everything you did

    was correct. Someone else has reason to be embarrassed.¡±

    Nana smiled with tears in her eyes as she lifted her head.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re correct, Eliana. In reality, I¡¯ve changed a lot since then. It¡¯s time for me to be an

    independent woman. There is no such thing as a lifelong upant of an ivory tower. My early fantasy

    was to marry Huey and live happily ever after, just like a princess. Up until this point, I¡¯ve only juste

    out of the dream.¡±

    Tears rolled down Eliana¡¯s cheeks. Nana¡¯s previously casual demeanor seemed to have changed

    dramatically in a very short while. That was not what she had in mind, though. Eliana wished Nana had

    always been the way she was before, so she wouldn¡¯t have to go through so much.

    As soon as Nana saw Eliana¡¯s tears, she grew nervous. ¡°Eliana, try not to weep. I am not weeping.¡±

    Eliana wept as she said, ¡°I¡¯m struggling to keep my tears from gushing¡­ Then¡­ Please allow me to

    shed a few tears for you. I can¡¯t help it!¡±

    ¡°How about me!¡±

    Aileen had been listening in on the conversation outside the door. She hurried over with her small legs

    and leaped into Nana¡¯s arms as her eyes filled with tears.

    ¡°Aileen, please don¡¯t shed a tear. Let¡¯s give each other a big bear embrace.¡±

    They embraced each other, leaving just Adrian, the soled, at the entrance. It made him feel

    embarrassed.

    At this point, the dog sprung to his feet and barked.

    ¡°Only you and I remain, Foodie. We can do this, too.¡±

    Adrian stooped to pick up Foodie and hugged it close.

    That night, Eliana was able to get a good sleep.

    The next day, she awoke early. Today was her first day back at the Moran Group. She needed to be

    well-prepared.

    However, there was an unexpected twist. An emergency call from the hospital alerted her before she

    left the house.

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    The hospital team informed her that Hodge, who had been in aa, had awakened.

    Could things get more twisted?!

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    Chapter 268

    Eliana went straight to the hospital after the phone call.

    Hodge had already awakened when she arrived, surrounded by doctors and nurses.

    Hodge¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of Eliana. His hazy eyes seemed to brighten all of a sudden. He

    stretched out his trembling hand and opened and closed his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Eliana rushed over and took his hand in hers. ¡°What do you want to say, Mr. Chadwick?¡±

    Hodge held her hand tightly, obviously agitated.

    However, immediately after he opened his mouth and uttered the first sound, the heart rate monitor

    made a sharp buzz.

    Hodge¡¯s body convulsed violently.

    ¡°The patient¡¯s vital signs are unstable, and he requires immediate response.¡±

    The doctors and nurses rushed over and pushed Hodge into the operating room.

    Eliana was left alone outside of the operating room.

    She stood outside in a daze, just like thest time when Hodge was taken to the emergency room with

    blood all over his body.

    Eliana hadn¡¯t been standing there for long when an enraged young man ran over, grabbed her

    shoulders, and asked loudly, ¡°Eliana, what have you done to my dad?¡±

    Who was this man?

    Eliana was so caught off guard that she couldn¡¯t even resist his violent shaking of her shoulders.

    The man was overly emotional. The nurses were worried that he would do something extreme, so they

    intervened immediately.

    ¡°Calm down, please, especially the patient¡¯s family. The patient is still being treated in the operating

    room. Don¡¯t talk about anything until the operation is over.¡±

    The patient¡¯s family?

    ¡°You are Ethan Chadwick!¡± Eliana eximed.

    Wasn¡¯t he abroad? Why did hee back?

    Many years had passed, and Eliana¡¯s memory of Ethan¡¯s face had faded, but she still recognized the

    crazy young man in front of her based on his features that resembled Hodge¡¯s. Ethan was Hodge¡¯s

    son.

    ¡°Thank you for recalling me, Miss Pierce. Now, tell me! What did you do to my father?¡±

    Ethan refused to let go of Eliana. He must know the truth about what had happened to his father.

    Ethan was still abroad not long ago. When he called Hodge, he could hear his father¡¯s panic and fear in

    his voice, as if something bad was about to happen. But no matter how he tried to ask, Hodge refused

    to tell him.

    A few dayster, Ethan couldn¡¯t contact Hodge anymore.

    As a result, Ethan hurried back home, only to discover that his father had already been in a vegetative

    state.

    Sadness and rage drove him to want to know what his father had been through.

    Following an investigation, Ethan discovered that Eliana was his father¡¯s emergency contact in the

    hospital¡¯s record.

    She was the daughter of the Pierce family.

    She must have something to do with his father¡¯s condition.

    The more he considered it, the more enraged he became.

    Eliana endured the pain on her shoulders with a groan and exined, ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re ming the

    wrong person. I¡¯m not the one who hurt your father.¡±

    But Ethan couldn¡¯t think properly at this point. He was certain that Eliana was the culprit, and no matter

    how hard Eliana tried to convince him otherwise, it was futile.

    The light of the operating room was turned off just as they were arguing. Hodge¡¯s vital signs were

    temporarily stabilized after he received emergency treatment.

    He was then pushed out of the operating room.

    Ethan ignored Eliana and hurriedly walked up to his father¡¯s bedside.

    Eliana followed him to also check on Hodge.

    Unexpectedly, Ethan turned around and pushed her away.

    Eliana was caught off guard and fell heavily to the floor.

    ¡°You are a murderer. You have harmed my father. How dare you appear in front of him again? I¡¯m going

    to kill you bitch to avenge him.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s eyes were red, and he was overwhelmed with hatred. He pulled away from the nurses who had

    stopped him. He then pounced on Eliana, wanting to beat her up.

    Everyone screamed and Eliana just closed her eyes helplessly.

    However, the anticipated pain did not materialize.

    Eliana opened her eyes to see Ethan lying on the floor not far away, covering his stomach and whining.

    A figure stood in her way. When she lifted her head, she saw a handsome yet murderous face.

    It was Maurice!

    Everyone turned to look at the handsome man who had appeared unexpectedly,pletely

    dumbfounded.

    He kicked Ethan to save Eliana who was still on the floor.

    He was so cool.

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    Chapter 269

    ¡°Maurice¡­ What brings you here?¡± Eliana dumbly sat on the floor, looking up at Maurice, still in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to rescue you,¡± Maurice sighed.

    At that moment, Eliana felt so embarrassed, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her.

    Howe she was always a mess in front of Maurice?

    Maurice bent down and moved gently to help Eliana up.

    ¡°Are you hurt? Doctor¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine! I only fell down.¡±

    Eliana blushed red as she stopped Maurice.

    She just suffered a minor injury, so there was no need for Maurice to call the doctor.

    Maurice frowned in disbelief. His hand brushed the bruise on Eliana¡¯s skin, examining it with pity in his

    eyes.

    ¡°All right. You still haven¡¯t told me exactly why you came here,¡± Eliana said, breaking away from

    Maurice¡¯s embrace.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I paid for Hodge¡¯s hospital bills, and the hospital will definitely notify me if something happens to him.¡±

    Maurice came immediately this morning when he received the news from the hospital, because he

    knew that Eliana would definitely be here too.

    Maurice felt grateful foring here today. Otherwise, Eliana would have been in trouble.

    ¡°Doctor, she hit me! Did you all see that this bitch got her man to hit me? I¡¯m calling the police! Call the

    police!¡±

    Ethan began to roll on the floor as though he was going to ckmail them.

    Maurice looked down at Ethan in a condescending manner as though he was watching a jumping

    clown. ¡°I know you are Hodge¡¯s son. You are right. I am Eliana¡¯s man. Now that you are back in person,

    you have a score to settle.¡±

    Maurice flung a stack of signed bills directly at Ethan¡¯s face. ¡°Pay Hodge¡¯s medical bills first. And the

    gambling debt he owed. I was bothered that no one would pay it. Hodge is your father. As his son, it is

    proper that you pay back the money, right?¡±

    Suddenly, Ethan forgot his pride. He red at Maurice, gritting his teeth. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°See for yourself.¡± Maurice snorted withughter.

    Ethan picked up the bills scattered on the floor. Every bill was signed in two bold words.

    Maurice Moran.

    ¡°Maurice Moran! You are Maurice, the CEO of the Moran Group!¡±

    Ethan was shocked at the revtion of Maurice¡¯s identity.

    He couldn¡¯t understand how a big shot, whom he only usually saw on the news or in a magazine, would

    be with Eliana, a ssless woman.

    ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to pay back the money?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s dark eyes narrowed dangerously.

    Under Maurice¡¯s powerful aura, Ethan felt defenseless.

    ¡°Yes. I can take care of my father myself!¡± Ethan said boldly.

    ¡°Since you have it all figured out, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be needed here.¡±

    Maurice nced at Ethan indifferently, and then turned to leave with Eliana, who wanted to say

    something but hesitated.

    As soon as they left, the nurse quickly handed the bill for the operation to Ethan.

    The moment Ethan nced at the bill, his expression suddenly turned pale.

    He didn¡¯t expect the surgery would be so costly!

    Ethan had been studying abroad all these years and had not earned much money at all; he simply

    couldn¡¯t afford such expensive medical bill at the moment.

    With the way he hadshed at Maurice, there was no way he could ask for his help.

    Ethan racked his brain for an alternative solution. He wanted to seek help from his friends within the

    country.

    Suddenly, he recalled that his father had once mentioned Gerald on the phone.

    It seemed that Hodge had worked for Gerald.

    Since Gerald was his father¡¯s boss, he might be of help to him.

    Ethan took out his phone, searched for Gerald¡¯s number and called him.

    ¡°Hello, is this Mr. Gerald Moran? I¡¯m Ethan Chadwick, Hodge¡¯s son. My father is in the hospital for

    surgery. Can you¡­ lend me some money? I will pay you backter.¡±

    Ethan swallowed nervously, waiting apprehensively for Gerald¡¯s reply.

    Gerald, who had just received the call, was a little puzzled, but soon an evil n took shape in his

    mind.

    Hodge was useless to him. Perhaps, he could take advantage of Ethan.

    ¡°Oh! Ethan, Hodge has mentioned you to me. I will definitely help if he is in trouble; it¡¯s just a pity that I

    didn¡¯t protect your father well.¡± Gerald sighed in mock regret.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, do you know who hurt my father?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it was Eliana, the young miss of the Pierce family. In a bid to force your father to hand over

    the information about the bankruptcy of the Pierce Group, she caused him to have a car ident.

    Later, she asked the CEO of the Moran Group to help her cover up the crime. Maurice, being a

    powerful man, helped Eliana get away with her crime.¡±

    Gerald made a false story.

    Ethan believed Gerald, hook, line and sinker.

    He almost crushed his phone.

    Looking at his dying father on the hospital bed, Ethan swore in his heart that he would make Eliana and

    Maurice pay for what they had done.

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    Chapter 270

    Once they were finished with their visit, Maurice left the hospital with Eliana in tow.

    Inside the car, the beautiful woman furrowed her eyebrows, seemingly lost in thought.

    There were too many mysteries surrounding the ident. A lot more questions came into mind.

    Restless and fraught with concern, she desperately needed a clue.

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    ¡°Maurice, do you have any idea who tried to kill Hodge?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes darted to Maurice¡¯s nk face. Unable toe up with possible leads, Eliana knew that

    she couldn¡¯t solve the mystery on her own. Hence, she turned to Maurice for answers. It was highly

    possible that her silentpanion might know something about the culprit.

    Maurice simply stared at the long road ahead. He knew Gerald was responsible for the ident but

    couldn¡¯t bring himself to reveal the secret to Eliana.

    His aloof demeanor and poker face made Eliana suspicious.

    ¡°Maurice, please be honest with me. Have you discovered anything at all? I know you weren¡¯t the one

    who dismantled the Pierce Group, but the person behind it is a member of the Moran family, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes shed with surprise, but no words came out of his mouth.

    Somehow, Eliana guessed it right.

    The mastermind behind the well-executed n was from the Moran family.

    Eliana looked at Maurice with conflicting emotions. A tight knot suddenly began to form inside her gut.

    Although Maurice wasn¡¯t directly responsible for the fall of the Pierce Group, it still had something to do

    with his family. From the beginning, Maurice already knew who was responsible. But he chose to keep

    it a secret.

    In order to shield his family from certain harm and possible retaliation, he even took the me himself.

    Eliana found it hard to swallow the truth. If Maurice truly wanted to protect the culprit, then her n of

    revenge would fail miserably in the end, no matter how capable she was.

    She gritted her teeth and asked relentlessly, ¡°If I find the evidence against the person behind this, will

    your family be willing to hand over that bastard who ruined my family?¡±

    Looking out the window, Maurice carefully thought of a response. He had no idea about the rising fury

    in Eliana¡¯s heart.

    In the first ce, protecting Gerald was never his intention. He chose to keep silent because he didn¡¯t

    want his grandparents to go through a period of pain and suffer once again.

    Since his father¡¯s death, the entire Moran family had been on the verge of falling apart. If something

    bad happened to Gerald, it would spell the end of their n.

    At the same time, Maurice didn¡¯t want Eliana to get involved because the impulsive woman was

    incapable of handling the matter on her own.

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. You have other pressing matters at work that require your attention.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s cold words greatly disappointed Eliana.

    She thought Maurice still wanted to cover up for the culprit at all costs, even if it meant brushing her off

    like a stranger.

    In that case, there was nothing left to say.

    Eliana leaned back in her seat with a stony face, frustrated at their fruitless conversation. Her hands

    slowly curled into fists.

    She shouted at the top of her lungs, ¡°Stop the car this instant! I want to get off!¡±

    Her sudden outburst startled Corbin, forcing him to m on the brakes. He was so frightened that he

    pulled the car over by the sidewalk without hesitation.

    Before the car came to aplete stop, Eliana opened her door and jumped out but was immediately

    pulled back by Maurice.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Get back inside!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re almost at the office. You know very well that we can¡¯t be seen together. I just want to keep a low

    profile at the Moran Group this time and stay out of trouble. That way, I can create better products than

    that pink diamond ne.¡±

    Eliana wore a determined look and had a perfect excuse. Maurice had no reason to keep her from

    leaving.

    ¡°Alright then, Eliana. Remember what you said.¡±

    Settling back into his seat, Maurice let Eliana go and watched her get off the car.

    Eliana quickly opened the car door again and walked into the crowded street without looking back.

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    As soon as Eliana stepped out of the car, Corbin shed an embarrassed look at his disgruntled boss.

    ¡°What should we do now, boss?¡±

    Maurice fixed his eyes on Eliana¡¯s back and said in a low voice, ¡°Drive slowly and follow her.¡±

    Corbin immediately obeyed Maurice¡¯smand and tailed the beautiful woman. The sight of a luxury

    car moving along the road at a slow speed drew the attention of passers-by.

    Now that her suspicions had finally been confirmed, Eliana¡¯s mind became so preupied with

    troubling thoughts that she remained oblivious of the vehicle trailing behind her.

    When Eliana raised her head, she had already arrived at the entrance of the towering Moran Group

    building.

    Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and walked in with a determined face. Since Eliana had

    decided to return to the Moran Group, she vowed to stop at nothing to finally reach her dream.

    At this time, Harriet and several other female employees from the Design Department were chatting by

    the entrance gate.

    Once Harriet saw Eliana¡¯s approaching figure, she stepped forward to greet her but stopped in her

    tracks upon seeing the familiar luxury car pulling over.

    ¡°Wait a second! Isn¡¯t that Eliana? What¡¯s she doing here?¡± a female employee eximed as she

    pointed at Eliana in disbelief.

    Another colleague squinted her eyes and became shocked. ¡°Look at the car behind her. Isn¡¯t that Mr.

    Moran¡¯s private service?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Eliana caused so much troublest time, yet here she is again. That sly woman must

    have used her influence on Mr. Moran to secure a position in thepany.¡±

    The controversial remark came from the envious Lilian Gentry, Eliana¡¯s former colleague.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Harriet red at Lilian coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t spread nasty rumors, everyone. Miss Pierce is a

    very talented jewelry designer. I think Mr. Moran just cherished her unrivaled skills and requested her to

    come back. Don¡¯t talk nonsense anymore. I won¡¯t tolerate this kind of behavior.¡±

    Since the department director had given the order, her subordinates nodded and immediately stopped

    talking.

    Only Lilian pursed her lips. She didn¡¯t expect that the new director was such a pushover.

    On the surface, Harriet seemed to be calm and professional. But in reality, her heart was full of

    jealousy. Her long sleeves kept her tightly clenched fists out of sight from everyone else.

    Eliana had no idea that the moment she arrived, she had already caused a stir.

    Upon entering the Moran Group building, she hesitated to walk inside the Design Department. Beads of

    sweat slowly formed on her forehead as her heart began to race.

    When she returned to the familiar workce after a brief hiatus, a mix of nostalgia and memories of

    past events flooded her mind.

    Eliana remembered the former director named Gabrielle, who had made her life a living hell since

    joining the Design Department. The only bright spot at work was an unexpected reunion with her senior

    fellow student. But soon after, everything went downhill from there. Rachel framed her; Nicole pped

    her; and Evelynn bullied her endlessly.

    It seemed that she was destined to always suffer at the hands of her troublesome colleagues at the

    Moran Group. Moreover, Maurice was involved in every incident, subjecting the pair to controversy and

    gossip.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, what a pleasant surprise! Pleasee in.¡± Harriet rushed over with a warm smile. ¡°May I

    have everyone¡¯s attention, please? On behalf of all the employees in the Design Department, I

    wee you back to the Moran Group. It¡¯s a pleasure to have you on board with us again.¡±

    After seeing the director greet Eliana with enthusiasm, the rest of the Design Department followed suit.

    Whether they were actually sincere or not, they showed their best smiles and warmly received her.

    ¡°It sounds too formal if I always address you as Miss Pierce. Do you mind me calling you Eliana from

    now on?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, Miss Stone. Please call me Eliana.¡± In the face of such a personable and friendly Harriet, it

    was quite difficult for Eliana to refuse her.

    Judging from her first impression, it seemed that the pleasant Harriet was a stark contrast to the mean

    Gabrielle. Maybe the bad things of the past would not happen again.

    Eliana felt so lucky that she finally met a professional and good-natured director. Nothing could possibly

    go wrong under her leadership.

    But unbeknownst to Eliana, it was all an act. Harriet continued to keep her image as a friendly director.

    On Eliana¡¯s first day back at work, Harriet arranged a project for her.

    ¡°Eliana, check this out. I happen to have a project at hand that could use your talent and abilities. I

    think it¡¯s very suitable for you.¡±

    The smiling director handed over the ¡®good project¡¯ she had carefully picked for Eliana.

    Hearing these words, Eliana was stunned. Why did Harriet assign her a project so soon?

    ¡°Okay, Miss Stone. I¡¯ll work on it right away.¡±

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    She eagerly took the document from Harriet and opened the folder immediately. As soon as she read

    the papers, her eyes widened in shock, and her mouth dropped open.

    Eliana was tasked to design a bracelet for Cheryl, the hottest and arguably the most popr female

    star of modern times.

    The situation was highly troubling. Cheryl was Nicole¡¯s sworn enemy, and the design of the pink

    diamond ne was also leaked to her by Rachel.

    Now Eliana had to work on this project for Cheryl, which made her feel ufortable.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re excited as I am, Eliana. I specifically chose this project for you. Do you think you can

    handle it?¡±

    Harriet yed innocent, but deep inside, she was overjoyed and wanted tough at Eliana¡¯s face.

    This was the ¡°special gift¡± she had prepared for Eliana.

    Harriet wanted Eliana to pay the ultimate price forpeting against her for a man¡¯s heart.

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    Looking at the project document in her hand, Eliana hesitated.

    ¡°Work hard on this project, Eliana. Cheryl is one of the most popr female stars of today. Many

    people want to score this project, but I¡¯ve decided to give it to you because I believe in your

    capabilities.¡±

    Harriet seemed to think highly of Eliana, and Lilian echoed her agreement.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Eliana. The director trusts you so much, so you can¡¯t let her down.¡±

    The two voiced out their confidence in Eliana, making it impossible for Eliana to refuse.

    She couldn¡¯t say that she didn¡¯t want to ept the project because of the bad blood between her and

    Cheryl.

    ¡°Okay, Miss Stone. I¡¯ll take care of this project.¡±

    Finally, Eliana had no choice but to let the hot potato in her hands burn her fingers.

    She indeed took the bait. Lilian snickered in her heart. She knew very well that Eliana and Cheryl held

    grudges against each other. Now that Eliana had taken charge of the project, Lilian just had to sit back

    and wait for the drama to unfold.

    ¡°Very well. Thank you, Eliana. Make me proud.¡±

    Then, Harriet left with a satisfied smile on her face.

    Eliana hadn¡¯t realized that she had fallen into a trap. She went on to spend a lot of time and energy on

    the project.

    She buried herself in her work the entire morning. Eventually, she needed some time to rest. Eliana

    raised her head from the pile of documents and then stretched and rxed her stiff back and limbs.

    Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of two familiar figures headed her way.

    Maurice and his personal assistant, Corbin, were approaching the Design Department.

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    Damn it! Was Mauriceing for her again? If her colleagues saw them together, she wouldn¡¯t be able

    to exin why.

    Instinctively, Eliana shoved aside the papers cluttering her desk, bent over, and pretended to be

    asleep.

    The footsteps got closer and closer, and with each passing second, Eliana felt her heart pound louder

    and louder against her chest.

    ¡°You¡¯vee just in time, Mr. Moran. I have something to tell you.¡±

    Before Maurice and Corbin could approach Eliana¡¯s desk, Harriet came out of nowhere and intercepted

    them.

    Harriet reached out her hand and tried to hold Maurice¡¯s arm intimately.

    But with one subtle movement, Maurice evaded Harriet¡¯s touch.

    She withdrew her hand and put on a smile, not looking embarrassed at all. She said seriously, ¡°Please

    follow me, Mr. Moran. I need to talk to you about something important.¡±

    Then, she gestured to Maurice to follow her to a quiet corner.

    ¡°Wait for me here, Corbin.¡±

    After thinking for a while, Maurice finally decided to follow Harriet and hear what she wanted to say.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯ve heard that Miss Pierce has gotten mixed up in a lot of bad things in the Design

    Department before. Have you ever thought that the root cause of those bad things might be you? Your

    preference to her is too obvious, and it sparks jealousy among all the other employees. That¡¯s why

    many of her colleagues are dissatisfied with Miss Pierce, and that¡¯s where all the troublees from,¡±

    Harriet exined earnestly.

    The more he listened to her, the more Maurice frowned.

    In the end, Harriet came to a conclusion. ¡°Mr. Moran, if you really want Miss Pierce to stay in the

    company for a long time, then don¡¯t give her special treatment.¡±

    Had his behavior really been hurting Eliana?

    Maurice was stunned.

    But when he came to think of it, he felt that Harriet made a lot of sense.

    Maurice turned his head and looked in the direction of Eliana¡¯s desk.

    Was he really the reason why she¡¯d been getting in trouble with her coworkers?

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Corbin.¡±

    Maurice turned around and headed back the way he and Corbin came in.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Confused, Corbin followed him.

    The boss was restless in his office earlier and came here in a hurry. Didn¡¯t hee here to see Eliana?

    Why did he change his mind now?

    It seemed that her n worked.

    With a bright smile, Harriet followed Maurice and Corbin, intending to proceed with her n.

    Meanwhile, Eliana had been pretending to be asleep on her desk and waiting for a long time, but

    Maurice didn¡¯te. She was bewildered.

    Ovee with curiosity, she carefully raised her head and checked if Maurice was still headed her

    way.

    However, what she saw wasn¡¯t what she was expecting at all. Harriet was walking next to Maurice.

    Then, she tripped and fell to Maurice¡¯s arms.

    Seeing the scene stung Eliana¡¯s eyes.

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    Chapter 273

    It seemed as though Eliana¡¯s heart had been pierced. She immediately stopped breathing and bowed

    her head.

    ¡°See? It¡¯s only fitting that Mr. Moran should fall in love with Miss Stone. Other women should avoid

    fantasizing about marrying into a wealthy family. Don¡¯t put too much stock in yourself.¡±

    Lilian popped up. Her voice was sarcastic and snarky. She was virtually pointing her finger at Eliana

    and chastising her for wanting something she wasn¡¯t entitled to have.

    Eliana was well-acquainted with the taunts of others. She had developed a resistance to the effects of

    the taunts. She said in a measured tone, ¡°Dreams are essential for human beings; otherwise they

    would be like a dull fish. I am not like those who are just envious of others.¡±

    Please! She was also very adept at using sarcasm!

    As predicted, Lilian became enraged immediately. ¡°About whom do you speak?¡±

    ¡°This is not about you. Don¡¯tpare yourself so eagerly to my remarks.¡±

    Eliana extended her hands wide in a fun gesture.

    ¡°You! How long can you remaincent, Eliana? When Mr. Moran abandons you, don¡¯t weep too

    much!¡±

    Lilian stormed out in a rage after failing terribly.

    Eliana¡¯s peace of mind vanished as soon as Lilian walked out the door. Harriet and Maurice¡¯s intimate

    encounter just now kept reying in her head.

    The attractive guy and the beautiful woman were an ideal pair.

    However, Eliana was unaware that the minute she bowed her head, events did not unfold as she had

    anticipated.

    Maurice reacted quickly as Harriet stumbled over, and he ducked without hesitation.

    Harrietnded squarely¡­ On Corbin¡¯s body after he dodged her.

    Corbin was still dazed when Harrietid her head on his shoulder and he smelled a heavy scent,

    almost making him throw up!

    So he had no choice but to abandon his gentlemanly demeanor and shove the fraildy out of his way.

    Harriet stumbled, and her feeble visage became frozen.

    She wasn¡¯t expecting things to go the way they did.

    Corbin apologized for his reaction, ¡°Miss Stone, I¡¯m really sorry about that. I wasn¡¯t intending to push

    you. However, the fragrance on your body¡­ Achoo!¡±

    He sneezed before he could finish what he was saying.

    The sneeze was stronger than many words.

    Maurice went away without so much of a nce at Harriet.

    ¡°Please wait, boss.¡±

    Fearing that his nose might be harmed for the second time, Corbin also fled the scene.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Only Harriet was left in the hallway, her face flushed with embarrassment.

    Cheryl¡¯s agent, Jta rk, phoned Eliana shortly after that. She informed Eliana that Cheryl was

    presently filming and invited her to the set in order to discuss the bracelet¡¯s specifics.

    Work was work. Despite the fact that Eliana felt a bit uneasy about going to the shooting location with

    bracelet sketches to discuss with Cheryl, she decided to go nheless.

    She nearly fell asleep at the shooting scene after waiting for many hours, but no one hade to

    speak to her.

    She couldn¡¯t just wait.

    Since Cheryl would not approach her, she would seek her out.

    Eliana stomped her feet and smiled to boost her spirits. She made the decision to go out and find

    Cheryl on her own.

    However, the shooting area was vast and crowded. Eliana became confused and stumbled into an

    isted area not long after.

    A coquettish feminine voice sounded out of nowhere.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you seen me yet, honey?¡±

    Then came the sound of a deep masculine voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s because my wife is a mean-spirited tyrant and a stickler for her own rules, Babe. But I¡¯m all

    here now.¡±

    ¡°So what! I don¡¯t give a hoot.¡±

    ¡°I get what you mean, okay? Let me kiss you, honey¡­¡±

    What a scandal!

    Eliana was nearly sickened by the arrogant snort, but the sweet feminine voice sounded familiar.

    Eliana could not resist peeking out to have a look. She shouldn¡¯t have looked!

    Cheryl, thedy she was seeking, was the one having an affair with a married guy.

    Eliana just discovered something significant.

    She wanted to escape at the mere notion of this.

    However, the moment she turned around, she received a phone call.

    The calm area was rocked by the abrupt sound of her phone ringing.

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274

    ¡°Who¡­¡± Cheryl and her sugar daddy, who were engaging in something intimate and inappropriate,

    suddenly snapped back to their senses.

    They separated in panic and whipped their heads to the direction where the ringtone wasing from.

    Being red at by two pairs of eyes, Eliana felt stressed.

    She started stammering. ¡°Please go¡­go ahead. I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±

    In the current situation, the best course of action was to leave, and that was exactly what Eliana did.

    She ran like she was on fire.

    Cheryl, who was rattled, could only stare after Eliana and knit her brows. Why did that woman look so

    familiar to her?

    ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before?¡± Cheryl murmured.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Hearing this, the middle-aged, balding man next to her, who looked ordinary at best, suddenly asked

    curiously, ¡°Honey, do you know that woman who just walked in on us? Who is she?¡±

    Just now, the balding man¡¯s lust had been aroused further by his glimpse of Eliana¡¯s beautiful face.

    When he heard the question that Cheryl asked herself, he became a little restless.

    He thought that since Cheryl was familiar with the beautiful stranger that just interrupted them, the

    stranger might be running in the entertainment circle, too. If that was the case, then he might have a

    chance to get close to her.

    Cheryl knew her sugar daddy very well. When she saw him staring after Eliana with drool practically

    dribbling down the side of his mouth, she knew that the greasy old man desperately wanted a piece of

    her. Cheryl could only bite down her resentment.

    Eliana was already far away from the scene she just left, but her phone was still ringing.

    It was an unknown number. Eliana answered the phone. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Hi. Is this Miss Pierce? This is Ethan.¡±

    What? Ethan!

    Why was he calling her?

    ¡°I¡¯d been too impulsive before, Miss Pierce. I know now that you¡¯re not the one who harmed my father.

    I¡¯m calling because I want to ask you out. I want to apologize to you face to face.¡±

    Ethan sounded sincere.

    Eliana felt relief wash over her heart, but she answered tly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Ethan.

    Consider the air between us cleared.¡±

    ¡°Actually¡­ I have some information about the Pierce Group that my father gave me before. It¡¯s another

    reason I want to meet up with you. I want to hand the documents to you in person. They seem to have

    something to do with the culprit behind the Pierce Group¡¯s bankruptcy. Maybe they can help you.¡±

    ¡°Do you really have the documents?¡± Eliana blurted out.

    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s meet this weekend. I¡¯ll text you the address. Bute alone. I don¡¯t want anyone else

    knowing about this.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± The moment Ethan insisted on secrecy, rms went off in Eliana¡¯s head.

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m holding some highly sensitive pieces of information. I will get in trouble if they fall into the

    wrong hands.¡± Ethan sounded convincing when he expressed concern for his own safety.

    But Eliana was still suspicious.

    Ethan had changed too fast. Thest time they saw each other, he wanted to hurt her badly to avenge

    his father, but now he was sticking his neck out for her. It was an anomaly.

    And anomalies didn¡¯t usually present in good situations.

    However, Ethan¡¯s offer was so tempting that Eliana couldn¡¯t pass it up, even if it meant she¡¯d potentially

    be stepping into a lion¡¯s den alone and unarmed.

    Gritting her teeth, she replied, ¡°Fine. I¡¯lle see you. Just let me know where.¡±

    ¡°Okay. See you this weekend.¡±

    After that, Ethan hung up.

    Eliana held her cellphone in her hand. A voice inside her screamed at her that something was amiss,

    but she wasn¡¯t about to let go of an opportunity to find out the truth just because her trust issues were

    doing a number on her.

    What should she do?

    Should she tell¡­ Maurice about this?

    At this critical moment, Eliana suddenly realized that she had already taken Maurice as her support.

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275

    Jta, Cheryl¡¯s agent, was looking for Eliana who was still unable toe to a decision.

    Because of the pink diamond ne, Jta knew that Eliana was on familiar terms with Nicole.

    Now that Eliana was in charge of designing Cheryl¡¯s bracelet, Jta wanted to take this opportunity to

    make things difficult for her at every turn.

    This time, she called Eliana and asked her toe to the set, but purposely made her wait for a few

    hours until going to see her.

    Unexpectedly, when Jta went to meet Eliana, she found that thetter had disappeared. After

    walking circles around the area, she finally found Eliana, who was standing in a daze in a corner.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you hiding in this corner? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been looking for you? Is this how

    the Moran Group treats its clients?¡± Jta snapped, folding her arms over her chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. I got lost just now,¡± Eliana said, though there was not even a note of sincerity in her

    voice.

    Suppressing her anger, Jta clucked her tongue and said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let it go this time. Cheryl is

    waiting for you. Follow me.¡±

    Eliana had no choice but to tear her thoughts away from how to handle Ethan and follow Jta to see

    Cheryl.

    Cheryl was sitting in the dressing room, sulking on her own.

    There was a quick knock on the door, followed by Jta walking in and telling her that the jewelry

    designer had arrived. Without so much as raising her head or greeting the woman who had just entered

    the room, Cheryl just reached out and took the design drawings from her.

    As she thumbed through the drawings, she furrowed her eyebrows tensely and began toin.

    ¡°This one is too gaudy; this one is too in; this one is too weird; this one is too ordinary, and this one

    looks very cheap¡­¡±

    All in all, there was not a single piece of jewelry design that she liked.

    After reaching thest drawing, Cheryl angrily threw the whole stack of papers on the table.

    ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s all rubbish. The pink diamond ne you designed for Nicole looks a

    hundred times better than any of these drawings. What? Is it that you think I¡¯m not as beautiful as

    Nicole, so you don¡¯t want to design good jewelry for me?¡±

    Eliana knew that she shouldn¡¯t raise her voice against a client, so she took a deep breath and patiently

    exined, ¡°Miss Gibson, all our clients are important to us, and we pay equal attention to every one of

    them. The reason why the pink diamond ne was so outstanding was because there happened to

    be a priceless pink diamond as the focal point at that time.¡±

    ¡°So are you saying that Nicole deserved such a priceless diamond and I don¡¯t?¡±

    Cheryl was so furious that she got up from the chair.

    It was only then that she took a clear look at Eliana¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± Cheryl screamed, horrified by the fact that the designer in front of her was the same woman

    who had caught her with her sugar daddy earlier.

    ¡°Well¡­ Nice to meet you, Miss Gibson,¡± Eliana said awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed.

    After all, it turned out that half an hour ago, she had identally discovered her new client¡¯s big secret.

    And now, she still had to work for her.

    ¡°Jta, I don¡¯t want thisdy to design the bracelet for me. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a good designer. Call

    the Moran Group and ask them to send me a new designer right now!¡±

    Burning with rage at the memory of Eliana discovering her secret earlier, Cheryl immediately took her

    as her enemy.

    ¡®It¡¯s bad enough that this designer caught me earlier, but she¡¯s also familiar with Nicole. It¡¯s not safe for

    me to keep her around me,¡¯ Cheryl thought to herself.

    But Eliana was no pushover. She knew clearly that Cheryl wanted to take this opportunity to vent her

    anger.

    ¡°Miss Gibson, I advise you to rethink your decision. Just now, I saw a woman who looked like you with

    a middle-aged man. What is it that they were doing? Ah¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Cheryl interrupted sharply, wishing she could cover Eliana¡¯s mouth with her hand.

    She was so frightened that her face turned pale.

    ¡°Oh, well, I forgot,¡± Eliana said with a light smile, ying dumb.

    She knew that Cheryl understood what she was saying.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s have it your way. Jta, I changed my mind. She can stay here. Give Miss Pierce my

    design requirements right now!¡± Cheryl said through gritted teeth.

    Her beautiful face was twisted in anger.

    She couldn¡¯t stand the thought of letting someone like Eliana threaten her, but she also had no choice

    but to bear it. After all, Eliana knew her secret.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    When Jta saw Cheryl give in to Eliana after just a few words from thetter, her curiosity was

    naturally aroused.

    Jta had been with Cheryl for a long time and knew her like the back of her hand, but even she

    couldn¡¯t handle her sometimes. ¡®It¡¯s like witchcraft,¡¯ Jta thought to herself.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know how Cheryl would react to her threat, so she was relieved to hear that she could

    stay and design the bracelet for her.

    She held out her hand to Cheryl and said, ¡°I will design your bracelet as you wish, Miss Gibson. I hope

    we can cooperate.¡±

    If Cheryl didn¡¯t cooperate with her, Eliana would y her trump card.

    The implication wasn¡¯t lost on Cheryl, who forced a smile on her face as she grasped Eliana¡¯s hand

    and shook it. Of course, on the inside, she was burning with hatred for this woman who dared toe

    out of nowhere and threaten her.

    The verbal agreement between the two was as fragile as a ss bottle.

    Looking at the sullen expression on Cheryl¡¯s face, Eliana knew that this project would not go smoothly.

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276

    Eliana went back to thepany, exhausted, after dealing with Cheryl.

    When she arrived at thepany¡¯s gate, she happened to meet Maurice.

    He was standing in front of his silver Maybach, as if waiting for someone.

    Since Maurice was here, she might as well tell him about Ethan¡¯s invitation. She could seek Maurice¡¯s

    opinion regarding the matter.

    Eliana gathered her courage and approached Maurice, greeting him, ¡°Mr. Moran, you¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m sorry for beingte. Let¡¯s hurry up so your grandmother and others don¡¯t have to wait

    too long.¡±

    Harriet rushed out of thepany building and went straight to Maurice.

    Apparently, Maurice was waiting for Harriet.

    Eliana immediately stopped in her tracks. She lost the courage to take another step forward.

    ¡°Eliana,e here.¡±

    Maurice ignored Harriet, who was already beside him. It was as if Eliana was all he could see.

    ¡°Oh, Eliana! Are you done with your meeting with your client? I¡¯m sorry for not noticing you earlier.

    Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m just going to the Moran family today on behalf of the Stone family to see his

    grandparents.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s words were meant to distance herself from Maurice, but they also revealed the Stone family¡¯s

    unusually close rtionship with the Moran family.

    Eliana realized something when she saw Harriet and Maurice standing next to each other.

    Harriet and Maurice were a perfect match. They were of equal social rank, like childhood sweethearts.

    Eliana had once been the daughter of a wealthy and powerful family. She knew better than anyone else

    that a marriage between equally powerful and closely-knit families wasmon.

    It was Evelynn before, but now it was Harriet on the list.

    There was a bitter taste in Eliana¡¯s mouth. The courage she had just mustered was gone easily. All she

    wanted to do was to leave.

    ¡°I see. Miss Stone, you and Mr. Moran can go now. I have something to deal with in thepany, so

    I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    Eliana then turned around and hurriedly left in an awkward manner.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you leaving?¡±

    Maurice was eager to catch up with her.

    However, his phone rang abruptly. He picked it up and found that it was a call from his grandfather.

    Without answering the call, Maurice knew Earle would just urge him to go back home.

    His grandfather ordered Maurice to bring Harriet there today, or else he should not go home.

    Maurice remained silent and immobile.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what¡¯s wrong? Your grandfather is waiting for us. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Maurice felt annoyed as he looked at Harriet¡¯s face.

    But he didn¡¯t want to defy his grandfather¡¯s orders. He had to bring this woman there.

    Maurice took ast look at the gate and got into the car with a gloomy face.

    Harriet was secretly relieved. For a brief moment, she was terrified that Maurice would really follow

    Eliana. But he didn¡¯t abandon her in the end, implying that Eliana was not as important to him as his

    family.

    It seemed that his feelings toward Eliana were not that deep. Harrietughed inwardly at the

    realization.

    Meanwhile, Eliana went back to her desk.

    The working hours had just ended. Lilian and her other colleagues in the Design Department were

    about to leave.

    Seeing that Eliana ran back with a pale face, Lilian felt very satisfied.

    Eliana must have been bullied by Cheryl. She deserved it.

    ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s time to get off work. Why didn¡¯t you go home directly and insteade back here?¡± Lilian

    asked purposefully.

    ¡°I just have a lot of work to do and need to work extra hours,¡± Eliana responded.

    Since she was so stubborn, she had to face the consequences.

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    Lilian snorted and rolled her eyes. It was obvious that she was up to no good.

    Another female colleague opened her mouth to say something, but Lilian shook her head, stopping the

    woman.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re leaving now,¡± Lilian said, turning around. ¡°Good luck with working overtime.¡±

    Unfortunately, Eliana didn¡¯t raise her head, so she missed Lilian¡¯s strange smile.

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277

    It was rush hour, and the road waspletely congested. Whether it was the Volkswagen or the

    Maybach, they had to move at a snail¡¯s pace.

    Corbin was driving the car. Maurice sat in the passenger seat, leaving Harriet alone in the back seat.

    There was an awkward atmosphere in the car.

    Since getting in the car, Maurice had been thinking about Eliana.

    Eliana had juste back to thepany. Did she go to work somewhere else today? She had just

    returned to work for thepany. Why did she have to go out today?

    Was¡­ was someone making things difficult for her again?

    At the thought of it, Maurice looked at Harriet in the back row.

    ¡°Did Eliana go outside for work?¡±

    Harriet was taken aback at first, but she quickly recovered and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, Miss Pierce is assigned to be the designer for a popr female star, who is as well-known as

    Nicole. She went there in person to show respect. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Moran. I simply admire Miss

    Pierce¡¯s abilities, so I delegated such an important project to her.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s voice sounded sincere, but she deliberately didn¡¯t mention that the star was actually Cheryl.

    Maurice frowned and gave Harriet a serious look.

    Would she try to get something from him like those stupid women before?

    ¡°Let me remind you, it was my grandfather who asked me to take you back to the Moran family today,

    but only this time. I won¡¯t do it again. If you want to visit the Moran family in the future, you can do so

    on your own. I have nothing to do with it.¡±

    Corbin had been paying close attention to the two, but when he heard Maurice¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t

    help but take a deep breath.

    Maurice seemed to be so cold to Harriet. He was so cruel.

    Harriet flushed immediately, clearly embarrassed.

    She didn¡¯t expect Maurice to be this rude towards her in front of another person.

    ¡°I see, Mr. Moran. I know that you¡¯re always busy. I won¡¯t bother you again.¡±

    Harriet clenched her teeth and pretended to be considerate.

    They finally arrived at the Moran family¡¯s mansion after going through a lengthy traffic jam.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Nancy was standing at the door, greeting them warmly.

    ¡°Maurice, you are finally here!¡±

    Harriet got off the car and walked up to Nancy. ¡°Long time no see, Mrs. Moran. How are you?¡±

    Nancy smiled at Harriet and said, ¡°You must be the Stone family¡¯s daughter. You have grown up and

    be even more beautiful.¡±

    Noticing Nancy¡¯s friendly demeanor towards her, Harriet was excited and confident that she would be

    marrying into the Moran family soon.

    Nancy then looked at Maurice behind Harriet and pulled a long face when she saw him get off the car

    alone.

    ¡°You brat! Why didn¡¯t you bring Eliana here? I haven¡¯t seen her in quite some time. I really miss her.¡±

    Maurice was taken aback at first, but a smile shed across his face soon after. He immediately

    softened.

    ¡°Grandma, Eliana is busy working. I¡¯ll bring her here next time.¡±

    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s good to be busy with work. Young people should focus on their careers,¡± Nancy said

    dismissively, waving her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t see Eliana today, though. But I¡¯ll just make a

    video call with herter.¡±

    Harriet had no idea that Nancy was so fond of Eliana. Thetter seemed to have made a favorable

    impression on Nancy.

    Harriet¡¯s heart sank at the thought, but it was Maurice¡¯s attitude that worried her the most.

    Her thoughts were consumed by Maurice¡¯s gentle expression and the smile that immediately shed

    across his face when Eliana was mentioned just now.

    This was not good¡­

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278

    ¡°Ahem¡­¡±

    Maurice and Nancy¡¯s talk was interrupted when Earle unexpectedly came and coughed.

    He asked Harriet, the woman he wanted Maurice to marry, to visit them today. Maurice and Nancy

    continued to discuss Eliana, despite this.

    ¡°Harriet, I¡¯m very happy to see you. Great. I haven¡¯t seen you in a while. The Stone family seems to

    have raised you to be a well-cultivated individual.¡±

    With each nce at Harriet, Earle felt more pleased.

    Harriet carried herself with dignity and elegance, and she acted appropriately throughout. The Stone

    family had grown rapidly in recent years, and it was now a formidable force in every area.

    It was safe to say Harriet deserved Maurice the most. Eliana was nothing like her.

    Earle couldn¡¯t stop himself from uttering, ¡°You, Harriet, are the only one who can really im to be a

    well-breddy from a well-known family. Your demeanor is unlike that of Eliana, the conceited female in

    Maurice¡¯spany. Shecks decorum, is nasty, and conceals a nefarious agenda¡­¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, do not make such a remark about Miss Pierce.¡± Even though Harriet was overjoyed to hear

    this, she feigned to be remorseful still. ¡°The Pierce family was a wealthy family for a while, but the

    bankruptcy of the Pierce Group took its toll on Miss Pierce¡¯s parents, who died in an untimely manner.

    ording to reports, Mr. Gerald Moran was in control of the acquisition of their group. Surely, Miss

    Pierce would be devastated by this news.¡±

    Sneering at this, Earle shrugged his shoulders. ¡°When ites to business, you may think of it as a

    battlefield. It¡¯s impossible to condemn people for being merciless if one¡¯s own skills aren¡¯t up to par with

    those of others.¡±

    When Maurice first heard these remarks, he didn¡¯t think anything of them, but now he was irritated.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Grandpa,¡± he said, frowning.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not allowed to say anything about her?¡±

    Earle gave Maurice a peek. Earle¡¯s disdain for Eliana grew as Maurice acted in this manner.

    ¡°Maurice, you¡¯vee a long way. You don¡¯t look anything like the Moran Group¡¯s heir apparently. You

    should use more caution going forward now that you¡¯ve found the ring. Never lose sight of the fact that

    someone is keeping tabs on your every move,¡± Earle snapped and then narrowed his eyes.

    To escape Earle¡¯s gaze, Maurice did all he could. Earle¡¯s statements were obviously not taken seriously

    by him.

    There was a gloomy vibe in the air.

    ¡°That¡¯s all fine,¡± Nancy abruptly eximed. ¡°You are both adults, yet you are obstinate. I¡¯m baffled as to

    why you¡¯re suchpelling human beings. There is a visitor present. Come inside and have a meal.

    My n for today is to cook for you. You¡¯ll be able to sample some of the delectable food I prepare.¡±

    Nancy¡¯s remarks were always taken seriously by the Moran family. The two men had to temporarily put

    their differences aside and walk inside the house together.

    Harriet offered to help Nancy arrange the table and eagerly followed her into the kitchen to prove she

    wasn¡¯t a couch potato. There were just Maurice and Earle remaining in the living room.

    Ss returned at that exact moment.

    After he entered the house, he was immediately struck by the strange ambiance. On one side of the

    couch, Earle had his eyes shut, and Maurice, who was seated on the other side, had a sullen

    expression.

    Ss recognized what had urred when he saw them.

    With his backpack on his back, he approached Earle and said, ¡°Great-grandpa, have you found him

    another formidable woman?¡±

    Ss squinted at Maurice. When this happened before, it was usually because his great-grandfather

    had arranged for a girlfriend for Maurice, but Maurice didn¡¯t like the female that Earle had selected for

    him. Ss had be used to such urrences due to the frequency with which they had urred.

    ¡°Ss, you¡¯re still a kid, so don¡¯t worry about it. Yourck ofprehension is obvious.¡± Earle tried to

    dismiss his words.

    ¡®Hmm,¡¯ thought Ss, shaking his head. ¡°Really? Your terrible taste, I believe, is to me.¡±

    Earle was stricken mute after hearing Ss¡¯sments.

    These statements delighted Maurice, who responded with a broad grin. The living room regained its

    tranquil feel.

    Maurice had a sudden spark of inspiration.

    He rose up with a glitter in his eyes and whispered to Ss, ¡°We are nning to eat, Ss. I¡¯ll take you

    upstairs and put your backpack there.¡±

    Ss could only think of one thing as he frowned.

    Something wasn¡¯t right with Maurice!

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279

    Staring deep into Maurice¡¯s steely eyes, Ss had a feeling that this man must be thinking of a bad

    idea.

    ¡°Well, okay.¡±

    He silently followed Maurice upstairs, and the pair went inside the boy¡¯s room.

    ¡°Go ahead and tell me what you want me to do,¡± Ss said bluntly while looking up at Maurice.

    ¡®What a smart boy!¡¯

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and chuckled to himself. After a few seconds, he bent down and

    whispered something in Ss¡¯ ear.

    The bright young boy was very calm, but then his expression slowly changed. Atst, he was so

    shocked at Maurice¡¯s instructions that he could not close his mouth.

    Did Maurice actually want him to do that?

    Biting his lip in thought, he paused for a moment to assess the situation as a fierce struggle ensued

    inside Ss¡¯ mind.

    Finally, he came up with his own idea.

    ¡°I can help you out, but on one condition.¡±

    ¡°Alright. Tell me.¡±

    ¡°After I¡¯ve done my part in assisting you, I want to go to my friend¡¯s home for a sleepover.¡±

    Ss was a child of principle. If Maurice didn¡¯t agree to his terms, then the little boy would not help him.

    ¡°We have a deal,¡± Maurice gamely agreed.

    ¡®Hooray!¡¯

    Resisting the urge to smile in satisfaction, Ss tried hard to suppress the joy in his heart. As long as

    hepleted the task, he could go to Eliana¡¯s house to y with the twins.

    It only took a couple of minutes for the uncle and nephew to reach an agreement.

    Following Maurice¡¯s n, Ss went downstairs and walked straight to the kitchen.

    At the same time, Harriet emerged from the kitchen with a hot dish in her hands.

    ¡°Hold it right there! Who are you? What are you doing inside my home?¡±

    Ss deliberately rushed to Harriet and shouted while pointing a finger at her bewildered face.

    ¡®Who is this kid?¡¯

    Harriet lowered her head and stared at Ss in confusion.

    ¡°Come with me.¡± Ss tugged at Harriet¡¯s arm and led her to the hallway.

    Harriet had no clue what was going on, so she didn¡¯t dare act rashly. Putting down the steaming dish

    on the table, the puzzled woman followed Ss.

    Each servant they met along the way would lower their head and bow to Ss respectfully, which made

    Harriet even more confused.

    ¡®Who on earth is this child?¡¯

    Ss didn¡¯t stop walking until the two of them entered a small garden filled with colorful flowers.

    The pair stood across from each other, and Ss looked at Harriet from head to toe. ¡°I heard you¡¯re the

    woman my great-grandpa found for my dad, right?¡±

    ¡®What did he just say? How am I connected to his dad? Who the heck was he talking about?¡¯

    ¡°Kid, I have no idea what you¡¯re saying. You must have me mistaken for a different woman,¡± Harriet

    eximed in surprise.

    ¡°Could you stop pretending? My dad is the CEO of the Moran Group. His name is Maurice Moran.

    Does that ring a bell? I think you want to end up marrying him.¡± Ss looked up at Harriet with

    contemptuous eyes.

    The boy¡¯s father was Maurice?

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Harriet blurted out. ¡°Mr. Moran is not a married man. How could he possibly have a

    son?¡±

    ¡°What do you call me then? He¡¯s been a father for several years now. It¡¯s just that I have been hidden

    away from public view for my own protection,¡± Ss exined in a serious tone.

    Although Ss was quite a convincing actor, Harriet still didn¡¯t believe the child, who suddenly

    appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Ss, what are you doing out here? Come back inside, son. Dinner is ready.¡±

    Right on cue, Maurice walked outside and called for the little boy.

    ¡°Hello, Dad!¡±

    Ss trotted towards Maurice happily, and the handsome man gently stroked his hair.

    N?velDrama.Org holds this content.

    Observing the pair who shared a striking resemnce, Harriet began to doubt her initial belief.

    If they were not father and son, how could they look so alike? Maybe the kid was telling the truth after

    all.

    Maurice continued to y his part in their borate act. Grinning fondly at the boy, he carried Ss in

    his arms and said to the dazed Harriet, ¡°It¡¯s good that you have met Ss. I guess the two of you

    would¡¯ve crossed paths sooner orter anyway.¡±

    His sincere words broke through Harriet¡¯s defenses andpletely turned her into a believer.

    This little boy was really Maurice¡¯s son.

    The mind-boggling revtion that Maurice already had a child with another woman dealt Harriet a

    heavy blow, so she was rendered speechless and absent-minded during the meal. She didn¡¯t even

    notice Earle speaking to her.

    This happened several times. Even Earle began to frown. He didn¡¯t know why the person who had

    seemed so friendly and personable had suddenly be like this.

    Knowing the truth, Ss couldn¡¯t help but snicker. Maurice immediately red at him.

    After dinner, Harriet made up an excuse to leave early. There were so many concerns running through

    her mind that she needed to be alone. The dazed woman told herself she had to think things over for a

    bit.

    Getting married to Maurice was a dream of hers, but she didn¡¯t want to be the stepmother of another

    woman¡¯s kid.

    Earle became even more dissatisfied. He had always held Harriet in high regard. She was ady from

    an eminent family, who supposedly knew the proper manners and rules. But now, he could see her true

    character. She wasn¡¯t a good match for his grandson.

    The absent-minded Harriet didn¡¯t notice the unmistakable disappointment in Earle¡¯s eyes, and Nancy

    didn¡¯t intend to ask her to stay any longer. She said a few polite words and let Harriet go.

    As soon as Harriet left, Nancy immediately pulled Maurice aside and handed him her phone.

    ¡°Make a video call to Eliana. I trust you know how to court a girl, right?¡±

    Nancy patted Maurice¡¯s shoulder with a serious face.

    ¡°Oh, alright. I¡¯ll call her.¡±

    Maurice took Nancy¡¯s phone and pressed Eliana¡¯s number.

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280

    When the lights were turned on, the whole building of the Moran Group was silent, with just Eliana

    working overtime. It was getting close to ten o¡¯clock by the time she approved the initial draft of the

    bracelet.

    Time was not on her side! Eliana rose to her feet and started to gather her things, wanting to leave

    work immediately.

    Her phone rang out of nowhere in the eerily calm building.

    Who could have contacted her sote in the night? Eliana pulled out her phone as she walked out of

    the office.

    It was Nancy¡¯s video call request.

    She then realized that she had not seen Nancy in quite some time.

    Without dy, she answered the video call, ¡°Mrs. Moran¡­ Maurice?! Why are you the one calling?¡±

    The person that appeared on the screen was Maurice, not Nancy.

    ¡°Did you not see the text messages I sent you?¡±

    Text messages?

    Eliana left the video interface. After that, she discovered that Maurice had truly sent her multiple

    messages, asking if she could arrange a video call and informing her that his grandma wanted to see

    her.

    However, she was too preupied to see the messages sooner.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what¡¯s up? It¡¯s just now that I¡¯m getting home from work. When I was preupied, wasn¡¯t it

    natural that I would miss the messages?¡±

    Immediately after her remarks, she proceeded to the elevator and punched the down button.

    ¡°Preupied? Are you still in the firm at this time?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve been working beyond my normal schedule up to this point. When you have an employee

    like me, you might be secretly pleased as a boss.¡±

    Maurice and Harriet returned to the Moran family¡¯s home with smiles on their faces as she worked

    extra here.

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank as she contemted this.

    In the midst of their conversation, the elevator was about toe.

    How long had Eliana been working overtime? How was she still in thepany?

    At ten o¡¯clock, the Moran Group¡¯s building would lose electricity for maintenance, and Maurice realized

    that it was nearly 10 o¡¯clock.

    Fuck!

    Maurice¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and he said, ¡°Eliana! Listen to me! Don¡¯t go in the elevator at this time.¡±

    It was nevertheless toote for him to say so.

    The elevator arrived.

    And Eliana walked inside it.

    ¡°What was that?¡±

    Eliana failed to hear what Maurice had just said. When she turned her head again, the elevator door

    had closed and it had begun to descend.

    A few stories down, the elevator froze and would not go again. The surrounds were engulfed in

    darkness.

    ¡°The hell!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s screamed as a result of her being startled by the sudden darkness. Her legs began to tremble

    as a result of her terror. She squatted down while holding her head. Even her phone tumbled to the

    floor after slipping from her grasp.

    The video chat on the phone abruptly ended due to ack of reception.

    What had gone wrong?

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    Eliana had no idea what was happening. With little light to guide her, she strained to locate her phone

    on the floor.

    She carefully stood up with her back against the elevator wall after swiftly turning on the shlight on

    her cell phone.

    Eliana spotted the notification of a power outage and maintenance on the elevator wall in the low light

    of her cell phone. ording to the notice, the electricity would be turned off for maintenance from

    10:00 p.m. tonight to 6:00 a.m. in the morning.

    Thest use was highlighted in red.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use the elevator within the designated time period.¡±

    The sight of it left Eliana in a state of disbelief. She could not refrain from cursing, ¡°Fuck this! Why

    didn¡¯t you install a caution sign in front of the elevator?¡±

    Who in the devil ced that notice inside? Didn¡¯t they realize that such an essential notification needed

    to be disyed outside the elevator for everybody to see?

    As soon as she had stepped inside the elevator, warnings were of no use anymore.

    In a fit of hysteria, the elevator went down as soon as she finished cursing.

    ¡°God!¡± Eliana let out another scream.

    Now she was really scared.

    ¡°Eliana! Eliana! Eliana!¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t get through to Eliana when the video conversation was abruptly cut off.

    Beep! Beep!

    Damn! Eliana was still in the firm. Clearly, she was in danger.

    Fear gripped Maurice as he clutched his phone desperately.

    ¡°Maurice, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Nancy, too, noticed something was amiss when she saw her grandson¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s a chance Eliana¡¯s in danger. I¡¯m going to thepany right now to look for her.¡±

    When Maurice finished speaking, he dashed out of the door like a wind gust.

    ¡®Eliana, hang on¡­ I¡¯ll be right there.¡¯

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281

    Under the gloomy night sky, a silver sports car streaked through the roads. All the other cars hurried

    swerved out of the way for fear of bumping into the lunatic who was speeding a luxury car through the

    city center.

    That lunatic was none other than Maurice.

    The moment he found out that something had happened to Eliana, he immediately got into his car and

    raced to thepany.

    On the way, he kept dialing Eliana¡¯s number, only to be met with the same cold busy tone.

    Maurice felt as if his heart was being grilled on a fire.

    He silently prayed that Eliana could have the strength to hold on until she was found. She had to stay

    safe until then.

    The moment Maurice arrived at thepany, he saw Corbin waiting anxiously for him downstairs at

    the entrance of the building. Corbin had already gotten a call from Maurice earlier, asking him to get

    some firefighters to open the door.

    Maurice got off the car and began striding towards Corbin in one swift motion. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡±

    The two of them entered the building together. Inside, the space was shrouded in pitch ck darkness.

    ¡°Why are the lights off?¡± Maurice asked anxiously.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, the building is under maintenance, so power can¡¯t be restored for the time being. We can

    only get someone tounch the emergency power. But¡­¡±

    Corbin paused hesitantly, going pale.

    ¡°But what?¡± Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed. He could feel his heart leap to his throat.

    ¡°If weunch the emergency power, the elevator will either rise or fall rapidly. We have to get Eliana out

    first, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Just spit it out. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Maurice was skirting on the edge of losing his temper.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, we still haven¡¯t been able to identify which floor Eliana is on yet.¡±

    Corbin lowered his head, feeling guilty.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s search floor by floor.¡±

    Maurice clenched his fists and stood straight like a mountain, without the slightest hint of trembling.

    Corbin had been awed by Maurice¡¯s unassable demeanor countless time, but now, he felt like

    Maurice was bravely standing his ground on the edge of a cliff even though one wrong step would lead

    to his fall in an abyss.

    Without the slightest fear or hesitation, Maurice followed the rescue team into the elevator shaft and

    searched floor by floor.

    ¡°Eliana! Eliana!¡±

    She was not on this floor, nor was she on the next¡­

    Every single time, Maurice¡¯s hopes rose only to crash back down again.

    ¡®Where on earth is Eliana? Is she hurt?¡¯

    Maurice desperately shouted her name again and again, but there was no response. In the quiet

    corridor, the only thing he could hear was his breath getting heavier and heavier. He felt like he had

    fallen into a sinkhole, grasping at a branch to hold onto.

    Panic surged through Maurice like a tide, suffocating him. This was the first time in his life that he had

    truly felt fear. He was afraid of losing Eliana like this.

    Meanwhile, in the stuffy elevator, a petite figure was curled up on the floor.

    The elevator had jerked to a sudden stop and been stuck at this ce ever since.

    In the dark, infinite fear overwhelmed Eliana. All the news headlines about elevator idents she had

    seen flooded her mind at once.

    ¡®Am I going to die here?¡¯

    At that thought, a terrible chill rose in her heart, and she hugged herself tightly.

    In her wild panic, she began to make blind and disorderly conjectures. If she died, what would happen

    to Aileen and Adrian?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t imagine how the children would react when they saw her dead body.

    ¡®No way! I can¡¯t die like this. I should at least¡­ leave something for my loved ones.¡¯

    Eliana hadn¡¯t dared to turn on her phone before, because it was dangerously close to running out of

    battery, but at this moment, she finally took it out. These could be thest moments of her life. She had

    to hurry up and use them wisely. At the very least, she wanted to record¡­ herst words.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Aileen and Adrian, when you hear this recording, I might have left you. But don¡¯t be sad for too long.

    Remember to grow up happily and do everything you like. I won¡¯t ask you to be rich or powerful.

    All I want for you is to be safe, happy, and healthy. Nana, don¡¯t cry too hard. You are the one I trust

    most in this world. I know that you¡¯ll take good care of my two children. I will bless you all the time in

    heaven. And¡­ Preston, I shouldn¡¯t have been so mean to you. You are a good man.¡±

    At this point, the battery on Eliana¡¯s phone had almost run out. There were only a few important people

    in Eliana¡¯s life, and she had addressed all of them¡­except one.

    Maurice.

    At the thought of him, a bittersweet feeling came over Eliana. Now, under the premise that she would

    die in this elevator, all the feelings that she had suppressed until now exploded to the surface.

    ¡°Maurice, I have something to tell you. I¡­¡±

    Just as Eliana began speaking, a familiar voice shouted from above.

    ¡°Eliana!¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana frowned. Was she so absorbed in her thoughts of Maurice that she was now even

    hearing his voice?

    ¡°Eliana! I heard your voice. Save your energy. Don¡¯t talk nonsense at this time.¡±

    This time, Eliana knew that she wasn¡¯t just imagining things. Maurice was here!

 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282

    Eliana slowly raised her head and saw Maurice¡¯s worried face appear in the dim light of her phone.

    ¡°Maurice? Is that you?¡±

    She squatted on the floor in a daze, fearing that what she saw at this moment was only an illusion

    before she drew herst breath.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. Are you here to save me?¡±

    Eliana felt her sanity slipping away. She was startled when Maurice suddenly appeared after she

    murmured his name.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, Eliana. Everything¡¯s alright now. I¡¯m here to rescue you. Can you stand up?¡±

    Maurice stared at the pale woman in front of him, fearing that she would disappear the moment he

    closed his eyes.

    Just a few minutes ago, Maurice and the rescue team started on the first floor and worked their way up

    in search of Eliana. When they arrived on the ninth level, Maurice heard whispers from inside the

    elevator.

    It turned out that the elevator malfunctioned and abruptly stopped between the eighth and the ninth

    floors!

    After confirming that Eliana was stuck inside, the rescuers quickly sprang into action. They forced the

    emergency trap door open with great strength. Maurice peeked inside and saw Eliana curled up on the

    floor murmuring something.

    She was still in a haze, obviously disoriented due to the stress and long period of istion. Other than

    her disheveled appearance, it seemed that she was safe and sound.

    Maurice finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Eliana, give me your hand. I¡¯ll pull you out of there.¡±

    Maurice stretched out his arm towards Eliana.

    The frightened girl desperately wanted to survive. She stood up on her toes and tried to grab Maurice¡¯s

    hand.

    Just as their fingers were about to touch each other, an ident happened! One of the steel cables

    tied to the elevator suddenly snapped. In an instant, the elevator dropped a few feet below!

    ¡°Ah!¡± Eliana screamed at the top of her lungs.

    ¡°Eliana! Don¡¯t make any sudden movements and listen to my instructions. Are you injured?¡±

    Maurice peered inside anxiously and immediately threw down the safety harness. ¡°Here! Put this on

    quickly!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m alright, I think.¡±

    Trembling in fear, Eliana slowly moved over and picked up the safety harness that had fallen in the

    elevator.

    But her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn¡¯t fasten the straps of the safety harness around

    her body.

    Suddenly, the elevator lurched downward again, causing Eliana to stumble sideways. It seemed that

    the remaining cables were about to snap at any moment.

    Her legs were so weak that she squatted down and kept trembling.

    After a series of close calls, she began to lose hope, and her body started to fail her.

    ¡°Eliana, pull yourself together! You have to be strong!¡±

    If it went on like this, there was no way for them to rescue her. The situation was looking grim, and they

    were running out of time.

    Thick veins bulged on Maurice¡¯s forehead, and he didn¡¯t even notice the sweat flowing into his eyes.

    The woman he loved was in mortal danger, and he had to figure out a way to save her at all costs.

    ¡°Maurice, I can¡¯t do it! I¡¯m too scared! Uh, hold on. I have an idea. Say something to me. Gossip! Yeah,

    tell me some gossip to distract me.¡± Eliana closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing.

    Gossip?

    How could Maurice know anything about other people¡¯s personal affairs?

    But then he suddenly remembered something.

    ¡°Did you know that Wyatt and Nicole were once a couple? They were together many years ago and

    then broke up. Now they meet again and are trying to rekindle their romance.¡± Without any hesitation,

    Maurice revealed his good friend¡¯s secret.

    ¡°Is that so? My goodness!¡±

    Eliana was surprised that Wyatt and Nicole had such a dramatic love story. It was thest thing she

    expected.

    She was curious to know what happened, and her attention was immediately diverted. She stopped

    trembling and stared straight at Maurice, noticing his eyes soften towards her.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve learned something valuable from Wyatt. When I meet the right person, I need to tell her how I

    truly feel about her and treasure her forever.¡±

    The passionate look in Maurice¡¯s eyes affected Eliana unconsciously and lifted her spirits.

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    Eliana gradually calmed down and finally strapped on to the safety harness without difficulty.

    Above her, all the rescue workers alongside Maurice pulled on the rope together to pull her up.

    As she got hoisted higher towards freedom, Eliana fixed her eyes on Maurice¡¯s handsome face.

    Finally, she was close enough to touch the man.

    Once Eliana was lifted to safety, Maurice immediately pulled her to his side and held her hand.

    But the exhausted woman ran out of energy and copsed into Maurice¡¯s arms.

    All her weariness disappeared once she realized what had happened. She immediately panicked and

    identally undid some of Maurice¡¯s shirt buttons. Because of the struggle, her hands ended up

    touching his broad chest.

    The rescue workers stood nearby with their shlights illuminating the area, but Eliana could only hear

    and feel Maurice¡¯s steady heartbeat. It felt like they were the only ones there.

    In the dark, Eliana¡¯s other senses became more heightened topensate for herck of sight.

    Her small hands were on Maurice¡¯s hot skin. She could still feel his heart pounding under his chest.

    However, there seemed to be something wrong with Maurice¡¯s chest that immediately caught her

    attention.

    As she traced the uneven mark with her fingertips, Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡®Wait a minute. Is this a scar? It seems to be exactly the same as the one on Preston¡¯s chest!¡¯

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283

    How could Maurice have a scar on his chest? Strangely, when Eliana touched the scar, it felt exactly

    like Preston¡¯s.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but touch him more to confirm her suspicion.

    Maurice noticed it right away. ¡°You just got out of an ident and now you want to flirt with a man,¡± he

    teased. ¡°What are you thinking, Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Maurice, why is there a scar on your chest?¡± Eliana asked, raising her head and looking intently at

    him. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen it before?¡±

    Damn it! He was far too reckless.

    Maurice realized immediately that he had just exposed himself.

    For the time being, he couldn¡¯t let Eliana discover his two identities.

    Maurice grabbed her hands that were touching his chest.

    ¡°Maurice! Let go of me!¡±

    Since Eliana couldn¡¯t break free from his grip, she then tried to get closer to him and see the scar on

    his chest clearly in the beam of the shlight.

    Suddenly, the entire building¡¯s power was restored, and the lights were turned on.

    Eliana had been in the dark for quite some time. Her eyes were ufortable when she suddenly saw

    the bright light, and she closed them reflexively.

    The medical staff came up to her in time and blindfolded her eyes, freeing her from Maurice¡¯s hold.

    ¡°Miss, please close your eyes so they don¡¯t get hurt.¡±

    As she fell into darkness again, Eliana was in a panic all of a sudden. Instinctively, she wanted to be

    held by Maurice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m always here.¡±

    Eliana calmed down instantly as she felt her hand being gently held by a big hand, as if she had found

    a harbor to protect her. She felt indescribably relieved.

    The ambnce drove all the way to the hospital. Eliana was soon brought to a VIP ward for a thorough

    examination.

    Maurice had been with her the entire time.

    The doctor removed her blindfold and carefully examined her.

    Maurice stood by the bed and asked nervously, ¡°How is she, doctor?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the patient is fine. She was just scared. In fact, she can now go through the discharge

    formalities at any time,¡± the doctor said with a smile.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t even listening to the doctor as she was preupied with the thoughts of Maurice¡¯s scar

    on his chest. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the light, she moved closer to Maurice, who was

    standing beside the bed, and reached out to remove his clothes.

    Were young people nowadays so daring? Was he invisible in her eyes?

    The doctor had never witnessed anything like this before and immediately coughed in shock.

    ¡°Ahem, we¡¯re still in the hospital. Behave yourself.¡±

    Maurice held Eliana in ce with one hand. But he didn¡¯t use too much force because of her condition.

    He just restrained her from taking his clothes off.

    His action just made Eliana more suspicious. She was so adamant that she insisted on seeing his

    chest with her naked eyes.

    She struggled so hard that Maurice could no longer control her with one hand.

    ¡°Stop it. My hand hurts.¡±

    Maurice frowned, one hand drooping by his leg. It hadn¡¯t moved since he entered the hospital.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! You won¡¯t fool me.¡±

    Eliana demanded to see his chest. She identally hit Maurice¡¯s left hand while struggling.

    ¡°Ohh¡­¡± Maurice gasped. His face twisted.

    Only then did Eliana notice that Maurice¡¯s left hand was drooping abnormally as if he had lost the ability

    to lift it.

    She stopped struggling.

    Seeing this, the doctor walked forward and gently lifted Maurice¡¯s left hand. He examined it with a

    serious expression on his face.

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    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but get nervous.

    ¡°Sir, you are so reckless! Your left arm has been severely injured and may be broken. It must be

    treated as soon as possible. Come with me so we can get an X-ray to see what the problem is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Maurice regained his cool, but sweat dripped from his forehead.

    It was the first time that the doctor had seen a patient with a bone injury, who remained calm.

    If the female patient hadn¡¯t been pressing, he wouldn¡¯t have told anyone that he was in pain.

    The doctor crossly took Maurice away, leaving Eliana alone on the bed.

    Maurice was badly injured.

    Did he get injured while saving her?

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284

    Sitting on the bed inside the hospital ward, Eliana felt emptiness in her heart. She was still unsure if

    there indeed was a scar on Maurice¡¯s chest.

    Amidst the recent events, one nagging thought never left her mind. Eliana believed that Maurice might

    actually be Preston.

    Otherwise, how could all these coincidences be exined? Something wasn¡¯t right.

    She had presumed that Maurice and Preston were one and the same. But since the two men appeared

    simultaneously on a previous asion, her suspicion didn¡¯t seem possible.

    However, there were still too many coincidences between them. They also had the same scar. In

    Eliana¡¯s mind, such details were hard to ignore.

    Deeply lost in thought, Eliana¡¯s eyes wandered the room until she spotted a shiny ck object on the

    sofa.

    As she leaned forward to get a better view, a look of recognition suddenly shed across Eliana¡¯s face.

    It was Maurice¡¯s phone!

    He must have left in a hurry, so he forgot to take his phone with him.

    It was the best chance to finally learn the truth.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes immediately lit up. She leaped from the bed and hurried towards the sofa. Her fingers

    were mere inches away from the phone.

    However, something unexpected happened. The door suddenly swung open and Corbin entered the

    room.

    ¡°Eliana, how are you feeling? I didn¡¯t expect you to be up and about so soon.¡±

    In an instant, Eliana withdrew her hand and put it behind her back. Wearing a wry smile on her face,

    she said with nonchnce, ¡°Corbin, what a surprise! Is Maurice doing okay?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Moran is still being examined. He forgot to take his phone and asked me to bring it to him.

    Have you seen it anywhere?¡±

    Subconsciously, Eliana took a nce at the phone on the sofa. Corbin noticed her reaction and turned

    his head in the same direction.

    ¡°Oh, there it is.¡±

    Eliana could do nothing but helplessly watch Corbin pick up the phone from the sofa and put it into his

    pocket.

    Seeing Eliana open her mouth but hesitate to talk, Corbin raised his eyebrows. ¡°What is it? Is there

    anything you want to ask me?¡±

    Since Corbin stayed with Maurice all the time, he certainly must be privy to his boss¡¯ private affairs.

    ¡°Corbin, do you know if Maurice is hiding a big secret from me?¡± Eliana asked tentatively.

    Her question caught Corbin off guard. He looked flustered for a moment but immediately regained his

    composure.

    ¡°None that I know of. You think too much.¡±

    Corbin was so good at lying that he didn¡¯t change his serious expression at all.

    He turned around to leave and paused at the door.

    ¡°Eliana, if you are feeling better now, you can go back home. The VIP ward is very expensive, and the

    company will not reimburse the additional charges if you stay longer.¡±

    Judging from his distant tone and aloof behavior, it was clear that something was wrong.

    Eliana knew deep inside that Corbin didn¡¯t tell the truth. He immediately changed the topic and asked

    her to return home as soon as possible.

    But he did have a point. The VIP ward was too expensive for an ordinary employee like her.

    The harsh reality of poverty outweighed her curiosity. She decided to investigate Mauriceter on when

    the opportunity presented itself.

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    Finally, Eliana went through the discharge formalities and left the hospital.

    She arrived home shortly after with a spring on her step, eager to be with her family again.

    The moment Eliana walked inside the door, she went straight to the room of her two children. As she

    quietly observed their lovely sleeping faces, an unsettling thought entered her mind.

    If something bad had happened to her today, she might never have had the chance to see her children

    again. It was heartbreaking.

    Eliana covered her mouth to prevent herself from crying out loud.

    A few secondster, the kids woke up and rubbed their eyes. It seemed they had sensed their mother¡¯s

    presence.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re home.¡± Aileen yawned in a daze and greeted Eliana in a sweet voice.

    It sounded so pleasant and adorable that Eliana¡¯s heart almost melted.

    ¡°Mommy, we missed you. Don¡¯te back sote again,¡± Adrian scolded her with a straight face like

    an adult.

    Embracing the two children in her arms, Eliana kissed them on the foreheads and looked at them

    affectionately. ¡°Okay, I promise you that I will be home early from now on.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remembered something.¡± Adrian suddenly broke free from Eliana¡¯s arms and sat up straight.

    ¡°Mommy, Ss wants toe to our home in a few days to y with us. He¡¯s our good friend. Is that

    okay?¡±

    ¡°Ss is my best ymate. Mommy, please let hime over.¡±

    Aileen tugged at Eliana¡¯s arm and acted like a spoiled child.

    ¡°Of course. He¡¯s wee here anytime.¡± Smiling fondly, Eliana caressed the heads of her two children.

    ¡°I also like Ss very much. If he wants toe and y, that¡¯s fine with me.¡±

    ¡°Hooray!¡± Aileen and Adrian cheered loudly.

    The three of them cuddled together and looked very happy.

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285

    As usual, the world continued on. As if nothing had urred, Eliana went to work the following day as

    normal.

    When she entered the elevator, she was greeted by Maurice¡¯s face. The white ster on his left arm

    drew attention, despite his regr appearance of a straight suit and great stature.

    His left arm seemed to have been severely injured.

    As Eliana looked at Maurice¡¯s arm, she couldn¡¯t help feeling terribly guilty.

    She was ready to approach him and inquire about his well-being when she saw Harriet walking fast

    towards Maurice.

    Eliana¡¯s perspective hadpletely changed, and she had no desire to continue. She made a U-turn

    and walked away, feeling dejected.

    Harriet rushing to Maurice was thest thing she saw before she turned around.

    ¡°What happened to your arm, Mr. Moran?¡±

    Harriet reached out to grasp Maurice¡¯s hand, her face contorted in distress.

    Maurice dodged to the side, his gaze icy and piercing. ¡°There was a power outage and maintenance

    yesterday night, and someone in the Design Department was aware of it. Can you exin that? Miss

    Stone?¡±

    ¡°Oh my God! Who could possibly be unaware? Did anything happen?¡±

    Harriet maintained her innocence charade.

    ¡°Do not y such tricks on me, Harriet, I tell you. There are repercussions that you can¡¯t afford.¡±

    Maurice had a history of cruelty and vengeance. When someone crossed his red line, he exploded into

    a rage that no one could control. Eliana was the crux of his case now.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you must have misconstrued what I said. I had no idea we hadn¡¯t notified everyone about

    the power outage and maintenance yesterday¡­¡±

    Harriet resisted the need tosh out and instead spoke apologetically.

    Even though she wanted to be the hostess of the Moran Group, she had to determine whether Ss

    was Maurice¡¯s son before she could forward with her next n.

    Maurice then disregarded Harriet and entered the elevator.

    Due to her ¡°excellent¡± connection with Cheryl previously, Eliana had already drafted numerous bracelet

    designs based on her preferences and submitted them to Cheryl through email.

    Eliana then headed to the pantry to have a cup of coffee to revive herself.

    When she pushed the coffee maker¡¯s button, nothing happened.

    What was the problem?

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    Eliana tapped the coffee machine twice, and then a letter dropped to the floor.

    The coffee machine had a problem and couldn¡¯t be used for the time being, ording to the note.

    Could she be having such a bad run of luck?

    Eliana was at a loss as to what to do with the cup she had in her hands.

    Lilian, who had been feuding with Eliana, and a group of female coworkers entered the pantry at this

    point,ughing and talking. Eliana¡¯s presence quickly silenced the other people.

    Only Lilian grimaced, ¡°Someone was so ignorant that she didn¡¯t even realize she couldn¡¯t use the

    elevator while it was out of service for repair. I have a feeling she did it deliberately. That was simply a

    fantastic opportunity to have Mr. Morane to her rescue by pretending to be in a bad position.¡±

    Eliana had always been a target for Lilian¡¯s wrath. It was only natural for her to make fun of Eliana after

    she learned about her ordeal yesterday.

    It was a shame that Mr. Moran had shown up in person to help Eliana. What a happy ident!

    In the beginning, Eliana was awestruck. She regained herposure after hearing Lilian¡¯s remarks.

    Clearly, Lilian¡¯s ruse was to me for what transpired the day before.

    Eliana then realized that when Lilian came to her desk yesterday, another female coworker looked to

    be trying to say something, but Lilian stopped her.

    These specifics sprung into her head. Lilian, Eliana felt certain, had concealed the notification

    regarding the power outage and maintenance from her.

    Eliana felt a burst of rage in her chest as she clenched her fists in wrath.

    It wasn¡¯t a hoax at all. She wouldn¡¯t have only been terrified if Maurice hadn¡¯t gone to such lengths to

    save her.

    She may have been a goner.

    Lilian¡¯s loathing for Eliana grew as thetter froze in ce.

    ¡°Exactly what are you doing there? Unless you need that coffee maker, get out of the way!¡±

    Lilian shook her cup she was holding with her hand. Eliana politely moved aside as she remembered

    what was written on the note.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Lilian rolled her eyes and sneered at Eliana.

    She went over to the coffee maker and hit the power button.

    Coffee sted out of the machine and into Lilian¡¯s face in an instant. Like a hurricane!

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Lilian was so terrified that she screamed in terror.

    The coffee maker continued to release coffee. Lilian¡¯s colleagues behind took a quick step back, and

    none of them dared to assist.

    ¡°Find a way!¡±

    Lilian awkwardly held her head with her hands, trying to avoid the sshing coffee.

    The chaos went on, and there was even a faint smell of burnt coffeeing from inside the coffee

    maker.

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    After just watching for a few moments, Eliana smirked as she unplugged the coffee maker.

    The coffee maker finally stopped sttering. Lilian was drenched in coffee all over her body, and the

    brown liquid ran down her hair, giving her a disheveled appearance.

    Looking at her calmly, Eliana said, ¡°Someone was so stupid that she didn¡¯t even know she couldn¡¯t use

    a broken coffee maker. Or did she do it on purpose to gain sympathy and lure me to help her?¡± Eliana

    echoed what Lilian had just said to her.

    ¡°Eliana! You did it on purpose!¡±

    Lilian was so angry that she was almost out of breath. She clenched her teeth and yelled very loudly. If

    eyes could kill, she would have killed Eliana a thousand times over.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a pushover because I didn¡¯t lose my cool?¡± Eliana looked around her colleagues with

    an expressionless face and warned, ¡°I warn you, you¡¯d better not provoke me. Do you recall Gabrielle?

    She was fired because she was mean to me, right? Rachel, too. Do you need me to remind you of how

    she ended?¡±

    Eliana was really angry at that point.

    She had previously tolerated them whenever they made things difficult for her at work. But this time,

    they¡¯d gone way too far. She had nearly died. She would never have a peaceful day in the department

    if she didn¡¯t teach them a lesson.

    The pantry was deafeningly quiet. Everyone was taken aback by Eliana¡¯s aura.

    The employees in the Design Department had heard of those things before. Gabrielle, a former

    director, was fired for making things difficult for Eliana, while Rachel was taken to the police station for

    framing Eliana.

    Everyone present was terrified now that the person involved had mentioned them in person.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡­ Don¡¯t be toocent¡­¡±

    Lilian was so enraged that she wanted to say something to continue mocking Eliana, but she stopped

    the moment she met Eliana¡¯s deadly gaze.

    Eliana walked out of the pantry with a sneer, not giving the furious Lilian or the other terrified and silent

    colleagues a second look.

    At dusk, Cheryl gave her a reply via email. She had chosen one of the bracelet design drafts and asked

    Eliana to make a sample as soon as possible.

    Cheryl urged Eliana to hurry, but it was about time to get off work. As a result, Eliana had to take the

    elevator downstairs to meet with those in charge of samples.

    When Eliana arrived at the elevator door, she happened to meet Maurice and Corbin.

    ¡°Boss, Ss wants you to keep your promise. He¡¯s going to Nana¡¯s house today to y with the twins,¡±

    Corbin whispered to Maurice.

    Maurice nodded in agreement.

    Maurice had guessed that Ss simply wanted to go to Eliana¡¯s house when he imposed this condition.

    Ss didn¡¯t have many friends. Now he finally had the twins. Besides, if he was in Eliana¡¯s house,

    Maurice wouldn¡¯t be concerned.

    Corbin noticed Eliana standing nearby as soon as he finished his words. ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re also here!¡± he

    eximed.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t leave because she was caught on the spot.

    Just then, the elevator came. Eliana walked closer to Maurice and followed him into the elevator. Her

    body was stiff.

    She couldn¡¯t stop staring at Maurice as soon as she stepped into the elevator.

    His arm injury appeared to be very serious.

    After all, he was hurt in order to save her. What if she expressed her concern for him?

    ¡°How is your arm, Mr. Moran?¡±

    Eliana was staring at Maurice¡¯s chest as she said this.

    Suddenly, the elevator moved abnormally.

    Eliana¡¯s heart began to beat fast. She immediately remembered what had happened the night before.

    Her hair stood on end, and the fear of dying overcame her once more.

    She instinctively grabbed Maurice¡¯s clothes and closed her eyes. Her body began trembling. She felt as

    if she were drowning and unable to breathe.

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287

    Maurice immediately noticed that Eliana was acting a little strange.

    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±

    He lowered his head and looked at Eliana, who was still clinging to his clothes.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Eliana was stubborn.

    Maurice might have believed her if she hadn¡¯t trembled.

    He pressed the button to stop the elevator. ¡°I want to take the stairs. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you¡¯re my boss. You¡¯re going to use the stairs. How can I take the elevator? Of course, I¡¯ll

    come with you,¡± Eliana replied quickly.

    They both exited the elevator one after the other. Corbin, who was standing behind them, squatted

    down and pretended to tie his shoces.

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    There were, in fact, no shoces.

    When Maurice and Eliana were already far away, Corbin stood up and took a nce at the stairwell

    with a smile on his face.

    All of his efforts would be in vain if nothing happened between Maurice and Eliana.

    Maurice and Eliana walked down the stairs together. At each floor, the man walking ahead of the

    woman would immediately turn on the lights.

    Nobody was speaking between them.

    Did Maurice walk her down the stairs on purpose?

    Eliana was moved. Looking at the back of Maurice, she was not sure anymore who the man in front of

    her truly was.

    If Maurice and Preston were the same person, what on earth did Maurice want from her?

    Maurice could feel that Eliana was staring at him. He suddenly came to a halt and turned around,

    asking, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid to take the stairs now?¡±

    Under the dim light, Eliana could see the tender look on Maurice¡¯s face.

    Her heart began to beat erratically. Right there and then, she made the decision to give Maurice and

    herself a chance.

    ¡°Maurice, are you hiding something from me?¡±

    Did Eliana find out something?

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hiding anything from me?¡± Maurice asked back, staring at her.

    They stared at each other for a few moments, and neither was willing to admit defeat.

    But how could Eliana be a match for Maurice? She unwillingly surrendered after a while.

    Indeed, she had no right to ask Maurice that question. She had kept a bigger secret from him.

    She would, however, do everything she could to keep her children hidden from others.

    Eliana¡¯s heartbeat gradually returned to normal. She calmed down and distanced herself from Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯ll go ahead now. Take care.¡±

    Eliana exited the stairwell without looking back.

    The light was turned off. Maurice was standing alone in the dark.

    He frowned, his deep eyes unfocused.

    He couldn¡¯t figure out what Eliana was hiding from him.

    As soon as she handed in the design draft, Eliana received a text from Nana that she would be leaving

    workte tonight.

    Hence, Eliana needed to leave work early because Nana was not at home. Besides, Ss was going to

    her house today.

    After some thought, Eliana decided to ask Harriet for a leave of absence.

    Harriet, sitting in her chair, raised her head and asked, ¡°You want to ask for leave? Why?¡±

    ¡°A child will pay me a visit today,¡± Eliana replied.

    Harriet felt strange. Why did Eliana also have children at home?

    ¡°All right, go ahead, but don¡¯t forget your work.¡±

    Eliana nodded. She then packed her belongings and left thepany.

    As soon as Eliana left, Harriet received a call from a private detective.

    ¡°Miss Stone, we now know where Ss attends kindergarten.¡±

    Harriet rose from her chair in an instant, her eyes gleaming.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288

    Eliana got off work early and went to the kindergarten to pick up the children. Aileen, Adrian, and Ss

    walked out of school hand in hand.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s eyes lit up as they trotted into Eliana¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to trouble you, Eliana.¡±

    Ss walked over with a shy look on his face.

    Eliana let go of her two children and reached out to touch Ss¡¯ soft hair.

    ¡°What are you talking about, Ss? There¡¯s no trouble. I¡¯m happy to wee you to our home today.¡±

    ¡°Me, too. I like Ss the most.¡±

    Aileen was in a good mood. She held Eliana¡¯s hand with one hand and Ss¡¯ with the other.

    However, Adrian, who was ignored, suddenly chimed in, ¡°So does that mean that you like Ss more

    than you like me, Aileen?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re my brother. You¡¯re always going to be number one in my heart.¡±

    Aileen¡¯s words were as sweet as her appearance.

    Eliana, Adrian, and Ss were all amused by Aileen. Their walk home was full ofughter.

    But as they walked, Eliana felt that something was off.

    She felt like she was being followed and watched again. For a moment, she caught the sound of a

    camera shutter.

    Eliana stopped walking and looked around cautiously.

    All of a sudden, she got a glimpse of someone behind them not far away.

    She didn¡¯t recognize the man.

    Eliana immediately pulled the three children behind her to protect them. She waited for the strange

    man to show himself again.

    Aileen raised her head and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mommy?¡±

    Ss was also keenly aware that something was wrong.

    He held Eliana¡¯s hand and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Pierce. My bodyguards will take care

    of it.¡±

    Ss had found himself in a simr situation so many times before that he had gotten used to it. It was

    one of the reasons he was constantly surrounded by his security detail.

    He subtly informed his bodyguards to look for the man that was stalking them.

    Hearing what Ss said, Eliana felt a little relieved.

    To make sure that the children were safe, she led them to an isted street corner and waited there for

    Ss¡¯ bodyguards toe.

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    Soon, Ss¡¯ three bodyguards came with the stalker who was very well-dressed for his job.

    He had on a brown windbreaker, a pair of ck sunsses, and a hat. He had his camera around his

    neck on a thick nylon strap.

    ¡°Sir, this man has been following you and taking photos of you and your friends.¡±

    The bodyguards pushed the man towards Eliana. His eyes were full of panic that he tried to break free

    from the bodyguards.

    ¡°What are you going to do with me? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s illegal to drag people away against their will?¡±

    he hissed in a condescending tone.

    ¡°Illegal?¡± Eliana sneered. ¡°What about stalking people and secretly taking photos of them? Is that

    legal?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t stalking you or taking photos of you. Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± The man was still quibbling.

    ¡°Why were you following me and the children and taking our photos?¡± Eliana snapped.

    ¡°Are these three all your children?¡± the man asked in surprise.

    Ss¡¯ eyes darkened, and he lowered his head.

    The next second, Eliana stood in front of the three children.

    ¡°Yes, they are, and I don¡¯t appreciate you following us around and photographing us!¡±

    The bodyguards forcibly took away the man¡¯s camera and mobile phone.

    ¡°Call your employer.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    The man looked hesitant at first, but looking at the three hulking bodyguards surrounding him, he gave

    in and dialed a number.

    A woman answered the call.

    ¡°Why are you calling me at this time? Have you finished what I paid you to do?¡±

    That voice¡­ Why did it sound so familiar?

    ¡°Who are you? Why did you have us followed?¡± Eliana suddenly asked, startling Harriet, who was on

    the other end of the line.

    Damn it!

    Harriet immediately hung up.

    Frowning, Eliana tried to remember the woman who owned that voice, but she came up empty. She

    was convinced that she had heard that voice before.

    Did it really belong to someone she¡¯d already met?

    In the end, Eliana spoke with Ss and his bodyguards, and they all agreed that one of the bodyguards

    took the stalker to the police station while the other two escorted Eliana and the children home.

    The entire trip to the police station, the stalker kept his head down as if he had already epted his

    fate.

    But unknown to anyone, he¡¯d secretly stowed away something in his windbreaker before Ss¡¯

    bodyguards got a hold of his camera.

    The man had been in the game for a very long time and had acquired some unique skills. He might

    have gotten caught, but he was able to get a film out of his camera, which he would develop into a

    photo and hand over to his employer.

    After the incident with the stalker, Eliana picked up the pace on their way home.

    Fortunately, the three children seemed to be unaffected by themotion. Not long after they arrived

    home, they all yed happily in the living room with the dog.

    Eliana was relieved to see so.

    Time passed quickly, and soon, it was alreadyte.

    Eliana looked up at the clock for the third time. She was beginning to get worried.

    Where was Nana? Why hadn¡¯t shee home yet?

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289

    In the early hours of the evening, Nana finally finished her duties after a long day of hard work. She

    hummed her favorite tune and promptly left for home.

    At the end of the street, she saw arge crowd of people gathering and talking animatedly to one

    another as if something exciting was about to happen.

    Nana immediately became curious.

    She soon decided to walk over and have a look.

    Surely it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a quick peek to learn what was going on.

    As Nana drew closer, she saw many candles on the sidewalk forming a big heart shape, and red rose

    petals were scattered around. It was very romantic.

    Nana quickly made a guess. It seemed someone was going to propose to his sweetheart.

    Touched by the grand gesture, Nana found herself smiling and eagerly waiting for the couple to show

    up.

    At this moment, Mariage d¡¯Amour suddenly yed on the scene. Apanied by the French piano

    music, a young man in an elegant white suit slowly walked toward Nana.

    The thin man with a handsome face and an aggressive, cynic aura beamed confidently at Nana. It was

    clear that everything in his life was going smoothly.

    He walked up to her with arge bouquet of roses in his hands, got down on one knee, and stared at

    her affectionately. His twinkling eyes were filled with love and joy.

    ¡°Nana, it would be my greatest honor if you were to be my wife. Will you marry me?¡±

    The crowd around them suddenly burst into cheers.

    ¡°Marry him, marry him!¡±

    Nana was the only person in a bad mood.

    She pursed her lips and gulped anxiously. ¡°Huey, I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her ex-fiance kneeling on the ground. The pressure

    was too much that she couldn¡¯t breathe.

    ¡°Nana, I¡­¡±

    Huey cleared his throat and was about to dere his love for her.

    But at this point, Nana was livid with rage. She snorted in disgust and stormed away.

    However, Huey wasn¡¯t one to give up so easily. He immediately stood up and chased after her.

    ¡°Nana, pleasee back. Give me a chance to exin!¡± Huey grabbed Nana¡¯s hand and pulled her

    back. He looked her in the eye and said, ¡°Nana, I admit my past mistakes. Trust me. I¡¯ve changed for

    the better now. Can you give me one more chance?¡±

    Nana didn¡¯t buy his borate act at all.

    She pushed Huey away with all her strength and said coldly, ¡°Now you want to make up with me? I

    don¡¯t see a future for us anymore. It¡¯s toote. Good riddance!¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t say that. I really want to marry you. Please forgive me!¡±

    Huey tried desperately to keep Nana from leaving.

    Nana was repulsed by his persistent shower of affection and moved away.

    It was clear that Huey would stop at nothing until he finally got her back.

    Gritting her teeth in frustration, she said bluntly, ¡°It¡¯s toote, Huey. I already have a new fiance, and

    we¡¯re madly in love with each other. So please, leave me alone!¡±

    ¡°New fiance? But that¡¯s impossible! You are lying to me, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Huey was overly confident of his own charm. He knew that Nana was head over heels for him before.

    Even if he broke her heart, she wouldn¡¯t fall in love with another man so soon.

    ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? Do you really think you¡¯re such a big shot? I¡¯m actually d to be

    rid of you!¡± Nana eximed in disdain.

    ¡°You know what? I¡¯ll only believe your im once you bring that so-called fiance of yours to me.¡±

    Huey smirked arrogantly. He was sure that Nana was lying and wanted to prove her wrong.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll call him right now.¡±

    Nana rolled her eyes and quickly took out her phone, seemingly eager to settle the matter in her favor.

    But deep inside, she was anxious.

    As she aimlessly scrolled through her contacts, Corbin¡¯s name caught her attention. An idea suddenly

    entered her mind, and she immediately dialed his number.

    ¡°Hello, honey. How are things going at work? I miss you so much,¡± Nana said in a sultry voice.

    On the other end of the line, Corbin felt goosebumps all over his body.

    He quickly double-checked the caller ID to see if it was a stranger calling him by mistake.

    It was Nana¡¯s number. Corbin gulped nervously and scratched his head.

    What was wrong with her? It didn¡¯t make sense.

    Corbin couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on. He remained silent and decided to listen for possible

    clues.

    Nana continued in the same tone, ¡°I know, honey. Sorry for disturbing you. Go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll

    cook your favorite dish when I get home. Not toote, okay? You better save some energy for me

    tonight. I love you. See youter!¡±

    With a sweet smile on her face, she hung up the phone.

    The strange phone call deeply unsettled Corbin. He took a deep breath and organized his thoughts.

    ¡®Nana is acting weirdly! Is she in some kind of trouble? Maybe she has been kidnapped!¡¯

    He jumped up from the chair and covered his mouth in horror.

    ¡®Was Nana speaking to me that way as a subtle cry for help? The kidnapper must¡¯ve been listening in

    on the call.¡¯

    Corbin immediately called the police and informed thepany¡¯s Security Department to trace Nana¡¯s

    location using her mobile phone.

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    ¡®Nana, just hang tight wherever you are. Help is on the way!¡¯

    Pocketing her phone with a smug look on her face, Nana raised her eyebrows at Huey. ¡°You heard that.

    The man I have just spoken to is my new fiance.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe that? There¡¯s no way he¡¯s your fiance.¡±

    No matter how hard Nana tried to get away, Huey kept pestering her. With both sides unwilling to yield,

    the two loudly argued on the street.

    To their surprise, a police car suddenly pulled up in front of them. The police officer quickly stepped out

    of his vehicle and shouted, ¡°Police! Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Nana and Huey stopped dead in their tracks, utterly speechless.

    What the heck was going on this time?

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290

    ¡°Let her go!¡±

    Corbin rushed past the police and pulled Nana behind him.

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s him. He attempted to kidnap the victim.¡±

    Kidnap?

    Who tried to kidnap someone? Who was kidnapped?

    Nana didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Before Huey even knew what was going on, the police pounced on him.

    Nana was shocked by the sudden events, but she was finally able to speak. ¡°Sir, you misunderstand.

    There was no kidnapping. This man is my ex-boyfriend.¡±

    Silence suddenly fell over the chaotic scene.

    ¡°Your ex-boyfriend? So you were just¡­¡±

    Corbin nced at Nana and then at Huey.

    ¡°He badgered me to get back together with him. When I refused, there was some physical conflict,¡±

    Nana said with an embarrassed expression.

    She felt ashamed.

    It was all just a misunderstanding.

    Corbin could not believe what he was hearing. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you make that clear?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t give me a chance to,¡± Nana retorted.

    Once they understood the situation, the police gave them a quick lecture and left. Now it was just the

    three of them.

    Corbin looked at Nana¡¯s ex-boyfriend in confusion.

    Wasn¡¯t Nana Jonathan¡¯s lover? How could she be involved with another man?

    Huey had finally recovered from the shock of what had happened. Now that he was certain Nana had

    lied to him earlier, he felt his confidence grow.

    ¡°Nana, a woman should take advantage of a favorable situation when she gets the chance. Do you

    really believe that you are still a popr star? I¡¯m the only good man who will ever want you.¡±

    The presence of the police had caught the attention of people around them.

    A crowd had gathered. Some of them recognized Nana.

    ¡°Nana¡­ Isn¡¯t she the famous model who quit show business to marry a rich man? Didn¡¯t she marry into

    wealth? Why is she so down on her luck now?¡±

    ¡°It seems that her dream of bing a rich woman has slipped through her fingers, so she has to

    work again.¡±

    The discussion was getting louder. Nan¡¯s face paled and she looked down at the ground.

    All of a sudden, a warm hand enveloped hers.

    ¡°Nana, lift your chin up. Earning money through your own hard work is nothing to be ashamed of. Why

    should you care what these strangers think? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Corbin pulled on Nana¡¯s hand and led her past Huey. He did not look back.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t go!¡± Huey blurted out. ¡°Nana, think about what you¡¯re doing. If you leave with this man, don¡¯t

    come crying to meter, begging me to elevate you back to a wealthy lifestyle.¡±

    Nana felt rage rise in her chest.

    She let go of Corbin¡¯s hand and walked to Huey.

    A smug smile crept across Huey¡¯s face. He thought Nana wasing to join him.

    Nana raised her hand and pped his handsome face.

    Huey¡¯s head jerked to the side and shock filled his eyes.

    ¡°Listen carefully. I don¡¯t care about anything you have to say. Go home and never enter my sight

    again.¡±

    After that, Nana took Corbin¡¯s hand and strode away.

    When they were finally alone, Nana released Corbin¡¯s hand. Her face melted into a defeated

    expression.

    ¡°Nana, what¡¯s going on? Aren¡¯t you Jonathan¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Corbin, can I use your shoulder to cry on?¡± Nana interrupted him.

    Without waiting for an answer, she leaned against his shoulder and burst into tears.

    Corbin couldn¡¯t continue questioning her while she was like this. He stood still and let her lean on him.

    Corbin could smell the faint jasmine scent of Nana¡¯s perfume. The scent seemed to enter his lungs and

    tickle his heart.

    He felt a wave of warmth growing inside of him.

    What was wrong with him?

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291

    It waste at night and the three children in Eliana¡¯s house were tired after ying for a long while and

    had fallen asleep. But Eliana was still up.

    Nana hadn¡¯t return home yet, which made Eliana so worried that she found it hard to sleep.

    Finally, when it was eleven o¡¯clock, there was a slight rattle at the door and someone came in.

    Eliana quickly walked over to turn on the living room light and a sneaky figure appeared.

    It was Nana who had returned.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re still awake?¡±

    Nana, hunched over, had intended to enter quietly but was caught in the act by Eliana.

    With a straight face, Eliana was just about to interrogate Nana when she suddenly noticed that Nana¡¯s

    eyes seemed swollen.

    She couldn¡¯t care less about what she was going to ask and cupped Nana¡¯s face, asking urgently,

    ¡°Nana, why are your eyes swollen? Did you cry? Did someone bully you?¡±

    At that point, Nana knew she couldn¡¯t hide it from Eliana.

    She sighed, pondered for a moment, choosing to tell the truth.

    ¡°Eliana, I met¡­ Huey today.¡±

    ¡°Huey! That scum of your ex-fiance!¡± With her mouth agape, Eliana looked Nana up and down. ¡°Nana,

    are you okay? Was that scum bothering you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Someone has helped me out.¡±

    Instantly, Nana recalled the scene where Corbin shielded her behind him.

    Helplessly, her cheeks flushed red.

    Eliana looked at Nana¡¯s flushed face, noticing something.

    She must have fallen in love with someone else.

    Understanding, Eliana didn¡¯t ask any further.

    They both washed up and prepared for bed. Suddenly, something urred to Eliana.

    Tomorrow was weekend, which was also the day she agreed to meet up with Ethan.

    She went to Nana¡¯s room and told the sleepy Nana, ¡°Nana, I have something to do tomorrow. Can you

    help me take care of the children for a day with Kimora?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t tomorrow weekend?¡± Nana rubbed her eyes, trying to keep her spirits up.

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    ¡°Have you forgotten? Ethan, Hodge¡¯s son, wants to meet with me tomorrow.¡±

    It was then that it reurred to Nana, but after giving it some thought, she still felt uneasy deep down.

    ¡°Eliana, how about you don¡¯t go? I feel it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just going to get the document about the Pierce Group. Nothing will go wrong.¡±

    Eliana seemed so determined that she couldn¡¯t be persuaded. In the end, Nana couldn¡¯t resist the

    drowsiness and finally gave in to sleep.

    ¡°Nana?¡±

    Eliana was still talking just to realize that Nana had fallen asleep. With a helpless smile, Eliana tucked

    her in and walked out quietly.

    The next day, Eliana was on time for the appointment. The cafe they were meeting happened to be the

    ce she and Hodge had met thest time.

    When she arrived, Ethan was already there, waiting for a long time.

    It was obvious that things had been rough for Ethantely. He was wearing a camel-colored coat and a

    white shirt inside. The clothes looked untidy with dirt and dust, as if he had been wearing them for a

    few days. His face looked worn out and there were dark circles under his eyes. His beard hadn¡¯t been

    shaved for a few days. In a nutshell, he lookedpletely downcast.

    Maybe he had been pressured hard by Hodge¡¯s creditors.

    Eliana sat opposite Ethan, looking as usual.

    ¡°Here you are, Eliana.¡± This time, Ethan was very gentle. ¡°I have ordered coffee for you. Let¡¯s talk over

    a drink. I apologize for what happened thest time. I was just so angry, and I regretted it when I

    calmed down. I grew up under the watch of your parents. I remember them hugging me as a child. At

    that time, I attended your first birthday¡­¡± Ethan¡¯s voice trailed off as he looked totally remorseful.

    When Eliana heard him mention the past, her expression gradually softened, and she was not so

    resistant to Ethan.

    ¡°Now that I¡¯m here, where is the information you said you¡¯d get?¡±

    Not forgetting the main purpose of this meeting, Eliana asked Ethan for the Pierce Group¡¯s information.

    ¡°Look at me, I¡¯ve been so caught up in the conversation that I almost forgot.¡± He took out a paper bag

    from behind. ¡°Here, this is the information you asked for.¡±

    Eliana was so excited that she took the bag, so eager to open it.

    To her surprise, as soon as she opened the bag to take out the document, her finger suddenly hurt as if

    it had been stabbed by a sharp object.

    Eliana took a closer look, just to see a slender long needle in the bag.

    What was going on?

    Before she could react, her head had begun to spin.

    Instantly, the whole world spun before Eliana¡¯s eyes and the second before she passed out, she saw a

    sinister smile on Ethan¡¯s face.

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292

    With a splitting headache, Eliana opened her eyes and slowly realized that she was inside an

    abandoned warehouse filled with a variety of broken and tattered items.

    She was lying sideways on the cold floor. As she struggled to regain her senses, an rmed look

    shed across Eliana¡¯s face when she noticed that her arms and legs were tied up. She couldn¡¯t move

    at all.

    Her eyes suddenly darted to a familiar figure standing nearby. With her mobile phone in his hand,

    Ethan stared at her with cold-blooded intent in his eyes.

    He had kidnapped her.

    ¡®What a bastard!¡¯

    Now Eliana was fully aware of her dire situation, and her heart sank. Cold sweat began to form all over

    her body, and her brain went haywire.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡±

    Ethan walked over with a sinister smile and looked down at Eliana, his eyes full of malice.

    Eliana propped herself up and red at him. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±

    ¡°Shut up. You¡¯re in no position to insult me. If you hadn¡¯t hurt my father and used Maurice¡¯s influence to

    cover up your crime, then I wouldn¡¯t have resorted to taking you captive. This is all your fault!¡± Ethan

    snarled in contempt.

    How could he be so sure that it was her who had hurt Hodge? It didn¡¯t make sense.

    With her eyes wide open in fear, Eliana made a guess.

    It seemed that someone framed her and Maurice for a crime they didn¡¯tmit.

    ¡°Ethan, whoever said that is lying to you. Someone else did it. I swear! You have to believe me.

    Please!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Gritting his teeth in anger, Ethan crouched and pped Eliana hard across the face.

    ¡°You murderer, how dare you not ept responsibility for your actions? I¡¯ll make you pay for what you

    did!¡±

    Eliana fell to the floor and lost consciousness momentarily. Her cheek was burning in pain, and her

    ears were buzzing. A few seconds had passed, and she still couldn¡¯t regain her bearings.

    ¡°Come here, you little bitch. There¡¯s something I need to see.¡±

    Ethan yanked her by the hair and forcibly held her face in front of the phone to unlock it.

    ¡°What the hell are you up to?¡± Eliana roared in defiance.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±

    With a wicked sneer, Ethan opened the photo album on Eliana¡¯s phone and saw pictures of her and the

    little twins. ¡®Eliana has two children? Wait a minute, could it be? Ah, it all makes sense now. No wonder

    Maurice always stood up for her. It turns out that they have been together for a long time. This makes

    things much more interesting.¡¯

    The sudden discovery of the two children greatly piqued Ethan¡¯s curiosity.

    ¡°Who is their father? Is it Maurice?¡± Ethan asked after leaning closely.

    ¡°Of course not! Are you insane? Five years ago, I didn¡¯t even know Maurice. How could I have a child

    with him?¡±

    Eliana immediately denied it.

    Narrowing his eyes at her exnation, Ethan was still doubtful of her words. But then again, she could

    be telling the truth. If she had indeed hooked up with Maurice back then, the Pierce Group wouldn¡¯t

    have gone bankrupt.

    ¡°Enough. It¡¯s pointless to talk to you about it. After all, I¡¯ll soon have Maurice in my clutches. If he

    refuses to speak, I have no problem beating the answer out of him.¡±

    His next target was Maurice! And now Eliana served as bait.

    Hearing his frightening words, Eliana gulped anxiously and lowered her eyes.

    Ethan didn¡¯t bother with the topic any longer. He turned his attention back to the phone and opened the

    contact list. But after a minute of searching, he couldn¡¯t find Maurice¡¯s name anywhere.

    ¡°Where is Maurice¡¯s phone number? Tell me this instant,¡± Ethan said impatiently.

    ¡°You won¡¯t find it there. I don¡¯t have his phone number.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡±

    Eliana was telling the truth. She didn¡¯t save Maurice¡¯s phone number and never memorized it. It was a

    long-standing rule of hers to keep him out of her private life.

    However, Ethan didn¡¯t believe her. Unwilling to give up, he kept scanning through her phone data. Later

    on, he found an unknown number on the cklist.

    Finally!

    Grinning triumphantly, he showed the phone screen to Eliana and said, ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have it. But

    look what I found.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and her jaw dropped in disbelief. It was Preston¡¯s phone number.

    When she had bid her final farewell to Preston, she deleted his name and cklisted his number

    because she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him anymore.

    But she didn¡¯t expect that Ethan would think that it belonged to Maurice.

    ¡°That is not Maurice¡¯s number!¡±

    Seeing Eliana¡¯s fierce reaction, Ethan became more certain that he was on the right track. With an evil

    grin on his face, he immediately dialed the number.

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    Inside the old house of the Moran family, a shrill ringtone interrupted the peaceful silence.

    The special mobile phone for Preston lit up and began to vibrate. Curious to know who it was, Maurice

    picked it up and furrowed his eyebrows. He was stunned to see Eliana¡¯s name on the screen.

    Didn¡¯t that woman just break up with him recently and tell him to get out of her life? Why was she

    calling all of a sudden?

    The phone kept ringing incessantly. Maurice pondered for a moment whether to ignore it or not. But he

    couldn¡¯t resist learning why she was reaching out to him. So he epted the call and held the mobile

    device to his ear.

    On the other end of the line, Ethan was thrilled to finally get through. Without hesitation, he went

    straight to the point and voiced his threat.

    ¡°Maurice, I have Eliana as my prisoner. Don¡¯t call the police, or there will be grave consequences! If

    you truly value her life, take the ransom money to the abandoned warehouse at No. 528, Brilliance

    Road. Otherwise¡­¡±

    Before Ethan could finish his words, a muffled groan escaped from his mouth. While he was

    preupied, Eliana summoned all her strength to get up and rush forward, tackling Ethan to the floor.

    The phone flew out of his hand and crashed to the floor.

    As a result, the call abruptly ended.

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    Chapter 293

    ¡°Fuck! You are such a scumbag!¡±

    Angry, Ethan sprang to his feet, seized Eliana¡¯s cor, and hauled her off the floor.

    ¡°Are you terrified of what could happen? He has not yet spoken. Why were you so tense?¡±

    He recklessly took out his rage on Eliana and crushed her to the floor.

    She had used all of her energy in the assault just now. Eliana¡¯s heart was heavy with sadness as she

    tumbled to the floor.

    Such a call would be seen as a joke by everyone.

    In addition, it had been a long time since she had spoken to Preston. She didn¡¯t expect him to show up

    and rescue her.

    However, she remained hopeful. She was having a hard time getting up and gave Ethan a snarky look.

    ¡°Ethan, you¡¯re aplete moron. In addition to ckmailing the incorrect person, you are also duped

    without your knowledge. What I¡¯d do is get in touch with the folks who said it if I were you. Why should

    we foot the bill for your father¡¯s medical care if it was truly me and Maurice who hurt him? Wouldn¡¯t it be

    preferable if he died without a witness?¡±

    ¡°You bitch¡­¡±

    The fury on Ethan¡¯s face had frozen. He was desperate to contradict, but he was at a loss.

    Eliana¡¯s exnations made perfect sense.

    Why should she shoulder the costs of his father¡¯s medical treatment if she had hurt him?

    It would be impossible to remove the seeds of mistrust once they had been sown.

    Ethan was not naive. He had been so enraged that he utterly lost hisposure. When Eliana

    reminded him, he instantly felt something was off.

    Gerald should have shown up after Hodge¡¯s vehicle ident if he felt as bad as he imed.

    Gerald¡¯s so-called truth was really riddled with inconsistencies. At that moment, Ethan was furious and

    didn¡¯t have the patience to double-check anything.

    Now, Ethan realized that he had been duped after rethinking.

    Anger drove him to call Gerald¡¯s phone number.

    ¡°Hello, Ethan. So, what¡¯s up?¡±

    On the other end of the line, Gerald¡¯s voice remained soothing.

    ¡°Put an end to this charade. Everything is now clear to me. You lied to me, fuck you!¡±

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Ethan¡¯s eyes bulged, and he clutched his hair in one fist due to his distress.

    ¡°I¡¯m dead meat! You¡¯re to me for this. Not only am I in debt, but I¡¯m also facing abduction charges.

    My whole life will be on the line as a result of this mistake.¡±

    Gerald deciphered Ethan¡¯s rambling curse and uncovered the vital words.

    Kidnapping? Who had he taken hostage?

    ¡°Ethan, take a deep breath and rx. I want to know who you abducted,¡± Gerald asked softly.

    Ethan became irritated and yelled, ¡°Eliana, of course! Other than her, who else could it be?¡±

    That was fantastic! Gerald was enthralled with enthusiasm.

    Ethan surprised him by doing him a great favor. He was certain that Maurice would make a move now

    that Eliana was in danger.

    Calcting this, Gerald said, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal, Ethan. If you offer me Eliana, I¡¯ll give you a significant

    quantity of money. Do you have any thoughts? Will you agree?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s remarks sounded like a devil¡¯s murmur.

    ¡°Should I believe that?¡± Ethan¡¯s eyes were filled with a glimmer of optimism.

    Quite simply, he abducted Eliana for financial gain. It did not matter to him whether he received money

    from Maurice or Gerald. He had no interest in what would happen to Eliana. After umting

    sufficient funds, he would be able to settle his father¡¯s gambling debts and medical bills.

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s nothing to worry about with this deal.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Ethan readily epted Gerald¡¯s demand and struck a bargain with him over Eliana.

    Eliana was certain after hearing the whole conversation that the person on the other end of the call was

    the one in the background. It was possible that this guy was connected to the culprit she was searching

    for.

    ¡°Ethan, who are you conversing with?¡±

    Eliana was eager to know.

    Ethan put his phone away and yelled angrily at Eliana, ¡°Simply remain put. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t have all

    the details down pat.¡±

    He had to keep an eye on Eliana now that she was worth as much as an immense amount of money.

    However, Eliana¡¯s phone, which was lying on the floor, rang at this point in time.

    Ethan had just phoned the number.

    Eliana muttered, ¡°Preston.¡±

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294

    Ethan¡¯s vignce was heightened.

    He could now get money from Gerald. He no longer cared about Maurice. But if Maurice got involved,

    things would go downhill fast.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to take this.¡± Ethan took the phone and ced it in front of Eliana. ¡°Tell him right now that

    it was all a joke. Follow my instructions exactly. Avoid engaging in deception.¡±

    After that, Ethan answered the phone and ced the speakerphone on.

    A guy said with eagerness, ¡°Eliana! What is your location? What transpired? I¡¯ll be there at a moment¡¯s

    notice.¡±

    Eliana was taken aback by it for a moment. Preston clearly cared for her, and she could tell. At the

    same time, her eyes started to be red and she felt a lump in her throat.

    Preston was such a blundering idiot. Despite the fact that she had been harsh to him, he still deeply

    cared for her.

    As a result, Eliana became more reluctant to put him in harm¡¯s way.

    ¡°Nothing. It was simply a joke. I was defeated in Truth or Dare. Preston, are you serious? It¡¯s absurd.

    I¡¯ve already informed you that our rtionship ended. Please don¡¯t bothering. There is no way I¡¯ll

    ever see you again!¡±

    Eliana lied to cover up her anguish. She made nderous remarks about Preston in an attempt to stop

    him froming.

    Preston, on the other hand, was unconvinced by her inept deception.

    He believed that Eliana would say anything against her will as she was in danger.

    ¡°Eliana, please hold.¡±

    Preston made good on his word and ended the call.

    ¡°What a sweet pair!¡± Ethan grinned. ¡°Miss Pierce, I did not anticipate you to be so beneficial. You¡¯ve

    dated a lot of guys.¡±

    Ethan¡¯s arrogance grew when he realized that it wasn¡¯t Maurice on the other end of the phone.

    He discarded Eliana¡¯s cell phone and waited idly by, awaiting the arrival of Gerald¡¯s crew. He would

    deliver Eliana to them when they paid. Then he could put an end to all of his problems.

    Eliana seemed to be doing nothing except sitting calmly in the corner, but she was really keeping an

    eye on the situation and attempting to figure out how to get out.

    She couldn¡¯t simply sit back and wait for her demise. The implications would be unthinkable if the

    person behind the scenes got their hands on her.

    What options did she have?

    Eliana¡¯s eyes stumbled upon arge broken porcin vase in a nearby pile of trash at this point.

    She conceived an idea.

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Eliana whimpered softly on the floor, drawing Ethan¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Why are you behaving in this way?¡±

    Ethan came grudgingly over here for the sake of the money.

    ¡°My tummy hurts¡­¡±

    ¡°Your tummy hurts?¡±

    On the floor, Eliana writhed in agony while Ethan watched her warily. He was at a crossroads. Was she

    being dishonest with him?

    ¡°I may be suffering from diarrhea. I just need to use the restroom. You may apany me if you¡¯re

    worried that I would run away. Surely, as a man, you don¡¯t fear that I¡¯ll flee, right?¡±

    The pallor of Eliana¡¯s face suggested that she was in considerable distress.

    After some consideration, Ethan agreed, ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead, but don¡¯t attempt to fool me. I¡¯m behind you.¡±

    ¡°Then you have to untie the rope on my wrists and feet first, else how can I go to the toilet?¡± Eliana

    said.

    Ethan released Eliana from her bonds without any thought. He had an overinted sense of

    confidence. How could a frightened and vulnerabledy escape him?

    Eliana staggered to her feet, her hands on her tummy, and made her way to the waste, one step at a

    time. Ethan was right behind her the whole time.

    As she approached therge broken porcin vase, Eliana came to a halt in her tracks.

    ¡°Well, here we are. Turn the other way.¡±

    Ethan didn¡¯t hesitate in turning around. ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    Eliana took up therge porcin vase next to her and smashed it right at Ethan¡¯s head as soon as he

    turned around.

    A loud bang could be heard.

    Ethan copsed to the floor without a whimper as therge porcin vase smashed onto his skull.

    It was a sess.

    After the victorious counterattack, Eliana¡¯s whole body trembled.

    She raced away from Ethan, who was lying unconscious on the floor.

    She fought to open the door and fled in the darkness.

    Unfortunately, the location that Ethan had selected was too distant, with no one living nearby.

    Eliana¡¯s heart was racing and she was dripping perspiration from her brow.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    When she took a look around, she knew she couldn¡¯t get out of here on foot.

    Suddenly, a vehicle blocked her path. Several individuals jumped out of the automobile before she

    could respond.

    There was yet a glimmer of optimism.

    Eliana¡¯s face lit up and she said, ¡°Please, I need your help! Help me, please!¡±

    Gerald smirked at Eliana, who had no idea what was going on and was approaching them freely, as he

    sat in the backseat of the automobile.

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295

    What a poor littlemb! She was about to fall into a trap, and without realizing it, she still asked her

    hunter for help.

    Gerald was surely going to win.

    Hecently watched his men as they surrounded Eliana.

    But all of a sudden, the sound of a roaring engine filled the air, and a dark blue Ferrari raced toward

    their direction and headed straight for Gerald¡¯s car at breakneck speed.

    The distance between the two cars was reduced significantly in seconds, but the Ferrari appeared as if

    it was only speeding up more.

    ¡°Damn it! Avoid it! Avoid it!¡± Gerald shouted in fear.

    Sean, who was driving for Gerald, was also frightened by the racing Ferrari. He immediately stepped

    on the elerator and drove away.

    Gerald ran away, but his men were still there.

    The Ferrari immediately veered off course and went after Gerald¡¯s men.

    ¡°Run!¡±

    Gerald¡¯s men were scared out of their wits. Suddenly, they weren¡¯t in the mood anymore to catch

    Eliana. They hurriedly scattered in all directions, afraid that they would be run over by the Ferrari if they

    didn¡¯t move fast enough.

    Eliana was also shocked by the sudden happenings. Her knees buckled, and she fell to the ground.

    Just when she thought that the crazy driver of the dark blue race car would hit her, the Ferrari stopped

    in front of her.

    Then, a tall man stepped out of the car.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t open her eyes against the car¡¯s bright headlights, which were shining directly on her

    face. She raised her hand to block some of the light.

    The car¡¯s driver approached.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡±

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    His deep and hoarse voice sounded as if he had just finished a marathon.

    What a familiar voice!

    Raising her head, Eliana found herself staring into a pair of dark eyes. The blood in her veins suddenly

    froze, and for a few moments, all she could hear was her own heartbeat.

    ¡°Pr¡­ Preston?¡±

    He still came.

    Eliana lowered her head, her eyelids fluttering slightly and one of her hands clenching involuntarily. She

    knew how disheveled she looked right now even without a mirror in front of her.

    ¡°Can you stand?¡±

    When he saw the unharmed Eliana in front of him, Maurice felt his restless heart finally return to its

    normal beating.

    He squatted down, put an arm around her waist, and picked her up. He let her lean against his arms.

    Reflexively, Eliana trembled all over. The moment Preston wrapped his arm around her waist, she felt

    his warmth, and it made her blush.

    She couldn¡¯t help feeling lucky that her face was covered in dust right now. Otherwise, Preston might

    have seen how red she was in the face.

    Meanwhile, when Gerald looked back and didn¡¯t find the Ferrari behind them, he finally realized that

    something was wrong. He immediately ordered Sean to drive back.

    ¡®It must be Maurice,¡¯ he thought.

    When they got back, Gerald saw a strange man helping Eliana, shocking and enraging him at the same

    time.

    Who was this man that suddenly appeared out of nowhere? How dared he ruin his good n?

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Get them!¡± Gerald roared at his subordinates. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! He¡¯s alone!

    Teach that intruding bastard a lesson he¡¯ll never forget!¡±

    After a few moments of chaos, Gerald¡¯s men surrounded Maurice.

    The scene immediately looked like a setup for a melee.

    Individually, none of Gerald¡¯s men could defeat Maurice in a fight. However, they had a shot as they

    outnumbered him. As a result, Maurice had to block consecutive attacks from several people while

    protecting Eliana.

    He eventually found himself at a disadvantage because of his injured left hand. He couldn¡¯t exert as

    much effort as he wanted, and it steered the tides to the enemy¡¯s favor.

    Feeling Preston¡¯s difficulty, Eliana was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

    But she knew that she wasn¡¯t strong enough to help him. If she recklessly made a move now, she

    would only distract him and make him lose the fight faster.

    All she could do now was to try her best to dodge the attacks directed toward her and protect herself.

    Seeing that the man who protected Eliana was about to be defeated by his men, Gerald smiled more

    and more widely, as if Eliana and the man were captured already.

    But before long, Sean suddenly shouted, ¡°Bad news, boss! Look!¡±

    Gerald turned his head, and the smile on his face got snuffed out like a candle in the wind.

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296

    Suddenly, arge group of people in several cars appeared and rushed toward them.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Damn it! The man had backup.

    Gerald didn¡¯t feel like the situation was favorable to him anymore. If he and his men continued to fight,

    they would most likely lose.

    He gritted his teeth and ordered reluctantly, ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡±

    But it was toote. Maurice¡¯s men had already surrounded Gerald¡¯s men and instantly subdued them.

    ¡°What do we do now, boss?¡± Sean was flustered to see the critical situation.

    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Gerald didn¡¯t care about his subordinates. He ordered Sean to drive away. His men were all captured

    by Maurice¡¯s men.

    Thanks to Preston¡¯s backup, Eliana was finally out of danger.

    She breathed a sigh of relief.

    While the others cleaned up the mess after the fight, she turned to look worriedly at Preston who had

    bravely protected her.

    After all the chaos, he was still standing in front of her. He was trying to catch his breath. Sweat trickled

    down the side of his face from his forehead, and he was shaking slightly.

    Eliana approached him and asked, ¡°Are you okay, Preston?¡±

    Maurice shook his head. He was in pain after the fight, but seeing the bruises on Eliana hurt more than

    his own injuries.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    Maurice fought the urge to touch Eliana¡¯s red, swollen cheek. He led her to his car and left the damned

    ce.

    In a dark corner, Ethan, who was still bleeding from his head, saw everything. His unwillingness and

    resentment were rolling in his heart, making him look like the devil.

    In the car, Eliana and Maurice sat in the back seat. Maurice leaned against the seat with his eyes

    closed, frowning as if he was enduring a great pain.

    Seeing that, Eliana felt restless. She was worried out of her mind.

    ¡°Where did you get injured, Preston?¡± She couldn¡¯t help reaching out to touch him, but he leaned away.

    As he moved, Maurice felt a sharp pain in his injured left arm. His whole back was wet with cold sweat.

    If he and Eliana stayed in one ce together much longer, Eliana would eventually realize where he

    was hurting, and then he wouldn¡¯t be able to hide his true identity anymore.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to care about me, Eliana. I don¡¯t need it.¡± Maurice deliberately put on a cold face and

    acted like he was disgusted. ¡°Can you not be so stupid next time? I can¡¯te to your rescue every

    time you need me. And didn¡¯t you already break up with me? It¡¯s toote to regret your decision now.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s hand froze in the air, and her courage to touch Preston suddenly vanished.

    Preston¡¯s words weighed on her heart like a massive boulder. They felt so heavy that she found herself

    having trouble breathing. She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. She couldn¡¯t

    say caring words to Preston anymore. He just said himself that he didn¡¯t need them.

    In the end, Eliana dejectedly put down her hand.

    What Preston said was right. She couldn¡¯t expect him to be there for her or ask him to stay.

    Their entire trip downtown, they kept dead silent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get out of the car here.¡± Eliana finally voiced out what she had been thinking since Preston avoided

    her touch.

    Maurice didn¡¯t ask her to stay. He just let her out on the street on her own.

    As soon as Eliana stepped out of the car, it sped away as if it was desperate to get away from her.

    As the car disappeared from her sight, her eyes welled up with tears.

    She wiped her eyes stubbornly.

    She owed Preston. She couldn¡¯t feel aggrieved.

    Maurice felt bad, too, after leaving.

    He tried hard not to look back because he was afraid that if he nced at Eliana¡¯s pitiful eyes again, he

    wouldpletely surrender and then tell her everything.

    Maurice had a vague feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the truth came out, and it would be time to

    tell Eliana about his double life.

    When that happened, they would either start over or end up as strangers. No one knew which.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297

    Eliana made her way home, but she seemed to be upied with something else.

    She didn¡¯t want to bother the children or Nana in any way. She got ready for bed and went to sleep

    shortly after.

    She requested a day off and did not wake up until the sun was high in the sky the second day.

    The youngsters were sent to school by Nana. When she got home, Eliana went out of the bedroom, her

    left cheek red and puffy.

    She was afraid.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! Howe your face looks so bad?¡± Nana hurriedly approached Eliana and held her

    face in her hands. ¡°Who the hell hit you? I¡¯m ready to take him on!¡±

    In order to remove Nana¡¯s hand from her face, Eliana pushed it away. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better now.

    Don¡¯t be concerned. Yesterday, something urred. I was smacked by Ethan.¡±

    ¡°Ethan! I¡¯ve already told you that he is a bad guy. I¡¯ll grab the ointment for you. What happened?

    Please tell meter.¡±

    She cursed as she went to the medicine cab, held Eliana on the couch, and then sat down. Eliana¡¯s

    face was treated with ointment.

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    Eliana informed Nana everything about the abduction that urred yesterday.

    Even though Nana was enraged, Eliana kept her from taking revenge on Ethan.

    ¡°How could you simply let him go?¡±

    Nana was fit to be tied. Right then and there, she wanted to hand Ethan up to the cops.

    ¡°Ethan will soon have a taste of his own medicine. Hodge¡¯s creditors are going to cause him a lot of

    difficulties.¡±

    Sighing, Eliana then became silent.

    Nana proceeded to apply the ointment to Eliana¡¯s wound without saying anything more.

    In a strange turn of events, Eliana, who was typically scared of pain, did not scream at all when she

    was treated with the ointment. Nana regarded her with bewilderment and saw that she was in a stupor.

    ¡®Oh no! What is happening?¡¯

    Nana held a finger up to Eliana with a startled expression.

    ¡°Honey, how many of them are we looking at?¡±

    Eliana regained herposure and chuckled, ¡°Nana, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m simply ruminating

    about something right now.¡±

    Nana sighed with contentment. ¡°Just tell me what you have to say. What do you need? Let me know.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts are racing right now.¡± A perplexed expression appeared on Eliana¡¯s face. ¡°Preston is

    always there for me whenever anything bad urs to me. I get the impression that he is a trustworthy

    person, but I keep the children a secret from him. Please tell me whether you believe I should inform

    him about the children.¡±

    Was Preston still a romantic interest for Eliana?

    Eliana¡¯s thoughts were known to Nana. ¡°And Maurice?¡± she inquired.

    Eliana thought about Maurice, who had put his own life in jeopardy to rescue her in utter darkness.

    She was even more distressed when the faces of the two guys ovepped.

    ¡°You can¡¯t even figure it out on your own,¡± moaned Nana. ¡°In telling Preston that you have two children,

    you¡¯ll simply make things more difficult. You have a way of making people fall in love with you. Preston

    and Maurice are in love with you and have saved your life several times. I¡¯m not sure who I¡¯d choose

    either if I were you.¡±

    Something didn¡¯t feel right!

    Eliana had a shback of yesterday¡¯s tumultuous fight.

    Prior to the fight, Preston¡¯s left arm seemed to have been hurt. He refused to allow Eliana to examine

    his wound after the encounter.

    Eliana had a sudden sh of inspiration.

    The wound was simr to Maurice¡¯s.

    ¡°I believe something is really off about this, Nana.¡±

    Eliana informed Nana of her estimate.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying they¡¯re the same person?¡± Nana sucked in her breath.

    ¡°You can bet on it. It¡¯s the only exnation for the bizarre coincidence that urred between them,¡±

    Eliana opined.

    ¡°That means¡­ It¡¯s all a prank, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nana erupted in fury, her mouth gaping out wide. ¡°Maurice was

    able to be quite close to you by assuming two separate personas. It¡¯s really happening! That

    being the case, you¡¯d be wise to avoid them at all costs!¡±

    ¡°Nana, you could be right after all.¡±

    Eliana wore a sarcastic grin.

    If this were true, it would imply that everything was built on a falsehood.

    Could deceit foster the growth of love?

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298

    Meanwhile, Corbin and the doctor had been waiting at Maurice¡¯s home for a long time. When the

    doctor saw the injured Maurice walk in, he rushed over to him.

    After careful examination, the doctor told Maurice with a serious face, ¡°Mr. Moran, your left arm is

    seriously injured now. You must recuperate peacefully. Remember not to exert too much strength with

    your left hand, or your injury will not heal properly and you will have sequ.¡±

    Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Corbin immediately became anxious. ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll arrange for you to be

    hospitalized right away. Please don¡¯te to the office tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Maurice refused without hesitation. ¡°My grandfather has a project for me tomorrow. I have to go

    abroad.¡±

    ¡°But, boss, your hand¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Maurice interrupted his assistant. ¡°If anyone asks about my whereabouts, tell them that I¡¯ve

    gone abroad tonight.¡±

    That way, he couldn¡¯t be here when Preston was.

    Maurice came up with this perfect idea after thinking it over.

    He had exposed too many ws today. He had to make up an borate lie so that Eliana wouldn¡¯t be

    suspicious.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make your travel arrangements then.¡±

    Corbin wanted to say something else but stopped on second thought. He could say nothing to convince

    Maurice to reconsider what he wanted to do, so he just booked him a flight for tomorrow morning.

    Of course he knew what his boss was doing. It was all for Eliana.

    What torturous love! Corbin couldn¡¯t help sighing.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    It wasn¡¯t easy in love nowadays. Despite being a CEO, Maurice got injured frequently.

    Corbin swore to himself that he would never suffer like this when he fell in love with someone in the

    future.

    ¡°All right. I¡¯m okay. You can go now.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s face was pale. He leaned against the sofa and closed his eyes.

    It seemed that the boss was still going to hide Preston¡¯s identity.

    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s not a good idea for you and Eliana to be like this,¡± Corbin reminded Maurice, despite feeling

    like he was speaking out of turn.

    Maurice slightly opened his eyes, trying to conceal the struggle in them, and said in a hoarse voice,

    ¡°After Ie home from abroad this time, I will find an opportunity to make things clear to her.¡±

    Confused, Corbin asked, ¡°You¡¯re going to talk to her face-to-face?¡±

    ¡°I have to. That¡¯s the only way I can minimize the fallout.¡±

    One day after the kidnapping, Eliana¡¯s face had healed a little and she was back at work.

    She wanted to confirm her hunches, so she went upstairs to see Maurice.

    However, before she arrived at the CEO¡¯s office, she ran into Lilian and Harriet.

    Lilian was still afraid of Eliana because of the coffee incident. Since then, Lilian didn¡¯t dare provoke

    Eliana again.

    However, Harriet walked over casually and greeted Eliana.

    ¡°Hi, Eliana. Did youe here for Mr. Moran?¡± Harriet shed Eliana a wide smile.

    ¡°Yes. I have something important to report to him,¡± Eliana answered tly.

    Harriet raised her perfectly shaped brows and replied, ¡°Well, that¡¯s going to have to wait. Mr. Moran¡¯s

    not here. He went on a business trip abroad the night before yesterday.¡±

    Maurice had gone abroad? On a business trip?

    Wasn¡¯t it the night before yesterday when she was kidnapped and Preston came to save her?

    Eliana¡¯s mind was in a mess. Did she think too much this time?

    The only way for her to find out the truth was to wait for Maurice toe back from abroad and ask

    him in person herself.

    Seeing that Eliana stood still, Harriet said, ¡°Eliana, if you¡¯re not too busy or anything,e with me. I

    have something to ask you.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana snapped back to her senses. What did Harriet want to ask her?

    ¡°Okay, Miss Stone.¡±

    Since it wasn¡¯t proper for Eliana to refuse a request from her superior, she followed Harriet to her office.

    As soon as they were inside, Harriet shut her office door, turned around, and eyed Eliana carefully.

    ¡°Are you a mother, Eliana?¡±

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299

    How did Harriet know Eliana had children?

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana was stunned for a while, and then she said calmly, ¡°That is a very personal question, Miss

    Stone. I don¡¯t think I have to divulge pieces of my personal life to you.¡±

    Harriet was rendered speechless and hated Eliana in her heart.

    She knew about Eliana being a mother because of the photo given to her by the private detective she¡¯d

    hired to investigate Ss. Looking at the photo in which Eliana was talking andughing with three

    children, Harriet was so shocked that her jaw dropped.

    How could Eliana know Ss?

    And who were the other two children in the photo?

    Could it be possible that¡­ all the three children were Eliana and Maurice¡¯s?

    This possibility was like a small, sad stone in Harriet¡¯s throat. She immediately asked the private

    detective to continue the investigation. It wasn¡¯t until the private detective told her that Ss was

    actually the child of Maurice¡¯s younger sister that Harriet breathed a sigh of relief.

    Then who were the parents of the other two children?

    Harriet came up with an idea.

    ¡°I¡¯m aware that everyone is entitled to his or her own privacy, Eliana. I¡¯m not forcing you to answer me if

    you don¡¯t want to. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been hearing rumors going around the office recently. I just want to

    ask for some information.¡±

    Harriet continued pretending to be a good and well-meaning person and put on an embarrassed face.

    That set off rms in Eliana¡¯s head.

    She had never mentioned to anyone in the office that she had children. How could there be rumors?

    And Harriet was acting weird. Instead of inquiring about work, she was asking about the private life of

    one of her subordinates.

    ¡°With all due respect, Miss Stone, my personal affairs are not your or thepany¡¯s business.¡±

    Eliana shed Harriet a cold stare.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be upset. I just want to know the truth. I have nothing else to ask now. You can go.¡±

    Bearing the dissatisfaction in her heart, Harriet ended the conversation.

    The diplomatic expression on her face suddenly vanished after Eliana stepped out of her office.

    Eliana was so good at pretending.

    Fortunately for Harriet, she had made too many enemies, and there were plenty of people who wanted

    to deal with her.

    Harriet took out her phone and pulled up her contacts. She found a phone number under the name

    Erica, and her lips arched into acent smile.

    Since Harriet was smart enough to investigate Eliana¡¯s background, she also knew that there was

    some bad blood between Eliana and Erica.

    She would just ask Eliana¡¯s deadly enemy about her personal life since Eliana didn¡¯t want to talk about

    it with her.

    Without hesitation, Harriet dialed the number, and before long, the call connected.

    ¡°Hello, is this Mrs. Harrison?¡± she said in a soft voice.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Erica asked in a hoarse voice from the other end of the line.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am. You just need to know that you and I have amon enemy who is

    Eliana Pierce. I called you because I want to meet with you and discuss how we¡¯re going to deal with

    her. Are you interested?¡±

    The sound of breaking ss came through.

    ¡°You know that bitch, Eliana? Okay, I¡¯m interested. When and where shall we meet?¡± Erica agreed

    without hesitation.

    Harriet smiled triumphantly at the enraged excitement in Erica¡¯s voice.

    God helped her. Harriet didn¡¯t expect that Erica hated Eliana so much. She thought that it would take a

    lot effort to convince Erica to join her little crusade, but it turned out to be so easy.

    ¡°In two hours. The cafe at No. 27 Forest Road. See you there.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Two hourster, Harriet arrived at the appointed ce first.

    After a while, Erica walked in.

    Harriet had seen photos of Erica before, so when she saw the slovenly woman at the door, she was

    shocked. She even considered that she might be looking at another woman.

    In the photos she had seen, although Erica wasn¡¯t a great beauty, she was still a sight to behold. Even

    through just photos, she exuded the kind of elegance and poise that could onlye from old money.

    But the woman in front of her right now was exceedingly different. She was wearing a wrinkled ck

    dress that had spots on it. Her hair seemed to have been neglected for a long time and was shiny with

    grease.

    Her face was sallow; her lifeless eyes had dark circles under them; and her cheeks were sunken.

    At this moment, Erica didn¡¯t look like a richdy but like a junkie who had been struggling with addiction

    for many years.

    Suppressing the shocked expression on her face, Harriet waved at Erica.

    ¡°Over here, Mrs. Harrison.¡±

    Erica turned her head toward Harriet¡¯s direction and then approached her.

    ¡°You mentioned that bitch Eliana on the phone. Tell me, has her doom befallen her?¡±

    Erica¡¯s turbid eyes gleamed with anticipation. She looked like a dying patient who had recovered her

    consciousness momentarily.

    It made Harriet tremble with fear.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious, Mrs. Harrison. Please sit down and we¡¯ll talk about it.¡±

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Unable to bear the smell of alcoholing from Erica, Harriet moved away in such a way that Erica

    didn¡¯t notice it.

    ¡°How could I be calm in such a situation? Eliana made me lose everything that I had, and she made me

    look like a fool in public. She even tried to take my husband away from me. She won¡¯t seed, and as

    long as I¡¯m alive I won¡¯t let her!¡±

    Erica¡¯s sudden outburst drew the attention of most people in the cafe.

    ¡°Calm down, Mrs. Harrison. Here, have some water first.¡±

    Saying that, Harriet quickly handed a ss of water to her. Even though she was pretending to be

    gentle towards her on the surface, she actually detested her in her heart.

    After all, in her opinion, it was really ridiculous to go so far for a man.

    Hence, though Harriet seemed to sympathize with her, she was actuallyining in her heart.

    ¡°Eliana is such a disgusting bitch! You¡¯ve really gone through hell because of her, Mrs. Harrison. To be

    honest with you, that woman is trying to steal my man away from me. That¡¯s why I asked to meet you. I

    want to work with you to suppress that bitch and put her in her ce!¡±

    Harriet¡¯s words helped Erica calm herself down. She felt as though she had finally found an ally in her

    battle against Eliana.

    As soon as Harriet found the right chance, she immediately voiced out her opinions, ¡°Don¡¯t you think

    that Eliana is insane? She already has two kids, right? I heard that Mr. Maurice Moran, the CEO of the

    Moran Group is the father.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit!¡± Erica sneered. ¡°Their father is a gigolo.¡±

    ¡°A gigolo!¡±

    Harriet was not expecting to hear that shocking piece of information.

    ¡°Since she was being so bold as topete with me for a man, I certainly taught her a lesson! In fact, I

    was the one that sent that gigolo to her bed that night! I never thought that she would get pregnant and

    give birth to his bastard children!¡±

    Erica did not even show a trace of guilt for the terrible thing that she had done to her former best friend.

    In fact, she was rather pleased with herself.

    ¡°Does Maurice know about it?¡± Harriet asked without thinking.

    Upon hearing that, Erica¡¯s expression darkened at once. ¡°I don¡¯t know what on earth Eliana did to turn

    the CEO of the Moran Group into herp dog. So what¡¯s even the point of telling him?¡±

    ¡®Of course, it would make a huge difference!¡¯ Harriet thought to herself, trembling with excitement.

    Eliana had gotten pregnant with a gigolo¡¯s children even before she was married. Even if Maurice

    trusted that woman, it would still be of no use. After all, a wealthy and influential family like the Moran

    family would never ept a woman like her as their daughter-inw.

    However, the current problem that she had now was to anonymously reveal the news to the Moran

    family.

    Harriet was staring at Erica when an idea suddenly popped into her mind.

    She realized that she had a shield in front of her.

    ¡°Mrs. Harrison, if you could take revenge on Eliana on your own and get arge sum of money in the

    process, then would you be willing to do it?¡±

    ¡°That sounds too good to be true!¡±

    Erica¡¯s eyes lit up, but she had no clue of what Harriet was nning.

    In her eyes, she would do anything to make Eliana¡¯s life miserable, even if no one was going to pay her

    for it.

    Meanwhile, in the Design Department of the Moran Group.

    Thinking of Maurice and Preston all day long, Eliana was in a daze. She found it difficult to think of a

    solution to the matter.

    All of a sudden, her phone rang. It was a call from Cheryl. Cheryl informed her that she had received

    the sample that thepany sent her, and wanted Eliana to choose an outfit for her.

    Cheryl rarely ever behaved so well.

    Eliana realized that it was useful to threaten Cheryl with her affair with her sugar daddy, and sighed.

    So without thinking too much about it, she agreed to Cheryl¡¯s request.

    Eliana was still a little absent-minded when she arrived at the shoot location, because all she could

    think about was Maurice.

    All of a sudden, she heard someone calling her from behind.

    ¡°Eliana.¡±

    As soon as she turned around, she saw a beautiful face.

    It was Nicole. ¡®Why is she here?¡¯ Eliana wondered.

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301

    ¡°Long time no see, Miss Swift. What are you doing here?¡± Eliana greeted Nicole politely.

    Wasn¡¯t Cheryl the leading actress of the y? Why was Nicole, who was always at odds with her,

    here?

    ¡°I¡¯m here as a guest performer. What about you? Why are you here?¡± There was slight confusion in

    Nicole¡¯s eyes.

    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Eliana averted her gaze. How could she tell her former boss that she was

    now working for her archrival?

    ¡°Cheryl ordered a bracelet from the Moran Group. I¡¯m her designer. She asked me toe here

    today.¡±

    Eliana hesitated for a while but finally decided to tell the truth.

    Nicole raised her eyebrows in surprise, but there was no dissatisfaction on her face. But Esteban, her

    agent, immediately frowned and looked unhappy.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so good atpromising, Miss Pierce. You¡¯re still willing to work for Cheryl

    regardless of previous grievances. Didn¡¯t she cause you a whole lot of trouble in the past?¡±

    Esteban¡¯s words were so harsh that Eliana didn¡¯t know how to answer. After hisst remark, an all too

    noticeable pause followed.

    ¡°Esteban!¡± Nicole red at her agent. She said in a serious tone, ¡°Why are you so narrow-minded?

    Eliana is just an employee. She doesn¡¯t get to choose clients.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect that Nicole would stand up and speak for her. She didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Nicole then turned around and offered Eliana an invitation.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, despite our dispute before, after ourst cooperation, I¡¯ve seen that no matter who you

    style or design jewelry for, you always perform very well. I appreciate your work ethic and spirit. I hope

    we get to work together again in the future.¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help feeling moved by Nicole¡¯s praises. They meant a loting from someone like her.

    Staring at Nicole¡¯s eyes, Eliana could tell that she was being serious and sincere.

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect that after their previous cooperation, Nicole would consider her a friend. It was

    such a pleasant surprise.

    ¡°Of course. I actually look forward to it.¡±

    With a smile on her face, Eliana shook hands with Nicole.

    At that moment, the two of them had a feeling of appreciation toward each other.

    ¡°You said Cheryl asked you toe here. Where is she? Why hasn¡¯t shee to meet you? Is she

    trying to make things difficult for you?¡±

    Nicole knew her sworn enemy well.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    ¡°No, no, I just arrived. Cheryl asked me to go to her dressing room. I was trying to look for it,¡± Eliana

    exined.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Let me point you to the right direction then.¡± Nicole raised her hand and pointed out Cheryl¡¯s

    dressing room. ¡°It¡¯s this way. Turn left at the first corner, take a few more steps, and then you should

    find it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    Eliana felt lucky and grateful that she had run into Nicole. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve wasted a huge

    amount of time looking for Cheryl.

    When she was about to walk away, Nicole suddenly stopped her.

    ¡°Eliana, I have to remind you that Cheryl is very vindictive. If you have ever offended her in any way,

    you must be careful.¡±

    In Nicole¡¯s opinion, if Cheryl knew that Eliana had worked for her before, she wouldn¡¯t let Eliana go so

    easily. She might even be plotting something terrible.

    Feeling a tightening sensation in her chest, Eliana kept Nicole¡¯s words in mind.

    Eventually, Eliana found Cheryl¡¯s dressing room. She knocked on the door and then realized that it was

    ajar.

    She pushed the door open and stuck her head through the crack.

    ¡°Hello? Anybody here?¡±

    Eliana went straight in.

    Cheryl wasn¡¯t in the room, but there was a familiar person sitting there.

    It was the man with whom Cheryl had been having an affair.

    ¡°You¡¯re the beautifuldy that I¡¯d seenst time. Fancy meeting you here. It must be my lucky day.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Eliana, and he strode toward her immediately.

    Reflexively, Eliana stepped back. Her heart began to race.

    Before she could walk back out, arge group of reporters rushed into the room. Camera shes lit up

    the room in an instant, sending Eliana in a daze. Everyone took photos and videos of her and Cheryl¡¯s

    lover.

    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Wird Hancock of Harmony Group?¡±

    ¡°Did you know that Mr. Hancock has a wife and children? You¡¯re a third party that¡¯s destroying a man¡¯s

    family.¡±

    Eliana was stupefied.

    Who was Wird Hancock? What third party?

    What were they talking about?

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302

    The swarm of reporters blocked the door of the dressing room.

    But shortly after the reporters showed up, the man named Wird quickly fled the scene under the

    cover of his bodyguards.

    Now the only person all the reporters could target was Eliana.

    Eliana thought that the media deeply misunderstood her presence in Cheryl¡¯s dressing room. She

    wasn¡¯t Wird¡¯s mistress.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t know that man. I don¡¯t know Mr. Wird Hancock at all. I¡¯m here for

    Cheryl.¡±

    She tried hard to exin herself to the moring crowd, but no one listened to her.

    The reporters were still asking various questions all at once. The sheer chaos their voices created

    drowned out Eliana.

    Eliana could only protect her eyes from the constant shing of the cameras.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    At this time, a female voice suddenly silenced the crowd.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have rules to adhere to as journalists? This is a shooting site, not a ce for you to barge

    into and make a fuss just to get a scoop. Any member of the media that dares to disturb anyone from

    the shooting crew are going to be held responsible.¡±

    In an instant, everyone turned around.

    It was Nicole who spoke. She came over aggressively with a legion of bodyguards behind her.

    All of a sudden, the reporters fell silent.

    Nicole¡¯s bodyguards dispersed the crowd and carved a path for Nicole and Eliana.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡±

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Looking at her savior who appeared out of nowhere, Eliana almost burst into tears.

    Nicole was so cool.

    Nicole reached out for Eliana¡¯s hand and dragged her out.

    Considering Nicole¡¯s identity as a famous star and the massive size and strength of her bodyguards,

    the reporters could only watch and kiss their big scoop goodbye.

    Nicole towed Eliana all the way to her car.

    As soon as the two of them got in, Nicole ordered the driver to drive away.

    Sitting in the car, Eliana leaned against the seat and breathed a long sigh of relief.

    ¡°I finally escaped.¡±

    Then, she seemed to remember something. She suddenly sat up straight and took out her phone to

    call Cheryl.

    The line just kept ringing, and no one answered.

    Staring at her phone in her hand, Eliana gnashed her teeth together and knitted her brows.

    ¡°You were doing useless work. You were framed by Cheryl.¡±

    With a sneer, Nicole took the phone from Eliana and hung up.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Eliana closed her eyes and chuckled mirthlessly.

    Her mind was in a mess. Obviously, someone had sent her into a trap today. Except for Cheryl, she

    couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would do such a thing.

    But there was another question whose answer she couldn¡¯t figure out.

    ¡°Why do you think Cheryl did that? Is it because I know her secret? Is that enough reason for her to go

    through great lengths just to set me up?¡±

    ¡°More than that.¡±

    In such a short time, Nicole had figured out Cheryl¡¯s intention for framing Eliana.

    ¡°You know what, there are manyizens who suspect that Cheryl only secured the female lead role in

    the y because of her sugar daddy. I think that¡¯s why she set you up. Not only does she get to take

    her revenge on you, she also puts an end to the rumors about her having a sugar daddy. Two birds,

    one stone.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana felt her blood run cold.

    She had thought that Cheryl wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to her because she knew her secret.

    She didn¡¯t expect that Cheryl would turn the tables on her.

    Eliana thought that she was having a really bad day, but she would soon find out that she was barreling

    toward something even worse.

    ¡°Bad news, Eliana! Check Facebook!¡±

    Nicole put her phone in front of Eliana.

    The news had already taken social media by storm, and the photos of Eliana and Cheryl¡¯s sugar daddy,

    whose name was Wird, were all over the Inte.

    In thements, a group of online rumormongers were defending Cheryl and ndering Eliana.

    Some people who didn¡¯t know the truth had even begun to dig up Eliana¡¯s background and past.

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303

    Eliana¡¯s phone rang continuously, but she was caught in a whirlpool of thoughts, which prevented her

    from answering it.

    Clearly, it was the paparazzi calling her.

    If they dug any deeper into her life, they could easily find out that she was a mother of two kids, and

    that the father was a gigolo.

    When that happened, she would have to face unimaginable consequences.

    Fearing the consequences, Eliana immediately called Nana.

    As soon as the call was connected, Eliana heard Nana¡¯s anxious voice.

    ¡°Why did it take you so long to call me, Eliana? What happened? Do you know that you¡¯re a trending

    topic on Facebook? People are saying that you¡¯re a mistress! Did those people try to hurt you?¡±

    Nana was really stressed after she learned the news. She actually took a day off from work to rx, but

    she couldn¡¯t even rest for a while.

    Although their faces weren¡¯t shown in the news articles, there was only a thin blur that was covering

    their faces, which barely hid their identities.

    It was also mentioned that the woman involved in the scandal was a designer at the Moran Group, and

    anyone who knew Eliana could tell that it was her from just a nce.

    If the media really revealed Eliana¡¯s identity, then their family could never see another peaceful day.

    ¡°Calm down and listen to me, Nana. Go straight to the kindergarten and pick up the kids. I don¡¯t think

    they should go to the school until this dies down. I want you also to stay home at all times and take

    care of them.¡±

    While saying that, Eliana was also trying to calm herself down because if she lost herposure, she

    would be putting her children in danger.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I had in mind too. I already picked up Aileen and Adrian from school as soon as I

    heard the news. But what about you? Do you have any ideas on how to solve this matter?¡±

    As anxiety grew bigger and bigger in Nana¡¯s heart, she was on the verge of tears. How could her best

    friend¡¯s life be so miserable?

    Ethan had kidnapped Eliana the day before yesterday, and now, she was being ndered online as

    someone¡¯s mistress.

    After all, no one would be able to take continuous blows like that.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Nana. You know me well, don¡¯t you? I¡¯ve been through a lot in life to know what to do, so don¡¯t

    worry about me and just take care of the kids for me. I will handle the rest,¡± Elianaforted her as

    though nothing bad was happening.

    But the moment she hung up, her expression darkened. She was too worried to even think straight.

    It was her first time dealing with such a problem, and even though she seemed confident on the

    surface, she was really clueless.

    Nicole, who was sitting beside her, became shocked when she heard her mention about kids over the

    phone.

    ¡®So she actually has kids, huh?¡¯

    Although she was a bit curious about the matter, she did not ask about it because she knew that

    everyone had secrets that they would rather no one found out.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t panic. People might be searching the inte for information about you. And your house

    might not be a safe ce anymore, so I think that it¡¯s best if you move out to a different ce sooner

    thanter. You can find a safe house andy low until the mess dies down a bit.¡±

    Nicole offered her a sincere suggestion.

    ¡°Move? Is it that serious?¡± Eliana asked.

    With a serious expression, Nicole handed her phone to Eliana and said, ¡°Take a look at it yourself.¡±

    With each passing minute, more people were bing curious about the exposure of Wird¡¯s

    mistress.

    And theizens cursed Eliana without even knowing the whole story.

    ¡°All the mistresses will die a miserable death!¡±

    ¡°Such viins need to be punished for destroying people¡¯s families so casually!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t just sit by and watch that bitch ruin someone¡¯s life. Is there any way to find out that shameless

    slut¡¯s identity and help out the wife?¡±

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    Every post andment that Eliana read made her more terrified.

    She even saw a post about Nicole helping her. It was one of the trending searches online.

    With a look of guilt in her eyes, Eliana raised her head and nced at Nicole.

    But before she could say anything, Nicole said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I have already

    experienced such things before, but I must warn you that this situation will only get worse and not

    better. Unless¡­ Something bigger happens, and diverts everyone¡¯s attention.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana felt like she was falling into an endless abyss of darkness.

    What could she possibly do to calm the raging storm now?

    All of a sudden, an idea urred to her.

    Maybe¡­ She could ask for Maurice¡¯s help. With his power, she might be able to solve the problem.

    However¡­

    Before she could even finish pondering, her phone rang again.

    Looking at the screen, she saw that it was a call from Erica, whom she had not seen or spoken to in a

    long time.

    Eliana was confused. Why was Erica calling her at such a critical time?

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304

    Was Erica just calling her to gloat?

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to answer the phone, but Erica didn¡¯t give up and kept calling.

    Eliana had no choice but to pick up the phone.

    ¡°Finally you get your retribution! Tell me, Eliana, did you ever think about finding yourself in this

    situation?¡± Erica¡¯s voice was sharp, and her cackle was harsh.

    Hearing her through the phone, Eliana could imagine how she was beaming with triumph.

    ¡°Is that all you want to tell me? If it is, I¡¯m hanging up now.¡±

    When Eliana was about to hang up the phone, Erica suddenly said, ¡°Do you think I should make you

    more popr by telling the media about your two little bastards? I¡¯ll make your whole family famous.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    Eliana felt her heart leap to her throat. She clenched her jaw and tightened her grip on her phone.

    ¡°Would you like to find out?¡± Erica asked in a voice that dripped with menace. ¡°But you know what, I¡¯m

    feeling a bit generous today, so I¡¯m going to give you a chance. Come meet with me before too many

    people be familiar with your face. Don¡¯t tell anyone else about our meeting, or I will expose you

    immediately.¡±

    After saying that, Erica hung up the phone, leaving no room for Eliana to bargain with her.

    Erica¡¯s vicious words echoed in Eliana¡¯s ears. She was so anxious that she¡¯d started shaking.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Eliana?¡± Noticing that Eliana had turned white as paper, Nicole patted her on the

    shoulder.

    It wasn¡¯t until then that Eliana snapped back to her senses.

    ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking about something.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t dare to tell Nicole the truth. She couldn¡¯t gamble with her two children like that.

    Soon, her phone beeped, signaling a new text message.

    Erica sent her the address.

    ¡°The third private room of Twilight Cafe, No. 327 Downwind Road. Come on time. I won¡¯t wait for you if

    you¡¯re tardy.¡±

    ¡°Nicole, can you do me a favor? Can you send me to No. 327 Downwind Road right now? I have

    something very important to do.¡±

    Holding her phone tightly, Eliana began sweating profusely.

    Something was wrong. Judging by the expression on Eliana¡¯s face, Nicole thought something bad must

    have happened.

    Frowning, she asked Eliana what was going on, but Eliana kept silent.

    Nicole had no choice but topromise.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Eliana. Esteban, let¡¯s go to No. 327 Downwind Road right away.¡±

    With Nicole¡¯s order, the car quickly drove to the appointed ce.

    When they arrived, Eliana said thanks in a hurry and went straight to the cafe.

    She found Erica sitting in the third private room, and she appeared to be growing impatient.

    ¡°Wow. You showed up quickly,¡± Erica mocked.

    ¡°What does it take for you to keep your mouth shut, Erica?¡±

    Eliana came straight to the point.

    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. All I want is for you to marry the biological father of your children. Then, I want you to

    take your little family, leave this ce, and nevere back. Once you do that, I promise to shut my

    mouth and let you live in peace. I¡¯ll even help you subdue the media.¡±

    Erica¡¯s conditions confused Eliana.

    ¡°Are you insane? How could I possibly find the escort who fathered my children and marry him?¡±

    Eliana stared at Erica, her eyes wide with disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe that Erica just asked her to do

    something that was next to impossible.

    What an absurd request!

    How could Erica ask her to marry Preston?

    And if Preston and Maurice were one and the same, how could she marry him when he was halfway

    across the world?

    Erica didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with her demands.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already located him for you.¡± Then she turned to the door and ordered, ¡°Come in!¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, a tall, muscr man in sexy, tight-fitting clothes sauntered into the

    private room.

    ¡°Do you remember him? He¡¯s the escort you had a one-night stand with. I especially chose a strong

    one for you so that you would feel satisfied.¡±

    With acent look on her face, Erica introduced the man to Eliana. He was an escort she had

    carefully chosen.

    Looking at the man who just walked in, Eliana felt her mind fall into shambles.

    How could he be the man she had sex with all those years ago?

    She remembered clearly that she spent that night with Preston. She was sure.

    Although she wasn¡¯t sober at that time, she was certain that the father of her children had a scar on his

    chest.

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305

    ¡°You are lying. He is not the gigolo that I remember. Stop with this nonsense and leave me alone.¡±

    With a disgruntled face, Eliana strongly rejected the weird man presented to her by Erica.

    The stranger¡¯s ugly appearance was a stark contrast to the good looks of Aileen and Adrian. How could

    the three of them be rted?

    ¡°Erica, I don¡¯t know how you convinced this man to pretend to be the gigolo back then. But I¡¯m telling

    you, there¡¯s not a chance in the world that I¡¯ll marry him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one stubborn woman, aren¡¯t you? It seems that you won¡¯t admit to anything until you see any

    evidence. Sam, go ahead and tell her who you are.¡±

    Erica smirked confidently. How could the person she had personally chosen be wrong?

    The strange man named Sam took a few steps toward Eliana and nced at her from head to toe.

    With an evil smile on the corner of his mouth, his eyes were filled with lust.

    ¡°Miss, I remember meeting you like it was only yesterday. After all, all my clients over the years are

    mostly rich middle-aged women. It was my first time having a young and beautiful customer like you

    five years ago. I couldn¡¯t believe my luck. You were so alluring that I was more than willing to sleep with

    you even if I didn¡¯t get paid. We had a blissful and passionate time that memorable night. Why don¡¯t

    you juste clean and admit it to us now?¡±

    After speaking his words, Sam licked his lips erotically as if he was having shbacks of their fiery

    sexual encounter.

    Seeing him like this, Eliana felt sick to her stomach.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell you¡¯re talking about. Stop spreading lies and stay away from me!¡±

    Eliana immediately backed away, repulsed by Sam¡¯s undisguised desire for her.

    Even under the constant pressure and witness testimony, this bitch was still ying tricks.

    N?velDrama.Org owns this.

    Erica sneered at Eliana¡¯s argument. Her patience was running dangerously thin.

    ¡°Eliana, stop denying the truth. I know it¡¯s difficult to admit it, but here I am, trying to make things easier

    for you. I¡¯m even kind enough to find a father for your two little bastards. To further sweeten the deal, I

    can also give you a generous sum of money to take care of your living expenses. If you were smart,

    you¡¯d better grab this offer and live abroad with your gigolo husband. Don¡¯t let me see you again.¡±

    How despicable! Erica had called her children bastards again.

    The insult finally pushed Eliana over the edge. Her children were her whole world. No one was allowed

    to hurt them, not even through words.

    The expression on Eliana¡¯s face became calmness in a snap. She suddenly rushed forward and

    pped Erica in the face with all her might.

    The severe blow sent a loud and sharp echo across the area.

    ¡°Eliana, how dare you hit me?¡±

    Clearly wincing in pain, Erica was shocked by Eliana¡¯s actions.

    ¡°You had iting! Respect my children, or I¡¯ll p you again.¡±

    Consumed by her anger, Eliana raised her hand fiercely, ready to strike once more.

    Erica didn¡¯t expect Eliana to hit so hard, so she dodged in fear of getting hurt again.

    Because of her sudden movement, a ck object slipped out of Erica¡¯s ear and fell to the floor. Eliana¡¯s

    eyes suddenly lit up.

    ¡®Damn it!¡¯

    Erica¡¯s face changed dramatically. With a worried expression, she immediately squatted down to pick

    the thing up.

    To her dismay, Eliana acted quicker and beat her to it.

    ¡®Wait a second. Erica had been wearing a Bluetooth headset all this time?¡¯

    In an instant, Eliana¡¯s questions had finally been answered.

    She now understood everything.

    No wonder something felt amiss.

    Erica despised her very much. If she had a chance, she would kill her without hesitation. How could

    shee up with such aplex n to force her to get married and give her a sum of money to live

    abroad?

    It turned out there was a cunning maniptor behind the scenes who instructed Erica to get close to

    her.

    ¡°Give that back to me right now, Eliana!¡±

    Seeing the Bluetooth headset was in the hand of her enemy, Erica hurriedly tried to take it back.

    But it was toote.

    Eliana had already put the Bluetooth headset on her ear.

    It was now her chance to finally discover the identity of the mysterious maniptor behind the scenes.

    ¡°Erica, why are you not speaking? Are you still there?¡±

    It was a woman on the other end of the line. Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.

    Her voice sounded vaguely familiar. It was the same voice of the woman who had sent someone to

    follow Eliana and the childrenst time. And she had heard the voice somewhere.

    Without a doubt, Eliana knew she was now closer than ever to finding out the truth.

    As long as the woman spoke a few more words, Eliana would definitely recognize her.

    Holding her breath, she waited for the woman to say something.

    But it seemed that the woman on the other end of the line sensed something was wrong and quickly

    hung up the call.

    ¡®No! I almost had her.¡¯

    Taking off the Bluetooth headset, Eliana questioned Erica loudly, ¡°Is the woman on the call responsible

    for this deal? I assume she ordered you toe here and confront me.¡±

    A trace of guilt shed across Erica¡¯s eyes. Eliana had her trapped.

    ¡°Of course not! No one tells me what to do. I came up with the idea myself.¡±

    As expected, Erica would never reveal the truth. She was not stupid. Once the fact was exposed, she

    would suffer greatly. Aside from the money, there was so much more at stake here. She could not

    afford to fail.

    Eliana gritted her teeth in frustration. She had thought that Harriet was already a tough nut to crack. But

    then she met Erica.

    Because the sly woman was still unwilling to divulge any useful information, things suddenly seemed

    hopeless for Eliana.

    She tightly clenched the Bluetooth headset in her hand and trembled with anger.

    Seeing that Eliana was at her wit¡¯s end, Erica regained her arrogance and sneered, ¡°I¡¯m such a

    gracious person that I¡¯ll give you enough time to think about my offer. Be at the Civil Affairs Bureau in

    the morning the day after tomorrow with your decision. If you don¡¯t show up, I will announce to the

    whole world that you are not only a shameful mistress but also have two children with a gigolo. Let¡¯s

    see how you will deal with the consequences then. It sucks to be you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306

    After driving Eliana to the cafe, Nicole returned to the shooting site. Her mind wandered the entire trip.

    She was still thinking about Eliana.

    Nicole believed that Cheryl was behind everything that just happened.

    Noticing that Nicole was staring into space, Esteban knew that she was thinking about meddling in

    other people¡¯s business again.

    He sincerely advised, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Eliana. Let her deal with her problems herself.

    Don¡¯t you know that your involvement in her mess is already the Inte¡¯s top search? You might not

    seed in helping her, and you¡¯re going to get yourself in trouble. It¡¯s not good for your reputation.¡±

    Unfortunately, Nicole didn¡¯t want to listen to Esteban.

    ¡°Enough, Esteban. I know the potential consequences, but I will still stand up for Eliana because she¡¯s

    my friend.¡±

    Eliana was more than just an acquaintance to Nicole at this point.

    She was her friend, and if her friends were in a pickle, she would be there to help.

    Meanwhile, Cheryl was happy to see the news all over the Inte.

    Not only did she get rid of the stain on her name, but she also took revenge on Eliana. Everything went

    along so perfectly.

    ¡°Come here,¡± Cheryl said, hooking her finger at her stylist. ¡°Put two more powder on my face. Make me

    look weak and innocent.¡±

    The stylist did as Cheryl ordered.

    Then, Cheryl tried her best to look pitiful and called her assistant over to take a few photos of her.

    Cheryl carefully selected two photos and used an application to edit them for half an hour.

    After the process waspleted, she posted the photos on Facebook with satisfaction.

    ¡°God is fair. The truth has finallye out, and my name is finally cleared.¡±

    The post caused a stir as soon as it dropped on the tform. Cheryl¡¯s fans began to celebrate in the

    comments.

    A great deal ofizens that were deceived by the so-called rumors about Cheryl began to trust her

    again.

    After that, Cheryl casually browsed thements on her post and said with a smile, ¡°Now no one will

    suspect me again.¡±

    ¡°Of course. You are really smart.¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s assistant stood aside and beamed at her boss. When she was about to praise Cheryl again,

    she saw Nicole walking toward them, her high heels clicking madly against the floor.

    The assistant¡¯spliments got stuck in her throat. She quickly signaled Cheryl to look behind her.

    Confused, Cheryl turned around and saw Nicole standing behind her.

    ¡°Nicole? What are you doing here?¡± Cheryl frowned.

    ¡°Do you really not know why I¡¯m here? I want you to take back the lies you spread about Eliana.¡±

    Nicole came straight to the point.

    ¡°Lies? That¡¯s ridiculous! And who do you think you are?¡± Cheryl said with a mocking smile. ¡°To be

    honest, Eliana deserves it. She has made too many enemies. It¡¯s her fault. Someone asked me to join

    forces and teach her a lesson. This whole thing wasn¡¯t my idea. I just contributed.¡±

    There was actually someone else behind this mess.

    Nicole asked, ¡°Who is it? Who recruited you in the cause to destroy Eliana?¡±

    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? I¡¯m not going to tell you,¡± Cheryl scoffed and cackled. ¡°You are getting more

    and more naive, Nicole. You¡¯re in the entertainment circle yourself. You should know that this kind of

    nder can¡¯t be removed so easily. And why do you care anyway? It¡¯s not even your reputation that¡¯s

    in jeopardy.¡±

    Looking at the arrogant look on Cheryl¡¯s face, Nicole gnashed her teeth together. She was so angry

    that she wanted to beat Cheryl up. She hadn¡¯t had the impulse to choose violence in a long time.

    Seeing that Nicole was about to lose her temper, Esteban hurried to her side.

    ¡°Rx, Nicole. Don¡¯t get angry. It¡¯s bad for your health.¡±

    However, Cheryl didn¡¯t stop and continued to mock Nicole, ¡°I also heard that the CEO of the Moran

    Group, Maurice, was close to Eliana. But we all know that the Moran family will never ept a woman

    like her. I suppose I get why you feel like you have to defend Eliana. Weren¡¯t you also despised by the

    Todd family because of your poor family background? Birds of the same feather indeed flock together,

    huh?¡±

    At this moment, the thread of Nicole¡¯s patience and reason finally snapped.

    She went over and pped Cheryl hard across the face.

    But just a p wasn¡¯t enough. Before anyone could react, Nicole picked up the loose powder on the

    dressing table and rudely put it on Cheryl¡¯s face.

    Choking, Cheryl coughed and struggled to breathe.

    All the people present were shocked and hurriedly stepped forward to pull them apart. The scene went

    chaotic in a matter of seconds.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307

    Since Nicole¡¯s goal had been achieved, she loosened her grip on Cheryl before anyone could get their

    hands on her.

    She quickly took out her mobile phone and took a photo of Cheryl who had messy hair and a powder-

    covered face. Cheryl also had a ferocious and embarrassed expression. Nicole seeded before

    Cheryl or her assistant could stop her.

    ¡°Stop! Nicole, you lunatic! What the hell do you want?¡±

    Cheryl hurriedly covered her face with her hands, but it was toote.

    Looking at Cheryl¡¯s ugly photo on her phone, Nicole was particrly satisfied.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Get her phone for me! Hurry up!¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s assistant trembled at her boss¡¯s roar. Finally, she came to her senses and rushed to grab

    Nicole¡¯s phone.

    But Esteban wasn¡¯t a coward. He stood in front of Nicole with his strong, stout body. Cheryl¡¯s assistant

    appeared like an ant trying to shake a tree.

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Cheryl!¡± Nicole waved the phone in her hand. ¡°If you dare talk nonsense again, I will

    post your ugly photo online and let the entire world appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ You¡­¡±

    Cheryl pointed a quivering finger at Nicole.

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Finally, she couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. She

    copsed on the floor and burst into tears.

    Everyone was stunned.

    Coincidentally, Wird, Cheryl¡¯s sugar daddy, entered the room.

    ¡°Honey? What¡¯s going on here? What happened to you?¡±

    Cheryl was so thankful that her backer had arrived. She raised her head and pleaded tearfully, ¡°This

    woman is bullying me, honey.¡±

    What Cheryl didn¡¯t expect was that people would find it funny that she pretended to be aggrieved and

    pitiful in such a situation.

    When Wird saw the tear tracks on Cheryl¡¯s powder-covered face, he didn¡¯t feel sorry for her at all. In

    fact, he felt nothing but loathing.

    In the past, he gave her resources just because she was young and beautiful. But staring at her now,

    Wird wondered if he¡¯d only been blinded by Cheryl¡¯s made-up face back then.

    Wird was annoyed at Cheryl, but he still noticed Nicole, the proud and cool beauty standing there like

    a pretty red rose. Wird couldn¡¯t help ogling her.

    Cheryl hadn¡¯t noticed that there was something wrong with her sugar daddy. She was stillining

    unscrupulously.

    ¡°Honey, please help me take revenge and teach this woman a lesson. Help me kick her out of the y.

    She can¡¯t take a part in it even though she¡¯s just a guest performer.¡±

    ¡°Go right ahead. Do you think I give a damn?¡±

    Nicole turned around and left without hesitation.

    What a pure and straightforward girl!

    Wird liked women with great personalities and appearance.

    His eyes were glued to Nicole. How could he still tolerate Cheryl?

    ¡°Honey? Honey!¡±

    Cheryl called him several times before Wird snapped back to his senses. He looked down at the

    disheveled woman on the floor.

    Noticing that her sugar daddy¡¯s face darkened, Cheryl immediately softened her voice.

    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°How dare you ask me what¡¯s wrong? This is all your fault!¡±

    Wird had beenpletely enchanted by Nicole and lost his patience with Cheryl. ¡°News of my so-

    called affair is spreading on the Inte. My wife is hurt and furious. We better not see each other for

    the time being.¡±

    After saying these words ruthlessly, Wird left without looking back.

    Cheryl was left still sitting on the floor.

    ¡°Get up, Miss Gibson. The floor is cold.¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s assistant carefully reached out to offer a helping hand, but Cheryl angrily swatted it away.

    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Get out, all of you!¡± Cheryl¡¯s face twisted in rage and agony. ¡°You just wait and see, Nicole. You¡¯re

    going to pay for this.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s restaurant was still being reorganized when news about Eliana broke on the Inte. Wyatt

    was interviewing a new chef today.

    While taking a break, he turned on his phone and saw one of the news articles written about Nicole.

    The headline read, ¡°Famous Star Nicole Helps a Mistress Escape.¡±

    What was going on?

    Wyatt clicked on the article immediately and read it. He was shocked to find out that the mistress the

    article was referring to was Eliana.

    Something big really happened this time.

    Wyatt immediately called his good friend Maurice.

    ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed cannot be reached¡­¡±

    Shit!

    Maurice had turned off his phone at this critical moment.

    He deserved to be single all his life.

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308

    Wyatt called Maurice, but he couldn¡¯t get through. Atst, he had to give up for the time being.

    Although he didn¡¯t say it, he was still anxious about the fact that Nicole was the Inte¡¯s top search

    right now because she protected Eliana.

    Deep in his heart, he still cared about Nicole and didn¡¯t want anything to happen to her.

    As a result, Wyatt was absentminded during the interview.

    Rosalie sat beside him, took the interview document, and asked, ¡°What do you think of the chef just

    now, boss?¡± She waited for Wyatt to reply. ¡°Boss?¡±

    ¡°What? I¡¯m sorry, Rosalie. I didn¡¯t hear you clearly just now. What did you say?¡±

    Wyatt smiled awkwardly.

    Rosalie sighed. She knew what was on Wyatt¡¯s mind.

    She pointed out directly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold back, you know? I¡¯ve seen the news. If you¡¯re worried

    about her, Wyatt, just pick up your phone and call her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Nicole!¡± Wyatt snapped defensively.

    ¡°Nicole? Who said anything about Nicole? I didn¡¯t say anything about her. Why are you in such a hurry

    to mention her?¡±

    Rosalie grinned.

    ¡°You really misunderstand me, Rosalie. I¡¯m just worried about Eliana, okay? I couldn¡¯t get through to

    Maurice. Such a big thing happened, but I haven¡¯t heard from him. Maybe the news hasn¡¯t reached

    him.¡± Wyatt was still quibbling.

    ¡°I know, but if you¡¯re worried about Eliana, you can just call Nicole and ask about her.¡±

    This time, Wyatt fell silent.

    Rosalie¡¯s suggestion satisfied him. That way, he had an excuse to talk to Nicole while checking on

    Eliana. It was a genius idea.

    After thinking for a while, Wyatt took out his phone and called Nicole. He emphasized, ¡°I¡¯m doing this

    for my buddy¡¯s woman.¡±

    He didn¡¯t mean any of the words he just uttered. Although he was desperately nervous, he still

    pretended to be calm.

    Rosalie snickered in her heart, wondering when Nicole and Wyatt would get back together.

    The line soon connected.

    Nicole, who was resting at home, was shocked when she saw Wyatt¡¯s name on her phone screen. She

    thought that after what happened when they saw each otherst time, he wouldn¡¯t want to have

    anything to do with her ever again.

    ¡°Wyatt? Why are you calling?¡±

    A little expectation rose in Nicole¡¯s heart.

    Wyatt replied in a low voice, ¡°I saw the news. I don¡¯t have Eliana¡¯s phone number, so I want to ask you

    how she is now.¡±

    It turned out that he called to check on Eliana.

    Nicole suddenly remembered that Eliana had worked in Wyatt¡¯s restaurant before.

    Why did Wyatt care so much about Eliana? Was it because he had a thing for her?

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Enduring the sudden sadness in her heart, Nicole answered calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Eliana is also my

    friend. I will try my best to help her get through this difficulty.¡±

    Did she misunderstand something?

    Wyatt frowned. He was about to ask about Nicole, but he swallowed his words.

    Neither of the two spoke for a while. After a suffocating silence, Wyatt quickly said goodbye and hung

    up.

    After a long time, Nicole put down her phone. She felt as if she¡¯d just woken up from a heartbreaking

    dream. She put on a nk expression.

    Seeing Nicole brooding again, Esteban couldn¡¯t help worrying.

    ¡°Who called you just now?¡±

    ¡°Wyatt,¡± Nicole whispered as she came back to her senses.

    ¡°Really? Wyatt?¡± Esteban eximed.

    He hadn¡¯t been Nicole¡¯s agent until she was about to be famous, so he didn¡¯t know much about

    her early years.

    After he felt that something was wrong between Nicole and Wyatt on the red carpetst time, he had

    Nicole¡¯s past investigated.

    There was no secret in the entertainment circle. Esteban knew everything now.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t want to hide this matter from Esteban for the rest of her life. She smiled bitterly and said,

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that I just found out that Wyatt already has eyes for someone else. Anyway¡­ I¡¯ll be

    okay. Just not today. I chose to give up on him, didn¡¯t I? Besides, I knew that he was going to fall for

    someone else eventually. I just didn¡¯t expect that it¡¯d be this painful.¡±

    Even though he wanted to, Esteban didn¡¯tfort Nicole. He knew that people like her didn¡¯t

    appreciate being pitied.

    She would rather sit quietly in a corner and lick her wounds until she felt like herself again.

    After meeting with Erica, Eliana rushed back home.

    However, as soon as she arrived, she found a massive swarm of reporters crowding the entrance to

    her building.

    Damn it! They were all waiting for her toe home.

    Taking a deep, steadying breath, Eliana raised her bag to cover her face and blended in with the sea of

    onlookers who were trying to find out what was going on. It seemed that the neighbors also wanted in

    on the action.

    Eliana¡¯s heart pounded against her chest. What was she to do now?

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309

    The group of reporters had waited here for quite some time.

    They couldn¡¯t simply sit there idly by. So they spoke about today¡¯s sensational headlines heroine.

    ¡°Who do you think Eliana is?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at a loss. Everything about her is enigmatic. Maurice, the CEO of the Moran Group, seems to have

    had an affair with her.¡±

    ¡°Really? What a shocker. Is this something she¡¯s be ustomed to?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure. That woman¡¯s appearance is a mystery to us. However, if we can get a full

    picture of her face this time, we¡¯ll make a lot of money.¡±

    Eliana hid her face among the swarm of observers and listened to the whole procedure.

    These photographers probably saw her as a cash cow.

    Suddenly, she had a light bulb moment.

    She could easily slink in undetected since none of the reporters had any idea what she looked like.

    ¡°You¡¯re correct. She has affected the life of an entire building. This is a terrible cmity!¡±

    While reprimanding herself with others, Eliana snuck towards her own residence while no one was

    looking.

    ¡°You have my support. We should restore serenity by finding out the identity of the nefariousdy.¡±

    Upon seeing Eliana¡¯s stealthy back, a reporter sensed that something was off.

    Suddenly, he said to his colleague standing next to him, ¡°Hold up¡­ The back of the woman ahead is

    so eerily familiar. I think I¡¯ve seen her before¡­¡±

    As he nced at Eliana, his colleague felt the same way. But since he couldn¡¯t recall Eliana, he merely

    said, ¡°It¡¯s possible that she¡¯s a reporter from a different mediapany. We¡¯re of the same upation.

    You may have already met her in an interview.¡±

    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t bother with it then.¡±

    The reporter dropped the subject.

    Eliana was fortunate enough to escape the cmity in this manner.

    She had finally made it home.

    When she opened the door, a pillow swung at her in a matter of seconds.

    ¡°Leave us alone!¡±

    Nana, Kimora, Aileen, and Adrian swarmed to Eliana in an instant, hitting and kicking her.

    ¡°This is breaking and entering!¡±

    Eliana ducked clumsily, her hands covering her face as she yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t hit me! Stop! It¡¯s me. It¡¯s me!¡±

    When they heard the familiar voice, they immediately ceased their attack.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Nana flung the pillow aside and was surprised to see Eliana. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. All of

    us were on edge to the point of copse.¡±

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s two children rushed to their mother¡¯s side and each grasped a leg of hers.

    Eliana tenderly caressed the two children¡¯s hair and said in a soothing tone, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    Fear was still buzzing through Nana¡¯s veins. ¡°You know what, Eliana? What a wacko bunch of reporters

    down there! The reporters have been there all day, and we¡¯re so terrified that we don¡¯t dare to even

    leave the house.¡±

    Eliana dropped her head to gaze at the two children.

    A little remorse crept up on her. She was framed by Cheryl due to her carelessness, which resulted in

    the two children suffering.

    Unanticipatedly, Aileen nced up and inquired excitedly, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are we now ying hide-

    and-seek, Mommy? Are the people downstairs to catch us?¡±

    Aileen saw it as a game.

    Adrian was unable to speak. His sister was absolutely clueless.

    However, for Eliana, that was a decent reason.

    After hearing Aileen¡¯s remarks, Eliana nodded in agreement. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re ying hide-and-seek with

    those folks below. As long as we don¡¯t get caught, they¡¯lle up with a great surprise for us.¡±

    ¡°Really? Wow, that¡¯s fantastic!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s face lit up with joy.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Adrian waspelled to respond, but Aileen grabbed his hand immediately.

    ¡°Adrian, let¡¯s y with them!¡±

    Aileen gave her brother a wink.

    The twins seemed tomunicate through telepathy. The meaning of Aileen¡¯s words was instantly

    clear to Adrian.

    Aileen wanted him to work with her and not to disclose their mother¡¯s deception.

    Eliana was oblivious to the kids¡¯ eye contact. In her mind, they¡¯d finally been conned.

    Then she said, ¡°Because we are ying hide-and-seek, let¡¯s hide at home these days, okay?¡±

    ¡°Sure, Mommy!¡± Both of the children nodded in unison.

    As a result, Eliana felt a huge sense of relief.

    Kimora witnessed it all.

    Already, the gravity of the situation was clear. As a result, there was only one person who could assist

    Eliana and the children at this point.

    Kimora secretly entered the kitchen, retrieved her phone, and was going to contact Jonathan.

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310

    ¡°Kimora, what are you intending to do?¡±

    Kimora was so frightened that her hands started to tremble and she almost let her phone slip from her

    hands and fall to the floor.

    ¡°Who are you calling?¡±

    Eliana rushed to her and snatched her phone away. Looking at the screen, she saw that Kimora was

    trying to call Jonathan, but she did not press the dial button yet.

    Last time, Nana and Kimora had escaped with the kids and stayed at a hotel that was owned by

    Jonathan. Ever since then, Eliana had sensed that there was something wrong with Kimora.

    And ever since then, she had been secretly watching Kimora¡¯s moves. Now, she caught her red

    handed.

    ¡°Kimora, why were you trying to call Jonathan? What is it that you were going to tell him?¡±

    Seeing that her n was now exposed, Kimora tried to exin, ¡°Miss Pierce, I have been working for

    your family for a long time and I really like the kids, but it was Mr. Bowman who hired me, after all. And

    I don¡¯t dare to disobey his orders. I have to tell him about this matter.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana was disappointed.

    After all the time that she had spent with Kimora, she considered her as a part of the family, so the

    news that Kimora had been spying on her and her family was understandably shocking to her.

    ¡°I understand, Kimora. But now that I know what you¡¯re about to do, I can¡¯t let you do it,¡± Eliana said

    resolutely in a firm voice.

    Kimora was stunned when she heard that. After thinking about it for a while, she finally sighed and

    agreed, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tell Mr. Bowman this time. But, I am older and more experienced than you, Miss

    Pierce. So please listen to my advice. If the matter is really affecting the kids, then you¡¯d better ask for

    Mr. Bowman¡¯s help. I am sure that he won¡¯t refuse you.¡±

    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll solve this on my own.¡±

    Eliana obviously knew that Jonathan would help her as long as she asked.

    However¡­ What kind of price would he expect her to pay in return?

    All she could give him was herself, because she clearly couldn¡¯t afford to pay him anything else, but

    she did not want to give him her heart either.

    What could she possibly do to solve the problem sessfully?

    Would she really have to ept Erica¡¯s ridiculous demands?

    All those questions scrambled her mind.

    She considered discussing the matter with Nana first.

    Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    When Eliana turned around, she saw Nana secretly standing in a corner, calling someone.

    ¡°Something came up at home, so I can¡¯te out. Can you help me turn down the show scheduled for

    this afternoon? Yes, yes, I¡¯m really sorry,¡± Nana said in a humble voice.

    She still seemed to be guilty at first, but then her expression darkened.

    ¡°What? Mistress Eliana? What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

    Nana was furious after a moment¡¯s silence.

    ¡°I am telling you not to believe such rumors! The inte is full of bullshit! Have you even met Eliana?

    Do you even know her? You have no right to curse here! You¡¯re just like those stupidizens.¡±

    Why was Nana fighting?

    Eliana hastily walked up to her and said, ¡°Hey, calm down, okay? There¡¯s nothing we can do now.

    Everyone¡¯s mislead because of the public opinion.¡±

    ¡°Let me spell it out for you; I don¡¯t care about your show!¡± Nana shouted.

    She then hung up the phone, gritting her teeth.

    ¡°What a stupid woman! Hey, don¡¯t let this bring you down, okay, Eliana?¡±

    Although Nana was the one that just lost her job, she wasforting Eliana.

    Eliana felt like her heart was pricked by a needle when she heard that, and fell silent for a while. Then

    she decided to hide what Erica had done to her.

    After all, it was her business, and she could no longer implicate Nana with it.

    Nana was finally on a good track, and had a chance of regaining her poprity. If her life was ruined

    because of Eliana, then Eliana could never forgive herself.

    Perhaps, it would be best if she left.

    If Nana was alone, then she would not have to deal with the problems that Eliana and her kids brought

    to her life, and she could have a better career life.

    Besides, Nana was not alone now.

    With her new boyfriend, she might be able to cheer up and live well.

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311

    Eliana felt torn when she gazed at the children¡¯s sleeping faces at night.

    Her phone began to vibrate at the same time.

    Who the hell would call her right now?

    When she looked at her phone screen, she found that Eli was the one trying to reach her.

    The preceding several days had been a whirlwind of things. She felt as though they hadn¡¯t spoken in a

    long time when she saw the name.

    Eliana exited the children¡¯s room and shut the door with care. Then she headed to the living room to

    take the call.

    She said, ¡°Hello.¡±

    For a little while, Eli remained quiet.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡­ Are you doing okay?¡±

    Eli was aware of the situation.

    Even though Eliana was a bit taken aback by his question, she quickly realized that everyone who

    knew her had to know about it.

    Eliana¡¯s face contorted into a sour grin as she said, ¡°Not at all. I canprehend what you went

    through. Being a star, it turns out, isn¡¯t as simple as it seems.¡±

    ¡°What became of Maurice? Why wasn¡¯t he there to help you?¡±

    When Eliana was mistreated, Eli became enraged at the notion that Maurice had done nothing.

    Something else also made him mad¡ªnot being with Eliana at this very moment.

    His questions threw Eliana off guard, and she had no idea what to say.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need him. As long as there is nothing going on in your life, he cares about you. He¡¯s also

    prone to bing envious. But he is nowhere to be found when you need him the most.¡±

    Eli¡¯s words left Eliana in a quandary.

    ¡°Eli, what¡¯s the matter with you? I¡¯m not connected to Maurice in any way. He owes me no duty of

    assistance.¡±

    Eli scoffed andmented, ¡°Since Maurice is unwilling to assist you, I can step in. First, I¡¯ll help you

    get a safe location to hide. As of now, take a deep breath and let go of everything else.¡±

    Eliana was ready to reject when a fantastic thought struck her in the blink of an eye.

    To carry out her n, she required Eli¡¯s cooperation.

    ¡°Eli, I truly need your assistance. Tomorrow, I¡¯m going somewhere, and then I¡¯m going to¡­¡±

    Eli agreed to her proposal without hesitation after a lengthy debate.

    Before hanging up the phone, he reminded her once more, ¡°Eliana, I will do what I promised you, but

    you must promise me that you will be cautious and watch your six.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart was warmed. ¡°Hey, take it easy. I¡¯ll make sure to look after myself.¡±

    Wilfred Morales, Maurice¡¯s partner, and Maurice, who was now overseas, were having lunch together.

    Wilfred¡¯s gaze was drawn to Maurice¡¯s swollen, wounded arm a few times.

    In the end, his curiosity got the better of him, and he inquired, ¡°Mr. Moran, I am sorry, but what

    happened to your arm?¡±

    For a split second, Eliana¡¯s face appeared in Maurice¡¯s head, making him motionless. His features

    softened as well.

    He didn¡¯t say a word. He just smirked.

    Maurice lifted his head and saw Corbin nearby. Corbin was pacing back and forth, clearly restless.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± As he beckoned Corbin over, Maurice questioned, a scowl on his face.

    ¡°Nothing. I just saw a lot of unanswered calls on your phone. Every one of them was from Mr. Todd. It¡¯s

    possible he had something important to say.¡±

    ¡°The odds for that are very low. Do not pay attention to him.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t take Wyatt¡¯s calls seriously and went on with lunch.

    Corbin returned to Maurice¡¯s side when the lunch had almoste to an end. ¡°Mr. Moran! Something¡¯s

    gone awry.¡±

    He passed the phone to Maurice in a rushed manner.

    When Maurice took a quick look, he saw that Eliana had been vilified online as a mistress. His eyes

    narrowed.

    Eliana was in hot water again in such a short period of time!

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    In a split second, Maurice jumped to his feet and said, ¡°Go, Corbin, and make the travel arrangements.

    It is imperative that I get on the next flight back.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s response was ufortable. ¡°I just checked it, Mr. Moran. The next flight is scheduled for

    tomorrow morning.¡±

    Was there anything Maurice could do at this point?

    He paused and turned his attention to Wilfred. ¡°I heard that you had a helicopter, Mr. Morales. Do you

    mind if I take it right now?¡±

    Wilfred was shocked. ¡°What is so urgent, Mr. Moran, that you must return immediately?¡±

    ¡°Something urred to thedy who made me hurt my left arm,¡± Maurice stated hopelessly, raising his

    wounded arm.

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312

    The next day, in order to avoid the crazy reporters downstairs, Eliana got up early and nned to

    sneak out.

    Before she went downstairs, she saw from a distance the swarm of reporters that had camped out

    outside her building the entire night. They started moring and then running away.

    ¡°I just got word that Eli is nearby! He¡¯s likely with his girlfriend! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    In a matter of seconds, the reporters forgot about Eliana and abandoned her ce of residence.

    As far as they were concerned, Eliana was just some nobody who happened to be some rich married

    man¡¯s mistress. Eli¡¯s girlfriend was far more important and interesting.

    Eli had done a fantastic job. He could be very reliable sometimes.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    After leaving her home in haste and exiting themunity, Eliana took out her phone and texted Eli.

    ¡°Thank you, Eli. I really appreciate it.¡±

    Eli was walking his dog on the street near Eliana¡¯s apartment.

    This morning, he asked his driver to drop him off near Eliana¡¯s ce.

    Then, making sure that he would be seen, he went into a popr cafe and bought two cups of coffee

    without wearing a mask or hat.

    He did it all to distract the media.

    When he received Eliana¡¯s message, he immediately got back in the car and left.

    In the vehicle, Eli sent a message to Eliana.

    ¡°What are you going to do next?¡±

    Half an hourter, he received a reply.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be in trouble again if things go on like this. I have to fight back.¡±

    Eliana arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau gates and saw Erica and Sam, who had been waiting for her

    for a long time.

    As soon as they met, Erica urged her, ¡°So wise of you toe, Eliana. Let¡¯s go and get you guys a

    marriage license.¡±

    Erica trembled with excitement at the thought of Eliana marrying a male prostitute and then never

    showing her face again in this town.

    Sam nced at Eliana with lustful eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Eliana. I will be a good husband to you.

    I will take good care of you and our children.¡±

    Looking at Sam, Eliana felt her skin crawl. She felt so disgusted that she could taste her stomach acid

    in her tongue.

    ¡°Cut the crap. Let¡¯s just go inside and get this farce over with.¡±

    Eliana strode into the hall, and Erica and Sam followed suit.

    The receptionist raised his head and looked at the three neers in front of him. He knitted his

    brows in confusion.

    ¡°Good morning. How may I help you?¡±

    Erica replied quickly, ¡°These two are here to apply for a marriage license.¡±

    The receptionist darted his eyes at the couple Erica pointed. The woman stood there with a look of

    disgust on her face while the man smiled smugly.

    ¡°Are you two really here to get married?¡± the receptionist asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sam replied, beaming.

    Eliana kept silent, turned around, and sat on one of the chairs.

    The receptionist found it hard to believe that they were a couple.

    But he still gave the marriage license application forms to them.

    Erica stood aside and watched as Eliana and Sam filled out the forms. She was so excited that she

    didn¡¯t even blink.

    When she was about to sign her name, Eliana suddenly stopped.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Sign it!¡± Erica whined.

    ¡°Before I sign this thing, I want you to tell me the truth.¡± Eliana shed Erica a serious look. ¡°Why did

    youe at me this time? Did you know that someone was plotting against me?¡±

    It seemed that Eliana didn¡¯t know who was behind all this.

    Erica hesitated.

    Eliana took the pen and pretended that she would sign her name on the papers. ¡°I¡¯ve alreadye

    here with you. What are you afraid of? Just tell me the truth, and I will sign these immediately.¡±

    Erica really wanted to take revenge on Eliana.

    She would get what she wanted soon as soon Eliana signed these papers. Besides, Eliana couldn¡¯t run

    away now.

    Gritting her teeth, Erica finally relented.

    ¡°Even if I tell you the truth, what difference does it make? You¡¯re out of luck, Eliana. You have offended

    so many people, so someone deliberately framed you as Wird¡¯s mistress. I think you know who

    you¡¯re taking the fall for. Those reporters and gossipers are too stupid to realize that they are all used. I

    think you better sign the papers now.¡±

    Erica wascent.

    She enjoyed controlling the future of others, especially that of her biggest enemy¡ªEliana.

    ¡°Thank you for helping me rify the matter.¡±

    Eliana abruptly put down the pen and put on a bright, wide smile.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you insane?¡±

    Surprised, Erica looked at the sweet smile on Eliana¡¯s face. She wondered if Eliana had been badly

    upset and gone out of her mind.

    Eliana picked up her phone that was upside-down on the table and showed the screen to Erica.

    ¡°Now everyone knows the truth.¡±

    Erica took a closer look at the screen and found that Eliana had been doing a live broadcast the whole

    time.

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313

    This was the solution that Eliana hade up withst night. It was her ultimate counterattack against

    those evildoers plotting against her behind the scenes.

    Before entering the Civil Affairs Bureau, she had posted online on her behalf that she would unveil the

    truth to the world via a live stream. Sure enough, arge number ofizens rushed into the direct

    broadcasting room, eager for the surprises that were in store.

    When all eyes were finally on her, Eliana carried out her borate act. She was both the director and

    actress in this big y.

    At first, she pretended to be heartbroken and let Erica think her wicked plot had seeded. Then she

    manipted Erica to unwittingly tell the truth and prove her innocence.

    As time went on, the number of viewers in attendance continued to soar high.

    To everyone¡¯s surprise, Eli and Nicole also joined the audience, which immediately attracted a lot of

    attention. The presence of the country¡¯s two biggest stars generated a surge of viewers in Eliana¡¯s

    direct broadcasting room, breaking records in an instant and bing the top search topic in the

    entire region.

    ¡°You sly bitch! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re streaming our conversation on the inte!¡±

    Seeing her face on the live video on the phone¡¯s screen, Erica felt her brain was about to explode. The

    nasty and unfavorablements posted by theizenspletely overwhelmed her, driving her into

    a raging frenzy.

    No matter how defeated Eliana seemed in the beginning, the viewers immediately dismissed it and

    began to turn on Erica. They had heard all her lies, cruelty, and thirst for revenge. She had exposed

    herself for the horrible bully she truly was. Suddenly, the direct broadcasting room was immediately in

    an uproar.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! After going through a web of malice and deception, this matter has been reversed.

    It¡¯s so dramatic. What a turnaround!¡±

    ¡°Eliana is a brilliant woman! She is calm, brave, and smart. It¡¯s amazing how she thought of a way to

    prove her innocence. Such a remarkable performance!¡±

    ¡°Oh, jeez. It turns out that she had been wronged after all. I feel guilty for judging her hastily.¡±

    ¡°I made the mistake of doubting her as well. I apologize for all my inappropriatements. I hope

    Eliana can forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry!¡±

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait a minute. Didn¡¯t you notice they are in the office of the Civil Affairs Bureau? What do you

    think the mysterious maniptor behind the scenes really wants?¡±

    Seeing that her goal had finally been achieved, Eliana smiled triumphantly and stopped the live

    streaming.

    She didn¡¯t show her face from the beginning to the end, and only her voice was heard by the masses.

    ¡°Eliana, you little bitch! Aren¡¯t you afraid I will tell the public that you slept with a gigolo and then gave

    birth to his two bastards?¡±

    Wearing a ferocious expression, Erica bared her teeth and was about to pounce on Eliana. It seemed

    she had lost her mind and was now utterly desperate to take her rival down.

    But at the veryst second, Erica¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was a call from an unknown number.

    ¡°Is this Erica? We have your husband. Asher will suffer grave consequences if you do not stop making

    trouble.¡±

    A wicked sneer slowly formed on Erica¡¯s face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you hurt him. I couldn¡¯t care less.¡±

    She had previously broken up with Asher. The two former lovers didn¡¯t have any feelings left for each

    other at all.

    Erica was about to hang up the phone when a child¡¯s frightened voice came from the other end of the

    line.

    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.

    It was Ivy. She had also been captured.

    In the blink of an eye, Erica lost herposure and became anxious.

    ¡°What do you want from me? Give my child back! If you hurt her, there will be hell to pay. Do you hear

    me?¡±

    The man on the other end of the line didn¡¯t answer but hung up the phone instead.

    Who on earth was behind this kidnapping?

    Erica¡¯s mind was all over the ce. She was so blinded by rage that she immediately targeted Eliana,

    who stood in front of her.

    The innocent-looking woman was Erica¡¯s prime suspect. After all, she was her nemesis.

    ¡°Eliana, you will regret this. Kidnapping is illegal! Tell your men to release my husband and child

    immediately!¡±

    What was Erica talking about? What kidnapping?

    Eliana was dumbfounded by Erica¡¯s baseless usation.

    She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the lunatic in surprise. ¡°I only arranged the live streaming. I

    didn¡¯t order anyone to kidnap your husband and child. That¡¯s the truth whether you believe it or not.¡±

    Eliana was a person of honor and principle. She wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to involve Erica¡¯s innocent

    family.

    But Erica only shook her head in disbelief and jabbed her finger at Eliana¡¯s face. ¡°You are lying! If it

    truly wasn¡¯t you, then who else would do such a despicable act?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t her because I¡¯m responsible for the kidnapping.¡±

    A loud and familiar voice echoed from across the room. When Erica and Eliana turned their heads, the

    dashing Maurice came into view. He walked towards them with a group of people behind him.

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314

    ¡°It is a no-brainer thing to say that kidnapping is illegal. However, isn¡¯t it also against thew to coerce

    someone into getting married?¡± Maurice said with conviction, trying to conceal the raging storm that

    was building up in his chest.

    ¡°Maurice! What are you doing here? I was told you¡¯re on a business trip abroad. When did you return?¡±

    Eliana sessively asked in surprise.

    She wasn¡¯t expecting to see Maurice at all.

    However, if there was anyone who had been utterly shocked by Maurice¡¯s unannounced arrival, it

    would undoubtedly be Erica. Her eyes grew bigger, her fist clenched. Maurice¡¯s presencepleted

    the puzzle in her mind.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been racking my brain for an answer, but it turns out to be you. Maurice, you kidnapped Ivy, didn¡¯t

    you?¡± she asked, chuckling sarcastically.

    It hadn¡¯t even crossed Erica¡¯s mind that Maurice would go to such lengths for the sake of Eliana.

    Furious, Erica roared, ¡°Maurice, have you always been this dumb? Have you lost your marbles? You

    are the renowned CEO of the Moran Group, yet you dared lower yourself to help a slut who got

    pregnant with two children by a gigolo¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Erica!¡± Eliana hastily shouted as traces of anxiousness filled her face.

    Maurice¡¯s gaze, on the other hand, shifted between the two girls and he instantly confirmed something

    was going on.

    He was neither blind nor deaf. Since the tension between the two was unmistakable, Maurice wasted

    no time and directly ordered his men to look into that matter further while he was on his way back. In

    the end, he found out that Erica and Cheryl premeditated everything.

    Even so, Maurice couldn¡¯t help but feel strange about Eliana¡¯s odd behavior in the face of Erica¡¯s

    provocation.

    He was curious about how irrefutable the evidence Erica got up her sleeve for Eliana to be scared to

    death.

    With that, waves of thoughts flooded Maurice¡¯s mind. He wondered what Eliana was hiding from him.

    Erica mentioned two children, right? Was she referring to the twins? Was it possible that those two kids¡¯

    mother was not Nana?

    Maurice stayed silent despite a chaotic mind. His expression remained nk, making it difficult for

    Erica to decipher his thoughts.

    What she realized, however, was Eliana¡¯s weakness.

    Erica knew the only reason Eliana was so afraid of her children being exposed was that Maurice might

    break up with her once he found out about them.

    With that in mind, Erica smirked and didn¡¯t hold back. Her heart was brimming with wickedness,

    overpowering her ability to stay logical. Determined to destroy Eliana, Erica swept her gaze at

    everyone and pointed her finger at the trembling gigolo, Sam.

    ¡°It was him! He was the gigolo who slept with Eliana back then. I have a witness! Eliana, if you think the

    skeletons in your closet won¡¯te out, you¡¯re wrong. Remember that there are no secrets time does

    not reveal. Admit it because there¡¯s no use in denying it,¡± Erica boldly announced.

    All eyes then fell on Sam.

    Thetter hadn¡¯t even calmed down entirely since Maurice arrived with a group of people. He had

    never been used to receiving excessive attention, so everyone¡¯s scorching gazes made him feel more

    nervous and ufortable.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Go ahead and tell them the truth, Sam. Tell them that you slept with Eliana five years ago!¡± Erica

    ordered.

    Faint traces of guilt shed on Sam¡¯s face, but Erica didn¡¯t notice them at all. Instead, she constantly

    forced him to tell the truth.

    Not long after, Maurice, who had always known the truth, stepped forward, unable to watch and stand

    still from the side any longer.

    He walked casually toward Sam and gave him a grim look.

    ¡°Did you have sex with her back then?¡± Maurice asked in a cold and sharp tone.

    Sam, on the other hand, almost stepped back in fear. Beads of sweat dripped down his forehead,

    unable to meet the beastly gaze of the man before him.

    Not wanting to worsen the situation, Sam didn¡¯t dare lie anymore. He gulped down his saliva in

    nervousness and unhesitatingly unveiled the truth.

    ¡°No! Of course not! Nothing happened between the two of us because I went to the wrong room. I

    didn¡¯t touch her or share a bed with her. Sir, please believe me,¡± Sam admitted.

    He shook his head repeatedly as he spoke, looking utterly sincere about his words.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Erica eximed in anger. She strode toward Sam, held his shoulders tightly, and added,

    ¡°Why did you lie to me if it wasn¡¯t you then?!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I am in desperate need of cash! You said you would give me arge sum of money if I

    agreed to marry this woman, so how could I refuse?¡± Sam replied in both embarrassment and

    frustration.

    He could only heave a deep sigh in the face of such a situation. Great! What kind of situation did I get

    myself into? Now, I am in great trouble, and I can¡¯t even get paid after all this humiliation! He thought

    helplessly.

    Hearing Sam¡¯s reasonable answer, Erica could only look at the floor, feeling utterly weak. ¡°If you didn¡¯t

    sleep with Eliana back then, who else could it be?¡± she muttered.

    Erica¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t that loud, but her words swiftly pierced through Eliana¡¯s ears. Her heart then wildly

    pounded as if horses were running inside her chest.

    Eliana could feel her strength gradually depleting, but her eyes automatically searched for the man who

    had been calm since he arrived. Suddenly, she felt like all the trivial clues she had were slowly making

    sense.

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315

    Eliana was determined to know the truth today.

    Ignoring everyone else around her, she went straight to Maurice and began unbuttoning his shirt

    without saying anything.

    She had made up her mind that she would undress this man today no matter what.

    Unexpectedly, Maurice just stood there with aplicated look on his face and did nothing. He just

    allowed Eliana to do what she wanted.

    After opening Maurice¡¯s shirt, Eliana beheld an old jagged scar on his chest.

    She was right. Maurice had the same scar as Preston.

    But¡­ how could it be possible?

    Eliana quickly raised her hand to cover the lower half of Maurice¡¯s face. Then, she looked into his eyes.

    His bright eyes were also the same as Preston¡¯s.

    Eliana withdrew her hand and slumped her shoulders. She took two steps back. Her knees turned to

    jelly, and she almost fell to the floor.

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    She didn¡¯t know how she looked now, but she was sure that she was unhappy.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want Eliana to be like this. He tried to hold her hand but forgot that his arm hadn¡¯t

    recovered yet. As soon as he moved, he felt a sharp pain in his left arm.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Maurice couldn¡¯t help gasping in pain.

    Both Maurice and Preston had an injured left arm.

    Everything was clear now.

    Maurice and Preston, the CEO and the gigolo, were the same person.

    Eliana didn¡¯t even need to ask. The man in front of her had been fooling her since day one.

    She finally knew the truth, bright and clear as day. She had been mentally preparing herself for this, but

    she was still so shocked that she couldn¡¯t even speak.

    It was Maurice, whose dual identities had just been exposed, who broke the ufortable silence. ¡°Do

    you understand everything now?¡±

    Complicated feelings wreaked havoc on Eliana¡¯s heart. As it turned out, her affection had been

    wandering between the two faces of Maurice this whole time.

    Why did she have to feel hesitant, ufortable, and uneasy before?

    Why did Maurice make her feel that way?

    Although Eliana knew everything now, she still couldn¡¯t help feeling more confused than she was

    before.

    There was still one person who was utterly bewildered.

    Erica stood still, her mind in a mess. What happened five years ago was so chaotic that she hadn¡¯t

    known the truth until just now.

    Why did Maurice look so calm, as if he had already known that she had found the wrong person?

    ¡°Maurice, have you already known for a long time that Eliana had slept with a disreputable man?¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t want to waste his time on people like Erica, so he just ignored her.

    Erica shook her head, still thinking there was something wrong.

    ¡°No. If you had known that Eliana had slept with a gigolo, you would¡¯ve minded it.¡± She finally realized

    the problem.

    But did it still matter now?

    Eliana was so angry that she produced a bitter smile. Rolling her eyes, she said, ¡°Take your time

    guessing.¡±

    Why was Eliana so arrogant? It was an undeniable fact that she had slept with a man of ill repute.

    Didn¡¯t she feel bad?

    Unless¡­ she already knew who the man was.

    Could it be¡­

    At this moment, Erica started to feel dizzy. A terrible possibility suddenly urred to her.

    Could it be¡­ that Maurice was that gigolo?

    No wonder Maurice never minded no matter how she humiliated Eliana. It was because he knew that it

    was him who had slept with her.

    And the two bastards she threatened to expose were¡­ Maurice¡¯s children.

    Erica felt doomed.

    When she thought of what she had just done, her face turned deathly pale.

    All this time, she had been courting death.

    Erica wanted to beg for mercy, but Corbin barked at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Corbin stepped forward and stared at Erica¡¯s cor. He had just found something out of ce.

    Erica was so scared that she didn¡¯t move. Corbin observed carefully.

    Then, he found the micro-monitoring device hidden underneath Erica¡¯s cor.

    Corbin frowned. The existence of the device made him realize an astonishing truth.

    Someone had sent Erica here. There was another person pulling the strings, and he or she had been

    monitoring everything.

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    Chapter 316

    Damn it! The monitor had been discovered!

    What should she do?

    Cold sweat beaded on Erica¡¯s forehead. She racked her brain for a solution, but unfortunately for her

    she was not clever enough.

    Corbin reached out to take off the monitor.

    Erica did the only thing she could think of. She pped him and shouted, ¡°You creep!¡±

    Corbin was stunned.

    Erica seized she opportunity to tear the monitor from under her cor and ce it in her mouth.

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    Then she swallowed it.

    Corbin put his hand over his cheek. He couldn¡¯t believe what Erica had done. For a moment, he

    couldn¡¯t even speak.

    ¡°Maurice, listen closely. Return Ivy to me or you will never find out who is behind all this,¡± Erica

    shouted.

    She was confident now that she thought she had something Maurice would be willing to negotiate for.

    Maurice red at her and said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me anything. I only need to arrange for

    an operation. Once the device is removed from your stomach, the data can be restored. That data is

    more reliable than anything you could tell me.¡±

    Erica felt a cold fear start to spread through her body.

    Her face turned pale as she imagined lying on the cold operating table as a scalpel sliced her stomach

    open.

    ¡°You¡­ you can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s illegal. I will call the police. I swear I will.¡±

    Erica deserved this. Eliana felt d when she saw the terror on Erica¡¯s face.

    Although the situation was Erica¡¯s fault, Eliana could not bear to let Ivy get hurt. She was just a little

    girl.

    Ivy was innocent.

    On top of that, Ivy was friends with her twins.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ Let Ivy go. Don¡¯t threaten a mother with the safety of her child,¡± Eliana said.

    Eliana understood that, for a mother, seeing her child in danger was the worst thing in the world.

    ¡°Eliana, is this how you think of me? Do you really think I would stoop so low as to kidnap a child?¡±

    Maurice pressed his thin lips together. A dark cloud seemed to radiate off of him.

    What was he saying?

    He hadn¡¯t kidnapped Ivy?

    Eliana realized that the only reason she had to believe Maurice kidnapped Asher and Ivy was that Erica

    told her so.

    But Maurice had never threatened Erica with Ivy.

    Had she misjudged Maurice?

    Guilt filled Eliana. ¡°Maurice, I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± she said quickly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you meant. You and I haven¡¯t settled our own business yet. It¡¯s not wise for you to

    meddle in other people¡¯s business now,¡± Maurice snapped.

    Eliana didn¡¯t dare to say anything else.

    ¡°Maurice! Return my daughter to me. Mmm¡­¡±

    In the middle of Erica¡¯s tirade, Maurice cast a nce at his subordinates. They covered her mouth with

    a white cloth and led her away.

    Corbin directed the others to leave as well. In an instant, Eliana and Maurice were alone in the hall.

    The air was thick with tension.

    Eliana swallowed and felt her nervousness increase.

    ¡°Tell me, Eliana, what else are you still hiding from me?¡±

    Maurice approached Eliana slowly. He was determined that this time he would discover all of her

    secrets.

    Why was he asking that?

    Was it possible that¡­ he still didn¡¯t know about the two children?

    That was a relief.

    Eliana sighed and stammered, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not hiding anything from you. You¡¯re the one¡­ who has

    secrets.¡±

    ¡°You still want to hide the truth from me, even now?¡±

    Maurice forced Eliana to take a step back.

    Eliana didn¡¯t dare to look into Maurice¡¯s eyes. She felt that if she did, he would see through her and her

    last secret would be revealed.

    The two were in a stalemate, which was broken by an unexpected urrence.

    When Eliana exposed her located in the live streaming, a crowd of reporters rushed towards the scene.

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317

    ¡°Bad news, boss. The reporters areing. We have to leave here as soon as possible.¡±

    Corbin rushed over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Maurice grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with you!¡± Eliana refused.

    How ridiculous! If Maurice went to her home now, he would find out about the children.

    Maurice didn¡¯t say anything more and just dragged Eliana towards the entrance.

    Maurice¡¯s silver Maybach was at the gate of the Civil Affairs Bureau. Maurice stuffed Eliana into the

    backseat of the car without difficulty.

    Corbin got on the driver¡¯s seat and immediately gunned the engine. He stepped on the gas and drove

    away as Maurice and Eliana buckled up in the backseat.

    Eliana looked out the window and observed the surrounding scenery. She noticed that they weren¡¯t

    headed for her home, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

    It seemed that Maurice hadn¡¯t suspected about the children yet.

    But Eliana didn¡¯t want to becent. She took out her phone and secretly sent a message to Nana.

    ¡°Nana, I need you to do as I tell you the moment you read this message. Take the kids and go in hiding.

    Maurice is likely toe and take them away.¡±

    Nana, who was resting at home, was confused after reading Eliana¡¯s message.

    Maurice wanted to take the children away?

    Why would he do that?

    If there was someone who should be wanting to take the kids away from Eliana, it was Preston. Why

    was Maurice suddenly in the picture?

    While Nana tried to make sense of Eliana¡¯s message, in the car, Maurice noticed what Eliana was

    doing.

    Who was this woman texting?

    Maurice narrowed his eyes, reached out, and attempted to grab Eliana¡¯s phone.

    Eliana saw himing and immediately turned away. The two of them started arguing.

    ¡°Give me your phone.¡±

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t give you my phone even if you kill me!¡±

    They were like children fighting over a toy.

    The next second, an unfortunate thing happened. Corbin made a sharp turn, and the force caught

    Eliana off guard. She lost her grip on her phone, and it went flying out the window.

    ¡°My phone!¡±

    Eliana was so anxious that she forgot that the car was still running on the road. When she was about to

    open the door to pick up her phone, Maurice pulled her back.

    ¡°What are you doing? Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡± he cursed in a low voice.

    ¡°Stop the car. I need to get my phone back. Please.¡±

    Looking at her phone from which she was getting farther and farther away, Eliana felt a lump in her

    throat.

    ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, I¡¯ll throw you out of the car!¡±

    With a gloomy face, Maurice forcefully fixed Eliana in the backseat.

    ¡°Maurice! You inconsiderate jerk!¡± Eliana finally lost her temper after restraining herself for so long. ¡°If

    you like living a double life and ying role-ying games, that¡¯s your business, but did you have to

    involve me? Did you think it was funny to deceive me for so long? And why do you think you can be

    angry with me now?¡±

    Maurice was stunned and looked helpless.

    It was indeed his fault that he had misled Eliana by donning two identities.

    ¡°Just calm down for a minute, will you? Yes, I did lie to you by pretending to be Preston, but I don¡¯t

    have any secrets from you now. What about you? Do you have secrets that you¡¯re hiding from me?¡±

    Maurice looked at Eliana with burning eyes, trying to see through her.

    Eliana averted her gaze and gritted her teeth.

    She turned away and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡±

    Maurice was a bit amused by her stubborn attitude.

    ¡°Who¡¯s changing the subject now? Eliana, you better pray that you can keep your secrets from me for

    the rest of your life. Otherwise¡­¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but Eliana understood what he meant.

    After such a fierce quarrel, the two of them were a little out of breath. They turned away from each

    other and didn¡¯t speak again for the rest of the trip.

    Sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, Corbin didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry.

    The two didn¡¯t treat him as an outsider.

    Soon, they arrived at the old house of the Moran family.

    ¡°Why did you take me here, Maurice?¡±

    With an ominous premonition in her heart, Eliana was unwilling to get out of the car.

    Maurice didn¡¯t say anything. He just grabbed her hand and dragged her out.

    ¡°What are you doing? I said I wouldn¡¯t go into your home.¡±

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    Something was wrong.

    Maurice appeared stranger now.

    Eliana suddenly felt like she was being hauled into a dangerous ce, somewhere Maurice would turn

    into a beast and then tear her, his prey, apart.

    ¡°Wee home, Mr. Moran. And Miss Pierce is here, too. I¡¯ll clean up your room right away.¡±

    When the maids saw that Maurice came in with Eliana, they hurried to clean up rooms, but Maurice

    stopped them.

    ¡°No need.¡±

    Maurice dragged Eliana all the way to the basement of the old house.

    ¡°Where on earth are you taking me? Maurice, stop!¡±

    Eliana struggled hard, but she couldn¡¯t break free from Maurice at all. She could only watch as he took

    her downstairs.

    After walking down a dark staircase, Maurice stopped by a red door.

 Chapter 318

    Chapter 318

    Maurice opened the door with excessive force, clearly displeased with the recent development.

    The hinges creaked loudly and eerily, which felt like a terrifying scene from a horror movie. Eliana was

    so frightened that she closed her eyes immediately.

    Maurice snapped, ¡°Look inside.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Eliana cried out and shook her head in fear.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t open your eyes this instant, I¡¯ll leave you here alone for the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°Oh my goodness! Please don¡¯t!¡±

    A wise person always knew when it was best to concede. Gulping anxiously, Eliana slowly opened her

    eyes.

    The view that greeted her was not as gloomy and horrible as she had imagined. Instead, it looked like a

    comfortable small room.

    Located at the center was a beige bed, surrounded by a small sofa, a TV set, and an elegant cashmere

    carpet.

    There was everything but a window.

    Eliana was stunned. Pointing at the room in confusion, she asked, ¡°Maurice, what is all this for?¡±

    ¡°You really can¡¯t tell? I¡¯m going to lock you up inside.¡±

    A terrified look appeared on Eliana¡¯s face. ¡°But why? What have I done?¡±

    ¡°You havemitted terrible mistakes. And you haven¡¯t beenpletely honest with me as ofte.

    Shouldn¡¯t you reflect on yourself?¡± Maurice said reproachfully.

    ¡°You! How dare you!¡±

    Eliana trembled in anger, gritting her teeth. Her thoughts were so clouded with rage that she couldn¡¯t

    speak any further.

    Before she could refuse and fight back, Maurice pushed her into the room and mmed the door shut.

    As she was trapped inside with no certainty of ever being released, Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in horror.

    She frantically twisted the doorknob, but the door wouldn¡¯t budge.

    Desperate to get out, she pounded on the door with both fists.

    ¡°Maurice, you bastard! Release me!¡±

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    Ignoring Eliana¡¯s fits of rage, Maurice calmly turned around and went upstairs.

    When he stepped outside of the Moran family mansion, Corbin stood waiting at the gate. Realizing that

    Maurice was alone, he became confused.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, boss? Where¡¯s Eliana?¡±

    ¡°She stays here for the time being. This will teach her a lesson.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s face was dark and brooding.

    ¡°Boss, did you really lock Eliana up?¡± Corbin asked in bewilderment.

    Was the boss slowly turning evil?

    Did he imprison Eliana in a cold and dreary dungeon to be his sex ve?

    Maurice nced at Corbin and knew his subordinate was thinking about something erotic and violent.

    He approached Corbin and jabbed a finger at his face. ¡°You idiot! It¡¯s for her own good. All hell has

    broken loose outside. It¡¯s up to me to weather the storm. I must first deal with the public opinion and fix

    the situation. By keeping Eliana isted, I could shield her from all the nasty rumors and harassment.

    Since she has lost her phone, she won¡¯t be able to see the news online and overthink. It may be cruel

    to lock her up, but I will do whatever it takes to protect her.¡±

    After being enlightened by his boss, Corbin breathed a sigh of relief and even felt a little embarrassed.

    Maurice nced at him sideways and ordered, ¡°Send someone to Eliana¡¯s home to conduct an

    investigation. I suspect that the little twins are not Nana¡¯s kids at all. It might be difficult to prove my

    theory, but I think Eliana is probably the children¡¯s mother.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Corbin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Eliana is their mother? But that¡¯s impossible!¡±

    ¡°Cut the crap and do as I say.¡±

    ¡°Right away, boss. I¡¯ll call some of our private detectives to carry out this task.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Corbin turned around to leave.

    ¡°Hold on. Come back here.¡± Maurice rubbed his forehead and sighed deeply. ¡°Investigate more

    carefully this time. I don¡¯t know what was wrong with your brain that you made this crucial mistake.

    How could you mislead me to think that the children¡¯s mother was Nana for such a long time?¡±

    If Corbin hadn¡¯t confidently reassured him that the children were Nana¡¯s, he might have figured out the

    truth already. It was such a costly blunder.

    Knowing that he was in the wrong, Corbin lowered his head and nodded solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, boss. I

    won¡¯t make any mistakes this time.¡±

    The moment he knew that Nana was not the children¡¯s mother, a bubble of hope and happiness

    swelled in his chest.

    So Nana wasn¡¯t Jonathan¡¯s lover? It was merely a coincidence?

    The corners of Corbin¡¯s mouth kept rising. But he was afraid that Maurice would question his suddenly

    pleasant mood, so he quickly ran away.

    Seeing Corbin sprint away as fast as he could made Maurice shake his head. His subordinate fled the

    scene faster than a rabbit. The young CEO suddenly regretted giving Corbin a sry raise.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was all alone inside the basement room. She was so anxious that she couldn¡¯t keep

    still and began pacing around, desperate to break free from captivity.

    ¡°Help me! Can anyone hear me? Unlock the door and let me out!¡±

    Eliana shouted with all her might until her voice became hoarse. But there was still no answer. It

    seemed that no one wasing to save her.

    Damn it! How could Maurice do this to me?

    Now that she couldn¡¯t go out and her phone was missing, there was no way she could contact Nana

    and the kids to see how they were doing.

    This helpless feeling was slowly driving her insane.

    Several minutester, Eliana became tired of shouting and walking. Physically and mentally exhausted,

    she closed her eyes and soon fell asleep on the bed.

    It was a restless slumber. Tossing and turning in her sleep, she found herself in a dream.

    In a daze, Eliana was finally able to return home. She rushed to her two children and hugged them

    tightly, crying with joy.

    Suddenly, a pair of big hands appeared and forcefully grabbed Aileen and Adrian away from her arms.

    When Eliana turned her head to see who had taken her children, she was met with a chilling sight.

    Maurice towered over her with a menacing grin, slowly enveloping her in a world of darkness and

    misery.

 Chapter 319

    Chapter 319

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Give my child back to me!¡±

    Eliana awoke in terror, her entire face covered in cold sweats.

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    Her nightmare directly reflected her deepest fear, leaving her dazed for a long time after she woke up

    from the dream.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, followed by the sound of the door opening.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up. Someone wasing!

    Several maids came in with a lot of things, including a quilt and food. One of the maids was even

    carrying a vase filled with fresh lilies.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eliana asked confusedly.

    The elder maid replied, ¡°These are all ordered by Mr. Moran. He said that it is cold here in the

    basement and asked us to bring one more quilt for you. The food was also prepared by the chef. The

    flowers¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough! Stop! I don¡¯t want to stay here forever! What does he mean?¡± Eliana shouted in rage.

    ¡°He means he can give you everything you want, except for leaving the Moran family.¡±

    ¡°I have to leave! Maurice is such a bastard. I¡¯m not going to let him lock me up like this!¡±

    Eliana jumped out of bed, dashed out the door, and went upstairs.

    When she reached the top of the stairs, out of breath, she noticed the door that was shut tightly. Her

    eyes instantly lit up with a glint of hope.

    Freedom was right ahead!

    She rushed over excitedly and began twisting the doorknob.

    She tried many times to twist the knob.

    But she still failed to open the door.

    Maurice had locked the door.

    ¡°Did you get enough exercise today? Do you want to go for a run before you eat? Of course, you can

    take a shower first.¡±

    Eliana shivered in fear as she heard a faint voice from behind her.

    She turned around to see the maid standing behind her, smiling.

    No wonder no one stopped her when she ran out of the room just now.

    They already knew that she wouldn¡¯t be able to go out.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran said that you can go anywhere you want in this house, but you can¡¯t go out or

    surf the inte,¡± the maid said calmly.

    Eliana got so furious and yelled, ¡°Tell me, where is Maurice? I want to see him now!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Pierce, but he is very busy at the moment. He returned from abroad because of you,

    and he has a lot of things to deal with. He asked me to tell you to stay here for the time being and not

    to go out.¡±

    The maid even imitated Maurice¡¯s tone while conveying his words in detail.

    Eliana sneered. ¡°Does Maurice think I can¡¯t do anything against him? From now on, I won¡¯t eat

    anything! I¡­ I¡¯ll go on a hunger strike!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran also said that if you dare to go on hunger strike and eat less, he will lock you up for one

    more day until you listen to him,¡± the maid countered.

    Maurice was one step ahead!

    Eliana was now helpless. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ eat the food!¡± she said through gritted teeth.

    The maid couldn¡¯t help but snicker when she turned around.

    Mr. Moran seemed to know Miss Pierce quite well. He could even predict her reaction.

    Nicole burst outughing while watching the surveince video of Eliana¡¯s live streaming.

    She knew that Eliana would not give up easily.

    Even if she didn¡¯t have Maurice¡¯s help, she would still protect herself and those around her with all her

    might.

    Esteban had also witnessed Eliana¡¯s brilliant counterattack, and his opinion of her had shifted

    dramatically.

    ¡°Miss Pierce looks so weak, but she is very tough and determined. She will risk everything to fight for

    something very significant to her. She is really brave.¡±

    Brave¡­

    Esteban¡¯s words tugged at Nicole¡¯s heartstrings, and the smile on her face faded.

    If she had been as brave as Eliana, would the ending of her and Wyatt¡¯s story have been different?

 Chapter 320

    Chapter 320

    Esteban¡¯s phone rang, jerking Nicole out of her daze. Esteban looked at his phone and found that the

    caller was Wird, the rich man who had brought Eliana trouble recently.

    But why was that pervert calling him?

    It was with a deep frown that Esteban answered the phone. ¡°Mr. Hancock, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Esteban, I wish to make an appointment with Miss Swift alone. Will she be able to amodate me in

    her schedule?¡±

    Esteban¡¯s face soured. He turned on the speaker and shifted the phone close to Nicole so that she

    could hear the conversation, too.

    ¡°But Mr. Hancock, why do you want to meet Nicole?¡±

    ¡°Last time, there was a misunderstanding between Miss Swift and I. I just want to meet her so that I

    can clear the air with her. You know how small the entertainment circle is, right? We might bump into

    each other in the future soon.¡±

    Bullshit. As if that¡¯s all this old lecher wants. Nicole thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

    She was about to ask Esteban to turn Wird down, but thetter¡¯s next words made her change her

    mind.

    ¡°If Miss Swift can make some time to have dinner with me, I will consider casting her as the female lead

    in Dewitt Lamont¡¯s new movie, Starlight.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes narrowed shrewdly when she heard this.

    With an imperceptible nod of her head, she signaled Esteban to agree to Wird¡¯s proposal.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Esteban knew that he had no chance of dissuading Nicole, so he gritted his teeth and replied, ¡°That

    can be arranged. Text me the time and ce, and I¡¯ll adjust Nicole¡¯s schedule ordingly.¡±

    ¡°You are a smart man. Don¡¯t worry. Both you and Miss Swift will benefit from this in the future. Ha-ha¡­¡±

    With Wird¡¯s cunningughter still ringing from the other end of the line, Esteban hung up the phone.

    ¡°God, why did you agree to meet that pervert? You know what he wants, right?¡±

    Nicole shrugged her shoulders indifferently. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you agree to go?¡± Esteban asked anxiously. ¡°Reputation is an important thing for an

    actress. If you¡¯re involved in a scandal with a dirty man like Wird, you will be doomed. Besides, if

    Cheryl finds out that you stole her sugar daddy under her nose, do you think she¡¯ll sit still and do

    nothing?¡±

    Nicole listened to Esteban¡¯s sincere advice with a faint smile on her face. There was a cold glint in her

    eyes as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not that stupid. Wird has been getting on my nerves for a long

    time. Since he dares to go this far, I¡¯ll teach him a lesson once and for all.¡±

    ¡°Nicole, please don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±

    Esteban rubbed his forehead helplessly. What could he do in this situation? He could only me

    himself for spoiling Nicole.

    In the twinkling of an eye, the day of the dinner with Wird arrived.

    Wird had invited Nicole to dine with him at a high-ss private restaurant, where he arrived a few

    minutes earlier than the appointed time and waited diligently at the door.

    After a while, a white van rolled to a stop at the entrance, and the door of the van slid open. Wearing a

    stunning low-cut dress and high-heeled shoes, Nicole stepped out of the van, twisting her hips expertly.

    When Wird saw how sexy and coquettish Nicole looked in this outfit, his eyes almost popped out of

    their sockets. This was beyond his expectations. With a wide smile, he excitedly walked up to her.

    ¡°Miss Swift, it¡¯s my honor to have dinner with you today,¡± he said, reaching out to touch the small of

    Nicole¡¯s back.

    ¡°I¡¯m ttered, Mr. Hancock.¡± Nicole turned slightly, dodging Wird¡¯s hand as if she hadn¡¯t noticed it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    After saying that, she walked straight into the restaurant, leaving Wird behind.

    Like a wild dog hooked on the smell of meat, Wird immediately followed her attentively.

    Coincidentally, Wyatt happened to be at the same restaurant.

    The Todd family had built their fortune in the food and catering industry, and this particr restaurant

    just so happened to be one of theirs. After the ident at Moonlightst time, Wyatt had be a lot

    more mature. This time, he hade to this restaurant in person to inspect and learn.

    He was sitting in his seat and carefully leafing through the menu when he heard several waitresses

    whispering behind him. Among their whispers, one name clearly jumped out to him¡ªWird.

    Wird Hancock? Isn¡¯t that the guy who was trending on the hot search list because he was allegedly

    keeping Eliana as his mistress?

    Wyatt continued to look at the menu, but pricked up his ears to listen to what the waitresses were

    talking about.

    ¡°Did you watch the live streaming that day? It seems that whole mistress news was fake!¡±

    ¡°I did. It turns out that the woman in the report wasn¡¯t his mistress at all. She was framed.¡±

    ¡°Then who do you think is Wird¡¯s mistress?¡±

    The waitresses enthusiastically gossiped about who Wird¡¯s real mistress could be.

    Unexpectedly, the protagonist of their discussion, Wird himself, walked into the restaurant at that

    time with Nicole. The two of them sat at a table not far away from Wyatt.

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    Chapter 321

    Wird¡¯s eyes were fixed on Nicole the entire time they were having dinner.

    In the presence of an enchanting woman like her, no man could stay calm, let alone an old lecher like

    Wird.

    ¡°Miss Swift, you look so beautiful today. Would you be so kind as to give me a chance to be closer to

    you tonight?¡±

    Upon hearing his meaningful words, Nicole was deep in thought.

    With an ugly grin, Wird reached out his hand, trying to hold her hand. However, she raised her hand

    after picking up a piece of tissue and wiped her mouth to avoid his touch.

    She pretended to be coquettish and said, ¡°Mr. Hancock, you have so many gorgeous women around

    you. Why would you want me to be close to you?¡±

    Her words made him feel like he still had a chance.

    Wird narrowed his eyes at her and asked anxiously, ¡°Are you jealous, Miss Swift? If you are, then

    don¡¯t be. They can neverpare with you! I have never been with a woman who is as fascinating as

    you. I can promise you that as long as you serve me well, I will give you everything you want. I can

    even make your acting career flourish like never before!¡±

    Wird cut a piece of steak from his te and served it to her. ¡°What do you think, Miss Swift?¡±

    With a flirty smile, Nicole was trying hard to resist the urge to m her te of food on his face.

    Seeing their intimate appearances, the waitresses could not fight their urge to gossip.

    ¡°Is something wrong with my eyes? Isn¡¯t that Nicole, the famous actress? Why is she with Wird?¡±

    One of the waitresses made a bold guess and asked, ¡°Is Nicole his real mistress?¡±

    ¡°Oh! I actually remember that Nicole once helped his mistress. He probably had two mistresses, and

    one of them is Nicole!¡± Another waitress made a bolder statement.

    Wyatt was starting to feel really ufortable because of their conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± he hissed, interrupting them with a gloomy expression. ¡°Is this how your manager

    taught you? Gossiping about guests during working hours?¡±

    His words made them stop gossiping at once.

    After all, the manager of the restaurant had warned them that they could never offend Wyatt.

    Once things quieted down, Wyatt focused on Nicole and Wird again.

    At the same time, Nicole had no clue of what was going on. She was trying to endure the disgusting

    feeling while listening to the bright future that Wird was talking to her about.

    ¡°Mr. Hancock, didn¡¯t you say that your wife was already upset because of Cheryl? How dare you ask

    me to get involved now? Aren¡¯t you afraid of angering your wife again? If my memory serves right, Mr.

    Hancock, you started your business with the help of your wife, right?¡±

    Nicole sneered inwardly, thinking that all of Wird¡¯s promises were empty.

    Although Wird seemed to be embarrassed for a second, he unscrupulously expressed his

    dissatisfaction with his wife.

    ¡°You know what, Miss Swift? Not only is my wife ugly, she also has a terrible temper. There is nothing

    feminine about her, and I¡¯m sick of her¡­¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you really think of me¡­ Honey!¡±

    Shocked by the familiar voice, Wird turned around and saw his wife in horror.

    ¡°Mrs. Hancock, did you hear what he just said?¡± Nicole asked with a bright smile.

    ¡°Honey, that¡¯s not true. Let me exin!¡±

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Wird stood up from the chair in panic and tried to hold her hand, but she pulled her hand away in

    disgust.

    ¡°Wird, for the sake of our marriage, I was able to tolerate your affairs a few times, but I did not expect

    you to think of me as an ugly shrew! It looks like you really want to get a divorce!¡±

    After all, her heart was now broken because of Wird¡¯s constant infidelity.

    How could thingse to this point?

    Moreover, how did she find out that he was there?

    Wird staggered back.

    ¡°Looks like you have some family matters to deal with, Mr. Hancock, so I won¡¯t be bothering you

    anymore.¡±

    After enjoying putting him in an embarrassing situation, Nicole smoothed her hair leisurely, picked up

    her bag, and was about to leave.

    Looking back at her with a nk expression, Wird quickly came to his senses.

    It was Nicole. She must have told his wife that they were having dinner together!

    Nicole had set up a trap for him.

    ¡°Stop!¡± With a fierce look in his eyes, Wird grabbed Nicole¡¯s hand. ¡°You bitch! You did it on purpose,

    didn¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 322

    Chapter 322

    ¡°Hey, get your dirty hands off me! Don¡¯t touch me!¡±

    Nicole struggled hard to break free from Wird¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Stop pretending! I know it was you. You did all this, right?¡± Wird yelled madly. ¡°You seduced me first

    and then pretended to surrender to my wife. All you¡¯ve ever wanted from the very beginning was to sow

    discord between us. Your ultimate goal is to rece her and marry me. But I¡¯m telling you, there¡¯s no

    way I can ept you as my wife. You won¡¯t seed!¡±

    Wird¡¯s reversal of the situation was really wonderful. His wife¡¯s face softened a lot, and she seemed

    hesitant now.

    This old pervert actuallyined first, and then put the me on his victim.

    Nicole looked at Wird¡¯s shameless face, gritting her teeth in anger.

    If her hand wasn¡¯t held by him, she would have pped him hard.

    But before she could make a move, someone snatched her away from him.

    Then a figure suddenly rushed over and gave Wird a hard punch on the face. The huge impact

    directly caused Wird to fall to the floor.

    ¡°Honey!¡±

    Wird¡¯s wife ran over to him and helped him up. Seeing that his face was bruised, she raised her head

    and scolded, ¡°Who the hell are you? How dare you hit people in broad daylight! Don¡¯t you know who

    my husband is?¡±

    Nicole stared at the person who hade. She was so shocked when she recognized it was Wyatt.

    What was he doing here?

    Wyatt twisted his wrist and sneered disdainfully, ¡°Yes, I hit him. And I don¡¯t care who he is. Do you have

    any problem with that?¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Wird¡¯s wife got more furious. ¡°Security guards, someone is making trouble here. Come here

    and catch this violent man. He¡¯s hurting people.¡±

    But no matter how loud Wird¡¯s wife yelled, no security guard came to stop Wyatt.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Wyatt turned his head and looked at the dumbfounded Nicole. Then he sneered, ¡°Why are you just

    standing there? Are you waiting for a dog to bite you?¡±

    Wird was standing still, covering his swollen face.

    When he heard Wyatt¡¯sst sentence, he seemed to have sobered up and instantly got furious. He

    couldn¡¯t help roaring, ¡°Who are you calling a dog?¡±

    ¡°Whoever talks back to me is a dog. And by the way, you are too noisy. Dogs are not allowed to bark in

    my restaurant,¡± Wyatt snapped.

    He then turned to the security guards and ordered, ¡°Drive him out!¡±

    After that, he slowly picked up a tissue on the table and wiped his hands.

    The security guards, who were indifferent just now, quickly surrounded Wird and captured him at

    once.

    ¡°Hey, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Let go of my husband. Stay away from him!¡±

    Wird¡¯s wife stepped forward to stop the security guards. But unfortunately, her effort was futile.

    Wird¡¯s mind was in a mess now.

    Who is this young man who suddenly appears out of nowhere? This is his restaurant? Can it be that¡­

    Is he Wyatt Todd, the son of the Todd family? He thought.

    Wird gasped in shock upon realizing the identity of the young man in front of him.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Wird looked at Wyatt expectantly. ¡°Wyatt, don¡¯t you recognize me? I¡¯m Wird Hancock from

    Harmony Group. I am a friend of your mother. Can you tell them to let me go? Let¡¯s have a good talk.¡±

    Finally, Wyatt raised his eyes and looked at Wird carefully.

    Wird¡¯s eyes lit up. He immediately raised his head and asked, ¡°Do you remember me now?¡±

    But much to his dismay, Wyatt just said lightly, ¡°I don¡¯t know you. Guards, throw him out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±

    The security guards faithfully carried out Wyatt¡¯s order. They dragged Wird out, with his wife following

    closely behind.

    Wird¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment.

    He realized that Wyatt was ying tricks on him, so he shouted angrily, ¡°Wyatt, you wait and see! This

    is not over yet. I will definitelye back and settle ounts with you!¡±

    This farce attracted the attention of almost everyone in the restaurant.

    As soon as Wird left, people began to discuss the other person involved, Nicole.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Nicole, the famous star? Was that man here just now her sugar daddy? Were they caught by

    that man¡¯s wife?¡±

    ¡°Not only that. Two men were fighting for her just now.¡±

    Actually, Nicole was already used to people talking about her. But this time, the situation was different.

    She didn¡¯t want Wyatt to be implicated.

    She hurriedly put on her sunsses and turned to leave.

    But before she could take a step, a tall figure blocked her way.

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    Chapter 323

    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Have you eaten?¡± Wyatt asked awkwardly after stopping Nicole.

    Since Nicole walked too hastily, she bumped into him.

    She lowered her head, and her hands unconsciously clenched the hem of her dress. She answered in

    a low voice, ¡°No, I won¡¯t eat. There are too many people here. What happened just now was big. I have

    to leave right away.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Sit down and eat with peace of mind.¡± Wyatt gave Nicole a piercing gaze. ¡°Since

    you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, why would you leave?¡±

    Nicole was stunned for a moment. What did Wyatt want? Was he inviting her to dinner?

    She subconsciously raised her head and stared at him in surprise.

    The next moment, Wyatt turned around, looked at everyone in the restaurant, and said aloud, ¡°I¡¯m sorry

    for causing trouble to everyone here today. Let me introduce the famous star and also a friend of mine,

    Nicole. And to express my apology, all your meals today are on the house. But I hope you can stop

    talking about this incident and let this beauty have a peaceful meal.¡±

    The crowd in the restaurant suddenly burst into cheers.

    ¡°You are such a generous young man!¡±

    Since their meals were on the house, the customers naturally cooperated with Wyatt. What was more,

    he openly introduced his rtionship with Nicole. So the discussion gradually disappeared.

    After the problem was solved, Wyatt pulled Nicole into a private room and pressed her into a chair,

    forcing her to sit down.

    ¡°Have a seat.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°Wyatt, what the hell are you doing?¡± Nicole was filled with confusion.

    ¡°Eat, of course. What else will I do?¡±

    Wyatt picked up the menu, ordered a few dishes, and then stopped talking.

    This was the first time that they had stayed in the same space for so long since thest time they saw

    each other.

    No one said a word, and there was pin-drop silence in the private room.

    But there was indescribable intimacy in the atmosphere between them. It seemed that both of them

    were waiting for the other to express their thoughts first.

    But the intimate atmosphere didn¡¯tst long because soon, the waiter came in and served the dishes.

    Cheesy baked crab, vegetable sd, corn soup, andmb chops.

    All were Nicole¡¯s favorite dishes.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Nicole pursed her lips lightly with aplicated look in her eyes.

    It turned out that he still remembered her favorite dishes.

    She stared nkly at the table full of delicious dishes but didn¡¯t eat anything.

    Wyatt lowered his eyes as if he was looking at the dishes. But the truth was, he was peeping at Nicole.

    He wondered why she wasn¡¯t eating.

    Then he remembered thatst time, she said she was on a strict diet, trying to lose weight for a new

    role.

    Just when he thought she still chose to waste food, she suddenly picked up the knife and fork and

    began to eat happily.

    Wyatt was stunned for a moment, but he couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    The scene in front of him seemed familiar.

    Memories flooded him like tides, and scenes of the past appeared in his mind.

    When Nicole was still a fledgling neer in the entertainment industry, she was determined to lose

    weight for an insignificant role, which she had gotten with difficulty.

    But she was also a foodie. Every time she went out with Wyatt, she couldn¡¯t help ordering a lot of

    dishes. However, she couldn¡¯t eat them. In the end, she could only drool and watch him eat.

    At that time, she always held his arm and acted like a spoiled child.

    Then she said, ¡°Wyatt, help me eat these dishes, okay?¡±

    ¡°You little foodie,¡± Wyatt said with a smile, poking Nicole¡¯s forehead dotingly. ¡°You know you can¡¯t eat

    that much, right? Why did you order so many dishes? Don¡¯t you feel ufortable watching me eat?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Nicole retorted. ¡°If I watch you eat it, I will tell myself that I have eaten it too. As a good

    boyfriend, what¡¯s wrong with helping your girlfriend eat something?¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. But next time, don¡¯t order too much, okay?¡±

    It took Wyatt a lot of effort to finish all the dishes that Nicole ordered. But the next time, she still did the

    same.

    After all, he would do whatever she asked him to do every time she acted like a spoiled child in front of

    him.

    They were filled with happiness back then.

    Wyatt was so immersed in these good memories that he couldn¡¯t extricate himself from them until

    Nicole woke him up.

    ¡°Wyatt, let¡¯s talk.¡±

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324

    Nicole put her knife and fork down. ¡°I just¡­ I just wanted to teach that old pervert a lesson. I didn¡¯t

    really want to have a meal with him in private.¡±

    Even if the entire world misunderstood her, Wyatt couldn¡¯t.

    Nicole didn¡¯t want him to misunderstand that she was a woman who wouldn¡¯t hesitate to sell herself for

    fame and fortune.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to exin. I could see it. It was pretty obvious. I know you wanted to revenge Eliana,

    by deliberately fooling Wird.¡±

    It was precisely why Wyatt was confused.

    If Nicole was still the same as she was five years ago, and wasn¡¯t influenced by fame and fortune, why

    did she dump him?

    She had betrayed him for five million dors.

    Which one is her true color? Wyatt wondered.

    But Nicole¡¯s true nature had nothing to do with him.

    Everything had ended between them when she chose to dump him and disappear with the five million

    dors.

    The mere thought infuriated Wyatt.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Wird can¡¯t afford to keep you as a mistress. After all, you were worth five million dors

    five years ago.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s words pricked Nicole¡¯s heart like a sharp needle.

    She choked on the food and began coughing violently.

    Wyatt was flustered.

    He immediately picked up a ss of water and walked to Nicole.

    ¡°Drink some water. Quick!¡±

    Wyatt rubbed Nicole¡¯s back while feeding the water.

    ¡°You bastard, what did you do to her?¡±

    The door of the private room suddenly flew open, and Esteban stormed inside.

    He had been waiting outside the restaurant the entire time because he was worried about Nicole. He

    knew Nicole well and estimated that Wird¡¯s issue wouldn¡¯t end peacefully. Considering Nicole was

    inside for a long time, Esteban grew anxious and broke in.

    But he was surprised it wasn¡¯t Wird but someone he didn¡¯t expect to see: Wyatt And he was bullying

    Nicole.

    Esteban pushed Wyatt away and ran to Nicole.

    ¡°Oh, my God! Are you okay?¡± he asked concernedly.

    Esteban grew angry when he saw the unfinishedmb chop on Nicole¡¯s te. He looked at Wyatt,

    anger zing in his eyes.

    ¡°Wyatt, are you out of your mind? Nicole has been on a diet for a long time to lose weight. She seldom

    eats anything. Her stomach can¡¯t withstand the binge eating.¡±

    What?

    Wyatt was startled.

    A wave of regret consumed him.

    He wasn¡¯t aware of Nicole¡¯s situation and felt bad for forcing her to eat.

    ¡°I¡­ Ahem¡­ I¡¯m okay. You¡­ Don¡¯t me him¡­¡± Nicole said breathlessly, trying to calm Esteban.

    Seeing that Nicole was still defending Wyatt even though she was choking, Esteban couldn¡¯t utter a

    word.

    He took a deep breath and looked at Wyatt. ¡°Mr. Todd, since you and Nicole broke up a long time ago,

    you better stay away from her. Your presence will only hinder her career.¡±

    The guilt in Wyatt¡¯s heart was instantly reced with endless anger and bitterness.

    Wake up! Haven¡¯t you suffered enough because of her? Why are you embarrassing yourself over and

    over again? Wyatt thought.

    He then closed his eyes to conceal his emotions. There was an undisguised coldness in his eyes when

    he opened them again.

    ¡°Get out! Leave my restaurant right away with this cash cow. Keep an eye on her and make sure she

    doesn¡¯t appear in front of me ever again.¡±

    ¡°Stop arguing!¡± Nicole sprang up to her feet and shouted.

    Her eyes had turned red due to her cough. She looked at Wyatt for onest time as if she wanted to

    imprint his face in her mind.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind us, Mr. Todd. We are leaving now. Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    With Esteban¡¯s help, Nicole left the private room.

    When she turned around, a drop of tear trickled down her cheek.

    But Wyatt was oblivious to her pain and sadness. He turned around and didn¡¯t bother looking back.

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    Chapter 325

    The clock ticked slowly ever since she was locked up. Every minute seemed like an eternity. Eliana

    couldn¡¯t hold on any longer.

    Besides, she had lost her phone. She hadn¡¯t contacted her family for almost two days. The children

    and Nana must be anxious now.

    What do I do? Eliana wondered.

    Her stomach was churning with anxiety. Just as she wondered what to do, the gate that had been

    locked for two days finally flew open.

    Maurice came back.

    Eliana immediately sprang to her feet and darted toward the gate.

    As expected, Maurice effortlessly picked her up and stopped her.

    ¡°Maurice, you have locked me up for two days. What the hell do you want?¡± she roared as angry tears

    filled her eyes.

    Maurice slowly closed the gate and threw Eliana on the floor.

    Hezily slumped on the sofa, and his deep eyes bore into Eliana¡¯s.

    ¡°I just have one simple request: fairness.¡±

    ¡°Fairness?¡± Eliana was stunned.

    ¡°You know all my secrets. It¡¯s fair only if you share your secrets with me. I can investigate it and find the

    result. But I want you to tell me the truth, Eliana.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°I want to know¡­¡± Maurice cleared his throat and said, ¡°I want to know if the two children are mine or

    not.¡±

    The words came like the bolt in the blue and caught Eliana off guard.

    Does Maurice know about the children? Should I tell him the truth? And most importantly, if Maurice

    finds that he¡¯s the father of the twins, will he be a good father?

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Countless thoughts swarmed in Eliana¡¯s mind.

    Maurice was wearing a formal suit. However, the little bowknot on his head lookedical. He was

    holding Aileen in his arms and carrying Adrian on his back with a milk bottle in his hand. ¡°If you keep

    crying, I will throw you away¡­¡± he grunted at the crying children.

    Eliana imaged the scene as her skin broke into goosebumps.

    He seemed very unreliable.

    Maurice didn¡¯t cut for a father.

    Besides, it was unreasonable for him to pretend to be two different people to deceive her.

    And worst of all, she was sure the Moran family had something to do with the destruction of the Pierce

    family.

    She was already going through a lot and couldn¡¯t let her children suffer as well.

    Eliana looked up and met Maurice¡¯s expectant eyes.

    At that moment, she made up her mind to hide the truth.

    ¡°Aileen and Adrian are not your children,¡± she lied. ¡°I met their father abroad.¡±

    Eliana was still quibbling.

    Maurice¡¯s brows furrowed. He grew irritated.

    Then, he took out something from his pocket. It was the phone Eliana had identally lost that day.

    She was doomed.

    Eliana froze on the spot; she couldn¡¯t move.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure a lot of secrets must be hidden in the phone. I¡¯ve asked Corbin to look for someone to crack

    the password.¡±

    Maurice turned on the phone and began browsing the photos in the gallery.

    There were a lot of pictures of Eliana and the twins ever since they were born.

    Strangely enough, there were no pictures of the father of the twins that Eliana had mentioned.

    ¡°Are you still lying? As you say, if the father of the twins isn¡¯t me, then why don¡¯t you have a picture of

    him? Where is he now? Why hasn¡¯t hee to see his children?¡± Maurice asked, fixing Eliana with a

    piercing stare.

    Eliana¡¯s heart beat wildly as if it was about to jump out of her chest. The intensity of his gaze and the

    warning in his eyes frightened her.

    ¡°So what if I don¡¯t have any pictures of him? The father of the children was with me the entire time. He

    was the one who took care of us all these years abroad.¡±

    Eliana bit the bullet and continued to lie.

    Abroad?

    Maurice¡¯s pupils contracted as someone came to mind.

    Jonathan¡­

    ¡°Is Jonathan Bowman the father of your children?¡± he asked, examining her face.

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326

    Maurice knew Jonathan?

    Eliana was confused. How did he know Jonathan¡¯s existence in her life?

    How much did he know?

    ¡°Maurice, are you investigating me behind my back?¡±

    Eliana realized that she had been thoroughly investigated by Maurice.

    ¡°It looks like my guess is right. The twins are really you and Jonathan¡¯s children.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s chest swelled with anger.

    The fury in his heart was like a beast that was about toe out of its cage. But he tried his best to

    suppress it.

    He really thought that the twins were Jonathan¡¯s children. But actually, he just misunderstood.

    Eliana lowered her head and remained silent. She chose not to exin.

    Maybe letting Maurice misunderstand that Jonathan was the father of the twins was a good way to

    escape.

    She could hide the truth for a while longer.

    As for what would happen next, Eliana would wait and see.

    ¡°Eliana, does your silence mean yes? So you admit that he is the father of your children. Wow, you are

    so good!¡±

    Maurice stood up angrily. His umted anger erupted like a volcano.

    He approached Eliana, reached out, and pinched her chin, forcing her to raise her head and look

    directly at him.

    ¡°Are you that lowly? You would rather be Jonathan¡¯s unpresentable lover and give birth to his children

    than be by my side? I have given you so many chances to tell me the truth. But what have you done?

    You lied to me over and over again. Do you even have a conscience?¡±

    Eliana was stunned by Maurice¡¯s roar. When she came back to her senses, she also flew into a rage.

    Maurica knaw Jonathan?

    Eliana was confusad. How did ha know Jonathan¡¯s axistanca in har lifa?

    How much did ha know?

    ¡°Maurica, ara you invastigating ma bahind my back?¡±

    Eliana raalizad that sha had baan thoroughly invastigatad by Maurica.

    ¡°It looks lika my guass is right. Tha twins ara raally you and Jonathan¡¯s childran.¡±

    Maurica¡¯s chast swad with angar.

    Tha fury in his haart was lika a baast that was about toa out of its caga. But ha triad his bast to

    supprass it.

    Ha raally thought that tha twins wara Jonathan¡¯s childran. But actually, ha just misundarstood.

    Eliana lowarad har haad and ramainad snt. Sha chosa not to axin.

    Maybatting Maurica misundarstand that Jonathan was tha fathar of tha twins was a good way to

    ascapa.

    Sha could hida tha truth for a wh longar.

    As for what would happan naxt, Eliana would wait and saa.

    ¡°Eliana, doas your snca maan yas? So you admit that ha is tha fathar of your childran. Wow, you ara

    so good!¡±

    Maurica stood up angrily. His umtad angar aruptad lika a volcano.

    Ha approachad Eliana, raachad out, and pinchad har chin, forcing har to raisa har haad and look

    diractly at him.

    ¡°Ara you that lowly? You would rathar ba Jonathan¡¯s unprasanta lovar and giva birth to his childran

    than ba by my sida? I hava givan you so many chancas to tall ma tha truth. But what hava you dona?

    You liad to ma ovar and ovar again. Do you avan hava a conscianca?¡±

    Eliana was stunnad by Maurica¡¯s roar. Whan sha cama back to har sansas, sha also w into a raga.

    ¡°Meurice, whet rights do you heve to question me ebout the truth?¡±

    Eliene reised her heed only to be overwhelmed by his melicious geze.

    In the fece of those torrentiel questions end doubts, teers welled up in her eyes.

    She felt scered end eggrieved et the seme time.

    For so meny yeers, she hed been doing her best to protect her two children ell by herself.

    Beck then, Meurice identelly got her pregnent. Supposedly, the two of them were obliged to teke

    responsibility for the consequences. But he hed never fulfilled his responsibility.

    He wesn¡¯t there when she geve birth. She wes elone ebroed.

    When she reised the twins with ell the herdships elone, where wes he?

    For so meny yeers, she persevered end endured everything by herself.

    There wes ectuelly e shortcut in front of Eliene. She only hed to ept Jhen¡¯s love, end ell her

    difficulties would be solved. But she still refused without hesitetion.

    As e mother, she hed suffered so much. But Meurice? As e fether, he never contributed enything.

    And now, he wented to be her children¡¯s fether. Did he reelly think it wes thet eesy?

    Meurice hed no right to bleme her et ell.

    ¡°You¡¯re seying thet I lied to you? Whet ebout you, Meurice? Didn¡¯t you deliberetely epproech end meke

    fun of me using your two identities? You mede me cerry e huge debt!¡±

    Thinking of those deys when she wes overwhelmed by debt, Eliene wished she could bite Meurice to

    vent her enger.

    ¡°Maurice, what rights do you have to question me about the truth?¡±

    Eliana raised her head only to be overwhelmed by his malicious gaze.

    In the face of those torrential questions and doubts, tears welled up in her eyes.

    She felt scared and aggrieved at the same time.

    For so many years, she had been doing her best to protect her two children all by herself.

    Back then, Maurice identally got her pregnant. Supposedly, the two of them were obliged to take

    responsibility for the consequences. But he had never fulfilled his responsibility.

    He wasn¡¯t there when she gave birth. She was alone abroad.

    When she raised the twins with all the hardships alone, where was he?

    For so many years, she persevered and endured everything by herself.

    There was actually a shortcut in front of Eliana. She only had to ept Jonathan¡¯s love, and all her

    difficulties would be solved. But she still refused without hesitation.

    As a mother, she had suffered so much. But Maurice? As a father, he never contributed anything.

    And now, he wanted to be her children¡¯s father. Did he really think it was that easy?

    Maurice had no right to me her at all.

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that I lied to you? What about you, Maurice? Didn¡¯t you deliberately approach and make

    fun of me using your two identities? You made me carry a huge debt!¡±

    Thinking of those days when she was overwhelmed by debt, Eliana wished she could bite Maurice to

    vent her anger.

    ¡°Maurice, what rights do you have to question me about the truth?¡±

    Her words enraged Maurice. He couldn¡¯t help but increase the strength in his hand, and her chin

    immediately turned red.

    ¡°How can youin now?¡± Mauriceughed angrily. ¡°Didn¡¯t you enjoy being chased by two

    completely different men? You didn¡¯t even recognize me in bed, right?¡±

    His humiliation was so intense that Eliana felt like she was being stripped naked in public.

    She was so angry that she trembled all over. She cursed, ¡°Maurice, you bastard! You¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    The rest of her words were blocked in her throat when Maurice suddenly kissed her.

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    And his kiss was irresistible.

    His hot breath, mixed with the smell of male hormone, prated her mouth fiercely.

    Maurice seized her neck and kissed her violently and overbearingly, crushing all her reasons.

    She quickly surrendered as she didn¡¯t even have the strength to resist.

    Eliana was in a daze and had no idea she was taken back to the basement. Before she realized what

    was going on, she was thrown to the bed by a great force.

    Immediately afterwards, she was pressed under his strong body.

    ¡°What the hell do you want to do?¡± Eliana tried to push Maurice away, but she was too weak.

    ¡°Do you know how much money I have spent to dispel your rumors these days? Now I will settle

    ounts with you.¡±

    Maurice stared at Eliana, who was trembling under him. Blue veins stood out on his neck, and his eyes

    were full of burning desire.

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327

    Frightened by Maurice, Eliana waved her hands and kicked her feet, trying to free herself from his grip.

    Thest flicker of Maurice¡¯s patience died out.

    He took off his tie, wrapped it around Eliana¡¯s wrists, and tied them together, effectively restraining her.

    Then, he began to tear her clothes off with a greedy look in his eyes.

    Why? Why is this happening to me? These were the only thoughts running through Eliana¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Maurice, you are a beast who only thinks with his dick!¡± she cursed while continuing to struggle,

    regardless of how futile her efforts were.

    ¡°Really? Well, I better live up to your description of me.¡±

    Maurice sneered and ripped Eliana¡¯s shirt down the middle, sending buttons flying everywhere and

    revealing her plump breasts.

    The feeling of humiliation almost drowned Eliana, and her eyes turned red with grievance.

    ¡°If this is how things are going to be, at least make it clear how much I owe you! How many times do I

    have to sleep with you to pay off my debt?¡± Eliana asked shakily with her eyes closed.

    She had finally stopped struggling, and her shoulders were slumped in dejection. Watching her lie

    down obediently like she was offering herself up to him, Maurice was even more aroused.

    ¡°You want to pay me off in one go, right? I¡¯ll fulfill your wish today.¡±

    Pulling off Eliana¡¯s tattered shirtpletely, Maurice bent down and kissed her lips again, prying her

    mouth open. At the same time, he slid his hand downward¡­

    There was a clear crack as he unstrapped his belt in a rush.

    The sudden sound made Eliana tremble all over. She knew that she could not escape today.

    At this moment, her heart seemed to be ripped from her chest. She found that she could hardly

    breathe.

    Frightanad by Maurica, Eliana wavad har hands and kickad har faat, trying to fraa harsalf from his grip.

    Thast flickar of Maurica¡¯s patianca diad out.

    Ha took off his tia, wrappad it around Eliana¡¯s wrists, and tiad tham togathar, affactivaly rastraining har.

    Than, ha bagan to taar har clothas off with a graady look in his ayas.

    Why? Why is this happaning to ma? Thasa wara tha only thoughts running through Eliana¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Maurica, you ara a baast who only thinks with his dick!¡± sha cursad wh continuing to strug,

    ragarss of how fut har afforts wara.

    ¡°Raally? Wall, I battar liva up to your dascription of ma.¡±

    Maurica snaarad and rippad Eliana¡¯s shirt down tha mid, sanding buttons flying avarywhara and

    ravaaling har plump braasts.

    Tha faaling of humiliation almost drownad Eliana, and har ayas turnad rad with griavanca.

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°If this is how things ara going to ba, atast maka it ar how much I owa you! How many timas do I

    hava to ap with you to pay off my dabt?¡± Eliana askad shakily with har ayas closad.

    Sha had finally stoppad struggling, and har shouldars wara slumpad in dajaction. Watching har lia

    down obadiantly lika sha was offaring harsalf up to him, Maurica was avan mora arousad.

    ¡°You want to pay ma off in ona go, right? I¡¯ll fulfill your wish today.¡±

    Pulling off Eliana¡¯s tattarad shirttaly, Maurica bant down and kissad har lips again, prying har

    mouth opan. At tha sama tima, ha slid his hand downward¡­

    Thara was a ar crack as ha unstrappad his balt in a rush.

    Tha suddan sound mada Eliana tram all ovar. Sha knaw that sha could not ascapa today.

    At this momant, har haart saamad to ba rippad from har chast. Sha found that sha could hardly

    braatha.

    This wes worse then the time thet Erice hed tricked her into sleeping with e gigolo.

    Teers streemed down Eliene¡¯s cheeks es she greppled to resign herself to her bleek fete.

    While kissing her pessiely, Meurice suddenly tested something bitter on his tongue.

    With e peuse, he reelized thet the women lying under him wes crying.

    The moment he sew the teers rolling down her fece, his burning desire feded ewey like the tide, leeving

    only pity end cere in his heert.

    Meurice immedietely stopped whet he wes doing.

    Or to be more precise, he could no longer continue even if he wented to.

    ¡°Whet e bummer!¡±

    Frowning, Meurice stood up end threw his coet on Eliene¡¯s neked body, es if her crying hed spoiled his

    mood.

    Then, he turned eround end stormed out the besement, locking the door behind him.

    Once egein, Eliene wes left ell elone in the specious besement.

    Even efter Meurice left, she continued to lie on the bed for e long time es if ell her energy hed been

    dreined out of her. It wes only when ell the surging emotions in her heert died down thet she slowly set

    up.

    Her helf-neked body wes still covered with Meurice¡¯s coet, end his lingering scent preted her

    nostrils, e sterk reminder of the humilietion she¡¯d been forced to experience just now.

    After chenging her clothes, Eliene threw Meurice¡¯s coet to the floor to vent her enger. When she did, e

    phone dropped from the coet pocket.

    It wes her phone!

    Eliene quickly picked it up so thet she could cell for help, but she soon found thet she couldn¡¯t get eny

    signel here.

    Growling in frustretion, she threw the phone onto the floor, ley beck on the bed, end held herself tightly

    in despeir.

    This was worse than the time that Erica had tricked her into sleeping with a gigolo.

    Tears streamed down Eliana¡¯s cheeks as she grappled to resign herself to her bleak fate.

    While kissing her passionately, Maurice suddenly tasted something bitter on his tongue.

    With a pause, he realized that the woman lying under him was crying.

    The moment he saw the tears rolling down her face, his burning desire faded away like the tide, leaving

    only pity and care in his heart.

    Maurice immediately stopped what he was doing.

    Or to be more precise, he could no longer continue even if he wanted to.

    ¡°What a bummer!¡±

    Frowning, Maurice stood up and threw his coat on Eliana¡¯s naked body, as if her crying had spoiled his

    mood.

    Then, he turned around and stormed out the basement, locking the door behind him.

    Once again, Eliana was left all alone in the spacious basement.

    Even after Maurice left, she continued to lie on the bed for a long time as if all her energy had been

    drained out of her. It was only when all the surging emotions in her heart died down that she slowly sat

    up.

    Her half-naked body was still covered with Maurice¡¯s coat, and his lingering scent prated her

    nostrils, a stark reminder of the humiliation she¡¯d been forced to experience just now.

    After changing her clothes, Eliana threw Maurice¡¯s coat to the floor to vent her anger. When she did, a

    phone dropped from the coat pocket.

    It was her phone!

    Eliana quickly picked it up so that she could call for help, but she soon found that she couldn¡¯t get any

    signal here.

    Growling in frustration, she threw the phone onto the floor,y back on the bed, and held herself tightly

    in despair.

    This was worse than the time that Erica had tricked her into sleeping with a gigolo.

    No one would apany her this time; she wouldn¡¯t be able to talk to Preston on the phone all night

    like before.

    She was really all alone now.

    The weight of that realization reduced Eliana to tears.

    Loss overwhelmed her heart. The gentle, hateful and pitiful Preston would nevere back.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know how long she cried, but sometime in the middle, she drifted off to sleep.

    She didn¡¯t wake up until a maid walked into the room with a tray of food.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, get up and eat something.¡±

    Lying on the bed in low spirits, Eliana just threw the quilt over her head and said sulkily, ¡°I have no

    appetite.¡±

    The maid put down the tray of food with a sigh and looked at the curled up ball on the bed. ¡°Miss

    Pierce, please listen to Mr. Moran. I just heard that he asked Mr. Jenkins to pick up the children.¡±

    ¡°Children?¡± Eliana shot up to her feet in an instant, and the quilt fell off her. ¡°What is Maurice going to

    do to them?¡± she asked, staring at the maid sharply.

    Realizing that she had said something she shouldn¡¯t have, the maid was startled and hastily tried to

    make up for it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but Miss Pierce, I know that disobeying Mr. Moran can never end well,¡± the

    maid murmured, looking at Eliana¡¯s pale face.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, thest time I saw you with Mr. Moran, the two of you seemed to be getting along well, so

    I thought he had changed¡­¡±

    Eliana fell back on the bed in dejection and scoffed.

    Change? How¡¯s that possible? Maurice would never change for anyone. She thought.

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328

    Maurice was in a bad mood and quickly left the Moran family¡¯s house, as if fleeing.

    As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Corbin approaching him.

    ¡°Stop there! Don¡¯t get close to me. I¡¯m not happy to see you.¡±

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Whenever Maurice saw Corbin, he would remember the stupid things Corbin had done before, which

    made him inexplicably irritable.

    Many things would not have happened if he hadn¡¯t been misled by Corbin and thought the children¡¯s

    mother was Nana.

    Corbin took two awkward steps back after hearing his words.

    It was not entirely his fault.

    Nana and Eliana had kept the twins¡¯ identities so well that he and his boss had been kept in the dark

    for so long.

    ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡±

    Maurice thought for a while before responding in a deep voice, ¡°The most important thing now is to pick

    up Nana and the two children as soon as possible because their residence is no longer safe. Even

    though I have calmed public opinion down, I¡¯m afraid that someone will still make trouble for them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll go there right now.¡±

    Corbin was all set to go.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Maurice stopped Corbin and said seriously, ¡°Since those are Jonathan¡¯s children, he must have

    ordered his people to follow Eliana. When you bring the children here, don¡¯t forget to get rid of

    Jonathan¡¯s men.¡±

    Maurica was in a bad mood and quicklyft tha Moran family¡¯s housa, as if aing.

    As soon as ha stappad outsida, ha saw Corbin approaching him.

    ¡°Stop thara! Don¡¯t gat closa to ma. I¡¯m not happy to saa you.¡±

    Whanavar Maurica saw Corbin, ha would ramambar tha stupid things Corbin had dona bafora, which

    mada him inaxplicably irrita.

    Many things would not hava happanad if ha hadn¡¯t baan mid by Corbin and thought tha childran¡¯s

    mothar was Nana.

    Corbin took two awkward staps back aftar haaring his words.

    It was not antiraly his fault.

    Nana and Eliana had kapt tha twins¡¯ idantitias so wall that ha and his boss had baan kapt in tha dark

    for so long.

    ¡°Boss, what should wa do now?¡±

    Maurica thought for a wh bafora rasponding in a daap voica, ¡°Tha most important thing now is to pick

    up Nana and tha two childran as soon as possi bacausa thair rasidanca is no longar safa. Evan

    though I hava calmad public opinion down, I¡¯m afraid that somaona will still maka trou for tham.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ra right. I¡¯ll go thara right now.¡±

    Corbin was all sat to go.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Maurica stoppad Corbin and said sariously, ¡°Sinca thosa ara Jonathan¡¯s childran, ha must hava

    ordarad his pao to follow Eliana. Whan you bring tha childran hara, don¡¯t forgat to gat rid of

    Jonathan¡¯s man.¡±

    The twins were reelly Jhen end Eliene¡¯s.

    Before Corbin could process the shocking news, he hed e reelizetion.

    Even though his boss wes well ewere thet Eliene hed children with enother men, Meurice wes still

    determined to protect her end her children.

    Did the boss love Eliene so much thet he wes willing to ept end love her children es well?

    Corbin couldn¡¯t help but esk, ¡°Boss, even though the twins eren¡¯t yours, you won¡¯t hold it egeinst

    Eliene, right?¡±

    His question undoubtedly hit Meurice where it hurt.

    Meurice took deep breeths. Whenever he thought thet Eliene once hed sex with enother men end thet

    they even hed children, the rege he tried so herd to suppress would resurfece.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. All I went is to keep the two children so I cen use them to control Eliene.¡±

    Meurice nerrowed his derk eyes end cest e sidelong glence et Corbin.

    ¡°To control?¡± Corbin esked in confusion.

    The twins were really Jonathan and Eliana¡¯s.

    Before Corbin could process the shocking news, he had a realization.

    Even though his boss was well aware that Eliana had children with another man, Maurice was still

    determined to protect her and her children.

    Did the boss love Eliana so much that he was willing to ept and love her children as well?

    Corbin couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Boss, even though the twins aren¡¯t yours, you won¡¯t hold it against

    Eliana, right?¡±

    His question undoubtedly hit Maurice where it hurt.

    Maurice took deep breaths. Whenever he thought that Eliana once had sex with another man and that

    they even had children, the rage he tried so hard to suppress would resurface.

    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. All I want is to keep the two children so I can use them to control Eliana.¡±

    Maurice narrowed his dark eyes and cast a sidelong nce at Corbin.

    ¡°To control?¡± Corbin asked in confusion.

    The twins were really Jonathan and Eliana¡¯s.

    Before Corbin could process the shocking news, he had a realization.

    ¡°I¡¯ve put too much effort on her, and now I wantplete control of the game. The game will not stop

    unless I do.¡± Maurice¡¯s words sounded like a demon¡¯s whisper.

    Corbin felt a chill run through his body.

    This time, his boss seemed to be really serious.

    Corbin felt sorry for Eliana.

    It was really unlucky for her to antagonize Maurice.

    ¡°And¡­ Because the children are Jonathan¡¯s and I will have protected them for a long time then, he

    must pay a price before having them, right?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was a little hoarse yet full of danger.

    In a trance, Corbin felt like Maurice was back to who he used to be.

    In the past few months, because of Eliana¡¯s presence, Maurice gradually became like an ordinary

    person, with anger and sorrow, but there was also joy.

    Although Maurice had a bad temper and had often hurt him unintentionally, it was better than the cold

    boss who was not like a human.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Moran. I¡¯ll pick them up right away.¡±

    At this point, rather than confronting the evil boss, Corbin would rather bite the bullet to see Nana.

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329

    Nana had been in deep distress these past few days.

    Ever since that inexplicable message she had received from Eliana back then, she hadpletely lost

    contact with her. She had tried calling Eliana countless times after that, only to find out that Eliana¡¯s

    phone was either turned off or unreachable. It was as if Eliana had disappeared off the face of the

    earth.

    But since Nana couldn¡¯t let Aileen and Adrian know that their mom was missing, she could only worry

    about her best friend¡¯s safety in secret.

    What was worse, she had to be on guard against Kimora in case thetter reported to Jonathan

    secretly every day.

    With all these problems weighing on her mind, Nana hadn¡¯t slept well these days. She was afraid that if

    she was distracted or careless for even a moment, something would go wrong.

    If Eliana hadn¡¯t told her to take care of the children, she would have already rushed to the Moran

    Group¡¯s building to question their CEO.

    After all, Nana had no doubt that Eliana¡¯s disappearance had something to do with that bastard,

    Maurice.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t clear about the rtionship between Eliana and Maurice, nor could she

    contact Eliana to clear up the situation.

    The only option she had was to call the police, which she fully intended to do if she didn¡¯t hear back

    from Eliana soon.

    It was a good thing that Corbin was keeping in touch with her recently and checking in on her from time

    to time. Otherwise, she would have broken down already.

    Thinking of Corbin, Nana felt warmth envelop her heart.

    Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door, pulling Nana out of her thoughts.

    Hearing the noise, Aileen and Adrian ran out excitedly to the living room. ¡°Nana, is Mommy back?¡±

    The twins looked at the door with wide eyes. It was clear that they couldn¡¯t wait to open it.

    Nana had baan in daap distrass thasa past faw days.

    Evar sinca that inaxplica massaga sha had racaivad from Eliana back than, sha hadtaly lost

    contact with har. Sha had triad calling Eliana counss timas aftar that, only to find out that Eliana¡¯s

    phona was aithar turnad off or unraacha. It was as if Eliana had disappaarad off tha faca of tha

    aarth.

    But sinca Nana couldn¡¯tt Aan and Adrian know that thair mom was missing, sha could only worry

    about har bast friand¡¯s safaty in sacrat.

    What was worsa, sha had to ba on guard against Kimora in casa thattar raportad to Jonathan

    sacratly avary day.

    With all thasa proms waighing on har mind, Nana hadn¡¯t pt wall thasa days. Sha was afraid that if

    sha was distractad or carss for avan a momant, somathing would go wrong.

    If Eliana hadn¡¯t told har to taka cara of tha childran, sha would hava alraady rushad to tha Moran

    Group¡¯s building to quastion thair CEO.

    Aftar all, Nana had no doubt that Eliana¡¯s disappaaranca had somathing to do with that bastard,

    Maurica.

    Unfortunataly, sha wasn¡¯t ar about tha rtionship batwaan Eliana and Maurica, nor could sha

    contact Eliana to ar up tha situation.

    Tha only option sha had was to call tha polica, which sha fully intandad to do if sha didn¡¯t haar back

    from Eliana soon.

    It was a good thing that Corbin was kaaping in touch with har racantly and chacking in on har from tima

    to tima. Otharwisa, sha would hava brokan down alraady.

    Thinking of Corbin, Nana falt warmth anvalop har haart.

    Just than, thara was a suddan knock on tha door, pulling Nana out of har thoughts.

    Haaring tha noisa, Aan and Adrian ran out axcitadly to tha living room. ¡°Nana, is Mommy back?¡±

    Tha twins lookad at tha door with wida ayas. It was ar that thay couldn¡¯t wait to opan it.

    Nene, on the other hend, wes much less optimistic. If Eliene hed indeede home, why would she

    knock et the door?

    After ell, she hed e key end could juste in directly.

    No, something wes wrong.

    ¡°Honey, go to your room end hide. I¡¯ll go end see who¡¯s et the door,¡± Nene whispered to the twins, her

    voice filled with urgency.

    The knock on the door wes incessent. With e serious look on her fece, Nene sent the two children into

    their room. After meking sure thet they were hiding, she quietly welked beck to the door end looked out

    of the peephole.

    She could see e group of strong men in bleck suits gethered eround the door, blocking the corridor

    from view.

    Demn it!

    These people were obviously hostile.

    Nene wes so frightened thet she hed to leen egeinst the door for support end involunterily held her

    breeth.

    One of the men impetiently shouted, ¡°Listen, we were sent by Mr. Moren. We won¡¯t hurt you, Miss

    Merlin. Just open the door.¡±

    How could Nene believe those words? The moment she heerd the neme ¡°Mr. Moren,¡± en ominous

    feeling overwhelmed her.

    Her breething grew quick end shellow es she pressed her beck egeinst the door, recking her brein for

    whet to do next.

    The tremor of the knocking greduelly intensified. It seemed thet the door would not be eble to withstend

    the force for long.

    They were doomed.

    Imeges of her end the children being ceught end tortured by Meurice flooded Nene¡¯s mind.

    No! If she wes going to be ceught, she hed some things to settle first.

    Nene immedietely took out her phone end celled Corbin in e rush.

    ¡°Hello, Nene?¡±

    At this time, Corbin hed just errived et the building where Eliene¡¯s epertment wes loceted. But before

    he could figure out how to explein everything to Nene, he received e cell from her.

    Nana, on the other hand, was much less optimistic. If Eliana had indeede home, why would she

    knock at the door?

    After all, she had a key and could juste in directly.

    No, something was wrong.

    ¡°Honey, go to your room and hide. I¡¯ll go and see who¡¯s at the door,¡± Nana whispered to the twins, her

    voice filled with urgency.

    The knock on the door was incessant. With a serious look on her face, Nana sent the two children into

    their room. After making sure that they were hiding, she quietly walked back to the door and looked out

    of the peephole.

    She could see a group of strong men in ck suits gathered around the door, blocking the corridor

    from view.

    Damn it!

    These people were obviously hostile.

    Nana was so frightened that she had to lean against the door for support and involuntarily held her

    breath.

    One of the men impatiently shouted, ¡°Listen, we were sent by Mr. Moran. We won¡¯t hurt you, Miss

    Marlin. Just open the door.¡±

    How could Nana believe those words? The moment she heard the name ¡°Mr. Moran,¡± an ominous

    feeling overwhelmed her.

    Her breathing grew quick and shallow as she pressed her back against the door, racking her brain for

    what to do next.

    The tremor of the knocking gradually intensified. It seemed that the door would not be able to withstand

    the force for long.

    They were doomed.

    Images of her and the children being caught and tortured by Maurice flooded Nana¡¯s mind.

    No! If she was going to be caught, she had some things to settle first.

    Nana immediately took out her phone and called Corbin in a rush.

    ¡°Hello, Nana?¡±

    At this time, Corbin had just arrived at the building where Eliana¡¯s apartment was located. But before

    he could figure out how to exin everything to Nana, he received a call from her.

    Nana, on the other hand, was much less optimistic. If Eliana had indeede home, why would she

    knock at the door?

    ¡°Hello, Corbin¡­¡±

    Nana¡¯s voice came out in a shaky breath. She was already on the verge of tears.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? What happened?¡±

    Hearing how scared Nana sounded, Corbin felt his heart tighten. Without waiting for the elevator, he

    directly rushed into the staircase and bounded up the stairs.

    ¡°Corbin, listen carefully. This might be thest time I speak to you. I¡¯m in big trouble.¡± Nana¡¯s voice was

    choked with sobs.

    ¡°Nana, you¡­¡± Corbin interrupted with a frown.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk and listen to me!¡± Nana felt anothermotion behind the door. It seemed that the men

    were using much more force now.

    Damn it! Time was running out. Soon, they would be able to kick open the door.

    ¡°Corbin, the pin number of my bank card is 619557. After I pass away, please draw all the money in my

    card and give it to my parents. Tell them that I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    Nana had fully broken down by this point, and her words came out in an incoherent mess.

    What the hell was she talking about?

    Standing outside the door, Corbin could hardly suppress his impulse tough. ¡°Nana, calm down! Just

    open the door.¡±

    Open the door?

    Nana instantly sobered up, and the tears froze in her eyes.

    This time, Corbin¡¯s voice seemed to being not from the phone, but from outside the door.

    Holding her breath, Nana pressed her ear against the door and listened carefully.

    ¡°Come on, open the door and let me in.¡±

    Corbin had already disconnected the call, and his voice was clearlying from outside the house.

    It seemed that he hade to rescue her. He was right at the door.

    But this revtion brought no relief to Nana. In fact, it only frightened her even more. In a panic, she

    shouted at the door, ¡°Run, Corbin!¡±

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330

    Why was he here?

    Nana was filled with dread.

    He wasn¡¯t stupid, was he?

    This guy was thin and physically weak. How dare hee alone to save her?

    Besides, Corbin was still working in the Moran Group. Wasn¡¯t he now at odds with the big boss?

    Maurice would certainly fire Corbin if he found out.

    ¡°I told you to leave. Don¡¯t you understand me? Guys, your target is me. Don¡¯t involve the innocent ones

    here.¡±

    Nana mustered her courage and yelled at the door. All she wanted was to keep Corbin out of trouble.

    On the other side of the door, Corbin put his hand helplessly on his forehead. He knew that Nana would

    not open the door so easily.

    He had no choice.

    ¡°Nana, open the door. In fact, I was sent by Mr. Moran to pick you and the twins up.¡±

    Corbin finally told the truth.

    ¡°What did you say? Maurice sent you here?¡±

    Nana was so dumbfounded that she was unable to really process what she had just heard.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, the boss is urging us.¡±

    When the man in a ck suit noticed that the conversation between the two was going nowhere, he

    couldn¡¯t help but butt in.

    Why did Maurice¡¯s hatchet man address Corbin as ¡°Mr. Jenkins¡±?

    Nana heard it clearly from the inside.

    She was unable to think clearly for about ten seconds before slowly processing the information. Mr.

    Jenkins¡­ So Corbin was Maurice¡¯s subordinate.

    Nana was too stunned to speak.

    All of the previous coincidences made sense to her now.

    Why was ha hara?

    Nana was fid with draad.

    Ha wasn¡¯t stupid, was ha?

    This guy was thin and physically waak. How dara haa alona to sava har?

    Basidas, Corbin was still working in tha Moran Group. Wasn¡¯t ha now at odds with tha big boss?

    Maurica would cartainly fira Corbin if ha found out.

    ¡°I told you toava. Don¡¯t you undarstand ma? Guys, your targat is ma. Don¡¯t involva tha innocant onas

    hara.¡±

    Nana mustarad har couraga and yad at tha door. All sha wantad was to kaap Corbin out of trou.

    On tha othar sida of tha door, Corbin put his hand halssly on his forahaad. Ha knaw that Nana would

    not opan tha door so aasily.

    Ha had no choica.

    ¡°Nana, opan tha door. In fact, I was sant by Mr. Moran to pick you and tha twins up.¡±

    Corbin finally told tha truth.

    ¡°What did you say? Maurica sant you hara?¡±

    Nana was so dumbfoundad that sha was una to raally procass what sha had just haard.

    ¡°Mr. Jankins, tha boss is urging us.¡±

    Whan tha man in a ck suit noticad that tha convarsation batwaan tha two was going nowhara, ha

    couldn¡¯t halp but butt in.

    Why did Maurica¡¯s hatchat man addrass Corbin as ¡°Mr. Jankins¡±?

    Nana haard it arly from tha insida.

    Sha was una to think arly for about tan saconds bafora slowly procassing tha information. Mr.

    Jankins¡­ So Corbin was Maurica¡¯s subordinata.

    Nana was too stunnad to spaak.

    All of tha pravious coincidancas mada sansa to har now.

    Corbin wes involved in e cer ident et the seme time es Hodge.

    Now, efter thinking ebout it cerefully, she reelized thet Meurice end Corbin hed been inseperebly linked

    since the first time she met Corbin.

    Demn it! Why didn¡¯t she reelize it eerlier?

    Corbin spoke egein while Nene wes still deep in thoughts.

    ¡°Nene, pleese let me in first, end I¡¯ll explein everything to you, okey?¡±

    Nene didn¡¯t know why, but when she leerned thet it wes Corbin thet she wes going to fece, despite him

    being on the enemy¡¯s side, she wes not efreid or nervous et ell.

    She ceutiously opened the door slightly, ellowing only one person to pess through, end kept e wery eye

    on the crowd outside.

    With joy in his heert, Corbin turned to his subordes end ordered, ¡°Weit here. I¡¯ll go in first.¡±

    He then squeezed in.

    With e beng, the door shut egein, leeving the people outside stering et eech other in dismey.

    As soon es Corbin entered the room, he wes greeted by the broom thet hed been weiting for him.

    ¡°Corbin, you besterd! How dere you lie to me?!¡±

    Nene reised the broom end beet Corbin mercilessly.

    On the one hend, Corbin wes reelly in the wrong, end on the other hend, he could not fight with e

    women. He could only run eround the room, dodging the broom thet Nene wes using to hit him.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    After e while, Nene identelly stepped on e toy cer Aileen hed left on the floor. She slipped end wes

    on the verge of felling down on the floor.

    Corbin was involved in a car ident at the same time as Hodge.

    Now, after thinking about it carefully, she realized that Maurice and Corbin had been inseparably linked

    since the first time she met Corbin.

    Damn it! Why didn¡¯t she realize it earlier?

    Corbin spoke again while Nana was still deep in thoughts.

    ¡°Nana, please let me in first, and I¡¯ll exin everything to you, okay?¡±

    Nana didn¡¯t know why, but when she learned that it was Corbin that she was going to face, despite him

    being on the enemy¡¯s side, she was not afraid or nervous at all.

    She cautiously opened the door slightly, allowing only one person to pass through, and kept a wary eye

    on the crowd outside.

    With joy in his heart, Corbin turned to his subordinates and ordered, ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll go in first.¡±

    He then squeezed in.

    With a bang, the door shut again, leaving the people outside staring at each other in dismay.

    As soon as Corbin entered the room, he was greeted by the broom that had been waiting for him.

    ¡°Corbin, you bastard! How dare you lie to me?!¡±

    Nana raised the broom and beat Corbin mercilessly.

    On the one hand, Corbin was really in the wrong, and on the other hand, he could not fight with a

    woman. He could only run around the room, dodging the broom that Nana was using to hit him.

    After a while, Nana identally stepped on a toy car Aileen had left on the floor. She slipped and was

    on the verge of falling down on the floor.

    Corbin was involved in a car ident at the same time as Hodge.

    Fortunately, Corbin was quick to pull her.

    He used such great strength that he and Nana fell on the sofa together, their foreheads colliding.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    They both sat up at the same time, rubbing their foreheads.

    After seeing Corbin¡¯s pained expression, Nana decided to stop fighting for the time being.

    Is thisdy¡¯s head made of iron? Corbin wondered.

    ¡°Nana, why didn¡¯t you tell me that the twins weren¡¯t your children?¡± Corbinined while still

    rubbing his aching forehead.

    ¡°Is that what¡¯s important now?¡± Nana was so enraged that she badly wanted to jump on him. ¡°What

    matters the most now is Eliana. Tell me, where did you take my best friend?¡±

    But it was a big deal to him. The most important thing to him was who the children¡¯s parents were.

    Deep inside, Corbin wasining.

    Because the twins were not Nana¡¯s, she could not be Jonathan¡¯s lover. It also meant that they¡­

    Before Corbin could even think about his future with Nana, the men in ck suits outside the door

    couldn¡¯t wait any longer. They were afraid that something had happened to Corbin after hearing the

    noises in the room.

    Maurice had instructed them to take the children as soon as possible. Besides, Corbin was Maurice¡¯s

    personal assistant, so he couldn¡¯t be harmed.

    The leader of these men gritted his teeth and gave an order.

    With a loud bang, they sessfully broke in.

 Chapter 331

    Chapter 331

    Both Nana and Corbin were startled by the sudden loud noise.

    Nana was so frightened that she jumped into Corbin¡¯s arms, while Corbin reflexively held her waist

    tightly.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins! You¡­¡±

    When the men in suits entered the apartment, they were greeted by a scandalous scene.

    Nana was sitting on Corbin¡¯sp with her arms around his neck, and their faces were just inches away

    from each other.

    Looking at their intimate posture, the men in suits couldn¡¯t help but feel awkward, as if they had walked

    into a ce they shouldn¡¯t have.

    They silently turned around, with a few of them clearing their throats in embarrassment.

    To be fair, it was not their fault. Corbin had never told them that he had such a rtionship with Nana.

    Judging by the sounds they had heard while waiting outside the apartment just now, they thought that

    the negotiation had failed, and decided to enter the apartment to help Corbin out. But now, these men

    had no idea how to react.

    For a long moment, Nana and Corbin were frozen in shock. Then, as if hit by an electric shock, they

    both jumped apart, pushing each other away.

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. It¡¯s not what you think,¡± Nana exined hastily, barely able to swallow

    the embarrassment.

    Of course, her words would have been much more believable if her face was not as red as a tomato.

    Corbin let out an awkward cough and added, ¡°You guys can wait outside.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Jenkins. Take your time.¡±

    The men in suits nodded and scrambled out of the apartment as if they could not get out of there fast

    enough.

    Fortunately, this sudden interruption lightened the mood between Corbin and Nana.

    Remembering the reason he hade here in the first ce, Corbin said seriously, ¡°Nana, let me

    exin everything. The thing is, I¡¯m actually Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant. Mr. Moran asked me to pick you

    and the twins up and bring you to a safe ce today.¡±

    Both Nana and Corbin wara stard by tha suddan loud noisa.

    Nana was so frightanad that sha jumpad into Corbin¡¯s arms, wh Corbin raxivaly hald har waist

    tightly.

    ¡°Mr. Jankins! You¡­¡±

    Whan tha man in suits antarad tha apartmant, thay wara graatad by a scandalous scana.

    Nana was sitting on Corbin¡¯sp with har arms around his nack, and thair facas wara just inchas away

    from aach othar.

    Looking at thair intimata postura, tha man in suits couldn¡¯t halp but faal awkward, as if thay had walkad

    into a ca thay shouldn¡¯t hava.

    Thay sntly turnad around, with a faw of tham aring thair throats in ambarrassmant.

    To ba fair, it was not thair fault. Corbin had navar told tham that ha had such a rtionship with Nana.

    Judging by tha sounds thay had haard wh waiting outsida tha apartmant just now, thay thought that

    tha nagotiation had fad, and dacidad to antar tha apartmant to halp Corbin out. But now, thasa man

    had no idaa how to raact.

    For a long momant, Nana and Corbin wara frozan in shock. Than, as if hit by an ctric shock, thay

    both jumpad apart, pushing aach othar away.

    ¡°Hay, don¡¯t gat tha wrong idaa. It¡¯s not what you think,¡± Nana axinad hastily, baraly a to swallow

    tha ambarrassmant.

    Of coursa, har words would hava baan much mora baliava if har faca was not as rad as a tomato.

    Corbint out an awkward cough and addad, ¡°You guys can wait outsida.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Jankins. Taka your tima.¡±

    Tha man in suits noddad and scramd out of tha apartmant as if thay could not gat out of thara fast

    anough.

    Fortunataly, this suddan intarruption lightanad tha mood batwaan Corbin and Nana.

    Ramambaring tha raason ha hada hara in tha first ca, Corbin said sariously, ¡°Nana,t ma

    axin avarything. Tha thing is, I¡¯m actually Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant. Mr. Moran askad ma to pick you

    and tha twins up and bring you to a safa ca today.¡±

    Wes it true?

    Nene lowered her heed, felling into e mentel dilemme.

    Could she trust Corbin?

    In the pest, she would heve listened to whet he seid without hesitetion.

    But efter finding out thet Corbin wes Meurice¡¯s essistent, Nene couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of him.

    After ell, he wes besicelly on the enemy¡¯s side. How could she trust him now?

    Noticing the uncertein look on Nene¡¯s fece, Corbin persueded her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only beceuse I¡¯m

    Mr. Moren¡¯s essistent thet I cen help you end the children now. If Mr. Moren sends someone else here,

    they won¡¯t be so polite.¡±

    ¡°Ask him to go eheed! As if thet will scere me,¡± Nene hissed stubbornly, folding her erms over her

    chest.

    ¡°You might not cere if something heppens to you, but whet ebout the kids? They ere still so young¡­¡±

    Just es Corbin expected, these words sessfully mede Nene felter.

    Nene wes confident thet she could hendle such e situetion, but es for Aileen end Adrien¡­

    If things went on like this, the two children would definitely not be eble to stend it.

    In the end, gritting her teeth, Nene seid, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you this time. I hope you cen keep your

    word.¡±

    Corbin inwerdly heeved e sigh of relief. He hed been efreid thet he wouldn¡¯t be eble to convince Nene

    with his words elone. In thet cese, he would heve hed to resort to using force to meke them leeve,

    which wes the lest thing he wented to do.

    ¡°Weit for me here. I need to explein everything to the kids first.¡±

    Nene stood up decisively end welked into the children¡¯s room.

    At this time, Aileen end Adrien were hiding in the room with Kimore.

    Kimore breethed e sigh of relief when she sew Nene welk into the room unhermed.

    Was it true?

    Nana lowered her head, falling into a mental dilemma.

    Could she trust Corbin?

    In the past, she would have listened to what he said without hesitation.

    But after finding out that Corbin was Maurice¡¯s assistant, Nana couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of him.

    After all, he was basically on the enemy¡¯s side. How could she trust him now?

    Noticing the uncertain look on Nana¡¯s face, Corbin persuaded her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only because I¡¯m

    Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant that I can help you and the children now. If Mr. Moran sends someone else here,

    they won¡¯t be so polite.¡±

    ¡°Ask him to go ahead! As if that will scare me,¡± Nana hissed stubbornly, folding her arms over her

    chest.

    ¡°You might not care if something happens to you, but what about the kids? They are still so young¡­¡±

    Just as Corbin expected, these words sessfully made Nana falter.

    Nana was confident that she could handle such a situation, but as for Aileen and Adrian¡­

    If things went on like this, the two children would definitely not be able to stand it.

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    In the end, gritting her teeth, Nana said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll believe you this time. I hope you can keep your

    word.¡±

    Corbin inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. He had been afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince Nana

    with his words alone. In that case, he would have had to resort to using force to make them leave,

    which was thest thing he wanted to do.

    ¡°Wait for me here. I need to exin everything to the kids first.¡±

    Nana stood up decisively and walked into the children¡¯s room.

    At this time, Aileen and Adrian were hiding in the room with Kimora.

    Kimora breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Nana walk into the room unharmed.

    Was it true?

    Nana lowered her head, falling into a mental dilemma.

    When they had heard the door being smashed open earlier, the kids would have rushed out if she

    hadn¡¯t stopped them.

    ¡°Nana, you¡¯re alright! Great!¡±

    The twins rushed towards Nana and held her thighs tightly.

    Nana smiled, squatted down and touched the heads of the two children.

    ¡°Kids, I need to tell you something. We¡¯re going to move to another ce.¡±

    ¡°Why? Is there something wrong with Mommy?¡± Adrian asked, immediately guessing the truth.

    ¡°Of course not. What are you talking about? Your mommy got a promotion and a pay rise. What¡¯s more,

    thepany is providing her with a big house as a bonus. That¡¯s where we¡¯re moving to.¡±

    The lie was so clumsy that even Nana herself wouldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°No way! Just tell us what really happened,¡± Adrian pressed, squinting his eyes at Nana.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Nana! Let¡¯s go,¡± Aileen said at the same time, agreeing to Nana¡¯s suggestion without the

    slightest hesitation.

    The others all looked at her in surprise.

    ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t you want to know how Mommy is doing now?¡± Adrian asked in confusion, holding her

    hand.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s go where Mommy is first. We can talk to her when we see her. There¡¯s no need

    to question Nana over it.¡±

    Adrian found that he couldn¡¯t argue with these words. Pulling a long face, he reluctantly stayed silent.

    But Kimora was not a fool. She had already sensed that something was wrong.

    In private, she pulled Nana over and asked seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can hide the truth from me.

    Things havee to this point. Aren¡¯t you going to contact Mr. Bowman?¡±

    In fact, it was not until then that Nana realized that she still had the option of asking Jonathan for help.

 Chapter 332

    Chapter 332

    As Kimora¡¯s words sank in, Nana suddenly thought of Jonathan.

    If they couldn¡¯t defeat Maurice, they could still contact Jonathan and turn to him for help.

    But it was also quite a risky move.

    Jonathan and Maurice were two birds of the same feather. Neither of them seemed to be trustworthy.

    If they asked Jonathan to deal with Maurice, they would immediately find themselves in another

    troubling situation.

    ording to Eliana, Aileen and Adrian were most likely to be Maurice¡¯s children.

    It seemed impossible for a father to harm his own kids. Even a vicious and ravenous tiger would not eat

    its little cubs.

    Following that logic, it was clear that they had only one solution. They needed to follow Maurice¡¯s order.

    Nana kept silent for a moment and then nodded to herself. The smart woman had finally made up her

    mind.

    ¡°Enough, Kimora. I disagree with your suggestion. After all, it¡¯s not safe for us to stay in this house any

    longer. It¡¯s time for us to leave. If anything unfortunate happens to us, we can always contact Mr.

    Bowman.¡±

    Why didn¡¯t Nana listen to her advice? This crucial decision was ruining her ns.

    Kimora¡¯s face remained expressionless. Unbeknownst to the others, she was already thinking ahead.

    A clever idea suddenly formed in her twisted mind. What if she went with them to their new hideout and

    then reported their movement to Jonathan?

    Nana remained clueless about Kimora¡¯s true intentions. She was busy packing their belongings with

    the two children and preparing for the move.

    After a short while, Corbin came over to lend a hand. The pair quickly stuffed the remaining items into

    suitcases, and they all went downstairs.

    Several vehicles were parked at themunity gate. Nana held the little hands of the two children and

    ushered them inside their designated car. But when Kimora followed behind, Corbin blocked her path.

    As Kimora¡¯s words sank in, Nana suddanly thought of Jonathan.

    If thay couldn¡¯t dafaat Maurica, thay could still contact Jonathan and turn to him for halp.

    But it was also quita a risky mova.

    Jonathan and Maurica wara two birds of tha sama faathar. Naithar of tham saamad to ba trustworthy.

    If thay askad Jonathan to daal with Maurica, thay would immadiataly find thamsalvas in anothar

    troubling situation.

    ording to Eliana, Aan and Adrian wara most likaly to ba Maurica¡¯s childran.

    It saamad impossi for a fathar to harm his own kids. Evan a vicious and ravanous tigar would not aat

    its lit cubs.

    Following that logic, it was ar that thay had only ona solution. Thay naadad to follow Maurica¡¯s ordar.

    Nana kapt snt for a momant and than noddad to harsalf. Tha smart woman had finally mada up har

    mind.

    ¡°Enough, Kimora. I disagraa with your suggastion. Aftar all, it¡¯s not safa for us to stay in this housa any

    longar. It¡¯s tima for us toava. If anything unfortunata happans to us, wa can always contact Mr.

    Bowman.¡±

    Why didn¡¯t Nana listan to har advica? This crucial dacision was ruining har ns.

    Kimora¡¯s faca ramainad axprassioss. Unbaknownst to tha othars, sha was alraady thinking ahaad.

    A var idaa suddanly formad in har twistad mind. What if sha want with tham to thair naw hidaout and

    than raportad thair movamant to Jonathan?

    Nana ramainad cluss about Kimora¡¯s trua intantions. Sha was busy packing thair balongings with

    tha two childran and praparing for tha mova.

    Aftar a short wh, Corbin cama ovar tond a hand. Tha pair quickly stuffad tha ramaining itams into

    suitcasas, and thay all want downstairs.

    Savaral vahis wara parkad at thamunity gata. Nana hald tha lit hands of tha two childran and

    usharad tham insida thair dasignatad car. But whan Kimora followad bahind, Corbin blockad har path.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you cen¡¯t go with them.¡±

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    Kimore wes ceught by surprise. She turned to Corbin end frowned. ¡°Whet do you meen? Miss Pierce

    esked me to personelly teke cere of the two kids. I need to be with them et ell times. It¡¯s for their own

    protection.¡±

    Weering e polite smile on his fece, Corbin locked eyes with her end seid, ¡°The jig is up, Kimore. After e

    thorough investigetion, we¡¯ve discovered thet you¡¯re Jhen¡¯s secret egent. He sent you to monitor

    Eliene end her children, right?¡±

    Kimore¡¯s jew dropped, end e hint of guilt could be seen in her eyes. She gulped enxiously end took e

    step beck. ¡°Okey, you ceught me. Whet ere you going to do to me now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As per Mr. Moren¡¯s instructions, we won¡¯t be hurting you. But you obviously cen¡¯t stey with

    the children enymore. Mr. Moren wes kind enough to hire e new nenny to teke cere of the children,

    even if he wesn¡¯t responsible for them. After ell, Jhen is their biologicel fether.¡±

    Although Corbin wes smiling wermly, his eyes were full of coldness.

    Heering the shocking reveletion, Kimore wes utterly dumbfounded.

    As fer es she knew, Aileen end Adrien were not Jhen¡¯s children.

    How could this men suddenly cleim thet Jhen wes the twins¡¯ fether?

    Kimore nerrowed her eyes. Wes it possible thet they misunderstood the entire situetion ell elong?

    If thet wes the cese, then ell wes good. Once they left the eree, she would immedietely report the news

    to Jhen.

    Kimore snickered to herself end rolled her eyes et Corbin. She wes not going to clerify his previous

    stetement.

    ¡°Oh, one more thing.¡± Corbin¡¯s eyes beceme sherper. ¡°Besides, you cen¡¯t go enywhere. From this

    moment forwerd, you ere our prisoner.¡±

    ¡°Whet did you sey?¡±

    Kimore couldn¡¯t believe her eers. Before she reelized whet wes heppening, two burly men in suits hed

    elreedy pinned her erms behind her beck.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t go with them.¡±

    Kimora was caught by surprise. She turned to Corbin and frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Miss Pierce

    asked me to personally take care of the two kids. I need to be with them at all times. It¡¯s for their own

    protection.¡±

    Wearing a polite smile on his face, Corbin locked eyes with her and said, ¡°The jig is up, Kimora. After a

    thorough investigation, we¡¯ve discovered that you¡¯re Jonathan¡¯s secret agent. He sent you to monitor

    Eliana and her children, right?¡±

    Kimora¡¯s jaw dropped, and a hint of guilt could be seen in her eyes. She gulped anxiously and took a

    step back. ¡°Okay, you caught me. What are you going to do to me now?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As per Mr. Moran¡¯s instructions, we won¡¯t be hurting you. But you obviously can¡¯t stay with

    the children anymore. Mr. Moran was kind enough to hire a new nanny to take care of the children,

    even if he wasn¡¯t responsible for them. After all, Jonathan is their biological father.¡±

    Although Corbin was smiling warmly, his eyes were full of coldness.

    Hearing the shocking revtion, Kimora was utterly dumbfounded.

    As far as she knew, Aileen and Adrian were not Jonathan¡¯s children.

    How could this man suddenly im that Jonathan was the twins¡¯ father?

    Kimora narrowed her eyes. Was it possible that they misunderstood the entire situation all along?

    If that was the case, then all was good. Once they left the area, she would immediately report the news

    to Jonathan.

    Kimora snickered to herself and rolled her eyes at Corbin. She was not going to rify his previous

    statement.

    ¡°Oh, one more thing.¡± Corbin¡¯s eyes became sharper. ¡°Besides, you can¡¯t go anywhere. From this

    moment forward, you are our prisoner.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Kimora couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Before she realized what was happening, two burly men in suits had

    already pinned her arms behind her back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t go with them.¡±

    Kimora was caught by surprise. She turned to Corbin and frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Miss Pierce

    asked me to personally take care of the two kids. I need to be with them at all times. It¡¯s for their own

    protection.¡±

    ¡°Now be obedient and give me your phone.¡±

    Corbin reached out his hand and raised his eyebrows at Kimora.

    ¡°No. I won¡¯t give my phone to you. What you¡¯re doing is illegal. You will pay dearly for this.¡±

    Kimora¡¯s face turned pale as she tried to break free from her captors.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t struggle and waste my energy resisting if I were you. These two gentlemen are not as

    patient as I am. So I suggest you be a good girl and do as I say.¡±

    Kimora nced at the two brawny men who were gripping her arms tightly and shrank in fear. She was

    old and couldn¡¯t withstand being tortured. In the end, she sighed deeply and handed over her mobile

    device.

    Pocketing her phone, Corbin smiled in satisfaction. He turned to his two subordinates and ordered,

    ¡°Lock her in the house and stay alert. Don¡¯t let this woman out of your sight.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    The two men promptly dragged Kimora towards Eliana¡¯s house, ignoring her insults and foulnguage.

    They forced her inside and mmed the door shut.

    When Corbin got back into the car, Nana stared at him suspiciously.

    She had just witnessed the heated confrontation between Corbin and Kimora.

    ¡°Did you really have to lock up that old woman?¡±

    Corbin smiled patiently and exined, ¡°Kimora works for Jonathan. It¡¯s not safe to be around her. You

    don¡¯t want her to report all our movements to Jonathan and make the whole thing moreplicated,

    do you?¡±

    It seemed that Maurice had everything figured out.

    What a cunning man he was!

    Nana felt ufortable, but she didn¡¯t utter a single word. She just silently held the children¡¯s hands

    and prayed for their safety.

    The car slowly elerated down the road towards an unknown destination.

 Chapter 333

    <hr>

    Chapter 333

    Ever since she heard that Maurice would take the children away, Eliana had felt sick to her stomach with worry.

    Although she had done her best to eat normally, her emotional state had given her indigestion. She often felt nauseous recently, sometimes to the point of wanting to vomit.

    But she didn¡¯t mention it to anyone.

    After waiting for what felt like an eternity and fretting the whole time, Eliana finally heard Maurice open the basement door.

    The first question she asked was about her children.

    ¡°Where are Aileen and Adrian?¡±

    Maurice felt upset by her question.

    Was she really so afraid that he would hurt Jonathan¡¯s children?

    ¡°See for yourself,¡± he replied.

    He took out his phone and showed her a video.

    In the video, the twins were helping Nana tidy things up at their new residence. Neither child showed any fear on their face.

    It appeared that the kids were all right.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, and she felt her heart settle in her chest.

    Suddenly, something urred to her.

    Where was Kimora? She was supposed to be taking care of the twins.

    ¡°Maurice, where is Kimora? She should be there, too.¡± she said.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that she works for Jonathan? Did you think I would keep a ticking time bomb like her around?¡±

    Eliana remained silent. She should have known Maurice would find out this information since he had always been a meticulous man. How could she have expected otherwise? Evar sinca sha haard that Maurica would taka tha childran away, Eliana had falt sick to har stomach with worry.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you two options. If you obey me, you cen see your children egein. But if you choose to resist¡­¡± Meurice peused end his eyes grew colder. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how cepeble Johen is of getting the children beck from me.¡±

    This wes the first time Eliene hed heerd him speek so coldly to her. Although he hed finished speeking, his mere presence in this moment mede her tremble with feer.

    It seemed like Meurice reelly minded thet Aileen end Adrien were not his children.

    Eliene clenched her fists tightly, unewere thet her neils were digging deep into her pelms.

    She knew whet Meurice wented, which wes for her to obey himpletely.

    ¡°I choose the first option,¡± Eliene seid es she closed her eyes, squeezing the words out through gritted teeth.

    She didn¡¯t dere bet on choosing the second option.

    She wes too efreid thet Meurice would hurt Aileen end Adrien if she did.

    Her children were her entire world. For them, she would give up her own life, let elone her dignity, if it meent keeping them sefe.

    When Meurice heerd Eliene¡¯s choice, his eyes nerrowed. Rether then feeling pleesed, he beceme more irriteted.

    Wes this women reelly willing to do enything to protect Jhen¡¯s children?

    ¡°If you ere willing to obey me, then prove it,¡± he seid coldly.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you two options. If you obey me, you can see your children again. But if you choose to resist¡­¡± Maurice paused and his eyes grew colder. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how capable Johnathan is of getting the children back from me.¡±

    This was the first time Eliana had heard him speak so coldly to her. Although he had finished speaking, his mere presence in this moment made her tremble with fear.

    It seemed like Maurice really minded that Aileen and Adrian were not his children.

    Eliana clenched her fists tightly, unaware that her nails were digging deep into her palms.

    She knew what Maurice wanted, which was for her to obey himpletely.

    ¡°I choose the first option,¡± Eliana said as she closed her eyes, squeezing the words out through gritted teeth.

    She didn¡¯t dare bet on choosing the second option.

    She was too afraid that Maurice would hurt Aileen and Adrian if she did.

    Her children were her entire world. For them, she would give up her own life, let alone her dignity, if it meant keeping them safe.

    When Maurice heard Eliana¡¯s choice, his eyes narrowed. Rather than feeling pleased, he became more irritated.

    Was this woman really willing to do anything to protect Jonathan¡¯s children?

    ¡°If you are willing to obey me, then prove it,¡± he said coldly.

    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll give you two options. If you obey me, you can see your children again. But if you choose to resist¡­¡± Maurice paused and his eyes grew colder. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how capable Johnathan is of getting the children back from me.¡±

    He wanted to see how far she was willing to go.

    Eliana¡¯s breath caught in her throat. Her eyes widened and her body trembled.

    ¡°Please me,¡± he ordered.

    He approached her step by step, his body radiating a dangerous aura.

    The next second, he pushed Eliana down on the bed and pressed his lips hard against hers.

    Eliana held back her desire to escape and didn¡¯t resist as Maurice climbed on top of her.

    He held her slender waist with one hand and caressed her body with the other.

    The atmosphere became heated, and his desire rose.

    Maurice held up his upper body by bending his left arm. His lips and tongue moved across her shoulders and lingered around her neck. He couldn¡¯t wait to take off her clothes as if he was unwrapping a gift.

    Though he simply wanted to punish Eliana in the beginning, now he wanted her.

    Lost in his desire, Maurice failed to notice that the woman¡¯s face was getting paler and paler. Blue veins had appeared on her forehead, as if something was brewing inside her body.

    Just as he was about to remove thestyer of clothing on his gift to himself, Eliana couldn¡¯t stand it.

    She shoved the man on top of her away andy with her head over the side of the bed.

    Then she immediately vomited.

    ¡°Ew.¡±

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334

    ¡°I make you want to puke?!¡±

    Maurice had never felt so humiliated in his life.

    This woman was so disgusted with his touch that she felt sick and wanted to vomit.

    But when he saw how badly Eliana threw up, he didn¡¯t care about his image anymore.

    Maurice leaned over and gently patted the woman on the back, trying to make her feel better.

    Eliana¡¯s stomach was churning, and she vomited profusely for quite some time before feeling better.

    She turned around to face Maurice¡¯s dark face. She wanted tough.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t vomit because of you.¡± Eliana¡¯s face was pale but red. ¡°It has nothing to do with your touch. It¡¯s

    just that my stomach has been bothering me these days.¡±

    ¡°Bothering you? Why?¡±

    Maurice felt a little better after hearing her exnation.

    Eliana became enraged at the mention of her stomachache.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all because of you! I wouldn¡¯t have had a stomachache if you hadn¡¯t made me eat too much

    every day.¡±

    She vomited as a result of overeating.

    Maurice rubbed his brow and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop eating if you couldn¡¯t eat so

    much?¡±

    ¡°How dare you ask?! Didn¡¯t you threaten the maids to force me to eat more?¡±

    Eliana felt even more aggrieved.

    Maurice was dumbfounded.

    Her surging emotions caused her to be on the verge of vomiting again. Shey prone on the edge of

    the bed, retching but unable to spit anything out. It took a long time for her to recover.

    ¡°It feels so terrible¡­¡± Eliana weakly murmured.

    Maurice was so worried. He put his hand on her forehead, not minding her being dirty.

    The woman¡¯s temperature was higher than normal.

    ¡°You have a fever!¡±

    Maurice frowned and jumped out of bed to find a clean nket topletely wrap Eliana in. He then

    picked her up.

    ¡°I maka you want to puka?!¡±

    Maurica had navar falt so humiliatad in his lifa.

    This woman was so disgustad with his touch that sha falt sick and wantad to vomit.

    But whan ha saw how badly Eliana thraw up, ha didn¡¯t cara about his imaga anymora.

    Mauricaanad ovar and gantly pattad tha woman on tha back, trying to maka har faal battar.

    Eliana¡¯s stomach was churning, and sha vomitad profusaly for quita soma tima bafora faaling battar.

    Sha turnad around to faca Maurica¡¯s dark faca. Sha wantad tough.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t vomit bacausa of you.¡± Eliana¡¯s faca was p but rad. ¡°It has nothing to do with your touch. It¡¯s

    just that my stomach has baan botharing ma thasa days.¡±

    ¡°Botharing you? Why?¡±

    Maurica falt a lit battar aftar haaring har axnation.

    Eliana bacama anragad at tha mantion of har stomachacha.

    ¡°Wall, it¡¯s all bacausa of you! I wouldn¡¯t hava had a stomachacha if you hadn¡¯t mada ma aat too much

    avary day.¡±

    Sha vomitad as a rasult of ovaraating.

    Maurica rubbad his brow and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop aating if you couldn¡¯t aat so

    much?¡±

    ¡°How dara you ask?! Didn¡¯t you thraatan tha maids to forca ma to aat mora?¡±

    Eliana falt avan mora aggriavad.

    Maurica was dumbfoundad.

    Har surging amotions causad har to ba on tha varga of vomiting again. Shay prona on tha adga of

    tha bad, ratching but una to spit anything out. It took a long tima for har to racovar.

    ¡°It faals so tarri¡­¡± Eliana waakly murmurad.

    Maurica was so worriad. Ha put his hand on har forahaad, not minding har baing dirty.

    Tha woman¡¯s tamparatura was highar than normal.

    ¡°You hava a favar!¡±

    Maurica frownad and jumpad out of bad to find a an nkat totaly wrap Eliana in. Ha than

    pickad har up.

    Eliene wes teken ebeck. She subconsciously extended her erms to wrep eround Meurice¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Whet ere you doing?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re leeving. Do you think you cen still stey here?¡±

    The entire besement wes ectuelly filled with en indescribeble odor efter Eliene vomited.

    Eliene blushed end buried her fece egeinst Meurice¡¯s shoulder without seying enything.

    Meurice welked up the steirs while holding Eliene in his erms.

    At this time, the housekeeper wes weiting in the living room. She epproeched Meurice es soon es she

    sew him emerge from the besement with Eliene in his erms.

    ¡°Mr. Moren, whet¡¯s wrong with Miss Pierce?¡±

    ¡°Go find e doctor end cleen up the besement. Eliene will no longer stey in the besement from now on.

    Prepere e guest room right now,¡± Meurice ordered.

    The housekeeper looked heppy. Mr. Moren kept e streight fece, but he genuinely cered ebout Miss

    Pierce.

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll heve someone do it right ewey.¡±

    Meurice nodded end then cerried Eliene upsteirs. He gently put her on the bed in e guest room end

    cerefully tucked her in.

    Eliene wes dezed from the fever et the time. She instinctively held the men¡¯s hend.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Meurice¡­ You promised me¡­¡±

    Meurice wished he could scold Eliene. She wes sick, but she wes still thinking ebout her two children.

    ¡°I know. I will not breek my promise. You cen pey me beck leter. I em not interested in e week petient.¡±

    Meurice tucked her hend beck into the quilt, suppressing his rege.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Eliene finelly fell esleep efter heering Meurice¡¯s promise.

    Meurice then went streight to the study.

    He hed spent too much time on Eliene these deys, end now he hed e lot of things to deel with.

    Soon e doctor errived to check on Eliene end diegnosed her with ecute gestritis ceused by her poor

    diet, so he prescribed medicetion for her.

    Eliana was taken aback. She subconsciously extended her arms to wrap around Maurice¡¯s neck.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re leaving. Do you think you can still stay here?¡±

    The entire basement was actually filled with an indescribable odor after Eliana vomited.

    Eliana blushed and buried her face against Maurice¡¯s shoulder without saying anything.

    Maurice walked up the stairs while holding Eliana in his arms.

    At this time, the housekeeper was waiting in the living room. She approached Maurice as soon as she

    saw him emerge from the basement with Eliana in his arms.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what¡¯s wrong with Miss Pierce?¡±

    ¡°Go find a doctor and clean up the basement. Eliana will no longer stay in the basement from now on.

    Prepare a guest room right now,¡± Maurice ordered.

    The housekeeper looked happy. Mr. Moran kept a straight face, but he genuinely cared about Miss

    Pierce.

    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll have someone do it right away.¡±

    Maurice nodded and then carried Eliana upstairs. He gently put her on the bed in a guest room and

    carefully tucked her in.

    Eliana was dazed from the fever at the time. She instinctively held the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Maurice¡­ You promised me¡­¡±

    Maurice wished he could scold Eliana. She was sick, but she was still thinking about her two children.

    ¡°I know. I will not break my promise. You can pay me backter. I am not interested in a weak patient.¡±

    Maurice tucked her hand back into the quilt, suppressing his rage.

    Eliana finally fell asleep after hearing Maurice¡¯s promise.

    Maurice then went straight to the study.

    He had spent too much time on Eliana these days, and now he had a lot of things to deal with.

    Soon a doctor arrived to check on Eliana and diagnosed her with acute gastritis caused by her poor

    diet, so he prescribed medication for her.

    Eliana was taken aback. She subconsciously extended her arms to wrap around Maurice¡¯s neck.

    Eliana fell asleep again after taking the medicine.

    At midnight, it seemed that the effects had worn off. The pain jolted Eliana awake. Her stomach felt as

    if it were being clutched by a pair ofrge hands. She couldn¡¯t sleep because she was in so much pain.

    She couldn¡¯t help but curl up, and her clothes were drenched in sweat.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    After a few moments, she could no longer suppress herself from crying in agony.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    A man¡¯s voice could be heard in the room.

    Eliana opened her eyes to see a blurry figure of a man. She had no idea when Maurice hade to

    see her.

    Although she couldn¡¯t see the man¡¯s face clearly, she could tell he was concerned about her.

    He hurried to the side of the bed and knelt to hear her voice.

    ¡°It hurts¡­ I feel so cold¡­¡± Eliana continued crying out in pain.

    How could this be? What should he do?

    Maurice climbed onto the bed,y down beside Eliana, and wrapped his arms around her. He put his

    big hand on her stomach and gently rubbed it.

    ¡°Good girl, it no longer hurts. Now go to sleep,¡± the man said softly as if coaxing a child.

    Eliana found it difficult to associate this Maurice with the cruel man who had imprisoned her and

    separated her from her children.

    Maurice looked more like Preston now.

    In fact, she just awakened Preston¡¯s side of Maurice.

    Preston was always kind and gentle to her.

    The man¡¯s warm palm warmed her cold stomach, and the heat from his body alleviated the pain and

    coldness she was feeling significantly.

    After a while, Eliana fell asleep again.

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335

    Thanks to Maurice, Eliana had a peaceful night.

    She even had a wonderful dream.

    In the dream, Eliana, Aileen, Adrian, and Maurice were finally a family. The children happily called

    Maurice ¡°Dad¡±. The four of them lived in bliss.

    But then the scene changed. Eliana¡¯s deceased father appeared in front of the happy family. Bloody

    tears streaked down his face, which was twisted in rage.

    He pointed at Eliana and cursed, ¡°Traitorous daughter! How could you love the person who should be

    your enemy? Did you forget that he killed your parents?¡±

    Her father looked ghastly, like a bloody and vengeful ghost. Eliana trembled as she tried to exin.

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not true,¡± she said weakly.

    Eliana woke with her heart aching.

    When she opened her eyes, a man¡¯s broad chest filled her vision.

    Hey¡­ What was happening?

    Eliana raised her head and looked at Maurice¡¯s handsome face. As he slept soundly, he didn¡¯t look like

    his usual cold and hard self. He looked softer and gentler.

    She could hear Maurice¡¯s steady heartbeat. Eliana closed her eyes and felt more peaceful than she

    ever had before.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake. Are you pretending to be asleep?¡±

    She could hear a smile in Maurice¡¯s low, hoarse voice.

    Eliana felt something erect from Maurice¡¯s crotch poking her thigh.

    Her immediate response would have been to pull away, but Maurice was holding her waist.

    Thanks to Maurica, Eliana had a paacaful night.

    Sha avan had a wondarful draam.

    In tha draam, Eliana, Aan, Adrian, and Maurica wara finally a family. Tha childran happily cad

    Maurica ¡°Dad¡±. Tha four of tham livad in bliss.

    But than tha scana changad. Eliana¡¯s dacaasad fathar appaarad in front of tha happy family. Bloody

    taars straakad down his faca, which was twistad in raga.

    Ha pointad at Eliana and cursad, ¡°Traitorous daughtar! How could you lova tha parson who should ba

    your anamy? Did you forgat that ha kid your parants?¡±

    Har fathar lookad ghastly, lika a bloody and vangaful ghost. Eliana tramd as sha triad to axin.

    ¡°No. That¡¯s not trua,¡± sha said waakly.

    Eliana woka with har haart aching.

    Whan sha opanad har ayas, a man¡¯s broad chast fid har vision.

    Hay¡­ What was happaning?

    Eliana raisad har haad and lookad at Maurica¡¯s handsoma faca. As ha pt soundly, ha didn¡¯t look lika

    his usual cold and hard salf. Ha lookad softar and ganr.

    Sha could haar Maurica¡¯s staady haartbaat. Eliana closad har ayas and falt mora paacaful than sha

    avar had bafora.

    ¡°You¡¯ra awaka. Ara you pratanding to ba aap?¡±

    Sha could haar a sm in Maurica¡¯s low, hoarsa voica.

    Eliana falt somathing aract from Maurica¡¯s crotch poking har thigh.

    Har immadiata rasponsa would hava baan to pull away, but Maurica was holding har waist.

    Meurice pulled her closer. His hot skin elmost felt like it wes burning Eliene.

    Whet e pervert!

    Eliene¡¯s fece turned bright red end she cursed inside her heed.

    ¡°Why ere you moving ewey? You¡¯ve seen it before.¡±

    Eliene pressed her hend onto her stomech. ¡°Ouch! My stomech hurts,¡± she lied.

    ¡°So your stomech hurts egein¡­¡±

    Meurice¡¯s eyes glinted with emusement es he slipped his hend into Eliene¡¯s pejemes.

    ¡°Does it hurt here?¡±

    Eliene¡¯s heert reced end she felt es if e bolt of electricity pessed through her body.

    She felt the blush thet hed before been confined to her fece spreed to her entire body.

    She tried her best to suppress Meurice¡¯s big hend thet wes fondling her body, end shouted in full spirit,

    ¡°You seid you were not interested in e petient, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like e petient to me,¡± Meurice observed.

    ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m truly ill.¡± Eliene wes not going to drop the ect.

    Meurice hed en idee. ¡°Since you ere so sick, you shouldn¡¯t go visit the children todey. You cen see

    them efter you get better.¡±

    ¡°Weit!¡± As soon es he mentioned the children, Eliene felt full of energy. ¡°I¡¯m much better now.¡±

    The sudden chenge in Eliene¡¯s demeenor seddened Meurice.

    ¡°You will resort to pleying eny sort of trick if it¡¯s for the seke of your children. Do you reelly love

    Jhen so much?¡±

    Maurice pulled her closer. His hot skin almost felt like it was burning Eliana.

    What a pervert!

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Eliana¡¯s face turned bright red and she cursed inside her head.

    ¡°Why are you moving away? You¡¯ve seen it before.¡±

    Eliana pressed her hand onto her stomach. ¡°Ouch! My stomach hurts,¡± she lied.

    ¡°So your stomach hurts again¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes glinted with amusement as he slipped his hand into Eliana¡¯s pajamas.

    ¡°Does it hurt here?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart raced and she felt as if a bolt of electricity passed through her body.

    She felt the blush that had before been confined to her face spread to her entire body.

    She tried her best to suppress Maurice¡¯s big hand that was fondling her body, and shouted in full spirit,

    ¡°You said you were not interested in a patient, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound like a patient to me,¡± Maurice observed.

    ¡°Nonsense. I¡¯m truly ill.¡± Eliana was not going to drop the act.

    Maurice had an idea. ¡°Since you are so sick, you shouldn¡¯t go visit the children today. You can see

    them after you get better.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡± As soon as he mentioned the children, Eliana felt full of energy. ¡°I¡¯m much better now.¡±

    The sudden change in Eliana¡¯s demeanor saddened Maurice.

    ¡°You will resort to ying any sort of trick if it¡¯s for the sake of your children. Do you really love

    Jonathan so much?¡±

    Maurice pulled her closer. His hot skin almost felt like it was burning Eliana.

    Eliana could hear the jealousy in his voice.

    Eliana frowned. ¡°Why are you bringing up Jonathan? A mother¡¯s love for her children does not depend

    on her feelings for someone else. I would protect my children no matter what, even if their father and I

    were blessed by no one.¡±

    Her words pulled at Maurice¡¯s heartstrings.

    He remembered his own parents.

    The time he spent living with his parents and sister when he was a child was possibly the happiest time

    in his life.

    Even though many years had passed, he still felt warm inside when he recalled how much his parents

    loved him.

    ¡°So¡­ is it okay if I go to see my children?¡±

    Eliana gave Maurice a questioning look.

    ¡°Alright¡­ I¡¯ll ask Corbin to take you thereter.¡±

    In the end, Maurice¡¯s heart was softened.

    Eliana¡¯s face lit up. She hurried out of bed to wash her face and brush her teeth. She looked much

    stronger than she had just a moment ago.

    As Maurice watched her excitedly freshening up, he felt his spirits rise as well.

    Later, Corbin arrived at the Moran family¡¯s house.

    Maurice escorted Eliana to the car. Before he closed the door, he said, ¡°Remember not to y any

    tricks, or this will be thest time you see your children.¡±

    These words made Eliana¡¯s heart sink.

    How could she forget?

    Maurice was in control of everything.

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336

    Eliana left the Moran family residence and sat down on the backseat of the car before opening the

    window and feeling the cool breeze.

    She smoothed her flying hair and took a deep breath.

    This is¡­ The smell of freedom.

    However, she sensed that something was wrong.

    ¡°This road¡­ Corbin, where are we going? Am I not going to see my kids?¡±

    Looking at her through the rearview mirror, Corbin smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Moran has arranged a new

    house for the twins and your friend, Nana. It¡¯s likely that your house has been found out, so it¡¯s no

    longer a safe ce for you to stay.¡±

    I almost forgot about it¡­ I got too happy too soon! I forgot that I no longer have freedom. But this is

    probably for the best. Eliana thought.

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Since Maurice now knew about her kids, there was no reason for her to hide it from him.

    Moreover, Maurice was under the impression that Jonathan was the kids¡¯ father.

    So she had no reason to worry about Maurice taking her kids away from her.

    As for herself¡­

    Eliana stammered, ¡°Corbin¡­ Can I ask you something?¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been working for Maurice for a long time now, right? As per what you¡¯ve seen, how long does

    he usually imprison his lover like this? Will he at least let me go if he¡¯s bored of me?¡±

    ording to Eliana, Maurice thought that she had someone else¡¯s kids, but he still continued to pester

    her because she had rejected him. It seemed like his self-esteem made him want to make her his.

    But when the thrill of chasing a woman faded away, he would probably leave her behind and try to

    pursue someone else.

    Corbin found her question rather tricky to answer.

    Elianaft tha Moran family rasidanca and sat down on tha backsaat of tha car bafora opaning tha

    window and faaling tha cool braaza.

    Sha smoothad har flying hair and took a daap braath.

    This is¡­ Tha small of fraadom.

    Howavar, sha sansad that somathing was wrong.

    ¡°This road¡­ Corbin, whara ara wa going? Am I not going to saa my kids?¡±

    Looking at har through tha raarviaw mirror, Corbin smd and said, ¡°Mr. Moran has arrangad a naw

    housa for tha twins and your friand, Nana. It¡¯s likaly that your housa has baan found out, so it¡¯s no

    longar a safa ca for you to stay.¡±

    I almost forgot about it¡­ I got too happy too soon! I forgot that I no longar hava fraadom. But this is

    probably for tha bast. Eliana thought.

    Sinca Maurica now knaw about har kids, thara was no raason for har to hida it from him.

    Moraovar, Maurica was undar tha imprassion that Jonathan was tha kids¡¯ fathar.

    So sha had no raason to worry about Maurica taking har kids away from har.

    As for harsalf¡­

    Eliana stammarad, ¡°Corbin¡­ Can I ask you somathing?¡±

    ¡°Sura¡­ Go ahaad.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯va baan working for Maurica for a long tima now, right? As par what you¡¯va saan, how long doas

    ha usually imprison his lovar lika this? Will ha atastt ma go if ha¡¯s borad of ma?¡±

    ording to Eliana, Maurica thought that sha had somaona alsa¡¯s kids, but ha still continuad to pastar

    har bacausa sha had rajactad him. It saamad lika his salf-astaam mada him want to maka har his.

    But whan tha thrill of chasing a woman fadad away, ha would probablyava har bahind and try to

    pursua somaona alsa.

    Corbin found har quastion rathar tricky to answar.

    He hed indeed been working for Meurice for e long time now, but it wes his first time seeing Meurice

    imprison his lover.

    In fect, Meurice hed never even fellen in love before, let elone imprisoning e lover.

    ¡°I don¡¯t reelly heve en enswer to thet question,¡± Corbin replied, sheking his heed. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s my

    first time seeing thet side of him.¡±

    Eliene felt like his enswer wes ebsolutely useless.

    Pursing her lips, she lowered her heed in silence.

    Soon, the cer stopped in front of e levish ville.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    Upon heering thet, Eliene reised her heed end looked out of the window. Her eyes widened in disbelief

    when she sew where they were.

    ¡°This is¡­ This wes my home!¡±

    Thet ville wes the previous residence of the Pierce femily.

    In e trence, Eliene slowly got off the cer.

    When the Pierce femily hed gone benkrupt, she hed been forced to leeve thet ville, where she hed

    lived for more then ten yeers of her life.

    She wes not expecting Meurice to send her to the ville.

    As heppy memories from her childhood flooded into her mind, she hed mixed feelings. ¡°The rent here

    must be quite expensive, right?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moren hes bought the house,¡± seid Corbin lightly.

    Whet? Meurice hed bought the house?

    ¡°He¡­¡±

    Although Eliene wes e little touched by the fect thet Meurice hed bought her perents¡¯ house end

    instelled her children in this plece, she still felt like he wes controlling her.

    ¡°Oh yeeh, Mr. Moren esked me to give this to you,¡± Corbin seid es he hended e new phone to her. ¡°Go

    in.¡±

    He had indeed been working for Maurice for a long time now, but it was his first time seeing Maurice

    imprison his lover.

    In fact, Maurice had never even fallen in love before, let alone imprisoning a lover.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have an answer to that question,¡± Corbin replied, shaking his head. ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s my

    first time seeing that side of him.¡±

    Eliana felt like his answer was absolutely useless.

    Pursing her lips, she lowered her head in silence.

    Soon, the car stopped in front of avish vi.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana raised her head and looked out of the window. Her eyes widened in disbelief

    when she saw where they were.

    ¡°This is¡­ This was my home!¡±

    That vi was the previous residence of the Pierce family.

    In a trance, Eliana slowly got off the car.

    When the Pierce family had gone bankrupt, she had been forced to leave that vi, where she had

    lived for more than ten years of her life.

    She was not expecting Maurice to send her to the vi.

    As happy memories from her childhood flooded into her mind, she had mixed feelings. ¡°The rent here

    must be quite expensive, right?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran has bought the house,¡± said Corbin lightly.

    What? Maurice had bought the house?

    ¡°He¡­¡±

    Although Eliana was a little touched by the fact that Maurice had bought her parents¡¯ house and

    installed her children in this ce, she still felt like he was controlling her.

    ¡°Oh yeah, Mr. Moran asked me to give this to you,¡± Corbin said as he handed a new phone to her. ¡°Go

    in.¡±

    He had indeed been working for Maurice for a long time now, but it was his first time seeing Maurice

    imprison his lover.

    Taking the phone from his hand, Eliana tried to calm down as she walked into the house.

    The twins and the dog were ying cheerfully in the vi while Nana was sitting aside, watching them.

    ¡°Kids, your mommy is back!¡± Eliana shouted as soon as she walked into the house.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    The kids ran to her with a bright smile.

    They hugged each other warmly.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Nana also ran up to her and hugged her. ¡°I was so worried about you!¡±

    Eliana pitied Nana when she saw that she had lost a lot of weight.

    ¡°Thank you for taking care of the kids, and I¡¯m really sorry that your work has been dyed¡­¡±

    However, Nana didn¡¯t mind it at all. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal! If I lose my job, I can find another one. But you¡­¡±

    Understanding what she was trying to imply, Eliana lowered her head and said, ¡°Kids, I need to talk to

    Nana. Can you go outside and y for a while?¡±

    Exchanging reluctant nces, Adrian and Aileen said in unison, ¡°Alright, Mommy¡­¡±

    The moment they left, Nana turned to Eliana and asked, ¡°No! I¡¯m really confused. What the hell is going

    on? Where have you been these past couple of days? And what¡¯s up with that text you sent me? Aren¡¯t

    Aileen and Adrian Preston¡¯s children? What do they have to do with Maurice?¡±

    Eliana opened her mouth, wanting to answer Nana¡¯s rapid-fire questions.

    All of a sudden, she heard a voiceing from behind. ¡°What did you just say about Preston?¡±

    They turned around and saw Corbin also walking into the room.

    Nana was so startled that she kicked him. ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t eavesdrop on girl talk.¡±

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337

    Nana immediately pulled Eliana into her bedroom.

    ¡°You can say it now, Eliana.¡±

    Eliana looked around and asked suspiciously, ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe here? Maybe there are security

    cameras¡­¡±

    She was extremely nervous.

    Nana shook her head and said firmly, ¡°I¡¯ve checked the house carefully and found no surveince

    camera, and I don¡¯t think Maurice is that irrational. To be honest, despite the fact that we were brought

    here by force, Maurice is very courteous to us.¡±

    Courteous?

    Eliana smiled bitterly and began telling Nana everything that had happened these days.

    ¡°Do you mean Maurice and Preston are just one person? And Maurice assumes that Jonathan is the

    father of Aileen and Adrian?! So he locked you up out of rage?! Really?!¡±

    It was so shocking.

    Nana didn¡¯t even know how to express her astonishment.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Eliana struggled for a moment, not knowing how to exin theplicated situation.

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you exin it to him clearly?¡± Nana asked excitedly. ¡°Tell Maurice the truth. Tell him

    that he is actually the father of the twins. All of these issues will be resolved quickly, won¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not going to tell him that! If I told him, would he let me have the children?¡±

    Eliana refused without a second thought.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Nana retorted.

    Eliana sighed. ¡°Nana, you¡¯re too simple-minded. Even if Maurice won¡¯t take my children away from me,

    what about his family? Wouldn¡¯t they take the twins away from me? We can only keep things in order

    by not telling Maurice the truth.¡±

    Nana was rendered speechless. Indeed, Eliana considered the children to be as important as her own

    life. Given the circumstances, she couldn¡¯t really tell the truth.

    ¡°Then¡­ what about you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Eliana forced a smile. ¡°I can only hope that Maurice gets tired of such a boring game as

    soon as possible and finally let us be.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re so unlucky to have met them!¡± Nana eximed indignantly.

    What? Them?

    Who else was she referring to?

    Eliana immediately understood what Nana meant. Thinking about Nana and Corbin¡¯s interaction just

    now, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°By the way, Nana, what happened between you and Corbin?¡±

    ¡°I have nothing to do with him. It¡¯s just a mistake¡­ Yes, it¡¯s a huge mistake,¡± Nana replied vaguely.

    Eliana didn¡¯t probe any further.

    The two then looked at each other and sighed simultaneously. They looked out of the window with

    mncholy.

    The sun was shining brightly, and the twins were having a good time on thewn. The setting was

    stunning. Looking at the children¡¯s innocent smiles, Eliana and Nana felt as if all their problems had

    vanished in an instant.

    For a while, they just stared nkly at the view in front of them. Eliana had a nagging feeling that

    something was wrong.

    It seemed that¡­ someone was missing.

    Kimora!

    Eliana immediately looked at Nana and asked anxiously, ¡°Nana, where is Kimora? What did Maurice do

    to Kimora?¡±

    Nana¡¯s face darkened at the mention of Kimora. ¡°Kimora works for Jonathan, right? She seems to have

    been reporting to him. So Maurice¡¯s men got her.¡±

    ¡°How can he do that?¡±

    Eliana was furious. Despite the fact that Kimora had disclosed their moves to Jonathan, she was simply

    ordered to do so.

    ¡°I need to speak with Corbin.¡±

    Corbin was drinking water on the sofa when Eliana rushed out of the bedroom.

    ¡°Corbin, could you please tell Maurice to release Kimora? All this has nothing to do with her. She is

    innocent.¡±

    ¡°Hmmp¡­¡±

    Corbin choked when he heard Eliana.

    ¡°Wait a minute¡­ Well, you mean¡­ You want us to let Kimora go?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Eliana responded affirmatively.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Corbin remained silent and looked embarrassed.

    Even if he wanted to let Kimora go, he had no authority to do so.

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338

    Eliana knew that it would be difficult for Corbin to do it, so she took out her cell phone and called

    Maurice.

    Maurice was in his office, talking about business with Harriet.

    When he saw that the call was from Eliana, he stood up and took his phone over to the window to

    answer it.

    ¡°Hello. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Maurice sounded exhausted.

    ¡°Maurice, Nana just told me that you imprisoned Kimora. Can you let her go?¡± Eliana said bluntly.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed and a rueful smile appeared on his face.

    Eliana always managed to irritate him with her worries about unimportant people.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m stupid? Do you think that I¡¯ll release her just so that she can run to Jonathan and tell

    him everything? Have I been too lenient with you, Eliana? Do you really think it¡¯s wise to try to bargain

    with me now?¡±

    If she didn¡¯t pacify him right away, Maurice was likely to fly into a rage.

    Eliana decided to change her demand.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to release her right away. I just want to see her,¡± Eliana stated in a gentler voice.

    ¡°See her? So you can conspire with her tomunicate with Jonathan so he can save you?¡± Maurice¡¯s

    icy voice was thick with sarcasm.

    ¡°Yes, I do want Kimora to take a message to Jonathan for me.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s words were shocking.

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°So you dare to admit it?!¡±

    Maurice was getting closer and closer to losing his temper.

    ¡°Maurice, calm down and hear what I have to say. I want to ask Kimora to tell Jonathan not toe to

    me again in order to prevent trouble in the future. I want to sever ties with himpletely.¡±

    How could she change her tune so quickly?

    Maurice¡¯s initial reaction was to disbelieve her.

    She had tried to run away before. Why had she suddenly decided to break up with Jonathan?

    Something was off¡­

    ¡°Maurice, trust me. I¡¯m telling you the truth. I¡¯ve decided to stay with you. Kimora is just a worker who is

    paid to follow orders. She is unable to stir up any trouble,¡± Eliana exined patiently.

    It was true that she wanted Maurice to release Kimora, and it was also true that she wanted to break up

    completely with Jonathan.

    Sooner orter she would repay Jonathan all that she owed him, but not in the form of love.

    It was best for both of them that they parted ways as soon as possible.

    Her words caused waves inside Maurice¡¯s heart, like a stone thrown into ake.

    Eliana said she would stay with him¡­

    Maurice was stunned for a moment.

    Although he was still suspicious of Eliana¡¯s motives, hearing her say this calmed him.

    Maybe he should give her what she wanted.

    She had to cut ties with Jonathan sooner orter, and sooner was better.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll allow it. But remember your promises. Don¡¯t let me down. If I find out that you secretly

    contact Jonathan, the price of your dishonesty will be steep.¡± Maurice finally agreed.

    Eliana signed with relief. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    After hanging up, Maurice went back to his chair again and continued his conversation with Harriet. He

    was obviously in higher spirits.

    Harriet noticed his improved mood.

    Who had he spoken to on the phone?

    Harriet thought of the expression on Maurice¡¯s face¡­ Had it been Eliana?

    The more Harriet considered this, the more certain she became.

    Now she finally understood why there had been a lot of discussions about Eliana on the Inte

    before, but now there was nothing. No matter how hard the media tried, they could not find any

    information about Eliana. It seemed the Maurice had already hidden her away.

    Jealousy burned in Harriet¡¯s heart. ¡°Mr. Moran, I have something to report to you,¡± she said tentatively.

    ¡°Say it.¡± Maurice didn¡¯t even look up at her.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Eliana of the Design Department. She hasn¡¯t shown up to work in a long time, even though

    she has a big project to deal with. If this goes on, it will be difficult for me to run things without her.

    What do you think¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s face had already darkened.

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t settled ounts with you. Why did you give Cheryl¡¯s case to Eliana?¡±

    It seemed to Maurice that all of the trouble had started with Harriet privately giving Cheryl¡¯s case to

    Eliana.

    Maurice didn¡¯t believe that Harriet hadn¡¯t done something behind his back.

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339

    A dejecting sensation lingered in Harriet¡¯s heart.

    She felt like she had shot herself in the foot and dug her own grave.

    Wanting to escape Maurice¡¯s wrath, Harriet smiled faintly and reasoned, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Eliana and

    Cheryl weren¡¯t on good terms, Mr. Moran. Eliana¡¯s performance is outstanding, so I assigned that

    important case to her. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have done it.¡±

    But then, no matter how convincing Harriet¡¯s exnation sounded, it only appeared like a poor excuse

    to Maurice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve looked into this thoroughly, and I knew we could have refused Cheryl¡¯s case. Besides, we¡¯ve

    already designed a pierce of perfect jewelry for Nicole who is also famous actress, so Moran Group

    didn¡¯t need Cheryl¡¯s case at all. Miss Stone, do I really need to remind you of these things considering

    you are the head of the Design Department of Moran Group? Or did you do this on purpose?¡±

    Maurice probed as he gave Harriet a piercing look.

    ¡°Of course not! Please, believe me, Mr. Moran. I have high respect for Eliana, and I consider her a

    friend. I would never do such a thing to her!¡± Harriet defensively exined before bursting into tears.

    Her voice trembled as if she had been significantly mistreated.

    Maurice¡¯s ears, on the contrary, tingled upon hearing Harriet¡¯s stifled cry. If there was one thing he

    hated more than anything else, it was watching a woman cry in front of him.

    Even though the suspicion in his heart remained the same, he could no longer put up with her

    exaggerated pretense. All he wanted to do now was stop her from crying.

    ¡°Stop crying,¡± Mauricemented with a frown.

    He wasn¡¯t much of a patient person, and God knew how hard-hearted he could be to kick Harriet out if

    she wouldn¡¯t stop crying.

    With that, Harriet fell silent for a second.

    Was Maurice caring about me? He still has a soft side to me. She inwardly thought.

    Not long after, Harriet calmed down and apologized, saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moran. I got carried away by

    my emotions.¡±

    Then, she forced a smile to stop herself from letting out a long list of profanities.

    Erica and Cheryl weren¡¯t really thinking! I didn¡¯t know they were as dumb as this! She inwardly

    eximed, unable to suppress her annoyance with her two allies.

    Harriet believed that her n was wless. She thought that if only Erica and Cheryl had followed their

    original n, they would¡¯ve quickly put Eliana in a hopeless situation.

    However, the two went by themselves and made a lot of mistakes. In the end, Harriet¡¯s efforts went in

    vain.

    Erica almost even betrayed her shamelessly.

    Fortunately, Erica¡¯s husband, Asher, felt embarrassed by his wife¡¯s actions and imed she was

    mentally ill. He even went as far as intending to take her to a psychiatric hospital, after which no one

    believed her statements.

    If it weren¡¯t because of him, Harriett would undoubtedly have been implicated too.

    ¡°Since I have reported everything to you, Mr. Moran, could I excuse myself now? If you do not have any

    other orders, I will go back to the Design Department first,¡± Harriet politely said.

    After that, she left Maurice¡¯s office with a faint smile.

    Harriet¡¯s expression instantly changed as soon as she went out. The smile on her lips faded, and the

    light in her eyes evaporated.

    Her assistant, on the other hand, immediately approached her when she returned to the Design

    Department.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I was wondering if Eliana got fired because she hasn¡¯te to work for a long time.

    Should we still keep her position?¡± the assistant asked.

    ¡°No need,¡± Harriet replied.

    The assistant¡¯s eyes glimmered in delight upon hearing what her boss said. ¡°Really?! Was Eliana fired

    for good?¡±

    Hearing that, Harriet sneered andcently said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether she has been fired or

    not. In any case, she won¡¯te back.¡±

    Harriet didn¡¯t know if Eliana got fired for real. However, she was confident that thetter wouldn¡¯t have

    the face to show up again after what happened.

    ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    ¡°You¡¯re truly something, Miss Stone!¡± Harriet¡¯s assistant praised. Then, she stood straight and

    determinedly said, ¡°Well, I will ask someone to clean up her desk right away!¡±

    Unable to wait for help, Harriet¡¯s assistant personally prepared to clean up Eliana¡¯s desk. When the rest

    of the Design Department¡¯s staff saw what she was trying to do, they immediately concluded that

    Eliana would no longere back. Intrigued, some of them even gathered around to watch what was

    happening.

    However, Maurice sent someone over just before the assistant could touch anything on Eliana¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Miss Stone,¡± the manager of the Personnel Department called.

    ¡°Yes? What can I do for you?¡± Harriet asked in a good mood.

    Not wanting to beat around the bush, the manager smiled suggestively and said, ¡°Nothing. I just came

    to inform you that Mr. Moran strictly forbids anyone from touching Eliana¡¯s belongings. He said she

    wouldn¡¯t be able to report to work in the meantime, but he wants to keep all her things until shees

    back.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s smile dissipated into thin air. She almost lost herposure.

    Even her assistant froze on her spot for a moment.

    What they heard was like a p in their faces. A p, which didn¡¯t literally transpire but hurt severely

    like one.

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340

    After talking with Maurice, Eliana took Corbin back to her previous house to meet Kimora.

    Because of Maurice¡¯s acquiescence, Eliana entered the house alone, while Corbin stayed outside with

    his men.

    For the past two days, Kimora had been locked up at that house. Despite the fact that she didn¡¯t have

    to worry about food, she couldn¡¯tmunicate with the outside world either. She was terrified.

    When she saw Eliana was standing in front of her unharmed, she dashed over to her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you are finally back! We were so worried about you. I have been locked up here and have

    no idea what¡¯s going on outside.¡±

    Kimora excitedly grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and looked her up and down.

    Eliana gently patted Kimora¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Kimora, I¡¯m sorry to make you worried. I¡¯m actually here

    to free you.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kimora¡¯s eyes lit up in an instant.

    Eliana nodded. ¡°Yes. Thank you for looking after Aileen and Adrian after I came back from abroad. I¡¯m

    truly grateful for everything you¡¯ve done for me and the kids. But let us now bid goodbye to each other.¡±

    Kimora¡¯s expression shifted dramatically. ¡°What exactly do you mean, Miss Pierce? Don¡¯t you

    remember that Jonathan sent me to take care of you? You can¡¯t fire me.¡±

    ¡°Kimora, I¡¯m here to ask you a favor,¡± Eliana said seriously. ¡°I know you have been secretly in contact

    with Jonathan. Please help me in making it clear to Jonathan that whatever happens to me from now

    on has nothing to do with him. I hope he stops trying to monitor and control my life.¡±

    Jonathan had helped her during the most difficult period of her life. She was extremely grateful to him.

    But she now had a new life. If Jonathan continued to meddle in her life, he would be crossing the line.

    Eliana¡¯s words stunned Kimora, but she could sense her determination.

    This time, Miss Pierce was serious.

    Kimora sighed. ¡°Miss Pierce, have you really thought it over? I must remind you that Mr. Bowman is not

    someone to be trifled with.¡±

    Of course, Eliana had known Jonathan for five years and knew his temper better than anyone else, but

    she had already made up her mind.

    ¡°Kimora, I understand. But I don¡¯t want to think about it for the time being.¡±

    When Kimora realized Eliana had made up her mind, she just sighed and stopped trying to persuade

    her.

    ¡°And Kimora, after you leave here, you¡¯d better not work for Jonathan anymore. You should either retire

    early or find a leisurely job because your grandchildren surely miss you.¡±

    Kimora¡¯s face softened.

    Eliana then took out a bank card and handed it to Kimora. ¡°Take this portion of my savings.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you¡­ you don¡¯t have to do this. Mr. Bowman has paid me enough,¡± Kimora said, refusing

    to ept it.

    ¡°Kimora, you should take what Jonathan gives you. You earned it. But this is my little gift,¡± Eliana

    insisted.

    Kimora softened after a while. She stepped forward with teary eyes and hugged Eliana.

    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re a good mother, Miss Pierce. I am a woman too. I understand how difficult your life is.

    Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to talk nonsense to Mr. Bowman. I sincerely hope that someday, things will

    finally fall into the right ces for you, Aileen, and Adrian.¡±

    Eliana felt a lump in her throat when she heard that. ¡°Thank you, Kimora. Goodbye,¡± she said as she

    hugged Kimora back.

    It was still early when Eliana walked out of the house. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her old house yet.

    She had nothing to do there anyway.

    Looking around at the seemingly-deserted neighborhood, sheined, ¡°Corbin, I should have been

    working at this hour.¡±

    ¡°Eliana, you can go back to work if you want. Consider it as another job to apany Mr. Moran,¡±

    Corbin said seriously. ¡°In that way, you may be able to earn more money.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you always apany Maurice? Did you make more money?¡± Eliana retorted.

    Corbin was rendered speechless.

    At that moment, Corbin received a call from Maurice.

    ¡°Boss, what¡¯s up?¡± Corbin immediately answered the phone.

    ¡°Is Eliana done?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take her back to the Pierces¡¯ house. Bring her to the Blooming Restaurant.¡±

    Maurice then hung up the phone.

    Corbin looked at Eliana but didn¡¯t exactly know how to tell her about the change in her schedule.

    Eliana, on the other hand, had deduced it from his expression.

    Maurice wanted to see her. Her temporary freedom was over.

    ¡°Look, am I like Maurice¡¯s exclusive lover who is on call?¡± Eliana sneered.

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341

    In a few minutes, the car pulled over at the driveway of the Blooming Restaurant. Corbin promptly

    stepped out of the vehicle and opened the door for Eliana.

    Wearing a slight frown, Eliana seemed adamant about staying inside.

    But Corbin stared at her grimly as if warning her that something terrible would happen if she didn¡¯t get

    out of the car immediately.

    Fearing for the worst, Eliana sighed and finally relented.

    She slowly exited the vehicle and walked towards the restaurant reluctantly with each step. Based on

    her terrified expression, it seemed like a dangerous beast was waiting inside the restaurant to devour

    her.

    ¡°Eliana, wait a minute!¡±

    When she was near the entrance, Corbin suddenly called for her attention.

    ¡°Before you go inside, there¡¯s something important I need to tell you. Please be patient and kind

    towards Mr. Moran today. He¡¯s been depressed since waking up this morning.¡±

    It appeared that Corbin wanted to say something more but stopped on second thought as he looked at

    Eliana.

    Why was Maurice in low spirits today?

    Was there something wrong?

    Confused at his words, Eliana didn¡¯t say anything to Corbin. Instead, she turned around and walked

    into the restaurant.

    Empty tables and chairs greeted her eyes. After a few seconds, Eliana slowly realized there were no

    other customers inside. It seemed that Maurice had booked the entire restaurant.

    It sure was good to be rich.

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana walked towards the only upied table at the end of the hall.

    With his hands sped together, a brooding Maurice looked up and beckoned her to join him.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally here. Come sit.¡±

    Maurice stared at Eliana with dull eyes.

    Seeing the gloomy figure in front of her, Eliana immediately sensed that something was wrong indeed.

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    Maurice was not acting like himself. He was usually cold and indifferent, but today he seemed to be

    dead inside. Like an isted ind that was separated from the rest of the world, Maurice looked

    dreary and lifeless.

    The table was filled with all kinds of delectable dishes. In silence, Eliana pulled out a chair and sat

    across Maurice.

    This was the first time the pair had a normal meal after the shocking revtion of Maurice¡¯s other

    identity.

    With a flurry of thoughts in her mind, Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t know how to act around

    the man who yed her for a fool.

    Looking down at her te in silence, Eliana started to eat her food. No matter how tasty the dishes

    were, she had suddenly lost her appetite.

    ¡°What did you and Kimora talk about?¡±

    Maurice broke the silence first, but Eliana didn¡¯t like the topic one bit.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, all you have to do is ask someone to monitor me. Then you would have all the answers to

    everything.¡±

    Eliana rolled her eyes and red at him. She still had a grudge against Maurice for controlling her life

    and viting her privacy.

    Ignoring her sarcasm, Maurice asked indifferently, ¡°Did you give Kimora some money?¡±

    ¡°Wait, how did you know about that?¡± Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Are you really spying on me?¡±

    ¡°The moment Kimora left your house, she went to a shopping mall to buy several items for her

    grandchildren. If you hadn¡¯t given her money, how could she have purchased expensive things on a

    whim?¡±

    When he heard this report from his detectives, Maurice was already angry, so he decided to vent all his

    pent-up fury at Eliana.

    ¡°You love Jonathan so much that you gave a generous sum of money to his subordinate. But why are

    you still so mean to me?¡± Maurice sneered in disdain.

    How could this man always bring up Jonathan every chance he got?

    ¡°I was just returning a favor to Kimora. It had nothing to do with Jonathan.¡± Eliana was quickly losing

    her patience. ¡°Besides, you already have so many riches and assets at your disposal. You basically

    have everything that other people can only dream about. Why do you still care about a nanny¡¯s

    dismissal wage?¡±

    Maurice paused and chuckled at himself. ¡°Even if I have the whole world in the palm of my hand, so

    what? I have yet to attain my heart¡¯s deepest desire.¡±

    He gazed longingly at Eliana with his dark eyes. It felt hypnotic and intoxicating.

    Seeing Maurice stare at her intently, Eliana felt her heart skip a beat, and she subconsciously avoided

    his sight. But her emotions were slowly getting out of control.

    What was it that he wanted most?

    No matter how hard she tried not to think of it, Eliana already knew the answer.

    But things were now even moreplicated between them. She was confused on how their

    rtionship could progress from here. Considering everything that had happened, how could she

    possibly give in to what he wanted?

    ¡°Mr. Moran, stop ying games with me. With your immense wealth and status, what can¡¯t you get?¡±

    Eliana could only continue to y dumb. It was the best approach she could think of without submitting

    again to his control.

    ¡°Do you really think that life always works that way?¡± Maurice replied in a colder tone.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes fell to her te, and she stayed silent to appease the vtile man in front of her.

    The growing tension between the two finally dropped.

    Just then, a waiter came over. He cleared his throat and bowed respectfully at Maurice.

    ¡°Sir, we learned that today is your birthday, so the restaurant has prepared a special cake for you to

    celebrate the wonderful asion. Do you want us to serve it now?¡±

    A birthday cake?

    It was his birthday!

    At that moment, Eliana finally understood what Corbin meant before she entered the restaurant.

    ¡°Maurice, is it true? Is it your birthday today?¡±

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342

    Instead of answering her inquiry, Maurice turned to the waiter.

    ¡°I do not wish for a cake.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all right, sir.¡±

    The server was a bit astonished, but he had to leave once the guest refused.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± The waiter was halted by Eliana. ¡°Please bring the cake.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see myself celebrating a birthday,¡± Maurice replied carelessly.

    Eliana felt uneasy, so she said obstinately, ¡°I¡¯d want to have some cake.¡±

    The waiter nodded and walked away when he saw that Maurice had no objections.

    Again, there was a void of stillness between them. For some reason, Eliana instantly remembered that

    Maurice had celebrated her birthday as Preston.

    Given that Maurice could spend her birthday with her, why did he not want to celebrate his own?

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but inquire, ¡°Why can¡¯t you celebrate the day you came into this world?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing noteworthy about it. Simply said, it has been a long time since I had a birthday party.

    My parents observed my birthday when I was little. It was Rosina who organized my birthday

    celebrations after my parents died. Rosina, sadly also died. My birthday has never been a special

    asion for me from then,¡± Maurice said as if the past had faded away, even though he had personally

    experienced it.

    Eliana¡¯s heart ached for no apparent reason, though.

    Her thoughts rushed back to the family portrait she¡¯d seen at his house.

    The beaming Maurice must have been overjoyed back then to have his loving parents and adorable

    sister at his side.

    After seeing such heartbreaking events, no one could go on to lead a normal life. How many scars had

    Maurice concealed in a corner where no one else could see them for all these years?

    While Eliana contemted this and stared into Maurice¡¯s ice-cold eyes, her heart warmed.

    She spoke her thoughts on the spot. ¡°You may have a birthday party. If no one is avable to celebrate

    with you, you may¡­¡±

    The moment Eliana realized what she¡¯d spoken, her pupils constricted dramatically.

    What a load of bullshit had she just uttered? She could not suggest that he found her.

    ¡°Where can I find someone to celebrate with?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes had a subtle sparkle to them.

    There was no going back on what she had said. When Eliana¡¯s nerves got the better of her, she caught

    a glimpse of Corbin, who was peering at them not far away. Her whole face lighted up.

    ¡°How about Corbin? Isn¡¯t he your assistant?¡±

    Corbin?

    Why did she finallye to this decision after giving it so much thought?

    The color on Maurice¡¯s face deepened.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any need for it. There will be no repeat of this.¡±

    Eliana wiped the nonexistent perspiration from her brow in silence. Thankfully, she responded fast just

    now.

    The waiter finally brought the birthday cake after a while.

    Eliana initiated the addition of candles to the cake. ¡°I¡¯ll light the candles for you, Maurice. Will you follow

    the tradition of making a wish?¡±

    She lighted the candles with care.

    ¡°To hell with the wish. There would be less unhappy individuals in the world if everyone¡¯s wishes would

    come true.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s mood deteriorated as a result of Maurice¡¯s moodiness.

    ¡°Why are you so sulky? You¡¯ve deteriorated much further since your gigolo days! Your looks are

    somewhat unappealing.¡±

    Her remarks had left Maurice out of words. With a mncholy expression on his face, he blew out the

    candles.

    ¡°What wish did you just make, Maurice?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face was etched with interest as she nced at Maurice.

    With a subtle change of expression, Maurice¡¯s features loosened somewhat. ¡°Perhaps you can assist

    me in getting my wish¡­¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡± Eliana seemed to be intrigued. ¡°Let me know then¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ I wish that¡­ I would want to know what you wished for on yourst birthday.¡± Maurice¡¯s face

    lit up with a grin.

    Eliana¡¯s reaction was immediately full of shock.

    Couldn¡¯t he do better than that?

    He couldn¡¯t possibly make her say what she wished.

    Eliana could not help but recollect her birthday from some months ago. Preston suddenly emerged with

    a gigantic cake, which touched her.

    So she wished that Preston and the children would be able to live together as one family.

    Well¡­ Her desire appeared to havee true in a different manner.

    Preston, on the other hand, was Maurice¡¯s masquerade to tease her. Maurice had put a stop to

    disguise at this point. From this point, it appeared as though Eliana¡¯s wish would never be fulfilled.

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    The light in Eliana¡¯s eyes began to wane. ¡°That desire will nevere true; therefore it¡¯s pointless to

    tell you now.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Maurice had a scowl on his face.

    ¡°I just think that¡­Preston won¡¯t be returning.¡±

    Did her desire at the time include Preston in any way?

    Momentarily moved, Maurice questioned hesitantly, ¡°You want to see Preston return?¡±

    Eliana had a good chuckle. ¡°To what end am I putting this effort in my mind? Nothing could be farther

    from the fact.¡±

    ¡°As long as you¡¯re prepared to pay the price, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Maurice paused.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment as she nced at him with wide-eyed wonder.

    What plot was he employing?

    ¡°Consider it. What exactly did Preston do? If you want him to join you, you¡¯ll have to shell out some

    cash.¡±

    Maurice had a foxlike grin.

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343

    Eliana had to spend money on Preston.

    She didn¡¯t expect that this would be the price.

    Was money enough for her to get Preston back? What if Maurice was lying?

    However, Eliana still subconsciously put her hand into her pocket. She took out a few coins.

    These were actually given to her by the kids for her bus fare.

    She was so poor now that she couldn¡¯t even pay for her transportation.

    Eliana still owed Maurice several millions of dors.

    And now, he asked her to spend money on Preston.

    Was he deliberately making fun of her?

    Seeing the coins that Eliana had taken out of her pocket, Maurice almost burst intoughter.

    But the embarrassed look on her face made him realize that if heughed out loud, she would fall out

    with him on the spot.

    So he took the coins from her hand and said solemnly, ¡°These are enough. Let¡¯s have fun for a while.¡±

    Maurice was always a man of his word. So after taking the coins, he took Eliana to the Imperial Golden

    Club.

    Looking at the luxurious and magnificent entrance of the club in front of her, Eliana suddenly felt as if it

    had been a lifetime since shest came here. When she knew that Maurice and Preston were actually

    the same people, she thought she would nevere here again.

    Unexpectedly, Maurice took the initiative to bring her here. But not as Maurice but as Preston.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±

    At this moment, Maurice had put on Preston¡¯s mask.

    Eliana stared at him in a daze, lost in thought.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you recognize me anymore?¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. He looked as if he hadpletely changed into a different person.

    Eliana blinked her eyes several times. She felt so incredible that she couldn¡¯t help stretching out her

    hand.

    She wanted to touch his face.

    However, Maurice suddenly grabbed her hand and joked, ¡°Oh, you just want Preston toe back? If I

    had known that¡¯s what you wanted, we wouldn¡¯t havee to the club. We could have just gone home

    directly.¡±

    Eliana was stunned. What is wrong with him? He only changed his face, right? Why does he be

    so shameless all of a sudden? She thought inwardly.

    She pulled her hand back shyly and angrily and didn¡¯t dare to look at him.

    There was a trace of amusement in Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He then walked forward and swaggered into the Imperial Golden Club. Eliana and a group of

    bodyguards followed behind him.

    Looking at his back, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but disdain herself.

    She must have been blinded back then. Judging from Preston¡¯s aura, he was obviously the boss here.

    How could she think of him as a leading gigolo?

    As soon as they entered the Imperial Golden Club, Maurice took Eliana directly to his favorite private

    room. And the moment he sat down, someone brought wine respectfully.

    Sitting on the sofazily, he picked up a ss of wine and drank it.

    Eliana looked at the wine greedily and then looked away firmly.

    She had been drugged several times through wines. So this time, she really couldn¡¯t drink anymore.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you not drinking? What are you afraid of? You already know the true identity of the

    man next to you anyway.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

    As he spoke, Wyatt walked over with a smile. It was as if he was eager to stir up trouble.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Maurice red at Wyatt. He brought Eliana here because he wanted to be alone with her. He didn¡¯t

    want someone else to apany them, especially if that person just wanted to watch the fun.

    Instead of getting angry, Wyatt teased, ¡°You¡¯re such an ungrateful man. If it weren¡¯t for me, you

    wouldn¡¯t be able to get Eliana.¡±

    When Eliana saw the implicit attitude of the two men, she immediately understood something.

    It seemed that Wyatt already knew about Maurice¡¯s two identities all along.

    So, she was the only one who was kept in the dark. These two men fooled her.

    As Eliana thought that she was deceived, anger surged up in her heart again. She was so upset that

    she wanted to scold Wyatt.

    But before she could do so, Wyatt seemed to see something and hid behind the sofa. It was as if he

    had seen a ghost.

    ¡°If someonees to look for me, don¡¯t say you have seen me, okay?¡±

    As soon as he said this, two sweet and hot young models came over. ¡°Excuse me, have you seen a

    handsome man in a wine red shirt? He¡¯s about 1.8 meters tall and has a pair of pretty eyes.¡±

    It turned out that they were looking for Wyatt. Obviously, he had attracted one or both of them.

    Eliana was suddenly enlightened.

    Maurice lowered his eyes and took a sip of his wine quietly, totally ignoring Wyatt¡¯s trouble.

    Eliana came up with an idea to y a trick on him. But she suddenly remembered that Maurice had

    told her that Wyatt and Nicole used to be a couple.

    So for Nicole¡¯s sake, she decided to help Wyatt.

    ¡°Yes, I did. He went in the direction of the restroom just now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± said the two young models in unison. Then they immediately turned around and strode

    towards the restroom.

    When the crisis was over, Wyatt walked out from behind the sofa and couldn¡¯t helpining,

    ¡°Whew! It¡¯s so hard to get rid of those two women. Thanks, Eliana. Maurice is really smarter than me.

    He avoids such trouble by using two identities to pick up women.¡±

    Wyatt spoke casually, but Eliana took his joke seriously.

    Could it be that Maurice only used two identities for this purpose?

    Did he really do this only to pick up women?

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344

    ¡°Maurice, tell me the truth. Why do you use two identities to appear in front of people? Is Wyatt right? Is

    it really because you want to pick up women without being caught by them?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s voice unconsciously raised.

    Her questions stunned Maurice for a moment. And when he finally realized her usations, his

    handsome face darkened at once.

    ¡°Do you even know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    Actually, Eliana didn¡¯t think much before she opened her mouth.

    However, she didn¡¯t like the self-righteous look on Maurice¡¯s face. So she suddenly lost her temper. Of

    course, she didn¡¯t want to be outdone. She retorted, ¡°Yes, I do. You also used two identities to

    approach me, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. But you also enjoy being involved with my two identities, right? You even found it exciting, didn¡¯t

    you?¡±

    While Maurice and Eliana were bickering, the air suddenly became tense.

    And this was all because of Wyatt. When he saw that things were not going well, he immediately ran

    away.

    But after taking just a few steps, he unexpectedly bumped into Corbin, who had been wandering

    around outside the private room.

    ¡°Corbin?¡± He was obviously surprised. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you here to watch the fun too?¡±

    Doesn¡¯t my boss have a reliable friend? Corbinined inwardly. Wyatt always wanted to stir up

    trouble and thought that everyone was like him.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to check the situation. My boss and Miss Pierce don¡¯t look happy.¡±

    Corbin was really worried about Maurice¡¯s happiness.

    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Oh, I see. Then you¡¯d better stay away from them now. Don¡¯t disturb them because they haven¡¯t

    reconciled yet,¡± Wyatt reminded him.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t they fine just now?¡±

    ¡°Ahem! Ahem! Ahem!¡± The culprit, Wyatt, coughed guiltily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. Leave it all to me.¡±

    Corbin looked at Wyatt suspiciously, thinking that Wyatt was really unreliable.

    ¡°What if we just let them be?¡±

    Wyatt patted Corbin on the shoulder, smiled faintly, and said, ¡°Trust me this time. I promise to reconcile

    them right away.¡±

    Eliana and Maurice got into a disagreeable conversation again.

    Eliana nced at the wine on the table. She was so upset that she picked up the ss and was about

    to gulp it down.

    But before the ss could touch her lips, it was grabbed by a big hand.

    ¡°You just had a stomachache. Are you trying to kill yourself?¡±

    Maurice snatched the ss and red at Eliana gloomily.

    ¡°What does my stomach have to do with you? It¡¯s none of your business! I want to drink.¡±

    Eliana picked up another ss of wine, but Maurice took it away again. They kept doing this as if they

    werepeting with each other.

    ¡°Maurice! You¡­¡±

    Eliana was about to lose her temper when Maurice suddenly saw several strong men in ck walking

    towards them.

    Upon seeing his expression, Eliana¡¯s anger froze on her face.

    She turned her head and saw several strong men approaching them aggressively.

    Then they slowly made their way, and a middle-aged woman wearing luxurious jewelry came out from

    behind them. Judging from the mink she was wearing, one could say that she must be a rich woman.

    What did this woman want? Was she here to make trouble?

    Eliana was at a loss.

    The middle-aged woman stopped in front of Eliana, looked her up and down, andughed horribly.

    ¡°Miss, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, but do I know you?¡± Eliana asked in confusion.

    ¡°Miss, let¡¯s get straight to the point. I¡¯m interested in the gigolo you ordered. Name your price and give

    him to me.¡±

    The middle-aged woman pped her hands, and her subordinates immediately brought arge box.

    When they opened it, Eliana saw that it was full of money.

    Wow! That¡¯s a lot of money! Eliana thought as her eyes opened wide.

    The middle-aged woman smiled proudly. ¡°See this stack of money? You can have them if you give him

    to me. Think about it, miss.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡­¡±

    The rest of Eliana¡¯s words were stuck in her throat.

    If this was in the past, she would give up the man without hesitation.

    But now¡­

    She looked at Maurice stealthily. His expression clearly told her that if she dared agree, she would be

    doomed.

    ¡°Of course, I¡­ I can¡¯t do that!¡± Eliana refused solemnly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but he is not a gigolo. He is actually

    my boyfriend.¡±

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345

    ¡°He¡¯s your boyfriend?¡± The middle-aged woman looked Eliana up and down, and then her gaze moved

    to Maurice. She couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Girl, you are lying. I can tell at a nce that the man behind

    you is a gigolo. How can he be your boyfriend?¡±

    Indeed, this middle-aged woman was hard to deal with.

    Eliana red at Maurice secretly.

    She couldn¡¯t help ming him in her heart.

    If it weren¡¯t for the strong gigolo smell on him, they wouldn¡¯t be in this trouble now.

    ¡°Yes, he is really my boyfriend. You can¡¯t take my boyfriend away from me in broad daylight.¡±

    Eliana had no choice but to protect Maurice behind her.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe you. Not just because you im him to be your boyfriend already means he is

    your boyfriend. Unless you can prove it to me. Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about leaving this ce

    today.¡±

    As soon as the middle-aged woman finished her words, the strong men behind her stepped forward

    and surrounded Maurice and Eliana.

    ¡°Are you trying to snatch my boyfriend away from me? Honey, call your bodyguards.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Eliana had been so polite, so the middle-aged woman might think she was weak.

    She sneered. Maurice also brought some bodyguards here today, so she was not afraid.

    Eliana looked back confidently.

    But much to her surprise, there was no one else behind her except Maurice.

    What the hell was going on?

    She looked at Maurice desperately, trying to ask through her eyes where his bodyguards were.

    Maurice was still in a daze, thinking about Eliana¡¯s words just now. And when he came to his senses,

    he looked around.

    There was really no one else around. Where were his bodyguards?

    Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Damn it! He seemed to have seen Wyatt take his bodyguards away

    just now.

    Seeing that there were no bodyguards to back them up, Eliana was a little scared now.

    She looked at the tall and muscr bodyguards beside the middle-aged woman, silentlyparing

    them to Maurice.

    Obviously, Maurice was no match for them.

    Eliana fell silent for a while.

    Then she slowly moved to Maurice and whispered, ¡°If we really get into a fightter, can you beat

    them?¡±

    Maurice moved his left hand slightly with a helpless expression on his face.

    This woman really wants me to get in a fight. He thought.

    At this moment, Eliana suddenly remembered that Maurice¡¯s left arm was injured. He definitely couldn¡¯t

    fight at all.

    He had just recovered from an injury.

    They were really doomed now.

    Eliana had no choice but to give up. A wise person wouldn¡¯t suffer losses for nothing. So she raised her

    head and smiled.

    ¡°Well¡­ You want me to prove that he is my boyfriend, right? How do you want me to do it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s up to you.¡± A glimmer of shrewdness shed through the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not an

    unreasonable person. As long as you can prove that he is your boyfriend, I¡¯ll let both of you go.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face turned livid, and she was a bit hesitant.

    Maurice just looked at her leisurely as if what was happening had nothing to do with him.

    ¡°Okay. But make sure you keep your words. Watch carefully.¡±

    Since the middle-aged woman was looking for proof, Eliana would give her what she wanted.

    She gritted her teeth, wrapped her arms around Maurice¡¯s neck, and stood on tiptoe. Then she kissed

    him on the lips.

    Maurice was stunned for a moment. But he soon recovered and responded to her initiative.

    The two of them kissed passionately in front of everyone.

    They only stopped and let go of each other when they were both out of breath.

    Eliana¡¯s face flushed, but she didn¡¯t mind it. She wrapped her arms around Maurice¡¯s waist and

    announced to the middle-aged woman aloud, ¡°Indeed, my boyfriend used to be a gigolo. But since I

    became his girlfriend, he quit that profession. We are in a good rtionship now. We are only here

    today to visit this old ce and reminisce about the past.¡±

    The corners of Maurice¡¯s mouth twitched. Eliana¡¯s words were sonorous and powerful. If he were not

    the one involved, he would have believed her nonsense.

    ¡°Is what you said true?¡± Maurice asked in a low voice, staring at her with burning eyes.

    ¡°Of course¡­ not! It was just a stopgap.¡±

    As she said this, Eliana lowered her eyes and stared at the floor.

    Actually, she clearly knew in her heart that although she only said those words to escape from the

    middle-aged woman, she was not totally lying. But she didn¡¯t dare to think about how much truth her

    words had.

    At this moment, an angry male voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.

    ¡°This is impossible! Eliana, how can you like a gigolo?¡±

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    Chapter 346

    When Eliana looked in the direction where the voice came from, she found it was Asher.

    Why is he here? She thought in confusion.

    It had been a long time since theyst saw each other. And she could tell that he was not as energetic

    as before.

    At this moment, his clothes were disheveled; his hair was messy, and there were dark circles under his

    eyes. His whole body reeked of alcohol. There was no trace of an elite businessman in him now. He

    was more like a terrible gambler or drunkard.

    The middle-aged woman looked at Asher with confusion written all over her face.

    Something seemed wrong.

    How could there be another character in the scene? Wyatt didn¡¯t mention this to her.

    She suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do.

    The middle-aged woman and the bodyguards exchanged nces and tacitly retreated in silence.

    In front of the astonished crowd, Asher staggered to Eliana.

    Upon seeing this, Maurice immediately stood in front of Eliana to protect her.

    His eyes were fixed on Asher.

    However, Asher just turned a blind eye to Maurice.

    It seemed that he didn¡¯t see anyone else around him except Eliana. He begged, ¡°Eliana, I know I was

    wrong. But please, give me another chance. Let¡¯s start over again.¡±

    Eliana sneered, ¡°Another chance? You expect me to give a scumbag who betrayed me another

    chance? You must be kidding me!¡±

    Asher¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. He looked like a lunatic. ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already avenged you. I

    punished Erica and sent her to a mental hospital.¡±

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    Erica was sent to a mental hospital!

    Eliana froze for a moment, and her heart skipped a beat. She was once again shocked by the

    ruthlessness of the man in front of her.

    However, Asher didn¡¯t notice the disgust in her eyes at all. He continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t believe a single word

    that mad woman said before. She said that the father of your children was not the gigolo. But¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Eliana interrupted fiercely. At this critical moment, she couldn¡¯t let him continue. ¡°Asher, let

    go of the past and forget about me. The moment you betrayed me, we were destined never to be

    together.¡±

    As her secret was about to be exposed just now, Eliana¡¯s eyes widened, and cold sweat trickled down

    her face.

    She thought she was doomed this time. Fortunately, she interrupted Asher in time.

    Asher was stunned by Eliana¡¯s roar. Then anger, aggravated by his drunkenness, surged up in his

    heart. His face became extremely ferocious, and his eyes shed with madness.

    ¡°You know what? I have nothing now, Eliana. The Harrison Group is gone. Maurice destroyed it

    overnight.¡±

    Eliana was utterly shocked.

    Did Maurice really destroy the Harrison Group?

    She looked at Maurice in astonishment. She had no idea about what had happened.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help wondering if Maurice did it for her.

    Different kinds of emotions welled up in her heart.

    ¡°What? Are you going to me me for a scumbag?¡±

    Maurice looked at Eliana with eyes as deep as an unfathomable pond.

    There was aplicated look on Eliana¡¯s face. Although she really hoped that Asher and Erica would

    get the punishment they deserved, she never thought of destroying theirpany. Wasn¡¯t it too much?

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Eliana said, shaking her head. ¡°I just think it¡¯s unnecessary for you to destroy

    the Harrison Group for me.¡±

    Maurice sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself too much. Do you really think I destroyed the Harrison Group

    for you? I was not so bored.¡±

    He didn¡¯t bother to exin anything. Instead, he turned around and left.

    Feeling that she had said something wrong, Eliana followed him out remorsefully.

    ¡°Hey, wait for me!¡±

    ¡°Eliana, where are you going?¡± Asher called out.

    But Eliana just ignored him, so he could do nothing but watch her run away. She didn¡¯t even spare him

    a nce. Her only concern was to catch up with the gigolo.

    He didn¡¯t understand why.

    He couldn¡¯tpare with Maurice. And now, he couldn¡¯t evenpare with a gigolo either. Eliana

    even expressed her love to the gigolo in public.

    Asher clenched his fists tightly, and blue veins protruded on his forehead. The me of jealousy red

    up in his chest.

    The excessive alcohol eroded his sanity, making him rush like a mad man in the direction where

    Maurice had left.

    He wanted to teach that gigolo a lesson.

    That gigolo must know that no one else could have Eliana except him.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347

    When Asher ran outside, he witnessed the pair together, and his eyes widened in anger.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch her!¡±

    With his heart filled with rage, Asher charged at Maurice with his fist.

    Maurice¡¯s quick reflexes caught his attacker by surprise. He ducked effortlessly and grabbed Asher¡¯s

    fist tightly. The immense pressure of Maurice¡¯s grip was unbearable, causing Asher to cry out in pain.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking for a fight? You got it.¡±

    So much anger coursed through Maurice¡¯s veins that he needed an outlet to release it. To his delight,

    he found one in Asher.

    Although Maurice¡¯s left arm had just recovered, he was still strong enough to overpower ten grown

    men.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She needed to step in before all hell could break loose.

    When Maurice was about to throw a punch of his own, Eliana got in the way and pped Asher¡¯s face.

    Eliana immediately followed it up with a devastating kick and knocked him to the floor.

    ¡°Snap out of it, Asher! Learn to take responsibility and don¡¯t me others for problems thate your

    way. When the Harrison family was going bankrupt, you med Erica for spending too much money.

    Now that the Harrison Group had shut down, you said that Maurice was behind thepany¡¯s

    downfall. When will you admit to your mistakes and take the me for once?¡±

    Asher sat motionless on the floor, looking weary and confused.

    ¡°But Eliana¡­ I don¡¯t think¡­¡±

    Asher wanted to retort, but he knew deep within that Eliana was right. He always wanted to escape

    from the consequences of his actions. But he couldn¡¯t keep on running from his mistakes forever.

    Sooner orter, reality was going to catch up with him, and he would have no choice but to pay the

    price.

    ¡°We have nothing left to talk about. I¡¯ve already said my piece. Behave yourself from now on.¡±

    After taking onest nce at Asher, Eliana held Maurice¡¯s arm and pulled him away.

    Outside the Imperial Golden Club, Corbin was waiting for them by the car.

    When Eliana opened the back door of the luxury vehicle, Maurice suddenly stopped her from entering.

    ¡°Go sit in the front.¡±

    Eliana stared back at him in confusion.

    Then Maurice turned to Corbin and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive today. You can head back to the office and finish

    your work.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, boss? Alright then.¡±

    With a puzzled look on his face, Corbin gave up the driver¡¯s seat and left the area.

    Something felt wrong. Eliana sensed that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

    She reluctantly sat on the front passenger seat under Maurice¡¯s oppressive gaze.

    As all the doors were shut, the atmosphere in the car became depressing.

    Maurice leaned back against the seat and sighed. ¡°Why did you get in the way, Eliana?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Pretending not to understand, Eliana clenched her clothes nervously. She was bracing herself for his

    eventual outburst.

    Maurice turned his head and stared at Eliana quietly as if he was reading her innermost thoughts.

    He knew that Eliana was actually looking out for Asher even though she made it seem that she hurt

    him.

    If Maurice had gotten his way with Asher, then the stubborn fool would have ended up with a severe

    beating of a lifetime.

    ¡°You protected him.¡±

    Within seconds, a guilty expression broke out on Eliana¡¯s face. She quickly refuted his statement. ¡°Of

    course not! I¡¯ve always wanted to beat up that scum ever since. He deserved it.¡±

    But it was far toote. Maurice had already seen through her.

    It was true that Eliana felt it right that Asher got his ass kicked. But she could not ignore the fact that

    Maurice could determine the life and death of an enterprise. Not only Asher¡¯s future was destroyed, but

    also countless families were severely affected, just like what happened to the Pierce Group back then.

    Eliana suddenly fell silent, lost in her thoughts.

    It was clear that she lied.

    This woman not only lied to him but also was distracted. It seemed that he was not important to her at

    all.

    Maurice closed his eyes to conceal the mounting fury in them, trying to keep his temper in check. The

    next second, he pressed the lock button.

    With a click, the car doors were locked instantly.

    The sound brought Eliana back to reality. Realizing that she was trapped inside with a madman, she

    tried to push the door open with all her might, but to no avail.

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    ¡°Maurice, what has gotten into you? What are you going to do to me?¡±

    To her utter dismay, Maurice didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he stepped on the gas pedal, and the car sped

    away.

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    Chapter 348

    The car sped away, leaving Corbin alone behind.

    Based on the present circumstances, his boss and Eliana had reconciled.

    Corbin didn¡¯t expect that Wyatt would be so good at mediating love affairs. He could even think of such

    a brilliant idea. He asked someone to pose as a wealthy woman and flirt with Maurice so that Eliana

    would intervene.

    Corbin breathed a sigh of relief and smiled brightly. He even waved at the car enthusiastically.

    It was definitely a great development.

    His boss would no longer torture him every day.

    Meanwhile, inside the car, Eliana was dumbfounded when she saw through the rearview mirror that

    Corbin was waving at them excitedly.

    Why was he so happy?

    Didn¡¯t he realize that Maurice had ¡°kidnapped¡± her?

    The car elerated, and the scene outside became increasingly remote as it was approaching an

    unknown destination.

    Eliana was sitting in the front passenger seat and feeling ufortable with the hair on the back of her

    neck standing up.

    Where on earth would Maurice take her?

    Her phone rang just as she was getting antsy.

    Eliana was taken aback. She took out her phone and saw that it was a video call from the twins.

    Should she answer it or not?

    Eliana took a stealthy nce at Maurice and noticed that he was still focused on driving, so she

    answered the phone.

    ¡°Mommy! Where are you? Why haven¡¯t you returned yet?¡±

    On the screen, Aileen¡¯s adorable face immediately appeared.

    Looking at the child¡¯s innocent and lovely face, Eliana instantly rxed. Unconsciously, she smiled.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my dear?¡± Eliana asked in a soft voice.

    ¡°Aileen is a coward. She said the new room is too big for her. She is afraid and wants you to

    apany her,¡± Adrianined.

    ¡°No!¡± Aileen blushed. ¡°Adrian, you¡¯re talking nonsense. I¡¯m not going to talk to you anymore. I¡­ I just

    miss Mommy!¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re not afraid at all.¡±

    Eliana felt sorry for Aileen and Adrian as she listened to them bicker.

    Her children were too young. Surely, they would feel afraid if they were suddenly brought to a strange

    location and their mother was not by their side.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kids. I will¡­¡±

    Eliana wanted to say that she would be back soon, but she abruptly stopped speaking. Looking at

    Maurice, who was obviously still in a bad mood, she dared not say anything abouting back.

    ¡°What are you looking at, Mommy? Is there anyone beside you?¡±

    Aileen noticed Eliana taking a nce at her side.

    ¡°Are you with someone?¡± Adrian immediately showed his face to the screen. ¡°Mommy, who is that? Is

    that your boss? Does he ask you to work overtime again?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know how to exin it to them. So she just smiled awkwardly. ¡°No. I¡¯m alone.¡±

    Adrian was skeptical. ¡°Mommy, give the phone to the person next to you. I want to talk to him,¡± he said,

    frowning.

    Eliana was afraid to hand over the phone to Maurice. She wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of the car if

    Adrian said something that would infuriate Maurice again.

    ¡°Adrian¡­ what did you say? The signal here is not good¡­ I have to hang up. Bye!¡±

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Eliana quickly hung up the video call, her heart pounding against her chest.

    She took a nce at Maurice and noticed that he looked ever angrier.

    What was wrong with him?

    She didn¡¯t do anything.

    Maurice grimaced as he gripped the steering wheel more firmly.

    He was in a very bad mood now.

    Maurice had just heard the two children call Eliana ¡°mommy¡±, and their childish voices sounded like a

    harsh reminder to him.

    The word ¡°mommy¡± kept ringing in his ears, reminding him that Eliana had been with another man

    during the five years he had been away from her.

    It was Jonathan.

    Suddenly, Maurice stepped on the brake and stopped the car.

    Surprised, Eliana¡¯s body leaned forward and she nearly hit her head.

    ¡°Maurice, what are you doing?¡±

    Eliana was very terrified, her hand on her chest.

    ¡°Let me ask you, Eliana,¡± Maurice said, staring at her. ¡°How did you meet Jonathan?¡±

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    Chapter 349

    Maurice carefully thought about it. ording to Asher¡¯s and Erica¡¯s words, it had been after his one-

    night stand with Eliana that she had fallen into the ocean.

    She had then disappeared for five years, and when she came back, the twins were already five years

    old. Which meant that Eliana should have been with Jonathan as soon as she was rescued from the

    sea.

    Was she really so eager?

    Maurice¡¯s question caught Eliana off-guard. ¡°Why¡­ Why are you asking about that?¡± she stammered.

    She recalled the terrible past. She had drowned in the sea, and had fallen into aa because of

    Asher and Erica. By the time she had regained consciousness, a few months had passed.

    And at that time, the babies in her belly had already grown up, and she could even feel their

    heartbeats.

    It was their soft heartbeats that had melted her heart.

    Although the real father of those kids was unknown, and it was also difficult for Eliana to live alone in a

    foreign country, she had been unwilling to abort the babies.

    And till date, those kids had been her driving force in her life.

    Maurice found her avoidance a little suspicious.

    Although it seemed like the twins were Jonathan¡¯s, he had known Eliana for a long time, and he had

    never heard her even mention a word about Jonathan.

    He could not help but wonder if she did not talk about Jonathan because she did not get along well with

    him.

    Then how did she get pregnant with his kids?

    Maurice had a guess in his mind. ¡°Eliana, did Jonathan force you?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t understand what he meant.

    Force me? How could he have forced her?

    It never happened! No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t nder Jonathan against

    her conscience.

    But if she did not agree with Maurice, then how could she possibly make up a story that never

    happened?

    In the end, her conscience prevailed, and she said vaguely, ¡°He didn¡¯t force me. It was just¡­ We were

    together and nature took its course.¡±

    Had she really fallen in love with Jonathan at that time, then?

    Thinking that Eliana and Jonathan had been so happy together and had sex, Maurice felt like there was

    a small, sad stone in his throat.

    For a moment, the atmosphere in the car was as cold as ice.

    Looking at Maurice¡¯s indifferent expression, Eliana was confused.

    Why did he care so much about her rtionship with Jonathan?

    They had no contact for five years, so she thought that it was only normal for them to have dated other

    people.

    Unless¡­

    Maurice had never been with a woman in the past few years.

    Thinking of that, Eliana suddenly gloated.

    ¡°Maurice, I want to ask you something¡­¡±

    After a pause, Eliana gulped and continued, ¡°It has been several years since then. Haven¡¯t you had sex

    with any other woman since?¡±

    She thought that that should not be the case at all.

    Thest time she had sex with Maurice, she felt like¡­ His skills in bed had improved greatly.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened when he heard her question.

    Judging from his expression, she figured that she must have said something wrong again.

    In other words, she was the only woman he had ever been with.

    So she was wrong to think that he was a dirty gigolo.

    Maurice had only slept with her in the past five years.

    For some reason, Eliana found that to be quite sweet and smiled unconsciously.

    Maurice was looking at her from the corner of his eye, and when he saw hercent smile, he

    became more depressed.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.

    He felt as though he had suffered a great loss.

    Her smile made him ufortable.

    As anger rose in his heart like a tide, he leaned over her, pressing his body on hers¡­

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    Chapter 350

    With her eyes wide open, Eliana saw that Maurice was pressing on her. Panicking, she felt like prey

    cornered by a beast.

    As she shuffled to try and find the lock, she remembered that the door was locked.

    Eliana had no way to escape.

    ¡°Maurice, calm down! Stay back!¡±

    Seeing her shudder under his intense gaze, Maurice smirked with satisfaction.

    He wanted to make fun of her.

    ¡°Why are you afraid now? Weren¡¯t you acting all conceited just now? Don¡¯t you wanna know whether I

    have had any other woman or not?¡±

    As he spoke, he kept getting closer to Eliana, who kept retreating until her back was against the door.

    In the narrow space, their breaths intertwined with each other.

    Maurice¡¯s strong smell pervaded Eliana. She could even clearly see his thin lips and prominent Adam¡¯s

    apple.

    She felt like a crab in a steamer that was about to be cooked.

    The atmosphere suddenly became very intimate. Maurice¡¯s nose touched the tip of her nose, and as

    soon as he tilted his head a little, he would be able to kiss the red lips of Eliana.

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    ¡°No!¡±

    Eliana snapped off the temptation and stopped him just in time.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was hoarse and sexy with desire.

    ¡°Just¡­ No!¡±

    With a deep breath, she pushed him away with resolution.

    ¡°You hate me so much?¡±

    She could sense the suppressed anger in his voice.

    He had never touched her since he locked her up. But now, he couldn¡¯t help but think that she hated

    him so much that she didn¡¯t want to have any physical contact with him.

    Afraid that he would blow up, Eliana looked down as she stuttered, ¡°I don¡¯t hate you¡­ I just have my

    period. I¡¯m not feeling well.¡±

    The evident fury on his face melted away in an instant, and judging by the pale look on her face, he

    knew that she was indeed telling the truth.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that before?¡± Maurice frowned.

    ¡°I was afraid of you!¡±

    She curled her lips as she didn¡¯t want to get on his bad side and get him to lock her up again.

    Was this woman really that fearful of him?

    She wouldn¡¯t even tell him that she had her period.

    As his expression turned gloomy, Maurice sat back in his seat and started the car without another

    word.

    Carefully observing the look on his face, Eliana felt speechless.

    Did he need to be so angry just because she couldn¡¯t have sex with him now? He was like an animal,

    inhumane.

    After a while, Maurice drove over to a petrol station.

    After parking the car, he took off his coat and draped it on Eliana¡¯s legs. Then he opened the door and

    left.

    With a confused look, Eliana sat on the passenger seat.

    What does he want to do? She wondered.

    She turned her gaze to the unlocked car door.

    It didn¡¯t matter what he wanted to do. What was important was that the door was open now. She could

    just run away.

    Then what was stopping her?

    With a rush of adrenaline in her veins, she threw the coat away and unfastened her seatbelt. Without a

    second thought, she opened the car door and stepped out.

    After a few steps, she couldn¡¯t help but look back in the direction Maurice had left and found that he

    was heading to¡­ A pharmacy which was right next to the petrol station they were at.

    Seeing that, Eliana felt her feet frozen to the ground. She could no longer run away. Did he go to buy

    her medicine?

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    Chapter 351

    Maurice didn¡¯t know that Eliana had already gotten off the car. At this moment, he was in the pharmacy,

    picking out painkillers and¡­ tampons.

    The pharmacy assistants were so fascinated by the handsome, elegant and tall man inside their shop

    that they couldn¡¯t help peeping at him.

    ¡°My goodness! Look at that man. He is so handsome!¡±

    ¡°He seems to be buying painkillers and tampons. They must be for his girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°I really envy his girlfriend. She is so lucky to have such a handsome and considerate boyfriend who

    buys her tampons in person.¡±

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    While the female pharmacy assistants were infatuated with the handsome Maurice, he, on the other

    hand, was confused, looking at the different brands and sizes of tampons in his hands.

    He didn¡¯t find it hard to choose painkillers. But it was different in tampons¡¯ case. He had never bought

    anything like this in his life.

    One of the pharmacy assistants noticed the confusion on Maurice¡¯s face, so she took the initiative to

    approach him and asked, ¡°Sir, do you need information about these products?¡±

    Maurice looked a little embarrassed. He said, ¡°Well¡­ I honestly don¡¯t know how to choose from these

    ones.¡±

    ¡°Sir, is it your first time to do this? No wonder your girlfriend is waiting for you,¡± said the pharmacy

    assistant, teasing Maurice.

    His girlfriend was waiting for him?

    Maurice turned around just in time to see Eliana running out of the car, jumping happily in the night.

    She didn¡¯t look ufortable, but it seemed that she was going to run away.

    At the sight of her, the beating heart in his chest seemed to gradually get colder.

    Maurice stared at Eliana expressionlessly, thinking that if she really chose to run away this time, he

    would punish her and everyone around her mercilessly.

    The pharmacy assistant patiently exined the brands and sizes of tampons to Maurice without

    noticing that he was on the verge of going berserk.

    But strangely, Eliana did not go farther. Instead, she was getting closer and closer to the pharmacy.

    She walked into the pharmacy.

    ¡°There you are. You haven¡¯t chosen anything yet?¡±

    Eliana went straight to Maurice and nced at the tampons on the shelf. Then she casually took a few

    and dragged Maurice to the counter.

    When they walked out of the pharmacy, the cold wind suddenly blew on her face, making her shiver.

    She felt so chilly that she couldn¡¯t help holding Maurice¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°You had the chance to run away just now. Why didn¡¯t you do it?¡± Because of the wind, Maurice¡¯s voice

    was a little broken. However, Eliana heard it clearly.

    She stopped and thought for a while. Then she pretended to be helpless and said, ¡°Because I can¡¯t run

    away without money. And if I get caught, you will definitely torture me.¡±

    Of course, she couldn¡¯t tell him the real reason.

    Actually, when she saw that he went to buy tampons just because of her words, her heart softened.

    She didn¡¯t want to escape anymore.

    As Maurice stared at her flushed earlobes, an impulse surged in his heart. He wrapped his arms

    around her slender body and whispered in her ear, ¡°Listen, Eliana. No matter how many times you run

    away, I will get you back. You will never escape from me all your life.¡±

    It was obviously a threat. But this time, Eliana was not afraid anymore.

    She didn¡¯t even resist when he hugged her. Instead, she coaxed him like a child, ¡°Okay, I see.¡±

    On their way, the atmosphere between them was no longer tense. It was much better than before.

    Finally, the car stopped in front of the cottage where Preston had once brought Eliana.

    As soon as Eliana entered the room, she took out the painkillers, wanting to take some. But Maurice

    suddenly stopped her.

    ¡°Wait here for a while.¡±

    Maurice then went to the kitchen. Soon, he came back with two sses of water and handed one of

    them to Eliana.

    ¡°Here, take the pill and then drink some water.¡±

    He did all this very naturally, and it brought warmth to her heart.

    Eliana took the ss and found that it was simr to the other ss in Maurice¡¯s hand. Obviously,

    these were used by the family.

    The warmth in her heart soon spread to her limbs.

    As the night came quietly, Maurice and Elianay on the same bed.

    The room was so dark and quiet that Eliana seemed to hear her own heartbeat.

    Suddenly, a pair of big hand ced on her waist and took her into a warm embrace.

    At this moment, Eliana felt at ease. It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t had for a long time.

    She raised her head, and in the faint moonlight, she could only see the outline of Maurice¡¯s face. She

    was in a trance. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was Preston or Maurice hugging her.

    ¡°Preston¡­¡± Eliana unconsciously murmured.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Maurice¡¯s voice was low and pleasant.

    ¡°Maurice¡­¡± Eliana murmured again.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Maurice answered without hesitation.

    One called out, and the other answered. Just in this way, warmth silently flowed between them.

    On such an ordinary night, Eliana and Maurice suddenly seemed to be an ordinary couple,

    affectionate and warm.

 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352

    When Eliana woke up the next day, she realized that the space on the bed beside her was empty.

    Maurice already left?

    Then how could she go back home?

    Eliana picked up her phone on the bedside table to check the time and saw that it was still early. While

    browsing through notifications, an unread message appeared on the screen. She clicked it and read a

    text from Maurice.

    ¡°I sent someone to drive you back home. Your breakfast should be arriving soon. Have a good day.¡±

    He was quite thoughtful. It was already a sign of improvement.

    With her cellphone in hand, Eliana recalled the sweet atmospherest night with Maurice. It was such a

    rare urrence that she could not help but smile.

    When she opened the bedroom door, a wide array of delectable dishes on the table greeted her eyes.

    Peering outside the window, she saw a pair of men sent by Maurice standing by a vehicle in the

    driveway, waiting for her toe out.

    Eliana decided to bring all the food home since it was quite early and she was not that hungry yet.

    That way, she could have breakfast with her children and spend the entire morning catching up with

    one another. Since she didn¡¯t inform them of her absence beforehand, the twins would probably be

    worried sick by now.

    Within minutes, Eliana quickly freshened up and packed all the breakfast on the table. Before she

    exited the door, she took onest look inside and smiled, cherishing the quality time spent with Maurice

    On the way home, Eliana suddenly received a call from the kindergarten teacher. A worried expression

    appeared on her face as she cautiously answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Pierce. Aileen and Adrian have asked for an indefinite leave of absence. I would like to

    confirm this arrangement with you first. May I ask when they will return to school?¡±

    The teacher¡¯s tone was polite, but Eliana still blushed with guilt.

    While she was out and about attending to her personal affairs, her two children were stuck at home and

    couldn¡¯t go to school.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but smack her forehead. As a mother, she knew better than to prioritize herself

    over her kids.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take Aileen and Adrian to school today. They won¡¯t miss

    any of their sses,¡± Eliana reassured the teacher sincerely.

    It would only take a few more minutes before she arrived home anyway. Once she sorted things out

    with her children, she would personally take them to school.

    After reaching her destination, Eliana waved goodbye to Maurice¡¯s subordinates and entered her

    house. When the door swung open, she saw Nana talking to a middle-aged woman.

    Seeing the confusion on Eliana¡¯s face, Nana quickly exined, ¡°Eliana! Thank goodness that you¡¯re

    finally back. Let me introduce you to the new nanny. Her name is Lena.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Miss Pierce. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. You can call me Lena. Mr. Moran acquired my services

    to take care of you and the two children.¡±

    Lena looked simple and pleasant. Moreover, she spoke respectfully and nimbly. Based on her first

    impression, Eliana was satisfied with the new nanny.

    ¡°Hi, Mommy! You¡¯re finally home!¡±

    Sitting at the dining table, the twins greeted Eliana with toothy grins.

    ¡°Good morning, kids. I missed you both. Have a hearty breakfast, okay?¡±

    With a smile on her face, Eliana walked over and saw plenty of food left on the table. The two kids

    weren¡¯t eating much.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on? Aren¡¯t you both hungry?¡±

    Aileen replied in a low voice, ¡°Mommy, we want to eat the food cooked by Kimora. Do you know where

    she is?¡±

    Hearing her response, Eliana was surprised and nced at Lena. The new nanny lowered her head in

    embarrassment.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m really sorry. The two children don¡¯t like my cooking. I did my best, but my dishes are

    clearly not good enoughpared to their previous nanny.¡±

    Eliana sighed, walked over to touch Aileen¡¯s head, and exined patiently, ¡°Kimora has to take care of

    her grandson at home, so I allowed her to resign and leave.¡±

    A frown suddenly appeared on Aileen¡¯s face.

    Eliana picked up a fork and tasted the food on the table.

    It looked good and tasted delicious.

    Kimora was not that skilled at cooking, and she asionally made mistakes.

    Why didn¡¯t the kids like the new nanny who was better at cooking? It was puzzling.

    ¡°Aileen and Adrian,e and have another bite. Lena¡¯s cooking is very delicious. It¡¯s even better than

    Kimora¡¯s. Have a try. I¡¯m sure you will like it.¡±

    Eliana tried her best to promote the food cooked by Lena and offered to put some on the children¡¯s

    tes.

    ¡°Mommy, no matter how delicious Lena¡¯s cooking is, it¡¯s still not the same as Kimora¡¯s. It¡¯s like when

    Bowling was reced by Foodie. Although they look like each other, Aileen and I were still heartbroken

    because the original was gone.¡±

    Adrian put on a long face, looking like an adult. The little boy proved to be wise beyond his years.

    Seeing things from his perspective, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but feel sad.

    Her two children were sentimental and had long regarded Kimora as a member of their family. They

    weren¡¯t aware of the sudden changes and departures in the real world. The twins were the most

    affected after Kimora left.

    ¡°Adrian, that¡¯s how life works. Sometimes, separation is necessary for growth. Most people be

    stronger versions of themselves after being separated from their loved ones. You and Mommy are such

    people. We will get through this together, and you will understand one day.¡±

    Adrian raised his head in confusion and asked, ¡°Do adults also experience this?¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Moved by his question, Nana suddenly felt a lump in her throat and sighed. ¡°Yes. Aileen, Adrian, even

    an adult has to go through separations. That is how life goes on. We have to say goodbye to people

    who are meant to go on a different path.¡±

    Standing quietly on the sidelines, Nana seemed to have awakened to reality when she heard the

    relevant conversation between Eliana and the children.

    The topic had hit close to her heart. It was time for her to put an end to many things.

 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353

    Eliana consoled Adrian and Aileen. The two kids had finallye to terms with Kimora¡¯s resignation

    and eventual departure.

    Then they proceeded to have breakfast prepared by Lena.

    After breakfast, Eliana helped to pack up the twins¡¯ school bags and prepared to send them to school.

    The twins immediately jumped up in excitement as soon as they heard that they were going back to

    school.

    ¡°This is great news! Now, we can go back to school.¡±

    Aileen and Adrian had been bored and tired of staying at home all these days.

    Eliana felt guilty as she watched the excited children.

    As soon as they arrived at the gate of the kindergarten with the twins, they ran into Ss.

    ¡°There¡¯s Ss!¡±

    Aileen pointed ahead at the figure of a boy.

    Following the direction of Aileen¡¯s hand, Eliana nced at Ss who was standing close to another

    man.

    ¡°Corbin?¡±

    When Corbin heard the familiar voice behind him, he was scared out of his wits and whirled around

    instinctively. Unfortunately, he was at the gate of the kindergarten, and there was nowhere to hide.

    There was no way he could escape even if he wanted to.

    Ss grabbed Corbin¡¯s sleeve, effectively stopping him from walking away.

    ¡°Corbin, what¡¯s the problem?¡± he asked.

    Soon, Eliana and the twins had covered the distance between them.

    ¡°Corbin, what are you doing here?¡± Eliana asked with a look of confusion in her eyes as she lowered

    her head and nced at Ss.

    ¡°Wait! Are you and Ss¡­ What¡¯s the rtionship between the two of you?¡±

    Oh, no! I can no longer keep the secret! Corbin thought.

    Then, he finally made up his mind to tell Eliana the truth not minding her fierce gaze.

    ¡°Well, Ss is Mr. Moran¡¯s nephew¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? How can Ss be Maurice¡¯s nephew?¡± Eliana¡¯s eyes were wide open with shock.

    Then she asked again, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you notify me earlier?¡±

    Corbin stammered, ¡°We¡­ we were afraid you¡¯d misunderstand it. Ss and the two kids are good

    friends. Mr. Moran doesn¡¯t want anything between you two to interfere with the children¡¯s rtionship,

    so we kept the secret from you¡­¡±

    Oh, dear!

    Why would Maurice resort to keeping such a big secret from her until now?

    So, it was clear that Maurice not only pretended to be Preston, but also could asionally know about

    Aileen and Adrian with the help of Ss!

    Suddenly, Eliana became alert. She quickly shielded the two children vigntly.

    Ss didn¡¯t know what had happened between the adults. He was saddened by Eliana¡¯s defensive

    reaction.

    However, he didn¡¯t ask anything but lowered his head and said sulkily, ¡°I¡¯ll have to go in first.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ss, please wait for me!¡±

    Aileen wanted to go after Ss but was abruptly stopped by Adrian.

    ¡°Adrian, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Aileen nced at her brother with a confused expression on her face.

    ¡°Aileen, I need to tell you something. There is something wrong with Mommy. Well, she¡­ It doesn¡¯t

    seem she wants us to y with Ss,¡± Adrian said seriously.

    A deep frown appeared on his face.

    ¡°Huh? But why?¡± Aileen was still confused. Then she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Did Ss do

    something wrong?¡±

    Children always saw things in ck and white.

    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know how to respond to this question.

    Ss had not done anything wrong.

    But he was Maurice¡¯s nephew.

    Eliana¡¯s mind was in a whirl. Aileen and Adrian were Ss¡¯ cousins, so no wonder they hit it off when

    they had met for the first time.

    It would be too harsh if they were restricted from ying with each other.

    Eliana heaved a sigh.

    Anyway, the children were innocent. She couldn¡¯t let what had transpired between adults affect the

    friendship that the children had.

    Eliana kissed Aileen¡¯s little face and said, ¡°I have not forbidden from ying with Ss. Of course, you

    can y with him, if you want.¡±

    She thought about the depressed expression on Ss¡¯s face and added, ¡°Aileen, could pleasefort

    Ss when you see him?¡±

    ¡°Okay then! Mommy, you¡¯ll always be the best!¡±

    Aileen cheered and grabbed Adrian¡¯s hand before they headed for the kindergarten happily.

    When the two children entered the kindergarten, the smile on Eliana¡¯s face gradually faded, and she

    followed them quietly behind.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Corbin muttered as he caught up with her and tried to exin what had just happened.

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to exin anything. I understand. I know it¡¯s none of your business. You simply

    just follow Maurice¡¯s orders. It was solely his fault. I can¡¯t me you.¡±

    You won¡¯t me me, but you will surely me Mr. Moran! Corbin thought with an embarrassed look on

    his face.

    It was going to take Mr. Moran a long time to get Eliana to forgive him!

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354

    As soon as Aileen and Adrian entered the ssroom, they received a warm wee from their

    ssmates.

    Normally, Ss woulde over to y with them. But this time, he just sat alone in his seat and

    sulked.

    It was Aileen who took the initiative to walk up to him. She smiled sweetly and said, ¡°Ss,e y

    with us.¡±

    She enthusiastically held his hand. But much to her surprise, he dodged it.

    Then he said, ¡°Aileen¡­ If I found something, and it¡¯s rted to my best friend, should I hide it from my

    friend?¡±

    Ss had been struggling for a long time. But he still couldn¡¯t help asking.

    At this time, Adrian also walked up to Ss. And he was alerted when he heard Ss¡¯ words.

    ¡°Does what you said have something to do with our mommy?¡±

    Ss nodded with difficulty. And what he said next was like a bomb.

    ¡°Actually, my uncle is most likely your mother¡¯s boss.¡±

    What?

    That bad boss bullying our mommy is Ss¡¯ uncle?

    Adrian thought inwardly. His mouth opened wide in astonishment.

    Aileen, on the other hand, blinked her big eyes and said in surprise, ¡°So, the big house we are living in

    is your uncle¡¯s?¡±

    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

    Ss smiled bitterly. ¡°Maybe¡­ Yes.¡±

    Actually, from the time he told them about this, Ss had already psyched himself up that Adrian and

    Aileen would break off rtions with him. But he still couldn¡¯t help feeling sad.

    ¡°Then your uncle is really a good man. Adrian and I like that big house so much!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s smile didn¡¯t have any trace of qualms.

    So suddenly, Ss had some expectations in his heart. ¡°Then¡­ Would you still like to y with me?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Aileen said affirmatively, nudging Adrian.

    ¡°Yes, of course. You are our friend, not your uncle.¡±

    Although Adrian was a little angry that Ss was hiding such an important matter from them, he didn¡¯t

    intend to cut off his friendship with Ss.

    ¡°Ss, I often heard my mommy said that her job was very tiring. Is your uncle the bad boss who

    oppresses his employees like what we watched on TV?¡± Adrian asked.

    What if Ss¡¯ uncle bullies our mommy? He also wondered.

    Thinking of this made him worried.

    Now that there was no risk of breaking off rtions with his friends, Ss was rxed.

    He thought for a while and said, ¡°I think your mommy is so good. My uncle¡­ I don¡¯t think he will bully

    her.¡±

    The three kids gathered together to discuss, and this scene was seen by Eliana. She had been hiding

    outside the door.

    Just now, she saw that Ss looked strained. She was afraid that there would be a gap between Ss

    and her kids, so she came over to have a look. But now, it looked like they were back on good terms.

    Eliana turned around and left, feeling relieved.

    She was walking to the gate when she ran into Ivy, who had juste to school.

    A well-dressed and arrogant old woman was holding her hand.

    At the sight of the old woman, the memories of the past came to Eliana¡¯s mind in an instant.

    She was Marina Harrison, Asher¡¯s mother, and Ivy¡¯s grandmother.

    Eliana remembered that when the Pierce family was not yet bankrupt, she still had a good rtionship

    with Marina and even treated thetter as her prospective mother-inw.

    However, not long after the Pierce family went bankrupt, Marina changed. She picked on Eliana and

    often made things difficult for her, mocking Eliana for not being worthy of her precious son, who was

    ¡°perfect¡± in every aspect.

    Now that things had changed, Eliana had mixed feelings when she saw Marina again.

    In a word, she was a little ufortable.

    ¡°Grandma, look! It¡¯s Miss Pierce,¡± Ivy eximed.

    Seeing Eliana, she immediately raised her hand and greeted Eliana excitedly.

    Her clear voice interrupted Eliana¡¯s reminiscing.

    ¡°Hello, Ivy. You¡¯re back,¡± Eliana said.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Ivy blushed. Since all her friends were in this kindergarten, she was so happy to be back to school now.

    Eliana smiled knowingly. She wanted to stroke Ivy¡¯s head.

    But a sharp voice suddenly rang out in her ears.

    ¡°Ivy, don¡¯t talk to this troublemaker.¡±

    Marina frowned and pulled Ivy to her side as if Eliana had some contagious disease.

    Troublemaker?

    Eliana was stunned. Was Marina referring to her?

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355

    ¡°Long time no see, Mrs. Harrison,¡± Eliana greeted Marina calmly.

    Marina nced at her and said in a tone dripping with sarcasm, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see people like you.

    You ruined your own family and you caused the death of your parents. And now you want to hurt our

    family?¡±

    ¡°Grandma¡­¡±

    Ivy tugged at the hem of Marina¡¯s clothes timidly.

    Ignoring her granddaughter¡¯s nervous look, Marina lowered her head and warned her, ¡°Ivy, I heard that

    this woman¡¯s children are also in the same kindergarten. Don¡¯t y with them, understand?¡±

    Why did her grandmother forbid her from ying with Adrian and Aileen?

    Ivy¡¯s timid eyes were filled up with tears again.

    Eliana was on the verge of losing her temper. She would tolerate if someone spoke ill of her, but she

    would never ept anyone ndering her kids.

    However, when she saw Ivy¡¯s pitiful expression, she could not help but feel sorry for her. She believed

    that kids shouldn¡¯t get hurt in adults¡¯ fights.

    ¡°Ivy, the ss is about to start. You can go in now. I have something to talk with your grandmother.¡±

    Ivy nced at Eliana and then at her grandmother, whose face was livid with rage, before she

    reluctantly let go of her grandmother¡¯s hand and walked into the kindergarten, asionally looking

    back at them.

    Only after Ivy walked into the ssroom did Eliana retort, ¡°Mrs. Harrison, I respect you as an elder, but

    do you really think that I am still the weak and ignorant Eliana, who would just let you bully her?¡±

    Marina was taken aback by her sudden fierceness.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    It had been five years since theyst saw each other, and Eliana seemed to have grown aggressive in

    that time.

    However, Marina was not a weak woman, either. ¡°I just want to scold you. Not only did you seduce my

    son and tear apart his family, you also pushed Asher to send Erica to a mental hospital. How could a

    shameless and cruel woman like you exist in this world?¡±

    Marina¡¯s loud voice drew the attention of the people around them.

    She became morecent when she saw the onlookers staring at Eliana with disgust in their eyes.

    ¡°I suggest you give up. No matter how hard you try, I won¡¯t allow a woman like you to marry into the

    Harrison family.¡±

    Eliana was so furious that she wanted to burst intoughter.

    Marina and Erica were a perfect mother-inw and daughter-inw duo. However, Erica was now in a

    psychiatric hospital.

    ¡°Wake up, Marina! Your son is a scumbag and I don¡¯t like him at all. Even the Harrison Group has been

    closed down because of him. You¡¯re the only one who still treasures him so much. My man is a

    thousand times better than your son!¡± Eliana said in a serious tone, without a trace of guilt.

    ¡°You bitch! I¡¯m gonna ruin your face!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s words touched Marina¡¯s nerve, making her want to attack her, regardless of the situation.

    But before she could even get close to Eliana, two bodyguards suddenly appeared before her and

    grabbed her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, here you are! Mr. Moran is waiting for you. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Corbin walked over to Eliana, signaling her to go.

    Good move!

    Eliana thought to herself as she gave Corbin a grateful smile.

    ¡°Ahem¡­ Let¡¯s go.¡±

    With her head held high, Eliana walked to Maurice¡¯s invaluable car. She didn¡¯t even have to open the

    door. A bodyguard opened the door for her, and she got in quickly.

    After getting in, Eliana thought that it went just as she wanted. What a good show!

    Shocked, Marina also could not help wondering if Eliana had hooked up with some wealthy man.

    She tried to catch up with Eliana as soon as she came to her senses.

    However, Corbin stood in front of Marina and warned, ¡°Mrs. Harrison, the reason your granddaughter

    was able toe back to this school was all because of Eliana¡¯s mercy. If you dare make trouble

    again, there will be no school Ivy could go to in the whole city.¡±

    Hearing that, Marina froze in an instant, unable to move.

    That moment, she realized that the Harrison family was no longer as powerful, and Eliana was no

    longer the woman she could bully¡­

 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356

    Eliana was in a good mood inside the car, having just vented her anger.

    She nced at Corbin gratefully. She knew she would have been in a fierce battle if not for his

    cooperation. How would she have managed to get rid of Marina easily?

    But how did Corbin manage to appear at that exact moment? It was quite coincidental.

    Still curious, Eliana asked, ¡°Corbin, thanks for your help. If it weren¡¯t for your intervention, the matter

    would probably have dragged on. But why didn¡¯t you leave?¡±

    Corbin smiled slightly and said, ¡°If you wish to express your gratitude, just thank Mr. Moran. He was the

    one who suggested that I follow you.¡±

    ¡°Maurice?¡± Eliana was stunned by this revtion. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°He was afraid you would meet some unpleasant people in the kindergarten, who may want to confront

    you with the previous rumors. So, he asked me to hang around a little longer. Just keep my eyes on

    things.¡± Corbin told her the truth in its entirety.

    Eliana became silent as soon as she heard Corbin¡¯s words.

    Maurice had always been considerate of her in some areas beyond her expectations. She had seen

    what he had done for her countless times. It was also true that she was moved by his apt attention and

    concern.

    But simultaneously, Maurice was also the person who hurt her the most and made her depressed.

    Eliana remained silent in the backseat of the car. By the time she came back to her senses, the car had

    come to a halt.

    ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±

    There was a surprised expression on Eliana¡¯s face as she stared at the Moran Group¡¯s building out of

    the car¡¯s window.

    Corbin nced at her and said, ¡°Mr. Moran has made all necessary arrangements. You can continue to

    work in the Moran Group.¡±

    Eliana stepped out of the car, still confused. She had thought that Maurice would keep her caged like a

    bird. She had not expected that he would even let her out to work.

    However, she was pleased with Maurice¡¯s new arrangement. The heavy burden that had been stuck in

    her heart seemed to have lightened.

    Finally, she could breathe in the fresh air.

    Not long after Eliana made her way into the Moran Group¡¯s building, she was shocked by the first

    scenario that yed out.

    She could make out Maurice and Harriet standing close to each, only inches apart.

    Harriet was well dressed today. The tight dress showed her perfect figure. With delicate makeup on her

    face, she looked stunning.

    She stood beside Maurice with a smile and stretched out her hands as if she was to help him straighten

    his tie. Maurice stood there with an expressionless look on his face, making no attempt to evade her.

    They seemed to be a perfect match.

    Eliana felt a pang in her heart as she stared at them.

    Maurice had been jealous when other men tried to get close to her on several asions. But he didn¡¯t

    know how to keep a distance from other women to avoid arousing suspicion at all.

    The fondness he had for her was now being diverted to another woman.

    Quite annoyed by this turn of events, Eliana whirled around and went to the Design Department.

    But the moment Eliana turned around, Maurice took a step back and evaded Harriet¡¯s hands.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Harriet withdrew her hands awkwardly and responded, ¡°I just saw that your tie seemed to be crooked,

    Mr. Moran, so I wanted to help you adjust it.¡±

    An irritated expression shed in Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me without my permission again.¡±

    Then he turned his head and nced at Corbin, who had been watching the show silently. ¡°Come and

    help me adjust it.¡±

    Seeing the embarrassed look on Harriet¡¯s face only made Corbin struggle to suppress hisughter.

    She deserved it. Perhaps she had forgotten her ce. She wasn¡¯t Eliana, but she had just tried to

    seduce Maurice.

    What a sore loser!

    Eliana¡¯s return to the office didn¡¯t cause a bigmotion like thest time. This was mainly because

    everyone was busy getting ready for an important event.

    When she entered the Design Department, her colleagues were discussing an important cooperative

    project, which was initiated by the Stone family and the Moran family.

    At that moment, Harriet and Maurice were receiving the senior members of the two families in the

    meeting room.

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Only Lilian noticed Eliana¡¯s presence and gritted her teeth in anger.

    This dirty tramp was back again.

    As the saying goes, once on shore, one prays no more. Since she hadn¡¯t seen Eliana for a long time,

    Lilian felt less threatened and confident.

    She walked up to Eliana and said in an arrogant tone, ¡°Eliana, take these design ns ande to the

    meeting room with me.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t bothered if Eliana would agree or not and stuffed the design ns into her hands.

    Eliana was bbergasted by her audacity. It was happening again! Why was Lilian always out to pick

    on her?

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357

    In the end, Eliana followed Lilian to the conference room with the documents in her arms.

    When they were at the door, Eliana faintly heard the conversationing from the conference room.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you and Miss Stone are both talented and good-looking. You are a perfect match.¡±

    ¡°Miss Stone is not only pretty, but she also has an outstanding working ability. The Stone family has

    really given birth to a good daughter.¡±

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Moran, you and Miss Stone are well-matched in social status. You are also good

    partners at work. If you two can be together, it will definitely be a strong alliance.¡±

    Most of them praised Harriet and how well-matched she and Maurice were. Eliana heard everything

    they said.

    And all she felt was bitterness in her heart.

    ¡°Well, I heard everyone¡¯s good words and wishes. As an elder, I like Harriet very much too. I hope your

    wishes for them wille true.¡±

    Eliana recognized Earle¡¯s voice.

    It seemed that Harriet was nowpletely epted by the Moran family.

    Eliana¡¯s breathing stagnated. She felt like her heart was being held tightly by something. And in an

    instant, it tightened into a ball.

    Since Maurice already had a fiancee, why did he still hit on her?

    He had helped her and saved her. He was jealous of every man close to her and even imprisoned her.

    What did those things mean?

    Did he do those things just to kill time and make fun of her?

    But wait! Why did she feel bad? This was what she exactly wanted, right?

    Once Maurice turned his attention to someone else, she would be free.

    But why did she feel so ufortable now?

    Eliana¡¯s face turned pale as mixed emotions surged up in her heart.

    Lilian saw this, and she secretly rejoiced.

    Today, she would let Eliana know her ce clearly.

    She knocked on the door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± said someone inside.

    Lilian nced at the absentminded Eliana and said discontentedly, ¡°What are you waiting for? Go

    inside! Or do you want someone to invite you in first?¡±

    It was only then that Eliana came back to her senses. She took a deep breath, adjusted her

    expression, and followed Lilian into the conference room.

    The conference room was full of people, all in suits and leather shoes. They all had extraordinary

    temperaments. Obviously, they were business elites.

    Earle sat firmly on the main seat in a domineering manner. He was full of arrogance. Maurice sat on the

    first seat on Earle¡¯s left with an imposing manner. His aura was not inferior to that of Earle, who had

    been in the business world for decades.

    Even though everyone there were business elites, Maurice was still the most dazzling one.

    His handsome face looked casual. But the dignity and arrogance in his bones made majestic.

    ¡°Excuse me. I¡¯m sorry to bother you.¡±

    When Maurice heard the familiar voice, he was so startled that he suddenly looked up. Then he saw

    Eliana distributing documents.

    He frowned and thought why she was here.

    Who had brought her here?

    Maurice stared at Eliana with burning eyes. He never took his eyes off her since she came in.

    Eliana kept her head down while silently distributing the documents. She never dared to meet

    Maurice¡¯s eyes even once.

    However, something unexpected still happened. When she finished distributing all the documents in

    her hands, she found that shecked one copy.

    Looking at her empty hands, she suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do.

    One senior executive of the Stone Group looked at her with disdain and scolded, ¡°How do you work?

    You didn¡¯t even print enough copies for everyone. I really don¡¯t know what an employee like you can do

    in Moran Group.¡±

    Eliana stood there in embarrassment, wanting to exin that she was not the one who printed the

    documents.

    But Lilian suddenly said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I give you all the copies I printed? Did you lose one? You are too

    careless!¡±

    These words directly convicted Eliana. And now, she couldn¡¯t even refute.

    Everyone looked at her disdainfully, making her feel extremely embarrassed.

    At this moment, Maurice spoke up.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Can¡¯t we proceed with the meeting if one person doesn¡¯t have a copy?¡±

    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was silent.

    Earle frowned and red at him.

    However, he just ignored Earle¡¯s reproachful look. Instead, his sharp eyes swept the crowd.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dy the meeting just because of this trivial thing. Miss Stone and I can share a copy. Let¡¯s start

    the meeting now.¡±

    Harriet wasughing at Eliana inwardly. And when she heard that Maurice wanted to share a copy with

    her, she was overjoyed.

    She was already sitting next to him. And now, she moved her chair closer to him. She couldn¡¯t stop

    smiling sweetly.

    Seeing the intimacy between Maurice and Harriet, Eliana felt even more ufortable than being

    harassed by everyone just now.

    She turned around and left the conference room without saying a word. Then she went straight to the

    printing room.

    Lilian followed Eliana.

    She gloated, ¡°Did you see that? Only a privileged woman like Miss Stone deserves a privileged man

    like Mr. Moran. Some people should stop dreaming about being with him. Not everyone is Cindere.¡±

    Eliana just ignored Lilian¡¯s sarcasm. Instead, she sneered, turned around, and found the missing copy

    from the printer. She picked it up and threw it heavily at Lilian¡¯s face.

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358

    ¡°Eliana! Are you crazy? How dare you throw the document at me!¡±

    Lilian was so angry that she red at Eliana. Her eyes almost popped out.

    With an expressionless face, Eliana said aloud, ¡°Lilian, you know what you have done. Why did you

    deliberately leave the copy here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Are you trying to frame me?¡±

    Lilian¡¯s eyes were erratic, and her lips were pale. She seemed guilty.

    For a moment, Eliana was so angry that she was speechless.

    ¡°Lilian, I know you want to humiliate me. You want to vent your anger. And you also want to take the

    opportunity to show your loyalty to Harriet.¡±

    ¡°How do you¡­¡±

    Lilian looked at Eliana in horror with fine sweat on her forehead.

    She never expected that Eliana could guess her thoughts.

    ¡°But¡­ Have you ever thought about it? Today¡¯s meeting is for the cooperation of the Stone family and

    Moran family. If the negotiation fails because of this small detail, do you think Harriet will let you off?

    You are the main culprit, after all.¡±

    Eliana rubbed her forehead and sighed. Lilian was so stupid. If Lilian wanted to frame her, why did she

    choose today? Was Lilian courting death?

    Lilian¡¯s heartbeat went abnormally fast, and her hands trembled slightly. The palms of her hands were

    sweating profusely.

    She realized that Eliana¡¯s words made sense.

    She set up a trap for Eliana out of a whim. She didn¡¯t give it a careful thought. Now that Eliana

    reminded her, she began to be afraid.

    If the cooperation really failed, she would be doomed.

    ¡°What? Are you afraid now? Next time, before you do something, please use your brain. That is¡­ If

    you have one,¡± Eliana snorted coldly.

    Then she ignored Lilian¡¯s pale face, turned around, and returned to the Design Department.

    On her way, she received a text message from an acquaintance in the sample center.

    After reading the message, she went downstairs, bought a few cups of coffee, and took them to the

    sample center.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re here.¡±

    An amiable middle-aged man wearing an apron greeted Eliana enthusiastically.

    ¡°Hello, Leif! I came as soon as I received your message. Is it ready?¡± Eliana said with a smile.

    ¡°You¡¯re just in time. We finished the ring just now.¡±

    Leif took out a small paper bag from his workbench and took out a ring from it.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up. She first gave the cups of coffee to Leif and the other colleagues one by one and

    then took the ring from Leif.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    She asked the sample center to make this lucky ring for Eli at her own expense.

    Finally, it was done.

    Leif wanted to say something. But when he saw Eliana¡¯s delighted expression, he hesitated and

    stopped on second thought.

    He could tell that the ring wasn¡¯t something thepany wanted to make. It was Eliana¡¯s own ring.

    One of thepany rules was that they were prohibited from helping anyone make jewelry in private.

    However, Leif had worked with Eliana several times and had a good impression of her. She was a

    famous figure in thepany. But she was the only designer who would personallye to discuss

    design samples with him.

    So when she asked for his help to make a ring for her secretly, he thought for a long time and finally

    agreed.

    ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful! Leif, thank you so much.¡±

    Eliana picked up the ring and looked at it carefully in the sun. The gold ring looked in and

    unadorned. But the words ¡°Eli¡± and ¡°July¡± in the inner part were clearly visible in the sun.

    She would immediately send the ring to Eli when she had time. She had been thinking about this for a

    while.

    Last time, her live broadcast to rify the gossip about her being a mistress had seeded. And she

    owed it to Eli. Eliana knew that he would be very happy when he got the ring.

    At the thought of this, a faint smile appeared on her face.

    When Leif saw her smiling, he teased, ¡°You are so happy. Did you make this ring for your boyfriend? By

    the way, do you want to make another ring to match this one?¡±

    Elianaughed and said, ¡°Leif, I don¡¯t have a boyfriend, so stop teasing me.¡±

    She was about to put the ring away when a familiar voice sounded behind her.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡±

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359

    Eliana didn¡¯t need to turn and look to know who spoke. She recognized the voice at once.

    It was none other than Maurice.

    She couldn¡¯t help wondering what kind of a person he was.

    Why was he always like a ghost haunting her?

    Eliana hurriedly put the ring in her pocket.

    Then she turned and asked, ¡°Mr. Moran, why are you here?¡±

    Instead of answering her question, Maurice asked, ¡°Eliana, what were you holding in your hand just

    now?¡±

    Frowning, he stared at her with sharp eyes.

    ¡°There is nothing in my hand, Mr. Moran. You must have seen it wrong,¡± Eliana said, smiling awkwardly.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Maurice was obviously dubious. He turned his oppressive gaze to the group of people behind her.

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The employees who met his eyes all lowered their heads, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    Leif was also nervous. He knew very well that he broke thepany¡¯s rules and regtions by making

    Eliana¡¯s ring.

    Although Eliana had paid for the materials, they still used thepany¡¯s equipment for private

    purposes. Once they were found, they might be fired.

    He contemted. Should they confess?

    Maybe if they did, Maurice would show leniency to them.

    Leif opened his mouth, wanting to confess. But before he could say anything, he was interrupted by

    Maurice¡¯s voice.

    ¡°You go out first,¡± Maurice said in a calm tone.

    But there was a hint of a foreboding storm in his words.

    Everyone looked at each other in dismay. In the end, they were all defeated by Maurice¡¯s powerful aura

    and walked out one after another.

    When Leif passed by Eliana, he hesitated for a moment.

    ¡°Eliana, did¡­¡±

    He wanted to ask her if she had offended Maurice.

    Otherwise, how could Maurice care so much about just a ring?

    Seeing that Maurice was determined to clear the site, Eliana sighed in her heart.

    Whether it was a blessing or a disaster, she couldn¡¯t avoid it.

    So she smiled at Leif and said calmly, ¡°Leif, you can go out first. I¡¯ll be fine here. I just have to exin it

    clearly to Mr. Moran.¡±

    Leif looked at Eliana worriedly, knowing that she was just pretending to be calm. Then his eyes moved

    to Maurice, who seemed to lose his temper at any time. He was thest to leave the sample center.

    After everyone went out, only Eliana and Maurice were left inside the sample center.

    There was pin-drop silence between them. She turned her head sideways all the time, refusing to look

    at him.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Maurice broke the silence. ¡°Were you jealous in the conference room just now?¡±

    His tone had a trace ofcency.

    ¡°Of course not! I don¡¯t care about you. Why would I be jealous?¡±

    Eliana resolutely denied.

    But her sudden wild heartbeat betrayed her.

    She could deceive others but not herself.

    She knew in her heart that she really cared about Maurice very much.

    Eliana cared about Maurice¡¯s words and deeds, and why he didn¡¯t speak for her in the conference

    room. She also cared why he was so close to Harriet.

    But of course, she didn¡¯t dare to tell him. She was afraid that he would easily know her feelings.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression suddenly softened, and his thin lips curved into a faint smile.

    He reached out and was about to hold Eliana in his arms.

    But at this moment, the ring suddenly fell out of her pocket.

    Itnded on the floor with a crisp sound.

    Maurice and Eliana looked down at the same time.

    Their eyes were fixed on the ring on the floor.

    Damn it! Eliana cursed inwardly.

    She immediately bent down to pick it up. However, she was still a little slow. Maurice had already

    picked it up.

    He turned the ring in his hand and unexpectedly saw the words engraved inside.

    ¡°Eli¡­¡± Maurice murmured.

    He saw it. Eliana was doomed.

    Her heart jolted, and she felt like her head was about to explode.

    ¡°Eli¡­¡± he uttered again.

    The ring had Eli¡¯s name.

    It meant that Eliana would give it to him as a gift.

    She came to the sample center to get the ring. And since he suddenly arrived, she hid it in a panic.

    Maurice immediately figured out everything, and his blood boiled at once. His uncontroble anger was

    like a wild beast breaking through the cage of reason.

    He stepped forward, grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm, and raised the ring in front of her.

    ¡°Tell me. Who is this ring for?¡±

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360

    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Eliana let out a muffled groan.

    Maurice used too much force and she was afraid he would crush her bones.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting me! Let me go!¡±

    Eliana struggled hard, but her efforts were obviously futile.

    ¡°Is this ring for Eli?¡±

    Maurice felt like his body was on fire.

    ¡°Maurice, calm down. This ring is for Eli, but it isn¡¯t what you think. He returned your ring to me thest

    time. Shouldn¡¯t I be thanking him? This is a lucky ring to make up for him.¡±

    Eliana tried to exin patiently, despite the pain in her arm.

    However, the oue was not as she had hoped. Her words just enraged Maurice even more.

    A lucky ring? What a lucky ring!

    He had never seen this woman so bothered before when he lost the ring. She didn¡¯t even immediately

    help him look for it.

    Eli simply returned the ring that had originally belonged to Maurice. And this woman was eager to

    express her gratitude, even making a ring for him.

    The more Maurice reflected on it, the more enraged he became.

    ¡°You are so daring, Eliana! How dare you use thepany¡¯s tools for your personal affairs? I¡¯m going

    to punish everyone who worked on the ring for you. The man a while ago is named Leif, right?

    Everyone who helped you will be fired, including him,¡± he eximed without thinking.

    ¡°Maurice, you are so unreasonable!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s expression changed. She couldpare Maurice to a childish and crazy child who lost his

    temper when he didn¡¯t get his favorite toy.

    ¡°If you believe I¡¯m being unreasonable, then I¡¯ll show you how unreasonable I am!¡±

    Maurice took the ring and aimed to throw it away.

    Eliana was suddenly scared out of her wits. All of her efforts would be for naught if he threw it. How

    could she find the small ring in such a big ce?

    ¡°Give me back the ring! Maurice!¡±

    Eliana rushed up to grab the ring, but Maurice didn¡¯t let her touch it. He immediately raised the ring

    above his head.

    Of course, Eliana couldn¡¯t reach the ring in Maurice¡¯s hand because he was much taller than her.

    Eliana jumped directly onto Maurice¡¯s body out of desperation. Her feet slipped. As a result, the two of

    them fell backward together, and the ring fell to the floor.

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Eliana screamed in terror.

    The moment they fell, Maurice subconsciously wrapped his arms around her waist andy beneath her.

    In fact, Eliana fell into Maurice¡¯s arms rather than on the floor.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    She almost burst into tears when her nose hit Maurice¡¯s hard chest.

    This abrupt change brought the tense atmosphere to a halt.

    Maurice¡¯s anger was dispelled in an instant as he gazed into Eliana¡¯s watery eyes and held her soft

    body. He even blurted out flirtatious words.

    ¡°Howe you¡¯re still aroused during your period?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. Why had this guy¡¯s mood suddenly changed?

    She looked down and realized that she was in Maurice¡¯s arms and that they were in a very intimate

    position.

    Her face flushed. She then tried to get up.

    Maurice, on the other hand, would not let her seed.

    He wrapped his arms around her waist again. He held her even more tightly this time. Eliana¡¯s entire

    face was pressed against Maurice¡¯s chest as the two got closer.

    ¡°Maurice! You¡­¡±

    Eliana struggled to raise her head to scold him.

    Suddenly, the sample center¡¯s door opened.

    ¡°You¡­ What are you doing?¡±

    Harriet stood outside the door, her expression stiff and her face pale.

    Harriet went out to look for Maurice after the meeting, but she didn¡¯t expect to see this scene.

    She felt her blood pressure rise and her head spin for a brief moment.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Meanwhile, Maurice showed no trace of panic at all. He was so calm. He didn¡¯t even take a nce at

    Harriet.

    Harriet gritted her teeth, trying to keep the jealousy in her heart at bay.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, the senior leaders of the Stone and Moran families are leaving, and your grandfather is

    asking you to see them off together with him.¡±

    Still lying in Maurice¡¯s arms, Eliana was totally confused.

    If Maurice wasn¡¯t going to get up, he should at least let her do so. Why was he speaking to Harriet

    while they were in that position?

    It¡­ It was so fucking embarrassing.

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361

    After a moment of silence, Eliana got up, distancing herself from Maurice.

    Then she quietly picked up the ring and put it into her pocket.

    Maurice didn¡¯t stop her. Instead, he stood up calmly and said to Harriet in his usual tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t you

    say that I need to see the executives off? Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Then he left with Harriet as if nothing had happened. He didn¡¯t even look back once.

    Staring at his receding figure, Eliana seethed.

    She was speechless with anger. This man was so capricious!

    On the one hand, he was a business elite who excelled at work. On the other hand, he was a

    domineering and childish man who made fun of her in private.

    What was wrong with him?

    During the confrontation, Leif and the other employees remained outside the sample center.

    After Maurice and Harriet left, the employees came back inside one after another.

    Leif was the first one to rush in and he immediately noticed Eliana¡¯s sullen expression.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡±

    It was not until he spoke that she extricated herself from her emotions.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Looking at her distant expression, Leif had a bold thought.

    It seemed as though there was something going on between Mr. Moran and Eliana!

    ¡°Eliana, I have life experience, so I hope you will listen to me. Don¡¯t get too close to privileged people

    like Mr. Moran, or you will be hurt in the end,¡± he advised her.

    ¡°Leif¡­¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face turned red. She felt the urge to exin.

    Leif waved his hand and said, ¡°Listen to me, even though my words might be unpleasant for you to

    hear. I¡¯ll use your ring as an example.¡±

    Leif pointed at the ring on Eliana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Although it¡¯s of stunning design, the materials used cannot bepared to the materials thepany

    uses to make jewelry. The ring is just like a person. For whatever reason, some people are not

    comparable, and their paths are not meant to cross in this life.¡±

    After letting his words sink in, Eliana felt enlightened.

    Indeed, she and Maurice were incredibly different.

    Why should she ask for trouble?

    Swallowing the sadness in her heart, Eliana said sincerely, ¡°Thank you, Leif. Whether for the ring or

    your words, I want to say thank you.¡±

    Leif nodded with relief. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you understand what I¡¯m saying.¡±

    With a serious look on her face, Eliana continued, ¡°I will take responsibility for using thepany¡¯s

    resources. I won¡¯t let Mr. Moran me you.¡±

    ¡°Silly girl, you don¡¯t need to do that,¡± Leif said with a sigh.

    ¡°I asked you to help me with this. Of course I should take responsibility for it. Don¡¯t try to dissuade me,

    Leif.¡±

    With her mind made up, Eliana resolutely left the sample center.

    After Maurice and Harriet left Eliana, they went downstairs to see off the senior executives.

    As the executives prepared to leave, Harriet¡¯s uncle patted Maurice on the shoulder and said

    cheerfully, ¡°Maurice, wish us pleasant cooperation this time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s hope for pleasant cooperation.¡±

    Despite making such a big deal, Maurice remained expressionless, as if nothing could affect his mood.

    Of course, Eliana was an exception to that rule.

    ¡°What¡¯s more, the elders of both families hope to see you make progress with Harriet as soon as

    possible!¡±

    Harriet¡¯s uncle winked at Harriet, and she shyly lowered her head.

    Instead of responding, Maurice changed the topic. ¡°Mr. Stone, don¡¯t worry. I will do my best to be a

    host. I have already arranged for a dinner party at Moon Lake Manor, and we will treat the Stone family

    elders well.¡±

    As an intelligent woman, Harriet immediately realized that Maurice was avoiding the topic of their

    marriage, which made her deeply ufortable.

    Eliana.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    It was all because of that woman.

    A hint of viciousness shed in Harriet¡¯s eyes, but no one noticed it.

    She believed that once Eliana was gone, Maurice would belong to her.

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362

    After seeing off the senior executives of the Stone and Moran families, Harriet walked back to the

    Design Department with a long face. By the time she returned, Eliana was nowhere to be seen.

    Sitting in her seat, Lilian watched Harriet approach. She was afraid that Harriet would get even with

    her, but she thought she might have a chance to make up for her earlier mistake.

    ¡°Miss Stone, what happened? You look unhappy. Is it because of Eliana, that floozy?¡±

    Lilian greeted Harriet with a ttering smile, hoping that she would be pleased by the Eliana nder.

    However, at this moment, Harriet¡¯s mind waspletely filled with the image of Eliana and Maurice on

    the floor together. She was furious and needed somewhere to direct her rage. Unfortunately for Lilian,

    she had put herself directly in the path of anger.

    Harriet snorted and said fiercely, ¡°Lilian, why did you bring Eliana to the meeting room today?¡±

    Lilian broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Miss Stone, what do you mean? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s face darkened as she red at Lilian with a vicious expression.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool? You know what you did. If you can¡¯t figure out what you should and shouldn¡¯t

    do on your own, don¡¯t me me for not showing you any mercy next time. Do you understand?¡±

    How could Harriet not know what Lilian had in mind?

    Usually, she wanted her to make trouble for Eliana.

    However, Lilian didn¡¯t know how to act ording to circumstances. Clearly, she had crossed a line in

    Harriet¡¯s mind. All she knew was that if she impacted the business between the Stone and Moran

    families, Harriet would definitely punish her.

    ¡°Got it! I understand. I won¡¯t do it again!¡±

    Lilian immediately lowered her head in fear.

    She thought that Harriet was different today, unlike her usual gentle and generous self. Lilian was

    frightened by the terribly cold woman that stood in front of her.

    After Lilian apologized, Harriet¡¯s face instantly softened and she smiled at the woman. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to

    me you. Just pay more attention in the future.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Miss Stone. Don¡¯t worry. I will keep an eye on Eliana for you,¡± Lilian offered.

    As they spoke about Eliana, something suddenly urred to Harriet.

    To celebrate the cooperation between their families, Maurice had specially booked Moon Lake Manor

    to receive the Stone family. Harriet would be expected to take her subordinates with her to the party.

    However, today in the meeting room, she had seen that whenever Eliana appeared, she attracted all of

    Maurice¡¯s attention.

    Therefore, she absolutely could not bring Eliana to the party.

    Then what should she do?

    Harriet looked at Lilian and came up with an idea.

    ¡°Lilian, Mr. Moran has booked Moon Lake Manor for several days to discuss the cooperation with the

    Stone family. You can attend the event with me. As for Eliana, I¡¯ll find something else for her to do.¡±

    Harriet knew how to keep people under her control. Lilian was still useful, but in order to keep Lilian as

    a willing pawn, she had to make it worth her while.

    Sure enough, Lilian was excited by the invite.

    ¡°Really?! Thank you, Miss Stone! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!¡±

    Satisfied, Harriet nodded and said, ¡°Go and prepare.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Back in her seat, Lilian shook with excitement.

    She was invited to a Stone and Moran family party! The other attendees would surely be either rich or

    powerful. This would be her best opportunity to try and squeeze into the upper ss.

    Lilian was still buzzing with excitement when Eliana returned.

    Lilian couldn¡¯t help showing off as soon as she saw her.

    ¡°Guess what! Just now, Miss Stone said that she would take me to the Stone and Moran family party!

    How unfortunate that some people will never have the chance to attend such an upscale party in their

    lives.¡±

    Eliana just smiled without replying immediately. Before her family had gone bankrupt, Eliana had

    attended this kind of party many times and was already tired of them.

    ¡°Well, have a good time,¡± Eliana replied casually.

    ¡°You!¡± Lilian was depressed that her gloating hadn¡¯t elicited a bigger response.

    Before long, Corbin came.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, why are you here? Did Mr. Moran send you?¡± Lilian greeted Corbin warmly.

    However, he went straight to Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, Mr. Moran requests that you prepare to apany him on a business trip to Moon Lake

    Manor for a few days.¡±

    ¡°What?! Moon Lake Manor!¡±

    Before Eliana had a chance to reply, Lilian shouted in surprise.

    ¡°If she¡¯s going to Moon Lake Manor, then what about me?¡±

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363

    ¡°You?¡± Corbin arched his brow and answered, ¡°The boss instructed that you do the cleaning while

    Eliana is away.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lilian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Howe she can go to the manor while I do the cleaning?¡±

    ¡°Lilian, you are stupid, but others are not,¡± Corbin sneered. ¡°There was a copy missing in the meeting

    just now. Do you think our boss wouldn¡¯t figure out who was behind it? You could have simply asked an

    assistant to make copies of the documents. But you insisted on doing it yourself, and you ended up

    making a mistake. Shouldn¡¯t you face the consequences?¡±

    Lilian¡¯s face flushed as Corbin chastised her. She was speechless.

    Theypletely ignored Eliana. She didn¡¯t get a chance to say anything until the two had finished

    saying whatever they wanted to say.

    ¡°I disagree!¡± Eliana protested. ¡°I am not going to the Moon Lake Manor!¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to go to any party with Maurice.

    Something bad would happen every time she went out with him.

    She still wanted to live peacefully even for just a few days.

    Corbin was surprised by her reaction, so he asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t go to the Moon Lake Manor with our

    boss, do you want to clean here with Lilian? Haven¡¯t you already done enough cleaning? Do you want

    to do it again?¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    Eliana was taken aback. ¡°Why do I have to do the cleaning?¡± she retorted, blushing. ¡°I¡¯m a designer.

    My work does not include cleaning.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯d better obey the boss,¡± Corbin whispered in her ear, sympathetically looking at her. ¡°The

    boss now controls your entire family. Aren¡¯t you afraid that if you don¡¯t go, the boss will immediately

    assign the twins to do the cleaning with you?¡±

    Upon hearing that, a ridiculous scene immediately appeared in Eliana¡¯s mind.

    Her family, along with Nana, wore aprons and were sweeping the floor bitterly. The two children were

    crying because they were so hungry.

    Eliana shut up in an instant.

    She only needed to attend a party.

    As a mother, she knew when to eat humble pie and when to hold her head high. Besides, Maurice

    couldn¡¯t devour her.

    Eliana frowned and said, ¡°All right, I¡­ I¡¯ll go.¡±

    When evening came, Eliana left work and went back home. Aileen and Adrian ran up to her as soon as

    the door was opened.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    ¡°Hey, kids, did you have a good time in the kindergarten today?¡± Eliana smiled and gave her kids warm

    hugs.

    Aileen raised her head, her big eyes blinking. She looked really adorable. ¡°We had a great time in

    kindergarten. Were you happy at work?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. What an odd question from a youngster!

    Adrian also asked, ¡°Mommy, have you been in trouble at work recently? Did anyone bully you?¡±

    Eliana was stupefied. Why were her kids acting so strange today?

    ¡°Why are you suddenly interested in my work, honey?¡±

    Aileen hemmed and hawed.

    Adrian was an impetuous kid. Seeing that Aileen¡¯s attempt failed, he wanted to ask his mother directly

    whether Ss¡¯ uncle was the bad boss who bullied his mother.

    However, as soon as he opened his mouth, Aileen grabbed his hand, stopping him. ¡°Nothing, Mommy.

    We¡¯re just worried that you¡¯ll be too tired at work.¡±

    Eliana almost burst into tears when she saw Aileen¡¯s sweet smile. Her children were really thoughtful.

    ¡°I¡¯m not tired. I¡¯m going to work hard for our family.¡±

    She then kissed each of them.

    ¡°Mommy, have a rest. Adrian and I are going to the backyard.¡±

    Adrian, who was frowning, followed Aileen to the backyard.

    After a while, Adrian let go of Aileen¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°Aileen, why didn¡¯t you let me ask about Ss¡¯

    uncle?¡±

    Aileen raised her head proudly, rested one hand on her waist, and poked Adrian on the forehead.

    ¡°Adrian, are you stupid? We should give Mommy and our new daddy more time to get to know each

    other. If you ask too many questions, it won¡¯t be romantic.¡±

    Adrian was stunned. He covered his forehead.

    Their new daddy?

    Was Ss¡¯ uncle going to be his new daddy?

    He hadn¡¯t considered it yet.

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364

    Since Eliana was being forced to go on a business trip for a few days, she went back to her room and

    reluctantly packed up for the trip after having dinner.

    While she was packing, Nana walked into the room.

    Taking a look at the luggage on the floor, Nana raised an eyebrow in confusion. ¡°Are you going

    somewhere, Eliana?¡±

    Putting down the clothes in her hands, Eliana let out a sigh. ¡°Unfortunately. I have to go on a business

    trip with Maurice for a few days.¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes instantly lit up in excitement.

    Why did she sense that something saucy was about to happen on this trip?

    ¡°Be honest, Eliana. Are you and Maurice going on a vacation together in the name of work?¡± Nana

    teased, yfully nudging Eliana.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Maurice has a new woman now. It¡¯s impossible for us to be together. He¡¯s just

    keeping me around as his secret lover or something.¡±

    When Eliana spoke, she maintained a calm expression, expertly concealing the trace of loneliness in

    her eyes.

    However, Nana didn¡¯t buy it at all.

    Maurice just kept Eliana around as his secret lover?

    No way!

    Not only was Maurice the CEO of the Moran Group, but he was also extremely good-looking with a

    distinguished family background to match. He had countless women lining up for a chance to date him.

    If he didn¡¯t have feelings for Eliana, why would he do so much for her?

    It seemed that Eliana was too close to the issue to see it clearly.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t be in a hurry to distance yourself from Maurice. To me, he doesn¡¯te across as a

    fickle man. Since he spent so much time and effort chasing you, his feelings for you must be sincere,¡±

    Nana pointed out.

    At these words, Eliana¡¯s heart trembled, and her firm mind wavered a little.

    But her happiness was momentary. The very next second, those words she had heard in the meeting

    room today about how Maurice and Harriet were a perfect match, as well as Leif¡¯s advice, echoed in

    her ears like a grim warning.

    Trying her best to suppress any shred of hope she had left, Eliana smiled bitterly. ¡°Nana, Maurice is not

    such a good man like you think.¡±

    Nana shook her head. ¡°Eliana, I think that as a third person, I¡¯m able to see what¡¯s going on more

    clearly than you are. In this life, not everyone is lucky enough to meet their true love. If you have the

    chance, don¡¯t miss it. Don¡¯t be like me. I have no idea where my true love is. Besides, I¡¯m in a lot of

    trouble now.¡±

    ¡°Trouble?¡± Eliana asked in surprise.

    Nana pursed her lips in displeasure. ¡°Yes. I have an appointment with Huey and Rosamond tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Huey and Rosamond want to see you?¡± Suspicion arose within Eliana¡¯s heart at once. ¡°Are they

    plotting something? How about I go with you?¡±

    Nana waved away Eliana¡¯s suggestion, and a yful smirk appeared on her face. ¡°You don¡¯t have to

    apany me. Instead, let me borrow Aileen and Adrian. I don¡¯t believe that Huey and Rosamond will

    have the nerve to badger me when they see me with the children.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry. ¡°Fine, but tell me where you¡¯re meeting

    them.¡±

    Nana frowned as she tried to recall the exact name of the appointed meeting ce. ¡°I think it¡¯s called

    Moon Lake?¡±

    ¡°Moon Lake Manor?¡± Eliana gasped.

    N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.

    ¡°Yes, Moon Lake Manor. Is there something wrong?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where Maurice and I are going. What¡¯s wrong with these people? Don¡¯t they have anything

    better to do than gather together?¡±

    All of a sudden, Eliana had a bad feeling about the business trip. She knew that it would not be a

    peaceful one.

    Nana, too, scratched her head irritably.

    Who knew what would happen when all these troublesome people gathered in one ce?

    The two women looked at each other, with worry clear in their eyes.

    ¡°Ugh, forget it!¡± Nana said, groaning. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to offend any of these big families. Let¡¯s just y

    by ear and split up tomorrow.¡±

    Eliana frowned, but she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s all we can do.¡±

    After discussing it for a long time, the two women still couldn¡¯te up with a solid n. In the end, it

    was time for Nana to leave.

    But before she left, she secretly slipped something into Eliana¡¯s luggage when Eliana was not looking.

    Early the next morning, a car sent by Maurice arrived at the gate of the Pierce family¡¯s house to pick up

    Eliana.

    Dragging her luggage behind her, Eliana reluctantly got into the car.

    Then, in a second car, Nana left the house with the twins.

    On that bright morning, these two cars drove to the Moon Lake Manor one after the other.

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365

    After several minutes of driving through the countryside, the two cars finally pulled over at the gate of

    the enchanting Moon Lake Manor.

    Eliana stepped out of the car first. Before entering the estate, she looked back worriedly at Nana and

    the twins.

    A few meters away, Nana was busy assisting Aileen and Adrian out of the car.

    Seeing the three of them walk into the manor smoothly, Eliana finally breathed a sigh of relief and

    smiled.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Corbin asked, approaching Eliana from behind.

    Eliana was startled by Corbin¡¯s question. She immediately changed her expression and pretended that

    nothing had happened. ¡°I can¡¯t help but appreciate the beautiful surroundings. The Moon Lake Manor is

    so breathtaking that I was enjoying the view.¡±

    Her words rang true. The Moon Lake Manor was indeed a wonderful sight to behold. Looking like a

    setting from a fairytale, the luxurious property was built around the dazzling Moon Lake Spring.

    Inside the manor, there were vintage buildings that stood tall. Every corner was a pleasant picture of

    captivating scenery. Vast greenery, colorful flowers, and ripe fruits stimted the senses of every

    visitor.

    Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Corbin carefully assessed the situation.

    Something didn¡¯t feel right. He thought that he had seen Nana just moments ago.

    But when he walked over to get a closer look, the figure had suddenly disappeared.

    Were his eyes ying tricks on him?

    Was it because he missed Nana so much that he was starting to daydream about her?

    Corbin shook his head and chuckled at himself. He would not allow himself to be some lovesick

    fool.

    ¡°Hey. Aren¡¯t you going to take me to Maurice? Time¡¯s ticking. Let¡¯s go.¡± Eliana quickly changed the

    topic and urged him inside.

    Hearing her words, Corbin snapped back into reality. He remembered his assignment and forgot the

    figure he had just seen.

    ¡°Right. Come follow me.¡±

    Leading the way into the manor, Corbin beckoned Eliana to walk closely behind him.

    The pair went deeper into the remote parts of the extensive estate. Instead of going to the house to

    have a quick rest, Eliana soon found herself at a racetrack.

    Watching the horses roam freely on the tracks, Eliana suddenly remembered something.

    Her father had gifted her a horse on her tenth birthday. At that time, the Pierce family hadn¡¯t gone

    bankrupt yet and owned a racetrack, so her father would take her there to ride horses every year.

    During each of their trips, she would happily sit on the horse, and her father led them down the track.

    The pair spent the entire day in each other¡¯spany, riding their horses until the sunset.

    All those precious moments were still clear in her mind, as if they had just happened yesterday. As time

    went on, Eliana still kept that priceless piece of memory close to her heart.

    But tragedy struck, and the Pierce family went bankrupt. The beloved racetrack was sealed up, and

    she had never ridden a horse again.

    ¡°Eliana, are you alright?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s voice suddenly pulled Eliana back from her memory.

    ¡°It seems you have a lot going on in your head. What are you thinking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing important. I was just reminded of something from my past.¡± Her eyes were noticeably full of

    nostalgia. Suddenly self-conscious, she blinked and cleared her throat. ¡°So, what are we doing here?¡±

    ¡°Since we are at a racetrack, you will be riding a horse.¡± All of a sudden, a question entered Corbin¡¯s

    mind. ¡°By the way, do you know how to ride a horse?¡±

    Eliana said excitedly, ¡°Not to brag, but I¡¯m good at riding. I actually won the championship in a riding

    competition once.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Corbin wasn¡¯t buying her story after being fooled so many times.

    His skeptical eyes seriously hurt Eliana¡¯s ego. She raised her right hand and swore, ¡°That¡¯s the truth. I

    promise.¡±

    It was true that Eliana wasn¡¯t lying this time, but she couldn¡¯t tell him why she liked riding so much.

    The reason was pretty childish. When she was a young girl, she often dreamed that she was a princess

    and a handsome prince would ride a white horse to pick her up.

    The next moment, Eliana heard a horse¡¯s loud neigh.

    She raised her head and saw a tall figure against the sunlight riding a snow-white horse slowly towards

    her.

    As he drew closer, Eliana immediately recognized the handsome rider. It was Maurice.

    The morning sun shined from behind him and outlined him with ayer of gold light, giving him the

    appearance of a powerful god who stepped down from the heavens.

    He looked at her with a warm smile as if they were the only two persons left in the entire world at this

    moment.

    Eliana was so excited that she got butterflies in her stomach.

    She couldn¡¯t stand it when Maurice gazed deeply into her eyes. If he kept it up, she would melt for

    sure.

    Eliana held her breath when Maurice gracefully dismounted from the horse and walked toward her.

    The horse, the dashing prince, and the affectionate gaze were too much to handle.

    This dreamy scene was exactly the same as what she had fantasized in her childhood.

    It turned out that the special man in her dreams who rode the white horse was not necessarily a prince.

    It could very well be a rich and powerful CEO.

    Just when Eliana thought she had finally fulfilled her childhood dream, it was about to bepletely

    shattered into pieces.

    Another figure appeared behind Maurice, instantly breaking Eliana¡¯s heart.

    Harriet was riding her horse and stopped beside Maurice. She smiled at him and prepared to dismount.

    But when she got off the horse, she suddenly lost her bnce¡­N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366

    The next second, Harriet fell into Maurice¡¯s arms.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moran!¡± Harriet said in a hurry, looking up at Maurice with her hands resting against his

    chest for support. ¡°I couldn¡¯t maintain my bnce. I guess I was a little dizzy after riding for such a long

    time.¡±

    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that her whole body was basically pressed against Maurice, her apology would

    have sounded more sincere.

    As she spoke, she flipped back her hair which was disheveled by the wind while riding, deliberately

    revealing her slender neck.

    The faint, seductive fragrance sprayed on her neck drifted into Maurice¡¯s nose.

    Harriet had to hold back thecent smirk that fought to rush to the surface. In fact, this was a

    scene that she had rehearsed countless times in her mind.

    Even the perfume she was wearing today had been carefully chosen for this specific moment. She

    would not make any mistakes this time.

    Of course, the only reason Harriet had seeded was because Maurice was too taken aback to react

    quickly enough.

    The moment he realized what was happening, however, he frowned and took a step back, causing

    Harriet to stumble.

    As for the scent of perfume left on his clothes, Maurice found it extremely irritating.

    For Eliana, who was standing in the distance, the exact exchange between these two people was not

    clear.

    All she could see was Harriet clinging to Maurice and looking intimately into his eyes, making the two of

    them looking like a couple.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t control the jealousy and bitterness that flooded her heart.

    What was going on?

    Maurice was the one who had called her here in the first ce. But now that she was here, he was

    happily holding another woman in his arms.

    But wait¡­

    Wasn¡¯t it better for him to be entangled with another woman?

    If Maurice was entertaining himself with other women, it meant that he was tired of Eliana and would

    set her free soon.

    As she thought of all these possibilities, Eliana¡¯s mind was in a mess.

    There was no doubt that seeing Maurice and Harriet in such an intimate posture left a bad taste in her

    mouth.

    However, the logical part of her knew that it was better for Maurice to be distracted by Harriet like this.

    After all, if Maurice found another woman for himself, he would not pester Eliana all the time. She could

    go back to living a peaceful life like before, without constantly worrying that the identity of her children¡¯s

    father would be revealed.

    Wouldn¡¯t that be the best ending?

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Corbin called out, waving his hand in front of Eliana¡¯s face. ¡°Are you spacing out again? Mr.

    Moran called us over.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± When Eliana snapped back to reality, she saw Harriet waving them over.

    Eliana had no interest in going over there and disturbing the happy couple, but the look in Maurice¡¯s

    eyes sent a shiver down her spine.

    His eyes contained a clear warning: if she didn¡¯t go there right now, she would meet a miserable end.

    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

    But why?

    Did Maurice find it fun to flirt with another woman in front of her?

    Whatever it was, Eliana had no choice but to grit her teeth and walk towards Maurice.

    As she approached Maurice and Harriet, she saw a refined middle-aged man standing there next to

    them.

    ¡°Corbin, Eliana, you¡¯re here too.¡± Harriet warmly greeted the two. ¡°Let me introduce you all. This is my

    uncle, Kelvin Stone. He¡¯s my father¡¯s younger brother.¡±

    ¡°Nice to meet you. Harriet has often mentioned you two to me. She said that Mr. Jenkins and Miss

    Pierce are both Maurice¡¯s capable employees. Now, I can see for myself that it¡¯s true,¡± Kelvin said with

    a warm smile on his face.

    Eliana was not good at receivingpliments orworking with other people, so all she could do was

    smile awkwardly in response.

    ¡°Mr. Stone, you¡¯re exaggerating too much. Miss Pierce isn¡¯t as capable as you think. I¡¯ll be very happy if

    she doesn¡¯t cause me any trouble,¡± Maurice said lightly.

    These words instantly grated on Eliana¡¯s nerves. She turned around and gave Maurice a ferocious

    re.

    What did he mean?

    When had she caused him any trouble?

    Well¡­

    Even if she had caused him trouble, Maurice had caused a lot of trouble on his own, too.

    The fire in Eliana¡¯s eyes was the first thing that had piqued Maurice¡¯s interest today, and he stared back

    at her with as much intensity as she did.

    The two of them were looking at each other as if no one else was around.

    Harriet, who was standing next to them, was so angry that she wished she could reach out and stop

    their eye contact at once.

    Instead, she inhaled sharply and suggested, ¡°Eliana, since we¡¯re all here at the racetrack, would you

    like to join us and ride a horse too?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know how to ride.¡±

    In order to avoid trouble, Eliana chose to lie decisively.

    ¡°Really? What a pity.¡± Harriet nced at Kelvin with a smile, and an inexplicable flicker crossed her

    eyes. ¡°Actually, my uncle is really good at horse riding. How about we let him teach you?¡±

    Hearing this, everyone fell silent.

    But no one was as stunned as Eliana was.

    Why was Harriet suddenly being nice to her?

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367

    No, thanks.¡± Maurice waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°She is very stupid. It would be pointless to teach

    her. Besides, I don¡¯t want to bother you, Mr. Stone.¡±

    ¡°Well, it will be my honor to teach Miss Pierce if she is willing to be my student.¡±

    Kelvin wore a slightly devious smile.

    This was the n he had previously discussed with Harriet. Once he got their approval, he would

    quickly move into action.

    It didn¡¯t matter what methods Kelvin used. One goal was clearly embedded in his mind. By whatever

    means necessary, he was to find a way to separate Eliana from Maurice.

    Upon hearing Kelvin¡¯s insistence, Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He stood silently in front of Eliana,

    still unconvinced.

    ¡°I know for a fact that Miss Pierce is a great designer. How could she be stupid? Maurice, tell me what

    is really bothering you. Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    Harriet chimed in, ¡°Mr. Moran must be joking. How can Eliana be stupid? She is one of the brightest

    minds in the fashion industry. On the contrary, I should be the one you called stupid. I can¡¯t even get off

    the horse properly. If you hadn¡¯t caught me to prevent me from falling down just now, I surely would

    have been injured and in an embarrassing situation.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but frown. He immediately sensed that something was wrong after hearing their

    words.

    Why was Kelvin so eager to teach Eliana? What were his ulterior motives?

    When Maurice was about to refuse again, Eliana suddenly uttered, ¡°Okay, I agree! Please teach me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know what was going on in Maurice¡¯s mind. All she could think about was one thing.

    Maurice had the guts to call her stupid!

    How could she be stupid?

    Eliana decided to show Maurice what a smart person she actually was. It was only a matter of time

    before she made him eat his words!

    She was so infuriated that she bypassed Maurice¡¯s authority and agreed to Kelvin¡¯s request.

    Seeing how things turned out, Kelvin couldn¡¯t believe his luck. He didn¡¯t expect that it would be so easy

    to trick Eliana.

    Afraid that Eliana would back out, he immediately replied, ¡°We have a deal! Since we have finally

    reached an agreement, Miss Pierce, you can go and get changed first. We will wait for you here.¡±

    ring at Maurice defiantly, Eliana strode away.

    She went to the female dressing room, changing her clothes while sulking over the situation.

    Truthfully, Eliana regretted the moment she agreed. Her pride had gotten the best of her. She just didn¡¯t

    want Maurice to look down upon her, so she epted Kelvin¡¯s offer to prove that she wasn¡¯t stupid.

    In her eyes, learning how to ride from Harriet¡¯s uncle was equivalent to torture.

    But she had no other choice. It was all Maurice¡¯s fault! If he hadn¡¯t insulted her in front of everyone,

    none of this would have happened!

    Eliana kept cursing him in her heart. To her surprise, Maurice came in as soon as she raised her head.

    ¡°Hey! What are you doing here? Get out and leave me alone!¡±This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He was inside the female dressing room!

    How could Maurice invade her privacy?

    This was uneptable behavior. He was just like a pervert!

    Wearing only a vest, Eliana immediately covered her breasts with both hands.

    ¡°Why are you screaming like this? Don¡¯t act as if I haven¡¯t seen every inch of your body before.¡±

    Maurice walked straight into the dressing room without any expression on his face. He acted like he

    was at his own house.

    Hearing his words, Eliana was left speechless. She couldn¡¯t deny that what he had said was entirely

    true.

    Before she could even react, Maurice walked up to her and trapped her in a corner.

    ¡°Stay away from me.¡± Eliana nervously gulped as she felt her back press up against the wall.

    ¡°Why did you agree to Harriet¡¯s suggestion earlier?¡± Maurice asked in a low voice.

    When he mentioned Harriet, Eliana felt her blood boil. She red at him and snarled, ¡°Forget about

    me! It¡¯s none of your business! Why don¡¯t you go and take care of your precious Harriet?¡±

    What was going on here? Was she jealous?

    Maurice felt amused upon seeing Eliana¡¯s puckered mouth. Everything was suddenly clear now.

    ¡°Do you really want me to go to Harriet? You might regret it.¡±

    Maurice bent over and leered at Eliana. He was so close that she could feel his warm breath.

    Turning her head away in displeasure, Eliana tried her best to suppress the resentment in her heart.

    But her jealousy was too much to bear.

    ¡°Go and be with her. I don¡¯t regret saying it at all!¡±

    She was such a stubborn woman.

    With an amused smile on his face, Maurice gently turned Eliana¡¯s head to face him. This time, he got

    closer to her.

    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t make fun of you anymore. You can certainly try to put on a brave face when you ride a

    horseter, but it¡¯s no good if you get hurt. Let me tell you something. How about you don¡¯t continue

    your lesson on how to ride a horse?¡±

    When Eliana was entranced by the handsome face in front of her, her heart beat faster. But she

    immediately regained her senses upon hearing his suggestion.

    It was obvious that Maurice thought so poorly of her!

    ¡°Nothing you say can change my mind! Get out this instant! I need to change my clothes!¡±

    Eliana pushed Maurice away and hurriedly put on the coat.

    Despite his constant objection, she ultimately decided to ride the horse today!

    As she hastily swung the coat over her shoulders, something fell out of the coat¡¯s pocket by ident.

    Upon closer inspection, Eliana realized that it was a small blue box of condoms.

    She was immediately taken aback.

    What in the world was happening?

    Who could have nted the box of condoms in her clothes?

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368

    Eliana squatted down to pick up the box of condoms without hesitation, intending to directly destroy it.

    But unfortunately, she was a little slower. Maurice had already picked up the box before she could do it.

    ¡°You¡­ What are you going to do?¡±

    Holding the box in his hand, Maurice stared at Eliana teasingly.

    His question made Eliana¡¯s face flush. She was rendered speechless for a long time.

    Nana must have secretly put the box in her pocketst night.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    She suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Eliana wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, but she didn¡¯t know how to exin it.

    In the end, she stammered, ¡°I¡­ Well¡­ I prepared it, just in case. I¡¯m already a mother of two. We have

    to take protective measures, right?¡±

    What was she talking about?

    Eliana looked calm on the surface, but her heart actually felt very uneasy.

    As soon as she said this, Maurice¡¯s face darkened at once.

    He was reminded of her children.

    He almost forgot that she had given birth to two children of another man.

    Maurice felt like his heart was fiercely stung.

    Even though Eliana was now in his hands, the two children always reminded him that she had a closer

    rtionship with another man. She loved that man so much that she even gave birth to his children.

    What if¡­

    A crazy idea came to his mind.

    Maurice leaned closer to Eliana¡¯s face and whispered in her ear, ¡°Maybe¡­ I should also let you give

    birth to my child.¡±

    His warm breath made her hair stand on end.

    And his words scared her out of her wits.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ You can¡¯t¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    The rest of her words were blocked when Maurice suddenly kissed her lips.

    The kiss was aggressive, with surging jealousy. And Eliana was not even allowed to refuse in the

    slightest bit.

    He kissed her soft lips hard flirtatiously. His tongue pried open her teeth and raged in her sweet mouth.

    Eliana was so scared that she struggled desperately.

    But Maurice¡¯s kiss became more and more passionate, and his hands began to fondle her.

    She got so anxious that she bit his lower lip hard.

    The next moment, the taste of blood spread in her mouth.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± he groaned in pain and stopped kissing her.

    As soon as her lips were freed, Eliana shouted angrily, ¡°Maurice, are you crazy?¡±

    Blue veins bulged on Maurice¡¯s forehead, and he looked fierce and dissatisfied.

    ¡°I¡¯m crazy? Yes, and I¡¯ll show you what it¡¯s like to be crazy.¡±

    The taste of blood and the tingling sensation in his mouth drove Maurice crazy and made him brutish.

    All he wanted now was to conquer the disobedient woman in front of him.

    At this moment, Kelvin¡¯s voice came through from the outside of the dressing room. ¡°Miss Pierce, have

    you changed your clothes?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up. She was about to answer him.

    However, Maurice kissed her again.

    This time, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to resist.

    Eliana epted her fate, so she gave up resisting and stopped begging for mercy. Her lips were kissed

    by Maurice possessively, and it made her feel so dizzy. Gradually, she was led by him into kissing. She

    was immersed in the turbulent vortex of desire, even forgetting where she was.

    Kelvin was still waiting anxiously outside.

    Eliana had been in the dressing room for so long. Why hadn¡¯t shee out yet?

    He knocked again. ¡°Miss Pierce? Miss Pierce¡­¡±

    He called her name several times, but there was still no answer.

    Kelvin felt strange. Had Eliana already changed her clothes and gone out?

    But when? He was just outside. Why didn¡¯t he know?

    Kelvin waited for a while more. When there was still no response from the inside, he thought Eliana had

    already gone out, so he also left quickly.

    When Maurice heard that the footsteps outside gradually faded away, he finally let go of Eliana, who

    was almost suffocated.

    Eliana took a deep breath to fill her lungs with fresh air. And it made her feel a lot better.

    Her chest heaved violently; her hair was disheveled; and her eyes narrowed slightly. Her delicate face

    flushed, and her pale lips became rosy.

    Maurice looked at her. She looked so attractive that his throat felt dry, and his desire was aroused

    again.

    ¡°Do you still want to shout? You can try it again,¡± Maurice said, sounding a little unsatisfied.

    Eliana involuntarily shivered.

    She looked at him and thought that Maurice was a wicked man.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t shout. And I will never shout again.¡±

    Eliana was in low spirits, feeling like she had lost all her strength.

    Maurice chuckled lightly, picked up the riding habit next to him, and helped her carefully put it on.

    His hand touched her sensitive waist identally or intentionally, and it made her tremble all over. Her

    face had gotten redder.

    Eliana subconsciously dodged, but Maurice held her even tighter.

    After a while, she finally finished changing her clothes.

    Her face was still crimson.

    It was only then that Maurice let go of Eliana. Then he whispered, ¡°Be careful with everything. I¡¯m

    always here.¡±

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369

    After Maurice left, Eliana took some time to calm down and get prepared. Putting on a straight face,

    she walked out of the dressing room as if nothing had happened.

    In a few minutes, she finally returned to the racetrack.

    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting!¡± Eliana eximed from a short distance.

    Kelvin was already getting impatient and nced at his wristwatch to check the time. When he turned

    around, he saw Eliana slowly walking toward him.

    She was wearing a simple red riding habit. The tight fit outlined her curves, making her look even more

    appealing. Tying her hair in a ponytail, the new hairstyle further revealed her delicate facial features.

    Her ck hair shook slightly behind her back with every step.

    She looked effortlessly beautiful and bubbly. Her breathtaking presence made it hard not to stare.

    Kelvin was immediately smitten with this enchanting woman.

    Her exquisite beauty was unlike any other!

    No wonder Maurice was so obsessed with her. Every man would surely sumb to this woman¡¯s

    charm.

    Eliana didn¡¯t have a clue that Kelvin was now harboring a crush on her, so she walked up to him and

    acted casually.

    After a few minutes, Maurice rejoined the group and positioned himself right across from Eliana.

    Still unsettled by their earlier confrontation, Eliana stared nkly at the ground and avoided eye contact

    while Maurice looked casually at their surroundings.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Judging from their awkward behavior, Harriet keenly sensed that something was amiss.

    Maurice had told them previously that he would just go to the bathroom. But he was gone for quite

    some time. It was highly unusual.

    With this in mind, Harriet looked at Maurice from the corner of her eye and saw something strange.

    Why was there a small wound on one end of his lip? Wait a minute. It seemed as if he had just been

    bitten by someone!

    Harriet was shocked and asked in surprise, ¡°Mr. Moran, what happened to your mouth?¡±

    Hearing this, Maurice touched the wound at the corner of his mouth. He shot a knowing nce at a

    guilty-looking Eliana, and a smile appeared in his eyes. He replied calmly, ¡°Nothing. I hurt myself by

    ident earlier.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Please be more careful next time, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Unbeknownst to the couple, Harriet had noticed him looking at Eliana.

    She smiled warmly, but her hands were clenched into fists. With jealousy building up in her chest, she

    slightly lowered her head to hide the resentment in her eyes.

    Whatever truly happened, the bite mark on Maurice¡¯s lip obviously had something to do with Eliana.

    Sensing that the tension was rapidly rising amongst them, Kelvin became a little anxious. It was time

    for him to step in and diffuse the situation.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, since you¡¯re now in the proper attire, we can begin our lesson. Come with me, and let¡¯s

    pick a horse for you.¡±

    Eliana wanted to get away from Maurice as soon as possible, so she nodded immediately.

    ¡°Okay, Mr. Stone. I¡¯m ready.¡±

    She ignored Maurice¡¯s gloomy eyes and followed Kelvin to the stable.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, look at this horse. It has beautiful, soft hair, and its body is strong. It¡¯s a direct descendant

    of a champion racehorse. Feel free to touch it with your hand.¡±

    Kelvin led Eliana to a handsome ck horse and beckoned her to pet it.

    After introducing the horse to her, Kelvin stared at Eliana¡¯s soft hand, attempting to hold it to touch the

    horse.

    Seeing that Kelvin was too close to her, Eliana stepped aside and evaded his touch.

    ¡°You are right, Mr. Stone. What an excellent pick!¡±

    As shebed the ck horse¡¯s shiny fur with her fingers, Eliana¡¯s eyes were full of excitement and

    appreciation.

    ¡°Of course, the cooperation between the Moran Group and Stone family is a big deal in the business

    field. As you can see, the racetrack has presented the best horse here. Then other people should do

    something as well. Don¡¯t you think so, Miss Pierce?¡±

    Once he finished speaking, he walked up behind her and leaned forward to get close to her.

    When she realized what was happening, Eliana stepped away immediately and dodged his advances

    once again.

    As expected, this lustful man had bad intentions.

    ¡°How can you be wrong, Mr. Stone. I respect you because you are an elder,¡± Eliana said with a fake

    smile, trying her best to remain civil.

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370

    After being avoided twice, Kelvin was already a little angry. But he still said patiently, ¡°Miss Pierce, are

    you saying I¡¯m old? Don¡¯t worry, I have no generation gap with you young people mentally. Why don¡¯t

    you get to know me first?¡±

    Eliana just smiled without saying a word. Then she turned her head and looked at the horses.

    Kelvin¡¯s eyes darkened at once.

    He thought that this woman was really a hard nut to crack!

    After a while, Eliana finally chose a horse.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, are you sure you want this one?¡± Kelvin asked.

    He looked at the brown mare, frowning disapprovingly.

    ¡°Yes, this is what I want,¡± Eliana confirmed.

    ¡°Think it over first. This mare has just given birth, and it¡¯s weaker than other horses. Moreover, its

    owner said it has a fiery temperament. You are just a beginner. I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult for you to

    tame it.¡±

    Kelvin tried his best to persuade Eliana to change a horse. However, she remained firm with her

    decision.

    In the end, he had no choice but topromise.

    Since Eliana had chosen a horse, she got on its back quickly. Kelvin wanted to help her to have some

    physical contact with her. But since she had gotten on the mare¡¯s back herself, what else could he do?

    ¡°Miss Pierce, just sit tight. I will lead the horse for you,¡± he offered as he walked over to her confidently.

    But when he was about to hold the rope, the horse unexpectedly lost its temper. It shook off his hand

    and almost kicked him.

    Kelvin was so frightened that he stumbled and fell to the ground.

    Then he heard a burst ofughter around him.

    Kelvin made a fool of himself in front of the crowd. He was so embarrassed that he quickly got up from

    the ground. His face turned scarlet and then white.

    Still sitting on the mare¡¯s back, Elianaughed out loud.

    She patted the mare¡¯s neck as if praising it and thought that it did a good job.

    But in the eyes of the outsiders, Eliana and Kelvin seemed to be getting along very well.

    Of course, Harriet also noticed this. So she deliberately pointed at them in front of Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, look at them. Aren¡¯t they a perfect match?¡±

    Maurice turned to look in the direction where Harriet was pointing. Then he saw Eliana riding on a

    horse with a bright smile, and next to her was the ugly older man Kelvin.

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened, and displeasure filled his heart.

    How could Eliana look so happy with others?

    But when she was with him, he had never seen her this happy.

    Harriet continued with a sigh, ¡°My uncle¡¯s wife died many years ago. But since then, he never had any

    woman in his life. Now that he seems to get along well with Eliana, I hope they can really be together. I

    want her to be a part of our family too.¡±

    When Maurice heard this, his brows furrowed.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    Kelvin and Eliana together? What was Harriet talking about?

    Eliana didn¡¯t know that Harriet and Maurice had been talking about her. She was looking at Kelvin,

    wondering how he was going to handle the embarrassing situation.

    It was Kelvin¡¯s first time being humiliated in front of many people. Anger rose in his heart, and all he

    wanted to do was to take revenge on the horse.

    ¡°You bitch!¡± he cursed.

    Then he picked up the whip hanging by the side, stepped forward angrily, and whipped the mare hard.

    The mare neighed in pain and galloped in a frenzy.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Eliana screamed in fright.

    She subconsciously tightened the reins, trying to control the frightened mare. But her effort was in vain.

    The mare galloped with Eliana on her back.

    Everyone was shocked by this. And Kelvin slumped to the ground again in fright.

    Maurice, who had been watching them, also noticed what was going on.

    He was worried that Eliana might get hurt.

    So he immediately stood up and shouted at the dumbfounded staff, ¡°What are you just standing there?

    Do something. Save her!¡±

    The staff finally came back to his senses and said anxiously, ¡°Mr. Moran, that mare is wild. It has

    caused several idents so far. We have to sedate her every time. Please wait a moment. We have

    already called someone.¡±

 Chapter 371

    Chapter 371

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Give me the anesthetic.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He was afraid that Eliana¡¯s life would be in danger. He immediately

    asked the staff to prepare the anesthetic and got on the horse.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you can¡¯t go. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    Harriet suddenly stood in front of the horse and stopped Maurice. It was her wish that Eliana died here

    today. How could she let him risk his life to save Eliana?

    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± Maurice snapped, looking at her impatiently.

    His murderous voice made Harriet tremble all over. But she gritted her teeth and didn¡¯t move.

    However, Maurice just ignored her. He took the anesthetic from the staff and galloped to chase after

    Eliana.

    Harriet still stood there, so dust and dirt sshed all over her beautiful face.

    She was so angry that she screamed, ¡°Eliana! You abominable bitch!¡±

    She slumped and hit the ground with her fists.

    No matter how resentful Harriet¡¯s words were, Eliana couldn¡¯t hear them now. She was busy trying to

    save herself.

    The staff was right. This mare was really hard to tame. Although she was a champion in horseback

    riding before, she couldn¡¯t get the mare to calm down.

    She couldn¡¯t help wondering if she would just die here today.

    Thinking of this, she panicked.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡±

    Eliana suddenly heard an anxious voice behind her. She looked back with difficulty and found Maurice

    riding a horse and chasing after her with an anesthetic rifle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Just wait.¡±

    When Eliana saw that Maurice was about to use the anesthetic rifle, she immediately leaned on the

    back of the mare and tried to steady herself.

    The next second, the anesthetic needle hit the mare¡¯s ass urately.

    It neighed and gradually slowed down.

    Maurice took advantage of this opportunity to approach Eliana.

    ¡°Hurry! Give me your hand.¡±

    Maurice held the rein with one hand and reached out to Eliana with his other hand.

    At this moment, Eliana suddenly felt less afraid when she saw his hand reaching out to her.

    She took a deep breath and stretched her hand. It was trembling, but she tried her best to steady it.

    As Maurice saw that her hand was about to touch his, fine sweat appeared on his forehead. He stared

    at Eliana intently and reached his hand further to her.

    They were almost there.

    When their hands were about to sp, a glimmer of hope shed in Eliana¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Hurry! Get it!¡±

    At this moment, the staff came to capture the mare.

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    They rushed towards the mare with a big. It had almost calmed down. But when it saw them, it was

    so startled that it turned around and ran back.

    Maurice was so shocked that he was caught off guard and almost fell down from the horse he was

    riding.

    Eliana was so frightened that she held the rein tightly and could only let herself pass by Maurice.

    She had no other way out. She was on her own now.

    Knowing that there was still some time before the anesthetic took effect, Eliana could only grit her

    teeth. All she could do now was try her best to buy some time to save herself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, Eliana,¡± she told herself.

    ¡°You were good at this when you were a child, right? You can do this now!¡±

    To conquer her fear, Eliana recalled the happy memories when she rode horses with her father in her

    childhood. And instead of holding the rein tighter, she tried to sit up and learn to control the mare.

    This time, the mare slowed down and gradually calmed down.

    Maurice had been following closely behind Eliana. His eyes never left her as he worried that she might

    fall off the back of the mare.

    However, he found that instead of being afraid, she sat upright bravely and tamed the fierce mare

    under her.

    Because of the fierce running, her ponytail had long spread out. As her ck hair danced with the

    wind, she looked so beautiful, although her face had turned pale with fright.

    She looked different from the usual Eliana.

    Maurice¡¯s heartbeat went abnormally fast. How could he not fall for such a beautiful and brave woman?

    Finally, the mare stopped running.

    Eliana let out a sigh of relief, still holding the rein tightly. She dismounted from the horse, shivering.

 Chapter 372

    Chapter 372

    As soon as Eliana fell to the ground, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her tightly tofort her.

    The warm and reassuring embrace felt familiar. Without a doubt, she knew that it was Maurice holding

    her dearly.

    Eliana was pleased with his act of affection. It was exactly what she needed to calm down. She just

    had a narrow escape from death, which deeply unsettled her. However, there was no fear in her heart.

    Instead, she briefly recalled her happy and unrestrained life in the past.

    Harriet followed the crowd and saw a heartbreaking scene. The man of her dreams was tightly hugging

    her nemesis.

    They seemed to be one, as if nothing could separate them. Their special bond became even more

    unbreakable.

    Harriet¡¯s face suddenly darkened. Her blood was boiling with anger and resentment. She had to put an

    end to this immediately.

    ¡°My goodness, Eliana. I was scared to death! Are you alright?¡±

    Harriet rushed over, grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm, and pulled her away from Maurice. Inspecting the poor girl

    for injuries, Harriet sighed deeply and pretended to be worried.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Frowning, Eliana withdrew her arm and rubbed it furtively.

    Harriet had used excessive force when she grabbed her. If she gripped Eliana¡¯s arm a little longer, it

    would surely be bruised.

    ¡°Mr. Moran! Is everyone alright?¡±

    When the matter was over, Kelvin suddenly reappeared and rushed to their side.

    When he saw that Eliana had been saved, he was not pleased at all. He turned all his anger on her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve told you that you couldn¡¯t choose this horse, but you didn¡¯t listen to me. If you hadn¡¯t been so

    stubborn, none of this would have happened!¡±

    Hearing Kelvin me her for the ident, Eliana immediately became annoyed.

    ¡°Thankfully, I didn¡¯t get hurt. But I do have a concern. It took you a lot of time toe over here. In

    terms of performance, there is obviously arge gap between you and younger people. You just can¡¯t

    keep up with us.¡±

    ¡°How dare you insult me like that?¡±

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Kelvin couldn¡¯t stand being publicly humiliated for his poor physical strength. The vein on his forehead

    began to throb. He was mere moments away from losing his temper.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Maurice red at Kelvin. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you hit the horse first, Mr. Stone. That¡¯s

    why the horse became frightened and lost control, which almost resulted in Eliana getting killed.¡±

    Realizing that he had been caught red-handed, Kelvin suddenly changed his tone and awkwardly said,

    ¡°It was a mistake. I didn¡¯t mean it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re safe now. Please forgive my uncle, Eliana,¡± Harriet

    pleaded sincerely.

    Eliana¡¯s lips curled into a sneer, and she didn¡¯t say anything.

    Maurice nced coldly at Harriet and Kelvin. He took Eliana¡¯s hand and said gently, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of

    here.¡±

    Eliana felt some reassuring warmth in her palm. She looked at Maurice with a sense of security in her

    heart. It seemed no matter what happened, this man would always be by her side.

    Eliana¡¯s crisis was temporarily over, while Nana¡¯s nerve-racking meeting was just about to begin.

    At the moment, she was taking the two kids along to meet Huey and Rosamond.

    They nned to talk over a meal at the charming Lakeside Restaurant in the Moon Lake Manor.

    As soon as the twins entered the restaurant, they hurried towards a window seat and sat down.

    The Lakeside Restaurant was just opposite the racetrack. Through the huge transparent window, the

    ongoing spectacle in the racetrack could be seen.

    Nana kept fidgeting in her seat while the two kids were drawn to the loud cheers from the racetrack.

    ¡°Nana, what¡¯s going on there? It sounds so noisy.¡±

    Aileen tiptoed and squashed her nose against the window, trying to see past the tall trees that were

    blocking the view of the racetrack.

    Nana came back to her senses and nced outside.

    She replied casually, ¡°There must be a horse race or a show of some sort. I¡¯ll take you both there once

    I¡¯m free.¡±

    The two kids were still peering outside the window, eager to see what was going on. However, Nana

    was busy thinking about how to deal with Huey and his mother.

    ¡°Hey, stop looking over there.¡± Nana pulled the twins over and said seriously, ¡°Remember, we all have

    a role to y. Let¡¯s have a rehearsal now.¡±

    Adrian rolled his eyes and replied, ¡°Nana, we already practiced for several hoursst night. We¡¯ve

    perfected our part. Is it necessary to do it again?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m also ready,¡± Aileen chimed in.

    Despite hearing their reassuring words, Nana couldn¡¯t help but worry. She held their little hands and

    pleaded, ¡°I promise this will be thest rehearsal, okay?¡±

    Aileen and Aileen looked at each other and shrugged. They would do anything to make Nana calm

    down. ¡°Okay.¡±

    Nana smiled and asked, ¡°What are you going to call me when they arrive?¡±

    Aileen raised her hand and replied obediently, ¡°Mommy!¡±

 Chapter 373

    Chapter 373

    Nana was finally satisfied. She pinched Aileen¡¯s face and said, ¡°Good girl.¡±

    Then she turned to Adrian and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Adrian, now you.¡±

    He felt embarrassed and asked, ¡°Nana, why did you have to lie?¡±

    What an innocent little boy he was.

    Nana sighed and exined, ¡°Adrian, you know, there are two kinds of lies in this world. There are lies

    that are bad, but there are also lies called white lies. Although I¡¯m about to lie, it will help solve a huge

    problem as well as protect someone else from getting hurt. That is what we call a white lie. Do you

    understand?¡±

    Adrian nodded, although he hadn¡¯t fully grasped the concept yet.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand it now. You will understand when you grow up,¡± Nana said as

    she patted his head gently.

    ¡°Mommy, Mommy, can I order fried chickenter?¡±

    The atmosphere changed as Aileen called out in a sweet voice.

    Nana smiled in amusement. This girl was so cute! How she wished she could have a child like Aileen.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Nana said as she touched Aileen¡¯s nose dotingly. ¡°We will have someter.¡±

    Just then, Rosamond entered the restaurant.

    Nana immediately raised a hand and waved at her.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, over here!¡±

    Rosamond was wearing a professional suit as she usually did. The way she dressed and did her

    makeup was always meticulous. She was indeed a strong woman.

    ¡°Coming!¡±

    She walked towards Nana. However, when she saw the children, her face changed.

    ¡°Darlings, this is Miss Deleon.¡±

    Nana intentionally called Rosamond¡¯s attention to the children.

    Aileen and Adrian greeted Rosamond at the same time. ¡°Nice to meet you, Miss Deleon!¡±

    Rosamond sat down opposite Nana with a dissatisfied expression. ¡°I wanted to talk to you. Only you.

    Why did you bring the kids?¡±

    Looking at Rosamond¡¯s unhappy expression, Nana was pleased inwardly.

    This was exactly what she wanted!

    ¡°Eliana went on a business trip today, and I couldn¡¯t find a babysitter to look after the kids. I am their

    mother. Of course I had to bring them with me,¡± Nana continued.

    After Nana finished speaking, Rosamond looked even more disgruntled.

    The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

    ¡°Mommy,¡± Aileen said in a confused tone. ¡°Miss Deleon looks so young and beautiful. Can I call her by

    her first name?¡±

    Nana was stunned by the question and Adrian was rendered speechless. Even Rosamond was

    shocked.

    However, Aileen simply stared at Nana with an innocent expression.

    Was her observation wrong?

    Nana exined in a measured tone, ¡°Aileen, Miss Deleon is Mommy¡¯s elder, so of course you should

    call her Miss Deleon.¡±

    ¡°But Miss Deleon is so beautiful! She looks like a youngdy!¡± Aileen continued.

    She looked at Adrian for approval and asked, ¡°Right, Adrian?¡±

    Adrian looked at Rosamond carefully and nodded in agreement. ¡°I agree. Can we call her by her first

    name instead?¡±

    ¡°See, Mommy? Adrian agrees with me!¡±

    Aileen then turned to Rosamond happily and said in a cute voice, ¡°Hello, Rosamond!¡±

    No one could resist humoring such a sweet child.

    Rosamond didn¡¯t particrly like children, but when she heard Aileen¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t help but

    chuckle.

    All of a sudden, she appeared much kinder.

    Nana was stunned.

    What was going on? What was happening to her n?

    She had expected the children to offend Rosamond, who would thensh out at them with harsh

    words. Then she could have rushed to y the role of a loving mother by scolding Rosamond.

    Afterwards, the women would have parted in anger and would have never seen each other again.

    As Nana sat in shock, Rosamond realized something was wrong from the look on her face.

    ¡°Nana, you aren¡¯t their mother, are you?¡±

    Rosamond was an intelligent businesswoman with sharp eyes.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    When Nana heard Rosamond¡¯s question, she nearly lost herposure.

    How did she know?

 Chapter 374

    Chapter 374

    ¡°Miss Deleon, I¡¯m afraid we have a misunderstanding. What are you talking about? Aileen and Adrian

    are indeed my children. You can ask them yourself.¡± Nana smiled lightly and pretended to be calm.

    Although Nana tried her best to regain herposure, Rosamond noticed a sh of guilt in her eyes. It

    was a dead giveaway. Rosamond knew that she was onto something, so she pressed forward.

    ¡°Nana, the twins arepletely different from you in both appearance and intelligence. You are nothing

    alike. No matter what you tell me, I still don¡¯t believe they are your children.¡±

    Rosamond crossed her arms before her chest and remained unconvinced.

    ¡°Well, they take after their father!¡± Nana eximed helplessly.

    Shaking her head in disbelief, Rosamond picked up the cup of coffee on the table and took a sip before

    saying confidently, ¡°Is that so? But how do you exin the obvious inconsistencies on your timeline?

    These two kids look to be four or five years old, just before you¡¯ve fallen in love with my spoiled son.

    How do you exin your pregnancy? You were not a mother when we met you.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯splicated. You see, I¡­¡±

    Under the overbearing scrutiny of Rosamond, Nana was unable toe up with an answer.

    If the children were not Nana¡¯s, then who was their mother?

    A crucial piece of memory suddenly came to Rosamond¡¯s mind. When she met Nana that day, a very

    beautiful woman was standing beside her.

    Rosamond quietly observed the twins in front of her. They shared a striking resemnce to Nana¡¯s

    mysterypanion. Soon, the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into ce.

    It was all clear to Rosamond now. The mother of the two children was most likely that beautiful woman.

    Now that Rosamond had discovered the truth, she decided to ease up on Nana and changed the topic.

    ¡°Anyway, enough of that. I have more important questions for you, Nana. What on earth has happened

    between you and Huey? Why did you leave him before the wedding? Why did you tell such a ridiculous

    lie to force me to leave?¡±

    Rosamond¡¯s words hit Nana straight to her heart. Thetter pursed her lips tightly and remained silent.

    During this heated moment, Huey finally arrived at the scene.

    Upon entering the restaurant, he paused slightly to look for Nana. When he saw her, his eyes lit up with

    hope.

    Now that Nana was willing to meet him, did it mean that he had a chance to win her heart again?

    ¡°Nana, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually here!¡±

    But when he walked over happily, the sight of two children sitting next to her stopped him dead in his

    tracks.

    Huey¡¯s face was full of questions. He pointed at the twins and asked, ¡°Nana, what¡¯s going on here?

    Who are these kids?¡±

    An idea urred to Adrian and he asked Nana, ¡°Mommy, who is this strange man?¡±

    As Huey heard the boy¡¯s words, his jaw dropped in disbelief.

    Mommy?

    This little boy called Nana his mommy!This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Could it be that Nana was the mother of the two kids?

    This was uneptable. She had given birth to two children by another man!

    With this in mind, Huey¡¯s face turned pale instantly. He said with a trembling voice, ¡°Nana, answer me

    honestly. Are these little kids your children?¡±

    The moment finally came.

    Nana took a deep breath and gazed into Huey¡¯s gloomy eyes. ¡°Yes, they are my children.¡±

    ¡°Finally! After all these years, you finally told me the truth!¡±

    A tide of rage surged through his entire body. He took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Nana, you¡¯re such a

    promiscuous woman! Yes, I cheated on you at that time. But look what you have done behind my back.

    You have already cuckolded me!¡±

    Nana sneered and remained silent, not intending to plead her case. She didn¡¯t care if he

    misunderstood the situation and used her of wrongdoings. Their rtionship had been doomed,

    and it would finallye to an end today.

    Instead of denying everything, she simply shrugged indifferently. ¡°Yes, I had given birth to the children

    before I dated you. Now the children¡¯s father is back in our lives. I love him very much and want to raise

    my little twins with him. So for everyone¡¯s sake, please stop badgering our family!¡±

    Her words were so full of conviction that it seemed she had no regrets at all.

    Believing her story, Huey became even more furious. After being subjected to humiliation, he stopped

    pretending to be a gentleman. There was no reason left to be civil. Nana had to pay the price.

    ¡°You little bitch! I thought you were a woman of principle and good morals, but now you¡¯ve finally shown

    the world your true colors. You are just a slut who likes hooking up with random men! And you even

    went so far as to give birth to these two little bastards! How dare you¡­¡±

    ¡°Huey, shut your mouth!¡± Nana screamed and cut him off. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think of me, but be

    careful with your mouth. I won¡¯t allow you to say anything bad about the children!¡±

    Nana was steaming with rage. She could ignore how Huey cursed her, but the twins were her best

    friends¡¯ children, and no one was allowed to insult them!

 Chapter 375

    Chapter 375

    Huey became furious when he noticed that Nana was so concerned about the kids.

    ¡°Why are you still trying to defend those two bastards?¡±

    When he saw the sullen look on Rosamond¡¯s face, Huey cried out hysterically, ¡°Mom, are you really

    going to just stand there and watch her insult your son? Drive this woman and those two bastards out

    of this city!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±

    Losing her patience, Nana got up and pped Huey hard across the face.

    The sound was as loud as a piece of ss shattering.

    ¡°How dare you p me?¡± Huey roared with a fierce look in his eyes.

    Trembling, Nana gritted her teeth and said, ¡°You deserved it!¡±

    Rosamond kept quiet the whole time as though it had nothing to do with her.

    Just by watching their quarrel with each other, she seemed to have pieced it together.

    She figured that her son must have cheated on Nana, and that was the reason she ran away before

    their wedding. However, Huey didn¡¯t want to break up with her at all. Left with no choice, Nana was

    even willing to ruin her own reputation just to be rid of him.

    After finding out the truth, even Rosamond was disappointed with her son for showing no signs of

    repentance and ming Nana.

    How could she have a son like him?

    She cursed her son for being such a brainless oaf!

    Feeling Nana¡¯s hard p, Huey also raised his hand and was about to return her p.

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    However, Adrian and Aileen let out a loud scream the moment they saw that.

    ¡°Stop! You can¡¯t hurt our mommy!¡±

    They immediately jumped off their chairs and stood in front of Nana to protect her.

    Seeing that, Nana was so moved that she was pushed to the brink of tears.

    She couldn¡¯t help but me herself for being too impulsive.

    Nana realized that it was a huge blunder to bring the kids there. After all, what could she possibly tell

    Eliana if they got hurt because of her actions?

    If something bad happened to them, then she would not be able to forgive herself for the rest of her life.

    ¡°Guards!¡± Huey ordered with acent sneer. ¡°Catch them!¡±

    As soon as he gave the order, several security guards surrounded Nana and the kids.

    The Moon Lake Manor was owned by the Moran family and the Deleon family that was Huey¡¯s

    mother¡¯s family, so it was technically Huey¡¯s turf.

    While trying to protect the kids using herself as a shield, Nana roared, ¡°Huey Layton, if you have a

    problem with me, deal with me! Leave the kids alone!¡±

    Only when Rosamond saw that the guards were about to catch them did she stand up.

    ¡°Someone will be caught here today¡­¡± Rosamond pointed at Huey and ordered, ¡°Catch him and throw

    him out!¡±

    Flustered, the guards looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

    What was happening? Why was Rosamond asking them to drive her own son out?

    Huey¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he asked heavily, ¡°How could you do that, Mom? Are you really my

    mother?¡±

    ¡°Shut up! I am ashamed to even call myself your mother after what you did! How could you try to bully

    women and kids? You are dead to me!¡±

    Rosamond waspletely disappointed with her son.

    She was originally under the impression that it was because of Nana that the engagement was broken

    off, but it turned out that it was all her son¡¯s fault.

    She felt powerless, tired, and heartbroken because of her son¡¯s actions.

    ¡°I really regret leaving you in your dad¡¯s care after I divorced him. He¡¯s done a great job raising you to

    be the filthiest scum in the world! It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡± Huey looked at his mother, horrified by the weight of her words.

    However, Rosamond ignored him and turned to look at Nana. She no longer med Nana. In fact, she

    pitied her.

    ¡°Since things havee down to this, the engagement is officially called off.¡±

    As a woman, she could clearly understand how Nana felt right now.

    Although it was a bit dramatic of Nana to put on a y to end her rtionship with Huey, there was no

    chance they could get back together now. So it was undeniably better for them to part ways.

    Nana was moved by Rosamond¡¯s words. She finally felt understood.

    Ever since she had run away, everyone except for Eliana, including her own parents, had been calling

    her an ungrateful woman.

    Nana felt like someone had finally heard her, and she was more than pleased to see that it was Huey¡¯s

    mom.

    Tears welled up in Nana¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    Rosamond picked up a tissue and handed it to Nana.

    Seeing that, Huey was dumbfounded.

    Was she really even his mom?

 Chapter 376

    Chapter 376

    ¡°Mom! She cheated on me. How can you side with this bitch?¡± Huey snarled, pointing an usatory

    finger at the crying Nana.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Get him out of here!¡±

    Pursing her lips tightly, Rosamond cast a sharp nce at the security guards.

    Despite their confusion, the security guards obediently rushed forward and dragged Huey out of the

    restaurant.

    Struggling against them, Huey cried, ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m the son of the Layton family!¡±

    Turning a deaf ear to him, the security guards dragged him away while he was kicking and screaming.

    ¡°Your boss is my mother!¡± Huey continued to protest.

    But the security guards just threw him out of the restaurant coldly and closed the door behind him.

    Stranded outside the restaurant like a nobody, Huey could do nothing but stamp his feet in anger. He

    cursed, ¡°Nana, wait and see. I will definitely get back at you for this!¡±

    Themotion at the door of Lakeside Restaurant attracted the attention of passers-by.

    Coincidentally, Corbin happened to be walking past that very restaurant.

    It took him barely a nce to recognize the man who was shouting at the door like a madman.

    Wasn¡¯t that Nana¡¯s ex-boyfriend? What was he doing here?

    Then he thought of the woman who looked like Nana at the gate of the manor this morning, Corbin¡¯s

    heart sank as he put two and two together. Was Nana here?

    Just then, an acquaintance of Corbin¡¯s walked out of the restaurant. Corbin immediately stepped

    forward and stopped that man.

    ¡°Victor, it¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you.¡±

    Victor Lyons paused and said in surprise, ¡°Corbin, what a coincidence! What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Victor, do you know what happened inside? Who is that guy at the door?¡± Corbin asked hurriedly,

    ncing at Huey before even exchanging pleasantries.

    Victor¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You don¡¯t know yet? That guy is Rosamond¡¯s son, Huey Layton.

    Rosamond came here today to see Huey¡¯s ex-fiancee, the woman who ran out on Huey before their

    wedding.¡±

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    A sharp glint flickered in Corbin¡¯s eyes. By ex-fiancee, did Victor mean Nana? That meant she really

    was here!

    Shaking his head with a sigh, Victor continued, ¡°Miss Deleon can be scary when she gets angry. If she

    can be this cruel to her own son, I don¡¯t even want to know what she will do to his ex-fiancee. s¡­¡±

    Hearing that, Corbin became distraught.

    He knew that he had to go to Nana¡¯s rescue right away. Even though Nana could be a fiery woman,

    she was no match for Rosamond!

    Corbin darted into the restaurant without a second thought. The security guards who were stationed

    outside ignored himpletely, only keen on stopping Huey from entering the restaurant.

    As soon as Corbin stepped into the restaurant, he saw Nana standing there crying.

    It seemed that things were just as he feared: Nana was being bullied.

    Without hesitation, he strode over and stood protectively in front of Nana.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, what are you doing?¡±

    Nana was so taken aback by Corbin¡¯s sudden arrival that her tears froze in her eyes.

    When she noticed that Corbin was staring at Rosamond with an unfriendly look in his eyes, she

    whimpered, ¡°Corbin¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m fine¡­¡±

    Corbin was even more distressed upon seeing Nana¡¯s reddened eyes.

    ¡°How can you be fine? You¡¯re crying!¡±

    Unable to hold back his anger anymore, he turned to Rosamond and snapped, ¡°Miss Deleon, you are a

    big shot in the business world. How can you bully a girl in her early twenties? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re

    doing something that is beneath you? What¡¯s more, she almost became your daughter-inw before.

    You should at least treat her with basic courtesy.¡±

    These harsh words grated on Rosamond¡¯s nerves.

    Who was this man to suddenly barge in here and stand up for Nana?

    Suppressing her annoyance, she asked the assistant next to her, ¡°Who is he?¡±

    The assistant replied in a hurry, ¡°He seems to be Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant. His name is¡­ Corbin Jenkins.¡±

    Realizing that the man in front of her was just a mere assistant, Rosamond sneered, ¡°Do you have any

    idea who you are talking to? Even your boss, Maurice, would never dare to offend me. Believe it or not,

    I can easily get you fired. You¡¯ll never have a chance to be an assistant again!¡±

    Corbin knew the consequences of offending Rosamond, but he had no regrets. Even in the face of her

    threat, he didn¡¯t back down.

    He just held Nana¡¯s hand firmly and stood in front of her and the twins.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with Mr. Moran. I¡¯ll take responsibility for what I have done.¡±

    After saying that, he wanted to leave with Nana and the twins.

    Nana had never seen this side of Corbin before. As she held Corbin¡¯s hand, her heart raced.

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377

    ¡°Did I say that you could leave?¡±

    Rosamond¡¯s tone was cold, and the aura emanating from her sent a chill down everyone¡¯s spine.

    Not wanting to get on her bad side, the security guards instantly rushed forward, blocking Nana and

    Corbin¡¯s way.

    Corbin straightened up and instinctively spread his arms in front of Nana and the children, shielding

    them from the guards.

    The whole restaurant fell into silence, and the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife.

    At this time, a soft childish voice sounded, as if from a dream.

    ¡°Rosamond, please don¡¯t me Corbin and Nana, okay?¡±

    Aileen timidly poked her head out from behind Corbin¡¯s back.

    Seizing the opportunity, Adrian immediately chipped in, ¡°Yes! Rosamond, you are so beautiful and kind-

    hearted. Don¡¯t be angry with them. You will get wrinkles if you are angry.¡±

    It was only upon hearing these two adorable twins speak that Rosamond¡¯s gloomy face began to

    soften, and a smile bloomed on her face.

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    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, children. I was just kidding. Look at you two, you¡¯re so adorable. How could I hurt you?¡±

    The truth was, Rosamond wasn¡¯t angry with Corbin at all. She just wanted to see how far he would go

    to protect Nana.

    After seeing that he was ready to lose his job and his cushy life just for Nana¡¯s sake, Rosamond was

    quite satisfied. In her book, Corbin had passed the test.

    Nana and Corbin exchanged a nce, as if to confirm that they were both really seeing the same thing.

    They were taken aback by the sudden change in Rosamond¡¯s attitude, and it took them a moment to

    realize that she was just teasing them.

    Nana bowed to Rosamond and said, ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Miss Deleon. I¡¯m sorry to

    have troubled you.¡±

    Rosamond shook her head with a bitter smile. ¡°Nana, I¡¯m the one who should be saying sorry. Huey

    has wronged you too much. I¡¯m sorry that we couldn¡¯t be a family. Someday, if there is a chance, I

    would like to apologize to your parents face to face.¡±

    Nana gasped and hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°Miss Deleon, please don¡¯t say that! You did nothing

    wrong.¡±

    In fact, if Huey weren¡¯t such a contemptible man, Nana would be happy to have a reasonable mother-

    inw like Rosamond.

    At this time, Rosamond¡¯s assistant stepped forward and whispered something in her ear. The change

    in Rosamond¡¯s posture and expression was almost imperceptible, but effective, instantly transforming

    her into the powerful businesswoman that made everyone awestruck.

    ¡°Nana, I have some business to deal with. But feel free to stay in the manor and have a good time

    today. Don¡¯t worry about the expenses. Take it as a token of my apology to you.¡±

    Hearing the sincerity in Rosamond¡¯s voice, Nana didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse her.

    ¡°Alright, Miss Deleon, thank you.¡±

    Meanwhile, Corbin, who had long realized that he had somehow misunderstood the whole situation

    and jumped the gun to rush to Nana¡¯s defense, just stood aside awkwardly as the two women spoke.

    But with Rosamond¡¯s departure, Nana and Corbin couldn¡¯t avoid addressing the situation any longer.

    Both of them were flushed red with embarrassment, and there was a hint of romance in the air.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, Nana isn¡¯t in any trouble. Why are you still holding her hand?¡± Aileen teased, smiling

    yfully at Corbin.

    Corbin immediately let go of Nana¡¯s hand as if he had been burned.

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I just¡­¡± Corbin stammered.

    He was in such a panic that his mind went nk.

    Nana stared at him with bright eyes and smiled knowingly. ¡°Why did you protect me just now?¡±

    In his heart, Corbin already knew the answer to this question. It was because he had feelings for Nana.

    The words made it to the tip of his tongue, but on second thought, he swallowed them back. He might

    have been fearless when facing Rosamond, but when it came to Nana, he was a coward.

    ¡°Because¡­ Because you¡¯re my friend. Friends should help each other when they¡¯re in trouble, right?¡±

    The moment Nana heard Corbin¡¯s exnation, the spark in her eyes dimmed.

    Were they just friends in Corbin¡¯s eyes?

    Nana¡¯s heart sank in disappointment.

    The romance in the air seemed to dissipate.

    To diffuse the awkward atmosphere, Corbin hastily changed the topic.

    ¡°Now you should tell me what had happened, Nana.¡±

    With a deep sigh, Nana reluctantly told him the whole story.

    After listening to the whole thing, Corbin couldn¡¯t understand what Nana had been thinking. How could

    she havee up with such a bad idea?

    ¡°It¡¯s okay for you to tell lies, but how can you drag the children into this? What if they learn to tell lies?¡±

    Corbin chided, leaving a yful knock on Nana¡¯s head.

    ¡°I know it was stupid of me. But I had no choice. I won¡¯t lie again. I promise!¡±

    Holding her head and wincing in mock pain, Nana made a promise to Corbin.

    Looking at her pitiful face, Corbin didn¡¯t have the heart to scold her anymore. Instead, he squatted

    down and stared seriously at the children.

    ¡°Kids, you shouldn¡¯t tell lies. Don¡¯t learn bad things from Nana, okay?¡±

    After a moment of silence, Adrian suddenly asked, ¡°Mr. Jenkins, do you know what a white lie is?¡±

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378

    ¡°A white lie?¡±

    Corbin was stunned and didn¡¯t understand what Adrian meant.

    Imitating Nana¡¯s way of speaking, Adrian exined, ¡°Yes. Nana said, there are two kinds of lies in this

    world. There are lies that are bad, but there are also lies called white lies. The lie we told today was a

    white lie.¡±

    After hearing Adrian¡¯s words, Corbin couldn¡¯t help looking at the little boy with disbelief.

    He red at Nana and wanted to correct the twins that she had misled.

    He cleared his throat andmented, ¡°But a white lie is still a lie. We have to be honest people.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever told a white lie, Mr. Jenkins?¡±

    Aileen blinked her big eyes and looked at Corbin curiously.

    Corbin was at a loss for words.

    He had told a lot of lies.

    Because of this, he was speechless and didn¡¯t know how to address the surprising inquisitiveness of

    the twins.

    How smart these children were! No wonder they were good friends with Ss. They were all shrewd.

    The more Corbin stared at them, the more he felt that they¡­ looked like they were Maurice¡¯s children.

    There were many doubts in Corbin¡¯s mind.

    He made a mental note to investigate the twins¡¯ real parentage. What if Eliana had cheated him and

    Maurice again?

    Corbin said cautiously, ¡°Kids, I heard from your mother that your biological father is Jonathan. Is that

    true?¡±

    Aileen opened her mouth to answer, but Nana, who was vignt, stopped her with the look in her eyes.

    To keep Corbin from suspecting anything, Nana stood in front of Adrian and Aileen and asked, ¡°Why

    are you asking that? That involves Eliana¡¯s private affairs. You¡¯re not on the clock right now. Maybe you

    should stop being Maurice¡¯sckey for a second.¡±

    Corbin was surprised by Nana¡¯s scolding and replied sadly, ¡°Your words are too harsh. What do you

    mean by ¡®I¡¯m Maurice¡¯sckey¡¯? I treat Eliana as my friend. The most reasonable answer to my

    question is that Mr. Moran is the twins¡¯ father. If that¡¯s true, then everyone will be satisfied with it.¡±

    What Corbin said was indeed reasonable, but Nana didn¡¯t care.

    Eliana treasured her two children so much, and in her eyes, they were even more important than her

    own life. She would never allow Maurice to snatch her children away, and she would snuff out even the

    slightest chance of that happening.

    Nana had personally seen that Eliana had almost sacrificed her life when she gave birth to Adrian and

    Aileen. After that, she went and did her best to raise them by herself.

    No one could ever imagine the amount of love and effort Eliana had exerted for the twins.

    Therefore, no matter what, Nana would be on Eliana¡¯s side. She would protect Adrian and Aileen as

    much as their mother did.

    ¡°Anyway¡­ Don¡¯t ask questions like that anymore. Don¡¯t interfere in whatever happens between Eliana

    and Maurice. Do you understand?¡±

    After saying that, Nana turned her head and ignored Corbin.

    Noticing Nana¡¯s livid face, Corbin felt confused and wondered why she snapped at him and got angry

    with him.

    He touched his nose awkwardly.

    Noticing that Nana was in a bad mood, Adrian asked, ¡°What are we going to do now, Nana?¡±

    Nana came back to her senses and looked at the twins¡¯ expectant eyes. She suppressed all the messy

    emotions in her mind and said firmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I will show you around the luxurious manor today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    The twins raised their hands and cheered at the same time.

    Without waiting for Corbin¡¯s response, Nana held the twins¡¯ hands and started walking out.

    ¡°Hey! Wait for me!¡±

    Nana was just talking to Corbin in a friendly way. Why did she seem annoyed with him now?

    Corbin couldn¡¯t read what was on her mind.

    He had no choice but to follow her.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    He was worried that something bad would happen if he let Nana take care of the children by herself.

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379

    Since the ident on the racetrack, Maurice had been worried about Eliana¡¯s physical state.

    Although Eliana managed to calm the horse down, it still had run around wildly, and it might have

    inflicted internal injuries on her. Considering this, Maurice elected to call a doctor over.

    After a series of careful examination, the doctor told Eliana, ¡°You¡¯re doing okay, Miss Pierce, but you

    should get a good sleep tonight.¡±

    Hearing the doctor¡¯s diagnosis, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°You should go back to your room and rx then,¡± Harriet said with concern in her eyes. ¡°It was all my

    uncle¡¯s fault. I would like to apologize to you on his behalf.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s words grossed Eliana out. Eliana really found it difficult to appreciate the concern from Harriet.

    She felt that every word that came out of her mouth masked an ulterior motive.

    ¡°What a pity. Mr. Moran has prepared a fancy dinner tonight. You¡¯re going to have to miss it.¡±

    Hearing the words ¡°fancy dinner¡±, Eliana raised her head, her eyes lighting up in an instant.

    After what happened in the racetrack, Eliana was hungry. She started, ¡°Uh¡­ Can you ask the waiter to

    send some food to my room?¡±

    Amused by Eliana¡¯s request, Maurice couldn¡¯t help chuckling.

    ¡°You¡¯ve just been through an ident, and all you can think about is food? It seems you are really

    fine.¡±

    Hearing Maurice¡¯s chortle, Eliana rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°Well, I¡¯m starving, and I need to eat. I

    didn¡¯t ask you to bring me the food yourself.¡±

    However, it urred to her that he paid for the food. After all, the Moran Group owned the Moon Lake

    Manor.

    Maurice smiled dotingly and replied, ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t say that you couldn¡¯t eat either.¡±

    The two of them chatted as if no one else was around, which pissed Harriet off. She cleared her throat

    loudly and interrupted them, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll ask someone to send some food to your room. Is that

    okay?¡±

    ¡°That will be great. Thank you.¡±

    Eliana was satisfied now.

    Night soon fell, and as the owner of the manor, Maurice held a banquet at the restaurant to which he

    invited Kelvin and Harriet. Corbin was serving them some wine.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. Will you please remove the salmon?¡±

    Although Kelvin spoke in a polite tone, he still treated Corbin as if he was a servant.

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    In order not to ruin the cooperation between the Stone family and the Moran family, Corbin decided to

    keep quiet, grit his teeth, and control his temper while Kelvin bossed him around.

    Maurice sipped his red wine slowly. He seemed calm, but there was a hint of anger in his eyes.

    Noticing that he was getting angrier and angrier, Harriet became nervous.

    She leaned in and reminded Kelvin in a low voice. ¡°Uncle Kelvin, Mr. Jenkins is Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant.

    You should be nicer to him.¡±

    ¡°Nicer to him? He¡¯s merely an assistant. What does it matter? Will Maurice fall out with me because of

    him?¡± Kelvin didn¡¯t care.

    There was nothing Harriet could do now. She began getting more and more anxious.

    Just then, an unexpected person appeared and interrupted their dinner.

    ¡°Mr. Moran. You¡¯re here.¡±

    Rosamond walked over with her assistant.

    Maurice raised his head and looked at Rosamond in surprise. He bowed slightly and greeted her,

    ¡°Hello, Miss Deleon. Would you like to join us for dinner?¡±

    As soon as Corbin saw Rosamond, he trembled and almost dropped the te in his hand.

    Of course, Rosamond also noticed him. She remembered him, the man who dared to argue with her for

    Nana.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, your assistant looks quite familiar.¡±

    Noticing that Rosamond was staring at him, Corbin began popping out little beads of cold sweat. He

    was tempted to nce at Rosamond, but he fought the urge and kept his head down.

    In the morning, he didn¡¯t feel scared when he confronted her. Seeing her now, he was terrified out of

    his mind.

    If Rosamond told Maurice what he had done, the consequences may be catastrophic.

    He couldn¡¯t help shaking.

    ¡°Really? Have you met my assistant before, Miss Deleon?¡± Maurice asked in confusion while looking at

    Rosamond.

    Corbin held his breath.

    Rosamond paused on purpose and beamed, ¡°Yes, and I do think that he¡¯s doing a good job.¡±

    Hearing her answer, Corbin felt relieved.

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380

    As Kelvin heard Rosamond¡¯s praise for Corbin, his mind went to dark ces.

    Rosamond had been focusing on her career since she got divorced. She hadn¡¯t been with any man

    since her marriage failed, and Kelvin had never heard of any rumor about any changes in her

    rtionship status.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    But why was shemending Maurice¡¯s assistant now?

    Did she have feelings for Corbin?

    Kelvin thought he had seen through something and chose to ¡°do Rosamond a favor¡±.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, since Miss Deleon likes your assistant so much, maybe you should give him to her as a

    gift.¡±

    As soon as Kelvin¡¯s words came out, the faces of everyone present suddenly changed.

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened while Corbin¡¯s face turned livid. Maurice slowly put down his knife. Harriet, on

    the other hand, prayed for the floor to split open so that she could hurl herself into the crack.

    Rosamond was furious. She had been in the business world for many years and had met a lot of

    people. She thought that no matter what happened, she could remain calm.

    But right now, she felt sick at Kelvin¡¯s words, and she refused to take them sitting down.

    Rosamond didn¡¯t tolerate anyone who insulted her.

    Without saying a word, she picked up one of the sses of red wine on the table and sshed its

    contents on Kelvin and Harriet.

    Kelvin¡¯s clothes were instantly drenched in red wine. He was stunned for a moment and then flew into a

    rage.

    ¡°Rosamond Deleon, what the hell is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°I was just trying to make this ce a bit cleaner by washing away disgusting things. What¡¯s wrong with

    that?¡± Rosamond sneered with disdain and harshness in her eyes.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Upon hearing her calling him a ¡°disgusting thing¡±, Kelvin¡¯s face turned bright red with fury.

    Rosamond was a powerful and domineering woman.

    After weighing the pros and cons, Kelvin chose to back down, but he still couldn¡¯t calm himself.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, my niece and I are here as your guests. Aren¡¯t you going to do something about this?¡±

    He wanted Maurice to avenge him.

    However, Maurice didn¡¯t seem to care at all. He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth.

    ¡°Well, this was a bummer. I¡¯m going to call it a night. Excuse me, Miss Deleon.¡±

    Maurice stood up and left.

    Seeing that Corbin was still standing there, Maurice snapped, ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough fun here? Are

    you going to stay?¡±

    ¡°No, sir.¡± As if waking up from a dream, Corbin immediately snapped back to his senses and followed

    Maurice.

    The moment they were out of the restaurant, Maurice suddenly stopped and said to Corbin, ¡°You can

    leave now. Get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thank you, sir.¡± Then, Corbin turned to leave.

    But Maurice suddenly grabbed his shoulder and looked at him with seriousness. ¡°You are my assistant.

    You are not a servant to anyone. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Sir¡­ Are you trying to protect me?¡±

    All of a sudden, Corbin felt a little moved. Although Maurice had always been tough on him, he was still

    a nice boss.

    Maurice got goose bumps when he saw the moved look on Corbin¡¯s face. He immediately withdrew his

    hand and muttered, ¡°Try and use your brain to think next time when something like that happens, will

    you?¡±

    Sure enough¡­ Maurice¡¯s sharp tongue was still there after all.

    Hearing his words, Corbin was much less moved.

    Suddenly, someone anxiously cried from behind them. It was Harriet.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, wait!¡±

    Panting, she rushed over with red wine stains on her clothes.

    Trying to catch her breath, she exined, ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m really sorry about tonight. That¡¯s how my

    uncle is. And no matter what, he¡¯s an elder¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stop you right there,¡± Maurice interrupted her. ¡°That¡¯s how your uncle is? Well, this is how I

    am. I don¡¯t suffer people who disrespect others.¡±

    After saying that, Maurice turned around and left without looking back.

    Damn it!

    Harriet was agitated. She said the wrong words again!

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    This time, no matter how loudly she shouted after him, Maurice didn¡¯t stop. He just kept walking and

    walking.

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381

    Eliana enjoyed a soothing hot shower in her hotel room. The doorbell suddenly rang while she was

    blow-drying her hair.

    The individual who knocked on the door said something.

    She could just make out the word ¡°dinner¡± in the roar of the hair dryer.

    Someone had delivered food to her door!

    Eliana¡¯s stomach was growling and she¡¯d perhaps eat an ox by herself! Picking up the word dinner, she

    dashed to the door. She was still dressed in her bathrobe andcked the patience to dress first.

    ¡°Wow, this is awesome!¡±

    She froze at the sight of the guy as soon as she opened the door.

    N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.

    ¡°Maurice! What are you doing here right now?¡±

    When she opened the door to her room, she was surprised to see Maurice waiting there with a cart full

    of food.

    Eliana¡¯s head was spinning. Should he not be at a banquet right now?

    What was the point of bringing her food?

    Thedy standing before Maurice was wearing a white bathrobe. She had damp hair. She looked like

    she¡¯d just gotten out of the shower. The heated air caused her cheeks to flush and her eyes to sparkle.

    She came out as really alluring.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes dimmed, and then he grimaced in displeasure.

    ¡°Why do you not know how to safeguard yourself, Eliana? Would you blindly open the door for an

    unknown guy who just knocked on your door?¡±

    Eliana felt a bit mortified when she looked at how she¡¯de out. She quickly rified, ¡°I assumed it

    was the waitress. Because she had already brought me water. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bother getting

    dressed.¡±

    Who would have imagined that this CEO would personally bring her dinner?

    She kept the thought to herself.

    With his expression softening somewhat after listening to Eliana¡¯s exnation, Maurice prepared to

    push the cart in.

    Eliana went into a frenzy at the drop of a hat. She halted the cart and the guy who was attempting to

    enter.

    ¡°I only need the dishes right now! I¡¯m dying! You¡¯re free to go now.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s brows furrowed in disappointment as he saw this.

    He delivered her supper since he figured she hadn¡¯t eaten yet and was with no doubt ravenous.

    But now that she had obtained what she wanted, she desired his departure?

    She really treated him like a waiter!

    Maurice¡¯s anger grew as he contemted the situation. He made a threat, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll leave if you want

    me to. However, I will take these munchies with me. And you¡¯ll probably die of hunger.¡±

    He abruptly turned around and seemed to be going. Eliana snatched Maurice¡¯s arm and the food cart

    without a second thought.

    ¡°Come on!¡±

    She gulped hard as she saw the food on the cart, which was about to slip off her hands!

    She was hungry as a wolf!

    ¡°Can I at least be left with the food?¡±

    Maurice pointed to the delectable meal and then to himself in a casual manner.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need the food if you don¡¯t need me inside. It¡¯s either that or nothing.¡±

    Eliana, on the other hand, was not prepared to starve herself to death. As a result, she allowed Maurice

    inside with reluctance.

    ¡°Take a breather. I¡¯m going to get dressed now.¡±

    It was no longer eptable for her to be dressed in this manner, given the presence of Maurice in the

    room. She hurriedly grabbed her clothes and ran to the bathroom to get changed.

    A dim light greeted her when she emerged from the bathroom. Maurice had lighted the candles he had

    brought and set the food on the table.

    ¡°Are you all set? It¡¯s about time you have supper now.¡±

    During his speech, Maurice poured wine into goblets from a bottle.

    The man¡¯s eyes, which were normally frigid, were particrly warm under the cool yellow light. And he

    had a more appealing and lovelier face.

    The candlelight meal was a surprise from Maurice to her?

    Eliana¡¯s heart was racing as she stood motionless.

    While sitting on the chair, Maurice waved to her. ¡°Why are you standing there like that? I thought you

    were starving.¡±

    Finally, Eliana sumbed to the allure of excellent food and a lovely guy. She made her way over.

    ¡°Let¡¯s simply have supper together, and then you¡¯ll be on your way. Deal?¡±

    She dropped her eyes to avoid his sight. She couldn¡¯t bear to look him in the eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s only right if we ate first.¡±

    The tone of Maurice¡¯s voice seemed strained. He didn¡¯t say if he agreed or didn¡¯t.

    The moon glimmered through the fog, casting a faint glow. Eliana and Maurice sat down to dinner in a

    quiet, candlelit room. They seldom experienced such tranquility. Everything was absolutely great as the

    nice vibe spread.

    She savored every mouthful of her meal, but she couldn¡¯t help but peek at the attractive guy sitting

    opposite her.

    A longer period of time with him was something she yearned for.

    If only he could be like this in the future whenever they were together.

 Chapter 382

    Chapter 382

    As a result of Eliana¡¯s inattention, she choked on her cake.

    She started coughing heavily.

    Maurice stood up, poured her a ss of wine, and promptly presented it to her. To assist Eliana

    breathe more easily, he rubbed her back.

    ¡°Hey, go slow on the cake. Are you all right?¡±

    Eliana continued to cough.

    It was hard for her to speak.

    Her cheeks flushed. No one knew it was due to her choking or embarrassment.

    Eliana epted the wine from Maurice and took quite a gulp before her coughing subsided.

    Her eyes were filled with tears as she nced up at Maurice. ¡°Thanks a lot.¡±

    Maurice groaned hopelessly and tenderly, ¡°You¡­¡±

    Maurice suddenly touched the corner of Eliana¡¯s lips.

    He quietly removed the cream from Eliana¡¯s lips and tasted it.

    ¡°It¡¯s a nice vor.¡±

    Eliana was perplexed as to whether Maurice was referring to her or the cream in general.

    She hoped someone could take this guy away from her sight!

    As a result, Eliana felt dizzy at this point. Her face turned redder, and her gaze shifted from Maurice.

    Due to the drink and the guy in front of her, she seemed intoxicated.

    When Maurice looked at the gorgeousdy, his libido was awakened.

    Eliana approached him instinctively as he leaned down.

    The distance between the two people¡¯s faces was narrowing.

    The door was suddenly knocked out of nowhere!

    In an instant, Elianaprehended what had urred. In a rush, she extended her hand toward

    Maurice and shoved him away from her.

    Maurice, on the other hand, didn¡¯t give a hoot about it. He pulled Eliana over and passionately kissed

    her.

    ¡°Mau¡­ Maurice¡­ Someone is at the door!¡±

    Eliana was having a hard time and reminded him.

    The sound of someone knocking on the door became louder.

    Maurice eventually released Eliana and opened the door with rage.

    At first nce, he couldn¡¯t find anybody.

    Was he the victim of a practical joke?

    Then, Maurice felt his shirt being tugged.

    He lowered his gaze and saw a tiny, cute girl staring up at him.

    Aileen¡¯s eyes glowed as she studied the attractive guy in front of her with interest.

    The hell! Adrian contemted in his head.

    He covered his sister¡¯s lips and inquired, ¡°Hello, is our mommy in the room?¡± before Aileen cried out

    ¡°daddy.¡±

    Eliana sat on the chair and attempted to take a deep breath. Upon hearing Adrian¡¯s voice, she

    reflexively looked towards the door to check what was happening. ¡°Aileen and Adrian? I¡¯m right here!¡±

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Maurice was unable to stop Aileen and Adrian from entering the room.

    Eliana cradled the children in her arms.

    ¡°What brought you here? You¡¯re meant to be with Nana, not here,¡± Eliana inquired as she held the

    twins in her arms, her expression surprised.

    Adrian swiftly responded, ¡°Nana gave us your room number, and we decided to bring ourselves here.¡±

    ¡°And where exactly is Nana?¡± Eliana looked towards the entrance again and didn¡¯t notice anyone else.

    ¡°What made her allow you out here by yourselves?¡±

    Smiling truthfully, Aileen shook her head. ¡°The two of us sneaked away.¡±

    ¡°You sneaked out of your room!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s mouth dropped open in disbelief.

    ¡°Yes, Nana has just hit the spa. In the room, boredom prevailed.¡±

    Nana was so careless.

    Eliana grabbed up her phone and dialed Nana¡¯s number right away, but the phone rang for a long time

    without anybody picking it up.

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    While the three were conversing, Maurice locked the door and approached them.

    Adrian kept a wary eye on Maurice, who came into Eliana¡¯s chamber at night.

    ¡°You¡¯re familiar to me. You are Ss¡¯ uncle. Why have you entered my mommy¡¯s room?¡±

    This guy was a scumbag employer who squeezed his own mother!

    Aileen had mentioned a new dad, and it was this guy!

    It made Adrian angry when he contemted it. Looking at Maurice, he made an angry look.

    Maurice¡¯s mood had deteriorated since the kiss was interrupted. When he turned to see Adrian ring

    coldly at him, his mood had just be worse.

    ¡°You are forbidden from entering your mommy¡¯s room.¡±

    Maurice was ready to request that someone return the twins to their room.

    ¡°Aileen and I want to stay with Mommy, and therefore we won¡¯t go,¡± Adrian responded, raising his stoic

    chin.

    Adrian and Maurice exchanged a look of callousness. Both of them were unwilling topromise.

    Despite his age, Adrian had imposing presence that rivaled that of Maurice¡¯s.

    Aileen¡¯s soothing voice abruptly startled the two as they were fiercely battling with one another.

    ¡°Guys, disagreeing is a waste of time. My stomach is growling¡­¡±

 Chapter 383

    Chapter 383

    All of a sudden, Maurice felt like a soft little creature grabbed onto his leg. He looked down and found

    Aileen staring up at him with a pair of twinkling eyes. She looked cute as a bunny and sweet as

    pudding.

    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry, sir. May I eat one of those things?¡±

    Staring at the delicious food on the table, Aileen sniffed and smacked her lips. The anxious look on her

    face melted Maurice¡¯s heart.

    His face softened as he nced at her. Then, he picked her up, ttened his brows, and spoke to her

    in a soothing voice.

    ¡°You¡¯re hungry? Didn¡¯t Nana give you anything to eat?¡±

    Obediently, Aileen allowed Maurice to hold her up. She put her arms around his neck.

    ¡°Yes, Nana took me and my brother to dinner, but¡­ I¡¯m hungry again.¡±

    Aileen shyly lowered her head. She really wanted to leave a good impression on this handsome man.

    Her cute little face reminded Maurice of Eliana, who was also anxious for food just now. Aileen was a

    mini version of Eliana, and she was so adorable that Maurice couldn¡¯t refuse her at all.

    ¡°Okay. You may eat with me then.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help spoiling Aileen.

    When Eliana saw the interaction between Maurice and Aileen, she was shocked. They looked just like

    a father and a daughter who loved each other so much.

    No way!

    She couldn¡¯t let her children have too much contact with Maurice. Otherwise, her secret would be

    exposed, and she would be doomed.

    Immediately, she took Aileen from Maurice¡¯s arms.

    ¡°No, thanks. It¡¯s not good for children to eat too much at night. It¡¯s bad for their stomachs. Besides,

    most of the food on your table are too greasy. They¡¯re not fit for children¡¯s consumption.¡±

    As soon as she finished her words, Maurice picked up thendline phone in the room.

    ¡°Hello. Please send some food for two children to Room 3561.¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe what she just heard.

    Did Maurice just order children¡¯s meals for Aileen and Adrian?

    Was he the same Maurice she had known before? Because in her mind, he had always been cold-

    blooded and indifferent.

    Since when did he care about children?

    Things were getting weirder and weirder.

    All the lights were on in the hotel room. Aileen was sitting on a chair and eating with relish, and Adrian

    was sitting next to her.

    The boy was not interested in the hamburger or the French fries on the table. He just sat there and

    watched Maurice vigntly.

    Maurice also stared at Adrian unhappily.

    The two of them stared at each other in almost the same posture. They were both frowning and had

    their arms folded over their chests.

    Looking at them carefully, Eliana found that the drooping corners of their eyes were exactly the same.

    Eliana began feeling extremely nervous.

    Onlookers saw more than yers. Maurice might not have noticed, but if someone else were present,

    he or she would most likely surmise that Maurice and Adrian were father and son.

    Thinking of this, Eliana felt her heart skip a beat.

    Adrian, on the other hand, just continued staring intently at the man in front of him. He¡¯d been watching

    so carefully that his eyes had started to hurt.

    Finally, he made up his mind to find out whether or not Ss¡¯ uncle had been giving his mommy a

    difficult time.

    However, when he was about to say something, the doorbell rang again.

    It turned out that the waiter of the hotel hade to serve another order of ice cream for the two

    children.

    Looking at the huge bowl of ice cream in front of him, Adrian swallowed, and his expression suddenly

    rxed.

    A hint of amusement shed in Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    After all, Adrian was just a kid.

    He would never be able to resist a bowl of sugary temptation. Adrian started to enjoy the ice cream, but

    he ate it in a strange way.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    He picked up a few French fries on the table and dipped them into the ice cream. Then, he handed the

    French fries to Eliana.

    ¡°Here you go, Mommy.¡±

    Coincidentally, Maurice and Adrian did the same thing at the same time, so Eliana found herself staring

    at two people offering her French fries dipped in ice cream.

    The next moment, Maurice and Adrian looked at each other, and the staring contest started again.

    They looked at Eliana at the same time. They both wanted her to choose their French fries.

    The awkward scene started stressing Eliana out. She put on a wry smile and said, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not

    hungry, so you guys go ahead and eat your fries. Besides, I don¡¯t like eating French fries coated with

    ice cream.¡±

    ¡°Try it.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t give up.

    So Adrian didn¡¯t give up either.

    Looking at the French fries in front of her and the people trying to feed them to her, Eliana thought she

    was caught in a dilemma. Which one should she choose?

    Damn it!

    She really didn¡¯t expect that choosing something to eat would be so difficult.

    Looking at Maurice¡¯s menacing eyes, Eliana was a little afraid, but she didn¡¯t want to disappoint Adrian,

    either, so she was really in a pickle.

    Fortunately, Aileen came in time to rescue her.

    ¡°Adrian, I want to eat, too!¡±

    With that, Aileen leaned over and ate the French fries in Adrian¡¯s hand.

    What a sweet girl! She deserved to be her mother¡¯s sweetheart!

    Now Eliana could eat the French fries in Maurice¡¯s hand without hesitation.

    Eliana almost burst into tears as she chewed the French fries dipped in ice cream.

    Life was really too difficult sometimes!

 Chapter 384

    Chapter 384

    Having finished their dinner, Adrian and Aileen started getting ready for bed. Brushing their teeth was

    the first order of business.

    Eliana stood attentively in front of the children and instructed the twins to wash their teeth gently as all

    moms did.

    Maurice stood with his back against the door of the bathroom and casually observed them.

    Eliana was briefly hypnotized as she watched the four reflections in the mirror.

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    The four of them¡­ They resembled a four-person family.

    She was briefly sucked by the fantasy of a family reunion at the time.

    Unlike her, Maurice was unable to suppress his feeling of loss at seeing Eliana and the two children

    interacting so closely.

    There were three of them, and then there was him.

    Two wonderful and innocent children, as well as a beautiful and caringdy.

    But fate was already sealed!

    Maybe in another world.

    After washing her hands, Aileen could not help but yawn. As she wiped her eyes, she started to feel

    drowsy.

    Seeing her in such a state, Eliana was going to take her to bed.

    Aileen unexpectedly evaded Eliana¡¯s grasp and extended her arms to Maurice at the entrance.

    ¡°Daddy, please take me!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart sank as she heard that. She was afraid Maurice would ept the title and nced up at

    him.

    However, Maurice¡¯s treatment of Aileen changed this time. Out of nowhere, he turned down Aileen¡¯s

    request with a stone-cold demeanor.

    ¡°I am not your dad. You got it twisted.¡±

    The abrupt coldness of Maurice scared Aileen.

    Her drowsiness was extinguished. She had a little pout and herrge eyes were covered in a coating of

    mist, giving the impression that she was inconsble.

    Adrian¡¯s rage had only grown.

    Even though he wasn¡¯t their father, he couldn¡¯t watch him upset his little sister.

    ¡°You have the wrong person, Aileen. Of course, he isn¡¯t our real dad. Compared to him, our dad is a

    thousand times better. ¡±

    As soon as he finished saying this, there was an instantaneous chill in the air.

    Maurice stood up straight and fixed a piercing stare on Adrian.

    In an instant after seeing this, Eliana grabbed Adrian¡¯s hand and stepped in front of the child to shield

    him. ¡°Adrian, stop it!¡± she exhorted him.

    Adrian unwillingly closed his mouth.

    However, dealing with Maurice was a challenge.

    He retrieved his cell phone and dialed Corbin¡¯s number.

    ¡°Come to Eliana¡¯s chamber and remove the two children, Corbin.¡±

    ¡°What? Miss Pierce¡¯s chamber? Are the twins in herpany?¡±

    Corbin was about to go to sleep as hey in his bed. He was startled by a phone call from his boss.

    When Corbin heard his boss¡¯s icy tone, he knew something bad had urred.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a sh.¡±

    He hurriedly put on his coat and rushed out of the room.

    Eliana was hesitant on seeing Corbin, who hade so swiftly.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote now. Let me share a bedroom with the two children.¡±

    The fact that Corbin was a guy made her unsure whether he had the experience necessary to care for

    her children.

    ¡°But it¡¯s an order.¡±

    Maurice was adamant as ever.

    Eliana made apromise in the end. She had no hope of persuading him otherwise.

    She consoled the distraught Aileen by picking her up and telling her, ¡°Aileen, it¡¯s such a shame.

    Mommy can¡¯t let you stay with me tonight. You may return with Corbin and sleep, all right?¡±

    Aileen nodded thoughtfully despite her reluctance.

    Then, she set Aileen down, took her hand, and passed it to Adrian¡¯s hand. ¡°Adrian, can you look out for

    your sister for Mommy? It won¡¯t be long until Nana arrives.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry,¡± Adrian reassured his mother as he patted his chest. ¡°Aileen is in excellent hands

    with me.¡±

    Eliana stroked him on the head with a smile of contentment.

    As soon as the twins had gone, Eliana¡¯s expression immediately became gloomy. She questioned

    Maurice, ¡°Why were you being so cruel to the children just now?¡±

    Maurice grunted, ¡°It¡¯s not like they are my children. How ought I to behave? How about you get

    pregnant for me? I¡¯m going to send Jonathan¡¯s kids off to some distant ce.¡±

    He seized her in his arms and proceeded to forcibly undress her.

    Eliana was enraged when she heard that Maurice would send the children away.

    She gave him a strong smack on the face.

    The smack startled Maurice.

    ¡°Maurice, find somepassion in your fucking heart! Aileen and Adrian are my children. It¡¯s

    impossible for anybody to take them from me!¡±

    Having been provoked all night, Maurice could hardly contain his rage at this point.

    He yanked her close to him and tore her blouse fiercely. And in an instant, the buttons on her blouse

    hade undone.

    Eliana battled with every ounce of her power, but Maurice held her arms with a single hand.

    As amb going to be killed, she couldn¡¯t move her hands and was about to be devoured by the beast,

    Maurice.

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385

    Someone wasing!

    Hearing the noise, Eliana tensed up all over. She immediately pressed her lips together and dared not

    to make a sound.

    However, Maurice still had his face buried in her neck and was still showering her with passionate

    kisses. He proceeded like he didn¡¯t hear anythinging from outside at all.

    Eliana struggled harder and tried to stop him.

    But Maurice not only went on but also tossed her onto the bed.

    He nted kisses on her cheeks, neck, and chest.

    Eliana could only grit her teeth and take them.

    ¡°Eliana? Are you there?¡± the person outside called.

    It was Harriet!

    Eliana had been feeling a bit dizzy from Maurice¡¯s kisses, but hearing Harriet¡¯s voice, she sobered up

    in an instant.

    She resisted more fiercely but couldn¡¯t get rid of Maurice at all.

    After waiting outside for a while, Harriet found that there was no sounding from inside Eliana¡¯s

    room. She knocked on the door again.

    ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m here to apologize to you on behalf of my uncle. Are you there?¡±

    There was still dead silence, and with each passing second, Harriet¡¯s face gradually darkened.

    She came to apologize to Eliana in person. How could she ignore her?

    It was just a small ident.

    She didn¡¯t really get hurt. Why was she putting on airs?

    Harriet stopped a waiter passing by and asked, ¡°Hello. Do you know where thedy staying in Room

    3561 is?¡±

    The waiter looked at her and shed her a confused expression. He asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m her friend. I¡¯ve been knocking on her door for a while, but she hasn¡¯te to answer. I¡¯ve been

    wondering where she is now.¡±

    The waiter told the truth as he saw that Harriet was well-dressed and didn¡¯t look like a suspicious

    character.

    ¡°Miss, as far as I know, she hasn¡¯te out since she walked into her room.¡±

    She hadn¡¯te out?

    She was still in the room?

    Then why didn¡¯t shee to open the door?

    Unable to figure it out, Harriet said, ¡°If she¡¯s in there, then why didn¡¯t she answer when I knocked?

    Could you check for me? I¡¯m a little worried about her.¡±

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    The waiter replied reluctantly, ¡°Okay. Wait here.¡± He turned around and made a call to look into the

    situation.

    Inside the room, the floor was now littered with Eliana¡¯s clothes. Her entire body was red out of

    shyness. She could do nothing about the man on top of her.

    Maurice immersed himself in kissing and touching her. He was all over her as he had been missing her

    body for days. He was so stoked that he and Eliana were finally alone together.

    Since she could faintly hear people talking outside, Eliana put her hand over her mouth to keep herself

    from moaning.

    Outside the door, the waiter finished the phone call and reported, ¡°Miss, I have asked. A gentleman

    walked into your friend¡¯s room not long ago and said no one was allowed in. Maybe they are together in

    there now.¡±

    The waiter didn¡¯t say it out right, but Harriet knew what he meant.

    A man was in the room with Eliana?

    Could it be Maurice?

    Harriet immediately thought of Maurice.

    Plus, Eliana never came to open the door¡­

    If they were alone in there, then maybe they were in bed and having sex right now!

    Picturing Eliana and Maurice making out in her head, Harriet felt her chest re with white-hot rage.

    She wished she could kick Eliana¡¯s door down, storm in, and beat the hell out of her. The nerve of her

    to seduce Maurice!

    But she couldn¡¯t. No matter how angry and jealous she was, she had to pretend that she knew nothing.

    She turned around and walked away.

    Inside the room, Eliana heard receding footsteps from outside. She couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. She

    put her hand away and let her moans leave her lips.

    Eliana and Maurice enjoyed a feverish night of wild, crazy sex.

    After they were done, Eliana was exhausted. Before she fell asleep, she heard a voice whispering in

    her ear.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to escape. Be a good girl.¡±

    She didn¡¯t know if Maurice was threatening her or sweet-talking her.

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386

    The night was full of ups and downs for Eliana. At first, she was thrilled. Then, she was able to enjoy

    herself. Atst, she was exhausted.

    Corbin had a much calmer night.

    When he took the two children back, they fell asleep soon after.

    Looking at the lovely sleeping faces of Adrian and Aileen, Corbin couldn¡¯t helpining about Nana

    in his heart.

    What was this? She asked the kids to act with her, and after everything, she left them to Maurice and

    Eliana.

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    In the end, he had to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of them.

    The more Corbin thought about it, the angrier he got. He walked out of the room and called Nana

    several times, but he couldn¡¯t get through to her.

    ¡°What the hell is that woman doing?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t help asking himself.

    At this time, Nana was in a spa, lyingfortably on a massage table and getting herself pampered.

    But she got too rxed. She fell asleep.

    When she woke up a few hourster, she picked up her phone and unlocked it.

    It was then that she saw over a dozen missed calls.

    The fog of rxation instantly cleared up in Nana¡¯s head.

    Crap!

    Why were there so many missed calls?

    The calls were from Eliana and Corbin.

    Damn it! What happened?

    Nana pped herself hard on the forehead.

    She had muted her phone and identally fell asleep, so she wasn¡¯t able to pick up when Eliana and

    Corbin were trying to reach her.

    Just then, her phone rang again.

    It was Corbin calling.

    She immediately answered.

    When Corbin saw that Nana finally picked up, he was a little bit surprised. Then, he snapped at Nana.

    ¡°Nana Marlin, where on earth are you? Do you know that the kids missed?¡±

    ¡°What did you just say? Aileen and Adrian are missing? That¡¯s impossible. They¡¯re in the lounge next

    door.¡±

    Nana was so shocked that she quickly put on her shoes and ran out.

    She almost went hysterical when she saw no one in the lounge.

    ¡°What should I do? I can¡¯t find them!¡±

    Nana was so anxious that tears started stinging her eyes.

    Helpless, Corbin rubbed his forehead and sighed, ¡°All right. The kids are fine. They went to find Eliana.¡±

    Hearing this, Nana breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°That¡¯s good; that¡¯s good. I knew they wouldn¡¯t be so stupid to get lost.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s inappropriate?¡± Corbin asked in surprise.

    ¡°Why? They are kids, and they want to see their mother,¡± Nana asked in confusion.

    ¡°Eliana came with Mr. Moran. If the kids were with her, then they would disturb them. And they did. So

    Mr. Moran got angry and asked me to look after them.¡±

    Upon hearing Corbin¡¯sint, Nana got annoyed.

    ¡°All you care about is Maurice! You work for him every day, and even on your own time, you¡¯re still

    doing him favors. Don¡¯t you have your own life to live?¡± Nana yelled.

    Then, something happened.

    Her hand still had some essential oil on it from the spa. When she got a little emotional from talking to

    Corbin, she gripped her phone too tightly, and then it slipped from her fingers. She dropped her phone

    while Corbin was on the line.

    She was about to pick it up when someone suddenly showed up and beat her to it.

    ¡°Ah! Who are you?¡±

    Startled, Nana screamed and jumped up.

    She looked at the man in front of her.

    It was Huey.

    What was he doing here?

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387

    ¡°Huey! What are you doing here?¡±

    Nana immediately took several steps back to distance herself from Huey.

    She stared at the man warily and then asked in suspicion, ¡°What¡­ Why are you in a janitor¡¯s uniform?¡±

    Huey, who was now standing in front of Nana, was indeed dressed like a janitor.

    He was holding Nana¡¯s phone, and his face was full of anger.

    After leaving the restaurant, the more Huey thought about what just happened, the angrier he got. He

    was the son of the Layton family. He had never been humiliated like this.

    As rage fried his nerves, he turned back halfway. He wanted to teach Nana an unforgettable lesson,

    one that would make her remember that betraying him entailed paying a hefty price.

    But what he didn¡¯t expect was that his mother, Rosamond, wasn¡¯t on his side at all. In fact, she sent

    someone to stop him on the road and not let him get even within ten feet of Nana.

    He had no choice but to pretend to be a janitor to get close.

    Thinking of his arduous road to revenge, Huey couldn¡¯t help gnashing his teeth together in anger and

    finally unleashing his hatred on Nana.

    ¡°How dare you humiliate me, Nana? Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t hurt you just because you have my mother¡¯s

    protection!¡±

    Nana stepped back further in fear. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    With a sneer, Huey rushed up and grabbed her shoulders. ¡°You bitch! If it weren¡¯t for your good looks

    and stupidity, I wouldn¡¯t have married you! I thought you would never find out about my cheating. I

    didn¡¯t expect that you actually had something between your ears.¡±

    With a mocking look on her face, Nana retorted, ¡°If you really didn¡¯t want people to find out, then you

    shouldn¡¯t have done it. Did you really think that you could do something dirty and hide it from me for

    life?¡±

    The image of Huey having sex with that woman he cheated with made Nana feel sick to her stomach.

    ¡°In the past, I was blind and fell in love with a scumbag like you. Now all I feel when I look at you is

    disgust.¡±

    Huey had already lost his mind. He pinched Nana¡¯s shoulders harder and harder, as if he wanted to

    crush her bones with his grip.

    ¡°How dare you! You¡¯re not better than me, bitch! You got knocked up before you got married! Let me

    tell you something¡ªI¡¯m the one who abandons people. Nobody abandons me.¡±

    Seeing Huey acting like a revenge-crazed beast, Nana shivered with fear. ¡°Let go of me, Huey! Let me

    go, or I will scream!¡±

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    Nana took a deep breath and opened her mouth to start shouting for help, but Huey covered her mouth

    immediately.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Hmm!¡±

    Nana struggled against Huey desperately. While the two of them were pushing and shoving, Huey

    pulled open Nana¡¯s bathrobe with great force.

    Looking at Nana¡¯s bare skin, Huey was stunned for a moment. Standing there, he couldn¡¯t help

    recalling the good memories he had with Nana, especially the ones where they were naked and their

    bodies were wrapped around each other¡¯s. His breath starteding in short bursts.

    As a notorious yboy, Huey had dated a lot of women, but there was a number of reasons why Nana

    had been his only girlfriend during the past few years.

    Aside from being easy on the eyes, Nana was from a rich family. As a model, she had a curvaceous

    figure and smooth and bright skin. Her body was also very soft yet firm. After the first time he bedded

    her, Huey got the idea that if he married Nana, not only would he end up with a hot wife, he would also

    be able to conform to the arrangements his parents made.

    Now recalling the ecstatic times they shared in the bedroom, Huey suddenly felt a little reluctant. He

    even ventured, ¡°Nana, why don¡¯t we make up?¡±

    Nana looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. ¡°Have you lost your mind, Huey?¡±

    Looking at Nana¡¯s charming, albeit furious, face, Huey swallowed and replied, ¡°How about we go back

    to the old days? They¡¯re so good, don¡¯t you think? We had fights before, but we always resolved them

    in bed, didn¡¯t we? Why don¡¯t we settle our little spat now the way we did before, huh?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone insane, Huey! I will never sleep with you again! Ever! Over my dead body!¡±

    Frightened by the crazy Huey in front of her, Nana struggled to break his grip.

    But how could she be stronger than a lunatic who was hell-bent on retribution?

    ¡°I just gave you an easy way out, Nana, but you refused it.¡±

    Huey waspletely enraged, his eyes gloomy and appalling.

    It seemed that he wouldn¡¯t let this day end without teaching audacious Nana a lesson.

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388

    Huey pressed Nana against the sofa in the lounge. Then, he tied her hands and feet with ropes that he

    had prepared beforeing.

    ¡°Huey! What are you nning to do? Let me go! Hmm!¡±

    Huey stuffed a piece of cloth into Nana¡¯s mouth.

    Then, he tore off Nana¡¯s clothes.

    Nana was only wearing a loose bathrobe, so she was stripped naked quickly.

    Unable to move or speak, Nana could do nothing but watch in despair as Huey humiliated her. Tears

    started rolling down her cheeks.

    After taking off Nana¡¯s clothes, Huey took out his phone and began taking photos of Nana.

    Huey¡¯s eyes glinted with the joy of revenge as he looked at the beautiful and humiliating photos of

    Nana he just took.

    He squatted down, pinched Nana¡¯s chin, and waved his phone in her face.

    ¡°I have your nude photos, Nana. I know you¡¯re nning aeback, but now it¡¯s impossible. You can

    only be mine forever.¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t see clearly now because of the tears in her eyes. She struggled to shake off Huey¡¯s

    touch but miserably failed.

    Who woulde to rescue her?

    Huey looked at Nana who was naked and tearful. He was in spirits so high that he could feel himself

    getting an erection. He shed Nana a sinister smile, reached out to touch her body, and then pressed

    her under himself.

    ¡°How about we have sex today, Nana?¡±

    ¡°Hmm! Hmm!¡±

    Nana shook her head desperately.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless to struggle. It¡¯s just the two of us here.¡±

    Huey lowered his head and kissed Nana¡¯s neck and shoulder. He waspletely immersed in his

    desire for her.

    Nana closed her eyes. All she could do was sob against the gag Huey shoved in her mouth.

    But the next second, there was a loud bang, and then Huey tumbled to the floor.

    ¡°Nana, are you okay?¡±

    It was Corbin¡¯s voice. Nana instantly recognized it.

    She opened her eyes and saw the anxious and worried look on Corbin¡¯s face.

    Corbin threw away the broom he hit Huey with and squatted down in front of Nana. He pulled the cloth

    out of Nana¡¯s mouth, untied the ropes on her hands and feet, and helped her put her clothes back on.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    During the whole process, Corbin¡¯s hands trembled.

    When he heard Huey¡¯s voice over the phone earlier, he knew that something bad was going to happen.

    So he immediately rushed over to back up Nana, but he was still a littlete.

    When he arrived and saw Nana naked with Huey on top of her, he wanted to kill the bastard.

    He took a broom from the nearby janitor¡¯s cart and knocked Huey over the head with it.

    ¡°Nana! Nana! What happened? Say something!¡±

    Looking at Nana¡¯s dull and tearful face, Corbin felt heartbroken and regretful.

    At this moment, Nana felt extremely aggrieved and frightened. She threw herself into Corbin¡¯s arms

    and started weeping against his chest. Corbin could onlyfort her by rubbing her back.

    ¡°What took you so long? I was so scared. I was so scared. Huey was¡­ He was insane. He was

    bullying me¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯mte.¡±

    Corbin hugged Nana with all his strength. His nose twitched, and tears welled up in his eyes. Finding

    Nana the way he did scared him to death.

    If he hadn¡¯t called Nana by chance or Nana hadn¡¯t picked up or had hung up before Huey came, Huey

    would¡¯ve already sexually assaulted her.

    Fortunately, he decided toe straight here.

    He showed up just in the nick of time.

    Nana was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. Corbin held her tightly and gently stroked her back.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right now. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll always be here.¡±

    His gentle voice gradually calmed down Nana.

    After a while, Nana finally stopped crying.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    Corbin gently picked up Nana and was about to leave.

    But Nana became agitated again.

    ¡°Phone! Where¡¯s his phone?¡±

    Phone?

    Corbin was confused.

    Nana frantically looked around and found the phone she was looking for in Huey¡¯s pocket.

    Her hands were trembling so badly that she couldn¡¯t even grip the phone properly.

    Corbin asked worriedly, ¡°What do you want to do, Nana? Let me help you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at the phone!¡± Nana screamed and stepped back.

    She must delete the photos that Huey took.

    She couldn¡¯t let Corbin see them.

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389

    Afraid of hurting Nana¡¯s feelings again, Corbin held her trembling hand and said in a reassuring voice,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t look at it.¡±

    Feeling the heating from Corbin¡¯s hand, Nana finally felt rxed. It wasn¡¯t until then that she

    calmed down. She turned on Huey¡¯s phone and deleted all the obscene photos he took one by one.

    Then, she smashed his phone to the ground. The screen instantly splintered into pieces.

    Holding Nana¡¯s hand, Corbin said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Looking at Huey, who was lying unconscious on the floor, Nana was filled with hatred.

    She stepped forward and gave him a swift kick in the stomach, making a dull sound.

    Corbin winced as he watched Nana kick Huey, as if he felt the pain she just inflicted on the scumbag.

    Nana kicked Huey hard and without mercy.

    After that kick, Nana finally felt relieved and left the lounge with Corbin by her side.

    The noise in the lounge attracted the attention of the waitress. The waitress hurried over and saw

    Corbin and the embarrassed Nana.

    ¡°Sir. This spa is fordies. You can¡¯t be in here.¡±

    The waitress stared at Corbin in horror.

    With a sneer, Corbin replied, ¡°Please inform Miss Deleon that her son dressed up as a janitor here,

    sneaked in, and harassed one of the guests. Please tell her to discipline her son.¡±

    ¡°What? How could this happen? Sir, please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll inform my boss right away.¡±

    Startled, the waitress hurried to her boss¡¯s office.

    But Corbin decided to ignore her and left with Nana.

    When Nana walked out of the spa hall, a gust of cool air greeted her, helping her sober up a little.

    ¡°By the way, Corbin, if you¡¯re here, then who¡¯s with the children? Is there anyone taking care of them?¡±

    It suddenly urred to Nana that Corbin was supposed to be taking care of Aileen and Adrian. Now

    that he was with her, the children were obviously left alone.

    With his arm around her shoulder, Corbin held Nana gently and answered, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The twins are

    fine. They got to bed after I took them to my room. They¡¯re sleeping there now.¡±

    Nana breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she started ming herself, saying, ¡°It was all my fault. I was too

    careless. What if something really happened to them? I have to go back and see Aileen and Adrian as

    soon as possible.¡±

    Corbin shook his head and said, ¡°They¡¯re asleep. If we go see them now, we may wake them up. I¡¯ll

    take you to another hotel room so that you can get some rest.¡±

    Nana looked at him and hesitated.

    ¡°But¡­ But I want to be with the kids. They need me¡­¡±

    Nana wasn¡¯t really insisting on being with Aileen and Adrian because they needed her. She wanted to

    be with them because she was terrified of being alone after what happened.

    Noticing the fear in Nana¡¯s face, Corbin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll apany you.¡±

    Nana¡¯s face flushed instantly. She opened her mouth to refuse but couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so. She

    simply lowered her head in acquiescence.

    When they arrived at the front desk of the hotel, Corbin went to book another standard room for Nana.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. There are no standard rooms left. But we have a couple¡¯s room avable. A pair of

    newlyweds booked that room for their honeymoon, but unfortunately, they missed their train and

    couldn¡¯t make it tonight. So the room is empty now. Would you like to take it?¡±

    After saying that, the receptionist shed them a meaningful look.

    Embarrassed, Nana distanced herself a little from Corbin and muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep alone then.¡±

    ¡°No. It doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re in a couple¡¯s room. I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa.¡±

    Finally, the two of them decided to get the couple¡¯s room.

    As soon as he opened the door, Corbin realized that he had made a hasty decision. The decoration of

    the couple¡¯s room shocked him.

    The whole room was shrouded in pink light, and bright roses could be seen everywhere.

    There were rose petals on the round bed, and they had been arranged into the shape of a heart. Next

    to the bed was a bathroom with walls made of clear ss. Fortunately, there was a curtain that could

    be used for privacy. The room was very suitable for newlyweds, but for Corbin and Nana, it was

    embarrassing to say the least.

    Standing in the middle of the room, Corbin was so self-conscious that he didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Nana also blushed with shyness. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower. Will you turn themp off?¡±

    After saying that, she rushed into the bathroom.

    After searching the room for a while, Corbin found a remote control. He thought it controlled the lights,

    so he pressed the button without hesitation.

    But suddenly, the bathroom curtain began to go up slowly.

    The next moment, Corbin¡¯s and Nana¡¯s eyes met.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390

    ¡°What the hell are you looking at? Close your eyes and the curtain, you pervert!¡± Nana screamed,

    quickly covering her bare breasts with her hands.

    The sight of a nude woman made Corbin blush and shut his eyes in a panic.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to stare!¡±

    Utterly ashamed, he rushed towards the exit of the room. But because he couldn¡¯t see clearly, he

    almost tripped over various items scattered on the floor and blushed even more.

    Nana couldn¡¯t help butugh when she saw Corbin run away in embarrassment.

    The depression in her heart almost faded awaypletely. After their brief encounter, a smile slowly

    broke out on Nana¡¯s face. Corbin was actually pretty cute.

    Although he acted awkwardly and clumsily at times, he proved to be highly dependable at crucial

    moments.

    Nana had crossed paths with several handsome men before. But there was something about Corbin

    that caught her eye and made him stand out from the rest.

    On the following day, Eliana woke up from her deep sleep. Squinting her eyes, she looked at the clock

    and saw it was already afternoon.

    Eliana stood up slowly from the bed and immediately felt sore all over. It was as if she had been torn

    apart and put together again.

    A disappointed look appeared on her face. As expected, Maurice was nowhere to be found.

    This man was unbelievable. After each time he slept with her, he would always disappear the next day.

    As she rubbed her aching waist, a note on the bedside table soon caught her attention.

    Eliana picked it up and recognized Maurice¡¯s beautiful handwriting. ¡°If you still feel exhausted, take

    your time and have a good rest. I need you to attend a banquet with me tonight. I will send someone to

    bring you clothester.¡±

    ¡°So he obviously knew that I would not feel well! Then why was he so rough with mest night?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but recall the lustful scene the night before. Maurice ravaged and dominated her

    with intense passion as if it was his first time having sex with a woman. Despite Eliana¡¯s constant pleas

    for him to stop, he pushed her further to her limit, causing her to lose consciousness.

    Damn him! She wished that Maurice would soon suffer impotence.

    With her cheeks flushed in anger, Eliana crumpled the note in her hand.

    The moment she finished freshening up in the bathroom, a knock came from outside the door.

    ¡°Eliana, are you there?¡±

    It was Nana¡¯s voice!

    Eliana hurried over and unlocked the door.

    ¡°Nana, what are you doing here? Where are the kids?¡±

    Sighing deeply, Nana walked in with a gloomy face. She held her best friend¡¯s hand and began to

    apologize.

    ¡°Eliana, I failed to take good care of the children. I was preupied and let them out of my sight. It¡¯s all

    my fault. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Eliana patted Nana¡¯s hand and smiled at her reassuringly. ¡°Nana, don¡¯t me yourself. These things

    happen even to the best of us. There¡¯s been a lot going on these days, and I couldn¡¯t be there for my

    kids. You stepped up and have taken responsibility for raising my children while I was gone. I am

    forever in your debt. How can I possibly me you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Eliana. I¡¯m so thankful to have you as my best friend!¡±

    Tears welled up in Nana¡¯s eyes as she hugged Eliana tightly. After a few moments, Nana whispered in

    Eliana¡¯s ear, ¡°Corbin told me something. He said that Aileen and Adrian disturbed you and Mauricest

    night. What happened afterward? Since the kids had left, did you two do anything interesting?¡±

    Hearing her words, Eliana blushed immediately. She jabbed her finger at Nana and eximed, ¡°Hey,

    can you stop thinking about other people¡¯s business?¡±

    ¡°Well, I just wanted to know how your night went.¡± Seeing the fierce expression on Eliana¡¯s face, Nana

    raised both hands and took a step back. ¡°Okay, rx. I won¡¯t bring it up anymore.¡±

    Nana subconsciously tucked her hair behind one ear, and the bruises on her wrist were exposed.

    ¡°Nana, oh my goodness!¡± With her eyes widened in shock, Eliana grabbed Nana¡¯s hand and examined

    it. ¡°What happened to you? Where did you get these bruises from?¡±

    Eliana winced at the sight of the scars. The bruises on the wrist of her fair-skinned friend stood out and

    looked very painful.

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    What was the meaning of this? It looked like her wrist had been tightly bound by a rope.

    Nana gulped anxiously as her eyes fell to the floor.

    ¡°Did someone hurt you? What happened yesterday? Talk to me, Nana.¡±

    Eliana was clearly agitated.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Eliana. I¡¯m fine.¡± Nana withdrew her hand and said, ¡°This is the price I have to pay for my

    ignorance. I deserved it.¡±

    Seeing the loneliness and pain in Nana¡¯s eyes, Eliana felt very sorry for her. But she didn¡¯t know how to

    comfort her dear friend.

    Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door.

    ¡°Eliana, are you inside?¡±

    It was Harriet.

    When Eliana opened the door, Harriet smiled with a big gift box in her hands.

    ¡°Hello, Eliana. Mr. Moran asked me to bring you this evening dress for the banquet tonight.¡±

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391

    ¡°Thank you for this, Miss Stone,¡± Eliana said as she took the gift box.

    But she noticed that Harriet was still standing at the door.

    ¡°Is there anything else?¡±

    At this moment, Harriet took out a check from her handbag and handed it to Eliana.

    ¡°This is a little token from my uncle. Please take it as an apology for what happened at the racetrack

    yesterday.¡±

    Eliana looked at the check in front of her in a daze.

    Rich people¡¯s way of apologizing was really special.

    But she wasn¡¯t like this when she was rich.

    Eliana reluctantly pushed the check back. ¡°No, thanks. It¡¯s not necessary. Besides, I didn¡¯t get hurt

    yesterday. Mr. Stone doesn¡¯t need to spend money on me.¡±

    It was a euphemistic refusal, but unexpectedly, the rims of Harriet¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red, and

    tears instantly streamed down her face.

    ¡°Eliana, just ept it. Look¡­¡±

    Harriet deliberately raised her right face to show the clear red palm print on it.

    ¡°What happened to your face?¡±

    This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Harriet smiled bitterly. ¡°My uncle has a bad temper. I wanted him toe over and apologize to you in

    person. But¡­ He just pped me.¡±

    Upon seeing Harriet¡¯s pitiful look and the palm print on her face, Eliana¡¯s heart softened.

    She was about to say something when Nana suddenly came over and grabbed the check.

    After seeing the numbers on it, she sneered, ¡°Is this your uncle¡¯s sincerity? It¡¯s too little. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s

    worth the p he gave you.¡±

    As she spoke, Nana raised the check in her hand disgustedly.

    Maybe Eliana couldn¡¯t see through Harriet. But Nana, with her years of experience in dealing with

    people like Harriet, saw at a nce that the woman in front of her was a senior angelic bitch.

    How dare Harriet y tricks on Eliana! She must teach Harriet a good lesson.

    Nana¡¯s words made Harriet feel a little embarrassed. She looked at Eliana and asked, ¡°Eliana, who is

    she?¡±

    Nana was about to say something more. But Eliana immediately stopped her by saying, ¡°Miss Stone,

    this is my friend, Nana. She happens toe to the manor today to y.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see. It¡¯s a good thing she¡¯s here. You can invite her to the banquet tonight,¡± Harriet said.

    Nana shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t bring any clothes for a party.¡±

    Harriet smiled. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I have an extra dress here. I can lend it to you.¡±

    She then took an exquisite bag from the side and handed it to Nana.

    ¡°Fortunately, I have prepared an extra dress.¡±

    Nana stared at Harriet suspiciously. Despite Harriet¡¯s gentle smile, she didn¡¯t take the dress.

    She didn¡¯t believe that an angelic bitch could be so kind.

    When Eliana saw that Nana didn¡¯t take the bag and Harriet kept holding it, she was afraid that the two

    would continue to be in a stalemate. So she had no choice but to reach out and take the bag on Nana¡¯s

    behalf.

    She then said, ¡°Thank you, Miss Stone.¡±

    A hint of scheming light shed through Harriet¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re wee. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing

    you tonight, Eliana.¡±

    After saying this, she turned around and left.

    When Harriet was out of their sight, Nana took the bag from Eliana¡¯s hand and looked at her with

    disappointment. ¡°Eliana, let me tell you. That woman is definitely not good. Stay away from her.¡±

    Still holding the gift box in her hand, Eliana said helplessly, ¡°Do you think I want it? It¡¯s obvious that

    Harriet is determined to win Maurice¡¯s heart. How can I possibly get close to her and cause trouble for

    myself?¡±

    ¡°She likes Maurice?¡± Nana looked suddenly enlightened. ¡°No wonder. That exins why although she

    is smiling, I still strongly sense that she doesn¡¯t like you.¡±

    ¡°What can I do? Maurice won¡¯t let me go, and he hasn¡¯t confirmed his rtionship with Harriet. Since

    he leaves the matter unsettled like this, she must be hostile to me.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what Maurice really wanted. Because of him, she had made a lot of enemies. It was

    a great loss for her.

    ¡°Forget it. Don¡¯t worry about it for now. Let¡¯s go inside and see what kind of clothes Maurice has

    prepared for you.¡±

    Nana excitedly pulled Eliana into the room, put the gift box on the bed, and opened it expectantly.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help holding her breath too. Somehow, she inexplicably had an illusion of unwrapping a

    birthday gift.

    The next second, Eliana and Nana were both stunned.

    ¡°What is this? Why is this dress so revealing?¡±

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392

    ¡°Maurice wants you to wear this to the banquet?¡±

    Nana picked up the dress from the gift box with disgust.

    It was a purple velvet halter dress with only two tiny straps supporting the entire backless dress. It was

    a bit thick and had a deep V-neck cut.

    It was the kind of clothes that those social butterflies would choose.

    Eliana was afraid that the tiny straps would break if she wore this dress. What if she identally

    exposed herself? It would be so embarrassing.

    ¡°Why did that asshole choose this kind of dress for you? What does he mean?¡±

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Nana was so angry that she threw the dress back into the gift box.

    Eliana also frowned. She didn¡¯t expect Maurice to choose this kind of dress for her. She had never

    worn such a dress in her life.

    ¡°Maybe they sent the wrong package here. I¡¯ll call him first.¡±

    After saying this, Eliana immediately took out her phone and called Maurice.

    The call was connected very soon.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s up?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was deep and enchanting.

    Eliana asked solemnly, ¡°Maurice, did you ask Harriet to send the dress to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Did you get it? I¡¯ve already made an appointment with the hairdresser for you. Corbin will take

    you thereter.¡±

    Indeed, the dress was really chosen by Maurice for her. Obviously, he wanted to humiliate her.

    Eliana was rendered speechless. She didn¡¯t want to wear the dress at all.

    She suddenly became sulky. ¡°I won¡¯t go to the banquet,¡± she said with a hint of disappointment in her

    voice.

    Maurice thought that Eliana was deliberately making trouble again, so he said coldly, ¡°You have to. It

    seems that you forgot my warnings yesterday. Behave yourself. Don¡¯t always go against me.¡±

    His words angered Eliana even more. She hung up the phone angrily and looked at the dress on the

    bed with disappointment.

    ¡°It¡¯s really that bastard who sent you this dress? Obviously, he wants to humiliate you.¡± Nana was also

    pissed off. ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t go to that damn banquet. He can¡¯t force you to do anything.¡±

    She was so angry that she was about to throw the dress into the trash can. But Eliana stopped her,

    shaking her head bitterly. ¡°Nana, I have no choice. I have to go. I can¡¯t afford to pay the price of

    disobeying him.¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes turned red. She gritted her teeth and hissed, ¡°He is bullying you.¡±

    Eliana took a deep breath and said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. Anyway, Maurice chose me as his date. And he

    also chose the dress for me. If something really happens, he will also be humiliated. I hope he won¡¯t

    regret it.¡±

    After a short while, Corbin came and took Eliana to the hairdresser ording to Maurice¡¯s instructions.

    When Corbin got out of the elevator, he happened to bump into Nana, who was leaving.

    ¡°Nana, how are you?¡±

    His eyes lit up, and he immediately walked up to her.

    Nana was about to say hello, but she suddenly changed her mind.

    She had a good impression of Corbin. But every time she thought of Maurice deliberately humiliating

    her best friend, and he was an aplice, she got furious.

    So she snorted coldly and walked past him without looking at him or saying a word.

    Corbin was confused. Why did Nana seem mad at him? They got along well the night before, right?

    Why did she dislike him all of a sudden?

    He felt strange.

    Corbin walked to the door of Eliana¡¯s house and knocked.

    Eliana opened the door and said with an expressionless face, ¡°You¡¯re here. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    He was even more confused. Why was Eliana also behaving strangely today?

    Was she reluctant to go to the banquet with Mr. Moran?

    Corbin couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on.

    He had no choice but to bring the silent Eliana to the hairdresser.

    Coincidentally, Harriet was also there, perming her hair.

    Corbin stopped and looked at her, feeling annoyed.

    Why was Harriet here?

    He couldn¡¯t let the two women meet. Otherwise, there would be big trouble.

    Corbin turned to Eliana and said cautiously, ¡°Eliana¡­ How about going to a different hairdresser?¡±

    Eliana also saw Harriet at this time, and she didn¡¯t want to make any trouble, so she agreed directly.

    But when the two of them were about to leave, Harriet unexpectedly saw them.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re here too.¡±

 Chapter 393

    Chapter 393

    Left with no choice, she sighed, turned around, and smiled politely.

    ¡°Miss Stone, it¡¯s a coincidence that you¡¯re here too.¡±

    Harriet waved her hand, and the stylists around her dispersed immediately.

    Then she walked straight to Eliana.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, you can go ahead with your work now. I¡¯ll keep Elianapany.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m actually not busy today.¡±

    Corbin looked at Eliana worriedly. Everyone knew that Harriet had a crush on Maurice, but Maurice

    was into Eliana. How could he dare leave Eliana to Harriet?

    It might cause big trouble. And he couldn¡¯t imagine the consequences.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Corbin. I¡¯ll be fine here. You are a man, and it¡¯s not appropriate for you to stay here. So go

    ahead with your work. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    Since Eliana had said those words, Corbin had no choice but to leave.

    But before he left, he called all the stylists that Maurice sent over.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, why don¡¯t you change into the dress you¡¯re going to wear first? Let¡¯s see what kind of

    hairstyle it fits.¡±

    When the dress was mentioned, Eliana was at a loss.

    Although she had prepared herself mentally before she came here, she still couldn¡¯t put on that sexy

    dress in front of many people.

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t move for a long time, the stylist asked in confusion, ¡°Miss Pierce, is something

    wrong?¡±

    Harriet snickered inwardly. This was exactly what she wanted to see. She deliberately chose a tawdry

    dress to rece the one prepared by Maurice.

    Since the stylist kept urging her, Eliana had no choice but to take the dress to the fitting room. She

    could only grit her teeth to put it on.

    After changing, she walked out of the fitting room. She was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t even look

    at herself in the mirror.

    She was ready to beughed at by everyone. But as soon as they saw her, she didn¡¯t expect to receive

    praise from them.

    ¡°Oh my God! It¡¯s so beautiful. The dress fits you perfectly, Miss Pierce.¡±

    ¡°The dress seems to be tailor-made for you, Miss Pierce. No one in the world can fit in this dress as

    perfect as you do.¡±

    Eliana was stunned to hear the praise of the stylists.

    Although they were hired by Maurice, there was no need for them to say such words against their will.

    She turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. What she saw was a woman wearing a sexy

    purple halter dress.

    The dress revealed the contour of her plump breasts, the hollow back exposed her slender waist, and

    the high slit highlighted her long, straight legs.

    Purple was a shy color, but it made Eliana look mysterious and elegant. Her ck curly hair made

    her even more attractive. She was not wearing any makeup yet, but she was already beautiful enough

    to stun the people around her.

    She was surprised to see an enchanting woman in the mirror.

    She wondered if the woman was really her.

    Contrary to the amazed crowd, Harriet was very jealous, watching the scene.

    She had carefully chosen this dress, intending to embarrass Eliana and make everyoneugh at her.

    But she didn¡¯t expect that the tawdry dress would fit Eliana so well that it made her look so sexy and

    attractive.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were now fixed on Eliana. Even Harriet¡¯s stylist forgot that he was serving her. When

    he handed the water to her, he carelessly sprinkled it all over her body.

    Harriet¡¯s eyes were burning with rage, and she almost couldn¡¯t keep the hypocritical smile on her face.

    But she still managed to praise Eliana. She reluctantly said, ¡°Eliana, you look¡­ You look so beautiful in

    that dress.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°Really?¡± Eliana asked with an embarrassed smile.

    She knew in her heart that no matter how beautiful she looked in this dress, it was still inappropriate for

    a banquet.

    When the Pierce family was still prosperous, she had attended many banquets. And she also saw

    many women in such sexy dresses. However, no matter how beautiful they looked, they would only be

    despised by the guests from the upper ss.

    Harriet also thought of this, and she felt a bit better.

    She suddenly said, ¡°Who is Eliana¡¯s stylist? Come here. You should make a sexy hairstyle for her to

    match her dress.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce¡­¡± The stylist was a little embarrassed. ¡°You are already very eye-catching¡­ Do you

    really want to look sexier?¡±

    Eliana wanted to say no. But on second thought, she simply gave up and said, ¡°Whatever. Anyway, the

    dress alone is already embarrassing enough.¡±

    She would definitely lose faceter. But on the bright side, when the guests looked down upon her,

    maybe Maurice would feel ashamed and thus would dislike her and stop pestering her.

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394

    Under Harriet¡¯smand, the stylist began to style Eliana.

    As a result, Eliana¡¯s hairstyle was eye-catching and sexy enough.

    Harriet, on the other hand, looked elegant and graceful in her dress and hairstyle. The pure white dress

    and light makeup made her look like an elegant princess. She was in sharp contrast to the sexy and

    enchanting Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Stone, your dress and makeup make you look so noble and elegant.¡±

    ¡°Miss Stone, you really deserve to be the young miss of the Stone family. You have such good taste.¡±

    The stylists praising Eliana just now began to tter Harriet.

    Theirpliments made Harriet prouder. She was very eager to go to the banquet now to show

    everyone who was more elegant and beautiful between her and Eliana.

    After her hair was set, Harriet began to choose her jewelry. And she took a fancy to a pair of teardrop-

    shaped diamond earrings at a nce.

    At this moment, Eliana¡¯s hair and makeup were also finished. Her long ck hair was permed into big

    waves, her makeup was exquisite, and her lips were ming red. She was indeed a sexy stunner.

    The stylist looked at Eliana¡¯s neck and frowned. She felt something was missing.

    What Eliana needed were some essories.

    At this time, Corbin came back.

    The moment he saw Eliana, he was so shocked that his mouth gaped open.

    Who was this sexy beauty?

    Was she¡­ the Eliana he knew?

    If Maurice saw Eliana dressed like this, he flew into a rage.

    When Eliana saw Corbin¡¯s reaction, she smiled sarcastically. ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to dress up like this.

    But this was the dress Mr. Moran personally picked for me, and he said I must wear it.¡±

    ¡°What? No way!¡± Corbin blurted out.

    Because of Maurice¡¯s outrageous possessiveness, he even wanted to hide Eliana and would not allow

    anyone to see her if possible. How could he let her wear such a revealing dress and be exposed in

    everyone¡¯s eyes?

    There must be some misunderstanding here.

    ¡°Why? Is it impossible? I called and asked him, and he said it himself,¡± Eliana said coldly. There was a

    hint of anger in her tone.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Corbin wanted to say something, but Harriet interrupted him with a smile.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, don¡¯t be nervous. Maybe Mr. Moran only wants to make a joke with Eliana. Besides,

    Eliana looks really beautiful dressed this way. Right, Eliana?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t say anything. She just looked at the noble and elegant Harriet and then at herself.

    Since Harriet wanted to use her as a stepping stone, she would fulfill her wish.

    Eliana was so stubborn that Corbin had no choice but to give in.

    At this moment, Harriet spotted a dark blue jewelry box in Corbin¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, what are you holding?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is the jewelry that Mr. Moran asked me to bring here.¡±

    Corbin opened the jewelry box, and on the ck nnel quietlyy a shining sapphire ne.

    A huge square sapphire was iid among countless crystal diamonds, looking like a blue sea. One

    nce at it would make people unable to take their eyes off it.

    It was such a beautiful cornflower blue sapphire!

    Even Eliana, an experienced jewelry designer, couldn¡¯t help admiring the beauty of the ne.

    Harriet held her breath. As the daughter of the Stone family, she naturally knew more about this

    ne than Eliana.

    It was a valuable antique ne she had seen in an auction before. It was bought by an anonymous

    buyerter. She didn¡¯t expect that the buyer was Maurice.

    She thought that Maurice must have asked Corbin to send this to her.

    Harriet was overjoyed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Mr. Moran would prepare such a gift for me. This sapphire is

    so big, so I won¡¯t need these earrings anymore.¡±

    As she spoke, she took off the diamond earrings from her ears.

    ¡°Miss Stone, you seem to misunderstand something.¡± Corbin stopped her. ¡°Mr. Moran asked me to give

    this ne to Eliana. After all, she¡¯s his date today.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    He then handed the jewelry box to Eliana with a solemn expression on his face.

    ¡°Eliana, please put it on. It took Mr. Moran a lot of effort to get it. This represents his goodwill.¡±

    Corbin would seize every opportunity to help Maurice win Eliana¡¯s heart.

    Harriet didn¡¯t expect that she was only ttering herself. She was embarrassed in front of everyone,

    and her face turned scarlet.

    Eliana swallowed hard and put on the priceless sapphire ne. Everyone was looking at her

    admiringly.

    Coincidentally, the dazzling sapphire was stuck in her deep cleavage. It made her look even sexier.

    Now, even Corbin felt embarrassed and looked away. He didn¡¯t know what to say.

 Chapter 395

    Chapter 395

    Night fell, and the Moon Lake Manor was glittering with lights. Countless celebrities and big shots were

    gathered there. Many luxury cars made their way into the majestic manor, one by one.

    The Moon Lake Manor seemed like a location for an upper-ss vanity fair.

    Holding Eliana¡¯s arm cheerfully, Harriet entered the hall.

    The venue was busting with big shots from all walks of life, but the host of the banquet, Maurice, had

    not arrived yet.

    The moment Eliana and Harriet walked into the hall, everyone was smitten with Eliana¡¯s sexiness.

    When the male guests noticed that she did not have a date, their desires became almost unbridled.

    As Eliana felt their hungry zing eyes on her back, her face began to pale.

    Though Harriet was delighted to see that, she tried tofort her, ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t me Mr. Moran. He

    has been busy with work for a few days now. And this is how the corporate world is.¡±

    Eliana slowly forced herself to calm down and said with a wry smile, ¡°Well, I used toe from a

    wealthy business family, too, but my dad cared about my mom so much that he never once let her face

    such an embarrassing situation on her own. People are supposed to be with the ones they really care

    about. In Maurice¡¯s eyes, I am just not that important.¡±

    Harriet was surprised by her words, and did not know how to respond for a moment.

    ¡°Miss Stone, don¡¯t worry about me. Go and socialize. Enjoy your evening.¡± With that, Eliana resolutely

    pulled her arm away from Harriet¡¯s and looked at her nkly.

    Harriet was rendered speechless.

    The male guests who were smitten with Eliana slowly began to approach her in hopes of osting her.

    ¡°Hello gorgeous, I¡¯m Bagot Calderon, the deputy CEO of the Hantern Group. May I know your name?¡±

    ¡°Hi lovelydy, I am the CEO of the Sheen Group¡­¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡±

    Several men surrounded Eliana, introducing themselves to her one by one, while Harriet, who was

    standing right beside her, waspletely ignored.

    Harriet was the daughter of the Stone family, and had never been ignored by men in her entire life, so

    she was naturally outraged.

    Were those men blind?

    Eliana was not a young seductress! She probably had a loose vagina from giving birth to two kids! How

    could those men still want her?

    After what happenedst time, Harriet had found that Eliana was the mother to two kids, but she also

    knew that was not enough to change Maurice¡¯s strong feelings towards her.

    Hence, she had no choice but to create more conflicts between them.

    An idea popped into Harriet¡¯s mind. She deliberately grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and announced loudly,

    ¡°Everyone, this beautifuldy next to me is Eliana Pierce. She is a famous jewelry designer from the

    Moran Group, who is young, promising, and still single.¡±

    The male guests immediately understood what she meant and began to work harder.

    However, Eliana frowned deeply.

    What on earth did Harriet want?

    Eliana felt ufortable, sensing that Harriet was selling her to those men like some item at an

    auction.

    Harriet¡¯s loud voice was barely fading away when a gentle and polite young man walked up to them.

    Looking at Eliana with a smile, he reached out his hand.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, may I have the honor of dancing with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mister, but I can¡¯t dance.¡±

    The moment Harriet heard her polite refusal, she immediately put Eliana¡¯s hand in the man¡¯s.

    ¡°Of course, you can!¡± said Harriet with a smile, looking at Eliana. ¡°You are at a banquet, Eliana. You

    should be having a good time, right?¡±

    Although Eliana was unwilling, the man still held her hand, and just when she was about to pull out her

    hand, the music started.

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    The man dragged her into the dancing floor, forcing her to dance with him, even though she did not

    want to.

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana tried to recall the dance moves she had learned before.

    Since it had been many years since shest danced, her moves were a little awkward at first, but soon,

    she began to dance beautifully.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you are being too modest. You dance so well! We work so well together. I wonder if we

    can work so well in other aspects¡­¡±

    As he continued to stare at Eliana¡¯s beautiful face in amazement, he couldn¡¯t resist the temptation to

    reach out and rub her waist gently.

 Chapter 396

    Chapter 396

    Eliana naturally felt the man¡¯s restless hand, and she felt extremely disgusted in her heart. She quietly

    avoided his touch.

    The man didn¡¯t seed the first time, but he didn¡¯t give up. He even tried to touch her bare back.

    This time, Eliana was in a panic.

    ¡°Sir, please behave yourself,¡± she said in a low voice.

    The man thought that Eliana was just trying to y hard to get, so he said in a frivolous tone, ¡°Miss

    Pierce, sometimes it¡¯s not good to act too much. Aren¡¯t you wearing this dress to attract men?¡±

    He didn¡¯t restrain himself. Instead, his hand continued to slide down.

    The man¡¯s rudeness made Eliana furious.

    Maybe he thought she was a pushover.

    She lifted her foot and stepped hard on the man¡¯s foot with her four-and-a-half-inch stiletto.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± the man growled, immediately withdrew his foot in pain, and let go of her.

    Eliana took two steps back to escape from his control.

    ¡°How dare you!¡±

    The man¡¯s face turned pale, and his voice was filled with anger.

    But Eliana just ignored him. She turned around and ran away.

    At this moment, the dance music suddenly changed. Then a big hand pulled her away irresistibly.

    Eliana was dizzy for a moment. Then the next thing she felt was that she mmed into a broad chest,

    immersed in a warm embrace, and a fresh woody scent prated her nostrils.

    There was only one person she knew, who owned this scent.

    She raised her head and eximed in surprise, ¡°Eli! What are you doing here?¡±

    Eli looked handsome and elegant in his Armani white printed suit. And there was a yful smile on his

    face.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m also invited to this banquet.¡±

    The music went on, so Eli held Eliana, and they danced trippingly on the dance floor.

    He noticed that she was so skilled in dancing, so he couldn¡¯t help praising her, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to

    dance well. But your dress¡­¡±

    Eli wanted to say something but stopped on second thought. However, Eliana blushed with shyness,

    although he did not finish his sentence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My dress is too revealing today. And I met some bad

    guys. Thank you for helping me just now.¡±

    ¡°Eliana, why are you so embarrassed? You look great in this dress. Even though you met some people

    with bad intentions, it was their problem. It has nothing to do with your dress.¡±

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    His words made her feel a lot better.

    As they danced, Eliana identally caught a glimpse of Eli¡¯s left hand wearing a in gold ring.

    ¡°This¡­ This is the lucky ring I gave you. I didn¡¯t expect you to really wear it.¡±

    She was moved.

    As soon as she got the ring, she immediately sent it to Eli. When Maurice found out about it, he was

    quite unhappy. But she was still very happy to see Eli wearing it.

    Eli smiled brightly and said, ¡°Thank you for giving me this lucky ring. I¡¯ve been really lucky since I

    started wearing it. There are so many brands asking me to shootmercials for them.¡±

    Eliana secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she heard this.

    It seemed that Maurice didn¡¯t make things difficult for him anymore.

    She then said yfully, ¡°You are just so lucky to have escaped from Maurice.¡±

    And when she thought of her current situation, she couldn¡¯t help curling her lips.

    The dance music became more and more intense. It was Eli and Eliana¡¯s first time dancing together,

    but they had very tacit cooperation. Their dance steps amazed everyone around. The handsome man

    and beautiful woman in the middle of the dance floor were so eye-catching that the light was directly

    focused on them.

    When the dance was over, Eliana was tired and panting. But most of the sadness in her heart seemed

    to have disappeared after such a hearty dance.

    She politely bowed to the crowd and ended the dance with Eli.

    The crowd suddenly burst into thunderous apuse.

    Looking at Eliana cutting a dash on the dance floor, Harriet was shocked and angry at the same time.

    How did things turn out like this?

    She should be the one in the spotlight. Eliana was supposed to be looked down upon by everyone.

    She could no longer bear such humiliation, so she turned around and left angrily.

    At this moment, a young woman walking over didn¡¯t notice Harriet and bumped straight into her.

 Chapter 397

    Chapter 397

    With a crisp sound, the wine ss in the young woman¡¯s hand fell to the floor and shattered into

    pieces.

    The red wine sshed onto Harriet¡¯s snow-white dress, leaving ugly red stains on it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    When the woman saw that Harriet¡¯s dress was stained, she was panic-stricken. She kept bowing and

    apologizing.

    ¡°Are you blind? Look at what you¡¯ve done. How dare you stain my dress! Do you know how precious

    this is?¡±

    Harriet was so angry that she pushed the woman to the floor.

    Unfortunately, the woman fell on the tiny pieces of broken ss.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    The woman couldn¡¯t help screaming in pain as the broken ss pierced into her right arm and hand.

    Bright red blood immediately gushed out of her wounds.

    She raised her right arm, dripping with blood.

    Harriet was also startled when she saw this.

    People around were all looking at them now, whispering to each other.

    The noise also attracted the attention of the head waiter.

    He rushed over only to see a mess on the floor and the woman¡¯s ghastly pale face. The woman

    struggled to stand up, still trembling. The blood flowing from her arm dripped to the floor and mixed with

    the red wine. The scene was very frightening.

    ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡±

    The head waiter¡¯s face darkened, and he almost fainted. Just now, he was distracted by Eli and

    Eliana¡¯s dance. How could such a thing happen all of a sudden?

    The woman was a harp yer and was supposed to do thest performance tonight.

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Now that she was wounded, how could she perform?

    The woman was in unbearable pain. Tears streamed down her face like a waterfall. She choked, ¡°I¡­¡±

    Before she could say anything, Harriet¡¯s loud voice interrupted her.

    ¡°How rude!¡± She turned to the crowd and said, ¡°This woman suddenly ran into me, so she fell to the

    floor and cut herself on the broken ss. Now she¡¯s crying as if I hurt her.¡±

    She falsely used the woman instead of admitting her own mistake.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. Yes, I bumped into thisdy. But she pushed¡­¡±

    With tears in her eyes, the woman tried to exin. But Harriet interrupted her again.

    ¡°Liar! You fell on your own. You just want to ckmail me.¡±

    Harriet sternly scolded the woman who had no way to defend herself. She looked around and found no

    one was willing to speak for her. So she had to look at the head waiter expectantly.

    ¡°Sir, please believe me. I really didn¡¯t fall on my own.¡±

    The head waiter looked at the woman who was crying and then at Harriet who he couldn¡¯t afford to

    offend. All he could do wasfort the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You bumped into thisdy. As for your

    wounds¡­ You can go and bandage it.¡±

    The woman stared at the head waiter in disbelief. She stood there helplessly, shivering.

    The noise attracted the attention of all the people present, and they gradually gathered around.

    Eliana and Eli were standing far from them. They heard the noise, but the crowd blocked their view, so

    they didn¡¯t know what was happening.

    The banquet was very lively. The smell of women¡¯s perfume mixed with the smell of men¡¯s alcohol in

    the air. Eli disliked the smell, and those hypocritical courtesies made him feel tired.

    ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s too noisy here. Let¡¯s go out and get some fresh air.¡±

    That was just what Eliana wanted, so she agreed, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go for a walk.¡±

    Just when the two of them stepped out of the hall, someone suddenly appeared and draped a ck

    coat over Eliana¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Don¡¯t run around.¡±

    Eliana turned around, and her eyes widened when she saw the man.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ You¡¯re here.¡±

    Maurice was the host of the banquet, but he arrivedte.

    His brows furrowed as he stared at her dress. His inner possessiveness surged wildly.

    When he saw her figure from a distance just now, he felt something was wrong. It was not until she

    turned around that he saw her outfit clearly.

    How could she dress like this?

    Was she deliberately going against him? How dare she wear such a revealing dress!

    When Maurice thought that everyone here had already seen Eliana dressed like this before he arrived,

    he was furious.

    ¡°Eliana, you take no ount of my words, right? You wear such a dress to this banquet to go against

    me. How dare you!¡±

    When Eliana heard his usation, she suddenly got very angry.

    Maurice was the one who chose this dress for her, and he insisted that she should wear it. Now that

    she did as he ordered, he still found fault with her.

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t be unreasonable. It¡¯s you¡­¡±

    Eliana suddenly stopped.

    Something seemed not right.

    The anger on Maurice¡¯s face didn¡¯t seem fake.

    She had been with him for so long, and she knew him well. He would not deny what he had done

    unless he didn¡¯t do it at all.

    Eliana suddenly recalled the scene when Harriet came to give her the dress. She was now enlightened.

    This was not the dress Maurice gave her.

    Harriet must have deliberately changed it.

 Chapter 398

    Chapter 398

    The longer Eliana thought about it, the more she was convinced that her guess was right.

    Just when she was about to ask Maurice if her guess was right, Harriet walked up to them.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you¡¯re finally here!¡±

    Harriet was now wearing a lime green dress, her hair neatly brushed, looking like nothing had

    happened.

    When she saw Eliana and Eli, she couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°Eliana, your dance with Mr. Goodwin was a

    splendid sight to see! You two were so well coordinated that it almost looked like you were a couple! I

    never knew that you were romantically involved with an idol.¡±

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Harriet seemed to be concerned that Maurice might not have noticed the unordinary rtionship

    between Eliana and Eli.

    Obviously, Eliana was not having it. She immediately corrected her, ¡°Don¡¯t say such nonsense, Miss

    Stone. Eli and I are just friends.¡±

    However, Harriet wasn¡¯t willing to back down either. She continued with a hint of sarcasm in her voice,

    ¡°Ohe on, Eliana! Don¡¯t keep secrets from me and Mr. Moran. I really think that you and Mr.

    Goodwin make a great match. If you¡¯re worried about the paparazzi, don¡¯t be. The paparazzi aren¡¯t

    allowed to get into the Moon Lake Manor. You two can have your romantic time in peace here. Your

    privacy is guaranteed!¡±

    When Maurice heard that, his eyes darkened.

    Not only did Eliana wear such a sexy dress, she also danced with Eli?

    ¡°Eliana, you are really testing my patience!¡±

    Maurice waspletely irritated. He grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand and was about to pull her away.

    Clearly, Eli was not going to let him do that. He quickly grabbed her other hand and pulled her the other

    way.

    ¡°Let go of her!¡± Maurice warned, ring at Eli.

    ¡°No!¡± Eli was unfazed.

    Neither of them seemed to be willing to let go of Eliana, and she was understandably embarrassed.

    Two men fighting for a woman attracted the other guests¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that the CEO of the Moran Group and the idol fighting over a woman?¡±

    ¡°Who is she? Why haven¡¯t I seen her before?¡±

    ¡°Look at her! She was dressed like a slut. Maybe she¡¯s a tramp from a nightclub!¡±

    ¡°Well, she has an amazing body! Look at her plump breasts and long legs! No wonder they¡¯re both into

    her. I am pretty sure that she¡¯s great in the sheets too¡­¡±

    People werementing lewd and unpleasant things about Eliana.

    Hearing their words, Eliana was very embarrassed and her eyes turned red.

    She did nothing wrong. Why was she the one suffering?

    ¡°Let go of me, both of you!¡± she snapped, shaking off their hands. ¡°I am begging you. Please, just leave

    me alone, okay? Do you really have to make things difficult for me?¡±

    Unwilling to give up, Maurice clenched his fist and tried to force her toe back to him, but when he

    looked at her teary eyes, his heart sank to the bottom of his stomach, and he couldn¡¯t utter a word.

    Eli also felt guilty. He walked up to her and gently patted her on the shoulder as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­

    Please, don¡¯t cry.¡±

    He then stepped aside quietly, letting her walk away.

    Lowering her head and sniffling, Eliana suppressed her sadness.

    Neither of them stopped her.

    She walked to a quiet corner to get a breath of fresh air. All of a sudden, she heard a sobbing voice.

    Her hair stood on end. She was terrified and froze in fear.

    Who was crying? Why was someone crying there?

    Was¡­ Was that a ghost?

    The Moon Lake Manor was a few hundred years old, and in most horror movies, such ces were

    always haunted.

    Oh, God! Could she even run away now? Or was it toote?

    Gradually, the sobbing voice grew louder and louder until it sounded like it wasing from right

    beside her.

    Hearing that, Eliana turned her head stiffly and saw a girl in white, squatting in a corner, wailing, her

    right hand covered in blood.

 Chapter 399

    Chapter 399

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Eliana was so scared that she screamed.

    But her scream also frightened the crying woman.

    ¡°Ahhh! Ghost!¡±

    Two screams echoed in the corner.

    Eliana patted her chest and stared at the young woman in front of her in shock.

    The young woman was wearing a white sleeveless dress, making her look pure and delicate. Her eyes

    were red and swollen from crying, and her face flushed.

    Eliana only breathed a sigh of relief when she finally saw the young woman¡¯s shadow in the dim light.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡±

    The young woman kept apologizing, which made Eliana very embarrassed.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, miss. You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡±

    The young woman finally calmed down. She lowered her head and sobbed softly.

    When Eliana saw the young woman¡¯s pitiful appearance, she suddenly felt a little sympathetic.

    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t cry. Why are you here? Why is your hand full of blood? My surname is Pierce. If you don¡¯t

    mind, can you tell me what happened?¡± Elianaforted the young woman in a gentle voice.

    The young woman mumbled, ¡°My name is¡­ Jennifer Lawson. I¡¯m the harpist for tonight¡¯s symphony. I

    bumped into ady at the banquet hall just now, and the wine ss fell to the floor and shattered. My

    hand got injured, so I came out to find the first-aid kit. I have to stop the bleeding before my

    performance.¡±

    Eliana looked at Jennifer¡¯s bloody right hand and said, ¡°Miss Lawson, I think it¡¯s best not to go on stage

    since your hand is badly hurt.¡±

    However, Jennifer suddenly became anxious. ¡°I can do it. I must go on stage tonight. Otherwise, I will

    lose a lot of money.¡±

    The more she spoke, the more aggrieved she became, and her tears fell again.

    Eliana was taken aback. She wondered why Jennifer cried so easily.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t bear to see Jennifer cry so sadly, and she wanted to help her.

    ¡°Let me help you bandage your wound.¡±

    She walked over and took Jennifer¡¯s arm. She only nced at it casually just now. But now that she

    carefully examined it, she found that Jennifer¡¯s injury was more serious than she thought.

    Shards of ss pierced deeply into Jennifer¡¯s arm. Although she had clipped the broken ss out, one

    of the wounds was deep and long. And it was bleeding terribly.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help gasping.

    Just looking at Jennifer¡¯s wound made her feel like her right arm was aching too. She couldn¡¯t imagine

    how hard it would be for Jennifer to treat the wound by herself and continue to perform on stage.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t performter. Your injury is too serious. You need to go to the hospital for immediate

    treatment.¡±

    Eliana really wanted to take Jennifer to the hospital.

    ¡°No. If I don¡¯t perform today, I will not only lose a lot of money, but I will also be banned from the

    industry. So I must do it.¡±

    Jennifer shook her head frantically. She picked up her musical score and was about to leave.

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    The blood on her hand stained the pure white sheet of paper.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Eliana ran over and stopped Jennifer. ¡°Miss Lawson, why are you so stubborn? It¡¯s not good for

    you to y on stage in your current condition. Once your wound gets worse, your future career will be

    completely ruined.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ I really have no choice.¡±

    Jennifer covered her face and cried bitterly.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t bear to see it.

    ¡°Well¡­ Let me help you.¡±

    Jennifer suddenly raised her head and looked at Eliana in disbelief.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, can you y the harp?¡±

    Harps were not as popr as pianos, so it was almost impossible to find another person to rece

    Jennifer in a short time. This was one of the reasons why she must perform.

    Eliana took a quick nce at the musical score in Jennifer¡¯s hand, said the title of the song, and

    crooned.

    If Maurice was there, he could tell that the tune she hummed was the background music of the music

    box he had redeemed before.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you really know how to y the harp!¡± Jennifer eximed in surprise.

    Eliana smiled. ¡°Now you believe that I can rece you, right?¡±

    Jennifer looked at Eliana¡¯s determined eyes with hesitation.

    Was Eliana really good enough on the harp to rece her on stage?

 Chapter 400

    Chapter 400

    While Jennifer was still hesitating, someone came out of the banquet hall, looking for her.

    It was Wilson Green, the head of the orchestra. And he was so anxious.

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°Where the hell did that Jennifer go? If she ruins the show, the whole orchestra will be doomed. Go find

    her!¡±

    As soon as Wilson gave the order, all the members of the orchestra, except for the ones who were

    going to y on stage, went to look for Jennifer.

    Eliana heard themotion, so she quickly took Jennifer to hide in the bush.

    Then she said, ¡°You see? You¡¯re in a critical situation now, so there¡¯s no room for hesitation. Don¡¯t

    worry. I used to y harp before. I only stopped when my family went bankrupt. But I was really good

    at it. My harp teacher was a famous professor. Her name is Leah Hamilton. Have you heard of her?¡±

    ¡°Wow! Professor Hamilton? She is my teacher too,¡± Jennifer eximed.

    She didn¡¯t expect that she and Eliana had the same harp teacher. ¡°If Professor Hamilton was your

    teacher¡­

    And your surname is Pierce¡­¡± Jennifer thought for a while. Then her eyes lit up. ¡°Miss Pierce, are you

    Eliana, the daughter of the Pierce family?¡±

    ¡°Wait, how do you know?¡±

    Eliana was a little surprised.

    ¡°Professor Hamilton told me about you. She has been teaching harp for many years and has a lot of

    students, but you¡¯re the only one she remembers well. She said that your mother was also a famous

    harpist. Miss Pierce, you are so talented. Why didn¡¯t you continue to y?¡±

    As she spoke, Jennifer looked at Eliana admiringly as if she was a fan.

    When she heard this, Eliana was stunned. Sad memories flooded her mind, making her feel bitter. She

    closed her eyes and said with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just¡­ I just wanted to quit. You¡¯d better think of

    what to do now.¡±

    Jennifer saw the sad look in Eliana¡¯s eyes, so she didn¡¯t say anything anymore.

    Since their teacher had never forgotten Eliana after all those years, it meant that Eliana must be really

    good at ying the harp. Eliana must be better than her.

    And she had no time to think of another way. Someone must show up on the stage now.

    ¡°Okay. Miss Pierce, please perform on stage on my behalf,¡± Jennifer agreed through clenched teeth.

    However, she thought of another problem. ¡°But we look different. Won¡¯t they find out?¡±

    This was indeed a problem.

    Eliana looked at Jennifer¡¯s sleeveless dress and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s just change our clothes, and I

    can wear some disguise. No one will recognize me.¡±

    Now that things had reached this point, Jennifer had no other choice.

    The two of them rushed backstage and quickly exchanged dresses. Fortunately, they were about the

    same size.

    To avoid being recognized by Maurice, Eliana added a white veil to cover half of her face, exposing

    only her mouth.

    After dressing up, she looked at herself in the mirror. And she was satisfied. She had perfectly

    transformed from a sexydy to an elegant harpist.

    She looked like Jennifer now.

    The show was about to start.

    So Eliana hurried to the stage. When Wilson saw her, it was as if he saw a savior.

    ¡°Jennifer, where have you been? We¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere. You know how important this

    performance is, right? Come on, get on the stage now. Let¡¯s talk againter after our performance.¡±

    Eliana lowered her head and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Without realizing that he was talking to a different person, Wilson pushed Eliana to the stage.

    Under the spotlight, everyone focused their eyes on the stage. The symphony orchestra began to y,

    and the melodious music wafted throughout the banquet hall.

    Eliana had never held a harp for a long time. And now, she was so nervous that she sweated profusely

    and made a few mistakes when she first started ying.

    Below the stage, Maurice and Harriet were quietly listening to the music. When Eliana hit the wrong

    notes, Harrietughed and said, ¡°It seems that the harpist is a terrible one.¡±

    Maurice remained silent, but he frowned. His sharp eyes were fixed on the harpist on the stage.

    He didn¡¯t know if he was only being delusional, but he felt that the harpist looked very familiar. He

    seemed to have seen that rosy mouth somewhere.

    Slowly, Eliana regained the feeling of performing in the past. Then she gradually immersed herself in

    the music. Her slender fingers danced between the strings, and the gentle and ethereal sound flowed

    from her fingertips like the sound of nature. She yed the harp very beautifully.

    In the middle of the performance was a harp solo, and everyone had already immersed themselves in

    the music. They couldn¡¯t help admiring the harpist¡¯s performance.

    The whole time, another person in the audience had been staring at Eliana.

    She was Rosamond. Looking at the harpist on the stage, who was wearing a white dress and a veil,

    she couldn¡¯t help murmuring, ¡°Ingrid, is that you?¡±

 Chapter 401

    Chapter 401

    When the performance ended, all the performers took the curtain call together.

    The crowd gave them a standing ovation.

    Eliana took advantage of the moment when the curtain slowly fell and ran away.

    Since the performance was over, Harriet felt bored. She smiled at Maurice next to her and said, ¡°Mr.

    Moran, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Maurice had been staring at the harpist the whole time. So when the curtain fell, he saw her run away.

    She wanted to flee.

    Suddenly, he stood up unconsciously and rushed in the direction where the woman left in a hurry.

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    Harriet was shocked when she saw Maurice quickly leave. She also stood up and followed him.

    Backstage, Wilson stopped Eliana, who was about to leave.

    ¡°Jennifer, you were so good. I have to say I am impressed.¡±

    Wilson was thrilled because just now, many people approached him and talked about booking them

    after everyone saw Jennifer¡¯s extraordinary performance.

    He just randomly picked a harpist to make up their number. He didn¡¯t expect her to be so good.

    ¡°You were really so good today. Your performance was much better than when we were practicing. You

    deliberately yed the wrong notes at the beginning to surprise us, right?¡±

    When Eliana heard Wilson¡¯spliments, her heartbeat went abnormally fast. She unconsciously

    blurted out what was in her mind.

    ¡°Was I¡­ really that good?¡±

    Her voice was clear and sweet, totally different from Jennifer¡¯s.

    Wilson immediately noticed the difference. ¡°Jennifer, your voice¡­¡±

    Damn! She was too careless.

    Eliana immediately lowered her voice, covered her mouth, and coughed. ¡°Ahem! I¡¯m sorry, sir. I have

    caught a cold recently, so my voice is a little hoarse.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve caught a cold? Go home and get some rest then,¡± Wilson said with concern, obviously

    believing in her lie.

    He thought that she was their money-spinner now, and he couldn¡¯t let anything happen to her.

    ¡°Okay, sir. Thank you.¡±

    After talking to Wilson and some musicians who tried topliment her performance, Eliana

    immediately ran back to the dressing room with her head down to change her clothes.

    At this moment, a low and familiar male voice came from outside.

    ¡°Mr. Green, may I ask who that harpist was?¡±

    It was Maurice¡¯s voice.

    Eliana was so shocked that the dress in her hands almost fell to the floor.

    Outside the door, Wilson looked at Maurice tteringly. ¡°Mr. Moran, that was Jennifer Lawson.¡±

    ¡°Jennifer Lawson? Who is she?¡± Maurice asked with a frown.

    He didn¡¯t know anyone named Jennifer. But just now, he really felt that the woman who yed the harp

    was very familiar.

    ¡°She is a little-known harpist. If you like her, I can ask her to y for you alone.¡±

    Wilson smiled meaningfully.

    Harriet, who followed Maurice, heard what Wilson said. She got furious at once.

    There was already Eliana, and now, another woman joined the picture.

    She was already on the verge of losing control because of today¡¯s sessive blows. And when she

    heard Wilson¡¯s words, she couldn¡¯t keep her calm any longer.

    ¡°All of you, get out of here!¡± Harriet roared at the orchestra members.

    The entire backstage fell into silence when her voice echoed.

    ¡°Do you want me to say it again? I have something to talk to Mr. Moran alone. Leave the room!¡±

    Everyone looked at each other in dismay. But no one dared to offend the daughter of the Stone Group,

    so they all walked out of the room.

    Only Harriet and Maurice were left now. As well as Eliana.

    Eliana had already changed her clothes. But Maurice and Harriet were at the door, blocking the way, so

    she couldn¡¯t leave.

    She couldn¡¯t help praying silently that they wouldn¡¯t know she was here.

 Chapter 402

    Chapter 402

    Maurice, do I mean so little to you that you can¡¯t even look at me?¡± Harriet stared at him longingly and

    spoke out her true feelings. ¡°You had your eyes on Eliana before. Now you set your sights on this

    harpist. How could these ordinary people possiblypare to me? You¡¯re fully aware of my prominent

    family¡¯s background. I adore you so much, but why can¡¯t you see me? At least try to give me a chance.¡±

    Harriet inched closer towards him, with jealousy and stubbornness on her face. She tiptoed and leaned

    in for a kiss she had desired for the longest time.

    To her utter dismay, Maurice frowned and turned his head away. There was coldness in his eyes. It was

    obvious he didn¡¯t care about her.

    Eavesdropping from inside the dressing room, Eliana felt deeply unsettled by Harriet¡¯s confession of

    love. She couldn¡¯t help but peek outside through the crack of the door and see what they were doing.

    From where she stood, Eliana found that Maurice and Harriet stood too close to each other that it didn¡¯t

    feel right. The pair seemed to be kissing!

    At that moment, Eliana felt a tight knot inside her stomach. But before she was about to break down,

    Maurice pushed Harriet away in disgust.

    ¡°Enough of this. We have nothing left to talk about. Stay away from me.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was frighteningly cold, and his eyes were devoid of any emotion.

    Harriet staggered back in defeat, looking pathetic. She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. No man had ever

    rejected her like this. Unable to stomach this severe blow to her self-esteem, she began to force herself

    on Maurice.

    ¡°Tell me what those other women have that I don¡¯t. If you take me as your wife, the marriage would

    benefit both our families. Everyone will be happy!¡±

    ¡°I beg to differ. Let me make one thing very clear. No one can force me to do anything against my will. I

    know you want to marry me, but give it up. I will never sacrifice my marriage for family interests.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s cold and merciless words were like sharp knives driven directly into Harriet¡¯s heart. Finally,

    she slowly came to terms with reality. She lowered her head and sobbed in a low voice.

    This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.

    Peering outside from the crack of the door, Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped in shock.

    Didn¡¯t they just kiss a few seconds ago?

    Why was Harriet crying all of a sudden?

    Despite all these thoughts, one sentence had captured Eliana¡¯s attention. Did Maurice just say that he

    wouldn¡¯t sacrifice his marriage for family interests?

    Eliana suddenly felt a sense of hope and joy fill her heart. Distracted by the scene in front of her, she

    identally nudged a box on a table beside the door. Her eyes widened in panic as the box fell to the

    floor with a loud thud.

    Oh no!

    The noise would surely give her presence away!

    ¡°Who is there?¡±

    Outside the dressing room, Harriet turned to the direction of the noise and rushed to open the door.

    In dramatic fashion, Harriet discovered the woman who had been spying on them.

    Although Eliana had changed into her own clothes, the veil on her head hadn¡¯t been taken off,

    concealing her identity.

    Harriet didn¡¯t recognize her and thought that the woman was Jennifer, the attractive harpist.

    ¡°Wait a minute. I know who you are. You¡¯re the one who yed the harp! Have you been

    eavesdropping the whole time?¡±

    Harriet couldn¡¯t bear the fact that her new rival had witnessed the embarrassing scene. Gritting her

    teeth in anger, she rushed over to take the veil off Eliana¡¯s head.

    But Eliana knew better than to let this happen.

    She quickly raised her hands, secured the veil on her face, and took a few steps back.

    Her defiance outraged Harriet even further.

    ¡°How dare you hide that face of yours? Are you so ashamed that you can¡¯t even look me in the eye?

    You have been hiding there to see me fail miserably, haven¡¯t you? Well, I hope you¡¯re happy now!¡±

    Eliana quickly shook her head. She didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    The poor girl had no other choice but to hide in the dressing room when Maurice and Harriet came

    over.

    Eliana silently cursed her bad luck. She desperately wanted to exin herself, but she was afraid of

    exposing who she really was, so she didn¡¯t dare to make a sound.

    ¡°Am I right? Talk to me, you bitch!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s silence was all the confirmation Harriet needed. As far as she was concerned, Eliana was

    guilty as charged. She was so furious that she wanted to teach the pesky eavesdropper a lesson.

    Harriet approached Eliana and raised her hand high in the air.

    Was she going to p her or pull the veil off her head?

    At this moment, a flurry of thoughts rushed into Eliana¡¯s mind.

    She could dodge the p, but Harriet would not stop until she hurt her. What if the veil fell off during the

    fight? If it stayed on and her identity was still concealed, then Jennifer would get into trouble.

    Harriet was so vicious and cunning that Eliana knew better than to underestimate her rival. There was

    no telling what she might do to Jennifer.

    Bracing herself for the inevitable impact, Eliana closed her eyes and decided to take the p head-on.

    However, nothing happened to her.

    Puzzled, Eliana opened her eyes and saw that a hand had grabbed Harriet¡¯s wrist at thest second.

    Like a guardian angel, Maurice had once again protected her from harm.

 Chapter 403

    Chapter 403

    ¡°Damn it, Harriet! What the hell is wrong with you?¡± As he spoke, Maurice held Harriet¡¯s wrist and

    pushed her away ruthlessly. ¡°Get out of here and you¡¯d better calm down. She is not your servant! And

    even if she were your servant, you still would have no right to treat her that way!¡±

    ¡°Maurice¡­¡±

    Harriet held her aching wrist as she stared at Maurice in amazement, her eyes brimming with tears.

    However, Maurice was not in the least moved by her tearful gaze. Looking a little crazy, he raised his

    eyebrows and said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said get out!¡±

    Harriet knew she had better control herself now. After throwing ast nasty look at Eliana, she turned

    and left awkwardly.

    Far from reassuring Eliana, Harriet¡¯s departure only made Eliana more nervous.

    Now that Harriet was gone, Eliana was alone with Maurice, which made her extremely ufortable.

    Not knowing how to deal with Maurice, Eliana instinctively took a step back and wanted to take the

    opportunity to escape.

    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡±

    Before she could take another step, Maurice had already grabbed her hand.

    She quickly lowered her head to avoid Maurice¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Why are you still hiding? I already recognized you, Eliana,¡± Maurice said indifferently.

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    As soon as he saw her on stage earlier, he already suspected something, so he followed her here.

    When he saw her more closely, he recognized her immediately. It was indeed Eliana.

    But since Harriet was there, he couldn¡¯t say anything, or Harriet would make a scene.

    ¡°You recognized me? So why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±

    Hearing that he had recognized her but had chosen to remain silent all this time, Eliana was furious

    and she lifted her veil.

    ¡°Well, I guessed you didn¡¯t want Harriet to know it, so I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Maurice replied calmly.

    At the mention of Harriet, the scene of the two of them kissing just now came to Eliana¡¯s mind. She

    stared at Maurice¡¯s handsome face, and felt a little disgusted.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interrupt you two,¡± Eliana hissed with unveiled jealousy.

    Maurice was about to exin when he suddenly noticed the blood on Eliana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Why is there blood on your hand? Where did you get hurt?¡± Maurice asked worriedly.

    However, Eliana looked surprised when she heard what Maurice said. Blood?

    She looked at her hand and found that there was indeed blood on it.

    It must be Jennifer¡¯s blood.

    However, she had no intention to exin and just said curtly, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±

    The thing was, she was still angry with Maurice. She quickly withdrew her hand from his grasp and

    wouldn¡¯t exin anything.

    Maurice frowned and the next second, he outright picked her up in his arms.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect this and couldn¡¯t help but scream. However, she subconsciously put her arms

    around Maurice¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Maurice, what do you want to do? Put me down!¡±

    Eliana began to struggle and punch hard on Maurice¡¯s chest for him to put her down.

    ¡°Stay still, will you?¡± Maurice said coldly, staring at her intently. He added, ¡°You are injured. I¡¯ll take you

    to the hospital right away.¡±

    Eliana was shocked. She couldn¡¯t let him carry her out like this. It would definitely cause a sensation!

    ¡°No way!¡± Eliana shouted and struggled even more. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±

    ¡°You are fine? Then why is there blood on your hand?¡±

    Maurice was unfazed and continued to walk with her in his arms.

    Seeing that he had no intention of putting her down and that they would soon reach the exit, Eliana had

    to tell him the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my blood. The original harpist¡¯s hand was injured. I guess I got stained with her blood when I

    was helping her treat her wound. I was just performing on stage for her.¡±

    A smile appeared on Maurice¡¯s face and he finally stopped.

    ¡°You are finally willing to tell the truth!¡±

    It turned out¡­ He was just ying a trick on her!

    She was fooled by Maurice again!

    However, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to snap at him this time. She just leaned against his

    shoulder.

    With all the recent events, Eliana was exhausted and didn¡¯t want to stay here anymore. She wanted to

    go home.

    She was just on a business trip here, but why were there so many troubles?

    Now that Eliana had told him the whole story, Maurice smiled and said, ¡°You really are a kind-hearted

    person who loves helping others. But why didn¡¯t you help me stop Harriet from kissing me just now?

    Don¡¯t you care whom I kiss at all?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes were fixed on Maurice¡¯s sexy lips, and the scene that Harriet kissed him suddenly

    appeared in her mind again.

    At the thought that some other woman had tasted his lips just now, Eliana felt sick.

    Jealousy began to surge in the bottom of her heart. Eliana suddenly reached out to wipe Maurice¡¯s

    lips¡­

 Chapter 404

    Chapter 404

    Eliana¡¯s soft touch on Maurice¡¯s lips made his heart beat faster.

    Was she seducing him?

    While Maurice was in a trance, he suddenly heard Eliana¡¯s voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to stop her. It

    makes me sick to think that she dared to put her lips on yours. Let me help you clean your lips.¡±

    After saying that, Eliana leaned in and tenderly kissed Maurice¡¯s soft lips.

    She was no longer shy like before and kissed him passionately.

    Maurice felt his heartbeat race and his temperature rose drastically. After a while, he couldn¡¯t control

    himself any longer. He put Eliana down and pinned her against the wardrobe.

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Eliana moaned with pleasure. However, Maurice quickly blocked her mouth with his to muffle the

    sound.

    The two of them werepletely turned on now.

    Then all of a sudden, the door of the dressing room was pushed open.

    ¡°Eliana, your performance just now was so wonderful! Thank you for¡­¡±

    Jennifer couldn¡¯t finish her sentence when she saw the scene before her eyes. She was so shocked

    that her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

    It wasn¡¯t until hearing Jennifer¡¯s voice that Maurice and Eliana finally came to their senses.

    The three looked at each other without saying a word. Maurice, however, did not feel embarrassed in

    the least.

    ¡°Please, go on! Go on! I saw nothing!¡±

    Jennifer¡¯s face was flushed with embarrassment and she quickly looked away. Forgetting why she

    came here in the first ce, she hurried out and closed the door behind her.

    The thing was that after Eliana took the stage, Jennifer dressed her wound and hid in a corner to watch

    the show. Eliana¡¯s performance was so impressive that Jennifer couldn¡¯t help but sneak backstage to

    thank Eliana.

    However, she didn¡¯t expect toe across such a scene.

    Eliana and a handsome tall man were kissing in the dressing room!

    As she thought back to that scene, Jennifer¡¯s face turned red again.

    She suddenly felt that the man she had seen kissing Eliana seemed a bit familiar to her.

    He seemed to be¡­ No, that couldn¡¯t be¡­ Was that man Maurice Moran, the CEO of the Moran

    Group?

    Was Eliana his girlfriend?

    An expression of shock appeared on Jennifer¡¯s face. She had the impression of being in possession of

    the scoop of the century.

    Meanwhile, in the dressing room, Eliana pushed Maurice away.

    Maurice finally let her go, a smile on his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to clean my lips? I think it¡¯s

    not clean enough yet. We can continue when we get back.¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana blushed. However, the key words in Maurice¡¯s sentence echoed in her mind. Her

    eyes suddenly lit up and she asked happily, ¡°You mean we can go back now?¡±

    ¡°If only you made me happy¡­ I have to say it wasn¡¯t bad at all,¡± Maurice remarked with a cunning

    smile.

    Eliana didn¡¯t notice Maurice¡¯s strange expression and was just overjoyed at the thought of finally

    leaving¡­

    Apparently, Maurice wasn¡¯t so difficult after all.

    Eliana hadpletely forgotten about Jennifer, who was still waiting for her outside.

    Jennifer absolutely wanted to express her gratitude to Eliana in person. As a result, she didn¡¯t leave

    when she caught Maurice and Eliana kissing earlier, and instead waited outside. She could

    asionally hear the conversation between the two people inside.

    Damn! They were so sweet together!

    Jennifer felt both embarrassed to eavesdrop on the conversation of others, but also moved to see how

    close and in love Eliana and the handsome man seemed.

    After a while, the door was opened and Maurice came out.

    He just nced at Jennifer who was very nervous, before stalking off.

    As soon as Maurice left, Jennifer entered the dressing room.

    Eliana could see that the younger woman still looked quite embarrassed. Eliana smiled shyly and said

    softly, ¡°Jennifer, you¡¯re here¡­¡±

    ¡°Eliana, thank you, really! I don¡¯t know how to repay you!¡±

    As she spoke, Jennifer walked over to Eliana and gave her a big hug.

    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s no big deal. You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± Eliana said shyly. ¡°By the way, is your hand

    okay?¡± Eliana inquired.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s fine now.¡±

    Jennifer let go of Eliana and showed Eliana her bandaged hand.

    After carefully checking the hand, Eliana felt relieved.

    She was d that she could help.

    Jennifer suddenly lowered her head and hesitated. ¡°Eliana, I¡­ I have something to ask you¡­¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help being amused seeing Jennifer¡¯s shy look. She chuckled and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    When Jennifer looked up, her face was flushed. She tried however to say what was on her heart.

    ¡°Just now, I saw you and Mr. Moran¡­ I mean, how long have you been together?¡±

    Hearing Jennifer¡¯s question, Eliana felt so embarrassed. She didn¡¯t even know how to answer.

    The thing was, she and Maurice had never really dated.

    But if she said so, how could she exin her kiss with Maurice just now?

    Even though Eliana didn¡¯t say anything, Jennifer had already pictured a story in her mind.

    She gave a meaningful smile to Eliana.

    ¡°I get it! You don¡¯t need to answer. Don¡¯t worry. I will keep it a secret. I just want you to know that I think

    you and Mr. Moran are a perfect match.¡±

    Eliana was speechless.

 Chapter 405

    Chapter 405

    Maurice had always been a man of quick actions. Since he had promised Eliana that they were going

    back, he quickly got the car ready.

    Just as they was about to leave, Eliana suddenly thought of something.

    She looked at Maurice and asked seriously, ¡°What about Aileen and Adrian? And Nana too?¡±

    ¡°I have already arranged everything. Nana will take care of the children while waiting for the driver to

    come pick them up,¡± Maurice replied.

    However, Eliana shook her head almost immediately. ¡°No way! What if something happens again? As

    their mother, I have to be with them.¡±

    After saying that, Eliana opened the car door to get out. Of course, Maurice was rather unhappy with

    that.

    ¡°Why are you worried now? Didn¡¯t you say that they were Nana¡¯s kids? It seems like now you know all

    the weight you put on her shoulders!¡±

    ¡°Maurice, what are you talking about?¡±

    Sure enough, Eliana was annoyed by what Maurice said.

    Before Maurice could say anything else, Harriet caught up with them.

    ¡°Mr. Moran! Wait for me!¡±

    Harriet walked briskly to Maurice¡¯s car. However, before she could approach it, Maurice¡¯s bodyguards

    stopped her.

    ¡°What the hell is your problem? I came here with Mr. Moran. How dare you stop me?¡± Harriet shouted

    at the bodyguards angrily.

    ¡°Sorry, Miss Stone, but we¡¯re just following orders. Mr. Moran explicitly instructed us not to let anyone

    else near his car,¡± one of the guards said to Harriet, looking at her with an expressionless face.

    Harriet was stunned. ¡°No way! This banquet was to celebrate the new cooperation between the Stone

    and Moran families! How could he do such a thing to me?¡±

    However, no matter how much Harrietined and shouted, the bodyguards didn¡¯t flinch, nor did

    they let her pass.

    Maurice, who was sitting in the car, heard the noises outside and felt very irritable.

    He looked at Corbin, who was sitting in the front seat, and said curtly, ¡°Corbin, handle this.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sir.¡±

    Before Corbin was ordered by Maurice, he had already imagined how this was going to end. Hearing

    his boss¡¯ order, he couldn¡¯t help but feel rather unlucky.

    Why was it always up to him to clean up the boss¡¯s mess?

    Despite his innerints, Corbin got out of the car anyway to deal with the situation. He walked

    over to Harriet and said politely, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Stone. Mr. Moran said he has something urgent to deal

    with. He hopes you will enjoy your stay at the manor with your family.¡±

    Of course, Harriet didn¡¯t believe him at all. She red at Corbin and hissed coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t take me for a

    fool! He asked me to stay here and took Eliana with him! Why?¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s simple. Eliana is a better person than you,¡± Corbin replied curtly, looking at Harriet with

    disdain.

    ¡°What? How it that possible?¡± Harrietmented arrogantly.

    In her eyes, Eliana couldn¡¯t even hold a candle to her.

    Corbin looked Harriet up and down and sneered, ¡°Let me remind you then, Miss Stone. Have you

    forgotten how you shoved a girl to the floor at the banquet earlier, causing a serious injury to her

    hand?¡±

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    Upon hearing Corbin¡¯s usations, Harriet¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Nonsense! She fell herself!¡±

    She still denied it.

    ¡°Miss Stone, it is useless to deny it. The cameras have caught what you have done. You could have

    gotten yourself into big trouble if it weren¡¯t for Eliana. Do you still dare to say that Eliana is not as good

    as you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Harriet was at a loss of words.

    ¡°Besides, if what you did today were to spread, I¡¯m afraid it would totally ruin your family¡¯s reputation.

    I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want that, do you? Now take my advice and watch your actions in the future.¡±

    Having said that, Corbin turned and drove off with the bodyguards, leaving Harriet standing there,

    crestfallen and watching Maurice¡¯s car slowly disappear from view.

 Chapter 406

    Chapter 406

    As the car brought them back, Eliana¡¯s anger still hadn¡¯t subsided. She was furious with Maurice and

    didn¡¯t feel like talking to him at all. So she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

    She didn¡¯t expect to actually fall asleep. Unconsciously, she rested her head on Maurice¡¯s shoulder.

    Feeling the foreign body on his shoulder, Maurice lowered his head and stared at Eliana¡¯s sleeping

    face. When he saw her frown and cringe miserably, he couldn¡¯t get mad at her anymore.

    If only she could be just as docile when she was awake!

    Maurice gently held Eliana in his arms so she could sleep morefortably.

    ¡°Sleep well, honey,¡± he whispered softly.

    In fact, Eliana slept soundly and did not wake up even when they arrived.

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    After stopping the car, Corbin went to open the door for his boss. Great was his surprise when he saw

    his boss holding the sleeping young woman in his arms.

    ¡°Boss, Eliana¡­¡±

    Corbin¡¯s first reaction was to wake Eliana up, but Maurice immediately stopped him.

    Maurice gently picked Eliana up in his arms and got off the car. He made a few steps towards the vi

    and then suddenly turned around to face Corbin. ¡°Have the kids arrived home?¡± Maurice asked.

    ¡°Nana said they are home now,¡± Corbin replied.

    Maurice nodded stiffly. Then, he lowered his head to the woman in his arms, and whispered softly,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry now. Your babies have returned home safely.¡±

    Corbin had never seen his boss show so much affection, and hearing his boss speak so affectionately

    to Eliana gave him chills.

    He was really shocked.

    It seemed that Eliana heard Maurice¡¯s sweet words deep in her sleep. Her eyelids rxed and she

    gently rubbed against Maurice¡¯s strong chest. She seemed to sleep more peacefully now.

    Maurice entered the vi and immediately rushed into a bedroom. He put Eliana gently on the bed and

    helped her take off her clothes.

    All of a sudden, Eliana¡¯s phone fell out of her pocket. The screen was full of messages and calls from

    Eli.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay? I¡¯m worried about you. Call me back when you get home.¡±

    He still hadn¡¯t given up on her?

    At the sight of Eli¡¯s multiple messages, anger surged up in Maurice¡¯s heart. He had this feeling as if his

    favorite toy was going to be taken away from him.

    He held Eliana¡¯s phone firmly and stared at it coldly. He so wished he could throw that phone away so

    Eliana would never see Eli¡¯s messages and calls.

    However, Maurice managed to contain his anger and slowly calmed down. He threw the phone aside,

    and took off his clothes in turn before lying beside Eliana on the bed.

    As he stared at the beautiful woman sleeping next to him, anger soon rose again in his heart.

    Why could Eliana sleep so well while he was suffering alone?

    Furious, Maurice took the pillow from under Eliana¡¯s head.

    However, Eliana was so exhausted and sound asleep that she didn¡¯t seem to feel the pillow being lifted

    from under her head and continued to sleep peacefully. She just felt a bit ufortable in her sleep,

    so she subconsciously moved closer to Maurice and held him tightly.

    Maurice was surprised by Eliana¡¯s action. However, the feel of Eliana¡¯s soft, warm body in his arms

    eventually made him feel much better.

    Suddenly, Eliana began to talk in her sleep.

    ¡°Maurice, you bastard! You bullied me and my kids! You even kissed someone else! It¡¯s disgusting¡­¡±

    She talked in her sleep for a while.

    Upon hearing what she said, Maurice¡¯s expression gradually changed and he became morose again.

    How could she curse him in her sleep?

    This time, he made up his mind to wake her up.

    But just as he was about to wake her up, Eliana hugged him even tighter.

    She muttered again, ¡°I want to clean those lips¡­ Yes! I want to clean them every day¡­¡±

    Hearing that, Maurice put down his hand and couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    He decided to let her sleep peacefully. At least now he knew she cared a lot about him.

    With these thoughts in mind, Maurice reached out to hug her tightly, and his nose filled with the scent of

    her body.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him too to fall asleep with Eliana in his arms.

 Chapter 407

    Chapter 407

    Early the next morning, Eliana woke up with a start. There was someone knocking persistently at the

    door.

    She forced her eyes open, and her mind was still in a daze.

    The knocking grew louder as time went on. Eliana sat up and yawned, taking a moment to absorb her

    surroundings.

    Where was she? What happenedst night?

    Maurice was already awake at this time. Seeing the confused look on her face, he suddenly had an

    idea. It was the perfect opportunity to pull a prank on her.

    While she was still groggy, he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and said worriedly, ¡°Run! My wife is

    back. She can¡¯t catch you in my bed. You have to leave immediately or all hell will break loose!¡±

    What in the world was he talking about?

    His wife was at the door?

    Was she going to let herself get caught cheating with Maurice in bed?

    Not a chance! She had to run now before it was toote!

    With her mind still stuck in a daze, Eliana quickly believed Maurice¡¯s story.

    ¡°Oh no! I have to get out of here fast!¡±

    As soon as Maurice finished his words, Eliana jumped out of bed and headed for the door.

    Maurice suppressed hisughter and eximed, ¡°Wait, where are you going? My wife is right outside!

    You can¡¯t escape that way!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right! Where should I go?¡±

    In a panic, Eliana scanned the room for an alternative exit.

    Momentster, her eyes fell on the big window a few feet away.

    She couldn¡¯t pass through the door, but she could certainly jump out of the window!

    Without wasting another second, Eliana pushed the window open and prepared to jump.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Maurice rushed over and put his arms around her waist, pulling her to safety.

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? You actually want to jump down the window? What if you got seriously

    hurt?¡±

    Maurice held her tightly in his arms, afraid that the little fool would attempt to jump out of the window

    again.

    After finally calming down, Eliana regained her senses and realized that she had been fooled the whole

    time.

    ¡°Maurice, you are such a big jerk! How dare you trick me like this? Since when did you have a wife?

    You¡¯re unbelievable!¡±

    Maurice burst intoughter when he saw the furious look on her face. She was like a little girl throwing

    a tantrum.

    ¡°Why did it take me this long to realize how stupid you are?¡±

    Laughing uncontrobly, Maurice struggled to catch his breath.

    ¡°Stop making fun of me!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment. She was so angry that she picked up a pillow from the

    bed and threw it directly at Maurice¡¯s head.

    ¡°You¡¯re such an asshole! Stopughing, or I¡¯ll hit you some more!¡±

    Maurice was unfazed by her actions. He simply let her vent her anger and continued to mock her.

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    While the pair wereughing and teasing each other, Corbin kept knocking on the door.

    After several minutes of being ignored, he sighed and shouted, ¡°Hey, boss! Are you avable now? I

    need to speak to you. It¡¯s urgent.¡±

    Maurice snatched the pillow from Eliana¡¯s hands and suddenly became serious. ¡°All right, that¡¯s

    enough. We¡¯ll continue thister.¡±

    Hearing his words, Eliana crouched and paused to catch her breath. She was exhausted after messing

    around with Maurice.

    Smoothing out his clothes, Maurice shouted at the door, ¡°You cane in now.¡±

    Wearing a sheepish smile, Corbin awkwardly walked into the room.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Maurice asked calmly.

    ¡°Boss, your grandfather is here. He wants to see you.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s mind suddenly went nk. It seemed like bad news.

    ¡°Oh no!¡±

    Maurice smiled lightly and waved his hand reassuringly.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing important. Just sit tight and stay here. Everything will be fine.¡±

    Maurice rubbed her shoulder affectionately, put on his coat, and walked out of the room.

    When the door was shut, Eliana sat on the bed and sighed.

    Why was she so unfortunate to meet such people who despised her?

    Earle was much more frightening than the idea of Maurice already having a wife.

    The old man never liked her. He always said that she was a tramp. He had even threatened that if he

    ever saw her in Maurice¡¯s bedroom again, he would skin her alive!

    Moreover, an unpleasant encounter with Earl in the past continued to haunt her. His chilling words that

    day had never left her mind.

    Earle showed that the Moran Group was responsible for the demise of the Pierce Group, driving them

    to bankruptcy and tearing her family apart.

    Thinking of this, Eliana lowered her head and felt depressed.

    Suddenly, a distinct whistling sound interrupted her thoughts.

    The noise came from outside. Giving in to curiosity, Eliana walked to the window and peered below.

    Her eyes were greeted by a long convoy of numerous bodyguards and servants waiting by the

    driveway.

    As the patriarch of the powerful Moran family, Earle deserved to have a grand entrance when he

    showed up at any ce.

    After the leading car pulled up to the driveway, the door of the glistening Rolls-Royce opened, and

    Earle walked out slowly with the beautiful Harriet holding his arm.

 Chapter 408

    Chapter 408

    Maurice casually walked outside to wee Earle in person. His grandfather often demanded his full

    attention when he was around. Corbin followed closely from behind with an apprehensive look on his

    face.

    When they saw that Harriet got off the car with Earle, they both frowned at the same time. It was the

    last thing they expected.

    ¡°Grandpa, what a surprise. What brings you here?¡± Maurice asked in a low voice.

    Earle snorted with a long face. ¡°You call me grandpa, yet you still ask why I¡¯m here. Silly boy, I came

    because of you!¡±

    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡±

    Maurice furrowed his eyebrows and pretended to be confused.

    ¡°Oh, you have no idea whatsoever?¡± Earle hit the ground heavily with his cane. ¡°Let me ask you, as the

    owner of the Moon Lake Manor, how can you leave such a beautiful and elegant woman like Harriet

    alone in the manor after the banquet? Your inconsiderate actions don¡¯t speak well about our family!¡±

    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not fair to reprimand Mr. Moran for leaving me. Perhaps he really did have something urgent to

    deal with.¡±

    Holding Earle¡¯s arm, Harriet looked very sincere and respectful.

    Maurice narrowed his eyes and felt his hatred for her grow even more.

    Hearing her words, Earle lost his temper as Maurice expected.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me, boy. You did it for that shameless tramp, didn¡¯t you? I bet you took Eliana to the

    manor as well. How could you leave a fine woman like Harriet for her? Eliana is here right now, isn¡¯t

    she? Answer me!¡±

    Maurice stared at his grandfather defiantly and remained silent.

    The more Earle thought about it, the more he felt that he was right. Receiving no reply from Maurice,

    he turned his attention to Corbin and gritted his teeth. ¡°Tell me the truth this instant.¡±

    Corbin gulped anxiously but lowered his head and remained silent, staying loyal to his boss.

    ¡°Oh, what do we have here? I enjoy a challenge. Let¡¯s see how tough you really are.¡± Earleughed

    maniacally and shouted, ¡°Tell me the truth now, or I will banish you from the Moran Group!¡±

    Under the mounting pressure, Corbin was sweating profusely, but he still kept his mouth shut.

    ¡°You¡¯re just as stubborn as my grandson! If neither of you will answer me, then I will go look for her

    myself!¡±

    Earle stomped forward and was about to push the door open.

    Maurice quickly blocked his path and exined, ¡°Grandpa, you overthink things too much. I simply took

    Eliana there on a business trip.¡±

    It was all Earle needed to hear. He was now sure that Eliana was indeed here.

    Earle was pissed and berated his grandson. ¡°Maurice, you are a Moran, my own flesh and blood. Why

    do you always protect that outsider? Are you going to turn your back on your family and throw

    everything away for that woman?¡±

    Harriet hurried beside him to ease the tension. ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s bad for your health when you lose your

    temper. I¡¯m sure Maurice won¡¯t disrespect you for an outsider.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s kind words made Earle like her more. In his eyes, she was the most suitable woman for his

    grandson.

    An idea suddenly entered his mind. He cleared his throat and called for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°From this

    day forth, Miss Stone will be staying here in the residence.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Moran. That¡¯s so kind of you. But are you sure that will be alright?¡±

    Harriet feigned concern and shyness in her voice, but the excitement in her eyes gave her true feelings

    away.

    ¡°Of course! My dear, you are most wee here. Besides, you will marry Maurice someday, so it only

    makes sense that you get used to living here sooner.¡±

    Earle beamed at Harriet with immense satisfaction. In his heart, only a daughter from an eminent family

    with a good character like Harriet deserved to marry into the Moran family.

    Maurice¡¯s face immediately darkened. When he was about to challenge his grandfather¡¯s decision,

    Harriet quickly agreed, ¡°In that case, it would be my greatest pleasure. Thank you so much, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Harriet was overjoyed. This meant she was one step closer to achieving her goal of marrying into the

    Moran family. Everything she had done was worth it, and it was only a matter of time until she finally

    had Maurice to herself.

    As long as Earle was in Harriet¡¯s corner, Eliana would soon be out of the picture.

    Smiling sweetly, Harriet turned up her charm. She held Earle¡¯s hand and batted her eyshes. ¡°Mr.

    Moran, can I have a big bedroom then?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Anything for you.¡±

    Earle patted her hand fondly and walked ahead inside the vi, quite pleased with the situation.

    Before Harriet could follow inside, Maurice grabbed her arm and asked in a low voice, ¡°What on earth

    do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    With a triumphant look on her face, Harriet chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Mr. Moran, if Eliana could stay

    here, then so should I. Besides, do you really want to go against your grandpa?¡±

    She withdrew her arm from Maurice¡¯s grip and caught up with Earle.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, wait for me! I¡¯m so excited to tour this ce.¡±

    All the while, Eliana had been watching from the bedroom upstairs. She saw theming in and didn¡¯t

    know what to do.

    The sound of footsteps outside was getting closer by the second, and Eliana was starting to panic.

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    It was no secret that Earle loathed her so much.

    If he found out she was here, then it would be a disaster. Eliana would definitely be humiliated and

    suffer grave consequences.

 Chapter 409

    Chapter 409

    In the room, Eliana was anxious. She nervously pressed her ear against the wall and listened to what

    was going on outside.

    Footsteps were getting closer and closer. It seemed that they were heading towards the room she was

    in.

    Eliana prayed in her heart that she was wrong and that they were noting to her room.

    Unfortunately for Eliana, her prayer did not work. Harriet walked straight to the room as if she knew that

    Eliana was there.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can I stay in this room?¡± Harriet asked Earle.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Earle agreed at once.

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    Eliana¡¯s nervousness increased upon hearing that.

    They wereing in!

    What should she do now? She couldn¡¯t be caught there!

    Seeing the delicate situation she found herself in, Eliana nced up at the ss window again.

    At this point, she had no choice! If she didn¡¯t want to be caught here, she absolutely had to jump the

    window.

    The moment was critical and Eliana didn¡¯t have time to think too much. She rushed to the window and

    climbed on the frame. When she nced at the ground below, she felt dizzy and her legs wobbled.

    Damn! This was too high!

    If someone jumped from this height, he would kill himself or else be paralyzed for life.

    After quickly analyzing the situation, Eliana concluded that jumping from the window was out of the

    question. She had no desire to die or end up paralyzed. But as she thought about what to do now, she

    heard the doorknob turn.

    Holding the windowsill tightly, Eliana was so nervous that she thought her heart was going to leap out

    of her chest.

    Damn it! She had no way to escape now.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this room is currently unavable, Miss Stone. You can stay in another one with better view.¡±

    Maurice caught up with Harriet and Earle just in time before Harriet could open the door.

    Seeing that Maurice just didn¡¯t want her in that room, Harriet thought of something.

    What could he possibly be hiding in this room that made him so nervous?

    Was¡­ Was Eliana in there?

    Harriet put on a miserable expression and said sadly, ¡°It looks like Maurice doesn¡¯t want me here. I¡¯d

    better go.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Earle stopped her just as she was about to turn around. He sensed that something was wrong

    and said firmly, ¡°You can live here if you want. I¡¯d like to see why this room is unavable!¡±

    After saying that, Earle opened the door at once and walked right in.

    Immediately, Maurice held his breath. He was extremely nervous right now and followed Earle inside.

    However, the room was empty. The bed was a little messy, but there was no one in there.

    Maurice was stunned. Where on earth was Eliana?

    Where did she go?

    ¡°Why is the bed in a mess?¡± Earle asked suspiciously.

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry. The boss told me I could stay in this roomst night, so I slept here,¡± Corbin quickly

    exined.

    Earle believed him.

    However, Harriet didn¡¯t buy it. She walked into the room and looked around. However, it seemed like

    there was indeed no one there.

    But when she walked to the bedside, she suddenly smelled a familiar fragrance.

    She had only smelled the same perfume on Eliana.

    Harriet was now certain that Eliana was in there!

    There was no doubt about that.

    But, there was no ce to hide in the room¡­

    As Harriet wondered where the hell Eliana could be, her gaze suddenly fell on the open window.

    Could it be¡­

    Looking suspicious, Harriet walked to the window and looked outside.

    There was no one!

    Damn it! Where did that bitch hide?

    What Harriet didn¡¯t know was that Eliana was standing right there by the window, hidden behind the

    wall. Eliana was scared out of her wits right now, and she did her best not to look down. She held her

    breath with her heart beating fast.

    Harriet was determined to find Eliana, and wanted to look further out.

    She would eventually find Eliana if it weren¡¯t for Maurice. He suddenly spoke.

    ¡°Miss Stone, have you seen enough? You are not yet married into the Moran family, so there is no

    reason why you would act like a hostess here.¡±

    Harriet couldn¡¯t help but curse in her heart when she heard what Maurice said. However, she was

    savvy enough not to let her discontentment show and turned to look at Maurice. ¡°Maurice, I was just

    appreciating the view.¡±

    ¡°Well, Miss Stone, there is no rush. The house will be yours to share someday. But since Corbin has

    used this room, you can live in another room.¡±

    Earle¡¯s words, though soft, were final. There was nothing more Harriet could say. She took onest

    look at the window before leaving the room with Earle.

    As soon as the two of them left, Maurice, Corbin and Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    Corbin looked at Maurice in confusion and asked, ¡°Boss, where on earth did Eliana hide? No matter

    how much I rack my brains, I can¡¯t figure out where she could be hiding.¡±

    However, Maurice ignored him and rushed to the window.

 Chapter 410

    Chapter 410

    Maurice stuck his head out of the window and called anxiously, ¡°Eliana!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±

    Eliana stood on the edge of the window sill, her back firmly against the wall. She was in a very

    dangerous position and she knew it. In fact, she was so scared that her whole body was shaking.

    Maurice was relieved to see that she was fine.

    However, Eliana was furious with Maurice and didn¡¯t wait to be safe inside to take out her anger on

    him.

    ¡°Maurice, it¡¯s all your fault! Why did you bring them here? If I haven¡¯t been so smart, I would have been

    discovered!¡±

    Hearing herints, Maurice couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°It looks like you are really fine. It didn¡¯t matter if

    they found you here. You really didn¡¯t have to do such a dangerous thing.¡±

    ¡°I was just saving your ass. Do you understand?¡±

    Eliana thought back to how Earle had hit Maurice with his cane. If she hadn¡¯t been there to stop Earle,

    Maurice would have ended up in the hospital.

    If Earle found her here this time, he would definitely be outraged.

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you understand that I did it for you? I just didn¡¯t want you to get into trouble,¡± Eliana muttered

    angrily.

    Upon hearing what she said, Maurice raised his eyebrows and looked at her sternly. ¡°What did you just

    say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Eliana replied quickly, her face blushing.

    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, which distracted Eliana. She lost her bnce and was about to fall.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Eliana screamed out of fear.

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    Seeing the horror that was about to happen, Maurice didn¡¯t think twice and rushed to catch Eliana.

    Fortunately, he managed to catch her just in time. Gasping for breath, Eliana looked down with eyes

    filled with fear. She really thought it was the end for her¡­

    God, she was so scared just now! She almost died!

    ¡°Don¡¯t stand still. Give me your hand,¡± Maurice said anxiously.

    Eliana swallowed hard and tried to reach for Maurice¡¯s hand.

    It wasn¡¯t until she managed to grab hold of Maurice¡¯s hand that she finally felt relieved.

    ¡°Now,e over slowly,¡± Maurice said softly as he held her hand tightly.

    Holding Maurice¡¯s hand, Eliana slowly squatted until she finally sat on the window sill.

    God!

    Feeling the solid wooden ledge beneath her body, Eliana finally rxed. However, the moment she sat

    down on the window sill, her legs began to shake uncontrobly.

    ¡°Come on, why don¡¯t you continue?¡± Maurice asked in confusion.

    Eliana bit her bottom lip and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t move.¡±

    Hearing this, Maurice couldn¡¯t helpughing. However, he said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t move then.¡±

    He let go of her hand and stretched out his arms to hold her waist. Then, he carried her back into the

    room.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Once safely in the bedroom, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    She could finally rx. Her whole body was wet with sweat. She felt weak all over and subconsciously

    fell into Maurice¡¯s arms.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay now,¡± Maurice whispered, staring affectionately at the woman in his arms.

    He held her waist with one hand and gently stroke her hair with the other.

    Seeing this, Corbin immediately left the room and closed the door.

    The dangerous situation in which Eliana found herself a moment ago had marked her deeply so that

    she trembled for a long time. She leaned her head against Maurice¡¯s chest and listened to his

    heartbeat. His smell and the beating of his heart soothed her.

    Eliana gradually calmed down in Maurice¡¯s arms.

    However, this moment of respite was short lived as trouble soon came again.

    Both Harriet and Earle heard a strange noiseing from the room just now.

    Harriet immediately recognized that it was Eliana¡¯s voice.

    Eliana must still be in that room!

    Harriet and Earle stalked back to the bedroom. However, they were stopped at the door by Corbin.

    ¡°Miss Stone, Mr. Moran, there¡¯s a mouse in the room and it scared the maid. She¡¯s actually trying to

    catch it. You can¡¯t go in right now.¡±

    ¡°You are lying. How can there be mice here?¡± Harriet sneered.

    ¡°Of course there is. However, the mouse in the room looked strange. It had fair hair and strange

    patterns on it. It ran really fast and was hard to catch.¡±

    Corbin vividly described the mouse¡¯s appearance. However, the more Harriet listened, the weirder she

    felt.

    The thing was, she was actually wearing a light-colored dress today, and there were plume-shaped

    patterns on it.

    He was indirectly calling her a mouse!

 Chapter 411

    Chapter 411

    Harriet gritted her teeth in anger. She was about to snap when Earle suddenly spoke up.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Miss Stone! Come with me,¡± Earle said coldly.

    ¡°But, Mr. Moran¡­¡±

    Harriet didn¡¯t want to pass up this great opportunity. She was certain that if she opened that door now,

    she would catch that bitch Eliana.

    However, no matter how great her desire to humiliate Eliana was, she dared not disobey Earle. She

    had no choice but to follow him obediently downstairs.

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    Before leaving, however, Earle took a look at the closed door. Then he turned and walked away.

    It wasn¡¯t until the two were out of sight that Corbin finally rxed.

    He wiped the sweat from his forehead and heaved a long sigh of relief.

    He was proud of himself because he had done his best to help his boss.

    Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Eliana listened attentively to the voices outside. She was so nervous that

    she dared not breathe. It wasn¡¯t until she heard the footsteps recede that she finally rxed.

    ¡°They are finally gone¡­¡± she mumbled.

    She suddenly pushed Maurice and said, ¡°Get me out of here now! They mighte back again!¡±

    However, Maurice seemed unfazed. Holding her in his arms, he said indifferently, ¡°You don¡¯t have to

    leave. I will solve this matter as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll solve this? How? It¡¯s obvious that your grandfather wants you to marry Harriet. The marriage is a

    done deal. You should really let me go now,¡± Eliana blurted out all her thoughts with a bitter smile.

    Although she enjoyed the warmth of Maurice¡¯s arms, she felt cold inside. The thing was, although they

    were very close at the moment, she felt that they were slowly drifting apart.

    ¡°Maurice, you must admit that one day you will have to let me go and marry another woman. Even if

    that woman is not Harriet, she will be the daughter of another rich family. You and I are really not from

    the same world.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t say anything for a moment and just tightened his embrace around Eliana¡¯s waist.

    As Eliana felt short of breath, he pinched her chin and raised her head, forcing her to look at him.

    ¡°Listen to me, Eliana. I will say this only once. I will not marry Harriet or any woman my grandfather

    chooses for me.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s tone was unprecedentedly serious. Eliana looked deep into his eyes and saw determination

    there that gave her chills.

    She could not deny the deep joy she felt on hearing Maurice¡¯s words.

    However, what Maurice said next made her heart sink again.

    ¡°I just don¡¯t like the idea of marriage. I don¡¯t n to get married for the time being,¡± Maurice said

    expressionlessly.

    At this moment he thought of his parents. They loved each other so much. Sadly, it turned out that

    marriage wasn¡¯t just about two people. Marriage was also the union of two families. Unfortunately, the

    disagreements between the families of his father and mother ended up getting the better of their

    marriage and destroyed their happiness. His parents eventually died in an ident at a young age.

    The tragedy of his parents¡¯ marriage destroyed the image of marriage in Maurice¡¯s mind. Certainly, he

    wasn¡¯t going to marry anyone just for the sake of interests.

    On hearing what Maurice said, Eliana¡¯s face turned pale and she felt her fists clench.

    Since she didn¡¯t know what he had been through and why he wasn¡¯t so keen on getting married, she

    had her own understanding of his words.

    She thought she was nothing more to him than a toy he could y with when he felt like it. Even if he

    wouldn¡¯t marry any woman from a wealthy family, he surely wouldn¡¯t marry her.

    Thinking of this, she was d she didn¡¯t tell him about the children, or things would be even more

    complicated.

    The two stayed in each other¡¯s arms for a long time, but they had very different thoughts. The room

    was soon very quiet.

    After a while, Maurice finally let go of Eliana. He looked at her seriously and said, ¡°You stay here. I

    need to go out now.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t stay here for too long, or it would arouse Earle¡¯s suspicion.

    After saying that, Maurice left. Watching him leave, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Maurice went straight downstairs.

    Earle and Harriet were sitting on the sofa in the living room. Maurice straightened his clothes and

    walked over casually.

    As soon as Maurice entered the living room, Harriet asked, ¡°Maurice, would you like some coffee?¡±

    Sitting next to Earle, she was leisurely sipping a cup of coffee.

    Maurice nced at Earle and asked, ¡°Grandpa, won¡¯t you have some coffee? I specially hired this

    barista for you.¡±

    Earle looked at the coffee on the table in disgust and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like coffee. It¡¯s too light in favor.¡±

    After saying that, he took out a bottle of vodka from the wine cab and poured some into his coffee.

    ¡°This suits me better.¡±

 Chapter 412

    Chapter 412

    Seeing what Earle had just done, Harriet immediately decided to jump at the chance to tter him.

    ¡°Amazing, Mr. Moran. I never thought of adding alcohol to my coffee. I¡¯ll definitely rmend it to my

    family when I get home.¡±

    ¡°You should indeed ask them to have a try. The only thing that sucks is the vodka, which isn¡¯t the best,¡±

    Earle said, taking a sip of his alcoholic coffee with delight.

    ¡°Speaking of liquors, Mr. Moran, I remember Maurice¡¯s uncle¡¯s wine factory is full of good wine. I¡¯ve

    been here a long time, but I haven¡¯t met him.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s words suddenly reminded Earle of something. The old man frowned and turned to rebuke

    Maurice.

    ¡°You bastard! What¡¯s going on between you and Gerald? I heard you reported him to the police! He is

    your uncle, damn it! It¡¯s the whole family you¡¯ve humiliated!¡±

    Earle mmed his cane on the floor as he spoke. He seemed very angry and agitated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you take it that way, Grandpa, but what Uncle Gerard did is illegal. I couldn¡¯t sit idly by and

    watch him continue his illegal activities. It wasn¡¯t just him he was putting at risk, but the whole Moran

    Group as well!¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense, you bastard! It was just a small matter. You didn¡¯t need to involve the police.

    We are a united family, damn it! If the Moran family is where it is today, it is because we have always

    supported each other. Can you understand this?¡±

    Earle was really beside himself and he refused to listen to Maurice¡¯s exnations.

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    ¡°A small matter?¡± Maurice sneered.

    He guessed that his uncle hadn¡¯t told his grandfather the truth at all.

    If Earle had known Gerard was risking human lives for the resort, he would definitely have been

    furious.

    So there was no doubt that Gerald had lied to Earle. Seeing that his grandfather was not in a good

    mood now, Maurice didn¡¯t want to tell him the truth right away and risk breaking his heart.

    Maurice therefore decided to keep silent.

    Earle and Maurice had the same temperament. They were both determined and stubborn men who

    would never back down when they had made up their minds.

    As the situation was about to get out of hand, Harriet saw fit to get them to calm down.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please, calm down. Maurice, you should apologize to your grandpa. You have to admit that

    you made a mistake. Your uncle may have acted without thinking about the consequences, but you

    can¡¯t deny that he always tried to act in the best interests of the Moran Group.¡±

    In fact, Harriet had noticed that Earle seemed to particrly care about Gerard, so she decided to

    speak well of Gerard in order to ingratiate herself with Earle.

    Sure enough, Harriet¡¯s words made Earle calm down a lot.

    ¡°Maurice, did you hear what Miss Stone said? Such a woman is worthy of being the daughter-inw of

    the Moran family. You¡¯d better marry her as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡­¡±

    Hearing what Earle said, Harriet lowered her head, pretending to be shy.

    Maurice looked at the two people sitting on the sofa and suddenly said, ¡°Miss Stone, I too would be

    happy to have you join the Moran family. Wee.¡±

    ¡°Maurice, are¡­ are you serious?¡± Harriet asked, her eyes widening in shock and her heart beating fast.

    Was her dreaming true?

    Maurice smiled impishly and uttered, ¡°Of course I¡¯m serious. Uncle Gerald lost his wife many years

    ago. Since you seem to like him so much, maybe you can ask him to marry you.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s face changed drastically upon hearing that. When she realized that Maurice was making fun

    of her, she felt extremely embarrassed and tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°Maurice, even if you don¡¯t like me, you don¡¯t have to humiliate me like this!¡± Harrietined

    pitifully.

    ¡°You bastard! Would you stop talking nonsense?¡±

    Earle was furious. He raised his cane to hit Maurice.

    However, as soon as he raised the cane, his body suddenly stiffened.

    His chest heaved violently and his breathing quickened. He quickly lowered his arm and covered his

    chest with his hand.

    Harriet rushed over to Earle, looking seriously worried. ¡°Are you okay, Mr. Moran?¡±

    Then she looked up at Maurice and screamed, ¡°Maurice,e here! Your grandpa must be having a

    rpse. Call the doctor!¡±

    However, Maurice didn¡¯t move a muscle. He sat there calmly and didn¡¯t even raise an eysh.

    ¡°Come on, Grandpa. You are too old for this. You don¡¯t need to act anymore!¡±

 Chapter 413

    Chapter 413

    ¡°Maurice, how can you say such a thing? You know very well that your grandfather has heart problems,

    and you just made him angry. He must be having a heart attack.¡±

    Seeing how weak Earle looked, Harriet was very nervous.

    However, Maurice was always unfazed. He said calmly to Earle, ¡°I asked Grandma and she told me

    your heart bypass surgery was very sessful. The doctor assured us that you can live healthily for a

    long time.¡±

    Harriet was speechless.

    As for Earle, he didn¡¯t expect his grandson could see through his trick. The old man felt quiet

    embarrassed.

    He finally stood up and coughed slightly. ¡°You brat, what do you know? It was a high-risk surgery!¡±

    Earle sad with a frown.

    The operation was indeed high-risk, but since it was a sess, there was no need to worry about his

    heart anymore.

    Earle couldn¡¯t help feeling a little resentful of his wife. Why did she tell Maurice everything?

    Now that he had embarrassed himself like this, how would his grandson ever respect him again?

    Meanwhile, Eliana was still hiding in the room all this time. Corbin arranged for someone to bring her

    dinner to the room.

    After dinner, Eliana had nothing to do, so she went to bed.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    However, there were so many things in her mind, which caused her to stay awake on the bed for a long

    time.

    As she tossed and turned in her bed, she suddenly heard someone open the door and walk into the

    room.

    Eliana didn¡¯t need to look to know who it was. There was only one person who coulde here in the

    middle of the night.

    It was definitely Maurice.

    She didn¡¯t want to see him, so she turned over with her back to him.

    A few secondster, she felt him lie down next to her on the bed.

    Then he put his strong arms around her waist and hugged her tightly from behind.

    ¡°How can youe here? Aren¡¯t you afraid your grandfather will catch us?¡± Eliana said sarcastically.

    Maurice said nothing and just hugged her tightly. The sweet perfume that emanated from her

    intoxicated him and gave him an incredible feeling of peace.

    Maurice was certain that Eliana was the only woman who could make him happy.

    When he was with her, no matter what was going on in his mind, he would quickly calm down. He had

    never felt like this with another woman before.

    He didn¡¯t feel such a connection with anyone else, not even Earle, and yet Earle had raised him.

    Maurice would feel exhausted very quickly when he stayed with Earle alone.

    After a short while, Maurice whispered, ¡°Shh, be quiet. I just had a quarrel with my grandpa¡­¡±

    It was rare for Maurice to show himself vulnerable and Eliana immediately felt sorry for him.

    She finally turned and looked at him. In the dim moonlight, she could see the fatigue on his face.

    She had never seen him so helpless.

    Her heart sank and she felt genuinely sorry for him. Unconsciously, she reached out and gently stroked

    his face.

    ¡°Did he scold you again?¡± she asked softly.

    Maurice ignored her question and suddenly said, ¡°Eliana, let¡¯s run away. Let¡¯s run away from all these

    hassles that threaten our happiness and start all over again, just you and me.¡±

    Maurice held her hand tightly and looked at her with sincerity in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Eliana hesitated. In fact, a life such as Maurice presented it, was very tempting and she wanted to say

    ¡®yes¡¯.

    But deep in her heart, there was a voice that kept reminding her of the harsh reality.

    It was impossible.

    She had two children to raise, and she had to investigate the truth behind the bankruptcy of the Pierce

    Group and the death of her parents.

    She couldn¡¯t just drop everything and run away with him.

    Before Eliana could say something, there was a knock on the door.

    Who could it be?

    Eliana¡¯s body froze. She was so scared. She quickly hid under the duvet.

    ¡°Maurice, are you in there? Maurice?¡±

    It was Harriet!

    Why was she here?

    Did Harriet find that she was here?

    Eliana trembled with fear and hugged Maurice tightly. She was afraid that he would decide to open the

    door.

    ¡°Maurice, open the door! I¡¯m your future wife. You must open the door for me!¡±

    Hearing what Harriet was saying, Eliana felt something was wrong.

    Harriet always pretended to be shy and reserved in front of Maurice. Why did she suddenly reveal her

    true colors?

    Was she drunk?

 Chapter 414

    Chapter 414

    Eliana had guessed right. In fact, what Maurice had said to Harriet earlier in the day had hurt her self-

    esteem. So, when at night, Harriet decided to drink to console herself and she drank so much that she

    became drunk. She knocked on the door of the wrong room.

    Harriet didn¡¯t realize her mistake and kept knocking on the door for a long time. She had no intention of

    leaving. As for Eliana, she couldn¡¯t go out or hide. She was very nervous.

    Harriet¡¯s presence made it impossible for Eliana and Maurice to sleep.

    Maurice was amused by Eliana¡¯s nervous expression and couldn¡¯t help teasing her.

    He slipped his hand under her pajamas. It was so unexpected. Eliana quivered and red at him.

    Maurice was not at all embarrassed by the look she gave him. He continued to feel under her pajamas

    until he felt her breasts. He pinched them gently.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help moaning at his touch. Luckily for her, she covered her mouth in time.

    Maurice was encouraged by her moans and he continued to touch his erogenous spots. Eliana tried

    hard not to moan.

    With an impish smile, Maurice slipped his other hand into her panties. He wanted to see for how long

    she could stop herself from moaning.

    While Eliana and Maurice were having fun in bed, Harriet continued to talk nonsense outside. The

    situation was so exciting for Maurice and Eliana.

    For a moment, Eliana was both nervous thinking about Harriet outside the door, and also turned on by

    Maurice¡¯s touch.

    After a while, another voice came from outside.

    ¡°Miss Stone, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for Maurice,¡± Harriet replied, while still knocking on the door.

    ¡°Miss Stone, Mr. Moran isn¡¯t staying in this room. This room is vacant,¡± the maid exined patiently.

    ¡°Really?¡± Harriet asked in confusion. She was really drunk.

    Hearing what the maid said, Harriet finally decided to leave.

    Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

    Hearing the footsteps outside the door receding, Eliana heaved a long sigh of relief.

    She calmed down and could finally get back at him. She stared at Maurice fiercely and bit him on the

    shoulder.

    It was her way of getting revenge on him. She didn¡¯t stop until she tasted blood.

    ¡°Do you still think we can both run away? I mean, you heard Harriet just now. She¡¯spletely

    obsessed with you. If I run away with you, women like her will try to skin me alive.¡±

    Maurice looked at her with a smile and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

    ¡°You know, you should actually be proud. Although there are so many women pursuing me, you are the

    only one who¡¯s ever had me.¡±

    Hearing his sweet words, Eliana blushed. He was really honey-tongued.

    ¡°Maybe, but who knows what will happen in the future? You might fall in love with someone else,¡± she

    said shyly.

    Maurice chuckled. ¡°Well, let me prove my love to you right here.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    Maurice pressed Eliana under him and kissed her passionately.

    He sucked and tweaked her tongue, kissing her until she waspletely out of breath. Then he turned

    to kiss her neck, leaving a string of hickeys there.

    When he saw her at that banquet, he wanted her so much. However, he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to

    have her until now. So he fully intended to satisfy his craving for her now.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Slow down¡­¡± Eliana moaned

    She felt like her whole body was on fire. Maurice¡¯s kisses and caresses had awakened all her passion

    and deepest desires.

    ¡°Call my name,¡± Maurice ordered, kissing her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Mau¡­ Maurice¡­¡±

    Excitement and passion made Eliana call out Maurice¡¯s name over and over until she was out of

    breath.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t take it anymore and her whole body was exhausted now. Before she fell asleep, she

    nced at Maurice, who was still riding her.

    What a beast!

    She now regretted having doubted his love for her! Did he really need to prove it so hard to her?

 Chapter 415

    Chapter 415

    After a crazy night, Eliana woke up the next day, feeling sore all over her body. It was already noon.

    And she was not surprised that Maurice wasn¡¯t there anymore.

    She decided to lie on the bed for a while to recover the vital energy that was drainedst night.

    After a while, a maid came in.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing the maid. She immediately asked, ¡°Where is Maurice?¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran is having lunch with his grandfather and Miss Stone downstairs.¡±

    Eliana felt annoyed upon hearing this. She definitely couldn¡¯t go out now.

    Feeling disheartened, shey back on the bed and covered herself with the quilt again. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all

    right. You can go out now.¡±

    But instead of going out, the maid told her, ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran has ordered you to immediately go

    downstairs after you wash up.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°What? What did you say?¡± Eliana instantly sprang up from the bed and stared at the maid in

    astonishment. ¡°Maurice wants me to go downstairs in this situation? Is he crazy?¡±

    The maid replied calmly, ¡°Yes, Miss Pierce. He wants you to go downstairs.¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a while. She remembered what Maurice said yesterday, and a bad feeling

    suddenly surged in her heart.

    Maurice was going to do something big.

    But the maid didn¡¯t leave, so Eliana had no choice but to reluctantly wash up and dawdled downstairs.

    As expected, she bumped into Earle and Harriet in the living room.

    The look on Harriet¡¯s face dramatically changed. She eximed, ¡°Eliana?¡±

    Earle also looked at Eliana and asked in a very bad tone, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Eliana stood rooted to the spot awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

    Could she tell them that Maurice had kidnapped her?

    ¡°I was the one who brought her here,¡± Maurice suddenly said.

    He walked over to her and stood beside her.

    ¡°Maurice, why did you bring her here? How many times have I warned you not to get close to this

    woman? Are you deliberately turning a deaf ear to me? Servants,e here! Drive this woman out of

    the Moran family¡¯s house! I don¡¯t want to see her.¡±

    Earle¡¯s bad temper immediately ignited, and he ordered to kick Eliana out of the house.

    But before the servants could make a move, a voice rang out behind them.

    ¡°Who are you driving away?¡±

    Everyone turned their heads and saw it was Nancy standing at the door.

    At the sight of the familiar figure, Eliana¡¯s tense body instantly rxed.

    When she nced at Maurice, who had been calm all this while, she suddenly realized something.

    No wonder Maurice called her downstairs so confidently. It turned out that he had already thought of a

    way out. He invited Nancy to be his savior.

    Sure enough, Earle, who was very domineering just now, immediately contained his anger upon seeing

    Nancy.

    ¡°My dear, what are you doing here?¡±

    Earle¡¯s imposing manner suddenly shrank back in front of his wife.

    Nancy looked at Earle indifferently. ¡°The house is so lively today. How can I not join in the fun? Am I not

    wee here?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, you must be kidding. Of course, we are looking forward to your arrival,¡± Harriet said

    enthusiastically.

    She smiled warmly and stepped forward to greet Nancy.

    But Nancy just walked past her and went straight to Eliana and held Eliana¡¯s hand intimately.

    ¡°Eliana, long time no see. How have you been? Look at you. You have lost a lot of weight. How did that

    brat Maurice take care of you? Have you been so busy with your work recently that you have no time to

    visit me?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m doing well. But many things have happened recently, and I haven¡¯t found a chance to

    visit you.¡±

    As she spoke, a sincere smile appeared on Eliana¡¯s face.

    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? Sit down. Let¡¯s eat together,¡±

    Nancy said with a happy smile and was about to sit with Eliana.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran¡­¡±

    Eliana wanted to say something, but she hesitated.

    Nancy understood and gently patted the back of Eliana¡¯s hand.

    Her gaze swept the embarrassed Earle and sullen Harriet. Then she announced in a domineering

    manner, ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t worry. Since I am here, I want to see who dare to drive you out.¡±

 Chapter 416

    Chapter 416

    Since Nancy was there, Earle didn¡¯t dare criticize Eliana anymore during the meal. He could only pick

    on Maurice.

    ¡°Maurice, it looks like you¡¯ve prepared well. You look very confident!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Grandpa? I just invited grandma to have a meal with us.¡±

    Maurice continued to y dumb.

    Nancy frowned and nced at Earle. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Since you cane here, why can¡¯t I?¡± she

    asked.

    Earle stopped speaking at once.

    He got morose.

    How could his grandson dare to use his wife to subdue him?

    It was clear that Maurice was determined to stand up to him!

    ¡°You guys enjoy your meal. I¡¯ve had enough!¡±

    Earle couldn¡¯t stay here after being embarrassed like this, so he decided to leave. He banged his cane

    hard against the tiled floor and left the table angrily.

    ¡°Grandpa, please wait a moment!¡±

    Maurice stood up at once and ran after Earle.

    He stopped Earle just as Earle was about to reach the door.

    ¡°Grandpa, do you really hate Eliana so much? Is it just because she doesn¡¯te from a wealthy

    family?¡±

    Earle nced at Maurice and said seriously, ¡°Maurice, as long as the woman you choose is fit for you,

    I¡¯ll ept her regardless of her background. But you can¡¯t be in a rtionship with Eliana.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Maurice asked confusedly, clenching his fists unconsciously.

    ¡°Because she¡¯s from the Pierce family! I know what Gerald did, but I¡¯ve lost a son, and I will not give up

    my only son because of someone else,¡± Earle said frankly.

    Maurice shocked upon hearing what his grandfather said.

    He should have known that Gerald wouldn¡¯t have been able to hide what he did to Earle for a long time.

    Earle was well aware that it was Gerald who had destroyed the Pierce Group.

    However, Earle chose to ignore that only because Gerald was his son.

    Although Earle¡¯s gaze was ever so sharp, at this moment Maurice could notice the helplessness in

    them.

    However, what his grandfather said did not change his resolve.

    He would never give up on Eliana!

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. I won¡¯t be too hard on Uncle Gerald. But as far as my marriage is concerned, it

    is up to me to chose my wife.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s gaze was full of determination.

    ¡°Why do you act exactly like your disappointing father? Haven¡¯t you drawn a lesson from what

    happened to you father?¡± Earle sighed.

    ¡°Have you ever thought that even if you are ready to marry Eliana, she might not agree? After the little

    time I spent observing Eliana, I can tell she is a stubborn girl. How do you think she will react when she

    knows the truth in the future? Do you think she will be willing to be a member of the family who

    destroyed the her family?¡± the old man added earnestly.

    Earle was blunt about the nub of the problem. Hearing his grandfather¡¯s reasoning, Maurice was

    astonished.

    ¡°Think it over.¡±

    Earle sighed tiredly and left.

    It wasn¡¯t until Earle turned on his heels that Maurice came to his senses. He walked up to stop Earle¡¯s

    assistant who was leaving with Earle.

    ¡°Aleck, my grandfather didn¡¯t eat anything just now. Make sure he eats something and takes his

    medicine.¡±

    Earle was touched to see that his grandson cared about him. However, he didn¡¯t let it show. Instead, he

    turned around and said stubbornly, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you rather wish that I died as soon as possible so that I

    could no longer meddle in your business?¡±

    ¡°No, I hope you can live a long and healthy life. One day you will see that I am different from my father.

    When that dayes, I hope you will give me your blessings.¡±

    Maurice looked his grandfather in the eyes for a moment, his gaze full of assurance and determination.

    Then, without saying another word, he turned and walked away.

    After Maurice left, Aleck Hinks walked over to Earle with the medicine bottle. The assistant seemed to

    hesitate before asking in an uncertain tone, ¡°Mr. Moran, would you like to take the medicine first?¡±

    ¡°He is such a disappointment!¡± Earle mumbled.

    The old man was so angry that he took the medicine bottle from his assistant and threw it away.

    Aleck was helpless.

    He didn¡¯t know what to do.

    There were only three women left in the house at the moment.

    After what happened just now, Harriet understood that the really head of this family was Nancy.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, please have a taste of this steak,¡± Harriet said softly.

    As she spoke, she cut a piece of steak and handed it to Nancy respectfully.

    ¡°I can cut my steak myself. I¡¯m not old yet.¡±

    Nancy refused politely.

    Harriet felt extremely embarrassed and she had no choice but to withdraw her hand.

    She tried several more times to curry favor with Nancy, but the Moran family matriarchpletely

    ignored her, which made Harriet look glum.

    ¡°Oh, by the way, I suddenly remember something¡­¡± Nancy suddenly put down her fork and turned to

    look at Harriet. Then, she continued, ¡°I heard that Eliana was once trapped in the elevator of Moran

    Group and almost died. Did you hear about that, Miss Stone?¡±

    Oh no!This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Harriet¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard Nancy¡¯s question. Was Nancy going to stand up for

    Eliana?

 Chapter 417

    Chapter 417

    ¡°It seems¡­ there is indeed such a matter.¡±

    Hearing Nancy¡¯s words, Harriet became nervous instantly.

    ¡°As far as I know, Eliana was an employee in your department back then. Is that correct? As the

    director during that time, you should be held responsible for such a life-threatening matter.¡±

    Nancy¡¯s tone was serious, and her face turned grim, leaving Harriet overwhelmed with worry.

    However, it seemed that Nancy only brought up the topic just to intimidate Harriet. Eliana didn¡¯t feel

    concerned at all and was very touched instead.

    Finally, she had a supporter to back her up. Nancy was clearly standing up for her.

    ¡°Miss Stone, what do you have to say for yourself? Do you have a problem with what I said?¡±

    Nancy knowingly stared at her and continued, ¡°I used to be a young woman like you. I know that girls

    alwayse up with all kinds of ideas to get what they want. Some do whatever it takes, even if it

    means hurting others.¡±

    Listening to Nancy¡¯s remarks, Harriet could only lower her head in embarrassment.

    Nancy was well-respected by society and held at high regard by her peers due to hermanding

    presence and astounding intellect. Although she was no longer the young and physically strong woman

    she once was, Harriet could easily tell why such a powerful man like Earle valued her insight on

    important matters.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, you are absolutely right!¡± Harriet hurriedly exined. ¡°I didn¡¯t personally hurt anyone. It¡¯s

    just that some of my men didn¡¯t handle the matter properly. But don¡¯t worry as I¡¯ve already taught them

    a lesson. Rest assured, it won¡¯t happen again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s very good to hear.¡± To Harriet¡¯s surprise, Nancy suddenly smiled warmly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be

    nervous, Miss Stone. I am quite pleased with how you fixed the situation. You¡¯re a remarkable woman

    worthy of praise.¡±

    Nancy turned to the maid beside her and ordered, ¡°Go fetch the gift I prepared for Miss Stone.¡±

    Within seconds, the maid returned with a ck jewelry box and presented it to Harriet.

    With her mouth hanging open in surprise, Harriet stared at it and asked, ¡°Mrs. Moran, what is inside?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and open it; then let me know what you think,¡± Nancy said graciously with smile in her eyes.

    Visibly excited, Harriet hurriedly opened the jewelry box and saw an elegant jade pendant lying inside.

    Judging from its unique and meticulous design, it appeared to be an expensive antique.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m in awe. Is this really for me?¡± Harriet picked up the pendant carefully, her heart racing

    inside her chest.

    Sitting across from Harriet, Eliana had witnessed the entire scene. She immediately recognized the

    pendant, which had been featured in a jewelry magazine. It was a priceless collector¡¯s item.

    A tight knot suddenly formed inside Eliana¡¯s stomach. It seemed that Nancy also liked Harriet.

    Eliana felt a great sense of displeasure. In order to hide her true emotions, she lowered her head and

    drank some milk.

    At the same time, Maurice finally returned to the room. ncing at the shiny pendant in Harriet¡¯s hand,

    he frowned in concern.

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    ¡°Grandma, why does she have your jade pendant?¡±

    Nancy raised her eyebrows and calmly said, ¡°I gave it to Miss Stone. She deserves it, after all. It suits

    her, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    Her words of approval made Harriet extremely happy.

    It turned out that Nancy liked her! How fortunate she was! Otherwise, why would she give her such an

    expensive pendant? It seemed that Harriet had finally gained Nancy¡¯s blessing to marry into the Moran

    family.

    With her heart bursting with joy, Harriet became overconfident and at ease.

    After all, only a fool would disapprove of her. She had a beautiful appearance, influential family

    background, and a winning personality. Without a doubt, Nancy truly liked her for Maurice.

    Without Harriet noticing, Nancy calmly took a sip of soup and winked at her bewildered grandson.

    ¡°Maurice, as you can see, I like Miss Stone very much. I gave this gift to her because I want to

    wee her as my sworn granddaughter. How about holding a legal ceremony today to make it

    official? I think it¡¯s a good idea for you to have a sworn sister.¡±

    Hearing this, Harriet was utterly dumbfounded. The triumphant smile on her face was quickly wiped

    out.

    Finally enlightened, Maurice stopped frowning and chuckled lightly in amusement.

    Although he knew that his grandmother always had a few tricks up her sleeve, he didn¡¯t expect her to

    use such a clever method.

    If Harriet became his sworn sister, then she was not legally allowed to marry him.

    His big problem could be solved in this way!

    ¡°Ptui!¡±

    Listening to their conversation while drinking, Eliana suddenly spat out the milk in her mouth.

    It just so happened that Maurice was right beside her. His silk shirt and trousers were stained by the

    milk.

    However, he wasn¡¯t annoyed at all. Instead, he picked up the tissue on the table and gently wiped

    Eliana¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Drink more carefully next time.¡±

    After dabbing Eliana¡¯s lips dry, Maurice turned to Harriet and said calmly, ¡°Since Grandma wants you to

    be her sworn granddaughter, I have no qualms in epting you as my sworn sister. This

    arrangement will only make the rtionship between our two families grow stronger. That¡¯s what you

    want to happen, right?¡±

    Delighted with how her scheme was ying out, Nancy smiled with satisfaction.

    It seemed Maurice liked Eliana so much that he was even willing to participate in such a foolish trick.

 Chapter 418

    Chapter 418

    Dinner exhausted Harriet both physically and mentally and she eventually left the table without finishing

    her meal.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t agree to be Nancy¡¯s sworn granddaughter. She didn¡¯t expect that the matriarch of

    the Moran family was so difficult to please.

    Judging by Nancy¡¯s attitude towards her, Harriet knew that it would be very difficult for her to marry into

    the Moran family.

    She was lost in thought as she walked back to her room and nearly tripped on the stairs. Fortunately, a

    maid passing by helped steady her.

    ¡°Miss Stone, watch out!¡± the maid shouted, and rushed to support Harriet who looked pale.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Harriet said in a daze.

    The maid patted her hand gently and said, ¡°Miss Stone, don¡¯t worry. There is someone else who can

    make your dreame true.¡±

    A look of shock appeared on Harriet¡¯s face and she looked at the maid in surprise. ¡°Who are you

    talking about?¡± Harried asked confusedly.

    The maid leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, ¡°It¡¯s Mr. Gerald Moran, Mr. Earle Moran¡¯s only

    son. Mr. Gerald Moran is a senior executive at the Moran Group. Needless to say, Mr. Earle Moran

    values his only son very much.¡±

    Harriet squinted and asked, ¡°Why would he help me?¡±

    With a mischievous smile, the maid said again, ¡°Miss Stone, think about it. At this point, the only person

    who can help you is Mr. Gerald Moran. Moreover, he considers Mr. Maurice Moran his enemy. So by

    helping you, Mr. Gerald Moran would be helping himself.¡±

    Harriet eyed the maid intently for a moment. Clearly, this maid was working for Gerald. That was the

    only reason the maid would tell her all these things.

    Regardless of the maid¡¯s intentions, Harriet had to admit that what the maid said made sense.

    Harriet was a little tempted. However, she was smart enough to know that nothing went for nothing in

    this world. So, she¡¯d better be cautious.

    She looked at the maid coldly and said, ¡°Are you trying to stir up trouble in the Moran family by trying to

    get me involved in the family¡¯s internal disputes? Aren¡¯t you afraid I would tell Maurice this? Get out of

    my face!¡±

    The maid¡¯s face changed drastically. She said nothing more, just gritted her teeth and left dejectedly.

    Once the maid was in the yard, she ran to a corner out of sight to make a phone call.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran. I have something new to report to you. I suggested Miss Stone join forces with you.

    Although she didn¡¯t ept my proposal, she didn¡¯t directly refuse it either. I think she is thinking about

    it.¡±

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Gerald was bored at home when he got the call from the maid. He had just been released from police

    custody thanks to the intervention of Earle.

    Hearing what the maid said, he smiled maliciously and said, ¡°Well done. Keep an eye out for Maurice,

    Eliana and Harriet. Be sure to let me know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Gerald was excited when he hung up the phone and told Sean his n.

    ¡°Sean, it¡¯s time for us to turn the tables. With Harriet¡¯s help, we can defeat Maurice once and for all!¡±

    However, there was no excitement on Sean¡¯s face. He instead looked worried. He still vividly

    remembered how Maurice had dealt with themst time.

    ¡°Boss¡­ Can I say something?¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Gerald said happily.

    ¡°Boss, I think we¡¯d better take it easy. I¡¯m a little scared. He came close to sending me to rot in jail¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Gerald shouted angrily before Sean could finish his words. He added, ¡°Maurice only caught

    us because we were too carelessst time. I will make sure I get even with him!¡±

    Sean shut up and didn¡¯t dare to say anything more.

    Now that Harriet and Earle were gone, the dinner was peaceful.

    Nancy looked at Maurice who was eating quietly and at Eliana whose face had been red since Maurice

    had helped her wipe her mouth. The Moran family matriarch said nothing and just smiled silently.

    It seemed that things were working out between Maurice and Eliana.

    After a while, Nancy cleared her throat and said in a soft voice, ¡°Eliana, you two seem to be getting

    along very well. Since you have moved in together now, you should start thinking about marriage. I

    can¡¯t wait for you two to have a baby together.¡±

    Hearing what Nancy said, Eliana wiggled her fingers nervously. She looked a bit awkward.

    Sure enough, Nancy noticed Eliana¡¯s uneasiness and she immediately added, ¡°But I understand that

    you both might have other ns. I won¡¯t force you. Don¡¯t worry. Even if you don¡¯t want a baby, I will

    respect that.¡±

    Eliana was so touched by Nancy¡¯s kindness that she wanted to cry.

    Nancy trusted herpletely and yet she had kept the existence of Aileen and Adrian a secret.

    Eliana was overwhelmed with a deep sense of guilt. She opened her mouth and wanted to tell the

    whole truth.

 Chapter 419

    Chapter 419

    ¡°Grandma, haven¡¯t you had enough with Ss? You can¡¯t even deal with one grandchild; are you sure

    you want more?¡± Maurice joked.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Nancy pretended to be angry and scolded Maurice softly, ¡°You brat, who asked for your opinion? It¡¯s

    Eliana¡¯s bod. It¡¯s up to her to decide.¡±

    Seeing that the conversation had be a little more cheerful and rxed, Eliana finally decided not

    to say anything.

    The three of them had a nice lunch. After lunch, Nancy stood up to leave.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, are you leaving already?¡± Eliana asked Nancy.

    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t want to overstay my wee.¡± Nancy then nced at Maurice and said with a faint

    smile, ¡°Someone needs to work harder here. I¡¯m leaving now.¡±

    Eliana and Maurice both saw her off.

    After Nancy left, Eliana looked curiously at Maurice and finally asked the question that had been in her

    mind for a while. ¡°Maurice, why did you bring your grandmother here today?¡±

    Maurice replied indifferently, ¡°I brought her here as backup, just like you asked her toe to my aid

    the other day when my grandfather hit me.¡±

    At this moment, Eliana suddenly remembered how weak Earle looked when he copsed on the sofa

    earlier. She couldn¡¯t help worrying.

    ¡°Maurice, do you think there¡¯s anything to worry about your grandfather¡¯s health? I don¡¯t want him to

    get sick because of me.¡±

    Maurice gently reassured Eliana, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him. He¡¯s not used to sitting around;

    that¡¯s all. He is in perfect health.¡±

    When Eliana was about to say something else, her phone rang. It was Nana.

    ¡°Hello, Nana. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Eliana, there was an incident at my work. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you pick up the kids today.¡±

    Nana sounded nervous and hesitant on the phone.

    Sure enough, Eliana noticed it and she quickly became nervous. ¡°Nana, what happened at your work?¡±

    ¡°Nothing serious,¡± Nana replied in a guilty tone.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯lle to your workce right away!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s tone was firm and Nana felt that her friend wasn¡¯t joking. Nana sighed and had to tell the truth.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. But¡­ I¡¯m in the Central Hospital now. We¡¯ll talk about the details when you see

    me¡­¡±

    Before Nana could finish her words, Eliana had dropped the phone and stood up. Her gaze was nk.

    Why was her best friend in the hospital?

    Eliana turned to Maurice and ordered, ¡°Maurice, take me to the Central Hospital now.¡±

    Maurice was confused and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nana is in there. I have to go and see her now.¡±

    As she spoke, Eliana rushed out and Maurice followed her immediately.

    As soon as the two of them walked out of the house, they ran into Corbin.

    Corbin was about to say hello but Eliana walked pass him as if she hadn¡¯t even seen him.

    ¡°Corbin, you¡¯re just in time. Drive the car,¡± Maurice said, throwing the car keys to Corbin as he rushed

    to the garage.

    Corbin was confused and looked at Eliana and Maurice, who seemed in a hurry.

    What the hell was going on?

    Why were they in such a hurry?

    Finally, he decided to run after them.

    When they got on the car, Maurice suddenly remembered something and said to Corbin, ¡°Corbin, if my

    memory is good, the dean of the Central Hospital is my grandfather¡¯s friend, right?¡±

    Hearing his question, Corbin was even more confused. However, he nodded quickly, ¡°Yes. But boss,

    who is sick?¡±

    Maurice replied seriously, ¡°Nana. She¡¯s in the hospital now. However, we don¡¯t yet know exactly what

    happened.¡±

    ¡°What? Nana is in the hospital?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s expression changed drastically and he suddenly mmed on the brakes.

 Chapter 420

    Chapter 420

    Corbin¡¯s sudden braking caused Eliana to lean forward abruptly. She would have hit the back of the

    seat in front of her if it weren¡¯t for Maurice who quickly grabbed her from behind.

    Maurice was furious and couldn¡¯t help but swear, ¡°Damn it, Corbin! What the hell is wrong with you?

    Drive carefully!¡±

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    Corbin let go of the steering wheel and turned to look at Maurice. He said seriously, ¡°Boss, I want to

    ask for a leave!¡±

    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Maurice was really confused. What the hell was wrong with

    Corbin all of a sudden?

    ¡°If Nana is indeed hospitalized, I want to take time off to take care of her.¡±

    Corbin looked at Maurice anxiously as he spoke.

    ¡°You want to take care of Nana? What¡¯s your rtionship with her? Why would you have to take care of

    her? If it turns out that her condition is serious, are you going to take care of her all your life?¡±

    Maurice was really confused.

    ¡°Yes, boss! If her condition happens to be serious, I will take care of her for the rest of my life!¡±

    Corbin looked really serious when he said this.

    He had just promised to take care of a woman for the rest of his life and he didn¡¯t look like he was

    kidding.

    Maurice was stunned and he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯re even willing to quit your job for Nana? Won¡¯t you regret it?¡± Maurice asked

    after a while.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    Corbin had never been so serious.

    ¡°It seems that you have made up your mind. You must know better than anyone what happens to those

    who dare to offend me, right?¡±

    Saying this, Maurice red at Corbin, his sharp eyes piercing into Corbin¡¯s soul.

    Maurice¡¯s cold, intense gaze made Corbin tremble with fear.

    He had worked for Maurice for so many years, so he knew Maurice well.

    Eliana was the only person with whom Maurice was nice.

    Corbin had seen the miserable end that hade to the others who had dared to offend Maurice.

    Despite the fear that Maurice inspired in him, Corbin could think of nothing else at the moment than

    Nana who was hospitalized!

    ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry. I have to ask for a leave.¡±

    Maurice saw that Corbin was determined, so he finally gave in. He rubbed his temples and said curtly,

    ¡°Fine, just go.¡±

    ¡°What? Boss, did you agree?¡± Corbin asked in surprise.

    ¡°Of course! Since you are going to take care of Nana, just drive then.¡±

    Maurice gave Corbin a cold look that sent chills down Corbin¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    Corbin restarted the car on the spot and stepped on the elerator. He drove fast.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the three of them to arrive at the hospital.

    As soon as Corbin parked the car, Eliana got out and rushed to Nana¡¯s ward. She pushed the door

    open.

    ¡°Nana!¡± Eliana called out in panic.

    However, what she saw in the ward left her speechless.

    Nana was not lying on the bed, but standing in front of it. She seemed worried. On the bedy a man

    wrapped in gauze.

    ¡°Eliana! I¡¯m d that you are here!¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw Eliana.

    ¡°Nana, are you okay?¡± Eliana had already rushed to Nana and looked her up and down attentively.

    It was only when she saw that apart from a bruise on her elbow, Nana was fine, that Eliana finally

    rxed and heaved a sigh of relief.

    Nana smiled faintly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°I am d to see that you are okay. But who is the man on the bed?¡±

    Eliana squinted her eyes at the man on the bed.

    She felt that this man was a little familiar to her¡­

    At this moment, Nana¡¯s smile disappeared and she said indifferently, ¡°This is Huey.¡±

    ¡°Huey?¡± Eliana eximed in shock, her eyes wide open. She looked at the man attentively again and

    asked, ¡°You mean this man wrapped like a mummy is Huey?¡±

    Lying on the bed, Huey had his body covered in ster and gauze. When he heard what Eliana said,

    he nodded slowly.

    ¡°Eliana! Nice to see you here,¡± Huey said in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°Well, I definitely didn¡¯t expect to see you again, let alone in such circumstances. Who did you offend

    that beat you so badly?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face was cold and indifferent. She couldn¡¯t be nice to the scum who had made Nana suffer.

    Huey red at Eliana in anger. Ha said sarcastically, ¡°I was just wondering why Nana has changed so

    much. It turns out it¡¯s all because she has been hanging with you too much!¡±

    ¡°Save it! What Nana does or the way she is has nothing to do with you,¡± Eliana said coldly.

    After saying that, she didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore. She turned to Nana and took her hand. ¡°Nana,

    what¡¯s going on? Why are you in hospital with this jerk?¡±

    Nana smiled bitterly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡±

 Chapter 421

    Chapter 421

    Nana left early in the morning to take a part-time job as a model.

    She had not been working long when a man in a suit approached her, iming to be Huey¡¯swyer. He

    was apanied by arge group of people.

    ¡°Miss Marlin, my client, Huey Layton, is currently in the hospital with serious injuries,¡± thewyer said.

    ¡°He intends to sue you for arge sum for your crime of colluding with others to assault him and

    damage his belongings. If you refuse to pay, we will have no choice but to hand the matter over to a

    police.¡±

    ¡°Huey ns to sue me?¡± Nana couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°I didn¡¯t sue him for his

    transgressions. How could he sue me?¡±

    ¡°Miss Marlin, be careful of what you are saying. Are you making a verbal attack on my client?¡±

    Nana gnashed her teeth. She wished she had kicked that bastard a few more times!

    ¡°If he wants to sue, fine! Let him try! Now get out. Don¡¯t disturb me while I¡¯m working again!¡±

    ¡°Miss Marlin, I have to warn you not to be so reckless.¡±

    Thewyer¡¯s expression was stern. He gestured towards the people who came with him. These people

    began to violently break and smash any item they could reach.

    Everyone heard the noise, but no one dared to do anything.

    ¡°Miss Marlin will pay for the damage.¡±

    Thewyer smirked.

    Nana was shocked. What kind ofwyer behaved like a hooligan?

    ¡°What are you attempting? Stop it!¡±

    When Nana stepped forward, one of the strong men pushed her to the ground. Her hand smacked

    against the floor and became painful.

    When thewyer saw Nana on the ground, he shouted to the people around him, ¡°Miss Marlin is

    injured. Help her up and take her to the hospital!¡±

    The hooligans stopped their destruction and began to lift Nana up.

    ¡°You thugs, let go of me!¡±

    Nana struggled hard, but soon she had been taken to Huey¡¯s ward.

    Huey looked like a mummy with all of the white gauze wrapped around him. He could hardly even

    move. Nana was pleased.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Still, she was also confused.

    Corbin had knocked Huey out with a stick and she had kicked him a few times. There was no way they

    could have done this much damage to him.

    ¡°That¡¯s how it happened¡­¡±

    Nana told Eliana everything.

    Something wasn¡¯t right.

    ¡°Huey, what are you nning to do now that you have brought Nana here?¡± Eliana asked quietly.

    ¡°What am I nning? Nana and her man assaulted me at the Moon Lake Manor. I want vengeance,¡±

    Huey snarled.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying! We didn¡¯t hurt you this badly!¡± Nana eximed.

    ¡°I can prove it,¡± Huey snapped. ¡°Call your man right now. I want him to kneel and apologize to me! If he

    doesn¡¯t, you¡¯ll be responsible for paying my medical bills!¡±

    ¡°Medical bills?¡±

    Eliana and Nana nced at each other, realizing that something was suspicious.

    Huey snorted. ¡°Show them the bills,¡± he ordered hiswyer.

    Thewyer ced a stack of bills in Nana¡¯s hands.

    Nana began to calcte the total cost. ¡°How can it be so much? You¡¯re trying to ckmail me!¡± she

    eximed.

    Huey¡¯s face twisted into a wicked smile. ¡°Nana, you have to understand the situation. You have done

    something wrong, so you will have to face the consequences. You will pay for all of it!¡±

    Eliana looked crestfallen as she whispered in Nana¡¯s ear, ¡°Nana, did you really hit him? And who is the

    man he mentioned?¡±

    Nana bit her lip. Huey was already causing enough trouble. She couldn¡¯t get Corbin involved again.

    ¡°You might as well call the police and have them arrest me now, Huey. I will not pay you anything, nor

    will I let you meet him!¡±

    ¡°Well! You have some nerve!¡± Huey was furious as he turned to hiswyer. ¡°Call the police!¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Eliana spoke up.

    She gave Nana a stern look. ¡°Nana, are you protecting someone? If someone else really helped you

    hurt Huey, then he is partially responsible. Don¡¯t be foolish enough to ept the responsibility alone!¡±

    Nana lowered her head and hesitated.

 Chapter 422

    Chapter 422

    Huey was happy inside, seeing Nana¡¯s worried expression. However, he did his best to look hesitant.

    ¡°Well, for the sake of our past rtionship, I can let you go this time. Let¡¯s see, if you don¡¯t have money

    topensate me, you can stillpensate me with something else¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nana asked in confusion.

    ¡°I want you to stay in the hospital and take care of me for free for a month. After that, we will be even.

    What do you think?¡±

    After saying that, Huey winked at hiswyer, who immediately took out a contract.

    The contract stated that Party B, Nana, was to take care of Party A, Huey, for free for one month.

    During this period, Party B had to unconditionally obey any request from Party A. After the period of

    one month, the debt would be cleared.

    ¡°It¡¯s an unfair contract. You can¡¯t sign that, Nana.¡±

    After reading the contract, Eliana strongly objected to Nana signing it.

    It was obvious that Huey had ulterior motives. If Nana signed the contract, she would be at his mercy.

    ¡°Well, if she doesn¡¯t sign it, she will have topensate me and pay the medical bill. If she can¡¯t afford

    it, we will meet in court. At that time, Nana, you will certainly regret not having not signed.¡±

    Huey didn¡¯t mind openly threatening Nana.

    ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll sign it!¡±

    Nana¡¯s hands trembled at the thought of the riskymitment she was about to take. However, she

    seemed to have made up her mind.

    ¡°Nana!¡±

    Before Nana could do anything rash, Eliana grabbed her hand and shook her head.

    She felt something was wrong.

    ¡°Eliana, I have no choice¡­¡± Nana¡¯s said sadly. Her face was pale and her eyes were filled with tears.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    Eliana picked up the hospital bill again and studied it carefully.

    After reading the whole list, she found that many of the drugs prescribed in the bill were strange.

    Huey had suffered only bruises on his body, but had been prescribed several medications for

    psychiatric conditions.

    That wasn¡¯t normal at all.

    Could it be¡­ These bills were definitely not for Huey!

    ¡°Nana, look. There is something wrong with the medicines prescribed on this bill. I think the bill may be

    fake. Don¡¯t let this bastard fool you.¡±

    As Eliana spoke, she showed the bill to Nana.

    ¡°What do you know about drugs? Are you a doctor? Look, all these drugs were prescribed to me by the

    doctor. Is that how you expect to get out of it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about drugs, but I can ask another doctor to check this bill.¡±

    After saying that, Eliana turned around and was about to go outside to call another doctor when Huey¡¯s

    lawyer stood in her way.

    ¡°Miss, we haven¡¯t reached an agreement on thepensation terms yet. No one can get out of this

    room until we strike a deal!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ckmail,¡± Eliana said, gritting her teeth. Then, she looked at Nana and said seriously, ¡°Nana,

    don¡¯t sign it!¡±

    Huey chose to simply ignore Eliana.

    He didn¡¯t know much about this friend of Nana¡¯s, but he knew Nana well. Nana was soft-hearted and

    innocent. She certainly wouldn¡¯t let her lover suffer. Huey guessed that she would choose to bear

    everything on her own.

    Just as Huey had guessed, Nana didn¡¯t listen to Eliana at all. She had already made up her mind.

    She picked up the pen and stared at Huey nkly. ¡°I hope you keep your word. We won¡¯t have

    anything to do with each other after a month.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll definitely keep my word,¡± Huey answered at once.

    He was about to achieve his goal. A month was quite enough for him to deceive Nana.

    Just as Nana was about to sign the contract, Alvin Perry, the dean of this hospital, came in with a

    doctor, who wore a mask.

    The doctor looked at the man lying on the bed and said hoarsely, ¡°I have to examine Mr. Layton now.

    Can you all leave the room?¡±

    Huey was annoyed by the doctor¡¯s interruption when Nana was about to sign the contract. Fearing that

    his deception would be discovered, he nced at hiswyer.

    Thewyer immediately understood what Huey meant and he shouted, ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to leave, are you ready to take full responsibility for what might happen if Mr.

    Layton¡¯s treatment is dyed?¡± the doctor said sternly.

    Finally, thewyer had no choice but to leave the ward.

    ¡°Doctor, are his injuries that serious?¡±

    Nana stepped forward and inquired about Huey¡¯s condition.

    But to her surprise, the doctor held her hand and said softly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss. Everything will be fine.¡±

    At this moment, even though the mask on the doctor¡¯s face covered more than half of his face, Nana

    still recognized the person in front of her when she looked into his eyes.

    ¡°Corbin?¡± Nana murmured.

    Indeed, it was Corbin who was dressed as a doctor. He held her hand tightly and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t

    worry. I¡¯m here with you.¡±

    These few words made Nana suddenly feel calm and rxed.

    She felt like as long as he was there with her, everything would be fine.

    Nana then withdrew her hand and turned to Eliana. She said in a rxed tone, ¡°Let¡¯s go. The doctor

    has to work now.¡±

    ¡°What? We are leaving already? But the problem is not solved yet!¡±

    Eliana was totally confused. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on.

    ¡°We will still have plenty of time to discuss and reach an agreementter. If we stay here, we will only

    dy the doctor¡¯s work.¡±

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    After saying that, Nana put her arm around Eliana¡¯s shoulder and pushed her out of the ward.

    Once out of the room, Nana turned to the doctor and said sincerely, ¡°Hey, doc¡­ You¡¯re in charge now.¡±

    Corbin nodded silently.

    They didn¡¯t really need words when their eyes met.

 Chapter 423

    Chapter 423

    After everyone left, only Huey, the dean, and Corbin who was disguised as a doctor, were left in the

    ward.

    Huey swallowed hard. Although he seemed calm, he was actually very nervous.

    He knew the truth about his alleged injuries.

    He feared that the doctor would actually examine him because he would quickly find out that these so-

    called injuries were all fake.

    ¡°Stay away from me! I don¡¯t want him to examine me! I don¡¯t trust any other doctor except my friend

    who works here! He alone will treat me. You two get out of here!¡± Huey yelled at the dean and Corbin.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    The Dean tried to exin to this patient that he needed to let the doctor do his work.

    While the dean was wondering how to persuade the reluctant patient, Huey shouted again!

    ¡°There is no ¡®but¡¯! Do you know who my mother is? My mother is Miss Rosamond Deleon. If you still

    want to run this hospital, you¡¯d better get the hell out of here.¡±

    However, Corbin waspletely unfazed by Huey¡¯s threats. He walked over to the bedside and

    pretended to check Huey¡¯s injuries. Huey wanted to struggle but the ster and bandage kept him from

    moving.

    After a while, Corbin said with a serious look, ¡°Mr. Layton, your injuries seem very serious. We need to

    treat you right away or your whole lower body could be paralyzed for good.¡±

    After saying that, he waved his hand at someone at the door and said, ¡°Come in!¡±

    The next moment, a nurse walked into the ward with a tray on which there were several vials of

    medicine and other medical tools.

    ¡°Hurry up, give Mr. Layton an injection,¡± Corbin urged the nurse.

    Huey¡¯s eyes widened in fear when he saw the huge syringe in the nurse¡¯s hand. The nurse was

    approaching him slowly and all he wanted to do right now was run away.

    s, in order to look really sick, he had his whole body stered and bandaged. As a result, he

    couldn¡¯t move and could only watch in horror as the big needle pierced his flesh.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Huey¡¯s scream echoed in the ward.

    ¡°Good,¡± Corbin said with a nod. ¡°We are going to take off the ster on you now, Mr. Layton.¡±

    Corbin and the nurse then proceeded to remove Huey¡¯s ster little by little. While removing the

    ster, Corbin asked, ¡°Mr. Layton, can you feel your hands and feet now?¡±

    The pain of the injection had sent Huey into some sort of trance. It was only when he heard Corbin¡¯s

    words that he came to his senses. He immediately tried to move his hands and feet, but they weren¡¯t

    moving at all.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Huey panicked. He tried again, but still couldn¡¯t move his body.

    Damn it! He really couldn¡¯t move now!

    His eyes filled with fear and panic, he roared, ¡°What did you do to me?¡±

    Corbin pretended to be panicked and said nervously, ¡°I just followed standard procedures. You should

    normally be able to move now.¡±

    ¡°Damn it! I was fine. I didn¡¯t need your injection. Do you know the seriousness of the medical

    malpractice you have justmitted?¡±

    That was exactly what Corbin wanted to hear.

    With a satisfied smile on his face, he asked calmly, ¡°So you were fine?¡±

    Huey was silent for a while and suddenly realized he had been tricked.

    However, at this time, the only thing he cared about was being well again.

    With tears in his eyes, he red at Corbin and yelled, ¡°You fucking screwed everything! You have to

    cure me!¡±

    Corbin ignored Huey who kept cursing and crying, and turned to nod at Alvin.

    At this moment, Alvin walked over to Huey and said calmly, ¡°Mr. Layton, don¡¯t be nervous. You¡¯ve just

    been injected with anesthetic. It¡¯s normal for you not to feel anything for a while.¡±

    Upon hearing this, the despair in Huey¡¯s eyes slowly dissipated and he seemed to see a glimmer of

    hope. He looked at Alvin and then at Corbin and asked, ¡°You mean I will be fine?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Corbin replied coldly.

    Now that the storm had passed, Huey red at Corbin and shouted angrily, ¡°How dare you gang up

    and y tricks on me?¡±

    Huey waspletely beside himself right now. He forgot that he couldn¡¯t move and wanted to stand up

    to beat Corbin.

    Because of his agitation, he fell heavily to the floor.

    As he felt a sharp pain in his hands, he grabbed Corbin¡¯s pants and shouted angrily, ¡°What kind of

    doctor are you!¡±

    With a sneer, Corbin took off his mask, revealing his face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor!¡± he said calmly.

    Huey raised his head with great difficulty, and looked at the face of the man in front of him. When he

    saw who it was, his heart sank.

    ¡°It¡¯s you! You are Nana¡¯s lover! You ruined my n! And you dared to hit me!¡±

    ¡°You realize the truth a bitte,¡± Corbin said coldly, wrenching away his foot.

    ¡°Damn you! Tell me your name. I swear I will make you pay for this!¡±

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    Realizing that he had been tricked, Huey went mad.

    Corbin stared nkly at the man on the floor and said coldly, ¡°My name is Corbin. Corbin Jenkins.

    Remember my name. And now I will be very clear. If you try to get your hands on Nana again, I won¡¯t

    spare you.¡±

    It was hard to imagine that a gentle, honest man like Corbin would ever threaten someone.

    It turned out that love could make us to do things we never thought we would do.

 Chapter 424

    Chapter 424

    ¡°I will kill you!¡±

    Huey thumped the floor angrily with a ferocious look on his face. He wished he could stand up and

    punch the man in front of him who dared to fool him.

    But he couldn¡¯t do anything at all. His body was still weak because of the effect of the anesthetic.

    However, although he couldn¡¯t move, he could speak.

    When Corbin saw that Huey was too noisy, he called another nurse toe in. Then the two nurses

    worked together to get Huey back to bed.

    The anesthetic gradually took its full effect, and now he couldn¡¯t move even his lips. He could only stare

    at Corbin hatefully.

    Corbin just looked at him indifferently and ordered coldly, ¡°Alvin, please take care of him.¡±

    Since Corbin worked for Maurice, Alvin was also respectful to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will take good care of Mr. Layton. If we had known that he wanted to plot against Mr.

    Moran¡¯s friend, we would have taken action earlier to prevent any trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not toote to do something yet. Since you already know what he is up to, keep an eye on him. I

    don¡¯t want him to cause more trouble.¡±

    Corbin looked at Huey lying on the bed like a corpse with only his eyes moving. He was delighted.

    Huey¡¯swyer outside the door had no idea what had happened. He was still dedicated to fulfilling the

    mission Huey gave him.

    ¡°Miss Marlin, I advise you to sign the agreement now.¡±

    Nana crossed her arms over her chest and said confidently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t want to sign it.¡±

    Thewyer was stunned for a moment. But then, he continued to threaten her, saying, ¡°I advise you to

    ept my client¡¯s proposal. Otherwise¡­ You won¡¯t like the consequences.¡±

    While the two were confronting each other, Eliana suddenly patted Nana on the shoulder and

    whispered in her ear, ¡°Nana, I have an idea.¡±

    At this time, Eliana had calmed down, and her mind became clear, so she thought of an idea.

    There was obviously something wrong with the hospital bill that Huey showed them. And hiswyer

    must know about it.

    It was even possible that thewyer forged it.

    It only meant that¡­ Thewyer had been conspiring with Huey from the beginning to deceive Nana.

    At the thought of this, Eliana put the fake hospital bill in front of thewyer and said aggressively, ¡°Mr.

    Payne, since you are awyer, you should know thew better than we do, right? If I find a doctor to

    verify that this hospital bill is forged, we will take you as Huey¡¯s aplice when we bring this to court.

    Do you think a viin like Huey will find a way to save your ass by then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Aldwin Payne, thewyer, still tried to y dumb.

    ¡°Helping others to forge evidence is a grave offense. Yourwyer¡¯s license may be revoked. You know

    that, right? Are you ready to take the risk?¡±

    Upon hearing this, the expression on Aldwin¡¯s face suddenly changed.

    And when Eliana saw this, her suspicion became heavier. ¡°Judging from the look on your face, could it

    be that¡­ You don¡¯t have awyer¡¯s license at all?¡±

    With a guilty conscience, Aldwin shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡±

    This time, Eliana confirmed her guess.

    ¡°If you are not awyer, who the hell are you then? If you don¡¯t tell us, I¡¯ll call the police right away. I

    want to see if the police will arrest me or you, a fakewyer.¡±

    Eliana took out her phone and pretended to call the police.

    This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°No, wait! You can¡¯t call the police.¡±

    Aldwin was so anxious that he reached out to grab the phone in Eliana¡¯s hand.

    It was just a pity that Nana saw through his intention. She blocked him and shouted, ¡°Eliana, call the

    police now. I want these frauds to be arrested.¡±

    Eliana held up her phone and threatened, ¡°Mr. Payne, I¡¯ll give you onest chance. Are you going to tell

    us the truth or not?¡±

    Looking dejected, Aldwin red at her and snapped, ¡°Fine!¡±

    Eliana smiled. ¡°Good! Tell us now.¡±

    Aldwin sighed and said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not awyer. I¡¯m just an unpopr actor. Huey hired me to do

    this. He paid me to act with him. Who would have thought that things would end up like this? I really

    didn¡¯t mean to deceive all of you. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s not easy to make money these days, so I took this

    job. But I don¡¯t want the money anymore. Just please don¡¯t call the police.¡± He begged Nana and

    Eliana, looking sincere.

    Then he took out the check Huey gave him, shoved it into Nana¡¯s hand, and ran away. Soon, he

    disappeared from their sight.

    Eliana and Nana stood there and watched him disappear. They were rendered speechless.

    At this moment, Corbin walked out of the ward. He had already settled everything inside.

    Nana immediately walked up to him with expectation in her eyes.

    ¡°You¡­ Have you settled everything?¡±

    ¡°Corbin! You were that doctor?¡± Eliana eximed and covered her mouth in surprise.

    She didn¡¯t know what exactly was going on.

 Chapter 425

    Chapter 425

    Wearing a smug smile on his face, Corbin raised his eyebrows and said cheekily, ¡°Of course. Is there

    anything I can¡¯t handle?¡±

    ¡°What did you do to him? Tell me this instant!¡± Nana asked with a concerned look.

    She knew how stubborn and persistent Huey could be. He often came across to others as an

    overbearing asshole. How could he suddenly have a change of heart and let her go so easily?

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He wasn¡¯t hurt at all. He only faked his injuries to manipte your feelings and set you

    up,¡± Corbin exined.

    After learning the truth, Nana gritted her teeth with intense hatred. She wanted to rush inside and beat

    Huey up.

    ¡°What a scumbag! How could I be so blind to have fallen in love with him back then?¡±

    Eliana walked up to her and patted her shoulder. ¡°Well, it¡¯s all over now. Just promise me that you¡¯ll

    never see him again.¡±

    ¡°By the way, there is one more thing that I need to tell you.¡± In one swift movement, Corbin grabbed

    Nana¡¯s ear and snapped, ¡°Nana, listen to me carefully. Be smarter with your choices next time! You

    could have told him to confront me instead, so why didn¡¯t you? I am a grown man, and there¡¯s nothing

    he could do to me. Do I make myself clear?¡±

    ¡°Okay, whatever you say! Let me go now. It hurts!¡±

    Nana¡¯s face immediately turned red. Contrary to her words, she didn¡¯t feel any pain at all. But her ears

    were tingling with a warm feeling.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    At that moment, the nurses and Alvin rushed out of the ward.

    One of the nurses was pushing a cart loaded with several medical supplies. Underneath the bright

    hallway light, a long needle of arge syringe was noticeably exposed, looking rather sharp and deadly.

    As soon as Corbin caught sight of it, he was startled and quickly hid behind Nana.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! You¡¯re unbelievable. How can such a strong man be afraid of needles?¡± Nana

    laughed at him in mockery.

    Corbin smiled sheepishly and looked at her with affection.

    Nana turned her head, and the pair gazed longingly into each other¡¯s eyes. Like a scene straight out of

    a romantic movie, it suddenly felt that love was in the air.

    Awkwardly standing next to them in silence, Eliana felt like a third wheel.

    She didn¡¯t see this oneing at all. It seemed that Corbin was the one who was thought as Nana¡¯s

    lover by Huey.

    But when did they know each other?

    Ever since Nana had moved into the Pierce family¡¯s vi, Eliana sensed that something was going on

    between the two. But she wouldn¡¯t have expected them to fall in love!

    Keenly observing the smitten pair, Eliana asked in curiosity, ¡°Nana, do you want to tell me what¡¯s the

    real status between you two?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind ofplicated. I don¡¯t know where to start.¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t give a straight answer and her face was turning red.

    ¡°Just tell me the truth. Don¡¯t wriggle yourself out of this one!¡± Elianaughed teasingly as she jabbed

    her finger at her best friend.

    Under the mounting pressure, Nana finally shared the beginning of their love story.

    ¡°Well, you were busy with work, so I had been sending the kids to school every day. That¡¯s when I met

    Corbin. I didn¡¯t know he was Maurice¡¯s assistant and thought that he was Ss¡¯ uncle.¡±

    After a long while, Nana finally revealed all the juicy details.

    Eliana¡¯s jaw dropped in sudden realization. ¡°So the mystery friend you mentioned a few times before is

    Corbin!¡±

    Nana blushed and nodded shyly.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but grin in immense pleasure for Nana. The romance she shared with Corbin felt

    like a magical fairytale.

    Who would have thought that there was a spark between these two people from entirely different

    worlds all of a sudden?

    Corbin was a nice and respectful man. Eliana would be overjoyed if Nana could be with him.

    Seeing that the two needed some space to talk alone, Eliana quickly excused herself.

    ¡°You lovebirds hang out and enjoy each other¡¯spany. By this time, Adrian and Aileen should be

    done with their sses. I have to go and pick them up now.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Eliana. I want you to know how grateful I am for you today. Thank you so much,¡± Nana said in

    between sobs as she held her hand.

    Smiling warmly at Nana, Eliana nodded and promptly left the premises.

    When she knew that Nana was at the hospital, Eliana called the teacher and asked her to watch the

    kids until she came to pick them up.

    Inside the kindergarten, it had been quite some time since sses were over, but no one showed up to

    take Adrian and Aileen back home. They looked very upset.

    Fortunately, Ss was there and kept thempany.

 Chapter 426

    Chapter 426

    ¡°Adrian, why haven¡¯t Mommy and Nanae to pick us up yet?¡±

    Aileen sat on a small bench, looking bored. She propped her chin in the palms of her hands, and her

    legs dangled in the air.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    Adrian sat next to her and imitated what she was doing.

    The two kids were slightly mncholy. The other parents who came to the kindergarten to pick up their

    children couldn¡¯t help admiring how lovely they were.

    It was already getting dark, but Eliana and Nana hadn¡¯te yet, so Ss suggested, ¡°We can¡¯t wait

    here forever. How about I ask my driver to send you home first?¡±

    Aileen shook her head. ¡°No, I want to wait for Mommy and Nana.¡± Then she turned to Adrian and

    asked, ¡°Adrian, do you think Mommy is still working?¡±

    Adrian thought of Eliana¡¯s boss, who often picked on her. He had a strong feeling that her boss let her

    work overtime again.

    ¡°Shall we call Nana and ask?¡±

    The two kids picked up their smartwatch and called Nana.

    Nana¡¯s phone immediately rang. But after a long time, still, no one answered.

    ¡°What shall we do now?¡± Aileen asked, looking distressed.

    ¡°Since no one ising to pick you up, let me take you home,¡± Ss offered again.

    ¡°Adrian, let¡¯s just listen to Ss. We can send Nana a message to tell her that we left with Ss. He is

    our friend, anyway.¡±

    Adrian was still a little hesitant. But when he thought of how tired Eliana and Nana seemed recently, he

    finally agreed.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a nod.

    ¡°Yay!¡± Aileen cheered up.

    Then she got in Ss¡¯ car with Adrian.

    The car had been running on the road for a while when Ss sensed something was wrong.

    The car was not going in the direction of the Pierce family¡¯s house at all.

    ¡°What is going on? This is not the way to the Pierce family¡¯s house. Where are you taking us?¡±

    The driver replied respectfully, ¡°Sir, I just received a message from your great-grandpa. He said he

    missed you and he wanted to see you. I¡¯m taking you to the amusement park first.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    Ss suddenly felt annoyed.

    Earle and Maurice must have fought again.

    It was fine with him to see Earle anytime. But today was different because Adrian and Aileen were with

    him.

    How should he exin to them?

    Ss hesitated for a while. Then he turned around and apologized to the twins, ¡°Aileen, Adrian, I¡¯m

    sorry. I may not be able to send you home today.¡±

    The twins were shocked. They asked in unison, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°My great-grandpa wants to take me to the amusement park, and we are almost there,¡± Ss exined

    helplessly.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Aileen lowered her head, looking unhappy.

    Ss couldn¡¯t bear seeing her like this. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you¡­ you can go with me,¡± he suggested.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s okay with us!¡± Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up at once. She turned to her brother. ¡°Adrian, let¡¯s go to

    the amusement park. Ss had oncee to our house and met our family. We can meet his family

    too this time.¡±

    She immediately held Adrian¡¯s arm and acted like a spoiled child, looking at him expectantly.

    It had been a long time since theyst went to the amusement park.

    ¡°I think you just want to go to the amusement park,¡± Adrian said, knowing what she was thinking. Then,

    he turned to Ss and refused. ¡°We are good. You can ask your driver to drop us here.¡±

    ¡°Adrian!¡±

    Aileen pouted and turned her head away from Adrian.

    Since Adrian refused, Ss had no choice but to ask the driver to stop the car.

    Then, Adrian and Aileen got out of the car.

    ¡°I¡¯m really worried about leaving you two out here alone. You should call your mom and ask her to pick

    you up. I¡¯ll wait for her toe over before I go.¡±

    Since Ss insisted, Adrian had to pick up his smartwatch and call Eliana.

    But before his call could connect, a convoy of splendid cars suddenly appeared and instantly

    surrounded Ss¡¯ car.

    ¡°No! My great-pa is here.¡± The look on Ss¡¯s face changed as he spoke.

    Aileen was so scared that he hid behind Adrian and said timidly, ¡°Adrian¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡±

    Adrian stretched out his hand to protect Aileen behind him, his eyes staring vigntly ahead.

    The door of the Rolls-Royce on the lead opened and a cane stretched out first.

 Chapter 427

    Chapter 427

    After stretching out his cane, Earle stepped out of the car in an imposing manner. His sharp eyes

    scanned the area in front of him.

    Although he was noticeable old, his aura was still very much intimidating. With a deadpan face, he

    walked straight towards the three children.

    ¡°Hey, my great-grandpa ising. If he asks about your family background, just tell him that you are

    my friends and we go to the same school. Don¡¯t say anything else, okay?¡± Ss whispered urgently to

    the attentive twins. ¡°Do as I say, and everything will be fine!¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, Earle arrived in front of them, looking expectantly at his great-

    grandson.

    ¡°Hello, Great-grandpa,¡± Ss greeted him politely with a light smile.

    Adrian followed suit and said, ¡°Hi, Mr. Moran.¡±

    The two boys respectfully lowered their heads in front of Earle. But Aileen had no fear at all.

    In her eyes, Earle was just a good-looking old man.

    Aileen raised her head and stared at him in admiration.

    ¡°Adrian! Check out Mr. Moran. Isn¡¯t he quite handsome?¡± Aileen remarked with twinkling eyes.

    A worried look appeared on Adrian¡¯s face, and his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly tugged at her

    sleeve and said, ¡°Aileen, be quiet.¡±

    Hearing their voices, Earle suddenly noticed the two strange children with Ss for the first time.

    They looked so much alike that he presumed they were twins. However, there were differences in their

    personalities.

    The boy was calm and reserved, while the girl was innocent and friendly.

    When he saw the two children, Earle felt a pleasant warmth in his heart. The bubbly girl, in particr,

    had caught his attention.

    Hearing the little girl say he was handsome, Earle was startled by her carefree nature.

    Adults were often afraid to look directly into his eyes. But a mere child dared to call him handsome?

    ¡°Tell me your name, little girl. Are you aware of what you just said? Why didn¡¯t you just run along and

    go home?¡±

    Earle deliberately pulled a long face, trying to frighten Aileen like he had done so many times to others

    before.

    But Aileen was not scared at all. Only Ss and Adrian were terrified.

    Sensing imminent danger, Adrian immediately pulled Aileen behind him.

    ¡°Great-grandpa!¡± Ss frowned. ¡°You are scaring her!¡±

    The two boys were trembling nervously, but Aileen was not afraid at all.

    She replied briskly, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Moran. I am Aileen, and this is my brother Adrian.

    Ss invited us to go to the amusement park with him.¡±

    Earle raised his eyebrows sternly. ¡°But I didn¡¯t agree.¡±

    Aileen frowned slightly and responded, ¡°Mr. Moran, you can¡¯t say that! Even though you are Ss¡¯

    great-grandpa, you should still respect him and his friends!¡±

    The two boys were shocked by her speech, bracing themselves for the worse.

    As he saw the innocence on Aileen¡¯s face, Earle¡¯s cold heart started to melt.

    This lovely little girl in front of him reminded him of his granddaughter, Rosina.

    For a moment, he lost himself in his thoughts. He had loved Rosina very much until that fateful day.

    Earle was consumed by a bittersweet piece of memory and couldn¡¯t snap out of it.

    The distracted look on Earle¡¯s face confused Ss.

    Did he not like Adrian and Aileen?

    What was Ss supposed to do next? Should he let them leave now?

    ¡°Great-grandpa, if you don¡¯t like Adrian and Aileen, I can ask the driver to send them home

    immediately. I¡¯m sorry they bothered you.¡±

    Ss gave Adrian a meaningful look, and thetter instantly understood. But before he could usher

    Aileen away, Earle suddenly raised his hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Earle nced at the kids with mixed feelings. ¡°Since they are already here, they might as well

    tag along. It¡¯s rare for you to have friends. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t hurt for you to hang out with your friends

    once in a while.¡±

    Finally reaching an agreement, they all entered the amusement park together.

    Earle instructed the bodyguards to keep their distance from him and the children so they would not

    disrupt their ytime.

    Soon, the three kids and the old man began their fun night of games and rides.

    While they were walking inside the amusement park, the children¡¯s faces lit up at the sight of a cool

    attraction. It was a shooting game stall.

    Aileen¡¯s eyes widened when she saw a big teddy bear on the prize disy. She pointed at it and

    jumped up and down.

    ¡°Adrian, that bear is so cute. I want it! Win it for me, please!¡±

    No one could resist Aileen when she looked at them imploringly with her puppy eyes.

    Adrian nced at the shooting game and promised confidently, ¡°I will get you the bear in no time!¡±

    ¡°Yay! You¡¯re the best!¡±

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    Aileen pped her hands in glee.

    Hearing Aileen¡¯spliment, Adrian picked up the long toy rifle with ease, loaded it neatly, and aimed

    it at the target.

    ¡°Feast your eyes as I show you what a skilled gunner looks like!¡±

 Chapter 428

    Chapter 428

    Adrian¡¯s avid interest in the shooting game caught Earle¡¯s attention.

    He walked over and stood beside the little boy. Seeing how huge the gun looked in Adrian¡¯s hands, he

    couldn¡¯t help but doubt his shooting prowess. Earle raised his eyebrows and decided to discourage

    him.

    ¡°You call yourself a skilled gunner? Don¡¯t be foolish. You¡¯re just a kid. Put the gun down and save

    yourself from embarrassment.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah? I¡¯ll prove you wrong!¡±

    Imitating the action stars he had seen on TV, Adrian took aim and pulled the trigger.

    The stic bulletunched into the air, heading towards the target. To Adrian¡¯s utter dismay, he missed

    the boardpletely.

    ¡°Wait, I need one more try. It was an ident!¡±

    Adrian couldn¡¯t believe it and shot again, but he still failed to hit the target.

    ¡°Hang on. I got this!¡±

    He fired the stic gun several times, but kept missing wildly.

    Watching from the sidelines, Earle snorted in amusement. ¡°What happened? It seems I was correct.

    You¡¯re all talk, little boy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I didn¡¯t hit the target because of this cheap toy gun! I guarantee you that I won¡¯t miss

    using a real one!¡± Adrian exined in a high-pitched tone, visibly flustered.

    ¡°Come on now. You are just a kid. How could you even know how to handle a real gun? Quit bragging

    and ept your defeat.¡±

    Shaking his head, Earle chuckled and mocked the young boy.

    Little did he know that he would soon embarrass himself.

    With a determined expression, Adrian adjusted his aim and breathed in slowly. He pulled the trigger as

    he exhaled. In quick session, the next few shots finally hit the target.

    The longer he yed, the more urate and consistent his shots became. Soon, a small crowd

    formed around the stall. Onlookers were mesmerized by Adrian¡¯s remarkable shooting skills and

    cheered him on.

    When he shot thest bullet, he garnered just enough points to win the teddy bear for Aileen.

    ¡°Amazing! Adrian, you yed really well!¡±

    Aileen hurried over and hugged Adrian, celebrating his victory.

    Quite impressed at the boy¡¯s performance, Earle reluctantly joined the crowd in pping for him.

    ¡°Not bad at all, kid. You really are good. You reminded me of myself when I was young!¡±

    Seeing the rxed expression on Earle¡¯s face, Ss couldn¡¯t help but wonder what exactly was

    happening.

    His great-grandfather had always been a serious and imposing man who seldom yed with kids.

    It was the first time Earle had met Aileen and Adrian, but he seemed to grow fond of them. Moreover,

    the twins appeared to get along with him as well. It was as if the three of them were long-time friends.

    Before Eliana knew that her two children had been taken to the amusement park, she had arrived at

    the kindergarten to pick them up.

    As soon as she got out of the car, she saw that Adrian had called her, but he hung up before she could

    answer the phone.

    Slightly confused, she rushed into the ssroom and found no one there.

    With her children nowhere to be seen, she immediately fell into a panic. She quickly went to the

    teacher and asked, ¡°Miss Walker, where are Aileen and Adrian? I can¡¯t find them anywhere.¡±

    ¡°There you are, Miss Pierce. I¡¯m afraid you just missed them. They left earlier with Ss, so I thought

    you knew his family and allowed them to leave together.¡±

    When the teacher finished speaking, she suddenly realized her mistake and became quite

    embarrassed.

    Did Ss take her two children away?

    As she thought of the phone call she had missed, Eliana¡¯s heart started to pound wildly.

    Did anything bad happen?

    Filled with worry, she took out her phone and called the kids, but they didn¡¯t answer.

    Finally, she couldn¡¯t think of anything else to do but seek help from Maurice.

    Eliana sighed in relief when Maurice answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello, Eliana. What is it?¡± Maurice said casually.

    ¡°Do you know where Adrian and Aileen are? I came to the kindergarten to take them home, but they¡¯re

    not here.¡±

    Hearing her dilemma, Maurice became confused.

    ¡°How should I know? What does this have to do with me?¡±

    Eliana struggled to catch her breath. ¡°Maurice, Ss took them. I don¡¯t know where they went, and I

    couldn¡¯t contact the kids.¡±

    The real reason she called Maurice was that she suspected in the back of her mind that he was behind

    her kids¡¯ disappearance. It seemed like something he would do to manipte her.

    In retrospect, Eliana really regretted not anticipating the worst. She should have transferred the two

    children to another school while she had the chance than let them get too close to Ss. She was being

    thoughtless.

    ¡°Where do you think they might be? Please help me, Maurice. I can¡¯t bear anything bad happening to

    my babies.¡±

    Her voice cracked, and her distinct sobs followed after.

    Maurice felt her pain and quicklyforted her, ¡°Calm down, Eliana. Let¡¯s not overthink things. Go

    home first, get some rest, and wait there. I¡¯ll send my men to look for them.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Maurice immediately dialed Ss¡¯ number.

    At the amusement park, Ss¡¯ phone rang. When he saw Maurice¡¯s name on the caller ID, he put the

    phone beside his ear to answer, but Earle stopped him immediately.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Ss, don¡¯t you dare talk to that bastard!¡± With a menacing look, he turned around and shouted at all

    the bodyguards around him, ¡°No one is allowed to answer Maurice¡¯s call without my permission! Is that

    understood?¡±

 Chapter 429

    Chapter 429

    ¡°But Great-grandpa! Isn¡¯t it wrong to ignore my uncle?¡± Ss cried out helplessly.

    Despite his objections, there was nothing he could do. Earle had always been an imposing man, and

    no one dared to disobey him.

    After receiving strict orders from Earle, none of the bodyguards even thought of answering Maurice¡¯s

    calls.

    ¡°Leave that ungrateful bastard alone. I don¡¯t want to hear his name for the rest of the night. Anyway,

    you kids must be starving by now. Let¡¯s go and have dinner together.¡±

    Heeding Earle¡¯s words, the group headed towards the nearest restaurant.

    N?velDrama.Org holds ? this.

    However, Aileen refused to obey and remained where she stood.

    She hugged the big toy bear and shook her head. ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m afraid Adrian and I can¡¯t have dinner

    with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and why is that?¡±

    Earle raised his eyebrows in surprise.

    Aileen pointed at the darkening sky and said in a serious tone, ¡°We have been gone from school for too

    long. Our mommy must be worried sick about us by now. We have to go home immediately.¡±

    What a respectful and considerate child.

    A rare smile slowly appeared on Earle¡¯s face as he was touched by her words. To everyone¡¯s

    astonishment, he handed the cane to the bodyguard next to him and hugged Aileen gently for the first

    time.

    ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl. I agree. You should go home now.¡±

    Aileen surprisingly felt safe in Earle¡¯s arms. Thefortable bond they shared made it seem like they

    were great-grandfather and great-granddaughter.

    She reached out her hand and wrapped her stubby fingers around Earle¡¯s little finger.

    ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Earle was so moved by her sweet gesture that he almost cried in front of everyone.

    Aileen reminded him so much of his beloved granddaughter, Rosina.

    His affectionate granddaughter had a habit of holding his finger like this whenever she said her

    goodbyes in a pleasant voice. But after that fateful day, he never expected to see her again.

    Recalling the sad past, Earle was immediately buried in grief. With a soft groan, he suddenly felt a

    sharp pain in his chest and copsed to the ground!

    Aileen became shocked and rushed to his side. ¡°Mr. Moran! Are you alright?¡±

    Ss shouted at the bodyguards, ¡°Great-grandfather is hurt! Come quickly and help him!¡±

    Seeing Earle lying on the ground motionless, everyone was horrified at this tragic scene.

    ¡°Adrian, what¡¯s wrong with him? Mr. Moran looks unwell. What should we do?¡±

    Holding Earle¡¯s hand, Aileen felt helpless and was about to cry.

    ¡°Stay calm, Aileen. I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Adrian squatted down immediately. He kept his emotions in check and assessed the situation.

    He noticed when Earle had fallen to the ground, he was reaching into his pocket with his trembling

    hands as if he was going to take out something important.

    With no time to lose, Adrian mustered up the courage to slip his hand into the pocket of Earle¡¯s shirt.

    Sure enough, he touched a bottle-shaped object. He took it out and realized it was a medicine bottle

    with the words ¡°nitroglycerin spray¡± written on thebel.

    Adrian had seen Kimora taking this particr medicine with her just in case she needed it.

    It appeared that Earle was suffering from a rpse of his past illness, so he kept the medicine with him

    to keep the disease at bay.

    Adrian quickly read the instructions on the bottle and soon understood how to use it. Hoping for the

    best, he tried to spray it into Earle¡¯s mouth without hesitation.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Stay back, kid!¡±

    The next second, Earle¡¯s bodyguards rushed over and shoved Adrian away.

    The startled boy fell to the ground. Fortunately, he tightly held the medicine bottle so it wouldn¡¯t break

    on impact.

    ¡°What did you put inside Mr. Moran¡¯s mouth? Tell me!¡± a bodyguard shouted fiercely.

    ¡°Oh, Adrian!¡± Aileen scrambled over to her brother and held his hand. Upset at what had happened,

    she turned her head to the mean-looking bodyguard and eximed, ¡°You are a bad man! Adrian was

    only trying to save Mr. Moran!¡±

    ¡°You there! He¡¯s my friend. Who gave you the permission toy a finger on him?¡± Ss was pissed and

    red at the bodyguard who had just pushed Adrian.

    ¡°But Mr. Gorman, I was only doing my job.¡±

    The bodyguard wanted to exin further but was silenced by Ss. ¡°What you did was way out of line.

    Adrian wouldn¡¯t dare to hurt my great-grandfather!¡±

    Adrian slowly stood up and brushed the dirt from his clothes. He showed everyone the medicine bottle

    and said, ¡°I found this in Mr. Moran¡¯s pocket. We have to give him the medicine right away!¡±

    Ss agreed and insisted on using the medicine, but the bodyguards refused to cooperate. They

    weren¡¯t letting anyone near their boss.

    Just as the two sides were in a stalemate, Aleck suddenly came over and took control of the situation.

    He rushed beside the weakened Earle and nced at the medicine bottle in Adrian¡¯s hand. He was

    shocked to see how smart the young boy was.

    Aleck quickly assumed that Earle forgot to take his medicine on time earlier that noon because he was

    angry at Maurice.

    ¡°Good thinking, kid!¡±

    Aleck took the medicine bottle from Adrian¡¯s hand and sprayed it into Earle¡¯s mouth.

    There were no objections this time, and everyone gathered around to see what happened next.

    To their relief, Earle gradually looked better.

 Chapter 430

    Chapter 430

    Earle was promptly taken to the hospital in the ambnce that arrived.

    The youngsters tagged along as well.

    The top medical professionals were already waiting for them when they arrived at the hospital. Upon

    Earle¡¯s arrival, he was taken to the special VIP ward for evaluation.

    The children were waiting outside the ward. Ss¡¯ palms were sweating from anxiety.

    Aileen and Adrian locked eyes and took Ss¡¯ hand at the same time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ss,¡± Aileen reassured him. ¡°There is no need to worry about Mr. Moran. He will be

    okay.¡±

    Ss, his face dull, agreed, saying, ¡°My great-grandpa is extremely privileged, so he will definitely be

    okay.¡±

    The sight of the three kids holding hands outside of the ward made the nurse feel uneasy. She had to

    go up to them and console them, saying, ¡°You kids must be incredibly close. Have no fear. The health

    of your great-grandfather is not a concern.¡±

    Ss quickly corrected the nurse¡¯s assumption that they were siblings by saying, ¡°We are not rted in

    any way, sorry.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Aileen answered in a sh. ¡°You are both my older brothers, we are rted!¡±

    After the death of his parents, Ss had not experienced the genuinefort of family until then.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ss said with a hushed voice as he bowed his head.

    ¡°Miss Pretty, what¡¯s Mr. Moran¡¯s condition?¡± Aileen inquired of the nurse hesitantly.

    When Aileen addressed her as Miss Pretty, the nurse couldn¡¯t contain her excitement. She got down on

    her knees and pinched her round cheek.

    ¡°Not to fret. He received first aid treatment in time, so everything will be well.¡±

    All three children let out a collective sigh of relief.

    ¡°Thank you, Adrian. When my great-grandpa fell, I had no idea what to do. What might have happened

    if not for you would be beyond my wildest imaginations.¡±

    Ss expressed his gratitude.

    The nurse stared at Adrian in disbelief. ¡°He administered first aid?¡±

    ¡°It was nothing,¡± Adrianmented quickly, waving his hand. ¡°I just came across the medication Mr.

    Moran was carrying.¡±

    The nurse patted him on the back and eximed, ¡°You¡¯re amazing, boy!¡±

    Adrian was ttered to beplimented in this manner.

    At that moment, the doctor emerged from the ward.

    ¡°Doctor, I was wondering how my great-grandpa is doing,¡± Ss inquired in a hurry.

    ¡°He¡¯s alright,¡± the doctor said, taking off his mask. ¡°Seeing him at this time is fine, but you must be

    quiet. The time you can spend seeing him is limited. Do you get it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I get it.¡±

    The three youngsters all gave affirmative nods.

    Then they all walked inside Earle¡¯s room and got close to him in bed.

    ¡°Hey¡­ Kids, howes you¡¯re here?¡±

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    Earle appeared to be doing much better. He could hardly speak before.

    Holding Earle¡¯s hand, Aileen inquired wearily, ¡°Mr. Moran, do you feel any better? My blood was

    running cold moments ago.¡±

    When speaking to Aileen, Earle couldn¡¯t help but tone it down.

    ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, you were overly confident about your health,¡± Adrian, who was standing next to them, said.

    ¡°You were in poor health and should not have yed with us. You ought to follow the example of the

    other old men and go for walks after meals.¡±

    The way he put it offended Earle.

    ¡°What¡¯s your deal, boy? There was a day in my youth when¡­¡±

    Earle started to boast about his aplishments again, but Ss cut him off, saying, ¡°Great-grandpa, I

    have heard a lot about what you had experienced when you were young. I agree with Adrian though;

    you¡¯re too over your prime to be hanging around with kids.¡±

    As Earle was about to explode, Aileen stepped in and defended him.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. Mr. Moran would apany us to the amusement park if he so desired. He

    might¡­ He could ride with us on the merry-go-round!¡±

    Earle found Aileen¡¯s remarks humorous. He had a soft spot in his heart for these kids. But for the

    Moran Group, he couldn¡¯t let the news of his heart disease leak out.

    He said sternly to the little siblings, ¡°Children, swear me you will not tell anybody what happened,

    okay?¡±

    With a respectful nod, Aileen said, ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t worry. Not a soul will know. Let¡¯s keep this

    between us!¡±

    Adrian¡¯s grave response was, ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone, either.¡±

    At this point, night had fallenpletely. It was imperative that the twins go on their way.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m afraid we need to head back home. Mommy must be quite concerned about us,¡± Aileen

    remarked uneasily.

    Earle was hesitant to let them go at first. ¡°Child, who is your mother?¡± he couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

    ¡°My mother is¡­¡±

 Chapter 431

    Chapter 431

    Oh no!

    ¡°Aileen!¡± Ss suddenly cried out.

    Aileen was interrupted before she could finish her words. She turned around and looked at Ss in

    confusion. ¡°What is it, Ss? Is there anything wrong?¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Ss knew that his great-grandfather despised Eliana. If Earle found out that Aileen and Adrian were

    her children, he might begin to treat them wrongly.

    ¡°You should see the worried look on your face.¡± Earle frowned and continued, ¡°Well, we¡¯re all listening.

    If you have anything to say, just say it.¡±

    It was a rare urrence for Ss to hesitate with his words.

    To protect his friends, he couldn¡¯t tell the truth, but lying to his family was not an option. It was not the

    right thing to do.

    Everyone in the ward looked at him expectantly at the same time, waiting for him to continue, but his

    mind went nk.

    Fortunately for him, the doctor interrupted their conversation.

    ¡°Kids, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s time to leave. You all should go now because Mr. Moran needs to rest to regain his

    strength.¡±

    With everyone distracted, Ss was greatly relieved.

    The three kids obediently filed out of Earle¡¯s ward. When Ss checked his smartwatch, he saw several

    missed calls from Maurice.

    What was going on this time? There might have been an emergency! Otherwise, Maurice wouldn¡¯t

    have attempted to contact him repeatedly.

    Fearing for the worse, he immediately dialed Maurice¡¯s number.

    ¡°Um, hello?¡±

    ¡°Ss, why haven¡¯t you been answering my calls? Tell me where you are this instant. Did you take the

    twins with you? Do you know that their mother is going crazy because she couldn¡¯t find them?¡± Maurice

    said with frustration in his voice.

    Uh-oh! Eliana had been searching for Adrian and Aileen all this time?

    Realizing that he had done something wrong, Ss quickly replied, ¡°I¡¯m now at the hospital with great-

    grandfather. Adrian and Aileen are here with me.¡±

    ¡°I see. Just stay put. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Maurice got inside his car and immediately drove to the hospital.

    When he arrived at the hospital lobby, he saw the three children sitting together on the chairs by the

    hallway. Letting out a sigh of relief, he went straight to them.

    Adrian was the first one to see Maurice approaching. He frowned and said in disgust, ¡°What are you

    doing here? I want my mommy!¡±

    Maurice snorted in annoyance and red at Adrian. He had just postponed several important meetings

    to personally see if they were alright. Hearing the young boyin, he immediately ran out of

    patience.

    ¡°Watch it, kid. I¡¯m in no mood to tolerate that attitude of yours.¡±

    As soon as they met, it seemed they were about to start a fight with each other.

    ¡°Can you please stop arguing? I am so hungry and sleepy.¡±

    Aileen leaned back against the chair, holding her stomach and closing her eyes.

    ¡°Wait a minute. You all haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡±

    Curled up on the chair, Aileen looked so cute that Maurice felt sorry for her.

    Realizing that he hadn¡¯t gotten food for his friends, Ss nodded in embarrassment.

    ¡°Well then, let me take you to dinner first.¡±

    Maurice picked up the sleepy Aileen and carried her to the car, beckoning the two boys to follow him.

    After a few minutes, he took the three children to the McDonald¡¯s restaurant.

    When the food arrived at their table, Maurice sent a message to Eliana, informing her that he was with

    the kids.

    While Maurice was busy texting on his phone, Aileen looked at the refreshing soda on the table and

    began to drool. She couldn¡¯t help reaching out her little hand to pick up the cup. But before she could

    even take a sip, Maurice snatched the soda away.

    ¡°Nope. Soft drinks are not good for children.¡± Maurice put the iced soda near him and handed Aileen a

    bottle of yogurt. ¡°Here, drink this.¡±

    ¡°But I want to drink soda. Please, Mr. Moran. I promise I will only take a sip!¡±

    Aileen tugged at the hem of Maurice¡¯s clothes and began to act like a spoiled child.

    This particr trick of hers had always worked in the past. But unfortunately, nothing she did could

    change Maurice¡¯s mind.

    Frowning in defeat, Aileen had no choice but to take the yogurt and drink it. While sipping the tasty

    beverage, she rolled her eyes andined, ¡°Darn it.¡±

    Maurice simply smiled and took a big gulp of soda for everyone to see, which further annoyed Aileen.

    Adrian couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and said, ¡°You should set a good example before lecturing others.¡±

    Little did he know that his words would soon affect everyone else at the table. Within seconds, Maurice

    took Adrian¡¯s soda away and stopped drinking it himself.

    Then he shot a meaningful look at Ss.

    ¡°I¡¯m not actually fond of soda. I like yogurt better!¡± Ss immediately announced, understanding

    Maurice¡¯s signal.

    In the end, all the drinks on the table were reced with yogurt.

    A toothy grin slowly appeared on Aileen¡¯s face. She felt better now that they were all equal.

    She raised the yogurt and said happily, ¡°Cheers!¡±

    Ss raised his yogurt cup in the air while Maurice and Adrian looked at each other and then turned

    their heads away in disgust.

    ¡°Oh,e on now! Let¡¯s all be friends and drink together!¡±

    Aileen held their hands and showed them her puppy eyes. Groaning in frustration, Maurice and Adrian

    had no choice but to give in.

    When Eliana arrived, she saw Aileen holding the hands of both Maurice and Adrian as they cheerfully

    bumped their cups together in the air.

    Eliana paused for a moment and smiled. She couldn¡¯t help but cherish the happy scene in front of her.

 Chapter 432

    Chapter 432

    Ss suddenly spotted Eliana from across the restaurant and waved at her. ¡°Miss Pierce, over here!¡±

    The rest of the group turned their heads at the same time and saw Eliana standing by the door.

    ¡°You¡¯re finally here,¡± Maurice said calmly.

    His seemingly nonchnt attitude ignited the anger in Eliana¡¯s heart.

    She had been searching for her two kids everywhere the entire evening and almost went crazy.

    Thinking the kids had been with Maurice the whole time made Eliana extremely pissed. She had called

    him earlier for help, and he pretended to know nothing.

    ¡°Maurice, why the hell did you lie to me?¡±

    Raising his eyebrows in confusion, Maurice shrugged and asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°It turns out that you were secretly hanging out with the kids while I worried for their safety. You told me

    that you had no idea where they were. Was it fun to y with them and make a fool out of me?¡±

    Clenching her fists, Eliana trembled with anger. She had never been this furious in her entire life.

    The kids were shocked at the fierce expression on her face.

    After scolding Maurice, Eliana turned her attention to the twins and questioned them, ¡°Adrian and

    Aileen, where have you been today?¡±

    Aileen lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare to say anything. On the other hand, Adrian mustered up the

    courage and replied in a low voice, ¡°Mommy, we went to the amusement park to y.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Amusement park? Then why didn¡¯t you answer any of my calls? I¡¯ve been trying to reach you the

    whole evening,¡± Eliana asked, trying to suppress her anger.

    Aileen opened her mouth to speak but suddenly remembered her promise to Earle, so she kept her lips

    sealed and stared at the table.

    The sad little twins lowered their heads in tacit silence.

    Seeing that they couldn¡¯t exin themselves in front of everyone only meant one thing in Eliana¡¯s mind.

    Maurice was responsible for this mess!

    Moreover, he even had the guts to threaten them not to tell the truth!

    ¡°Maurice, be honest with me. Did you take my kids to the amusement park?¡±

    Eliana would not let this matter pass so easily. The twins were the most important people in the world

    to her. She needed to get answers.

    What scared her the most was the possibility that Maurice would take her children away from her one

    day.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. I took them with me without asking for your

    permission. It has nothing to do with my uncle,¡± Ss hurriedly exined.

    Eliana was so angry that she could no longer be reasoned with. Her fury was directed solely at

    Maurice. Even though what Ss had said made sense, she would only think of it as an excuse to

    defend his uncle.

    ¡°Ss,¡± Eliana said through gritted teeth. ¡°I trusted you, so I let you y with Adrian and Aileen. But you

    shouldn¡¯t have taken them away without informing me at all! You¡¯re so irresponsible! I¡¯m very

    disappointed in you!¡±

    It was the first time that Ss had seen Eliana lose her temper. He was so frightened that his face

    turned pale, and his eyes welled up with tears.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± All of a sudden, Maurice mmed his hand on the table, capturing everyone¡¯s

    attention. ¡°Eliana, why are you taking out your frustrations on the children? You are being

    unreasonable!¡±

    Eliana had every right to be angry because she had been worried sick the whole day. Maurice even

    chose to keep silent when she berated him.

    But now, she was throwing a temper tantrum at the children. He couldn¡¯t just sit by and do nothing.

    ¡°Excuse me? I am being unreasonable?¡± Eliana snorted in disbelief. ¡°You asshole! You were trying to

    take them away from me!¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help butugh at her baseless usation. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind! I have spent hours

    helping you search for your kids! Now that I¡¯ve found them, this is how you repay me? What an

    ingrate!¡±

    The two of them continued to argue so intensely that their faces turned red. They red at each other,

    and neither side was willing to concede.

    Frightened by their shouting match, the kids sat there frozen in silence.

    The noise attracted the attention of all the customers inside the restaurant, drawing looks of concern

    and disgust.

    A senior waiter hurried over and interrupted, ¡°Sir and madam, I know that couples tend to fight, but

    please keep it down. Our other customers areining. Please settle the matter inside your home.¡±

    To his surprise, Maurice and Eliana turned their heads at the same time and shouted in unison, ¡°We

    are not a couple!¡±

 Chapter 433

    Chapter 433

    The waiter was stunned for a moment. He looked at Maurice and Eliana, and then at Adrian and

    Aileen, who looked like Eliana. Finally, he fixed her eyes on Ss, who looked like Maurice. There was

    a confused expression on his face.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not a couple?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Eliana was so pissed that she grabbed Aileen¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s hands and was about to leave.

    But at this moment, Aileen suddenly squatted on the floor with a pale face.

    ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t feel well.¡±

    Eliana immediately squatted down and held up Aileen¡¯s face.

    ¡°Aileen, your face!¡± she eximed.

    Aileen¡¯s tender face was covered with small red rashes, and her body was burning hot.

    Ss and Adrian were both terrified and immediately came over.

    Maurice was also shocked when he saw Aileen¡¯s red face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±

    Eliana looked at Maurice in a panic and asked, ¡°Did you order something with peaches for her?¡±

    ¡°Peaches?¡± Maurice frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t give her any peaches.¡±

    ¡°Aileen has been allergic to peaches since she was born. She must have eaten some!¡± Eliana shouted

    at Maurice, holding Aileen tightly in her arms.

    ¡°Peaches¡­¡± Ss muttered to himself and nced at the yogurt on the table.

    Something suddenly urred to him. He picked up the yogurt and checked it carefully.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, this yogurt is peach vored.¡±

    Ss handed the yogurt to Eliana. Indeed, there was abel on the bottle saying that it was peach

    vored.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    Eliana nervously took the bottle of yogurt that Aileen had drunk. There was still a lot left in the bottle. It

    meant that Aileen had only drank a little.

    ¡°Fortunately, she only drank a little.¡±

    With a gloomy face, Maurice took out his phone and called a doctor. After hanging up, he went to carry

    Aileen in his arms.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eliana became vignt.

    Maurice said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯ve already called the doctor. We need to get her home right away.¡±

    Eliana looked at Aileen¡¯s flushed face in her arms. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Then they rushed back to the Pierce family¡¯s house.

    When they arrived home, the doctor was already there, waiting for them.

    They surrounded the doctor nervously as he examined Aileen at once.

    At this moment, Eliana and Maurice didn¡¯t care about their fight anymore. They looked at Aileen on the

    bed worriedly.

    Eliana sat on the edge of the bed and touched Aileen¡¯s forehead. ¡°Aileen, how are you feeling? Do you

    feel ufortable?¡±

    Aileen felt ufortable, lying on the bed. But seeing Eliana and Maurice so worried about her, she

    felt happy.

    After checking Aileen, the doctor prescribed some medicine and said that the little girl would be fine the

    next morning after she took the medicine and had a good sleep.

    Aileen obediently took the medicine. Eliana stayed by her bed and wanted to tuck her in.

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    But unexpectedly, she stretched out her little hand from the quilt and reached out to Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can you apany me?¡±

    Looking at the poor and lovely girl lying on the bed, Maurice couldn¡¯t bear to leave. He wanted to stay

    with her.

    But when he thought that Aileen was Eliana and Jonathan¡¯s daughter, he felt bad, wishing to leave

    immediately.

    Maurice remained silent. Aileen stubbornly reached out her hand at him, gradually looking

    disappointed.

    Adrian held Aileen¡¯s hand andforted her, ¡°Aileen, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll keep youpany.¡±

    Eliana looked at Maurice indifferently and said, ¡°You can leave now. Take Ss home. It¡¯s been a long

    day for everyone.¡±

    Ss kept his head down the whole time. And when he heard Eliana¡¯s words, he felt sadder. He raised

    his head, and there were already tears in his eyes.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault today. If I hadn¡¯t taken them with me, Aileen wouldn¡¯t have had

    an allergy. I am really sorry.¡±

    The room was so silent that only Ss¡¯ sobs could be heard.

 Chapter 434

    Chapter 434

    When Eliana saw the guilty look on Ss¡¯ face, mixed emotions filled her heart.

    She knew that what had happened today was not entirely his fault. But she couldn¡¯t help feeling scared.

    She couldn¡¯t imagine the pain of losing her children.

    ¡°Ss, you must be tired today too. Everything is fine here. You can go home first,¡± Eliana sighed. She

    didn¡¯t ept Ss¡¯ apology.

    Ss understood what she meant, so he lowered his head more. There was a guilty and depressed

    expression on his face.

    Maurice put his hand on Ss¡¯ shoulder, leaned over, andforted him softly, ¡°Ss, it¡¯s not your

    fault.¡±

    Then he took Ss and left the Pierce family¡¯s house.

    On their way home, Ss still thought of what had happened during the day. He couldn¡¯t help asking

    Maurice, ¡°Do you know who is Aileen and Adrian¡¯s father?¡±

    Maurice was stunned for a moment. He didn¡¯t understand why Ss suddenly became curious about it.

    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    Ss answered honestly, ¡°Because I really hope that you are their father.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡± Ss¡¯ answer made Maurice even more confused.

    ¡°So I can be their real family.¡±

    There was a trace of expectation in Ss¡¯ voice.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Do you like them so much that you want them to be your family?¡±

    Ss nodded. ¡°Yes, I like them very much.¡±

    Real family?

    It could never happen.

    After all, the twins¡¯ father was not him but Jonathan.

    At the thought of this, Maurice¡¯s face suddenly darkened.

    ¡°I¡¯m not the twins¡¯ father.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ss looked disappointed. ¡°Miss Pierce is so angry today. Will she not let me y with Aileen

    and Adrian anymore?¡±

    At the mention of this matter, Maurice felt morose.

    ¡°Ss, you should stop ying with those two kids in the future. I don¡¯t want Eliana to me you again

    if something happens.¡±

    Ss was distressed at once. ¡°But I want to y with Aileen and Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Ss, just listen to me!¡±

    After saying this, Maurice immediately pulled a long face.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to listen to you!¡±

    Ss stubbornly turned his head sideways and covered his ears, not wanting to hear Maurice¡¯s words

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    No one was willing to give in, and the atmosphere in the car suddenly became depressing.

    They soon arrived at the Moran family¡¯s house.

    Ss opened the door and rushed out of the car. Maurice could only sigh silently and follow him.

    Ss ran into his room and threw himself on the bed, feeling dejected.

    There was his family photo on the bedside table. At that time, his parents were still there. They held his

    hands and smiled happily.

    He hugged the family photo, and Aileen¡¯s words echoed in his mind.

    ¡°You are both my older brothers, we are rted!¡±

    Ss thought that he had found a new family, but he was wrong. Eliana would not let Aileen and Adrian

    be his family anymore.

    The more he thought about it, the sadder he became. Tears streamed down his face like a waterfall.

    Maurice was worried about Ss, so he went straight to the door of the boy¡¯s room. He heard Ss¡¯

    suppressed crying from the inside.

    He knocked, opened the door, and walked in. He saw Ss lying on the bed and crying secretly with

    the family photo in his arms.

    ¡°Ss, are you alright?¡±

    Maurice wanted to walk over andfort Ss.

    But when Ss saw Maurice approaching, he was very resistant. He grabbed a pillow and threw it at

    Maurice. Then he buried his head in another pillow and shouted, ¡°Go away! I don¡¯t want to see you

    anymore!¡±

    Watching Ss lose his temper, Maurice didn¡¯t know what to do for a while. He couldn¡¯t help feeling

    very depressed.

    In the Pierce family¡¯s house, Eliana and Adrian coaxed Aileen to sleep.

    Eliana patted Adrian on the head and said, ¡°Adrian, you must be tired. Go to bed now.¡±

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Adrian raised his head and looked at Eliana as if he had made up his mind. ¡°Actually, what

    happened today is not Ss¡¯ uncle¡¯s fault.¡±

    Eliana was confused. ¡°What do you mean? What really happened to you today?¡±

    Adrian thought it over for a while. Then he came up with an exnation that could not only keep his

    promise to Earle but also make him exin to his mother clearly.

    ¡°You and Nana didn¡¯te to pick us up, so Ss offered to send us home. But on the way, we met an

    old man who had a heart attack. We had to take him to the hospital, so we went homete.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you immediately tell me?¡± Eliana was surprised by what she had learned.

    ¡°Because the old man didn¡¯t want his family to worry about him. He begged us to keep it a secret. We

    promised him not to tell anyone. We wanted to keep our promise, so we didn¡¯t tell you about it.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s exnation made Eliana feel a little guilty.

    It seemed that she really misunderstood Maurice this time.

 Chapter 435

    Chapter 435

    Nana returned homete at night. She seemed to be in high spirits and was even humming a song.

    When she opened the door, she was stunned to see Eliana sitting alone in the living room, visibly lost

    in thought.

    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s up with you?¡± Nana asked with concern.

    ¡°Nana, you¡¯re back!¡±

    It was only when she heard Nana¡¯s voice that Eliana came to her senses.

    Nana ignored Eliana¡¯s greeting and asked seriously, ¡°Eliana, why aren¡¯t you sleeping at this time of

    night? What are you doing alone in the living room?¡±

    ¡°I just can¡¯t fall asleep,¡± Eliana replied perfunctorily.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±

    Nana believed her word and didn¡¯t not to think too much.

    Seeing that Nana was visibly very happy, Eliana couldn¡¯t help teasing her. ¡°Nana, tell me frankly, you

    and Corbin, you¡­ You guys are in a rtionship, right?¡±

    Nana was a little shy and stammered, ¡°Well, we¡¯re¡­ we¡¯re just friends¡­¡±

    Eliana was utterly stunned. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s obvious you like him. Hasn¡¯t Corbin confessed his love for

    you yet?¡±

    Upon hearing what Eliana said, Nana burst intoughter. ¡°Corbin¡­ He seems to have never been in a

    rtionship, so he¡¯s a bit shy¡­¡±

    Eliana was stunned to hear that Corbin had never been in a rtionship before.

    She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°It¡¯s really hard to understand love. Corbin has never had a romantic

    rtionship before, so he seems a bit silly about it. I, on the other hand, already have two children, but

    I¡¯m still confused about love.¡±

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    ¡°Honey, tell me, what happened between you and Maurice this time?¡±

    After hearing what Eliana had just said, Nana sensed that something was wrong.

    With a bitter smile, Eliana told Nana everything that had happened tonight.

    ¡°Well, this time it was all my fault. I realized toote that I had misunderstood him. I don¡¯t know how to

    face him now.¡±

    Nana came to sit next to Eliana. She put her arm around Eliana¡¯s shoulder andforted her, ¡°If you

    want to clear up the misunderstanding, you better take real action!¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Eliana asked sadly.

    ¡°Well, you have to calm down first. Go back to work as usual. If you meet Maurice, keep your cool and

    talk to him in order to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°That makes sense!¡± Eliana replied with a bright smile.

    Nana quickly had another idea. ¡°I can also ask Corbin to tell you when Maurice is in a good mood. You

    can go to Maurice and clear up the misunderstanding at that time.¡±

    The idea appealed to Eliana. However, she was still a little hesitant. ¡°Won¡¯t it put you into too much

    trouble?¡± Eliana asked worriedly.

    However, Nana quickly reassured her, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry! The fact that I help you means that I help

    myself. After all, you, me, Aileen and Adrian are all under Maurice¡¯s control. Who would like to live a life

    under surveince?¡±

    Nana¡¯s face was serious.

    Eliana was silent for a moment. Then she looked at Nana and said seriously, ¡°Nana, sometimes you

    seem to be enjoying your life right now¡­¡±

    Nana was very reluctant to stay in the Pierce family¡¯s house when they had just moved in. She

    comined every day that Maurice was a freak and asked Eliana to notpromise.

    But now she seemed to have adjusted to this life. When she spoke of Maurice now, she didn¡¯tin

    anymore.

    She had even just proposed to Eliana to reconcile with Maurice¡­

    Nana paused for a few seconds when she heard what Eliana said.

    She couldn¡¯t help thinking that Eliana was right to an extent.

    Why did she suggest Eliana to make up with that freak Maurice?

    Didn¡¯t she hate Maurice to the core?

    Nana made deep introspection to understand when her attitude towards Maurice had changed.

    She felt it all came from her frequent contact with Corbin.

    Every time they met, Corbin would harp on about how special his boss treated Eliana and all the things

    his boss had done for Eliana.

    At first, she just scoffed at the whole thing, but over time, her hatred for Maurice had seriously

    subsided.

    After Corbin saved her so many times, Nana began to trust him blindly and no longer doubted what he

    said.

    After the deep introspection, Nana discovered the crux of the problem. She eximed, ¡°I see. As

    Maurice¡¯s hostage and aplice, Corbin is constantly brainwashing me¡­¡±

    ¡°You are probably right. We are prisoners of Maurice and he won¡¯t let us go anytime soon.¡±

    Eliana and Nana looked at each other and sighed in unison.

 Chapter 436

    Chapter 436

    Eliana finally followed Nana¡¯s advice. The next day, she got up early in the morning to go back to the

    Moran Group.

    She even bought a cup of coffee downstairs for Maurice, wanting to apologize to him.

    Then as nned, she went to talk to Corbin first.

    As soon as she reached upstairs, Eliana saw Corbin walking towards the CEO¡¯s office with a doctor.

    She rushed over to him and asked, ¡°Corbin, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Eliana? Why are you here?¡± Corbin was a little surprised to see her.

    ¡°Did something happen to Maurice?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s expression revealed her worries about Maurice.

    Corbin suddenly thought of an idea. Wasn¡¯t there a chance for Maurice to make peace with Eliana?

    So he pretended to be very worried and said, ¡°It¡¯s a rpse of his arm injury.¡±

    ¡°His arm injury? It has recovered, right?¡± Eliana was confused.

    ¡°You know what kind of person our boss is. His arm was badly injured before, but he refused to receive

    timely treatment. It has been dragged on until now.¡±

    Corbin heaved a deep sigh. It was as if Maurice really had an incurable disease.

    And it worked. Because Eliana became anxious and began to panic.

    When Corbin saw that she took his words seriously, he suggested, ¡°How about you go in with the

    doctor?¡±

    Eliana wanted to find an opportunity to reconcile with Maurice, so she agreed.

    She took the doctor to the door of Maurice¡¯s office and knocked.

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    Eliana pushed the door open and came in. Maurice sat at his desk, concentrating on his work. He didn¡¯t

    even raise his head to see who came in.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I brought a doctor to check your arm.¡±

    When Maurice heard the familiar voice, the pen in his hand paused. Then he immediately returned to

    normal.

    ¡°Okay. You can leave now.¡±

    His tone was extremely indifferent.

    Holding the cup of coffee in her hand, Eliana hesitated for a while. Then she walked over to the desk

    and said, ¡°I also brought coffee for you. Drink it first.¡±

    ¡°Just put it there,¡± Maurice said, still keeping his head down.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran is injured. He can¡¯t drink coffee now,¡± the doctor reminded her.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help feeling a little disappointed.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, let me check your injury now.¡±

    The doctor walked over to Maurice and was about to roll up his sleeve. But Maurice looked at Eliana

    and suddenly said, ¡°Come here.¡±

    ¡°Me? Why? What do I need to do?¡±

    Eliana was still a bit lost, but Maurice had already raised his arm.

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

    She hurriedly walked up to him to roll up his sleeve obediently.

    Maurice turned his head sideways to look at her. There was an unreadable look in his eyes.

    Eliana cheered herself up and rolled up Maurice¡¯s sleeve carefully, revealing his strong arm

    underneath.

    Without the cover of the clothes, arge bluish-purple bruise was exposed in front of her.

    It wasn¡¯t just a simple injury.

    Eliana was a little out of breath. It was as if her heart had been squeezed.

    ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± she asked sulkily.

    Maurice sneered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you yell at me yesterday? Why are you suddenly so kind today?¡±

    Eliana lowered her head, not knowing how to exin.

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    The doctor stepped forward and examined Maurice¡¯s arm carefully. He frowned and said, ¡°Mr. Moran, I

    have warned you not to do strenuous exercise, right? Did you do some exercise secretly?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Maurice firmly denied. ¡°I haven¡¯t done any strenuous exercise since I saved someonest time.¡±

    Strenuous exercise?

    Eliana suddenly remembered that Maurice had sex with her after being injured.

    No way! Was sex also a kind of strenuous exercise?

    But actually, their sex was really quite intense.

    At the thought of this, Eliana¡¯s face flushed. She was so embarrassed that she stretched out her hand

    and tugged at Maurice¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Stop it.¡±

    Maurice looked at Eliana¡¯s red face, feeling confused.

    What was she thinking?

    Why was she acting so weird?

    Maurice didn¡¯t understand. But the doctor did.

    He coughed lightly. ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s normal for young people to be energetic. But you are injured now.

    It¡¯s better to restrain yourself, so as not to hurt your body.¡±

    Maurice was more confused. Restrain himself to avoid hurting his body?

    He thought for a while. Finally, he realized what the doctor meant. He looked at Eliana with a yful

    expression.

    Eliana wished she could dig a hole and hide.

    After checking on Maurice, the doctor prescribed medicine and left the office, leaving Maurice and

    Eliana.

    There was a deathly silence in the office.

    In the end, Eliana couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. She looked at Maurice and said seriously, ¡°Maurice, I¡­¡±

    But before she could apologize, there was a knock on the door.

    Then Harriet came in.

 Chapter 437

    Chapter 437

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡­¡±

    When Harriet entered Maurice¡¯s office, she saw that only he and Eliana were there. This made her feel

    very ufortable, but she did her best not to show it on her face.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you are here too.¡±

    Eliana smiled awkwardly. She really admired Harriet¡¯s ability to keep cool even under such

    circumstances.

    The rtionship between them was no longer harmonious. But in front of Eliana, Harriet could still

    maintain a calm expression. Eliana was impressed.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Maurice asked Harriet. He sounded impatient.

    ¡°I heard that your grandpa is sick, and I¡¯m very worried about him. How is he now?¡± Harriet had a

    worried expression on her face, and she sounded sincere.

    ¡°He is fine now,¡± Maurice replied indifferently.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good to hear.¡± Harriet took a deep breath and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve invited the doctor who

    performed his heart surgery back then toe back, just in case. Mr. Moran, when you are free, I¡¯ll

    take you to see him.¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows, somewhat surprised.

    The doctor who treated Earle was not easy to invite. After Earle¡¯s operation, he engaged in medical

    research activities in other countries. Maurice didn¡¯t expect that Harriet could persuade him to return to

    the country.

    When Maurice thought of Earle¡¯s physical condition, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried too. He

    pondered for a moment and replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡±

    Harriet was apparently happy.

    Eliana stood at the side, feeling like a superfluous person.

    ¡°What about Miss Pierce?¡± Harriet asked Maurice, but her eyes were on Eliana, looking at her

    provocatively.

    Maurice turned to Eliana and said expressionlessly, ¡°You can go out first.¡±

    He was still angry about what happened yesterday.

    When Eliana heard this, her face turned pale. She looked a little embarrassed.

    Harriet noticed the change in Eliana¡¯s expression, and she couldn¡¯t help but gloat inside.

    She thought Maurice liked Eliana very much. It turned out that he got sick of Eliana so soon.

    But when Eliana went out, Maurice didn¡¯t treat Harriet any better either.

    His deep-set eyes were unusually cold. He looked at her up and down for a moment and finally said

    with disgust, ¡°As Earle¡¯s grandson, I am grateful for what you¡¯ve done for him. But I still have to remind

    you, don¡¯t waste time and energy on me. No matter how much you invest in me, it will be futile. I¡¯m not

    interested in you, let alone marrying you.¡±

    However, Harriet didn¡¯t get hurt by his words. Instead, she smiled confidently.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯m confident that you will be mine in the end.¡±

    After walking out of Maurice¡¯s office, Eliana returned to her desk, lost in thought.

    Suddenly, confetti was thrown at her head with a bang. Then Lilian came out with a bottle of

    champagne and their other female colleagues.

    ¡°Wee back, Eliana! I really envy you. You cane and go to thepany as freely as you want.

    You have almost taken our office as your home. But why haven¡¯t I seen any of your good works?¡±

    Lilian seemed to wee Eliana. But actually, every word she said was full of sarcasm.

    Eliana had already gotten used to this a long time ago. So she calmly removed the confetti from her

    head and took the bottle of champagne from Lilian¡¯s hand. Then she poured two sses leisurely, one

    for her and the other for Lilian.

    ¡°Want to drink with me?¡±

    Lilian felt frustrated when she saw that Eliana was not even affected by her words.

    ¡°Eliana, are you really that thick-skinned? How dare you stille to thepany now!¡±

    Eliana took a sip of the wine. She didn¡¯t care about Lilian¡¯s sarcasm at all.

    ¡°Lilian, I know you don¡¯t like me all along. You¡¯re saying that I seldome to work, and I have no

    good works? How about you? I have checked your works online before. Yes, you work every day. But

    why haven¡¯t youe up with any good designs? With the quality of your work, how dare you still

    come to thepany!¡±

    ¡°Eliana! You¡­¡±

    Lilian was so angry that she wanted to pounce on Eliana and hit her. But a female colleague beside her

    stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it. She has someone powerful backing her, so we can¡¯t afford to offend her.¡±

    This made Lilian calm down a little.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana smiled with self-mockery. ¡°I hope the next time I drink with you, it¡¯s a celebration of my

    resignation.¡±

    Then she drank up the champagne in her ss and sat in her seat indifferently.

    This time, Lilian still failed to piss her off.

    Lilian stared at Eliana¡¯s back indignantly. There was hatred in her heart.

    She couldn¡¯t wait for Harriet to get Maurice.

    When that time came, Eliana would be doomed.

 Chapter 438

    Chapter 438

    After Harriet left Maurice¡¯s office and returned to her department, she saw a group of people gathering

    around Eliana.

    She frowned. ¡°What are you doing? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be working? Go back to your work!¡±

    Seeing their bossing back, everyone, including Lilian, immediately returned to their desks

    reluctantly.

    In an instant, only Eliana was left.

    Harriet raised her head and walked towards Eliana aggressively.

    She had already offended Eliana openly when she was at the Moran family¡¯s house. Now that Maurice

    was not here, she didn¡¯t have to pretend to be kind anymore.

    Judging from Maurice¡¯s attitude towards Eliana in the office just now, he must not care about Eliana

    that much.

    Harriet was confident she could win his heart this time. So she was happy to make more trouble for

    Eliana now.

    At the thought of this, the smile on her face became brighter. ¡°Eliana, I know you¡¯ve worked so hard

    recently, and you must be tired. But you¡¯ve rested. So since you¡¯re back, you need to work harder.

    Please finish Cheryl¡¯s project now.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She asked, ¡°That damn project isn¡¯t done yet?¡±

    Harriet feigned a smile and remarked, ¡°Not really. I mean, the bracelet you designed is really good, and

    I¡¯ve already sent it to Cheryl for you. A few days ago, Cheryl wore that bracelet, and it became a

    trending topic.¡±

    ¡°A trending topic? Why?¡±

    Did Cheryl be the trending topic because the bracelet was gorgeous?

    But a bad feeling suddenly came to Eliana. She quickly took out her phone and searched for news

    about Cheryl.

    And she was shocked by the topics.

    ¡°Shocking news! Top idol Eli is in love with a mysterious woman?¡±

    ¡°Bracelet!¡±

    ¡°Top female artist Cheryl is the owner of the bracelet?¡±

    ¡°Eli and Cheryl are in a rtionship?¡±

    After Eliana browsed the topics, it was only then that she realized that the news was ridiculous

    romance gossip.

    It turned out that some paparazzi photographed Eli meeting a mysterious woman four days ago. But

    the paparazzi did not take a frontal photo of the mysterious woman.

    But the photos immediately exploded on social media as soon as they were posted.

    The mysterious woman was wearing an exquisite bracelet. Later, theizens found out that the

    woman was Cheryl because of the special shape of the bracelet she wore.

    A few days ago, she attended an event wearing the same bracelet.

    So the news that Eli and Cheryl were in a secret rtionship quickly became a hot topic and rocketed

    to the top of the news list. And even the bracelet received so much attention.

    Many people crazily looked for the same style online.

    Eliana was totally speechless. After reading the entire report, she said indignantly, ¡°This is bullshit!¡±

    She didn¡¯t believe that an arrogant man like Eli would fall in love with Cheryl.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether it¡¯s true or not. All I know is that it¡¯s a good chance to promote the bracelet.

    Thanks to them, your bracelet is famous now. We can take advantage of this opportunity to make mass

    production. This can be profitable for the Design Department,¡± Harriet said.

    Eliana was even more speechless. She wanted to refute, but Harriet interrupted her impatiently, ¡°The

    company has already decided on this matter. I have arranged an interview for you and Cheryl. It will be

    in the next few days. Then you and she will join forces to promote our bracelet.¡±

    ¡°Miss Stone, I don¡¯t think an interview is necessary.¡± Eliana directly refused.

    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you or me. If you don¡¯t want to do it, you can talk to Mr. Moran. But he said just now that

    he doesn¡¯t have time to see you today.¡±

    Harriet deliberately lied to stimte Eliana.

    Sure enough, Eliana was really pissed off.

    She wondered how Maurice could suddenly turn hostile towards her in just one day. And now, he even

    sided with Harriet.

 Chapter 439

    Chapter 439

    She had no fear!

    Eliana suppressed her rage, fearing that Maurice and Harriet would think less of her. With clenched

    teeth, she muttered, ¡°Fine! I am able to take on this issue, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Harriet inquired restlessly.

    ¡°I doubt that I can solve this problem on my own. I¡¯m hoping that thepany will send someone over

    to assist me.¡±

    Eliana was adamant that she would not ept any sort of concession.

    She was unable to fall victim to the same trap repeatedly. It had cost her dearly to have tobor alone

    previously. This time around she would team up with someone.

    Harriet could have done nothing except assent. She took a sweeping nce at the staff members and

    made an informal gesture toward one of them.

    ¡°What do you think of her? Come on, Lucia.¡±

    Eliana traced Harriet¡¯s finger and saw a lovely girl in ck-rimmed sses get up as she pointed.

    ¡°Miss Stone,¡± she said.

    Eliana was surprised upon taking a nce at her on her way towards them.

    She recognized her!

    She recalled that the previous time when the electricity went out in the Moran Group building, a girl

    stood next to Lilian and tried to admonish her, but Lilian halted her.

    And she refrained from joining in Lilian¡¯s taunt just now.

    Eliana had a good opinion of her.

    ¡°From this point on, Lucia will be Eliana¡¯s intern.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s patronizing tone belied the seriousness of hermand.

    ¡°Certainly, Miss Stone. Imit to putting forth a lot of effort.¡±

    Harriet nodded and gazed at Eliana once more.

    ¡°I¡¯ve actually gotten you an ally. You can begin right away.¡±

    After that, she walked away without a moment¡¯s hesitation, leaving Eliana and Lucia alone.

    They were both feeling a bit ashamed. Eliana was the one who initiated the conversation. ¡°You are still

    an intern? Why do I get the impression you have associated with the organization for a long time?¡±

    Lucia Todd flushed. She gave Eliana a bashful look and remarked, ¡°Hello there, Miss Pierce. My name

    is Lucia Todd. I¡¯ve been with the firm for three months now.¡±

    ¡°Three months, you say? Howe you haven¡¯t be a regr worker?¡± Eliana inquired in shock.

    Lucia¡¯s smile faded, and she bowed her head.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been officially hired since Miss Stone hasn¡¯t validated my request. Probably¡­ Maybe she

    thought there was something I haven¡¯t done well enough. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to be a regr

    worker here.¡±

    Eliana noticed the sadness on her face and tried to cheer her up by saying, ¡°Eliana is fine with me. Do

    not feel down. I¡¯ll see if I can get an answer from the hiring manager for you. You didn¡¯t do anythingC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    wrong, so you probably would be a regr.¡±

    Lucia sighed instantly. ¡°That¡¯s a lot to expect of you, Miss Pierce. It¡¯s fine if I can¡¯t be a permanent

    employee here as long as I can gain valuable experience. I shall master from you henceforth!¡±

    What a sincere youngdy.

    Eliana could only take a breath as she observed Lucia¡¯sck of interest. ¡°Call me Eliana, please. Let us

    coborate to fulfill this objective.¡±

    ¡°All right!¡± Lucia¡¯spetitive spirit was retrieved.

    After that, Eliana and Lucia went downstairs. Upon getting out of the entrance, they found Harriet

    waiting beside the road, and the silver Maybach halted in front of her.

    Eliana noticed Maurice in the backseat as Corbin stepped out of the car to let Harriet in.

    Once Harriet was buckled up, the car started.

    Eliana felt an overwhelming sense of loss as she red sadly at the car as it pulled away.

    ¡°Eliana? Eliana? What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±

    Lucia turned to look at the stunned Eliana in surprise.

    Harriet tried to engage Maurice in a conversation while they rode in the car; nevertheless, he simply

    shut off his eyes to rest with no response.

    As time went on, Harriet gave up.

    At some point, while driving, Corbin had to inquire.

    At a red light, Corbin turned to Maurice and stated, ¡°Boss, when we picked up Miss Stone just now, I

    appeared to have seen Eliana at the entrance¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anything about her,¡± said Maurice after opening his eyes.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, you should not bring an unrted person to Mr. Moran in order to bother him,¡± Harriet

    stated. ¡°In addition, Mr. Moran¡¯s grandfather has cardiac issues. Don¡¯t bring up Eliana in his presence

    either.¡±

    Corbin moaned as he looked at Maurice, who said nothing but seemed toply.

    It appeared that Maurice and Eliana were still at opposite ends of the spectrum.

 Chapter 440

    Chapter 440

    Soon, Maurice and Harriet arrived at the hospital. Inside Earle¡¯s ward, Nancy was taking care of him.

    Nancy looked at Earle. Seeing his weak appearance, she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What happened

    yesterday? Why did you get so excited that you had a heart attack.¡±

    Her words reminded Earle of the twins yesterday, especially the little girl who looked like Rosina.

    But he knew that once he told Nancy, he would probably make her sad. So he chose to remain silent.

    Nancy was about to ask again when Maurice walked in with Harriet.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I heard that Mr. Moran is sick, so I came to see him.¡±

    As usual, Harriet ttered them openly.

    But unfortunately, Nancy didn¡¯t buy it. She looked behind Harriet and found that Eliana wasn¡¯t there.

    She felt very disappointed.

    But she still expressed her gratitude to Harriet. ¡°Miss Stone, thank you. I heard from Maurice that you

    asked the doctor who performed the surgery on Earle to check on him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Mrs. Moran. Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    Harriet waved her hands politely, inadvertently showing the ne on her neck.

    When Nancy saw the familiar jade ne, her expression softened a little.

    She didn¡¯t expect that Harriet would wear the ne she gave.

    So Nancy¡¯s attitude towards Harriet softened.

    When she felt that Maurice and Earle seemed to have something to talk about, she went out of the

    ward with Harriet.

    After the two women left, Maurice immediately asked Earle about what happened yesterday.

    But Earle didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he said, ¡°Maurice, do you know whose kids are the twins ying with

    Ss?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart sank upon hearing this question. Why did Earle have to ask about the twins?

    No, he couldn¡¯t let Earle find out the rtionship between Eliana and the twins.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    So he replied with feigned calmness, ¡°I don¡¯t know. They are Ss¡¯ friends from his kindergarten. But

    you don¡¯t have to worry about them. They are just children.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Earle sounded disappointed.

    ¡°Grandpa¡­ Why did you suddenly ask about them?¡± Maurice asked back.

    ¡°Nothing. I just feel that the twins look like you. If I hadn¡¯t known that you never had an intimate

    rtionship with other women except for Eliana, I would have really suspected they were your kids,¡±

    Earle said with slight sarcasm.

    Maurice didn¡¯t expect to hear it from Earle.

    He was surprised that Earle thought Aileen and Adrian looked like him.

    Soon, Earle¡¯s face became serious again. ¡°Maurice, let me remind you. Use contraceptives every time

    you are with Eliana. She can¡¯t carry our heir. The heir to the Moran family can only be born to your legal

    wife.¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s too early for you to say that. I have never considered getting married yet,¡± Maurice

    replied impatiently.

    ¡°Too early? You are almost thirty years old. Men start a family first before they achieve more. But all

    your attention now is on that tramp. How am I supposed to entrust the Moran Group to you?¡±

    As he spoke, Earle became excited again. The heart rate monitor next to him beeped.

    ¡°Grandpa, just rx. Don¡¯t be so excited. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Maurice hurriedlyforted

    him, and his heart rate finally stabilized.

    ¡°Get married as soon as possible and give birth to the heir of the Moran family.¡±

    Maurice was agitated inside. He had a lot in his mind, but he couldn¡¯t say anything more to irritate Earle

    now.

    His own child?

    He fell silent. He had never thought about having children.

    He would never sleep with another woman, let alone have kids with them.

    But what if he and Eliana¡¯s children?

    For some reason, he liked this idea.

    At this moment, Earle¡¯s secretary came in with a blue jewelry box. He handed it to Maurice.

    ¡°Grandpa, what is this?¡± Maurice asked.

    His brows furrowed in confusion.

    ¡°I prepared this for you. Give it to Harriet as soon as possible,¡± Earle said in amanding tone.

    When Maurice opened the box, he saw an exquisite big diamond ring inside.

 Chapter 441

    Chapter 441

    ¡°Grandpa, are you forcing me to marry Harriet?¡± Maurice asked, holding the jewelry box with a gloomy

    face.

    ¡°As I¡¯ve said, Harriet is the most suitable woman for you. This is the only way for the Stone family and

    the Moran family to be united. That¡¯s why you must marry her.¡±

    Earle¡¯s attitude was firm. Obviously, there was no room for negotiation. Even if he was ill now, his aura

    was still terrifying.

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±

    Maurice refused to give in at all.

    For a moment, the atmosphere in the ward became tense.

    At this time, Harriet was outside the ward with a te of washed fruits. She happened to see the doctor

    talking with Nancy privately in the corridor.

    ¡°Miss Stone, you go back inside first,¡± Nancy said solemnly.

    Harriet nodded and continued to walk to the ward with the te of fruits in her hands. Coincidentally,

    she ran into Gerald, who had just arrived.

    Gerald¡¯s eyes lit up upon seeing her. He immediately greeted her enthusiastically. ¡°Miss Stone, what a

    coincidence! I can¡¯t believe we will see each other here.¡±

    Harriet smiled politely and said, ¡°Mr. Moran, long time no see.¡±

    ¡°So, have you thought about my proposal? How is it?¡±

    Gerald went straight to the point.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Harriet feigned a confused look.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I really want to cooperate with you. I believe you have seen it clearly. You have no chance

    of winning my nephew¡¯s heart. But I can help you get his body and be his wife. Don¡¯t you really

    want to think about it?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s words were like the devil¡¯s whisper. Each word exactly hit Harriet¡¯s heart. She almost couldn¡¯t

    resist the temptation.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Then I¡­ What should I do?¡±

    Harriet swallowed her saliva. The desire in her heart was burning.

    She was hooked.

    Gerald smiledcently. He was about to say the next step of his n when a voice suddenly

    interrupted him.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    It was Maurice walking towards them.

    He had an argument with Earle just now. Afraid that he would anger Earle more, he decided to go out

    first.

    But unexpectedly, as soon as he walked out of the ward, he saw Harriet and Gerald chatting. The

    expressions on their faces were so strange that he couldn¡¯t helping over and interrupting their

    conversation.

    Gerald and Harriet quickly distanced themselves from each other. And their expressions returned to

    normal as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I haven¡¯t seen your uncle for a long time, so I just said hello to him. That¡¯s all,¡± Harriet

    answered, putting on an innocent look.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. What else can there be?¡±

    Gerald acted with her too.

    Maurice temporarily put aside his suspicions. He looked at Gerald and frowned. ¡°So, what are you

    doing here?¡±

    ¡°My father is ill, and he is admitted here. Can¡¯t Ie here to see him?¡± Gerald asked back with a

    sneer. ¡°I heard that he was so angry with you that he didn¡¯t take his medicine. That was why he had a

    heart attack.¡±

    Gerald was obviously putting the me on him, so Maurice also sneered, ¡°Actually, Grandpa was so

    angry that day because I told him about the trouble you made. If you want to me me, you¡¯d better

    reflect on yourself first.¡±

    Gerald clenched his fists tightly in anger. ¡°You¡­ If you hadn¡¯t called the police, it wouldn¡¯t have

    bothered him.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want others to know what you are doing, behave yourself. Do you think you can hide the

    things you did for a lifetime? If things get worse, I¡¯m afraid you will suffer a more serious punishment

    than being detained for a few days.¡±

    Maurice satirized Gerald deliberately.

    Seeing that the war between the two was about to escte, Harriet hurriedly mediated.

    ¡°Mr. Gerald Moran, Mr. Maurice Moran, we are in a public ce. You need to pay attention to your

    actions. Whatever it is, talk about it when you get home.¡±

    It was only then that the two men restrained themselves. Gerald was so angry that his expression

    looked horrible. Maurice¡¯s expression, on the other hand, remained unchanged. It seemed that Maurice

    won the ¡°battle¡± again.

    Harriet took this opportunity to quickly put forward a request. ¡°Mr. Maurice Moran, can you have dinner

    with me this evening? After finding a doctor for your grandpa, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an excessive request.¡±

    ¡°Maurice,e on. Miss Stone has helped us a lot this time. Are you going to refuse such a small

    request?¡±

    Gerald was obviously helping Harriet.

    Maurice thought for a while. Indeed, the Moran family owed Harriet a favor on this matter, so he agreed

    and replied, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take you out to dinner this evening. You decide the ce.¡±

 Chapter 442

    Chapter 442

    Finally, Maurice left with Harriet.

    Gerald, on the other hand, hurried into the ward to see Earle.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m here to see you. How are you? Are you okay?¡± Gerald asked in a ttering tone as soon as

    he entered the ward, walking over to Earle¡¯s bed.

    ¡°How dare you show your face here?¡± Earle barked as soon as he saw his disappointment of a son.

    Arranging his features into a pitiful look, Gerald begged, ¡°Dad, no matter what, you¡¯re still my dad. How

    could I note to see you after hearing that you were sick? I know you are still being angry with me.

    It was really my fault. But please, forgive me just this once.¡±

    Earle¡¯s blood pressure seemed to rise, and his whole face reddened with anger. ¡°Forgive you just this

    once? You buffoon, how many times have I cleaned up your mess for you? Can you even count them

    with two hands?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true! Did Maurice say something to you again?¡± Gerald retorted loudly.

    The impenitent look on his son¡¯s face only left Earle feeling even more disappointed. Clucking his

    tongue in disapproval, he snapped, ¡°Look at yourself. You¡¯re a good-for-nothing wastrel! I¡¯m tired. I

    don¡¯t want to see you again. Get out of here!¡±

    Snubbed by his own father, Gerald had no choice but to walk out of the ward sulkily.

    After Gerald¡¯s departure, Earle was left alone in the ward. Lying in the bed, he couldn¡¯t help but fondly

    recall the jolly time he had had with the three children in the wardst night.

    He had taken a liking to the boy and girl twins.

    ¡°Aleck,e in.¡±

    With his forehead scrunched up deep in thought, Earle called his assistant in.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what can I do for you?¡± Aleck asked respectfully, stepping into the ward.

    ¡°Help me find the two children from yesterday. Be quiet about it, and don¡¯t disturb their parents. When I

    go to see Ss next time, I will also visit the two children.¡±

    Earle¡¯s heart, which had been hurt by his grandson and son, seemed to heal when he thought of those

    cute and innocent twins.

    Aleck nodded. ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ll do it right away. But there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know if I should tell you

    about¡­¡±

    Earle narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why are you hesitating? What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    After thinking about it for a moment, Aleck carefully said, ¡°Mr. Gorman is in a bad mood today, so he

    didn¡¯t go to ss.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Earle prompted him in confusion.

    ¡°Well¡­since those two children didn¡¯t go home tillte yesterday, it seems that their parents were

    worried. And Ss was the one they med.¡±

    Hearing these words, Earle felt an emotion that hadn¡¯t appeared in his mind for a long time: guilt.

    It hadn¡¯t urred to him at all yesterday, but now that he thought about it, it was obvious that the

    parents of the two children must have been worried to death after their children disappeared all of a

    sudden.

    Heaving a sigh, Earle said, ¡°When you find the parents of the two children, give them proper

    compensation.¡±

    Of course, Earle had no idea that the mother of the boy and girl twins he was so looking forward to

    seeing again was none other than Eliana, the woman he hated most.

    At this time, Eliana was at work. Although she was busy with a lot of tasks, she couldn¡¯t help but worry

    about Aileen, who was at home after suffering from an allergic reaction. In the end, she took some time

    out to call Aileen.

    After a few rings, the line was connected.

    ¡°Hello, Mommy.¡±

    Aileen¡¯s childish voice came through the phone.

    Eliana smiled. ¡°How do you feel now, honey? Are you feeling better?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, don¡¯t worry. I am fine now.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Hearing that, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°That¡¯s good. Just wait for Mommy at home. You

    must listen to Lena, okay?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, can I go to school this afternoon? I want to see Ss. He must be very worried about me now

    ¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Eliana interrupted Aileen at once.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Aileen murmured in a timid voice.

    Realizing her gaffe, Eliana immediately softened her tone and exined, ¡°Baby, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want

    you to go to school. But since you¡¯re sick, you need to have a good rest first. The more you rest, the

    faster you will recover, and the faster you can go to school. Okay?¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± Aileen mumbled in disappointment before hanging up the phone.

    Clutching her phone tightly in her hand, Eliana pressed her lips into a thin line and tried to settle the

    dilemma in her heart. She knew that Aileen liked Ss very much. And Ss was also a good boy.

    Unfortunately, Ss was Maurice¡¯s nephew. In that case, could she let her children still be friends with

    Ss in the future?

 Chapter 443

    Chapter 443

    ¡°Eliana, what happened?¡±

    Lucia couldn¡¯t help asking with concern when she saw the disturbed look on Eliana¡¯s face after the

    phone call.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Not a big deal.¡±

    Eliana came back to her senses. At this time, she and Lucia were on their way to meet Cheryl. So she

    could only temporarily put away her worries and concentrate on her work.

    Soon, they arrived at Cheryl¡¯spany. The receptionist told them to wait in the conference room first

    because everyone was busy dealing with the gossip about Cheryl and Eli.

    While waiting, Lucia couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Eliana, do you think Eli and Cheryl are really in a

    rtionship?¡±

    Eliana rolled her eyes and said firmly, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Lucia suddenly became curious.

    Eliana was about to exin that she knew Eli when Cheryl came.

    ¡°Hi, Eliana!¡±

    Cheryl walked over with a smile and greeted Eliana enthusiastically. People who didn¡¯t know her might

    think that she and Eliana were good friends who hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time.

    Eliana got goosebumps upon hearing her voice.

    Last time, Cheryl did not hesitate to conspire with someone to frame her. It made everyone online talk

    shit about her, and it had even almost implicated her two children.

    How could Cheryl now still greet her with a smile as if nothing had happened before? Eliana couldn¡¯t

    help but be impressed.

    Indeed, Cheryl was a good actress. It was just that she only used her acting skills in plotting against

    others instead of acting in movies and TV series.

    The more Eliana thought about it, the angrier she became. She said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no one else

    here, so you don¡¯t have to pretend anymore. I¡¯ve seen you in your true colors. Aren¡¯t you tired of

    acting?¡±

    The look on Cheryl¡¯s face immediately changed. Even Lucia was shocked at how fast she could

    change her expression.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect that you could get out of the mess. You are really lucky, Eliana.¡±

    Then a sinister smile crept across Cheryl¡¯s face.

    Not to be outdone, Eliana retorted at once, ¡°I am actually not as lucky as you, Miss Gibson. You are the

    real mistress, but you can get away with it and let someone else take the me. I really admire you for

    that.¡±

    When Eliana mentioned this, Cheryl couldn¡¯t help feelingcent.

    This time, she did not only escape from all the trouble but also got money from Wird. She even

    asked him to find her a better agency.

    She was in the samepany as Eli and Nicole now, and this was what she had always wanted.

    Eliana didn¡¯t like thecent look on Cheryl¡¯s face, so she couldn¡¯t help but disappoint Cheryl.

    ¡°Miss Gibson, you can¡¯t get away with this forever. Aren¡¯t you afraid that someone may find out what

    you have done? By then, I¡¯m afraid your life will be more miserable than mine was.¡±

    Cheryl¡¯s face darkened at once.

    It took her a lot of effort to get to this position. She would never allow anyone to stand in her way.

    She threatened coldly, ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m warning you. You¡¯d better shut up and keep all of these to yourself.

    Don¡¯t slip a word. You don¡¯t want the bracelet you¡¯ve worked so hard to design to represent mistresses,

    right? If the senior executives of Moran Group know, you¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    After Cheryl said these harsh words, her agent, Jta, came in.

    ¡°Cheryl, the interview is about to begin. Stop talking nonsense with her. I¡¯ve called the makeup artist

    here. Hurry up and get your makeup done.¡±

    The makeup artist behind Jta walked in, carrying many bags of different sizes.

    ¡°Always remember what I said,¡± Cheryl warned Eliana in a low voice and gave thetter a fierce look

    before she sat down and the makeup artist could fix her makeup.

    At this moment, no one paid attention to Eliana and Lucia anymore.

    Eliana looked at the bracelet Cheryl was wearing, thinking of Cheryl¡¯s threat just now and feeling ironic.

    She was the designer of this bracelet.

 Chapter 444

    Chapter 444

    ¡°Oh my God! This is so exciting!¡±

    Lucia stood at the side and watched Eliana and Cheryl bicker. It was an eye-opener for her.

    Her scream brought Eliana back to her senses.

    Damn! She actually forgot that Lucia was with her.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ It¡¯s so interesting and fun to work with you. If only I could have worked with you sooner.¡±

    Lucia¡¯s face flushed with excitement. She had never seen something so juicy as this.

    She was not as shy as she was when she first met Eliana.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help smiling bitterly. Then she thought of something and instructed Lucia seriously,

    ¡°During the interview, record the entire interview between Cheryl and me, okay? But do it secretly.

    Don¡¯t let anyone find out.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lucia was confused.

    ¡°To prevent malicious editing. They might use it against me.¡±

    Eliana had learned her lessonst time. So she believed that as long as she was careful, Cheryl

    couldn¡¯t frame her again.

    ¡°That makes sense. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve gotten this covered,¡± Lucia said, nodding solemnly.

    At this moment, the reporter came.

    They followed her to the room specially prepared for this interview.

    Since this was an interview arranged by the Moran Group to publicize the bracelet, the reporter asked

    a few questions about the bracelet honestly and officially. Eliana answered them one by one.

    Then the topic began to change.

    The reporter suddenly asked, ¡°Miss Pierce, I heard you know Eli Goodwin. Is that true?¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. But she chose to tell the truth. ¡°Yes, I worked as a stylist before, and

    I once worked with him.¡±

    The reporter¡¯s eyes lit up. She immediately asked, ¡°Then do you know the inside story of the

    rtionship between Eli and Cheryl? Are they really in love as rumored?¡±

    Eliana was confused by the reporter¡¯s question.

    Cheryl was sitting next to her. Why would the reporter ask her this question? She was an outsider, after

    all.

    She subconsciously nced at Cheryl and found that although Cheryl lowered her head, feigning

    shyness, her eyes were staring straight at her.

    Did Cheryl mean she wanted Eliana to admit it?

    Although Eliana understood what Cheryl meant, she didn¡¯t intend to do it.

    This matter had something to do with Eli. She couldn¡¯t talk nonsense.

    So what should she say?

    Eliana hesitated for a long time until the reporter began to urge her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce¡­ Why don¡¯t you say something?¡±

    But before Eliana could open her mouth, a male voice suddenly interrupted the interview.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt. I wonder if I can have the honor to join today¡¯s interview.¡±

    At this critical moment, Eli suddenly pushed the door open and walked in.

    His unexpected appearance surprised everyone.

    Cheryl and the reporter became ecstatic.

    Who would have thought Eli woulde?

    The reporter seemed to see the front page headlines waving to her.

    On the other hand, Cheryl thought that Eli suddenly showed up here because thepany wanted to

    help her.

    She couldn¡¯t help looking at him expectantly.

    But she didn¡¯t expect that he would just walk past her and sit next to Eliana.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Eliana asked Eli in a low voice.

    Eli nced at her and said, ¡°Of course, to save your ass.¡±

    She was rendered speechless.

    Why was he still so flirtatious?

    After this little episode, the interview continued.

    The reporter urged, ¡°Miss Pierce, you haven¡¯t answered my question yet.¡±

    It seemed that she was determined to get an answer from Eliana.

    It was Eli who immediately spoke up. ¡°Cut her loose. Eliana and I are friends, good friends.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re good friends?¡± The reporter¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°It sounds like you are very familiar with Miss

    Pierce, Mr. Goodwin.¡±

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Eliana kept winking at Eli, hinting at him to keep a low profile.

    However, Eli¡¯s next words were more shocking. ¡°I met Eliana because she was my interim stylist

    before. Aside from being good at her work, she has a very likable personality. So we got along well.

    Even the indifferent Nicole ended up being good friends with her.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Was Eli really referring to her?

 Chapter 445

    Chapter 445

    While Eli was talking about Eliana, there was a smile on his face, and his eyes were bright.

    When Cheryl saw this, she gritted her teeth, and the jealousy in her heart suddenly ignited.

    Eliana stole her thunder again.

    As long as Eliana was there, why could no one see her?

    ¡°Of course, Eliana¡¯s most excellent ability is in jewelry design. Just like this bracelet she designed this

    time. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s really beautiful? I actually love it!¡±

    Eli finally shifted the topic back to the bracelet after a long time.

    But the reporter didn¡¯t give up. After all, she didn¡¯te here for the bracelet. She was here for some

    gossip.

    ¡°Mr. Goodwin, can you tell us the real rtionship between you and Miss Gibson? Many of us are really

    curious.¡±

    Eli¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°We are just friends,¡± he replied indifferently.

    After saying this, he stopped talking, and his attitude became cold.

    The scene was embarrassing for a while.

    In the following interview, Eli didn¡¯t give the reporter the answers she wanted no matter what she

    asked.

    Cheryl wanted to hype their rtionship. But since he was here, she couldn¡¯t make things up.

    So she could only watch the great opportunity slip away in vain. There was nothing she could do.

    When the interview was over, the reporter suggested that they take a group photo together.

    However, Eli suddenly asked for a moment. Everyone looked at him in surprise.

    He looked at Eliana¡¯s face carefully and said with a frown, ¡°You are on TV, but your makeup is too

    in. Is there a makeup artist here? Come and retouch her makeup.¡±

    ¡°No need¡­¡±

    Eliana was rendered speechless. She was not the center of attention here today. Why did she need

    such delicate makeup?

    However, Eli insisted. Everyone waited for the makeup artist to do Eliana¡¯s makeup before they all

    gathered for picture-taking.

    Cheryl had been trying to get close to Eli. But unfortunately, he always stood next to Eliana, giving her

    no chance at all.

    So when everything was over, she left angrily.

    It was only then that Eliana and Eli started to chat.

    During the entire interview, Lucia stood at the side and recorded the whole interview ording to

    Eliana¡¯s instructions.

    Now that Eliana and Eli were talking andughing, she stood not far away and kept ncing at Eli.

    He was really Eli Goodwin!

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Her idol was right in front of her, but she was too shy to approach him and talk to him.

    When Eliana noticed that Lucia had been staring at them but didn¡¯t dare toe over, she was

    confused.

    Was Lucia Eli¡¯s fan?

    ¡°Lucia, what are you doing there?¡± She waved at Lucia. ¡°Come here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± It was only then that Lucia came back to her senses. She summoned her courage, walked

    forward, and greeted Eli, saying, ¡°Hello, Mr. Goodwin!¡±

    Eliana realized what was going on. Indeed, Lucia was Eli¡¯s fan.

    So she said, ¡°Eli, this is Lucia Todd, my new partner. She is your fan. Can you two take a picture

    together?¡±

    ¡°Can I, Mr. Goodwin?¡±

    Lucia looked apprehensive.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Eli agreed with a smile.

    Lucia was thrilled to be so close to her idol. After taking a photo with him, he signed on it. She couldn¡¯t

    stop smiling, holding it all the time.

    ¡°Eliana, you are so nice! I will definitely pay you backter.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s not a big deal, okay?¡± Eliana said and chuckled.

    When their work was over, Eli invited Eliana and Lucia to dinner.

    But Inger, his agent, suddenly said, ¡°Dinner? Eli, you still have work. We are going to bete.¡±

    They actually had plenty of time. However, when Eli heard that Eliana and Cheryl were having an

    interview, he rushed over without saying anything. They had been dyed for too long, and thus didn¡¯t

    have enough time now.

    Eliana said sympathetically, ¡°Eli, you¡¯d better leave now. Thank you for your help.¡±

    But Eli was still a little reluctant.

    When he finally decided to leave, he saw Nicole walking toward him. They were artists of the same

    company.

    Nicole greeted him casually and went straight to Eliana, smiling gloatingly.

    ¡°What did you guys do to Cheryl? I saw her just now, and she looked so furious. Well done!¡±

 Chapter 446

    Chapter 446

    When Eli heard Nicole¡¯s words, he turned around and held her arm. ¡°You¡¯re just in time. I have work to

    do now, so apany Eliana to dinner first.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me.¡± Nicole rolled her eyes. ¡°I am closer to Eliana than you are.¡±

    It was only then that Eli left with Inger. He was confident that Nicole would take care of Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡±

    Nicole held Eliana¡¯s hand and led Eliana and Lucia to her van.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t refuse Nicole¡¯s enthusiasm, so she got into the car.

    While in her van, Nicole took out her phone and searched for restaurants nearby. She asked casually,

    ¡°Eliana, where do you want to eat?¡±

    At first, Eliana wanted to say that anywhere would be fine. But an idea suddenly popped up in her

    mind.

    ¡°I heard¡­ Wyatt¡¯s restaurant has just reopened. Why don¡¯t we go there to eat?¡±

    After saying this, she smiled slyly.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Nicole was stunned for a moment. She was rendered speechless.

    Before she could speak, a panicked voice suddenly interjected.

    ¡°No way,¡± Lucia shouted.

    Nicole and Eliana were both startled.

    Eliana felt a little strange. Since they got in the car, Lucia hadn¡¯t said a word. But now, she emotionally

    opposed going to Wyatt¡¯s restaurant all of a sudden.

    ¡°Lucia, is something wrong? Why don¡¯t you want to go there?¡±

    Lucia nced at Nicole and said sarcastically, ¡°I¡¯m just considering Miss Swift. I¡¯m afraid that such a

    small restaurant won¡¯t fit her.¡±

    But Lucia¡¯s unusual reaction caught Eliana¡¯s attention.

    She wondered what was wrong with Lucia. It seemed that Lucia didn¡¯t like Nicole.

    But why? Was there something she didn¡¯t know?

    Eliana looked at Lucia, but thetter turned her head away.

    Fortunately, Nicole didn¡¯t seem to care about Lucia¡¯s attitude this time. She was just surprised for a

    moment, and then calmly said to Eliana, ¡°Okay, since you want to go there, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Eliana smiled knowingly and teased, ¡°Nicole, do you want to go there too?¡±

    Nicole was the kind of person no one could force to do what she didn¡¯t want to do. She wouldn¡¯t go

    somewhere she didn¡¯t want to go either.

    And obviously, she wasn¡¯t over Wyatt yet.

    Out of curiosity, Eliana asked, ¡°Nicole, can you tell me you and Wyatt¡¯s story in the past?¡±

    Lucia also got interested when she heard this.

    At this moment, a kind of unspeakable loneliness showed on Nicole¡¯s face. It was Eliana¡¯s first time

    seeing such an expression on her beautiful face.

    ¡°No matter what happened between us in the past, it¡¯s all over now. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡±

    Nicole thought everything was over, but Eliana didn¡¯t think so.

    She knew Wyatt. Although he had been ying in the field these years, he didn¡¯t seem to have let go

    of Nicole in his heart.

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t have any idea what exactly had separated them.

    She was about to express her guess when Lucia interrupted her again.

    ¡°Eliana, do you think Miss Stone will catch us if we skip work and have dinner outside?¡±

    Lucia seemed a bit worried.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help chuckling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if she finds out, so what? If something goes wrong,

    I¡¯ll take responsibility for it. We are out for work now. Why can¡¯t we have a good meal?¡±

    Her words made Lucia feel relieved.

    However, as they got closer and closer to Wyatt¡¯s restaurant, Lucia visibly became more and more

    anxious.

    Eliana had many doubts in her heart now. But since Nicole was with them, she did not ask Lucia.

    Finally, Nicole¡¯s van pulled over at the gate of Moonlight.

    And much to Eliana¡¯s surprise, Nicole was the first to get out of the car and walk into the restaurant.

    She took this opportunity to pull Lucia to the side and ask seriously, ¡°What happened to you just now?

    You didn¡¯t seem to like Nicole.¡±

 Chapter 447

    Chapter 447

    ¡°Eliana, to tell you the truth, I am Nicole¡¯s hater,¡± Lucia said indignantly.

    ¡°Nicole¡¯s hater?¡± Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t be fooled by Nicole. She seems to be a nice person. But one day, she will stab you in the

    back andpletely abandon you,¡± Lucia stated.

    ¡°Lucia, what are you talking about? As far as I know, Nicole is not that kind of person.¡±

    Eliana was confused by Lucia¡¯s words.

    But she didn¡¯t think it was right for Lucia to nder Nicole just because she didn¡¯t like thetter.

    ¡°Eliana, you don¡¯t know who she really is. Anyway, you must not let your guard down.¡±

    Lucia still firmly believed that Nicole was a bad person.

    Eliana and Lucia couldn¡¯t persuade each other, so they just entered the restaurant together to follow

    Nicole.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but sigh at the sight of the familiar ce.

    She found that after Moonlight had reopened, there were obviously more guests now than before.

    Rosalie happened to be standing at the front desk this time, so Eliana excitedly walked up to her to

    greet her.

    ¡°Mrs. Gorden¡­¡±

    ¡°Eliana, long time no see.¡± Rosalie also greeted her with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t work here anymore, so just

    call me Rosalie.¡±

    Then Rosalie saw Nicole behind Eliana.

    ¡°Rosalie¡­¡±

    Nicole stepped forward and took the initiative to greet Rosalie.

    ¡°Miss Swift, you are here too. Wee.¡±

    Nicole was a little stunned. She didn¡¯t expect Rosalie to be so gentle to her.

    After the simple greeting, Rosalie pointed in a direction and said, ¡°Eliana, Maurice has been waiting for

    you over there for a long while. He seems to have carefully prepared a gift for you.¡±

    Eliana was surprised to hear that Maurice was here too.

    Was it a coincidence?

    ¡°But Rosalie, I think you misunderstood. I didn¡¯t ask him out,¡± Eliana said in surprise.

    ¡°Are you two fighting again?¡± Obviously, Rosalie didn¡¯t believe what she said. ¡°Well, just forgive him for

    the sake of the surprise he has prepared for you.¡±

    ¡°No, Rosalie. You misunderstand. I really have no idea that Maurice is here.¡±

    Eliana regretteding here. If she had known that Maurice would be here today, she would never

    havee.

    But it was no use regretting now. Rosalie grabbed her hand and insisted on taking her to Maurice¡¯s

    private room.

    She had no choice but to go with Rosalie.

    In the private room, Maurice sat on a chair, drinking coffee.

    He was shocked that Rosalie suddenly came over with Eliana.

    He didn¡¯t know why Eliana was here.

    ¡°Maurice, she¡¯s here. If you have something to talk about, do it now.¡±

    Rosalie gave Maurice an ambiguous look, turned around, and left.

    ¡°Well¡­ She insisted on taking me here,¡± Eliana exined awkwardly.

    Maurice just looked at her with his deep-set eyes. He didn¡¯t say anything.

    Suddenly, Eliana found that there was indeed a chair opposite Maurice. Could it be that he was really

    trying to break the ice?

    Eliana¡¯s heartbeat went abnormally fast.

    She couldn¡¯t help but walk over. It was only then that she found that the chair opposite Maurice was not

    empty. There was a ck Chanel bag on it.

    She remembered that this was the bag Harriet used today.

    This meant that¡­ Harriet also came here.

    Maurice was dating Harrier here today.

    With this realization, Eliana¡¯s heart sank in an instant.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Her eyes swept across the table and saw a blue ring box at a nce.

    Restaurant, Harriet, ring¡­

    Eliana¡¯s face turned deathly pale.

    When Maurice noticed where she was looking, he frowned and was about to stand up to exin.

    ¡°Sorry for bothering you.¡±

    After saying this, Eliana turned around and was about to leave.

    The next second, she bumped into Harriet, who had just returned from the restroom to retouch her

    makeup.

 Chapter 448

    Chapter 448

    Miss Pierce? What are you doing here?¡± Harriet asked, sounding very unfriendly.

    Eliana had not fully recovered from the shock yet. She replied in a daze, ¡°I¡¯m here for dinner.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    When Harriet saw Eliana¡¯s pale face, she already knew what was going on.

    She didn¡¯t me Eliana for skipping work. Instead, she said kindly, ¡°Miss Pierce, you¡¯ve worked hard

    today, and you must be very tired. I¡¯ll treat you to dinner. But please, don¡¯t disturb us, okay?¡±

    Eliana pursed her lips tightly. Harriet¡¯s words were very clear. How could she not understand what

    Harriet meant?

    Harriet just wanted to drive her away.

    It didn¡¯t matter. She didn¡¯t want to stay here anyway.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t intend to disturb you and Mr. Moran. I¡¯m about to leave, but you are blocking my

    way,¡± Eliana said.

    Then she walked out of the private room without looking back.

    Maurice sat in his seat the whole time and didn¡¯t say a word. Even when he saw Eliana leave in a

    hurry, he didn¡¯t show any intention of chasing after her.

    Harriet was secretly surprised.

    Was Maurice really not interested in Eliana anymore? Otherwise, how could he let her leave just like

    that?

    She said cautiously, ¡°Mr. Moran, Miss Pierce seems to have misunderstood something. Aren¡¯t you

    going to exin to her?¡±

    ¡°When do I need to exin things to her?¡±

    Maurice looked indifferent. It was as if he didn¡¯t care about what had happened just now.

    Harriet returned to her seat with a smug smile.

    She believed all along that she would be the final winner.

    Maurice pointed at the ring box on the table and said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s my grandpa¡¯s gift for you.

    Take it.¡±

    But much to his surprise, Harriet pushed the ring box back.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t take this. I¡¯ll wait until you are willing to give me a ring yourself.¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes shone with

    confidence.

    Maurice just looked at her coldly and did not respond.

    She had not let go of her delusions of getting him.

    Since Maurice remained silent, the two of them just ate quietly.

    Harriet pretended to be casual and said, ¡°This ring must be precious. But I heard that you have a family

    heirloom which is also a ring. It went missing before, and now it has been found again. Is it true?¡±

    ¡°Enough, Harriet. You are already crossing the line,¡± Maurice interrupted her coldly, putting down his

    knife and fork. ¡°I¡¯m full. Enjoy yourself.¡±

    He then stood up and left without hesitation.

    Harriet watched his receding figure, feeling at a loss.

    Even without Eliana, he wouldn¡¯t take a second look at her. He wouldn¡¯t even answer such a simple

    question from her.

    She couldn¡¯t help wondering what Eliana had that she didn¡¯t have.

    When Nicole saw Eliana walk out of the private room absentmindedly, she immediately walked up to

    Eliana and patted her on the shoulder.

    ¡°Eliana, what happened? Are you okay?¡± she asked.

    It was only then that Eliana sobered up. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m fine. Where is Lucia?¡±

    Nicole looked at her suspiciously and replied, ¡°She went to the restroom.¡±

    Eliana forced a smile and said, ¡°Nicole, I suddenly remember that I still have something to do in the

    company. I have to go now.¡±

    Of course, Nicole didn¡¯t buy Eliana¡¯s alibi. She said worriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. I can drive you back to

    thepany.¡±

    Eliana shook her head firmly. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll go to the restroom to find Lucia first. I¡¯ll take her with

    me.¡±

    Nicole knew that she couldn¡¯t persuade Eliana, so she had to let her go. ¡°Okay, be careful then.¡±

    Eliana nodded and walked to the restroom to find Lucia.

    After she left, Nicole lost the appetite to eat too. At this moment, Esteban called.

    ¡°Hey, Nicole! You have an importantmercial to shoot tomorrow. Come back quickly after dinner.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going back now.¡±

    After hanging up the phone, Nicole prepared to leave.

    When she walked to the door of the restaurant, she saw two peopleing in.

    At this moment, the whole world seemed to freeze.

    She just looked straight ahead and couldn¡¯t take the next step.

    The person who arrived was Wyatt. He was with his mother, Dora Todd.

 Chapter 449

    Chapter 449

    Nicole quickly turned around and hid among the other diners in the dining area, observing the

    conversation between the mother and son.

    Wyatt came onto the stage, took the microphone, and announced, ¡°Hey, everybody. I am in charge of

    Moonlight. Today is the day that the restaurant will reopen. Ie to express my gratitude for your

    attendance.¡±

    The audience erupted in apuse.

    Dora smiled with gratification as she sat among the restaurant¡¯s diners and regarded her towering son

    on stage.

    Wyatt gently descended the stage and approached Dora after delivering an impassioned speech about

    reopening the restaurant.

    He took Dora¡¯s hand and re-entered the stage. With a smile, he remarked, ¡°Your son¡¯s restaurant has

    reunched now, Mom. Why don¡¯t you, as the heroine, step up and say something?¡±

    Dora sighed as she surveyed the well-organized eatery. ¡°My kid has matured atst. The whole diner is

    the result of your endeavors. I have just hired a cook and a pastry chef. It is not a major issue.¡±

    Nicole tensed as she saw the amicable and passionate moment between the two.

    The mother in front of her was vastly different from the awfuldy she had previously encountered.

    Her mind immediately reverted to that wet evening.

    Five years ago, it rained intensely at night. She left the hospital in a state of disbelief. The doctor

    earnestly notified her that her mother¡¯s heart could not continue to function and that she must have

    surgery immediately.

    However, she was not wealthy!

    That was when Nicole realized that Wyatt was the only one who could assist her at the moment.

    But Nicole couldn¡¯t reach Wyatt, so she had to trek to the gate of the Todd family¡¯s vi in the pouring

    rain.

    A massive iron door obstructed her path. She yelled Wyatt¡¯s name at the entrance, but no one

    responded.

    Even though the wind was howling and the rain was pouring outdoors, everyone inside had their lights

    on. Nicole¡¯s physique took a beating from the intense rainfall. Although it caused her a lot of physical

    diforts, it paled inparison to the anguish she felt within.

    Eventually, the iron door opened gently, and a nobledy in red emerged into the torrential rain.

    She was Wyatt¡¯s mother, Dora.

    Dora approached Nicole. The servant next to her held her umbre. Nicole was absolutely drenched

    and her legs were stered with dirt while the elder women did not receive a single drop of rain.

    They were very different from one another. Looking at the affluent and refined Dora, Nicole seemed to

    perceive the social ss disparity between her and Wyatt.

    ¡°Do you go by the name Nicole Swift? My name is Dora Todd, and I¡¯m Wyatt¡¯s mother,¡± Dora stated to

    the ufortabledy with a keen gaze.

    ¡°Hey, Mrs. Todd¡­¡±

    Nicole bent her head and responded while feeling embarrassed.

    ¡°Miss Swift, I am aware of your presence today. I will assist you.¡± Dora red contemptuously at Nicole

    and added, ¡°However you must give me what I want.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Todd¡­ What do you desire?¡±

    In the torrential rain, Nicole¡¯s face was as white as paper, her fists were gripped, and her body

    shivered.

    In truth, she had a hazy response in her heart, but she remained determined to persevere.

    ¡°You, Miss Swift, are very intelligent. You must have guessed what my demands are.¡± After pausing for

    a moment, Dora added in a stern voice, ¡°I want you to go to the hospital to break up with my son

    immediately and never see him again. Can you aplish that?¡±

    Indeed, it was her requirement.

    Nicole bit her lip hard and said, ¡°What if I don¡¯tply?¡± in a shaky voice.

    Dora hissed, ¡°You may spend your time disputing with me here, but your mother can¡¯t wait. I advise you

    not to give up your impoverished mother on the altar of your unattainable desire to marry into a wealthy

    family.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s tears blended with the rain as a thunderp erupted in the sky and lightning red.

    Things had nheless reached this stage in the end¡­

    Nicole had anticipated this from the moment she discovered Wyatt¡¯s true identity.

    In the past, she wrongly assumed that she could maintain her rtionship with Wyatt even if such a

    scenario urred. Eventually, love might triumph over money.

    However, her mother was still lying on the bed, dying. She really had no option¡­

    Nicole, ovee with sadness, fell to the ground. She struggled to open her lips and said in a scratchy

    voice, ¡°Okay, Iply¡­¡±

    In the restaurant, Nicole remained engrossed in her world while ncing at Wyatt¡¯s position.

    The unfortunate part, however, was that the nearby clients started taking notice of her.

    ¡°See! Is she the well-known artist, Nicole Swift?¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Sweet lord! Indeed, it is Nicole! Is she also present for dinner?¡±

    ¡°Shall we get her signature?¡±

    Nicole was gradually roused by the increasing number of conversations.

    Unfortunately, her followers could not locate her here, or she would be in more trouble.

    Upon regaining herposure, Nicole was set to go.

    ¡°Hang on!¡±

    In the next instance, a pair ofrge hands firmly held her hands.

    That was Wyatt!

 Chapter 450

    Chapter 450

    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Nicole said as she tried to free her hand.

    ¡°You are already here. Why are you in such a hurry to leave?¡± Wyatt firmly grasped her hand and said,

    ¡°We are old friends. My restaurant has reopened, so would you mind taking some photos to promote

    it?¡±

    Nicole struggled hard with a dark expression.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. Let go of me!¡±

    She must leave right now. Otherwise, she would definitely meet Dora again.

    Nicole struggled so hard that Wyatt had already gotten frightened.

    He wondered what was wrong with her.

    It was just a joke, but she overreacted.

    Could it be that she was not feeling well again?

    When Wyatt remembered how ufortable Nicole lookedst time, he immediately felt distressed.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let go of you.¡± He immediately loosened his grip on her hand and supported her. ¡°Calm down.

    I¡¯ll help you sit down for a while.¡±

    Nicole was so agitated just now that she couldn¡¯t breathe for a while. And now, she felt a little dizzy, so

    she took Wyatt¡¯s hand and sat on the chair.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does your stomach hurt again?¡±

    Wyatt reached out and ced his palm on Nicole¡¯s forehead, checking her temperature.

    Nicole lowered her head sadly, not knowing how to answer.

    Seeing her like this, Wyatt pondered. Did someone bully her?

    Wyatt immediately let his imagination run away with him. His expression also became serious at once.

    ¡°Who did youe with? Did someone bully you again?¡±

    He wished he could immediately rush out and avenge her.

    Nicole pushed his hand away and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Dora had already noticed the noise in the dining hall, but she didn¡¯t expect to see Nicole again.

    When she saw Nicole¡¯s face clearly, her eyes narrowed. She was extremely shocked.

    Why was Nicole here?

    Was she involved with Wyatt again?

    Dora was rmed. But she pretended to be calm and walked over to them to say hello.

    ¡°Wyatt, who is she?¡±

    Dora deliberately put on a confused look as if it was her first time seeing Nicole.

    ¡°Mom, this is Nicole Swift. She¡¯s a famous star and also my¡­ She¡¯s my friend. If it wasn¡¯t for an

    ident, you should have met a few years ago.¡±

    Wyatt sounded a little sarcastic.

    Nicole looked up at Dora. She was still as dignified and superior as five years ago.

    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Todd. My name is Nicole Swift. It¡¯s nice to meet you,¡± Nicole said, forcing herself to calm

    down as if nothing had happened.

    Dora said warmly, ¡°Miss Swift, what a coincidence! Today is the reopening of Wyatt¡¯s restaurant. Since

    you are his friend, why don¡¯t you stay and have dinner with us?¡±

    Nicole refused at once. ¡°No, thanks. You must have a lot of work to do today, so I won¡¯t bother you

    anymore.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I run a film and televisionpany. I have heard so much about you, and I have always been

    wanting to cooperate with you. You can help Wyatt promote his restaurant today. Since you are a

    famous star, it shouldn¡¯t be a big deal for you, right?¡±

    Dora looked sincere, but Nicole knew that she was just pretending.

    Nicole¡¯s hands were cold, and she clenched her fists tightly.

    Five years ago, she was nothing in Dora¡¯s eyes. But this didn¡¯t mean that now she would still be

    trampled on by Dora again.

    ¡°Okay, Mrs. Todd, if you say so. If I continue to refuse, it will only show that I am impolite. It¡¯s just a few

    photos. I can handle it soon.¡±

    Nicole smiled charmingly and stood up. When Wyatt was not paying attention, she wrapped her arm

    around his waist and leaned her head against his chest.

    Then she took out her phone and took some photos with him. Their posture was very ambiguous with

    the restaurant as their background.

    ¡°Here, look. I think these photos are very good.¡± Nicole showed her phone to Dora. Then in front of

    Dora, she posted the photos online with the location of the restaurant.

    She then asked, ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡±

    Everything happened so fast that Dora didn¡¯t get the chance to stop her at all.

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Dora was so angry that the look on her face almost changed.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Nicole for a few years, and she could say that Nicole had be more and more

    scheming.

 Chapter 451

    Chapter 451

    In the end, Nicole sat down to dine with Wyatt and his mother.

    They sat at the same table, and the ambiance was really odd.

    Nevertheless, Wyatt was inly unaware of the unusual atmosphere between his mother and his ex-

    girlfriend. He recalled that the previous time Nicole lost weight, he asked her to consume more fatty

    foods, which gave her a tummy ache.

    So, as they were eating supper, Wyatt knowingly picked up food for Nicole and chose something

    moderate.

    ¡°You are underweight. If someone were to snap pictures of you, you would look dreadful.¡±

    Dora saw Wyatt¡¯s persistence as he continued to pick for Nicole on a regr basis.

    Could she not be familiar with her son?

    Dora despised Nicole in her heart. She had no idea what spell this woman had cast on Wyatt to make

    him still miss her to this day!

    The more she considered it, the more upset she felt. Seeing the tableden with food, Doracked all

    her desires. She ced the knife and fork down with force, producing an unpleasant sound.

    ¡°I¡¯ll not eat.¡±

    Immediately after Wyatt ced a piece of broli on Nicole¡¯s te, he heard Dora dere she didn¡¯t

    want to eat and turned to stare at her in disbelief.

    ¡°What is the matter with you, Mom? Is there anything wrong with this food?¡±

    Dora remarked in an irritable tone, ¡°These foods are not that easy to swallow. Wyatt, the steak you

    picked today is terrible. Itcks quality. I will bring you premium steaks henceforth. This steak is

    unappealing and will only bring shame to your establishment.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Wyatt was perplexed upon hearing that.

    Was the steak¡¯s vor absolutely unpleasant?

    He ced a chunk of steak in his mouth after picking it up. The meat was so tender and delectable that

    it dissolved in his mouth.

    Was it not delightful? What became of his mother?

    Nicole bent her head to conceal the icy appearance of her eyes. She understood that Dora¡¯s statement

    implied disapproval.

    She was in no way referring to the steak at all, but rather Nicole¡¯s humility andck of consciousness.

    Immediately, anger flooded her thoughts. Nicole extended her hand to sip some water to calm her fury,

    but she mistakenly tipped over the ss and sshed red wine over her body.

    ¡°Nicole, are you alright?¡±

    Wyatt instantly pulled out a tissue to clean Nicole¡¯s clothing.

    ¡°Thanks, but no!¡±

    Nicole evaded inadvertently and eximed with excitement.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the washroom to freshen up. You guys eat first.¡±

    Nicole took a deep breath and got up to use the restroom.

    She rinsed the red wine off her clothing with water and then sshed a huge amount of cold water

    straight into her face using both hands.

    She lifted her head and saw ady in the mirror, whose face was covered with watermarks. She had a

    white face.

    Nicole felt as if she had been taken back to that awful wet evening and remembered her vow to Dora.

    ¡°I pledge to end my rtionship with Wyatt. I won¡¯t discuss what urred today, and I won¡¯t stand

    before your son again. Is that alright?¡±

    Nicole was engulfed in a sad recollection from which she was unable to escape. She was unaware that

    there were other individuals in the restroom at this time.

    It was¡­ Eliana and Lucia!

    Eliana had gone to the restroom to find Lucia and wanted to take her away, but she was informed that

    Lucia was in her menstruation and couldn¡¯t go without a tampon.

    Eliana also didn¡¯t pack a tampon, so she had to urge Lucia not to move and then went to get one for

    her.

    Meanwhile, when Eliana returned to find Lucia after purchasing the tampon, Nicole entered the

    restroom.

    As soon as Eliana opened the cubicle door, she noticed Nicole standing at the sink in a stupor. She felt

    a little odd and wanted to inquire as to what had transpired.

    The restroom door was opened again at this point, and Eliana returned to the cubicle in fright.

    Dora was the one who entered at this moment. She had removed her gentle mask entirely. As soon as

    she entered, she said indignantly, ¡°Nicole! You haven¡¯t given up yet, right? Do you still want to badger

    my son?¡±

    Leaning against the toilet door, Eliana heard it loud and clear.

    Dang it!

    Dora sounded angry, so she guessed something was wrong!

    Eliana was confronted with the decision of going out or continuing to listen in.

    Lucia had just used the tampon in her stall and was ready to exit.

    Eliana drew her over with a swift thought.

    Lucia was unaware of what was happening. Eliana covered her mouth as she was going to inquire, and

    pointed to the door with her other hand. She said quietly, ¡°There is something wrong there. We

    shouldn¡¯t go out yet!¡±

    Lucia was taken aback. Even though she could notprehend the reason, she nodded in ord

    anyway.

    Eliana felt soothed at this and released her hand.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    They had no option except to temporarily hide there.

 Chapter 452

    Chapter 452

    ¡°What is your purpose here?¡±

    Nicole gazed at Dora with a cold expression.

    Dora pointed at Nicole¡¯s mouth and said, ¡°Your lipstick needs a touch-up. It looks so terrible as it is

    smudged. You are now a renowned celebrity, correct? It is undesirable to be snapped in this manner by

    the paparazzi.¡±

    Nicole was untouched by herments.

    After that, Dora approached her and assisted in smoothing her hair personally.

    Nicole felt a tingle of difort at Dora¡¯s unexpected contact.

    She flinched abruptly and kept her gaze fixed on Dora.

    ¡°I shall attend to my appearance. Mrs. Todd, thanks.¡±

    Dora¡¯s expression darkened instantly, and she nced at Nicole up and down as if she were inspecting

    a product.

    ¡°It appears you have lived a wonderful life, and you are far more attractive than the unfortunatedy

    kneeling in front of me at that moment. Sadly¡­ There is no way to conceal your humble origins, no

    matter how stunning you may look now. You are still one of the lowly.¡±

    No one could tolerate such an offense. Nicole¡¯s expression altered. Before she could respond, Dora

    lifted her hand and smacked her hard.

    The sound of pping was particrly audible in the restroom.

    Eliana and Lucia, who were locked in the cubicle and had no choice but to listen in, were terrified.

    Was this the gracious, mild and kind aunt she knew? Lucia thought.

    In fact, Lucia¡¯s and Wyatt¡¯s dads were brothers, and Dora was her aunt.

    That was also why Lucia didn¡¯t like Nicole before.

    She had known Nicole since childhood. She recalled Nicole having been Wyatt¡¯s girlfriend for a while.

    Nevertheless, following the automobile ident, Nicole immediately abandoned Wyatt who might

    be disabled, and fled.

    In Lucia¡¯s mind, thus, her cousin Wyatt was a wealthy and foolish guy while Nicole was a cruel and

    cunning woman, and Dora had always been a kind and essible aunt.

    However, what happened outside just now had drastically changed Lucia¡¯s perspective.

    Regardless of how the moods of the two persons in the cubicle shifted, the scenario in the restroom

    remained the same.

    After pping Nicole, Dora was still enraged. She increased her voice and warned, ¡°If you dare seduce

    my son again, I will not only smack you like I just did. I can also show your ailing mother how ill-

    mannered her daughter is since she just knows how to seduce rich men and take advantage of them! I

    doubt your mother is any better with a daughter like you!¡±

    Eliana took a deep inhale in the cubicle. She believed these statements were excessive as an outsider,

    let alone for the individual concerned.

    Even Lucia, who had always despised Nicole, could not tolerate hearing this.

    Instantaneously, Lucia coughed to let Dora know that there was another person in the restroom.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Dora quickly stopped scolding when she heard Lucia cough, as predicted.

    Nicole was astonished by Dora¡¯s nasty statements at first. Her long-repressed rage finally erupted.

    She could tolerate everything Dora said to her, but her mother was her raw nerve, which nobody could

    touch!

    ¡°Ill-bred? I wonder who between us today is more ill-mannered, Mrs. Todd!¡± Nicole snarled. ¡°You should

    keep an eye on your son instead of bothering me. He can¡¯t seem to forget me, even though I¡¯m lowly.

    What are you going to do with it? I¡¯m sure he will return to me as soon as I crook my finger at him. Do

    you think so?¡±

    ¡°How dare you?!¡±

    Dora was like an infuriated lion, ready to rip Nicole apart.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see whether I¡¯ll dare to do that. At that moment, I shall disclose your prior doings. What do you

    think your son will think of you, a mother who seems sweet but is really cruel?¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright! Therefore, let¡¯s see what happens!¡±

    Dora was so enraged that she immediately exited the restroom.

    Nicole¡¯s formidable manner eventually crumbled when she was out of sight. She crouched feebly and

    couldn¡¯t help but weep quietly.

    Her weep was so sad that the two individuals within the cubicle could not help but feel pity for her.

    Eliana prevented Lucia from opening the door and showing herself once more.

    Eliana sighed and said, ¡°I know Nicole. She has a high sense of self-respect. If we went out now, not

    only would we be unable to console her, but we would make her feel worse.¡±

    Lucia deliberated attentively. If she confronted such a situation, she would also hope that no one would

    show her sympathy, which would only make her feel worse.

    Eventually, Lucia let go of the knob and lowered her hand.

    The two of them remained in the cubicle until Nicole stepped out, at which point the weep outside

    faded. Then they walked out of the cubicle slowly.

 Chapter 453

    Chapter 453

    Wyatt just waited in the private room until Dora came in. But Nicole had not returned yet since she went

    to the restroom.

    ¡°Wyatt, don¡¯t wait for Nicole anymore. I went to the restroom and saw her leave. She seemed to be in a

    bad mood,¡± Dora remarked and yed the role of a loving mother, as if nothing had happened.

    ¡°Who says I¡¯m waiting for her? I just haven¡¯t finished eating yet,¡± Wyatt said.

    He looked okay on the surface. But in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed.

    Dora walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°When you were young, you yed the field,

    and I didn¡¯t interfere. But now, you are not getting any younger. It¡¯s time for you to find a suitable

    woman and consider getting married for our family¡¯s interests.¡±

    ¡°Mom, not every young man from a rich family has to take that path.¡± Wyatt couldn¡¯t help getting

    annoyed when he heard Dora¡¯s words.

    Dora frowned andmented disapprovingly, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry to refute. Look at Maurice of the

    Moran family. He is such an arrogant man. But isn¡¯t he dating Harriet, the daughter of the Stone family,

    because of his grandfather¡¯s order?¡±

    ¡°Mom, what you are seeing is just superficial. You don¡¯t know the specific situation at all. As far as I

    know, it¡¯s impossible for Maurice to marry her.¡±

    Wyatt smiled bitterly and picked up the bottle of wine on the table. He poured it into his ss and drank

    one ss after another. No matter how Dora persuaded him, he wouldn¡¯t listen at all.

    Dora didn¡¯t expect that after five years, Nicole still had such a great influence on him.

    And when she thought of what Nicole had said in the restroom just now, she felt even more depressed.

    It seemed that she had to find a way to make that damn womanpletely disappear from Wyatt¡¯s

    world.

    After a whole day¡¯s hard work, Eliana and Lucia finally finished their tasks and returned to the

    company.

    Lucia still hadn¡¯t recovered from the shock when she witnessed the dispute between Dora and Nicole.

    She indistinctly realized that the truth five years ago was probably not what she knew at all.

    Eliana walked over to her, patted her on the shoulder, and reminded her, ¡°Lucia, you must keep what

    you heard today a secret, okay? After all, Nicole is a star. If the news spreads, it will have a negative

    impact on her.¡±

    Lucia felt that she had never been as sober as she was now. She couldn¡¯t help but express her guess.

    ¡°Eliana, do you think Dora treated Nicole that way because she was the one who forced Nicole to break

    up with Wyatt?¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a while. ¡°Well, it seems¡­ Your words make sense.¡±

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°It makes sense, right?¡± Lucia felt she had found the truth.

    Eliana looked at Lucia, who was excited, feeling that something was wrong.

    ¡°Wait! Something is wrong. How did you know that Wyatt and Nicole used to be together?¡±

    Eliana suddenly realized something. Lucia was just an ordinary employee. How did she know that

    Nicole and Wyatt used to be in love with each other?

    The expression on Lucia¡¯s face instantly froze.

    She unconsciously spilled the beans just now.

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s just my guess. Isn¡¯t it verymon in TV dramas? The rich man¡¯s evil mother always

    forces his kind-hearted girlfriend to leave.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Eliana was not convinced.

    ¡°Eliana, let¡¯s stop talking about it, okay? Let¡¯s talk about the bracelet now.¡± Lucia quickly changed the

    topic.

    Since Lucia mentioned their work, Eliana could only temporarily keep her suspicion to herself.

    The two of them discussed for a while and finally decided to stay together to modify the design. The

    bracelet for mass production needed some revisions before they started to produce.

    They were still busy when Lilian came over again.

    She dropped two personal packages on the desk and ordered arrogantly, ¡°Lucia, send these two

    packages for me.¡±

    Lucia raised her head and agreed as usual, ¡°Oh, okay¡­¡±

    But when she was about to reach for the packages, Eliana stopped her.

    ¡°Why should you send these packages for her? You are hired as a designer of thispany. You¡¯re not

    an errand girl who needs to serve other employees.¡±

 Chapter 454

    Chapter 454

    Eliana gave Lucia a reassuring look and decisively pushed the two packages away.

    T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Then she turned to Lilian and asked, ¡°Excuse me, how old are you? Why do you need someone to

    send packages for you? Can¡¯t you do it yourself?¡±

    Lilian was so annoyed at Eliana¡¯s intervention.

    She knew she couldn¡¯t order Eliana to do things for her. But couldn¡¯t she order an intern?

    ¡°Eliana, what are you so anxious about? Did I tell you to do it?¡±

    But Eliana remained firm. She said, ¡°As I¡¯ve said, Lucia is a designer, not your sidekick. So send your

    packages yourself.¡±

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Lilian snapped through clenched teeth. ¡°Are you deliberately going against me?¡± Her face

    flushed with anger.

    ¡°Yes, I am a busybody today.¡±

    Then Eliana red at Lilian, indicating that Lilian should leave now.

    Lilian was too angry to say a word. She had no choice but to take back the two packages and leave

    angrily.

    When Lilian was gone, Lucia said timidly, ¡°Eliana, you didn¡¯t have to stand against her because of me.

    It¡¯s just two packages. I can¡­¡±

    ¡°Lucia, do you even hear yourself right now? What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Eliana poked

    Lucia¡¯s forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t indulge Lilian. It will only make her worse. From now on, stop doing chores for

    her. Don¡¯t be as stupid as I was before.¡±

    Lucia was confused, but she still nodded.

    She came to the Moran Group just to experience life. She didn¡¯t have much work pressure, so she

    didn¡¯t feel she had suffered losses. But still, it felt good to be protected by others.

    Eliana and Lucia were so busy that they forgot the time. It was already veryte when they got off work.

    They parted ways at the gate of thepany.

    When Lucia got home, the words she heard in the restaurant today still kept ringing in her head.

    If her guess was right, then Dora, her aunt, was responsible for his cousin Wyatt and Nicole¡¯s breakup.

    Nicole must have had her own difficulties back then.

    Should she tell Wyatt about it?

    After contemting for a while, Lucia decided to tell Wyatt what she had overheard.

    So she picked up her phone and dialed his number.

    ¡°Hello, Lucia! Why do you call?¡±

    Lucia heard Wyatt¡¯s maic voice from the other end of the line.

    She took a deep breath and said solemnly, ¡°Wyatt, I have something to tell you. I thought about it

    carefully, and I feel the need to tell you.¡±

    Eliana had just arrived home too. She had no idea that Lucia had already told Wyatt what had

    happened today.

    Aileen was absent from school because of her allergy. And at this time, Nana had already picked

    Adrian up from kindergarten.

    When Aileen saw that Adrian was back, she couldn¡¯t wait to run over with her short legs.

    ¡°Adrian! How is Ss? He looked so sad when he left the night before.¡±

    Adrian put away his schoolbag, looked into Aileen¡¯s big eyes, and sighed, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know. Ss

    was absent today. I heard from our teacher that¡­ He is sick.¡±

    ¡°Ss is sick?¡± Aileen¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She asked anxiously, ¡°How did he get sick? Does he

    also have an allergy like me?¡±

    ¡°You little fool. How can that be possible?¡±

    Adrian flicked Aileen¡¯s head amusingly.

    While the two siblings were talking, Eliana had been standing not far away. She was stunned when she

    heard Adrian¡¯s words.

    Was Ss really sick?

    She couldn¡¯t help wondering if it was because she treated him so badly that night.

    At the thought of this, Eliana couldn¡¯t help feeling guilty.

    She walked towards them and squatted down. Then she held Aileen¡¯s hand and said seriously, ¡°Aileen,

    I want to ask you a question. You must tell me the truth, okay?¡±

    Aileen and Adrian exchanged nces. Aileen was a little flustered. ¡°Go ahead, Mommy.¡±

    ¡°Did you and Ss really saved an old man yesterday? That was why you were not able to answer my

    call, right?¡±

 Chapter 455

    Chapter 455

    ¡°Yes, Mommy. It¡¯s true. And that handsome old man is Ss¡¯ great-grandfather.¡±

    Aileen was a little agitated. She was afraid that Eliana would not believe her, so she couldn¡¯t help telling

    the truth.

    ¡°Ss¡¯ great-grandfather?¡±

    Eliana was shocked. If what Aileen said was true, then the old man her children met was Earle,

    Maurice¡¯s fierce grandfather.

    Every time she remembered that scene when Earle raised his cane and hit Maurice, she still felt

    terrified until now.

    Eliana almost couldn¡¯t believe that Aileen and Adrian, two delicate children, had actually stayed with

    such an irascible old man the entire evening.

    Thinking of this, she immediately panicked. She held Adrian¡¯s and Aileen¡¯s hands and checked them

    carefully.

    ¡°Let me see. Are you hurt somewhere? Did that old man do anything to the two of you?¡±

    Aileen and Adrian looked at each other, wondering why Eliana was so nervous all of a sudden.

    Adrian shook his head. ¡°No, Mommy. That old man did nothing to us.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Aileen concurred. ¡°He treated us very well.¡±

    Judging from the children¡¯s words, they liked Earle very much. Eliana couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Earle was very fierce to Maurice, but he was very good to Aileen and Adrian, even though he didn¡¯t

    know that these two children were his great-grandchildren.

    ¡°Mommy, do you think Ss is seriously ill? Please allow me to go to school tomorrow. I want to see

    him.¡±

    As she spoke, Aileen held Eliana¡¯s hand and acted like a spoiled child.

    At this moment, Eliana already understood why Ss hadn¡¯t contacted her in time that day.

    Ss really cared about his family very much. He must have panicked when Earle suddenly had a heart

    attack.

    That was to say, she went too far when she treated him so sternly that night.

    Now that she had figured out everything, Eliana felt even guiltier. She took Aileen¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s hands

    and said apologetically, ¡°Kids, it was my fault the night before. I lost my temper at you before knowing

    the truth.¡±

    Aileen reminded her in a childish voice, ¡°Mommy, you should not apologize to us but to Ss.¡±

    These words instantly made Eliana¡¯s face turn red in embarrassment.

    She was a grown-up. But sometimes, Aileen was more sensible than her.

    So she solemnly promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kids. I will find an opportunity to apologize to Ss.¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    Apologizing was easy and simple. But for her, it would be difficult this time.

    If Ss was someone else¡¯s child, she would not hesitate. But unfortunately¡­ He was rted to

    Maurice.

    Meeting with Ss meant she had to tangle with Maurice. The rtionship between them had already

    been tooplicated to handle.

    But since Eliana made a promise to her children, she would find a way to do it.

    Eliana coaxed the two children to sleep and decided to sleep in their bedroom.

    The next day, she got up early and made breakfast. After eating, she prepared to personally send the

    children to school.

    But before they could go out, the doorbell rang.

    She wondered who would visit them so early in the morning.

    Eliana walked to the door and looked through the peephole. And she was shocked by what she saw.

    Three people stood in front of the door. And when she looked at their faces, she found that they were

    Earle, Ss, and Earle¡¯s assistant.

    Wonders never ceased.

    Why did these peoplee to her door together?

    Eliana¡¯s mind was a mess. She was so flustered that she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Hello? Is anybody there?¡± Earle¡¯s assistant knocked on the door and said, ¡°We are Ss¡¯ family. It¡¯s an

    abrupt visit today.¡±

    Eliana was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof. Now that they were outside the door, she couldn¡¯t run

    away even if she wanted to.

    The knock on the door continued, and even Nana walked out of her bedroom this time.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you just standing there? Why don¡¯t you open the door? Who¡¯s outside?¡±

    Nana didn¡¯t know what was going on at the moment, so she stepped forward and was about to open

    the door.

    But Eliana grabbed her back.

    ¡°Damn! I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s done?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡±

    ¡°Maurice¡¯s grandfather.¡±

    ¡°What? Maurice¡¯s grandfather?¡±

    Eliana and Nana asked and answered each other. One of them looked desperate, and the other was

    confused.

    Nana stepped forward and looked at the peephole. Then she saw the three people standing outside.

    She pointed at the door and asked, ¡°That old man who looks very imposing outside is Maurice¡¯s

    grandfather?¡±

    Eliana nodded frantically. ¡°Yes, Nana. What should we do now?¡±

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t panic. Let me think.¡± Nana raised her hand and touched her chin, thinking seriously for a

    while. Then she pped her hands and seemed to know what to do.

    ¡°You are going to meet your future grandfather-inw now, right?¡±

 Chapter 456

    Chapter 456

    ¡°Nana, what are you thinking?¡± Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Because of some things in the past,

    Earle has misunderstood me. He dislikes me. Besides, he doesn¡¯t know that I have children. It will be

    moreplicated if he knows.¡±

    ¡°Then you are really toast.¡±

    Upon hearing Eliana¡¯s words, Nana also understood the seriousness of the matter. And now the two of

    them were worrying about it.

    Aileen and Adrian had no idea what the adults were worried about. As soon as they heard the knock on

    the door, they ran out of the room.

    Aileen looked up at Eliana expectantly. ¡°Mommy, I just heard someone talking. Is it Ss?¡±

    At this moment, Ss was anxiously waiting outside the door. He finally summoned up the courage to

    come here today. But after knocking for a long time, he got no response from the inside.

    He lowered his head in disappointment. It seemed that Eliana still hadn¡¯t forgiven him yet.

    Suddenly, Earle held his hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I will help you win your friends back.¡±

    This morning, Earle was very distressed when he saw that Ss was very sad. The little boy didn¡¯t even

    want to go to school.

    So he took Ss directly to the door of the twins¡¯ home.

    Aside from helping Ss, Earle actually wanted to see the two lovely children again.

    Inside the apartment, Eliana knew that hanging back like this was not a solution. She couldn¡¯t let Earle

    stand outside all the time.

    Suddenly, an idea shed through her mind. She grabbed Nana¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Nana, I just came up

    with a brilliant idea. I¡¯ll hide first, and then you open the door. Pretend that you are Adrian and Aileen¡¯s

    mother. Help me get through this first.¡±

    ¡°You want me to pretend to be you?¡± As she asked, Nana¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Eliana nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the only way now. But you must be careful not to give yourself away.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I promise to get this done,¡± Nana readily agreed.

    Eliana immediately exined the situation to Adrian and Aileen and quickly hid in the bathroom.

    ¡°Ahem!¡± Nana cleared her throat. She straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and opened the

    door. ¡°Hello!¡±

    ¡°Nana!¡± Ss shouted excitedly.

    ¡°Ss, you¡¯re here. Pleasee in.¡±

    Nana ushered the three into the apartment.

    Nana was the only adult in the living room, so Earle naturally thought that she was Adrian and Aileen¡¯s

    mother. He said, ¡°You must be the mother of Aileen and Adrian. You look so young. You have raised

    Adrian and Aileen well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mister. Are you Ss¡¯ great-grandfather? My name is Nana Marlin. I¡¯m the mother of Aileen

    and Adrian.¡±

    Nana began her ssy performance.

    Earle sat on the sofa and exined his purpose unhurriedly.

    ¡°I came here today to exin what had happened the day before yesterday. That day, I suffered a

    rpse. And the three children sent me to the hospital. It was so urgent that they didn¡¯t have the time

    to inform you. I hope you don¡¯t me Ss.¡±

    Nana smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind. This matter is between the children. They

    can solve it by themselves.¡±

    Earle nodded in agreement.

    Ss had been restless since he entered the apartment. He was afraid that Aileen and Adrian would

    me him, so he didn¡¯t dare to approach and greet them.

    In the end, Aileen and Adrian took the initiative to step forward and hold his hands.

    ¡°Ss, Adrian said you were sick yesterday. How are you now? Are you feeling better?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ss answered with a flushed face.

    Aileen patted her chest exaggeratedly and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good! You scared me to

    death. It feels terrible to be sick.¡±

    Ss thought of Aileen¡¯s allergy, and he felt sad again.

    ¡°Aileen, I¡¯m sorry. If I didn¡¯t take you out, you wouldn¡¯t get sick.¡±

    ¡°Ss, you didn¡¯t know I was allergic to peaches. So, don¡¯t me yourself. It wasn¡¯t your fault. Besides,

    I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Aileen firmly stated that she had recovered.

    ¡°Yes, Ss. What happened to Aileen has nothing to do with you,¡± Adrian also said tofort Ss.

    After the problem was resolved, the three children yed happily again.

    Earle watched this scene, feeling relieved. Nana handed him a cup of tea.

    ¡°Please have some tea first.¡±

    Earle took the teacup and nced at the other teacups on the table. There were fourmonly used

    teacups neatly ced. It could be seen at first nce that they were for parents and children of a family

    of four.

    So he asked casually, ¡°Is the children¡¯s father also at home? Why haven¡¯t I seen hime out?¡±

    Nana was stunned for a moment. How should she get around with this one this time?

    Suddenly, an idea came to her. She shouted towards the bathroom, ¡°Honey, haven¡¯t you finished taking

    a shower yet?¡±

 Chapter 457

    Chapter 457

    Eliana, who was hiding in the bathroom, heard Nana¡¯s shout. She quickly replied, disguising her voice,

    ¡°Wait a moment. Entertain the guests first.¡±

    Nana turned to Earle and exined, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. My husband likes taking showers, and he usually

    spends a long time in the bathroom.¡±

    Earle frowned. He wondered why her husband¡¯s voice sounded so strange.

    It was his first time hearing a man with such a weird voice, but he didn¡¯t think too much.

    Instead, he said, ¡°Can you let me take the three children to school today? Give me a chance to make

    up for what had happened the day before yesterday.¡±

    After saying this, Earle waved at his assistant.

    The assistant immediately understood what Earle meant. He took out a check from his pocket and

    handed it to Nana.

    ¡°This is a small gift from our chairman as an expression of his goodwill. I hope you will ept it.¡±

    Nana immediately became unhappy. Wasn¡¯t it like she was selling the children for money?

    She said generously, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Why do you have to give me money? Mr. Moran, if you really

    want to, you can take the three children to school together.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡± the three children cheered in unison.

    Eliana, who was leaning against the bathroom door, heard Nana and Earle¡¯s conversation. Her brows

    furrowed. What was Nana doing? Why did she let Earle take Adrian and Aileen away so easily?

    Ss, on the other hand, kept ncing at the bathroom door from time to time since he heard someone

    speak inside.

    He knew that Eliana was there, and he had been waiting for her toe out, so he could apologize to

    her again.

    Earle noticed Ss¡¯ strange behavior, so he asked, ¡°Ss, what¡¯s wrong with you? Is there any

    problem?¡±

    Ss immediately retracted his gaze and replied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±

    Since Eliana hid in the bathroom, she must have her own reason. Although he didn¡¯t understand why,

    Ss wouldn¡¯t expose it.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go then.¡±

    Earle was not in the mood to ask more questions, so he quickly stood up and was about to leave.

    However, Nana had guessed what was on Ss¡¯ mind. She squatted down, opened her arms, and

    hugged him on behalf of Eliana. Then she gently touched his head.

    ¡°What happened that day was all just a misunderstanding. It was not your fault, and we¡¯re not ming

    you. Do you understand what I mean?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t me him.

    Ss felt that his nose twitched. He nodded heavily.

    Although it was Nana who told him this, he knew that it was also what Eliana meant.

    Afterforting Ss, Nana turned around and pulled Aileen and Adrian in front of her. She earnestly

    instructed, ¡°Children, listen carefully. Mr. Moran will drive you to the kindergarten today, so you must be

    good. Don¡¯t cause any trouble. You must abide by the agreement and go home on time, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Aileen and Adrian answered in unison.

    Nana then saw them off, feeling relieved.

    Earle took the three children downstairs. He held Ss¡¯ and Aileen¡¯s hands, while Aileen held Adrian¡¯s

    hand.

    Earle lowered his head and looked at the children on both sides. He was very happy at this moment. It

    was he who raised Maurice. But his stubborn grandson had never been this cute.

    At this time, Eliana stood upstairs, watching Earle¡¯s luxury motorcade drive the children away slowly.

    Her heart was filled with mixed emotions.

    Was a blood rtionship really that magical?

    Earle was a fierce man. But for Ss¡¯ happiness, he pocketed his dignity and personally came to

    apologize. He was even surprisingly gentle and approachable in front of Aileen and Adrian.

    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana was in a trance. At this moment, she thought of her father with a dreamy expression on her face.

    If her father were still alive, he would also love Aileen and Adrian so much like this.

    After all, this was a natural feeling between family members.

 Chapter 458

    Chapter 458

    The three children sat in the car with Earle. The luxurious motorcade set off again, heading for the

    kindergarten in a mighty manner.

    As this tremendous motorcade drove on the road, the other cars all take evasive action, pushing

    Marina¡¯s car behind them.

    The driver suddenly stepped on the brakes, making Marina lean forward with Ivy. The child had her

    seat belt fastened, so it was not a big deal for her.

    Marina, on the other hand, did not fasten her seat belt, so she directly hit the back of the front seat.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Ivy screamed in fright.

    Marina covered her swollen forehead and cursed, ¡°What the hell are you doing? Are you really a

    driver?¡±

    The driver hurriedly turned his head and exined, ¡°Mrs. Harrison, it¡¯s not my fault. The cars ahead

    forced me to suddenly brake.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Marina looked out of the window angrily. ¡°I want to see who is bold enough to

    block my car.¡±

    When she got out of her car, she saw Adrian and Aileen got out of the Rolls-Royce.

    At first sight, she immediately recognized them as Eliana¡¯s children.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Burning with anger, Marina rushed over, intending to make trouble.

    But then, Ivy got out of the car too. And when she saw Aileen and Adrian, she anxiously grabbed

    Marina¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t!¡± She shook her head anxiously. ¡°Dad said that we can¡¯t cause any trouble.¡±

    ¡°Ivy, you¡¯re just a kid. You don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Marina shook off Ivy¡¯s hand vigorously and rushed to scold the two children.

    ¡°You two little bastards! Who gave you the courage to force my driver to stop my car just now? Where

    is your bitch mother? Tell her to get out of the car now!¡±

    Earle followed the twins out. So when he saw a middle-aged woman who was like a shrew rushing

    forward to scold them, he immediately stood in front of the three children to protect them.

    ¡°And who are you? What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Marina didn¡¯t know the old man who suddenly appeared. She was surprised that he even sent Eliana¡¯s

    children to kindergarten.

    She looked at Earle up and down suspiciously.

    Seeing the old man¡¯s luxury car, she thought that Eliana must have hooked up with another rich man

    again.

    At the thought that Eliana was a mistress of an old man, Marina couldn¡¯t help feelingcent.

    After all, Eliana¡¯s misery was her happiness.

    ¡°Are you the new sugar daddy of that bitch? You¡¯re so old, and only that shameless bitch can stand to

    sleep with you. She will really do everything just to live a good life. At your age, you can already be her

    grandfather, right? If you have a child with her, I don¡¯t know what that child should call you.¡±

    The more Marina said, the more excited she became. It was as if she had seen Eliana lying under the

    old man with her own eyes.

    But who was Earle? Could he let a stupid woman just humiliate him like this?

    ¡°Catch this crazy, filthy woman!¡± he ordered.

    His bodyguards immediately surrounded Marina.

    ¡°Hey, what are you going to do?¡±

    It was only then that Marina realized something was wrong. But it was toote. Earle¡¯s bodyguards

    caught her effortlessly.

    ¡°Let go of me, you bastards!¡± Marina¡¯s face flushed as she struggled hard. But she still didn¡¯t forget to

    threaten, ¡°Do you know who I am? If you dare hurt me, I will make you suffer!¡±

    One of the bodyguards sneered, ¡°Open your eyes wide. Don¡¯t you know who is standing in front of

    you? This man is Earle Moran, the chairman of Moran Group.¡±

    ¡°What? Earle Moran? No, that can¡¯t be. How can he be Earle?¡±

    Marina was dumbfounded, staring straight at Earle in disbelief.

    Then her eyes moved to the cane in his hand.

    It was not an ordinary walking stick. Its body was dark, and it had a domineering silver snake head on

    the top. The vivid snake head¡¯s two eyes were dazzling rubies.

    Everyone in the upper ss knew that this silver snake head stick only belonged to one person. And

    that person was the head of the Moran family and the chairman of Moran Group, Earle Moran.

    Finally, the image of the legendary business tycoon and the imposing old man in front of her gradually

    ovepped in her mind.

    Marina was doomed.

    This time, she met a pretty tough nut to crack.

    Her face turned deathly pale, and her clothes were soaked in a cold sweat. Her body trembled

    involuntarily.

    But she still wondered why such a big shot would be with Eliana¡¯s children.

    ¡°Well¡­ Mr. Moran¡­ What¡¯s your rtionship with these three children?¡± Marina asked reluctantly

    despite being caught by the bodyguards.

    At this moment, Ss stepped forward and saidcently, ¡°He is my great-grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Great-grandfather? How can that be possible?¡±

 Chapter 459

    Chapter 459

    ¡°Alright, children, get back in the car. We don¡¯t need to waste our time talking to this crazy woman,¡±

    Earle said to the three children. Then he turned to his bodyguards and ordered, ¡°Get rid of her as soon

    as possible!¡±

    He waved his hand impatiently. This crazy woman had totally ruined his mood.

    No one in this world had dared to speak wildly to him like this. He had to teach her a good lesson.

    ¡°No, wait!¡±

    Now that Marina knew Earle¡¯s identity, she knew she couldn¡¯t escape anymore. With a pale face, she

    begged, ¡°At least¡­ Don¡¯t let the child see.¡±

    Earle was confused. What was this woman talking about? Who was the child she was referring to?

    When Aileen, who had been hiding behind Earle, heard this, she reflexively looked at Marina¡¯s car.

    Sure enough, Ivy was there, looking at them timidly.

    This bad woman seemed to be Ivy¡¯s grandmother.

    Ivy was her friend. If this woman was hurt, Ivy would be sad.

    So Aileen couldn¡¯t help but stretch out her hand and pull the hem of Earle¡¯s clothes. ¡°Mr. Moran, she is

    Ivy¡¯s grandmother. Ivy is my good friend. She¡¯s a good girl. Please don¡¯t punish her grandmother in

    front of her.¡±

    ¡°Aileen, can you tell me why?¡± Earle asked in a gentle tone.

    Aileen blinked her big and clear eyes. ¡°Because Mommy once told me that the matters of adults

    shouldn¡¯t affect the children. Just like Mommy got angry before, but Ss and I can still be good

    friends.¡±

    Earle thought that Aileen was really like a kind and innocent angel, just like Rosina.

    Aileen reminded him of his granddaughter Rosina, who had said the same words to him as this angelic

    Aileen.

    At this moment, Earle¡¯s eyes became wet. He looked down at Adrian on the other side and asked,

    ¡°Adrian, this woman just scolded you too. Do you agree with Aileen to let her go?¡±

    Adrian looked at Marina, who was in a mess. Then he nced at his innocent sister.

    ¡°Yes, I agree with Aileen.¡±

    Although he hated the bad woman Marina, he was willing to protect Aileen¡¯s kindness.

    ¡°Okay. You are all good kids.¡± Earle touched the twins¡¯ heads with relief and then waved his hand. ¡°Let

    her go.¡±

    When the bodyguards heard this, they immediately let go of Marina.

    Marina didn¡¯t react for a while. She just fell to the ground in a daze.

    She felt herself. Was she all right?

    Earle looked at Marina condescendingly and warned, ¡°For the sake of the children, I¡¯ll let you go today.

    But remember to watch yournguage next time. Take your granddaughter to kindergarten honestly.

    Don¡¯t try to y any tricks. Otherwise, I won¡¯t show you mercy.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Yes¡­¡±

    Marina nodded incessantly, grateful that she had escaped the disaster this time. She immediately got

    up, staggered back to her car, and took Ivy out.

    Ivy had no idea what had just happened. She ran over to Aileen happily and greeted, ¡°Good morning,

    Aileen. You were absent yesterday. I missed you so much!¡±

    ¡°Good morning, Ivy,¡± Aileen greeted her sweetly.

    Adrian and Ss also approached them as if nothing had happened. Of course, they didn¡¯t me Ivy

    for what her grandmother did.

    Without Marina making trouble, the four children entered kindergarten happily together.

    Earle watched their receding backs. An idea suddenly shed in his mind.

    He wanted to live longer, so he could watch these lovely children grow up.

    Earle stood at the gate of the kindergarten for a long time, reluctant to leave. So his assistant had no

    choice but toe forward and remind him, ¡°It¡¯s time for us to go back to the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Give me a minute.¡±

    He reluctantly looked in the direction where the children left just now.

    The assistant said, ¡°We really can¡¯t wait any longer. The hospital has just called to remind me.¡±

    ¡°Then I won¡¯t go. It¡¯s a good chance that I can go to the kindergarten and watch the children¡¯s sses

    today. Anyway, I have spent a lot of money on this kindergarten.¡±

    At this moment, Earle acted like a child.

    The assistant looked at Earle helplessly. He was in a dilemma now. If he stopped Earle, Earle would

    vent his anger on him. But if he didn¡¯t stop Earle, he might be punished by Maurice.

    He really didn¡¯t know what to do now.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 460

    Chapter 460

    Since Earle was the one who took the children to kindergarten, Eliana went straight to thepany. As

    soon as she entered the office, she saw Lucia and Lilian arguing.

    There was a fierce fight between the two. Lucia, who was always shy and honest, flushed with anger.

    Eliana was surprised to see Lucia like this. Lilian must have done something so terrible again that Lucia

    was as anxious as this.

    So she approached Lucia and asked, ¡°Lucia, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, I¡¯m d that you¡¯re here now.¡± Lucia insisted on calling her by herst name in front of

    others. ¡°Something happened to our bracelet.¡±

    ¡°What happened to the bracelet?¡±

    Eliana immediately stepped forward to have a look.

    Lucia handed the design draft to her and said, ¡°Look! Thepany said that they wanted to make a

    mass production of this bracelet you designed. But Lilian changed the design of your bracelet to a very

    ugly one.¡±

    Eliana took the design draft and looked at it carefully. And she immediately found that the new design

    had indeed changed a lot from her original design. The whole bracelet had been changed into a mess.

    Even the colors were very inconsistent,pletely losing its original beauty.

    ¡°How did it be like this? Lilian, are you out of your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve told her. It¡¯s impossible to change it like this.¡±

    Lucia couldn¡¯t agree more. Even a neer like her could see that the bracelet hadpletely lost

    the essence of the original design. The effort of the creator was in vain.

    Lilian sneered, ¡°It¡¯s useless for you to argue with me. Miss Stone has already approved this design. If

    you have the guts, go to the upper echelons of thepany andin.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t approve of this design,¡± Eliana said coldly with an expressionless face. ¡°I am the designer

    of the bracelet. You can¡¯t modify my design without my consent.¡±

    Lilian¡¯s arrogance instantly waned. She had fought with Eliana several times, but she didn¡¯t get any

    benefits. So now, she subconsciously felt a little scared in front of Eliana.

    She bluffed, ¡°Unfortunately, Miss Stone is not here today. But the superior has already instructed that

    the prototype of the bracelet must be given to the factory today. If you are not convinced, you can deal

    with it by yourselves. I won¡¯t care anyway. If you don¡¯t feel ashamed, you can go to Mr. Moran.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to his office now. Every work of a designer is just like her child. So I have no reason to

    feel ashamed of going to Mr. Moran for my child. How about you? Will you dare show such a design

    draft to Mr. Moran?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t suppress her anger anymore.

    How could Lilian threaten her with Maurice? Did Lilian really think it would make her give in?

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Let¡¯s show both designs to Mr. Moran and see which one he will approve,¡± Lucia

    chimed in.

    Lilian¡¯s face darkened. She couldn¡¯t deal with Eliana in the first ce. And now, Lucia was here to back

    Eliana up. She couldn¡¯t possibly fight with two people.

    ¡°If you want to go there, go! Don¡¯t drag me with you.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    Lilian knew that she was over, so she began to act shamelessly and ran away directly.

    ¡°Hey, where are you going? Why are you running away?¡±

    Lucia stomped her feet in anger.

    ¡°Well, let her go. Just leave her alone.¡±

    Eliana patted Lucia¡¯s shoulder helplessly.

    ¡°But I feel sorry for you. Your design is very beautiful. But look at it now. It¡¯s already beyond

    recognition,¡± Lucia said regretfully.

    Eliana was moved that Lucia cared so much for her. She was about to say something, but Lucia

    interrupted excitedly, ¡°No! I can¡¯t just let this matter go. I¡¯ll go to Mr. Moran now and ask him to judge.¡±

    Lucia was firm. At worst, she would expose her identity as a member of the Todd family. She couldn¡¯t

    let anyone change Eliana¡¯s design just like that.

    As soon as she said this, she rolled up her sleeves and was about to rush to Maurice¡¯s office.

    ¡°Lucia, wait! Calm down first,¡± Eliana said, grabbing Lucia¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Eliana, if you don¡¯t let me go to Mr. Moran, do you want to watch the bracelet be ruined like this?¡±

    Lucia was indignant.

    ¡°Of course not! But¡­ Let me go to him. Just stay here. If something goes wrong, you might lose your

    job. I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    Eliana also showed a firm attitude.

    She had to find Maurice and have a good talk with him today. She would not allow anyone to ruin her

    design.

 Chapter 461

    Chapter 461

    At this moment, Maurice was in his office. He sat at his desk with his phone in his hand, looking

    extremely gloomy.

    ¡°What? My grandpa left the hospital early this morning and hasn¡¯te back yet?¡± Maurice asked the

    nurse on the other end of the line with a long face.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moran,¡± the nurse answered in a trembling voice. ¡°Mr. Moran, you know your grandfather. If

    he wants to do something, we can¡¯t stop him at all.¡±

    Maurice was not happy with Earle¡¯s tomfoolery.

    Earle¡¯s physical condition was not good. What if something happened to him outside? Maurice was

    worried. He must find Earle right away.

    After hanging up the phone, he turned to Corbin beside him and immediately asked, ¡°Corbin, do you

    know where my grandpa is?¡±

    Corbin lowered his head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know where the chairman is for the time being. I can¡¯t get

    any information from his assistant Aleck.¡±

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Aleck¡­¡± Maurice thought for a moment. Then he suddenly remembered something. ¡°My grandpa¡¯s

    assistant is Aleck Hinks, right? I remember, he was the one who personally trained you. It¡¯s said that a

    student can excel his master. Can¡¯t you surpass him?¡±

    Corbin couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Indeed, Maurice knew him so well that Maurice had guessed he had a

    backup n.

    ¡°Yes, I thought of other ways. Since the chairman¡¯s heart attackst time, I have secretly installed a

    tracker on Aleck¡¯s cellphone. We can now know the chairman¡¯s location.¡±

    Maurice looked at Corbin admiringly. ¡°Okay, hurry, check it now.¡±

    At first, Corbin didn¡¯t want to use this method against the senior who had personally taught him many

    things.

    But Earle¡¯s safety was what mattered the most now. So he took out his phone and opened the tracker

    application.

    ¡°Let me see¡­ The chairman is¡­ In kindergarten now¡­ Huh? Wait! Kindergarten?¡±

    At first, Corbin doubted that he had seen it wrong. He opened his eyes wide and took a closer look. It

    was only then that he confirmed that Earle was really in kindergarten.

    ¡°Oh, no! Mr. Moran, the tracker shows that your grandfather is now in Ss¡¯ kindergarten,¡± Corbin

    immediately reported to Maurice.

    ¡°What is he doing in the kindergarten?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart sank. Adrian and Aileen were also in kindergarten now. Could it be that they were with

    Earle and Ss? If Earle found out that the twins were Eliana¡¯s children, it would be troublesome.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the kindergarten.¡±

    Maurice immediately stood up with a frown, intending to rush to the kindergarten.

    As soon as the two of them stood in front of the elevator, the doors opened. Two people were standing

    inside, Eliana and Lucia. They went upstairs to discuss the design draft with Maurice.

    The four of them looked at each other in surprise.

    Lucia was the first to recover. Her eyes lit up, and she eximed, ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t mind their grudge, and walked up to Maurice with the design draft in her hand. ¡°Mr. Moran,

    I have something to discuss with you. Please have a look at this design draft first.¡±

    As she spoke, she handed the design draft to Maurice. But he just ruthlessly pushed it away.

    ¡°I¡¯m busy now.¡±

    After saying this, Maurice took Corbin directly into the elevator without taking another look at Eliana.

    But Eliana didn¡¯t intend to give up. Before he could enter the elevator, she blocked his way to stop him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, this is really urgent.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± Maurice said, staring at her with his sharp eyes. ¡°I swear, if you don¡¯t let me go,

    you will regret it.¡±

    His gaze made Eliana flinch.

    Was he threatening her?

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you go. This is really important to me, so I won¡¯t let you go,¡± Eliana said through

    clenched teeth, refusing to retreat.

    If she let Maurice go, her design would be ruined. She would never allow such a thing to happen.

    Maurice ran out of patience, and the anger that had been suppressed in his heart surged up again.

    ¡°Eliana, who do you think you are? I am Maurice. I am not someone on call at all times.¡±

    His words were like a knife that pierced through Eliana¡¯s heart.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t forget who he was.

    He was the CEO of Moran Group, a proud man like a god. He had met all kinds of women, and there

    was no woman he couldn¡¯t get.

    While she, after the Pierce family went bankrupt, became just an ordinary woman.

    How could she be delusional that he would treat her differently?

    At the thought of this, Eliana stepped back and got out of the elevator with a pale face.

    Then the elevator doors slowly closed in front of her.

 Chapter 462

    Chapter 462

    The elevator descended steadily.

    Outside, Eliana stood still, looking at her reflection on the shiny silver elevator door. She grimaced as

    she saw how she looked¡ªas pale as a ghost.

    She let out a long sigh and looked away to hide her feeling of emptiness.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucia said tentatively as she looked intently at Eliana. ¡°Look, it doesn¡¯t matter. There

    will always be another way.¡±

    Lucia felt sorry for Eliana as she had witnessed the argument between her and Maurice.

    Wasn¡¯t Mr. Moran a good friend of Wyatt who was Lucia¡¯s cousin? So how could he be testy and

    irritable?

    He left even before Eliana could finish her words. How dare he bully others in this way?

    So, in Lucia¡¯s mind, Maurice¡¯s image hit rock bottom.

    Inside the elevator, Maurice didn¡¯t look good either. He was staring at Corbin. His expression was

    unreadable.

    ¡°Why did the elevator suddenly go down?¡±

    Corbin furrowed his eyebrows. He was also clueless about it. So he looked at the floor buttons on the

    elevator operating panel. He then noticed that he had pressed the wrong button!

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Moran,¡± Corbin mumbled. His face was red in embarrassment. ¡°It was my fault. I intend

    to push the open button on this floor, but somehow, I jabbed the wrong one. Before I knew it, the

    elevator started going down¡­¡±

    Maurice bit his lip, trying to suppress a burst of anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Corbin could tell that his boss was beginning to lose his temper. He

    thought fast and said, ¡°How about¡­ Maybe we should go back now.¡±

    Corbin stretched out an arm so he could push the right button on the panel.

    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Oh, forget it!¡± Maurice¡¯s voice boomed in the elevator, making Corbin drop his hand. ¡°Fining my

    grandpa is more important.¡±

    Maurice tried to dispel the disappointment on Eliana¡¯s face from his mind. He knew that the most

    important thing to do at the moment was to go to kindergarten right away. He couldn¡¯t let Earle find out

    the truth about the identity of the twins.

    Before long, Maurice and Corbin were in kindergarten.

    It was a recess when they arrived and the children were ying.

    Maurice walked straight into the ssroom of the fraternal twins. He was bbergasted at what he saw.

    Earle was ying chess with Adrian by the window where it was bright. Aileen was sitting on a small

    stool next to them. She had that confused look on her face so she¡¯d ask Earle questions from time to

    time.

    Earle patiently listened to the girl. He looked so interested that he answered every question. At the

    same time, he seemed to be enjoying ying chess with the little boy.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Corbin looked at the scene, open-mouthed.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that the good-natured old man with the twins was the over-bearing and cranky

    Earle he knew.

    Maurice raised his brows in obvious surprise. Just when did his grandfather be gentle and

    amodating, especially to children?

    Earle felt the presence of Maurice and Corbin and he raised his head to look at them. His countenance

    immediately changed. His eyes darkened and his face crumpled in annoyance.

    ¡°Why are you both here? You¡¯re intruding in my time with my grandchildren,¡± Earle snarled at the two

    men. ¡°Get out of here! I don¡¯t want to see you here!¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t flinch at the old man¡¯s anger. He just walked straight ahead and then stood beside them.

    ¡°Grandchildren?¡± he asked, his lips curled up. ¡°Am I not your grandchild? Or is there another one?¡±

    Earle quickly pulled Aileen and Adrian to his side.

    ¡°These are my new grandchildren,¡± he emphatically told Maurice and Corbin. Putting his hand on the

    boy¡¯s head, Earle added sardonically, ¡°Adrian, meet Maurice, my utterly useless grandson.¡±

    Adrian lifted his head and looked at Maurice, confused. How could this man be Earle¡¯s grandson?

    Could he really be rted to this annoying man who bullied his mother?

    Aileen then looked at Maurice excitedly. ¡°Adrian! Look, isn¡¯t he¡­¡±

    She wanted to say ¡°daddy¡± but she felt a hand covering her mouth.

    It was Adrian¡¯s hand. He had to do it to stop the farce in time.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran,¡± the little boy said tersely while looking hard at Maurice.

    Maurice heaved a sigh of relief.

    The boy was quick to react. Had he not done what he did, the secret would have been exposed.

    Maurice came to realize what Earle had meant. ¡°I just hope you¡¯re only kidding me, Grandpa,¡± he said

    unhappily.

    ¡°Do I look like I am joking?¡±

    Earle looked like a man with a serious mien. He felt that he was destined to meet the twins and so, he

    wanted to take them as his grandchildren.

    Maurice and Earle looked at each other, their eyes shing with anger. A quarrel was brewing.

    Having been used to this kind of situation, Ss promptly came out to mediate between the two. ¡°Great-

    grandpa, please stop. It wouldn¡¯t be good for you to mess up things in this way. If you take them as

    your grandchildren, I¡¯ll have to call Adrian uncle. How could I call my good friend uncle?¡±

 Chapter 463

    Chapter 463

    Earle, who was always serious, burst intoughter when he heard Ss¡¯ words.

    For a moment, the tense atmosphere eased.

    Ss was about to breathe a sigh of relief. However, Earle¡¯s next words immediately made the

    atmosphere freeze again.

    ¡°Ss, don¡¯t call him uncle from now on,¡± Earle sneered. Then he mocked, ¡°I wonder why I keep such

    an unfilial grandson. I¡¯ll just think that I don¡¯t have a grandson like him. I¡¯ll let you and Adrian manage

    Moran Group together in the future.¡±

    Upon hearing this words, Maurice¡¯s face darkened at once.

    Ss saw that the situation was not good, so he quickly changed the subject. ¡°Great-grandpa, let¡¯s not

    talk about it for now. You haven¡¯t taken your medicine today yet, right? I¡¯ll apany you to take your

    medicine first.¡±

    It was only then that Earle stood up. But before he left, he turned to Maurice and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to

    take my medicine. Stay here and apany Aileen and Adrian.¡±

    After Earle left, Maurice and Adrian looked at each other up and down with embarrassment on their

    faces.

    They couldn¡¯t just stand here like this and do nothing. Then Maurice caught sight of the chessboard on

    the desk. He asked, ¡°Do you want to continue ying chess?¡±

    Adrian couldn¡¯t find a better way to get along with Maurice. So he just sat down awkwardly and started

    ying chess with Maurice without saying anything.

    Neither of them spoke, so the atmosphere was unusually quiet.

    Aileen looked at the handsome Maurice and then at Adrian, feeling that they were really boring. She

    shrugged and said, ¡°You guys enjoy yourselves.¡± Then she ran to Ivy and drew with her.

    Now, only Maurice and Adrian were left in front of the chessboard.

    Finally, Adrian broke the silence. He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with my mommy?¡±

    As he spoke, his little hand moved the pawn on the chessboard one step forward andunched an

    attack.

    Maurice moved his knight forward and responded with a question calmly, ¡°Where is your father?¡±

    Adrian¡¯s hand holding the chess piece suddenly paused. But he quickly responded, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen

    him before.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Maurice became restless. Countless thoughts shed through his mind at once.

    Howe Adrian hadn¡¯t seen his father?

    Could it be that Jonathan didn¡¯t care about them at all?

    But it couldn¡¯t be. Didn¡¯t Eliana live with Jonathan when she was abroad? But why would Adrian say he

    had never seen his father?

    Maurice didn¡¯t pay attention to the chessboard anymore. And while he was distracted, Adrian had

    already secured victory and put down the chess piece.

    ¡°Checkmate! You lost.¡±

    Adrian took away Maurice¡¯s queen with acent look on his cool little face.

    It was only then that Maurice came back to his senses, and he couldn¡¯t helpughing.

    ¡°Adrian, you won?¡±

    Aileen immediately turned around and ran back to them with the paint box in her hand when she heard

    the noise. They didn¡¯t expect her to move so much that the paint spilled over and sshed on the cuff

    of Maurice¡¯s trousers. And the paint box fell to the floor.

    She froze for a moment. Then she apologized timidly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She was so afraid that she didn¡¯t

    dare to look at Maurice¡¯s face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything to Aileen,¡± Adrian said to Maurice as he immediately stood before Aileen.

    Maurice didn¡¯t mind it at all. In fact, when he saw that Aileen didn¡¯t dare to raise her head after making

    a mistake, he was amused because he found her cute.

    He couldn¡¯t help teasing her, ¡°Oh, you just say sorry? What else can you do?¡±

    He didn¡¯t sound angry, and he was smiling. When Aileen heard his question, she plucked up the

    courage to raise her head. ¡°Actually, I can fix it.¡±

    ¡°Really? Okay, fix it.¡±

    With Maurice¡¯s consent, Aileen picked up the paintbrush from the desk and began to paint on the part

    of his trousers where the paint sshed.

    After a while, a lifelike sunflower appeared on his trousers.

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Aileen stood up happily with some paint on her little face.

    Maurice looked at her. He found her so lovely that he couldn¡¯t help reaching out and wiping the paint off

    her face.

    Earle had juste back from taking his medicine, and he happened to see this loving scene.

    It seemed that Maurice was getting along well with Aileen and Adrian.

    He stepped forward and said, ¡°Since you and these children are now so attached to each other, why

    don¡¯t you take them to the Moran family to keep Sspany? You don¡¯t need to support them. The

    Moran family has a trust fund for Ss, right? The trust fund is more than enough to support the three

    children until they grow up.¡±

    The more Earle spoke, the more excited he became. It was as if he would really bring Aileen and

    Adrian home in no time.

    ¡°Grandpa, stop for a moment,¡± Maurice interrupted Earle¡¯s fantasy forcefully. ¡°Have you ever thought if

    the parents of these children would agree with it?¡±

 Chapter 464

    Chapter 464

    ¡°They will disagree? But why?¡± Earle asked in confusion.

    Maurice rubbed his forehead. ¡°These children have parents. You want them to live in the Moran family¡¯s

    house? Of course, their parents won¡¯t let it happen. After all, the parents of these two children are still

    alive. How can they just give their children to other people?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Earle said confidently. ¡°It¡¯s actually lucky for them to send their

    children to our family. They will definitely agree.¡±

    ¡°How can you be sure about that?¡± Maurice asked, raising his eyebrows.

    ¡°Of course, I went to their house this morning. The children¡¯s parents were very friendly. It won¡¯t be

    difficult to convince them to let the children live with us.¡±

    Maurice was stunned for a moment. ¡°Their father was also there?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was there,¡± Earle answered affirmatively.

    Maurice was even more confused.

    How could Adrian and Aileen¡¯s father be at home? Was Jonathan back from abroad?

    And he directly lived in the house he got for Eliana?

    Maurice looked at the twins and asked, ¡°Is your father at home today?¡±

    Aileen and Adrian looked at each other with confusion in their eyes.

    Aileen was more confused. ¡°Our father?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Is he back?¡± Maurice asked again.

    Aileen didn¡¯t know what to say. Did she have a father?

    Adrian lowered his head for a moment. Then he seemed to think of something, and his eyes lit up.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Adrian and Aileen spoke at the same time, but they had different answers.

    Maurice became more serious this time. ¡°Is he home or not?¡±

    Adrian grabbed Aileen¡¯s hand and said to Maurice firmly, ¡°Yes.¡±

    Since Adrian held her hand, Aileen didn¡¯t say a word this time.

    She looked at Adrian in confusion with a little anger in her eyes. It was as if she was asking, ¡°Why are

    you lying?¡±

    But he just gave her a reassuring look.

    Maurice had hurt Eliana, so Adrian wanted Maurice to misunderstand her and stay away from her.

    Maurice stared at Adrian¡¯s excited face, but he didn¡¯tpletely believe what Adrian said.

    But the scene this morning when Eliana stopped him, saying that she wanted to talk to him about

    something, kept shing in his mind.

    Did she want to tell him that Jonathan was back?

    Since the real father of the twins was back, she couldn¡¯t wait to disassociate herself from him? Did she

    really want to return to Jonathan?

    There was no way he would let it happen.

    So what if Jonathan was back? As long as he was here, Eliana would never escape from him for the

    rest of her life.

    Maurice¡¯s anger was instantly ignited. His face darkened, and he clenched his fists. He was like an

    angry beast.

    His terrifying aura frightened Adrian and Aileen. Their faces turned pale.

    ¡°Maurice, that¡¯s enough!¡± Earle stood in front of the twins. ¡°What are you doing? Don¡¯t you see that

    you¡¯re scaring them?¡±

    Earle touched Aileen¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s heads and said kindly, ¡°It¡¯s time for your ss. I won¡¯t disturb you.

    Go ahead.¡±

    Adrian and Aileen nodded and went back to their seats obediently.

    Then Earle took Maurice to an empty part of the corridor outside the ssroom.

    The expression on his face changed. He raised his cane and hit Maurice several times.

    ¡°How dare you scare the children!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t.¡±

    Maurice knew that Earle was only taking this opportunity to hit him, so he didn¡¯t dodge. He felt the pain

    in his back after he was hit several times.

    Earle only stopped hitting Maurice when he was almost out of breath. He finally vented his anger, and

    thus felt much better. His chest was less stuffy now.

    After he calmed down, he looked at Maurice and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t kidding just now. I really wanted to take

    the kids home because I really like them. I will leave this matter to you. Go talk to their parents. I¡¯m

    going back to the hospital now.¡±

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    Maurice was about to open his mouth to refuse. But Earle interrupted him.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±

    His words were a clear threat.

    Of course, Maurice had to agree. He couldn¡¯t let Earle meet Eliana.

    ¡°Okay, leave this matter to me.¡±

    Earle and Maurice had no idea that someone else was looking at them secretly.

    Ss had been feeling that something was wrong with Earle all this while, so he quietly followed them

    not far away. And when he saw that Earle and Maurice were discussing something, he frowned.

    What Earle said before rang out in his mind.

    ¡°These are my new grandchildren.¡±

    At that time, he thought that Earle only said those words out of anger.

    But now, it seemed that Earle really meant it. He really wanted Aileen and Adrian to be his

    grandchildren.

 Chapter 465

    Chapter 465

    Ss instantly panicked. He knew Earle¡¯s unyielding character very well. If Earle really wanted to take

    Aileen and Adrian away, he would definitely do it.

    He had to do something. He must tell Eliana about it. She shouldn¡¯t be left unprepared.

    Ss nned to call Eliana. But before that, he went to Aileen and Adrian and told them about it first.

    The three of them gathered together to discuss.

    ¡°What do you think? Should I tell your mom about it?¡±

    Ss asked with a frown.

    Adrian¡¯s face darkened at once. ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary. Whether your great-grandfather really wants to

    take us to your house or not, our mom should know about it. Otherwise, she will be angry again.¡±

    Aileen nodded solemnly. ¡°Yes, I agree!¡±

    As soon as they finished discussing, Ss immediately took out his smartwatch and called Eliana.

    At this moment, Eliana and Lucia were still worried about the bracelet in thepany.

    Maurice and Harriet were not there, so they didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Suddenly, Eliana¡¯s phone rang. She temporarily pulled herself out of her mncholy and answered her

    phone.

    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s me, Ss.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ss! What¡¯s up?¡± Eliana was a little surprised to receive a call from him.

    ¡°I¡­ have something to tell you. But please¡­ Don¡¯t be angry.¡±

    Ss was so nervous that he stammered.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Go ahead, tell me.¡±

    As she spoke, Eliana poured herself a ss of water.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, my uncle and great-grandfather came to kindergarten today. My great-grandfather may¡­

    He may want to take Aileen and Adrian to the Moran family¡¯s house.¡±

    His voice got lower and lower, but Eliana still heard his words clearly.

    She was so shocked that she almost dropped the ss in her hand.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    She was not able to control the volume of her voice, and Lucia was startled.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Lucia hurriedly came over and asked.

    ¡°Ss, thank you for letting me know about this. Just stay with Aileen and Adrian there. I¡¯ll be right

    there.¡±

    Eliana hung up the phone with a solemn expression on her face. Then she turned to Lucia and said

    anxiously, ¡°Lucia, let¡¯s put aside the issue about the bracelet for now. I have something really important

    to do now. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Lucia was worried when she saw Eliana¡¯s pale face. She immediately picked up her bag and followed

    her.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t panic. You have to calm down first. Where are you going? I have a car. I can drive you

    there.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t have much time, so she didn¡¯t refuse Lucia¡¯s offer. She nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    The two of them hurried to the underground parking lot.

    ¡°Come on, my car is over there.¡±

    Lucia took Eliana to a white sports car and opened the door with the car keys.

    Eliana was shocked.

    The car in front of her now was an Aston Martin.

    She almost couldn¡¯t believe that Lucia owned such a luxury car.

    How could Lucia afford it? Who the hell was she?

    Lucia noticed that Eliana was in a daze, so she urged her, ¡°Eliana, what are you waiting for? Come on!¡±

    It was only then that Eliana came back to her senses. She kept her doubts in her heart and got in the

    car. The most important thing now was her children.

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    ¡°Go to this ce. Thank you.¡±

    Eliana showed Lucia the address of the kindergarten.

    ¡°Alright, sit tight. We¡¯ll go there right away.¡±

    Lucia stepped on the elerator, and the car rushed out like an arrow from the bow. Fortunately, her

    driving skills were as good as Nana¡¯s. They arrived at the destination in less than half an hour.

    When the car stopped in front of the gate of the kindergarten, Earle was about to leave.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    As soon as Eliana saw Earle standing at the gate, she reflexively lowered her head, curled up, and hid.

    Earle, who was about to get in the car, suddenly looked in the direction where Lucia¡¯s car was parked.

    He frowned as if he recognized something. Then he slowly walked towards Lucia¡¯s car.

    Eliana was in a panic.

    She wondered if Earle saw her just now.

    She tugged at the hem of Lucia¡¯s shirt and said, ¡°Lucia, help me. Earle can¡¯t see me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I got this covered. I¡¯ll attract his attention, and you take this opportunity to run away.¡±

    After saying this, Lucia got out of the car and walked towards Earle.

 Chapter 466

    Chapter 466

    Lucia went straight to Earle and said, ¡°Mr. Moran, long time no see. How have you been recently?¡±

    Earle stopped and looked at Lucia up and down. Then he smiled and said, ¡°You are¡­ You are the

    daughter of the Todd family, right?¡±

    Lucia smiled. ¡°Mr. Moran, you have a good memory. Yes, I¡¯m Lucia Todd.¡±

    ¡°Oh, long time no see. You have grown into a beautiful woman,¡± Earle sighed.

    Actually, he recognized Lucia¡¯s car, so he wanted toe over to have a look. He didn¡¯t expect that it

    was really her.

    ¡°By the way, what about your cousin? I haven¡¯t seen Wyatt recently.¡±

    At the mention of Wyatt, Lucia looked very proud. ¡°My cousin has been working very hard recently.

    He¡¯s busy with the reopening of his restaurant.¡±

    Earle nodded and said with relief, ¡°He has been muddling through for so many years. Finally, he seems

    to get down to business. How about you?¡±

    ¡°Me? Well¡­¡± Lucia pointed at herself, looking confused.

    ¡°You¡¯re working as an intern in Moran Group, right? How is it? Have you been bullied by anyone

    there?¡±

    Earle¡¯s voice was full of concern.

    Lucia was stunned for a moment. Then she shook her head and smiled shyly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine in Moran Group. Do you know the designer Eliana Pierce? She¡¯s been helping me a lot.

    She is really an excellent designer.¡±

    As soon as Lucia mentioned Eliana¡¯s name, her eyes lit up, and she started topliment Eliana.

    But on the other hand, Earle¡¯s face darkened. He reluctantly asked, ¡°Really? Is she really that good?¡±

    ¡°Of course she is!¡± Lucia replied without hesitation.

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    Earle¡¯s face darkened even more. But he couldn¡¯t lose his temper in front of Lucia.

    Did Eliana bewitch everyone she knew?

    They all seemed to have lost their souls. Why did everyone like her, including Maurice, Ss, and

    Lucia?

    While Earle and Lucia were chatting happily, Eliana took the opportunity to quietly open the car door

    and slowly move down.

    And when Earle was not paying attention, she sneaked into the kindergarten.

    Eliana was only relieved when she reached Adrian and Aileen¡¯s ssroom. She took a deep breath of

    fresh air.

    She was so nervous just now that she didn¡¯t even dare to breathe.

    She was afraid that Earle would notice her.

    Eliana wiped the cold sweat on her forehead and was about to enter the ssroom to look for her

    children.

    The children were having a painting ss. And for their convenience, the paints they needed to use

    were piled up in the corner.

    To avoid disturbing the other children, she walked to the corner of the ssroom quietly. She found

    Adrian and Aileen¡¯s location, so she tried to attract their attention.

    But before she could do anything, the two children were already looking at her.

    Eliana was overjoyed to see this. She waved to them, wanting them toe over. But they didn¡¯t

    move. Instead, they winked at her and made gestures.

    She was confused, wondering what her children were doing.

    Eliana frowned and watched the gestures of the two children carefully.

    They seemed to be telling her to do something. Did they want her to look behind her? When she finally

    understood them, she turned her head.

    And she was startled by what she saw.

    Right in front of her was a handsome face.

    It was none other than Maurice.

    He looked at her and asked in a low voice, ¡°Eliana, what are you doing here?¡±

    Eliana was so shocked that it took her a while to respond. She asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t go with your

    grandpa?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want me to leave? Are you unwilling to be in the same ce with me?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s tone was unfriendly, and his face was cold.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m in a hurry now. I have something urgent to deal with. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to talk to Maurice, so she turned around and walked to Adrian and Aileen.

    ¡°You¡¯d better tell me now.¡±

    Maurice wanted to hold her hand, but she took a few steps back and tried to dodge.

    As soon as she retreated, something happened.

    Eliana knocked the buckets of paint piled up in the corner to the floor, making a loud sound. Then

    colorful paints sshed, soaking her clothes.

    The next moment, she stepped on the paint, slipped, and fell backwards.

    She closed her eyes, waiting for her body to touch the floor. But suddenly, a powerful arm wrapped

    around her waist.

 Chapter 467

    Chapter 467

    Panicked, Eliana raised her head and met Maurice¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Why are you always so reckless?¡± Maurice asked, holding her waist with one hand and pulling her into

    his arms with the other.

    Eliana¡¯s head hit Maurice¡¯s solid chest. At that moment, she could feel his steady heartbeat.

    ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you,¡± Eliana stammered, with her face as red as a tomato.

    She was really scared to death just now!

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you stayed long enough in my arms?¡±

    When Maurice spoke, the slight vibration from his chest gave Eliana a feeling of electric shock.

    Only then did shee to her senses. She quickly pushed Maurice away and lowered her head shyly.

    She tried her best to calm down.

    ¡°Why are you looking down? Don¡¯t you dare look at what you¡¯ve done?¡± Maurice teased her.

    Eliana subconsciously raised her head and saw with shock that Maurice¡¯s clothes were tainted with

    different colors of paint.

    In fact, they were both covered in paint. Maurice had been stained with paint when he took her in his

    arms. At this moment, they looked a real mess.

    Eliana was so embarrassed that she didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Then all of a sudden, a loud scream rang out in the ssroom.

    ¡°Wow!¡±

    ¡°Everybody, look!¡±

    It turned out that the noise Eliana and Maurice made just now had attracted the attention of all the

    children in the ss. Now, all the kids were looking at them curiously.

    Even Aileen was looking at them amusingly.

    Seeing that all the children were distracted from the lesson, the teacher got up to bring back m in the

    ss.

    ¡°Ahem¡­ Kids, focus on drawing!¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± the children replied reluctantly.

    The teacher knocked on the ckboard with her ruler in order to bring back the kids¡¯ attention to the

    lesson, but that didn¡¯t help much. Finally, the teacher looked helplessly at Eliana and Maurice and

    asked, ¡°Do¡­ do you mind leaving the ss for a while?¡±

    Eliana felt so embarrassed.

    At this moment, she wished she could move to another!

    Embarrassed, Eliana took a bow in front of the teacher and apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry! We are

    leaving now!¡±

    After saying that, she took Maurice¡¯s hand and rushed out of the ssroom.

    Unlike Eliana, Maurice didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. He even casually closed the door to the

    ssroom when Eliana pulled him out to run away.

    Dragging Maurice along, Eliana ran out of the ssroom to a far corner of the yground before

    stopping.

    Maurice was amused by Eliana¡¯s reaction. He raised their intertwined hands and joked, ¡°Why did you

    stop? Did you do all this just because you wanted to hold my hand?¡±

    Eliana took a long time to catch her breath. When she looked up and saw Maurice¡¯s calm face, she

    couldn¡¯t help but be angry.

    She shook off his hand and said coldly, ¡°What do you mean? By the way, what are you and your

    grandpa going to do with my kids? Come at me, and don¡¯t hurt my kids.¡±

    Maurice was confused. He couldn¡¯t understand why she was lecturing him all of a sudden.

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    He looked intently at Eliana who felt scared by his gaze.

    ¡°Was there a man at your house today?¡± Maurice suddenly asked.

    Upon hearing this, Eliana¡¯s anger suddenly subsided. She frowned and asked, ¡°What are you talking

    about?¡±

    ¡°Answer me!¡± Maurice said curtly, taking a step forward.

    ¡°No!¡± Eliana replied impatiently.

    Maurice¡¯s face then softened a little. However, his gaze was still so intense. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. Who is

    the father of Aileen and Adrian?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect this question, and her brain went nk for a moment.

    Did Maurice know the truth?

    That couldn¡¯t be!

    She lowered her head and didn¡¯t say anything.

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t answer, Maurice sneered and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t they Jonathan¡¯s kids?¡±

    Jonathan?

    Why did Maurice mention him again?

    Eliana frowned but still remained silent.

    Maurice hated when Eliana adopted this attitude. It always had a way of pissing him off.

    ¡°I think the next time I see Jonathan, I¡¯ll ask him to take the twins for a paternity test, prevent him being

    fooled by you like I was.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s words were like a sharp knife that stabbed deep into Eliana¡¯s heart. She felt heartbroken.

    At this moment, she lost her mind. She raised her hand to p Maurice in the face¡­

 Chapter 468

    Chapter 468

    Eliana¡¯s hand went down quickly and fell on Maurice¡¯s face.

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    The unexpected p caused Maurice¡¯s face to turn aside.

    He did not realize what was going on until he felt a sharp pain on his face.

    Eliana had pped him again!

    He was determined to teach her a lesson this time.

    With a livid face, he turned his head to look at Eliana, intending to teach her a lesson.

    But the scene he saw shocked him. Eliana was staring at him with red eyes and tears ran freely down

    her cheeks.

    Maurice definitely didn¡¯t expect that. She was crying.

    In a split second, Maurice forgot his anger and felt so sorry for her. He no longer wanted to punish her

    for having pped him.

    He couldn¡¯t help but reach out to wipe the tears from her face.

    What they didn¡¯t know was that a group of children not far away were watching them intently.

    After they left, the teacher failed to stop the curious children in the ssroom from watching Eliana and

    Maurice. Now, they were standing in front of the window or at the door.

    When Aileen and Adrian saw Eliana crying, they couldn¡¯t stand it. They rushed out of the ssroom

    despite the teacher¡¯s dissuasion and ran towards Eliana and Maurice.

    ¡°You bad guy, what do you want to do to my mommy?¡± Adrian scolded Maurice, standing next to

    Eliana.

    Maurice smiled bitterly and put down his hand.

    ¡°Mommy, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡± Aileen asked Eliana anxiously, hugging Eliana¡¯s thighs.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    As she spoke, Eliana wiped the tears on her face and forced a smile. She squatted down and stroked

    the two kids¡¯ hair.

    Although Eliana did her best to reassure her kids that she was fine, neither Aileen nor Adrian believed

    her. Adrian was staring at Maurice with hatred, while Aileen had mixed feelings.

    Aileen¡¯s eyes eventually fell on the cuffs of Maurice¡¯s pants, where the sunflower she had drawn for him

    had been smeared with all kinds of paint.

    Seeing that the sunflower she drew was destroyed, Aileen was heartbroken and wanted to cry.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, are you really a bad guy?¡± the little girl looked at Maurice and asked timidly.

    Seeing Aileen¡¯s innocent gaze, Maurice clenched his fists, not daring to say anything cruel to this

    adorable child.

    But how could he exin it?

    ¡°No!¡± Eliana suddenly said. She held the hands of Adrian and Aileen and added seriously, ¡°Remember,

    Mr. Moran is not a bad guy, okay?¡±

    Aileen nodded in confusion, but Adrian didn¡¯t say anything. He was visibly still angry.

    Eliana sighed helplessly. The thing was Maurice was Aileen and Adrian¡¯s biological father, and Eliana

    didn¡¯t want her children to hate their father even if they didn¡¯t know the truth.

    ¡°Honey, Mommy¡¯s and Mr. Moran¡¯s clothes are dirty. We have to go change into clean clothes now. You

    two should go back to your ss now, okay?¡± Eliana said softly, pretending to be rxed.

    ¡°No!¡± Adrian said firmly, looking at Maurice intently. ¡°I want to be with you, Mommy!¡± he added.

    ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t worry. Mommy is fine. I really need to go home and change my clothes. Go back to ss

    now. I wille pick you up this afternoon, okay?¡±

    After a long moment of persuasion, the two kids finally agreed to go back to their ssroom.

    When the two children were out of sight, Eliana¡¯s expression changed. She left directly, without even

    looking at Maurice.

    With a gloomy face, Maurice followed her silently.

    Eliana¡¯s clothes were in a mess, and when she walked out of the school premises, the passers-by

    looked at her andughed.

    ¡°Look, what on earth is that woman wearing? It¡¯s so funny!¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s some kind of art.¡±

    ¡°Art shouldn¡¯t be this ugly!¡±

    Eliana just ignored what the passers-by were saying. However, Maurice couldn¡¯t ignore it.

    He caught up with her, took off his coat which was slightly cleaner than hers on hers, and draped it over

    her shoulders.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to wear it! I don¡¯t need your hypocritical care. Besides, your coat is also dirty. Take it off

    me,¡± Eliana protested, even though the coat made her feel warm.

    However, Maurice ignored what she said and stopped her from taking off the coat. Then, he put his arm

    around her shoulder.

    ¡°Since my coat is dirty, let¡¯s go to the mall to buy some new clothes,¡± he said casually.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want new clothes. I want to go home!¡±

    Eliana refused again.

    ¡°Well, you might not need new clothes, but I do. You were the one who got my clothes dirty,

    remember?¡±

    Hearing Maurice ming her, Eliana was so angry that she didn¡¯t even know what to say.

    She was also too exhausted emotionally to argue with him now, so he forcibly took her to the nearest

    shopping mall.

 Chapter 469

    Chapter 469

    Coincidentally, the mall where Maurice took Eliana to was where she worked as Nicole¡¯s stylist before.

    Mixed emotions filled Eliana¡¯s heart as she revisited this old ce.

    At that time, she had just left the Moran Group and lost her job in a restaurant. When she was in her

    most difficult time, it was Nicole who offered her the job as a stylist.

    Then a lot of things happenedter. But she, Nicole, and Eli became good friends. And those times

    were still worth remembering for her.

    When Eliana raised her head, she saw that Nicole¡¯s huge poster was still on the wall of the shopping

    mall.

    Nicole was wearing a beige dress on the poster. And on the side was Nana¡¯s enchanting figure.

    Although Nana only took up a small part of the poster, she was still very eye-catching. After all, if

    people looked closer, they would find that Nana¡¯s temperament and appearance were not inferior to

    Nicole¡¯s.

    Looking at the poster lightened up Eliana¡¯s mood. She was no longer reluctant to go shopping with

    Maurice that much now.

    Maurice took her to a clothing shop that looked very high-end at a nce.

    And she was astonished by the service when she entered.

    This fashion shop was a chain brand under the Moran Group.

    When Maurice stepped into the shop, several shop attendants swarmed up. But there was only him in

    their eyes, and Eliana was pushed to the side.

    She had enjoyed this kind of favorable treatment before the Pierce Group went bankrupt, but she didn¡¯t

    feel disappointed at all.

    Those days were gone, and she didn¡¯t care about it anymore.

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    She nced at Maurice, who was surrounded by those shop attendants. Then she turned around,

    walked to the discount area, and randomly picked a simple and in dress she could afford.

    At this time, the group of well-dressed shop attendants were trying to sell clothes to Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, this ck shirt is made of exquisite materials, and the design is gorgeous. It matches your

    noble identity well.¡±

    ¡°Lily, are you kidding? The one in your hand is fromst year¡¯s fashion. How can it match Mr. Moran?

    Mr. Moran, look at this one in my hand. It¡¯s thetest style for this season.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, this is a limited edition. There are only six pieces of this in the world.¡±

    The shop attendants argued with each other. If people didn¡¯t know this was a high-end shop, they

    would think they were in the farmers market.

    Their noisy voices annoyed Maurice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eliana heading towards the

    fitting room with a dress in her hand.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Maurice roared impatiently, and everyone immediately fell silent.

    Then he walked to Eliana and said, ¡°Come here. Help me choose.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Holding the dress in her arms, Eliana pointed at herself in confusion.

    The shop attendants looked at her enthusiastically.

    But Eliana had no intention of getting involved, so she just nced at the clothes in the shop

    attendants¡¯ hands casually and said sarcastically, ¡°Mr. Moran, why bother picking one from them? You

    are so rich, so why don¡¯t you buy them all? You don¡¯tck money anyway.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened at once.

    The shop attendants looked at each other in dismay and suddenly realized something. They were a

    little excited, but they didn¡¯t dare to go forward because of Maurice¡¯s imposing manner.

    Eliana saw their eagerness, so she decided to say something more.

    ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry, a big order ising up to you.¡±

    With her urging, the shop attendants couldn¡¯t help but gather around Maurice more frantically. This

    time, they stopped arguing with each other. Instead, they worked together to convince him.

    What Eliana said made them understand that the man in front of them was rich. In short, he was

    capable of buying all the clothes in their shop. If they grabbed the opportunity, everyone could make a

    fortune.

    With just a few words, Eliana sessfully made the women surround Maurice again. Then she went to

    the fitting room in a good mood to try the dress she chose.

    She was about to get out of the changing room when she vaguely heard the conversation of two female

    shop assistants at the door.

    ¡°Hey, have you seen that woman just now? I really envy her. She can hook up with a rich man. She

    doesn¡¯t have to worry about money for the rest of her life now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I saw her enter the fitting room with a discounted dress. If she hooks up with a rich

    man, how could she choose the cheap dress in our shop? Such a woman will only embarrass the man

    she¡¯s with, right?¡± replied the other shop assistant.

    ¡°If I were her, I would have chosen the most expensive dress here.¡±

    The two shop assistants were chatting more and more vigorously as if they dreamed they were her.

 Chapter 470

    Chapter 470

    Hearing this, Eliana suddenly stopped in her tracks and a bitter smile appeared on her face.

    She had thought she was psychologically strong now and wouldn¡¯t be affected by any harsh words.

    However, it turned out she was wrong. Those words still hurt her deeply.

    At this moment, a man¡¯s voice suddenly interrupted the conversation of the shop assistants.

    ¡°You two, pack up all thetest womenswear in the shop.¡±

    It was Maurice.

    Eliana, who was still in the fitting room, was stunned.

    Meanwhile, outside the fitting room, the shop assistants were shocked when they heard what Maurice

    just said. One of them asked, ¡°Mr. Moran¡­ Do you want to buy them all?¡±

    Maurice looked coldly at the woman and said dryly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t I clear enough just now?¡±

    At this moment, the two shop assistants¡¯ eyes lit up with excitement. They quickly nodded and said,

    ¡°Okay, Mr. Moran! What size do you want them?¡±

    ¡°90, 61, 84,¡± Maurice replied calmly.

    From inside the fitting room, Eliana heard clearly what Maurice had just said.

    She was utterly stunned. How on earth did he know her body size?

    Even if they slept together before, that didn¡¯t exin how he knew her measurements.

    Eliana blushed.

    Meanwhile, the shop assistants didn¡¯t know how to handle such a big order, so they called the shop

    manager.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran,¡± the manager greeted Maurice, bowing respectfully.

    However, Maurice didn¡¯t care about the greetings. He frowned and urged, ¡°Go get the clothes packed.¡±

    ¡°Okay! We will get them ready for you right away. Please be patient.¡±

    Then, the manager turned to the shop assistants and ordered, ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    Suddenly, Maurice¡¯s voice rang again. ¡°Wait!¡± He looked indifferently at the three people in front of him

    and said coldly to the shop assistants, ¡°After this, you two can leave this store.¡±

    ¡°Sir, I beg your pardon?¡± the shop assistants asked in confusion. They looked at each other, wondering

    what was going on.

    At this moment, the manager¡¯s face changed. Of course, she too was confused. She looked at Maurice

    and asked tentatively, ¡°Mr. Moran, do you mean¡­¡±

    ¡°They are fired,¡± Maurice said in a domineering tone.

    A look of shock appeared on the shop assistants¡¯ faces when they heard what Maurice just said.

    ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Moran¡­ I¡­¡±

    One of the shop assistants tried to exin, but the manager immediately stopped her.

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ve told you time and again to mind the way you treat the customers in this store. Now, go

    pack the clothes.¡±

    The shop assistants¡¯ faces turned pale in an instant.

    Maurice looked at them with a cold expression. The two shop assistants had no other choice but to go

    get the clothes Maurice wanted. After they all left, he gently knocked on the door of the fitting room.

    ¡°They are gone now. What are you still doing in there?¡±

    Hearing Maurice¡¯s words, Eliana took a deep breath and finally opened the door.

    When she came out of the fitting room, Maurice seemed to be a little angry.

    ¡°You are always proud in front of me, but why didn¡¯t you say anything when those women humiliated

    you just now?¡± Maurice asked with a frown.

    Eliana rolled her eyes and said casually, ¡°What should I say? I¡¯ve heard such words so many times that

    I¡¯m used to them.¡±

    Indeed, since she met Maurice, she has often been confronted with jealousy and contempt from others.

    Actually she¡¯d already receivedments way worse than these.

    If she retorted every time people picked on her, she would be exhausted.

    Maurice was stunned when he heard what she said and he became even more furious.

    He looked at the dress she wore and frowned.

    Noting the expression on his face, Eliana said self-deprecatingly, ¡°What? You also think the dress is

    cheap?¡±

    At this moment, Maurice shifted his gaze back to Eliana¡¯s face. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and

    pulled her against him. He then whispered in her ear, ¡°It¡¯s not cheap at all. You look beautiful no matter

    what you¡¯re wearing.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s sweet words made Eliana¡¯s heart beat faster. She stared into Maurice¡¯s extremely serious

    eyes, and her heart beat even faster.

    ¡°I¡­ I know!¡± she stammered.

    Minutes ago, the atmosphere between the two of them was very tense. However, at this moment,

    Eliana felt a little guilty for what she had done to Maurice.

    Forget it! She sighed in her heart.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel indebted to Maurice. After all, he had just saved her from embarrassment

    and also bought her a lot of clothes. She needed to give him something in return.

    With mixed feelings of guilt and gratitude, Eliana walked between different shelves in the store in

    search of a gift for Maurice. After browsing the store for a while, she decided on a brown tie for

    Maurice.

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    Maurice, who was standing no far away, watched her picking a tie for him, and a smile shed across

    on his face.

    After they finished shopping, they brought everything to the checkout to pay the bill.

    As Eliana pulled out the tie, she seriously said, ¡°Hello, I¡¯ll pay for this tie.¡±

    The shop assistant paused for a moment when he heard what Eliana just said. Then, he said, ¡°Okay,

    ma¡¯am. This tie costs 13, 000 dors.¡±

    Eliana took a deep breath when she heard the price of the tie.

    13, 000 for a single tie? It was too expensive!

    She wanted to return the tie.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s cold voice suddenly sounded and his intense gazended on her. Under his cold stare,

    Eliana immediately gave up the idea.

    If she dared to return the tie, he might fly into a rage instantly!

    It was all her fault. Why did she choose such an expensive tie for him?

    She had no choice but to pay for it now. Gritting her teeth, she handed her credit card to the cashier.

    ¡°Okay. But¡­ Can I pay in installments?¡±

 Chapter 471

    Chapter 471

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but smile discreetly as he looked at Eliana who was staring at the tie.

    She was quite generous this time. She was willing to spend so much money just to buy him a gift!

    When he took the tie, he felt a warm feeling in his heart, which made him happy.

    Once they had paid the bill, they had both changed into new clothes. Maurice looked refreshed, while

    Eliana waspletely withered. After all, she had just spent a veritable fortune!

    ¡°Since we¡¯re done shopping, let¡¯s get out of here now!¡± said Eliana in a feeble voice.

    Smiling, Maurice followed her leisurely.

    They were going to leave the mall when Eliana realized that there were a lot of people around her.

    These people all seemed to be looking at something. She looked up and saw an eye-catching sign

    hanging in front of her, which read, ¡°There¡¯s a big discount on food at the supermarket.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw that.

    Immediately, she turned to look at Maurice and said seriously, ¡°Maurice, you go first! I need to go to the

    supermarket.¡±

    After saying that, she was about to run forward, but was stopped by him.

    ¡°What do you mean by leaving me here alone? Besides, you do not need to buy things at a discount.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Eliana blurted out before ruthlessly shaking off Maurice¡¯s hand. Then she

    rushed to the supermarket which was already full of people.

    Maurice was speechless. He couldn¡¯t let her go there alone, so he decided to follow her to the

    supermarket.

    When he walked into the supermarket, a group of middle-aged women quickly noticed him.

    ¡°Wow, what a handsome young man!¡± one of the women muttered.

    Maurice was indeed a handsome man, and wherever he went, he was noticed by women. As soon as

    he entered the supermarket, the middle-aged women around him were fascinated by him. They soon

    forgot what they were here for and surrounded him.

    ¡°Hey, handsome. Who are you? Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?¡±

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    ¡°How old are you, handsome? Do you have a girlfriend? My daughter is still single¡­¡±

    Maurice felt the anger rise in him as he was pushed around by these women.

    What was Eliana doing?

    Well, since Maurice¡¯s presence had attracted most of the women, Eliana had the opportunity to grab a

    lot more food.

    However, she looked asionally in Maurice¡¯s direction and noticed that he was about to lose his

    patience. His face was gloomy, indicating that anger was boiling inside him. Seeing this, Eliana finally

    decided to go back to him.

    ¡°Back off!¡± Eliana roared as she stood in front of Maurice.

    ¡°Hey, who the hell are you?¡± one of the middle-aged women asked Eliana with contempt.

    ¡°I¡¯m his girlfriend. Now back off from my man!¡±

    Although it was a lie, Eliana said it with such conviction that it was impossible not to believe her.

    Hearing this, the women quickly walked away and went their separate ways.

    Maurice was furious just now and had nned to teach Eliana a good lesson. But when he heard her

    say he was her man, his anger vanished immediately.

    After she scrambled for food, Eliana¡¯s hair was a mess. She even still had a cabbage leaf stuck in her

    hair. Although she looked scruffy, she was so excited as if she had won a grand prize.

    Maurice was amused to see her like this and joked, ¡°Why are you so happy? What¡¯s the fun in fighting

    for discounted stuffs?¡±

    ¡°You are never short of money, so you can¡¯t understand! I have been able to get a week¡¯s food, saving

    at least 300 dors! That¡¯s equal to making 300 dors!¡± Eliana said with a wide smile. She was clearly

    overjoyed.

    Maurice gazed fondly at Eliana¡¯s smug expression and naturally reached out to touch her head.

    However, before his hand could touch her, she subconsciously stretched out her hand to stop him.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Eliana asked vigntly.

    Maurice ignored her and took the cabbage leaf off her head. He shook it in front of her eyes and said

    with a helpless sigh, ¡°See?¡±

    Seeing that, Eliana blushed.

    She had thought that Maurice wanted to kiss her in this public ce.

    She looked at Maurice, feeling a little embarrassed now. She couldn¡¯t help but notice that when he

    wasn¡¯t angry, he looked quite like Preston.

    There was something about Preston that made her want to get close to him. However, Maurice only

    made her want to run away.

    Maurice and Eliana then went to pay the bill silently.

    Coincidentally, Eliana met the cashier who waived the bill for her and her childrenst time.

    Eliana asked curiously, ¡°Uh¡­ Hello! Is there an activity like the one I participated in before that can

    make the goods free of charge?¡±

    ¡°Free of charge?¡± The cashier looked at Eliana up and down carefully and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you! You¡¯re the

    customer whose goods were free of chargest time, right?¡±

    Eliana nodded. ¡°I just want to know if I can get the food free this time again.¡±

    The cashier was confused and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? In fact, there has never been any activity

    to get free goods. Last time, the boss of the mall took care of your bills himself.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Eliana was utterly stunned.

    The owner of this shopping mall? Wasn¡¯t it Maurice himself?

    Eliana turned her head and stared at Maurice in shock.

    It turned out he didn¡¯t let her payst time! And she never knew about it!

    If she hadn¡¯t found out by ident, would he have ever told her the truth?

    ¡°Maurice, did you¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Maurice denied at once, without even waiting for her to finish her question.

    Eliana frowned and said again, ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything more. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Maurice felt awkward and directly dragged Eliana away.

    He didn¡¯t want Eliana to find out that he had watched over her in secret.

 Chapter 472

    Chapter 472

    At this time, Nana had already picked up Adrian and Aileen from kindergarten. When she saw Eliana

    approaching, she and the twins waited at the door to wee Eliana home.

    ¡°Hey, kids, look what Mommy has bought for you.¡±

    Eliana had several shopping bags in her hands. But there were still many shopping bags left in the car

    that even Corbin got out of the driver¡¯s seat to help.

    Aileen and Adrian ran to Eliana and hugged her thighs, looking at her up and down nervously. Adrian

    looked more worried. He was afraid that Maurice might have bullied Eliana.

    ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡± Nana asked worriedly, also looking at Eliana. ¡°Aileen and Adrian told me that

    Maurice bullied you again. Let me¡­¡±

    Nana was about to say that she wanted to scold Maurice. But when she saw Corbin carrying bags of

    things from the trunk, she was suddenly at a loss for words.

    It turned out that Maurice went shopping with Eliana. Although she didn¡¯t think it was good to scold

    someone who had just bought them a lot of things, she didn¡¯t want her best friend to suffer any

    grievances.

    But she noticed that Eliana and Maurice got along quite well. So she simply pulled Corbin to the side

    and asked in a low voice, ¡°What exactly had happened between Maurice and Eliana today?¡±

    Corbin nced at Eliana and Maurice, who never talked all the way here, and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    While Corbin and Nana were whispering in the corner, Maurice was embarrassed to face Eliana and

    the twins alone.

    Aileen didn¡¯t greet him warmly like usual.

    Instead, she hugged Eliana¡¯s thigh and peeked at him from time to time. She must have been

    frightened by what had happened this morning.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help reaching out his hand, wanting to touch Aileen¡¯s head.

    But as soon as Aileen saw him move, she immediately hid behind Eliana.

    He paused for a while, and then silently withdrew his hand.

    Adrian looked at the shopping bags on the ground with disgust and snapped, ¡°Do you think you can

    buy us off with these things? No way!¡±

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    When Eliana saw Adrian¡¯s and Aileen¡¯s indifferent attitude towards Maurice, she felt a little sad.

    However, she was not in the mood to intervene.

    ¡°Thank you for all of these. I¡¯m tired, and I want to rest now. You should leave.¡±

    Then she took the two children upstairs wearily.

    Maurice watched the three¡¯s receding backs, feeling empty in his heart. It was as if he had lost

    something important. There was a feeling of loneliness in his heart that he had never felt before.

    Before Corbin left with Maurice, Nana learned what had happened this morning from him.

    So she walked into Eliana¡¯s room and asked worriedly, ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡±

    Lying on the bed, Eliana looked at her with a forced smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to act tough in front of me. Tell me the truth. Are you going to ept Maurice as Adrian

    and Aileen¡¯s father?¡± Nana asked.

    Eliana looked at her in surprise. ¡°Why do you think so?¡±

    ¡°If not, why did Earlee to you? I also heard from Corbin that Earle wanted to take the kids into the

    Moran family¡¯s house. Does that mean he¡¯s starting to like you?¡±

    Obviously, Nana was still not totally convinced.

    Eliana smiled bitterly and replied, ¡°No. Earle doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯m the kids¡¯ mother.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± A trace of disappointment was written all over Nana¡¯s face. ¡°So he still doesn¡¯t like you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Eliana answered, trying hard to hold back her sadness. ¡°And it¡¯s precisely because of his attitude

    towards me that I am more certain that Maurice and I can never be together.¡±

    Nana didn¡¯t know what else to say tofort Eliana, so she could only reach out and hug her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Eliana. I¡¯m here. You and the kids have me. At worst, I will support you and the kids for the

    rest of my life.¡±

    Eliana smiled, got up from the bed, and rested her head on Nana¡¯s shoulder. Mixed emotions filled her

    heart.

    A rtionship without the family members¡¯ blessings wouldn¡¯tst.

 Chapter 473

    Chapter 473

    The next day, Eliana woke up early to prepare Adrian¡¯s and Aileen¡¯s schoolbags. She was about to

    send them to school, but when she opened the door, she saw a luxurious Lincoln parked outside.

    ¡°What is this car doing here?¡±

    While Eliana was confused, the car door opened, and the driver got out.

    He walked straight to Eliana and said respectfully, ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran sent me to pick up your

    children. I¡¯ll drive them to kindergarten.¡±

    Maurice ordered his people to take Aileen and Adrian to kindergarten?

    But why?

    Eliana subconsciously hid the two children behind her.

    Although Maurice didn¡¯t know the identity of the twins yet, she still felt uneasy about leaving them with

    his people.

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    The driver seemed to have already anticipated she would react like this, so he exined, ¡°Miss Pierce,

    please rest assured. Mr. Jenkins has told me to pick up the two children to school from now on to avoid

    unnecessary trouble between you and the chairman.¡±

    It turned out that this was Corbin¡¯s arrangement.

    Eliana felt a little relieved upon hearing this.

    This was indeed the best way to avoid Earle from further contacting the two children.

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±

    After thinking about it for a while, shepromised.

    ¡°By the way, Mr. Moran also told me one thing,¡± said the driver.

    Then he opened the rear door and took out arge bunch of fresh sunflowers. The bright color was

    particrly vibrant under the morning sunlight, making people happy at the sight of it.

    Eliana was dumbfounded. Was Maurice intending to send flowers to her?

    However, the driver handed the sunflowers to Aileen beside her.

    ¡°Mr. Moran specially asked me to give this to you.¡±

    Adrian snorted disdainfully and turned his head away.

    Aileen took the sunflowers, but she was still confused.

    Was it a gift from that handsome Maurice?

    Was it because she painted the sunflower on his trousers yesterday?

    Aileen carefully touched the bright sunflowers and suddenly found a small pink card hidden inside

    them.

    When she took it out, she saw a cute crying kitten painted in a childish style. And beside the kitten were

    three words, ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    It turned out that Maurice was apologizing to her.

    Aileen¡¯s mood immediately turned sunny. There was a sweet smile on her face again.

    When Eliana saw the happy expression on Aileen¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help but feel curious.

    She wondered what was written on the card. How could Maurice make Aileen so happy?

    ¡°Aileen, may I see it?¡±

    Eliana stretched out her hand, wanting to take the card from Aileen¡¯s hand.

    ¡°No.¡± Aileen quickly held the card in her arms and said, ¡°Mr. Moran gave this to me. I won¡¯t show it

    even to you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really petty.¡±

    Eliana felt a little jealous, but she didn¡¯t say anything more.

    Anyway, she also hoped that the two children could get along well with Maurice.

    She let the two children get in the car and watched them disappear from her sight before setting off for

    thepany.

    As soon as she entered the Design Department, Lucia rushed over to her, held her hand, and asked,

    ¡°Eliana, how was it? What happened yesterday? Was the matter resolved?¡±

    Eliana smiled. ¡°Well¡­ Yes, it was resolved.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Lucia breathed a sigh of relief. But after a short while, she became anxious again.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go find Harriet and solve the problem with the design of the bracelet.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± Eliana¡¯s expression suddenly became solemn.

    She and Lucia walked to the door of Harriet¡¯s office. But before they could enter, they were stopped by

    Harriet¡¯s assistant.

    ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to enter now.¡±

    ¡°Why not? We must see Miss Stone now. It¡¯s something very important.¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t give in just like that. If she didn¡¯t make things clear about the bracelet today, it might be

    toote.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t go in.¡± The assistant stood in front of them. ¡°Miss Stone is busy with Mr. Moran inside

    now. They have ordered that no one should disturb them.¡±

    Was Maurice really inside?

    If that was the case, Eliana couldn¡¯t do anything about it.

    ¡°Eliana, what should we do now?¡± Lucia asked anxiously.

    ¡°We will wait,¡± Eliana replied through clenched teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t give up just like that.¡±

 Chapter 474

    Chapter 474

    Eliana and Lucia waited at the door of Harriet¡¯s office, refusing to leave.

    Harriet¡¯s assistant also stood there, watching them the whole time. When she saw that the two of them

    were so determined, she began to speak in a voice dripping with sarcasm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why some people still have the nerve to stand here. Really shameless!¡±

    Although she didn¡¯t name names, Eliana and Lucia knew that she was referring to them.

    But Lucia was in a bad mood, so she snapped, ¡°Who are you referring to?¡±

    The assistant¡¯s words made her even more furious.

    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

    The assistant sneered coldly, ¡°You know who I am referring to.¡±

    ¡°And what are you trying to say? If you have something to say, say it. I¡¯m listening.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t want to cause any trouble. But she wouldn¡¯t shrink back when she was being bullied.

    ¡°Okay, Miss Pierce, I¡¯ll be frank with you then. Do you know what Miss Stone and Mr. Moran are talking

    about inside right now?¡± said the assistant.

    ¡°What?¡± Eliana asked in confusion.

    ¡°She and Mr. Moran are talking about the development of thend near the Moon Lake Manor. At the

    party in the manorst time, you embarrassed and offended Mr. Stone. The Stone family is not very

    happy with this cooperation now. And it has taken Miss Stone a lot of effort to talk to them and convince

    them to continue it. Now you want to mess it up again? I think you only want to ruin the cooperation

    between the twopanies.¡±

    Eliana almost could not digest so much information that she learned all at once.

    She had vaguely heard someone from thepany mention that the Stone and Moran Groups

    cooperated to develop thend.

    Coincidentally, she also knew something about the inside story of thatnd.

    Before the Pierce family went bankrupt, the Pierce Group had several factories built on thatnd.

    Her family valued thatnd so much that they had considered cooperating with others to develop it and

    build a theme park.

    But unfortunately, the government didn¡¯t approve it because of the ancient buildings near the area.

    And even if they were approved, the cost of development and construction would be very high because

    they needed to protect those ancient buildings. The Pierce family could not afford it, so her father had

    to give up in the end.

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect that even a wealthy family like the Moran family still had to cooperate with the

    Stone family to develop thend.

    Inside Harriet¡¯s office, she and Maurice were discussing the press conference that their families would

    hold in the afternoon.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, today is the big day for our families. And my uncle will be hereter. But he and Eliana had

    some conflicts before. So if you mind, I can persuade him not toe.¡±

    Harriet pretended to mention that incident casually.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s necessary?¡±

    Maurice sat on the sofa, carefully reading the documents for his speech. He didn¡¯t even raise his head

    when he spoke.

    It seemed that Eliana really didn¡¯t matter much to him.

    Harriet smiled happily. ¡°I knew you won¡¯t mind.¡±

    This time, Maurice raised his head expressionlessly. ¡°I mean, the cooperation between the Stone family

    and Moran family has been settled. Is it necessary for your uncle toe?¡±

    Harriet¡¯s expression became still. She forced a smile and said, ¡°This is the first cooperation between

    our families, and the media will be there. To show that the Stone family attaches great importance to

    this, he will be here, of course.¡±

    ¡°Oh, really?¡±

    Maurice stared at Harriet. A bad feeling rose in his heart.

    Why was she so enthusiastic about inviting her uncle to the press conference? There must be

    something behind it.

    Soon, Maurice found the answer.

    Corbin, standing next to him, suddenly received a message.

    After Corbin read it, the look on his face drastically changed.

    He immediately bent over and whispered in Maurice¡¯s ear, ¡°Boss, I just got the news. Your grandfather

    is on his way for the press conference.¡±

    His grandfather wasing too?

    Maurice didn¡¯t think this was good.

    Then something shed in his mind. And he understood it all at once.

    In recent years, Earle had never intervened in the management of Moran Group unless it was

    something big. It was just a press conference for the development of a theme park. Did Earle really

    have to be there personally?

    But since he wasing, there must be another reason. It was probably not because of the

    cooperation between the Stone family and the Moran family.

    Earle might have another purpose.

    Maurice carefully recalled what Harriet had said.

    This was just a small press conference, but the elders of both families would be there.

    There must be a plot here.

 Chapter 475

    Chapter 475

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what do you think?¡± Harriet asked as she looked searchingly at Maurice.

    ¡°Well, since your uncle wants toe, let him be.¡±

    Maurice looked calm and collected, but he was prepared for all eventualities.

    It seemed like there was a storm brewing.

    Seeing that Maurice had agreed, Harriet secretly let out a sigh and then smiled.

    Gerald had given her a general idea. She had already invited her uncle and Earle to the press

    conference where her engagement to Maurice would be announced.

    With regard to Maurice¡­ Gerald had assured her that he wouldn¡¯t dare object so long as Earle was

    attending the event.

    By then the whole world would know that she was going to be Maurice¡¯s wife¡ªand no one could stop

    it.

    As Maurice was deeply engrossed in his thoughts, so was Harriet. Eliana, on the other hand, was

    thinking about thend.

    She remembered quite well what her father had once told her. He said, ¡°When you have thend, the

    future of the whole city is in your hands.¡±

    With this in her mind, she knew how important the cooperation must be to Maurice and the Moran

    Group.

    Yet, Eliana shuddered at the thought of what would happen should something go wrong in the

    cooperation between the Stone family and the Moran family, and she was the cause.

    She knew the consequences would be unthinkable.

    Wrapped up in her thoughts, Eliana looked dazed. Seeing her like this, Harriet¡¯s assistantughingly

    made a snide remark. ¡°So now you realize the seriousness of the matter. How ignorant!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you go too far!¡±

    Lucia couldn¡¯t stand it anymore so she retorted.

    ¡°Arg! Just forget it!¡±

    Eliana grabbed Lucia¡¯s arm. She didn¡¯t want to make a scene at this moment.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    At that moment, Harriet opened the door and walked out of the office, followed by Maurice.

    Eliana raised her head and found herself looking straight into Maurice¡¯s eyes. She opened her mouth,

    wanting to say something.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    But Harriet was quick on her feet. She got herself between Eliana and Maurice so that she was able to

    break eye contact between the two.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, are you here for the bracelet?¡±

    Harriet was looking straight at Eliana.

    ¡°Yes, Miss Stone, Mr. Moran, there¡¯s something that I¡¯d like to ask about the design of the bracelet¡­¡±

    ¡°You know, we can talk about it now,¡± Harriet cut in. ¡°Mr. Moran however has to prepare for the press

    conference in the afternoon and he must not be disturbed. So it will just be the two of us.¡±

    She then grabbed Eliana¡¯s arm and took her to the meeting room.

    Lucia followed but she was stopped at the door of the meeting room. ¡°Look, you¡¯re just an intern,¡± said

    Harriet¡¯s assistant. ¡°Miss Stone has explicitly said that she and Miss Pierce will talk in private. So, get

    on with your work.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Lucia began to fidget. She didn¡¯t know what to do.

    Her anxiousness made Maurice take a second look at her. He thought she looked familiar, and it

    dawned on him.

    He turned to Corbin and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t she Wyatt¡¯s cousin? She¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s her name? Lucia¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she is Wyatt¡¯s cousin,¡± Corbin replied, looking at the uneasy Lucia.

    He wondered why Eliana was with Lucia.

    Seeing Corbin¡¯s reaction, Maurice frowned.

    ¡°Boss, do you think something will happen to Eliana?¡± Corbin asked.

    He was feeling a bit worried. He thought of what Harriet had done to Eliana before.

    Corbin knew that Harriet, being sneaky, cunning, and crafty, would do anything to get her way. She

    could be nasty to Eliana, knowing that they were rivals in love.

    So he started to walk towards the meeting room to see for himself what Harriet was up to.

    But he couldn¡¯t go any farther as Maurice grabbed his arm to stop him.

    ¡°No,¡± Maurice said forcefully. ¡°We have a press conference this afternoon. An important press

    conference. We should focus on it first.¡±

    Corbin considered what Maurice had said and thought that it made sense.

    But if Harriet¡¯s n worked, things would go really bad.

    ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡±

    Maurice frowned. ¡°The top priority now is to stop the elders of the two families froming here,¡± he

    said in a serious tone. ¡°Do whatever it takes to keep them away from the press conference this

    afternoon.¡±

    ¡°But, boss¡­ That would be disobeying your grandfather. Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Corbin looked at Maurice quizzically.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Can you think of another way to do it?¡±

    Corbin was stumped.

    The afternoon¡¯s press conference was so important to the Moran Group that it had to push through no

    matter what. There was no option other than trying to stop the elders of the two families.

    But¡­

 Chapter 476

    Chapter 476

    Looking embarrassed, Corbin said seriously to Maurice, ¡°Boss, this matter may be a bitplicated.

    The chairman¡¯s assistant taught me everything I know today, so I may not be able to¡­¡±

    ¡°How about a pay raise?¡± Maurice said calmly.

    Upon hearing that his boss was ready to give him a raise, Corbin¡¯s eyes lit up.

    He was so excited that he almost agreed.

    However, he managed to control himself. In fact, Corbin saw this as an opportunity for a serious sry

    raise.

    ¡°Boss, it¡¯s not about money. Aleck is really awesome,¡± Corbin said again.

    ¡°Really?¡± Maurice said leisurely, raising a brow. Of course he could clearly see what was on Corbin¡¯s

    mind. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll deal with it myself. I just have to stall my grandpa. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult. I will even

    save myself some money.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Corbin immediately refused.

    Maurice suppressed a smile and said seriously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you say that you couldn¡¯t do it?¡±

    ¡°How can I let you bother yourself with such a trifle? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of it. I promise you I won¡¯t

    let Kelvin and the chairman near the Moran Group building!¡±

    Corbin feared that Maurice would go back on his word and refuse to offer him a raise, so he quickly

    agreed to take care of this task.

    Mauriceughed and said leisurely, ¡°Remember, keep an eye on Eliana. I want you to reassure her if

    there¡¯s any bad news!¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Corbin nodded and then left.

    In the meeting room, Eliana and Harriet were sitting across from each other.

    ¡°How¡¯s it going, Eliana?¡± Lucia shouted from outside the meeting room. She had no intention of leaving.

    ¡°Miss Stone, Lucia is my partner. I think it¡¯s necessary that she joins our conversation,¡± Eliana said

    calmly to Harriet.

    ¡°Of course. Let her in,¡± Harriet replied with a smile.

    She had initially nned to just deal with Eliana. However, she had nowe up with another n and

    changed her mind.

    ¡°Lucia,e in,¡± Eliana shouted to the door.

    Lucia quickly opened the door and entered the meeting room. She walked over to Eliana and sat down

    beside her.

    Now that everyone was there, the discussion began.

    ¡°Mr. Stone, I¡¯ll go straight to the point. Why was my design modified without my permission?¡± Eliana

    asked, point nk.

    She looked imposing at this moment.

    Harriet wasn¡¯t intimidated and said calmly, ¡°Miss Pierce, I knew this matter. But you have to understand

    that this bracelet will be mass-produced. Some changes are needed.¡±

    Eliana frowned and argued, ¡°I get that, but shouldn¡¯t you ask for my opinion before making any

    changes on the design? If I had known that you would modify the bracelet I designed, I wouldn¡¯t have

    agreed to take the project.¡± She was really furious.

    Harriet scoffed, ¡°Are you threatening me? If you don¡¯t want to work on this project, there are many

    talented designers who will be more than willing to rece you.¡± Harriet then looked at Lucia and said,

    ¡°Lucia, from now on, you will be responsible for this project alone.¡±

    Lucia was stunned. She looked at Harriet with wide eyes and blurted out, ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Lucia, you should know that such an opportunity doesn¡¯t present itself every day. You are just an

    intern designer. If you seed in this project, you couldnd a contract and be a permanent

    designer here. You can think about it before you give me your answer.¡±

    ¡°No! I refuse!¡± Lucia said without hesitation.

    She came here to experience life. She didn¡¯t mind losing her job here. But she couldn¡¯t betray her

    friend just for a job.

    Harriet didn¡¯t expect that Lucia would refuse, let alone that she would do so without thinking twice. She

    was so stunned that almost lost herposure. ¡°Are you really going to pass on such an opportunity?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lucia said firmly.

    Harriet flew into a rage.

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    What was so special about Eliana? Why did everyone like her?

    Eliana nced at Lucia, who was sitting beside her. She was deeply touched by Lucia¡¯s loyalty and

    support.

    Meanwhile, a deep rage burned inside Harriet¡¯s heart. Her n had failed. She pretended to be

    helpless and said, ¡°Well, since you¡¯re so determined, I¡¯ll reconsider my decision. If you can find a

    factory to mass-produce the bracelet by yourselves, then you won¡¯t have to modify the design.¡±

    Eliana was stunned when she heard Harriet¡¯s words. How could they find a factory to mass-produce

    the bracelet?

    Obviously, Harriet was making things difficult for them on purpose.

    After thinking it over for a while, Eliana understood what Harriet was up to.

    She winked at Lucia, indicating that they shouldn¡¯t make any rash decisions and should back off for

    now.

    However, Lucia misunderstood it.

    In fact, she thought Eliana was asking her to say yes!

    ¡°Okay! We agree!¡± Lucia said at once.

    Eliana gasped.

    Damn it!

    Why? Why did she agree?

 Chapter 477

    Chapter 477

    Lucia turned her head and looked at Eliana. It was as if she was saying that everything was under her

    control.

    Eliana held her forehead speechlessly, thinking that Lucia was really a silly girl.

    However, Lucia had already said it, and there was no turning back.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, do you also agree?¡± Harriet asked, feelingcent.

    Seeing that the matter was a foregone conclusion, Eliana could only grit her teeth and say, ¡°I can

    agree. But if I can really find a processing factory, you should immediately make Lucia a regr

    employee, and I should also be promoted. And from now on, no one is allowed to change my design

    drawing.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s attitude was tough. Anyway, things had already reached this point. So she had to fight for her

    best interests now.

    She seemed to have learned to be smarter.

    Harriet pondered for a while, carefully considering the pros and cons. Then she replied, ¡°Okay. I agree

    with your conditions. But¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Eliana asked with a frown, wondering what kind of trick Harriet wanted to y.

    ¡°Since you have put forward so many demands, I will add two conditions. If you can¡¯t do it, you have to

    leave Moran Group. That means you have to take the initiative to resign. You also have to take

    responsibility for all the losses of dying the production of the bracelet.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s purpose was clear. She was forcing Eliana to leave the Moran Group and Maurice.

    ¡°No, Eliana. You can¡¯t agree to such ridiculous conditions,¡± Lucia chimed in.

    She noticed that Harriet and Eliana were secretlypeting. And Harriet was deliberately making

    things difficult for Eliana.

    ¡°Why? Are you afraid?¡± Harriet asked defiantly.

    In desperation, Eliana gritted her teeth, made up her mind, and agreed.

    ¡°Okay, we have a deal.¡±

    After discussing for a while, they finally reached a resolution to the issue of the bracelet.

    Lucia was in a good mood, but Eliana looked gloomy. Holding thest glimmer of hope in her heart, she

    asked, ¡°Lucia, do you know a factory that can take over the production of the bracelet?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lucia replied, looking confused.

    Eliana was stunned upon hearing this. She asked, ¡°But why did you agree to Harriet¡¯s condition at

    first?¡±

    ¡°You were so domineering just now. I thought it was because you have a solution, so I agreed,¡± Lucia

    exined.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry.

    They were in big trouble now.

    The expression on Eliana¡¯s face made Lucia vaguely realize that she had made a mistake. She

    suddenly panicked. ¡°Eliana, did I make trouble for you? What should we do now?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t help ming herself. For her, it didn¡¯t matter if she lost her job. But if Eliana was fired

    because of her, she would really feel very guilty.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry too much about it. We¡¯ll do our best. How can we know the result if we don¡¯t give

    it a try?¡± Eliana said,forting Lucia.

    Actually, she had some ideas about the factory.

    She remembered that when the Pierce Group was still operational, they had a factory for jewelry

    production. But she didn¡¯t know if it was still there.

    Eliana immediately took out her phone and looked for the phone number of the Pierce Group¡¯s old

    factory.

    She dialed the number, and her call was soon connected.

    ¡°Hello! May I speak with Elliot Potter of the production workshop?¡±

    Elliot was the person in charge of the factory back then. Eliana had met him a few times when she was

    a child, so she considered him an acquaintance.

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I am sorry. There is no Elliot Potter in our factory. May I know what the matter is? Maybe I can help

    you.¡±

    When she got a negative answer, Eliana sighed silently in her heart. It seemed that she couldn¡¯t

    possibly find an acquaintance to help her.

    ¡°Here is the thing. My name is Eliana Pierce. I¡¯m a jewelry designer in Moran Group. I have a big order

    now, and I¡¯m looking for a factory that can process and produce bracelets. Are you interested in it? I

    can send you the design draftter.¡±

    Despite her disappointment, she still couldn¡¯t help trying her luck.

    But the man on the other end of the line didn¡¯t seem to be very interested.

    He responded coldly, ¡°Okay. You can send me the design draft first, and I¡¯ll show it to the person in

    charge. We will think about it. Just wait for our call.¡±

    Then he simply hung up the phone.

    Eliana stared at her phone and smiled bitterly.

    Sure enough, everything had changed. When the Pierce Group went bankrupt, she lost everything.

    Lucia couldn¡¯t bear to see the disappointment on Eliana¡¯s face, so she stepped forward tofort her.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t be discouraged. If this one doesn¡¯t work, we can find another factory.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I understand.¡±

    Eliana forcibly suppressed the disappointment in her heart. She had to cheer herself up. Otherwise,

    she would be driven out of the Moran Group.

    At this moment, a voice suddenly interjected, ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±

 Chapter 478

    Chapter 478

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Lucia was so scared that she jumped up.

    Eliana also started. When she clearly saw who it was, she walked straight up, tapped his forehead and

    asked angrily, ¡°Damn, Corbin, what the hell are you doing? Why did you sneak in here?¡±

    Corbin patiently exined, ¡°I didn¡¯t sneak in. You were so serious, discussing something and you didn¡¯t

    notice me.¡±

    Frowning, Eliana asked, ¡°Well, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I have something to ask you to do. I want you two to go sort through the documents in the Design

    Department this afternoon. Don¡¯t run around.¡±

    ¡°You want us to go sort out the documents?¡± Eliana muttered in confusion.

    She sensed something was wrong. She was a jewelry designer! Why did Corbin ask her to work as an

    assistant? And why did he specifically insist that they shouldn¡¯t run around this afternoon?

    Eliana remembered that this afternoon, the Moran Group was going to hold a press conference.

    Did Corbin mean that Maurice didn¡¯t want her to show up at the press conference?

    Eliana thought she probably had guessed right.

    Lucia had also figured it out. Being a straightforward person, she questioned Corbin directly, ¡°Mr.

    Jenkins, don¡¯t you want us to go to the press conference this afternoon?¡±

    Eliana stared intently at Corbin. She also wanted to know if she had guessed right.

    Corbin felt nervous at the way the two women were staring at him.

    He quickly shook his head and denied their guess. ¡°No, you are thinking too much.¡±

    However, Eliana was not fooled. Seeing the guilty look on Corbin¡¯s face, she thought about the reason

    for this press conference. It was intended to formalize the cooperation between the Moran family and

    the Stone family. She also remembered the scene of Maurice and Harriet walking out of the office

    together earlier.

    She also thought of the ring Maurice gave to Harriet at the restaurant.

    Eliana¡¯s mind slowly put all the pieces of the puzzle together. Suddenly, she looked at Corbin seriously

    and asked, point nk, ¡°Corbin, will Maurice announce his engagement to Harriet at the press

    conference?¡±

    The moment those words came out, Eliana felt cold all over. She should have known this was

    inevitable. After all, the best way to bind the two families together was through marriage.

    Corbin didn¡¯t expect that Eliana would think of this and he felt a chill all over. He quickly denied it.

    ¡°Absolutely not. Mr. Moran would never think of doing such a thing. Eliana, you must trust Mr. Moran.

    He will handle everything well.¡±

    Eliana sneered and didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°So, do you agree to go sort out the documents this afternoon?¡± Corbin asked tentatively.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get to it right away.¡±

    With an expressionless face, Eliana strode forward.

    However, Lucia was not as obedient as Eliana. She looked Corbin in the eye and said angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not

    going! Why do you want us to disappear? Why should we disappear? Mr. Moran likes to bully people

    too much. I want to talk to him face to face!¡±

    Corbin felt annoyed and tried to calm her down. ¡°Please calm down. If you want to help, you better help

    me keep an eye on Eliana.¡±

    ¡°Help you? What do you mean?¡± Lucia asked confusedly.

    Corbin then told Lucia the whole story.

    ¡°Oh! So that¡¯s why you and Mr. Moran do not want Eliana to be at the press conference!¡± Lucia

    eximed after she heard the exnation from Corbin!

    ¡°So, do you want to help me now?¡± Corbin asked again.

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    After her discussion with Eliana, Harriet ran to thepany gate and waited for Kelvin and Earle to

    arrive.

    Suddenly, her phone rang. It was a call from Kelvin.

    Harriet quickly picked the call. ¡°Harriet, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯te to the press conference this afternoon¡­¡±

    The man¡¯s voice rang out from the other end of the line.

    He couldn¡¯te! Harriet panicked and asked, ¡°Why can¡¯t youe?¡±

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    On the other end of the phone, Kelvin was very nervous. He had gotten himself into trouble.

    He had seduced a married woman before and that caught up with him today. The woman¡¯s husband

    showed up in his house today to settle his scores with him. Kelvin was about to go out when he was

    blocked at the door by that man. The man didn¡¯te alone. He came with arge group of people.

    These people seemed to have carefully prepared their response. They even came with several

    journalists.

    ¡°Now these people have besieged my house. I can¡¯t go out at all¡­¡± Kelvin exined in a sad voice.

    Harriet was almost driven mad.

    Her uncle was really a good-for-nothing who never aplished anything but always screwed things

    up.

    She was determined to make him pay bitterly if he screwed up her n.

    Harriet was so furious that she gnashed her teeth and cursed her unreliable uncle in her heart.

    After thinking it over, she felt something was wrong.

    Kelvin had always been a skirt-chaser. Why was it only today, when she needed him most, that karma

    came back at him?

    Did someone do it on purpose?

    If so, then the person behind it didn¡¯t want him to show up at the Moran Group.

    The more Harriet thought about it, the more she felt it must be. Her expression gradually changed and

    she looked ferocious.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that at this very moment, the people behind what had happened to her uncle

    were hiding in the grass nearby and were secretly watching her.

    Seeing Harriet¡¯s fierce expression, Corbin and Lucia knew something had happened to Harriet¡¯s uncle.

    The two of them looked at each other with joy on their faces.

    The first stage of the n had been a resounding sess.

 Chapter 479

    Chapter 479

    Lucia let out a sigh of relief when she noticed how flustered Harriet looked. She looked over at Corbin

    and said, ¡°Kevin definitely won¡¯te. What do you n on doing?¡±

    Unfortunately, Corbin didn¡¯t feel as optimistic as she did. He was aware that stopping Kevin wouldn¡¯t be

    able to stop Harriet. It was someone else they had to stop.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited just yet. The most important thing is to find a way to stop the chairman. I¡¯m afraid

    he¡¯s not as gullible as Kelvin.¡±

    At his words, Lucia found herself in a dilemma. She heard about how powerful Earle was.

    While the two were busy worrying, an idea suddenly shed through Lucia¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I know what to do!¡±

    Corbin was taken aback by her sudden outburst.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea! I know how to stop Earle!¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes lit up as she exined, ¡°If we oveplicate

    things, Earle will see through it. We¡¯d better use the simplest trick in the book. Our task is to stop him,

    am I right? The only thing we need to do is to prevent him from going to the Moran Group!¡±

    ¡°The simplest trick¡­¡±

    Corbin rubbed his chin as he mulled over Lucia¡¯s proposal. An idea also came to him at that moment.

    ¡°Yes! That makes sense! I know what we should do.¡±

    Around that time, Earle was on his way to the Moran Group with his luxury motorcade.

    Inside one of the cars, Earle was seated in the back seat and took a moment to close his eyes and get

    some rest.

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    All of a sudden, the driver pressed down on the brakes, and the car halted to a stop.

    Earle¡¯s eyes shed open as he asked, ¡°Why did we stop?¡±

    Aleck, seated next to him, stared out the window andmented, ¡°Mr. Moran, there¡¯s a traffic jam

    ahead. It¡¯s difficult for our cars to pass through at the moment.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a traffic jam?¡± Earle nced at his watch and his brows furrowed. ¡°That would be toote.

    Leave the motorcade and take another road. The press conference is about to start, and there¡¯s no

    way to dy it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Aleck turned to the driver and said, ¡°We need to change our route. Take another

    road.¡±

    Quickly after, the Rolls-Royce Earle was in left the motorcade, changed routes and found a road clear

    of cars to travel.

    However, things wouldn¡¯t go as they nned. Four ck cars suddenly surrounded their vehicle.

    Earle had experienced many strange things over the years, and he immediately knew that there was

    something ominous about the cars surrounding them.

    ¡°Something doesn¡¯t seem right. Why are these cars surrounding us?¡±

    Aleck also found the situation suspicious and quickly rolled down his window.

    The Rolls-Royce had no choice but to deviate from their route because the four cars boxed it in. They

    ended up traveling in the opposite direction.

    Earle moved closer to his window and observed the cars with his sharp eyes.

    Those cars¡­ Why did they look so familiar?

    Understanding bloomed on Earle¡¯s face. He eximed, ¡°These are the cars of the Moran Group!¡±

    ¡°Why would the Moran Group stop us?¡± Aleck was bewildered.

    ¡°What else could it mean?¡± After realizing what had happened, Earle was so furious that he thumped

    his cane down. ¡°This must be Maurice¡¯s doing. He wants to stop me from attending the press

    conference today!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what should we do now? Perhaps¡­¡±

    No matter how resourceful Aleck was, he couldn¡¯t find a way out of this situation.

    How dare Maurice stand in his way!

    The more Earle thought about it, the angrier he became. He began to shout at the cars surrounding

    them.

    ¡°How much did Maurice pay all of you? How dare you stop me! No matter what you do, I¡¯ll still be the

    head of the Moran Group! Get out of my way, or you¡¯ll suffer the consequences!¡±

    His threats fell on deaf ears. No matter how much he tried to convince them, the cars didn¡¯t budge.

    Tired of screaming, Earle let out a heavy sigh and asked his assistant to contact Maurice.

    ¡°You brat! How could you do this to me? I¡¯m your grandfather! I won¡¯t let you get away with this!

    Postpone the press conference right away!¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, if you don¡¯t make it to the press conference, it won¡¯t matter. Punctuality is important. That¡¯s

    something you¡¯ve always told me.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s smug tone came from the other end of the phone.

    ¡°You ungrateful brat! If you hadn¡¯t forced my car down another road, I would¡¯ve made it!¡± Earle scolded

    angrily.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have a choice. Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa. The press conference will continue as

    nned.¡±

    Maurice ended the call without hesitation while Earle was still shouting.

 Chapter 480

    Chapter 480

    After Maurice hung up the phone, Earle was so angry that he almost threw his phone away.

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Earle was very anxious as their car got further and further away from the destination. He turned to his

    assistant and said sharply, ¡°You better find a way!¡±

    Aleck quickly lowered his head. He was very embarrassed right now.

    What could he do now? They had lost all chance of changing their situation.

    Earle was furious. He snapped, ¡°Damn it! Corbin must be the one behind all this. Is Corbin more

    capable than you?¡±

    Aleck didn¡¯t say anything, but quietly turned off his phone.

    He had just received a short message from Corbin, which read, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess Mr. Moran¡¯s pissed.

    Take good care of him. Remind him to take medicine.¡±

    Although Aleck was angry, he couldn¡¯t help but feel proud.

    He was the one who taught Corbin everything Corbin knew.

    Since Corbin could trick him, it proved Corbin had finally finished his apprenticeship. How couldn¡¯t

    Aleck be proud of his student?

    At this time, Harriet was still waiting at the gate of the Moran Group building. She didn¡¯t know that

    Earle, whom she had been waiting for impatiently because he might be able to help her, wouldn¡¯te.

    It was gettingte. Seeing that Earle was still nowhere in sight, Harriet grew increasingly anxious.

    All of a sudden, a car rushed over. Harriet¡¯s eyes lit up.

    The car stopped right in front of Harriet. When the driver¡¯s seat door was opened, Harriet was stunned

    to see Gerald¡¯s silhouette appear.

    Her eyes darkened again.

    Why was he here?

    Gerald walked up to Harriet and said with a gloomy face, ¡°You don¡¯t need to wait. Neither my father nor

    your uncle wille.¡±

    Harriet was stupefied. She looked at Gerald in disbelief and asked, ¡°How could this be?¡±

    Gerald was furious and it showed in his eyes. With veins appearing on his forehead, he hissed, ¡°It is all

    Maurice¡¯s work. Kelvin is stuck at home because of an adultery scandal and my father is stuck in traffic.

    Maurice is really good at ying tricks!¡±

    Harriet¡¯s face turned pale upon hearing that.

    She murmured in disbelief, ¡°Does he hate me so much? How could hee up with such a n just to

    ruin the announcement of our engagement? Doesn¡¯t even his grandfather mean more to him than

    Eliana?¡±

    Staring at Harriet who was absent-minded, Gerald said seriously, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset too early. You still

    have a chance¡­¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still a chance?¡± Harriet muttered, a glimmer of hope passing through her eyes.

    ¡°Yes. It will all depend on whether you are capable of taking the chance or not. You should turn the loss

    into victory¡­¡± Gerald was like a devil, constantly tempting Harriet.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was busy sorting out the documents in the office. She didn¡¯t have the faintest idea

    what was going on outside.

    Lilian suddenly rushed into the office.

    ¡°Eliana, the superior just said there weren¡¯t enough people at the press conference. Come and help

    them.¡±

    As Lilian spoke, she reached out to grab Eliana¡¯s arm.

    However, Eliana dodged and said coldly, ¡°No! You can ask someone else for help.¡±

    ¡°Everyone else is very busy. Do you think we all have nothing to do like you? You have to go today!¡±

    This time, Lilian forcibly dragged Eliana to the room where the press conference was being held.

    At this time, the rehearsal of the press conference had begun. Maurice and Harriet stood on the stage

    together.

    The two of them looked like a real couple.

    Looking at the two people on the stage, Eliana felt like there was a heavy stone in her heart, making it

    difficult for her to breath.

    Lilian brought Eliana to the stage and said dryly, ¡°After Miss Stone announces the cooperation, a

    female employee is needed to present flowers to them on stage. That would be your responsibility. Do

    you understand?¡±

    Eliana looked at her coldly and said nothing. Her whole being was unwilling to do that.

    ¡°Why are you still standing here? Go and help Miss Stone adjust the microphone,¡± Lilian ordered,

    pushing Eliana to the stage.

    When Harriet saw Eliana, she immediately held Maurice¡¯s arm as a sign of her rtionship with him.

    Seeing Harriet hold Maurice so intimately, Eliana felt as if her heart had been stabbed by a sharp knife.

    However, she pretended to be calm and walked over to Harriet.

    When Maurice saw Eliana, a deep frown appeared on his face.

    ¡°Eliana, what are you doing here? Didn¡¯t I give you a task to do?¡±

    Hearing that, Eliana stopped and lowered her head. She couldn¡¯t help smiling bitterly.

    She felt she had been ridiculous to have had a crush on Maurice.

    She raised her head and replied mockingly, ¡°Mr. Moran, you don¡¯t need to drive me away. I¡¯ll leave as

    soon as I finish my work.¡±

    Maurice was a little stunned when he heard that. He opened his mouth to exin something, but he

    finally decided to keep quiet.

    Harriet, who was standing next to Maurice, could clearly sense his care and love for Eliana.

    That only made her extremely jealous.

 Chapter 481

    Chapter 481

    The press conference that everyone had been waiting for finally started, and everything went well.

    In an elegant tailor-made suit, Maurice took the stage.

    In a low, imposing voice, he announced to the media that the Stone family and the Moran family were

    about to reach close cooperation.

    After Maurice¡¯s speech, the audience burst into apuse.

    Even Gerald, who had severed his rtionship with Maurice, came on the stage and wanted to take

    some credits.

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    As the representative of the Stone family, Harriet stood next to Maurice.

    Once Gerald took the stage, he walked over to Maurice with a fake smile and said, ¡°My dear nephew,

    the two families are so close now. You should cherish Miss Stone.¡±

    He then grabbed Harriet¡¯s hand to ce it on Maurice¡¯s.

    Of course, Maurice wouldn¡¯t let him seed. He took a step back and warned quietly, ¡°I advise you to

    hold back. I¡¯ve already taught you a lesson. Are you sure you want to go down that route again?¡±

    Gerald ignored Maurice¡¯s warning and sneered, ¡°How dare you threaten me again? Do you think that

    your grandfather won¡¯t get even with you after you stalled him? You¡¯ll be dead meat when hees!¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t fear Gerald at all. He actually looked at his uncle with pity.

    ¡°Gerald, how can a fully grown man like you still be daddy¡¯s boy? You are just a good-for-nothing. You

    can never have the upper hand against me in this life.¡±

    It was kind of a sore spot for Gerald, so he was so ashamed that he became furious. However, he did

    not dare to quarrel with Maurice in front of so many people. He could only swallow the humiliation with

    a flushed face.

    Gerald cursed Maurice in his heart. He looked forward to seeing Earle teach Maurice a lesson.

    The press conference soon came to an end. They now had to take the group photo.

    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time for you to go on the stage and present the flowers!¡± Lilian said to Eliana dryly.

    The two women had been standing by the stage all the time. Seeing that it was the appointed time,

    Lilian immediately pushed Eliana out.

    Eliana was unaware she was walking right into a trap. Numbly holding a bouquet of bright roses that

    Lilian had given her, she took the stage and handed the flowers to Harriet as the crowd watched.

    Seeing that, the reporters off the stage went wild. ¡°Mr. Moran, did you prepare the roses for Miss Stone

    as a surprise?¡±

    ¡°Does this cooperation mean that the Stone family and the Moran family are going to unite by

    marriage? Mr. Moran, please give us some hints!¡±

    However, Maurice didn¡¯t say a word.

    With a sweet smile, Harriet took the roses and said gently, ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She even leaned over to smell the roses. She seemed to be really happy.

    No one noticed the sly smile shing across her face.

    It wasn¡¯t until the press conference was over that Earle finally arrived.

    He walked towards the stage aggressively. Despite his old age, he was really imposing.

    Thinking she had finished what was expected of her, Eliana was about to leave the stage.

    She didn¡¯t want to stand here and watch how close Maurice and Harriet were. It would only make her

    feel worse.

    However, just as she was about to leave, Maurice stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave now!¡±

    Eliana turned around and looked at Maurice, who held her hand. She questioned coldly, ¡°Mr. Moran,

    why should I stay? Your grandpa is here now, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for me to be in the group

    photo.¡±

    After saying that, she tried to shake off Maurice¡¯s hand.

    However, he wouldn¡¯t let her go. He actually held her more tightly.

    ¡°Stay here,¡± he said again.

    He pulled her closer to him.

    ¡°Maurice Moran!¡± Eliana blurted out in shock.

    He had never been so aggressive before. She couldn¡¯t help but feel deeply hurt. He asked her to

    present flowers to Harriet and now he forced her to be in their group photo. It was like stabbing a knife

    in her heart!

    If there hadn¡¯t been a lot of reporters, she would have punched him in the face.

    Maurice looked at her with a smile and said, ¡°Since you are here, why don¡¯t you take a photo with us?

    The situation can¡¯t get any worse.¡±

    Eliana was furious. She was about to argue when she heard a loud noise from behind.

    She quickly turned to look and found that Harriet had fallen to the floor. Before everyone could realize

    what was going on, her body began to tumble

 Chapter 482

    Chapter 482

    Under the bewildered gaze of the crowd, Harriet fainted and fallen off the stage. Everyone was

    shocked, wondering what had happened.

    It was so unexpected that the journalists even forgot to film. Even those on stage were stunned.

    Someone identally opened the champagne, and the loud noise rang out like a gunshot through the

    very quiet room. Champagne was sprayed around the room, followed by colorful ribbons flying

    everywhere. It looked like the grand finale of a funny y.

    It wasn¡¯t until a shrill scream rang out that the festive atmosphere in the room was broken.

    ¡°Help! Someone tried to murder Miss Stone!¡±

    Looking genuinely scared, Lilian screamed with all her might, pointing at Harriet, who was still lying

    unconscious on the floor.

    At this moment, the crowd burst into a roar.

    ¡°It¡¯s Miss Stone! What happened to her?¡±

    ¡°Murder? Hurry up and shoot!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s some huge news! It will be on the headlines tomorrow!¡±

    Journalists rushed forward. Fortunately, the bodyguards were quick to react and immediately stopped

    the crazed journalists.

    The conference room suddenly became very chaotic.

    Maurice finally came to his senses. He immediately rushed down the stage and picked up the

    unconscious Harriet.

    ¡°Corbin! Call an ambnce! I¡¯ll take her out of here. You stay here and handle this chaos,¡± Maurice

    ordered to Corbin who was standing behind him.

    Then surrounded by his bodyguards, he left directly, with Harriet in his arms.

    Corbin forced himself to calm down and immediately pulled out his phone to call an ambnce. Once

    done, he proceeded to shout orders to the bodyguards to control the excited journalists. He had to

    restore order in the room.

    However, the crowd was inplete panic and could not calm down for a while.

    The bouquet of roses Eliana had given Harriet had been trampled on by the anxious crowd, and the

    beautiful petals were scattered on the floor.

    While everyone was restless, Eliana stood there, motionless.

    She was suddenly jostled by the crazy crowd and fell to the floor.

    It was only when she felt a sharp pain in her arm that Eliana came to her senses. Enduring the pain,

    she tried to stand up. The moment she looked up, she saw Maurice walking away anxiously with

    Harriet in his arms.

    At that moment, she seemed to have lost all her strength and fell back on the floor. She sat there,

    staring at Maurice¡¯s receding figure and feeling a sharp pain in her heart.

    It turned out that whenever he had to choose someone, it would never be her.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Lucia called out when she saw Eliana on the floor. She immediately walked over and helped

    her up. ¡°How are you? Are you hurt?¡± Lucia inquired worriedly.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡±Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    However, Eliana¡¯s face was deathly pale. She didn¡¯t look fine at all.

    Lucia walked her to the lounge.

    Eliana sat down on the couch in the lounge. She was still in shock and her hands and feet were cold. In

    addition, she was shaking all over.

    Lucia quickly poured a ss of water and gave it to Eliana. After taking a few sips, Eliana gradually

    rxed.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said sincerely to Lucia.

    She felt that she hade back to life.

    ¡°Eliana, weren¡¯t you supposed to be sorting out the documents in the office? Why were you at the

    press conference?¡±

    Lucia was confused. Corbin had given Eliana a random task in order to keep her away from the press

    conference. He did that to protect her. What went wrong?

    Eliana smiled bitterly. If it weren¡¯t for Lilian, she wouldn¡¯t havee to the press conference.

    She was about to say something when the lounge door was violently pushed opened.

    Eliana was so frightened that the ss in her hand almost fell to the floor.

    Earle walked over aggressively, apanied by a group of bodyguards.

 Chapter 483

    Chapter 483

    The cold look on Earle¡¯s face was very ominous. As soon as he walked into the room, he pointed at

    Eliana and ordered the bodyguards behind him, ¡°Get her!¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Lucia stood in front of Eliana to protect her.

    ¡°Lucia, get out of my way. This woman tried to murder Harriet. Just now, Harriet was unconscious!¡±

    Earle roared.

    He seemed to be convinced that Eliana was the one who tried to harm Harriet.

    Eliana was shocked by Earle¡¯s usation. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! I didn¡¯t hurt Harriet!¡± she protested.

    Lilian suddenly walked in from behind Earle and pointed angrily at Eliana. ¡°It¡¯s you who tried to murder

    Miss Stone! Miss Stone was fine but after you gave her flowers, she fainted. If you are innocent as you

    im, then who did it?¡±

    ¡°Flowers?¡± Eliana asked confusedly. ¡°How could roses make someone faint?¡±

    ¡°You still want to deny? We found the bouquet of roses you gave to Miss Stone and alsopared

    them with the roses sent by the florist. The color of the roses¡¯ petals had changed. You must have

    poisoned them! What a vicious woman you are!¡±

    Lilian¡¯s words strengthened Earl¡¯s conviction that Eliana was guilty. He looked at her with disgust.

    Eliana was confused and wondered how the roses could have been poisoned.

    She quickly thought the matter over.

    It was Lilian who had forced her toe to the press conference and it was also her who had asked

    her to give the roses to Harriet. Moreover, Lilian had personally handed her the roses.

    Lilian had always colluded with Harriet. She would never have done such a thing if Harriet hadn¡¯t

    ordered her to.

    Eliana suddenly realized that she had fallen into a trap.

    Harriet wanted to set her up and she seeded!

    Eliana had figured out the truth, but it was toote.

    Seeing that Eliana didn¡¯t speak, Earle sneered, ¡°Now you can¡¯t deny it anymore, can you? I advise you

    to tell me what you did, or I¡¯ll take you to the police station to be severely punished.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it!¡± Eliana said firmly.

    ¡°You are still so stubborn and unrepentant! I can¡¯t understand why Maurice is so obsessed about you.¡±

    Earle was extremely disgusted with Eliana.

    ¡°I did not do it. I¡¯m ready to swear in the name of the Pierce family that I had nothing to do with Harriet

    suddenly fainting!¡±

    Eliana was willing to swear in the name of her family to prove her innocence.

    ¡°We have proof of your guilt. It¡¯s no need for you to swear,¡± Earle said curtly.

    He didn¡¯t want to believe anything Eliana said.

    It seemed that no matter what Eliana said, he had already decided that she was guilty.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Hearing Earle¡¯s words, Eliana scoffed, ¡°What is the proof? Do you only rely on the bouquet of roses to

    say that I am guilty? If that is the case, then you are so stupid that you don¡¯t realize that you are fooled

    by Harriet.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Earle snapped. He was furious.

    ¡°Nonsense? Why would I try to harm Harriet during the press conference when there were so many

    people around? If anything happened to Harriet, people would quickly noticed it and I would definitely

    be held responsible. Do you think I am stupid enough to do such a thing?¡±

    Earle was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say to that.

    ¡°You said I poisoned Harriet. Why did I put the poison on the roses? I could have put it somewhere

    more discreet, so that it wouldn¡¯t be easily discovered. Besides, if I did poison the roses, why would I

    give the flowers to Harriet in person in front of so many people? It would be stupid to do such a thing!¡±

    Despite his anger, Earle couldn¡¯t help but admit that what Eliana was saying made sense.

    For a while, he was speechless and thought the matter over.

    Earle was not stupid. He actually wasn¡¯t very sure that Eliana was the one who harmed Harriet. He just

    wanted to intimidate her and figured out if she was the culprit.

    But he didn¡¯t expect that Eliana wasn¡¯t someone who could be easily bullied. Moreover, what she said

    made sense. At this moment, Earle was uncertain about his usation.

    Was Eliana really innocent?

    Earle was confused. For a while, everyone in the room was silent.

    Seeing the hesitating look on Earle¡¯s face, Lilian panicked.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, why are you still hesitating? Get Eliana!¡± Lilian said anxiously.

    ¡°Who dares to touch Eliana?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice suddenly sounded and the next moment, he walked into the room.

 Chapter 484

    Chapter 484

    Maurice¡¯s sudden appearance caused an audible gasp from everyone.

    What was he doing here?

    Wasn¡¯t he supposed to take Harriet to the hospital?

    As Eliana gazed at Maurice, she felt conflicted.

    ¡°Grandpa, I can¡¯t let you take her away today.¡±

    Maurice walked towards Eliana and stood before her to protect her.

    His grandson had juste, but he was so concerned for Eliana. Earle¡¯s earlier hesitation dissipated,

    and his dissatisfaction with Eliana grew.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your mind! Are you obsessed with her?¡±

    Earle was so angry that he didn¡¯t even raise his cane. Instead, he lifted a hand and pped Maurice

    hard across the face.

    A red fingerprint marked the side of Maurice¡¯s face where he was struck.

    Maurice chose to stay silent. He would rather bear his grandfather¡¯s wrath than watch Eliana get taken

    away.

    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s heart ached when she saw Maurice get hit.

    Again, he was hit by his grandfather because of her.

    ¡°Are you done taking your anger out on me? I have to take Eliana away.¡±

    Maurice stood in front of Eliana like a knight in shining armor.

    ¡°No! You cannot take her away!¡± Earle trembled with fury as he said, ¡°This woman is a gue! I need

    to take her to the police station, so she can get the punishment that she deserves!¡±

    Earle then ordered his men to seize her.

    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Maurice immediately put a hand up to stop them. He looked over at Earle and said,

    ¡°Grandpa, are you sure you want to hand Eliana over to the police?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Are you still insisting on protecting her?¡± Earle hissed.

    Maurice shook his head and replied, ¡°My intention wasn¡¯t to protect her. Think about it, Grandpa. If we

    handed her over to the police, our rivals would use this scandal to damage the reputation of the Moran

    family. And the cooperation between the Stone family and our family will also be affected. There¡¯s

    nothing we could do to stop them if that happened.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s words found their mark.

    Earle wasn¡¯t concerned for Eliana, but he was worried about the Moran family.

    Although it angered him to admit, Maurice had a point.

    He couldn¡¯t bring Eliana to the police, but he couldn¡¯t let her go either.

    If he allowed Maurice to take Eliana away, that woman would continue brainwashing him.

    As the matter was reaching a stalemate, Gerald suddenly appeared.

    ¡°Dad, I overheard the conversation. Since you¡¯re unsure what to do next, why don¡¯t we take Eliana to

    my ce for now? You wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the Moran family¡¯s reputation or Maurice running

    off with her. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen!¡±

    As soon as Gerard finished speaking, Maurice immediately refused his offer.

    Gerald had always been unkind to Eliana. If he took Eliana away, she would be in danger!

    Earle considered Gerald¡¯s offer for a moment before he said, ¡°That seems like a reasonable idea.¡±

    ¡°What if I refuse to hand her over to him?¡± Maurice countered.

    Earle was running out of patience. He threatened, ¡°If you refuse one more time, I¡¯ll hand her over to the

    Stone family. I¡¯m sure she will be miserable there!¡±

    ¡°Maurice, please hand her over to me. This is the best solution for everyone. You wouldn¡¯t want Miss

    Pierce to fall into the hands of the Stone family, would you?¡±

    A smug smile appeared on Gerald¡¯s face.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed at him, and his expression became cold.

    When the two men locked eyes, the atmosphere in the room suddenly felt tense.

    All of a sudden, Eliana spoke up. She hadn¡¯t said a word before that moment.

    ¡°I agree!¡± She stepped out from behind Maurice and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡±

 Chapter 485

    Chapter 485

    ¡°Eliana,e back! Do you have any idea what you are doing?¡± Maurice shouted, trying to pull her

    back.

    However, Eliana avoided his hand and looked at him in the eye. She said firmly, ¡°Maurice, I know

    exactly what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    In the past, there had always been a man who came to protect her, whether it was Maurice or Preston.

    But this time, Eliana was determined to protect him!

    ¡°Gerald, I¡¯ll go with you;¡± she said firmly, taking another step forward.

    Seeing that she was serious, Maurice panicked. He shouted again, ¡°Eliana!¡±

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯m not a child anymore. What happened today all began with me. I have to take the

    responsibility. Don¡¯t worry. I will be fine.¡±

    Eliana turned her head to look at Maurice gently. She was determined to face the difficult head-on this

    time. She was no longer going to hide behind Maurice.

    Maurice was stunned. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t say anything to protest.

    This was a side of Eliana that he had never seen before.

    Every time she refused his help before, it was to ept someone else¡¯s help. But this time, she

    refused his help because she wanted to protect him.

    Eliana slowly walked up to Gerald and said in a low voice, ¡°Gerald, I am willing to go with you.

    However, we have to go out together. I want everyone in thepany to know that you take me away.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Gerald¡¯s face froze.

    Eliana then looked at Earle and said, ¡°I ce my safety in the hands of the Moran family. You are a

    witness, Mr. Moran. If anything happens to me in Gerald¡¯s ce, it will destroy the reputation of the

    Moran family!¡±

    Everyone present was shocked upon hearing what Eliana said.

    ¡°Well, do you agree?¡± Eliana asked calmly.

    Eliana had already made up her mind to follow Gerald, on the condition that everyone knew he took her

    away. In that case, he wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to hurt her. She had to whatever it took to protect

    herself.

    ¡°No way!¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±

    Gerald and Earle answered at the same time.

    Gerald refused Eliana¡¯s request while Earle unexpectedly agreed.

    ¡°Dad¡­¡±

    Gerald wanted to say something more, but Earle quickly interrupted him.

    ¡°I can give you my word on the condition that you leave with Gerald now. And you must stay away from

    Maurice in the future!¡±

    Earle was actually a little surprised at the conditions proposed by Eliana.

    But he understood that she was just trying her best to protect herself. After all, she was at a

    disadvantage here.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Earle couldn¡¯t help admiring Eliana. Although she looked weak, she was very smart.

    No wonder Maurice was so obsessed with her.

    Seeing that Earle agreed to her conditions, Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    Actually, she was worried just now, although she didn¡¯t let it show. She was afraid that they wouldn¡¯t

    agree to her terms.

    It was therefore a great relief for her that they agreed.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, could you please let me have a few words with Maurice? I¡¯ll leave right away after that,¡±

    Eliana said after a few seconds.

    Judging from the look on Earle¡¯s face, he did not like this additional request. However, he just snorted

    and did not object.

    Eliana walked over to Maurice and suddenly hugged him. She leaned her head against Maurice¡¯s

    chest, listening to his heartbeat. After a few seconds, she said in a strangled voice, ¡°Thank you for

    believing me¡­¡±

    Although Maurice had never said so, she knew that he believed in her simply from what he had done

    for her just now.

    He wouldn¡¯t have done that if he hadn¡¯t trusted her.

    It was because he trusted her that she had the courage to face the situation.

    Maurice let Eliana hug him without saying anything. His cold heart melted.

    He was both moved and worried by what Eliana had just done.

    The woman he loved was about to be taken away by his unscrupulous uncle, and there was nothing he

    could do about it. How could he not be worried?

    Maurice lowered his head and whispered in Eliana¡¯s ear, ¡°Remember to take the new phone I bought

    you. I saved my contact as emergency contact. If you are in danger, don¡¯t hesitate to use it.¡±

    The sad atmosphere suddenly dissipated. With a slight smile on her face, Eliana said, ¡°I wish I would

    never need to use it.¡±

    Atst, it was time for Eliana to go. With a sullen face, Maurice handed her to Gerald.

    He stared at Gerald and warned seriously, ¡°Gerald, I warn you. If anything happens to Eliana, I will

    make you pay.¡±

    Gerald sneered, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I am a man of my word¡­¡±

    There was a cold aura that emanated from Maurice at this moment, which made Gerald shiver.

    He could tell that Maurice was serious.

 Chapter 486

    Chapter 486

    As was requested by Eliana, she was taken away by Gerald in front of everyone in the Moran Group.

    Lucia was among those who witnessed the event. She was saddened by it since she saw Eliana as a

    friend. There was no chance Lucia would stand and watch her get taken away.

    She decided to follow Eliana and leave with her.

    ¡°Wait! Take me with Eliana!¡±

    Lucia pushed herself into Gerald¡¯s car.

    ¡°Who are you? Why did you follow us?¡±

    Gerald had only seen Lucia a few times when she was a child, so he didn¡¯t recognize her. Naturally, he

    was not nice to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m Miss Pierce¡¯s assistant. I¡¯m requesting to go with her,¡± Lucia exined in a hurry.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are! Get out of the car right this second!¡±

    Gerald frowned upon her impertinence and was about to order someone to escort her out of the car.

    ¡°You can¡¯t kick me out!¡± Lucia held the door tightly and said, ¡°Mr. Moran sent me to look after Miss

    Pierce. If you take her away, you have to take me too!¡±

    Assistant? Eliana didn¡¯t have a prominent position in thepany, so Gerald figured that she was just

    an ordinary employee.

    He scanned her and then finally relented to her request.

    ¡°Fine,e along if you choose to do so.¡±

    Lucia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took a seat next to Eliana.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Eliana, are you alright?¡±

    With a bitter smile, Eliana replied, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have followed me.¡±

    ¡°Gerald looks like a dangerous man! I had toe and protect you.¡±

    Lucia vigntly stared at Gerald during the entire car ride. She didn¡¯t have many memories of him. All

    she knew was that he had been living in the shadows Maurice¡¯s father and then Maurice these past few

    years.

    Lucia had a feeling that Gerald had other intentions.

    Unfortunately, she turned out to be correct.

    Gerald seemed like he was sitting indifferently in his seat, but the truth was, he had been staring

    greedily at Eliana through the rearview mirror inside the car.

    He found that she looked so much like another woman.

    Gerald saw Ingrid, Eliana¡¯s mother, in her daughter.

    Even a slight resemnce was enough to stoke his interest.

    A hint of madness shed through his eyes. He finally had Eliana in his grasp!

    He had two motivations for catching Eliana.

    The first was that he could use her to manipte Maurice. The second was that the woman looked so

    much like her mother.

    Ever since Gerald was a child, he lived under his brother¡¯s shadow. No matter how hard he tried, his

    aplished brother outshone him.

    Gerald felt like he was a joke. No one took notice of him until a woman appeared and saved him.

    The woman was Eliana¡¯s mother, Ingrid.

    During that time, Gerald had no friends. His peers looked down on him and constantlypared him to

    his brother.

    When Ingrid came into his life, she treated him kindly, encouraged him, and cared for him. She became

    his only friend andpanion.

    Ever since that moment, he had been in love with her.

    In the end, she married Lemuel.

    He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to take Ingrid away from him.

    There was no chance!

    As Gerald got more lost in his memory, the look on his face became more ferocious and determined.

    Eliana knew Gerald had other motives for taking her, but she believed she could handle it.

    However, Lucia was there, and Eliana was worried that she might get hurt.

    She whispered in Lucia¡¯s ear, ¡°You better leave now. It might get dangerous.¡±

    Lucia didn¡¯t seem worried at all. She patted her chest and promised, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Eliana had no choice but to stifle her hesitations when she saw Lucia¡¯s confidence. However, there was

    one more problem.

    ¡°What about your job?¡±

    ¡°Eliana, stop worrying about me.¡± Lucia smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t like the people in the office anyway. I¡¯d

    rather stay with you.¡±

    She came from a super wealthy family, so her job didn¡¯t matter!

 Chapter 487

    Chapter 487

    After Eliana was taken away, there was also news from the hospital. The doctor said that Harriet¡¯s life

    was out of danger now.

    As soon as Maurice and Earle got the news, they immediately rushed to the hospital.

    When they got there, a group of people gathered at the bedside of Harriet, who was still unconscious.

    Earle approached the doctor with a stern look and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is she?¡±

    ¡°Miss Stone is in aa because of acute allergy. But she is fine now.¡±

    Maurice frowned upon hearing this. He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Acute allergy? What is she allergic to?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s allergic to Chinese roses,¡± Kelvin, standing at the side, immediately cut in. ¡°I¡¯ve already

    investigated it. There is an unremarkable Chinese rose in the bunch of roses that was given to her.

    Harriet has been allergic to it since she was a child. Someone must have done this on purpose.¡±

    The doctor said solemnly, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I advise you to call the police right away. Allergy can be

    serious, and it might kill her. This might be attempted murder.¡±

    As soon as the word ¡°murder¡± came out of the doctor¡¯s mouth, Maurice and Earle fell silent.

    ¡°Yes, we have to call the police. We have to find out who wants to kill Harriet.¡±

    At this critical moment, they heard a groan from the bed. Harriet woke up.

    ¡°Harriet, you are awake!¡±

    When Kelvin shouted, everyone turned to look at Harriet.

    ¡°Miss Stone, how are you feeling now?¡± Earle asked in a rare soft tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mr. Moran. Thank you.¡±

    Harriet smiled weakly. Her face was still pale.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I¡¯m sorry that Maurice failed to protect you. But don¡¯t worry, we will investigate this matter

    thoroughly,¡± Earle said solemnly.

    Harriet shook her head weakly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Moran. You don¡¯t need to call the police. It¡¯s not Maurice¡¯s

    fault, and I don¡¯t want the reputation of the Moran family to be damaged.¡±

    Her considerate words, coupled with her pitiful look, made Earle like her even more.

    ¡°Good girl, just have a good rest first. The Moran family will definitely give you an exnation for this.¡±

    Then Earle turned to look at Maurice and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something tofort Miss Stone?¡±

    Maurice listened to Earle. He sat on the edge of the bed and held Harriet¡¯s hand. He even bent over to

    get closer to her.

    As his face got closer and closer, Harriet¡¯s heartbeat went wild, and her face flushed.

    Her effort to carefully set up a trap was not in vain. This time, she seemed to finally move Maurice.

    But unfortunately, Maurice moved his face away at thest moment. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Stop

    acting. I know this is all your plot.¡±

    With these words, the romantic scenes Harriet formed in her mind instantly disappeared.

    She was shocked. How did he know?

    Her face darkened as she secretly clenched her fists.

    It couldn¡¯t be.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t possibly know so fast. He must be testing her.

    Harriet suppressed the fear in her heart and pretended to look at him innocently.

    Then she said, ¡°Mr. Moran, what do you mean? I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    Maurice snorted coldly. No matter how good Harriet¡¯s acting skills were, he still caught the panic in her

    eyes just now.

    He guessed it right.

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    ¡°Just stay here while I find out the truth.¡±

    Maurice had gotten the answer he wanted, so he let go of Harriet¡¯s hand immediately and stood up

    expressionlessly.

    Earle had no idea of what Maurice and Harriet talked about. But he was gratified to see that Maurice

    began to care about Harriet.

    ¡°Miss Stone, we won¡¯t bother you anymore,¡± Maurice said to Harriet. Then he turned to Earle and

    urged, ¡°Grandpa, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Maurice and Earle then left the ward.

    Watching them walk out of the door, a weak butcent smile appeared on Harriet¡¯s face.

    Even if Maurice knew about it, she still won today.

    She risked her life for this.

    Kelvin and Harriet exchanged nces.

    Now was the best time for them to pursue victory.

 Chapter 488

    Chapter 488

    ¡°Wait! Mr. Moran, please wait a moment!¡± Kelvin hurried out of the ward, chasing Maurice and Earle

    before they could go too far.

    ¡°Is there something else I can help you with, Mr. Stone?¡± Maurice asked, a hint of impatience in his

    tone.

    ¡°Are you just going to breeze past that?¡± Kelvin asked, annoyed.

    Maurice gave him a cold stare. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Mr. Stone.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know? That Eliana girl was the one who sent Harriet those flowers. She probably

    tried to kill her because of her obsession with you! Do you think you can just brush it off like that without

    taking any responsibility?¡±

    ¡°What exactly do you want me to take responsibility for?¡± Maurice¡¯s eyes shed dangerously as he

    red at Kelvin. He was furious.

    Kelvin didn¡¯t sense the danger at all, however, and continued his rant. ¡°Of course, you should hand that

    woman to us!¡±

    ¡°Can you really prove that Eliana was the one who tried to hurt Harriet?¡±

    ¡°Who else could it be if not her?¡± Kelvin asked with a look of disdain.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just go around using people. You need evidence for that,¡± Maurice remarked.

    He then stretched out his hand and said, ¡°Corbin?¡±

    Corbin quickly took out his phone and handed it to Maurice. The evidence that he had collected was on

    it.

    ¡°From what I know, Eliana wasn¡¯t the only one who had touched the flowers. She might not even know

    that Miss Stone is allergic to Chinese roses.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to say, Mr. Moran?¡± Kelvin was flustered. He hadn¡¯t expected Maurice toe at

    him with facts like that.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make a proper investigation. Just give me some time,¡± Maurice said.

    ¡°No! I demand you take responsibility today!¡± Kelvin had no intention of backing off. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let

    Harriet face such injustice! She might not have a father to protect her, but her mother is on the way

    here! You can¡¯t leave without dealing with this matter properly.¡±

    Seeing that Maurice and Kelvin were about to go head-to-head, Earle tried to mediate. ¡°Alright, since

    you want him to take responsibility, let¡¯s do this; I¡¯ll announce Harriet and Maurice¡¯s engagement so

    that you can rest easy.¡±

    Kelvin¡¯s eyes lit up at that.

    Maurice shook his head immediately. ¡°Absolutely not!¡±

    Earle had expected Maurice to react like that, so he red at him. ¡°What do you want to do then?

    Would you rather hand them the woman you love?¡±

    ¡°Why would I do that? I¡¯m the one who did it,¡± Maurice dered, shocking everyone.

    ¡°I asked Corbin to add that Chinese rose to the bouquet because I wanted to avoid the engagement.

    My n was for another employee in the Design Department to send the flowers to cover my tracks,

    but unfortunately, she asked Eliana to do it.¡± Maurice gave them a detailed n.

    Corbin was stunned to hear his name. What in the world was his boss talking about? When did he ever

    do such a thing?

    He turned to Maurice in confusion and shock, but then he realized what his boss was trying to do. Of

    course, what Maurice said was a lie. He was taking the me so that he could protect Eliana. Corbin

    kept his mouth shut and yed along.

    ¡°You bastard! How could you do such a thing?! You¡­¡± Earle was so angry with Maurice that it was hard

    for him to breathe evenly.

    Aleck, who was standing next to him, worriedly took out Earle¡¯s pills from his pocket and gave them to

    him.

    When Earle finally calmed down and thought about it again, it didn¡¯t make sense to him.

    ¡°Wait, seriously, did you really do that?¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t answer him.

    Earle realized that Maurice couldn¡¯t do such a foolish thing. Even though he didn¡¯t want to marry

    Harriet, he had many other options to prevent the engagement. Why would he try to kill Harriet? It was

    clear that he was just trying to protect Eliana.

    Maurice¡¯s determination to protect Eliana reminded Earle of someone else who had died a long time

    ago. His son, ir Moran. He was lost in thought. It was crazy how simr Maurice was to his father.

    The two were willing to do anything for love, even if it went against what the Moran family wanted.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you do that! You can¡¯t¡­¡± Earle started to say, but then stopped suddenly.

    Content held by N?velDrama.Org.

    As he was lost in his thought, he had begun to mix up the two, and wasn¡¯t sure if he was talking to

    Maurice or ir anymore.

    Maurice knew that even if the others believed what he said, his grandfather who had watched him grow

    up certainly wouldn¡¯t. Still, he wasn¡¯t going to back down. ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯ve already lost my dad. Do

    you want to lose me too?¡±

    Earle trembled at his words, unable to say anything in response. It seemed that Maurice was

    threatening to really do something if he kept forcing him.

    If Earle didn¡¯t support them, the Stone family¡¯s n would fail. Kelvin was in a rage when he realized

    that Earle was backing down.

    Since the Moran family wasn¡¯t pushing the marriage anymore, they couldn¡¯t keep forcing Maurice. They

    had to find a way to milk the Moran family when Harriet was still ill.

 Chapter 489

    Chapter 489

    After dealing with the Stone family in the hospital, Maurice and Corbin immediately rushed to the

    company for investigation.

    The first thing Maurice did was to call Lilian to his office.

    Lilian came almost immediately. ¡°Mr. Moran, what can I do for you?¡±

    She walked into the office with undisguised excitement on her face.

    She had been working in thispany for a long time, and she had never had the opportunity to be so

    close to Maurice.

    Seated behind his desk, Maurice looked calmly at the woman who had just entered the office. The rays

    of sun that filtered through the ss window and illuminated his face gave him an imposing and

    majestic look.

    ¡°Lilian, I want you to tell me what happened exactly at the press conference today!¡±

    A scary aura emanated from Maurice as he red at the woman in front of him.

    Lilian was stunned for a long while and didn¡¯t say a word. Her heart began to pound in her chest for

    some reason.

    ¡°Mr. Moran asked you a question!¡± Corbin suddenly said in a stern voice.

    It wasn¡¯t until then that Lilian came back to her senses. She asked tentatively, ¡°Mr. Moran, is it about

    Eliana?¡±

    ¡°You are not the one asking questions here. Just tell Mr. Moran everything you know,¡± Corbin said

    again.

    Lilian felt her heart clench.

    Why did the world revolve around Eliana?

    Intense jealousy was burning in Lilian¡¯s heart. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to say. She has always hated Miss

    Stone. Moreover, she was the one who put the Chinese rose among the flowers and caused Miss

    Stone to be sent to the hospital!¡± she replied coldly, barely concealing her hatred for Eliana.

    ¡°Why are you so sure that it was Eliana who did it?¡± Maurice asked coldly.

    He was slowly losing patience.

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    ¡°Because I have evidence!¡± At that moment, Lilian proudly took out a flower order receipt, on which

    there was Eliana¡¯s signature. ¡°Mr. Moran, this is proof that she bought the flowers.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Maurice sneered. He took the so-called evidence and looked at it carelessly. Then, he looked

    back at Lilian and said, ¡°I also have a piece of evidence here. Why don¡¯t you have a look at it? Corbin!¡±

    Corbin immediately took out aptop and yed a video for Lilian to watch.

    On the video, Lilian was seen taking the flowers from the delivery man. Then she disappeared with the

    flowers for about ten minutes.

    The weird thing was that the surveince video that captured what happened during those ten minutes

    had disappeared.

    Corbin looked at Lilian and asked calmly, ¡°Miss Gentry, can you tell us what you have done during

    those ten minutes?¡±

    The moment Lilian saw the surveince video, she broke into a cold sweat and her body stiffened. She

    was extremely scared. However, when she found that the most important part of the surveince video

    had disappeared, she slowly calmed down.

    Since there was no footage of what she did during those ten minutes, Maurice couldn¡¯t proof anything.

    ¡°I¡­ I did nothing! I just took the flowers and put them in the lounge¡­¡±

    Although Lilian tried her best to sound calm, her nervous tone revealed a sense of guilt.

    ¡°You are still lying!¡±

    Corbin sneered and yed the next video.

    This video had been filmed in Harriet¡¯s office. What the two women said could be heard clearly.

    ¡°Take care of this and you will be rewarded.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Miss Stone. I will do the job well! This time, we will kick that bitch Eliana out of the Moran

    Group once and for all!¡±

    In the video, Harriet was sitting on the sofa and calmly told Lilian what to do with the flowers. The video

    was a bit blurry, but the conversation between the two was very clear.

    ¡°I¡­ How could it be?¡± Lilian stammered in shock, staggering back. Her face suddenly turned pale.

    How could this be?

    How could there be a surveince camera in Harriet¡¯s office?

    Did¡­ Did Maurice put it there?

    Lilian looked at Maurice in shock and fear, trembling all over.

    Maurice looked at her coldly and said indifferently, ¡°Do you have anything else to exin now? We

    have called the police to investigate the matter. Harriet has her family to protect her, so she has denied

    her actions and might easily get out of this mess. The police consider this case as an attempted

    murder, which is very serious. They asked that we provide them with a list of suspects. Imagine what

    will happen to you if I hand this video to the police!¡±

    ¡°No! Please, don¡¯t do that,¡± Lilian cried in panic.

    She broke downpletely. She was so scared when she heard the police had been involved and she

    might be charged with attempted murder.

    She begged Maurice earnestly, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! It¡¯s all Harriet¡¯s n. She asked me to do it! Mr.

    Moran, please! Please forgive me. I¡¯m still young and don¡¯t want to go to jail!¡±

    Hearing Lilian¡¯s confession, Maurice finally smiled. That was what he wanted to hear.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Mr. Stone?¡± Maurice said calmly.

    As soon as he finished his words, Kelvin rushed out of the lounge inside the office. His face was dark

    with rage.

    ¡°You idiot!¡±

    He walked up to Lilian and gave her a hard kick.

 Chapter 490

    Chapter 490

    Lilian cried buckets while Kelvin was very furious. Before she could react, he had already kicked her to

    the floor.

    Maurice just watched the farce expressionlessly. Then he said calmly, ¡°Now that everything is clear,

    Corbin, call the police right away.¡±

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that. Mr. Moran, you can¡¯t call the police.¡±

    Kelvin immediately stopped them.

    ¡°Mr. Stone, you were so eager to call the police before, right? Why are you backing down now?¡±

    Maurice looked at Kelvin yfully.

    Then he turned to Corbin again and said, ¡°By the way, ask the legal team of Moran Group to prepare a

    case against Harriet for sabotaging the entire press conference. The Stone family shall bear all the

    losses caused by this incident.¡±

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t push me too far. If you dare do this, aren¡¯t you afraid that the cooperation between the

    Stone family and the Moran family will fail?¡± Kelvin threatened aloud. But there was lingering fear in his

    eyes.

    ¡°Oh, the cooperation?¡± Maurice sneered coldly, ¡°Should I be afraid? If the cooperation between the

    Stone family and the Moran family won¡¯t push through, the Moran Group can go to the Deleon family or

    the Todd family. Although they are not as powerful as the Stone family, their willingness to cooperate is

    better than your Stone family.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Aside from the Stone family, no one else will dare to buy thisnd with you,¡± Kelvin

    shouted in shock.

    ¡°Why impossible? Not long ago, the Todd family made a few discreet inquiries with me about thend.

    So once the Stone family leaves, I think the Todd family will be very willing to take over the project.¡±

    At this moment, Kelvin waspletely flustered.

    If he messed up this cooperation because of this incident, the shareholders of Stone Group would not

    let him go.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t be too impulsive. We can still discuss it.¡± Kelvinpromised. ¡°Tell me, what are your

    conditions to pretend that nothing has happened?¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s cut to the chase. I want the Stone family to give us another five percent of the profits in this

    cooperation.¡±

    Maurice was straightforward in putting forward his condition.

    ¡°Five percent?¡± Kelvin blurted out. ¡°You are too greedy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the new contract. It¡¯s up to you if you sign it or not.¡±

    Maurice took out the new contract and threw it in front of Kelvin.

    Kelvin clenched his fists, and blue veins stood out on his temples.

    It seemed that Maurice had designed this trap long ago. Maurice even had the contract prepared.

    If he signed this contract, it would greatly damage the interests of the Stone Group. But if he didn¡¯t,

    knowing Maurice¡¯s character, Maurice might kick the Stone Group out of the cooperation.

    So he had to reassure Maurice first.

    After weighing the pros and cons, Kelvin signed the contract, gritting his teeth.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, are you satisfied now?¡±

    Maurice took the signed contract and looked at it. He then said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s over now, and I will

    leave Lilian to you, Mr. Stone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Moran. I will give this culprit the most terrible punishment in the world.¡±

    Kelvin stared at Lilian viciously. She ruined the Stone family¡¯s business, and he wished he could kill her

    now.

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    ¡°Mr. Moran, please don¡¯t hand me over to him. It was my fault. I know what I did was wrong.¡±

    Lilian felt cold all over. She curled up on the floor in pain and kept shaking her head.

    But Maurice didn¡¯t even look at her. He stood up and said to Kelvin, ¡°Mr. Stone, take care of yourself.

    I¡¯m going to hold an emergency press conference to exin the ident today to prevent the Moran

    Group¡¯s stock price from being turbulent.¡±

    Then he turned around and left, followed by Corbin.

    On the way to the press conference, Nana called Corbin frantically.

    Corbin was in a dilemma, staring at his phone that kept vibrating.

    After a while, Maurice got annoyed. ¡°Answer your phone.¡±

    It was only then that Corbin turned on the Bluetooth headset and answered his phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Corbin, you bastard! What took you so long to answer your phone? I¡¯ve been calling you countless

    times. Don¡¯t you even check your phone?¡±

    Nana¡¯s angry voice came from the other end of the line, almost deafening Corbin.

    Corbin frowned and asked, ¡°If you have something to say, say it. I have something urgent to do.¡±

    ¡°Something urgent? Is Maurice going to be engaged to Harriet, the daughter of the Stone family?¡±

    Nana shouted.

    Corbin was startled. He nced at Maurice behind him and quickly turned on the speaker.

    ¡°Nana, can you say it again? What do you mean Mr. Moran will be engaged to Harriet?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The Inte is going crazy now. Many people are saying that the Stone family and

    the Moran family will be united by marriage. Maurice and Harriet have been in love for a long time, and

    they are getting married. Some photos have even spread online.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Maurice immediately took out his phone. Sure enough, the news that he and Harriet

    were in love was the number one trending topic.

    He clicked on the news, and the first thing he saw was a photo of him leaving the press conference

    with the unconscious Harriet in his arms.

 Chapter 491

    Chapter 491

    ¡°I have something urgent to deal with. I¡¯ll call you backter! Bye!¡± Corbin seemed upset. After hanging

    up the phone, he looked at Maurice and asked, ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡±

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Maurice was furious!

    The Stone family had the nerve to y trick on him!

    He was so furious that he nearly crushed the phone in his hand.

    ¡°Boss, since the matter is settled, shouldn¡¯t we get Eliana from Gerald first?¡± Corbin suggested.

    Maurice tried to hold back his anger and worries about Eliana. He said to Corbin, ¡°Calm down. We

    must first solve the current problems. Let¡¯s deal with everything before Eliana hears this news¡­¡±

    If Maurice¡¯s troubles were almost solved, Eliana¡¯s were only just beginning.

    Eliana and Lucia followed Gerald to his vi.

    Although Gerald and Maurice were from the same family, they were very different in almost everything.

    Even their tastes for interior design were very different.

    Maurice¡¯s vi was discreet but showed wealth and status. It had no fancy decorations. Instead,

    anyone who entered Maurice¡¯s vi appreciated the sober style and noble taste. On the contrary,

    Gerald¡¯s vi was extremely luxurious. It seemed like he wanted anyone who came to his house to see

    how rich he was! In fact, far from being charming, Gerald¡¯s vi looked like an upstart¡¯s house with

    mediocre taste.

    As they walked into the vi, Lucia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that Gerald and Mr. Moran are from the

    same family. They have very different tastes.¡±

    The only thing that didn¡¯t match the luxurious decorating style of Gerald¡¯s vi was an oil painting

    hanging on the wall in the living room.

    Eliana¡¯s attention was attracted by the painting and she couldn¡¯t help staring at it for a while.

    This painting looked familiar to her. Why did it look like her mother¡¯s work?

    As this thought crossed her mind, Eliana walked over and stood closer to the painting.

    Lucia also noticed the oil painting and stared at it with a frown. ¡°This painting looks very familiar to me. I

    think I once saw it at an auction. The painter was very mysterious. No one know who it is, or whether it

    is a man or a woman.¡±

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    Eliana didn¡¯tment what Lucia said. She seemed to be engrossed in the canvas.

    Seeing that Eliana was so absorbed by the painting, Lucia suddenly thought of something. She looked

    at Eliana and said seriously, ¡°Eliana, you know who painted this canvas, right? That¡¯s why you

    suddenly stopped in front of it.¡±

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t answer and looked at the painting carefully. Then, at the lower right corner of

    the canvas, she saw the familiar signature. There was also a mark on the canvas that was identally

    made by her when she was a child.

    She had guessed right. This canvas had been painted by her mother!

    But why was her mother¡¯s work in Gerald¡¯s house?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Miss Pierce? Do you like this painting?¡±

    Gerald appeared out of nowhere and asked.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, this canvas was painted by my mother. May I ask you how you acquired it?¡±

    Eliana stared intently at Gerald, waiting for his answer. She wanted to know the truth.

    At this moment, a look of nostalgia appeared on Gerald¡¯s face. He sighed and said, ¡°I specifically

    sought out this painting after the Pierce family went bankrupt. In fact, I had known your mother, Ingrid,

    when we were young. We were good friends back then. We even studied in the same high school.

    s, we each went our separate wayster¡­¡±

    Gerald then went on to tell Eliana a lot of things about him and Ingrid.

    ¡°I had never thought that you knew my mother, let alone that you were old friends.¡±

    Eliana made it seem as if she trusted Gerald now. However, she was still very vignt inside.

    Gerald was telling anecdotes about him and Ingrid with great enthusiasm. However, Eliana had never

    heard her mother mention Gerald.

    It didn¡¯t make sense.

    Eliana and her mother were very close and talked about everything. In fact, Ingrid wasn¡¯t the kind of

    person who wouldn¡¯t talk about her friends, let alone her best friends. Why then had she never talked

    about Gerald?

    ¡°Since you and my mother were so familiar with each other, what do you know about my father¡¯s

    suicide and the bankruptcy of my family? My¡­ Did my mother have any enemy?¡±

    Eliana mentioned these painful events on purpose. She was trying to sound out Gerald.

    She still remembered what Asher had told her a long time ago.

    He said that it was all her mother¡¯s fault that the Pierce family went bankruptcy!

    Because of that, Eliana had always suspected that her mother had some enemies at that time, and that

    they were the ones who destroyed the Pierce Group, probably for revenge.

    Now Gerald was telling her that he was an old friend of her mother¡¯s. Eliana knew Gerald¡¯s reputation,

    and she found it unlikely that her mother could have had someone like him as a friend. Something was

    wrong.

    When Gerald heard Eliana¡¯s question, his face suddenly changed.

 Chapter 492

    Chapter 492

    ¡°Actually, your mother and I hadn¡¯t seen each other for many years. When I heard about her again,

    something had already happened to the Pierce Group. So I didn¡¯t know the inside story, and I didn¡¯t

    know what kind of enemy your mother had,¡± Gerald said casually with a somewhat unnatural

    expression on his face.

    And his attitude made Eliana even more suspicious.

    Just when she was about to ask something else, he suddenly changed the subject.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s not talk about this for now. As your mother¡¯s friend, I have to remind you that Maurice and

    Miss Stone must get married in the future. This time, Maurice was so nervous when he saw Miss Stone

    get hurt. It was also because of the future alliance between the Stone family and the Moran family.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me this, Mr. Moran? What do you mean?¡±

    As she asked, Eliana felt a dull pain in her heart.

    Gerald said earnestly, ¡°Miss Pierce, you are still young, and you have to n for your future too. If you

    allow yourself to be my nephew¡¯s mistress for the rest of your life, your identity will remain a skeleton in

    the closet even if you give birth to a child for him. And you won¡¯t get any benefit from the Moran family.

    So why don¡¯t you find another way out as early as now?¡±

    After saying this, he looked at her meaningfully. Judging from his words, he seemed to want to

    ingratiate himself with her.

    However, his gaze only made her ufortable. She always felt that there was something wrong with

    the way he looked at her.

    ¡°What do you think, Miss Pierce?¡± Gerald asked again.

    Looking at Eliana¡¯s face, which bore more than a passing resemnce to Ingrid, he couldn¡¯t help but

    take a step closer to her.

    All of a sudden, Lucia calmly stepped forward to separate them.

    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s gettingte, and we are hungry. You won¡¯t refuse to let us eat at your home, right?¡±

    Gerald stopped and vigntly looked at Eliana and Lucia. He immediately adjusted his expression.

    It seemed that he couldn¡¯t rush.

    So he smiled and said, ¡°Of course not. What do you want to eat, Miss Pierce? I have a chef at home

    who can cook whatever you want.¡±

    It was Lucia who spoke up. ¡°Really? If that¡¯s the case, we won¡¯t stand on ceremony then.¡± Then she

    started ordering at once. ¡°We¡¯ll have beef for the main course. It doesn¡¯t need to be too expensive. Just

    the Japanese A5 Wagyu is fine. It¡¯s also a season for caviar, so we¡¯ll have caviar and truffles. And¡­¡±

    She ordered several very expensive dishes in session.

    Every time she mentioned those dishes, Gerald¡¯s mouth twitched. His heart ached, but he couldn¡¯t

    show it in front of them.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s all. Mr. Moran, is it all right?¡±

    Lucia turned to Gerald and blinked, looking very innocent.

    ¡°Of course! You can enjoy yourselves,¡± Gerald responded, reluctantly agreeing.

    He couldn¡¯t lose face in front of these beauties, so he could only grit his teeth.

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. Then she looked at Lucia, who was very familiar with expensive

    dishes. And her doubts even deepened.

    The average working ss could not afford these dishes at all. Then she thought of that Aston Martin.

    She was more confused. Who the hell was Lucia?

    If it weren¡¯t for the situation she was in now, she really wanted to ask about it.

    After the chef finished cooking, Gerald took Eliana and Lucia to the dining room.

    After an expensive dinner, Gerald arranged separate rooms for the two of them.

    Lucia found that Gerald had arranged her room far away from Eliana¡¯s. She was rmed, so she

    opposed, ¡°No. Our boss sent me to take care of Eliana. I have to stay next to her.¡±

    Gerald frowned. He couldn¡¯t continue showing a good attitude to Lucia, who was ruining his ns over

    and over again.

    But before he could say anything, Eliana remarked, ¡°I think Lucia is right. We have to stay close to

    each other. I¡¯m here to wait for Maurice to find out the whole thing and prove my innocence. Besides, if

    Lucia and I take care of each other, it will save you some trouble. Mr. Moran, you won¡¯t refuse such a

    small request, right?¡±

    Her suspicious gaze left him with no choice but topromise.

    ¡°Okay, Miss Pierce. Your wish is mymand,¡± Gerald said. Then he turned to the servant and

    ordered, ¡°Arrange two adjoining rooms for these twodies.¡±

    Eliana and Lucia then turned around and left. Watching their receding backs, he pulled a long face, and

    his eyes darkened.

    He told the servant, ¡°Remember, add sleeping pills to the milk that you will send to Lucia and Eliana

    tonight. Do you understand?¡±

    The servant immediately nodded respectfully.

    As he looked at Eliana¡¯s slender back, Gerald¡¯s eyes were full of obscenity.

    He had to get her tonight.

 Chapter 493

    Chapter 493

    In the evening, Eliana was sitting on her bed and thinking about something when there was a sudden

    knock on her bedroom door.

    A voice came from behind the closed door, saying, ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran asked me to bring you

    some warm milk.¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± Eliana said casually.

    The servant came in, holding a tray on which there was a ss of warm milk.

    However, Eliana was so restless at this moment and she was in no mood to drink milk.

    She took the milk and put it on the bedside table.

    ¡°Okay, you can go now,¡± she said to the servant.

    Seeing that Eliana didn¡¯t drink the milk, the servant was flustered.

    Gerald had ordered her to make sure Eliana drank up the milk.

    What should she do now?

    The servant didn¡¯t dare to leave without having made sure Eliana drank the milk. She had no choice

    but to urge Eliana, ¡°Miss Pierce, you should drink the milk while it¡¯s still warm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll drink itter. You¡¯d better leave now. I need to sleep now,¡± Eliana said indifferently.

    ¡°Okay¡­ Good night, Miss Pierce. Remember to drink the milk.¡±

    To press her further would arouse her suspicion, so the servant had no choice but to leave the room.

    After that, Eliana locked the door of her bedroom. As for the milk, she had already forgotten it.

    Lying in the bed, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She kept thinking about what had happened today.

    How was Maurice now?

    Did they catch the person who set her up?

    Feeling restless, Eliana took out her cellphone and browsed through social media. She was stunned to

    see all the recent articles about Maurice and Harriet.

    ¡°Harriet, the daughter of the Stone family, faints!¡±

    ¡°Are the CEO of the Moran Group and Harriet Stone going to get married?¡±

    ¡°The Stone family and the Moran family won¡¯t only cooperate in business, but will also unite by

    marriage!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran and Miss Stone, the perfect match!¡±

    As she read all these headlines, Eliana thought back to what Gerald said. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t

    help feeling disappointed and hurt.

    It seemed that what Gerald said was notpletely false. Maurice and Harriet were really going to get

    married. She therefore had to put an end to her rtionship with Maurice.

    It didn¡¯t matter to Eliana that she was treated unfairly. She couldn¡¯t let her kids be badly affected by all

    of this.

    Eliana was feeling depressed right now. Then all of a sudden, a message with the link of the live

    stream of the press conference held by Maurice popped up on her mobile phone.

    She subconsciously clicked on the link.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    During the press conference, Maurice denied all rumors about a possible marriage with Harriet.

    He also said that Harriet had had an allergy earlier today and that was why she fainted. He made it

    clear that no one intentionally tried to harm Harriet. He added that the Moran Group¡¯s legal team would

    take legal action against the person who dared to spread the rumor that someone had tried to murder

    Harriet.

    Eliana was both pleased and moved when she heard Maurice¡¯s statement.

    He kept his word!

    Maurice wouldn¡¯t marry Harriet. Moreover, he even helped Eliana prove her innocence.

    Eliana found herself wishing Maurice could be here with her, so she could give him a big hug.

    Meanwhile, Lucia also received a cup of warm milk in her room. She drank it up without thinking too

    much.

    Just as she finished drinking the milk, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Corbin.

    ¡°Lucia, are you all right in Gerald¡¯s house? Did he try to make things difficult for you in any way?¡±

    Corbin sounded very worried.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine. You and Mr. Moran can rest assured. I will take good care of Eliana,¡± Lucia said firmly.

    But suddenly, she felt dizzy and was beginning to lose consciousness.

    ¡°Lucia¡­¡±

    After only a few seconds, Lucia was already sleeping soundly.

    ¡°Hello? Hello? Lucia? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Corbin called Lucia again and again, but she said nothing. All he could hear was her regr breathing.

    Was she so tired? Why did she fall asleep so abruptly?

    Corbin wanted to call Lucia again, but the press conference was over now and reporters surrounded

    him. He had no choice but to hang up the phone and deal with the matter at hand first.

 Chapter 494

    Chapter 494

    It was gettingte at night, and the light was still on in Gerald¡¯s room.

    Sitting on an armchair, Gerald slowly sipped a ss of red wine.

    He was busy watching the surveince video on hisputer. It was a video from Eliana¡¯s bedroom.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know that Gerald had ced surveince cameras in her room. Right now she was

    sleeping soundly.

    From the moment she entered the room, Gerald was watching her intently. She was like a bird in a

    cage.

    Gerald couldn¡¯t help sneering when he saw the untouched milk on the bedside table.

    He had actually put sleeping pills in the milk. However, he didn¡¯t expect that Eliana wouldn¡¯t drink the

    milk at all. Apparently, she was very vignt.

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Unlike Eliana, Lucia had drank up the milk and fallen into a deep sleep. Even though Eliana did not

    drink the milk, she was still sound asleep. He could take action now.

    ¡°Sean! Come in,¡± Gerald called out.

    The door was opened almost immediately and Sean walked into the room.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what can I do for you?¡± Sean asked respectfully.

    ¡°Now that Eliana is sound asleep, we can carry on our n!¡± Gerald said with a determined smile.

    ¡°Okay! But there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand,¡± Sean said with a confused look.

    ¡°Eliana is here with you. Why would you spend so much energy trying to make others believe she

    escaped?¡± he asked.

    Gerald was annoyed by his secretary¡¯s stupid question. He cast a sidelong nce at Sean and said,

    ¡°You¡¯re really an idiot! Everyone in thepany knows that I have taken away Eliana. If something

    happens to her, they would obviously know I have something to do with it.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until he heard his boss¡¯ exnation that Sean finally understood what his boss had in mind.

    ¡°I see. So that¡¯s why you want me to pretend to be Maurice¡¯s man and take Eliana away. You want to

    frame Maurice!¡±

    Gerald scoffed, ¡°You might not be that stupid after all. If Maurice¡¯s man takes Eliana away and

    something bad happens to her afterwards, I can¡¯t be med, can I? Maurice would take the me, and

    no matter how hard he searches, he will never find Eliana. In the end, I will be controlling him. At that

    moment, I will make sure he suffers all the humiliations I have suffered because of him!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Mr. Moran. You¡¯ll achieve two goals simultaneously! Mr. Moran, I admire you so

    much! You¡¯re so smart!¡±

    Sean¡¯s praise was sincere.

    Gerald then looked back at hisputer screen. His eyes shone with lust as he looked at Eliana¡¯s

    sleeping figure. She looked so much like Ingrid!

    Gerald had always been obsessed with Ingrid. Since he couldn¡¯t get Ingrid, Eliana would soon be

    his woman.

    In the room, Eliana wasn¡¯t really sleeping. Her eyes were only closed. She was about to fall asleep

    when she suddenly heard someone turning the key to open the door.

    His eyes widened in shock and the sleepiness suddenly vanished.

    Who was trying to slip into her room at this time?

    Eliana knew clearly that no matter who it was, the person clearly had ulterior motives.

    She quickly got out of the bed and rushed to the door. She leaned against the door, trying to stop the

    person from entering into her room.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked dryly.

    Dressed in ck, Sean was standing outside the door. His face was covered with a mask. He was

    stunned when he heard Eliana¡¯s voice. He didn¡¯t expect her to be awake. He quickly said in a low

    voice, ¡°Miss Pierce, open the door. I¡¯m the person Mr. Moran sent to rescue you.¡±

    It was Eliana¡¯s turn to be stunned. ¡°Maurice sent you here?¡± she asked again.

    Sean pretended to be anxious and replied, ¡°Yes, we have to leave here quickly. Miss Pierce, open the

    door now. If we don¡¯t leave now, it will be toote!¡±

    Was this man really sent by Maurice?

    Feeling something was wrong, Eliana asked tentatively, ¡°What about Lucia?¡±

    Sean couldn¡¯t help wondering what was wrong with Eliana! Instead of trying to save herself, she was

    worried about others.

    Although he was a little impatient, he had no choice but to patiently exin, ¡°She will be fine. She has

    nothing to do with what happened today. The Stone family is determined to harm you. Mr. Moran is

    afraid that Gerald would hand you to the Stone family, so he asked me to take you away as soon as

    possible.¡±

    Sean sounded very sincere. Moreover, his tone was anxious, as if there was really an emergency.

    However, Eliana was still skeptical.

    Could she believe a man she had never seen nor heard of only because he imed he was sent by

    Maurice to rescue her?

    Being hesitant, Eliana was still unwilling to open the door.

    Seeing that she was still hesitant, Sean decided to say something shocking to get her to open the door.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, there is one more thing that Mr. Moran wants me to tell you. He took your two kids to

    another house for their safety. The little girl seems to be sick. That¡¯s also why Mr. Moran asked me to

    take you out in such a hurry!¡±

    ¡°What? Aileen is sick?¡±

    In Eliana¡¯s heart, her children were the most important for her. The moment Sean mentioned Adrian

    and Aileen, she immediately panicked.

    Hearing that Aileen was sick, Eliana quickly opened the door.

    Seeing that she finally opened the door, Sean was ecstatic.

    ¡°You said Aileen is sick?¡± Eliana asked anxiously, grabbing Sean¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Sean nodded seriously.

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave here quickly. I have to take care of Aileen,¡± Eliana said anxiously.

    She was so worried that she lowered her vignce. She had no idea that she had fallen into Gerald¡¯s

    trap.

 Chapter 495

    Chapter 495

    Sean and Eliana had escaped from Gerald¡¯s vi.

    It was pitch dark outside but they could make out the silhouette of the car waiting for them. Sean

    pushed Eliana inside the car. He did it so fast that Eliana was not able to get a good look at the car.

    Two burly men dressed in ck were already in the car.

    ¡°Aileen!¡± Eliana blurted. She was worried about Aileen. ¡°I need to know how she is. Let me call

    Maurice.¡±

    She took out her phone and began to tap the dial pad.

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t call him!¡± Sean then held Eliana¡¯s hand to prevent her from using her phone.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Eliana eyed Sean suspiciously. She now came back to her senses.

    ¡°Because¡­ Because¡­¡± Sean was trying to think of a ptable excuse for Eliana. ¡°Your phone¡­ Your

    phone is being monitored!¡±

    ¡°Monitored?¡± Eliana was shocked.

    ¡°Yeah, they are keeping track of your movement. Using your phone will alert them of where you are. So

    turn off your phone, Miss Pierce. Now!¡±

    Sean couldn¡¯t believe how fast he had thought of an excuse. He was quite proud of his quick reaction.

    He let out a soft sigh.

    Eliana was beginning to think that something seemed wrong.

    She couldn¡¯t put her finger on it just yet, but she felt that something was wrong from the very beginning!

    Eliana closed her eyes and pictured the escape in her mind. That was it! The escape had been

    smooth¡­ all the way!

    Gerald warned her that he would watch her carefully. How could he be sox in guarding her? And so,

    she was able to escape almost effortlessly.

    And Aileen¡­ if she was really ill, Maurice would tell her. Why didn¡¯t he?

    Something was really wrong with this escape. Maurice might not have anything to do with it. Maybe it

    wasn¡¯t even him who sent these people.

    Sean had no inkling that Eliana had already seen through his trick. Staring at Eliana¡¯s phone, he

    insisted, ¡°Miss Pierce, turned off your phone.¡±

    Eliana was in a quandary and she didn¡¯t know what to do.

    She had to rack her brain for her next move. What should she do now?

    She took a deep breath and began gathering her thoughts. Soon enough, an idea came to her.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll turn off my phone right now!¡±

    Eliana made a big show about turning off her phone. But she didn¡¯t. When Sean wasn¡¯t looking, she

    secretly called the emergency contact.

    Maurice had told her that emergency contact was actually his personal phone numbers.

    Eliana hoped that Maurice mighte to save her when he saw the caller ID.

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    s, the dial pad lit up and one of the men in ck took notice of it.

    ¡°She is calling someone! She is calling someone!¡±

    The man who sat next to Eliana snatched the phone from her just as the call had been connected.

    ¡°Give my phone back!¡±

    Eliana tried to wrestle the phone from the man who immediately hung up.

    ¡°It seems that you have thought of what had really happened.¡± Sean had changed his tone. He was no

    longer pretending to be nice. ¡°Attempting to call for help? It¡¯s toote for that now. You two keep an eye

    on her!¡±

    Sean sat in the driver¡¯s seat. He then stepped on the elerator and drove the car.

    Eliana started screaming as her hands were being tied by the two men.

    ¡°Who are you? What is it that you want with me?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s screaming irritated Sean. He looked at the rearview mirror, so he could see Eliana. ¡°Will you

    shut up? Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m driving?¡± Addressing the two men at the back seat, he barked, ¡°Shut

    her mouth up!¡±

    ¡°And how are we going to do that?¡± one of the men asked in a ck tone. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything we

    can use to shut her up.¡±

    This infuriated Sean all the more. He wouldn¡¯t have to take these idiots if he had a choice. Maurice had

    been cruel and nearly dealt with all the men of his boss thest time.

    Sean put his one hand in his pants¡¯ pocket to take a handkerchief. ¡°Here! Use this on her!¡±

    He then threw the handkerchief at the two men. ¡°Make sure to tie it over her mouth securely!¡±

    The angrier Sean got, the more he forgot to disguise his voice.

    Eliana could now recognize his voice. She knew who he was.

    He was Gerald¡¯s secretary!

    So this was all Gerald¡¯s doings!

    Knowing the truth helped little. Her hands were tied and the two men were trying to cover her mouth

    with the handkerchief.

    Eliana knew she had to think fast, and instantly, an idea urred to her. ¡°Wait!¡± she said in a voice that

    only the two men could hear.

    She startled the two men. One of them snarled at her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°I just remembered something,¡± Eliana said in a tone that conveyed urgency. ¡°I left something in my

    house. It¡¯s invaluable. I must go back and take it with me!¡±

    The two men¡¯s eyes lit up when they heard the word ¡®invaluable¡¯.

    One of the men in ck asked suspiciously, ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it is! Please let me go. I could sell it for a handsome price. I promise that I¡¯ll divide the

    money I¡¯ll get between the two of you,¡± Eliana said, trying her best to sound like she had toe back

    for an invaluable thing in her house.

 Chapter 496

    Chapter 496

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t be fooled by this woman. She doesn¡¯t have anything valuable!¡±

    As he was driving the car, Sean overheard the discussion between Eliana and the two men in the

    backseat. He became very nervous.

    ¡°Who said I don¡¯t have any valuable stuffs? It¡¯s clear you just want to keep it for yourself! Don¡¯t be

    fooled by him!¡±

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana persuaded the men in the back with her. She was so convincing that it was hard to tell she was

    lying. At this moment, Eliana snickered in her heart.

    Sean was cunning, but he wasn¡¯t as good at acting as she was.

    Upon hearing Eliana¡¯s words, a gleam of greed shone in the eyes of the two men in ck. Of course,

    they wanted their share of the treasure she was talking about. Besides, the money Gerald had given

    them was not enough. At that moment, the two men wanted to let Eliana go back to get the treasure.

    Despite Sean¡¯s exnations, they were determined to take Eliana to where the treasure was. Under

    Eliana¡¯s incitement, the two men, who were very strong, grabbed Sean.

    Sean was stunned to see that the men he hired chose to betray him and side with the very person they

    were supposed to abduct.

    Now Sean, became the one who was kidnapped.

    What an unexpected turn of events.

    The two men tied him up and made him sit next to Eliana. He was speechless.

    He didn¡¯t expect that Gerald¡¯s perfect n would be ruined like this.

    ¡°You two better behave yourselves. Take out the treasure as soon as we get there, or¡­¡± one of the

    men warned, giving them a threatening look. The two abductors then drove to the ce Eliana

    mentioned. It was the Pierce family¡¯s house.

    ¡°Here we are.¡±

    One of the men got out of the car and opened the backseat. He forcibly pulled Eliana out of the car.

    Then, looking at the vi not far away, he asked, ¡°Is the treasure here?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Juste in with me, and see for yourself,¡± Eliana said firmly.

    ¡°You¡¯d better not y tricks on us!¡± the man said ruthlessly. Then, he grabbed Eliana and slowly walked

    towards the vi.

    They had taken a few steps when Eliana suddenly saw a familiar figure standing near the gate of the

    vi. Although they were far away, she recognized him right away.

    Maurice!

    It was really him!

    Eliana¡¯s heart began to beat faster. She had hope now.

    Without thinking twice, Eliana kicked her kidnapper violently on the shin. The man was caught off guard

    and subconsciously let go of Eliana went he felt the sharp pain in his shin.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    While the man was screaming in pain, Eliana rushed to Maurice. At this moment, she didn¡¯t think much.

    She knew she had to act quickly.

    ¡°Maurice, I¡¯m here!¡± she shouted.

    Maurice turned his heard in the direction of the voice and was startled to see Eliana running towards

    him. He held out his arms and Eliana ran straight into them. He could finally hug her again.

    Eliana¡¯s nostrils were filled with Maurice¡¯s familiar scent and her heart was warmed by his embrace. At

    this moment, she felt secure.

    Apparently as long as she was with him, she would feel safe.

    At this moment, the abductor finally straightened up. His eyes widened in shock when he saw Eliana

    and Maurice hugging each other so intimately. ¡°Is your lover the invaluable treasure you were talking

    about?¡±

    Hearing what the man said, Eliana couldn¡¯t help bursting intoughter. ¡°Good! You guessed right!¡±

    ¡°You bitch! I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡±

    The two men rushed up angrily. They were determined to deal with Eliana and her lover.

    However, when they saw Maurice¡¯s face clearly, they froze.

    Holding Eliana tightly, Maurice asked coldly, ¡°Who did you say you were going to teach a lesson to?¡±

    ¡°You are Maurice Moran!¡± one of the men shouted in shock.

    Damn it! They had offended the wrong person this time.

    The men were frightened to their bones. They immediately turned around and ran away.

    It all happened so quickly that Eliana didn¡¯t even have time to figure out what was going on.

    It took her a while to realize that she was finally out of danger.

    She took a deep breath and cuddled up in Maurice¡¯s arms. ¡°Maurice, how did you find me?¡± she asked

    in a low voice.

    ¡°Thanks to the phone,¡± Maurice said with a smile.

    Hearing that, Eliana quickly looked up. ¡°But the phone was not on,¡± she said confusedly.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need it to be on. I can locate you via the cell phone.¡±

    As he spoke, Maurice lowered his head and looked Eliana in the eye. He hadn¡¯t seen her for only a few

    hours, but it felt like forever. He reached up and gently stroke her nose.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re safe. It is time to go home.¡±

    ¡°Home¡­¡±

    For some reason, Eliana felt warm when she heard Maurice say the word ¡°home¡±.

    Tears welled up in her eyes and she nodded.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go home.¡±

 Chapter 497

    Chapter 497

    ¡°But we still have one thing to deal with.¡±

    After saying this, Maurice took Eliana to the car.

    At this moment, the two men in ck were already nowhere to be seen. Sean, who was tied up, was

    left alone. He couldn¡¯t even move at all.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡­ Long time no see.¡±

    Sean greeted Maurice with embarrassment and guilt written all over his face. He looked at Maurice,

    standing in front of him with an overwhelming aura. He was so scared that he shrank back.

    ¡°Sean, how are you doing?¡±

    Maurice looked at Sean with a yful smile. He was thinking about what to do with Sean when Sean¡¯s

    phone suddenly rang.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were instantly focused on the lit screen, and they saw that the name of the caller was

    ¡°Boss.¡±

    A cold smile crept across Maurice¡¯s face. He picked up the phone and answered it.

    ¡°Sean, it¡¯s been so long. You haven¡¯t gotten her done yet?¡±

    It was Gerald, and he sounded impatient.

    ¡°Gerald, who is the ¡®her¡¯ you are talking about?¡±

    Gerald was shocked to hear Maurice¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Maurice, why it¡¯s you? Where is Sean?¡±

    Maurice squinted his eyes, nced at Sean, and sneered, ¡°He¡¯s right next to me. Do you want to talk to

    him? Are you going to talk about¡­ how you nned to take Eliana away and frame me?¡±

    Gerald thought that Sean was really stupid. Sean screwed it up again.

    ¡°Maurice!¡± Gerald shouted angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t becent too early. Remember that I still have another

    woman in my hands.¡±

    ¡°Are you talking about Lucia?¡± Maurice asked in a rxed tone. ¡°Lucia is a member of the Todd family.

    You can keep her if you want. But remember that if you don¡¯t send her back, the Todd family wille

    to you and make trouble for you.¡±

    Gerald was shocked again. He had never thought that Lucia was from the Todd family.

    He was so dumbfounded that he didn¡¯t even realize that Maurice had already hung up the phone.

    At this moment, the panicked voice of the servant suddenly came from outside the door.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, something bad happened.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Gerald asked angrily.

    ¡°Miss Todd got up and asked for a midnight snack. She ordered a lot of expensive food.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Gerald got more furious.

    Now that he knew that Lucia was from the Todd family, he couldn¡¯t offend her. So he could only swear,

    ¡°Screw that midnight snack! Let her go immediately!¡±

    The servant immediately went back to inform Lucia. But after a while, she returned to Gerald

    dejectedly.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong this time?¡±

    Gerald had already lost his temper.

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡­ Miss Todd said¡­¡± the servant stammered. ¡°She wants the chef to cook for her, and she

    will take it home. Otherwise, she won¡¯t leave.¡±

    ¡°Fine! Give her what she wants. Let the chef cook for her.¡±

    Gerald had never thought he had to spend a lot to send Lucia away. This time, he could say that he

    overshot himself.

    But it shouldn¡¯t be like this.

    He couldn¡¯t suffer losses for nothing.

    Gerald immediately picked up his phone. He would call Earle toin.

    Since all the conspiracies were smashed, Maurice and Eliana returned to the Pierce family¡¯s house

    safely.

    At this time, Adrian and Aileen were not asleep yet. When they heard the door open, they quietly got up

    from the bed, walked to the door, and opened it slightly.

    They peeped through the gap and saw Eliana and Maurice enter the vi together.

    Upon seeing that Maurice and Eliana were a bit intimate, Aileen turned to Adrian and asked excitedly,

    ¡°Adrian, do you think Mommy and Mr. Moran had a date?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Adrian replied sulkily.

    ¡°If this goes on, will we have a new father soon? This handsome Mr. Moran will be our new father,¡±

    Aileen said with longing on her face.

    However, Adrian seriously opposed it. ¡°No way! I don¡¯t like him. He is a bad guy.¡±

    Aileen put her hands on her waist, pouted, and argued, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. He is a nice guy. He even gave

    me flowers.¡±

    The two of them began to argue until Nana noticed them.

    ¡°Children, why are you not in bed yet?¡±

    She held them in each arm and dragged them back to the bed.

 Chapter 498

    Chapter 498

    Maurice and Eliana didn¡¯t even realize that the two children noticed their every move.

    As soon as Eliana got home, shey on the sofa in the living room, not wanting to get up.

    Maurice sat next to her. And seeing the exhaustion on her beautiful face, he smiled and said, ¡°Eliana,

    when do you think we can have a normal date? The one that is not so thrilling.¡±

    ¡°Thrilling?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s muddled brain now spontaneously recalled what had happened today.

    First, the Stone and Moran families colluded with Harriet to force Maurice to marry her. Then she

    directed an act at the press conference to frame Eliana. Andst, Eliana almost got kidnapped again

    after Gerald had taken her away.

    ¡°Yes, today seems¡­ thrilling¡­ ¡±

    Eliana rolled over and looked at Maurice beside her.

    The light softened the sharp contours of his face, making his expression very gentle. Looking at him

    gave Eliana unprecedented peace of mind.

    She couldn¡¯t help thinking about her and Maurice. They had experienced too much along the way. And

    every time she was in danger, he would always be the first toe to her rescue.

    Because of this giving and saving time after time, her heart that had been closed due to too much pain

    melted. And it opened little by little.

    Eliana thought maybe it was time to tell him the truth.

    At this moment, Eliana finally let go of the grudge in her heart and said impulsively, ¡°Maurice, let¡¯s go

    on a real date.¡±

    Maurice was stunned for a moment. When he came back to his senses, he asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said let¡¯s go on a date,¡± Eliana said with a happy smile.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t exin what he felt at the moment. It was as if he had finally gotten what he had been

    longing for. His heart was filled with uncontroble joy.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go on a date,¡± he said gently.

    He bent down, and Eliana seemed bewitched. She slowly raised her head too. The distance between

    them got closer and closer.

    But when the atmosphere had be intimate, Corbin suddenly broke in.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, something happened. You must go back to deal with it immediately.¡±

    Eliana was so startled that she quicklyy back on the sofa, feeling embarrassed.

    Being disturbed in such an intimate moment, Maurice couldn¡¯t help pulling a long face when he looked

    at Corbin.

    But when he saw the anxiety on Corbin¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t scold Corbin anymore.

    He just turned to Eliana and said, ¡°Sleep tight. I just have some business to deal with.¡±

    Then he and Corbin hurried out the door.

    Eliana was stunned, wondering what had happened.

    Looking at their receding backs, she felt a little uneasy in her heart.

    When Maurice went back, he was greeted by Earle¡¯s anger. ¡°You bastard! Why did you announce to

    the public that the Moran family had no intention of uniting with the Stone family by marriage?¡±

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Earle was so furious that he threw the teacup to the floor, creating a loud noise.

    Maurice sneered sarcastically, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Kelvin rified the truth to you yet?¡±

    Actually, Kelvin had alreadye to see Earle. But his so-called rification was to put all the me

    on Lilian and just portray Harriet as a victim.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already figured it out. It¡¯s all that employee¡¯s fault. What does it have to do with your marriage with

    Harriet?¡±

    At once, Maurice realized that Earle actually didn¡¯t care about the truth. The only thing that mattered to

    him was the benefits that the Moran family could get once Maurice and Harriet got married.

    ¡°Grandpa, since that¡¯s what you think, then I have nothing else to say.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with you? Gerald already told me that you personally went to pick up that lowly bitch

    Eliana and left. You even made a big fuss at your uncle¡¯s home and kidnapped his secretary Sean.

    Why are you doing all these ridiculous things? What the hell do you want?¡±

    What Maurice did really broke Earle¡¯s heart.

    Maurice frowned. He didn¡¯t even need to think about it to know that Gerald must have ndered him in

    front of Earle again.

    ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    Maurice tried to exin. But Earle was already in a fit of anger and didn¡¯t want to listen at all.

    ¡°Maurice, listen to me carefully. Since you insist on doing the same mistake that your father did, you

    are no longer worthy of managing Moran Group. From now on, I will hand over thepany to Gerald.¡±

 Chapter 499

    Chapter 499

    Since Earle said that he would let Gerald run thepany, it only meant that he was really furious this

    time.

    But as soon as the words came out of his mouth, he also regretted it. Gerald was his son, and he

    clearly knew Gerald¡¯s capability.

    It was not an exaggeration to say that Gerald was far inferior to Maurice.

    Maurice was obviously clear about what was at stake, so he retorted fearlessly, ¡°If you really want to

    leave Moran Group to Gerald, just wait until he can manage it well.¡±

    ¡°Damn it! You bastard!¡±

    This time, Earle was so angry that he couldn¡¯t say anything but only kept cursing Maurice.

    However, both of them were stubborn. No one was willing to give in.

    So, in the end, they parted on bad terms again.

    On the way back, Earle still couldn¡¯t help thinking about what had happened. And he became even

    angrier. He felt that Maurice was acting like this because he was only fascinated with Eliana.

    It looked like he had to find a good way to deal with this matter.

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Earle suddenly shouted angrily, ¡°Aleck! Ask thewyer to see me. I want to change my will. I¡¯ll also call

    for a general meeting with the shareholders. I¡¯m nning to kick that brat out of Moran Group.¡±

    Aleck looked at Earle and shook his head. He knew that Earle only said those words because he was

    angry with Maurice.

    ¡°Why are you not doing anything? Are you also turning a deaf ear to me now?¡±

    Earle became more furious when Aleck did not respond to him.

    Aleck sighed silently. If he really let Earle do this, the Moran Group would be in a mess.

    So he had to think of a way to make Earle forget about this matter first.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please calm down. There will be a solution to this problem. How about we go see Ss

    first?¡±

    ¡°What happened to Ss?¡±

    Sure enough, Earle was immediately distracted when he heard Ss¡¯ name.

    ¡°Ss already misses you. Why don¡¯t we go to his kindergarten and pick him up? Anyway, it¡¯s about

    time for them to go home now.¡±

    After saying this, Aleck noticed that Earle¡¯s expression softened, so he struck while the iron was hot

    and immediately added, ¡°And you like the twins very much, right? If we pick Ss up, you can also see

    them. I¡¯m sure your mood will lighten up.¡±

    At the thought of the lovely twins, Earle finally nodded.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to the kindergarten.¡±

    Atst, Aleck was able to persuade Earle.

    He wiped the cold sweat on his forehead, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

    Soon, Earle stood outside the gate of the kindergarten, waiting for Ss.

    The moment the final bell of the day rang, the children swarmed out.

    When Ss saw Earle, he immediately ran over to him along with Adrian and Aileen.

    He asked, ¡°Great-grandpa, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran!¡±

    Aileen and Adrian greeted Earle in unison.

    ¡°Hello, children!¡±

    Indeed, seeing the three children lightened up Earle¡¯s mood. His anger dissipated at once.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian, long time no see. I¡¯ve brought you some gifts this time.¡±

    Earle looked at Aleck, who immediately handed him the gifts they had just bought.

    Earle got an exquisite doll for Aileen and a giant car model for Adrian.

    Adrian and Aileen looked at each other, but they didn¡¯te forward to take the gifts.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, our mommy has taught us not to ept anything from other people casually,¡± Aileen said.

    Although she really liked the doll, she still refused it.

    Earle could tell that the two children liked his gifts, so he said patiently, ¡°Am I a stranger to you? When

    you helped mest time, I didn¡¯t get the chance to thank you. These are my thank-you gifts for you. If

    you don¡¯t ept it, I¡¯ll be sad.¡±

    ¡°Adrian¡­¡± Aileen called out softly.

    She looked at Adrian as if asking for his opinion.

    Adrian thought for a moment. Then he nodded and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran. We¡¯ll ept your gifts

    and just tell our mommy when we get home. But please, don¡¯t give us any gifts next time.¡±

    He and Aileen then took their gifts from Earle¡¯s hands.

    Earle thought they were very sensible children.

    The more he looked at them, the more satisfied he was. He wished he could bring them home

    immediately.

    He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°When will your parentse? I haven¡¯t officially met your father yet.¡±

    Aileen hugged the doll, raised her head, and said in confusion, ¡°Father? I have never seen my father

    yet.¡±

    Earle was also confused. He didn¡¯t understand what she meant.

    When he went to their housest time, their father was taking a shower.

    Why would Aileen say she had never seen her father yet?

 Chapter 500

    Chapter 500

    Earle was about to ask Aileen again when Eliana rushed to the kindergarten.

    She specifically asked for that day off, so she coulde and pick up the children.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want her to go there alone. He feared Gerald would act against her a second time, so he

    asked his driver to bring her to the kindergarten.

    Thest thing Eliana expected was to see Earle at the kindergarten gate.

    Inside the car, Eliana was about to ask the driver to stop when she suddenly spotted Earle standing by

    the gate.

    Damn it! Why was Earle here?

    ¡°Please hurry! Don¡¯t stop! Leave the kindergarten!¡±

    Eliana had no choice but to ask the driver to drive away from the kindergarten.

    The ck Lincoln passed by the school and drove off.

    Earle looked at the car and thought that it looked like Maurice¡¯s.

    He was puzzled by what he saw and had to look again to check if he saw it correctly. If it was Maurice¡¯s

    car, why didn¡¯t it stop?

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Before he could think for long on the matter, the twins suddenly drew his attention.

    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Aileen also looked into the distance curiously.

    Earle shook off his thoughts and replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew.

    Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    The ck Lincoln drove past the kindergarten and stopped by the roadside. Eliana immediately took

    out her phone to contact the twins.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Mommy! Why aren¡¯t you here yet? We¡¯ve been waiting for so long!¡± Aileen grumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I got stuck in a traffic jam. Could you wait a bit longer?¡±

    Eliana had to make up an excuse to appease the twins.

    ¡°A traffic jam?¡± Aileen pouted. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s going to be a long time before you get here, I¡¯ll stay with

    Adrian, Ss, and Ss¡¯ grandpa! We¡¯re going to y together for a bit.¡±

    Earle overheard her conversation and said, ¡°Aileen, do you need me to send someone to pick up your

    mother?¡±

    Before Aileen could answer, Ss suddenly blurted out, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Why not? What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    Earle looked at Ss in confusion.

    If Earle went to pick Eliana up, he would find out who the twins¡¯ mother was.

    Ss exined in a hurry, ¡°Aileen and Adrian¡¯s mother is an ordinary person, so if you fetched her

    using your fancy car, their mother would get stressed out! If we upset her, she won¡¯t let us keep contact

    with the twins.¡±

    Earle thought it over and decided that Ss had a point. He immediately gave up the idea.

    Ss breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

    A moment ago, he was so worried. Eliana¡¯s true identity was almost revealed.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! We can wait for our mother to pick us up.¡±

    Aileen and Adrian stood by the gate, waiting for Eliana to pick them up.

    As Earle gazed at the well-behaved twins, he suddenly recalled his argument with Maurice earlier that

    day. Their conversation vexed him.

    An ordinary family had obedient children like Aileen and Adrian, but he was stuck with a disappointing

    grandson like Maurice.

    The more Earle thought about the matter, the angrier he became. He couldn¡¯t help but ce a hand on

    Aileen¡¯s head andment, ¡°You¡¯re such obedient children. But my grandson always disobeys me!¡±

    Adrian, who had never been fond of Maurice,mented, ¡°Just because a child is obedient doesn¡¯t

    mean that they¡¯re good children.¡±

    Earle retorted, ¡°A child who knows how to listen to his elders is always good in my eyes.¡±

    Aileen nodded in agreement and remarked, ¡°I think Adrian is right. I have a friend named Ivy who lied

    to other children because she followed her mother¡¯s instructions. Does that make her a good child?¡±

    ¡°If you put it that way¡­¡± Earle was stunned for a moment.

    Aileen continued, ¡°My mother always taught us that a good child should have their own thoughts and

    opinions. She told us never to give up, even though you¡¯re having a hard time. Adults don¡¯t always

    know what¡¯s right. Even my mother makes the wrong choices sometimes. When that happens, she

    says sorry to us.¡±

    Her words were reasonable, and Earle found no issue with them. For the first time in his life, he was

    surprised and at a loss for words by something a child said.

    The truth was, he knew the twins were right, but he refused to admit it. Earle was an arrogant and

    stubborn man. He was reluctant to swallow his pride and admit his mistakes.

 Chapter 501

    Chapter 501

    The school gate was no longer full of buzz. One by one, children were picked up by either their mother

    or father. Soon, only the twins were left waiting for their mother.

    Earle didn¡¯t want the two children to wait any longer. He decided to send them home.

    Eliana however followed them all to the Pierce family¡¯s house.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran,¡± Adrian and Aileen said almost simultaneously. ¡°We¡¯ll enter the house first.¡±

    At the door, Earle gathered the twins in his arms and bid them goodbye.

    When Earle had left, Eliana came out from her hiding ce.

    Seeing her, Adrian frowned and asked, ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back home! Why didn¡¯t you pick up us?¡±

    Eliana lowered herself to meet her son¡¯s eyes. ¡°Well¡­¡±

    She found it hard to find the words to exin herself to her little boy.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re hiding from Mr. Moran who sent us back home?¡±

    Adrian, who had a keen mind, held his gaze to his mother.

    On the other hand, Aileen was visibly excited. Her eyes lit up at the sight of her. ¡°Mommy, are we

    ying hide and seek again?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t lie to her kids, especially with Adrian staring at her. So, she rather kept silent.

    Adrian seemed to be able to read Eliana¡¯s mind. ¡°Mommy, tell me the truth. Can¡¯t you get close to Mr.

    Moran? Will he bring danger to you?¡± he asked thoughtfully. ¡°If that is true, we should not see him

    again.¡±

    It was not that Adrian didn¡¯t like Earle. His mother was more important to him.

    So if meeting with Earle hurt his mother, he¡¯d rather not see him.

    Eliana shook her head and said, ¡°No. He is not a bad guy. There¡¯s no reason why you shouldn¡¯t get in

    touch with him.¡±

    Eliana honestly thought that Earle was not a bad guy. She knew how much he cared for Maurice. That

    was why he hated her each time he saw her.

    Adrian looked at his mother, studying her face with a puzzled expression. He didn¡¯tpletely believe

    what she said.

    Eliana gave a long sigh, and then asked the twins in a serious tone, ¡°Tell me, do you like Mr. Moran?¡±

    Adrian and Aileen exchanged looks nervously, butter, they nodded slightly.

    Eliana smiled at them. ¡°Then you can y with him. I promise I won¡¯t interfere with your meeting with

    him from now on.¡±

    The two children breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I do like him, Mommy,¡± Aileen said and added innocently,

    ¡°but if you want to y hide and seek with him, I can help you so he won¡¯t be able to find you!¡±

    Eliana was amused by her innocent words, and her sadness had all melted away.

    They got up early the following morning. Eliana helped the twins dress up for school. After they had

    breakfast, she took them to the kindergarten. They saw Ss at the gate of the school.

    Ss waved his hand when he recognized Eliana. He excitedly rushed to her and said excitedly, ¡°Miss

    Pierce, Good morning!¡±

    He then lowered his head nervously. He now didn¡¯t dare to look at Eliana.

    ¡°Good morning, Ss.¡±

    Eliana squatted down and held her arms out to hug Ss.

    Whatever previous misunderstandings they had between them, they werepletely cleared up.

    From kindergarten, Eliana headed to thepany. While on her way, her phone rang. She didn¡¯t

    recognize the number.

    She shrugged her shoulders and answered the call. ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Hi, Ms. Pierce. I am from the Star Factory. You contacted us about making bracelets for you. Our boss

    has agreed to do it. When can youe over to discuss the matter?¡±

    It was a call from the old factory of the Pierce family!

    ¡°Now is a good time,¡± Eliana said. Excitement was in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    She immediately asked the taxi driver to drive straight to the factory.

    The Star Factory was located in the suburb. It took Eliana more than an hour to get there.

    ¡°Good morning!¡± The receptionist greeted her as Eliana arrived at the factory. ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the

    meeting room.¡±

    Eliana looked around as she and the receptionist walked to the meeting room. She noticed how the

    Star Factory had changed since she wasst here as a child. She was momentarily in a stupor when

    she saw workers working in an orderly way.

    She remembered the time when her father brought her to the factory. He held her hand as they

    inspected the factory. Those memories were slowly fading away.

    The receptionist opened the door of the meeting room. When Eliana walked in, she was surprised to

    see the person inside.

    ¡°Miss Deleon! Why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 502

    Chapter 502

    Rosamond was not surprised to see Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, please have a seat. I am the boss of the Star Factory that you wanted to meet.¡±

    Rosamond gestured for Eliana to sit down.

    Eliana sat down in confusion. She had prepared a lot of words to tell the boss of the factory. But when

    she saw Rosamond, she was so surprised that her mind went nk. She didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Compared to Eliana¡¯s uneasy look, Rosamond was much moreposed.

    ¡°Actually, when I saw you y the harp in the manor, I wanted to see you again,¡± Rosamond said,

    staring at Eliana¡¯s face and looking nostalgic.

    ¡°You were there at that time? How did you recognize me?¡± Eliana asked in surprise.

    ¡°Is your mother¡¯s name Ingrid?¡± Rosamond asked, instead of answering her question.

    She was even more surprised when she heard Rosamond mention her mother. Could it be that

    Rosamond had something to do with her mother?

    She immediately asked back, ¡°Do you know my mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your mother and I were best friends.¡± While they talked about Ingrid, there was a gentle

    expression on Rosamond¡¯s face.

    ¡°You and my mom were best friends? Then why have I never seen you before?¡± Eliana¡¯s confusion had

    gotten stronger.

    ¡°Back then, your mother and I were so close that we always told each other everything. But because of

    a failed marriage, I left home and didn¡¯t even want tomunicate with any of my friends. So Ingrid

    and I lost contact with each other. When I got news about her, she was already¡­¡± Rosamond choked

    with sobs. ¡°I thought I would never have anything to do with her again. But I never thought that one day,

    I would meet her daughter.¡±

    After hearing Rosamond and her mother¡¯s story, Eliana couldn¡¯t help sighing.

    Two people who used to be the best of friends ended up losing contact with each other.

    She couldn¡¯t help thinking that if Rosamond had been with her mother all the time, her mother might

    not have been in despair and chosen tomit suicide.

    However, what had happened already happened and couldn¡¯t be changed now. Seeing that Rosamond

    was immersed in sadness, Eliana could only restrain her sorrow and say, ¡°It¡¯s all over now. We have to

    move on. I think my mother will be very happy if she knows you still miss her.¡±

    It was only then that Rosamond restrained her emotions. She said guiltily, ¡°I can¡¯t say sorry to Ingrid

    anymore. And you are the only family member she had left in this world. So if you have any difficulties,

    don¡¯t hesitate to tell me.¡±

    Eliana was actually very shy to tell Rosamond. But she was running out of time now. And she could not

    find another suitable factory.

    She swallowed her saliva and said solemnly, ¡°Actually, Ie here today to discuss something about

    work. Can your factory help the Moran Group produce a batch of bracelets?¡±

    Rosamond chuckled. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re here for? Of course, I can help you.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up at once. ¡°Really?¡±

    Much to her surprise, Rosamond said, ¡°Of course! And I can also return the factory to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Eliana said, kept shaking her head. She was really taken aback by

    Rosamond¡¯s words.

    ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m not giving it to you for free. I actually want to sell these old factories that

    belonged to the Pierce Group before to others. If you want, I can sell them to you at a low price.¡±

    Rosamond paused for a moment. Then she asked tentatively, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take the property of

    the Pierce family back?¡±

    Of course, Eliana wanted to.

    She was very interested in it.

    It had always been her dream to get back everything that belonged to the Pierce family.

    However¡­ Money was the problem. She didn¡¯t have enough of it.

    Eliana smiled bitterly and said honestly, ¡°Thank you for your kindness. I really want to take the factories

    back. But I don¡¯t have the money¡­¡±

    Rosamond smiled meaningfully. ¡°You have.¡±

    Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Eliana was totally confused. She was poor now. How could she have money?

    Rosamond stared at Eliana and said word by word, ¡°Before your mother killed herself, she called me

    and asked me to give something to her daughter. And that is you.¡±

    Eliana was utterly shocked. She stood up excitedly and asked, ¡°Are you saying that my mother asked

    you to give me something? What is it?¡±

    ¡°Come with me. You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±

    Rosamond kept Eliana in suspense and went to the bank with her.

    Ingrid left a safe, and it was thest relic she left for her daughter.

 Chapter 503

    Chapter 503

    As she stood in front of the safe, Eliana felt uneasy. She remembered the moment she saw her

    mother¡¯s corpse five years ago.

    She was excited and wanted to open the safe, but she was too nervous to even touch it. It reminded

    her too much of what had happened and she was scared that she¡¯d be heartbroken again.

    ¡°Go ahead and open it,¡±

    Rosamond said, taking a step forward and handing Eliana the key to the safe.

    Eliana gripped the key tightly in her sweaty hand. Gritting her teeth, she inserted the key in the lock

    with her trembling hand, and opened the safe.

    The safe was not very big. However, it held only a letter, making it seem a lot more spacious andrge.

    Eliana took a deep breath as she reached for the letter, taking it out and unfolding it carefully.

    ¡°My beloved daughter, Eliana. Surely I must have passed away as you have gotten this letter. Do not

    be too sad, I simply left for another world to be with your father. I beg you to lift your spirits and take

    proper care of yourself, following my death. I do not qualify to be a mother. I have left you, abandoning

    you to try to survive in this brutal world all by yourself. Your father and I have created a private ount

    just for you abroad. I will give you the ount information. As soon as you were born, we both began

    depositing money in the ount up until now. Rosamond is my closest friend. I haveplete trust in

    her, so I am giving her this letter for safekeeping. You can definitely put your trust in her in the future.

    Adding to it, there is a number of a person included in the envelope. Keep this phone number in mind.

    If youe across any problems that are unsolvable, go look for this person. This person will serve as

    yourst hope and he will aid you unconditionally. Keep in mind, once you memorize this phone

    number, get rid of the note instantly. Don¡¯t question this. This is the final aid I can give to you. Following

    the death of your father and I, I beg you to keep on believing for this world. You will meet many people

    that love you as time goes by, but your father has just me. If I am given another chance, I am fully

    ready to marry him and have you again. That was my greatest joy in life. Care for yourself well, my

    sweetheart.¡±

    Eliana went through the envelope and discovered two small notes in it. The information of an individual

    ount was written on one note, and a phone number was written on the second note. Eliana was

    shocked as she held the notes in her hand. The letter held so much information. She was a bit

    overwhelmed.

    Who was this exact person that her mother mentioned? Seeing that he could help her unconditionally,

    what was her mother¡¯s rtionship with this person?

    Eliana became quite confused and was extremely inquisitive about the truth. Nevertheless, following

    her mother¡¯s instructions, she memorized the phone number and ripped the note into shreds.

    Staring at the bits of paper she held in her hand, she felt lost. These were the final things her mother

    had remained for her. A letter, a phone number, and a bank ount with an unknown amount of

    money.

    These items brought again the realization that her mother had indeed passed away, leaving this world

    to be with her father for all eternity. She felt a sudden rush of sadness envelop her. She staggered back

    a step, unable to stand properly any longer.

    Luckily, Rosamond was behind her and supported her with her hands.

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    ¡°Everything is fine now¡­¡± Rosamond hugged Eliana, petting her softly.

    Eliana felt so much sorrow. Residing in thefort Rosamond gave her, Eliana eventually recovered

    from her grief after a long period.

    ¡°I am thankful for you, Miss Deleon.¡± She detached herself from Rosamond. Her face was pale and her

    eyes had reddened but she appeared a bit calm this time.

    As it showed that she had lifted her spirits herself, Rosamond felt more at ease.

    ¡°As you have now gotten the bank ount, you can check how much money is in it, by the way.¡±

    They then proceeded to the bank to check the bnce of the ount, ording to the information

    written on the note.

    The ount actually contained twenty million dors in it!

    This had probably been just a morsel amount of money to the Pierce family in the past, but for Eliana, it

    was undoubtedly a huge sum for her at that point. She was stupefied to have so much money in an

    instant.

    It amused Rosamond to see that Eliana was dumbstruck by just twenty million dors, but at the same

    time, she felt a bit sad for her. It appeared that Eliana had suffered immensely in these past few years.

 Chapter 504

    Chapter 504

    The sudden wealth put Eliana under a roller coaster of emotions.

    She had been a daughter of a wealthy family in the past, butter she had be very poor. And after

    going through a lot, she stumbled upon such a huge amount of money.

    However, the price that she had to pay for the money was taking in the fact that her family was ruined.

    If she had the chance to choose, then she would dly live the rest of her life as a pauper if it meant

    that her parents could live a long healthy life.

    ¡°Eliana, you can have an amazing future with this sum of money. It¡¯s probably thest thing that Ingrid

    could do for you¡­¡±

    Rosamond could not help but sigh.

    Eliana clutched thest letter that her mother had left her in her hands as she tried to calm down and

    forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will move on with my life, just like my parents wanted me to.¡±

    Rosamond uttered, ¡°I am d to see that you think that way. I believe that¡­ Your parents will be

    pleased.¡±

    ¡°I also want to thank you for helping my mother keep her belongings safe,¡± Eliana said solemnly.

    The Pierce family had been through hell that year, and if it had not been for Rosamond, then someone

    else would have taken that money before Eliana could get to it.

    ¡°And thank you for agreeing to help make bracelets.¡±

    ¡°Rest assured that I will be very attentive to the matter, and if you have any difficulties in the future, you

    can alwayse to me.¡±

    Rosamond looked at Eliana lovingly, because she reminded her of her best friend. Tears welled up in

    her eyes.

    She had given up on Ingrid before, but now, she finally had a chance to make up for it by taking care of

    her daughter.

    Finally, Eliana could retain her design of the bracelet.

    Exhausted, she returned to thepany, and saw many people walking in and out of the gate. They all

    seemed to be going to Maurice¡¯s office.

    What was going on?

    Eliana was confused. She walked up to a colleague who was watching the scene of bustle, and asked,

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The colleague responded, ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? Apparently, there is going to be a new CEO to manage

    thepany soon!¡±

    ¡°A new CEO?¡± Eliana had a bad feeling. ¡°Who is it? And what about Mr. Moran?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it is going to be Mr. Moran¡¯s uncle, Gerald! I heard that he is here to help Mr. Moran deal

    with thepany¡¯s affairs.¡±

    Another colleagueined, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He must be here to rece Mr. Moran. I am pretty sure

    that thepany is going to be in deep trouble!¡±

    What?

    Was Gerald really taking over thepany and recing Maurice?

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    She had only not been there for one morning. How could such a huge thing happen in such a short

    time?

    Gerald seemed to have gotten a chance to take over thepany, and Eliana had no clue of Maurice¡¯s

    situation.

    Worries stormed into her heart as she thought of Maurice.

    She figured that she had to see him!

    By the time she came to her senses, she was already outside Maurice¡¯s office.

    And Corbin was not at his desk.

    Eliana knocked on the door gently, but there was no response.

    A momentter, she pushed the door open and walked in.

    The whole office was a mess with papers and documents scattered all over the floor.

    Maurice was sitting in his chair, looking fatigued. His eyes were closed, and he was massaging the

    area between his brows, dispirited.

    ¡°Get out!¡± he shouted coldly without even looking.

    ¡°Maurice, are you okay?¡±

    He slowly opened his eyes when he heard Eliana¡¯s voice.

    A trace of embarrassment shed through his eyes. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I solved the matter of the bracelet¡­¡± After a pause, Eliana continued, ¡°And I want to know what

    happened. Why is everyone saying that Gerald is going to be thepany¡¯s new CEO? Maurice¡­ Is it

    true?¡±

    The office became as silent as a grave.

    Maurice silently walked up to Eliana and hugged her. He then said in a gentle tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about

    me. Your task now is to think about how you¡¯re going to date me.¡±

    Eliana stayed in his warm embrace, believing that the reason he was in such a situation was because

    of her.

    ¡°It was arranged by your grandfather, right? It¡¯s all my fault, right?¡±

    Her voice was ridden with guilt.

    Maurice hugged her tightly and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. This has nothing to do with

    you. You don¡¯t have such a great influence.¡±

    Eliana became silent as she leaned on his chest with a gloomy look in her eyes, but her heart was

    weighing with sorrows.

 Chapter 505

    Chapter 505

    Maurice¡¯sfort didn¡¯t make Eliana feel any better.

    She knew in her heart that all this must have something to do with her.

    After leaving his office, Eliana returned to the Design Department in a daze.

    At this time, all the employees in the Design Department gathered around. They discussed the n of

    going to the hospital to visit Harriet.

    Lucia had already returned to thepany too. As soon as she saw Eliana, she immediately ran to

    Eliana¡¯s side.

    She said worriedly, ¡°Eliana, how are you? Are you alright? You scared me to death.¡±

    Eliana shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Lucia still wanted to say something more, but some of their female colleagues came over to invite

    Eliana to go with them to the hospital.

    ¡°You go ahead. I won¡¯t go.¡±

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Eliana was not in the mood to see the culprit lying in the hospital.

    But one female colleagueined, ¡°Well, it¡¯s not up to you to decide. Mr. Gerald Moran, the new

    CEO, has given an order that everyone in the Design Department must visit Miss Stone.¡±

    Eliana was a little surprised to hear this. Did Gerald ask all of them to see Harriet?

    It seemed that he would really make a great change in the Moran Group.

    At the thought of this, Eliana¡¯s anxiety gradually increased.

    But she had no other choice. In the end, she still went to the hospital to visit Harriet together with her

    colleagues of the Design Department.

    Harriet was lying weakly in the hospital bed in a VIP ward. Her face had lost its color, and she seemed

    seriously ill.

    Although Eliana didn¡¯t like a scheming woman like Harriet, she must admit that she admired Harriet¡¯s

    boldness. To achieve her goal, Harriet could even hurt herself. If she was cruel to others, she was even

    more ruthless to herself.

    All the employees of the Design Department gathered around Harriet¡¯s bed to show their concern for

    their boss. Only Eliana stood a little farther away from them.

    ¡°Guys, thank you for visiting me today.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s voice revealed a sense of powerlessness.

    One colleague immediately said fawningly, ¡°Miss Stone, what are you talking about? Of course, we

    must visit you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss Stone. We are all worried about you. How can you be so sick? I heard this is all because of

    Lilian. I really can¡¯t believe it. She was so well-behaved and had no conflict with you. Why did she

    suddenly use such a vicious method to hurt you?¡± a curious female colleague couldn¡¯t help but

    comment.

    Lucia secretly sneered. Then she echoed, ¡°Yes, Miss Stone. Lilian was close to you, right? Why would

    she hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±

    The other colleagues also looked at Harriet curiously.

    Harriet had already anticipated this question, and she was well prepared. She immediately put on a

    pitiful look as if she was really the victim and said sadly, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I was too strict with Lilian.

    But I was doing it for her own good. I didn¡¯t expect that she would be dissatisfied with me and even hurt

    me in the end. It¡¯s all my fault because I didn¡¯t know her well first.¡±

    As Harriet spoke, the rims of her eyes turned red as if she was about to cry. As expected, she aroused

    most people¡¯s sympathy.

    ¡°Miss Stone, how can you me yourself? It¡¯s all Lilian¡¯s fault. We also didn¡¯t expect that she was that

    kind of person.¡±

    ¡°I have long thought that Lilian is not a good person. Now she has really proven me right. So she

    deserves the bad karma.¡±

    Eliana just stood there and listened to Harriet inducing her colleagues to believe that Lilian was to be

    med for all the bad things that had happened. She almost vomited with disgust.

    If it weren¡¯t for the fear that this matter would aggravate and affect the Moran Group, she wouldn¡¯t have

    let this go just like that. She would reveal Harriet¡¯s true color with her own hands.

    Soon, the visiting hours came to an end. When everyone said goodbye to Harriet, Eliana was the first

    to turn around, wanting to leave.

    But Harriet suddenly stopped her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, wait. I have something to talk to you alone.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately focused on Eliana.

    Lucia immediately stepped forward and said, ¡°Miss Stone, since we¡¯ve been here for a long while, you

    must be tired, right? You can talk to Eliana about it next time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lucia. Since Miss Stone doesn¡¯t mind it, I¡¯ll stay and have a talk with her,¡± Eliana said, giving

    Lucia a reassuring look.

    Lucia was still a little worried, but she followed the others outside. However, she kept looking back

    while walking out of the ward.

    At this moment, only Harriet and Eliana were left in the ward.

    ¡°Why are you so far away? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll eat you?¡± Harriet snorted coldly with undisguised

    disgust in her eyes.

    The hair all over Eliana¡¯s body prickled, and she immediately raised her guard.

    She wondered what trick Harriet was trying to y this time.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I don¡¯t think we have anything to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t need to be so wary of me,¡± Harriet said and suddenlyughed.

    ¡°Oh really? But my past experience tells me that I can¡¯t trust your words, Miss Stone.¡±

    Eliana stood far away from Harriet from beginning to end.

    She didn¡¯t dare to underestimate Harriet¡¯s scheming and ruthlessness. She was afraid that Harriet

    would trick her again if she was not careful enough.

    Seeing Eliana¡¯s vignt look, Harriet smiledcently. ¡°Eliana, I¡¯ve thought it through. I don¡¯t want

    Maurice anymore. I¡¯ll give him up to you.¡±

 Chapter 506

    Chapter 506

    ¡°You don¡¯t want him anymore?¡± Eliana asked with a frown, wondering what was wrong with Harriet

    again.

    ¡°Because he is no longer valuable to me. Earle won¡¯t hand over Moran Group to him. Without the

    position as the heir of Moran Group, he will lose everything. So I don¡¯t want him anymore.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s tone was full of sarcasm.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Eliana blurted out.

    ¡°It seems that you really don¡¯t know anything,¡± Harriet said. Her face turned red with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s all

    because of you, Eliana. He has lost everything and be a loser because he is protecting you. Now

    that you have him as you wish, are you satisfied?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°What did you say? It¡¯s all because of me?¡±

    Harriet¡¯s words were like a knife that pierced through her heart.

    She couldn¡¯t help thinking of what she saw and heard in thepany today and Maurice¡¯s decadent

    look. And she had twigged everything in an instant.

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    At this moment, Eliana felt a chill all over her body. It turned out that she was the one who made

    Maurice suffer.

    A surge of guilt overwhelmed her at once.

    If it weren¡¯t for her, Maurice wouldn¡¯t lose his position as the CEO of the Moran Group. He had worked

    hard for his career for more than ten years. She couldn¡¯t imagine how sad he would be now.

    But why didn¡¯t he tell her anything?

    Was it because he was afraid she would feel guilty?

    Eliana felt heartbroken at the thought of this.

    It turned out that Maurice had been protecting her all the time, and he had borne everything secretly.

    Even though he was going through some difficulties, he stillforted her that he was looking forward

    to their date.

    Sure enough, Harriet was right. She was just a burden.

    Eliana clenched her fists tightly. Her expression gradually changed from sadness to firmness.

    She didn¡¯t want to be a burden to him anymore. Without her, everything would go back to its original

    ce. He would continue as the superior and vigorous CEO of Moran Group.

    After all, she had gotten the inheritance left by her parents. With the twenty million dors, she could

    take good care of herself and her children without difficulties.

    Eliana thought it through. Eventually, she made up her mind.

    She nced at the angry Harriet onest time, turned around, and left the ward without saying a word.

    When they returned to thepany, Eliana directly went to Lucia absentmindedly.

    As soon as Lucia saw Eliana¡¯s pale face, she asked anxiously, ¡°Eliana, why do you look so terrible? Did

    that woman bully you again? You wait here. I¡¯ll go to her now.¡±

    Lucia was so angry that she wanted to go out and find Harriet to scold her.

    But Eliana immediately grabbed her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lucia.¡±

    Obviously, Lucia didn¡¯t believe Eliana¡¯s words. She said with righteous indignation, ¡°Look at you. Does

    it look like you¡¯re alright?¡±

    Eliana shook her head and said solemnly, ¡°Lucia, I¡¯m here because I have something to ask for your

    help.¡±

    Lucia patted her chest and assured her, ¡°I will help you as long as I can.¡±

    ¡°I need Earle¡¯s phone number.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ Wait! What? Earle¡¯s phone number?¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes widened, and a trace of guilt shed through

    her eyes. ¡°Eliana, are you kidding me? How can a mere intern like me have ess to the phone

    number of the chairman of thepany?¡±

    Her voice became lower and lower. She was so guilty that she didn¡¯t dare to look into Eliana¡¯s eyes.

    Eliana raised her head and stared at Lucia, making Lucia¡¯s blood freeze. Then she said, ¡°Last time, I

    saw you and Earle chatting. If you are just an ordinary employee, will he talk to you for so long? Lucia,

    don¡¯t hide it from me anymore. Do you and Earle know each other personally?¡±

    Lucia knew that she couldn¡¯t lie to Eliana forever. She hesitated and said, ¡°Well¡­ I think I can consider

    him an acquaintance.¡±

    ¡°Judging from your attitude towards Nicole and Earle, Maurice¡¯s attitude towards you, and the fact that

    you were able to get out of Gerald¡¯s house unharmed¡­¡±

    Eliana smiled bitterly and continued, ¡°Actually, with these details, I should have guessed it long ago.

    You should be from a family who is a friend of the Moran family. Wait! Yourst name is Todd, right?

    Lucia, are you rted to Wyatt?¡±

 Chapter 507

    Chapter 507

    Lucia stared at Eliana in shock. Her identity being discovered so soon was something she did not

    expect. She was too flustered to speak for a moment.

    A whileter, she said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Eliana. I wasn¡¯t trying to hide who I was from you.¡± She was so

    worried that Eliana wouldn¡¯t be her friend anymore that tears pooled in her eyes.

    ¡°Hey, rx. I was not condemning you. Whether you are just an intern or the daughter of the Todd

    family does not matter to me. Above all, you are my friend,¡± Eliana said, slightly amused.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re too kind!¡± Lucia heaved a sigh of relief. She had really been scared Eliana would end

    the friendship once she found out that she had been deceiving her the whole time.

    ¡°So can you give me Earle¡¯s phone number?¡± Eliana stretched out her hand in question.

    Pouting, Lucia handed over her phone and asked Eliana to look for Earle¡¯s phone number. Regardless,

    one doubt of hers remained.

    ¡°What do you need his number for, Eliana?¡±

    Taking the phone, Eliana said simply, ¡°I want to see him.¡±

    Lucia was stunned, ¡°You want to go see him? What for?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something I have to talk to him about.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Lucia opposed as she yanked back her phone. ¡°Mr. Moran always dislikes you. He

    almost got you sent to jailst time, have you forgotten? It¡¯s too risky! I can¡¯t watch you be a victim at

    his hands!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me, Lucia. If you refuse to help me, I¡¯ll search for other ways to meet him.¡± Eliana

    appeared determined.

    Lucia was terribly worried, but as it seemed that Eliana had made up her mind, she couldn¡¯t help but

    give in. ¡°Fine, I will help you.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes lit up.

    ¡°Still¡­¡± Lucia heaved a sigh, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to see him all by yourself. I can help you get an

    appointment with him. At Moonlight.¡±

    Lucia felt it was a good idea. They could keep Eliana safe if she met Earle at her cousin¡¯s restaurant.

    Otherwise, if something really happened, and they broke into a fight, the rtionship between Eliana

    and the Moran family would be irreparable.

    ¡°I appreciate you helping me, Lucia,¡± Eliana thanked her, understanding the reason for her words.

    Lucia scheduled a meeting with Earle that afternoon at Moonlight.

    Earle arrived, apanied by his luxury motorcade and bodyguards as always.

    In contrast, Eliana showed up alone.

    ¡°You¡¯re here, Mr. Moran. Please, have a seat.¡±

    Facing the domineering Earle, Eliana was not scared one bit.

    ¡°Tell me, why is it you wished to meet up with me?¡± Immediately after he sat down, Earle went straight

    to the point.

    ¡°You are so direct. Then, I will be direct with you as well. I want to ask you if you put Gerald in the

    company to punish Maurice for disobeying your words,¡± Eliana asked straightforwardly.

    Earle¡¯s face darkened immediately. He hissed in annoyance, ¡°You, an outsider, dares to meddle in the

    Moran family¡¯s business?¡±

    A bitter smile formed on Eliana¡¯s face. ¡°It appears my guess was correct.¡±

    Earle sniggered. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated it already, Maurice has been keeping you. If he proceeds with this

    stubbornness, I won¡¯t let him take over the Moran Group. In addition to being deprived of his ce at

    Moran Group, I will drive him out of the Moran family!¡±

    Earle stabbed a knife into Eliana¡¯s heart with his words. It seemed he was serious this time.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t stop herself from thinking about the family photo she had earlier seen in Maurice¡¯s

    cabin. The once happy family had been pulled apart, and Maurice was the only one alive. She couldn¡¯t

    let Maurice face the pain of losing his family one more time. And to prevent him from losing his family,

    there was only one way¡­

    Eliana shut her eyes to hide the sadness in them. Her mouth opened but she failed to utter more

    words. What was making her hesitate? She couldn¡¯t keep dragging him down.

    Finally, she steeled her heart, and her eyes opened again. This time there was no confusion, only

    determination.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, if I am ready to leave Maurice by myself, can you forgive him?¡±

 Chapter 508

    Chapter 508

    Earle stared at Eliana in astonishment. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had heard.

    ¡°You are going to leave Maurice? On your own ord?¡±

    Eliana nodded and then looked at Earle straight in the eye. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to leave Maurice on my own

    ord.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡± Earle asked with an eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Maurice will lose everything because of me. It¡¯s just not worth it. I won¡¯t be able to

    forgive myself when that happens.¡± She let out a sigh. ¡°When I leave, you¡¯ll stop punishing Maurice,

    won¡¯t you?¡±

    Eliana looked at the old man, straight-faced. She knew how much Maurice mean to Earle. The reason

    why he did this now was that he wanted Maurice to shrink back from difficulties and give up on her.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    But with her leaving, Earle would get his way and Maurice would not be punished again

    Earle didn¡¯t expect the matter to be settled smoothly. ¡°There must be something that you want from me

    in exchange for what you¡¯ll do?¡± he asked. ¡°So tell me, what are your conditions for leaving Maurice?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s voice was firm. Her eyes were bright with conviction.

    An experienced man like Earle suddenly felt that he couldn¡¯t understand this woman¡¯s character or

    thinking.

    He had a slight idea why Eliana asked him out today but he had thought it would take some time for

    Eliana toe around and do it.

    He was actually prepared to hear her ask for an exorbitant amount of money. So, he was caught off

    guard when she told him about what she nned to do, much less she was not setting any conditions.

    Did this woman know what she had given up?

    ¡°Have you really made up your mind?¡± Earle asked Eliana tentatively.

    It seemed that he really had a bad impression of her. ¡°I don¡¯t really need anything,¡± Eliana replied with a

    bitter smile.

    Earle was utterly dumbfounded by what she said.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, may I remind you that Maurice isn¡¯t a person who can be controlled by others?¡± Eliana said

    again. ¡°He won¡¯t marry because of family interests. It may not be me, but he¡¯ll find someone to love,

    marry her, and spend the rest of his life with her.¡±

    It was hard for Eliana to say those things. It was heartbreaking at the very least.

    Earle remained quiet. He began to see Eliana in a different light. She was neither humble nor pushy.

    She was a woman with firm determination.

    Earle however tried to look inscrutable. In a serious tone, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about what

    will happen. I won¡¯t make things difficult for my grandson so long as you keep your word and leave

    him.¡±

    ¡°Then we have a deal.¡± Eliana finally rxed after hearing Earle¡¯s promise.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran, foring today,¡± she said, nodding a little. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve said what I want to

    tell, I¡¯ll have to go.¡±

    Eliana stood up and walked out of the restaurant.

    It was about this time when Wyatt came out and saw Eliana leaving the restaurant.

    Was it Eliana? Why would shee here?

    Wyatt looked in the direction where she came from. He was nonplussed to see Earle in the restaurant.

    Did they see each other?

    Wyatt thought it was unlikely that Eliana and Earle could be in the same ce at the same time.

    He felt something was off.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡±

    Wyatt turned around and saw Lucia. She was walking towards him.

    She was the one who brought Eliana to Moonlight to meet Earle.

    Since they met, Lucia had been secretly monitoring the negotiations between Eliana and Earle. She

    was apprehensive about what would happen.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Wyatt asked Lucia, somewhat subconsciously. ¡°Do you know what happened?

    Why were Eliana and Earle here?¡±

    Thinking of what Eliana had said minutes earlier, Lucia couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    They were two people in love with each other. But his family had been a hindrance to their love. One of

    them had to leave so the other would not be abandoned by his family.

    What a touching love story!

    Lucia could even see Nicole in Eliana. It was also this reason that Nicole broke up with Wyatt.

    Seeing that Wyatt was ignorant of it, Lucia suddenly felt furious.

    Why couldn¡¯t men solve problems by themselves? Why did they have to let the one they loved sacrifice

    and get hurt in the end?

    The more Lucia thought about it, the angrier she became. She then reached a conclusion.

    ¡°You guys are disgusting!¡±

    Wyatt opened his mouth. He wanted to ask something. But he got confused upon hearing Lucia¡¯s

    words.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my cousin?¡± he murmured.

 Chapter 509

    Chapter 509

    After talking with Earle, Eliana went straight home.

    As soon as she entered the door, her two cute children ran to her and hugged her thighs lovingly.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re back!¡±

    Eliana forced herself to cheer up. She squatted down to chat with Adrian and Aileen.

    ¡°Children, did you have a good time at school today?¡±

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°Yes, Mommy. I made handicrafts with Ss and Ivy today. We also yed hide and seek between

    lessons.¡±

    Aileen excitedly told Eliana what she had done at school today.

    Adrian couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Every time we y hide and seek, you are the first to get caught.

    And I¡¯m always being discovered because of you.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s your fault. You always hide in my chosen hiding ce. I won¡¯t be caught if not because of you,¡±

    Aileen retorted.

    Seeing the excitement on the two children¡¯s faces when they talked about kindergarten, Eliana almost

    didn¡¯t have the heart to tell them her decision.

    ¡°Children, stop fighting, okay? Listen to me first¡­¡±

    Adrian and Aileen both stopped talking and looked at Eliana seriously, waiting for her next words.

    ¡°I have bad news for you. We may have to move to another ce in a while, and¡­ You are going to a

    different kindergarten.¡±

    Finally, Eliana was able to tell them.

    But as soon as she said this, Aileen and Adrian asked in unison, ¡°Why?¡±

    She had already thought of an excuse on her way home. So she exined, ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m likely

    to change a job. I might work in another city, so we have to move.¡±

    ¡°Move?¡± Nana asked in surprise. She had juste out of the bedroom and heard what Eliana had

    said. ¡°Eliana, why do we have to move all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mommy. Can you please not change your job, so we don¡¯t have to move? I really like our

    kindergarten now. I don¡¯t want to leave Ss and my good friends,¡± Aileen pleaded, eagerly tugging at

    Eliana¡¯s sleeve.

    ¡°Mommy, I don¡¯t want to leave either. Please don¡¯t move.¡±

    It was rare for Adrian to make a request.

    Eliana could see how sad Adrian and Aileen were, and she felt sorry for them. But she could only say,

    ¡°Even if we leave, it¡¯s not that we will nevere back. After some time, I can take you back here to

    see your good friends in kindergarten.¡±

    Aileen was so disappointed that her big cute eyes also lost their former luster.

    Seeing this, Adrian stepped forward andforted her.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aileen. We wille back here together in the future,¡± he assured her. But his voice was

    also full of sadness, making Eliana feel sorry for him.

    Nana was unhappy to see Adrian and Aileen sad. So she pulled Eliana to the side and asked, ¡°What is

    wrong with you? Why did you suddenly think of moving? Did you and Maurice fight again? Is he¡­ Is he

    taking the children away? What did he say to you?¡±

    Nana was immediately rmed. She was always ready to help Eliana resist Maurice.

    Eliana was so surprised by Nana¡¯s words that she didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. ¡°Nana, take it

    easy. It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking. I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to be supported by Maurice all the

    time. And it happened that I got a sum of money today, so I want to move out and live on my own.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Nana breathed a sigh of relief. She patted Eliana on the shoulder and said, ¡°Why do you

    think so much? With your rtionship with Maurice, what he owns also belongs to you.¡±

    ¡°Nana, it¡¯s not that simple.¡±

    Eliana told Nana everything that had happened today in one breath.

    ¡°So you see, if I don¡¯t leave Maurice, he will lose everything. I can¡¯t watch him fight against Earle for me

    again. I will never feel at ease all my life.¡±

    After listening to Eliana, Nana felt sorry in her heart.

    Why was it so difficult for two people who loved each other to be together?

    ¡°So what do you n to do in the future? You are finally willing to admit that you like Maurice. You, your

    children, and Maurice are about to reunite. But you suddenly decide to give up everything and leave

    now. Did you give this matter careful thought? Are you sure you are not going to regret it?¡±

    Eliana closed her eyes, and her mind was full of images of her and Maurice together.

    It was Maurice who had been protecting her. This time was her turn to do such a thing.

 Chapter 510

    Chapter 510

    ¡°Nana, it¡¯s my final decision,¡± Eliana said firmly.

    She handed a bank card to Nana and added, ¡°The money in this card should be enough. You¡¯d better

    start to make arrangements now, so we can move soon.¡±

    ¡°But Eliana¡­¡±

    Nana was about to say something more. But she knew that she couldn¡¯t change Eliana¡¯s mind no

    matter what she said, so she just took the bank card and gave Eliana a big hug.

    Then she said tofort Eliana, ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s okay. Everything will be fine.¡±

    Eliana held back the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. She smiled and said, ¡°I know.¡±

    After Nana left, Eliana calmed herself down and called Maurice.

    ¡°Eliana? What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    As soon as she heard Maurice¡¯s deep voice again, tears streamed down her face silently.

    She wiped her tears and pretended to be rxed. ¡°Nothing. I just want to tell you that I¡¯ve already

    figured out our date.¡±

    ¡°Really? What do you want to do on our date?¡± Maurice asked briskly.

    ¡°Go to the amusement park. I¡¯ll see you there tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    ¡°Amusement park?¡± Maurice asked in confusion.

    ¡°Yes, you heard it right. Amusement park.¡±

    The next day in kindergarten, Aileen sat in her seat and kept sighing.

    Ss couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so he leaned over and asked, ¡°Aileen, what¡¯s wrong with you? Why

    have you been so depressed since this morning?¡±

    Aileeny her head on the desk and said listlessly, ¡°Ss, Adrian and I may have to leave.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re leaving? Where are you going?¡± Ss asked in confusion.

    Aileen exined, ¡°Mommy said we are going to move, and Adrian and I have to go to a different

    kindergarten. By that time, we can¡¯t y together anymore. But don¡¯t be sad. Even if we transfer to the

    new kindergarten, I will still contact you from time to time.¡±

    ¡°Wait! You¡¯re moving? But why?¡± Ss eximed in surprise.

    ¡°Yes. Mommy told usst night. She might change a job, so we have to move. But she didn¡¯t tell us why

    either.¡±

    Actually, Aileen racked her brain the whole night. But she couldn¡¯t figure out why Eliana suddenly

    wanted to leave.

    At this moment, she came up with a good idea and pulled Ss over.

    ¡°Ss, why don¡¯t you help me investigate? I want to find out why Mommy wants us to leave. Let me tell

    you a secret. Last night, I heard Mommy say she was going on a date with someone today. Maybe it

    has something to do with this.¡±

    As she spoke, Aileen¡¯s head got closer and closer to Ss¡¯. Adrian saw this and felt something was

    wrong. So he walked up to them and asked suspiciously, ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±

    Aileen was startled when Adrian spoke behind her. She rolled her round eyes and quickly came up with

    the idea of asking him to join them.

    ¡°Adrian, we are going to investigate and see who is Mommy¡¯s dateter. Do you want to join us?¡±

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±

    Adrian refused without hesitation. He would never join such a strange operation.

    Aileen pouted and said discontentedly, ¡°Humph! If you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll go with Ss.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

    Adrian was helpless when it came to Aileen, who always had strange ideas. He was afraid that she

    would go out and get lost, so he had to go with her.

    Ss already had some guesses about Eliana¡¯s mysterious date.

    Could it be his uncle Maurice?

    The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was possible. Should he call Maurice to confirm it?

    At the thought of this, Ss immediately called Maurice.

    The call connected quickly.

    ¡°Ss, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°Uncle, do you have any ns this afternoon?¡± Ss asked at once.

    ¡°I¡¯m at home right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re at home? Why didn¡¯t you go to work today?¡± Ss asked with a frown.

    Maurice sneered, ¡°Ask your great-grandpa.¡±

    Ss immediately sensed something unusual from Maurice¡¯s words. He couldn¡¯t help thinking if

    Maurice and Earle had a fight again.

    It seemed that their fight this time was serious because Maurice was not even allowed to go to work.

    He couldn¡¯t helpforting Maurice, ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s okay. Although Great-grandpa gets angry easily, his

    anger fades away soon.¡±

    It was rare for Maurice to hear Ss care about him so much, so he consoled Ss and told him not to

    worry about it.

    Ss hesitated for a while. He wanted to tell Maurice that Eliana might leave with Adrian and Aileen.

    But before he could speak again, the restless Maurice had already hung up the phone.

    Thus, he didn¡¯t find out anything about Eliana¡¯s date.

 Chapter 511

    Chapter 511

    After Maurice hung up the phone, Corbin walked in from the outside. He left thepany with Maurice

    and could almost consider himself a jobless vagabond now.

    He said, ¡°Mr. Moran, I just got the news that the projects you are working on have all been stopped by

    the chairman, especially the cooperation with the Stone family.¡±

    Maurice was not surprised anymore. Since Earle made a move, he already guessed this result.

    He remarked, ¡°Does Grandpa think I will give in just because of this?¡± With a sneer, he added, ¡°Gerald

    is not capable enough. Just let him do whatever he wants. In a few days, he will have to beg me to

    come back.¡±

    ¡°But the chairman won¡¯t let it go just like that either,¡± Corbin said worriedly.

    But Maurice was not afraid at all. ¡°Grandpa has been old, thinking that it¡¯s still easy to run the entire

    Moran Group. He is not aware that the world has changed too fast, and that everything has long been

    different from before.¡±

    Corbin felt relieved when he saw that Maurice seemed to have some ns.

    He knew that Maurice would not be defeated that easily.

    With this thought, a sense of pride suddenly emerged in his heart. ¡°Mr. Moran, what do you think we

    should do now?¡±

    Maurice sat on the sofa and took a sip of his coffee calmly. ¡°Nothing. We don¡¯t need to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Nothing? Then what will happen?¡±

    Corbin didn¡¯t understand what Maurice meant.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take a leave.¡±

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    After saying this, Maurice closed his eyes and leaned on the sofazily. It was as if he was really on

    vacation mode.

    ¡°Corbin, I remember that you still have a lot of unused paid leaves. Use it now. Go have a rest for a few

    days. You will still get paid.¡±

    In the past, Corbin was so busy every day that he never thought he could hear the word ¡°rest¡± from

    Maurice.

    He couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s really easy for you to say that. You¡¯re a Moran, and the

    chairman thinks highly of you. So you can take a leave anytime you want. You can still be in your

    position when you return. But I¡¯m not sure if I can have the same result.¡±

    Maurice knew Corbin was joking. He opened his eyes, raised his eyebrows, and said, ¡°Do you think I

    can¡¯t afford to support you as an assistant?¡±

    Corbin couldn¡¯t help smiling, feeling a little touched.

    He had been working with Maurice for many years, and he felt that Maurice had already regarded him

    as a friend.

    Corbin suddenly thought of Eliana. ¡°Mr. Moran, what about Eliana? What are you going to tell her?¡±

    Maurice was silent for a moment. Then he said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything for the time

    being.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Corbin was a little worried. He wanted to say something, but Maurice interrupted, ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help thinking of Eliana¡¯s phone callst night.

    After going through so much, he could finally have a real date with her. He didn¡¯t want any trouble at

    this time.

    It was hard enough to deal with Earle. He only hoped Eliana could live well now.

    So he decided to hide everything from her for the time being.

    Today, Eliana specially took a leave. She dressed up beautifully, went to the amusement park early,

    and waited for Maurice at the gate.

    There were so many people, but Maurice still saw Eliana among the crowd at a nce.

    Today, she was wearing a pinkish-purple chiffon dress with a knitted coat over it. She looked extremely

    charming. No one would think that this beautiful young woman was already a mother of two children.

    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±

    Eliana ran towards Maurice with a flushed face. He wondered if it was because of the sun.

    His eyes unconsciously softened as he said, ¡°Why did you choose the amusement park for our date?¡±

    ¡°Because this amusement park was my favorite ce when I was a child. My parents often took me

    here to y. Later, my father even told me that he would build a better amusement park than this one

    in the Pierce Group¡¯s own theme park. Although it didn¡¯te trueter, I still like it here the most.¡±

    While she talked about her family, Eliana¡¯s eyes seemed to be shining.

    This light made Maurice indulge in it involuntarily. He felt as happy as when he went to the amusement

    park with his parents and sister when he was a child.

 Chapter 512

    Chapter 512

    ¡°Do you stille here often now?¡±

    Eliana pursed her lips and couldn¡¯t helpining, ¡°Yes. But now that I already have Aileen and

    Adrian, it¡¯s different. Every time Ie here, I take them with me. I must look after them, so I can¡¯t

    have fun anymore.¡±

    Looking at her charming, innocent look, Maurice couldn¡¯t helpughing. He said, ¡°Now, it¡¯s only the two

    of us today. You can have fun.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±

    Eliana immediately became excited. She grabbed Maurice¡¯s hand and rushed into the amusement

    park.

    But what they didn¡¯t know was that when they were lining up to enter a ride, three little children were

    secretly following behind them.

    And these three little children were none other than Aileen, Adrian, and Ss.

    After they came out of the kindergarten and arrived at the amusement park, they were like little tails,

    secretly following Eliana and Maurice.

    ¡°Hey, Adrian, look! Isn¡¯t that the handsome man? Mommy is with him. It turns out that Mommy is out on

    a date with him today.¡±

    Aileen was hiding behind a mailbox. And when she recognized the man beside Eliana, she got so

    excited that she stretched out her hand and shook Adrian.

    On the other hand, Adrian was unhappy to see Maurice and Eliana¡¯s closeness. He snorted coldly, ¡°It¡¯s

    that bad guy again. I think Mommy¡¯s sudden decision to move has something to do with him. I don¡¯t like

    him.¡±

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    Aileen spected, ¡°Could it be¡­ Could it be that Mommy wants to move to Mr. Moran¡¯s house to live

    with him?¡±

    She turned, looked at Ss behind her, and said, ¡°He is Ss¡¯ uncle. If we live with him, then we can go

    to school with Ss every day, right?¡±

    ¡°In your dreams!¡±

    After saying this, Adrian knocked on Aileen¡¯s forehead impatiently.

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡±

    Aileen felt aggrieved. She covered her forehead with her hand and didn¡¯t say anything anymore.

    Ss stood behind Aileen and Adrian, staring at Eliana¡¯s and Maurice¡¯s backs with aplicated

    expression on his face. He frowned tightly.

    He always felt something was wrong.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple. If your mom only wants to move to my uncle¡¯s house, why

    will she change a job and transfer you to another school? So I think there must be some other reasons

    why your mom wants to move.¡±

    Ss voiced out his thoughts, crossing his arms over his chest.

    Unfortunately, Aileen didn¡¯t hear everything he said because she was attracted by the ice cream cart

    slowly driving over. She stared at the ice cream cart with her big, round eyes, almost drooling.

    And when she saw that the cart was about to leave, she couldn¡¯t help but run after it.

    Adrian suddenly shouted, ¡°Aileen, where are you going?¡±

    Before he and Ss could know it, Aileen had already rushed out. They looked at each other and had

    no choice but to catch up with her.

    Eliana and Maurice still had no idea that the three children were also in the amusement park. At this

    moment, they were waiting in line at the entrance of the roller coaster, and it was about their turn.

    Eliana looked at the roller coaster with excitement written all over her face. On the other hand,

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened.

    He looked at her. And the more he thought about it, the more he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why do you like

    such a childish ride?¡±

    As soon as Eliana looked at Maurice and saw the disgust on his face, her happiness was suddenly

    reced by slight anger. ¡°Childish? Don¡¯t ride with me then.¡±

    After saying this, she walked forward, leaving him behind.

    At this time, a young man suddenly appeared beside her.

    ¡°Hello, miss. Do you mind if I sit next to you?¡±

    The man noticed Eliana¡¯s beauty just now. And when he saw that no one was around her, he

    immediately approached her.

    Eliana was so embarrassed that she was rendered speechless. Before she could say anything,

    Maurice walked over to them with a sullen look and stood between them.

    ¡°Go away! She¡¯s with me.¡±

    The man was immediately intimidated by Maurice¡¯s imposing aura. He left reluctantly.

    When Eliana raised her head and saw the unhappy look on Maurice¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help but

    snicker.

    ¡°You think the roller coaster is childish, right? Why are you here?¡±

    Maurice still looked gloomy. He peremptorily took Eliana¡¯s hand, and they got on the roller coaster

    together.

    ¡°You can only sit with me,¡± he firmly said in a low voice.

    She didn¡¯t say anything and just looked at their hands sped together, feeling touched.

 Chapter 513

    Chapter 513

    When Eliana and Maurice got on the roller coaster, the three children not far away looked at them with

    envy.

    ¡°Adrian, I want to ride a roller coaster too,¡± Aileen said, looking at the roller coaster past them with eyes

    full of desire.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s ride it. I have money here,¡± Ss said.

    He then walked to the entrance in a domineering manner with Aileen and Adrian beside him. However,

    they were stopped by the staff of the amusement park.

    ¡°Kids, you are too young to ride the roller coaster alone. Where are your parents?¡±

    Upon hearing the staff¡¯s question, the three children looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

    Then Aileen blinked her big eyes and started to act like a cute spoiled little girl. ¡°But I really want to ride

    the roller coaster.¡±

    However, the staff didn¡¯t buy it. She touched Aileen¡¯s head and said with a smile, ¡°But you can¡¯t, little

    girl. You have to be with your parents if you want to ride.¡±

    The three children felt like they were ruthlessly stopped outside the door.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    While sitting on the roller coaster and waiting for it to start, Eliana suddenly felt like she had heard

    Aileen¡¯s voice.

    She wanted to look back. But unfortunately, the roller coaster started to slowly drive forward. So she

    had to drop this idea.

    The roller coaster slowly moved upward. And when it reached the peak and was about to surge down,

    she felt that Maurice held her hand even tighter.

    She turned her head only to see him stiffly leaning against the back of the chair with a pale face.

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you scared?¡± Eliana was shocked by her own discovery. ¡°No way! The

    fearless Maurice Moran is actually scared of riding a roller coaster?¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡±

    Maurice quickly denied it with a darkened expression.

    This made Eliana realize that he was really stubborn.

    Feeling the strength in her hand, Eliana couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Okay, you¡¯re not scared. How can the

    CEO of Moran Group be scared? I was wrong.¡±

    Then she also squeezed his hand tightly.

    ¡°Here we go!¡± someone shouted.

    In the next second, the roller coaster descended rapidly. The strong sense of weightlessness made the

    adrenaline surge. It was so exciting that everyone screamed.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Eliana also screamed, releasing the negativity that had been suppressed in her heart.

    After venting them, she turned her head to look at the man beside her, who had his eyes closed the

    whole time. She couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Maurice, open your eyes!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s frown deepened. But he opened his eyes obediently.

    When Eliana looked into his eyes, her heart skipped a beat.

    The world in front of them was turning upside down, and they saw nothing in their eyes but only each

    other.

    She really wished that time would stop at this moment when they didn¡¯t have to worry about anything

    else.

    After getting off the roller coaster, Eliana felt at ease mentally and physically. She immediately took

    Maurice¡¯s hand, wanting to experience another ride.

    And their next destination was the haunted house.

    As soon as they entered, the three children popped out their heads behind the bushes.

    ¡°Hurry, let¡¯s follow them!¡±

    The three of them wanted to rush in again. But as expected, they were stopped by the staff at the door.

    But this time, Aileen learned to be smarter. While Adrian and Ss were negotiating with the staff, she

    sneaked into the group of adults that were going in.

    Inside the haunted house was very dark, and the sound effects were so scary. There were all kinds of

    howls around, but Eliana felt like she had heard Aileen¡¯s voice again.

    It was so strange that this time, Eliana decided to find the source of the voice.

    She endured the fear and pushed Maurice to start wandering in the haunted house, searching

    everywhere.

    Maurice had no idea of what was going on. He only thought that she was scared, so he teased, ¡°Are

    you scared? We can go back if you want.¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± Eliana denied it stubbornly. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

    If it wasn¡¯t dark, one would see the doting smile on Maurice¡¯s face as he let her walk behind him.

    Maurice walked in front of Eliana, protecting her. But suddenly, several female ghosts came out of

    nowhere when they passed a room.

    Eliana screamed in fright.

    The ghosts dragged Maurice and tried to take him away. At first, Eliana was so scared that she kept

    dodging. But then she noticed that they seemed to be taking advantage of the opportunity to touch him.

    Eliana felt it was strange.

    She was jealous at once.

    So she roared, ¡°Let him go!¡± Her fear immediately dissipated. She rushed over and pulled their hands

    away from Maurice. ¡°Why are you touching him? That¡¯s sexual harassment!¡±

 Chapter 514

    Chapter 514

    Maurice was also annoyed by those female ghosts. He was about to drive them away when he saw

    Eliana rushing over angrily and standing in front of him to block them.

    It was dim in the room, but he couldn¡¯t see her expression clearly. But based on her reaction, was she

    jealous?

    Maurice was suddenly in a good mood. He just let Eliana stand in front of him like a kitten protecting

    her food.

    In this way, under her ¡°protection¡±, those female ghosts ended up leaving awkwardly.

    At this time, he couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°Your way of exorcising ghosts is quite brilliant.¡±

    It was only then that Eliana realized that she cared so much when other women approached Maurice.

    She was a little embarrassed, hesitating and not knowing what to say.

    Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a little girl¡¯s blurry back shing in front of her.

    That back was so familiar.

    The more Eliana thought about it, the more she felt that the little girl was Aileen.

    But how could Aileen be here? She should be in kindergarten now, right?

    Eliana craned her neck, wanting to see more clearly. But a group of zombies was blocking her way, so

    she couldn¡¯t see ahead clearly.

    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.

    She had no choice but to hold Maurice¡¯s hand and slowly approached the direction where the little girl

    went, enduring her fear.

    When they walked over, they saw a small figure joining the group of zombies, ying happily. It was as

    if she had be the cutest little zombie.

    ¡°Aileen? What are you doing here?¡± Eliana eximed in surprise.

    Indeed, the happy little zombie was none other than Aileen, who had sneaked in.

    Maurice was also shocked. He was on a date with Eliana, but her daughter suddenly appeared. He

    was also a bit at a loss.

    ¡°The handsome man!¡± Aileen eximed as soon as she saw Maurice¡¯s handsome face. It was as if she

    had immediately forgotten everything else, including Eliana. She rushed over to him and hugged his

    thigh.

    Eliana squatted down with a gloomy face, turned Aileen¡¯s face to her, and asked solemnly, ¡°Aileen, tell

    me, how did you get here? Do you know how dangerous this ce for little girls like you is?¡±

    Aileen pouted and said unhappily, ¡°It¡¯s all because you and Mr. Moran hung out secretly without taking

    me. I also want to y with the handsome Mr. Moran.¡±

    She raised her head and looked at Maurice with a pitiful look on her face.

    Maurice¡¯s heart softened when he saw Aileen¡¯s cute face. He couldn¡¯t help picking her up and hugging

    her in his arms.

    Then he turned to Eliana and said, ¡°Don¡¯t lose your temper just yet. Let¡¯s take the child out first to be

    safe.¡±

    At this time, Ss and Adrian had already found that Aileen was missing. But unfortunately, they had no

    means to enter the haunted house. They anxiously paced back and forth outside the door. Then Ss

    thought of calling Maurice.

    But before he dialed the number, he saw Mauriceing out of the haunted house with Aileen in his

    arms, holding Eliana with his other hand.

    ¡°Mommy! Aileen!¡± Adrian shouted and immediately rushed over.

    Ss hurriedly followed behind him.

    Eliana¡¯s face darkened upon seeing Adrian and Ss.

    ¡°And you two are here too. What are you doing here?¡±

    Ss and Adrian lowered their heads sheepishly, not daring to answer her question.

    This time, Maurice spoke up. ¡°They must have followed us secretly. They are really bold.¡±

    Adrian suddenly raised his head in defiance. ¡°I followed you here because I¡¯m worried that you might

    do something bad to Mommy again.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Eliana raised her hand and tapped Adrian¡¯s forehead. ¡°I am not a child anymore. I¡¯m

    not going to let anyone bully me, okay? How dare you take your sister out secretly! What if something

    happens?¡±

    Adrian touched his forehead. He didn¡¯t dare to refute.

    Maurice turned to Ss and also reprimanded, ¡°And you, Ss. You are older than Adrian and Aileen.

    You are like their eldest brother. Why didn¡¯t you stop them? Instead, you fooled around with them. If

    anything happens to any of you, will you be responsible for it?¡±

    His tone was so harsh that Ss¡¯s eyes turned red, with tears welling up.

    When Eliana saw this, she hurriedly mediated, ¡°Well, it must be Aileen and Adrian¡¯s idea. Don¡¯t me

    Ss. He has always been the most sensible. He must have no choice but toe with them. Let¡¯s

    take them home now.¡±

    The look on Maurice¡¯s face changed. His date with Eliana was ruined and was about toe to an

    end.

    Aileen looked at his long face and thought for a while. Then she took Eliana¡¯s hand and put it on his.

    ¡°Mommy, we don¡¯t want to go home yet. Let¡¯s hang out with you and Mr. Moran.¡±

    Eliana looked at her hand sandwiched between Maurice¡¯s and Aileen¡¯s hands.

    At this moment, the sorrows she had deliberately suppressed came up again.

    Maybe this would be thest time she and Maurice would see each other.

    After she and the children left, the children would hardly ever see their father again either.

    At the thought of this, Eliana couldn¡¯t help nodding, giving in to Aileen¡¯s request.

    She would indulge herself in this onest time.

 Chapter 515

    Chapter 515

    Eliana, Maurice, and the three children yed enthusiastically in the amusement park.

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Riding the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel, and pirate ship, they were all shouting their hearts out.

    Maurice didn¡¯t like having the three kids on his date with Eliana. Nheless, he made sure that the

    children had fun. And now, he was enjoying himself as well.

    Watching Maurice with the children, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but think that he would be a wonderful father¡ª

    and responsible one, too.

    The thought of Aileen and Adrian being unable to enjoy the father love anymore made her sad.

    After they had dinner, the children were worn out. Eliana took Adrian in her arms and so did Maurice

    with Aileen. It was only Ss who could barely stand on his own.

    Corbin drove over to pick them up.

    Eliana and Maurice got into the car with the children in their arms.

    The atmosphere in the car was very warm. The ambiance would only be interrupted by soft snores

    from the children.

    Maurice felt warm in his heart seeing Eliana alternately stroking the twins¡¯ foreheads. He felt that now

    was the time to ask her.

    In a low voice, he said, ¡°Eliana, I remember that you seemed to date me because you had to tell me

    something. Would you care to tell me now?¡±

    Caught by surprise, Eliana froze but only for a while. She then raised her index finger to her lips to

    hush Maurice. ¡°The kids are sleeping. Let¡¯s not disturb them.¡±

    Maurice nced at the three sleeping children. He nodded, understanding Eliana wasn¡¯t prepared to

    tell him now.

    Anyway, he thought that he and Eliana could have a good talk some other time. Whatever it was that

    Eliana wanted to tell him, he thought that they would have time, a lot of time to amply talk about it.

    Eliana took a deep breath and then let it escape in a relieved sigh.

    In the next second, both her physical and mental fatigue overwhelmed her. Eliana subconsciously

    rested her head on Maurice¡¯s shoulder.

    She felt Maurice stiffen for a brief moment. And then, he rxed and let her lean against him. Eliana

    couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    When the car passed down the tunnel, Maurice saw their reflection in the window. He was jolted by

    what he saw. They looked like a family.

    There he was, the tall and reliable father¡­ Eliana, the gentle mother¡­ And Adrian, Aileen, and Ss,

    the three adorable children.

    An idea popped into his head. Maurice thought he might be willing to live with Eliana and her kids

    should Jonathan didn¡¯t want them.

    Maurice was known to be scrupulous in living his life. Yet, here he was, thinking to ept other

    people¡¯s children for her¡ªEliana. And she, Eliana, still didn¡¯t know about it.

    At this point, a certain sadness swept over her.

    She leaned on Maurice¡¯s shoulder and felt her tears flow down her cheeks.

    In no time at all, the car arrived at the Pierce family¡¯s house.

    Maurice helped Eliana take the children to the house and then he would pursue his conversation with

    her. But then, Corbin came up to him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I got word that something was wrong with the overseas project we have negotiated with

    Wilfred. You needs to deal with it urgently.¡±

    The considerate person that she was, Eliana urged Maurice to deal with the problem. ¡°Everything¡¯s

    okay here. Go ahead.¡±

    Maurice looked intently at Eliana. Frowning, he decided to say goodbye.

    ¡°Oh well¡­ Then, I must go now. I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m done with my work. And then you can tell me

    what it is you intend to tell me.¡±

    Hearing Maurice¡¯s words, Eliana felt an overwhelming sadnessing over her again.

    She knew in her heart that they would never meet again¡­

    This would be thest time they met.

    Unable to control herself, Eliana stepped forward, opened her arms, and hugged Maurice.

    ¡°Be careful!¡±

    Maurice was both shocked and surprised.

    Why was this woman acting this strange?

    While he couldn¡¯t understand Eliana, he earnestly epted Eliana¡¯s hug.

    Corbin rolled his eyes. He couldn¡¯t stand what he was seeing.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s really time for us to go,¡± he said in a bored and somewhat irritating tone. ¡°We can¡¯t

    catch the ne if we don¡¯t leave now.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s words had Maurice and Eliana unraveled from their embrace.

    Eliana saw Maurice off with a smile. Seeing his figure disappear from her sight, she reluctantly turned

    around and walked back to the house.

    Back home, Nana looked at her seriously and asked, ¡°Have you really made up your mind, Eliana?

    Because once you do it, you really can¡¯t go back anymore¡­¡±

 Chapter 516

    Chapter 516

    Eliana was silent for a moment, trying her best to suppress all the reluctance in her heart. She said

    firmly, ¡°I have already thought over it, and I must do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, since you¡¯ve decided, I¡¯ll support you. So, what should we do next?¡±

    When she saw that Eliana had made up her mind, Nana had nothing else to say. Eliana was her best

    friend, so she would certainly support Eliana.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes unconsciously turned red. She was moved and felt lucky to have a friend like Nana, who

    was always on her side no matter what.

    ¡°Nana, thank you so much. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve asked Rosamond to help cover up our whereabouts. And

    I¡¯ll pay all the money I owe Maurice, so we¡¯ll be free by then.¡±

    Nana didn¡¯t expect that Eliana arranged everything so well. And although she didn¡¯t want her best

    friend to miss out on her own happiness like this, she would still respect Eliana¡¯s choice.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡±

    Eliana and Nana divided the work and quickly packed their things, ready to leave that night.

    When everything was packed, the taxi called by Eliana came.

    After the driver helped them load their suitcases in the trunk of the car, Eliana and Nana picked up the

    sleeping Adrian and Aileen, respectively, and embarked on their trip.

    In the darkness of the night, the car gradually drove towards an unknown destination.

    On the other side of the world, Maurice knew nothing about Eliana¡¯s departure. At this moment, he was

    in a meeting with Wilfred abroad.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I heard that you handed over all the projects to your uncle, Gerald. Is this true? And why?¡±

    Wilfred asked, looking at Maurice in disbelief.

    They were in the conference room now.

    Maurice picked up his coffee and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just some normal transfer within thepany. It¡¯s no

    big deal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s infighting, right?¡± Wilfred pointed out the key directly. As a shrewd businessman, how could he not

    see the real reason behind the sudden change?

    Maurice was about to take a sip of his coffee, but his hand froze midair upon hearing this. He raised his

    eyes and looked at Wilfred deeply.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯ll be honest with you. If you didn¡¯te this time, I was going to withdraw my investment.

    You also know that your uncle has a very bad reputation in the industry. I¡¯m afraid that the infighting

    within the Moran Group will affect my business.¡±

    Wilfred was straightforward. He only cooperated with the Moran Group because of Maurice. Once

    Maurice was no longer involved, there was no need for him to continue the cooperation.

    ¡°Mr. Morales, rest assured that those are all rumors. I am still the one in charge of Moran Group.¡±

    The calmness and confidence in Maurice¡¯s voice soon dispelled Wilfred¡¯s doubts.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    Heughed. ¡°Sure enough, those are rumors. I¡¯m relieved then.¡±

    The atmosphere in the conference room eased a lot in an instant.

    Then Wilfred suddenly changed the topic.

    ¡°By the way, I also heard that you and the Stone family are about to cooperate on and development

    project. I¡¯m actually interested in it as well.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Maurice raised his eyebrows. ¡°Mr. Morales, do you have any suggestions?¡±

    Wilfred smiled like a cunning fox. ¡°It doesn¡¯t count as a suggestion. I know you want to do real estate

    development. I know a world-famous architect here, and I want to introduce him to you. What do you

    think?¡±

    ¡°Since he has your rmendation, of course, I trust your judgment. I also hope this cooperation will

    be sessful.¡±

    After the negotiation, Maurice sessfully resolved this urgent issue.

    On the surface, he looked like he was concentrating on his work. But his mind was full of Eliana¡¯s

    images while she said goodbye to him that night in front of her home.

    The uneasiness in Maurice¡¯s heart gradually deepened. He couldn¡¯t tell why, but he felt that Eliana was

    behaving strangely at that time.

    Something was wrong. Something was really wrong.

 Chapter 517

    Chapter 517

    Gerald had always been in a good mood because when Maurice wasn¡¯t in thepany these days, he

    directly took over the Moran Group.

    He had been suppressed by Maurice and his father for so many years. But finally, he kicked Maurice

    out of the game. And the Moran Group would be his hands from now on.

    Today, Gerald called for a meeting with the Design Department. He proudly announced, ¡°From now on,

    all the affairs of the Design Department have to be approved by me. Only me.¡±

    Upon hearing this, a midlevel employee asked weakly, ¡°What about Mr. Moran?¡±

    ¡°Which Mr. Moran?¡± Gerald asked. He then added in a low voice, ¡°From now on, there is only one Mr.

    Moran in thepany, and that is me. Maurice isn¡¯ting back anymore.¡±

    The employees in the Design Department were all sensible. As soon as they heard Gerald¡¯s

    announcement, they started to tter him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, indeed, you are wise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Mr. Moran, I¡¯ve heard wonderful things about you before. And seeing you today, I must

    say that you are really wise.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, our department will be under your leadership from now on.¡±

    These ttering words made Gerald¡¯s heart jump for joy.

    However, Lucia was an outlier. She was the only person who didn¡¯t bother to tter him.

    And she disliked thecent look on his face, so she deliberately said. ¡°Sir, the chairman hasn¡¯t

    made an official announcement yet, so don¡¯t be in a hurry. You haven¡¯t been formally introduced to us

    as the new CEO. I believe that Mr. Maurice Moran wille back sooner orter.¡±

    As soon as these words came out of her mouth, the conference room fell silent.

    Everyone looked at Lucia with astonishment in their eyes. It was as if they were saying, ¡°How dare you

    say that! You are just an intern. Do you want to get fired?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s face darkened at once. He stared at Lucia gloomily. For him, she was a thorn. And he wanted

    to get rid of her right away. But because she was the daughter of the Todd family, he couldn¡¯t do it.

    Gerald thought for a while. He knew that there would always be someone who could help him.

    At this moment, Harriet stood up and shouted, ¡°Lucia, what are you talking about? Let me remind you

    that you are just an intern. How dare you contradict the CEO?¡±

    Because of Eliana, Lucia repeatedly went against her, so she had long considered Lucia her enemy.

    She could take this opportunity to kick Lucia out of thepany.

    She looked at Gerald and found that he didn¡¯t intend to say anything. Thinking that his silence meant

    that he acquiesced to her, she became more determined.

    ¡°Lucia, pack your things and leave now. You are fired!¡±

    The crowd was immediately in an uproar.

    A satisfied look slowly crept across Gerald¡¯s face. Of course, he was happy that someone could offend

    the Todd family for him.

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯m leaving. With a boss like you, do you think I want to stay here? No way!¡±

    Lucia then stormed out of the conference room and mmed the door behind her.

    After the meeting, Gerald went back to his office. This time, Sean started to tter him.

    He was about to lose himself in the ttery when Harriet rushed in.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, something happened!¡±

    Gerald nced at her impatiently. ¡°What¡¯s with the panic? What can happen now?¡±

    Harriet looked very serious. ¡°We have been tricked. Many of the contracts of the projects Maurice

    signed before state that we cannot rece the person in charge. If we do, those contracts won¡¯t be

    valid anymore.¡±

    Gerald was so shocked that he immediately stood up from his chair. ¡°What? That brat!¡±

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    Sean¡¯s brain worked at once. He chimed in, ¡°Boss, I have an idea. If those contracts be null and

    void, we can negotiate with the partners again and sign new contracts in your name. After all, you are

    now the CEO of Moran Group.¡±

    Gerald¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea! Okay, let¡¯s do it. Anyway, the partners want to cooperate with

    Moran Group, not with Maurice.¡±

    However, Harriet countered, ¡°Mr. Moran, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. Your reputation in the business

    world has been very bad, and the news that you are taking over the Moran Group has spread out. The

    moment our partners heard the news, they immediately wanted to withdraw one after another. Many of

    our projects may fail.¡±

    This time, Gerald was dumbfounded. If the projects became problematic, and Maurice used this

    opportunity to attack him, he could possibly lose the position as CEO.

    So he quickly asked, ¡°What about Maurice? Does he already know about this?¡±

    Harriet shook her head and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know. He seems to be on vacation now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good then. There is still a chance for us. We can have time to think about how to deal with this.¡±

    Gerald was a little relieved. As long as Maurice didn¡¯t make any move, he would be able to figure out a

    way.

    ¡°Boss, what should we do now?¡± Sean asked in a panic.

    Geraldforted himself, ¡°It¡¯s okay. We still have a chance as long as my dad is on my side.¡±

    But as soon as he said this, Earle came in with a long face.

 Chapter 518

    Chapter 518

    ¡°Gerald! You still have time to be idle in your office now? Do you even know what is happening

    outside?¡±

    Earle heard about the news. Seeing that the Moran Group was in a mess now, he was even more

    dissatisfied with Gerald.

    Harriet quickly stood up and spoke for Gerald. ¡°Mr. Moran, please don¡¯t be angry¡­¡±

    However, Earle interrupted her, ¡°Miss Stone, don¡¯t talk yet. I want to listen to what Lucia will say first.¡±

    He then waved his hand, and Lucia walked out from behind him.

    Harriet¡¯s eyes opened wide in shock and she wondered what Lucia was doing there. She had already

    fired Lucia, right?

    Lucia stood beside Earle and beganining, ¡°I just mentioned Maurice in the meeting today, and

    Miss Stone fired me. Mr. Gerald Moran said that Maurice would nevere back again.¡±

    Harriet was even more surprised when she heard Lucia call Maurice by his first name only.

    She frowned and retorted unhappily, ¡°Be careful with your words. Don¡¯t forget that you are just an intern

    here. Who gives you the courage to sow discord in front of the chairman?¡±

    But Lucia was not afraid of Harriet at all. She held Earle¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Mr. Earle Moran gave me the

    courage.¡±

    Harriet was so shocked that her mouth gaped open. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Earle coughed to clear his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged Lucia to work here as a kind gesture to the

    Todd family and to train her as well.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s face turned pale at once.

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    She never thought that Lucia was from the Todd family.

    If she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have offended Lucia.

    Earle stared at Harriet with his sharp eyes and continued, ¡°I arranged an internship for her here. But

    I¡¯ve heard that she has been bullied since she came in. Only Eliana was working with her, right?¡±

    Harriet felt a chill down her spine. At the thought of all the bad things she had done to Lucia before, she

    exined, ¡°No, everyone in thepany is very friendly to Miss Todd. They were only a little strict on

    her because they wanted to help her learn.¡±

    When Lucia heard that Harriet started to call her Miss Todd now, she curled her lips in disdain.

    Sure enough, Harriet pretended to be nice to her as soon as Harriet knew her identity.

    ¡°Dad, Miss Stone is right. How can anyone bully Lucia here? There must be some misunderstanding

    here.¡±

    Gerald also spoke for Harriet. After all, they were allies.

    At this moment, Earle also noticed that Gerald and Harriet were helping each other. He sensed

    something was wrong.

    It seemed that Gerald and Harriet were rather familiar with each other.

    Gerald was his son, so he naturally knew Gerald very well. Gerald wouldn¡¯t help anyone if there wasn¡¯t

    something to be taken advantage of. There must be something in Harriet that Gerald wanted.

    It seemed that there was something between them.

    Earle knew Gerald and what was on Gerald¡¯s mind.

    So he said, ¡°Gerald, listen to me. Stop ying tricks. Because you are my son, the Moran Group will

    always have a ce for you. But the future will belong to the next generation. I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t

    dream about getting what¡¯s not going to be yours. Otherwise, you will end up with nothing.¡±

    After saying this, he felt extremely exhausted.

    Earle drove Maurice away and gave Gerald a chance.

    But it seemed that he had made the wrong decision. It looked like Gerald didn¡¯t deserve this chance at

    all. Gerald would probably never be better than Maurice.

    Gerald and Maurice were both members of the Moran family. But why were they so different from each

    other?

    Earle didn¡¯t say anything more. He just turned around and left in disappointment.

    Harriet didn¡¯t want to give up just like that. She hurriedly followed him, wanting to defend herself and

    discredit Eliana.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please listen to me. Miss Todd is very close to Eliana. Eliana must have said something to

    her¡­¡±

    Before Harriet could finish her words, Earle¡¯s phone suddenly vibrated.

    It was a message from Eliana.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, as I have promised, I left while Maurice was on a business trip. I hope you can also keep

    your word. Return everything that belongs to him.¡±

 Chapter 519

    Chapter 519

    Earle put away his phone that contained Eliana¡¯s message. He then looked up at Harriet who tried to

    discredit Eliana.

    He was getting mixed feelings now.

    Earle was beginning to realize that Eliana loved Maurice so much that she could give up everything

    and leave him.

    And Harriet here¡­ Harriet, whom he had chosen for Maurice, might not really love Maurice.

    She and his grandson belonged to families of the same social status. Yet, she had already started to

    take sides even before she married into the Moran family. Moreover, she took Gerald¡¯s side and started

    to help him when she learned that Maurice lost power in the Moran Group.

    So why was he letting such a woman marry his grandson?

    For the first time, Earle doubted his own judgment.

    He might not want to admit it but he could tell that Eliana¡ªand not Harriet¡ªwas the better choice for

    Maurice.

    With Earle staring at her, Harriet felt ufortable. She wanted to say something.

    ¡°Miss Stone,¡± Earle said in a tone that startled Harriet, ¡°may I remind you that you aren¡¯t married yet to

    Maurice? There may bedies from prominent families, just as you are, who would give the world to be

    his wife. So it is for your own good that you behave yourself¡­ Because I wouldn¡¯t mind recing you.¡±

    Earle then turned away and left Harriet open-mouthed.

    She couldn¡¯t believe what Earle had just said.

    What did he mean?

    She had done so much so she could marry Maurice. And now, Earle was changing his mind about her.

    Harriet¡¯s heart sank. There was a pained expression on her face. She wanted to go after Earle but she

    couldn¡¯t.

    Lucia smiled to herself as she followed Earle.

    She was somehow delighted to see Harriet being scolded. That woman deserved it for what she had

    done to Eliana!

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Lucia, however, was worried about Maurice.

    She hurried along to catch up with Earle. Holding him by his arm, she asked, ¡°Mr. Moran, may I ask you

    something? Is Maurice taking over the Moran Group again?¡±

    As far as Lucia could remember, Maurice had always been a good grandson. Even when he quarreled

    with Earle before, their rtionship had never been so strained.

    Earle took out his phone, nced at it and then said, ¡°The problem is solved. He will be back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, great!¡±

    Lucia breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Look, Lucia, I¡¯m sorry about what they had done to you. Really, I am. I know you are a good girl. So if

    you want to keep working here, I¡¯ll make sure that no one bullies you again.¡±

    The change in Earle¡¯s attitude was noticeable. He had be considerably cheery now that the

    matter with his grandson was settled.

    ¡°Really?¡± Lucia asked in surprise. ¡°Can Elianae back and work here?¡±

    ¡°You cane back. But Eliana, she won¡¯t being back to work here,¡± Earle said emphatically.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Lucia had a bad feeling about it.

    She took out her phone and punched in Eliana¡¯s number. She couldn¡¯t get through to her.

    Lucia saw the e-mail icon lit up on her cellphone¡¯s screen monitor. She clicked it open and found that

    Eliana had sent her an e-mail. She had attached all the files about the bracelet project, including the

    information about the factory she had contacted.

    Did she want her to take over the project?

    Lucia could sense that something was wrong.

    It only meant one thing. Eliana was about to leave and she might have already left!

    Damn it! What should she do?

    She wondered if Maurice knew about it. Where could Eliana be?

    Questions popped into Lucia¡¯s mind. She didn¡¯t know what she should do so she called Corbin for

    answers.

    Corbin picked up her call.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins!¡± Lucia said anxiously. ¡°Bad news! Eliana might have left!¡±

    ¡°We¡­ We already know.¡±

    ¡°You know?¡± Lucia was bbergasted. ¡°And what did you mean by ¡®we¡¯?¡±

    In a grim voice, Corbin answered Lucia, ¡°We knew it because¡­ We¡¯re here¡­ Mr. Moran and I are at

    Eliana¡¯s ce now.¡±

 Chapter 520

    Chapter 520

    Corbin and Maurice had already arrived at Eliana¡¯s house at this time.

    When Maurice was on a business trip abroad, he already felt that something was wrong. He then

    decided to fly back home overnight and went straight to the Pierce family¡¯s house. He didn¡¯t expect that

    it was still toote.

    The house was empty when he and Corbin arrived.

    Eliana left everything Maurice had given her, except for some things she had brought with her.

    What in the world did Eliana want?

    Did she intend topletely cut her ties with Maurice?

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened and his eyes sharpened as he stared at the empty house.

    After a few moments, he received a text message.

    Maurice immediately checked his phone, hoping that the message was from Eliana.

    Unfortunately, reality did not match his expectations. It was a text message from the bank.

    Someone just recently transferred arge amount of money to his ount.

    Maurice knew without a doubt that it was Eliana.

    Did Eliana believe she would owe him nothing by doing so?

    No way!

    ¡°Mr. Moran, pleasee here.¡±

    Corbin was checking the surveince footage.

    The surveince camera was installed to ensure Eliana¡¯s safety, but now it came in handy.

    Eliana and Nana were seen in the surveince video carrying their luggage before walking out with the

    children in their arms. They both looked calm.

    Maurice became enraged as he watched the video. He reyed it several times until he was certain

    Eliana had left of her own will.

    The atmosphere in the room was so overwhelming that Corbin didn¡¯t dare to say a word.

    ¡°What about the kindergarten and thepany?¡± Maurice finally asked after a long time.

    Corbin then told Maurice everything he had discovered.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I just received the information that Aileen and Adrian has dropped out and Eliana has

    resigned¡­¡±

    Corbin¡¯s voice grew lower.

    He was afraid Maurice would explode with anger at any moment and would vent his rage on him.

    Maurice sneered, and the veins on his forehead were now very visible.

    ¡°She has been carefully nning it for a long time! She informed everyone she was leaving, except

    me!¡±

    Suddenly, he remembered something and murmured iprehensibly, ¡°No¡­ She informed me of this.

    That day, she asked me out. She wanted to tell me about it¡­¡±

    ¡°But Mr. Moran, where did Eliana get such a huge amount of money to arrange all of this?¡± Corbin

    asked in a low voice.

    How could Eliana be rich in an instant?

    Someone else must have given her the money, but who would do so all at once?

    Was it Eli? Nicole? It must be Jonathan!

    Did Eliana get in touch with Jonathan?

    The thought infuriated him even more. Maurice gritted his teeth and ordered, ¡°It must be Jonathan.

    Hurry up, check it out! You have to find Eliana!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Corbin took out his phone to contact someone to look into Eliana¡¯s whereabouts, but Maurice stopped

    him.

    ¡°It¡¯s too slow to find her this way. Contact Nana right away. She left with Eliana. She surely knows

    where Eliana is.¡±

    Corbin paused, his phone in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take advantage of Nana, Mr. Moran,¡± he said

    slowly.

    Maurice immediately turned around and looked at Corbin coldly, his eyes bloodshot.

    ¡°Call Nana! If you can¡¯t find Eliana, then leave! Don¡¯t you think I can put Nana out of work for good?¡±

    Maurice was bing more irrational, which frightened Corbin even more.

    He had never been so scary.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much for Nana? This is only between you and Eliana. Nana has

    nothing to do with it,¡± Corbin argued.

    Maurice sneered. ¡°But only in this way will Eliana appear.¡±

    Apparently, Maurice would use Corbin to reach out to Nana.

    Corbin was disappointed. He had believed he was important to his boss, but the reality was a bit of a

    p in the face.

    In the end, he just sighed and dialed Nana¡¯s number.

    When her phone rang, Nana was with Eliana.

    She hesitated for a moment when she realized it was Corbin who was calling her.

    Should she pick up the phone?

    It only took her one look at Eliana before she decided to decline the call.

    Nana then turned off her phone. She looked at the phone screen sadly. For Eliana to be able to escape

    sessfully, she had to change her number, too.

 Chapter 521

    Chapter 521

    After leaving home, Eliana moved into the house Rosamond had arranged for her.

    It was a nice apartment. Although it was not as big as the Pierce family¡¯s vi, it had nearly the same

    ambience as the house she lived in when she had just returned from abroad.

    Rosamond arrived while Eliana was busy arranging her stuff.

    Eliana abruptly stopped what she was doing and said, ¡°You are here. Thank you for helping me this

    time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Even though you are Ingrid¡¯s daughter, you must pay the rent,¡± Rosamond replied.

    Eliana was not upset at all after hearing that. Instead, she felt relieved.

    ¡°Of course I have to pay for the rent. How much is it?¡±

    ¡°How about 3, 000 dors a month?¡±

    Rosamond set a price based on the market price.

    Eliana nodded and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±

    In fact, she was well aware that 3, 000 dors was not a huge amount of money for Rosamond, but she

    would pay her without hesitation.

    Rosamond, unlike Maurice and Jonathan who had arranged everything for Eliana, chose to make her

    pay the rent.

    Eliana was clearly pleased with Rosamond¡¯s attitude. Rosamond had already given her a lot of help,

    and she no longer wanted to rely on her.

    ¡°By the way, there is a kindergarten nearby where you can enroll Aileen and Adrian. It is sponsored by

    the Deleon family, and they can go there to study as soon as possible,¡± Rosamond said after a few

    moments.

    Knowing that her children would be able to attend school very soon, Eliana became excited in an

    instant. ¡°Really? Thank you so much.¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    Rosamond then began to discuss business.

    ¡°Eliana, do you remember what I told you about the Pierce family¡¯s old factory the other time? Have

    you made up your mind?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. ¡°Are you proposing to sell the factory to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I never break my word.¡± Rosamondughed and added, ¡°You just need to tell me whether you

    want it or not.¡±

    Eliana swallowed her saliva in excitement. She did not dare to consider it before because she didn¡¯t

    have any money. Now that she had money, she really wanted to take the factory back.

    ¡°I want it! I want to take it back.¡±

    After careful consideration, Eliana gave an affirmative response.

    ¡°It appears that I do not misjudge you,¡± Rosamond said, relieved. ¡°There are some factory workers who

    had also worked for the Pierce family, but they were not dutiful. It gave me headaches over the years.

    But you are a member of the Pierce family. I think they will be more obedient to you.¡±

    Looking into Rosamond¡¯s eyes, Eliana thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°Since you trust me,

    leave it up to me. I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±

    After that talk, Rosamond yed with the twins for a while before she left.

    The two children, especially Aileen, sat in the unfamiliar living room, feeling dejected.

    When Eliana could no longer bear seeing them down in spirits, she walked over, squatted down, and

    caressed their heads. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Isn¡¯t our new house good enough?¡±

    Aileen and Adrian looked at each other before shaking their heads.

    ¡°Then why are you not happy?¡±

    But Eliana already knew the possible reason.

    ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy, we had a good time with that handsome man in the amusement park. Why did we

    still move out?¡± Aileen asked, looking into her eyes.

    Eliana was taken aback when she heard that. She was feeling a little down, too, but she couldn¡¯t show

    it to her children. ¡°Aileen, you are still young. You don¡¯t understand everything. Sometimes separation

    is not for oneself, but for the good of everyone,¡± she said gently.

    Aileen stared at Eliana with confusion. Apparently, she didn¡¯t understand what her mother meant.

    Eliana sighed. She knew that her children would not understand suchplicated things.

    But then Adrian said, ¡°But Mommy, have you ever considered that leaving someone might be the most

    traumatic experience for that person?¡±

 Chapter 522

    Chapter 522

    Eliana was taken aback by Adrian¡¯s words.

    She seldom talked about such a serious topic with children.

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    So, she didn¡¯t expect that a five-year-old child could make such remarks.

    Eliana cupped her son¡¯s face and looked him in the eye. In a soft and patient tone, she said, ¡°Adrian, I

    don¡¯t really want to talk about this with you because it¡¯s a veryplicated thing. But it seems

    important to you so I¡¯ll try to exin it. You see, there are many ways to be good to a person. It also

    happens that sometimes, we don¡¯t have to be with them.¡±

    Adrian knitted his brows and looked at Eliana perplexedly. ¡°But if you want to be good to a person,

    shouldn¡¯t you be more honest to him, instead of lying to him? I don¡¯t really understand. Do people act

    this way when they grow up?¡± He paused for a while before he added, ¡°Then, I don¡¯t want to grow

    up¡­¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe that such reflective words coulde from a little boy. She couldn¡¯t think of

    anything to refute her son.

    Adrian¡¯s words touched her. She could not calm herself down untilte at night.

    She was thinking that she could be wrong this time.

    She wouldn¡¯t want to admit it.

    She automatically reached for her phone and then turned it on.

    Maurice¡¯s number was not even in the directory of her new phone. But it didn¡¯t matter. She had already

    committed it to her memory.

    She tapped the numbers on the dial pad. When she was done entering the numbers, she couldn¡¯t bring

    herself to press the ¡°Call¡± button and deleted the numbers. But somehow, she would do this repeatedly.

    She told herself to stop doing this.

    Eventually, she made up her mind to make the call. When she got through to Maurice, Earle¡¯s threat

    shed through her mind.

    ¡°If he proceeds with this stubbornness, I won¡¯t let him take over the Moran Group. In addition to being

    deprived of his ce at Moran Group, I will drive him out of the Moran family!¡±

    Earle immediately hung up the phone and threw it far away.

    She sank to the bed weakly and covered her eyes with her hand. She muttered, ¡°I must be really

    crazy¡­ How could I break my promise? Eliana, Maurice will be in deep shit if you continue acting like

    this!¡±

    It waste at night. Everyone in the Imperial Golden Club was already intoxicated with the life of

    dissipation.

    Maurice was in the private room, drinking alone. His table was full of empty bottles. He had drunk one

    after another as if he wouldn¡¯t get drunk.

    Corbin was standing next to him. Several times he opened his mouth to tell Maurice to stop drinking but

    he couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t know what to do anymore.

    Just then Wyatt opened the door and sauntered into the room.

    Seeing that Maurice was sitting alone, he didn¡¯t think too much and teased him, ¡°So here you are! Why

    are you drinking alone? Why don¡¯t you bring Eliana here?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s hand that was holding the bottle paused midair. His face had darkened as he looked at

    Wyatt.

    Oh no! Why did Wyatt mention this?

    Corbin turned to face Wyatt and signaled him to shut up.

    Wyatt however was clueless about what Corbin meant at all. Instead, he just kept talking.

    ¡°Did you quarrel with each other again?¡±

    Corbin pped his forehead. He didn¡¯t know what to say. Was Wyatt being so irritating to Maurice on

    purpose?

    But it looked like Wyatt was absorbed in teasing Maurice, oblivious to how his friend was feeling at that

    moment. He even pulled out the nearest chair, sat down, and put an arm around Maurice¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°As your good friend, I will give you some advice,¡± Wyatt said, giving Maurice a meaningful look. ¡°Girls

    need to be coaxed. A bad temper will get you nowhere. If you don¡¯t win Eliana¡¯s heart, I think you will

    be single for the rest of your life!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression turned sullen. He lifted his bottle and tipped it into his mouth. Having had his

    drink, he scrunched his face up. Just then he caught a glimpse of a familiar woman. ¡°Nicole?¡±

    The mention of Nicole made Wyatt stand up. ¡°Hey, stop! I just remembered that I have to be somece

    else. You¡¯ll have to excuse me. I¡¯m leaving now!¡±

    Wyatt moved hurriedly like someone was hunting him down.

    Maurice grabbed his hand and pointed toward a seat beside the dance floor. ¡°You¡¯re running away?¡± he

    said jokingly. ¡°I mean¡­ I think I saw Nicole.¡±

    ¡°What? Is she here?¡±

    Wyatt turned around and looked into the seat he was indicating.

    He saw a familiar figure over there. She was enchanting, looking like Nicole.

 Chapter 523

    Chapter 523

    Will you let us go if I drink it?¡± Nicole asked. Her face was inscrutable as she tried to hide her sadness.

    Wyatt was stunned. He didn¡¯t expect that Nicole would agree to his request.

    ¡°I keep my words,¡± he said with a stern voice. ¡°I¡¯m not like someone who tells lies.¡±

    He stared at Nicole pointedly, as if using her of not being honest with him.

    But Nicole didn¡¯t seem to care. After getting the answer, she walked over to Wyatt, grabbed the ss in

    his hand, and drank up all its contents.

    ¡°Mr. Todd, I¡¯ve emptied your ss. Can I leave now?¡±

    Nicole tried to look calm. In reality, her stomach was churning.

    She had a sensitive stomach. There were food and drinks that would irritate her tummy. She had juice

    earlier with Eli and Wyatt gave her a pretty strong drink.

    Wyatt looked at Nicole with aplicated expression on his face. He opened his mouth as if he

    wanted to say something.

    Just then a group of people came up to them.

    The producer took one look at Nicole and he knew at once that something might be off with her. ¡°Are

    you feeling okay?¡± he asked with concern in his voice.

    ¡°Oh¡­ yes, I am,¡± Nicole said with a thin smile. She then turned her head sideways to introduce Wyatt

    to the producer. ¡°This is Mr. Todd. He said he wanted to invite everyone to drink, so you can order

    whatever you want to drink.¡±

    The producer raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°So you¡¯re Mr. Todd! I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Our crew

    is having a party here today. I didn¡¯t expect you toe here.¡± He then raised his ss and said, ¡°On

    behalf of everyone in the crew, I¡¯d like to propose a toast to you!¡±

    ¡°Cheers!¡± said the crew members behind them in unison.

    Wyatt gave a nonchnt shrug. He didn¡¯t care about it at all. He just stared at Nicole who looked calm

    but dazed.

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    So, it turned out that she wasn¡¯t alone on a date with Eli.

    He felt guilty about what he had thought of her. He grabbed her hand, wanting to exin himself.

    Nicole turned pale as a ghost. Large beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She almost keeled over.

    Covering her mouth, she staggered into the restroom.

    Damn it!

    She was feeling that cramping abdominal pain again. It must be because of the strong drink she just

    had.

    Wyatt wanted to p himself for causing the upset stomach. At the same time, he was worried so he

    followed her.

    Nicole pushed the restroom door open and went straight to the sink.

    She spilled out stomach juices with mushed-up, half-digested food. A strong winy stench filled the

    restroom.

    Nicole felt a little better after throwing up. She turned on the faucet and rinsed her mouth with water.

    She tried to straighten herself and struggled to walk towards the door to get out of the restroom.

    Stepping out, she bumped into a man.

    ¡°Oh, heck! Who the hell are you to bump against me?¡±

    It was a man who had tattoos on his arms. He cursed after turning around to look at Nicole.

    The hooligans around him also stared at her fiercely.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Nicole, still pale and feeling a bit woozy, tried to walk away.

    The man however grabbed her by the arm.

    ¡°Hey, look at who I bumped into. That famous star. Nicole, right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! It¡¯s Nicole!¡±

    The hooligans¡¯ eyes lit up and they surrounded Nicole.

    Feeling disgusted, Nicole dodged to get away from the man.

    ¡°Just what do you think you¡¯re doing? Leaving after colliding with me? Well, it¡¯s not that easy!¡±

    The man stared at Nicole with burning eyes. Clearly, he had nothing but ill intentions toward her.

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Nicole spat with repugnance at the man.

    She raised her hand and gave the man an angry p on his face.

    ¡°You bitch!¡±

    The man was so furious that he grabbed Nicole with one hand and lifted the other hand to p her.

    His hand was about tond on her face when he felt a strong hand grabbing his arm.

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Wyatt said furiously.

    He grabbed the man¡¯s arm so hard as if he wanted to crush the man¡¯s bones.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    The man withdrew his hand in pain. The hooligans behind him quickly surrounded him and asked if he

    got injured.

    Nicole fixed her eyes on Wyatt who stood in front of her. She felt aggrieved.

    ¡°What are you doing here? It¡¯s none of your business!¡±

 Chapter 525

    Chapter 525

    Wyatt hurriedly turned around and said concernedly, ¡°Nicole, are you okay? Does your stomach still

    feel ufortable? It¡¯s all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have let you drink. I¡¯m sorry.¡± As he spoke, his tone was

    no longer as domineering and rude as when he forced Nicole to drink.

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    But Nicole just said sarcastically, ¡°You are always like this. How can I me you?¡±

    ¡°Nicole¡­ It¡¯s because you didn¡¯t exin it to me just now. You weren¡¯t like this before. We used to talk

    about everything clearly, right?¡± Wyatt said in a deep and unhappy voice.

    ¡°As you said, we used to. It means not anymore,¡± Nicole interrupted him forcefully. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the

    silly and naive woman I used to be. And you too¡­ The old Wyatt will never humiliate me just because I

    am an actress. You have changed.¡±

    In her eyes, the man in front of her right now was no longer the Wyatt who loved, tolerated, and cared

    for her.

    Since Nicole brought up the past, Wyatt felt like the old wounds in his heart reopened, making him

    recall the pain of being abandoned again.

    His anger ignited in an instant. He sneered, ¡°You like the old Wyatt because he was a stupid man you

    could manipte, right? Then I should really be d that I have changed.¡±

    Wyatt and Nicole red at each other and continued to quarrel. No one was willing to give in. It

    seemed that they had totally forgotten that there were other people there.

    The man with tattoos got angry when he saw that they were so engrossed in their fight that they totally

    ignored him. He picked up the wine bottle on the floor and smashed it at Wyatt¡¯s head.

    He shouted, ¡°Go to hell, you brat!¡±

    By the time Wyatt realized the danger, it was already toote.

    Besides, he couldn¡¯t dodge it even if he sensed it sooner. After all, Nicole was behind him.

    The bottle directly hit his head with a loud bang. It burst, and broken pieces sshed everywhere.

    Blood gushed out of Wyatt¡¯s head and slid down his face. At this moment, he only felt that the whole

    world was spinning. Finally, everything went ck, and he fell into Nicole¡¯s arms.

    The loud noise attracted the attention of the people around, and the scene immediately became

    chaotic.

    It was only then the man with tattoos sobered up from his anger. When he saw that Wyatt¡¯s head was

    covered with blood, he was so frightened that he threw away the remaining half of the bottle and ran

    away.

    In the middle of the chaos, Nicole held Wyatt in her arms.

    She was so horrified that she burst into tears.

    ¡°Wyatt, are you okay? Don¡¯t scare me. Please wake up.¡±

    Nicole shook Wyatt¡¯s body, but his eyes were still closed. He had no reaction at all, not even

    responding to her words.

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll call an ambnce.¡±

    Holding Wyatt with one hand tightly, Nicole took out her phone with her other hand, trembling.

    Soon, the ambnce arrived at the scene.

    Wyatt, who was still unconscious, was immediately put in the ambnce. Nicole got in to apany

    him, and they rushed to the hospital.

    The doctors in the ambnce gave Wyatt emergency first aid. Nicole was so worried that she kept

    crying. But all she could do was hold his hand tightly and pray silently.

    In a trance, Wyatt recalled the time when he had a car ident years ago.

    At that time, he was also lying on a bed like now. And there were moments when he was awake and

    seemed to have seen Nicole.

    But when he regained consciousness, his mother told him that Nicole had nevere to see him even

    once when his life was in danger.

    At that time, he had believed her mother¡¯s words without a doubt. But now he didn¡¯t believe her so

    much.

    Wyatt tried to open his eyes and stared at Nicole who was crying and holding his hand. He couldn¡¯t

    help saying in a weak voice, ¡°Nicole, tell me the truth. Back then¡­ When I had a car ident, did you

    come to see me even once? Tell me.¡±

    Nicole stared back at him with tears in her eyes. He got injured because he saved her. She could no

    longer pretend to be indifferent towards him. Choking with sobs, she answered, ¡°Wyatt, you are the

    biggest fool in this world. You were severely injured at that time. How could I not be there?¡±

    Nicole had really gone to see him. She had cared about him.

    Although Wyatt had a serious headache now, he couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    Then he immediately thought of another question.

    ¡°Since you care about me, why did you break up with me?¡±

    Nicole was stunned. Could she tell Wyatt the truth?

 Chapter 526

    Chapter 526

    Nicole fell silent for a moment. She didn¡¯t know how to answer Wyatt¡¯s question.

    Could she tell him that she had to ask Dora for help when her mother was sick because she couldn¡¯t

    turn to him when he was in aa?

    Should she let him know that Dora, who seemed to be a perfect mother to him, had forced her to break

    up with him?

    Nicole didn¡¯t want to tell Wyatt about it. But when she saw the pleading look in his eyes, she felt like a

    knife pierced through her heart.

    Should she tell him? He deserved to know the truth, right?

    She was still hesitating when the medical staff came to re-examine the semi-conscious Wyatt and

    quickly put a breathing mask on him.

    His condition seemed to be getting worse.

    ¡°Miss, continue the conversation! You have to keep the patient awake and try your best to arouse his

    desire to survive. After all, the damage to his brain may be serious.¡±

    ¡°What? How can that be?¡±

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    Nicole panicked at once. The fear of losing him soon enveloped her. She held Wyatt¡¯s hand tightly and

    said solemnly, ¡°Wyatt, I promise, if you can make it through this time, I will tell you the truth.¡±

    Wyatt was in a daze, but he clearly heard what she had said. He struggled to open his mouth and

    uttered, ¡°Okay.¡±

    As soon as the ambnce arrived at the hospital, the medical staff took the stretcher and pushed

    Wyatt into the emergency room.

    Nicole slowly let go of his hand.

    She anxiously waited at the door of the emergency room, looking at the lights inside. Everything

    seemed to have returned to five years ago.

    With tears in her eyes, she kept praying in her heart. She couldn¡¯t lose him again.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t stop her tears from falling. Her face looked so pale, and her shoulders were trembling.

    She didn¡¯t know how long she had cried. All of a sudden, she felt a pair of big hands on her shoulders.

    ¡°Nicole, are you okay? Why are you here?¡±

    When Nicole turned around, she saw Esteban, sweating profusely and looking at her worriedly.

    At this moment, the repressed pain overwhelmed her, and she couldn¡¯t help crying out loud.

    Esteban felt sorry for her and hurriedlyforted her, ¡°Nicole, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll apany you.¡±

    ¡°Esteban, I¡¯m so scared. I¡¯m really scared¡­¡±

    While Nicole cried, Esteban stayed and kept herpany.

    Time passed by slowly. After a long time of waiting, the doctor finally came out and Wyatt was wheeled

    into a ward.

    Nicole immediately approached the doctor and asked, ¡°Doctor, how is he?¡±

    The doctor took off his mask and smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s fine now. You can go in and see him.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±

    Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. She wiped her tears and was about to walk into the ward.

    However, a woman suddenly rushed over.

    Before Nicole could react, the woman¡¯s palmnded on her face.

    ¡°You are such a disaster!¡± the woman cursed.

    Nicole was caught off guard. The p was so hard that she tilted her head and a red mark of the

    woman¡¯s hand appeared on her face.

    Everything happened so fast that even Esteban was not able to react to stop the woman.

    The woman continued, ¡°How dare you approach my son again!¡±

    The woman who arrived was Dora, Wyatt¡¯s mother. Her eyes were red, and her face looked ferocious.

    She even raised her hand again, intending to give Nicole another p.

    But this time, she was intercepted by Esteban. He grabbed her hand and pushed her away.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is a hospital. Please pay attention to your behavior. How could you p her?¡±

    Dora staggered back, and her hatred for Nicole grew even deeper.

    ¡°Nicole, you are such a disaster. Get out of here now. Every time my son is with you, he is always in

    danger. Don¡¯t forget the promise you made to me five years ago.¡±

    It was only then that Nicole came to her senses. She bit her lower lip and said, ¡°Mrs. Todd, I don¡¯t

    forget my promise. But Wyatt is still lying in the hospital bed now. Please let me see him even for a

    short time. I will leave right after.¡±

    The situation now was the same after the car ident Wyatt had gone through five years ago. At that

    time, she also begged Dora to allow her to see Wyatt.

    At this moment, Nicole couldn¡¯t pretend to be strong anymore. Her invincible appearance totally

    disappeared.

    Wyatt was the reason why she started over, and he was also her Achilles¡¯ heel.

 Chapter 527

    Chapter 527

    ¡°There¡¯s no way I will let you see my son. Get out of here! Now! I don¡¯t want to see your disgusting face

    again!¡±

    Dora was so angry that she didn¡¯t want to listen to Nicole. She reached out and pushed Nicole away.

    Nicole almost lost her bnce. Fortunately, Esteban held her in time.

    Esteban was so angry that he said solemnly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to drive her away. We can go by

    ourselves.¡±

    He then dragged Nicole, who was unwilling to leave, out of the hospital.

    As soon as Nicole left, Dora straightened her messed clothes, put on a loving expression, and entered

    the ward.

    Wyatt was already awake, but he had no idea what had just happened outside.

    When he clearly saw that the person in front of him was Dora, he asked weakly, ¡°Mom, did you see

    Nicole outside?¡±

    The expression on Dora¡¯s face changed. She said, ¡°Are you talking about the famous actress Nicole

    Swift? The friend you introduced to mest time?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Did you see her outside?¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes were full of expectation as he spoke.

    Dora secretly hated Nicole, so she deliberately said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see her when I arrived. But I think it¡¯s not

    surprising. After all, she is a big star. Maybe she is afraid of being found by the paparazzi, so she left.¡±

    The light in Wyatt¡¯s eyes was immediately extinguished.

    He didn¡¯t expect Nicole to leave.

    She promised to tell him the truth when he woke up, right? Did she lie to him again?

    Wyatt was disappointed, but he felt something was wrong.

    When they were in the ambnce, Nicole¡¯s caring and sadness didn¡¯t seem to be fake. And what she

    said to him¡­

    There must be something wrong.

    He couldn¡¯t help looking up at Dora and asking solemnly, ¡°Mom, when I had a car ident that year,

    did you really never see Nicole in the hospital?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Why are you still asking about it? Do you think I lied to you? I¡¯m telling the truth. I

    hadn¡¯t seen her in the hospital at that time. Son, don¡¯t think about it anymore. The most important thing

    now is for you to recover soon. So have a good rest.¡±

    Dora lied casually, not noticing the suspicious look in Wyatt¡¯s eyes.

    After being driven out of the hospital, Nicole sat in the car, feeling heartbroken.

    Esteban couldn¡¯t stand seeing her like this, so he couldn¡¯t help saying, ¡°Nicole, why are you being like

    this just because of a man? So many people out there love you and care for you.¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t say anything. But what Esteban said finally enlightened her.

    He was right. She couldn¡¯t keep living in sadness and regret for the rest of her life. Many people still

    cared for her and needed her.

    ¡°I understand, Esteban. I just want some time alone to calm down now. Can you drop me off at my

    mom¡¯s house?¡±

    Esteban breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s good that you can think it through. I¡¯ll send you there right away.

    But be careful not to be recognized by others.¡±

    He then started the car and drove all the way to the neighborhood where Nicole¡¯s mother lived.

    Nicole put on a disguise, walked to the door tiredly, and knocked.

    A kind middle-aged woman opened the door. Her face had many wrinkles now, but it was still apparent

    that she was a beautiful woman when she was young.

    She was Kyra Swift, Nicole¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m home.¡±

    As soon as Kyra saw Nicole, she noticed the tiredness in her daughter¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Nicole, why didn¡¯t you call to inform me that you¡¯reing back? Come in.¡±

    Nicole entered the house and sat still on the sofa. Kyra felt sorry for her but didn¡¯t know what to say to

    make her feel better. So Kyra went to the kitchen and cooked some spaghetti for her.

    ¡°You must be hungry. Come, eat first.¡±

    Kyra put the te of spaghetti in front of Nicole. Nicole picked up the fork and began to eat. But as she

    ate, her tears fell uncontrobly.

    Kyra had no idea what had happened, so she thought it had something to do with Nicole¡¯s career. She

    said, ¡°Nicole, if you really feel tired of working, it¡¯s not toote for you to change careers now. No matter

    what, you have my full support. I¡¯m fine now. We can always move to the countryside and live there.¡±

    Nicole was very sad, but she was suddenly amused by Kyra¡¯s words.

    ¡°Mom, what are you thinking? I don¡¯t want a career change. It took me a lot of effort to be where I am

    now. I will not retire until no one is willing to watch my shows anymore.¡±

    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

    ¡°If it¡¯s not about your career, what are you so upset about?¡± Kyra asked in confusion.

    Nicole suddenly slumped upon hearing her question.

    Kyra seemed to have thought of something, so she asked, ¡°Nicole, is this about Wyatt?¡±

 Chapter 528

    Chapter 528

    Nicole sat up straight and asked, ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± She got panicky at once.

    When Kyra saw the guilty expression on Nicole¡¯s face, she became more certain that she had guessed

    it right.

    ¡°You are my daughter. You can deceive others but not me. If you¡¯re really over Wyatt, howe you

    have never dated other men for many years? You just can¡¯t forget him, right?¡±

    Kyra¡¯s remarks were close to home, so there was nothing Nicole could do but make an excuse. ¡°No, it¡¯s

    not like that, Mom. It¡¯s just that I think all men are alike, so I am not interested in them.¡±

    At this moment, Kyra finally understood what was going on, so she didn¡¯t ask any more questions.

    Nicole¡¯s mind was in a whirl, and she did not know what to do next. She didn¡¯t know how to face Dora

    and Wyatt.

    She sat on the sofa in the living room for a long time, adjusting her mood. She then said goodbye to

    Kyra and prepared to go home. She still had work to do tomorrow.

    But as soon as she got downstairs and walked on themunity road, she suddenly found that some

    people were following her furtively.

    Nicole was a famous star, and she was often tracked. Thinking that some reporters were following her,

    she suddenly became alert.

    While thinking of ways to get rid of the reporters without being noticed, she saw a familiar figure she

    didn¡¯t expect to meet.

    Nicole must not be mistaken. The woman she saw was Eliana. But what was Eliana doing in this

    ce?

    Eliene wes welking the dog with two children not fer ewey.

    And those suspicious people were hiding eround Eliene.

    It turned out thet those people were following Eliene, insteed of Nicole.

    It mede her reelize thet the situetion wes not good. Eliene wes very likely to be in denger.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t just wetch without doing enything. So she plucked up her courege, welked forwerd, end

    shouted et the stelkers, ¡°Who ere you? Why ere you sneeking eround here?¡±

    The sound she mede not only scered off the stelkers but elso ettrected Eliene¡¯s ettention.

    ¡°Nicole, whet ere you doing here?¡±

    Eliene wes surprised when she sew Nicole weering e mesk end sunglesses.

    ¡°I ectuelly went to esk you the seme question. Why ere you here? And who ere those people following

    you? Did someone freme you up egein?¡±

    Nicole still cleerly remembered when Eliene wes fremed by Cheryl.

    Eliene smiled bitterly end seid, ¡°It¡¯s e long story. The people hiding neerby were sent by Rosemond to

    protect me. I don¡¯t went Meurice toe to me enymore.¡±

    ¡°Whet? You¡¯re hiding from Meurice?¡± Nicole blurted out. ¡°Did you two fight egein?¡±

    Eliene smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s much more serious then thet.¡±

    ¡°Weit! Did you guys breek up? No wey!¡± As she spoke, Nicole¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    ¡°How could we breek up? We heve never even been together,¡± Eliene seid with bitterness in her tone.

    Eliana was walking the dog with two children not far away.

    And those suspicious people were hiding around Eliana.

    It turned out that those people were following Eliana, instead of Nicole.

    It made her realize that the situation was not good. Eliana was very likely to be in danger.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t just watch without doing anything. So she plucked up her courage, walked forward, and

    shouted at the stalkers, ¡°Who are you? Why are you sneaking around here?¡±

    The sound she made not only scared off the stalkers but also attracted Eliana¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Nicole, what are you doing here?¡±

    Eliana was surprised when she saw Nicole wearing a mask and sunsses.

    ¡°I actually want to ask you the same question. Why are you here? And who are those people following

    you? Did someone frame you up again?¡±

    Nicole still clearly remembered when Eliana was framed by Cheryl.

    Eliana smiled bitterly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. The people hiding nearby were sent by Rosamond to

    protect me. I don¡¯t want Maurice toe to me anymore.¡±

    ¡°What? You¡¯re hiding from Maurice?¡± Nicole blurted out. ¡°Did you two fight again?¡±

    Eliana smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s much more serious than that.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Did you guys break up? No way!¡± As she spoke, Nicole¡¯s eyes widened in shock.

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    ¡°How could we break up? We have never even been together,¡± Eliana said with bitterness in her tone.

    Nicole was in disbelief. She wanted to ask more, but she saw the two children ying with the dog on

    thewn not far away out of the corner of her eye.

    Because of them, she couldn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Whatever you say.¡±

    Then the two of them fell silent.

    Eliana remembered that Nicole had a simr experience, so she suddenly asked, ¡°Nicole, can I ask you

    a question?¡±

    Nicole raised her head and looked at her. ¡°What is it?¡±

    Eliana hesitated for a moment before she finally asked, ¡°Why did you leave Wyatt? You must love him

    very much, right?¡±

    Nicole was so shocked that she stared at Eliana in astonishment. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    Eliana touched her nose and said embarrassedly, ¡°Last time we went to Moonlight, you talked with

    Wyatt¡¯s mother in the restroom. I happened to be there too. I didn¡¯t mean to overhear your

    conversation.¡±

    Nicole finally understood everything.

    She smiled helplessly and pondered for a moment. Finally, she made up her mind and said, ¡°Eliana,

    you¡¯re my friend, so I will tell you what happened in the past. But please keep it a secret for me. I¡­ I

    was forced to leave Wyatt at that time.¡±

    When Eliana heard this, she was not surprised at all.

    She could see that Nicole still loved Wyatt deeply.

    It was very obvious that she suddenly left him for some unknown reason five years ago.

 Chapter 529

    Chapter 529

    ¡°But even though I left him at that time, I still had a glimmer of hope in my heart,¡± Nicole said, caught in

    painful memories. ¡°Dora said I was not worthy of her son, so I decided to rely on my own ability to

    be a woman deserving of Wyatt ording to the secr standard. That¡¯s why I have been

    working hard over the past few years. I did my best not to be involved in any scandals. My business is

    getting better and better, and I have earned a lot of money. But in the end, Dora still despises me. She

    even humiliates me.¡±

    As she spoke, her tone was helpless. Tears also welled up in her eyes.

    Eliana felt sorry for Nicole. She couldn¡¯t help but step forward and pat Nicole on the shoulder.

    ¡°Nicole, everything will be fine soon. Remember, you are a good person with a golden heart. I even

    think Wyatt is not worthy of you.¡±

    While Eliana wasforting Nicole, an idea came to her mind.

    She had enough money for a startup capital now. Maybe she could also start her own business. When

    she narrowed the gap between her and Maurice, would things change?

    Eliana¡¯s constion was very effective because Nicole immediately smiled. ¡°Thank you, Eliana. I feel

    much better now.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. Now that you¡¯re feeling better, can you promise me one thing?¡±

    Nicole assured her, ¡°What is it? As long as I can do it, no problem.¡±

    ¡°Please keep my whereabouts secret. Don¡¯t let anyone know that I am here,¡± Eliana said solemnly.

    She didn¡¯t went Meurice to find her end teke her beck before she could stert her business.

    While Eliene wes still plenning her cereer, Meurice wes et home, checking the clues thet Corbin hed

    found these deys.

    This time, Eliene¡¯s hiding plece wes reelly secret. Fortely, Corbin wes very cepeble. He found thet

    she did not leeve the city. The plece where she lived now wes within Rosemond¡¯s sphere of influence.

    As Meurice looked et the documents in his hend, his frown deepened.

    How could Eliene heve something to do with Rosemond? This reelly puzzled him. He wes trying to

    figure it out, but he couldn¡¯t.

    One possibility ceme to his mind. Could it be thet Jhen end Rosemond hed joined forces? Did

    Jhen esk Rosemond to help cover up Eliene¡¯s whereebouts?

    But Meurice hed elreedy sent some people to keep e close eye on Jhen¡¯s every move. If Jhen

    end Rosemond were reelly getting in touch with eech other, he must know.

    Corbin wes elso wondering ebout this metter. ¡°Mr. Moren, do you think there is eny inside informetion

    thet we don¡¯t know? Shell I investigete egein?¡±

    Meurice put down the documents in his hends end squinted et him. ¡°Isn¡¯t Rosemond the mother of

    Nene¡¯s ex-boyfriend? The best wey to quickly find out the truth is through her. Heve you seeded in

    contecting Nene? Or you heve feiled?¡±

    She didn¡¯t want Maurice to find her and take her back before she could start her business.

    While Eliana was still nning her career, Maurice was at home, checking the clues that Corbin had

    found these days.

    This time, Eliana¡¯s hiding ce was really secret. Fortunately, Corbin was very capable. He found that

    she did not leave the city. The ce where she lived now was within Rosamond¡¯s sphere of influence.

    As Maurice looked at the documents in his hand, his frown deepened.

    How could Eliana have something to do with Rosamond? This really puzzled him. He was trying to

    figure it out, but he couldn¡¯t.

    One possibility came to his mind. Could it be that Jonathan and Rosamond had joined forces? Did

    Jonathan ask Rosamond to help cover up Eliana¡¯s whereabouts?

    But Maurice had already sent some people to keep a close eye on Jonathan¡¯s every move. If Jonathan

    and Rosamond were really getting in touch with each other, he must know.

    Corbin was also wondering about this matter. ¡°Mr. Moran, do you think there is any inside information

    that we don¡¯t know? Shall I investigate again?¡±

    Maurice put down the documents in his hands and squinted at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t Rosamond the mother of

    Nana¡¯s ex-boyfriend? The best way to quickly find out the truth is through her. Have you seeded in

    contacting Nana? Or you have failed?¡±

    Corbin immediately looked dejected upon hearing this. ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t say that. Since Eliana left,

    Nana also disappeared. She also changed her phone number. So I can¡¯t even get in touch with her, let

    alone get information from her. I think she gave up everything for Eliana¡¯s sake. They are best friends,

    after all.¡±

    While saying this, Corbin didn¡¯t realize that he sounded like a resentful woman abandoned by her

    husband.

    Maurice stared at Corbin with deep eyes and observed every subtle expression on Corbin¡¯s face

    carefully. Then he asked solemnly, ¡°Corbin, are you telling the truth? Are you not lying to me?¡±

    Corbin was so anxious that he almost raised his right hand to swear. ¡°God is my witness, Mr. Moran.

    Every single word I say to you is true. I will never lie to you.¡±

    When Maurice saw the innocent look on Corbin¡¯s face, he thought that Corbin seemed to tell the truth.

    After letting Corbin go, he got up and went out.

    It was only then that Corbin silently breathed a sigh of relief and followed behind Maurice. But his

    phone suddenly rang.

    The string of numbers on the screen looked unfamiliar.

    For some reason, Corbin¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    Then he got excited.

    He answered the call without hesitation. ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Corbin, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    The voice sounded very familiar. It was none other than Nana.

 Chapter 530

    Chapter 530

    Eliana was unaware that Nana had already contacted Corbin secretly.

    In the past few days, she had had no time to think about anything else. She had been concentrating all

    of her efforts on sessfully taking over the factories.

    After considering the matter for several days, Eliana had finally made up her mind after hearing

    Nicole¡¯s story.

    She had gone to Rosamond and told her that she was willing to take over the old factories that had

    once belonged to the Pierce family.

    Rosamond looked at Eliana in surprise. She suddenly had a new understanding of her best friend¡¯s

    daughter.

    The money Ingrid had left for Eliana was enough for her and the two children to live a good life without

    working, but instead, Eliana dared to risk investing that money in these old factories.

    Rosamond appreciated the girl¡¯s courage.

    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t ask why you want to do this. Since you are willing to take over the factories, go see the

    old employees at the factories first. Show me what you are capable of. The first step in taking over the

    factories will be to deal with those employees.¡±

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    Eliana went straight to one of the factories that very day.

    When she arrived, the receptionist she had seenst time led her into the factory. Her first impression

    was that the future of the factories was bleak.

    There were not many workers or ongoing projects in the factory.

    Eliana had already secured an order for the factory, so the workers should have begun mass-producing

    bracelets. But when she entered the production workshop, she saw only a few workers busy working.

    The rest of the workers were either standing around orpleting tasks at a snail¡¯s pace.

    Eliana frowned.

    If this was how these factories usually operated, they would surely close down sooner orter.

    With e sigh, Eliene seid to the receptionist, ¡°Teke me to whomever is in cherge.¡±

    The receptionist quickly led her to en office end knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Wellece, the women Miss

    Deleon sent hes errived.¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± e voice seid on the other side of the door.

    Teking e deep breeth, Eliene pushed open the door end welked into the office.

    Inside the room, e fet, middle-eged men set in en office cheir, leisurely puffing on e ciger. Smoke filled

    the eir eround them. This men cleerly didn¡¯t feel nervous ebout the prospect of his bossing by to

    spot-check his work.

    When he sew e young women enter his office, he looked et her with unmistekeble contempt. ¡°Did Miss

    Deleon send you here? She is reelly clueless. Why did she send e little girl? Does she look down on

    me?¡±

    As she wetched the men speek, Eliene felt excitement well up inside her. It hed been so meny yeers

    since she hed seen him lest time. She felt choked up, end could not speek.

    When he sew the dull look on Eliene¡¯s fece, Breverd Wellece sneered disdeinfully.

    ¡°Did Miss Deleon send you to urge me to find some projects for the fectory? How impetient she is!

    When she took over the fectories, she seid thet she would continue to teke cere of the old employees.

    It¡¯s only been e few yeers since then! So is she going to ley off those employees just beceuse we heve

    no project to do right now? If thet news got out, she¡¯d be e leughingstock.¡±

    Eliene felt like she herdly recognized Breverd when she heerd him speek in this errogent tone.

    She didn¡¯t expect thet he would heve chenged so much in only five yeers.

    He hed reelly be someone new.

    With a sigh, Eliana said to the receptionist, ¡°Take me to whomever is in charge.¡±

    The receptionist quickly led her to an office and knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Wace, the woman Miss

    Deleon sent has arrived.¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± a voice said on the other side of the door.

    Taking a deep breath, Eliana pushed open the door and walked into the office.

    Inside the room, a fat, middle-aged man sat in an office chair, leisurely puffing on a cigar. Smoke filled

    the air around them. This man clearly didn¡¯t feel nervous about the prospect of his bossing by to

    spot-check his work.

    When he saw a young woman enter his office, he looked at her with unmistakable contempt. ¡°Did Miss

    Deleon send you here? She is really clueless. Why did she send a little girl? Does she look down on

    me?¡±

    As she watched the man speak, Eliana felt excitement well up inside her. It had been so many years

    since she had seen himst time. She felt choked up, and could not speak.

    When he saw the dull look on Eliana¡¯s face, Brevard Wace sneered disdainfully.

    ¡°Did Miss Deleon send you to urge me to find some projects for the factory? How impatient she is!

    When she took over the factories, she said that she would continue to take care of the old employees.

    It¡¯s only been a few years since then! So is she going toy off those employees just because we have

    no project to do right now? If that news got out, she¡¯d be aughingstock.¡±

    Eliana felt like she hardly recognized Brevard when she heard him speak in this arrogant tone.

    She didn¡¯t expect that he would have changed so much in only five years.

    He had really be someone new.

    ¡°Mr. Wace, it¡¯s me. Eliana.¡±

    Brevard¡¯s expression froze, and the cigar in his hand fell to the floor.

    He stood up excitedly and his eyes widened. ¡°What did you say? You¡¯re Eliana? Are you Eliana

    Pierce?¡±

    With a lump in her throat, Eliana said, ¡°Yes, Mr. Wace. I am Eliana Pierce. I¡¯m back.¡±

    Without taking his eyes off of her, Brevard approached Eliana and then looked her up and down. He

    wanted to make sure that the woman in front of him was the little girl he remembered.

    After a long time, he sighed as if waking up from a dream. ¡°It is you! You are Eliana! Five years. It¡¯s

    been five whole years. I didn¡¯t expect you to evere back.¡±

    At this moment, Eliana noticed that Brevard was looking at her more kindly.

    In response, she immediately asked, ¡°Mr. Wace, why is the factory like this now?¡±

    Brevard stared at Eliana, a member of the Pierce family, and sighed. ¡°I take it you aren¡¯t aware that the

    factories were mortgaged after the Pierce Group went bankrupt. Miss Deleon took over the factories

    after that. At first, everything was fine, and some of the old employees still worked in the factories. But

    business has been not going well these years. Miss Deleon had said she would help us, but in fact, she

    is nning to downsize!¡±

    Brevard spoke in an exasperated tone as if he had suffered a lot over thesest several years.

    Eliana could see that Brevard had long lost his will to fight. He had given up on trying to improve the

    factories. Now this group of old Pierce Group employees just wanted a secure job until they retired.

    If she wanted to change this situation, she would have to take drastic measures!

 Chapter 532

    Chapter 532

    With Brevard¡¯s support, Eliana¡¯s confidence increased greatly. Brevard was the leader of the factory

    workers, so as long as he was on her side, it would be easy for her to win over the other workers.

    With a sigh of relief, Eliana held out her hand for Brevard to shake and said, ¡°Mr. Wace, I hope we¡¯ll

    have good cooperation in the future.¡±

    Brevard shook hands with her, albeit reluctantly. Deep down, he was not happy about this at all.

    Even though it had been a long time since he hadst seen Eliana, he could not swallow how much

    she had changed. She even dared to wage a war of nerves with him.

    Brevard was afraid that if he let things go on like this, he would really have to follow the orders of this

    youngdy.

    Unwilling to let that happen, he quickly came up with an idea. stering a cordial smile on his face, he

    suggested, ¡°From now on, this factory is yours. How about you treat the factory employees to a meal to

    celebrate? They¡¯ll have a good impression of you. And you can also bring the new contract with you to

    renew it.¡±

    This sounded reasonable to Eliana, so after thinking for a moment, she casually agreed.

    However, she was not prepared at all for the sight that greeted her when Brevard took her to meet all

    the employees. Arge wave of people appeared in the workshop, which seemed to be sparsely

    staffed just now, and stared expectantly at her.

    At this moment, there was only one thought in Eliana¡¯s mind: if she treated this many people to a meal,

    she would have to spend an arm and a leg!

    Catching the hesitation on her face, Brevard asked deliberately, ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re not going to change

    your mind, are you?¡±

    Eliana forced a smile, ¡°Of course not. Let¡¯s go. There¡¯s so many of you. We¡¯ll have to take several

    cars.¡±

    Gritting her teeth, Eliana decided to keep her promise.

    She got into Brevard¡¯s car, which was followed by several other cars packed with the factory workers.

    On the way, Eliana was busy calcting the approximate amount she would have to spend tonight, and

    didn¡¯t notice her surroundings at all.

    It wes only when Eliene got out of the cer thet she reelized thet Breverd hed driven them to the Imperiel

    Golden Club for the celebretion!

    She couldn¡¯t help but freeze in shock.

    Whet the hell? Whet en unforte coincidence! Of ell the clubs in the city, why hed they chosen the

    one owned by Meurice?

    Seeing the uneesiness on her fece, Breverd took the opportunity to provoke her egein. ¡°Miss Pierce,

    didn¡¯t you sey thet you would treet ell of us? Now thet we¡¯re here et the club, why ere you hesiteting?

    Show your good feith! You don¡¯t think it¡¯s too expensive, do you? Then whet¡¯s the point of extending

    our contrect? We might es well just collectively not renew it end leeve en empty plent for you.¡±

    Heering these words, the fectory workers begen to grumble emong themselves in discontent.

    Finding herself in e dilemme, Eliene bit her lower lip.

    The reeson why she didn¡¯t went to enter the Imperiel Golden Club wes not beceuse it wes too

    expensive, but beceuse she wes efreid of running into Meurice inside.

    But now thet they were here, she hed no choice.

    She could only prey thet Meurice would not be here tonight.

    Feigning e smile, Eliene entered the Imperiel Golden Club, followed by e lerge group of people. The

    whole time, Eliene wes efreid thet Meurice would suddenly pop out from nowhere.

    In contrest, the workers were buzzing with excitement. They hed never gotten e chence toe to

    such e luxurious club before. They could not help looking eround in ewe end touching everything in

    sight.

    In high spirits, Breverd went streight to the reception desk end requested e privete room. Seeing

    severel mesks on the teble next to him, he seid excitedly, ¡°This plece is fency!¡±

    Then, he grebbed one of the mesks to put it on.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Just then, e women rushed over end snepped, ¡°How cen you steel my mesk?¡±

    Heering the femilier voice, Eliene looked beck end reelized thet it belonged to en ecqueintence.

    It wes Jennifer, the herpist whom Eliene hed helped et Moon Leke Menor.

    It was only when Eliana got out of the car that she realized that Brevard had driven them to the Imperial

    Golden Club for the celebration!

    She couldn¡¯t help but freeze in shock.

    What the hell? What an unfortunate coincidence! Of all the clubs in the city, why had they chosen the

    one owned by Maurice?

    Seeing the uneasiness on her face, Brevard took the opportunity to provoke her again. ¡°Miss Pierce,

    didn¡¯t you say that you would treat all of us? Now that we¡¯re here at the club, why are you hesitating?

    Show your good faith! You don¡¯t think it¡¯s too expensive, do you? Then what¡¯s the point of extending

    our contract? We might as well just collectively not renew it and leave an empty nt for you.¡±

    Hearing these words, the factory workers began to grumble among themselves in discontent.

    Finding herself in a dilemma, Eliana bit her lower lip.

    The reason why she didn¡¯t want to enter the Imperial Golden Club was not because it was too

    expensive, but because she was afraid of running into Maurice inside.

    But now that they were here, she had no choice.

    She could only pray that Maurice would not be here tonight.

    Feigning a smile, Eliana entered the Imperial Golden Club, followed by arge group of people. The

    whole time, Eliana was afraid that Maurice would suddenly pop out from nowhere.

    In contrast, the workers were buzzing with excitement. They had never gotten a chance toe to

    such a luxurious club before. They could not help looking around in awe and touching everything in

    sight.

    In high spirits, Brevard went straight to the reception desk and requested a private room. Seeing

    several masks on the table next to him, he said excitedly, ¡°This ce is fancy!¡±

    Then, he grabbed one of the masks to put it on.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Just then, a woman rushed over and snapped, ¡°How can you steal my mask?¡±

    Hearing the familiar voice, Eliana looked back and realized that it belonged to an acquaintance.

    It was Jennifer, the harpist whom Eliana had helped at Moon Lake Manor.

    ¡°Jennifer!¡± Eliana blurted out her name in surprise.

    After snatching her mask from Brevard, Jennifer turned to Eliana in surprise.

    ¡°Eliana!¡±

    ¡°You two know each other?¡±

    Brevard looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

    ¡°She is a friend of mine. Mr. Wace, you can go ahead with the others. I¡¯ll have a chat with her and

    come in soon,¡± said Eliana perfunctorily.

    ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t try to ditch us,¡± Brevard said dryly before entering the private room.

    Eliana immediately grabbed Jennifer¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Jennifer, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I came here for a part-time gig, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here! What a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°A part-time gig? How could youe to such a ce for work?¡±

    It was not that Eliana was a judgmental person, but that a club was not the sort of ce that a harpist

    should perform at.

    Lowering her head in embarrassment, Jennifer mumbled, ¡°There was an event at the club today, but

    the performer dropped out at thest minute, so they called me. The quote was quite high, and I need

    the money. I can¡¯t do any official performance right now, with my hand injury¡­¡±

    Hearing that Jennifer hadn¡¯t recovered from her injury yet, Eliana couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry for her.

    She gently lifted Jennifer¡¯s injured arm and took a look at the hideous scar etched clearly on it.

    Flushing, Jennifer hurriedly withdrew her hand. ¡°I¡¯m fine. The scar only looks scary, but it will heal in no

    time. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    With her eyes full of pity, Eliana wanted to say something more.

    But just then, an attendant came, looking for Jennifer.

    ¡°Are you the one who yed the harp just now?¡±

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    Jennifer¡¯s eyebrows shot up in confusion. ¡°Yes. Is something wrong?¡±

    Looking at her in a condescending manner, the attendant said, ¡°Our guest in Room 3601 was very

    satisfied with your performance and wants to see you. Come with us right away.¡±

 Chapter 533

    Chapter 533

    ¡°Damn! This is not good.¡±

    Eliana was in a panic. When she saw the attendant of the bar, her first reaction was to find a ce to

    hide.

    She was scared that he would recognize her, so she immediately turned around. After all, she had

    been to the Imperial Golden Club many times and even got into big trouble.

    Fortunately, the attendant only came for Jennifer. Although he saw a familiar woman beside her, he

    didn¡¯t care that much. Countless guests came in and went out of the bar every day, and some of them

    were repeat customers. So it was not surprising that one or two of them would look familiar to the

    attendant.

    ¡°The guest in Room 3601 wants to see me? Who is it? And why?¡±

    Jennifer pursed her lips tightly, feeling a little scared.

    She knew what kind of a ce the Imperial Golden Club was. And she was a young woman, so she

    didn¡¯t dare to meet strangers casually.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense anymore. Hurry and go with me.¡±

    The attendant got impatient.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Jennifer wanted to say she didn¡¯t want to go, but the words were stuck in her throat.

    This time, Eliana couldn¡¯t y dumb anymore. She secretly took the mask from Jennifer¡¯s hand and

    put it on her face. Then she turned around and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with her. Is that okay?¡±

    It was difficult to go against the staff of the bar, so Jennifer had no choice. And Eliana couldn¡¯t leave

    Jennifer alone. If something happened, she might help Jennifer.

    She had already made trouble in the Imperial Golden Club several times. She had learned from her

    experiences here.

    Jennifer was stunned for a moment. Then she said anxiously, ¡°This is my business. You don¡¯t have

    to¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her words, Eliana held her hand, squeezed it gently, andforted her, ¡°Room

    3061 is just next to our private room. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±

    Jennifer didn¡¯t continue to resist anymore. With Eliana¡¯spany, she finally felt a little more at ease.

    So they walked towards Room 3601, hand in hand.

    ¡°Remember to act smart when you see the guestter, okay?¡±

    The attendant warned Eliana and Jennifer before pushing the door of Room 3601 open.

    Inside the private room, the atmosphere was very lively. Under the dim light, several scantily d and

    coquettish women with wine sses in their hands sat around a man, feeding wine to him. Behind

    them stood several bodyguards in ck.

    The man was obviously enjoying the women¡¯s attention. His big hands wandered on their plump

    breasts and bare thighs, making the scene iparably licentious.

    Eliana was stunned when she entered the private room and saw the man. It turned out that the man

    surrounded by those women was also someone she knew.

    He was Kelvin. The man who held a grudge against her.

    Indeed, what a small world!

    Eliana was about to sigh when Kelvin turned his head and noticed them.

    When he looked at Jennifer and Eliana up and down, he became lewdly interested in them.

    Jennifer¡¯s delicate and weak temperament satisfied him. As for Eliana, although he could only see half

    of her face because of the mask, he could say that she was hot ording to his sharp eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who yed the harp, right?¡± Kelvin asked, staring at them with lustful eyes. He then

    swallowed his saliva and added, ¡°You two,e here together.¡±

    He dismissed the women around him, deliberately leaving one empty seat on each side of him. Kelvin

    patted the empty seats. His meaning was self-evident.

    Eliana felt Jennifer¡¯s stiffness almost immediately. She silently held Jennifer¡¯s hand and squeezed it

    gently tofort her.

    The bodyguards inside the private room gave them so much pressure that they had no choice but to sit

    on each side of Kelvin.

    Now that they were closer to him, Kelvin suddenly felt that the masked woman looked a little familiar.

    But he was already tipsy, so he couldn¡¯t remember her.

    ¡°If you serve me well tonight, I will reward you handsomely.¡±

    Kelvin stretched out his left arm to wrap it around Jennifer¡¯s shoulders and tried to hold Eliana beside

    him with his right arm.

    He wanted both women to serve him? Could his body stand it?

    Eliana had long hated Kelvin because he was a lecher who wanted to take advantage of herst time.

    So today, she had to teach him a good lesson.

    At the thought of it, she came up with an idea.

    ¡°Sir, we can both serve you. But these big men behind us really look scary. Can you let them go out

    first so that we can perform well?¡±

    Eliana had a mask, so she believed that he wouldn¡¯t recognize her. She endured the disgust in her

    heart and approached to seduce him.

    As soon as Kelvin smelled the fragrance on Eliana¡¯s body, his mind was immediately filled with lust. He

    turned to the bodyguards behind him and said without hesitation, ¡°You go out and go far away. Don¡¯t

    disturb me.¡±

    No one from the bodyguards opposed him. They looked at each other and left the room knowingly.

    As soon as they left, the expression on Eliana¡¯s face under the mask immediately changed.

    Kevin turned to her and said, ¡°Pretty, let me see what you look like under the mask.¡±

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    He smiled obscenely and reached out, wanting to remove her mask.

 Chapter 534

    Chapter 534

    The next second, Eliana suddenly picked up the silk scarf on the sofa left behind by those hostesses

    and stuffed it right into Kelvin¡¯s mouth, gagging him.

    Then, before he could react, she picked up the ashtray on the table and smashed it over his head,

    using just enough force to knock him down and temporarily disorient him.

    ¡°You good-for-nothing scumbag, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson today!¡±

    Eliana shot up to her feet in a rage and gave the man lying on the floor a few hard kicks. It was only

    after venting her anger that she felt satisfied.

    Jennifer, who was stunned by the sight in front of her, stood rooted to the spot.

    ¡°Why are you standing there like a statute? Come on, beat him up! You don¡¯t need to go easy on a

    bastard like him!¡± Eliana shouted at Jennifer, trying to knock some sense into her.

    Swallowing hard, Jennifer blinked at Eliana. ¡°Can I?¡± she asked hesitantly.

    ¡°Why not? Come on, this is a rare opportunity,¡± Eliana urged.

    Jennifer looked at Kelvin, who was pathetically lying on the floor like a fish out of water. He was so

    drunk that he couldn¡¯t get up, and with the cloth stuffed in his mouth, he couldn¡¯t even make a sound.

    All of a sudden, a wave of courage took over Jennifer.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    The two women started to beat Kelvin up together.

    Outside, the bodyguards had no idea what was going on. They strolled through the club, talking and

    laughing.

    Just as Kelvin had told them, they intended to get far away from the private room.

    While walking along the corridor, they happened to meet Maurice, who came out to get some fresh air.

    Corbin was by his side as usual. Ever since Eliana¡¯s disappearance, Maurice had been like a bomb

    waiting to go off at any moment. Corbin had to tiptoe around him so as to not set him off.

    ¡°These men¡­ They look like Kelvin¡¯s men.¡±

    Instantly recognizing Kelvin¡¯s bodyguards, Corbin called over a waiter and inquired him about it. The

    waiter told him that Kelvin was also here today.

    Recalling how Kelvin had harassed Eliana before, Maurice felt a stab of irritation. ¡°What¡¯s he doing

    here?¡±

    Taken aback by Maurice¡¯s tone, the waiter gulped and answered with great respect, ¡°Mr. Stone asked

    for a harpist¡­¡±

    A harpist?

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but think of the female harpist he had met in Moon Lake Manor. It was because

    she was injured that Eliana had performed for her.

    Eliana again! Why couldn¡¯t he get her out of his mind?

    A humorless smirk appeared on Maurice¡¯s face. Since he had to be miserable, he wouldn¡¯t let anyone

    else be happy either.

    Especially if it was someone like¡­ Kelvin.

    ¡°Call the harpist outside. I will take her with me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The waiter didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but his heart sank.

    ¡°Just do as you are told,¡± Maurice snapped, and his face darkened.

    Sweat dripped from the waiter¡¯s forehead. His voice trembled as he protested, ¡°But sir, I can¡¯t just take

    her away. What should I say to Mr. Stone?¡±

    He was in a real dilemma as he couldn¡¯t afford to offend either Maurice or Kelvin.

    Corbin sighed, knowing that his boss was only acting this way because he missed Eliana too much.

    ¡°Just tell Kelvin that Mr. Moran wants her. He will let her go,¡± he instructed the waiter.

    Despite his trepidation, the waiter didn¡¯t dare to say anything more, so he went to knock on the door.

    At this time, in Room 3601, Eliana and Jennifer were having the time of their lives beating Kelvin up.

    After enduring the first round of beating, Kelvin was finally sober enough to resist. Struggling to his feet,

    he used all his strength to creep toward the door. But he had barely opened the door when he was

    violently pulled back by Eliana.

    In the corridor, all the waiters who happened to see this scene smiled knowingly.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the harpist would be this experienced. Mr. Stone must be having a lot of fun in

    there.¡±

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    Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t know that it wasn¡¯t Kelvin, but Eliana and Jennifer, who were having all the

    fun.

    Maurice, who was standing not far away, also caught a glimpse of this scene.

    Were his eyes deceiving him? The girl in the room looked like Eliana.

    But how could it be? She was probably trying her best to avoid bumping into him. Why would shee

    here?

    Maurice shook his head with a bitter smile, thinking that he must have had too many beers.

    After being dragged back into the room, Kelvin was beaten up again. Bearing the humiliation, he waited

    for the right moment and took the opportunity to pull off the mask on Eliana¡¯s face.

    Eliana was startled.

    As he looked at the face under the mask, the shock in Kelvin¡¯s eyes instantly turned to anger.

    He took out the cloth from his mouth and shouted, ¡°Eliana¡­ Eliana Pierce!¡±

    Damn it, her identity was revealed!

    In a panic, Eliana squatted down and picked up the mask to cover her face again.

    But the next second, the door was pushed open, and someone barged in.

 Chapter 535

    Chapter 535

    Maurice stared at the room number. Room 3601. He reached for the doorknob, turned it and walked

    into the room.

    He was taken aback by the ludicrous scene before him.

    Kelvin was on the floor. He had obviously drunk a lot of wine as he was reeking of alcohol. His hair was

    disheveled and his clothes were in disarray. But what was utterly absurd was he was being beaten by

    two women!

    He felt a presence and looked up. His face was wet with tears. The expression on his face changed,

    like he had seen his savior in Maurice.

    He struggled to speak. ¡°Mr¡­Moran! Thank God¡­ You¡¯re here¡­ Please¡­ Help me! They¡¯re¡­¡±

    Kelvin could no longer utter another word. And then, he fainted.

    What was this man doing here?

    Eliana stiffened when she heard Maurice¡¯s name. She was so frightened that she crouched on the floor

    and dared not move.

    He shouldn¡¯t see her! He shouldn¡¯t see her!

    Meanwhile, Jennifer looked at Maurice in shock, mouth agape. It was her first time doing something

    bad like this. ¡°Mr. Moran,¡± she blurted out. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s him¡­ He attacked us first!¡±

    Maurice looked like he didn¡¯t hear the scared voice of Jennifer. The unconscious Kelvin didn¡¯t even

    seem to move him. It was the crouched figure on the floor that held his attention.

    His face darkened as he tried to suppress his emotions. He took purposeful steps towards the figure.

    Seeing that there was no way to escape Maurice, Eliana forced herself out of her shock. She took a

    deep breath and quickly adjusted her mask. She stood up, smiling awkwardly at Maurice. ¡°Mr. Moran,

    it¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m a friend of Jennifer,¡± she said, trying to control the quiver in her voice. ¡°It was

    just a misunderstanding¡­ Really, a misunderstanding!¡±

    Saying nothing, Maurice just stared at the masked face of Eliana.

    The atmosphere was getting more depressing that it could have been cut with a stic knife. Eliana

    could feel her state of mind nearing copse.

    Ah! How unlucky she was!

    She was seething with anger so she thought of venting it out to Kelvin, beating him up, and then

    running away. She didn¡¯t expect to see Maurice again and now she didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do.

    She couldn¡¯t tell if he had recognized her.

    Eliana felt a bit forlorn but she didn¡¯t show it on her face.

    Maurice looked at her intently and then took his eyes off her to look at Jennifer.

    ¡°You should have known that someone has to own up to beat him up,¡± Maurice glowered at her. ¡°So, I¡¯ll

    leave you and your friend to the bodyguards of the Stone family.¡±

    No!¡± Jennifer gasped. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    This was not the n. This was not how she thought it would be. Now, the bodyguards of the Stone

    family would have her and Eliana done for. Eliana shouldn¡¯t be dragged into trouble with her.

    Jennifer thought fast. After weighing things, she made up her mind. Looking at Maurice straight in the

    eyes, she asked, ¡°Mr. Moran, tell me. What should we do to make you change your mind and help us?¡±

    Maurice just sneered at Jennifer, who couldn¡¯t hide her shuddering. He walked towards her, and then

    he held her chin and forced her to raise her head.

    ¡°I can ask you to do something¡­ Just one thing. Come with me, and I will help you¡­ her¡­ both of

    you,¡± he answered in a smug tone. ¡°Otherwise¡­¡±

    The implication in his words could not be more obvious.

    While Maurice was ambiguous in his words, his eyes were cold. He seemed to be staring at Jennifer,

    but he was actually ring at Eliana from the corner of his eye.

    Jennifer didn¡¯t notice how Maurice was looking at them. All she knew was she was intimidated by the

    man¡¯s powerful aura that she couldn¡¯t move at all.

    Things had gone too far, and she had no other choice.

    ¡°I¡­ I agree.¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t believe how things were turning out.

    Maurice wanted Eliana to react and say something but she didn¡¯t. This only made him more furious.

    ¡°Keep in mind that you¡¯ve said it yourself.¡±

    Without saying another word, Maurice pulled Jennifer out of the room.

    It was only at this moment that Eliana came to her senses. Without thinking, she followed Maurice and

    Jennifer.

    She stopped in her tracks when she reached the door. Corbin was blocking her way.

    Corbin reminded her, ¡°Miss, Mr. Moran didn¡¯t mean that you, too, shoulde with him. You don¡¯t have

    to follow them.¡±

    Behind her mask, Eliana could only stare at Corbin with her eyes wide open. She couldn¡¯t expose her

    identity. She became anxious that she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    Maurice heard Corbin stopping Eliana. He turned around to look at them. In a deep voice, he said, ¡°It¡¯s

    okay, Corbin. Let her go with us. I need someone to pour wine for me.¡±

    Eliana slightly nodded her head. He had allowed her toe with them.

    Was Maurice letting her in so easily?

    Corbin looked confusedly at the masked Eliana, his mouth open but lost for words.

    He felt something was wrong. This woman in the mask¡­ Her back looked so familiar.

    Reaching his private room, Maurice forcibly pulled the pale Jennifer to his side.

    He put his arms around her waist in an intimate posture.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t control herself. She felt a green monster had bitten her heart. She gasped audibly.

    What a horrible man he was!

    It hadn¡¯t been long since she left him. And here was¡­ His arms around Jennifer¡¯s waist! How could he

    forget her so soon?

    Eliana was awash with jealousy! Yet, she couldn¡¯t do anything to stop Maurice.

    It was she who decided to leave him. Even if she revealed herself now to Maurice, it seemed that she

    had no right to be jealous.

    They had already broken up.

 Chapter 536

    Chapter 536

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and pour me some wine,¡± Maurice ordered gruffly, ring at the

    masked woman who was in a daze. A cunning light shed across his eyes.

    ¡°Yes, okay.¡±

    Even though Eliana was reluctant, she had no choice but to y along in order to keep her identity a

    secret.

    She picked up the wine bottle with one hand and, subconsciously, the wine decanter with the other,

    since that was how Maurice liked to be served his wine.

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    While pouring the wine into the decanter, Eliana raised her head only to be met with the sight of

    Maurice holding Jennifer in his arms and lowering his head, as if he was going to kiss her.

    He was going too far!

    Blinded by rage, Eliana swung the decanter forward towards Maurice, spilling red wine all over his

    clothes.

    The moment she regained her senses, however, she knew that she was doomed.

    It was toote to regret her recklessness now.

    Letting go off Jennifer, Maurice slowly looked down at his wine-stained clothes. His face was calm, but

    it was clear to see from the coldness in his eyes that he was seething on the inside. Somehow, his

    silence almost scared Eliana to death.

    Jennifer was also frightened, so much so that tears welled up in her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Eliana said in a hurry, picking up the napkin on the table and trying to dab

    Maurice¡¯s shirt with it. ¡°Let me clean it up.¡±

    But Maurice took a step back and waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    Eliana swallowed hard and lowered her head, wishing that she could bury herself in a hole.

    Maurice stared coldly at her. He wanted nothing more than to rip the mask off her face and teach her a

    good lesson.

    The truth was, he had recognized her as soon as he had caught a glimpse of her from outside Kelvin¡¯s

    private room. What was the use of her wearing a mask? He was still able to recognize her.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that she actually thought she could hide from him. In order to provoke her into

    revealing her identity, he deliberately made a move on Jennifer.

    But to his dismay, Eliana insisted on putting on an act till the very end.

    Disappointed with her reaction, he snapped, ¡°Get out of here!¡±

    He was afraid that if he looked at Eliana¡¯s face for even a second longer, he would drag her home and

    lock her up there.

    Eliana set down the wine bottle shakily and nced at Jennifer, whose face was as white as a sheet.

    ¡°What about her?¡±

    ¡°Get out with her!¡± Maurice scoffed in disbelief.

    With his permission, Eliana immediately grasped Jennifer¡¯s hand and bolted out of the room.

    Maurice was left alone in the room, with a gloomy look on his face.

    Outside the door, Corbin watched in confusion as the two women sprinted away, as if they were

    running for their lives.

    What was going on?

    Corbin walked in and saw that his boss had taken off his coat and begun to drink alone. Strangely

    enough, his clothes were stained with wine.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, what happened just now?¡±

    Maurice raised his ss and gave him a humorless gaze. ¡°You didn¡¯t recognize her?¡±

    Corbin exhaled a sigh.

    ¡°I did,¡± he admitted.

    Even if Corbin didn¡¯t recognize her on his own, he would have put two and two together after seeing his

    boss like this.

    The only woman who could bring out such a reaction from Maurice was Eliana.

    As soon as Corbin had realized that the masked woman must be Eliana, he had done a little

    investigation and found something interesting.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it seems that Eliana came here with a group of men and some contracts. She must have

    come to the Imperial Golden Club for a social engagement.¡±

    With a loud bang, Maurice smashed the ss in his hand onto the table.

    Was Eliana¡¯s idea of socializing to take some men to drink in the Imperial Golden Club?

    Had that woman gone to such lengths to escape from him only to live a damned life like this?

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened.

    Meanwhile, it was only after getting away from the private room that Eliana and Jennifer slowed to a

    stop and caught their breaths.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all right now.¡±

    Eliana patted her chest, as if she was reassuring herself.

    What an awful day! Why did she have to face problem after problem?

    Jennifer, on the other hand, was deeply touched. ¡°Thank you for helping me just now, Eliana.¡±

    ¡°Oh no. In fact, I should be saying sorry to you,¡± Eliana said, waving her hands.

    Somehow, she felt that Maurice¡¯s ill treatment of Jennifer had something to do with her.

    But Jennifer refused to let Eliana take the me. ¡°No! If it weren¡¯t for you, something might have

    happened to me. But¡­¡±

    She paused for a moment, with a hesitant expression on her face.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Eliana asked.

    Pursing her lips, Jennifer replied, ¡°There¡¯s something off about Mr. Moran today, Eliana. I don¡¯t think he

    is a bad guy or a yboy. What happened between you and him? Weren¡¯t you dating each other? Did

    something bad happen?¡±

 Chapter 537

    Chapter 537

    Noticing Eliana didn¡¯t seem so well, Jennifer didn¡¯t ask any more questions.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough about me. However, you should be cautious next time. It¡¯d be best for you not to

    perform in this kind of ce anymore. If you encounter a scumbag like Kelvin again, you will be done

    for!¡± Eliana said honestly.

    Her face clouded with embarrassment, Jennifer muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice, Eliana¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you facing any difficulties?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t refrain from asking.

    Perhaps it was due to Eliana¡¯s selfless help that Jennifer finally poured out her heart. She shared with

    Eliana all her unspeakable thoughts.

    ¡°My parents died early, Eliana. My sole younger brother and I are left in the world. However, my brother

    has heart disease. I need to cure him, but my family already has no money. Still, as his sister, how can

    I give him up?! I need money, a huge amount of money¡­ so¡­¡± Jennifer said, her voice choking.

    s¡­ There were different problems to each family. Eliana felt pity for this woman who had a rough

    life, but she could not help her forever.

    ¡°I understand, Jennifer. I¡¯ll stop bugging you, but you have to remember, take caution! Kelvin, that guy,

    he¡¯s not a good person. You¡¯d better avoid him from now on. You were lucky today to have met me

    and¡­ Maurice. However, you wouldn¡¯t be let off the hook so easily next time.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I know, Eliana.¡±

    After telling Jennifer goodbye, Eliana rushed to her private room, afraid that something bad would

    happen.

    The workers in the private room were sitting sincerely and happily drinking. Almost all the renewal

    contracts had been sighed.

    Various workers poured out their troubles due to being drunk and emotional. They embraced each

    other and chatted freely. Many of them were saying their wives were very strict, and they couldn¡¯te

    to such a ce on a normal day.

    Bernard had remained sober. He joked with a ss of wine in his hands, ¡°Ha, you know nothing! Living

    a routine life is not that bad. Men who are good to their wives are the only ones who can live a peaceful

    life.¡±

    Quietly listening to the senior employees¡¯ conversation, Eliana rted to their state of mind. She could

    not stop herself from sighing.

    It appeared that time could really cause people to change a lot. They were really old. They were once

    ambitious middle-aged men, but now all they wanted now was to live a peaceful life. They no longer

    possessed the energy and drive they used to have when they were young.

    Eliana thought of her parents. If they had lived through that year, perhaps they would also be like this¡­

    Time flew by very fast and the gathering ended. After the workers had a good time, Eliana went

    downstairs to pay the bill.

    However, when she got the bill, her eyes immediately widened in incredulity. She was really shocked

    by the amount on the bill.

    ¡°Eighty one thousand dors! Why is it costing so much?¡±

    The Imperial Golden Club cashier told her the truth. ¡°Most of the wine you ordered tonight was very

    expensive, miss. Plus, you ordered various bottles in a row. Also, yourpanions were drunk andContent provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    threw up. You have to pay for the cleaning fee because they dirtied our bar.¡±

    Taking a closer look at the bill, Eliana noticed there was truly a cleaning fee on it. However, she soon

    discovered that there was an issue. Why was she charged for so much?

    ¡°That¡¯s not correct. Even though it¡¯s remuneration, it shouldn¡¯t be that much, right? Isn¡¯t this cheating?¡±

    The bar cashier coldly responded, ¡°This price was initially set by our boss. If you have any objections,

    please feel free to talk to the boss.¡±

    All of a sudden, Eliana went quiet. Her people had trashed someone¡¯s ce, and after that, she felt it

    was costly and needed to find the boss to argue with. She couldn¡¯t do something like that. Eventually,

    she gritted her teeth and paid the money, but, she had a gnawing feeling that she was being swindled.

    As a matter of fact, Eliana¡¯s intuition was correct. At that point, a person was looking forward to her

    coming to quarrel with him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, are you sure Eliana ising?¡± After waiting in the private room for a while, Corbin found

    that no one came up. He stared at the man helplessly sitting on the sofa.

    As time passed, the person he had been expecting didn¡¯te to the private room. Maurice¡¯s face was

    clouded with darkness. He couldn¡¯t help but sneer in the end as he said, ¡°It appears that this woman

    has money to throw away right now. She doesn¡¯t care about such trifling amounts!¡±

    Corbin was unable to keep from shivering.

    It was over for Eliana! Mr. Moran was in an intense rage. It appears there was no way to end the matter

    easily¡­ Eliana could only hope that she was lucky enough.

 Chapter 538

    Chapter 538

    Corbin couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t Eliana always hesitate over a little money? Since she has to

    pay so much this time, is she gonna do nothing about it?¡±

    ¡°Of course, she doesn¡¯t have to worry about money anymore,¡± Maurice replied with a sneer on his face.

    ¡°Jonathan will back her up.¡±

    Whenever he thought of the rtionship between Jonathan and Eliana, he would feel like there was a

    small, sad stone in his throat.

    Corbin shook his head. He just felt that there was something wrong.

    ¡°You know what I think, Mr. Moran?¡± Corbin said in all honesty. ¡°It¡¯s actually the opposite.¡±

    Maurice raised an eyebrow. ¡°The opposite?¡± he asked in a mocking tone. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I think Eliana didn¡¯t run away with Jonathan. Or else, why would he let her entertain those people in

    the bar?¡± Corbin said after figuring out what was wrong with the matter.

    Maurice looked at Corbin thoughtfully and soon his anger faded away a little.

    Corbin¡¯s statement made sense.

    Eliana didn¡¯t run away because there was another man¡­

    Maurice smiled at the thought of it. He was beginning to feel better.

    And now he had found her. He could just y along with her.

    Meanwhile, Eliana thought that her real identity was still safe from Maurice.

    She spent her whole day running for the factory. At the Imperial Golden Club, she had to deal with

    Maurice and Kelvin, a challenge of wisdom and courage. And finally, she had spent a huge amount of

    money. By the end of the day, she was physically tired and mentally exhausted.

    Eliana returned home.

    Nana greeted her and then covered her nose to let Eliana know that she could smell the alcohol from

    her. ¡°Where have you been? Why do I smell alcohol on you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Eliana smiled bitterly at Nana. ¡°I went to the Imperial Golden Club.¡±

    ¡°The Imperial Golden Club?¡± Nana said in consternation. ¡°Why did you go there? You could have been

    seen by someone you know.¡±

    Eliana just kept quiet. It was really unfortunate that she met not just one acquaintance.

    But¡­

    ¡°Nana!¡± Eliana grabbed Nana¡¯s hand and said urgently, ¡°You must control Corbin. Don¡¯t let him go to

    the bar with Maurice. He will be misled sooner orter.¡±

    ¡°Eliana, what are you talking about?¡±

    Upon hearing Eliana¡¯s words, Nana¡¯s face flushed. Her anger brewing up, she said, ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t you

    ever say that asshole¡¯s name to me. He makes my blood boil!¡±

    She hadn¡¯t contacted Corbin for a long time. It took her some time to muster the courage to call him

    using her new phone number. She wanted to inform him of her safety.

    But that guy instead lost his temper with her. He used her of leaving with Eliana without discussing

    it with him. He said that it was irresponsible of her to do that.

    What he said made her furious, and she wouldn¡¯t let it pass. She answered him back rather sharply.

    And so ensued a big quarrel which ended up in discord.

    For the next few days, she was livid that she found it hard to sleep at night.

    Seeing that Nana was seething, Eliana realized that she was in a fight with Corbin.

    ¡°Nana, I know you and understand where you¡¯reing from,¡± Eliana said thoughtfully. ¡°And I also

    know that Corbin is not a bad guy. He just cares about you. Don¡¯t be too harsh on him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Eliana smiled bitterly at Nana. ¡°I went to the Imperial Golden Club.¡±

    Eliana had to remind herself that it was not her ce to meddle in affairs between lovers. So she went

    to wash herself up and get ready for bed.

    She was fine now, but Nana was in a mess the living room¡­ Alone.

    Nana remembered thest time she had called Corbin. She was chilly, and almost acrimonious.

    Should she call him again?

    She thought for a while and before she knew it, she was already tapping the dial pad of her cellphone

    to call Corbin.

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Corbin was still at the Imperial Golden Club with Maurice when his phone rang.

    He took out his phone and looked at the caller ID. His face changed seeing the name of the caller.

    Darn! Why was Nana calling him now? Why didn¡¯t she call him earlier or eventer? Why now?

    Even when Maurice had drunk a great deal, he could still sense that something had bothered Corbin

    when his phone rang.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Who is calling you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Just a spam call. I¡¯ll take care of this right away.¡±

    With Maurice watching him, Corbin felt that he should take the call.

    ¡°Hey, you! How many times do I have to tell you not to call me again?¡± Corbin growled on the phone.

    Nana was aghast! She was at the receiving end of his torrent of abuse even before she could say

    anything.

    The anger she had been suppressing exploded.

    ¡°Corbin! You asshole!¡± Nana was holding her phone tightly, shaking with anger. ¡°I¡­ will¡­ never¡­

    call¡­ again!¡± she said, punctuating every word with her

 Chapter 539

    Chapter 539

    The next doy, Eliono woke up, looking tired. Getting up from the bed os if in o tussle with herself, she

    thought of how her kids were to stort ot the new kindergorten todoy ond immediotely be olert.

    As they stepped out ofter their preporotions, the twins, especiolly Aileen, were not in ony woy excited

    obout going to their new school. She wos one to moke these trips to school in high spirits ond would

    romble on excitedly, but now, she wolked on with her heod bowed in despoir.

    Eliono kept reeling off codes of conduct to the twins os they wolked on, until they got to the gote of the

    new school. She couldn¡¯t beor the lock of enthusiosm on Aileen¡¯s foce os she looked ot her, ond so

    crouching beside her, she soid, ¡°Aileen, it¡¯s just o chonge of school. It¡¯s not so bod¡­ I know you will

    moke new friends here soon becouse, my boby, you ore so odoroble.¡±

    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.

    Aileen roised her heod os she looked ot Eliono ond nodded gently. ¡°I know. I will cheer up, Mommy.¡±

    Adrion potted his chest ond promised, ¡°I will toke good core of Aileen, Mommy. I won¡¯t let onyone bully

    her.¡±

    Sotisfied, Eliono touched the twins¡¯ heods ond sent them inside. She left only ofter she wos sure they

    hod both entered the clossroom.

    However, ofter the twins entered the closs, they immediotely storted o conversotion.

    ¡°Adrion, hove you contocted Silos?¡± Aileen osked in o low voice.

    ¡°Aileen, I con¡¯t do such o thing now,¡± Adrion soid with o look of seriousness.

    ¡°Why?¡± Aileen osked, tilting her heod in confusion.

    Adrion exploined, ¡°Silly, I suspect thot Mommy¡¯s obrupt decision to move from the former house hos

    something to do with Silos¡¯ bod uncle this time. So I con¡¯t contoct him now. Whot if his uncle finds out?¡±

    The next day, Eliana woke up, looking tired. Getting up from the bed as if in a tussle with herself, she

    thought of how her kids were to start at the new kindergarten today and immediately became alert.

    As they stepped out after their preparations, the twins, especially Aileen, were not in any way excited

    about going to their new school. She was one to make these trips to school in high spirits and would

    ramble on excitedly, but now, she walked on with her head bowed in despair.

    Eliana kept reeling off codes of conduct to the twins as they walked on, until they got to the gate of the

    new school. She couldn¡¯t bear theck of enthusiasm on Aileen¡¯s face as she looked at her, and so

    crouching beside her, she said, ¡°Aileen, it¡¯s just a change of school. It¡¯s not so bad¡­ I know you will

    make new friends here soon because, my baby, you are so adorable.¡±

    Aileen raised her head as she looked at Eliana and nodded gently. ¡°I know. I will cheer up, Mommy.¡±

    Adrian patted his chest and promised, ¡°I will take good care of Aileen, Mommy. I won¡¯t let anyone bully

    her.¡±

    Satisfied, Eliana touched the twins¡¯ heads and sent them inside. She left only after she was sure they

    had both entered the ssroom.

    However, after the twins entered the ss, they immediately started a conversation.

    ¡°Adrian, have you contacted Ss?¡± Aileen asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Aileen, I can¡¯t do such a thing now,¡± Adrian said with a look of seriousness.

    ¡°Why?¡± Aileen asked, tilting her head in confusion.

    Adrian exined, ¡°Silly, I suspect that Mommy¡¯s abrupt decision to move from the former house has

    something to do with Ss¡¯ bad uncle this time. So I can¡¯t contact him now. What if his uncle finds out?¡±

    Aileen obviously didn¡¯t understand Adrian¡¯s point, so she said innocently, ¡°Then we can ask Ss to

    keep it a secret. I believe he won¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±

    Adrian was quiet for a while. He always thought it too dangerous to contact Ss, but he couldn¡¯t refute

    what Aileen just said.

    ¡°Adrian, you¡¯re not saying anything, which means you agree, right? I will dial his number now.¡± Aileen

    dialed Ss¡¯ number immediately with her smart watch.

    Ss¡¯ voice came from the other end as soon as the call connected. ¡°Hello, Aileen and Adrian, you

    finally decided to call me. I miss you both so much. Where are you now?¡±

    Aileen was about to tell him where they were when Adrian, being cautious, interrupted her. ¡°It¡¯s not

    fitting to talk about it on the phone. We should talk in private.¡±

    Ss agreed without hesitation, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Adrian thought for a while and added, ¡°Ss, please do not let the adults know that we are calling you,

    okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t tell them,¡± Ss promised immediately.

    Adrian breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°See you this afternoon then.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ss agreed.

    Both of them rapidly concluded the conversation.

    Aileen pouted with dissatisfaction because even though she was standing beside Adrian, she was

    unable to slide in a word into their conversation.

    Aileen obviously didn¡¯t understand Adrian¡¯s point, so she said innocently, ¡°Then we can ask Ss to

    keep it a secret. I believe he won¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±

    Right after sending the twins to kindergarten, Eliana sprang into her work for the day. She took the

    contracts signed by the workers to Rosamond, so she could check it.

    As Rosamond took a look at the contracts Eliana gave her, she began to have a more respectable

    opinion of her.

    ¡°Eliana, you did a fantastic job this time.¡± She didn¡¯t expect that Eliana would also be good in business

    just as she was talented at jewelry design.

    Eliana felt somewhat embarrassed hearing Rosamond say those words, so she said, ¡°Miss Deleon,

    please do not tter me. I¡¯ve still gotten a lot to learn.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to belittle yourself. It¡¯s hard to deal with those old foxes. Since you can handle

    them, it means you have the ability. Moran Group has handed over the bracelet project to the factory,

    so this time just go ahead and do a good job with this project.¡± Rosamond handed over the bracelet

    contract to Eliana with a smile.

    Eliana was filled with mixed feelings as she collected the contract. She remembered thest time she

    came to the factory with the contract on behalf of the Moran Group. Now, she had be the

    representative of the factory. It showed that life was really unpredictable.

    Eliana felt happy, as well as a bit worried. Would she be so unlucky to meet Maurice again now that he

    might have returned to the Moran Group?

    On second thought, she refused to give in to her worries. Maurice was the CEO of the Moran Group

    and as such wouldn¡¯t bother with small projects such as this one. Or would he?

 Chapter 540

    Chapter 540

    Eliana took the documents about the bracelet to the factory.

    As soon as Brevard saw her arrive, he ran over to Eliana and said, ¡°Eliana, what took you so long? The

    lady from the Moran Group has been waiting for you.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org content rights.

    Unlike Brevard who was very anxious, Eliana looked very calm. She looked at the man in front of her

    and said, ¡°Mr. Wace, why are you so nervous? Take me to her.¡±

    Brevard was stunned for a while. Then, he came back to his senses and walked Eliana to the door of

    the meeting room.

    It was the first time that Eliana would discuss business directly with someone from the Moran Group.

    Although she looked calm on the surface, deep down, she was a little nervous.

    She took a deep breath and opened the door.

    The representative of the Moran Group in the meeting room turned around as soon as she heard the

    door open.

    ¡°Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Lucia?¡±

    The two women eximed at the same time.

    It turned out it was Lucia who came to the factory to negotiate business.

    ¡°Eliana, where have you been these days? Do you know I¡¯ve been looking for you?¡±

    Lucia was so excited when she saw Eliana, that she rushed over and hugged her.

    Eliana was still in a daze. When she came to her senses, she hugged Lucia back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry about me!¡± Eliana said in a low voice.

    Lucia finally let go of her. However, she kept asking her questions. ¡°Eliana, where do you live now?

    Howe you are now the representative of this factory? By the way¡­¡±

    Lucia asked Eliana so many questions at once that Eliana didn¡¯t know which one to answer first. So

    she interrupted Lucia.

    ¡°Lucia, calm down, let me talk first.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry. I was too excited just now.¡±

    Lucia managed to calm down.

    ¡°After I left¡­¡± Eliana hesitated for a while before continuing, ¡°Did Earle keep his promise? Did

    Maurice¡­¡±

    However, she couldn¡¯t ask directly what she had in mind. She was afraid that if she said too much, she

    couldn¡¯t suppress her feelings for Maurice anymore.

    Fortunately, Lucia understood what Eliana meant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Moran did keep his promise and

    gave Maurice everything back.¡±

    Eliana felt relieved when she heard Lucia¡¯s words, and she couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    She was d that she didn¡¯t cause any trouble for Maurice this time.

    Lucia turned to look at Brevard who was standing at the door in a daze, and said, ¡°You can leave now. I

    have something to talk with Miss Pierce alone.¡±

    Then, she took Eliana¡¯s hand and walked her to the sofa. The two of them sat down on the sofa. Lucia

    didn¡¯t seem to be here on business, but seemed to be here to take Eliana away.

    ¡°Eliana, since Maurice is once again the CEO of the Moran Group, will youe back?¡± Lucia asked

    seriously.

    Eliana shook her head firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t. You know the reason.¡±

    Lucia pouted unhappily and lowered her head. She looked disappointed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. Even though I can¡¯t go back, we can still work together on several projects. We¡¯d better

    finish this bracelet project as soon as possible,¡± Eliana said with a cheerful smile. ¡°By the way, don¡¯t tell

    anyone that I¡¯m working in the factory now, okay?¡±

    Lucia hesitated for a while and finally agreed, ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    The two of them were about to start talking business when Eliana¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    She took out her phone and nced at the screen. It was Jennifer. Last night, she gave her phone

    number to Jennifer because she was worried about her.

    She didn¡¯t expect Jennifer to call her so soon. Was anything wrong?

    Eliana immediately answered the phone.

    However, she couldn¡¯t ask directly what she had in mind. She was afraid that if she said too much, she

    couldn¡¯t suppress her feelings for Maurice anymore.

    Jennifer¡¯s crying voice soon rang out. ¡°Eliana, bad news¡­¡± Jennifer said in sobs.

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She asked in a hurry, ¡°Jennifer, what happened? Don¡¯t cry. Take your

    time and tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I was working in the Imperial Golden Club today when¡­ some people from the Stone family

    showed up. They¡­ They have trapped me in the club! What should I do?¡± Jennifer exined in a

    choked voice.

    Damn it!

    Jennifer was in big trouble.

    Eliana should have expected that the scumbag Kelvin, would definitely take revenge on Jennifer. She

    should have firmly asked Jennifer to leave the clubst night!

    But now wasn¡¯t the time for regrets.

    Eliana quickly stood up from the sofa. She had to go to the club!

    ¡°Lucia, can you wait for me here? There¡¯s something urgent I have to go out to deal with it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t have time to exin to Lucia. After saying that, she rushed out.

    Brevard, who was standing at the door, was stunned to see Eliana rush out anxiously. He thought

    something must have happened, so he asked immediately ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did the negotiations go

    badly?¡±

    ¡°No. I have something urgent to deal with at the Imperial Golden Club now. I leave this project to you.¡±

    This was a real headache.

    Brevard was stunned. He asked again, ¡°What happened? Is it that we spent too much moneyst night

    and you didn¡¯t have enough money to pay for it?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry when she heard his assumption.

    ¡°No. Something happened to a friend of mine.¡±

    Upon hearing Eliana¡¯s brief exnation, Brevard¡¯s face changed. He had more social experiences.

    So heforted Eliana, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll call some people to go with you, Okay?¡±

 Chapter 541

    Chapter 541

    Eliana¡¯s eyes brightened as she heard Brevard¡¯s suggestion. She had been distressed about the

    thought of going alone. If she brought many factory workers with her though, she would have the

    courage to fight the Stone family.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Wace, call some strong guys, and we¡¯ll go over there together.¡±

    They then hurried to the Imperial Golden Club. As they got there, a lot of customers were stunned and

    assumed they¡¯de to cause trouble.

    Eliana felt a bit of guilt creep up on her as she stood at the door. Mostly due to her fear of meeting

    Maurice here. However, Jennifer was facing an emergency at that moment, and she had no time to

    overthink. She covered up her face and stepped in. Unfortunately, it was futile. The staff had spotted

    her already and instantly sent word to Maurice.

    Maurice at that moment had been holding a meeting in the Moran Group. Surprisingly, in the middle of

    the meeting, he was informed that Eliana returned to the Imperial Golden Club. How did she have the

    guts to return? Didn¡¯t she run from him? She should have been avoiding him since she was running

    from him. Why did she keep appearing in his ce?

    Rubbing his aching temples, Maurice said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about this woman from

    now on.¡±

    The staff trembled at the other end of the phone and wanted to subconsciously shut up, but he recalled

    what Corbin had told him before. He could only grit his teeth and continue, ¡°Sir, Mr. Stone is present

    here as well, and I guess Miss Pierce came here because of him. She has messed with Mr. Stone¡­¡±

    Maurice impatiently cut him short. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to hear anything about her!¡± He was so full of

    rage that he stood up from his seat and stormed off toward the door.

    Harriet was coincidentally also present today. She had put her hand in the fight between Gerald and

    Mauricest time and taken Gerald¡¯s side. She had been wondering how to make up with Maurice after

    he regained control over the Moran Group.

    As she saw Maurice leave the meeting all of a sudden after he received a phone call, Harriet hurriedly

    got up and trailed after him to ask. ¡°Mr. Moran, hold on. What¡¯s the matter? Did something happen?¡±

    Maurice stopped all of a sudden. Harriet was startled by his sudden stop, and simultaneously, a

    glimmer of hope rose in her heart. It appeared he didn¡¯t hate her for what she had done to Eliana.

    Perhaps she still had a chance¡­

    Maurice turned around and stared at Harriet with an expressionless look on his face. ¡°How has your

    uncle been faring these days, Miss Stone?¡±

    The staff trembled at the other end of the phone and wanted to subconsciously shut up, but he recalled

    what Corbin had told him before. He could only grit his teeth and continue, ¡°Sir, Mr. Stone is present

    here as well, and I guess Miss Pierce came here because of him. She has messed with Mr. Stone¡­¡±

    Harriet instantly responded, ¡°Mr. Moran, you have no need to worry. After that incident, my uncle has

    been doing a lot of thinking at home and hasn¡¯t stepped out.¡±

    She kept lying. Maurice would have been deceived by the sincere look on her face as she said this, if

    he hadn¡¯t seen Kelvin in the clubst night.

    ¡°Since your uncle has been thinking a lot at home, you should return to keep himpany. Go home,

    you don¡¯t have toe to work from now on.¡±

    He was firing Harriet? Immediately after he finished speaking, the meeting room was in an uproar.

    Some delighted in Harriet¡¯s misfortune, some pitied her, and the remaining were scared they would beN?velDrama.Org content rights.

    implicated¡­

    Harriet was shocked to hear this. When she came back to senses, her face had be ghastly pale.

    Maurice disgraced her in front of so many people. The discussion of the crowd and their prying eyes

    were like a knife stabbing into her heart. She wished she could dig a hole and hide in it.

    In the Imperial Golden Club, Eliana had finally found Jennifer. Things didn¡¯t look good, however.

    Jennifer was being pressed to the floor by Kelvin¡¯s people.

 Chapter 542

    Chapter 542

    With a shout, Eliana rushed over and shoved the bodyguards who were pressing Jennifer on the floor.

    One of the bodyguards looked back at Kelvin, who nodded. The bodyguards all stepped back and let

    go of Jennifer.

    Eliana immediately helped Jennifer, whose clothes were disheveled and face was covered in tears,

    stand up. Then she asked anxiously, ¡°How are you? Are you all right? What did they do to you?¡±

    Jennifer just trembled and hugged her as tears poured down her face.

    As she hugged Jennifer, Eliana was racked with guilt.

    If it weren¡¯t for her, Jennifer wouldn¡¯t have suffered like this.

    ¡°Eliana, my brother¡­the hospital¡­¡±

    Choking on sobs, Jennifer couldn¡¯t form aplete sentence.

    But it was clear to Eliana that she was worried about her brother¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s fine. After all, the hospital is a public ce. The Stones wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything

    to him there.¡±

    Jennifer calmed down after hearing these words, although tears still streamed down her face.

    ¡°Eliana, you shouldn¡¯t havee here¡­ He just wanted to use me to trick you intoing here. I am

    sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is his usual trick. He won¡¯t do anything to me. He always bluffs.¡±

    With a bitter smile, Elianaforted Jennifer, but in her heart, she wasn¡¯t sure what Kelvin would do

    this time.

    Since Eliana had arrived, Kelvin¡¯s eyes had been fixed on her. The emotion in his eyes changed from

    anger to contempt and then to lust.

    ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s really you! How dare youe here?¡±

    Eliana nced at Kelvin, who was sitting on the sofa, for the first time. After seeing him, she couldn¡¯t

    help butugh out loud.

    Kelvin must have thought he looked fierce and intimidating. However, apanied by his bruised and

    swollen face, his words seemed extremely funny.

    ¡°Mr. Stone, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why can¡¯t I be here?¡±

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    Eliana had never regretted beating up him who was a lecher. She just felt sorry that she had gotten

    Jennifer involved.

    Irritated by herck of fear, Kelvin stood up and roared, ¡°You¡¯d better be careful, Eliana Pierce! You

    don¡¯t have Maurice to protect you now! Without him, you are nothing. Come on, let¡¯s settle all of our

    grudges today!¡±

    Kelvin gave his men a look, and the bodyguards slowly surrounded Eliana.

    Eliana grew a bit flustered.

    It seemed like Kelvin was serious. What should they do now?

    She looked at Jennifer, whose face had gone white, and shouted, ¡°Wait! She is innocent and has

    nothing to do with our grudges. Let her go.¡±

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Jennifer suddenly shouted. Her eyes widened in shock.

    Eliana had one hand on Jennifer¡¯s and was quietly reaching to take out her phone with the other. She

    nned to inform Brevard and the workers, who were waiting at the door.

    Unfortunately, the bodyguards had caught onto her n. A strong guard rushed forward, grabbed

    Eliana¡¯s phone, and handed it to Kelvin before she had time to react.

    ¡°Quit trying to be a hero.¡± Kelvin sneered, Eliana¡¯s phone clutched tightly in his hand.

    With a serious look on her face, Eliana stood between him and Jennifer.

    ¡°However.¡± Kelvin made a show of slowly looking Eliana up and down, and then said, ¡°If you give me

    what I want, I can let her go. She¡¯s not as sexy as you.¡±

    Not only was Eliana beautiful, but she was a woman that not even Maurice could resist.

    Kelvin must have thought he looked fierce and intimidating. However, apanied by his bruised and

    swollen face, his words seemed extremely funny.

    Imagining having a taste of Maurice¡¯s woman, Kelvin got excited immediately.

    ¡°Eliana, no! I won¡¯t go!¡± Jennifer cried.

    Even a fool could see what Kelvin had nned. How could Jennifer leave Eliana here with him?

    ¡°No, you have to get out of here!¡±

    Eliana grabbed Jennifer¡¯s arm and moved toward her as though to give her a farewell hug. Then she

    leaned in and whispered, ¡°My people are at the door. When you leave, tell Brevard toe in and save

    me. Listen to me. This is our only way out.¡±

    Hearing this, Jennifer was stunned. She saw the determination in Eliana¡¯s eyes and nced at the

    bodyguards around them. She knew what she had to do.

    She had to get out of here and call for backup!

    Gritting her teeth, Jennifer stepped away from Eliana and left the room.

    Eliana was left alone with Kelvin and the bodyguards.

    With a perverted smile on his face, Kelvin approached Eliana. He had learned his lesson and didn¡¯t

    order the bodyguards out of the room this time.

    Aware that she was in a desperate situation, Eliana could only keep retreating away from Kelvin, trying

    to avoid his touch.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can escape this time!¡±

    With an evil smile, Kelvin pounced on Eliana and began to grope her.

    ¡°Let go of me, you bastard!¡±

    The only thing Eliana could do now was buy time until help arrived.

    However, no matter how hard she resisted, she couldn¡¯t stop Kelvin from leaning forward and touching

    her.

    Fear had begun to creep into her heart, and tears sprung in her eyes.

    She thought desperately that she¡¯d rather encounter Maurice than get groped by Kelvin.

 Chapter 543

    Chapter 543

    At this critical moment, the door of the private room was suddenly kicked open.

    Kelvin had nearly managed to rip Eliana¡¯s clothes open.

    But out of nowhere, someone suddenly interrupted him! Needless to say, Kelvin was furious. He raised

    his head and shouted at the door.

    ¡°Damn it! Get the hell out of here!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Stone, it¡¯s you who should get out. Miss Pierce is under my boss¡¯s protection!¡± said a club

    employee who was standing at the door.

    ¡°Your boss? Who the hell is your boss? Is he more powerful than Maurice Moran? I¡¯m not even afraid

    of Maurice Moran! You think I will be scared of your boss? Fuck off!¡±

    No sooner had Kelvin finished speaking that Maurice walked over from behind the employee.

    Before everyone could react, he quickly walked up to Kelvin and kicked him hard in the chest.

    Kelvin¡¯s fat body was thrown against the table.

    He hurt so much that he curled up and groaned in pain.

    His men wanted to protect him, but they had been stopped by the club¡¯s security guards.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you would be so bold, Mr. Stone,¡± Maurice said coldly, looking down at the

    difited Kelvin. Maurice¡¯s gaze was murderous right now.

    Seeing Maurice¡¯s cold, murderous gaze, Kelvin panicked. He was shaking all over and sweat ran down

    his back. He was both scared and in pain.

    He didn¡¯t expect that Maurice was the owner of the club!

    He was doomed.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, there¡¯s a misunderstanding! This is just a big misunderstanding! I didn¡¯t touch Miss Pierce.

    She¡¯s all yours!¡± Kelvin said nervously, looking pitifully at Maurice. Fear was written all over his face.

    Eliana had been in a daze since Maurice broke in.

    When she came to her senses, she was ovee by a feeling of humiliation.

    Her clothes and hair were in a mess. She didn¡¯t expect to meet Maurice again in such a situation.

    It was so embarrassing. She didn¡¯t want him to see her like this.

    Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around her body and hugged herself tightly. She lowered her

    head, not daring to look at Maurice.

    When Maurice saw Eliana¡¯s pitiful look, he couldn¡¯t restrain his anger anymore.

    This woman¡­

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    She escaped from him only to fall into the hands of such a scumbag like Kelvin!

    Although Eliana had her head down, she could feel Maurice¡¯s gaze on her. She couldn¡¯t help thinking

    that if it were in the past, Maurice would be so furious that he would throw his clothes on her and take

    her away from here.

    However, several minutes passed, but Maurice didn¡¯t take any action.

    After a while, he turned around and stared at Kelvin expressionlessly. Then, he said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m

    tired of her. I don¡¯t care what you are going to do to her at all.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s mind went nk in an instant. She raised her head in disbelief and looked at Maurice, but he

    had his back turned at her.

    Meanwhile, Kelvin was ecstatic.

    Did Maurice change his mind? Did that mean Maurice wouldn¡¯t interfere in this?

    The pain in Kelvin¡¯s chest suddenly subsided and he got up awkwardly.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it seems that you have thought it through. There are so many women in the world. You

    should have dumped this bitch long ago. Since you don¡¯t want her, I¡¯ll take her!¡±

    Kelvin¡¯s eyes were full of lust. Since Maurice said he was tired of Eliana, Kelvin didn¡¯t need to be afraid

    of anything now.

    While Kelvin was thinking about what he would do with Eliana, Maurice¡¯s voice suddenly rang out

    again. ¡°However¡­ I think it¡¯s high time we settle our scores, Mr. Stone.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I don¡¯t think we have any scores to settle!¡± Kelvin was stunned.

    Maurice sneered and remarked, ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t tell my grandfather the truthst time. If my

    memory serves me right, Mr. Stone, you put all the me on Lilian and because of that, I was lectured

    by my grandfather¡­¡±

    Hearing Maurice¡¯s words, Kelvin felt a shiver run through his entire body. He was too scared to say

    anything now.

    Maurice then said coldly to his men, ¡°Break his left hand.¡±

 Chapter 544

    Chapter 544

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t do that!¡± Kelvin said emphatically. ¡°I¡¯m a senior executive of the Stone Group. The Stone

    Group won¡¯t let it go at that!¡± So agitated, he kept stepping back.

    How could Maurice be threatened by him?

    ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see,¡± Maurice said in a cold, dry manner. He slightly turned his head to look at his

    man who was just two steps behind him.

    With a knowing look, the man walked past Maurice and straight to a visibly shaking Kelvin.

    Without any warning, the man grasped Kelvin¡¯s hand and crashed it.

    ¡°Ah!¡± he cried out in pain, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spine.

    Consciously or unconsciously, Maurice had asked his man to break Kelvin¡¯s hand, which tried to tear

    up Eliana¡¯s clothes.

    Eliana was naturally petrified by these series of events.

    Maurice turned around and stared at Eliana, who was crouched on the floor.

    ¡°So, are you going to leave with me? Or you¡¯d rather stay here and attend to this loser?¡± he asked in an

    icy tone.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t move. Maurice¡¯s stare seemed to have paralyzed her.

    Should he be asking such a question? Her choice would have been obvious. She was not stupid after

    all!

    So, she nodded at Maurice. ¡°I¡¯ll leave with you,¡± she said almost in a whisper.

    With his characteristic indifference and coldness, Maurice bent over, grabbed Eliana by her arm, and

    pulled her up from the floor before dragging her forward.

    Eliana staggered. She couldn¡¯t keep up with him.

    Maurice then took her to the familiar private room.

    After the one-night stand, they met again in this room.

    As soon as they entered the room, Maurice threw Eliana on the sofa like she weighed nothing.

    She struggled to get up but Maurice was quick on his feet. Behaving like a crazy man, he picked up the

    wine bottle on the tea table with one hand, grabbed her face with the other and poured the whole bottle

    of red wine into her mouth.

    ¡°M¡­ Maurice¡­ You¡­ Let go of me¡­¡±

    Maurice then ced a hand on Eliana¡¯s head and pressed her down with his body so that she couldn¡¯t

    escape.

    Eliana felt like she was drowning as the wine kept pouring down her face.

    Maurice only stopped the torture after thest drop of wine was poured out of the bottle.

    Eliana instinctively shook off his hand. Gulping down the wine while trying to breathe, she ended up

    coughing terribly.

    It took a while before she could recover. Still gasping for breath, she tried to talk. ¡°Eh hem¡­ Mau-

    Maurice¡­ Wh- Why?¡±

    Maurice turned a deaf ear to her. Instead, he took another bottle of red wine and opened it. Anger and

    madness were written all over his face

    ¡°You have been touched by others. Your body is too dirty.¡±

    Eliana stared at Maurice and could see disgust in his eyes. This made her forget to dodge the start of

    the second round of torture.

    Maurice began pouring another bottle of wine into Eliana¡¯s mouth ruthlessly.

    ¡°Stop¡­ Stop!¡±

    Eliana turned her face from side to side to keep the onught of wine away from her face. But Maurice

    was too strong for her and his strength was fueled by anger and madness.

    His eyes were burning! He looked like a devil incarnate.

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    Why could she do that to him?

    He had been so good to this wretched woman! There was no doubt about it.

    He was even willing to ept her, knowing that she had two children. Even when she lied to him and

    made him angry often, he would be soft-hearted and forgiving with just a little coaxing from her.

    He had saved her countless times in danger without regard for his own safety.

    For her sake, he even had a falling-out with his grandfather. He tolerated the fact that that bastard

    Gerald took over the Moran Group.

    And in return, what had she done to him?

    She wanted to run away from him!

    As long as he thought that his only love for someone in his life was trampled on like this, Maurice

    wished that he could strangle the woman in front of him.

    Everyone said that he, Maurice, was ruthless. But he had no way to deal with Eliana the moment he

    was face to face with her. Even if he was mad, he would at most be like now¡­

    And yet, no matter how many times she had hurt him, he couldn¡¯t give her up.

    ¡°Maurice, you are really such a fucking joke!¡± he mouthed helplessly.

 Chapter 545

    Chapter 545

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what was going through Maurice¡¯s head. However, she continued to struggle.

    Although most of the wine spilled over her body and only a small portion into her mouth, it was enough

    to intoxicate her.

    She gradually stopped struggling and finally became silent.

    She was so drunk that she fell asleep.

    Maurice looked at the sleeping woman without saying a word. He had mixed feelings right now.

    Finally, he bent down and lifted the drunk Eliana in his arms. Then, he left the club. The messy room

    testified to the madness just now.

    As Maurice carried Eliana out of the club, he ran into Jennifer, Brevard and the other people, who were

    looking for Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Pierce!¡± Brevard called out when he saw Eliana in Maurice¡¯s arms.

    Who was this man taking Eliana away? Frowning, Brevard was about to rush to stop Maurice.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Jennifer quickly stopped Brevard. Unlike him who was nervous, she seemed relieved.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I thought you asked me to save Miss Pierce?¡±

    Brevard was confused.

    Jennifer shook her head and exined, ¡°She has already been saved.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Who saved her? Is it that man?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Jennifer nodded and exined, ¡°That man is Maurice Moran. He is the CEO of the Moran

    Group, and Eliana¡¯s boyfriend. Don¡¯t worry. She will be fine.¡±

    Brevard was utterly stunned. That man was the CEO of the Moran Group?

    Brevard was even more confused now.

    After the Pierce Group went bankrupt, it was purchased by the Moran Group. The Pierce family and the

    Moran family should be enemies. How could Eliana date the CEO of the Moran Group?

    Meanwhile, Maurice got on the car with Eliana in his arms. He asked the driver to start the car to go

    back home.

    Eliana waspletely drunk. Her face was flushed and she was talking in her sleep.

    ¡°I miss you¡­ I miss you so much¡­¡± she mumbled, crying silently.

    Maurice felt his heart ache when he saw the tears streaming down Eliana¡¯s delicate face.

    He was curious to know who she was talking about.

    Jealousy rose in his heart and he asked, ¡°Tell me, who do you miss?¡±

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t answer and kept repeating the same words. Maurice had no idea who she was

    referring to. Then suddenly, Eliana whispered, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave. I didn¡¯t want to¡­¡±

    Maurice was stunned. He immediately lowered his head and asked, ¡°If you didn¡¯t want to, why did you

    leave? Did someone force you to leave me?¡±

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    It seemed that Eliana clearly heard what he said this time. She opened her mouth, and was about to

    say Earle¡¯s name¡­

    ¡°Shh! It is a secret! I can¡¯t tell you!¡±

    Somehow, Eliana managed to stop in time and did not tell the truth.

    After that, no matter how Maurice tried to get her to talk, she didn¡¯t say anything and just tossed and

    turned in his arms.

    Shortly afterwards, they finally got home. Eliana said she wanted to take a bath.

    Maurice looked at her with a frown. There was no way he was letting her take a bath by herself in her

    present state. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You can¡¯t take a bath by yourself!¡±

    However, the alcohol made Eliana unreasonable. She shouted, ¡°Where is the maid? I want a maid to

    bathe me! I don¡¯t want you!¡±

    Maurice had no choice but to call a maid over.

    The maid was shocked to see that Eliana this drunk. Moreover, there were red wine stains all over her

    body.

    ¡°Sir, what¡¯s wrong with Miss Pierce?¡± the maid asked confusedly.

    Maurice frowned and said impatiently, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. Go to the bathroom and run the hot

    water.¡±

    The maid¡¯s curiosity was now aroused. Did they reconcile?

    The maid had seen Eliana here before and liked her. At the thought that Eliana and Maurice had gotten

    back together, the maid was overexcited and cheerfully went to the bathroom to run the hot water for

    Eliana.

    Once the water was ready, Maurice entered the bathroom with the boisterous Eliana in his arms.

    Maurice was exhausted. Looking at the woman in his arms, who kept yelling orders to him, he

    snapped, ¡°You are really pissing me off. Why do you have to take a bath?¡±

    Hearing Maurice¡¯s words, Eliana felt a little aggrieved. The alcohol made it hard for her to control her

    emotions.

    ¡°It¡¯s you who said I was dirty¡­¡± she said sadly, sobbing like a poor little animal.

    At this moment, Maurice couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her. He sighed deeply.

    He couldn¡¯t let her take a bath alone, so he had to help her in person.

    He took off her clothes slowly. Soon, Eliana was standing naked in front of him.

    Eliana was a very beautiful woman, with an equally beautiful body. Her voluptuous breasts were

    perched on a slender waist. Her skin was delicate and a little pink from the alcohol. No man could resist

    such beauty.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help swallowing. His organ erected¡­

 Chapter 546

    Chapter 546

    Maurice stretched out his hand to touch Eliana. However, she suddenly hit him.

    ¡°What do you think you are doing? I need to take a bath!¡±

    Eliana wrapped her hands around her body and didn¡¯t let Maurice touch her.

    Although Maurice was turned on at the sight of Eliana¡¯s naked body, he was not a pervert. Since Eliana

    insisted on taking this bath, he could only help her and suppress his desire.

    It was very hard. Actually, he too had to take a cold showerter on in order to suppress his burning

    desire.

    After the bath, he helped Eliana get dressed and sat her on the bed to dry her hair.

    But due to the alcohol, Eliana became more restless and began to struggle. Maurice was holding the

    hair dryer with one hand and his other hand was on her shoulder.

    But as he was not ustomed to using hair dryers, let alone helping a woman with her hair, an

    ident was inevitable. The hair dryer sucked Eliana¡¯s hair, and suddenly there was a burning smell in

    the air.

    ¡°Ah! It hurts!¡± Eliana screamed, holding her hair.

    Maurice immediately turned off the hair dryer. However, Eliana¡¯s hair was still stuck in it.

    She frantically tried to pull her hair out, but all it did was hurt her scalp even more.

    She pouted in anger and tears welled up in her eyes.

    Looking at her angry face, Maurice couldn¡¯t help thinking she was very cute. He leaned over and kissed

    her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Be quiet. I¡¯ll handle this,¡± he said gently.

    Unexpectedly, his kiss made Eliana calm down. She sat on the bed quietly, staring nkly at him.

    Maurice quickly grabbed a pair of scissors to cut her hair which had been sucked into the hair dryer.

    However, Eliana held her hair with her hands, not allowing him to cut her hair. She looked at him

    pitifully andined, ¡°No way! It will make me ugly!¡±

    Maurice was speechless. He pried her hands open and insisted on cutting the hair. ¡°We have to cut it,¡±

    he said as he cut off a strand of her hair.

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    Eliana went nuts.

    It took Maurice a long time to coax her. Then, he continued drying her hair while keeping her still.

    Eliana gradually calmed down. When her hair grew dry, she fell asleep.

    Now that she was finally silent, Maurice could look at her carefully.

    They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a few days. She seemed to have lost much weight, and her face was a

    little tanned. There were dark circles under her eyes, which made her look very tired.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help frowning.

    Where on earth had she been these days? How did she end up like this?

    He had thought she had left to find Jonathan, but it turned out that was not the case. So why was she

    in such a hurry to leave? Did she just want to escape from him?

    So many questions were going through Maurice¡¯s mind right now, and anger was rising in his heart. He

    wanted to wake her up to ask.

    However, when he got close to Eliana, she snuggled into his arms and rubbed her face against his

    chest in her sleep.

    How could Maurice still be angry with this adorable woman? He swallowed his words.

    He held her gently and kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ What should I do about you?¡±

    Maurice eventually gave up. He let her sleep. He took off his clothes andy in the bed. Then, he held

    her tightly in his arms. The two slept, cuddling in each other¡¯s arms.

    In the middle of the night, Maurice faintly felt Eliana move in his arms. Then he clearly felt her get out of

    his arms.

    He immediately woke up and grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    Still very sleepy, Eliana didn¡¯t even open her eyes. She replied in her sleep, ¡°I want to have some

    water¡­¡±

 Chapter 547

    Chapter 547

    Eliana only wanted to drink water?

    Maurice chuckled lightly and breathed a sigh of relief. He was so frightened by her repeated escapes

    that he was being paranoid.

    ¡°Stay here and let me do it. You are still in a daze. Don¡¯t let yourself fall again.¡±

    Maurice pressed Eliana back to the bed. Then he stood up, poured her a ss of water, and handed it

    to her.

    Eliana was still in a daze until now because Maurice had forced her to drink. When she was asleep,

    she was so parched that she woke up and looked for water.

    When she got the water from him, she immediately drank it without hesitation.

    As a result, she took a big gulp and almost chocked.

    Eliana coughed hard.

    Soon, she sobered up a bit.

    ¡°Slow down. That water is all yours. No one will take it from you,¡± Maurice said, patting her on the

    shoulder. He was amused by her.

    After Eliana began to breathe smoothly, she drank more water andy back on the bed.

    But as soon as her body touched the bed, she suddenly felt something strange.

    Something seemed wrong. She was in her room, right? How could there be someone else here?

    Eliana suddenly opened her eyes, only to see Maurice¡¯s handsome face.

    She was done for. What was Maurice doing in her room?

    Eliana instantly sprang up from the bed in shock and stared at the man in front of her.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. He thought she was not sober yet, so he asked gently, ¡°Are you still

    thirsty? Do you want more water?¡±

    Eliana was more confused. Was he not angry?

    She stared nkly at the gentle Maurice. He was totally different from the usual, so she came to a

    conclusion.

    Sure enough, she was only dreaming now.

    ¡°It turns out that I am dreaming. No wonder he is so different. In reality, how can that bad man be so

    good to me?¡± Eliana murmured to herself with an indignant expression on her face.

    Maurice was standing in front of her, so he heard her clearly.

    It seemed that she was still drunk.

    As a cunning man, he didn¡¯t deny her conjectures.

    Since Eliana had convinced herself that she was only dreaming, she let down her guard. She curiously

    stretched out her hand and touched the face of the man in front of her. It was warm and soft. It was as

    if it was real.

    ¡°Why does this dream feel so realistic?¡±

    She subconsciously wanted to pinch herself to see if it hurt. But before she could do anything, she was

    stopped by Maurice. He directly pressed her on the bed.

    He chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be naughty. Be a good girl and sleep.¡±

    This was definitely a dream.

    After all, how could Maurice talk to her in such a doting tone?

    Eliana was even more certain that she was dreaming. And she suddenly came up with some ideas.

    The alcohol stimted her desire. She looked at the face that filled her mind day and night and couldn¡¯t

    help swallowing.

    Since she was in a dream, could she do something she usually didn¡¯t dare to do?

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    With this thought, Eliana abruptly got up, put her hands on Maurice¡¯s shoulders, and pressed him under

    her.

    Then she kissed his thin lips.

    Maurice froze under her. He was obviously shocked. But he did not push her away.

    Eliana felt happy in her heart.

    This hateful man always bullied her in real life. Now that she was in her dream, she could do whatever

    she wanted. Finally, she could also bully him now.

    Since Eliana really believed she was in her dream, her kiss was extremely bold. She even bit Maurice¡¯s

    lips at will like a little beast.

    As he was still pressed under her, the look in Maurice¡¯s eyes changed from surprise to mockery.

    Then he squeezed her face with both hands, pushed her away, and said sarcastically, ¡°Is this what you

    dare to do? You have the guts to do anything in your dream. But in reality, you only know how to

    escape.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face was squeezed by Maurice so hard that the pain instantly awakened her consciousness.

    Damn!

    She was not dreaming at all.

    Maurice was really in front of her now.

    At this moment, Eliana wished she could dig a hole and hide. When she realized that everything was

    real, she immediately turned around, wanting to run away.

    ¡°What? You want to run away now?¡± Maurice chuckled. His eyes were filled with lust. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s

    toote.¡±

    Maurice got the dominant position back effortlessly.

    However, he wouldn¡¯t only dare to kiss her as she did. This time, he would do whatever he wanted to

    do to her.

    Maurice kissed Eliana deeply. Then he pried her teeth open with his tongue and hooked her tongue to

    entangle with his. His hands didn¡¯t remain idle either. They wandered on her body and quickly took off

    their clothes.

    A storm of furious kisses fell on her face, neck, and breasts.

    Eliana¡¯s resistance was ineffective, so she could only be at his disposal.

    The two naked bodies intertwined and entangled. Maurice was obviously angry while having sex with

    her, and Eliana could not withstand it. She could only beg for mercy.

    His gasp and her coquettish groan merged into a song of desire, ying nonstop.

 Chapter 548

    Chapter 548

    Maurice held Eliana¡¯s waist and asked in a hoarse, maic voice, ¡°Eliana, do you love me?¡±

    Eliana was taken aback by his sudden question. Her body began to tremble and her brain went nk.

    She didn¡¯t know how to answer.

    With no satisfactory reply, a look of disappointment appeared in Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    The woman¡­ Was she still unwilling to tell him the truth?

    The desire that was burning in him a moment ago suddenly disappeared. As he got up to leave, Eliana

    suddenly held his arm.

    ¡°Maurice, what about you? Do you love me?¡±

    Eliana had to gather all her courage to ask him that. Sweat trickled down her forehead, but her eyes

    were bright.

    Maurice shuddered. His heart was pounding in his chest at this moment. He knew the answer.

    He loved her!

    But he had such a hard time saying those three simple words.

    Eliana slowly let go of Maurice¡¯s arm, and the light in her eyes gradually dimmed.

    It was Maurice¡¯s turn to feel nervous. The desire in his heart had returned as suddenly as it had

    disappeared!

    At that moment, the desire he felt for Eliana was even more intense. The next moment he leaned his

    body against Eliana¡¯s and started another round of sex.

    Maurice made love to Eliana passionately. It was as if he was using his body to tell her those words he

    couldn¡¯t pronounce.

    When it was finally over, Eliana was so tired that she fell asleep.

    Maurice kissed her on the forehead before going to the bathroom.

    When he came out of the bathroom, he found that it was already dawn. Sunbeams passed through the

    ss window into the room.

    He carefully closed the curtain and then took his phone from the bedside table. When he turned on the

    phone, he found that Harriet had called him a dozen times.

    He guessed it was about Kelvin.

    He just ignored it.

    At this moment, the rm clock of Eliana¡¯s cellphone rang.

    The loud noise startled Eliana, who had just fallen asleep, and she sprang up from the bed.

    Still sleepy, she muttered, ¡°It¡¯s time to send the children to school.¡±

    She lifted the quilt over her body and was about to get off the bed to wash. However, the sharp pain

    throughout her body reminded her of the crazy night she had had.

    At this moment, everything came back to her.

    The club, Jennifer, Kelvin, Maurice, the red wine spilled all over her¡­

    It all came shing in her mind.

    Eliana turned her head slowly and saw Maurice¡¯s smiling face.

    She was doomed¡­

    How could she forget that she was in the hands of this devil again?

    ¡°You are awake. It¡¯s been a long time since west saw each other,¡± Maurice said yfully.

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s not been that long,¡± Eliana replied awkwardly.

    Maurice slowly poured himself a ss of water. He then looked at Eliana and asked calmly, ¡°Tell me,

    why did you run away this time?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t reply and just subconsciously avoided his gaze.

    ¡°Are you still not going to tell the truth?¡±

    Maurice sneered. Now that his desire had been satisfied, the anger that had been suppressed in his

    heart surged again.

    Eliana felt the coldness emanating from Maurice, and she couldn¡¯t help shivering. However, she gritted

    her teeth and still refused to speak.

    ¡°Eliana? Are you heartless?¡±

    Maurice clutched the cup so tightly in his hand that it nearly broke, and his gaze was intimidating. ¡°All I

    want from you is for you to tell me the truth. I can give you anything you want. I took your children in,

    but why did you run away?¡±

    His words were like a knife stabbing in Eliana¡¯s chest.

    She knew all that Maurice had done for her, but¡­

    Earle¡¯s warning echoed in her mind again. If she didn¡¯t make up her mind to leave Maurice, he would

    lose everything.

    She didn¡¯t want his life to be ruined because of her!

    C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Maurice, there is no reason. We are just not meant to be together. Even if we insist on being together

    now, we will definitely separate in the future.¡± Although Eliana tried to seem calm, her hands under the

    quilt were clenched tightly.

    Maurice stared at Eliana silently. She sounded so heartless! However, he could read the sadness in her

    eyes.

    There was definitely something wrong.

    Eliana had never said that they weren¡¯t meant to be together in the past.

    ¡°Eliana, did my grandfather say something to you?¡± Maurice suddenly asked in a low voice.

    Eliana¡¯s heart began to beat faster upon hearing Maurice¡¯s question. She immediately denied.

    ¡°No, of course not!¡±

 Chapter 549

    Chapter 549

    Since Eliana denied that Earle had forced her to leave Maurice, the atmosphere in the room became

    unusually depressing.

    Maurice stared at her closely, trying to find ws in her subtle expression.

    Eliana, on the other hand, kept a straight face. She was afraid that he would find something wrong.

    At such a tense moment, Eliana¡¯s stomach suddenly rumbled.

    The sound broke the silence in the room. Maurice and Eliana both lowered their eyes and focused on

    her stomach.

    Eliana¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment. If she could only sink into the floor and hide.

    Maurice looked at her thoughtfully.

    He remembered that she seemed to have a stomach problem before.

    Thest time he made out with her, she even vomited.

    So he said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you go for the time being. Hurry and go downstairs for breakfast.¡±

    After saying this, Maurice turned around and went downstairs with a dark expression.

    Eliana breathed a long sigh of relief when the door closed.

    If Maurice insisted on being unrelenting, she would really be unable to resist.

    He caught her again because of her own fault.

    With this realization, Eliana was in a very depressed mood. She went to the bathroom, washed her

    face, and brushed her teeth. Then she slowly went downstairs.

    Before she could even reach the dining room, the appetizing aroma of the delicious food wafted

    towards her, making her feel hungrier.

    When she entered the dining room, her eyes swept across the table. Then she found that it was full of

    all kinds of food, including freshly-baked honey bread, delicate desserts, and steaming corn soup.

    At the sight of the feast on the table, Eliana¡¯s stomach grumbled even more. She swallowed hard and

    looked eagerly at the calm man beside her.

    No matter how hungry she was, she didn¡¯t dare to touch any food there because the master hadn¡¯t

    started eating yet.

    Maurice looked at Eliana and noticed the pitiful expression in her eyes. He said withpassion, ¡°Go

    ahead.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Eliana hadn¡¯t eaten for a long time. So she was so hungry that she didn¡¯t have time to care about table

    manners anymore. She picked up the soft bread and took a bite, showing no elegance at all.

    But in Maurice¡¯s eyes, she looked so cute. Watching her eat made him feel much better.

    At the dining table, one was watching intently, and the other was eating to her heart¡¯s content. The

    atmosphere between the two was quite harmonious.

    Eliana was halfway through her breakfast when her phone suddenly rang.

    She picked it up from the table and checked. It was a call from Adrian and Aileen.

    Eliana was about to answer her phone when Maurice suddenly grabbed it and canceled the call.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Maurice, why did you cancel it?¡±

    She was so angry that she wanted to take her phone back. But he raised his hand to the point that she

    couldn¡¯t reach at all.

    Then he reminded her coldly, ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t go too far. Now that you are in my hands,

    rectify your attitude and give priority to me, instead of your two children.¡±

    When Eliana heard this, she looked at Maurice in despair. She couldn¡¯t help wondering what was

    wrong with him again.

    Then suddenly, an idea shed through her mind.

    Could he be jealous?

    But even of her two children?

    Wasn¡¯t it too childish?

    Eliana got even angrier. ¡°Maurice, give me back my phone. Don¡¯t forget that our rtionship is already

    over. Why should I give priority to you?¡±

    Maurice looked at her and sneered, ¡°It seems that you still don¡¯t understand. No one can end our

    rtionship, except me. What you say doesn¡¯t count. If you dare to run away again, I swear, you will

    never see your children anymore.¡±

    Eliana suddenly froze, and an ominous premonition rose in her heart.

    But she didn¡¯t want to believe he would actually do such a thing.

    Eliana thought Maurice was just bluffing. Although he caught her, he couldn¡¯t possibly know where

    Adrian and Aileen were.

    Maurice seemed to have seen through her mind. With a mocking smile at the corners of his mouth, he

    said, ¡°See for yourself.¡±

    He opened his phone¡¯s album and showed a few photos to Eliana.

    In the photo was Ss, who went to see Adrian and Aileen secretly. The scene was clearly

    photographed by someone.

    Eliana seemed to have fallen into an ice cer in an instant. She felt cold all over.

    ¡°Ss is your nephew. How can you use him just to catch my children? You are so heartless!¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t argue at all. He directly admitted, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already arranged for someone to keep an

    eye on Ss.¡±

    Eliana stared at him. She was too angry to say a word.

    Suddenly, she froze and stared behind Maurice. She shook her head as if she wanted to interrupt him.

    However, Maurice didn¡¯t understand what she meant. He continued, ¡°Because I know that I can only

    find your children through him¡­¡±

    ¡°So, you sent someone to follow me?¡±

    Before Maurice could finish his words, an angry voice came from behind him.

 Chapter 550

    Chapter 550

    Maurice turned around and was surprised to see an angry Ss standing behind him.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Ss?¡±

    Maurice tried to exin, but he could see that Ss was furious and wouldn¡¯t listen.

    Ss shouted at Maurice in anger, ¡°How could you do this? All you want to do is to control everyone

    and have them at your beck and call. You are no different from Great-grandpa! I hate you!¡±

    Ss¡¯ usations upset Maurice, and so he gave up on trying to exin. Instead, he snapped at him,

    ¡°Ss! You¡¯re just a child and so you know nothing about what is going on!¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s just an excuse and I¡¯m not interested in it!¡± Ss¡¯ face had turned red from anger and his

    eyes filled with tears.

    He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, then turned and ran away.

    Eliana stood up and tried to chase after him because she was afraid that something might happen to

    him, but Maurice stopped her.

    ¡°No, let him be. He¡¯ll think over it when he has calmed down,¡± Maurice said with visible anger on his

    face.

    As she heard him say that, Eliana sighed, thinking to herself how alike they were when they were

    angry.

    It was obvious that Maurice didn¡¯t know how to take care of kids. If he could upset a well-behaved child

    like Ss, then it meant he was just bad at parenting.

    If he couldn¡¯t even take good care of his nephew, how could she expect him to love her kids?

    Eliana thought to give him some advice as she was more experienced in parenting. ¡°Why were you so

    harsh with him? Just like adults, children deserve some respect too. They are smart enough to know

    everything. What you just did was wrong.¡±

    Maurice was angry, but he could onlyugh as he thought to himself that someone that couldn¡¯t even

    handle her own business, was the same person lecturing him.

    ¡°You have no right to use me of anything, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he said sarcastically. ¡°Since you im children

    know everything, do they also know about their real father?¡±

    In fact, he had recentlye to the conclusion that the twins did not know anything about their real

    father, Jonathan. It was obvious she hid him from them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not as cruel as you are!¡±

    The color in Eliana¡¯s face drained.

    Every time she thought of the fact that she couldn¡¯t reveal the identity of her kids¡¯ father to them, she

    felt guilty and was burdened by the thought. She knew that the thought of their father often saddened

    the twins, but she didn¡¯t expect that Maurice would use her weak point to attack her.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°You know, Ss was right when he said you¡¯re no different from your grandfather!¡±

    Eliana was disappointed, so she made up her mind not to tell him about the kids. There was no way

    she could tell him.

    She refused to look at Maurice after she had said that to him. Instead, she left him there, sulking, and

    went in search of Ss who had run away.

    Just like Eliana, the maid had also been looking for Ss.

    As both of them bumped into each other, the maid didn¡¯t waste time asking her, ¡°Miss Pierce, did you

    see Ss?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m looking for him too,¡± she answered, shaking her head.

    The maid, confused, said, ¡°Mr. Earle Moran has just called, and he asked why Ss didn¡¯t go to school

    today. We have been unable to find him. Do you think he has left this house?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s around here, somewhere,¡± Eliana quickly answered. ¡°He¡¯s a good

    boy. He knows not to make us worried.¡±

    The maid rxed and asked, ¡°Do you have any idea of where he might have gone to, Miss Pierce?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to panic. He¡¯s probably in the house. Go and get some more people. Let¡¯s

    search for him separately. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find him,¡± Eliana suggested.

    All the servants in the house were instructed to search for Ss.

    As Eliana walked into one of the bedrooms, she noticed that there was a crack in the wardrobe and a

    cute pair of slippers under it.

    Of course, Ss was there.

    She tip-toed to the wardrobe and opened the door carefully.

    There he was, curled up, inside.

 Chapter 551

    Chapter 551

    When the wardrobe door was open, Ss instinctively looked up. Seeing it was Eliana, he heaved a

    sigh of relief.

    Eliana was also relieved to find him and her eyes lit up. She was about to call him, but he quickly

    shushed her.

    He didn¡¯t want to be found.

    Eliana understood and nodded.

    At this moment, a maid¡¯s voice came from the door. ¡°Miss Pierce, is he in the room?¡±

    Looking at Ss who was so pitiful right now, Eliana shouted at the door, ¡°I¡¯ve searched the room, but

    there¡¯s no one here.¡±

    The sound of footsteps at the door grew more and more distant. After everyone looking for him left this

    floor, Eliana took Ss out of the wardrobe.

    ¡°Why are you hiding in here?¡± Eliana asked gently.

    Ss looked extremely embarrassed and his face was red. He lowered his head and mumbled, ¡°Miss

    Pierce, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡± Eliana was confused.

    Sobbing, Ss exined, ¡°Because I made a mistake. I know you wanted to hide from my uncle, but

    because I secretly went to see Aileen and Adrian, he found them. Miss Pierce, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t have

    many friends growing up, and I am very fond of them. I missed them too much and went to see them.¡±

    Eliana was stunned. So this was the reason why he was apologizing?

    Eliana smiled and stroked Ss¡¯ head.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to apologize to me for this. Actually, I am the one who has to apologize to

    you. I didn¡¯t know taking Aileen and Adrian away would hurt the three of you so much. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡± Ss interrupted her at once. He raised his head and said seriously, ¡°Miss Pierce, you did

    nothing wrong. It was all my fault!¡±

    What a lovely child!

    Eliana felt her heart melt. She squatted and hugged Ss tightly.

    ¡°Ss, I promise that whatever happens between us adults in the future, it won¡¯t affect your friendship

    with Aileen and Adrian. You will always be friends. Okay?¡±

    When Eliana hugged Ss, the little boy¡¯s body stiffened and he looked stunned. As Eliana finished her

    words, his face slowly turned red.

    He really liked Eliana, Aileen and Adrian.

    The warmth of a motherly embrace was all he needed. He buried his head in the crook of Eliana¡¯s neck

    and said shyly, ¡°Okay. Thank you, Miss Pierce.¡±

    Eliana finally let go of him and softly pinched his small cheeks. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t hide like this

    anymore. Okay? Go to school now.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Ss was very excited all of a sudden and he smiled happily. Now he knew he and the twins would be

    friends forever.

    The servants heaved a sigh of relief when they heard that Ss was found and willing to go to school

    now.

    Eliana helped him pack up his schoolbag and walked him to the door.

    Ss was about to get in the car when something urred to him. With a hesitant expression, he ran

    back to Eliana and said in a low voice, ¡°Miss Pierce, I went too far just now. My uncle is actually a nice

    person¡­¡±

    Eliana paused for a moment and then couldn¡¯t helpughing.

    ¡°I understand. You are his family. He loves you,¡± she said in a low voice.

    Of course she knew that Maurice was not a bad person. However, his quick temper would really hurt

    his family at times.

    As he looked at the beautiful smile on Eliana¡¯s face, a glimmer of hope rose in Ss¡¯s heart.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, will you also be my uncle¡¯s family one day?¡±

    He really hoped that Eliana would marry his uncle. In this way, they would all be family, together with

    Aileen and Adrian. Then they would never be separated.

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t say a word this time. She had mixed feelings.

    At that moment, Maurice came over and said sternly to Ss, ¡°Why are you still hanging around? Go to

    school.¡±

    Ss snorted and ran away, ignoring Maurice.

    Maurice looked helpless as he watched the little boy run away angrily.

    Ss was actually Maurice¡¯ste sister¡¯s only child. What could he do about him?Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 552

    Chapter 552

    Eliana and Maurice were left alone after Ss departed.

    They had made love the previous night. Theyter had a big quarrel about half an hour ago, and parted

    ways in anger. Now, they were standing together in awkward silence.

    Finally, Maurice cleared his throat and broke the silence.

    ¡°What was it that you just said to Ss? That kid is very strong-willed and stubborn. How did you

    manage to convince him so easily to go to school?¡±

    Eliana felt a little sense of pride. It was surprising to her that Maurice could have problems raising the

    child, even though he was quite shrewd and disciplined.

    She chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s my little secret. Besides, it won¡¯t make sense to you even if I told you.¡±

    Maurice was stunned by her response. He couldn¡¯t find any words to refute her statement.

    He thought about the report that one of his subordinates had told him about Ss. The mood swings.

    The constant sense of gloom that hung around the boy. Maurice was lost in thought for a brief moment.

    Then he stared at Eliana and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t know how to deal with kids. Ss¡¯ parents left him

    when he was very young. He almost had no friends before meeting your kids. Ever since you left with

    your kids, he has been very depressed.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face became pale with sadness. It was her turn to remain silent. Her heart was heavy with the

    burden of the guilt that was torturing her.

    She knew she was wrong and selfish to have taken a decision that was not beneficial to the kids.

    She wanted to keep a good distance from Maurice, so she had deprived the three children of the

    friendship that they worked at building. It was quite unfair to the children.

    Noticing that she was lost in deep thoughts, Maurice quickly had an idea. So, he turned to her and said,

    ¡°I know you love the kids so much. However, you should know that they miss Ss. Otherwise, the

    three of them wouldn¡¯t have sneaked out to meet behind your back. Besides, I¡¯m sure that Aileen

    probably has other friends in the previous kindergarten, right?¡±

    Maurice was a very smart man. A few words from him started to make Eliana reconsider her decision.

    Somehow, he was quite right. Eliana could recall that the kids had never been as depressed as they

    had been recently since she came back to the country with them.

    How about if she decided to send the kids back to their previous kindergarten? Would that work out for

    them?

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Still¡­ They wouldn¡¯t be able to¡­

    ¡°What are you thinking? You think it¡¯s a bad idea to send them back to their old school?¡± It was almost

    as if Maurice could read her mind perfectly. He said in a confident voice, ¡°As long as you have decided

    to take that decision, I can help you make it happen.¡±

    Eliana opened her mouth after listening to Maurice, but no words came out. She instinctively knew that

    she ought to refuse his offer. She could not afford to have anything to do with Maurice, but with the

    thoughts of her children reeling through her mind, she could notpletely turn him down.

    Maurice didn¡¯t press the issue further, but waited for her to make the final decision.

    Just as she was still caught up in this dilemma, Corbin made his way into the room.

    ¡°Boss, I just came to remind you that you have an important meeting today and you¡¯re going to be

    late¡­¡±

    See a way out of her present dilemma, Eliana hurriedly said, ¡°You should go to work now. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to take her leave, but she was not given the

    chance.

    Maurice suddenly grabbed her arm and asked, ¡°Where are you headed to this time? I said I could help

    you and I wasn¡¯t just talking about the children¡¯s education. I can get you back into the Moran Group.¡±

    Help her back into the Moran Group?

    Eliana could remember Earle¡¯s words again and all she wanted to do was to get rid of Maurice.

    She might ept his help with the kids, but there was nothing that would make her go back to the

    Moran Group.

    ¡°Not a chance. I¡¯m not going back there. I have my own career now. I won¡¯te back to work in your

    company,¡± Eliana said with a hint of excitement in her voice.

    ¡°You started your own career?¡± Maurice nced at her, his face sullen. ¡°Didn¡¯t you dream of being a

    jewelry designer? Are you going to give it up now?¡±

    Eliana was stunned by the bluntness of his words. She was so angry that she snapped at him, ¡°Yes, I

    quit.¡±

    Even though she had said those words in a fit of anger, it was her decision.

    She had always wanted to be a jewelry designer since she was a child and she was full of regret now

    that she knew she wasn¡¯t going to achieve that dream. However, inheriting the factory would make her

    late father happy with her.

    Maurice stared hard at Eliana¡¯s face. He could sense her strong resolve and surmised that something

    was wrong.

    What problems had she faced?

    He was quite certain that she loved jewelry design. It was her greatest passion.

    When he had taken her to see the pink diamond ne that she had designed, he had seen the

    excitement and satisfaction in her eyes. When she was working on jewelry design, she was always

    dedicated and consistent.

    But now, she suddenly decided that she didn¡¯t want to be a jewelry designer anymore and was giving

    up her dreams?

    Maurice couldn¡¯t just believe it. He decided that there was something behind her refusal. A bigger

    secret that she was keeping away from him.

    ¡°Eliana, I don¡¯t care about this new career of yours. Where do you intend to go now? I have to see you

    again tonight!¡±

 Chapter 554

    Chapter 554

    After saying this, Maurice let go of Brevard and the other factory workers.

    And with his consent, Eliana left with them.

    On their way back to the factory, Eliana suddenly remembered Jennifer, who was with her yesterday.

    She immediately turned to Brevard and asked, ¡°Mr. Wace, what happened to the woman with me

    yesterday? Where is she now?¡±

    ¡°She directly went to the hospital after she left the club. We were worried about her being alone, so we

    sent someone to follow her. She just went to see her brother. She¡¯s okay,¡± Brevard replied truthfully.

    It was only then that Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    She was d that Jennifer didn¡¯t get hurt because of her.

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana took a deep breath. When he looked at Brevard¡¯s face, she noticed the weird expression on his

    face. It seemed that he wanted to say something, but he was hesitating.

    ¡°Mr. Wace, is there anything you want to ask me?¡±

    Brevard hesitated for a while before he finally decided to ask, ¡°Eliana. Is the man arguing with you

    today the CEO of Moran Group? You and him¡­ What is your rtionship with him?¡±

    Eliana was stunned, not knowing how to answer.

    Her rtionship with Maurice was tooplicated to exin in a few words, so she could only say, ¡°I¡­

    Well, we are sort of in a rtionship.¡±

    ¡°Sort of in a rtionship?¡±

    Brevard didn¡¯t know why, but he felt something was wrong.

    And he couldn¡¯t help feeling a little worried.

    After the Pierce Group went bankrupt, there were rumors that the Moran Group was responsible for it.

    And now, Eliana was in a rtionship with the CEO of Moran Group. What was she thinking?

    If the rumors were true, the factories left by the Pierce Group would be destroyed by the Moran family

    soon.

    At the thought of this, fear surged up in Brevard¡¯s heart and he decided to keep an eye on concerning

    matters.

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t notice the strangeness in Brevard¡¯s behavior. She was now focused on her

    career. As soon as she returned to the factory, she went straight to the production room and busied

    herself getting familiar with the business. She didn¡¯t rush home until it was veryte.

    As soon as she entered the door, Adrian and Aileen rushed over and hugged her tightly.

    Aileen immediately said, ¡°Mommy, where have you been? We were so worried about you. You scared

    us.¡±

    Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at Eliana with a fearful expression.

    ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Eliana was confused, wondering what had happened. She was only out for a

    day.

    Nana walked over to them and exined, ¡°If you didn¡¯te back tonight, these two would have run

    out to look for you.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯te homest night. This morning, Adrian called her because he was worried, but she

    just canceled his call.

    This made the two children frightened and thought that something bad might have happened to her.

    Adrian and Aileen went to meet Ss secretly yesterday. Naturally, Adrian assumed that it was because

    of this that Eliana got into trouble.

    If she hadn¡¯t returned just now, they would have rushed out to look for her.

    Eliana felt a lump in her throat when she heard Nana¡¯s words. She picked up the children in her arms

    andforted them, ¡°Kids, don¡¯t worry, okay? I am fine. I¡¯m sorry. It was all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have

    cruelly separated you from Ss and your other friends.¡±

    Aileen shook her head, wiping the tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Mommy, it was not your fault. You always make the right decision for us. Adrian and I will support you

    no matter what you do.¡±

    Adrian nodded in agreement.

    Seeing that her two children were so considerate and sensible, Eliana felt even guiltier. She decided to

    do something to make up for them.

    ¡°No. I made a mistake, and I have to correct it now. I¡¯ve decided¡­ From now on, you will go back to

    your original kindergarten.¡±

    Adrian and Aileen were stunned for a moment. Then they became ecstatic and asked in unison, ¡°Is that

    true, Mommy?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±

    The happiness on the two children¡¯s faces made Eliana feel that she did the right thing this time.

    Nana, standing at the side, couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes when she heard what Eliana said. She

    immediately knew what it meant.

    Maurice must have found Eliana already. Otherwise, how could she change her mind so quickly?

    Sure enough, Maurice was the only one that could change Eliana¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 555

    Chapter 555

    After Eliana made that promise, she couldn¡¯t help but feel worried.

    ¡°They kids just transferred to a new school. Wouldn¡¯t it be too much procedures to have them drop out

    of this school and go back to their old school?¡± Eliana asked worriedly.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Nana smiled calmly and patted her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already taken care of it for you. You just

    have to take them back to the old school,¡± she said confidently.

    ¡°You¡¯ve taken care of it? What do you mean?¡± Eliana asked confusedly.

    ¡°Well, the kids aren¡¯t registered in this school yet, so it won¡¯t be a problem for them to go back to their

    old school.¡± With a smug smile on her face, Nana added, ¡°Actually, I was worried that you might

    change your mind again, so I just signed them up for trial sses that they could quit at any time. Plus,

    those ssed are cheap.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t expect Nana to be so careful. She eximed with joy and surprise, ¡°Well done! You made

    us save a lot of troubles and money!¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but giggle when she saw how anxious Eliana seemed to be about spending money.

    She teased her, ¡°Eliana, you are a rich woman now. Why are you still so stingy?¡±

    Hearing Nana¡¯s words, Eliana smiled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money. A part of the money my mother

    left for me was used to pay off my debts to Maurice. Some of the money has been invested in the

    factories. What¡¯s left is really not much. I have to be careful about how I spend money for the good of

    me and the children.¡±

    Nana heaved a sad sigh when she heard Eliana¡¯s words. Sheforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Things will

    eventually be alright. We have survived more difficult times than this, haven¡¯t we? You must be tired.

    Go take a shower and have a good sleep.¡±

    Eliana nodded. Now that she knew the kids won¡¯t have any trouble returning to their old school, she felt

    relieved. She turned around and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

    While she was taking a shower, the memories ofst night appeared in her mind again.

    Thinking back to the fact that Maurice suppressed his sexual desires to give her a bath, she blushed.

    As she was drying her hair, she remembered how Maurice dried her hair for her when she was wasted

    last night. He was so clumsy that he stuck her hair into the hair dryer. Thinking back at it, she couldn¡¯t

    help but giggle.

    Eliana was overwhelmed with so many emotions in the bathroom.

    Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, her phone kept ringing.

    Nana couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She walked over to the bathroom door and said loudly, ¡°Eliana. Your

    phone is ringing!¡±

    It was only then that Eliana snapped out of her memories. She took her phone and found that it was

    from Maurice.

    Damn it! She forgot her promise to Maurice!

    That must be why he called her.

    Without wasting another second, Eliana rushed out of the room, although her hair was not yet dried.

    Nana and the twins were amazed.

    But when she ran downstairs, she suddenly remembered something very important¡­

    She forgot to tell Maurice where she lived!

    She quickly dialed Maurice¡¯s number. The phone was soon answered.

    ¡°Hello, Maurice. Sorry for not answering your call just now. I don¡¯t want you to think I wanted to escape.

    I¡¯ll tell you my address now¡­¡±

    While speaking on the phone, Eliana was running down the stairs. She was a bit out of breath.

    To her surprise, when she raised her head once on the ground floor of the building, she saw Maurice

    standing under themppost by the roadside, his cellphone in his hand.

    The light from the streemp was dim and so Eliana couldn¡¯t clearly see Maurice¡¯s expression. She

    stared at him nkly as he slowly walked towards her.

    Maurice walked over to her and then looked at her intently.

    Although Eliana wore conservative long-sleeved pajamas, her hot figure managed to stand out. Her

    wet hair was still dripping with water and the tail of her hair curled against her chest. Her wet clothes

    clung to her body, outlining her voluptuous breasts.

    Maurice felt a strong desire rise in him. His eyes darkened and he raised his eyebrows. ¡°Is this the thrill

    you wanted?¡± he asked in a low voice.

    Eliana was in a daze. How did he find this ce?

    It suddenly dawned on her that Maurice might have already investigated where she lived. He just never

    came to her ce until now. Perhaps he had just been waiting for her to go to him first. How stupid she

    was to think she could run away from him!

    ¡°It seems that I am the biggest fool!¡±

    She sneezed several times in a row after saying that.

    Frowning, Maurice stepped forward and immediately took off his coat to put it on her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡±

    Eliana struggled to take off the coat, but Maurice¡¯s hands firmly pressed it on her shoulders.

    Suddenly, Eliana heard her children calling her.

    ¡°Mommy, where are you?¡± Eliana looked in the direction of the voice, and saw Aileen and Adrian

    looking around for her.

    Damn it!

    Eliana panicked. She didn¡¯t want the kids to see her with Maurice. At this point, she didn¡¯t care about

    the coat anymore. She quickly pulled Maurice to hide behind a tree.

 Chapter 556

    Chapter 556

    Nana was worried when she saw Adrian and Aileen rush outside, so she followed them.

    ¡°Where is Mommy? Howe she suddenly disappeared?¡±

    Adrian was getting anxious. He looked around but didn¡¯t see Eliana.

    ¡°Adrian, do you think Mommy crossed paths with a bad person? I¡¯m really worried. Let¡¯s call the police!¡±

    Aileen nervously grabbed her brother¡¯s hand. Worry was written all over her face.

    While the kids were worried, Nana, who was taller than them, saw two persons¡¯ shadows under the big

    tree not far away. She instantly figured out everything.

    One of the two seemed to be Eliana. She should be fine. She probably didn¡¯t want the children to see

    the man she was with.

    Having understood what was happening, Nana hastened to reassure the two children.

    ¡°Hey darlings, don¡¯t worry. I assure you that your mommy is fine. It¡¯s so cold. We¡¯d better hurry back

    inside, or we¡¯ll catch a cold.¡±

    Hearing what Nana said, Adrian was alerted at once. ¡°Nana, how do you know Mommy is fine? What¡¯s

    going on?¡±

    Adrian was very smart. It was getting more and more difficult to fool him.

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart. She looked at the big tree under which Eliana and Maurice

    were, and exined aloud, ¡°Your mommy is fine! You kids should know that you should give your

    mommy some private time, okay?¡±

    Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up upon hearing what Nana said. She replied immediately, ¡°I understand what you

    mean, Nana. You want us to give Mommy more private time to go on a date, right?¡±

    ¡°Aileen! Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Adrian said angrily. The idea of his mother dating someone just pissed

    him off.

    ¡°Adrian, you are still a kid. You can¡¯t understand such things. I won¡¯t me you,¡± Aileen said calmly,

    patting Adrian on the shoulder like an adult. As she did, she couldn¡¯t helpughing.

    Adrian¡¯s face grew red with anger. He wanted to argue with Aileen, but before he could open his mouth

    Nana grabbed his and Aileen¡¯s hands and led them back inside.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was hiding behind the big tree. It wasn¡¯t until the children had returned to the house

    that she breathed a sigh of relief and walked out from behind the tree.

    ¡°Why are we hiding? It¡¯s not like your kids have never seen me before.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened. He didn¡¯t understand why Eliana had dragged him here.

    She was so nervous, like they might be caughtmitting adultery.

    The moment Eliana saw her kids, she didn¡¯t think twice and just pulled Maurice away subconsciously.

    Why did she do that?

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much, I just feel a bit ashamed¡­¡± Eliana exined shyly.

    ¡°Ashamed?¡± Maurice¡¯s face became even gloomier, as if he was going to lose his temper any moment.

    ¡°Are you ashamed of me?¡± he asked coldly.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Eliana was stunned that he would think such a thing. His cold aura frightened her to the

    bones. She shook her head and exined, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. When we moved, I told the kids that I

    would never see you again. If they see us together, they¡¯ll think I¡¯ve gone back on my word. That would

    destroy the image of the honest mommy in their hearts.¡±

    Eliana looked really miserable as she exined the matter to Maurice. Maurice couldn¡¯t helpughing

    at this moment.

    He gently stroke Eliana¡¯s forehead with his fingertips and said, ¡°I told you not to make promises

    casually. See what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into now?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until Maurice¡¯s fingertips touched Eliana¡¯s cold skin that he realized they had been standing

    outside for a long time. He was fine, but Eliana¡¯s hair was still wet and she was wearing thin clothes.

    No wonder she was so cold.

    It they stayed here, she would definitely catch a cold.

    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Come, follow me,¡± he said, pulling Eliana towards his car.

    Eliana tried to protest, but he quietly shoved her into his car.

    Once in the car, he turned on the heat and then took out a clean towel which he handed to her.

    ¡°Get your hair dry,¡± he said with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Eliana dly took the towel. The heat in the car did her a world of good. She had been out for so long

    that she was almost frozen.

    She took the towel and began to dry her hair.

    While Eliana was drying her hair, Maurice¡¯s eyes unconsciously fell on her hair which had been partially

    cut off.

    He was the one who cut itst night.

    He guessed that Eliana didn¡¯t remember what happenedst night. After all, she was drunk. Otherwise,

    she would have alreadye to get even with him.

    Maurice stifled hisughter, afraid that Eliana would notice it.

    However, his eyes betrayed hisughter. Eliana could no longer hide her difort. She covered her

    partially cut hair and said angrily, ¡°Stop looking at it! How dare youugh after cutting my hair?¡±

 Chapter 557

    Chapter 557

    Maurice felt a little embarrassed and quickly looked away.

    Eliana dried her hair quietly. Maurice looked down and was silent for a while. The atmosphere in the

    car was calm and harmonious.

    The heat in the car warmed Eliana, and after several minutes, she was almost done drying her hair.

    Seeing that the night grewte, Eliana turned to look at Maurice sitting next to her.

    ¡°Maurice, I kept my promise and didn¡¯t stand you up this time. We have met each other. I have to go

    back now.¡±

    After saying that, she opened the door and was about to leave.

    But before she could step out of the car, Maurice grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms.

    ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± he whispered in her ear.

    Eliana felt the warmthing from Maurice¡¯s body and her heart began to race. ¡°What are you doing?

    Whatever you have in mind, don¡¯t,¡± she warned.

    Once again, she misunderstood him.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but tease Eliana when he saw the guilty look on her face. He lowered his head

    and whispered in her ear in a sexy, hoarse voice, ¡°What do you think I want to do? Hmm?¡±

    His maic voice sent tingles down Eliana¡¯s spine.

    Did Maurice want to have sex with her in the car?

    No way! However, she felt her body getting hotter and hotter. ¡°You can¡¯t do it in the car!¡± she protested.

    Maurice held back hisughter and continued to tease Eliana, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want us to do it in the

    car, how about going to your ce?¡±

    ¡°No way! You can¡¯te to my house. The kids are home!¡± Eliana refused nervously.

    At this point, Maurice could hardly hold back hisughter. He teased her even more, ¡°Isn¡¯t that exactly

    what you want? Don¡¯t you like the thrill of it? It would be so exciting to do it in the car.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s incessant teasing embarrassed Eliana so much that her face turned red. She protested

    weakly, ¡°Don¡¯t twist my words. That¡¯s not what I meant!¡±

    ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Maurice said with a slight smile as he finally let go of Eliana. However, before

    she could react, he pinned her against the seat, and suddenly started the car. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to find some

    excitement now.¡±

    Eliana was helpless. She felt she shouldn¡¯t have gotten into Maurice¡¯s car!

    Now it was toote when she realized that. She could do nothing as he took her away.

    ¡°Maurice, where on earth are you taking me to?¡±

    Eliana held the seat belt tightly. Her mind was in a whirlwind.

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there.¡±

    Maurice smiled mysteriously.

    Soon, the car arrived at a drive-in movie theater!

    ¡°Is this what you call exciting?¡± Eliana asked confusedly.

    It waspletely different from the kind of ce she thought he would take her to.

    ¡°You owe me a date. This is your chance to make it up to me,¡± Maurice said casually as he pulled the

    car in the parking lot.

    Eliana was even more confused. ¡°What do you mean by that? Didn¡¯t we go to the amusement parkst

    time?¡±

    ¡°You have the guts to talk about that?¡± Maurice squinted at her. His gaze was so intimidating that

    Eliana felt a cold shiver run through her. ¡°You went to the amusement park with me only because you

    were nning to run away. The three kids acted up. It was not a date in any capacity.¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t dare to say anything more now. She knew he was right.

    Anyways, his choice to take her to the movie theater wasn¡¯t odd. After all, most couples would go to

    see a movie on dates.

    Having made up her mind, Eliana followed Maurice into the theater. They chose a room and sat there,

    waiting excitedly for the movie to start.

    Maurice had intended to watch a romantic movie, but Eliana dyed, so the romantic movie was now

    over. The next movie was a horror movie.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    As she stared at the blood picture on the big screen, Eliana was taken aback.

    Why did Maurice like horror movies?

    She actually didn¡¯t like horror movies, because they always scared her. However, she couldn¡¯t leave

    now. She had no choice but to stay and see the movie.

    Eliana closed her eyes every time she saw bloody scenes. As she was about to swear, she discovered

    that Maurice sitting next to her looked very strange.

    She looked at the screen again and saw that the lead character in the movie had a car ident. The

    bright red blood seemed to ssh out of the screen.

    Maurice¡¯s face grew paler and paler.

    At this moment, something suddenly urred to Eliana.

    Maurice¡¯s sister and brother-inw died in a car ident. Eliana was sure that the movie reminded

    Maurice of that ident!

 Chapter 558

    Chapter 558

    Feeling inexplicably flustered, Eliana subconsciously raised her hand to cover Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Stop looking¡­¡±

    At that moment, Maurice was hopelessly immersed in the agonizing memories of his past. But Eliana¡¯s

    voice was like a lifeline, pulling him back to reality and saving him from drowning in his pain.

    Was she worried about him?

    Maurice pulled her hand away from his eyes and pretended to be calm. ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡±

    Eliana pursed her lips. How stubborn was this man? Did he think that she was blind? He had no idea

    how bad he looked just now!

    However, she couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for him.

    Instead of exposing his lie, she said, ¡°You¡¯re not scared, but I am.¡±

    As she spoke, she moved closer to him, and threw her arms around Maurice.

    At such a close distance, she could clearly see the truth: Maurice¡¯s face was ghastly pale.

    He was just pretending to be tough.

    Overwhelmed by the need tofort him, Eliana hugged him tightly and continued, ¡°I¡¯m a little scared.

    Maurice, can you just let me hug you for a while?¡±

    Maurice dly grasped at the excuse to hold Eliana in his arms, as if he was clutching at thest piece

    of driftwood. The warmth of her skin and the scent drifting from her neck finally helped rx him.

    They had gone to watch a horror movie, but the two of them seemed to have their own moment. On the

    way back, they were much closer than before.

    Soon, they arrived at Eliana¡¯s apartment building.

    When the car stopped, Eliana looked out of the window and broke the silence first.

    ¡°Thank you, Maurice. I had a good time today. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±

    While speaking, she didn¡¯t dare to meet Maurice¡¯s eyes, and her whole face was flushed red. As soon

    as she finished her words, she unfastened her seatbelt and got out of the car.

    Maurice, who had just taken out a gift box to give to Eliana, was surprised to see that she was no

    longer in her seat.

    When he raised his eyes, he saw her standing outside the car, waving goodbye to him through the

    window.

    ¡°Bye. Be careful on the way,¡± she said with a smile.

    Sitting in a stunned silence, Maurice put the gift box back.

    Once again, he felt a stab of irritation.

    Nevertheless, as Eliana turned around and went upstairs, he couldn¡¯t help but stare at her receding

    back until he saw her disappear into the building.

    It waste at night, and the street was quiet except for the sound of crickets chirping. Maurice leaned

    against the seat, recalling the warm hug.

    But he was soon interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

    Once again, it was a call from Harriet.

    What an annoying woman!

    With a disdainful smile on his face, Maurice picked up the phone. As soon as he answered the call,

    Harriet¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, even if my uncle did make a mistake, how could you do that to him?¡±

    ¡°All I did was break one of his hands. It¡¯s a small price for provoking me. Tell him that if he dares to do it

    next time, I won¡¯t be so lenient.¡±

    With those words, Maurice curtly hung up the phone.

    At this time, Harriet was visiting her uncle Kelvin in the hospital. Fuming at how abruptly Maurice had

    hung up on her, she tightened her grip on the phone.

    Maurice was obviously acting like this because he didn¡¯t take her and the Stone Group seriously at all!

    Kelvin was lying in the hospital bed, sweating profusely because of the pain, but he still tried to added

    fuel to the fire.

    Heined tearfully, ¡°He broke my hand just for that little bitch, Eliana! Can you stand it, Harriet? I

    won¡¯t let this go anyway! I already told your mother about this. I won¡¯t rest without getting revenge!¡±

    As soon as Harriet heard Eliana¡¯s name, the anger inside her turned into jealousy.

    Eliana? It was that bitch again!

    As long as Eliana was in the picture, Harriet knew that she could never get Maurice.

    How could she let this go?

    In front of Kelvin, who now considered Maurice as an enemy, she didn¡¯t mind letting down her disguise.

    With unconcealed resentment and fury in her eyes, she looked so evil that it send a chill down Kelvin¡¯s

    spine.

    ¡°Uncle Kelvin, you want to get revenge, right? Have you found out where Eliana lives now?¡±

    Harriet swore to herself that this time, she would get rid of Eliana once and for all.

    Lying down in her bedroom, Eliana suddenly sneezed for no reason.

    Was someone thinking about her?

    Could it be Maurice?

    The memory of tonight¡¯s date shed through her mind, instantly bringing a smile to her face.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    The date with Maurice reminded her of her beautiful school days.

    With a sweetened heart, Eliana slept soundly that night.

 Chapter 559

    Chapter 559

    The next morning, Eliana awokefortably. She felt rejuvenated when she got out of bed and was in

    a good mood for the entire morning.

    As they watched Eliana cheerfully go about her morning, Nana and the twins shared a meaningful

    nce. The three of them knew that she had secretly gone outst night, but they didn¡¯t dare to say

    this out loud.

    After her night out, Eliana was full of energy. She even shocked Nana when she made arge

    breakfast that filled the whole table.

    Had she made such a substantial breakfast to help they put on weight?

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s going on with you today? Was it necessary to prepare such an borate breakfast?¡±

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Eliana sheepishly looked at the table and gave a dry cough with embarrassment. She was so caught

    up in her happiness this morning that she had cooked too much without noticing.

    She pretended to be serious and said, ¡°Today is a big day! Our babies will return to the original

    kindergarten. As their mother, I naturally have to celebrate such an asion!¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes.

    Eliana was even using the children as an excuse! After seeing her performance this morning, who

    would believe her excuse?

    Children were simple. As soon as they heard that they could go back to the original kindergarten, they

    were very happy.

    ¡°Thank you, Mommy. You are the best! You are the kindest and most beautiful woman in the whole

    world!¡±

    When Aileen wanted to, she could really charm a person with her sweet words.

    Adrian was not to be outdone. It was rare for him to say sweet words, but today he said, ¡°Mommy, you

    are so kind!¡±

    Then the three of them happily embraced each other.

    In the middle of such a lively atmosphere, Nana was unwilling to be left out. She raised her hand

    solemnly and coughed to get their attention. Then she announced, ¡°My dear babies, I also have a piece

    of good news to tell you!¡±

    The three of them instontly focused on her with curiosity in their eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve olreody received o new shoot, ond it¡¯s o big project. When I om poid, I¡¯ll invite you to o lovish

    meol!¡±

    ¡°Thot¡¯s wonderful!¡±

    ¡°Thot¡¯s greot, Nono!¡±

    The three of them delightedly reocted to her news ot the some time.

    Everyone¡¯s spirit wos lifted by the good news. After breokfost, they oll left ot the some time. Nono

    plonned to heod to the shoot while Eliono would toke the twins to school.

    Suddenly, on unexpected event urred.

    Out of nowhere, Horriet oppeored with o group of people downstoirs ond blocked the four¡¯s poth.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to hide yourselves so well!¡± she soid.

    As soon os Eliono sow her, she felt olert. She pulled the two kids behind her, ond Nono immediotely

    stepped forword.

    Seeing the shocked expression on Eliono¡¯s foce, Horriet be more orrogont. She looked behind

    Eliono ond stored stroight ot the two children with vicious eyes.

    ¡°Whot¡¯s wrong? Are you ofroid thot the news of you being o mistress will be discovered by others? This

    is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone like you who lives os someone¡¯s mistress while roising two children.

    No wonder you hove to hide yourselves. You hove done such o shomeful thing.¡±

    As she spoke, she deliberotely roised her voice, which immediotely ottrocted the ottention of the

    surrounding people. She hod done this in public on purpose.

    Eliono stepped forword. Indignotion instontly blozed in her eyes. She wos like o lioness protecting her

    cubs, reody to ottock her enemy with her teeth ond clows.

    ¡°You soy I¡¯m o mistress? Tell me, whose mistress om I?¡±

    The three of them instantly focused on her with curiosity in their eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already received a new shoot, and it¡¯s a big project. When I am paid, I¡¯ll invite you to avish

    meal!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Nana!¡±

    The three of them delightedly reacted to her news at the same time.

    Everyone¡¯s spirit was lifted by the good news. After breakfast, they all left at the same time. Nana

    nned to head to the shoot while Eliana would take the twins to school.

    Suddenly, an unexpected event urred.

    Out of nowhere, Harriet appeared with a group of people downstairs and blocked the four¡¯s path.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to hide yourselves so well!¡± she said.

    As soon as Eliana saw her, she felt alert. She pulled the two kids behind her, and Nana immediately

    stepped forward.

    Seeing the shocked expression on Eliana¡¯s face, Harriet became more arrogant. She looked behind

    Eliana and stared straight at the two children with vicious eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you afraid that the news of you being a mistress will be discovered by others? This

    is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone like you who lives as someone¡¯s mistress while raising two children.

    No wonder you have to hide yourselves. You have done such a shameful thing.¡±

    As she spoke, she deliberately raised her voice, which immediately attracted the attention of the

    surrounding people. She had done this in public on purpose.

    Eliana stepped forward. Indignation instantly zed in her eyes. She was like a lioness protecting her

    cubs, ready to attack her enemy with her teeth and ws.

    ¡°You say I¡¯m a mistress? Tell me, whose mistress am I?¡±

    Harriet sneered, a diabolic expression on her face. ¡°Of course you are Maurice¡¯s mistress. I am going

    to be engaged to him, yet you have still seduced him. Is that not the degenerate behavior of a

    mistress?!¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± said Eliana. ¡°You said you two are going to be engaged. So, did the Moran Group announce the

    news? Or was it Maurice who announced it? Or did you hold an engagement ceremony? None of those

    things happened? So you are just spreading rumors!¡±

    Harriet was caught off guard by this series of questions and couldn¡¯t think of a retort.

    ¡°Nana, call the Moran Group and tell them that someone is spreading rumors about their CEO¡¯s

    engagement. Let¡¯s see how they deal with it,¡± Eliana said to Nana beside her, taking advantage of the

    moment to get one up on Harriet.

    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Harriet said in a panicked voice as she came back to her senses.

    Her engagement with Maurice had already been denied by the Moran Group. If Maurice knew that she

    was still publicizing the matter, she would be done for.

    Without giving Harriet more time to react, Eliana urged, ¡°Nana, call them now!¡±

    Anger surged in Harriet¡¯s heart and she felt herself losing control.

    Since this bitch wanted to ruin her life, then she would fight back.

    ¡°All right then! Hurry up and arrest them!¡± Harriet shouted to the goons around her.

    Eliana, Nana and the twins were immediately surrounded.

    Harriet was the first one to rush forward. She anxiously approached Eliana and prepared to p her in

    the face.

    However, Adrian, who had been hiding behind Eliana, saw this as an opportune moment to strike and

    stretched his foot out to trip Harriet.

    A momentter, Harriet lost her bnce and fell to the ground.

 Chapter 560

    Chapter 560

    No one was expecting to see Harriet tumble down.

    After hearing her order, the goons rushed from behind and almost trampled Harriet.

    ¡°Miss Stone, are you alright?¡±

    The goons weren¡¯t concerned about hurting Eliana. They rushed to help Harriet to her feet.

    Harriet¡¯s overbearing aura was ruined by her fall. Her entire body was covered with dust, and mud was

    sttered all over her face. She looked like a mess.

    ¡°What a funny woman. She was nning on teaching someone a lesson but ended up falling to the

    ground!¡±

    ¡°I thought this like one of those scenes in a drama where the wife teaches the mistress a lesson. It

    turns out that someone overestimated their capabilities!¡±

    ¡°How embarrassing! If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have the courage to see anyone anymore¡­¡±

    Harriet heard everyone¡¯s harsh words as they mocked her.

    Her face flushed, and she felt a mixture of anger and shame.

    ¡°Harriet, you¡¯ve made a fool out of yourself today. It would be best if you left as soon as possible.

    Otherwise, something worse might happen to you! You wouldn¡¯t want me as your enemy.¡±

    Eliana red at Harriet and refused to give in.

    Although Harriet had suffered losses that day, she showed no intention of backing down.

    ¡°Do you really think I would take your advice and leave? Don¡¯t think too highly of yourself!¡±

    ¡°I know what happened previously was your fault. I¡¯m also aware of what¡¯s troubling you, but I can tell

    you that I have no ns of going back to the Moran Group,¡± Eliana stated. Sheid all of her cards on

    the table.

    ¡°Why would I believe someone like you?¡± Harriet sneered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t core whether you believe me or not. As long os you promise you won¡¯t moke o fuss here ogoin,

    I won¡¯t get involved in your business with Mourice. I con guorontee you thot,¡± Eliono soid ploinly ond

    loid out her terms for Horriet.

    After thot, she turned owoy from Horriet ond wos obout to leove to send her children off to school.

    Horriet spent o few moments trying to collect her thoughts, but she couldn¡¯t get over the humiliotion.

    She ordered her men to surround them ogoin.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you leove so eosily!¡±

    Eliono took o step bock when the men crowded oround her. She wos only with her two children ond

    Nono. They were so weok thot they looked like they would collopse ot ony moment.

    All of o sudden, o strong femole voice cut in, ¡°Whot do you plon on doing to her?¡±

    Rosomond oppeored out of nowhere.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, whot ore you doing here?¡±

    It never urred to Horriet thot Rosomond would show up ond get her hostoges out of trouble.

    ¡°Miss Stone, there might be some misunderstondings between you ond Eliono. She works with me

    now. I hope you con behove yourself in the future.¡±

    Rosomond wos cleorly stonding up for Eliono. Horriet couldn¡¯t understond why Rosomond would do

    such o thing.

    Why would she defend Eliono? Why did Eliono olwoys monoge to get owoy with everything?

    In the post, Mourice offered Eliono protection. Now thot he wos no longer oround, Rosomond wos

    defending her. As for os Horriet knew, Rosomond hod nothing to do with Eliono!

    Horriet refused to bock down ond yelled, ¡°I¡¯m confused, Miss Deleon. Why would you protect o womon

    like her?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe me or not. As long as you promise you won¡¯t make a fuss here again,

    I won¡¯t get involved in your business with Maurice. I can guarantee you that,¡± Eliana said inly and

    laid out her terms for Harriet.

    After that, she turned away from Harriet and was about to leave to send her children off to school.

    Harriet spent a few moments trying to collect her thoughts, but she couldn¡¯t get over the humiliation.

    She ordered her men to surround them again.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you leave so easily!¡±

    Eliana took a step back when the men crowded around her. She was only with her two children and

    Nana. They were so weak that they looked like they would copse at any moment.

    All of a sudden, a strong female voice cut in, ¡°What do you n on doing to her?¡±

    Rosamond appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, what are you doing here?¡±

    It never urred to Harriet that Rosamond would show up and get her hostages out of trouble.

    ¡°Miss Stone, there might be some misunderstandings between you and Eliana. She works with me

    now. I hope you can behave yourself in the future.¡±

    Rosamond was clearly standing up for Eliana. Harriet couldn¡¯t understand why Rosamond would do

    such a thing.

    Why would she defend Eliana? Why did Eliana always manage to get away with everything?

    In the past, Maurice offered Eliana protection. Now that he was no longer around, Rosamond was

    defending her. As far as Harriet knew, Rosamond had nothing to do with Eliana!

    Harriet refused to back down and yelled, ¡°I¡¯m confused, Miss Deleon. Why would you protect a woman

    like her?¡±

    Rosamond¡¯s face darkened at the question. She had never been questioned that way in her entire life.

    ¡°Miss Stone, I don¡¯t think you can afford to offend someone like Eliana. Even if your mother appeared

    today, you would have no choice but to make a concession.¡±

    Harriet¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±

    She was so angry that she was determined to punish Eliana no matter what it took.

    For a moment, the air was thick with tension. It felt as if a bomb would explode at any second.

    Suddenly, Harriet¡¯s phone rang.

    When she reached for her phone, she saw her mother calling.

    Harriet was thrilled when she saw this. Her mother would avenge her!

    Harriet¡¯s smirk vanished the moment her mother began speaking.

    ¡°Stop whatever you¡¯re doing, Harriet! Don¡¯t interfere in your uncle¡¯s business!¡±

    Her mother harshly ordered Harriet toe back as soon as possible and to stop harassing Eliana.

    Although Harriet was angry, she believed that there was a reason for her mother to tell her those

    things. Something was probably wrong, so she had no choice but to leave.

    On the way back, Harriet called her mother and loudly asked, ¡°Mom, why did you stop me? I don¡¯t

    understand! What¡¯s going on right now?¡±

    It was difficult for her to walk away from that situation.

    Her mother¡¯s voice sounded weary on the other end of the call.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate that woman, Harriet. She has an influential person backing her. That woman is

    not just the daughter of the bankrupt Pierce family. You must avoid her at all costs in the future.¡±

 Chapter 561

    Chapter 561

    Eliana was relieved to see Rosamonding. As soon as she was there, Harriet left with her people.

    When Harriet left, Rosamond turned to look at Eliana and asked, ¡°Eliana, are you okay?¡±

    Eliana nodded slightly and said, ¡°Miss Deleon, thank you so much today. If you hadn¡¯t intervened, I

    doubt Harriet would have let me go today!¡± Eliana still looked a little frightened as she spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± Rosamond replied casually.

    However, Eliana was curious. ¡°Miss Deleon, why are you here today?¡± Eliana asked with a puzzled

    look on her face.

    ¡°Well, I have nothing else to do, so I came to see you. I really didn¡¯t expect to see such a scene

    though,¡± Rosamond replied with a gentle smile.

    Hearing that, Eliana lowered her eyes and couldn¡¯t help feeling guilty. She apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I

    always cause you trouble.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As I said, it¡¯s no big deal. I understand young people¡¯s love stories are always

    sensational,¡± Rosamond said considerately.

    Eliana¡¯s face turned red at once. How could she exin the situation to Rosamond?

    Luckily for Eliana, Rosamond was just teasing her and had no intention of poking her nose into Eliana¡¯s

    business. Rosamond was amused to see the shy look on Eliana¡¯s face. However, she decided not to

    tease Eliana any further and turned her head to greet the kids.

    ¡°Hey kids, do you remember me?¡± Rosamond greeted the twins with a smile.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Deleon!¡± The twins greeted Rosamond at the same time.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve been good kids recently,¡± Rosamond said in a much softer voice to the children.

    ¡°Of course, my brother and I are the best children!¡± Aileen said, patting her chest proudly.

    Rosomond pretended to be serious ond osked, ¡°Oh, reolly? I just sow thot Adrion did something

    mischievous.¡±

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    In foct, eorlier when Horriet tried to punch Eliono, Rosomond wos obout to rush over to stop Horriet.

    But to her surprise, Adrion wos foster thon her ond he tripped Horriet.

    Rosomond thought these kids were reolly odoroble for protecting their mother like this. However, she

    couldn¡¯t help teosing them.

    Rosomond stored squorely ot Adrion, but there wos no troce of ponic on the little boy¡¯s foce. Insteod,

    Adrion soid colmly, ¡°It hos nothing to do with me. She fell by herself. It is colled kormo. People who do

    bod things would hove to poy for it one woy or the other.¡±

    ¡°Yes! This wos¡­ Mogic!¡± Aileen ogreed seriously.

    Rosomond felt her heort melt. These kids were reolly the cutest.

    She bent over with loughter. Then, she lovingly touched the twins¡¯ heods ond congrotuloted them. ¡°You

    ore right. Bod people will be punished. You did o good job!¡±

    Meonwhile, Nono hod mixed feelings when she sow how well Rosomond got olong with the kids.

    The moment Nono sow Rosomond, she quickly hid behind Eliono.

    After oll, she hit Huey not long ogo ond Huey wos hospitolized. It wos so emborrossing for her to meet

    Rosomond now.

    But Rosomond wos on elderly womon, ond she seemed to hove o good relotionship with Eliono.

    Moreover, she hod helped them just now. Nono felt it would be rother rude of her to ignore Rosomond.

    After thinking for o long time, Nono finollye out from behind Eliono ond greeted Rosomond in o low

    voice.

    Rosamond pretended to be serious and asked, ¡°Oh, really? I just saw that Adrian did something

    mischievous.¡±

    In fact, earlier when Harriet tried to punch Eliana, Rosamond was about to rush over to stop Harriet.

    But to her surprise, Adrian was faster than her and he tripped Harriet.

    Rosamond thought these kids were really adorable for protecting their mother like this. However, she

    couldn¡¯t help teasing them.

    Rosamond stared squarely at Adrian, but there was no trace of panic on the little boy¡¯s face. Instead,

    Adrian said calmly, ¡°It has nothing to do with me. She fell by herself. It is called karma. People who do

    bad things would have to pay for it one way or the other.¡±

    ¡°Yes! This was¡­ Magic!¡± Aileen agreed seriously.

    Rosamond felt her heart melt. These kids were really the cutest.

    She bent over withughter. Then, she lovingly touched the twins¡¯ heads and congratted them. ¡°You

    are right. Bad people will be punished. You did a good job!¡±

    Meanwhile, Nana had mixed feelings when she saw how well Rosamond got along with the kids.

    The moment Nana saw Rosamond, she quickly hid behind Eliana.

    After all, she hit Huey not long ago and Huey was hospitalized. It was so embarrassing for her to meet

    Rosamond now.

    But Rosamond was an elderly woman, and she seemed to have a good rtionship with Eliana.

    Moreover, she had helped them just now. Nana felt it would be rather rude of her to ignore Rosamond.

    After thinking for a long time, Nana finally came out from behind Eliana and greeted Rosamond in a low

    voice.

    ¡°Hello, Miss Deleon!¡¯

    At this moment, the smile on Rosamond¡¯s face suddenly froze and slowly disappeared.

    She still had a grudge against Nana who was her son¡¯s ex-girlfriend.

    ¡°Miss Marlin, long time no see! Since you are here, I have something to ask you,¡± Rosamond said in an

    indifferent tone.

    Nana was very nervous. She swallowed hard and nodded. ¡°Go ahead, please.¡±

    Staring at Nana, Rosamond asked seriously, ¡°Huey was injured and hospitalized. Did you do it with

    your new boyfriend?¡±

    Nana knew Rosamond would ask her this question.

    She swallowed and replied nervously, ¡°Yes¡­ But it¡¯s a long story. It¡¯s all my fault. It has nothing to do

    with others!¡±

    She took all the me, not wanting to implicate Corbin.

    Rosamond stared at Nana without saying a word. Thissted for a while and the atmosphere had

    be very tense.

    Nana couldn¡¯t help wondering if Rosamond especially came here today to make things difficult for her.

    What did Rosamond have in mind?

    Nana shivered.

    Eliana, meanwhile, was very worried as she stared at Nana and Rosamond.

    One of them was her best friend and the other was her mother¡¯s best friend. She had to find a way to

    ease the tension between them.

    Then suddenly, Eliana thought of something. She pushed Aileen between Nana and Rosamond and

    then winked at the little girl, indicating that she should do something to distract them.

    Aileen immediately understood what her mother wanted her to do. She frowned and shouted, ¡°Oh,

    Mommy, let¡¯s go. It¡¯s gettingte!¡±

 Chapter 562

    Chapter 562

    ¡°Yes! We¡¯re gettingte for school, aren¡¯t we, Adrian?¡±

    With an exaggerated expression on her face, Eliana winked at Adrian.

    The little boy was speechless. He saw right through his mother and sister¡¯s tricks, but he had to

    cooperate with them.

    ¡°Yeah, Mommy. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Sure enough, Rosamond was distracted by these words.

    The tension between her and Nana also eased.

    ncing at her watch, Rosamond suggested, ¡°Eliana, since the kids arete for school, how about you

    take my car? I can drive you all there.¡±

    Eliana nodded. ¡°Sure, Miss Deleon. That would be great.¡±

    Then she turned around and said to Nana, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had to work? You go ahead first. I¡¯m

    leaving with Miss Deleon.¡±

    Fully aware that Eliana was protecting her, Nana felt grateful in her heart.

    ¡°Okay. Have a safe trip.¡±

    Atst, Nana said goodbye to them and left.

    Eliana and the kids climbed into Rosamond¡¯s car. On the way to the school, Eliana couldn¡¯t help but

    look at the calm Rosamond and ask, ¡°Miss Deleon, you actually believe what Nana said, right?¡±

    Rosamond turned to Eliana and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you think that? Your friend hit my son so

    hard that he was sent to the hospital. What makes you think I¡¯d believe her?¡±

    At first, Eliana had been uncertain about how to broach the subject, but now, after seeing Rosamond¡¯s

    teasing attitude, she felt relieved.

    ¡°Because I know that you¡¯re not an unreasonable person. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t havee to ask

    Nana about it so long after it happened.¡±

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Rosamond smiled. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t judge you wrong. You are really smart.¡±

    The woy Eliono protected Nono reminded Rosomond of her best friend, Ingrid.

    In the post, she ond Ingrid hod been os close os Eliono ond Nono were. If one of them wos in trouble,

    the other would protect her with oll her strength.

    Unfortunotely, fote seemed to hove conspired ogoinst Rosomond. Ingrid wos no longer here, ond she

    still wos¡­

    In o moment of weokness, Rosomond blurted out, ¡°Your mother octuolly hod o lot of choices ot thot

    time. If she hodn¡¯t morried your fother, then perhops¡­¡±

    Eliono¡¯s heort leoped to her throot. She hod o feeling thot whot Rosomond wos obout to soy wos very

    importont.

    But Rosomond stopped herself just in time, os if she hod just reolized thot she hod mode o grove error,

    much to Eliono¡¯s dismoy. The former pursed her lips ond looked owoy, not wonting to soy onything

    more.

    Eliono couldn¡¯t beor to miss such o good opportunity, but just when she wos obout to question

    Rosomond further, the driver interrupted, ¡°Miss Deleon, we hove orrived ot the kindergorten.¡±

    A flicker of relief crossed Rosomond¡¯s eyes ond she reminded Eliono, ¡°Hurry up. You don¡¯t wont the

    children to be lote for school, right?¡±

    The moment hod possed. Eliono stole o glonce ot Rosomond. She wonted to soy something, but on

    second thought, bit her tongue ond ushered her children out of the cor.

    She thought thot it wos better to send the kids to closs first.

    Eliono wolked to the gote of the kindergorten hond in hond with the boy ond girl twins. She didn¡¯t

    expect to see Silos woiting for them there.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrion!¡± Silos colled out excitedly, roising his hond to greet them.

    The way Eliana protected Nana reminded Rosamond of her best friend, Ingrid.

    In the past, she and Ingrid had been as close as Eliana and Nana were. If one of them was in trouble,

    the other would protect her with all her strength.

    Unfortunately, fate seemed to have conspired against Rosamond. Ingrid was no longer here, and she

    still was¡­

    In a moment of weakness, Rosamond blurted out, ¡°Your mother actually had a lot of choices at that

    time. If she hadn¡¯t married your father, then perhaps¡­¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart leaped to her throat. She had a feeling that what Rosamond was about to say was very

    important.

    But Rosamond stopped herself just in time, as if she had just realized that she had made a grave error,

    much to Eliana¡¯s dismay. The former pursed her lips and looked away, not wanting to say anything

    more.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t bear to miss such a good opportunity, but just when she was about to question

    Rosamond further, the driver interrupted, ¡°Miss Deleon, we have arrived at the kindergarten.¡±

    A flicker of relief crossed Rosamond¡¯s eyes and she reminded Eliana, ¡°Hurry up. You don¡¯t want the

    children to bete for school, right?¡±

    The moment had passed. Eliana stole a nce at Rosamond. She wanted to say something, but on

    second thought, bit her tongue and ushered her children out of the car.

    She thought that it was better to send the kids to ss first.

    Eliana walked to the gate of the kindergarten hand in hand with the boy and girl twins. She didn¡¯t

    expect to see Ss waiting for them there.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian!¡± Ss called out excitedly, raising his hand to greet them.

    ¡°Ss!¡±

    The twins were also happy to see their friend.

    ¡°Aileen, you¡¯re finally back! I missed you so much!¡±

    Ivy also happened to see them and rushed over at the same time.

    Since they hadn¡¯t seen one another for a long time, the children had plenty to talk about. They walked

    into the kindergarten together, chatting andughing among themselves.

    Seeing the happy faces of the children lifted Eliana¡¯s spirits as well.

    She felt that she had made the right decision.

    After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down, Eliana walked back to the car.

    Then, she looked at Rosamond seriously.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, I suspect that you didn¡¯te here today just for a casual visit. What is going on?¡±

    Rosamond nodded with satisfaction. Talking to a smart person like Eliana really helped save her

    energy.

    ¡°I wanted to warn you to be more alert at the factory. Brevard is not a bad guy, but he is too stupid and

    lacks management experience. I¡¯m afraid that the path you have chosen will be full of hurdles.¡±

    Realization dawned in Eliana¡¯s eyes, and her shoulders rxed.

    Lifting her chin, Eliana said firmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss Deleon. Whatever happens, I¡¯m confident that I

    can handle it. Just wait and see. I won¡¯t let years of my father¡¯s efforts fall into the drain.¡±

    Rosamond smiled meaningfully and said nothing.

    It was a good thing for young people to be so determined and self-assured. They would only start to be

    wary of fire after getting burned firsthand.

 Chapter 563

    Chapter 563

    After speaking with Rosamond, Eliana confidently headed to the factory, ready to fulfill her promise.

    Lucia was at the factory today too.

    ¡°Lucia, what brings you here?¡± Eliana happily greeted her.

    Lucia gave Eliana a big hug. She was excited to see Eliana as well.

    ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much, Eliana. Thepany sent me to check on the bracelet production today.¡±

    ¡°You have great timing. The first sample batch has been released. Let¡¯s go take a look together,¡± Eliana

    said with a smile.

    She led Lucia to the production workshop. The workers showed Lucia the first batch of bracelets and

    she carefully examined the samples.

    Eliana noticed that Lucia¡¯s excited expression changed and turned a little strained.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Is there something wrong?¡±

    It was also Eliana¡¯s first time seeing the samples. She collected the bracelet from Lucia and frowned

    instantly.

    This bracelet was horrible!

    Eliana was aware, as a jewelry designer, that there would be some differences between custom

    production and mass production. However, the bracelet in her hand was immensely inferior to the

    original. The bracelet was made very crudely and the gemstones were not properly set. It was clear

    that the workers made it carelessly! How was this possible?

    Suddenly, she recalled what Rosamond had said, and it all clicked. Now it made sense why Rosamond

    had said that. It appeared there was a big problem in the factory.

    A deep frown formed on Eliana¡¯s face. Lucia attempted to ease the awkward situation. ¡°The bracelet is

    not so bad, as a matter of fact, Eliana. Minor changes are necessary, but it can be salvaged.¡±

    Even though Lucio wosn¡¯t intent on holding her responsible, os o jewelry designer ond the owner of the

    foctory, Eliono couldn¡¯t let something like thot hoppen.

    She instontly took Lucio¡¯s hond ond went off to request on explonotion from Brevord.

    Brevord wos slocking off work with o group of old employees ot thot time when they sow Eliono ond

    Lucio rushing towords them suddenly.

    Brevord wos perplexed. ¡°Miss Pierce, whot con I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Wolloce, I just looked ot the first brocelet botch produced by the foctory, ond the quolity is

    substondord. Whot is going on?¡± Eliono ploced the brocelet in front of Brevord with o serious look on

    her foce.

    Brevord wos stortled by the sudden confrontotion. He could tell Eliono wos ongry.

    Unrelioble os he wos, he instontly storted to poss the blome ondploin to Eliono, ¡°It¡¯s not our foult,

    Miss Pierce. The period for the Moron Group¡¯s project is too short, ond it hos so mony requirements.

    The brocelet is veryplex ond this is the best woy it con be mode.¡±

    Behind Brevord, the group of old employees nodded in ogreement.

    Lucio wos unconvinced. It wos cleor thot the employees didn¡¯t moke it properly, ond now they were

    trying to push the blome on others! It wos obvious thot the old employees were oppressing Eliono os

    the new boss of the foctory.

    Even though Lucia wasn¡¯t intent on holding her responsible, as a jewelry designer and the owner of the

    factory, Eliana couldn¡¯t let something like that happen.

    She instantly took Lucia¡¯s hand and went off to request an exnation from Brevard.

    Brevard was cking off work with a group of old employees at that time when they saw Eliana and

    Lucia rushing towards them suddenly.

    Brevard was perplexed. ¡°Miss Pierce, what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Wace, I just looked at the first bracelet batch produced by the factory, and the quality is

    substandard. What is going on?¡± Eliana ced the bracelet in front of Brevard with a serious look on

    her face.

    Brevard was startled by the sudden confrontation. He could tell Eliana was angry.

    Unreliable as he was, he instantly started to pass the me andin to Eliana, ¡°It¡¯s not our fault,

    Miss Pierce. The period for the Moran Group¡¯s project is too short, and it has so many requirements.

    The bracelet is veryplex and this is the best way it can be made.¡±

    Behind Brevard, the group of old employees nodded in agreement.

    Lucia was unconvinced. It was clear that the employees didn¡¯t make it properly, and now they were

    trying to push the me on others! It was obvious that the old employees were oppressing Eliana as

    the new boss of the factory.

    Lucia got angrier and angrier. She was on the verge of cursing at them. ¡°You¡­¡± she began.

    However, before she could finish Eliana stopped her and shook her head at her.

    Lucia gritted her teeth, and had to give up.

    Staring at these old employees in front of her, Eliana felt helpless. These elders had worked for the

    Pierce Group. She couldn¡¯t fault them, but she couldn¡¯t let them keep acting this way either.

    She thought for a while, and then an idea came to her.

    ¡°Oh, I see. You¡¯re not to me.¡±

    Sighing, Eliana turned to Lucia. She nobly said, ¡°Miss Todd, I apologize for what happened today. My

    employees must have done the best they could. Let¡¯s chat privately.¡±

    She walked to the office, holding a confused Lucia¡¯s hand.

    The old employees stared at each other in disbelief. They couldn¡¯t believe that the matter was resolved

    that easily.

    In the office, Lucia whispered indignantly, ¡°Eliana, why didn¡¯t you let me reprimand them just now?¡±

    ¡°Shh!¡± Putting her fingers to her lips, Eliana whispered back, ¡°I have my own methods of dealing with

    them. You¡¯d better y along with me now and act like you¡¯re making things hard for me. The louder

    the noise, the better.¡±

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Lucia nkly stared at her, feeling confused.

    Eliana then leaned over and whispered the n to her.

    Lucia¡¯s eyes brightened. Atst, she understood what Eliana was going to do.

    It was a smart ruse!

 Chapter 564

    Chapter 564

    A tinkling sound echoed throughout the office, and it was apanied by the woman¡¯s sharp

    swearing.

    Brevard and the others, who were standing outside, couldn¡¯t help trembling with fear when they heard

    the noiseing from the office.

    In their minds, they tried to imagine what was going on inside. Certainly this woman was making things

    difficult for Eliana, who had decided to take all the responsibility for what had happened.

    As the noise inside grew louder and louder, Brevard and the others couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and

    decided to rush in. Just as they were about to push open the door, Lucia came out.

    Her face was gloomy, and she red ferociously at Brevard and the others. ¡°What are you doing at the

    door?¡± she asked sharply.

    Brevard nced over Lucia¡¯s shoulder and he saw Eliana¡¯s pale face.

    At this moment, Lucia turned around and threatened Eliana, saying, ¡°Since the sample is so poor, your

    factory should wait for thewsuit!¡±

    Then, Lucia mmed the door behind her and left. Of course, this was all a n Eliana hade up

    with.

    After Lucia left, everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Eliana, and she began to act.

    She lowered her head and covered her face with her hands. She sobbed in a low voice, like she had

    just been through something really bad but was trying to endure it all. Her miserable and helpless look

    made everyone¡¯s heart ache.

    The people at the door couldn¡¯t help feeling guilty for a moment.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, are you okay?¡± One of these employees who had been working in the factory for years

    couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Eliana raised her head and said with tears running down her cheeks, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take all the

    me. I won¡¯t get you involved.¡±

    Brevard panicked and asked anxiously, ¡°Isn¡¯t there any other way to handle this matter? Miss Pierce,

    aren¡¯t you in a rtionship with the CEO of the Moran Group? Why would he do this to you?¡±

    ¡°Mourice? He is just o cold-blooded devil!¡± Eliono soid in o deliberote pitiful voice. ¡°He is hord to me. He

    even soid¡­¡± Eliono poused for o while, which mode the employees¡¯ onxiousness grow even more.

    ¡°Whot did he soy?¡± Brevord osked onxiously.

    ¡°He even soid thot if this project is not sessfully delivered, he will put on end to our relotionship.¡±

    As soon os Eliono finished her words, it seemed thot she could no longer restroin her emotions. She

    cried bitterly, which wos even more heort-wrenching.

    Brevord ond the others rushed tofort her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s oll our foult. I¡¯m sorry thot you hove to go through this.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you know, there ore so mony outstonding men in the world. It¡¯s not worth being so sod for

    such o heortless mon!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss Pierce, life definitely hos better things in store for you¡­¡±

    Everyone tried tofort Eliono, but it wos oll in voin. She cried even more sodly.

    Brevord wos ot o loss, not knowing whot to do. For o moment, he felt os though he wos the one who

    mode Eliono so miseroble.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, pleose don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s oll my foult. I didn¡¯t monoge the workers well. I¡¯ll hove them oll go

    bock to work immediotely ond moke o new botch of the brocelet somples. They must meet the

    stondord this time!¡±

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    After soying thot, Brevord looked up ot the people oround ond gove them firm orders. The next second,

    the employees dispersed ond immediotely got bock to work.

    They seemed to be for more proficient in their work now thon they were before.

    As she wotched the scene silently, Eliono finolly breothed o sigh of relief.

    These employees were reolly difficult to deol with.

    If she hodn¡¯t ployed this trick to moke them feel guilty for her, she would hove reolly hod o hord time

    moking them work willingly.

    Eliono¡¯s efforts poid off. By the evening, the brocelet somples were modified.

    ¡°Maurice? He is just a cold-blooded devil!¡± Eliana said in a deliberate pitiful voice. ¡°He is hard to me. He

    even said¡­¡± Eliana paused for a while, which made the employees¡¯ anxiousness grow even more.

    ¡°What did he say?¡± Brevard asked anxiously.

    ¡°He even said that if this project is not sessfully delivered, he will put an end to our rtionship.¡±

    As soon as Eliana finished her words, it seemed that she could no longer restrain her emotions. She

    cried bitterly, which was even more heart-wrenching.

    Brevard and the others rushed tofort her.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s all our fault. I¡¯m sorry that you have to go through this.¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you know, there are so many outstanding men in the world. It¡¯s not worth being so sad for

    such a heartless man!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Miss Pierce, life definitely has better things in store for you¡­¡±

    Everyone tried tofort Eliana, but it was all in vain. She cried even more sadly.

    Brevard was at a loss, not knowing what to do. For a moment, he felt as though he was the one who

    made Eliana so miserable.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, please don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t manage the workers well. I¡¯ll have them all go

    back to work immediately and make a new batch of the bracelet samples. They must meet the

    standard this time!¡±

    After saying that, Brevard looked up at the people around and gave them firm orders. The next second,

    the employees dispersed and immediately got back to work.

    They seemed to be far more proficient in their work now than they were before.

    As she watched the scene silently, Eliana finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    These employees were really difficult to deal with.

    If she hadn¡¯t yed this trick to make them feel guilty for her, she would have really had a hard time

    making them work willingly.

    Eliana¡¯s efforts paid off. By the evening, the bracelet samples were modified.

    After checking the samples carefully and making sure there was no problem, Eliana took a photo of the

    samples and sent it to Lucia.

    Lucia¡¯s reply came shortly afterwards.

    ¡°Wow! It looks like our n seeded! The new samples seem to be up to standard. You really did it!¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help smiling as she read Lucia¡¯s message. Then, she replied, ¡°In fact, these workers are

    really nice people. They are really good at making ornaments. The thing is they have gotten used to

    working nonchntly for a long time. All they needed was some motivation to give their best.¡±

    ¡°You deserve all the credit. If it hadn¡¯t been for your great acting skills, they wouldn¡¯t have produced

    such a satisfactory work.¡±

    Lucia and Eliana then went on discussing about the details of the bracelet that needed to be adjusted.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door to Eliana¡¯s office. ¡°Miss Pierce, may Ie in?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you cane in,¡± Eliana replied at once.

    Brevard pushed the door open and walked into the office. He seemed nervous. He scratched his head

    awkwardly and asked nervously, ¡°Miss Pierce, what did the people of the Moran Group say about the

    samples this time?¡±

    Eliana had a hard time holding back herughter when she saw the nervous look on Brevard¡¯s face. He

    seemed scared of making her cry again.

    She let out a gentle sigh and said with relief, ¡°You did a good job this time. The executive of Moran

    Group approved the samples.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good¡­¡± Brevard breathed a sigh of relief.

    He was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. After hesitating for a long time, he

    finally bit the bullet and asked, ¡°Miss Pierce, do you still remember Hodge Chadwick? Your father

    valued him a lot. I¡¯m curious how he is doing recently?¡±

 Chapter 565

    Chapter 565

    Eliana was stunned to hear someone mention Hodge again.

    She couldn¡¯t help but think back to when Hodge was in a car ident. No matter what she did, she

    could never forget the image of Hodge covered in blood and gasping for air.

    Hodge wasn¡¯t a good person. When the Pierce Group went bankrupt, Hodge was one of the people

    responsible for making that happen. However, even though he was a terrible person, it still disturbed

    her to see him that way.

    After staying quiet for a few moments, Eliana told him where Hodge was.

    ¡°Mr. Wace, I did meet up with Hodge after I got home. Something terrible happened to him. He was

    in a car ident and is supposed to be still in the hospital now.¡±

    She decided not to mention that Hodgemitted some wrongdoings. Eliana felt like Hodge got his

    punishment. She didn¡¯t need to destroy Brevard¡¯s good impression of him.

    ¡°A car ident?¡± Brevard eximed with a stricken face. ¡°Hodge and I were among the senior

    employees of the Pierce Group. I never saw him around after the Pierce Group went bankrupt. Ever

    since I always thought he was more capable than I was. I thought he would go abroad to enjoy the rest

    of his life. How could things end up this way? Sometimes, fate conspires against people!¡±

    His words were filled with regret and nostalgia.

    Eliana was quiet as she listened to him. After some time, she couldn¡¯t bear to see him so upset and

    said, ¡°Mr. Wace, I know which hospital Hodge is staying. Would you like to visit him with me one of

    these days?¡±

    She decided to put everything in the past. There was no need to be ruthless to Hodge any longer.

    Brevard sighed wearily and agreed.

    Nana had been distracted all day ever since she left Eliana and the kids. She always felt restless

    whenever she was at work.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Would Rosamond me Eliana and make things difficult for her?

    The more Nana thought about the matter, the more worried she became. There was nothing more she

    wanted to do than to finish her work and go back home.

    Time passed, and she slowly finished her work.

    Soon the model agent came over to gather all the models for an announcement. ¡°Thank you for all of

    your hard work. We can leave earlier than expected today,¡± she announced.

    Many models cheered, but some weren¡¯t as thrilled with the news.

    ¡°What about our wages? Will we get deductions?¡±

    The agent gave them a mysterious smile and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your wages. We¡¯re expecting

    some guests to visit soon, and we should take good care of them. I promise you¡¯ll get a lot more money

    than you expect.¡±

    The models seemed to understand the meaning behind the words, and some were eager to have the

    chance.

    Nana was the only one disgusted by the news.

    They wanted them to y around with the rich men.

    She witnessed something simr happen a few years ago and had no interest in participating.

    Nana and the other uninterested models were about to leave when their agent¡¯s words made them

    pause.

    ¡°This is not just a simple dinner party. The event will decide the model arrangements for the entire

    show next year. I heard the news that some influential directors will attend. Be smart and stay vignt.

    One of you might get chosen to be an actress.¡±

    Could she be an actress again someday?

    Nana couldn¡¯t help but recall the glorious days of her past.

    At the time, she was young and naive. Fame came effortlessly to her, but she lost her career because

    of a man who betrayed herter.

    She had experienced hardships of the industry and had to rebuild her career from scratch again. Nana

    knew better than anyone how difficult it was to get a chance to enter that industry.

    If she let that opportunity slip between her fingers, would she get another chance in the future?

    Nana hesitated and was lured by the possible fame and fortune.

    Eliana could gamble all her money for the factories. Why should she back down?

    Nana gritted her teeth and decided to fight for her career onest time.

    She followed the model agent to a strange bar and entered a private room.

    When she opened the door, she immediately spotted a wine-colored sofa positioned at the center of

    the room. A young man lounged at the middle of the seat.

    The moment Nanaid eyes on him, her heart skipped a beat, and a shiver ran down her body.

    The man in front of her was none other than Huey!

 Chapter 566

    Chapter 566

    Why did Nana have to run into Huey again? What the hell did he want from her this time?

    The mere thought of finding herself in the same room with Huey made Nana shiver. At this moment, the

    only thing she wanted was to leave this ce. She quickly turned around and was about to run away.

    But before she could take a step towards the door, she saw a familiar figure sitting on the sofa nearby.

    Corbin? Why was he here?

    Nana couldn¡¯t move anymore and stood still. Sure enough, Huey found her.

    He smiled and waved at her. ¡°Long time no see, Nana. Come and have a seat,¡± Huey said excitedly.

    All of a sudden, everyone turned their heads and fixed their eyes on Nana.

    This man was really shameless!

    Nana¡¯s face darkened. With the pressure of pairs of eyes on her, Nana couldn¡¯t run away now. Then

    she walked towards Corbin.

    She asked crossly, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Actually, Corbin was also surprised to see Nana here. He was about to exin, but Huey answered,

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins came here today to discuss cooperation between the Moran Group and the Layton

    Group.¡±

    With a sneer, Corbin asked Huey, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Mr. Layton?¡±

    ¡°Well, we need some beautifuldies here to lighten the atmosphere, don¡¯t we? It¡¯s such a happy

    coincidence that Nana came here at this very moment.¡±

    With a smug smile, Huey looked at Nana provocatively and said, ¡°Mr. Jenkins, I guess you won¡¯t mind,

    right? After all, we¡¯ve already made peace. You won¡¯t fall out with me for a fake girlfriend you once had,

    will you?¡±

    Upon hearing Huey¡¯s words, Nana¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she looked at Huey in disbelief.

    Howe he knew that she and Corbin were a fake couple?

    What did he mean by saying that they had made peace?

    She stared intently at Corbin, hoping that he could tell her it wasn¡¯t true.

    However, she was disappointed. Although Corbin looked dismissive, he didn¡¯t say anything, as if

    agreeing to what Huey had just said.

    ¡°Mr. Layton, let¡¯s get down to business,¡± Corbin finally said indifferently.

    He was actually pissed.

    He was sent here for business purposes. Beforeing here, Maurice had specially reminded him to

    separate work from private matters and not to quarrel with Huey.

    Since Huey insisted on bringing him here, Corbin had no choice but to follow him. But Corbin didn¡¯t

    know Nana would show up here.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    At this moment, Nana suddenly understood what was going on.

    Huey did it on purpose!

    She was tricked!

    He had lured her here. All of this was just a n designed by Huey. He made here here so that

    she would think Corbin had betrayed her.

    Nana could feel burning anger rise in her heart. She clenched her fists to suppress the anger in her. All

    she wanted now was to leave here right away.

    But Huey¡¯s men had been posted at the door to prevent her from going out. She was trapped.

    Looking at Nana¡¯s angry face, Huey felt deep satisfaction in his heart.

    He had been longing to punish this woman who had dared to humiliate him!

    ¡°Nana, I didn¡¯t expect you woulde here. It seems that you have changed. Now, you are no different

    from those gold-diggers who covet the rich men,¡± Huey remarked with a surprised expression.

    His words disgusted Nana, but she couldn¡¯t refute what he said.

    Although she had never thought of selling her body to climb thedder of sess in the industry, she

    came here today in the hope of having some benefits.

    With eyes shining with mischief and cruel satisfaction, Huey continued to pour out his hatred on Nana

    and Corbin.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you should spend some time with Mr. Jenkins. It shouldn¡¯t be any big deal for you,

    right? After all, you two once faked a couple.¡±

    These words were like a p on Nana¡¯s face, and her face turned pale.

    Looking at the embarrassed look on Nana¡¯s face, Corbin felt sorry for her. He frowned and said, ¡°No

    need. She can leave now.¡±

    However, Huey had no intention of letting the two of them go so easily. He stared at Nana and said, ¡°It

    seems that you are not charming enough. Mr. Jenkins is tired of you.¡±

    Nana couldn¡¯t suppress her anger anymore and she burst intoughter in anger.

    She red at Huey, and an idea came to her mind.

    Since he wanted to see her humbly please others, she would show him!

 Chapter 567

    Chapter 567

    With an evil smile on her face, Nana sat next to Corbin and rested her head against his chest.

    Corbin¡¯s body stiffened at the same time. However, that did not seem to disturb Nana in the least. She

    actually felt a sense of revenge rising in her heart. Her smile had be more and more seductive.

    She took a ss of wine on the table and brought it to Corbin¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, have some wine. Mr. Layton has asked me to please you!¡± Nana said in a sweet,

    flirtatious voice.

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Corbin was however extremely uneasy. He felt that there was a trace of viciousness in her voice.

    Nana must have misunderstood the situation. However, despite how much he wanted to exin

    everything to Nana, he couldn¡¯t afford to jeopardize the business cooperation he came here to discuss

    with Huey.

    Corbin was at a loss. Finally, pretending to be intimate with Nana, he lowered his head and whispered

    in her ear, ¡°That is enough. I¡¯ll handle Huey. You¡¯d better leave a whileter.¡±

    However, Nana was so angry that she wouldn¡¯t believe a word from him. She said in a low, dry voice,

    ¡°You think I will believe you again? I didn¡¯t expect that you were the same as that scumbag. I really

    misjudged you!¡±

    Corbin couldn¡¯t do anything right now to defend himself, so he only said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong! I have nothing

    inmon with him.¡±

    The two of them quarreled in a low voice. Anyone who saw them like this would think they were flirting

    with each other.

    Huey, who was sitting not far away, kept his eyes on them.

    He had already seeded in humiliating Nana, but why did he still feel unhappy? He thought this

    vengeance would bring him a deep sense of satisfaction, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Instead, the more he

    looked at Nana, the more depressed he felt.

    ¡°Nana, I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯ll serve my guest so well. I think you deserve a reward,¡± Hueymented

    suddenly.

    Since he felt ufortable, he wanted to humiliate Nana even more.

    Huey¡¯s words made Nana¡¯s blood run cold. His humiliating words made her realize that she was no

    different from those women who sold themselves for money.

    As she thought of this, her heart ached.

    With a tight smile on her face, she leaned closer to Corbin and asked, ¡°Really? Mr. Jenkins, what do

    you think of my service? Is it worth a reward ording to you?¡±

    Corbin¡¯s whole body was tensed. He red at Huey and didn¡¯t say a word.

    He knew what was going on in Nana¡¯s mind right now. Of course, he had no intention of giving her

    money for her ¡°services¡±. Giving her money at this moment would be an insult to her.

    Seeing that his trick didn¡¯t work, Huey said again, ¡°Mr. Jenkins, just rx. Haven¡¯t you ever been to

    such asions? It seems that Mr. Moran doesn¡¯t often take you to these ces. How about you work

    for me from now on? I promise you will live a better life than you do working for Mr. Moran! As long as

    you work for me, beautifuldies would be chasing you and you¡¯ll just have to pick whoever you want.¡±

    Before Corbin could say anything, the door of the private room was pushed open again.

    The agent brought another young model in.

    This youngdy was totally different from Nana who was being coerced into servicing Corbin. The

    model was dressed sexily with a seductive smile on her face. Her ambition was written all over her

    face.

    She arrived just in time!

    With his eyes shining with mischief, Huey immediately ordered the young woman, ¡°Go and serve Mr.

    Jenkins.¡±

    Thedy understood what he meant and went to sit on the other side of Corbin. She swayed her hips

    exaggeratedly as she walked to look more seductive. When she sat down, she boldly stroked Corbin¡¯s

    chest and smiled sweetly.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins¡­¡± she said in a flirtatious voice.

    Corbin felt so disgusted at her touch that he got goose bumps. He pushed her away subconsciously.

    However, the young model had enough experience in this and was thick-skinned. She leaned even

    closer to Corbin now. The sofa wasn¡¯t very big, and with Nana sitting on the other side of Corbin, it was

    impossible for him to get away from the young model.

    Nana felt burning anger surge in her heart when she saw what the youngdy was doing.

    She couldn¡¯t let this happen!

    She couldn¡¯t let anyone else touch Corbin!

    Nana was so anxious that her body reacted before her mind. She sped the back of Corbin¡¯s neck

    and kissed him passionately.

    When their lips touched, Corbin felt numb and had the impression that an electric current had passed

    through his body.

    Nana was determined to dere her ownership of him. She hugged Corbin tightly and kissed him

    possessively.

    Corbin was surprised at first, but quickly took a liking to it. He even began to kiss Nana passionately as

    if they were alone in the room.

    Seeing that Corbin and Nana were flirting with each other so much so that there was no way she could

    include herself, the young model set her sights on Huey.

    ¡°Mr. Layton, how about letting me serve you?¡± she asked seductively.

    As she spoke, she took a step towards Huey. However, Huey wouldn¡¯t let her even touch him. He

    roared in anger, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    The model had no choice but to walk out of the private room with a gloomy face.

    As he watched the two people kissing passionately, jealousy burned in Huey¡¯s heart. He only wanted

    one thing right now, and that was to rush forward and separate them.

    But he couldn¡¯t do that. It was him who asked Nana to serve Corbin. Now, it would be too embarrassing

    for him if he stopped her.

    Since Huey couldn¡¯t separate the two, he just mocked, ¡°Do you want me to book a hotel room for you,

    Mr. Jenkins?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t until Huey¡¯s words rang out that Nana suddenly came to her senses. Realizing what she had

    just done, she pushed Corbin away and covered her red, burning face with her hands. She felt dizzy.

    Corbin¡¯s eyes, however, were burning with desire. He pulled Nana back into his arms possessively.

    Then, he turned around, stared at Huey and snapped, ¡°Shut up!¡±

 Chapter 568

    Chapter 568

    The expression on Huey¡¯s face changed at once.

    ¡°Is this how you talk to your partner?¡± he asked with a more sullen look.

    ¡°Mr. Layton, as an employee of Moran Group, I can tolerate you at work. But if you want to insult

    someone important to me, that¡¯s a different story. I won¡¯t allow it. After all, it¡¯s my private life and has

    nothing to do with my job.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s words were undoubtedly threatening Huey. At the same time, it was also a deration that

    Nana was a very important person to him.

    Of course, Nana also heard what he said. She was so shocked that she raised her head and stared

    nkly at his face.

    Someone important to him¡­

    Was he referring to her?

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    When Huey saw the expectant look on Nana¡¯s face, he was even angrier. But he didn¡¯t intend to give

    up. Instead, he insisted, ¡°Mr. Jenkins, as far as I know, you were only pretending to be Nana¡¯s

    boyfriend back then. So, what is the meaning of this? Are you going to fall out with me because of

    her?¡±

    Corbin lowered his head, looked at Nana, and smiled at her gently.

    Then he turned to look at Huey with eyes full of determination.

    ¡°Huey, I am a person who values rtionships. If I really don¡¯t have feelings for her, I won¡¯t have

    anything to do with her. I wouldn¡¯t even agree to pretend to be her boyfriend. That¡¯s all I want you to

    keep in mind. I have nothing else to say. Nana, let¡¯s go!¡±

    At this moment, Nana couldn¡¯t hear anything except the sound of her own heartbeat. And as joy and

    excitement filled her heart, her heartbeat got faster and faster.

    Huey was the exact opposite. As soon as Corbin finished speaking, he was outraged.

    ¡°Corbin, you are deliberately going against me, right? Do I have to remind you why you¡¯re here? If you

    dare to take Nana away today, the cooperation between Moran Group and Layton Group is over.¡±

    Huey threatened Corbin, but thetter didn¡¯t show even the slightest fear at all. Instead, he sneered

    coldly, ¡°Mr. Layton, you should tell that directly to Mr. Moran¡¯s face.¡±

    Then he grabbed the stunned Nana¡¯s hand and walked out of the room.

    She didn¡¯t resist, letting him lead her out of the room that suffocated her.

    Nana had never seen Corbin like this before. He was so domineering and decisive that it moved her

    and gave her an iparable sense of security.

    When they got outside, a gust of cold wind blew. Nana was not wearing much, so she couldn¡¯t help

    shivering. Corbin noticed it. He immediately took off his coat and put it on her.

    As he wrapped it around her shoulders, he reminded her, ¡°From now on, you have to be more careful.

    Don¡¯t go on asions like this alone. You are a woman, and it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡±

    ¡°Is what you said just now true?¡± Nana suddenly interrupted Corbin¡¯s chatter. She stared at him and

    repeated, ¡°Corbin, do you mean what you have said in there?¡±

    His hands froze on her shoulders for a moment. It was as if he was contemting. Then with a

    determined look, he stared at her and said solemnly, ¡°Yes, I meant what I said. I like you.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s words were like music to Nana¡¯s ears. He really liked her!

    His words got into her heart. She felt a lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes.

    When Corbin saw Nana¡¯s reaction, he didn¡¯t know what to do. He thought he had said something

    wrong, so he added hastily, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You don¡¯t have to rush to answer me. Take your time. I can

    wait.¡±

    At this moment, Corbin was apletely different person. He was like a clumsy child.

    ¡°Idiot!¡± Nana couldn¡¯t helpughing. ¡°I can answer you now. I like you, too.¡±

    As soon as she finished speaking, she didn¡¯t give Corbin any chance to react. She stood on tiptoe and

    kissed him on the lips.

    There was no anger or jealousy in her kiss. It was just pure joy and admiration.

    They could not extricate themselves from the kiss. As their lips and tongue intertwined, their feelings for

    each other grew.

    While they were so immersed in their intimacy, Corbin¡¯s phone rang, interrupting them.

    It must be Maurice.

    Corbin had no choice but to end the kiss. When they separated, the two of them were out of breath.

    He took out his phone and was about to answer it. But Nana canceled it.

    He looked at her in confusion. She just smiled at him charmingly. ¡°Idiot, it¡¯s not working hours now.

    Don¡¯t mind him,¡± Nana said and kissed him again.

    In an instant, Corbin couldn¡¯t think of anything else. He was totally lost in the kiss.

 Chapter 569

    Chapter 569

    When Eliana finished all she had to do for the day, she went to pick up the twins from kindergarten.

    She suddenly got a message from Nana.

    The message read, ¡°Eliana, you and the kids don¡¯t have to stay up waiting for me tonight. I¡¯ll be back

    home muchter as I¡¯m out on a date. Don¡¯t miss me too much!¡±

    She went on a date? Tonight? Who did she go out on the date with?

    Could it be Corbin? When did they make up? So Nana had been pretending when she acted like she

    never wanted to talk to him again.

    Eliana stood there, confused, with the phone still in her hand.

    Aileen noticed that her mother now wore a confused expression, so she asked, ¡°What¡¯s the problem,

    Mommy?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Nana sent a message to say she won¡¯t be home early, tonight,¡± Eliana answered. Pulling

    herself from her thoughts about Nana¡¯s date, she touched Aileen on the head.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Aileen considered for a while and came to a conclusion. ¡°Mommy, is Nana in love?¡±

    she asked.

    Eliana didn¡¯t know the situation of things between Nana and Corbin, so at Aileen¡¯s question, she smiled

    without giving a response. She didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Every time Nana falls in love, she stops caring about us,¡± Adrianined with a roll of his eyes.

    Aileen, unhappy, with lips pouted and hands on her hips, countered, ¡°Adrian, why would you say that?

    Do you want Nana to y with us all the time and not get herself a boyfriend? That is a selfish

    thought.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. She can go ahead and have a boyfriend!¡± Adrian¡¯s cheeks turned pink as his

    voice was tinged with guilt.

    Eliana thought it interesting that the children would quarrel over Nana¡¯s love life.

    ¡°Adrian, you like spending time with Nana even though both of you argue all the time, right?¡± Eliana

    asked Adrian jokingly, pinching his chubby cheeks yfully.

    Eliana had said the truth. The proud Adrian felt deeply embarrassed. He argued, ¡°No. I¡¯m a big boy. I

    don¡¯t need anyone¡¯spany!¡±

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say that anymore.¡± Elianaughed at her son¡¯s stubbornness.

    The twins yed in the living room with the dog after they had dinner. Just then, there was a loud noise

    from downstairs.

    Aileen was frightened by the noise so she jumped on Adrian and held on to him tightly. ¡°Adrian, what

    was that noise? Was the noise made by monsters?¡±

    Adrian listened again, frowning. He looked down at the floor and tried to calm Aileen. ¡°It¡¯s nothing to

    worry about. There are no monsters anywhere in the world. I¡¯m sure the sound ising from

    downstairs, and it started yesterday.¡±

    Eliana who was washing dishes poked her head from the kitchen door and exined, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,

    honey. The noise probably is from the neighbor downstairs, who is moving in. So we¡¯ll be getting a new

    neighbor.¡±

    ¡°A new neighbor? That¡¯s great!¡± Aileen who loved to socialize shouted excitedly. She was always

    happy when she was surrounded by many people.

    On the other hand, Eliana didn¡¯t like the idea. There were so many things to put into consideration. She

    had been informed that the apartment downstairs had been vacant for a long time, but now it was

    about to be upied. Her kids could sometimes be noisy and this could result in constant quarrels if

    the new neighbor was not understanding.

    Eliana thought to go have a conversation about this with the new neighbor now. She had to go with a

    gift though, so she wouldn¡¯t appear at the door empty-handed.

    As Eliana decided, an idea popped into her mind. She went back into the kitchen and baked an apple

    pie.

    She thought to let someone try it first, just to make sure it was good enough, so she called the twins

    into the kitchen.

    The twins dly took the apple pie from her and put it in their mouths simultaneously.

    ¡°What do you think? Does it taste good?¡± she asked, looking at them expectantly.

    The twins looked at each other and remained expressionless.

    ¡°Actually, Mommy¡­¡± Wearing a frown, Adrian was prepared to tell Eliana as it was, but Aileen thought

    otherwise. So she gave him a kick under the table and winked at him, indicated that he shouldn¡¯t tell

    their mother the truth. She didn¡¯t want their mother to feel bad and begin to question her cooking skills!

 Chapter 570

    Chapter 570

    Adrian swallowed his words and forced a smile on his lips. ¡°Mommy, this tastes good.¡±

    ¡°Really? I¡¯m d to hear that!¡±

    Eliana was thrilled to discover she had a knack for baking.

    Eliana excitedly picked up the remaining slices of apple pie and brought them downstairs. She wanted

    to gift them to her new neighbor to say hello.

    When she got downstairs, this floor was bustling with workers. They walked in and out, transporting

    boxes into the apartment unit downstairs.

    Eliana sighed in exasperation. No wonder it was so noisy outside. She felt overwhelmed as she looked

    at the sea of boxes. They must be redecorating this apartment.

    Two workers suddenly approached her. They were carrying an oil painting sorge that they couldn¡¯t

    see where they were going. The men didn¡¯t notice Eliana was standing behind them and collided her.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t notice their approach, and she was surprised when they bumped into her. She lost her

    bnce and tumbled forward.

    ¡°Watch out!¡±

    A muscr arm suddenly wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    A momentter, Eliana looked up and saw a familiar face.

    Recognition dawned on her face. ¡°Maurice!¡± she eximed.

    ¡°Stand on your feet before you speak! Be more mindful of where you¡¯re going,¡± Mauricemented

    with a frown.

    Eliana suddenly realized that they were huddled too closely with one another. Her face flushed in

    embarrassment. She pushed herself away from him and asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Maurice calmly answered, ¡°Is there a problem with me being here?¡±

    Eliana nced at the workers and then back at Maurice. A thought suddenly urred to her. ¡°Are you

    the one moving in?¡± she said in surprise.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Maurice admitted.

    Eliana¡¯s brows rose in shock.

    Oh my goodness! Maurice lived downstairs!

    Why couldn¡¯t she shake off the feeling that something was off?

    When Maurice saw the reluctance in her face, his brows furrowed in displeasure. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Am I not wee here?¡±

    Eliana jolted at his words and hurriedly lifted the apple pie in her hand to him.

    ¡°No, of course not! You¡¯re more than wee to be here! Look, I brought you some food!¡±

    To her surprise, Maurice¡¯s frown deepened when he saw the apple pie she offered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never cooked for me before. Did you make that only to share it with a strange neighbor

    downstairs?¡±

    Eliana froze and couldn¡¯t think of a reply.

    Was he jealous again?

    Wasn¡¯t he the strange neighbor he spoke about? There was no one else. Was he jealous of himself?

    She didn¡¯t dare to speak out against him. Eliana had no choice but to reassure him that her intentions

    were pure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say things like that! I made four slices of apple pie. I gave Aileen and Adrian one each, which

    leaves two. I was going to give the third to my new neighbor, and thest was for you. I didn¡¯t even

    save some for myself!¡±

    Maurice saw the two slices on the te, and the numbers added up. His face softened at her

    thoughtfulness.

    ¡°That was nice of you.¡±

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Since you brought some food over, let¡¯s go inside.¡±

    Maurice took the apple pie from her and entered his apartment. Eliana hurriedly followed him in.

    As soon as Eliana walked into the room, she was stunned by what she saw.

    Even though they lived in the same apartment building, and Maurice only moved in that day, his ce

    was luxuriouspared to hers. His home was already fully furnished with expensive pieces.

    She didn¡¯t expect anything less from a man as wealthy as Maurice.

    He smiled as he watched her observe his ce. ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    Eliana nodded subconsciously at him. She wished she could live at a ce like his. She realized she

    invited herself into his apartment and scolded herself.

    Eliana quickly changed the topic and said, ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯d better eat the apple pie right away, or it¡¯ll get

    cold!¡±

    Maurice stopped teasing her when he saw the pretty flush on her face. He picked up a piece of the

    apple pie and put it in his mouth.

    ¡°How does it taste?¡± Eliana stared at him expectantly.

    Maurice¡¯s face puckered. How could he begin to describe the strange taste of the pie?

    It tasted like expired dry bread that was burnt around the edges. Maurice couldn¡¯t understand why it

    was so difficult to swallow a bite of the pie.

    He looked at her expectant eyes, and Maurice had no choice but to swallow the pie and lie, ¡°It¡¯s not

    bad. The pie is delicious.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Let me have a taste!¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t wait to taste her pie, but Maurice stopped her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Eliana wondered aloud.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this pie was for me?¡± Maurice said firmly. He wasn¡¯t going to let her have a bite.

    What a greedy man! Eliana withdrew her hand and pouted in disappointment.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want her to attempt tasting the pie again, so he changed the topic.

    ¡°Did someone cause trouble for you today?¡± he questioned.

 Chapter 571

    Chapter 571

    Was Maurice talking about the fact that Harriet came and picked on her today?

    But how did he know about it?

    Eliana frowned and suddenly became vignt. ¡°Have you also sent someone to keep an eye on me?¡±

    When Maurice saw the suspicion in her eyes, he said frustratedly, ¡°Don¡¯t doubt me. I didn¡¯t do that.

    When I moved in this morning, I overheard everyone in themunity talking about it.¡±

    But Eliana didn¡¯t buy his alibi. ¡°Really?¡±

    Mauriceughed angrily. ¡°Use your brain and think about it carefully. If I had sent people to keep an eye

    on you, they would have helped you and Harriet couldn¡¯t have run away.¡±

    His words made sense.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief. Then she exined, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. But I don¡¯t know how Harriet

    got my address. She came to pick on me. Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t suffer any loss. She just scolded me for

    being a mistress. I¡¯m used to it already.¡±

    Her seemingly rxed words revealed a strong hint of self-deprecation.

    Maurice was silent for a while.

    He stepped forward, reached out, and raised her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

    ¡°Listen, you are not a mistress. Don¡¯t ever consider yourself as that. Because you are the only woman

    in my life.¡±

    In his deep eyes, there was only Eliana¡¯s figure at the moment. It was as if nothing could be reflected in

    his eyes except her.

    Just by looking into his eyes, Eliana felt like she was obsessed with him.

    But there was a voice in her mind constantly reminding her that even though they loved each other,

    they couldn¡¯t be together because there were many obstacles between them.

    ¡°How can you say that? Aren¡¯t you going to marry Harriet for your family interests?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s grip on Eliana¡¯s chin tightened, and his eyes darkened. He said harshly, ¡°Eliana, listen

    carefully. I¡¯ll say it once again. That marriage is only Grandpa¡¯s wishful thinking. But I¡¯m still the one to

    decide, and I will never agree to it. Understand?¡±

    He thought this silly woman was too stubborn. He had already promised her many times, but she

    seemed to never take his words seriously.

    But actually, his domineering words made Eliana¡¯s heart beat faster.

    It was just that every time she thought of Earle, she felt like a basin of cold water was poured down on

    her, quenching all her enthusiasm.

    Their agreement was like a time bomb that would explode at any time.

    For a moment, Maurice and Eliana remained silent.

    Maurice was thinking about what to do to make Eliana believe him.

    Eliana, on the other hand, was worried about how to exin everything to Earle.

    The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became. Even her mouth tasted bitter. At this

    moment, she lowered her head and saw the apple pie on the table. She thought of eating something

    sweet to ease her mood.Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    So when Maurice was not paying attention, she quickly picked up thest slice of apple pie and put it

    into her mouth.

    However, as soon as she chewed the pie, she spat it out.

    ¡°Eww! Why does it taste so bad?¡±

    The indescribable taste of the apple pie made Eliana¡¯s face crumple. Fortunately, Maurice was quick

    enough to give her a ss of water.

    Eliana finally felt better after gulping a few mouthfuls of water.

    She looked at Maurice in astonishment. ¡°How did you eat such unptable food just now?¡±

    Maurice poured himself a ss of water. After drinking it, he teased, ¡°Didn¡¯t your children eat the pie

    too? Did they say it tasted bad?¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. Her expression became helpless. She suddenly realized that the

    two children deliberately didn¡¯t tell her the truth in order not to frustrate her.

    ¡°The twins didn¡¯t tell you the truth to protect your self-esteem. Are you not happy about it?¡± Maurice

    was a little confused.

    Eliana sighed, ¡°I know my children are considerate of me. But if they don¡¯t tell me that it tastes bad, I

    will never make progress.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you still want to make progress in baking?¡± Maurice couldn¡¯t help making sarcastic

    comments. ¡°I advise you to just give up. You have no talent in it. If you do it again in the future,

    Grandpa may misunderstand that you are trying to poison me.¡±

    In the future?

    Was he thinking about spending the future with her?

    Eliana was stunned for a while. Suddenly, her heart had an urge to be with Maurice forever. But the sad

    reality immediately brought her back to her senses.

    Of course, she wished to spend a lifetime with him. But she still had to face the harsh reality.

    Did they have a future?

    Eliana didn¡¯t answer Maurice¡¯s question. Instead, she turned around and threw the unptable apple

    pie into the trash can.

    Then she picked up the empty te, went into the kitchen, and turned on the faucet, intending to wash

    it.

    Suddenly, a pair of solid and powerful arms hugged her tightly from behind.

    ¡°Let¡¯s wash it together,¡± Maurice whispered in Eliana¡¯s ear. His voice sounded sexy and hoarse.

 Chapter 572

    Chapter 572

    Eliana reflexively wanted to break free from Maurice, so she tried to get rid of his arms. But the more

    she struggled, the tighter he hugged her. Obviously, he didn¡¯t intend to let her go.

    He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    His warm breath made her hair stand on end. But he didn¡¯t seem to notice it. He held her hands that

    were holding the te, not giving her any chance to refuse.

    Eliana felt so weak that she leaned against Maurice¡¯s broad and warm embrace. His unique and

    pleasant masculine scent prated her nostrils, making her intoxicated and a bit dizzy.

    At this moment, the two pairs of hands were intertwined under the running water. It didn¡¯t look like they

    were washing the te. Instead, it looked more like they were flirting. It was such a romantic scene!

    The truth was, Eliana had imagined this scene countless times. She couldn¡¯t believe it was happening

    now.

    It felt so great that she didn¡¯t want to think about anything unpleasant anymore. The tenderness of the

    moment made her wish everything wouldn¡¯t end. All she wanted was to indulge herself in the pleasure

    of being with Maurice.

    This simple washing of the te created a spark between them, igniting their desire.

    Soon, they didn¡¯t resist the temptation and kissed violently. Their young bodies quickly entangled

    together, and they ended up lying on bed.

    Who cared about the te anymore? It was left in the sink, waiting for someone to wash itter.

    The next day, the morning sunlight seeped through the curtains and shone inside the room, sprinkling

    on the faces of the man and woman sleeping soundly in the bed.

    Eliana felt the light, so she groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Then she asked in a daze, ¡°Adrian,

    Aileen, what time is it?¡±

    She waited but didn¡¯t hear any answer. Instead, she was suddenly held in a warm embrace.

    The man sleeping behind her frowned when he felt her movements. So he stretched out his long arms

    and held her tight to stop her from moving and disturbing his sleep.

    He only fell asleep again when she didn¡¯t make noise anymore.

    Eliana leaned against Maurice¡¯s naked chest, feeling the warmth of his embrace. Then what had

    happenedst night shed through her mind, and itpletely sobered her up.

    The entire scene was so vivid in her memory.

    Someone moved into the house below hers yesterday and became her new neighbor, so she thought

    ofing over to say hello and wee him to be their neighborhood. It turned out to be Maurice and

    he even seduced her. Besides, she failed to resist the temptation. As a result, they ended up having

    sex and sleeping together in the same bed.

    At this moment, Eliana felt so regretful and embarrassed. If only she could find a hole and bury herself.

    How could she let Maurice seduce her so effortlessly?

    While thinking of this, she quietly raised her head and looked at him, only to find that he was still fast

    asleep with his eyes closed.

    Eliana thought of taking advantage of the situation. Now that Maurice was still asleep, it was a great

    opportunity for her to run away.

    She gently held his arm around her waist, carefully lifted it, and slowly moved out of his embrace.

    Eliana had to make sure she didn¡¯t wake Maurice up, so it wasn¡¯t that easy for her to get out of bed.

    After a while, she finally breathed a sigh of relief when her feet touched the floor. She quickly picked up

    her clothes and ran out of the room in a hurry.

    When she got home, she immediately ran into the bathroom and washed up, fearing that Adrian and

    Aileen would notice something. After all, her children were keen observers.

    By the time she got dressed and went to the kitchen, Adrian and Aileen were already awake and

    making breakfast for themselves.

    Watching them made her realize that they were not her babies anymore. They had grown up and could

    even take care of themselves now.

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    At this moment, Eliana couldn¡¯t help feeling emotional.

    Aileen saw her, and the little girl waved at her with a smile and said, ¡°Mommy,e and have

    breakfast with us. Adrian and I made it by ourselves. It¡¯s delicious.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Eliana suddenly remembered the failed apple pie yesterday. She couldn¡¯t help

    asking, ¡°Kids, why didn¡¯t you tell me that the apple pie tasted so bad yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Actually, it was not that bad, Mommy,¡± Adrian responded. But he was obviously lying.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Eliana couldn¡¯t help smiling, amused by her two children. So she thought of teasing them.

    ¡°I thought you made breakfast for yourselves today because I was a bad cook.¡±

    The twins hurriedly shook their heads.

    Aileen was honeymouthed and was good at coaxing people, so she spoke first. ¡°Mommy, you must be

    too tired from work yesterday, so the apple pie you made didn¡¯t taste good.¡±

    Adrian immediately followed suit. ¡°I think so too, Mommy. So it¡¯s our turn to make breakfast today.¡±

    Eliana was so amused that she reached out and touched their heads. Then she said gently, ¡°Next time,

    if the food I cook tastes bad, be honest with me, okay? It can help me improve my cooking skills.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± Adrian and Aileen answered in unison, looked at each other, and smiled.

    Eliana pulled a chair and sat down to have breakfast with them. But her brows furrowed when she

    noticed an extra breakfast on the table.

    She asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this for?¡±

    ¡°We made this for our new neighbor, Mommy. Didn¡¯t you see him yesterday? Can you invite him over

    for breakfast?¡±

    As she spoke, Aileen¡¯s big round eyes were wide open. She was obviously interested in their new

    neighbor.

    Eliana was dumbstruck. She sensed trouble now.

    But she had no choice, so she took out her phone and called Maurice, their ¡°new neighbor.¡±

    Of course, she didn¡¯t want him toe over for breakfast. So after the phone call, she would just tell

    the two children that their new neighbor refused their invitation.

    It was just a pity that things didn¡¯t go ording to her ns. Her call connected at once. But before she

    could even speak, there was a sudden knock on the door.

    Then Maurice¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line, saying, ¡°Open the door.¡±

 Chapter 573

    Chapter 573

    Maurice was already standing outside the door of Eliana¡¯s house when he received her call. He

    knocked first before answering it and telling her to open the door.

    When Adrian and Aileen heard the knock on the door, they both turned their heads and looked at

    Eliana.

    Then Aileen asked excitedly, ¡°Mommy, is that our new neighbor outside?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t think of an excuse anymore. Maurice was already standing outside their door, so she

    had no choice but to open it.

    She stood up to go to the door with Aileen and Adrian behind her.

    Then the three of them saw Maurice standing outside leisurely. The two children were obviously

    surprised.

    Aileen was the first to react. She asked, ¡°Mr. Moran, why are you here?¡±

    On the other hand, Adrian immediately frowned without saying anything.

    Maurice smiled faintly, looked at Aileen, and answered her question, ¡°I¡¯m your new neighbor. From now

    on, we will be often seeing each other.¡±

    When he said this, Eliana inexplicably felt a chill all over her body for some unknown reason.

    She didn¡¯t know why she felt that she would have a hard time in the future.

    Aileen was only shocked for a short time. Soon, she epted the fact that Maurice had be their

    new neighbor, and she even weed him warmly into their house.

    As soon as Maurice came in, she said, ¡°Mr. Moran, you came just in time. We¡¯ve actually made

    breakfast for you.¡±

    As she spoke, she put the extra bowl of cereal in front of him and invited him to eat with them.

    Adrian was the total opposite of Aileen. Since Maurice sat down at the table, he pulled a long face and

    never said a word.

    The porcin bowl in front of Maurice had a small pink pig printed on it. Looking at it, he was

    somewhat absent-minded.

    This lovely bowl reminded him of the warm scenes when he was with his sister and mother in the past.

    Those were the good memories he cherished in his heart.

    A surging wave of emotions hit him, and he suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do. He just sat there in a

    daze for a while.

    But Adrian misunderstood Maurice¡¯s silence, thinking that Maurice didn¡¯t want to eat the breakfast they

    had prepared. He already loathed Maurice, and now, he disliked Maurice even more.

    He snapped, ¡°If you don¡¯t think it tastes good, don¡¯t eat it.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s voice seemed to have awakened Maurice from his reminiscence. He raised his head and

    looked at the twins. He saw an expectant look in Aileen¡¯s eyes while a look of disgust in Adrian¡¯s. Then

    he picked up the spoon, took a spoonful of cereal, and stuffed it into his mouth.

    The mixed taste of milk and cereal burst into his mouth, once again reminding him of the memories of

    the past.

    After chewing and swallowing the cereal in his mouth, hemented, ¡°It tastes good.¡±

    Aileen was obviously happy to hear hispliment. She said proudly, ¡°I knew you would like it. Adrian

    and I made it ourselves.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s mood lightened up at once. He smiled and praised, ¡°You two are sensible children. It¡¯s good

    that you know how to help your mother with house chores. At least you share the burden.¡±

    As he said this, Maurice couldn¡¯t help feeling sorry in his heart. It was a pity that the biological father of

    these two sensible and obedient children didn¡¯t cherish them.

    Maurice had always believed that Jonathan was the biological father of the twins. And when he thought

    of this, he felt unhappy. He hated that Jonathan was ignoring his children these years.

    He thought that if Jonathan didn¡¯t cherish his children, someone had to rece Jonathan as their

    father.

    Eliana just sat there quietly and watched the interaction between Maurice and the two children. The

    scene was so beautiful to look at that she couldn¡¯t help but be moved.

    At this time, she could say that Maurice was ying the role of a very good father. But sadly, his

    attitude towards the two children was always changeable.

    This was also why she didn¡¯t want the two children to have too much attachment to him.

    At the thought of this, Eliana suddenly felt upset. Her mood changed, so she said to Maurice, ¡°Eat

    quickly and go to work.¡±

    Maurice turned to look at her, wondering why she was so eager to drive him away.

    His expression changed slightly, and he said unhappily, ¡°What work? Today is the weekend, so I¡¯ll stay

    here.¡±

    Eliana was rendered speechless. It seemed that he was really determined to stay at their house. She

    could only pat her own forehead. She could do nothing to stop his overbearing and childish behavior.

    Since she couldn¡¯t drive him away, what else could she do but agree?

    Obviously, Aileen was the happiest one. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s great! Mr. Moran is going to stay and y with

    Adrian and me. This will be so much fun!¡±

    She jumped off the chair happily, held Maurice¡¯s arm, and said coquettishly, ¡°Mr. Moran, my brother and

    I need to do our homework first. We have to draw a picture. Can you and Mommy be our models?¡±

    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Upon hearing this, Eliana and Maurice looked at each other. Eliana was the first to speak up.

    ¡°Aileen, Mr. Moran is always busy. We can¡¯t upy his time, okay? He¡­¡±

    But before she could finish her words, Maurice interrupted at once, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can do it. As I have said,

    it¡¯s the weekend, so I¡¯m free. I am happy to help.¡±

    Eliana felt helpless. She couldn¡¯t find any excuses anymore. So eventually, she and Maurice began to

    pose under Aileen¡¯smand.

    ¡°No, Mommy, it¡¯s not like that. Please sit closer to Mr. Moran. And Mr. Moran, don¡¯t always look ahead.

    You should look at each other. Yes, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s perfect! Mommy, stay like that. Adrian and I are

    going to start drawing now.¡±

    In this way, Eliana and Maurice sat still on the sofa. They couldn¡¯t move, and they were forced to look

    at each other until the two children finished their drawings.

    The atmosphere gradually became subtle, and Eliana felt awkward.

    When she looked at him, she blushed. She couldn¡¯t stand his gaze, so she looked away.

    But Maurice suddenly reminded her, ¡°Don¡¯t be distracted. Just look at me.¡±

    He stared straight at her blushing face, thinking she looked so charming. It was as if he couldn¡¯t see

    enough at all.

 Chapter 574

    Chapter 574

    ¡°Don¡¯t move. This is thest stroke¡­ And, we¡¯re done!¡±

    Finally, after a long while, Aileen and Adrian finished drawing the pictures.

    Eliana flew off the sofa the moment she could. After looking at Maurice affectionately for such a long

    time, she felt she was about to lose control of herself!

    ¡°Come on, let me see it. What are your paintings like?¡±

    She moved to Adrian with a smile and picked his painting up. On the paper, Adrian drew a gentle and

    affectionate image of Eliana in effortless strokes.

    Eliana smiled in satisfaction, but her smile soon faded very quickly. Adrian¡¯s drawing style took a

    dramatic turn all of a sudden. Maurice, who sat next to her in the painting, appeared particrly

    horrible. There were, in fact, two devil horns on his head. It looked like a painting depicting Beauty and

    the Beast.

    If Maurice saw this painting, he would be definitely pissed off!

    In order to stop the tragedy from happening, she hurriedly hid the painting behind her back.

    Unfortunately, Maurice still noticed it.

    ¡°Why are you hiding the painting? Give it to me and let me see.¡± Maurice felt something was off and

    reached for the painting.

    There was no way Eliana could hand him the painting. She began to take steps back with every step

    he took forward.

    ¡°Children¡¯s paintings are just so-so. What¡¯s the point of looking at it?¡± She tried dissuading him.

    However, the more she hid it from him, the more curious Maurice became.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to count to three. One, two¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you! Here you go!¡± She didn¡¯t dare upset him, so she grudgingly handed over the painting and

    silently waited for him to lose his temper.

    Maurice didn¡¯t lose his temper after seeing the painting. He chuckled instead. ¡°This painting is pretty

    good.¡±

    What? Had she heard wrong?

    Eliana and Adrian were both shocked by his words.

    Adrian couldn¡¯t refrain from asking, ¡°You¡¯re not mad that I drew you like this?¡±

    ¡°Why would I be mad?¡± ncing at him nonchntly, Maurice then turned around and picked up

    Aileen¡¯s painting.

    Aileen¡¯s painting was a lot more normal than Adrian¡¯s. On the white paper, two adorable little people sat

    side by side on the sofa, looking at each other lovingly, with lots of pink hearts floating around them.

    Gently touching the faces of the two people on the paper with his fingers, Maurice couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    In this painting, he and Eliana truly looked like a loving couple.

    However, the warm moments were always short. His phone rang the next second, interrupting him.

    It was Earle calling.

    ¡°Where have you been, Maurice? We have important guests visiting. You have toe back quickly.¡±

    Earle sounded very angry on the phone.

    Maurice¡¯s smile disappeared in an instant.

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she heard that. She hesitantly asked, ¡°Is it a call from your

    grandfather? Did he ask you to go home?¡±

    As if nothing had happened, Maurice hung up the phone and calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go back first

    to handle it.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart became heavier at his words. She had broken her promise to Earle and gone back to

    Maurice. No one could tell what would happen to them.

    As Maurice was about to leave, Aileen pouted with tears in her big eyes. She escorted him to the door

    and reluctantly said, ¡°Can you give me a hug, Mr. Moran? I don¡¯t want you to go¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart nearly melted at her gaze. There was no way he could refuse her. He squatted to her

    level immediately and gave Aileen a big hug.

    He then hesitated as he turned to Adrian beside her. The two stared at each other nkly. After some

    time, Adrian turned around and ran back to his room.

    Was Adrian finally getting nice to Maurice? Was he going to get Maurice a surprise gift? Eliana

    suddenly began to look forward to it.

    However, Adrian then soon returned with a bag of trash in his hand!

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Under Eliana¡¯s shocked gaze, he handed Maurice the bag of trash.

    ¡°As you¡¯re leaving, why don¡¯t you get rid of the trash for us?¡±

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help it, and burst intoughter. She sighed. They really were father and son.

    Maurice didn¡¯t know how to react as he stared at the bag of trash in his hand.

    If it was someone else who dared to give him a bag of garbage and ask him to throw it out

    shamelessly, he would have thrown that person away as garbage instead. However, when this little boy

    did it, for some reason, he wasn¡¯t angry. He simply felt helpless instead.

    Finally, he picked up the bag of trash peacefully and epted it. He bargained, ¡°I¡¯ll help you throw the

    trash out. You have to reward me, right?¡±

    Eliana was amused, so she humored him. ¡°What do you want then?¡±

    Raising his eyebrows, Maurice naturally stretched out his arms to hold Eliana. ¡°A hug. That¡¯s not too

    much, is it?¡±

 Chapter 575

    Chapter 575

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Just go! You¡¯re taking the garbage in your hand.¡±

    As she spoke, Eliana pushed Maurice away. Her face flushed.

    She was not as shameless as he was. How dare she be so intimate with him in front of the two

    children!

    Maurice knew that she was a sensitive person, so he didn¡¯t insist. He wouldn¡¯t force her to do it. When

    he said those words to Eliana, he was like a husband who had to leave home for work in the morning.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead now.¡±

    Eliana was stunned. Suddenly, she felt like they were really a family.

    A sudden impulse surged in her heart. She blurted out, ¡°Then you¡­ Youe back early, so we can

    have dinner together. I¡¯ll cook something. You can also bring Ss along.¡±

    Maurice was in a trance for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect this kind of response from Eliana, so he was a

    little surprised.

    No one had waited for him at home for many years. And the Moran family would only have dinner

    together on special asions or if something important happened.

    His childhood experiences had cast a pall over him. And he thought he would never be able to build his

    own family all his life.

    But now, there were Eliana and the twins in front of him, looking at him. They had breakfast together

    just now. Andter, they would wait for him toe back to have dinner together.

    It was as if he really had a family. He had a wife and children he could spend time with.

    After leaving Eliana¡¯s house, Maurice went straight to the Moran family¡¯s house.

    Earle, Nancy, Harriet, and Harriet¡¯s mother Bonita were already in the living room, waiting for his

    arrival.

    As soon as he entered the door, his eyes fell on Bonita, the legendary ruler of Stone Group.

    She and Harriet sat next to each other, so Maurice couldn¡¯t helpparing them. Their appearance

    and temperament were surprisingly simr.

    Bonita was a sessful businesswoman as famous as Rosamond. She was not young anymore, but

    time did not leave too many traces on her. Instead, the years had added charm to her beautiful face.

    It was just that she and Rosamond were the total opposite. Rosamond had overflowing aggressiveness

    and arrogance while she was more like a well-off and elegantdy. But despite Bonita¡¯s charming face,

    there was a hint of cunning in her seemingly gentle eyes.

    Nancy was the first to greet Maurice. She waved at him happily and said, ¡°Maurice, you¡¯re here. Come

    sit here.¡±

    Bonita looked at Maurice up and down as if scrutinizing him. Then a satisfied smile crept across his

    face.

    ¡°Maurice, you are indeed a handsome man. No wonder Harriet is fascinated by you.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Harriet grabbed Bonita¡¯s hand at once. ¡°Mom!¡±

    She was so shy that she lowered her head and just looked down for a while.

    ¡°What is there to be shy about?¡± Bonita asked Harriet.

    Then she turned to Nancy, smiled, and said, ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m afraid my daughter has been in love with

    Maurice for a long time. So since the Stone family and the Moran family know each other well, and we

    have a business partnership now, why don¡¯t we discuss the engagement early? Maybe they will be able

    to give us a grandchild next year,¡±

    Bonita sounded warmly. From the tone of her voice, it was as if she was already eager to marry Harriet

    to Maurice.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just leave this matter to them. Let them make their own decisions. We are old and can¡¯t

    interfere anymore.¡±

    It was very obvious that Nancy¡¯s attitude was perfunctory. She couldn¡¯t refuse Bonita directly, so she

    could only fob Bonita off.

    When Maurice heard Nancy and Bonita¡¯s conversation, he immediately refused without hesitation.

    ¡°Mrs. Stone, please don¡¯t bother about it. It¡¯s absolutely impossible for me and your daughter to be

    together.¡±

    As soon as he said this, everyone¡¯s expression drastically changed.

    Earle¡¯s face darkened. He was the first to react. He snapped, ¡°You brat! What nonsense are you talking

    about? Have you lost even your basic manners now? How could you say such things in front of many

    people?¡±

    Earle reprimanded Maurice in public, but his attitude was not as tough as before. He was just

    dissatisfied with Maurice¡¯s direct refusal. He felt embarrassed for the Moran family.

    Actually, he was also a little hesitant about letting Harriet marry into the Moran family. Some things that

    happened before had made him dissatisfied with her. So he was not one hundred percent sure that he

    wanted her to be his granddaughter-inw.

    Maurice¡¯s direct refusal was like a bolt of lightning that struck Harriet. She looked at him in disbelief,

    and her eyes were already red. It was as if she had suffered great grievance.

    ¡°Maurice, you know that I love you so much. How can you be so ruthless to me?¡± she said sadly.

    Seeing her daughter being bullied, Bonita was also angry. She scolded, ¡°Maurice, are you humiliating

    my daughter? She almost lost her life for you. How can you be so ungrateful?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Stone, are you referring to Harriet¡¯s allergic reaction to the flowers sent by Moran Group¡¯s

    employees during thest press conference?¡±

    Maurice had already rejected Harriet many times, but she was very persistent. This time, he wanted to

    stop her from acting and ying like she was always the innocent victim. It was time to put an end to all

    of this.

    He didn¡¯t intend to make the Stone family lose face in front of his family, but they seemed to ask for it.

    So there was no need for him to cover up for them anymore.

    He turned around and ordered Corbin, ¡°Show them.¡±

    Under everyone¡¯s confused gazes, Corbin took out his mobile phone and showed the surveince

    video of Harriet asking Lilian to change the flowers.

 Chapter 576

    Chapter 576

    ¡°Miss Stone, do you have anything else to say?¡± Maurice asked.

    ¡°I¡­ Well, I¡­¡±

    The evidence was irrefutable. How else could Harriet deny it?

    At this moment, Bonita¡¯s face darkened too.

    Maurice stared at Harriet expressionlessly for a while. Then he asked coldly, ¡°Did you pick on Eliana

    yesterday?¡±

    Harriet was so frightened that she shuddered and grabbed Bonita¡¯s arm tightly.

    Maurice didn¡¯t wait for her to answer. He continued, ¡°This is not the first time, right? Last time you

    deliberately made yourself have an allergic reaction to frame Eliana with your own life. You have

    completely crossed the bottom line of the Moran family this time.¡±

    Every word he said made Harriet¡¯s face grow paler and paler.

    Earle and Nancy were shocked by the truth.

    Seeing their reaction, Bonita felt heartbroken. She turned to Harriet and said aloud, ¡°Harriet, tell me the

    truth. Did you really do it?¡±

    Harriet replied stubbornly, ¡°Mom, I just didn¡¯t want to give up just like that. I¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±

    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

    Before she could finish her words, Bonita interrupted her with a grim face. Bonita took her hand, stood

    up, and apologized to Earle, ¡°Mr. Moran, I apologize to you on behalf of Harriet. I didn¡¯t expect that she

    would do so many wrong things behind my back. I hope you will forgive her today.¡±

    Bonita apologized so sincerely that Earle didn¡¯t know what to say.

    In the end, Bonita and Harriet didn¡¯t have the face to stay in the Moran family¡¯s house longer, so they

    immediately left.

    After they left, the atmosphere in the Moran family¡¯s house became even more depressing.

    Nancy looked at Maurice, and then at Earle. She was caught between her grandson and her husband.

    She was in a dilemma now.

    She knew that Earle wanted Maurice to marry Harriet because she was also from a wealthy and

    influential family.

    But with Maurice¡¯s stubborn character, he would never allow anyone to make the decision for him, not

    even his own grandfather. He would never marry someone he didn¡¯t like.

    Maurice and Earle always shed because of many differences. Nancy didn¡¯t know who to side with,

    so she could only try her best to bnce.

    ¡°Earle, don¡¯t lose your temper now. Honestly, I¡¯m not satisfied with Harriet. So it was good that Maurice

    cut the Gordian knot quickly. Fortunately, Bonita had a clear mind. I don¡¯t think what happened today

    will affect the rtionship between the Stone family and the Moran family.¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Grandma, you think too highly of her. Mrs. Stone is not as simple as

    you think.¡±

    When he said this, Earle snorted coldly but didn¡¯t contradict him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating them. Mrs. Stone¡¯s husband and first daughter died in an avnche. So she

    doted on Harriet, her only daughter. Now she is a mother and the head of Stone Group at the same

    time. She is a ruthless and resourceful person who can run the entirepany by herself. She won¡¯t

    let her daughter do anything recklessly.¡±

    Earle and Nancy thought that Maurice¡¯s analysis was very reasonable. Nancy stared at Maurice as if

    she was seeing the energetic ir.

    The little boy who didn¡¯t know anything back then had grown into an independent and capable man.

    If ir and Brenda could see him now, they would feel happy and proud.

    With tears in her eyes, Nancy said, ¡°You¡¯re right, Maurice. Since this is the case, there¡¯s no need for

    you to marry Harriet. You can choose your future wife by yourself.¡±

    ¡°Choose? I think he has already chosen,¡± Earle chimed in grimly.

    ¡°Maurice, let me ask you a question. Are you with that Eliana again?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s name was taboo in the Moran family. As long as any of them mentioned it, the atmosphere

    would instantly be tense.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Maurice answered without hesitation. He didn¡¯t want to hide the truth anymore.

    When Earle saw Maurice look so calm admitting it, he fumed with rage. But he was angry not only at

    Maurice but more at Eliana.

    He was a wise old man. But in the end, he was fooled by a young woman.

    ¡°As expected, you are together behind my back. I thought that although that woman is poor, at least

    she knows how to keep her words. I didn¡¯t expect that she would go back on her promise now. She is

    really from a lowly family.¡±

    Earle was so overwhelmed by anger that he unexpectedly revealed the secret agreement between him

    and Eliana.

    This made Maurice¡¯s head buzz. All the clues he had ignored were suddenly connected, allowing him

    to draw an astonishing conclusion.

    It turned out that Eliana¡¯s disappearance had something to do with Earle.

 Chapter 577

    Chapter 577

    ¡°Grandpa, why did Eliana suddenly leave? Did you do something to her?¡±

    Although Maurice already had an answer in his heart, he still asked this question.

    Earle didn¡¯t admit or deny it. But with a sullen face, he threatened, ¡°It seems that you still haven¡¯t

    learned your lessonst time. Isn¡¯t it enough to experience losing the power in your hands? I can

    actually give everything to Gerald. Are you really forcing me to do it?¡±

    Because of Earle¡¯s words, Maurice was also provoked. ¡°If you want to do it, give it a try. I actually don¡¯t

    mind. Don¡¯t forget that the power my uncle has been dreaming of is still in my hands.¡±

    As Maurice spoke, he defiantly touched the ring on his right hand.

    This ruby ring was lost but was found again. It represented the supreme power of the Mason family.

    And this was also giving him the confidence to fight back against Earle. Because even if he lost the

    Moran Group, he had other choices.

    What Maurice said hadpletely angered Earle. The Mason family was his Achilles heel. And over

    the years, no one had dared to mention it.

    Back then, Earle¡¯s son ir fell in love with Brenda, the daughter of the Mason family. But he opposed

    the rtionship between the two and disagreed with their marriage. However, who would have thought

    ir would be so stubborn? The more he hindered their rtionship, the more determined ir was.

    One day, ir and Brenda eloped despite the formidable obstacles andter gave birth to a son and a

    daughter.

    Then a tragedy happenedter. ir and Brenda were both killed in a car ident. This disaster was a

    heavy blow to the Moran family. The situation was so serious to the point that the members of the

    Moran family almost broke up.

    And now, Maurice wanted to follow in his father¡¯s footsteps and repeat the same mistake. How could

    Earle not get angry?

    ¡°Damn you! You¡¯re such an asshole!¡±

    Earle was so angry that he trembled all over, and blue veins stood out on the back of his hand holding

    the cane. It was as if he was going to smash it towards Maurice the next second.

    Listening to their exchange of hurtful words, Nancy knew she could not stop them.

    The atmosphere between the grandfather and grandson was too tense for her to intervene.

    Just as the battle was about to break out, Ss ran downstairs with his drawing board on his back. He

    sandwiched himself between Maurice and Earle, looked at each of them, and asked, ¡°Great-grandpa,

    Uncle, are you free now? Can you help me with my homework?¡±

    Since the little boy was between them, Earle and Maurice subconsciously restrained themselves.

    Then Earle said gently, ¡°Ss, go y in your room first. Your uncle and I have something to talk

    about.¡±

    But actually, Ss didn¡¯t juste here to ask the two men to help him with his homework. He looked

    up and winked at Nancy beside him.

    Nancy immediately understood what he meant. So she also cooperated with him.

    ¡°Ss, what homework is that? Is it very important?¡±

    Ss deliberately emphasized, ¡°Of course! Our teacher told us that we must finish it. We have to submit

    it on Monday. If I¡¯m the only one who failed to do it, what would I do?¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯t want to help you, then let me do it. What¡¯s your homework today?¡± Nancy continued to act

    with Ss in front of Maurice and Earle.

    ¡°Great-grandma, it¡¯s about family,¡± Ss replied, deliberately raising his voice. ¡°I want to draw Uncle

    and Great-grandpa. But¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t finish his words. Instead, he lowered his head in disappointment.

    ¡°You two, why don¡¯t you help Ss finish his homework? Look at how sad he is now.¡±

    In the end, Earle and Mauricepromised. They posed ording to Ss¡¯ instructions. It seemed

    that Ss and Nancy¡¯s efforts were not in vain.

    In the process, the two people who were not on good terms suddenly had to be close and intimate with

    each other. Obviously, both of them felt awkward.

    Ss looked at Earle¡¯s and Maurice¡¯s poses with satisfaction and started to draw. Nancy stood beside

    him, supervising the poses of the two big men.

    As time went on, Earle¡¯s and Maurice¡¯s anger gradually subsided.

    When Earle looked at Maurice, he was reminded of ir.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    They were both stubborn and intelligent. Did this mean Maurice would also be like ir in the future?

    Would Maurice leave his family because of a woman?

 Chapter 578

    Chapter 578

    Harriet found it hard to ept that she was just dragged by Bonita out of the Moran family¡¯s house.

    Finally, she broke out.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    She shook off Bonita¡¯s hand and asked unwillingly, ¡°Mom, why didn¡¯t you help me deal with the Moran

    family just now? Why did you even protect that bitch Eliana?¡±

    Bonita felt Harriet was really being unreasonable. She always made trouble out of nothing. So Bonita

    warned her again, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to mess with Eliana? You don¡¯t know her that much. Her

    background is not as simple as you think.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me! How will I know if you don¡¯t tell me? Who the hell is that bitch? Howe we can¡¯t afford

    to offend her? We are the Stone family, after all.¡±

    Was Eliana born into a noble family? How could it be possible? For Harriet, this was the most doubtful

    and uneptable thing.

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± At this time, Bonita was already very angry at her rebellious daughter. ¡°I

    haven¡¯t taught you a lesson yet. Have you gone out of your mind? How could you risk your own life to

    frame your rival in love just because of a man? Have you ever thought if it¡¯s worth it or not?¡±

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s worth it. I want Maurice. And I¡¯ll get him at all costs.¡±

    As she said this, Harriet had a ferocious look on her face. It was as if she was being possessed.

    Bonita looked at Harriet in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe that the daughter she had always been proud

    of was now desperate for a man. What had happened?

    She was so furious that she raised her hand and gave Harriet a hard p in the face.

    The impact made Harriet turn her head to the side. And she was totally stunned. Bonita always doted

    on her. She didn¡¯t understand why Bonita would beat her now because of someone else.

    ¡°Are you sober now?¡± Bonita asked, her hand still trembling. Then she added angrily, ¡°When I wanted

    you to be engaged with Maurice, I asked you to help me get the Moran Group, not to make you

    infatuated with him.¡±

    Bonita¡¯s words were like a sharp de that pierced through Harriet¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t bear it

    anymore, so she broke into tears and ran away, covering her face.

    Bonita could do nothing but just watch Harriet¡¯s back helplessly, feeling a dull pain in her temples.

    She told herself, ¡°Forget it. Give her some time, and she¡¯ll figure it out one day.¡±

    Bonita was still lost in thought when a mysterious ck car stopped in front of her.

    She pondered for a moment and got in the car.

    It turned out that Gerald was also in the back seat. He smiled at her and said sincerely, ¡°Mrs. Stone,

    are you interested in talking to me now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to talk about.¡± Bonita yed dumb.

    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb in front of me.¡± Gerald turned his head and looked at her with eyes full of madness,

    ¡°As long as you help me bring Maurice down, I will help you carve up the Moran Group.¡±

    Now Gerald didn¡¯t care about the Moran Group anymore. All he wanted was to defeat Maurice and

    make him doomed forever.

    Bonita looked at the crazy Gerald with a gloomy expression.

    Before, she wanted to get the Moran Group. But now, her ambition was more than that. She wanted

    more.

    ¡°Gerald, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. What I want is more than just the Moran Group.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Aside from Moran Group, what else do you want?¡±

    Gerald was stunned. He didn¡¯t know what else could be more valuable than the Moran Group.

    Bonita sneered, ¡°I¡¯m afraid you still don¡¯t know the background of Maurice¡¯s girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean Eliana Pierce?¡± Now, Gerald was more confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the daughter of the Pierce

    family? What else can she have?¡±

    ¡°The problem is¡­ Her mother¡¯s maiden name is White,¡± Bonita said slowly. ¡°Ingrid was a well-known

    beauty in the past, and she came from an even more prominent family. Butter, the White family fell

    into decline. It was at that time that she left the White family and married into the Pierce family. But

    later, the White family rebuilt their business and made aeback. Their situation has been even

    greater in recent years. If the White family knows that Ingrid¡¯s daughter has been out there, they will

    definitely take her back.¡±

    As Bonita exined Eliana¡¯s background to Gerald, there was a hint of fear and imperceptible jealousy

    in her tone.

    When Gerald heard this familiar name, his mind traveled back in time.

    Ingrid¡¯s voice and appearance appeared in his mind again. All these years, he wanted to forget her, but

    he just couldn¡¯t.

    And every time he thought that such a beautiful womanmitted suicide for Lemuel, he could not

    ept it.

    But somehow, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little fortunate. Ingrid did notpletely disappear. Because

    Eliana, who had inherited her beautiful face, appeared.

    Maybe he still had a chance.

 Chapter 579

    Chapter 579

    As night fell, Eliana thought of her promise to Maurice this morning. So she went to the kitchen and

    unwittingly prepared a sumptuous dinner. After setting up the table, she looked at it only to realize that

    tonight there seemed to be a feast.

    Time quietly passed as Eliana kept track of the time. She patiently watched as the clock¡¯s hour hand

    slowly ran from six o¡¯clock to eight o¡¯clock. Now it was almost nine o¡¯clock, but there was no sign of

    Mauriceing home yet.

    ¡°Mommy, when is Mr. Moraning? I¡¯m starving,¡± Aileenined, sitting on the sofa and rubbing

    her belly with her little hands. When she stared at the big meal on the table, her mouth watered, and

    she almost drooled.

    ¡°I think that bad guy doesn¡¯t want toe, so he stands us up.¡±

    Adrian had always disliked Maurice. And now that Maurice waste, he disdained Maurice even more.

    Eliana looked at the door disappointedly. Then she gradually stopped looking forward to Maurice¡¯s

    coming.

    It was toote now. She didn¡¯t want to wait any longer and starve her children.

    ¡°Okay, kids. Since you¡¯re hungry, let¡¯s eat first.¡±

    As soon as Adrian and Aileen sat at the table, they devoured the food. Eliana, on the other hand, lost

    her appetite when she looked at the table full of food.

    Her mind was obviously not on eating but on something else. She nced at her phone on the table

    every now and then as if waiting for a call or text from someone.

    When Aileen noticed Eliana¡¯s abnormality, she put down her fork and knife, looked at Eliana with

    concern, and asked, ¡°Mommy, are you thinking of Mr. Moran?¡±

    Eliana only came back to her senses after Aileen called her out several times. She answered Aileen¡¯s

    question guiltily, ¡°Of course not. I am not thinking of him.¡±

    However, Aileen had already seen through her lie. The little girl secretly forked a piece of pepper and

    put it on Eliana¡¯s te.

    Eliana was in a trance, totally unaware of what Aileen was doing. So she naturally forked the pepper

    and put it into her mouth.

    As soon as she bit it, the spicy taste exploded in her mouth.

    ¡°Ahhh! It¡¯s so spicy!¡±

    She grimaced and hurriedly spat out the pepper. It was so spicy that tears welled up in her eyes. Her

    face flushed at once.

    Since Aileen¡¯s prank was sessful, she covered her mouth and snickered.

    Instead of getting angry, Eliana was amused. ¡°You¡­ You are such a naughty girl. Good thing you are

    cute.¡±

    She smiled helplessly, and stroke Aileen¡¯s hair.

    Adrian couldn¡¯t stand Eliana¡¯s distracted look too. He hesitated for a while before he finally said,

    ¡°Mommy, if you are really worried about that bad guy, why don¡¯t you call him and ask?¡±

    Eliana thought Adrian¡¯s idea made sense. So she plucked up her courage, picked up her phone, and

    called Maurice.

    Maurice was still in the Moran family¡¯s house. When he saw Eliana¡¯s name shing on the screen of his

    phone, it was only then that he remembered their agreement this morning.

    He couldn¡¯t help smiling when he answered the phone. He asked, ¡°Are you still waiting for me toe

    home for dinner?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! You¡¯re ttering yourself too much!¡± Eliana quickly retorted.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to know that you¡¯re waiting for me.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was filled with obvious joy.

    Eliana¡¯s face quickly flushed. After being seen through by Maurice, she was too embarrassed to say a

    word.

    Before she could even recover from the embarrassment, Maurice changed the topic. ¡°Eliana, did my

    grandfather force you to leave me before?¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. How did Maurice know about it?

    Could it be that Earle told him?

    For a moment, she didn¡¯t know what to say. She actually couldn¡¯t tell the truth.

    How could she tell Maurice that she and Earle had a deal? Their agreement was simple. As long as

    she left, Maurice could take the Moran Group back. And to avoid getting Maurice into trouble, she ran

    away.

    Eliana knew Maurice too well. He would go crazy if he knew.

    But her silence had actually given him the answer.

    And this made him furious.

    He was so furious that he couldn¡¯t wait to stand in front of her and kiss her lips fiercely. Then he would

    tell her how stupid the decision she made was.

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    But at this moment, Maurice could only speak to Eliana on the phone. So he said in a tone that seemed

    threatening but also pleading, ¡°Eliana, listen carefully. I won¡¯t lose everything because of my

    grandfather¡¯s suppression. I want you to promise me that from now on, you will never leave me for

    whatever reason. Do you understand?¡±

    At this moment, Eliana felt that the wall she had built in her heart with great difficulty copsed.

    And it was Maurice¡¯s attack that made it copse. Then those suppressed emotions in her heart poured

    out like a flood that was hard to contain.

    Her hand holding the phone trembled slightly. No words could fully express her feelings right now.

    Finally, she condensed it in two sentences.

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t underestimate yourself. I have nowhere to go.¡±

    Both her body and her heart had nowhere to go.

 Chapter 580

    Chapter 580

    Was Eliana making him a promise?

    Maurice¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He seriously warned, ¡°Eliana, remember what you said today. If you

    run away again¡­¡±

    However, he was unable to finish his sentence.

    The thing was that every time he threatened Eliana, no matter how serious he was, he would end up

    being softhearted and the so-called punishment would remain in abeyance.

    That had happened so often that he couldn¡¯t find anything to threaten Eliana this time. Maurice never

    managed to get really angry with Eliana and that bothered him a bit. Could he ever make her to be

    scared of his threat again?

    He couldn¡¯t answer that question either.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t run away again.¡±

    When Eliana said these words, she suddenly felt like everything was settled. A sense of undisguised

    bitterness suddenly rose in her heart. However, she also felt a strange sweet feeling in her heart.

    She was no longer alone. From now on, there was someone in the world who loved her and cared

    about her.

    Maurice and Eliana were silent for a moment, each holding their phone to their ear. It was as if they

    could hear each other¡¯s heartbeat gradually quickening.

    It was Maurice who broke the silence. ¡°By the way, I was dyed by something and that is why I didn¡¯t

    come back for dinner,¡± Maurice exined, feeling guilty for breaking his promise tonight.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t really expect you toe anyway, so I just casually cooked something. You can

    come next time,¡± Eliana replied calmly.

    It didn¡¯t take much for Maurice and Eliana to really feel like they were a couple.

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    Aileen and Adrian, who were standing behind their mother, clearly saw what was going on.

    Aileen put on a serious look and asked to her brother, ¡°Adrian, do you think Mommy is in love?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Mommy spends her days with us. When did she have the time to meet someone

    and fall in love?¡± Adrian replied with a pout.

    At this moment, Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up and she said excitedly, ¡°What about Mr. Moran? I really think

    Mommy is in love. Nana was like this when she was in a rtionshipst time!¡±

    At the mention of Maurice, Adrian immediately pulled a long face.

    Although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, he also had a feeling that his mother might be in love, and the

    person she was dating was probably the man he hated the most.

    ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t like that bad guy! I don¡¯t want Mommy to be with him,¡± Adrian protested.

    Aileen pursed her lips and snorted. ¡°Adrian, you never like any man who is too close to Mommy. In the

    past, it was Mr. Bowman you didn¡¯t like!¡±

    That was right. Jonathan!

    How could he forget him?

    All of a sudden, an idea struck Adrian.

    He remembered that before they came back, Jonathan had told him that if he and his mother were

    unhappy, he could call Jonathan at any time.

    Now was the right time to call him!

    Adrian¡¯s heart began to beat faster. However, on second thought, he felt that Jonathan also had a thing

    for his mother. He suddenly wasn¡¯t so sure about calling Jonathan anymore.

    Adrian thought hard, trying to judge which of Maurice and Jonathan was the most hateful. After thinking

    for a long time, he took his smart watch and secretly texted Jonathan, telling him about their recent

    situation.

    Adrian paid attention to his words when sending the message and didn¡¯t make his intentions clear right

    away. He wanted to probe Jonathan first.

    After sending the message, hey in the bed, his eyes fixed on his smart watch as he waited for

    Jonathan¡¯s reply.

    He waited for a long time but there was no reply.

    Why was Mr. Bowman so silent at this critical moment? If nothing was done, his mother would be taken

    away by the bad guy.

    The mere thought of it made Adrian furious. He threw his smart watch aside and buried his face in the

    pillows. Slowly, he fell asleep.

    What Adrian didn¡¯t know was that when he texted Jonathan asking him toe home, Jonathan had

    just got off the ne.

    He was in this city.

    In the wee hours of the morning, outside the empty airport, the sound of a fleet of luxury cars suddenly

    broke the silence of the night. The cars slowly stopped. A group of well-trained bodyguards in ck got

    out of the cars and quickly lined up in two lines.

    Momentster, a man in a gray overcoat walked out of the airport, surrounded by many people.

    An assistant in a suit walked up to him, bowed and asked, ¡°Mr. Bowman, are you going to see Miss

    Pierce now?¡±

 Chapter 581

    Chapter 581

    The man dressed in the gray overcoat was tall, handsome, and looked put together. He gave off an air

    of sophistication and virtue.

    When he entered the room, everyone felt an air of authority around him. It made people tread carefully

    in his presence.

    Jonathan paused for a moment after hearing the assistant¡¯s question. His eyes nced at the poster of

    Maurice hanging outside of the airport.

    ¡°I wonder¡­ is that Maurice?¡± he murmured bitterly to himself. His stoic face wasced with bitterness.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman?¡± the assistant addressed him tentatively.

    Jonathan still hadn¡¯t responded.

    He looked away from the poster before replying, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Ask her toe and see me

    face to face.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± The assistant seemed hesitant and embarrassed to continue. ¡°Miss Pierce hasn¡¯t been in

    contact with us for some time. I¡¯m worried that¡­¡± he finally said after a few moments of hesitation.

    Jonathan¡¯s brows furrowed at his words. ¡°Find a way to make it happen! Also, we need to watch

    Maurice now that we¡¯ve lost contact with Eliana. Since he once took Eliana away and imprisoned her

    for some time, I¡¯m going to bet he¡¯ll prevent me from seeing her. He¡¯s a dangerous man.¡±

    ¡°I understand, Mr. Bowman.¡±

    The assistant had no choice but to do as Jonathan wished.

    After that, they didn¡¯t speak another word.

    In his head, Jonathan was muttering curses as he gazed at the strange city sprawling in front of him.

    Now that he was back, he believed that there was nowhere for Eliana to run away this time.

    The morning after that, Eliana woke up early to bring the children to school.

    While Eliana was freshening up, Adrian entered the bathroom. Dark circles were visible underneath his

    eyes.

    ¡°Adrian, what were you doingst night?¡± Eliana asked as she took in his sleep deprived state. ¡°Did you

    have trouble sleeping?¡±

    Adrian couldn¡¯t tell her why he didn¡¯t get much sleepst night. The truth was, he was waiting for

    Jonathan¡¯s reply. He stammered, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mommy. I¡­I had a nightmarest night.¡±

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    Eliana believed him and didn¡¯t push further. She packed up their belongings and brought them to the

    kindergarten.

    Adrian was silent on the drive there. His mind was far away even while he was in ss.

    Aileen could tell that her brother was acting strange. ¡°Adrian, is something wrong?¡± she asked

    tentatively. ¡°You¡¯ve been acting weird since you woke up this morning,¡± she continued.

    ¡°Aileen¡­¡±

    Adrian wanted to confess to his sister that he contacted Jonathan. However, he suddenly remembered

    that his sister was fond of Maurice.

    Aileen would be furious with him when she discovered he had texted Jonathan behind her back and

    asked Jonathan to take Maurice away from them.

    He hesitated as he tried to figure out how to exin himself.

    ¡°Aileen, are you sure you like Ss¡¯ uncle?¡± he finally asked.

    ¡°Are you talking about Mr. Moran?¡± Aileen¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of Maurice. ¡°Of course! I like him

    a lot,¡± she eximed without hesitation.

    ¡°Why? What¡¯s so great about him?¡± Adrian probed.

    ¡°He¡¯s a handsome man, and he¡¯s always been nice to me. He even gave me a hug and gifted me

    flowers.¡±

    Aileen counted all the kind gestures Maurice had done for her on her little fingers.

    Adrian interrupted her and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Mr. Bowman also an attractive man who treated you well?

    Don¡¯t you like him?¡±

    Aileen was surprised to hear her brother mention Jonathan. Her eyes dropped to the floor as she

    thought about his question. After a few moments, she responded, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like Mr. Bowman.

    He¡¯s also a good man. Mommy doesn¡¯t seem to like him, though. I think she prefers Mr. Moran to Mr.

    Bowman. I like whoever Mommy likes!¡±

    Adrian was taken aback by her words. He couldn¡¯t deny the truth in her words. There was nothing else

    he could do but sigh in frustration.

    It was Jonathan¡¯s fault that he failed to win their mother¡¯s heart!

    Eliana rushed to the factory after dropping the twins at school.

    Little did she know someone was following her.

    As she was about to enter the factory, a crowd appeared out of nowhere and blocked her path.

    When Eliana noticed therge group of men dressed in all ck blocking her way, her heart lurched in

    her chest. She held her breath in fear.

    Eliana was terrified by the familiar scene.

    Damn it! Someone was trying to kidnap her again!

 Chapter 582

    Chapter 582

    Eliana had been kidnapped before, and she wasn¡¯t going to let that happen to her a second time. She

    quickly turned around and ran away.

    What she didn¡¯t know was that these men had been sent by Jonathan to find her.

    They did not expect that Eliana would be on her toes. Before they could say anything, she had turned

    around and was running as fast as she could. They had to hurry up to catch up with her.

    Seeing that these men were running after her, Eliana was even surer that they were here to kidnap her.

    Her past kidnapping experiences had made her smart.

    She always had a few self-defense items on her.

    When some men were about to catch up with her, she took out a pepper spray from her bag and

    sprayed it crazily into their eyes. The men were caught off guard and many of them fell to the ground

    because of the pain of the pepper in their eyes.

    Eliana shouted for help as she ran into the factory.

    ¡°Help! Help me! Someone is trying to kidnap me!¡±

    Her cry for help immediately alerted some workers in the factory and they all ran out. They were

    stunned to see a group of men in ck chasing after Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Pierce!¡± Brevard was the first to rush over. He stood in front of Eliana and shouted at the men

    chasing after her, ¡°Who on earth are you?¡±

    When the men in ck saw that the peopleing out of the factory to protect Eliana vastly

    outnumbered them, they had no choice but to retreat for the time being.

    It wasn¡¯t until the men had retreated that Brevard heaved a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat on his

    head and asked with concern, ¡°Miss Pierce, who were those people? What did they want from you?¡±

    Eliana was just as confused as anyone was.

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    To the best of her knowledge, she kept a low-profile recently. Who could want to harm her?

    Eliana tried to think of anyone who might have a grudge against her.

    Her face suddenly darkened. There were so many people who could want to kidnap her! She couldn¡¯t

    tell which one of them had sent these men.

    After a while, she looked at Brevard and said nervously, I really have no idea who sent them here. It¡¯s

    probably someone who hates me for some reason.¡±

    Brevard was speechless. He couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Miss Pierce, why would someone hate you?¡±

    Eliana could only answer with a wry smile, ¡°To be honest, I have a lot of enemies. However, I can¡¯t say

    why they hate me!¡±

    Seeing that she didn¡¯t look well, Brevard asked no more. However, he was a little worried.

    He visited Hodge in hospital yesterday and asked the nurse who attended to Hodge how Hodge got to

    the hospital. He also heard rumors.

    From what he heard, Hodge had been sent to the hospital because of Eliana.

    Moreover, there was once a conflict between Hodge¡¯s son and Eliana. The whole hospital knew about

    this.

    Brevard was lost in thought. Seeing him absent-minded, Eliana thought that he was worried about her,

    and she was deeply moved.

    ¡°Mr. Wace, I¡¯m fine. You know, the cops have been doing a terrible job recently, and there are more

    hooligans in our streets. Those men were probably just young thugs. They surely wanted to kidnap me

    and ask for a ransom.¡± she said, hoping that Brevard would stop worrying about her.

    ¡°Well¡­ Maybe you are right!¡±

    Although Brevard said so, he didn¡¯t seem reassured at all.

    In fact, it wasn¡¯t that he cared so much about Eliana. He was just worried that he and the people in the

    factory might be injured because of her, just like Hodge.

    Outside the factory, Jonathan¡¯s men didn¡¯t leave. They hid not far away and observed the factory.

    They did not dare to act in a rash. After all, there were too many people in the factory. If they acted

    rashly, they might leave clues that could incriminate themter. It would be difficult to deal with that.

    Rutherford Schneider, the leader of the men in ck, saw that storming the factory was not an option at

    all. So he pulled out his cell phone and called Jonathan.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman, we have found Eliana, but there are many people around her now, so we can¡¯t get close

    to her. What should we do now?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s calm voice came from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Since you can¡¯t get her, go get her two children and bring them back. Eliana cares the most about her

    children and I miss them too¡­¡±

    There was something in Jonathan¡¯s gentle tone that made Rutherford feel a chill.

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Bowman. We shallplete the task.¡±

    Rutherford was but a pawn in the eyes of these mighty men. He didn¡¯t care about anything other than

    getting his job done.

 Chapter 583

    Chapter 583

    It was already time for the children to leave the kindergarten.

    Standing at the gate of the kindergarten, Adrian and Aileen waited for Eliana toe pick them up.

    But today, something unusual happened. Two strange men suddenly appeared at the gate of the

    kindergarten. They looked around the kindergarten as if looking for someone.

    The teacher quickly noticed these men and walked over. ¡°Hello, who are you?¡± she asked.

    ¡°We are here to pick up Aileen and Adrian,¡± one of the men answered.

    Just as they said so, they saw Aileen and Adrian standing not far away. Without another word, they

    walked straight towards the two children.

    ¡°Hello, children. I¡¯m an employee of your mother, Miss Pierce. She had something important to do

    today and couldn¡¯t pick you up. So she asked us to pick you up.¡±

    The two men smiled kindly at the two children.

    Aileen and Adrian looked at each other and immediately became alert.

    ¡°Sir, my sister and I don¡¯t know you. We can¡¯t go with you. We will wait for our mommy to pick us up,¡±

    Adrian said firmly while pulling Aileen behind him.

    ¡°Yes, Mommy said that we should never go with strangers,¡± Aileen replied, hiding behind her brother.

    She stared vigntly at the strange men in front of her.

    ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m sorry, we can¡¯t let anyone pick up children here unless their parentse in person.¡±

    The teacher had just walked over and stood in front of the children.

    However, despite what the teacher said, the two men still didn¡¯t want to give up. The situation persisted

    for a while.

    Soon, the noise at the gate attracted the attention of Ss.

    He had already gotten into the car and the driver was about to start the car when he saw the altercation

    at the gate of the kindergarten. Realizing that something was wrong, he turned back at once.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ss asked as he walked over.

    ¡°These two people insist that they know our mommy and want us to go with them. We don¡¯t want to go

    with them!¡±

    Aileen stepped forward and told Ss what was going on.

    Ss stared at the two nervous men in front of him. He had a bad feeling.

    ¡°Who the hell are you? Either you tell me or I call Miss Pierce to ask her directly,¡± Ss said firmly.

    Hearing that, the men were speechless. What could they say now?

    ¡°You guys seem up to no good! Miss, call the police quickly! We¡¯ll have them arrested!¡± Ss ordered

    the teacher at once.

    Seeing that the matter was getting out of hand, the two men looked at each other with a fierce look on

    their faces.

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    When the teacher was not noticing, they opened the gate of the kindergarten.

    At this time, there were many children waiting at the door. The children ran out excitedly. Teachers and

    security guards struggled to stop the children, while parents waiting outside were eager to find their

    children. The scene was a total chaos for a moment.

    The men in ck took advantage of the chaos to grab Aileen and Adrian.

    However, the moment the door was opened, Ss instinctively held the hands of Aileen and Adrian. No

    matter how hard the two men tried to pull the kids, Ss didn¡¯t let go of them.

    Seeing that Ss wouldn¡¯t let go, one of the men cursed in his heart and said, ¡°Damn it! Well, we¡¯ll take

    the three of them.¡±

    The two men picked up the three children at once. With their hands covering the kids¡¯ mouths, they

    rushed out.

    Unfortunately, Ss¡¯ bodyguards were all in the car now. It was a real chaos at the gate of the

    kindergarten. The bodyguards were also blocked outside by the crowd and could only watch as the

    three children were taken away.

    Rutherford¡¯s car was parked not far away, and he was waiting for his men and the kids. The men

    rushed to Rutherford¡¯s car and jumped into it. Within seconds, the car was gone.

    Serendipitously, Earle came to pick up his great-grandson today on a whim and also wanted to take the

    opportunity to see Aileen and Adrian.

    His motorcade arrived at the gate of the kindergarten exactly when the men were abducting the three

    children, and they witnessed the whole scene.

    Who was so bold as to abduct his great-grandnson, especially in broad daylight?

    Earle initially panicked and shouted to his men, ¡°Hurry up! Catch up with the car in front of us!¡±

    The driver also realized the seriousness of the matter and pressed hard on the elerator.

    Meanwhile, the two men who had just abducted the three children didn¡¯t dare to do anything to them.

    After all, the twins were the children of the woman their boss loved. These men didn¡¯t dare to harm the

    kids.

    After carefully fastening their seatbelts, Rutherford threatened the kids in a low voice. ¡°Be obedient.

    Nothing will happen if you don¡¯t make a fuss, got it?¡±

    Ss¡¯ face was pale with fear. However, he still didn¡¯t let go of the hands of Aileen and Adrian. He

    reassured them in a low voice, ¡°We will be fine. Don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡±

    Fortunately, although Aileen and Adrian initially panicked, they quickly calmed down.

    As the elder, Ss forced himself to be tough, so he could protect the Aileen and Adrian.

    He stared at Jonathan¡¯s men and snapped, ¡°Do you know who I am? How dare you kidnap me? My

    family won¡¯t let you go if they know it!¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s men burst intoughter when they heard Ss¡¯ words.

    They had been hired by the CEO of the Universe Group. How could they be afraid of a kid¡¯s threats?

    Rutherford muffled hisughter and said casually, ¡°Little brat, you are so arrogant. Tell me, which family

    are you from?¡±

    ¡°The Moran family!¡±

    As soon as those three words came out of Ss¡¯ mouth, a heavy silence fell in the car.

 Chapter 584

    Chapter 584

    After Ss mentioned that he came from the Moran family, the car suddenly halted.

    Earle¡¯s cars were chasing after them.

    The driver was rmed by what Ss said and anxiously looked back at the vehicles following them.

    The Moran family was famous in the local area. If he offended the family, he would meet a terrible end.

    Rutherford could tell that the driver was having second thoughts. He threatened, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Are you afraid? Does the Moran family scare you? How about Mr. Bowman? Aren¡¯t you afraid of him?¡±

    The driver trembled at the thought of what Jonathan could do to him.

    He couldn¡¯t afford to offend either of those people!

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    Another man reasoned, ¡°Besides, what the child said might not be true. As far as I know, Maurice

    doesn¡¯t have a son.¡±

    Mr. Bowman! Jonathan!

    All of a sudden, a thought urred to Adrian. ¡°Are you referring to Jonathan Bowman?¡± he blurted out.

    Rutherford ruffled Adrian¡¯s hair with a slight smile on his face. In an ominous voice, he said, ¡°Good boy.

    You¡¯re right. I thought you would be happy to hear the news. I know you¡¯ve missed Mr. Bowman.¡±

    Jonathan was behind all of this!

    Adrian¡¯s eyes filled with tears at his words. Realization dawned on him.

    Adrian med himself for what happened.

    If he hadn¡¯t texted Jonathan, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten caught!

    He didn¡¯t expect Jonathan to go after him and his sister. Now even Ss was in danger.

    If they went missing, Eliana would be worried!

    Rutherford was still ruffling Adrian¡¯s hair. Adrian felt nauseous. He made up his mind at that moment.

    Suddenly, he bit Rutherford firmly without hesitation.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Adriantched onto Rutherford as hard as he could. Rutherford immediately withdrew his hand as he

    howled in pain.

    ¡°You brat!¡±

    Rutherford rubbed his hand and red at Adrian.

    He was a man who was skilled at dealing with people from all works of life. Never in his life had he ever

    been hurt by a child. Anger simmered inside of him.

    He lifted his hand and was about tosh out at the child when someone yelled, ¡°Adrian!¡±

    Aileen was about to pounce on Rutherford, but Ss got to him faster and bumped his head against

    Rutherford.

    The movement came from nowhere, and Rutherford didn¡¯t have time to dodge. His head spun, and his

    vision blurred.

    ¡°Damn it!¡±

    Rutherford was infuriated. He was so furious that he turned his head towards the weakest child, which

    was Aileen.

    As he was about to p her, the car suddenly stopped.

    Rutherford lost his bnce and lurched forward. After that, Adrian and Ss held Aileen away from

    him.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    Rutherford raised his head with a murderous expression on his face.

    ¡°Shit! Rutherford, they¡¯reing after us!¡± The driver scrambled to start the car.

    He wanted to drive the car away, but there was nowhere for them to go.

    Their car was surrounded by Earle¡¯s cars.

    When Rutherford¡¯s car halted, Earle stepped out of his Rolls-Royce and approached. There was an air

    of authority in him, and his eyes were fierce.

    He mmed his cane against the window and shouted, ¡°Open the door! Now!¡±

    Ss was filled with hope when he saw Earle.

    ¡°You see that man out there? He¡¯s my great-grandfather! There¡¯s nowhere for you to go! Let us go

    now!¡±

    As Rutherford gazed at the vehicles surrounding them, he realized that the child must have been telling

    the truth. Ss was a member of the Moran family!

    ¡°Rutherford¡­ We¡¯re¡­ What should we do?¡±

    The driver was so terrified that he couldn¡¯t form coherent sentences.

    Rutherford¡¯s brows furrowed as he thought of a way to maneuver out of this sticky situation.

    He earned a living by doing illegal things, and he couldn¡¯t afford to get caught by the Moran family.

    When the two sides reached a stalemate, Adrian spoke up. ¡°I advise you to think about what you¡¯ll do

    next. Jonathan even wanted to kidnap children. I don¡¯t think he cares about his men. If you got caught,

    do you think he would go out of his way to save you?¡±

    The expression on Rutherford¡¯s face changed.

    Ss immediately understood what Adrian was trying to do. He was trying to get Rutherford to turn

    against Jonathan. ¡°The best thing for you to do is to let us go. If you let us leave the car, I can persuade

    my great-grandfather to let you go.¡±

    Rutherford gazed out the window and knew he couldn¡¯t take the twins today.

    Ss had provided him with a way to escape.

    Rutherford suddenly looked down at the three children inside the car and came to a conclusion. The

    best thing for him was to let them go and attempt to run away.

    However, he wasn¡¯t sure if his n would work.

    He didn¡¯t think the Moran family would let him go without paying the consequences.

 Chapter 585

    Chapter 585

    At this time, Rutherford changed his mind. He came up with a better way to escape.

    He suddenly grabbed Ss, turned to Earle, and threatened, ¡°I will only give you the children back if

    you ask your men to back away immediately.¡±

    When Earle saw Ss¡¯ pale face, he felt distressed.

    ¡°Okay, I can do that.¡±

    Earle turned to his bodyguards and nodded, hinting at them to follow Rutherford¡¯s demand. The

    bodyguards all stepped back at once.

    The next second, Rutherford opened the car door and threw Ss out.

    Earle was the nearest to the car. So when he saw Ss, he immediately threw his walking stick away,

    rushed forward, and caught Ss.

    But at this moment, Rutherford also ruthlessly threw Adrian and Aileen out of the car.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± the kids screamed in unison.

    But Earle was not a coward. He first caught Aileen, the most frightened one, and immediately held her

    in his arms. Then he didn¡¯t forget to protect the two boys too.

    Earle was old, but he was still strong. And perhaps because of the adrenaline rush, he saved the three

    children at one time.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Looking at the three children all safe and sound in his arms, he breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s you!¡± Aileen shouted excitedly upon seeing Earle¡¯s face clearly.

    Earle smiled kindly at the three children and asked, ¡°Are you all right?¡±

    The three children shook their heads altogether.

    At this moment, Rutherford and his men took advantage of the situation when Earle was not paying

    attention. They started the car, crashed into a luxury car ahead, and rushed forward.

    As the two cars collided, there was an ear-splitting sound. It was so loud that it even resounded

    through the sky. And the fire instantly ignited.

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Aileen screamed in horror.

    ¡°Aileen!¡± Adrian and Ss called out in unison.

    The loud crash startled Aileen, so Adrian and Ss immediately stretched out their hands and covered

    her ears.

    Although Aileen was terrified, she instinctively reached out and covered Earle¡¯s ears.

    For a moment, the scene looked unusually harmonious.

    Since Earle was holding the three children in his arms, he didn¡¯t move at all. Their safety mattered

    more to him than the small explosion.

    But Aileen¡¯s soft hands suddenly covered his ears, and she said sweetly, ¡°Mr. Moran, don¡¯t be afraid.

    Don¡¯t be afraid¡­¡±

    Earle looked down at her and saw that her cute little face was full of worries. He thought that his heart

    was already as hard as steel. But at this moment, he felt that it had melted.

    Rutherford escaped with hispanions in their car, but no one was in the mood to care about them at

    this time.

    Aleck and the bodyguards worriedly ran towards Earle one after another.

    They all knew that he had a weak heart. If anything happened to him, none of them could be held

    responsible for it.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, are you alright?¡± Aleck was the first to rush over and asked Earle.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine. Check on the three children. They are more important.¡±

    After saying this, Earle gently put down Aileen. Then he reached out and touched the heads of Ss

    and Adrian. He picked up his walking stick on the ground, looking energetic.

    ¡°Mr. Moran,e with me and take your medicine first,¡± Aleck urged, still a little scared.

    At first, Earle hesitated. But finally, hepromised and walked towards the car with Aleck. But after

    taking a few steps, he looked back and smiled at the children.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    The three children felt relieved when they saw his smile.

    When Adrian recalled how Earle had rescued them valiantly just now, he couldn¡¯t help praising, ¡°Ss,

    your great-grandfather is awesome! When he knocked on the bad guy¡¯s car window just now, he

    looked like a superhero. He was so handsome!¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! Your great-grandpa is so cool.¡±

    This time, Aileen agreed with Adrian, which was rare to happen.

    Ss was still agitated. But when he heard their praises, he was in a good mood. He felt proud of

    having such a brave great-grandfather.

    But then, something suddenly happened. After taking a few steps forward, Earle clutched his chest. His

    heart was suddenly cramped. He was in so much pain that he trembled all over.

    Aleck immediately supported Earle¡¯s arm and said worriedly, ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    But Earle broke away from Aleck¡¯s grip and shook his head. The children were looking at him. He

    couldn¡¯t let them worry about him.

    For the children not to notice that he was not feeling well, he endured the pain and waved his walking

    stick to the three children behind him.

    But Ss was very keen. He immediately noticed that something was wrong with Aleck¡¯s expression.

    Something must be wrong with Earle.

    He could tell that Earle was weak and only pretending to be alright. The expression on his face greatly

    changed as he shouted, ¡°Great-grandpa, stop!¡±

    Earle¡¯s pain became more and more unbearable. His eyes darkened, and he fell to the ground in a

    coma.

 Chapter 586

    Chapter 586

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    ¡°Great-grandpa!¡±

    Aleck and the three kids shouted at the same time.

    ¡°Take Mr. Moran to the hospital right away! Hurry up!¡± Aleck shouted.

    They all got together to carry Earle into the car.

    The kids got in the car in turn and sat beside the unconscious Earle.

    As soon as they were all in the car, the driver stepped on the gas pedal and the car sped towards the

    hospital.

    By this time, Aleck had calmed down. He took out his phone and quickly called Maurice.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, your grandfather has a heart attack. We are on our way to the hospital¡­¡±

    Aleck had no time to finish his words as Maurice had already hung up. Aleck guessed that Maurice was

    already on his way to the hospital.

    Soon the car arrived at the hospital. Earle¡¯s doctor had already been notified and was waiting for them

    at the entrance to the hospital. As soon as the car stopped, they got Earle out of the car and put him on

    the stretcher. The doctor, apanied by two nurses, immediately rushed Earle to the emergency

    room.

    Earle was quickly taken care of and the diagnosis showed that he did not suffer from anything

    rming. He had just had a panic attack.

    Earle woke up shortly afterwards.

    Everyone finally felt relieved.

    As Aileen stared at the old man lying listlessly in the bed, she had the feeling that this scene was

    familiar to her.

    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Aileen suddenly eximed in panic. She patted her head and said nervously, ¡°Adrian, we

    forgot to tell Mommy! You remember what happenedst time? We stayed at the hospital for a long

    time and Mommy was worried about us. She was so angry. We need to call Mommy right now!¡±

    Adrian immediately recalled the matter his sister was referring to and nodded. ¡°You are right!¡±

    Hearing the children¡¯s conversation, Earle was impressed.

    Adrian and Aileen were so young, but they were sensible and considerate. It was really rare.

    ¡°Aleck,e here.¡± Earle looked at Aleck who was standing by the bed and ordered, ¡°Go with the kids

    and help them call their mother. Exin the situation clearly to their mother this time. Make sure you

    don¡¯t cause any misunderstanding likest time.¡±

    ¡°Alright, Mr. Moran,¡± Aleck replied.

    Aleck then led the twins out of the ward. Meanwhile, Ss stayed in the room with Earle.

    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

    In the corridor of the hospital, Aleck took out his phone and asked the twins their mother¡¯s phone

    number. Then he dialed it.

    While the call was in progress, Aleck casually asked the twins, ¡°What¡¯s your mother¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°Eliana Pierce! My mommy¡¯s name is Eliana Pierce. It¡¯s a pretty name, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aileen said proudly in a

    sweet voice.

    Aleck was stunned and his eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears.

    Did he hear this little girl clearly just now?

    Did the little girl say her mother was Eliana Pierce?

    What a coincidence!

    Aleck was utterly stunned. He thought of Eliana whom he had seen a few times.

    While he was lost in thoughts, a familiar voice came from the other end of the line.

    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s it?¡±

    It turned out he didn¡¯t mishear Aileen just now. It was really Eliana¡¯s voice!

    She was the mother of these twins.

    Aleck was confused. He had lots of questions to ask Eliana, but he knew it was not a good time to ask.

    He had to do as Earle said first.

    ¡°Miss Pierce? I¡¯m Aleck Hinks, Mr. Earle Moran¡¯s assistant.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran¡¯s assistant!¡± At the other end of the phone, Eliana was a little uneasy when the man

    introduced himself. ¡°Is there anything that Mr. Moran wants you to tell me?¡± she asked nervously.

    Aleck hurriedly exined, ¡°No! Actually, there was an ident today, and Mr. Moran and your children

    are in the hospital now. Your kids care about Mr. Moran, so they and Ss decided to stay here with Mr.

    Moran. You can rest assured that I will send them back safelyter.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s nervousness grew at the mention of the hospital.

    Why were Earle and her children at the hospital?

    Eliana was very worried.

    ¡°Can you make a video call so that I can talk to my kids?¡± Eliana asked.

    Aleck had no reason to refuse. He did the video call and handed the phone to Aileen.

    ¡°Mommy!¡± Aileen greeted Eliana as soon as she took the phone.

    ¡°Sweetie, tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Mommy, Ss¡¯ great-grandfather had a heart attack. Can Adrian and I stay here with him?¡± Aileen

    asked with genuine concern in her voice.

    Eliana saw the familiar bodyguards standing next to Aileen.

    She knew for sure that her kids were with Earle.

    Eliana actually didn¡¯t want her children to have much contact with Earle.

    But she couldn¡¯t ignore the rtionship between the twins and Earle. Moreover, now that Earle was

    hospitalized, Eliana didn¡¯t have the heart to ask Adrian and Aileen to leave the old man at the hospital

    ande back home.

    ¡°Okay, you can stay. But you and Adrian have to behave well there, okay? Don¡¯t cause trouble!¡±

    Eliana finally agreed to Aileen¡¯s request.

    ¡°Mommy, you¡¯re the best!¡±

    Aileen was overjoyed and she happily returned the phone to Aleck.

    ¡°Thank you for taking care of my kids. Please, remember to send them back early,¡± Eliana said

    earnestly to Aleck.

    Then she hung up the phone.

    At this very moment, Maurice walked out of the elevator.

 Chapter 587

    Chapter 587

    Maurice bolted out of the elevator and quickly stormed towards the ward. ¡°Aleck, how is Grandpa

    doing?¡± he asked worriedly.

    Aleck, who clutched his phone in his hand, looked up at Maurice in a daze.

    All of a sudden, a question popped up in his head.

    If the twins were Eliana¡¯s children, how were they rted to Maurice?

    Was Maurice the father of the children?

    It seemed like a wild guess to him. He didn¡¯t dare to think about it more unless he had evidence to back

    it up.

    Aleck was immersed in his thoughts and didn¡¯t notice the expression on Maurice¡¯s face shifting. His

    face grew more severe as time passed.

    Maurice waited for Aleck to answer and thought his silence meant that Earle was doing worse than

    expected.

    At the thought of this, Maurice turned to the ward. All of a sudden, a small hand gripped his.

    Aileen looked up at Maurice with sympathetic eyes. ¡°Mr. Maurice Moran, don¡¯t be rmed. Mr. Earle

    Moran is doing well!¡±

    Adrian stood beside her and red at Maurice.

    That was the moment that Maurice noticed the twins¡¯ presence. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± he asked

    Aleck.

    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll want to hear it. Your grandfather went to pick up Ss. He

    noticed that the three children got kidnapped, and then saved them. The situation distressed him, so he

    was sent to the hospital.¡±

    Aleck exined the recent events as briefly as he could, and Maurice¡¯s eyes darkened. Maurice could

    only imagine the kind of danger they faced.

    ¡°Kidnapped? Who were they trying to kidnap? Was it Ss? Or was it the twins?¡± Maurice grimaced.

    Aleck hesitated for a moment before he answered. ¡°I don¡¯t think those people were after Ss,¡± he said

    with uncertainty.

    His words implied that the kidnappers intended to target Aileen and Adrian.

    Maurice¡¯s thoughts raced in his head.

    He thought he had concealed Ss¡¯ identity well. If the kidnappers held Ss for ransom, they should

    havee after him from the start. Why would they go out of their way to abduct two other children?

    That could only mean one thing. They intentionally targeted the twins.

    Why would anyone go after them?

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    It became obvious to Maurice that the men wanted the twins to threaten Eliana.

    Who would dare to do such a thing?

    The Stone family recently learned their lesson for attempting to mess with him. They wouldn¡¯t do

    anything for the time being.

    Did Eliana have other enemies that he didn¡¯t know about?

    Maurice was bewildered by the situation. He looked down at the twins and tried to get some clues from

    them.

    ¡°Who do you think was behind your kidnapping today?¡± he asked the twins.

    Aileen shook her head in reply. It seemed like she knew nothing.

    Maurice turned his head towards Adrian and noticed the way the boy¡¯s body tensed at the mention of

    the kidnapping.

    Based on the expression on Adrian¡¯s face, Maurice knew there was something the boy wasn¡¯t telling

    him.

    Maurice squatted so he could be at eye level with Adrian and looked into his eyes.

    ¡°Adrian, do you know something?¡±

    Adrian guiltily looked away from his piercing eyes. He murmured, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Maurice could tell he was lying.

    He could tell that the boy was hiding something, so he gently urged Adrian on.

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know anything?¡±

    Adrian was no match for Maurice no matter what tactic he tried to evade Maurice¡¯s questions. He had

    no choice but to tell the truth.

    Adrian was about to open his mouth and confess when Earle¡¯s voice suddenly came from inside the

    ward.

    ¡°Maurice,e inside!¡±

    Earle¡¯s voice caught Maurice¡¯s attention. Adrian breathed a sigh of relief.

    Maurice took onest look at Adrian, who bit his lip tightly. He stood up and said to Aleck, ¡°Please send

    the twins home. I don¡¯t want their family to worry about them.¡±

    Aleck could tell that Maurice had a close rtionship with the twins and their mother. He instantly knew

    that Maurice was aware Eliana was the twins¡¯ mother.

    What could his rtionship be with the children?

 Chapter 588

    Chapter 588

    Maurice was a little stunned by Aleck¡¯s words. But when he came back to his senses, he immediately

    denied Aleck¡¯s spection.

    ¡°No,¡± he said firmly.

    ¡°Then who is the father of the twins¡­¡±

    Aleck still wanted to ask something, but Maurice, who was already in a bad mood, interrupted him, ¡°It¡¯s

    none of your business. It has nothing to do with you. Just do your job well.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t need others to remind him again and again that the twins were not his children and that

    Eliana had once belonged to another man.

    When Aleck noticed that Maurice already looked impatient, he had no choice but to shut his mouth.

    After a while, Maurice broke the silence and added, ¡°And don¡¯t mention the twin¡¯s identity to my

    grandpa. Especially now that he is in poor health and can¡¯t bear any stimtion.¡±

    ¡°I understand, sir.¡±

    Aleck understood it clearly.

    Earle liked the twins so much. If he found out that their mother was the woman he hated, he would

    definitely not be able to ept it.

    Besides, the twins¡¯ biological father was still a mystery.

    After making sure that Aleck understood what he meant, Maurice turned around and walked into the

    ward.

    Earle was lying weakly in the bed with a pale face. Ss sat beside him, watching over him.

    As soon as Earle saw Maurice, he immediately snapped, ¡°What did you tell Aileen and Adrian outside?

    Do you think I didn¡¯t see it? You are an adult, but you still don¡¯t know how to get along with children.

    Why do you like making things difficult for them? Are you not embarrassed?¡±

    Earle scolded Maurice fiercely.

    But considering Earle¡¯s health condition, Maurice didn¡¯t dare to retort. He could only exin, ¡°I just

    asked them if they knew who the kidnappers were.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious? They are just five-year-old kids. What can they know?¡± Earle tried his best to stand

    up for the twins. ¡°The two kids have just been kidnapped. So you must know how much they¡¯ve

    suffered. Why do you have to make things difficult for them? I¡¯ll leave the matter to you. Go and find out

    who wants to hurt them.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t believe that someone in this city had dared to hurt his people. Didn¡¯t they know him?

    They¡¯d better find a good ce to hide. Because if he found them, he would definitely make them pay a

    hefty price.

    Ss also spoke up to defend the twins. ¡°Uncle Maurice, don¡¯t make things difficult for Aileen and

    Adrian. It¡¯s not their fault. What if those bad guys only target them because they are too close to me? It

    only means that it¡¯s me who implicates them, right?¡±

    Maurice was rendered speechless after hearing their words.

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    He must admit that Aileen and Adrian were both adorable. But he still couldn¡¯t help wondering what

    they had done to make his family defend and protect them.

    ¡°Okay, Grandpa. Rest well and recuperate here. You can rest assured that I will find out who the

    kidnappers are.¡±

    Maurice agreed to do it not only to make Earle and Ss feel at ease but also for the safety of Eliana

    and the twins.

    At this moment, Aleck sent Aileen and Adrian home. He was still full of doubts.

    Eliana had been waiting downstairs for a long time. The moment she saw the two children get out of

    the car, she immediately rushed over and hugged them.

    ¡°Kids, how are you? Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°We are fine, Mommy. We are here now,¡± Aileen immediately answered. It seemed that her mood was

    not affected by the kidnapping.

    In contrast to Aileen¡¯s mood, Adrian looked preupied.

    Eliana looked at Aleck and said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Hinks. Can you tell me what happened today?¡±

    Aleck then exined the whole story of today¡¯s kidnapping incident to her.

    ¡°Kidnapping? Someone wants to kidnap Aileen and Adrian? But¡­ How can that be?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s restless heart had already calmed down. But upon hearing Aleck¡¯s words, she became

    anxious again.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. We are really sorry that we haven¡¯t caught the kidnappers yet. For now, please be

    more careful. We don¡¯t know who the enemy is yet. The Moran family is doing their best to hunt down

    the kidnappers. And they will also send some people to guard you. So don¡¯t worry so much,¡± Aleck

    assured Eliana to calm her down.

    But Eliana was not in the mood to listen to him. She suddenly thought of how she was almost

    kidnapped before.

    Could it be that the same person was behind both kidnappings? Since those people failed to abduct

    her before, they targeted Aileen and Adrian this time.

    This terrifying conjecture sent a chill down her spine. She felt so cold all over that she felt like her blood

    almost froze.

    Who was that person? Who on earth was targeting them?

    Eliana felt like she was shrouded by a dark mist. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t clearly see

    the person hiding behind the thick dark fog. But she felt like that person was only waiting for a perfect

    opportunity to attack her.

 Chapter 589

    Chapter 589

    Aleck noticed that Eliana was lost in thought, so he didn¡¯t disturb her. He gave her enough time to think.

    It took Eliana a long time toe back to her senses.

    Then she turned to Aleck and said, ¡°Mr. Hinks, I really thank you and Mr. Moran for today. If the two of

    you hadn¡¯t been there, the consequences would have been unimaginable.¡±

    She expressed her gratitude to Aleck with a pale face.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me. Mr. Moran is very close to the two children, especially to Aileen. He thinks

    that Aileen looks like his granddaughter, so he cares about the two children so much,¡± Aleck exined

    patiently in a somewhat intriguing tone.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help sighing in her heart. She knew why Earle felt so close to Adrian and Aileen. And

    that was because he and the twins were rted by blood. Mixed emotions overwhelmed her.

    Earle didn¡¯t know that the twins were his great-grandchildren, but he still had a deep affection for them.

    He even saved them by ident. Eliana wondered what his reaction would be if he found out the truth

    about the twins¡¯ identity.

    Eliana looked at Aleck and said, ¡°Mr. Hinks, if you need any clue about the kidnappers, you can contact

    me anytime. I will do my best to help you find them.¡±

    Aleck was a little tempted. Actually, there was really something he wanted to ask Eliana. However, it

    was not about the kidnappers but the twins.

    He pondered for a while. Finally, he decided to ignore Maurice¡¯s warning.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, if you don¡¯t mind, may I ask if the father of the twins is¡­¡±

    But before he could finish his words, Eliana¡¯s loud voice interrupted him.

    ¡°No! He is not.¡±

    When she said this, she even wanted to cover the ears of the two children with a guilty conscience, but

    of course, she wasn¡¯t able to do that.

    ¡°Miss Pierce¡­¡±

    Aleck wanted to continue asking, but he was interrupted by Eliana again.

    ¡°Well, Mr. Hinks¡­ Thank you for sending the kids back today. We¡¯ll go inside now.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want to say anything to Aleck anymore, so she directly took Aileen and Adrian upstairs.

    Aleck had no choice but to watch their receding backs. But he couldn¡¯t help frowning as his confusion

    deepened.

    Eliana didn¡¯t even let him finish his words. And he had not mentioned Maurice¡¯s name, but she already

    knew he was referring to Maurice. She immediately denied the rtionship between her two children

    and Maurice.

    Obviously, Eliana was trying to evade this question. Was she hiding something?

    In the hospital, Maurice categorically denied that he was the twins¡¯ father. But what if there was only a

    misunderstanding?

    Aleck was an outsider, but he clearly knew what blood rtionships and family affection were.

    Maurice, Earle, and Ss all had special feelings for Aileen and Adrian. It was undeniable that the two

    children were lovable. But there must be a deeper reason for their affection.

    One possibility was that the twins might be Maurice¡¯s children.

    And with Eliana¡¯s strange reaction just now, Aleck confirmed his guess even more.

    But at the moment, he had no evidence to prove it, so he could only keep it to himself.

    Aleck had been working for Earle for so many years. Of course, the word ¡°loyalty¡± had long been

    carved in his heart. So he decided to figure it out.

    Then he thought of someone.

    Corbin. He might be of help.

    Corbin had been working for Maurice over the years, so he must know a lot of inside information.

    At the thought of this, Aleck called Corbin directly.

    At this moment, Corbin was with Maurice, looking for clues about the kidnappers.

    He was confused to receive a sudden phone call from Aleck.

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    But Aleck was his mentor, after all. So after hesitating for a while, he answered the phone without

    telling Maurice.

    ¡°Aleck, what can I do for you?¡±

    Aleck asked straightforwardly, ¡°Corbin, is Mr. Moran the father of Eliana¡¯s children?¡±

    Corbin was so shocked that he was stunned. It took him a long time toe back to his senses.

    ¡°Where did you get that information? Forget it. It¡¯s not the time to be concerned about it. The twins are

    not Mr. Moran¡¯s children. Eliana has already denied it personally.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Aleck retorted excitedly. ¡°There must be something wrong with that. Go check it

    carefully.¡±

    ¡°That thing¡­¡± Corbin paused for a moment before exining, ¡°Actually, Mr. Moran had asked Eliana

    the same question before. But she firmly refused to admit that the twins were his children. Mr. Moran

    has high self-esteem, so he believed what Eliana said and didn¡¯t investigate. He even didn¡¯t allow us to

    mention anything about it.¡±

    After listening to Corbin¡¯s exnation, Aleck rolled his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help cursing, ¡°Are you a fool?

    Do you really think Eliana was telling the truth? If you haven¡¯t even thought about it, you¡¯d better quit

    your job now.¡±

    After saying this, he hung up the phone angrily.

    Corbin fell into deep thought. At this moment, some clues he chose to ignore before surfaced in his

    mind.

    The more he thought about the twins¡¯ birth, the more suspicious he became. Was Jonathan really their

    father?

    For the sake of Maurice¡¯s happiness, he decided to find out the truth.

 Chapter 590

    Chapter 590

    That night, sitting on the edge of the bed, Eliana was reading fairy tales to Aileen and Adrian.

    After such a hectic day, Aileen was so tired that she fell asleep early.

    Adrian, meanwhile, couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the fact that they were nearly kidnapped. He tossed

    and turned in bed and couldn¡¯t fall asleep.

    Eliana had just finished reading the story and was about to leave the room when a small hand suddenly

    grabbed hers.

    ¡°Mommy, I can¡¯t fall asleep. Can you stay with me?¡± Adrian asked in a low voice, looking at Eliana

    earnestly.

    Adrian was not the kind of child constantly asking for attention. So, Eliana couldn¡¯t say no to him now.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±

    So Elianay down in Adrian¡¯s bed and held him in her arms.

    ¡°Is there anything bothering my darling baby? Tell me please,¡± Eliana said in a sweet voice.

    Adrian buried his head in Eliana¡¯s chest, hesitating to tell her or not. Finally, he decided to confess what

    he had done.

    ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m sorry. What happened today was all my fault¡­¡±

    ¡°Honey, why did you say that?¡± Eliana asked in surprise.

    With a guilty look on his face, Adrian exined, ¡°Yes, it was all my fault. I was the one who secretly

    contacted Mr. Bowman. I think the men who tried to kidnap us today were sent by him. I¡¯m sorry,

    Mommy. I didn¡¯t think Mr. Bowman was such a bad person!¡±

    Eliana was stunned at the mention of Jonathan.

    She thought he was still abroad.

    Did hee back?

    Eliana was utterly shocked by what Adrian said. She couldn¡¯t believe that it was Jonathan who tried to

    kidnap her and her children, let alone that it was Adrian who called him back.

    Eliana said nothing for a long moment, lost in thought. Her long silence made Adrian feel more and

    more depressed, and tears welled up in his eyes.

    ¡°Mommy, did I get you in trouble?¡± Adrian asked in a sad voice.

    Hearing her son¡¯s words, Eliana quickly came to her senses. She stroked the little boy¡¯s head and

    comforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey. I will solve it. Everything will be fine. You don¡¯t have to feel guilty.

    Mr. Bowman is not a bad guy. He probably just wants to see you, but he didn¡¯t do it the right way.¡±

    It took a long time for Eliana to calm Adrian down and let him fall asleep peacefully.

    When Eliana finally left the children¡¯s room, the anger she had been suppressing all along red up,

    and her face darkened instantly.

    Jonathan had helped her a lot. She could never pay him back for all he had done for her and the

    children. But how could he try to kidnap her kids?

    While Eliana was lost in thoughts, her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and saw it was an

    iing call from a strange number.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    After thinking for a while, Eliana answered the phone.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡±

    A deep and maic voice came from the other end of the phone, and Eliana almost immediately

    recognized the person speaking.

    ¡°Jonathan!¡±

    ¡°Absolutely! Long time no see. How are you doing recently?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s voice was mixed with smile.

    Just by listening to this voice, Eliana could already see in her mind the beautiful and gentle face of the

    man.

    But when she thought about what he had done, it chilled her to the bone.

    ¡°Jonathan, why did you try to kidnap my children?¡± Eliana asked curtly.

    She wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat with him, so she cut to the chase.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve seen each other. Why are you so cold to me? I just want to see you. I

    couldn¡¯t reach you since you even changed your phone number, so I came up with this idea.¡±

    It was only then that Eliana remembered she had indeed changed her phone number to avoid being

    called by Maurice.

    Sheter on sent her new phone number to her close friends, except for Jonathan.

    She just didn¡¯t want to tell him her new number.

    ¡°So since you couldn¡¯t find me, you decided to use my children as leverage to make mee to you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. You¡¯re so lovable. I hired Kimora, but she lied to me in order to help you in the end.¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s casual words made Eliana¡¯s hair stand on end.

    He had found Kimora!

    ¡°What did you do to Kimora?¡± Eliana asked almost in a roar.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Kimora¡¯s precious grandson and granddaughter had a small ident and she went to

    take care of them. There¡¯s really nothing to worry about!¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s tone was extremely gentle, but Eliana sensed a strong threat in it.

    She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her surging emotions. ¡°Jonathan, what on earth do you

    want from me?¡±

    Eliana had known Jonathan for many years, and she knew that he was way more terrifying than

    Maurice.

    The difference between Maurice and Jonathan was that, Maurice would never hurt her, let alone hurt

    her children.

 Chapter 591

    Chapter 591

    ¡°Eliana, it seems that my absence has done something good. You learned to be smart when I was

    away,¡± Jonathan said with a smile. His voice was filled with joy.

    ¡°I want you to see me alone. I¡¯ve helped you for so long. You should at least agree to see me this time,

    right?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    She had long expected this to happen because she knew she had to face Jonathan one day. Even if

    she didn¡¯t want to see him, she couldn¡¯t avoid him forever.

    Just like Maurice, Jonathan was also her inescapable someone.

    Left with no choice, Eliana had to say, ¡°Okay.¡±

    At this moment, the look in her eyes became firm. She finally made up her mind.

    ¡°I can meet you. But I¡¯ll decide the time and ce.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your choice. A good gentleman always has to amodate ady.¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s voice revealed a sense of victory. He firmly believed that Eliana would be his. For him, she

    was like a caged bird that could not escape his palm.

    After their talk, Eliana hung up the phone. She suddenly felt a trace of exhaustion prate deep into

    her bones.

    She walked to the balcony to get some fresh air, but she was met by the wet and cold night wind.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t help shivering. But the cold made her mind be a little clearer.

    Jonathan was back. And judging from their conversation just now and what he had done to her and her

    children, it was obvious that he didn¡¯t want to let her go.

    If she resisted, he would definitely make another move. He wouldn¡¯t stop until he totally conquered her.

    She, her children, and Kimora¡­ Who would be the next?

    The night wind was very cold, but it was not as cold as Eliana¡¯s heart at the moment.

    She had been standing there for a long time when the door suddenly opened.

    Nana came back from her date. She walked into the apartment with light steps, humming a song softly.

    After being nourished with love, she seemed to be in a good mood.

    When she turned on the lights, she saw Eliana standing on the balcony in a daze.

    Her brows furrowed at once. It was alreadyte. Why was Eliana still up?

    Nana walked over in surprise and patted Eliana on the shoulder, ¡°Eliana?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Eliana was startled by Nana¡¯s sudden appearance. She patted her chest and said, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    ¡°Eliana, why are you still awake? It¡¯s sote now. What are you doing here on the balcony? Did

    something happen?¡± Seeing the sadness on Eliana¡¯s face, Nana was worried.

    Eliana smiled bitterly. ¡°Jonathan is back.¡±

    ¡°What? Who did you say is here?¡± At first, Nana was confused. But the next second, she shivered all

    over. She eximed, ¡°What? Jonathan is back? But why?¡±

    ¡°I do not know either,¡± Eliana answered, shaking her head helplessly.

    Nana remembered the rumors about Jonathan, and a bad feeling surged in her heart.

    ¡°Oh, my goodness! He didn¡¯te back for you, right?¡±

    Eliana also thought of this possibility. She got goose bumps, and her scalp tingled.

    ¡°He called just now. He wanted to see me, and I said yes. I just hope that during our meeting, the

    matter between us will be resolved properly.¡±

    ¡°He wants to see you? Why did you say yes? Are you not afraid that he might have an ulterior motive?¡±

    Nana jumped up in shock. ¡°I think you have to tell Maurice about this. You are together now. What if he

    misunderstands you again?¡±

    Eliana sighed. Actually, she also thought of telling Maurice. But after giving it a second thought, she

    gave up.

    ¡°Nana, think about it. Until now, Maurice still believes that the twins are Jonathan¡¯s children. If he

    knows that I am going to meet Jonathan, what do you think will be his reaction?¡±

    Nana subconsciously imagined Maurice¡¯s angry face, and she couldn¡¯t help shivering.

    Maurice was like a violent beast when he was angry. If he found out about it and lost his temper, who

    could control him then?

    ¡°You¡¯re right. But¡­¡± Nana had a strange expression on her face. ¡°But think about it too. You have never

    seeded in hiding something from Maurice. Not even once.¡±

    Nana¡¯s words made Eliana recall her countless failures, and she couldn¡¯t help feeling discouraged.

    Could she really hide this matter from Maurice?

    On the same night, when Eliana got to know the person behind the kidnapping, Maurice also gained

    something¡ªhe caught the executor of the kidnapping.

    He was in an icy basement, sitting in the shadows. Standing beside him was Corbin, who looked

    serious.

    A man was lying on the floor in front of them. He was the kidnapper who tried to kidnap Adrian and

    Aileen today.

 Chapter 592

    Chapter 592

    The man was tightly wrapped in the bag, and he was still thrashing about in it, like a writhing maggot.

    ¡°Open it!¡± Maurice ordered his men.

    Following Maurice¡¯s order, the bodyguards immediately stepped forward and untied the bag, revealing

    the man inside, tightly bound.

    It was none other than Rutherford!

    As soon as the bag was taken from him, Rutherford knelt down, his head lowered. Without even clearly

    seeing who had caught him, he shouted, ¡°Mr. Bowman, please forgive me. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯tplete

    the mission. Please forgive me!¡±

    Rutherford thought that since he hadn¡¯t been able to aplish the task that Jonathan had given him,

    Jonathan was certainly going to punish him! So he hastened to ask for mercy.

    After pleading for a long time, he realized that there was no sound in front of him.

    Rutherford was scared to the bone and raised his head nervously. To his greatest surprise, he didn¡¯t

    see Jonathan¡¯s frightening smile. Instead, he saw a strange face.

    It seemed it wasn¡¯t Jonathan who caught him!

    At this moment, Rutherford became confident. If the man who caught him was not a real big shot, then

    he wasn¡¯t scared at all.

    Rutherford¡¯s expression changed from humbleness to arrogance and malice.

    ¡°Who the hell are you? How dare you catch me! You better go to the underworld and ask about me! I¡¯m

    definitely not the guy you want to mess with!¡±

    There wasn¡¯t a trace of humility on Rutherford¡¯s face right now.

    Casting a pitiful look at the arrogant Rutherford, Corbin snapped at him, ¡°Rutherford, I advise you to be

    honest. The person standing in front of you is the CEO of the Moran Group, Maurice Moran.¡±

    As soon as Corbin revealed Maurice¡¯s identity, Rutherford¡¯s face changed drastically. His eyes widened

    in shock and he felt a shiver run through him.

    It was Maurice who kidnapped him!

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    But why?

    Then, Rutherford thought of the three kids he tried to kidnap during the day. One of them said that he

    was a member of the Moran family¡­

    Damn! He messed with the wrong person this time!

    ¡°Mr. Moran! I so sorry. I really didn¡¯t mean to kidnap your family member. Please forgive me and spare

    my life!¡± Rutherford begged.

    Rutherford knew when to eat humble pie and when to hold his head high. He immediately began to beg

    for mercy, with tears running down his cheeks.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Maurice roared, ring coldly at the man kneeling in front of him. Rutherford was so scared

    that he didn¡¯t dare to say a word again.

    ¡°Just now, you mentioned Mr. Bowman, did you refer to Jonathan?¡±

    Rutherford nodded quickly.

    Jonathan was Aileen and Adrian¡¯s biological father. Why would he kidnap his own children?

    Maurice was shocked and confused.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t Jonathane to meet the twins directly? Isn¡¯t he their father?¡± Maurice asked coldly.

    Rutherford was stunned by the question and didn¡¯t know what to answer. He was just a goon the

    bigwigs paid to do their dirty jobs. How could he know so much?

    Rutherford exined helplessly, ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m just paid with money to do things. Mr. Bowman didn¡¯t

    tell me anything. Oh, I remember! He had asked me to get a woman named Eliana Pierce. That woman

    was as cunning as a fox and I wasn¡¯t able to get her. It was only after that that Mr. Bowman asked me

    to kidnap her two children. He wanted to use the kids as a leverage to make here to him. I didn¡¯t

    expect that the two kids were protected by the Moran family. I wasn¡¯t able to catch any of them¡­¡±

    Rutherford quickly told Maurice everything he knew about his mission. He would say anything and

    everything to save his life.

    As Maurice listened to Rutherford¡¯s exnations, he couldn¡¯t help frowning. Everything Rutherford said

    gave him no answer. Instead, he was more confused now.

    Something was off!

    Jonathan¡¯s attitude was unlike that of a father towards his children and their mother.

    Unless¡­

    A thought shed through Maurice¡¯s mind. He finally figured it out this time.

    Unless Eliana lied to him. Aileen and Adrian were not Jonathan¡¯s children at all.

    At that time, he forced her to tell him the kids¡¯ biological father. Coincidentally, Jonathan had met her

    overseas, so she lied, saying Jonathan was the father.

    Maurice had no reason to not believe her. After all, everything made sense.

    Now, the more Maurice thought about it, the angrier he became.

    It turned out Eliana had been lying to him all the time.

    For some reason, he was also a little happy.

    He couldn¡¯t help but beam, thinking that Aileen and Adrian weren¡¯t Jonathan¡¯s children after all.

    With all these thoughts and emotions surging in his heart, Maurice¡¯s expression changed from time to

    time.

    Corbin didn¡¯t know what to think as he looked at Maurice¡¯splicated expression.

    He was worried that his boss might decide to punish his girlfriend¡¯s best friend.

    All of a sudden, Corbin¡¯s phone vibrated.

    He silently took two steps back and turned on his phone. He had just received an e-mail containing the

    twins¡¯ test results.

    His eyes widened when he saw the date of birth on the screen.

    The time when Eliana became pregnant coincided with her one-night stand with Maurice.

 Chapter 593

    Chapter 593

    Unfortunately, except for the date of birth, there was not much information on the test result. It was

    probably because the kids were too young to do other examinations.

    Apparently, there was only one way to find out if indeed Aileen and Adrian were Maurice¡¯s children.

    A paternity test.

    Corbin stared at the screen of the phone in his hand,pletely unaware that Maurice was watching

    him intently.

    When he finally raised his head, he met Maurice¡¯s questioning eyes. Corbin was startled and quickly

    put back the phone in his pocket.

    ¡°Boss¡­ What¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡± he stammered nervously.

    ¡°What were you looking at?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s piercing gaze gave the impression he had seen through Corbin.

    ¡°Nothing! It¡¯s just some trash messages. Nothing worth dwelling on.¡±

    Corbin was a terrible liar, and Maurice knew right away that he was lying.

    ¡°Really? Give me your phone.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s sharp eyes sent a shiver through Corbin. Corbin knew it was pointless to keep on lying now

    and he obediently handed over his phone.

    As soon as Maurice turned on the phone, he saw the test result of the twins.

    ¡°Boss, please don¡¯t be angry. I had some doubts about the kids¡¯ father, so I decided to do some

    investigation¡­¡±

    Corbin was very nervous right now, and he felt a little guilty. After all, Maurice had clearly told him not to

    mention the kids¡¯ biological father again.

    ¡°Keep investigating.¡± Maurice¡¯s voice was oddly calm.

    ¡°What?¡± Corbin was stunned.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s very likely that the kids are my children, right?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression was gloomy as he stared at the phone in his hand.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to guess the truth. Considering the date of birth of the twins, if Jonathan was not their

    father, it was very likely that it was Maurice!

    If Eliana hadn¡¯t been misleading him again and again in the past, he would have thought of this

    possibility a long time ago.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had this idea in my head for a while. You don¡¯t need to investigate secretly from now on. Run a

    paternity test and I want to know the result as soon as possible!¡± Maurice said firmly.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    With irrefutable evidence, Eliana could no longer deny the truth.

    ¡°Alright, sir!¡±

    Now that Maurice gave him the green light, Corbin was more than ready to carry on his investigations.

    For her part, Eliana wanted to resolve the current crisis as quickly as possible, so she decided to meet

    Jonathan the next day.

    However, knowing how dangerous Jonathan was, she decided to meet him at the factory.

    The factory was her territory. She felt safe there. She didn¡¯t think Jonathan would do anything to her

    there.

    Therefore, the next morning, she went to the factory to work as usual.

    After a busy morning, Brevard rushed to her office excitedly.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, we got a big order this morning. We will make a fortune out of it!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    Eliana was also very surprised by the good news.

    But before she could ask more, her phone rang.

    It was a message from Jonathan. He was at the gate of the factory.

    As soon as Eliana saw the message, her good mood vanished.

    Taking a deep breath, she adjusted her mood and straightened up. Then, she headed for the gate to

    meet Jonathan.

    As she walked over to the factory gate, she saw a tall figure standing at the gate from afar.

    ¡°Jonathan¡­¡± she uttered.

    The man heard her voice and turned around slowly.

    It had been a year since theyst met. However, he didn¡¯t change much. He was still so charming and

    handsome.

    He had on a pair of gold-rimmed sses and a slight smile that made him look even more attractive.

    His beautiful face was even more impressive in the glow of the sun.

    It had only been one year since they parted, but when Eliana saw his face again, she felt as if it had

    been a lifetime.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Jonathan murmured, his eyes fixed on Eliana.

    At this time, Eliana had juste out. She wore a uniform and a hat. Her uniform was dirty and her

    face was covered with dust. However, her eyes were bright, like the stars at night.

    Jonathan had mixed feelings seeing her.

    She looked thinner and tanned. Obviously, she had had a hard time since returning home. Despite that

    though, she looked very happy.

    Jonathan was stunned. He had never felt so much vigor emanating from her.

    Jonathan had the feeling that something was out of his control, and he didn¡¯t like that.

 Chapter 594

    Chapter 594

    ¡°Come with me. This is not a good ce to talk,¡± Eliana said calmly.

    She stopped a few steps away from Jonathan, with aplicated look in her eyes.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Jonathan held back the surging emotions in his heart for the time being and calmly followed Eliana to

    her office.

    As soon as they were in the office, Eliana closed the door behind her and asked Jonathan directly, ¡°So,

    what do you want this time?¡±

    She looked at him straight in the eyes, as if to probe his soul. It was obvious that she wanted all of this

    to end as soon as possible.

    ¡°Eliana, you mean you don¡¯t know? You¡¯ve been having fun here for a long time. Now it¡¯s time for you

    toe back to me,¡± Jonathan stated in such a light tone, as if Eliana belonged to him.

    Of course, Eliana had had some guesses about the purpose of his return. So, she wasn¡¯t surprised by

    what he said at all.

    ¡°Jonathan, I won¡¯t go back with you!¡± she said firmly.

    ¡°Why? I thought we had a good time abroad! Why don¡¯t you want toe back?¡±

    Jonathan looked aggrieved. His face suddenly darkened as he thought of something.

    ¡°Is it because of Maurice? You fell in love with him, right? And now you want to leave me?¡±

    Eliana was not at all surprised that Jonathan knew what had happened between her and Maurice. After

    all, he had sent a lot of people to watch her.

    The thought that Jonathan had her watched sent chills down Eliana¡¯s spine.

    At this moment, even Jonathan¡¯s handsome and charming face suddenly seemed frightening to her.

    ¡°You really think too much. This is my hometown. I¡¯ve started a new life here. Now I have friends, a

    family, and a career¡­ I can¡¯t leave.¡±

    Eliana wouldn¡¯t dare confess to Jonathan that she was in love with Maurice. So she quickly found

    excuses not to leave.

    No matter what she said at this moment, she knew deep down that Maurice was the most important

    reason why she didn¡¯t want to leave.

    She had fallen in love with him.

    A heavy silence fell in the room. Suddenly, Jonathan¡¯s phone rang.

    When he saw the caller ID, a strange light shone in his eyes.

    He answered the phone and put it on speaker.

    ¡°Hello, Mr. Bowman. I¡¯m Brevard, the director of the factory. I¡¯m calling about the order you ced this

    morning. I figured we could sign the contract today if you have time.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m in the factory right now. You cane to Miss Pierce¡¯s office with the contract.¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s eyes were fixed on Eliana when he spoke.

    ¡°You mean¡­ You¡¯re in Miss Pierce¡¯s office? That¡¯s great! I¡¯ll be right there!¡±

    Brevard¡¯s voice was very excited. He quickly hung up the phone.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was utterly stunned.

    So the mysterious client who had ced a big order was Jonathan!

    ¡°Jonathan, you don¡¯t have to do this. I don¡¯t need your charity,¡± Eliana said with a frown. She was

    clearly unhappy.

    Before Jonathan could reply, Brevard excitedly rushed into the office with the contract.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s good you¡¯re here. Let¡¯s sign the contract right away, shall we?¡±

    As he spoke, Brevard happily handed the contract to Eliana. However, she didn¡¯t take it.

    ¡°We won¡¯t take this order,¡± Eliana said crossly.

    ¡°What? We won¡¯t? Why?¡±

    Brevard was confused and shocked. He looked at Eliana in disbelief, with his eyes widened. Why did

    she turn down such a huge order?

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°There is no reason. We just won¡¯t take it.¡±

    Eliana had a long history with Jonathan, and right now all she wanted was to end it.

    A firm resolve was visible on Eliana¡¯s face, and seeing that, Brevard dared not say anything else,

    although he was angry.

    He really wanted to take this order. It was a huge deal for the factory. However, since Eliana said so, he

    had no choice but to give up. After all, Eliana was the biggest shareholder of the factory.

    Disgruntled, Brevard left with a long face.

    ¡°Eliana, do you really need to be so cold to me?¡± Jonathan asked. He was visibly annoyed by her

    attitude.

    ¡°We have nothing to do with each other anymore. I just think it would be best if we stayed away from

    each other¡¯s lives.¡±

    Eliana was fed up with him watching her every move. She wouldn¡¯t repeat the same life this time.

    She had thought, and even hoped that by being so ruthless with him, he would be angry and leave.

    However, he was not. Although he looked sullen, he kept hisposure.

    This made her even more uneasy.

 Chapter 595

    Chapter 595

    Eliana, why do you have to be so cruel to me? What did I ever do to you?¡±

    Jonathan took a deep breath to collect himself as he struggled to school his features into a gentle

    expression.

    He had to be careful when he interacted with Eliana. Once he revealed his temper to her, she would be

    encouraged to stay vignt and stay away from him.

    ¡°After everything you¡¯ve done, you expect me to talk to you as if nothing happened?¡± Eliana shot back.

    ¡°Are you referring to the kidnapping?¡± Jonathan decided to show her a sliver of vulnerability. ¡°I did all of

    that to see you. You¡¯ve been hiding from me,¡± he exined.

    Eliana kept quiet as she listened. He wasn¡¯t wrong about that.

    The truth was, she had been avoiding him.

    However, the children were her top priority. He shouldn¡¯t have endangered the children because of

    what happened between them.

    ¡°Eliana, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you or the kids. I was only afraid that our rtionship had changed. I

    wanted to go after the man who took the children. But, I found out that Maurice was holding him,¡±

    Jonathan stated apologetically, sounding sincere.

    Eliana observed him with a cautious expression on her face. She couldn¡¯t decide if he was telling the

    truth or not.

    ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for over five years, and I¡¯ve done so much for you. How could I ever do

    anything to hurt you on purpose?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s words sounded so sincere that Eliana couldn¡¯t find any fault in them.

    Because he took the initiative to show his weakness, the tense atmosphere between the two slowly

    eased.

    His words reminded Eliana of their shared past.

    If it weren¡¯t for Jonathan, she and her children would¡¯ve perished at sea five years ago.

    Since then, he¡¯d been helping her. His generosity allowed her to raise her children safely abroad.

    Although he was a possessive man who wanted to control everything, Eliana couldn¡¯t ignore that he

    had been good to them. He¡¯d always been close to the kids.

    Eliana was ashamed when she remembered what they¡¯d gone through together.

    He¡¯d helped her so much in the past, and she felt ungrateful for it.

    ¡°Jonathan, I don¡¯t understand. We weren¡¯t rted, and we weren¡¯t friends either. Why did you help me

    all those years ago?¡±

    This question had intrigued Eliana for years, and she only mustered up enough courage to ask now.

    Jonathan didn¡¯t say anything in response. He stared at her with a sad look on his face.

    He looked like he was searching for something in her eyes or imagining a familiar face.

    ¡°It¡¯s because I like you.¡±

    ¡°You like me?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know whether he was telling the truth, but she couldn¡¯t ept his confession.Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Someone else captured her heart.

    ¡°I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done to help over the years, but I can¡¯t ept you. I¡¯m sorry. Without

    you, we could¡¯ve died. Please don¡¯t confuse my gratitude with love. I have no feelings for you. We can¡¯t

    be together.¡±

    ¡°Is it because of Maurice?¡± Jonathan was determined to get to the bottom of the matter.

    Eliana lowered her head and didn¡¯t say anything more. Jonathan assumed that his assumption was

    correct.

    ¡°Eliana?¡± Jonathan couldn¡¯t help but take a step closer to her. ¡°I hope that you reconsider your

    rtionship with Maurice. You¡¯ve been through after you came back. Please don¡¯t forget that all that

    suffering was because of him! I hope you think it over. Once you choose to be with Maurice, this will

    keep happening.¡±

    Eliana was rendered speechless over his words. She knew what he said was true.

    ¡°If you choose to be with me, things can be different. You¡¯ll never have to face those situations. Eliana,

    please consider my offer,¡± Jonathan said humbly.

    Eliana didn¡¯t have the heart to reject him a second time, so she only sighed in reply.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jonathan.¡±

    Jonathan was stunned by her answer andughed at himself.

    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, Eliana. One day, I¡¯ll prove to you that I¡¯m more worthy than Maurice. You¡¯ll change

    your mind when that dayes.¡±

    When Eliana looked away from him, a terrifying glint shed through Jonathan¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 596

    Chapter 596

    In the end, they weren¡¯t able to reach an agreement.

    Fortunately, Jonathan left without doing anything.

    Eliana was relieved at how things turned out.

    That afternoon, after a hectic day, Eliana walked out of the factory and noticed Jonathan¡¯s blue Ferrari

    parked by the door.

    ¡°Eliana, get in. I can drive you home,¡± Jonathan greeted her as he gently rolled down a window.

    Had he been waiting for her all this time?

    ¡°No, thank you. I can get home by myself.¡± Eliana immediately refused.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Adrian and Aileen for a while now, and I wanted toe and see them. It¡¯s my fault

    why everything happened yesterday. I feel like I need to apologize to them in person. Truth is, I even

    bought an apology gift for them,¡± Jonathan exined.

    He turned sideways to reveal a gift box sitting beside him.

    Eliana recalled the sad look on Adrian¡¯s face when he confessed everything to herst night.

    Adrian was hurt by the fact that Jonathan had used him.

    She hesitated for a moment before she agreed.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    She opened the door and got into the back seat. Jonathan was the one who drove her home.

    The atmosphere on the ride home was quiet andfortable. He didn¡¯t mention the offer he made to

    her that morning.

    They slowly made their way to Eliana¡¯s ce. Right as they were about to arrive, an ident urred.

    A red car suddenly rushed out from the other side of the road and was about to crash into them.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Eliana eximed, but it was toote. The car smashed into them.

    Both cars collided violently, making a deafening sound.

    The force of the impact was too much for Eliana. A secondter, she cked out.

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    Right as she was about to lose consciousness, she vaguely heard the sound of ss cracking.

    When the car ident happened, Nana had just picked the kids up from school. They were on their

    way home, and not too far away from the ident.

    Maybe there was the invisible bond between mother and child; the moment the ident happened,

    Adrian and Aileen raised their heads.

    ¡°Adrian, I feel like I heard Mommy¡¯s voice just now,¡± Aileen murmured as she gripped Adrian¡¯s hand.

    Adrian¡¯s brows furrowed in response. He also felt like he heard their mother¡¯s voice moments ago.

    The two of them gazed at their surroundings, but they didn¡¯t see Eliana anywhere.

    Maybe they were hallucinating her voice.

    Nana asked a passerby what happened when she noticed a crowd gathering not too far away from

    them.

    ¡°Excuse me, do you know what happened here?¡±

    ¡°I think there was a car ident ahead. It looks like it¡¯s serious. How terrible!¡±

    A car ident?

    That must have been frightening.

    Nana was afraid the twins would be scared when they saw the bloody scene, so she pulled them back

    in a hurry.

    When they passed the car ident, there were so many people gathering that they didn¡¯t see anything.

    Momentster, Aileen was restless. She couldn¡¯t help thinking about the ident and kept looking

    back at the scene where people were crowded.

    When Nana noticed Aileen¡¯s reluctance to leave, she carried Aileen up in her arms so she wouldn¡¯t run

    towards the ident.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home now. Your mommy might be home already.¡±

    As soon as Nana mentioned their mother, the two children quickly followed her home.

    However, no one was there when they arrived.

    Nana didn¡¯t think too much of it, but as time passed, Eliana still wasn¡¯t home.

    She had a feeling that something was wrong.

    Did something happen to Eliana?

    As Nana waited, she grew more anxious. After a while, she couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.

    Whenever Eliana went missing, it always had something to do with Maurice.

    Nana quickly called Corbin.

    As soon as Corbin answered, Nana questioned, ¡°Did your boss go crazy again and ¡®kidnap¡¯ Eliana?¡±

 Chapter 597

    Chapter 597

    When Nana contacted Corbin, Corbin was waiting for a paternity test report in the hospital.

    He had been drowsy, but when he heard Nana¡¯s words, he immediately sobered up.

    ¡°What did you say? Eliana is missing again?¡±

    Before he could ask her more questions, the doctor came out of his office with the paternity test report.

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, here are your results.¡±

    At that moment, Corbin didn¡¯t know where to focus his attention. He immediately put down his phone

    before he took the results from the doctor. Corbin took a deep breath to steady himself before he slowly

    opened the envelope.

    The report said that Maurice and the children were rted.

    Oh my goodness!

    Maurice was the father of the twins!

    They were his biological children! Wait¡­ Of course, Maurice was the father!

    Corbin froze when he finished reading the results. He couldn¡¯t do anything and forgot everything else

    on his mind.

    Nana shouted at him through the phone as she demanded his response.

    ¡°Corbin? Corbin! What¡¯s going on with you? Say something!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Jenkins, there¡¯s a person on the call with you,¡± the doctor pointed out awkwardly.

    Only then did Corbin realize he was still on the phone with Nana.

    What were they talking about moments ago?

    Oh, he remembered! Nana mentioned that Eliana was missing.

    Corbin hurriedly picked up his phone and replied, ¡°Nana, is Eliana missing?¡±

    Nana was furious. ¡°Yes, she is! It¡¯s gettingte, and she hasn¡¯te home or called. Tell me the truth,

    was Maurice behind this?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. It can¡¯t be him.¡±

    Corbin rubbed his forehead to ease the migraine that was starting to form.

    He discovered moments ago that the twins were Maurice¡¯s kids, and now Eliana was missing.

    He demanded, ¡°Nana, tell me everything that happened today!¡±

    Nana was flustered when she heard that it wasn¡¯t Maurice.

    All she knew was that Eliana met up with Jonathan that day.

    Did Jonathan take her somewhere?

    In the end, Nana had no choice but to confess that Eliana was with Jonathan earlier that day.

    Corbin was shocked when he heard the news. Did Eliana run away with him?

    How would he exin this to Maurice? The twins¡¯ mother disappeared!

    ¡°Nana, stay at home with the children. I¡¯ll figure something out. Call me if you hear anything else,

    okay?¡±

    When he realized how rming the matter was, he immediately ended the call and rushed to Maurice.

    The two of them were in the same hospital. By the time Corbin ran to him, Maurice was about to leave

    Earle¡¯s ward.

    As soon as Maurice left, he ran into Nancy in the corridor.

    ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s gettingte. You should be heading to bed now,¡± Maurice said with concern.

    ¡°Are you fighting with my grandfather again?¡± Nancy couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°I know you bicker with

    him every day, but deep down, you care about him.¡±

    Maurice kept silent. Her words embarrassed him.

    At that moment, Corbin rushed over to them.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    The moment he saw Nancy, he mped his mouth shut.

    He couldn¡¯t reveal the truth about the children in front of her.

    Maurice frowned when he noticed the anxious expression on Corbin¡¯s face.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The matter can wait,¡± Corbin said as he shook his head with embarrassment.

    He wanted to wait until Nancy left before he reported to him. Nancy smiled knowingly at the both of

    them and said, ¡°I have to tend to your grandfather. The two of you can talk now.¡±

    A momentter, she turned and entered the ward.

    As soon as Nancy left, Corbin was about to hand the paternity test results to Maurice when he

    suddenly hesitated.

    ¡°I have good news and bad news for you. Which one would you like to hear first?¡±

    ¡°Stop beating around the bush.¡±

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    Without another word, Maurice grabbed the report from Corbin¡¯s hands and opened it. He quietly read

    the results.

    ¡°Adrian and Aileen are my children?¡±

    Although Maurice had expected the results, it still overwhelmed him with joy when it was confirmed.

    The twins were his! They were his children with Eliana!

    Nothing could¡¯ve surprised him more than this.

    That meant that Eliana had never had another man.

    At the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but feel lost.

    He suddenly found himself with two five-year-old twins.

    Maurice never expected things to turn out as they did.

    Even as he held the results in his hands, he had a sort of weird sense of unreality.

    Was he really a father?

 Chapter 598

    Chapter 598

    aurice was lost in his thoughts, but Corbin¡¯s words brought him back to reality.

    ¡°Boss, that¡¯s the good news for you. However, I also have some bad news. Promise me you¡¯ll stay calm

    when you hear it. I was informed about Eliana¡¯s disappearance today, and I heard it was after she met

    with Jonathan.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression hardened when he heard the news.

    ¡°Nana was the one who told me. She called me to say Eliana hasn¡¯te home since she met up with

    Jonathan. Boss, do you think¡­¡±

    Corbin didn¡¯t dare to continue his sentence.

    ¡°We need to go!¡±

    How could Maurice keep a level head after hearing this news?

    They ran to the parking lot and drove to Eliana¡¯s ce.

    By the time they arrived, the twins were already asleep. Nana was alone in the living room, waiting

    anxiously.

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    All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. Nana was pacing back and forth in the living room, and the sound

    startled her. Without hesitation, she opened the door, thinking Eliana finally came home.

    ¡°Eliana¡­ Wait a minute. Maurice?¡±

    When she opened the door, Maurice¡¯s stormy eyes greeted her. The look on his face made her tremble

    with fear.

    One look in his eyes and you could tell. He wasn¡¯t happy at this moment.

    Nana¡¯s first instinct was to m the door shut in his face, but she failed to stop Maurice froming in.

    He immediately pushed the door open and stormed inside.

    ¡°Where are my children?¡±

    Nana was rmed by his words and eximed, ¡°What are you saying? Your children? What are you

    doing here? You act like this is your house! If you¡¯re not careful, I¡¯ll sue you for trespassing!¡±

    Maurice resembled a volcano that was about to erupt. Corbin gently guided Nana away from Maurice

    because he was worried she would trigger him.

    ¡°Nana, stop fooling around. We know that the twins¡¯ father is Mr. Moran.¡±

    He handed the paternity test report to Nana as proof.

    Now that there was evidence, Nana couldn¡¯t deny the truth even if she wanted to. The only thing she

    could say was, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You shouldn¡¯t go upstairs and wake the children. I had a hard time

    putting them to sleep. You can¡¯t scare them!¡±

    At that moment, Nana was more concerned about Eliana¡¯s safety than the children.

    ¡°Maurice, I think you¡¯re aware Eliana met up with Jonathan today. I can assure you that she would

    never leave the children behind, even if she met with Jonathan. There¡¯s no need to question whether

    she would run away with him.¡±

    Nana wanted to continue defending Eliana, but the furious expression on Maurice¡¯s face halted her.

    Corbin grabbed Nana¡¯s arm and warned, ¡°Nana, please stop.¡±

    Couldn¡¯t she tell that Maurice was on the verge of snapping?

    Maurice considered her words for a moment.

    Even without Nana¡¯s exnation, he knew Eliana wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.

    The children were the most important thing to her, and she wouldn¡¯t leave them no matter what

    happened.

    He came over to protect the twins in case something unexpected happened to them.

    Before he entered the house, he had observed the surroundings on purpose but didn¡¯t find anything

    unusual.

    It meant there wasn¡¯t a kidnapper who nned to take Eliana away.

    There was only one possibility left to consider. Perhaps something unexpected happened to Eliana,

    which prevented her froming home.

    The most likely situation would have been¡­

    ¡°Corbin!¡± Maurice suddenly ordered, ¡°Check all the hospitals! I want you to check the nearest hospitals

    one by one!¡±

    Understanding dawned on Corbin, and he immediately left the house.

    When Corbin left, only Nana and Maurice remained in the living room.

    It waste into the night. The thought of staying with Maurice under one roof made Nana nervous.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, why don¡¯t you go home and get some rest? I¡¯ll inform you immediately when I hear

    anything.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ll wait until the children wake up.¡±

    He sat down on the sofa and leaned bank. After that, he closed his eyes to get some rest.

    Since he found out the children were his, he¡¯d been restless. As soon as he allowed himself to rx,

    fatigue washed over him.

    It had only been two hours, but he felt like so much had happened.

    Nana didn¡¯t dare to oppose him.

    Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t sleep while he was there.

    ¡°I can wait with you.¡± Nana sighed wearily and sat down on the sofa. She chose the spot farthest away

    from him.

    For a moment, the atmosphere inside the living room was somber.

    All of a sudden, Maurice broke the silence. ¡°Nana, do you know why Eliana kept the truth about the

    children from me?¡±

 Chapter 599

    Chapter 599

    Nana broke out in a cold sweat.

    Maurice¡¯s question wasn¡¯t an easy one to answer. Once she failed to give him a reasonable answer,

    her friend would be in trouble.

    Nana racked her brain for an exnation that would satisfy his curiosity.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, I¡¯m aware Eliana withheld the truth from you. I believe she had her reasons for doing so.

    However, I also know it brings her great joy whenever you visit Aileen and Adrian. She never prevented

    you from seeing them.¡±

    Maurice listened with a nk expression on his face.

    Nana couldn¡¯t tell what Maurice was thinking at that moment. She squirmed in her seat on the sofa.

    Inside the bedroom, Aileen struggled to fall asleep. She had nightmares about Eliana all night.

    She seemed to have sensed something was wrong and woke up sobbing.

    ¡°Mommy! Mommy!¡± Aileen wailed as she ran out of the room.

    ¡°Nana! Please find Mommy!¡±

    The two adults in the living room stoop up when Aileen scrambled into the room.

    Maurice immediately embraced the crying girl. He whispered soothing words as he patted her back.

    ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t be afraid. Look at me. What¡¯s troubling you?¡±

    Aileen raised her head from Maurice¡¯s arms with tears streaming down her face.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, please save Mommy. I think she¡¯s in danger. I had a dream she was in a car ident. It

    was terrible!¡±

    Aileen cried as she clutched Maurice¡¯s clothes. His heart ached as he watched her cry.

    Maurice reached out and gently wiped the tears from the girl¡¯s face. In a soft voice, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry,

    Aileen. It was only a nightmare, and you¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯ve sent someone to look for your mommy. Don¡¯t

    worry. She¡¯ll be home soon.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    Aileen took a shaky breath to stop herself from crying.

    Maurice patted Aileen¡¯s head affectionately and murmured, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡±

    ¡°Can we pinky swear on it?¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Maurice entwined his finger with her little one.

    The girl calmed down after a few minutes. Maurice held her tightly in his arms.

    ¡°Aileen, I promise I¡¯ll bring your mommy back to you. Go back to sleep, okay? You still have to go to

    school with Adrian tomorrow. Does that sound good?¡±

    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Mr. Moran.¡±

    Aileen rested her head on Maurice¡¯s shoulder and sagged in relief. Momentster, she fell asleep

    again.

    Maurice cradled her in his arms as she slept. Her body was tiny and soft, and she breathed evenly.

    Maurice¡¯s heart melted. At that moment, he felt happiness.

    Momentster, Adrian also woke up. He opened his eyes and ran out of the room when he noticed his

    sister was gone.

    As soon as he walked into the room, he saw Aileen asleep in Maurice¡¯s arms.

    What was the bad guy doing here? Why was he holding Aileen?

    Adrian¡¯s brows furrowed as he asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Please be quiet. I don¡¯t want to wake your sister up,¡± Maurice reminded Adrian in a low voice. He

    cradled Aileen with one hand and gently stroked her back with the other.

    Adrian could tell something was wrong.

    Maurice was acting strange.

    He¡¯d always been nice to Aileen, but he treated her unusually well today.

    Maurice bent his head to look at Adrian and noticed the dark circles under the boy¡¯s eyes. Maurice

    asked, ¡°Are you also worried about your mommy? There¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯ll bring your mommy

    home safe and sound.¡±

    Adrian felt flustered by the fact that Maurice knew what troubled him. He argued stubbornly, ¡°It¡¯s none

    of your business. I¡¯ll protect my mommy on my own!¡±

    Maurice always felt that Adrian had a fiery temper.

    Now, he smiled fondly at him. Adrian was his son. The boy reminded Maurice of himself when he was

    younger. Both of them were stubborn and hated showing weakness.

    Ss was simr to Adrian in that way too.

    However, Ss also inherited his mother¡¯s delicate nature and sensitivity. Adrian, on the other hand,

    was decisive and courageous.

    Maurice nced down at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s still early. You still have to go to schoolter. Go back to

    sleep.¡±

    He entered the twins¡¯ bedroom and gently ced Aileen back on her bed. Adrian awkwardly followed

    Maurice into the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you! Don¡¯t do anything bad! I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±

    Adrian red at him suspiciously.

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    ¡°I know,¡± Maurice chuckled.

    As he watched the two children, Maurice felt unused. He had two children with Eliana!

 Chapter 600

    Chapter 600

    At dawn, Maurice sent Nana away and took the children to school himself.

    When he dropped the twins off at the gate of the kindergarten, he ran into Ss.

    ¡°Uncle Maurice?¡±

    Ss was stunned when he saw Aileen and Adrian get out of Maurice¡¯s car.

    Maurice walked towards Ss with a serious look on his face, holding the two children by the hand.

    ¡°Ss, take good care of them, okay?¡± Maurice said to his nephew as he entrusted Aileen and Adrian to

    him.

    Ss was even more stunned. Howe his uncle cared so much about Aileen and Adrian?

    ¡°Uncle Maurice, why are you the one who took Aileen and Adrian to school today? Where is Miss

    Pierce?¡± Ss asked confusedly.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want Ss to worry about Eliana, so he didn¡¯t tell Ss the truth.

    ¡°She has business to take care of. She asked me to take care of her children for a few days.¡±

    Ss was still confused. However, he saw that Maurice had no desire to talk about these things, so he

    gave up asking more questions.

    Once Maurice returned home, Corbin also returned.

    Corbin¡¯s serious look boded no good. Maurice felt his heart sink.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, Eliana might have had a car ident¡­¡± Corbin paused for a while. He swallowed and

    added, ¡°A young woman was admitted to intensive care at H Hospital. It could be Eliana. ording to

    the doctors, she hit her head hard against the car window during the ident and her face has been

    seriously damaged¡­¡±

    Maurice wasted no time and rushed to his car. He had to go to the hospital right away. Maurice was

    restless as his car sped down the road.

    The moment Corbin informed him that Eliana had been in a car ident, his mind went nk. At this

    moment, the only thing he wanted was to see Eliana.

    He wanted to see her right away!

    Slowly, Maurice¡¯s restlessness gave way to remorse.

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    He thought back to all the things he had done to Eliana. His heart sank and he had trouble breathing.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± he ordered Corbin.

    Every second they spent on this damn road, Maurice felt more nervous.

    A few minutester, Corbin parked the car in front of the hospital. Maurice rushed out of the car and

    Corbin took him straight to see the woman who seemed to be Eliana.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the ward ahead¡­¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t give Corbin time to finish his words and he rushed into the ward.

    In the ward, a dying woman wrapped in gauze was lying on the bed. Only her eyes were visible. Her

    weakly rising and falling chest was the only indicator that she was still alive.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t believe that this dying woman was Eliana, who was always full of life and never

    stopped pissing him off.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s throat was dry, and it took him a lot of effort to call her name. His legs felt weak.

    He moved slowly towards the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed. He didn¡¯t have the heart to

    touch the woman¡¯s bruised body.

    When Maurice spoke again, his voice was trembling. ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ No matter what

    happens, I will stand by you. When you recover, I will take you home and our family will be reunited.

    Okay?¡±

    Tears welled up in the woman¡¯s eyes.

    It was so sad.

    The next second, a man rushed into the ward. It turned out he was the woman¡¯s family.

    ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do to my grandmother?¡± The man stared at Maurice as if he was a

    human trafficker. ¡°Answer me, are you going to abduct my grandmother for ransom?¡±

    ¡°Who are you? What do you want to do to my grandmother?¡± The man stared at Maurice as if he was a

    human trafficker. ¡°Answer me, are you going to abduct my grandmother for ransom?¡±

    Maurice was stunned.

    His sadness suddenly changed to shock.

    What was going on? Wasn¡¯t this woman Eliana?

    Since the woman was wrapped like a mummy, Maurice only relied on Corbin¡¯s words to assume that

    she was Eliana.

    Now when he calmed down, he looked at the woman carefully. Despite the bandage, he could notice

    wrinkles at the corners of the woman¡¯s eyes. Obviously, she was a very old woman.

    She couldn¡¯t be Eliana!

    ¡°Corbin!¡± Maurice turned his head and red at Corbin, his eyes burning with anger.

    Corbin felt extremely embarrassed and lowered his head immediately.

    He had wanted to tell Maurice that they were in the wrong room. But Maurice was so overwhelmed with

    grief that Corbin couldn¡¯t muster the courage to interrupt him when he dered his love to Eliana, even

    though it was the wrong woman.

    Corbin therefore chose to keep quiet.

    Maurice also understood that he had just taken the wrong ward.

    ¡°What are you waiting for? Take me to her ward!¡± Maurice ordered coldly.

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Corbin quickly led the way.

    They left the ward at once and headed for the right ward.

    In the hallway, a nurse was pushing a wheelchair on which sat a woman whose face was wrapped in

    bandages.

    That was the woman Maurice was looking for, and he just walked past her.

 Chapter 601

    Chapter 601

    When Maurice and Corbin finally arrived at Eliana¡¯s ward, there was no one there.

    Confused, Corbin stopped a nurse. He anxiously asked, ¡°Excuse me, miss, where is the female patient

    who was brought here after a car ident? We¡¯re her family.¡±

    The nurse looked surprised and said questioningly, ¡°I thought her family had already taken her away?¡±

    ¡°What?! How is that possible?¡± Corbin instantly felt concerned.

    Maurice¡¯s heart sank as he asked, ¡°Her family?¡±

    The nurse said with confusion, ¡°The man who came with her. He had her passport.¡±

    Damn it!

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened. Veins stood out on his forehead as he clenched his fists tightly.

    He had arrived toote. Eliana had already been taken away by Jonathan¡¯s men!

    When Eliana opened her eyes again, she found herself lying in an unfamiliar room.

    She realized how weak her entire body felt. She tried to remember what had happened, but her

    memories were chaotic and hazy.

    Where was she?

    What happened to her?

    As she looked down and saw a light hospital gown on her body, one memory suddenly became clearer.

    Thest memory she had was the moment when the speeding red car hit the car she was in. She must

    have lost consciousness after that.

    Oh, and Jonathan had been there. The car ident happened when he was driving her home.

    Her face changed as she suddenly recalled everything.

    Damn it! She must have gone into aa after the car ident. Maybe she had spent several days

    here before waking up! The children must be worried sick about her!

    With that thought, she prepared to jump out of bed, regardless of her wounds.

    But her left leg was still in a cast, and she realized she couldn¡¯t walk at all.

    ¡°Is there someone here to help? Nurse?¡± Eliana called out in a hoarse voice, hoping medical staff were

    nearby.

    ¡°Miss, you are injured. You can¡¯t get out of bed yet!¡±

    Doctors and nurses rushed into the room and got Eliana back on the bed.

    ¡°No, I have to leave right away. My children are waiting for me at home!¡±

    She was so agitated that she struggled against the doctor trying to keep her on bed.

    Afraid that she would hurt herself again, the doctor took out a tranquilizer and injected it into her skin.

    Soon, the tranquilizer had its effect, and Eliana gradually settled down.

    At this moment, the sound of footsteps grew louder and a man stepped into the room. It was Jonathan.

    He rushed to the bedside and immediately grabbed Eliana¡¯s hand with a worried look on his face.

    ¡°Eliana! This is great! You¡¯re awake! How are you feeling? Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡±

    ¡°Jonathan¡­ my kids¡­¡±

    The tranquilizer made Eliana so weak that she could hardly speak. She could only look at Jonathan

    with worry in her eyes.

    Jonathan understood what she meant at once andforted her, ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t worry. This is my

    private convalescent hospital. I have informed the kids of your car ident and they know you are

    here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Then he took out his phone and called the twins.

    Then he took out his phone and called the twins.

    ¡°Mommy!¡±

    Eliana heard the children¡¯s faint voices, but Jonathan was holding the phone too far away, so she

    couldn¡¯t hear them clearly.

    With herst bit of strength, she tried to grab the phone.

    But before she could say anything, Jonathan had hung up the phone. She fell into Jonathan¡¯s arms.

    Jonathan tossed his phone away and hugged her tightly. In a gentle voice, he said, ¡°Eliana, the most

    important thing for you to do now is to take good care of yourself. When you recover, I will take you to

    see the kids.¡±

    Eliana felt limp in Jonathan¡¯s arms. Although she had no strength, she was still sober and wanted to

    return home.

    She struggled to open her mouth. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine. Just take me home¡­¡±

    With a strange expression on his face, Jonathan prepared to say something, but he had a second

    thought and stopped.

    After a pause, he took a small mirror from the bedside cupboard and handed it to Eliana.

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ¡°Take a look, but don¡¯t be scared¡­¡±

    Eliana had a bad feeling about what she was about to see. She took the mirror with trembling fingers.

    In the mirror, she saw a face wrapped in white bandages.

    In that instant, all of her remaining strength left her hand and the mirror fell onto the bed.

    She looked up at Jonathan and asked in a trembling voice, ¡°Jonathan, what happened¡­ to my face?¡±

 Chapter 602

    Chapter 602

    When he saw Eliana¡¯s reaction, Jonathan hugged her tightly and said in a pained voice, ¡°Eliana, I¡¯m

    sorry. I failed to protect you. When the car ident happened, the broken ss scratched your face.¡±

    ¡°So, you mean¡­ I¡¯ve been disfigured?¡±

    A wave of disbelief washed over Eliana, and her mind went nk. She could not ept such

    devastating news.

    ¡°You will be fine. Trust me! I can help you heal,¡± Jonathan promised her sincerely.

    Then he added, ¡°Eliana, just stay here for now, okay? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll scare the kids if you go back

    looking like this. Don¡¯t worry. I have arranged for you to be treated by the best doctors. Your face will be

    fixed soon.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s gaze was unfocused and she totally missed Jonathan¡¯s reassurances.

    Soon, the tranquilizer had taken full effect and she had fallen asleep.

    She also missed the weird expression on Jonathan¡¯s face.

    After he put Eliana back in bed, the sad expression on Jonathan¡¯s face disappeared, and he calmly

    walked out of the ward.

    His assistant immediately walked over to him and reported, ¡°Mr. Bowman, Maurice has taken action.

    He must know that we took Eliana, and he has already sent his men to look for her in our territories.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I saw thising. It¡¯s just a little game,¡± Jonathan said calmly. ¡°Eliana¡¯s in our hands

    now. He¡¯s sure to fail!¡±

    That night, Jonathan had his assistant make him an appointment to meet Maurice in the casino.

    On the road, a silver Maybach drove towards the casino.

    The casino had been cleared of people. Jonathan sat in the center, waiting for Maurice to arrive.

    Not long after, Maurice aggressively entered with his men in tow.

    The moment he entered, the two men¡¯s eyes met.

    Although they had investigated each other thoroughly, this was their first meeting in person.

    The two men, one standing and one sitting, had an equally domineering presence.

    Jonathan looked at Maurice and said provocatively, ¡°Mr. Moran, since we¡¯re in a casino, do you want to

    y a game?¡±

    ¡°Okay. What¡¯s the bet?¡± There was a murderous look in Maurice¡¯s eyes as he red at Jonathan.

    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll tell you where Eliana is.¡±

    Jonathan was confident that Maurice would agree to this bet. With Eliana in his hand, Maurice had no

    choice but to y by his rules.

    ¡°It¡¯s a deal,¡± said Maurice with a slight change of expression in his eyes. ¡°But I never gamble. How

    about we y something else?¡±

    ¡°What do you propose?¡± Jonathan was interested.

    ¡°Darts.¡± Maurice turned his head and looked at the target nearby. ¡°Let¡¯s y darts.¡±

    Jonathan was not interested in darts, but then he had a thought and happily agreed to Maurice¡¯s

    suggestion.

    ¡°All right, but shooting an ordinary target is boring. How about we change the target?¡±

    Maurice frowned. He had a bad feeling about this.

    Sure enough, Jonathan chuckled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s have our assistants be the targets. What do you

    think?¡±

    Jonathan turned around to give his assistant a look.

    Without hesitation, his assistant walked forward and stood in ce with the dartboard over his head.

    ¡°So how about it? Do you still want to y darts?¡±

    Maurice turned to look at his assistant.

    Maurice turned to look at his assistant.

    Corbin immediately turned his head and looked away.

    Maurice could only say, ¡°I will give you a raise!¡±

    A raise! This got Corbin¡¯s attention.

    ¡°How much?¡± Corbin asked.

    ¡°Think of a number and tell me after the game.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s offer was tempting. As expected, Corbin couldn¡¯t help but take the bait.

    ¡°Okay, deal!¡±

    Corbin walked up to the dartboard.

    He would just be a human target for tonight. It was no big deal. After all, he believed in his boss.

    Soon the game began.

    The rule was that each yer had a total of ten darts. Each assistant held a target above his head. The

    yers would take turns to shoot, and whoever got a higher score in the end would be dered the

    winner.

    But Maurice and Jonathan were both excellent at darts. The first game ended in a tie. Seeing that the

    competition ended in a draw, they had to upgrade the game. They decided to y the next round

    blindfolded.

    In such a fiercepetition, they risked hurting their assistants if they weren¡¯t careful.

    Sure enough, after the two yers were blindfolded, Jonathan¡¯s assistant began to feel nervous about

    what he had agreed to. Due to the pressure, he couldn¡¯t help trembling in thest round.

    As a result, Jonathan¡¯sst dart missed the target.

    On the other side, Corbin remained calm and motionless, and Maurice¡¯s dart flew to hit the center of

    the dartboard.

    And with that, thepetition was over.

    Maurice removed his blindfold and sneered, ¡°I win.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

 Chapter 603

    Chapter 603

    At the end of the game, both assistants went back behind their respective bosses.

    ¡°Where are you hiding Eliana?¡± Maurice asked, looking at Jonathan coldly.

    With a ferocious look on his face, Jonathan threw away the dart in his hand.

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m hiding her?¡± He smiled yfully and added, ¡°Eliana is in my sanitarium. I¡¯m not hiding

    nor locking her up. She stays there of her own free will, and she doesn¡¯t want to leave.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t believe what he said.

    But he didn¡¯t mind. He just asked his subordinate to bring aptop. He opened it and yed a video.

    In the video, a slender figure wearing a hospital gown sat calmly on the bed. She turned her head and

    looked out of the window. Everything seemed fine.

    The slender figure was Eliana. Indeed, she was fine.

    Even though Maurice could only see her back, he recognized at a nce that she was Eliana.

    But he couldn¡¯t help wondering. Since she was fine, why was she so calm?

    Maurice tried to think about it, but he couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    ¡°Do you believe me now?¡±

    Jonathan seemed to have seen through Maurice¡¯s mind. He smiled yfully.

    ¡°What trick are you trying to y?¡±

    Maurice still didn¡¯t believe that everything was fine. He knew very well that no matter what happened,

    Eliana would never abandon Aileen and Adrian.

    Jonathan¡¯s face darkened when he noticed that Maurice wasn¡¯t taken in by his words.

    The video was still ying, and the next second, Eliana turned her head, facing the camera. Her entire

    face was wrapped in gauze, and only her eyes that looked empty could be seen.

    Maurice¡¯s pupils contracted. He instantly flew into a rage.

    He red at Jonathan and snapped, ¡°What did you do to her?¡±

    In an instant, his anger broke the short-lived peace between the two sides. The people on both sides

    were immediately alerted. They were ready to fight at any time.

    Jonathan remained calm. ¡°Rx. I didn¡¯t do anything to her. It was a car ident that injured her face,

    not me.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression drastically changed, and this made Jonathan feel very proud.

    ¡°As the CEO of Moran Group, will you still want a disfigured woman?¡±

    At this moment, many thoughts shed through Maurice¡¯s mind, making his heart gradually sink.

    Thinking that his scheme was effective, Jonathan continued to provoke Maurice. ¡°You can ept that

    she has two children from another man. But having a disfigured face¡­ She will only be a disgrace to

    the Moran family.¡±

    Maurice was stunned for a moment. Then he suddenly smiled. He stopped frowning and seemed to be

    in a good mood now.

    ¡°What are you smiling at?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s eyes gleamed with malice. Why did he feel like he had been fooled?

    ¡°Nothing. I just find it funny that you are so arrogant, but you don¡¯t even know your ce.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s mood got even better when he saw Jonathan¡¯s grim face.

    He finally understood that Jonathan didn¡¯t matter to Eliana at all.

    He finally understood that Jonathan didn¡¯t matter to Eliana at all.

    She had lived with Jonathan for five years, but she didn¡¯t even tell Jonathan that Maurice was the twins¡¯

    biological father.

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t you really mind all this?¡± Jonathan didn¡¯t want to give up yet.

    But Maurice still looked calm. He didn¡¯t waver at all.

    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t waste my energy. Your efforts are in vain. I must take Eliana home. I don¡¯t care

    if she has children or a disfigured face. After all, my family can¡¯t meddle in my life.¡±

    Jonathan was stunned for a moment. Then he felt that anger welled up in his heart.

    He didn¡¯t expect Maurice to fall in love with Eliana so deeply as she had just been back for only a year

    and the twins¡¯ biological father had once made trouble. Maurice was a hard nut to crack.

    ¡°Maurice, don¡¯t be too naive,¡± Jonathan sneered. ¡°You can¡¯t leave the Moran family. Because if you do,

    you will be nothing.¡±

    He thought he had hit Maurice¡¯s sore spot.

    For him, Maurice couldn¡¯t do anything even if he loved Eliana deeply. The Moran family wouldn¡¯t ept

    a disfigured woman. In the end, he would definitely marry another woman. Jonathan didn¡¯t believe that

    a man would really be willing to give up everything for a woman.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Jonathan knew very well that Earle didn¡¯t like Eliana. Earle would definitely find a way to let Maurice

    marry another woman.

 Chapter 604

    Chapter 604

    That¡¯s none of your business. Besides, there is a possibility that the Moran family will ept Eliana.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s expression was calm. He didn¡¯t care about Jonathan¡¯s words at all.

    Earle didn¡¯t know yet that Aileen and Adrian were Maurice and Eliana¡¯s children. If Earle knew, his

    attitude towards Eliana would definitely change.

    He continued, ¡°But you? I¡¯m afraid you have ulterior motives for Eliana. Am I right?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. He frowned and asked, ¡°And what do you mean by

    that?¡±

    Maurice stared at him closely and said word by word, ¡°Jonathan, you once had a wife, right?¡±

    As soon as these words came out of Maurice¡¯s mouth, Jonathan¡¯s pupils contracted. And the

    expression on his face drastically changed at once.

    Maurice understood Jonathan¡¯s reaction. He immediately took out a photo from his pocket.

    ¡°ording to my investigation, you were once married. But not long after your marriage, your wife went

    missing. More importantly, she was from the White family, right?¡±

    Jonathan looked at the photo in Maurice¡¯s hand, and those memories shed back in his mind one

    after another, stinging him.

    ¡°Enough of your nonsense! I don¡¯t want to hear anything you say anymore.¡±

    He suddenly rushed over like crazy, wanting to grab the photo from Maurice¡¯s hand.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    His action made both sides, who had been on guard against each other, instantly restless. They were

    just waiting for their bosses¡¯ orders now. They were all ready to fight.

    But surprisingly, Maurice remained calm. He let Jonathan take the photo away without doing anything.

    As soon as the photo fell into Jonathan¡¯s hands, he immediately stared at it.

    It was only then that he found that there was only a blurry figure of a woman in the photo. Her face

    could not be seen clearly.

    Jonathan¡¯s expression rxed at once.

    Fortunately, the photo was not a piece of solid evidence.

    Maurice had been watching Jonathan all the time. When he found that Jonathan had inexplicably

    calmed down after seeing the photo, he felt strange.

    Just now, Jonathan wanted to take the photo away nervously. But when he saw it, he didn¡¯t seem to

    care anymore. What was going on?

    Maurice meant to expose the fact that Jonathan didn¡¯t really love Eliana. That Jonathan loved someone

    else. He didn¡¯t expect that Jonathan would act so strange.

    Could it be that¡­ Jonathan was pestering Eliana because of his missing wife?

    After a brief gaffe, Jonathan returned to his usualposure.

    ¡°Maurice, I don¡¯t care whether you believe it or not, but I won¡¯t force Eliana. If she wants to go with you,

    I will let her go right away.¡±

    After saying this, Jonathan took out his phone and called Eliana in front of Maurice.

    ¡°Jonathan, what¡¯s the matter?¡±

    When Maurice heard Eliana¡¯s familiar voice, mixed emotions surged in his heart.

    Eliana had lied to him for so long.

    And now, she was missing. He thought he should give her a long lecture.

    However, he couldn¡¯t start scolding her. The thousands of words in his mind turned into a sentence.

    ¡°Eliana, it¡¯s me,¡± he said.

    There was silence on the other end of the line.

    Eliana was stunned for a while. She choked with sobs and could not speak.

    Only her frequent breathing could be heard on the phone.

    Upon hearing this, Maurice couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Are you still in pain?¡±

    At this moment, Eliana could no longer restrain her emotion. Tears of grievance streamed down her

    face.

    She was not this sad when she found out that she might be disfigured.

    But when Maurice asked, all her defenses broke down.

    But when Maurice asked, all her defenses broke down.

    At this moment, all of Eliana¡¯s grievances and fears were released. She cried so hard that her voice

    trembled unconsciously.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ I¡¯m so scared¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart tightened. He felt like a giant rock was pressing his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ll take you

    home now, okay?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Eliana blurted out.

    She didn¡¯t want Maurice to see her horrible appearance now.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Maurice eximed with a frown. His voice suddenly rose.

    ¡°Maurice¡­ Just let me stay here first. I will go back when my face is healed. Fortunately, Jonathan was

    with me when the car ident happened. Otherwise, I would have been doomed. I want to wait until

    my face recovers before I go back. I don¡¯t want to scare the kids.¡±

    Her exnation calmed Maurice down a little, but he still stubbornly insisted, ¡°Juste back. I will

    find someone who can treat you.¡±

    Eliana quickly refused, saying, ¡°No need. When I fell into the sea, I also got scars on my body. It was

    Jonathan¡¯s doctors who helped me. There were no traces left when I was healed. The doctors here are

    all the best of the best. I¡¯m sure I can be cured sooner.¡±

    Maurice ran out of words he could use to persuade Eliana. He felt helpless now.

    But he was really worried about letting her stay by Jonathan¡¯s side alone, especially since he knew

    Jonathan had ulterior motives.

    ¡°But, Eliana¡­¡±

    ¡°No buts, Maurice, okay? Just let me stay here,¡± Eliana said firmly. ¡°While I am away, I will entrust the

    kids to you. Take care of them for me.¡±

    She had already made up her mind, so Maurice had no choice. He reluctantly answered, ¡°Okay, I

    promise you.¡±

 Chapter 605

    Chapter 605

    After hanging up the phone, Jonathan looked at Mauricecently and said, ¡°You¡¯ve heard it

    directly from her. At least, now you know what she wants.¡±

    Jonathan thought Maurice was such a fool. Not only that Maurice couldn¡¯t take Eliana away, but he also

    had to take care of her and another man¡¯s children.

    Maurice¡¯s face darkened at once. But he tried his best to suppress the anger that surged in his heart.

    He looked at Jonathan and said, ¡°Jonathan, I¡¯m warning you. Don¡¯t try to y tricks.¡±

    Jonathan smiled defiantly. ¡°Rx. Don¡¯t worry. I will give you a brand-new Eliana in the future.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t believe a word he said.

    But now that Eliana was still in his hand, Maurice couldn¡¯t fall out with him at the moment.

    Maurice decided to be patient for the time being. He couldn¡¯t be impulsive now. Besides, Adrian and

    Aileen were still waiting for him in school. Eliana had entrusted them to him.

    Aileen had nightmares, wake up cryingst night. And now, in kindergarten, Aileen couldn¡¯t help crying

    every time she thought of Eliana. She had cried so hard that her eyes were swollen now.

    Maybe because he was a boy, Adrian was a bit better than her. He didn¡¯t cry, but he had been listless

    all day long.

    During their recess, Ss noticed that something was wrong with Adrian and Aileen. He couldn¡¯t help

    asking, ¡°Adrian, Aileen, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Ss, our mommy is missing,¡± Aileen answered at once. Her eyes were full of tears, and she was not

    as lively as before. ¡°I have a bad feeling that Mommy is in danger.¡±

    ¡°Your mommy is missing? How can that be?¡±

    Ss was also flustered. But when he saw that Aileen was about to cry, he immediately took out the

    fruit candy from his backpack, opened the wrapper, and put it in front of her mouth.

    ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t cry now. Here, have a candy first.¡±

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    Aileen opened her mouth, and Ss stuffed the candy in her mouth. She chewed it, and the sweet taste

    made her feel much better. But she still wanted to cry.

    ¡°Ss, what if Mommy doesn¡¯te back? Adrian and I won¡¯t have Mommy anymore.¡±

    As Ss listened to Aileen¡¯s words, he was instantly reminded of some bad memories. And seeing her

    panicking like this, he felt so terrible that he couldn¡¯t help but speak his mind.

    ¡°Aileen, don¡¯t be afraid, okay? You know what? When I was small, I went out with my dad and mom.

    Then¡­ We had a car ident. At that time, the scene was very chaotic. Our car was turned over, and I

    was very scared. But when I was in a daze, I felt a warm embrace. It was my mom who hugged me,

    and that was thest time I felt her hug¡­¡±

    This was the first time that Ss talked about the car ident to others. He was so sad that he couldn¡¯t

    calm down.

    Aileen got so interested in his story that she stopped crying.

    Adrian also listened to the whole story silently. When Ss finished speaking, he couldn¡¯t help sighing,

    ¡°Ss, you are so brave.¡±

    Ss smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m not as brave as you think. I remember that after the ident, my uncle was

    the first one toe to me. He said that he would handle everything, and I trusted him.¡±

    At this time, Adrian remembered what Maurice had promised him. Maurice said he would bring Eliana

    back safely.

    But the question was, could he really trust a bad guy¡¯s promise?

    But the question was, could he really trust a bad guy¡¯s promise?

    When he saw the firmness on Ss¡¯ face, he was a little shaken.

    Maybe he could try to trust him even once.

    Time passed quickly, and school time was about to end.

    Maurice, as a newbie in being a father, stood at the gate of the kindergarten.

    Since Eliana was not here, he had to shoulder the responsibility of picking up the children. But he didn¡¯t

    mind. In fact, he was more than willing to do it.

    As soon as he saw the three childrene out, he immediately walked up to them.

    ¡°Mr. Moran!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Maurice!¡±

    Aileen and Ss immediately ran to him. Adrian was left behind, still hesitating.

    Finally, he made up his mind. He walked over to them, but he stopped a few steps away from Maurice.

    Maurice took Aileen¡¯s hand naturally and touched Ss¡¯ head.

    ¡°How was your day?¡±

    ¡°Good. I just miss Mommy,¡± Aileen replied, still a little depressed.

    Maurice remained silent. He didn¡¯t know what to say, so he could only hold Aileen¡¯s hand tofort

    her.

    At this moment, he noticed Adrian standing behind them, looking awkward. Adrian¡¯s round eyes were

    fixed on his hand that was holding Aileen¡¯s.

    Maurice thought this little boy was quite stubborn.

    He had no choice but to take a step forward and gently hold Adrian¡¯s hand too.

    He then said, ¡°Your mommy has entrusted you to me. I¡¯ll take you home today.¡±

 Chapter 606

    Chapter 606

    As he watched the endearing interaction between Adrian and Maurice, Ss suddenly felt a little

    unhappy, and he then realized he was jealous.

    These two disliked each other before, didn¡¯t they?

    So why was his uncle being so nice to Adrian now? Maurice had never been so caring towards him

    before. It was strange and ufortable to watch.

    Maurice didn¡¯t notice his nephew¡¯s jealousy. Now that he knew he was the children¡¯s father, he was

    immersed in all of the feelings that went along with fatherhood.

    He took the kids back to Eliana¡¯s home, and arranged for Ss to stay in his apartment downstairs.

    ¡°Ss, you can stay here and go to school with the twins in the morning,¡± Maurice said. ¡°Would you like

    that?¡±

    Of course, Ss had no objection to this n. He was more than willing to live closer to his good

    friends who he adored.

    At dinner time, Maurice took Ss to go upstairs and sat together with Adrian and Aileen to eat.

    Lena made dinner for everyone. The two kids were used to her cooking, and Maurice wanted them to

    feel asfortable as they could while their mother was away.

    At the dinner table, Maurice couldn¡¯t help fixing his eyes on the twins. He carefully observed which

    foods they liked and which foods they didn¡¯t. He wanted to know everything about them, from the

    biggest detail to the smallest.

    He had never experienced this feeling before.

    Seeing that Aileen was having trouble cutting her steak, Maurice took the te from her with no

    hesitation. He carefully helped her cut the steak into small pieces and then handed it back to her with a

    smile.

    ¡°Take your time eating. If you want more, I¡¯ll ask Lena to cook more for you.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice was so gentle that all three children were surprised.

    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Moran,¡± Aileen said politely. Then she looked at her te.

    Staring at the little girl in front of him, Maurice suddenly wondered how he had been stupid enough to

    not realize that the twins were his children.

    Both Aileen and his sister were allergic to peach. But he had failed to remember this.

    Then he turned to look at Adrian.

    Adrian blushed and said, ¡°What are you looking at? I can cut my steak myself. Don¡¯t try to get on my

    good side. I don¡¯t buy your act!¡±

    If this had happened in the past, Maurice would have been angry about this rejection and Adrian¡¯s

    disrespect.

    But now, looking at Adrian¡¯s red face, he was not unhappy at all. He just saw the simrities between

    Adrian and himself, both in the way they thought and spoke.

    The more he looked at the twins, the more he felt a sense of familiarity.

    They really were his children. His flesh and blood.

    Maurice felt a twinge of excitement. He had the urge to immediately tell the children that he was their

    father. He didn¡¯t want to keep it a secret anymore.

    But he quickly calmed down and realized that this was a stupid idea.

    For years, he had been absent from these two children¡¯s lives. The fact that he hadn¡¯t known he had

    children wouldn¡¯t make a difference to them. After all, they were still young and didn¡¯t yet know

    everything about how the world worked.

    So how could he make up for all the time that he had missed? Would the kids ept him as their father

    or would they resent him for his absence?

    Maurice, who had always been confident and decisive, suddenly had no clue what to do.

    Original from N?velDrama.Org.

    Just as he began stewing in these thoughts, Aileen suddenly set down her fork and said she was done

    eating.

    Maurice frowned as he looked at her full te. ¡°Aileen, no, you have only had a few bites to eat. If you

    don¡¯t like it, I¡¯ll ask Lena to cook you something else.¡±

    ¡°No, I like it. I just¡­ I can¡¯t eat any more.¡±

    Aileen lowered her head.

    Maurice guessed that her mother¡¯s absence was the cause of her reduced appetite.

    Just as he was about to say something tofort her, Adrian turned to him and spoke.

    ¡°Hey, Mommy asked you to take care of us. So, does that mean you have met her and know where she

    is?¡±

    Adrian stared at Maurice, waiting for his answer.

    Maurice was surprised at Adrian¡¯s perceptiveness. He knew that Adrian was not as easy to fool as

    Aileen, so he could only give a vague answer in response so as not to tip Adrian off to information he

    wasn¡¯t yet ready to share.

    ¡°Yes, I did get in contact with your mommy. She said she has something to handle, but she will be back

    with you in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± Adrian asked doubtfully.

    Maurice said calmly, ¡°Of course. I have no reason to lie to you.¡±

    ¡°Really?! That¡¯s great!¡±

    When she heard that her mother was fine, Aileen felt much better and was immediately willing to eat

    more.

    Finally.

    Maurice breathed a sigh of relief.

    As he watched Maurice, Adrian, and Aileen interact, Ss felt that something was off.

    Like Maurice was hiding something. Why had he changed so much all of a sudden? Why was he being

    especially kind to the children?

    He suppressed his doubts and waited until everyone was finished with dinner. While the twins were not

    paying attention to him, Ss grabbed Maurice¡¯s hand and dragged him into another room out of

    earshot.

    ¡°Uncle Maurice, what¡¯s going on?¡± Ss asked directly.

    Maurice knew his nephew very well. If he didn¡¯t tell the truth, Ss would try and find it out himself; the

    oue of which could be even more disastrous than if he just came clean right now.

    So he decided to be honest.

    Maurice took a deep breath, put his hands on Ss¡¯s shoulders, and said seriously, ¡°Listen carefully,

    Ss. I have something important to tell you. Aileen and Adrian¡­are actually my children.¡±

 Chapter 607

    Chapter 607

    The news was so shocking that for a moment Ss was unable to take in the information he had heard.

    The news was so shocking that for a moment Ss was unable to take in the information he had heard.

    When the truth finally sunk in, he was dumbfounded.

    ¡°What did you say? How are you their dad?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯splicated. But Aileen and Adrian are indeed Eliana and my children,¡± Maurice stressed.

    It was not appropriate to tell Ss the precise details of how they came to be the children¡¯s parents.

    However, this statement was enough to make Ss go nuts.

    He had long dreamed of one day bing family with Adrian and Aileen. Now that his dream had

    actuallye true, he was thrilled.

    At this moment, he wished he could tell the whole world this news. He wanted to shout from the

    rooftops that he was no longer alone!

    Excitedly, Ss said, ¡°This is incredible! Uncle Maurice, let¡¯s bring Miss Pierce back right now so that

    we can all be together!¡±

    Maurice hesitantly replied, ¡°We can¡¯t yet.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Ss asked, confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that she is fine?¡±

    Maurice sighed and told him the truth. ¡°Well, in fact, the reason why she hasn¡¯te back yet is

    because she was in a car ident¡­¡±

    Before he finished speaking, the door behind him suddenly flew open and Adrian stood in the doorway

    glowering.

    ¡°You bad guy! Why did you lie to me?! Where is my mommy? What do you mean she was in a car

    ident?!¡±

    Adrian rushed over and grabbed Maurice¡¯s clothes. He looked like an angry lion cub.

    Damn it.

    Maurice was annoyed that Adrian had overheard him. He should have lulled the twins to sleep before

    he told Ss everything just now.

    Damn it.

    Maurice was annoyed that Adrian had overheard him. He should have lulled the twins to sleep before

    he told Ss everything just now.

    ¡°Answer me! You just told Ss a lot. Why won¡¯t you talk now?¡±

    As Adrian became more worked up, his voice became louder and louder.

    Maurice was afraid that Aileen might hear his shout, so he knew he needed to calm him down first.

    He held the boy with one hand and covered his mouth with the other. ¡°Adrian,e on. We can talk it

    over. But if you keep yelling, Aileen might hear you. Do you want to see her cry again?¡±

    Adrian struggled against Maurice¡¯s hands, but when he heard this question, he stopped.

    Maurice was right. If his sister knew that their mother had been in a car ident, she certainly wouldn¡¯t

    be able to bear it.

    With this in mind, Adrian finally decided to cooperate and became quiet.

    Seeing that the boy no longer had any intention of yelling, Maurice let him go.

    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± Adrian said calmly.

    ¡°Your mommy did have an ident. She got injured and is receiving treatment at the hospital. She

    didn¡¯t want you to worry, so she asked me to hide the news from you.¡±

    Maurice told Adrian half the truth.

    ¡°Mommy¡­¡±

    Adrian thought of the story that Ss had told him, and his eyes turned red instantly.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t bear to see him like this, so he tried tofort the boy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your mommy is

    fine. She wille back after she recovers. But there is one thing.¡±

    Then he looked from Adrian to Ss and added seriously, ¡°You have to promise me that you won¡¯t let

    Aileen know about this, okay? Do we have an agreement?¡±

    Adrian and Ss looked at each other and answered Maurice at the same time.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    They all agreed to keep this information a secret from Aileen.

    Early the next day, Aileen woke up from sweet sleep. She vaguely remembered having a beautiful

    dream, but the memory of the details was blurred.

    She rubbed her eyes and looked around her room.

    Everything in the room was covered with pink decorations. The entire room was pink.

    Was something wrong with her eyes? Was this even her room?

    Aileen¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

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    ¡°Good morning, Princess Aileen!¡±

    The door swung open. Adrian and Ss entered the room dressed in formal clothes.

    ¡°Princess Aileen, which dress do you want to wear today?¡± Lena asked. She came in with a smile,

    carrying several beautiful dresses in her arms.

    Aileen was stunned. She couldn¡¯t tell reality from a dream.

    She felt that this was the dream she had just woken up from!

    Just then, Maurice entered the room.

    ¡°Aileen, get up. I¡¯m taking you somewhere special today,¡± he said with a smile.

 Chapter 608

    Chapter 608

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    Aileen was overwhelmed by this sudden surprise, and the excitement was evident in her voice. She

    stared at Maurice in a daze, still unsure if what was happening was real. She looked so adorable with

    her dreamy expression that she almost melted everyone¡¯s heart.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help walking over to her and lifting her up in his arms. He looked at her and said with

    a smile, ¡°I am taking you to a very beautiful ce today. I promise that you will love it, Princess Aileen.¡±

    As she leaned against Maurice¡¯s chest, Aileen had a realization.

    This wasn¡¯t a dream! It was really happening!

    Later, as the three children all got into the car, they wondered aloud where Maurice was taking them.

    Was it somewhere they had been before or somewhere new?

    In the past, Adrian never would have agreed to go anywhere with Maurice, no matter how enticing the

    offer. In fact, he would have tried to stop Aileen from going as well and called him a human trafficker.

    But after that conversation with Mauricest night, Adrian¡¯s attitude toward Maurice had softened a bit.

    He was even looking forward to the adventure today.

    After a long journey, they finally arrived at their destination.

    As soon as they got out of the car, they saw an endless sea of gorgeous sunflowers stretching as far as

    the eye could see. The golden color of the flowers was as warm as the sun itself. Instantly, their moods

    lifted as they stared at the sunflower field.

    ¡°Wow, they¡¯re so beautiful! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Aileen couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise. ¡°Mr. Moran,

    how did you know I love sunflowers?¡±

    ¡°Because I saw you drawing sunflowers once, so I took a guess. Do you like this ce?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were full of tenderness as he looked at the little girl.

    ¡°Yes, I do! Very much!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s face flushed, and her big eyes seemed to shine with light from the inside. She looked like a

    doll.

    Aileen¡¯s face flushed, and her big eyes seemed to shine with light from the inside. She looked like a

    doll.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can I go into the field to y?¡±

    Her eyes were now full of expectation.

    ¡°Of course!¡± he replied tenderly.

    Maurice had arranged for people toe and ensure the children¡¯s safety so that they could y to

    their heart¡¯s content among the tall flowers.

    With his permission, Aileen immediately ran into the sunflower field. Herughter could be heard from

    far away as she ran back and forth through the stalks that towered over her.

    As he listened to Aileen¡¯s delightedughter, Adrian awkwardly turned to Maurice and said, ¡°Thank

    you¡­¡±

    Maurice just smiled without saying anything in response.

    At this moment, in such a beautiful ce, he suddenly thought of the children¡¯s mother, Eliana.

    That liar would probably also like a beautiful ce like this.

    Truthfully, he missed her a little bit.

    At this moment, Maurice¡¯s phone buzzed as he received a text from Corbin.

    ¡°Everything is ready. There will be news regarding Eliana soon.¡±

    As Maurice acted as a father to the twins, Eliana was alone in Jonathan¡¯s sanitarium, still receiving

    treatment.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s time for you to take your medicine.¡±

    On schedule, the doctor walked into the ward and handed a white pill to Eliana.

    Every day, the doctor would bring these unknown pills to her exactly on time.

    But Eliana was not a fool. She had been treated in a hospital before, and she knew to trust her gut.

    Looking at the strange white pill in the doctor¡¯s hand, she felt that something was wrong.

    As she reached out to take it, she asked suspiciously, ¡°Doctor, what is this medicine for? What does it

    do?¡±

    The doctor¡¯s hand trembled slightly, and an unnatural expression crossed his face for a moment before

    it resumed its usual emotionless expression.

    As she noticed these signs, Eliana¡¯s face immediately darkened.

    She was right! There was something wrong with the medicine!

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking those! And if you don¡¯t tell me what this medicine is, I will never take it from you again!¡±

    She immediately pulled her hand away from the doctor¡¯s, and the pill fell to the floor and rolled away.

    Eliana felt like she had escaped some sort of danger, but just at that moment, Jonathan entered the

    ward.

    ¡°Eliana, why are youshing out at the doctor who is trying to help you recover?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to take that medicine.¡±

    Eliana knew that something fishy was going on, and she was determined to keep the strange pill out of

    her body.

    But Jonathan couldn¡¯t allow that.

    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Jonathan¡¯s expression became sharp and cold. ¡°Listen to the doctor, Eliana. The medicine

    is to relieve your pain and calm you down. If you don¡¯t take it, you won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight

    because of the pain.¡±

    Then he winked at the doctor, who immediately took out another pill and handed it to him.

    Jonathan took the pill, sat on the bedside and held the pill close to Eliana¡¯s mouth, so close that he

    could feel her breath on his fingers.

    ¡°Listen to me. The pain will stop after you take this.¡±

    Although he spoke in a gentle voice, there seemed to be a threat behind his words.

    Knowing that she couldn¡¯t resist him, especially in her state, Eliana had no choice but to take the pill

    Jonathan held in front of her face.

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl¡­¡±

    Jonathan looked at her face tenderly, and Eliana felt a chill run down her spine.

 Chapter 609

    Chapter 609

    After taking the medicine, apart from feeling a bit tired, Eliana didn¡¯t feel any special effects.

    However, Eliana remained on her guard. She knew better than anyone that Jonathan was not someone

    to be taken lightly, and his attitude made her feel a little weird.

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    ¡°Eliana. It¡¯s not good for you to stay in the ward all the time. Let me take you out for a walk.¡±

    Although Jonathan¡¯s words sounded like a suggestion, Eliana knew very well that he wasn¡¯t asking her

    opinion.

    Knowing that it would be useless to refuse, Eliana nodded.

    Jonathan then took her for a walk in the garden of the sanitarium.

    Eliana¡¯s face was still wrapped in gauze. Holding Eliana¡¯s hand, Jonathan slowly walked her around the

    garden to soak up the sun.

    This tender scene reminded Jonathan of when Eliana woke up from aa five years ago.

    Back then, he also took her for a walk in the garden.

    ¡°Eliana, do you have the impression of reliving the past like I do? It was so nice back then, just you and

    me¡­¡±

    Jonathan was immersed in his memories of the good old days.

    However, unlike Jonathan, Eliana was very distressed.

    It had been days since she had seen Aileen and Adrian and she missed them so much. Above all¡­

    She missed Maurice.

    The next day, when the doctor was changing the gauze on Eliana¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help asking,

    ¡°Doctor, when will my face recover?¡±

    The doctor paused for a moment and answered hesitantly, ¡°Very soon¡­ You just need to undergo a

    little surgery¡­¡±

    Surgery?

    Eliana was shocked and stared nkly at the doctor. Why did she need to undergo surgery now when

    she had never had surgery to treat her scars back then?

    ¡°Jonathan didn¡¯t tell me I should have surgery.¡± Eliana was suddenly very anxious.

    ¡°Jonathan didn¡¯t tell me I should have surgery.¡± Eliana was suddenly very anxious.

    The doctor then realized he had said something he should have kept quiet about and he seemed pretty

    worried.

    ¡°Well¡­ Maybe he didn¡¯t tell you because¡­ he doesn¡¯t want you to be worried,¡± the doctor stuttered.

    Eliana felt something was off. She subconsciously touched her face and asked hesitantly, ¡°Was my

    face really that badly injured?¡±

    ¡°Yes! It was quiet serious.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t dare meet Eliana¡¯s gaze and lowered his head.

    Eliana felt that things were getting stranger and stranger. From the moment she wasmitted to this

    sanitarium, she had the feeling that something was wrong with this ce.

    First of all, she had to take medicine every day, the nature of which she did not know. And there was

    the strange behavior of the doctor¡­ Besides, she didn¡¯t feel any of the pain she was supposed to feel.

    If what the doctor said was true and her face had indeed been badly injured to the point where she

    needed surgery, why didn¡¯t she feel any pain?

    Confused, Eliana finally asked, ¡°Doctor, why don¡¯t I feel pain on my face?¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you do take medicine, don¡¯t you? These medicines are painkillers.¡±

    Eliana felt the doctor¡¯s exnation was a little weird.

    When the doctor left, a thought suddenly popped into her mind and she had no choice but to face the

    doubt she had been subconsciously ignoring this whole time.

    She was sitting in the back seat of the car when the ident happened. Her face and leg were badly

    injured, which indicated that the ident had been serious. In that case, why was Jonathanpletely

    fine? After all, he was the one driving that day.

    Eliana could no longer ignore her doubt.

    She felt there was really something wrong. She had to ask Jonathan about it!

    Unable to bear it any longer, she immediately lifted the quilt and got out of bed. She had to find

    Jonathan right away.

    She was very excited at the moment and didn¡¯t notice the high threshold.

    She tripped over the threshold and fell to the floor, her injured left leg hitting the floor first.

    At that moment, something stranger happened. She felt no pain in her injured leg.

    Eliana was stunned. Things were getting more and more abnormal¡­

    ¡°Miss Pierce, are you okay?¡±

    A maid suddenly rushed over and helped her up.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Leaning on the maid, Eliana stood up.

    When Eliana saw the maid¡¯s face, she felt like she knew the maid.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, let me help you to the bed. You need to have a rest.¡± The maid helped Eliana back into

    the ward and carefully led her back to bed.

    Worried and not knowing what else to do, the maid suggested calling the doctor.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to bother the doctor.¡±

    Eliana had no desire to see that strange doctor¡¯s face.

    However, the maid insisted, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡±

 Chapter 610

    Chapter 610

    After the maid left, Eliana was alone in the room. All these mysteries made her so nervous she couldn¡¯t

    rx.

    After a while, Eliana decided she couldn¡¯t just sit still and do nothing.

    Looking at her cast-wrapped left leg, she made up her mind and directly removed the cast.

    The pieces of ster fell one after the other, and Eliana was stunned to see that her leg didn¡¯t have the

    slightest scratch.

    She could move her leg without any problem. She even got up and took a few steps. She didn¡¯t feel

    any pain in her leg.

    How was this possible? She was sure that even the most effective painkillers could not have done such

    a miracle.

    There was only one usible exnation¡­

    Her leg had been fine the whole time and Jonathan had been lying to her.

    Thinking of that, Eliana suddenly rushed to the bathroom.

    Ever since she woke up, she had been afraid of seeing her disfigured face, so she never dared to look

    in the mirror.

    Now, looking at her gauze-wrapped face in the mirror, she thought of something.

    If her supposedly injured leg was alright all this time, was it possible that her face wasn¡¯t hurt, too?

    Eliana knew there was only one way to verify her guess.

    She made up her mind to take off the gauze on her face.

    Just as she was about to unwrap the gauze, there was a knock on the door.

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    Damn it! It must be the maid and the doctor.

    Eliana was now certain that the doctor was in cahoots with Jonathan. She couldn¡¯t let them in.

    She rushed out of the bathroom and pressed her body against the door. No matter how much they

    knocked at the door, she wouldn¡¯t open.

    While Eliana was discovering the whole truth, Jonathan, who was the mastermind of it all, was

    receiving two special guests at his vi.

    While Eliana was discovering the whole truth, Jonathan, who was the mastermind of it all, was

    receiving two special guests at his vi.

    They were Harriet and her mother, Bonita.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman, Harriet wasn¡¯t herself when she hired someone to hit Eliana. She didn¡¯t know that you

    were also in the car. Fortunately, nothing serious happened. I¡¯m here to apologize to you on behalf of

    Harriet,¡± Bonita said with a smile.

    It turned out that the car ident wasn¡¯t an ident at all.

    It was Harriet who had tried to get revenge on Eliana.

    Harriet couldn¡¯t stomach being humiliated by the Moran family, and she was determined to get revenge

    on Eliana. She had therefore hired someone to follow all of Eliana¡¯s actions.

    When she thought the time was right, she sent someone to hit Eliana in what looked like a car ident.

    What Harriet hadn¡¯t expected was that Jonathan would be in the car with Eliana that day.

    Fortunately, Jonathan had quick reflexes and he was able to narrowly avoid the car that wasing to

    hit them at full speed.

    However, he lost control of the car and hurt a tree. He was saved by the airbag which triggered just in

    time. As for Eliana, she passed out. The impact cracked the car window but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to

    break it.

    Seeing that he hadn¡¯t aplished his mission, the man hired by Harriet was about to rush towards

    them again, but Jonathan¡¯s men appeared just in time and stopped him.

    Despite all this, the real culprit, Harriet, had no intention of apologizing.

    Even after Bonita nudged her several times, she was still holding her head up, without a shred of regret

    on her face. ¡°Why should I apologize? I want that bitch dead!¡± Harriet said disdainfully.

    ¡°Harriet!¡±

    Bonita¡¯s face changed and she pinched Harriet¡¯s arm.

    Harriet¡¯s expression grew fierce and she shouted hysterically, ¡°I have to say it! I wonder what dirty

    tricks that bitch has used to seduce you guys. Maurice fell into her trap, and now you, Mr. Bowman?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s face darkened. He red at Bonita and said coldly, ¡°Mrs. Stone, you¡¯d better discipline your

    daughter. Is this how the Stone family raises the children? Know that if you don¡¯t discipline her, she will

    end up bringing a big disaster on all of you sooner orter.¡±

    Bonita was really pissed.

    It was all that bitch Eliana¡¯s fault. She had made a monster out of her daughter.

    Harriet wanted to say something more, but Bonita angrily interrupted her.

    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡±

    Harriet was taken aback. She didn¡¯t expect her mother to be so angry. At this moment, Harriet didn¡¯t

    dare to say anything more.

    Bonita tried her best to adjust her mood and put on a smile. She then said to Jonathan fawningly, ¡°Mr.

    Bowman, I am very sorry about what my daughter did. For the sake of the friendship between the

    Stone family and the White family, will you please forgive her this time?¡±

    The White family?

    Jonathan narrowed his eyes.

    It seemed that Bonita knew a lot of things.

 Chapter 611

    Chapter 611

    Jonathan¡¯s face changed and he began to see Harriet and Bonita differently.

    Harriet was just an idiot who was ruled by her emotions and couldn¡¯t do anything good. Bonita, on the

    other hand, seemed to be much more thoughtful.

    The fact that she mentioned the White family in front of him meant she knew the rtionship between

    him and the Whites.

    She might even know a lot more, including Eliana¡¯s true identity.

    After thinking the matter over, Jonathan looked at Bonita and said, ¡°Mrs. Stone, we are all smart

    people. Since you mentioned the White family, I guess you must know who Eliana really is. She is

    rted to the White family. You better control yourselves in the future before the White family

    intervenes.¡±

    What Jonathan meant by that was that he was going to let it go this time. However, he would never

    allow them to hurt Eliana again. If they tried to hurt Eliana again, not only him, Jonathan, but the entire

    White family woulde after them.

    Bonita was relieved that Jonathan had agreed to let this pass.

    Harriet, on the other hand, was stunned and her eyes were wide in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe what

    she just heard.

    Eliana was rted to the White family!

    How could that be possible?

    Eliana¡¯s surname was Pierce, how could she be rted to the White family?

    Harriet was still trying to wrap her mind around all this as she and Bonita left Jonathan¡¯s vi.

    ¡°Mom, what did Jonathan mean by that? Why is he protecting Eliana? What does he have to do with

    the White family?¡±

    Harriet was confused and bombarded Bonita with questions as soon as they entered the car.

    By this time, Bonita still hadn¡¯t calmed down. She nced at Harriet and said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s all because of

    Jonathan¡¯ste wife.¡±

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    ¡°Histe wife?¡± Harriet was stunned. ¡°He was married?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Bonita took out her phone and opened the photo album. When she found the photo she

    was looking for, she handed the phone to Harriet. ¡°Jonathan was married once, but his wife died. She

    was the daughter of the White family.¡±

    Harriet took the phone from Bonita. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the photo.

    ¡°Is this histe wife?¡± Harriet asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± With a mocking smile on her face, Bonita added, ¡°Now you understand why he is so protective of

    Eliana.¡±

    Staring at the phone in her hand, Harriet was in a daze for a moment.

    ¡°How can they look so alike?¡± she murmured.

    The woman in the photo was very beautiful, with bright eyes and endearing features.

    However, that wasn¡¯t what shocked Harriet. What shocked her was that the face of the woman in the

    photo looked a lot like Eliana¡¯s.

    At first nce, she thought it was Eliana in the photo.

    However,pared with Eliana, the woman in the photo was more effeminate and elegant, and could

    evoke a sense of protectiveness from whoever saw her.

    As Bonita saw the look of shock on her daughter¡¯s face, a trace of jealousy crossed her eyes. She said

    crossly, ¡°All the women from the White family are very beautiful. They¡¯re just very resourceful

    temptresses. They¡¯re all good at seducing men.¡±

    Harriet didn¡¯t say anything for a while. Her mind was in a mess.

    If Eliana was really rted to the White family, she couldn¡¯t dare to do anything to her now.

    During this time, Eliana who was unaware of everything that happened in Jonathan¡¯s vi, was still

    leaning against the door to block people behind the door from entering.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, please open the door. I didn¡¯t bring the doctor here. In fact, I was sent by Mr. Moran here

    to protect you.¡±

    The maid¡¯s anxious voice came from outside.

    However, Eliana didn¡¯t believe it. She had already fallen into this kind of trap before. She wouldn¡¯t buy it

    this time.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, my name is Leni Fuller. I work for Mr. Moran. Do you remember that time at the Moran

    family¡¯s vi, you threw up on Mr. Moran?¡±

    Eliana was surprised.

    How could this maid know about that? Was she really sent here by Maurice?

    It was then that Eliana remembered the maid¡¯s face seemed a little familiar just now.

    Was it because she had seen this maid in the Moran family¡¯s house before?

    Thinking of this possibility, Eliana opened the door slightly and took a closer look at the maid¡¯s face.

    Sure enough, it was the familiar face. The maid had changed her hair color and wore a pair of cosmetic

    contact lenses, which made her look different. No wonder Eliana couldn¡¯t recognize her right away.

    Eliana was a little reassured now and she finally let the maid in.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, your leg¡­¡±

    As soon as Leni entered the room, she immediately noticed that there was no more ster on

    Eliana¡¯s leg.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Anyway, my leg is fine.¡±

    Eliana even took tiny jumps to show that her leg was fine.

    Leni seemed surprised. ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s great your leg is fine. I¡¯ve been trying to talk to you since I

    was sent here, but I couldn¡¯t find a chance.¡±

    ¡°Jonathan posted his men to watch me every day. How could you approach me, let alone talk to me?¡±

    Eliana had a bitter smile.

    Leni looked at her and asked tentatively, ¡°Miss Pierce, do you still want to stay here?¡±

    Eliana was stunned by the question.

    Since she was not injured at all, why would she stay here?

 Chapter 612

    Chapter 612

    Eliana subconsciously touched her face. She had onlye to have her injured face healed.

    But she was now skeptical.

    ¡°Leni, now that my leg is okay, is it possible that my face has never injured at all?¡±

    She felt a shiver down her spine whenever she thought about it.

    Why did Jonathan insist on her having an operation if nothing had happened to her face?

    And, what kind of surgery would it be?

    Eliana was starting to feel ufortable about what was happening.

    Leni was taken aback and suddenly remembered what Maurice had told her.

    ¡°Mr. Moran has already investigated the car ident, Miss Pierce. He asked me to inform you that the

    ident was not serious at all. It was only a minor one.¡±

    ¡°A minor car ident? So, why do I feel ufortable every day?¡±

    Eliana hadn¡¯t felt any pain in thest few days, but she was bing increasingly weak and her spirits

    were low. She believed she had not fully recovered from the car ident.

    Leni shook her head. ¡°I sneaked into the infirmary when the doctor was making up your prescription

    and found a lot of anesthetics. Every day, he injects you with a huge dosage of anesthetics, leaving you

    weak and tired.¡±

    Anesthetics! It was no surprise she usually had no strength to do anything.

    Now, Elianapletely understood that it was a trap, and that the perpetrator was none other than

    Jonathan!

    Jonathan took advantage of the car ident to deceive Eliana into believing she was disfigured and let

    her stay in the sanitarium.

    What did he want to do?

    Eliana felt like a butterfly caught in a web, unable to escape.

    ¡°Something is wrong, Leni. We have to leave immediately!¡±

    She stopped thinking about what Jonathan was up to and wanted to flee right away.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, Mr. Moran sent me to pick you up. Since your leg is already fine, we can go now. Mr.

    Moran¡¯s car is parked nearby.¡±

    Without further ado, Eliana and Leni took immediate action.

    Leni had spent several days in the sanitarium. She was now familiar with the terrain as well as the

    employee distribution.

    The escape n was going off without a hitch. Eliana could see the sanitarium¡¯s gate.

    Just as she thought she was about to escape sessfully, a ghostly voice resounded from behind her.

    ¡°Eliana, where are you going?¡±

    In an instant, Eliana stopped walking, terrified. She was very familiar with that voice.

    She turned around mechanically and saw a gentle, smiling face.

    However, Eliana thought the man¡¯s attractive face was frightening and that he was a terrifying monster

    at the time.

    ¡°Jonathan¡­¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it good to stay here, Eliana? You haven¡¯t recovered yet. Why do you want to leave? Or do you

    want to go out and breathe some fresh air? I can apany you.¡±

    Jonathan tried to deceive her once more with a gentle smile.

    But Eliana had already seen through him. She decided toy her cards on the table.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you care about me, Jonathan. What¡¯s the matter with my leg?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s cast had been removed, which Jonathan noticed. He knew that his n to trap Eliana had

    been foiled, but he remained calm.

    ¡°Eliana, do you think I¡¯m lying to you? The doctor made a wrong diagnosis.¡±

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    He sounded sincere and was not at all embarrassed.

    Eliana thought it was ridiculous. Jonathan wanted to gain her trust by using such an absurd reason.

    Had this man ever been honest with her?

    Eliana looked at Jonathan¡¯s smiling face, which was exactly the same as it had been five years ago.

    She just noticed the details that she hadn¡¯t paid attention to.

    If the car ident was a set-up, what about her falling into the sea and passing out years ago? Could it

    be nned too?

    Memories came flooding back. Eliana only remembered being ill and relying on Jonathan after falling

    into the sea and giving birth to the babies.

    Jonathan had taken good care of her at the time. Eliana had even considered marrying him in return for

    his kindness during the most difficult time of her life. In that way, the children would also have a good

    father.

    She was in a cold sweat now that she remembered what she had considered at the time.

 Chapter 613

    Chapter 613

    Eliana was flustered. The more she thought about it, the paler her face became.

    At this moment, Jonathan noticed Leni, the maid beside Eliana.

    He looked at her and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Eliana was even more agitated. If Jonathan found that Leni was Maurice¡¯s subordinate, they were

    over. It would be more difficult for her to escape.

    At such a critical moment, Eliana thought of a way out. Finally, she came up with an idea. She

    deliberately put on a disdainful look and sneered at Jonathan, ¡°You¡¯ve already trapped me in this

    sanitarium. Do you still need to send someone to monitor me twenty-four hours a day?¡±

    As she spoke, she nced at Leni.

    Leni immediately understood Eliana¡¯s hint. She said to Jonathan respectfully, ¡°Mr. Bowman, I saw

    just now that Miss Pierce was trying to escape, so I chased after her to stop her.¡±

    Was it really the case?

    Jonathan still had some doubts in his heart, but he was almost convinced.

    ¡°Okay, well done. It¡¯s good that you were able to catch her. You can leave now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Mr. Bowman.¡±

    Leni had no choice but to leave. She couldn¡¯t expose her identity, so she had to be cautious all the

    time. But before leaving, she nced at Eliana with a little worry.

    Eliana blinked her eyes to signal Leni to rest assured. As long as Leni was still here, Eliana

    believed they would have a chance to get rid of Jonathan and escape.

    After Leni left, Jonathan took Eliana back to her room.

    Her first attempt to escape had failed.

    When Eliana entered her room, shey on the bed, turned her back, and closed her eyes.

    She was not in the mood to talk to Jonathan anymore.

    But Jonathan didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed with a gentle expression as if nothing

    had happened.

    He stroked Eliana¡¯s hair like a manforting his lover.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t get upset. It¡¯s not good for the recovery of your wounds. Remember, it¡¯s your face. And

    you don¡¯t want the treatment to take longer, right? You will make the children worry more about you.

    Rest assured that as long as you undergo surgery obediently, you will be fine.¡±

    Eliana got goose bumps in every ce that Jonathan touched, so she tried to avoid his touch.

    No matter what, she must escape. Maurice and the children were still waiting for her.

    Eliana finally plucked up the courage. She turned around and opened her eyes.

    ¡°Jonathan, you meant that if I want to recover, surgery is my only choice, right? I¡¯ll do it. Please arrange

    it as soon as possible.¡±

    Jonathan was a little surprised that she had changed her mind so quickly.

    Eliana continued, ¡°But¡­ I have one more request.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°This is my first time undergoing surgery, so I¡¯m a little scared. Can you let Rosamond apany me?

    She has helped me a lot, and I trust her. Besides, she is my mother¡¯s friend. I hope she can stay by my

    side during the operation.¡±

    When Jonathan heard the name Rosamond, he thought of something. Wasn¡¯t she the CEO of Deleon

    Group?

    Jonathan had investigated Rosamond before and knew that she was Ingrid¡¯s good friend.

    But he thought that if he let here here, his n might be ruined. He didn¡¯t want to take the risk.

    So he asked gently, ¡°Isn¡¯t it enough for you that I am here to apany you?¡±

    But unfortunately, Eliana remained firm. ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, I will never do the surgery. At the worst, I¡¯ll

    be ugly for the rest of my life.¡±

    But Jonathan didn¡¯tava. Instaad, ha sat on tha adga of tha bad with a gan axprassion as if nothing

    had happanad.

    Ha strokad Eliana¡¯s hair lika a manforting his lovar.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t gat upsat. It¡¯s not good for tha racovary of your wounds. Ramambar, it¡¯s your faca. And

    you don¡¯t want tha traatmant to taka longar, right? You will maka tha childran worry mora about you.

    Rast assurad that as long as you undargo surgary obadiantly, you will ba fina.¡±

    Eliana got goosa bumps in avary ca that Jonathan touchad, so sha triad to avoid his touch.

    No mattar what, sha must ascapa. Maurica and tha childran wara still waiting for har.

    Eliana finally pluckad up tha couraga. Sha turnad around and opanad har ayas.

    ¡°Jonathan, you maant that if I want to racovar, surgary is my only choica, right? I¡¯ll do it. asa arranga

    it as soon as possi.¡±

    Jonathan was a lit surprisad that sha had changad har mind so quickly.

    Eliana continuad, ¡°But¡­ I hava ona mora raquast.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°This is my first tima undargoing surgary, so I¡¯m a lit scarad. Can yout Rosamond apany ma?

    Sha has halpad ma a lot, and I trust har. Basidas, sha is my mothar¡¯s friand. I hopa sha can stay by my

    sida during tha oparation.¡±

    Whan Jonathan haard tha nama Rosamond, ha thought of somathing. Wasn¡¯t sha tha CEO of Don

    Group?

    Jonathan had invastigatad Rosamond bafora and knaw that sha was Ingrid¡¯s good friand.

    But ha thought that if hat hara hara, his n might ba ruinad. Ha didn¡¯t want to taka tha risk.

    So ha askad gantly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it anough for you that I am hara to apany you?¡±

    But unfortunataly, Eliana ramainad firm. ¡°If you don¡¯t agraa, I will navar do tha surgary. At tha worst, I¡¯ll

    ba ugly for tha rast of my lifa.¡±

    She could tell that, for some reason, Jonathan cared about her face very much. So she could only bet

    this way to force him to give in.

    There was a hint of hesitation in Jonathan¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Well¡­ Give me time to think about it.¡±

    Eliana was right. Her face mattered to Jonathan.

    She was finally relieved. As long as he didn¡¯t refuse, there would still be a chance.

    ¡°You have a rest first.¡±

    Jonathan went out of the room, still thinking about why Eliana would ask for Rosamond to be there. He

    had a feeling that things were not that simple.

    When he passed by a corner, he saw the suspicious maid hiding in a corner. And it seemed that she

    was talking with someone on the phone.

    There must be something wrong with this maid.

    Jonathan immediately rushed forward with a frown and grabbed her hand.

    ¡°Who are you talking with?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Leni was so startled that she screamed. She turned around in panic, revealing the phone in her

    hand. At this time, she had just dialed a number.

    Jonathan grabbed the phone directly, wanting to see who was behind her.

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    A few secondster, the call was connected, and a mature female voice came from the other end of the

    line.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    It was Rosamond¡¯s voice.

    Jonathan recognized her voice at once. He immediately hung up the phone and looked at Leni with

    eyes full of malice.

    He asked, ¡°Did Rosamond send you here?¡±

    Leni seemed terrified. She shivered and replied, ¡°No. Miss Pierce asked me to call her.¡±

 Chapter 614

    Chapter 614

    onathan was anxious upon hearing this. ¡°What did Eliana ask you to tell Rosamond?¡± he asked

    worriedly.

    ¡°Miss Pierce wants me to tell Miss Deleon that¡­ She wants Miss Deleon to know that she had a car

    ident and is here with you to undergo surgery soon. She wants Miss Deleon to be here.¡± After

    saying this, Leni lowered her head, pretending to be scared.

    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±

    Jonathan still had some doubts.

    Leni shook her head frantically. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all. Nothing else. Mr. Bowman, please don¡¯t fire me. I was

    only forced to call her.¡±

    This time, Jonathan¡¯sst trace of doubt had finally dissipated.

    It seemed that Eliana wanted Rosamond to be here because she was really scared.

    Since it wouldn¡¯t affect his n, he decided to agree.

    Jonathan chose to take the initiative to call Rosamond.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, this is Jonathan Bowman. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±

    Rosamond said indifferently, ¡°Jonathan Bowman, the CEO of Universe Group? What can I do for you?¡±

    Jonathan lied calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. I know that you are very close to Eliana. She had an

    ident recently, and her face was damaged. She needs to undergo surgery to repair her face soon.

    But this will be her first time, and she¡¯s a little scared. She wants you to be by her side on the day of

    her operation.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Rosamond¡¯s voice instantly rose. Apparently, she was angry.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, don¡¯t be upset. It was an ident, and nobody wanted it to happen. Eliana¡¯s surgery will

    be in three days. I hope you cane to apany her.¡±

    After that, Jonathan told Rosamond the address of the sanitarium and hung up the phone without

    waiting for Rosamond to say anything.

    Leni, who had been listening silently next to him, finally felt relieved upon hearing his words.

    It seemed that Eliana really knew Jonathan well. Her n had actually worked.

    The truth was, everything was Eliana¡¯s n.

    Jonathan was a very suspicious man. He was not someone easy to deceive.

    So when they were trying to escape, Eliana made a n B. In case they failed to escape, she asked

    Leni to pretend to tip Rosamond off behind Jonathan¡¯s back.

    Her goal was to dispel Jonathan¡¯s misgivings, and he would take the initiative to pass on the

    information to Rosamond.

    After the phone call, Jonathan cautiously took Leni¡¯s phone away.

    What he didn¡¯t know was that Eliana¡¯s n had seeded, and the phone was of no use anymore.

    In the evening, Leni brought dinner to Eliana as usual.

    She was so excited that as soon as she entered the room, she couldn¡¯t wait to report the result to

    Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, your n has worked. Jonathan agreed to invite Miss Deleon here. He even took the

    initiative to call her.¡±

    Eliana finally felt relieved when she heard this. She said happily, ¡°That¡¯s great! Finally, there¡¯s good

    news.¡±

    Then Leni looked a little disappointed. ¡°But he also took my phone away. How can we contact Mr.

    Moran now?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Eliana said tofort Leni. ¡°You have done a good job already. Now that we have

    done everything we can, we can only hand over the rest to fate.¡±

    As Eliana spoke, she couldn¡¯t help recalling the various crises she had gone through with Maurice over

    the past year. And with this, she silently encouraged herself in her heart.

    Lani, who had baan listaning sntly naxt to him, finally falt raliavad upon haaring his words.

    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    It saamad that Eliana raally knaw Jonathan wall. Har n had actually workad.

    Tha truth was, avarything was Eliana¡¯s n.

    Jonathan was a vary suspicious man. Ha was not somaona aasy to dacaiva.

    So whan thay wara trying to ascapa, Eliana mada a n B. In casa thay fad to ascapa, sha askad

    Lani to pratand to tip Rosamond off bahind Jonathan¡¯s back.

    Har goal was to dispal Jonathan¡¯s misgivings, and ha would taka tha initiativa to pass on tha

    information to Rosamond.

    Aftar tha phona call, Jonathan cautiously took Lani¡¯s phona away.

    What ha didn¡¯t know was that Eliana¡¯s n had saadad, and tha phona was of no usa anymora.

    In tha avaning, Lani brought dinnar to Eliana as usual.

    Sha was so axcitad that as soon as sha antarad tha room, sha couldn¡¯t wait to raport tha rasult to

    Eliana.

    ¡°Miss Piarca, your n has workad. Jonathan agraad to invita Miss Don hara. Ha avan took tha

    initiativa to call har.¡±

    Eliana finally falt raliavad whan sha haard this. Sha said happily, ¡°That¡¯s graat! Finally, thara¡¯s good

    naws.¡±

    Than Lani lookad a lit disappointad. ¡°But ha also took my phona away. How can wa contact Mr.

    Moran now?¡±

    ¡°It doasn¡¯t mattar,¡± Eliana said tofort Lani. ¡°You hava dona a good job alraady. Now that wa hava

    dona avarything wa can, wa can only hand ovar tha rast to fata.¡±

    As Eliana spoka, sha couldn¡¯t halp racalling tha various crisas sha had gona through with Maurica ovar

    tha past yaar. And with this, sha sntly ancouragad harsalf in har haart.

    She and Maurice had ovee so many ups and downs. This time, she was confident that they would

    get through this safely.

    Three days passed quickly. Today was the day of Eliana¡¯s surgery.

    Eliana couldn¡¯t sleep, so she got up early.

    She stood by the window, looking at the gate of the sanitarium eagerly. She felt extremely tormented in

    her heart.

    Not long after, Rosamond¡¯s car appeared in her sight.

    She breathed a sigh of relief. The hope in her heart ignited again.

    The gate was surrounded by the bodyguards arranged by Jonathan. When the bodyguards saw

    Rosamond and her men get out of the car, they immediately asked for a body search.

    Rosamond¡¯s face darkened at once.

    Jonathan walked over to greet her with a smile. ¡°Miss Deleon, thank you foring today.¡±

    Rosamond just said coldly, ¡°Mr. Bowman, is this how you treat your guests?¡± She looked at the

    bodyguards around her mockingly. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Eliana. Why is this necessary? Are you afraid that I

    will take her away from you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡± After saying this, Jonathan made a sign to his

    men, and they immediately backed off.

    But this didn¡¯t pacify Rosamond at all. She just snorted coldly, still wearing a long face.

    At this moment, Jonathan noticed a handsome and strange man standing next to her.

    Although the man had his head down all the time and just stood quietly behind Rosamond, his

    imposing manner was hard to ignore.

    Jonathan wondered who this man could be.

 Chapter 615

    Chapter 615

    Jonathan suspiciously eyed the man as he asked, ¡°Who is he, Miss Deleon?¡±

    Rosamond responded, ¡°This man is the doctor I brought here. His name is Preston Archer.¡±

    ¡°Preston Archer? He¡¯s a doctor?¡±

    Jonathan nced at Preston again with suspicion evident in his eyes. How could a simple doctor have

    such a powerful aura?

    As Jonathan continued to stare at Preston, Rosamond began to grow impatient.

    ¡°Are you finished inspecting him? Did you find something wrong with him?¡±

    Jonathan got the message and smiled yfully at her.

    ¡°I see. Preston¡¯s your man. Please excuse my rudeness.¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s words deliberately implied there was an inappropriate rtionship between Preston and

    Rosamond.

    Preston red at Jonathan and said, ¡°Mr. Bowman, I suggest you watch what you say. I¡¯m just a doctor

    Miss Deleon reached out to.¡±

    Jonathan wasn¡¯t upset when he saw Preston deny his guess and attempt to defend Rosamond¡¯s

    reputation. After Preston¡¯s outburst, Jonathan was more sure that there was a rtionship between the

    two.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have misunderstood the situation. Pleasee inside. The operation is about to

    begin. I¡¯ll take you to see Eliana.¡±

    Jonathan let out a sigh of relief when he brought them inside.

    Eliana saw all of this happen from upstairs. However, she couldn¡¯t see Preston¡¯s face from where she

    was.

    There was something familiar about the man standing next to Rosamond.

    Was that Preston?

    Her heart beat faster, and she grew more anxious.

    After a few moments of waiting, Eliana heard footsteps from outside.

    When the door opened, the familiar handsome face caught Eliana¡¯s eyes.

    She couldn¡¯t believe what she saw.

    It was Preston!

    At that moment, she felt all the time pass between them since theyst met.

    Although Preston and Maurice were the same person, she always saw them as two different beings.

    Her fondness for Preston never wavered despite all the time apart.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes filled with tears, and her heart felt like it would burst from emotion.

    Eliana and Preston looked at each other and said nothing.

    ¡°What happened to your face, Eliana?¡±

    Rosamond was aware from Jonathan¡¯s call that she was injured, but she was still shocked when she

    saw the gauze wrapped around Eliana¡¯s face.

    She quickly walked over to Eliana and held her hand. Concern was etched all over her face. ¡°What

    happened? How did your face get hurt so badly?¡±

    Eliana patted her hand reassuringly and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Miss Deleon.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You don¡¯t look so well.¡± Rosamond turned around and red at Jonathan. ¡°Jonathan,

    what were you doing all this time? Were you even taking care of Eliana? If you can¡¯t care for her

    properly, then let me do it instead! I¡¯m sure I can do a better job than you!¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s face darkened, but he couldn¡¯t snap in front of Eliana.

    ¡°I told you it was an ident. After today¡¯s operation, Eliana¡¯s face will heal.¡±

    ¡°Right, the operation¡­¡± Rosamond nced at Preston and said, ¡°Preston, can youe here and give

    an assessment of Eliana¡¯s injuries?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t allow that!¡± Jonathan blurted out. ¡°You can¡¯t remove the gauze over her face!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Rosamond frowned.

    Jonathan exined, ¡°There¡¯s a special ster applied on her face. If you don¡¯t untie the gauze

    properly, she might get hurt.¡±

    ¡°What kind of ster are you talking about? Why can¡¯t we take a look at her face?¡± Rosamond retorted.

    ¡°I sought out Preston myself. He¡¯s a well-regarded stic surgeon, so I invited him here.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡±

    Jonathan continued to refuse her, but Rosamond wouldn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°Why are you so bothered? Why can¡¯t Preston check her wounds? Is there something you¡¯re trying to

    keep from me?¡±

    Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.

    Neither Rosamond nor Jonathan wanted to back down.

    When Eliana noticed they were about to fight, she spoke up to mediate.

    ¡°The gauze can¡¯t be untied as Jonathan said, but the doctor can do a basic examination for now.¡±

    Eliana waved at Jonathan and whispered in his ear, ¡°I¡¯m on your side, but Miss Deleon is an elder. We

    need to treat her with some respect.¡±

    Jonathan agreed when he saw the gentle look on Eliana¡¯s face.

    After a moment, Preston said, ¡°I¡¯ll begin the examination. Can everyone leave the room for a moment?¡±

    As expected, Jonathan refused to leave. Leni stood up and offered, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry, Mr.

    Bowman. I¡¯ll stay with Miss Pierce and help you care for her.¡±

    Since Rosamond was around, Jonathan couldn¡¯t get angry. He left the room immediately after giving

    Leni some instructions.

    The moment they left, Preston put on an act checking Eliana¡¯s face and pinching her face. For a time,

    he seemed like he was there for an examination.

    Eliana thought that Preston was such a bad guy.

    She grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards her.

    ¡°I missed you so much.¡±

 Chapter 616

    Chapter 616

    Upon hearing this, Maurice¡¯s line of defense hadpletely copsed.

    He could only stare at Eliana quietly.

    Even though her face was tightly wrapped, he could still see her tearful bright eyes. Her gaze seemed

    to prate his heart.

    ¡°You little woman. I¡¯ve finally found you¡­¡±

    ¡°Preston, I¡¯ve been missing you,¡± Eliana said between sobs.

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    Maurice shuddered. He was at a loss for words for a while.

    They hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time, and they obviously missed each other so much. They

    began to kiss passionately, regardless of the presence of another person and the danger that they

    would be discovered by Jonathan at any time.

    It seemed that through this kiss, they could vent all the fear, longing, and worries that they had felt

    these days.

    Eliana had been waiting for this day for so long. So now that Preston was holding and kissing her, she

    couldn¡¯t extricate herself.

    Leni had already entered the room. But when she saw the scene, she immediately turned around so

    as not to disturb them.

    The intense kiss finally ended. But Eliana was still caught up in the moment and couldn¡¯te back to

    her senses.

    She wrapped her arms around Maurice¡¯s neck, gasping for breath. Obviously, she was a little

    unfulfilled.

    Looking at her greedy appearance, Maurice couldn¡¯t help teasing her, ¡°You have no conscience. You

    really like Preston more. Or maybe¡­¡±

    He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°This is just what you like. Thrilling?¡±

    ¡°You jerk!¡±

    Eliana suddenly came back to her senses. She pushed him away, her face flushed.

    However, she couldn¡¯t help smiling when she looked at the face that belonged to Preston.

    She had thought of thousands of ways Maurice might take to save her. But it never urred to her that

    he would disguise himself as Preston and sneak in with Rosamond.

    Eliana knew very well that Maurice used to get really jealous of Preston.

    When Maurice saw that her mood had be better, he touched her face pitifully and wiped the tears

    from the corners of her eyes.

    He then asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±

    Eliana felt like she was suddenly struck by lightning.

    How could she forget?

    Perhaps she got so excited when she saw Maurice just now that she forgot her face was still covered

    with gauze.

    She hadn¡¯t dared to look in the mirror these days. She must be very ugly now.

    Eliana was so embarrassed that she wanted to escape. However, Maurice pulled her back quickly.

    At this moment, Maurice turned to the door, looked at Leni, and asked, ¡°Leni, how did her face get

    injured? Have you found out?¡±

    When she heard Maurice talking to her, Leni turned around in a hurry. ¡°Mr. Moran, ording to

    Jonathan, Miss Pierce¡¯s face was scratched by the broken ss during the car ident. Every time the

    doctor changes the gauze, he asks everyone else to leave the room. So, no one has actually seen

    Miss Pierce¡¯s wounds.¡±

    Leni nced at Eliana and continued, ¡°Besides, we never dare to remove the gauze by ourselves

    because we¡¯re afraid it might hurt Miss Pierce.¡±

    After listening to Leni¡¯s exnation, Maurice pondered for a moment. Then he turned to Eliana and

    fixed his eyes on her face. ¡°Let¡¯s remove the gauze now.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to!¡± Eliana reflexively covered her face with her hands. ¡°If Jonathan is telling the truth,

    my face must be ugly.¡±

    Maurice looked at Eliana helplessly and dotingly. He gently took her hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I

    don¡¯t care what you look like.¡±

    ¡°How can you not care?¡± Eliana pouted and muttered in dissatisfaction, ¡°If I be ugly, you will be

    scared and run away.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I swear.¡±

    Under Maurice¡¯s firm gaze, Eliana finally gave in.

    He then helped her slowly remove the white gauze wrapped around her face.

    During the entire process, Eliana was so nervous that her hands shook uncontrobly.

    There was no woman who didn¡¯t care about her appearance. What she was doing now was no different

    from gambling.

    Maurice noticed her nervousness, so he stopped andforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here now.

    You¡¯ll be fine. Just trust me, okay?¡±

    Hisforting words made Eliana slowly calm down.

    Finally, the gauze was removed, revealing her delicate and beautiful face.

    Her face was still wless without a sin

 Chapter 617

    Chapter 617

    ¡°Miss Pierce, your face! There¡¯s nothing wrong with your face. It¡¯s perfectly fine!¡± Leni eximed with

    shock written all over her face.

    Eliana¡¯s face was still very beautiful. But since she had not been exposed to sunlight for a long time, it

    looked a little pale.

    Maurice secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This was exactly what he had expected.

    ¡°What? My face is fine?¡±

    Eliana was still in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t help reaching out and touching her face. The skin she touched

    was very smooth. There was no single scar. She rubbed it again and again, but she did not feel any

    pain.

    Indeed, her face was totally fine.

    Jonathan lied to her again.

    Now that she knew the truth, Eliana was furious.

    ¡°Jonathan is a lunatic! How can he let me undergo surgery when my face is perfectly fine? What the

    hell is he trying to do?¡±

    ¡°I think I know the reason,¡± Maurice said. He took out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Eliana.

    She hastily took it and was shocked upon looking at it.

    ¡°What the hell! Who is this woman? Why does she look like me?¡±

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. The young woman in the photo really looked like her. How could it

    be?

    If she wasn¡¯t sure that she was an only child, she would think that the woman in the photo was her

    long-lost sister.

    ¡°That woman was Jonathan¡¯s wife,¡± Maurice exined calmly.

    ¡°What did you say? Are you saying that Jonathan had been married? But I¡¯ve never seen her before.

    He never mentioned her to me either.¡±

    Eliana was so shocked by Maurice¡¯s words that she couldn¡¯t react for a while. She couldn¡¯t imagine that

    after living with Jonathan for five years, she didn¡¯t know anything about histe wife.

    Maurice, who was more vexed than her, said, ¡°You never thought of investigating him. You just spent

    five years of your life with him without even knowing who he really is?¡±

    Eliana lowered her head guiltily, not daring to look into his eyes.

    It was her negligence. She didn¡¯t think of it at all.

    Seeing Eliana like this, Maurice was so angry that he gritted his teeth and continued to exin, ¡°His

    wife was from the White family. Her name is Meg. She disappeared not long after she married

    Jonathan. Some said she had passed away.¡±

    Jonathan¡¯ste wife was from the White family?

    The memory deep in Eliana¡¯s mind suddenly popped out.

    Her mother once told her that she was from the White family.

    But for some unknown reason, Eliana¡¯s mother seldom contacted the people from the White family.

    She seldom mentioned them, and every time she did, she seemed reluctant to talk about them.

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    Could it be that¡­ There was a secret that Eliana didn¡¯t know?

    She was lost in thought.

    But at this time, Jonathan, who had been waiting outside the door, became impatient.

    He knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Are you done with the examination? The operation will begin in no

    time.¡±

    Upon hearing his voice, Eliana decided to temporarily forget about the White family and focus on the

    crisis in front of her.

    ¡°Maurice, what are we going to do now?¡±

    Since Maurice got the photo of Jonathan¡¯ste wife, he had alreadye up with an idea.

    ¡°Jonathan made me misunderstand before that he lost the love of his life because of me. So I want him

    to experience exactly the same.¡±

    Eliana was stunned.

    When did she be the love of Jonathan¡¯s life?

    She was about to retort when the photo in her hand made her realize something.

    The love of Jonathan¡¯s life should be Meg, histe wife.

    Now she realized that he was only kind to her when they met five years ago because she looked like

    Meg. Maybe he saw Meg in her.

    Eliana was lost in thought again.

    She only looked like Meg at a nce. But if people looked carefully, they would see that they were not

    very much alike.

    In the past five years, Jonathan had hinted to her many times that he wanted her to do some stic

    surgeries. Now she knew why. He wanted her to look more like Meg.

    And this time, he deliberately took the opportunity to use the car ident as the reason to change her

    face.

    With all this realization, Eliana couldn¡¯t help shivering all over.

    She never knew that one¡¯s love for another could be so crazy.

    Since Jonathan couldn¡¯t keep Meg, he wanted to keep someone who looked like her.

    How crazy he was!

 Chapter 618

    Chapter 618

    Maurice understood that everything was shocking to Eliana. But he didn¡¯t have time to wait for her to

    handle her shock. He quickly told her his n.

    Then he put her in a wheelchair and pushed her out of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯ve checked her, except for the wounds on her face. Everything¡¯s fine, but I don¡¯t know with her face.¡±

    At this moment, Maurice was Preston again.

    ¡°Can we start the surgery now?¡± Jonathan was already excited.

    Maurice gave Rosamond a nod, hinting at something.

    Rosamond understood at once. ¡°Of course!¡±

    Since Rosamond said so, Eliana was pushed into the operating room under everyone¡¯s gaze.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes had been fixed on her all the time. But the way he looked at her, he didn¡¯t seem like a

    doctor looking at his patient.

    Even Jonathan felt it was a little strange.

    But he had no time to think about it now because his long-term dream was finally about toe true.

    As long as the operation was sessful, he would finally see the face he had been missing day and

    night for many years.

    Jonathan was in a good mood. He turned to Rosamond and offered, ¡°The operation will take some

    time. Let¡¯s wait in the VIP room.¡±

    ¡°Thanks but no need. I¡¯ll just wait here.¡± Rosamond categorically refused.

    Jonathan didn¡¯t insist. Instead, he waited with her.

    However, not long after Eliana entered the operating room, an ident happened.

    A nurse suddenly came out of the operating room and said in a panic, ¡°Mr. Bowman, bad news! There

    was an ident.¡±

    The smile on Jonathan¡¯s face instantly disappeared. He rushed over and stared at the nurse.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    The nurse was so frightened by the sullen look in his eyes that she didn¡¯t dare to speak again.

    At this moment, Rosamond pushed him away and said seriously, ¡°What on earth happened?¡±

    The nurse answered in a trembling voice, ¡°When the surgery started, Miss Pierce¡¯s heart suddenly

    stopped. The doctors are now trying to revive her. But we can¡¯t ensure anything¡­¡±

    Jonathan was so shocked that he froze for a while. When he came back to his senses, his first reaction

    was to shout in a fluster, ¡°What about her face? Is her face okay?¡±

    Upon hearing his words, Rosamond scolded him angrily, ¡°Face? Her life is in danger, and you still care

    about her face?¡±

    While they were arguing, two more specialized EMTs rushed into the operating room.

    At this time, the operating room was a mess. The doctors and nurses kept going in and out.

    Jonathan was not as leisurely as he was just now. He nervously paced back and forth outside the

    operating room, looking at the door from time to time.

    Half an hourter, the light above the operating room door finally went out. And one of the doctors

    came out with heavy faces.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman, we did our best. But¡­ We failed to save her¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Jonathan snapped, interrupting the doctor. With a ferocious expression, he grabbed

    the doctor¡¯s cor and roared, ¡°Can someone die in cosmetic surgery? That¡¯s unbelievable!¡±

    The doctor was already flustered. He kept exining to Jonathan that it was just an ident.

    However, Jonathan was now in a frenzy and couldn¡¯t listen to the doctor anymore. Instead, he punched

    the doctor angrily and rushed into the operating room.

    In the operating room, all the doctors and nurses stood aside uneasily.

    Elianay quietly in the operating table in the middle of the room, and her body was covered with a

    white cloth.

    How could this be? Jonathan was still in disbelief.

    Although Eliana¡¯s dead body was already in front of him, he still couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.

    Eliana was just alive just about one hour ago. But now, she was lying in the cold operating table,

    lifeless.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman¡­¡± one of the doctors called out Jonathan¡¯s name, wanting to say something.

    But Jonathan roared, ¡°Fuck off! All of you, get out of here!¡±

    At this moment, he was like a desperate beast. Everyone in the operating room didn¡¯t dare to make him

    angrier. They all ran out.

    Jonathan¡¯s body was trembling. He walked over and slowly lifted the white cloth. Then he saw Eliana¡¯s

    bloodless face.

    She still looked so beautiful. It was as if she was just sleeping.

    But he knew that she would never open her eyes again¡­Just like his Meg.

    Countless desperate memories flooded his mind. He was almost out of breath.

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    The next second, he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. Then his vision went dark, and he lost

    consciousness.

    ¡°Done!¡±

    Leni stood behind Jonathan, holding a big stick in her hand and looking excited.

 Chapter 619

    Chapter 619

    Since Jonathan lost consciousness, he fell directly on Eliana.

    Eliana suddenly opened her eyes when she felt the pressure on her body.

    Of course, she was not dead.

    She immediately reached out and pushed Jonathan away.

    Leni caught him in time, dragged him to the corner and let him lean against the wall.

    Then she looked at his unconscious body, feeling very happy. When she thought of how she knocked

    him unconscious with a stick, she felt it was cool.

    ¡°This is what he deserves. I¡¯ve long wanted to do this. He thinks too highly of himself. He only pays me

    half the money Mr. Moran pays me, but he always treats me like a ve. Now he has finally gotten his

    retribution.¡±

    ¡°Leni, that¡¯s enough. Our top priority now is to get out of here. Maurice is still waiting for us outside.¡±

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ording to their n, Eliana and Leni quickly changed into the nurse¡¯s uniforms they had prepared.

    They pretended to be nurses and quietly slipped out of the operating room.

    At this moment, the corridor outside the operating room was in chaos because of the ¡°ident¡± just

    now. They took this opportunity to approach Rosamond.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, it¡¯s me,¡± Eliana whispered.

    She kept her head down, and she wore a mask, so Rosamond might not recognize her at once.

    Rosamond nced at Eliana and immediately realized that their n was sessful. So she adjusted

    her emotion and started to act as nned.

    ¡°Eliana is dead. This is all your fault. Jonathan must give me an exnation for what has happened

    today.¡±

    After saying this, she turned around angrily and left with her men. Eliana and Leni followed behind

    her.

    Eliana immediately got in Rosamond¡¯s car, where Maurice had been waiting for a long time. He had

    already taken off his mask.

    The car started at once. Eliana only breathed a sigh of relief when the ce that served as a cage that

    trapped her gradually disappeared from her sight.

    Tears welled up in her eyes. Those days were like a nightmare for her.

    She missed her children and Maurice so much. But she didn¡¯t dare to see them because of her injured

    face.

    Fortunately, Maurice and Rosamond were there to rescue her. And she found that her face was

    perfectly fine.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s okay now,¡± Mauriceforted her, holding her hand tightly.

    Eliana was so agitated that she couldn¡¯t help hugging him.

    ¡°Maurice, we have really escaped.¡±

    With a gentle expression, Maurice hugged her back and said, ¡°Yes, we have escaped together.¡±

    They felt so relieved that they hugged each other tightly,pletely forgetting that Rosamond was also

    in the car.

    When Rosamond saw that they were about to kiss, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She coughed a few

    times and reminded them, ¡°Hey, you guys. I¡¯m still here.¡±

    Eliana seemed to have awoken from a dream. She quickly pushed Maurice away, her face flushed.

    ¡°Miss Deleon, thank you so much for today. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know if I could escape from that

    ce.¡±

    Rosamond waved her hand and said, ¡°You¡¯re wee. Actually, I could have gotten you out of there

    on my own. But Maurice insisted oning.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t get angry with her remarks. Instead, he reminded her, ¡°Miss Deleon, since you helped

    us, Jonathan would definitely take revenge on you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. What should we do then?¡±

    Eliana was worried. Rosamond had already helped her a lot. She couldn¡¯t implicate her more.

    But Maurice already had the n to deal with Jonathan. He suggested, ¡°Miss Deleon, if Jonathan

    comes to you, just tell him that I set you up. Put all the me on me. Stay out of trouble and avoid

    arguing with him.¡±

    Eliana was a little surprised. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so considerate.

    Rosamond looked at Maurice with no sign of fear at all. ¡°There is no need for that. I don¡¯t care about

    offending him anyway.¡±

    ¡°But Miss Deleon¡­¡±

    Eliana wanted to disagree, but Rosamond was firm.

    ¡°Eliana, you don¡¯t have to feel guilty. After all, I have never liked Jonathan. And now that he kidnapped

    you and almost hurt you, I will never cooperate with him again.¡±

    Eliana was shocked. She pursed her lips, not knowing how to answer.

    She seemed to owe more and more people favors.

 Chapter 620

    Chapter 620

    Rosamond sent Eliana and Maurice back to Eliana¡¯s apartment safely. After making sure that

    Jonathan¡¯s men didn¡¯t follow them, she was about to leave.

    But she turned to Maurice first and reminded him, ¡°Remember to take care of Eliana from now on. If

    this kind of thing happens again¡­¡±

    But before she could finish her words, he interrupted, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again. Miss Deleon, I owe you a

    favor this time.¡±

    Rosamond looked at Eliana, then turned back to Maurice and joked, ¡°There¡¯s no need to return the

    favor. Just help me take care of Eliana.¡±

    ¡°Miss Deleon, I don¡¯t need him to take care of me,¡± Eliana said stubbornly.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and wrapped his arm around her shoulders firmly.

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    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind me of that, Miss Deleon. Of course, I will take good care of my woman.¡±

    Rosamond smiled knowingly. ¡°Alright then. I hope you will always remember that promise.¡±

    Maurice smiled, and then took Eliana upstairs with his arm around her waist.

    Rosamond watched their backs, feeling a little confused. She didn¡¯t know if it was right to bring them

    back together.

    The White family and the Moran family were mortal enemies. And as soon as these two families met,

    they would fight to the death.

    Unfortunately, a twist of fate made Maurice, the sessor of Moran family, and Eliana, Ingrid¡¯s

    daughter, fall in love with each other. Was their love strong enough to transcend the feud between the

    two families that had been going on for generations?

    Romeo and Juliet¡¯s love story had a tragic end.

    Rosamond was worried that Maurice and Eliana would have the same fate. She couldn¡¯t help looking

    up at the sky and praying, ¡°Ingrid, have you seen it? If you have, please bless these two children.¡±

    At this time, Eliana was already standing at the door of her apartment. But for some reason, she was a

    little hesitant.

    She turned to Maurice and asked, ¡°Maurice, how do I look now?¡±

    Then she straightened her clothes and fixed her makeup. She didn¡¯t want Adrian and Aileen to feel sad

    when they saw her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You look as beautiful as ever.¡±

    Maurice gave her an encouraging smile and opened the door for her.

    Eliana took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, and put on a big smile. After stepping into the

    apartment, she shouted, ¡°Aileen, Adrian, Nana, I¡¯m back!¡±

    Her voice made Adrian and Aileen rush out of the room at full speed.

    ¡°Mommy!¡± they cried in unison. Adrian rushed into Eliana¡¯s arms. ¡°Mommy, where have you been? I¡¯m

    so worried about you.¡±

    He choked with sobs. When he knew that Eliana had a car ident, he was almost scared to death.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright now. I¡¯m back.¡±

    Eliana touched Adrian¡¯s head lovingly, with mixed emotions flooding her heart.

    ¡°Eliana, finally, you¡¯re back! I¡¯m so happy to see you. If you only know how worried we have been.¡±

    After saying this, Nana stepped forward and gave Eliana a big hug.

    She knew more about the inside story than the twins, so she was naturally more worried.

    In fact, she hadn¡¯t eaten and slept well these days. And her nerves were on edge when Eliana was not

    home.

    This time, Aileen walked to Eliana carefully and asked, ¡°Mommy, is it really you?¡±

    She stood timidly in front of Eliana, afraid that Eliana was just an illusion and would disappear if she

    touched her.

    Eliana had only been away for a few days, but Aileen had already lost a lot of weight. Looking at her

    daughter¡¯s thin face, she felt very sad.

    She hugged Aileen and sobbed, ¡°Yes, Aileen, it¡¯s Mommy. I¡¯m back.¡±

    Everyone was crying, making the atmosphere inside the apartment very emotional.

    No one paid attention to Maurice at all. They surrounded Eliana, and he had no ce to stand, so he

    could only step back. Then he bumped into Corbin, who had just arrived.

    And seeing the painful scene of them crying and hugging each other, Corbin couldn¡¯t help sighing

    emotionally.

    He said, ¡°Mr. Moran, it¡¯s so touching.¡±

    Corbin was so emotional that he wanted to hug Maurice to express his joy.

    But as soon as he approached Maurice, thetter dodged disgustedly.

    ¡°Stay away from me.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s tears were about to fall, but he immediately held them back.

    He couldn¡¯t help thinking that Maurice was so heartless.

    Since they had been away from each other for a few days, the twins clung to Eliana that evening, not

    wanting to let her go.

    But she had to coax them to bed, so she told them stories.

    Eliana had a thrilling day. She must be so exhausted that while talking, she couldn¡¯t help falling asleep

    too.

    Maurice had been waiting for her in the living room. After a long time, she had note out, so he

    went to the room to check on her. Then he saw her curling up in the small bed, sleeping soundly.

    He couldn¡¯t help smiling helplessly. He bent over and was about to pick her up.

    But suddenly, a pair of small dark eyes opened.

    Maurice met Adrian¡¯s gaze.

 Chapter 621

    Chapter 621

    Both stunned, Maurice and Adrian stared at each other nkly.

    Maurice had expected Adrian to tell him to leave.

    Instead, Adrian simply smiled at him and then turned his head, pretending not to see it and going back

    to sleep.

    Had he decided to ept him?

    A smile formed on Maurice¡¯s face. That was rather cute of Adrian.

    With Adrian¡¯s acquiescence, Maurice carried on walking towards Eliana and then carefully lifted her in

    his arms.

    It seemed she had smelled him, Eliana snuggled against his chest, and her expression softened.

    Maurice carried her to her bedroom and ced her gently on the bed. Even though he tried to be as

    careful as possible so that he wouldn¡¯t wake her, Eliana still woke up.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Eliana struggled in his arms as she woke up, dazed.

    ¡°Rx Eliana. It¡¯s me.¡± Worried he might scare her, Maurice spoke in a soft voice.

    As she realized it was Maurice, Eliana calmed down andy down.

    ¡°It¡¯s you¡­¡±

    With a smile, Maurice caressed her face. ¡°Go to sleep.¡±

    He turned around, ready to leave as he wanted Eliana to rest properly. However, shetched on to his

    hand the next second.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡±

    Maurice froze in his steps and turned to look at her.

    Despite her face being all red, Eliana didn¡¯t let her shyness make her let go of Maurice¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m a bit scared¡­ Do you mind keeping mepany? Just for a bit.¡±

    The room waspletely silent for a moment, and Eliana didn¡¯t dare to raise her head to look at

    Maurice.

    Her worries melted away as he suddenly pulled her into his warm embrace.

    ¡°You can sleep. I¡¯ll stay with you here.¡±

    ¡°You con sleep. I¡¯ll stoy with you here.¡±

    With Mourice¡¯s breoth obove her heod, Eliono finolly fell osleep.

    Mourice woke up in the middle of the night to find his orms empty. Eliono wos gone.

    In shock, he instontly got up to turn on the light. He wos olone in the room. Eliono hod disoppeored.

    He hurried out of the room ond found the kitchen lights were on.

    He sighed in relief. It seemed Eliono got hungry in the middle of the night ond thot wos whot mode her

    decide to moke food.

    Wolking over, he found thot she wos in her pojomos ot the stove.

    ¡°Did you get hungry?¡± He smiled.

    Oddly, Eliono didn¡¯t respond to his words.

    Feeling something wos wrong with her, Mourice went closer ond potted her on the shoulder. ¡°Whot ore

    you doing, Eliono?¡±

    Eliono swiveled oround ond Mourice wos frozen in feor.

    It wos not thot he wos foint-heorted; it wos thot the look on Eliono¡¯s foce wos too weird.

    With empty eyes, she stored ot him. She held o shorp knife ond her foce wos expressionless. She

    looked like o lifeless puppet.

    There wos something wrong with her!

    ¡°Eliono? Eliono! Woke up! This is very dongerous. Drop the knife!¡±

    Mourice kept colling her nome, not doring to get close to her. However, she didn¡¯t respond no motter

    how loudly he colled her.

    At this rote, she wos going to hurt herself.

    Mourice hesitontly moved forword, ¡°Listen to me, Eliono, drop the knife¡­¡±

    She wos still unresponsive ot first, but, os Mourice wos obout to touch her, she oppeored to be in shock

    ond her foce turned livid. She lifted the knife to stob Mourice.

    ¡°You can sleep. I¡¯ll stay with you here.¡±

    With Maurice¡¯s breath above her head, Eliana finally fell asleep.

    Maurice woke up in the middle of the night to find his arms empty. Eliana was gone.

    In shock, he instantly got up to turn on the light. He was alone in the room. Eliana had disappeared.

    He hurried out of the room and found the kitchen lights were on.

    He sighed in relief. It seemed Eliana got hungry in the middle of the night and that was what made her

    decide to make food.

    Walking over, he found that she was in her pajamas at the stove.

    ¡°Did you get hungry?¡± He smiled.

    Oddly, Eliana didn¡¯t respond to his words.

    Feeling something was wrong with her, Maurice went closer and patted her on the shoulder. ¡°What are

    you doing, Eliana?¡±

    Eliana swiveled around and Maurice was frozen in fear.

    It was not that he was faint-hearted; it was that the look on Eliana¡¯s face was too weird.

    With empty eyes, she stared at him. She held a sharp knife and her face was expressionless. She

    looked like a lifeless puppet.

    There was something wrong with her!

    ¡°Eliana? Eliana! Wake up! This is very dangerous. Drop the knife!¡±

    Maurice kept calling her name, not daring to get close to her. However, she didn¡¯t respond no matter

    how loudly he called her.

    At this rate, she was going to hurt herself.

    Maurice hesitantly moved forward, ¡°Listen to me, Eliana, drop the knife¡­¡±

    She was still unresponsive at first, but, as Maurice was about to touch her, she appeared to be in shock

    and her face turned livid. She lifted the knife to stab Maurice.

    Luckily, Maurice quickly dodged the attack.

    Luckily, Maurice quickly dodged the attack.

    The sleepwalking Eliana, however, was not willing to let him escape. She continued trying to attack him

    until he had no choice but to subdue her.

    Maurice grabbed the hand with the knife first, before holding her down with his free one.

    Corbin, who had been sleeping in the living room, was woken up by the sound of them struggling.

    In his hazy vision, blurry from sleep, he could see Eliana holding a knife and acting crazy.

    He was in shock. Surely this had to be a dream. Right?

    ¡°Why are you just sitting there watching? Help me!¡± Maurice yelled at him.

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯ming!¡± Corbin returned to his senses instantly and hurried over.

    However, Eliana had taken the opportunity while Maurice was talking with Corbin, to free herself from

    Maurice¡¯s grip and stabbed at him.

    Maurice blocked the attack with his hand, and the knife cut him, blood gushing from the wound.

    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    ¡°Geez! What is happening?¡± Corbin rushed over.

    ¡°Stop her!¡± Maurice growled.

    Corbin jumped into the fray.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t particrly strong, but Maurice feared she might hurt herself so he had been very

    careful. He just wanted to get rid of the knife first.

    Luckily, with Corbin¡¯s help, Maurice finally wrested it from her.

    Eliana wriggled and tried to pick the knife off the floor. However, her hand touched the warm blood on

    the back of Maurice¡¯s hand all of a sudden. As though she had been struck by lightning, Eliana woke

    up.

    ¡°Maurice¡­¡±

 Chapter 622

    Chapter 622

    ¡°What is going on? Why am I here?¡±

    When Eliana woke up, she was shocked by the scene in front of her.

    When and how did shee to the kitchen?

    And why were Maurice and Corbin here?

    Corbin looked at her in confusion and asked cautiously, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t remember anything.¡±

    Eliana felt a splitting headache. She patted her head, but her mind was still nk. She couldn¡¯t

    remember even a little of what had happened just now.

    Maurice looked at her nk face solemnly. Corbin, on the other hand, was obviously frightened.

    When Eliana lowered her head, she saw the blood-stained knife on the floor. She followed the line of

    bloodstains until her eyes reached the wound on the back of Maurice¡¯s hand, which was still bleeding.

    ¡°Maurice, your hand!¡±

    She was so worried that she approached him. ¡°Let me have a look. How did you get hurt?¡±

    Maurice quickly hid his hand behind him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Corbin opened his mouth, wanting to exin what had just happened.

    But when he looked at Maurice, he was stopped by the warning in Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Corbin sleepwalked just now, looking for ketchup. When he found one, he tried to open the

    pouch with a knife. When I saw what he was doing, I ran to stop him. He identally hurt me. But don¡¯t

    worry. The stains on the floor are all ketchup.¡±

    Maurice made up a bunch of lies without even changing the expression on his face.

    Corbin didn¡¯t dare to speak anymore.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Eliana was still confused. ¡°Then what am I doing here?¡±

    ¡°Is thot true?¡± Eliono wos still confused. ¡°Then whot om I doing here?¡±

    ¡°You wonted to drink woter, so wee here together.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Eliono wos still in o doze, but she believed whot Mourice soid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ofroid now, okoy? Go bock to your room ond rest.¡±

    Mourice cooxed her to go bock to her room.

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    As soon os she left, his foce dorkened.

    ¡°Boss, let me help you with your wound,¡± Corbin soid onxiously.

    He wos sure thot Mourice hod been bodly hurt by Eliono just now.

    It wos only then thot Mourice felt the poin. He nodded, sot on the sofo, ond stretched out his hond.

    While he wos lost in thought, Corbin took out the first-oid kit ond cleoned his wound.

    Something wos off with Eliono.

    Obviously, she wosn¡¯t in her right mind just now.

    Then Mourice suddenly thought of o terrible possibility.

    ¡°Corbin, something is off with Eliono. This must hove something to do with whot Jonothon did to her.

    Her mind must hove been offected when Jonothon locked her up.¡±

    ¡°Then whot should we do now, boss?¡±

    Corbin wos o little scored. At the thought of whot hod hoppened just now, he felt o chill down his spine.

    Eliono looked ferocious when she tried to hurt Mourice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her obout it for now. I¡¯ll find o doctor to check on her first.¡±

    As he spoke, Mourice looked ot his injured hond with o troce of worry in his eyes.

    The next doy, Eliono got up eorly to moke breokfost for everyone.

    ¡°Is that true?¡± Eliana was still confused. ¡°Then what am I doing here?¡±

    ¡°You wanted to drink water, so we came here together.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡± Eliana was still in a daze, but she believed what Maurice said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid now, okay? Go back to your room and rest.¡±

    Maurice coaxed her to go back to her room.

    As soon as she left, his face darkened.

    ¡°Boss, let me help you with your wound,¡± Corbin said anxiously.

    He was sure that Maurice had been badly hurt by Eliana just now.

    It was only then that Maurice felt the pain. He nodded, sat on the sofa, and stretched out his hand.

    While he was lost in thought, Corbin took out the first-aid kit and cleaned his wound.

    Something was off with Eliana.

    Obviously, she wasn¡¯t in her right mind just now.

    Then Maurice suddenly thought of a terrible possibility.

    ¡°Corbin, something is off with Eliana. This must have something to do with what Jonathan did to her.

    Her mind must have been affected when Jonathan locked her up.¡±

    ¡°Then what should we do now, boss?¡±

    Corbin was a little scared. At the thought of what had happened just now, he felt a chill down his spine.

    Eliana looked ferocious when she tried to hurt Maurice.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell her about it for now. I¡¯ll find a doctor to check on her first.¡±

    As he spoke, Maurice looked at his injured hand with a trace of worry in his eyes.

    The next day, Eliana got up early to make breakfast for everyone.

    She was in a good mood, and she didn¡¯t seem to remember what had happenedst night.

    She was in a good mood, and she didn¡¯t seem to remember what had happenedst night.

    Maurice cooperated calmly with her. He didn¡¯t mention anything aboutst night.

    During breakfast, Maurice skillfully helped the two children, and they were well-behaved in front of him.

    Eliana was surprised to see this scene, wondering when they started getting along so well.

    Adrian didn¡¯t like Maurice before. But now, he was being polite and obedient to Maurice.

    And Maurice? She didn¡¯t seem to remember he was this kind to her children before.

    What had happened when she was away?

    Eliana was preupied with these questions throughout breakfast.

    After eating, Maurice told Eliana he wanted to take her to the hospital for a checkup.

    However, Eliana showed obvious resistance.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    ¡°You need a thorough examination, so we can rest assured,¡± Maurice patiently exined.

    Eliana looked embarrassed upon hearing this. She knew he was right.

    But she didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital. When Jonathan locked her up, she saw a lot of doctors who

    forced her to take a lot of strange pills. She was traumatized by this experience.

    ¡°I still don¡¯t want to go¡­¡± Eliana quibbled, ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m fine, right?¡±

    This time, even the twins helped Maurice persuade her. ¡°Mommy, be a good girl. You should go with

    Mr. Moran to the hospital.¡±

 Chapter 623

    Chapter 623

    When she heard what the two children said, Eliana was embarrassed.

    ¡°Fine, I can go. Would that make you happy?

    Even though she agreed to go to the hospital, she still didn¡¯t want to.

    Once she went out, no one would know if she went to the hospital or not.

    Unfortunately, she failed to factor in Maurice.

    When she got into the car but refused to go to the hospital, an idea came to Maurice.

    ¡°Right now, you have two options. For the first option, you must go to the hospital with me. Your second

    option is to tell me why you lied and told me Jonathan was the father of the children. It¡¯s up to you to

    decide.¡±

    Eliana was unprepared for that scenario. She was at a loss for words.

    Damn it! How did he find out?

    Her mind raced with all the possible things she could say to answer his question, but no matter what

    she came up with, it sounded like an excuse.

    In the end, she decided not to give him an answer.

    ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll go to the hospital right now! I don¡¯t want to wait any longer.¡±

    She lowered her head and quickly fastened her seat belt.

    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Although her secret was revealed, she was still determined to hide the truth from him.

    Maurice¡¯s eyes were stormy as he looked at her.

    He scoffed and suddenly clutched her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t try and y tricks with me. You can¡¯t run away from

    this. I know everything.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? What do you know, Maurice?¡± Eliana asked nervously.

    ¡°I¡¯m Aileen and Adrian¡¯s biological father, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Aileen ond Adrion¡¯s biologicol fother, oren¡¯t I?¡±

    Though he fromed it os o question, Eliono knew it wosn¡¯t.

    Her eyes widened in shock. Mourice knew!

    After Eliono heord him soy those words, her heort beot loudly in her chest. She knew there wos no woy

    out, but she didn¡¯t wont to confess to him.

    ¡°No, thot¡¯s not possible,¡± she replied weokly.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you odmit it?¡± Mourice removed the poternity test report from o poper bog ond shoved it in

    front of Eliono¡¯s foce.

    A flurry of emotions possed through Eliono¡¯s foce os she reod the report.

    The test reveoled the truth. Mourice wos the children¡¯s fother, ond she couldn¡¯t deny it ony longer.

    She¡¯d been dreoding this doy for months, but when it finollye, she wos surprised she didn¡¯t feel

    scored. The only emotions she felt were emborrossment ond guilt.

    After the cor ident ond her neor-deoth experience, her perspective on things chonged.

    If Mourice didn¡¯t bring up the issue of the children¡¯s porentoge, she might choose on oppropriote time to

    tell him herself.

    In the post, she doubted whether Mourice would be o good fother or husbond. Bock then, he hod no

    ideo how to core for children, ond Eliono wosn¡¯t sure if he wos serious obout their relotionship.

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    The truth wos, he stepped up ond cored for the children when she wos owoy. Mourice went to sove her,

    even if it endongered his own sofety.

    After he found out obout the web of lies she creoted, Mourice still cored obout her sofety ond well-

    being.

    ¡°I¡¯m Aileen and Adrian¡¯s biological father, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Though he framed it as a question, Eliana knew it wasn¡¯t.

    Her eyes widened in shock. Maurice knew!

    After Eliana heard him say those words, her heart beat loudly in her chest. She knew there was no way

    out, but she didn¡¯t want to confess to him.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not possible,¡± she replied weakly.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you admit it?¡± Maurice removed the paternity test report from a paper bag and shoved it in

    front of Eliana¡¯s face.

    A flurry of emotions passed through Eliana¡¯s face as she read the report.

    The test revealed the truth. Maurice was the children¡¯s father, and she couldn¡¯t deny it any longer.

    She¡¯d been dreading this day for months, but when it finally came, she was surprised she didn¡¯t feel

    scared. The only emotions she felt were embarrassment and guilt.

    After the car ident and her near-death experience, her perspective on things changed.

    If Maurice didn¡¯t bring up the issue of the children¡¯s parentage, she might choose an appropriate time to

    tell him herself.

    In the past, she doubted whether Maurice would be a good father or husband. Back then, he had no

    idea how to care for children, and Eliana wasn¡¯t sure if he was serious about their rtionship.

    The truth was, he stepped up and cared for the children when she was away. Maurice went to save her,

    even if it endangered his own safety.

    After he found out about the web of lies she created, Maurice still cared about her safety and well-

    being.

    All of these factors made Eliana see Maurice in a new light.

    All of these factors made Eliana see Maurice in a new light.

    Maurice was a different man from the one she knew from before. She felt safe revealing the truth to

    him.

    Maurice was growing impatient as she stayed silent.

    The evidence was clear. Was Eliana still trying to find a way out of it?

    Maurice became more flustered at the thought.

    ¡°Eliana, don¡¯t you think you owe me an exnation?¡±

    She took a deep breath to steady herself before facing Maurice. When she saw how much he was

    struggled to reign in his anger, she found it endearing.

    Before she could realize what she was doing, she leaned over and kissed him.

    ¡°You¡¯ve known it, haven¡¯t you? What else do I need to exin?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s eyes widened in shock. Her kiss melted any anger he still held in his heart.

    ¡°Maurice,¡± Eliana said softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lied about the children. Can you ever bring yourself to forgive

    me?¡±

    She meant every word she said.

    No matter her reasons, she couldn¡¯t deny that she deprived Maurice of his right to know his children.

    Maurice was taken aback by her sincere apology.

    The words he prepared for this confrontation left him.

    At first, he wanted to teach this bold woman a lesson. In the end, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do that.

    The truth was, he loved her.

 Chapter 624

    Chapter 624

    ¡°Tell me, why did you lie to me about the kids being Jonathan¡¯s?¡±

    Maurice needed answers, even though he was willing to forgive Eliana.

    Eliana¡¯s face paled when she heard those words, which rendered her speechless, making her lower

    her head guiltily.

    Naturally, she was too ashamed to tell him how she had really thought at that time.

    Maurice noticed her expression and understood her, so he asked tentatively, ¡°Were you perhaps afraid

    that I might take the kids away from you if I knew they¡¯re mine?¡±

    Eliana hung her head even lower.

    His guess seemed to be right.

    She had been raising their kids all alone at that time, and had no sense of security, so obviously she

    could not risk losing the kids.

    Maurice was both angry and distressed by the truth.

    His anger was because Eliana had not trusted him enough to tell him the truth and had caused him to

    misunderstand her and thus lose so much time with his own kids.

    However, he felt sorry for Eliana. After all, she had been through so much pain and suffering as an

    unwed mother, and she had been worried that he might take the kids away from her.

    Thinking of that, he was having mixed feelings.

    Eliana became nervous when she saw him being oddly silent.

    ¡°Are you angry?¡± she asked cautiously.

    So she did know that it would make him angry¡­ So she did know thot it would moke him ongry¡­

    Although Mourice wos indeed furious, when he sow the teors in her eyes, he could not turn his feelings

    into words.

    ¡°Listen corefully, Eliono. I sweor thot I would never try to toke the kids owoy from you. Do you

    understond?¡±

    His sincere promise dispelled the feor ond uneosiness in her heort in o moment.

    ¡°And¡­ There¡¯s no one but you who con seporote yourself from the kids, so for now, the most importont

    thing for you to do is to toke good core of yourself. Did you not see how concerned ond sod the kids

    were when we left?¡±

    Mourice¡¯s words were like on orrow thot hit the bulls-eye. Eliono, who hod been resistinging to the

    hospitol until now, wos suddenly enlightened.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I must not worry the kids. Let¡¯s go to the hospitol.¡±

    A sense of relief croshed into Mourice¡¯s heort, so he leoned over ond fostened her seotbelt.

    They were so close to eoch other thot Eliono immediotely blushed, but she did not ovoid him.

    Since they hod cleored the misunderstonding between them, they felt much closer to eoch other.

    Meonwhile, Adrion ond Aileen were upstoirs, wotching whot wos going on downstoirs from the window.

    After seeing Eliono ond Mourice get in the cor ond drive owoy, they withdrew their heods from the

    window in sotisfoction. So she did know that it would make him angry¡­

    Although Maurice was indeed furious, when he saw the tears in her eyes, he could not turn his feelings

    into words.

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ¡°Listen carefully, Eliana. I swear that I would never try to take the kids away from you. Do you

    understand?¡±

    His sincere promise dispelled the fear and uneasiness in her heart in a moment.

    ¡°And¡­ There¡¯s no one but you who can separate yourself from the kids, so for now, the most important

    thing for you to do is to take good care of yourself. Did you not see how concerned and sad the kids

    were when we left?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s words were like an arrow that hit the bulls-eye. Eliana, who had been resistinging to the

    hospital until now, was suddenly enlightened.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I must not worry the kids. Let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡±

    A sense of relief crashed into Maurice¡¯s heart, so he leaned over and fastened her seatbelt.

    They were so close to each other that Eliana immediately blushed, but she did not avoid him.

    Since they had cleared the misunderstanding between them, they felt much closer to each other.

    Meanwhile, Adrian and Aileen were upstairs, watching what was going on downstairs from the window.

    After seeing Eliana and Maurice get in the car and drive away, they withdrew their heads from the

    window in satisfaction.

    Just then, Nana woke up, walked to the table, and saw the empty tes in confusion.

    Just then, Nana woke up, walked to the table, and saw the empty tes in confusion.

    ¡°Have you finished your breakfast? Did you really finish eating this early? When did Eliana even cook

    for you?¡± Looking at her watch subconsciously, she saw that it was only nine in the morning.

    ncing at Nana with acent smile, Aileen said, ¡°Nana, you won¡¯t understand. It¡¯s the power of

    love.¡±

    Without saying a word, Nana covered her empty stomach, pouting.

    It seemed like she was the only one who had not eaten yet.

    Soon, Eliana and Maurice arrived at the hospital. Eliana was sent to the doctor¡¯s office for a full

    examination.

    While Maurice waited outside, Wyatt came with the doctor.

    ¡°Doctor, what happened to her?¡±

    Shaking his head, the doctor answered, ¡°There are no obvious injuries, and she looks fine. We couldn¡¯t

    really find anything.¡±

    Frowning, Maurice said in a deep voice, ¡°Then why did she sleepwalk in the middle of the night and try

    to hurt others? And why did she have no memory of it once she woke up?¡±

    After thinking for a moment, the doctor voiced his guess. ¡°Our checkup has concluded that she was not

    hurt, but from what you say, my guess would be¡­ That she might be suffering from post-traumatic

    stress disorder.¡±

 Chapter 625

    Chapter 625

    The words ¡°post-traumatic stress disorder¡± hit Maurice¡¯s heart, making it ache.

    Sure enough, Eliana was traumatized by what Jonathan did.

    Maurice couldn¡¯t help ming himself, thinking this had happened because he had failed to protect her

    well.

    ¡°So what should we do next?¡±

    Maurice realized it was useless to feel guilty. The only thing he could do now was try his best to cure

    Eliana.

    The doctor knew it might be a little tricky, so he suggested, ¡°There is no specific medication to cure

    PTSD now. I will prescribe her some tranquilizers to make her calm down. Then we will observe to see

    if there¡¯s any way.¡±

    ¡°In that case, I have a request. Can you not tell her about her sleepwalking yet? I¡¯m afraid it will scare

    her.¡± Maurice raised his concern.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to tell you,¡± the doctor said, giving him a look ofpliment. ¡°Mr. Moran,

    you are very considerate. Your wife can¡¯t suffer any emotional fluctuation now.¡±

    Afterwards, Maurice asked the doctor some do¡¯s and don¡¯ts before letting the doctor go.

    Wyatt looked at Maurice with shock written all over his face.

    Was this really his friend Maurice who was always cold and indifferent towards everything? Maurice

    looked like a loving husband worrying about his wife.

    Besides, Wyatt also noticed that when the doctor addressed Eliana as Maurice¡¯s wife, he didn¡¯t refute

    it. He naturally epted it.

    So despite Maurice¡¯s solemn look, Wyatt couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°So, she is your wife now?¡±

    So despite Maurice¡¯s solemn look, Wyatt couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°So, she is your wife now?¡±

    Maurice nced at him indifferently and said affirmatively, ¡°She is the mother of my children. Naturally,

    I¡¯m okay with her being my future wife.¡±

    The yful expression on Wyatt¡¯s face suddenly froze. He was so shocked that his mouth gaped open.

    ¡°You mean that¡­ The twins are actually your and Eliana¡¯s children?¡±

    Maurice noddedcently. ¡°Exactly!¡±

    Wyatt was dumbfounded. He felt it was so dramatic.

    Just a few days ago, Maurice was a single man. All of a sudden, he had a family now?

    Now Wyatt realized that all the clues before actually showed that the twins were Maurice¡¯s children. It

    was just that they didn¡¯t think about it.

    Although Wyatt was happy for Maurice, he was also a little jealous.

    ¡°You are happy being a father now, but I am still single. I have fallen too far behind in this aspect.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s words suddenly made Maurice feel an inexplicable sense of pride.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too envious. Being a father is not that easy.¡±

    Wyatt rolled his eyes at Maurice.

    What nonsense was Maurice talking about? If being a father was not easy, why did Maurice look so

    proud when he said those words?

    Wyatt couldn¡¯t help but be amused when he saw Maurice trying to y cool.

    But at the same time, the jealousy he felt inexplicably ignited his fighting spirit. ¡°Just wait and see. I will

    speed up and catch up with you soon.¡±

    Maurice raised his eyebrows and teased, ¡°I¡¯ll wait then.¡±

    They just smiled at each other without saying anything else.

    After a while, Maurice said, ¡°Thank you for bringing the doctor here today. It seems that it¡¯s time for the

    Moran family to build our own hospital. When my grandfather needed surgery, it was Harriet who found

    a doctor for him. And now, I have to ask for your favor to find Eliana a doctor.¡±

    He sounded serious because he was really considering it.

    If it weren¡¯t for the favor that the Moran family owed to the Stone family, Harriet wouldn¡¯t have dared to

    come and pester him again and again.

    Upon hearing this, Wyatt patted him on the shoulder andforted him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Every family has its

    own resources. Actually, I also know the doctor who performed your grandfather¡¯s surgery. When your

    grandfather got sick, I thought of asking him for help. But Harriet moved faster than me.¡±

    As Wyatt said this, he was a little sorry. ¡°That doctor is a friend of our family. My mom once asked him

    to perform surgery for an acquaintance.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

 Chapter 626

    Chapter 626

    Speak of the devil, and the doctor was suddenly walking towards them. Maurice was speaking to Wyatt

    when the doctor who treated Earle approached them.

    Wyatt spotted him from afar. He recalled what was said to him moments ago, and his eyes lit up in

    anticipation.

    ¡°He¡¯s here! Wait one moment. I promise you I¡¯ll be able to help with this. Harriet won¡¯t get another

    chance to do you a favor.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a grown man. Why do you still act like a child?¡± Maurice rubbed his forehead helplessly.

    Wyatt cleared his throat before walking to the doctor with a bright smile.

    ¡°Doctor Sampson, it¡¯s been too long since Ist saw you. How have you been?¡±

    The doctor wore a white coat and a pair of gold-framed sses. He was known to be an amiable

    middle-aged man. Based on his appearance alone, it was hard to decipher whether he was an expert

    in the medical field.

    ¡°Wyatt!¡± Doctor Eugene Sampson looked him over from head to toe in surprise. ¡°What a coincidence!

    What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°I remember thest time we spoke was when I reached out to you to treat Mr. Earle Moran. I¡¯ve been

    wondering since then why you epted Miss Stone¡¯s request first,¡± Wyatt said with a smile.

    Doctor Sampson wasn¡¯t offended by his words. He gave Wyatt a friendly smile and said, ¡°What matters

    the most to me is saving lives. In the end, does it matter which request I amodated first?¡±

    Wyatt wanted to ask him more questions, but Maurice stopped him. Maurice was worried Wyatt would

    say something offensive.

    ¡°Thank you for your help with my grandpa. You saved his life, Doctor Sampson.¡±

    Doctor Sampson waved his hand good-naturedly and said, ¡°It¡¯s my duty to save lives. There¡¯s no need

    to thank me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. You¡¯re the only person we reached out to, who could help my

    grandpa.¡± Maurice was determined to express his gratitude.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so modest. You¡¯re the only person we reached out to, who could help my

    grandpa.¡± Maurice was determined to express his gratitude.

    Doctor Sampson hurriedly exined, ¡°Wyatt¡¯s mother introduced me to a patient years ago and Mr.

    Moran¡¯s condition reminded me of hers. The situations were simr, so I figured out the appropriate

    surgical technique needed. I remember the surgery being quite expensive, and the subsequent

    maintenance costs were also high. If I hadn¡¯t performed the same operation before, I wouldn¡¯t have had

    the courage to do it again on Mr. Moran.¡±

    When Doctor Sampson mentioned the past, curiosity gnawed at Wyatt.

    ¡°Do you remember who the patient was? That person even got my mother to ask you to treat her!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s confidential information, so I can¡¯t say,¡± Doctor Sampson shook his head and refused.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Wyatt wasn¡¯t keen on giving up his inquiries. ¡°Please don¡¯t keep me guessing. If the patient could afford

    to hire you, that means they¡¯re wealthy, am I right? Celebrities also don¡¯t have the luxury of privacy.

    Even if you refuse to tell me, I¡¯ll find out eventually. All I need to do is ask around. Unless the patient

    wasn¡¯t a celebrity.¡±

    Doctor Sampson hesitated before he warned, ¡°Wyatt, I hope you don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡±

    Wyatt made a casual guess, but the doctor¡¯s hesitation confirmed his suspicions.

    Was the patient not a celebrity?

    If that person wasn¡¯t a celebrity, then why did his mother help her?

    The more he pondered, the more curious he became. Unfortunately, Doctor Sampson was firm about

    revealing patient¡¯s information, so Wyatt had no choice but to follow the doctor into his office.

    ¡°Doctor Sampson, could you tell me? I want to know this friend of my mother¡¯s. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be

    able to sleep at night if you keep me wondering!¡±

    Doctor Sampson was exhausted by his interrogation. He was about to drive Wyatt out of his office

    when someone knocked on his door.

    Before the doctor could answer, the person pushed the door open and entered the room.

    Doctor Sampson looked at her and came up with an idea.

    ¡°Wyatt, are you sure you want to know who that patient was? Since you¡¯re curious about that person,

    maybe you could ask her family for yourself.¡±

    He gestured for Wyatt to turn around.

    Wyatt turned his head.

    He came face to face with someone he never would¡¯ve expected.

    ¡°Nicole?¡±

    Both were stunned to run into each other.

    Nicole didn¡¯t expect to see Wyatt at the hospital. She couldn¡¯t believe her terrible luck.

    At that moment, she froze in shock.

    ¡°Miss Swift, you¡¯re here!¡± Doctor Sampson waved her over with a smile.

    ¡°Doctor Sampson, I-¡±

    Nicole lowered her head nervously and stopped herself. She couldn¡¯t find the right words to say.

    Her mother was discharged from the hospital soon after her surgery. Several times a year, she took her

    mother to the hospital for check-ups to prevent her illness from rpsing.

    That day, she visited the hospital to ask about her mother¡¯s physical examination. Thest thing she

    expected was to run into Wyatt.

    Wyatt still couldn¡¯t get over the surprise of seeing Nicole. When he finally came to his senses, he

    recalled what the doctor had said. So he blurted out, ¡°Nicole, who got sick?¡±

 Chapter 627

    Chapter 627

    Facing Wyatt¡¯s question, Nicole could only remain silent.

    In this situation, there was no way for her to talk to Doctor Sampson.

    So she said quickly, ¡°Doctor Sampson, since you have a guest, I¡¯ll juste back to talk to you next

    time.¡±

    Then she turned around and left without waiting for the doctor¡¯s answer.

    But of course, Wyatt wouldn¡¯t let her go just like that. So he immediately ran after her.

    Doctor Sampson could only look at their receding backs in confusion. He sighed, ¡°s¡­ Young people

    nowadays. What is wrong with them?¡±

    Outside the doctor¡¯s office, Wyatt eventually caught up with Nicole.

    ¡°Nicole!¡± He grabbed her arm and said, ¡°Someone in your family got sick five years ago, right? And she

    was seriously ill at that time.¡±

    ¡°That matter has nothing to do with you,¡± Nicole retorted with a cold expression, trying to break free

    from Wyatt¡¯s grip.

    ¡°Okay, it has nothing to do with me. But it has something to do with my mom, right? It was my mom

    who found Doctor Sampson for her. But why did my mom know it while I didn¡¯t? What really happened

    between you and my mom?¡±

    At this point, Nicole felt like she had no way to continue hiding everything. But she tried to keep calm.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just asked your mom for help. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe you. Things are not that simple.¡±

    Wyatt suddenly recalled the day he reopened his restaurant. Nicole met his mother at that time.

    He thought it was their first time to meet. It turned out that they deliberately pretended not to know each

    other in front of him.

    But why did they do that?

    But why did they do that?

    There were many questions in Wyatt¡¯s mind. Who got sick in Nicole¡¯s family? And why did his mother

    help Nicole?

    The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong.

    Something he didn¡¯t know must have happened in the past. And he had a feeling that it was very

    important. He must know it.

    ¡°Wyatt, let go of me,¡± Nicole hissed when she noticed that Wyatt was getting closer and closer to the

    truth. She wanted to escape.

    But the more she struggled, the more he tightened his grip.

    ¡°Ouch! You¡¯re hurting me.¡± A pained expression crept across Nicole¡¯s face when she felt that her arm

    was going to be crushed by Wyatt. ¡°Wyatt, I said, let go of my arm!¡±

    But her resistance stung him. He went crazy and forced her to tell him the truth.

    Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t let go of you. Not unless you make everything clear to me.¡±

    The two of them were in a stalemate when Wyatt suddenly felt something hit the back of his head

    heavily. And the sudden pain made him bend over.

    ¡°Bastard, let go of my daughter!¡±

    Behind Wyatt, Kyra held her bag in both hands and red at him.

    Wyatt covered the back of his head with his hands and turned around. Then he saw a strange woman

    with a paleplexion staring at him angrily. The bag in her hands must be the weapon she used to hit

    him.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, do I know you?¡±

    Then Nicole suddenly eximed, ¡°Mom!¡±

    Wait! Nicole called the woman her mom?

    It turned out that the woman was Nicole¡¯s mother.

    Wyatt¡¯s mind suddenly went nk. He was so shocked that he called Kyra, ¡°Mom¡­¡±

    When Kyra heard the man who bullied her daughter call her mom, she was furious and hit him with her

    bag again.

    ¡°What did you say? Who are you calling mom? I am not your mother.¡±

    Themotion caught the attention of Wyatt¡¯s bodyguards.

    They all thought he was in danger, so they immediately rushed over and were about to take Kyra away.

    But Wyatt shouted at once, ¡°Stop! Let her go!¡±

    The bodyguards were stunned. They looked at each other, not knowing what he meant.

    Since the bodyguards made such a fuss, the situation escted.

    The passersby couldn¡¯t help looking at them curiously. Soon, one of them recognized Nicole.

    ¡°What is going on over there? They seem to be arguing.¡±

    ¡°Oh my! Look at the young woman. Doesn¡¯t she look like the famous actress Nicole Swift?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it seems. And who is that man beside her? Is that her boyfriend?¡±

    The discussion got louder and louder. Nicole hurriedly lowered her head, trying to hide her face.

    Wyatt quickly stood in front of her and blocked those inquiring eyes.

    Damn! Why did it have to be now?

    Nicole would be in trouble if she got recognized.

    So he turned to Kyra and said, ¡°Mrs. Swift, we can¡¯t stay here anymore. Let¡¯s go to the VIP room first.¡±

 Chapter 628

    Chapter 628

    Kyra red at Wyatt. Though she was still furious, she knew that they were not in the right ce where

    they could talk.

    ¡°Nicole, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Holding Nicole¡¯s hand, she walked towards the VIP lounge, escorted by Wyatt¡¯s bodyguards.

    As they moved forward, more people gathered around, putting Kyra in a gloomy mood as she dragged

    Nicole.

    Looking at her mother, who had always been a gentle person, bing tough to protect her, Nicole

    pitied Kyra.

    ¡°Mom, take it easy, we¡¯re only here to examine your body, not to fight.¡±

    Kyra was amused. ¡°Nicole, does this seem like a good time to joke around?¡±

    The enthusiastic crowd surrounded them, and when Nicole saw her mother barely holding up in front of

    the crowd, she could not help but lowering her head in shame.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom¡­ I got you in trouble.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Kyra tightened her grip on Nicole¡¯s hand andforted her, ¡°Nicole,

    straighten yourself up. People recognize you because you¡¯re a star! It¡¯s not like you did anything bad,

    so why are you lowering your head before them?¡±

    Nicole subconsciously raised her head, and when she met her mother¡¯s smiling eyes, she felt a

    glimmer of courage.

    Soon, they entered the VIP lounge while the crowd was stopped outside.

    Wyatt followed them in, looked at Nicole and said with a frown, ¡°There are too many people outside, so

    we¡¯ll probably have to stay here for now. Don¡¯t go out until they¡¯ve left, or your will be ruining your

    reputation!¡±

    Nicole nodded in reply.

    Nicole nodded in reply.

    The room felt awkwardly silent. Recalling what happened earlier, Wyatt looked at Kyra guiltily and was

    embarrassed.

    ¡°Mrs. Swift, I¡¯m so sorry¡­ You don¡¯t know who I am, right? I didn¡¯t visit you because I didn¡¯t even know

    you were sick¡­¡±

    Wyatt felt really sorry. After following Nicole and her mother and hearing their conversation, he also

    understood that it was Kyra who had been sick years ago.

    He felt like an ipetent boyfriend for not even knowing about his girlfriend¡¯s mother¡¯s serious

    illness.

    Looking at Wyatt, Kyra gradually calmed down. However, there was still a hint of anger in her heart.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to visit me. I know who you are.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    Wyatt was a little surprised, and he wondered if Nicole had mentioned him to Kyra.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you Nicole¡¯s ex? I remember that you broke up with her years ago, so why are you still

    pestering her?¡±

    Her mocking tone made Nicole speak up, ¡°Mom!¡±

    Hearing that, Kyra gave Nicole a disappointed re.

    She had been really distressed about her daughter being a single woman, so she was even thinking of

    patching things up between Nicole and Wyatt, but then she really regretted it when she saw how rudely

    he was treating Nicole.

    Kyra could never bring herself to leave her baby girl with a man who did not know how to respect and

    protect her.

    Wyatt had lost himself at that time, but now that he hade to his senses, he deeply regretted his

    actions.

    ¡°Mrs. Swift, I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Todd, I think you¡¯re apologizing to the wrong person here. You don¡¯t need to apologize to me; you

    need to ask for Nicole¡¯s forgiveness.¡±

    Kyra pulled the dazed Nicole before him and looked at him seriously. ¡°I don¡¯t care what happened

    between you and Nicole, but the way you treated her was not the way a man should treat his ex-

    girlfriend.¡±

    Kyra¡¯s words hit Wyatt¡¯s heart like a steel bullet.

    He turned to Nicole and said, ¡°Just now¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I was too reckless.¡±

    His apology was a little shocking to Nicole, because she was not expecting him to listen to Kyra. The

    Wyatt she knew was always undisciplined and rarely took things seriously, let alone apologize

    solemnly.

    However, Wyatt was staring deep into her eyes now, waiting for her answer.

    Nicole blushed under his deep gaze and said awkwardly, ¡°Fine, I ept your apology.¡±

    Noticing their expressions, Kyra understood.

    Although many years had passed, Nicole and Wyatt still had each other in their hearts.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 629

    Chapter 629

    After apologizing to Kyra, Wyatt finally asked the question that was bothering him, ¡°Mrs. Swift, when did

    you get sick? Was it before my car ident, or after? And why didn¡¯t Nicole tell me?¡±

    Questions were raining on Kyra and Nicole.

    And Nicole became anxious before Kyra could even say anything.

    ¡°Wyatt, why are you asking all this now? It was ages ago, and there is no need for you to know about it

    now!¡±

    Since Nicole was being so obvious, how could he not figure out the problem?

    In a low voice, he said, ¡°Nicole, you¡¯ve been lying to me all along. Are you going to continue lying in

    front of your mom? Just like what she said, the way you¡¯re handling this is not the way to treat

    someone you once loved.¡±

    Nicole was stunned and speechless for a moment.

    Looking into Wyatt¡¯s eyes which were tinted with sadness, Nicole was depressed.

    Over the years, truth had been weighing on her heart like a heavy boulder, but she had kept her

    promise to not let anyone know about the secret.

    How could she possibly reveal it now?

    Kyra gently squeezed her daughter¡¯s hand to give her some courage.

    After hesitating for a while, Nicole finally opened her mouth and was about to say it¡­

    But then, the door opened all of a sudden, and a hospital staff walked in.

    ¡°You may leave now, Mr. Todd. Everyone else has left, and Miss Swift¡¯s agent is waiting outside for

    her.¡±

    Upon hearing that, Nicole snapped back to her senses, breaking into a cold sweat.

    What just happened to her? She almost ended up breaking her promise!

    After opologizing to Kyro, Wyott finolly osked the question thot wos bothering him, ¡°Mrs. Swift, when did

    you get sick? Wos it before my cor ident, or ofter? And why didn¡¯t Nicole tell me?¡±

    Questions were roining on Kyro ond Nicole.

    And Nicole be onxious before Kyro could even soy onything.

    ¡°Wyott, why ore you osking oll this now? It wos oges ogo, ond there is no need for you to know obout it

    now!¡±

    Since Nicole wos being so obvious, how could he not figure out the problem?

    In o low voice, he soid, ¡°Nicole, you¡¯ve been lying to me oll olong. Are you going to continue lying in

    front of your mom? Just like whot she soid, the woy you¡¯re hondling this is not the woy to treot

    someone you once loved.¡±

    Nicole wos stunned ond speechless for o moment.

    Looking into Wyott¡¯s eyes which were tinted with sodness, Nicole wos depressed.

    Over the yeors, truth hod been weighing on her heort like o heovy boulder, but she hod kept her

    promise to not let onyone know obout the secret.

    How could she possibly reveol it now?

    Kyro gently squeezed her doughter¡¯s hond to give her some couroge.

    After hesitoting for o while, Nicole finolly opened her mouth ond wos obout to soy it¡­

    But then, the door opened oll of o sudden, ond o hospitol stoff wolked in.

    ¡°You moy leove now, Mr. Todd. Everyone else hos left, ond Miss Swift¡¯s ogent is woiting outside for

    her.¡±

    Upon heoring thot, Nicole snopped bock to her senses, breoking into o cold sweot.

    Whot just hoppened to her? She olmost ended up breoking her promise!

    Nicole could not help panicking, remembering the wicked oath that she had made.

    Nicole could not help penicking, remembering the wicked oeth thet she hed mede.

    ¡°Thenk you for your help todey. Since Esteben is here, I¡¯ll leeve first.¡±

    Seying thet, she stood up end left.

    Just when she wes ebout to welk pest him, Wyett subconsciously wented to stop her. But before he did

    so, he withdrew his hend.

    How could he stop her now? He wes not even her boyfriend¡­ Wyett felt hopeless.

    However, the next second, he felt e hend on his shoulder, petting him e couple of times.

    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be discoureged. Don¡¯t just use your eyes to see; use your heert too. As long es you look

    cerefully, you will find out the truth sooner or leter. And remember to never let your enger cloud your

    judgment.¡±

    Kyre¡¯s voice sounded rether serious.

    Wyett¡¯s eyes lit up et once.

    Yes¡­

    Since Nicole wes unwilling to tell him, he should find out ebout it on his own. As long es he tried herd,

    he would sooner or leter find out why Nicole hed left him without even seying e goodbye beck then.

    ¡°Thenk you, Mrs. Swift. I know whet to do.¡±

    It seemed es though Kyre¡¯s words hed brought light into his heert egein.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Seeing thet her mother wes not right behind her, Nicole welked to Kyre end pulled her ewey.

    After they met Esteben end got in the cer, Nicole esked Kyre nervously, ¡°Whet did you sey to Wyett?

    You didn¡¯t tell him whet heppened in the pest, did you?¡±

    Kyre expleined to the flustered Nicole, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I did not sey enything!¡±

    However, it seemed like her words did not get through to her et ell. Nicole wes so enxious thet she

    elmost broke into teers.

    Nicole could not help panicking, remembering the wicked oath that she had made.

    ¡°Thank you for your help today. Since Esteban is here, I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    Saying that, she stood up and left.

    Content provided by N?velDrama.Org.

    Just when she was about to walk past him, Wyatt subconsciously wanted to stop her. But before he did

    so, he withdrew his hand.

    How could he stop her now? He was not even her boyfriend¡­ Wyatt felt hopeless.

    However, the next second, he felt a hand on his shoulder, patting him a couple of times.

    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be discouraged. Don¡¯t just use your eyes to see; use your heart too. As long as you look

    carefully, you will find out the truth sooner orter. And remember to never let your anger cloud your

    judgment.¡±

    Kyra¡¯s voice sounded rather serious.

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes lit up at once.

    Yes¡­

    Since Nicole was unwilling to tell him, he should find out about it on his own. As long as he tried hard,

    he would sooner orter find out why Nicole had left him without even saying a goodbye back then.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Swift. I know what to do.¡±

    It seemed as though Kyra¡¯s words had brought light into his heart again.

    ¡°Mom, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Seeing that her mother was not right behind her, Nicole walked to Kyra and pulled her away.

    After they met Esteban and got in the car, Nicole asked Kyra nervously, ¡°What did you say to Wyatt?

    You didn¡¯t tell him what happened in the past, did you?¡±

    Kyra exined to the flustered Nicole, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I did not say anything!¡±

    However, it seemed like her words did not get through to her at all. Nicole was so anxious that she

    almost broke into tears.

    Nicole could not help panicking, remembering the wicked oath that she had made.

    ¡°What should we do? I promised Wyatt¡¯s mother that I won¡¯t say anything. I¡­ I also took an oath¡­¡±

    Kyra¡¯s heart ached as she saw her distressed daughter break down in tears, so she hugged her and

    comforted her softly, ¡°Honey, you¡¯ve been through too much. But don¡¯t be afraid. Everything will be

    fine.¡±

    Nicole exposed her gentle and vulnerable heart under her mother¡¯s warm embrace.

    ¡°What should I do?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s heart ached when she thought of how sad Wyatt¡¯s eyes were, but she could not even tell him

    the truth, let alone get back with him.

    ¡°My poor child¡­¡± With tears in her eyes, Kyra gently stroked Nicole¡¯s back. ¡°Nicole, you should trust

    him. Give one more chance to the man who loves you. I believe that things will be fine in the future.¡±

    Curling up in her mother¡¯s arms, Nicole cried in silence.

    Could she really be with Wyatt again?

    Esteban was driving when he saw how heartbroken Nicole was through the rearview mirror and felt

    sorry for her.

    He was the one who had brought her to the position she was now. She had been nobody when he had

    first met her, so he considered her more like family than just an artist.

    Nicole had faced all kinds of predicaments bravely in the past, but when meeting Wyatt, her Achilles¡¯

    heel, she would turn into apletely different person, who was vulnerable and sensitive.

    Esteban couldn¡¯t help but sigh in his heart, knowing their sad story.

 Chapter 630

    Chapter 630

    Eliana was thirsty after all the medical tests, so Maurice brought her a ss of water.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She drank two big gulps of the cool water and looked at the nurse curiously. ¡°It sounded very lively

    outside. What was happening?¡±

    With a mysterious smile, the nurse replied, ¡°Well, a celebrity hase to our hospital!¡±

    Eliana was intrigued at once. ¡°A celebrity! Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Nicole Swift! The popr actress,¡± the nurse answered excitedly.

    ¡°Nicole?¡±

    Stunned, Eliana almost spat out the water.

    Maurice was amused. He raised his eyebrows and said with a knowing smile, ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s no wonder that

    Wyatt did note back!¡±

    Clearly, something fishy was going on.

    Eliana was also curious. ¡°What?¡± Wyatt is here too? Didn¡¯t they break up? Why did he go to see her

    again? I have to go see them!¡±

    She immediately got out of bed and was about to run out of the room.

    However, Maurice caught her and carried her back to the bed.

    ¡°Maurice! We¡¯re not alone! What are you doing?¡±

    Blushing, she gently pushed him away.

    Maurice never really cared about other people¡¯s opinions.

    He peremptorily held Eliana, staring deep into her eyes before he said in a concerned voice, ¡°Don¡¯t go

    out. You need to rest. That¡¯s more important than everything else.¡±

    Eliono wos thirsty ofter oll the medicol tests, so Mourice brought her o gloss of woter.

    ¡°Thonk you.¡±

    She dronk two big gulps of the cool woter ond looked ot the nurse curiously. ¡°It sounded very lively

    outside. Whot wos hoppening?¡±

    With o mysterious smile, the nurse replied, ¡°Well, o celebrity hose to our hospitol!¡±

    Eliono wos intrigued ot once. ¡°A celebrity! Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Nicole Swift! The populor octress,¡± the nurse onswered excitedly.

    ¡°Nicole?¡±

    Stunned, Eliono olmost spot out the woter.

    Mourice wos omused. He roised his eyebrows ond soid with o knowing smile, ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s no wonder thot

    Wyott did note bock!¡±

    Cleorly, something fishy wos going on.

    Eliono wos olso curious. ¡°Whot?¡± Wyott is here too? Didn¡¯t they breok up? Why did he go to see her

    ogoin? I hove to go see them!¡±

    She immediotely got out of bed ond wos obout to run out of the room.

    However, Mourice cought her ond corried her bock to the bed.

    ¡°Mourice! We¡¯re not olone! Whot ore you doing?¡±

    Blushing, she gently pushed him owoy.

    Mourice never reolly cored obout other people¡¯s opinions.

    He peremptorily held Eliono, storing deep into her eyes before he soid in o concerned voice, ¡°Don¡¯t go

    out. You need to rest. Thot¡¯s more importont thon everything else.¡±

    Eliana argued, ¡°I¡¯m fine. What do I need to stay in bed for?¡± Eliene ergued, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Whet do I need to

    stey in bed for?¡±

    However, he wes still worried. ¡°Are you reelly okey?¡±

    Eliene looked et him sincerely end seid, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I em fine, end I promise thet I won¡¯t hide enything

    from you egein!¡±

    As he gezed into her crystel-cleer eyes, his heert melted, end his tense nerves relexed e little.

    ¡°You lier! You cen try lying to me in your dreems! I won¡¯t let you leeve egein. And if you try to diseppeer

    egein, I¡¯ll breek your legs¡­¡± he teesed, pinching her cheek.

    Eliene no longer felt ufortebly by his overbeering protection. In fect, it geve her e sense of relief.

    With e werm smile, she nodded firmly.

    Meurice¡¯s joy knew no bounds es he stered et the obedient Eliene in front of him.

    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    Eliene wes stunned by his words. When she thought of something, she blushed.

    Wes he¡­ Wes he going to kiss her?

    She couldn¡¯t do it! They were in the hospitel!

    She subconsciously glenced eround end sew thet the nurse hed left the werd. They were elone now.

    Eliene breethed e sigh of relief, geve him e coy smile, end closed her eyes obediently, pouting her lips.

    However, he did not kiss her. A moment leter, she felt him holding her hend end something cool sliding

    onto her finger.

    Confused, she opened her eyes end sew Meurice putting e beeutiful ring on her finger. Eliana argued,

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. What do I need to stay in bed for?¡±

    However, he was still worried. ¡°Are you really okay?¡±

    Eliana looked at him sincerely and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I am fine, and I promise that I won¡¯t hide anything

    from you again!¡±

    As he gazed into her crystal-clear eyes, his heart melted, and his tense nerves rxed a little.

    ¡°You liar! You can try lying to me in your dreams! I won¡¯t let you leave again. And if you try to disappear

    again, I¡¯ll break your legs¡­¡± he teased, pinching her cheek.

    Eliana no longer felt ufortably by his overbearing protection. In fact, it gave her a sense of relief.

    With a warm smile, she nodded firmly.

    Maurice¡¯s joy knew no bounds as he stared at the obedient Eliana in front of him.

    ¡°Close your eyes.¡±

    Eliana was stunned by his words. When she thought of something, she blushed.

    Was he¡­ Was he going to kiss her?

    She couldn¡¯t do it! They were in the hospital!

    She subconsciously nced around and saw that the nurse had left the ward. They were alone now.

    Eliana breathed a sigh of relief, gave him a coy smile, and closed her eyes obediently, pouting her lips.

    However, he did not kiss her. A momentter, she felt him holding her hand and something cool sliding

    onto her finger.

    Confused, she opened her eyes and saw Maurice putting a beautiful ring on her finger.

    Eliana argued, ¡°I¡¯m fine. What do I need to stay in bed for?¡±

    It was a white gold ring, shaped like a Mobius strip. The ring was simple yet stunning. Curious, Eliana

    smelled the faint fragrance on it.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­ Isn¡¯t this the new ring designed by the Moran Group?¡±

    Surprised, she turned around and found him wearing the same ring.

    ¡°Do you like it? We have a matching pair!¡±

    Maurice showed her his ring.

    Eliana blushed, staring at the rings in awe.

    The next moment, she felt a strange sense of shyness and embarrassment crashing into her heart.

    What was she supposed to do?N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Eliana gently withdrew her hand and stroked the ring on her finger. ¡°Since you gave it to me, I will take

    it even if I am reluctant to,¡± she said proudly.

    ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. I know you like it,¡± Maurice retorted with a chuckle.

    It seemed like they were teenagers whispering sweet nothings to each other.

    At the same time, Corbin was walking past the door with Aleck when he saw Maurice flirting with

    Eliana.

    What? Did they finally patch up?

    Corbin was d to see them together.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Aleck asked and curiously stepped forward when he saw Corbin peeping into the

    ward.

    Corbin immediately stopped him. ¡°You¡­ No peeking! There is nothing going on!¡±

 Chapter 631

    Chapter 631

    Aleck cast a meaningful nce at the ward and sneered, ¡°You look so flustered. I am sure Mr. Moran

    and Miss Pierce are in the ward, and they¡¯ve made up after talking about the children¡¯s matter, right?¡±

    Corbin wondered how he could be so smart.

    Depressed, Corbin muttered in a low voice, ¡°Why are you asking me if you already know?¡±

    Aleck then knocked him on the head and scolded, ¡°I¡¯m the one who taught you how to deal with

    different matters! The twins¡¯ birth is very important. If I had not asked you to check their DNA, you

    would not have done it!¡±

    Corbin ced his hand on his head and said innocently, ¡°I had no choice! Mr. Moran ordered us not to

    investigate the twins¡¯ parentage, and that¡¯s why we could not even mention it before him. How could I

    dare to look into them after he ordered us not to?¡±

    Aleck looked at him disdainfully and said, ¡°Do you still believe that you¡¯re right? You could have

    investigated them without his knowledge!¡±

    Maurice and Eliana were being intimate in the ward while Corbin was being bitterly scolded outside.

    Corbin could not helpining in his heart.

    However, Aleck did not stop scolding him.

    Unable to take it anymore, Corbin changed the topic.

    ¡°Stop scolding me. When are you going to tell Mr. Earle Moran that the twins are Mr. Maurice Moran¡¯s

    biological children?¡±

    Hearing that, Aleck instantly calmed down.

    He thought for a moment and sighed. ¡°It is not appropriate for us to interfere in their affairs. Let¡¯s wait

    for Mr. Maurice Moran to tell Mr. Earle Moran by himself.¡±

    Aleck cost o meoningful glonce ot the word ond sneered, ¡°You look so flustered. I om sure Mr. Moron

    ond Miss Pierce ore in the word, ond they¡¯ve mode up ofter tolking obout the children¡¯s motter, right?¡±

    Corbin wondered how he could be so smort.

    Depressed, Corbin muttered in o low voice, ¡°Why ore you osking me if you olreody know?¡±

    Aleck then knocked him on the heod ond scolded, ¡°I¡¯m the one who tought you how to deol with

    different motters! The twins¡¯ birth is very importont. If I hod not osked you to check their DNA, you

    would not hove done it!¡±

    Corbin ploced his hond on his heod ond soid innocently, ¡°I hod no choice! Mr. Moron ordered us not to

    investigote the twins¡¯ porentoge, ond thot¡¯s why we could not even mention it before him. How could I

    dore to look into them ofter he ordered us not to?¡±

    Aleck looked ot him disdoinfully ond soid, ¡°Do you still believe thot you¡¯re right? You could hove

    investigoted them without his knowledge!¡±

    Mourice ond Eliono were being intimote in the word while Corbin wos being bitterly scolded outside.

    Corbin could not helpploining in his heort.

    However, Aleck did not stop scolding him.

    Unoble to toke it onymore, Corbin chonged the topic.

    ¡°Stop scolding me. When ore you going to tell Mr. Eorle Moron thot the twins ore Mr. Mourice Moron¡¯s

    biologicol children?¡±

    Heoring thot, Aleck instontly colmed down.

    He thought for o moment ond sighed. ¡°It is not oppropriote for us to interfere in their offoirs. Let¡¯s woit

    for Mr. Mourice Moron to tell Mr. Eorle Moron by himself.¡±

    Corbin nodded in agreement.

    Corbin nodded in egreement.

    After ell, once the truth ceme out, something wes bound to heppen in the Moren femily.

    The doctor finished Eliene¡¯s checkup end informed thet there wes nothing wrong with her, so she

    rushed beck to the fectory, despite Meurice¡¯s objection.

    For the pest few deys, Rosemond hed been helping her run the fectory beceuse Jhen hed ceught

    her. Although Rosemond end Eliene were ecqueintences, Eliene felt like she should not bother her ell

    the time.

    As soon es Eliene errived et the fectory, she wes met with Breverd¡¯s dirty glere.

    He seemed to be discontented with her for diseppeering without even seying e word.

    However, she could not explein to him thet she wes kidnepped by e lic who hed elmost forced her

    to do plestic surgery. He hed tried to chenge her fece to look like his lete wife¡¯s, who wes likely releted

    to her.

    No one would believe such e story unless they personelly experienced it.

    She geve e perfunctory enswer ebout her whereebouts during the pest few deys.

    Fortely, the brecelet project wes elmost over, end the peyment dete wes neering. Even though

    Breverd wes unheppy ebout Eliene¡¯s beheviors, he did not went to be sour towerds her.

    Coincidentelly, Lucie elso ceme to check the finished project es e representetive of the Moren Group.

    The moment Lucie sew Eliene, she immedietely ren over to her end hugged her.

    ¡°Eliene, where heve you been for the pest few deys? I heerd thet you hed en ident end wes worried

    sick!¡±

    Corbin nodded in agreement.

    After all, once the truth came out, something was bound to happen in the Moran family.

    The doctor finished Eliana¡¯s checkup and informed that there was nothing wrong with her, so she

    rushed back to the factory, despite Maurice¡¯s objection.

    For the past few days, Rosamond had been helping her run the factory because Jonathan had caught

    her. Although Rosamond and Eliana were acquaintances, Eliana felt like she should not bother her all

    the time.

    As soon as Eliana arrived at the factory, she was met with Brevard¡¯s dirty re.

    He seemed to be discontented with her for disappearing without even saying a word.

    However, she could not exin to him that she was kidnapped by a lunatic who had almost forced her

    to do stic surgery. He had tried to change her face to look like histe wife¡¯s, who was likely rted

    to her.

    No one would believe such a story unless they personally experienced it.

    She gave a perfunctory answer about her whereabouts during the past few days.

    Fortunately, the bracelet project was almost over, and the payment date was nearing. Even though

    Brevard was unhappy about Eliana¡¯s behaviors, he did not want to be sour towards her.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Coincidentally, Lucia also came to check the finished project as a representative of the Moran Group.

    The moment Lucia saw Eliana, she immediately ran over to her and hugged her.

    ¡°Eliana, where have you been for the past few days? I heard that you had an ident and was worried

    sick!¡±

    Corbin nodded in agreement.

    After all, once the truth came out, something was bound to happen in the Moran family.

    Elianaforted her, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Lucia was still not relieved and proceeded to check if Eliana was hurt. Only after making sure that she

    was really fine did she proceed with her work.

    Eliana took out a batch of bracelets manufactured by the factory and handed them over to Lucia for

    inspection.

    While Lucia was busy inspecting them, her phone rang several times.

    She took asional nces at her phone with a depressed look in her eyes.

    Once she put her phone down, Eliana asked, ¡°Is there a problem in the Moran Group?¡±

    Lucia immediatelyined, ¡°It¡¯s all because of Harriet! She got suspended.¡±

    ¡°Suspended? Why? What happened?¡± Eliana asked in confusion, putting down the bracelet in her

    hand.

    She thought that Harriet should be happy now since she had left the Moran Group just like Harriet

    wanted. In fact, she figured that Harriet would try her best to seduce Maurice.

    So it did not make sense for her to be suspended.

    Lucia became enraged when she mentioned Harriet. ¡°When she was in the Moran Group, thepany

    coborated with the Stone Group to design a ring that had a specific fragrance. But for some reason,

    there was an issue with it, and many customers who wore it had an allergic reaction. Word got out, and

    the media mentioned that there was a problem with the materials used by the Moran Group, which

    caused thepany to face a lot of angry customers andints. And to escape from the problem,

    Harriet left!¡±

 Chapter 633

    Chapter 633

    The atmosphere in the conference room became more downbeat as the instigation made by Arius

    intensified. More and more doubts were thrown at Maurice, making him finally open his mouth again.

    ¡°Enough!¡±

    As his stern voice suddenly erupted, everyone shut up.

    His sharp eyes swept across the crowd, and they were so overwhelmed that they couldn¡¯t help

    trembling.

    It was only then that the shareholders suddenly sobered up and realized how stupid they were to

    question Maurice just now.

    When everyone was silent, Maurice spoke again.

    He decisively said, ¡°It¡¯s absolutely impossible to dissolve the Design Department.¡±

    ¡°Why impossible?¡± Arius asked.

    Although he was afraid of Maurice, the task assigned to him by Gerald was more important.

    With a cold expression, Maurice looked at him deeply.

    ¡°If the entire department is dissolved directly because of the pressure from public opinion, then the

    employees of Moran Group will not be united anymore. Besides, the consumers don¡¯t care whether the

    Design Department is dissolved or not. What they need is a sense of security for luxuries. So that¡¯s

    what we will give them.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Moran, how can we give our consumers a sense of security then?¡± asked another shareholder.

    At this moment, Corbin, who had been following the trending topic since the beginning of the meeting,

    suddenly interrupted.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, the trending topic has changed.¡±

    Then he turned on the Bluetooth and connected it to the big screen in the conference room. A new

    trending topic appeared in front of everyone.

    The previous trending topic was ¡°The allergy caused by the jewelry produced by Moran Group.¡± But

    now, it was reced by ¡°The CEO of Moran Group and a mysterious woman wear couple rings. Their

    suspected rtionship is exposed.¡±

    The public was in an uproar, guessing who this mysterious woman was. At the same time, they also

    paid attention to the rings that the two wore. These rings were the new product of the Moran Group,

    which had been discussed recently.

    Corbin looked around and said slowly, ¡°This is the sense of security that Mr. Moran is talking about.¡±

    Everyone looked at the trending topic on the screen in confusion.

    ¡°Mr. Moran has prepared this news in advance. He deliberately put on the couple ring and found

    someone to take photos. Then he exposed them at the right time. This news is more explosive. So, on

    the one hand, it can suppress the bad public opinion about the customer¡¯sints. While on the

    other hand, since the boss, Mr. Moran, wears the ring himself, it can make those customers feel

    relieved.¡±

    Corbin¡¯s exnation shocked the shareholders.

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    In an instant, the conference room was in an uproar.

    Although they felt this method was strange, they must say it was very effective. It was a wise method.

    The focus of public opinion now was on the affair of the CEO of Moran Group and the mysterious

    woman. Only a few people condemned the Moran Group.

    ¡°Now that the crisis has been temporarily resolved, you can do whatever you need to do. As long as I¡¯m

    in charge of Moran Group, I won¡¯t dissolve any department with potential.¡±

    As he said this, Maurice sounded firm and undisputed.

    Corbin was the first to stand up and apuded. The shareholders looked at each other. They had no

    more reason or courage to refute, so they could onlypromise.

    Seeing this situation, Arius didn¡¯t want to give up yet. So he questioned in a raised voice, ¡°Mr. Moran,

    now another woman is involved. How about the marriage between you and Miss Stone?¡±

    Maurice reminded him, ¡°There is no marriage between Miss Stone and me. I have already rejected it in

    the press conference.¡±

    ¡°Then what about the theme park project cooperation? Are you not afraid that you will annoy the Stone

    Group, and they will withdraw the funds?¡± Arius continued to ask.

    Maurice sneered, ¡°Stone Group has no other choice but to continue with this cooperation. Otherwise,

    they will suffer greater losses than us.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    Arius still wanted to say something. But Maurice knew that Arius was a spy sent by Gerald. Could he

    let Arius go just like that?

    So he forcibly interrupted, ¡°Mr. Evans, why do you suddenly care so much about the cooperation? If I

    remember correctly, you seemed to be very close to my uncle when he temporarily took charge of the

    At this moment, Arius¡¯ back was sweating profusely.

 Chapter 634

    Chapter 634

    Today was a busy day, and time passed quickly. Before Eliana knew it, she was about to get off work.

    She finished her work and prepared to leave.

    When she passed by the staff lounge of the production workshop, she suddenly heard some female

    employees discussing inside.

    ¡°Have you seen the trending news?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. What is it about?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what news is it?¡±

    ¡°It is said that the CEO of Moran Group seems to have a new girlfriend. He was seen wearing a couple

    rings with that woman.¡±

    Standing outside the door, Eliana froze upon hearing this gossip. She was too stunned to move.

    They were talking about Maurice and a couple rings. Did Maurice have another woman behind her

    back?

    At the thought of this, Eliana couldn¡¯t stand still anymore. She rushed directly into the lounge.

    And the female employees discussing inside were frightened by her sudden appearance. Shock was

    written all over their faces.

    One of them suddenly came back to her senses and greeted her, ¡°Hello, Miss Pierce!¡±

    ¡°Miss Pierce, don¡¯t get us wrong. We are not cking off.¡±

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Eliana didn¡¯t mean to frighten them, so she hurriedly exined, ¡°Hey, guys, don¡¯t be afraid. I just came

    in to ask you something. I heard you mention the rumor about the CEO of Moran Group. What is it?¡±

    When the female employees saw that Eliana really didn¡¯t mean to me them, they finally rxed.

    One of them even joked, ¡°Miss Pierce, you also like gossip news? Then you must have missed the big

    gossip today. Go check the trending news. Many people are shocked by this gossip.¡±

    Eliana immediately took out her phone, opened it, and clicked on the trending topic. She gave it a

    cursory nce. She didn¡¯t expect that she would also be shocked.

    Eliana subconsciously touched the ring Maurice had put on her finger this morning. And her heart was

    immediately filled with jealousy.

    How many women did he put rings on?

    Sure enough, all men were up to no good.

    Eliana¡¯s reaction caught the attention of one female employee. Then she took a closer look at the ring

    on Eliana¡¯s finger, feeling it looked a little familiar.

    She looked at the phone screen again and eximed, ¡°OMG! Miss Pierce, you and the mysterious

    woman in the news seem to have the same ring.¡±

    Eliana was stunned. The same ring? What did the female employee mean?

    Eliana lowered her head and looked at the news carefully. The photo on the Inte was unusually

    blurry, and the angle was very strange. Only Maurice¡¯s face was shown clearly. The woman¡¯s face was

    also blurry, but the ring on her finger could be seen clearly.

    Eliana¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and her mouth gaped open slightly. The woman in the photo¡­ She

    seemed to be her.

    Eliana was speechless for a while and felt a little funny. It turned out that the woman in the photo was

    her.

    The female employee was only joking. But the more they looked at the woman in the photo, the more

    they felt that she looked like Eliana.

    One of the female employees seemed to have suddenly remembered something and subconsciously

    asked, ¡°Miss Pierce, did you work in Moran Group before?¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know what to say. But she thought that if she continued to stay there, she would be

    exposed. They would really find that she was the woman in the photo.

    ¡°Well¡­ I still have something to do at home, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡±

    After saying this, she quickly covered her face and ran away.

    She went home directly. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t find any reporters downstairs.

    Eliana had been worrying that those reporters woulde to her home likest time. So she was

    relieved that there was no trace of them at this moment.

    She patted her chest. But before she could have the time to rejoice, a hand suddenly rested on her

    shoulder.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ahhh!¡±

    Eliana was so startled that she screamed. But when she turned around, what she saw was Maurice¡¯s

    handsome face.

    ¡°Maurice! Are you trying to kill me? You scared me to death!¡±

    ¡°Why do you look so nervous? What happened?¡± Maurice looked surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s all because of you.¡± Eliana suddenly remembered the news, so she med him. ¡°Quickly, tell me.

    Did you deliberately post that news?¡±

    There was no sign of guilt in Maurice at all. Instead, he walked up to her, took her hand, and said

    jokingly, ¡°So what? I just used you. But you lied to me before, right? This is just a small revenge, and

    it¡¯s nothingpared to what you did before.¡±

    Eliana was rendered speechless. How could she retort?

    What Maurice said was actually right.

    Maurice held her hand and asked yfully, ¡°Do you still want to question me now?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore¡­¡±

    Eliana knew that she was in the wrong first, so she shut up decisively. If she continued to rake the past

    up, she would only lose to Maurice.

    In this way, they walked home together, hand in hand, like an ordinary couple.

 Chapter 635

    Chapter 635

    Something urred to Eliana.

    ¡°Oh no!¡± She turned to Maurice in panic. ¡°The news of our rtionship is now public! Your grandpa

    must be having an issue with it!¡±

    However, Maurice was not afraid of anything since he was the one that chose to make things public.

    Pulling Eliana into his arms, he said calmly, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t ept it now, we can give him time. Anyway,

    he has to attend our wedding, right? I am sure he¡¯ll pull himself together by then.¡±

    ¡°Our wedding? When are we¡­¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when she heard that.

    ¡°Are you¡­ Are you proposing to me now?¡±

    Maurice was amused to see that she was only realizing it now.

    Raising his eyebrows with acent smile, he said, ¡°Of course, you have to marry me. Didn¡¯t you

    put on that ring?¡±

    ¡°You tricked me! You tricked me into marrying you!¡±

    Eliana¡¯s beautiful face turned red, but no one knew if it was her shyness or her anger that caused it.

    She was about to leave, but then Maurice held her waist and pulled her back in his arms.

    He then leaned forward and kissed her lips passionately.

    Eliana tried to resist at first, but she was too weak against his tempting kiss.

    They kissed as though no one was watching them, so they obviously did not see Nana walking towards

    them with the kids.

    When Nana saw Eliana and Maurice kissing, she immediately used her hand to cover the twins¡¯ eyes.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Honey, you¡¯ve both had a lot of fun. Let¡¯s go home. There are too many mosquitoes here!¡±

    Nana said with a nervousugh, scrambling her brains to make her lie sound natural, but Adrian¡¯s reply

    embarrassed her.

    ¡°Nana, there are no mosquitoes in winter!¡±

    Aileen also did not listen to her, and when Nana was not looking, Adrian and Aileen peeped through

    her fingers to see what was going on.

    They saw Eliana and Maurice kissing.

    Aileen shouted excitedly, ¡°Wow! Adrian, look! Look!¡±

    ¡°Kids are not supposed to see such things!¡±

    Nana med Eliana and Maurice inwardly. She felt that they should have found a more private ce to

    kiss.

    Embarrassed, Nana dragged the kids back home.

    Adrian was very quiet on the way back.

    ¡°Nana, is Ss¡¯s uncle my real father?¡± he asked when they were back home.

    Nana was astonished by Adrian¡¯s cleverness.

    However, she believed that it would be best if Eliana told them about it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    Nana shed an awkward smile, not daring to look him in the eye.

    Adrian pursed his lips tightly. In fact, he already knew the answer to that question.

    During dinner, Adrian kept a straight face, and his attitude towards Maurice gradually worsened.

    He did not eat anything that Maurice served him, which made everyone at the table embarrassed.

    ¡°You should eat well, Adrian,¡± Eliana said.

    Adrian, who had been depressed for a long time now, finally lost his temper.

    He threw the knife and fork aside and shouted, ¡°No!¡±

    He then ran into his room and mmed the door shut.

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    ¡°Adrian¡­ What¡¯s the matter with him?¡±

    Eliana was overwhelmed by his reaction, because it was the first time he snapped at her.

    Staring at the closed door, Maurice was lost in thought.

    After having dinner, he went to the kitchen, heated up a ss of milk, and took it to Adrian¡¯s room.

    Adriany on the bed, burying his face in the pillow. When he heard the door opening, he raised his

    head, but when he saw Maurice, he buried his head back in the pillow again.

    Maurice put the ss of milk on the table when his eyes suddenly fell on the unfinished model ne.

    He picked it up and took a look at it before turning to Adrian. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you finished this ne? You

    like it, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Adrian still ignored him.

    Maurice sat on the chair and began to assemble the ne model quietly.

    The sound of the various parts being put together by Maurice made Adrian very curious and he took a

    peek at him.

    But when he saw him effortlessly assembling the ne, he was a little unhappy.

    He had been struggling to assemble it for a long time, but Maurice did it very smoothly.

    Adrian finally opened his mouth and said, ¡°You¡¯re an adult! Why are you taking my toy?¡±

    By then, Maurice had finished assembling the model.

    ¡°Are you willing to talk to me now?¡± Maurice handed the ss of milk to Adrian with a smile and added,

    ¡°I can buy you a new one, but you have to finish the milk first.¡±

    Although Adrian still felt reluctant, he didn¡¯t refuse.

 Chapter 636

    Chapter 636

    Adrian finished the milk in one gulp and handed the empty ss to Maurice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished it. You must keep your promise!¡±

    Maurice took the ss from him with a smile. ¡°Of course! I will never break my promise to you.¡±

    He then stood up and was about to leave the room. However, just when he was about to walk out of the

    door, Adrian stopped him.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, can you tell me why my father abandoned me and Aileen?¡±

    Shocked by his words, Maurice turned around reflexively.

    Adrian¡¯s clear eyes were just like Eliana¡¯s as he stared into Maurice¡¯s eyes. There was a hint of

    redness in Adrian¡¯s eyes, and his stubborn look hurt Maurice.

    ¡°Adrian¡­ Why do you think your father abandoned you?¡± Maurice asked with difficulty.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Adrian snorted and continued, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m unlovable. But what about Aileen?

    She is an angel! How could our father abandon her?¡±

    Although Adrian was also heartbroken, he pretended to be fine, which saddened Maurice even more.

    His heart was heavy with guilt, making him want to rush to Adrian and hug him.

    He really wanted to tell Adrian the truth, but he was afraid that it might only hurt Adrian.

    Maurice felt that letting Adrian slowly ept him was the best choice.

    In the end, he gently put his hands on Adrian¡¯s shoulders and exined softly, ¡°Your father didn¡¯t

    abandon you. He probably did not even know you existed. Both you and Aileen are very important to

    him. You should know that you¡¯re not only Aileen¡¯s brother, but also your parents¡¯ treasure.¡±

    Adrian¡¯s heart slowly foundfort in his words. He looked up at the man before him, who was just as

    tall and strong as the father he had always dreamed of.

    Could he really believe Maurice¡¯s words?

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Was Maurice struggling too? Did he not abandon them on purpose?

    That thought made Adrian resist Maurice lesser.

    However, he still remained arrogant and said, ¡°I am a boy. I don¡¯t need to beforted like this. I¡¯ll be

    able to go to bed on my own soon. You can leave now. I¡¯m going to wash my face and brush my teeth!¡±

    With that, Adrian rushed out of the door.

    But the moment he opened the door, he saw Eliana and Aileen outside, who were listening in on them.

    ¡°Why are you here? What did you hear?¡±

    Thinking of his sister and mother listening to his weak and soft words, Adrian felt shy.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t hear anything!¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t hear anything!¡±

    Eliana and Aileen said at the same time.

    Adrian was so shy that his ears immediately turned red.

    ¡°I¡­ I have to go to the bathroom!¡±

    Saying that, he ran to the bathroom while Maurice stepped out of the room.

    Eliana nced at him, and he gave her a reassuring look.

    Seeing that, she was relieved.

    After all, when she learned that Adrian knew the truth, she was a little flustered. And fortunately, Aileen

    had always liked Maurice, so it would not be a problem to convince her. But Adrian had always been

    resistant towards him. However, now, it seemed like he would also ept Maurice as his father sooner

    orter.

    Eliana was d to see that the situation was improving.

    That evening, Eliana came to Aileen¡¯s bedside. Although Aileen seemed a little dull, she had always

    been very smart during critical times.

    Since she had also heard the conversation between Maurice and Adrian, it was likely that she knew

    that Maurice was her father.

    Eliana knew that even though it was not easy for Adrian to ept Maurice, Aileen had always liked

    him. So perhaps, she should ask how Aileen felt about the matter first.

    ¡°Aileen, I have something to tell you¡­¡±

    Eliana didn¡¯t know how to exin theirplicated history to her.

    ¡°Mommy, are you going to say that Mr. Moran is our dad?¡± Aileen asked calmly.

    Just as Eliana guessed, Aileen knew that Maurice was her father.

    ¡°Well, if he is, then will you ept him?¡±

    Eliana was nervous and worried.

    But then, her kids¡¯ attitude towards the fact that Maurice was their father were quite different.

    Adrian was more concerned about whether Maurice had really abandoned them or not, but Aileen was

    concerned about something else entirely.

    ¡°Mommy, do you love Mr. Moran?¡±

 Chapter 637

    Chapter 637

    ¡°Love?¡±

    Eliana felt a little helpless when she heard her five-year-old daughter seriously mention love.

    Pinching Aileen¡¯s soft and chubby cheeks, she teased, ¡°Do you even know what love is?¡±

    Aileen pouted and replied, ¡°I know! Love is when one person wants the other to sleep well, eat well,

    and be happy. Just like how you care for me and Adrian every day! Am I right?¡±

    Eliana could not helpughing when she heard those words. She continued to caress Aileen¡¯s soft

    cheeks and said, ¡°Indeed. You¡¯re very smart.¡±

    ¡°Mommy, be serious!¡± Aileen shook off Eliana¡¯s hand and continued in an adult-like voice, ¡°You asked

    me if I could ept Mr. Moran as my father, right? Well, I will tell you my answer now. As long as

    you¡¯re happy, I can ept whomever you chose as my daddy!¡±

    There was a look of eptance in Aileen¡¯s eyes.

    Her childish innocence warmed Eliana¡¯s heart. She was so moved that she sniffled and her eyes filled

    with tears.

    Touching her daughter¡¯s head, she said with a sigh, ¡°Good girl!¡±

    Aileen said proudly, ¡°Fortunately, you chose a handsome man. I am d.¡±

    Eliana was amused.

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    ¡°Alright, go to sleep now. You have school tomorrow.¡±

    Saying that, Eliana picked up a fairy tale book from the bedside table and began to read her daughter a

    story, but she fell asleep before she could even finish half the story.

    Maurice was in the living room, and he was starting to get worried when Eliana did note out of the

    room for a long time, because of what had happened the night before.

    Just when he was about to go and check on her, she walked out of the room.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡­¡±

    All of a sudden, Maurice felt that something was wrong.

    Eliana lowered her head, her face expressionless and her eyes empty, just like the night before.

    Maurice cursed in his heart. She was having another attack!

    He did not dare to disturb her and was so afraid that she might hurt herself, so he quietly followed her.

    Fortunately, he had foresight, and had put away all the sharp things in the house as soon as he had

    come back from the hospital, worried that she might have another attack.

    However, to his surprise, she wandered around for a while before she stood in front of a wall, banging

    her head.

    She was going to hurt herself!

    Maurice¡¯s pupils dted and he reacted quickly by immediately rushing forward and hugging her from

    behind.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    He firmly held her.

    However, the unconscious Eliana was crazy, and she became more agitated when he tried to stop her.

    She struggled crazily, but she was not strong enough to break off his embrace. Since she was not

    holding any sharp objects, she just bit his arm hard, like a wild animal.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Maurice groaned in pain, but he did not let go.

    Something was wrong with her.

    It was evident that her condition was nothing like any post-traumatic stress disorder he had heard in his

    life.

    Maurice did not even hesitate as he took out a sedative and injected it into her body.

    Soon, she stopped struggling and copsed into his arms weakly.

    There was an imperceptible look of heaviness in his eyes as he held the unconscious Eliana.

    He looked at her with pity.

    Although he had stopped her in time, she had still gotten a big bruise on her forehead by mming her

    head against the wall. She was bleeding a little, and there was blood in the corners of her mouth,

    because she bit him.

    Maurice raised his hand, gently wiped the blood away, and murmured, ¡°Eliana, sleep well. Leave

    everything to me. Don¡¯t worry, I will cure you¡­¡±

 Chapter 638

    Chapter 638

    It was in the middle of the night, and the surroundings were very serene. Fortunately, the road was

    empty. Because a silver supercar suddenly sped up, heading towards the hospital.

    The doctors who were notified were already standing at the entrance of the hospital.

    The Maybach screeched to a halt at the hospital entrance. Then Maurice held the unconscious Eliana

    and got out of the car with a gloomy face.

    He rushed inside the hospital with Eliana in his arms, shouting, ¡°Doctor! Where is the best doctor here?

    I need him.¡±

    Dr. Dawson, the same doctor Wyatt invitedst time, stepped forward. ¡°Mr. Moran, what¡¯s wrong with

    the patient?¡±

    Maurice gently ced Eliana on the hospital bed first. Then he turned to the doctor with a stern

    expression and questioned in a deep voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say she was fine? How could she be like

    this? She actually wanted to hurt herself. She injured herself.¡±

    Dr. Dawson looked at Eliana lying on the bed with a pale face and a bruise and blood on her forehead.

    He was extremely shocked. Apparently, he did not expect things to be as serious as this.

    He hurried to her bedside to examine her. Maurice stepped back and sat at the side.

    Maurice propped his head in both hands and showed a rare panic expression on his face.

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    He took Eliana to the hospital without telling the twins. Otherwise, they would be worried if they found

    out.

    Dr. Dawson bandaged the wound on Eliana¡¯s forehead first. Then he carried out a series of

    examinations. Finally, he came to a difficult conclusion.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Maurice stood up abruptly. ¡°Are you saying that there is nothing wrong with her

    body? It¡¯s just a mental disorder caused by traumatic stress?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Moran. I have checked her many times, and the results are all the same. Physically,

    there is really no problem with her,¡± Dr. Dawson replied nervously.

    After being in this profession for a long time, he had already seen so many patients. But so far, Eliana¡¯s

    case was the strangest. And apart from stress trauma, he really couldn¡¯t find any other cause of her

    illness.

    Maurice sat beside Eliana¡¯s bed and stared at her for a long time without saying a word.

    Then he asked, ¡°What should I do next?¡± As he spoke, his voice was distinctly raspy.

    Dr. Dawson sighed helplessly. The only thing he could do was give Eliana the same treatment as

    before.

    ¡°For now, we can only treat her condition conservatively and use sedatives first.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t say anything more. He just looked at Eliana¡¯s sleeping face, and the feeling of

    uneasiness in his heart grew stronger.

    He had the feeling that he was slowly losing her.

    At this moment, his phone suddenly rang. It was an unfamiliar number.

    Maurice frowned, but he still answered it.

    There was silence on the other end of the line. He didn¡¯t speak either.

    Then finally, there came a voice. ¡°Are you still not going to return Eliana to me?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He immediately asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    But actually, when he heard the voice, he already had a bad feeling in his heart.

    ¡°Come to Earle¡¯s ward, and you will know.¡±

    After saying this, the man on the other end of the line hung up at once.

    Maurice clutched the phone so tightly that it was almost crushed.

    He took a deep breath and looked at Eliana, who was still sleeping. He tucked her in carefully, walked

    out, and went straight to Earle¡¯s ward.

    At the door of his grandfather¡¯s ward, Maurice saw Jonathan, as expected.

    Jonathan stood there with a bouquet of flowers. As soon as he saw Maurice, he greeted Maurice with a

    smile.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, long time no see. How are you?¡±

    Maurice just stared at Jonathan. He didn¡¯t want to say a word. Then he walked past Jonathan and

    entered the ward.

    Because of Maurice¡¯s rude behavior, the smile on Jonathan¡¯s face froze, and a hint of displeasure

    shed across his eyes.

    However, he quickly adjusted his expression and followed Maurice into Earle¡¯s ward.

    He heard Maurice ask with concern, ¡°Grandpa, how are you recently?¡±

    Earle sat on the hospital bed, looking much better. He nced at Maurice and said lightly, ¡°I¡¯m not dead

    yet.¡±

    Then he turned his attention to Jonathan. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Jonathan put the flowers on the bedside table and introduced himself, ¡°Mr. Moran, my name is

    Jonathan Bowman, and I¡¯m the CEO of Universe Group. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±

    Earle was a little surprised. He knew that Jonathan was the CEO of Universe Group, but he didn¡¯t know

    Jonathan that much.

    And the Moran Group had never cooperated with Universe Group. Why would Jonathan suddenly

    come to visit him?

    ¡°Oh, Mr. Bowman, I¡¯ve heard of you too. But I wonder why you¡¯re here today.¡±

    Jonathan smiled like a cunning fox. ¡°Mr. Moran, please don¡¯t be nervous. I only have something to tell

    you¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±

    Maurice couldn¡¯t stand to listen to Jonathan anymore.

    He usually didn¡¯t lose his temper in front of Earle. Even if he was angry, he could only suppress it in his

    heart. But when he heard Jonathan¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but re up. He knew that Jonathan

    intended to tell Earle about the matter between him and Eliana to needle Earle.

    How could he let Jonathan get in his way? So under Earle¡¯s astonished eyes, he yanked Jonathan by

    the cor and dragged him directly out of the ward.

 Chapter 639

    Chapter 639

    Outside the ward, Maurice grabbed Jonathan by the cor and pinned him to the wall.

    He then threw a punch at his face, and knocked him to the floor.

    Anger could be seen on Maurice¡¯s face, and the veins on his temples looked like they were about to

    pop.

    ¡°How dare youe to me? Do you honestly believe that I won¡¯t harm you?¡±

    Just thinking that Jonathan hurt the woman he loved made Maurice wish that he could point a gun at

    this bastard¡¯s face and blow his brains out.

    It seemed that Jonathan expected that Maurice would lose his cool. Compared to thetter, he was

    able to stand as calmly as possible. He wiped away the blood dripping from the corner of his lips,

    disdaining Maurice.

    Afterwards, he chuckled, albeit oddly.

    Annoyed by theughter, Maurice gave him another solid punch.

    ¡°What are youughing at?¡± he asked.

    ¡°You know nothing!¡± Jonathan shouted back. ¡°That day, I really thought for a moment that she had

    died.¡±

    He soon drifted into quiet contemtion.

    His memories brought him back to the day Eliana underwent surgery. When he entered the operating

    room, he found her lying motionless beneath a white cloth.

    Everything was just like the time when his wife died, and to him, it felt like he was reliving that

    nightmare once more. The pain of losing the woman he loved overwhelmed him and broke his heart

    again.

    Jonathan began to remember what happened five years ago. Back then, he lost his beloved Meg. All

    the days that came after that fated day, he lived dully and monotonously.

    Until one day, he saw a woman in white, lying unconscious on the shore of his private beach.

    Jonathan froze when he saw her. Her familiar face left him breathless and his mind went nk.

    ¡°Meg!¡± he shouted.

    He stumbled towards her and picked her up.

    But when he saw that the woman wasn¡¯t Meg, his heart sank.

    However, Jonathan was even more shocked to see the resemnce of this woman to histe wife.

    She was soaked, and her face was abnormally ruddy due to the high favor; but no doubt about it, she

    resembled his wife so much.

    Tears were rolling down Jonathan¡¯s face. While he was lost in thought, he felt like his beloved wife had

    returned.

    Every single day since Meg died, he pleaded to God with all his heart and soul that his wife might one

    day return to him.

    And when Jonathan saw Eliana, he felt like God had answered his prayers.

    It was so great that Meg had returned to him.

    Thereafter, Jonathan took Eliana back and asked the best doctor in the hospital to treat her. It was then

    that the doctor told him that she was pregnant.

    Not long after Eliana woke up, she told Jonathan that her full name was Eliana Pierce.

    Back then, he was taken by surprise. Herst name wasn¡¯t White, and yet she looked a lot like Meg.

    He thought that the two must be rted one way or another.

    After finding out about Eliana¡¯s background, Jonathan was almost certain that her mother, Ingrid, was

    the White family¡¯s daughter who left their household years ago.

    Due to personal reasons, he concealed that information and he told Eliana that she was pregnant.

    Jonathan had always been a steady shoulder for her to lean on. He once told her that he could take

    care of her children with her.

    Eventually, he resolved that he would keep Eliana with him at all costs. He was even willing to raise two

    kids who weren¡¯t rted to him by blood.

    However, fate always yed twisted jokes on people. He didn¡¯t expect that in order to conduct an

    investigation on what had happened to the Pierce family, Eliana would rather return home with her kids

    than to ask him for help.

    Thereafter, everything unfolded.

    Jonathan contemted about the past, lost in thought.

    Maurice, on the other hand, didn¡¯t give a damn about Jonathan¡¯s sadness. His main concern right now

    was what Jonathan had done to Eliana.

    ¡°Jonathan, what did you do to Eliana?¡± he growled.

    He grabbed Jonathan by the cor once more, visibly enraged. It looked like he would snap thetter¡¯s

    neck at any moment.

    Unafraid and unfazed, Jonathan even goaded Maurice. ¡°You feel like a big strong man, don¡¯t you,

    Maurice? Since you took her away, shouldn¡¯t you be the one to solve that problem on your own?¡±

    Maurice was even more furious now.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±

    He raised his fist, intent on making Jonathan pay for the price of hurting Eliana.

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    The following second, a cane hit him directly.

    ¡°Stop it, you jerk!¡±

 Chapter 640

    Chapter 640

    Earle didn¡¯t know the whole truth of the situation, so he tried to hit Maurice on the back with his cane.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    ¡°Have you gone mad, Maurice? Let him go!¡±

    Maurice groaned in pain. With Earle around, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to interrogate Jonathan

    anymore. Thus, he relented and released Jonathan.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Bowman,¡± Earle solemnly said to Jonathan.

    Jonathan straightened up his disheveled clothes and said, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m well-aware of your

    grandson¡¯s explosive temper. I may be able to let it slide, but we still haven¡¯t dealt with how your

    grandson took my girlfriend away.¡±

    His girlfriend? Maurice stole Jonathan¡¯s girlfriend?

    Though he expected that there was enmity between them, he never imagined that Maurice would

    actually steal Jonathan¡¯s girlfriend.

    Suddenly, a question dawned on Earle.

    Out of curiosity, he asked, ¡°Who are you referring to? Is it Eliana Pierce?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jonathan replied inly. ¡°Not only did he steal my girlfriend, but also our kids.¡±

    Earle was rendered speechless.

    He had no idea that Eliana had children.

    Thereafter, Jonathan took out his phone and showed a picture of himself, Eliana, and the twins.

    ¡°Have a look at this, Mr. Moran. This is evidence to prove that I¡¯m telling the truth.¡±

    Upon seeing the picture, Earle was left with even more questions in mind.

    ¡°Are those¡­ Aileen and Adrian? How could they be Eliana¡¯s kids?¡±

    In that moment, all the details Earle once ignored shed through his mind.

    The twins did mention their mother many times, but he had never seen their father. Aside from that,

    Maurice had an odd behavior toward the twins.

    All of these factors made Earle piece the truth together. The twins were indeed Eliana and Jonathan¡¯s

    children!

    With that in mind, Earle put on a stern expression and looked at Maurice.

    ¡°Those twins are close to Ss, aren¡¯t they? They go to the same school. Didn¡¯t you know about this?¡±

    Maurice knew something bad was going to happen the moment Jonathan took out that photo.

    It didn¡¯t ur to him that Jonathan would speak to his grandfather and twist the facts just so he could

    take Eliana away from him.

    Maurice tried to think of a way to exin his side, but his brief silence made Earle think that it was

    evidence of his deception.

    It turned out that Maurice knew all of this from the very beginning, but he kept it a secret all this time.

    ¡°Well, well, well¡­¡± Earle was clearly infuriated. He pointed at Maurice, his chest heaving up and down,

    and his veins looked like they were about to pop as he struggled to hold onto the cane.

    Worried that Earle might get a heart attack or a stroke from anger, Aleck immediately tried to intervene.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, calm down, sir! Take it easy. I think we should hear Mr. Maurice Moran out first.¡±

    ¡°What else can he even say about this? He stole someone else¡¯s girlfriend and their children! That¡¯s

    beyond absurd!¡±

    Earle mmed his cane onto the floor.

    Jonathan took this opportunity to fan the mes. ¡°Mr. Moran, I believe that you¡¯re a righteous man. I¡¯m

    sure that you and your family won¡¯t take my children, won¡¯t you?¡±

    Maurice became overwhelmed with anger, wanting to kill Jonathan.

    In his opinion, Jonathan must be courting death!

    Jonathan had repeatedly reminded him that the twins were another man¡¯s children. But now, he was

    suddenly iming that the kids were his.

    It seemed that he really would stop at nothing just to get Eliana.

    Maurice believed that there were many ws in Jonathan¡¯s ims. However, Earle believed otherwise.

    ¡°You bastard! Sever all of your ties with Eliana, return her to Jonathan, and give them back their kids¡­¡±

    Earle could barely finish his sentence. He really didn¡¯t want to let those kids go, because he was fond

    of them and he once wanted to adopt them.

    Upon seeing that Earle was adamant in his decision, Maurice knew that no matter what he said, he

    wouldn¡¯t be able to solve this matter today unless he told Earle the truth.

    He nned to find a better opportunity to tell Earle the truth about the twins, but he didn¡¯t anticipate

    that Jonathan would use it to his advantage.

    Because the situation had spiraled out of his control, Maurice couldn¡¯t wait for a better timing anymore.

    ¡°I refuse. I will not let this man take Eliana and the kids away!¡±

 Chapter 641

    Chapter 641

    ¡°You¡­ Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    Earle trembled with anger. He looked at Maurice with disappointment.

    Thinking how proud he was of Maurice before, he shouted angrily, ¡°Are you really going to do this for a

    woman? Maurice, are you out of your mind?¡±

    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not what you think it is.¡±

    As he spoke, Maurice nced at Aleck, who immediately understood. Aleck took out the DNA test

    report he had copied from Corbin.

    Then he handed it to Earle. ¡°Mr. Moran, please take a look at this first.¡±

    Earle didn¡¯t know what was going on. He was full of doubts, but he still took the document.

    And when he read it, his hand holding it trembled, and his eyes opened wide.

    ¡°This¡­ What is the meaning of this? What does ny-nine point nine percent parent-child rtionship

    mean? Whose test result is this?¡±

    Actually, Earle already had a vague guess in his heart when he saw the document. But he still wanted

    to hear it directly from Maurice.

    ¡°Grandpa, Aileen and Adrian are my children. I am the father of Eliana¡¯s twins.¡±

    At this moment, all the words seemed powerless, and Earle was stunned on the spot. He didn¡¯te

    back to his senses for a long time.

    And he was not the only one shocked by the news.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! Adrian and Aileen are Eliana and a male prostitute¡­¡±

    But Jonathan suddenly stopped.

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    He thought of how Maurice treated the twins and Eliana¡¯s attitude.

    Eliana valued her children more than her life. She wouldn¡¯t ask Maurice to take care of her two children

    for no reason. Not unless¡­ Maurice was really the twins¡¯ biological father.

    And now that there was already the DNA test result, it was hard not to believe the truth.

    Jonathan understood everything now, but he still couldn¡¯t ept the fact.

    ¡°A male prostitute? Did you already know Eliana five years ago? What really happened back then?¡±

    Earle¡¯s doubts grew even more.

    ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s a long story. But five years ago, I concealed my identity and had children with Eliana.

    She only found out about it not long ago.¡±

    Jonathan was there, so Maurice didn¡¯t want to say much.

    It was only a matter of few minutes, but Earle¡¯s mood had fluctuated greatly. All of a sudden, he had a

    great-grandson and a great-granddaughter. It was too overwhelming that his fragile heart suddenly

    ached.

    Aleck noticed something was strange with Earle, so he hurriedly helped Earle back to the ward to rest.

    This time, Earle didn¡¯t say anything. He just cast a meaningful nce at Maurice.

    As soon as Earle left, Maurice no longer had scruples. He stared at Jonathan coldly, and then smiled

    contemptuously.

    Then he said, ¡°Fuck off! Consider today as your lucky day. You must be thankful that I don¡¯t want to kill

    someone in front of my grandpa.¡±

    At this moment, Jonathan had already recovered from the shock. He stared at Maurice gloomily.

    ¡°I almost made it today. But it doesn¡¯t mean that you already won.¡±

    ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡± Maurice asked, feeling that something was wrong.

    Jonathan smiled again. But this time, it was full of disdain and contempt.

    ¡°Maurice, if you still want her to recover,e to me and beg. I¡¯ll be waiting for you¡­¡±

    Maurice¡¯s heart shuddered. Suddenly, he understood everything.

    ¡°Sure enough, this is all your doings.¡±

    Eliana had no post-traumatic stress disorder at all. She went crazy because Jonathan had done

    something to her.

    Maurice rushed to Jonathan, trying to catch him.

    But Jonathan¡¯s bodyguards came over. They immediately swarmed up and escorted him away.

    Maurice had no choice but to watch Jonathan¡¯s receding back, clenching his fists tightly.

    Then he turned around and went back to the ward.

    Earle directly said, ¡°Tell me everything about the two kids.¡±

    As soon as Earle returned to his ward, he immediately took medicine. So the pain in his heart alleviated

    a lot. He was eager to know everything.

    Maurice pondered for a moment. Then he said firmly, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s actually veryplicated. But what

    you only need to know is that Aileen and Adrian are indeed your great-grandchildren. And Eliana has

    suffered a lot to raise them alone. I will never leave her again.¡±

 Chapter 642

    Chapter 642

    If this was before, Earle would have already grabbed his walking stick and hit Maurice when Maurice

    had said in front of him that Maurice wanted to be with Eliana and would never leave her. And he would

    have scolded Maurice for his wishful thinking and told him that the Moran family would never ept a

    woman like her.

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    But at this moment, he hesitated.

    He thought of Adrian and Aileen. Although they were Eliana¡¯s children, they were his great-

    grandchildren.

    Moreover, he liked the two children so much. So now that he knew they were really his great-

    grandchildren, how could he not be happy?

    ¡°Bring the two children here right now.¡±

    Maurice pinched his be helplessly. Since he had told Earle the truth, he knew this would happen.

    ¡°Grandpa, the children are still in school. And they don¡¯t know the truth yet. If you call them over rashly,

    they will be frightened.¡±

    ¡°No, I want them here now.¡± Earle seemed determined to get the children immediately. ¡°Bring them

    here. Otherwise, I won¡¯t take my medicine.¡±

    Earle was burning with anxiety. He wanted to see the twins right away and tell them that he was their

    great-grandfather.

    Maurice was annoyed by Earle¡¯s behavior. But he didn¡¯tpromise.

    ¡°Grandpa, you can¡¯t threaten me just like that. Anyway, it¡¯s useless. I have to ask the children¡¯s mother

    first. We can¡¯t make the decision without her consent.¡±

    ¡°I want to see my great-grandchildren. Why do I need to ask her permission?¡± There was a trace of

    guilt in Earle¡¯s voice.

    It was rare for Maurice to see Earle being embarrassed, so he couldn¡¯t help teasing, ¡°Do you regret it

    now? You¡¯ve always been mean to Eliana. Aren¡¯t you afraid that the kids won¡¯t talk to you after they

    know the truth?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Earle was rendered speechless for a moment.

    But soon, he snapped, ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t care. Go find that woman now. Tell her I want to see the

    children.¡±

    No matter what Maurice said, Earle insisted on seeing Adrian and Aileen. And he kept threatening that

    he wouldn¡¯t take his medicine if Maurice didn¡¯t give in to his demand.

    So Maurice had no choice but to go back to Eliana¡¯s ward.

    At this moment, Eliana was already awake.

    Shey in the bed, touching the gauze on her forehead.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Eliana gasped in pain.

    Then she looked around nkly.

    Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be at home? What happened? Why was she in the hospital now? And why did

    her forehead hurt?

    While she was still wondering, Maurice walked in. Her eyes lit up at once.

    She immediately asked, ¡°Maurice, what happened? Why am I in the hospital? And what happened to

    my head? Why does it hurt?¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t intend to hide the truth from Eliana this time. So he showed her the surveince video

    from homest night.

    Confusion was written all over Eliana¡¯s face.

    Soon, the video clearly showed her what had happenedst night. She walked out of the children¡¯s

    room in a daze and wandered around the house like a ghost. In the end, she banged her head against

    the wall, trying to hurt herself. She even went crazy, biting Maurice, who tried to stop her.

    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Eliana gasped and covered her mouth in disbelief.

    Thest thing she remembered was that she told Aileen a storyst night. Then after that, she had no

    idea what had happened next.

    ¡°Maurice, I really don¡¯t remember anything. How¡­ How could I go crazy like that? What is wrong with

    me?¡±

    Eliana was flustered. She grabbed Maurice¡¯s arm in a panic.

    Maurice¡¯s heart sank upon seeing her like this. But he suppressed his emotions andforted her,

    ¡°Honey, it¡¯s alright. The doctor said you are just suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. You need

    a good treatment. Otherwise, you will keep hurting yourself.¡±

    ¡°Post-traumatic stress disorder¡­¡±

    Eliana fell back to the bed in a daze. It was hard for her to ept that she suddenly became mentally

    ill.

    ¡°How do you feel now?¡±

    Maurice looked at Eliana worriedly. The love and pity in his eyes were overflowing.

    Eliana didn¡¯t want him to worry about her, so she forced a smile andforted him, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just

    can¡¯t ept it for a while. It¡¯s just post-traumatic stress disorder. This kind of minor illness can¡¯t defeat

    me.¡±

    Maurice stretched out his arms and hugged her tightly. He could see that she was only pretending to be

    strong.

    So heforted her, ¡°Everything will be fine. No matter what happens, I will be by your side. I will

    never leave you.¡±

    Eliana buried herself in Maurice¡¯s arms and felt the warm temperature from his chest. Finally, she

    calmed down a little.

    They hugged each other quietly for a while. It was as if nothing could separate them.

    When Maurice saw that Eliana had finally calmed down, he said, ¡°Eliana, I have something to tell you.

    My grandpa already knew the children¡¯s identities. Now, he is moring to see Aileen and Adrian. Will

    it be okay with you? Will you allow him to see them?¡±

 Chapter 643

    Chapter 643

    Eliana suddenly raised her head from Maurice¡¯s arms and asked in surprise, ¡°Your grandpa knew? Did

    you tell him?¡±

    Maurice paused for a moment. Of course, he didn¡¯t want to mention Jonathan, so he said, ¡°Sort of. I

    know that Grandpa did excessive things to you before. So, are you still willing to let the children see

    him now?¡±

    This time, it was Eliana who froze. Since Maurice found that Aileen and Adrian were his children, she

    knew this would happen sooner orter.

    In the past, she was afraid that the Moran family would take away her children once they knew the

    children¡¯s identities. But now, she was no longer scared.

    She stared at Maurice in front of her and remembered his promise to her.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Maurice was surprised. He didn¡¯t expect Eliana to say yes so quickly.

    ¡°Really? Are you sure about it? Eliana, you should know that you don¡¯t have to force yourself just for

    me.¡±

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    Eliana smiled and said calmly, ¡°You are thinking too much. The children have had contact with Earle

    before, and he likes them very much. At that time, I thought it was God¡¯s will that they met. Besides,

    they get along well. He is their great-grandpa, so he has the right to see his great-grandchildren. I can¡¯t

    stop him from doing that. But¡­¡±

    She paused for a moment and looked straight into Maurice¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will respect Aileen¡¯s and Adrian¡¯s

    decision. Actually, they have already guessed that you are their father. As for whether they want to see

    Earle or not, let¡¯s ask them first. Let them decide.¡±

    Maurice felt Eliana¡¯s words made sense, so he had no objection.

    Eliana picked up her phone and called the children. She told them the entire truth and asked for their

    opinions.

    ¡°Children, I will never force you to do things. So I want to ask you first. Do you want to see Earle?¡±

    When Adrian heard everything,plicated emotions filled his heart.

    When he didn¡¯t know about his rtionship with Earle yet, he thought he wanted to see Earle again.

    But now, he became hesitant. He suddenly didn¡¯t know what to do.

    In the end, he replied sulkily, ¡°I have something to do tonight, so I won¡¯t go.¡±

    After saying this, he immediately hung up the phone, not even giving his sister a chance to say

    anything.

    ¡°Adrian, why did you hang up the phone? I haven¡¯t said anything to Mommy yet,¡± Aileen said with

    dissatisfaction on her face, holding the phone that was forcibly hung up.

    When Ss saw the change in Adrian¡¯s expression, he wanted to say something tofort him. But

    Adrian just lowered his head and walked to the other side sullenly.

    ¡°Ss, don¡¯t worry. Let me handle him. I¡¯ll make him feel better soon.¡±

    Aileen patted her chest, turned around, and walked to Adrian confidently.

    She held Adrian¡¯s arm and said with a smile, ¡°Adrian, what are you thinking? Tell me. Maybe I can help

    you analyze it.¡±

    Adrian looked at Aileen with hesitation for a while. Then he equivocated to express his thoughts.

    It turned out that he had already figured out the rtionship between them and the Moran family.

    Although he hadn¡¯t officially called Maurice as father yet, it didn¡¯t change the fact that Earle was his

    great-grandfather.

    He didn¡¯t hate Earle. But the question was, would the Moran family ept his mother?

    After their rtionship changed, could they still get along as well as before?

    So Adrian didn¡¯t know if he should see Earle or not.

    ¡°Now I know what¡¯s in your mind.¡± Aileen didn¡¯t seem to have any misgivings about this. She even burst

    intoughter.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Adrian was so embarrassed that his ears turned red.

    ¡°Adrian, you are such a fool,¡± Aileen said, crossing her arms across her chest. ¡°Let me ask you. If Mr.

    Moran is just an ordinary old man and wants to see you because he is sick, will you agree?¡±

    Adrian was stunned. He didn¡¯t know what to say for a while.

    And while he was like this, Aileen continued, ¡°Adrian, what are you hesitating about? Didn¡¯t Mommy

    teach us to be kind to the elderly?¡±

    Finally, Adrian was enlightened. Aileen was right. He could just take Earle as an ordinary old man.

    At this moment, all his hesitation vanished. He simply said, ¡°Aileen, you¡¯re right. We should go see Mr.

    Moran.¡±

    In the end, Adrian and Aileen reached an agreement happily.

    Soon, Maurice¡¯s men brought them to the hospital. But they were first taken to Eliana¡¯s ward.

    ¡°Kids, you are here.¡±

    Sitting on the bed with gauze wrapped around her head, Eliana greeted the two children with a smile.

    But no matter how hard she tried to hide it, Adrian still sensed that she was not in a good state.

    ¡°Mommy, what happened to your head?¡±

 Chapter 644

    Chapter 644

    Eliana touched her forehead guiltily and tried to prevaricate.

    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I identally fell down and hurt my head.¡±

    Adrian stared at her suspiciously, sensing that something was wrong.

    ¡°Why are you so careless, Mommy? You should be more careful. Does it hurt too much? Let me blow

    on it.¡±

    Aileen immediately climbed on the bed.

    ¡°It does not hurt at all. You should go and see Mr. Earle Moran. He¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    Eliana helped her daughter get out of bed, lightly touching her head before she turned to Maurice and

    said, ¡°Take them to see your grandfather.¡±

    Maurice then held the kids¡¯ hands and took them to Earle¡¯s ward.

    Earle was anxiously waiting in the ward to meet the kids. He was pacing back and forth nervously as

    he tried to hold back his urge to go to Eliana¡¯s ward to see the kids.

    Nancy came to his ward and made him lie back down on the bed.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, we are here!¡±

    Aileen jumped into the room and greeted him with an excited smile.

    Adrian was a little awkward, lowering his head in silence as he shyly entered the ward.

    ¡°Come here!¡±

    Earle reached out his hand to wee the kids.

    Nancy was also very d to see them. ¡°You two are such sweet kids! Come here and let me see you!¡±

    Aleck was the one who had called to inform her that she had two great-grandchildren. Although she

    found it a little hard to believe at first, she was also very excited to meet them.

    Aileen was not shy at all. She ran over to Nancy and introduced, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Moran! I am Aileen, and

    he¡¯s my brother, Adrian.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let me take a good look at you.¡±

    Nancy stroked Aileen¡¯s face lovingly. And the more she looked at the little girl, the more she felt like she

    was looking at Rosina, which made her eyes water.

    Aileen stood there obediently.

    Nancy then waved to Adrian with tears in her eyes. ¡°Come over here, Adrian!¡±

    Adrian hesitated for a moment before he walked to her.

    Nancy held the kids warmly, unable to take her eyes off them.

    Earle was so jealous and said, ¡°Nancy, stop keeping them to yourself! I am here too! Kids,e to

    me!¡±

    Aileen looked at him with concern and asked, ¡°Are you feeling better now, Mr. Moran?¡±

    She then winked at Adrian.

    Since they were there, Adrian could not just stand still and be silent.

    Adrian took a deep breath to muster his courage before he said, ¡°Hello, Mr. Moran¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your concern, kids. I feel much better now.¡±

    Earle smiled. Although he had always been a tough person, it was the first time he was so happy that

    he almost had tears of joy.

    He had been a powerful man when he was young, but now, he was just a great-grandfather who

    spoiled his great-grandkids.

    Nancy was overjoyed by the beautiful sight of Earle talking with the kids.

    Maurice was outside as he did not want to disturb them. He did not know that Eliana hade to him.

    They stood beside each other in silence, watching the beautiful scene in the ward.

    Maurice was relieved when he saw that the kids epted it well. He turned around and saw Eliana.

    Unable to contain his joy, he held her hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My grandpa will ept our kids and you. As for Grandma, she has always liked you, so

    you will be their granddaughter-inw.¡±

    Eliana blushed under his loving gaze. She gently leaned on his shoulder.

    Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.

    For a moment, she felt a sense of happiness that was iparable.

    Eliana and Maurice loved each other deeply; they had two kids; and they would finally receive the

    blessing of their family¡­

    However, a faint sense of worry crept into her heart.

    Her strange illness was like a ticking time bomb, which could make her hard-earned happiness vanish

    in a second.

    The twins talked to Earle until he took his medicine and went to sleep. After that, Nancy escorted the

    kids out of the ward.

    Eliana walked up to her and said, ¡°I am so sorry, Mrs. Moran. I lied to you¡­¡±

    But before she could even finish, Nancy pulled her into a warm hug.

    ¡°Eliana, you have suffered a lot for years¡­¡±

 Chapter 645

    Chapter 645

    ¡°Mrs. Moran¡­ Thank you.¡±

    Eliana looked like a child who had been through a lot in Nancy¡¯s arms. She was not able to hold back

    her tears when she felt Nancy¡¯s warm embrace.

    Although she had her own kids, Nancy was the only one that treated her like a child.

    ¡°You¡¯ve really suffered a lot, darling.¡±

    Eliana was still in her early twenties when she had be the mother of two children.

    Without the support of her family, she raised them alone. Nancy could not even imagine how miserable

    it must have been for her.

    Seeing them, Adrian and Aileen also walked over to hug them.

    They were all hugging each other like a family while Maurice stood beside like he was out of ce.

    At that moment, a nurse walked over and reminded Eliana, ¡°Miss Pierce, it¡¯s time for you to go back to

    your ward and take the medicine.¡±

    Aileen was confused when she heard that. ¡°Mommy, didn¡¯t you just say that you only hurt your head a

    little? Why do you need to take medicine for that?¡±

    Adrian also fixed his doubtful eyes on Eliana.

    ¡°It¡¯s just some anti-inmmatory medicine. Nothing to worry about.¡±

    Not wanting her children to know the truth, she gave Maurice a hint that he should help her conceal it.

    Maurice immediately understood and changed the topic.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    ¡°Aileen, Adrian, we still have something to talk about, so can you guys go to the yground with the

    nurse?¡±

    Aileen had always been obedient, so she immediately agreed. Adrian was reluctant, but the nurse

    dragged him away.

    Watching the kids¡¯ backs, Nancy could not help but sigh. ¡°What sensible kids! Eliana, you has taught

    them well!¡±

    Eliana felt a little shy when she heard that, but Maurice seemed proud.

    ¡°Obviously, they¡¯re great! After all, they¡¯re our kids!¡±

    Hearing his confident words, Nancy nodded at first, but then she said, ¡°You can¡¯t take credit! Eliana has

    taught them well. I have always liked her, and it seems that she is destined to be the granddaughter-in-

    law of the Moran family.¡±

    Nancy really liked Eliana.

    Eliana blushed and said shyly, ¡°I am not as good as you think, Mrs. Moran!¡±

    ¡°You should be more confident, Eliana. If I could, I would get you two married right away!¡±

    Nancy turned to Maurice and continued, ¡°Did you hear me? Now that you two have kids, you should

    hold the wedding ceremony as soon as possible. If you keep dying it, then God won¡¯t be pleased

    with you.¡±

    Eliana was over the moon to get Nancy¡¯s blessing.

    However, she suddenly remembered her illness and said, ¡°Mrs. Moran, I am afraid I might let you

    down¡­ We may not be able to hold the wedding ceremony anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Why? Did Maurice piss you off again?¡±

    Nancy red at her grandson.

    ¡°It¡¯s not his fault. It¡¯s me¡­ I am not well¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick? Is it serious?¡±

    Nancy became restless as soon as she heard that.

    However, Eliana found it difficult to confess about her mental illness.

    Just when she was about to say something, Maurice said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, Grandma. She had

    been so busy with work that she¡¯s too tired now. She should be fine in a few days after resting well.¡±

    Nancy breathed a sigh of relief and said, ¡°That¡¯s okay. Well, you two talk. I have to go or your grandpa

    will call me.¡±

    As soon as Nancy left, Eliana turned to Maurice and questioned, ¡°Why did you lie to her? I don¡¯t want

    to lie to her anymore!¡±

    Maurice exined, ¡°You¡¯re right, but I don¡¯t want any more obstacles in the way of our happiness. And I

    only hid it from her because I don¡¯t want her to worry about you. She is old and not much stronger than

    Grandpa. Besides, the kids don¡¯t know about it. Just like how you don¡¯t want the kids to worry, I don¡¯t

    want Grandma to worry about you, either!¡±

    Eliana wanted to say something, but then she stopped on second thought.

    That was when Maurice said the most important reason.

    ¡°Moreover, now is the perfect time to make Grandpa ept you. I don¡¯t want anything to affect his

    opinion of you!¡±

 Chapter 646

    Chapter 646

    Aleck was in the ward, adjusting Earle¡¯s bed.

    Since Earle had just met the kids, and he was still in an excited state, Aleck was worried that his heart

    might cause trouble again, so he gave him another pill.

    ¡°Take another pill, Mr. Moran. Just in case.¡±

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    Earle took the pill from Aleck indifferently.

    ¡°Since when have you known the twins¡¯ identity?¡±

    When Aleck had chosen to hide the truth temporarily, he had already prepared himself to be med

    and questioned, so he lowered his head and answered, ¡°I did not know about it until a few days ago,

    and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to tell you.¡±

    Aleck would have been scolded if it was a normal situation, but since Earle was in a good mood, he did

    not care.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Aleck was surprised to hear that he was letting it slide.

    ¡°You did a good job. I like the kids, and I did not expect them to be my great-grandchildren!¡±

    A smile appeared on Earle¡¯s lips as he spoke of the kids.

    All of a sudden, an idea popped into Aleck¡¯s mind, and he asked, ¡°Naturally, you¡¯re happy with the kids,

    but what about their mother?¡±

    Earle paused and pondered for a moment. The previous disgust in his eyes towards Eliana was not

    there.

    ¡°Although Eliana¡¯s family background and personality is not a good match for that of Maurice¡¯s, I am a

    little fond of her now because she gave birth to Aileen and Adrian.¡±

    Aleck was overjoyed. Although Earle was not saying it openly, he meant that he would ept Eliana.

    ¡°What do you mean, Mr. Moran?¡± he asked with a grin.

    Earle nced at him.

    Aleck had worked for him for so long, that it was obvious that he had already read his mind, but he was

    purposely asking him to say it out loud.

    ¡°Go and find out if there is anyone from the Pierce family, who can make a decision. We must let

    Maurice have a grand wedding!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Moran. I¡¯ll investigate it right away!¡±

    Earle seemed to have epted Eliana atst!

    With a broad smile on his face, Aleck immediately left to find out if Eliana had any rtives.

    Meanwhile, Eliana was nervously sitting in her ward, waiting for her doctor¡¯s reply.

    Maurice sat beside her, holding her hands to offer his support.

    After going through her case, the doctor suggested a new treatment for her.

    ¡°Considering her current situation, we can have someone very close to the patient stay with her at night

    to see if it helps improve her mental condition.¡±

    And following the doctor¡¯s suggestion, Maurice spent the night with her.

    Fortunately, Eliana didn¡¯t get an attack that night and slept soundly.

    When she woke up the next morning, she saw Maurice sleeping next to her, holding her hand firmly.

    The warmth of his palm softened her heart. She immediately reached out and gently touched his

    handsome face.

    How could Maurice have such long eyshes?

    As though someone had cast a spell on her, she tried to kiss him immediately.

    However, Maurice caught her in the act.

    ¡°You¡¯re flirting with me soon after you wake up?¡±

    Eliana blushed and stammered, ¡°I¡­I just couldn¡¯t help it¡­¡±

    Staring at her flushed cheeks, he realized that it had been a peaceful night.

    ¡°You¡¯re fine! The doctor¡¯s suggestion worked!¡±

    Maurice got up and picked her up happily.

    Touched, Eliana wrapped her arms around his neck.

    ¡°Thank you, Maurice¡­¡±

    As Maurice stared at her face, a burning desire ignited in his body.

    He suddenly put her down and locked the door while she was staring at him in a daze.

    Eliana gulped when she heard the crisp sound of the door locking.

    Maurice looked like a hungry wolf, waiting to devour the littlemb, but she did not want to resist.

    Everything went smoothly.

    The nurse was about to check on Eliana when she suddenly heard a very strange sounding from

    inside.

    She immediately understood what was going on inside and blushed.

    ¡°Young people are really full of energy¡­¡±

 Chapter 647

    Chapter 647

    It was as if the next few days were a world of their own. Eliana and Maurice spent their hours in a

    youthful kind of love¡ªone that locked them away from anything and anyone but each other. They

    stayed together all day long, never leaving each other¡¯s side.

    The time passed like this until Corbin showed up at the hospital armed with a candid speech.

    The bottom line was that Maurice was still the CEO of the Moran Group, and he couldn¡¯t just ignore his

    position in favor of a rtionship. The dream had been drawn out for too long. It was time to go back to

    reality.

    Corbin had held off as long as he could, and he was at the end of his tether. The senior directors had

    been hounding him with questions at every opportunity, driving him further and further up the wall.

    Maurice had no reaction to his subordinate¡¯s dilemma, but Eliana took pity on the poor man.

    ¡°You should go back now. I¡¯m fine. Thepany needs you.¡±

    Maurice¡¯s unwillingness was evident, but he knew that Corbin was right. He had taken a long absence

    from work, and it was time to deal with his responsibilities to thepany.

    Taking Eliana¡¯s hand, he gave her gentle reminders.

    ¡°If you feel any pain, or if there¡¯s any problem, call me. Can you promise me that?¡±

    Eliana gave him a soft smile. ¡°Okay. Since when were you worrier?¡±

    Corbin stood aside and watched Maurice repeat his worried but soft nagging, holding Eliana¡¯s hand as

    if he didn¡¯t want to let go.

    Corbin inwardly sighed. Love was a force to reckon with. He had never thought that his boss who

    thought of nothing but his job 24/7 was capable of such a tender expression.

    Nana came as soon as Maurice and Corbin left.

    ¡°Honey, I can¡¯t help but worry about you these days!¡±

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    She hugged Eliana as soon as she arrived.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nana. I¡¯m alright,¡± Eliana said, patting her friend on the back.

    Nana stepped back and looked at Eliana for a long time, her eyes moving all over her figure. Only

    when she was fully convinced that Eliana was fine did she let out a sigh of relief.

    The two talked for a long time about a lot of things, and then Eliana asked about the children.

    ¡°Nana, you¡¯ve been taking care of the kids while I¡¯m not there. Thank you!¡±

    ¡°They have been staying with Mrs. Moran during the past few days.¡± Nana gave Eliana¡¯s hand a gentle

    pat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if the Moran family hasn¡¯t said it out loud, I know that they have already

    epted the situation. When you marry Maurice, you will be a part of the family.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s heart warmed at her words.

    It seems that the children were settling just fine.

    The thought sent a wave of deep longing to her. She wanted to go home as soon as possible.

    ¡°I want to get out of the hospital already. I haven¡¯t seen the kids for days and I miss them so much.¡±

    ¡°You want to leave now? Shouldn¡¯t you get checked again first?¡± Nana asked in surprise.

    Eliana smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Help me pack up.¡±

    Maurice wasn¡¯t here anymore, and Eliana didn¡¯t want to stay by herself in the ward.

    Nana was helping Eliana collect her things when an unexpected ident happened.

    ¡°Eliana, you are bleeding!¡±

    Nana¡¯s face paled in horror.

    ¡°Bleeding?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s hand instinctively lifted to her nose.

    There, on her hand, was a wet crimson spot.

    ¡°This is¡­¡±

    Before she could finish her words, a surge of dizziness took over her, and she fell to the floor.

    ¡°Eliana! What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t scare me like this!¡±

    Nana¡¯s screams echoed through the room as she bent down to help Eliana up.

    At the sound of her wails, a female nurse rushed inside the room.

    Seeing that Eliana had fainted, she immediately came over and checked her condition.

    Nana shouted, ¡°Go and call the doctor!¡±

    Strangely, the nurse made no motion to leave. She looked at Nana and gave a cryptic answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s useless. None of the doctors here can cure her.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Nana asked in confusion.

    The nurse ignored her question and turned to look at Eliana. ¡°Miss Pierce, I think you know what I

    mean. You should know who to find at this time,¡± she said meaningfully.

    Eliana was lying weakly in Nana¡¯s arms, sweating profusely as her head felt like it was being split open.

    She raised her head slowly and stared at the strange nurse. Gritting her teeth, she forced out her

    words. ¡°Who sent you here?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Bowman.¡± The nurse told her the truth. ¡°He asked me to deliver a message. He is the only one

    who can cure your disease.¡±

 Chapter 648

    Chapter 648

    There was a tone of panic in Nana¡¯s voice. ¡°What do you mean? Tell me now! Why did you say that no

    doctor could cure Eliana?¡±

    The nurse nced at Eliana and said slowly, ¡°Miss Pierce, can you still remember the medicine you

    took in the sanitarium?¡±

    What medicine?

    Eliana¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock after she heard the nurse¡¯s question. She could still recall the days

    when the doctor had administered some strange pills to her and lied that they were painkillers.

    She closed her eyes and muttered, ¡°There was something wrong with that medication¡­¡±

    The nurse noddedcently.

    ¡°It¡¯s a newly developed drug. Only Mr. Bowman has the antidote. You just need to take the antidote

    twice a day, morning and tonight, and you¡¯ll be fine. But since you have insisted on leaving Mr.

    Bowman¡¯s care, then no antidote will be administered to you again.¡±

    Now Eliana understood.

    A bitter smile appeared on her face.

    The reason why she had gone crazy in the first ce was not because of stress or trauma. It was all

    because of Jonathan!

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    She had been too naive to believe that a lunatic like Jonathan would let her go easily.

    Eliana closed her eyes, sighed heavily and asked, ¡°What on earth is he nning to do?¡±

    A wry smile was visible on the nurse¡¯s lips. ¡°Mr. Bowman just wants you toe back to him.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to go to him? What if I refuse?¡± Eliana opened her eyes and stared hard at the

    nurse.

    There was a dark expression on the nurse¡¯s face; then she leaned forward and said in a cold voice,

    ¡°Then death may be the only option left for you.¡±

    ¡°That crazy bastard! I¡¯ll kill him when I get my hands on him!¡±

    Nana could no longer stand what was unfolding before her eyes and almost ran over to p the nurse.

    However, Eliana raised her hand to stop her.

    But as she moved, she suddenly felt the need to throw up. She could taste the blood at the back of her

    throat, and the next second, she spat out a mouthful of blood.

    ¡°Eliana, is that blood? Doctor! Can you hear me? Doctor! We need your attention right now!¡±

    Nana wrapped her hands around Eliana as she cried out in panic.

    At that very moment, the nurse suddenly took out a pill from her pocket and stuffed it into Eliana¡¯s

    mouth.

    ¡°What did you just give Eliana?¡± Nana asked, still staring at the nurse warily.

    ¡°Just the antidote,¡± the nurse said. ¡°Miss Pierce, this pill can only suppress your illness for a short

    period of time. The only chance of survival you have is going back to Mr. Bowman.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face was pale. The blood that she had spat dribbled down her chest. She was in a sorry state.

    But a bright and firm light still radiated from her eyes.

    ¡°Go and tell Jonathan that I will nevere back to him. Never. Not in this lifetime.¡±

    The nurse grew anxious. ¡°If that is choice, then death is very certain for you. Aren¡¯t you afraid of

    dying?¡±

    ¡°So what if I die?¡± Eliana wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Tell him that he¡¯s invited to my

    funeral. If he¡¯s still interested in seeing me.¡±

    Due to Eliana¡¯s stubbornness, there was nothing the nurse could do to convince her.

    The nurse nced out of the ward with a frown on her face. The noise had alerted the doctors. She

    knew that she had to take her leave immediately.

    ¡°Miss Pierce, you¡¯d better think it over. You should know that you¡¯re in a very bad situation.¡±

    The nurse took one more look at Eliana, turned around and bolted out of the ward.

    As soon as she left, Nana quickly took out her phone and began typing a number hurriedly. ¡°Don¡¯t be

    afraid. I¡¯ll call Maurice now. I know he will know what to do to save you.¡±

    However, before she could tap on the send button, Eliana stopped her.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want him to know about it.¡±

    Nana¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°But why?¡±

    Eliana reached out and held Nana¡¯s hand firmly.

    ¡°Nana, I want you to promise me that you won¡¯t tell anyone about it. I don¡¯t want Maurice to be

    controlled by Jonathan. I don¡¯t want Jonathan to hurt him!¡±

    Nana burst into tears. ¡°You¡¯re acting crazy! Did you not hear what that nurse said? That bastard

    drugged you. You are dying slowly. Are you aware of that?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes were filled with sorrow. The pain in her body kept reminding her that she was in a bad

    state.

    However, she was now filled with so much determination.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let anyone know. Nana, I can¡¯t afford to get Maurice into trouble again.¡±

 Chapter 649

    Chapter 649

    Maurice went back to thepany, but not before asking Nana to stay in the hospital. He didn¡¯t want

    Eliana to be alone.

    This arrangement meant he had to take over looking after the children.

    He was barely able to catch up with everything that needed to be done, and now Ss had insisted that

    hee to thepany as well.

    However, Maurice knew that work had been piling up from his long absence, and there was an endless

    list of things waiting for him on his desk.

    Left without a choice, he took the three kids with him to the office, letting them stay there to do their

    homework while he went to the next room for a meeting.

    The PR department reported something to him at the meeting.

    ¡°Mr. Moran, the matter about the ring has already been resolved, but¡­¡±

    Maurice frowned and rubbed his temples. ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°But¡­ The Stone Group seems to be up to something. They have been in frequent contact with the

    Universe Group. From the look of things, they are going after a partnership with the Bowman family for

    the theme park development project.¡±

    These words sent the meeting room into an uproar.

    One of the shareholders shot up angrily from his chair. ¡°The Stone Group has some nerve! We still

    haven¡¯t settled the score with them for the ringst time, and now they¡¯re trying to kick us out by

    conniving with the Universe Group. What do they take us for?¡±

    Other shareholders echoed his sentiment. Comints and arguments rose and intensified, and chaos

    filled every corner of the conference room.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s voice cut through the ovep of voices. At once the noise died down. He looked around and

    dered calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this matter. If there¡¯s nothing else, then this meeting is over.¡±

    The long and dragging meeting was finally done, but Maurice still had things to deal with. He went back

    to his office and immediately instructed Corbin to contact the Stone family.

    Not long after, their representative arrived.

    ¡°You called, Mr. Moran?¡±

    Bonita put on her business smile, feigning ignorance.

    ¡°Mrs. Stone, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I received news that you have been in frequent contact with Jonathan.

    The Stone Group seems to be nning to invite the Universe Group to join the theme park project. Is

    this true?¡±

    Maurice stared intently at Bonita, his watchful, hawk-like eyes fixed on her.

    ¡°Since you¡¯ve called me all the way here, I¡¯ll rify it. It¡¯s not a rumor. It¡¯s true,¡± Bonita admitted frankly,

    her expression nonchnt.

    Maurice narrowed his eyes and said lowly, ¡°And what if the Moran Group opposes?¡±

    Bonita¡¯s face darkened at his question. ¡°As the co-owner of thatnd, it is the Stone family¡¯s right to

    invite the Universe Group if we wished. You, Mr. Moran, do not have the authority to stop us.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Maurice snorted. ¡°Is that right?¡±

    Then, he threw a pile of documents in front of her.

    ¡°Take a good look. Jonathan has never been one to share. He had attempted many times to sabotage

    the partnership and take the whole project for himself. Inviting him to be a partner is like asking a tiger

    for its skin. You¡¯re a smart woman, Mrs. Stone. I believe you¡¯ll make a wise decision.¡±

    Bonita took the documents, her brows furrowing more deeply.

    Jonathan had a long history of partnerships with manypanies, and there was one ring simrity

    with all of them¡ªthe business deals all ended up with losses for the other party while the Universe

    Group walked away with all the benefits.

    There was no visible change in Bonita¡¯s expression, but her head was already brewing with a new idea.

    With another practiced smile, she said, ¡°Mr. Moran, from what I know, you seem to have matters to

    settle with Mr. Bowman, the CEO of the Universe Group. Why don¡¯t we work together against him?

    That way we both get what we want.¡±

    ¡°What are your terms?¡±

    Maurice refused to lower his guard. He knew that Bonita¡¯s proposition could never havee from a

    sudden bout of conscience.

    A trace of slyness crossed Bonita¡¯s eyes. ¡°There is only one. You cannot marry Eliana.¡±

    Maurice had almost doubted his own ears at the absurdity of her condition.

    He sneered at Bonita. ¡°Mrs. Stone, what do you mean by this?¡±

    Bonita¡¯s smile remained unchanged, but her eyes hardened with coldness. ¡°I have only one daughter,

    and you chose not to marry her. That is fine. But I cannot let her lose to the granddaughter of the White

    family.¡±

    The granddaughter of the White family?

    Eliana was rted to the White family!

    Maurice¡¯s chest lurched at the knowledge, even when he already had vague hunches in the past.

    But the whisper of his inkling paled inparison to the resounding deration of the fact.

    As she watched the change in Maurice¡¯s expression, Bonita¡¯s smile turned smug.

    ¡°It seems that Mr. Moran didn¡¯t know. Not that it¡¯s surprising. Eliana¡¯s father married her mother, who

    was from the White family. He chose to hide her identity because he didn¡¯t want the White family

    involved. Take this as advice from an elder. Earle would never allow you to marry any woman rted to

    the White family. Once he found out, he would do everything to drive Eliana away. It¡¯s better to stop

    now than cause a bigger mess in the future.¡±

    By now, Maurice had recovered from his shock. He looked at Bonita with a steady gaze and answered

    sarcastically, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

 Chapter 650

    Chapter 650

    At that very moment, Corbin¡¯s voice could be heard.

    ¡°Miss Stone, this is surprising. What are you doing here?¡±

    Maurice quickly nced at the door. It was still closed.

    Harriet was also there and she was eavesdropping from outside.

    A dark expression appeared on Bonita¡¯s face. It appeared that she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Harriet would

    follow her and eavesdrop on their conversation.

    Maurice shook his head and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here already, juste on in.¡±

    A few seconds passed and the door swung open.

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    There was a look of embarrassment on Harriet¡¯s face as she slipped into the room.

    After she had discovered that Bonita was on her way to see Maurice, she had made up her mind to

    follow Bonita quietly.

    Her n was to eavesdrop at the door, remain as quiet as a mouse and leave quickly. However, she

    had not expected that she was going to get caught.

    After getting into the room, Harriet nced around with a curious look on her face.

    When it was clear that Eliana was not present, she became more confident in her skill at negotiating.

    But what Harriet failed to realize was that even though Eliana was absent, her two children were in the

    office¡¯s cubicle.

    In the cubicle, the three kids were working on their homework, but soon they became attracted to the

    sound.

    Aileen vaguely heard Eliana¡¯s name. She was so curious that she couldn¡¯t help walking over to the

    door and cing her ear against it.

    Just as she was about to start listening, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she

    found Adrian staring at her with a serious expression on his face.

    ¡°Aileen, what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Adrian, I just heard someone call Mommy¡¯s name.¡± Aileen rolled her eyes and added, ¡°Don¡¯t you want

    to know what Mr. Moran is talking about?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not interested. Besides, it is impolite to eavesdrop on the conversations of other people.

    Mommy always said that. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Adrian asked with a slight frown on his face.

    It was obvious he wasn¡¯t going to let Aileen continue eavesdropping.

    Aileen bit her lower lip and sulked.

    Ss was afraid that they would quarrel so he said to Adrian, ¡°Adrian, don¡¯t be too hard on Aileen. I

    also heard someone call Aunt Eliana¡¯s name. It¡¯s obvious that what they are talking about has

    something to do with her. I think we should be able to listen to what they are saying about her in her

    absence.¡±

    Ss had begun referring to Eliana as an aunt for several days. He had be very familiar with it and

    had already taken her as his family.

    Adrian frowned and finally let out a soft sigh. It appeared he had finally been persuaded.

    ¡°Yes, yes. What if someone wants to hurt Mommy?¡± Aileen quickly chipped in.

    Adrian¡¯s eyes grew wide with realization. He was stunned. What they had been saying now seemed to

    make perfect sense.

    ¡°Okay, I guess we can listen for a while¡­¡±

    Atst, he finallypromised.

    In this way, the three children all agreed, leaned their ears against the door, and eavesdropped on the

    conversation in the office.

    At this time, the adults in the office were unaware that the children were listening to their conversation.

    Harriet confidently took her ce opposite Maurice and went straight to the point.

    ¡°Why this?¡±

    Maurice nced at her indifferently. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Maurice!!!¡± Harriet¡¯s eyes were zing with rage. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend! You know what I mean! I overheard

    you just now. Why must you marry Eliana? Have you forgotten so soon? She came along with two

    bastards¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut your filthy mouth.¡± Maurice shot her an angry stare. ¡°Harriet, listen carefully to me, Aileen and

    Adrian are my children. I warn you to watch your mouth. If I hear you say such vile words about them

    again, then be prepared to face my wrath.¡±

    The revtion struck Harriet like a bolt of lightning. She was shocked and so was Bonita.

    ¡°What did you just say? Did you say those two children belong to you? I can¡¯t believe it!¡±

    Harriet¡¯s eyes were wide open. She could hardly believe what had just been revealed to her.

    Then she shook her head slowly as another thought formed in her mind. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be¡­ Eliana once

    said that they were fathered by a male prostitute. How can they be your children?¡±

    ¡°You can choose to believe whatever you want. They are my children,¡± Maurice said in a calm and

    clear voice.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be true!¡±

    Harriet pushed the chair back and jumped to her feet. It was almost as if the world no longer made

    sense to her. Then an idea urred to her and she could feel a fire burning in her brain. It was almost

    as if she was about to run amok

    ¡°You¡­ I know you love her very much and you¡¯re even willing to take a male prostitute¡¯s children back

    to the Moran family. Maurice, you have gone crazy!¡±

    ¡°Harriet, just stop!¡±

    Bonita quickly touched Harriet¡¯s shoulder to stop her from getting out of control.

    They were here to negotiate and she didn¡¯t want Maurice to be offended quickly.

    Maurice stared at Harriet as she disyed her hysteria and it made him feel quite ridiculous.

    ¡°Harriet, the fact remains that the children are mine. Even if they are not my biological children, I will

    treat them as my children.¡±

    ¡°Do you really love her that much?¡± Harriet asked. Then she slowly plopped down on the chair.

    ¡°Yes, I love her very much. She¡¯s the only woman my heart beats for.¡±

    As the words escaped his lips, Maurice¡¯s eyes glinted with excitement, passion and the tone of his

    voice was very firm.

    ¡°In the days of losing her, I have finallye to realize something very important. No matter what the

    truth is, Eliana¡¯s children will always be my children.¡±

    As soon as he finished speaking, silence descended on the office.

    Harriet muttered under her breath, ¡°Maurice, you are really going crazy¡­¡±

 Chapter 651

    Chapter 651

    The kids heard Maurice¡¯s words from the cubicle.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Adrian? Mr. Moran said that Mommy¡¯s kids will always be his kids, regardless of

    who our dad might be! He is so manly! Our father is a good man!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s face turned red from the excitement.

    ¡°He¡¯s good today¡­¡±

    Although Adrian did not seem to be so thrilled about it, he was pleased with Maurice¡¯s words.

    In fact, he had not liked Maurice for a long time because he was so unfriendly to him and Aileen.

    Even though Maurice¡¯s attitude towards them improved a lotter, Adrian believed that it was only

    because he and Aileen were his biological children.

    And that was the reason he felt that Maurice did not actually love them at all.

    However, Maurice¡¯s words shocked him that day.

    Adrian realized that Maurice really loved Eliana, and would have epted them even if they were not

    his children.

    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Ss saw Adrian and Aileen, who seemed to be moved, and said, ¡°Trust me! My uncle has been very

    good to me, and I have no doubt that he would be a great dad to his own kids!¡±

    At the same time, Harriet could not believe her ears when she heard Maurice¡¯s words.

    ¡°You¡¯re a fool! Eliana has fooled you, Maurice! Those kids can¡¯t be yours!¡±

    Maurice watched her being hysterical, but he did not react.

    However, the kids, who were eavesdropping on them, could not hold back anymore.

    Furious, they pushed the door open and rushed in.

    ¡°You are not allowed to scold my dad!¡±

    The adults in the office were shocked to see the kidsing out of nowhere.

    ¡°Why are you little bastards here?¡±

    Harriet looked at Adrian and Aileen in disgust.

    Maurice¡¯s expression darkened when he heard her calling them bastards.

    He was just about to refute when Adrian fought back on his own.

    With a cold look in his eyes, he stared at Harriet and said with disdain, ¡°Has no one ever told you how

    ill-bred you are?¡±

    Ss also nodded and chimed in, ¡°Miss Stone, I have not seen you in a long time, and I¡¯ve always

    known how impolite and rude you are, but it¡¯s surprising to see that you still haven¡¯t changed at all,

    even when your mother is here.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡±

    Harriet trembled with anger.

    She was too furious to say anything to the kids, which embarrassed Bonita.

    She turned to Maurice, who seemed like he had nothing to do with the situation, and questioned him

    with a frown, ¡°Maurice, are you really going to indulge these kids into humiliating my daughter? Don¡¯t

    forget that we still have a cooperation!¡±

    Maurice was smiling and did not want to me the kids at all. In fact, he was d to see Harriet and

    Bonita lose their faces.

    ¡°Mrs. Stone, I remember warning you that I will not be nice if your daughter dared to call my kids

    bastards again. Now take her and leave mypany!¡±

    The air in the room was freezing cold all of a sudden. Looking at Maurice being so aggressive, Bonita

    figured that the negotiations had failed.

    Her expression darkened as she stood up from the chair.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Harriet.¡±

    ¡°No, Mom, I won¡¯t leave!¡±

    Harriet was not reconciled and wanted to continue to pester Maurice. However, Bonita was not having

    it. She immediately grabbed her daughter¡¯s hand and pulled her up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make a fool of yourself. Come with me now!¡±

    Bonita then turned to Maurice and said coldly, ¡°Remember how you treated us today! We¡¯ll see what

    happens!¡±

    She then dragged her daughter out of the room.

    After they left, Maurice and the kids were alone in the office.

    ¡°Dad, you were so cool!¡±

    Aileen looked at Maurice with admiration.

    Maurice froze.

    Did he hear it wrong?

    Did Aileen just call him dad?

    His heart was about to explode with joy, but heposed himself and asked, ¡°What did you just call

    me, Aileen?¡±

    Aileen suddenly realized that she had called him dad!

    Blushing with embarrassment, she could not even speak.

    Maurice walked over, carefully took Aileen¡¯s face in his hands, and said excitedly, ¡°Aileen, did you just

    call me dad? Does that mean¡­ You have epted me as your father?¡±

 Chapter 652

    Chapter 652

    ¡°Yes,¡± Aileen murmured.

    Maurice¡¯s joy leaped, bursting from the confines of his chest.

    His arms spread open and enclosed around his daughter.

    ¡°Thank you, Aileen¡­¡±

    Aileen returned his tight embrace and smiled. ¡°Dad, we all heard what you said just now.¡±

    The words caught Maurice by surprise. He turned to Adrian and Ss. The boys were stiff, standing

    with uncharacteristic awkwardness.

    Maurice never imagined that they would ept him because of what they had heard.

    Adrian felt Maurice¡¯s gaze on him and became embarrassed. Hiding behind stubbornness, he said,

    ¡°Did you say that on purpose? You must have known we would hear you.¡±

    Seeing the boy desperately try to cover up his own shyness by putting Maurice on the spot, he couldn¡¯t

    help but retaliate.

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°What? Shouldn¡¯t you be denying it?¡± Adrian turned furious, as expected.

    ¡°Adrian, you¡¯re just like Ss. He used to be the exact same way,¡± Maurice answered with augh.

    A flush spread all over Adrian¡¯s face.

    Ss¡¯s cheeks were burning with the same hue. ¡°That¡¯s not true! We¡¯re nothing like each other.¡±

    Aileen covered her mouth and snickered.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°I think so too. You are our cousin. We¡¯re rted by blood, so it would make sense.¡±

    She shrugged without thinking too much.

    Maurice being her father was a dreaming true for Aileen. He was tall and handsome, and more

    importantly, he treated all of them well. She could tell Maurice loved her mother so much.

    Most importantly, her mother felt the same towards him.

    They were a family in every sense of the word.

    Adrian had nothing to say this time, as if conceding to his sister.

    ¡°A family¡­¡±

    Ss felt a lump in his throat as he repeated the words.

    He had lost count of how many times he had imagined that Eliana and the twins were his family.

    He didn¡¯t expect his wishful thinking would turn into reality.

    ¡°From now on, we¡¯re a family!¡±

    Maurice looked at the children, the sight of them warming him with affection and contentment.

    His children.

    He was a father. The weight of the word had never felt more real than at this moment. Even the five

    years of their separation seemed inconsequential to the feeling ofpleteness that came to him.

    Maurice touched Aileen¡¯s head. With a smile, he affirmed her words. ¡°You¡¯re right, Aileen. We¡¯re a

    family from now on.¡±

    The four of them looked at each other, each glowing with happiness. Meanwhile, Bonita and Harriet

    returned home after being driven out of the Moran Group.

    Their negotiation with Maurice had been aplete failure.

    ¡°Mom, what do we do now? Maurice is really going to marry that bitch! I can¡¯t let that happen! You have

    to help me!¡± Harriet frantically begged her mother.

    Even just the thought of Maurice and Eliana standing in front of the altar made her want to smash

    everything around her.

    But Bonita was not in the mood to humor her. She was too exhausted.

    ¡°Honey, what else can we do? We¡¯ve tried everything. I¡¯ve done all that I can, but Maurice is too

    obstinate. It¡¯s time to give up and move on.¡±

    Bonita¡¯s words fell on deaf ears. Harriet refused to listen to her.

    ¡°No! I can¡¯t just ept it like that! Even if I can¡¯t marry Maurice, I¡¯ll die before I let Eliana marry him!¡±

    Bonita grew concerned over her daughter¡¯s bitter fixation on Maurice.

    When her husband and her first daughter passed away, Harriet was the only one left to Bonita. She

    had made her daughter her entire world, giving her everything she wanted. Harriet had never

    experienced loss, and she had never had to yield to anything or anyone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Harriet. You just have to wait.¡±

    ¡°Wait? How long do I have to keep waiting? Am I supposed to just watch Eliana take what was

    supposed to be my happiness?¡± Harriet shouted, almost going into hysterics.

    Bonita held Harriet¡¯s hand and smiled meaningfully.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that easy for her to marry into the Moran family. No matter how much Maurice wants to

    marry Eliana, she¡¯s still rted to the White family. Have you forgotten Jonathan?¡±

    ¡°Jonathan¡­¡±

    The mention of that crazy man finally seemed to get through to Harriet. Her breathing slowed and she

    gradually calmed down.

    There was a sly glint in Bonita¡¯s eyes. Her daughter understood what she had meant.

    ¡°Maurice is a fool if he thinks he would be able to marry Eliana by taking us out of the picture. It¡¯s not

    yet over. Jonathan won¡¯t give up on Eliana. Just wait and see.¡±

 Chapter 653

    Chapter 653

    Sometimeter, news went around that the Universe Group might be nning to join the theme park

    project.

    Dora also came across the details of the news on a financial TV station.

    She was very shocked.

    These days, most people active in the business world knew that theme park project was a big piece of

    cake, and if you could get it right, you would definitely make a lot of money.

    Originally, the Stone family and the Moran family could have fully taken over the project; thus, even

    though the Todd family was also tempted to take part in the project, they did not want to get involved in

    it.

    After all, it was a really big cake. No one would be willing to share it with yet another person.

    Then suddenly, the Bowman family got involved. This really surprised Dora. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking

    that if one more family was entitled to share the cake, then why couldn¡¯t it be her family? The Todd

    family?

    Wasn¡¯t Wyatt¡¯s rtionship with Maurice as solid as ever? How could Maurice prefer to have Jonathan

    added to this project, rather than give the Todd family a chance to prove themselves?

    Doramented bitterly that the Todd family had missed a golden opportunity to make a big profit.

    As these thoughts reeled through her head, Wyatt slipped into the room.

    ¡°Wyatt, so you still remember the way back home?¡±

    Dora walked up to him, with a look of dissatisfaction in her eyes. She had asked her son to go for a

    blind date, but he had clearly not gone there.

    Then she picked up the strong smell of alcohol from him.

    ¡°Were you drinking? What happened to you, Wyatt? Why did you stand the girl up?¡±

    Wyatt nced at his mother with a long face.

    Without warning, he suddenly flung a pile of documents down in front of Dora and angrily asked, ¡°Mom,

    can you exin what these documents mean to me?¡±

    Dora was confused. She slowly reached down and picked up the documents. As soon as she read the

    content of the documents, her expression changed instantly.

    These were all documents of Nicole¡¯s mother, Kyra, who had been treated for heart disease at a time in

    the hospital.

    It clearly recorded the time when Kyra was sick, the treatment process, and her attending doctor who

    had a deep rtionship with the Todd family.

    ¡°Mom, tell me the truth today. What really happened that time? I want to hear the truth. Why did you

    have to find a doctor for Nicole¡¯s mother?¡±

    Wyatt kept his gaze fixed on Dora¡¯s face, as if searching for the truth there.

    He knew his mother well. Dora was a profit-oriented person. Every move she made was to her own

    benefit. Every action she took was to ensure that she could make more money. She didn¡¯t know Nicole

    at that time, but she was willing to help her mother find a famous doctor. There had to be an ulterior

    motive for that action she took.

    As a matter of fact, he already had his answer in his heart. It was a vague exnation, but¡­

    Wyatt asked again, ¡°Mom, did Nicole promise you anything in return? Is that why you were willing to

    help her?¡±

    Dora dropped the documents and flew into a fit of rage. ¡°Wyatt, you¡¯re my son. How can you be so rude

    to me? Have you forgotten that I¡¯m your mother? Why are you disrespecting me because of this

    issue?¡±

    ¡°Mom, I just want to know the truth. That¡¯s all I want to know.¡± Wyatt maintained his stance and refused

    to back down.

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know.¡± Dora gritted her teeth. ¡°At that time I did contact Nicole, but I

    also had good intentions and wanted to help her mother recover from that terrible illness that was

    guing her. But this woman was so ungrateful that she left without hesitation when you needed her

    the most after that car ident! I really regret helping her. I didn¡¯t mention this earlier because I didn¡¯t

    want to hurt you. Do you still wish to speak for such a bad and ungrateful woman now?¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes were filled with disappointment after he heard his mother¡¯s statement.

    ¡°Mom, why are you lying again?¡±

    Dora¡¯s heart skipped a beat. However, she maintained herposure and asked, ¡°Lying? I don¡¯t

    understand what you mean by that, Wyatt.¡±

    Wyatt stared hard at her and said, ¡°If all you have said to me is the truth, then you should loathe Nicole

    very much. But why did the Todd family sponsor Nicole¡¯s first movie which made Nicole be

    famous? Why was it sponsored by our family? Mom, I need you to exin it to me. Can you do that?¡±

    Dora was stunned. How did he find out? There was an expression of shock on her face as she stared

    at her son.

    She had done all these things carefully and without the knowledge of anybody, but she had not

    anticipated that Wyatt would manage to find out everything.

    Now she was stuck. There was no better excuse she could use to cheat him.

    Dora sighed heavily and took in a deep breath. She dropped all the pretenses and said, ¡°It seems that

    you have indeed grown up a lot in the past few years. You now have the guts to question your mother

    in such a condescending manner. Do you want to break away from the Todd family for that woman?¡±

    His tone softened a little, but the expression on his face still remained very serious.

    ¡°Mom, no matter what you say, I have to know the truth today. I choose toe to you first, instead of

    just going straight to ask Nicole. This is just because I respect you. I hope you won¡¯t let me down

    again.¡±

    Knowing she could no longer hide the truth, Dora sat down slowly on her chair and made up her mind

    to tell her son the truth.

    ¡°You want to know the truth? Okay, I¡¯ll tell you everything. Get ready, Wyatt. Herees the truth you

    have been craving!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 654

    Chapter 654

    Five years ago¡­

    Dora was very unhappy when she learned that Wyatt was dating a woman called Nicole Swift.

    After getting a private detective to shadow the couple and investigate Nicole¡¯s background, Dora had

    found out that her son, who was an excellent young man, had fallen in love with a girl who was born

    into a poor family from a small town and dreamed of bing a big star.

    How could she ever allow them to be together?

    To Dora, Nicole was nothing more than an insignificant ant that she looked down on.

    At first, she didn¡¯t interfere in her son¡¯s love life because she thought that he was just having fun with

    Nicole. After all, Wyatt had a big collection of ex-girlfriends. What was one more girl to add to the list?

    However, to Dora¡¯s surprise, her son, who had always been a yboy, seemed to be serious about

    Nicole. He even set up a restaurant with her.

    Afraid to wait any longer, Dora decided to put an end to the farce at once.

    She secretly called Nicole to meet her at a restaurant that she owned. As soon as they were seated at

    a table, she cut to the chase. ¡°You¡¯re Nicole Swift, right? I¡¯m Dora Todd, Wyatt¡¯s mother.¡±

    At that time, Nicole was very young and naive, and didn¡¯t look like a lofty, gorgeous star at all.

    She said awkwardly, ¡°Yes, Mrs. Todd. I¡¯m Nicole Swift.¡±

    Dora let her gaze run over the young girl from head to toe, and finally sneered.

    ¡°I know you are dating my son now, but he is way out of your league. You need to break up with him

    right now. The conditions are negotiable.¡±

    Hearing that, Nicole turned pale.

    Even though she had expected this to happen, a part of her had been hoping desperately that Wyatt¡¯s

    mother would turn out to be different from those otherdies from rich families.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Todd,¡± Nicole said courteously. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me, but Wyatt and I really love

    each other. I won¡¯t leave him just because you ask me to.¡±

    Dora¡¯s face darkened.

    She had already guessed that a shrewd woman like Nicole, who had managed to make her rich

    yboy son fall for her, would not break up with him so easily.

    Fortunately, Dora hade here with a n.

    This was just the beginning.

    ¡°Miss Swift, it¡¯s too early to say that. Let¡¯s talk while eating.¡±

    Just then, the door of the private room swung open, and a waitress walked in.

    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am. What can I do for you?¡±

    Hearing a familiar voice, Nicole raised her head and looked at the waitress.

    ¡°Mom?¡±

    ¡°Nicole!¡±

    Kyra and Nicole stared at each other in wide-eyed shock.

    ¡°Mom, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I work here,¡± Kyra stammered, and her shoulders drooped as she spoke.

    Turning her head to look at Dora, who was watching the scene with a calm, almost satisfied

    expression, Nicole instantly understood everything.

    Dora had asked Nicole to meet her at this restaurant on purpose.

    As if confirming her guess, Dora shot Nicole acent smile.

    While investigating Nicole¡¯s background, Dora had found out that her mother was a waitress working at

    her restaurant. How could she give up such a good opportunity?

    At this moment, there was undisguised contempt in Dora¡¯s eyes as she looked at the poor mother and

    daughter.

    ¡°Miss Swift, now do you understand your ce in this world? You are the daughter of a waitress, while

    Wyatt and I will always be privileged guests. I will never allow my son to be with a nobody like you,¡± she

    said bluntly, narrowing her eyes at Nicole.

    Nicole trembled and bit her lower lip to fight back the tears that had leaped to her eyes. She couldn¡¯t

    believe that Wyatt¡¯s mother had gone so far to get rid of her.

    It was not until then that Kyra realized what was happening. She walked forward to say something.

    But before she could even open her mouth, Dora turned to her and smirked. ¡°Since you¡¯re Nicole¡¯s

    mother, I hope you can teach your daughter not to chase men of higher status.¡±

    ¡°Enough! Mrs. Todd, stop speaking nonsense. Whatever it is, you can discuss it with me. Leave my

    mother out of it.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes grew cold as she pulled her mother behind her. She wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to insult her

    mother.

    ¡°How dare you talk to me like that!¡± Dora asked furiously, pounding the table.

    Nicole was about to retort when her mother stopped her.

    ¡°No, Nicole!¡± Kyra cried out. Looking at her daughter, she felt guilty.

    She had had no idea that this restaurant belonged to the family of the man that her daughter was

    dating. She had just wanted to get a job to support the family and ease the burden on her daughter.

    But now, because of her, her daughter was being looked down upon by others!

    ¡°Nicole, continue your meal. I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    In order not to embarrass her daughter any further, Kyra turned around and hurried out of the room.

    ¡°Your mother has more sense than you at least,¡± Dora said indifferently.

    Nicole stared with watery eyes at her mother¡¯s receding back, feeling sorry for her.

    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Dora had really crossed the line! Despite how good-mannered Nicole was, she was so irritated that she

    was prepared to tell off Dora for her arrogance.

    But just then, there was a sudden thud outside the door.

    ¡°Oh my God! Someone fainted. Call an ambnce!¡±

    Nicole keenly heard these words from outside the room.

    Damn it!

    Something must have happened to her mother.

    Nicole¡¯s mind went nk.

    Without thinking, she got up and rushed out of the room.

    She saw her mother just outside the door, lying unconscious on the floor.

 Chapter 655

    Chapter 655

    Dora told Wyatt everything that had happened between her and Nicole that day.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    By the end of it, Wyatt had gone pale. ¡°And then? What happened next?¡±

    Dora kept her smilecent.

    The voice that came from her was mocking. ¡°You know how the saying goes, Wyatt. The devil looks

    after his own. Those people won¡¯t die so easily. When Nicole¡¯s mother was sent to the hospital, even

    the doctor couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. He said that her mother should have long been dead from heart

    disease. How she survived that long was beyond him.¡±

    Wyatt hesitantly prodded, ¡°So¡­ Nicole made a deal with you for her mother?¡±

    Dora snorted and looked at him with a self-satisfied smile.

    ¡°Oh, she made things difficult, that¡¯s for sure. She fought me off, dering her undying love for you. But

    that was in the beginning. After all, her mothery dying before her very eyes, and there was nothing

    she could do. She knew I was the only person who could save the poor woman. In the end, she

    changed her mind. Even she would beg for her parent¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°So you promised to save her mother in exchange for leaving me.¡±

    It had no longere out as a question. As the story went on, it became clearer to Wyatt how it would

    end.

    He could almost hear Nicole¡¯s voice as he imagined how she wept, apologizing to him in her mind as

    she pleaded for her mother¡¯s life.

    Nicole was only a child when she lost her father. Her mother was everything to her.

    The news of her mother¡¯s looming death must have torn her apart.

    But in her most desperate moment, Wyatt was nowhere.

    He left her to fend for herself in the midst of her devastation.

    Wyatt felt his chest constrict painfully, guilt and anguish pressing down on his lungs and making it

    difficult to breathe.

    ¡°How could I let her go so easily?¡± Dora¡¯s face darkened with her next thoughts. ¡°That woman was the

    cause of your ident. Do you have any idea how it felt to see you lying down on that hospital bed? I

    wanted to kill her!¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s stomach lurched. ¡°Mom, what did you do to her?¡± he asked even as he feared her answer.

    ¡°I pped her several times and told her to get out. But that didn¡¯t even begin to tame my anger. Later

    on, to save her mother, she knelt outside the gate of our house for the entire night. That finally

    appeased me enough to go outside and ask her to leave you. It was priceless to see her wag her tail

    obediently like a dog. She didn¡¯t even bark anymore. She said that if I helped her, she would never

    appear in front of you again.¡±

    Wyatt could barely contain his rage after hearing what Nicole had to suffer. ¡°Mom, how could you do

    that to her?¡±

    ¡°Wyatt, you are my son! I would be dead before I let you fall into the clutches of such a low and inferior

    woman. You had to go through so much because of her. She deserved everything!¡±

    Dora did not have the slightest ounce of guilt in her conscience. All she could think of was how Wyatt

    had changed because of that vile woman. Her son had never stood up to her until Nicole came into the

    picture.

    Wyatt took two steps backward in disbelief.

    He had always thought that his mother was one of the most elegant and regal women he would ever

    lay eyes on. Dora had supported him through every decision he had made, and he believed it would

    continue to be that way in the future.

    But as he looked at her now, he felt as if he was looking at a stranger. He didn¡¯t recognize the woman

    in front of him¡ªone who had driven a young girl to a corner and struck her relentlessly until she broke.

    Wyatt had been too naive. He had alwaysughed at Maurice and joked about how Earle would force

    Maurice and Eliana apart. Now, it was his turn to face the bitter truth.

    ¡°Mom, you are a horrible person¡­¡± he said as he stared at Dora, her image reflected with contempt

    and sorrow in his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m horrible? Everything I did was for you!¡± Dora erupted at his words.

    Wyatt closed his eyes slowly, as if the small act itself pained him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough. Now that I know

    the truth, I won¡¯t let you torment her anymore.¡±

    ¡°And just how are you going to do that?¡± Dora sneered. ¡°I know you, Wyatt. You wouldn¡¯t have the guts

    to give up everything you¡¯re enjoying now. And that woman is too proud. Even if you try to find her, she

    would nevere back to you.¡±

    When Wyatt opened his eyes again, they gleamed with determination.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Mom. You don¡¯t know me, and I¡¯m starting to think you never did.¡±

    With those words, Wyatt left without looking back.

    ¡°Wyatt! If you take one step outside of this house, you can never go back. You are no longer my son!¡±

    Dora screamed after him.

    Wyatt¡¯s steps did not falter.

    Damn it! This was not how it was supposed to be! It was all that damned woman¡¯s fault.

    Dora burned with rage.

    She snatched her phone and dialed a number.

    Nicole turned her son against her. This time, Dora would make sure that Nicole learned her lesson.

 Chapter 656

    Chapter 656

    At this moment, Nicole still didn¡¯t know that Wyatt had already known the truth about their breakup.

    She was on the movie set now, lying on the chair with her eyes closed, waiting for the next scene.

    Cheryl, her old rival, suddenly approached her.

    ¡°Nicole, you can go now.¡±

    Nicole opened her eyes only to see Cheryl¡¯scent face. She was a little surprised.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± she asked with a frown.

    ¡°I said, you can pack your things and get out of here. From now on, I will be the heroine of this movie.¡±

    Cheryl felt relieved now that she had announced the news to Nicole.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡±

    Nicole didn¡¯t believe Cheryl. She thought Cheryl was only bluffing her.

    She had finished filming almost half of the movie. How could the investor change the heroine midway?

    But at this moment, Esteban walked over to them with a serious face.

    ¡°Nicole, she is telling the truth.¡±

    Nicole¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±

    Esteban pulled a long face, but he tried hard to suppress his anger. Heforted her, ¡°There is a

    minor problem with the investor. You go back first. But don¡¯t worry. I will deal with this.¡±

    Was it really just a minor problem? How could her role be taken away from her if it was only a minor

    problem?

    Nicole wanted to ask more. But before she could open her mouth, Cheryl already took the initiative to

    reveal everything.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all your fault for offending the Todd family. They discovered that you seduced Wyatt, so they

    want topletely ban you from the entertainment industry. Nicole, I¡¯m sorry to say you are done this

    time.¡±

    Cheryl was obviously gloating. She had been suppressed by Nicole for so long. But now, the Todd

    family had helped her take revenge on Nicole.

    It was the Todd family again.

    What was wrong with Dora this time?

    Nicole was in a daze for a while.

    Cheryl wanted to mock her former rival more. But the new assistant next to her reminded her that

    Bryce hade. Bryce Hughes was her new sugar daddy.

    She immediately restrained her arrogance, quickly retouched her makeup, and left in a hurry.

    But before she left, she turned to Nicole and said, ¡°Nicole, you have offended the Todd family. I¡¯ll wait

    and see what happens to you.¡±

    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.

    Nicole looked at Cheryl, who was ttering her new sugar daddy not far away. She remained calm. But

    suddenly, a mocking smile appeared on her face.

    Wasn¡¯t it ridiculous?

    Indeed, this was the entertainment industry. A moment ago, Cheryl was showing off arrogantly. The

    next second, she had to grovel to others.

    At the thought of this, unprecedented fatigue swept over Nicole¡¯s heart.

    She suddenly felt she didn¡¯t want to go on like this anymore.

    Esteban thought Nicole would be furious when she heard the news. After all, she had put in a great

    deal of effort to be the heroine of this movie. And her stomach illness had even worsened.

    But now, seeing that she was silent, he was even more worried.

    Thinking that she must be worried about being banned from the entertainment industry, heforted

    her, ¡°Nicole, don¡¯t worry. I will solve this matter.¡±

    But much to Esteban¡¯s surprise, Nicole looked at him calmly and smiled.

    ¡°No need, Esteban. I happened to feel tired recently and wanted to rest. So don¡¯t bother dealing with

    this matter. Besides, I don¡¯t want you to get into trouble because of me.¡±

    Esteban was stunned for a moment. Then he said emotionally, ¡°Are you just going to let the Todd family

    ban youpletely?¡±

    ¡°Ban mepletely? It won¡¯t be that easy,¡± Nicole said with a confident smile.

    She had done a lot in the entertainment industry in the past few years. She had created a good image

    on the screen, and she had many loyal fans. Even the Todd family could notpletely ban her.

    Besides, she had savings now. She had bought houses and shops, and her mother was in good

    condition. She had nothing else to worry about.

    Even if she stopped filming for a few years, she wouldn¡¯t live a hard life.

    So maybe¡­ She could consider leaving the entertainment industry for the time being. It was like she

    would be on indefinite leave.

    Once Wyatt gave up on her and married someone else, then she would go back. By that time, Dora

    wouldn¡¯t target her crazily anymore.

    So Nicole made up her mind. And no matter how hard Esteban tried to persuade her, she was firm in

    her decision.

    She quickly packed her luggage and rushed back home.

    But when she arrived home, she saw a figure squatting at the door.

    Nicole walked over, and the person slowly raised her head.

    ¡°Nicole, you¡¯re back,¡± Wyatt said in a hoarse voice.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.

    ¡°Wyatt? What are you doing here?¡±

 Chapter 657

    Chapter 657

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you,¡± Wyatt said as he stood up.

    His eyes were bloodshot, there was stubble on his face, and his shirt was wrinkled, making him look

    extremely depressed.

    It was Nicole¡¯s first time seeing him so uncollected like this.

    She frowned and asked, ¡°Why are you waiting for me? What can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I left the Todd family. Can you take me in temporarily?¡±

    As he spoke, he stared at her with expectation in his eyes.

    Nicole was stunned for a moment. She wondered why Wyatt had to leave the Todd family. Did

    something happen?

    For a moment, her heart softened. She relented and wanted to let him in. But when she remembered

    what happened on the movie set today, she became ruthless again.

    ¡°You are the son of the Todd family. You can go back anytime you want. My house is too small for you.

    And you are not wee here.¡±

    Then she turned and opened the door without even looking at him.

    But before she could enter the door, a big hand firmly grabbed her arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know everything,¡± Wyatt said, choking with sobs.

    Nicole¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She panicked at once.

    He knew everything? What did he mean?

    Did he now know what had happened five years ago?

    ¡°Whatever you know, it has nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t care about it anymore. Let go of me. I¡¯m

    going inside.¡±

    Nicole tried hard to break free from his grip. But she heard him cry out in pain.

    She subconsciously turned her head. It was only then that she saw the bruises on Wyatt¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What happened to your hand?¡±

    Nicole couldn¡¯t conceal the worry in her voice. She felt sorry for him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just a minor injury. I might have identally gotten hurt when my mother sent

    bodyguards to catch me. But it¡¯s okay.¡±

    After saying this, he hid his injured hand behind his back.

    Seeing Wyatt in this condition, how could Nicole still be cruel to him?

    She said, ¡°Come in first.¡±

    Nicole took Wyatt inside the house and found the first aid kit to treat his wounds.

    They sat on the sofa in an unusually silent atmosphere.

    Nicole was concentrating on applying ointment on Wyatt¡¯s wounds. He stared at her, and he couldn¡¯t

    restrain his emotions anymore.

    Before she knew it, he opened his arms and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Nicole, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry. It¡¯s all my fault. Please give me one more chance. I want to make it up to

    you. Let¡¯s start over, okay?¡±

    He spoke in a very humble tone, and he hugged her so tightly that she almost suffocated in his arms.

    Nicole was in a trance for a while.

    This familiar embrace and the words ¡°start over¡± were her fantasies for a long time. She was always

    dreaming of this moment.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    She still liked Wyatt now as she did five years ago.

    But it was toote now.

    They were not as young as before. And their lives were not as simple as five years ago. Back then,

    they could give up everything for love. But now, there were many difficulties between them, and they

    could never bring back the past.

    ¡°Wyatt, let go of me. We are not the same as five years ago. We can¡¯t be together anymore.¡±

    After saying this, Nicole clearly felt that Wyatt¡¯s body trembled, and he slowly let go of her.

    ¡°Nicole, don¡¯t jump to conclusions. I¡¯m so hungry. Please make me something to eat.¡±

    Wyatt just ignored what she said. Instead, he held her hand and acted coquettishly.

    Nicole knew that he deliberately ignored her words. But she still didn¡¯t have the heart to refuse him.

    Both of them tacitly avoided the heavy topic just now.

    ¡°You know how bad my cooking skills are. Do you really want to eat the food I cook?¡± Nicole said with

    uncertainty.

    ¡°Yes, of course. I will eat whatever you cook. And if you don¡¯t cook for me, I¡¯ll stay here and won¡¯t

    leave.¡±

    After saying this, Wyatt grinned cheekily, just like before.

    Nicole had no choice but to go to the kitchen and cook pasta for him.

    And as usual¡­ The kitchen was a mess.

    At this moment, Wyatt walked into the kitchen.

    He walked up to Nicole, took the kitchen knife from her hand naturally, and began to cut the tomato. He

    teased, ¡°It¡¯s been so many years. Your cooking skills haven¡¯t improved at all.¡±

    Nicole stepped aside in embarrassment. Her face flushed.

    She mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m so busy with my work. How can I have time to cook?¡±

    Wyatt smiled helplessly. ¡°You still don¡¯t know how to take care of yourself.¡±

    At this moment, they seemed to have returned to the past.

    But this moment couldn¡¯tst forever. In the end, they still had to face the reality.

    After Wyatt ate the pasta, he and Nicole sat opposite each other in silence.

    ¡°Since you have eaten, you should leave now,¡± Nicole said, breaking the silence.

    Wyatt¡¯s heart tightened upon hearing this. But he didn¡¯t want to give up. He grabbed Nicole¡¯s hands.

    He asked, ¡°Nicole, can you trust me again? I won¡¯t be as powerless as I was five years ago. From now

    on, I will protect you and your mother. I really just need one more chance to prove it all to you.¡±

 Chapter 658

    Chapter 658

    As Nicole stared into Wyatt¡¯s sincere and enthusiastic eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but give in. How could

    she not relent? She was yet to forget him, even after five years had gone by!

    She was about to respond to him when a knock came on the door.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re here, Mr. Todd. Your mother requested we pick you up.¡±

    Nicole drew her hand back as she suddenly returned to her senses. She put on an indifferent face

    again.

    ¡°It¡¯s time you left. They came to take you home.¡±

    He stared at the empty space in the palm of his hand and his face instantly went dark.

    Turning to the door, he roared, ¡°Get lost!¡±

    The knocks stoppeding, but the bodyguards outside seemed to have no intention of giving up.

    ¡°You are the Todd family¡¯s heir, Mr. Todd. You have to be responsible for the entire Todd family. You¡¯re

    not allowed to just leave like this.¡±

    Wyatt paid no attention to the bodyguard¡¯s words and simply stared at Nicole.

    A deadlock between Wyatt and the bodyguards began. No one wanted to relent.

    Nicole no longer wanted to spend time waiting however. She recalled her mother had told her she

    would being over to see her. Her mother would be frightened if she saw the current situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s best you leave now. My mother would be here soon. It wouldn¡¯t be good for her to see this

    situation. She has a heart problem,¡± she urged Wyatt.

    Still, he didn¡¯t want to leave.

    Right then, Kyra¡¯s voice sounded from outside.

    ¡°Who are you? Why are you all at my daughter¡¯s doorstep?¡±

    Nicole and Wyatt simultaneously got up as they heard Kyra¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Afraid her mother might be in danger outside, Nicole was about to rush out immediately.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll bring your mother in. Just stay here. Don¡¯te out.¡± Wyatt stopped her.

    Then he hurried out.

    ¡°Wyatt, what are you doing here?¡±

    Kyra was shocked to see Wyatt hurrying out of her daughter¡¯s house.

    ¡°You finally came out, Mr. Todd! The bodyguards were ted.

    ¡°I told you to get lost! I¡¯m not going to follow you back!¡± Wyatt shouted impatiently, standing in front of

    Kyra.

    The bodyguards seemed embarrassed. ¡°Don¡¯t make this harder than it needs to be for us please. Mrs.

    Todd told us we have to take you home today.¡±

    Kyra finally understood what was going on as she heard the exchange.

    ¡°Come with me, Wyatt.¡±

    Wyatt responded politely, ¡°Alright, Mrs. Swift.¡±

    The two of them then headed downstairs.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Kyra questioned with a serious expression on her face.

    Wyatt bowed deeply, his eyes sincere.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to cause you so much trouble, Mrs. Swift. I had a falling out with my family, and these

    bodyguards were sent to catch me. Just trust me, please. I¡¯ve fully decided to be with Nicole again.

    Give me one more chance please!¡±

    Being aware of what was going on, Kyra sighed.

    ¡°I understand you, Wyatt. However, avoiding your family is not a good idea. You need to be brave and

    make Nicole feel secure enough if you still want to be with her.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Staring straight into Kyra¡¯s gentle eyes, he finally bared his real thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m

    scared Nicole would suffer in poverty if I lost everything. She doesn¡¯t deserve that¡­¡±

    A smile formed on Kyra¡¯s face, ¡°Why would that be? You are both able-bodied and can earn your own

    money. Moreover, you should know Nicole better. Is she the sort of person to dislike you just because

    you no longer have any money?¡±

    He felt a wave of enlightenment wash over him as he heard that.

    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Swift. I now know what to do!¡±

    After that he took out his phone and dialed his assistant.

    ¡°Send the e-mail I prepared to all the Todd family members right now.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this, Mr. Todd?¡± The assistant was reluctant.

    Wyatt was determined. ¡°Yes, send it immediately.¡±

    The assistant said nothing else.

    Wyatt then hung up, and immediately, he felt rxed. He could now be with Nicole without issue.

    ¡°Everything is settled, Mrs. Swift. Let¡¯s head home.¡±

    Kyra looked at Wyatt and felt her satisfaction increase.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head home together.¡±

    He then took Kyra upstairs.

    Before all the bodyguards, he announced solemnly, ¡°You can all head back. I just sent a document

    saying I voluntarily give up my inheritance to the Todd family to all family members, including my

    mother. I¡¯m no longer the Todd family¡¯s heir.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

 Chapter 659

    Chapter 659

    The bodyguards were dumbfounded upon hearing Wyatt¡¯s words.

    One of them asked to confirm, ¡°Mr. Todd, what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand me? I am no longer the heir of the Todd family. So go back and don¡¯t bother me

    again.¡±

    Wyatt looked very calm. The expression on his face showed that he didn¡¯t regret giving up his billion-

    dor family fortune.

    The bodyguards were at a loss, not knowing what to do. They could only look at each other.

    Under the puzzled eyes of the bodyguards, Wyatt led Kyra into the door.

    As soon as they entered the house, Nicole walked up to them with a long face.

    ¡°Wyatt, do you know what you¡¯re doing? Can you give up the session of the Todd family just like

    that? You are simply irresponsible!¡±

    Nicole had clearly heard the conversation between Wyatt and the bodyguards just now behind the

    door.

    Wyatt sighed deeply, ¡°Nicole, you know that I¡¯m not suitable for doing business at all. Giving up the

    session of the Todd family is the best choice.¡±

    ¡°Who says so? Aren¡¯t you running Moonlight very well?¡± Nicole was angry and anxious at the same

    time.

    Wyatt exined patiently, ¡°Nicole, you don¡¯t understand. The money I have earned so far is only

    enough to run the restaurant. I tried my best, but this was the best thing I could do. It¡¯s my mother who

    always has the inappropriate illusion that I can be like Maurice. But some things just don¡¯t work, even if

    you have good intentions. Just like you, you are trying your best, but you can never improve your

    cooking skills. I¡¯m also the same in business.¡±

    Finally, Wyatt was able to open his heart to Nicole.

    Through this, he also wanted to tell her not to feel guilty and uneasy about it.

    Actually, he did not make the decision to give up the Todd family¡¯s session on impulse. He decided

    about it after careful consideration.

    Nicole saw that Wyatt was determined about his decision. She didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    She didn¡¯t know how else to persuade him. Whether it was in the past or now, she really had no power

    to convince him.

    When Wyatt saw Nicole¡¯s gloomy face, he deliberately spoke his mind in a joking tone.

    Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    ¡°Nicole, I have nothing now except the restaurant. Are you interested in being with a restaurant

    owner?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s heavy heart suddenly lightened up. She pulled a wry face. ¡°You¡­ Why do you never behave

    properly?¡±

    How dare he say that in front of Kyra!

    For a moment, Nicole¡¯s face flushed at Wyatt¡¯s bold confession. She didn¡¯t dare to look at Kyra¡¯s

    expression at all.

    Kyra actually had a knowing expression. She pretended not to have heard Wyatt¡¯s confession just now

    and said, ¡°Oops! I just saw that the kitchen is in a mess. You guys talk first. I¡¯ll go clean up the kitchen.¡±

    After she left, Wyatt asked Nicole the same question again. Obviously, he was nervous.

    ¡°Nicole, what do you think? Are you willing to give me another chance?¡±

    Nicole was stunned for a moment. She unconsciously squeezed the hem of her shirt tightly.

    The man in front of her was her first love. He was someone she couldn¡¯t let go of, even if she wanted

    to.

    They were forced to separate for five years because of their status. Wyatt¡¯s family was rich, while she

    was not.

    This time, for Wyatt to be with Nicole, he almost gave up everything. So he only hoped that she could

    give him a chance to start over.

    Nicole couldn¡¯t help asking herself if she was willing to be with Wyatt again.

    And her heart said yes.

    Of course, she was willing.

    At this moment, Nicole¡¯s hard-earned defenses copsed when she was faced with Wyatt¡¯s sincere

    confession.

    She slowly took Wyatt¡¯s clenched hand and said between sobs, ¡°Yes, I am willing. I have always been

    willing.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears.

    ¡°Nicole, is it for real? Wait! Did I hear you right? Can you say it again?¡±

    Nicole smiled brightly. ¡°You fool, you heard me right. I am willing to be with a restaurant owner. No

    matter what happens in the future, I will face it with you.¡±

    Maurice was busy with his work in the Moran Group when he suddenly received a call from Wyatt.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    On the other end of the line, Wyatt answered in a rxed tone, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I just want to give

    you a heads-up. There will be big news from the Todd family in the next few days. But don¡¯t worry. The

    projects that the Todd family and the Moran family are cooperating with will continue. It¡¯s just that there

    is a high probability that someone else will coordinate with you instead of me.¡±

 Chapter 660

    Chapter 660

    Maurice¡¯s hand signing the document paused. Annoyed, he asked, ¡°What did you say? Make it clear.¡±

    Wyatt said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just gave up my rights to the inheritance of the Todd family.¡±

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    ¡°What? What do you mean you gave up?¡±

    Maurice was utterly shocked.

    ¡°I said I gave up my rights to the inheritance of the Todd family. Why are you so shocked? Actually, I

    should have done it long ago. Don¡¯t you know? I¡¯m not fit for business at all. I don¡¯t have a gift like you.

    Even since we were kids, I could neverpete with you in business, right?¡±

    Maurice was silent for a moment. Then he said, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have topete with me.¡±

    By this time, Wyatt had already let go of all the knots in his heart.

    ¡°Yes, I understand what you mean. Although I¡¯m not as good as you at doing business, you may not

    win me in other aspects.¡±

    Maurice didn¡¯t sense any trace of disappointment in Wyatt¡¯s tone, so he was finally relieved.

    Wyatt was his best friend, so he would support Wyatt no matter what.

    Now that he was rxed, he joked, ¡°Is there anything I can¡¯tpete with you?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not as good as me at chasing a woman,¡± Wyatt said proudly. ¡°You should marry Eliana as

    soon as possible. Otherwise, Nicole and I will get married ahead of you.¡±

    ¡°Have you and Nicole reconciled?¡± Maurice asked, raising his eyebrows.

    Now he knew why Wyatt suddenly gave up his rights to the inheritance of the Todd family.

    If it was for Nicole, everything would be reasonable.

    Wyatt said proudly, ¡°Yes, of course. So you should marry Eliana as soon as possible. And I want her to

    design our wedding rings.¡±

    ¡°Congrattions then.¡±

    Now that Wyatt got what he wanted, Maurice was truly happy for him.

    But when he thought of Eliana¡¯s current condition, his heart sank.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me. Eliana is not in good health recently. What¡¯s more important now is you and Nicole. You

    have to marry her immediately. I have to go now. Bye.¡±

    Maurice hung up the phone with a smile.

    He looked at the clock on the wall and found it was time to pick Eliana up.

    It had only been half a day since he didn¡¯t see her, but he was already missing her.

    Maurice quickly finished all his work, settled the children, and rushed to the hospital.

    Before taking Eliana out of the hospital, he went to the doctor first and asked about her condition

    carefully.

    And he was happy to hear the good news.

    ¡°Yourpanyst night was very helpful to the patient. She didn¡¯t have an attack, which is a good

    sign. She can be discharged now. But continue observing her for a while. If there is no problem, it

    means she has fully recovered.¡±

    Maurice was relieved to hear that.

    But for some reason, he had a faint sense of uneasiness in his heart.

    He was reminded of Jonathan¡¯s threat to him that day.

    Why was Jonathan so sure that he would send Eliana back?

    While Maurice was distracted, Eliana walked over to him.

    ¡°What are you thinking? Why are you so absorbed in your thoughts?¡±

    Maurice suddenly came back to his senses. And when he saw that Eliana¡¯s face was still a little pale,

    he couldn¡¯t help worrying. ¡°Eliana, is there really nothing wrong with your body? I always feel that

    something is wrong¡­¡±

    Eliana forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. The doctor said I am fine, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Maybe I¡¯m just thinking too much.¡±

    Maurice temporarily put down the doubts in his heart and picked Eliana up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    Eliana was so frightened that she wrapped her arms around Maurice¡¯s neck. Her face flushed in

    embarrassment.

    ¡°Ahhh! What are you doing? There are other people here. Put me down.¡±

    But Maurice didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. He looked as calm as usual. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll carry my woman,

    and they can watch as long as they want.¡±

    Eliana was defeated by Maurice¡¯s insistence. As a result, he walked from the ward to the parking lot,

    carrying her in his arms and under the gaze of many people.

    On their way home, Maurice excitedly shared what had happened this morning with Eliana. When he

    said that Aileen finally called him dad, he couldn¡¯t help smiling.

    Eliana listened quietly with a smile on her face.

    She thought it was great. Maurice would definitely be a good father in the future, even without her.

 Chapter 661

    Chapter 661

    Maurice didn¡¯t catch the change in Eliana. He couldn¡¯t contain himself and excitedly held her hand.

    ¡°The children have epted me now, and my grandpa has agreed to the marriage, Eliana. How about

    we return to my family¡¯s mansion now and talk about the details of our marriage? You, Adrian, and

    Aileen would have a new home in theing future.¡±

    Maurice was eager to introduce his lover and children to the entire Moran family. Then he would make

    it known to the entire world that they were about to be married.

    ¡°Now? I didn¡¯t n anything though¡­¡± The thought of going to see Maurice¡¯s family members made

    Eliana feel extremely nervous.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make any ns. I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± Maurice clutched her hand tightly as a way to

    encourage her.

    Eliana then finally made up her mind and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±

    With that, Maurice changed directions and drove to the Moran family¡¯s mansion.

    Surprisingly, as they got there, the first family member they spotted was Gerald. Gerald¡¯s and Maurice¡¯s

    car got the Moran family¡¯s house almost simultaneously. Once the three of them stepped out of their

    cars, they stood in front of each other.

    Gerald couldn¡¯t help but think of Ingrid¡¯s face as he saw Eliana again. He would be instantly fascinated

    each time he saw Eliana.

    Maurice frowned at the obscene look in Gerald eyes. He drew Eliana into his arms.

    Gerald¡¯s expression changed all of a sudden as he saw this.

    It was like deja vu.

    Ingrid had also been so easily taken away from him by another man in the past.

    Now the same thing was being repeated with her daughter. And the man who was snatching Eliana

    away was his own nephew, the one he hated the most. Why wouldn¡¯t he hate Maurice!

    Gerald¡¯s eyes turned more and more vicious as he stared at Eliana.

    Eliana felt scared and unconsciously buried herself into Maurice¡¯s arms more as she saw the resentful

    look in Maurice¡¯s eyes.

    Maurice noticed her fear and warned Gerald immediately, ¡°Take your disgusting eyes away

    immediately.¡±

    Gerald returned to his senses immediately, changed his expression and said politely, ¡°Don¡¯t be so

    sensitive. She simply reminded me of Ingrid as I looked at her.¡±

    Maurice snorted disdainfully. He didn¡¯t believe a word Gerald said.

    Gerald then turned to his car and took out a ck velvet box. He moved over to Eliana and handed it to

    her. ¡°Here, a wedding gift for you two.¡±

    Eliana hesitantly collected the gift box and opened it carefully. Her eyes widened in shock as soon as

    she saw what was inside.

    A set of valuable emerald jewelry sat in the box. It was made exquisitely and had a unique shape. It

    was a collection Eliana¡¯s mother owned when she was alive.

    The jewelry was all taken away and sold by the bank following the bankruptcy of the Pierce Group.

    Eliana hadn¡¯t expected Gerald to be the buyer.

    She shut the gift box and turned to stare at Gerald with aplicated expression. She had some sort

    of unexinable feeling that there was a connection between Gerald and her parents.

    Just as she was about to question it, Earle and Nancy walked over.

    ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re here!¡± Nancy walked over excitedly and clutched Eliana¡¯s hand. ¡°What are you doing

    standing outside? Come on in.¡±

    Eliana was left with no other option but to keep her questions in her heart and stepped into the door.

    Earle¡¯s attitude towards her this time was a lot better. ¡°I¡¯ve reluctantly agreed to you marrying Maurice

    for the sake of the two kids. However, we can¡¯t be so carefree over this marriage. Does the Pierce

    family have any other elders? I need to have a talk with them. The elders from both sides would have

    to be present at the wedding on that day.¡±

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    Eliana had been happy at first as she saw that Earle had epted her finally, but as she heard this,

    she became a bit sad.

    She replied despondently, ¡°From what I know¡­ The Pierce family has no other elders.¡±

    Earle hadn¡¯t been expecting the problem to be solved by Eliana alone, so he said simply, ¡°I¡¯ve

    investigated it already. I hope you¡¯re okay with that.¡±

    Eliana shook her head; she was okay with it of course. Maurice, however, was different. He was aware

    Eliana was rted to the White family. He instantly began to nervously sweat.

    Both families, White and Moran, had been at war for many years. As soon as Earle discovered Eliana¡¯s

    true identity, definitely, he would no longer consent to the marriage so easily.

    There was another person other than Maurice, who had knowledge of the truth. It was Gerald. He sat

    aside, anticipating the show about to start.

    Just then, Aleck stepped forward and handed Earle the results of the investigation.

 Chapter 662

    Chapter 662

    Gerald calmly watched Earle, expecting to see him go into a rage after he discovered Eliana was

    rted to the White family.

    However, surprisingly, Earle remained calm after going through the information.

    His expectations did not ur.

    Earle sighed regretfully and ced the document he had read on the table. It appeared the Pierce

    family had no other elders.

    Eliana stood next to him, twisting her fingers like an anxious little girl who had been called on by a

    teacher.

    Earle looked at Eliana who had lost all rtives at such a young age, and he felt so much pity for her

    instantly. ¡°No need to worry. You¡¯re going to marry into the Moran family soon. You will be a

    Moran family member in theing future. What does it matter if you have no rtives? No one would

    dare mistreat you again.¡±

    Eliana was deeply moved by Earle¡¯s words. ¡°Mr. Moran, thank you,¡± she said sincerely.

    Gerald looked at the loving scene before him and his eyes widened in shock.

    What was happening? With Aleck¡¯s skills and reach as Earle¡¯s assistant, how was he not able to

    discover Eliana¡¯s true identity? It couldn¡¯t be possible!

    Gerald yanked the document off the table and went through it carefully. He discovered shortly that the

    information on Eliana did not indicate she was rted to the White family at all. It instead proimed

    her mother to be from an ordinary family. The information on Eliana¡¯s identity had been revised!

    Gerald subconsciously took a look at Aleck. Aleck was the only one with the chance and ability to

    tamper with the information.

    Had Maurice bribed Aleck? How was Earle¡¯s assistant bought off so easily though?

    Gerald had attempted bribing Aleck over the years, but he had never been able to! So he was in shock.

    Eliana wasn¡¯t aware her information had been tampered with. She was overflowing with joy.

    In all honesty, she had been very nervous when Earle read the information. She had thought Earle

    would take back his consent to the marriage because her mother was part of the White family. Although

    she had no knowledge of the sort of feud the White and Moran families had, since Earle was willing to

    put the feud aside and ept her, was she expected to let go of the fact that the Pierce family had

    been destroyed?

    Eliana turned to look at Maurice standing next to her, and in an instant, her resolve was restored. Over

    the past year, she and Maurice had faced so many trials together. She strongly believed now that

    Maurice wasn¡¯t the one who ended the Pierce family. He would have surely let her know if he knew the

    truth.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! You can finally get married! I¡¯m truly happy for you and Maurice, Eliana.¡± Nancy was

    filled with joy that the stubborn Earle had finally consented to the marriage.

    She clutched onto Eliana¡¯s hand and giggled with excitement. ¡°Don¡¯t head back today, Eliana. Stay

    here and have dinner with me.¡±

    Eliana turned for confirmation, and Maurice nodded in response. ¡°Alright, Mrs. Moran.¡±

    The two of them headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch right after that. Nancy was bursting with joy as

    she prepared the food and chatted with Eliana.

    ¡°You must have a difficult time these days, Eliana. The men in our family are all troublesome to deal

    with. However, rest assured that I would always be on your side.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face reddened as soon as she heard that. ¡°You are so kind. Thank you, Mrs. Moran.¡±

    The two went on happily discussing and dinner was about to be ready. All of a sudden, at that moment

    Eliana began violently trembling. The feeling of suffocation and dizziness began again, and she tasted

    blood in her throat.

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    Damn it! It seemed she was about to have another attack! She was scared! Never would she let Nancy

    find out.

    Eliana covered her mouth with her hand. She nced at Nancy and muttered, ¡°Excuse me, Mrs.

    Moran. I want to head to the bathroom.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Nancy was so focused on cooking that she took no notice to anything seeming off about

    Eliana.

    Eliana hurried out of the kitchen before Nancy could even be done talking. Immediately after she got to

    the bathroom, she lost all control and spat out a mouthful of blood. Luckily, it didn¡¯t seem as grave as it

    had been at the hospital. The dull pain in her chest lessened a bit after vomiting, however, her

    headache still remained.

    Eliana turned on the tap to wash off the blood in the sink, and took a look at herself in the mirror sadly.

    Sweating profusely, her face white as a sheet, and blood dripping down the corners of her mouth, she

    looked like a ghost¡­

 Chapter 663

    Chapter 663

    Eliana went into a panic and began trying to wipe the blood from the corners of her mouth. However,

    despite how much she tried to wipe it, she couldn¡¯t get it clean, the blood continued pouring out her

    mouth, basically unstoppable.

    No, she wasn¡¯t going to go out like this, she needed to find a way!

    Eliana pulled the medicine the doctor had prescribed for her earlier from her bag in a hurry, and despite

    whether it was or was not truly useful, she stuffed it all into her mouth in an instant and swallowed with

    a struggle. As she was panicking, she recalled what the nurse had said again at the hospital.

    ¡°Mr. Bowman just wants you toe back to him.¡±

    ¡°Then death may be the only option left for you.¡±

    Was she going to die if she didn¡¯t return to Jonathan?

    For the first time, the threat of death hit Eliana hard. She began shaking uncontrobly in fear.

    Just then, Eliana thought of the children and Maurice. Reuniting with them had not been easy. She

    couldn¡¯t leave them so easily¡­ She had to remain calm at times like this.

    She took a couple of deep breaths and felt herself slowly calm. Gradually, her headaches subsided,

    they didn¡¯t seem as bad as before.

    She allowed herself a slight, sad smile. She considered if it would be possible for her to hide the pain

    again next time without being found out¡­

    Just then, she caught sight of blood stains on the cor of her dress. The blood she had spat out

    identally had rubbed on her dress. She opened the tap and got cleaned up quickly.

    All of a sudden, Eliana¡¯s phone rang at that moment, startling her.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    She pulled out her cell phone and saw it was an unknown number calling.

    Eliana felt her heart skip a beat as she saw it. She hesitantly answered the call, ¡°Hello?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Eliana.¡±

    ¡°Jonathan!¡± she shouted in surprise even though she had expected it.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Eliana felt a chill run down her spine at the sweetness in the man¡¯s voice.

    She was furious. ¡°What the hell did you do to me?!¡±

    ¡°It appears the medicine has begun working. Do you often feel dizzy, have chest pains and palpitations,

    have recurring nightmares each night, and vomit blood?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s face turned a ghastly white at Jonathan¡¯s words.

    She couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. ¡°Jonathan, you psycho, what the hell are you trying to do?!¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware, Eliana? I love you. I want you to return to me. That¡¯s all. Once youe back, all

    the pain would end. You don¡¯t wish for Aileen and Adrian to lose their mother at such tender ages, now

    do you?¡±

    Jonathan¡¯s words felt like the whisper of a demon, and it made Eliana¡¯s mind twist in difort. This

    demon was iming to be in love with her while he had her drugged to torture her. She wanted no

    association with this sort of obscene love.

    ¡°You make me feel sick, Jonathan¡­¡± Not ready to waste more of her time on Jonathan, Eliana hung

    up. She was worried she would throw up again if she said more.

    Eliana¡¯s emotions were in disarray because of the conversation. She leaned against the cold tile wall,

    doing her best to calm the anger that was growing within her.

    Right at that moment, she heard the faint sound of an argument between two people outside the door.

    Gerald¡¯s sharp voice could be heard outside the bathroom. ¡°Confess, Aleck! What sort of bribe did my

    nephew give you? Who gave you the guts to mess around with Eliana¡¯s origins?¡±

    Aleck¡¯s voice was deep as he retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t try ndering me, Gerald. I¡¯m loyal to the chairman.¡±

    Gerald snorted, ¡°Stop lying. How else could the information on Eliana be tampered with if not for you? If

    it hadn¡¯t been, with her mother being from the White family, my father would have definitely not agreed

    to let Eliana marry Maurice!¡±

    With a straight face, Aleck stood firm on his word. ¡°I said I didn¡¯t do anything. The chairman requested I

    investigate Eliana¡¯s background. What I discovered is what is on the profile. I can¡¯t help if you don¡¯t

    believe me.¡±

    Gerald was not ready to drop the matter. ¡°So you refuse to admit it, right? Let¡¯s go see my father right

    now. Let¡¯s exin everything to him!¡± He tugged hard on Aleck¡¯s arm as he spoke.

    Right at that moment, Maurice showed up. ¡°Let him go, Gerald!¡±

 Chapter 664

    Chapter 664

    Gerald¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Aleck even as Eliana and Nancy left to prepare lunch.

    He grabbed Aleck and dragged him to the bathroom door when there were not a lot of eyes around,

    trying to intimidate him into confessing.

    But unknowing to him, Maurice had seen him take Aleck away.

    Maurice followed them as soon as he saw.

    Now, he stood before Gerald. His voice low and cold, as he said, ¡°Let him go, Gerald.¡±

    ¡°So it was you! You were the one who changed the information in Eliana¡¯s file.¡± Pure hatred was

    stered all over Gerald¡¯s face.

    ¡°And so what?¡± Maurice didn¡¯t feel an ounce of guilt.

    ¡°I will tell your grandfather Eliana¡¯s mother was a White. He would be so furious. Just wait and see.¡±

    Gerald¡¯s smile was vicious as though he was already watching Earle get angry and force Maurice to

    break up with Eliana.

    Maurice eyed Gerald coldly, as if he was a joke.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I would still marry Eliana even though she is rted to the White family. No one

    would be able to stop me. I would make Grandpa get to know her more and ept her as one of the

    family after the marriage if he still disagrees with it.¡±

    Gerald¡¯s rage spiraled at Maurice¡¯s confidence.

    Gerald so desperately wanted to ruin Maurice¡¯s n.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    He turned to Aleck. ¡°You heard that, Aleck? Eliana is rted to the White family. You said you always

    would be loyal to my father, didn¡¯t you? Imand you to go tell my father the truth right this moment!¡±

    Aleck went quiet at this moment. Eliana¡¯s background shocked him. Maurice¡¯s determination as well,

    was a shock to him.

    Aleck was aware that telling Earle the truth would cause Maurice and Earle to be at odds, and neither

    would benefit from that. The Moran family would fall apart in the end again.

    For half his life, Aleck had served the Moran family. Earle was the one person he respected the most

    and was deserving of his utmost loyalty. For Earle and the Moran family to not suffer any more harm,

    he had to remain silent for the time being.

    Gerald got even more aggravated by Aleck¡¯s attitude. He bellowed in anger, ¡°You¡¯re betraying my

    father, Aleck! You have to go with me to see him!¡±

    With no hesitation, he dragged Aleck forward.

    Maurice of course, could not let Gerald seed.

    He stepped forward, yanked Gerald by the cor, and pushed him back with force.

    Gerald ended up hitting the bathroom door.

    Eliana heard the whole exchange from the bathroom. It was at that moment she realized Earle had not

    put the past aside. He simply wasn¡¯t aware she was rted to the White family because Maurice had

    tampered with her personal details.

    Just as she was about to step out, a loud noise sounded from the door. She pulled her hand away from

    the doorknob in fear.

    Eliana¡¯s feelings were all jumbled up as she stood behind the door. Clearly, it was not a good time to

    head out. The best choice for her was to go on hiding.

    It was the Moran family¡¯s business after all. Continuing to eavesdrop would be wrong on her part.

    Just as she was pondering on whether or not to remain in the bathroom, the men began talking again.

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop me, Maurice. I can tell your grandfather everything without Aleck!¡± Gerald yelled

    hysterically.

    However, Maurice¡¯s voice was calm and dripping with ridicule. ¡°Gerald, stop fighting so hard. For many

    years, Aleck has worked for Grandpa for years. He has spent more time with Grandpa than he has with

    his own family. And I¡¯m here as well. Who do you think has more likely earned Grandpa¡¯s trust?¡±

    Eliana could feel the rage from Gerald, even through the door.

    ¡°Stop being so arrogant, Maurice! You can act however to get married to Eliana, but what of Eliana

    though? You think she would still choose to marry you after she discovers the truth about everything?¡±

    Eliana was at a loss after hearing this. What was Gerald saying? Was there something she wasn¡¯t

    aware of?

    Gerald paused for a second, and then he went on, ¡°What if she finds out I was the one who destroyed

    her family? What if she discovers you had clear knowledge of the truth and just didn¡¯t tell her? What do

    you think her reaction would be, my dear nephew?¡±

 Chapter 665

    Chapter 665

    Each word that Gerald said was clear and articte to Eliana as she listened to him.

    Her brain went nk and she could hardly believe her ears.

    This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    What were those things that Gerald had just said?

    Meanwhile, just outside the door, Maurice¡¯s face was twisted with anger. He red at Gerald and

    shouted, ¡°Shut your trap!¡±

    However, Gerald only sneered and continued to speak.

    ¡°Maurice, tell me something. Do you feel guilty? I was the one responsible for the bankruptcy of the

    Pierce family. This matter isn¡¯t even a secret in the Moran family. Poor Eliana, that idiot doesn¡¯t know

    that you have been hiding the truth from her all this time! She had guessed at first that you had been

    responsible for the woes that befell the Pierce family, but little did she know that she wasn¡¯t very far

    from the truth. If you had not hidden the truth from her, she would have turned her attention to me. As a

    matter of fact, we are both her enemies!¡±

    ¡°Gerald, don¡¯t you cross the line with me!¡±

    Maurice clenched his fists as beads of sweat ran down his face. The veins on his forehead were visible

    as he flexed his muscles.

    Noticing Maurice¡¯s reaction, Gerald only became more arrogant.

    ¡°Maurice, you are scared, aren¡¯t you? Unfortunately, the only thing I never anticipated was the kids that

    you have with Eliana, and now she¡¯s going to get married to you without the knowledge of what you

    have done. Don¡¯t you know her parents died miserably?¡±

    ¡°I said you should just shut your mouth!¡±

    No longer able to control his anger, Maurice pulled his hand back and mmed a heavy punch on

    Gerald¡¯s face.

    ¡°Gerald, just wait. I¡¯ll make you pay for everything you have done to the Pierce family.¡±

    ¡°When do you intend to do that?¡± Gerald asked, wiping away the blood that had formed at the corner of

    his mouth. He threw his head back andughed. ¡°How long are you going to hide the truth from her?

    Do you intend to keep hiding the truth until the two kids are fully grown? Maurice, wake up from your

    delusion! You¡¯re just deceiving yourself!¡±

    Maurice only stared at Gerald as heughed. An expression of gloom slowly appeared on his face.

    He was fully aware that everything Gerald had just said was nothing but the truth.

    ¡°Gerald, I will only warn you for thest time. Keep your mouth shut. Don¡¯t let Eliana find out anything.

    Or else¡­¡±

    At that moment, the words were left hanging as the door of the bathroom suddenly swung open.

    A cold female voice pierced through the awkward silence that had descended on both men.

    ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡±

    Eliana stepped out of the bathroom. Her face was pale and her lips were pressed tightly together. She

    began walking slowly towards them.

    Ignoring the shocked stares, she walked right to where Maurice was standing and looked straight into

    his eyes.

    ¡°Maurice, is everything that Gerald said the truth?¡±

    Eliana¡¯s eyes were empty and her voice was hoarse and distant. She looked so fragile that it appeared

    she would break down the very next minute.

    Maurice blinked rapidly. His lips trembled as he tried to find the right words. He wanted to deny it. He

    wanted to use Gerald of being a liar. He wanted to apologize and beg her to stay¡­

    But he couldn¡¯t just say it. His throat was dry. It was almost as though he had lost his voice the moment

    Eliana confronted him.

    Every exnation that he could think of seemed useless given his current predicament.

    All he could do was to remain silent.

    ¡°I see. Your silence is admittance of guilt. I finally understand.¡±

    The truth had finally been revealed. It had destroyed the frail happiness between the both of them.

    At that very moment, all Eliana could feel was desperation.

    She turned around calmly and started walking away mechanically.

    Maurice had never felt so flustered in his life. He subconsciously reached out his hand to grab Eliana.

    But as soon as he almost touched her, she quickly evaded him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Get away from me!¡± Eliana¡¯s eyes were filled with rage.

    Noticing her anger, Maurice remained rooted to spot.

    Without any hesitation, Eliana quickened her pace and continued walking.

    When she reached the kitchen door, she ran into Nancy.

    ¡°Eliana, what¡¯s wrong with you? You don¡¯t look so good.¡±

    Eliana stopped and replied reluctantly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mrs. Moran. I have something to deal with. I¡¯m

    leaving.¡± Without waiting for Nancy¡¯s reply, Eliana quickly left her presence.

    After Eliana left, Maurice gathered some courage and went after her.

    Nancy suddenly grabbed Maurice¡¯s hand and asked, ¡°What happened between you and Eliana?¡±

    But just as Maurice was about to exin, Nancy quickly shoved him away.

    ¡°Forget it. Get Eliana back first. I just noticed that she wasn¡¯t looking good.¡±

    Stunned by Nancy¡¯s observation, Maurice continued chasing after Eliana.

    Eliana bolted past the gate of the Moran family¡¯s house.

    She shuddered as she stared at the empty road.

    She was in the suburbs. There were no cars on the streets. She couldn¡¯t walk back home.

    Eliana reached for her purse, took out her cellphone, and then made a call to Nana.

    ¡°Nana, I¡¯m at the Moran family¡¯s house now. Something happened. Can youe and pick me up?¡±

    Even though Nana wasn¡¯t aware of what had happened, she could tell from Eliana¡¯s hoarse voice that

    she was not in a good mood.

    ¡°Eliana, just give me a few minutes. I¡¯ll pick you up right away!¡±

    As soon as Eliana hung up the phone, she heard Maurice¡¯s voice from behind.

    ¡°Eliana, wait. Please don¡¯t go.¡±

 Chapter 666

    Chapter 666

    Finally, Maurice caught up with Eliana. He took her arm and said, ¡°Where are you going? Let me take

    you there. I¡¯ll tell you everything in the car¡­¡±

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    ¡°Let go of me!¡± Eliana angrily shook off his hand.

    Noticing she didn¡¯t look well, Maurice pulled his hand away. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t touch you. Please just calm

    down.¡±

    Eliana began gasping for air. She felt dizzy. Her thoughts were all jumbled up. Gerald¡¯s words were like

    a knife, tearing into the most fragile parts of her heart, causing her heartache.

    What was Maurice¡¯s reason for hiding it from her despite knowing Gerald was the one who destroyed

    the Pierce family? Was it because Gerald was a Moran family member and she was simply an

    unimportant outsider?

    Considering this, Eliana nced up at the silent Maurice before her in despair.

    ¡°Let me ask you a question, Maurice. Do you think Gerald would ever get the punishment he

    deserves?¡±

    Maurice was caught off guard. Then a firm look appeared in his eyes and he answered, ¡°He will be

    punished. I will make sure of it, Eliana.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Eliana went on. ¡°When would Gerald suffer this punishment you promise?¡±

    It felt as though there was bitterness in Maurice¡¯s mouth and he couldn¡¯t speak. He wished he could

    punish Gerald right then; however when he considered Earle¡¯s illness¡­

    The silence was suffocating and went on spreading. Eliana¡¯s smile was bitter, and she felt sadness

    envelop her.

    ¡°If not for today¡¯s ident, Maurice, how long would you keep it from me?! Or¡­ You never nned to

    let me know at all!¡±

    With affection in his eyes, Maurice gazed at her and struggled to find the words. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to keep it

    from you. I constantly thought about telling you, but I didn¡¯t n on telling you everything¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Eliana was shocked.

    For a moment, Maurice was silent again before he finally confessed. ¡°You worked hard to raise our

    children over the years. You have been through enough. I didn¡¯t want you to carry on such heavy

    hatred. I want you to be happy. I would have hidden it from you all my life if possible¡­¡±

    Maurice was aware his words would hurt Eliana, but he no longer wanted to hide it from her any longer.

    Eliana felt a heavy blow to her chest at his words. As it was, he would¡¯ve never considered telling her

    the truth.

    Eliana shut her eyes in disappointment and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Have you ever considered that I

    would rather bear everything than to be constantly kept in the dark? For so long, I¡¯ve searched for the

    truth of the past. Looking for it hopelessly hurts worse than death. Do you understand?¡±

    Maurice had no words. It was as though his heart had been gripped suddenly.

    Was he truly in the wrong?

    He had thought keeping it from her was a good thing, but seeing the disappointment and sadness on

    Eliana¡¯s face, he was full of regret.

    ¡°Eliana¡­¡± Maurice subconsciously reached out his hands, wanting to hug her.

    All of a sudden, Eliana, who was still deeply sad, felt a tightening sensation in her chest, and the usual

    dull pain sprung up again.

    Damn it! As her emotions were at a high just now, it was probably triggering another attack! She could

    never let Maurice know!

    Her face pale, Eliana took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Get out of here!¡±

    Maurice¡¯s hand froze in the air and his eyes were filled with sadness.

    Right then, the whistle of a car sounded from afar. It was Nana.

    Nana rolled down the window once the car stopped in front of Eliana.

    ¡°Get in the car, Eliana!¡±

    Eliana stumbled forward, opened the door of the car and got in. Immediately, Nana locked the car door.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± But it was toote for Maurice to open the door.

    Eliana¡¯s forehead broke out in a cold sweat and the smell of blood rose in her throat.

    She made herself calm, held it back, and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s cool it for a while, Maurice. Let¡¯s go, Nana.¡±

    Nana caught sight of Eliana¡¯s pale face in the mirror. She pressed down on the gas quickly and the car

    sped off.

 Chapter 667

    Chapter 667

    Before the car could go far, Eliana couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. She spat out a mouthful of blood.

    ¡°Eliana!¡± Nana screamed in a panic, turning her head sharply.

    She was so worried about Eliana that she didn¡¯t notice anything else.

    In the blink of an eye, a car drove towards them.

    When Eliana raised her eyes, her pupils contracted slightly. As blood oozed out her mouth, she said

    with difficulty, ¡°Nana, the car! Avoid that car.¡±

    At this time, the car approaching them was already very close.

    Nana suddenly came back to her senses and became aware of the danger. She immediately turned the

    steering wheel sharply to the left.

    At thest moment, the two cars that were supposed to collide zipped past each other safely.

    Nana heard the driver of the other car cursing, but she didn¡¯t have time to care about it at the moment.

    She quickly pulled over at the side of the road, turned her head to Eliana, and asked in horror, ¡°Eliana,

    are you all right?¡±

    Elianay weakly on the back seat with her face as white as a sheet.

    She had just used up her remaining strength when she shouted out and warned Nana of theing

    danger.

    Good thing she seemed to have stopped vomiting blood.

    Eliana looked at Nana weakly but forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Nana. Don¡¯t worry about me. Focus on

    driving.¡±

    ¡°How can you still say that?¡±

    Tears welled up in Nana¡¯s eyes. And when she was at a loss, Eliana¡¯s phone suddenly rang.

    Eliana nced at the screen, closed her eyes, and ignored it.

    But it didn¡¯t stop ringing. It seemed that the caller had no ns of stopping.

    Nana couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She picked up Eliana¡¯s phone and checked who was calling. It turned

    out to be Maurice.

    ¡°Nana, don¡¯t answer it,¡± Eliana said weakly.

    Nana got more anxious. ¡°But Eliana, you are so sick now¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I ask you not to answer it. I can¡¯t let Maurice see me like this. Nana, please listen to me.

    Don¡¯t answer it¡­¡±

    Obviously, Eliana was trying her best not to faint.

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    No matter what, she didn¡¯t want Maurice to see her like this.

    So she remained firm. Nana couldn¡¯t convince her to answer the phone at all.

    In the end, the two of them just let the phone keep ringing.

    At this moment, in the living room of the Moran family¡¯s house, Earle sat on the sofa with a grim face.

    The dinner was ready, and the entire family was waiting for Eliana.

    Upon seeing Maurice put down his phone again, he waspletely angry.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that woman? We haven¡¯t settled your marriage yet. Why did she leave without

    saying anything?¡±

    Sitting next to him, Gerald gloated and remarked, ¡°Dad, maybe it¡¯s just our wishful thinking. We agree

    with her marrying into our family, but she might not care about this marriage at all. Right, Maurice?¡±

    When Maurice heard this, he red at Gerald with a darkened expression.

    Earle, on the other hand, was a little anxious.

    He really liked Aileen and Adrian. If Eliana didn¡¯t marry Maurice, when could he take his great-

    grandchildren back to the Moran family?

    Gerald seemed to have seen through Earle¡¯s mind. He smiled wickedly and said, ¡°Dad, I know you

    really like the two children. Actually, even if Eliana doesn¡¯t marry Maurice, you can still take the children

    and let them live with us. You can even choose a better mother for them, right?¡±

    Earle didn¡¯t say anything, but he began to think about it, considering it was a feasible idea.

    ¡°No way!¡± Maurice immediately vetoed this method without hesitation. ¡°The twins are also the children

    of the Pierce family. Five years ago, our Moran family owed the Pierce family, so I can¡¯t possibly take

    them away from Eliana.¡±

    Earle didn¡¯t know the truth, so he suddenly became unhappy. ¡°Business is like a battlefield. The winner

    takes it all. Our family never owes the Pierce family.¡±

    A smug look shed across Gerald¡¯s face. He continued to drive a wedge between Earle and Maurice.

    He said, ¡°Yes, I think that¡¯s a good idea. After all, the Pierce family is now bankrupt. Eliana doesn¡¯t

    have much money and resources. If we bring the children back, won¡¯t they live a better life?¡±

    This time, Nancy chimed in.

    She snapped, ¡°Shut up! How can you separate the children from their mother? If anything happens to

    our family in the future, will you also abandon me?¡±

    Gerald noticed that Nancy was really angry, so he shut his mouth reluctantly.

    Nancy looked at him in disappointment.

    She said heavily, ¡°Gerald, don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know all the wrongs you have done before. You are

    my son, so I forgive you easily. But if you keep doing this, I may not protect you anymore, even if you

    are my son.¡±

    Gerald¡¯s heart jolted. He looked at Nancy in shock. He couldn¡¯t help wondering what she knew.

 Chapter 668

    Chapter 668

    The silence was very suffocating, and Earle was the first to break it. He said slowly, ¡°No matter what, all

    the members of the Moran family must be together. We are one all the time. We can never hurt our

    family because of others.¡±

    Nancy noticed that he was targeting Eliana, so she got furious.

    ¡°Who had said just now that he would treat Eliana as his family in the future? Are you going back on

    your word? Shame on you!¡±

    Earle was at a loss for words for a moment.

    Nancy sneered and nced at the three men in the family. The more she thought about it, the angrier

    she became.

    ¡°I¡¯m upset just looking at your faces. You are so annoying! You make me angry. What¡¯s the point of

    eating together here? You all stop eating!¡±

    After saying this, Nancy left the table angrily. She didn¡¯t want to say a word to them anymore.

    No one dared to stop her.

    Since Nancy left, Maurice also stood up. He looked at Gerald deeply, turned around, and left.

    N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    They intended to have a good meal. But unfortunately, they ended up in discord.

    Earle was so angry that he felt heartache. When Aleck saw him clutch his chest, Aleck took out his

    medicine in a hurry.

    Gerald asked guiltily, ¡°Dad, are you okay?¡±

    Earle looked at Gerald who looked like him. He didn¡¯t say anything, but he felt that his heart sank.

    Over the years, he knew that Gerald did many bad things behind his back.

    However, Gerald was his only son, so he turned a blind eye to everything all the time.

    But recently, he couldn¡¯t help but feel disturbed. He started asking himself if he was really wrong to

    indulge Gerald so much.

    Instead of answering Gerald¡¯s question, Earle suddenly asked, ¡°Gerald, how many bad things have you

    done behind my back these years?¡±

    Gerald¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

    He was reminded of his brother¡¯s death.

    When Earle saw Gerald¡¯s guilty look, his heart sank even more.

    He was so disappointed that he could only close his eyes. He felt like he suddenly became ten years

    older.

    ¡°You can go.¡±

    Gerald panicked at once. ¡°Dad, what do you mean by that?¡±

    Earle opened his eyes again. And this time, there was only determination in there.

    ¡°Go abroad and don¡¯te back for at least two years after Maurice and Eliana get married. I¡¯m getting

    old. I don¡¯t want to see our family members fight anymore. It¡¯s tiring.¡±

    Gerald said reluctantly, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s too sudden. I haven¡¯t prepared anything yet.¡±

    Earle turned to look at Aleck, who immediately understood. He took out a ticket and handed it to

    Gerald.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to prepare anything. I¡¯ve already asked Aleck to help you with the air ticket and house

    there. You can leave now.¡±

    Gerald¡¯s eyes widened in shock. He didn¡¯t expect that Earle had already nned to drive him away a

    long time ago.

    ¡°No, Dad! I won¡¯t go!¡± he roared desperately. ¡°Dad, you can¡¯t do this to me! How can you drive me

    away because of Maurice? I¡¯m your son!¡±

    Earle looked at him sharply. ¡°You must be thankful that you are my son. Because if you happened to be

    someone else, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here safe and sound after what you have done.¡±

    Gerald was too stunned to say a word.

    All these years, he didn¡¯t fear anything because he became Earle¡¯s only son.

    He knew Earle would protect him and never let anyone hurt him.

    But once Earle abandoned him, he would be nothing.

    Earle gave his final words expressionlessly.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two choices. If you go abroad and won¡¯te back in two years, I can still ept you as

    my son. But if you continue to do bad things, I will pretend that I never had a son like you all my life.¡±

    Earle had already decided, and Gerald knew that no matter what he did, he could never change Earle¡¯s

    mind.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go.¡±

    He took the ticket with his trembling hand. His heart was filled with endless humiliation.

    Why was this happening to him?

    Before, it was ir. Now, it was Maurice.

    He was also a member of the Moran family. But in the end, he was the one who was abandoned.

    Gerald was not reconciled.

    He didn¡¯t mind losing as long as Maurice could never win, either.

    Maurice had no idea that Earle decided to drive Gerald away. The scene when Eliana left upied his

    mind at the moment.

    At the thought of Eliana¡¯s strange state when she left, he walked out of the house quickly. The more he

    thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong.

    He must find her.

    With the fastest speed, Maurice soon arrived at the door of Eliana¡¯s house.

    And as he expected, he was shut out.

    ¡°You can leave now. I said I don¡¯t want to see you for the time being.¡±

    Eliana¡¯s cold voice came from behind the door.

    This time, she had decided not to see Maurice anymore. But much to her surprise, he came. He even

    brought the children as his trump cards.

    ¡°Mommy, this is Aileen. Please open the door. Adrian and I are back.¡±

 Chapter 669

    Chapter 669

    ¡°Maurice! How can you take the kids to skip ss?¡±

    Eliana was furious. She rushed to the door.

    Outside the door, Maurice gave Aileen a quick nce.

    Aileen immediately understood what he meant. She pouted like a spoiled child and said in an

    aggrieved voice, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s not Mr. Moran¡¯s fault. I¡¯m so tired today. I don¡¯t want to go to ss.¡±

    As Aileen spoke, she patted Adrian¡¯s arm and gave him a sidelong nce.

    Her nce meant that Adrian had better y along or she would fall out with him.

    Adrian sighed helplessly.

    ¡°Mommy, open the door. I¡¯m thirsty. I want some water,¡± the little boy said reluctantly.

    ¡°Yes, Mommy! Open the door. I miss you!¡± Aileen shouted.

    Eliana¡¯s hand was already on the doorknob.

    She was no fool. Of course she knew Maurice made the kids say all that.

    But her kids were so cute! She couldn¡¯t wait to see them.

    Finally, the door was opened.

    When Eliana finally opened the door, she saw Maurice and the kids smiling innocently at her.

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    With an expressionless face, Eliana stared at Maurice and said coldly, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Then she took the kids inside, leaving Maurice standing in front of the door.

    Maurice didn¡¯t feel embarrassed at all. He walked into the house casually and greeted Nana who was

    sitting on the sofa.

    Nana looked at him with aplicated expression. She seemed to want to say something but stopped

    on a second thought.

    Maurice didn¡¯t want Nana here, so he said seriously, ¡°I gave Corbin a day off today. He is downstairs

    now. Won¡¯t you go to see him?¡±

    Nana really wanted to hang out with her boyfriend. After all, they haven¡¯t seen each other for a long

    time. However, she was a little hesitant because she was worried about her best friend.

    Of course, her hesitation didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Maurice. He said seriously, ¡°Eliana and I are going to

    get married. What are you worried about?¡±

    Nana was silent. She thought for a while and finally came to the conclusion that he was right.

    It was obvious that Maurice and Eliana had a quarrel today. But the two would definitely clear the air.

    Nana had nothing to do here.

    Subconsciously, Nana turned her head to look at Eliana. She wanted to know whether Eliana was okay

    with her leaving.

    Eliana gave her a nod.

    It was only then that Nana was finally relieved.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m leaving then. You guys have a talk.¡±

    After saying that, Nana rushed downstairs to meet Corbin.

    Now, there were only four people left in the apartment.

    Eliana immediately went to the kitchen to prepare some fruits for the children. She had no intention of

    talking to Maurice at all.

    Maurice hesitated for a while and then followed her.

    In the kitchen, Eliana was struggling to get a te from the top shelf of the cupboard.

    Suddenly, Maurice stretched out his hand from behind her and easily grabbed the te.

    Maurice was standing so close to Eliana that her back was leaning against his warm chest. Feeling

    Maurice¡¯s warm body, Eliana stood there, unable to move.

    ¡°Be careful. I¡¯ll help you in the kitchen from now on,¡± Maurice said softly as he handed the te to

    Eliana.

    Eliana took the te in a daze. The next second, Maurice wrapped his strong arms around her.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡±

    Maurice¡¯s maic voice instantly turned Eliana on.

    ¡°Eliana, I know I shouldn¡¯t have hidden those things from you. I¡¯m sorry. But I want you to know that I

    have no intention of shielding Gerald. I will definitely punish him. Eliana, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

    Maurice wrapped his arms tighter around Eliana¡¯s soft body and opened his heart to her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that

    if you know the truth, you will never want to be with me again¡­¡±

    When Maurice first held her, Eliana struggled hard. But after she heard what he said, her anger had

    suddenly dissipated.

    She knew Gerald and Maurice were different. She could tell who her real enemy was.

    She was just angry that Maurice didn¡¯t tell her the truth.

    At this moment, leaning against Maurice¡¯s chest, Eliana didn¡¯t want to worry about all those

    shenanigans anymore.

    She had long been looking forward to this happy life, but she didn¡¯t know if she would have a chance to

    enjoy it.

    It seemed that she had little time left.

    She had frequent rpses recently¡­

    Noticing that Eliana had stopped struggling, Maurice breathed a sigh of relief and held her more tightly.

    When he lowered his eyes, he saw a spot of blood on the corner of Eliana¡¯s dress.

 Chapter 670

    <strong>Chapter 670 Reconcile</strong>

    After a sincere confession of love in the kitchen, the tension between Maurice and Eliana was finally lightened a bit.

    Eliana no longer resisted being approached by Maurice.

    The four of them sat on the sofa in the living room and ate fruits in harmony.

    While eating an apple, Aileen looked at Eliana and then at Maurice. She rolled her big round eyes and seemed lost in thoughts. No one knew what she was thinking about.

    "Mommy, when would you put on a beautiful wedding dress?" Aileen suddenly asked.

    As soon as Aileen asked this question, Maurice and Adrian pricked up their ears at the same time.

    Hearing her daughter''s question, Eliana was stunned for a while. She touched Aileen''s head and asked with a smile, "Aileen, do you want me to get married so much?"

    Aileen''s eyes lit up and she looked at Eliana with expectation. "Of course! Adrian and I want to be the pageboy and flower girl at your wedding. Let me tell you a secret. None of the children in our kindergarten appeared in their parents'' wedding photos, but Adrian and I can be on the photos!"

    Eliana was amused, and her depression seemed to have dissipated.

    "Okay, when I get married, I will make you and Adrian the flower girl and pageboy."

    Upon hearing this, Maurice''s expression rxed a little.

    It seemed that Eliana was willing to marry him.

    He looked at Eliana affectionately, as if he had a lot to say.

    Aileen saw Maurice''s emotions through his eyes. Since she had gotten the answer she wanted, she didn''t want to bother her parents anymore.

    She took Adrian''s hand and dragged him off the sofa. "Mommy, Adrian and I are going back to our room to y."

    The children left and there were only Eliana and Maurice in the living room.

    Eliana ate the fruit in silence. She was still a little angry with Maurice.

    Maurice moved to her side and it was he who broke the silence.

    "Eliana. What I said in the kitchen is true. Trust me. I will definitely punish Gerald."

    Eliana lowered her head, trying her best to hold back the tears in her eyes. She was silent for a long time.

    Seeing that she said nothing, Maurice''s eyes darkened.

    At this point, he thought that he and Eliana had reached a point of no return. Then suddenly, Eliana threw herself into his arms.

    "I trust you..."

    Maurice felt his heart warm up. He held Eliana tightly and asked cautiously, "Are you still willing to marry me?"

    As Maurice held her tightly in his warm arms, Eliana couldn''t help burst into tears.

    There was a voice in her heart constantly scolding her for being selfish.

    But right now, she didn¡¯t want to worry about any family grudge.

    She had never felt her life slip away like today. Who knew, she could die tomorrow.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    If she would die soon, she wanted to spend the few days she had left with her children and the man she loved.

    Eliana said in a choked voice, "Yes, I still want to..."

    The two hugged each other tightly. They didn¡¯t know how long they hugged each other.

    After calming himself down, Maurice lowered his head and kissed Eliana on the forehead.

    He said gently, "You don''t need to worry about the fact that your elders need to attend the wedding. We can ask Rosamond for help. You can also ask Brevard or someone whom your father trusted to attend the wedding. Don''t think too much about what my grandpa would say. This is our wedding. You can do whatever you want."

    Eliana smiled happily. "Thank you, Maurice," she whispered.

    After Nana left the apartment, she rushed downstairs. Corbin was waiting for her in front of her apartment building. "Corbin!" Nana threw herself into Corbin''s arms. Corbin held Nana firmly in his arms. He hadn''t seen her for a long time, and felt warm to see her now. "Nana, my boss finally gave me the day off today. Let''s go out for a date!" Corbin said excitedly.

    "Okay..." Nana said in a muffled voice, burying her face in his arms.

    "Nana, what''s wrong with you?"

    Feeling there was something wrong with her, Corbin quickly pulled her out of his arms.

    He held Nana''s face and found that her eyes were red and there were tear stains on her face as if she had cried not long ago.

    "Nana, you cried! What happened? Did someone bully you?"

    Nana quickly wiped her eyes. "It''s not about me. Stop asking..."

    Seeing that Nana avoided eye contact with him and looked a little sad, Corbin had a guess.

    "Nana, did something happen to Eliana?"

 Chapter 671

    Chapter 671 Force Him To Negotiate

    "No! You think too much!" Nana said awkwardly.

    Although Nana denied it, her guilty expression and bodynguage said otherwise. Seeing this, Corbin sighed helplessly.

    "Nana, you really don''t know how to lie. Something must have happened to Eliana!"

    Nana just pressed her lips tightly. She didn''t want to tell him.

    Corbin held her shoulders and said seriously, "Nana, tell me what happened."

    "Eliana asked me not to tell anyone... If I tell you, you will definitely tell Maurice," Nana said in a low voice.

    With a slight smile, Corbin looked at Nana and asked seriously, "Do you really think you can hide it from my boss? Since I''ve guessed it, he must have already guessed as well."

    Hearing what he said, Nana was stunned. Maurice had guessed it?

    Nana''s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Corbin and asked, "Really? I promised Eliana not to tell Maurice."

    With a serious look on his face, Corbin said, "Nana, tell me what''s wrong. If you confide in me, we can help them. You know, Mr. Moran and Eliana struggled to get where they are today..."

    Gritting her teeth, Nana finally told Corbin everything.

    "You mean Jonathan drugged Eliana?" Corbin eximed in shock after Nana told him.

    "Yes..."

    Nana still felt her blood run cold when she thought back to Eliana vomiting blood in the hospital.

    Choking with sobs, she told Corbin everything that had happened. "Eliana has been suffering from a strange disease since she came back from Jonathan''s ce. Whenever this disease seized her, she would vomit blood and pass out. Jonathan used Eliana''s health as a leverage to get her back to him. But Eliana is unwilling topromise. She chooses to stay with Maurice no matter how much pain she has to endure."N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.

    Learning what Eliana had suffered to be with Maurice, Corbin felt bad.

    He held Nana in his arms andforted her, "Don''t worry. Mr. Moran will protect Eliana well. I know he won''t let her suffer. We must tell him about it as soon as possible."

    After saying that, Corbin took out his phone to call Maurice.

    But before he could dial Maurice''s number, Maurice called him first.

    He picked up the phone at once. "Mr. Moran, there is something..."

    "Ask the hacker team of the Moran Group to start right away.

    I want them to destroy Universe Group''s system."

    Maurice''s deep voice interrupted Corbin.

    Corbin was a little surprised by his boss'' sudden order. But he

    quickly came back to his senses.

    "Mr. Moran... Have you known it?"

    "Yes."

    Although Maurice''s voice was very calm, Corbin knew that his boss was seething right now.

    "Okay, I''ll do it right away. What is your goal, Mr. Moran?"

    "Force Jonathan to negotiate with me. I didn''t do anything ruthless before because Jonathan had saved Eliana''s life. No matter what his reasons were then, it was thanks to him that I could meet Eliana again. But this time he went too far. I won''t spare him."

    Standing on the balcony, Maurice hung up the phone with a heavy heart.

    "Woof!"

    The dog ran over and walked around him.

    Maurice squatted down and stroked the dog''s soft fur.

    When he raised his head, he saw Eliana and the children ying happily in the living room through the ss window. His expression gradually softened.

    He was willing to sacrifice everything to keep the smiles on the three people''s faces.

    Eliana soon joined Maurice on the balcony.

    "Who were you talking to on the phone just now? Why did it take you so long?"

    Maurice lied casually, "It was Wyatt. He and Nicole recently got back together and are nning their wedding. He wants us to attend their wedding."

    "Wyatt is going to marry Nicole!" Eliana was overjoyed by the good news. "That''s great. They have finally decided to tie the knot!"

    Maurice smiled and said, "That''s right. We can''t be inferior to them. Choose any wedding dress you like. I''ve prepared a whole design team for you, and I promise you''ll have the most beautiful wedding dress in the world."

    Hearing Maurice''s words, Eliana couldn''t help but imagine the wedding scene in her mind. Her face flushed with excitement.

 Chapter 672

    Chapter 672 Make Up For The Regret

    At night, Elianay in the bathtub, dizzy.

    She had a rpse today, so she was so weak that she couldn''t even walk for a long while.

    What if Maurice wanted to have sex with her tonight? This thought shed through Eliana''s mind.

    Maurice was so smart that he would definitely sense something was off.

    She was afraid that he would find out about her illness. She covered her face helplessly, wondering what to do.

    Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, followed by Maurice''s worried voice.

    "Eliana, what''s wrong? Why have you been in there for so long? If you don''te out now, I will break in..."

    Hearing that, Eliana felt a chill all over and she quickly stood up. "I''ll be out soon!"

    Now she had no choice but to dry herself quickly and get out of the bathroom.

    As soon as she opened the door, Maurice lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He gentlyy her down on the bed.

    Maurice leaned close to her.

    "Honey, why did it take you so long to take a bath?" Maurice asked softly.

    He was so close to her as if he was going to kiss her the next second.

    Feeling his hot breath on her skin, Eliana felt nervous and was getting stiff.

    "Well, I just wanted to wash myself clean..."

    Oh damn it! What was she talking about?

    It was weird to say that.

    As Eliana racked her brains for a reasonable excuse, she heard Maurice chuckle. Then she felt a warm kiss on her forehead.

    Maurice gave her a gentle kiss and said softly, "Forget it. Sleep now. I''ll stay with you."

    He then pulled over the quilt, held Eliana in his arms and closed his eyes.

    Maurice had no intention of doing anything to Eliana.

    Leaning against Maurice''s broad chest, Eliana could feel hisstrong heartbeat. The sound of his heartbeat soothed her a great deal.

    She smiled and closed her eyes. If only time could freeze right now and stay like this forever.

    The next day, Eliana took Nana to a high-end wedding dress store to buy herself a wedding dress.

    Coincidentally, Nicole had alsoe to the same wedding dress store.

    "Nicole!"

    "Eliana!"

    The two women eximed at the same time.

    It had been a while since theyst saw each other and Eliana found that Nicole had changed a lot.

    She was still very beautiful, but she wasn''t as mboyant as before. She had be gentle, and looked very happy now.

    "Congrattions, Eliana!"

    Nicole heard from Wyatt that Eliana and Maurice were getting married.

    "Same to you! Hey, since we meet here, let''s choose our dresses together!" Eliana said with a happy smile on her face.

    The three women therefore started shopping.

    The wedding dress store was really top-notch, and the decoration was fantastic.

    Countless pure white roses decorated every corner of the shop, and the light fragrance of flowers wafted through the air, making people feelfortable.

    There were special salespeople whose job was to attend to the customers. Every now and then, the salespeople would bring tea and coffee to the three women.

    Nana''s eyes lit up when she saw the wedding n proposed by the nner.

    She read the n and then pointing at one of the items, she said confidently to the nner, "You are wrong. The priest shouldn''t show up at this time..." When she had spoken out her thoughts, she said firmly, "I almost had a wedding once. My opinion is absolutely valid."

    Hearing that, Eliana reminded her, "Nana, you didn''t make it, did you?"

    Nana fell silent. She didn''t know what to say. However, she didn''t give up. She went to another room with the nner to see the props needed for the wedding.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Meanwhile, the bride-to-be, Eliana, was sitting on the sofa in the lounge, leisurely eating dessert.

    She and Nicole clinked their tea cups and drank together.

    "Nicole, what''s your n after you get married? Are you really going to quit show business?"

    Upon hearing that, Nicole''s hand holding the teacup stopped in mid-air, and she didn''t say anything for a long time.

    Eliana tried to persuade her. "Nicole, I know you are a very ambitious person. A lot of people on the Inte are calling for you toe back to show business. Are you really ready to quit?"

    Nicole took a sip of tea and looked at Eliana. She looked determined and was smiling brightly.

    "Don''t worry, Eliana. I just want to rest for a while. I won''t have my fans wait for too long. In the past, I wasn''t strong enough to protect the person I loved. Now I have everything. I just want to make up for the regrets of the past."

 Chapter 673

    Chapter 673 Pack Up And Leave

    When Eliana heard what Nicole said, she was stunned. After all, she felt the same way.

    She wanted nothing more than to spend time with the man she loved and her kids to make up for the time they had lost together as a family.

    "Eliana, I''ve found my happiness, and I hope you hold onto yours too," Nicole said sincerely, putting down the ss and holding Eliana''s hand.

    "I will," Eliana said firmly and also held Nicole''s hand.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    They just smiled and did not say anything more.

    There was a sudden noise outside, breaking the beautiful warm moment.

    "I''d like to see who is inside! How dare you not cooperate with my shoot?"

    A woman''s sharp voice came, and then the door was pushed open.

    Upon hearing the familiar voice, Eliana raised her eyes and saw Cheryl.

    "So it was you two, huh!"

    Cheryl was shocked for a moment but then she became arrogant.

    After all, she had taken over the movie from which Nicole had been cast out.

    And there just happened to be a wedding scene to be shot for the show.

    However, Cheryl was surprised and amused to see Nicole there, which gave her the perfect chance to humiliate Nicole.

    Ignoring Eliana, Cheryl gave Nicole a gloating look and sneered, "Nicole, you are getting married, aren''t you? I also heard that the son of the Todd family became a pauper for you, and now, the Todd family has banned you. Wouldn''t it be better for you two paupers to save some money instead of hosting a wedding ceremony? That way, you won''t end up homeless in the future!"

    Nicole''s expression darkened as she turned to Jta, Cheryl''s agent. "Jta, are you going to let Cheryl continue being crazy? We''ve already booked this ce, so it would be best if you leave before I get angry!"

    Jta smiled contemptuously, not taking her words seriously at all.

    In her eyes, Nicole was just a paper tiger, so she was nothreat to her.

    Jta had been displeased with her because she had stood in Cheryl''s way many times before.

    "Nicole, do you still think of yourself as some star? This shop has signed a contract with our crew, so you should be the one to get out of here!"

    "Oh, really?" Unable to stand it anymore, Eliana asked, "Did you say that you have signed the contract? Show it to me!"

    Jta proudly took the contract from her bag.

    "Read it, and once you''re done, pack up your stuff and get out!"

    Eliana took the contract, studied it, and immediately found that something was wrong.

    "I don''t think the date on this is correct." Pointing at the date mentioned on the contract, Eliana questioned, "It says here that you booked this shop for tomorrow, so why are you here now?"

    Jta was stunned. She immediately took the contract back and carefully read it, only to find that it was indeed booked for the next day.

    "Now that we''ve cleared things up, pack up and leave!" Eliana said in a firm voice.

    Cheryl''s face darkened at once. Even if she was in the wrong,she still wanted to stay there just to spite Nicole.

    "Eliana, this grudge is between me and Nicole. Mind your own

    business! I won''t leave. What can you do?"

    Eliana and Nicole looked at her disgustedly.

    Soon, the manager of the establishment heard themotion and rushed over.

    Staring at Cheryl seriously, she said, "Miss Gibson, please don''t make trouble. Take your people and leave right now!"

    Cheryl was furious.

    Ever since Nicole left, she had be the most popr star in the entertainment circle. Wherever she went, people respected her, and she had never been humiliated like that before.

    "How dare you try to drive me away? Do you know who I am? You can believe it or not, but I can cancel the contract with you any time!" Cheryl said arrogantly, thinking that the manager wouldpromise.

    However, the manager remained fearless and unfazed as she bowed to Eliana. "I am sorry, Miss Pierce. Please forgive our bad reception. Our shop will cancel the cooperation with the crew immediately, and fully cooperate with you and Mr. Maurice Moran''s wedding."

    The manager of the shop was not stupid, and she knew well how important the future wife of Maurice was,pared to a mere movie star!

 Chapter 674

    Chapter 674 The Embarrassed Cheryl

    "What? You will marry Maurice?" Cheryl eximed in shock.

    Her eyes widened in disbelief.

    Eliana looked at her and said calmly, "I''m already in the bridal shop now. Why are you still surprised?"

    Cheryl thought it was Nicole who would pick up a wedding dress today. It turned out it was Eliana. Eliana was about to be Maurice''s wife.

    At this moment, Cheryl was blinded by jealousy. She said ferociously, "I don''t believe it! Why can you marry into the Moran family?"

    This time, Nicole chimed in, "Why can''t she? After all, Maurice loves her."

    Cheryl was so enraged that she said without thinking, "That''s impossible! Eliana slept with a male prostitute and had two kids. And I knew that when Erica forced her to marry the male prostitutest time. Don''t try to lie to me."

    "Wait! What did you say?" Eliana instantly caught the w in Cheryl''s words. "Very few people knew about this matter clearly. How did you know?"

    Cheryl realized that she had said something wrong, and she panicked.

    "I didn''t say anything, Don''t talk nonsense."

    After saying this, Cheryl was about to leave. But Nicole was already prepared. She stepped forward and grabbed Cheryl''s arm to stop her.

    "Where do you think you''re going?"

    Before Cheryl could break free from Nicole''s grip, Eliana had already grabbed her other arm.

    "You must tell me the truth now. Were you also involved in that matter? I found that you was a man''s mistress, so you ndered me in such a mean way, huh?"

    The three of them were in a stalemate, and all the staff and crew around were already looking at them.

    Cheryl noticed that something was wrong, so she shouted at Jta, "You useless rubbish! Hurry up! Come and help me."

    It was only then that Jta came back to her senses. She rushed over to help Cheryl.

    Cheryl finally had a chance to fight back. She reached out and pushed Eliana hard on the chest.

    At this moment, a fit of dizziness came over Eliana again. Her hand became soft, and her grip on Cheryl loosened. Shestaggered back and sat back on the sofa.

    Cheryl took advantage of this opportunity. She broke free from restraint and ran forward.

    At this moment, Nana came back just in time to see the chaotic scene.

    When Cheryl was about to pass by her, she hastily picked up a ss of milkshake on the table and sshed it on Cheryl.

    Cheryl subconsciously dodged. But she lost her bnce and slipped.

    "Ahhh!"

    With a scream, she fell face down to the floor in front of everyone.

    Her face fell right into the sticky puddle of milkshake.

    Cheryl struggled to stand up with her face full of yellow and green milkshake. Some of them were still stuck to her hair, slowly dripping down. She was extremely embarrassed.

    "Ha-ha! That''s what you deserve from bullying my best friend."

    Whileughing, Nana took out her phone to take photos.

    Of course, Nicole would not want to miss this opportunity either. She also took out her phone almost at the same time as Nana. It seemed there would be many additions to her collection of Cheryl''s ugly photos.

    "Hey, you are not allowed to take photos!" Jta said as she hurried over and stood in front of Cheryl.

    At this moment, Nicole and Nana put away their phones and

    looked at each other tacitly. Jta was toote.

    Nicole smiled. "Let''s upload them togetherter?"

    Nana shook her phone. "Of course!"

    Jta helped Cheryl stand up. And when Cheryl heard that Nicole was going to expose her ugly photos, her eyes darkened. She was about to rush forward to fight with Nicole.

    "You... I''ll tear you apart!"

    However, Jta held her. "Cheryl, calm down!"

    They were at daggers drawn, and the atmosphere was filled with tension.

    At this moment, Eliana finally felt better. Seeing that Cheryl was furious, she stood up again and said coldly, "Get out of here! Don''t dy me in choosing my wedding dress. If you insist on staying, I don''t mind letting the bodyguards throw you out."

    There were already many onlookers outside, and they all held their phones, taking photos of Cheryl randomly.

    Jta looked outside anxiously. And when she saw that there were more and more onlookers at the door, she quickly persuaded, "Cheryl, let''s leave as soon as possible. If things get worse, it will be difficult to end it."

    Cheryl''s mind finally cleared up a bit. When she realized how embarrassed she was, she quickly lowered her head, took off Jta''s coat, and put it on her head.

    But before she left, she turned around and said fiercely, "Just wait and see!"

    Nicole finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Cheryl leave.

    But when she turned around, she saw Eliana lying on the sofa with a pale face and gasping for breath.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

 Chapter 675

    Chapter 675 Try On The Wedding Dress

    "Eliana, what''s the matter with you?"

    Nicole walked over in a panic and quickly helped Eliana up from the sofa.

    "Stop fussing over me. I''m fine! Cheryl pushed me off, and I lost my breath for a second." Eliana forced a smile to reassure her.

    Nicole was getting married soon, and Eliana didn''t want to make her worry.

    "Are you sure?"

    Eliana''s face looked pale, and Nicole couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

    "Calm down. I can tell if there''s something wrong with Eliana," Nana answered. She helped Eliana maintain the lie. "Let''s go pick out your wedding dress!" Nana said.

    Nicole wanted to ask more questions, but Nana whisked Eliana away to pick up the wedding dress, so she had no choice but to give up.

    In a low voice, Nana asked, "How are you feeling, Eliana? Can you hold on? If you don''t feel good, you must tell me immediately."

    Eliana nodded and said, "My heart was racing a second ago, but I feel fine now."

    Nana let out a sigh of relief.

    After that, the two began to sift through the wedding dresses.

    Momentster, Eliana spotted a vintage white wedding dress.

    The dress had a delicate off-the-shoulder design. Its upper part was constructed out of handmadece, while the lower part was a dress made of white gauze. Round pearls adorned the seam where the two materials met.

    The dress looked luxurious and elegant, with a shape that ttered a woman''s body. The floor-length veil was made withce, resembling a portrait of the Virgin Mary.

    The dress looked familiar. It looked simr to the dress in her mother''s wedding photo!

    Eliana''s eyes lit up at the thought. She couldn''t help but pull the dress off the rack to get a closer look.

    "Miss Pierce, you have a good eye."

    The designer of the wedding dress suddenly approached them.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Eliana recognized the designer immediately and eximed, "It''s you! I remember you! You designed my mother''s weddingdress, didn''t you?"

    The designer was momentarily stunned before she answered, "Miss Pierce, I didn''t think you would remember me after so many years. I''m surprised you still recognized me. You look exactly like your mother did in her youth. Miss Pierce, you''re just as beautiful and kind-hearted as her."

    Eliana''s eyes watered at herpliment. It had been so long since she''d seen the designer.

    At that moment, she knew that was the wedding dress for her.

    If Eliana wore a wedding dress made by someone who designed her mother''s dress, then she would feel like her mother was there for her on her special day.

    Eliana walked into the fitting room with the dress draped over her arm.

    Nana followed her in and helped Eliana put the dress on.

    Maurice called Eliana before she could put the dress on.

    Nana was busy helping her get dressed while Eliana answered her phone.

    As soon as she picked up the phone, sheined, "Maurice, why are you being so clingytely? We just saw each other earlier today!"

    "My fiancee is trying on her wedding dress. As her fiance, I''mcurious to see what she looks like."

    Maurice''s deep voice was filled with joy.

    "There''s no need for you toe in person. I could take photos for you," Eliana offered shyly.

    "Not a chance. I''m already on my way there. I booked the entire shop for you, so I need to make the experience worthwhile," Maurice teased.

    Eliana was amused. "Fine, I''ll let my fiance have a look. I have a good feeling about this dress."

    Eliana couldn''t stop smiling, even after she ended the call.

    Nana continued helping Eliana change into the wedding dress.

    Once Eliana pulled the curtain open, a pair of intense eyes met hers.

    Maurice was here!

    "How did you get here so soon?"

    Eliana''s eyes were wide with shock as she asked.

    The white wedding dress wrapped elegantly around Eliana''s slender but curvy body. The traditional cut of the dress didn''t stifle her natural sensuality and charm but entuated her body perfectly.

    The translucent veil draped delicately over her hair and topped with an antique sapphire crown. Thece partly obscured her beautiful face. Against her pale skin, she looked like an ethereal beauty. Eliana looked like a goddess of the moon spoken of in legends.

    Everyone in the room had their eyes on her.

    Maurice couldn''t hide the awe in his eyes. He looked at her with love in his eyes, as if she was the only person in the world.

    It was quiet for a moment before Eliana lowered her head shyly and asked, "What do you think?"

    Maurice stepped forward and cradled her in his arms before he answered, "You look beautiful."

 Chapter 676

    Chapter 676 How Much Money Have You SavedBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Maurice enjoyed the moment, holding his beautiful fiancee in his arms.

    The people around also knew how to behave in such a delicate situation. They tactfully didn''t disturb the couple.

    But while enjoying the moment, Maurice suddenly thought of something. He asked Eliana in a low voice, "Honey, did something bad happen here just now?"

    Eliana was stunned for a moment. Then she asked back, "How did you know?"

    Maurice let go of her and helped her straighten up the wedding dress that wrinkled a little from the hug.

    "On the way here, I saw the trending topics on the Inte. They were all about Cheryl. She failed to stir up trouble with someone, and her ugly photos were exposed. I see that the ce where the photos were taken was exactly this shop."

    Eliana hurriedly said, "I''m fine. Cheryl didn''t hurt me. But I realize that she probably has once joined forces with Harriet. I thought she just let me take the me for the mistress incident back then. But now, I realize it seems premeditated. They must have nned it."

    Maurice was not surprised. He took Eliana''s hand and said, "I see. But you don''t have to worry about these things now. Just focus on being my most beautiful bride."

    While they were talking, three children came in from the door < and bounced around happily.

    "Mommy..." Aileen and Adrian rushed over and hugged Eliana''s thighs.

    "Children, what are you doing here?" Eliana squatted down and held the twins in her arms in surprise.

    Adrian exined, "We just finished school, and Ss said you''re trying on the wedding dress, and he took us here."

    Aileen stared at Eliana with her bright eyes, looked Eliana up and down, and eximed, "Mommy, you are so beautiful! ! dere that you will be the most beautiful bride in the world!"

    Adrian nodded in agreement.

    Eliana was so amused by the children that she rubbed their noses intimately.

    "You have never seen other brides in person yet. How can you be so sure that I will be the most beautiful one?"

    "It doesn''t matter. For us, you will be the most beautiful. Right, Ss?"

    After saying this, Aileen and Eliana looked at Ss at the same time.

    Actually, Ss had been stunned since he entered the room and saw Eliana for the first time in a wedding dress.

    Maurice chuckled lightly and patted Ss on the shoulder. "Boy,e back to your senses. Aileen is asking you."

    It was only then that Ss came back to his senses. With a flushed face, he firmly said, "Yes, Miss Pierce will be the most beautiful bride in the world."

    Everyone was so amused by the three children''s words that they burst intoughter.

    Only Nana was alone on the side, looking sad. While watching the happy scene in front of her, she wanted to cry. Because only she knew how painful it was for Eliana when she suffered from attacks.

    Every time she thought that Eliana got happiness at the expense of enduring the pain, she didn''t feel like celebrating it.

    When Corbin noticed Nana''s unusual mood, he walked over to her and hugged her.

    He asked, "What''s wrong?"

    Nana quickly sniffed and changed the topic.

    "It''s nothing. I just realize I''m going to be a bridesmaid again.

    I''ve done it many times. I also want to wear a wedding dress like those brides."

    She said those words unintentionally. But when Corbin heard them, the light in his eyes instantly dimmed a lot.

    Indeed, he was not like Maurice, who had billions of dors of wealth. And he was not destined to give his woman a grand and extravagant wedding.

    Nana grew up in a wealthy family, and her ex-boyfriend was Huey, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

    Could a poor man like him really make her happy?

    Nana noticed Corbin''s sudden unusual silence. It seemed that lovers really had a connection. She immediately understood what he was worried about.

    So she nudged him and teased, "What are you thinking? I''ve been through a lot of hardship. I''m not the ignorant girl anymore."

    She paused for a moment before she continued, "Corbin, tell me the truth. How much money have you saved?"

    Corbin was always an honest man, so he answered honestly, "My boss has paid me a lot these years. Maybe I have at least two million..."

    Before he could finish, Nana suddenly interrupted, "Two million dors?"

    Obviously, she was shocked.

    Then Corbin continued to count his family property carefully.

    "I still have some investments. I can probably make more money..."

    "Shut up!" Nana raised her voice subconsciously, and she couldn''t help looking around.

    She pulled Corbin aside and said in an extremely low voice, "Shut up, you big fool! Don''t show off your wealth. Don''t you understand it?"

    Corbin couldn''t help smiling when he saw Nana''s cautious look.

    It seemed that a hostess would soon be taking care of the money he had saved.

 Chapter 677

    Chapter 677 One Request

    After choosing the wedding dress, they went back to Eliana''s house.

    Maurice and Eliana were the first ones to get off the car along with the kids, while Corbin and Nana proceeded to park the car.

    Upon getting off the car, Maurice''s phone rang.

    He was stunned when he saw the caller ID.

    "Who''s calling you?" asked Eliana.

    Acting as though nothing was wrong, Maurice looked back at

    her and said, "One of my partners is calling. I have to take this. It probably concerns thepany."

    He then walked aside to answer the call.

    "Jonathan, are you finally ready toe out of hiding and face me?" asked Maurice.

    He could hear Jonathan chuckling on the other end of the line.

    "How are Eliana and the kids?" asked Jonathan. "She''s gotten thinner, hasn''t she? How can you let her walk around without enoughyers of clothes? She might catch a cold! Aileen and Adrian have grown taller. Their clothes don''t fit that well anymore."

    Maurice''s face turned grim when he heard thosements. He looked around, searching for any traces of Jonathan,

    "That bastard!" he muttered under his breath. Jonathan was spying on them. Maurice decided that he couldn''t let Jonathan see Eliana and the kids again!

    Before turning around, Maurice put on a smile and said to Eliana, "Eliana, take the kids upstairs. It''s pretty cold out here."

    "Sure. Once you''re done talking over the phone,e upstairs, okay?"

    Eliana didn''t pay too much mind about the phone call and just went upstairs with the kids.

    Once Maurice was certain that his beloved family was out of sight, he no longer held himself back.

    "Show yourself at once!" hemanded and dropped the call right away.

    Somewhere nearby, Jonathan got off a ck Maybach and headed toward Maurice.

    "Long time no see, Maurice," he remarked.

    Maurice put his phone in his pocket and scoffed, "So, you''ve finally showed your ugly mug. It hasn''t been that long, but it seems you''re already at your wits'' end."

    Jonathan froze in ce

    Over the past few days, the Universe Group had been attacked by anonymous hackers and thepany suffered heavy losses. He investigated and found out that the Moran Group was behind the crime.

    Almost at the same time, Rosamond''spany swooped in to take away many of the Universe Group''s projects.

    Being caught in a pincer attack between two industry giants had put the Universe Group in an awful situation.

    It hadn''t been that long since he returned to the country, and the Universe Group''s foothold in the domestic market was still unstable. The recent attacks had damaged thepany''s stability even further, and it was highly probable that it would take a long time for thepany to recover its losses.

    Obviously, Maurice was the mastermind behind all of this. How could Jonathan not hate him?

    "Hand over the antidote, bastard! Because if you don''t, I will destroy the Universe Group and savor every moment of it!" Maurice hadpletely lost hisposure.

    Jonathan adjusted his sses, smiling like the Devil himself. "I''m not going to hand it over just like that. What can you even do to me? Letting Eliana die along with the Universe Group isn''t that big of a deal to me. I can always rebuild and start a newpany, but people''s lives can never be restored. This is payback for what she did to me.

    Maurice clenched his fists, his eyes quivering with anger. He grabbed Jonathan by the cor, seemingly ready to strangle him. "Give me the fucking antidote; or else I''ll send you to hell where you belong!"

    Unfazed, Jonathan just allowed himself to be manhandled by Maurice.

    Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, someone intervened, "Let go of Mr. Bowman!"N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Jonathan''s assistant hurried to his side.

    Maurice took a deep breath and paused, but he didn''t let go of Jonathan yet. He shot a daunting gaze at thetter''s assistant, clenching his fists.

    "Fuck off!"

    The assistant quivered at Maurice''s gaze. It felt like a lion was staring at him, ready to devour him.

    He then took out a small ss bottle, which contained dozens of white capsules.

    "This is the antidote that you''re looking for. I''ll give it to you as long as you let Mr. Bowman go."

    When Maurice heard that it was the antidote, he loosened his grip on Jonathan''s cor. It was then that thetter shoved away the former''s hand.

    Thereafter, Jonathan winked at his assistant. The assistant threw the bottle to Maurice at once.

    Upon receiving the bottle, Maurice held it tightly. "How can I be sure that this really is the antidote?"

    This matter involved the health of his beloved. He was merely erring on the side of caution.

    Jonathan straightened his disheveled cor and said, "If you don''t trust me, you can go to the hospital and have it tested to see if its ingredients are effective. However, those pills can only bring a brief respite from the pain. The true antidote is still within my possession."

    Maurice was none too pleased to hear that. "What do you want, Jonathan?"

    Jonathan''s eyes glinted. "I only have one request. Hand over the whole theme park project to me!"

 Chapter 678

    Chapter 678 Do Everything

    For HerThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    For a moment, there was pin-drop silence, and the air was eerily still.

    Knowing Jonathan, Maurice had already anticipated that Jonathan would demand an exorbitant price, so he was prepared for it.

    No matter what Jonathan wanted, he would temporarily agree for Eliana''s sake.

    So he said without hesitation, "Okay, I agree."

    The smile on Jonathan''s face deepened. "You surprised me. I really didn''t expect that you would be willing to bargain away the future of the whole Moran family for a woman rted to the White family."

    Maurice put away the medicine bottle properly and said indifferently, "Yes, Eliana is rted to the White family. But she is also the mother of my children, and the woman I love the most in my life. I am willing to do everything for her."

    Jonathan was stunned for a moment. But he soon regained hisposure.

    He sneered, "Okay, Mr. Moran. Since you are willing to sacrifice yourself for love, I won''t stop you. Get all the documents ready. I''lle to pick them up anytime."

    Jonathan had already left, but Maurice still stood there in a daze for a long time. He only moved when Corbin came to him.

    As soon as Corbin approached Maurice, he asked, "Mr. Moran, are you really going to give up the park project?"

    He heard Maurice and Jonathan''s entire conversation just now.

    Maurice closed his eyes for a while. And when he opened them again, they were full of hatred.

    "I will never give up the park project. But now, Eliana''s life is what matters the most."

    Corbin was a little surprised. He had never seen Maurice behave like this before.

    It could be seen that Eliana was really very important to Maurice. He was even willing to risk the future of the Moran family.

    "You surprised me. I really didn''t expect that you would be willing to bargain away the future of the whole Moran family for a woman rted to the White family."

    "Yes, Eliana is rted to the White family. But she is also the mother of my children, and the woman I love the most in mylife. I am willing to do everything for her."

    Gerald pressed the pause button of the pen recorder, and the voices suddenly stopped.

    Then he turned to Earle and remarked, "Dad, did you hear it? This is what your grandson has done. He is actually willing to sacrifice the entire Moran Group for the sake of a woman rted to the White family."

    Earle was so shocked by this astonishing fact that he couldn''te back to his senses for a long time.

    It turned out that Eliana was rted to the White family.

    This information was not included in the data found by Aleck

    At this moment, Earle finally reacted. He suddenly turned his head and shouted at the silent Aleck, "What the hell is going on?"

    Before Aleck could say anything, Gerald sneered and said provocatively, "Dad, it''s useless to ask him. Aleck has already been bribed by Maurice."

    After saying this, he took out a bank transaction record, showing that Aleck had received a huge amount of money from an anonymous sender. And this had happened when he investigated Eliana''s background.

    This seemed to be irrefutable evidence, pointing to Aleck''s betrayal of Earle.

    So Earle got more furious. He turned to Aleck and snapped, "Aleck, how dare you betray me!"

    "Mr. Moran, please believe me. I never betrayed you. I have never received this amount of money."

    Aleck tried to exin, but Earle was so angry that he didn''t want to listen at all.

    Instead, he shouted, "Fuck off! Get out of my sight. Now!"

    Aleck had been working for Earle for years, so he knew Earle very well. Now that Earle was in a fit of anger, he knew it was useless to say anything.

    So he just bowed and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Moran, it''s my fault that I didn''t tell you the truth about it. But you have to believe me. I will never betray you. Whatever happens, my loyalty is to you. I''ll go outside first. I''lle back after you calm down."

    After saying this, Aleck stooped and walked out of the living room.

    Earle looked at Aleck''s receding back. He was so angry that his hands trembled slightly.

    Gerald saw all this, and he was secretly happy. But he pretended to be sad. "Dad, if we let Maurice go on like this, he will destroy the entire Moran family sooner orter. Eliana is rted to the White family. We definitely can''t allow her tomarry into the Moran family. Dad, don''t forget. The White family might have something to do with my brother''s death."

    As soon as Gerald mentioned ir, Earle was reminded of what happened back then.

    When ir died, all clues showed that his death was not < idental.

    At that time, he began to suspect if their rival, the White family, had something to do with it.

    Gerald had been observing Earle''s reaction. And when he saw that Earle seemed to agree with what he said, he was ecstatic.

    Actually, after he killed ir back then, he deliberately created some evidence to point to the White family and let them take the me for him. In this way, no one would suspect him.

    He didn''t expect that Eliana was rted to the White family. He now realized that his n at that time was really good. It would kill two birds with one stone.

    Unfortunately, Earle had fallen into the trap Gerald had set up for him, and he was getting deeper and deeper into it.

    He said, "Gerald, Maurice has beenpletely bewitched by Eliana. This can''t go on like this. Although Eliana is rted to the White family, the twins are the grandchildren of our Moran family. I must keep them. But as for her... She can''t marry into our family."

 Chapter 679

    Chapter 679 Rpsing Into A Coma

    Gerald was overjoyed when he heard it. He then said hurriedly, "Dad, I''ll take care of Eliana. Let me help you deal with her."

    His eagerness made Earle suspicious.

    Earle slowly came back to his senses, and he felt that something was wrong.

    He knew Gerald very well. Gerald might be nning something bad now that he was so energetic.

    Despite his disappointment with Maurice, Earle could not trust Gerald.

    "No, you don''t have to. Go and ask Aleck toe in. I''ll let him handle it. It''s a perfect opportunity for him to make amends."

    Earle was in a fit of anger just a while ago, but he still believed in Aleck.

    Even if Maurice bought Aleck off, Earle believed that his grandson did not want to destroy the Moran family. He was just blinded by his love for Eliana.

    Maurice would return to normal once Eliana was gone.

    Gerald was furious upon Earle''s order. Although he sessfully made Earle hold grudge against Eliana, but he still failed to earn his trust.

    Why?

    Why did Earle choose to believe Maurice despite seeing him do something wrong?

    Gerald couldn''t take it any longer and revealed his true character. "It''s unfair!" he screamed angrily. "Dad! I''m your son. Why do you treat Maurice and me differently? You haven''t changed at all. Just as you always thought highly of my brother while ignoring me!"

    Gerald had been thinking this way for many years.

    Earle sensed Gerald''s anger and resentment in his words. He was even more disappointed in him.

    Suddenly, his heart twitched. He rpsed because of anger.

    "Gerald, stop your nonsense. Now hand me the medicine bottle on the table!"

    Gerald was still caught up in his own emotions and turned a deaf ear to Earle''s request. "Dad, just admit it. You are biased!"

    Earle''s heart ached more and more. He covered his chest with his hand and struggled to reach for the medicine bottle in front of him.

    Gerald, however, knocked the bottle over.

    "Bang!" The white medicine bottle rolled to the corner.

    When Aleck came out of the living room, he ran into Nancy.

    Nancy approached him after noticing he didn''t appear well and < asked, "Aleck, what happened? You look bad."

    Aleck lowered his head and confessed, "Mrs. Moran, I''m sorry. I made a mistake and Mr. Moran is angry with me."

    Upon hearing it, Nancy breathed a sigh of relief andforted him. "Aleck, don''t worry. You''ve been serving the Moran family for many years, and we''ve already treated you like family. He just has a bad temper. When he calms down, he will forgive you."

    Aleck smiled bitterly. "I''m afraid it won''t be as simple as that. This is about something significant. Eliana..."

    Before he could even finish speaking, a loud noise roared in the living room.

    "There''s something wrong!"

    The two were startled and rushed into the living room.

    Earle was in aa on the sofa, his face pale.

    Gerald looked terrified as he clutched Earle in his arms.

    "Earle!"

    "Mr. Moran!"

    Nancy and Aleck rushed over in an instant.

    "What''s wrong, Earle? Don''t scare me!"

    Nancy held Earle''s hand in panic, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    Aleck wanted to check Earle''s condition, but Gerald pushed him away.

    "How could you have the face toe back? You and Maurice conspired with each other to make my father so angry that he rpsed!" he yelled angrily.

    At a loss, Nancy shouted anxiously, "Doctor! Call the doctor! And Maurice! Tell him to go back!"

    Gerald immediately stopped her, pretending to be sad, and said, "You can''t tell him that! Before my father passed out, he said that he did not want to see Maurice again. He also mentioned that if Maurice married Eliana, the Moran family would not leave him any property, not even a penny!" ?

    "How is that possible?"

    Nancy was taken aback. They were still talking about Maurice and Eliana''s wedding ceremony yesterday. Why did Earle suddenly change his attitude?

    Aleck was perceptive, and he sensed something was wrong. He took out his phone and was about to call Maurice.

    But Gerald quickly noticed what he was doing and ordered his men to stop him, "Knock him out!"

    His men charged forward, knocking Aleck out and dragging him away.

    Before Nancy could react, the doctor arrived.

    Earle was given first aid by the doctor and then was carried into the car to the hospital.

    Nancy hurriedly got into the car as well.

    The car was speeding down the road, but Nancy was taken aback when she realized that they were not on their way to the hospital.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 680

    Chapter 680 What An Ungrateful Son!

    Nancy was shocked. She looked at Gerald in confusion and asked, "Gerald, what''s wrong with you? This is not the way to the hospital."

    Gerald exined perfunctorily, "Mom, I''ve found a new doctor for Dad. We''re going to a different hospital now."

    He stared calmly ahead at the road without blinking. And there was no trace of worry on his face at all. Instead, his eyes were gleaming with excitement.

    His strange expression sent a chill down Nancy''s spine.

    Something must be wrong. What Gerald had said and done was weird from the very beginning.

    As his mother, Nancy knew Gerald''s true character very well. And now, all she felt for him was fear.

    While he was not looking, she secretly took out her phone, wanting to send Maurice a message.

    But unfortunately, he suddenly turned his head and saw her.

    Gerald snatched the phone from Nancy and said gloomily, "Mom, what are you doing? Didn''t I tell you not to contactMaurice?"

    Nancy looked at Gerald, feeling like he had totally changed into a different person. She suddenly understood everything.

    "Gerald, this is not the way to the hospital. We''re not going to any hospital, right? Instead, you want to find a ce to put us < under house arrest!"

    Gerald didn''t expect that Nancy would immediately find out the truth, so he just dropped his pretense.

    He asked bluntly, "So what?"

    Nancy was shocked for a moment and then gnashed her teeth in rage. The anger wrapped her up and she felt dizzy, so she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

    Nancy was so disappointed in Gerald. She couldn''t believe this was the son she had given birth to and raised for decades. She had suffered a lot for him. But in the end, he treated her and Earle like this.

    She raised her trembling hand and pointed at his nose. She cursed, "You ungrateful bastard! How dare you do this to us! We are your parents. Aren''t you afraid of getting youreuppance?"

    Gerald sneered. Even in front of his own mother, he was still cold-blooded.

    "Mom, instead of scolding me, how about having some rest?

    If you don''t want to lie in bed like Dad, be obedient and listen to me. Do you understand?"

    Meanwhile, Maurice was in the hospital. He held the test result of the antidote in his hand, and the doctor, with a solemn expression, sat opposite him.

    "Mr. Moran, based on the result of our test on the capsule, there is no problem at all. We can say that it should be the most effective medicine for Miss Pierce''s disease."

    Maurice set aside the report and raised his head. Then he asked seriously, "Can you study its ingredients and make exactly the same one?"

    The doctor looked embarrassed. "I''m afraid not. One of the ingredients has been monopolized by Universe Group, and it''s not avable in the market at all."

    Maurice''s face darkened at once. The doctor was so scared that he almost couldn''t breathe.

    Silence stretched in the room. Then finally, Maurice made up his mind.

    It seemed that he was left with no choice but to agree with Jonathan''s conditions.

    At this moment, his phone suddenly rang. He took it out and checked who was calling. It was Nancy.

    As soon as the call was connected, Nancy''s serious voicecame from the other end of the line.

    "Maurice, have you known that Eliana is a member of the

    White family? Why did you lie to us?"

    Maurice was surprised.

    How did Nancy know the truth?

    He was stunned for a moment. But when he came back to his senses, he immediately exined, "Grandma, I didn''t..."

    But before he could finish his words, Nancy interrupted harshly, "Enough, Maurice! I don''t want to hear your exnations anymore. Since Eliana is from the White family, your grandpa and I will never ept her. If you insist on marrying her, we won''t attend your wedding. You''d better think about it."

    Nancy then hung up the phone without even giving Maurice a chance to speak.

    Maurice held his phone tightly. His frown deepened even more.

    He felt it strange. What was going on?

    Nancy obviously loved Eliana so much. She had been firmly supporting their marriage.

    Even if she suddenly found out that Eliana was a member of the White family, she might be shocked and confused, but she would not change her mind so soon. She wouldn''t possibly refuse to attend their wedding.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Something must be wrong.

    What could have happened at home?

 Chapter 681

    ?Chapter 681

    "Is that okay?"

    Nancy''s face turned pale. She returned the phone to Gerald.

    Next to her, Earle was lying unconscious on the bed.

    "Good job, Mom. As long as you do as I say, Dad will have a pleasant stay in the hospital."Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    In fact, the call just now was a threat from Gerald on Earle''s life, so Nancy had no choice but to cooperate with him.

    "You are the devil! How can you do this to your own father?" Nancy asked through choked sobs.

    With an expressionless face, Gerald stared at his father who was hooked up to a venttor. The old man''s eyes were closed, and his face was pale and haggard. He no longer looked like the dignified owner of apany. It seemed that whether rich or poor, all old men who fell ill looked the same.

    At this moment, uncontroble resentment welled up in Gerald''s heart. He said viciously, ''So what if he''s my father? Did he ever consider making me the heir of the Moran Group? No! I''ll never forgive him for that! If he doesn''t want to give me thepany, I''ll take it by myself! What''s wrong with that?"

    With red nostrils and pursed lips, Nancy closed her eyes to suppress the overwhelming disappointment within her. She couldn''t bear to look at this son of hers, who was so obsessed with the family fortune that he had turned into a monster.

    "Besides," Gerald added, handing the phone to his mother again. "Send another message to Ss. He is too smart to deal with."

    In the hospital, Maurice was still thinking about the irrational call, and an ominous feeling arose in his heart. With furrowed eyebrows, he took out his phone and called Aleck, but there was no answer.

    Growing jittery with anxiety, he called the butler.

    Fortunately, this time, the call was put through.

    "Is Grandma at home?"

    "Mr. Moran, your grandparents have just left." Came the butler''s reply from the other end of the line. Maurice frowned. "What? Where did they go?"

    "Your grandfather said that he doesn''t want to see you and that he''lle back after your wedding."

    "Okay."

    Maurice hung up the phone sullenly.

    Was the fact that Eliana was rted to the White family so uneptable to his grandparents? They didn''t even want to attend their own grandson''s wedding.

    But what Maurice didn''t know was that the whole Moran family had been taken over by Gerald. No matter who he asked, he would only get the same answer.

    At this point, Corbin walked over and asked cautiously, "Mr. Moran, what should we do next?"

    Maurice took a deep breath and forced himself to pull himself together. There were too many matters for him to deal with. He couldn''t let himself be knocked down so easily.

    After a long silence, he said, "It''s good that Grandpa is not here, or it would be tough to deal with the theme park project."

    Then, Maurice called Jonathan.

    "I''ve made up my mind. You give me the antidote and I give you the theme park project."

    There was a pause on the other end of the line. In fact, Jonathan was surprised that Maurice would agree to his request so soon.

    He couldn''t help but ask, "Is Eliana that important to you?"

    Maurice sneered and remarked, "Jonathan, this is the difference between me and you. If our ces had been switched, would you have agreed to the same condition? No way. You know why? Because the person you love is not Eliana at all. You are just looking for a trace of yourte wife in her. Your love is so fake.

    Those words touched a raw nerve for Jonathan. "Maurice, the truth is only written by winners. No matter how eloquent you are, I''m the one who won thepetition this time!"

    "Really?" Maurice sneered.

    Too angry to even retort, Jonathan hung up the phone.

    Just as he had proimed to Maurice just now, he had won thepetition and would soon have the theme park project in his hands. Once that happened, the Universe Group would surpass the Moran Group to be the leader of the industry.

    But strangely enough, Jonathan wasn''t as happy as he had imagined he would be.

    He picked up the photo of his deceased wife on the desk and grazed his fingers over her face in the photo. which was eerily simr to Eliana''s.

    "Hey, Meg, I miss you so much..."

    He gazed at the photo, lost in thought. Meg had always been pure and beautiful. The reason Jonathan was obsessed with Eliana now was not just because of her resemnce to Meg, but also because she had a kind heart just like Meg used to.

    But as Jonathan looked at the photo of histe wife, a trace of hesitation rose in his heart.

    "Meg, if you were still alive, would you hate me when I did this?"

    There was dead silence in the office. His question could no longer be answered.

 Chapter 682

    Chapter 682?

    Once sses were over, Ss, Adrian, and Aileen left the kindergarten.

    Maurice was waiting for them at the gate.

    "Dad!" Aileen cried out, throwing herself into Maurice''s arms.

    Maurice squatted down and picked her up.

    "Sweetie, did you have a good time in the kindergarten today?"

    Maurice lovingly caressed her head before turning to Adrian and Ss.

    Aileen''s face was red as she said excitedly, "Yes! Ss also told us that he would be taking us to visit Great-grandma and Great-grandpater!"

    Stunned, Maurice said, "Let''s not go to see them today. First, we should go to your mother''s house, okay?" "Ah... But I miss them so much."

    Aileen curled her lips in disappointment.

    In confusion, Adrian asked, "Why? Is something wrong?"

    As though nothing had happened, Maurice lied, "Well, it is because your great-grandparents are decorating their house so that you guys can move in with themter. They even told me that they were arranging a very cute room for you, Aileen!"

    "Really? That''s awesome!"

    Aileen was easily coaxed and became happy again.

    However, Ss sensed that something was wrong, but he still did not ask anything.

    As soon as they returned to Eliana''s house, Ss secretly pulled Maurice aside and asked, "Is something wrong, Uncle Maurice?"

    Maurice knew that he couldn''t hide it from the smart Ss, so he told him the truth.

    "Yes, something happened, and now your great-grandparents don''t support my marriage with Eliana. In order to prevent the marriage, they have moved out temporarily and are refusing to see me."

    "Is that true?"

    Ss lowered his head sadly.

    Maurice frowned and asked, "Did you already know this?"This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.

    Upon hearing that, Ss took out his phone from his pocket, on which there was a message from Nancy. ''Ss, your great-grandfather and I won''t ept your uncle''s marriage to Eliana, so we''ve decided to leave for the time being. We''lle back after your uncle is married. You can stay at home at ease. Don''t worry about us, okay?"

    "Uncle Maurice, don''t they really like Eliana? Will they note to the wedding?"

    Ss was rather dejected because they were all a family. Why couldn''t his great-grandparents ept that? Maurice didn''t know how to exin the grudge between the Moran family and the White family to Ss who was just a child, so he tried his best tofort him, "Ss, the adults'' matters should not concern you. I am sure that they will eventually figure it out. But you must promise me that you will not let Eliana, Adrian, or Aileen know about this, okay? It will only made them sad..."

    "Okay," said Ss, nodding.

    Little did they know that Adrian and Aileen had already seen them while hiding in the corner. Noticing their strange behavior, Aileen was about to confront them, but Adrian stopped her.

    "Something must be wrong! We should tell Mommy now!"

    Aileen and Adrian immediately exined it to Eliana.

    Eliana also found it strange. Since they were going to get married, what could Maurice possibly want to hide from her?

    That evening, just when they were about to go to bed, Eliana began to question Maurice.

    "Maurice, are you hiding something from me? If you don''t make it clear, then you can''t sleep here tonight!"

    Maurice''s heart jolted, but he remained calm.

    "Eliana, what are you talking about? How could I hide something from you?"

    Eliana debunked it. "Don''t quibble. The children saw you conspiring with Ss!"

    Maurice breathed a sigh of relief after realizing that she did not actually know what had happened.

    With a bitter smile, he teased, ''What could we conspire? I was only nning a wedding day surprise for you with him, and you found it!''

    "Really?" Eliana still didn''t believe it.

    "Of course!" Maurice promised.

    In an attempt to make her forget about it, he immediately pounced on her and pressed her to the bed.

    "We are getting married soon. Don''t doubt me anymore. Let me take care of everything..."

 Chapter 683

    ?Chapter 683 A Sudden Visit

    In just a few days, Maurice handled everything.

    Taking the contract, he was going to meet Jonathan with Corbin. He wanted to get the real antidote from Jonathan.

    However, before he was about to leave, Eliana suddenly appeared at the Moran Group.

    Maurice was naturally startled when the receptionist informed about it to him.

    "Say it again. Who is here?"

    The receptionist answered, "Mr. Moran, Eliana Pierce, a former employee of our group''s Design Department, is here."

    Maurice subconsciously retorted, "She isn''t just a former employee. She is my fiancee now! Do you understand?" "Mr. Moran, I see... Then should I let Miss Pierce in now?" the receptionist asked, trying to mask her shock while speaking cautiously.

    Maurice took a deep breath and said, "Tell her that I''m busy with an important meeting right now and ask her to wait in the VIP room. Once you get her into the VIP room, tell Lucia from the Design Department to go downstairs to stabilize Eliana..."

    "Got it, Mr. Moran."

    The receptionist was puzzled after that phone call.

    Eliana had called out to her several times, and asked, "Hello, what did Mr. Moran say?"

    Coming to her senses, the receptionist stared at Eliana, thinking that she would be the future wife of the CEO and immediately changed her attitude towards her. "Miss Pierce, I''m sorry. Mr. Moran is in a meeting now. He asked you to

    wait for him in the VIP room."

    "Okay, thank you." Eliana didn''t doubt it.

    The receptionist waved her hand and said, "You''re wee!"

    After Eliana left, the receptionist called Lucia and asked her to meet someone in the VIP room.

    Confused, Lucia asked who she was meeting, and the receptionist answered mysteriously, "Just go and see her. She is Mr. Moran''s fiancee, the future hostess of the Moran Group. Be careful!"

    Maurice''s fiancee?

    Was it another woman making trouble?

    She had to help Eliana drive that woman away!

    Thinking that, Lucia rushed to the VIP room.

    However, she was surprised to find that the woman in the VIP room, who was leisurely sipping on some tea, was actually Eliana.

    "Eliana! What brings you here?"Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.

    Lucia ran over to her and hugged her.

    "Long time no see, Lucia. How have you been doing?

    Eliana was overjoyed to meet her old friend again.

    Lucia said proudly, "I''m great. I even got a promotion recently! What about you, Eliana? How is everything going in your factory?

    Eliana smiled and replied, ''The factory has been doing welltely. Although I didn''t go there often, it has been functioning well. Actually, it is all thanks to you! The bracelet project from the Moran Group has made the factory really famous, and the factory can develop very easily in the future!"

    "That''s good to hear!" Lucia said with a smile.

    They both sat down and talked about their work.

    All of a sudden, Eliana moved closer to Lucia and asked in a mysteriously low voice, "Do you know what Maurice has been doing recently?"

    Upon hearing that, Lucia immediately thought that something bad must have happened.

    "Eliana, did youe here today to catch him cheating on you?"

    Elianaughed helplessly and asked, "No, what are you talking about? I just want you to think carefully and let me know if you found Maurice acting suspiciously at all recently."

    At the same time, Maurice was in his office, looking at Corbin with a frown.

    "What''s wrong with your girlfriend? Didn''t you ask her to keep an eye on Eliana and inform me if there is any emergency?"

    With a bitter smile, Corbin said, "I think... Nana is never going to listen to me at all. Anyway, between Eliana and me, she would always choose Eliana."

    Maurice rubbed his forehead helplessly and said, "We have no choice, then. Lucia won''t be able to dy Eliana for a long time. If we don''t go downstairs, then she will get suspicious!"

    Corbin nodded and said, "Then we have to go."

    Maurice and Corbin went downstairs to the VIP room.

    Lucia was talking to Eliana about some gossip in the office.

    ''Eliana, let me tell you a bit of juicy gossip. I heard that Mr. and Mrs. Moran...

    Just when she was about to tell her that Earle and Nancy had left the Moran family, someone knocked on the door.

 Chapter 684

    ?Chapter 684 Wait For Me

    "Eliana. I''m sorry. Have you been waiting for quite a while?

    Maurice entered the room as if nothing had happened.

    He looked at Corbin, and Corbin immediately pulled Lucia away.

    "Why do youe all of a sudden?" Maurice asked gently as he sat beside Eliana.

    "Because I missed you," Eliana replied with a smile.

    Maurice raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

    "Well, I also like to have lunch somewhere near thepany. Are you free now? Let''s have lunch together. Recently, the factory has been profitable. This is my treat!" Eliana eximed happily.

    Before, Maurice would have been overjoyed with this, but now...

    He looked at his watch with a darkened face.

    Eliana asked, "Are you waiting for someone?" after noticing his mood shift. "No."

    Despite his denial, Maurice still looked anxious.

    "Look at me in the eyes, Maurice. What are you hiding from me?"

    Eliana became serious.

    Maurice was both guilty and amused.

    It was now her turn to question him.

    Maurice had to deliberately twist the topic in order not to arouse her suspicion. "Eliana, why are you very serious?" he teased. "Are you worried that I have another woman?

    Eliana didn''t buy it. "Maurice, don''t change the topic!" she eximed seriously

    Maurice suddenly felt an ache in his heart. Knowing that Eliana was really angry, he yanked her into his arms and lowered his head to kiss her passionately.

    Their lips and tongues intertwined fiercely, and Maurice sniffed Eliana''s sweet scent crazily.

    At such a close distance, he could clearly hear that the breath and heartbeat of Eliana were very light, not as powerful as before when she was healthy.

    At the thought that all these were caused by her illness, Maurice felt heartbroken.

    They had forgotten everything and werepletely immersed in their kissing.

    After the kiss, Maurice hugged Eliana, whose breath was still unstable, and solemnly promised, "Eliana, I, Maurice, promise you that I will have only one woman in my life, and that is you."

    Eliana became dizzy and her face became hot because of the kiss. His sweet words also made her forget why she came.

    "Just wait here,'' Maurice said into her ear, his voice maic. "I have something to attend to, so I''ll go out and be back soon. Okay, honey?"

    His affectionate voice fascinated her.

    What else could she do? Of course, she had to agree.

    "Alright,e back as soon as possible."

    Eliana then stayed obediently.

    Maurice left after gently kissing her on the forehead.

    As soon as he stepped outside, his face darkened and turned murderous.

    He checked his watch. It was still not the appointed time.

    "Let''s go."

    Jonathan was already at the hotel''s entrance when they arrived, and they ran into each other.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    This time, the two brought a lot of people with them that passersby got scared and fled.

    "Get out of my way!"

    "You, get out of my way!"

    There was a conflict even at the door because both sides insisted on entering first.

    Corbin and Jonathan''s assistant didn''t give in to each other. The atmosphere was already tense before they began the negotiations.

    Although it was a tense scene, it was amusing to see a group of adultspeting over who would enter the door first. Atst, Jonathan stepped back

    "Let them in first."

    Corbin then opened the door, and Maurice was the first to enter.

    Finally, both parties were inside the agreed-upon business room.

    Jonathan brought not only his assistants and bodyguards to this negotiation, but also a slew ofwyers to ensure that the contract was wless.

    On the contrary, Maurice brought many doctors with him.

    Maurice took out the contract, and Jonathan took out the antidote.

    The little ss bottle contained red capsules.

    The doctors Maurice brought immediately took the capsules for examination, while Jonathan''swyers took the contract away.

    Both parties needed time to check

    As a result, only Maurice and Jonathan were left in the room.

 Chapter 685

    ?

    Chapter 685 Negotiation Began

    Maurice and Jonathan were both so disgusted with each other that neither of them spoke. The situation quickly became very awkward.

    Jonathan noticed the distinct lipstick stain on Maurice''s cor while looking him up and down.

    It made him irritated because he knew who had left the mark.

    "Mr. Moran, don''t you think it''s inappropriate for you to go to a business meeting with a woman''s lipstick stain on your cor?"

    Hearing this, Maurice looked down at the lipstick stain on his cor. He didn''t find anything wrong.

    "Really?" he asked. "I think it''s lovely. It''s like a medal from my woman."

    Jonathan was infuriated by his words, but he quickly changed the subject.

    "What about your wedding, Mr. Moran? How is everything going?"

    Maurice would not tell him anything and just replied calmly, "Everything is going well."

    "Really?" Jonathan smiled yfully. "That''s not what I heard. Your grandfather is said to be upset with your marriage to Eliana and has moved out of the house. Am I correct?

    "No, what you heard is just a rumor. Maurice denied it. "The wise will not listen to rumors. You''d better not spread it because it will affect my fiancee. Eliana deserves the best and perfect wedding."

    Jonathan was once again envious of Maurice''s undying love for Eliana.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not going to tell Eliana. She was with me for four years. Of course, I know her best. You couldn''t change the past," Jonathan said deliberately.

    When Jonathan mentioned his four years with Eliana, he expected Maurice to be envious and angry.

    But Maurice proved him wrong.

    Maurice was as calm as ever, and there was even mockery in his eyes.

    "The past? Why would I want to change your past? You were together for four years, but you weren''t able to keep Eliana with you. Isn''t that enough for you to realize the truth?"

    "Maurice, don''t be too arrogant!" Jonathan snarled angrily. "I''m not going to lose this time. You would be the Moran family''s ck sheep once I took over the theme park project. Earle would certainly disown you, and you would lose everything!"

    "I don''t need you to worry about my future," Maurice said firmly. "Besides, I never treated Eliana as a booty from the beginning, so there is no winner or loser, as you imed."

    His words had touched a nerve.

    Jonathan once had a zing, sincere, and desperate love, but he eventually lost it.

    Silence filled the room once again. After a few moments, Jonathan''swyers returned and informed him that there was

    no problem with the contract.

    At the same time, Corbin came back with the doctors. The doctors assured Maurice that the medicine was clinically safe to use.

    They immediately reached an agreement.

    When Maurice was about to sign the transfer contract, Corbin interrupted him in panic.

    "Mr. Moran, something bad happened! I just got word from the Moran Group''s board of directors that... You do not have the authority to make a decision on the theme park project." With a rigid expression, Corbin handed the phone to Maurice.

    "What did you say?"

    Maurice grabbed the phone and his heart sank when he read the message.

    Who on earth orchestrated this?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Earle hadn''t mentioned it beforehand, and he couldn''t reach Aleck right now, so no one could tell him who gave the order.

    Maurice assumed Earle and Nancy went out to unwind for the time being because they couldn''t ept Eliana''s identity. But now the news hade out in an unusual manner. Even if Earle wanted to force Maurice to give in, he despised repeatedly threatening his grandson.

    Something was wrong.

    Maurice held his phone, lost in thought. On the other hand, Jonathan lost his patience.

    "So, you mean you can''t sign it now?"

    Jonathan''s face darkened. Thewyer next to him lowered his head and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Bowman, I think they might be ying a trick on you. Perhaps they were not prepared to sign the agreement from the beginning!"

 Chapter 686

    ?Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    Chapter 686 Say It For Me

    Jonathan''s face darkened. He was considering the possibility of Maurice ying tricks on him.

    Maurice cast a sidelong nce at Corbin.

    He had made full preparations this day. In addition to bringing people in, he had arranged for arge number of people toy in ambush outside.

    He would never let Jonathan go without getting the antidote.

    It would be ideal if they could reach an agreement peacefully. But if they couldn''t, he would use force so Jonathan would hand over the antidote.

    The room fell silent. Both parties were prepared to fight, and the tense atmosphere indicated that the fight was about to break out.

    All of a sudden, Jonathan spoke up.

    "I can give you the antidote, Maurice."

    Maurice became even more anxious upon hearing it.

    Jonathan''s only bargaining chip at the moment was the antidote. It was impossible for him to give it easily without securing the theme park project.

    "What do you mean?"

    Jonathan seemed to have made a very important decision and said seriously, "I can give you the medicine now, but I still want the project. We all know that the Universe Group cannot win such arge project on its own. When you can decide, sign the contract. Now, before I change my mind, get out of here and handle the Moran family''s affairs."

    "Howe you agreed so quickly?"

    Maurice still couldn''t believe it.

    Jonathan sneered andmented, "Didn''t you say that my love is hypocritical? Then I''m proving to you that I can also do whatever you''re willing to do for Eliana''s sake."

    "Okay."

    Maurice made no hesitation. Any dy would just make Eliana suffer one more day.

    It didn''t matter whether Jonathan was sincere or not. He would take the medicine.

    Both parties reached a consensus without having to fight.

    Corbin took the medicine from Jonathan''s assistant.

    Maurice immediately stood up and prepared to go back home.

    He was about to walk out the door when he heard Jonathan''s low voice from behind him.

    "Tell Eliana that I am very sorry." Jonathan smiled bitterly. "I think she no longer wants to see me, so please say it for me."

    Maurice did not turn around and just continued to walk away.

    Watching Maurice''s retreating figure, Jonathan realized something.

    He did lose, but not to Maurice. He lost to Eliana and her love for Maurice.

    In fact, Jonathan had seen Eliana two days ago.

    Eliana took the initiative to go to Jonathan by herself.

    There was no such intense encounter as they had imagined. They sat quietly in the small garden, sipping coffee and chatting casually.

    Jonathan was in a good mood at the time. He assumed Eliana had finally figured things out and wanted toe back to him.

    But the next second, Eliana''s words shattered his fantasy.

    *Jonathan, are you closing a deal with Maurice?"

    It wasn''t actually a question, but rather a statement.

    Jonathan''s gentle expression froze.

    Eliana was really his type of woman. She was very sharp and intelligent.

    After a long silence, Jonathan sighed. "Yes."

    Eliana did not say anything.

    Without giving it much thought, Eliana knew that Jonathan had traded her health for something important with Maurice.

    Even Maurice might not be able to bear the cost of saving her.

    Jonathan decided not to hide it any longer now that she had asked.

    He stood up, walked to Eliana''s side, squatted down, and whispered seductively, "Eliana, if you are willing to leave Maurice, I promise that he will not lose anything. Otherwise... He will lose everything he has."

    Eliana lowered her head and stared at him, her face turning deathly pale.

    The familiar pain, the feeling of suffocation, and the smell of the blood from her throat...

    She rpsed shortly after being provoked by Jonathan.

    Eliana bit her lower lip hard. She didn''t want to show weakness in front of Jonathan, but she couldn''t stop the blood oozing out from the corner of her mouth either.

    Jonathan sensed something was wrong. When his gaze fell to the bright red liquid at the corner of Eliana''s mouth, his eyes widened.

 Chapter 687

    ?Chapter 687 Set Eliana Free

    "Doctor! Where is the doctor?" Jonathan yelled in panic.

    Then he reached out his hands subconsciously, wanting to take Eliana inside.

    But Eliana shook off his hands violently. "Don''t touch me!"

    She suddenly exerted so much strength that she spit blood out.

    "Eliana! Hold on a little longer. The doctor will be here soon!"

    Jonathan looked at her anxiously, not daring to touch her again.

    Eliana thought it was ridiculous when she saw his worried expression.

    *Jonathan, you make me sick! Don''t pretend to be a good person. I''m in so much pain now. Isn''t that what you want to see?

    Half of her face was covered in blood at this point, while the other part was deathly pale.

    Jonathan was taken aback. As he looked at the face that reminded him of histe wife, his heart softened inevitably. The doctor arrived soon after, but Eliana refused to cooperate.

    More and more blood was flowing out of her mouth.

    "Elians, you still don''t want topromise even though you''re in this critical situation?" Jonathan grabbed her shoulders and asked, his eyes red.

    Eliana closed her eyes and expressed her anger silently.

    Jonathan suddenly felt very frustrated. "Is Maurice that good? Is he worth your life? Leaving him is the best option for the both of you!"

    "I won''t leave him," Eliana replied, opening her eyes. There was nothing but determination in her eyes. "I lied to him many times before and did many things that I thought were good for him. In the end, it only caused him pain. I won''t do that again. Maurice has lost his family members twice. I won''t let him experience it again."

    "Aren''t you afraid that I will make him lose everything?" Jonathan asked with jealousy.

    Eliana looked at him calmly and said, "Jonathan, I don''t know what you are going to do. Go ahead and fight if you still want to. But Maurice will definitely fight back, and I have faith in him."

    The words "I have faith in him" made Jonathan let go of her dejectedly.

    He realized that he hadpletely lost the fight.

    *Please excuse me, I need to use the bathroom to clean myself."

    Eliana stood up, trembling, and forced herself to go to the bathroom.

    Before she could go home, she had to clean all the bloodstains from her body. She couldn''t let Maurice see them because it would break his heart.

    "Why did Eliana be like this?" Jonathan asked the doctor angrily after Eliana had left. "That drug shouldn''t have such a strong effect!"

    "Perhaps it''s because Miss Pierce has a special constitution, so she has a strong reaction to this drug," the doctor responded in a trembling voice.

    Jonathan slumped into his chair and remained silent for a long time.

    Apparently, Eliana was not afraid of pain or the threat of death just so she could be with Maurice.

    But Jonathan didn''t want her to die.

    It was at that moment that Jonathan decided to set Eliana free.

    In the Moran Group, Eliana was waiting for Maurice toe back.

    Although she believed in Maurice''s ability, she was still worried.

    In fact, while she was talking to Maurice a while ago, she had already guessed that he was going to negotiate with Jonathan.

    But she didn''t stop him.

    She had done everything she could. No matter what decision Maurice made, she and the children would support him.

    During the lunch break, Lucia came to find Eliana. The two decided to have lunch together in the nearby business district.

    They went to a nice restaurant and chatted while eating.

    "You know what, Eliana? Wyatt got into a fight with his family over Nicole. Wyatt''s mother was so angry. She pretended to be sick, tricking him so he woulde back, but her ploy was exposed. She wanted to ban Nicole from acting because she couldn''t persuade Wyatt. Unexpectedly, Nicole recently received a major international award for a low- budget literary film she madest year. Now she is popr abroad. Even if she couldn''t find work here, she could easilynd a job abroad. The film industry in those foreign countries is not under Wyatt''s mother''s control. So she became even more enraged. This time, her anger made her very sick."

    Lucia was smiling while speaking. Hence, Eliana gradually rxed, influenced by Lucia''s smiles.

    "What''s so funny?"

    Suddenly, a slightly sarcastic female voice cut through their conversation.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Both Eliana and Lucia looked in the direction of the voice.

 Chapter 688

    ?Chapter 688 It''s All Your Fault

    "Harriet? Why is she here?" Lucia asked.

    She hadn''t expected to run into Harriet in this ce.

    "Howe she appeared everywhere I went? Lucia murmured.

    Eliana''s smile vanished almost instantly.

    ''Long time no see, Eliana." Harriet didn''t seem to notice the disgust in Lucia''s and Eliana''s eyes. She approached them with a strange tone and asked, "Have you been very proud recently?"

    "Harriet, I don''t think we have anything to talk about," Eliana said, unable to ignore her presence.

    Lucia rolled her eyes andmented, "Let''s go, Eliana. Seeing such a kind of person makes me sick!"

    Then she took Eliana''s hand in hers and walked away.

    Harriet, on the other hand, wouldn''t let them go easily. She took a bold step forward, blocking their path.

    "Eliana, you bitch! It''s all your fault! You must have criticized the Stone family in front of Maurice and asked him to remove the Stone Group from the theme park project, right?"

    Harriet had turned into a shrew.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Maurice kicked the Stone Group out of the theme park project?

    Eliana did not expect it, but she refused to let anyone smear her. "Harriet, you must be to me for the Stone Group''s expulsion. It has absolutely nothing to do with me."

    Harrietughed sarcastically.

    "Eliana, you have no right to me me! To be honest, even if Maurice kicked out the Stone Group, he still didn''t win! He''s going to give the project to Jonathan. And it''s all your fault! You should just stay with the White family. You are causing trouble to the Moran family!"

    Eliana was dumbfounded.

    What was Harriet talking about?

    Maurice was going to give Jonathan the theme park project? Was it their deal?

    "Shut up!" Lucia yelled. "Harriet, you''re aplete loser. What qualifications do you have to squawk? Mr. Moran is willing to give up everything for Eliana, but he refuses to even look at you!"

    Lucia''s words broke Harriet''s heart, and she yelled angrily, "That''s because Maurice is too stupid! The Morans are stupid! That''s why they like an evil woman like Eliana!"

    "Enough!" Eliana had had enough that she poured a ss of wine directly to Harriet.

    She would never allow this crazy woman to insult the two families.

    "Elians! You bitch! How dare you!"

    Harriet raised her hand, ready to p Eliana across the face.

    Eliana was ready to fight back, but before she could, a big hand grabbed Harriet''s wrist firmly.

    "What are you doing?"

    A cold voice came from behind Eliana.

    It was Maurice.

    He pushed Harriet away and wrapped his arms around Eliana.

    "Are you okay?"

    Maurice''s eyes were worried, and his tone was gentle.

    Harriet was wet with wine, looking embarrassed. However, Maurice ignored herpletely.

    "I''m perfectly fine. She can''t hurt me, especially since Lucia is here," Eliana replied, shaking her head.

    But Maurice still looked her up and down carefully. After confirming that she was fine, he stared coldly at Harriet. "How dare youe here to aggravate Biana? Do you truly want the Stone Group to go bankrupt?"

    Harriet was annoyed by Maurice''s overprotectiveness toward Eliana.

    "Maurice, you''ve gone too far! You kicked out the Stone Group for a woman. I''ll see if you can still be arrogant after the Universe Group takes away your theme park project!"

    Maurice sneered. "The Stone family was kicked out because they cut corners when doing the project. I''m still considering whether or not to coborate with Jonathan."

    "You are lying!" Harriet eximed.

    "You''d better go back and ask your mother about the truth," Maurice retorted.

    Harriet was furious and left.

    "Wait!" Maurice stopped Harriet and said, "Now that you''re here, take our wedding invitation card."

    Then he winked at Corbin, who had been with him all along. "Corbin, give it to her."

    "I won''t take it! I won''t go to your fucking wedding ceremony!" Harriet eximed, gritting her teeth.

    "It isn''t for you. Why don''t you let others go if you don''t? Corbin rolled his eyes and stuffed the wedding invitation card into Harriet''s hand.

    Harriet became even angrier when she saw that it was for her mother.

    "Do not forget to give it to her," Maurice added.

    "You... Just wait and see!"

    Harriet held the wedding invitation card tightly as if she was going to crush it.

    The moment she walked out of the restaurant, she swore to herself, "Let''s wait and see. I have a number of ns to stop this marriage!"

 Chapter 689

    ?Chapter 689 God Would Understand And Forgive Him

    "Ha-ha! It''s so funny! Eliana, have you seen Harriet''s expression after she was scolded just now? It''s so funny, right?" Lucia couldn''t stop herself fromughing after Harriet left.

    Corbin gave a little cough and winked at her, as if saying, "Don''t you have discerning eyes? Can''t you see that these two are having a good time?"

    Lucia immediately understood. She wiped the tears from her eyes because ofughing and intended to exit decisively. *Eliana... I suddenly remember that I still have something to do at thepany. I''ll leave first. Let''s meet again next time."

    After saying this, Lucia left quietly. There was no third wheel anymore.

    This time, Maurice also said to Eliana, "Let''s go back first. I have something to give you."

    Maurice quickly returned to the Moran Group''s building with Eliana in his arms.

    As soon as they entered his office, he immediately took out a small medicine bottle, in which a red capsuley quietly inside.

    "Eliana, take this. You will be fine after having this medicine." Maurice held the bottle in front of Eliana and said guiltily, "I know what you have suffered during these days. I''m sorry. It''s all my fault. I failed to protect you well, and I didn''t solve this matter faster."

    Eliana looked at the medicine battle in front of her. Harriet''s words just now echoed in her mind.

    She pushed the medicine bottle away and stared at Maurice with burning eyes. "Did you agree to Jonathan''s condition in exchange of this medicine? Maurice, answer me!"

    Maurice didn''t answer her question directly. He only said, "Don''t worry. Jonathan may not show up in front of us again." Eliana was confused. "Why?"

    Maurice finally agreed to Jonathan''s request. "Because he asked me to say something to you on his behalf. He wanted to say he was sorry."

    "What? How could he...''

    Eliana was so surprised that she was at a loss for words.

    "Maybe Jonathan used to be a good person. But he changed after he lost the love of his life. He missed that person so much that he tried to keep you who resemble her."

    Jonathan was obviously an enemy. But that moment he said sorry, and Maurice inexplicably understood his inner thoughts.

    Eliana was silent for a long time.

    She suddenly remembered Jonathan in her memory. He was not always stubborn. She had also seen his inadvertent tenderness.

    Perhaps Maurice was right. He just couldn''t let go.

    At this time, Eliana looked at Maurice and couldn''t help sighing.

    "If I die one day, will you be like him? Will you also find someone simr to me to rece me?

    "No, I won''t," Maurice answered without hesitation.

    "Really? Why?'' Eliana asked.

    *Because you are the only love of my life. I love you not because of your face or because you gave birth to my children. I love you because you are the woman I love the most."

    Maurice used the calmest tone to say the most beautiful honeyed words in the world.

    These words were like the warm sunshine, dispelling the depression in Eliana''s heart.

    She took the bottle from Maurice, trying to hold back her tears.

    "Oh, I see."

    She then picked up a ss of water and ate the capsule.

    The moment she swallowed it, she felt unprecedentedly rxed.

    She wrapped her arms around Maurice''s waist, leaned her head against his broad chest, and said affectionately, "Maurice, after my illness is cured, there will be no more obstacles to our future. We will have a smooth-sailing and peaceful life."

    Maurice hugged her back and answered firmly, "Yes, you''re right."

    He still hid Earle and Nancy''s matter from her.

    He believed he could slowly persuade Earle and Nancy in the future. But for now, he wanted to be selfish, ignore his identity as the heir of the Moran family, and be with the woman he loved most.

    God would understand and forgive him.

    After a short period of warmth and affection, they had to return to reality.

    Maurice still had a lot of work to deal with. He also had to figure out what Earle had arranged.

    "It''s time for me to go to work." As he spoke, Maurice reluctantly let go of Eliana.

    "Go ahead. It''s time for me to go home too. Aileen and Adrian will be off school soon," Eliana said with a smile. Then she tiptoed and nted a kiss on Maurice''s cheek.

    "Okay, let''s go. I''ll take you downstairs."

    Maurice gently took Bliana''s hand and led her to the elevator.

    They were now in a confined space, and their breathing seemed to be entangled. The air around them was full of ambiguity.

    The scents emanating from their bodies seemed to seduce each other.

    Finally, all the love and attachment they felt burst out at this moment. Almost at the same time, they hugged and kissed each other affectionately.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 690

    ?N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Chapter 690 Being Watched

    They were both engrossed in the kiss and couldn''t get out of it.

    After so many practices, Eliana''s kissing had now improved and perfectly caught up with Maurice''s rhythm.

    In the elevator, they kissed each other more and more passionately.

    They were absorbed in their kissing, wishing that time would stop at this precise moment.

    The elevator door opened the next moment.

    The scene unfolded to arge number of employees standing outside the elevator. They were taken aback.

    No one dared to enter the elevator because one of the two passengers was thepany''s CEO.

    Eliana was still kissing Maurice when she sensed other people''s gazes. She opened her eyes and looked aside...

    Damn it! Why were there so many people here?

    She was so embarrassed.

    When Eliana came to her senses, she pushed Maurice away and prepared to exit the elevator.

    But Maurice pulled her back into his arms. "Why are you running? We haven''t arrived yet."

    Maurice''s voice was maic and hoarse, and there was still a lustful look in his eyes. Eliana was stunned and froze in Maurice''s arms.

    ''Hello.''

    Maurice greeted the employees calmly and without any hint of embarrassment.

    "Hello, Mr. Moran."

    "Hello, Mr. Moran and Miss Pierce..."

    Some employees recognized that the woman in front of them was Eliana, the former designer of the Design. Department.

    "You don''t want toe in?"

    Maurice moved to stand on the elevator''s inner side with Eliana.

    The employees suddenly came to their senses and hurried into the elevator.

    The elevator was then filled with dead silence. Everyone''s gaze was drawn to Maurice and Eliana, eventually settling on the couple rings they wore.

    The rings seemed to be the pair in the trending topic... Suddenly, they were enlightened.

    Mr. Moran''s mysterious girlfriend was Bliana!

    What kind of woman could win the heart of an eligible bachelor like Maurice?

    The employees couldn''t help but stare at Eliana curiously.

    Unconsciously, Eliana became nervous, and her palms began to sweat. She wanted to hide her hands behind her back.

    Unfortunately, Maurice did not give her the chance. He held Eliana''s hand and purposefully showed her ring to everyone.

    Two simr tinum rings shone brightly, especially when illuminated by the light. Maurice purposefully did it to let everyone know that his girlfriend was Eliana.

    Eliana gradually rxed as she felt the warmth of Maurice''s palm.

    For a brief moment, the employees looked at one another with envy in their eyes.

    They then began to whisper to each other.

    "I had no idea Mr. Moran could be so romantic! What a perfect man!"

    "Yeah, he looked at Miss Pierce so gently. I feel like I will also fall in love with him!"

    Some brave female employees even congratted Eliana, saying, "Miss Pierce, you must be very happy! I have always supported you before!"

    "Thank... Thank you!"

    Eliana was extremely shy.

    The elevator soon reached the ground floor. They were all so excited that they forgot to exit the elevator.

    "Haven''t you seen enough? Maurice raised his eyebrows and scolded the employees. "Go back to work now. Get out of the way."

    "No, no, no... No need!" Eliana cut him off. "Go ahead with your work. I''m leaving."

    Then she bolted without looking back, straight to thepany''s gate, and Maurice couldn''t stop her.

    Maurice''s eyes were filled with affection as he looked at Eliana''s receding figure.

    He then went back to his office.

    Only then did he learn that Earle''swyers had already arrived.

    One of them was a man named Cory Moreno. Maurice felt that he was unfamiliar with the man. He had never seen him on Earle''s legal team before.

    But apparently, Cory was the one leading the team.

    He fixed his gaze on Maurice, took out some documents, and dered, "Mr. Moran, Mr. Earle Moran is serious this time. He asks you to hand over all the power of the Moran Group immediately. You cannot postpone it!"

 Chapter 691

    ?Chapter 691 Ask Wyatt For Help

    Cory looked very aggressive. However, Maurice just sat down in front of him casually in an imposing manner.

    "Hand over all my power to..." Maurice''s voice trailed off and stared at Cory mockingly. "To whom? To Gerald?" he asked coldly.

    Cory pushed the gold-rimmed sses on the bridge of his nose and said arrogantly, "Mr. Moran, you don''t need to worry about that. Your grandfather has his own arrangements. You just need to follow his orders."

    At this moment, Corbin chimed in, "How dare you talk to Mr. Moran like that!''

    He was so angry that he wanted to step forward. But Maurice stretched out his hand to stop him.

    "Just leave the documents and go. I''ll let you knowter."

    Maurice didn''t choose to have a direct conflict with Earle''s legal team.

    "But Mr. Moran, your grandfather said it should be executed immediately," Cory retorted at once.

    But Maurice nced at him coldly and said expressionlessly, "Don''t you understand what I said?"

    Cory froze for a moment. He broke out in a cold sweat. And no one from the legal team behind him dared to say anything.

    "Fuck off!" Corbin yelled, asking them to leave.

    This group ofwyers came valiantly. But in the end, they left dejectedly.

    As soon as thewyers left, Maurice''s expression changed instantly.

    He looked at Corbin with a frown. "Haven''t you found Gerald''s whereabouts yet?

    Corbin pulled a long face. "Mr. Moran, I only found that your grandfather sent him abroad. But I don''t have his exact location yet."

    "What about Grandpa? And Grandma? Do you know where they are? Maurice asked again.

    Corbin lowered his head, looking embarrassed. He said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Moran. We haven''t found out their whereabouts either."

    The atmosphere in the office became depressing. Maurice closed his eyes and leaned his head against the back of the chair. He looked wary.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

    "Okay, you can leave now."

    After Corbin left, Maurice pondered for a moment. Then he took out his phone and dialed Wyatt''s number.

    On the other side of the city, Wyatt was in the kitchen of Moonlight restaurant, helping with the dishes.

    The phone in his pocket suddenly rang.

    The noise in the kitchen was so loud that he didn''t hear it for a while. He only knew when Rosalie who stood beside him told him. Then he answered it.

    "Wyatt, are you busy?"

    When Wyatt heard Maurice''s voice, he held the phone with one hand and the menu with the other. He smiled brightly and said, "Wow! Maurice, is this really you? What makes you call me today? Tell me, what can I do for you? I''m busy right now. If it''s nothing important, I''ll hang up."

    On the other end of the line, Maurice loosened his tie and said, "Wyatt, I need your help to check the patient''s information in all the hospitals in the city. The Todd family has more resources in the medical industry than me, so you can find out faster."

    Wyatt frowned in confusion and asked, "Check the patients'' information? Why? Is something wrong?"

    "My grandfather took my grandma out, but they didn''te back. I have been looking for them, but I couldn''t find them until now. I suspect he is ill," Maurice exined, expressing his spection.

    "What? Your grandpa is ill?"

    Wyatt wanted to say yes. But he suddenly remembered that he had already severed ties with the Todd family. He realized he was in an embarrassing situation.

    "Wyatt, I know this is hard for you. If you can''t do it, I''ll find another way."

    Maurice also knew what happened between Wyatt and the Todd family, so he understood if Wyatt couldn''t help him.

    He was about to give up when Wyatt suddenly said, "What are you talking about? We are best friends, and we grew up together. Although I have severed ties with my family, I''m willing to give it a try for you."

    Of course, Wyatt couldn''t refuse Maurice.

    But after hanging up the phone, he couldn''t help scratching his head.

    He promised Maurice, but he didn''t know how to do it yet.

    After all, he vowed to sever ties with the Todd family. If he went back to ask for help from the Todd family, it seemed a little unreasonable.

    While he was worrying, all the new dishes in the restaurant had been prepared.

    This time, the food taster he invited had also arrived. It was Nicole.

    Wyatt had no choice but to set aside Maurice''s matter temporarily and serve the dishes first.

    Nicole tasted each dish seriously and began toment.

    But soon, she realized something was wrong.

    Wyatt didn''t seem okay. Did something happen today?

    In the past, as soon as he saw her, he would immediately cling to her. But today, she had already said so much, but he did not respond at all.

 Chapter 692

    ?Chapter 692 She Is Your Mother

    Nicole approached Wyatt and asked softly, "Wyatt, is something wrong? Did you encounter any difficulties in making the new dishes?"

    Wyatt pondered for a moment. Then he finally said, "It''s not a big deal. Maurice called me just now, asking me a favor..." He stopped for a moment. Obviously, he wanted to say something but stopped at a second thought. Nicole was a little confused. She asked, "What favor did he ask from you? Why do you look so worried?" Wyatt nced at Nicole anxiously. "I might need to go back to see my mother. I need her help." After saying this, he looked at Nicole uneasily, fearing she would be angry.

    Nicole was stunned for a moment when she heard this. Then sheughed and said, "Then go ahead. Why are you looking at me?"

    "I''m afraid it will make you unhappy," Wyatt said, smiling bitterly.

    Nicole stretched out her finger, tapped his forehead lightly, and said with a smile, "She is your mother, and you are her son. Can you avoid seeing her for the rest of your life?"

    "No, it''s not like that," Wyatt said anxiously. He grabbed her hand and added, "I know my mother has hurt you deeply. But Nicole, don''t worry. I won''t let her humiliate you ever again."

    Nicole thought Wyatt was such a fool.

    But she was moved. A trace of sweetness surged in her heart.

    She said solemnly, "Wyatt, listen to me. I can''t forgive your mother, and I will never want to see her for the rest of my life. But it doesn''t mean that I will stop you from seeing your mother. I have no right, and I won''t do that. Do you understand?"

    ''Nicole, thank you."

    After saying this, Wyatt hugged Nicole tightly.

    He felt fortunate to have such a kind and beautiful girlfriend.

    "We are getting married soon. As your fiancee, I will support all your decisions."

    Nicole leaned against Wyatt''s chest, giving him courage and strength.

    Wyatt took a deep breath. And with a painful expression, he said, "Nicole, my mother deceived me so badly all these years. She saw me in pain, and she saw me hurt the person I love most. And she even wanted to continue hurting you by banning you from the entertainment industry."

    Those painful memories flooded his mind, making his body tremble all over.

    Nicole held him tightly andforted him softly, "it''s all right. Everything is over now, and I never me you."

    It took Wyatt a long time to calm down. He said in a daze, "Nicole, I actually don''t have the courage to go back to see her. It seems that I have never really known my mother. She has been acting all the time. And now, I can''t tell whether

    her words are true or not."

    Nicole patted his back gently and said, "It''s okay. If you are scared, I can go with you. But I''ll just wait for you outside." "Okay," Wyatt said with a nod, forcing a smile.

    He knew that Nicole was willing to wait for him. But he could only do it by himself.

    This time, Nicole decided to change the topic. She said in a rxed tone, ''Can we try the dishes now? This is for Eliana''s wedding, so we can''t be careless."N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "Okay, honey."

    Wyatt felt a little better now.

    Then they formally began to try the dishes.

    "Is the steak a little old?"

    "No, it''s tasty. Just like me."

    "Oh God!" Nicole rolled her eyes.

    The soon-to-be-married couple was so sweet, even if they were only trying the dishes.

    "You two have tried so much. Drink some water first."

    Rosalie handed them two sses of water with a smile.

    "Thank you, Rosalie," Nicole said, taking the sses with a smile.

    Then she teased Wyatt by not giving him the water.

    Rosalie looked at them happily. They were so sweet, joking with each other.

    She felt so good to know that the two people she treated as her own children had found their happiness.

    For the sake of helping Maurice, Wyatt took Nicole back to the Todd family''s house.

    As soon as he reached the destination, he looked at both familiar and strange iron gates, feeling nervous.

    He took a deep breath to calm himself down and opened the car door.

    When Nicole saw his nervous face, she couldn''t help teasing him. "Wyatt, this is your home. What are you afraid of? You make me feel like I am sending a child to kindergarten."

 Chapter 693

    Chapter 693

    Eventually, Wyatt gathered enough courage to walk into the Todd family¡¯s house.

    ¡°Mr. Todd, you¡¯re finally back!¡±

    The moment the elderly butler saw Wyatt, his eyes lit up and welled up with tears, and he immediately

    approached thetter.

    Feeling a little embarrassed, Wyatt answered, ¡°Erick, do you know where my mother is?¡±

    The butler, Erick Vance, wiped his tears away and said, ¡°She¡¯s upstairs, Mr. Todd! You should go and

    see her. It saddens me to say this, but her health is dwindling.¡±

    Wyatt¡¯s heart sank, but he still thought that this might be another trick.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Once he was upstairs, he knocked on the door of Dora¡¯s room. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Momentster, he heard a voice from inside say, ¡°Come in.¡±

    Wyatt walked in, visibly uneasy.

 Chapter 694

    Chapter 694

    Nicole and Wyatt were stunned.

    It was Nicole¡¯s first time seeing a hint ofpromise in Dora¡¯s eyes, and she knew that it was time to

    prove herself.

    So she said firmly, ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    ¡°You young people are always so hot-headed and hasty. It¡¯s not easy to fulfil a lifelong promise, you

    know?¡±

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    Dora¡¯s tone was sarcastic as always, but it did not seem like she was trying to get tit for tat.

    In fact, she had already epted what Nicole said.

    ¡°Mom, are you saying¡­¡±

    Realizing what she meant, Wyatt looked at Dora in surprise.

 Chapter 695

    Chapter 695

    Nicole and Wyatt were stunned.

    It was Nicole¡¯s first time seeing a hint ofpromise in Dora¡¯s eyes, and she knew that it was time to

    prove herself.

    So she said firmly, ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    ¡°You young people are always so hot-headed and hasty. It¡¯s not easy to fulfil a lifelong promise, you

    know?¡±

    Dora¡¯s tone was sarcastic as always, but it did not seem like she was trying to get tit for tat.

    In fact, she had already epted what Nicole said.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    ¡°Mom, are you saying¡­¡±

    Realizing what she meant, Wyatt looked at Dora in surprise.

 Chapter 696

    Chapter 696

    When Maurice and Corbin left, it was only then that Sean let go of the struggling Nancy.

    ¡°Mrs. Moran, I¡¯m sorry. I never want to offend you,¡± Sean said sincerely. ¡°But your son ordered me not

    to let you call for help, let alone ask Maurice toe over.¡±

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Nancy helplessly looked in the direction where Maurice had left. The hope in her heart was

    extinguished. She was so angry that she picked up the umbre beside her and hit Sean fiercely.

    Sean was concerned about Nancy¡¯s health, so he didn¡¯t fight back. In the end, he could only hide

    miserably after being hit several times.

    Nancy only stopped when she felt tired. She put down the umbre, panting.

    ¡°You¡¯re a man. Are you not ashamed of yourself for bullying an old woman?¡±

 Chapter 697

    Chapter 697

    In the Moonlight restaurant, Nicole was stunned when she saw the couple who were to get married

    soon.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be preparing for the wedding? What are you doing here?¡± she asked.

    Eliana grabbed Nicole¡¯s hand all of a sudden and said, ¡°Can you be the officiator of our wedding?¡±

    ¡°Me?!¡± Nicole pointed to herself in shock. ¡°You really want me to be the officiator?¡±

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Maurice nodded affirmatively and said, ¡°Yes, you are the perfect person for the job!¡±

 Chapter 698

    Chapter 698

    ¡°Mr. Moran, we have a problem. I just found out that Gerald¡¯s residence abroad is empty. He is

    nowhere to be found.¡±

    Maurice frowned at the message from Corbin.

    Gerald was not at the ce Earle had arranged for him. Where could he have gone?

    Maurice¡¯s hand tightened, holding his phone as he mulled over this predicament.

    Soon enough, Eliana had picked up on his unusual mood.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    He must be looking for help.

    Eliana approached him and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you holding your phone?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Maurice quickly snapped out of his brooding and hid his phone behind him.

    ¡°No, something¡¯s up. Let me see!¡±

 Chapter 699

    Chapter 699

    Maurice took Ss with him and quickly found the video of Ss¡¯ parents¡¯ wedding.

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    As the video started ying, memories began to surface from the recesses of his mind. When his sister

    came into view, at first he felt excited and then incredibly sad.

    Rosina appeared in the video, looking happy and beautiful in a gorgeous white wedding dress and a

    crown.

    Her face was simr to Maurice¡¯s, but where he had handsome and chiseled features, Rosina was

    softer.

    With herrge round eyes and cherub cheeks, she resembled a doll.

 Chapter 700

    Chapter 700

    The phone continued to ring and Maurice¡¯s words came back to Eliana.

    Jonathan had asked Maurice to apologize to Eliana on his behalf.

    Atst Eliana answered the phone.

    ¡°Eliana,¡± Jonathan replied hesitantly in a soft, husky voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to answer my call.¡±

    After a moment of silence, Eliana answered, ¡°What do you want?¡±

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just wanted to say goodbye to you. I¡¯m going abroad soon. You don¡¯t need to worry

    about meing to your wedding and causing trouble,¡±

    Jonathan exined, making fun of himself.

    ¡°Oh¡­ All right then.¡±

    Eliana had mixed feelings. She knew that Jonathan had saved her for another reason and then lied to

    her.

 Chapter 701

    Chapter 701

    He was rted to Eliana!

    Nana was astonished by this revtion.

    No wonder the man in front of her felt familiar. When she looked closely, she realized that Branson

    actually looked a little like Eliana, especially his eyes, which were almost the same as Eliana¡¯s.

    Ha was rtad to Eliana!

    Nana was astonishad by this ravtion.

    No wondar tha man in front of har falt familiar. Whan sha lookad closaly, sha raalizad that Branson

    actually lookad a lit lika Eliana, aspacially his ayas, which wara almost tha sama as Eliana¡¯s.

    ¡°Can you get off and talk to me, Eliana?¡± Branson asked.

    This time he spoke to Eliana a little more gently.

    Without hesitating, Nana declined. She stepped forward and stopped Branson.

    ¡°Not a chance!¡±

    Whether he was rted to Eliana or not, it seemed like his intentions were not good.

    At that moment, there was a sudden knock from behind.N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

 Chapter 702

    Chapter 702

    ¡°Why?¡± Eliana replied.

    It was ridiculous. The White family had not once tried to connect with her in such a long time. She no

    longer had any ties with them. But now, a cousin appeared out of nowhere, and his first words were to

    stop her from getting married.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Eliana could scarcely believe the absurdity of the whole situation.

    Even before he came here, Branson knew that Eliana wouldn¡¯t just say yes to whatever he said. He

    had been prepared to persuade her. ¡°Eliana, you¡¯re too young, and you grew up outside the family.

    There are many things that you don¡¯t know or understand. The rift between our family and the Moran

    family has been going on for a long time. It¡¯s not something that you can fix in this generation. Marriage

    is not only between individuals. You and Maurice have to think about your families¡ª¡±

 Chapter 703

    Chapter 703

    ¡°Oh, my dear babies! Aren¡¯t you adorable?¡±

    Eliana was very excited to see the kids all dressed up, so she immediately took out her phone and took

    pictures of them.

    Embarrassed, Ss looked at Maurice as though he was asking for help.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Maurice immediately went to Eliana to stop her.

    ¡°Well, the wedding is going to start soon. We still have a lot of time for picturester

 Chapter 704 At The Wedding

    Chapter 704 At The Wedding

    The man was Gerald.He was pushing a wheelchair on which was an old man tightly wrapped in

    nkets so that no one could clearly see his face.

    The security guard eyed Gerald warily and carefully checked the invitation card he showed.

    Even though the invitation was genuine, the security guard couldn''t help but be vignt.

    As the security guard hesitated to let the two men in, Gerald suddenly spoke.He faked a cough, and

    then red at the security guard.

    "I gave you the invitation card.Why don''t you let us in? Can''t you see that my father is sick and can''t

    stay too long in the wind! Are you ready to take responsibility if anything happens to my father?"

    The security guard broke into a cold sweat.He looked again at the old man sitting sickly on the

    wheelchair.

    Although he still hesitated, he knew he had no other choice and let them in.

    "I''m sorry, sir.You can go in," the security guard said politely.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Gerald pushed the wheelchair into the wedding venue.

    Gerald looked around.

    The wedding site was well decorated and it looked like a real fairy tale wedding.

    Gerald didn''t say a word but his face darkened.He patted Earle''s shoulder gently.

    "Dad, you should know what to do next, right?" he whispered in his father''s ear as if warning him.

    Earle''s dazed eyes showed a trace of pain.He closed his eyes and nodded with difficulty.

    A smile of satisfaction appeared on Gerald''s face and his heart filled with morbid joy.It was truly a

    wonderful wedding! What a pity that everything was about to be ruined.

    "Maurice, today I''m going to let you feel what it''s like to fall from heaven to hell!" Gerald murmured.

    As the wedding was about to begin.

    Gerald pushed Earle to take his seat.

    Suddenly, Wyatt turned around and stared at them intently.

    Gerald immediately asked Earle to look down while lowering his own head.

    In fact, originally, Wyatt just nced around casually.

    But then he saw the two suspicious people.

    Everyone at the wedding was well-dressed, so Gerald''s and Earle''s odd outfits easily made them stand

    out.

    Wyatt had some doubts about their identity.

    Feeling something was off, Wyatt decided to walk over to see the two people clearly.

    Seeing that Wyatt was getting closer and closer, Gerald clenched his fists subconsciously.

    "Mr.Todd, the flowers have just been delivered.Would you like to have a look?"

    A worker suddenly stopped Wyatt.

    "Okay, I''ll be right there."

    Wyatt turned around and left at once.It wasn''t until Wyatt was far away that Gerald felt relieved.

    There was no other incident and everything went smoothly.

    Soon, the wedding began.

    The door to the castle slowly opened, showing Rosamond holding Eliana''s hand.

    In front of the two women was a path made of white rose petals, which stretched to the wedding site.

    Eliana wore an antique white off-the-shoulder wedding dress.

    The floor-length veil was embroidered withce to make a portrait of the Virgin Mary.Her ck hair was

    rolled up high and secured with a gorgeous crown of jewels, revealing her perfect long neck.She wore

    simple and elegant makeup with light pink eye shadow and pink lips.

    Standing in the sun, she was like a holy angel.

    Behind the beautiful bride, Eliana, there were three cutest children, Aileen, Adrian and Ss.

    The guests were all stunned by the beauty of the bride and couldn''t help but exim in admiration.

    "God, she is so beautiful!"

    "No wonder she could win Maurice''s heart.Who wouldn''t fall in love with such a pretty woman?"

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    The groom, Maurice, wore a tailored ck suit that emphasized his tall figure and slender body.His hair

    was neatlybed and his face was immactely handsome.He stood at the end of the flowery path,

    waiting for his bride quietly.

    When the melodious wedding march sounded, Eliana took a deep breath and looked nervously at her

    husband-to-be.

    Until now, she still felt like she was in a dream.Her past experience with Maurice, good and bad, was

    still fresh in her mind, as if it had happened yesterday.

    They had been through a lot of ups and downs and today, they were finally going to get married...

    Noticing Eliana''s nervousness, Rosamond reassured her, "Rx.You are already a mother of two

    children.Compared to giving birth, a wedding is nothing."

    "Thank you, Miss Deleon."

    Although Eliana said so, she still felt her heart was beating so fast.She was still nervous!

 Chapter 705 Formally Married

    Chapter 705 Formally Married

    Under the admiring gaze of the guests, Eliana slowly walked towards Maurice, holding Rosamond''s

    arm.

    Eliana was extremely nervous and her nervousness only grew with each step.

    The grass under her feet was very soft.

    Eliana lost her bnce and was about to fall to the ground.

    Fortunately, Rosamond reacted quickly and held Eliana''s arm tightly so that Eliana wouldn''t be

    embarrassed in public.

    But even so, Eliana¡¯s body still inevitably leaned to the side, which Maurice did not fail to notice, as he

    kept his eyes on her the whole time.

    Seeing that she almost fell to the ground, Maurice touched his forehead helplessly.

    How could Eliana still be so careless? By this time, Eliana had regained her bnce and breathed a

    sigh of relief.She didn''t notice the helpless look in Maurice''s eyes.

    Luckily for Eliana, at this time, everyone''s attention was on the three adorable kids behind her, so no

    one noticed her small mistake.

    As they continued to walk forward, Rosamond whispered to Eliana, "Don''t look at the ground.Just focus

    on the handsome groom and think about the happy life you''ll have after wedding ceremony."

    Rosamond was once married, so her words gave Eliana courage.

    Eliana looked up and looked straight ahead.

    The transparent white veil couldn''t cover her sight.She decided to focus on Maurice, who was at the

    end of the flowery path.

    Maurice seemed to have received a signal from his woman, and he stretched out his hand to her.

    A happy smile appeared on Eliana¡¯s face.

    Rosamond was right.She just needed to focus on Maurice.

    Putting aside all the thoughts that distracted her, Eliana walked firmly towards Maurice.It was only a

    few minutes'' walk, but it felt like she was going through her whole life.

    Finally, Eliana came to Maurice and she took his hand.

    The warmth of his palm instantly calmed her down.

    Maurice gently held her hand, looking at her with tenderness in his eyes.

    "You are finally here," he whispered.

    "Yes, I''m here."

    Eliana stared at Maurice with the same tenderness in her eyes.

    The two of them looked at each other affectionately.

    They were such a perfect couple.

    Rosamond was so moved by the scene that her eyes turned red.

    "Maurice, I''ll leave Eliana to you as from today.You must make her happy, understand?"

    "Miss Deleon, I give you my word I will make her happy and protect her my whole life," Maurice replied

    seriously.

    Rosamond nodded with satisfaction.

    She gently stroked Eliana¡¯s arm and said emotionally, "Eliana, be happy, okay? I''m leaving now."

    Tears welled up in Eliana''s eyes.

    After her mother''s death, Rosamond was the first person to make her feel that maternal warmth that

    she so desired.

    "Thank you for everything, Miss Deleon..."

    Rosamond smiled with relief, then turned around and left.When she turned around, she looked up at

    the sky.

    "Ingrid, your daughter has finally found her happiness.You must be happy in the heaven now," she

    mumbled.

    The groom and the bride finally stood on the stage.

    The guests were very excited.

    Dressed in his ck robe, the amiable priest gazed at the couple in front of him for a while.

    Then he opened his mouth and addressed the groom.

    "Maurice, do you want to marry Eliana, live with her ording to the Bible, be one with her in the

    presence of God, love her as you love yourself,fort her, respect her and protect her? Do you agree

    to stay with her in health and in sickness, in riches and in poverty? Do you agree to always be loyal to

    her and never leave her, until you leave this world?"

    Maurice looked Eliana straight in the eye with a firm resolve.

    "Yes, I do.No matter in the past or in the future, she will always be my first and only choice."

    The priest nodded with satisfaction.He then looked at the bride and repeated the same words.

    "Eliana, do you want to marry Maurice, live with him ording to the Bible, be one with him in the

    presence of God, love him like you love yourself,fort him, respect him, and protect him? Do you

    agree to stay with him in health and in sickness, in riches and in poverty? Do you agree to always be

    loyal to him and never leave him, until you leave this world?"

    Eliana''s eyes were slightly red and a whirlwind of emotions surged through her heart.

    What happened in the past flitted through her mind.It was Maurice''s firmness that gave her the courage

    to start over.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Tears eventually fell down from the corners of her eyes.

    In a voice choked with sobs, she replied firmly, "I do."

    The guests pped loudly and joyfully.

    The priest stretched out his hands and announced aloud, "Taking God to witness, I now pronounce you

    husband and wife."

 Chapter 706 Were Family From Now On

    Chapter 706 We''re Family From Now On

    After saying their vows, Eliana and Maurice exchanged rings under the blessing of their friends and

    families.

    Under the sun, Eliana''s diamond ring shone brightly.

    Maurice then gently lifted the white veil covering Eliana¡¯s face.

    Eliana''s eyes were filled with tears.

    The two of them looked at each for a moment, and then they slowly got closer.

    It was a solemn and holy kiss.

    Eliana slightly closed her eyes and enjoyed the softness of Maurice''s lips.

    They had kissed each other countless times, but this was definitely their most intimate kiss.

    "Wow!"

    The guests burst into cheers.

    Hiding in the crowd, Gerald red viciously at the scene in front of him, his eyes red with anger.He had

    lost almost everything.

    Why could Maurice and Eliana live happily when he was miserable? He would never let that happen.He

    was determined to destroy their perfect lives.

    After the kiss, the three children excitedly rushed towards the bride and groom.

    Eliana and Maurice held their hands firmly.

    Nicole then went on the stage.

    To better step into her role as the officiator, Nicole changed up her usual sexy style and for a more

    mature look.

    She wore a simple white satin dress and her hair was tied in a bun, which looked pretty decent.

    "Hello everyone.Wee to Maurice and Eliana''s wedding.I''m Nicole, a good friend of the bride, and

    also the officiator."

    No sooner had her voice died out than the audience burst into apuse.

    Smiling, Nicole went on, "How time flies! I can still remember clearly the day I first met Eliana.

    At that time, she was working for Maurice in the Moran Group.

    I remember I found that Maurice already had a thing for her.

    But back then I couldn''t understand how Eliana had been able to attract Maurice.It wasn''t until I got to

    know more about Eliana that I finally understood.

    She is an independent woman, a great mother, and a loyal friend.

    Now that I know Eliana personally, I have the feeling that she is like a part of Maurice that was lost.

    To be honest, they are the most perfect couple I''ve seen so far.

    They''ve been through so many ups and downs, and it¡¯s such a joy to finally see them get married.

    Can we give a round of apuse for their love?"

    As soon as Nicole said it, the audience cheered and cheered again.

    Everyone sent their heartfelt wishes to the newlyweds.

    Maurice was excited and he subconsciously looked at Eliana beside him, only to find out that she

    looked weird.

    Maurice''s heart suddenly tightened and he asked anxiously, "Honey, what''s wrong with you? Are you

    feeling ufortable again?"

    Eliana shook her head and exined in a low voice, "I''m fine, but...Ss, you seem to be too

    excited.You''ve been pinching my hand so hard that it hurts now."

    Upon hearing that, Ss'' face flushed and he quickly loosened his grip.

    "I''m sorry, Miss Pierce.I didn''t mean to..." the little boy apologized sincerely.

    Of course, Eliana didn''t me him.

    Instead, she touched his head gently.

    "I am your aunt now.We''re family from now on."

    Immediately, Ss''s eyes lit up.

    "Yes, Auntie Eliana!¡¯ "That''s good."

    Eliana gave the little boy a kind smile.

    "Great! Ss is now our family!"

    Aileen whispered excitedly, holding Adrian''s hand.

    Adrian rolled his eyes and said, "He''s always been our family."

    Anyways, the three kids were very happy to be a real family now.

    After finishing addressing the audience, Nicole came down from the stage and asked the staff to start

    the next process.

    The next process was a video of Maurice and Eliana¡¯s friends and family''s blessing.

    The staff soon brought a huge LCD screen and yed the video.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Eli''s handsome face suddenly appeared on the screen.

    "Eliana, although I''m still a little unwilling to ept that I''ve lost to Maurice, I still want to wish you a

    happy marriage."

    Eliana burst intoughter.

    Eli''s face in the video was really funny.

    Suddenly, there was an ident and the video was stopped abruptly.

    Then, Earle''s voice suddenly rang out.

    "Maurice, since you didn¡¯t listen to me and insisted on marrying this woman, hand over the Moran

    Group to me and get out of the Moran family!"

    "Earle!"

    "It''s Earle!"

    Eliana and Maurice looked at each other in surprise.

    Earle''s voice was very clear and everyone present heard him.

    The senior executives and employees of the Moran Group present were in an uproar after hearing what

    Earle said.

    "Maurice, long time no see!"

    Gerald finally showed up.He pushed Earle, who was sitting in a wheelchair, straight to the stage.

 Chapter 707 A Sudden Change In The Wedding

    Chapter 707 A Sudden Change In The Wedding

    It happened so suddenly, and Wyatt was the first to react.

    Holding the walkie-talkie firmly in his hand, he shouted anxiously, "Somebody, stop him!"

    The bodyguards present immediately rushed up.

    "What do you want to do? Take a good look at the man sitting in this wheelchair and let me see if you

    still dare to move,"

    Gerald shouted angrily at the bodyguards who were rushing over to stop him.

    The bodyguards stopped and took a closer look at the man sitting in the wheelchair.

    The old man had a thick scarf around his neck and was wearing a hat on his head.

    Despite this disguise, the guards recognized the man''s eyes and eyebrows, which really resembled

    Earle''s.

    Seeing that it was indeed the head of the Moran family in the wheelchair, no one dared to act

    recklessly.

    Frowning tightly, Gerald ordered the bodyguards, "Get out of the way!"

    The guards gazed at each other for a moment before finally stepping aside to let them pass.

    On stage, Maurice stood in front of Eliana and the children to protect them.He didn''t take his eyes off

    Gerald while wearing a frighteningly serious expression.He still couldn''t believe that Earle was really

    with Gerald.

    What did they have in mind to do? Why did they show up at this time? With a mischievous grin, Gerald

    pushed Earle in front of Maurice.

    Then he leaned over to Earle, patted him on the arm, and said in a meaningful tone, "Dad, if you have

    something to say today, just say it in front of everyone."

    Earle understood what Gerald expected of him andplied.

    He looked up at Maurice and asked angrily, "Maurice, how could you marry this woman! She''s rted

    to the White family!"

    Earle''s words hurt Eliana and her face suddenly turned pale.She couldn''t help but look unconsciously

    at Maurice.

    However, Maurice was not one to be intimidated and he said firmly, "Grandpa, I don''t care what

    Eliana''s family background is.She is the only woman I would ever marry."

    "Bastard! You really disappoint me!"

    Earle snapped.He took out a document and angrily threw it at Maurice.

    "I will never allow anyone rted to the White family to marry into the Moran family! Since you insist on

    marrying her, sign your name on this document and renounce your position as CEO of the Moran

    Group.Gerald would now be the new CEO of thepany."

    Hearing Earle''s words, Maurice was stunned.

    "You intend to give thepany to Gerald?" Maurice asked in shock.

    Earle nodded and said firmly, "Yes, he''s my only son now, so it''s only natural for him to inherit the

    Moran Group.And I''m not healthy now, so he will have power of attorney and be by the same my

    legal guardian."

    Maurice was even more shocked after hearing Earle¡¯s words.He stared at the nervous man in the

    wheelchair and had a strong feeling that something was wrong.

    Earle knew better than anyone that Gerald was a good-for-nothing.

    Earle had worked hard all his life to build the Moran Group.

    No matter how angry he was, he wouldn''t hand over thepany to Gerald so easily.

    Moreover, Earle had just said Gerald was henceforth his legal guardian and that he would give him

    power of attorney.

    This was tantamount to giving Gerald absolute power over his life.

    Earle would never do something so stupid.

    Maurice walked forward slowly, looking straight into Earle''s eyes.

    Maurice had the deep feeling that something was wrong.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "Grandpa, calm down first, okay? If we fall out on such an important asion, it will have a great

    negative impact on the Moran Group."

    Earle subconsciously shrank back in the wheelchair and lowered his head.

    He pushed Gerald, who was beside him, and said nervously, "You...You deal with it."

    A smirk appeared on Gerald''s face and he said proudly, "Maurice, you have heard what your grandpa

    said, right? Hurry up and do as he said."

    Now, Maurice knew for sure that something was wrong with Earle.

    In the past, no matter how seriously ill Earle had been, he would always stay strong and would never

    show any vulnerability.

    Now, not only did he look scared, but he hid behind Gerald and asked him to handle the matter for him.

    Ignoring Gerald, Maurice squatted down in front of Earle and grabbed thetter''s hand.

    He looked his grandfather in the eye and asked seriously, "Grandpa, are you sure you want to do this?"

    Earle''s hand shook slightly, and he turned his head hastily to avoid meeting Maurice''s eyes.

    Seeing this, Gerald feared that Maurice suspected something, so he kicked Maurice in the knee.

    "How dare you question your grandpa''s decision? If you didn''t insist on marrying that bitch, would your

    grandpa be so furious and fall ill again? It''s all your fault.You really disappointed your grandpa.Now,

    kneel down and apologize!"

    Since Maurice had all his attention focused on Earle, he didn''t have time to dodge Gerald''s attack.

    The kick was so heavy that Maurice felt a sharp pain in his knee.He lost his bnce and fell on one

    knee.

    At this moment, a hint of morbid joy shed through Gerald''s eyes.

    It was such a satisfaction for him to see the arrogant Maurice so humble now.He even managed to

    force Maurice to kneel down and give him everything.

    Sitting in the wheelchair, Earle still didn¡¯t say a word, as if acquiescing in what Gerald had said.

    "Maurice!"

    Eliana''s heart tightened when she saw Maurice been forced on his knee.She anxiously ran to Maurice

    and helped him up.

    "Gerald, are you crazy?" Eliana snapped.

    However, Gerald only sneered at her.

    "Eliana, you are not a good person! It was Maurice who ruined the Pierce family.You should have

    avenged your parents, or at least never forgive the one who hurt them.That''s what a filial daughter

    would have done.I didn''t expect you to be so cheeky.You turned your back on your parents for power

    and wealth!"

    After Gerald said that, the audience burst into an uproar.It was real chaos.

 Chapter 708 A Chaos Situation

    Chapter 708 A Chaos Situation

    "Oh my! Did I hear him well? What did Gerald mean? Is there any secret behind the bankruptcy of the

    Pierce Group?"

    "I remember that Maurice took over the Pierce Group after it went bankrupt and Eliana''s parents

    died.Does that mean he had carefully nned everything?"

    "Does this mean that Maurice is really responsible for the death of Eliana¡¯s parents? And to think that

    Eliana married him now! What a shame!"

    This huge scoop caused a stir among the guests.

    Meanwhile, the journalists present had already taken out their cameras and began to film the scene.

    "Gerald, what nonsense are you talking about?"

    Maurice couldn''t hold back his anger anymore.His eyes were blood red and blue veins stood out on his

    neck.He grabbed Gerald by the cor and lifted him up with all his strength.

    Geraldughed wildly.

    "What''s wrong? Are you angry that I embarrassed you by telling the truth?"

    Gerald had been very careful back then not to leave any clues when he harmed the Pierce family.He

    was therefore certain that Maurice could find no proof to refute his statements.

    "you''re asking for it!"

    Maurice''s eyes narrowed, and a dangerous aura emanated from him.He clenched his fists and threw a

    punch in Gerald''s face.

    The two men immediately began to brawl.

    "They are fighting!" someone shouted in shock.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    The guests all stood up and stepped back in fear.

    Seeing that the whole matter had escted, Eliana was at a loss.

    However, she quickly forced herself to calm down.Her experience with Maurice before they finally got

    married had made her very hardened.

    They''d been through so many ups and downs and now they could finally be happy together.So, Eliana

    would not let anything get in the way of her happiness.

    "Nana! Corbin!"

    She shouted to the two people who seemed to be in a daze.

    "Nana and Corbin, stop anyone from filming the scene and deal with the journalists too.I''ll deal with the

    guests," Eliana said firmly.

    Corbin came to his senses and nodded seriously.

    "Okay! I''ll do it right away."

    At this moment, Wyatt also came to his senses and he rushed to separate Maurice and Gerald.

    "Stop that now!" Wyatt shouted.

    Maurice finally calmed down a little and stopped.He had hit Gerald so hard and so many times that the

    left side of Gerald''s face was swollen.

    Now, Gerald hated Maurice even more.

    Just now when Maurice and Gerald were brawling, Eliana walked to the stage and bowed to the

    guests.

    "I''m really sorry that you had to witness this mess today.Please go back to the castle and have a rest

    while we handle this matter."

    Looking at the poor bride in front of them, the guests didn''t have the heart to embarrass her any further.

    They didn''t make things more difficult for her and left the wedding site in order.It wasn''t until all the

    guests had left that Eliana finally showed a tired expression.

    Adrian and Aileen rushed up and hugged her.

    "Mommy, are you okay?" the kids asked with concern.

    Ss also came to her, looking worried.

    Eliana had to force a smile andfort the children first.

    "Don''t worry, darlings, I''m fine.Did it scare you guys?" The kids shook their heads.

    Maurice suddenly turned around and said, "Eliana, take the kids away first."

    "Okay, be careful," Eliana said, taking a deep look at Maurice.

    She then took the children''s hands and they left the scene.

    As they headed for the exit, Ss kept looking back, and the scene just now kept shing in his mind.

    Maurice was blocking his sight, so he didn''t see Earle clearly just now.

    However, he had the feeling that Earle was a little strange today.

    After hesitating for a while, Ss let go of Eliana¡¯s hand.

    "Auntie Eliana, I have the feeling that my great-grandfather is rather strange today, and I want to go

    back and see what''s wrong."

    Eliana sighed and said gently, "Ss, it''s real chaos there.What if you''re in danger when you go there? I

    am your aunt and I have to protect you.You heard what your uncle said just now, right? Now, let''s go

    back and rest, okay?"

    Hearing this, Aileen raised her fist and said seriously, "Ss, don''t be afraid.I can protect you too!"

    Ss hesitated for a while and finally gave up the idea.

    Eliana and the three children continued to walk to the exit and back to the castle.But when they

    reached the gate, they were stopped by a group of reporters.

    The reporters surrounded them and didn''t even let the children go.

    "Eliana, is what Gerald said true? Did Maurice really make the Pierce Group go bankrupt?"

    "Did you know that your husband might be responsible for your parents'' death? If you did, why did you

    marry into the Moran family?"

    "Eliana, it seems that Earle doesn''t like you.Will you break up with Maurice because of this?"

    "Eliana..."

    The reporters bombarded Eliana with questions, which annoyed her.

    For a moment, even the bodyguards couldn''t stop the excited reporters.

    In their excitement, the reporters jostled and trampled Eliana, and her white dress was spotted with

    several footprints.She tried in vain to get rid of these disturbing reporters.

    The only thing that mattered to her now was to protect the three children.

    Suddenly, a clear male voice was heard.

    "Stop bothering such a lovely bride.We''re here to give her our blessing, right? If you don''t mind, I will

    answer some of your questions."

 Chapter 709 Interview Eli

    Chapter 709 Interview Eli

    The crowd turned around and saw Eli, the new rising star, standing in front of them.

    Eli waved at Eliana and pushed his way through the people.

    "Eliana, it''s been a long time."

    "Why are you here, Eli?"

    Eliana asked, looking at him in shock.

    Eli replied coyly, "I had nned toe to have a look and try to keep my sad feelings to myself, but I

    didn''t expect to see such drama."

    Eliana shook her head with exasperation, saying, "You must think this is all so ridiculous."

    "It''s all right,"

    Eliforted her.

    Then he turned to the crowd and asked, "Have you made up your mind yet? It''s a good opportunity.I

    promise you that I will tell you everything I know today."

    The journalists who were there looked at each other and quickly weighed up their choices.

    They hadn''t expected a big star who didn¡¯t normally appear so rxed in public, to be there today.

    They suddenly abandoned their idea of questioning Eliana.

    They turned around and, aiming their cameras at Eli, asked, "Eli, are all the rumors about Lora and you

    true?"

    "Did you really fall in love with each other after you cooperated with her?"

    "Eli..."

    As the journalists had turned to question Eli, they had naturally made way for Eliana to pass through.

    N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

    "Eliana, you go first.I''ll take care of everything here."

    Standing in front of the journalists, Eli waved his hand to let Eliana leave.

    "Thank you."

    Eliana was so touched by his kind gesture.She nced tenderly at him, then took the children''s hands

    and left the venue as quickly as she could.

    Eliana was grateful when they finally reached their room.She immediately took off the awkward

    wedding dress and put on morefortable clothes instead.

    Aileen looked at the wedding dress, hanging up.She felt incredibly sad.

    "Shame, Mommy! You were dressed so beautifully today.You haven''t even had photos taken yet..."

    Eliana came tofort her, "It doesn''t matter, baby.I had photos taken beforehand, just like we did with

    youst time."

    This made Aileen feel better, but then she pouted and said angrily, "It''s all that bad guy''s fault! If it

    weren''t for him, Mommy and Daddy would have had a perfect wedding!"

    Eliana was concerned about Maurice who had remained at the wedding venue.She didn''t know how he

    was doing now.

    Finally, she couldn''t stand it any longer.

    She gathered the three children together and said sternly, "Babies, you stay here.I''m going out to see

    what''s going on.Please be good for me and don''t run around, all right?"

    Aileen and Adrian immediately wanted to go with her.

    "Mommy, Adrian and I also want to see our great-grandpa.He likes us and thus will bepassionate

    when he sees us."

    "Yes, Mommy, please let us go with you."

    Eliana had to be firm with the children and replied, "No, babies."

    The truth was that at the wedding just now, she sensed that something was not right with Earle.

    Earle felt very strongly about the family being united and at peace with each other.

    In the past, no matter how angry he was, he wouldn''t let Gerald hurt Maurice.

    But today, he had been on Gerald''s side, watching him crush Maurice.It was peculiar.

    Besides, she didn''t know what was going on out there, so she couldn''t let the kids apany her.

    What if they got hurt? "You just stay here and wait for me to return."

    The three children lowered their heads, feeling disappointed.

    Eliana could not help but soften her tone while saying, "Babies, don''t worry.I''ll take you with me once I

    know what''s going on, okay?"

    "Okay, Mommy...But you must be careful," the twins said as they reluctantly agreed to her decision.

    Meanwhile, they heard a knock at the door.

    Instantly alert, Eliana asked, "Who is it?"

    "Don''t worry.It¡¯s me, Nicole," replied the familiar voice from outside.

    Eliana was so relieved to hear who it was, and opened the door.

    Nicole had just arrived back from the wedding venue.

    As soon as she entered the room, Eliana pulled her aside and asked anxiously, "How is it going

    outside?"

    "Don''t worry.Nothing serious has happened yet,"

    Nicoleforted her.

    "Wyatt is still dealing with guests outside.Have a rest while he is busy doing that."

    Eliana still felt worried.

    "Nicole, please look after the children for me.I must go out and have a look for myself."

    Leaving the three children in Nicole''s care, Eliana left to see Maurice.

    As she walked out of the room, her cell phone rang.

 Chapter 710 Meet Me Alone

    Chapter 710 Meet Me Alone

    Harriet¡¯s name repeatedly disyed on the phone screen.

    Gripping her cell phone firmly, Eliana red.She wondered what could be the reason for Harriet''s call

    at that time.

    The phone kept ringing and was on the verge of disconnecting.

    Eliana sighed and answered the call.

    "Harriet, why are you calling by this time?"

    A cackle came from Harriet''s end.

    "Why are you being so angry? Isn''t today your wedding day? Naturally, I am calling to extend my

    congrattions.Also, I was greatly amused by the charade at the ceremony."

    Did Harriet call to make mockery of her? Eliana sneered, "Have you got anything else to say? If not, I''ll

    end the call."

    She moved her phone from her ear to hang up the call.In that instant, Harriet asked a question that

    caught her interest.

    "Eliana, didn''t you notice that Earle looked and acted very weird today?" Eliana was startled.

    She instantly held her phone against her ear uneasily.

    "Harriet, what in the world are you talking about?" Harrietughed hysterically.

    "The person who was at the wedding earlier is not Earle.He is an impostor!"

    Eliana was stunned.

    Trying to make sense of what Harriet was saying, she asked, "Impostor? What are you talking about?"

    "Can you believe that Gerald asked someone else to act as Earle? While in fact, Earle is still in the

    hospital in aa."

    This shocking revtion caught Eliana off-guard.

    Gerald! It was indeed his doing.He hid Earle and got an impostor to destroy her wedding with Maurice.

    Reality dawned on Eliana.

    "Hold on!" she snapped, "How did you know all these?"

    "I know a lot of things," Harriet responded with pride.

    "Earle is very sick and Gerald used a doctor I know."

    Holding on to her phone tightly, Eliana asked nervously, "Then you know where Earle is currently,

    right?"

    "Great question!"

    Harriet eventually got an avenue to bring up her true intention.

    "Meet me alone now and I''ll tell you where Earle is.Else, I promise that Maurice will never set his eyes

    on Earle again until he dies!"

    Harriet wanted to see her? Eliana became cautious upon her request.She understood that Harriet must

    have ulterior motives.It would be risky to meet her alone.

    "No, I won''t meet you."

    Eliana turned her down immediately.

    "You''re a hypocrite!" Harriet said sarcastically.

    "Oh, did I tell you that Nancy is also under Gerald''s control? You are aware that her health is

    deteriorating.She cries every day because of Earletely.Her vision is getting worse.Weren''t you her

    puppet? Because your dream of marrying into the Moran family hase true, she is now nothing in

    your eyes?" Harriet sounded so harsh.Her words tore through Eliana''s heart and made her feel guilty.

    It was true that Nancy had been very nice to her.

    How could she sit by when Nancy needs help? Eliana was unsettled.She paced to and fro and even to

    the front of Maurice''s room subconsciously.

    "Stop!"

    Harriet screamed suddenly.

    "If you dare inform Maurice about this, Earle and Nancy will die!"

    Eliana was startled.She immediately stopped dead in her tracks.

    "How can you tell where I am?" Cold shivers ran down her spine.

    "You are watching me!"

    "You''re not so dumb."

    Harriet grunted.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    "Have you decided what to do? If you walk down the corridor, you would see me at the end.You have

    just a minute.If I don¡¯t see you after then, you won''t be able to get me to say anything!"

    Eliana stared at the door of Maurice''s room, but couldn''t take a step further.

    Nancy''s lovely face shed across her mind.She thought twice about meeting Harriet.

    "Okay, I assure you that I''ming," Eliana said, swallowing hard on her spit.

    She nced at the closed door once more then looked away and walked in the other direction.

    Every step she took sent her farther away from Maurice''s room.

    The end of the corridor was so dark and had an ominous air.

    Immediately Eliana walked into the darkness, she blinked ufortably and saw a face that indeed

    looked like Harriet.

    "I''m here.You..."

    She was about to say something to Harriet when a person ran out of nowhere and covered her mouth

    and nose with a handkerchief.

    She breathed in the toxic fragrance on the handkerchief, and passed out instantly.

 Chapter 711 An Ominous Premonition

    Chapter 711 An Ominous Premonition

    While Eliana was being drugged and taken away, Maurice raised his head thoughtfully in the room.He

    thought he heard Eliana¡¯s voice a moment ago.

    Maurice looked up at the door, but he was sure he hadn''t heard a knock.

    Did he hear something that never happened? Maurice started to feel a little uneasy.

    Awyer was sitting next to him, holding the contract that Earle had thrown to Maurice.

    As he read it through, thewyer''s face became gloomier and gloomier.He closed the contract and

    whispered to Maurice, "Mr.Moran, the terms in this document are very disadvantageous to you.You

    can''t sign it..."

    Opposite them, Gerald was patiently taking care of Earle, looking like a dutiful son.

    Seeing that Maurice hadn''t decided for a long time, he looked at his nephew and urged him impatiently,

    "Maurice, have you finished reading it? Sign it quickly.I have to take your grandpa to the hospital for an

    examination."

    Maurice nced at him and said abruptly, "I have a doctor here.He can exam Grandpa''s body."

    A trace of nervousness shed through Gerald''s eyes.

    He dismissed the offer and said, "No, thanks.I''m his rightful guardian.I''ll take care of him.Besides, I will

    officially take over the Moran Group tomorrow.Get out of here as soon as you sign that a document."

    As Gerald spoke, he looked as if he was going to push Earle away.

    Maurice looked at Earle, who had remained silent all this time and hadn''t looked up or shown his face

    at all.He motioned to his men behind him.

    They immediately understood and intervened to stop Gerald and Earle.

    Realizing that his nned escape route was blocked, Gerald began to panic.

    Damn it! He had been buying time for Harriet.

    Why hadn''t she taken any action yet? As Maurice''s men were about to take Earle away forcefully,

    Maurice''s phone suddenly rang.

    It was Nicole.

    Maurice frowned, feeling extremely troubled.He answered the phone and heard Nicole''s anxious voice

    at the other end.

    "Something is wrong, Maurice.Eliana has gone!"

    Shocked, Maurice replied, "What did you say?"

    In a panic, Nicole exined, "Eliana insisted on going out to look for you just now, but it has been so

    long, and she hasn''t returned!"

    Something must have happened to her! Maurice stood up instantly, horrified and angry.

    Suddenly, something urred to him.He turned to look at Gerald with face like thunder.

    "Did you do this?"

    Gerald was relieved as Maurice asked him the question.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Judging from the expression on Maurice''s face, he knew that Harriet had probably made it.He smiled

    nonchntly and shrugged his shoulders.

    "What''s wrong, Maurice? It seems that your wife is ying hide and seek with you again.Take all the

    time you need to search for her, but 1 won''te with you."

    With Earle by his side, no one dared stop him.

    As Eliana had disappeared, Maurice wasn''t in the mood to deal with Gerald at all.

    Maurice rushed back straight away and hurried to the monitoring room of the castle to check the

    surveince video at his door.

    He had a nagging feeling that he hadn''t misheard Eliana''s voice a bit earlier.

    Unfortunately, the surveince camera was blocked by colorful balloons floating in the air just at that

    moment.

    The wedding venue was decorated with several balloons, and some of them blocked the surveince

    camera for a while.

    No one paid any attention to it, which enabled someone to use them to their advantage.

    "Find the surveince video at the gate now.Hurry up!"

    Maurice quickly changed his n without panicking.

    Soon, the staff retrieved the surveince video of the castle gate and pulled it up on the screen.

    There was no sign of Eliana in the surveince video from the time of her return until the time they

    checked the video.

    This was good news as it meant that even if she had been caught, her captor hadn''t had enough time

    to take her out of the castle.

    Eliana must still be somewhere in the castle! Maurice silently breathed a sigh of relief, turned his head

    and barked orders at his men, "Blockade all the exits to the venue right away, search one room after

    another! Do whatever it takes to find her!"

    After organizing everything, Maurice rushed to the children''s room.

    The three children were waiting anxiously for any news of Eliana.

    It was a mess outside, and Eliana had been gone for a long time and still wasn''t back.

    The children didn¡¯t know what had happened and were extremely upset.

    Seeing Maurice enter the room, the three children immediately surrounded him.

    "Daddy, where is Mommy?" Aileen asked.

    "Daddy, Mommy went to find you.Didn''t you see her?" Adrian asked.

    "Uncle, why hasn''t my aunt returned yet?"

    Maurice hurriedly squatted down and held the three children firmly in his arms.

    "It''s all right.She will be back soon.Don''t be afraid..."

    Little by little, Maurice''s deep, soothing voiceforted the children.

    Only Maurice knew how unsettled he really was inside.

    In the past, Eliana had gone missing but always came back.But today he had a very bad feeling.

    This time seemed different to before...

 Chapter 712 I Want You To Die In Front Of Him

    Chapter 712 I Want You To Die In Front Of Him

    The cold wind blew over the rooftop.

    Arge mass of white clouds covered the bright sun, casting an ominous shadow on thedies below.

    Eliana''s hands and feet were bound together, and she sat ufortably on the ground.

    Next to her, Harriet was enjoying watching the video feed on her phone.

    In the video, the room where the three children were staying, could be seen.

    "Tut-tut, your children really love you! They''re worried about you, and your dear husband, Maurice, is

    probably searching for you everywhere by now."

    Sneering, Harriet showed the video on her phone to Eliana.

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    Eliana didn''t expect that Harriet had even installed surveince cameras in the children''s room! Looking

    at the panic-stricken faces of the three children in the video, Eliana was so distraught that she burst

    into tears.

    And as she watched the video, she saw Mauricefort the children and then stand up to leave.

    "Harriet, you''d better let me go right now," said Eliana, trying to calm herself down.

    "The castle has been cordoned off, and you can''t escape.Maurice will find me here sooner orter.By

    that time, it won''t end well for you."

    "Don''t worry, Eliana!"

    Harriet gave Eliana an evil stare and said confidently, "You''d better look at them now.I''m afraid you will

    never see them again in your whole life..."

    Eliana¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    Losing her cool, she suddenly raised her head and asked, "Harriet, what the hell do you want?"

    Harriet''s face changed into a distorted smile.

    "The show has just begun.As Maurice and the children leave the castle, they might just see you fall

    right in front of them! Ah, what a beautiful scene that will be!"Instantly, her words sent a child down

    Eliana''s spine.This crazy bitch really wanted to kill her! "Harriet, you really are crazy! This is murder!"

    "I''m crazy?"

    Harriet looked as vicious as a wild animal and shouted loudly, "If I''m crazy, it''s all because of you! You

    have taken away everything I have ever wanted.You took away the wedding, which should have been

    mine! If you die, all these things will still be mine!"

    Looking pale now, Eliana swallowed hard, her mind working furiously.

    Obviously, Harriet was insane now and was not going to listen to her at all.She had to find a way to

    save herself! As quietly as she could, Eliana slowly moved her hands tied behind her back to the

    pocket of her trousers.

    Fortunately, she had just changed her clothes before she left the room and her phone was still in her

    trouser pocket! Harriet was still absorbed in her own world and didn''t notice Eliana''s slight movement.

    The opportunity was momentary.

    Since her hands were tied, Eliana couldn''t control her finger movements freely.She could only dial a

    random number by feeling, and she had to do this quickly.

    Feeling the phone''s vibration behind her, Eliana breathed a silent sigh of relief.

    Although she didn''t know who she had called, at least she had managed to get through to someone.

    Now, as long as the person on the other side knew her specific location, she would definitely be saved!

    Casting her gaze calmly upon Harriet, Eliana shouted loudly and deliberately, "Harriet, have you ever

    thought that if I fall from the rooftop of the castle and die in front of Maurice, he will never forget me,

    and you will never have a chance with him again?"

    Harriet was shocked by Eliana''s outburst.

    Recovering quickly, Harriet thought about her words.

    Eliana was right! If she died in front of Maurice on their wedding day, Maurice would definitely

    remember her for the rest of his life! A living person could neverpete with a dead person! Noticing

    that Harriet was looking a little uncertain now, Eliana tried her best to hold back her fear and continued,

    "Think about it.

    If I die in a corner and no one knows, Maurice will grow impatient after searching for me for a few

    years, won''t he?"

    Looking serious, Harriet began to think carefully.

    "What you said is certainly a good idea, but...Those two children are still a serious threat to me.As long

    as they are alive, Maurice will think of you when he sees them.It seems I have to kill them to erase the

    memory of your existence permanently."

    Hearing her words, Eliana suddenly lost her mind.She didn''t expect Harriet would be so cruel that she

    wouldn''t even let go of her children! Eliana stood up and shouted, "Harriet, are you the devil incarnate?

    They are just innocent children!"

    Eliana was so stirred by anger that she forgot that her phone was still in her pocket.

    As soon as she stood up, her phone, which was still on, slipped out of her pocket and fell, ttering to

    the ground.

    The screen identallyy face up, exposing what Eliana was doing.

 Chapter 713 Saved

    Chapter 713 Saved

    As she saw the phone lying on the ground, Harriet''s face changed dramatically.

    Damn it! She had been deceived! Noticing that the phone was still on, she picked it up without

    hesitation and hurled it hard on the ground.

    With a loud bang, the phone smashed into pieces.

    "You bitch! How dare you phone for help!"

    Harriet bent down, grabbed Eliana¡¯s hair, and bashed her head against the wall.

    As her head made contact with the wall, Eliana felt a sharp pain in her head.

    The severe pain almost made her faint.

    Blood began to pour down from her forehead into her eyes, blurring her vision.

    Eliana fell heavily to the ground, weak from the injury and slowly losing consciousness.

    "You bitch! Bitch! " Harriet was so angry that she stamped hard on Eliana¡¯s hand.

    "Ah!"

    The pain from the back of her hand brought Eliana back to full consciousness instantly and her face

    twisted in anguish.Still feeling intense anger, Harriet stepped harder and harder on Eliana''s hand.

    Momentarily, the blood gushed out from Eliana¡¯s palm, and the sound of bones cracking could be heard

    clearly.

    Eliana''s face was as white as a sheet as a result of the intense pain.Her face was a mess, covered with

    sweat and blood.

    Eventually, Harriet broke her hand.

    "Argh!"

    Eliana let out a bitter wail.

    After the shrill scream, she finally sumbed to the unbearable pain from the torture.

    The cruelty finally ended.

    Seeing that Eliana had fainted, Harriet felt that she had vented her anger atst.

    After studying the miserable state Eliana was in, Harriet was in a good mood and ordered her

    henchmen, "Hang her outside from the rooftop! As soon as Maurice appears, cut the rope and let this

    bitch drop down.I want her to die in front of Maurice! "

    Her henchmen immediately tied up Eliana and hung her from the rooftop.

    The unconscious Eliana was unable to resist them at all and was hung in the air, in terrible danger.

    Harriet watched Maurice on the monitor.He was arriving downstairs, looking extremely worried.

    "Hahaha..."

    Harrietughed like a mad woman, "Cut the rope now!"

    One of her henchmen nodded, picked up the sharp knife, and pointed it at the hemp rope that was

    supporting Eliana¡¯s fragile life.

    Just at this critical moment, a strong wind suddenly sted from the rooftop.

    It was so strong that Harriet''s henchman was unable to open his eyes for a moment and staggered

    back a step.

    Then there was a huge roar in the sky.

    Harriet was startled.She looked up and saw a helicopter bearing down on her from above! Damn it!

    What was going on? She thought to herself.

    Instantly, the helicopter''s door opened, and a tall, handsome man jumped out of the helicopter.

    Harriet was filled with a sense of foreboding.She turned around in panic and shouted at her man,

    "Hurry up! Drop Eliana down! "

    Her henchman came to his senses and was about to cut the rope again, but it was toote.

    Another two men appeared behind him.

    They rushed up and took control of all of Harriet''s men within seconds.

    Realizing that her ns were failing miserably, Harriet immediately picked up the knife and rushed to

    cut the rope herself.

    Instantly, her arms were firmly grasped by a pair of strong hands.

    The de came to a stop millimeters from the rope! Powerfully, the man pulled Harriet towards him and

    throttled her with one hand.

    Crash! The knife ttered to the ground.

    "Let me go! Who...are you?"

    The man was holding Harriet tightly around her neck.

    Struggling hard, she grabbed the man''s wrist with both hands, but she was unable to break his grip.

    The air slowly leaked out of her lungs.

    Her eyes zed over, and her strength started leaving her body slowly.

    Just as Harriet was about to suffocate, the man finally let her go and threw her aside.

    Harriet fell to the ground coughing intensely.

    Gasping for air, she burst into tears.

    The man ignored herpletely and turned to help Eliana.

    With the help of his men, he carefully pulled Eliana up to safety.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Eliana was still unconscious.

    Her body was soaked in bright red blood, and her face was deathly pale.

    Her breathing was shallow as if death wasn''t far off.

    The man cradled her in his arms and walked towards the helicopter.

    He spoke to her anxiously, urging her, "Hold on, Eliana! Doctor, hurry up! "

 Chapter 714 Go Back To The White Family

    Chapter 714 Go Back To The White Family

    Seeing the man walking away from her, Harriet lunged herself at him and grabbed the hem of his

    trousers.

    "Who are you?" she asked.

    With her eyes burning with anger, Harriet screamed, "I''m a member of the Stone family! Put her down

    right now, or I''ll make you suffer!"

    With contempt and disgust in his eyes, the man nced at her before kicking her aside.

    "I don''t give a shit about your identity! How dare you attack Eliana? She''s a part of White family!"

    "You''re...You''re from the White family?"

    Harriet stammered as she widened her eyes in disbelief.

    In fact, the man who was saving Eliana at such a critical moment was none other than Branson! Eliana

    had identally dialed his number when her hands were tied.

    Eyes filled with rage and fury, Branson red at Harriet.

    Eliana called him a while ago, and he knew that she was in danger so he rushed to her side with the

    help of a helicopter.

    Fortunately, he arrived in time.

    Or else, Eliana might have died! "So what?"

    Harriet roared, "None of you have ever cared for her, so quit pretending!"

    "Harriet, that''s none of your business! How dare you hurt my family? I think you have a death wish!"

    Seeing that Harriet was still impenitent, a murderous look shed in Branson''s eyes.He felt like he

    needed to teach her a lesson she would never forget.

    "Harriet, weren''t you just about to kill Eliana? I''ll make you taste death now!"

    He then turned around and ordered, "Tie her up and hang her.I''d like to see if Stone family is going to

    come to her rescue!"

    Immediately, Branson''s men stepped forward.

    "what are you trying to do? Let me go!"

    In a fit of panic, she kicked hard and struggled in fear, but it was to no avail.Her mouth was covered

    and she was tied up and hung on a rope, just like what she did to Eliana.

    The only difference was that Eliana was unconscious while Harriet waspletely conscious.

    "I''m sorry! I won''t do it again! Let me go! Please!"

    Trembling with fear, Harriet continued to kick as she tearfully begged for Branson''s forgiveness.

    Just then, a strong gust of wind blew, making her dangle like a wind chime.

    "Ah!"

    Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted from the terror.

    Branson then sessfully carried Eliana to the helicopter.

    "Mm..."

    Eliana, who was in Branson''s arms, finally came to her senses.

    "You''re awake! How are you? How do you feel now, Eliana? Are you ufortable?" Branson asked

    with a warm smile.

    Eliana was experiencing a splitting headache and a piercing pain in her hand.She could vaguely figure

    out that she had been saved, but the man in front of her was not the man she had hoped to see.

    "Branson.Why are you here? where is Maurice?"

    Branson''s eyes darkened as he said coldly, "Haven''t you epted the reality yet? The White family

    has already given you the chance to be with Maurice, but he failed to protect you.From now on, the

    White family will take care of you."

    "I don''t want..."

    Eliana tried her best to refuse, but she was too injured to move.

    Ignoring her wishes, Branson ordered his men, "Bring the best doctor for her and go to my house!"

    Eliana continued to struggle as the doctor gave her an injection to relieve her pain and calm her down.

    Once the medicine took effect, she fell asleep.

    At this time, one of Branson''s men asked, "Mr.White, what are we going to do with Mr.Moran?"

    Branson''s eyes turned cold as he sneered, "Let''s leave him be for now.That loser can''t even handle his

    own affairs! Don''t mention his name in front of me again!"

    The helicopter roared as it flew into the distance, disappearing in the clouds.

    Maurice suddenly heard a strange sound above his head as he was walking out of the castle.

    Looking up at the sky, he felt his heart sinking.He then saw a helicopter in the distance, and a figure

    hanging on the roof.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Looking up at the sky, he felt his heart sinking.He then saw a helicopter in the distance, and a figure

    hanging on the roof.

 Chapter 715 Fall

    Chapter 715 Fall

    "Damn it!"

    Maurice blurted out, as he squinted into the sky.His voice startled Corbin.

    "Mr.Moran, what¡¯s wrong?"

    Automatically, Corbin looked up, following Maurice''s movements.

    "Oh, my word! Is that person hanging there...Eliana?"

    Swaying in the wind in midair above the rooftop, looking as if she would fall at any moment, was a

    woman''s slender figure.

    Maurice''s heart skipped a beat, and he felt like he couldn''t breathe.

    "Hurry up! Call the fire department immediately.There is a small tform under the rooftop.If the air

    mattress is arranged there, there will still be hope!"

    "All right! I''ll do it immediately!"

    His hand trembling with fear, Corbin took out his phone and made a call.

    Maurice returned quickly to the castle and hurried to the rooftop with his men.

    Maurice ran up to the rooftop as fast as he could.

    Kicking open the iron door, he witnessed the carnage on the ground.

    It was quite a scene! Several strong men were lying on the ground with bruises all over their faces.

    Their hands and feet were tied, and clothes were stuffed in their mouths.

    There were still fresh blood stains on the ground.

    It was not difficult to imagine what had just happened here.

    Maurice ignored the men lying on the ground and ran straight to the figure hanging from the rooftop.He

    rushed over to the wall, lowered his head, and realized immediately that it was not Eliana.

    At that moment, Maurice was unable to think clearly.

    He didn''t know whether he should be grateful or scared.

    Harriet, who had now woken up, felt someone''s presence and raised her head expectantly.

    "Maurice! Thank God you''re here! Help me, please! "

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    Wonderful! She would finally be rescued! Harriet''s face was pale, and dried tears stained her face.She

    looked at Maurice with hope in her heart.

    "Harriet!"

    Seeing Harriet''s face clearly, Maurice yelled out her name, his face red with anger.

    She must have something to do with Eliana¡¯s disappearance! Maurice''s eyes shone coldly, "Tell me

    where Eliana is, now!"

    The happiness on Harriet''s face froze, and she instantly came to her senses.

    Due to her bad rtionship with Maurice, it was very likely that he would not rescue her! The thought

    that she could die at any moment frightened the hell out of her.

    Harriet trembled and shouted, "Help me, help me up first!"

    "No! Tell me where Eliana is."

    Maurice stared at her dangerously, and he remained unmoved upon her request.

    Even though Harriet was terrified, her hatred for Eliana at this moment won over her fear of death.

    Her face twisted in hatred as she shouted maliciously, "She''s dead! That bitch is dead!"

    "Surely not!"

    Maurice shouted in disbelief.

    Even if he didn''t believe it, the possibility that Eliana had died still drove him mad.

    Maurice saw the knife on the ground and picked it up.

    Then he ced the sharp de against the rope holding Harriet.

    "You are lying, Harriet!"

    Maurice said in a cold voice, "Tell me where she is, otherwise, I will kill you! * Petrified, tears and snot

    gushed out of Harriet¡¯s eyes and nose.She desperately begged Maurice for mercy, "Get that knife away

    from the rope, Maurice! Please don''t do this, I beg you.Help! "

    Maurice''s eyes shed with fury.

    Regardless of her pleading, he continued to cut the fragile hemp rope that held Harriet.

    "No! Please, no! "

    Shaking her head in a frenzy, Harriet could only watch in despair as the rope was cut.

    "Argh!"

    As she let out a spine-tingling scream, the rope broke, and Harriet fell toward the ground! With the knife

    in his hand, Maurice bowed his head and stared at Harriet''s falling figure.

    With a loud bang, then everything turned quiet again.

    But in fact, Harriet wasn''t dead.

    Shended on the air mattress! : "Mr.Moran!"

    Corbin shouted as he rushed anxiously up to the rooftop.

    Maurice looked frightening and Corbin couldn''t help but gulp subconsciously as he said,

    "Mr.Moran...We still haven''t found Eliana...What would you like us to do now? "

    Maurice''s heart ached as he looked down at the blood stains on the ground with his bloodshot eyes.

    "Keep an eye on that mad woman, Harriet.She must know who took Eliana away!"

 Chapter 716 Dream

    Chapter 716 Dream

    While on the helicopter, Eliana fell asleep and had a dream.

    In her dream, a castle was built on thekeside, standing under the blue sky.

    And the air was filled with the sweet smell of bread and food.

    It was like a fairy tale.She and Maurice stood in front of the priest with happy faces, reciting their

    lifelong vows.

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    On the side, Eliana''s father was looking at them with a smile.Her mother was crying and seemed

    reluctant to let her marry.Her lovely children, Aileen and Adrian, walked around her and Maurice,

    asking for their hugs.

    Suddenly, a discordant voice sounded, interrupting the happy scene.

    "Eliana, I''m sorry, but I can''t marry you."

    It was Maurice who spoke.He looked at Eliana expressionlessly and said again, "We can''t get married."

    Eliana''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    "But why? Don''t we love each other?"

    Maurice shook his head, looked at her coldly, and said, "You are a descendant of the White family.My

    grandpa won''t agree to our marriage.So for the sake of the Moran family, I have to give you up."

    After saying this, he turned around to leave.

    Eliana panicked at once.She grabbed his hand tightly and begged, "Maurice, please don''t go.Don''t

    leave me."

    But despite Eliana''s begging, Maurice didn''t even look back.He shook her hand off, picked up the two

    children, and walked away.

    Adrian and Aileen cried in unison, "Mommy! Mommy!"

    "adrian! Aileen!" Eliana chased after them crazily.

    But no matter how fast she ran, she couldn''t catch up with them.

    The next moment, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

    All she could do was watch Maurice disappear from her sight with the children in his arms.

    "Aileen...Adrian...Maurice...Please don''t go...Don''t leave me alone!"

    Eliana suddenly woke up.She was sweating profusely, and her eyes were full of tears.She looked at the

    white wall of the ward in a daze, feeling a splitting headache.

    It was only then that she realized she was in a hospital.

    But what happened? Why was she here? At this moment, the door of the ward suddenly opened.

    Then Branson walked in.

    "Eliana, you''re awake." He rushed to the bed excitedly.

    "How are you feeling?"

    Eliana was about to answer, but she realized that she was still wearing an oxygen mask.She wanted to

    take off the oxygen mask, but she suddenly found that her right hand didn''t respond.It couldn''t feel

    anything.

    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t move it at all.

    What was going on with her right hand? Eliana looked at Branson with shock written all over her face.

    Branson understood what she meant, and he helped her take the oxygen mask off.

    Once the mask was removed, Eliana asked anxiously, "What''s wrong with my hand?"

    "Eliana, calm down," Bransonforted her.

    "You were seriously injured.The doctor said that your shoulder de and the bones in your right hand

    were broken.It will take a while to recover, so you need to have a good rest."

    Her bones were broken.

    No wonder she couldn''t move her right } hand.

    Eliana was utterly shocked.

    Why couldn''t she remember why she was injured? "What the hell happened?"

    Branson thought she was asking about Maurice, so he said, "Don''t worry.Maurice is fine.And so are the

    children.We''ll talk about it after you recover."

    But much to his surprise, Eliana asked in confusion, "Maurice? Who is Maurice?"

    Branson was stunned.

    "What are you talking about?"

    Eliana repeated, "I''m asking you.Who is Maurice? Does he have anything to do with my injury? And

    where are Aileen and Adrian? How are they?"

    Branson was utterly shocked.

    Eliana didn''t remember Maurice.

    How could it be possible? He looked at her face and saw that she had a solemn expression.

    It seemed she was not acting at all.She really didn''t remember Maurice.

    Did she have memory loss? But she remembered Aileen and Adrian.

    What was going on? Branson was confused, but he stillforted Eliana, "Wait for a moment.I''ll call

    the doctor, okay?"

    After saying this, he was about to rush out of the ward when he met the doctor at the door.

    "Doctor, you''vee just at the right moment.How is Eliana''s condition?" Branson said anxiously.

    The doctor looked at the medical record in his hand and said solemnly, "Mr.White, she is seriously

    injured.It will take at least half a year for her topletely recover, especially her hand.It may be

    difficult for her to draw a design draft in the future."

    Branson had already expected this result.He asked some more questions, "How about her brain? Why

    couldn''t she remember some things in the past?"

    The doctor was stunned for a moment.

    "Are you saying she lost her memory?" Branson nodded.

    "Yes, a part of it."

    The doctor wore a serious expression upon Branson''s words.He contemted for a moment and

    guessed, "I found that she seemed to have taken some psychotropic drugs.In addition, she was

    seriously injured this time.It may cause temporary memory loss.But...I''m not sure how long it willst."

 Chapter 717 Forgetting

    Chapter 717 Forgetting

    "What? Did you say she used psychotropic drugs before?" Branson asked in shock.

    "Yes," the doctor agreed with a sigh.

    "Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know what specific drug she took.But I can tell you that whatever drug she took,

    it has a great impact on her health."

    After hearing the doctor exin Eliana¡¯s condition, Branson was stunned for a while.

    Although the doctor didn''t say much, what he said was enough for Branson to understand that Eliana

    had been living a tough life.

    Branson''s heart filled with inexplicable grief at the thought that Eliana had lived a miserable life, and he

    couldn''t help but feel sorry for her.

    Back then, Eliana¡¯s mother, Ingrid, was determined to leave the White family and marry Lemuel.Her

    decision was met with strong rejection from the elders of the White family.

    Ingrid was a nobledy of the White family.How could they allow her to leave the family and live a hard

    life? s, the sufferings didn''t end with Ingrid.

    After so many years, her only daughter also suffered a lot.

    Branson couldn''t help but feel guilty.

    If he had known that things ¡®I would turn out like this, he would not have followed Eliana¡¯s will.

    When he stopped her carst time, he should have taken her away even if it meant taking her by force.

    If he had done so, there wouldn''t be so much trouble now.But it was useless to regret now.

    Now that things havee to this, Branson was very clear that he had to protect Eliana at all costs.

    Branson looked at the doctor and said seriously, "Give her the best care you can offer.From now on,

    the White family will be her support."

    The doctor nodded.

    "Sure.As doctors, it''s our duty to save lives and tend to whoever is sick or injured."

    Branson breathed a sigh of relief.

    But soon, his face darkened.He added even more seriously, "Ask the whole staff here to keep their

    mouths shut.Don''t let Eliana know anything about Maurice.Do you understand?"

    There was something in Branson''s gaze that gave the doctor chills and he quickly agreed.

    "I understand, Mr.White.Don''t worry.She will never know what she shouldn''t know."

    Since the doctor promised, Branson felt relieved and he left the hospital.

    In the ward, lying on the bed, Eliana looked around nkly.

    When she woke up, the only thing she could think about was her two children.But now that she had

    calmed down, she felt so empty in her heart.

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    She had the feeling she''d forgotten something important.

    To be more specific, she actually felt like she had forgotten an important person...

    Who could it be? Suddenly, some fragments of memory shed through her mind.

    Eliana tried hard to capture those blurry images, but the efforts to recall them only made her feel an

    immense pain in her brain.

    But what hurt the most was her heart.It hurt so much that she was almost unable to breathe.

    That was so strange.She only hurt her head and hands...

    Why then did her heart ache so much? Meanwhile, on the top floor of the Moran Group''s building, a ES

    meeting was being held to decide the fate of the Moran Group.

    This time the meeting was chaired by Gerald, and next to him was the fake Earle, who was sitting in a

    wheelchair.

    With the support of ''Earle'', Gerald was very confident.

    Gerald''swyer wasted no time and announced ''Earle''s'' decision at once.

    "Mr.Earle Moran decided that Mr.Gerald will rece Maurice as CEO of the Moran Group from now

    on.Mr.Gerald will be in charge of all the affairs of the Moran Group.All departments within the Moran

    Group must submit their reports immediately."

    Hardly had thewyer''s voice faded away than a heated discussion broke out in the meeting room.

    "Thepany will be managed by Gerald? What about Mr.Maurice Moran?" a shareholder asked

    cautiously.

    "Yes! Where is Mr.Maurice Moran now?" another senior manager asked anxiously.

    Hearing this, Gerald sneered, "Maurice just lost his bride at the wedding.I''m afraid he''s not in the mood

    to deal with any business now.He can''t be here..."

    "Who said I couldn''t be here?"

    Before Gerald could finish his words, a familiar voice rang out in the meeting room.It was Maurice! He

    was here!

 Chapter 718 Examine Earle

    Chapter 718 Examine Earle

    "It''s Mr.Moran! He''s back!"

    The shareholders and senior executives of the Moran Group were excited to see Maurice show up at

    this critical moment.However, Maurice lookedpletely different right now.He who used to be lively

    and vigorous, now looked very haggard.He had dark circles under his eyes and his face was a bit pale.

    Nheless, he still had that same cold stare that made everyone who met his eyes shiver in fear.

    "Mr.Moran looks exhausted." someone remarked.

    "Well, his bride got missing at their wedding, and he had been looking for her for so long."

    "I thought he fell into a deep depression after his fianc¨¦e disappeared.I didn''t expect he would show

    up!"

    Maurice''s sudden return caused a lively discussion in the meeting room.

    "Long time no see, my dear nephew!"

    Gerald greeted Maurice yfully, looking very confident.However, Maurice didn''t even nce at him.He

    passed Gerald and I walked straight to "Earle".

    The fake Earle was sitting on a wheelchair, still wearing a hat and I scarf.

    Seeing that Maurice was walking towards him, he backed away.He had shifty eyes and his expression

    was quite weird.

    Before Maurice say anything to "Earle", Gerald nervously rushed to stand in front of "Earle" and

    blocked Maurice.

    "What do you want to do? Dad doesn''t want to see you now.Go away!"

    Gerald shouted anxiously.

    Maurice remained unmoved at Gerald''s hostile manner.

    Instead, he turned back and ordered Corbin who was standing behind him, "Bring Dr.Sampson in."

    Corbin nodded and walked out.

    Gerald''s face suddenly changed at the mention of a doctor.He looked at Maurice with fear and asked,

    "Maurice, what are you doing?"

    "Since Grandpa is sick, I have the obligation to treat him."

    Although Maurice was talking to Gerald, his eyes were fixed on "Earle" the whole time.

    "I don''t agree!" Gerald was restless now.

    If "Earle" was really examined by a doctor, his lie would be exposed! "] have been taking care of Dad all

    the time.Who knows if your doctor is reliable! I will never let your doctor treat him," Gerald shouted

    anxiously.

    Maurice raised a brow and said calmly, "This doctor was specially hired by the Stone family to take

    care of Grandpa''s health before.Moreover he also performed an operation for Grandpa in the past.He

    knows Grandpa''s health condition best."

    "No way!" Gerald still strongly opposed.

    Seeing this, Maurice sneered, "Gerald, why are you so nervous? Why won''t you let the doctor examine

    Grandpa?"

    Gerald panicked.

    Didn''t Harriet assure him that she had hid the doctor? How could Maurice find that doctor now? Gerald

    broke out in a cold sweat.He desperately wanted to stop Maurice.But at that moment, everyone in the

    meeting room was staring at him.

    Maurice''s reasoning was usible, and he had no reason to object to the doctor treating "Earle".Soon,

    Corbin brought Eugene in.

    "Dr.Sampson, please examine my grandpa," Maurice said seriously.

    Eugene nodded and walked forward.He put his hands on "Earle''s"

    wheelchair and said with a serious expression, "Mr.Moran, don''t worry.I''ll take Mr.Earle Moran out for a

    careful examination now."

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    The fake Earle freaked out and looked at Gerald for help.

    Seeing that his aplice was about to be taken out, Geraldpletely panicked.

    "Wait, you can''t take him away!" Gerald shouted.

    He was about to walk up to stop Eugene, but Maurice immediately stepped forward to stop him.

    "Why are you so nervous?"

    Maurice asked meaningfully.

    Everyone in the room had noticed Gerald''s strange behavior and they were all confused.

    "Mr.Earle Moran is just taken for a physical examination.Why is Gerald so nervous?" someone

    remarked.

    Gerald swallowed hard.His throat was dry.

    Of course he was nervous! How could he not be? If the lie was exposed, he would be doomed.

    Seeing the suspicious looks everyone in the room were giving him, Gerald no longer dared to act

    rashly.He could only sit back in his seat, with sweat trickling down his forehead.

    The waiting time was a real torture for Gerald who couldn''t sit still as he was so restless.

    Sweating profusely, Gerald looked outside from time to time.

    Staring yfully at his restless uncle, Maurice handed him a ss of water and sneered, "You seem

    ufortable! Here, drink some water."

    Gerald took the ss.

    But his trembling hand made it hard for him a to hold the ss steadily.

    As a result, the ss fell to the ground and broke.

    A cold smile appeared on Maurice''s face when he saw the look of fear on Gerald''s face.

    "Uncle Gerald, you are far too weak psychologically for a member of the Moran family."

 Chapter 719 His Decision Doesnt Count

    Chapter 719 His Decision Doesn''t Count

    Gerald felt embarrassed by Maurice''s words.He red at Maurice and snapped, "How dare you judge

    me? I don''t think you deserve to be a member of the Moran family either.It''s only been a few days since

    Eliana disappeared and you''re already so miserable!"

    However, Mauricepletely ignored Gerald''s words and asked coldly, "Where''s Grandma? Where is

    she?"

    Avoiding Maurice''s gaze, Gerald said perfunctorily, "She doesn''t want to see you for now.You don''t

    need to know where she is."

    Maurice sneered.

    "Really? Gerald, grandmother loves Eliana very much.Even though she is not happy with Eliana being

    a member of the White family and she does not ept our marriage, she will definitely show up after

    learning that Eliana is missing.Unless...Unless she is under house arrest."

    No sooner had Maurice finished speaking than Gerald froze.He felt that something was wrong.Had

    Maurice uncovered his n? Gerald was suddenly very nervous and he smiled awkwardly.

    "Maurice, what are you talking about? Mr.Earle Moran is still here.How could he let someone threaten

    his wife?"

    As Gerald spoke, heughed exaggeratedly, as if he was hiding something.

    Maurice stared at him coldly without saying anything.

    The atmosphere in the meeting room was very tense.

    The shareholders and senior executives of the Moran Group who were there, lowered their heads and

    kept silent.

    They didn''t want to get involved in the conflict between Maurice and Gerald.

    After a long time, Eugene pushed "Earle" back into the room.

    "What do the test results show?" Maurice asked calmly to Eugene.

    With a serious look on his face, Eugene said, "Earle''s condition is very serious.He almost can''t

    recognize people and can''t even clearly remember the heart treatment he has recently.I think he''s lost

    the ability to act on his own."

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    "What? Mr.Earle Moran is so seriously ill?" someone in the room eximed in a low voice.

    "This exins a lot.I''ve been wondering why he seemed so strange just now."

    "Does that mean he can''t make a decision on his own?"

    The doctor''s diagnosis caused a heated discussion in the conference room.

    After the discussion in the room had died down, Maurice''s voice rang out.

    "Everyone has heard the doctor''s conclusion.So, byw, Grandpa''s decision to give thepany to

    Gerald is null and void as he made that decision after he lost his ability to act on his own."

    Barely had Maurice finished speaking when Gerald shouted in anger, "I don''t agree! How can you say

    that?"

    Gerald was anxious when he heard that he might lose his best chance to finally get control of the

    Moran Group.His n was working just fine until Maurice showed up.He couldn''t give up now.

    Hearing Gerald''s objection, Eugene was annoyed.He red at Gerald and said seriously, "Mr.Gerald

    Moran, if you don''t trust my diagnosis, you can ask other doctors who have treated Mr.Earle Moran

    before to do a double check together.You will then know if my diagnosis was right or not."

    At this point, Gerald didn''t dare to say more.

    A single doctor had already caused him big problems.

    If more doctors got involved, his lie would definitely be exposed! Gerald lowered his head and secretly

    winked at the fake Earle.

    His best bet at this point was to prove that "Earle" could still act on his own.

    If he could do that, then the contract where Earle handed thepany over to him was still valid and

    all problems would be solved.

    Unfortunately for Gerald, before he and his aplice couldmunicate, Maurice stood between

    them.

    Maurice walked to "Earle" and whispered something in his ear.

    The fake Earle''s face changed immediately.He looked at Maurice in horror and said with a trembling

    voice, "I...I think the doctor is right.I''m surely seriously ill.We''ll talk about changing the CEOter."

    "What? What is the meaning of that?" Gerald snapped.He couldn''t let his n be destroyed so

    easily.He gritted his teeth as his expression became fierce.

    "I''ll take you to the doctor now!"

    As soon as he said that, he pushed "Earle" towards the door and was about to run away.

    However, the door was already blocked by Maurice¡¯s men. Even Sean couldn''t run as he was stopped

    by Corbin. Gerald and his aplice had no way to escape!

 Chapter 720 Exposed

    Chapter 720 Exposed

    The presence of the bodyguards caused a tense atmosphere, and the j conference room was in an

    uproar.

    "Everyone, quiet!"

    Maurice abruptly ordered in a cold voice.

    "Mr.Moran, what...What is the meaning of this? What do you want to do?"

    All the people in the conference room trembled in fear.

    After saying just a few words, why did it seem like Gerald and Maurice were about to fight? And why

    did Earle go back on his words and suddenly stop changing the CEO? Everyone was confused as to

    what was going on.

    Seeing those panic-stricken faces, Mauriceforted them, "This is just a family matter.You have

    nothing to do with this, so don''t panic.The meeting is adjourned.You can go back to work now.But

    remember not to tell anyone what has happened here today.Do you understand?"

    Everyone nodded their heads vigorously.

    At this time, the director of the public rtions department raised his hand apprehensively.

    "Mr.Moran...How do we exin this I meeting to the public?"

    Maurice thought for a while.

    Then he replied, "Tell the public that my marriage has affected the image of ourpany, so today''s

    meeting was called to deal with the matter.I don''t want to hear any bad rumors about Moran Group."

    "But Mr.Moran, if we say that, I''m afraid the public opinion will be very unfavorable to you." The director

    was a little confused.

    "It''s okay.Just do as I say.At this stage, it''s better for the public to focus on me.In that case, nothing will

    happen to Moran Group."

    Maurice still wore a calm expression.

    It seemed he was able to endure everything.

    Everyone was shocked when they heard his words.

    They didn''t expect that he would sacrifice himself for the sake of the Moran Group.

    The director was even more moved.He nodded and said, "Yes, Mr.Moran.I understand.We''ll handle this

    matter immediately."

    "Alright.The meeting is adjourned."

    Maurice announced that the meeting was dismissed.

    At this moment, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    So far, Maurice was still the head of Moran Group.

    This made the employees and shareholders feel at ease.

    Soon, everyone walked out of the conference room, leaving only the members of the Moran family.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

    Gerald was furious because his n to get control of Moran Group went down the drain due to

    Maurice.He almost got the position of CEO.He was only one step away from owning the entire Moran

    Group! But why? Why did Maurice have to ruin everything? Gerald felt like he was about to lose his

    mind.

    He stared at the fake Earle fiercely and questioned angrily, "This is all your fault! Why did you suddenly

    change your mind? Don''t you know how important this matter is to me? I''ve spent so much effort in

    this, but everything was in vain."

    The fake Earle was stunned by Gerald''s yelling.He lowered his head, not daring to say a word.

    Gerald''s anger towards the fake Earle was too obvious.It was as if he no longer feared or respected the

    old man who had dominated the business world for most of his life.

    Even the bodyguards looked at Gerald in shock.

    Gerald only realized what he had done when he finished venting his anger.He was stunned for a

    moment.His heart skipped a beat.He was so anxious to make amends that he said in a panic, "Dad, I''m

    sorry.I was too emotional just now, and I couldn''t control my emotions.I..."

    "Enough, Gerald! Haven''t you acted enough?"

    Maurice interrupted before Gerald could finish apologizing.

    "Do you know what I said to him just now that made him change his mind?"

    A strong sense of uneasiness rose in Gerald''s heart.

    "what did you tell him?"

    Maurice was too calm, so Gerald knew something must be wrong.

    Besides, from the moment Maurice entered the conference room, he had been confident.

    Why was he so confident? "Well, I told him...I already know he is not my real grandpa.If he still wants to

    continue this farce, I will make him die miserably."

    Maurice''s low and deep voice was so cold that it could make people shiver.

    Gerald froze.His mind went nk for a moment.It turned out that Maurice already knew everything.He

    trembled in fear and asked, "Since when did you know?"

    "The day of the wedding," Maurice replied calmly.

    "That''s impossible! How can you know so soon?" Gerald''s eyes widened in disbelief.

    What could have gone wrong? As far as he could remember, his acting was wless.

    Maurice couldn''t have seen through him.

    Maurice stared at the hysterical Gerald with contempt and pity in his eyes.

    It was as if he was looking at an amusing clown.

    "Gerald, you really don''t know Grandpa at all.Even if he doesn''t approve of Eliana, he won''t make a

    fuss during my wedding.He won''t disregard the reputation of the Moran family.And he won''t let you hurt

    me unscrupulously because no one knows how to cherish a family better than him!"

 Chapter 721 Watch The Fight

    Chapter 721 Watch The Fight

    There was dead silence in the conference room.

    Needless to say, the result was a foregone conclusion.Gerald''s face darkened.But he suddenly burst

    intoughter.

    "Ha-ha! Maurice, even if you know it, so what? I have locked Dad up, and Mom is also in my hands."

    Maurice was not too surprised.He looked calm, but he said in a cold tone, "Gerald, you are a

    bastard."Gerald didn''t seem to hear Maurice''s ridicule.

    He continued, "You are indeed a family.Mom said the same words to me.You know what? When I told

    Mom my n, she didn''t show any signs of fear at all.Instead, she told me calmly that I would definitely

    fail.And when I asked her why, she said because you would stop me.Isn''t it funny? Even if all the chips

    are in my hands, she still thinks you will win."

    Gerald''s voice trailed off, then he fell into deep thought.

    What was in his mind after he heard Nancy say those things? Of course, he didn''t believe it.

    Who did Maurice think he was? He was the one who had the upper hand.

    How could he lose? So he onlyughed at Nancy.

    "Stop your wishful thinking.The Moran Group will soon be mine.And your dear grandson will be

    doomed."

    He could still remember his rhetoric before.But now that things hade to this point, even if he was

    not reconciled, so what? He still lost.

    Maurice''s brows furrowed tightly.

    Actually, he didn''t want to waste his time on Gerald.So he said, "Gerald, I don¡¯t have time to chat with

    you.So hurry up and hand over my grandparents.As for you, I will send you abroad ording to

    Grandpa''s original n.But I''m not Grandpa, so I won''t be softhearted to you.You will live abroad, and

    you can nevere back for the rest of your life."

    Maurice loved his grandparents, and he couldn''t bear to break their hearts.But he couldn''t let Gerald go

    just like that.

    This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org .

    Gerald had to pay for what he had done.

    When Gerald heard Maurice''s words, he sneered, "Maurice, I''m not that stupid.Dad is myst

    bargaining chip.Why should I give him to you easily?"

    While they were in a stalemate, Corbin hurriedly walked in, holding Sean with a drooping head.

    He pushed Sean in front of Maurice and said excitedly, "Mr.Moran, Sean has already told me

    everything he knows."

    Gerald was utterly shocked.He stood up angrily and shouted, "Sean, you''re a traitor! How dare you

    betray me!"

    Gerald was so angry that he gave Sean a few kicks.Sean was not able to dodge in time, so he was hit

    hard.His leg was badly hurt.

    "Enough! I''ve really had enough of you!"

    At this moment, Sean broke out in an emotional outburst.He had been working for Gerald for quite a

    long time.But at this moment, he was driven into a corner.So he didn''t care anymore if Gerald was his

    boss.He took this opportunity to vent all the resentment that had umted in his heart over the

    years.

    "Gerald, ever since I worked for you, I never lived a good life anymore.If I changed jobs these years, I

    wouldn''t end up like this."

    "Okay, fine! It turns out this is what you really feel.Have you long wanted to betray me? I will teach you

    a lesson today."

    Gerald trembled in anger, and his eyes turned red.He pounced on Sean and began to wrestle with him.

    "Come on! I have long been tired of you."

    Sean''s bloodshot eyes didn''t show any sign of fear at all.He gathered his strength and fought with

    Gerald, punching after punching to vent the anger he had suppressed over the years.He didn''t show

    mercy anymore.

    Gerald didn¡¯t expect that Sean, who had always been his obedient secretary, was so good at fighting.

    After a few rounds, he was no match for Sean at all.

    In the end, he was pinned down on the floor and beaten ck and blue.

    Corbin was dumbfounded by the funny scene in front of him.

    Then he turned to Maurice and asked, "Mr.Moran, shall we stop them?"

    But Maurice just stood still, watching Gerald and Sean hitting each other.

    "Don''t worry.They won''t beat each other to death.When they are done, we''ll take Gerald with us to find

    Grandpa."

 Chapter 722 The Accident

    Chapter 722 The ident

    Inside the ck Lincoln, Corbin sat in the driver''s seat with Maurice in the passenger seat.

    Gerald and Sean sat in the back seat.

    The farce in the Moran Group building ended with Sean winning.

    By the time Sean felt he had vented his anger enough, Gerald was already beaten ck and blue.

    In the end, Maurice took both of them to the car.

    Maurice looked back and asked coldly, "What''s the address?"

    "Filialness Sanatorium,"

    Sean immediately shouted.

    Corbin turned on the GPS and drove to the sanatorium.

    In the back seat, Gerald covered his bruised and swollen face, staring at Sean with red eyes.He got so

    worked up that he pointed at Sean''s nose and cursed, "Sean, you traitor! I treated you well.If not for

    me, you are nothing.How dare you betray me! Do you still have any conscience?"

    But Sean didn''t waver at all.He retorted without hesitation, "Bah! What a pack of lies! Save your breath,

    Gerald."

    As a result, Sean and Gerald fought fiercely again.

    Maurice didn''t mind them.He was so worried about Earle that he didn''t even want to talk to them.

    When Corbin heard Gerald''s words, he also couldn''t help satirizing, "Gerald, don''t argue anymore.If

    you really treated Sean well, how could he betray you at this critical moment?"

    Actually, his life trajectory was simr to Sean''s.It was just that their lives were totally different.

    Corbin couldn''t help recalling the days when he worked as Maurice''s assistant these years.

    Although Maurice was a sharp-tongued man, he felt Maurice''s kindness to him.

    So it was not surprising that he was loyal to Maurice.

    Even if Gerald was the one who won today, he would never betray Maurice.

    With this thought, Corbin couldn''t help but secretly nced at Maurice beside him.

    Maurice was leaning against the back of the seat with his eyes closed.His face was a little pale, and

    there were obvious dark circles under his eyes.

    Stubble had already grown on his chin too.

    It was hard to imagine that he was an energetic and high-spirited man before.

    Ever since Eliana had an ident at the wedding, Maurice had been looking for her.He hadn''t slept for

    several days now.

    Aside from that, he had to find a way to deal with Gerald too.So he was exhausted and in a very bad

    state.

    Now that Gerald was in his hands, he must be able to find Earle and Nancy soon.So Maurice could

    finally rx even a little.

    Corbin secretly prayed for Maurice in his heart.

    He really hoped that all these bad things would end as soon as possible and Maurice could find Eliana.

    Otherwise, Maurice would not be able to hold on.

    At this time, the traffic light turned red, so the car stopped at an intersection.

    There was pin-drop silence in the car.

    Looking at the familiar scenery outside the window, Gerald broke out in a cold sweat and became more

    and more flustered.

    They were getting closer and closer to the sanatorium where he hid Earle.

    If Maurice found Earle, he would be doomed.

    Gerald turned his head and looked at Maurice.

    It was only then that he found Maurice leaning against the seat with his eyes closed.

    He seemed to be sleeping.

    No! He couldn''t admit defeat just like that.

    At the thought that Maurice was asleep, why didn''t he try to fight back? A hint of cruelty shed through

    Gerald''s eyes as he made the decision in an instant.

    Then the red light turned green.

    The moment Corbin started the car, Gerald suddenly pounced at him crazily.

    Corbin''s attention was all on the road, so he didn''t notice what Gerald was doing.

    Gerald grabbed his neck and tightly strangled it.

    "Gerald...What are you doing? Are you crazy?"

    Corbin struggled hard, coughing and cursing.

    Since he was strangled by Gerald, he couldn''t hold the steering wheel anymore, and the car went out

    of control.

    Maurice was suddenly awakened.

    When he opened his eyes and saw this scene, he immediately turned to help Corbin.

    But it seemed that Gerald had already lost his mind.

    He held on to Corbin tightly and refused to let go.

    While they were entangled, the car rushed forward.

    And since it was out of control, it crashed into the car in front of them.

    Immediately afterwards, the car ran off the road.

    And with a loud bang, it finally hit a tree on the roadside.

    The cars around them were all affected.

    They were in a mess, crashing into each other one after another.

    The car window instantly shattered, and a huge impact hit the people in the car.

    After the collision, Corbin, in the driver''s seat, was the most severely injured.

    His heady on the steering wheel, and his face was covered with blood.

    Maurice was also injured, and he immediately fainted.

    Among them, only Gerald stayed awake.

    He struggled to open the door, wanting to escape.

    But the next moment, someone grabbed him by the hand.

    "Don''t go away..."

    Corbin pulled Gerald back with all his remaining strength.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    "Let go of me," Gerald said fiercely, shaking off his hand.

    "I haven''t lost yet.You just wait and see.I''lle back to get even with you."

    After saying this, Gerald got out of the car, and stumbled to the middle of the road.

 Chapter 723 His Family And Enemy

    Chapter 723 His Family And Enemy

    When Corbin saw Gerald running towards the road, he turned his head and called out to Maurice with

    difficulty.

    "Mr.Moran...Mr.Moran...Please wake up.Gerald is running away again."

    Corbin wanted to chase after Gerald.But his legs were stuck, so he couldn''t move right now.

    At this critical moment, Maurice¡¯s breathing became heavy, and his eyelids trembled.

    Then he coughed violently.

    Finally, he opened his eyes, regaining his consciousness.

    "Mr.Moran...Gerald has..."

    Corbin was gasping for breath, so he almost couldn''t speak.

    Upon hearing this, Maurice tilted his head slightly and forced himself to look out the window.

    Indeed, he saw Gerald limping away.

    "Mr.Moran, hurry up..." Corbin urged.

    Maurice could see that Corbin''s condition was not good, so heforted him immediately, "Take care

    of yourself first.You are more important than Gerald.I''ll go after him."

    Maurice raised his hand and was about to unfasten his seat belt.But before he could do so, a loud honk

    sounded outside.He subconsciously looked out of the window.

    Then he saw arge white truck speeding towards Gerald, who was standing in the middle of the

    road.It could be seen that Gerald was too shocked to move.

    In the blink of an eye, Gerald''s body was sent flying by the truck more than ten meters away.

    Then he fell heavily on the ground, rolled several circles in a row, and finally stopped.

    Everything happened so fast that there was no time to stop it.

    There was nothing Maurice could do but just watch the tragedy happen.

    At this moment, he looked at Gerald lying on the ground, not knowing whether Gerald was dead or

    alive.His mind went nk all of a sudden.

    Maurice only came back to his senses when he had severe tinnitus.He unfastened his seat belt,

    opened the door, and got out of the car.

    When his feet touched the ground, he felt so weak that he almost fell.He grabbed the door tightly and

    steadied himself.

    Maurice took a deep breath and staggered towards the direction where Gerald fell.

    And when he approached Gerald, he found Gerald lying in a pool of blood, and his body twisted

    unnaturally.Judging from Gerald''s condition, Maurice knew he wouldn''t survive.

    This idea popped up in his mind uncontrobly.

    "Ahhh! Someone is hurt! Call an ambnce!"

    The people around started screaming in fright, and the scene immediately became chaotic.

    Gerald, who was lying on the ground and obviously in severe pain, raised his eyes and looked at

    Maurice.His mouth moved as if he wanted to say something.

    Maurice subconsciously crouched down and approached him.

    Gerald gathered all his remaining strength and grabbed Maurice''s cor with his trembling hand.He

    opened his mouth again.

    But the next moment, a lot of blood gushed out of his mouth.

    "Ah...Ah..."

    Gerald couldn''t even utter a word.

    Maurice realized that Gerald couldn''t say anything anymore.

    Gerald could only stare at him with hatred.His gaze never left Maurice until he couldn''t hold on any

    longer, and his eyes gradually closed.

    When thest gleam of light in his eyes was extinguished, his grip on Maurice loosened, and his hand

    fell heavily on the ground.

    Maurice was in a daze.

    Mixed emotions overwhelmed his heart at the moment.He hated Gerald to the core.

    Gerald killed his parents and sister and ruined his family.He was also the reason for the Pierce Group''s

    bankruptcy and the miserable fate of the Pierce family and Eliana.

    Maurice wanted to kill Gerald, but he had to take his grandparents into consideration.He didn''t want

    them to hold a funeral again for their son.

    So he could only endure the immense hatred in his heart.

    And exiling Gerald from the country forever was hisst bottom line.

    But Gerald did too many evil things, and finally it was God who punished him.

    Everything was finallying to an end.

    At this moment, more and more people gathered around them.

    Maurice gave Gerald, his family and enemy, onest look.

    Then he turned around and slowly walked out of the crowd.

    Right now, Corbin had already gotten out of the car and staggered over.

    "Mr.Moran, how...How is Gerald?" Corbin asked anxiously, looking at the crowd not far away.

    Maurice''s face was pale, and his eyes were nk.It was as if he hadn''t heard Corbin''s voice at all.

    "Mr.Moran..."

    N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.

    Corbin sensed something was wrong, and he wanted to help Maurice.But the next moment, Maurice

    suddenly fell back to the ground and became unconscious.

    "Mr.Moran!" Corbin screamed in fear and rushed over to Maurice.

 Chapter 724 Meet In A Dream

    Chapter 724 Meet In A Dream

    When Maurice opened his eyes, there was nothing but darkness.He couldn''t see anything.His mind

    was a mess.

    What happened? Where was he? What about Eliana? He was going to find her.

    This was the only thing left in his mind.

    At this moment, there was a light in the distance.

    Maurice''s eyes lit up.He staggered to his feet and walked towards the direction where the light was

    coming from.He didn''t know how long he had been walking.

    But this time, he saw bright lights in the sky.

    And under the sky full of lights, he saw Eliana in a wedding dress.

    "Eliana!" Maurice shouted at once.

    Eliana turned around and smiled at him.

    Then she slowly walked towards him, took his hand, and led him forward.

    "Eliana, I finally found you."

    He held her slender hand tightly and said excitedly, "Where have you been these days? Are you hurt?

    Grandpa doesn''t have any objection to our rtionship anymore.The truth hase out.It''s all

    Gerald''s fault."

    Maurice had said a lot, but Eliana didn''t reply a word.She just quietly led him forward until they

    completely walked out of the darkness behind them.

    Then she let go of his hand.

    Maurice was flustered.

    "Eliana..."

    He quickly grabbed her hand again and asked, "Eliana, what''s wrong with you? Why are you letting go

    of my hand? Aren''t we going back together? Do you know how much I miss you? Our children are

    waiting for you.They miss you so much too.Are you going to leave the three of us again?"

    Maurice was overwhelmingly emotional.

    Suddenly, a drop of hot tears fell on his hand, making him step back.

    Then Eliana disappeared.

    "Eliana, no!"

    Maurice screamed and opened his eyes.

    Lying in bed, he looked around.He found that he was surrounded by the white hospital walls.

    There was no darkness, no light, and most of all, no Eliana.

    Everything was just a dream.He turned his head to the side and saw that Corbin had already fallen

    asleep on the bedside.

    Corbin''s head was pressed on his hand, which had an infusion, making his entire arm numb.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Sure enough, Corbin was still so unreliable.

    Looking at Corbin, Maurice was amused and helpless at the same time.

    Then he thought of his dream just now, and he couldn''t help feeling sorry.

    If his arm didn''t feel numb because of Corbin, he might have spent more time with Eliana, even if they

    could only meet in a dream.

    In the past few days that they were apart, she never appeared in his dream.

    And when he finally saw her in his dream, he was awakened before he could even take a good look at

    her.

    Maurice was still lost in thought when Corbin woke up in a daze.

    Seeing that Maurice was looking at him, he eximed, "Mr.Moran, you''re finally awake! This is great!

    Let me call the doctor."

    Then he rushed to the door and shouted, "Doctor!"

    But Maurice stopped him.

    "Hey, calm down.Tell me, what''s wrong with me?"

    "Mr.Moran, you suddenly passed out.You''ve scared me to death.Fortunately, I was not seriously injured

    in the car ident, so I was able to find a hospital nearby."

    Corbin still couldn''t help feeling terrified when he recalled the car ident.

    There was a moment of silence.Then Maurice asked, "How long have I been unconscious?"

    Corbin scratched his head and said, "Actually, the doctor said you didn''t really faint.It was just that you

    were too tired, so you fell asleep.But you slept the entire day.It really scared me."

    Barely had Corbin finished his words when the doctor came in.He walked to the bedside and checked

    Maurice carefully.

    Finally, he came to a conclusion.

    "Mr.Moran, you are fine now.You can be discharged and just rest at home for a few days."

    "Did I sleep the entire day?"

    After the doctor had left, Maurice frowned and asked.

    "What about Grandpa? Have you taken him and Grandma back?"

    "You have nothing to worry about now, Mr.Moran.I dealt with everything when you were asleep.Your

    grandparents are now safe and sound," Corbin replied.

    It was only then that Maurice breathed a sigh of relief.

    Then he asked, "How is Grandpa?"

    "He is fine.But..."

    Corbin paused for a moment before he continued, "He doesn''t know yet about what happened to

    Gerald."

 Chapter 725 He Has Changed A Lot

    Chapter 725 He Has Changed A Lot

    Although Maurice had seen it with his own eyes, he was still stunned when he heard Corbin say Gerald

    was dead.

    The scene when Gerald was hit by the truck and fell to the ground a few meters away shed in his

    mind.

    And when he recalled Gerald''s image lying in a pool of blood, his heart skipped a beat.

    This time, it was not a dream.

    Gerald was really dead.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Maurice''s heart was filled with mixed emotions, but he could only sigh.He looked at the back of his

    hand, pulled out the infusion needle, and lifted the quilt.He wanted to get out of bed.But Corbin

    hurriedly stopped him.

    "Mr.Moran, you still need to rest for now." Maurice shook his head.

    "The doctor said I''m fine, and I can go home.Grandpa and Grandma are waiting for me.We have to go."

    "No!" Corbin retorted loudly.

    "You just had a car ident.Even if the doctor said you are fine, you still need a good rest."

    "No need." Maurice insisted.

    "Mr.Moran, your grandparents have already lost two sons.If they see their only grandson look like this,

    their hearts will definitely be broken.Do you have the heart to hurt them again?"

    Maurice felt Corbin made sense, so he was finally persuaded.He didn¡¯t insist anymore.

    Instead, hey back on the bed.

    Then he asked, "What about you? Are you okay?"

    He looked at Corbin''s bandaged forehead worriedly.

    When the car ident happened, Corbin seemed to be seriously injured.

    "Oh, this?"

    Corbin touched the gauze on his forehead and smiled.

    "Don''t worry.I''m okay.It''s no big deal."

    As soon as he said this, Nana suddenly rushed into the ward, crying.She hugged Corbin tightly and

    said bitterly, "Corbin, you scared me to death! I thought you were dead."

    As she cried, she hammered his chest with her small fist.

    "Hey, don''t cry now.I''m fine."

    Corbin held Nana in his arms andforted her.Her tearful eyes were already red and swollen from

    crying.

    Nana cried even more hysterically andined loudly, "I called you, but you didn''t answer.If I hadn''t

    seen the news, I wouldn''t have known you got into a car ident.I''ve already lost Eliana.I can''t lose

    you anymore."

    Corbin was flustered upon hearing Nana''sst two sentences.His heart skipped a beat.He hurriedly

    nced at Maurice and covered Nana''s mouth with his hand.

    "Okay, it''s all my fault.Beat me or scold me if you want.Just don''t say anything more."

    It was only then that Nana came to her senses.

    When she realized what she had just said, her face turned pale.She subconsciously looked at Maurice

    on the bed with an extremely embarrassed expression.

    Everyone knew that Eliana''s disappearance made Maurice distressed.

    Recently, no one dared to mention this matter.

    For a moment, there was dead silence in the ward.

    Corbin looked at Maurice apprehensively, fearing that he was sad and angry.He was also worried that

    Maurice would vent his anger on Nana.

    But much to Corbin''s surprise, Maurice didn''t do anything drastic.

    Instead, Mauriceforted Nana.

    "Don''t worry, I''m not angry," Maurice said, shaking his head.

    "Take Corbin out and ask the doctor to check on him.Don''t let any sequ happen."

    Nana and Corbin obediently walked out of the ward, but they were still in a daze.

    Nana couldn''t help sighing, "The power of love is really great.Compared to before, Maurice has really

    changed a lot.Even his attitude toward me has changed.After Eliana disappeared, he looked for her.He

    took the children to work every day and took care of everything.Why didn''t I realize before that Maurice

    was also a good man?"

    Corbin agreed with Nana, "Indeed, Mr.Moran has changed a lot.And it¡¯s all because of Eliana.But she is

    missing now."

    When he said this, the two of them could only sigh at the same time.They had the same question in

    their hearts: Where was Eliana?

 Chapter 726 So Close Yet So Far

    Chapter 726 So Close Yet So Far

    In the middle of the night, Mauricey on the hospital bed, tossing and turning.

    The same questions lingered in his mind.

    Where was Eliana now? Who took her away? Was she alright? Did she also miss him and the

    children? Every time Maurice closed his eyes, Eliana''s images shed through his mind one after

    another.He couldn''t fall asleep at all.

    Finally, he gave up forcing himself to sleep.He stood up, took out a cigarette from the cigarette box,

    and walked to the balcony.He looked up and saw that the moon tonight was beautiful.

    Maurice put the cigarette in his mouth, lit it, and took a deep drag.He looked up at the pale moonlight

    again, feeling sad and lonely.

    What he didn''t know was that on the balcony above him, there was a person who also felt the same.

    "s!"

    Eliana sighed.She leaned against the railing and looked down at her phone.She was watching the

    video of the twins ying on the beach.

    As she looked at her children''s cute faces in the video, her eyes moistened a little.

    Since Eliana woke up in the hospital, she was left alone.She and her children had never been

    separated for so long, and she really missed them so much.

    Fortunately, Branson promised her that after she was discharged from the hospital, she could see the

    children.

    But when she thought of what the doctor had told her, she couldn''t help frowning.

    Yesterday, the doctor told her that because of the strong impact she had when she hit her head, she

    lost some of her memories.She couldn''t remember things happened after she was back home.

    Eliana could only vaguely recall that she came back to find out the truth about the bankruptcy of the

    Pierce family.

    As for what happened next, she couldn''t remember anymore.

    Branson only told her that the White family found her and the children not long after she came back.

    He also said that after the investigation, the truth about the bankruptcy of the Pierce family was

    revealed.

    And Gerald of the Moran Group was the culprit.

    Gerald wanted to take away Eliana''s mother, so he yed some dirty tricks to take down the Pierce

    Group, which eventually led to the destruction of the Pierce family.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Now, everything was settled.

    Eliana could tell that Branson was not lying.

    But was the truth really as what he said? If this was the case, shouldn''t she be happy that the enemy

    was found? Why did she still feel empty? It was as if she still needed to find someone.

    But whenever she tried to recall, her mind went nk.

    Who was on her missing memory? While Eliana was in a daze, she loosened her left hand which was

    holding the phone by ident.

    As a result, her phone fell downstairs.

    At this moment, Maurice stubbed out his cigarette.

    Then he heard a loud bang and a white object fell in front of him.

    He was confused, not knowing what object had almost hit him.

    ¡®Is It..a phone?"

    Right then, familiar voices suddenly came from the phone.

    "Mommy,e here!"

    "Mommy, hurry up! The fish is running away!"

    Was he hallucinating? Why did the voices sound like Aileen and Adrian? Maurice froze in an instant.He

    stared at the white phone in disbelief and subconsciously picked it up.

    But unfortunately, as soon as he picked up the phone, it locked.

    The screen instantly darkened, and the children¡¯s voices disappeared.

    Maurice''s face turned gloomy.He stared at the phone, feeling uneasy.

    Whose phone was this? Why did he hear Aileen''s and Adrian''s voices from there? Upstairs, Eliana

    looked at her empty hand, utterly shocked.

    What if her phone hit someone? Did she hurt someone? Eliana quickly lowered her head and looked

    downstairs.

    But her sight was blocked by the nts on the balcony, so she couldn''t see anything at all.

    But there was a little light in the ward downstairs, so there should be someone there.She decided to go

    downstairs and have a look.

    If her phone really hit someone, she must apologize.

    Eliana hurried downstairs, came to the door of the ward, and knocked gently.

 Chapter 727 My Family Member Is An Old Woman

    Chapter 727 My Family Member Is An Old Woman

    "Eliana? What are you doing here?"

    Someone suddenly appeared behind Eliana.

    Eliana was so startled that she shivered.

    But when she turned around and saw it was Branson, she patted her chest and breathed a sigh of

    relief.She said truthfully, "I identally dropped my phone on the balcony of someone''s ward.I came

    down to apologize to the patient in this ward."

    Branson walked up to her and said, "Let me help you."

    But Eliana shook her head at once.

    "It''s okay.It''s just a small thing.I can handle it."

    Branson smiled.

    "The wards on this floor are for VIP patients.Except for you, the rest of the patients here are elderly.If

    you meet an old man with a bad temper, you can''t handle it well.Why don''t you let me help you? You go

    back upstairs first."

    Eliana pursed her lips and looked at the closed door of the ward.

    If the patient here was really an old man with a strange temper, she couldn''t handle it.

    At the thought of this, she didn''t refuse Branson''s kindness anymore.

    "Thank you, Branson.Please apologize to the patient on my behalf."

    After Branson nodded, Eliana then turned around and went back upstairs.

    The moment the elevator doors closed, the door of the ward opened.

    Then Maurice stood at the door and looked at the strange young man in front of him indifferently.

    "who are you?" he asked with a frown.

    When Branson saw Maurice, his heart jolted, and he almost couldn''t control the expression on his

    face.He didn''t expect that Maurice was the patient in this ward.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Of course, he knew Maurice.But Maurice didn''t know him.

    When Branson didn''t say anything, Maurice got impatient and was about to close the door.

    "Wait..." Branson said.

    Then he added politely, "I''m sorry, my family member is a patient in the VIP ward upstairs.She

    identally dropped her phone on the balcony just now.I wonder if you happen to see it."

    Maurice was stunned for a moment.Did the phone really belong to this man''s family member? He

    thought for a while and asked, "Are there children upstairs?"

    "There are none.Why?"Branson replied with a frown.

    Maurice took out the phone and said, "When the phone fell down just now, I heard children talking."

    With a straight face, Branson exined, "My family member upstairs is an old woman.Every time she

    misses her grandchildren, she watches their videos.Maybe she was watching them when she dropped

    her phone."

    "Oh, really?"

    A trace of disappointment shed through Maurice''s eyes.He couldn''t helpughing at himself.How

    could he think they were Aileen''s and Adrian''s voices? He must only be overthinking, and he''d better

    stop it.

    "I''m sorry for what happened just now.Can I take the phone back?" Branson spoke again.

    It was only then that Maurice came back to his senses.He forcibly suppressed the disappointment in

    his heart and handed the phone to Branson.

    "I hope this won''t happen again."

    "Yes, I''ll make sure of that.Thank you."

    The moment Branson turned around with the phone in his hand, the expression on his face changed at

    once.He walked to a secluded corner, took out his phone, and called his assistant.

    "Arrange for Eliana to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow."

    The assistant on the other end of the line was stunned.

    "Mr.White, what''s wrong? Miss Pierce hasn''t recovered yet, right?"

    The expression on Branson''s face was solemn.He said coldly, "Maurice is in the ward downstairs

    now.Eliana must leave here as soon as possible.I can''t let them meet."

    The next day, Branson quickly finished the discharge procedures for Eliana.

    Eliana didn''t notice anything unusual, so she immediately agreed happily.

    "Branson, after I leave the hospital, can I see Aileen and Adrian?" Eliana asked while packing her

    things excitedly.

    Branson paused for a moment, then he prevaricated, "Your wound hasn''t healed yet.I''ll take you to

    them after itpletely recovers."

    "I''m fine now except for my hand.Why won''t you let me see the children?" Eliana asked in confusion.

    "Just wait a little longer," Branson objected impatiently.

    As soon as he said this, Eliana stopped what she was doing and fixed her eyes on him.She finally

    realized that something was wrong.

    Was he trying to limit her freedom? This made her feel a little uneasy.

    The two children had never been separated from her for so long.

    If she didn''t go back, they would definitely not bear it.

    Branson said it was for her and the children''s good.

    But the truth was, he had been restricting her freedom.He even hired a private nurse to watch over her

    every day.

    There must be something fishy here.

 Chapter 728 Change Clothes

    Chapter 728 Change Clothes

    Branson avoided eye contact with Eliana, feeling distressed.

    Of course, he also wanted Eliana to reunite with the children.He even tried to secretly take the two

    children away before.

    But Adrian and Aileen had been under Maurice''s protection.His men didn''t dare to alert Maurice, so

    they couldn''t get close to the children.

    "Eliana, trust me.I will reunite you with your children soon.Just give me time."

    Branson had to make Eliana relieved, so he had no choice but to promise her.

    But Eliana didn¡¯t believe him anymore.She realized he wouldn''t keep his word.

    "Okay, then.Let''s leave the hospital first."

    She looked calm on the surface.But she had already made up her mind to escape.

    Branson must have hidden many things about her past from her.

    Since he didn''t want to tell her, she would investigate by herself.

    Now that Eliana had stopped insisting on seeing her children, Branson finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    Eliana''s private nurse quickly packed her things, and the three of them walked out of the ward together.

    But before they could go out cf the hospital, Branson''s phone suddenly rang.He stopped for a moment

    and answered it.

    After listening to the person on the other end of the line, the look on his face changed slightly.He turned

    to the private nurse and ordered, "You take Eliana back first.I have something urgent to deal with."

    "Okay, Mr.White," replied the private nurse, nodding respectfully.

    Branson then looked at Eliana and said apologetically, "Eliana, I''m sorry that I can''t be with you now.I

    really have to go."

    Eliana smiled at him and said, "It''s okay.Don''t worry about me.I have the nurse with me anyway.Your

    work is the most important, so you go ahead now."

    Her answer made him feel relieved.It was only then that he turned around and left.

    Eliana watched Branson''s receding figure until he disappeared from her sight.

    Then she also breathed a sigh of relief.

    After all, if she returned to the White family¡¯s house with Branson, it would be almost impossible for her

    to get out again.

    Now that he was not around, and only the private nurse was with her, it was the best time for her to

    escape."Miss Pierce, let''s go."

    The private nurse was about to walk forward.

    But an idea suddenly urred to Eliana.

    "I need to go to the restroom first.Can you wait for me for a moment? I''ll be real quick."

    "I''ll go with you."

    The private nurse put down the things in her hands, wanting to help Eliana.

    Eliana refused in a hurry, "Thank you, but no need.I''ll feel ufortable if you go with me."

    The private nurse looked embarrassed.

    "But Mr.White said..."

    But before she could finish her words, Eliana interrupted her at once, "He didn''t say I can''t go to the

    restroom.Besides, we are in a hospital.where else can I go? If you are really worried about me, just

    wait for me at the door."

    When the private nurse heard Eliana''s suggestion, she reluctantly agreed.

    Then Eliana walked into the restroom under her watch.

    As soon as Eliana got inside the restroom, she started changing her clothes.She tied her long hair into

    a neat ponytail.

    Then she took out lipstick and eyeliner from her backpack.She painted her lips with ming red lipstick

    and her eyelids with dark red eye shadow.She also put on seductive eyeliner. She looked down at her

    white shirt and jeans.

    Then she directly lifted up the hem of the shirt and tied it into a bowknot, revealing her slender waist.

    Then she used the lipstick and eyeliner to scribble on her shirt casually.

    Although she could only use her left hand, the result was not bad.

    After the shirt was done, she moved to her jeans.She took out the nail clippers and made a drastic

    modification, directly cutting several holes in them.

    Finally, she put on her dark and huge sunsses.

    In just a few minutes, she had transformed herself into a morous and sexy city girl.

    Eliana looked at her reflection in the mirror.

    Seeing that she was totally different from her appearance just now, she took a deep breath.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    Next move could make or break her escape.

    Eliana held her head high and swaggered out of the restroom.

    Outside the restroom, the private nurse was waiting for her dutifully.She walked past the private nurse

    in a casual manner, but the private nurse didn''t recognize her at all.

    Eliana felt great.Her idea had worked.She suppressed the urge to jump for joy and walked away

    without looking sideways.

    At this moment, the private nurse, who was still staring at the door of the restroom, suddenly had an

    ominous feeling.

    She had been waiting outside for a long time, but Eliana had note out yet.

    At the thought of this, the private nurse rushed inside the restroom.

    And much to her dismay, there was no one inside.

    Eliana wasn''t inside the restroom.But she guarded the door well.

    How could Eliana escape? Then she suddenly remembered the beautiful woman who had just passed

    by her.

    It was only then that she realized that figure seemed a little familiar.

    That woman must be Eliana.She was tricked.

    The private nurse was suddenly enlightened.She rushed out of the restroom and tried to chase after

    Eliana.

 Chapter 729 I Think I Have Seen Mommy

    Chapter 729 I Think I Have Seen Mommy

    The twins happened to arrive at the hospital when the nurse was chasing after Eliana.

    Maurice and the kids hadn''t seen each other for a few days and the kids weren''t in a good mood,

    especially Aileen.Her red eyes showed that she had cried, and she wasn''t as lively as usual.

    Maurice felt his heart sink to see his daughter like that.He squatted down and touched the little girl''s

    face lovingly.

    "Aileen, what''s wrong? Why are you crying?"

    "Daddy!"

    Aileen buried her face in Maurice''s arms and burst into tears.

    "I''m worried about you, daddy.Mommy is missing and you are in trouble.I am so worried!"

    Maurice couldn''t bear to see his daughter cry and he did his best to cheer her up.

    "Don''t cry, okay? I''m fine.I''m going to leave the hospital today and stay with you and Adrian.I will find

    mommy, and our family will never be separated again.Okay?"

    Hearing her father''s promise, Aileen stopped crying.She reached out her hand and showed her little

    finger.

    "Then let''s make a pinky promise."

    "Okay."

    Maurice nodded and stretched out his finger.They two of them solemnly locked their pinkies.

    "you should never break your promise!" Aileen said seriously.

    Now that they had made a pact, Aileen was finally able to calm down.

    At this time, Corbin walked over to Maurice with the medicine given by the nurse.

    "Boss, it''s time for you to take the medicine," Corbin said as he handed the medicine to Maurice.

    Maurice took the pill and swallowed it directly.

    After taking the medicine, Maurice subconsciously looked upstairs and asked, "Have you found out

    who lives upstairs?"

    "Yes, I have.It should be some member of the White family.I''ve noticed that Branson has beening

    in and out of this hospital a lot for a few days."

    "The White family..."

    Maurice was stunned and lost in his own thoughts.So, the man who knocked on the door that day was

    none other than Branson! Maurice felt a little irritable.

    For some time now, he had the feeling he had missed something important, but he really couldn''t figure

    out what it was.

    After pondering for a while, he said to Corbin beside him, "Take the kids out first.I''lle down soon."

    "Alright, boss."

    Corbin then took Aileen from Maurice''s arms and then walked out of the ward with the twins.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    When they arrived at the hall, Aileen suddenly saw a familiar figure in the crowd.

    "Mommy!"

    Aileen murmured, looking around anxiously.

    Adrian, who was standing next to her, noticed the strange look on his sister''s face and asked, "Aileen,

    what''s wrong? What are you looking for?"

    "Brother, I think I saw mom just now!" Aileen said uncertainly.

    "You mean mommy is here?"

    Adrian''s eyes lit up and he looked around excitedly.

    s, he saw nothing.It seemed that his sister missed their mom so much that she had a hallucination.

    Adrian held Aileen''s hand tightly andforted her, "Aileen, dad said he would bring mommy back

    safely, right? Don¡¯t worry too much, okay?"

    Aileen didn¡¯t say anything and just lowered her head in disappointment.She thought that she might

    have been mistaken just now.

    How could her mommy be here? Meanwhile, Branson had just got the news and he was rushing back

    to the hospital.

    Eliana was trying her best to escape from here.

    Unfortunately, even after running around the hospital for a long time, she couldn''t find a way to

    escape.She was so panicked that she didn''t realize her children were near.

    Having just recovered from a serious illness, Eliana was still very weak and couldn''t run any more.She

    eventually had no other choice but to go back to the ward.

    Seeing that Branson was getting closer and closer to her, Eliana quickly opened the door of the nearest

    ward and hid in.

    It just so happened that the ward she was hiding in was Maurice''s.

    Maurice was naked at this time as the nurse had just changed his medicine and he hadn''t had time to

    put on his clothes.

    Eliana''s eyes widened in shock when she saw a man standing naked in front of her.

 Chapter 730 The Woman On The Bed Is Mine

    Chapter 730 The Woman On The Bed Is Mine

    Compared to Eliana¡¯s panic and shock, Maurice was stunned on the I spot.He wondered if he was only

    dreaming.

    Otherwise, how could he see Eliana now? Out of nowhere, the person he had been thinking of day and

    night appeared in front of him.He thought he was daydreaming.

    At this moment, Maurice seemed to have forgotten everything else.He stared at Eliana, not even daring

    to blink.He was afraid that if he blinked, she would disappear in the next second.

    Although Eliana covered her eyes, she could still fee] his burning gaze.It was as if he saw through her.

    As time passed by, Eliana froze in ce, feeling extremely embarrassed.She didn''t dare to move.

    "Well, I...I think I''d better go out."

    After saying this, Eliana rested her hand on the doorknob to open the door and go out.It was only then

    that Maurice came back to his senses.

    When he saw -I that she was about to leave, he subconsciously walked forward and said to her in a

    daze, "Eliana, is that you?"

    when she heard a strange man suddenly call out her name, she even .I forgot to cover her eyes.She

    turned around in confusion and eximed, "Who are you? Why do you know my name? Do you know I

    me?"

    Maurice stood very close to Eliana.He was so close that he could fee] her breathing and heartbeat.And

    he was stunned again.It seemed that he couldn''t hear anything at all.

    And there was only one thought in his mind.

    This was not a dream.

    Eliana really came back.

    And she was standing in front of him now, alive.

    Maurice could no longer suppress the surging emotions in his heart.He reached out and held Eliana in

    his arms tightly.

    "Eliana, you''re finally back." He held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe.

    When Eliana saw the excitement on Maurice''s face, her head was full of questions.But at this moment,

    hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.

    Eliana felt anxious at once.

    Branson must have caught up with her.Her face turned pale in fright.She had no choice but to ask the

    strange man hugging her for help.

    "Sir, please let go of me.Someone is chasing me.Please help me get rid of him."

    Maurice let go of Eliana and stared at her.What did she just call him? The footsteps were getting closer

    and closer, and Eliana became more anxious.

    "Please hurry up!"

    It was only then that Maurice came back to his senses.He said, "Come with me."

    He pulled Eliana to the bed, wanting to cover her with the quilt.

    Eliana was shocked by his actions.

    She immediately held his hand and asked in fear, "What are you doing?"

    Maurice exined in a deep voice, "You hide here first.I''ll deal with him."

    Eliana had no choice but to follow his arrangements.She quietly hid under the quilt.

    As soon as shey down and covered herself, there was a knock on the door.

    Branson was already standing outside the door of Maurice''s ward.He looked at the closed door with a

    frown.

    Could it be that Eliana was hiding inside Maurice''s ward? He didn¡¯t want to believe it, but he still

    knocked on the door.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Soon, the door was opened.

    Then Maurice stood in front of him with an unbuttoned shirt.

    Maurice asked with his usual expression, "You? What''s the matter?"

    "I''m sorry.The elderly woman ran away, and I couldn''t find her anywhere.Can I go in and look for her?"

    Branson exined.

    When Maurice heard this, he sneered, "It seems that your family member is very healthy.How can she

    run all the way, and you even have to chase after her?"

    Branson couldn''t directly say that he was not looking for an elderly person.So he could only lie with a

    little embarrassment, "My family member has always been strong.And today, she wants to go home to

    see the children.I can''t stop her."

    "Oh, really?"

    Maurice didn''t say whether he believed Branson or not.But he nced at the people behind Branson

    and stepped aside to make way for them.

    "Well,e in." Branson walked into the ward and looked around.

    Then his eyesnded on the protruding bed.He frowned and slowly walked towards the bed.

    Right now, Eliana was hiding under the quilt.She was so nervous that she felt like her heart was about

    to jump out.

    Damn! It was too obvious.

    Branson would definitely find her.

    At this critical moment, Maurice stood in front of Branson to stop him.

    Branson stopped beside the bed and asked coldly, "Who is this?"

    The corner of Maurice''s mouth curled up slightly.He said, "The woman on the bed is mine.I''m afraid it''s

    not convenient for you to see her."

    Branson looked at Maurice''s exposed chest disdainfully.

    "If I remember correctly, your bride disappeared not long after you got married.Do you already have a

    new girlfriend?"

 Chapter 731 He Is A Father And A Husband

    Chapter 731 He Is A Father And A Husband

    "It''s none of your business, is it? Branson!"

    Maurice sneered as he directly called Branson''s name.

    Upon hearing Maurice call his name, Branson was stunned and it took him a while toe to his

    senses.

    Anyway, he never thought he could hide his identity from Maurice forever.

    "Since you know who I am, then there''s no point in me hiding the truth from you.You should know that

    from now on, the White family will be the ones to take care of Eliana." Branson said so with a straight

    face.

    Maurice stared at Branson with disdain and sneered, "How dare you say such nonsense? Eliana is a

    member of the White family, but you guys have never taken care of her.Now, you''d better stay away

    from her."

    Branson''s face darkened and he looked angry.

    Maurice didn''t let the man speak and said coldly, "Take a look at my ward.The person you are looking

    for is not here.Now, get the hell out of my ward."

    "Maurice, this matter is far from over!"Branson snorted coldly and left.It wasn''t until the ward had

    bepletely quiet that Eliana carefully poked her head out from the quilt.

    Seeing that there was no one was around, she breathed a sigh of relief.She then lifted the quilt and sat

    up on the bed.

    "Thank you, sir."

    Hearing Eliana address him in such a formal way, Maurice was confused.Her strange attitude scared

    him a little.

    He couldn''t help hugging her again and said nervously, "Eliana, don''t make fun of me again, okay?

    Where have you been these days? The kids and I were all worried about you!"

    Eliana was initially struggling to break free from Maurice''s embrace.

    However, at the mention of the kids, her eyes lit up instantly and she asked excitedly, "You know Aileen

    and Adrian? Where are they now?"

    Maurice was even more confused.

    "Of course I know them.What''s wrong with you, Eliana?"

    All Eliana was thinking about right now was the kids and she didn''t even notice the confused look on

    Maurice''s face.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    She urged him, "Since you know where Aileen and Adrian are, take me to see them at once!"

    Maurice clenched his fists and it took him a while to finally agree.

    About five minutester, the twins were brought back to the ward.

    "Aileen! Adrian!"

    Eliana rushed to her kids the moment she saw them and burst into tears.

    Aileen and Adrian stood still, in a daze.

    They felt like they were dreaming.

    Was their mommy really standing in front of them? When they finally realized it wasn''t a dream, they

    cried with excitement.

    "Mommy! Where have you been? I missed you so much!" Aileen said excitedly.

    "Mommy! I missed you so much too," Adrian said in turn.

    Mother and kids were overjoyed to have met again and they hugged each other tightly, shedding tears

    of joy.

    Looking at the three people hugging each other affectionately, Maurice felt sad.

    Why was it so difficult for them to live a happy life? Eliana and the kids cried for a long time before

    finally calming down.

    Aileen wiped away her tears and lifted her head from Eliana¡¯s arms.She looked at Maurice and asked

    in a voice choked with sobs, "Dad, where did you find mommy?"

    Upon hearing Aileen''s words, Eliana was dumbstruck.

    She looked at Aileen in confusion and stammered, "D-Daddy? Baby, why do you call him daddy?"

    Aileen pursed her lips and said in confusion, "Because he is my father and your husband."

    "My...My husband?"

    Eliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock.She took a deep breath and pointed at Maurice.

    "You mean this man is my husband?"

    "Mommy, what''s wrong with you? Don''t scare me!"

    Eliana¡¯s strange attitude really scared Aileen.

    Maurice stroked the little girl''s head and said softly, "Aileen, I''m sorry.I didn''t find Mommy.She came

    back by herself."

    "Uh...Are you really Aileen and Adrian''s father?" Eliana asked Maurice seriously.

    She still couldn''t believe it.

    Maurice stared at her silently for a while.He felt so disappointed.

    "Eliana, the kids won''t lie to you.I''m their father, and you''re my wife."

    How could that be? How could she not know she had a husband? That was too much information for

    Eliana to digest.

    No! Wasn''t Aileen and Adrian''s father supposed to be the male prostitute she slept with five years ago?

    Eliana remembered that man looked very different from the handsome man in front of her! Could it be

    that...

    This man lied to her kids?

 Chapter 732 Ill Make Her Fall In Love Again

    Chapter 732 I''ll Make Her Fall In Love Again

    Eliana¡¯s mind was full of doubts.

    Although she lost some important memory after returning from abroad, she still clearly remembered

    what happened before.

    The man with whom she had a one-night-stand was not the man in front of her.

    How could he be the father of her kids? Seeing that Eliana was silent, Maurice guessed what she was

    thinking about.

    He did his best to suppress the anxiety in his heart and said seriously, "Eliana, I''m Maurice Moran.I

    know you must be really confused right now, but this is not a suitable ce to talk about it.Let''s take

    the children home first.I''ll exin everything to you once we get home."

    "Mommy, let''s go home with Daddy!" Aileen said excitedly.

    Adrian also chimed in and urged Eliana, "Yes, mommy, let''s go home!"

    Eliana looked warily at Maurice and then turned to the twins.

    Seeing the expectant look in their eyes, Eliana didn''t have the heart to refuse.She still didn''t trust

    Maurice who imed to be her husband.

    However, Branson was still looking for her everywhere, so she thought it might be best to leave with

    Maurice.

    After thinking for a while, Eliana finally gave in.

    "Okay, let''s go home together."

    So, that evening, Maurice went back to the apartment with the kids and Eliana.

    Nana had been waiting for them there all day.She was so excited when she heard that Eliana was

    coming back.

    As soon as Eliana opened the door, Nana rushed up and hugged her warmly.

    "Eliana, you''re finally back!"

    When Eliana clearly saw the person in front of her, her eyes lit up and she eximed with joy, "Nana!

    Why are you here?"

    Nana was overwhelmed by emotions and couldn''t hold back her tears as she held Eliana tightly.

    "I was so scared, you know,"

    Nanained in a low voice.

    Eliana was at a loss for a while.

    Thinking back to what happened at the hospital, she quicklyforted Nana.

    "Nana, don''t cry.Now I have something to ask you.Come with me."

    Without waiting for Nana to reply, Eliana dragged her to another room.

    When they got into the room, Eliana closed the door at once.

    Nana was confused and she couldn''t help but look at Eliana seriously.

    "Eliana, where have you been these days? Who on earth took you away at the wedding? Did they hurt

    you? Tell me what happened!" Nana asked anxiously.

    Eliana¡¯s expression changed at the mention of a wedding.

    What wedding was Nana referring to? Her mind was in a mess at the moment.

    "Nana, don''t ask any questions.Just tell me everything that has happened since I came back.I

    especially want to know what happened between me and Maurice!"

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    Eliana¡¯s request deeply puzzled Nana.

    "What''s wrong with you, Eliana?"

    Eliana was rather anxious and quickly replied, "Nana, I''ll exin it to youter.Please answer me first!"

    Although Nana was still confused, she told Eliana everything that had happened after Eliana returned

    from abroad.

    "That''s all?"

    Nana nodded her head.

    After listening to the whole story, Eliana was stunned.

    How could she have such aplicated rtionship with Maurice? She still had some doubts, though.

    Seeing that Eliana seemed lost in thoughts, Nana was even more puzzled.She immediately went out to

    find Maurice.

    "Maurice, Eliana is so strange.She just asked me what rtionship the two of you have.What''s wrong

    with her?"

    Maurice had just finished reading some documents he had received.

    With aplicated expression on his face, he said in a low voice, "I suspect that Eliana might have lost

    her memory."

    "What?!"

    Nana''s eyes widened in shock.

    Maurice''s hands trembled slightly.He sighed in frustration and added, "I just received Eliana''s medical

    report.It says that she has lost part of her memory.That day, she was saved by the White family, and

    they hid her so they could treat her secretly.That was why I couldn''t find her."

    "No wonder she couldn''t remember you and asked me about you."

    Nana was shocked and she looked at Maurice sympathetically.She knew more than anyone what

    Maurice had done for Eliana.

    After everything they had been through, they were finally going to have a happy ending, but Eliana was

    taken away at the wedding.

    Thinking of this, Nana felt deeply sorry for Maurice and she did her best tofort him.

    "Maurice, don''t be discouraged.I believe that the love you and Eliana share can ovee any

    difficulty!"

    With a bitter smile, Maurice replied, "Don''t worry.I won''t give up.Even if she has forgotten me, I will try

    to remind her of our past.Even if she still can''t remember the past, I''m going to make her fall in love

    with me all over again!"

 Chapter 733 Passion

    Chapter 733 Passion

    While Maurice and Nana were talking, Eliana walked out of the room.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    "Eliana!"

    Maurice eximed in a low voice as soon as he saw her.

    "Yes..."

    Eliana lowered her eyes shyly.She didn''t know how to behave with her strange husband.

    Although now she knew everything that had happened between her and Maurice, Maurice was still a

    stranger to her.

    "Eliana.I guess Nana has told you that this is your home! Stay here, okay?"

    Maurice said in an almost pleading tone, staring at Eliana.However, Eliana shook her head

    subconsciously.

    "No, I..."

    Before she could finish her words, Nana interrupted her and urged her in turn.

    "Yes, stay here, Eliana.I''ll stay with the kids tonight so that you can spend more time with your

    husband."

    Hearing that, Eliana felt goose bumps all over.

    What did Nana mean by that? How could Nana leave her alone with Maurice? Nana gave Eliana a

    meaningful look.

    Then, she turned around and took the kids away.

    Eliana could only watch as Nana and the kids left.

    Soon there were only Maurice and Eliana left in the living room.

    Maurice''s deep voice suddenly sounded.

    "It''ste.It''s time to go to bed."

    He took Eliana''s hand and walked towards the bedroom.

    However, Eliana''s mind was in a mess at this moment.

    She was so nervous that her palms became moist with sweat.She stepped back unconsciously.

    "No! I''ll stay in the guest room."

    As she spoke, she pulled off her hand from Maurice''s and was about to run away.

    However, Maurice wouldn''t give her the chance.He quickly stretched out his arms and held Eliana by

    the waist.

    Regardless of her struggle, he dragged her to their bedroom.

    "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

    Eliana''s face turned red as she struggled desperately.She was both angry and shy.

    "Eliana, I will never let you go."

    Maurice said stubbornly, holding her hands tightly.

    Seeing that he was adamant, Eliana quickly thought of an excuse.

    "Let me go! I...I need to take a shower.I can''t sleep without taking a shower."

    Maurice was stunned for a while and he finally let go of her hand.

    "Go ahead.I''ll wait for you."

    Eliana was worried that he might change his mind, so she rushed into the bathroom and locked the

    door.

    The impression she had of her husband was not a good one.He seemed difficult to get along with.

    She had to take a shower to give herself more time alone.

    Eliana tried to find a rubber band to tie up her hair.She instinctively opened the small locker beside the

    mirror and did find a bag of ck rubber bands there.She also had no trouble finding the bath gel, the

    towels, slippers...

    Eliana was shocked at how clearly she knew where everything was in the bathroom.

    After taking a shower, she tried to muster up the courage to go out.

    When she came out of the bathroom and found no one on the bed, she was really relieved.

    But her relief was short-lived as the next second, she was held tightly from behind.

    "Ah!"

    Eliana was stunned and her whole body immediately stiffened.

    Seeing that, Maurice chuckled.

    "Don''t worry.We are a couple."

    Then he carried her andid her on the soft bed.

    Eliana was about to get up, but Maurice pressed her down and kissed her.

    He kissed her on the cheeks, lips, neck, corbone...

    He even moved his hands all over her body, trying to arouse her desire.

    "No...Let me go..."

    Eliana wanted to push him away, but her body somehow went against her will.

    Maurice, who was on top of Eliana, breathed heavily and his eyes turned red with passion.

    Noticing Eliana''s uneasiness, heforted her in a gentle voice.

    "Don''t be afraid.Don''t resist.Feel it with your heart.It''s what you like."

    At that moment, Eliana and Maurice totally sumbed to the desire that consumed them.

    The desire had been suppressed for too long, and once it was aroused, they couldn''t stop it.

    Eliana indulged herself with Maurice''s touch.His passion had made her lose her mind.

    After a long time, it was finally over.

    Lying in Maurice''s arms, Eliana was exhausted.

    She was also very calm now, as if the emptiness in her heart had finally been filled.

    She looked up at the man¡¯s delicate face.

    At this moment, she really believed he was her true love.

    He was her husband.

    Eliana hesitated for a while and then asked, "Maurice, did we really get married after all we''ve been

    through?"

    "Yes!" Maurice replied at once.

    However, Eliana doubted it.

    "I don''t think it¡¯s possible.ording to Nana, your uncle Gerald is the person who made the Pierce

    family go bankrupt.I came back to find out the truth.The culprit has been found but he has not been

    punished.How could I feel at ease with you?"

    Maurice kept silent for a while and just held Eliana tighter.

    He rested his chin on her head and said in a low voice, "Eliana,e back to the Moran family with me

    tomorrow.I will tell you everything you want to know."

 Chapter 734 Her Enemy Was Dead

    Chapter 734 Her Enemy Was Dead

    Eliana got up very early the next day.She opened her sleepy eyes and looked around.

    Maurice was already up and dressed, standing by the bed.

    Today he wore a pure ck suit and looked serious.

    "you''re awake! Go get dressed.I''ll take you back to Moran family today," Maurice said seriously as soon

    as Eliana opened her eyes.

    The atmosphere was a little heavy.

    Eliana quietly stood up and quickly put on her clothes.

    When she was done, Maurice took her to the Moran family as he said.

    This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org.

    The moment Eliana entered the Moran family house, she felt the ce was familiar.She couldn''t tell

    why she felt this way, but she was almost certain she had stayed here before.

    Although she had lost her memory, those feelings were still there.She felt a mixture of bitterness and

    sweetness.

    At this moment, Eliana couldn''t help thinking of what Nana had told her.

    Perhaps what they told her was true after all.She and Maurice probably really loved each other before,

    but they were a miserable couple as his family were against their love.

    After looking around the house for a while, Eliana found something wrong.

    The Moran family was wealthy.

    Why then was the decoration so simple? Confused, Eliana turned to Maurice and asked, "Maurice, why

    is your house decorated so simply?" Maurice said nothing.

    He silently led Eliana to the center of the hall.

    Looking at the name board on the center of the hall, he said calmly, "Eliana, that''s what I want to tell

    you.God gave Gerald the punishment he deserved."

    Eliana followed his gaze and saw white flowers and a ck-and- white photo on a simple wooden

    table.

    The man in the photo was Gerald.

    "Gerald...He''s dead?"

    Eliana was shocked.

    Maurice picked up a bunch of white flowers and put them gently next to the name board.

    "Yes, he is dead.Today is his funeral."

    There were very few people present at the funeral.

    The hall was very quiet.

    Corbin was taking care of the few people who hade to mourn Gerald.

    Sean was standing next to Corbin and his head was still wrapped in gauze.He was also in the car

    during the ident, and he passed out at the moment of the collision.

    Eliana stepped forward subconsciously and carefully looked at the man in the photo.

    This was the man who was responsible for the bankruptcy of the Pierce family and the miserable

    deaths of her parents.

    Now he was dead.

    Eliana''s feelings at this time were veryplicated.She had just found the man who destroyed her

    family, but there was nothing she could do now to avenge her parents because her enemy was dead.

    Far from making her happy, Gerald''s sudden death left Eliana empty and confused.

    Seeing that she was lost in thought, Maurice walked up to her and held her shoulder tightly.

    He exined, "I intended to force him to kneel down in front of your parents¡¯ grave to confess what he

    had done.s, that would never happen!"

    Eliana remained silent.

    Although Gerald was her enemy, he was also Maurice''s uncle.

    So she couldn''t say anything now.

    As such, Eliana and Maurice just stood silently in front of the name board, each having their own

    thoughts.

    Soon, Corbin came over and whispered in Maurice''s ear, "Boss, Mr.Moran is waiting for you upstairs."

    Upon hearing that, Maurice''s eyes darkened.

    He turned to Eliana and said seriously, "Please wait for me here.I have something to deal with."

    Eliana nodded silently.

    She looked up at Maurice and for some reason, she felt worried about him.

    Seeing the concern in her eyes, Maurice chuckled andforted her, "I''ll be fine.Don''t worry."

    Maurice then turned around and went upstairs alone.

    At this moment, Earle and Nancy were in Gerald''s room.

    The old couple looked tired.

    Earle was sitting on the couch, his eyes closed, and his face was pale as he had just recovered from a

    serious illness.

    Nancy, meanwhile, was staring nkly at a photo of Gerald in her hand.

    The old woman looked sad.

    Her hair got much grayer over the days.

    The death of their son had obviously affected this couple so deeply that they seemed to have suddenly

    aged a lot.

    "Grandpa, grandma, I''m here."Maurice said calmly as he walked into the room.He silently waited for

    Earle''s punishment.

 Chapter 735 Let Go Of Hatred

    Chapter 735 Let Go Of Hatred

    Earle''s eyes fluttered open a few momentster.His eyes were filled with sadness and helplessness.He

    even looked older than his age.

    However, Earle was not as furious as Maurice had anticipated.He nced at Maurice with bloodshot

    eyes and said in a soft voice, "Maurice, I know about everything.There''s no need to be sad.None of this

    is your fault."

    Shocked by his words, Maurice lowered his head in despair and said in a hoarse voice, "I''m very sorry."

    As soon as Nancy heard Maurice''s words, she squeezed the photo of Gerald in her hands and burst

    into tears.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Even though Earle didn''t cry, it was obvious that he was very sad due to the sorrowful expression on

    his face.He sighed heavily and rose to his feet.

    Then he stared at Maurice for a while in silence, before walking up to him and patting him gently on the

    shoulder.

    "Everything that happened is your uncle''s fault.You don''t have to take the me or be sorry about it."

    Then Earle paused momentarily and asked, "Before he died...Did he say anything?"

    Maurice remained silent.He couldn''t stop thinking about the resentful expression on Gerald''s face as

    life slipped away from him.He knew that Gerald would probably not regret anything at all.

    But as he stared at the eager expressions in Earle and Nancy''s eyes, he couldn''t bring himself to tell

    them the truth.

    Finally, Maurice sighed and decided to lie.He nced at them and said, "Yes, he said that he regretted

    doing those things.He loved you and grandma very much.He hoped that you could forgive him and live

    a good life in the future."

    Then he quickly added, "Uncle died very quickly.He didn''t feel the pain."

    "Really? He said all that?"

    Earle felt a sense of relief after he finished listening to Maurice.

    Then he waved his hand dismissively.

    "Maurice, I suggest that you take your grandmother out for now.I want to be alone for a while."

    Knowing that Earle wasn''t feeling very well, Maurice felt he couldn''t leave him alone, so he immediately

    said, "No, I can''t leave you here all by yourself"

    However, Earle shook his head and said in a determined voice, "Well, I need some privacy.You can go

    downstairs and wait there."

    "Maurice, I think we should leave him alone."

    Nancy suddenly spoke.She wiped her tears and ced the photo on the table.

    Then she walked to Maurice.

    "Let''s go.Give him some privacy."

    Nancy understood Earle very well, since they had been married for a very long time.She knew him

    better than anyone else.

    Seeing that he had no choice, Maurice stared hard at Earle for a while, before turning around and

    leaving the room with Nancy.

    As they both descended the stairs, Nancy suddenly stopped.

    "Is there any problem, grandma?" Maurice asked with confused expression visible on his face.

    Nancy slowly slipped her fingers into Maurice''s hand and held him tightly.

    "Maurice, I know you have had a very hard time all these years...I know what happened to your father

    had nothing to do with the White family.It was probably the handiwork of your uncle.I have hated him

    for so many years, but your father was dead, and he is my only son left.I have been trying to hide from

    the truth, because I dare not confront it.I''m really sorry for making you and Eliana suffer so much..."

    Nancy sobbed uncontrobly.

    "Grandma, none of that matters now,"

    Maurice said as he gently patted Nancy''s hand.

    "It''s all over now.You have to let go of it now that he has passed on."

    Even though he said those words tofort Nancy, Maurice didn''t really mean them.

    Deep down in his heart, he knew he could never forgive Gerald.But now he had other things to

    concentrate on.

    The dead was gone forever.

    If he didn''t let go of the hatred, it would only make everyone unhappy.

    Maurice also reasoned that his dead parents would want to see him happy instead of holding on to his

    hatred for what his uncle had done.

    Nancy was relieved that the problem that had caused her so many sleepless nights for years had finally

    been solved.

    Suddenly, she turned to Maurice and asked anxiously, "Maurice, where is Eliana at the moment? Have

    you found her yet?"

    A smile appeared on Maurice''s face.

    "Don''t worry yourself about that, grandma.I have found her."

    Stunned by his answer, Nancy eximed excitedly.

    "This is good news, I''m d that you have found her! Henceforth, Earle and I won''t be poking our

    noses into your business anymore.Just stay with Eliana and take care of her, okay?"

    Maurice nodded his head firmly.

    "Don¡¯t worry.I will never let her out of my sight again."

 Chapter 736 Lets Get Out Of Here

    Chapter 736 Let''s Get Out Of Here

    Maurice and Nancy were in the middle of a conversation when suddenly, something happened

    downstairs.

    Eliana was standing in front of the name board when she unexpectedly heard a voice from behind.

    "Eliana, what are you doing here?"

    Eliana turned back and saw Branson walking briskly towards her.

    Damn it! Why did he have to show up now? She knew she couldn''t escape, so she put on a brave face

    to handle the situation.

    "You shouldn''t be here.Come back with me!"

    Branson said urgently as he hurried towards her and grabbed her arm.He wanted to make Eliana

    leave.

    Eliana got pissed off and released herself from Branson''s grip.

    "Why can''t I be here? Is it because of Maurice?"

    Branson frowned and asked, "You know him?"

    "Yes! I know everything, Branson.Why didn''t you tell me about Maurice?"

    Eliana snapped at him.

    "Don''t you think you owe me an exnation?"

    She was seething with anger.

    Branson responded in a serious tone, "I''m trying to protect you! You''ve been hurt enough by

    Maurice.Aileen and Adrian will not have a happy life with him.If you and the kids go back to the White

    family, I can better ensure your safety."

    "What makes you think you can decide for me?" Eliana backed away from Branson, firm in her resolve.

    "I don''t need your protection."

    Branson lost his patience when he realized it was impossible to get her on the same page as him.He

    was ready for the use of force.

    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

    "since you won''t listen to me, don''t me me for being rude," he warned her.

    Eliana narrowed her eyes, sensing trouble.

    "What do you want to do? This is the Moran family!" she said loudly, making sure he was aware of

    where they were.

    Branson scowled and ordered his bodyguard, "Get her!"

    Just as the situation was about to escte, Maurice suddenly appeared.

    "Let me see who dares to do that!" he shouted as he came down the stairs.

    He then rushed to Eliana and held her hand.

    "Branson, this is the Moran family.It''s bold of you to think that you can take my woman away!"

    Branson snorted, "Seriously, Maurice? Your woman? Your new girlfriend was cozying up in your

    hospital bed the other day.And you have the nerve to talk about ¡®your woman¡¯?"

    Both Maurice and Branson were fuming with anger.

    Just then, Eliana raised her hand and spoke up.

    "Actually, that girlfriend you''re referring to is me."

    Branson was taken aback, "Wait, have you regained your memory?"

    Eliana shook her head, "No, not yet."

    Branson breathed a sigh of relief.

    As long as Eliana didn''t remember her past with Maurice and didn''t have strong feelings for him, he still

    had a chance.

    "Eliana, don''t worry.It''s not your fault that you don''t remember.Once you do, you''ll realize how much

    Maurice hurt you.It was he who got you kidnapped from the wedding by the Stone family.Aileen and

    Adrian were also deceived by him."

    The sincere look on Branson''s face got Eliana confused.

    Did Maurice really hurt her? Was he truly a bad guy? The doubts were creeping in, and ina wasn¡¯t

    sure whom to believe.She held her head tightly with a sad expression on her face.

    Every time she tried to recall a memory, her head felt like it was being pricked with a needle.

    Branson was bing increasingly impatient.

    "Eliana, forget about Maurice.Your real family is the White family.Let''s get out of here!"

    "Shut up!"

    Maurice bellowed.He dropped Eliana''s hand and held her face with both hands.

    "Eliana, what''s wrong? Are you okay?"

    "Maurice, my head hurts!"

    ina was covered in sweat.She clenched her face in pain as she felt like a stick was stirring in her

    head.

    Maurice''s heart raced with panic as he eximed, "Don''t worry, I''m here for you.Let''s get you to the

    hospital immediately!"

    With Eliana in his arms, he turned to leave.

    But how could Branson stand by and let Maurice take her away from him? He blocked their way and

    demanded, "Where do you think you''re taking her? Put Eliana down!"

    "Get out of my way!" Maurice was infuriated.

    Blue veins became prominent on the forehead.He was about to lose it and give Branson a punch, but

    he held back since he was holding Eliana.

    Seeing that he wouldn''t back down, Branson threatened him loudly, "Maurice, if you take Eliana away,

    you''ll be going against the White family.Do you really want to do that?"

 Chapter 737 We Have A Lifetime To Create New Memories

    Chapter 737 We Have A Lifetime To Create New Memories

    Immediately Branson was done talking, Maurice stopped.

    Branson thought his threat had done the trick.

    "The Moran family is in trouble.The theme park project has stalled and stock prices are plummeting.If

    you mess with the White family, the Moran Group will suffer.Don''t you care about that?"

    Maurice''s expression turned grave.He turned around to face Branson.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    "I don''t want Eliana to be caught between the dilemma with me and the White family.However, if you

    and your people want a fight, I won''t back down," he said firmly before leaving.

    Eliana had listened to their conversation.She was now leaning against Maurice''s warm chest, listening

    to his strong heartbeat.She felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

    Maurice brought her to the bedroom and immediately called the doctor to check her.

    Maurice was so worried.

    "Doctor, Eliana has beenining of a headache.Should we be worried about anything?" He asked

    the doctor when he arrived.

    After the examination, the doctor reviewed Eliana''s medical records and furrowed his brow.

    "Miss Pierce, you''ve suffered serious brain damage resulting in amnesia.It''s best not to force yourself

    to remember things as it will only cause you more pain." Maurice''s eyes dimmed as the doctor spoke.

    Eliana felt a bit helpless.

    "Doctor, are there other quick ways to get back my memory?" she asked the doctor, hoping for a

    positive answer.

    Maurice immediately opposed Eliana.

    "It''s not necessary for you to remember the past." Eliana was perplexed.

    "Why? Is there something you don''t want me to recollect?"

    "No."

    Maurice squatted down and held her hand, looking at her with patience and tenderness.

    "I will tell you all you want to know, Eliana.I swore to never lie to you.Those vows are still valid even if

    you don''t remember them."

    Eliana was startled.

    "I can''t just allow myself to lose my memory.Those are a part of me.Don''t you want me to remember

    what took ce between us?"

    Maurice shook his head and stared at Eliana affectionately.

    "It doesn''t matter if you can''t remember.We still have a lifetime to create new memories together."

    Eliana was moved by his words.She had a feeling that the man in her memory was different from the

    man he was now, and Maurice must have changed a lot for her.But she was still troubled by what

    Branson had said earlier.

    "What about the White family?"

    Maurice stroked her face and assured her, "Don''t worry.I will take care of everything."

    In the evening, Eliana and Maurice ate with their kids.

    While they ate, Ss spoke up hesitantly.

    "Aun...Eliana, is everything okay?"

    Maurice had told him that Eliana had lost her memory, which meant that she didn''t remember him

    anymore.So, he felt too awkward to address her as ¡®aunt¡¯.

    Ss was visibly nervous which made Eliana feel sorry for him.She thought he was a cute boy and

    liked him a lot.

    "You are Ss, right? You are Maurice''s nephew.If you want, you can call me ¡®aunt¡¯."

    Ss¡¯s face lit up immediately and he called her in the cutest voice.

    "Aunt!"

    Eliana responded with a smile, "Yes!"

    Later, after they ate, the three kids took turns to shower and then went to bed obediently.

    Eliana looked at the children as they slept soundly in the dim light of the small nightmp.She felt a

    happiness that she hadn''t experienced in a long time.She stood quietly by their bedside until Maurice

    came over and called out to her, "Let''s go."

    Eliana was drawn back to the present.She gently tucked the children in before heading back to the

    room with Maurice.

    Maurice held Eliana tightly on the bed and said softly, "you must be tired.Go to sleep now."

    He was feeling sleepy himself and his eyes were slowly closing.But Eliana couldn''t fall asleep.She

    tossed and turned in his arms, feeling like something was missing.

    Maurice noticed that she was restless.He was troubled and asked her nervously, "What''s wrong? Are

    you feeling ufortable again?"

    "Did I wake you up?" Eliana blushed in the dark.

    Maurice assumed that Eliana couldn''t sleep with him next to her, so he kissed her on the forehead and

    got up from the bed.

    "Go to sleep. I''ll sleep in the study."

    However, before Maurice took a step, Eliana tightly grabbed him by his clothes.

 Chapter 738 Regain Memory

    Chapter 738 Regain Memory

    Eliana felt embarrassed.She looked at Maurice and asked hesitantly, "Maurice, is there anything we

    haven''t done?"

    Maurice looked puzzled.

    "What do you mean?"

    Eliana''s cheeks flushed as she struggled to find the right words.She cleared her throat and said, "I

    mean...Have we really had good sex before?"

    Maurice was taken aback.He stared at Eliana''s delicate face and swallowed hard.

    "Why did you ask that?"

    Eliana bit her lip and her face grew redder.

    "Well, I remembered something when we made love yesterday and..."

    She didn''t need to speak further.

    Maurice''s eyes darkened and he was consumed with desire.He pulled Eliana close, raising her chin

    and kissing her roughly.

    The air was filled with so much tension for a moment.

    Maurice finally released Eliana when she got out of breath.He rubbed her red lips and looked deep into

    her eyes.His eyes were filled with unbridled lust.

    Maurice smiled tenderly and pulled Eliana closer.

    "Don''t worry.As your husband, it''s my duty to help you remember everything."

    Eliana''s heart raced as he spoke, and she couldn''t help clenching her fists.However, she didn''t pull

    away from him.She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.Her eyelids fluttered slightly which

    exposed the restlessness she was feeling.

    Staring at his beautiful wife, Maurice''s heart swelled with more desire.He leaned in and kissed her

    softly, whispering, "Just rx.I''ll take care of you."

    Maurice spoke in a soft tone that made Eliana feel rxed.He gentlyid her on the bed and kissed her

    passionately, exploring every inch of her body.

    Eliana was too shy to open her eyes, but she could feel the warmth of Maurice''s kisses all over her

    body.He kissed her scars, the back of her hand, and the scar left on her tummy when she had a

    caesarean section years ago.

    "Please, don''t touch that!" Eliana gasped for breath and tried to escape him, but Maurice pulled her

    back and continued kissing her.

    There was no way she could leave.

    After kissing her scars, Maurice held her in his arms and spoke to her with a shaky voice.

    "Eliana, I messed up.I should have protected you better and spared you all that pain."

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Eliana¡¯s heart swelled with emotion.She slowly opened her eyes and saw that his eyes were heavy with

    regret.

    "From now on, I promise to carry the weight of your scars.Your suffering will be turned into joy,"

    Maurice vowed, looking at her with tender affection.

    At that moment, Eliana felt intoxicated by his love.

    A sense of relief washed over her and she let her guard downpletely.It was almost surreal that

    there was someone out there who would love and ept her unconditionally.

    This man was not just holding her body, he was embracing her soul.

    Eliana felt like she was having a long dream.

    In the dream, she and Maurice had gone through so much together.

    They had gotten to know each other, misunderstand each other, and eventually fall deeply in love.

    They had faced all sorts of obstacles but ultimately got married.

    And then the ident happened...

    The next morning, when Eliana woke up, Maurice was no longer by her side.

    All of these memories were not just figments of her imagination.

    The sweet and painful experiences they had shared together were real.It all came rushing back to her.

    Eliana covered her face with her hands and cried tears of joy.She was a terrible wife for not

    remembering her own husband.

    As she rushed out of the room, Eliana saw Maurice bustling about in the kitchen, with their three

    children lending a hand.

    "Mommy!"

    "Aunt!"

    They were overjoyed to see her.

    Maurice turned around and caught sight of his wife.

    Smiling warmly at her, he said, "You''re finally awake.Why don''t you go freshen up before breakfast?"

    Eliana waspletely stunned.

    Everything seemed like a dream.She was so lucky to have a loving husband and adorable kids by her

    side.

    At that moment, all the difficulties she had faced seemed insignificant.It was as if nothing else

    mattered.

    "Okay," Eliana responded as she got emotional.

 Chapter 739 Her Apology

    Chapter 739 Her Apology

    They had a happy breakfast.

    After that, Maurice went to work.

    There were a lot of things to deal with at thepany.

    After Maurice and the children left, Eliana was home alone.Her expression suddenly turned serious and

    she pulled out her phone to call Branson.She couldn''t just sit around and do nothing.She had to protect

    her family! To do this, she must take the initiative to deal with the White family.

    "Eliana!"

    Branson was stunned when he saw an iing call from her.He asked anxiously, "Have you finally

    figured it out?"

    Eliana didn''t answer, but said in a low voice, "Branson, we need to talk about something.Let''s meet."

    Branson was surprised by her request.He felt a little strange.

    After a short while, he said, "Well, I happen to have something to show you.Come to the White family."

    Eliana didn''t want to waste time on the phone, so she agreed.She then got dressed and went straight

    to the White family.When she entered the living room of the White family vi, she was stunned by what

    Branson did.

    "Eliana, look who I have caught for you."

    Branson dragged a tied-up Harriet and threw her in front of Eliana.

    Lying on the floor at Eliana''s feet, Harriet wasn''t as arrogant and overbearing as before.

    Instead, she looked terrible now.

    Harriet''s head was lowered, with her long hair covering her face.

    Eliana almost didn''t recognize her.

    Branson said arrogantly, "This woman is Harriet.She is the one who hurt you before.I brought her here

    today so that you can get even with her."

    Seeing the woman so miserable now, Eliana didn''t feel the joy she thought she would.She only felt a

    kind of pity for Harriet.

    "What happened to her?" Eliana asked Branson.

    Branson sneered, "She deserves it.She''s just been diagnosed with terminal liver cancer and has only a

    few months to live.But even that can¡¯t make up for her crime.Maurice didn''t punish her, but the White

    family won''t let her go."

    Eliana eyes widened in shock! Harriet had terminal liver cancer? Seeing that Harriet was motionless,

    Branson asked his man to pull her head up.

    "Apologize to Eliana!" Branson ordered.

    Harriet was forced to raise her head.Her face was pale and she looked really miserable.

    After all, she was so humiliated now.

    "Eliana...I''m sorry!" Harriet said, gritting her teeth.

    Eliana remained silent.

    "Anything else?" Branson asked Harriet in a cold tone.

    "Eliana has lost her memory, so you''d better tell her the whole story!" he added, giving Harriet a

    threatening look.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Harriet trembled with fear and exined quickly, "Actually...It was Maurice who asked me to do what I

    did."

    Eliana frowned and red at the woman in front of her.

    "Did you just say it was Maurice who asked to you to do it?" Harriet nced at Branson with a guilty

    look.

    Then she gritted her teeth and nodded.

    "Yes! It was him! I had sex with him long before you got married.On your wedding day, Maurice asked

    me to take you away and kill you.When I realized that I could not kill you, I changed my mind and

    asked the White family to save you.It was all Maurice¡¯s n."

    After saying that, Harriet closed her eyes, trembling all over.She didn''t want to die or offend the White

    family, so she had to lie.

    Eliana listened to the woman in front of her in silence.It seemed that Eliana believed what Harriet had

    said.

    Seeing that, a hint of slyness shed through Branson''s eyes.He stood up and said seriously, "Eliana,

    now you know what kind of person Maurice is.He has been lying to you the whole time."

    "Are you done?"

    With a slight smile, Eliana lowered her head and looked at Harriet mockingly.

    "Harriet, your acting is much worse than before."

    Hearing Eliana''s words, both Harriet and Branson were bbergasted.

    Then Harriet widened her eyes in horror, "Did you just say ¡®before¡¯? You remember everything?"

    Eliana red at Harriet coldly and spat, "Yes, I remember everything.I remember all the times you tried

    to harm me, but you always failed in the end.I also remember how determined Maurice has been to

    choose me every time.And the reason why I left on the wedding day was to protect my family.I think

    we''re the same in that way at least."

 Chapter 740 The Real Purpose Of Branson

    Chapter 740 The Real Purpose Of Branson

    "This is all your fault.It''s because of you I''m in this mess.I hate you!"

    Harriet shouted at Eliana.

    Eliana''s presence filled her heart with stubbornness and malice.

    The Stone Family had fallen apart, and she had cancer.

    How could the person responsible for all this get to be with the man she loved, and marry into a

    wealthy family? She despised her a lot! Harriet was consumed by hatred, all she wanted was for Eliana

    to suffer.She used all her might to stand up.

    "I''m going to kill you!" she screamed as she ran into Eliana.

    Eliana kicked her aside immediately.

    "Why are you still so stubborn, Harriet?" Harriet was on the floor with blood-shot eyes.She tried to get

    up to attack again, but her body was too weak.

    ina watched her coldly.

    "Because I hate you so much! You deserve to die! Fuck you! Kill me if you dare! Otherwise, I''m going to

    murder you and your children." Harriet had gone nuts.She continued swearing at Eliana.She looked

    deplorable and vile.

    Eliana wasn''t in the mood to entertain her antics anymore.

    "Harriet, you are dying.Cancer is already killing you, so I don¡¯t have to do anything.In fact, I might pay

    someone to keep you alive so you can suffer longer."

    "Eliana! You bitch! I won''t let you get away with it, even if I die!" Harriet seemed crazy.

    Branson''s men took her away.

    Eliana and Branson were the only people left in the room.

    Branson realized that he couldn''t trick Eliana any longer.

    "ina, let me tell you what happened after your memory loss," he said hurriedly.

    "No," Eliana interrupted coldly.

    "I have recovered my memory. I don''t need an exnation from you. I won''t believe a word you say."

    Branson didn''t stop.

    "I''m doing this for you. Leave Maurice, and the White family will acknowledge Aileen and Adrian."

    "My children don''t need the White family''s eptance. They belong to the Moran family and I belong to

    the Pierce family. Since the White family didn''te through for me before, please don''t harass me in

    the future," Eliana warned him harshly. She didn''t appreciate what Branson said at all.

    Branson''s expression darkened.

    "Eliana, do you have to be so harsh?"

    "I''m not done talking," ina said immediately. She didn''t have time to dilly-dally with Branson.

    "I know what you want.I will give up all my property in White family aspensation for saving me.Are

    you satisfied now?"

    Branson''s expression darkened further.

    There was no time to pretend to be sad.He felt ashamed as his secret was revealed.

    Eliana knew why Branson had insisted on escorting her back to the White family.Because her mother

    had left her some property as inheritance in the White family.

    When the Pierce family fell apart, the White family didn''t show them support.

    Now, the White family was doing their best to prevent her from marrying Maurice.

    ina was convinced that there was a motive behind this.

    "Am I correct?"

    She was so direct that Branson was speechless.

    In fact, ina was right.

    If she had a good rapport with the White family, they would not care that some of their property went to

    her.But her engagement to Maurice, a descendant of their long-time rival, the future master of the

    Morans, made them ufortable.

    They hated to think that their money would be used in any way for the Moran family.

    "Seeing that you knew my motive all along, I apologize for disappointing you."

    Branson sighed.

    Elianaughed at his apology.She had no expectations whatsoever, so she was never disappointed.

    "Don''t bother! I know you did all these to protect the White family.As for my Mother''s shares, I will let

    them go.Call awyer and ask them to draw up a contract.I will sign it, and you can get it

    notarized.Let''s end this struggle immediately."

    ina''s determination was clear on her face.

    Branson knew that she had made up her mind and would pay no attention to his advice.He shook his

    head helplessly.

    "Alright, as you please," he said.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 741 Untie The Hatred

    Chapter 741 Untie The Hatred

    Branson''swyer wasted no time in drafting the property waiver agreement.

    Once the document was ready, he handed it over to Eliana.She signed it with no hesitation, as though

    the money she had just given up held no value to her.

    As she was about to take her leave, Branson''s secretary burst into the room.

    "Mr.White, I have some terrible news! Maurice and his men have broken in!"

    Branson was taken aback by the sudden news.He instinctively looked over at Eliana and questioned,

    "Did you tell him toe here?"

    Eliana appeared bewildered and shook her head in response.

    The secretary spoke urgently, "Not only the Moran family, but also the Deleon family and the Todd

    family have arrived.They have surrounded the White family as we speak."

    Just then, Maurice barged in with a group of men.

    Branson stood up, faced Maurice, and demanded, "Maurice, what''s going on? Are you here to fight the

    White family?"

    Maurice red, looking furious.

    "And what if I am?"

    Worried that a fight would break out, Eliana stepped forward and yelled, "Maurice, everything''s

    fine.Don''t do anything rash!"

    Maurice¡¯s eyes bulged with anger, and the veins on his neck protruded prominently.

    However, he regained hisposure when heid eyes on his wife, who was standing unharmed in

    front of him.

    "Mommy!"

    Aileen and Adrian cried and rushed towards her.

    "You scared us, Mommy.We thought you went missing again!"

    Aileen eximed, her face streaked with tears.

    Adrian also had a very dull countenance as he wrapped his arms around her neck tightly.

    Eliana felt sorry for her children and immediately tried to soothe them.

    "It''s okay, don''t cry.Mommy''s here with you now, right?"

    Maurice red at Branson as he stood in front of the three of them.

    "Branson, no one can mess with me repeatedly.You''re asking for trouble!"

    Branson''sughter echoed through the room as he replied, "Alright then.Let''s resolve this today!"

    Realizing that things were escting quickly, Eliana intervened, "Stop! Branson didn''t kidnap me.I

    came here on my own."

    "On your own?" Maurice repeated.

    Did Eliana want to return to the White family? Maurice¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he turned to look at

    Eliana.

    "Why?"

    Eliana smiled and handed Maurice the document.

    "Read it and see for yourself."

    Maurice took the document.

    After he looked through it briefly, he appeared startled.

    "Eliana, what are you doing?"

    Eliana took Maurice''s hand and replied, "I gave up the White family property.Are you okay with that?

    I''mpletely broke now.Are you still interested in being with me?"

    "Eliana, you remember everything now!"

    Maurice was momentarily speechless before realizing what had just happened.

    "Yes." Eliana nodded, smiling widely.

    Maurice couldn''t contain his joy, so he pulled Eliana into a tight embrace.

    Overwhelmed with emotion, he struggled to articte his feelings.

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    "I want to be with you, Eliana.I want you even more now!"

    "There are numerous people here! Watch what you say and do."

    Eliana felt a bit embarrassed.She pushed him aside, took a deep breath to regain herposure, and

    turned to Branson.

    "Sorry about that.My husband is a little hot-headed.I apologize for what just happened."

    Eliana handed the document back to Branson, then walked over to Maurice.

    At this point, Maurice had also calmed down.He took Eliana¡¯s hand and looked at Branson with a

    serious expression.

    "Branson, I don''t know your family¡¯s thoughts, but as long as Eliana is safe, I don''t care about what

    happened between the Moran family and the White family in the past.I''m going to be the new head of

    the Moran family, and I won''t give room for any more disputes between our families."

    Branson wore a mixed expression as he tightly clutched the document.He let out a sigh of relief and

    nodded his head.

    "Alright, I get it."

    It was time to let go, and he knew it.He looked at Eliana with a sincerity he had never shown before.

    "Eliana, even though you''ve made your choice, remember that the White family will always be your

    home.Wee back anytime.If this man ever treats you wrong, the White family wille to your

    rescue and teach him a lesson."

    Before Eliana could respond, Maurice furrowed his brow and interrupted him.

    "Don''t talk nonsense.It¡¯s never going to happen.Don''t get involved in our family issues from now on."

    With that, he grabbed Eliana and their kids and stormed out of the room.

    Eliana felt a little helpless but decided to let her husband have his moment of childishness.She turned

    around and nodded at Branson.

    Looking at the family as they left, Branson eventually made up his mind to let go of her.

    "Eliana, I really hope you find happiness this time."

 Chapter 742 Happy Ending

    Chapter 742 Happy Ending

    After leaving the White family vi, Maurice took Eliana and the children directly to the Moran family''s

    old house.

    When Eliana saw Maurice''s grandparents, she had mixed feelings.

    Earle smiled at Eliana and said kindly.

    "I dare not imagine how much you suffered.It''s a good thing you''re back home!"

    Earle''s attitude towards Eliana had improved a lot.Now he didn''t care that she was a member of the

    White family.

    ""Great-grandpa!"

    The twins shouted happily as they rushed to Earle.

    The old man was so happy to be surrounded by his great grandchildren and his sadness eased a little.

    At this moment, tears welled up in Nancy''s eyes.She held Eliana''s hand and said guiltily, "You''ve been

    through a lot, and it''s our fault.We didn''t even give you a decent wedding."

    "Grandma, don''t worry.It doesn''t matter," Eliana said, patting Nancy''s hand.

    However, Nancy quickly refuted.

    "No! My husband and I missed your weddingst time, which is a very bad thing.Under no

    circumstances should an elder fail to attend the wedding of a junior member.I promise to organize a

    better wedding for you and Maurice!"

    Nancy seemed so enthusiastic about arranging a better wedding for Eliana and Maurice that Eliana

    didn''t have the heart to say no.She nodded her head in agreement.

    "Okay, grandma."

    "Great! I''ll get to it right away."

    After saying so, Nancy immediately went away.

    After Nancy left, Maurice walked over to Eliana.

    Seeing that she didn''t look well, he asked in a low voice, "What''s wrong?"

    Maurice''s concerned voice brought Eliana back to her senses and she exined, "Grandma said she

    would prepare a better wedding ceremony for us."

    Maurice was puzzled.

    "Isn''t that a good thing?"

    Biting her bottom lip, Eliana exined, "After everything that happened at our wedding ceremonyst

    time, I''m a little apprehensive about a second wedding to be honest."

    From N?velDrama.Org.

    Maurice understood how Eliana felt.He subconsciously looked at her right hand, which was still weak

    now, and felt heartbroken.He gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead and promised, "Don''t be afraid.I''ll

    take care of everything."

    Soon, it was Maurice and Eliana''s wedding day.

    Not only was the venue exceptional, with magnificent decorations, but the weather was also favorable

    with radiant sunshine.It looked like a fairy tale wedding.

    Since this was Eliana and Maurice''s second wedding, everyone seemed much more adept at what they

    had to do.It was Wyatt who for the past few months had been preparing the buffet.

    The wedding food and decoration were more exquisite than before.

    Nana and Corbin carefully checked the identity of each of the guests in order to prevent the incident

    fromst time from happening again.

    A woman with big sunsses and a wide hat suddenly showed up.

    Nana immediately stopped her.

    "Who are you? You can''t get in until I''ve checked your identity." The woman quickly took off her

    sunsses.

    "It''s me!" she shouted excitedly.

    "Nicole!" Nana eximed in surprise.

    "I''ve been filmingtely.I have to dress up like this to avoid the paparazzi," Nicole exined.

    While they were talking, Nicole suddenly saw a lovely diamond ring on Nana''s finger.She immediately

    understood what it meant and smiled.

    "It looks like you will be getting married soon. Congrattions!"

    Nana''s face flushed with shyness.She quickly changed the topic.

    "Well, stop talking about me.Come on in!"

    Soon, everyone took their seats.

    Nancy and Earle sat in the front row with the twins.

    Wyatt had volunteered to be the host this time.

    When everyone was seated, he took the stage and excitedly announced, "Now let''s wee the bride

    and groom!"

    However, for a long time, there was no movement.

    Standing alone on stage, Wyatt felt quite embarrassed.Everyone was confused.

    Then, Nicole received a video call from Eliana.Eliana said a few words to Nicole who suddenly became

    in a better mood.

    With a smile, Nicole asked the staff to connect the video to the screen.

    The guests were stunned to see that the bride and groom wouldn''t attend their own wedding.

    On the big screen, Eliana and Maurice were seen going on their honeymoon trip.

    Eliana wore a white wedding dress, while Maurice was dressed in a custom-made suit.

    "I''m sorry, everyone.I have run away from the wedding with my wife and we are on our way to go on

    our honeymoon.Today''s ceremony is to make up for our mistakes from thest time.As for me and

    Eliana, please don''t worry about us."

    Smiling happily, Maurice hugged Eliana tightly.

    "What a bastard!"

    Earle snapped.

    Sure, the old man felt angry.

    However, he couldn''t helpughing.

    Staring at the screen, Aileen asked in confusion, "Why don''t mommy and daddy take us with them

    since they are traveling?"

    Adrian rolled his eyes and replied, "Daddy probably forced mommy to go with him!"

    Ss, on the other hand, was silent for a moment.

    Then he asked excitedly, "Hey, do you think we can eat more candies since they have left?"

    All of a sudden, the three children looked at each other and smiled.

    After hanging up, Eliana and Maurice got into the red convertible that was waiting for them by the sea.

    A gust of wind blew Eliana''s veil away.

    "Oh no, my veil!"

    Eliana subconsciously tried to catch it, but she was held by Maurice.

    "Mrs.Moran, be careful!"

    Eliana gave up trying to catch the veil and looked at her husband with a smile.

    "Okay!"

    "Let''s go!"

    The newlyweds drove the convertible into a promising future.

    One thing was certain, Eliana and Maurice would never be separated again.

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